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Jennifer Garrett, a researcher with the Heritage Foundation, recently wrote an amusing look at the state of the school choice debate in California (originally written for Scripps Howard, the op-ed was republished at CapitalismMagazine.Com. It seems a state legislator decided to try to hold public school teachers to their anti-choice rhetoric and, predictably, the teachers had a fit.
Garrett writes about the exploits of Republican state senator Ray Haynes, who recently introduced a bill that would have required teachers in public schools to send their children to public schools. That proposal did not go over very well. In fact the anti-choice California Teachers Association said, through spokesman mike Myslinksi, that “People have the right to put their children in [private schools.]”
Of course many of them already do. According to Garrett, a study by the CTA itself recently showed that one-third of teachers in California’s public school system send their children to private schools.
This is the same union, however, that Garrett notes successfully led the fight against California’s Proposition 38 which would have given parents vouchers to send their children to public schools. When a public school teacher sends his or her children to a private school that’s a choice; when a poor parent in a failing inner city school district wants to do the same thing, that’s called undermining the public school system.
Look Who’s Supporting School Choice Now!. Jennifer Garrett, Capitalism Magazine, April 30, 2001. | <urn:uuid:9e9464db-40df-455e-81be-a83f7157105b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://brian.carnell.com/articles/2001/public-school-teachers-for-school-choice/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977568 | 312 | 1.765625 | 2 |
According to the results of a study just published by local authorities, in the past 10 years there has been a 14% reduction of child labor in the Dominican Republic.
According to these data, the country is moving towards the eradication of the worst forms of child labor by 2015 and the elimination of all forms of exploitation by 2020, as planned by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Office of the United Nations for Childhood. The study, conducted between December 2009 and January 2010, involved 9119 households and interviewed 8540 children aged between 5 and 17.
According to the ministry of local labor, more than 89% of children and adolescents of Dominican workers are able to continue their studies. The country is among the most advanced in the fight against child labor, a significant downward trend. The highest rates are recorded in the provinces of the southwest such as Bahoruco, Independencia, Pedernales and Barahona with 24.5%, while the lowest in the National District and the province of Santo Domingo, with 8%. | <urn:uuid:1bbef7a7-8f71-47b6-875c-449b7b3f93b5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hispanicallyspeakingnews.com/forums/viewthread/3532/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96844 | 213 | 2.546875 | 3 |
Bypass surgery. Angioplasty. Drugs. Theres got to be a better way to prevent and treat heart disease, diabetes, and other diet-related illnesses.
As a society, we do little to encourage people to stay healthy by eating a good diet and exercising. The typical effortineffective lessons in schools, occasional public-service messages on television, and random newspaper articles or TV showspales in comparison to the billions of dollars that makers of junk food, alcohol, and tobacco spend every year to push lifestyles that cause disease. And our mechanized, TV-saturated, information-age culture keeps people in the recliner, desk chair, or car while their muscles and metabolism crumble.
But we neednt throw in the towel. Education can have a real impact, as at least three programs have demonstrated.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (which publishes Nutrition Action Healthletter) has sponsored campaigns to encourage entire communities to drink lower-fat milk. With hard-hitting paid radio and TV spots urging people to Switch to 1% Or Less, the market share of low-fat or fat-free milk as much as doubled in towns like Clarksburg and Wheeling, West Virginia. And the changes were still evident a year later.
Once people develop severe heart disease, surgery has been the norm. But first Nathan Pritikin, and then Dean Ornish, proved that lentils can be as effective as surgery. Residential treatment centers run by Ornish and others have shown that people with advanced coronary disease (and diabetes, obesity, or hypertension) are willing to make radical changes in diet and exercise that can eliminate the need for surgery and many drugs, even if it costs thousands of dollars a month.
California-based lifestyle-interventionist Hans Diehl has helped people avoid diet-related diseases by sponsoring special educational programs in cities like Rockford, Illinois; Kalamazoo, Michigan; and Cornwall, Ontario. Several hundred people at a time attend a four-week, 32-hour intensive program on eating, cooking, shopping, and exercise. On average, men lose eight pounds and women lose six pounds, blood pressure falls by several points, and LDL (bad) cholesterol drops by 16 percent in the men and eight percent in the women.
Ornish, Diehl, and CSPI have shown that if the right message is delivered well, people will respond. I know how important it is to deal with bioterrorism, but we also need to prod the government to make a major investment in diet and exercise campaigns. If you agree, please print and fill out the coupon below, or fill out our online coupon which will be emailed to Secretary Thompson. Thank you. | <urn:uuid:65341ec1-26da-47c2-ba9c-f3e3646e46c8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cspinet.org/nah/01_02/cspinews.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952076 | 554 | 2.484375 | 2 |
The CIS Department currently offers three degrees:
The AA degree is a two-year degree that is designed to prepare students for quick entry into the job market. It focuses primarily on programming, but also includes some networking.
The BS is our flagship degree. It is designed for students who desire a strong mathematical or science foundation for their degree. Students planning on graduate study in Computer Science or a related field should choose this degree.
This degree is designed for students who desire a traditional liberal arts degree. It requires more General Education courses and completion of the second semester of a foreign language. | <urn:uuid:f798e554-af67-484e-93e3-0f8a323e2744> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mailtojohn.bredahl@washburn.edu/academics/college-schools/arts-sciences/departments/computer-information-sciences/degree-programs.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964635 | 118 | 1.507813 | 2 |
For example, the roads may be heavily covered where you live but dry on and around campus. You may feel very confident in your driving ability while others will be less sure about how to maneuver in ice or snow. You may be using public transportation and road conditions are not as important a consideration.
Therefore, the University’s priority must be about whether or not campus walkways, roadways and parking lots can be cleared in time for classes to occur.
It will be the University’s intention to remain open and operating whenever possible. Therefore, your default assumption should be that the regular class and activity schedule will be in effect.
In the event that classes are canceled and/or the University is closed, the following will occur:
A. An e-mail message will be sent to all students, faculty and staff using mail.montclair.edu accounts.
B. A text message will be sent to mobile phones. Montclair State uses a campus alert system powered by Rave which allows the University to send alerts as text messages directly to your cell phone and e-mail accounts. In order to take advantage of this system, you must subscribe to it through “MSU E-LERTS and Buzz.” Those who have already signed up are encouraged to check their subscriptions and update their cell phone number(s) if needed. An incorrect cell number is the same as no cell number on file.
The system is fast and effective. On past occasions we were able to alert thousands of individuals within a 2-minute window of sending a message and we anticipate a similar swift response in the current year. Aside from your cell phone, you can add up to two additional phone numbers and e-mail addresses that will receive the same emergency broadcast message.
Please note that these text message alerts are sent ONLY in the case of a campus alert. The campus alert system is not used for the transmission of day-to-day information. Those who would like day-to-day information sent to their phones may arrange it at “ MSU E-LERTS and Buzz” by subscribing to a group, e.g., MSU Athletics. Other MSU Apps include Guardian, our award winning proactive safety timer; Mobile Blackboard; MSU Transit; and other groups. You even have the ability to create your own group.
You can sign up for the campus alert service, check your existing subscription, and add other programs by going to Quick Links (on the pull down menu, on the left under Technology) or by going to: https://www.getrave.com/login/montclair
All you need is your Net ID and password to create or update your subscription. Step by step instructions are available at: http://oit.montclair.edu/documentationpdf/YourMSUAppInstructionManual.pdf
If you have any questions or need assistance, please e-mail Msuconnect at email@example.com
C. An announcement will be placed on the MSU home page www.montclair.edu.
D. An announcement will be placed on the LED sign at the Valley Road entrance.
E. The weather hot line will be updated as necessary. The phone number is (973) 655-7810.
Please call the weather hot line rather than University Police so as not to tie up the emergency lines.
F. In addition you may consult the following media outlets:
Please note that the following is a list of the areas where walking modifications may be made during winter storms. If necessary , the areas indicated located will be barricaded until the snow stops and major areas are cleared. In most cases, a small area will be cleared to allow access or alternate route utilized. This will enable University personnel to concentrate efforts on major areas of the campus and maintain ample safe walkways for students and staff:
1. Stairway from CarParc Diem to Blanton Hall (the old stairway)
2. East and west side stairs in the front of the Student Center
3. Two sets of steps on the east side of Partridge Hall leading to the Student Center quad
4. Most sections of the steps on the east side of Kasser Theater
5. Half of the steps between the southeast side Kasser Theater and College Hall
6. The two set of steps that lead from College Hall to the Freeman/Russ/Cali Quad.
7. The large set of steps that lead from Lot 7 to Panzer Athletic Center (northeast corner)
8. The large set of steps on the west side of the Cali School of Music
9. Most of the steps in front of Cafe Diem
10. Steps leading from campus to the Newman Center | <urn:uuid:df7a0f02-08f5-4770-9218-be4f1e31694b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.montclair.edu/news/article.php?ArticleID=10429 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924583 | 975 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Sweden’s government has often led the way in progressive social justice legislation, but not with anti-prostitution laws. On the surface these policies may seem progressive. After all, they break through the double-standard in which sex workers (who are largely women) are more likely to be arrested than clients (who are largely men). The legislation criminalizes the clients, but not the sex workers. So what’s wrong with this legislation?
If gender double-standards were the only problem with anti-prostitution laws, then there would be nothing wrong. However, there’s a lot more wrong with anti-prostitution laws and it’s important to look beyond the surface.
Sweden’s anti-prostitution policies have received praise from various anti-sex work feminists, politicians, and others. Yet, various Swedish sex workers have expressed very different feelings about this legislation. Rather than just jumping on the bandwagon in support of the Swedish model, Petra Ostergren spoke with Swedish sex workers about this and listened to their concerns. Despite the fact that this legislation was “supposed” to protect them, Swedish sex workers reported the opposite. They reported that their work became more dangerous after this legislation passed and that they have less agency and control over their working conditions. For example, they reported a higher percentage of clients demanding unsafe sex acts and less agency to turn down such clients. Sex workers also reported that criminalizing the clients made hindered their ability to screen them, thus further jeopardizing the sex workers’ safety. Here’s a link to Ostergren’s report: http://petraostergren.com/pages.aspx?r_id=40716
Additionally and relatedly, this legislation is very pateralistic, so it’s interesting that some people who identify as feminists would support it. It totally infantalizes women in prostitution, treating us like we’re all incapable of making decisions for what we do with our own bodies. This is very disappointing, especially from a country’s that’s often so progressive. I would expect better from the Swedish government.
This is exemplifies how paternalistic legislation under the guise of protecting women further endangers us. (I’m not Swedish, but use the term “us” because I’m a woman and a sex worker). I realize that not all sex workers are women, but I use the term “women” because the language in the legislation targets women in prostitution as victims, without recognizing the multiple realities that exist in prostitution and how legislation such as this increases the likelihood of victimization. Though I don’t like to impose the victim label onto sex workers, various Swedish sex workers seem to feel that the legislation victimizes them more than sex work does.
The anti-criminalization of consensual sex acts whether for free or for payment is the way to go, so sex workers aren’t criminalized just for being sex workers and clients aren’t criminalized just for being clients. The abuses and violence that sometimes occur inside and outside of prostitution would still be illegal. To criminalize somebody just for paying for sex makes as little sense as criminalizing somebody just for having sex for free. Though this may seem overly simplistic, it is this simple when we look at anti-prostitution laws. Just like I find it problematic to overly simplify complex concepts, I also find it problematic to make concepts more complicated than they need to be. Though there are a lot of complexities in prostitution, legally speaking, the only thing that differentiates prostitution from non prostitution is the exchange of payment for sex.
Here’s additional info. about the Swedish model:
So, if you think the Swedish model is progressive, think again… | <urn:uuid:f93e0a22-da93-4dd4-95ff-ecc2226879dd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://veganvixen1.wordpress.com/category/politics/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962868 | 784 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Jewish history in stone
Explore This Story
Wedged between a community centre, turn-of-the-century housing and a playground sits a solemn place, long disused but still cared for – and born, paradoxically, of both personal tragedy and a community's optimism.
Holy Blossom Cemetery, previously known as Pape Avenue Cemetery or simply Jews' Cemetery, marks the spot where Toronto's burgeoning Jewish community began to assert itself almost 160 years ago.
"The founding of a cemetery is a significant move," says University of Toronto professor Harold (Hesh) Troper, an expert on local Jewish history. "You would think that the founding of a synagogue was more important."
A Jewish community does not need a synagogue to practise the faith but, in order to properly bury its dead, a consecrated cemetery is a must.
This weekend, the Toronto area's Jewish community of almost 200,000 begins Passover, marking the Jewish exodus from Egypt under the leadership of Moses. In contrast, there were only three dozen or so Jews in the city in 1849 when two businessmen optimistically bought a plot of land east of town for a cemetery.
Until immigrants Judah Joseph and Abraham Nordheimer put down their £20 for the land on what is now Pape (just south of Gerrard), few Jews who came to Toronto seemed to stay long. Troper says the pattern for immigrants then was to make some money and be on their way, and Jews were no exception. But by buying this land, Joseph, a jeweller, and Nordheimer, a piano maker, effectively declared that they had found a home after travelling across the globe to build a new life.
As Troper puts it: "They had finally got to a place and said, `We're here.'"
There was another emotion at work that was perhaps as important. Joseph had an ailing son, Samuel, and the closest Jewish cemeteries were in Montreal and Buffalo, making the Jewish requirement that a body be buried within one day difficult for a family in 1840s Toronto. Joseph wanted a consecrated place to bury Samuel when the time came.
That time came in 1850 and it is believed Samuel was the first person to be buried in the cemetery.
Ellen Scheinberg, director of the Ontario Jewish Archives, says Pape Cemetery is a key part of the local community's history. Not only were all the first Jewish families in the city buried there, but it is also the resting place for many of the community's most prominent residents who came later.
The location leads to much head-scratching, however. There's no synagogue nearby and the neighbourhood is better known historically as Leslieville. Today, it is an extension of East Chinatown.
"People ask, what are these (graves) doing here? The Jews aren't in east Toronto," Scheinberg says. "I get that all the time."
When Joseph and Nordheimer made their purchase, she says, the land was on the edge of town and available at a good price. The city grew up around it. There was no effort to keep Jewish burials out of the city, she and Troper agree. Scheinberg notes the founders were prominent businessmen.
The site closed almost 70 years ago but still has visitors, says Doug Brown, groundskeeper and next-door neighbour to the cemetery for 50 years.
"We get busloads of school kids coming down to do rubbings," Brown says as he stands outside the cemetery's iron gates. "Visitors from out of town call up wanting to see a relative's grave."
Brown's job is to maintain the site, including extra care given to a couple of graves for families that have set up trusts to plant fresh flowers every spring. He knows the location of every tombstone and the personal history of many of the deceased.
Like a protective parent, he's never far away when visitors come through.
While none of the earliest tombstones survives – all that is known of Samuel Joseph's grave is that it was near the gate – the history in the local Jewish community can nonetheless be read in those that remain.
There are names and dates, of course, but there are also subtle hints about the community's identity. Birthplaces listed on the oldest stones include villages in England while Germany and Eastern Europe are on later ones. Eventually, Toronto is listed.
As well, some of the original stones are inscribed entirely in Hebrew or German, while later ones contain a mix of Hebrew, German and English.
The newest ones – from the 1940s, just before the cemetery closed – are entirely in English. That suggests the community was, by then, identifying as Canadian, not immigrant. One stone, near the front gate, has both a Star of David and a maple leaf.
For Troper, significance lies in what comes with building a cemetery. Even more important than the physical presence is the infrastructure that developed around it, he says.
People needed to be appointed to administer it, maintain it and to fundraise for it.
"You've got to deal with the dead, and you've got a community that builds up around that."
Once people start to work together – first to deal with the dead and then, perhaps, to deal with the consequences of death, such as providing for widows and children – institutions develop around which a synagogue is eventually established.
Toronto's first synagogue came almost a decade after the cemetery on Pape opened and soon took over responsibility for the cemetery.
As more Jewish immigrants moved to the city, the community became more diversified, Troper says, and new synagogues and cemeteries were started.
There are now 118 synagogues and congregations in the Toronto area and about 80 Jewish schools. Other organizations such as the Canadian Jewish Congress, B'nai Brith and the fledgling Independent Canadian Jewish Conference also represent Jewish interests.
But cemeteries maintain their central role. There are 11 in the GTA, serving a variety of Jewish communities, conservative to secular. The burial rites, the shiva, all hail back to the old country. Practising these rituals here, Troper says, is a mark that the culture has found a new home.
Take the uniquely Jewish practice of laying a stone on the grave of a loved one. (Brown ensures a supply is available around the cemetery.) There's no shortage of theories for why the stones are left – from warding off animals to providing a simple sign to others that someone still remembers the deceased. But for Troper, the stone's significance is that it's a long-standing Jewish tradition.
A child might see his father – perhaps years ago, in another time and country – lay a stone in memory of a lost relative. Now that child, grown up and with kids of his own, lays a stone at a cemetery in his new home.
"It becomes a bond through the generations," says Troper. "It connects you as a community, because this is something that Jews do."
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- Missing woman's last call was to Dellen Millard, says ex-boyfriend | <urn:uuid:6715e3a8-0802-4f4a-991c-10bd39e1336e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thestar.com/life/2008/04/19/jewish_history_in_stone.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975586 | 1,556 | 3.0625 | 3 |
Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
The present value of a future cash flow is the nominal amount of money to change hands at some future date, discounted to account for the time value of money. A given amount of money is always more valuable sooner than later since this enables one to take advantage of investment opportunities. Because of this present values are smaller than corresponding future values.
The simplest model of the time value of money is compound interest, which is in fact much simpler than simple interest. To someone who has the opportunity to invest an amount of money C for t years at a rate of interest of i% compounded annually, the present value of the receipt of C, t years in the future, is:
Ct = C · (1 + i)−t
The expression (1 + i)−t enters almost all calculations of present value. It represents the present value of 1. Many equations are expressed more concisely by making the substitution v = (1 + i)−1. Something worth 1 at time = t (years in the future) is worth vt at time = 0 (the present).
Many financial arrangements (including bonds, other loans, leases, salaries, membership dues, annuities, straight-line depreciation charges) stipulate structured payment schedules, which is to say payment of the same amount at regular time intervals. The term annuity is often used in to refer to any such arrangement when discussing calculation of present value, whether or not the arrangement is a retirement plan. The expressions for the present value of such payments amount to summations of geometric series.
A periodic amount receivable indefinitely is called a perpetuity and is of mostly theoretical interest. A perpetuity receivable starting at the present time is called a perpetuity due. If the frequency of payments equals the frequency of interest compounding, the present value of a perpetuity due with payments of 1, is given by d−1, where d = 1 − (1 + i)−1, and is called the rate of discount. In this case, i is the interest rate per period, not necessarily per year. If the first payment is 1 period in the future, the annuity is a perpetuity immediate, and the present value is i−1.
A finite number (n) of periodic payments, receivable at times 1 through n, is an annuity immediate. Again assuming payment size of 1, its present value differs from the present value of the corresponding perpetuity immediate by an amount that is the present value of all the payments numbered n + 1 and above. The latter has a value of i−1 at time n, and vni − 1 at time 0. The present value of the annuity immediate is i−1 − vni−1, or i−1(1 − vn). An annuity due receivable at times 0 through n − 1 has a present value of d−1(1 − vn).
This entire discussion thus far makes some enormous assumptions:
- That it is not necessary to account for price inflation.
- That it is not necessary to account for variable interest rates.
- That receipt of payments when due is certain.
- That we will live long enough to receive payments receivable by us in the future.
For these and many other reasons, we consider prediction of the future value to be an inexact science.
Present Value formula
One hundred units 1 year from now at 5% interest rate is today worth:
So the present value of 100 units 1 year from now at 5% is 95.23 units. A different way of stating the formula --> PV = FV/((1+r)^n)); r = interest rate; n = number of periods. Alternative formula 1: Present Value = Future Value * ((1 + interest rate r)^(negative period n)). --> Restated: PV=FV*((1+r)^(-n)). Note: All of the above is in regards to a single lump sum amount. There is a separate formula to calculate PV of annuities. For present value of annuities, use this formula --> PV annuity = ((1-((1+r)^-n))/r) * (payment amount).
The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details | <urn:uuid:aa10f452-19ea-4ab1-b7ef-6d0cfac49ef9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/science_fair_projects_encyclopedia/Present_value | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.926862 | 899 | 3.953125 | 4 |
The Politically Incorrect Guide to the British Empire by H.W. Crocker III
December 1, 2011 by Bob Livingston
If you’re looking to find out how beneficial or evil the British Empire was, you won’t get much help from this book despite the remonstrations on its jacket. Crocker presents a loosely organized collection of entertaining stories about the Brits as they madly travel around the world (mostly by boat) conquering, looting and “civilizing” continent after continent, but the author doesn’t offer much in the way of philosophizing about the results of these adventures. There’s the occasional quote that asserts British superiority. But the reader mostly just gets the adventures that resulted from imperialism and not many clear looks at its alleged improvements.
Oh, sure there are quotes here and there from Mohandas Gandhi about the benefits India enjoyed during British rule. Still, I had to wonder, does Crocker really want to be quoting Gandhi, a key player in the defeat of England’s imperial rule of India? Over and over, Crocker admits that “Gandhi… continued to fan the flames of mutiny and rebellion.”
Ironically, the one chapter that seems to offer the most in the way of justifying British colonialism is one that covers the exploits of Sir Charles Napier, a jolly old chap who seemed to specialize in going to trouble spots around the globe, pulling together remarkable military campaigns to quell revolts and then making friends with the locals as soon as he had finished killing their soldiers.
When Napier was in charge of a colony, the natives were treated well and conditions often did improve. But what was Napier’s overall view of how the British treated the rest of the world? Crocker notes that when Napier was stationed on the Indian-Afghanistan border, the old soldier observed that the overthrown emirs “(were)… tyrants, and so are we, but the poor will have a fairer play under our scepter than theirs…“ But, in general, Crocker considered himself better than the average British viceroy. When he came into town, he said, “the usual Anglo-Saxon method of planting civilization by robbery, oppression, murder and extermination of natives should not take place.” Hardly a ringing endorsement of British colonialism.
Avert Your Eyes
Of course, no one will mistake this entertaining book for a serious historical treatment of the British Empire. But when it lists “Films about British India That Anti-Colonialists Don’t Want You to See,” you know that its explorations of history smack more of marketing than intellectual honesty. I suppose that the attempt at calling out anti-colonialists is supposed to be humorous. (At least, I hope this is an attempt at humor.) But the fight between colonialists and anti-colonialists ended so many news cycles ago, I don’t think many people will get the joke. Though I guess somewhere there might be a doddering communard who is still worried that old black-and-white movies like Gunga Din with Cary Grant or The Charge of the Light Brigade starring Errol Flynn could make you think that English-speaking actors running around with sabers really are going to save the world from extras who don’t get any dialogue.
Crocker’s book is fun to read and offers many exciting stories about how a small island off the coast of France somehow became the dominant sea power of the globe. At the end of the last chapter as he sums up the life of Winston Churchill, Crocker does make a brief argument for the good works accomplished by the British Empire. But although he quotes Gen. Charles George Gordon to the effect that “If you would rule over native people, you must love them,” nowhere in the book do we really find out how native people felt about the British generals, who so often loved them to death. | <urn:uuid:56c7a66e-d671-44e3-983c-fc47003d202d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://personalliberty.com/2011/12/01/the-politically-incorrect-guide-to-the-british-empire-by-h-w-crocker-iii/?like=1&source=post_flair&_wpnonce=3fdfac1636 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962625 | 827 | 2.640625 | 3 |
In Spiritual preparation to celebrate the coming of Christ, Advent candles accentuate the season.
Self-standing Advent pillar candles in a matched set. No fixture is required. Candles are ideal for the large Advent Wreath displays seen in churches and schools. The 9” height offers a prominent visual, especially in large churches. Complete set is packed in a self-mailer corrugated carton. Also available: 4 Purple and 4 Blue.
Want to get rid of unwanted wax? Use Wax-Away found in the Related Products Section below.
Need Candlelighters/Extinguishers? Check out our selection here.
Check out Worship Connection to see all the ways you can worship during this season of hope.
Did you know...
Christians use Advent wreaths as part of their spiritual preparation for Christmas. After all, Christ is “the Light that came into the world” to dispel the darkness of sin and to radiate the truth and love of God (cf. John 3:19-21).
The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent. The progressive lighting of the candles symbolizes the expectation and hope surrounding our Lord’s first coming into the world and the anticipation of His second coming to judge the living and the dead.
The light again signifies Christ, the Light of the world. Some modern day adaptations include a white candle or Christ Candle placed in the middle of the wreath, which represents Christ and is lit on Christmas Eve. | <urn:uuid:e974d757-4709-4efd-94ab-511255846ca4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=803345 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.912192 | 305 | 1.523438 | 2 |
b.29 Jul 1844 Carlow, County Carlow, Ireland
m. 6 May 1872
Facts and Events
Margaret Reid was born on 29th July 1844 at Carlow in County Carlow. She is the eldest known child of a mason and bricklayer named John Reid and his wife Julia Hanlon. The family moved around extensively, seemingly following where the railways were being built - they were probably only briefly living in Carlow, where the Greater Southern & Western Railway was under construction at the time of Margaret's birth. By the time her brother Michael was baptised in 1846, the family had left Carlow.
On 6th May 1872, aged 27, Margaret married a Richard Farrell. They went on to have ten children together between 1873 and 1887.
Both Margaret and Richard probably died between 1887 and 1901 - several of their children appear living together in the 1901 census, but there is no sign of the parents, suggesting that the parents had died and the eldest sister was left looking after her younger siblings. | <urn:uuid:6326b50f-52f6-40d4-b579-2fe42ba3d99e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Margaret_Reid_(35) | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.991066 | 216 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Voula Papachristou was kicked off Greece’s Olympic team on Wednesday for making a racist, derogatory comment on her Twitter account. She wrote: "With so many Africans in Greece, the West Nile mosquitoes will be getting home food!!!"
What was the joke? "With so many Africans in Greece, the West Nile mosquitoes will be getting home food!!!" she tweeted. Athletic officialdom was not amused.
What was racist about the comment, given that Papachristou, apparently a strong Greek patriot, did not express any negative opinions about Africans, is a mystery … at least to normal people. She did not traffic in what the left believes are standard racist tropes. She did not say that Africans are more violent or disposed to crime than Greeks. Nor did she claim they are less intelligent than the descendants of Homer, Plato and Aristotle. She told an off-color joke, as it were.
She is also guilty of supporting the Golden Dawn party, which, while admittedly sounding a little extreme, opposes immigration; in other words, they would keep Greece for the Greeks. Perhaps that, as Patrick Cleburne wrote, is the real crime. Vdare
What we at Human-Stupidity say is much more offensive. Prepare for Human-Stupidity being raided and shut down! Freedom of expression has long been abolished by speech codes and political correctness rules.
Voula Papachristou’s other sin is promoting views of a party that is in Greek parliament. If a party is not outlawed, promoting it should not lead to expulsion from the Olympics! Political correctness destroys our democratic liberties and ideals.
Papachristou’s Twitter account ((at)papaxristoutj) contained several retweets and links to sites and YouTube videos promoting the views of Golden Dawn, a formerly marginal extreme right party that entered the Greek Parliament in two recent elections – in May and June – by polling almost 7 percent of the vote. She has since erased those links and retweets from her account. 2
Political correctness starts lightly and is ever expanding overcriminalization. Hate speech laws were intended to punish incendiary speech promoting violence and genocide. It was illegal to say "Kill Africans". Then it extended to using derogatory terms like the N -word ("nigger"). If someone uses the N-word, it is understood that the offended have the right to escalate violently "retaliate". I do hope that I don’t get arrested, or attacked by vigilantes, for typing this word once. Now we got as far as to get punished for privately making a joke?
But it was her attempt at a joke Sunday that got the most attention. Commenting on the widely reported appearance of Nile-virus-carrying mosquitoes in Athens, Papachristou wrote: "With so many Africans in Greece, the West Nile mosquitoes will be getting home food!!!". Her tweet prompted thousands of negative comments that snowballed Wednesday. 2
Vdare assails the fuzziness of hate crime definitions:
One cannot know what is racist and what isn’t. The word has no precise definition. One day, it means burning crosses and terrorizing blacks. The next, it means calling President Obama a socialist. Or skinny. Or opposing his health-care plan. Yet because those who level charge control what it means, or doesn’t mean, and can use it any way they wish, one is defenseless against it. It cannot be falsified. The very charge imposes the conviction of guilt. Vdare
Be aware that making it to the Olympics is a lifetime struggle of hours of daily training since infancy. So the ban is not a triviality, like not letting someone into a Club.
Of course, when there is real racism, but in favor of Blacks, then reaction to a Black Power salute is more positive.
Globally, it was understood as an act of solidarity with all those fighting for greater equality, justice and human rights. Margaret Lambert, a Jewish high jumper who was forced, for show, to try out for the 1936 German Olympic team, even though she knew she would never be allowed to compete, said how delighted it made her feel. "When I saw those two guys with their fists up on the victory stand, it made my heart jump. It was beautiful." Guardian
"I believe it was exaggerated to expel Papachristou, especially after she apologised," tweeted Adonis Georgiadis, a conservative MP.
She should not have to excuse for sharing opinions of a far right party. Excusing for politically incorrect behavior will not achieve forgiveness, an James Watson found out. It might be more productive to courageously defend one’s opinion.
The Greek Olympic Committee condemned the comment as "contrary to the values and ideals of the Olympic movement", though Papachristou’s coach and the far-right Greek Golden Dawn party were among those to attack the punishment as excessive. 3
• Voula Papachristou devastated by exclusion from team
• ‘I am trying to stay calm otherwise I would lose control’
• Far-right Golden Dawn party attacked ban as excessive
I didn’t know that anyone in a mainstream position who says anything in public under his own name that is in the slightest degree “iffy” about blacks is taking his livelihood and his future in his hands, but because, for a few moments, I was at a loss as to how to respond to it. What do you say about a society (Western society) in which you don’t have to say anything actually negative, anything actually biased about a protected group, particularly blacks, to have your career and place in society destroyed, you just have to tell a garden variety joke? A society in which, even if you issue the most profound apology for your garden variety joke, as Papachristou did, that will not rehabilitate you? No. In liberal society, the society that worships not God but the nonwhite Other, there is no forgiveness.
And finally, an explanation. Before, I could never understand why a joke can be racist, if it does not say anything negative about Blacks
Her joke was not an act of discrimination against anyone, it was a joke. At worst it was in questionable taste. But if you mention blacks in any context which has the slightest negative implication (such as referencing the large number of Africans in Greece in any other way than to celebrate them, or to joke about African mosquitos eating African “food”), that is considered discriminatory, and once you have committed a discriminatory act, you are dead meat.
But really this is not about discrimination. it is about the fact that blacks are sacred objects, and you do not make jokes about sacred objects. But this truth, that in liberal society blacks are sacred objects, cannot be stated aloud because it would reveal too much about the liberal order, so instead it is said that we must “never discriminate between human beings and races.”
That is the only explanation. Don’t say anything about Blacks. Don’t mention Blackness, except in pure praise. Otherwise you are racist.
Rule 10(r) While it is important for your physical survival to take blackness into account when encountering black individuals or finding yourself in a black neighborhood or at a beach or amusement park with many blacks, when it comes to your social survival you should pretend to be unconscious of blackness. If someone says, “There are a lot of blacks in the park today,” the safest response is, “Really? I hadn’t noticed.” Being aware of race, in any context outside of fulsome praise, is tantamount to racism. | <urn:uuid:222af6d0-28bc-4c60-801d-21ed59692cae> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://human-stupidity.com/stupid-dogma/political-correctness-stupid-dogma/olympian-voula-papachristou-banned-for-a-joke-very-bitter-and-upset-dictatorship-of-political-correctness-destroys-lives-and-freedom/comment-page-1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969873 | 1,599 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Dogs in Longmont are getting “pinked”
A Sunday business story in the New York Times calls it “the pinking of America”.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and pink tie-ins have become “a marketing, merchandising and fund-raising opportunity
that is almost unrivaled in scope,” the Times story said.
In Longmont, pinking has even gone to the dogs.
Canines at a Longmont pet agility training and social center can get pink ribbons embedded in their fur to mark the observance.
Johnson, who previously worked for a couple of animal rescues, figured the idea would work at the Zoom Room, where dogs can train and pets and owners can socialize.
“The pink is hair coloring and we put it in places where the dogs can’t lick it,” she said.
Her business is part of a seven-store national chain, with four more on the drawing board.
Animal tracks - The Denver-based Morris Animal Foundation ranks at the top for animal charities in Colorado, receiving a four-star rating from Charity Navigator. The respected independent charity evaluator gave Morris a four-star rating. The agency reviews the finances of charities, including what percentage of donations goes toward administrative costs. . . .
Denkai Animal Shelter in Weld County is offering free adoptions of eight Arabian horses that have been in the shelter’s care. They were among 18 that were seized in a neglect case in Boulder County. Contact: (970)
895-2337 or firstname.lastname@example.org . . .
October 20 - The Larimer Humane Society holds the first of a series of interactive story hours for children ages 3-6 years old. At each session, a book will be read that fouses on animals and developing humane values. Then there will be crafts, a visit with a shelter animal and a discussion. The Thursday sessions are from 10 a.m.- 11 a.m., continuing through May 17. To register: www.larimerhumane.org or 970-226-3647, ext. 146 or 142.
October 22 - Maxfund will hold its 23rd Anual black-tie fundraiser,Puttin’ on the Max, from 5:30 to 10 p.m. at the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver. Tickets are $100, couples are $175, and tables are $900 and available for purchase online. Online registration ends Oct. 19. Contact: www.maxfund.org
October 26 - Roosters Men’s Grooming Center in
Greenwood Village is partnering with the American Humane Association’s animal-assisted therapy program. A launch party will be held Oct. 26 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Roosters Greenwood Village. Complimentary beverages and snacks will be provided, and $2 from each service will go to the therapy program. Contact: www.roostersgreenwoodvillage.com
Reach John Davidson at JeDavidson@denverpost.com | <urn:uuid:8bac5f8c-af34-4516-83f4-9b4317c4aa5f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.denverpost.com/fetch/2011/10/16/dogs-in-longmont-are-getting-pinked/4604/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.906706 | 640 | 1.59375 | 2 |
City Hall's Welfare For The Rich: A Case Study
Next, let's say I come to you, in my capacity as a real estate broker, with a proposed deal. My client wants to buy your land on the following terms. You deed the 217 lots to my client, plus you hand him another $52 million cash, and he signs a loan to repay you $58 million at below-interest rates.
Did you get that? He gets your land and $52 million of your money. You receive your money back, at some point, with a little interest, plus an additional $6 million for your 217 lots.
Do you know what that works out to as the price for each of the residential-sized lots downtown? Just $27,649! (Six million divided by 217 = $27,649.) A person could spend more to buy a car in this town -- a domestic car, even!
Now, if I came to you with that deal in the real world, how many seconds would it take you to call Security and have me thrown out of your office? Not many.
But, as reported deep within an L.A. Times story Sunday, that is the deal that a billionaire developer got from L.A.'s City Hall for the land underlying the Staples Center. According to the story, "Anschutz took control of 30 nearby acres," and "paid more than $18 million for the land," but he "obtained $58 million from city bonds — to be repaid with interest — and $12 million in redevelopment grants."
So if you do the math, he puts in $18 million, but immediately gets back $12 million plus $58 million, so he's netting $52 million right off the bat, and then promises to repay the $58 million. So his net payment to City Hall is just $6 million, plus some below-market interest. A sweet deal for 30 acres of downtown land, don't you think?
And remember: that land, my friend, DID, in fact, belong to you. It belonged to you, to me, and to the rest of us taxpaying citizens. But your friends at City Hall sold it for the equivalent of around $27,649 for every 6000 square feet.
It gets worse. He came back for more: now he's building a hotel across the street, and "last year . . . the Los Angeles City Council approved up to $290 million in rebates of hotel taxes during the next 25 years." In other words, they just handed him another $290 million of your money. Your trash tax isn't going to pay for police; it's going to pick up the tab for this guy's hotel.
Do you still think that "affordable housing" and the other developer subsidy programs are supposed to help the poor? | <urn:uuid:5021ab9a-43db-43a5-9f01-a0e5adc12ea7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mayorsam.blogspot.com/2006/07/city-halls-welfare-for-rich-case-study.html | 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 | 0.97396 | 581 | 1.671875 | 2 |
The narrowing of the spinal canal (the passageway through which the spinal cord and nerve roots travel)
is referred to as spinal stenosis. This condition can affect the three regions of the spine: the lumbar (lower) part of the spine, the thoracic (middle) region and the cervical (neck) region. The location of a patient’s spinal stenosis dictates where a patient experiences the symptoms of this condition, which include pain, stiffness, numbing, and cramping. Severity of symptoms may vary from patient to patient, but many can enjoy some relief with conservative and alternative treatments.
Before suggesting surgery, neck and back specialists often attempt to lessen the severity of a patient’s symptoms with conservative treatments. These treatments may include:
- Over-the-counter pain medications
- Physical therapy
- Use of a brace
- Corticosteroid injections
While many patients can experience relief thanks to these conservative forms of treatment, some may decide to explore alternative treatments.
Patients with spinal stenosis have many alternative treatment options available to them. Some experience results when an alternative therapy is performed on its own, while others receive optimal benefits when combining conservative and alternative treatments. For patients with spinal stenosis, the alternative treatments listed below tend to be the most popular:
- Chiropractics – Chiropractors can assist in treating spinal stenosis by adjusting the spine to reduce the amount of pressure that is being placed on spinal nerves.
- Massage – Reducing the amount of tension in the muscles of the neck and back may relieve the pain associated with spinal stenosis.
- Acupuncture – This form of treatment is said to increase the body’s flow of energy by inserting needles into specific points on the body. Some evidence shows that acupuncture may increase the body’s release of endorphins, which can help to alleviate pain in some patients.
Be sure to consult your primary care physician before employing these methods of alternative therapy. Your doctor may be able to refer you to a qualified, trusted professional who can provide the best treatment for your particular symptoms.
If conservative and alternative treatments provide little relief, there are still other options, including the minimally invasive procedures performed at Laser Spine Institute. Contact us for a free MRI or CT scan review and for more information. | <urn:uuid:9a7ef3e3-810c-45d9-b946-26f60ddbac29> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.laserspineinstitute.com/back_problems/spinal_stenosis/alt_treat/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.922589 | 477 | 2.484375 | 2 |
Plasticization of Polyurethane Adhesives and Sealants
Edward M Petrie
- Dec 13, 2011
This article will first examine the reasons that external plasticizer modification may not be necessary with polyurethane adhesives and sealants. It will then review the possible value that can be achieved from using added plasticizers. The article will also review the types of plasticizers that have been historically employed in polyurethanes as well as plasticizers that have been recently introduced to the market. Plasticizers are generally added to adhesive and sealant formulations to achieve a variety of properties such as lower viscosity, reduced hardness, and increased elongation. The selection of the plasticizer has to be made carefully to achieve these characteristics without loss of adhesion. The type of plasticizer that is utilized will depend on the properties that one is trying to achieve as well as its compatibility with the base polymer and other ingredients in the formulation. Plasticizers are often not necessary in polyurethane adhesives and sealants. The urethane polymer molecule is typically flexible enough at low temperatures that plasticization may not required.
posted by Paul Rohrer, Consulting/ Training/ Education at Paul Rohrer Consulting
This article succeeds to summarize the basic principles of PU physics and mechanics in an excellent easily understandable manner. It also tackles the regulatory problematics in the EC re. the phthalates, but might have treated that latter issue in more detail. Unfortunately I did not find two important aspect of plasticizers, namely the volatility and the compatibility. | <urn:uuid:e9ad4261-5eb3-439b-8f05-4a9324e070a1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.specialchem4adhesives.com/resources/articles/article.aspx?id=5431 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951737 | 316 | 2.140625 | 2 |
Two key Toyota models, the flagship Camry sedan and the Prius v wagon, failed a new crash test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, an insurance industry group.
Honda's newly redesigned Accord tied for the top safety rating with the Suzuki Kizashi, a car that will soon no longer be sold in the United States. The redesigned Ford Fusion also scored well.
The results raise concerns that the Toyota models can't provide protection from serious injuries in common accidents. The automaker's new Prius v, a wagon version of the popular hybrid, scored last among 18 cars tested, with "poor" ratings in five of seven categories. The Camry-America's bestselling passenger car-scored next to last.
Toyota, in a statement, vowed to focus on improving safety. Toyota said the Camry and Prius v have performed well on other tests and are still rated as "Top Safety Picks" by the organization.
The new test - in which 25 percent of a car's front end on the driver's side strikes a 5-foot-tall rigid barrier at 40 mph - simulates a wreck in which the front corner of the car hits another car or a solid object. This was the first test of family cars and follows a similar test this year in which only three of 11 luxury cars scored well.
The front corner crashes can be particularly severe. "The crash damage in these tests is like the damage we see in real-world crashes where heads and chests are injured," Lund said.
The trade group said some automakers, including Honda, Ford and Nissan, are starting to redesign vehicles to protect passengers in front-corner impacts, and that's one of the reasons the family cars fared better than luxury cars. | <urn:uuid:c67df4dd-b472-4e1f-ac8d-a27ec1a81736> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://theday.com/article/20121221/BIZ07/312219963 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958139 | 356 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Good news! A key ingredient in beer may help treat the common cold.
Researchers found that a chemical compound in beer can help the human body fight the virus behind the common cold.
Unfortunately – or fortunately – you’d have to drink about 30 cans of beer to get enough of the compound to really knock out the virus.
So, if you’ve got a cold, booze early and booze often! (Yahoo News) | <urn:uuid:b08915be-9273-407f-90e4-7890d13e3c5d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wcol.com/pages/chrisrandolph.html?article=10638624 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935237 | 91 | 2.3125 | 2 |
Defense helps lead the way for Lady Dinos
On nights when things may not be going to plan on offense, the Carbon High girls basketball team has a tried and true method to make sure it doesn't effect the final outcome of a game.
Play 32 minutes of strong, relentless defense.
Since Carbon High head coach Ted Bianco took over last year, the pressure style defense has been implemented to help keep opposing teams on their heels at all times.
This season is no different for the Lady Dinos as their determination to wreak havoc on defense has led them to be ranked second in class 3A with a defense that is allowing 36.6 points per game.
In a nail-biting 35-33 win over Stansbury on Saturday to advance to the 3A quarterfinals in Ogden, Bianco credited his team's defensive effort down the stretch with helping get the win.
"Our defense is ranked number two in the state for a reason. We got a lot of turnovers which helped start fast breaks on offense for us," said Bianco after the game.
Throughout the season, the defense has been consistent only allowing an opposing team to score more than 50 points on two occasions. Carbon lost both of those games, including a 53-44 loss to Uintah on Jan. 2 and a 50-41 defeat to Delta on Jan. 22.
While the Dinos have struggled at times on offense, averaging 42.4 points per game which is 17th in 3A, players know that playing hard defense will leave them with a shot to win each game.
"Team effort on defense helps us get wins," said forward Giovanna Chiara. "Coach Bianco has told us we need to continue working hard on defense as a team if we want to do well at state."
Bianco's team does a bit of everything on defense as his team has plenty of bumps, bruises and floor burns to prove it.
It's a style the team has come to embrace game in and game out.
"Our defense is the strength of our team," said Chiara.
The Lady Dinos will need to continue that hard work on defense as they head into their 3A quarterfinal game with the Dixie Flyers today (Feb. 21) at 5:50 at the Dee Events Center at Weber State University. Dixie upset #1 seed Juan Diego 51-39 earlier last Saturday.
Bianco said his young team has grown over the season despite having just one senior, Ashley Quinton, on the squad. He hopes the team's hunger to succeed will help them heading into the playoffs.
"With such a brand new team this season, I couldn't be more proud of the girls this season," Bianco explained. "Our effort on defense has been big for our team." | <urn:uuid:f0744280-7976-44df-b8ff-a2e28b0b547a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sunadvocate.com/index.php?tier=1&article_id=27326&poll=273&vote=results | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977105 | 575 | 1.53125 | 2 |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Companies that operate U.S. nuclear power plants are not telling the government about some equipment defects that could create safety risks, according to a report released Thursday.
An audit by the inspector general of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission also raised questions about the agency's oversight, saying reporting guidelines for the nuclear industry are "contradictory and unclear."
Reflecting that confusion, the report said the NRC has not levied any civil penalties or significant enforcement actions against nuclear plant operators for lapses in reporting equipment defects in at least eight years.
The study comes as questions are raised about the safety of U.S. nuclear facilities in the wake of the nuclear crisis in Japan. The NRC voted Wednesday to conduct two safety reviews of the 104 nuclear reactors operating in the U.S.
Unless the NRC takes steps to improve its reporting guidelines, "the margin of safety for operating reactors could be reduced," the IG report said.
NRC inspectors found at least 24 instances where possible equipment defects were identified but not reported to the agency from December, 2009, through September, 2010, according to the study.
Eliot Brenner, a spokesman for the agency, said utilities and NRC inspectors both have procedures to identify and report manufacturing defects. The IG report mostly addresses how these defects are reported to the government, he said.
"The NRC has a variety of other regulations that effectively encompass reporting all defects, and the NRC continues to conclude plants are operating safely," Brenner said.
The agency will look at the report to see if its reporting systems can be strengthened, he added.
In its 18-page report, the inspector general said the NRC's baseline inspection program does not require inspectors to review an operator's reporting on equipment defects.
Confusion over the regulations "could reduce the margin of safety for operating nuclear power reactors, as NRC may remain unaware of component failures that have resulted from manufacturing defects," the report said.
For example, an operator might not report a basic component that failed due to a design defect. As a result, other operators that use the same component — and even component manufacturers — may be unaware of the problem, the report said. Without knowledge of specific manufacturing defects, the NRC could miss crucial trends, the report said.
Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., called the report troubling and said it raises questions about the self-policing allowed at commercial nuclear plants.
"While there are no specific examples listed in the report, it is apparent that confusion and omissions regarding the reporting of defects at nuclear facilities are commonplace," Markey said.
A spokesman for the Nuclear Energy Institute, an industry group, cautioned that the report did not identify any actual safety problems.
Reporting possible equipment defects, while important, "is one sliver within a much broader regulatory regimen that shows U.S. nuclear power plants are operating at high margins of safety," spokesman Steve Kerekes said.
Kerekes cited annual NRC reports dating to 2005 that show no "abnormal occurrences" throughout the U.S. nuclear energy industry. Abnormal occurrences are events that the agency considers threats to public health or safety. | <urn:uuid:062564ad-92e4-48ed-877c-a41fc6bd562f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.monroenews.com/news/2011/mar/25/us-equipment-defects-under-reported-nrc-says/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964361 | 654 | 2.03125 | 2 |
After Democrats in New York rammed a sweeping assault on the right to keep and bear arms through the legislature that failed to exempt police officers from the draconian restrictions, gun owners and even some lawmakers are planning what has been dubbed potentially the largest act of civil disobedience in state history. According to news reports, gun rights activists are urging everyone to defy far-left Governor Andrew Cuomo’s new registration mandate while daring authorities to “come and take it.”
Analysts say the legislation, passed in a frenzy last week in the wake of the Newtown shooting, represents the most brazen infringement on the right to keep and bear arms anywhere in the nation. Among other points, the so-called SAFE Act seeks to limit magazines to just seven bullets, require virtually all of the estimated one million semi-automatic rifles in the state to be registered with authorities, mandate reporting of patients who express indications that they may have thoughts about hurting themselves or others by doctors, and more.
Aside from being unconstitutional, experts on gun violence also point out that the draconian schemes are a bad idea: Studies have repeatedly shown that more guns lead to less crime, and the phenomenon is obvious across America — just compare Chicago or D.C. to Alaska or Wyoming. The mandated reporting requirements for doctors, meanwhile, have come under fire from across the political spectrum. Whether it will even be possible to enforce the bill, however, remains to be seen.
Preparations are already being made for mass resistance. “I’ve heard from hundreds of people that they’re prepared to defy the law, and that number will be magnified by the thousands, by the tens of thousands, when the registration deadline comes,’’ said President Brian Olesen with American Shooters Supply, among the biggest gun dealers in the state, in an interview with the New York Post.
Click here to read the entire article. | <urn:uuid:f630ed7a-b8c3-44c1-b1fd-62728acb5a98> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jbs.org/press-release-downloads/gun-owners-refuse-to-register-under-new-york-law | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955598 | 388 | 1.726563 | 2 |
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
The blanket agency for all Red Cross groups, formerly known as the International Red Cross, changed its name in 1986 to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in order to encompass a number of branches in Islamic nations. It sponsors the International Red Cross Conference (instituted 1867), the highest deliberative body of the organization. The conference meets every four years, and its membership consists of representatives from each national society and from several international committees. There are national Red Cross societies in over 180 countries of the world, each a self-governing organization, and two international groups with headquarters in Geneva: the International Committee of the Red Cross (established in 1863), composed of 25 Swiss citizens and serving as a neutral intermediary in time of war, with special interest in the welfare of prisoners of war; and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (founded as the League of Red Cross Societies in 1919), a federation of national societies for mutual help, cooperation, and program development, especially in time of peace. All societies are supported by membership fees and popular subscriptions, and a number receive government subsidies in addition.
The work of the Red Cross has been greatly expanded since the end of World War II, and it has moved into many fields. It has taken on extensive refugee relief activities, helping to care for refugees of warfare, drought, and ethnic conflicts all over the world, including Hungary (1956), Somalia (1992), Rwanda (1994), and the former Yugoslavia (throughout the 1990s). During the Korean War, the International Red Cross suggested (1952) the first exchange of prisoners and sick and wounded combatants. The group also coordinated international relief efforts following natural disasters, such as the massive cyclone and storm surge that hit East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1970 and left almost a half million dead, the hurricane that hit Honduras in 1974, and the earthquakes in Armenia (1988) and Turkey (1999).
Sections in this article:
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
More on Red Cross The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement from Infoplease:
See more Encyclopedia articles on: International Organizations | <urn:uuid:34e5b093-bfbc-4aed-9a6d-b78fbd19a58d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/history/red-cross-the-international-red-cross-red-crescent-movement.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930235 | 454 | 2.859375 | 3 |
Anne Arundel Robots Battle by the Baytesttest
atch robotic teams in action — applying science, technology and quick thinking — at the Second Annual Battle by the Bay FIRST LEGO League robot tournament on Saturday, December 8, in the Center for Applied Learning and Technology at Anne Arundel Community College.
Students and their Mindstorm robots compete from 1:30 to 3:30pm with awards at 4pm.
An international program founded by LEGO and technology entrepreneur Dean Kamen, inventor of Segway, FIRST LEGO uses robotics to excite children about science and technology.
“FIRST programs challenge and inspire more than 4,000 students in more than 500 teams across the state,” says Marjorie Rawhouser, an engineering professor at the college, which sponsors the Anne Arundel tournament.
Plus, she adds, “it’s fun.”
Team names are fun, too. The Rampaging Mindstorms from Jones Elementary in Severna Park and Terminator from Boys and Girls Club in Annapolis are two of 16 teams competing from local schools and youth groups.
Top performing teams advance to the Maryland state Tournament at UMBC on January 26. | <urn:uuid:f145d414-0d89-4dd8-b6b6-48139d55c36b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bayweekly.com/articles/news/article/anne-arundel-robots-battle-bay | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.925042 | 247 | 2.171875 | 2 |
If you were traveling to Mars solely by spacecraft, your health might take a serious hit during the 18-month or so round-trip journey–and you might not even be able to see your home by the time you got back. Throughout the journey, high-energy particles known as cosmic rays would course through your body, not only damaging your eyesight, but also increasing your risk of cancer by up to 20 percent.
Luckily, one scientist has an answer: Don’t fly a spaceship to Mars, hop on an asteroid instead.
Cosmic rays zing into our solar system from interstellar space; here on Earth our planet’s magnetic field protects us from them, and astronauts aboard the International Space Station are mostly protected by the Earth’s bulk and its magnetic field as well. But astronauts on a long-haul trip to Mars would be in more danger.
As it stands, our current radiation shields are too cumbersome for spacecraft, and light-weight aluminum shields can exacerbate the problem: Cosmic rays can reflect off the metal and create secondary radiation. Hence, the asteroid plan, which Douglas Adams would surely approve of.
In his paper, which is set to be published in Acta Astronautica next month, Gregory Matloff of New York City College of Technology suggests that a Mars-bound spacecraft could settle down on an asteroid for the duration of the trip. By parking in a crater or tunneling into the asteroid’s surface, astronauts would be shielded from cosmic rays by the craggy rock.
Matoff explains that the asteroid should be at least 33 feet wide, and also notes that it would help if it passed by both Earth and Mars. That 33-foot width is based off density measurements of the Ida and Mathilde asteroids, and assumes that spacecraft will be able to bore into a roughly spherical asteroid to escape the cosmic rays, Matloff says. “If our space crew digs in 5 meters [16.4 feet], they have enough shielding from asteroid material,” he adds. “For a spherical asteroid, they will be at the center of a 10-meter or 33-foot sphere.”
That magic number, Matoff says, is a conservative estimate. “We could probably work with a smaller near earth object (NEO).” If the asteroid were porous, the width would have to be larger than 33 feet, and if the asteroid were especially iron-rich, the necessary width would be smaller.
It turns out that there are at least five asteroids passing from Earth to Mars in the next 90 years. But since it would take five years for the space rocks to orbit around Mars on its way back to Earth, the astronauts would be stranded for a bit. Matloff has an answer to this too. As National Geographic reports:
Ideally, astronauts would divert an asteroid so that it cycles permanently between Earth and Mars on a well-timed orbit. Humans could nudge an asteroid into the desired path using a solar sail or gentle propulsion…. Once the asteroid is in a stable orbit, Matloff said, “you’d just jump on it. You could store provisions and spare parts on it and use it for shielding…. “
But other scientists believe this asteroid-riding business is way too complicated. From National Geographic:
Nasser Barghouty, a project scientist at NASA’s Space Radiation Shielding Project, said Matloff’s idea works in theory. But he thinks having so many extra launches and landings would prove too risky…. Like an airline passenger with multiple layovers, “I’d need to hop on so many legs [during the journey],” he said. “That adds to the complexity of the mission, which adds more risk.”
The future, according to Barghouty, lies in plastics, which are light-weight and could shield a spacecraft from radiation–but are also a thoroughly anticlimactic option when compared to latching on to a space rock that’s hurtling through the solar system. Given the choice between plastics and hitching a ride on an asteroid, I think I’ll go with the rock.
80beats: The Real Problem With a Human Trip to Mars: Radiation
80beats: Would A Mission to Mars Drive Astronauts Insane? Six Earth-Bound Volunteers Aim to Find Out.
80beats: Traveling to Mars? You’ll Need This Miniature Magnetic Force-Field
DISCOVER: Russia’s Dark Horse Plan to Get to Mars
DISCOVER: 11 Space Missions That Will Make Headlines in 2011 (photo gallery)
Image: flickr / andrewsrj | <urn:uuid:9dae90b1-e067-4edd-b79a-bb9cae918f5f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/?p=16188 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945321 | 974 | 3.671875 | 4 |
Uni of Calgary combines biometrics
22 June 2012
Researchers at the University of Calgary’s Biometric Technologies Laboratory have developed a way for security systems to combine different biometric measurements—such as eye colour, face shape or fingerprints—and create a learning system that simulates the brain in making decisions about information from different sources.
Marina Gavrilova, the founding head of the lab says it has developed a biometric security system that simulates learning patterns and cognitive processes of the brain.
The university says biometric information is becoming more common in our daily lives, being incorporated in drivers’ licenses, passports and other forms of identification. Gavrilova says the work in her lab is not only pioneering the intelligent decision-making methodology for human recognition but is also important for maintaining security in virtual worlds and avatar recognition.
“Our goal is to improve accuracy and as a result improve the recognition process,” says Gavrilova, a professor in the Faculty of Science. “We looked at it not just as a mathematical algorithm, but as an intelligent decision making process and the way a person will make a decision.”
The algorithm can learn new biometric patterns and associate data from different data sets, allowing the system to combine information, such as fingerprint, voice, gait or facial features, instead of relying on a single set of measurements.
The key is in the ability to combine features from multiple sources of information, prioritise them by identifying more important/prevalent features to learn and adapt the decision-making to changing conditions such as bad quality data samples, sensor errors or an absence of one of the biometrics.
“It’s a kind of artificial intelligence application that can learn new things, patterns and features,” says Gavrilova. “With this new multi-dimensional approach, a security system can train itself to learn the most important features of any new data and incorporate it the decision making process.
“The neural network allows a system to combine features from different biometrics in one, learn them to make the optimal decision about the most important features, and adapt to a different environment where the set of features changes. This is a different, more flexible approach.” | <urn:uuid:5129a1fe-3f48-466f-8e78-b8d70c92cd95> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.securitydocumentworld.com/public/index.cfm?m1=c_10&m2=c_4&m3=e_0&m4=e_0&subItemID=2837 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92887 | 465 | 2.671875 | 3 |
1993 Hall of Fame Inductee and famed host of American Bandstand, Dick Clark, passed away on Wednesday, April 18, 2012. He was 82.
Affectionately known as “America’s oldest teenager,” Clark was significant in transforming the record business into an international industry. As host of American Bandstand, Clark provided many acts with the opportunity to reach a national audience via television, spreading the gospel of rock and roll to teenagers across the country.
Born Richard W. Clark in 1929, he entered the music business as a sales manager for an upstate New York radio station at age 17. In 1952, he began doing a radio show ("Caravan of Music") at WFIL in Philadelphia. The station’s TV affiliate had a teen-oriented show called Bandstand that was taken over in 1956 by Clark. He was such an affable, magnetic host that Bandstand was picked up for national distribution by ABC in 1957. With Clark as businessman, personality, music lover and host, American Bandstand catapulted to popularity and, in 1996, celebrated its 40th anniversary.
Although his demeanor was low-key and agreeable, Clark did not shrink when it came time to defend rock and roll. He stood up for the music when it ... | <urn:uuid:20fefd4e-12da-4f91-9749-7a33f4399578> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://rockhall.com/blog/tag/clark/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972706 | 260 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Did you know that you could possibly earn a signing bonus? Or that can you could get GI Bill education benefits? Find out about some of the exciting incentives below.
Tip: Always ask about bonuses, not al jobs have them but you may not know which ones do unless you ask!. <
Enlistment Bonuses: Some bonuses require enlsiting longer than the normal four-year enlistment. Most bonuses are paid for enlisting in a specific job.Enlistment bonuses are continually changing depending on recruiting needs. Make sure to ask your recruiter for details.
Student Loan Repayment: If you have gone to college or are going to college, and have loans to repay, the military may be able to help.
Voluntary Education Programs: Many military members continue their education while on active duty. Each of the service has programs dedicated to helping their members reach their education goals. These programs offer tuition assistance, counseling, classroom facilities, and other systems to support voluntary education.
G.I. Bill: In a nutshell, the G.I. Bill gives educational benefits. Although you may begin using this benefit while you are on active duty, you must earn an honorable discharge if you choose to use your benefits after service.
Accelerated Promotion: Accelerated promotion is offered under several methods. You may be eligible if you:
Each service's rules vary, and usually the highest advancement is to E-3.
Special Forces Recruitment: The Army, Navy, and Air Force offer special incentives for recruits who sign up for special forces programs.These programs are extremely competitive and you should only consider the Special Forces if you are in great physical and mental shape. Visit the Special Operations Center to see if you have what it takes.
|benefits of education| | <urn:uuid:e2766f91-5d94-4327-b6e1-4c9da07da72f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.military.com/join-armed-forces/enlistment-incentives.html?comp=7000023458838&rank=5 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957073 | 364 | 1.953125 | 2 |
- Arts & Entertainment
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Go to Admin » Appearance » Widgets » and move Gabfire Widget: Social into that MastheadOverlay zone
By James Dickhoff
Special to The SUN
On Wednesday, April 3, the Town of Pagosa Springs and the Historic Preservation Board will host a community presentation on the benefits of Heritage Tourism and Historic Preservation, featuring Dan Corson, the Intergovernmental Services Director from the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (History Colorado), and Laura Grey, the Heritage and Agritourism Program Manager, from the State Tourism Office.
The event is scheduled for the Ross Aragon Community Center gymnasium. An open house featuring images of old Pagosa Springs will start at 5 p.m., with presentations beginning at 5:30. Refreshments and light fare will be provided by Farrago’s.
Learn how preservation is progress. Not only does preservation help a community retain a unique identity, which encourages tourism, it creates jobs, increases tax revenue and is an effective economic development tool. Sometimes old is better than new in terms of life expectancy, energy efficiency and cost effectiveness. Learn about available tax credits and grants to help with your next preservation project.
Colorado has more funds available for historic preservation than any other state in the country. The State Historic Fund is a program established in 1990. Grant funds are generated from tax revenues collected from three gaming towns in Colorado, with almost $16 million collected annually and administered by the State Historical Fund for historic preservation activities throughout the state. A good portion of these grant funds are available for privately-owned projects, that can apply for multiple grants of up to $200,000 for each eligible grant application. Historical preservation project grants are available for building assessments, construction planning, project construction and more.
Mark your calendars for Wednesday, April 3, from 5-7 p.m. and plan on attending this informative community presentation on the benefits of Historic Preservation and Heritage Tourism. Bring a friend and encourage others to attend with you.
For more information, contact the Town Planning Department at 264-4151, Ext. 225. | <urn:uuid:60197f8f-b579-4a33-84b4-a8dfbea1b6a2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pagosasun.com/community-presentation-benefits-of-historic-preservation-and-heritage-tourism/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.910264 | 433 | 1.742188 | 2 |
CowboyRobot writes "A pair of reports by Juniper and Bit9 confirm the suspicion that many apps are spying on users. '26 percent of Android apps in Google Play can access personal data, such as contacts and email, and 42 percent, GPS location data... 31 percent of the apps access phone calls or phone numbers, and 9 percent employ permissions that could cost the user money, such as incurring premium SMS text message charges... nearly 7 percent of free apps can access address books, 2.6 percent, can send text messages without the user knowing, 6.4 percent can make calls, and 5.5 percent have access to the device's camera.' The main issue seems to be with poor development practices. Only in a minority of cases is there malicious intent. The Juniper report and the Bit9 report are both available online." | <urn:uuid:06a5d8f2-9be9-41fe-89fe-20ee53558508> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://yro.slashdot.org/story/12/11/02/1316238/more-than-25-of-android-apps-know-too-much-about-you?sdsrc=prevbtmprev | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924919 | 171 | 1.53125 | 2 |
I've been thinking of doing this for many weeks - a thread to cover all things political and how governments throughout the World have varying opinions on how to screw their own nation and as many others as they can in the process - although they wouldn't admit to the theory as it isn't in their mandate. I have finally been driven to this by the possibility that the USA might default on their debts and that bastion of rectitude, Moody's, has suggested that they may reduce America's credit rating. If there are any economists in our midst, could they please explain why some of the richest nations in the World persist in 'borrowing' money and, more intriguingly, who on earth do they borrow it from? And what is it about governments that stops them from living within their means? This is for starters - I'm sure there will be other topics to cover as they arise. | <urn:uuid:8e7e79fb-cbf5-48e3-9309-c416d35e11fc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cliptheapex.com/threads/the-politics-thread.3273/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.988769 | 179 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Sunday is traditionally when Episcopalians gather for worship. We call our principal weekly worship service Holy Eucharist, which is also known as the Lord’s Supper, Holy Communion, or Mass. In most Episcopal churches, worship is accompanied by the singing of hymns, and in some churches, much of the service is sung.
Episcopalians worship in many different styles, from very formal, ancient, and multi-sensory rites with lots of singing, music and incense, to informal services with contemporary music. Yet all worship in the Episcopal Church is based on the Book of Common Prayer, which gives worship a familiar feel no matter where you go.
Liturgy and Ritual
Worship in the Episcopal Church is “liturgical,” meaning that the congregation follows service forms and prays from texts that don’t change greatly from week to week during a season of the year. This sameness gives worship a rhythm that becomes comforting and familiar to people.
For the first-time visitor, liturgy may be exhilarating. . .or confusing. Stand. Sit. Kneel. Stand. Sit (or is it Kneel?). Participatory elements may provide a challenge, but don’t worry. At St. Michael’s some people stand, some people kneel, some people sit — you can’t really get it wrong.
Liturgical worship can be compared to a dance. Once you learn the steps, you come to appreciate the rhythm, and it becomes satisfying to dance, again and again, as the music changes.
The Liturgy of the Word
We begin by praising God through song and prayer, and then listen to as many as four readings from the Bible: usually one from the Old Testament, a Psalm, something from the Epistles, and (always) a reading from the Gospels. The psalm is usually sung or recited by the congregation.
Next, a sermon interpreting one or more of the scripture readings appointed for the day is preached.
The congregation then recites an affirmation of faith. At St. Michael’s, we recite the words of the Nicene Creed, an ancient affirmation of faith written in the fourth century AD and the church’s statement of belief ever since.
Next, the congregation prays together — for the Church, the world, and those in need. We pray for the sick, thank God for all the good things in our lives, and finally we pray for the dead. The presider (the priest, bishop, or lay minister) concludes with a prayer that gathers the petitions into a communal offering.
Then as a congregation we acknowledge our sins before God and one another. This is a corporate confession of what we have done and what we have left undone, followed by an assurance of forgiveness spoken by the presider. With these words, the presider assures the congregation that God is always ready to forgive us.
The congregation then greets one another with a sign of peace.
The Liturgy of the Table
Next, the priest stands at the table, which has been set with a cup of wine and a plate of bread or wafers, raises his or her hands, and greets the congregation again, saying “The Lord be with you.” Now begins the Eucharistic Prayer, in which the presider tells the story of our faith, from the beginning of Creation, through the choosing of Israel to be God’s people, through our continual turning away from God, and God’s calling us to return. Finally, the presider tells the story of the coming of Jesus Christ, and about the night before his death, on which he instituted the Eucharistic meal (Communion) as a continual remembrance of him.
The presider blesses the bread and wine, and the congregation recites the Lord’s Prayer. Finally, the presider breaks the bread and offers it to the congregation, as the “gifts of God for the people of God.”
At St. Michael’s, we practice open Communion. All are welcome to participate fully in worship, including the Lord’s Supper, or Holy Eucharist. There is no one ineligible to receive Communion, no one who has too few beliefs or too many questions. We believe that the altar is the Lord’s Table and it is he who invites you to come.
After the prayers have been said, please come forward, if you wish, to receive the bread and the wine. If you would like to come forward but not receive the bread and wine, you may cross your arms over your chest and receive a blessing instead.
Going Into the World
At the end of the Eucharist, the congregation prays once more in thanksgiving and then is sent out to be God’s hands and feet in the world.
Adapted from St. John’s Episcopal Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota | <urn:uuid:c8079d7a-989a-400e-b3e4-9232d6f993f9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://stmichaelsvermont.org/worship/how-we-worship/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957151 | 1,032 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Research Explores How Children Reason, Think About Others
As social creatures, humans must constantly monitor each other’s intentions, beliefs, desires, and other mental states. A particularly important social skill is the ability to take another person’s perspective and understand what the person knows, even when that knowledge may ultimately be false. Past research has shown that before the age of 4, children fail to pass standard tasks designed to measure false belief; however, new research has shown that very young children can pass nonverbal versions of false-belief tasks. Paula Rubio-Fernández of University College London and Bart Geurts of the University of Nijmegen tested 3-year-old children using a standard false-belief task called the Smarties task and using an altered, more streamlined version of the false-belief task called the Duplo task. The Duplo task was designed to minimize disruptions in children’s perspective-taking. The researchers found that while only 22.7% of children passed the Smarties task, 80% of children passed the Duplo task. This suggests that 3-year-old children are able to pass a verbal false-belief task if they are able to keep track of the protagonist’s perspective.
Although analogical reasoning is a core cognitive skill that distinguishes humans from other animals, its origins are still not well understood. Psychological scientists Lindsey Richland of the University of Chicago and Margaret Burchinal of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill analyzed data from children who were part of the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. They assessed children for vocabulary knowledge, sustained attention, short-term memory skills, executive functioning skills, and analytical reasoning skills and found that children’s early vocabulary knowledge and executive-functioning predicted their analytical reasoning skills at age 15. These results indicate that composite executive-function skills make specialized contributions to the development of children’s analytical reasoning. They also support the idea that language and knowledge are necessary for the development of analytical-reasoning skills.
Please contact Anna Mikulak at 202-293-9300 or email@example.com for more information. | <urn:uuid:ea1716f1-77c7-4540-9449-42ae49f21266> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/uncategorized/research-explores-how-children-reason-think-about-others.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.919105 | 447 | 3.8125 | 4 |
How Nigeria is Undermining Ghana’s Electricity, and Way Forward for WAGPO?
By Emmanuel K. Bensah Jnr.
This morning, a neighbour was kind enough to drop me off at work. Our conversation along the way revealed that he has significant insights into our electricity problem (generally a problem of distribution; generation; and transmission — and not necessarily in that order all the time!).
The most shocking insight, however, had to do with Nigeria and how it continues to undermine the West African gas pipeline project, which it is a part of. The WAGP is an ECOWAS-supported project to transport natural gas from Nigeria to customers in Ghana; Togo; and Benin.
Earlier in the year, one of the reasons for the load-shedding had been ascribed to the shortage of gas by Nigeria to the WAGP. They have a website: www.wagpco.com. Sadly, the information is not as updated as regularly as one would have hoped.
What we do know is that in an effort to contain the problem of Nigeria’s inability to supply gas, ameeting was held earlier in the year. The organisers set up the West African Gas Market Development Committee (WAGMDC), which is primarily made up of representatives of World Bank, WAPCo, ECOWAS and WAGPA.
This committee will facilitate meetings amongst buyers and sellers of gas, determine market requirements and through advocacy gain sub regional government support to foster gas market development strategies.
Now, the reason for the sabotaging of the gas also has a lot to do with the fact that, as the neighbour inferred, Nigeria has a lucrative deal exporting its gas to Europe, which is embattled because of the fiscal crisis. This article (Banks Battling European Debt Crisis Lose on African Deals) is a testament of the crisis-ridden Europe and how the continent is scrambling for opportunities in Africa in every nook and cranny.
Suffice-to-say, there has been little explanation of this development in the media. The Ghanaian press did talk about the lack of gas from Nigeria through the WAGP. However, an interesting article in Nigeria’s Business Day is perhaps the best source so far that suggest Nigeria may be up to no good.
Here are some juicy quotes:
*In furtherance of its expansion plans, Oando Gas and Power, late last year entered into agreement with the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to jointly fund a feasibility study toward the development of an interstate natural gas transportation pipeline from the Excravos-Lagos Pipeline System to other southwest states
*For Oando Gas and Power, Nigeria’s leading indigenous developer of gas and power solutions and one of the companies actively involved in the actualisation of the Nigerian Gas Master Plan, the Federal Government’s initiative is a reinforcement of its robust energy programme meant to provide a home-grown solution to Nigeria’s energy crisis
*With the country’s proven gas reserve base of 187 trillion cubic feet and a further undiscovered potential of 600 trillion cubic feet,Nigeria is positioned to accelerate industrialisation on the back of massive utilisation of gas, thereby creating jobs which will in turn lead to political stability and security
*the development was in line with the current drive by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to boost domestic gas supply under the Nigerian Gas Master Plan.
*BusinessDay’s investigation reveals that Oando Gas and Power is currently developing a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) facility in Lagos. The CNG facility will deliver natural gas in compressed form, bottled in huge cylinder vessels to customers that wish to adopt natural gas as fuel but are outside the gas pipeline coverage. It will also be used to serve customers that have been unable to connect to the gas pipeline grid due to inability to meet the cost of pipeline connection
Now there is nothing wrong with Nigeria developing its domestic capacity on gas. If Ghana can supply Togo with both water and electricity and Ghanaians have accepted it as fostering cooperation and integration, I do not understand why Nigeria might not see same benefits. I do not want to malign Nigeria, but this revelation is too juicy to leave to oneself.
I am all for ECOWAS and regional integration, but if Nigeria chooses to pretend to cooperate with its neighbours when it’s doing something else, I believe member states should advise themselves. A way forward on this specific development could be WAGP members calling for Nigeria to shape up or ship out.
I foresee tremendous problems up ahead–no pun intended– in the pipeline!
Emmanuel K. Bensah is GhanaReporters’ Chief Africa Expert. You can follow him on twitter @EkBensah
*In 2009, in his capacity as a “Do More Talk Less Ambassador” of the 42nd Generation–an NGO that promotes and discusses Pan-Africanism–Emmanuel gave a series of lectures on the role of ECOWAS and the AU in facilitating a Pan-African identity. Emmanuel owns “Critiquing Regionalism” ( http://critiquing-regionalism.org). Established in 2004 as an initiative to respond to the dearth of knowledge on global regional integration initiatives worldwide, this non-profit blog features regional integration initiatives on MERCOSUR/EU/Africa/Asia and many others. You can reach him on firstname.lastname@example.org / Mobile: +233-268.687.653.** | <urn:uuid:b78122f5-2a9d-405e-a264-c15e894e3b66> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ghanareporters.com/2012/05/10/how-nigeria-is-undermining-ghanas-electricity-by-emmanuel-k-bensah-jnr/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944967 | 1,143 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Donations for Japan’s relief be cautious
Persons planning to donate to earthquake and tsunami relief efforts underway internationally should be careful not to fall pray to fund-raising scams by con artists seeking to exploit the natural disaster for their personal profit.
Donors who seek to give to the Japanese relief efforts should be wary of requests for clothing, food or other in-kind donations, which may not be appropriate since they may do more harm than good.
Additionally, donors should find out if the charity is providing direct aid or raising money for other groups. Middlemen should be avoided and donations should be given directly to charities that have a presence in the region or internationally.
Fund-raises and charitable organizations are required under the Laws of Cyprus to register with the competent authority. For a list of authorized/registered charitable institutions in Cyprus please visit this site.
The following tips are suggested to ensure best donations will:
- Ask how much of your donation will go to charity and how much will be used to pay fund-raising costs.
- Pay close attention to the name of the charity.
- Ask questions about the charity and donate only once your questions have been answered.
- Ask whether the charity is registered and confirm the registration with the site of the Cyprus Inland Revenue Department provided earlier.
- Take caution when giving only.
- Do not pay cash and always collect your receipt which may be used for income tax purposes (reduce annual income by sums provided to charities).
- Request written information
If you are contemplating a donation please contact me and i will be glad to assist. | <urn:uuid:bc2068cb-8ed0-40de-9044-d4e88235fcde> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://thecypruslawyer.com/donations-japan-relief/cyprus-income-tax | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.90977 | 326 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Note: I am aware of this question. This question is a bit more specific and in-depth, however, focusing on reading the actual code rather than debugging it or asking the author.
As a student in an introductory-level computer science class, my friends occasionally ask me to help them with their assignments. Programming is something I'm very proud of, so I'm always happy to oblige. However, I usually have difficulty interpreting their source code.
Sometimes this is due to a strange or inconsistent style, sometimes it's due to strange design requirements specified in the assignment, and sometimes it's just due to my stupidity. In any case, I end up looking like an idiot staring at the screen for several minutes saying "Uh..."
I usually check for the common errors first - missing semicolons or parentheses, using commas instead of extractor operators, etc.
The trouble comes when that fails. I often can't step through with a debugger because it's a syntax error, and I often can't ask the author because he/she him/herself doesn't understand the design decisions.
How do you typically read the source code of others? Do you read through the code from top-down, or do you follow each function as it's called? How do you know when to say "It's time to refactor?" | <urn:uuid:67f17f8e-92ec-4e01-b240-4bffc5da84d1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://programmers.stackexchange.com/questions/55539/interpreting-others-source-code/55541 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963011 | 273 | 1.890625 | 2 |
4th craft mela begins today
Organiser Bansal Kaul said: “Though tribe to us is a word synonym with connotations of backwardness, Indian tribes don’t necessarily live in forests, but in different geographical environments with their own architecture, art forms and agrarian economy. Through the exhibits, we plan to highlight that tribals are skilled and have developed their own indigenous science, structural engineering and architecture techniques. They are close to nature and remind us of the environmental degradation through our activities,” said Kaul.
Around 300 folk artists, dancers and instrumentalists, representing all cultures across India will be performing at the mela.
For the past two weeks, artistes have been working hard to design ten huts - each with their own style and tribal paintings. “With the assistance of six zonal cultural centres, we will try to reflect the crafts, culture and art from all states. The virtue of performing arts is that it is non-repetitive and everytime in a new context,” said Jaswinder Kaur, director of Cultural Affairs at UT Administration.
She said that of the 125 stalls, 35 stalls are exclusive for tribal regions and 10 for Chandigarh and that the country’s top
Be the first to comment. | <urn:uuid:0f6e79ef-ec04-4d75-a9c0-3e110cf6f07a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.financialexpress.com/news/4th-craft-mela-begins-today/1038279 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947175 | 268 | 2.1875 | 2 |
|1.||old cold belly badness|
the use of a plate or ash trey in order to cure a stomach ache. By placing an ash trey or plate, which are aften cold, onto your stomach, it should relieve you of stomach ache.
Karl Pilkington "my stomach was hurting, i was in agony"
Ricky Gervais "what did you do?"
Karl Pilkington "i went and grabbed a plate"
Ricky Gervais "WHY??"
Karl Pilkington "Theyre sort of always cold...ennit"
Ricky Gervais "Er yeh all doctors have surely heard of old cold belly badness!" | <urn:uuid:eab23303-38ca-4120-b240-6f6f06f845d2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=old%20cold%20belly%20badness | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938946 | 147 | 1.5625 | 2 |
The seventh annual spring gardening symposium will be held 8 a.m.-3:45 p.m. March 23 at the LaGrange County 4-H Fairgrounds.
The event is sponsored by Purdue Master Gardeners of LaGrange County.
The theme for this year’s symposium is “DIY Gardening,” with a concentration on water gardens.
Featured presentations at this year’s symposium:
“Creating Outdoor Living Spaces with Hardscapes,” by Dave Miller, is 8:45-10 a.m. Miller owns Dave’s Landscaping with his younger brother, specializing in installation of landscapes from paver walkways, patios and retaining walls to outdoor kitchens and fireplaces. Born and raised in LaGrange County, he is a member of Elkhart County Builders Association, Middlebury Chamber of Commerce, and Planet (Professional Landcare Network).
“Dishing about Dandelions and Other Wild Delights,” by Julie Diehm, 10:20 a.m.-noon. Diehm, a Purdue advanced master gardener and an advanced master naturalist with Indiana Department of Natural Resources, grew up on a small farm and still lives on one in LaGrange County. Early in life, she learned from her parents to prepare and use wild foods. As she grew older, her interest in the subject continued to grow. Most of Diehm’s volunteer hours are spent teaching about wild edibles, including “volunteer vegetables.” Diehm works for Sustainable Natural Resource Technologies Inc. as a Natural Resource Tech and Lab Manager.
“Determining the Right Water Garden for You,” by Jason Becker, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Becker, a third-generation owner of Fashion Farm Inc. in Ligonier, Ind., has a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Indianapolis and is a certified horticulturalist in the state of Indiana and board member of Ligonier Trails Association. Since taking over the greenhouse side of the family business in 2000, he started the landscaping division and has been installing water features for 11 years.
In addition, three workshops are featured at the symposium. “Rain Barrels,” “Preserving Nature’s Bounty,” and “Hanging Baskets” are presented by Karen Weiland, a LaGrange County master gardener; Joyce Bell, co-owner of Bell Gardens in Wolcottville; Janeen Longfellow, Noble County Purdue Extension health and human sciences educator; and Ann Fremion, LaGrange County Purdue Extension HHS educator.
Area vendors will be present with a variety of garden-related products and services, and a silent auction will feature many items for bid. Door prizes will be awarded throughout the day. | <urn:uuid:a5553832-ea94-481d-bfdc-2bfe234c25cc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sturgisjournal.com/article/20130314/NEWS/130319720/0/Entertainment%20%20%20Life | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942585 | 595 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Tenor History of a Voice John Potter
- Publication date:
- 03 Aug 2010
- 306 pages: 198 x 129 x 24mm
- 12 black-&-white illustrations
From its emergence in the sixteenth century to the phenomenon of the 'Three Tenors' and beyond, the tenor voice has grown in popularity and esteem. This engaging and authoritative book - the first comprehensive history of tenor singing - presents fascinating details about the world's great performers, styles of singing in different countries, teachers and music schools, the variety of compositions for the tenor voice, and much more. John Potter begins by surveying the prehistory of the tenor in the medieval period, when Gregorian chant and early polyphony had implications for a voice-type, and proceeds to the sixteenth century, when singers were first identified as tenors. He focuses on many of the greatest tenors - those who predated the gramophone as well as those whose recorded voices may still be heard - and considers the ways in which each is historically significant. The names range from legendary early figures like Ludwig Schnoor von Carolsfeld (Wagner's first Tristan) to those more familiar like Enrico Caruso, Richard Tauber, Mario Lanza, Roberto Alagna, Ian Bostridge, Andrea Bocelli, Il Divo, and, of course, Pavarotti, Domingo, and Carreras. Admirers of the tenor voice will especially appreciate the book's unique reference section, with bibliographical and discographical/video information on several hundred tenors.
More about this title
John Potter was a chorister at King's College Choir School, Cambridge, and later a choral scholar at Gonville and Caius, Cambridge University. His teachers include the great tenor Peter Pears; his early career included spells with the BBC Singers and Swingle II, and he was a founder member of the avant-garde ensemble Electric Phoenix. He was a member of the Hilliard Ensemble from 1984 to 2001, a career which included collaborations with jazz musicians Jan Garbarek and Peter Erskine, and with whom he won four gold discs. (As a session singer he worked with Mike Oldfield, the Who and with Emmerson, Lake and Palmer, and he has recorded with the Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones.) In addition to recording John Potter has a very active career as a performer and vocal coach, both on the European mainland and in the USA, and is artistic advisor to the Tampere International Choir Festival (Finland). His singing teaching experience includes periods at Goldsmith's College, University of London and the Akademie fur alte Musik, Bremen. He was appointed to a lectureship at the University of York in 1998, and in 2003-4 he was the holder of an Edison Fellowship at the British Library. Among his many publications is Vocal Authority: Singing Style and Ideology (Cambridge University Press, 1998).
"A model of conciseness and clarity, Potter''s work gratifies lovers of cultivated singing [to] no end." --Ray Olson, Booklist | <urn:uuid:a6a04cc9-2d26-44c0-9e95-35e4e0813dd8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://yalebooks.co.uk/display.asp?m=16&dc=129&sort=sort_date/d&mw=2&sqf=/1:arts%20music&st_01=ref_no&sf_01=KEYWORD&st_02=19431101~~20120412&sf_02=SORT_DATE | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945599 | 656 | 2.8125 | 3 |
Our recipes mostly include butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and leavening. Be sure to use real butter, not margarine (which contains some water and will alter the texture). Some recipes call for various types of sugar―powdered sugar to dissolve easily, granulated sugar to create bulk and crunch, or brown sugar to contribute moisture and caramel-like flavor. Eggs usually provide the only liquid in the dough, and almost all of the recipes use all-purpose flour. Some call for baking powder, baking soda, or both.
A hand or stand mixer is used for most of our recipes; either one easily combines ingredients and whips in air for a lighter texture. Bake on heavy, shiny metal baking sheets (flat pans, which may have a lip on one or both ends); cookies baked on nonstick sheets tend to brown too much on the bottom. We don't advise baking on rimmed jelly-roll pans because the rims may deflect heat. Lining pans with parchment paper prevents sticking, and you can reuse the paper for each batch. For bar cookies, bake in shiny metal pans, not glass baking dishes; glass conducts heat differently and may cook the cookies too quickly. Cooling racks allow air to circulate under the cookies as they cool so they won't become soggy.
As with all baked goods, measure ingredients with precision, and use the exact ingredients specified. Many of the recipes first cream together butter and sugar, then add the dry ingredients. For these recipes, start with softened butter―butter that yields slightly to pressure but doesn't lose its shape when touched. It's important not to overmix the dough once the dry ingredients are added, as doing so may result in tough cookies or ones that don't rise well; mix just until the ingredients are combined. Many of the doughs are chilled before baking; this solidifies the fat and helps prevent overspreading as the cookies bake.
Be sure your oven is preheated; you might want to use an oven thermometer for accuracy. Always place dough on cool baking sheets because warm or hot pans will cause the cookies to spread or puff too much. You can quickly cool a baking sheet by placing it under cold running water; dry thoroughly before arranging dough on the pan. Allow room for spreading so cookies don't bake together. In general, bake cookies on the second rack from the bottom. If you bake two pans at once, rotate them halfway through the cooking time. Allow baked cookies to stay on the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to cooling racks; trying to move them too soon can result in broken cookies. | <urn:uuid:74cdf9dd-c153-4ae0-ae28-194a80c8c3a8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking-101/techniques/cookie-basics-00400000034322/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929414 | 533 | 2.4375 | 2 |
Project Lifesaver International is a 501 (C)(3) non-profit organization that bridges the technological gap for “at risk” populations and public safety agencies. We provide police, fire/rescue and other first responders with a comprehensive program including equipment and training to quickly locate and rescue “at risk” individuals with cognitive disorders who are at constant risk to the life threatening behavior of wandering including those with Alzheimer’s disease, Autism, and Down syndrome. Project Lifesaver has over 1,200 participating agencies throughout 47 states in the U.S., Canada, and Australia, and has performed 2,683 searches in the last 13 years with no serious injuries or fatalities ever reported. Project Lifesaver provides equipment, training, certification and support to law enforcement, public safety organizations and community groups throughout the country and nation.
Project Lifesaver has over 1,200 participating agencies across the U.S., Canada, and Australia, and has performed over 2,600 searches in the last 13 years with no serious injuries or fatalities ever reported.
Project Lifesaver International provides in-depth training for law enforcement and other public safety agencies on the use of specialized electronic search and rescue equipment, technology and procedures, as well as teaching rescuers how to communicate with people afflicted with cognitive conditions, all of which are essential to the successful rescue of missing persons who wander or otherwise become lost. They certify search and rescue personnel and provide ongoing management to participating agencies.
In addition, Project Lifesaver develops public outreach programs to educate others about the issue of wandering, and they constantly work toward developing public policy and effective law enforcement response to help save lives and “bring loved ones home.” | <urn:uuid:b757026d-3920-48e3-87e3-d5b25e37d229> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.projectlifesaver.org/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941135 | 347 | 1.75 | 2 |
Archive for the ‘Stock Market’ Category
Query by icpooreman: how earnings in the stock market place get taxed?
does income made in the stock market get taxed the exact same as the revenue I make at function? I know about the lengthy term capital gains things but what else.
Does it matter what tax bracket I am in as to how significantly it gets taxed? Do I have to pay out state tax, social protection etc??
Say I Make a hundred bucks in the stock industry and I was in a 25% tax bracket and took out the hundred I produced before a year what would I be left with?
so wait if I buy 1000 dollars really worth of stock and the value of the stock increases to give me 1200 bucks worth of stock at the end of the yr they tax it even if my money’s nonetheless invested in the stock? How do they differentiate this revenue amongst a quick phrase and long term gain then?
“Dividends are tax at your regular tax bracket, except for certified dividends, which are taxed at maximum of 15% (five% for individuals in ten% or 15% bracket), and you have to pay out federal and state tax, but not social safety or medicare tax.”
so if I manufactured one hundred dollars in the stock marketplace in more than a 12 months I would get taxed 15% + federal tax of 25% + state tax? Is that appropriate? that ends up becoming in excess of 40% of the income going to taxes.
Response by Wayne Z
Quick phrase gains in the stock industry are taxed as ordinary earnings. You pay out regular federal and state taxes on the gain but not social safety or medicare.
I am not sure what you suggest by “took out the…” money. If you have a brokerage account and you place $ one thousand in and buy a stock for $ one thousand and then sell the stock a handful of month’s later on for $ 1200, the $ 200 is taxed whether you depart it in the brokerage account or consider in out.
Give your reply to this question under!
Question by jessicamofessica: What is the ideal and most accurate and thorough way to check out the stock market place on the internet?
My dad thinks the only way to verify the stock market is on tv. What is the greatest, most exact, and thorough way to check out the stock market on-line?
Solution by MVD34
That depends upon what you mean by “check out.”
If you have an account with true time estimates, that will be the fastest, exact info. Likewise, you can signal up for this kind of companies by Computer or PDA or cell mobile phone.
Online data at Finance!Yahoo as effectively as all the key brokerage internet sites and monetary portals give exact marketplace estimates but they may possibly be delayed by up to 15 minutes.
Include your personal response in the comments!
How to Make Funds in Stocks Good results Stories: New and Superior Investors Share Their Winning Secrets
Established Strategies for Stock Market place Success! “Amy’s book is a treasure trove of achievement stories you should study meticulously – every of these traders share what could support you uncover the leading two% of wonderful stocks.”
—William J. O’Neil, Chairman & Founder of Investor’s Business Daily and author of How to Make Cash in Stocks “All you require are 1 or two fantastic stock in a year and you can attain some excellent benefits.”
—David Ryan, 3-time U.S. Investing Champion Hundreds of thousands of investors close to t
Record Cost: $ 18.00
The How to Make Money in Stocks Complete Investing System: Your Ultimate Guide to Winning in Good Times and Bad Reviews
The How to Make Money in Stocks Full Investing Method: Your Greatest Manual to Winning in Very good Times and Undesirable
Any person Can Find out to Invest Wisely With This Bestselling Investment Method! By way of each kind of market place, William J. O’Neil’s national bestseller How to Make Cash in Stocks has shown over two million investors the strategies to productive investing. O’Neil’s effective CAN SLIM Investing Technique–a verified seven-phase procedure for minimizing risk and maximizing gains–has influenced generations of investors. Primarily based on a main examine of all the best stock industry winners from 1880 to 2009, this expanded ed
Record Value: $ 29.95
Query by nepats9191: How do I get began in the stock market place?
I am considering about obtaining involved in the stock market and am looking to discover out how to get commenced in doing my research.
Solution by mister_galager
Do a Google search for “stock market fundamentals”.
You will discover a great deal of great sites that can give you information.
What do you consider? Reply beneath!
Query by NoLSMoKEzLz: Whats the difference amongst investing in the stock marketplace and futures and choices trading?
What is the distinction between investing in the stock market and futures and alternatives trading?
Solution by JoeyV
Let us see:
Investing in the stock industry indicates that you are acquiring an ownership interest in a corporation which supplies useful goods and providers. If you invest broadly ample in stock markets, you are betting that global growth will come about for the duration of the holding time period which accrues to the owners of global firms.
Trading in futures implies that you believe that pork bellies are going to go both up or down more quickly than they would go in the other path which would cause you to be closed out.
Trading in choices means either you are an amateur seeking for enhanced leverage on a directional bet in just about any market place anywhere or you have some opinion about volatility which is different from the value of volatility expressed in the selection.
Give your solution to this question below!
Verified investing guidance from Eric TysonInvesting For Dummies arms novice traders with Eric Tyson’s time-examined guidance along with updates to his investing suggestions and strategies that reflect shifting market place conditions. You may get coverage of all elements of investing, such as how to develop and handle a portfolio invest in stocks, bonds, mutual money, and real estate open a modest business and understand the crucial tax implications of your investing selections.This new and up to date e
List Value: $ 21.99
Query by Kary L: Is the stock market a great indicator of how the economic system is carrying out?
I hear from numerous individuals that if the stock marketplace is undertaking well that that always indicates the economic system is performing properly general. But with the latest boost in oil costs, stagnant wages, the mortgage loan/credit score crisis, and a government with a good deal of unfunded liabilities, I find this sort of hard to think. Can anyone give some objective info on this query?
Solution by stannousmoney
Yes, the stock market is regarded a foremost indicator.
And yes, the economy, as measured by GDP, has been doing really properly. Company earnings and client investing have been on the rise since 2002.
The reason issues seem so dismal is since the media always likes to report the poor information… but high fuel prices hasn’t stopped individuals from travelling/spending, the mortgage crisis only results 5% of mortgages (straight), and the government has *often* had large liabilities.
Include your own reply in the comments!
Question by Alexander G: Why is the stock marketplace plunging so rapidly?
It would seem that all at as soon as the stock industry started out dropping. Why is it dropping so quickly? What are the triggers? Please make confident your answer is educated, specific and NOT a blind guess. Thanks.
Very best solution:
Reply by jonny b
its droppin cuz of bush he fxxked up the entire economic climate
Know much better? Leave your very own reply in the remarks!
Question by Liz: How can i comprehend the stock marketplace crisis?
I view the news, I go through the paper and I am an educated younger lady. Nonetheless, I am attempting to comprehend, in lam-ens terms, what the stock marketplace crisis indicates to me. How do I understand what is going on with out being blown away with a in excess of indulged explanation. I have a 401k, I have had it for about five years. I am not concerned that I am losing cash, what I am striving to recognize is how will this effect a younger mother of two, who is considered to be middle-class Americans.
Reply by Frank
Fundamentally, the stock marketplace is a reflection of financial growth. You may well get lucky and select the organization that does much better than the other organizations, but if you’re investing in businesses above the lengthy phrase, you need to have the majority of businesses to do properly for your investment to boost. The funamental worth of a stock comes from the worth of the company. If the firm appears like it will increase in value, men and women will pay out a lot more for the stock.
The issue is that it is looking like we could have an extended financial downturn. So stocks might go down and not improve for a although. This is a reflection of the expectation that firms will not be carrying out so nicely due to the financial downturn.
If the politicians proceed to strangle the economic system, your stock investment may possibly go down or stay the very same for many years.
Add your personal response in the feedback! | <urn:uuid:63f0f072-cff3-45ba-964d-0864756fbfb5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://dowjonesticker.com/category/stock-market/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950178 | 1,998 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Don't be embarrassed to discuss side effects of medications
(NewsUSA) - Do you or someone you know take a medication to alleviate a condition like chronic pain, or perhaps to treat high cholesterol or high blood pressure? Well, while treating your issue, the medication may also cause a side effect that many of us don't want to talk about... constipation.
That's right, while your medication can effectively manage your condition, it might also occasionally cause your bowels to "clog up."
Constipation is really not that unusual, so you don't have to feel embarrassed to talk about it with your doctor or pharmacist. According to Registered Pharmacist Jim Morelli, "Many people are unaware that their prescription, as well as some over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, can cause occasional constipation."
The list of culprits include certain products from classes of medications such as analgesics, high blood pressure medications, and high-cholesterol drugs. Occasional constipation can be uncomfortable, but there should be no shame in discussing this condition with your healthcare provider. It's important to talk to your doctor about any side effects that you may experience while taking prescription or over-the-counter products.
Distributed by Internet Broadcasting. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | <urn:uuid:a2cbc86c-db0b-4785-9b6c-db9c20971619> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.clickondetroit.com/lifestyle/good-4-you/gastrointestinal/Don-t-be-embarrassed-to-discuss-side-effects-of-medications/-/4126946/18122518/-/view/print/-/w4dkyxz/-/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955207 | 269 | 2.140625 | 2 |
If Itís Done Out of Love
by Milton Lee Norris
Friday, December 04, 2009
Rated "G" by the Author.
Print Save Become a Fan
Loving your children for whom they are, and being a friend to them, especially in their times of need.
If It’s Done Out of Love by Milton Lee Norris
From "Born In The Wrong Country
If it’s done out of love, then why should anyone care?
For what I need and what you need are just two worlds apart,
so all you have to do is try and understand,
that if I haven’t judged you for everything you think,
then why should you now judge me because of the way I think?
There comes a time when people should have some respect
even though they haven’t used it, or perhaps they just forgot.
In any case you should remember when we were growing up,
a time when you loved us oh so much then,
or was that just pretending or were you really our friends?
And if you really were a friend of ours, then please be one right now,
and try to be accepting of my life that’s not so different than yours right now,
for in our relationships, there’s joy, there’s laughter and friendship too,
not saying that there’s no hardships because they do come too,
but that joy and friendship is based on a real love we share,
that when we were growing up you once shared with us too,
so don’t be hypocritical now as this nation is with us,
for this is our time of need, and even if we differ,
we should still be the same to you,
for we are the children that God gave to you,
and if you believe in anything today,
believe that God knew what
He was doing when He created you and me.
If It's Done Out of Love
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|Reviewed by Joyce Bell
|A MOST POWERFUL WORK THAT I ENJOYED IMMENSELY...YES...'IF DONE OUT OF LOVE' IS A WONDERFUL SHARING WITH WORDS OF WISDOM THAT CAN BRING A LOT OF UNDERSTANDING TO THOSE TO WHOM IT APPLIES. THANKS FOR THIS WORK MILTON, AND BLESSINGS. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOURS. JOYCE * HIS INSPIRATIONS.|
|Reviewed by La Belle Rouge Poetess Of The Heart
|Beautifully penned and true, love can overcome differences.|
|Reviewed by Michelle Mead
|This is a positive and inspiring message that more people should take heed of. Thanks for this powerful poem.| | <urn:uuid:f0c2f682-7130-484b-83be-a9e569f03688> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewpoetry.asp?AuthorID=98032&id=268816 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942225 | 610 | 1.851563 | 2 |
Chinese experts said greater cooperation on global navigation satellite systems is needed to avoid widespread problems if one of the systems fails.
Currently, only the US Global Positioning System (GPS) is working, while Russia is restoring GLONASS, and Europe and China are starting to build their own systems.
"If countries could strengthen cooperation, one system's failure will not have a major impact when there are other systems in place," said Cao Chong, a leading expert with China's Association of Global Navigating Satellite Systems.
Last week the US warned of a possible GPS interruption because of delays in modernizing and deploying the Air Force satellites that provide the service.
It could mean the accuracy and reliability of civilian and military GPS devices - including everything from "buddy finder" cell-phone applications to guided bombs - could deteriorate until new satellites are in orbit. But the US Air Force said it has plenty of ways of maintaining the navigation system increasingly relied on by drivers and cellphone users.
At present, nearly 200 million people worldwide are using GPS devices for positioning and navigation service, and GPS is also widely used in many industries, according to Cao.
In China, the sales of smartphones and GPS devices attached to car dashboards have been on the rise in recent years. GPS has also been widely used in many fields, including seismic studies of the movement of the Earth's crust, weather forecast, monitoring the transportation of dangerous goods and forestry surveys.
Dang Yaming, a researcher with Chinese Academy of Surveying and Mapping, said a decrease of GPS reliability could affect scientific studies and industries that place a high demand on accuracy, such as surveying and seismic studies.
"To some extent, these fields are relying on GPS. They are unlikely to abandon GPS and return to old methods Even if a few satellites fail, GPS still excels in many aspects," he said.
Both Cao and Dang agree that the challenge confronting GPS has revealed the importance of China building its own global navigation satellite system.
China plans to complete the Beidou satellite navigation system, incorporating five geo-stationary satellites and 30 non-geostationary satellites, by 2015, China News Agency reported earlier. In April, the second Beidou navigation satellite was launched.
But the system, as well as those owned by Russia and Europe, is unlikely to replace GPS in the coming three to five years if GPS fails, Dang said. | <urn:uuid:6cc77bcd-158b-4a46-8ca3-f35d88f7ba29> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-05/28/content_7950652.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950009 | 493 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Home > Consumer Protection > Consumer News & Information > FDIC Consumer News - Fall 1997
FDIC Consumer News - Fall 1997
|Know Your (Liability) Limits
The Electronic Fund Transfer Act and the Fair Credit Billing Act are among the federal laws protecting consumers from liability if they've been victimized by credit card or banking fraud. In many cases your liability is limited to the first $50 of loss, but that depends on the type of account and how quickly you report the problem. Here's a brief overview of what you should know about your potential liability.
Automated Teller Machine (ATM) Cards: If a thief withdraws money from a cash machine using your ATM card, your maximum liability is $50 if you report your card lost or stolen within two business days of discovering the loss (not within two days of the transaction). If you report the loss within 60 days, your maximum exposure is $500. Wait more than 60 days and you could be liable for all the money the thief obtained using your ATM card, plus other charges, such as fees for bounced checks.
Checks: State laws govern whether you'd be held responsible if a lost or stolen check were used in a forgery. In most cases you probably won't be held liable for losses. However, bank customers generally are responsible for paying "reasonable" attention to their accounts and for protecting them against misuse. "A bank may refuse to reimburse you for a forged check if it believes you were negligent," says FDIC attorney Mark Mellon. "Negligence may include failing to safeguard your checks, filling them out in a way that would be easy to alter, or not notifying the bank about a loss in a timely manner." Among the ways to protect yourself: Look at your bank statement within a month of receiving it and immediately notify the bank of any suspicious or unauthorized transactions.
Credit Cards: Under federal law, the most you'd owe for unauthorized charges to your credit card is $50 per card. You owe nothing if you report the problem before charges are made.
Debit Cards: These cards can be used to pay for purchases out of your checking account but without writing a check. There are two types of debit cards - an "on-line" card that requires a personal identification number (PIN), and an "off-line" card where no PIN is needed as an ID. Many consumers think of a debit card (and its liability) as being comparable to a credit card because both can be used at cash registers or to order products over the phone. Until recently, however, consumer liability for a lost or stolen debit card was comparable to an ATM card (see left), which may be far higher than that of a credit card ($50 maximum loss). Consumer groups and members of Congress complained about off-line cards in particular because, without requiring a PIN, these cards are more susceptible to fraud. VISA and MasterCard recently announced voluntary changes that currently put your maximum loss from a missing debit card at $50, the same as for credit cards. Contact your card issuer for more details. Legislation also is before Congress that would impose this same $50 limit by law, to ensure the continuation of this protection.
Stored-Value Cards: These cards are loaded with a set dollar value and can be used to pay for small-dollar purchases. A stored-value card essentially is electronic cash. Accordingly, your loss is equal to the amount of money on the card.FDIC Consumer News Fall 1997 Contents
|Last Updated email@example.com| | <urn:uuid:7abcfd8b-36ae-4a76-b71a-9cb9e93fd129> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/news/cnfall97/liability.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955023 | 727 | 2.234375 | 2 |
Russian Missiles Fuel U.S. Worries
By ADAM ENTOUS And JONATHAN WEISMAN
The U.S. believes Russia has moved short-range tactical nuclear warheads to facilities near North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies as recently as this spring, U.S. officials say, adding to questions in Congress about Russian compliance with long-standing pledges ahead of a possible vote on a new arms-control treaty.
U.S. officials say the movement of warheads to facilities bordering NATO allies appeared to run counter to pledges made by Moscow starting in 1991 to pull tactical nuclear weapons back from frontier posts and to reduce their numbers. The U.S. has long voiced concerns about Russia's lack of transparency when it comes to its arsenal of tactical nuclear weapons, believed to be many times the number possessed by the U.S.
Russia's movement of the ground-based tactical weapons appeared to coincide with the deployment of U.S. and NATO missile-defense installations in countries bordering Russia. Moscow has long considered the U.S. missile defense buildup in Europe a challenge to Russian power, underlining deep-seated mistrust between U.S. and Russian armed forces despite improved relations between political leaders.
The Kremlin had no immediate comment.
Republican critics in the Senate say it was a mistake for President Barack Obama to agree to the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia, or New Start, without dealing with outstanding questions about Moscow's tactical nuclear weapons. New Start would cap the Russian and U.S. deployed strategic nuclear arsenals at 1,550 per side. It doesn't address tactical weapons, which are smaller and for use on a battlefield.
Senior administration officials say New Start, like most arms treaties before it, deals only with strategic nuclear weapons, adding that only after it is ratified can Washington and Moscow begin to negotiate a legally binding, verifiable treaty to limit tactical warheads in Europe.
The positioning of Russian tactical nuclear weapons near Eastern European and the Baltic states has alarmed NATO member-states bordering Russia. They see these as potentially a bigger danger than long-range nuclear weapons. Tactical weapons are easier to conceal and may be more vulnerable to theft, say arms-control experts.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Azubalis said he raised concerns about the weapons this month with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and senior defense officials in Washington.
"Being a NATO member, of course, someone could say, 'Don't worry.' But when you're living in the neighborhood, you should always be more cautious," Mr. Azubalis said. He added that American officials "expressed worry but they also don't know too much" about where the weapons are and the conditions under which they are kept.
Classified U.S. intelligence about Russia's movement of tactical nuclear weapons to the facilities has been shared with congressional committees.
During a September hearing on the new arms-reduction treaty, Sen. Jim Risch, an Idaho Republican, spoke of "troubling" intelligence about Russia without saying what it was, adding it "directly affects" the arms-control debate. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D., Mass.) countered that it had "no impact" directly on Start, without elaborating.
Sen. Christopher Bond (R., Mo.), vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, refused to comment directly on the tactical nuclear warhead issue, but he said the Russians cannot be trusted to make good on their arms-control promises. "We know from published reports of the State Department that the Russians have cheated on all their other treaties, Start, chemical weapons, [biological weapons], Open Skies," he said.
U.S. officials say Mr. Obama's revised approach to missile defense, and warming personal ties with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, have fostered cooperation in key areas, from isolating Iran to opening new routes to transport gear to Afghanistan.
But mistrust runs deep, U.S. diplomatic cables released by the organization WikiLeaks over the weekend showed. A February cable quoted Defense Secretary Robert Gates telling a French official that Russia was an "oligarchy run by the security services," despite Mr. Medvedev's "more pragmatic vision." A Gates spokesman declined to comment.
Two senior Obama administration officials didn't deny the tactical warhead issue has arisen in private discussions with lawmakers, but said the 1991 pledges, known as the Presidential Nuclear Initiatives, weren't legally binding on either side and were difficult to verify.
Administration officials say U.S. and Russian negotiators plan to turn their attention to tactical nuclear weapons, as well as larger strategic warheads that aren't actively deployed, as soon as New Start goes into force. "If we don't ratify Start, we're not going to be able to negotiate on tactical nuclear weapons," one said.
Poland's minister of foreign affairs, Radosław Sikorski, called Start a "necessary stepping-stone" on the way to a deal to reduce tactical arsenals.
Western officials say the Russian military views its aging arsenal of tactical nuclear weapons as a way to compensate for its diminished conventional capabilities, and as a hedge against the U.S.'s expanded missile defenses and China's growing might.
U.S. officials point to steps Russia has taken to meet its arms-control obligations over the last two decades, including reducing the number of nuclear-weapons storage sites, once many hundreds, to as few as 50. But officials are skeptical Russia has fulfilled all of its pledges to destroy and redeploy tactical nuclear weapons in line with the 1991 Presidential Nuclear Initiatives.
According to the U.S. assessment, Russia has expanded tactical nuclear deployments near NATO allies several times in recent years. An example is Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania. A State Department cable from April 2009 said Russia had warned it would take countermeasures, including putting "missiles" in Kaliningrad, in response to expanded U.S. missile defenses in Europe.
U.S. officials believe the most recent movements of Russian tactical nuclear weapons took place in late spring. In late May, a U.S. Patriot missile battery was deployed in northern Poland, close to Kaliningrad, sparking public protests from Moscow.
Some officials said the movements are a concern but sought to play down the threat. Russian nuclear warheads are stored separately from their launching systems, U.S. officials say.
In the fall of 1991, the U.S. had about 5,000 tactical nuclear weapons deployed overseas, most assigned to NATO, according to the Arms Control Association. The U.S. destroyed about 3,000 as a result of the Presidential Nuclear Initiatives. Today, the U.S. is believed to have some 1,100 tactical nuclear warheads, of which about 480 are nuclear gravity bombs stored in six European countries.
Estimates on the number of Soviet tactical nuclear weapons in fall 1991—just before the fall of the Soviet Union—ranged from 12,000 to nearly 21,700. At a May 2005 conference, Moscow said its arsenal "has been reduced by four times as compared to what the Soviet Union possessed in 1991," and was "concentrated at central storage facilities...."
Russia's ambassador to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, this month reiterated the position that Russia won't withdraw all tactical nuclear weapons behind the Urals until the U.S. takes its battlefield weapons out of Europe.
—Stephen Fidler contributed to this article. | <urn:uuid:5664ad8c-8e97-49cd-b3a2-a800850fe52e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.defence.pk/forums/world-affairs/82734-new-cold-war-offing.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961129 | 1,530 | 1.9375 | 2 |
Borrowing costs in Italy and Spain continue to be reliable barometers for the status of the European Debt Crisis. If Italy and Spain lose access to the credit markets, the house of cards would finally come tumbling down. As I write this, 10-year yields in Italy and Spain have spiked to 6.38% and an alarming 7.52%. Yields of short-term debt in both countries have also risen dramatically, making it increasingly difficult for Italy and Spain to fund their oppressive deficits.
There is an interesting phenomenon taking place in the debt markets of the stronger European countries as well: two-year yields in Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Austria, Finland, and the Netherlands are now negative. Investors are willing to pay the European governments with better credit to safeguard their money for two years.
This has ominous implications for the entire European banking sector. If investors are willing to accept negative yields for two years, then they must not trust European banks, even in the stronger countries. Why not? Because European banks are highly levered and they own Greek, Spanish, and Italian debt.
Not surprisingly, equity markets in Italy and Spain were pummeled on Friday and have suffered further declines so far today. However, equity market losses were not limited to Italy and Spain. Most global equity markets dropped on Friday and are suffering even steeper declines today.
On Friday, FactSet reported that 74% of the 104 S&P 500 companies that had reported earnings beat their mean estimates. That may seem impressive, but the estimates were very conservative. In addition, the quality of the earnings was questionable: FactSet reported that only 45% of those companies beat their sales or revenue forecasts. This was the weakest sales reading since the first quarter of 2009 – at the end of the last recession.
As I have mentioned before, earnings are reported with a lag. As a result, reported earnings trail the market. However, some companies also offer forward-looking earnings guidance. As of last Friday, FactSet reported that 22 companies had issued earnings guidance for the third quarter of 2012. Of those 22 companies, 18 issued negative EPS guidance and only four offered a positive outlook. In other words, 4.5 companies issued negative guidance for every one company that offered positive guidance.
Summary Market Indicator Score
My summary market indicator score combines the bullish or bearish readings from 34 separate data series. The indicator score has three main components: technical, breadth and relative strength, and economic indicators that tend to lead the market. All indicators are on a scale of -100 (max bearish) to +100 (max bullish).
As of last Friday, my summary market indicator score was -1.2. However, there continues to be a divergence in the components of the score. The technical, breadth and relative strength components continue to be positive, while the economic indicator score was -41.
Europe is already in a recession and it looks like it could be a long and painful one. There is significant event risk in Europe as a cascade of sovereign defaults becomes increasingly likely. China and the emerging markets are slowing dramatically, the U.S. economy is weakening and may already be in a recession, and we are rapidly approaching our own fiscal cliff. Even with the sell-off on Friday and again this morning, the equity markets have not factored in the burgeoning risks of a major economic contraction
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Copyright 2012 – Trading Insights, LLC – All Rights Reserved. | <urn:uuid:36ca3bb9-74bc-4c09-8f75-da1372aa147e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://traderedge.net/2012/07/23/yields-soar-in-italy-and-spain/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00047-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962302 | 838 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Humane Religion Magazine
May - June 1997 Issue
The Christian Community is finally responding to the call for environmental responsibility that has been sounded by secular groups for many decades. Although individual believers realized that responsible stewardship of the earth and its resources are rooted in the biblical story of creation, such issues were not "officially" recognized within most church groups.
But that is changing. There is a proliferation of conferences and seminars as well as ecumenical and regional alliances of church members, diligently spreading the message that stewardship of the earth and its resources is a religious/spiritual issue. And their message is being well-received.
Various church groups have formed committees for Eco-justice, for Creation Theology, for Earth Ethics and other, similar, issues. There are literally hundreds of these local, regional, national, and international groups. Typical of their mission statements is the goal of "encouraging churches to become centers of reverence for God's creation". This development would seem to bode well for the animals. Unfortunately, it doesn't.
Reading through various newsletters and conference reports it becomes apparent that "reverence for God's creation" means that rainforests should remain uncut, water unpolluted, and the air free from contaminants. All these are self-serving issues which are presented as affecting human health and well-being and these are the issues which growing numbers of Christians earnestly promote.
But the conservation of natural resources is not particularly demanding. There is a certain feeling of righteousness that comes from being assured that by taking simple measures like recycling trash and conserving water and electricity, one is helping to preserve the planet. And for the most part, these concerns are not controversial. It is hard to imagine a committee of irate church members confronting their Pastor with a demand for their right to pollute air and water or to destroy the rainforests.
Of course most of these environmental groups are "for" a moratorium on killing whales and elephants —causes also unlikely to stir up church controversy. It has almost become axiomatic that the extinction of certain species would adversely affect the quality of human life. But the biblical mandate of Genesis 1:28 that gives human beings responsibility for all the other creatures with whom we share the earth, does not limit our stewardship to animals who have been designated as endangered species.
What about the lives of those creatures who are not threatened with extinction? What about the rabbits, birds, squirrels, and deer who are targeted by church members for recreational killing? No study groups are formed to consider the morality of killing God's creatures as a pastime and no minister addresses this issue from his pulpit.
Neither do church members concern themselves with the issue of vivisection. There are no church-sponsored inquiries about the gratuitous violence inflicted upon millions of helpless animals. There is no effort to determine the efficacy, legitimacy, or morality of these "scientific" torture chambers.
There are no church- sponsored inquires about the gratuitous violence inflicted on laboratory animals.
Factory farming is not investigated; there are no committees of concerned Christians to challenge the larger church membership with the immorality and brutality of the methods used to produce the veal they eat or the eggs they consume. These are issues which have been publicized in the mainstream media, yet they are still ignored by those promoting ecological awareness in their churches.
But many committees are formed to investigate ways in which to conserve water, restrict the use of pesticides, and keep the environment green because other church members are not offended by these proposals. Because following these guidelines does not demand a profound reevaluation of belief or lifestyle they are “ecologically correct"—acceptable topics for discussion or activity.
Most of those who are giving leadership to ecological causes within the Christian churches are promoting the conservation of resources while ignoring the plight of millions of animals who are being tortured, mutilated, and killed in a variety of obscene and ungodly ways. In this behavior they are repeating the failures of past generations—they are ignoring important matters of justice and mercy by focusing all their attention on the conservation of resources.
Our primary responsibility for God’s creation is to the animals.
This is the same kind of failure for which Christ censured the theologians and church members of his own time. They ignored the most important elements of godly living by concentrating on lesser issues. In the strongest possible language, Jesus condemned this kind of religion as hypocritical.
"How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites!...[You observe such practices as paying your tithes] but you neglect to obey the really important teachings of the Law, such as justice, mercy, and honesty...Blind guides! You strain a fly out of your drink but swallow a camel!" (Matthew 23:23,24. Today's English Version.)
Those who understand the hypocrisy of promoting a concerned and caring approach to the use of natural resources, while ignoring the fate of animals at the hands of unconcerned and uncaring humans, must challenge church policy. When environmental issues are publicized in church bulletins, the Pastor needs to be reminded that responsibility for animals is a biblical mandate that cannot be ignored. And when programs dealing with ecological concerns are scheduled, those assembled need to be reminded that while a concern for natural resources is legitimate, our primary responsibility for God's creation is to the animals who have been placed in our care.
Believers need to be reminded that when we are called to give an account of our stewardship of the earth, the number of cans we recycled or trees that we planted are not going to make up for the misuse and abuse of God's creatures that we did nothing to change. # | <urn:uuid:a5b287ef-1ced-4fe8-a3fe-c47499112669> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.all-creatures.org/hr/hr-199705-01.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962485 | 1,164 | 2.3125 | 2 |
Tamoxifen For Breast Cancer Prevention: FDA Approved, But Not Proven
The Events Leading to Approval For Breast Cancer Prevention
In 1998, a clinical trial was abruptly stopped and a flurry of press releases from its principals ensued. Its claims of 50% reduction in breast cancer rates of healthy women who took Tamoxifen for prevention, swept the airwaves and ethernet. Only very limited data that the authors of the study chose to release was available. Nevertheless, the organization's website told women everywhere to talk to their own physicians about using Tamoxifen to prevent breast cancer. While it had not been officially approved as a preventive drug for breast cancer, because it is already was already approved for breast cancer treatment, any physician could prescribe it for any purpose if, in the doctor's
judgement, there is scientific support. Typically, this is done when
there are several studies published in peer-reviewed (looked at by
a panel of doctors) journals supporting the new use for the drug.
But, in this case all the evidence rested solely on one study and its
unreviewed results, not to mention a lot of media coverage.
The group, called the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) was later criticized for its use of the media to publicize their results. It allowed them to promote the good aspects of thier work, while sheilding them from any criticism about bad, becasue they simply did not release the data. Its motives and its financial relationships with the drug's manufacturer also came under fire. Estronaut found several negative aspects, such as equal death rates, and raised other questions. It seemed to cause as much disease as it prevented. Neverthless, it was approved for breast cancer prevention in women believed (but not proven) to be at high risk for breast cancer, in October of 1998 by the Food and Drug Administration.
Overall disease rates were comparable between the groups.
The study took more than 13,000 women who were classified as
being at high risk for breast cancer. The women were divided into two groups. One group
got Tamoxifen and the other group took placebos (a sugar pill with
no drug in it). The final numbers for breast cancer were 156 women not
taking the drug, and only 86 of
those taking Tamoxifen. This is
how researchers reached the conclusion that Tamoxifen will
reduce a woman's risk of breast cancer by nearly one half.
Take Tamoxifen: Get A Different Disease
What is usually glossed over are the higher rates of endometrial cancer and blood clot diseases (pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, strokes) and cataracts caused by the drug. These can off-set any gain due to decrease in breast cancer. Overall, the number of women who not taking the drug that got any disease? 919. The number taking Tamoxifen? 909. No difference.
Take Tamoxifen: Die Differently
There was not statisically significant differences in the chance of dying whether or not a woman took Tamoxifen, during the course of the study. Nor, was there a difference in breast cancer deaths. There were projections of long-term improvements in survival, but they are only projections. If one takes out unknown, unrelated, or non-gyny cancers, the exact same number of women died in both groups.
Other Benefits Were Not Found
It was hoped that Tamoxifen could act as a substitute for hormone replacement. However, it did not show that heart attacks and disease nor fractures decreased.
Endometrial Cancer Data Raised Several Questions
Endometrial cancer is of particular interest because Tamoxifen is so clearly implicated in its development. Not surprising, it was significantly higher in those who took Tamoxifen. But, this increase was seen only in the over 50 population. The more independent FDA reviewers said that the control group had unusually high rates of endometrial cancer. It was also concerned that the control group did not show the typical increase in endometrial cancer after 50. It suggested that the overlap in risk factors for endometrial and breast cancer were likely the cause.
The increase in the over 50 year old group was staggering. It was about 4.5 times more likely in the Tamoxifen group. If it turns out there was randon bias in the control group, then the increases could be even worse.
Current Conclusions on Tamoxifen For Breast Cancer Prevention
The rate of breast cancer decrease was the same as before (about 50%) in high risk women. There were no new health benefits (heart and osteroporosis) discovered. The old risks (endometrial cancer and blood clots) were confirmed.
Estronaut's assessment of this drug is same. Taking Tamoxifen preventively simply trades one disease for another, one cause of death for another. The disease a woman trades for may be worse beyond the absolute numbers. Blood clots can cause immediate death and permanent disability. With breast cancer there is the possiblity of cure or at more years of life.
The models used to assess predict high risk for breast cancer are not well developed. Worse yet, when they do pick up high risk breast cancer they are also picking up those at high risk for endometrial cancer. Women over 50 with a uterus have a particularly poor risk/benefit outlook.
It is also known that minority
women were not well represented in this study, in spite of efforts to
do so. So whatever the final results may be, they may not apply to
The Future of Tamoxifen For Breast Cancer Prevention
Recent studies show that a much lower dose, about 1/4, will get the same results. Presumably the lower dose will spell less disease caused, such as the endometrial cancer and the blood clots. This would improve the risk/benefit assessment.
But what happens in about 15 year? What if everyone has a uterus? As noted, above, the over 50 crowd has a very dramatic increase in endometrial cancer with Tamoxifen. This generation also has a high rate of hysterectomy. With each hysterectomy in this study, there is a woman who might have otherwise gotten endometrial cancer. With new treatments and the trend away from hysterectomy, the percentage of women over 50 with uteruses will likely increase. Imagine we take today's data and extrapolate and pretending that everyone over 50 has a uterus. The Tamoxifen group has 1) a higher overall disease rate by 5% 2) breast cancer is still 50% off 3) gynecological cancers are only 20% lower. If there was an unusally high rate of endometrial cancer in the current control group, the overall disease would go up, the gyny cancer rates begin to equalize.
As time goes on we may learn what the long-term effects of
taking Tamoxifen are in healthy women. Is there an overall
decrease in disease in women who take it? Is there an overall
increase in life span?
Women may not have to wonder about Tamoxifen much longer. There are trials comparing Tamoxifen with Relaxifen, in hopes that latter has a better risk/benefit profile. | <urn:uuid:b5eec5fb-0dc4-4bf2-9c3b-ade338745eb2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.estronaut.com/a/tamoxifen_breast_cancer_prevention.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97 | 1,530 | 2.21875 | 2 |
Kenya has always epitomised everything that is Africa. It hosted the first real wildlife holidays and its diversity of landscape, people and wildlife has drawn more people to safari in Kenya than any other country in Africa.
There is such a huge choice of national park and private concession areas in Kenya that it is possible for the discerning visitor to admire breathtaking scenery and dense game populations in peaceful surroundings. Servicing these quieter Kenya safari areas is a wide range of excellent, small, little known safari camps.
Among the better known areas for a Kenya safari holiday are the Masai Mara Reserve, host to the incredible wildebeest and zebra migration between July and October; and Amboseli National Park with stunning views of snow capped Kilimanjaro. Less famous regions our clients enjoy for safaris in Kenya include the wildlife areas of Lewa Conservancy and Meru National Park. We also receive excellent feedback from areas with less big game but more varied activities (walking, horse and camel safaris, fishing and rivers to swim in) such as the beautiful Chyulu Hills, the dramatic Rift Valley scenery of Laikipia and Kenya's lakes, and the remote Mathews Range in the north.
Kenya Safaris - Travel Tips
- The ideal times for Kenya safaris are December to March and July to October.
- A trip to see mountain gorillas in Rwanda or Uganda combines well with a safari in Kenya.
- Palm fringed, powder white beaches on the Indian Ocean are easily accessible, making a beach add on an ideal start or finish to a Kenya safari.
- Kenya is an excellent family safari destination.
- The BBC’s Big Cat Diary team are based in the Masai Mara. You might spot your favourite big cats on a Kenya safari!
Kenya Safaris - A Personal View
I have spent plenty of time in Kenya over the years and it never fails to make an impression. Whatever you do here be it riding in the Chyulus, walking in Laikipia, kayaking across Lake Baringo, bird-watching in the Matthews ranges, game driving in the Masai Mara, or just chatting to the locals it is always a joyous event.
It is a populous country where there is great pressure on space for people and wildlife but where many superb conservation and development projects are doing excellent work, often on a small, local scale and instigated and managed by people who have a stake in the country and its future rather than expats who are there to do a job.
For me the sound of Kenya is laughter, chatter and birdsong; the sound of contented and happy people; people who know that despite the many daily problems they face life is a great thing to be involved in.
It feels like home, probably because it is where we all came from, and I always hate to leave.
Francis Naumann - One of Aardvark Safaris' Kenya safari specialists
Kenya Safaris - Ideas You Might Not Have Thought About
|Karisia – Walking Safaris with a Samburu Guide Escape the constraints of a vehicle; walk where no car will go and immerse yourself in the ever changing habitat; venture into the bush with a Samburu guide. Camels, as your beasts of burden, will carry an entire luxury camp; you can even ride them for a rest or to get a good vantage point for a picture.|
Star Beds - Sleep under the Stars at Loisaba "The biggest bedroom in the world". Tumble into a ‘Mukokoteni’, a uniquely designed bed on wheels, positioned on a dramatically designed wooden platform on stilts, for an unforgettable night under the stars.
Turtles - Help Hatchlings on Lamu Adopt a turtle nest on the exotic island of Lamu. Some visitors have even helped hatchlings into the sea during July and August, the optimum months. Peponi Hotel’s owner, Carol Korschen, will be delighted to show you the turtle conservation project that she has been running here since 1992.
|Visit a Local Village with Staff from your Camp Immerse yourself in the culture and community of the Masai people as they proudly reveal the lifestyle and history of their tribe. Staff from your camp whose family live in a local village can accompany you and show you around.|
|Explore the Chyulu Hills on Horseback Saddle up at Ol Donyo Wuas in Kenya's beautiful Chyulu Hills for long canters on the open plains with Mount Kilimanjaro as a stunning backdrop.| | <urn:uuid:bbe3ccb0-6a59-41ff-a196-592e2801b910> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://aardvarksafaris.co.uk/kenya.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937288 | 952 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Let me start off by giving you a little background as to my knowledge on the subject of monetary theory. As you can see in the header bar of this page, I’ve put together my own little online college in Austrian economics that is composed of over 150 individual lectures on economic theory by Austrian economists.
I have pretty much watched every single one of those lectures (and hundreds more), in addition to reading such works as Man, Economy, and State, along with numerous other books, in-person lectures, and journal articles. I have a business school undergrad and I work as a software developer, which forces me to think logically on a daily basis (there is a reason why so many software developers are libertarians).
I feel I have a pretty damn good grasp of Austrian economic theory and its core tenants. Thus, it was incredibly surprising to me when I set about visiting numerous libertarian forums to discuss the new peer-to-peer currency called Bitcoin and was met with wide ranging hostility. To be fair, not everyone was hostile to the idea, but it was clear from the responses that the majority saw the new currency as some kind of a scam.
I was accused of promoting a ponzi scheme, accused of promoting a pump and dump, accused of promoting unsound currency that would eventually implode, etc.. etc.. etc.. All the while, none of my detractors actually bothered to comment on the economics of the Bitcoin monetary system. It was like they had been brainwashed into believing the only legitimate money is gold while everything else must automatically be junk.
I suspect that many libertarians who denounce Bitcoin as a legitimate currency system have purchased large quantities of gold and silver, and are looking to recoup some of their investment by having those metals make up the groundwork for a new monetary system. It would stand to reason that anyone who holds large amounts of precious metals would be opposed to any new currency system that is not based on those metals.
At the time I started promoting the currency I had NO HOLDINGS of Bitcoins. Only recently did I manage to actually purchase some – AFTER they had already inflated in price. Further, I own a good chunk of physical silver myself, and I’ve always been a strong advocate of a gold standard currency system.
That said, I want to cover the economic reasons why Bitcoin (at least in my view) is a superior currency to precious metals. (The equivalent of shooting myself in the foot with my silver holdings).
The primary questions people should concern themselves with is; why did the markets chose gold as a currency and what properties does gold have that make it a currency?
Let’s begin by defining what a commodity is, then I will explain why Austrian economic theory believes that real money MUST be a commodity. Wiki defines a commodity as “a good for which there is demand, but which is supplied without qualitative differentiation across a market.”
So a commodity is typically something tangible, fungible, and divisible. Gold would be an example of a commodity. I don’t care which gold coin I am paid with, I simply care that I am getting a gold coin as payment. I don’t care what shape the gold coin has, but I do care how much it weighs.
Austrian theory demands that money be a commodity for a few reasons:
It is logically impossible to have prices arise from anything other than a commodity. If there were no money in the world, it would be impossible for a government to print up some paper notes, write some numbers on them, and then tell people to start trading them as a money. People would have no idea how much a single unit of the currency was actually worth.
Is a candy bar worth 1 unit or 10,000 units?
Prices must be set by trading weights of one good for another. Only after prices have been established in weights can paper notes be used to represent the actual amounts of the commodities being traded.
The dollar used to represent 1/32nd an ounce of gold. Thus, the dollar was actually a representation of weight. And through this, price levels in terms of dollars were able to be established.
If it is logically impossible for prices to arise any other way, then we can say markets demand that real money be some kind of a commodity (a product that is fungible, divisible, and for which demand exists).
The argument I hear from the peanut gallery is that Bitcoins aren’t actually a commodity because you can’t pick them up and hold them. They are intangible; therefore, they must not be a commodity. I would argue this is false because the nature of Bitcoin’s coding actually turns them into tangible goods that meet all the criteria of being labeled a commodity.
So let’s break down the dictionary definition of a commodity and compare it to the properties of a Bitcoin:
Is it a good? – yep.
Is there demand? – yep.
Fungibility? – yep.
The nature of the Bitcoin network ensures the uniqueness of each coin and completely prevents arbitrary replication of the digital product called a Bitcoin. Bitcoins are NOT like a software product which can be installed on multiple computers while incurring almost no physical cost to replicate. The soundness of the currency lies in the strength of its cryptography. If the cryptography is secure, then so too is the uniqueness of each digital coin.
For example, a Bitcoin wallet file can be replicated a billion times over, but the network knows exactly how much that wallet file is worth. No matter how many times the wallet file is replicated, the number of Bitcoins that are accessible to that file remain the same. The file itself is a tangible product that must be physically stored at some location, either on a USB thumb drive, remote server, smart phone, or home PC.
What is the difference if I am holding a USB key that contains a file which the markets have deemed to be worth $1,600 or a physical ounce of gold?
Bitcoins are the first digital commodity to come into existence that do not require a central point of control. The Bitcoin solves the double spending problem that has plagued digital currencies from their inception. This is a new class of software that is unique in its own right. It is worthy of being branded a “digital commodity.”
I’ve recently seen arguments by supposed free market economists arguing that Bitcoins are nothing, therefore they are inherently worth nothing. This is a fallacious argument. To claim Bitcoins are nothing is like claiming your operating system is nothing, therefore it is worth nothing. Clearly an inordinate amount of time and resources went into the development of your computer’s operating system. The time and resources that went into the development of the software constitutes “something”, which is obviously more than nothing. Software can have inherent properties that give it value in and of itself.
Let’s look at some other reasons besides the inability of fiat money to establish prices as the basis for demanding real money be a commodity.
Rothbard writes on monetary units as commodities:
Obviously, the more valuable the units of a commodity are, the smaller the size of the units used in daily transactions; thus, platinum will be traded in terms of ounces, while iron is traded in terms of tons. Relatively valuable money commodities like gold and silver will tend to be traded in terms of smaller units of weight. Here again, this fact has no particular economic significance.
The form in which a unit weight of any commodity is traded depends on its usefulness for any specific, desired purpose.
The weight of a Bitcoin is infinitesimally small, but indeed a Bitcoin does have physical weight if we consider that the digital hash which makes up a Bitcoin must reside on a physical storage medium. The more Bitcoins you have, the more storage medium required.
So why is such an infinitesimally small digital commodity worth so much money? Because of Bitcoin’s usefulness for the specific desired purpose of measuring and storing value.
An ounce of gold is not worth $1600 today because it can be made into shiny jewelery. Gold is worth $1600 dollars today because it is a scarce resource that can not be arbitrarily inflated, which makes it ideal for representing the value of other goods and services. Its scarcity, fungibility, and divisibility give it properties which lend itself to acting as a measure of wealth.
In the same way gold acts as a measure of wealth, as determined by free markets, so too do Bitcoins act in the same capacity for the exact same reasons. Bitcoins are scarce, they are fungible, and they are even MORE divisible than gold (in functional terms). And they can be sent across a wire transaction, while gold requires expensive shipping costs and insurance to actually deliver.
So lets look at how commodity pricing comes into existence. First, a commodity must be mined and extracted from the earth. Then the markets must chose that commodity as a trade intermediary. Then the miner must spend the commodity into the economy by having people freely decide just how much each individual unit/weight is worth. As the law of supply and demand dictate, the more of something there is, the less valuable it will become.
This is exactly how Bitcoins currently operate. Miners run specialized software that labors to produce the unique hash that makes up a Bitcoin. The miners incur real world electrical costs and computer resource costs on producing a Bitcoin. By being able to spend that coin into the economy first, they economically benefit in the same way a person mining for gold does. As they spend the coins into the economy, the market then determines the value of each coin. Bitcoin production does not differ at all from how gold comes into existence as a money.
Another way in which Bitcoins are superior to gold is that gold can be indefinitely mined forever. The supply of gold is always increasing to some degree and always will be. Bitcoin production on the other hand will reach a point where no new coins can ever be created. This means that in the future, the supply of Bitcoins will never be subject to supply side economic factors. This removes a huge layer of uncertainty when trying to gauge the future value of a Bitcoin in comparison to gold. It also means that there will never be price inflation with Bitcoins due to an arbitrary expansion of the money supply.
There is no government out there demanding that people transact in Bitcoins. There is no government out there telling people that they must accept Bitcoins in payment of debts. There is no government out there controlling the issue of Bitcoins. The only forces that are giving Bitcoins the value they have are free people deciding on their own that Bitcoins do indeed have value as a store of wealth and as a trade facilitator. The markets have decided that the time and labor that went into producing the Bitcoin software, along with the properties of the software itself, have real value in the real world.
Whether Bitcoins are currently experiencing a bubble in prices or not is immaterial to their efficacy as a currency unit. They have value because the market says they have value. And because they have value, and because they are divisible, fungible, and scarce, they ARE free market money. If I thought there was some aspect of Bitcoin production that would throw a monkey wrench into the free market economics espoused by Austrian theory (such as arbitrary inflation, interest rate price fixing, centralized control, etc.. etc..) I would be denouncing Bitcoin at the top of my lungs. - I can tell you that no such problems exist with the system.
Austrian economists don’t want a gold standard because they simply like shiny yellow metal. They want a gold standard because historically when people were free to choose, they chose gold. The markets chose gold because of its properties of scarcity, divisibility, fungibility, and recognizability. In the same way the markets chose gold, and for the same reasons, we WILL see Bitcoins come to dominate the currency markets to the exclusion of all other currencies.
Bitcoins are free market money. | <urn:uuid:6f20d120-db56-4f20-9f77-115a9101bea5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.libertariannews.org/2011/06/06/libertarian-goldbugs-hating-on-bitcoin-free-market-money/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960268 | 2,456 | 1.515625 | 2 |
This post is also available in: Spanish
Recently, HUD awarded $23 million to a dozen organizations as part of a new pilot program to bring energy-saving solutions to the multifamily housing market. HUD’s pilot program reaches far beyond an attempt to go green – it will serve as a model to provide solutions that will reduce energy consumption, save money and generate “green” jobs in construction, property management, and technical analysis.
Grant recipients like the Community Environmental Center, Inc, of Long Island City, NY which received $3,000,000 and NRG Solutions LLC, of Boston, MA which received $5,250,000 are among a group of affordable housing providers, technology firms, academic institutions and philanthropic organizations selected to help test new approaches to implement and finance energy-saving upgrades.
The goals for this pilot group are to bring down the cost in their existing multifamily developments, develop innovative ideas and mechanisms that could potentially be replicated nationally, as well as help create industry standards in the home energy efficiency retrofit market.
To view a complete list of the grant recipients, visit HUD’s website. | <urn:uuid:7c619600-cd1c-45e8-b03a-2add346c935d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.hud.gov/index.php/2012/03/21/conserve-energy-save-money-and-generate-jobs/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952649 | 232 | 1.890625 | 2 |
Pearls YB by Enzymatic Therapy
Enzymatic Therapy Pearls YB yeast-balancing probiotics 30 capsules is a unique dietary supplement designed to build a healthier gastrointestinal environment by promoting healthy microflora balance. The formula includes three Lactobacillus species, which have been shown to restore yeast balance in clinical and laboratory settings. Pearls YB can be used everyday or episodically and is safe for pregnant women.
While many probiotic products are unstable at room temperature and fail to meet their label claim in less than 12 months after manufacture, Pearls YB utilizes an advanced encapsulation technique, known as True Delivery Technology, which ensures the product is stable at room temperature for up to 18 months. Additionally, the unique coating protects the probiotic bacteria from harsh stomach acid so they can be released live and intact in the intestines, where they need to thrive to perform their beneficial function.
- Powerful: Three well studied probiotic species shown to support optimal yeast balance.
- Protected: Patented True Delivery Technology safeguards probiotics from harsh stomach acid and safely releases them in the intestines for greatest benefits.
- Preserved: Guaranteed to deliver live, intact probiotics throughout product shelf-life, not just at time of manufacture .
Yeasts are eukaryotic microorganisms classified as fungi. They are often found in the human mouth, throat, large intestine, and vaginal tract. Yeasts grow in warm, moist environments, such as in mucous membranes and folds of tissue. Because the intestinal and vaginal tracts can be vulnerable to pH changes, maintaining healthy pH balance is an important factor in restoring yeast and microflora balance.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Pearls YB yeast-balancing probiotics combines three of the best studied probiotic species shown to promote yeast balance. Probiotics, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Lactobacillus plantarum, are live microbial food supplements that are non-toxic and do not cause disease (non-pathogenic). Because probiotics do not permanently colonize in the body, they must be ingested regularly for their health-promoting effects to persist. After ingestion, probiotics must adhere to the wall of the intestine or the vagina. Once attached, the bacteria are capable of multiplying and colonizing, thereby enhancing optimal microflora balance.
The following chart summarizes the yeast balancing benefits of the probiotic species found in Pearls YB.
True Delivery Technology:
Our laboratory tested leading probiotic nutritional supplements in the marketplace. These supplements were best selling brands, two of the supplements were enteric coated, and all had label guarantees about potency (guaranteed number of live bacteria). The laboratory scientists counted the number of living bacteria found and compared these findings to the bacterial levels claimed by each manufacturer. The products were also subjected to a simulation of stomach acid conditions, after which the levels of living bacteria were re-counted.
The laboratory results found that 50 percent of the probiotic supplements contained less than the number of living bacteria that they claimed on their labels. Furthermore, the laboratory results found that 75 percent of the supplements had less than 15 percent of the living bacteria claimed on the manufacturer's label survive the simulated stomach conditions.
Pearls YB yeast-balancing probiotics uses a revolutionary proprietary pearl encapsulation process seamless pearl capsule of Pearls YB assures that virtually all the bacteria remain uninjured and healthy to colonize in the intestine. In addition, the special pearl capsule's ability to seal the bacteria inside it eliminates the need for the nutritional supplement to be refrigerated though they can be kept in the refrigerator, if desired.
The Importance of True Delivery Technology Laboratory research has shown that microbial growth follows a relatively set pattern. After microorganisms adjust to a new environment, the bacteria enter an exponential growth phase, where maximum growth and division occurs. During this phase, live and active bacteria will replicate about every 20 minutes. Within 2 hours, 1 billion healthy, live bacteria cultures will yield approximately 64 billion bacteria (see Table 1).16
Evidence suggests that supplementation with protected probiotics supplements is critical to maintaining healthy bacterial growth and microflora balance in the intestines. Pearls YB uses patented True Delivery Technology, guaranteed to deliver live and active bacteria to the intestines. Because of the potential for fast growth, it is not the absolute number of probiotics listed on the label that is important. Rather, it is the method of delivery and the quality of bacteria that reach the small intestine that matters. Once released, healthy, viable probiotics can quickly colonize and exert benefits.
Why use probiotics for yeast-balance?
Because yeast thrives in the intestines:
Fast food, stress and exposure to toxins, plus overly acidic pH levels can leave you vulnerable to yeast. Maintaining an optimal yeast balance with the right probiotics can help you stay much more comfortable.
Why use Pearls YB?
Provides triple-strength protection for your ultimate comfort:Pearls YB contains three types of Lactobacillus--clinically shown to create an intestinal environment that supports healthy yeast balance. That means comfort for you, as Pearls YB supports vaginal and urinary tract health.
Pearls YB yeast-balancing probiotics is a daily supplement designed to build a healthy intestinal environment and promote yeast balance. The formula contains three of the best studied strains for vaginal health.
Enzymatic Therapy Pearls YB yeast-balancing probiotics is The Smarter Probiotic. Gets Where you Need it, When You Need It, Fast!
|* Note: Unless otherwise noted, products on our web site have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. | <urn:uuid:9b449986-d722-4092-8299-22c5eeda0da9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.4allvitamins.com/product_info.php?products_id=19561&product_configuration_id=27084 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00060-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.916054 | 1,201 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Before a cheering crowd of millions (WashPost) at his inauguration on Tuesday, President Barack Obama called for a “new era of responsibility ” in the face of serious challenges confronting the United States.
Obama said the United States would “begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan.” He also promised to work “tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet.”
Obama characterized his administration’s approach to relations with the Muslim world. “[W]e seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect,” he said.
He also promised to work to relieve poverty around the world. “To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds,” Obama said. “And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect.” | <urn:uuid:d507e1e4-8622-4b14-9811-54aa2de8fe1b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.cfr.org/campaign2008/2009/01/20/obama-signals-new-era-of-responsibility/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957489 | 240 | 2.171875 | 2 |
At FCN, we have nine principles we try to follow each day in our story selection and execution. One of them is transparency. That principle means we don't mind explaining what we do and why we do it for our viewers.
This week, On Your Side reporter David Williams is adjusting his life to truly reflect a week of living on minimum wage, $7.79 an hour. It is clear from the reaction the overwhelming majority of our viewers are finding the series helpful.
However, we share that viewer Bill sent us an email saying in part:
"I'm trying to understand the purpose or point of David Williams' story? The minimum wage has been part of America's finances for decades and was meant to be an "entry level" wage, for youth employment, or part-time work. It was never to be used as "sustainable income."
"D. Williams living on minimum wage for a week is a joke. I understand the concept, however when you know this is just an experiment, you can get through it. Live on minimum wage for real and then talk about it. One week is not a life's lesson. It's a great experiment though, but not real."
We want everyone to know that we had 17,293 reasons for doing the series Rising Above the Wage. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, that's the number of families in Jacksonville who lived off of minimum wage OR LESS between 2007-2011.
While Sheila is correct, David's life will go on after this Friday, he was humbled by this experience, and he said it will change the way he does his own budgeting moving forward.
We hope it'll help at least some of our viewers as well.
First Coast News | <urn:uuid:7302c959-2882-4e1c-ab80-b5615807e784> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.firstcoastnews.com/rss/article/298815/483/17293-reasons-why-FCN-is-doing-this-story | 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 | 0.976108 | 359 | 1.773438 | 2 |
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November 2nd, 2010
The annual Sustainable Energy Awards encourage, recognise and reward excellence in energy management among energy users of all sizes.
The awards will focus on individuals, groups and organisations who demonstrate a commitment to include energy management as part of their overall management structure and provide an opportunity for organisations, regardless of size, to gain public recognition for their achievements in reducing energy use and emissions.
2010 is the seventh year of the awards and SEAI received over 450 expressions of interest in across 9 categories this year. This level of interest is a great reflection of the large number of businesses undertaking energy efficiency measures both for cost saving and environmental reasons.
The shortlist of finalists for the 2010 Sustainable Energy Awards has been drawn up by the judging panels. Winners will be announced at a gala dinner in Dublin on 25th November.
The awards are broken down into Small/Medium User and Major User. The nominees for the Small/Medium User are:
Louth County Council
Presentation Secondary School
Wholesale Partners Robinhood
CorkÚdarás na Gaeltachta
Bostik Industries Limited
Congratulations to all those nominated! You can see the full list of nominees here. | <urn:uuid:81ca7b03-de00-4fd3-882e-911d08f2cbda> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.allaboutbusiness.ie/blog/awards/sustainable-energy-awards-2010 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921923 | 251 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Contact: Richard Vespucci
For Release: July 23, 2001
Department of Education Schedules Statewide Job Fair
To Recruit Early Childhood Education Teachers for Abbott School Districts
In a major effort to assist the 30 Abbott school districts in fulfilling staffing needs for their required early childhood programs, the Department of Education and the Urban School Superintendents of New Jersey are sponsoring a statewide teacher recruitment job fair for early childhood education teachers. More than 400 teacher candidates have signed up, but a handful of openings are still available for the July 28 event.
The job fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Cavalla Room, Rider University Student Center, Lawrenceville, New Jersey on Saturday,
July 28, 2001.
News media are invited and encouraged to attend.
Preschool teachers who make their first time commitment in an Abbott district were singled out by Acting Governor Donald T. DiFrancesco for an incentive program called Teach New Jersey Reach the World. Teachers who meet the eligibility requirements of the program could qualify for a laptop computer, cash awards, forgiveness of college loans and tuition reimbursement for graduate studies in education at a New Jersey college or university.
"High-quality preschool can make a positive difference in communities where families and children have to struggle to get ahead," said DiFrancesco. "I urge our new teachers to accept a challenge that will be professionally satisfying as well as personally rewarding."
Commissioner of Education Vito A. Gagliardi, Sr. joined the Governor in calling for teacher candidates to participate in the upcoming job fair. "We are looking for teachers who are committed to ensuring that preschool age children can start school ready to learn," he said. "We estimate a need for 400 new teachers of 3- and 4-year-old children in our Abbott school districts when school opens in September.
"Teachers who begin their careers this year in the Abbott preschools are getting in at the onset of an exciting and unprecedented era built around the promise that no children in our neediest districts will be left behind," Commissioner Gagliardi said.
Candidates to be considered for positions must have a 2.75 or higher grade point average, have not taught in a New Jersey public school for at least two years, and must graduate from college by August 2001. They must also be:
- An early childhood education major
- Holder of a Teacher of Preschool through Grade 3 Certificate of Eligibility, or a Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing or a standard preschool certificate
- Holder of a valid out-of-state certificate to teach early childhood education, or the holder of a standard New Jersey Teacher of Nursery School certificate, or the holder of a standard New Jersey Teacher of Elementary School certificate with two years teaching experience in a preschool setting
- Holder of a bachelors or advanced degree in liberal arts or science interested in New Jerseys "alternate route" to certification
Applicants may be eligible to receive the following incentives:
- Laptop computer
- Cash recruitment bonus
- Student loan forgiveness
- Graduate tuition reimbursement
For more information about the job fair, register online at http://www.state.nj.us/njded/ecejobfair/ or fax name, address, telephone number and e-mail address to Kimberly Friddell, Division of Early Childhood Education, 609-777-0967. | <urn:uuid:fa56f01e-e81f-41f7-8fcf-152e25b3e40e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nj.gov/education/news/2001/0723ece.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950581 | 701 | 1.523438 | 2 |
We love data at the Arts & Science Council (ASC).
We are fortunate to have access to resources, but we also have to make choices about how we direct them to support the sector, and research pays off every time. It allows us to connect with donors, elected officials, the chamber of commerce, and others about the impact of programs and services, as well as economic development efforts.
We are also fortunate to have the resources to commission research. For 10 years we have done a public opinion telephone survey through the Urban Institute at UNC-Charlotte. Since 2006, we have worked with WESTAF on the Creative Vitality™ Index; but, our biggest research partner has been and continues to be Americans for the Arts. Whether it is annual local arts agency surveys, past salary surveys, or United Arts Fund surveys, we fill them out.
While we love all of our partners, the most important (and requested) research we share with stakeholders is the results of our Arts & Economic Prosperity economic impact study conducted every five years.
Yes, it requires staff time to remind and nudge, coordinate audience intercept surveys, and make certain that every local cultural group had the opportunity to participate. Thanks to the vision of the North Carolina Arts Council, beginning with Arts & Economic Prosperity IV, we have statewide data and information on each of the regional economic development areas of the state.
You may think, those people in Charlotte have more money than sense to be investing in all this data, but this data gets us noticed—by donors, corporations, elected officials, chambers of commerce, and the list goes on.
I believe in art for art’s sake but I also know that numbers matter—balanced budgets, profits, and attendance figures to name a few. They help us tell our story in terms that people can understand.
When we show our local government’s investment in ASC is matched first by our own private sector fundraising and then again by our grantees to the tune of over $20 for every $1 from local government, people listen.
When we can document that over 6,200 full time jobs are dependent on our local nonprofit arts and cultural sector, the business community sits up.
When we can show that visitors to our community make up 40 percent of our total attendance and they spend $18 more than residents on event-related expenses like dinner, hotel, and transportation, hotel and restaurant owners become champions for the arts.
We often talk about how donors’ gifts combined with local and state government investments make art, science, and history programs and projects available across Charlotte-Mecklenburg. This is true. The support of our donors insures performances, exhibitions, festivals, and educational programs happen every day in Mecklenburg County. But their investment in ASC has another big return—one that impacts our local economy far beyond what people might think.
We know that impact, $203 million a year to be exact, because we take the time to work to crunch the numbers. | <urn:uuid:0e8c0597-15dc-4fc5-863a-cdbb49e3335a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.artsusa.org/2012/07/11/documenting-the-return-on-our-investments/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946192 | 616 | 1.5 | 2 |
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This is EXACTLY the wrong move.
The market is rejecting solar as too expensive, and to drive prices up artificially through government fiat will increase electricity costs for business, for industry, for residents. It will cost jobs, not create them.
California's green movement has succeeded in DOUBLING electric costs, driving even staunch California firms like Apple and Google to build data centers in lower cost areas like North Carolina, where cheap coal, nuclear and hydro power costs are much lower and the grid is reliable.
The spectacular rise of Pennsylvania natural gas production makes solar particularly a bad choice in the mid-Atlantic and northeast. You want clean reliable energy, natural gas is the best bet for NJ.
When the price of power increases, jobs for our children decrease. It's that simple. | <urn:uuid:69f30a5e-96f1-46d7-ace2-f81d28a075ef> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://connect.nj.com/user/r_sweeney/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945944 | 176 | 1.898438 | 2 |
In little over a month from now, those of us who are concerned about the health of our planet will be observing Earth Day, on April 22, 2011. Each year, Jan Huston Doble, who blogs at Thanks for Today, organizes a communal cyberspace celebration of this event. Fellow bloggers are encouraged to post a relevant item on their own sites with a link back to hers. Alternatively, readers may leave a comment about sustainability on Jan’s blog. This cyber-event generates so much traffic that several suppliers of gardening products and services are eager to contribute prizes to wining entrants. Yes, there is a contest! To participate in this unique observance, or to read additional thoughtful comments and opinions on the subject, click onto this link. http://thanksfor2day.blogspot.com/2011/03/gardeners-sustainable-living-2011-win.html
Preserving the earth and our health is a serious matter. Wherever it is realistic to contribute to sustainability, concerned citizens have been making incremental changes in the ways they conduct their lives. It is surprising how effectively local commerce and communities can rise to the occasion, without assistance from distant federal agencies, where and when there is a consensus among the citizens, that a status quo is no longer acceptable.
In an earnest attempt to preserve our health, our planet and our precious resources, here are a few examples [and there are so many more] of what is being done in some communities in North America:-
- In order to reduce pollution in the core of the city, municipal officials in Montreal voted to install a bicycle rental program whereby citizens can rent a bike in one part of town, and drop it off at their destination.
- Massachusetts, along with the states of California and New Mexico, has set targets to reduce carbon emissions. With a program similar to that of Montreal, the municipality of Brookline, Mass. has introduced a car service, using miniature automobiles.
- There is at least one supermarket chain in North America that has accommodated customers who demand organically grown produce and organically raised cattle and poultry. Those who opt for these foods are the same ones that consume health and beauty aids made with safe ingredients. Decisions are made, about which safe toiletries to buy, only after consulting the Environmental Working Guide website.
- Some utility providers conserve resources by offering energy at discounted rates outside of peak usage hours. This encourages consumers to run their appliances when energy demands are low.
- In the Mid West, where water in drought season has become a scarce commodity, some local communities have installed cistern-type collection systems to recycle rain water for irrigation. Here the watering of lawns is regulated through community by-laws. Other home owners are reconsidering the need for resource-hungry lawns altogether. For some, self-sustainable gardens are a viable option.
- Plants that are invasive and that threaten local ecology have been outlawed in many states.
- In an attempt to moderate consumption of unhealthy food, New York City banned the use of artery-clogging trans fats and ordered that the caloric value of food be displayed on restaurant menus.
- Most states ban smoking in public places, both indoors and out, and post signs in rest rooms instructing employees to wash their hands after using the bathroom.
- In many communities, homeowners have been legislated into re cycling kitchen waste that is later converted into compost, while other refuse is sorted and recycled in order to reduce the size of land fills.
- An increasing number of gardeners are opting to use organic matter to enrich their soil rather than commercial fertilizers. Also, they are attempting to grow crops for their personal consumption, even on tight little plots in urban areas.
An example, that demonstrates how powerful citizens can be, may be observed in the way that huge, mass market retailers were forced to stop selling milk containing the growth hormone rBST, after female medical problems were reported in girls as young as 8 years old. Usually, too large a number of consumers deliberately disregard publicity about herbicides, pesticides, and other toxic substances found in the products that they use or consume daily. They also tend to ignore the nutritional deficiencies or health risks of certain food products. However, the disturbing side effects of pre-mature puberty in little girls were too serious to ignore and consumers voted with their wallets against purchasing the undesirable milk. That was a rare occasion when the powerful lobbying activities of a chemical company that supplied the growth hormone, were stymied by the actions of a surprisingly well-informed, determined public.
I’m not a big fan of rallies, pickets, protest marches, parades and other boisterous crowd scenes. I suspect that the only benefit from these manifestations is to supply camera crews with fodder for cable news and salaries for the bused-in professional protesters and their organizers. I am also skeptical of the actual net benefits of extreme ranting at the blog level. [Polite ranting is OK :)].
I believe in respectful grass roots initiatives that influence both consumer behavior and the agendas of local officials. Gardeners, farmers, conservationists, and citizens concerned about a large variety of issues that impact our health and our planet need to ensure that their opinions will be heard. In addition to educating the public, and voting with our wallets when we shop, it is important to remain active in our communities to make sure that somebody is listening. Politicians pay attention to their constituents. They also care about the number of bodies that turn out to vote for or against them. In most North American elections, only 35% of the population exercises that precious privilege. For the largest truly democratic continent on earth, that number is too low. | <urn:uuid:9d3f30c0-d309-4008-a83b-8717b15345ba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://allanbecker-gardenguru.squarespace.com/journal/2011/3/17/sustaining-our-health-and-the-planet-how-local-consensus-hel-1.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953513 | 1,164 | 2.40625 | 2 |
Eagle Creek Software Services announced a partnership with the state of South Dakota and city of Vermillion to bring 1,000 rural high-tech jobs to the state.
As a start, the company is building a $10 million technology center in Vermillion which will house 200 of these jobs.
“This is a great day for South Dakota and the resurgent technology business in America,” said SD Gov. Dennis Daugaard. “With a $10 million investment in the Vermillion community and new career path for University of South Dakota students, we are on track to create meaningful jobs that will benefit the community and make South Dakota more globally competitive in the information technology sector.”
Through a partnership with the Board of Regents and the University of South Dakota (USD), the newly launched Information Technology Consultant Academy will provide eligible students with a scholarship and a strategic career track to employment as an IT consultant.
“Technical skills are only one piece of core IT competencies. Today’s IT reality requires an understanding of U.S. business practices, communications skills beyond technology and a focus on time-to-market. By better educating our workforce, Eagle Creek Software Services can create a more sustainable and scalable IT solution while growing jobs in America,” said Ken Behrendt, president of Eagle Creek Software Services.
The IT Consultant Academy at USD will create a well-trained local workforce in South Dakota who can take advantage of high paying jobs. Graduates of the certificate program can expect to make between $40,000 to 45,000. Students with a master’s may earn in between $50,000 to $60,000.
“The challenges of today’s job market call for new skills and approaches,” said James W. Abbott, president of the University of South Dakota. “Our mission as a university should be to prepare students to succeed in an increasingly high-tech workforce. We applaud and are proud to partner with Eagle Creek on this innovative project. The Information Technology Consultant Academy will put students on a career path for success.”
“Vermillion is already known as a destination for world class higher education,” said Steve Howe of the Vermillion Area Chamber and Development Company. “This announcement further positions our city as a leader in technology and a global force in the IT industry. Vermillion is proud to be on the forefront of South Dakota’s technology surge.”
Minneapolis-based Eagle Creek Software Services employs more than 300 consultants, and has developed a services delivery model which they call the “Dakota Model.” It utilizes U.S.-based project centers in North Dakota and South Dakota, and this latest project in Vermillion is being labeled as an expansion of the Dakota Model. | <urn:uuid:2f83d86f-c5fd-46d0-9c28-76888ffedc59> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.economicdevelopmenthq.com/blog/category/job-creation/page/6/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933688 | 577 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Angela highlighted it in the Early Bird, but it's worth emphasizing how little tax revenue the state is actually collecting. Since July, each of Illinois’ key revenue generators -- the individual income tax, corporate income tax, and sales tax -- have come in far below ...
Angela highlighted it in the Early Bird, but it's worth emphasizing how little tax revenue the state is actually collecting. Since July, each of Illinois’ key revenue generators -- the individual income tax, corporate income tax, and sales tax -- have come in far below government estimates. David Ormsby has the grim details.
- IL Individual Income Tax Individual income tax was originally projected to grow 1.1 percent, but receipts are down 4 percent compared to projections. If this continues for the remaining eight months, Individual Income Tax receipts would be about $330 million below the estimates.
- IL Corporate Income Tax Corporate Income Tax was originally projected to grow 4.1 percent, but receipts are down 14 percent. If this continues for the remaining eight months, Corporate Tax receipts will be about $270 million below the estimates.
- IL Sales Tax Originally projected to grow at 1.6 percent, receipts are down 3 percent. If this pattern continues for the remaining eight months, Sales Tax receipts will be about $215 million below the estimates.
Last month, Gov. Blagojevich signed the $221 million funds sweep passed by the General Assembly in September, but he's yet to approve the supplemental spending bill which authorizes the individual agencies to appropriate the money.* Blagojevich spokeswoman Katie Ridgway told the State Journal-Register that her boss "agrees that there are some core services in the supplemental [budget measure], which is why it is still under review."
Facing the impending shortfall, it would be easy (and short-sighted) for the governor to hold back these funds much longer. He has until December 6 to move on the bill.
Yet even the sweeps won't do enough to plug the potential $800 million gap, as Blagojevich is well aware. That's why these new tax projections underscore the need for a broad and substantial federal stimulus package.
Illinois is not alone in this regard. Ormsby points to an Economy.com item that shows 32 states -- California, New York, Florida and Ohio among them -- experiencing comprable mid-year shortfalls. Without assistance, governors are going to take an axe to crucial programs, including expenditures on public health, education, and state employment. Such cuts would then deepen the recessionary pressures weighing on working people.
State leaders should absolutley scour the budget for inefficiencies, but $800 million won't emerge out of thin air. It's going to come from where it hurts.
*CLARIFICATION: This post originally suggested that Blagojevich is yet to sign the fund sweeps bill. In fact, he approved the bill in early October, but is yet to sign the accompanying spending measure. | <urn:uuid:ad362874-c4b4-4ab1-ae1e-61621455a8bb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.progressillinois.com/2008/11/11/revenues-low-need-stimulus-high | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00076-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946065 | 614 | 1.671875 | 2 |
The Easter Egg Hunts were initiated in 1976 by Dolly Sanchez, who was a member of the Peoria Community Action Program and Parks and Recreation Board. Because of the success of the hunts, coupled by the city’s growth, the Peoria Community Services Department was asked to help in 1983. Thus, a twenty-three year partnership has developed to improve and expand this fun-filled family event. Through the years, the Easter Egg Hunts have expanded from Varney Park, to seven neighborhood parks, and finally settling in 1994 at Peoria Sports Complex. The hunts have experienced steady growth since their conception in 1976. The Sanchez family remains an integral part of the Easter Egg Hunts and the community.
The Dolly Sanchez Memorial Easter Egg Hunt event is held annually on the Saturday before Easter. The candy hunts are divided into different age groups as well as a family scavenger hunt. The event includes entertainment, make & take crafts, carnival games, inflatables, pony rides, petting zoo and much more. Some activities have a nominal fee. Admission is free with a canned food donation(s) to benefit the St. Mary's/Westside Food Bank Alliance.
For more information on the upcoming Dolly Sanchez Memorial Easter Egg Hunt event, click here.
The City of Peoria's All American Festival is held annually on July 4th. Located in the main stadium and Mariners Practice Fields, patrons enjoy:
- Musical entertainment on multiple stages
- Kids Zone
- Water Zone
- F-16 Flyover
- Hot Dog Eating Contest
There are plenty of family friendly activities and a spectacular fireworks display. Admission is $5, children 12 and under are free. Parking is also free.
For more information on the upcoming July 4th All American Festival, click here.
Looking for a safe place to take the kids on Halloween? The City of Peoria hosts the Halloween Monster Bash and Balloon Illumination annually on the Saturday prior to Halloween. Held in the main stadium of Peoria Sports Complex, activities include:
- Parade of Costumes contest
- Trick or treating from lighted hot air balloons
- Carnival games
- Make-n-take crafts
- Entertainment and much more.
Admission is free with canned food donation(s) to benefit St. Mary's/Westside Food Bank Alliance.
For more information on the upcoming Halloween Monster Bash and Balloon Illumination, click here.
For information on becoming a craft and novelty vendor at community events, please contact Kelli Kincaid-Broady at Kelli.Kincaid-Broady@peoriaaz.gov.
For information on other City of Peoria Special Events, click here. | <urn:uuid:d514faa9-1e25-4ff1-8d38-ff9bee4e13bc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://peoriasportscomplex.net/sportscontent4.aspx?id=38358 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93307 | 548 | 1.5 | 2 |
|HOLISTIC INTEGRATED PROCESS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING|
P e t e r H ü b n e rASTRONOMY OF MIND
The Classical Composer and Musicologist
Prehistory . . .These days, when I look at young people throughout the world - be it on the streets or in a café, or even at school or university - I am amazed to realize they are not aware that they are cosmic beings.
But even amazement may be too weak a word: it frequently stuns me to see beautiful young people who have no idea whatsoever of their cosmic being, who don’t even assume it or sense it - and who thus give the impression that it would not even be possible for them to have access to it.
They consider the way one lives on earth today completely normal, because their parents never taught them differently, just as their parents in turn didn’t teach them.
Guided by the older generations and by organizations hungry for power and money, they’ve been chasing since puberty after things that animals also chase after, pursuing what they consider to be their happiness: prosperity, reputation, or put more precisely: they jump into the fight for offices, titles, honors and profit, a car, a house and so on.
Yet what is stunning is that, based on their natural capabilities, they are cosmic and do not even realize this: that as human beings they are not meant to lead such a lowly existence.
Of course, animals are cosmic as well, because everything is cosmic, even the atom, but only man can be aware of this and can structure his life cosmically, as opposed to earthly, which - compared to the way of life of a supposed human being eking out a miserable existence as a petty bourgeois - is even lower than the life of a worm.
With adults, this is less shocking to me, because their cosmic potential is not as obvious anymore; you can clearly tell that they have put up with everything that is accessible to them, just like animals.
Just imagine you were to wake up one morning, step out of the house and suddenly notice that all people were moving about by crawling on their bellies - but they wouldn’t see this as a burden, as a bothersome imperfection, as some kind of hindrance. Rather they viewed this crawling on all fours as the most natural and given thing in the world - as if it had never been different, as if it couldn’t be any different and therefore also would never be different and even that it was never meant to be different!
Those who are able to imagine themselves as the one stepping out of this house may perhaps understand or at least sense what I mean when I say that I am frequently shocked when I see healthy, beautiful young people who have no idea they are cosmic, they are born to live a cosmic life and they still express this through their youthfulness and beauty.
This vision of an almost perverse life of modern man compared to his cosmic potential turns macabre when I experience how allegedly great thinkers of our time, high-ranking academics and professors at eminent universities throw themselves like beasts into perfecting this small-minded life of the earthly attitude of the petty bourgeois, marketing it for material gains under the protection of a greedy economy and thereby distinguishing themselves.
Thus the world comes to look the way it does today, and by world I mean the world fashioned by mankind’s mind and hand.
Witness the presumably learned professor of a famous university oriented towards natural sciences argue in earnest with an equally famous university’s humanist who was hoisted to his honourable position by the church about whether God exists or not, about whether Darwin was right about his theory of evolution, or about sundry topics.
The atheist among them skilfully includes UFOs and wonders - following the recommendation of his great albeit handicapped role model Hawking - if it were not better, for security reasons, to get ready to move the human race to other planets.
Meanwhile, the seemingly most liberal among the scientists at our modern universities are eagerly trying to explain to people that, according to the present state of modern science, this world does not even exist, that it has been proved to be nothing but an illusion - as if they understood what they are talking about.
But all of them, from the young people on the streets and in the cafes and the great scientific scholars to all those who, like clucking hens, hatch out their earthly world formulas, they all have one thing in common: they squint into the world through the eyes of the petty bourgeois, because none of them can understand that they have been designed in a cosmic manner by nature.
The learned professor at the university distinguishes himself from the simple adolescent on the street basically by the mere fact that he earns more money, has a life insurance and pension funds, his health insurance is more comprehensive, he is more skilled in chattering cleverly and knowing when to put on a more clever face for the media, and, as far as cosmic matters are concerned - and according to their present state of science everything and every individual detail is nothing but cosmic – the fact that he does not know what he is talking about, that he himself does not understand what he is saying.
There were and are a few geniuses in science who, as they have stated themselves, have advanced to some insights through a “leap in consciousness” or through a sudden “revelation”, which they then have published.
It is, however, common practice among the almost countless colleagues – swallowed up as they are by their need for academic or scientific validation - of these few scholarly geniuses to merely disseminate among their students the colorless ashes from the bonfires of those few “great ones” by making use of the sensationalist media to create unbelieving amazement in their students - but not infrequently they disseminate these ashes also media-effectively among the simple-minded masses worldwide. These scholars of the nth degree of copying and, accordingly, of insight ought to, while publicly developing complicated formulas, remember what Einstein had told them:
“He who cannot explain it to a 6 years old child,
has not understood it himself.”
And the famous father of the theory or relativity said a second, extremely important thing:
“On the path to discovery, the intellect has little to do.
There is a leap in consciousness,
call it intuition or whatever you like,
and the solution comes to you,
and you do not know how and why.”
And he said a third thing, no less important:
For those who have practical experience with it, intuition is the natural golden magic key of revelation and leads to true, real authentic knowledge about what is “played” behind the scenes - also in creation.
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“We integrate thoughts and ideas” | <urn:uuid:487648bc-526b-4d85-9c2d-4d772f6e583d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.freeuniversity.de/unie/22_Cosmic_Education/001_astro_text01.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971599 | 1,475 | 2.125 | 2 |
What Is And Isn't Covered By Homeowners Insurance
Every insurance policy is different. Properly understanding what's covered requires the homeowner to ask a lot of questions and to read the fine print on his or her insurance policy. Though there are differences between policies, there are some things that almost all insurance policies will have in common.
Tutorial: Introduction To Insurance
Homeowners insurance typically covers a broad range of possible damages. You can expect that your actual dwelling is covered, as well as some other structures on your property, like a garage, fence, driveway or shed. However, if you run a business on your property that's housed in a separate structure, this is generally not covered in the typical insurance policy.
Personal Property is typically accounted for in your policy as well. This is sometimes known as contents insurance. The amount of coverage for personal property may be limited on certain types of high-value items, like jewelry or artwork, unless additional coverage is purchased for these items. (To learn more about homeowners insurance, read The Beginner's Guide To Homeowners' Insurance.)
Replacement Cost Vs. Fair Market Value
Not all insurance policies offer homeowners the replacement cost of the property. Replacement cost helps to bridge the gap that can be caused by inflation. Otherwise, if a claim is made, it will be assessed at fair market value. Since some items depreciate quickly, this means that you may not get enough money from a claim to cover or replace the items that were lost or damaged. Coverage for replacement costs will ensure that you're able to replace the items that were lost, with similar items. If having this coverage is important to you, you'll want to be sure that both your home and personal property are covered for replacement cost.
Car Broken in at Home
Most homeowners insurance policies generally include coverage for personal effects and separate structures on your property, such as a garage or a workshop, but what happens if your car is broken into while it's on your property? This is where the distinction between your home and auto insurance policies can become a little blurry. Many home insurance policies will provide some insurance for personal items that are stolen from your car, but some of the more comprehensive auto insurance policies may cover this too. Insurance companies may also limit the coverage available through your policy, if the items stolen were purchased for use in the vehicle exclusively. (For related reading, see Understanding Your Insurance Contract.)
Natural Disaster Coverage
A wide range of natural disasters are typically covered by your homeowners insurance policy, though not all of them. If you live in some regions, you'll want to be sure to inquire about things like tornado or earthquake insurance. However, the typical inclusions for natural disaster include fire, lightning, windstorm and hail. Your policy may also include coverage for smoke damage, or damage caused by falling items. Earthquakes and other natural movements of the earth are not typically covered by insurance policies, though you can purchase separate insurance to cover these types of events. (To ensure your assets are protected from natural disasters, read Preparing Your Finances From Natural Disasters.)
Flooding is much the same as earthquakes, when it comes to homeowners insurance. Flash floods and even sewer backups are not generally covered in basic homeowner insurance policies, though you can ask your insurance company about adding coverage to your policy, especially if you live in a region that is prone to flooding. (For related reading, see Understanding Lender-Required Flood Insurance.)
Most homeowner insurance policies include coverage for injuries incurred by those on your property where you are liable. This could include something like someone slipping on a patch of ice that's on your front walk, or falling as a result of a broken step on your porch. This coverage is usually limited to a certain dollar value, so you definitely want to know how much coverage you have and exactly what's included.
The deductible is the amount that the insured party has to pay when a claim is made. You can decrease your insurance costs by increasing the amount of your deductible, meaning you'll be required to pay more if you ever do have an incident that requires you to make a claim. Keep in mind that many mortgage providers require homeowners to carry a certain amount of insurance on their property with a deductible that's below a specified limit. Check with your mortgage provider before opting for the lowest possible rate with the highest possible deductible. It might be tempting to go for the lower rate, but if you ever do have to make an insurance claim, you might regret it, if you're responsible for a $10,000 deductible.
The Bottom Line
It may not seem like particularly interesting reading material, but it's a lot better to take the time to thoroughly read up on what your insurance policy covers, than to be stuck in a situation where you're not sure when you really need it. Ask your friends and family about what kind of insurance they have and what they're covered for. This might help you to determine if you really need flood or earthquake insurance, what kind of deductible is normal, or if you want to increase the amount of personal injury coverage you have. Don't forget to ask your agent whether you'll need to get additional coverage to cover your original Van Gogh painting or that giant diamond ring.
At the end of the day, doing your homework before purchasing a policy could really pay off, if you're ever stuck in an unfortunate situation when you actually need to rely on your homeowners insurance. (For related reading, see Do You Need Casualty Insurance?.) | <urn:uuid:487f7086-ab77-4856-9f2e-e2d19d0e12ce> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/1211/what-is-and-isnt-covered-by-homeowners-insurance.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965185 | 1,118 | 2.03125 | 2 |
Dec. 30, 2008 Climate change can have significant impacts on high-elevation lakes and imperiled Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged frogs that depend upon them, according to U.S. Forest Service and University of California, Berkeley, scientists.
Their findings show how a combination of the shallow lakes drying up in summer and predation by introduced trout in larger lakes severely limits the amphibian's breeding habitat, and can cause its extinction.
"Environmental factors that increase summer drying of small lakes are likely to bring further population decline because the larger lakes are off limits to breeding," said Kathleen Matthews a Forest Service scientist at the Pacific Southwest Research Station and one of the studies authors.
Matthews co-authored the 10-year study with Igor Lacan, of the U.C. Berkeley Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, and Krishna Feldman, another Pacific Southwest Research Station scientist. The Forest Service funded the study.
The Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged frog was common in Sierra Nevada high-elevation lakes and slow-moving streams at altitudes ranging from 4,500 to 12,000 feet. But, its range has decreased more than 80 percent in the last 90 years. These lakes and streams were historically fishless, until hybrid trout were introduced.
The researchers studied lakes in Kings Canyon National Park's Dusy Basin that are mostly fed by snowmelt. Climate change models suggest one of the principal effects of climate change on Sierra Nevada water balance will be a decreased snow pack, with more than half of the current snow water equivalent gone by 2090.
Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged frogs need two to four years of permanent water to complete their development so repeated tadpole mortality from lakes drying up in summer leads to population decline. The scientists found the effect to be a distinct mortality mechanism that could become more important in a warmer, drier climate.
In addition, they believe it was unlikely the frogs were historically restricted to small lakes in Dusy Basin as they are today. Larger lakes free of introduced fish would have provided frogs and tadpoles an important refuge in dry years.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that listing the Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged frog as an endangered species is warranted but precluded.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by US Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
- Igor Lacan. Interaction of an introduced predator with future effects of climate change in the recruitment dynamics of the imperiled Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog (rana sierrae). Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 3(2):211-223
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead. | <urn:uuid:e6bc8ded-9aa5-4ccc-acab-7af92401d090> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081211093559.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94217 | 589 | 3.328125 | 3 |
Venezuela's vice president arrived in Havana on Saturday in a sudden and unexpected trip to visit President Hugo Chavez as he recovers from cancer surgery.
Communist Party newspaper Granma published online a photo of a smiling Vice President Nicolas Maduro being greeted at the airport in the Cuban capital by the island's foreign minister, Bruno Rodriguez.
"From there, (Maduro) went directly to the hospital where President Hugo Chavez Frias is receiving treatment to greet his family members and Venezuelan Science and Technology Minister Jorge Arreaza Monserrat, and to discuss with doctors the adequate moment to visit the President the same day," the paper said.
Granma added that Maduro was accompanied by Venezuelan Attorney General Cilia Flores.
The previous night in Caracas, Venezuela, Maduro did not specify how long he would be away but said Energy Minister Hector Navarro would be in charge of government affairs in the meantime. Maduro's announcement came at the end of a long speech at the inauguration of a state governor, and he offered no information on the purpose of his visit beyond seeing Chavez.
In a speech Saturday, Venezuela's National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello said only that Maduro went to Cuba to visit with Chavez and urge him "to follow his treatment." Venezuelan press officials in Caracas said they had no additional information Saturday.
Maduro's trip comes amid growing uncertainty about Chavez's health.
The Venezuelan leader has not been seen or heard from since undergoing his fourth cancer-related surgery Dec. 11, and government officials have said he might not return in time for his scheduled Jan. 10 inauguration for a new six-year term. There have been no updates on Chavez's condition since Maduro announced Monday night that he had received a phone call from the president who was up and walking.
Venezuela's opposition criticized Maduro for what they said was a lack of transparency surrounding Chavez's health.
"What I still don't understand is who is president," Lawmaker Alfonso Marquina said. "Who is governing the country now? As for the purpose of this sudden and improvised trip, only the national government knows."
Maduro is the highest ranking Venezuelan official to visit Chavez since the surgery. Bolivian President Evo Morales traveled to Cuba last weekend in a quick trip that only added to the uncertainty surrounding Chavez's condition. Morales has not commented publicly on his visit or even confirmed that he saw Chavez while he was there.
Before leaving for Cuba, Chavez acknowledged the precariousness of his situation and designated Maduro as his successor, telling supporters they should vote for the vice president if a new presidential election was necessary. Although Chavez has delegated some administrative powers to Maduro, he did not leave the vice president officially in charge of the presidency.
Venezuela's Democratic Unity bloc of opposition parties suggested Saturday it was time for the government to declare the president temporarily absent from power.
"They are trying to hide what every day is a fact: The government does not want to recognize that there is a temporary absence of the president from his duties," the bloc said in a statement. | <urn:uuid:561a73a9-6cb3-4ba2-b329-99cd3cb1d488> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/dec/29/venezuela-vp-in-cuba-to-visit-ailing-chavez/?page=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97878 | 623 | 1.5 | 2 |
LUDHIANA: Hot, humid but dry spell of present weather not only affects the production of animals but their health also. Dr AL Saini, head of the Department Livestock Production and management, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), revealed that the suitable temperature for the livestock is 18-27 degree Celsius. He said that due to this type of season animals feel stress so their production dips.
"Proper management is required to give them a comfortable environment. Fulfillment of water intake is very much important. Proper feeding of green fodder is also imperative in this season. Silage may be a good option of fodder. It covers the deficiency of protein"", says Dr Saini. ""Artificial cooling with big fans or desert coolers is also a comfortable equation. Monson season is breeding and growth season of parasites so open space to come out is also essential for livestock to avoid infectious diseases in a close atmosphere".
Dr Amarjeet Singh HOD, Animal disease research centre (ADRC) said that in dry weather conditions or scarcity of rainfall with high humidity, chances of accumulating toxic amounts of nitrate, prussic acid (cyanide) and oxalate increases in green fodder.
"This may convert the nutritious fodder into poisonous stock for the farm animals and deaths may occur in livestock with the consumption of this fodder. Fodder should always be mixed with wheat straw and good quality feed and water ad lib. be provided to the animals"", says Dr Singh. ""Never introduce new fodder to the hungry animals. Start offering fodder in small amounts in the beginning whenever there is change in the fodder. Feed Napier Bajra when the age of plant is between 40- 65 days. Over-aging may lead to toxicity in animals".
Dr Pritam Kaur Sidhu of ADRC revealed that Stressful growth conditions (drought and insect attack) may cause cyanide and nitrate to concentrate in the plants like sorghum (chari, bajra) species.
"Therefore, keep watering the fodder crops so that it doesn't wilt. Wilting increases the amount of nitrate and cyanide in the plant. Avoid spraying of insecticide or herbicide on fodder crops because this tends to increase the accumulation of nitrate, cyanide and palatability of plants", says Dr Sidhu. "Applying fertilizer (urea) in this weather should be restricted as this may increase nitrate accumulation by plants and increase the risk of nitrate poisoning. Get the fodder tested free of cost from the Toxicology Laboratory, Animal Disease Research Centre, GADVASU before feeding to animals. Collect random samples (mainly stems) from throughout the field, pack them in a good plastic bag and deliver them to the diagnostic laboratory. If possible, keep the sample cool".
She added that whenever animal show unusual symptoms like anorexia, salivation, diarrhea, restlessness, respiratory difficulty, nervous symptoms with normal/ subnormal temperature, one should rush to local veterinarian. | <urn:uuid:f1678ae3-0653-43b3-b25a-34791ddee2f9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-23/ludhiana/32803493_1_green-fodder-nitrate-animals | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.906944 | 627 | 3.03125 | 3 |
Promoting Legal Frameworks for Democratic Elections: An NDI Guide for Developing Election Laws and Law Commentaries, by Patrick Merloe (2008). This guide addresses the importance of developing legal frameworks that promote democratic elections. It explores why it is important for political parties, civic organizations and others to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of existing and proposed laws affecting election processes. The guide also addresses the importance of developing an open and inclusive political process to address those laws. The guide presents the main issues to examine when evaluating the legal framework and over 200 questions to consider, as well as sources of international law on the subject and a list of NDI election law commentaries.
NDI Handbook on How Domestic Organizations Monitor Elections: An A to Z Guide (1995). This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of how to organize a nonpartisan domestic election monitoring effort. It covers:
- Planning and organizational issues;
- Recruiting, training and logistical issues in building a communications network for reporting;
- Various subjects to monitor in the pre-election, election day and post-election periods;
- Considerations for how the organization and skills developed through monitoring efforts can be applied to non-election activities.
The guide is designed for election monitoring by civic organizations but can be used by political parties in designing their efforts to ensure electoral integrity and protect their vote.
Building Confidence in the Voter Registration Process: An NDI Monitoring Guide for Political Parties and Civic Organizations, by Richard L. Klein and Patrick Merloe (2001). This voter registration monitoring guide addresses:
- The role of voter registration and the principal types of voter registration systems;
- Why it is important for political parties and civic organizations to monitor these systems;
- Specific techniques for monitoring processes for collecting names, creating a voter registry and polling station voter lists, correcting errors in the lists and use of the lists on election day.
Media Monitoring to Promote Democratic Elections: An NDI Handbook for Citizen Organizations, by Robert Norris and Patrick Merloe (2002). This handbook takes a step-by- step approach to media monitoring. It covers:
- The importance of determining who controls the media and the difference between state- controlled versus private and broadcast versus print media;
- Issues to address in deciding what media and what subjects to monitor;
- Planning and organization of a media monitoring project;
- Monitoring methodology, including specific instructions for monitoring different types of media;
- Considerations for the presentation of findings and recommendations.
The Quick Count and Election Observation: An NDI Handbook for Civic Organizations and Political Parties, by Melissa Estok, Neil Nevitte and Glenn Cowan (2002). This handbook addresses the importance of developing systematic observation of vital election day processes, including the quality of voting, ballot counting and tabulation of election results, as well as the projection of electoral results with extremely narrow margins of error and high degrees of statistical confidence. It covers:
- Planning and organizational issues;
- Recruiting and training;
- communications systems;
- Developing a random statistical sample of polling stations for rapid and exacting analysis;
- Analytical techniques;
- The considerations for the release of quick count findings;
The handbook is designed for civic organizations but can easily be used by political parties. It also is designed for use by civic organizations that decide not to undertake projection of electoral results. As an organizer's guide, it reviews many of the issues covered by NDI's 1995 "A to Z" handbook.
Monitoring Electronic Technologies in Electoral Processes: An NDI Guide for Political Parties and Civic Organizations, by Vladimir Pran and Patrick Merloe (2008). This guide aims to increase the understanding of civic and political activists regarding:
- What transparency measures to demand in establishing safeguards concerning electronic electoral technologies; and
- What skills their organizations will need to develop to verify the integrity of electronic electoral technologies.
Specifically, it covers the types of technologies employed, the potential challenges for electoral integrity brought by such technologies, issues to consider in deciding whether to introduce electronic technologies and transparency that should be employed when electronic technologies are utilized.
For more information about these programs, use our contact form or contact:
Phillip Brondyke, Senior Program Assistant (202) 728-5513 | <urn:uuid:66bf7e29-5da8-46bc-9deb-6c17342a3a2e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ndi.org/electionspublications | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.910211 | 872 | 2.8125 | 3 |
The record had a thick, deep scratch around its aluminum circumference, but that wasn’t the first thing Patrick Cullom noticed. It had been sent to CUA’s archives from Nugent Hall back in the `90s, packed in a sagging cardboard box that didn’t look much different from other boxes that found their way to the archives from the back of some closet or basement storeroom. The box contained antiquated record albums just like the one Cullom held in his hand, discs that needed to be sorted and filed, or tossed.
As the university’s first-ever audiovisual archivist, Cullom had in 2003 begun the gargantuan task of sifting through and sorting 750,000 photos and a century’s worth of records, tape recordings and newspaper clippings. Which explains why, more than a year into his job, Cullom was only just now surveying this particular box and this particular recording.
He had found plenty of records like this one, records that hadn’t been played in 70 years — records that couldn’t be played, not without paying big bucks to a specialist who could transfer their contents to a digital format. And so he might have simply reshelved this one with others like it, if something hadn’t caught his eye. Visible through a hole cut out of the dust jacket was a handwritten label on the center of the record: “Catholic Protest Against Nazis — Nov. 16, 1938.”
Cullom was no World War II expert, but he knew enough about the conflict to realize that there was something curious about the date on the label. 1938 — a year before Germany’s invasion of Poland sparked World War II, and a full three years before the United States would enter the war. The date was much earlier than he would have expected for a stateside protest. So Cullom took a second look.
1938 … Cullom held in his hands a time capsule, and an inscrutable one at that — the label offered just enough clues to tantalize, but the real information was hidden in the record’s aluminum ridges.
This is the story of a recording, but it is also the story of an archive. And being the story of an archive, it is, by necessity, a story about history. As people who study history closely come to realize, one of its constants is that new truths about what happened in the past are always being discovered. Thus, history is always being rewritten.
Archives are often forgotten places. A repository of the “Used to Matter.” The collective memory of a university or city or country, they are brimming with items that some person deemed to be of some value, for some reason or another. Or sometimes they contain objects, papers or correspondence stored away just in case they might prove to be of value in the future, like nuts squirreled away for the winter. Those just-in-case items, an archivist might argue, are often the most valuable of all.
Back in CUA’s archives, Cullom reasoned that if someone wanted to know what was on the old audio recording that he was examining, they were going to have to take it to a professional. Transferring an old record to digital format, when the former is damaged and can only be played on an antiquated, hard-to-find machine, costs a few thousand dollars in labor and repair. All that money, and for what? The promise indicated by a few cryptic words on a record label? There was no way of knowing whether this recording had any real value. It was an archivist’s dilemma. So Cullom took the record to his boss, Timothy Meagher, the university archivist. Meagher, an associate professor of American history, was intrigued. He knew the contents might be of particular interest to his education archivist, Maria Mazzenga, whose field of research is World War II. So he gave Cullom the thumbs up to find out what was on the record.
When the CUA archivists finally got the recording back from an audio restoration company, it was in the form of an MP3, an audio encoding format. Even restored, the recording carried the trademark crackle and static of a 1930s radio broadcast. The announcer spoke in the mellifluous baritone of the radio personalities of that age. He explained what the listening audience was about to hear: a live national broadcast from the CUA campus, carried by both the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) and the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), featuring several prominent members of the clergy and a well-known former governor, patched in from their respective locations across the country. The announcer then introduced Rev. Maurice S. Sheehy, head of the university’s Department of Religious Education, who was the broadcast’s organizer. His voice, though grave, possessed the theatrical quality of a moving Sunday sermon.
“The world is witnessing a great tragedy in Europe today,” Father Sheehy began, “and after sober, calm reflection, various groups and leaders of the Catholic Church have sought permission to raise their voices, not in mad hysteria, but in firm indignation against the atrocities visited upon the Jews in Germany…”
In constructing a timeline of the Holocaust, most scholars place Kristallnacht — Nov. 9, 1938 — at its start. “The night of broken glass.” On a raw night in late autumn, thousands of Jewish homes, shops and synagogues were ransacked throughout Germany in large-scale Nazi-orchestrated rioting that would continue for two days. Some Jews were beaten to death that night, and more than 30,000 Jewish men were rounded up for concentration camps.
CUA’s 27-minute broadcast went over the nation’s airwaves just six days after the violence abated, on Nov. 16, 1938. In a pre-Internet, pre-television era, the speed with which these geographically scattered members of the Catholic Church responded was impressive.
Catholic University was not simply a venue for the event. The university’s chief executive, Monsignor Joseph M. Corrigan (later elevated to bishop), was featured in the broadcast along with three of the school’s then current or former trustees: Archbishop John J. Mitty of San Francisco, Bishop Peter L. Ireton of Richmond, Va., and former governor of New York Al Smith, who in 1928 had been the first Catholic to run for president of the United States as a major-party nominee. Bishop John M. Gannon of Erie, Pa., also spoke on the broadcast.
Why these particular men were chosen for the broadcast is a question the archivists are still investigating, but they speculate that the group’s members were chosen not only for their prominence within the Church and Catholic University, but also for their prior radio experience and vocal opposition to anti-Semitism. Smith — the only lay voice on the broadcast — was a savvy choice: He was, thanks to his presidential bid, a household name.
The purpose of this program, Father Sheehy said in his opening address, was to appeal to Christian political leaders in Germany to stop the persecution of the Jews. But it is clear the broadcast was also meant to inspire prayers for the beleaguered Jews and to denounce what Monsignor Corrigan called “a persecution hardly if ever equaled since earlier blood-lusting paganism martyred Christians for their faith in God.”
Father Sheehy, the driving force behind the broadcast, had a special interest in radio. Since the 1920s he had lobbied the university to take advantage of the broadcasting medium, believing it would give CUA a voice in public issues.
After his opening words, he turned the Kristallnacht broadcast over to Archbishop Mitty, who was 2,800 miles away. The archbishop delivered a declaration of solidarity with Jewish people that was rare for that pre-Vatican II era, when, according to archivist Maria Mazzenga, many felt that defending other religions put those faiths on an equal footing with Catholicism. The archbishop likened the violence against German Jews to a “parallel crucifixion” in Spain, where thousands of clergy had recently been murdered during the Spanish Civil War. He asked whether something like that “monstrous story whose record was written month after month in human blood” might be repeated.
Bishop Gannon then continued from Erie, Pa., speaking about the importance of standing with the Jews in protest. “In the face of such injustice toward the Jews of Germany, I express my revulsion, disgust and grief,” he said.
For his part, former Gov. Smith asked if the great country of Germany had fallen into the hands of a band of ruffians, and “If that be true, what about the future of Germany?”
Listening to the speeches, Mazzenga felt the rush of an archivist who has stumbled onto a new sliver of history. She had spent the past two decades studying World War II and the Holocaust, and she had never heard of anything like this early show of indignant solidarity and support that pulsed from the speakers. An expert on America’s perceptions of and reactions to World War II as it was being fought, Mazzenga in 2000 wrote her CUA doctoral dissertation on that subject. Like others with in-depth knowledge of American perceptions of the Nazis, she had held the generally accepted view that U.S. Catholics and the American Catholic Church itself had not paid much attention to Germany’s pre-war persecution of the Jews.
The broadcast she was listening to turned that view on its head. Catholic moral outrage on behalf of a beleaguered group — not indifference — was what the resurrected recording revealed.
What Cullom found most impressive was the collaboration between CBS and NBC, then the only two major broadcasting networks. In order to reach the entire country, Father Sheehy had to get both networks to participate. “That’s unique,” Cullom adds, “because just like today, CBS and NBC don’t like to share things. So you have these two networks and lots of local affiliates broadcasting this and doing it for free. It’s an interesting relationship that the broadcasters had with the university.”
And the broadcast did catch the attention of the nation: The next day, papers across the country reported on the speeches. Once the archivists knew the date of the broadcast, they were able to go back to — where else? — the university’s archives, and find two large scrapbooks corresponding to that date. They contained hundreds of yellowed newspaper clippings mentioning the CUA broadcast. The headlines echoed the broadcast’s impact: “Prominent Churchmen Denounce Oppression of Jews by Germans,” “Catholic Churchmen Join Pleas for Jews,” “Noted Layman, Clerics Voice Nazi Protest.”
Mazzenga and Meagher realized they had uncovered a great piece of historical material, so they contacted the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. Mazzenga proposed a summer research workshop at the museum on the subject of the response of American religious groups to Kristallnacht. The proposal was accepted, and from Aug. 13 to Aug. 24, 2007, nine academics from around the country gathered for the forum she organized: “American Religious Organizations and Responses to the Holocaust in the United States: Reichskristallnacht as a Case Study.” The participants presented scholarly papers and research on how America’s three dominant religious groups — Catholics, Protestants and Jews — had responded to the pogrom that began the violent trajectory toward the Holocaust.
“It’s a wonderful example of how archival research can add to our knowledge of a period — part of the past that wasn’t remembered,” says CUA history Professor Jerry Muller, whose wife is an archivist for the Holocaust Museum. The best part, Muller notes, is that often one discovery begets another. “As they publicize this, it may lead other researchers to keep their eyes open for comparable material. It’s less a definitive answer than it is an opening up of an avenue of research that hasn’t been much explored.”
Indeed, Mazzenga herself is already paving that avenue of research. She says that the Holocaust Museum workshop and subsequent research have shown that the broadcast was just one of many responses American Catholics made to Kristallnacht. She found evidence that several U.S. Catholic bishops heeded calls by Protestants and Jews to participate in a National Day of Prayer on Nov. 20, 1938, for example, and that in the days that followed, various Catholic lay groups also engaged in protest against the persecution of Germany’s Jews.
Mazzenga has begun editing the manuscript of a proposed book consisting of the academic papers presented at the Holocaust Museum workshop.
As soon as they realized what was on that record, the archivists began planning to create an educational Web site about American Catholics in the 1930s, says Meagher. The site (see Web address at right) already features the broadcast in audio and text. When the site is finished, those who visit it will also learn about other aspects of the American response to the Holocaust, such as what Catholic newspapers wrote about Kristallnacht, President Roosevelt’s reaction to the Nazi persecution and how the notoriously anti-Semitic priest Charles E. Coughlin responded to CUA’s broadcast. The archivists plan to promote the site to educators for classroom use.
For his part, Cullom is just relieved the record, which has now led to so much more, found its way into safe hands. “If the material hadn’t come here to the archives, who knows? Somebody might have tossed it out. Now it’s preserved for future generations.”
Those future generations will learn of the Holocaust in their classrooms, learn of the systematic brutality and the death camps. It is a grim but necessary journey that many pupils before them have traveled. But thanks to the CUA archivists, many will now have the opportunity to learn of the early outpouring of solidarity that flowed from American Catholics to their German Jewish brothers and sisters — a welcome addition to the pages of history.
To listen to a clip or read a transcript of the 1938 broadcast, visit http://libraries.cua.edu/achrcua/packets.html.
Back to top | <urn:uuid:534c4c4d-9676-4c2e-927a-2a882c96c234> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://publicaffairs.cua.edu/cuamag/fall07/features/record.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971107 | 3,047 | 2.171875 | 2 |
Three tons of Minnesota clay, burlap, straw, branches and vine were shaped into a playful, child-friendly earthen structure on the lawn at the Learning Center this past July. Arizona clay artists and adobe builders Athena and Bill Steen were in residence for three weeks to direct the project.
The Clayhouse is finally dry enough for people to touch! See this amazing photo below taken by Don Olson, of the Arboretum Photographers Society.
Families and kids can explore this truly unique playhouse through October 2012. The tarp in the background is helping the Clayhouse finish drying.
See the entire process. View the slideshow below to see how the Clayhouse was built.
Watch the video below to hear the Steen's thoughts on working with clay and people, as given during an October 2011 visit to the Arboretum, and see images of the clay model created by Athena of what the Clayhouse may ultimately look like. Keep up with the Steens and the construction of the Clayhouse on their blog, The Canelo Chronicles.
The Steens are founding directors of The Canelo Project, a nonprofit organization that works to connect people, culture and nature. They are authors who work internationally and recently completed a Clayground residency at the Denver Museum of Art.
Watch the artists at work:
Wednesdays-Fridays, July 18-20 & 25-27,
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Public invited to help build:
Saturdays & Sundays, July 14-15, 21-22 & 28-29, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Watching or helping build is free with Arboretum admission!
Special thanks to Acme-Och's Brick & Stone in Springfield, MN for their generous donation of clay. | <urn:uuid:2c40608e-6416-42e1-9ca1-da9fe51a71e6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.arboretum.umn.edu/clayhouse.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958853 | 378 | 1.8125 | 2 |
By William Lutz
If there's one product American business can produce in large amounts, it's doublespeak. Doublespeak is language that only pretends to say something; it's language that hides, evades or misleads.
Doublespeak comes in many forms, from the popular buzzwords that everyone uses but no one really understands - "glocalization," "competitive dynamics," "re-equitizing" and "empowerment" - to language that tries to hide meaning: "re-engineering," "synergy," "adjustment," "restructure" and "force management program."
With doublespeak, no truck driver is the worst driver, just the "least-best" driver, and bribes and kickbacks are called "rebates" or "fees for product testing." Even robbery can be magically transformed with doublespeak, as a bank in Texas did when it declared a robbery of an ATM to be an "authorized transaction." Willie Sutton would have loved to have heard that.
Automobile junkyards, junk and used car parts have become "auto dismantlers and recyclers" who sell "predismantled, previously owned parts." Don't want people to know you're in the business of disposing of radioactive and chemical wastes? Then call your company "U.S. Ecology Inc."
Wages may not be increasing, but the doublespeak of job titles sure has increased. These days, your job title has to have the word "chief" in it. How many kinds of "chiefs" are there? Try these titles on for size: Chief Nuclear Officer, Chief Procurement Officer, Chief Information Officer, Chief Learning Officer, Chief Transformation Officer, Chief Cultural Officer, Chief People Officer, Chief Ethics Officer, Chief Turnaround Officer, Chief Technology Officer, and Chief Creative Officer. After all the "operations improvement" corporations have undergone, you have to wonder who all those "chiefs" are leading. Never before have so few been led by so many.
These days, a travel agent may be called a "travel counselor," "vacation specialist," "destination counselor" or "reservation specialist." As part of their merger, Chase Manhattan Bank and Chemical Bank decided that the position of "Relationship Manager" would be divided between executives of both banks. What is a "Relationship Manager"? Once upon a time this person was called a salesman. And if you're late in paying your bill after buying something from one of these "Relationship Managers," you'll be called by the "Persistency Specialist," or bill collector. If you're "downsized," the "Outplacement Consultant" or unemployment counselor will help you with "re-employment engineering," or how to find another job.
With doublespeak, banks don't have "bad loans" or "bad debts"; they have "nonperforming assets" or "nonperforming credits" which are "rolled over" or "rescheduled." Corporations never lose money; they just experience "negative cash flow," "deficit enhancement," "net profit revenue deficiencies," or "negative contributions to profits."
No one gets fired these days, and no one gets laid off. If you're high enough in the corporate pecking order, you "resign for personal reasons." (And then you're never unemployed; you're just in an "orderly transition between career changes.")
But even those far below the lofty heights of corporate power are not fired or laid off. Firing workers is such big business in these days of "re-engineering," "restructuring" and "downsizing" that there are companies whose business is helping other companies fire their workers. (Think about that for a minute.) These companies provide "termination and outplacement consulting" for corporations involved in "reduction activities." In other words, they teach companies how to fire or lay off workers. During these days of "cost rationalization," companies fire or lay off workers many different ways. How do I fire thee? Let me count the ways.
Companies make "workforce adjustments," "headcount reductions," "census reductions," or institute a program of "negative employee retention." Corporations offer workers "vocational relocation," "career assignment and relocation," a "career change opportunity," or "voluntary termination." Workers are "dehired," "deselected," "selected out," "repositioned," "surplussed," "rightsized," "correct sized," "excessed," or "uninstalled." Some companies "initiate operations improvements," "assign candidates to a mobility pool," "implement a skills mix adjustment," or "eliminate redundancies in the human resources area."
One company denied it was laying off 500 people at its headquarters. "We don't characterize it as a layoff," said the corporate doublespeaker (sometimes called a spin doctor). "We're managing our staff resources. Sometimes you manage them up, and sometimes you manage them down." Congratulations. You've just been managed down, you staff resource you.
An automobile company announced the closing of an entire assembly plant and the elimination of over 8,000 jobs by announcing "a volume-related production schedule adjustment." Not to be outdone by its rival, another car company "initiated a career alternative enhancement program"' that enhanced over 5,000 workers out of their jobs. By calling the permanent shutdown of a steel plant an "indefinite idling," a corporation thought that it wouldn't have to pay severance or pension benefits to the workers who were left without jobs.
Doublespeak can pay for the company, but usually not for the workers who lose their jobs.
As Pogo said, "We have met the enemy, and he is us." Or maybe Dilbert got it better: "Do we really get paid for writing this stuff?"
William Lutz is professor of English at Rutgers University and author of the new book The New Doublespeak: Why No One Knows What Anyone's Saying Anymore. | <urn:uuid:77ea03de-5867-4785-8c93-758afb5627b3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dt.org/html/Doublespeak.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977311 | 1,247 | 2.15625 | 2 |
"Teach-in" facilitates discussion of curriculum and censorship
by Claire Miller
College of Education Assistant Professor Rhina Fernandes Williams asked attendees at “Teach, Think, Do: A Teach-In on Tucson” to stand up if they were from the metro-Atlanta area. Of the more than 170 people who attended the Feb. 4 event, the vast majority stood up.
This exercise continued for a few more questions: A handful stood up when asked if anyone got lost on the way to the COE for the event, a few more stood when asked if there were any students present, and several more stood when asked if any teachers were in attendance. But the final query in the exercise had the entire room on its feet.
“Stand up,” Williams asked, “if you are here today to stand up for liberty and justice for all people.”
The “Teach-In,” coordinated by students, faculty and staff from the COE, Emory University, Clayton State University, Kennesaw State University, Georgia Gwinnett College, Metro Atlantans for Public Schools and the Georgia chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education, was one of many events happening across the U.S. designed to discuss a ban of ethnic studies courses in public schools in Tucson, Ariz., and how it could impact local schools.
To give attendees a firsthand account of the movement to ban Mexican American studies classes in the Tucson Unified School District and to discuss the ramifications of such a movement, the event began with an online panel discussion featuring Norma Isela and José Gonsalez, Tucson Unified School District teachers; Nico Dominguez, Tucson Unified School District student; Debbie Reese, author and consultant on American Indians in children’s literature; and Jeff Biggers, Huffington Post writer and American Book Award-winning author.
While Isela, Gonsalez and Dominguez spoke via Skype about their personal experiences with the ban, Reese and Biggers offered reasons for keeping culturally-specific texts in classrooms.
“I advocate for the use of multicultural literature, and this matters to me because I know that it matters to children to see themselves reflected in the books that they read and the curriculum that they’re being given in school,” Reese said. “I think it’s astonishing that the program in Arizona was showing gains in attendance, grades and graduation rates – the things that we as scholars of literature have been saying literature can do – and to see it shut down is a huge step backwards.”
Following the panel discussion, attendees had their choice of three breakout sessions: One focused on the books censored in Tucson schools, one that offered curriculum and lesson planning strategies and one where participants wrote letters to legislators and other stakeholders around the country. The three groups then came back together to brainstorm ways to continue the dialogue on censorship, curriculum and multicultural education moving forward.
Alyssa Hadley Dunn, COE clinical assistant professor of urban teacher education and the founder of Georgians for Freadom, the newly formed group that coordinated the event, told attendees that she hoped they gained a better understanding of what is happening in Arizona and how to successfully advocate for social justice in local classrooms.
“We are here to stand in solidarity with those fighting in Tucson and around the country,” Dunn said. “It is up to us to understand the issues, to know what we’re fighting against and fighting for, and most importantly, why we are fighting. We hope that today inspires you to teach, think and do more to work for social justice and educational equity in every part of your life.” | <urn:uuid:8a496559-b97e-44eb-85b1-2ac0727849e8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.georgiansforfreadom.blogspot.com/2012/02/coverage-of-teach-in-from-georgia-state.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963757 | 757 | 2.171875 | 2 |
The Environmental Protection and Agriculture ministries must increase their
surveillance of pesticide use, and the Water Authority must quicken its process
of expanding water desalination, State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss’s 62nd
annual report disclosed on Tuesday.
In a chapter about environmental
protection in agriculture, the report examined the ways in which relevant
government bodies were regulating the usage of pesticides and
The most major weakness this section uncovered was the lack
of a data collection system, which would allow the relevant government
authorities to monitor the risks associated with pesticides and
Both the Environmental Protection and Agriculture ministries
must increase their surveillance of pesticide use, to ensure that Israel’s
regulations are up to par with those of other Western nations, according to the
In most Western nations, it is customary to conduct field surveys
and publish the types of pesticides used, but in Israel the quantity of
pesticides have only been examined twice – in 1998 by the Central Bureau of
Statistics, and in 2008 by a private entity, the report said.
response, the Agriculture Ministry argued that United States and European
nations actually only reevaluated their pesticide usage once every 10 to 15
years, because this time span was necessary to accumulate analysis material.
Meanwhile, the Environmental Protection Ministry added that the Central Bureau
of Statistics was now conducting an updated, comprehensive survey.
report acknowledges that the country is committed to sustainable agriculture,
but also concludes that “Israel still lags behind,” and in part blames the
Environmental Protection Ministry’s “weakness as a regulator.”
response, the ministry stressed that as early as 2005, it had initiated new
regulations to restrict the presence of pesticides near buildings, parameters
that have brought Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) toxin inspectors to
monitor the problem.
Researchers at the Technion in Haifa are now
conducting a study regarding pesticide dissipation in the air, and in accordance
with these results, the ministry will consider changing spraying
Regarding its power of enforcement, the ministry said that
INPA inspectors report their findings to the ministry, which chooses to seek
criminal enforcement based on evidence.
In another chapter of
Lindenstrauss’s report, the State Comptroller’s Office evaluated the
government’s progress in establishing desalination
Desalinated water production stands at about 300 million
cubic meters annually, through three facilities – Ashkelon, Palmahim and Hadera,
according to the Water Authority.
Officials have not been effective
enough at translating decisions into actions, and therefore may not achieve the
intended goal of 600 million cu.m. annually by 2013, the report
For example, it argued, although a 2001 government decision
called for establishing a desalination plant in Ashdod by 2003, its construction
has not yet occurred.
“The government must ensure that the objectives for
coping with the water shortage will be achieved in the time prescribed for it,”
the report said.
The authorities must also ensure that a monopoly does
not occur in the desalination sector, it added. The company building the future
Sorek plant is a partner in three of the five current desalination projects, and
will be involved in about 70 percent of all desalinated water production in
2013, the report warned.
A final chapter examined how the Agriculture
Ministry has issued grants aimed at helping farmers purchase machinery that
would decrease their need for foreign workers, as well as improving water
infrastructure. While distributing many of the funds, however, the ministry
bypassed the restrictions of the 1980 Law for the Encouragement of Capital
Investment in Agriculture by issuing the grants from a separate,
Hundreds of millions of shekels, therefore,
reached farmers without obliging them to reduce their workers or significantly
improve their infrastructure, and some farmers have engaged in acts of water
profiteering at the expense of other farmers, the report said.
Agriculture Ministry said in response that it was working to fix the law so two
different funding tracks would no longer be necessary, the office also stressed
that all subsidies were executed legally and transparently, based on needs such
as water conservation and foreign worker reduction. | <urn:uuid:2dff1758-5414-4551-8de9-9b58607c69ec> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jpost.com/National-News/Comptroller-targets-environment-over-pesticides | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93665 | 902 | 2.3125 | 2 |
In response to the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990 requiring all postsecondary institutions to prepare an annual report detailing crime prevention policy and campus crime statistics, Carl Sandburg College has issued its 2011 Crime Awareness and Campus Security Report showing data for calendar years 2009, 2010 and 2011.
This annual report features Carl Sandburg College policies regarding crime prevention issues, services performed by the college, anti-crime information available through the college, crime statistics and prescribed standards of conduct as set forth by the policies of the Board of Trustees.
Department of Public Saftey
Carl Sandburg College provides for safety and security needs of students, faculty, staff and visitors through its campus security guards and physical plant personnel which are on site 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. Any person who witnesses a crime or becomes a victim of a crime should report it as soon as possible to the department of public safety located in D201. The department can also be reached from any on-campus/college phone simply by calling the campus operator (Dial - 0). Security may also be reached 24 hours a day by dialing (309) 341-5304. Questions about safety, security or law enforcement issues should be referred to the director of public safety, located in D201A or by calling (309) 341-5325. The director of public safety receives all incident/accident reports filed by any individual of the college community. When multiple incidents occur during the same time frame, reports and subsequent action by security guards are handled in order of priority: 1) personal safety, 2) property crime, 3) services.
Emergency Phone System
Carl Sandburg College’s Emergency Telephone System is now in place. The system consists of twelve (12) outside emergency telephones located with a • on the map and fourteen (14) inside emergency telephones located with an H on the map. All emergency telephones on campus are connected to the college switchboard. The switchboard is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If the caller is unable to respond verbally, the boxes are a one-button system enhanced by location ID. All emergency telephones will ring directly to the public safety dispatch center. A public safety officer will then respond to your location within minutes. This system is for emergencies only or when you need public safety assistance. This would include medical emergencies, accidents, reporting a fire, or request for escorting of students. This system is not for general information on campus activities or directions. Every classroom has an in-house telephone that can be used to reach the Galesburg Public Safety Building by dialing 911. Any situation that requires a call to the Galesburg Public Safety Building should be reported to Campus Security by dialing 5499. Any abuse or violation of the Emergency Telephone System will lead to disciplinary action, arrest, or prosecution.
The facilities of this college are provided by the State of Illinois and the Carl Sandburg College District to provide a service to this college community. The service includes not only the instructional program, but a public service beyond that normally called instruction. The facilities of the college may be used by other groups and organizations for such purposes that will extend and enhance the general welfare of the total community. Carl Sandburg’s Galesburg campus is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Fridays; and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, excluding declared holidays. During closed periods, all exterior doors are locked to prohibit unauthorized entry. Faculty and staff may enter after hours by making prior arrangements with their supervisor and/or the department of public safety. Student access to facilities after hours is prohibited unless they have the expressed permission of a college employee and campus security has been notified. Security officers utilize motor and foot patrol as well as two-way radio/telephone communications to monitor the premises both inside and out. Security personnel monitor CCTV with numerous cameras located throughout campus.
The Board of Trustees of Community College District #518 has employed security personnel which report to the director of public safety. Their primary purpose is to monitor and maintain the security of college assets and personnel by observing, reporting and then acting within the framework of established procedures. In this capacity, security personnel facilitate conservation of the peace by working harmoniously with all local law enforcement agencies. In the event of classroom/student and/or other college-business related emergency, college personnel are instructed to remove themselves from dangerous situations. If the immediacy of the situation requires intervention, college employees will call the proper emergency agency by dialing 911 from the nearest public phone or 911 from the nearest college phone.
With the exception of the director of public safety, security personnel are not sworn Illinois police officers and, as a result do not have arrest powers. The Carl Sandburg College Department of Public Safety staff frequently work with the Galesburg Police Department. The two agencies cooperate whenever possible on investigations and crime prevention programs to provide the best possible services to our campus and local communities.
Carl Sandburg College endeavors to reduce the likelihood and opportunity for unsafe activity on campus through a proactive risk management program involving all campus constituencies. The College maintains a substance abuse awareness program to inform students and employees about the dangers of substance/alcohol abuse, college policy of maintaining a substance/alcohol-free environment, available abuse counseling and rehabilitation assistance programs, and the penalties that may be imposed upon students and employees for violations occurring in the college. Students and employees are encouraged to be responsible for their own security.
Written literature on all aspects of the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990 is available in the Office of the Director of Public Safety.
Carl Sandburg College provides crime statistics involving murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, arrests for liquor, drug and weapons violations in accordance with the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990. All incidents of a criminal nature occurring at off-campus facilities are reported to that facility’s local law enforcement agency.
CRIMES ON CAMPUS
Last updated 10/12
Standards of Conduct
College policy and regulations prohibit:
1. The illegal use of controlled substances, as well as their manufacture, distribution, dispensation, or possession on Carl Sandburg College property or as any part of college activities, events, classes, programs or services.
2. The sale of tobacco on college property.
3. The illegal use or abuse of alcohol by students, visitors, or employees on Carl Sandburg College property or activities.
4. Use of tobacco products in the building is prohibited.
College policy further stresses that:
Every effort has been made to provide you with information of value in assisting you in sharing responsibility for your personal safety while on campus. We urge you to contact the Office of the Coordinator of Environmental Services should you have any questions regarding this material or any safety issue. Policies adopted by the Board of Trustees in compliance with the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act are available from: Secretary, Board of Trustees, Community College District #518, Henson Administrative Center, 2400 Tom L. Wilson Blvd., Galesburg, IL 61401. | <urn:uuid:3ec313ca-1626-47b5-81ad-ed9e786d15e5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sandburg.edu/life/galesburg-campus-crime-report | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943492 | 1,465 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Get flash to fully experience Pearltrees
Paul Cadden is a Scottish-born hyperrealist artist who creates painfully realistic artworks using only graphite and chalk. I’ve posted some pretty realistic drawings in the past, like Rajacenna’s detailed celebrity portraits , Juan Francisco Casas’ photo-like ballpoint pen drawings , or Paul Lung’s pencil artworks , but the pieces you’re about to see are on a whole other level. Using simple materials like graphite and white chalk, Paul Cadden is able to replicate complex photos down to the tiniest details. Whether it’s the countless wrinkles on an old man’s face, the smoke from a lit cigarette or the water dripping from someone’s face, he makes it look unbelievably realistic. “Although the drawings and paintings I make are based upon a series of photographs, video stills etc, the art created from the photo is used to create a softer and much more complex focus on the subject depicted, presenting it as a living tangible object.
This time we’re gonna show you some truly inspiring works with text, also referred to as typography. This can be used many places; in magazines, advertisements, websites, logos and more. These great pieces will show you that there are no boundaries and that you can make almost anything with text if you have a good portion of creativity and talent.
We here at DPShots believe that the easiest way to learn photography is to learn it by example. Every now and then we come up with some amazing photography examples that take your breath away. This post is no different.
More Imaginative Package Designs You guys seemed to enjoy the Imaginative Package Designs post I put together a couple of months ago and as a little token of my appreciation I thought I'd put together a second part - More Imaginative Package Designs. As with the original I have compiled a selection of beautiful packaging designs, some conceptual and some that made it to the shelves but all great examples of the designer going the extra mile to ensure that all important first impression is a positive one. | <urn:uuid:10d9d78b-cd3f-4362-b8a0-e2225991c240> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pearltrees.com/lanflan2/pictures/id4339343 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937022 | 437 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Here's a beautiful news story which I read a while back about a kidnapped Ethiopian girl who was protected by lions.
The scientists seem to explain the lions' behavior by saying that the girl's crying reminded them of a baby lion. I don't know.... Lions have excellent senses and aren't usually fooled.
I think these lions felt real compassion for the girl as a fellow living being who was suffering, and they may well have been emanations of bodhisattvas.
May all African women receive similar protection from bodhisattvas.
OM GURU MAHAKALA HARINISA SIDDHI DZA
Police: Lions free kidnapped girl
Tuesday, June 21, 2005; Posted: 11:56 a.m. EDT (15:56 GMT)
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) -- Police say three lions rescued a 12-year-old girl kidnapped by men who wanted to force her into marriage, chasing off her abductors and guarding her until police and relatives tracked her down in a remote corner of Ethiopia.
The men had held the girl for seven days, repeatedly beating her, before the lions chased them away and guarded her for half a day before her family and police found her, Sgt. Wondimu Wedajo said Tuesday by telephone from the provincial capital of Bita Genet, some 560 kilometers (348 miles) west of the capital, Addis Ababa.
"They stood guard until we found her and then they just left her like a gift and went back into the forest," Wondimu said, adding he did not know whether the lions were male or female.
News of the June 9 rescue was slow to filter out from Kefa Zone in southwestern Ethiopia.
"If the lions had not come to her rescue then it could have been much worse. Often these young girls are raped and severely beaten to force them to accept the marriage," he said.
"Everyone ... thinks this is some kind of miracle, because normally the lions would attack people," Wondimu said.
Stuart Williams, a wildlife expert with the rural development ministry, said that it was likely that the young girl was saved because she was crying from the trauma of her attack.
"A young girl whimpering could be mistaken for the mewing sound from a lion cub, which in turn could explain why they (the lions) didn't eat her," Williams said. "Otherwise they probably would have done."
The girl, the youngest of four brothers and sisters, was "shocked and terrified" and had to be treated for the cuts from her beatings, Wondimu said.
He said that police had caught four of the men, but were still looking for three others.
In Ethiopia, kidnapping has long been part of the marriage custom, a tradition of sorrow and violence whose origins are murky.
The United Nations estimates that more than 70 percent of marriages in Ethiopia are by abduction, practiced in rural areas where the majority of the country's 71 million people live.
Ethiopia's lions, famous for their large black manes, are the country's national symbol and adorn statues and the local currency. Former emperor Haile Selassie kept a pride in the royal palace in Addis Ababa.
Despite their integral place in Ethiopia culture, their numbers have been falling, according to experts, as farmers encroach on bush land.
Hunters also kill the animals for their skins, which can fetch $1,000, despite a recent crackdown against illegal animal trading across the country. Williams said that at most only 1,000 Ethiopian lions remain in the wild.
http://web.archive.org/web/200506230251 ... index.html | <urn:uuid:7cfb49d1-24f9-4648-a4fa-e82140721575> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=2253&p=15464 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980444 | 763 | 2.0625 | 2 |
Scientologists 'tried to stop' movie The Master
SCIENTOLOGISTS reportedly tried to stop The Master, a movie partly based on L Ron Hubbard who founded Scientology in the 1950s.
The movie, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and released yesterday in the US, has been tipped for an Oscar after winning awards for acting and directing when premiered at the Venice Film Festival earlier this year.
Well-known scientologists include Tom Cruise, Priscilla Presley, John Travolta and Peaches Geldof.
The studio that produced the film told BBC news that they had been under "lots of pressure" from Scientologists in Hollywood to stop The Master being made.
Studio head Harvey Weinstein said: "We've had pressure and we've resisted pressure. Originally people said to me 'don't make it'.
"And then, as we were making it, we had pressure to change it. I'm not going to get into names, but they feel strongly that they think it's a religion and as such they think the subject matter shouldn't be explored.
"Paul Thomas Anderson admitted in Venice that it was about L Ron Hubbard and the early days of his teaching and the creation of Scientology. But that's not all there is in the movie."
The film, released soon in the UK, tells the tale of a cult leader called The Master, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, and a World War II veteran who gets involved with him, played by Joaquin Pheonix.
Paul Thomas Anderson recently admitted he'd held a private screening of The Master for Tom Cruise.
The director told BBC News: "Yes, I have shown him the film, and yes, we are still friends.
"The rest is between me and Tom." | <urn:uuid:b9727398-e0fa-4d37-9fbe-dc058239e449> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4540715/Scientologists-tried-to-stop-movie-The-Master-partly-based-on-L-Ron-Hubbard.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9831 | 361 | 1.5625 | 2 |
In a systematic review and meta-analysis, Amitabh Suthar and colleagues investigate the association between antiretroviral therapy and the reduction in the incidence of tuberculosis in adults with HIV infection.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is the strongest risk factor for developing tuberculosis and has fuelled its resurgence, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2010, there were an estimated 1.1 million incident cases of tuberculosis among the 34 million people living with HIV worldwide. Antiretroviral therapy has substantial potential to prevent HIV-associated tuberculosis. We conducted a systematic review of studies that analysed the impact of antiretroviral therapy on the incidence of tuberculosis in adults with HIV infection.
Methods and Findings
PubMed, Embase, African Index Medicus, LILACS, and clinical trial registries were systematically searched. Randomised controlled trials, prospective cohort studies, and retrospective cohort studies were included if they compared tuberculosis incidence by antiretroviral therapy status in HIV-infected adults for a median of over 6 mo in developing countries. For the meta-analyses there were four categories based on CD4 counts at antiretroviral therapy initiation: (1) less than 200 cells/µl, (2) 200 to 350 cells/µl, (3) greater than 350 cells/µl, and (4) any CD4 count.
Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. Antiretroviral therapy is strongly associated with a reduction in the incidence of tuberculosis in all baseline CD4 count categories: (1) less than 200 cells/µl (hazard ratio [HR] 0.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.07 to 0.36), (2) 200 to 350 cells/µl (HR 0.34, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.60), (3) greater than 350 cells/µl (HR 0.43, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.63), and (4) any CD4 count (HR 0.35, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.44). There was no evidence of hazard ratio modification with respect to baseline CD4 count category (p = 0.20).
Antiretroviral therapy is strongly associated with a reduction in the incidence of tuberculosis across all CD4 count strata. Earlier initiation of antiretroviral therapy may be a key component of global and national strategies to control the HIV-associated tuberculosis syndemic.
International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews CRD42011001209
Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.
Tuberculosis—a contagious bacterial infection— is a global public-health problem. In 2010, 8.8 million people developed active tuberculosis and 1.4 million people died from the disease. Tuberculosis can be cured by taking powerful antibiotics regularly for several months, and between 1995 and 2010, 46 million people with tuberculosis were successfully treated using DOTS—a directly observed antibiotic regimen designed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Now, though, the HIV epidemic is compromising global tuberculosis control efforts. HIV-positive people are very susceptible to tuberculosis because HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, destroys the immune system cells (including CD4 lymphocytes) that normally combat tuberculosis. In 2010, 1.1 million of the new (incident) cases of tuberculosis were among the 34 million people living with HIV, and 350,000 people died of HIV-associated tuberculosis, making tuberculosis the leading cause of death among HIV-positive people. To tackle HIV-associated tuberculosis, which occurs mainly in developing countries, WHO now recommends that HIV and tuberculosis programs use collaborative approaches such as the Three I's for HIV/TB strategy—intensified tuberculosis case-finding among HIV-positive people, isoniazid preventative therapy for HIV-positive people without active tuberculosis, and (tuberculosis) infection control in healthcare facilities, social settings, and households.
Why Was This Study Done?
Despite progress in scaling up the Three I's for HIV/TB strategy, complementary interventions are still needed to prevent tuberculosis in HIV-positive people. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) lowers the viral load of people infected with HIV and restores their immune system function and could, therefore, prevent HIVassociated tuberculosis, in addition to treating HIV infection. WHO recommends ART for all HIV-positive adults with a CD4 count of less than 350 cells/μl of blood and for all HIVpositive, tuberculosis-positive individuals irrespective of their CD4 count. However, the evidence for ART's preventative impact on tuberculosis has not been systematically examined. Here, the researchers undertake a systematic review (a search that uses predefined criteria to identify all the research on a given topic) and a meta-analysis (a statistical method for combining the results of studies) to investigate the impact of ART initiated at various CD4 counts on the development of tuberculosis in HIV-positive adults in developing countries.
What Did the Researchers Do and Find?
The researchers found 11 studies that compared tuberculosis incidence by ART status in HIV-infected adults over periods longer than six months on average in developing countries and undertook meta-analyses of these studies based on four categories of CD4 count at ART initiation (less than 200 cells/μl, 200–350 cells/μl, greater than 350 cells/μl, and any CD4 count). For all these categories, ART was strongly associated with a reduction in the incidence of tuberculosis. For example, the meta-analysis of the two studies that reported on participants in whom ART was initiated at a CD4 count less than 200 cells/μl yielded a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.16. That is, study participants starting ART when their CD4 count was below 200 cells/μl were about one-sixth as likely to develop tuberculosis as participants not receiving ART. In the metaanalysis of all 11 studies, study participants receiving ART were about one-third as likely to develop tuberculosis as study participants receiving no ART, irrespective of their CD4 count (HR 0.35). Importantly, the CD4 count at which ART was initiated did not significantly alter the magnitude of ART's preventive effect on tuberculosis development.
What Do These Findings Mean?
These findings suggest that ART is strongly associated with a reduction in the incidence of tuberculosis in HIV-positive adults in developing countries, whatever the CD4 count at ART initiation. Because most of the studies in this meta-analysis were observational, these results do not show that ART causes a reduction in tuberculosis incidence—other unknown factors shared by the study participants who received ART may be responsible for their lower tuberculosis incidence. Moreover, factors such as variations in diagnostic methods among the studies included in this meta-analysis may have affected the accuracy of these findings. Nevertheless, the key finding that ART is associated with a significant reduction in tuberculosis cases among adults with CD4 counts greater than 350 cells//μl should be considered by healthcare providers, policymakers, and people living with HIV when weighing the benefits and risks of early ART initiation. It also suggests that early ART initiation (in combination with expanded HIV testing) could be a key component of future global and national strategies to control HIV-associated tuberculosis.
Please access these websites via the online version of this summary at http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001270.
WHO provides information on all aspects of tuberculosis, including information on tuberculosis and HIV, on the Three I's for HIV/TB, and on ART for tuberculosis prevention (some information is in several languages)
The TB/HIV Working Group is part of the Stop TB Partnership, which is working toward tuberculosis elimination; patient stories about tuberculosis/HIV co-infection are also available on their site
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has information about tuberculosis and about tuberculosis and HIV co-infection
The US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases also has detailed information on all aspects of tuberculosis including HIV-associated tuberculosis
Information is available from Avert, an international AIDS charity, on HIV-related tuberculosis (in English and Spanish), and from Aidsmap, a non-governmental organization, on HIV-associated tuberculosis | <urn:uuid:15c2958b-0278-4484-8809-fb7edb99e771> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pubmedcentralcanada.ca/pmcc/solr/mlt?mltid=1897765&idtype=acc&term=author%3A(%22Bacchetti%2C+Peter%22)&pageSize=25 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938654 | 1,690 | 2.296875 | 2 |
Even the best of us get frustrated at times with writing poetry. Whether it comes from finding the right words, experimenting with methods and sounds, or incorporating just enough imagery to enhance the reader’s experience without overwhelming them, sometimes it is simply hard to come up with new ideas. This has been a struggle since the very first poet penned his thoughts. William Shakespeare expressed the same frustrations in his Sonnet 76.
Known for his plays and acting, Shakespeare also wrote a collection of “sonnets”.
I found sonnet 76 to be a humorous look at how sometimes finding ways to make poems new and fresh can be frustrating, especially when one compares themselves to other poets. Let’s look at his Sonnet 76:
Why is my verse so barren of new pride,
So far from variation or quick change?
Why with the time do I not glance aside
To new-found methods and to compounds strange?
Why write I still all one, ever the same,
And keep invention in a noted weed,
That every word doth almost tell my name,
Showing their birth and where they did proceed?
O, know, sweet love, I always write of you,
And you and love are still my argument;
So all my best is dressing old words new,
Spending again what is already spent:
For as the sun is daily new and old,
So is my love still telling what is told.
If we read this literally, we can see Shakespeare reflecting on his inability to change his style. New methods of experimenting with verse were coming into style during his time, yet he lamented that his poetry was so predictable that it screamed its name and origin to anyone who read it. He looked upon change as a “weed”, something undesirable that crops up and takes over the old. I found this such an interesting comment coming from a master writer. Yet, we all have the same experiences when dealing with changing styles, forms, and experimenting with the new. Unknown territory is sometimes daunting and reverting to the familiar is comfortable. Yet, true to the sonnet form, Shakespeare uses his last 6 lines to explain why he keeps his poetry the same. His inspiration for writing has not changed. He explained that his love remains the same day by day, thus his familiar form of writing is the best way to explain to others how steady and deep and unchangeable his love is.
This takes us back to reevaluating “what is poetry”; “a work of the heart, an uttering of one’s deepest emotions.” When faced with a block, go back to your inspiration. What moves your heart to write? Don’t be intimidated by new styles and forms. Write what is comfortable and then move into new territory when your foundations are firm. This is the best way of overcoming writer’s block and preparing your heart for new ideas to come. | <urn:uuid:2dce2d9c-58c3-43f9-aee0-86b58fe4a82e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bellaonline.com/ArticlesP/art4013.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972502 | 606 | 2.65625 | 3 |
China attack illustrates US gun law divide
Incidents show parallels, differences
On Friday morning, a man walked through the entrance of an elementary school and, without warning, began ruthlessly cutting down children at the school. Before he was subdued, nearly two dozen were hit.
While it sounds like the horrific massacre in Connecticut, this attack took place about 8,000 miles away in central China. And while several of the victims were reported in critical condition, none of the 22 children were killed. The 36-year-old suspect in China -- which has strict gun control laws -- attacked the children with a knife, according to local reports.
"The huge difference between this case and the U.S. is not the suspect, nor the situation, but the simple fact he did not have an effective weapon," said Dr. Ding Xueliang, a Harvard-educated sociologist at the University of Science and Technology in Hong Kong.
As the world shares in the horror of the attack that left at least 28 dead, including 20 school children, the attack has rekindled the gun-control debate in the U.S. and international wonder at the propensity of gun-related deaths in America.
"In terms of the U.S., there's much easier availability of killing instruments -- rifles, machine guns, explosives -- than in nearly every other developed country," Dr. Ding said.
"In the United States, we had 9,000 people killed with guns last year, in similar countries like Germany 170 (killed with guns), in Canada 150. There's a reason for that," Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-New York, told CNN's Piers Morgan.
"The proof in the pudding is that in every other industrialized nation except the United States, they have reasonable gun control laws, and they have hundreds of people killed each year -- not 9,000 or 10,000 a year -- killed by guns."
The United States has, by far, the highest rate of gun ownership in the world, with 88.8 guns per 100 people, followed by Serbia (58.2), Yemen (54.8) and Finland/Switzerland (45.7 each), according to GunPolicy.org, an international database at the University of Sydney.
While nations such as South Africa, El Salvador and Thailand have much higher rates of gun homicides per year, the United States rate of 3.12 deaths per 100,000 people is the highest among industrialized nations.
But as the attack in China Friday shows, no nation is immune from incidents of mass violence. In July 2011, a gunman killed 77 people in a bomb attack and gun rampage in Norway. Anders Behring Breivik was sentenced to 21 years in prison for the crime last August. In 1996 a gunman killed 16 children and their teacher in the town of Dunblane, Scotland. The year before that, 35 people were killed in a shooting in Port Arthur, Tasmania.
The attack Friday in China recalled a spate of fatal attacks by knife and cleaver-wielding culprits targeting school children in 2010. In April that year, Chinese authorities executed a man who killed eight children in a knife attack the month before. There were three more attacks in the same year injuring at least 44 children.
A number of measures were introduced at the time, including increased security at schools across the country and a regulation requiring people to register with their national ID cards when buying large knives.
Dr. Ding, the Hong Kong sociologist, said mainland China schools he has visited in the past two years have beefed up security in the wake of the knife attacks.
"I think these kind of attacks become more frequent in many countries, not just China and U.S., because of a number of different factors," Ding said. "Number one is the increased pressure for individuals. Today's world is very different from the world we saw 50 years ago ... individuals in their daily life face much more uncertainty, risk, financial pressure and competition."
"The second thing is we live in a global village now, where the spread of information -- especially bad news -- is so instantaneous," said Ding, leading to more copycat crimes across the globe.
"I don't think we should limit the free press ... but people are watching this, they are learning from these kind of attacks. They are becoming more and more organized, better planned -- and that is horrible."
Copyright 2012 by CNN NewSource. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | <urn:uuid:73e4ef9f-52c9-422d-8711-4091e0d9e44b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.koat.com/news/national/China-attack-illustrates-US-gun-law-divide/-/9153826/17787938/-/format/rsss_2.0/view/print/-/uadvwp/-/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97169 | 925 | 1.992188 | 2 |
Saturday was a day dedicated to workshops, including photography workshops, development of templates, and security in Joomla. There was also Marianella Queme, a Guatemalan girl with a great interest in Joomla! and the potential to develop through the J! Platform.
Given the interest and desire of the participants, with Marianella Queme they promptly organized a mini-workshop in one of the computer labs at Galileo University. Others interested in creating an application joined in, like Javier Gomez, Leonel Canton and Marianella Queme, to name a few.
The challenge was to create an application that was mobile devices friendly, through the J! Platform and JQueryMobile, and then make it available to the community through the J!Platform's examples repository on GitHub. We had the attendees, as well as the desire, so all that remained was to get down to work. It is important to note that Marianella did not know the J!Platform at this time!
After several attempts and a few little bugs, the result was succesful, surpassing all expectations.
Thanks to the contribution of Marianella and the work group, we were able to create an application that allowed us to show pictures from Google, Picasa or another photo archive through a beautiful effect JQuery on mobile devices.
Everyone who worked on developing this application had fun and were pleased with the successful results.
You can activate the Youtube CC to see the next video with Spanish subtitles.
You can access the application source from the GitHub repository through this link: | <urn:uuid:869c2501-08a4-480f-a1fe-30d8188a529a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://magazine.joomla.org/issues/Issue-Apr-2012/item/724-JDayGuatemala-JPlatform | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964231 | 315 | 1.539063 | 2 |
The Republican National Committee strongly opposed the measure. Bush reluctantly signed it into law, but questioned its constitutionality. Its opponents spanned the ideological spectrum and included the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the AFL-CIO and the American Civil Liberties Union.
Before the 2004 elections, the Supreme Court upheld the law by a 5-4 vote, with Justice Sandra Day O'Connor in the majority.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Wednesday June 27, 2007 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 2 inches; 78 words Type of Material: Correction
Supreme Court: An article in Tuesday's Section A about the court's decision on challenges to corporate-funded political ads and President Bush's faith-based initiative quoted the 1st Amendment as saying, in part: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of religion." The amendment reads: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech."
In Monday's ruling, the high court reversed course, with Alito casting the deciding vote. Alito succeeded O'Connor last year after she retired.
The ban on "soft money" was not challenged and is unaffected by the ruling, but the broadcast ban was badly undercut.
Roberts said broadcast ads that stopped short of urging the public to support or defeat a candidate were legal and could not be prohibited.
"The 1st Amendment requires us to err on the side of protecting political speech rather than suppressing it," the chief justice wrote in ruling on Federal Election Commission vs. Wisconsin Right to Life.
Although Roberts and the majority said the free-flowing ads were a vital part of democracy, Justice David H. Souter and the dissenters saw a threat to democracy from the huge amounts of money flowing into politics. In the 2000 election, more than $629 million was spent on television ads related to the elections, a record, according to the Brennan Center at New York University.
"The ban on contributions will mean nothing much, now that companies and unions can save candidates the expense of advertising directly," Souter said.
Several election-law experts called Monday's ruling a major development because it strengthened the free-speech rights of corporations.
The court's opinion "is a major victory for those who oppose campaign finance regulation," and it will lead to "a new proliferation of corporate- and union-funded campaigns ads in the 2008 election season," said Richard L. Hasen, a professor at the Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.
"As a practical matter," said Ohio State law professor Edward B. Foley, "corporations received the victory that they did not achieve in 2003" when the law was initially upheld. | <urn:uuid:6ba38203-3c18-4597-80d2-df3c0e23424d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jun/26/nation/na-scotus26/2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00060-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959843 | 574 | 1.898438 | 2 |
To be fair to Dave, in terms of homebrew password security this is one of the better cases as all it just a little obsfuscation (and really not much) masking
hash = SHA1(salt + MD5'(Password)) where
MD5' does a reversible swap of the order of the bytes of the MD5 hash. Now the username/time/random/crypt-part is just used to generate a salt, and the only requirement we have of salts is that they just need to have a very good likelihood of uniqueness; so while its over-complicated there's really no use talking about it.
hash = sha1($salt+md5'($password)). Rearranging the MD5 adds no security (
ccddeeff8899aabb0011223344556677) the swap does not prevent you from using md5 rainbow tables after (e.g., look at the code and reverse the swap). However, the presence of the unique salt makes the rainbow tables infeasible.
Now to be critical, this boils down to a simple cryptographic hash function applied twice; which is better than storing plaintext password (see plaintext offenders ), and better than storing an unsalted hash (see linkedin leak ). However, in the age of cheap massively-parallel GPUs, this is too weak for modern use. Anyone with a bit of general-purpose GPU programming experience that got on the live server somehow (to obtain the hashes with their salt) can likely see his source code, try out their own password as a test case and then can brute-force any particular password at a rate of billions of attempts per second per GPU.
So if any user is using a password on a list of a million or so previously leaked password (say from linkedin), the attacker can near instantaneously crack it. If some user's password is a random 8-letter from the char set A-Za-z0-9; it would take about 60 hours on average to break per GPU (so if you had 60 GPUs; would take 1 hour). Using common cracking techniques exploiting forms of common passwords could speed it up dramatically. Its also worth noting that since
$password passes through a 128-bit MD5 hashing function, there is absolutely no benefit in using more than 128-bits of entropy in the passphrase (though to be fair that's a very secure password; like a 10 word diceware passphrase or random 22 character alphanumeric password).
Really, you should be using iterated cryptographic hash functions; that is something like bcrypt or PBKDF that slows down the brute-force rate of attackers by a large constant factor (say 105) (so instead of 60 hours to crack a random 8-char password from a 62-char set (A-Za-z0-9); it takes 6 million hours (~700 years to likely be broken) with a single GPU, and this gets better with stronger passwords (e.g., a 10 char password would take ~3 million years; so even with a million GPUs it would take 3 years). So a little keystrengthening moves relatively weak password (8 random chars from 62-charset) out of the range of feasibility of being cracked by an attacker. For more on the upper limits of using a simple keystrengthened password see this answer.
Collision Attacks vs Pre-Image Attacks (or Why Collision Attacks on a hash function are irrelevant for password hashing)
KeithS's answer, while it gives good advice (use bcrypt and not a simple cryptographic hash function to hash your password) originally criticized MD5 and SHA1 for the wrong rationale (don't use MD5 as its vulnerable to collision attacks). There's a subtle difference between pre-image and collision attacks and the arguing in the comments was too condensed, so I am elaborating here. I highly suggest reading the wikipedia article on pre-image attacks.
A pre-image attack says given a specific 128-bit hash written in hexadecimal:
h=ad2baf26a87795b3c8a8366a08b44112, a specific hash function
H, please find any message
m such that
h=H(m); note that there are N=2128 different distinct hashes. Now if your cryptographic hash function is not broken, each bit in your hash has a 50% chance of being 0 or 1 for a random message m. Then I will need on average to generate hashes for roughly N=2128 hashes before I am lucky enough to find any message
m such that
h=H(m) (this message may not be the same input that was used to originally generate the hash -- but this still falls under the category of 'pre-image' attack).
A collision attack says find me any two messages
m2 such that
H(m1) = H(m2). Note that
H(m1)) are all free to change. This case is a much easier problem since if I generate M hashes for M different messages, I am not just comparing the M messages to one specific hash (so have M chances of a finding a collision), now I have M*(M-1)/2 pairs of hashes, so roughly M^2 chances of having a collision. So in this case, I will need roughly to generate roughly sqrt(N)~264 hashes before its likely that one of them will collide with another one on an ideal 128-bit hash.
Let's look at the two types of birthday problems. The collision problem translates into the common birthday "paradox"; how many people do you need in a room before its quite that two people share a birthday with N=365 days in a year. The answer is a paradox as you only need about sqrt(N) ~ 23 people before its likely that two people share a birthday (as with 23 people in a room you have 253 different pairs of people that could match). (I do know that sqrt(365) != 23: I am using approximate math not focusing on insignificant constant factors. Re-doing the calculation with sqrt(365) ~ 19 people in the room then
P(two share birthday) = 19! * comb(365,19)/365**n = 37.9%, which while not strictly 50% still means its fairly likely to happen). Note for the collision birthday problem, you can't have N+1=366 people in a room and there be a chance of not having a collision (ignoring leap days); at best the first 365 people had different birthdays and the last person generated a collision.
The pre-image problem is a very different question, how many people do I need in a room before it is quite likely that someone has one specific birthday (say B=December 18th). In this case, I need roughly N ~ 365 people before its likely to happen. E.g., with 365 people in the room you have a
P(somebody has birthday B) = 1 - (1 - 1/365)^(# people) so for
# people = 365 you have a 63% chance that someone's birthday will be some fixed date B. In this case, you can easily imagine having any number of people being in a room and there being no one who has a birthday on one specific date. (Say you only invited people into the room if there birthday was not a given date; there's no limit to the number of people you could invite).
When a hash function like MD5/SHA1 is broken for collision attacks that means you can generate a collision in less work than the brute force time of sqrt(N) ~ 2numbits/2. For MD5 it only takes about ~ 2^24 time to generate a collision; for SHA1 it takes ~ 2^61 time. That means collision attacks on MD5 are extremely easy to make; but practical attacks on SHA1 are still difficult. But collision attacks only matter if you don't care what hash you are trying to match. These collision attacks are quite relevant for some applications like cryptographically signing messages to ensure message integrity, so beware of using MD5/SHA1 in those cases. However, when you have a unique salt, and a specific hash you are trying to match to authenticate, collision attacks do not matter. | <urn:uuid:ddb00030-12bd-499d-acf2-53769b40b612> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://security.stackexchange.com/questions/25585/is-my-developers-home-brew-password-security-right-or-wrong-and-why/25734 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938473 | 1,728 | 1.90625 | 2 |
Last modified: 2012-06-13 by rick wyatt
Keywords: canyon county | idaho |
Links: FOTW homepage | search | disclaimer and copyright | write us | mirrors
image lcoated by Valentin Poposki, 18 June 2008
- indicates flag is known.
- indicates it is reported that there is no known flag.
Municipal flags in Bonneville County:
"Canyon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 131,441 (2005 estimate: 164,593). The county seat is Caldwell, and Nampa is its largest city." - from Wikipedia
The flag story [16.June.2008]:
"The Board of Canyon County Commissioners on Friday (13th June 2008) unveiled a new county flag, to be displayed on county buildings along with the national and state flags.
"This flag will be an additional way for us to show our pride in Canyon County, and in the new seal we adopted a couple years ago,” said BOC Chair David Ferdinand. “It’s a really nice flag, and I look forward to seeing it on county buildings."
The flag is an off-white color with the county seal in the center." - from www.2news.tv/news/19987339.html
Valentin Poposki, 18 June 2008 | <urn:uuid:cd4257d9-ec5d-4ce6-8dda-73718df05799> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.crwflags.com/FOTW/FLAGS/us-id-ca.html | 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 | 0.932273 | 298 | 1.75 | 2 |
The Philippine forest turtle (Heosemys leytensis) is one of the most endangered turtle species in the
world. It is classified as critically endangered by the IUCN (IUCN 2003).
The Philippine forest turtle is included in Appendix II of the CITES convention (CITES 2002).
According to current data, this taxon faces an extremely high risk of extinction in the immediate future
due to lack of basic data on this species, habitat alteration, and illegal rampant trade.
It is found only in Palawan, a large, pristine, mostly unexplored island, and a hotspot for biodiversity
and conservation needs. The Philippine forest turtle was believed to be extinct, however,
a few live specimens were observed in Situ in 2001 and 2003 in northern Palawan, Philippines.
Very little is known about the Philippine forest turtle's distribution, habitat type, biology, ecology,
or status. Our project is addressing the distribution, status, and conservation of the Philippines forest
turtle. If no immediate action is taken, then the Philippine forest turtle could well become extinct
in the very near future.
Current status: Critically Endangered Species;
Our future status objective: Not an endangered species!
To organize trainings whose tasks include turtle survey techniques, conservation, and status of the Philippine forest turtle and its fragile habitat, as well as technical and scientific tasks including use of the geographic information system.
To conduct a comprehensive assessment with the best scientific techniques of the distribution and status of the critically endangered Philippine forest turtle in Palawan, Philippines; in the mean time, a global assessment of all the freshwater turtle species of Palawan will be carried out.
To propose core conservation areas and measures, in conjunction with the Palawan Council of Sustainable Development, Palawan State University, local groups, and The Palaw'an and Bolobog Tribes to conserve viable populations of the Philippine forest turtle and its habitat.
To stop illegal trade of the Philippines forest turtle through identification of local suppliers and key illegal shipment centers, conducting participative educational programs in conjunction with such identification, as well as promoting sustainable alternative incomes.
To provide sustainable alternative incomes for low income families illegally trading the Philippine forest turtle. | <urn:uuid:4dda127d-6be6-45ad-a97f-c4c7191b9339> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.endangeredspeciesinternational.org/project_forestturtle.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.905737 | 455 | 3 | 3 |
What I think is most striking about this painting is the contrast between the sitting, dark-haired girl (Berthe Morisot, I think), and her standing companions. She is obviously in the grip of some very strong emotion, hard to discern exactly what, and her face has been depicted with great precision. The other two look pasty, bland, and unfinished—their faces one notices are very rough, the man fades into the dark background—they hardly look like they were painted by the same person. Perhaps the point is that they're bland, nothing to the pretty, disturbed-looking girl on the balcony with them. Manet once said he painted what he saw, not what others wished to see . . .
The balcony Posted by Elizabeth Hyde on 9.March 2010, 00:04 | <urn:uuid:5177a364-1e2c-4a9c-970e-903150171933> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.manetedouard.org/The-Balcony--1868-69.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981535 | 163 | 1.742188 | 2 |
The idea of building a racing motorcycle has changed a lot in 38 years. In 1972, we did everything we could both think of and afford to make our machines more capable of running at the front. Today, much of that is prohibited. To prevent factories from doing the unaffordable, sanctioning bodies now prevent everyone from doing so.
Our little dealership had been roadracing a 1970 Kawasaki 500 production racer—an H1-R—for two years. Now, we wanted to see if we could do better under the AMA’s new 750cc displacement limit. Before 1970, the rules had been 750cc for Harley flatheads, 500cc for everyone else—ohv four-strokes and two-strokes alike. Then, in 1970, the rules had eased, letting all four-strokes go to 750, with two-strokes still at 500cc. This let in the new 750 Triples from BSA and Triumph, Honda’s CB750 and Harley’s curious iron ohv XR-750. And when Suzuki and Kawasaki announced 750 Triples for 1972, the AMA made the limit 750 for all. Top international riders were signed. Nine brands were in competition. Suddenly, by happy accident, AMA had the world’s fastest riders on the world’s fastest bikes on the world’s fastest track—Daytona.
Trouble was, Kawasaki wasn’t going to build and sell a 750 production racer as it had done with the 500 Triple. If I wanted one for my rider, I’d have to build it. At Christmastime, 1971, we received our first shipment of the new 750 H2 streetbikes. I pulled the engine from one and tore into it, eager to know if I had the means to make a racer of it and, if so, whether the necessary work could be done in time for Daytona.
The first point was that the close-ratio gearbox of the H1-R would fit into the H2’s cases. But the primary gear and dry clutch of the H1-R would not. That required removing the rivets joining the H2’s primary gear to its wet clutch’s outer basket then making a steel carrier that would allow me to combine the new primary gear and the H1-R’s proven dry clutch. This would be illegal today; I was changing the internal gear ratios of the stock engine. Bailiff! Take than man into custody!
The dry clutch primary cover from the H1-R would also be usable with a bit of welding and machining.
Next, I knew that the stock crankshaft would not last at racing rpm. Its copper-plated big-end roller cages would overheat and fail like so many I had seen before. Kawasaki had chosen an odd roller size; if I wanted silver-plated roller cages made of good steel, I would have to make them. This, too, would be illegal today—even writing on a stock crankshaft with electric pencil today gets you negative press roughly equivalent to a drug bust. I ordered steel, borrowed a dividing head from a machinist friend and got to it. Rollers came from the same supplier in Germany that had transformed my 1971 H1-R cranks from 50-mile steel lottery tickets to 350-mile certainties. Lots of work at the hydraulic press, at the miller and on the phone. This was how it was supposed to be in those days. All over the U.S., people were building bikes for Daytona. Work is speed.
A raceable chassis had to be constructed—also illegal today. I knew that AMA officials had seen so many variants of the basic H1-R twin-loop frame that they would readily accept anything that was visually similar. Nevertheless, we were not able to play the high-level game of assembling a stock-looking frame from shipped-in boxes of factory pieces but with non-production geometry and working to achieve factory-looking welds. We needed a good chassis that would actually work. I had seen stock 500 chassis in action in production racing; they brought to mind the famous red-and-white fishing lure called the “Wob-L-Rite.” I had also seen stock water-pipe forks participate in frightening brake hop.
The only electronics in those days were the rectifier diodes in the German Krober ignition we planned to use. The throttle cables running from the rider’s grip to the three 35mm Mikuni VM carburetors (also taken from the 500 H1-R) were steel, not insulated copper, as today. There was not a stepper motor in sight. A lot of machining of the cylinders was necessary to mount those VMs and the slip-on exhaust pipe couplers—another offense that would qualify today’s builder for a long term in AMA “Leavenworth.” Non-production induction? Altered induction angle? Off I’d go, a grim-faced officer at either elbow. But in those days, it was just rational work undertaken in the interest of trying to do well in races.
What has changed? Streetbikes in those days were not nearly raceable, and the changes required to make them so were fundamental. Today, production sportbikes are close to raceable as they come in the crate. The problem is not to make them fast—they already are fast. Racing has become a dollars-and-cents show biz that depends on delivering elbow-to-elbow contests that put six or 10 finishers in the same second. Bikes for that kind of contest are really carefully adjusted clocks that must all tick at precisely the same rate. Modern racing rules are what adjust those clocks. | <urn:uuid:58562563-e21a-4823-aee9-34dd73703298> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cycleworld.com/2010/11/22/clockwork/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977391 | 1,209 | 1.859375 | 2 |
Web Only// Act Locally » March 27, 2012
Unmasking the Super PACs
Why are broadcasters fighting an FCC effort to bring their political ad records into the 21st century?
Online disclosure doesn't mean political front groups suddenly cease to exist, it just makes their work that much more complicated.
The Media Consortium's Media Policy Reporting and Education Project provided financial support for this article.
It's election season in Anytown, U.S.A., and the incumbent County Dogcatcher faces some fierce competition. An issue ad from a Super PAC called Puppy Love has voters convinced the incumbent kills dogs for sport. A muckraking reporter trying to impress her editor walks into the local TV station and asks to see its political file, which offers information about who is paying for the station's political ads, including the one Puppy Love produced.
She learns that on Puppy Love's board of directors sits one Cruella de Vil. The reporter let's the town know all about this Super PAC propagandist trying to influence their dog catching vote. The truth is out there. Unmasked, Cruella has to come up with new wicked ways to trick voters. She will likely do just that, but in the meantime, her tricks got treated.
Candidates and Super PACs will spend more than $3 billion on political advertisements before the November this election cycle. The broadcast media do not want reporters to access information about those ads online–and they've come up with some pretty lame excuses as to why.
In the daily grind of a political reporter covering an election, following the money is usually dependent on two things. Either the reporter gets lucky enough to know someone in tight with Cruella's bumbling idiot sidekicks and is told by an off-record source who is behind the attack ads, or the reporter walks into the TV station that's running them and asks to go through a file cabinet full of ad info. If that sounds so pre-Netscape 1994, it's because it is.
Desktops were mostly black and white back in the early-Internet era, where the National Association of Broadcasters wishes to remain. Ironically, the broadcasters' unwillingness to update record-keeping for the Internet Age makes life more difficult for the political beat reporters, including those that work at the very stations that are against digitizing the info.
If a Washington Post reporter wants to know who exactly (meaning the names of real people, not anodyne organization names like “Restore Our Future”) was behind the anti-gay marriage ads attacking a presidential candidate in swing state Ohio, she'd have to fly there to examine the political files of TV stations from Cleveland to Cincinnati. Not only is flying to Ohio time consuming, it is also costly. For a business that has no money for reporters anymore, sending them cross-country to investigate Super PAC ads is unlikely.
Meanwhile, voters are getting bombarded with propaganda. In fact, during an election year it is more likely that TV news viewers spend more time watching issue ads than they spend watching reporters fact-check those ads. A University of Wisconsin-Madison study of 2006 midterm election news coverage in nine Midwestern news markets showed that of the 900 hours of 1,629 election-related stories, the average 30-minute newscast ran 68 seconds of election coverage. During the final month of the midterms, stations ran an average of 4:24 minutes of political advertising. News coverage on politics was 1:43 minutes.
This isn't auto industry ads versus auto industry coverage. This is political ads versus political coverage, which is often a matter of fiction versus fact; a propagandist media versus a democratic one.
Corie Wright, an attorney with Free Press in Washington says that if people are getting most of their political info from issue ads, stations should be more transparent about those ads by disclosing who is behind them online.
Let's face it: No one is going to walk into an office at their local Fox News affiliate and rifle through political ad files. Some stations, as New York Times reporter Meredith Hoffman discovered in a December 4 article, will not make it easy. By the end of April, the Federal Communications Commission will decide whether or not to force broadcasters to enter the 21st Century and digitize those political files.
By doing so, reporters, advocacy groups, and concerned citizens could see that Karl Rove, the former top George W. Bush advisor who runs an astroturf group called Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies, was sitting on the board of directors of the Super PAC behind those Ohio ads.
Again, online disclosure doesn't mean front groups suddenly cease to exist, it just makes their work that much more complicated.
“This is not a controversial measure for broadcasters,” says Andrew Schwartzman, an attorney with Media Access that's now lobbying the FCC to get Super PACs to disclose who pays for the ads. “The broadcasters have the ad information anyway, and they must make it public. The only difference is that they will have to digitize it if the ruling passes. It's a good first step to truth in political advertising,” he says.
Back in 1971, Congress required that political candidates get the lowest price for ads during campaign season. The FCC followed up by requiring stations to make political-ad information public so candidates can be assured they are getting a fair deal by assessing whether their rivals are paying less. Broadcasters bear this paperwork burden because they have free use of the public airwaves and broadcast spectrum. The Federal Election Commission also has data on political candidate ads, but only for national campaigns, not for local elections; and definitely no data on independently run issue ads. Most reporters and members of the public probably care less how much Mitt Romney pays for a 30-second TV ad. But they'd be interested in knowing who is pulling Super PACs' strings.
“The broadcasters haven't any good excuses,” says Wright, who came up with the Cruella de Vil comparison. “This is an industry that creates, gathers and sends audio and images through the spectrum every day, all day, and they think it will be too burdensome to digitize these files?” In October, the FCC issued its notice of proposed rulemaking to require broadcasters to put their political files online. They've solicited comments, and broadcasters all went on record as opposing the rule change. If their FCC filings are to be believed, the change would be too costly, too much work to implement, and open up doors to lawsuits.
In a 29-page comment sent to the FCC on January 17, the major broadcast networks called the proposal “burdensome,” over-regulatory, and said that making ad rate information public would put broadcasters at a “distinct negotiating disadvantage” regarding what they can charge.
Yet because those files are already mandated to be public, any company can send an intern into a TV station to go through the files and record their competitor's political ad rates. The industry also fears that advocacy groups like Free Press and Media Access would have an easier time to litigate broadcasters they “perceive” as “not serving the public interest,” the broadcasters wrote.
Other opposing characters sound like moonlighting copywriters for issue ads. Jerald Fritz, senior vice president of Allbritton Communications, owner of six ABC-affiliates in six markets, said in a January 27 filing that placing the files online “would ultimately lead to a Soviet-style standardization of the way advertising should be sold as determined by the government.”
Wow. The real beneficiaries of the status quo are Super PACs–anyone behind a Super PAC would hate this rule change. Too bad. If people could easily access information about Puppy Love from the FCC's website, it makes the democratic process more transparent.
In mid-January, 12 journalism schools deans wrote a letter to the FCC in favor of digitizing stations' political file. On February 22, eight Democratic senators wrote to agency Chairman Julius Genachowski in favor of the ruling.
“The problem (of disclosure) is compounded by the Citizens United decision and the proliferation of Super PACs,” they wrote about the 2010 Supreme Court ruling that allowed unlimited corporate donations to political candidates.
Only Republicans have come out against the proposal, including Robert McDowell, the only Republican FCC commissioner. He warned in an article in The Hill on March 19 that the agency and Congress should “think carefully” about new laws and regulations that are seen as “inhibiting free speech,” a nod to the Citizens United case.
Free speech is surely not being inhibited. Transparency is being enhanced. For power-brokers like Rove, any step in that direction gets reporters, and concerned citizens, closer to unmasking the wizards.
This reporting is supported by The Media Consortium.
ABOUT THIS AUTHOR
A longtime reporter and foreign correspondent for Dow Jones and the Wall Street Journal, Kenneth Rapoza is an In These Times columnist who writes about the news business. His work has also appeared in The American Prospect, The Nation and at Salon.com. He can be reached at email@example.com. | <urn:uuid:a4c166b9-949a-4553-b4f3-869e74ac8368> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://inthesetimes.com/article/unmasking_the_super_pacs/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965439 | 1,897 | 2.03125 | 2 |
Lunch Box Winners
Want your kids to enjoy their lunches as much as they would if they were at home? These lunch boxes provide a fun and functional way to store the foods you've so lovingly prepared. Take a look at the best lunch boxes for your kids.
Note: There's one test that all 43 lunch boxes in the GHRI test failed: keeping perishables, such as cold cuts or sliced fruit, at safe temperatures for two hours when loaded with an ice pack. Since perishable remain safe to eat for only two hours after they reach temperature higher than refrigeration levels, GHRI's findings are a cause for concern. But GHRI found a safe solution: include an ice pack, refrigerate the drink, and freeze the sandwich overnight. Too much trouble? Try packing foods that don't require careful chilling, such as whole-grain breads, nut butters, fruit or vegetable juice, pasteurized cheese, and fruit cups. | <urn:uuid:cbc99b4c-5bbe-4938-9d69-b407e6308535> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.delish.com/kitchen/tools/school-lunch-boxes-2010?src=shelter_footer | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966041 | 194 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Very Early Experiences May Stick in Memory
Study: Some Children Remembered Events That Happened When They Were 2 Years Old
Dec. 22, 2011 -- The ability to remember our earliest childhood experiences may be in place sooner than experts thought, according to new research.
Some children who played a unique game when they were just 2 years old were able to remember it six years later, the researchers found.
Other researchers who have focused on early memories, however, have said that adults' earliest memories usually start from when they were about 3 1/2 years old.
"We've got relatively objective evidence that people can recall things that happened as young as age 2," says researcher Fiona Jack, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Otago in New Zealand. "It's not common but [the study] shows it can happen."
The new findings may have implications for the theory of memory development. The new research may also help in legal settings, where it can be important to know if a memory is genuine.
The research is published in the journal Child Development.
Early Experiences & Early Memories Study
Jack and her colleagues report on 46 children who were ages 27 months to a little over 4 years. When they were ages 2 to 4, they all played a unique game called the Magic Shrinking Machine. The researchers watched them play.
The game includes a large black box designed just for the lab research. To make the machine work, the child turns it on by pulling a yellow lever, selecting a toy from an open suitcase, and putting it in a hole in the top of the box. Next, they turn a green handle on the side. When a bell rings, the child opens a red door in the front of the box to retrieve a smaller but identical version of the toy.
Jack and her colleagues interviewed the children and their parents six years later to figure out how well they recalled playing that game.
Only one-fifth of the kids recalled the event. Those who remembered included two children who were under age 3 when they played. About half the parents recalled the game.
Both the parents and the children who had the early memories gave the researchers very similar reports.
"We know they are recalling the event accurately," Jack tells WebMD. "We were there."
What may have helped some children remember? Talking about the game to the children soon after it occurred may have helped preserve the memory, the researchers say.
Bottom line? The basic capacity of remembering our experiences may be in place for some of us by age 2, Jack says. However, she says, this autobiographical memory is not fully developed at that age. That takes time.
Early Memories: Upsetting Events Even More Likely to Be Recalled?
Others who research early memories say the new finding fits in with their own recent conclusions. "These findings contribute to an emerging body of evidence showing that many children can reliably recall events many years later from when they had been only 2 and 3 years of age," says Carole Peterson, PhD, a professor of psychology and university research professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada. | <urn:uuid:6c5920dc-7f05-430a-8bba-1ac5aea16090> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://children.webmd.com/news/20111222/very-early-experiences-may-stick-in-memory?src=rsf_full-4301_pub_none_rltd | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977624 | 637 | 3.421875 | 3 |
On This Page
March Is Women's History Month
Until the 1970s, the contributions of women to American society were virtually uncelebrated. In 1978 the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women initiated a "Women's History Week" during the week of March 8. Within a few years, schools around the country had embraced "Women's History Week" and curriculum was developed to recognize the important contributions of women to American Society.
In 1981, Senator Orrin Hatch and then Representative Barbara Mikulski co-sponsored the first Joint Congressional Resolution and in 1987, the Women's History Month Project (a nonprofit educational corporation) petitioned Congress to expand the national celebration to the entire month of March. Since 1987, Congress, with bi-partisan support, has designated March as "National Women's History Month." See the Presidential proclamation for Women’s History Month 2012.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) have conducted research, implemented programs, and developed strategies to help women live healthier lives. These activities have helped address a variety of health issues, including cancer, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, pregnancy, smoking, violence, workplace safety, and more.
CDC takes this opportunity to celebrate the month of March with special attention to women’s health.
Affordable Care Act Provisions that Impact Women
The Affordable Care Act helps make prevention affordable and accessible for all Americans by requiring new health plans to cover and eliminate cost sharing for preventive services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and the Bright Futures Guidelines recommended by the Academy of Pediatrics. The law also requires insurance companies to cover additional preventive health benefits for women. Under Section 2713 of the Affordable Care Act new guidelines were adopted that will require most private health plans to cover preventive services for women without charging a co-pay starting on August 1, 2012 to fill the gaps in current preventive services guidelines for women’s health. These preventive services include well women visits, screening for gestational diabetes, human papillomavirus testing, counseling for sexually transmitted infections; counseling and screening for human immune-deficiency virus; domestic violence screening, and contraception, and all were recommended to the Secretary of Health and Human Services by the independent Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science.
2012 Women’s Health Calendars
This colorful one-page women’s health calendar promotes taking simple steps for a safe and healthy life and is available in English and Spanish, and includes National Women’s Health Week which is May 13–19, 2012. The week begins on Mother’s Day each year. The theme for 2012 is “It’s Your Time.” More health observances focused on women and girls are available on Healthfinder.gov.
Text4baby – Cell Phone Text Messages for Pregnant Women and New Moms: To help more pregnant women and new moms get information about caring for their health and giving their babies the best possible start in life, the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB) launched text4baby, the first free health text messaging service in the U.S. Text4baby supports moms by providing health information and resources in a mobile format that is personal and timely. CMS is working with 18 wireless carriers and platform developer Voxiva to encourage pregnant women and new mothers to sign up Text4Baby during enrollment in the Children's Health Insurance Program and Medicaid. The service, which was launched in February 2010, has already sent 29 million free text messages to participants about prenatal and pediatric care.
Cooperative Agreement to Support Young Women Diagnosed with Breast Cancer: CDC has awarded funding to seven organizations for a new three-year cooperative agreement, “Developing support and educational awareness for young (<45 years of age) breast cancer survivors in the United States,” as part of a broader effort to support breast cancer awareness in young women.
CDC Announces New Effort to Boost Number of Baby-Friendly Hospitals: CDC has awarded nearly $6 million over three years to the National Initiative for Children’s Healthcare Quality to help hospitals nationwide make quality improvements to maternity care to better support mothers and babies to be able to breastfeed. The goal of the project is to accelerate the number of U.S. Baby-Friendly hospitals.
Dating Matters™: Strategies to Promote Healthy Teen Relationships: CDC is funding four communities across the U. S. for Dating Matters. The $7 million will help run teen dating violence prevention programs for five years at local health departments in Baltimore, Maryland; Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; Chicago, Illinois, and Oakland/Hayward, California. Dating Matters is a program designed to help 11- to 14-year-olds in high-risk, urban communities. Activities for friends, families, schools, and neighborhoods are designed to help keep teens safe when they date.
Recent CDC Releases
Prepregnancy Contraceptive Use among Teens with Unintended Pregnancies Resulting in Live Births - Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), 2004–2008: This report indicates that teens from 19 states who delivered a live infant from an unintended pregnancy have much lower rates of contraceptive use when compared with all sexually active teens.
West Virginia: Developing GDM Interventions in an Outpatient Clinic
As part of a multistate gestational diabetes collaborative funded by the Division of Diabetes Translation at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, West Virginia has developed a continuous quality improvement project to enhance clinical services for women at risk or with GDM during and after pregnancy.
After the first year, the Charleston Area Medical Center Ob-Gyn clinic showed the following improvements:
Cancer Screening—United States, 2010: Each year, approximately 350,000 persons are diagnosed with breast, cervical, or colorectal cancer in the United States and nearly 100,000 die from these diseases. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening tests for each of these cancers to reduce morbidity and mortality. Healthy People 2020 sets national objectives for use of the recommended cancer screening tests and identifies the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) as the means to measure progress. The proportions of women being screened for breast cancer (72.4%) and cervical cancers (83.0%) are below the respective Healthy People 2020 targets of 81.1% and 93.0%.
Reproductive Health Assessment after Disaster Toolkit: This toolkit provides a set of tools to assess the reproductive health needs of women aged 15–44 affected by natural and man-made disasters. Funding and scientific technical assistance was provided by CDC.
Hair, Formaldehyde, and Industrial Hygiene: On January 30, 2012, the California Attorney General announced a settlement with the manufacturer of Brazilian Blowout products that requires the company to warn consumers and hair stylists that two of their most popular hair-smoothing products emit formaldehyde gas.
Nurses’ Miscarriages Linked to Chemicals at Work: A new CDC study finds a greater-than-expected risk of miscarriages among nurses, associated with occupational exposures to hazardous drugs.
Women with Disabilities and Breast Cancer: Women with disabilitiesare also at risk of breast cancer. Women between the ages of 40–49, should talk with their doctor about getting a mammogram, and those between the ages of 50–74, should get a mammogram at least every 2 years.
Leading Causes of Death in Females, United States, 2007: These one-page tables provide the leading causes of death for females, as well as for females by age and by race/ethnicity.
Prevent Domestic Violence in Your Community: A key strategy in preventing intimate partner violence is the promotion of respectful, nonviolent intimate partner relationships through individual, community, and societal level change.
Million Hearts Goal to Prevent a Million Heart Attacks and Strokes in Five Years: Among the actions available today to reduce stroke and heart attacks, Million Hearts seeks to help patients learn and follow their ABCS: aspirin for people at risk, blood pressure control, cholesterol management, and smoking cessation.
Births: Preliminary Data for 2010: The preliminary number of US births was 4,000,279 in 2010, three percent less than in 2009; the general fertility rate (64.1 per 1,000 women age 15–44 years)and the total fertility rate (1,932.0 births per 1,000 women) also declined in 2010.
Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance, 2010: Data from this report show a heavy burden in the United States for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis and highlight ongoing health inequalities that drive racial disparities. CDC estimates that there are 19 million new infections each year in the U.S. with an annual cost of $17 billion to the U.S. healthcare system. Untreated gonorrhea and chlamydia can lead to ectopic pregnancy and infertility in women.
CDC launched an effort to Protect Cancer Patients from Infections: CDC’s Preventing Infections in Cancer Patients is a comprehensive initiative focusing on providing information, action steps, and tools for patients, their families, and their health care providers to reduce the risk of life-threatening infections during chemotherapy treatment.
Maternal and Infant Outcomes Among Severely Ill Pregnant and Postpartum Women with 2009 Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1)—United States, April 2009-August 2010: Among women who delivered while hospitalized for influenza, 63.6% delivered preterm or very preterm and 43.8% delivered low birth weight infants compared with U.S. averages of 12.3% for preterm birth and 8.2% for low birth weight.
Vital Signs: Preventing Teen Pregnancy in the U.S.: Prevention efforts work by teaching teens how and why to delay starting sex and steps that they need to take if they become sexually active. Key components include sex education that has been shown to work, support for parent-teen communication about preventing pregnancy, and ready access to sexual and reproductive health services. Sexually active teens should have access to effective and affordable birth control.
Why is vision loss and blindness a problem for women and others?
People with vision loss are more likely to report depression, diabetes, hearing impairment, stroke, falls, cognitive decline, and premature death. Decreased ability to see often leads to the inability to drive, read, keep accounts, and travel in unfamiliar places, thus substantially compromising quality of life. The cost of vision loss, including direct costs and lost productivity, is estimated to exceed $35 billion (Rein, Zhang, Wirth, et al., 2006)
Learn more about the West Virginia Diabetes Prevention and Control Program
Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a type of diabetes that develops or is first recognized during pregnancy and increases the risk in the woman or her baby for developing type 2 diabetes later in life. GDM places the baby at risk for becoming overweight or obese in childhood, also increasing their risk for type 2 diabetes.
A Change for Life, a new 5-minute video from CDC, shows how lifestyle change classes are helping people with prediabetes, including women who had GDM, prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.
Women and Eye Health
Vision loss and blindness are major public health problems causing a substantial human and economic toll on individuals and society. It leads to increased social isolation, loss of productivity, and diminished quality of life. In the US, of the 3.4 million who are blind or visually impaired, 2.3 million are women. Worldwide, women are more affected than men by vision loss, blindness, and some eye diseases. An analysis of more than 70 population-based studies worldwide showed that two thirds of all visually impaired or blind people are women; approximately 75% of all blindness or visual impairment is either preventable or treatable.
For additional information on women’s eye health, see these resources:
1) Abou-Gareeb I, Lewallen S, Bassett K, and Courtright P. Gender and blindness: a meta-analysis of population-based prevalence surveys. Ophthal Epidem. 2001; 8:39-56.
2) National Eye Institute, NIH
3) The State of Vision, Aging, and Public Health in America (PDF), CDC
Dating Matters™: Strategies to Promote Healthy Teen Relationships
CDC conducted a survey that showed 1 in 10 high school students were hit or physically hurt by someone they dated in the past year.
Dating violence can cause harm not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally. It can lead to depression, drug or alcohol use, and failure at school. Dating violence may begin as early as middle school and worsen in high school so middle school is the best time to work to prevent it—before it can start and grow worse.
HIV among Women
Men who have sex with men continue to be the group most affected by HIV/AIDS; however, women are affected as well. In 2009, there were an estimated 11,200 new HIV infections among women in the U.S. That year, women comprised 51% of the US population and 23% of those newly infected with HIV. Of the total number of new HIV infections in U.S. women in 2009, 57% occurred in blacks, 21% were in whites, and 16% were in Hispanics/Latinas. In 2009, the rate of new HIV infections among black women was 15 times that of white women, and over three times the rate among Hispanic/Latina women. CDC developed Take Charge. Take the Test. (TCTT), a phase of the Act Against AIDS campaign designed to increase HIV testing among African American women aged 18–34.
Chlamydia Screening of All Sexually Active Women 25 and Under
Chlamydia and gonorrhea are preventable causes of infertility in women. Untreated, about 10-15% of women with chlamydia will develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) which can lead to chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility. An estimated 2.8 million cases of chlamydia and 718,000 cases of gonorrhea occur annually in the United States. Most women infected with chlamydia or gonorrhea have no symptoms.
CDC recommends annual chlamydia screening for all sexually active females 25 and under and for women older than 25 with risk factors such as a new sex partner or multiple partners. Chlamydia screening for women is a USPSTF A-rated clinical preventive service, and health insurance plans must cover this service without co-payment.
Youth-Sexual Behaviors that Contribute to Unintended Pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Including HIV Infection
The national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) monitors priority health risk behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death, disability, and social problems among youth and adults in the United States. The national YRBS is conducted every two years during the spring and provides data representative of 9th through 12th grade students in public and private schools throughout the United States.
- After a decline from 1990 to 2004, the percentage of U.S. births that occurred at home increased by 29%, from 0.56% of births in 2004 to 0.72% in 2009.
- Females were 2½ times as likely as males to take antidepressants.
- Overall, 40% of females and 20% of males with severe depressive symptoms take antidepressant medication.
- Of three generations of women born in 1910, 1935, and 1960, those born in 1935 had the most children, on average 3.0 children per woman; and those born in 1960 had the fewest, 2.0.
- Women born in 1910 were equally likely to have no, one, or two children, approximately 22 percent each.
- Among adults aged 18 and over, women were more likely than men to have used the Internet for health information.
- The birth rate for U.S. teenagers fell in 2009 to the lowest level ever reported.
- Recent declines in teenage birth rates have occurred for younger and older teenagers.
National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey
According to CDC’s new National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) survey, 12 million women and men—24 people per minute—are victims of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States. More than one million women reported being raped in a year and over six million women and men were victims of stalking. The NISVS is one of CDC′s public health surveillance systems designed to better describe and monitor the magnitude of sexual violence, stalking and intimate partner violence victimization in the U.S. It is the first survey of its kind to provide simultaneous national and state-level prevalence estimates of violence for all states. Launched in 2010, NISVS also provides data on several types of violence that have not previously been measured in a national population-based survey.
The report findings underscore violence as a major public health burden and demonstrate how violence can have impacts that last a lifetime, including findings that female victims of violence had a significantly higher prevalence of long-term health problems. Visit the NISVS website for more information, including the executive summary and study details.
Did You Know
Arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the United States. Most types of arthritis are more common in women; 60% of all people with arthritis are women. Early diagnosis and appropriate management of arthritis, including self-management activities, can help people with arthritis decrease pain, improve function, stay productive, and lower health care costs.
Falls among Older Adults
Each year, one in every three adults age 65 and older falls. Falls can cause moderate to severe injuries, such as hip fractures and head traumas, and can increase the risk of early death. Women are more likely than men to be injured in a fall. In 2009, women were 58% more likely than men to suffer a nonfatal fall injury. Rates of fall-related fractures among older women are more than twice those for men. Older adults can remain independent and reduce their chances of falling.
About 90% of women who get ovarian cancer are older than 40 years of age, with the greatest number of cases occurring in women aged 60 years or older. Among women in the United States, ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer. When ovarian cancer is found in its early stages, treatment is most effective. Women should ppay attention to their body, and know what is normal for them. If they notice any changes in their body that are not normal for them, they should talk to their doctor and ask about possible causes, such as ovarian cancer.
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New Hours of | <urn:uuid:229affd3-339c-411d-94a9-a33b778b63c1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cdc.gov/washington/womens_ebrief.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00044-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944908 | 3,987 | 3.46875 | 3 |
Common Types of Injuries
It is very rare to come across an adult who is not dealing with some sort of repetitive stress syndrome. It's a part of life. You need to recognize the movements you do repetitively due to the lifestyle you live and treat those areas of the body with respect.
INFLAMMATION: For most people this word has a negative connotation. It is important to remember that inflammation is an integral part of the healing process. When tissues are damaged or irritated, inflammation must occur for the healing process to begin. Tissues become damaged, then swelling and inflammation occurs in the damaged area to promote healing.
This is an appropriate response and a good thing for the body to do. However, it is supposed to be a short process that ends when healing has been accomplished. If the source of the problem (irritation and overuse) does not recede, then the inflammatory process may become a painful and chronic condition.
TENDONITIS: The most commonly reported overuse injury is tendonitis. The suffix -itis means “inflammation.” So, tendonitis means inflammation of the tendon. As bodies move, tendons slide and rub over the structures that surround them.
When a movement is repeated, the rubbing and sliding irritates the tendon causing pain and swelling. Warmth is often associated with that swelling. The best way to treat tendonitis is to rest. It's recommended to rest the irritated area for two weeks.
However, athletes and regular exercisers find it hard to stop training for two weeks. You should try to find an alternative exercise for that period of time. This is when cross training can be beneficial. If you like to run, you may try swimming or cycling for a couple of weeks. Try to choose an activity that does not stress the irritated joint in the same way.
BURSITIS: Within the joints of the human body are fluid-filled sacs called bursae. The function of these bursae are to cushion, reduce friction, and lubricate joints to allow for smooth movements. There are about 160 bursae throughout the body, and they are found in regions such as the hips, knees, shoulders, and elbows.
If excessive movement or trauma occurs to a joint or around a bursa sac, it can become irritated or inflamed. When the bursa becomes irritated, it produces synovial fluid to protect the area. If the irritation persists, the accumulation of fluid in the joint capsule begins to create pressure that can restrict movement and become very painful.
The most commonly irritated bursae are found in the shoulder and the knee. The best thing to do for bursitis is to rest the affected joint and ice the irritated area. It may help to take an over-the-counter pain killer or anti-inflammatory.
OSTEOARTHRITIS: Any mechanical system that is used frequently will inevitably show signs of wear and tear. The same holds true for the joints within the body. The body is a mechanical system and is constantly being worn down, even with normal activity. Wear and tear of a joint usually results in a degeneration of the cartilage found within the joint. When this cartilage is worn away the underlying bone can be exposed, which causes a great deal of pain.
The best way to nurse a condition such as this is to rest the affected area to alleviate the pain and keep the joints strong so they continue to have a good support system. Some experts recommend a low-impact stretching program that will help create space between the joints, which may decrease the forces of compression. | <urn:uuid:4420f798-4e4b-4c93-b67d-130a57bd214c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.netplaces.com/krav-maga-for-fitness/injury-and-injury-prevention/common-types-of-injuries.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957516 | 741 | 3.15625 | 3 |
The UK’s Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) have launched a series of new advertising codes.
The updates go into effect on September 1, 2010 and include new mandates related to videogame advertising. Radio ads for games that have an 18+ rating are listed under the “Special Category,” meaning that they must be centrally cleared by the Radio Advertising Clearance Centre (RAAC). Other entries in this category include ads for alcohol, slimming products, gambling products and services, religious organizations, adult shops and charities.
Radio ads for 18+ rated games are also required by BCAP (PDF) to obtain “central copy clearance,” joining ads for adult shops, stripograms, escort agencies and R18+ rated videos.
18+, 16+ or 15+ rated games may not be advertised, either on television or the radio, “in or adjacent to programmes commissioned for, principally directed at or likely to appeal particularly to persons below the age of 16.”
CAP codes (PDF) cover non-broadcast type advertising such as online ads, ads contained on DVDs or other film mediums and in-game advertisements, though no specific directives were offered for the latter category.
One of the main goals of the new codes was to govern the increased usage of claims that products are environmentally friendly. Such claims must now be based on the full life cycle of a product or service, unless the ad states otherwise. Advertisers were directed that they “must not mislead consumers about the environmental benefit that a product or service offers.” | <urn:uuid:aae0abd8-9a41-45ee-a372-137b8da4a473> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://gamepolitics.com/2010/03/17/uk-advertising-codes-updated-games-addressed | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958514 | 331 | 1.601563 | 2 |
March 25, 2010
The new species, named Cnemaspis neangthyi after Neang Thy, a Cambodian conservationist, was first collected during a field survey led by Dr Lee Grismer of La Sierra University in 2007. It is characterized by a broad flattened head and cryptic coloration that helps it blend in with rock surfaces and tree trunks.
Neang, who runs FFI’s Cardamom Mountains Research Group and works for Cambodia's Ministry of Environment, said the discovery highlights the need to study and protect the Cardamom region, a biodiversity trove that is under threat from agriculture, fire, and illegal logging.
“Maybe this [discovery] will also help to involve Cambodian people more in the conservation of species, landscapes and habitats," he said in a statement. "If we do not do this, many animals in Cambodia may soon become extinct and we will not be able to show them to our children."
Cnemaspis neangthyi gecko. Photo by Lee Grismer.
The Cardamom Mountains region has been named a Global Biodiversity Hotspot and is home to at least 62 globally threatened animal and 17 globally threatened tree species. According to FFI, the Greater Cardamoms cover over 2 million hectares of forest, making it one of the largest remaining blocks of evergreen forest in Southeast Asia.
"Biological surveys of the southwestern Cardamom Mountains have shown the area to be one of the most important areas for biodiversity conservation in Asia," said FFI in a press release, noting that only 10 percent of the area has been explored to date.
“There are likely many more species to be discovered in the Cardamom Mountains,” said Neang.
The Cardamoms include three protected areas: Phnom Samkos Wildife Sanctuary, Phnom Aural Wildlife Sanctuary, and Central Cardamoms Protected Forest. | <urn:uuid:73f9fed0-5756-413f-8288-cf515a295e7b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0325-cambodia_gecko.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932527 | 396 | 3.59375 | 4 |
What Is the Gallbladder?
The gallbladder is a four-inch, olive-shaped muscular sac that lies under the liver in the right side of the abdomen. It acts as a reservoir for bile, a fluid made in the liver. Bile is important for the digestion of fat and also carries some waste products out of the body. The gallbladder is connected to the liver and small intestine through a system of small channels called ducts. When food enters the small intestine, a hormone called cholecystokinin is released, signaling the gallbladder to contract and release bile. The bile flows through the common bile duct into the small intestine. Bile breaks down (emulsifies) fat so that it can be absorbed along with fat-soluble nutrients such as vitamins A, D, E, and K into the bloodstream. Bile is composed of water, bile salts, lecithin (a fat known as a phospholipid), and cholesterol.
Gallstones can develop
Gallstones are small, hard pellets that form in the gallbladder when the concentration of cholesterol or bilirubin in the bile becomes higher than normal, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Gallstones can vary in size from a few millimeters to several centimeters in diameter. Usually, gallstones occur as people get older. They are more common in women than in men. Other risk factors for gallstones include diabetes, being overweight, weight cycling (losing then regaining weight), Crohn's disease, and cirrhosis of the liver.
Most gallstones are made of cholesterol. Others are made of calcium bilirubinate, or calcified bilirubin. Bilirubin is formed from the breakdown of hemoglobin, the red oxygen-carrying component in red blood cells, and is normally excreted in bile.
Gallstones can remain in the gallbladder or pass into the ducts that carry bile to the small intestine. Most people with gallstones don't even know they have them. But in some cases, a stone may cause the gallbladder to become inflamed, a condition called cholecystitis. This can cause pain and—possibly—infection, the NIDDK says.
When symptoms occur
Gallstones that remain in the gallbladder generally cause no symptoms, or only vague symptoms such as gas, nausea, and abdominal discomfort after meals. If a gallstone becomes lodged in the system of ducts that carry bile to the small intestine, a condition called choledocholithiasis, it may cause symptoms that include:
If the pain lasts for hours, the gallbladder can become inflamed. A serious complication of acute, untreated inflammation is infection that can cause an abscess, gangrene, or septicemia—an infection that spreads to other parts of the body.
A gallstone can also block the duct from the pancreas that joins the common bile duct. If this occurs, it can cause pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas, which can also be life-threatening.
Gallstones can be treated by medicine that will slowly dissolve the stones, by sound waves that break up stones, and by surgery that removes the gallbladder, the NIDDK says. | <urn:uuid:77436d46-c929-42a5-a224-918517d0d08d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sjo.org/Health-Library/Article.aspx?CT=1&C=507 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950775 | 692 | 3.828125 | 4 |
The Andean Connection: Tracking the Drug War’s Coca Leaves and Failed Policies
August 26, 2011 § Leave a Comment
by Benjamin Dangl
This article first appeared in The Indypendent.
Cocaine, the drug fueling the trade that’s left thousands dead in Mexico and Central America since 2007 and which 1.4 million Americans are addicted to, originates with two species of the coca plant grown in the South American Andes. Ninety percent of the U.S. market for cocaine is fed by Colombia, with the rest largely provided by Peru and Bolivia.
An estimated 310 to 350 tons of refined cocaine were trafficked out of Colombia last year, enough to make a rail of nose candy that would encircle the earth twice. Along with exporting cocaine northward, Colombia has become a laboratory for failed drug war policies that are finding their way to Central America and Mexico.
In July 2000 President Bill Clinton signed Plan Colombia (see note following article for more information) into law, initiating the anti-drug-producing and trafficking operation that has cost U.S. taxpayers more than $7.3 billion to date. U.S. military bases have been established in Colombia under the plan, as have extensive air patrols, pesticide spraying and surveillance. Because of the violence, some 2.5 million Colombians have been displaced.
“The lessons of Colombia are being ignored in many ways. You’ll have mainstream analysts saying Colombia is the model to win the drug war. If Colombia is winning then what are the Colombians trafficking?” drug war expert Sanho Tree, a fellow of the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C., told The Indypendent.
“Basically, our policy is to fracture and to break up the drug organizations, making them smaller, weaker and more manageable,” Tree said. “And it’s folly. Breaking up those big monopolies … created a huge vacuum for smaller operators to fill, and we can’t track smaller operations, much less disrupt them.” Prior to the escalation of the U.S.-backed drug war, large traffickers, such as the Medellín Cartel led by Pablo Escobar in the 1980s, ran much of the drug trade. Now, smaller outfits have filled that void.
Just as busting up the big “drug monopolies in Colombia ended up democratizing the drug economy,” Tree explained, “if you end up weakening and fracturing the big fish in Mexico, then you end up with a Darwinian solution so that only best survive. This ill-conceived state power ends up thinning out the herd, with the most cunning come out on top — selectively breeding supertraffickers.” The result is that billions of dollars and countless bullets are being thrown at smaller drug operations without generating long-term solutions.
The “paramilitarization” of the conflict in Mexico and Central America is also replicating Colombia’s experience. Paramilitaries have been used to carry out a dirty war on behalf of the Colombian state, and the “paras,” as they are known, now run much of the drug trafficking there. Tree said, “People in Mexico are saying we need paramilitaries to chase down drug trade leaders and this runs the risk of repeating the same nightmare as in Colombia.” The right-wing paramilitary groups in Colombia, including the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), which claimed more than 15,000 combatants a decade ago, works closely with the Colombian military and wealthy landowners by attacking guerrilla forces and dissidents. At least 1,000 soldiers and police charged with human rights abuses joined the AUC over the years, supplying the outfit with intelligence and guns. An official demobilization of paramilitaries began in 2003, but the paras and successor groups continue to operate. They are protected from extradition to the United States despite their involvement in the drug trade, and stand accused of thousands of extrajudicial assassinations. In addition to the drug trade, paras orchestrate violent land seizures against small farmers and have moved into cultivating African palm trees for biofuel production on the stolen land, colluding with high-ranking military officers and in a few instances receiving funding from the U.S. government, according to The Nation magazine.
“At the beginning of Plan Colombia, campesinos would plant out in the open, but those were sitting ducks, and it was easy pickings for the fumigation planes. Now it’s shade grown and intercropped with other crops, and the plants are also adapting in other ways that result in better yield per kilo of leaf,” Tree explained. The United States is focusing less on fumigations these days, in part because it’s harder to locate these smaller hidden plots of coca.
While a handful of indigenous tribes legally produce a tiny amount of coca for government-sanctioned cultural purposes, most of the coca grown in Colombia is used to produce cocaine.
For peasants in Colombia, farming coca is generally more lucrative than growing fruits or vegetables. Part of this is due to the fact that coca and coca paste are easier to transport than other agricultural products, especially for isolated farmers far from roads.
Tree explained that many coca farmers have a small “lab” behind their house to transform the coca into coca paste. The lab consists of a wooden floor with a black plastic tarp over it, a 50-gallon drum of gasoline and ammonia. The coca is often chopped up by a weed-wacker, and processed with the chemicals into paste, which is later turned into cocaine to be sold in the U.S. markets.
In a country of 46 million, Tree speculates, hundreds of thousands of people earn a living from coca farming and coca paste production. The people who grow coca are “the expendable ones,” he said, “they are fixed targets” for eradication and anti-drug efforts, whereas the traffickers are more mobile.
“If you’re a coca farmer you can be wiped out, and the traffickers can buy from another peasant.” The farmers play a crucial, but risky role in the business, receiving a fraction of the money the trafficker receives. Smuggling the drugs carries its own obvious risks, but traffickers tend to get compensated in proportion to the dangers they face, since once cocaine gets across the U.S. border, its price increases dramatically.
The drug war both in the Andes and in Mexico and Central America has resulted in bloodshed, displacement of poor communities and expansion of U.S. regional power. Since 2006, Mexico’s drug war has left more than 46,000 dead and displaced some 230,000.
Drug interdiction efforts in Mexico and Colombia have transformed Central America into a key hub linking South America to Mexico and the United States. According to the L.A. Times, in 2010 more than two-thirds of U.S.-bound cocaine shipments passed through Central America, almost tripling in four years. Traffickers are also shifting production facilities. In March of this year, a major cocaine processing lab was discovered in Honduras, whose government fell to a U.S.-backed military coup in 2009. Central America has become one of the deadliest parts of the world, with approximately 79,000 homicides connected to drug trafficking and organized crime since 2005.
Another casualty in the war on drugs has been the criminalization of the coca leaf and its growers. As Bolivian coca grower Leonilda Zurita told me in 2006, “A grape is a grape and through a long process you make wine. It’s the same with coca. Coca is coca and through a long process you can make cocaine.”
Cocaine is derived from the coca leaf, but there is a big difference between the natural plant and the refined drug, which is one of the main arguments of coca farmers against the eradication of their crop. Coca leaves have been used in the Andes for millennia to relieve hunger, fatigue and sickness, to increase oxygen flow to the brain at high altitudes, and as a religious and cultural symbol.
Across Bolivia, people chew the small green leaf like tobacco and drink tea made from it. Dried leaves are sold in small bags across much of Bolivia and Peru. The U.S. Embassy in La Paz, Bolivia, which has historically been a backer of coca eradication efforts in the country, suggests chewing the leaf to alleviate altitude sickness. Besides its traditional uses, coca has been an ingredient in anesthetics, cough syrups, wines, chewing gums, and in Coca-Cola. (The New York Times reported on July 1, 1988, that the Illinois-based Stephan Company, Coca-Cola’s supplier, was “the nation’s only legal commercial importer of coca leaves, which it obtains mainly from Peru and, to a lesser extent, Bolivia.” Its annual imports ranged from 56 metric tons to 588 metric tons during the ’80s.)
The green leaf also sustains Bolivians on a variety of levels, from miners risking their lives in deadly tin mines to farmers in the altiplano, a high altitude plains region. Coca aids protesters in long, arduous marches, street mobilizations and hunger strikes. Bolivia’s most powerful social movements and political parties have emerged from the farmers’ fight to grow coca and resist militarization.
Much of the violence against coca and coca farmers in Bolivia ended when Evo Morales was elected president in 2006. A coca farmer or cocalero, Morales and his political party emerged from the coca union struggle against U.S.-led eradication. Under Morales, a different kind of control of coca production has taken place.
The Morales administration is continuing and expanding cooperative eradication efforts initiated in the central region of Chapare in October 2004. In established coca growing zones in Bolivia, families are allowed to grow 1,600 square meters of coca. Cooperative eradication between security forces and farmers has created a much more peaceful environment than times when violent eradication was the norm.
The 1,600-square-meter limit is based on what the government calculates to be sufficient for subsistence, for traditional use and in meeting the national legal demand for the leaf.
Despite Bolivia’s efforts, cocaine production has increased according to Kathryn Ledebur, the director of the Andean Information Network, a drug policy think tank based in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Ledebur explained that coca growers in Bolivia have adopted techniques that originated in Colombia that are “less expensive, harder to detect and a lot more efficient.” The new method involves using pulverized coca leaves with a high level of cocaine alkaloid, resulting in a more lucrative operation that requires less space.
“In Bolivia what you have is kind of a splintering into micro-trafficking organizations,” Ledebur said. “It doesn’t matter if you squash one small group, competition is so varied, it’s a great deal harder to detect.” However, Ledebur said, there is a “less violent dynamic here, smaller level trafficking and no indication of the huge across-the-board corruption that has characterized Mexico, Central America and Colombia.”
Nonetheless, Washington’s war on drugs stretches from Ciudad Juarez in Mexico to La Paz, creating a pretext for intervention in other nations. It also provides an excuse for the suppression of indigenous and radical movements, as was the case in Bolivia.
In that impoverished Andean nation, the coca leaf is an indigenous and cultural symbol of resistance against Washington’s imperialism and the violence of the war on drugs. As Leonilda Zurita told me, “This is not a war against narco-traffickers; it’s a war against those who are working to survive.”
The Story Behind Plan Colombia
Plan Colombia is at heart a joint campaign between the Pentagon and Colombia’s military. Up to 1,400 U.S. military personnel and mercenaries at a time have worked hand-in-hand with Colombia’s armed forces on surveillance, spying, interdicting drug trafficking, fumigating and eradicating coca cultivation and raiding makeshift workshops that produce the cocaine.
In 2009, two RAND Corporation analysts concluded, “strategic cooperation and large amounts of U.S. aid failed to stem the production of narcotics. Nearly two-thirds of global cocaine continues to be produced in Colombia.” They note the real success of Plan Colombia has been against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a guerrilla army that controlled large swaths of Colombian territory in the 1990s, shutting down much of the country’s oil production.
Clinton administration officials blurred the line between the drug war and counterinsurgency. Gen. Barry McCaffrey, who oversaw U.S. forces in Latin America prior to heading the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy in the late 1990s, labeled the FARC “narco-guerillas.” Yet human rights groups and journalists have documented for years the Colombian military’s alliance with paramilitary death squads that were manufacturing and transporting cocaine and heroin or were in the pay of drug cartels. U.S. officials dismiss this as isolated incidents from a distant past, but in 2010, John Quirama, a Colombian soldier in a counterinsurgency unit, provided testimony on how the military works with drug cartels by protecting smuggling routes and carrying out raids and murders at the behest of drug barons. Quirama also accused a Colombian army colonel of running his own cocaine production facility.
U.S. military aid has been used to beef up Colombia’s ground forces by 60 percent and create elite counterinsurgency battalions to battle the FARC and protect oil facilities. Washington has also supplied Colombia with advanced communications equipment, naval warships and hundreds of aircraft and helicopters, which are managed by the Narcotics Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Bogota. The main result has been a weakening of the FARC, which is estimated to have 9,000 fighters, half the number it had a decade ago. Paramilitaries continue to kill peasant, indigenous and union leaders, but Colombia’s oil is flowing again, with production reaching 884,000 barrels a day in March, as guerrilla attacks on pipelines have declined from 270 in 2001 to a couple dozen a year. For its part, the United States has cemented its hold on Colombia, gaining access to seven new bases in 2009 that will allow it to conduct “full-spectrum operations throughout South America,” as explained in a U.S. Air Force document.
— Arun Gupta, The Indypendent | <urn:uuid:b6eaaa4e-a95a-48fd-ac36-109c463a42ab> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pulsemedia.org/2011/08/26/the-andean-connection-tracking-the-drug-war%E2%80%99s-coca-leaves-and-failed-policies/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00047-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950566 | 3,106 | 2.75 | 3 |
I would love to believe that the new jobs report is as 'positive in every way' as the economists say in the Wall Street Journal - an increase of 243,000 jobs that pushed down the unemployment rate to 8.3%.
But Zero Hedge has a devastating rebuttal using the same statistics provided by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Implied Unemployment Rate Rises to 11.5%.
the spread between the reported and implied unemployment rate just soared to a fresh 30 year high of 3.2%. And that is how with a calculator and just one minute of math, one strips away countless hours of BLS propaganda.
Another disturbing indicator Social Security Trust Fund Outlook Takes $1 Trillion Dive
The outlook for Social Security's trust fund has deteriorated to an astonishing degree over the past year, new Congressional Budget Office projections show.
The nonpartisan budget scorekeeper released the estimates Tuesday as part of broader economic and budget forecasts. CBO expects the trust fund to peak in 2018 and decline to $2.7 trillion in 2022 — a full $1 trillion less than Social Security's own actuaries predicted last year.
The new trajectory suggests that the trust fund's current depletion date of 2036 may jump ahead several years when Social Security's trustees release their annual report this spring, making the retirement program more central to the 2012 election .
We're not only not out of the woods yet, we haven't even fully recognized the problem..Posted by Jill Fallon at February 4, 2012 12:26 AM | Permalink | <urn:uuid:74f59c61-4e1b-4e8a-be3b-a83b411ed548> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.estatevaults.com/bol/archives/2012/02/04/scepticism_on_r.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.925651 | 305 | 1.5 | 2 |
MOUNT UNION - PSSA results released Friday from the Pennsylvania Department of Education report that three schools in neighboring districts failed to meet 2011-2012 adequate yearly progress goals set by the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
During the 2011-2012 school year, schools were to be 78 percent proficient or advanced in math and 81 percent proficient or advanced in reading to meet AYP goals.
The Mount Union School District was issued a warning, giving schools in the district one year to achieve AYP goals before corrective action is taken. Two schools in the district did not meet required targets: Mount Union Area High School and Shirley Township Elementary School.
Greenwood High School was the only school in its district to fail to meet goals. Overall, the Greenwood School District met AYP goals this year.
According to the federal No Child Left Behind Act, students must be 100 percent proficient in reading and math by 2014. | <urn:uuid:e5fdc61f-65b0-4049-9978-49bf9a22227d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lewistownsentinel.com/page/content.detail/id/536670/More-schools-struggle-to-meet-annual-progress-goals.html?nav=5010 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961464 | 183 | 2.09375 | 2 |