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OPINION / FIKRAD | by Abdi Dirshe | On the eve of the selection of a new President in the formation of next government in Somalia one thing is very clear; the Somali women have been marginalized again by those entrusted with the selection of the new parliament, particularly the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) leaders and the Traditional Elders. Despite the fact that TFG leaders have signed the new Somali provisional constitution and the Garowe Principles which mandate 30% female representation in the parliament, some of the TFG leaders have selected themselves into the new parliament while illegally sidelining the Somali women.
Over two hundred parliamentarians selected so far, only twenty women have been selected into the new parliament in a process where over 82 women were supposed to be included. Interestingly, this process has been underwritten by the international community and its representatives are on the ground, supervising this tragic practice. Despite decades of victimization by warring men and cultural challenges, the Somali women have been playing a constructive role in the peace process and the rebuilding of the new institutions of Somalia. In fact, some Somali female social justice workers have become international icons because they refused to accept marginalization and have become strong voices for the thousands of victims of war. One such female is Asha Hagi Elmi, the internationally celebrated peace activist who has won the Right Livelihood Award in 2008. Having worked in Somalia for the past two decades, Ms. Elmi is not impressed with what she has been witnessing for the past several weeks in Mogadishu and observes that “the selection process has become full of contradictions”. Moreover, Ms. Elmi says that “it is not surprising that in a male dominated society and with corrupted leaders, the Garowe Principles are ignored and women are not given their rightful quota in the new parliament”. This does not bode well for the post transition government and the international community as questions of legitimacy will be raised. Somalia has endured decades of civil war and mistrust towards the official “government”. Past Somali leaders have engaged in widespread nepotism and corruption that continue to have adverse impact on the national psyche. More recently, the United Nations Monitoring group has accused the TFG leaders of shocking widespread corruption and outright theft. These accusations could not be dealt with by the weak domestic institutions in Somalia and the Somali public was looking up to the global actors to take measures against the accused since they are in their payroll. The TFG leaders have become more emboldened by the inaction of the international community and are competing for the leadership of the next government.
However, the TFG leaders are drawing international attention, condemnation and threats. William Hague, the UK Foreign Secretary has recently underscored that the international community will not tolerate the exercise of “bribery, corruption and intimidation by those involved in the selection process of the new parliament”. Similar concerns were raised by the UN and the African Union leaders. However, without any action, these words are nothing but empty rhetoric. It is a known secret in Mogadishu that the hottest commodity in town has been the seat in the new parliament which is alleged to have been offered at a cost of over one hundred thousand dollars. Those with money could buy it from the TFG leaders. The TFG has set up an oversight scheme to oversee the selection process but it is clear, the group entrusted with this responsibility, the Selection Technical Committee has been accused of bribery and realpolitik as they solely select new members according to political calculations as the new parliamentarians will determine the next president of Somalia. The Somali women have become the first victims of this shady process. In this context, many Somalis predict that this will be another missed opportunity and the political conflict in Somalia will continue for many years to come as the new Somali government will likely not be different than the current failed TFG.
______________________________________________________________Share on Facebook | <urn:uuid:c6c0ac11-bcea-4caf-bed8-5a38f6c4f9db> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.qaranimo.com/2012/08/24/tfg-leaders-undermine-gender-political-equity-in-somalia/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967821 | 790 | 1.554688 | 2 |
A Place to Paint
We've all heard of cars that received a fantastic show-winning finish while being sprayed in a garage, barn, or even a driveway or carport. The fact is that quality painting requires a quality environment to work in-and safety recommends the use of a professional spray booth for all painting activities. True, few of us have the good fortune of a pro-quality paint booth for our one-off project ambitions, but nearly anyone can find access to a booth with a little legwork. Often a pro facility will be willing to rent booth time to hobbyists at a nominal fee. A pro facility will usually come with a professional-level air supply, the specific lighting needed, and most importantly, the proper ventilation system that ensures a safe paint project. The modern paint booth contains high powered fans that draw the air through filters, and downward, taking the unwanted overspray away from the vehicle being painted.
Air and Air Supply
A clean supply of clean, dry...
A clean supply of clean, dry air in sufficient capacity is a key requirement in automotive spray painting. This huge two-stage compressor is operated by a 20hp industrial three-phase electric motor and supplies this shop with all the air required. For most requirements, compare the air consumption figures of the equipment to be used versus the rating of the compressor, and add a 50 percent margin of capacity.
A need that is a vital part of any paint project is, of course, a compressed air source to operate the spray equipment at the time the paint and primer materials are applied. Further, most autobody power tools are traditionally air powered, running the range from air sanders and body files, to reciprocating saws, grinders, and in some instances, even the buffers and polishers. The bottom line is that a paint project requires a reliable and ample supply of air. When it comes to compressors, it is typically the case that too much is never a problem, but falling short in terms of required air delivery at a critical point of the job can spell disaster.
Air compressors are most commonly rated in terms of volume by Standard Cubic Feet per Minute (SCFM), which is a measure of the volume of air delivered per minute of run time. Be aware that the volume delivered is greater at low pressure than at higher output pressures, so it's important to note the pressure (PSI) at which the volume (SCFM) specification is rated. For instance, a compressor may put out 11 SCFM at 40 psi, but at 125 psi, that output may be only 5-6 SCFM. Another consideration is the size of the storage tank which receives the compressed air. A larger tank will considerably cut down on the duty cycle of a properly-sized compressor, while providing a more stable air supply.
How much compressor is enough? At a minimum, this will depend upon the requirements of the tools being used, and fortunately most are also rated in SCFM for air consumption. As with the compressor output, it's important to note the pressure at which the tool's air consumption is rated. It also pays to figure a margin of about 50 percent over capacity when comparing the compressor output to the requirements of the tools. When it comes to compressors, the golden rule is that bigger is almost always better, and that goes for both capacity and storage tank size.
A professional shop installation...
A professional shop installation will have a moisture trap system of varying complexity to remove impurities from the air, ensuring that the supply is clean and dry. Here we have a piped system with multiple downlegs and separators. A main system pressure regulator should also be found as part of the compressor installation.
Presuming air of sufficient quantity is available, the next and equally important factor is air quality. Compressed air can often contain moisture that will condense into water at the tool or spray equipment, and water will certainly foul the paint. Oil contamination is also a possibility, often from worn or inadequately maintained compressors. The key here is to make sure the air compressor is in good mechanical condition, and the air delivery system is set up with a minimum of one water trap/separator. Another item that should be included in the air delivery system is a true pressure regulator. This will provide a stable and constant air pressure to the spray gun or equipment independent of the pressure fluctuations in the storage tank. A further regulator or choke is used at the spray equipment to set the air pressure at the tool.
Spray Equipment: Paint Guns
It used to be that just a few standard units dominated the field of autobody refinishing. These guns were predominantly conventional suction-feed types manufactured by DeVilbiss, Binks, and Sharpe. The landscape changed with the introduction of High Volume Low Pressure (HVLP) equipment more than a decade ago, initially introduced to cut waste and emissions from spray equipment in keeping with regulatory requirements. While the older conventional-style equipment is still capable of providing excellent results, the modern HVLP equipment has come to dominate the industry. | <urn:uuid:87574c39-7386-48f4-b3d2-9561eef081cf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.corvettefever.com/techarticles/corp_1007_paint_equipment_guide/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950672 | 1,036 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Posted by Alice Xin Liu on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 at 11:03 AM
A celebration for the 2008 Beijing Olympics held in Buenos Aires, Argentina
This article is by guest contributor Nancy H. Liu. She is a health researcher, an NIH/Fogarty Scholar in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and recently completed a Fulbright Fellowship in Beijing.
The Chinese Diaspora in Latin Americaby Nancy Liu
In a city renowned for its savory steak and sultry tango, a little known fact is that there is a growing Chinese population in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
During the Olympics, while Beijing displayed its magnificence to rest of the world, many Argentines watched the Games at Chinese restaurant Todos Contentos (大家乐) in Barrio Chino, the Chinatown of Buenos Aires. Todos Contentos and several other Chinese businesses hosted the Fiestas Olímpicas. Though a relatively new sight in Latin America, it was a familiar scene scattered across major cities across the world: red lantern-lined streets dragon dancing, kungfu performances and fried egg rolls, and the pop music of Jay Chou (周杰倫).
The Chinese diaspora in Buenos Aires is a heterogeneous group. Some have arrived just recently; others have lived here for decades, their children adopting Latin American names, such as Mariana Hsu or — my favorite thus far — Juan Huang.
Chinese immigrants to Argentina number to about 60,000, comprising approximately 0.15% of the country’s population. The Chinese in Argentina came mostly in two waves: the first arrived from Taiwan in the 1980s, while the second came in the 1990s, hailing mostly from Fujian Province.
After almost 30 years here, many first-wave Taiwanese have become accustomed to the porteño lifestyle. They tell a story common to Asian immigrants in Latin America arriving around the same time: hoping to reach the United States or Canada, they were met with difficulties securing a visa. Their aspirations were temporarily halted and so they waited. Only waiting led to acculturating; and acculturating eventually led to staying.
“The pace of life here is slower. When I return to Taiwan, everything moves so quickly and there is too much pressure at work,” says Chen Chaofei (陈超妃), 36, who moved to Buenos Aires in high school. “I couldn’t handle it so I came back.”
An Argentine asado in the park with a Taiwanese-Argentine family
To her and many others, Taiwan is no longer home. She explains that her parents would be unable to adjust to life there. Taiwan has changed and so have they, she says, describing her family’s many adopted customs, such as having weekend asados, barbeques with the family.
The second-wave of Chinese immigration to Argentina tells a much different story.
Arriving mostly in the 1990s, this group is filled with twenty- and thirty-somethings, young drifters who came often through the illegal smuggling route originating in Fujian Province. According to Peter Kwong, a professor of Hunter College in New York City who studies Chinatowns across the world, the price of smuggling from Fujian to the United States is about $30,000 USD.
“Many go to these other countries because it’s cheaper,” he states.
Several of the second-wave Chinese immigrants are in the midst of paying back the debts they incurred for coming here. Chang Shenmei (长神美), 20, sleeps at a grocery store where she works in order to save money. Arriving in Buenos Aires about a year ago, she recounts her frustrations with learning Spanish and spends her free time at an Internet café, chatting with friends back home.
“Do you have QQ?” she asks, entering my name into her pink, sparkly cell phone.
In the eyes of local Argentines, however, both waves of the Chinese diaspora have melded into one group. Chinese usually run supermercados chinos (Chinese supermarkets), which dominate the second tier of grocery stores in Buenos Aires. Tinterorías for laundry are also a common Chinese-run business. And of course, the ubiquitous Chinese restaurant can be found on nearly every street corner. Empanadas chinas, egg rolls and raviolis chinos, pork-filled dumplings, are popular among local Argentines.
However, life in Buenos Aires does not come without difficulties. Since the economic crisis of 2001, many small businesses have faced significant crime. Robberies are frequent, with one supermercado chino reportedly robbed up to 14 times in one year. Also, stories of family members shot at gunpoint in their store are not uncommon. Meanwhile, some tensions have arisen with other immigrant groups. In 2002, Bolivian immigrant workers held demonstrations against Chinese, Korean and Jewish owned stores, carrying signs stating, “We are workers, not slaves.” As a result, many Argentines boycotted these businesses.
Recently, there has been a third and newer wave of Chinese immigration: ambitious and educated members of China’s growing middle-class who are looking to find their place in China’s growing economy. Young employees of Chinese companies have recently arrived to work two year stints. Federico Calcagno, 32, an Argentine employee at the Buenos Aires branch of Hua Wei Technologies Co. Ltd. (华为技术有限公司) says the company hires younger workers because they are eager to please, seeking to better their financial situation.
“They are very hard workers,” he states.
Moreover, students who come mainly from China’s coastal cities are looking to turn to account the untapped reservoir of Spanish language abilities. Whereas their peers are assiduously learning English, they see their future in Spanish.
“When I go back, I will be one of the few who can speak Spanish,” says Pablo Chu, 21, who arrived from Shanghai two years ago and seeks to complete an undergraduate degree at the Universidad de Buenos Aires.
In many ways, the Chinese diaspora in Buenos Aires is reminiscent of the motherland. Though variegated, they are assembled into one whole, seeking to make their ends meet. Despite this heterogeneity, however a simple message continues to reverberate: the growing Chinese presence in Argentina, as in the rest of the world, is difficult to ignore.
Jobs in China
Henry on The Eurasian Face
Caroline W on Big in China
Michael on Julia Lovell on translating Lu Xun's complete fiction: "His is an angry, searing vision of China"
Brandon K. on Clueless academic takes on popular fantasy novels
China Media Timeline
Major media events over the last three decades
Danwei Model Workers
The latest recommended blogs and new media
Books on China
The Eurasian Face : Blacksmith Books, a publishing house in Hong Kong, is behind The Eurasian Face, a collection of photographs by Kirsteen Zimmern. Below is an excerpt from the series:
Big in China: An adapted excerpt from Big In China: My Unlikely Adventures Raising A Family, Playing The Blues and Becoming A Star in China, just published this month. Author Alan Paul tells the story of arriving in Beijing as a trailing spouse, starting a blues band, raising kids and trying to make sense of China.
Pallavi Aiyar's Chinese Whiskers: Pallavi Aiyar's first novel, Chinese Whiskers, a modern fable set in contemporary Beijing, will be published in January 2011. Aiyar currently lives in Brussels where she writes about Europe for the Business Standard. Below she gives permissions for an excerpt.
Front Page of the Day
A different newspaper every weekday
From the Vault
Classic Danwei posts
+ Korean history doesn't fly on Chinese TV screens (2007.09): SARFT puts the kibbosh on Korean historical dramas.
+ Religion and government in an uneasy mix (2008.03): Phoenix Weekly (凤凰周刊) article from October, 2007, on government influence on religious practice in Tibet.
+ David Moser on Mao impersonators (2004.10): I first became aware of this phenomenon in 1992 when I turned on a Beijing TV variety show and was jolted by the sight of "Mao Zedong" and "Zhou Enlai" playing a game of ping pong. They both gave short, rousing speeches, and then were reverently interviewed by the emcee, who thanked them profusely for taking time off from their governmental duties to appear on the show. | <urn:uuid:caf39b6a-8d14-4ed6-b20d-69241f59e111> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.danwei.org/guest_contributor/chinese_diaspora_in_latin_amer.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948324 | 1,839 | 2.703125 | 3 |
Published in Cancer Weekly, October 11th, 2005
"Exatecan is a hexacyclic topoisomerase-1 inhibitor that has broad in vitro and in vivo activity. A multicenter phase II study to determine the antitumor activity of exatecan was conducted in patients with advanced cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder carcinoma. Patients with 0 to 1 prior chemotherapy regimens, adequate major organ function, and metastatic disease were eligible," scientists reported in the American Journal of Clinical Oncology - Cancer Clinical Trials.
"Exatecan was administered at a dose of .5 mg/m2 IV over 30...
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NewsRx also is available at LexisNexis, Gale, ProQuest, Factiva, Dialog, Thomson Reuters, NewsEdge, and Dow Jones. | <urn:uuid:e2f339ff-11d2-46ec-8e0d-8345dff9ca59> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newsrx.com/newsletters/Cancer-Weekly/2005-10-11/10112005333221CW.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940088 | 202 | 1.5 | 2 |
WEATHER: Enjoy the Mild Weather While it Lasts
A large trough of low pressure will remain in place across the Canadian maritimes over the next few days, resulting in cool nights and mild afternoon temperatures for the Mid-Atlantic region. You can see the upper level pattern (500mb) and the surface temperature forecast from the ECMWF (Euro) model for 2 PM EDT Tuesday in the two graphics below. Note the 90-degree temperatures in the central states, and the 70-degree temps in the eastern states.
The low will finally exit North America to the east late in the week, and a broad upper-level ridge will build in from the west. This ridge will strengthen over the region this weekend, with the hottest weather hitting on Monday. The two graphics below show the upper-level pattern and surface temps from the Euro model at 2 PM EDT next Monday. The 591 dekameter ridge is right over Virginia, with surface temps well into the 90s.
We’ll likely go from a high of 73 degrees in Richmond tomorrow, to a high of 94 degrees in Richmond next Monday. Not only will it be hot, but it will likely be humid as well, with the heat index approaching triple digits. Air quality could be an issue by Monday, with the possibility of elevated ozone levels. So that’s what we have on the way, which is pretty normal for this time of the year. Enjoy these cool nights and mild afternoons for the next couple of days, because true Richmond summer weather is right around the corner. -Zach | <urn:uuid:d30107f1-2e0b-4ea2-9b17-a3080a6e01f7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wtvr.com/2012/06/04/weather-enjoy-the-mild-weather-while-it-lasts/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.917637 | 326 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Bodies and Shadows: Caravaggio and His Legacy
Bodies and Shadows: Caravaggio and His Legacy introduces the work of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571–1610), one of the most popular artists of the past, rivaling in fame both Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. The stories of Caravaggio's life are legend, more myth than history, describing traits of personality, including passion and brutality, that came to describe the unique qualities of his work. The exhibition, made up of 56 works in all, including a record eight works by Caravaggio himself, covers the evolution of his style. Caravaggio's legacy is expressed in work by about twenty artists from Italy, Spain, France and the Netherlands who carried into the late 17th century the strangeness, beauty and raw emotion of his work.
See this exhibition for free: become a member.
Exhibition organized by LACMA, the Musée Fabre de Montpellier Agglomération, the Musée des Augustins, Toulouse, and the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, under the auspices of FRAME (French Regional American Museum Exchange). Los Angeles presentation made possible by The Ahmanson Foundation. With support from FRAME, the national tour was made possible in part by Sotheby’s, the Annenberg Foundation/GRoW Annenberg, the Robert Lehman Foundation, and the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, and is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. The exhibition is presented under the auspices of 2013: Year of Italian Culture. Installation designed by Frederick Fisher and Partners Architects. Image: Caravaggio, Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness, 1604-1605, The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, William Rockhill Nelson Trust.
Artist Sandow Birk on Caravaggio
Artist Sandow Birk discusses Caravaggio's influence on his work.
Caravaggio lived four hundred years ago. What is his connection to today’s film? What could he have to do with filmmaking? And what about Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ in particular? Here are the Oscar-winning director’s own words about seeing Caravaggio’s paintings for the first time...
Unframed‘s Stephanie Sykes spoke with Mitch Glickman, LACMA’s director of music programs, about the upcoming season of LACMA’s Art & Music concert series, an innovative series that pairs music and dance performances with LACMA’s collections and exhibitions. This season gets underway with the ballet Caravaggio, performed by the Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Company, on February 6... | <urn:uuid:58b04d0f-e0ba-41b6-902a-e2060f4a3d1d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lacma.org/art/exhibition/bodies-and-shadows-caravaggio-and-his-legacy | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924975 | 585 | 2.34375 | 2 |
- Table of Contents
- Microsoft SQL Server Defined
- Microsoft SQL Server Features
- Microsoft SQL Server Administration
- Microsoft SQL Server Programming
- Performance Tuning
- Practical Applications
- Professional Development
- Becoming a DBA
- DBA Levels
- Becoming a Data Professional
- SQL Server Professional Development Plan, Part 1
- SQL Server Professional Development Plan, Part 2
- SQL Server Professional Development Plan, Part 3
- Evaluating Technical Options
- System Sizing
- Creating a Disaster Recovery Plan
- Anatomy of a Disaster (Response Plan)
- Database Troubleshooting
- Conducting an Effective Code Review
- Developing an Exit Strategy
- Data Retention Strategy
- Keeping Your DBA/Developer Job in Troubled Times
- The SQL Server Runbook
- Creating and Maintaining a SQL Server Configuration History, Part 1
- Creating and Maintaining a SQL Server Configuration History, Part 2
- Creating an Application Profile, Part 1
- Creating an Application Profile, Part 2
- How to Attend a Technical Conference
- Tips for Maximizing Your IT Budget This Year
- The Importance of Blue-Sky Planning
- Application Architecture Assessments
- Business Intelligence
- Tips and Troubleshooting
- Additional Resources
Data Retention Strategy
Last updated Sep 15, 2006.
When I served in the United States Air Force, computerized records were just coming into wide use. We still had a lot of paperwork that we had to originate, track and maintain. One of the primary issues we ran into was how to determine when a document no longer had any value. Some records, such as daily memos or reports, were only valid for a short period of time. Other data records, such as medical histories or large purchases, were kept far longer. Whenever I created a document, I had to include a "disposition." This stamp on the document determined how long the record was to be retained, and when and how it would be destroyed.
When data is stored on a single piece of paper, it is easier to track, handle and dispose of. With the advent of computers, things are handled much differently. Anyone can create a record and store it in multiple locations. Data isn't stored in a single kind of document, but in word-processing formats, spreadsheets, and of course, databases. And most of the data we now store isn't stamped with any kind of data retention.
In fact, I'm willing to bet that you have a lot of structured and unstructured data in your organization that fits this description. We tend to think of computer-based data as inexpensive and permanent. But as recent high-profile cases of data loss have show us, that isn't the case. Data management isn't free, and losing it or having it fall into the wrong hands is now commonplace. While the IT infrastructure is focused to make it efficient to create and store data, it spends less effort protecting that data, and even less thinking about its disposition. In this tutorial, I'll explain some concepts you can use to think about your data differently.
There are many reasons to develop a data strategy, not the least of which are the multiple regulatory implications mandated in almost every country. In the United States for instance, Sarbanes-Oxley laws dictate financial record retention, and HIPAA regulations determine medical data retention. Europe's laws are even more stringent than in the U.S.
Although I'll talk generally about data retention, there are good reasons for the database staff to take the lead on this kind of effort. The database systems often hold the most important data in an organization's store, and it can be designed to hold other data types such as text or binary formats.
The Data Lifecycle
Whether it is a Microsoft Word document or an entry in a database table, most data goes through four basic processes: creation, distribution, editing, and destruction.
In the creation phase, the user originates the data and stores it on a networked share point or locally on a single device, or perhaps in a database. Once the data is created, it is distributed to one or more people. In some cases this is a "push" operation, where the data is sent using a mechanism such as e-mail, and in other cases the data is "pulled," in which case it is retrieved from a website or mount point. In the editing phase, either the original owner or others make changes to the data. At some point in time, the data is either inadvertently or purposefully deleted. It is this last step that I want to focus on. Using the following information, you can help your organization develop a strategy
Data Evaluation and Categorization
The first thing you need to consider is the type of data that you store. This will help you create the categories of data you have. Many companies have never performed this exercise, so expect that there will be a great deal of confusion and denial as you begin. If your company is like most others, this is the most difficult part of creating your strategy.
The categories you choose can fall into structural or type, like "Word Files," "Excel Data" or "SAP records," or by use, such as "Financial Data," "Personnel Records" and so forth. My recommendation is to create a database with both terms, as I'll describe a bit later.
You'll find that the easiest data to locate and categorize is in the database systems used in your largest applications. Since IT controls these resources, you can easily locate and identify it. You've probably already done that as part of your disaster recovery strategy. The more difficult tasks involve the unstructured data your company at least partially runs on. Most of the company's data isn't in databases; it’s in Word documents and Excel spreadsheets. That doesn't mean that it isn't important — on the contrary, it's at least as important as the data in your databases. Finding it and categorizing it is another matter.
You might think that if the data is in a database, it's safer than in a file share or on a user's hard drive. While that is probably true in the short and even middle-term, it isn't true in a longer period of time. If you doubt that, think about restoring a SQL Server 4.2 database from a series of 5.25 floppies. As a case in point, the news recently reported that NASA is having issues locating and recovering several sets of key records from the first moon landing.
Once you locate and categorize your data, you need to think about its format. If the data is spread out over your organization in various formats, will those formats be readable in the distant future? You need to think at least ten years out. You may want to consider extracting the data into a more "universal" format, such as ASCII. This involves a lot of effort, and not all data requires this level of work. Only the longest-term categories fit the bill.
You may also want to consolidate the data into a single platform. Rather than storing documents on file shares and web sites, you can feed them into a database. In fact, many portals that provide a single view to the organization do just that. However, if you do store files in the database, make sure that you track what format the file is. It doesn't help to consolidate your Wordstar files into a database if you don't have a way to read them out later.
It's tough to adequately categorize your data using only one criteria. For instance, a Word document might contain both financial and medical information. Your database records also have multiple applications. You can track all these attributes using a database, and create an interface your business users can enter the locations of data, its disposition, and all the other metadata needed to surface the data to the business.
Hierarchical Storage and Review
Most large firms subject to long-term regulations for data retention "stage" the data into systems that present the data based on how it is accessed. Data that is used often requires expensive, current technology. Data that is used less frequently can be placed on storage mechanisms that are slower and less expensive. Data that is retained for regulatory reasons can be placed on storage that not subject to change, located remotely from the organization.
As you develop your strategy, don't forget the final step: disposal. As a data professional, you should guide your organization to protect the data you store, and that means keeping it only as long as necessary and destroying it completely when it isn't needed.
The metadata repository you created in the last step enables you to periodically review your data to ensure you have the right storage strategy. This is a process that you need to undertake with business users to surface any concerns they have.
Each one of these points has mechanical and procedural aspects. Each is also interdependent. If you don't categorize your data, you won't know where it is or how long to keep it. If you don't have a database to store the metadata, you won't be able to track it, putting you back where you started. If you don't have the formats defined, you won't be able to get to the data when you need to, and without the proper review you're wasting a lot of effort.
Informit Articles and Sample Chapters
TDAN has a great rundown on some of the regulatory issues for data here in the U.S. | <urn:uuid:61702d1b-c931-44c7-9cd8-a086093276f6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.informit.com/guides/content.aspx?g=sqlserver&seqNum=217 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947265 | 1,950 | 2.109375 | 2 |
Any time you see a nurse putting on gloves before inspecting a patient, throwing away used cotton balls, or simply washing her hands, you are witnessing the legacy of Florence Nightingale.
Back in the 1850s, this woman used her wit, compassion and intelligence to build the foundations of the modern practice of nursing as we know it today. Believe it or not, before Nightingale, nursing was considered a dirty, shameful profession for women who could do no better; nurses were very nearly considered prostitutes.
Florence Nightingale grew up in the early 1800s in a comfortable, educated home in England. Very early in life, Florence exhibited a charitable personality, disliking the social disadvantages for Victorian women and the miserable conditions of the poor. At age 24, against her parents’ wishes, she followed her calling and became a nurse, then spent a decade working and studying in hospitals all over England and Ireland.
When the Crimean war broke out in 1854 (a long-standing conflict between the Russian empire and various European countries), the newsstands started telling shocking stories of injured British soldiers who were living in appalling conditions and dying of preventable diseases.
In response to the public outcry over the wretched conditions of military hospitals, Nightingale volunteered to act as Head Nurse in Turkey. Here, she gathered the skills, knowledge and courage to change the way hospitals ran forever.
When Nightingale and the 38 other nurses in her party arrived in Scutari, Turkey, what she saw started a fire that is still burning today. The men were living in small, dank rooms without blankets or properly cooked food; they were dirty, unwashed and rife with infection, without an adequate sanitation system to filter their waste. It’s not surprising, then, that war wounds accounted for only one death in six at this time, with diseases like cholera, typhus and dysentery tallying the rest.
When Florence first attempted to make changes to these infirmaries, she was met with contempt and disdain from the British army, for she was only a woman. But when she sent word back to the newspapers in England, and The Times publicized the conditions of these wounded British soldiers, Nightingale was given the authority to make organizational reforms.
Under her keen leadership, sanitary conditions improved and the death rate fell from 42% to only 2% in a matter of months. She worked tirelessly to not only save the lives of these injured men, but improve their living conditions and give them as much comfort as possible. On her feet for twenty hours a day, she administered medicine, good cheer and love for her patients, and pattering around the halls at night checking on the soldiers earned her the affectionate nickname, “Lady of the Lamp.” One of her charges, a famous poet named Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, wrote a poem about her called “Santa Filomena,” in which he reverently writes, “A lady with a lamp shall stand/ In the great history of the land/ A noble type of good/ Heroic womanhood.”
Nightingale not only elevated the profession of nursing into a respectable career for women, started various professional schools for nursing, and wrote prolifically on health practices, she also famously implemented standards for sanitation in European hospitals. She convinced the traditionally male-dominated war generals and politicians that there was a significant need for traditionally female tasks, like cleaning and preparing food, nurturing soldiers and washing clothes and sheets. This simultaneously improved the role of women in the strict Victorian society and changed the way hospitals operated for the betterment of all.
Today, of course, both women and men enjoy the rewarding career of practical nursing, but the profession’s high standards all started with Florence Nightingale. Her legacy of health standards and sanitation, women’s equality and respect for nursing resonates in every patient, every nurse and every doctor today.
Nancy Woo is a freelance writer who covers various lifestyle industries including health care, education, and fitness. | <urn:uuid:527ae390-0760-4f14-9bb8-569db4dd6a0b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://madmoosemama.blogspot.com/2011/12/tracing-legacy-of-florence-nightingale.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969103 | 828 | 3.9375 | 4 |
Rock climbing can give you a new challenge in life such as helping to overcome a fear of heights. Learning the techniques required to get you to the top can open up many new adventures along the way. Employing the services of a fully qualified mountaineering instructor will ensure that you safely learn the correct techniques to enjoy rock climbing for yourself. You may alternatively want to relax and be guided up some of the classic rock climbs to be found in the Lake District, Snowdonia or further afield.
Scrambling is often seen as the next step on from hill walking. Exploring rocky ridges and steeper buttresses can offer a new way to get to the top of your favourite mountains. If you are new to scrambling it may be worth considering a mountaineering instructor to help show you the way and introduce simple rope work and techniques to keep you safe on more exposed sections. The Mountain Instructor Award is the minimum qualification allowed to take people on graded scrambles where the use of a rope may be required in the UK.
If you want to improve your navigation skills, a mountaineering instructor will be able to coach you in taking a compass bearing and following it accurately using pacing and timing to find where you want to get to!
So next time you are planning a new adventure in the hills it might be time to hire the skills of a qualified mountaineering instructor to help you discover new places or learn the skills to get more from the mountains in your own time.
The British Mountaineering Council have produced this video to help explain what someone who holds the Mountain Instructor Award has to offer.
Mountaineering Instructor Award from team_BMC on Vimeo.
The online magazine ‘Grough’ has reported that the Ramblers Association are campaigning for ambulance control centres to train their staff to take grid references from walkers in need of assistance.
If you require emergency assistance on the hills you should phone 999, ask for the police and then tell them you require mountain rescue. Requesting an ambulance will result in a longer delay as a vehicle will be sent to the road head before establishing if further help is necessary. Sometimes it may be possible for an air ambulance to be dispatched.
To take a grid reference, first look at the top left hand corner of your map to find two letters such as NY. Then follow the numbers along the bottom of the map and then the numbers up the side to find the box you are in. This ‘four-figure’ grid reference will put you in a box that is 1 kilometre square. Using a romer, it is then possible to work out a ‘six figure’ grid reference which will put you in a 100m square box. GPS devices will display a ‘ten figure’ grid reference which can offer the greatest accuracy. The Ordnance Survey has produced a helpful leaflet called map reading made easy which explains grid references in more detail.
The compass is an invaluable tool for navigating in the mountains. Before getting to grips with how best to use it, it is important to understand all the features of a suitable compass for hill walking and mountaineering.
The base plate should be large enough that you can comfortably grip it in your hand. The base plate will have on it a direction of travel arrow that should always point the way you want to go. In the picture it is the small black arrow just above the magnifying lens. Also the base plate should have romer scales for at least 1:25000 and 1:50000 map scales that allow you to easily measure distances and take grid references. These are in the top right hand corner of the base plate in the picture. Other features of the base plate can include a magnifying lens, small hole for accurately marking your map through and rulers in cm and mm.
The compass housing (or bezel) contains the bearing dial showing degrees in 2 degree inclinents, the orienting lines which include a red arrow that points to north on the compass (these can be lined up with the grid lines on a map that run from south to north) and the red needle that points to magnetic north. An index line on the bearing dial that lines up with the direction of travel arrow is where a bearing would be read from.
A lanyard is usually attached to the compass. I have mine tied into a pocket on my rucksack waistbelt or to the zip pull on a jacket pocket to save losing the compass. If you are going to wear it around your neck, the lanyard must be long enough so you can comfortably hold the compass out in front of you whilst walking on a bearing.
The British Mountaineering Council has just announced new funding is available for clubs to receive training from mountaineering instructors. If any clubs would like to make the most of this opportunity and enjoy a days instructions in navigation or climbing skills please read the this link on funding for club training and then get in touch. | <urn:uuid:cd2fc27f-f5c2-4f47-99cb-9c4b79f7c5a5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.morethanmountains.co.uk/MTMblog/index.php/tag/navigation/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945852 | 1,011 | 2.109375 | 2 |
BP today released the results of its own investigation into the Deepwater Horizon accident. It determined that a series of mechanical failures, the misinterpretation of data, and other factors attributable to all of the companies working on the rig led to the explosions, fire and the deaths of 11 offshore workers.
In a news release, BP reported that crew "failed to recognise (sic) and act on" hydrocarbons that flowed up the well casing for 40 minutes. Some of the gas entered the engine rooms through the ventilation system where it might have ignited. Although the blowout preventer should have stopped the flow of hydrocarbons even after the fire began, it failed to function properly.
BP's investigative team recommended 25 actions to prevent a similar accident from occurring in the future. B... more » | <urn:uuid:461056d4-e5f7-43fb-a2bf-b14feebe0416> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://energytomorrow.org/blog/tags/tag/bob+dudley | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945513 | 160 | 1.5 | 2 |
The mission of the Buechner Institute for Governance is to advance the understanding and practice of public affairs in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West. We provide relevant and timely research, training, facilitation, and other services to local, regional, and state governments, nonprofit organizations, and other groups involved in public affairs.
Training and leadership development: We strive to improve the performance of leaders and managers in all sectors by providing specialized training and leadership development programs that improve knowledge and skills and build lasting networks.
Research and evaluation: Our staff, working together with the faculty of the School of Public Affairs and our university and community partners, conducts just-in-time evaluation and research on issues of importance to government and nonprofit organizations. BIG is the central hub for applied research on public affairs at the university and in Colorado and the region.
Public engagement support: Democracy works best when citizens participate in decision-making processes. Our staff provides planning, facilitation, and staffing support for public engagement processes such as citizen advisory panels, commissions, task forces, and blue ribbon panels.
Organizational improvement: We offer support for organizations through assistance with strategic planning, facilitated discussions, and organizational and program evaluations. | <urn:uuid:42b7a9cf-491e-4d80-9d53-14ed45e60506> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ucdenver.edu/ACADEMICS/COLLEGES/SPA/BUECHNERINSTITUTE/PROFDEV/Pages/default.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00047-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936004 | 241 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Physical Science: Session 8
Electrostatics Exhibits; The Exploratorium, "Open Pathways"
at a Glance:
Curriculum: The Exploratorium, “Open Pathways”
Topic: Electrostatics Exhibits
In this lesson, Linda Block’s fifth graders explore the electrostatic properties of materials through classroom activities and a field trip to the Exploratorium in San Francicso.
Adapted from the Exploratorium’s “Open Pathways” materials for teachers, the intent of this lesson is for the students to rub a clear plastic tube with different kinds of cloth in order to see if there are differences in the number of Styrofoam chips that can either be picked up or moved around inside of the tube. Linda identified the challenge for fifth graders in this way: “The idea that there is a charge in there or that there are electrons moving from something that seems like it's solid, is one that doesn't come naturally to students. So I think the more they are able to work with materials that allow them to actually feel forces, and to notice that certain things really are attracted to others, the more it helps them make the connection to what they learned in 4th grade about forces in magnets. So these are important first steps.”
Another important component of the lesson is the process skills that Linda developed while at the Institute for Inquiry at the Exploratorium. She explains, “In terms of inquiry, this would be the beginning, where they were just exploring with materials to kind of see what they do and to help them generate questions. And that was what I saw happening. There were a few little starting points or paths that some of the kids were going down, particularly around having the pieces of fabric in front of them and then wondering if they all would have the same result. I was impressed that some of them were being pretty systematic about trying them out.”
When students got to the Exploratorium, they were able to recognize, compare, and build on their experiences in the classroom. With the help of an “explainer,” they explored a variety of exhibits in which friction between different materials results in either “attractive” or “repulsive” behavior. According to Linda, “One of the things that's nice about taking the students on a field trip is that often times something doesn't necessarily make sense the first time you do it in a particular way. So while somebody might be puzzling over a particular question that we've been exploring in class, going to the museum and being able to play around with that idea at a number of different exhibits helps students learn. They might not get it the first time but hopefully, after they’ve worked with three or four or five different exhibits that all have to do with the same content area, one of them will provide an open door for someone to understand something in a new way that they didn't understand before.”
|prev: teacher and school| | <urn:uuid:6294bdfc-88a4-4883-9ee4-a3aaff6aed8c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://learner.org/courses/essential/physicalsci/session8/classroom2.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977099 | 629 | 4.03125 | 4 |
While enjoying lunch today with my parents my Mother asked me if I knew about the Conficker worm. I nearly fell off my chair and was thinking; “Mom is becoming a techie?”.
Sometime back I did (3)-three posts on the Conficker worm:
I found that Mom had been following the news on the Conficker worm on one of the national TV networks. The news media is taking Conficker and really running with it. Remember hot news keeps an audience. Create a panic and they will come… Too bad they do not carry special “daily” segments on the other security threats on the internet where people are having their money and privacy taken away.
To keep you up to date, the Conficker worm virus, which has literally baffled the IT experts, has infected over 10 million PC’s worldwide since November 2008 The conficker worm takes advantage of a vulnerability in Windows that Microsoft patched back in October 2008. If your PC is patched, then do not worry.
The April 1st threat (or any date for that matter) is speculation that the network of computers, already infected by the Conficker program, will start scanning thousands of websites for a new set of malicious instructions. In essence, these computers would become part of a network of robots (called a botnet) that would execute the instructions, once received. For example, if instruction were received by 10 million computers to attack (flood with data), specific websites, it could bring the sites down and even affect the integrity of the internet.
As always, keep the software on your computer up to date; especially your Window’s updates and your system security software. | <urn:uuid:e9059a60-5a06-4db9-834a-22953d7a38f1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://whatsonmypc.wordpress.com/2009/03/30/conficker/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967235 | 343 | 2.25 | 2 |
Aug 23, 2012
6 containers of suspected pseudoephedrine turn out to be chalk
FLORENCIO MARIN JR.
Earlier this year, a shipment of seven forty-foot containers housing a significant quantity of methylamine hydrochloride, a chemical precursor used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, was confiscated by the Customs Department. The consignment, valued at an estimated ten billion dollars, was shipped from China to Belize in February to Belize Gardens Consortium, a local company owned by businessman Vernon Cuthkelvin. Following the seizure, samples of the substance were sent to the United States for testing while the Anti-Drug Unit led an investigation into the matter. In the interim Cuthkelvin sought representation from attorney Lionel Welch, who indicated that a charge of making a false declaration on a customs entry was the only legal action that could be taken against him. But the charge never materialized and today Minister of National Security John Saldivar said that the chemicals, after being tested, turned out to be nothing more than chalk. The investigation, he added, has since been closed.
Florencio Marin Jr., Area Representative, Corozal South East
“Can the Minister of National Security say what is the status of the police investigation into the seven forty foot containers that were shipped to Belize in February containing chemicals which form the base for the deadly drug commonly known as ‘crystal meth’ and whether or not anyone has been arrested or charged in this matter?”
John Saldivar, Minister of National Security
“Mr. Speaker, samples sent abroad to the United States for analysis have proven that the container for the Belize Evergreen Distributors and Supplies was found to be chalk, calcium carbonate. The three containers that were declared as titanium dioxide for Belize Gardens Consortium was found to contain chalk, calcium carbonate which was found to the front of the container, while samples taken from the back of the container was found to be all methylamine hydrochloride which is a precursor for the production of methamphetamine. The other three containers which were declared as ammonium sulphate were found to contain some ammonium sulphate from the samples taken from the front while the samples taken from further in the back of the containers were found to contain methylamine hydrochloride. Mr. Speaker, calcium carbonate, ammonium sulphate, and methylamine hydrochloride are not prohibited substances under the current laws of Belize therefore there were no reasonable grounds to believe that the person or persons had committed or is committing any offence under the laws of Belize. As a result, there were no arrests made and the police investigation into this matter is considered closed.”
The “chalk” was destroyed, reportedly with assistance from the US. | <urn:uuid:b8bcbb82-84d1-446c-a3b3-1d82589f3952> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://twocanview.com/tag/central-america/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973899 | 578 | 1.59375 | 2 |
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Start Year : 1898
The community of Cologne is located on U.S. Highway 59 in Goliad County, Texas. Former slaves Jim Smith and George Washington are credited with establishing the African American settlement. The first settlers, five families of former slaves from Tennessee and Kentucky, moved to the area in 1870. First known as Centerville, the community's name was changed to Cologne when the post office was established in 1898; the post office was discontinued in 1925. In 1997, as the community was preparing for the Juneteenth celebration, the population was estimated to be 85. For more see C. Clack, "Juneteenth, born of slavery, evolves into free-form day of joy," San Antonio Express-News, section SA Life, p. 1E; Cologne, Texas, by C. H. Roell, at the Texas State Historical Association website; Cologne, Texas at TexasEscapes.com; and From These Roots by F. D. Young.
Subjects: Communities, Freedom, Migration West, Emancipation Day / Juneteenth Celebrations
Geographic Region: Tennessee / Cologne (was Centerville), Goliad County, Texas | <urn:uuid:5463bdec-cbc2-495d-850a-8d7bd562b5fa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nkaa.uky.edu/record.php?note_id=1421 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947101 | 248 | 2.875 | 3 |
Doctors who have training in nervous system conditions (neurology) and other specialties coordinate your treatment. Doctors work with you to determine the most appropriate treatment for your needs.
Metachromatic leukodystrophy can't be cured, and few treatment options are available. Your doctors will work with you to help manage your condition and your symptoms and potentially improve your quality of life. You may have access to clinical trials.
Your doctor may help you manage your condition using several treatments:
- Medications. Medications may reduce your symptoms and relieve your pain.
- Bone marrow transplant. Bone marrow transplant sometimes has slowed the progression of metachromatic leukodystrophy.
- Physical, occupational and speech therapy. You may have physical therapy to move your muscles and joints, to keep joints flexible and maintain your range of motion as much as possible. You may have occupational and speech therapy to improve your quality of life.
- Nutritional assistance. You and your family may work with a nutrition specialist (dietitian) to determine how to provide your nutrition, as it may become difficult to swallow food or liquid. You may need assistive feeding devices as your condition progresses.
- Follow-up care. Doctors will coordinate your follow-up care with your primary doctor. In follow-up care, doctors will monitor you for changes in movement, swallowing, communication, behavior and other functions. Mayo Clinic staff offers various resources, education and information for your family and can help connect you to support groups. You and your family also may work with a genetic counselor. | <urn:uuid:e4afdeb2-9cbb-417c-92ca-7f429914b8f2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mayoclinic.org/metachromatic-leukodystrophy/treatment.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951144 | 323 | 2.765625 | 3 |
Workplace Discrimination Complaints Soaring
Since the beginning of the Great Recession of 2008, American workers have filed record numbers of discrimination complaints with the federal government. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reported that the all-time peak came in 2011 with nearly 100,000 complaints filed. However, that figure was only slightly higher than the number filed in 2010.
Although the timing of the surge in discrimination complaints suggests there might be a correlation with the economic downturn, the agency says there is no hard data to support the theory. Another possible reason for the surge is that the agency has been working hard to inform workers of their rights and has made it easier for employees to get information online about how to fill out complaint forms.
According to the EEOC, the largest number of people — more than a third — reported racial discrimination. Nearly 30% of the complaints were about sex discrimination, while about one-fourth of the complaints filed listed age as a factor. Some people reported that they were victims of more than one type of discrimination.
Of all of the complaints resolved by the EEOC in 2011, however, less than one out of five was found to have merit. Most of these workers received a monetary settlement from the companies involved. Another 16% of the cases were closed because the workers did not respond to further inquiries from the agency. Two-thirds of the cases were found to have no merit.
Experts in the field suggest that many complaints are inappropriately filed because workers do not know what constitutes a legitimate discrimination complaint. Many of those that do have merit could have been avoided had both management and workers been given proper training about how to prevent discrimination and harassment on the job.Categories: Discrimination & Harassment Compliance
Tags: workplace discrimination | <urn:uuid:ec4fc152-17c1-4766-89ec-5a7b0028a43c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wecomply.com/about-us/blog/post/696921-workplace-discrimination-complaints-soaring | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978618 | 349 | 2.375 | 2 |
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The Spirituality & Practice E-Newsletter is a regular update from Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat with a teaching story and links to new content on the site. It's free and a great way to keep up with practices for your journey.
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Living as One Human Family
By Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
A friend once described herself as a "knitter," but she wasn't talking about yarn. She likes to bring people together and help create beautiful things from their unity. What a wonderful mission that is!
Let's face it. The walls dividing people today have gotten taller and thicker, whether between men and women, young and old, gays and straights, developed and developing worlds, haves and have-nots. Yet the spiritual dream of unity persists. We believe that God is a Weaver of Oneness who wants us to live in harmony — neighbor with neighbor, communities with communities, religions with religions, and nations with nations.
We are inherently similar. One of our favorite children's books captures this beautifully. To Every Thing There Is a Season (Blue Sky Press) weds the sacred verses from the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible with the breathtaking art work of illustrators Leo and Diane Dillon. Each spread depicts a different culture — Egypt, Japan, Mexico, Greece, India, Europe, North America, and others — to create a global family album that reminds us that we share in the universal rhythms of life. We can practice this unity by building hospitable and generous communities.
Yet in these tense times, just the opposite seems to be happening. Competitive individualism has given many people the ammunition they need to feel smug about separating themselves from others. The media and politicians drone on and on about enemies in our midst or crossing our borders.
Religious and spiritual people can help reverse this trend by being willing to to reach out to people outside our clans and affirm unity consciousness. As devotional writer Henri J. M. Nouwen writes in Bread for the Journey, "Only when we have the courage to cross the road and look into one another's eyes can we see there that we are children of the same God and members of the same human family."
Whereas people of different traditions don't have to agree on everything, we can work together to advance what Christian theologian Hans Kung has called a global ethic: "a commitment to the culture of nonviolence and respect for life, to a just social and economic order, and to the ideal of equal rights and partnerships between men and women." To adhere to these commonalities is to agree with Protestant minister William Sloane Coffin who said: "The religious community has the saving vision. It is the ancient saving vision of human unity, now become an urgent pragmatic necessity."
Here are a few simple spiritual practices to help you deepen your unity consciousness:
• Reach out across a border or boundary to a person of a different race, age, or culture.
• The term "butterfly effect" relates to the idea that a small action here, such as a butterfly flapping its wings, could have a large impact elsewhere, such as a tornado in China. Without taking the meaning that far, it is good to think about the long-range impact of your actions on people elsewhere in the world. Write in your journal about the potential reach of something you have done recently.
• Extend your circle of intercessory prayer to those not usually included in your concerns.
• When you have a free moment at work or in a community meeting, jot down a few of the things you have in common with the others there. How can you express your appreciation to others for what you share?
• When you are watching the news about people in another country, note things you have in common with them. Find a way to act upon your feeling of unity with them. | <urn:uuid:df9d2ad5-a032-4e1c-9691-684345ea5296> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/practices/features.php?id=23731 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955652 | 807 | 1.78125 | 2 |
How can the West wage jihad but prohibit us Muslims from doing so?
Here I am talking about the fact that the West has produced nuclear missiles yet prevents us from doing so; occupies our lands whilst protecting its own territory, and colonizes our seas and oceans whilst defending its own seas and oceans. Its factories produce rockets, bombs, missiles, frigates, rocket-launchers and aircraft carriers, whilst our factories only produce bubble-gum and Pepsi. The West warns us against acts of aggression and acquiring weapons, whilst it launches attacks and stockpiles arms day and night.
This is because the West is intelligent and knows that power is the source of all stature and grandeur. Allah the Almighty said: “Prepare against them what force you can”. The world respects no one but the strong. As for diplomacy, romanticism, and political sentimentality, this is mere superficial talk to distract and deceive foes, because war is an act of deception. Preoccupying the Middle East with arts, folklore, and cultural ceremonies at the expense of military factories is an open joke. To produce one tank would be better than a thousand poems, a rocket more useful than a hundred cultural shows, and a bomb more effective than a hundred epic tales to remind us of the glory of our forefathers, and what it used to be like in the old days. Does the world respect a state for its peaceful reputation, finesse, tact, and modesty, or for its strength and power? Iran realized this secret, and indeed the Persians are among the most cunning people, described by Umar Ibn al-Khattab as having “the virtue of the mind, with which they rule”.
I agree with what Mr Abdul-Rahman al-Rashid wrote in this newspaper, and what Mr Dawud al-Shuriyan wrote in al-Hayat newspaper, suggesting that Iran will produce a nuclear bomb and the West will not attack it. It will then be a case of the survival of the fittest, and the Arab appeal to Iran to abandon its military nuclear program - to have mercy on the Arabs and gain heavenly merit for doing so - will be proven to be a hollow cry. Iran has not heeded these words which do not deserve the ink with which they were written, because the true rational minds of the world; the international war scientists and military professors, all agree that the strongest is ultimately the one who is most respected and feared. In this life, there is no room for integrity, for integrity and sacredness belong to the heavens, whilst the world’s laws and politics are established on deceit and cunning. As long as people accept to be ruled by current laws without divine legislation, then it is a matter of interests, manoeuvres, usurpation, arrogance, oppression and proving oneself.
Look at the five major nuclear states; how they advise others to abandon their nuclear weapons and oppose the atomic bomb, whilst the United States itself originally gained its respect and political weight because of its nuclear arsenal. The message of the five states is heard everywhere and their banners are held high. They possess the right to veto decisions and the world bows to them, fearing their reach and power. They preach to other states and advise all nations to be peaceful, transparent and hospitable, urging them not to manufacture nuclear weapons because this constitutes a global threat. In fact, the five major nuclear states do not want other nations to manufacture nuclear weapons so that they can maintain their hegemony, authority and tyranny. The West was wise to develop the inter-continental ballistic missile and the atomic bomb, yet it prevents us in the Middle East from doing so because it knows that in order to rule the world and monopolize its wealth, one needs overpowering strength and clear superiority. We in the Middle East are supposed to be content with reading history and revelling in the glories of the past, but this is only good for students in literacy classes.
The poet Nizar Qabbani once said about the Arabs:
They have long written history books and they became convinced. But since when did guns live inside books?
Oh Bin al-Walid [Islamic commander Khalid Ibn al-Walid], is there no sword that you can hire, or have our swords turned to wood?
I urge the Arabs to manufacture the nuclear bomb and nuclear weapons. There are buildings currently being occupied by minor daily newspapers that no one reads, and “cultural heritage” museums housing scrap metal, worn-out rope, blunt axes, and other artefacts. These should all be turned into factories to manufacture tanks, rocket-launchers, missiles, satellites and submarines, so that the world comes to respect us, hear our voice, and appreciate our status. The world is governed by the law of the strong.
An ancient Arab poet once said: “The wolves run after he who has no dogs, but steer clear of the lair of the vicious lion.” Do not let us be fooled by Iran’s honeyed words suggesting that Tehran seeks nuclear weapons only to burn Israel, for this is purely an illusion.
The poet Khalaf Bin Hazal said:
“Do not trust the wolf cubs if they are alive whilst their parents are dead, for they will come at you in the morning with their fangs”. | <urn:uuid:0468e520-c3b1-44ac-90d7-d76e0aa2770e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://yemenfox.net/articles.php?id=229 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958823 | 1,090 | 1.625 | 2 |
Myanmar welcomes peace overture from Kachin rebels
Yangon - Myanmar welcomed a ceasefire proposal by Kachin insurgents who have been a target of an army offensive for the past 19 months, media reports said Saturday."From the beginning, the government of Myanmar has believed that the genuine peace desired by all can be achieved only through political dialogue," said an official statement published in the state-owned New Light of Myanmar.
The government has come under increasing international criticism for failing to end its offensive against the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) in the Kachin state.
The conflict has left hundreds dead and displaced up to 90,000 people, many of whom have been denied access by United Nations relief organizations and other aid providers.
"The KIA (Kachin Independence Army) will not undertake military activities that may cause problems if the Myanmar army suspends the military offensives," the KIO’s Central Committee said Friday.
"The KIO will request assistance from organizations and countries which can help bring genuine peace," it said.//DPA | <urn:uuid:ca593a7e-8154-4f86-8d16-daaf6bf5aec0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Myanmar-welcomes-peace-overture-from-Kachin-rebels-30199236.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955204 | 220 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Web edition: August 6, 2012
PASADENA, Calif. — Curiosity has phoned home from the dusty surface of Mars.
Radio signals and images received at 10:32 p.m. PDT on August 5 by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory confirm that the rover has reached Mars’ Gale Crater, Curiosity's intended destination after an 8.5-month journey of 567 million kilometers.
Scientists and engineers packed into the JPL mission control room erupted in cheers upon receiving word that the one-ton, six-wheeled rover had survived a complicated sequence of maneuvers that ferried the spacecraft from the top of the Martian atmosphere to the floor of the crater — a descent covering 640 kilometers — in just seven minutes.
Dubbed "seven minutes of terror" by NASA engineers, Curiosity’s touchdown was the interplanetary equivalent of a high-flying, hypersonic circus act, a performance that included firing 76 pyrotechnic charges, dropping 150 kilograms of tungsten, deploying a massive parachute and being lowered to the planet’s surface from a rocket-powered sky crane.
“It’s like us launching out of Kennedy Space Center, sending something here to the Rose Bowl, and having it land on the 50-yard line on a Frisbee,” said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.
Like any considerate traveler, the rover’s first task after phoning home with news of its safe arrival was to send pictures. A thumbnail image from Curiosity, relayed through the Mars Odyssey Orbiter, depicted one of the rover's wheels resting on Mars.
Now, the rover’s journey on the Red Planet can begin, a trek that will take it from the floor of Gale Crater to the slopes of Mount Sharp, the massive mountain rising from the crater’s depths. There, this most advanced rover ever will search for organic compounds and signs of life-friendly environments, while reading in the crater’s layers a story of Martian history. All along the way, the rover will stamp “JPL” into Mars’ reddish sands in Morse code, a message engineers imprinted into its tire treads.
Landing Curiosity successfully is “one of the greatest feats in planetary exploration ever,” says Doug McCuistion, director of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program. “It shows the leadership that the United States has had in the exploration of Mars.”
The $2.5 billion rover, probably the last mission of its size to launch in this decade, is crucial for the continuing success of NASA’s Mars program. “Our nation has had a continuous presence on Mars for 15 years,” says Charles Elachi, director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “It is a great day; it is a great moment.”
Curiosity’s experiments will take several steps toward determining if Mars’ early environment was warmer and wetter billions of years ago, as scientists suspect, and answering the question of whether life ever evolved on the planet.
“One of the main reasons for going there is to figure out whether life ever started,” said Michael Meyer, lead scientist for NASA’s Mars Exploration Program. “My conclusion would be that life is easy, it’s a natural process, and that the universe is just littered with places that support life.”
Back Story | Trip advisorOne of the biggest steps in sending a robotic rover to Mars is deciding where it’s going to land. Choosing Curiosity’s target on the Red Planet involved whittling down dozens of candidate sites, based on what scientists guessed the rover could learn within roaming distance of each one. In the end, NASA went with the recommendation of Ryan Anderson, a 27-year-old postdoctoral fellow at the U.S. Geological Survey in Flagstaff, Ariz., who started studying Gale Crater (below) in 2007 as a graduate student at Cornell University. By 2010, he’d published a massive paper with faculty member Jim Bell describing the crater’s geologic features and proposing possible rover itineraries. That work, plus discussions of pros and cons at landing site workshops, helped put the crater on the landing-site shortlist. “There were a bunch of other people who were interested in Gale Crater,” Anderson says. “But I was the only one who had a graduate student’s amount of time to look at it.” Now Anderson is stepping into the role of team member on the mission as a collaborator on the rover’s ChemCam instrument.
N. Drake. Going where no Mars rover has gone before. Science News. Vol. 180, August 27, 2011, p. 15. [Go to]
See all Science News coverage of the Curiosity rover: [Go to] | <urn:uuid:379228cd-f58d-4101-b041-fc759b4e0782> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/342832/description/Curiosity_lands_safely_on_Mars | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943821 | 1,012 | 3 | 3 |
Civilians are streaming out of Pakistan's Swat Valley as government troops continue their assault on Taliban militants there. Anchor Marco Werman speaks with United Nations official Ariane Rummery about how the UN's refugee agency is handling this massive displacement of people.
This text below is a phonetic transcript of a radio story broadcast by PRI's THE WORLD. It has been created on deadline by a contractor for PRI. The transcript is included here to facilitate internet searches for audio content. Please report any transcribing errors to firstname.lastname@example.org. This transcript may not be in its final form, and it may be updated. Please be aware that the authoritative record of material distributed by PRI's THE WORLD is the program audio.
MARCO WERMAN: I'm Marco Werman. This is The World. Pakistan's Swat Valley is now the stage for a full-scale military offensive. That's according to a Pakistani military spokesman today. He also said the army is out to eliminate Taliban militants in the region. The US government sees the offensive as a test of Pakistan's resolve against the Taliban. But there's also a humanitarian dimension to this story now. Hundreds of thousands of civilians are fleeing the violence in the Swat Valley. Ariane Rummery is with the United Nations refugee agency the UNHCR. Yesterday, she visited a camp for internally displaced Pakistanis. Today, she's speaking with us on the phone from Pakistan's capital, Islamabad. Ariane Rummery, what kind of numbers are we talking about with these people displaced by the fighting in the Swat Valley?
ARIANE RUMMERY: Well, the provincial government estimates that in recent days between 150 to 200,000 people have already arrived in the safer areas of northwest Pakistan. In addition to that, they think that another 300,000 people are already on the move or about to move.
WERMAN: So potentially we're talking over half a million people displaced by the fighting. Where are they all staying?
RUMMERY: Well, about 25 percent of them are in camps. But most of them have actually been staying among host communities, they're renting accommodations, they're staying with relatives. But as the conflict goes on and as it escalates, the capacity of those communities to absorb them will become even further strained.
WERMAN: Describe the conditions in some of those camps?
RUMMERY: The immediate priority is to provide shelter for as many people as possible, so we put up tents. As families arrive and they register at a camp, they get a family tent. Other agencies have put in toilets and water points. Other agencies provide food. The next priority was to put up lighting to make it safer in the camp, and also to install a perimeter fence. One of the camps I visited yesterday is quite close to a main road. And due to the many of the children in the camp, we need to provide a bit more security.
WERMAN: When you spoke with them yesterday, how did they describe the fighting that's going on in the Swat Valley right now?
RUMMERY: Well, people talk about hearing shelling and fighting and bombing, planes and helicopters flying over. One of the things that have really prompted this recent exodus is a couple of days ago, the government authorities in Swat suggested that people should flee. The government actually announced that they would escalate the hostilities against the militants and suggested that people should flee. They also relaxed the curfew, so they've opened up a few more hours of non-curfew which has allowed people to actually move out of the area. But those I've spoke to have talked about before they opened up, it was really difficult to live in Swat, because of the curfew, because of that people couldn't really resume their livelihoods. They couldn't go to work, they couldn't go to school, you couldn't go to the market. And it had really become quite impossible to have a normal existence.
WERMAN: Is this the largest number of people displaced by fighting in this part of the world, to your knowledge?
RUMMERY: This is really approaching a very internal displacement quite unprecedented levels. I mean, in 2005, we had the earthquake in Pakistan, and we had up to 200,000 people in camps. The government said that up to 3 million people may have been affected all over, but in terms of conflict-induced displacement in Pakistan and around this part of the world, this is certainly reaching quite unprecedented levels.
WERMAN: Ariane Rummery, a spokesperson for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. She's been speaking with us from Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. Ariane, thank you very much. | <urn:uuid:996bc391-b8d2-4a41-a990-77a52c1d1fce> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pri.org/theworld/?q=node/26222 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973509 | 971 | 2.09375 | 2 |
Locations in New York and North Carolina Lead the Recruitment Effort
With its rolling green hills, rural Duplin County, North Carolina, couldn’t be more different from urban Queens, New York, an ethnically and racially diverse county in the United States.
Together, however, they provide not only a cross-section of the U.S. population, but also represent the first two locations scientifically chosen to begin recruiting for the National Children’s Study.
Following years of intensive research and planning, the National Children’s Study launches its recruitment effort at these two Vanguard locations. The institutions affiliated with these locations include the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, which will both begin recruiting volunteer Study participants this week.
Study researchers at the National Children’s Study Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will launch efforts in Duplin County, a large, sparsely populated, and rural area, by visiting a number of neighborhoods. Given the need to recruit a significant sector of the female population, this Study Center has been working closely with the local community advisory group to come up with the best strategy for encouraging participation in the Study, particularly among Hispanics, who represent a sizeable portion of the community.
Study researchers with the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in Queens will be tailoring their own strategies and tactics to reach out to their diverse community, at the opposite end of the spectrum from Duplin County in terms of population density, region, and culture. In Queens, a dense, urban community, the nearly 2.23 million residents speak more than 150 languages. Because of this unique diversity, the area provides a natural launching pad for the National Children’s Study recruitment.
The remaining five Vanguard Centers are expected to begin recruitment in April 2009. It is anticipated that each Vanguard Center will recruit approximately 375 women by the end of the 18-month long Vanguard cohort phase.
“The principal benefit of the National Children’s Study is that it will uncover important health information at virtually every phase of life,” said Duane Alexander, M.D., NICHD Director. “Initially, it will provide major insights into disorders of birth and infancy. Ultimately, it will lead to a greater understanding of adult disorders, which are heavily influenced by early life exposures and events. ”
Authorized by Congress in the Children’s Health Act of 2000, the Study is a collaborative effort involving many public and private partners committed to improving children’s health. The Study is led by a consortium of federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (the NICHD and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences within NIH, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
To learn more about the National Children’s Study, its recruitment efforts, and its research, select one of the links below:
Originally Posted: January 13, 2009
All NICHD Spotlights | <urn:uuid:7a5b0809-022e-4c23-b31c-507d8b3b5440> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nichd.nih.gov/news/resources/spotlight/Pages/spotlight-011309.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942379 | 619 | 2.328125 | 2 |
I have said this before and I will say it again for those who may have missed the ardor, I absolutely love children’s picture books. I do because I believe that they are the most intense audio/visual learning tool available to us as parents and teachers. They not only give us variability but also freedom to customize our learning experiences with the notion that every child’s response to the incorporation will be different.
Of course I thought about that today while in a local bookstore. I skimmed the picture books as usual, snuk a read or two, browsed the latest toys (It’s my weekly escape and bumped smack dab into a rack with a showcase of “American Girl” titles. What grabbed me were several of the titles were illustrated diaries and workbooks that reinforced important social behaviors for girls. How cool? Totally cool if you ask me.
But by its cool factor, there is a downer I have to admit and that duals as a question and that is “What about boys?”
Eager to hear what the Imagiread audience thinks. | <urn:uuid:777bdc6f-a4fb-4ec9-94af-3e954cc4a3b8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.imagiread.com/?p=483 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976871 | 228 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Child benefit changes 'seriously flawed' accountants say
Planned changes to child benefit are flawed and risk being an "operational disaster", accountants say.
Ministers say lower earners should not be subsidising those on higher incomes.
So from January homes where one parent earns more than £50,000 will have their child benefit reduced.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales says it undermines the principle of individual taxation as it involves clawing back from one person a benefit paid to another.
The ICAEW has sent a report to MPs and Treasury ministers raising its concerns.
Changes to the rules on child benefit come into force in January and are set to reduce the entitlement of more than a million families.
Child benefit facts
- Child benefit is a tax-free payment that is aimed at helping parents cope with the cost of bringing up children
- One parent can claim £20.30 a week for an eldest or only child and £13.40 a week for each of their other children
- The payments apply to all children aged under 16 and in some cases until they are 20 years old
- The system is administered by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) which pays out to nearly 7.9 million families, with 13.7 million children
Families where one parent is earning more than £50,000 a year will no longer be able to claim the total amount of child benefit.
How these rules are put into action is still being worked out by the UK tax authority.
However, this will include an expectation of couples to disclose to each other whether they claim child benefit, or earn above £50,000 a year.
The amount received will be withdrawn gradually as one parent's income rises above £50,000, with the child benefit being eroded completely once someone's income is £60,000 or more.
If one of the parents earns more than £60,000, they may choose to stop claiming child benefit and save the tax authority the trouble of getting it back. But if they keep claiming it, then they will have to declare this in a self-assessment tax form.'Confidence undermined'
The ICAEW lists a whole range of potential problems with the current plans, from possible breaches in confidentiality to the prospect of making half a million more people fill in self-assessment forms than currently have to.
According to the Daily Telegraph, it said: "Families in similar financial situations could be treated quite differently, undermining the policy's fairness objective and creating very high marginal rates of tax for some.
"Taxpayers could find their tax confidentiality breached and experience lower service standards while grappling with an even more complicated system. Their confidence in HMRC and the tax system will be undermined and there will be behaviour changes and planning to avoid the charge."
Labour's Rachel Reeves said the legislation was a "complete mess".
The shadow chief secretary to the Treasury said: "Ever since George Osborne announced this policy for a quick headline at the Conservative Party conference he has ignored warnings that it was not just unfair but simply unworkable."
She said Labour believes "in the principle of universal child benefit" and had voted against the changes, although the party has not committed to reversing them if it gets into government.
The BBC's political correspondent Gary O'Donoghue says the criticisms from a highly respected body could re-open the argument surrounding the issue of child benefit just six months before the changes are due to come in. | <urn:uuid:5ac4e4da-a7cb-448b-b59a-08bb8042e372> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18068168 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965842 | 715 | 1.578125 | 2 |
This wayside exhibit reminds us that sustainability is easier than we think.
Sustainability is an approach to resource use which focuses on meeting current resource needs while ensuring that future needs will be met. This could mean recycling to minimize our use of non-renewable materials; driving less to conserve fossil fuels and reduce carbon emissions; or using CFL light bulbs to conserve electricity. This philosophy of sustainability is engrained in the very mission statement of the National Park Service:
"...to promote and regulate the use of the...national parks...which purpose is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations"
Organic Act, National Park Service Mission Statement, 1916
At Glacier National Park, sustainability is a priority and commitment. Within Glacier we're already seeing the dramatic impacts of climate change. Our mountain ecosystems are experiencing faster landscape changes than found in lower elevations. Many of the forces responsible for shaping the inspiring landscape we call Glacier National Park, are receding at an alarming rate or have already been lost. More than two thirds of the 150 glaciers that existed in 1850 have disappeared and current predictions suggest that all glaciers in the park will disappear by the year 2030. With these dramatic changes happening right before our eyes, we're committed more than ever to preserve the landscape that we all cherish for future generations by monitoring our actions in order to reduce energy use, decrease waste, and lighten our footprint. To see how we're moving towards environmental sustainability, you can view our Environmental Management Plan or visit one of the links at the top of this page.
To view how glaciers have changed over time within Glacier, visit the Landscape Change Photography page on the United States Geological Society (USGS) Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center's website. | <urn:uuid:2b8d949f-ebf2-42b7-b124-6f19a5df274c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nps.gov/glac/parkmgmt/sustainability.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933228 | 383 | 3.390625 | 3 |
Making Your Home Safe for Your Child (page 4)
It is important to know how your child will be growing and acting at this age for you to know how to make your home safe. So many changes take place in your child’s first 2 years that it is sometimes difficult to know what will happen next. During the first few months, your baby will be entirely dependent on you to keep him safe and comfortable. He learns only by watching, imitating, and listening to you, and he will learn something new each day. Over the first 2 years, your baby will change from not being able to hold up his own head, to rolling, crawling, and finally walking on his own. He learns through his senses, so he will want to touch, see, taste, smell, and listen to everything. Therefore, you need to make sure that he can only get to places and things that are safe for him.
To find out if your house is baby safe, get down on your hands and knees afind ond crawl around yourself to see what your baby sees. Are there tablecloths to tug on? Stairs to fall down? Windows and cabinets to open? Food to taste? Sharp corners to run into? Once you know the dangers in your home, they are easy to fix.
Your baby is going to spend a lot of time sleeping (or at least you hope so) so you want to make sure that your crib is a safe place for your child. Check on your baby frequently, and consider installing an intercom system so that you can hear him if he starts to cry.
When buying a crib:
- Make sure that the slats are no more than 2 3/8ths inches (about the size of a soda can) apart to avoid getting your child’s head stuck between them.
- Make sure that the mattress is the same size as the crib and that there are no excess blankets, pillows, or stuffed animals that could suffocate your baby.
- To help prevent SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) your baby should sleep on his back on a firm, flat mattress. For more information on SIDS, please visit the SIDS: "Back to Sleep" Campaign.
- Hang toys and mobiles far from your baby’s reach.
- Never place the crib near cords, blinds, or drapes.
- Consider placing bumper pads inside the crib until your baby can stand.
- Never leave your baby alone in the crib with the sides down.
Over half of all infant drowning incidents occur in bathtubs. Other drownings in this age group occur in toilets and buckets, so take special care in the bathroom and when cleaning to keep your baby safe. Some tips on how to keep your bathroom baby safe include:
- When giving your child a bath, the water should not cover more than your baby’s legs.
- Never leave your baby unattended in the bath or with a young sibling.
- Always drain all the water from the tub or sink.
- Make sure that the temperature of the bathwater is not too warm (no hotter than 100 degrees.)
- Keep cabinets with cosmetics, cleaning agents, and other toiletries locked so that your child cannot get to them.
- Keep the toilet lid shut.
- Never leave water in a bucket.
The living room
The living room may be a room you choose to keep nice for when guests are over, so if it is not a safe place for your child to be, keep it locked or gated. Otherwise, here are some tips to keeping your living room welcoming to both guests and babies.
- Keep furniture and plants away from windows.
- Make sure your plants are not poisonous for children. For more information on household plants that may be toxic for your children visit the National Capital Poison Center.
- Make sure all objects that small children could put in their mouths are placed out of their reach.
- Keep electric cords out of reach and sight of children.
- Cover electric outlets.
- Avoid using tablecloths that children can pull on.
- Don’t smoke inside.
- Bolt bookcases to the wall.
- Place safety screens in front of the fireplace.
Perils of the kitchen include sharp cabinet corners, slippery floors, utensils, and food scraps on the floor that babies love to put in their mouths. Try to keep your child out of your way while you cook, and remember to:
- Test foods and liquids before serving them to your child. Be careful when microwaving a bottle to feed your baby—the tip can get hot and the liquid can have hot spots that could scald him.
- Keep pots on the stove on the back burner when possible, and with handles pointing towards the back so that they cannot be easily bumped or grabbed by a young child.
- Make sure the trashcan is covered with a lid or in a closed cabinet.
- Keep cleaners and chemicals locked up.
- Keep the Poison Control number by your phone. To find the Poison Control Center nearest you, contact the American Association of Poison Control Centers or call them at (202) 362-7217.
Garage and basement
The garage and basement are areas of the house that your child will probably love to explore. They are often dark and mysterious, with all sorts of old and dusty items and curious tools. Be particularly careful to block off all sump and furnace areas. Also remember:
- Lock tools, chemicals, rope, paint, and gas out of reach.
- Do not let children near lawnmowers.
- Place ladders on their side rather than standing upright.
- If you have an electric garage door, be sure it has an automatic reverse function.
Buy toys wisely, and keep an eye on what your child is playing with to make sure that it is not dangerous.
- Make sure the toy is age appropriate for your baby. Small parts can be put into mouths easily and cause choking. If the toy can fit inside a toilet paper roll, it is too small for your baby. For a list of age-appropriate toys for your child, visit the Iowa State University Extension site entitled Understanding Children's Toys.
- Be aware of toys with sharp edges, loud noises, strings that could get wrapped around a Neck, and toys that have shooting parts. These could all be hazardous to your child.
- Never let your child play with balloons.
- To read more about toy safety, visit the Toy Safety Publications from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Falls remain the leading cause of unintentional injury in children. Many falls take place right in front of the parents’ eyes: a fall from a high chair, a trip down the stairs, or a slip on a wet tile floor. Since watching your child is not always enough to keep him upright, here are some more tips to keep your baby safe:
- Make sure your high chair has important safety features like a wide base, a locking tray, and a restraining belt or safety strap. It should have a label certifying that it meets current safety standards.
- Do not buy a Baby Walker. Over 16,000 children were injured in Baby Walkers in 1997. A stationary walker—a play table with a turning seat—is a much safer purchase.
- Use safety gates to keep infants from falling down stairs or going into rooms that may be dangerous.
- Keep your floors free from clutter to keep your child from tripping. Also, use rubber mats on bathroom tiles and in the tub to prevent slips and falls.
A tiny candle flame can leap into a raging fire in less than thirty seconds if given the right conditions. Therefore, you need to make sure that you and your child know how to prevent fires in your home. You should also know what to do should a fire start.
- Install smoke alarms on each floor of your home, outside the bedrooms, and in the basement.
- Test smoke alarms every month to make sure they work.
- Mount a fire extinguisher in the kitchen—and make sure you know how to use it.
- Screen all fireplaces.
- Teach children not to play with matches or lighters.
Keeping a handgun at home can have unintended dangerous consequences for families. With guns currently in about half of all American homes, all children should learn about gun safety. The recent statistics on death and injury from firearms are astounding. One in 15 child deaths are due to firearms. A 3-year-old child has enough strength to pull a trigger. Every day, 16 American children and adolescents die in gun-related homicides, suicides and accidents. Every 6 hours a child between 10-19 commits suicide with a gun. And almost 90% of accidental shootings involving children also involves an easy-to-find, loaded handgun from home.
If you own a gun, there are several things you can do to help decrease these shocking statistics:
- Do not keep the gun loaded.
- Store the unloaded gun in a locked place, out of reach of children.
- Lock the ammunition and store it in a different location from the gun.
- Do not store keys to these compartments with the house keys. Put them in a safe place and out of the reach of children.
- Lock up gun cleaning supplies. They are often poisonous.
- Teach your children that guns are not toys and should never be played with.
Even if you do not own a gun, your child still needs to learn the importance of gun safety. A study in the June 2001 issue of Pediatrics shows that many parents incorrectly assume that their child is educated about gun safety, can tell the difference between a real gun and a toy gun, and would not know how to handle a real gun.
Talk to your children early about the dangers of guns. Children of all ages need to understand that guns are not toys and should never be touched unless under your direct supervision. Explain to your child the dangers involved in handling firearms and what they can do to keep themselves safe.
The National Rifle Association's Eddie Eagle gun safety program has come up with a simple four-step plan to keep your children safe from guns. If your child sees a gun they should:
- Don’t touch.
- Remove yourself from the site.
- Tell an adult.
Additional information can be obtained at:
Kids Health, created by of The Nemours Foundation, has information on gun safety for parents and a web page just for kids at: http://kidshealth.org/kid/watch/house/gun_safety.html.
Information for parents on gun safety from the journal Pediatrics can be found at: http://pediatrics.about.com/library/weekly/aa061301a.htm.
The HELP Network has a factsheet entitled "Tips for Parents: Suggestions for Discussing Gun Safety with Other Parents." This factsheet provides suggestions for discussing gun safety with the parents of your child's friends. The fact sheet is available as a PDF document. http://www.helpnetwork.org/frames/resources_factsheets_tips_parents.pdf.
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Medicine can be a very expensive part of your health care treatment. If your doctor has prescribed a medicine and you cannot afford to pay for it, you may be able to get the medicine for free or for a reduced cost, as there are several assistance programs that may be able to help.
Private and public health insurance
If you have health insurance, your plan may or may not pay for prescription medicine. It depends on what kind of insurance you have. For example, if you have private health insurance through your employer, some or all of the cost of your medicine may be covered. If you have the traditional Medicare plan (sometimes called fee-for-service), you'll need Medicare Part D to make sure your medicine is covered. If you have Medicaid, the Medicaid plan in your state most likely covers the cost of prescription medicines.
State and community programs
Some state governments offer affordable medicine programs for seniors, people who are disabled and people who have low incomes. Community health centers, Area Agencies on Aging, free health clinics and other community programs may also offer help. To use these services, you may need to show that you don't qualify for private health insurance or that you don't make enough money to pay for your own medicine.
Some social agencies, such as the Salvation Army and some private hospitals, offer financial help for people who cannot afford prescription medicines.
Patient-assistance programs (also called PAPs) are sponsored by companies that make prescription medicine. Each company has its own rules about who qualifies for its PAP. In many cases, you will need to show that you don't qualify for private or public health insurance (such as Medicare or Medicaid). You may also need to prove that your income is below a certain level.
Each PAP has its own application process. In many cases, your doctor, nurse or social worker will need to apply for you. For some programs, your doctor or nurse can submit an application online. For others, the application must be mailed in. It's important to keep in mind that applying for a PAP does not guarantee that you will get your medicine for free or at a lower price.
For more information
The Partnership for Prescription Assistance brings together America's pharmaceutical companies, doctors, other health care providers, patient advocacy organizations and community groups to help qualifying patients who lack prescription coverage get the medicines they need through the public or private program that's right for them. Many will get them free or nearly free. Among the organizations collaborating on this program are the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, the Lupus Foundation of America, the NAACP, the National Alliance for Hispanic Health and the National Medical Association. To access the Partnership for Prescription Assistance by phone, you can call toll-free, 1-888-4PPA-NOW (1-888-477-2669).
The Together Rx Access Program can help millions of Americans who have no prescription drug coverage and are not eligible for Medicare save on prescription products. Most cardholders save 25% to 40% on brand-name prescription drugs and products. Savings on generic medicines are also available. The card can be used at the majority of pharmacies. Together Rx Access Program directs individuals to the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA), a clearinghouse for over 475 public and private assistance programs, including 180 offered by pharmaceutical companies.
This Web site gives information about PAPs. The site also lists drugs that are available through PAPs and gives contact information for the companies that make them. In many cases, you can download a copy of a drug company's PAP application. NeedyMeds also offers a free drug discount card. Just download and print the card, then bring it to your pharmacy. If your pharmacy accepts the discount card, you may receive up to 80% off the price of your prescription medicine. The NeedyMeds site also links to state Medicaid Web sites.
This site is supported by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (also called PhRMA). Using the tools on the RxHope site, your doctor can apply for you to receive free or low-cost drugs from the companies that make them.
This Web site is sponsored by an organization called Volunteers in Health Care. By searching the database on this Web site, you or your doctor, nurse or social worker can find out which PAPs you might qualify for. The site also gives information about other resources, such as drug discount programs.
Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff | <urn:uuid:17fe4571-9e61-438f-8a86-475c002543f9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/healthcare-management/insurance-bills/resources-for-affordable-prescription-medicine.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939941 | 922 | 2.328125 | 2 |
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An introduction to Rhodes” - Mobile Apps Development has taken by storm after the introduction of iPhone and the App Store. Its a long way with others like Android, Blackberry etc entering into the arena. Developing mobile apps for each device and mainting different code bases is not so DRY and its too time consuming. Presenting one of the frameworks that uses Ruby & HTML so effectively in developing crossplatform mobile apps with one single code base all written in Ruby!
Rhodes is an open source Ruby-based framework for building locally executing, device-optimized mobile applications for all major smartphone devices. These applications work with synchronized local data and also take advantage of native device capabilities such as GPS, PIM contacts, camera, and SMS. Yet you write the majority of your interface with high productivity in HTML and Ruby. Rhodes allows you to write an app once and it will then run on all iPhone, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, Symbian and Android smartphones. During this session we'll build a sample app for all mobile devices, from scratch, in minutes.
20th–21st March 2010 | <urn:uuid:e3b097bd-16c2-4e5c-a4b6-be169b8eb56a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lanyrd.com/2010/rubyconf-india/on/mobile/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.902249 | 229 | 1.773438 | 2 |
If you are upgrading the general interiors of your bedrooms, there are several possibilities open for example implementing uneven wall papers, re-painting this as well as setting up timber paneling. Whatever you decide, all of them offers their own advantages and drawbacks. In this article we are really not considering which in turn alternative will probably be appropriate, but we’re contemplating upgrading the house by installing wood panels. SponsoredReviews bloggers earn cash advertisers build buzz
Timber paneling commenced through the 1970′s and Eighties era and it is viewed as the quickest and easiest method to change the general interiors and look of a space. It is deemed a fundamental piece of interior design that when they are applied can easily modify and decorate the actual walls and flooring of a space. Should you assess it with the customarily used coloring or perhaps distinctive wallpaper plus the sheetrock, it is the greatest substitute for choose. By installing these types of sections it is possible to disguise just Read the rest of this entry »
Home improvement actually understands zero boundaries. Each year property owners get to hear about lots of do-it-yourself possibilities to exploit. Between one of the better inclusions in this specific pool area will be the usage of panels in walls as a possible architectural take into account the two residential and commercial buildings. Within this trend, a single little bit of level substance for example timber is generally reduce rectangular shape and installed because noticeable and uncovered addressing to get a wall. Normally, this is done not just in enhance the building’s visual charm but also to enhance the operation. The necessary substance are located in specialised retailers along with components retailers.
Kinds of Paneling
There are several various kinds of interior wall paneling there are actually nowadays. These are generally primarily classified based on the planned goal. These people contain:
1. Decorative: This is accomplished by using a variety of good to look at resources including wainscot, in order to enhance the look of Read the rest of this entry »
Erectile dysfunction is very common among men in all corners of the world. This problem may happen due to various reasons, and it includes both physical and mental. A person with erectile dysfunction will be totally shattered and he will feel himself inferior in front of his partner. He will question his manliness, and this will flip his life upside down in all aspects. Many people used to adopt various means of treatment for this problem, and some of the effective methods are given below.
Life Style changes: Changes in life style will bring dramatic difference in your sex life. You have to exercise regularly, and should stop bad habits like smoking. Smoking will thicken your blood vessels, and it will reduce the blood flow to a great extend. So, it is highly necessary to quit this nasty habit, if you want to lead a good sex life. Regular exercise will help you to keep away from circulatory disorders like hypertension, cholesterol and diabetes.
Acupuncture: Many people adopt acupuncture to treat erectile dysfunction. Acupuncture will help you to relieve your stress within the first two or three sessions, and it will help you to improve your ED to a great extend. Use Neosize XL: People all over the world where waiting for a magic medicine which help to overcome erectile dysfunction. Neosize XL is simply awesome in all aspects. Regular usage of this product will help you to improve your size and erection to a great extend. You will also get more pleasure after having a sexual intercourse. If you are suffering from erectile dysfunction, then do not hesitate to click, www.neosizexl.us. www.neosizexl.us is Read the rest of this entry »
If you’re planning to improve your home with the installation of swimming pool, then one of the main problems you’ll have to consider is which material to use in the construction. Though plaster can be effective, many people still view fibreglass as making the best base. That’s why we’ve put together this list of the benefits that come from a pool made of the material:
First of all, it’s actually a lot quicker to construct a fibreglass pool than it is one that’s made from plaster. This is due to the fact that whilst a plaster pool needs to be dug out, then lined and then finished, fibreglass is built in one piece off-site and then lifted in. Also, fibreglass doesn’t need to wait for nice weather in order to properly dry out!
Another benefit to a fibreglass pool is that unlike some other materials you don’t have to worry as much about the chemical balance of the water. The pH level of water can be affected by plaster, which means that a plaster pool requires constant use of balancing chemicals in order to keep it at a safe level. With fibreglass, all you really need to worry about is keeping it clean. Also, a plaster pool has to be pumped far more often, which can run up substantial utility costs.
Caring for fibreglass pools is also a much more simply task. A swimming pool in the home is an obvious indicator of success, so you don’t want yours looking dirty and unclean! Fibreglass is virtually a wipe-clean material, and unlike plaster mould and algae can’t penetrate the surface. Serious deep cleaning can be an expensive process, and with a fibreglass pool you don’t have to worry about stumping up the costs.
The last point is that fibreglass is an extremely durable material, and is far less susceptible to genuine wear and tear than other materials. Plaster is always being chipped away from the pool’s sides, leading to constant pumping and cleaning just to keep the pool looking respectable. Fibreglass doesn’t suffer from chips, and knocks, and will need far less reparations done to it over the next ten years or so. Make your investment now and you won’t have to worry later!
Edarling is one of the best dating sites in Europe. It has a partnership with the world-renowned dating site eHarmony. The site was started in Germany in the year 2009. Since then, it has spread across Europe. One of the main reasons as to why it has grown in popularity is its unique features. Edarling makes use of experts and psychologists; these psychologists and experts provide affinity tests to new members of the website. They also help people search and find their perfect soul mates on the website. There are a number of steps that have to be followed to become a member of edarling.
You need to fill a registration form before being able to access the features of the website. The details you provide during registration are used to create your profile which will be accessed by the other members of the site. After registration is complete, you have to take an affinity test. The test is used by the site to determine your affinity with the other members of the site based on their affinity tests. One Read the rest of this entry »
To increase your sales, you have to invest. As they say, while you already may look presentable, it wouldn’t hurt to go the extra mile and make it even more attractive. Let’s face, we are a ‘physical’ type of people. We like looking at stuff before we are able to decide on whether we should buy it or not. This is what a standbouwbedrijf is all about. Knowing that people are visual, they would be able to help you in coming up with a beursstand that would achieve the following objectives:
- Reach your targeted audience.
- Spend less.
- Make your brand known.
You think, ‘it’s so easy’. You probably would be able do that by simply talking to people. Then again, if you have been in the sales business, you know that is not true. It is not enough when you only create a relationship with your customer. You need to make that connection as well, and this is quite important. You know that each customer is worth the money you put out, as long as you create that ‘bond’. Remember, simply getting in touch with potential clients is not enough. It is just all about talking to them or answering their questions. Some are not comfortable with talking. So leave it up to your stand to do the talking for you. Your job is to enhance. With a standbouw helping you out in that regard, not only will there be an increase of inquiries of your products, but you would be able to create a certain rapport with them. Use the most effective marketing technique now.
Everybody love to enjoy their sex lives to its maximum extend. A strong friction between skins will give you the thrill beyond imagination. You will enter a whole new world of thrill and flesh during an intense sexual encounter. But many men all over the world are facing erectile dysfunctions and this is absolutely a curse which affects a person’s life. Less erection will reduce the quality of your life and you will feel inferior in front of your sexual partner. Usage of vigrx plus is one of the best way by which you can increase your erection.
VigRx plus can be considered as a magic medicine. It will increase the stability of your sex life to a great extend. 84 days use of VigRx plus will drastically improve your sexual performance. It will help you to achieve harder and long lasting erections. The size of your penis will Read the rest of this entry » | <urn:uuid:f99ed444-a84f-4d15-a97e-7978cef4b8ce> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.syracusesni.org/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956923 | 1,984 | 1.53125 | 2 |
In the latest sign of the increasing radicalism of the Bolivarian Revolution, Venezuela’s National Union of Workers [UNETE] has published a series of policy proposals calling for more workers’ control of industry.
- Full nationalisation of the banking and finance sectors
- Nationalisation of foreign commerce related to essential foods
- Readjustment of wages and prices to account for the cost of living and production
- Creation of a ministry for workers’ control and social production, directed by workers’ councils
- Introduction of a national maximum wage
- Introduction of an industrial transformation law that will see idle companies and land transferred to workers’ or peasants’ councils
- Demarcation of indigenous lands over the interests of transnational mining companies
UNETE is Venezuela’s primary union federation, having been formed in 2003 after the traditional federation CTV supported coup attempts against socialist president Hugo Chávez. Around 80 per cent of the country’s trade unions are affiliated to UNETE.
Early this month, president Chávez celebrated the first anniversary of the nationalisation of the Bank of Venezuela, which was bought over last year by the state and retained its entire workforce. It has also experienced tremendous growth since then.
Chávez said: “I don’t know if there has been any experience like it before in Venezuela of such growth. That means a lot of things. This throws out all of that information that is emitted from the laboratories of psychological warfare that global capitalism has set up in Venezuela… that manipulate and put fear in the minds of Venezuelans.”
The revolutionary government has also moved in recent months to challenge price speculation that has seen food costs skyrocket. Several supermarket chains have been nationalised and the government has opened its own restaurants.
At the opening of one such restaurant last week, commerce minister Richard Canan said: “The creation of these socialist arepa restaurants allows us to demonstrate to capitalist businesses that it is possible to have a venue where food can be sold at a fair price and not as a commodity, as it is under capitalist concepts.”
The UNETE federation’s national co-ordinators recognise the work that has been done by the Venezuelan government to improve the lives and conditions of the country’s workers and peasants, but argue that this work has been hampered by “bureaucratism, indolence, and corruption of functionaries who act like a fifth column... in the entire structure of a bourgeois state that refuses to die”.
The document produced by UNETE goes to the heart of a struggle that exists within Chávez’s United Socialist Party of Venezuela [PSUV] and within the Bolivarian Revolution itself. It is a struggle between a rank and file who are anxious to see the socialist transformation of Venezuela and a bureaucracy who seem determined to prevent that from happening.
Government leaders are not blind to the problems facing their project and measures have been introduced to remove power from such bureaucrats and place it in the hands of the workers. In May, Chávez swore in the new directors for the 15 industrial companies that make up Venezuelan Corporation of Guayana [CVG], the directors having been elected by the workers before being ratified by the president.
The CVG forms an important part of Plan Socialista Guayana. This plan came into being following the nationalisation of the giant steel plant SIDOR in April 2008. The workers there began to discuss what a socialist company would look like and how it could be run democratically. They set up their own Bolivarian Workers’ University, in which 1,300 of them registered, where weekly classes are given in important technical skills as well as political theory.
Guayana is the largest of Venezuela’s eight administrative regions and is an important industrial centre. Around 80,000 people work in steel, aluminium, iron ore and mining companies, which have all been nationalised. In conjunction with the Ministry of Labour, workers from the CVG came up with Plan Socialista Guayana last year.
Plan Socialista Guayana is a 10-year programme to turn the CVG companies into worker-managed, socialist operations. Under this plan, the companies will greatly reduce the amount of raw materials being exported and workers will focus on supplying local and national projects for the benefit of the people. The introduction of the plan was hindered by management and local government figures until Chávez himself stepped in. That directors for these worker-run companies have now been appointed shows that the Plan is now well under way.
Other avenues have also opened in the attempt to combat the problems of bureaucracy. A prominent example is the community council. These councils were introduced with the intention of promoting the participatory democracy that is central to the Bolivarian Revolution, by having communities come together to address local problems and develop local projects. Over 30,000 community councils have been created all over Venezuela since their introduction in 2006.
This explosion has not been without problems, especially in terms of finance. The Venezuelan government passed an amendment to the community council law in May to clarify and strengthen the role of the councils in society. Councils are elected by assemblies that represent between 150 and 400 families in a particular area, and assemblies need 30 per cent attendance to form a quorum, ensuring a minimum level of community involvement in the affairs of the council.
In both urban and rural areas, numbers of community councils are coming together to form socialist communes. There are currently around 200 socialist communes being built at present, which are effectively creating a parallel, horizontal alternative to existing municipal authorities.
There are many people in Venezuela who are frustrated at the limited progress made over the past decade by their government, which continues to struggle against a hostile native bourgeoisie as well as a dangerous imperialist power to the north and its satellite state in Latin America, Colombia.
However, as long as the workers and peasants of Venezuela keep pushing towards the socialist transformation of society, the dream of the Bolivarian Revolution and of 21st century socialism will remain alive and well. | <urn:uuid:41de8ded-d069-4607-a533-7877453fe65f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://unityaotearoa.blogspot.com/2010/08/workers-lead-way-in-venezuela.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959782 | 1,248 | 2.171875 | 2 |
Posts Tagged ‘Barnes’
Edwin C Barnes was a penniless salesman who had a DESIRE to go into partnership with the inventor Thomas Edison.
He had the chance to be one of Edison’s salesmen but that wasn’t what he wanted. He waited until the opportunity came and Edison’s other salesmen decided that they couldn’t sell the latest invention – a dictating machine.
Barnes showed Edison that he could market and distribute the machine in partnership with Edison and made a fortune.
When his opportunity came, it was in a different form and in a different way to what Barnes was expecting.
Barnes knew what he wanted and had the determination to stand by his desire. Opportunity has a habit of slipping in the back door and can sometimes come disguised as misfortune or temporary defeat. Perhaps that is why opportunities are sometimes not recognised and missed.
What is it that you have a burning desire to be, do or have? | <urn:uuid:5c661856-d4d1-428d-bf03-b03383e9f787> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://annhawkins.com/tag/barnes/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00062-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981279 | 202 | 1.9375 | 2 |
Ellis Island of the West
Publication Year: 1983
Published by: State University of New York Press
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List of Illustrations
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Directory of Organizations
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Most American Jews are descended from, or were themselves, immigrants who arrived at the Port of New York during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. While Jews are now found in all areas of the country, many still retain family remembrances of life on the Lower ...
CHAPTER 1. Origins
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The first large-scale pogroms broke out ostensibly as a reaction to the assassination of Czar Alexander II on March 13, 1881. They began at Easter and continued into the summer. In a hundred localities throughout the southern provinces of Russia, the scene was always ...
CHAPTER 2. 1907: Activity and Controversy
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The groups of Jewish immigrants arriving in Galveston during the summer of 1907 established a certain routine which, allowing for modification to meet changing conditions, remained throughout the history of the Galveston Movement. At its peak, the ITO's Jewish Emigration ...
CHAPTER 3. 1908-1909: The Economic Depression
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In January 1908, Waldman sent his assistant, Henry P. Goldstein, on a tour of the West, in which he visited the Jewish communities of thirty-two cities. Fourteen of these communities had not previously been connected with the Galveston Movement, and the other eighteen ...
CHAPTER 4. 1910: Deportations!
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The seemingly endless stream of immigration which was coming in from Southern and Eastern Europe triggered a growing nativist sentiment among many Americans whose ancestors had come from Britain and Western Europe. These "old stock" Americans bitterly complained ...
CHAPTER 5. The Battle of the Bureaus
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The activity surrounding the deportation action created a warlike atmosphere in the V.S. Immigration and Naturalization Bureau as well as in the Jewish Immigrants' Information Bureau. The deportation of July 27, 1910, had largely been instigated by the Inspector ...
CHAPTER 6. 1911: A Weakened Movement Resumes Operations
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The deportations of 1910 presented the Galveston Movement with the worst crisis of its existence, a setback from which it never fully recovered. While the legal battles were being fought, shipments of immigrants were severely curtailed. In January 1911, upon the favorable ...
CHAPTER 7. 1912: Difficulties in Recruitment
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A shocking incident at the end of 1911 resulted in a readjustment of managerial responsibilities at the beginning of 1912. The incident had occurred October 15, 1911, when a freshly-arrived seventeen-year-old female immigrant, who was staying at the JIIB's immigrant quarters, was
CHAPTER 8. 1913: The Rothschilds Withdraw, and a Hernia "Epidemic" Breaks Out
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From its inception in 1907, the ITO's Emigration Regulation Department, which was in charge of Galveston Movement operations, was supported by a special fund which had been established by its treasurer, Mr. Leopold de Rothschild of London, and his brother ...
CHAPTER 9. 1914: The End of a Movement
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Ever since the beginning of 1913, Henry Berman, manager of the Jewish Immigrants' Information Bureau, had expressed the desire to leave Galveston. l He had agreed to remain, however, until a suitable replacement could be found. It was only toward the end ...
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Credits for Illustrations
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Publication Year: 1983 | <urn:uuid:c39b44fe-bf37-425a-b110-afd0621b576f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://muse.jhu.edu/books/9781438411903 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00062-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929796 | 864 | 2.65625 | 3 |
With the age of aviation, traveling the world has not only become easier, but it is also an enriching experience. Although some of us may stay within the limits of our national borders, many of us will travel to exotic locales in countries with varying degrees of sanitation and standards of hygiene. The risk of food- or water-borne illnesses, as well as more harmful diseases while on vacation, including malaria and yellow fever, can be a reality of travel. Despite these significant health risks, many will not seek medical advice before a trip. But whether your destination is Cancun or Calcutta, it may be well worth the time to visit a travel health clinic before your departure.
The following individuals should seek medical advice before traveling abroad:
While these individuals must take extra precautions when traveling, anyone planning a trip overseas should consider seeking medical advice from a travel clinic.
Food and Water-borne Illnesses
Food- and water-borne illnesses, such as traveler’s diarrhea, are the most common maladies faced during travel. Contaminated food and water can be sources of infection from Escherichia coli, bacillary dysentery, and hepatitis A—all of which can lead to severe dehydration. In general, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends drinking only bottled water (be sure it is a fresh bottle by checking the seal) and avoiding undercooked or raw foods (especially vegetable and fruits), dairy products, shellfish, or food that has been allowed to cool to room temperature. Based on the country you will be visiting, a travel health clinic can provide you with a complete list of CDC precautions and recommendations along with necessary antibiotics and water sanitation devices.
Depending on your destination, general health risks can range from the common cold to typhoid fever. The World Health Organization (WHO) cites malaria as one of the most serious risks to international travelers. This potentially fatal disease, transmitted through mosquito bites, occurs in more than 100 countries—many of which are popular destinations, such as Mexico, the Caribbean, India, Egypt, and South Africa. Also of concern are vaccine-preventable hepatitis A and B, both of which can cause liver damage.
Travel health clinics can provide you with information about the year-round health risks that exist in your destination and alert you about new outbreaks that may arise prior to your time of travel. They will also provide you with the recommended immunizations and antibiotics to safeguard against tropical and other illnesses. Of main concern are the following:
- Hepatitis A or B—Mexico, Central and South America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the Caribbean, eastern and southern Europe
- Malaria—Asia, Africa, the Middle East, the South Pacific, Mexico, Eastern Europe, Central America, and the Caribbean
- Traveler’s diarrhea—Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East
- Yellow fever—Africa and South America
- Cholera—Southeast Asia
- Typhoid—Asia, Africa, Soviet Union
- Japanese encephalitis—Southeast Asia
While some countries only recommend that visitors get vaccinated before arriving, others require vaccination as a condition of entry, and will inspect health records to verify that the necessary vaccinations have been taken. In these countries, anyone who has not been vaccinated may be quarantined until they have been, or denied entry altogether. A travel health clinic can determine the vaccination requirements for your destination, administer inoculations and provide you with the necessary documentation, such as an International Certificate of Vaccination as well as other travel health records, which can be updated before each trip.
Travel Clinic Services
Your destination, length of stay, itinerary, and previous medical history are important factors to consider when seeking travel health advice. The staffs at most travel health clinics consist of physicians and nurse practitioners with specialized degrees in infectious diseases or tropical medicine. They are qualified to develop a travel care plan customized to your individual health needs; administer vaccines and booster shots for polio or measles, mumps, and rubella; and write prescriptions for antibiotics and other medications. It is important to make an appointment 4-6 weeks in advance of your trip. This will give you enough time to begin a malaria vaccine regimen if you need to, and for vaccinations to boost your immune system before your trip.
In general, services provided by most travel health clinics include:
- CDC and WHO information about health risks and recommendations in your area of travel
- United States State Department travel advisories; consulate information
- Pre-travel counseling based on destination, length of stay, and medical history, including how to care for chronic conditions while traveling
- An individualized plan of prevention and treatment, including recommendations for food and water safety, and recommendations for avoiding insect-borne diseases
- Vaccinations for influenza; hepatitis A and B; yellow fever; typhoid; polio; tetanus/diphtheria; Japanese encephalitis; measles, mumps, and rubella; and rabies
- Vaccination certificates required by some countries before entry
- Antibiotics or over-the-counter medications for diarrhea or prescriptions for malaria prevention
- Permanent medical records listing any present illness as well as medical needs
- A list of recommended doctors or clinics abroad
- Information about traveler’s medical insurance, which provides affordable coverage for medical emergencies (also check with your current provider)
- Tests to determine whether any illnesses were acquired abroad
- Treatment of any illnesses acquired abroad
Another essential aspect of travel clinic services is post-travel care. This is particularly important for those with chronic conditions and anyone experiencing persistent health problems upon their return, including the following:
- Fever (seek immediate attention if you have traveled to an area where malaria is prevalent)
- Urinary tract or genital infections
- Skin disorders
Many hospitals and medical centers provide travel health services. The following site can provide you with a list of travel health clinics in your area: http://http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/.
- Reviewer: Brian Randall, MD
- Review Date: 08/2011 -
- Update Date: 08/08/2011 - | <urn:uuid:c1ebd6f5-8707-4d21-a971-337d1a737f6d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://valleyregionalmedicalcenter.com/your-health/?/95461/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.926491 | 1,261 | 3.09375 | 3 |
Does the Biggest Loser have the right idea about how to lose weight? Well that's a good question. Personally, I used to be of the mind the harder the training the better. I grew up on Rocky movies and have been thus inspired to push my training exercises to the limit as I grew up. But as I have grown older and wished to continue to live healthy, while avoiding constant muscle tears and injuries, I found that moderate exercise and healthy diet to be the corner stones of my personal health plan. I still like to push my limits occasionally, but longevity trumps burning out any day.
Now you take the first episode of this season's Biggest Loser. One older man has to see a doctor, and one lady is rushed to the hospital after they are told to take off running, I think it was a mile or more. At any rate these people were on the Biggest Loser for a reason. They hadn't exercised or eaten proper meals for years. You know somebody is going to pass out or worse, die of a heart attack.
So you know it's entertaining to watch these folks push themselves to their limits and hopefully overcome, but is it realistic for the average person at home to jump off the couch and start running a mile as hard as they can after years of sitting still and eating pizza, ice cream, french fries, and the Lord only knows what else? No, not really.
If I were to train this folks the first thing I'd do is change their diet which is what they do on the show. That's the biggest part of losing weight and being healthy, but exercise is something you have to work up to. This week you walk a mile. In a couple of days maybe walk a mile and a half. Do a few sit ups, and push ups, and gradually increase the reps or weight as the days and weeks go by. Healthy living is a life style not a race. Even the greatest athletes end up with injuries that slow their progress or halt it altogether as far as being the best that they can be physically. Athletes train hard. They have to, to beat the competition. But if your goal is to be healthy and fit then don't shoot yourself in the leg before you reach your goal. Every injury slows your progress down considerably and causes you to lose more ground than you gain. So try to know your own body. Work into it.
Now everybody gets injured from time to time especially as we get older. The trick is to work around with it without causing the injury to increase. I'm still going to play basketball and push those weights to the limit as I grow older, just not everyday. It's not about killing yourself. It's about getting healthy over time. Just once you get started don't ever stop. Keep on going like Sly Stallone in the Rocky movies.
Having said that the wife and I do like to do some of those Biggest Loser workouts on DVD. They are challenging. Just got to know when to stop and when to keep going, and put down that ice cream! | <urn:uuid:12d59552-dde6-4ab8-a8ee-49d7e5755d59> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tvmovieguy.blogspot.com/2009/10/does-biggest-loser-have-right-idea.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983199 | 628 | 1.546875 | 2 |
I am setting up a pipe spec which uses Swagelok tube fittings with the "two-ferrule, mechanical grip design". There is a front and back ferrule which are enclosed in a nut. A seal is formed when the nut tightens on the 2-ferrule assembly.
I was wondering how to represent it in a pipe spec. Should I keep all the components seperate, what "end conditions" should I use for the ferrules and would this sort of connection come under a "flanged" or "collared" auto-joint in Plant?
The connections are still basically threaded connections. We used these in AutoPLANT and I just built them using threaded fittings. I don't see a need to build them as a special connection since they are still male and female connections. You will just need to build the components per the cut sheets. There might have to be a work around for some of the components, but the general tube, fittings and valves should function just fine. | <urn:uuid:f805e33f-12d0-43d1-93e0-2e9ae3cc9c6f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/AutoCAD-Plant-3D/Adding-tube-fitting-components-to-spec/m-p/3734762 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00062-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963703 | 209 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Notes on the Folklore of the Fjort, by Richard Edward Dennett, , at sacred-texts.com
NENPETRO (kind of wild cat) and Nsessi (the gazelle), agreed that in case of famine the one might eat the other's mother. The famine came. Nsessi killed Nenpetro's mother and ate her; but, loving his own mother very much, he took her into the bush, and hid her there in a cave, telling her never to come out unless she should bear him call her. Each day he took her food, but not caring to carry it himself, he got Nenpetro's little son to carry it for him.
Now this little boy felt with his father in his loss of his mother, and so resolved to tell him where Nsessi kept his mother. Thus he told Nenpetro, and showed him the way to the cave where Nsessi had hidden his mother. Nenpetro then simulated the voice of Nsessi, and called to her to come out. When she came, Nenpetro killed her and took her to town. Then he had her cooked, and gave a feast, and invited Nsessi. But Nsessi wondered where he could have got his meat, and went to look for his mother. Could he have killed her? She was not there. Yes, he had killed her. He refused Nenpetro's invitation, and said he would no longer live in that town. So he called his people together, and they burned their houses and went to live elsewhere. | <urn:uuid:d1a9f3c5-5b62-418e-9a53-8008bb5e5560> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sacred-texts.com/afr/fjort/fjo23.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.996594 | 340 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Feel like your Nose needs a Superhero?
For about three months, Karen Raahauge was having difficulty breathing through her nose, especially on the left side. "It kept getting progressively worse until I finally couldn't breathe at all out of my left nostril, " she said. "One of the people I work with recommended the St. Joseph Hospital Nasal & Sinus Center, so I made an appointment." Luca Vassalli, M.D., one of the physicians on staff at the Nasal & Sinus Center, suspected that a polyp might be the cause of Karen's problem. As it turned out, he was right. "Nasal polyps are a common problem we see here, " he said. "Often we suspect them if someone has a problem breathing. Frequently, they have tried over-the-counter products or other treatments, but since polyps don't respond to decongestants, these medications aren't helpful." In order to determine the extent of Karen's problem, Dr. Vassalli used the Nasal and Sinus Center's advanced nasal imaging system to determine whether or not a polyp was the source of the problem. He also ordered a CT scan to better determine the extent of Karen's problem. "He was so wonderful," said Karen. "Very reassuring and he explained everything to me." While there was one large polyp blocking Karen's left nostril, Dr. Vassalli also discovered there were several smaller polyps forming on the right side. Eventually, as they grew, they could cause problems as well. "Many people that are chronically congested have nasal polyps," said Dr. Vassalli. "Some develop sinus headaches, facial pain, and other allergy symptoms, but the most common problem is difficulty in breathing through the nose.
Using a fiber optic telescope, and the Center's advanced computer imaging (the Center's specialty), physicians can visualize the entire nasal cavity. In addition to polyps, they are looking for such problems as a deviated septum, allergic rhinitis and sinusitis. All interfere with normal breathing. Once Karen's problem was diagnosed, she was scheduled for outpatient surgery. The surgery takes about two hours and is done through the nose so there are no external incisions. In addition to removing the large polyp on her left side, Dr. Vassalli also removed the smaller polyps forming on the right. "What amazed me was that there was absolutely no pain," Karen recalled. "My nose felt swollen and it was bandaged, but it certainly didn't hurt." According to Karen, after Dr. Vassalli removed the packing in her nose, "Suddenly I could breathe again! It was such a wonderful feeling." "Most patients will experience only minimal pain, if at all," said Dr. Vassalli. "There may be a little soreness and a little swelling, but they are usually very pleased with the results. They often notice the difference immediately." In retrospect, Karen wishes she had sought help earlier. "Not only was it difficult to breathe, but it interrupted my sleep," she said. "I went around for weeks feeling tired and sluggish. I had heard stories about how painful surgery could be. That certainly wasn't my experience. I am very pleased with the way I was treated and the results of the surgery. I would recommend it to anyone."
* Nasal polyps are non-cancerous growths occurring in the nose or sinus. There is no known cause for nasal and sinus polyps. Nasal polyps often cause a blocked nose, decrease in taste and smell, a thick nasal drainage and sinusitis. | <urn:uuid:769730ac-6501-4d0f-8280-926809ee80e5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sjo.org/Our-Services/Nasal-Sinus-Center/Nose-News-Newsletter/Feel-Like-Your-Nose-Needs-a-Superhero-Vol-1-No-3.aspx?LargeFonts=true | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983001 | 753 | 1.742188 | 2 |
1.The Universe is 13.82 billion years old.
2.The Universe is expanding a bit slower than we expected.
3.The Universe is 4.9 percent normal matter, 26.8 percent dark matter, and 68.3 percent dark energy.
4.The Universe is lopsided. Just a bit, just a hint, but that has profound implications.
I often get angry with human species because of their stupidity. But sometimes I just get speechless when I see the same species discover things that are unimaginable. I feel proud of being a human, I feel lucky to know about the universe where we are living.
It is so spectacular! so breathtaking! So magnificent! So unbelievable!
And so believable!
Someone says, It’s a great time to be alive, as we’re understanding the Universe better and better than ever. True, really. | <urn:uuid:545ef571-a65e-45b3-a265-ec9d1ff91253> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://freethoughtblogs.com/taslima/2013/03/22/our-universe/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.922598 | 184 | 2.046875 | 2 |
Too rough, and perhaps even too redolent of British boarding schools, the game of rugby hasn’t taken much hold in the United States. But four Boston middle schools earlier this month played in a first-ever rugby tournament for youths in those grades. In a partnership between the two-year-old Massachusetts Youth Rugby Organization and Citizen Schools, boys and girls from the Washington Irving, Edwards, Orchard Gardens, and Lee Academy middle schools competed in a flag version of the sport more famous in countries like England, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Compared to American-style football, the sport to which it is most often compared, rugby is far less costly in equipment and less likely to cause the high-velocity injuries that are an increasing concern in American tackle football. The youth rugby organization says on its website that it wants to provide “an environment which welcomes every child who wishes to play” and “values effort, integrity, and sportsmanship as much as winning.” | <urn:uuid:d2bd88db-68a7-4605-889c-c5a6c5a68172> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/editorials/2012/12/23/youth-rugby-gains-toehold-boston/eEmyzR61bd3H95ACRZTS6L/comments.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973379 | 203 | 2.171875 | 2 |
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Results from Ohio poll on Darwin's theory of evolution, public schools (107k pdf)
Ohio Zogby Crosstabs (90k pdf)
As the State Board of Education debates what students should be taught about the development of life on Earth, a poll released yesterday shows nearly two-thirds of Ohioans support instruction about both Darwin's theory of evolution and any scientific evidence against it.
Fewer than one in five of the respondents want only evolution taught, the course advocated by most scientists.
In addition, 78 percent think that students also should be taught about evidence pointing to an intelligent designer.
"This is not a poll on creationism,'' said Bruce Chapman, president of the Discovery Institute, which commissioned the poll. "Instead it poses the real issue before Ohio and other states: Do you allow students to know the scientific case for and against Darwinian evolution?''
The nonprofit research organization based in Seattle is home to the nation's leading supporters of "intelligent design'' -- the view that life is too complex to have randomly evolved through natural selection. They say they don't know the identity of the designer -- it could be God as creationists believe or some unknown force.
Critics of the decade-old movement say intelligent design is merely a new spin for creationism, with backers trying to inject religious belief into the science classroom.
They dismiss the telephone poll of 702 randomly chosen Ohio adults conducted Tuesday and Wednesday by Zogby International, a nationally recognized polling firm. The margin of sampling error is 3.8 percentage points.
"Science is not a democratic institution. We don't make decisions on popularity, we make them on evidence,'' said Lynn E. Elfner, chief executive officer of the Ohio Academy of Sciences. "I'm not aware of any evidence against evolution . . .
"And, there is no scientific evidence in favor of intelligent design. It's a belief. It's beyond the natural. It's supernatural . . . I can demonstrate evolution in a test tube.''
Mark Edwards, spokesman for the Discovery Institute, disputed that claim. He said there are plenty of single-cell organisms that are far too complex to have developed through slight, step-by-step variations over time.
"Sure, science is not a democracy. You can have 100 people in a room and 99 believe one thing but the evidence supports what that one other person says,'' he said.
"Popular opinion doesn't dictate the truth, but popular opinion certainly plays an important role in developing education policy.''
The State Board of Education is considering proposed grade-by-grade guidelines of what students should be taught in science class drafted by a team of mostly science teachers from across the state. They recommended students be taught only evolution but some on the 19-member board are advocating for the inclusion of intelligent design as well.
Under state law, the panel must have the new science standards approved by Dec. 31.
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Parshas Shemos 5758
Volume 4 Issue 15
by Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky
As the book of Exodus begins, it is important to ponder what catapulted
Moshe (Moses) from the position of valiant citizen to national leader. The
story of Moshe's youth in Egypt is hardly expounded upon in the Torah.
Yes, it tells the story of his birth and his escape in the Nile River. The
Torah even mentions his great vigilance in smiting an Egyptian who struck a
Hebrew. But in relating those stories, it does not leave us feeling that
those acts, merited Divine ordination. It tells the tale of Moshe stopping
a fight between two Hebrew fellows, and how he was forced to flee from
Egypt to the wilderness of Midian because of his strong stand in chastising
those Jews who quarreled. All those stories show perseverance, courage,
and fortitude. Yet not one of those incidents is juxtaposed with the
Divine revelation that catapults Moshe into the great spiritual and
prophetic leader whom we know.
Even after the event in which he saves Yisro's (Jethro) seven daughters
from evil shepherds G-d is silent, there is no pronouncement of Moses'
glory or appointment of a Divine role. Hashem declares Moshe's greatness
in the context of a very simple serene story.
"Moses was shepherding the sheep of Jethro his father-in-law, he guided
them into the wilderness, and he arrived at the mountain of G-d toward
Horeb. An angel of G-d appeared to him in a blaze of fire from amidst the
bush, and he saw that the bush was burning, and the bush was not consumed.
Moshe looked and analyzed the sight and he questioned, "why is the bush not
being burned?" (Exodus 3:1-3). It is only in that serene setting that G-d
called out "Moshe, Moshe," to which Moshe replied "Here I am." The end of
that story is the beginning of the Jewish nation.
Why is the act of shepherding sheep the setting for such majestic and
Divine revelation? What amazing incident occurred during the shepherding?
Why didn't G-d appear to Moses after his courageous act of smiting the
Egyptian or after he reproached two Hebrews who were fighting? Wouldn't
that setting be the ripe moment for induction into the halls of prophecy
James Humes, a speechwriter for President Reagan, tells the story about a
young recruit who was drafted into the army. During the interview, the
sergeant asked him the following question, "Did you have six years of grade
"Sure thing, Sir", snapped the recruit. "I also graduated with honors from
high school. I went to Yale where I received my college degree and then I
did my graduate work at Colombia University, and," he added, "I received my
doctorate in political science at Harvard."
The sergeant turned toward to the stenographer, smiled, and said, "Put a
check in the space marked literate."
The Midrash tells us that during Moshe's tenure as a shepherd, one of the
sheep ran away. He chased the sheep, he brought it back to the rest of the
flock, and he carried it home. G-d looked upon him and said, "A man who
cares for his sheep, will care for his people." That act catapulted Moshe
to the position we know.
Acts that are bold and courageous may personify leadership, character, and
commitment. People think that they that only those gallant and daring acts
that will catapult them into greatness and glory. The Torah tells us that
it is not so.
The Torah links Moshe's selection to Divine leadership with the simple task
of shepherding. The qualifications that G-d wants are not necessarily what
humans perceive. We often look for honors, accolades, achievements, and
accomplishments that are almost superhuman. Hashem, on the other hand,
cherishes simple shepherding, He loves care and concern for simple Jews.
We may come to Him with risumis of brilliance, of courage, of valor, but He
does not need that. He wants consistency, love, compassion, and, perhaps
most of all, humble simplicity.
Moshe had those qualities too. It was those qualities of compassion, not
the forceful qualities of attacking the Egyptian taskmaster, nor fending
off evil shepherds, nor chastising combative Hebrews, that were chosen to
cast Moshe into the light of leadership. We may be bold and courageous,
but without compassion for the little things, without the humility to find
lost sheep, we may be simply overqualified.
If you enjoy the weekly Drasha, now you can receive the best of Drasha in book form!
- from the Project Genesis bookstore - Genesis Judaica - at a very special price! | <urn:uuid:17e12a8d-65ca-4279-b6ec-802f1b2a99c3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.torah.org/learning/drasha/5758/shemos.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969636 | 1,080 | 2.46875 | 2 |
This week in history
Published: Friday, June 4, 2010 at 3:00 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, June 1, 2010 at 1:57 p.m.
“A young man of Houma,” teased the June 6, 1896 Houma Courier, “whose thinking apparatus now and then breaks one of the cog wheels in his head in trying to manufacture a pun — went to see his best girl a few nights ago.
“He was a tobacco fiend, but as he stepped on the gallery he did not dare spit (Daspit) on the floor of his adorable’s domicile ... he walked into the open air and bathed his face in the great ethereal dew pond (Dupont) that surrounds the earth at eventide.
“The roses were in full bloom (Blum) and the stars ... shone their brightest ... from the spell he drew (Dreux) the sublimest inspiration to steady his nerves for the crowning event of his erstwhile uneventful career.
“But at that moment ... the object upon which his hopes were concentrated stood before him. As other folks (Foolkes) have done they sat among the dew drops on the steps, and all the love of an effervescent heart rushed to the young man’s lips.
“But he pleaded in vain, for she tried to feel (Theophile) more than a sisterly interest in him, but could not.
“ ‘I say no,’ (Arceneaux) she said, and his pleadings could not budge her (Berger). He ... urged that it was cruel to let him lose his sleep, his heart and his very life only to gain ‘no’ (Gueno) for his answer.
“But the unrelenting maid ... informed him that in all this burg (Bourg) there was not a young man whom she esteemed more that she did him as a friend, but ... that between friendship and love the wall is (Wallis) too high to scale.
“So the young man took himself sadly away ... so absorbed in his homeward meditations that, for the first time in his life, he forgot to try to make a pun” (on local names).
All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged. | <urn:uuid:a39dda89-578c-425a-90bf-f6acd40352b7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20100604/ENTERTAINMENT/100609962?Title=This-week-in-history | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00044-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984625 | 508 | 1.859375 | 2 |
February 13, 2009 in Movies and Presentations
[Download the Quicktime version]
To truly understand the ocean ecosystem, at some point you have to get in a boat. From the early days of oceanography, scientists have used boats of all sizes to take them to the places they wish to study. Once there, they can collect water samples from which any number of analyses can be performed.
During a recent research trip to the Southern Ocean, Dr. Alex Kahl and Elizabeth Leonardis used a small boat and special bottles to collect waters samples off the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. They then brought the samples back to the lab to be filtered, which extracts and concentrates the phytoplankton in the water for further analysis.
But while this may sound easy, Alex and Elizabeth created this travelogue, to show us how they collected and tediously processed just a few samples of the ocean.
To find out more about Alex and Elizabeth’s research in Antarctic, check out their Antarctic Summer Blog. | <urn:uuid:b5f3e15b-b3cc-4fc2-b0d6-a06dec573472> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://coseenow.net/blog/tag/boat/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.920133 | 208 | 3.546875 | 4 |
Painter of Popes
In this exclusive interview, Ulisse Sartini, one of the finest portrait painters in the world, reveals the emotion of meeting and portraying two extraordinary individuals: John Paul II and Benedict XVI
'I NEVER THOUGHT that meeting Benedict XVI would have had such an emotional impact on me,' confesses Ulisse Sartini, one of greatest portrait painters alive today. 'In 1992 I met John Paul II during the presentation of his portrait painted by me. It was an unforgettable experience, and on that occasion I thought I would never again meet a more engaging, charismatic person. But I was wrong: Benedict XVI emanates incredible charm as well.
'He is very different from John Paul II, but just as imposing. Even though the encounter took place only a few months ago, it is still very much alive in my mind'.
With a self-conscious smile the painter continues, 'John Paul was excitable, just like us artists, whereas Benedict is mild-mannered, but warm - talking to him is like talking to an angel.'
Ulisse Sartini is a tall, slender and reserved 62-year-old man. Born in Ziano, near Piacenza in northern Italy, he moved to Milan during his boyhood to study painting with Luigi Comolli, a pupil of Giovanni Segantini, the great impressionist painter.
Sartini's works can be admired in the most prestigious art galleries in the world. He has mastered the most diverse techniques, but one of his most acclaimed inventions is the Embriocosmo - a dream-like pictorial expression which reflects an imaginary world of infinite spaces filled with fantastic ethereal forms.
However, Sartini's chief claim to fame comes from his portraits. Royals, heads of state, business tycoons, Hollywood celebrities, opera and theatre icons are on his waiting list. He has also made portraits of important Churchmen, like Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, a former Secretary of Sate of the Holy See, the American Cardinal William Henry Keeler and, finally, two popes, John Paul II in 1992, and Benedict XVI in 2005. It is these two last assignments that attracted the attention of the world's media on him, and he has now been labelled as The Painter of Popes.
Did you have any secret letter of recommendation from a Vatican personality that led Benedict XVI to choose you?
This is what some people are insinuating, but, quite frankly, I had none whatsoever. The whole thing came as a complete surprise. It was late July last year, and I was about to go on vacation to the Far East. I had just finished packing when I received a call from the Vatican asking me if I were willing to make a portrait of the newly installed pope, Benedict XVI.
I was really taken aback, and at first I didn't know what to say. But the person on the other end continued, 'The work must be finished by the end of September or the first days of October at the latest'. Now, I'm a very slow painter. I use a rather ancient technique that requires long periods, and I was almost about to say 'No' when I suddenly realized I'd never get another chance like that again, so in the end I found myself saying 'Yes'! My vacation was now all but forgotten, and I immediately left for Rome.
When I arrived at the Vatican I was received by a prelate, the same man I had spoken to on the phone in Milan. He now gave me more precise indications on what was required of me - a half-bust of Benedict set on a round 137cm-diameter canvas. He then told me that this portrait would be subsequently reproduced on mosaic, and that the mosaic would be included in the collection of the series of the succession of popes beginning from St. Peter. This collection can be admired in the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome.
While the prelate was talking I was becoming increasingly confused. Had I really made the right decision? Also, I didn't have a clue what that 'collection' was. So, after the conversation I immediately called a taxi and went to the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls. I walked into that magnificent temple, raised my eyes and, lo and behold, I saw, running along the whole architrave of the central nave, a magnificent series of profiles: the 264 Popes of the Roman Catholic Church, from Saint Peter right down to John Paul II. Only then did I realize that a reproduction of my work would soon be lying there for the whole world to see!
The Patriarchal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls is the most important religious building in Rome after St. Peter's. It was erected on the place where Saint Paul, martyred under Nero in 67 AD, is said to be buried, and it is visited yearly by millions of people.
What happened next?
Realising the importance of the task allotted to me, I immediately returned to Milan and put my heart and soul to the project, working the whole Summer through. In the first days of October 2005, the work was finally completed. I then brought it to Rome, where a team of technicians reproduced it into a mosaic. This mosaic is now in its allotted place along the architrave of the Basilica, next to that of John Paul II.
After this I was again called to Rome, this time for a private audience with the Pope, which was held outside the Basilica of Saint Paul. To be there with the Holy Father, surrounded by a host of cardinals and prelates, was like a dream.
What impression did Benedict make on you?
Benedict has a radiant personality. He was always smiling. He looks at you with kind, but piercing eyes, almost like one who can read your soul. To stand in front of him is like standing before a pillar of light. Maybe that's because he is God's Vicar on earth. There is this irresistible charm about him. When I met him, I wanted to embrace him affectionately.
Did he like the portrait?
He went out of his way to explain to me how much he liked the portrait. He kept on thanking me, and shaking my hand. He seemed really satisfied.
Did you manage to find out what he liked most about it?
The gaze, I think. I concentrated particularly on the intensity of his gaze, and I believe I caught the essence of his facial expression. I think he noticed this.
Did the work pose any particular problems?
I had a very tight deadline. It had been commissioned at the end of July, and I had to have it finished by early October, to give the craftsmen of Saint Peter's Workshop enough time to reproduce it into a mosaic. The difference with Pope John Paul II was that this time I didn't have the whole figure, nor any background. I had to concentrate only on the face. The mouth was very problematic. I had to portray him with a serious expression, but the problem was that in all the photos I had of him he was smiling. Moreover, I had to stick to certain guidelines - my artistic freedom was rather curtailed because he had to have the same mien as that of his predecessors in the mosaics in the Basilica of Saint Paul. That means that his gaze had to be turned toward the right, to the altar. Also, his dress had to be folded in a precise manner.
Where is the portrait now?
It belongs to the Holy See and is kept in the Vatican Museums.
I am sure many painters envy you. To make the portrait of a pope means that your work has an almost assured place in the most important museums in the world. Why do you think you were chosen?
I really don't know. Maybe because I had already made portraits of other important people in the Church. I was already known in the Vatican, so they called me. In 1990 I was chosen to make a portrait of Cardinal Agostino Casaroli. I think it was Casaroli who drew Pope John Paul's attention to my work. The official portrait of our late pontiff hangs in the Sala Delle Congregazioni at the Vatican. A few years later I made a portrait of the archbishop of Baltimore, William Keeler. I think these works impressed many people in the Vatican.
Did you sometimes feel awed by the importance of your subjects?
Whenever I am working on a task of this kind I am always deeply concentrated on the subject. In a sense I am totally uninfluenced by the importance of the person I am portraying. My only preoccupation is to highlight those aspects of the expression that reveal my subject's inner soul, his or her true personality and uniqueness. I am not in the least bit impressed by the person's importance.
It was the same while I was working on the portrait of Benedict XVI, but, when I actually found myself in the presence of Benedict XVI, my objectivity and detachment abandoned me completely. My hands started to shake and I felt unable even to think. This actually occurred even with the former pope, but this time it was even more intense.
I see from you resume that you have undertaken various assignments of a religious nature.
I'm a very religious man and feel proud of my faith. I feel happy when I know that my works will end up in churches or religious institutions. My paintings are hanging in 12 churches around Italy. Two altar-pieces I painted are in the only Christian church in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. I also made three portraits of Padre Pio: one is in the parish church of Pietrelcina, the saint's home town, the other two are in Rome, one in the church of Saint Pius X, and the other in the church of Santa Paola Romana.
Why three paintings of Padre Pio?
First of all because I have great devotion to him. He was a truly unique man, and it always makes me happy to use my artistic gifts to promote devotion to him.
However, there is a second reason: my father's devotion to the stigmatised friar. My father was a very discreet and reserved person, and never made any public show of his devotion. He spoke to me in the best way possible, through his example and inner devotion.
On my bedside table I have a photo of Padre Pio which dates from the 50s; it belonged to my father. It's folded in two because he used to keep it in his wallet. It has great sentimental value for me.
He had never been to San Giovanni Rotondo, but in the 50s my aunt had gone there, and, on returning, told us some extraordinary stories of her experiences there. I think she was the one who actually brought that photo. My mother also had great devotion for this humble Capuchin. Then, as an adult, I started reading about him, and I really began to understand his greatness. However, like my father, I prefer to keep this devotion very much to myself.
When I painted Padre Pio's portraits, I felt my father's presence besides me.
Why did you choose to specialise in portrait painting?
I fell in love with portrait painting when I saw the works of the 16th century masters. While studying under Luigi Comolli, I would spend hours and hours in the art galleries admiring Renaissance art, portrait painting in particular.
My first important paintings were, in fact, portraits. This was during the 60s, when abstract art was reigning supreme, and portrait painting was despised by art critics. 'There's nothing like the camera for portraits,' they used to say. But I always retorted, 'I don't take photographs with my paint brushes, in my portraits I highlight the secret recesses of the soul, which the camera is totally incapable of capturing'. But none of them took heed of me then. Despite this, people liked my portraits, and I continued undaunted along the path I had chosen. Today, those very same critics appreciate my work, and this gives me great satisfaction.
Whenever I take someone's portrait, my primary concern is not that of projecting on the canvas a faithful reproduction of the person, but that of uncovering what one could call the 'absolute identity' of the person, that is, that essential element, the 'quid' or immortal spirit that distinguishes that particular person from all other people, in other words, the uniqueness of the subject. This is surely a great and difficult enterprise, but I think this is the portrait painter's task: to paint the soul.
Ulisse Sartini was born in Piacenza in 1943. He studied under Luigi Comolli, a pupil of Segantini, but the greatest influence on his life were the great Renaissance painters. He defines himself a 'son of the culture of humanism'. His most significant works are the portraits of John Paul II and Benedict XVI, the former British Prime Minister John Major, Mario del Monaco and Maria Callas. A portrait of the soprano Joan Sutherland can be admired in the National Portrait Gallery in London, and Luciano Pavarotti's portrait greets the viewer in the foyer of Covent Garden in London.
© 2013 - Il Messaggero di S.Antonio Editrice | <urn:uuid:b99fff9b-05b6-4111-ae62-9278cc93010e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.saintanthonyofpadua.net/messaggero/pagina_stampa.asp?R=&ID=314 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982022 | 2,764 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Parents may be surprised when their lovely newborn develops any number of rashes and skin conditions. A majority of these conditions are relatively harmless and clear up on their own or with appropriate treatment. Knowing which ones can be cause for concern can save you worry in the long run.
Most birthmarks are not dangerous. Some develop after birth, some fade, and some are permanent. Patricia Treadwell, M.D., FAAP, professor of pediatrics and dermatology at the Indiana University School of Medicine and former chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Dermatology, advises that you consult your doctor if you notice that a birthmark develops “knots” or is growing rapidly. “Red birthmarks, or hemangiomas, around the eye or that develop sores also require attention,” she says.
Milia and Baby Acne
Many babies are born with milia — pearly white bumps on the nose, chin, or cheeks caused by skin flakes trapped near the surface of the skin. Baby acne, on the other hand, appears as more pronounced red or white bumps on the forehead or cheeks. Baby acne develops within the first three to four weeks due to hormonal changes that stimulate oil glands. Rarely, baby acne may signal a hormonal problem.
Both conditions usually clear up on their own — milia within a few weeks, baby acne within a few months. Simply wash your baby’s face with water and a mild baby soap daily, avoid lotions or oils, and never pinch or scrub the bumps. If baby acne doesn’t clear up within three months, tell your pediatrician.
Cradle cap shows up most often in newborns. Yellow, crusty, or greasy, scaly patches mark this condition. It is not contagious and usually clears up on its own.
If you choose to treat cradle cap, shampoo your baby’s hair daily with a mild baby shampoo. Loosen the scales with a soft-bristle brush before rinsing. If the scales are stubborn, rub a few drops of mineral oil onto the scalp, let sit, and then brush and shampoo the baby’s hair. If cradle cap persists, your pediatrician may recommend an adult dandruff shampoo.
Diaper rash affects more than half of infants and occurs most often between 8 to 10 months, when babies start to eat solid foods. Culprits include chafing, prolonged contact with urine or stool, yeast infections (sometimes caused by antibiotics), or a reaction to diaper material.
To prevent diaper rash, change soiled diapers promptly. Clean your baby’s bottom with gentle baby wipes or use a squirt bottle of water to keep from rubbing too much; pat dry and consider applying a small amount of petroleum jelly (talcum powder can cause breathing problems). Use soap only when stool won’t come off easily. Avoid using rubber pants and keep your baby’s diaper loose (but not too loose), especially at night.
To treat diaper rash, apply a thick layer of zinc oxide or petrolatum, which should be left on at each diaper change rather than rubbing hard to remove it. Expose your baby’s bottom to air as much as possible. Talk with your pediatrician if there is any bleeding, if you notice pus-filled sores or if the rash does not go away within 48 to 72 hours.
Yeast infections also cause diaper rash. This condition appears as a bright red rash, possibly with red dots, in the diaper area, or anywhere your baby’s skin touches other skin. Your pediatrician can prescribe a antifungal skin cream to treat it.
Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a chronic condition diagnosed most often in children with a family history of the condition or other allergies. At two- to six-months old, a baby may develop this condition as itching, redness, and small bumps on the cheeks, forehead, or scalp. Left untreated, it will spread to the arms and trunk. Later in childhood, it may appear scalier and more often at the elbows, knees, wrists, and ankles.
Sixty percent of babies who have it will outgrow it. The condition can be treated successfully, but there is no cure for it.
If your pediatrician suspects atopic dermatitis, he or she may arrange for a dermatologist to examine your child. Dr. Treadwell recommends avoiding long, hot baths and moisturizing frequently (with an unscented cream) to help control the condition. Doctors also may recommend non-steroidal or steroid creams and antihistamines for itching.
Contact dermatitis occurs when baby is exposed to potentially irritating substances such as bubble baths, rough fabrics, or even a child’s own drool. It usually clears up when the irritant is no longer present. If a child is allergic to a substance, such as shoe glue, clothing dyes, or nickel jewelry, dermatitis will appear within several hours of contact.
A mild cortisone ointment may work well for treating contact dermatitis. For oozing or extreme itching, use a lukewarm compress on the area. A child may need antihistamines for itching and antibiotics if the skin becomes infected. Alert your pediatrician if the rash is severe or worsening or if it is not responding to treatment or if you’re not sure it’s contact dermatitis.
Roseola is a type of viral infection that is so common that almost all children contract it before they enter kindergarten. Within two weeks of exposure to this particular virus, roseola is notorious for starting out with a sudden, high fever that lasts for three to seven days. When the fever goes away, a splotchy rash often appears and spreads from the abdomen to the rest of the body.
Like just about all common childhood viral infections, it is best to keep infected children away from others while febrile or ill. Plenty of clear fluids to drink and lukewarm sponge baths, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen can all help make children with roseola more comfortable and reduce fever. Complications are rare, but could include seizures or, in children with weakened immune systems, encephalitis.
“So long as your child eats or plays fairly normally when the temperature subsides, parents don’t need to worry,” says Dr. Treadwell. “If the temperature drops, and your child continues to act ill, the illness could be serious.”
A Gentle Touch
Dr. Treadwell’s remaining advice for taking care of your infant’s skin is simple: “Treat the skin gently and if there is a reaction to a substance, avoid it,” she says. One good idea: Use products labeled for sensitive skin, which tend to have fewer additives.
Following that advice throughout childhood can help ensure beautiful skin for life.
This article was featured in Healthy Children Magazine. To view the full issue, click here. | <urn:uuid:3efe07da-6deb-4f92-81ab-bbadf664d60c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/bathing-skin-care/pages/Rashes-and-Skin-Conditions.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92741 | 1,452 | 2.890625 | 3 |
Henry Craik, ed. English Prose. 1916. Vol. V. Nineteenth Century
Theory of English Unsociableness
By Francis Jeffrey (17731850)
IN most other countries of Europe if a man was not born in high and polished society, he had scarcely any other means of gaining admission to it; and honour and dignity, it was supposed, belonged by inheritance to a very limited class of people. Within that circle, therefore, there could be no derogation, and, from without it, there could be no intrusion. But, in this country, persons of every condition have been long entitled to aspire to every situation; and, from the nature of our political constitution, any one who had individual influence, by talent, wealth, or activity, became at once of consequence in the community, and was classed as the open rival or necessary auxiliary of those who had the strongest hereditary claims to importance. But though the circle of society was in this way at all times larger than in the continental nations, and embraced more persons of dissimilar training and habits, it does not appear to have given a tone of repulsion to the manners of those who affected the superiority, till a period comparatively remote. In the days of the Tudors and Stuarts there was a wide pale of separation between the landed aristocracy and the rest of the population; and, accordingly, down at least to the end of Charles the Seconds reign, there seems to have been none of this dull and frozen arrogance in the habits of good company. The true reason of this, however, was, that though the competition was constitutionally open, good education was, in fact, till after this period, confined to the children of the gentry; and a certain parade in equipage and dress, which could not be easily assumed but by the opulent, nor naturally carried but by those who had been long accustomed to it, threw additional difficulties in the way of those who wished to push themselves forward in society, and rendered any other bulwarks unnecessary for the protection of the sanctuary of fashion.
From the time of Sir Robert Walpole, however, the communication between the higher and lower orders became far more open and easy. Commercial wealth and enterprise were prodigiously extended, literature and intelligence spread with unprecedented rapidity among the body of the people, and the increased intercourse between the different parts of the country, naturally produced a greater mixture of the different classes of the people. This was followed by a general relaxation in those costly external observances by which persons of condition had till then been distinguished. Ladies laid aside their hoops, trains, and elaborate head-dresses; and gentlemen their swords, periwigs, and embroidery; and at the same time that it thus became quite practicable for an attorneys clerk or a mercers apprentice to assume the exterior of a nobleman, it happened also, both that many persons of that condition had the education that fitted them for a higher rank, and that several had actually won their way to it by talents and activity, which had not formerly been looked for in that quarter. Their success was well merited undoubtedly, and honourable both to themselves and their country; but its occasional occurrence, even more than the discontinuance of aristocratical forms or the popular spirit of the Government, tended strongly to encourage the pretensions of others, who had little qualification for success, beyond an eager desire to obtain it. So many persons now raised themselves by their own exertions, that everyone thought himself entitled to rise; and very few proportionally were contented to remain in the rank to which they were born; and as vanity is a still more active principle than ambition, the effects of this aspiring spirit were more conspicuously seen in the invasion which it prompted on the prerogatives of polite society, than in its more serious occupations; and a herd of uncomfortable and unsuitable companions beset all the approaches to good company, and seemed determined to force all its barriers.
We think we have now stated the true causes of this phenomenon; but, at all events, the fact we believe to be incontrovertible, that within the last fifty years there has been an incredible increase of forwardness and solid impudence among the half bred and half educated classes of this country, and that there was consequently some apology for the assumption of more distant and forbidding manners towards strangers on the part of those who were already satisfied with the extent of their society. It was evidently easier and more prudent to reject the overtures of unknown acquaintances, than to shake them off after they had been once allowed to fasten themselves; to repress, in short, the first attempts at familiarity, and repel, by a chilling and somewhat disdainful air, the advances of all of whom it might anyway be suspected that they might turn out discreditable or unfit associates. | <urn:uuid:d2a2900e-9901-40c4-9e29-a7c698543df0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bartleby.com/209/995.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981322 | 988 | 3.046875 | 3 |
An online journal about visual art, the urban landscape and design. Mary Louise Schumacher, the Journal Sentinel's art and architecture critic, leads the discussion and a community of writers contribute to the dialogue.
Marcus Prize winner announced
Every other year, the Marcus Corporation Foundation awards a $100,000 prize to an “emerging talent” in the field of architecture. Next to the Pritzker Prize, perhaps the field’s most prestigious, it is the most lucrative architectural award there is.
Unlike the Pritzker, which tends to be given to architectural heavyweights for a lifetime’s worth of work, the Marcus Prize requires just a decade of exceptional leadership in the field. That makes it less predictable.
This year, African architect Diébédo Francis Kéré, founder of Kéré Architecture in Berlin, has been awarded the prize, which is administered by the School of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Milwaukee wins in the deal, too. The award not only honors design excellence and innovation — it brings the architect’s vision to Milwaukee. Kéré will lead a graduate studio on architectural challenges in Milwaukee next spring.
Kéré founded Bricks for the Gando Schools, in the African village where he grew up, in 1998. For that project, he adapted construction techniques that use passive ventilation and local resources. He completed his degree at the School of Architecture at the Technical University of Berlin in 2004.
“Kéré is...able to translate Western architectural traditions into indigenous processes and values,” Toshiko Mori, the Robert P. Hubbard Professor in the Practice of Architecture at Harvard University Graduate School of Design, who served as one of the jurors, said in a statement. “His desire to make sophisticated and uncompromised buildings with so few resources is an empowering and optimistic lesson to share with students.”
Kéré is the fourth winner of the Marcus Prize and was selected from a field of 30 nominees in 13 countries by a six-person jury that met in Milwaukee. The other jurors were Carlos Jimenez, principal of Carlos Jimenez Studio and professor at Rice University; Sarah Herda, director of The Graham Foundation for the Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts in Chicago; Robert Greenstreet, dean of UWM’s school of architecture; Steve Marcus, CEO of the Marcus Corporation Foundation in Milwaukee; and Chris Cornelius, UWM assistant professor of architecture. | <urn:uuid:d5e8d508-9900-4068-818e-cd412dbc10f8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/entertainment/124383723.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923547 | 508 | 1.5 | 2 |
Unix and OS X: Third-Party Unix Software
From OS X Scientific Computing
Apple's GNU-Based Free Compilers
Apple provides compilers and associated utilities like make free of charge. These are not, however, installed in OS X by default. You can install these for free along with all of Apple's Developer Tools (now called Xcode) by installing the similarly-named package that is provided on the operating system installation disks, or, on a new machine, in the directory /Applications/Installers. This installs the GNU Free Software Foundation gcc, g++, objective c and related compilers, as well as a host of other utilities and an entire suite of integrated development environment applications that enable one to create Cocoa and Carbon OS X software. Our needs are more mundane; all we require is the command-line software that includes the above compilers and associated unix command-line utilities. These will be installed in /usr/bin and other such directories. But it is best to install everything in the Xcode package, including the documentation. If you are very short on space, you can remove the root-level directory /Developer, preferably backing it up to a CD or DVD. The contents of that directory will not be required for unix-level command-line compilations.
The Xcode developer tools pacakge is distributed with the OS X installation disks and can also be downloaded for free from Apple's website. In order to do that, you have to join their developer group, which is free but involves submitting a tedious form, getting a username and password, etc. (You can spend a lot of time going in circles; this site is a pain to navigate.)
For additional details, please read the Xcode wiki page.
High Performance Computing
Apple's multiprocessor computers offer the possibility of high-performance computing and clustering. Advice for high-performance computing is currently beyond the scope of this document (and its author's competence), but here are some good resources to help you get started (or until someone else adds to this wiki section:
- Apple's Quick Start Guide for AltiVec.
- Apple's Optimization Guide for the G5.
- Apple's Velocity Engine Overview (with many useful links).
- High Performance Computing on Mac OS X website
My very limited experience is that standard, multi-platform unix software tends to run faster ``out of the box'' on the fastest PCs than it does on the fastest G5, but if one has the knowledge and time to tweak the source code, the opportunity for optimization is greater on the OS X platform.
Installing Packages in /usr/local
The standard location to install third-party unix software is in the directory /usr/local. This directory is empy in a new OS X installation, and during an archive-install upgrade (say from 10.3.x to 10.4) the contents are moved to a temporary location (/Previous Systems. Most GNU Free Software Foundation and Open-Source software installs into /usr/local by default. OS X has been around long enough that many programs can be installed "out of the box" without having to modify the source code, configure scripts or makefiles. The usual procedure of ./configure followed by make in the unpacked source directory can by carried out anywhere. Since /usr/local is owned by the system, you will likely have to issue sudo make install to install software in /usr/local. The directories /usr/local/bin and /usr/local/sbin are not in the PATH by default. They must be added with a command in the appropriate shell startup file (cf: section 1.5.4) with commands like
PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/bin export PATH
for bash, ksh and zsh users, and
setenv PATH $PATH:/usr/local/bin
for tcsh users.
Installing Packages in /Library/Frameworks
The process of installing unix applications into /Library/Frameworks will likely be less familiar as this directory structure is unique to OS X. It is best illustrated with an example. OS X version 10.4.0 installs python version 2.3 into /System/Library/Frameworks. However, version 2.4 was available at the time of the release, so I wanted to use the latest version of python. Python version 2.3 is part of the system, so you should not remove it or disable it. Rather than install it in /System/Library/Frameworks where it could overwrite the system-provided version, it is much safer to install it into /Library/Frameworks. Fortunately, this is in fact where Python2.4 will install by default (given the appropriate directives).
Here is how I installed Python-2.4.1 into /Library/Frameworks:
mkdir src cd src tar xvfz Python-2.4.1.tgz cd Python-2.4.1 export PATH=/usr/bin:$PATH ./configure --enable-framework make sudo make frameworkinstall
The first command makes a (temporary) directory called src (for sourcecode), and the Python-2.4.1.tgz tarball can be downloaded, placed in that directory, and expanded. Once unpacked, we descend into the directory Python-2.4.1. For this to work properly,2.6 it is imperative to ensure that /usr/bin comes at the front of the PATH; hence we explicitly prepend it. We then configure using the -enable-framework flag, followed by make and then sudo make frameworkinstall. When complete, the new python binary will reside in /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/Current/bin/python, so it is convenient to create a symbolic link to it from /usr/bin.
Linking to Frameworks
Frameworks contain compiled libraries, executables and header files all in one location. The system provides a large number of these, and third-party frameworks, as noted in the previous section, may also be installed. Issuing the command
ls -1F /System/Library/Frameworks | wc -l
gives us the number of individual framework directories supplied by the OS X system. In 10.4.1, I have 72 such framework directories. These are documented on Apple's website. The last five frameworks listed in my installation, for example, are as follows:
/System/Library/Tcl.framework/ /System/Library/Tk.framework/ /System/Library/WebKit.framework/ /System/Library/XgridFoundation.framework/ /System/Library/vecLib.framework/
As mentioned in the previous section, OS X version 10.4 now provides native Aqua ports of Tcl and Tk. When we compiled Python2.4 in the above example, the compiler linked against the Tcl and Tk frameworks in /System/Library. Because the configure script provided with Python2.4 was already aware of frameworks, nothing special had to be done (apart from ensuring that /usr/bin was prepended to the PATH variable). Obviously, this will not be true in general for all unix programs you might wish to compile.
For example, if you are compiling scientific software that requires Apple's Blas/Lapack libraries provided in /System/Library/vecLib.framework, you can do this by issuing the compiler directives
when linking. The vecLib framework in 10.4 has subsumed in the ``umbrella'' framework Accelerate.framework, so it might be more appropriate to use
even though the former directive still seems to work. Some frameworks contain dynamic libraries as well as, occasionally, static libraries. Properly installed OS X dynamic libraries have their absolute paths hard-coded, which can be seen using the otool -L command as illustrated below. Doing so eliminates the need for setting the DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH and LD_LOAD_PATH environment variables2.8.
% cd /System/Library/Frameworks/Accelerate.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/vecLib.framework/Versions/A % ls Headers/ libBLAS.dylib libvDSP.dylib vecLib Resources/ libLAPACK.dylib libvMisc.dylib % otool -L libLAPACK.dylib libLAPACK.dylib: /System/Library/Frameworks/Accelerate.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/vecLib.framework/Versions/A/libLAPACK.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 176.0.0) /System/Library/Frameworks/Accelerate.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/vecLib.framework/Versions/A/libBLAS.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 176.0.0) ...
When a unix executable is compiled and linked against a dynamic library or framework, it too will have the absolute path to the library or framework hard-coded in the binary. For example, the third-party crystallographic refinement program refmac5 will be linked to the vecLib framework as well as several dynamic libraries residing in /sw/lib and in /usr/lib, i.e.,
% otool -L refmac5 refmac5: /sw/lib/ccp4-5.0.2/libccp4c.dylib (compatibility version 0.0.0, current version 0.0.0) /sw/lib/ccp4-5.0.2/libmmdb.dylib (compatibility version 0.0.0, current version 0.0.0) /sw/lib/ccp4-5.0.2/libccif.dylib (compatibility version 0.0.0, current version 0.0.0) /System/Library/Frameworks/vecLib.framework/Versions/A/vecLib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 176.1.0) /usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 88.0.0)
If any of these dynamic libraries cannot be found in these locations, the program will fail to execute.
Package Management Systems
Compiling every program that you need manually can rapidly turn into a major chore, especially if the software depends on many other software installations. For that reason, package management systems like RPM and Debian on Linux have become quite popular, especially among those folks who are more interested in using their computers to run software rather than spend all of their waking hours compiling it. These package management systems are a major asset for both amateur systems administrators (which describes most owners of individual PCs and OS X machines) and professionals alike. On Apple's OS X, there are at least two reasonably mature third-party package management systems that have evolved and may be obtained for free. For scientific applications, the Fink package managing system, based on the Debian model, has the richest collection of software available. The other system, MacPorts, often provides a complementary set of software packages. There is no reason you can't have both, but I recommend that you at least start out with Fink.
Fink is a package management system that enables you to compile and install GNU, Open-Source and other software in a relatively painless and completely automated manner. It also finds and installs all required dependencies, thus removing much of the burden of software installation. Fink installs all of its software in a root-level directory, /sw, that it creates when the package manager is installed. By doing so, it ensures that its own software installs do not interfere with either the software provided by the system or the software you may have installed into /usr/local. For that reason, it is entirely self-contained, and in the unlikely event of a problem, you can rid yourself of everything by simply typing sudo rm -rf /sw.
Many unix programs critical for scientific computing can be installed easily with Fink. The GNU g77 Fortran compiler, for example, is often critical. As of this writing, g77 version 3.4.3 can be installed either from sourcecode or as a precompiled debian binary package (I recommend the latter as it takes forever to compile g77) on PPC platforms only; for the newer intel platform, you need to use gfortran or g95. The fast-Fourier transform libraries fftw2 and fftw3 are available, as is tcltk, btl, gsl, plotting programs such as grace (xmgr), gnuplot, and so on, as well as many python extensions such as Numeric, Numarray, ScientificPython, and the like. Programs for biophysics, bio-informatics, chemistry, particle physics, math and many more subject areas are also well-represented in Fink. A complete listing of scientific packages in Fink is available from their package database on their website. If you need an open-source scientific package, it makes sense to check Fink's package database first.
Some packages are only available in the ``unstable'' tree of the fink distribution. All this means is that the packages have not been tested extensively on the OS X platform, or that the maintainer hasn't gotten around to moving it into the ``stable'' tree, or that a package dependency is only available in the ``stable'' tree. It does not mean that the software itself is unstable, although the user should be on the lookout for any problems and should report them immediately to the package maintainers.
The following statement is taken directly from Fink's website:
Fink is a project that wants to bring the full world of Unix Open Source software to Darwin and Mac OS X. As a result, we have two main goals. First, to modify existing Open Source software so that it will compile and run on Mac OS X. (This process is called porting.) Second, to make the results available to casual users as a coherent, comfortable distribution that matches what Linux users are used to. (This process is called packaging.) The project offers precompiled binary packages as well as a fully automated build-from-source system.
To achieve these goals, Fink relies on the excellent package management tools produced by the Debian project - dpkg, dselect and apt-get. On top of that, Fink adds its own package manager, named (surprise!) fink. You can view fink as a build engine - it takes package descriptions and produces binary .deb packages from that. In the process, it downloads the original source code from the Internet, patches it as necessary, then goes through the whole process of configuring and building the package. Finally, it wraps the results up in a package archive that is ready to be installed by dpkg.
Since Fink sits on top of Mac OS X, it has a strict policy to avoid interference with the base system. As a result, Fink manages a separate directory tree and provides the infrastructure to make it easy to use2.11.
MacPorts (formerly DarwinPorts)
MacPorts is the other major option for OS X package management. I personally have made only limited use of MacPorts, but most regular users are quite happy with it. MacPorts handles the problem of package management a bit different from what is done in Fink. Whether this is really an advantage is a matter of personal taste. MacPorts software is installed into a directory created by the package manager called /opt/local and can thus peacefully coexist with Fink. There is no reason not to maintain both systems if you have enough space.
The MacPorts home page is linked here. The following description is taken from their website:
The aim of the MacPorts project is to develop a second- generation system for the building, installation and management of third party software. MacPorts is mainly developed on Mac OS X, however by design it is quite portable and is intended to work on other UNIX-like systems, especially *BSD and hopefully Linux-based systems.
MacPorts is probably best described by comparison: It's sort of like the FreeBSD ports collection or Fink in that it automates the process of building third party software for Mac OS X and other operating systems. MacPorts also tracks all dependency information for a given piece of software. In other words, it knows what it needs to build and install and in what order for the piece of software you want to work properly. MacPorts knows how to make, build and install the software to a specific location, meaning that software installed via MacPorts doesn't simply scatter itself all over the system or require user knowledge of dependencies in what order.
Like Fink, MacPorts involves first installing a package manager, and it then allows you to install individual packages. The organization is a bit simpler; there are no ``stable and ``unstable trees, for example. At the time of this writing, the number of scientific packages available through MacPorts is more limited than through Fink.
A number of scientific programs are also available via the GNU-Darwin distribution. The GNU-Darwin project has been instrumental in making the free version of the Darwin operating system available on PC platforms as well as the Mac platform, and takes a self-described activist role in the Free Software and Fair Use movements. I believe it was the pioneer in making scientific programs available on the OS X platform. The GNU-Darwin website has the following description of the GNU-Darwin project:
The GNU-Darwin Distribution is an amalgamation of the Darwin and GNU operating systems and a large collection of free software compatible with Darwin and Mac OS X. We are commited to Darwin as a free OS, Mac OS X compatibility, and helping users attain the benefits of software freedom.
Founded in November 2000 by proclus, The ports system and package management system were adapted from FreeBSD in order to bring Unix software to Darwin / MacOSX on PowerPC and also on the x86 architecture.
In 2002, GNU-Darwin extended its services to full-featured mail accounts (with POP, IMAP and webmail support), Web Hosting and file sharing with an original web interface that provides users an easy way to manage their site and, since 2003, shell accounts on a Darwin x86 ssh server.
GNU-Darwin has always been very cautious regarding software freedom and dedicated to concrete progress in this direction while defending digital liberties in general2.17.
The available scientific software is sometimes less up to date that the previously listed options, but you should visit their website anyway. | <urn:uuid:df8d35c8-aa41-4ef2-88e1-a713e02b9da0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://scottlab.ucsc.edu/~wgscott/xtal/wiki/index.php/Unix_and_OS_X:_The_Power_and_the_Glory | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.912112 | 3,885 | 2.21875 | 2 |
When the Space Shuttle Atlantis rolled to a stop on the runway at Kennedy Space Center early this morning, a disappointing and disturbing reality came to pass: as of that moment, for the first time in decades, the United States no longer had a manned spaceflight program. With the end of the Space Shuttle program, we have become dependent upon Russia to ferry our people to and from the International Space Station. This is not the result of any technical problem. Our great republic, which was the first nation to land human beings on another world, has made a deliberate decision to step away from the exploration of space.
This is not to say that the Space Shuttle program itself should have been continued. The Space Shuttle achieved a great deal in its three decades of operation, including the deployment and maintenance of the magnificent Hubble Space Telescope and the launching of several successful interplanetary robotic probes. But it was a flawed machine whose cost was enormous and whose unsafe design cost the lives of fourteen brave explorers. It is right and proper that the Space Shuttles be sent into honorable retirement.
The mistake we have made is that we have not properly planned for the future of the American space program. For manned spaceflight, there does not seem to be any clear or specific post-Shuttle plans on drawing board. True, the Obama administration has expressed a welcome desire to shift routine launches into orbit to private companies and has described its desire for NASA to invest in new technologies that will make manned spaceflight easier in the future, while Congress has been prodding NASA to develop a new heavy lift vehicle at some point in the future. But in the absence of any clearly-defined plan, all this is nothing but talk.
The only silver lining to all this is that the final end of the Space Shuttle program provides us a unique opportunity to reflect upon the dismal state of the American space program. It is past time that we cut through the ambiguity and indecision that has plagued American space policy in recent years and come to a consensus on a solid, sustainable, and worthwhile plan of space exploration that can be embraced by Americans of all political affiliations.
Any worthwhile American space policy must include a continued investment in our spectacularly successful exploration of the Solar System using unmanned spacecraft. NASA, to its credit, has big plans in this field for the coming years. Juno, a probe which will explore the Jupiter system, is scheduled to be launched this summer. The rover Curiosity, far larger and more advanced than earlier rovers, will be launched to Mars sometime in the fall. New Horizons, launched several years ago, will become the first spacecraft to fly by Pluto in a few years. Ambitious plans for a joint American-European set of unmanned spacecraft to Jupiter, possibly including participation by Russia and Japan, are now on the drawing board.
These missions will build on ongoing efforts that have already helped revolutionize our scientic understanding of the Solar System. Already, there is a veritable armada of robots orbiting or roving on the surface of Mars. The Cassini continues its remarkable exploration of Saturn and its moons, the Messenger probe has recently arrived in orbit around Mercury, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter continues its intense study of the Moon, and the Dawn spacecraft has just gone into orbit around its first exploratory target in the heart of the Asteroid Belt. The unmanned robotic exploration of the Solar System has been an amazingly successfully undertaking and is something in which every American should take great pride.
But what of the future of American manned spaceflight?
In 2004, President George W. Bush proposed creating a replacement launch system comprising the Orion spacecraft and the Ares rockets, which would first set up an outpost on the Moon and eventually dispatch a human expedition to Mars. It was a sound plan which, had it succeeded, could have completely reshaped human space exploration. But it fell victim to administrative mismanagement and inevitable cost overruns and was essentially cancelled by President Obama in 2010.
In retrospect, Obama's decision to simply cancel the project rather than revitalize and renew it may turn out to be one of the great mistakes of his administration. Former astronaut Gene Cernan, the last man to step foot on the Moon, has called Obama's manned spaceflight policy a "mission to nowhere."
Some advocates of space exploration believe that the President should issue a dramatic statement that gives a specific goal and deadline for the American space program. This is exactly what President Kennedy did in 1961, which he challenged America to land a man on the Moon and return him safely to the Earth before the decade was out. But we don't live in 1961. The challenge met by the Apollo Program was made against the political backdrop of the Cold War, when the American people considered it critical that we "beat" the Russians to the Moon. If President Obama were to go on TV today and challenge America to land men on Mars by 2030, most Americans would simply yawn and change the channel.
So how can we inject our faltering space program with the necessary energy and excitement to give it a chance of success? Simple: tell the truth. Rather than portraying the space program as nothing but a big science project or, at best, a patriotic operation whose only goal is to plant a flag where it has never been planted before, the advocates of space exploration should be emphasizing the potential benefits that a successful space program could bring to the American people and, indeed, to the world as a whole.
I'm not talking about the much ballyhooed "spin-offs" from the space program, which entirely miss the point of the space program. I'm talking about real direct benefits: space-based solar power, obtaining helium-3 from the Moon to power fusion reactors, mining asteroids for their effectively infinite sources of minerals and metals. In other words, I'm talking about bringing the resources of the Solar System into the economic sphere of the human race. In the long run, decades or perhaps a century from now, the fruits of a vigorous and effective space program could be so immense as to fundamentally transform the lives of every human being on the planet for the better.
Advocates of a strong space program may think of these things often, but they are reluctant to talk about it in the public sphere. To most citizens, these ideas sound more like science-fiction than proper public policy. But history is full of ideas which once sounded crazy and are now established fact: cutting a canal through the Isthmus of Panama, creating energy by splitting the nuclei of atoms, building a railway tunnel under the English Channel, or, for that matter, landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth.
We need a space program worthy of our great republic. We should be developing a replacement for the Space Shuttle that will allow us to send astronauts into space in a safe and affordable manner. We should be laying plans for returning to the Moon and landing on Mars. We need to reclaim the limitless ambition and energy which has made our country great in the past, and which could make it great once again.
It is often argued that a drawback to representative democracy and free market capitalism is their inability to foster long-term planning, as they obviously focus on short-term objectives. When it comes to the future of the American space program, we have to begin thinking of bigger things than simply creating jobs in eastern Florida, northern Alabama or southeastern Texas. A great nation like the United States needs to have a great space program that will eventually bring forth unheard of progress and prosperity. That is a goal worthy of a grand alliance between Republicans and Democrats. And despite all the problems our country is currently facing, the time to start is now. | <urn:uuid:3cd6c02f-e73e-4272-84e7-6c399c4ecf26> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://themistoclesletters.blogspot.com/2011/07/wither-american-space-program.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00060-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956976 | 1,553 | 2.828125 | 3 |
If only Nixon could go to China, maybe only Tom Corbett can fix our prisons.
In fact, Gov. Corbett may represent Pennsylvania’s best chance in a generation to become a prison reform state like Texas, instead of leading the nation in new inmates.
Corbett is a law and order governor and former attorney general.
He’s got a Republican-controlled legislature, and a law-and-order Republican senator backing the effort.
And enough time has passed to see that the reforms in Texas and Michigan have really worked.
Even in Pennsylvania, alternative programs have been a success, according to Brian Bumbarger, director of Penn State’s Evidence-based Prevention and Intervention Support Center.
The problem has not been results, it’s been money: state support for these small-scale reform efforts was cut by nearly 90 percent under the Rendell administration.
“They struggle along on a patchwork of grants and bake sales and car washes,” says Bumbarger. “We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. We just need to find a way to get adequate funding.”
Tom Corbett knows about that, too. At the height of Pennsylvania’s investment in evidence-based programs, Corbett oversaw the allocation of funds as chairman of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.
“Governor Corbett was an unabashed supporter of this approach,” says Clay Yeager, who worked with Corbett in the Ridge Administration and later went on to serve as President and CEO of Nurse Family Partnerships. “He understands the value of investing wisely. There could not be a better person in that position at this time.”
Even many Democrats agree — this is the moment.
“I don’t think there’s been a governor in the last 30 years more suited to address this issue,” says Auditor General Jack Wagner.
Ten days ago, Corbett canceled the planned construction of a prison in Fayette County.
It was an encouraging sign but a misleading one.
It shows that evidence-based reforms have begun to bear fruit in Pennsylvania, but it’s a temporary lull according to Kathy Gnall, director of planning, research, statistics and re-entry for the Department of Corrections.
“The reality is our projections still call for growth,” she says.
“Seven states in the nation over the last decade have been able to bend their growth curve and lower the crime rate. We are not there. We have not bent the curve. We’ve just slowed the growth.”
Now the state is building “only” three new prisons.
The only way to stop and even reverse the prison boom of the last 30 years — and to ease the increasing burden on taxpayers — remains justice reinvestment.
So, what’s there to stop it?
Not necessarily the money. This year’s projected $4 billion budget deficit is daunting, but prison reform in Texas was driven by a desire to cut costs, and Michigan’s reform was enacted during a deficit year.
Three groups of people historically tend to slow or block attempts at reform.
The first two often work closely together: district attorneys and victims’ rights groups.
“We’re on the ground,” says Ed Marsico, Dauphin County District Attorney and head of the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association. They’ve seen first-hand the harm done.
Victims are dealing with that harm and suffering as well, says Carol Lavery, the state’s Victim Advocate.
“A lot of people say prisons are crowded with drug offenders,” she says. “They may have been charged with a drug charge, but you have to look at what occurred. Was it truly a drug offense? How is it viewed by the victim?”
Lavery says victims’ responses run the gamut from retribution to forgiveness, but for most, the first thing they say to her is, “I want to ensure this doesn’t happen to someone else.”
Dauphin County has actually been a leader in justice reinvestment — at least to the extent that there is money for it.
While the number of offenders coming before Dauphin County’s adult courts has recently increased from 5,000 to 6,000 per year, the county prison population has actually gone down thanks to drug courts, mental-health courts, intermediate punishment and electronic monitoring.
In fact, neither DAs nor victims’ groups are against reform. They just want a seat at the table when the details are hammered out.
“Prosecutors are practical,” Marsico says. “We’re in the system. We deal with it every day. We know we can’t lock everybody up.”
“Often, people are afraid victims will fight everything — but no,” Lavery says. Sometimes victims can be the biggest supporters. So many of them do believe in making their communities safe and healing the offender, but they must have the opportunity to have a part in the process.
“Victims often don’t want incarceration — they want their money,” she says. The question is, will the victim ever really get it? Often times no, Lavery says, and that’s an area for reform as well.
The third group of people who tend to slow or block reform exist as much in theory as in reality: voters who hate anyone “soft on crime.”
Any politician advocating reform has one eye over his or her shoulder. It’s so much easier to rest comfortably in the ideological ether of “get tough on crime.”
That attitude, says GOP Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, is where most of the resistance is — and he admits he was a major practitioner.
Fear of losing the next election does more to impede reform than all the DAs and victim advocates combined. They’re actually in favor of justice reinvestment done right.
“We do need to spend the money, which in the long run hopefully will be less,” says Marsico, who called the programs in Texas and Michigan wise. “If I were king, I would do that.”
“Where people are incarcerated because that’s the only place they can get treatment, how much sense does that make?” Lavery says. “When are we going to get to the point where we really have the level of services locally that the people who need treatment get it?”
And how about lawmakers and the voters?
“It’s an educational process for everybody involved,” Greenleaf says. “This is not liberal or conservative, it’s just the right thing to do. Many of the people in my caucus ... see it right away.”
This year, Greenleaf is pushing for a bolder stroke in Pennsylvania.
He wants to spend more than $100 million to expand evidence-based treatment programs at the local level, re-entry and parole programs, and problem-solving courts.
But the devil is in the details, and getting Pennsylvania’s 253 lawmakers together on an issue can be like getting cats to march in a parade.
As Pennsylvania lawmakers begin to face the prison crisis, the folks in Texas have some advice for them.
The first rule: as they grapple with a big deficit this year, resist the urge simply to cut.
Four years before the 2007 Texas reform, the state cut in-prison treatment programs to save money. It did the opposite.
The prison population began to rise almost immediately. In fact, those cuts were a significant factor in the projected increase of 17,700 inmates going into the 2007 session.
Instead, Texas experts say, focus on long-term gains rather than quick fixes.
“It’s real simple,” Texas Sen. John Whitmire says. “When you’re tough, I’m just here to say be smart. Tough alone won’t get you there. Look for policies that are cost effective and that improve public safety. A heavy dose of common sense. Don’t be afraid of change.”
Demand evidence-based strategies as opposed to ones that just sound good. Don’t fund programs that don’t work.
“Don’t waste money on having a guy come back (to prison) two or three times,” Whitmire says. “That frees up money to keep the bad guys locked up as long as you want. The policy you have is preventing the next crime .... It’s the ultimate corrective plan.”
Surround yourself with smart people.
It helps to be “more interested in facts,” says Rep. Jerry Madden, the engineer. “Don’t shower me with ideas ... I love ideas but give me facts.”
Good data was one of the keys to reform in Texas, says Michele Deitch, a senior lecturer in the University of Texas at Austin’s LBJ School of Public Affairs.
“Tony Fabelo had been working in Texas for 20 years and had tremendous credibility with legislators,” says Deitch.
“It’s so important to have good data,” she says. “Then people coalesce around information rather than assumptions, myths and anecdotes. You look and see what the data shows. The data tells you where you need to focus.
“Good data also allows you to be bipartisan and make deliberative, informed decisions,” says Deitch. “It breaks down a lot of the posturing.”
There are experts who have those facts, including the Council of State Governments Justice Center where Tony Fabelo now serves as director of research, the Northpointe Institute for Public Management where the architect of Michigan’s reforms, Dennis Schrantz, is senior policy analyst, and The Pew Center on the States.
What’s more, Pennsylvania’s Department of Corrections does “very good” data collection, says Ed Latessa at the University of Cincinnati.
“The research unit at PA DOC is very strong,” he says.
But expert advice isn’t enough.
Fabelo has already been to Pennsylvania — in 2007. When he presented his findings, few lawmakers even attended.
Legislative leaders must demand work from their colleagues.
“I made them work their butts off,” Madden says of his committee. “We let everybody participate, we answered everybody’s questions.”
Look beyond the reform committee early — both Madden and Whitmire kept their appropriations committees in the loop and had allies there making sure money would be available for their programs.
Getting lawmakers from opposite parties to work together takes leadership.
“Some days, I wish I was on Natural Resources or Education. It is stressful,” Whitmire says. “Part of the frustration comes from being so absolutely certain I’m right and not being able to get other people to go with me. You have to compromise. And some days it drives me nuts.”
Bringing in both liberal and conservative think tanks was a key to bipartisan support in Texas.
“There were pieces of the puzzle that came from all sides,” says Madden, “[plus] it provides important political cover ... if both think tanks support it.”
Above all, the unlikely duo from Texas say: don’t worry about appearing “soft on crime.”
Madden, the Republican, faced a primary challenger after he led prison reform and was accused of being soft on crime.
“We should be spending [the public’s] money wisely and making people safer,” Madden says. “It’s not just throwing money at problems. Most everybody realized what we were doing was not soft.”
He won handily.
Whitmire, the Democrat, is the longest serving member of the Texas Senate. He’s one of only three still in the Legislature who voted for the death penalty in the 1970s.
“Think [reform] through,” he says. “Be smart. Act on it. And defend it.” | <urn:uuid:bf067f98-b416-4667-a257-201ffb46b94d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pennlive.com/specialprojects/index.ssf/2011/03/pennsylvania_prisons_now_is_th.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965726 | 2,606 | 1.742188 | 2 |
Jim Kershner’s this day in history
From our archives, 100 years ago
Father Roccati of Gonzaga University delivered a speech to the gathered members of Spokane’s Italian community, describing their situation – and their potential.
“We have the material to make the Spokane Italian colony prosperous and respected,” said the priest. “We have the brains, the good will and the disposition. There are some who dislike us because we do not speak English with ease, but we can speak our own tongue among ourselves as well as our American friends speak theirs. But we need not be discouraged. We can express ourselves and do it most powerfully at the polls.”
He went on to thank the mayor and city commissioners for their “impartiality and fair treatment of our people.”
From the poisoning beat: Police still had no clues about who tried to poison the Ilse family by leaving strychnine-laced shredded wheat biscuits on their porch.
Mrs. Ilse said she was afraid to step outside, and Mr. Ilse was suffering recurring bouts of an old neurological affliction, brought on since the poisoning attempt.
Also on this date
(From the Associated Press)
1763: Britain, Spain and France signed the Treaty of Paris, ending the Seven Years’ War (also known as the French and Indian War in North America). | <urn:uuid:682c3f3d-c74e-46f7-9d1e-f3cc211c3954> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/feb/10/jim-kershners-this-day-in-history/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971102 | 288 | 2.875 | 3 |
The Pirate Bay has its own definition on “cloud computing.” The biggest BitTorrent site in the world has planned to put a number of their servers on the sky of Sweden to dodge the same situation suffered by its comrade, Megaupload.
The Pirate Bay on its Sunday blog post talked about the “Low Orbit Server Stations.” It is a plan to place the servers of the site inside an aircraft to be hovered on the sky. The aircraft is planned to be equipped with a GPS and small computers like Raspberry Pi.
Mr Spock as the administrator of the site said the servers will come with “a $35 micro computer the size of a thumb drive that includes a WiFi and SD card slot for storage.” The Pirate Bay administrators can control the servers from their base, while it will be difficult for the law to destroy it.
The Pirate Bay strongly disagrees with the copyright laws imposed by the US government. It said the laws do not apply in Sweden. In 2011, the site placed several servers in some caves in a Sweden mountain.
The site said despite the espionage, raids and death threats they are still there to provide service. In fact, the current obstacles made them tougher than ever.
Here is the blog post from the Pirate Bay:
We were down a few hours earlier today. There’s no need to worry, we haven’t been raided this time. We’re only upgrading stuff since we’re still growing.
One of the technical things we always optimize is where to put our front machines. They are the ones that re-direct your traffic to a secret location. We have now decided to try to build something extraordinary.
With the development of GPS controlled drones, far-reaching cheap radio equipment and tiny new computers like the Raspberry Pi, we’re going to experiment with sending out some small drones that will float some kilometers up in the air. This way our machines will have to be shut down with aeroplanes in order to shut down the system. A real act of war.
We’re just starting so we haven’t figured everything out yet. But we can’t limit ourselves to hosting things just on land anymore. These Low Orbit Server Stations (LOSS) are just the first attempt. With modern radio transmitters we can get over 100Mbps per node up to 50km away. For the proxy system we’re building, that’s more than enough.
Other related posts:
- Asian American Group: Journalists should never use these racists jokes in Lin’s coverage
- Thousands of People Almost Naked to Protest Against “Uptight” Laws in Utah
- Drunken American Passenger On Cruise Ship Drops Anchor
- Jeb Corliss, American Daredevil Skydiver, Flew Through Tianamen Mountain (Video)
- Chinese Chef Spent $628 to Build an American Military Vehicle-like Hummer Jeep | <urn:uuid:276f9fc8-4a8a-446c-ac8a-6fb667c79013> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.blogoncherry.com/2012/03/21/the-pirate-bay-to-put-servers-on-sky-to-dodge-american-copyright-laws/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935675 | 608 | 2.46875 | 2 |
You may have heard a few months ago that Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa broke his elbow while out for a bike ride. It was a curious piece of news. On one hand, there was something to celebrate: the LA mayor got on a bike; we can probably name on one hand the number of mayors of the world’s great cities who have ridden a bicycle in the last year. Unfortunately for Villaraigosa, he was cut off by a taxi driver who pulled into the bike lane. Some drew the conclusion that if the mayor can’t ride a bike in Los Angeles without being hit, it can’t be done.
What happened next is what they call a teachable moment.
Villaraigosa vowed to do more to help cyclists and to make Los Angeles a safer place to ride a bike. Most city cyclists took a “yeah, yeah, sure, sure” wait-and-see stance.
However, back in April a “Bike Awareness and Safety slogan contest” was announced and it could easily have died in silence, even after the Danny Gamboa’s winning slogan of “Give Me 3” was chosen and the Geoff McFetridge poster was designed. Instead, Villaraigosa held a ceremony on the steps of Los Angeles’ City Hall announcing the winners and unveiling the poster design. The ceremony was held in conjunction with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition and even the Midnight Ridazz. For those of you unfamiliar with the Midnight Ridazz, they are primarily known as a club composed fixie-riders more associated with the Critical Mass end of advocacy than the show-up-at-City Hall-and-lobby-politicians end.
The posters can already be seen on bus shelters around the city; there will be more than 1000 erected by the city. Perhaps the most surprising development was Villaraigosa’s announcement that he would like “the three-foot passing rule a three-foot passing law in California.”
The LADOT’s Rita Robinson, though well-meaning, demonstrated her lack of understanding of the cycling experience by insisting that the three-foot rule means three feet beside, behind and beyond. It’s unlikely that most cyclists feel more threatened than when a car is fewer than six feet behind.
Villaraigosa will be heading to Sacramento to introduce his bill and staff aides say the mayor plans to enlist the help of cycling advocates from other cities to make sure the bill becomes law.
Whether the mayor succeeds or not remains to be seen. Gridlock in California’s political process is legendary; Sacramento is the burial place for many great hopes and ideas. Villaraigosa has announced he wants to force a culture shift in Los Angeles, bringing acceptance to cycling as a means of transportation and a greater respect for those who pedal around the city.
That cycling is even on the radar of the mayor of the United States’ second-largest city is a marvel and worth reporting, though advocacy was never meant to be part of Red Kite Prayer’s mission. Our primary concern is in enriching the cycling experience of our readers. That said, roadies are finding it more difficult to conduct group rides in many cities. Race permits are becoming harder to gain in many places and some communities are even writing ordinances to restrict cycling altogether, and for those reasons, this is worth reporting.
It is said all politics are local. This is no call-to-arms, but there’s a good chance that there’s a local advocacy coalition that could benefit by something as simple as your signature, your donation, your membership. | <urn:uuid:6a3b0e22-9c63-46e7-9c4d-964898d0c54b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://redkiteprayer.com/tag/lacbc/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00047-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970046 | 770 | 1.875 | 2 |
September is an Ideal Time to Reflect on the Importance of Healthy Pregnancies
National Infant Mortality Awareness Month reminds us of dangers of delivering a baby before 39 weeks
September is National Infant Mortality Awareness Month, providing an ideal time for families in Utah and nationwide to think about the health of expectant mothers and babies, while also raising awareness about how to increase the likelihood of a safe and healthy pregnancy and delivery.
In Utah, the infant mortality rate is 5.1 per thousand live births, ranking the state No. 7 nationwide, according the 2010 America’s Heath Rankings® from the UnitedHealth Foundation.
Access to appropriate prenatal and postnatal care is critically important for the health of both mothers and babies. It is also important for mothers, families and physicians to recognize the dangers associated with elective deliveries before 39 weeks of gestation and the potential impact on infant morbidity. The potential complications involved with elective childbirth before 39 weeks are very real, yet many first-time mothers may be unaware of the risks.
Babies born before 39 weeks are also more likely to have breathing problems and developmental delays, according to numerous published studies. A review of claims data by UnitedHealthcare showed that 48 percent of newborns admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at select hospitals were from scheduled admissions for delivery – many before 39 weeks of gestation. After sharing these findings, physicians and hospitals in the program altered practice patterns and realized a 46-percent decrease in NICU admissions in the first three months – a decline that has held stable.
Yet a majority of first-time mothers are unaware of the risks associated with early deliveries. According to a national survey released in 2009, more than 90 percent of first-time mothers believe it’s safe to deliver a baby before 39 weeks of gestation.
In addition, nearly one in four respondents considered a baby to be full-term at 34 to 36 weeks, even though American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) defines full-term as 37 weeks and advises against elective deliveries before 39 weeks.
The purpose of the survey, commissioned by UnitedHealthcare, was to gauge women’s understanding of full-term pregnancy and the gestational age at which it’s safe to deliver a healthy baby. The survey queried 650 insured, first-time mothers from varied geographic, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
The study findings underscore how important education is to improve health and well-being. Other studies have already shown that efforts to educate physicians make a positive impact in helping to reduce the rate of elective deliveries. We should also consider similar outreach among women to help stem the rise in such deliveries.
The reason for concern is simple: As the number of pre-term and early-term births has increased, there also have been increases in health risks for early-term infants, many of whom require extended hospital stays. Parents suffer as well, missing out on important bonding time with their newborns, and some even experience depression.
In addition, it is important to note a report issued in January by The Leap Frog Group revealed tremendous variation among hospitals when it comes to early elective C-sections and elective inductions, with some facilities performing those procedures 10 times more frequently than others. The practices of 773 hospitals nationwide were examined, including those in Utah. The full report is available at www.leapfroggroup.org/tooearlydeliveries.
The decision to induce labor early or perform a C-section before a pregnancy is full-term should take clinical recommendations into account and reflect the baby’s and mother’s health and medical needs, not convenience. To be sure, the last few weeks of pregnancy for many mothers can seem endless and often uncomfortable. But expectant parents should take the opportunity to learn just how important the last few remaining weeks are for their baby’s development and health.
More information about how to have a healthy pregnancy is available at www.healthy-pregnancy.com. | <urn:uuid:7a85a49d-cdf7-4cb7-b146-99e1e8170059> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.citihealth.com/articles/949/September-is-an-Ideal-Time-to-Reflect-on-the-Importance-of-Healthy-Pregnancies | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958741 | 826 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Herbs are preferable to hot, spicy flavorings, which speed the absorption rate in digestive processes. This causes increased sensitivity. However, dried herbs are moldy and should be avoided by people with mold or yeast sensitivity. Should you crave gourmet cookery or seasoned dishes, here’s an easy solution for herbal preparation:
- Grow your own organically or buy them in health food stores in quantity.
- Remove the leaves from the stems, or keep stems if good.
- Wash, dry, and put them in the freezer uncovered.
- From time to time, run a spatula through them to avoid sticking.
- When totally frozen, place in a glass jar or cellophane bag.
If you're short on space, and you aren't sensitive to plastic (though avoiding plastic is preferable), put herbs into a plastic bag and pull out a few when needed. | <urn:uuid:1e783b25-bb23-4f36-a048-e245d9005fd1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.essenceofhealthonline.com/content/home/nataliesnu/samplenugg/default_html.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941941 | 182 | 1.921875 | 2 |
Italo-American historical painter, b. at Rome, 1805; d. at Washington, February 19, 1880
Brumidi, CONSTANTINO, an Italo-American historical painter, celebrated for his fresco work in the Capitol at Washington, b. at Rome, 1805; d. at Washington, February 19, 1880. His father was a native of Greece and his mother a Roman. He showed his talent for fresco painting at an early age and painted in several Roman palaces, among them being that of Prince Torlonia. Under Gregory XVI he worked for three years in the Vatican. The occupation of Rome by the French in 1849 apparently decided Brumidi to emigrate, and he sailed for the United States, where he became naturalized in 1852. Taking up his residence in New York City, the artist painted a number of portraits. Subsequently he undertook more important works, the principal being a fresco of the Crucifixion in St. Stephen's Church, for which he also executed a "Martyrdom of St. Stephen" and an "Assumption of the Virgin". In 1854 Brumidi went to the city of Mexico, where he painted in the cathedral an allegorical representation of the Holy Trinity. On his way back to New York he stopped at Washington and visited the Capitol. Impressed with the opportunity for decoration presented by its vast interior wall spaces, he offered his services for that purpose to Quartermaster-General Meigs. This offer was accepted, and about the same time he was commissioned as a captain of cavalry. His first art work in the Capitol was in the room of the House Committee on Agriculture. At first he received eight dollars a day, which Jefferson Davis, then Secretary of War of the United States, caused to be increased to ten dollars. His work attracting much favorable attention, he was given further commissions, and gradually settled into the position of a Government painter. His chief work in Washington was done in the rotunda of the Capitol, and included the apotheosis of Washington in the dome, as well as other allegories, and scenes from American history. His work in the rotunda was left unfinished at his death, but he had decorated many other parts of the building. In the Catholic Cathedral of Philadelphia he pictured St. Peter and St. Paul. Brumidi was a capable, if conventional painter, and his black-and-white modeling in the work at Washington, in imitation of bas-relief, is strikingly effective.
AUGUSTUS VAN CLEEF | <urn:uuid:4379b324-bcc2-4620-99f6-113c8eda86d4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://oce.catholic.com/index.php?title=Constantino_Brumidi | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9853 | 522 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Teen conduct disorder is unfortunately a reality, and a sad one. Conduct disorder usually includes aggressive behavior against humans, property or animals that is considered to be destructive, deceitful, dishonest and violent. So anything from causing people injuries, stealing and even rape is considered to be conduct disorder. But there is one difference that separates conduct disorder from other similar acts of violence, it is a repetitive process. We are not talking about an isolated incident here; we are talking about a need to do these things over and over again with a pattern.
The person that suffers from a conduct disorder is unable to realize the good from the bad at one point and prevention is impossible, but noticing the signs at an early stage may minimize the distress of the child and the family. Such a person has a repetitive behavior in which he or she violates the rights of others, laws, and society values. If that type of behavior repeats for more than a year with at list three of the symptoms listed bellow than it’s time to act.
- Threatening and bullying
- Using weapons
- Physical cruelty to people
- Physical cruelty to animals
- Forcing a sexual activity
- Intentional damaging and destroying of other’s property
- Starting fires on purpose in order to damage someone’s property
- Breaking into homes
- Car jacking
Violation of rules
- Disobeying rules of parents before the age of 13
- Running away from home
- Running from school
- Disobeying rules and laws of society
There are numerous reasons that cause teen conduct disorder; they may be biological, like certain injuries to the brain or genetics, like history of mental illness in the family, but that is not necessarily true. Teen conduct disorder may develop in an unhealthy environment like dysfunctional family or child abuse and traumatic experience; also social aspects contribute to all these factors.
Unfortunately there are currently only two ways by which teen conduct disorder is treated, psychotherapy and medication. For milder cases psychotherapy is used, it is a form of counseling by which the teen is learned how to control and express his anger through some more appropriate ways. On the other hand medication is a bit tricky, since there is no drug that treats conduct disorder specifically various drugs may be used to treat different symptoms.
The best form of treatment can be done if the symptoms of conduct disorder are caught early, then with psychotherapy success is something real and can be expected, while in cases where conduct disorder is not caught early while it’s developing, treatment is almost impossible. | <urn:uuid:b957652b-73d3-4768-bef8-386d531f82b8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.parentingteens.com/teen-conduct-disorder/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951346 | 521 | 3.390625 | 3 |
Tropical Storm Eugene gathered strength in the Pacific and could become a hurricane Monday, but it should remain far from the coasts of the Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said
The fifth named storm of the May 15-November 30 Eastern Pacific hurricane season, Eugene was located about 405 miles (650 kilometers) south of Zihuatanejo, Mexico, according to the NHC.
It had maximum sustained winds of 65 miles (100 kilometers) per hour and was moving west-northwest at 10 miles (17 kilometers) per hour.
No coastal watches or warnings were in effect.
"Additional strengthening is forecast during the next couple of days, and Eugene could become a hurricane by tonight," the hurricane center said. | <urn:uuid:19f07b7f-9d85-4921-97ec-2c7683f42f13> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://en.baomoi.com/Info/Tropical-Storm-Eugene-strengthens-in-Pacific/2/168503.epi | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980375 | 146 | 1.90625 | 2 |
Delight your family and friends with an autumn brunch that features Pumpkin Jack O’Lantern Pancakes, our current Health-e-Recipe.
Cancer-fighting canned pumpkin can be used in so many more ways than just pumpkin pie. It’s a user-friendly, inexpensive source of beta-carotene, an antioxidant found in orange colored vegetables. Beta-carotene turns into vitamin A in our bodies and appears to protect cells from damage, inhibit cancer cell growth and improve immune response. Only one-quarter cup of unsweetened canned pumpkin puree contains more the recommended daily intake of vitamin A. Pumpkin also provides calcium, potassium, vitamin C and fiber.
In addition to pumpkin soup and pumpkin baked goods, pumpkin pancakes are a yummy way to enjoy this healthy vegetable from the winter squash family. Our recipe uses whole-wheat flour, adding even more fiber for colon cancer prevention, good digestion and feeling fuller for weight control. Garnishing your pancakes with plenty of fruits will be fun for kids. Top it off with a delicious combo of maple-cider syrup, also part of this recipe.
For more excellent healthy recipes, visit the AICR Test Kitchen. Click here to subscribe to our weekly Health-e-Recipes.
The sweet and sour taste of kiwi fruit livens up skinless chicken breast in our Health-e-Recipe for Sautéed Chicken and Kiwi over Wild Rice. Lime basil and lemon peel make this recipe even more tantalizing.
Kiwi may look odd with its fuzzy, green skin, but the bright green fruit inside is loaded with vitamins C and K, along with lutein and chlorophyll (responsible for its green color and also found in spinach) plus beta-carotene. Kiwis are also a good source of fiber and potassium. A crunchy contrast comes from the celery and carrots, also high in the antioxidant beta-carotene.
Lime basil (or regular fresh basil) and a little grated lemon zest – the outer bright yellow layer of the peel – round out the flavor that soaks into the whole-grain wild rice and the chicken. By emphasizing good taste, this dish satisfies you while keeping portions of animal protein reasonable for good health and cancer prevention.
Visit the AICR Test Kitchen for other excellent cancer-preventive recipes. Click here to subscribe to our weekly Health-e-Recipes.
Eating meals at home, compared to restaurants and fast food establishments, means more fiber in our diets, according to a recent report from the USDA based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Per 1000 calories, we get about 1.5 grams more fiber from home meals than from restaurant meals.
Americans consume on average 15 grams of fiber per day, less than the recommended 25-30 grams per day. If Americans would eat more fiber, there would be fewer cases of colorectal cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Fiber rich foods include vegetables, fruit, whole grains and legumes.
Eating meals at home only gets us to about 16 grams and eating fast food gets Americans only to 12 grams, so there’s room for improvement overall. Here are three strategies you can use to increase fiber while eating out and you can also them in your kitchen.
- Think vegetables and fruit first. When you look at the menu, look for the appetizers, entrees and sides that will include a substantial serving of vegetables and/or fruit. Salads and soups can be one way to add veggies or if sandwiches come with fries or chips, ask for a side salad, fruit or other vegetable instead.
- Go for the whole grain. Always ask for the whole wheat bread or wrap (not just “wheat”), corn tortilla or brown rice. Oatmeal is the hot new item for breakfast – that is a perfect way to add a few grams of fiber early in the day.
- Choose Beans – small but mighty in fiber. Look for bean or lentil soups, salads with beans, bean burritos or sides like baked beans or black-eyed peas. You can ask for them to be added to veggie soups or to salads. Again – sub them for fries or chips as sides.
Any one of those strategies can mean a difference of 2-3 grams of fiber for your meal. If you can do that at each of your meals – whether home or away – that 6-9 extra grams of fiber per day may just get you to the recommended amount!
Read more on how to get more fiber in your diet.
How do you try to get more fiber in your restaurant meals? | <urn:uuid:c2b99598-7ecc-4d7f-a191-1fef233e69dc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.aicr.org/tag/fiber/page/4/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00044-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.919957 | 971 | 2.03125 | 2 |
Read The Tape, Improve Your Trading
The Tape-Reading Edge
by Thomas Carr, Ph.D.
Tape-reading skills are a product of your intuition. Here's how you can sharpen your intuitive power into a tremendous profit-making talent.
First, it must be said that tape-reading is a kind of luxury, at least these days. It is not necessary to tape-read to be a successful trader; tape-reading simply gives you an extra edge -- an edge that takes your trading to the next stage of excellence. Sound tape-reading skills are essential for getting the best possible entry, holding onto winning trades beyond your profit target, and are sometimes responsible for keeping you out of bad trades altogether.
WHAT IS TAPE-READING?
Tape-reading gets its name from the old "ticker tape" machine that used to feed stock quotes to brokers before the advent of computers and LED displays. A small, glass-enclosed printing press would spit out a continuous paper ribbon, on which would be typed order size and price quotes as trades were executed.
Fortunately, we no longer have to crowd around the ticker waiting anxiously for the tape to give us a quote on the stock we are interested in. We simply type the symbol into our computerized, electronic charting system and we are given a trade-by-trade, streaming "tape" of the action in real time.
If you read through the great stories in Jack Schwager's Market Wizards volumes, you will find a theme running throughout the 60-odd biographies collected there: tape-reading. Besides having nerves of steel, most of the world's greatest traders are also great tape-readers. Many began their careers trading "nothing but the tape."
Floor traders live and die by the tape. They don't have the luxury of sitting quietly in front of a computer analyzing charts. They can only trade the ebb and flow of orders as they occur in the pits. It is a "chicken or the egg" phenomenon, because floor traders, with their frequent in-and-out scalping techniques, create the very tape they are trading. Other than rumors and news flashes that filter past their trading stations, they have nothing else to go on but the tape.
...Continued in the July issue of Technical Analysis of STOCKS & COMMODITIES
FIGURE 1: TIME & SALES OF QLOGIC. Color changes, size changes, and speed changes can all indicate the order flow of a stock. This example displays a neutral market.
Excerpted from an article originally published in the July 2005 issue of Technical Analysis of STOCKS & COMMODITIES magazine. All rights reserved. © Copyright 2005, Technical Analysis, Inc.
Return to July 2005 Contents | <urn:uuid:1c39c1c2-d271-460b-aff1-5fe395f015a1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.traders.com/Documentation/FEEDbk_docs/2005/07/Abstracts_new/Carr/carr.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932285 | 572 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Emily Marske, right and Rachel Stephanak, football managers for Guerin, send in the plays for coaches using hand signals on the sidelines.
Emily Marske studied every twitch Guerin Catholic High School quarterbacks coach Levar Johnson made as he sent in plays to quarterback Tino Smith during a drill at the team's first two-a-day practice last season.
Two days later, the then-junior student manager told Johnson she knew all 25 signals. Three weeks later, it was Marske that Smith was watching for which play to run during the team's second game.
"I've never seen it done," Johnson said of a manager learning the signals. "I've been coaching high school football for 17 years and I've never seen it done. I think it's pretty unique. It ... | <urn:uuid:4704d129-eff7-41b0-ab19-114e2144b79b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.indystar.com/article/20120816/SPORTS02/208170329/-b-High-school-football-b-females-making-an-ever-growing-impact-area | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984692 | 164 | 1.679688 | 2 |
The best energy dollar ever spent is applied to weatherizing, or tightening up buildings so they can better hold heat. Cellulose in the attic, spray foam around the windows, caulking along the trim, Fiberglas between the floor joists, rigid foam outside the foundation, storm windows, a new door may not be as glamorous as granite counter tops, but it saves money. And every dollar worth of heat it saves on a cold December day will be multiplied winter month after winter month, year after year.
The $7 million Maine community action programs will receive — from a $120 million Department of Energy award to states — for ongoing weatherization efforts is the sort of federal investment that can make a real difference to people’s lives. Maine’s oldest-in-the-nation housing stock coupled with its cold winters and reliance on No. 2 heating oil as the fuel of choice creates ideal conditions for wasting energy dollars. Though the $7 million won’t save enough heat to turn an oil tanker away from our shores, it is the gift that keeps on giving.
The $7 million, which comes from the federal government’s stimulus package, will also help eligible families to pay for tankless hot water heaters (which save on electric, oil or gas bills) and to purchase home-scale wind turbines.
While the state’s regional community action programs have proved their ability to manage weatherization efforts, towns and cities would be wise to clamor for more funding. They also should help coordinate a more broad weatherization program, so that those who can afford to pay for materials might get the know-how to install insulation themselves. Even when someone can afford to live in a grand old home that is poorly insulated, their energy consumption hurts the rest of us, so weatherization shouldn’t be pigeonholed as a poverty relief program.
The next governor should continue to build on Gov. John Baldacci’s laudable efforts at improving the state’s home heating plight. The future in this realm is very much a moving target, so the state must be nimble in responding to trends. With wind power sources growing here, it may make sense to encourage some homeowners to use electric heat. Heat pumps, which have been developed and manufactured in Maine, may also emerge as a dominant technology. And of course pellet stoves remain a simple, effective way to keep the cold at bay.
But before big-ticket new technologies are supported with tax dollars, Maine must continue to tighten up. The 3,230 homes weatherized between January 2009 and June 2010 is an impressive start. | <urn:uuid:6179dd3c-013e-486b-a219-393825f8c9ed> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bangordailynews.com/2010/08/24/opinion/weather-or-not/print/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950738 | 537 | 2.328125 | 2 |
Surgical outcomes from a breast cancer–screening program of low-income women are similar to those of other screening programs.
Federally funded screening program.
A total of 15 730 women.
A total of 23 149 mammograms, 20 396 with concomitant clinical breast examination, from january 1, 1997, through december 31, 2001.
American college of radiology scores; associated surgery consultations, biopsies, operations, and pathology results.
Most (20 868) of the 21 296 mammograms assigned an american college of radiology score were benign; only 428 (2%) were suspicious. resulting from suspicious clinical breast examinations, the group with american college of radiology scores of 1 to 3 accounted for 45%, 18%, and 10% of recommended surgical consultations, biopsies, and cancers detected, respectively. a rate of 12.3 cancers per 1000 women was found, greater than with other screening programs. compliance with therapy was 97%.
This screening program had a higher rate of advanced cancers. clinical breast examination was an important component, and compliance with surgical recommendations was excellent. | <urn:uuid:17dad896-bff2-4993-a207-78c138cba8bf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://archsurg.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=395265 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940375 | 229 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Jaypee Nigrie Super Thermal Power Project comprising 2 x 660 MW Super-critical Unit will be set up by JPVL at a site in Nigrie - Village, Tehsil - Deosar, District - Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh. The expected date of commissioning for Unit - I and Unit - II are end April 2013 and end October 2013 respectively.
The Nigrie Thermal Project is expected to utilize coal from two captive coal blocks, the Amelia (North) and Dongri Tal – II coal block with total coal reserves of 250 MT of coal. These coal blocks contain sufficient coal reserves to fuel the Nigrie Thermal project over the long term. JAL is expected to develop and mine this coal in a joint venture with MPSMCL. The joint venture has been allotted these two coal blocks solely for the purpose of supplying fuel to the Nigrie Thermal Project.
The main features of the Project are:
Super critical boiler technology will achieve an unprecedented net efficiency level for brown coal power stations. This technology’s higher steam temperatures and pressure parameters offer the most economical way to improve plant efficiency and operating flexibility – as well as achieve fuel cost savings and lower emissions for each KWH of electricity
Improved thermal efficiency
Lower emissions levels
- Lower operating costs
- Greater operating flexibilty
- Reduced fuel consumption
- Reduced fuel cost
- Reduced ash generation
Reduction of carbon dioxide emission due to less consumption of fuel
Very good part load efficiency as compared to sub-critical unit
Reduced NOx,Sox and SPM emission | <urn:uuid:48e54cb9-09dc-4fde-9f8b-69c507afa6d4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://jppowerventures.com/nigrie-thermal.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.913097 | 318 | 1.976563 | 2 |
En Español| Voting is easy, right? You simply show up. If the poll worker isn’t a neighbor, you might be asked for identification, but most anything will do. Then your name is checked off the list, and you vote.
Not so fast, James Madison. Over the past 18 months, state legislatures around the country have passed laws requiring voters to present government-issued IDs before they can cast a ballot. Some of the battles over the new requirements have moved from statehouses to courthouses.
Proponents of the laws say they are needed to fight voter fraud. Opponents say there is little evidence of voter impersonation. They say the laws not only raise unnecessary obstacles to exercising constitutional rights, but also disproportionately hamper certain segments of the population, including older voters.
Eighteen percent of voters over 65 lack a current, government-issued photo ID, according to the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law. If the most stringent photo-ID laws stand, hundreds of thousands of eligible citizens could be disenfranchised Election Day, Nov. 6.
AARP voiced its position on a number of voter ID bills, and has gone to court to challenge the laws, as have the League of Women Voters and American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
“AARP does not view these cases through a partisan lens at all,” says Daniel Kohrman, senior attorney for AARP Foundation Litigation. “We should not be a society where voters are forced to jump through so many hoops in order to vote, particularly if they’ve been voting for decades.”
Here are key states with photo ID laws to watch as Nov. 6 approaches:
Pennsylvania. Not only is the presidential race highly contested there, the state’s 15 percent of residents age 65 or older ranks fourth highest in the nation.
After the ACLU of Pennsylvania and other groups mounted a legal challenge, a state judge in October blocked enforcement this year of the voter ID law signed by Republican Gov. Tom Corbett in March. The law requires a government-issued photo ID card. The state has announced that it has no evidence of in-person voter fraud.
AARP joined the legal challenge to the law in a friend of the court brief filed with eight other senior advocacy groups. | <urn:uuid:79d57e1c-4e19-47c4-9839-404f0ea6dc17> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aarp.org/politics-society/government-elections/info-08-2012/voter-id-laws-restrict-older-americans.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940794 | 477 | 2.296875 | 2 |
NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery completed one milestone and is nearing another as workers prepare the orbiter for a December launch to the International Space Station.
On Tuesday night, drivers moved Discovery from the shuttle processing facility to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Discovery, perched on top of the giant, 76-wheel orbiter transporter system, began moving out of the facility at 9:23 p.m. EST.
In the assembly building, technicians attached Discovery to its propulsion elements, an external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters. Following those operations, final integration, preparations and closeouts began in preparation for flight.
Discovery's next milestone is the 4.2-mile trip to Launch Pad 39B in preparation for its mission, designated STS-116. During the 11-day mission, the shuttle's seven astronauts will rewire the station to bring online new power supplies generated by solar arrays installed in September.
News media are invited to attend the rollout of Discovery to the launch pad scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 7. First motion of the vehicle out of the building is targeted for 7 a.m. EST.
The Kennedy Press Site will open for media activities Tuesday at 6 a.m. Permanently badged media interested in attending this event are asked to contact the press site at 321- 867-2468 by 4 p.m. EST, Monday, Nov. 6.
Since dates and times of this event are subject to change, updates are available at 321-867-2525. Media without Kennedy credentials should submit requests via the accreditation Web site at:
NASA TV will provide live coverage of Discovery's move to the launch pad beginning Tuesday at 7 a.m. EST. For NASA TV downlink, streaming video and scheduling information, visit:
For more information on the STS-116 mission and crew, visit: | <urn:uuid:1d2ca444-b197-4c34-8056-4c401ae95e6e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=21190 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.903947 | 385 | 2.125 | 2 |
DNA Markers for Rice Blast-Resistance Gene
Rice blast fungus (Magnaporthe grisea) causes blast disease (also known as “rotten neck disease”), which has a catastrophic effect on rice. Rice blast disease—found in 85 countries worldwide—causes huge crop losses annually and is estimated to destroy enough rice to feed more than 60 million people. The fungus can infect the roots, leaves, and stems of the plant. Once embedded, the fungus can produce structures that can also invade the plant’s vascular system—blocking transport of nutrients and water and producing lesions on the aerial plant parts.
Scientists at the Rice Research Unit in Beaumont, Texas—led by plant molecular geneticist Robert Fjellstrom and research leader Anna McClung—have found genetic markers that tag a disease-resistance gene that has been effectively used to combat a broad-spectrum of races of M. grisea.
These DNA markers are linked to the Pi-z blast-resistance gene in rice. This gene confers resistance to many forms of the blast fungus, so these markers are quite valuable for selecting and breeding disease-resistant rice cultivars. Because the resistance genes are natural, their use represents an environmentally friendly way to combat the disease.
The markers presented in this research are located closer to the Pi-z gene than previously developed ones. This close proximity makes the new markers extremely accurate in predicting the presence of this useful gene. Rice breeders have already been able to use these markers to select for highly resistant rice cultivars in California (M-207 and M-208) and Texas (Presidio).
Preliminary analysis of a cross between the cultivars Zenith and Pi-2, which carry the Pi-z and Pi-2 resistance genes, respectively, indicate that the genetic factors encoding their separate resistance reactions are not the same but are very tightly linked. The Pi-z markers reported here provide rice breeders and geneticists with a valuable tool for marker-aided selection of the Pi-z gene. Most of the Pi-z marker alleles are unique to the Pi-z gene, making them easy to select for the Pi-z gene within most genetic backgrounds.—By Alfredo Flores, Agricultural Research Service Information Staff.
Robert Fjellstrom and Anna M. McClung are in the USDA-ARS Rice Research Unit, 1509 Aggie Dr., Beaumont, TX 77713; phone (409) 752-5221, fax (409) 752-5720.
"DNA Markers for Rice Blast-Resistance Gene" was published in the September 2008 issue of Agricultural Research magazine. | <urn:uuid:ddd80351-9dee-4d42-b633-baff926fc67b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/sep08/rice0908.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.913305 | 549 | 3.515625 | 4 |
Mauritius: The best Africa destination you know almost nothing about
Mauritius is a model of true democracy for every African country.
It's also one of Africa’s great destinations, located in the middle of the turquoise Indian Ocean, inhabited by a multi-racial, peaceful people, covered in great golf courses, offering myriad water sports, mountain trekking, hunting, birdwatching, luxurious resorts, an old colonial capital, great food, three- and four-star hotels, one of the world's best botanical gardens, good nightlife, beautiful beach bars, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, one of the oldest horseracing tracks in the world, great sightseeing … but we’ll get to that in a little while.
First, I want to argue on behalf of the title of this article; that this tropical island 2,000 miles off the southeast coast of Africa does indeed provide a template for a model African travel destination.
1. Mauritius: The Island
When your island is surrounded by perfect white sand beaches, themselves surrounded by the stunning blue Indian Ocean, and the center of the island contains mountains and breathtaking scenery, plus almost year-round sunshine, it's difficult to be miserable.
I lived in Mauritius for more than three and a half years until June 2010, enjoying its scenery and also witnessing its democratic impetus firsthand.
Since gaining independence in 1968 there's never been a coup, or military or populist uprising of any kind on this small Indian Ocean island (just more than 2,000 square kilometres in size).
The population of almost 1.3 million is 68 percent Indian, but also comprises Creole, Chinese, French, plus a smattering of English and South Africans.
Between them they speak English (the country’s official language), French, Mauritian Creole, Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, Bhojpuri and Hakka.
Often, the sound of the native Sega music (an Indian Ocean version of calypso) inspires dancing and laughing on the beaches all night.
Participants refresh themselves with the local ice cold Phoenix beer, the occasional Green Island rum and Coke and barbecue, freshly caught seafood like snapper, dorado, prawns, octopus and lobster.
Yet any holiday on Mauritius needn't be a laze on the sand.
For sightseers there are two UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Aapravasi Ghat and Le Morne Cultural Landscape), the colonial capital of Port Louis, one of the oldest horseracing tracks in the world at Champs de Mars, one of the world's best botanical gardens at Pamplemousses, the Blue Penny Museum (home to one of the world's rarest stamps), the Black River Gorges National Park and the Casela Wildlife Park, where you can walk with lion cubs.
To get to any of these, or just to get around Mauritius, you can use taxis (find a good one on your first day and stick with him), hire a car or use one of the many tour companies in Mauritius like White Sands Tours (www.whitesandstours.com) or Mauritours (www.mauritours.net).
Living on Mauritius can also be cheap, with a modest one bedroom flat costing from US$320 a month, car rental from US$350 a month and utility bills much cheaper than most countries.
The cuisine of Mauritius is a blend of Creole, Chinese, European and Indian. It’s common for a combination of cuisines to form part of the same meal.
Strong ties with the French (who ruled the island from 1710-1810) has meant that even today French dishes such as bouillon, tuna salad, daube and coq au vin are popular, while Indian workers who migrated to Mauritius brought their cuisine with them, making curries, chutney, rougaille (tomato paste that's popular especially when served with fish) and pickles popular especially when given a unique Mauritian flavor.
The arrival of Chinese migrants at the end of the 19th century led to rice becoming part of the staple diet of the island and noodles, both steamed and fried, became common.
Chinese appetizers such as crispy chicken and crispy squid have also become part of the Mauritian diet.
Le Château de Bel Ombre: Located in the south of the island this lovingly restored 19th-century colonial mansion is the best restaurant on Mauritius.
In an elegant setting, à la carte fusion food is served, while on Saturday, Mauritian night, there's the chance to try authentic island dishes.
Domaine de Bel Ombre, Southwest Mauritius; +230 605 5000; www.domainedebelombre.mu/en/chateau.html
Le Barachois: Part of a small guest house this thatched stone restaurant, specializing in freshly caught giant shrimp, lobster and crab, has a daily changing menu.
The food is served on wooden tables right beside the sea -- a true Mauritian eating experience.
Anse Bambous, Vieux Grand Port, Southeast Mauritius; +230 750 9407; www.le-barachois.com
Domaine Anna: One of my favorites when I lived close by in Flic en Flac, this spectacular Chinese restaurant is set in the midst of sugar cane fields.
At night guests are greeted with lit torches along the driveway and eat in individual gazebos set on manmade lakes within tropical gardens in this palatial restaurant.
All the vegetables are grown locally and there’s live music and dancing at weekends.
Médine, Flic en Flac, West Coast; +230 453 9650; www.domaineanna.net
Land sports: Any resort hotel will also have its own people to provide you with almost any land sport you want. Otherwise, companies such as Yemaya (www.yemayaadventures.com) provide mountain biking, hiking, kayaking and cycling.
Mauritius Horse Trails (www.mauritiushorsetrails.com) can take you on some wonderful horseback tours of the island.
Golf: There are seven great golf courses on the island, the best being Golf du Chateau and the Four Seasons Golf Club at Anahita, plus several nine-hole courses.
For further details visit www.tourism-mauritius.mu/Golf-courses.
Deep sea fishing: Mauritius has some of the best deep sea fishing in the world and the Marlin World Cup (www.marlinworldcup.com) is held here every February/March.
Best expert charters on the island are run by JP Henry Charters Ltd (www.blackriver-mauritius.com).
Mountain trekking: There are well more than 20 great mountains to trek up. The best people to guide you here are YANATURE (www.trekkingilemaurice.com).
Watersports: Any resort hotel will have its own people to provide you with any watersport you can think of.
Any village on the coast will likewise have several companies to do the same. Just ask and any Mauritian will tell you where to go.
Shopping: Local arts and crafts stores can be found in most villages, as well as designer factory outlets that sell Ralph Lauren and other brands at a fraction of European prices.
And there’s the magnificent shopping mall at Caudan Waterfront (www.caudan.com) in Port Louis.
Mauritius is filled with luxurious five-star hotels and resorts, plus plenty of budget options. For a list of accommodations on Mauritius visit www.mauritius.net. Meanwhile here are a few of my favorites.
Lakaz Chamarel: Mauritius has numerous small boutique hotels well off the beaten track and, for my money, this is the best.
It’s located high in the Chamarel hills in the south of the island and has 20 luxurious guest rooms and a superb restaurant.
With rates starting at around MUR4,700 (US$160) a night it's not cheap by island standards, but its tropical surroundings are worth it.
Piton Canot, Chamarel; +230 483 5240; www.lakazchamarel.com
Le Touessrok: This great place is on the island's east coast, with luxurious rooms, most with Indian Ocean views, a great golf course on its own island, regular shows at night and a wonderful selection of restaurants of which Three-Nine-Eight, serving cuisine from nine different countries, is unparalleled.
Trou d'Eau Douce, Flacq; +230 402 7700; www.letouessrokresort.com
Villa Paul Et Virginie Hotel: Located in Flic en Flac on the west coast, the Villa Paul et Virginie is a beautiful hotel for those on a tight budget.
Just two minutes walk from the beach and serving excellent food, this 12-room hotel has an outside bar covered with a huge honeysuckle plant that provides welcome shade from the noonday sun.
Sea Breeze Lane, Flic en Flac; +230 453 8537; www.villa-paul-et-virginie.com
5. Seven-day itinerary
Day one: You can get over the long flight by relaxing on the beach, snorkeling in the beautiful Indian Ocean and chilling out with a few local beers and fresh-caught seafood.
Good to know: Mauritius has some of the best spas in the world at all the major resort hotels.
Day two: Sightseeing in the south. Start with the UNESCO World Heritage Site at the magnificent Le Morne mountain then head up into the Chamarel hills for lunch at one of the roadside Creole restaurants.
After lunch take in the Black River Gorges National Park before watching the sun slowly set at Le Chamarel Restaurant, which has incredible views across the south of the island, Le Morne and the Indian Ocean beyond.
Day three: Time for some sport or, for sun worshippers, some lazing on the beach or by a pool. Otherwise play golf, go deep sea fishing, mountain trekking, mountain biking or maybe take a cruise around the island.
The golf clubs will have great restaurants for lunch and the other activities will provide packed lunches.
Day four: If this is the first Saturday of your trip, Saturday is Port Louis day. You could spend the morning touring the old colonial center of town before grabbing lunch at Champ de Mars, the oldest horseracing track in the southern hemisphere.
In the evening, the huge Caudan Waterfront shopping center (home to the Blue Penny Museum) offers a chance to pick up souvenirs, enjoy street entertainers and find a good restaurant for dinner.
Day five: Sightseeing in the north. Visit Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens at Pamplemousses, one of the best botanical gardens in the world. Spend a long morning here then take a late lunch in ritzy Grand Baie, Mauritius' main tourist spot.
After lunch explore the wild north including Grand Gaube, where the British first landed on Mauritius, before returning to Grand Baie for dinner and to enjoy the nightlife.
Day six: Shopping day. Souvenirs. The Central Plateau area around Phoenix and Curepipe is great for this with several large malls, arts and crafts markets, and the Mauritian Glass Gallery where, in addition to picking up all manner of souvenirs made entirely of glass, you can watch the glass blowers at work and tour the Glass Museum. Have lunch in one of the malls and find a really romantic restaurant for dinner on the way back to your hotel.
Day seven: It's your last day in paradise. Go to the Casela Wildlife Park (www.caselayemen.mu) and walk with lion cubs if you've got time. | <urn:uuid:b0ceae39-abfe-4fa4-83ac-c3ed250dc64a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://travel.cnn.com/mauritius-best-africa-destination-136561?hpt=iaf_t5 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9019 | 2,534 | 1.9375 | 2 |
Going Green? Make It Official
The certification group with the longest track record is Green America, a nonprofit organization with impeccable environmental credentials that was founded in 1982. The group assesses businesses based on their environmental practices and social justice initiatives, meaning workers' rights and community involvement are just as important as recycling and conservation.
A small business can get the Green America "Seal of Approval" if it actively promotes positive social change or uses environmentally responsible sourcing, manufacturing and marketing. Companies can also earn the designation of "Green Certified Business" at three different levels (the highest, Gold, is reserved for companies that show leadership within their industry and make social responsibility a core of their mission). The organization works on a membership model, with members given access to assessment tools and educational materials. The organization also encourages peer-to-peer networking through meetings and webinars.
Two other organizations, founded more recently, also offer green certification, with a focus on environmental practices rather than the broader, social justice mission of Green America. The Institute for Green Business Certification assesses all aspects of a company's environmental impact, including waste removal, energy efficiency, water use and carbon footprint. The organization works on a consultant model: A small business is assigned an environmental analyst who works one on one with the company through telephone calls and on-site visits.
Another resource is the Green Business Bureau, which emphasizes the marketing opportunities green credentialing can provide. Companies start by taking an online assessment, then get individualized action plans, suggestions for specific activities and links to online vendors that supply green-friendly products. Members also get a "Marketing Tool Kit" with sample press releases, website keyword suggestions and other strategies for drawing attention to their green credentials.
Now that Earth Day has gone mainstream, it's in every company's interest to show concern for the environment. But consumers have gotten sophisticated, and businesses that that don't back up their environmental claims with concrete actions are quickly accused of "greenwashing" -- a guaranteed way to lose credibility. | <urn:uuid:4a4ebe0e-829e-4b1a-a5af-d30592e41332> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://business-news.thestreet.com/bastropenterprise/story/going-green-make-it-official/11506908?page=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949847 | 409 | 2.09375 | 2 |
Ross Barnett Reservoir officials said Thursday that a Harbor Walk developer needs to clean up or lose a shot at holding onto any more land.
Harbor Walk developers plan to build hotels, offices and condos but after eight years, the project still hasn't gotten off the ground.
"No land-based development has taken place -- which includes condominiums, retail sales, hotel and office buildings," said John Sigman district director for the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District.
Harbor Walk pays $600,000 a year to rent a major chunk of land and the company also pays $65,000 a year to have first dibs on adjacent unleased land. On Thursday, the PRVWSD gave developer John Burwell a month extension to rent the unleased land, or Harbor Walk will have to give up its claim to it.
Sigman said Harbor Walk needs to clean up the land it already has.
"It includes things like removing the construction piers that have piled up. Maybe even construction debris, better landscaping, reorganization and maintenance of boat works, used boat sales property," Sigman said.
Burwell said the PRVWSD is just trying to pressure him to get the development going.
"They say that they are tired of responding to the public, and what I would say if I was them to the public is, 'This man has spent a fortune out here. He's doing the best he can,'" Burwell said.
In 2007 Burwell told 16 WAPT News that construction of a hotel would be pushed back a year. But on Thursday, there was still no construction.
"What is taking so long for the development?" 16 WAPT's Erin Kelly asked Burwell. | <urn:uuid:9038df1a-c7ab-4400-8684-bb5ef326bf50> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wapt.com/news/central-mississippi/Harbor-Walk-developer-told-to-clean-up-or-lose-shot-at-more-land/-/9156946/14863436/-/10d8021/-/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967583 | 355 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Corporate Tax Freedom Day, or the day that corporations will have paid their taxes to all levels of government, is today, January 30th, 2013. But don’t feel left out, if you are not a corporation, because Personal Tax Freedom Day is also on its way – not as quickly mind you because Corporations have the ability to make much more money, much quicker than the average employee and the Corporate tax rates are considerably smaller than personal income tax rates.
- 15% on the first $43,561 of taxable income, +
- 22% on the next $43,562 of taxable income (on the portion of taxable income over $43,561 up to $87,123), +
- 26% on the next $47,931 of taxable income (on the portion of taxable income over $87,123 up to $135,054), +
- 29% of taxable income over $135,054.
Then there are the Provincial tax rates;
|Newfoundland and Labrador||7.7% on the first $33,748 of taxable income, + 12.5% on the next $33,748, + 13.3% on the amount over $67,496|
|Prince Edward Island||9.8% on the first $31,984 of taxable income, + 13.8% on the next $31,985, + 16.7% on the amount over $63,969|
|Nova Scotia||8.79% on the first $29,590 of taxable income, + 14.95% on the next $29,590, + 16.67% on the next $33,820, + 17.5% on the next $57,000, + 21% on the amount over $150,000|
|New Brunswick||9.1% on the first $38,954 of taxable income, + 12.1% on the next $38,954, + 12.4% on the next $48,754, + 14.3% on the amount over $126,662|
|Quebec||Go to Income tax rates (Revenu Québec Web site).|
|Ontario||5.05% on the first $39,723 of taxable income, + 9.15% on the next $39,725, + 11.16% on the next $429,552, + 13.16 % on the amount over $509,000|
|Manitoba||10.8% on the first $31,000 of taxable income, + 12.75% on the next $36,000, + 17.4% on the amount over $67,000|
|Saskatchewan||11% on the first $42,906 of taxable income, + 13% on the next $79,683, + 15% on the amount over $122,589|
|Alberta||10% of taxable income|
|British Columbia||5.06% on the first $37,568 of taxable income, + 7.7% on the next $37,570, + 10.5% on the next $11,130, + 12.29% on the next $18,486, + 14.7% on the amount over $104,754|
|Yukon||7.04% on the first $43,561 of taxable income, + 9.68% on the next $43,562, + 11.44% on the next $47,931, + 12.76% on the amount over $135,054|
|Northwest Territories||5.9% on the first $39,453 of taxable income, + 8.6% on the next $39,455, + 12.2% on the next $49,378, + 14.05% on the amount over $128,286|
|Nunavut||4% on the first $41,535 of taxable income, + 7% on the next $41,536, + 9% on the next $51,983, + 11.5% on the amount over $135,054|
For Canadian-controlled private corporations claiming the small business deduction, the net tax rate is 11%.
For the other corporations, the net tax rate is decreased as follows:
- 19% effective January 1, 2009
- 18% effective January 1, 2010
- 16.5% effective January 1, 2011
- 15% effective January 1, 2012
Provincial or territorial rates
Generally, provinces and territories have two rates of income tax – a lower rate and a higher rate.
The lower rate applies to the income eligible for the federal small business deduction. One component of the small business deduction is the business limit. Some provinces or territories choose to use the federal business limit. Others establish their own business limit.
The higher rate applies to all other income.
Provincial and territorial tax rates (except Quebec and Alberta)
These rates are in effect on January 1, 2012, and may change during 2012.
|Province or territory||Lower rate||Higher rate|
|Newfoundland and Labrador||4%||14%|
|Prince Edward Island||1%||16%|
For more information, go to Dual tax rates.
Corporations also have to pay the CRA employer share of payroll source deductions for the year for employee pay and bonuses as well as any GST/HST if they are selling more than they are purchasing and also don’t forget the dividends Corporations pay out of earning to you, your friends, neighbours, parents and grandparents.
If you read some of the mainstream, err, left-leaning media tales of Corporate Tax Freedom Day you would think that we should be taxing these evil Corporations at 50% or more because all they do is pay out insane salaries and bonuses to their CEO’s and Board or Directors while giving little back to the community or the country.
For all that, I call bullshit, and not because I agree with insane salaries, bonuses, buyouts and golden handshakes – I hate them in sports and entertainment as well – but Corporations are free to operate in whichever town, city, province or country they choose to and a raise in Corporate tax rates increases the risk that corporations will back up their belongings and flee where rates are more favourable.
So while it’s great to call out Corporations for all their flaws, it would be nice once in a while if mainstream media reported on those cities and towns left with high unemployment and no jobs because a Corporation propping up their area closed up or left for a different location.
Might there be other ways to increase government revenues so that the government will need to borrow less money to finance programs – driving up the debt and deficit - possibly. One suggestion by the head of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), Ken Georgetti, suggested that “the government should target tax credits to companies that invest in machinery and increase productivity.”
With Canadian Corporate taxes are already lower than (unconfirmed) elsewhere in the G7 nations, organizations like the CLC disregard the fact that business investment had increased by 6.2% since the official start of the recession, September 15th, 2008. If consumer confidence remains weak or if a Liberal government were to take power in Canada, look for the vultures to circle looking to pick through the remains of any and all Canadian Corporations which remain here after an increase in the Corporate Tax Rate.
- TurboTax – What are Income Tax Rates? (turbotax.intuit.com)
- Meet Five CEOs Who Prove That Lower Corporate Taxes Don’t Equal More Hiring (thenation.com) | <urn:uuid:f648712a-83a5-4b56-bfdd-ab9c07065861> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://urbandaddy.wordpress.com/tag/tax/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930125 | 1,613 | 1.78125 | 2 |
For Immediate Release
On 26 November 2010, a new modern Feed Analysis Laboratory was opened in Agjabedi, a town in the central region of Azerbaijan. The primary goal of the feed analysis laboratory is to increase milk production, daily weight gain for beef and poultry, as well as egg production in farms in the central region of the country, where the share of livestock and poultry rearing amounts to 50-60% of total farming activities.
Proper organization of feeding and quality of feed used in cattle-breeding is one of the factors directly affecting productivity. Lack of a feed analysis laboratory was an obstacle for farmers in increasing quality of the feed they use and in preparing a proper feed ration.
This new feed analisys laboratory, operated by the Agro Information Center (AIM), was funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Private Sector Competitiveness Enhancement project.
“With the assistance from the American people, USAID is pleased to have supported the establishment of the Feed Laboratory”, said Keith Simmons, USAID/Azerbaijan Acting Country Coordinator at the opening ceremony. “The laboratory will complement and augment AIM’s current support and provide a critically needed service to the livestock, poultry, and aquaculture sectors.”
“The aim of this feed analysis laboratory is to develop recommendations to farmers by analyzing their feed and composing feed rations based on these analysis.” said Maharram Hagverdiyev, senior laboratory assistant. “Following these recommendations, the farmers will be able to increase productivity in cattle-breading, poultry and aquaculture sectors.”
All equipment necessary for animal feed analysis was purchased and installed in the laboratory, and the staff received neccesary training and recommendations from foreign specialists. The laboratory will provide a quick locally available testing source for purchased and self-mixed feed preparations. All these will economically strengthen farmers engaged in cattle-breeding, poultry and egg production and aquaculture.
With the assistance from the American people, USAID will continue to support agricultural sector in Azerbaijan through the recently announced Azerbaijan Competitiveness and Trade (ACT) project.
Last updated: February 05, 2013 | <urn:uuid:2bd9392d-2ceb-4ce4-a112-0dad0e4dec47> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.usaid.gov/azerbaijan/press-releases/new-modern-feed-analysis-laboratory-opens-central-aran | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942995 | 454 | 2.15625 | 2 |
Nicolas Poussin (French, 1594–1665)
Oil on canvas
60 7/8 x 82 5/8 in. (154.6 x 209.9 cm)
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1946 (46.160)
The first Romans invited the neighboring Sabines to Rome with the intention of forcibly retaining their young women as wives. Romulus raised his cloak as the prearranged signal for the warriors to seize the women. The mother, her babies, and an old woman in the foreground were captured accidentally in the turmoil. The yellow armor worn by the man at the right is modeled after a Roman "lorica," which was made of leather and reproduced the anatomy of the male torso. The painting belonged to the maréchal de Créquy and seems to date about June 1633 to July 1634, when he was French ambassador to Rome. | <urn:uuid:38bea694-754b-4679-9fc3-17c02de02c0f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/46.160 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976815 | 181 | 2.859375 | 3 |
Gardening 101: Looking Ahead Through 2013
First things first. We hope you have had a wonderful holiday season and that the coming year will be one of peace, good health and happiness for you and your family and friends.
Now, onto planning for a great 2013! Do you enjoy growing a vegetable garden every year? Are you thinking about having one for the first time this year? There are many reasons for having a vegetable garden, not the least of which are: 1) the immense feeling of satisfaction achieved from growing your own; 2) the incredible time you can spend with each member of your family, with the teaching moments making for a lifetime of memories and responsible behavior; 3) knowing that what you have grown is healthy and safe for your family to eat; and 4) the physical activity it takes to keep a garden growing will keep you and your family in better shape, as will eating healthier. So, what are your reasons?
If you’ve decided to have a garden this spring, whatever your gardening prowess or inexperience may be, it always helps to have a plan. We will try to help by doing a series of articles on week-by-week gardening, concentrating on the prep work that can be done before the last frost date, the date when you can actually begin planting your garden.
Look for our articles starting the last Friday of January, right here in the Agricultural Section, and appearing on the last Friday of each month through May. By following these simple guidelines, getting your garden ready should be relatively easy, stress-free and pain-free (in case you normally try to do all of your garden prep in one weekend). May 28 is normally our last frost date for this area, so by the time we’ve published the last article, you should be ready to either plant the live plants you’ve ordered or transplant the seedlings you’ve been growing in preparation for this time. You can direct-plant many seeds right into your garden plot well before the last frost date, so read seed packets for cold hardiness and planting instructions for each specific vegetable.
You can actually get started on your next garden right now. If you know, for example, that your hoses need some repair work or that you broke one of your favorite garden tools last summer, now is the time to repair or replace those. On the other hand, if you’ve never gardened before and you know you will need some tools, now may be the time to purchase them. The prices on these items are generally higher during the growing season and planning ahead will ensure you have what you need when you need it.
At the very least, take inventory of what you have in the way of garden tools and seed-starting supplies. Make a list and check it twice; keep it someplace handy so you can add to it as you think of things. And definitely start considering what you’ll want to plant and where you’d like your garden to be.
If this spring is the first year you’ll be planting a garden, we recommend you start moderately. A garden can be a lot of work, and most of the huge gardens you see throughout the community have been a work-in-progress for years. We’ve heard stories of numerous first-time gardeners giving up halfway through their first season, having bitten off more than they could possibly chew. A good way to decide if gardening is for you is to start with the basics, such as a few green bean vines, a couple of tomato plants, a little lettuce, a few cucumber plants, a row or two of sweet corn and a few different sweet and hot peppers. Grow what your family normally eats and grow just a few plants of two or three different varieties to get a feel for what specific types you like best. You can even get your children involved, having them help to start seedlings. A garden can be a fantastic summer activity for children of all ages.
So, we look forward to sharing our gardening expertise with you, hoping you will benefit from what we have so painstakingly learned through trial, error and many years of experience, as well as from our neighbors and friends throughout the area and around the U.S.
Look for our first in this series of gardening tips on January 25, 2013, and Happy New Year!
This series of articles is sponsored by Garden Harvest Supply. You can find them online here: www.gardenharvestsupply.com.
You need to be logged in to post comments on this article. | <urn:uuid:1fc5f4c2-1f50-400d-98ac-70ac32b03e61> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bernetriweekly.com/news/gardening-101-looking-ahead-through-2013?mini=calendar%2F2013-04 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960248 | 935 | 2.234375 | 2 |
Let's stop the name-calling. Whether we are conservative or liberal, progressive or libertarian, labeling and hyperbole keep us from actually looking at the issues. As long as we can call someone a Nazi or a Commie we will never make progress. This said, we also reserve the right to see the links between philosophy and policy and ask for explanations of principles!
Let's live within our means - and as the means change, we all benefit or sacrifice accordingly. Why do firefighters, police and teachers suffer the most while we cannot even audit our bureaucracies? We cannot concomitantly be a warfare and welfare state forever.
Public and private entities need to be partners, not enemies. We need ethical oversight (NOT ownership or administration) of private enterprise and excellent systemic change in public administration that sharp business leaders can provide. The amount of redundancy in government is stunning. We must rebuild infrastructure and the successes of the 1930s and 1940s are instructive.
Public order requires private virtue. Liberty is built on morality and truth. We cannot question all moral structures and expect less than anarchy followed by totalitarianism. We do not need a government regulating our daily menu; conversely, we are personally responsible to feed well, clothe and care for ourselves and our children. If conservatives want less government, they must step up local and personal care. If liberals want healthier citizens, they must insist on personal accountability.
All business is service. For people who claim to be biblical in their world-view, they need to remember that God is the Owner and we are the stewards of creation, property and wealth. Throughout the Hebrew and Christian texts, there is a delightful balance - property rights are protected and prosperity is not a sin. At the same time, the poor are cared for and unjust economic and legal structures are confronted by the prophets. If we own businesses, we should have women and men lined up wanting to work for such ethical, kind and effective companies. If we are employees, we owe our leaders a full day's effort.
Compassion and other government operations are best delivered locally. Fewer tax dollars to Washington mean more for our cities, counties and states.
Radical Islam is a threat to all who love freedom. Of course most Muslims want peace and toleration - but most people are not patient revolutionaries with a long-term goal of a universal caliphate. Here is the 21st question for all Muslims of conscience: Will you strive to create a world where people of all faiths or none live in full equality, with the liberty of conversion, free speech (even if offensive) and the right to question religious leaders? If you answer yes, there is hope for peaceful coexistence and even reform within Islam. Any qualification of this query means subversion of freedom is never far away. Jews, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, atheists and agnostics, and all other must answer yes as well. Society is best served when there is a real "free market" of religious options.
Let's roll up our sleeves, meet together and create a better future. We can argue over the climate or unite in private/public partnerships. We can drill for oil and develop new energy technologies. We need less conversations about the United Nation or a North American Union and more on revitalizing our local economies.
The time is now. | <urn:uuid:31d950a7-3230-4b14-b203-d11e68762d21> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://insightsforimpact.blogspot.com/2011_03_12_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942913 | 676 | 1.835938 | 2 |
by DON CUDDY
The decision by the National Marine Fisheries Service to use new technology to assess the abundance of scallop stocks means the end for the annual survey that SMAST has been conducting in cooperation with the fishing industry for the past 10 years.
The decision has been met with resistance in New Bedford. "It's very disheartening," said SMAST's Kevin Stokesbury, a professor at the school's Department of Fisheries Oceanography who developed the SMAST survey. "Our survey estimates are accurate and precise and have been completely accepted by the fisheries service," he said, The data has been published in 25 scientific papers, according to Stokesbury.
"I don't think the new method has been subjected to the same amount of statistical review," he said.
The new apparatus, developed at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is known as the Habcam and features a high-definition camera mounted on a sled towed above the sea floor. Its adoption by NMFS means that SMAST will no longer receive any of the moneys set aside by the scallop industry to fund research. Last year 1.25 million pounds of scallops, valued at roughly $10 million, were sold to fund the set aside program. The bulk of that money is now being funneled to HabCam.
"Cutting SMAST out is a problem," Rep. William Straus, D-Mattapoisett said. "SMAST is one of the few outside parties doing review that will keep the feds honest, so to speak," he said.
In an April letter from Straus to the New England Fishery Management Council, he called the decision to consider the use equipment with no performance record "to border on recklessness, if not irresponsibility."
Now NOAA needs top to bottom oversight of the way in which their research is conducted, Straus said on Wednesday.
Scallop boat owner Harriet Didricksen, who also owns New Bedford Ship Supply, said she vehemently opposed the decision.
"We were starving in '97 and without SMAST, Brian Rothschild and Barney Frank we wouldn't have an industry today," she said. "Brian hired Kevin Stokesbury and they found a way to count the scallops."
SMAST's pyramid-shaped camera platform saved the industry by discovering that scallops were not being overfished, contradicting federal regulators assertions, she said.
The SMAST survey is the industry standard while the new device has not been proven over time like the SMAST's survey, Didricksen said.
"I'm afraid if we don't have SMAST giving us numbers next year we'll be right back where we were in '97," she said.
The school will now have to look for other sources of funding, SMAST dean Steven Lohrenz said. "I'm sure that NOAA has their reasons for going with the HabCam but we have to recognize the tremendous contribution that Kevin's work has made to the scallop assessment. And he's not going away. His group is still highly productive." | <urn:uuid:cba7eb64-fa24-423d-812b-24d4786c0516> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120829/NEWS/208290460 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00049-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978541 | 632 | 2.3125 | 2 |
After two-and-half hours of hagiography, talking heads, archival footage, still photos, and snatches of his songs, Bob Marley remains elusive in Kevin Macdonald's documentary. Partly because Marley himself doesn't say much except in off-screen interviews, with his gnomic words appearing simultaneously as text on a black screen. But Macdonald does tell a good story: Marley was born the son of a Jamaican teenager and a British philanderer, he endured ostracism in his hometown because of his mixed heritage, discovered music when he and his mother moved to Trenchtown in Kingston, started the Wailers, helped develop reggae out of ska music, struggled for independence against record company owners, adopted the Rastafarian religion, and became, briefly, bigger than the Beatles. Cancer spreading from his big toe did him in in 1982 at the age of 36. Throughout the documentary I was hoping they would play "Redemption Song." They do, and I felt like I understood him a little better. | <urn:uuid:83374ada-b469-4378-b642-64da93b632d3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://thephoenix.com/boston/movies/137394-marley/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985682 | 215 | 1.8125 | 2 |
If you hear the name Texas Instruments what do you think about. If a calculator is the first thing that comes to mind then you are missing out on a large part of what the company does. That is why before we talk about the job cuts that the company is making we are going to take a look at how the company you may think you know chooses to describe itself, ” For more than 80 years, Texas Instruments has used increasingly complex signal-processing technology – with advances ranging from the incremental to the revolutionary – to literally and repeatedly change the world. Every day, our semiconductor innovations help 90,000 customers unlock possibilities for a smarter, safer, greener, healthier and more enjoyable world. Our focus on building a better future is ingrained in everything we do, from responsible semiconductor manufacturing, to employee care and active involvement with the communities we live in.”
Sadly the company is getting ready to cut back on about 1,700 workers in a move that is designed to help the company become more profitable. The company has not said much about where exactly the jobs will be cut from but if the company makes the cuts to workers in the USA then they are likely to run afoul of the mass layoff action.
For those of you who are not familiar with the idea of a mass layoff action here is a look at how the company chooses to describe itself, “The Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program collects reports on mass layoff actions that result in workers being separated from their jobs. Monthly mass layoff numbers are from establishments which have at least 50 initial claims for unemployment insurance (UI) filed against them during a 5-week period. Extended mass layoff numbers (issued quarterly) are from a subset of such establishments—where private sector nonfarm employers indicate that 50 or more workers were separated from their jobs for at least 31 days.” The only good news, if the company does manage to trigger a mass layoff action, is that they will have to give the workers several weeks of notice about the job cuts to come.
Interestingly instead of making comment on the large scale job cuts that the company is making, but in their most recent release chose to highlight a speaking engagement made by a company executive, “Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NASDAQ: TXN) Senior Vice President Brian Crutcher will speak at the Credit Suisse 2012 Annual Technology Conference in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Tuesday, November 27, at 10:30 a.m. Mountain time. Crutcher, manager of TI’s Analog business, will field questions from analysts and investors, as well as discuss TI’s semiconductor strategy and outlook for the overall analog market, including High Volume Analog and Logic, Power Management, High Performance Analog and Silicon Valley Analog. He will also discuss how the company’s analog capabilities are positioning it for growth across a range of customers. The audio webcast can be accessed live through the Investor Relations section (http://www.ti.com/ir) of TI’s website. An archived replay will be available on the website after his remarks.”
The post Texas Instruments to Cut 1,700 Jobs appeared first on LayOff Watch. | <urn:uuid:62ae0b5e-281a-46b4-9c4a-2d8fb32184d2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.employmentcrossing.com/lcviewblog.php?id=23939 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95797 | 659 | 1.59375 | 2 |
This boy is on fire. And he is headed back to Miami. Choreographer Kyle Abraham, that is. The Pittsburg kid, the Bessie Award winner, the one who now, on occasion, choreographs for the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, the happy recent recipient of a hefty USA Artist grant, whose work has been lauded by national critics as “luscious,” “stuttering” and “complexly self-aware.”
It’s the Kyle Abraham whose work, one way or another, is always exploring our urban community, most especially its often heartbreakingly brittle gender roles and expectations.
Thanks to Miami Dade College’s Live Arts Program, Abraham and company –Abraham.In.Motion — will be performing “Live! The Realest MC” at the Colony Theater on Miami Beach Friday and Saturday.
The “realest” MC? Yep. In fact none other than Pinocchio drives this narrative. After all, what does it mean to be a “real boy?” Especially where Abraham grew up. And so we are back in Abraham’s memories of middle school and high school and issues of just how many distortions one may take on to be accepted. We are caught in a dance that has as much to do with Voguing in stereotypes of Afro-American masculinity, as what Abraham quite tenderly calls, “Merce Cunningham’s insane acrobatics.”
For all Abraham’s roots in raves and free-style and hip-hop, he has been trained in more classical American lexicon and uses it well.
Still, as important to Abraham as the dance itself, is its social relevance. Indeed, the transformative moments in his life include not only watching a performance of the Bill T. Jones and the Arnie Zane Dance Company while in high school, but hearing them talk of the roots, the need, of each dance.
Wait a minute. Haven’t we here in these United States moved beyond what is described in “Live!” ? Hasn’t national attention to bullying made things really and truly better? “The situation may be improving, but we have a long way to go,” Abraham says. “Fairly recently I presented segments of ‘Live!’ to an urban high school. While in character within some of those segments, I cried on stage. A great many in the audience laughed in response.
“Let’s take a real look at the violence in urban America. A young person may listen to slurs, he or she may be pushed or punched, but at the end of the day, that kid is probably glad not to have been shot. I’d say we have a ways to go.”
Abraham is perhaps best known to Miami audiences for his Bessie-award winning “Radio,” presented in 2012 at the South Miami-Dade Cultural Center.
“’Live!’ is darker than ‘Radio,’” Abraham says. “’Radio’ is about dying. ‘Live!’ is about someone being killed. There is urgency to it.”
Rather than scaring audiences, this has brought them to the show. In a recent “Live!” run in Seattle, “groups of the same people kept coming night after night,” Abraham says. At least as moving for him was a conversation with a man born outside of The States, one who told Abraham how “Live!” had seemed to tell his own story, that of a immigrant, a man who must lose his accent among other links to his past to become accepted.
“This is what I love most,” Abraham says. “People recognizing themselves in my stories, no matter the context.”
Abraham.In.Motion’s “Live! The Realest MC” comes to the Colony Theatre, 1040 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach, courtesy of MDC Live Arts Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m., tickets cost $25; www.mdclivearts.org; 305-237-3010.
A version of this was published in the Huffington Post. | <urn:uuid:b0a00228-4046-4478-8871-d71d8e81c7d4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://artburstmiami.com/2013/02/05/the-man-and-his-stories-behind-abraham-in-motion/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9668 | 898 | 1.554688 | 2 |
The American Medical Association describes mental illness
as the nation's number one health problem. It sends more people
to the hospitals than cancer, lung and heart disease combined.
More than 54 million Americans (1 in 5) have a mental disorder
in a given year, but only 8 million (16%) seek treatment.
Up to half of all visits to primary care physicians are due
to conditions caused or exacerbated by psychiatric or emotional
One in five children has a diagnosable mental, emotional
or behavior disorder.
Thirty thousand Americans commit suicide each year and 500,000
Americans attempt suicide annually.
Each year, depression costs the U.S. economy $43.7 billion,
including the $31.3 billion for indirect costs such as decreased
productivity & lost work days.
Fifty percent of the morality from the 10 leading causes
of death in the U.S. can be attributed to behavioral factors,
With proper & adequate treatment, most people who suffer
with a psychiatric disability can recover | <urn:uuid:708f32e8-412b-4377-be76-07b6c8f6b652> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.raphaelwebscapes.com/mha/guide.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.903915 | 210 | 2.734375 | 3 |
If you plan to become an EC-12 teacher; work in health, fitness and wellness professions; or engage in a career focused on college students, you will discover a range of nationally accredited degree and certification options administered and taught by highly regarded, experienced professionals in the College of Education.
Among our diverse programs at the undergraduate level are Early Childhood Education, Middle Childhood/Early Adolescence, and Secondary Education leading to licensure in the State of Arkansas. Programs leading to licensure at the graduate level include Master of Arts in Teaching (initial licensure), Instructional Technology (Library Media P-8 and 7-12), Special Education P-4, and Special Education 4-8. Other graduate programs are the Master of Education in Physical Education and the Master of Science in College Student Personnel.
Please feel free to contact us if you have questions or if you would like to meet with an education advisor to discuss career options. | <urn:uuid:1031b849-b1a8-4741-a6c8-1d1bdc0b6666> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.atu.edu/education/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935309 | 187 | 1.554688 | 2 |
E. M. Kokie
Candlewick Press, Fiction, Sept. 12, 2012
Suitable for Ages: 14-17
Themes: War, Deployments, Dealing with Loss, Grief, Redemption
Synopsis: Matt Foster is drowning in grief after his older brother, T.J., is killed in Iraq. Matt has a rocky relationship with his father who is stoic and doesn’t know how to deal with his own feelings about T.J.’s death, let alone help Matt with his loss. Matt has a minefield of problems like failing classes, getting into serious fights with kids, and expulsion from school. When T.J.’s personal items are delivered by the military, his father stashes them away, daring Matt to go near them. Shauna, his best friend, is the only person Matt confides in. He fears his bully father, but knows that the only way he can understand what has happened to T.J. is by opening the sealed trunks without getting caught. Matt finds stacks of letters T.J. has written to Celia Carson and photos. At the very bottom is a letter sealed in an envelope to “Celia” that T.J. never got to send. After reading each letter over and over, Matt decides he must travel from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin to deliver the letter and photos to Celia. Together with Shauna, they plot his trip, calculate the cost, find where Celia lives and her place of employment, and find a cheap place for Matt to stay. Shauna loans Matt her car. In searching for answers about his brother in Wisconsin, Matt discovers he doesn’t know T.J. at all.
Why I like this book: E. M. Kokie has written a courageous and beautiful debut novel that is complicated and compelling. She delves deeply into the anger, pain, and grief of a 17-year-old trying to make sense of his brother’s death. Matt wants to know the truth so he can find closure. It leads him on a journey where he uncovers shocking truths about his brother he never imagined. What Matt learns challenges him to honor T.J.’s memory, stand up to his volatile father, and take charge of his own life. In many ways it is also a coming of age book that includes his relationship with Shauna. There is no tidy ending and this book is as real as it gets. You won’t easily forget Matt. It is definitely a book for kids in high school and young adults. Visit E.M. Kokie at her website and learn more about this author who writes “about teens on the cusp of life-changing moments, exploring issues of identity and self-determination.”
SPOILER ALERT: Thought it important to include a quote from the author E.M. Kokie: “I think it is important to note that many LGBTQ service members who served under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” policy, including over 13,000 military personnel who were discharged.” Matt’s story about how his brother lived a secret life is not uncommon. Yet, T.J. was deployed three times, served honorably and was killed in an explosion. Make sure you read the author’s note at the end of the book. | <urn:uuid:321ae367-3904-4de6-9cfd-762e2e2a4902> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://childrensbooksheal.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981719 | 704 | 1.875 | 2 |
I’ve to admit Kermit’s vocabulary is increasing day by day. What I can really say about Senegal Parrots, they pretty talented talkers. So far I had already recorded Kermit saying word like “Peek-a-Boo” and mimic funny sound like the human laughter and the baby-like mumbling.
To be honest, he knows other words but I lacked the chance in capturing them. This morning when I was preparing breakfast for Kermit and Kiki, Kermit replied with his own name “Kermit”. The word “Kermit” was clear and distinctive. Below is the short sound clip that I recorded:
It’s great to see that Kermit has learned his own name. I am really hope that one day he will learn to call my name, Bryan.
Kermit may not be the best talker compared to any African Greys or Amazons, but he has his own great talents of mimicking sounds. Lately, Kermit managed to pick up mimicking laughter from me. Do take note the first and third laughs were from me, whereas the second, fourth and fifth laughs belong to Kermit.
I’ve to admit that his laughter sounds abit fake and rather low in pitch. I’m very certain that Kermit already did his very best. Furthermore, Senegal Parrots are not known for their mimic abilities.
On my previous post, I shared about Kermit uttered the word “Peek-a-Boo”. Till now Kermit has been trying very hard to learn new words, and he has been constantly mumbling.
Yesterday when I was giving Kermit some nice head rub and massage, he mimics some funny sound. Below is the sound clip that I captured:
He does sound like a human baby uttering some noise. At one part of the sound clip, my mum thought it was a human baby giggling away! Well done Kermit!
The frequency of Kermit saying “Peek-a-Boo” has gradually increased a lot. Every morning, he will say “Peek-a-Boo” with his low volume cute little voice, expecting me to remove the cage cover.
Although the increasing frequency of hearing Kermit’s “Peek-a-Boo”, but he still hesitate to perform the amusing mimicry in front of other family audience. He’s indeed a shy performer.
Below is the video clip taken in the morning. Kermit appears to say “Peak-a-Boo” at video time 0:08, 1:05 and 1:14 respectively.
During lunch, I was lucky to capture a sound clip of Kermit saying “Peek-a-Boo”. It’s so fun hearing Kermit repeating “Peek-a-Boo” and his voice is indeed cute. Although there are some limitation in clarity of Kermit’s mimicry.
Kermit started to utter “Peek-a-Boo” just weeks ago. He’s still mumbling and imitating funny noises like the telephone ringing. I’m very sure that his vocabularies will continue to grow! | <urn:uuid:3faadca6-4042-44a3-bc3a-744598eb483a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bryansangels.net/category/talking-kermit/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973979 | 685 | 1.71875 | 2 |
There’s no rib in a McRib. There are about 70 other ingredients. The greatest amount of them come from ground-up low-value pork trimmings mixed together with salt and water to create “meat logs” that are then carved to size. So in what forest do you find a meat log?
McDonald’s posts a McRib ingredients list on their website, which is appended to this post. But just reading a raw ingredients list is a little obtuse. Far more revelatory is to hear how the McRib masterminder, Roger Mandigo, a professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, described the process behind making “restructured meat products” in Food Chains: From Farmyard to Shopping Cart:
“Most people would be extremely unhappy if they were served heart or tongue on a plate,” he observed. “But flaked into a restructured product it loses its identity. Such products as tripe, heart, and scalded stomachs are high in protein, completely edible, wholesome, and nutritious, and most are already used in sausage without objection.” Pork patties could be shaped into any form and marketed in restaurants or for airlines, solving a secondary problem of irregular portion size of cuts such as pork chops. In 1981 McDonald’s introduced a boneless pork sandwich of chunked and formed meat called the McRib, developed in part through check-off funds [micro-donations from pork producers] from the NPPC [National Pork Producers Council]. It was not as popular as the McNugget, introduced in 1983, would be, even though both products were composed of unmarketable parts of the animal (skin and dark meat in the McNugget). The McNugget, however, benefited from positive consumer associations with chicken, even though it had none of the “healthy” attributes people associated with poultry.
[via ChicagoMag] (Thanks to David!)
McRib ingredients list:
McRib ®†:
McRib Pork Patty, McRib Bun, McRib Sauce, Pickle Slices, Slivered Onions
McRib Pork Patty:
Pork, water, salt, dextrose, preservatives (BHA, propyl gallate, citric acid)
Enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, yeast, high fructose corn syrup, contains 2% or less of the following: salt, corn meal, wheat gluten, soybean oil, partially hydrogenated soybean and/or cottonseed oils, dextrose, sugar, malted barley flour, cultured wheat flour, calcium sulfate, ammonium sulfate, soy flour, dough conditioners (sodium stearoyl lactylate, datem, ascorbic acid, azodicarbonamide, mono- and diglycerides, ethoxylated mono- and diglycerides, monocalcium phosphate, enzymes, guar gum, calcium peroxide), calcium propionate (preservative), soy lecithin.
Water, high fructose corn syrup, tomato paste, distilled vinegar, molasses, natural smoke flavor (plant source), food starch-modified, salt, sugar, spices, soybean oil, xanthan gum, onion powder, garlic powder, chili pepper, sodium benzoate (preservative), caramel color, beet powder
The McRib Is Back, Temporarily | <urn:uuid:7f199480-3641-4176-9033-e84511ce60e1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://consumerist.com/2011/11/02/whats-a-mcrib-made-of/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00044-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.906551 | 753 | 2.46875 | 2 |
The strange thing about Gov. Rick Perry’s proposed flat-tax plan is that it doesn’t really please pundits and policy wonks on either side of the political aisle.
For conservatives, the plan does not make the tax code any simpler. It leaves intact the current tax system, while allowing taxpayers to opt into a second plan with lower tax rates.
It does not wipe away tax expenditures, so unpopular with Republicans, like the mortgage-interest or charitable-donation deductions.
And, while it shifts the political conversation toward the more traditional view of the flat tax and lowers rates for rich people and corporations, it’s not an all-out consumption tax that focuses on raising revenue through purchases rather than income.
“Clearly, it’s not the ideal,” says Alan D. Viard of the American Enterprise Institute. “Most of us want to see a clear consumption tax."
Perry’s tax proposal would let people and companies still file within the current system, or they would opt into Perry’s system, in which their rates would be lowered to a “flat” 20 percent. The GOP presidential candidate also proposes raising the eligibility age for Medicare, capping all federal spending at 18 percent of the GDP, and offering a one-time repatriation tax holiday for corporations with a reduced tax rate of 5.25 percent on repatriated earnings.
For liberals, Perry's idea of a flat tax is equally unimpressive. There’s concern that a flat-tax proposal could disproportionately hurt lower- and middle-income taxpayers -- a criticism that the Texas governor has tried to combat by increasing the standard deduction for individuals and dependents to $12,500 from $5,800.
Even one of the grandfathers of the flat tax, Alvin Rabushka, says he needs more specifics on the Perry plan before he raises a glass in celebration of his favorite fiscal idea. “Perry’s plan is better than current law, but Rabuska is better than Perry,” he said by phone on Tuesday.
The Perry camp called him, Rabushka said, for a 20-minute telephone conversation and quick walk-through of his book on the flat tax, but they just talked in general principles and didn’t get into the nitty-gritty of whether Perry’s plan would be a revenue-neutral tax plan as conservatives like.
That’s a hardly a ringing endorsement from the foremost proponent of the flat tax—or from any conservative, really.
The gist of what they say is: Perry’s plan is better than what we have now but still not a perfect fit. Everyone needs more data to crunch, and it’s unclear if Perry’s plan would stay revenue neutral or actually cause the government to lose money.
Either way, capping federal spending at 18 percent of the GDP, as Perry has proposed as part of his flat-ax plan, could require serious spending cuts. Is either party ready for that? | <urn:uuid:88693ed3-42a0-4c01-b7f7-c62d15922512> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nationaljournal.com/economy/perry-s-flat-tax-proposal-unlikely-to-please-anyone-20111025 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957923 | 629 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Border security is the linchpin of the immigration debate. In the blueprint outlined on Monday, Republicans agreed to the Democrat requirement that any bill needs a pathway to citizenship. But there was one caveat. This pathway is "contingent upon securing our borders."
We’ve been asking if it’s even possible to ‘secure’ our borders?
A recently revealed study suggests that the border agency may be struggling with more than crossers, but also with internal corruption.
Since Oct. 1, 2004, 147 agency officers and agents have been charged with or convicted of corruption-related offenses, ranging from taking bribes to allow drugs into the country to stealing government money. About a dozen of those cases came to light in 2012.
The department’s inspector general has withheld information, neglected investigations and accumulated a backlog of investigations that at one point reached more than 1,000 corruption cases.
Check out their interactive feature: Customs and Border Protection agents and officers are increasingly becoming the target of corruption investigations. Here are some recent cases. Click on the photos to see more information about each one. Note: Some photos were unavailable. | <urn:uuid:4106db75-6b1b-4c01-8987-548427dfb4c2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kpbs.org/news/2013/jan/29/hidden-internal-study-finds-corruption-among-bord/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954138 | 240 | 1.742188 | 2 |
In the United Kingdom, the more mobile phone towers a county has, the more babies are born there every year. In fact, for every extra cell phone tower beyond the average number, a county will see 17.6 more babies. Is this evidence that cell phone signals have some nefarious baby-making effect on the human body?
Nope. Instead, it’s a simple example of why correlation and causation should never be mistaken for the same thing. Writes Matt Parker in the Gaurdian:
This was discovered by taking the publicly available data on the number of mobile phone masts in each county across the United Kingdom and then matching it against the live birth data for the same counties. When a regression line is calculated it has a “correlation coefficient” (a measure of how good the match is) of 98.1 out of 100. To be “statistically significant” a pattern in a dataset needs to be less than 5% likely to be found in random data (known as a “p-value”), and the masts-births correlation only has a 0.00003% probability of occurring by chance.
The match between mobile phone towers and birth rates is an extremely strong correlation and it is highly statistically significant. … Mobile phone masts, however, have absolutely no bearing on the number of births. There is no causal link between the masts and the births despite the strong correlation. Both the number of mobile phone transmitters and the number of live births are linked to a third, independent factor: the local population size. As the population of an area goes up, so do both the number of mobile phone users and the number people giving birth.
But wait, there’s more! To test the media’s science savvy, Parker sent out a press release detailing the correlation he found—but without any information on the real cause of both factors. Interesting object lesson or in-real-life trolling? Can’t it be both? The press release went out late last week. If you’ve spotted any stories about the fertility powers of cell phone towers, leave a link in the comments. | <urn:uuid:b3bcc391-5e9c-401a-abfc-27d2f2c24463> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://landofthefreeish.com/offtopic/creating-a-phony-health-scare-with-the-power-of-statistical-correlation/comment-page-1/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.922569 | 444 | 2.59375 | 3 |
This is a guest blog post by former Programme Assistant Hannah Slater.
QCEA is pleased to present a new short-film looking at the role of the Rami Levy supermarkets in the West Bank. You can watch the video below, and please share it with friends and colleagues!
Rami Levy stores have been springing up across the West Bank for several years now. Israeli businesses have been providing services to the settlements for decades but there is something different about these supermarkets. Rami Levy stores are located just outside the settlements, drawing both Israeli and Palestinian customers from the area.
In these shiny, well-stocked supermarkets, Palestinians and Israelis shop side by side. Families and individuals from both sides of this 60-year conflict encounter “the other” as they roam the aisles searching out the best deals.
On the superficial level, the integration of both communities in the economic forum of a supermarket is a positive development, especially at a time when separation (or even apartheid) policies are becoming the norm. The best way to break down the pernicious stereotypes which fuel hatred and fear and which are sadly deeply entrenched in this conflict is for Palestinians and Israelis to actually meet each other. In a supermarket, shoppers are all there with the same objective; finding good products at good prices. Politics are not part of the equation.
But is this really the case? The argument that economics and politics are separate, unconnected spheres is a fallacy which has been disproved time and time again, in many places and contexts. How do Rami Levy stores affect the social, economic and political dynamics of the West Bank on a deeper level?
Rami Levy currently has four supermarkets in the West Bank. They are situated just outside the settlements of Gush Etzion, Sha’ar Binyamin, Beitar Illit and Mishor Adumim[i]. Like many other Israeli industries in the West Bank, they provide jobs for Palestinians as well as Israelis.
Job provision for the Palestinians is an argument that has long been used by those who seek to justify the occupation of the West Bank, where hundreds of Israeli companies now operate. But really what we should be asking is why unemployment is so high in the West Bank in the first place. The occupation discriminates against Palestinian business and keeps economic activity at minimum levels. To have Israeli companies providing a few jobs here and there is not a substitute for a healthy Palestinian economy.
Like any other discount chain, Rami Levy seeks to undercut its competition. In this case its competitors are Palestinian shopkeepers. Israel already maintains a tight stranglehold on the Palestinian economy through the restriction of access and free movement of goods and people. Are Israeli supermarkets in the West Bank another means of dominating the Palestinian economy? With Palestinian infrastructure (even that which is funded by international donors) unable to gain permits and at high risk of demolition, it is unlikely that a Palestinian supermarket in the West Bank would have been granted a permit.
The Palestinian Ministry of National Economy calculated the costs imposed by the Israeli occupation on the Palestinian economy to be $6.9 billion for 2010 alone[ii]. (In 2009 the Israeli economy measured $214 billion and the Palestinian economy measured $12.79 billion.[iii]) Despite talk of an economic peace between the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Israel, it is clear that economic warfare is a major arrow in the Israeli bow.
Rami Levy stores were considered to be so harmful to the Palestinian economy that the PA called for a boycott of the supermarkets in 2010. Nevertheless these stores continue to attract Palestinian shoppers with their reliable supply, cheap prices and wide-ranging goods, even at the expense of the Palestinian shopkeepers.
Rami Levy’s profits return to Israel. Tensions are created in communities between those who work or shop at Rami Levy and those who work and shop at Palestinian stores. If a Palestinian shop goes out of business and a family loses its livelihood, it’s a victory for the occupation which seeks to transfer Palestinians out of large areas of the West Bank, as noted in a recent EU report on Area C.
Rami Levy contributes to the normalisation of the occupation by alienating Palestinians from their own communities and encouraging Palestinian shoppers and workers to appreciate the Israeli provision of jobs and services and cheap goods. While it is important not to encourage the mentality of “us versus them,” it is also crucial to recognise that it is the occupation that has created a situation of high unemployment and prices in the West Bank. Encouraging Palestinians to shop in Israeli supermarkets undermines not only Palestinian identity and solidarity, but also the two-state solution.
We also know that founding entrepreneur Rami Levy himself is a supporter of the Zionist project. In 2011, the magnate moved into the real estate business, investing in the development of the Nof Zion settlement in occupied East Jerusalem. He told the Israeli National News that his motivations in this investment are not only as a business but also because “of my love for the city of Jerusalem and its importance to the Jewish people[iv].”
The political role of these supermarkets is clear when you consider the separation for security narrative which dominates Israeli thought today – both politically and in the general population. Israel claims that the only way to protect its citizens is to separate them from the Palestinians by a vast separation barrier (“the Wall”), checkpoints, and a totalitarian permit regime. But when it comes to Palestinians foregoing their own long-fought-for identity to shop in Israeli supermarkets, this discourse suddenly disappears.
While bringing together Israeli and Palestinian families and individuals in their everyday lives is ostensibly a positive step for peace on a personal level, it is important to be vigilant to the ways in which these supermarkets can undermine Palestinian social, political and economic life and indeed the two-state solution through the normalisation of the occupation.
[i] Israel National News ‘Zionist Entrepreneur Saves Jerusalem Neighborhood’ http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/141777#.T6ksl-joLgU
[ii] Palestinian Ministry of National Economy ‘The Economic Costs of the Israeli Occupation for the Occupied PalestinianTerritory’ September 2011
[iii] CIA World Factbook Country statistics on Israel https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/is.html and Country statistics on West Bank (and Gaza) https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/we.html
[iv] Israel National News ‘Zionist Entrepreneur Saves Jerusalem Neighborhood’ http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/141777#.T6ksl-joLgU | <urn:uuid:cb792be9-e417-4d33-b2fb-32c206f9efd1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://qceablog.wordpress.com/2013/01/10/rami-levy-video/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945208 | 1,399 | 1.984375 | 2 |
The Symbol of Industrial Reel in Korea: Samkook Industrial
A reel is often a circling tool around which generally long and flexible materials are wrapped for storage. In general, this tool has a cylindrical device at its core and circular walls on both sides attached with retaining grips. The reel has a multitude of diverse uses. For example, a fisherman uses a reel at work, and special reel is used to project movies at theaters. There are also many different types of industrial reels that are rolling in and out every day. We often find them where heavy loads have to be moved from one place to another. All in all, reels play an imperative role in today’s modern industry.
In Korea, Samkook Industrial, a pioneer in the cable reel industry, has been manufacturing various industrial reels for 18 years since 1991. Its quality has been well recognized at home and abroad as evidenced by increasing demand for their reel products as well as market competiveness in numerous international markets including Japan, United States, Australia, Spain, Russia, etc. This global success is due to Samkook Industrial’s modernization efforts that result in strict quality control, the best customer service, and, more importantly, a large share in the Korean market.
Samkook Industrial’s Reel Businesses
The company is overseeing several business areas for large cable reel, reel for special purpose vehicle, and reel for air, oil, grease, and hose. Samkook Industrial also manufactures magnet coupler cable reels, high pressure hoses, power-mounted reel for special purpose vehicles, reels for ship yard, heavy industries, and power plants. They also offer alternate reel products including Hose reel, Cable reel, Air hose reel, Water hose reel, Cord reel, Crane reel, and others.
Cable reels have two different types of spring and motor, and its practical applications are for plants, factories, and ship yards. Crane reels are used in fire trucks and special vehicles for construction and lubrication.
You can find more information at http://www.koreel.com/eng/main/intro.htm | <urn:uuid:ba0aa055-6eef-4d8f-8d5f-fafa701ed454> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://koreaittimes.com/story/22063/symbol-industrial-reel-korea-samkook-industrial | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950858 | 440 | 2.203125 | 2 |
A UCSF cancer education project has received the 2010 Faith Fancher Award from the California Breast Cancer Research Program, as well as a $600,000 grant recognizing the best proposal focused on underserved populations. The project is led by Jeffrey Belkora, PhD
, director of Decision Services at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, in collaboration with Sara O’Donnell, executive director of the Cancer Resource Centers of Mendocino County, and involves training resource center staff to help patients compile questions, take notes and record key discussions with surgeons and oncologists.
The project aims to help patients better absorb, understand and act upon the information provided by the doctor, the researchers said, and “gives voice” to rural communities, which are often inaccessible to researchers and thus understudied. As a result of the research, the team will develop a set of policies, procedures and guidelines to help patients address their information needs more effectively, Belkora said. Belkora, an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery and the Institute for Health Policy Studies, also won a medical advocate award bestowed by Dorland Health, a media publisher in health care business information, in early October.
Faith Fancher was a long-time Bay Area television news anchor and reporter who waged a public battle against breast cancer. She was a founding member of the California Breast Cancer Research Program’s executive team, which formed in 2001. She died two years later. In her honor, the annual Faith Fancher Research award was created to recognize a researcher, institution or community-based organization whose work reflects her values.
Other UCSF proposals that were funded by the California Breast Cancer Research Program for 2010 include research projects led by faculty members Mark Moasser, MD
, and Catherine Park, MD
, as well as projects undertaken by postdoctoral researchers Noelle Huskey, Leonard Kusdra, and Lauren Goldman.
Read more at Elizabeth Fernandez, UCSF News Office | <urn:uuid:573e417a-b31f-4df8-aaf1-5b9bc59b7494> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cancer.ucsf.edu/news/2010/10/25/breast-cancer-project-lauded-for-helping-rural-underserved.559 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958765 | 403 | 1.703125 | 2 |
By Renewable Energy Focus staff
A further 7 clean energy projects are waitlisted for review and possible support, REEEP says.
A total of 11 projects will target South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, and just under half of all the funded clean energy projects support the development of policies and regulations that aim to create the basic market conditions for clean energy.
Five projects specifically target low-carbon development in China, including a study on a national-level carbon trading framework with the Energy Research Institute of the NDRC, and a smart grids study on how to integrate an increasing share of renewable energy into the Chinese electricity network, led by the China Electric Power Research Institute.
“This year we have increased the level of scrutiny of the proposals and have decided to support a lower number of projects than previously announced. The emphasis is on a smaller but quality portfolio which can provide an evidence base for global public policy on low-carbon development and the green economy,” says Binu Parthan, REEEP’s Deputy Director General.
“We are also pleased to add Indonesia to our portfolio and see considerable opportunities for low-carbon energy in that country.” | <urn:uuid:cd1d4e64-c135-498d-84a0-66dbf14e6237> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.renewableenergyfocus.com/view/19169/reeep-funds-21-clean-energy-projects/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93133 | 238 | 1.914063 | 2 |
WORLD WAR II MEMORABILIA….
Map images from the net***
My grandfather migrated to Burma in the early 1900s and settled down as a Chief Engineer, PWD with the Government of Burma. My father was born in Rangoon and so were his siblings, 8 of them….!! I heard many stories in my childhood about Burma (now Myanmar). The most interesting ones were about their trek through the jungles of Northern Burma and N.E India during the war.
The Stilwell Road, built by General Joseph Stilwell of the US Army, linking India with Myanmar and China during World War II, still resonates harrowing stories from the greatest chapters of World War II. It reminds us of the refugees that poured into India when Myanmar fell to the Japanese. The 3727ft-high Pangsau Pass in the Patkai Hills was among places they had crossed into India. There should be many published accounts of the Indians who uprooted themselves and later faced the real migration crisis. Time definitely healed all wounds, but couldn't take away the memories! The hearts adapted to the new environment and only started breathing...
We take our daily lives for granted. We think, no one would be interested to know about the past? Would the generations that follow want to know about the ancestral lives/ roots…. I believe they would. Maybe a hundred years from now someone, someplace, will search for his ancestral roots. The purpose of this blog is to leave a permanent record for posterity--- a project made up of time and sweat equity, and with no money.
Unfortunately, the family could not bring back many photographs, But Baba’s pencil drawings provided the spark for many of the best pictures…lots of stories came alive through the illustrations. I am going to share some of these sketches which gave us the glimpses of our ancestral home in Rangoon.
Before that a little bit of background:
My grandparents died at an early age. So my father, being the eldest had to take charge of the household. He completed his graduation and was given a job on compassionate grounds by the govt. It was a good life – almost too good to last.... And so it proved, when the Japanese advanced swiftly, setting to flight the British forces.
The first air raid on Rangoon, came on December 23, 1941 and it was followed by another one on Dec 25, this time with incendiary bombs. The initial booms of the guns had caused considerable confusion, but when the raids intensified, it stirred in alarm.
There was a breakdown of law and order and the Indian population began to panic. They started packing their valuables and began to move northwards towards Mandalay, with the intention of continuing the journey and crossing the border into India.
Baba could not leave Burma because he was classified as an “on-duty” official who had to stay on in Rangoon. However, he did not want to expose his brothers and sisters to the ongoing bombing in Rangoon. So, he arranged to send his siblings in southwest Burma, on the Bay of Bengal; so that they could travel by sea from Rangoon to Calcutta (now Kolkata). The docks were in a mess because of the exodus…departures were announced only an hour before the time of sailing. The unscheduled mobilization plans induced more fear, but people could only grit their teeth in despair.
Many Indian families left their assets, and came holding back tears and feeling indignant. How could they start living in an alien country in such a warped and lopsided conditions…? The question whether their initiative would receive supporting response from the other side remained an enigma. My father’s eldest sister had wisely tucked some gold ornaments in her sari before sailing. So, the young brigade had something in hand to begin with ….my youngest aunt was just five years old, rest of them were still finishing school/college. Education was yet another issue. All this and much more left them filled with apprehensions...
The children had created an image of Kolkata but were ill prepared for the real version of it! Kolkata was crowded with refugees; people were squeezing themselves in homes where they could secure footholds. This coincided with the famous Bengal Famine of 1942-44. Two of my father’s uncles very kindly offered these kids a shelter and slowly the family started ‘living’...though it was a hand-to-mouth existence.
In the mean while, the Japanese were advancing rapidly… food was scare; law and order crashed down. My third uncle had stayed back with my father; so both of them moved into a local bunker with some drinking water and dry food.
The frequency of bombing increased and one night a bomb exploded just a few yards away from their bunker. Next morning they found their house was hit by a bomb and was buried under a mountain of rubble. Their hearts crushed and brought around a sense of alienation. The two brothers hauled and heaved and thumped through the rubble for the rest of the day, and perhaps a bit of the night…A bird whirled up in the night air before winging on towards the valley…My Dad said," it was an indication, that came to us from the Almighty to join the convoy of refugees…."
They started their trek from Maymyo to India. The distance was about 520 km. Initially, they spent the daytime in trenches, could come out only at night as the Japanese were on the mountains, taking shots at anything that moved in the plateau of Maymyo. There was no electric power at all; even a lit cigarette or a torchlight attracted sniper fire!
Baba said, it took them almost 40 days to walk through the course of the Irrawaddy and then Chindwin River. The final cross-over into India was the most difficult one, which was through the unchartered terrain—over the mountains that separate Manipur from Burma. The two brothers walked, hand in hand, in the shadows of the mountains; they were homesick and miserable, suspicious of the shuffling night noises, terrified of the dangerous animals, sickness and death studding the dark forests. However, the difficulties of the road were preferable to the uncertainties of remaining where they were….
I sent this link to my elder brother after publishing it.... and he wrote back a few interesting things. I am attaching his note here...:)) Thanks Dada, for adding value to my blog.
"... some of the childhood stories that I had heard.
1. Our Dadu (grandfather) had later become a builder making bridges and roads as contractor.
2. As Baba and Bhalo Kaku (3rd uncle) were walking back home and riots had broken out between Burmese and Indians. A Burmese group put a knife on Baba . A guy living close to the place where this was happening, opened his window and demanded Baba be left alone as he was very young. The group asked for money to do that and that guy through the money from the window and baba and Bhalo Kaku ran for their lives.
4. During the long walk from Rangoon, they had exotic adventures of living with corpses who died due cholera,with snake and huge big mosquitoes. Some had died due to Malaria and had to be left out they drank water from mountain rivers, ate vegetation created by God. On one such occasion, while Baba was drinking from a mountain river, he came across a Tiger drinking on the opposite bank.
5. Baba was to go to London to become a barrister which had to be abndoned as Dadu expired.
6.Uncle J was studying Medical at Calcutta those days and the family decided he should continue. That was the kind of sacrifice they made for each other.
7. After coming to India Uncle J continued his Medical, others went to school. Bhalo Kaku(3rd uncle) went to George Telegraph to train for a shipping career and Baba went to Lucknow to work and run the family. He also made an income from Tabla at concerts and All India Radio which came in handy for the large family.
8. Recall. the Fluency and pronounciation in English by the 3 Pishis ( aunts) due to their British Schooling. At the same time the letters that the brother wrote to each other were always in impecable English language and superb hand writing. And Bibhu Pishi's paintings were quite famous but she never continued which you followed with your classical music .This Bedhi exists in the next gen also with Buchka ( my darling nephew) never continuing with his cricket.
5. You remember the House in Calcutta they took on rent after coming to India eventually ( where we also spent a good time of our childhood with all our bros and sis)was a make shift conversion from a stable for the Britsih Horses. Recall the brick road leading to the house and the rings on walls of the house. The Road was built for Horses and the Rings to tie them up. -Also recall the small Varandah with a half wall railing--That was for the horse feed which was kept outside and the Horses could put out their necks to feed themselves.
-You will recall our childhood with eight bro sis with their families and the fantastic Woman Friday Komolar Ma all staying in that 3 room portion of the Stable.The braekfast lunch and dinner sittng on the floor in one such room and exquisite culinery skills of Komolar Ma.
Very Interesting memories conjured up on reading your blog. Thought I share it with you as well.
These are some of the pencil sketches made by my Dad. We have them in our family album. With age, the papers have discolored, lost sheen---but for Sengupta Collectors, this is a treasure worth millions!
A treasure....preserved in our household....
My grandfather's house in Rangoon ...
A Trash Cart...( Rangoon life)
A carriage used by my grandfather ...:)
Nyeti...the lady in Lyungi--traditional attire who looked after the kids ..
Burmese Snake Charmer--The Kiss..
Burmese Cat...* this pic from net*
Datas collected from net.....***
The first reaction that came in from the next generation : From Shubhankar Sengupta (my nephew)
It was truly amazing to read what you have written. I just can't stop feeling proud thinking that I belong to a family of fighters. Interestingly even I bag a mention in the article. To even get a mere mention among such stalwarts is in itself very satisfying and at the same time immensely motivating. I must say that there were so many stories that I have never even heard of, for instance, Dadai being a government servant while in Burma , Dadai sleeping with corpses plus his narrow escape from robbers with the help of a godsend, about the house you all used to stay in Kolkata, Komolar Maa and her culinery skills and much more.
I cant help but marvel at the way our elders lead there lives with so much respect, dignity and mutual admiration for each other notwithstanding the tough times they were subjected to. There is so much to learn and take out from the way they lead their lives. And of course i thank you for compiling all this and writing a beautiful blog that has much to tell about our family and our roots and more importantly creating a ready reference for the coming generations of our family and for that matter even for me.
Did you post this on Facebook?? If not then can i post it??
Proud member of the Sengupta family.
I am completely honored to be a part of this pragmatic family tree. Having read your article and Mama’s anecdotes, I now know how this generation got its sense of humility, patience and humaneness. As the wise men say, “No power in society, no hardship in your condition can depress you, keep you down, in knowledge, power, virtue and influence, but by your own consent”, “The Sengupta Clan” has truly lived up to this. They fought their way through, saw difficult times, but never gave up. They were all successful professionals in their own fields as well as successful human beings in their own way.
Just being there for each other, sacrifices, helping distant relatives in despair, finding them jobs, helping them rehabilitate…..Phew!!!.....Hats off to them!!! Instances such as the family egging Jethu Dadai on to pursue a career in medical studies, Dadai sacrificing a prospective one as a Barrister (in London), Boro Pishi Dida deciding to stay single to look after the younger ones, two brothers deciding to stay back in Burma, while the entire family migrated ; I honestly don’t think this generation has the grit or the selflessness to make sacrifices to this effect. It’s sad that we lost most of them early; Gosh! There could have been just so much to learn and so many more tales to be heard.
Would someday love to go back to Burma(Myanmar now) and trace down my roots.
Thanks for this Ma! | <urn:uuid:f5d0b718-0c7c-4b77-9e71-4ee8e6a3405e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://panchalibolchi.blogspot.in/2012/07/burma-road.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.98248 | 2,759 | 2.09375 | 2 |
Students, teachers, professors, administrators and parents came together Tuesday night at Mesa Community College to view a 2009 documentary on the stress and over-testing of K-12 students and participate in a panel discussion on the issues that schools, students and families face.
“I felt it was a very compelling story,” said Tawn Hauptli, PhD., an MCC education faculty member who organized the event. “We all felt it was worth seeing, worth having a community dialogue about.”
Over the last few years, a number of documentaries have tried to detail the challenges that students in American public school face. From funding to preparing teachers, to homework debates to charter schools, documentaries explore the challenges of public schools and often propose solutions.
While one of the most popular in this genre, “Waiting for Superman,” seems to make the point that schools are not rigorous enough and students are quietly passed from grade to grade without learning much of anything, the film shown Tuesday — “Race to Nowhere” — focuses on how many students are over-tested, over-stressed and willing to do anything to get good grades.
“I was a little confused,” said Rodney Holmes, PhD., MCC Dean of Instruction. “This was really only about the top one or two percent of students trying to get into the top one or two percent of schools.”
However, a few parents voiced concerns about their children, who in elementary school, had daily homework.
An increase in homework became a common response to the No Child Left Behind Act, signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2001, said Noreen Roman, a Gilbert high school psychologist. However, homework is only effective at different levels at different ages.
Another impact of No Child Left Behind was the increase in student testing.
“We use test scores like they’re stack,” said Joe Thomas, vice president of Arizona Education Association and a former high school government teacher in Mesa. “The same year we were required to have third graders proficient in reading, we stopped funding all-day kindergarten.”
In “Race to Nowhere,” students tell of their experiences with anorexia, insomnia, hours of homework, tutoring centers, extra curricular activities to pad college applications and cheating to receive higher marks.
“We (have a tendency to) teach the way we were taught,” said . “In teaching in different ways, by using different methods rather than only the way we were taught, we can change the way students learn.”
Rather than teaching students to be generalists or specialists, Dr. Kenneth Flemming, a middle school principal in Glendale while also adjunct faculty at MCC, suggests teaching students to be “versatilists.”
“Learning for me came when my hands were on it, more than when I was reading about it,” Flemming said. “We have to teach multiple intelligence, to solve real world problems.”
By giving homework, teachers are often trying to reinforce skills they didn’t have enough time to reinforce during the school hours, Roman said. With the quick pace of curriculum, there isn’t time to wait for all students to fully grasp every concept.
“It’s not reinforcing anymore, it’s, ‘do this so we can move on,’” she said. “They’re being handcuffed.”
So students, in turn, use other methods to get better grades, the documentary suggests. They may turn to the ADHD medication Adderall to focus on their homework; they may work late in the night; they may begin to cheat off of classmates.
“You’d be surprised how many kids are graduating from high school and doing remedial courses,” said Holmes. “It’s the drill factor, but we’re not teaching them to learn.”
One of the observations by the filmmaker is that schools of the future may not look much like the schools of the last 100 years, possibly more organically integrating play, creativity and exploration into the school day.
“By saying schools haven’t changed in the last 100 years overlooks the changes we have made,” Thomas said. “100 years ago, there wasn’t the technology we have now and there may not have been girls in classrooms.”
Classes wouldn’t have been broken up by grade and learning level and there wouldn’t have been black students in classrooms if it was a white school, Thomas said.
Hauptli hopes to continue the discussion with the community. For future updates to the discussion, email Hauptli at email@example.com.
Contact writer: (480) 898-5645 or firstname.lastname@example.org | <urn:uuid:39143a0f-06d0-472d-9c6f-840dfc31c33c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://eastvalleytribune.com/local/education/article_79a4ff6e-1980-11e2-ad28-0019bb2963f4.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972114 | 1,035 | 2.625 | 3 |
A UFO was seen by millions of people hovering over the opening ceremonies at the London Olympics earlier this week. The glowing craft could be seen during the huge fireworks display at the end. Most people missed (or ignored) it, but one eagle-eyed TV viewer was convinced he’d seen something mysterious.
He posted a video of it to YouTube and it went viral, stirring controversy around the Web (watch the video at the bottom of this post). Enhancing the video, some saw a dome atop a disc-shaped spacecraft; others thought it might be a blimp at first, but realized it wasn’t because, as one poster asked, “Why would a company spend millions getting a blimp in the air and then not put advertising on it?”
This is not the first time that UFOs have been sighted flying over or near public events. Though extraterrestrials have been shy about landing on the proverbial White house lawn, they have (allegedly) appeared above huge crowds many times.
For example, in December 2011 an unidentified craft was spotted hovering high above an anti-government protest in Moscow's Bolotnaya Square in Russia. It was strangely silent, and clearly not a helicopter. The UFO was caught on video, and had some protesters wondering if they were being watched by aliens. Later analysis showed that the UFO was in fact a camera drone used by the news media.
Then there was the case of UFOs sighted over a Scottsdale, Ariz., high school football game in October 2011. The four bright lights seemed to move slowly in the sky, sometimes blinking randomly and lasted for about a minute and a half. Predictably, a video of it was posted it to YouTube, where within days it became one of the top stories on Yahoo News and sparked "a national mystery.”
I investigated the case and found that the UFOs were actually flares attached to skydivers putting on a show several miles away.
So there’s plenty of precedent for Unidentified Flying Objects being seen by thousands and equal precedent to believe that they're probably not extraterrestrial in origin, but instead have an earthly explanation.
In this case, the mystery was finally put to rest after a few days. It was the Goodyear blimp, which provided aerial coverage of the Olympic festivities. Skeptical investigator Robert Sheaffer, who analyzed the case on his Bad UFOs blog, noted that the UFO had already been identified by many people: It was the “Spirit of Europe II,” a 130-foot-long blimp which — as per Olympic rules — had the Goodyear logo removed.
Sheaffer compared the image from the video to photos taken from the website of the Goodyear Blimp: “I think those people know their own Blimp when they see it,” Sheaffer concluded. “The resemblance between this object, and the unknown object in the video is obvious. Case Closed: The object was the Goodyear Blimp.”
But, as with most UFO explanations, some true believers insisted that it was an unknown craft, saying for example that the image does not seem to be blimp-shaped. One commenter admitted that the object “looks blimpish,” but then (incorrectly) stated that “blimps don't glow” (in fact Spirit of Europe II is illuminated). It’s true that many blimps do not glow, except when they are brightly lit from below by a world-class fireworks display.
Indeed, as Examiner blogger Tom Rose noted, “Ardent believers, some with impressive video analytical skills, are using the web to make their case that the sighting was authentic.” For example one person put up a YouTube video analysis which he believes clearly makes the case that “the object filmed During the Olympic opening ceremony is not a blimp or drone… i am confirming this as a genuine UFO sighting.” (He did not explain where the Goodyear blimp, which is known to have been in the same location at the same time as the ‘mysterious UFO’, actually was, if they were indeed two different craft.)
As the Olympic UFO shows, it’s very easy to create a “UFO report”: All you need is one or two people who see something they can’t explain, aided by misinformation and incorrect assumptions.
Image Courtesy of YouTube | <urn:uuid:e7368bb3-bdc1-4f26-a90c-d6b10ed89dcb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.discovery.com/human/psychology/ufo-sighted-over-olympics-120802.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97631 | 917 | 1.96875 | 2 |
this link will open in a new window]
Randall Trapp, et al. v. Commissioner DuBois, et al. was filed in 1995 on behalf of a group of inmates who were part of a Native American Spiritual Awareness Council in a Massachusetts prison. The Council maintained a weekly Circle and other practices associated with American Indian spirituality. At the time of filing, the Circle had already been in existence at the prison for more than five years.
The case proceeded to trial in 1999. In 2002, the Massachusetts Appeals Court ordered the Defendants to settle the controversy by negotiations with the Plaintiffs. In 2003, the first Purification Lodges were held inside three Massachusetts prisons, where named Plaintiffs were incarcerated (several having been transferred from the original prison). By 2003, Native Circles were meeting regularly in many prisons in the state.
Plaintiffs' complaint alleged an ongoing pattern of substantial discrimination against and burden upon their free exercise of religion, willfully and maliciously imposed by various administrators of the prison system.
Prison administrators subject the Circle to varying forms of harassment and intimidation. At one or another time, articles of spiritual significance (pipes, headbands, drums, etc.) have been confiscated as contraband. Inmates who are not members of federally "recognized tribes" were told they cannot participate in the Circle.
The complaint was supported by an affidavit from the lead plaintiffs (Chief and Sub-Chief of the Council) and an affidavit from Slow Turtle, primary spiritual advisor to the Circle.
The lawsuit states claims based on state and federal constitutions and statutes, to wit: that prison administration knowingly violated religious freedom and intimidated inmates who expressed an interest in Native American spirituality. We also argue the beneficial effects of the Circle for inmates and for the institution, in order to prove that these practices do not threaten the security of the prison (one of the factors typically considered by courts in such cases).
On May 12, 1995, after a hearing on plaintiffs' motion for preliminary injunction, the Court, Justice Diane Kottmyer presiding, issued an order permitting the use of headbands along with other sacred items and permitting inmate participation in the Native American Spiritual Awareness Council subject only to the approval of "an outside spiritual advisor or sachem."
On October 20, 1995, Judge Kottmyer denied plaintiffs' Motion for Class Certification, without prejudice, on the ground that the number of inmates likely to be affected by the litigation was not so numerous as to preclude joinder in the lawsuit. On the same day, Judge Kottmyer also denied a Motion for Contempt brought by plaintiffs in response to continuing delay by prison officials in complying with the preliminary injunction. The denial was based on an agreement of the parties as to compliance by officials to provide items traditionally used in Native ceremonies.
On December 15, 1995, the Court, Justice Herbert F. Travers, Jr., presiding, denied plaintiff's motion for partial summary judgment. Plaintiffs had moved for summary judgment on three issues: 1) that a purification lodge ("sweat lodge") be constructed; 2) that items of spiritual practice be permitted in inmate cells; and 3) that defendant officials of the Department of Correction be held personally liable for their actions abridging free exercise of religion. Judge Travers ruled -- in reference to 1 and 2 -- that "there are disputed material facts bearing on this question" and therefore summary judgment is inappropriate. (This is the standard rule: that summary judgment is appropriate where there are no genuine issues of material fact between the parties. Plaintiffs had argued that there were no such issues.) The judge made no ruling on the issue of personal liability of prison officials.
Discovery activities (depositions, interrogatories, requests for admissions) stretched over much of 1996 and 1997. Plaintiffs challenged incomplete disclosure by defendants of Department of Corrections memoranda documenting institutional awareness of plaintiff's religious freedom rights and other matters. This skirmish ended inconclusively.
On February 6, 1997, Judge Mitchell J. Sikora, Jr., denied plaintiffs' Motion to Compel Joinder, which had been brought to add several named inmates as plaintiffs and several named prison officials as defendants. Joinder of plaintiffs was sought in accordance with Judge Kottmyer's denial of class certification; joinder of defendants was sought as a means to ensure obedience to the prelimninary injunction at other institutions. Judge Sikora based his denial on an interpretation of a procedural rule requiring joinder where claims arise out of "the same transaction, occurrences, or series of transactions or occurrences" and decided that since the additional inmates and officers were at different prisons they were not sufficiently related so as to require joinder. Plaintiffs regard this ruling as a contradiction to Judge Kottmyer's earlier decisions on class certification and contempt.
On February 27, 1998, Judge Robert H. Bohn, Jr., denied a second motion by plaintiffs for summary judgment, which had been brought to follow-up results of deposition testimony by some of the defendants. In particular, the previous denial of summary judgment had been made in part on the grounds (1) that plaintiffs had not demonstrated a "legitimate and sincerely held religious belief," which is a stated precondition to legal relief from interference with one's belief; and (2) that a question of fact existed about security issues related to Native spirituality. Judge Bohn rebuffed plaintiffs' efforts to use deposition testimony to prove that defendants' no longer contested these issues. Despite the denial of these summary judgment motions, the arguments have helped to narrow the issues which will be presented at trial -- eliminating contests over whether native spiritual practices are protected at all and whether an inmate need be "recognized" by the government as an "Indian" in order to meet with Native Medicine Teachers.
On May 14, 1998, the parties met for a mandatory "pre-trial conciliation conference." Despite urgings by the court conciliator that these issues seemed appropriate for negotiated settlement, the prison authorities have refused to meet with plaintiffs to discuss possible settlements. A trial date was set for April, 1999, but due to a schedule mix-up was set back to December, 1999.
A two-day non-jury trial was held December 14-15, 1999, in Worcester Superior Court, before Judge Daniel F. Toomey. Substantial evidence was presented by the Plaintiffs and other witnesses about the significance of the Lodge and how it happens in other prison systems. Defendants asserted 'security problems,' but did not substantiate their concerns with much evidence. The judge listened carefully and was attentive throughout the trial. Plaintiffs' post-trial memoranda were filed January 18, 2000; defendants' post-trial memorandum was filed March 3.
On May 4, 2000, Judge Toomey issued a decision, holding that
... although plaintiffs' identification with their cultural heritage and their devotion to their religious belief system is indisputably sincere ... the extraordinary risks posed by the purification lodge ... persuaded [the Court] that the preclusion [of the lodge] is reasonably related to the legitimate objectives of defendants' authority, is justified by the Commonwealth's interests in penological security and does not unduly burden plaintiffs' constitutional rights to practice their religion.
The Judge therefore denied the Plaintiffs' request for a Purification Lodge in the prison.
However, the judge found in favor of the Plaintiffs on other aspects of the case. He issued an order making permanent and expanding the protection offered by the temporary injunction [126K gif]. Specifically, the Court ordered
That the defendants are enjoined from interfering with plaintiff's [sic] possession of ceremonial items and return to plaintiff's [sic] all ceremonial items previously seized.
That the defendants are enjoined from establishing any criteria regarding membership in and of plaintiff's [sic] Native American Spiritual Awareness Council.
These two orders establish the basic freedom of inmates in the Massachusetts prison system to practice Native American Indian spirituality.
Plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal on June 26, 2000, challenging the Court's denial of the Purification Lodge. The Commonwealth did not appeal the two orders quoted above. Appellants filed their appeal brief on December 27, 2000.
Oral argument in the appeal was heard on October 21, 2002, before Massachusetts Appeals Court Judges Brown, Greenberg and Mason. The judges expressed considerable doubt about the validity of the trial court decision and the total ban of the Lodge in Massachusetts prisons. At the conclusion of the argument, the court stated it would stay its decision for 14 days, to allow time for the Department of Corrections to initiate settlement negotiations with the appellants; failing that, the court indicated it would rule in favor of appellants.
On October 25, 2002, a Department of Corrections attorney contacted appellants' attorneys to offer to institute the Lodge in three prisons and to initiate discussions to settle the case. Appellants agreed to enter into negotiations on this basis. The first meeting occurred on November 7, 2002.
In March 2003, the case was settled between the parties according to the terms of a Settlement Agreement and Protocols for Construction and Operation of Native American Purification Lodges within the Massachusetts Department of Correction. These documents were signed and filed with the court.
In July 2003, the first Purification Lodge ceremonies were held in three Massachusetts prisons.
Plaintiffs' attorneys are Peter d'Errico and Robert Doyle.
We provide the following documents to help others in similar circumstances.
Author of this site is Peter d'Errico
© Copyright permission granted for educational use, with credit to author and URL | <urn:uuid:bffb7828-48b5-4526-b8f0-070b21eba9b5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.umass.edu/legal/derrico/trapp/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00047-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965458 | 1,945 | 2.390625 | 2 |
The halfway house at Brookside Country Club is a farmhouse that dates to… (MARK WOGENRICH, THE MORNING…)
A stone farmhouse sits on the property of Brookside Country Club that dates to 1759. The members have repurposed it as their halfway house during rounds. They like to say it's the oldest halfway house in American golf.
"We don't have any proof that it isn't," club president Frank La Terra said, laughing. "So we're going to stick with that story."
Though every club embeds itself with tradition, many now find that history sells only so many memberships. Brookside was among those clubs that felt the economic sting of 2008-09, when private golf went public with its misfortune.
Two years later, Brookside is doing a bit of re-invention, both on the course and off. An ambitious environmental project will change the health and landscape of the course, and a new general manager is bringing new programs to the 82-year-old Macungie club.
Now rebuilding a membership that fell below 400 at one point, Brookside enters a "resurgent" phase, according to membership co-chair Peter Krajsa. The halfway house will remain a constant as the facility around it changes.
"That period in 2008 was a wakeup call to the membership and the board," Krajsa said. "We have a gem here, and we need to re-energize it. We feel resurgent, and that's a good feeling."
Brookside was among the many private clubs caught in a recession current that swept away discretionary income. La Terra said that Brookside "suffered like everyone did" with the drop in membership.
"It used to be that, you put the sign out front and get 40-50 new members every year," La Terra said. "It's not like that anymore."
In response, the club pursued new measures to attract membership. In May, Brookside hired Robert Anen to become the club's first general manager. He came to Brookside after working at clubs in the Philadelphia area (including Waynesborough, Coatesville and Merion Cricket Club) and, Anen said, saw a property with "enormous potential."
Among Aren's initiatives were expanding the tennis program and engaging members to recruit new ones. Brookside also is offering an incentive in 2011 in which groups of up to four people can join for one pooled membership fee. La Terra said the club should reach 450 members by the end of this year and hopes to return to 500 in 2012.
"It's still a big chunk of discretionary income," Krajsa said. "For us, it's important to make sure people who come here feel like they're becoming part of a family. They can't feel like they're showing up at a hotel."
On the golf course, Brookside is undergoing a summerlong construction project that will provide significant long-term benefits. The Wildlands Conservancy and Land Studies of Lititz are working with Brookside to restore 2,000 feet of the Swabia Creek, which runs through the course.
Flooding has been a chronic issue at Brookside. One recent storm left the 10th green underwater and nearly submerged a row of 4-foot bushes at the nearby sixth tee. Maintenance crews often dealt with post-storm cleanups.
The project, scheduled to be completed in September, will expand the stream bank, help reduce erosion and flooding and add two acres of native grasses around the creek. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection provided a grant for the project.
Once the restoration is completed, the course will be healthier, easier to maintain and possibly more difficult. The par-3 fifth hole, for instance, will feature a nearly island green. La Terra said he expects the course, which will be re-rated in the fall, to play as many as three strokes tougher.
"The club went through some tough times," Anen said. "We're unique. It's not a Lehigh [Country Club] or a Saucon Valley, but there's a family feeling here. This place has enormous potential."
PHILLY OPEN BEGINS: Several area players are competing at this week's 106th Philadelphia Open at Huntingdon Valley Country Club. Saucon Valley's Matt Mattare, who tied for third last year, and Tom Bartolacci Jr. will join Brookside's Mark Coassolo among the amateurs in the field. John Pillar from Woodloch Springs is playing as a professional. The 36-hole championship begins today.
TWEET OF THE WEEK: "In Concord, NH! Maybe this year I will actually be able to play a FULL 54 hole tournament...that would be nice! haha"
From Phillipsburg's Sarah Brown, on the one-year anniversary of her improper disqualification from a Futures Tour event. Last July, Brown was disqualified from The International at Concord for allegedly using a nonconforming wedge (the club did conform to USGA rules).
The Futures Tour and LPGA admitted the decision was incorrect, apologized to Brown and reached an undisclosed financial settlement with her. Brown, who is 29th on the Futures Tour money list, will play again this week in Concord, N.H.
Who will be Player of the Year?
Evan Notaro and Ed Kluemper are the points leaders for Lehigh Valley Player of the Year. Here are the top 5 in each category.
L.V. Player of the Year
1. Evan Notaro, 32 points
2. (tie) Matt Mattare, Tony Sarko, 24
4. (tie) Andrew Feldman, Jeff Hudson, 18
L.V. Senior Player of the Year
1. Ed Kluemper, 38
2. Dominic Carr, 24
3. Rick Kunkle, 21
4. Joe Viechnicki, 20
5. Tom Lusto, 18 | <urn:uuid:2f4a8f29-437b-4215-ad26-d709fe16e13f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://articles.mcall.com/2011-07-19/sports/mc-teeing-off-0719-20110719_1_brookside-country-club-private-clubs-membership | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960403 | 1,232 | 1.515625 | 2 |
The Palais de Justice (French pronunciation: [palɛ də ʒystis]), located in the Île de la Cité in central Paris, France, is built on the site of the former royal palace of Saint Louis, of which the Sainte Chapelle remains. Thus the justice of the state has been dispensed at this site since medieval times. From the sixteenth century to the French Revolution this was the seat of the Parlement de Paris. The Palais also contains the ancient structure of the Conciergerie, a former prison, now a museum, where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned before being executed on the guillotine.
The architects of the monumental white-marble Second-Empire Palais de Justice (built from 1857 to 1868) were Joseph-Louis Duc and Honoré Daumet. The exterior includes sculptural work by Jean-Marie Bonnassieux.
Security is maintained by gendarmes. | <urn:uuid:7f0a3e50-1705-4cdf-b7e2-b1931ed9a14e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fotopedia.com/albums/_QbJwEKlTuo/entries/rz31hrpg_CU | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9289 | 204 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Conspiracy Theories About Classic Literary Characters
Nick Carraway is Gay.
The aforementioned Greg Olear convinced us on two points — first, the way Carraway describes female characters as opposed to male characters (the latter with much more passion and attention to physicality than the former), and second, that scene with Mr. McKee, which, now that we re-read it, can only be a hook-up. What’s interesting to us about this revelation is this: if the Gatsby we know has been being viewed this whole time by someone who is head over heels in love with him, we need to go back and reevaluate.
Everyone in Winnie the Pooh is a classic example of a common mental disorder.
In 2000, the Canadian Medical Association Journal published an article diagnosing the denizens of the Hundred Acre Wood with psychiatric disorders. “On the surface it is an innocent world,” the article begins, “but on closer examination by our group of experts we find a forest where neurodevelopmental and psychosocial problems go unrecognized and untreated.” Here’s what you want to know: supposedly, Pooh has ADHD, Piglet suffers from a Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Eeyore from chronic dysthymia (depression). Owl is dyslexic, Tigger exhibits hyperactivity and impulsivity, and Christopher Robin (or rather, the illustrations thereof) shows signs of “future gender identity issues.”
Holden Caulfield is gay, too.
We’ve heard this theory come up multiple times over the years, supported by fans who cite Holden’s attention to the physicality of his male friends, his confusion or even revulsion at the thought of having sex with a woman, the ambiguity of his interaction with Mr. Antolini. Then again, he could be equally confused about sex as a straight sixteen year old.
Hogwarts was all in Harry Potter’s head.
We stumbled across this one over at Cracked, where Karl Smallwood lays out the theory. Namely that Harry was an abused child who coped by escaping into a fantasy world, and turning all his real-life injuries into magical ones (Harry is sent to the infirmary six times over the series). This also, Smallwood notes, helps shore up all the plot holes inherent in Rowling’s world — that’s just Harry’s abused but growing mind trying to fit it all together.
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are in love.
The original ambiguously gay duo, the speculation about these two will never cease, especially as more and more adaptations starring handsome actors crop up (and those handsome actors keep doing things like describing the BBC series Sherlock as having “the gayest story in the history of television”). There has been extensive research done on this subject, and theories differ (one of them is a woman! One of them is a transsexual! Holmes is constantly sexually harassing Watson!), but we’re sure Arthur Conan Doyle would never admit to a thing. Even though he was going to stop after A Study in Scarlet but decided to keep going after a meeting in a hotel with Oscar Wilde. Just saying.
Go to the source for the rest of the list | <urn:uuid:f199dd60-673a-4cef-afc8-c059817475e3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/74736851.html?thread=13262731731 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950479 | 680 | 2.015625 | 2 |
Here’s where Mitt Romney has stood on gun control from his 1994 Senate bid through his 2012 presidential campaign:
1. “I don’t line up with the NRA.” — 1994, to reporters at a campaign stop. During his 1994 Senate campaign, Romney came out in support of the Brady Bill and a ban on certain types of assault weapons.
2. “We do have tough gun laws in Massachusetts — I support them. I won’t chip away at them. I believe they help protect us, and provide for our safety.” — Sept. 24, 2002, at a debate during the Massachusetts gubernatorial race.
3. Signed a permanent assault-weapons ban as governor of the Bay State. “Deadly assault weapons have no place in Massachusetts,” Romney said at the July 1, 2004, signing ceremony. “These guns are not made for recreation or self-defense. They are instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people.”
4. As governor, declared May 7, 2005, as “The Right to Bear Arms Day” in Massachusetts in order to “honor law-abiding citizens and their right to ‘use firearms in defense of their families, persons, and property for all lawful purposes, including common defense.’”
5. Signed up for a lifetime NRA membership in August 2006.
6. “I support the Second Amendment as one of the most basic and fundamental rights of every American.” — Sept. 24, 2007, in a video address at an NRA conference.
7. “When the Brady Bill was first passed, there really wasn’t the kind of Internet that we have to make an instant check. Today, we can make an instant check. And so there’s no reason for a new Brady Bill that would have a waiting period.… I don’t think for a minute that checking someone’s background to make sure they’re not a criminal or they’re not insane is in any way a violation of the Second Amendment.” — December 2007, at a town hall meeting in Londonderry, N.H.
8. “When it comes to protecting the Second Amendment, I do not support any new gun laws including any new ban on semi-automatic firearms.” — Dec. 30, 2007, in a statement.
9. “With respect to gun control laws, I believe we need to distinguish between law abiding gun owners and criminals who use guns. Those who use a firearm during the commission of a crime must be punished severely. The key is to provide law enforcement with the resources they need and punish criminals, not burden lawful gun owners.” — 2008 issue statement to The Washington Post on gun control.
10. According to his 2012 campaign website, Romney “will enforce the laws already on the books and punish, to the fullest extent of the law, criminals who misuse firearms to commit crimes. But he does not support adding more laws and regulations that do nothing more than burden law-abiding citizens while being ignored by criminals. Mitt will also provide law enforcement with the proper and effective resources they need to deter, apprehend, and punish criminals.” | <urn:uuid:38eec763-bdfa-44ec-89c6-41cb5cf50e6d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=B85AC1D3-982F-456B-A562-1C91FFC1A184 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96351 | 676 | 1.664063 | 2 |