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What Is This Event Really About?
Tue Jun 09 08:55:32 BST 2009 by anonymous
The article doesn't make clear what the phase of the Moon will be, where the Sun is with respect to the Moon, or how close the impact site is to the terminator at the time of impact.
A simple investigation (looking at the sky just a few moments ago) reveals the obvious: that the impact has been timed to occur when the Moon is only about 3 days past FULL MOON, which means Earth observers will find it very difficult indeed to see anything along the southwestern (on the sky) limb of the Moon while the brilliantly lit terminator sits within 3 arc minutes of the impact site!
Bad shot! Any way anybody looks at it! IF it is supposed (as the article contends, which no doubt followed the press release issued by the handlers of Kaguya) that this final impact has been somehow optimally prepared for Earth-based observers...
Oh yes...in PRINCIPLE, it could be seen, because it is impacting on an unilluminated part of the Moon...but that it will impact in a region of lunar night that is an exceedingly thin sliver as veiwed from Earth is never mentioned, and is the least of the problems associated with it.
The geometry is next to worthless. The best way to see a dust signal thrown up is to have it happen with the sun providing a background light source. The position of the Sun with respect to the impact time with a very fat gibbous moon phase will all but ensure nothing will ever be detected.
At the outset of the Kaguya mission, the Japanese had insisted that they intended to finish the mission with a potentially observable impact.
This is evidently now NOT the case. THERE is the real story that might have been written about. Questions like "WHY is this impact scheduled near a full moon?" might have been properly answered in an upfront and honest way" WHY has it been scheduled to hit the Moon at that place and time?(CONTRARY to their previous hopes to have it impact while Earth observers have a decent chance of observing it)...instead of reading an account as if the previous intent has been fully gratified all along.
One would think that a reporting agency of the caliber and resources of NewScientist would dig into these kinds of MAJOR "details"...and make them known. That's what their readers would expect.
I often find that certain aspects of "science news" reporting (particularly with NewScientist, which is verily the "flagship" of such reporting) to be peculiar inadequate in this particular regard. I'm sure that I am not alone in that sentiment. | <urn:uuid:45004723-f308-49b6-8c74-4762dcb4d359> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newscientist.com/commenting/report?id=dn17271-1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966928 | 560 | 2.375 | 2 |
Scholarship Opportunity Detail Page
Scholarship Commemorating Drs. Willie Hobbs Moore, Harry L. Morrison & Arthur BC Walker
|Scholarship Provider:||National Society of Black Physcists|
|Description:||Dr. Moore was the first female African American to earn a Ph.D. degree in physics. from the University of Michigan where she worked for several years as a research scientist. Afterward, she spent her career working for Ford Motor Company.
Dr. Morrison was a legendary figure in the field of mathematical statistical physics, and an mentored generations of African American physicists. He was a physics faculty member at UC Berkeley for almost30 years, and an assistant dean until his death in 2002. He was strong student advocate and in the early 70's he advocated for degree-granting Black Studies Programs.
Dr. Walker a uniquely brilliant x-ray spectroscopist. He applied his science to solar imaging, and was the first to report x-ray images of the Sun. He built many x-ray telescopes for space flight missions. He advocated for diversity of the student body and faculty at Stanford University, where he was a professor for almost 30 years.
|School Type Requirement:||Four Year College
|Applicant Class Requirement:||Sophomore or Junior
|Minority Status Requirement:||African American
|Citizenship Requirement:||U.S. Citizen
|Length of Award:||One Time Award
|Other Comments:||Declared physics majors in their junior or senior year are eligible to receive this scholarship. Applicants should be either sophomores or juniors. NSBP anticipates making three $1,000 awards. The scholarship is NOT renewable.|
Scholarship Opportunity Contact Information
Scholarship Committee Chair
National Society of Black Physicists
1110 N. Glebe Road
Arlington, VA 22201 | <urn:uuid:0c90e0e9-65ef-483d-9551-f26f9123bd10> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.compadre.org/student/scholarships/Detail.cfm?id=885 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.904078 | 395 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Commodity prices and the Consumer Price Index
May 22, 2012
From 2003 to 2008, prices for commodity crops increased 83 percent and prices for oil and natural gas increased 232 percent. A recent article in the Monthly Labor Review, "Impact of commodity price movements on CPI inflation," explores the effects of price changes in commodity crops and oil and natural gas and two other commodity groups (animal slaughter and processing and dairy) on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for various final goods, and on overall CPI consumer inflation, during the 2003–2008 period.
Although crop prices exhibited major movements in recent years, their impact on consumer prices was limited: even though crop prices increased by 83 percent from 2003 to 2008, the change in the CPI for all items was less than 20 percent over the same period. Although broad measures of price change were minimally affected by crop price movements, the increase in crop prices substantially affected the CPI for food and beverages. During this period, the CPI for food and beverages increased 21 percent.
The increase in animal slaughter and processing prices (26 percent) was much lower than the increase in crop prices. Although animal slaughter and processing price movements affected broad CPI measures only minimally, they had a substantial impact on the CPI for food and beverages.
In 2003–2008, dairy prices rose 34 percent, substantially affecting the CPI for food and beverages.
From 2003 through 2008 oil and gas prices increased 232 percent. Rising oil and gas prices accounted for more than 25 percent of the change in the all-items CPI from 2003 to 2008. Many different CPI categories were affected considerably by rising oil and gas prices, but the three categories affected most from 2003 through 2008 were transportation, motor fuels (which increased 140 percent and is included in the transportation category), and fuels and utilities (which increased 53 percent and is included in the housing category).
Data for this article are from the Producer Price Index and Consumer Price Index programs. To learn more, see "Impact of commodity price movements on CPI inflation," in the April 2012 issue of the Monthly Labor Review.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Editor's Desk, Commodity prices and the Consumer Price Index on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2012/ted_20120522.htm (visited May 23, 2013).
Spotlight on Statistics: Productivity
This edition of Spotlight on Statistics examines labor productivity trends from 2000 through 2010 for selected industries and sectors within the nonfarm business sector of the U.S. economy. Read more » | <urn:uuid:959b6dd1-0d41-48d2-8e71-eacf739643c8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bls.gov/opub/ted/2012/ted_20120522.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950518 | 528 | 2.4375 | 2 |
Apple took aim at rival HTC on Monday, filling a claim with the International Trade Commission (ITC) to ban the sales of the competing smartphones and tablets.
It also filed suits in Delaware as well.
HTC is dismayed at Apple's constant attempts at litigations instead of competing fairly in the market, said HTC general counsel Grace Lei in a statement.
HTC strongly denies all infringement claims raised by Apple in the past and present and reiterates our determination and commitment to protect our intellectual property rights, she said.
Apple said that HTC was infringing on groundbreaking technologies that Apple developed for its iPod, iPhone and iPad products.
But the Evo and Incredible maker noted that it introduced a touch-screen smartphone in June 2002 - a full five years before the iPhone made its debut.
The company rolled-out smartphones using Windows mobile software at the time, relying on resistive touch-screen technology -- thus requiring a stylus.
The first smartphone to use a capacitive touch screen was the LG Prada phone introduced in 2006, but the technology didn't reach a large audience until the introduction of the first iPhone in 2007.
As the smart phone market matured, the company said, Apple initiated litigation campaigns against many of its competitors, including HTC.
Apple's complaint, filed on July 8, asks the commission to conduct an investigation under Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, regarding certain portable electronic devices and related software, according to a notice on the ITC website.
Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 prohibits unfair import competition, which may threaten a U.S. industry, preventing its establishment or trade in the U.S. It also prevents the importation of things that infringe on U.S. patents and trademarks.
The U.S. International Trade Commission can issue cease and desist or exclusion orders to those found in violation.
The move comes more than a year after Apple filed suit against HTC, alleging 20 instances of patent infringement, all dealing with various elements of the iPhone.
We can sit by and watch competitors steal our patented inventions, or we can do something about it, Steve Jobs said at the time.
We've decided to do something about it. We think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours.
The move marks Apple's second ITC complaint against HTC; the first also included Nokia.
ITC staff recommended that the commission side with HTC and Nokia in that case, but the recommendation isn't binding, and the judge will issue his decision on August 5.
HTC had filed its own patent infringement suit against Apple with the ITC on May 12th of last year, and findings in that case are scheduled to be revealed on September 16th.
This suit marks the latest in Apple's battle to fend off competitors with legal tactics.
About two months ago, Apple sued Samsung for copying the look and feel of its iPhone and iPad with its Galaxy S line of smartphones and tablets.
Samsung countersued, but in late June, took its fight to the ITC.
Apple filed its own ITC complaint last week. | <urn:uuid:0aca60de-faaf-45b2-ae6a-f8b381f9b093> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ibtimes.com/dismayed-htc-rebuffs-apple-patent-case-298065 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955786 | 642 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Canadian Law Professors Insist Banning The Sale Of Word Is Good For Society & Innovation
from the really,-now? dept
But, let's dig further into the details.
Patents are essential to the modern system of innovation. Once produced, information can be transmitted at zero cost. In the absence of patent protection, would-be inventors become vulnerable to competition that would drive the value of their discovery to zero, leaving them with no compensation for the costs of producing that information in the first place.This is the usual story. And it sounds good. But there's no factual evidence to support it. That's because it ignores reality. Yes, information can be transmitted at zero cost, but that does not mean that implementation is assured, or that the market stands still. Besides, I'm curious as to the claim "vulnerable to competition," as if competition is a bad thing. Most people recognize that competition drives innovation -- and yet, these law professors are suggesting the exact opposite. That you need less competition to drive innovation.
Furthermore, they are wrong in claiming that in the absence of patent protection "the value of their discovery" is driven to "zero, leaving them with no compensation." They say this as if the compensation is for the idea, rather than the implementation. That is simply wrong. No one compensates you directly for an idea. If you have a good idea, you need to bring a product to market and sell it. If someone else copies that idea, you still have a large first mover advantage and you understand the market better. On top of that, you should be ahead of the curve in terms of improving on the concept for the next iteration. That's competition. It doesn't mean the value of the idea is zero or that there's no compensation. Claiming such makes no sense.
Again, beyond common sense, the historical evidence suggests that these law professors are simply wrong. Countries with no or weak patent protection have seen tremendous innovation over time. And it's because it's competition that's the mother of innovation, not a lack of competition. For well over two hundred years, economists have recognized that monopolies that remove competition are bad for innovation. These lawyers are insisting that the opposite is true, and present no proof.
Microsoft objects that the injunction ordered by the trial judge goes too far. (It has been put on hold until after the appeal, which is to begin Wednesday.) But injunctions are almost always ordered to prevent continuing infringement, and for good reason. To simply order money damages for future infringement would be to force i4i to license out its technology at a court-imposed price.This is misleading. While it is true that in the past injunctions were the norm, since the US Supreme Court's MercExchange ruling more than three years ago, courts recognize that injunctions often do not make sense. The reason they don't make sense is because they require stopping the sale of an entire product (or lines of products) due to a single infringing feature. That makes no sense, and the courts have recognized this. I'm not sure why these law professors do not.
Just as there are good reasons not to compel citizens to sell or rent out their homes at prices set by judges, there are very good reasons in general to avoid compulsory licensing of intellectual property. Court determinations of the value of intellectual property are necessarily somewhat conjectural, yet damages awards require courts to act, in effect, as price regulators. By contrast, injunctions do not prevent a licensing deal from being done, but rather cede to the owner of the property the authority to set a price. Just as giving homeowners the right to decide whether to sell or rent out their houses does not destroy the housing market, in terrorem arguments about the death of Word under this injunction are without merit.Again, this is quite misleading. It implies that an injunction leads to the natural market setting the price for licensing, but nothing could be further from the truth. If someone is pointing a gun at your head and negotiating over how much you have to pay to stay alive, that's not exactly a fair and open economic transaction that both parties enter into under their own free will. Claiming that this is somehow a more accurate market is pure folly.
Meanwhile, Microsoft has vociferously argued that despite the trial judge's careful vetting of the evidence, i4i did not establish at trial a firm basis for its damages claim for past infringement. This claim about the speculative nature of past damages sits uncomfortably with Microsoft's opposition to injunctions. Given the complexity of measuring supply and demand for a unique product, it must be true that there is some empirical uncertainty about the precise level of past damages. But if patents are to have value, this uncertainty is unavoidable: A damages award is the only available remedy for infringement that has already taken place.Again, I have to admit confusion over these claims, which seem to have no basis in reality. It is not "the patent" that has value. It is the product. For sale in the market. And it's the consumer who values it. The fact is that many more people seemed to value a complete package of Microsoft Word. They were not buying it because of i4i's silly and questionable patent. They were buying it because Microsoft Word is a useful product. The difference in sales for Microsoft Word if it had not included XML editing would likely be negligible at best. There is no evidence of damages. If i4i and these lawyers are claiming that the "damages" are i4i's inability to sell its own product, again, that is difficult to square with reality. Competition happens all the time, and it's as good thing. i4i's inability to come up with a product or marketing plan that people wanted is its problem, not Microsoft's.
Also, the lawyers, in claiming that there was "careful vetting of the evidence," conveniently leave out that this was done in East Texas, which has a long history of vetting in favor of patent holders. Don't ask me, ask the bull that TiVo bought.
Protecting i4i's patent protects incentives to invent and the competitive process. In this case, the trial judge wisely offered such protection, while recognizing the court's own institutional limitations, by ordering damages for past infringement and injunctions going forward. While the decision was not a good one for Microsoft, it was clearly in the best interests of society.Really? So, completely banning the sale of an entire office suite offering because one tiny, rarely used, feature might infringe on some random other company's products is "in the best interests of society"? That seems wholly without support. That would mean making every user of Microsoft's office suite suffer, for the benefit of a small 30 person company that developed a rather obvious concept. How is that possibly in the best interests of society? | <urn:uuid:9c733683-701d-4c9f-b85c-f73d0474ae29> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090923/1252326296.shtml?op=sharethis | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971202 | 1,402 | 1.9375 | 2 |
BOR-A 550 is a ground and coast surveillance radar, developed by Thales Group. The radar operates on the I band, it is also man-portable and can locate targets up to a distance of 40 km in a 360° sector. It has also proven useful to locate small and slow targets, like persons or rubber boats.
The BOR-A 560 is a more powerful version with longer range.
- Signal - Digitized signals allow versatile tactical radio units, networked radar systems and wireless command posts.
- Thales brochure | <urn:uuid:1cde6979-dc25-4f6e-bbfc-448721c8a94d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/BOR-A_550 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929031 | 113 | 1.703125 | 2 |
|Part of the common law series|
|Estates in land|
|Future use control|
|Other common law areas|
Personal property is generally considered private property that is movable, as opposed to real property or real estate. In the common law systems personal property may also be called chattels or personalty. In the civil law systems personal property is often called movable property or movables – any property that can be moved from one location to another. This term is in distinction with immovable property or immovables, such as land and buildings. Movable property on land, that which was not automatically sold with the land, included for example larger livestock (wildlife and smaller livestock like chickens, by contrast, was often sold as part of the land). In fact the word cattle is the Old Norman variant of Old French chatel (derived from Latin capitalis, “of the head”), which was once synonymous with general movable personal property.
Personal property may be classified in a variety of ways. Tangible personal property refers to any type of property that can generally be moved (i.e., it is not attached to real property or land), touched or felt. These generally include items such as furniture, clothing, jewellery, art, writings, or household goods. In some cases, there can be formal title documents that show the ownership and transfer rights of that property after a person's death (for example, motor vehicles, boats, etc.) In many cases, however, tangible personal property will not be "titled" in an owner's name and is presumed to be whatever property he or she was in possession of at the time of his or her death.
Intangible personal property or "intangibles" refers to personal property that cannot actually be moved, touched or felt, but instead represents something of value such as negotiable instruments, securities, service (economics), and intangible assets including chose in action.
Accountants also distinguish personal property from real property because personal property can be depreciated faster than improvements (while land is not depreciable at all). It is an owner's right to get tax benefits for chattel, and there are businesses that specialize in appraising personal property, or chattel.
The distinction between these types of property is significant for a variety of reasons. Usually one's rights on movables are more attenuated than one's rights on immovables (or real property). The statutes of limitations or prescriptive periods are usually shorter when dealing with personal or movable property. Real property rights are usually enforceable for a much longer period of time and in most jurisdictions real estate and immovables are registered in government-sanctioned land registers. In some jurisdictions, rights (such as a lien or other security interest) can be registered against personal or movable property.
In the common law it is possible to place a mortgage upon real property. Such mortgage requires payment or the owner of the mortgage can seek foreclosure. Personal property can often be secured with similar kind of device, variously called a chattel mortgage, trust receipt, or security interest. In the United States, Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code governs the creation and enforcement of security interests in most (but not all) types of personal property.
There is no similar institution to the mortgage in the civil law, however a hypothec is a device to secure real rights against property. These real rights follow the property along with the ownership. In the common law a lien also remains on the property and it is not extinguished by alienation of the property; liens may be real or equitable.
Many jurisdictions levy a personal property tax, an annual tax on the privilege of owning or possessing personal property within the boundaries of the jurisdiction. Automobile and boat registration fees are a subset of this tax. Most household goods are exempt as long as they are kept or used within the household; the tax usually becomes a problem when the taxing authority discovers that expensive personal property like art is being regularly stored outside of the household.
The distinction between tangible and intangible personal property is also significant in some of the jurisdictions which impose sales taxes. In Canada, for example, provincial and federal sales taxes were imposed primarily on sales of tangible personal property whereas sales of intangibles tended to be exempt. The move to value added taxes, under which almost all transactions are taxable, has diminished the significance of the distinction.
Personal versus private property
In political/economic theory, notably socialist (including anarchist) philosophies, the distinction between private and personal property is extremely important. Which items of property constitute which is open to debate.
- Personal property is part of your person and includes property from which you have the right to exclude others (e.g., televisions, cars, clothes, etc.)
- Private property is a social relationship, not a relationship between person and thing according to Marx (e.g., factories, mines, dams, infrastructure, etc.). Marxism holds that a process of class conflict and revolutionary struggle will result in victory for the proletariat and the establishment of a communist society in which private property and ownership is abolished over time and the means of production and subsistence belong to the community. (Private property and ownership, in this context, means ownerships of the means of production, not private possessions).
- To many socialists, the term private property refers to capital or the means of production, while personal property refers to consumer and non-capital goods and services. | <urn:uuid:a87db424-7ef1-4af8-a58f-f46a1e8e1828> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_property | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951275 | 1,122 | 3.234375 | 3 |
One could never anticipate such popular modifications and abbreviations in the English language. How did “totes” and “cray” work their way into verbal circulation? We are an evolving society- keeping up not only with the Kardashians but with the latest trends on our news feeds.
The origin of the word “trend:” to revolve, rotate; by definition, a general direction in which something is developing. Trends remind me of a 24-hour virus: developed, contagious, and by the next day we’re #OverIt. Sometimes trends become something we buy into, literally, like the Dosarita- I don’t think you can find a restaurant that isn’t selling them nowadays (but they’re delicious). And every time I see a tattoo design or a home-made smoothie, I automatically assume it was inspired from Pinterest. It’s easy being fed current news, cool phrases, and memes for entertainment, but how is trending shaping society?
Trending can be a way to bring people together, like the majority of San Antonio tweeting #GoSpursGo during the play-offs or worldly discussions and debates over #Kony2012. Embracing trends could very well put the “unity” in “community;” relating and connecting through the language we have created, developed, and revolve around. We have watched trends come and we will watch them go, instead of the “circle of life,” trends are the “rotation of social networking,” what would you trend? [Insert emoji] | <urn:uuid:29755e99-f03d-4db0-8d34-e9155eb40e91> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.mysanantonio.com/marioochoa/2012/06/totes-trending/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938156 | 335 | 2.28125 | 2 |
President Obama's pronouncement last week in favor of same-sex marriage has no legal effect on employers’ decisions on whether to offer benefits to workers’ domestic partners, but some advocates believe it could reinforce a decade-long trend toward coverage.
Last year, 52 percent of all employers offered domestic partner health benefits, with the percentage varying widely by region and industry, according to a nationally representative sample of about 3,000 employers surveyed by benefit consultant Mercer. That’s up from 31 percent in 2010.
The biggest factors driving that change are employers’ views on whether such benefits help them attract and retain desirable workers.
"Employers started doing this because they felt they needed to be competitive in the labor market, just like with other benefits," said Paul Fronstin of Employee Benefit Research Institute, a think tank in Washington D.C. "I don’t see that changing."
The Village Voice newspaper in New York is credited with being the first private employer to offer workers domestic partner benefits in 1982. In 1995, Vermont became the first to offer coverage to state workers.
"There’s been a steady growth for a long time," says Joan Smyth, a partner at Mercer. In the early days, some employers worried that adding coverage for domestic partners could make their costs skyrocket by attracting people with higher-than-average health risks, she said, but "that did not happen."
The District of Columbia and almost half of states currently offer benefits to domestic partners or same-sex spouses of state workers, according to the advocacy group Human Rights Campaign.
Same-sex partners of federal workers are not eligible for coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB) because the Defense of Marriage Act, passed in 1996 and signed into law by President Bill Clinton, defines marriage as a legal union between a man and woman, the FEHB website says. That law is being challenged and may well end up before the Supreme Court. The Obama administration has said it will not defend the statute.
In the Mercer survey, coverage of same-sex partners was most common in the West, with 79 percent of large employers offering such benefits. It was least common in the South, at 28 percent. Big differences were also noted within industries. Among manufacturing firms, for example, the coverage rate ranged from a high of 96 percent for pharmaceutical companies to 18 percent for machinery and heavy equipment makers.
Public sector jobs had a lower rate of coverage, averaging 26 percent across state, county and municipal workers, the Mercer survey found.
While Smyth at Mercer doesn’t think the president’s pronouncement will sway employers, the Human Rights Campaign’s state legislative director Sarah Warbelow has a different take.
"Hearing the president supports this as well makes this even easier for corporations to get on board," says Warbelow, adding that 58 percent of Fortune 500 companies currently offer domestic partner benefits. Some of those companies limit those benefits to same-sex couples, while others include domestic partners of opposite sexes.
The climate remains volatile, particularly for state and municipal employees. What, for example, will happen in states like North Carolina that passed a ban on same-sex marriage and have municipalities that offer domestic partner benefits to government workers?
With last week’s vote in North Carolina, there are at least 31 states that bar gay marriage.
In North Carolina, attorneys for cities such as Carrboro and Chapel Hill are still evaluating whether they can continue to offer domestic partner benefits, according to reports from the area’s local NBC television affiliate.
"We have employees asking us, 'What's going to happen?' These are people who otherwise wouldn't have health care, children who wouldn't have health care," Chapel Hill Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt told NBC-17 in Raleigh, N.C.
Court decisions in other states with similar laws have split on whether domestic partnership benefits can be retained for state or municipal workers, says Warbelow.
Meanwhile, private-sector employers must contend with a confusing array of state laws governing the types of unions residents may enter.
Eight states and the District of Columbia have passed laws to allow same-sex couples to marry, for example, while an additional nine allow civil unions or domestic partnerships, which offer many, if not all of the same legal protections as marriage.
While many employer health programs are exempt from state law because they are self-insured, some employers buy coverage from insurers that are subject to state rules.
Employers who buy coverage from insurers in those states must follow that state’s law, even if the employees live another state, Smyth says.
A separate Mercer report out last week gave an example set in Virginia: "Ellen and Sue live in Virginia, which doesn’t permit same-sex marriage. Ellen works in Washington, D.C., and is covered by a group health insurance policy issued in D.C., which must cover same- and opposite-sex spouses equally. Ellen and Sue marry in D.C., even though they live in Virginia. Ellen may add Sue to her health coverage because they are lawfully married and covered by a D.C. policy."
Employers are "focused on this right now and are watching" the changing political landscape to make sure they are in compliance with the rules, says Smyth. "They need to be really careful that they know the laws." | <urn:uuid:a424086c-178e-4ebb-9bc3-d3fac6910264> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2012/May/14/businesses-move-to-offer-health-benefits-to-same-sex-couples.aspx?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+khn%2Fstories%2Fheadlinesonly+%28Kaiser+Health+News+-+Stories+%28Headlines%29%29 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970961 | 1,105 | 2.0625 | 2 |
by: Roger S. Gottlieb on January 16th, 2013 | 16 Comments »
It’s not that the torture scenes weren’t pretty bad. They were: the bruised face, haunted eyes, scarred skin, and gradual deterioration from arrogant jihadist to a helpless, broken body pleading for mercy. But that didn’t make me cry, for when such torture is not an instrument of sadism, as the process unfolding in the film clearly was not, it is simply an instrument of war. And war is hell. That’s just what it is. This I knew.
The torture victim suffered, greatly. So did the victims of the terrorist attacks portrayed in the film: at the Marriott hotel in Pakistan, on buses in London, at a military base in Afghanistan.
There are of course other suffering groups that the film did not portray. For instance, the victims of the American led coalition’s air strikes against Iraq – estimated by the British medical journal Lancet to be over 60,000; the Iraqi civilians who suffered – perhaps died – when ‘shock and awe’ destroyed electric power, transportation, health supplies, and hospitals.
If we are to have a war on terrorism, if Al-Qaida and its ilk are going to have a war on us, if all of us, together, are going to make war, the suffering will go on and on. From torture, from bombs; of soldiers, of civilians; of men, of women, of children; of other species, of the earth.
So it is not the suffering that made me cry, but four simple words spoken by one of the Navy Seal team who took Bin Laden out. With confirmation of the kill, following the only mildly celebratory word “Geronimo,” came the soul-chilling phrase:
For God and country.
And that’s when, in comfortably appointed stadium style seating in a large urban multiplex, I had to muffle the helpless sobs that shook my body.
For God and country.
For isn’t that, more or less, what the jihadists also say? Bin Laden, whatever else one may say of him, believed that he was serving God, and the cause of creating a morally and spiritually purified Islamic state. Doubtless he and his followers – at least the ones not in it for the thrill of violence (of which we surely have plenty on our side as well) – knew that their acts were good and ours evil, that any reasonably moral person could tell who was in the right. Surely the terrorists on both sides know that they are defending the innocent and slaughtering people who deserve to die.
And if in that righteous, even holy, struggle some innocents have to be hurt, if some collateral damage occurs, well – that’s unfortunate. But we are sure that it is worth it. Perhaps some of our smart bombs misfire and hit a civilian home, a marriage procession, a school. Perhaps a jihadist bomb hits a London bus on which devout Muslims are traveling. Perhaps this or that torture victim really didn’t’ know anything, wasn’t hiding anyone, and just had nothing to say – all that anguish you caused him was for nothing.
That’s just the price we pay for war. Don’t want to pay that price? Horrified by what you see? Don’t moan about innocent deaths, as if we could ever just bomb the guilty. Don’t object when the strong overpower the weak – that’s what strength is for. Don’t complain about torture, as if you might advise a prizefighter to keep hitting, but try not to hurt anyone. If you truly want the horror to stop:
Stop the wars.
And that’s why I sobbed in the dark, because right now that’s simply not possible. We would rather kill and be killed, taking our chances in unending battle, then find another way to live.
I realize that some people are evil and “must” be stopped. I know the endless critiques of American imperialism, soulless, repressive dictators, lunatic religious fundamentalists who marry carnage and prayer books. And I know there are lots of reasons for the killing: class privilege, exploitation, the joys of patriarchal power, the lust for oil, the fear fear fear that our way of life, our homes, our culture are under attack.
And so the question is not “Does this film justify torture?” (It doesn’t.) But – “Is there any hope that human beings can stop the madness?” For thousands of years humanity has lived with war and dreamed of peace, died violently and prayed for non-violence, worshiped saints and prophets who preached love and then shed endless blood on battlefields.
Justice, care, compassion, willingness to live with less and to give more to others. Empathy for the suffering we cause to match (at least) rage over our own pain – these might help a little. But to really make an end to our species’ attachment to death–who knows?
The only certainty is, for the indefinite future, the continued torment. On the faces of the victims of torture, and of suicide bombs, and of smart bombs, and of justified revolutions and government repression and world empire and resistance to world empire.
What can we do?
As often as we have courage, try to be examples of peace. And weep.
That’s about it.
Roger S. Gottlieb is professor of philosophy at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and author/editor of seventeen books on ethics, political philosophy, environmentalism, and spirituality. His newest book is: Spirituality: What it Is and Why it Matters. Here is an excerpt. | <urn:uuid:4aeb7e7a-058f-43e2-9b05-d4bc14641b55> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/2013/01/16/zero-dark-30-made-me-cry-but-it-wasnt-the-torture-scenes/comment-page-1/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959072 | 1,208 | 1.570313 | 2 |
It used to be that the human relationship was defined by the personal contact between the actors in that relationship and conveyed in the form of the spoken word or written word.
These words, back when I was in college two decades ago, were transmitted by the average person using the analogue phone, a post it left on the org bulletin board, or by passing along someone’s message.
Back then those who had cellular phones (which closely resembled what a PLDT lineman uses on the job) were probably some bigwig politician’s kid or some big businessman’s scion. Or probably some government deep penetration agent.
Now, with the advent of efficient and affordable means of communication, there seems to be a disconnection.
With communication lines in relationships now governed by the quick scrolling of the keys and a click of the send button, there seems to be little need to call up someone’s parents as often, or to send little notes with flowers, or even dropping in on a friend for a quick hello.
Sadly and ironically though, technology is one reason personal communication is taken for granted and sometimes even the inbox isn’t so busy receiving the virtual substitutes. | <urn:uuid:9d33ec59-d8e7-4760-bc0e-dfd27ec29c2c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lawandict.blogspot.com/2008/12/dis-connection.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971722 | 242 | 1.882813 | 2 |
Natural hair dye is usually obtained from plants, trees, fruits and vegetables. It’s generally utilized in a form of 100% pure extract which don’t have chemicals in them such as ammonia, resorcinol (dihydroxy benzene) and p-phenylenediamine (PPD) added in commercial hair dye colors. They are non-toxic and do not constitute an environmental or health risk. Furthermore, they do not damage the hair structure, can even assist hair conditioners and moisturizers, and are usually better in the long run in terms of hair care.
However, while these colors are considered risk-free, different people have totally diverse limit of what they are able to endure. There is no assurance that what will turn out to be perfect for a number of individuals will not have a damaging impact on others. Also, there is an allergy possibility on consumers to a number of natural ingredients, and hair dye colors purchased from stores could have some natural levels of metals (such as lead, mercury) that can cause skin irritation or inflammation to those who are hypersensitive to them. Therefore, before applying a natural hair dye, it’s highly recommended to take a spot test to check the body’s response to the dye.
A test is performed by applying a tiny bit of dye to the the skin at the rear of the ear or the inner skin of the elbow. The dye will not be utilized in case the allergy reaction is positive. Nevertheless, allergies can still come up even in the course of normal safe use. Therefore, it’s highly advised to perform a skin test prior each staining procedure. Testing it for a week is also advised and important for concluding the outcome of the hair dye. However, this doesn’t usually turn to be accurate and the application of the final hair color may vary.
As opposed to the chemical dyes, the choices of color for natural hair dyes are not wide-ranging. Some of the examples are walnut hulls and henna being utilized to dye hair red or brown, for black color one can use indigo and castor bean, for blue tints woad and indigo would do, and for blonde color rhubarb, chamomile and saffron will do the job. Moreover, natural hair dyes can also be prepared via boiling black coffee, black tea and potatoes. Also, can be extracted from herbs such as betony, calendula, catnip, hibiscus flowers, ivy berries, lemon, parsley, rosehips, rosemary and sage.
Opting for a natural hair dye coloring can also be challenging even though it seems to be easy. This is because the whole ordeal can be untidy as well as getting that perfect color is usually hit and miss. Moreover, the dye is not as long-lasting compared to chemical dye. Nonetheless, the main advantage of using natural hair dye is the fact that the hair care is lifelong. | <urn:uuid:ee748968-7359-4ec6-af41-5932537ff25f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fineladyshop.com/blog/hair/what-is-natural-hair-dye.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956065 | 614 | 2.453125 | 2 |
Q. Is an employer obligated to provide decent working conditions?
A. We explained last week that the main obligation of employers in Jewish law and tradition is to keep their word -- not to provide any specific level of wages and conditions. However, despite the absence of any binding formal requirement, there are a number of salient ethical principles which create a certain level of moral obligation. One we mentioned last week is lifnim mishurat hadin, making a compromise even when the strict law is on your side in a case where sticking to the letter of the law would lead to an unfair outcome given the special circumstances of the case. This week we will discuss an additional consideration which is often applicable.
When it comes to the rights of workers, the Torah mainly insists that any agreements be honored. No specific conditions are mandated. However, this is not true for an indentured servant (eved ivri). The Torah does impose extensive responsibilities on the employer/master of such a worker.
An indentured servant is a Jewish man or woman who is sold into service for a period of up to six years. In some cases these people sell their own services; in other cases they are sold in order to provide restitution for serious property crimes. (The Torah does not prescribe imprisonment for such crimes; the overall Torah approach is one of rectification rather than penalization.)
For example, it is forbidden to give an indentured servant demeaning work as if he or she were a chattel slave. Only tasks of the kind conventionally given to hired workers are permitted. "As a hired worker year by year shall he be with him; don't give him crushing labor in your sight" (Leviticus 25:53).
Another example: the Torah commands the master to give "severance pay" to the parting servant after his years of servitude are completed. "Surely grant him of your flock and your threshing-floor and your wine press; what the Lord has blessed you give him (Deuteronomy 15:14). This gift is meant to enable the newly independent worker to get an economic start in life, in an occupation wherein he acquired experience and "on the job training" by the master.
The Torah acknowledges that sometimes an indentured servant wants to stay beyond the mandatory six years, because he appreciates the job security and working environment he enjoys as a servant. "If he should say to you, I will not go out from you, for he loves you and your household and it is good for him by you" (Deuteronomy 15:16). From this verse, the Talmud infers that it is the obligation of the master to ensure that it is indeed "good for him". The indentured servant has to be treated like an ordinary member of the household. "It is taught: 'for it is good for him with you' – with you in eating, with you in drinking. So it shouldn't happen that you eat white bread while he eats coarse bread; you drink old wine while he drinks new wine; you sleep in a bed of fleece while he sleeps on a bed of straw." (1)
It is clear that the Torah here does prescribe a specific minimum level of support for an indentured servant; he has to have a living standard comparable to that of the master's and has to be given severance pay.
How would these strictures be applied to an ordinary worker? According to one opinion, all commandments applying to indentured servants apply also to hired workers. (2) But most authorities disagree with this; the special rights of an indentured servants are necessary safeguards given the fact that he is denied his freedom. But an ordinary worker is perfectly free to agree to menial or demeaning labor as long as the recompense is sufficient for him.
Even so, we find that the Sefer Hachinukh (an early guide to the rules and ethical messages of the commandments of the Torah) repeatedly reminds us that the underlying reasons for these commandments can also apply to ordinary workers. For example, regarding the prohibition on demeaning labor, he writes: "Even though it is not obligatory nowadays, because there are no indentured servants, even so it is appropriate to take care with this commandment even today with poor people in his household, and to be very scrupulous about it. And he should remember that wealth and poverty are a revolving wheel in the world." (3)
This would apply particularly to a domestic worker, for this is the situation of an indentured servant as well as the example of the Sefer Hachinukh, who refers to "poor people in his household."
Likewise, regarding the commandment to give the parting servant a substantial gift to give him a start in life, the Sefer HaChinukh writes: "Even nowadays the wise person will hear and learn the lesson, that if he hired a fellow Israelite who served him for a long time, or even shorter, that he should grant him at his departure from whatever blessing he obtained from God." (4) And we find that many contemporary authorities cite this mitzvah as one rationale for mandatory severance pay as it is customary nowadays. (5)
So while the Torah does not mandate any particular level of salary or working conditions, the privileges given an indentured servant point to an ideal of a workplace where the worker has access to basic amenities as accepted among normal households, and a workplace which demonstrates appreciation for achievements and contributes to the worker's independence. These ideals will not be applicable in every workplace or in every situation, and after all someone does need to be hired to do menial tasks! But, as the Sefer Hachinukh, points out they are something to keep in mind, and to make the employer display empathy and give some thought to how he would feel as an employee in his own workplace.
SOURCES: (1) Babylonian Talmud Kiddushin 20a. (2) Responsa Maharam Rotenburg IV:85. (3) Sefer Hachinukh 346. (4) Sefer Hachinukh 482 (5) See e.g. Responsa Minchat Yitzchak VI 167.
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The Jewish Ethicist is a joint project of Aish.com and the Business Ethics Center of Jerusalem. To find out more about business ethics and Jewish values for the workplace, visit the Business Ethics Center of Jerusalem at www.besr.org. | <urn:uuid:f3f1d840-fd4c-4d7c-907a-b3f936c388d0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aish.com/ci/be/48909957.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963816 | 1,389 | 2.4375 | 2 |
Buffalo City, North Carolina was a logging and moonshine town in Dare County, North Carolina. It was on the mainland, 19 miles (31 km) west of Manteo near present-day Manns Harbor. The marshy land where Buffalo City once stood, near U.S. 64, is now part of the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. The town's history lasted approximately 80 years from the 1870s to 1950s, but at one time Buffalo City’s population of 3,000 in the early 20th century made it the largest community in Dare County. A hotel, post office, schoolhouse, general store, 100 miles (161 km) of railroad track, and rows of homes once stood on the now-abandoned area. Today, the only remnants of the ghost town include a road sign, rusted rails, and building debris now overgrown with weeds.
Founded shortly after the Civil War by the Buffalo Timber Company, Buffalo City was constructed on the north side of Milltail Creek by African-American laborers and more than 200 Russian immigrants. Many of these immigrants stayed and worked at the new logging town and composed half of the town’s population. The area surrounding Milltail Creek was harvested for juniper, cypress, and pine trees and became the largest logging operation in Northeastern North Carolina. Lumbers were paid 50 cents each day, although money was in the form of company-made aluminum pieces that were only good in Buffalo City. All purchases at the general store were made with this money.
On October 11, 1889, the first post office was opened in Buffalo City. According to National Archive records, Charles A. Whallou delivered the mail to citizens of the town. Over the next decade, the forests surrounding Buffalo City were heavily depleted. The Buffalo Timber Company closed their operations and the post office was shut down in 1903. In 1907, the Dare Company purchased the forest and resumed logging operations. The post office was reopened on February 29, 1908. The town’s name was changed to Daresville, although the post office and citizens still used the Buffalo City title. The town's logging industry prospered throughout the 1910s and early 1920s. There were approximately 100 miles (160 km) of railroad tracks built throughout the logging area. Mules carried felled trees from lumber camps to the nearest railroad track. Freight cars then carried the wood to a transfer station at Milltail Creek and the barges took the lumber to sawmills in Elizabeth City.
In 1920, Prohibition laws were passed in the United States and moonshine became a popular way for Buffalo City citizens to make extra money. When logging camps at Buffalo City began to close in the 1920s, moonshine became the primary revenue source for citizens. Almost every family in Buffalo City operated a still. Speakeasies throughout the eastern United States sold moonshine made in Buffalo City. The liquor was made deep in the woods and transported by the same methods as logging: by mules and boats. A 30-foot (9.1 m) boat named the Hattie Creef sailed down Milltail Creek and across the Albemarle Sound to Elizabeth City, where the liquor was sold. The boat returned with large amounts of sugar, an ingredient in making moonshine. Federal prohibition enforcers, called revenuers, began to crack down on Buffalo City’s moonshine industry. Several men in the town were sentenced to jail.
When prohibition ended in 1933, Buffalo City’s economy was severely affected. With the loss of moonshine revenue, citizens began focusing on the logging industry once again. Most good timber had already been felled, but the sawmill continued to operate for the next two decades. Outbreaks of cholera, typhoid, smallpox and the flu swept throughout the community in the 1940s. The combination of these diseases and lack of work resulted in Buffalo City’s population declining to 100 people. The sawmill closed in the early 1950s and the town was abandoned.
The Richmond Cedar Works company bought the surrounding land, but eventually sold it to Prulean Farms, a subsidiary of Prudential Financial. During the 1970s, Prulean Farms ran an agricultural operation on the land surrounding the abandoned town. In 1984, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service acquired the land and formed the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, a haven for black bears and the endangered red wolf.
Buffalo City centered around its main street, Buffalo City Road, a 10-foot (3 m) dirt road that stretched from East Lake to Milltail Creek. Three roads, approximately 150 ft (46 m) in length, ran perpendicular to the main street and a fourth curved around the north side of the town. Because of the soft ground on which the town was constructed, the streets were covered with sheets of wood and sawdust to prevent citizens' sinking into the mud. The buildings were constructed of wood that could not be sold by the lumber company. Homes were painted either red or white. Red homes were occupied by white workers and homes painted white were used for blacks and immigrants. A railroad track was constructed on Buffalo City Road that brought the lumber from logging camps deep in the forest. Buffalo City did not have a police station or elected officials, and so a stockade was built in the center of town. | <urn:uuid:cec77972-a0a1-4e33-bc55-9b3ed4428fae> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thefullwiki.org/Buffalo_City%2C_North_Carolina | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976397 | 1,099 | 3.125 | 3 |
(EXPRESS-NEWS FILE PHOTO)
Mayor Julián Castro leads a group out of Main Plaza as San Antonio bike enthusiasts and city officials met to raise awareness of cycling in the city in November 2009.
Must be all the bike-friendly happenings around town. In the past year, the San Antonio City Council has required lights and signs to keep cyclists safe, started a bike share program, made improvements to bike lane infrastructure a priority, designated a near-downtown bridge as open to pedestrians and cyclists only, and most importantly, approved a safe-passing ordinance. This year has also seen the installation of more bike racks downtown, a bicycle summit, downtown bike and trike tours and the beginning of a comprehensive biking habits study. Whew, I hope I didn’t forget anything!
“San Antonio has made great progress in this area,” City Manager Sheryl Sculley said in a press release. “We have enhanced our infrastructure and signage, implemented new bicycle legislation, launched a safety campaign and we continue to initiate projects that encourage San Antonians to ride bikes.”
According to the league’s website, the designation is awarded based on a committee review and feedback from local cyclists. As part of the designation, the city will receive a road sign and, like every applicant, an evaluation of where improvements for the biking community can be made.
“This award recognizes the significant progress San Antonio has made in creating a more bike-friendly and livable city,” Mayor Julián Castro said in a city press release.
The designation, which is the league’s lowest, will last for four years, at which time the city will have to reapply. In the meantime, hopefully more strides can be made to raise the city’s designation to silver, gold or even platinum!
Austin, which has been a silver-level city since 2007, is the only other Texas city on the league’s list.
For more about biking in San Antonio, check out the ultimate resource, San Antonio Bikes, a website from the city’s Office of Environmental Policy. On LivingGreenSA.com, be sure to check out the Area Bike Rides database, to find other riders’ routes in the area (or post your own!) and the Cycling Calendar, which is maintained by our friends at San Antonio Bikes.
Below are some more recent articles on biking you may enjoy reading. Stay green!
• S.A. has a fragmented network of bike lanes (part of “A Greener City” series), July 20, 2008 (Interesting to see the city’s progress!) | <urn:uuid:3b645cd1-4a1e-4670-a11e-fa57d04f109d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.mysanantonio.com/environment/2010/09/san-antonio-gets-bike-friendly-nod/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945565 | 551 | 1.921875 | 2 |
Cholera, fraudulent elections, and de facto occupation
By Patrick Sylvain, Special to the Reporter
Dec. 10, 2010
On January 19th, when Haitian president René Préval was asked by Juliana Ruhfus of Al Jazeera who was in charge of Haiti, he sarcastically replied, “the President of this country, if I remember correctly, his name is René Préval, and he is standing in front of you.”
One week following the devastating earthquake that destroyed most of the country’s government buildings and brought the already dysfunctional capital city, Port-au-Prince, to its knees, Préval gave the impression of a leader in control. Flanked by imposing figures, including representatives from the United Nations Mission to Stabilize Haiti (MINUSTAH), he appeared a world away from the chaos that was materializing in his own backyard. At that very moment, protesters were gathering outside of a police station where the government had temporarily set up camp.
In truth, Préval is not in control. Haiti is now undergoing a governmental makeover under the supervision of the United Nations -a de facto occupation that aims to stabilize the country. As a result of the country’s storied post-revolutionary past, including economic and political chastisement from the international community, a lack of foresight and institutional coherence by its own political actors, and the exploits of its various dictators, it must now bow before the international community for funding and continue to have its efforts buttressed by the United Nations security forces.
In past weeks, the nation has been afflicted with an injurious cholera epidemic that ironically is rumored to have been introduced to the country by the Nepalese contingent of MINUSTAH. In many Third World countries, cholera is perpetuated through unsanitary water and faulty waste disposal mechanisms. Although Haiti had not seen evidence of the bacteria in its waters for over 50 years, the nation’s difficulty in controlling its proliferation is testament to the failings of the government in providing for the basic needs of its citizens. “The people in Haiti are suffering. …and they are asking legitimate questions” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
The effect of the pandemic is not only biological; it is also economical with a visible political impact. On the terrain de facto occupation, where an emphasis is still on the murky electoral process not on the much-needed reconstruction, Haitians are/were baffled by the selections in the time of cholera.
As mandated by the United Nations and international donors, Haiti had to have elections so that power could be “democratically” handed over through stable and continuous governance. However, given the weaknesses and lack of institutional preparedness of most of the candidates, what hope is there for the country?
The 2010 election was a democratic charade and Haitians had to place their faith in the promise of inexperienced candidates who tinkered with hope and not much else. This is not new, but the quality of choices is a new low. Haiti has had a history of poor management by its leaders, and Haitians have been severely exploited by the bourgeoisie. A viable middle-class has yet to be created to generate stable national income and tax revenues, while the poor are relegated to subhuman conditions and general mistreatment. Even basic services like clean water, basic sanitation, and adequate nutrition are lacking.
No matter whom the successful selected candidate might be following these transparently fraudulent elections, Haiti’s weak institutional structure will likely prevent any substantive changes to the status quo. Unfortunately, the only stabilizing force is MINUSTAH - the occupying force. MINUSTAH, with 8,940 troops and a 3, 711 member police force has the mandate and the power to stabilize Haiti. However, Haitians will again have to shoulder the blame of never having fostered a cohesive national identity that is based on trust and the wellbeing of the overall population.
Ban Ki-Moon recently declared, “[W]hile some violence and disruptions on Election Day are not exceptional in Haiti, the irregularities now seem more serious than initially thought.” By this he means that, the ineptitude displayed in the fraudulent electoral scheme could not be masked by further fraud. The Secretary-General went on to say, “all involved must respect, and be seen to be respecting, the legal framework. Political leaders must put the national interest ahead of personal and partisan ambitions” (UN SG/SM/13294). Given the corruptibility of politics in Haiti and the distrust of Haitians through negative governance and given the destruction caused by the earthquake, new leaders should have sought to gain office through a valid procedure—campaigning and capturing the trust of people through concrete vision of nation building and not electoral politricking. In order for Haiti to finally achieve the dream that it envisioned in 1804, where all Haitians might be free to live in a democratic republic that inspired universal rights and dignity to all, it must reconfigure its approach to governance and nation building. Haitians must learn that the vulnerability of one Haitian is a vulnerability to all.
Patrick Sylvain is an Instructor of Haitian Laguage and Culture at Brown University. | <urn:uuid:42f1ee2e-c7a8-4d25-862a-a5a0c5bc0045> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bostonhaitian.com/node/281 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96202 | 1,075 | 2.03125 | 2 |
By BILL BARROW
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Encircled by fellow volunteers for Barack Obama, Katie Sprung scanned a clipboard full of addresses. "We don't all three go to the same house, right?" asked Sprung, one of the president's neighborhood team leaders. No, she was told _ just one volunteer per door. As they departed, another staff member said into the telephone: "We're not targeting independents anymore. We're focusing on our supporters."
Across Old Tampa Bay, Terry and Barbara Bear sat in a Mitt Romney field office. Sitting under photos of Ronald Reagan, the St. Petersburg, Fla., couple staffed phones programmed to dial households across the largest of all swing states. "I'm getting a lot of wrong numbers today," Terry Bear replied before reaching a live Republican voter, whom he asked to vote early. "Well, thank you for your support, ma'am," he said. "It's time for a change in this country."
Sprung and the Bears, and thousands of volunteers like them around the country, help anchor what politicos call the "ground game" or "GOTV" _ get out the vote _ that turns months of work into actual votes. For all the campaigns' sophisticated marketing research, hundreds of millions of dollars of advertising and the emphasis on nationally televised debates, the outcome could rest on these volunteer surrogates and their outreach.
"We believe that above all of the other action, that personal contact is what is so important in making people feel a connection, like they are part of something bigger in the country," said Ron Brown, a retired engineer and Obama neighborhood team leader in Seminole, Fla.
That sentiment, it's safe to say, goes right to the top. "This will probably be a turnout election, where people working hard, bringing folks into the polls who might otherwise say, `Oh it's just one vote,'" Romney told an overflow crowd in Wisconsin on Friday. "Let me tell you, one vote times a hundred thousand is a hundred thousand."
The ground-game effort mixes two equally pivotal disciplines _ the science of analyzing data to identify likely or potential supporters and the art of personal contact, all the while trying not to alienate battleground residents who, frankly, sometimes get tired of all the attention.
"Well, the way to not get any more calls is to tell us you've voted," Terry Bear told one man who answered the phone.
Four years ago, Obama's organization ran circles around John McCain's. In 2004, it was the Republican infrastructure that won out, helping President George W. Bush to a close but decisive re-election. Those two successes are precisely what the campaigns are trying to replicate, says Brett Doster, a Tallahassee GOP strategist for Romney's Florida campaign.
Each camp has put a lot of energy into registering new voters and is pushing early voting in states that allow it. The latter approach is, for Republicans, a newer emphasis. In Florida, they've largely succeeded in cutting into the early leads that Obama amassed in 2008. Republicans say that's evidence of momentum that will carry though to Election Day. Democrats counter that the GOP is simply moving reliable votes from the Election Day tally to the early voting totals.
Besides the usual door-knocking and phone calls and other now-expected techniques _ the deployment of political and entertainment celebrities and the use of social media, which dwarfs the 2008 campaign _ the campaigns use creative, even quirky tactics. They also cultivate nuances from state to state as they tailor messages to turnout efforts.
In Ohio, Obama trumpets the auto bailouts around cities with car plants and suppliers. In Colorado, the Romney team is trying to drive up rural turnout, not usually a focus in that state's campaigns. In Florida, Romney has dispatched former Gov. Jeb Bush and Sen. Marco Rubio to talk with small groups of non-Cuban Hispanics in central Florida. Democrats here are trying to make inroads with younger Cubans, whose parents and grandparents are hard-line, anti-Castro Republicans. They also want to peel off older Republicans who might go with Obama because of Medicare and Social Security.
Romney's top pollster, Neil Newhouse, said this week that independents will make the difference. That squares with the assignment handed to Romney volunteer Sarah Partin. As early voting began, the University of South Florida-St. Petersburg senior was in Tierra Verde, an upper middle class, GOP-leaning enclave of Pinellas County, to knock on the doors of undeclared voters.
"It's my job to figure out whether we can count on them," she said. "Mostly, I explain personally what makes me support Romney. We just have to be as nice as possible."
'Star Trek' falls short of studio hopes; 'Iron Man 3' tops $1B worldwide.
An 800-pound alligator? That's not bad for a first hunting trip.
Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber are the key nominees.
How much did a painting of a topless "Golden Girl" fetch? | <urn:uuid:6daa1854-df1d-4cc5-a11e-d4badda3fc33> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wtop.com/278/3104658/Obama-Romney-teams-hit-streets-for-every-vote | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958589 | 1,045 | 1.523438 | 2 |
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Alabama's public schools graduate too few students and fail to prepare them for college or careers outside of high school, panelists said today at an event hosted by the Birmingham Business Alliance and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
The two-day event, Breaking the Monopoly of Mediocrity, was part of a national tour by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Institute for a Competitive Workforce and the National Chamber Foundation that made a stop in Birmingham Thursday and today.
The event kicked off Thursday with a private screening of the movie "Won't Back Down," about two mothers -- one a teacher -- determined to transform their children's failing school. The movie stars Viola Davis, who starred in The Help, and Maggie Gyllenhaal.
But today, it was all business. Business leaders, educators, and early childhood advocates were on panels discussing various topics; such as local school boards and their effect on education; the importance of pre-kindergarten; and workforce development.
Laura Chandler, executive director of the Southwest Alabama Workforce Development Council, was a panelist discussing how to achieve a ready-to-work and engaged community.
She told of a startling statistic her group had researched in her area, mostly encompassing Mobile and Baldwin Counties.
"We looked at the percentage of those who qualified for entry-level positions vs. how many are actually applying for those positions," she said. "In our region, it was less than 17 percent."
Other just as startling statistics - such as Alabama having a 72 percent graduation rate and Birmingham city schools seeing just 55 percent of their students graduate - were thrown around too. And Phillip Cleveland made no excuses for them.
As the director of career/technical education for the Alabama Department of Education, Cleveland said he knows the state has a long way to go.
"We take ownership of what these people have said," he said. "We have a goal of taking the graduation rate from 72 percent to 90 percent by 2020. We're going to do that because learning is going to become relevant."
The state already has adopted standards and programs that focus more on making sure students are college and career ready when they graduate from high school and less on whether or not they can pass a graduation exam, he said.
Much of the problem with students being ill-prepared for careers or college, not to mention the low graduation rate, can be attributed to a lack of early childhood education, advocates said in an earlier panel.
Liz Huntley, a lawyer, an Auburn trustee, and a board member of the Alabama School Readiness Alliance, may have made the best argument for pre-kindergarten by telling her own personal story with it.
Huntley's mother and father were both drug dealers in a small town near Huntsville. She was one of five children -- four of whom had different fathers. When she was 5, her father got arrested and her mother became a heroin addict.
"She ultimately killed herself," Huntley told the audience. Before she did, she split the children up among different family members. Huntley and a sister were sent to live with their grandmother in Clanton - a grandmother who was illiterate and already had a house full.
"At that time, they were integrating the school system," Huntley said. "Chilton County schools allowed black children to come, but not the black teachers."
So the teachers banded together and started a pre-k program for 4- and 5-year olds, she said.
"I learned how to read and I learned how to write," she said. And when it came time for her to enroll in the first grade -- there was no kindergarten at that time - she showed up at the school by herself to enroll. She read signs on the wall telling her where she needed to go, found her name on a list of students and what classrooms they had been assigned to, and went to the classroom to meet her future teacher.
She sat in the middle of the room, surrounded by white parents and students. The teacher approached her and asked how she found her way to classroom alone. Huntley, who went by Elizabeth Humphrey back then, explained that she found her name and the classroom on a list.
"Now she could've labeled me as someone who had no support at home or she could've called DHR, because someone had let a 6-year-old come to the school by herself," Huntley said. "You know what that teacher said to me? 'Elizabeth Humphrey, you're going to be the brightest student I ever had.'"
"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for that pre-k classroom."
Alabama is nationally known for having one of the best pre-k programs in the nation, but ranks at the bottom for access to it. Currently, only 6 percent of 4-year-olds are enrolled in the voluntary pre-k program.
Huntley said the Alabama School Readiness Alliance will ask the state Legislature during the upcoming session to increase funding for pre-k by $12.5 million, allowing the program to be expanded to an additional 120 sites, serving more than 2,000 more students. Currently, pre-k is being funded at $19 million.
That's where corporate sponsors, non-profits and even local school districts can make a difference, she said, instead of relying on state funding to reach the state's 4-year-olds.
Jim Hansen, president of PNC Bank Alabama, who also was on the panel, said his company has made a $350 million, 20-year commitment nationally toward early childhood education. In Alabama, he said, the bank already has spent $700,000 toward this effort.
"When we look at the numbers, we feel like this is the area we can make the biggest difference," he said.
The bottom line, says Cheryl Oldham, vice president of the Institute for a Competitive Workforce, is that it takes all entities working together to make a difference.
"Today, too few students are completing their K-12 education, and increasingly, students are graduating high school without attaining the skills needed to succeed at a post-secondary institution or the workforce," she said. "Local school districts play a critical role in ensuring that students are adequately prepared to enter the workforce, and the business community must do everything in its power to ensure that these systems are supported." | <urn:uuid:337c71f5-8015-401e-a38d-1b6edd3c19c7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/01/improving_education_it_will_ta.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986353 | 1,327 | 1.875 | 2 |
November 18-19, 1999; C4, La Jolla
The first meeting of the INDOEX Harmony Workshop was well attended with representatives of most platforms and aerosol measurements present (see below). Information on the details of the meeting and basic objectives can be found on the PMEL Website -- http://saga.pmel.noaa.gov/indoex/harmony/. These include comparison periods for each platform selected and stratified according to scattering values and prevailing winds or trajectories. This report is an interim assessment that is being released before the fall AGU, 1999 so that the INDOEX community might benefit from these initial findings.
It is important to recognize that the Harmony Workshop was a first step in bringing diverse measurements and platforms together in order to gauge INDOEX success in constraining aerosol physics, chemistry and optics. On the first day, three groups provided brief summaries of available data and then met as separate groups with their co-ordinators to evaluate Chemical Measurements (P. Quinn), Optical Measurements (J. Ogren) and Size Distribution Measurements (A. Clarke). A brief synopsis of preliminary group findings can be found below.
The second day groups met together and opportunities for assessing the links between measurements were explored. Since side by side comparison of the platforms were rare, efforts were made to identify features (Common Products: - such as ratios of measurements – scattering to mass (Dp<1 µm), single scatter albedo, BC/OC/TC, BC/SO4 , single scatter albedo, coarse to fine mass etc.) with the notion that these properties should be common to most platforms under similar aerosol conditions (provided sampling characteristics were similar). Progress was made in several areas but, given the limited time for such comparisons, it is important that these efforts be continued between investigators. Towards this end a variety of ONE ON ONE comparison topics were identified and names were attached to them for carrying out these studies. These are listed below and will be added to the website where progress will be posted. It is expected that others not at the workshop may wish to join some of these efforts or may have other specific Harmony comparisons they are working on. If you are one of those, you are encouraged to contact and work with those identified on the list below or to suggest another topic of your own. These comparisons are important to the use of the INDOEX data set and it is hoped that prompt attention to these efforts will result in a brief report submitted to update our understanding. These reports will be added to the website when available.
INTERIM SUMMARY REPORTS
Shapes of most distributions agree well for max/min half widths and peak position except for C-130 wing probes.Supermicometer:
Mass mean "dry" geometric Dp varies between 0.3 and 0.4 µm for following instruments:
DMA on RB (Bates, Ift)
DMA + OPC on C-130 (Clarke)
DMA on KCO (Cantrell)
Moudi Impactor on KCO (Cass) after correcting for "wet" collection and aerodynamic size.
Preliminary indication that RB DMA concentration (not shape) may be low by about 30% is being investigated.
C-130 Wing probe data appears to show significant undercounting in the 0.2-0.4 µm size range
KCO – no data on hand yetScatter/Mass comparisons (Submicrometer)
RB – APS shows peak near 3 µm is common – (sea-salt generally)
C-130 – Wing probe shows one volume peak variable near 2 µm and sometimes a peak near 10 µm ( not able to be measured by other instruments). (needs more work)
C-130 – OPC peak near 3m m but not pronounced. Expect this is reduced by a factor of 3 or more due to inlet losses. Needs more work.
KCO – 8 gravimetric measurements of samples from Moudi Impactor ranged from 2.5-6.0 m2 gm-1 with average of 3.28 m2 gm-1 for scattering at 40% (Cass).
C-130 – 20 Measurements with OPC (at 30m alt.) and at about 40%RH. Values ranged 2.0-5.0 m2gm-1 with average 3.07 m2gm-1; density assumed 1.7gm m-3.
C-130 - A. Andreae obtained most values near 6-8 m2gm-1 but does not include unanalyzed species.
RB – 22 measurements of gravimetric mass and the scattering coefficient at 55% RH resulted in a range of 3.8 to 6.5 m2 gm-1 and an average of 4.7 m2 gm-1 (Quinn).
Fine aerosol chemical composition was compared for measurements from the C130 (stacked filter units, size cut of 1 – 2 mm at RH of airplane inlet), KCO (Moudi, D < 1 µm and D < 1.8 µm, bulk filter D < 2.5 mm, and Sierra, D < 1.14 µm, all collecting aerosol at ambient RH), and the Ron Brown (Berner, D < 0.5 and D < 1.0 µm at 55% RH). All size cuts are given in aerodynamic diameter. The number concentration of aerosol particles containing specific chemical components, as derived from the ATOFMS measurements, was also compared for the 0.2 to 1.0 and 1.0 to 2.5 µm size ranges.
These comparisons are preliminary as no uncertainties or standard deviations were taken into account. In addition, for some species only a subset of the samples from a given platform have been analyzed. Therefore, future work includes listing uncertainties and/or standard deviations and adding all analyzed samples to the comparison.
1. Fine sulfate
Agreement between platforms is within uncertainty of size cuts and natural variability although the KCO bulk filter (D < 2.5 µm) gives higher values suggesting an influence of coarse aerosol not observed in the samplers with a lower size cut.
Low scattering regime: Concentrations range from a low of 0.6 µg
m-3 for the Southern Indian Ocean to 3 µg m-3
for trajectories from the Arabian Sea. The Southern Indian Ocean values
are near Pacific marine boundary layer concentrations.
Medium scattering regime: Concentrations range from 2 to 6 µg m-3.
High scattering regime: Concentrations range from 4 to 13 µg m-3. Highest values are similar to those measured over the NE United States.
For all scattering regimes, number concentrations from the ATOFMS confirm
that the majority of sulfate is found in the submicron size range.
2. Fine potassium (water soluble for all measurements except the ATOFMS) – a tracer of combustion.
At this point, measurements are available from the C130 and the Ron Brown. Agreement between these two platforms is good and certainly within the uncertainty of the measurements.
Low scattering regime: Concentrations range from 0.003 over the Southern
Indian Ocean to 0.07 in trajectories coming from the Bay of Bengal.
Medium scattering regime: Concentrations range from 0.04 (BoBNE) to 0.4 (BoBE).
High scattering regime: Concentrations range from 0.2 to 0.5 and are equally high for BoBNE, BoBE, and AS trajectories.
Both the Berner and the ATOFMS measurements indicate that for the non-Southern
Indian Ocean air masses, K+ in the submicron size range has
a non-sea salt, combustion source.
3. Fine sodium – a tracer of sea salt.
Values are available from the C130, the KCO Sierra, and the Ron Brown
Berner. C130 values range from 0.02 to 0.35, Sierra from 0.07 to 0.14,
and Berner from 0.05 to 0.08 mg m-3.
The higher values from the C130 and the KCO Sierra are most likely a result
of a wider size cut and the inclusion of coarse mode sea salt in the submicron
4. Fine NH4/SO4= molar ratio
Southern Indian Ocean ratios were lowest indicating a lack of gas phase ammonia available for sulfate neutralization and ratios from Arabian Sea trajectories were highest. Based on a comparison of Berner < 0.5 µm and < 1.0 µm values, the NH4+ is confined to particles less than 0.5 µm in diameter.
C130 and KCO Sierra values were slightly higher than KCO Moudi and Ron
Brown Berner values.
5. Fine aerosol mass.
Gravimetrically determined values from KCO Moudis and Ron Brown Berners and the sum of analyzed chemical components from the C130 and KCO Sierra were compared. A lack of a statistically significant number of samples makes a rigorous comparison difficult. The preliminary results, however, indicate that, for each of the scattering regimes, values from all platforms agreed within uncertainties and natural variability.
Low scattering regime: Concentrations are around 1 µg m-3
for the Southern and Northern Indian Oceans, 6 µg m-3
for the Bay of Bengal trajectories, and 1.4 µg m-3 for
the Arabian Sea trajectories. The Southern and Northern Indian Ocean values
are similar to those reported for the Pacific.
Medium scattering regime: 10 to 16 µg m-3 for the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea trajectories.
High scattering regime: 12 to 21 µg m-3 for the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea trajectories. These values are similar to those found over the NE United States (low end) and Los Angeles (high end).
6. Fine total and black carbon
Values are available from the C130, the KCO Moudi, the Ron Brown Berner and, for total carbon, from the ATOFMS. Many samples still have to be analyzed so these results are preliminary.
Agreement between platforms for both total and black carbon is very good (within a few percent) but the comparison must be repeated once all data are available. In addition, a comparison of black carbon concentrations with measured absorption coefficients is yet to be done.
Low scattering regime: Total carbon concentrations are around 1 µg
m-3 and black carbon is about half of that.
Medium scattering regime: Total carbon ranges from 1 to 2 µg m-3 and black carbon 0.4 to 1 µg m-3.
High scattering regime: Total carbon ranges from 3 to 9 µg m-3 and black carbon 2 to 3 µg m-3.
The ATOFMS measurements indicate that the majority of the carbon (by
number) is in the submicron size range.
7. Fine BC/TC and BC/SO4 ratios.
The BC/TC ratio showed no trend with scattering level but this could be a function of too few samples for an accurate representation of the INDOEX aerosol. Values ranged from 0.24 to 0.7 and appeared to be more variable on the C130 (0.24 to 0.45) than at KCO (0.6) or the Ron Brown (0.62 – 0.67). The ACE 2 shipboard average value was 0.35.
The BC/SO4 ratio was variable across air masses and platforms
(0.14 to 0.84). More data are needed and will become available as samples
are analyzed. At this point, the ratio is uniformly higher than the ACE
2 average value of 0.09.
C. Optical Properties
Aerosol light scattering and absorption coefficients were measured on the C-130, Ron Brown, Sagar Kanya, and at KCO. Independent systems for measuring light scattering and absorption were operated in parallel at KCO during the IFP by the University of Miami and NOAA/CMDL. Side-by-side comparisons of about 24 hours duration are available between the Ron Brown and KCO, and between the Ron Brown and Sagar Kanya. The C-130 performed ten fly-bys past KCO, and one past the Ron Brown. Representatives from all these platforms attended the workshop. Initial comparisons showed agreement among the light absorption measurements to within about 20% for all the comparisons. Similar agreement was obtained for all the light scattering measurements, with one exception: light scattering coefficients on the Ron Brown were about 70% higher than the values measured at KCO during the 24-hour comparison. The cause of this discrepancy is not yet known.
The chemical size distributions measured at KCO by the Caltech group were used to calculate aerosol light scattering coefficients, as a function of wavelength and relative humidity, as well as the aerosol light absorption coefficient. The initial results were very promising, with agreements generally within 10-20% for all three wavelengths (450, 550, 700 nm) and for relative humidities in the range 40-90%
Preliminary comparisons of the optical depth measured by the shadowband radiometers on the C-130 were made with vertical profiles of light scattering and absorption coefficients measured on the same platform, for two cases. Layer-averages of light scattering and absorption coefficients were visually determined from printed graphs, and rough adjustments for relative humidity and wavelength differences between the two measurement approaches were applied. The results of these crude comparisons were very encouraging, with agreement to within about 10%.
ONE ON ONE Harmony Comparison Efforts:
C-130 = NCAR Aircraft; RB = Ron Brown; KCO = Kaashidhoo; SK= Sagar Kanya
Howell/ Cantrell: C-130 and KCO DMA Size Distribution data
Bates/ Cantrell: RB and KCO DMPS Size data
Guazzoti/Cantrell: OPC Size Comparison RB/KCO
Quinn/Jayaraman: RB/ SK light scattering and absorption comparison.
Ogren/Kirschtetter: Light Absorption and BC on C-130
Quinn: Light Absorption and BC on RB
Howell/Andreae Chemical mass and OPC volume closure on C-130
Howell/Anderson/Kirschtetter/Ogren: Composition, Size vs. OPC and BC on C-130
Guazzotti/Anderson: Chemical composition by Size – ATOMS and E-microscopy
Ogren/Quinn: RB vs C-130, Sing. Scatt. Albedo, f, Angstrom, Angstrom vs. f
Maring/Ogren: KCO scattering and absorption harmony
Clarke/ Howell and all: Collect and compare mass scattering efficiencies
Bates/Quinn/Ogren: KCO/RB nephelometer side by side comparison issue
Coffee/Howell/Cantrell: KCO/C-130 OPC data comparison
Cass/Quinn: Compare f(RH) approaches (density too?)
Novakov/Andreae/Cachier/Neuss BC/OC/TC comparison
Ogren/Howell: Summary of KCO and C-130 appropriate comparison times
Gandrud/Guazzotti/Cass: Wing Probe C-130 and KCO OPC data – supermicron
Cass/Prather: Mass comparisons of species and aerosol components
M. O. Andreae | <urn:uuid:4bdb2df8-47ed-44d5-87a5-e1c8b6f77543> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://saga.pmel.noaa.gov/Field/indoex/harmony/HARMONYRep99.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914671 | 3,238 | 1.789063 | 2 |
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Our key agenda is to bring about qualitative improvements in governance so as to provide better services to the common man, asserts Rajasthan Principal Secretary(IT&C) Shreemat Pandey
Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) has been identified as an important strategic tool to bring about improvements in the productivity and performance of the government and to inculcate deeper citizen involvement within the governing process, while taking steps to bridge the prevalent digital divide.
The vision of the state government : “The Government of Rajasthan would leverage Information & Communication Technology (ICT) not only as a tool for improving governance and employment opportunities, but also more significantly as a means to enhance the quality of life & bridging the socio-economic divide in the state.”
Rajasthan is the first state in the country to have a full-fledged Department of Information Technology, established with the advent of IT sector in the country in 1985-86, with more than 3,000 qualified IT professionals working towards realising the e-Governance vision of the state.
In order to provide thrust to e-Governance initiatives across all departments and to make it central to the planning and monitoring process, the state government has taken an enabling stride by allowing all departments to utilise three percent of their respective Plan Budget, for citizen-centric e-Governance initiatives.
It is a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country. Subsequently, it has been made mandatory for departments with citizen interface to roll out at least two citizen services on an end-to-end basis through the CSCs as part of their e-Governance Plan.
The state government’s focus is to use ICT to deliver e-Government that is better equipped to respond to the enhanced aspirations of its people in terms of 24×7 availability of quality government services. The aim is to enable a paradigm shift from the government-centric system to a citizen-centric system of governance, while improving the level of governance within the government departments.
The ICT infrastructure
To transform this vision to reality, the Department of IT&C has put in place the essential ICT infrastructure. We set up a state-of-the-art State Data Centre (SDC) in 2005 from state funds. This data centre acts as the core of the state-level information infrastructure, which in turn integrates geographically distributed data depositories. Subsequently, the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) funded SDC was also made operational in June 2011 in the new IT building and has been accorded ISO certification.
Similarly, to provide effective administration aimed at facilitating faster decision-making, greater participation and better service delivery to the common man, the Secretariat Local Area Network (SecLAN) was put in place in the year 2005. Currently more than 5,000 nodes are operational within this network. The network has since then been expanded to the Metropolitan Area Network, connecting 43 government buildings to the State Secretariat – the hub of entire administrative activities of the state.
The Rajasthan State Wide Area Network (RSWAN) is in its advanced stages of completion. The network would provide the backbone connectivity to all the vertical and horizontal government locations across the state. With more than 5,000 offices being connected horizontally,the RSWAN is poised to be the largest SWAN in the whole country.
Common Service Centre (CSC) is yet another infrastructure pillar of e-governance that the state government is building in order to ensure “anytime anywhere” web-enabled delivery of government services. The CSC is the the front end for delivering a range of government services and it is worth noting that we are the pioneers of this project.
The Lokmitra Project for urban areas and the Janmitra Project for rural areas – implemented by the state government back in 2002 and then integrated under the brand name of e-Mitra in 2005 – were aimed at creating IT-enabled integrated citizen service delivery system in the form of kiosks. This is where the CSC picked up and was mandated under the NeGP in 2008. As of date, more than 19 lakh transactions are being executed per month through the CSCs in the state.
e-Governance: Citizen at the helm of affairs
Connectivity without content is of no use to anybody. Hence, a number of IT initiatives for citizen-centric service delivery are being implemented and more are in the pipeline.
The first and foremost priority of any government is to ensure citizen satisfaction. We have made an effort in this direction by setting up e-SUGAM – a single window system that ensures delivery of services related to district/ tehsil administration in such a way that the citizens can effortlessly access the services related to caste certificates, domicile certificates, solvency certificate, income certificate, mutation of agricultural land, arms license renewal, etc.
The project acts as a one-stop shop for government services and has broken down barriers by seamlessly linking these services. Up to November 2012, 43,44,590 applications were received in total, out of which 41,27,982 certificates have been issued.
In order to retain the faith of citizens in the Government functioning, our endeavour is to redress any and all government services related grievances of the common man.
For this purpose, we have provided a unique electronic means to the citizens for public grievance registration and redressal through the SUGAM PG Portal – a single-window web-enabled system. Besides the conventional methods of land, e-mail and telephone calls, citizens now have the convenience of registering and monitoring their grievances through the Internet from their homes or from a centre nearest to their homes. Totally 1,36,701 grievances were received through the portal up to November 2012, out of which 99,180 have been disposed off.
Another significant service having a perennial demand, equally in urban and rural areas, relates to the issuance of various certificates for which the citizens had to visit and re-visit the related departments and authorities earlier. In order to eradicate the problem of long queues, time wastage, travel and cost, an online facility of issuing legally-valid and digitally-signed certificates has been launched.
The certificates can be applied for and obtained through Internet from home/single window/kiosk. Currently, the certificates for bonafide resident, caste, income, and solvency are being issued through this facility. The facility is being enhanced to issue other digitally-signed certificates, licenses etc. The popularity and the success of this service can be assessed from the fact that every month approximately 1.5 lakh digitally-signed certificates are being issued.
All of us know that man has always considered agricultural land to be the most valuable asset that any person can possess. In order to facilitate easy and quick transfer of ownership, division and usage of this immovable property – physically and on records – what better way than there be than to digitise the land records of the state?
We were amongst the first states to computerise all land records with major process re-engineering and we have now amended Rajasthan Land Revenue (Land Records) Rules, 1957.
The major achievements of this initiative include replacement of manual handwritten Jamabandi by digitally-signed Jamabandi as the only authentic land ownership record, making Record of Rights (RoR) perennial from quadrennial, thus ensuring regular updated of land records. Major changes in the mutation process have been adopted by making it compulsory to record changes in mutation to online Jamabandi.
Niwai tehsil in Tonk district of the state has been taken up on pilot basis to implement provisioning of digitally-signed Jamabandi to its citizen. The same is to be rolled out in all tehsils in a phased manner.
Moreover, many more citizen-centric and back-office related e-Governance projects are being rolled out by several government departments within Rajasthan. For quick rollout of services and rapid implementation of e-Governance projects, we have laid down guidelines under which generic applications like IT-enabled grievance redressal, e-library, e-office, e-procurement, etc, are being developed by the Department of IT&C, and applications addressing the department-specific needs are being developed by the concerned departments themselves.
In order to facilitate better availability of medical and health services to the citizens, we have implemented Arogya Online – a hospital e-enablement system. Under the project, complete IT-implelmentation of SMS Hospital, Jaipur, has been done. The project is also being implemented in 15 district hospitals, six medical colleges and their associated hospitals.
Another project of the Medical & Health Department is Pregnancy Child Tracking & Health Services Management System (PCTS). Visualising such a system was important which had no precedence anywhere in the country. The project was put to use in 2008 and has resulted in significant improvement in the delivery of health services. Through service messages on mobiles, citizens, health workers and the government departments are able to connect on an one-to-one basis.
As a means to further help the common man, facilitation of online filling of application forms for vacancies published by the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) has been provided to the aspiring candidates. This has helped in saving time and cost, avoided postal delays, made admit cards available online, and has also brought about clarity, efficiency and transparency in the working process at RPSC
|IT infrastructure Services1. No government department / organiations to set up own|
2. All departments / organisations to enable their application software to provide services through CSC
Generic Application Software
The following generic applications are available to be used by all departments. They should not develop similar applications at their level.
Hassle-free business with government
While providing convenience to citizens is the primary mandate, we are also facilitating the government- business communication in a major way.
The state governemnt has put in place a mechanism called Single Window Clearance System (SWCS)–an e-Governance initiative for effective, accountable and transparent process of receiving and responding to investment proposals.
It provides a single interface across various departments viz. Bureau of Investment Promotion, Industry, District Industry Centres and other government departments. Further, to strengthen the Single Window System and to give it a statutory status, he state government has introduced a Single Window Act which allows according permissions, invoking and using clearance mechanism within specified time.
For transparency in e-procurement and bidder facilitation, the procurement process within the government departments has been e-enabled and an e-Procurement system has been made mandatory for all departments / autonomous bodies / government undertakings for processing tenders having value of Rs 50 lakh and above through the e-procurement portal of the Rajasthan Government only. In case of PWD, this limit has been reduced to Rs 25 lakh.
Another project called, Rajasthan VAT-IT – an integrated and automated IT system – has been implemented by the Commercial Taxes Department catering to tax payers as well as assesses. The project enables e-registration, e-payment, electronic filing of returns, provision of electronic C-forms besides other routine transactions.
The Rajasthan State Excise Department (RSED) On-line Project facilitates electronic creation, control, monitoring and administration of all types of liquor licenses, permits for all distilleries, breweries, bonds, contractors, wholesalers, shops, hotels, bars, etc, as well as liquor shops in the state of Rajasthan.
Similarly, the aim of making the Department of Mines and Geology (DMG) It-enabled was to improve the system of record keeping, efficient monitoring and control of the various processes and better information dissemination to the stakeholders through an interactive web portal. The stakeholders of the project include miners, lease holders, prospecting minerals exploration companies, various government departments like the Forest Department, Legal Department, Revenue Department & Ancillary Department.
Better governance within government
With a view to improve the quality and level of governance within the government, several initiatives for efficient intra-government communication have also been implemented. The e-Office Application is underway, of which one module – File Tracking & Monitoring System (FTMS) – has already been implemented in a few key departments of the State Secretariat.
The Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) – an e-Governance initiative of the Government of Rajasthan for effective, accountable and transparent Public Finance Management – has been implemented as an umbrella system covering all modular systems and their integration to ultimately achieve the computerisation of state wide financial transactions and efficient monitoring, including facility for e-payment.
Similarly, an all comprehensive state-wide Human Resource Management System (HRMS) is on the anvil.
Additionally, some departments like Disaster Management & Relief, NREGS, etc, have already implemented their own MIS systems, thus resulting in quick analysis and decision-making.
The State Legislative Assembly is an esteemed institution and the question hour is a vital issue in the proceedings of any State Assembly. Online Answering System (OASYS) – an all-comprehensive online solution, implemented in the state and being used by all the government departments – has helped plug the time delays involved in the delivery and response to questions raised in the Vidhan Sabha. It involves use of digital signatures and SMSes. Again, we are the pioneers to use this system, implemented in 2012, which is now being replicated by other legislative assemblies.
Tapping the potential: Developing expertise in e-Governance
ICT can only be harnessed if appropriate capacity for technology absorption is built. The supply side of e-Governance ecosystem has to become at par with the demand side. In order to ensure this, we have taken steps for adequate capacity building of government personnel across the state. IT literacy has been made mandatory for entry level selection for ministerial posts in the government sector.
Incentives are being provided to government personnel who qualify the IT courses offered by IGNOU and Rajasthan Knowledge Corporation Limited, an organisation set up with the aim of facilitating easy, affordable, recognised IT courses to the masses as well as the government personnel.
Rajasthan is also one of the major beneficiaries of the central government’s e-Governance Champion Programmes for government officers. Nearly ten officers are being nominated every year since the last three years to various programmes sponsored by the Government of India at T A Pai Management Institute, Manipal, and IIM, Indore.
With the collective vision, commitment, technological, managerial and entrepreneurial skills within the government, Rajasthan is well poised to usher in a new era in e-Governance. | <urn:uuid:5be6e463-8dd6-4271-818e-10ddf28dee19> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://egov.eletsonline.com/2012/12/rajasthan-good-governance-through-e-governance/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948265 | 3,067 | 1.71875 | 2 |
A practical new approach to holographic video could also enable 2-D displays with higher resolution and lower power consumption.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--NASA's first X-ray astronomy spacecraft mission since 1980--the X-ray Timing Explorer (XTE)--is scheduled to be placed in orbit soon carrying a trio of instruments, one designed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, that will probe the Milky Way and the more remote areas of space.
The instrument designed by a team at MIT's Center for Space Research (CSR) will make sure the other two don't miss anything exciting. It is called the All Sky Monitor (ASM).
Professor Hale Bradt of the Department of Physics is principal investigator for the CSR team. Alan M. Levine, a CSR principal research scientist, is the project scientist.
The mission has several unique aspects, including the fact that all of the observing time is available to the international community of scientists. On many missions, blocks of observing time are reserved for the principal scientists.
Also unique is the XTE's ability to detect and record X-ray events in sub-millisecond time, its rapid response ability--thanks to the ASM--and its sensitivity, which ranges from 2-200 keV (kilo-electron volts).
Another contribution to the mission by the MIT team was the design, fabrication and testing of a new, powerful flight data system, the Experiment Data System (EDS), which preprocesses X-ray data from the ASM and from one of the other two instruments on board. Data are then transmitted continuously for almost the entire orbit--1.5 hours--via NASA's orbiting Tracking Data Relay Satellite System. The EDS contains eight independent event analyzers that work in parallel, two processing data from one instrument and six processing data from the other, making it possible to do several analyses simultaneously.
The primary objective of the XTE mission, sponsored by NASA's Office of Space Science and Applications, is the time and spectral study of compact objects, which include white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes. The spacecraft has been designed to remain in low-earth circular orbit for at least two years with a goal of five years.
The other instruments on board, designed by teams at Goddard Space Flight Center and the University of California at San Diego, will work together as a powerful "telescope," examining a single source in a one-degree field of view for long periods of time. Their energy range spans from 2-200 keV (kilo-electron volts) and they can study time scales from microseconds to hours or days.
Meanwhile, the ASM will act as the "look out," sweeping 80 percent of the sky every 90 minutes as it monitors the intensities and spectra of the brightest sources--about 75 in number.
This constant vigilance is necessary because some X-ray sources are only occasionally active. For example, most of the time matter from the normal star in a binary system--two stars orbiting each other, shackled by their mutual gravity--will not flow onto its companion neutron star. But occasionally this flow, called accretion, can suddenly become very strong and will appear in the sky as a brilliant X-ray flare before disappearing from sight as accretion slows or stops. If the MIT All Sky Monitor spots an event like this, it will alert scientists on the ground to reorient the spacecraft so that the sensitive instruments point in the right direction.
"The flaring source can be acquired within several hours of its initial detection," Professor Bradt said. "This relatively rapid response to unpredictable temporal phenomena is one of the major new features of XTE."
The ASM has three wide-angle scanning shadow cameras, each consisting of a position-sensitive proportional counter--a relative of the Geiger tube--behind a random slit mask. The mask casts an X-ray shadow on the proportional counter. The total collecting area is 90 square centimeters. A pinhole camera would be a very low-tech analogy.
X-ray astronomy has led to many exciting discoveries, including accreting neutron-star binaries, hot gases in clusters of galaxies and black-hole candidates.
Among X-ray astronomers, black-hole "sightings" are high on the list of hoped-for events the mission will see. Black holes are celestial objects so dense, it is theorized, that nothing, not even light, can escape them. They have not been observed directly, but their presence is inferred from the behavior of rapidly moving matter, such as a companion star in a binary system.
The 6,700-pound spacecraft, about 6 by 6 by 19 feet long, will be launched aboard an expendable Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral. Over the years, many people have played important roles at MIT in the project.
CSR research scientist Edward Morgan has led the EDS work, collaborating with digital engineer Dorothy Gordon, software engineer James Francis, packaging engineer Fred Kasparian, thermal engineer Ellen Sen and several technicians, including Joanne Vining, John Hughes and Mariano Hellwig, provided important assistance.
Other members of the science team include CSR research scientist Ronald Remillard, CSR staff scientist Wei Cui, and J. Garrett Jernigan of the University of California at Berkeley, formerly with the CSR, as well as project manager Dr. William Mayer, project engineer Robert Goeke, and quality assurance manager Brian Klatt.
Mechanical engineer John Tappan, analog electronic engineer Hans Govaert, electronic engineer Mike Doucette, senior technician James O'Connor and mechanical technician Myron E. Mac Innis also had a hand in the ASM. Technician Mary Briggs did quality assurance inspections of circuit boards and other components for both the ASM and the EDS.
Others involved include Stephen P. Berczuk, Robert J. Blozie, Royce E. Buehler, James R. Cook, Ann M. Davis, Michael Enright, William W. Forbes, Deborah A. Gage, Daniel R. Hanlon, Bruce Jones, Robert A. Laliberte, Mitch Lyons, Rita B. Somigliana and William J. Ward. | <urn:uuid:2cd2b8a4-eb53-4d00-b72a-bd993f144dba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/1995/xte.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934763 | 1,273 | 3.234375 | 3 |
For a teacher, the method of conveying their lesson is very important. In language teaching, especially second or foreign language learning, teacher has to applied proper method which suitable with the students' condition. One of the methods that teacher may use is Total physical response (TPR). It is a method which is used to help learning second languages. TPR is based on the assumption that human brain has ability to acquired natural language. In the other words, TPR tends to emphasize that second language learning is parallel to the mother tongue acquisition. It involves some natural process of obtaining the language.
Basically, TPR demands the physical responses/feedbacks from the learners. In a language classroom, teacher has a role just like the real parents of the students. The learning process is mainly dominated with command and respond. Teacher may use some words/utterances then students must respond with physical activity. It is useful to teach imperatives and various tenses and aspects. Besides, It can be applied for story-telling. According to James Asher, there are some principles of TPR:
- Second language learning is parallel to first language learning and should reflect the same naturalistic processes
- Listening should develop before speaking
- Children respond physically to spoken language, and adult learners learn better if they do that too
- Once listening comprehension has been developed, speech devlops naturally and effortlessly out of it.
- Adults should use right-brain motor activities, while the left hemisphere watches and learns
- Delaying speech reduces stress.
Since this method involved the spoken language and the activities, it will encourage students in learning, especially for young learners. Young learners like to move or do many activities rather than stay in their comfortable chairs. In the TPR classroom, They may not bored with the lesson. Teachers may construct activity involving the use of words and physical activities. They can use interactive games, such as Simon Says, and many more. | <urn:uuid:7b307725-3637-45b3-994f-eb237b235645> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blackkarisma.blogspot.com/2009/12/teaching-method-total-physical-response.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958261 | 393 | 4.125 | 4 |
This spectacular view is a mosaic of four high resolution images taken by the Cassini narrow angle camera on February 16, 2005 during its close flyby of Enceladus.
The view is about 300 kilometers (200 miles) across and shows the myriad of faults, fractures, folds, troughs and craters that make this Saturnian satellite especially intriguing to planetary scientists. More than 20 years ago, Voyager gave hints of a surface cut by tectonic features, and subsequent images of other icy satellites have revealed many different ways that stresses have acted on icy satellite crusts.
The new close-up images of Enceladus, which has a diameter of 504 kilometers (313 miles), show some familiar-looking features and others that are brand new, at spatial scales never before seen on Enceladus. The work required to unravel their origins, their formation sequence, and the implications for the evolution of icy solar system bodies is just beginning.
Voyager images of Enceladus, which were obtained at much poorer spatial resolution, showed terrains like those seen here. They were called "smooth plains" because they appeared to exhibit little topographic relief. However, Cassini has now viewed these terrains at almost 10 times better resolution. The new images reveal very complex systems of fractures, resurfaced terrain and in some cases, topographic relief greater than several hundred meters.
The topographic relief in these pictures is only about one kilometer, which is quite low for a small, low gravity satellite. However, this is consistent with other evidence that points to interior melting and resurfacing in Enceladus' history.
Many styles of fracturing are evident in this mosaic. Extending downward from the top center of the mosaic for hundreds of kilometers is a broad belt of complex, interwoven fractures. A huge 5 kilometer (3 mile)-wide rift dissects this belt and extends into several older-looking, distinct regions or "cells" of terrains that themselves exhibit distinct fracture patterns.
Because Cassini flew rapidly past Enceladus, the right-side images were taken from a slightly different perspective than the left.
The mosaic covers longitudes from about 254W to 296W and latitudes from 60S to the equator.
The images were taken in visible light on February 17, 2005, from distances ranging from of 26,140 to 17,434 kilometers (16,243 to 10,833 miles) from Enceladus and at Sun-Enceladus-spacecraft, or phase, angles ranging from 27 to 29 degrees. Pixel scale in the left-side image is 150 meters (492 feet) per pixel; in the right-side image, scale is 105 meters (344 feet) per pixel. The image has been contrast-enhanced to aid visibility.
The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Cassini-Huygens mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The imaging team consists of scientists from the US, England, France, and Germany. The imaging operations center and team lead (Dr. C. Porco) are based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo. | <urn:uuid:53ceda7d-00c9-420d-8f39-ce1955d9314e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ciclops.org/view.php?id=860 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932991 | 685 | 3.421875 | 3 |
From our Ask the Chef series. Hatch chiles have a limited late-summer season, so the time to get your Hatch chiles is now and the best way to preserve them is to roast them. Then you'll have them for a great hamburger addition or to spice up many of your best dishes!
Q: How do you roast and skin Hatch chiles?
A: Roasting hatch chiles brings out the rich smoky flavor of this late summer pepper. Hatch chiles can be roasted directly over a gas stove burner with adequate ventilation, under an over broiler or outside on a BBQ gas grill. Place chiles on grill and roast for about 3 minutes, or until the skin blisters and chars, tuning frequently with long tongs, until all sides are blackened. Place roasted chiles in a brown paper bag or covered bowl and let sit for 5 minutes to steam. Gently rub the blackened skin off the chiles. With the stem end intact, slice each roasted chile lengthwise and carefully remove the seeds and membrane with a knife or your fingers. | <urn:uuid:6159c483-edaa-48bb-ba15-202bc09999aa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.foodchannel.com/articles/article/how-do-you-roast-hatch-chiles/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.91829 | 221 | 1.515625 | 2 |
HHS Announces $1.5B in State Insurance Exchange Grants
Nearly a dozen states will share $1.5 billion in federal money to help build state insurance exchanges, a new marketplace created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which will give millions of Americans access to health insurance by October.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the grants Thursday, just days after announcing that the department will overlook the January deadline for states to determine whether they will set up their own insurance exchange.
This is an effort to woo more states away from having the federal government set up and run an exchange. There remains, however, the February 15 deadline for states to decide if they will partner with the federal government to run the exchanges.
In a statement, Sebelius said, "These states are working to implement the health care law and we continue to support them as they build new affordable insurance marketplaces. Starting in 2014, Americans in all states will have access to quality, affordable health insurance and these grants are helping to make that a reality."
Six states will receive Level One Exchange Establishment Grants; North Carolina stands to get the largest share:
- Delaware: $8.5 million
- Iowa: $6.8 million
- Michigan: $30.6 million
- Minnesota: $39.3 million
- North Carolina: $73.9 million
- Vermont: $2.1 million
Most of the states receiving a Level One grant, which is money awarded for one year, will spend it on consumer education and awareness, including in-person assistance programs.
- Patient Harm Data to Remain on Medicare's Hospital Compare Site
- Quiet ORs Better for Patient Safety
- Tavenner Confirmed as CMS Administrator
- CMS Seeks to 'Rapidly Reduce' Medicare Spending with $1B in Grants
- Leapfrog Hospital Safety Scores 'Depressing'
- Building a Better Healthcare Board
- Hard-Nosed About Physician Teamwork
- Case Study: Advance Care Conversations
- Healthcare Leaders Sound Off on Organized Labor
- Esther Dyson's Population Health Dream | <urn:uuid:925b397a-bb49-4daa-89c5-109dcad82434> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/content/TEC-288458/HHS-Announces-15B-in-State-Insurance-Exchange-Grants.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929563 | 434 | 1.523438 | 2 |
In the professional media industry, one fact is clear: Everything we do is about getting content to viewers, wherever they may be. The end goal, of course, is to make money off of this transaction. Clearly, if we do not have content or our content is compromised in some way, then this transaction breaks down, with serious financial consequences for the media companies involved.
This fundamental equation drives everything we do: CONTENT + VIEWERS = $$$. That is why you see the film and music industries constantly struggling with new technologies and opportunities that threaten this model. The issue of content piracy is vast, encompassing technology, legal and moral issues. Because of space constraints, we are going to have to take a different tact in this column. We are going to limit our discussion to what a broadcaster can do to ensure that content is always available, thus ensuring the success of the equation above. Specifically, in terms of securing content, what can the average broadcaster do? What steps can a broadcaster take to ensure that content is available when it is needed (not missing) and that content is not copied or stolen?
Where is the real problem?
I would posit that when it comes to content theft, broadcasters are not the problem. Why? Because, with a few exceptions, by the time most broadcasters have access to content, it has already been released by content creators in other domains, be it theater, DVD or through high-quality Internet distribution. Ten years ago, this might not have been the case, but now theft of content from broadcast facilities is the least of content producers’ worries. Before the advent of HD and commodity, high-quality consumer storage and viewing devices, broadcasters had access to content that could be extremely high-quality — and they still do. What is different now is that everyone has access to this same, high-quality content. If we are talking about securing content, and theft from broadcast facilities is not a major industry concern, then exactly what are the problems that broadcasters face in this area?
Chiefly, the biggest area of concern for broadcasters is ensuring that content is secured so that it is always available when needed. As such, the challenge is to secure content in a way to ensure that it is not accidentally erased, moved, lost or otherwise unavailable when on-air time arrives. Most vendors already provide solutions to this problem, which usually come with a price. Let’s look at this more closely.
It is important to keep a big-picture view in mind when thinking about securing content. There are many options open to the broadcaster, and as I said, almost all have associated costs. So, it is good to constantly ask whether the cost involved in a particular solution is justified by the risk of a loss of content. It may not be necessary to have every content system backed up; it may not be necessary to provide high availability on all computer networks in your facility.
As Figure 1 shows, another way to think about the worth of cost to secure content is to look at what your options are at any given time in the broadcast process, and what the cost to replace lost content is at that stage. Consider a commercial.
When a commercial order is placed, copy instructions (instructions thatdescribe when and how commercials should air) are forwarded to the broadcaster. About the same time, commercial content arrives at the station. If the content fails to arrive or is faulty in some way, there are a number of options for replacing it, and the cost of those options can be low. However, as time goes by, the number of options narrows, and the cost of the remaining options increases.
For example, early in the process, content might be replaced simply by sending another copy of the commercial by mail. However, later in the process, you might have to use overnight delivery or a satellite feed. Ultimately, if the commercial cannot be replaced, the cost of the lost content is equal to the selling price of the commercial air time. Once the time has passed, no amount of money can bring it back. Naturally, it makes sense to spend more money to ensure the security of the content as it gets closer to air. | <urn:uuid:5be6051e-e0cc-49ad-9075-c3be75502bb4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://broadcastengineering.com/automation/securing-content?page=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951686 | 850 | 1.742188 | 2 |
Cartier-Bresson's Decisive Moment Explored At Somerset House - Review
An interesting premise here, as curator William E. Ewing challenges the legacy of Henri Cartier Bresson's 'decisive moment' through a survey of post-war, pre-conceptual colour photography, as well as some more recent examples. Cartier-Bresson hated colour, as did many, for black and white was considered the higher status approach until the sixties and seventies, but rather than disrespect the most respected of photographic legends, this show tips its hat by demonstrating his far-reaching influence. The resultant show is a classy selection of some under-represented masters alongside the more well known of Cartier-Bresson's disciples.
The show is hung around four Cartier-Bresson photographs being shown in the UK for the first time. These are wonderful, but hung around them is some equally outstanding imagery. Saul Leiter's beautiful abstractions; all refractions, reflections and stolen fragments are photography as a graceful abstract expressionism. His is the city as canvas, with which to construct relationships in line, form and colour, but only insofar as a pictorialist essence is retained. Leiter's recent Steidl publication, 'Early Color' has sold out 2 editions and it is easy to see how this member of 'The New York School' of the 40's and 50's was instrumental in bringing colour photography to the towards acceptance.
Another early colour pioneer, though influenced by Cartier-Bresson more directly, is Vancouver native, Fred Herzog. Seminal in his own country, Herzog has only recently began to receive the international recognition he deserves. Using mainly Kodachrome (legendary colours slide film, now discontinued) in the 50's, Herzog made many pictures of his city that seem to highlight a Hopper-like loneliness across its wide, empty boulevards. As opposed to Cartier-Bresson, who more often froze action, or distilled moments of dynamic interaction between form and content, Herzog freezes the pause, the moment of contemplation or even the distances between people.
Images from Ernst Haas's Colour , a publication and series of exhibitions collecting much of the outstanding, observational work that Haas was himself unwilling to show, due to snobbish accusations of commercialism from the establishment, despite being both a Magnum photographer (an agency Cartier-Bresson helped set up) and widely recognised as a pre-eminent image-maker. No other photographer on show loves colour as Haas did in these images. These images reveal a joy unbridled in colour; the interstices in which an element, or a moment, are highlighted by the convergence of light and shadow. Haas's images truly reveal a sense of wonder.
More predictable inclusions, though no less significant, are Joel Meyerowitz, with some images form his masterpiece 'Intersections' series, and the great street- work of Helen Levitt. It's nice to see some Robert Walker too, who though less subtle than some other artists here, was also important in pushing the boundaries and acceptance of the use of colour in his medium. The best work from the more contemporary artists can be found in the photographs of Trent Parke, whose vision is meshes the street with the surreal and the cinematic, and the images of Ukrainian Boris Savelev, who captures a cruel grace.
What impresses most about this show, beyond the quality of the artists included and the fact that some of their best images are on display, but the sophistication with which Cartier-Bresson's influence is explored. The idea of form and content in balance, the idea of the moment that hints at the fabric of our reality, whether it be colour or black and white; that is Cartier-Bresson's legacy and to this, curator William E, Ewing pays his due respects.
Cartier-Bresson: A Question of Colour, until January 27th @ Somerset House / London
words by Kerim Aytac | <urn:uuid:6190dd72-c5e6-4bab-9464-8fc488358ec0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.artlyst.com/articles/cartierbressons-decisive-moment-explored-at-somerset-house-review | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954838 | 826 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Here is another topic that should interest most of us since we all use a refrigerator. There are many rules and recommendations for a good usage of your fridge including the best way to organize it and the products you should and shouldn’t use to clean it. I am sure we would all benefit from reviewing (or viewing) them, but today I wanted to address one specific subject: should you put a hot dish right away in your fridge or wait for it to cool down first?
You would think it is an easy one and that the answer should be straight forward, right? It is very interesting to see how many different opinions and guidelines you can get, even on such a trivial and secondary topic. So after reconciling what I was taught since childhood and that has worked for me so far, and other more up-to-date observations, here are my recommendations:
-Do not put a very hot dish in the refrigerator because it will increase the inside temperature and put all the other foods at risk. In addition to this, the machine will have to overwork to bring the temperature down. Remember, the optimal temperature to best limit the development of microorganisms is between 37 and 41 °F (the vegetable compartment is slightly warmer). It is also the best temperature to preserve the nutritional qualities of foods.
-The rule of the two hours seems to be agreed upon by most people: you should not leave cooked food at room temperature for more than two hours before putting it in the fridge. Think of a nice family dinner that can last for an hour and a half, and by the time you are done with the cleaning, and you put those leftovers in the refrigerator, that is approximately two hours. That is okay. Now, if you do not clean up right away (that is bad, you should be ashamed of yourself) and leave that lasagna out the whole night, you should toss it away the next day. The same rule applies to a dish you are taking out of the refrigerator to eat it: not more than two hours before consumption (this seems too long to me: I am applying the 30-minute rule myself).
-So to go back to our hot dish and what you should do with it beside eating it: unless it is the gratin that you are supposed to bring to the next day potluck, divide it in smaller portions so it can cool down quicker. Use small and shallow containers, let them cool down for approximately 30 minutes, and then cover and put the containers in the refrigerator. The goal is to put the food in the refrigerator as soon as possible (always quicker than 2 hours) without warming up the inside of the refrigerator. So if it is cooler outside, you can put your dish on your patio or balcony (just do not drop it, please) and reduce the time.
-TRY to remember when you put the food in the fridge as it is not always obvious that something has gone bad: relying on the smell or appearance is unfortunately not enough because many times, bacteria do not cause any visible changes.
-Also, to better maintain the right temperature inside the refrigerator, do not overload it, and make sure there is space between the different containers for air to circulate. Get rid of extra packaging such as those around packs of yogurt and so on. This has two advantages: it favors the air circulation and good refrigeration of the yogurt (for example) and minimizes the risk of contamination due to potentially dirty packaging. Do not let the door open longer than necessary and make sure it closes properly.
-Lastly, if unfortunately you do get food poisoning, remember to use the homeopathic medicine Arsenicum album 9C, 5 pellets sublingually as often as needed! | <urn:uuid:0d645a46-dbe0-4f68-9d34-6c95337288e5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://foryourowngood.org/2012/05/17/a-few-rules-for-your-refrigerator/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965894 | 755 | 1.9375 | 2 |
The Painful Truth About the Romney-Ryan Budget
As Mitt Romney travels through Wisconsin ahead of the state’s Republican primary on Tuesday, he is joined by Paul Ryan, architect of the Republican plan to end Medicare as we know it.
Ryan’s support for Mitt Romney isn’t surprising – they both support the same key budget proposals that would hurt the middle class to preserve tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires. To protect tax loopholes that benefit oil companies, hedge fund managers and the very wealthiest Americans, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are willing to break our promise to our seniors that the guaranteed coverage they have worked for and paid for will be there for them in retirement and have advocated for arbitrary, massive cuts to programs critical to economic security. This short-sighted approach doubles down on the same failed Republican policies that led to our nation’s economic crisis and will scorch the earth for advancements in education, research, green energy and technology.
The burden of the Romney-Ryan budget will be borne by those who can least afford it. Analysis of the Romney-Ryan budget by the non-partisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities shows that the planned benefit cuts, such as the block granting of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would primarily affect low-income families with children, seniors, and people with disabilities, and could lead to a significant increase in hunger and poverty.
In Wisconsin, this translates to cuts of $1.89 billion to SNAP over the next 10 years; 844,000 program enrollees would be at risk of losing vital nutrition assistance at the same time their health care coverage is at risk and drastic cuts are made to public education – the single greatest tool for lifting children out of poverty.
At the same time, Scott Walker and his Republican Party have slashed a staggering $2.6 billion from public education and more than $500 million from healthcare programs to pay for $2.3 billion in tax giveaways to out-of-state corporations and the super-rich.
The Romney-Ryan budget is a stark reminder that budgets show our priorities. Put in perspective, every $150,000 tax break for a millionaire could instead pay for any one of the following: food for a family of four for 19 years; basic cervical cancer screening for nearly 4,000 women; an 83% down-payment on the average single-family home in the United States; a four-year college degree for five students.
Unfortunately, the Republican priority is preserving the status quo for the wealthiest Americans at the expense of keeping the promise of health care for our seniors, investments in programs that benefit working families and preserving the social safety net for those in need. | <urn:uuid:c9e91dfa-045e-404e-8915-845626f2c80e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wisdems.org/news/blog/view/2012-04-the-painful-truth-about-the-romney-ryan-budget | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953886 | 545 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Hugo Chavez Biography
Hugo Chavez was the elected strongman of Venezuela who took office in 1999 and remained there until his death from cancer in 2013. Hugo Chavez was the son of schoolteachers, and he graduated from the Venezuelan Academy of Military Sciences in 1975. That led to a career in the military -- at least until he formed his own revolutionary force within the Venezuelan army and tried to overthrow President Carlos Andres Perez in 1992. He failed and was jailed, but after two years in prison, Chavez was pardoned by President Rafael Caldera and made the transition from soldier to politician. An engaging speaker and charismatic personality, he was elected to the presidency as a leftist reformer and modern-day Simón Bolívar. (His reforms were called the "Bolivarian Revolution.") After taking office on 2 February 1999, he instituted sweeping reforms that resulted in widely divided opinions of his presidency: supporters saw him as a populist leader and champion of the poor, while critics called him anti-business and neo-fascist. He shunned U.S. and European support and focused on South American and Third World solidarity. He was an economic and political supporter of Fidel Castro and a sharp-tongued critic of George W. Bush and U.S. policies. (He once called Bush "the devil" in a speech at the United Nations, saying the podium still smelled of sulfur from Bush's speech the previous day.) Hugo Chavez's presidency provided some topsy-turvy times for Venezuela: he survived a kidnapping and coup attempt in April of 2002, withstood a recall referendum in August of 2004, and battled cancer through various treatments and surgeries in his last few years. He was re-elected to another six-year term in October of 2012, but finally succumbed to cancer a few months later.
Hugo Chavez accused the United States of supporting the 2002 attempt to overthrow him and of a continuing conspiracy to remove him from power... In 2005, U.S. television evangelist Pat Robertson made headlines when he suggested that Hugo Chavez should be assassinated. | <urn:uuid:cf5d237f-92a7-48c1-86d2-f4af82535cb6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.who2.com/bio/hugo-chavez | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984803 | 418 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Robert L. D. Cooper's book The Rosslyn Hoax has just been made available in paperback, and is being sold directly through the George Washington Masonic National Memorial's gift shop. This is great news on a couple of fronts. It's so much cheaper than having the hardback version shipped from the UK. It has a spiffy color cover showing the chapel before it had its corrugated tin roof put up to dry the place out. Lewis Masonic spared no expense in stamping a raised pentagram on the cover, to excite the Wiccans and Anti-Masonic foes alike, along with Da Vinci Code enthusiasts. And, of course, buying it from the Memorial helps to support its ongoing operation.
One other benefit - Amazon is shipping in 4 to 6 weeks.
The Memorial will ship in 4 to 6 hours.
Seriously, I continue to tell everyone I can that Robert's book is perhaps the most important book yet published about Rosslyn Chapel. What makes it so important is that he actually has investigated the many claims made about the enigmatic little church over the centuries, especially the last few decades. I say it's an important book. I didn't say it will make everyone happy. And the reason why is because he slaughters an entire herd of sacred cattle with his investigations of the many claims of Templar involvement in Freemasonry's formation and the building of Rosslyn. Or to put it another way, if you believe Born In Blood, The Temple and the Lodge and Rosslyn: Guardians Of The Grail to be the truth, Robert Cooper is your blasphemer.
Cooper is the curator of the Grand Lodge of Scotland's library and museum, which posses much original material that other authors have written about, but never actually gone to look at and study in person. Moreover, Cooper takes claims of Templar sites, burial markers and supposed influence and subjects them to the historical record or compares them to authentic Templar sites. Most important of all, he places the origins of the original claims made (often by 17th and 18th century Scottish Masons) into their proper historical and social context, exploring just why Scottish Freemasons might have desired an older, more glorious heritage for their fraternity than those uppity English Masons down in London who were claiming it as their own. Cooper makes an outstanding case for forgeries, Victorian alterations and a lot of wishful thinking.
Certainly there is a place for mythology in this world, and it would be a pretty barren life indeed if we didn't have our share of story tellers who, with a gleam in their eye and a wink to the knowing, began by speaking the words, "Once upon a time..." Freemasonry is no different. Just as long as we understand what is myth and what is history, and the difference between them.
As I said, if you believe the Knights Templars saved the day at Bannockburn, built Rosslyn Chapel, and then morphed into the Freemasons, you should undoubtedly already be collecting logs and kindling for Robert Cooper's hotfoot. But if you are a seeker of the truth behind this curious and beautiful place, start with The Rosslyn Hoax. | <urn:uuid:21906f75-7fbe-4fe0-ab6c-daf7582045cc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://templarcodefordummies.blogspot.com/2007/07/rosslyn-hoax.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967995 | 646 | 1.789063 | 2 |
ADVENTURE HIKES AND CANYONEERING© Christopher Earls Brennen
IN THE SOUTHWEST
Hike G3. Charon Canyon, Death Valley
- Hiking time: 12 hours
- Estimated hiking distance: 7.6 miles
- Elevation gain: 1300 feet
- Topo Maps: Dantes View, Badwater
- Difficulties: 17 rappels up to 140ft, some anchor challenges
- Special equipment: One 300ft rope and two 200ft ropes (though three 200ft would do), 250ft webbing, hammer, 17 rappel rings or quicklinks, rappelling equipment, helmets and leather gloves
- ACA Rating: 4A IV
CharacteristicsDeath Valley National Park contains some of the most rugged and fantastic land in the world. That wonderland provides some marvellous adventures and canyoneering experiences. Though the heat in the summer is intolerable, the Park has the advantage that the mild winter weather allows outdoor activity when much of the rest of the southwest is too cold and wintery. This collection contains a number of adventures in Death Valley National Park. Six of them are advanced canyoneering descents in the rugged Black Mountains just south of Badwater on the east side of the valley. Three are labelled on the topo map as Bad Canyon, Hades Canyon and Coffin Canyon. Two others, Styx and Cerberus, are not named on the topo map. This one, which is also unnamed but which we called Charon Canyon, lies between Styx Canyon and Coffin Canyon. It is shorter than the others in terms of horizontal length and so the approach hike is quite long. But it drops dramatically over its short length and therefore involves many rappels. Because of the lengthy approach and the many rappels it is a long and demanding canyoneering adventure similar in technical difficulty to Hades and Cerberus Canyons. As with Styx, the first part of the hike involves accessing the upper reaches of Coffin Canyon. This can be done either as described in the Coffin and Styx Canyon descriptions or, alternatively, by a route starting at Dante's View. The latter is described below; note that this alternative can also be used as alternatives for the Coffin and Styx Canyon descents.
Charon Canyon requires a car shuttle that is best initiated the evening before your descent beginning at a point on Highway 178 roughly 23mi south of Furnace Creek and 5.2mi south of Badwater. This point is immediately north of the alluvial fan of Charon Canyon and just a few yards south of the alluvial fan of Cerberus Canyon. Here you should park and leave your return vehicle by the side of the road at 36o10.36'N 116o45.88'W. It is fairly easy to locate this parking area since it is at the start of the fifth alluvial fan south of Badwater (Bad, Hades, Cerberus, Styx and then Charon).
Then drive 23mi north on Highway 178 toward Furnace Creek; at the junction there turn right onto Highway 190 and drive 9.2mi south where you should turn right following the asphalt road to Dante's View. Follow this for 13mi to the restroom pull-out just below the vista point itself. Park here at 36o13.07'N 116o43.32'W and an elevation of 5160ft.
HikeFrom the parking area near the restrooms at 36o13.07'N 116o43.32'W (elevation 5160ft) you should hike toward a low saddle that is several hundred yards away to the WSW (at 36o13.04'N 116o43.53'W). As you reach this saddle veer left up the ridge and hike south along the apex of the ridge to a low summit. From that vantage point you will have an awesome view of the rugged terrain between you and the valley floor. Immediately below you on the right side of the ridge is the left fork of Cerberus. Veer right as you descend the light-colored ridge that drops down from your vantage point. You will see a saddle in this light-colored ridge about 450ft below you; it is a relatively easy hike down along the ridgeline to this second saddle at 36o12.62'N 116o43.60'W and an elevation of 4860ft. From this saddle you need to descend into the shallow gully to left of the ridge and it is easiest to do this by contouring back to your left. Once in the gully bottom, hike down the gully to where another gully comes in from the left at at 4338ft and 36o12.43'N 116o43.52'W about 1.24mi from the start. Turn left and follow that wash upstream and over a saddle at 36o12.49'N 116o43.29'W, 4567ft and 1.45mi from the start. Proceed down the wash on the far side of this saddle. You are now in Coffin Canyon.
The gravel wash of Coffin Canyon soon becomes broad, flat and fast and you can make quick time over the next 1.5mi to the point 36o11.41'N 116o42.68'W and elevation 3120ft (3.37mi and 1hr 55mins from the start) where you should find a moderate wash coming in on the right. There are several smaller gullies on the right just before this but the one you want is easy gravel travelling. Hike up the wash forking left at a junction and follow the natural runoff all the way up to a point just below Styx Saddle (the saddle is at 36o11.44'N 116o43.01'W and an elevation of 3380ft). Just below the saddle there is an obvious steep ridge leading up to the left that clearly leads to the ridge between Coffin Canyon and Styx Canyon. Follow that ridge to the first high point on the Coffin/Styx Ridge which is at 36o11.30'N 116o43.04'W at an elevation of 3625ft and 3.88mi and 2hrs 35min from the morning start. You should then proceed along the apex of that ridge, surmounting four or five high points but with easy, open hiking. The highest point to be surmounted is near the end of the ridge hike. It is a dark, rocky peak that visible for almost all of the ridge hike and requires some easy climbing. This summit (3532ft) is 5.13mi from the start at 36o10.58'N 116o43.92'W. From that summit you veer right for the descent and then follow the ridge as it curves back to the left passing to the left of a substantial outcropping. At a second small summit note the start of Charon Canyon below you on the left. Descend a short way to the obvious saddle at the head of Charon Canyon at 36o10.46'N 116o44.15'W and an elevation of 3296ft. You should reach this drop-in point 5.44mi and 4hrs 5min from the morning start. It is a good place to rest and prepare for the descent of Charon Canyon.
Ridge hike to Charon Canyon drop-in
(Photos by Scott Smith)
The descent of Charon Canyon begins gently but soon you begin to experience drops; within a few minutes there are small dryfalls at 3190ft and again at 3000ft that can be bypassed on the right or the left. The canyon steepens and about 25min from the drop-in you will encounter the first of two 10ft downclimbs, the first at 2890ft can be descended using a vertical crack in the middle of the dryfall and the second at 2840ft can be downclimbed on the right side. The canyon begins to steepen further and at 2740ft and 4hrs 50min from the start you come to the first rappel, a 30ft drop from a big boulder anchor on the right. This is followed by yet another 10ft downclimb.
Charon Canyon drop-in Upper Charon Canyon rappels
(Photos by Jeff Cheraz and Scott Smith)
Shortly thereafter at an elevation of 2740ft and 5hrs 15min from the morning start you come to the top of a precipitous section of canyon with many rappels. The first is a big 120ft rappel from a boulder anchor on the left. After a subsequent 20ft downclimb, there is a second 120ft rappel down three ledges from a deadman anchor. The last in this series is at 2480ft and involves a 20ft rappel from chockstone anchor.
This series is then followed by a long bouldery section before the canyon begins another precipitous descent. Here the canyon narrows and deepens and you enter the most spectacular part of Charon Canyon. The steep descent begins at an elevation of 2140ft and 6hrs 20min from the start with an 80ft rappel followed by a 20ft rappel from a horn anchor in the canyon floor. The canyon narrows further and at 2000ft elevation you will come to one of the highlights of Charon Canyon, a narrows where trapped boulders have created several false floors above a 100ft high "cave". Climbing down from the first floor you can walk back under it on the lower floor to peer through holes at the 100ft drop. Further descent is by way of a 100ft rappel using a trapped boulder as anchor. A short distance further on, the canyon opens up again and there is another boulder hopping section.
Descending the Charon Canyon slot
(Photos by Ira Lewis and Jeff Cheraz)
The rappels resume at an elevation of 1510ft (7hrs 30min from the start) with a 20ft rappel from a boulder anchor, followed by a 60ft rappel from a big boulder anchor some distance up the slope on the left. You can then bypass several small drops by contouring across the rock slope on the left and descending again to the canyon bottom at the top of a larger 110ft rappel at an elevation of 1150ft (8hrs 10min from the start); this rappel uses a deadman anchor. This is followed by a boulder downclimb and then by a section of hiking and downclimbing culminating in another series of rappels as the canyon steepens again.
The first of this series is encountered at an elevation of 950ft (9hrs 10min from the start) and comprises an 80ft rappel from a boulder anchor. This is followed by a second 80ft rappel at 550ft, this one from a deadman anchor, soon followed by a larger 130ft rappel, also from a deadman anchor, that descends three large steps. Immediately below this at an elevation of 340ft (10hrs 10min from the start) is a 40ft rappel from a deadman anchor followed by a 25ft rappel from yet another deadman anchor. Then as you can sense that the canyon exit is close you come at an elevation of about 100ft (10hrs 55min from the start) to another narrow section where there is a series of small drops one after another. These are most readily descended by means of a long rappel though they could be taken in smaller steps depending on the length of your longest rope. We used a 300ft rope on a 140ft rappel to descend four of these steps using a deadman anchor at the top. Several of these steps had awkward overhangs with potential pendulums. A short distance downstream is the last rappel, a 25ft drop from a boulder anchor on the left, and just a short distance beyond this is the exit from Charon Canyon at 36o10.12'N 116o45.80'W and an elevation of -100ft. The exit is 7.27mi and 11hrs 40min from the morning start. You veer right after the exit and hike down the alluvial fan staying quite close to the steep slope on your right. You should easily spot your return vehicle on the road at the bottom of the alluvial fan at 36o10.36'N 116o45.88'W and an elevation of -260ft. It is 7.56mi and about 12hrs since the morning start.
The Charon Canyon slot from below
Last updated 3/10/06.
Christopher E. Brennen | <urn:uuid:3475bdd5-2558-4713-a324-a5652b4a7ec1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dankat.com/swhikes/charon.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923414 | 2,602 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Ninety percent of Americans use checking accounts, but they are often unaware that agreements with their bank limit their legal options if there is a disagreement, a new report from an arm of the Pew Charitable Trusts finds.
The report studied 92 large financial institutions and found most (64 percent) limit consumer options for resolving complaints about checking accounts in some way, like through the use of “mandatory binding arbitration” clauses. The clauses require customers to submit complaints to an outside arbitrator — usually chosen by the bank — instead of to a court.
The bigger the bank, the report found, the more likely it is require arbitration or impose other restrictions. (The report says 43 percent of institutions use agreements with mandatory binding arbitration clauses, but that number rises to 47 percent when only banks are included, because none of the credit unions in the study use the clauses.)
“Consumers need to be educated about this,” said Cora Hume, project manager for Pew’s Safe Checking in the Electronic Age Project.
Banks favor mandatory binding arbitration as a faster, cheaper alternative to the courts. But consumer advocates worry that the process may limit an account holder’s options for appeal, and can pose conflicts of interest if a bank provides private arbitrators with repeat business.
For the report, “Banking on Arbitration,” Pew’s safe checking project examined checking account agreements at 92 of the country’s largest banks and credit unions, as measured by deposits. The report also includes results of a telephone survey of 603 customers.
Pew has created an interactive graphic to help consumers understand the difference between using arbitration and courts.
Jean Sternlight, a professor at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas law school, writes in an article to be published in The Southwestern Law Review that mandatory binding arbitration clauses, whether in banking or other consumer contracts, stymie the filing of consumer claims over all.
Despite millions of contracts covered by mandatory arbitration clauses, she says, few consumers actually file claims under them. That’s probably because simple complaints are often handled by companies’ own customer service processes, but consumers lack the knowledge or financing to pursue more difficult claims themselves. As a result of the United States Supreme Court’s decision last year in the AT&T Mobility case, consumer class actions — which can provide an avenue for more complex cases — are now more limited, so legal options for consumers appear to be dwindling.
The Pew report found that consumers seem to like the general idea of arbitration as a simpler, less costly alternative to courts. But they overwhelmingly disapprove of specific components of mandatory arbitration. More than two-thirds of consumers said they should have a choice between taking their case to arbitration or to a court. And more than 90 percent of consumers said they thought it was “unacceptable” if consumers were required to pay a bank’s legal fees, even when the consumer wins the dispute.
Pew said it conducted the research in part to aid the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s inquiry into the use of mandatory arbitration clauses. The agency is required by the Dodd-Frank financial reform act to examine use of the clauses in financial products.
Have you ever brought a complaint against your bank using the arbitration process? | <urn:uuid:2016b227-e7ca-4e99-b3bb-b9d92abc217a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/28/how-banks-limit-your-options-in-a-dispute/?ref=pewresearchcenter | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938151 | 672 | 2.046875 | 2 |
So, would you stop washing your clothes in warm water if your best friend tried doing it in cold and said her jeans were coming out clean? Would you be more likely to weatherize your house if your college roommate said that it had cut her heating bill by 30 percent? And if your mom got one of those power strips that turn off devices that suck electricity in the middle of the night, would you do the same?
In 2009 I wrote about a company (now called Opower) that blends behavioral science and data analysis to find ways to help utilities get their customers to use less electricity. At the time, it was enabling power companies to send out bills comparing customers’ energy usage with that of their neighbors. Smiley faces adorned the bills of energy-efficient users; their less-efficient neighbors got frowns.
The thinking behind all this, of course, is that it’s not so much factual information that motivates behavioral change — knowing that smoking is bad for you, or that most electricity generation emits heat-trapping carbon dioxide – but the way that such information plays off social relationships and creates peer pressure. Now the company is harnessing social media to further that kind of psychological connection as well.
Teaming with Facebook, energy conservation advocates and the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group, Opower released a a new app on Tuesday that will allow interested parties in 20 million households served by 16 utilities to post their energy use on their Facebook pages and invite friends to do so as well. The option is available from participating utilities in California, New York and points in between.
Only a few months ago, the White House challenged utilities to enable their customers to download information on their energy usage in what it described as a “Green Button” initiative. Many followed suit, and the Obama administration has called for the creation of more social-media apps to capitalize on this phenomenon.
Opower’s founder, Alex Laskey, said the company’s new app would allow anyone who signed up to automatically upload their usage data from their local utility to their Facebook page and then invite friends to do the same and compare notes on their efforts to save energy. The app could be used to share tips on what works in a community-support forum.
In homes with smart meters, the information on energy use is quite detailed, Mr. Laskey said. So by using computer modeling that takes other variables like weather and humidity into effect, consumers will be able to compare the energy they consume by, say, running air-conditioning in the summertime.
“The utility industry is not known for its cutting-edge customer service, mostly because they’re regulated monopolies,” Mr. Laskey said. “However, that is changing in a profound way — social networking, alerts, sophisticated usage analysis reports, et cetera.”
“We’re seeing one of our oldest, most important industries change in a very fundamental way right before our eyes,” he added. | <urn:uuid:55d05c1c-1aea-4e15-98a1-56607a6ac379> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/03/on-facebook-some-friendly-energy-rivalry/?hpw | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956811 | 620 | 2.4375 | 2 |
- On a piano, organ, harpsichord, virginal, etc., the keys are the levers which the performer depresses to activate the action, thus producing tones.
- On a woodwind instrument, the keys are the metal disks that close or open soundholes by means of levers operated by the performer's fingers. Keys are used for those soundholes that are uncomfortable or impossible for the performer to reach with his fingers.
- A specific scale or series of notes defining a particular tonality. Keys may be defined as major or minor, and are named after their tonic or keynote. Thus the series of notes with intervals defining a major tonality and based on the key of C is the key of C major.
| Dictionary Home | Dictionary Appendix | | <urn:uuid:da3c49a9-842a-414d-b57b-61ee6821eefd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/textk/key.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932098 | 157 | 3.5625 | 4 |
Guest Author - Tammy Cordani
We take a look at some of the events that occurred on January 29th.
Today In …
1850 - The Compromise of 1850, Henry Clay’s proposed bill regarding slavery, is introduced to the Senate.
1856 - England’s Queen Victoria establishes the Victoria Cross.
1861 - Kansas officially becomes the 34th U.S. state.
1891 - Queen Liliuokalani begins her reign in Hawaii. She would be the last in a long line of royal figures.
Sharing A Birthday Today…
Edward Burns, one of the stars of “Saving Private Ryan” was born in 1968.
Gia Carangi, one of the world’s first supermodels whose life story was the basis for the movie “Gia” starring Angelina Jolie, was born in 1960.
W.C. Fields, the vaudeville and film actor who appeared in “You Can’t Cheat an Honest Man”, was born in 1880.
John Forsythe, star of the hit ‘80’s TV drama “Dynasty” and who voiced the character of Charlie in TV’s “Charlie’s Angels” was born in 1918.
Heather Graham, who has appeared in such films as “Boogie Nights” and “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me” was born in 1970.
Ann Jillian who starred on TV’s “It’s a Living” was born in 1950.
Greg Louganis, the Olympic diver, was born in 1960.
Victor Mature, the actor who starred in “Samson & Delilah” and “My Gal Sal” was born in 1913.
William McKinley, the 25th President of the United States, was born today in 1843.
Thomas Paine, one of the leaders of the Revolutionary War and author of “Common Sense”, was born in 1737.
Katharine Ross, who appeared in such movies as “The Graduate” was born in 1940.
Tom Selleck, TV’s “Magnum P.I.”, was born in 1945.
Marc Singer, the star of TV’s “V” and “Beastmaster” was born in 1948.
Oprah Winfrey, media mogul and TV talk show host was born in 1954.
We Said Goodbye To…
Jimmy Durante the actor/comedian who starred in “You’re in the Army Now” and was the narrator of the holiday classic “Frosty the Snowman” passed away in 1980 at the age of 86.
Robert Frost, the Pulitzer Prize winning poet and author of such works as “The Road Less Traveled” passed away in 1963 at the age of 88.
King George III, the English king during the American Revolution, passed away in 1820 at the age of 81.
Ivan V, brother of Peter the Great, passed away in 1696 at the age of 29.
Alan Ladd star of the movie “Shane”, passed away at the age of 50 in 1964.
Freddie Prinze, the actor/comedian who starred in TV’s “Chico and the Man” passed away at the age of 22 in 1977.
Top Of The Charts On This Day In…
1977 - “Car Wash” by Rose Royce
Movie Moments In...
1959 - The timeless Disney animated classic “Sleeping Beauty” was released today. The movie featured the voices of Mary Costa and Bill Shirley.
1964 - Considered to be one of the greatest films of all time, “Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb” hit theaters today. Slim Pickens, George C. Scott and Peter Sellers starred in the film.
In Print In…
1845 - Edgar Allan Poe’s classic, “The Raven”, is first published. It appeared in the New York Evening Mirror.
Memorable Sports Moments In…
1936 - The Baseball Hall of Fame inducts its first members including Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth.
1963 - Jim Thorpe is among those inducted into the Football Hall of Fame. | <urn:uuid:c51b1c96-9a02-4f69-9aed-489de023e70d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art16710.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961738 | 936 | 2.046875 | 2 |
Bachelor of Arts in Theatre
The degree Bachelor of Arts with a major in Theatre is a broad, general education experience as well as an introduction to major facets of theatre performance, production, design, history and literature. Majors are required to audition for productions and contribute to all productions, either as cast members or as production crew members; they will normally be enrolled in TH 272 or TH 472 for each production on which they work. To be eligible for production assignments, students must meet academic eligibility standards as established by the department. In addition, the B.A. in theatre is an appropriate degree leading to graduate work in theatre or related fields, such as arts administration, law, public relations, or the ministry.
TOTAL NUMBER OF THEATRE HOURS REQUIRED FOR BA IN THEATRE: 34
REQUIRED COURSES (25 hours):
TH 121 Acting I (3)
TH 131 Stagecraft (4)
TH 221 Acting II* (3)
TH 341 Play Production (3)
TH 350 Introduction to Theatrical Design (3)
TH 381 Survey of Dramatic Literature (3)
TH 426 Play Directing (3)
TH 457 Scene Design (3)
REQUIRED COURSE OPTIONS (9 hours)
TH 210 Movement for Actors (3) -OR- TH 223 Voice and Diction (3)
TH 351 History of Costume and Décor (3) -OR- TH 454 Costume Design (3)
TH 390 History of the Theatre I (3) -OR- TH 391 History of the Theatre II (3)
REQUIRED SECOND PROGRAM OF STUDY .
Students complete a second program of study from 15 to 30 hours in another discipline of their choice.
For more information about this program, contact Stephen Catt, Chair, Department of Communication and Theatre; Susan J Mai, SAC advisor; or any academic advisor in theatre; at (620) 341-5256.
Revised Spring 2007. | <urn:uuid:c87e3037-522d-4d31-96e4-68cc9dac5fa7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.emporia.edu/communication/programs/bachelor-of-arts-in-theatre.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.906448 | 418 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Transplant Process Pre-Surgery
Listing for Transplant
Once patients are approved by the transplant team and have financial clearance, they are placed on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) waiting list. UNOS is the agency authorized by the federal government to maintain the database for all transplant recipients in the United States.
Being placed on a waiting list, means that a patient’s name and certain medical information is entered into a national database maintained by UNOS. Donor pancreases are allocated by UNOS and the regional organ procurement organization, Gift of Life Donor Program.
The waiting time for a pancreas depends on several factors, including tissue and blood types, as well as organ availability. Until the time for transplantation, patients visit the pancreas transplant team annually.
There are many things patients can and should do while waiting for a transplant, including:
- Continue to exercise regularly to promote endurance and speed up recovery after transplant.
- Follow dietary guidelines.
- Carry a cell phone when not at home. The Penn transplant team needs to be able to contact patients on the waiting list at any time.
- Find ways to manage the stress of waiting and coping with chronic illness in order to maintain a positive outlook.
- Notify the transplant program about any other surgery or hospitalization.
- Set up a support group of family and friends to help post-surgery.
- Pack bags and make arrangements for transportation to the hospital in advance.
- Become familiar with post-transplant care.
Getting the Call
When a suitable donor becomes available, the on-call nurse coordinator calls the patient, who is told to refrain from eating or drinking and to come directly to the hospital admissions office at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
Upon arrival, the patient is admitted to the hospital room and the transplant team begins preparing for surgery. They complete paperwork, review medications, check vital signs and draw blood. Patients wait in their hospital room with their support team until it is time to go to the operating room. | <urn:uuid:4d839bf1-f542-4486-972a-3d5eeac64307> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pennmedicine.org/transplant/patient-care/transplant-programs/pancreas-transplant/transplant-process/pre-surgery.html | 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 | 0.9242 | 422 | 1.90625 | 2 |
Web extra: Virtualization specialists
Here's a look at some of the many forms of server virtualization
- By Jennifer x_Zaino
- Dec 04, 2006
Server virtualization comes in many forms. Here’s a look at the approaches some of the industry’s main players have taken and their products’ feature highlights.Microsoft.
Its current Windows Virtual Server 2005 software, a no-charge download, is comparable to VMware’s free VMware Server product. It enables organizations to host virtual machines and sessions on top of the server’s existing operating system. The company plans to more closely integrate virtualization technology into the Vista operating system, which includes Microsoft’s version of a bare-metal hypervisor. A hypervisor is a thin software layer that lets a physical server run one or more virtual servers.
The approach behind SWsoft’s Virtuozzo product is to virtualize the operating system, creating isolated partitions on a single physical server and OS instance, either Windows or Linux. This approach is beneficial because it addresses the virtual machine sprawl that can replace server sprawl in organizations that adopt virtualization as part of their consolidation strategies, said Carla Safigan, director of enterprise product management at SWsoft. “No matter how many virtual environments you have, you still manage only a single OS across those,” she said. The company also offers its Live Migration tool, which lets customers move applications between any two physical servers without any downtime.
VMware, an EMC company, offers its enterprise-class VMware Infrastructure 3 and free VMware Server. Of the two, most government organizations will choose the former. It includes VMware’s ESX Server, which has a bare-metal hypervisor that enables full virtualization mode, in which the hypervisor can run multiple operating system and application combinations without modification. An important feature is VMotion, which lets organizations move virtual servers from one physical device to another without downtime.XenSource.
XenSource manages the development of the open-source Xen hypervisor. The hypervisor, which is included with most major Linux distributions, relies on paravirtualization technology. In its case, the guest operating system is modified and makes hypercalls into the hypervisor’s API to execute instructions to memory management or input/output processes, for instance. “The guest OS collaboration with the hypervisor offers security and performance benefits,” said Simon Crosby, chief technology officer at XenSource. Efforts are under way to provide interoperability between Xen and Microsoft’s virtualization offerings. XenEnterprise is XenSource’s first commercially packaged and supported solution: The Linux version of the product shipped last quarter and XenSource recently announced XenEnterprise for Windows. | <urn:uuid:34c5dd2c-d454-4690-9dcd-9cccf07ecb83> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://fcw.com/articles/2006/12/04/web-extra-virtualization-specialists.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.902102 | 568 | 1.75 | 2 |
Its hard to define sunstroke. For this discussion, lets think of it as we would heatstroke. Heatstroke happens when the body can no longer maintain a temperature of under 105 degrees when exposed to or exercising in hot weather. It is a life-threatening condition.
People almost always have warning symptoms before heat stroke. Sometimes they do not pay attention. Or they may be very old or disabled, and not able to take action.
The first symptoms of overheating are:
- Excessive thirst
- Muscle cramps
Once heatstroke sets in, youd stop sweating, but not be thirsty. This is a very dangerous combination. Next, youd start to be confused. A headache may come on at any time. But it is not always present in heatstroke.
Once someone shows any behavior changes related to dehydration or overexposure to heat, then the situation becomes an emergency.
Preventing heatstroke comes down to common sense. If you need to compete in warm temperatures, then you must drink plenty of fluids regularly. You should replenish fluids with a combination of sports drinks and water. Avoiding too much exposure to the sun and heat is the best prevention. | <urn:uuid:55b5f0e2-9ba0-4a50-ad62-4abc04bbc96f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSAZR000/20933/8480/1441535.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937469 | 242 | 3.65625 | 4 |
First-time homebuyers’ cautious approach to dream
The mortgage meltdown has left impression on local young adults
Sunday, November 20, 2011
When Tara and Ian Thackeray started looking for a house, they had one priority: keep the monthly payments the same as the rent they were already paying.
So, the Thackerays, both 24, purchased their $172,000 Clark County starter home with a mortgage they pre-qualified for based on Ian’s income as a commercial cement polishing technician. The couple might have qualified for a larger loan if they had added in Tara’s more sporadic income as a self-employed photographer. They didn’t want to risk getting in over their heads, Tara said. The Thackerays moved into their ranch house in October, giving their two-year-old son, Zephyr, a backyard with a climbing tree.
“We knew we could afford this house. We’ve seen so many people get into houses they couldn’t afford,” she said.
The Thackerays’ cautious attitude is shared by
many Clark County first-home buyers on the heels of the worst housing downturn in history, according to local real estate experts.
“It’s a change of values for the younger generation,” said Gene Thompson, a broker with Vancouver-based Equity Northwest Properties. “All of them know people that have lost homes.”
People in their twenties and thirties are both victims and witnesses of the national housing crisis that started in 2007 and continues to affect Clark County’s economy nearly five years later. Those who purchased a house mid-decade likely owe more money on their mortgage than the home’s market value, while those who are getting ready to buy are mindful of their predecessors’ mistakes. Others are uncertain about their job security and too strapped with debt to qualify for a home loan, thereby fueling a thriving rental market.
For many young adults, buying a first home is part of the American dream. But dropping values, stagnant sales and a high foreclosure rate have spurred questions about whether that dream makes financial sense. This generation’s attitudes and experiences could shape Clark County’s housing market for a generation to come.
Out of reach
Young buyers were harder hit by Clark County’s high unemployment rate than the population at large, said Scott Bailey, a regional economist with Washington’s Employment Security Department. The county has lost about 15,500 jobs since 2007, according to state figures. “Young people were the ones who got hit the hardest, in terms of job losses,” Bailey said.
Those who do have jobs face stagnant wages and climbing student-loan debt.
That’s put home ownership out of reach for many.
More than half of 18-to-24-year olds now live with their parents, as do growing numbers of 25-to-34-year-olds, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Those who choose to leave the nest are renting in higher percentages.
“Everybody wants to own their own home, don’t get me wrong,” said Dana Carter, 25, who works as a medical billing associate and rents the Vancouver home she shares with boyfriend Ryan Fritz, 30, and Ryan’s son Stephan.
Like many of her peers, Carter suffered through a year-long period of unemployment starting in July 2009. Discouraged by her fruitless job search, Carter took out a $20,000 loan for tuition to attend a one-year program in the medical billing trade. She has graduated this year and landed a good-paying job. But Carter doubts she would qualify for a home mortgage loan.
“It would be ridiculous for me to think about going out and buying a house right now, because of all of the debt I’m in,” Carter said.
Hurdles to buying
Young would-be buyers who do want to purchase a home, meanwhile, face a changed lending climate that puts much more emphasis on verifying that a qualified buyer has stable income, said Keith Wall, a sales manager with Wells Fargo Bank’s Columbia Tech Center branch in Vancouver.
The subprime loans that fueled buying before the bubble burst have evaporated and been replaced by mortgages with stricter requirements.
Gone are the days of zero-dollar down payments. Conventional loans now require a 20 percent down payment and come with rigid income and credit score requirements, putting them out of reach for many buyers, especially those with short credit histories and lower incomes.
That has spurred a boom in Federal Housing Administration-based loans, which made up 22.8 percent of Clark County mortgages issued in 2010, up from just 3.1 percent in 2007, according to data obtained through the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act.
Even FHA loans, which are easier to obtain and require down payments as small as 3.5 percent, cost more than the easy-to-get, 100-percent-financing mortgages of the mid-decade housing boom.
Caution may also prevent many young adults from entering the housing market. One out of every 586 houses was in some stage of foreclosure in Clark County in October, nearly double the statewide rate of one in every 1,049 homes, according to California-based RealtyTrac Inc. September’s median home price — half sold for more, half for less — was $185,000 for all new and existing homes, a 29.7 percent decline since September 2007 at the height of the housing boom, according to Vancouver-based Riley & Marks appraisal firm.
With many current homeowners unable to sell or even afford their houses, entering the housing market could look more like a gamble than an investment.
The Thackerays looked at around 150 homes, said Tara Thackeray.
“We looked at whether we would be able to sell it as our family grows. Would we have equity in it?” she said. “We didn’t want to be stuck or upside down in a house that we could no longer afford.”
Investors move in
In the short term, young adults’ choices are compounding current trends in Clark County’s housing market.
The would-be buyers join a growing number of people from all generations who now pay rent instead of a monthly mortgage bill — often not by choice.
For example, people going from foreclosures to apartments make up a good fraction of new residents at the 378-unit Sterling Heights Apartments development in east Vancouver, said Jasmine Petty who oversees leasing at the complex. She said the influx started in 2010 and has leveled off a bit in more recent months.
“We still get people who are losing their homes to foreclosure and short sales, just not as many as last year,” Petty said.
Tighter bank-lending standards and Clark County’s high foreclosure rates are not only increasing demand for rentals, but pushing rents higher and pitting rental market investors against starter-home buyers.
That’s because investors, many with cash to spare, are buying up apartment complexes and houses that they plan to either fix up and sell or rent out as a source of income. Long-term investors — those who buy rentals — are finally making a return on investment from the rents they charge, due to lower purchase prices for houses.
In the meantime, those who buy fixer-upper houses for turn-around sales are helping to feed the starter-home market, said Kale Dunning, a broker with Dunning and Associates at the Salmon Creek office of Coldwell Banker Seal. Starter-home buyers, who are usually dependant on government-backed loans, must purchase houses that meet strict home inspection and appraisal guidelines.
“These investors are helping increase the inventory of nice homes,” Dunning said. “It keeps it fluid and keeps the market going.”
That may be a factor in the recent uptick in the number of houses sold in Clark County, which has experienced year-over-year increases for three consecutive months. In September, 504 sold, up 21.7 percent from September 2010, according to Vancouver-based Riley & Marks.
“We’re approaching a point where the level of activity is steady,” said Glenn Crellin, director of the Washington Center for Real Estate Research in Pullman.
Not everyone is convinced that young adults will remain cautious as the real estate market stabilizes.
Mike Lamb, a broker with the Vancouver office of Windermere Real Estate Stellar Group, said data can be interpreted in a number of ways. He senses that more first-time homebuyers will begin moving into the market, enticed by lower prices and mortgage interest rates, expected to remain low through the middle of 2013, according to the Federal Reserve.
“The fact is, buyers today can buy much more house than they used to and the interest rates are better,” Lamb said.
Crellin expects buyers to wait a little bit longer for signs of economic improvement, but also believes that young buyers will eventually follow in the footsteps of their parents’ generation. His prediction is based on student surveys conducted at Washington State University.
“They indicate this is not a permanent change in attitude, but much more an attitude of modest delay,” Crellin said.
Others believe that Clark County’s real estate troubles could continue for years, which could reinforce shifts in how today’s 20- and 30-somethings view home ownership.
Kevin Gillette, executive director of the Community Housing Resource Center, which provides mortgage counseling to troubled home owners, said he sees no end in sight to Clark County’s high foreclosure rates, which could worsen if home values continue to decline and the job market doesn’t recover.
The center has helped approximately 660 households with foreclosure counseling in the past 12 months, Gillette said.
“They ask, ‘How long is that going to take (for home values) to go back up?’” Gillette said. “Maybe the answer is never.”
That’s a view of homeownership quite different from the “house as investment vehicle” that dominated for much of the past two decades.
Just as children and young adults of the Great Depression often continued to pinch pennies and seek efficiency as they aged, those whose early encounters with independence came during the great housing bust of recent years could reject the view of a home as an investment.
The difference between today’s would-be homebuyers and those who purchased houses from about 2004 through 2007 is that earlier group saw the transaction as a way to better oneself financially, said Tim Duy, an economics professor at the University of Oregon.
“It really dominated people’s decision-making process and led them to buy bigger houses than they could afford,” Duy said.
Today, homebuying is no longer seen as a sure bet to financial security, which could impose lasting effect on the local and national economy, according to Duy. He expects consumer spending to remain flat as homeowners no longer borrow against their mortgage loans and other buyers opt to buy homes as cash investments.
“The implications for the broader economy are not good,” Duy said. “Only when people start purchasing houses can businesses hire more people and begin to expand.” | <urn:uuid:8da43f37-1148-4693-8d30-9f568d8611fe> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/nov/20/first-time-homebuyers-cautious-approach-to-the-ame/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969853 | 2,383 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Prairie is a small township to the east of Hughenden in Queensland's Flinders Shire in the great North West. The township has a history as an old Cobb and Co depot and is serviced by a cafe/post office and an authentic Aussie hotel providing food and accommodation. The Prairie Hotel is a must-see for its collection of stockmen's hats and other memorabilia.
The name Prairie would seem to be derived from the 'prairie-like' setting. The explorer William Landsborough passed through this area in 1862. He camped by Jardine Creek (named after the explorer Alexander Jardine), viewed Jardine Valley and named Tower Hill. The earliest occupants were the Dalleburra tribe and then came the settlers. Many sheep and cattle properties were developed around the area and helped the town to progress.
57 kilometres south of Prairie is Kooroorinya Falls Nature Reserve for those wishing to enjoy a natural waterhole. Kooroorinya offers swimming, bush walking, fishing, bush camping and bird watching. The Reserve comes alive for three days every year when the Oakley Amateur Picnic Race Committee holds their Annual Race Meeting.
(Information provided by http://www.queenslandholidays.com.au). | <urn:uuid:12130745-4f9a-4f6c-8946-0f87d3cf5c58> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.flinders.qld.gov.au/web/guest/prairie | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951074 | 261 | 2 | 2 |
Make a Painted Snow Photograph
With a few strokes of white paint, kids can transform an old family photograph into a lovely winter scene. Painting helps strengthen little hand muscles for improved fine motor skills, and introduces kids to the artistic process. Encourage your little one to get as creative as possible—make a calm winter woodland scene, a snowy night, or even a raging blizzard!
What You Need:
- Family photo from any season other than winter
- White tempera paint
- Colored tempera paint (optional)
- Thin paint brush
- Newspaper or drop cloth (to protect your work surface) | <urn:uuid:2d452ff5-3890-4dc0-b3ef-b59a32cb2def> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.education.com/activity/article/painted-snow-photograph/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.916761 | 127 | 2.125 | 2 |
Earthquakes usually occur along the edge of Earth's crustal plates, especially where they collide (India-southern Asia), subduct (the western coast of South America) or scrape along one another (Southern California). They also occur in rift zones, where continents are being pulled apart (the East African Rift) and around volcanic hotspots (Hawaii).
In some cases, earthquakes occur in mid-Continental areas where one might not expect an unstable bedrock. Such quakes are usually related to the presence of an old suture line (where land masses had fused) or an old, aborted rift. The New Madrid earthquakes of 1811-1812, which altered the course of the Mississippi River, developed along an old, deeply buried rift.
Some areas of the world, located at the conversion of numerous crustal plates, are especially prone to earthquakes. Two of these tectonic bullseyes are Indonesia and Japan; both of these countries straddle four plates (Australian-Eurasian-Philippine-Pacific for Indonesia, Eurasian-North American-Philippine-Pacific for Japan). As expected, these regions also harbor numerous volcanoes. | <urn:uuid:cd8e4655-dd3c-41b8-bdbf-fd5721915f97> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.naturesblog.blogspot.com/2007/04/earthquake-zones.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940138 | 236 | 4.25 | 4 |
Book Description: The authenticity of memories of childhood sexual abuse has become one of the major social controversies of the 1990's. As persons who report histories of abuse have sought remedies in civil and criminal proceedings in the courts, the accuracy of their memories--particularly when they have been recalled after a period of time--has been subject to intense scrutiny. This volume brings together many of the leading participants in the debate to provide a comprehensive picture of the psychological, physiological, and legal aspects of trauma. Beginning by defining the opposing positions in the debate, the contributors then offer a variety of perspectives on the nature of memory, including reviews of some of the most exciting recent developments in this fast-growing area of investigation. Next, consideration is given to the impact of trauma on memory, both in adults and in children. With this framework in place, the authors turn to an examination of the variety of treatment approaches available to victims of trauma, who are trying to cope with the painful consequences of those events. The book argues against a unidimensional approach to trauma, calling instead for a multidisciplinary synthesis that includes developmental, neurobiological, cognitive, and psychodynamic perspectives. Chapters address the legal dilemmas for patients, mental health professionals and society as a whole that have arisen from the trauma and memory controversy. Most importantly, the editors shift the focus of their discussion from the laboratory to the courtroom and from the research journal to the psychotherapist's office, looking at the issues from every relevant angle. This is the only book in the field to treat the trauma and memory controversy comprehensively, from basic research on memory processes through clinical approaches to legal and policy issues. Trauma and Memory is a valuable tool for clinicians treating patients with traumatic memories. It is also intended for psychologists, physicians, social workers and lawyers who need a comprehensive reference on trauma and sexual abuse during childhood. | <urn:uuid:d7958b2d-91f3-488f-bdc2-8492e0430536> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.campusbooks.com/books/professional-technical/medical/administration-medicine-economics/9780195100655_Appelbaum-EditorPaul-S-Appelbaum-EditorLis.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93779 | 374 | 2.015625 | 2 |
The Hayek-Keynes rap by EconStories.
For students beginning to learn about libertarianism, there are some superb resources online for free from the Adam Smith Institute and elsewhere.
A Beginner's Guide to Liberty is the ideal starting point. With essays from contemporary British and American thinkers on topics ranging from How markets work to Sex, drugs and liberty, it is the perfect primer to start with.
In Freedom 101, Madsen Pirie takes on 101 of the most common criticisms of liberty and free markets and demolishes them, one page at a time.
The Condensed Wealth of Nations takes the most important sections of Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations and explains them clearly and consisely.
Austrian Economics: A Primer gives a comprehensive introduction to the Austrian School of economics, made famous by FA Hayek and Ludwig von Mises, which emphasises the importance of individuals and the limits of knowledge in economics and offers an alternative explanation for booms and busts to the mainstream view.
There are many kinds and degrees of classical liberalism, but JS Mill's On Liberty is a superb introduction to liberalism in general.
Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt is considered by many to be the best introductory book on free market economics with an Austrian school tint. Written more recently, Gene Callahan's Economics for Real People is another good primer and incorporates Austrian views as well.
FA Hayek's two most popular books are The Road to Serfdom (£) and The Constitution of Liberty (£). The former argues that abandoning individual liberty will eventually lead to a tyrannical state and was enormously influential when it was published in the 1940s. The Constitution of Liberty outlines Hayek's views of society and political philosophy, and is a thought-provoking introduction to the idea of spontaneous order.
Hayek's essay The Use of Knowledge in Society is a cornerstone of individualist thought, emphasising the limits of knowledge in social, economic and governmental actions.
Milton Friedman's Free to Choose and Capitalism and Freedom are both excellent introductions to the work of arguably the 20th Century's most influential libertarian. (The TV series accompanying Free to Choose is available to stream for free here.)
The Adam Smith Institute Blog is a popular forum for discussion of current affairs and the application of libertarian ideas to the modern world. It is updated several times a day.
Marginal Revolution is the blog of US economists Tyler Cowen and Alex Tabarrok, of George Mason University, and one of the most popular economics blogs in the world.
Samizdata is one of the longest-running UK blogs and continues to provide a witty, diverse selection of views from across the pro-liberty spectrum.
Cafe Hayek is run by Russ Roberts of EconTalk fame (see below) and Don Boudreaux, and gives an entertaining and informative take on the day's news from a Hayekian perspective.
Hit & Run is an acerbic blog on American politics by the people at Reason Magazine, with frequent reports of the drug war and political corruption in the US.
LearnLiberty is a collection of short and informative videos explaining key concepts in classical liberal thought.
The ASI's YouTube channel collects lectures given at Adam Smith Institute events on subjects such as libertarian foreign policy, the roots of the financial crisis and the freedom to smoke.
EconTalk is a terrific regular podcast by George Mason University's Russ Roberts, in which he interviews a writer or economist about their work.
Mises.org is the best online resource for Austrian school economics, with thousands of full books and articles by people like Hayek, Mises and Murray Rothbard available for free download.
Libertarianism.org is a new website that aims to be the best resource online for all things libertarianism. | <urn:uuid:51f59290-343f-4c3e-8a75-e5da3dbb1706> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.adamsmith.org/students/learning-about-liberty | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.915564 | 779 | 2.65625 | 3 |
I have been do a lot of prep research for my upcoming school project. The project is to submit a proposal for a museum exhibit. All the other students in my intake group are creating exhibits for already existing museums, but I asked if I could create an exhibit for the museum I hope to one day be able to open, a tea museum. After some discussion I was given the go ahead.
This is very tricky because I 1)have no actual collections from which to draw from and 2)have no actual space in which to house the museum. The second problem I am overcoming by assuming that the Tea Museum will exsist in the space currently occupied by the Austin Children's Museum (in Austin, Texas). The first problem is a bit trickier, because I have to do some very quick research to see what objects a small and new museum would likely to have acquired and then figure out what connections the museum might have with other people and institutions from which loans could be acquired.
I first had to decide exactly what the focus would be. Ultimately I decided to persue the topic of tea cups. Since this is a LARGE topic I had to narrow it down. I decided to follow cups from raw material to object of use, reverance and collection. To accomplish this I plan to divide the overall topic into three main topics; manufacture, styles, use. Each of these topics contains approximately four subtopics. I have decided to go ahead and be bold and attempt to show objects covering a wide range of time and space, but at the same time keep the exhibit from being too stimulating. If I can pull that off I will have demonstrated a pretty key skill.
I plan on supplementing this object-heavy exhibit with some art of tea cups. I want to incorporate some hands-on elements, audio and video elements and personal stories. I need to carefully consider the overall narrative and then find how the personal narratives will forward the main narrative.
So far, I am created (for my own use) a table/timeline which incorporates time periods and significant tea/tea cup related events for China, Japan, Korea, Russia, Europe, Mongolia....there are also some notes for places like Turkey and Moracco. This has been tedious, but quite enlightening if sometimes baffling. For instance, I have had a hard time tracking down what tea cups existed in Japan pre-Edo. I hope the mysteries might be able to be solved when I can finally get to the library.
The Japanese tea ware so far has been overwhelming for me because there is SO much variety. At least 26 chawan shapes, about 5 yunomi shapes, and I have yet to really look at the senchawan. There are about 52 glaze finishes and styles I have found listed so far.
Some interesting things I have run across are Indian "chullarhs" which are low fired cups that street vendors and tea shop owners serve chai in. The idea is that when you are done with your chai you just throw it on the ground and it shatters and eventually will become mud again. I also love the 'ear cups' from China's Eastern Han dynasty. I also loved the design of a shufu cup from the Song Dynasty that looks like a typical small bowl style tea cup, but it is up on a tall stem.
I have also discovered that archaeologically speaking the first use of tea leaves is in India where about 5000 years ago the leaves were used with other herbs to flavor oils. Also, the first medicinal teas in Chine were like thick soups containing tea leaves that had been packed into myriad shapes (bricks, cubes, spheres...) as well as spices, orange peel and onions! Later they would add salt to the tea, which they seem to have liked thick and bitter.
I am also fascinated by how often in the history of tea, the culture is spread through religion. Monks travelling. Even the first European to encounter tea who was a Portuguese Jesuit Father travelling to China as a missionary.
My research so far is a little all over the place and if I find something which interests me I might follow a tanget. If you have any specific questions about anything I have found, feel free to ask. If you have knowledge of any fascinating tea ware or of a good reference which would aid my research feel free to let me know!
Much of what I am learning, I will note, I don't necessarily have documented as well as I would like and so my knowledge of things my change and I keep persuing this topic.
2 days ago | <urn:uuid:e8a19935-9270-4004-8bd8-c2812f47dfd0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://austin-teaparty.blogspot.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976154 | 937 | 2.015625 | 2 |
Return to Currituck Co.
North Carolina Higher Court Minutes
Source: NC Higher Court Minutes; Vol. 5. (1709-1723)
Abstracted by Wm. S. Price from North Carolina Colonial Records (Second Series)
SWANN vs. BUTLER
Thomas SWANN of Curratuck Precinct comes to prosecute his Suite against Christopher BUTLER in a plea of Debt and in his own person demands of the Said Defendant that he do render to him the Sum of five Pounds Current money of this Province which to the plaintiffe he oweth and from him unjustly detaineth for that whereas the said Defendant on the thirteenth day of June One thousand Seven hundred and twenty One by his Certain Bill Signed by the Said Defendant whose Date is the Same day and year aforesaid which Bill is filed in the Office of this Court became indebted to the Said Plaintiff in the said Sum of five Pounds Current money as aforesaid to be paid to the Said Plaintiff when he the said Defendant Shoud be thereunto requested Yet the said Defendant the said Sum of five Pounds to the plaintiff hath not paid but the same to pay hath and doth Still refuse tho often requested thereunto Whereupon the Same Plaintiff Saith he is damnyfied Ten Pounds and thereupon he brings this Suite etc.
And the Said Christopher BUTLER (being Solemnly called) came not and the Marshall having made returne that he had left a Copy of the Writt and Declaration at the Defendante’s house as Directed by an Act of Assembly in that Case made and Provided.
Attachment: It is therefore Granted at the Plaintiffs Motion that an Attachment be Issued out against the Goods and Chattells of the said Christopher BUTLER thereby to compell him to appear and Answer the Suite of the said Plaintiff returnable to the next Court on the last Tuesday in October next.
Permission kindly given by Donna E. Kelly, Administrator Historical Publications Section N.C. Office of Archives and History Department of Cultural Resources, Raleigh, NC. Be sure to visit their publications site at: www.ncpublications.com. These records were submitted by Judy Brickhouse. No part of these records may be used for any commercial purposes. However, please feel free to copy any of this material for your own personal use and family research.
© 2006 Kay Midgett Sheppard | <urn:uuid:f03efcad-4120-4ffd-b543-ba9018786de6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ncgenweb.us/currituck/court/highercourtjuly1722.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950202 | 494 | 1.539063 | 2 |
GPL worldview WAS Re: Rchard Stallman vs Darl McBride
torriem at gmail.com
Wed Jul 21 07:29:53 MDT 2010
On 07/21/2010 05:18 AM, justin wrote:
> On Tuesday, July 20, 2010, Michael Torrie <torriem at gmail.com> wrote:
>> The GPL levels the playing field. IBM's contributions can't be used
>> against them, as they could be with a BSD license. Linux gets better
>> for everyone.
> I'm not sure I follow. How could IBM's contributions be used against
> them under a BSD license?
Simply put, anything IBM did with a BSD project (and where their code
was released under the BSD), could be used in a closed, proprietary way
in a product that competes with IBM. Whereas with the GPL, IBM's
contributions cannot be closed. If a company chooses to make a superior
product based on IBM's contributions under the GPL, IBM is free to
incorporate their changes as well (it's only fair after all). Level
playing field. IBM works with many open source licenses, but I believe
that the GPL is one of the reasons IBM chose (at one time anyway) to
invest so heavily in Linux. I do not believe IBM would have invested in
the same way in BSD Unix.
More information about the PLUG | <urn:uuid:683df9c7-7854-4f93-9680-3f0ce007c659> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://plug.org/pipermail/plug/2010-July/023503.html | 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 | 0.91694 | 306 | 1.75 | 2 |
Airport shouldn't be affected, though tower could lose overnight services
Just months after officials unveiled the $20 million air-traffic control tower at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, airport Director Barry Centini is coming to the realization the 24-hour facility could be empty come nighttime.
Opened in August, the local tower is one of 72 nationwide - and four in the state - where overnight controller shifts could be eliminated, marked as casualties of the federal sequester.
Even so, Mr. Centini said he is confident the elimination of services, and the loss of air coverage wouldn't affect commercial air travel at the airport.
"I think the airport will be in pretty good shape," said Mr. Centini, who said he hasn't spoken to any Federal Aviation Administration officials. "Our commercial flights normally depart or arrive before it gets that late."
Though nothing is finalized, an elimination in overnight controllers at the control tower would likely mean a reduction from 24 to 16 hours of air coverage per day, Mr. Centini said. He said it's unclear how severe the cuts would be and how the air traffic control would be staffed.
An FAA document indicates there are 21 certified professional controllers, or fully trained employees working at the tower. Tower manager Michael Dennis, who declined to comment on the possible effects, said at least two controllers are working at all times.
"We are still waiting to hear what is going to happen, because I haven't heard from anyone yet," Mr. Centini said.
Documented in a Feb. 22 FAA release, officials plan to close more than 150 air traffic control towers, including six in the state, to shave about $600 million in spending because of the across-the-board spending cuts triggered March 1.
While the slash in service pales in comparison to the closure of a tower, Tom Kramer, manager of airspace and modernization at Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, said it's a significant loss to any airport and places the responsibility on pilots.
"During an overnight shift, a control tower offers an enhanced level of safety and efficiency," Mr. Kramer said. "Even if you don't have any scheduled flights, general aviation doesn't operate on a schedule. A general aviation aircraft could fly at any time of the night."
In 2012, there were 11,576 general aviation flights. A general aviation aircraft is defined as something other than an airline's or military's, said Mr. Kramer, who said pilots can still fly safely by communicating with one another over high frequency radio.
An airport official said a breakdown of general aviation flights was unavailable, but Mr. Centini said it is a possibility those flights would be affected by the elimination of the overnight shift.
Lackawanna County Commissioner Corey O'Brien, vice chairman of the airport's bi-county board Corey O'Brien said he hasn't seen the list of towers that could face significant changes but said the two parties need to reach a compromise before even more damage is done.
"It's difficult because this tower was built to enhance air travel in the area," Mr. O'Brien said. "But this is about people's jobs as well. Something needs to be done."
Contact the writer: firstname.lastname@example.org, @miorfinoTT on Twitter | <urn:uuid:63a371a6-1691-490d-8427-629fbd737c59> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/airport-shouldn-t-be-affected-though-tower-could-lose-overnight-services-1.1455028 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967608 | 685 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Social media has hit an all time high in terms of usage and many around the world are finding new and interesting ways to use social media to their advantage. Social media marketing companies are looking constantly for new and innovative ways to reach their customers and to make profits. One interesting way social media is being used is by veterinarians.
Can Pets Use Social Media
You might be thinking, how can pets possibly use social media? Well, of course they are limited in terms of how they can use the internet but their owners definitely can. Owners of pets can know connect with their vets through social media. Owners can connect either personally or through a company site.
The Fastest Way to Act When Your Pet Has Problem
Connecting with your vet can be a great way to ensure your pets safety. When your pet has a problem, you can access easy information through social media or even contact your vet through social media.
The possibilities through social media are seemingly endless. This provides a great way to allow owners to have some peace of mind and to have their vet’s expertise at the tip of their fingers. | <urn:uuid:305a18a5-a4cd-4305-baf8-8535acdea7f5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.vetlord.org/connecting-with-your-pets-vet-via-social-media/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00076-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961413 | 224 | 2.125 | 2 |
The image was created to go along with her recent "How Do You Tell If Something is True" episode. (It's an episode that instruction librarians will surely enjoy!)
When I saw the image above I immediately thought that it would be a great tool for a future library instruction session. It can be placed on an overhead and then students can be asked for their comments on it. If I predict correctly, then I believe it will be a great segway to discussion about the Web vs library databases as well as evaluation of sources.
What other tools do you use to have students start the conversation about information literacy topics? | <urn:uuid:507ca902-5907-4a49-8eff-4aebf9cd177b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.beyondrefdesk.com/2012/08/my-newest-instruction-session-prop.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959349 | 128 | 2.15625 | 2 |
Here is the link for the keynote of day one where they announced the ADK, and the dedicated ADK session, in case you missed one of them.
So what was done to support hardware communication? With Android 3.1 and Android 2.3.4 Google implemented USB APIs to communicate with accessories via USB. The Android devices operate in USB slave mode so that the accessories need to provide USB host capabilities. To demonstrate what is possible when your device communicates with external hardware, Google developed a reference demo board and released it as open source. They based their reference board on the Arduino which is really great, because it is widely spread in the open hardware community. Their example firmware and Android software is based on their reference board to show what kind of sensors and actuators are easily accessible. So if you attended the Google IO and got your reference board on site, that's great news for you. You could just dive right in and tinker with it.
Unfortunately not everyone could get a ticket (me neither :( ), so those developers have to wait for compatible hardware boards being distributed some time at the end of the year, or they could order one from the japanese company which produced them for the Google IO. Unfortunately they are very pricey and cost about 400$.
Soon after hearing that I decided to port the firmware and software to my basic Arduino Uno and my USB Host Shield. It is no suprise that I wasn't the only one who did that.
So if you have the Arduino Uno and a USB Host Shield lying around you might just want to give the ADK a try.
The cool thing about it is that you register a USB Broadcast receiver on your device that can automatically detect when the device is connected to your board and start up the corresponding application.
Here the steps I took to make my setup work with the ADK:
- Read and understand the ADK section in the Android Developers Guide.
- Follow the installation process.
- Don't use Googles USB_HOST_SHIELD library. I used a patched version which I found here. If you are having trouble compiling the demokit.pde it may result from a wrong pin definition in the patched USB_HOST_SHIELD library. Just open the Max3421e.cpp file and change #define INT PB1 to #define INT PORTB1 and #define RST PD7 to #define RST PORTD7. You might also try to use the newly released original version of the USB_HOST_SHIELD library which now supports the ADK, but I don't know if it works.
- Strip down the demokit.pde to its bare essentials, meaning only the communication part.
- Strip down the example Android app to the communication part and implement your own use cases.
Here is a quick demo of controlling the digital pins 2-7 in output pinmode:
As promising as the ADK is right now, I have a problem with having to connect my device via cable to the accessory. The future of the internet of things will be wireless, so as long as there are no Android devices which support a Zigbee like protocol, I will use my Arduino/Android Wifi approach which you might remember from a post in the past.
That being said...
I can't wait for Android @ Home at my home ;). | <urn:uuid:295baacb-b244-49ca-b84f-4f6c355cec07> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://marioboehmer.blogspot.com/2011/05/android-adk-with-standard-arduino-uno.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949793 | 693 | 2.609375 | 3 |
New VPC Study Details How Lax Concealed Carry Laws Are Designed to Boost Gun Sales
Washington, DC--The lethal shooting of unarmed, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin by concealed handgun permit holder George Zimmerman is the predictable result of an aggressive decades-long campaign by the National Rifle Association (NRA) to promote lax concealed carry laws and attendant "Shoot First" laws that boost gun industry sales according to a new Violence Policy Center (VPC) report, “Never Walk Alone”--How Concealed Carry Laws Boost Gun Industry Sales" (http://www.vpc.org/studies/ccwnra.pdf).
Faced with a decades-long decline in household gun ownership, the firearms industry has worked to exploit these NRA-backed laws to re-sell old customers and entice new ones. As Tanya Metaksa, then-chief lobbyist for the NRA told the Wall Street Journal in 1996--"The gun industry should send me a basket of fruit--our efforts have created a new market."
Today, ads for concealed carry or "personal-defense" handguns permeate gun publications--both industry- and consumer-focused. The January 2012 issue of the NRA's monthly activist magazine, America's 1st Freedom, contains an ad for the very model of handgun used by Zimmerman to kill Trayvon Martin--the Kel-Tec PF-9 pistol. The ad features an array of the pistols in different finishes and urges readers to "Pick your favorite color." Described by its manufacturer as being designed with "maximum concealability in mind," the PF-9 is "one of the lightest and flattest 9mm ever made." An ad for a similar Kel-Tec concealed carry pistol, the P-32, in the July 2011 issue of Guns & Weapons for Law Enforcement features the handgun lying on a table next to the owner’s car keys and spare change. Characterizing the handgun as "compact protection," the ad warns, "Don’t leave home without it!" On its website Kel-Tec states that it specializes in "handguns for concealed carry by law enforcement personnel and qualified citizens...." All of the company’s employees are members of the National Rifle Association.
While in their public promotion of lax concealed weapons laws the gun lobby and gun industry rarely mention the financial benefits such laws afford gun sellers, in industry publications they are far more open. As the CEO of handgun manufacturer Taurus International explained to the gun industry publication Shooting Industry in December 2011:
"The buying trends of most people have shifted quite dramatically over the past four or five years. The products that are selling throughout the year have shifted. For instance, the cycles for sales of hunting products have been shortened dramatically, which requires a tremendous amount of planning and research to make sure you hit it right. However, in home security and concealed carry, it’s a year-round business...The economy is certainly something we have been lucky to escape, especially in the areas of home security and concealed carry."
Six months earlier, in a Shooting Industry column devoted to marketing guns to women, the author exhorted:
"Scaled-down guns are the hot ticket for 2011, and many of the new guns introduced earlier in the year are beginning to appear on dealers’ shelves. Almost every major manufacturer has a firearm that is reduced in size or designed for concealed carry, which is great news for women looking for pocket-sized self-defense guns...."
Included in the VPC report are numerous color examples of gun industry advertisements representing a wide range of manufacturers. An ad that appeared in the December 2011 issue of Gun World encapsulates the mindset of concealed carry: "Regardless of your location, your dress or the season, NO gun is easier to carry or conceal than a North American Arms mini-revolver. Is it an effective deterrent? Would you want to be shot with one?" The ad warns the reader "don’t leave home without one" and adds, "Remember Rule #1: Have a gun!"
The study notes that despite the national controversy over the death of Trayvon Martin, the U.S. Senate may soon take up legislation that would expand the rights of concealed carry vigilantes like George Zimmerman to carry their handguns outside their home states and across the nation. Two bills (S. 2188 and S. 2213) have recently been introduced that would significantly expand the ability of concealed carry permit holders to carry their loaded guns nationwide.
The study concludes that "while pro-gun advocates will inevitably voice their support of these bills in terms of self-defense and individual rights, truly the greatest beneficiary of national concealed carry stands to be the gun industry." | <urn:uuid:b79599d3-9783-4571-8e75-d5ca44b95b44> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.vpc.org/press/1204ccwstudy.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947554 | 961 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Individual differences |
Methods | Statistics | Clinical | Educational | Industrial | Professional items | World psychology |
Apathy is the lack of emotion, motivation, or enthusiasm. Apathy is a psychological term for a state of indifference — where an individual is unresponsive or "indifferent" to aspects of emotional, social, or physical life. Clinical apathy is considered to be at an elevated level, while a moderate level might be considered depression, and an extreme level could be diagnosed as a dissociative disorder. The physical aspect of apathy associated with physical deterioration, muscle loss, and lack of energy is called lethargy — which has many pathological causes as well.
Apathy can be object-specific — toward a person, activity or environment. It is a common reaction to stress where it manifests as "learned helplessness" and is commonly associated with depression. It can also reflect a non-pathological lack of interest in things one does not consider important.
Certain drugs are known to cause symptoms associated with or leading to apathy.
|This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).| | <urn:uuid:742f6280-0976-4537-bd10-8da7fc77c571> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Apathy | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924976 | 228 | 3.671875 | 4 |
By **Juan Cole**
CNN reports on racist letters emanating from ultra-orthodox rabbis or their wives in Israel. Thirty wives of rabbis called on Jewish-Israeli women not to marry Palestinian-Israeli men, alleging that they would universally be subjected to physical abuse. The incident follows an earlier one in which rabbis urged Jewish-Israelis not to rent to Palestinian-Israelis (can you say “racial covenant”?)
The letters also follow on a demonstration in Bat Yam against Jewish-Israeli girls dating Palestinian-Israeli men.
Inter-faith marriage is frowned on by religious Israelis, and there was criticism in Israel of Chelsea Clinton’s wedding.
Israel, like Lebanon and some Muslim countries, for the most part makes no provision for civil marriage, requiring individuals to marry within the religious law of their sect. Israel’s rabbinate opposes civil marriage in part out of fear it would encourage inter-faith marriage. At the moment, couples of different faith heritages in Israel must go to Cyprus or elsewhere abroad to marry, and have the marriage recognized on their return. Such a marriage cannot be performed in Israel itself.
The recent racist calls and demonstrations were condemned on Wednesday by the Israeli Labor Party. Party head and Minister of Defense Ehud Barak issued a statement saying, “The Labor Party under my leadership is active in bringing together the various groups of Israel’s citizens, in the spirit of the Declaration of Independence.” Labor only has nineteen seats in the one-hundred twenty seat Knesset or Israeli parliament. Conservative rabbis also condemned the racist calls, but it should be noted that Orthodox Judaism has legal supremacy in Israel and so the Conservatives are not very powerful there.
A recent poll showed that 44 percent of Jewish-Israelis support the rabbis’ call not to rent or sell land to Palestinian-Israelis, while 48 percent oppose it. Some prominent Israeli politicians, such as Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, have called for Palestinian-Israelis somehow to be stripped of their Israeli nationality altogether. Denaturalization — taking someone’s citizenship rights away from them- is a serious human rights abuse.
That said, there is plenty of racism in the Arab world, and apologists for the growing ranks of Israeli racists have to decide if their defense really is going to be that Abu Ahmed in Zarqa, Jordan, feels the same way.
You wonder if 44 percent of Israelis have ever seen the classic film, Gentleman’s Agreement, about a sad time in the U.S. when Jews were not allowed to stay in “restricted” hotels and, of course, covenants restricting their ability to buy homes in many neighborhoods were all too common.
…the lines about “same flesh as yours” and “don’t treat me to any more lessons of tolerance —I’m sick of it!”
Note that the ultra-Orthodox calls for discrimination concern Israeli citizens of Palestinian heritage, some 23 percent of the Israeli population. They cannot be compared to laws in the Arab world forbidding foreigners, including Israelis, from owning real property. The actual analogy would be to a country like Morocco, which has a Jewish minority, and where Moroccan Jews can freely buy and sell land. That said, there is plenty of racism in the Arab world, and apologists for the growing ranks of Israeli racists have to decide if their defense really is going to be that Abu Ahmed in Zarqa, Jordan, feels the same way. As we all should have learned in kindergarten, two wrongs don’t make a right.
Copyright 2010 Juan Cole
Juan Cole is the Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History at the University of Michigan and director of its Center for South Asian Studies. He maintains the blog Informed Comment. His most recent book is Engaging the Muslim World (Palgrave Macmillan, 2009).
This post originally appeared at JuanCole.Com. | <urn:uuid:6fa4144c-2371-4346-b708-1432d8855f3e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.guernicamag.com/daily/juan_cole_racist_letters_roil/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94502 | 814 | 1.671875 | 2 |
At the Large Hadron Collider (CERN), scientists are smashing subatomic particles together at close to the speed of light, hoping to see the "God particle," otherwise known as the Higgs Boson (NOTE: Subscribers can still listen to these shows). Now they think they've caught a glimpse of it!
The existence of the "God particle" will hopefully resolve inconsistencies that now exist in theoretical physics. The Higgs Boson was given that nickname in 1933 by the Nobel prize-winning physicist Leon Lederman. Higgs, who discovered the particle which is named after him, hates that name. In the Guardian, Ian Sample quotes him as saying, "I find it embarrassing because, though I'm not a believer myself, I think it is the kind of misuse of terminology which I think might offend some people."
He quotes physicist Matt Strassler as saying, "(It's) exciting, but far too early to be sure this is anything interesting. (But) this is certainly something we'll be watching."
In 1998, the Master of the Key burst into Whitley Strieber's hotel room and told him amazing things, including the fact that the soul is a SCIENCE that we have yet to understand. Read all the other things MOTKE told him, with a new foreword from Whitley telling which of these predictions have COME TRUE, in the new edition of The Key, in bookstores NOW-- And you can get a copy of The Key that comes with a special bookplate signed by Whitley from our Whitley Strieber Collection. You'll hear a lot of exaggeration about this particle on the internet, but only here at unknowncountry.com, can you TRUST us to tell you the TRUTH (and we always correct ourselves if we're wrong). If this is the kind of reporting YOU like, support this website: Subscribe today! | <urn:uuid:218e1ce6-c990-4c17-95f9-844a920173bd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.unknowncountry.com/news/cern-got-glimpse-god | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9633 | 383 | 2.28125 | 2 |
Scandinavian countries are famous for their innovative and progressive ideas in the organization of their society. Wondering if they would make this reputation also true for market research, I headed to Stockholm where I attended the Scandinavian Marknadsundersökningens Dag.
My favorite presentation of the day was without doubt from Teo Härén, author of several books on creativity. According to Härén, the key to more creativity is breaking your patterns and this was clearly demonstrated in his speech: he decided to do the Q&A session in the middle of his presentation and challenged the public several times to find alternative solutions for a problem. Some concrete examples you can start with today are taking another way when driving to work or change the side of the bed you are used to sleep on.
I also enjoyed the presentation of Jonas Ydén, head of market research at Carlsberg Sweden who gave his vision on the role of market research in an organization. Market research should not only be applied to make tactical decisions on communication, pricing or packaging, but should also monitor uncovered consumer needs and translate them in new business. Because insights can be present in different reports and places throughout the organization, they made an internal knowledge platform to make the market intelligence easily available throughout the whole company. Ydén finished with some guidelines for market research agencies:
- Do not just present the results of the study. Share also other customer knowledge you have with your client
- Do not say that something is an insight if it is not. (An insight at Carlsberg is defined as a single discovery of something enlightening about consumers, shoppers or customers’ underlying needs and motivations that Carlsberg can address to create consumer value and competitive advantage)
- Tell a story during your presentations and please the eye!
Next to the local speakers, some international speakers were placed on the agenda (like myself speaking on social media netnography). Although it is hard to bring multivariate statistics in a entertaining way, I believe that Ray Poynter did a good job in explaining CBC and MaxDiff in a simple way. I was also triggered by the presentation of Anna Thomas who used a technique called creative conversations to investigate sexual health among teenagers in the UK.
The Swedish market research day was definitely interesting. Although I did not discover any radical new ideas, I would definitely call them progressive in terms of market research. In a country that has about the same number of inhabitants as Belgium but a much larger spread, they managed to bring over 100 market researchers together for a full day of presentations. The openness and vividness where the participants were discussing research between sessions clearly showed the involvement of the whole market research community in taking research forward. | <urn:uuid:22e62115-b901-43b5-ab9e-0e7fbdd61e66> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.insites-consulting.com/2010/03/16/scandinavian-marknadsundersokningens-dag/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967415 | 551 | 1.601563 | 2 |
The Old Town with its historic buildings, the wonderful neoclassic houses, the narrow lanes and the cobbled streets
The legendary castle of Palamidi, trademark of the city. Until 1956 its ascension had to be done by the 999 stone steps that Bavarians had built. Since 1957 there is also a road leading to the castle. It was built by venetians in 1687 and from 1715 until 1822 it was occupied by the Ottomans. After long siege Greeks managed to seize it. After the Greek Independence it was used as prison for those sentenced to death. Here was imprisoned Theodoros Kolokotronis when he was sentenced to death, as both his judges (Tertsetis and Polizoidis) refused to sign his sentence.
Akronafplia built in a rocky peninsula on the foot of Palamidi hill. This was the previous location of Nafplio during the Byzantine period. It was consecutively occupied by Romans, Franks, Venetians and Ottomans. The latter named it Its Kale. George the 1st built here camps and prisons. In 1970 people built hotels on top of the ruins.
Bourtzi, the Venetian castle standing on an islet and other historic buildings such as the first Greek Parliament and the first “Allididaktiko” School (school where the older students gave lessons to younger students). Nowadays it houses a cinema-theater.
The Archeological Museum housed in an old Venetian building in Syntagma square. It includes remarkable findings from the Paleolithic era up to the Roman times.
The Museum of War housed in the buildings of the former Police Academy and presenting the modern military history of Argolida prefecture.
The Central Public Library and the Gallery
The Folklore Museum of Peloponnesian Institution
Children’s Museum (located in the old train station) and the unique Worry Beads Museum
The City Hall in Trion Navarchon square which housed the first Gymnasium in Greece
Xira’sGate built the same period as Palamidi and was recently reconstructed
Ioannis Kapodistrias statue at the homonym square
“Pronia” district with its scenic one storey houses. It was the first area constructed outside the city. Here stands the sculptured lion in honor of Bavarians who died in Greece from the plague in the period of 1833-34.
Aghios Spiridonas Ioannis Kapodistrias the fisrt governor of Greece was murdered outside this church. On the church wall the traces of one of the fatal bullets is protected by exhibition glass.
Aghios Georgios (17th century). It is the metropolitan church and has remarkable hagiographies and icons such as the replica of the “Last Supper" by Leonardo Da Vinci.
GennisitisTheotokou (Birth of the Virgin Mary)
Tirintha (7 km N). It is worth to visit ancient Tirintha, one of the most famous archeological sites. Its first constructions date back to the Neolithic Times. The Cyclopean walls built 14th and 13th century B.C. surround the upper, middle and lower citadel. The city extends around the citadel. Not far away (1 km NW) you can see a vaulted Mycenaean tomb.
Nea Kio (7 km W). It is a coastal city with great touristic movement, built at the end of Nafplio bay. It is worth to visit the Culture-Convention Center (located on the central square) and Laskaridio Folklore Museum. Many interesting events happen during the carnival, summer period(“Mikrasiatika”and “Kiana” events) and during September (“Papalina Feast”).
Mili (12 km SW) with the ruins of ancient Lerna known from the battle of Hercules with Lernaean Hydra (water beast that possessed numerous heads).
Visitgreece.gr is the official tourism web site for Greece, run by the Greek National Tourism Organisation, where you'll find information on the main tourist destinations, such as cities, beaches, as well as activities, events and much more! | <urn:uuid:1a511e80-47fd-401a-8539-7a22039b6656> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://visitgreece.gr/en/touring/on_foot/walking_in_nafplio | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955304 | 904 | 2.34375 | 2 |
Intelligent people might disagree on the right response to immigration, but the cause of it seems pretty clear. People move abroad to improve living conditions -- whether economic or political -- for themselves and their families. But what about those who are only somewhat dissatisfied with their lot in life? Apparently they stay home.
In a paper for the Journal of Happiness Studies, economists Nicole Simpson of Colgate University and Linnea Polgreen of the University of Iowa compared the emigration rates of 58 countries with their national happiness scores, as measured by the World Values Survey. What they found is that there's a roughly U-shaped relationship between happiness and emigration: The least happy countries, like Albania and Ukraine, have high emigration rates, but so do the world's happiest countries, like Colombia and El Salvador. Why? Extremely happy countries produce optimistic, confident people more likely to risk relocating overseas to improve their prospects. The rest, it seems, are stuck in the middle. | <urn:uuid:a77dc894-7c0e-4483-a7c2-e08a9bb47ada> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/01/03/the_apathy_curve?hidecomments=yes | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959303 | 195 | 2.28125 | 2 |
A New York research firm that turns massive amounts of data into streamlined information, CUBRC (pronounced “coo-brick”) invested $1.2 million in seed finance, and established a strategic partnership with GridGlo — a smart grid technology startup from Delray Beach, Florida, the companies revealed today.
GridGlo sells software and services that help utilities see how and why their customers, primarily homeowners, are using electricity in real-time. They also provide utilities with an Energy People Scoring Mechanism, or EPM score that the company hopes will become a standard like the FICO score is to credit card issuers and other financial institutions.
The EPM (see screenshots, below) is based on four criteria: how much power a customer uses and from which sources including things like rooftop solar panels (consumption); how efficient a consumer is compared to neighboring customers or their own past behavior (efficiency); whether or not they frequently try or are willing to try things that the utility suggests like buying a more efficient refrigerator or shutting off the air conditioner during peak hours (engagement); and whether or not the consumer is consistent in their energy related habits (predictability).
The chief executive of GridGlo, Isais Sudit, explained:
“Several companies doing great things to move the market forward, here. At GridGlo, we’re using a deeper level of analytics, though, and handling a greater amount of data — 1,300 criteria to start — than any other companies in the energy space. Also, we focus strictly on helping the utilities. We don’t have a consumer-facing app or product. It is our aim to help the utilities offer what works best for their business, and their market to the energy consumer.
Our technology can tell a utility if their customers are married, have kids, living in a 5,000 square foot home, if and when they installed solar panels, if they drive a hybrid electric vehicle, if they had the same job for the last ten years, haven’t moved in that time and more. You put those components together and you begin to build an understanding of how this is all related to energy consumption.
When that happens, your relationships with customers improve, and your business becomes more predictable.”
Ostensibly, if utilities can make sense of a plethora of energy data — coming in every fifteen minutes or even more quickly from smart meters, smart appliances and home energy management systems — and fuse it with other available information about their customers, they will be able to motivate those customers to use electricity more efficiently, or to use electricity from renewable and clean sources more often.
GridGlo is still in a proof-of-concept phase, Sudit admitted. He could not yet provide firm evidence that the EPM, or other GridGlo technology will actually help utilities engender this behavioral change — yet.
Images and captions via GridGlo:
2. A map that color codes different zip codes based on the energy that households in the area are consuming. Attributes contributing to the model (e.g. average square footage, average household size) are shown in the lower panel.
GridGlo is a cleantech company specializing in the aggregation and “fusion†of smart meter data with consumer data to provide solutions for utility companies and application developers to realizing the full value of smart meter data. GridGlo offers a Platform as a Service. GridGlo’s platform uses advanced data fusion technology to merge AMI data with social and behavioral data, providing new ways for Utilities to forecast, segment, and monetize their data. GridGlo is leveraging its core technology...
People are drowning in data but still starving for information. As the world continues to become more networked, the availability and access to data can overwhelm people and obscure the information they are seeking. CUBRC sits at the forefront of Multisource Information Fusion RDT&E which encompasses a class of technologies which address these issues of turning massive amounts of data into streamlined information for an end user in the civilian and military domains. Personnel CUBRC’s Information Exploitation Group consists of skilled... | <urn:uuid:e024af37-1c53-4171-8b7d-7d80f027004b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://techcrunch.com/2011/05/11/gridglo-seedround-cubrc/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931635 | 867 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Water for the World™: Building on 5 Years of Partnership
Securing access to safe water and adequate sanitation is recognised as one of the world’s most pressing challenges. About 1.8 billion people1 depend on unsafe drinking water and 2.5 billion do not have access to adequate sanitation2. This situation needs to be addressed with accelerated urgency, and is the reason why this challenge has been declared as part of core Millennium Development Goals defined by the United Nations (UN).
Half the hospital beds in developing countries are occupied by people suffering from diseases caused by poor water, sanitation and hygiene. In addition, people without access to water and sanitation are limited in their ability to lead lives in dignity and they are caught in a vicious cycle of poverty, reason why access to safe water and proper sanitation has been declared a Human Right. Moreover, the costs of treating water and sanitation related diseases drain national budgets. In Africa the economic loss due to lack of water and sanitation represents 5% of the continent’s annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Meanwhile, investing in access to water and sanitation yields high economic returns. It is estimated that for every US Dollar invested in water and sanitation, USD 4 is delivered in economic returns through increased productivity3. And last but not least, the economic and social conditions have a negative impact on business development, as they impair productivity, cause sick days and restrict markets for products.
Business can and needs to play a major role in contributing to accelerating progress. In 2007, Borealis and Borouge, leading providers of innovative value-creating plastics solutions, launched Water for the World™, a programme dedicated to making a contribution to the global water challenge. Water for the World focuses on three areas, firstly improving access to water and sanitation for the poor and victims of natural disasters, secondly promoting sustainable water management practices to preserve water resources and finally raising awareness in communities and across the value chain.
During the past 5 years Borealis and Borouge have successfully implemented a wide range of projects in partnership with customers, local communities, non-government organisations (NGOs) and research institutes.
Improving access to water and sanitation
Together with local NGOs and pipe customers, Water for the World has supported projects in India, Vietnam, Nepal, China and Pakistan, providing direct access to water for about 300,000 people. In northern Pakistan, for example, new water supplies were brought to 8 villages in the Neelum Valley which had lost most of their infrastructure in the devastating floods of July 2010. High quality plastic pipes made from PE 100 material provided by Borouge and its local pipe producer Sun International now bring water down from springs in the mountains to the villages below.
Water for the World also supports x-runner, a social venture whose aim is to provide a sustainable sanitation solution for households that lack access to a piped water and sanitation infrastructure. The x-runner concept is based on a odor-free plastic toilet that does not need to be connected to a piped sewage system, combined with a pick-up and cleaning service for the human waste that is then recycled and turned into energy or fertilizer.
Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP), is a partnership between the private sector, civil society and academia bringing together skills and expertise from all three sectors. Since its creation, WSUP has reached more than 1 million people in Africa and Bangladesh with water, sanitation and hygiene education. As board members, Borealis and Borouge provide technical expertise and strategic advice and support WSUP to obtain funding from major donors.
Promoting sustainable water management practices
At the present time 70% of the world’s water resources are used for agricultural production and with food demand set to increase by 70% by 2050 without intervention there is a major threat to food and water security. Many irrigation systems are inefficient, with much of the valuable water never arriving at its intended destination. Water for the World joined a research initiative to evaluate possible water saving strategies in agriculture. In 2012, Borealis and Borouge launched Borstar Aquility™, a specific range of plastic materials for drip irrigation pipes that have a huge impact on water efficiency improvement and increase of crop yields – two crucial factors in addressing the global challenges of water shortage and rising food demand.
Another 20% of global water resources is consumed by industry. Assessing a company’s water footprint together with its local impact puts a company in a better position to analyse and manage its water consumption and its effect on local environments and communities. Through Water for the World, Borealis completed the plastics industry’s first water footprint assessment, in collaboration with the Royal Institute of Technology of Sweden, applying methodologies developed by the Water Footprint Network. Borealis also cooperated with European Water Stewardship Partners in the development of a Europe-wide water stewardship standard, and is now integrating this standard into its own management system. The companies’ commitment to sustainability is reflected in a growing number of initiatives to minimise the Company’s operational footprint and to address the impact of its products on society after their intended and valuable use.
Much done, but much more to do
Since its launch in 2007, Water for the World has directly improved access to water for about a quarter million people and the number of people indirectly impacted is well over 1 million. The companies’ participation in awareness and education programmes, involving employees, value-chain partners, neighbours, schools, and the general public, is an important means of sowing the seeds for future improvements.
“The uniqueness of Water for the World is that it is a truly integrated programme that works in cross-sector partnerships. We are engaged in social, environmental and business related water challenge projects.” says Dorothea Wiplinger, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Borealis. “The water challenge is complex and can only be addressed by collaboration, a fundamental element of Water for the World. None of our projects could have been realised without the engagement and cooperation of our partners.”
“Our engagement through Water for the World has provided us with better market and consumer insights as well as helped us to better understand the challenges and connect with important stakeholders.” says Mark Garrett, Borealis Chief Executive. “Water for the World directly helps thousands of people with no strings attached, but what makes it sustainable is that it helps us to identify societal needs and convert them into new business opportunities for the benefit of both business and society.”
Wim Roels, CEO of Borouge’s Marketing & Sales Company stated: “We are proud of our achievements during the past 5 years. However, there is still much to do. The United Nations has designated 2013 as the International Year of Water Cooperation, an excellent occasion to further build our partnership approach with Water for the World.”
1 Onda, K., LoBuglio, J., Bartram, J., Global Access to Safe Water: Accounting for Water Quality and the Resulting Impact on MDG Progress, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2012
2 WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program 2012
3 Hutton, G., 2012. Global costs and benefits of drinking-water supply and sanitation interventions to reach the MDG target and universal coverage. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization. WHO/HSE/WSH/12.01.
Borealis is a leading provider of innovative solutions in the fields of polyolefins, base chemicals and fertilizers. Borealis is headquartered in Vienna, Austria, and operates in over 120 countries with around 5,300 employees worldwide, generating EUR 7.1 billion in sales revenue in 2011. The International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) of Abu Dhabi owns 64% of the company, the remaining 36% is owned by OMV, the leading energy group in the European growth belt. Borealis provides services and products to customers around the world in collaboration with Borouge, a joint venture with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).
Building on the unique Borstar® and BorlinkTM technologies and 50 years of experience in polyolefins, Borealis and Borouge support key industries including infrastructure, automotive and advanced packaging. The Borouge plant expansion in Abu Dhabi will be fully operational by mid-2014 with a total annual capacity of 4.5 million tonnes. After this Borealis and Borouge will have approximately 8 million tonnes of polyolefin capacity.
Borealis offers a wide range of base chemicals, including melamine, phenol, acetone, ethylene and propylene servicing a wide range of industries. Together with Borouge the two companies will produce approximately 6 million tonnes of Base Chemicals in 2014.
Borealis also creates real value for the agricultural industry with a large portfolio of fertilizers. The company distributes approximately 2.1 million tonnes per year.
Borealis and Borouge aim to proactively benefit society by taking on real societal challenges and offering real solutions. Both companies are committed to the principles of Responsible Care®, an initiative to improve safety performance within the chemical industry, and contribute to solve the world’s water and sanitation challenges through product innovation and their Water for the WorldTM programme.
For more information visit:
Borlink and Water for the World are trademarks of the Borealis group.
Borstar is a registered trademark of the Borealis group.
This news content was configured by WebWire editorial staff. Linking is permitted. | <urn:uuid:d330f439-67da-4253-9183-3cf5ac297d45> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=168710 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936893 | 1,943 | 2.703125 | 3 |
Weekend snowshoe, ski treks to Camp Santanoni scheduled
In photo: Steven Englehart, executive director of Adirondack Architectural Heritage, discusses the history of Camp Santanoni at the camp last winter.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation will host three weekends for people who want to ski or snowshoe to the historic state-owned Camp Santanoni, following up on winter weekend events held last year.
The trips to the classic Adirondack Great Camp will take place during the Martin Luther King holiday weekend, Jan. 19-21; President’s Day holiday weekend, Feb. 16-18; and the weekend of March 16-17.
Cross-country skiers and snowshoers will have access to the historic camp properties on Newcomb Lake to rest and view interpretative displays.
“Camp Santanoni provides an amazing 9.8-mile round trip cross-country ski excursion in the Adirondacks,” DEC Commissioner Joseph Martens said. “The trail traverses from the Gate House complex to the remote lakeside main lodge complex, providing a moderate ski and a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors."
Interpretive tours will be offered by staff of Adirondack Architectural Heritage. The Artist’s Studio, a stone building near the main lodge on the shores of Newcomb Lake, will be open as a warming hut. Coffee, tea and hot chocolate will be available, though the public is asked to bring their own cups. The Adirondack Interpretive Center will have snowshoes to lend to visitors at the Gate Lodge off Route 28N.
“Last year, over eight days, we had more than 400 people make the 10-mile round-trip outing into Santanoni and we thoroughly enjoyed providing a place to warm up and interpreting the camp’s rich history and architecture to them," said Steven Englebright, executive director of Adirondack Architectural Heritage.
The Adirondack Interpretive Center’s buildings, which are connected by ski trails to the Gate House, will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on all three days of the Winter Weekends in January and February and on the Saturday and Sunday of the March Winter Weekend.
Construction of Camp Santanoni began in 1892 by Robert and Anna Pruyn and eventually consisted of more than four dozen buildings on 12,900 acres including a working farm, the Gate Lodge complex, and a huge rustic Main Lodge and other buildings situated on Newcomb Lake. Camp Santanoni was in private ownership until 1972, when the state bought it. Restoration efforts are on-going.
Santanoni is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark.
Camp Santanoni is considered by many to be the classic Adirondack Great Camp.
Information on Camp Santanoni is available at the DEC web site here. | <urn:uuid:c1638d04-34d1-4144-990c-6ce335aa4b25> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dailygazette.com/weblogs/adirondacks/2013/jan/15/weekend-snowshoe-ski-treks-camp-santanoni-schedule/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940465 | 615 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Technology industry is one of the most unpredictable industries. Some companies become billionaire overnight and some established ones, come to verge of closing. Some products become instant hit with consumers and some seasoned products lose their shine instantly. So here are our 5 tech predictions for this unpredictable market for the year 2012.
This is the second in a three-part series on Operating Systems that power a Smartphone. In Part 1, we focussed on introducing the concept of a Smartphone in general and identifying a couple of operating systems like iOS, Android and Windows Mobile. Here we talk about other operating systems such as Blackberry, Bada, Maemo, Symbian and WebOS.
Do you remember your first mobile phone? I definitely do, with every detail intact! Also, I remember reading about phones which work like handheld computers, the Smart Phones and how I longed to own one, someday.
Anyhow, the smartphones are here! And almost everyone of us, is well informed of the latest mobile devices available on the shelf. Of course, the number of smartphones available at present is huge. The factor which has always kept me curious is that these phones are well complimented by a large variety of Operating systems. | <urn:uuid:733d6345-05d8-41c5-8cb0-df2a83648a51> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pixelonomics.com/author/rajat/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00059-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95072 | 245 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Haven’t seen the show Pawn Stars yet? Time to jump on that bandwagon. It’s on the History Channel, and if you’re like me, you’re not so inclined to watch the higher channels on the cable lineup unless Flavor Flav is involved.
You’re missing out.
For those who haven’t seen the show, here are the basics. It follows the day to day operations of a Las Vegas pawn shop and the family who owns it (Old Man, Rick and Corey, along with Corey’s delightfully walrus-like sidekick, Chumlee). People bring in objects to pawn or sell, there is some discussion of the object and its value, and the pawn shop makes a deal (or not). Naturally the objects brought into the pawn shop are more exciting and historically significant than what I’d imagine pawn shops usually deal with (offbrand guitars, xboxes, old CDs, DVD players, etc). The real fun comes with the discussion about the historical background of the objects themselves, as well as the negotiation.
So it dawned on me. I like Pawn Stars because it reminds me of taking in personal injury cases. How? Let me count the ways:
1. To take a case or buy an item – similar calculations.
On Pawn Stars, when someone tries to sell an item, the Pawn Stars have to decide whether they will make any money from it. Seems easy, right? It’s not that simple. They have to analyze what the chances of resale are, how long an item would sit on the shelf, how much money would be put into restoration, etc to get it ready to sell (particularly true with antiques, cars and guns) and how much profit they would make. Based on this calculus (done in a split second) they decide whether to buy or sell an item.
As personal injury attorneys, we share the same considerations in deciding whether or not to take a case. Will I win? How long will it take? How much is the case worth? How much risk is there? How much will we have to invest in costs (experts, exhibits) before the case can be settled or taken to trial? We also make this internal calculation based on a phone call or two and an in-person meeting with a potential client. Sometimes we make good decisions, sometimes not.
2. We both have to watch out for red flags.
One episode showed a guy trying to sell 5 or 6 identical, mint condition Pete Rose cards. This set off red flags for the PS crew – why did he have so many? Why were they all in identical condition? Why were all of them in perfect condition? Why did he want to sell them? After a closer inspection, the cards turned out to be forgeries. We don’t know if the would-be-seller was the forger or a victim of someone else’s forgery, but it was a good catch that saved Rick some money.
In my field, I believe the vast majority of people I talk to are good people who need help. There are always a few who want to fudge the truth to get what they want. If someone’s story doesn’t make sense, or if their story is completely different each time you talk to them, beware of the counterfeit case. I’ve taken cases in, ordered the medical records, and then found out my client’s story is completely different than what actually happened. We get rid of those clients – but we have to keep a look out for them.
3. People often have an exaggerated idea what their stuff (or their case) is worth.
One feature of Pawn Stars has a quick interview snippet with a prospective seller where they say what they want to get for an object – usually something like “I have no idea what this antique coin is worth, but I’m looking to get between $2,000 and $3,000 for it today.” If you have no idea what it’s worth, where did you come up with your numbers? Is that just the amount you needed to get out of debt/pay your mortgage/buy what you really wanted? Likewise, people on the show typically overlook flaws in their items and see them with rose colored glasses.
Once again, this is no different in the law. Clients tend to overlook flaws in their cases (yet plaintiff’s attorneys should be mindful in how they discuss the flaws with their clients – focus on them too much or too strongly and the client may think you don’t believe in their case, ignore them too much and you gloss over some needed truth). Clients also have some idea what their case is worth, and sometimes it’s way, way off. The key is explaining how you get your range as to the value of the case.
4. In over your head? Call in an expert!
Several times an episode, Rick will call “a buddy of his” to evaluate an interesting piece – sometimes for authenticity, sometimes for value.
We do this all the time. We have expert witnesses in cases because we can’t possibly know everything. We use them in medical malpractice because we’re not doctors or nurses and don’t pretend to be. We use them in other cases where particular expertise is needed. We talk to other lawyers about technique, settlement value, etc. Other lawyers come to us with specific or general questions. The process is collaborative, and a lawyer who goes along totally on his or her own may get in trouble.
So there you go. Watch Pawn Stars and become a better lawyer – but remember you heard it from me first.
(Howard Zimmerle is a personal injury and accident lawyer with offices in Rock Island, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa.) | <urn:uuid:4015e4b9-257f-4c10-b05f-38960a18c41a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://qcinjurylawyers.wordpress.com/category/pawn-stars/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967244 | 1,219 | 1.523438 | 2 |
The Star Wars movies created a glut of spin-off merchandise, including a very popular line of action figures. Kenner toys scored a coup by making their figures much smaller than other dolls--only 3.75 inches tall--which meant that young children could purchase them with their allowance money. The toys turned into a phenomenon, and while they died down after the original trilogy ended, Hasbro (which bought up Kenner) revived them again the in the mid-1990s. They have become quite a prize for collectors and rare models can be worth quite a bit. A general pricing guide may help determine how much you can get for yours.
Star Wars action figures can be divided into three basic eras: the original Kenner line, which ran from 1977 to 1985, the "second wave" line from Hasbro which ran from 1995 to 1999 and the second trilogy line which ran from 1999 to 2009 and on. Pricing varies depending on the individual figure. Generally speaking, the rarer the figure, the more valuable it is. This tends to make the "vintage" Kenner collection more valuable than others, though not always.
Special Edition Figures
Other factors being equal, the most valuable figures were those from the vintage Kenner line produced as promotions. You couldn't get them in the stores; you could only get them by sending proofs of purchase through the mail. There are six among the most notable: the Emperor, the post-redemption Anakin Skywalker, Nein Nunb, Bossk, the droid 4-LOM, and one of the holy grails for collectors, the original Boba Fett with a missile shooting out of his jet pack. An eBay posting for the latter figure in June of 2009 had an asking price of $250.
Some collectors specialize in adding personal touches to given action figures: new sigils on the stormtrooper uniforms, for example, or cybernetic figures with human bodies and one or more droid limbs. Depending upon the skill and authenticity of such figures, they could be extremely valuable... or totally worthless. As of June, 2009, a number of custom figures on eBay are selling for $20 apiece, though the price of custom figures can fluctuate wildly (beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder in this case).
"Star Wars" action figures are graded on a pair of scales to determine their relative worth. Grading depends on the overall quality of the action figure, the existence of certain accessories (such as blasters and lightsabers) and even the box that they came in. The "C" scale is rated from C10 (a perfect figure) to C1 (a mangled piece of junk), with C8 to C10 being collector-worthy figures. The AFA rating uses a percentage scale: AFA 100 (perfect) to AFA 1 (chew toy for your dog), with AFA 70 or higher being collector worthy. Price differences vary more by percentage than amount--a C10 figure may go for $10 while a C8 figure may only be worth $3 or $4--but once the quality drops to C7 or below, it becomes much more difficult to convince anyone to buy them. Rarity and demand for a given figure may play a role too: a coveted C7 figure may go for $25 while a C10 copy of a less desirable figure may only go for $5.
As with any other collector's market, pricing fluctuates depending on the number of figures out there, the rarity of the figure and the overall demand. A number of different pricing books exist, as do sites that can provide accurate prices. The best indicators, however, are those in which active sales are taking place: notably eBay, which does a brisk business in Star Wars collectibles, and science fiction and fantasy conventions, where collectors price them to sell. Check the market, find a reliable buyer and know what your particular figure is worth before you choose to sell. A rare vintage Darth Vader with a telescoping lightsaber has fetched as much as $6,000, while a vintage jawa with a vinyl cape can sell for as much as $2,000. Most Star Wars figures sell for much less than that: $10 to $50, depending on the time, the rarity and the demand.
Mania is the premiere online destination for fans of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and anime entertainment. It is the largest community offering profiles, video, science fiction movies, sci fi TV, art, sci fi comics, photos, cheats, blogs, science fiction books, forums and feedback. Mania offers insider entertainment industry info and original content for science fiction, fantasy, and horror entertainment genres including: video games, comics, gadgets, movies, television, toys, music, books, DVDs and more. | <urn:uuid:09ff768b-7400-48f8-80d8-b6ab1048bdb9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mania.com/star-wars-figure-price-guide_article_116396.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948173 | 975 | 1.5 | 2 |
The LTDB uses areal interpolation to estimate population characteristics from prior years within 2010 boundaries. Depending on what information is available at a very local scale, the interpolation is based on a combination of area and population weighting (2000) or only on area weighting (1970-1990). The former approach is the current standard in the field, but where appropriate small unit population data are not available, areal interpolation is the fallback option.
Combining areal and population interpolation
Bridging between 2000 and 2010 in the LTDB is greatly facilitated by the Topological Faces layer of the TIGER/Line shapefiles created by the Census Bureau, which shows the intersection between blocks and tracts (and many other geographic layers) as defined in the 2000 and 2010 censuses. This file is available to be downloaded. The face polygons created by the intersection of these multiple geographic boundaries are in effect the smallest possible sub-block unit in census geography; which we term a “fragment.” Each one is uniquely identified by a topological face ID (TFID), and it includes several useful attributes: total area, an indicator of whether the face polygon is water or land, and all geocodes (from block ID to state FIPS code) in both the 2000 and 2010 census. We reduce the Faces file to the tract and block layers for 2000 and 2010, and we work with the fragments from the intersection of these layers.
The next step is to allocate reported tract level population characteristics from 2000 (such as counts by race and age) to blocks within the tract. The LTDB bases this allocation on the block’s share of the total tract population in 2000. It then estimates what share of the 2000 block population and of every population subgroup (estimated in the previous step) lies in each fragment within that block. It does this through simple areal interpolation based on the fragment’s share of the block area. This estimate is refined with ancillary data provided in the Faces file that identifies water fragments with no population that should be disregarded.
It is straightforward to aggregate fragments to the 2010 census tracts. The assumption that all population characteristics have the same distribution as the total population across blocks within a tract, and across fragments within a block, is the main source of error in the estimate.
NCDB used ancillary data from the streets coverage from Tiger/Line 1992 to bridge 1990 data to 2000 tract boundaries. Every 1990 block was linked to census tracts in 2000. When the block was fully within the boundaries of the 2000 tract, its 1990 population was used as the population weight. When the block was located in more than one 2000 tract, the length of streets within each fragment was used to determine what share of the block population to allocate to each tract. The assumption is that population is highly correlated with the extent of local roads, though it was not known whether there were homes on these roads. To the extent that roads indicate population, this procedure is superior to weighting block fragments by their area. NCDB created a 1990-2000 proprietary Block Weighting File (BWF) to represent what share of a given 1990 block’s population should be estimated to fall within each 2000 tract. As in the LTDB these same weights were used to estimate all census variables.
Interpolation with area weights
Areal interpolation requires only that we have an accurate overlay of the tract boundaries in two years. The LTDB estimates for 1970-1990 are based on tract boundaries from the National Historic Geographic Information System (NHGIS). With these we created a tract-level equivalent of a Topological Faces relationship table for 1970-2000. The first step is to overlay the 2000 tract boundary file onto the 1990 boundary file and merge these into a single layer. For each tract that did not change between 1990 and 2000, the result is a single polygon and data record. For tracts that changed, multiple records exist in the new layer. We then merge 1990 census data with this new layer using 1990 state, county, and tract codes, and we apportion the 1990 counts to each fragment of the split tract using the area proportions as weights.
We repeat the same process for 1970 and 1980, again using the 2000 tract file as the overlay. We then use the population and area based interpolation method described previously to adjust the data from 2000 tract boundaries to 2010 tract boundaries.
NCDB used a similar approach for 1980, first linking source year tracts to 1990 blocks, and then interpolating from those blocks to 2000 tracts. NCDB used area-weighted interpolation using spatial data from Tiger/Line 1992. A less precise area weighting was used for 1970 that relied on the Census Bureau’s tract correspondence file between 1970 and 1980. Every 1970 tract contributing to a 1980 tract was weighted equally. Then 1980 tracts were linked to 1990 blocks, and in a final step to 2000 tracts.
Researchers should be aware of the potential for error in interpolation that is based only on area weights. The figure below presents an extreme example of what can happen. Here a single tract in 2000 was split into three tracts in 2010. The block populations in 2000 show that the very large area that became tract 36045980000 was almost unpopulated. The LTDB population estimate for this tract based on area+population weighting is only 11. Yet areal interpolation alone suggests that most population in the source tract should be estimated to be in 36045980000. Note also that some populous blocks in 2000 have been divided in 2010 between two tracts. An area+population weighting would yield reasonable estimates if population within each of these is not greatly skewed to one portion of its area.
Example of a split tract in 2000-2010, showing the block populations (color-coded) in 2000 in each panel. On the left are the 2000 tract boundaries; on the right are 2010 boundaries.
We have made a series of comparisons for 2000-2010 (comparing our combined area and population interpolation with an alternative in which we only take into account area) in order to illustrate how these approaches can lead to different results. These comparisons involve a selection of variables. Some of these are population counts: total population, non-Hispanic white population, Asian population, college graduates, and home owners. Others are rates or medians: population density, percent non-Hispanic white, percent Asian, percent college graduates, percent home owners, and median household income. It is more difficult to estimate absolute numbers (because these depend on how fully the area of a census tract has been settled) than to estimate compositional characteristics such as percentages and rates (which tend to be similar across adjacent tracts).
We found that split tracts yield more disparate estimates than do tracts with many-to-many changes. In addition the estimates of absolute numbers (counts) have much greater discrepancies than the estimates of rates or averages. As an example, consider the estimates of non-Hispanic white residents and non-Hispanic white percentage for split tracts. The correlations for the number of whites are .427 and .681, and less than 20% of cases have discrepancies of less than 0.1 standard deviation. But estimates of the white percentage have near-perfect correlations. And close to 100% of estimates are within 0.1 standard deviation of each other.
As expected, when all tracts are included in the comparison, the correlations are higher and discrepancies are smaller. For example the two estimates of total population are correlated at .88, white count at .93, and Asian count at .97. Hence the potential errors resulting from reliance on area-weighted interpolation are moderated by the many tracts that require no estimation. | <urn:uuid:cd0f8d21-57da-4fb2-910b-d761361752e4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.s4.brown.edu/us2010/Researcher/BoundaryAdjustments.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00062-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941707 | 1,570 | 2.578125 | 3 |
How is vulvodynia diagnosed?
You may need to have a pelvic exam and tests to check for bacteria and yeast. If any test results don't seem normal, your doctor may want you to have a colposcopy or a biopsy. Colposcopy is an exam of the genital area that uses a special magnifying glass. If you have a biopsy, your doctor first numbs your genital area with a painkiller, then takes a small piece of tissue to be looked at with a microscope.
Vulvodynia and Vulvar Vestibulitis: Challenges in Diagnosis and Management by Julius F. Metts, M.D. (American Family Physician March 15, 1999, http://www.aafp.org/afp/990315ap/1547.html)
Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff | <urn:uuid:1ce50477-b5dd-4f13-879b-be0181a1e7aa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/diseases-conditions/vulvodynia/diagnosis-tests.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914026 | 177 | 2.28125 | 2 |
About Hamilton Stuyvesant Fish, III
Hamilton Fish III (born Hamilton Stuyvesant Fish and also known as Hamilton Fish, Jr.; December 7, 1888 – January 18, 1991) was a soldier and politician from New York State. Born into a family long active in the state, he served in the United States House of Representatives from 1920 to 1945 and during that time was a prominent opponent of United States intervention in foreign affairs and was a critic of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. When Fish celebrated his 102nd birthday in 1990, he was the oldest living American who had served in Congress.
Background, family, and early life
Fish was born Hamilton Stuyvesant Fish in Garrison, Putnam County, New York to former U.S. Representative Hamilton Fish II and the former Emily Mann. His paternal grandfather, Hamilton Fish, was United States Secretary of State under President Ulysses S. Grant. The father of the first Hamilton Fish, Nicholas Fish (born 1758), an officer in the Continental Army and later appointed adjutant general of New York State by Governor George Clinton.
The wife of Nicholas Fish was Elizabeth Stuyvesant, a descendant of Peter Stuyvesant, who was the Dutch colonial governor of New York. Through his mother, Emily Mann, Hamilton Fish III was also a descendant of Thomas Hooker, who settled Hartford, Connecticut in 1636. Fish's uncle Elias Mann was a judge and three-term mayor of Troy, New York.
Fish's great-grandmother, Susan Livingston, married Count Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz in 1800 after the death of her husband, John Kean (who had been a delegate to the Continental Congress from South Carolina.) A soldier and statesman, Niemcewicz was credited with writing the Polish Constitution of 1791. John Kean and Susan Livingston's great-grandson, and thus a relative of Fish, was Thomas Kean, who was elected governor of New Jersey in 1982.
A cousin of Hamilton Fish III (also named Hamilton Fish) was sergeant in Company L of Theodore Roosevelt's "Rough Riders", and the first American soldier killed in action during the Spanish-American War. At the age of ten, Hamilton Fish II had his son's name legally changed from Hamilton Stuyvesant Fish to just Hamilton Fish to honor his fallen cousin (he and Hamilton Fish III never met).
Fish was married in 1921 to Grace Chapin Rogers (1885–1960), daughter of onetime Brooklyn Mayor Alfred Clark Chapin. Their son, Hamilton Fish IV, was a thirteen-term U.S. Representative from New York, holding office from 1969 to 1995. The Fishes' daughter Lillian Veronica Fish married David Whitmire Hearst, son of William Randolph Hearst.
During his childhood, Fish attended Chateau de Lancy, a Swiss school near Geneva, which his father also attended in 1860; there, the younger Fish learned French and played soccer. He spent summers with his family in Bavaria. He began his U.S. boarding school education at Fay School in Southborough, Massachusetts, and he later attended St. Mark's School, a preparatory school also in Southborough. Fish later described himself as a "B student" but successful in several different sports.
Graduating from St. Mark's in 1906, Fish went on to attend Harvard University. There, he played on Harvard's football team as a tackle and was a member of the Porcellian Club. Standing 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) and weighing 200 pounds (91 kg), "Ham" Fish was highly successful as a football player; he was twice an All-America and in 1954 was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. After graduating from Harvard, Fish continued his involvement in football. He donated $5000 for several awards to Harvard football players; and organized the Harvard Law School football team, which played exhibition games with other colleges around the country.
In 1909, aged twenty, Fish graduated from Harvard with a cum laude degree in history and government. He declined an offer to teach history at Harvard and instead took a job in a New York City insurance office.
Hamilton accepted an offer from Col. William Hayward to become a captain in the 369th U.S. Infantry Regiment, a unit made up of African American enlisted men which came to be known as the "Harlem Hellfighters." The summer after President Wilson's declaration of war against Germany (in April 1917), Fish and about two thousand soldiers began training at Camp Whitman (in New York). In October 1917, the unit was ordered to Camp Wadsworth (in South Carolina) for further training. In November 1917, the regiment boarded the USS Pocahontas, destined for France, although shortly thereafter the ship returned to shore due to engine problems. After another abortive departure, the ship left on December 13, 1917. Despite colliding with another ship and not having a destroyer escort to protect against German submarines, the regiment reached France. (Fish complained to Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin D. Roosevelt about the lack of an escort.)
Fish and his unit landed in Brest, France on December 26; the 369th was placed under the control of the French army by U.S. General John Pershing. Altogether, the 369th spent 191 days on the front lines, which was the longest of any American regiment. It was also the first Allied regiment to reach the Rhine River. Fish, as well as his sister Janet (who had been a nurse near the front lines), were both later inducted into the French Legion of Honor for their wartime service.
Service in the U.S. Congress
First elected to fill the vacancy caused by Edmund Platt, Fish was a member of the United States House of Representatives from November 2, 1920 until January 3, 1945, having been defeated for reelection in 1944. In nearly 25 years as a congressman, Fish would become known as a strong anti-communist and a bitter opponent of his erstwhile friend Franklin D. Roosevelt, which raised his profile and made him an ally of the anti-Roosevelt members of Congress.
He was opposed to Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal policies before and after Pearl Harbor. A non-interventionist until Pearl Harbor, Fish was responsible for a number of legislative and diplomatic moves aimed at helping Jews out of Hitler's Germany and turned aside as refugees. His unapologetic opposition to the New Deal provoked Roosevelt into including him with two other Capitol Hill opponents in a rollicking taunt that became a staple of FDR's 1940 re-election campaign: "Martin, Barton and Fish." Finally, in part under the influence of New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, Fish's congressional career ended when he won the Republican Party primary in his district but lost the general election in 1944.
The Unknown Soldier of World War I and the Tomb of the Unknowns
On December 21, 1920, Congressman Hamilton Fish introduced legislation which was to be among his most enduring and patriotic acts as a member of Congress. It was Resolution 67 of the 66th Congress which provided for the return to the United States the remains of an unknown American soldier killed in France during World War I and for interment of his remains in a hallowed tomb to be constructed outside the Memorial Amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia across the Potomac River from the nation's capital. The Congress approved the resolution on March 4, 1921. On October 23, 1921 at Châlons-sur-Marne, France, about 90 miles from Paris, remains of an unknown soldier were selected from among six caskets containing remains of unknown American soldiers killed in France. The selected remains were returned to the United States and interred at the tomb site in Arlington National Cemetery on November 11, 1921 in solemn ceremony following a state funeral procession from the U.S. Capitol building where the World War I Unknown had lain in state. The tomb, completed in 1937, came to be known as The Tomb of the Unknowns (Soldiers) which is today guarded around the clock daily by elite sentries of the U.S. Army's historic ceremonial but combat ready 3rd Infantry Regiment—"The Old Guard." The tomb, and unknown soldiers of three U.S. wars interred there today, is thought to be the most hallowed military site in the United States and may well be Fish's greatest legacy to the nation.
Hamilton Fish was a fervent anti-communist; in a 1931 article, he described communism as "the most important, the most vital, the most far-reaching, and the most dangerous issue in the world" and believed that there was extensive communist influence in the United States.
On May 5, 1930, he introduced House Resolution 180, which proposed to establish a committee to investigate communist activities in the United States; the resulting committee, commonly known as the Fish Committee, undertook extensive investigations of people and organizations suspected of being involved with or supporting communist activities in the United States. Among the committee's targets were the American Civil Liberties Union and Communist Party presidential candidate William Z. Foster. The committee recommended granting the United States Department of Justice more authority to investigate communists, and strengthening of immigration and deportation laws to keep communists out of the United States.
Fish's alleged Nazi ties and "isolationism"
Fish was touted by the Germans as a friendly American ally. Time magazine once termed him "the Nation's No. 1 isolationist."
On August 14, 1939, Fish, president of the U.S. delegation to the Interparliamentary Union Congress conference in Oslo, Norway, met with Joachim von Ribbentrop. Ribbentrop served as Foreign Minister of Nazi Germany from 1938 until 1945. Fish flew to Oslo in Ribbentrop's private plane. Fish, a staunch opponent of Roosevelt, advocated better relations with Nazi Germany and hoped to solve the "Danzig question" during the conference in Norway. "Stepping out of Joachim von Ribbentrop's plane in 1939, Fish opined that Germany's claims were 'just.'"
On his return to the United States, Fish used his office to distribute copies of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. When accused of antisemitism, he responded, "It doesn't bother me any. There's been too much Jewism going around anyway."
In 1940, just after the presidential election, Fish sent a telegram to Roosevelt which read: "Congratulations. I pledge my support for national defense ... and to keep America out of foreign wars."
In 1941, a judiciary panel investigating the activities of Nazi agents in the U.S., sent officers to the Washington headquarters of an anti-British organization, the Islands for War Debts Committee, to seize eight bags of franked Congressional mail containing speeches by isolationist members of Congress. George Hill, Fish's chief of staff, had the mail whisked away to Ham Fish's office storeroom just prior to their arrival.
A grand jury was convened and summoned George Hill to explain: 1) why he had been so solicitous about the Islands for War Debts Committee's mail; and 2) his close association with George Sylvester Viereck, a Nazi propaganda agent. (Viereck would later be convicted of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act and for having subsidized the Islands for War Debts Committee.) Hill said he had not sent for the mail and did not know George Sylvester Viereck. The jury promptly indicted George Hill on a charge of perjury.
Shortly after the indictment, Fish defended Hill claiming, "George Hill is 100% O.K., and I'll back George Hill to the limit on anything." During the trial, Hill had explained that Viereck visited Capitol Hill in 1940 and arranged for wholesale distribution of Congressional speeches attacking the Administration's foreign policy. After hearing a jury had reached its verdict and anticipating a conviction, Fish issued a statement: "I am very sorry to learn that George Hill, a disabled, decorated veteran of the World War and a clerk in my office, has been convicted of perjury... Mr. Hill is of English ancestry... He had an obsession against our involvement in war."Twenty hours later, the jury did convict Hill.
Less than two weeks before the 1942 midterm congressional election, columnist Drew Pearson's nationally-syndicated column (Washington Merry-Go-Round) described in detail how in 1939 Fish had received over $3,100 in cash from a source with German ties.
Britain's campaign to defeat Hamilton Fish
The British Security Cooperation focused a great deal of effort attempting to influence Congressmen through front groups, campaigning, and agents of influence. In 1940, BSC agents ran the Nonpartisan Committee to Defeat Hamilton Fish in order to “put the fear of God into every isolationist senator and congressman.” The committee raised substantial sums of money for Fish’s opponent, coordinated several media attacks, created false charges of wrong doing just before elections, and helped distribute books charging Fish with disloyalty. The committee as much as possible tried to make attacks on Fish appear to originate from his district though historical documents indicate most attacks originated outside of his district. Fish survived the attack in 1940 but won his election with less than half the margin of victory he earned 2 years earlier.
In the 1942 election, Fish (like other former isolationists) was considered vulnerable. The Orange and Putnam district that Fish represented had begun to turn against him. Polls predicted, incorrectly, that Fish would not even win the Republican primary. For the first time in his 22 years of political campaigning he opened campaign headquarters. Soon thereafter he was repudiated by the popular Republican gubernatorial candidate, Thomas Dewey. But the November 1942 election occurred when voters were impatient for the battlefield victories that would later come, and Fish defeated his Democratic opponent by 4,000 votes.
However, reapportionment, which took effect in 1944, fragmented his district. That year he ran in a district that no longer included his home county of Putnam, but included one county (Orange) from his previous district and three new counties. Fish was defeated by approximately 5,000 votes. As Time magazine reported, "In New York, to the nation's delight, down went rabid anti-Roosevelt isolationist Hamilton Fish, after 24 years in Congress. His successor: liberal Augustus W. Bennet, 47, Newburgh lawyer."
About his exit from Congress, Fish said in his election-night concession speech that "my defeat should be largely credited to Communistic and Red forces from New York City backed by a large slush fund probably exceeding $250,000." As he viewed it several weeks later, "It took most of the New Deal Administration, half of Moscow, $400,000, and Governor Dewey to defeat me...."
Embittered by his defeat, Fish promptly sued Robert F. Cutler (executive secretary of the group, Good Government Committee) for libel, seeking $250,000 in damages for advertisements depicting Fish as a Nazi sympathizer. The ads also depicted Fish associating with the "American Führer", Fritz Kuhn. He would later discontinue the lawsuit without a settlement.
Although pledging on December 8, 1941 that he would volunteer for the Army to avenge the attack on Pearl Harbor, Fish did not serve in World War II; he was actually 53 years old at that time.
Fish wrote a short history of World War I and an autobiography, Hamilton Fish: Memoir of an American Patriot, published shortly after his death. For many years he was a familiar speaker at various political and veterans' functions; an indefatigable traveler, he was known to do it by car as often as not. Almost invariably, he ended such speeches with, "If there is any country worth living in, if there is any country worth fighting for, and if there is any country worth dying for, it is the United States of America." In 1958 Fish founded the Order of Lafayette, a hereditary and patriotic organization to honor those men who fought in France in both world wars. Fish was the Order's first President, serving for a number of years.
Ancestors and descendants
Although he was the third Hamilton Fish in direct line in his family, like his father and his son, he was known as Hamilton Fish, Jr. during his time in Congress. His grandson has also been known as Hamilton Fish III, and was publisher of the left-wing magazine The Nation before making his own unsuccessful run for Congress as "Hamilton Fish, Jr." in 1994. He is also referred to as Hamilton Fish V. Hamilton Fish III married his fourth and last wife, Lydia Ambrogio Fish on Sept.9th 1988 and they remained married until his passing. She survives to this writing and lives in retirement in Port Jervis, NY.
Hamilton Fish, III's Timeline
December 7, 1888
Putnam, New York, United States
June 3, 1926
Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia, United States
January 18, 1991
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Debian: A Brief Retrospective
Debian a Decade Ago
August 15, 2003
Ten years ago, I posted a message announcing a new Linux project:
From: Ian A Murdock (firstname.lastname@example.org) Date: August 16, 1993 6:09:59 PST Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.development Subject: New release under development; suggestions requested Fellow Linuxers, This is just to announce the imminent completion of a brand-new Linux release, which I'm calling the Debian Linux Release. This is a release that I have put together basically from scratch; in other words, I didn't simply make some changes to SLS and call it a new release. I was inspired to put together this release after running SLS and generally being dissatisfied with much of it, and after much altering of SLS I decided that it would be easier to start from scratch. The base system is now virtually complete (though I'm still looking around to make sure that I grabbed the most recent sources for everything), and I'd like to get some feedback before I add the "fancy" stuff. [...]
(Full post available here.)
When I posted this message a decade ago, Linux was in use by maybe a few tens of thousands of people around the world, and most of those people were either running their own homebrew Linux system or Peter MacDonald's SLS, the Softlanding Linux System. Red Hat Software was but a twinkle in Marc Ewing's eye.
I had been using Linux for several months, since January of 1993. Not long after, I was hooked. Like most other early Linux enthusiasts, what hooked me was not Linux itself, but rather the community that had formed around it.
It's difficult to remember, because open source and open development projects are commonplace now, but in 1993, what I saw happening seemed completely illogical. How could people without any master plan, from different parts of the world, speaking different languages and not getting paid, come together to build something as complex as an operating system? The fascinating thing was that it worked.
The software coming from the GNU project was well-known and similar in many ways. It was also free and it lived on the Internet. But GNU software was developed the old fashioned way, with small, closely-knit teams behind closed doors (as Eric Raymond famously noted years later in his essay "The Cathedral and the Bazaar"). Linux was developed in a strikingly different and seemingly haphazard manner.
After a few weeks of dipping the proverbial toe in the water, I was swept away by all that was happening, and the power of what I had stumbled across quickly became clear. Invariably, a college kid such as myself would run across Linux (often in search of a way to run UNIX at home to save winter treks to the computer lab), take a look, register astonishment at what was happening, and then give it a try. Often, that was all it took.
The instinct to give back, to contribute to the community that didn't know you but that had already given you so much, was palpable. In mid-1993, I found my niche: I saw a need for a nicely packaged Linux "distribution," although from my initial post on August 16, 1993, it appears that this term wasn't in widespread use yet.
As briefly mentioned earlier, in those days people generally bootstrapped their own Linux systems from the ground up or used the SLS distribution. A few other distributions were available, notably MCC Interim from the Manchester Computing Centre and TAMU from Texas A&M University, but these efforts were mostly dormant by the time I found Linux. In early 1993, SLS was king.
I had harsh words for it at the time, but I cannot emphasize this enough: SLS was a breakthrough achievement, because it represented the first time Linux had been packaged for an audience broader than its own developers. Previous distributions tended to stop at the kernel, the basic utilities, and the development toolchain. SLS included a window system, document formatting tools, games, and other tools that a broader user community could appreciate.
Breakthrough though it was, SLS had many shortcomings, and to my mind these problems got in the way of making Linux suitable for the broader audience that SLS was attempting to reach. So I set out to fix these problems, first as a series of patches to SLS, then from the ground up, which became Debian. This was around the time I posted my initial message on August 16. Slackware had similar beginnings at around the same time.
Being the 20-year-old that I was, I figured that building a better distribution would be no challenge for my superior intellect and skill. This is apparent from some of my early blusters, like "imminent completion" (which, as far as I know, is still true 10 years later). Several "almost done" posts later, I came to the humbling realization that I couldn't possibly do it all myself. At the same time, I began to appreciate that Peter MacDonald was having the same problem. Recalling my initial impressions of the power of open, distributed development, I decided to adopt the open development idea for my distribution project. Why not?
On August 27, I posted another message:
From: Ian A Murdock (email@example.com) Date: August 27, 1993 8:22:14 PST Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.development Subject: Debian: a brief status report [...] I would like to point out here that I would like this distribution to develop in the same way as much of the rest of Linux has developed. In other words, I want everyone to *contribute* to this effort and not simply use something that one man or team has put together. This distribution will be improved by the Linux community as a whole, and I will simply serve as the coordinator of the effort. [...]
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Using the Net to Provide Data That an Infomercial Can'tThe symbiotic relationship between DRTV and the Internet is causing a revolutionary re-start by breathing new life into DRTV and mainstream advertising. The days of putting on infomercials and DRTV one- or two-minute spots so that one can maximize profit are gone.
Even though other ancillary markets (home shopping, retail, catalogs) help a direct response campaign, it is the Web that results in increased avenues of information and Internet sales and puts the icing on a completely integrated direct response campaign.
Advertising on Web sites and calling toll-free numbers are new mediums that are more comfortable and enjoyable for the consumer compared to just watching an ad on TV. The universe of direct selling is expanding day to day due to daily use of the Internet.
Advertising on the Web is a demonstrative medium where people can read, watch, search and see a product demonstration. Eventually, the combination of watching and listening makes people buy. Companies are gaining consumers by the minute. Advertising on the Web allows new populations (more modern and hi-tech) to be reached.
The two mediums, DRTV and the Internet, work in conjunction with each other.
They establish a new set of cross-promotional tools for the investor, as well as the buyer. Place something on the Web, and the advertising constraints of television disappear. Use DRTV to create sales while at the same time directing people to your Web site so that they know it exists. Once consumers get to your Web site, you can offer them more products and information than you could on TV.
For example, a recent new infomercial on the all-time favorite television shows includes more than 90 products. How many of these products can you see in a two-minute spot? Therefore, interested buyers can go to the Columbia House Web site and see the page dedicated to the infomercial and look through the products at their leisure. This allows the consumer to not have to choose on the phone or make any decision in a hurry.
Due to the comfort factor, DRTV and the Internet are growing at an enormously high rate. E-tail and DRTV are a perfect fit because they deal directly with the consumer.
DRTV advertising is based on instant response. Because of Internet use, DRTV advertising becomes more cost-effective. By using both mediums you are able to amortize (justify the cost) TV time by selling via toll-free numbers, as well as advertise your Web site through your DRTV spot. Bottom line: Gain and retain your buyers/consumers by letting them see your product on TV and then explore your product on the Web! | <urn:uuid:9aa07448-3d47-4b14-ab43-9e1fb485e717> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dmnews.com/using-the-net-to-provide-data-that-an-infomercial-cant/printarticle/65069/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952035 | 556 | 2.015625 | 2 |
UNITED NATIONS, July 1 (UPI) -- The United Nations and the African Union have selected a mediator to bring together warring sides and end the violent conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and officials from the AU appointed current U.N. foreign minister of Burkina Faso, Djibril Bassole, as the joint AU-U.N. chief mediator for Darfur, the United Nations reported.
Officials say Bassole's appointment is an effort to intensify peace efforts in a move to end the ongoing violence between the Sudanese government and rebel factions. The selection comes after Bassole played a key role in helping forge a peace agreement between Cote d'Ivoire President Laurent Gbagbo and former rebel leader Guillaume Soro.
Bassole faces steep challenges in Darfur where after five years of violence an estimated 300,000 have been killed and as many as 2.7 million people have been displaced from their homes.
On Monday the United Nations reported that the Minni Minawi faction of the rebel Sudan Liberation Army held 38 peacekeepers from the U.N. mission in northern Darfur hostage at gunpoint for more than five hours.
The U.N. and AU special envoys for Darfur, Jan Eliasson and Salim Ahmed Salim, recently questioned whether the government or the rebel parties were even ready to negotiate.
|Additional Special Reports Stories| | <urn:uuid:adf567e0-c042-4310-b53d-b1705caa36bc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2008/07/01/UN-AU-name-Darfur-mediator/UPI-84001214960364/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943086 | 304 | 1.554688 | 2 |
World Economic Forum on Latin America Opens Amid Confidence on Region’s Future
- Latin America’s role in global governance discussed in opening plenary of World Economic Forum on Latin America in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- The number of regional forums has increased sharply in recent years
- More information is available at www.weforum.org/latinamerica2011
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Latin America deserves more of a role in global governance, but its governments are often guilty of short-term thinking and should take advantage of the current favourable economic conditions to plan for the future, panellists concluded in the opening plenary of the World Economic Forum on Latin America that opened here today.
“Brazil is now a global power,” said Moisés Naím, Senior Associate, International Economics, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, USA. Panellists highlighted the host nation’s success in establishing itself as a stable and vibrant democracy that has imposed itself as player on the world stage. Brazil rebounded quickly from the global economic crisis and is growing at a fast pace. It has reduced inequality over a short period of time and is taking more of a role in everything from climate change talks to trade negotiations.
Antonio De Aguiar Patriota, Minister of External Relations of Brazil, said, in addition to seeking more of a role in global bodies, Brazil is also forging new links with its neighbours. “What is new and interesting is a growing sense that our future is linked to South America,” Patriota said. “We are having other direct contacts with regions of the south. There is a South America-Arab World summit. There is a South America-Africa summit. There are direct flights from São Paulo to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. These new linkages … have now created a possibility for direct dialogue and knowledge.”
Sir Martin Sorrell, Chief Executive Officer, WPP, United Kingdom, and a Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum on Latin America, said the West has lost its moral authority in the wake of the economic crash and that countries like Brazil are well placed to assert more influence. “I think it is about authority,” Sorrell said. “China and India and Brazil have no need to take lessons from the West.” Sorrell added that governments should mimic the powerful multilatinas and take a more long-term view. “The trouble with politics and governments is short-term [thinking],” Sorrel said. “Corporations are more long-term in their attitude and approach and that has to be the case.”
José Miguel Insulza, Secretary-General, Organization of American States (OAS), Washington DC, noted there are as many as a dozen regional summits in Latin America each year, a number he said was excessive. However, Insulza cautioned there is still much work to be done and that the region must not repeat past mistakes. He warned particularly about the power of organized crime gangs that are involved in everything from drug and human trafficking, prostitution, money laundering and intellectual property theft.
“One area where we have not made progress is the problem of crime and organized crime,” Insulza said. “It is a very serious challenge for the region.”
The World Economic Forum on Latin America is taking place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 28-29 April 2011. The theme of the meeting is “Laying the Foundation for a Latin American Decade” and convenes more than 700 top regional and global leaders.
Notes to Editors
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- Follow the Meeting on iPhone at http://wef.ch/iPhone | <urn:uuid:9abeec6f-7878-4445-b532-e5a48b8bec08> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.weforum.org/news/world-economic-forum-latin-america-opens-amid-confidence-region%E2%80%99s-future | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924207 | 990 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Epifanio Rivera of Bodegas Epifanio Rivera
I joined Epifanio Rivera of Bodegas Epifanio Rivera for a tasting of his wines at Addy Bassin’s MacArthur Beverages in Washington DC.
Wine Producer Spain
Located on the Iberian Peninsula, Spain has over 2.9 million acres (over 1.17 million hectares) planted. It is with Italy and France in the leading trio of wine producing nations. In terms of consumption, Spain is 9th worldwide with Spaniards drinking, on average, 10.06 gallons (38 liters) a year.
History of Winemaking in Spain
Wine growing and making began many centuries ago, even log before the Romans came. During the Roman Empire, Spanish wine was widely exported and traded. Following the decline of the Roman Empire, under the Moors, Islamic dietary laws that forbid the use of alcohol, prevailed. In the wake of the Spanish Reconquista in 1492, Bilbao emerged as a large trading port. Spanish wines became popular in England.
Christopher Columbus discovered the New World under the sponsorship of the Spanish crown. This opened up a new export market as well as new opportunity for wine production. Spanish missionaries and conquistadors brought European grape vines with them. During this period, Spanish wine exports to England began to wane as Spanish-English relations steadily deteriorated following the divorce of Henry VIII of England from his Spanish wife Catherine of Aragon. The 17th and 18th centuries saw periods of popularity for various Spanish wines-namely Sherry, Malaga and Rioja wine.
A major turning point occurred in the mid 19th century when the phylloxera epidemic ravaged European vineyards-most notably those of France. With the sudden shortage of French wine, many countries turned to Spain. Phylloxera eventually reached Spain, devastating regions like Malaga in 1878 and reaching Rioja in 1901. But by the time the Spanish wine industry felt the full force of phylloxera, the remedy of grafting American rootstock to the European vines had already been discovered and widely utilized. The end of the 19th century also saw the emergence of Spain's sparkling wine industry with the development of Cava in Catalonia. The late 1970s and 1980s saw periods of modernization and renewed emphasis on quality wine production. Spain's reputation entering the 21st century was that of a serious wine producing country that could compete with other producers in the world wine market.
The five-tier classifications, starting from the bottom, comprise:
• Vino de Mesa (VdM) - These are wines that are the equivalent of most country's table wines.
• Vinos de la Tierra (VdlT) - This level is similar to France's vin de pays system, normally corresponding to the larger comunidad autonóma geographical regions and will appear on the label with these broader geographical designations like Andalucia, Castilla La Mancha and Levante.
• Vino de Calidad Producido en Región Determinada (VCPRD) - This level is similar to France's Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure (VDQS) system and is considered a stepping stone towards DO status.
• Denominación de Origen (Denominació d'Origen in Catalan - DO)- This level is for the mainstream quality-wine regions which are regulated by the Consejo Regulador who is also responsible for marketing the wines of that DO. Nearly two thirds of the total vineyard area in Spain is within the boundaries a DO region.
• Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa/DOQ - Denominació d'Origen Qualificada in Catalan)- This designation, which is similar to Italy's Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) designation, is for regions with a track record of consistent quality and is meant to be a step above DO level. Rioja was the first region afforded this designation in 1991 and was followed by Priorat in 2003, and Ribera del Duero in 2008.
The three most common aging designations on Spanish wine labels are Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva.
• Crianza red wines are aged for 2 years with at least 6 months in oak. Crianza whites and rosés must be aged for at least 1 year with at least 6 months in oak.
• Reserva red wines are aged for at least 3 years with at least 1 year in oak. Reserva whites and rosés must be aged for at least 2 years with at least 6 months in oak.
• Gran Reserva wines typically appear in above average vintages with the red wines requiring at least 5 years aging, 18 months of which in oak. Gran Reserva whites and rosés must be aged for at least 4 years with at least 6 months in oak.
Major Spanish wine regions include the Rioja and Ribera del Duero which is known for their Tempranillo production; Jerez, the home of the fortified wine Sherry; Rías Baixas in the northwest region of Galicia that is known for its white wines made from Albariño and Catalonia which includes the Cava and still wine producing regions of the Penedès as well the Priorat region.
Picture: Spain's Wine Regions
The country has an abundance of native grape varieties, with over 600 varieties planted throughout Spain though 80 percent of the country's wine production is from only 20 grapes—including Tempranillo, Albariño, Garnacha, Palomino, Airen, Macabeo, Parellada, Xarel•lo, Cariñena and Monastrell.
Tempranillo is the second most widely planted grape in Spain and is an important grape in the Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Penedès regions. The most widely planted grape is the white wine grape Airén, served as the base for Spanish brandy.
Sherry is a fortified wine produced in southern Spain. It can either be sweet or dry, unlike Port. Port wine is made sweet by adding alcohol to the fermenting must so the fermentation stops and the sugar of the grapes remains in the wine. What you get is a wine with lots of alcohol and remaining sweetness in the wine. Sherry, on the other hand is made by letting the fermentation go its full way so that a dry wine emerges. Then, alcohol is added to boost the alcohol level. If the winemaker stops there, you get a dry Sherry. If he also adds sterilized juice, you get a sweet Sherry. Thus, Sherry can be sweet or dry.
Cava is a Spanish sparkling wine made in the traditional method of the Champagne. Mostly, white grape varieties like Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel•lo are used for Cava, though some producers are experimenting with the use of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Ribera del Duero
Ribera del Duero is one of several wine-producing regions along the Duero river. It is home to the world-famous Vega Sicilia and Tinto Pesquera wines. The Denominación de Origen of Ribera del Duero was established in 1982 and upgraded to Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa) in 2008, which made it Spain's third DOCa after Rioja and Priorat.
Wines in the Ribera del Duero DOCa are almost exclusively from red grapes. The Albillo grape is the only white variety grown, mostly destined for local consumption. The vast majority of production is dedicated to Tinto Fino (the local name for Tempranillo).
Bodegas Epifanio Rivera
Bodegas Epifanio Rivera, established by the Rivera-Aparicio family, is an old Bodega. The ancient underground cellar dates from the 16th century. All the vineyards are located in the Pesquera de Duero. The vineyards total over 20 hectares. Some of the vineyards are over 80 years old. The new winery has a capacity for 100,000 bottles. The harvesting is done by hand; the grapes are collected in boxes of 20 kilograms to ensure a careful selection. Fermentation is done with strict temperature control. The tanks are shallow and very wide in order to extract the best tannin. The chambers where barrels and bottles are placed for ageing are thermally controlled, so as to accurately reproduce the conditions in the old underground wine cellars.
What We Tasted
Bodegas Epifanio Rivera (Ribera del Duero)
2007 Erial US$ 19.99
2006 Erial TF US$ 43.99
Erial is made from 100% Tinta Fina. Ageing in barrels, of which 80% are French oak and 20% are American oak, is 10 months. Lively and colorful wine that is open and clear in the nose; with sterling mature blackberries, black liquorice, and mineral reminiscences; with creamy and smoky tones from the oak wood; and a spicy finish. Neatly structured in the mouth, with friendly and well-melted tannin, beefy and concentrated fruit, extremely tasteful, balanced and with a refreshing sensation due to an appropriate acidity.
Erial Tradicion Familia Rivera-Aparicio (Erial TF) is aged for 16 months in oak barrels consisting of French oak (85%) and American oak (15%) and is designed with a different selection of grapes than Erial. The source of the grapes are 80 years old vines located in Pesquera de Duero area. It is 100% Tempranillo grape variety. The color is deep purple, bright and clean. The nose is very intense with lots of ripe fruits such as plums and figs, balsamic and spice aromas such as eucalyptus, clove, white pepper, and black ink. Very complex and well integrated with the oak. On the palate is concentrated and long. Great balance between fruit, acidity and silky tannins.
Bodegas Epifanio Rivera
Addy Bassin’s MacArthur Beverages in Washington DC
Schiller Wine - Related Postings
Oysters and Wine
In the glass: Hugel et Fils wines at the cuisine des emotions de Jean Luc Brendel at Riquewihr in Alsace
In the Glass: 2007 Rheinhessen with Oysters at the Ten Bells in the Lower East Side in Manhattan
Dennis Cakebread and his Wines, Napa Valley, at EVO Bistro, McLean, Virginia
Pio Boffa and the Wines of Pio Cesare, Piedmonte, Italy
Dinner in McLean - What we Ate and Drank
In the world class white wine region Alsace
German Wine Basics: Sugar in the Grape - Alcohol and Sweetness in the Wine | <urn:uuid:449ed971-5830-465e-b14b-6d57b12f07f4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://schiller-wine.blogspot.com/2010/06/wines-of-bodegas-epifanio-rivera-in.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.920428 | 2,326 | 2.296875 | 2 |
I wrote recently about an attack on nontheist Congressman Pete Stark by a right-wing group calling themselves the Christian Seniors Association. The CSA’s spokesman James Lafferty, incensed by the idea that atheists think they have a right to be represented in Congress as if they were human beings like everyone else, complained at length about the campaign of persecution waged against the hundreds of believing members of Congress by the single nonbelieving member:
That would be the day that religious Americans stood-up to the liberal bullies who are so determined to use the power of government to silence prayer and every other religious expression of free speech.
The absurdity of Lafferty’s statements should be obvious to all. Considering the overwhelming number of politicians who wear their faith on their sleeves and parade around their piety at every opportunity, it is plain that only the most hardcore, paranoia-steeped members of the religious right could possibly take this hysterical rhetoric seriously. In any case, the religious right’s language has never had much of a resemblance to reality. The overriding factor governing its leaders’ pronouncements is what degree of fear and anger they feel the need to whip up among their loyal followers, regardless of what the facts actually support.
Throughout the more than 200-year history of our nation, prayer has played a vital role in strengthening the fabric of our society. The purposes of the Congressional Prayer Caucus are to 1) recognize the vital role that prayer by individuals of all faiths has played in uniting us as a people and in making us a more generous, more cooperative, and more forgiving people than we might otherwise have been; 2) collect, exchange, and disseminate information about prayer as a fundamental and enduring feature of American life; 3) use the legislative process – both through sponsorship of affirmative legislation and through opposition to detrimental legislation – to assist the nation and its people in continuing to draw upon and benefit from this essential source of our strength and well-being. (emphasis added)
The Congressional Prayer Caucus currently has twenty-one active members, plus one non-voting member and two who are no longer in office. It should not be a great surprise that all of them are Republicans, the party that has consistently stood for theocracy and the official establishment of Christianity in government.
Personally, as a voter and a constituent, I would not be happy if my representative was a member of such a group. The reason we have a government in the first place is because we need human effort to solve our problems! Our representatives should be working together to improve and safeguard our society, not imploring supernatural beings for magical assistance. Elected officials are not our national clergy, and if I wanted someone to pray for me or encourage me to pray more, there are a large number of private churches with ministers and priests who would be happy to perform that task. If a politician spent all their time boasting to constituents how often they were praying, anyone would have reason to doubt their dedication to the job.
Worse, the Prayer Caucus has the audacity to quote religious statements made by some of America’s greatest founders, and some of its strongest allies of state-church separation, in support of their aims. In one particularly laughable instance of omitting relevant context, they quote Benjamin Franklin’s call for daily prayers at the Constitutional Convention, while conveniently neglecting to mention that numerous attendees opposed the suggestion, that the convention as a whole rejected the proposal without even a vote, and that it was never brought up again. Unbelievably, they even quote Thomas Jefferson, whom, as the AU blog points out, refused to call for national days of prayer when he was president because he believed that would overstep the bounds of the government’s authority. Such facts would put the Prayer Caucus’ claims in a different light, to say the least.
The Caucus’ website does not elaborate on what they mean by their intent to “assist the nation” to pray. I can guess, however. It’s almost certainly the same package of religious establishments that the religious right has long promoted: government tax dollars flowing freely to faith-based groups, official proclamations and holidays encouraging people to pray more, bills trying to grant government employees such as teachers the ability to proselytize using the power of their office, court-stripping laws designed to throw up roadblocks to the enforcement of separation, and more. Fortunately, they have failed in most of these efforts so far (which should perhaps tell us something about the efficacy of prayer as a means of accomplishing one’s will).
But that does not change the ridiculousness of a 21st-century secular democracy even having a “prayer caucus” at all. It’s long past time we stopped relying on magic to solve our problems. (What next – a Congressional Rain Dance Caucus to help farmers in drought-stricken states?) What we really need instead is a Congressional Reason Caucus, devoted to defending rationality and secularism and upholding the principles of evidence-based decision-making. If more congresspeople were to follow in Pete Stark’s footsteps by declaring their nontheism, maybe we could take the first steps toward creating such a body. | <urn:uuid:2d0e7068-bc2a-4178-bb39-59826c933aac> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.patheos.com/blogs/daylightatheism/2007/03/the-congressional-prayer-caucus/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972774 | 1,072 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Posted as a courtesy to the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning
Summer is winding down and soon it will be time for college students to head back to school and as thousands of Michigan residents hit the road for one last get-away, law enforcement officers will also be taking to the streets to ensure safe travels during the Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. crackdown.
The crackdown began Friday, Aug. 19, and goes through Sept. 5 in 35 counties with officers from more than 200 state, county and local law enforcement agencies participating in the extra patrols. Because Michigan's seat belt use rate dipped last year, the end-of-summer crackdown also includes seat belt enforcement zones and patrols.
Hope College Dean of Students Richard Frost (pictured) joined area law enforcement representatives in launching the initiative.
"During this busy travel season, it is important to stay vigilant and keep our roads as safe as possible," said Michael L. Prince, director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP). "By promoting the crackdown ahead of time, we are hoping motorists will make the smart decision not to drive drunk."
The stepped up enforcement is paid for with federal traffic safety dollars earmarked for drunk driving and seat belt enforcement. The enhanced patrols are in addition to scheduled shifts and paired with an advertising campaign, designed to raise awareness about the crackdown and encourage motorists to avoid the dangers of drunk driving as well as the high costs of a drunk driving conviction.
Motorists convicted of a first drunk driving offense face up to 93 days in jail, up to a $500 fine, up to 360 hours of community service, six points on a driver's license and up to 180 days' license suspension. In addition, convicted drunk drivers will be subject to a $1,000 fee for two consecutive years, for a total of $2,000 in additional costs. Anyone who refuses a breath test the first time is given an automatic one-year driver's license suspension.
Motorists convicted for drunk driving for the first time with a .17 blood alcohol content face increased penalties including the possible installation of an ignition interlock device preventing the car from starting if the driver has been drinking.
Last year, 357 people were killed in impaired driving crashes in Michigan, including 10 of the 21 people who died in alcohol and/or drug-related crashes during the Labor Day holiday.
Grant-funded enforcement will take place in Allegan, Barry, Bay, Berrien, Calhoun, Cass, Chippewa, Clinton, Eaton, Genesee, Grand Traverse, Houghton, Ingham, Ionia, Isabella, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kent, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Marquette, Monroe, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oakland, Ottawa including the Holland area, Saginaw, St. Clair, Tuscola, Van Buren, Washtenaw, Wayne and Wexford counties.
For a listing of planned enforcement times, dates and locations, visitwww.michigan.gov/ohsp. | <urn:uuid:2a5322d1-fb4a-4c8b-83d6-47002d2320ec> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hope.edu/2011/11/30/safe-driving-initiative-coincides-start-school | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948815 | 630 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Global Economic Outlook – What is the best policy mix?
Speech at the Economic Club of New York
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Where do we stand?
- 3 Where do we go from here?
- 4 Conclusion
Ladies and Gentlemen
George Bernard Shaw is said to have made an interesting remark about apples -
“If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.”
I think those words perfectly encapsulate the intention of the Economic Club of New York and of today’s event. Ideas multiply when you share them and they become better when you discuss them.
I am therefore pleased and honoured to be able to share some ideas with such a distinguished audience today. And I look forward to discussing them with you.
In a long list of speakers, I am the third Bundesbank President to speak at the Economic Club. The first was Karl Otto Pöhl in 1991, followed by Hans Tietmeyer in 1996.
Although only a few years have passed since then, the global economic landscape has completely transformed in the meantime - just think of the spread of globalisation, think of the introduction of the euro, think of the Asian crisis or the dotcom bubble. All these events and others have constantly shaped and reshaped our world.
Most recently, we have experienced a crisis that, once again, will change the world as we know it – economically, politically and intellectually. It is this new unfolding landscape that provides the backdrop to my speech.
I shall address two questions: “Where do we stand?” and “Where do we go from here?”
Of course, it is the second question that is the tricky one. In answering it, we should be aware that every small step we take now will determine where we stand in the future.
Specifically, I shall argue that measures to ward off immediate risks to the recovery are closely interconnected with efforts to overcome the causes of the crisis. They are interconnected much more closely and vitally than proponents of more forceful stabilisation efforts usually assume.
But, first, let us see where we stand at the present juncture.
2 Where do we stand?
When we look back from where we are standing right now, we see a crisis that has left deep scars.
The International Labour Organisation estimates that up to 56 million people lost their jobs in the wake of the crisis. This number equals the combined populations of California and the state of New York.
Or look at government debt: Between 2007 and 2011, gross government debt as a share of GDP increased by more than 20 percentage points in the euro area and by about 35 percentage points in the United States.
I think we all agree that the crisis was unprecedented in scale and scope. And the first thing to do was to prevent the recession turning into a depression. Thanks to the efforts of policymakers and central banks across the globe, this has been achieved.
Following a slight setback in 2011, the world economy now seems to be recovering. In its latest World Economic Outlook, the IMF confirms that global prospects are gradually strengthening and that the threat of sharp slowdown has receded.
Looking ahead, the IMF projects global growth to reach 3.5% in 2012 and 4.1% in 2013. For the same years, inflation in advanced economies is expected to reach 1.9% and 1.7%.
Basically, I share the IMF’s view. However, we all are aware that these estimates have to be taken with a grain of salt – probably a large one. Being a central banker, I am not quite as calm about inflation. Taking into account rising energy prices and robust core inflation, prices could rise faster than the IMF expects.
We have to be careful that inflation expectations remain well anchored and consistent with price stability. Expectations getting out of line might very well turn out to be a non-linear process. If this were to happen, it would be difficult and expensive to rein in expectations again.
Even though the outlook for growth has improved over the past months, some risks remain - the European sovereign debt crisis being one of them. And this seems to be the one risk that is weighing most heavily on peoples’ minds – not just in Europe but here in the United States, too.
The euro-area member states have responded by committing to undertake ambitious reforms and by substantially enlarging their firewalls. This notwithstanding, the sovereign debt crisis has not yet been resolved. The renewed tensions over the past two weeks are a case in point. Thus, we have to keep moving, but each step we take has to be considered very carefully. As I have already said: each small step we take now will determine where we stand in the future.
3 Where do we go from here?
Eventually, three things will have to happen in the euro area. First, structural reforms have to be implemented so that countries such as Greece, Portugal and Spain become more competitive. Second, public debt has to be reduced – a challenge that is not confined to the euro area. Third, the institutional framework of monetary union has to be strengthened or overhauled, and we need more clarity about which direction monetary union is going to take. I think we all agree on this – including the IMF in its latest World Economic Outlook.
However, there is much less agreement on the correct timing. Since the crisis began, the imperatives I have just mentioned have tended to be obscured by short-term considerations. And surprisingly, this tendency seems to be becoming stronger now that the world economy is getting back on track.
This view is reflected by something Lawrence Summers wrote in the Financial Times about four weeks ago. Referring to the US, he said that
“… the most serious risk to recovery over the next few years […] is that policy will shift too quickly away from its emphasis on maintaining adequate demand, towards a concern with traditional fiscal and monetary prudence.”
It is in this spirit that some observers are pushing for policies that eventually boil down to “more of the same”: firewalls and ex ante risk sharing in the euro area should be extended, consolidation of public debt should be postponed or, at least, stretched over time, and monetary policy should play an even bigger role in crisis management.
I explicitly do not wish to deny the necessity of containing the crisis. But all that can be gained is the time to address the root problems. The proposed measures would buy us time, but they would not buy us a lasting solution.
And five years after the bursting of the subprime bubble and three years after the turmoil in the wake of the Lehman insolvency, we have to ask ourselves: Where will it take us if we apply these measures over and over again – measures which are obviously geared towards alleviating the symptoms of the crisis but which fail to address its underlying causes?
In my view, this would take us nowhere. There are two reasons for this. First, the longer such a strategy is applied, the harder it becomes to change track. More and more people will realise this and they will start to lose confidence. They will lose confidence in policymakers’ ability to bring about a lasting solution to our problems. And we should bear in mind that the crisis is primarily a crisis of confidence: of confidence in the sustainability of public finances, in competitiveness and, to some extent, in the workings of EMU.
But there is a second reason why the “more of the same” will not take us anywhere. The analgesic we administer comes with side effects. And the longer we apply it, the greater these side effects will be, and they will come back to haunt us in the future.
In the end, it is just not possible to separate the short and the long term. You will be tomorrow what you do today.
With these two caveats in mind, let us take a closer look at the suggested policy mix. For the sake of brevity, I shall focus on monetary and fiscal policies.
3.1 An even bigger role for monetary policy?
To contain the crisis, the EMU member states have built a wall of money that recently reached the staggering height of 700 billion euros. As I have already said, ring-fencing is certainly necessary, but again: it is not a lasting solution. And it is not the sky that’s the limit – the limits are financial and political.
In the face of such limits, the Eurosystem is now seen as the “last man standing”. Consequently, some observers are demanding that it play an even bigger role in crisis management. More specifically, such demands include lower interest rates, more liquidity and larger purchases of assets.
But does the assumption on which these demands are based hold true when we take a closer look at it? In the end, monetary policy is not a panacea and central bank “firepower” is not unlimited, especially not in monetary union.
True, this crisis is exceptional in scale and scope, and extraordinary times do call for extraordinary measures. But the central banks of the Eurosystem have already done a lot to contain crisis. Now we have to make sure that by solving one crisis, we are not preparing the ground for the next one.
Take, for example, the side effects of low interest rates. Research has found that risk-taking becomes more aggressive when central banks apply unconditional monetary accommodation in order to counter a correction of financial exaggeration, especially if monetary policy does not react symmetrically to the build-up of financial imbalances. In the end, putting too much weight on countering immediate risks to financial stability will create even greater risks to financial stability and price stability in the future.
The Eurosystem has applied a number of unconventional measures to maintain financial stability. These measures helped to prevent an escalation of the financial turmoil and constitute a virtually unlimited supply of liquidity to banks. But monetary policy cannot substitute for other policies and must not compensate for policy inaction in other areas.
If the Eurosystem funds banks that are not financially sound, and does so against inadequate collateral, it redistributes risks among national taxpayers. Such implicit transfers are beyond the mandate of the euro area’s central banks. Rescuing banks using taxpayers’ money is something that should only be decided by national parliaments.
Otherwise, monetary policy would nurture the deficit bias that is inherent to a monetary union of sovereign states. In this regard, the situation of the Eurosystem is fundamentally different from that of the Federal Reserve or that of the Bank of England.
Moreover, extensive and protracted funding of banks by the Eurosystem replaces or displaces private investors. This breeds the risk that some banks will not reform unviable business models. So far, progress in this regard has been very limited in a number of euro-area countries.
And the Eurosystem has also relieved stress in the sovereign bond market. However, we should not forget that market interest rates are an important signal for governments regarding the state of their finances and that they are an important incentive for reforms.
Of course, markets do not always get it right. They may have underestimated sovereign risks for a long time and now they are overestimating it. But past experience taught us that their signal is still the most powerful incentive we have. At any rate, I would not rely on political insight or political rules alone.
After all, monetary policy must not lose sight of its primary objective: to maintain price stability in the euro area as a whole. What does this mean? Let us say that monetary policy becomes too expansionary for Germany, for instance. If this happens, Germany has to deal with this using other, national instruments.
But by the same token, we could say this: even if we are concerned about the impact on the peripheral countries, monetary policymakers must do what is necessary once upside risks for euro-area inflation increase. Delivering on its primary goal of maintaining price stability is essential for safeguarding the most precious resource a central bank can command: credibility.
To sum up: what we do in the short-term has to be consistent with what we are trying to achieve in the long-term – price stability, financial stability and sound public finances. This implies a delicate balancing act – a balancing act we shall upset if we overburden monetary policy with crisis management.
3.2 Rethinking consolidation and structural reforms?
Now, what about consolidation and structural reforms? Here, too, we have to strike the right balance between the short and the long run.
Those who propose putting off consolidation and reforms argue that embarking on ambitious consolidation efforts or far-reaching structural reforms at the present moment would place too great a burden on recovery. They do not deny the necessity of such steps over the medium term, but in the short-run they consider it more important to maintain adequate demand, avoid unsettling people and nurture the recovery.
But in the end, the current crisis is, to a large degree, a crisis of confidence. And if already-announced consolidation and reforms were to be delayed, would people not lose even more confidence in policymakers’ ability to get to the root of the crisis? We can only win back confidence if we bring down excessive deficits and boost competitiveness. And it is precisely because these things are unpopular that makes it so tempting for politicians to rely instead on monetary accommodation.
It is true that consolidation, in particular, might, under normal circumstances, dampen aggregate demand and economic growth. But the question is: are these normal circumstances? It is quite obvious that everybody sees public debt as a major threat. The markets do, politicians do, and people on Main Street do.
A widespread lack of trust in public finances weighs heavily on growth: there is uncertainty regarding potential future tax increases, while funding costs are rising for private and public creditors alike. In such a situation, consolidation might inspire confidence and actually help the economy to grow.
In my view, the risks of frontloading consolidation are being exaggerated. In any case, there is little alternative. In the end, you cannot borrow your way out of debt; cut your way out is the only promising approach.
Allow me to conclude by going back to the beginning of my speech where I mentioned the benefits of sharing and discussing ideas.
I have stressed that we have to embark on reforms that make the crisis countries more competitive; that we have to reduce public debt and that we have to further improve the institutional framework of monetary union.
But the spirit of my argument was expressed succinctly some 20 years ago by Karl Otto Pöhl. In his speech at the Economic Club he said:
“The true function of a central bank must be, however, to take a longer-term view.”
And after five years of crisis, the long term might catch up with us faster than we expect. We therefore have to think about the future now – and we have to act accordingly as well.
Thank you for your attention. | <urn:uuid:e6c93957-cad2-4a4f-a10d-60825a77e61c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bundesbank.de/Redaktion/EN/Reden/2012/2012_04_23_weidmann_economic%20outlook_policy_mix.html?nn=2094 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95584 | 3,098 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Adult Learning Process
What are student's reasons for being in school?
- Fulfill a dream
- Get a job or promotion
- Complete a resolution
- Change careers
Adults develop their learning process in a number of ways:
- Lasts the entire life span of each individual
- Allows an individual to acquire, renew, upgrade, or complete knowledge, skills, and attitudes for functioning effectively in a constantly changing society
- Allows adults to pursue learning throughout their lives, and is a way in which people supplement (and, at times, find a substitute for) learning received in formal settings
- Equips individuals with skills and competencies for completing their "self-education" beyond learning in a formal setting
- Acknowledges the contribution of all available educational influences, including formal and informal. | <urn:uuid:4c92eff2-1166-45e0-8500-d8ae59a85dc6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pasadena.edu/cec/adult_learning/index.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940038 | 166 | 3.21875 | 3 |
Yorkshire and The Humber had a population of 5.3 million in mid-2009, an increase of 3.8 per cent since 2004. This compares with an overall increase of 3.3 per cent for the UK over the same period. (Table 1.2)
People aged 65 and over in Yorkshire and The Humber in 2009 made up 16.2 per cent of the population, compared with 18.5 per cent for the under-16s. This compares with averages for the UK of 16.4 per cent and 18.7 per cent respectively. (Table 10.2)
In Yorkshire and The Humber men aged 65 in 2007–09 could expect to live another 17.5 years and women 20.0 years. This compares with 17.8 and 20.4 years in the UK as a whole. (Table 6.8)
The unemployment rate in Yorkshire and The Humber stood at 9.3 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2010, higher than the UK rate of 7.9 per cent. (Table 1.1)
The proportion of children living in workless households in the second quarter of 2010 was higher in Yorkshire and The Humber (19.2 per cent) than the England average (15.9 per cent). (Table 8.6)
In April 2010, the median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees on adult rates who were resident in Yorkshire and The Humber was £463, lower than the UK median of £499. (Table 9.19)
Labour productivity (gross value added per hour worked) in Yorkshire and The Humber in 2009 was 10.3 per cent below the UK average. (Table 3.2)
In Yorkshire and The Humber, 47.3 per cent of pupils achieved five or more grades A*–C at GCSE level or equivalent including English and mathematics in 2008/09, compared with 49.8 per cent for England as a whole. (Table 4.8)
Local authorities in Yorkshire and The Humber recycled or composted 37 per cent of household waste in 2009/10 compared with an England average of 40 per cent. (Table 5.11)
Source: Office for National Statistics
All data are published by ONS except those listed below.
Education data from Department for Education.
Data on recycling from Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs.
You may use or re-use this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence, or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: firstname.lastname@example.org.
Details of the policy governing the release of new data are available by visiting www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/assessment/code-of-practice/index.html or from the Media Relations Office email: email@example.com
The ONS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites | <urn:uuid:b52cdd1f-b206-4c93-b9ff-58ee43587a3b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/ons/rel/regional-trends/regional-trends/no--43--2011-edition/regional-profiles---summary---yorkshire-and-the-humber.html?translation-component=&translation-component=&calling-id=77-6741-4&calling-id=77-6741-4&currLang=English&currLang=English&format=hi-vis | 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 | 0.909347 | 631 | 2.390625 | 2 |
25 Feb '12, 4pm
Drumbeat: February 25, 2012
Yesterday, Brent was a scary $123 a barrel and WTI more than $108. Yet oil prices were just as high this time last year, on the back of demand from the developing economies and the Arab Spring. Since then, growth has slowed in China while Libya has started pumping oil again. Provided the Israelis don’t bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities, a slowing global economy in 2012 should bring down oil prices. However, there’s an alternative view. The dip in petroleum prices in the latter half of 2011 may be the aberration, not the current rise. Last June Saudi Arabia started pumping more oil because it is desperate for extra revenue to head off internal unrest. In August, the International Energy Agency (IEA), the West’s oil guardian, released petroleum from its emergency stockpile in a bid to deflate prices. These moves were one-offs and difficult to repeat. Yet oil is still going up. | <urn:uuid:fab46631-ed78-4b19-af54-eb19442349d0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://todayeco.com/energy/pages/2873988-drumbeat-february | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961765 | 208 | 1.546875 | 2 |
|Mexican Peace Movement Demands Justice for Murdered Activist|
|Written by Ela Stapley|
|Tuesday, 06 December 2011 20:58|
The Mexican Peace Movement, founded by poet Javier Sicilia, has demanded justice following the murder of one of its members.
Nepomuceno Moreno Nuñez was shot to death around Midday on Monday in the town of Hermosillo, Sonora.
Moreno, who joined the Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity in May and had travelled with the movement to the north and south of the country, had been looking for his18-year-old son, Jorge Mario Moreno, who was kidnapped along with five friends in 2010.
Moreno, who had publicly accused police officers of taking his son, had received death threats for his activism.
In a televised interview between members of the Peace Movement and Mexican President Felipe Calderon last month Moreno presented his son’s case and had asked for protection for him and his family.
At a protest in front of the government offices of Sonora in Mexico City on Monday night, members of the Peace Movement showed anger towards Calderon. “He promised that he would protect him and now Don Nepo is dead,” said a spokesperson for the Movement.
Members of the movement are further angered by the criminalization of Moreno following his death.
Jose Larrinaga Talamantes, spokesperson for the Sonora Attorney General’s Office said in a press conference on Tuesday that Moreno’s past and his links with organized crime were the most likely motive for the murder.
Moreno was acquitted of murder in 2010 after spending fours years in prison.
Peace Movement activists disagree dismissing the claims as “shameful.” Speaking at a press conference, Pietro Ameglio, a member of the movement said, “First he was accused of a crime that he didn’t commit, then they took his son, they murdered him and now they want to drag his name through the mud. It is a despicable tactic.”
Javier Sicilia has held the governor of Sonora responsible for Moreno’s death and members of the movement have called for the government of Sonora to resign. “If they are not able to protect their people then we call on them to step down,” said a spokesperson.
The movement is now demanding justice for Moreno they want his killers caught and Moreno’s family to be protected. There are also concerns for the safety of certain members of the movement.
Moreno is the second member of the movement to be killed. In October, Pedro Leiva Dominguez, from the indigenous town of Ostula was shot to death.
Speaking to Upside Down World, Ignacio Suárez Huape, a prominent member of the movement said, “We see his (Moreno) death as a threat against the movement. It is a threat against those who are looking for family members and a threat against the right to protest.”
At a press conference on Tuesday, members of the movement declared that the murders of Moreno and Leiva would not stop their demands for justice. “These cases are going to make us fight even harder,” they said.
“This pain will not make us give up, not stop us speaking out because now that they have taken a person from us we are more united than ever,” said one women.
Soledad Marina Carreón, whose son París Jesús Carreón Baltazar was killed last year, told Upside Down World that this latest death would not stop her search for justice. “I do not allow myself to feel afraid,” she said. “Fear means that I will no longer be able to shout and demand justice for the death of my son.”
“This is a sign that I have to keep looking for those who killed my son,” she continued.
Friends and fellow members paid tribute to Moreno on Tuesday. They spoke of his dedication to the movement and how he helped others from the state of Sonora to speak out against injustice. “He was a fighter for human rights,” said Amegilio. “Because of him others from Sonora felt they could come forward and join the search for justice.”
“The bullets that he received on Monday were the answer to the love he showed for his son,” he said. | <urn:uuid:8d516a75-e3f1-4311-876f-eac6d77d3acb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://upsidedownworld.org/main/mexico-archives-79/3340-mexican-peace-movement-demands-justice-for-murdered-activist | 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 | 0.986411 | 933 | 2.171875 | 2 |
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11 June 2010
A new study by academics in the School of Psychology and the Welsh School of Architecture has revealed the latest public attitudes to climate change.
Led by Professor Nick Pidgeon, Professor of Environment Psychology, the survey has found that despite a decline in concern about climate change, the majority of the British public still believe the climate is changing and say they are prepared to act on this.
Representing the first independent nationwide survey of these topics since the winter controversies over climate science, it finds that belief in climate change remains high at 78 per cent although the numbers believing this has decreased with time (91% in 2005).
The research has also revealed that people are currently somewhat more supportive of nuclear power than in 2005, although significant concerns and negativity remain. That the British population clearly holds much stronger preferences for renewable energy; and that there are very high levels of concern about energy security issues.
Professor Nick Pidgeon, said: "The country is faced with a range of critical decisions on both climate change and energy production and use which will affect us all. Whether new nuclear power, major wind farms, or encouraging people to conserve energy, we need to understand how public attitudes will impact on decisions. This new research helps us to understand how public views on these issues are changing".
Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Leverhulme Trust, the research team surveyed a representative sample of 1,822 people across England, Scotland and Wales.
Other key findings are:
Beliefs about Climate Change
· The majority of respondents (78%) consider that the world’s climate is changing. This represents a significant fall from the very high levels (91%) who believed this in 2005.
· Most people (71%) remain either fairly or very concerned about climate change
· (compared to 82% when asked in 2005).
· Significantly, given recent media controversy surrounding climate change science, a proportion (40%) do consider that the seriousness of climate change is exaggerated, although the majority (57%) still believe that most scientists agree that humans are causing climate change.
· A majority (65%) say they are prepared to reduce their energy use to tackle climate change and most (68%) state they would probably or definitely vote in favour of spending taxpayers’ money on British projects designed to tackle climate change.
Beliefs about Energy Security
· The public is highly concerned that the UK will become too dependent in the future on importing energy from other countries (81% concerned) while over three-quarters (78%) are concerned that electricity will become unaffordable.
Beliefs about Nuclear Power
· The proportion of the sample who agree that the benefits of nuclear power outweigh its risks has risen to 38% in 2010, compared with 32% who said this in 2005.
· On replacement of British nuclear stations 46% favoured this and a similar proportion did not (47%).
· Support for nuclear rises in the context of climate change or energy security with 56% of respondents (compared to 55% in 2005) willing to accept the building of new nuclear power stations if it would help to tackle climate change.
Beliefs about Renewable Energy
· Renewable sources (wind and solar power) remain strongly favoured forms of electricity production.
· However, only 39% of the sample currently favour the construction of a Barrage across the Severn (with 24% slightly or strongly opposed to this proposition).
Commenting on the results, Professor Pidgeon added: "The results do show a rise in those who hold doubts about the reality of climate change, although this may not be as significant as some had first feared. We were surprised to see the very high levels of concern about energy security, and conclude that support exists for an energy policy framed around both the future security of supplies and realistic action to address climate change.
"In terms of developing a low carbon energy economy for Britain, renewables are clearly favoured whilst nuclear power remains unpopular but may be accepted alongside the development of a range of other energy sources."
A full copy of the survey report is available at www.understanding-risk.org
Rise in type 2 diabetes amongst young
Uniting to solve the mystery of mental illness
Preventing blood poisoning
Join The Conversation
This is an externally hosted beta service offered by Google. | <urn:uuid:e3b432f6-57d7-4caa-acbb-c39821c49446> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cf.ac.uk/news/articles/climate-change-still-high-on-public-agenda-4358.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94842 | 898 | 2.671875 | 3 |
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City's mayor has gone to court in an attempt to block implementation of two new laws that effectively raise the minimum wage for workers on many city-funded projects.
The City Council passed a pair of laws in June mandating a wage of at least $10 per hour for workers at companies getting $1 million or more in city funding. Mayor Michael Bloomberg refused to sign the measure, saying it will hurt the city's business climate. But his veto was overturned.
Now, he is suing the council to get the wage hike stopped. In a lawsuit filed Friday, the city's legal department argued that only the state is empowered to set a minimum wage. It also argued that in passing the wage hike, the City Council had improperly sought to limit the mayor's powers. The state minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.
A council spokeswoman, Zoe Tobin, said lawmakers are confident the challenge will be shot down.
"These laws were passed over the mayor's veto with overwhelming support in the council, and it is disappointing that the mayor has chosen to challenge these laws rather than enforce them," she said. | <urn:uuid:2f1aa967-c80b-4071-9a61-53c5f63cb0ff> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://washingtonexaminer.com/nyc-sues-itself-over-legality-of-2-new-wage-laws/article/feed/2016625 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977268 | 234 | 1.570313 | 2 |
- Special Pages
JUBA/KHARTOUM: Sudan has put a new obstacle in the way of allowing its land-locked southern neighbour to pipe its oil to the Red Sea, South Sudanese President Salva Kiir said yesterday, dashing plans to revive production after an 11-month break.
Sudan’s currency fell to a historic low against the dollar on the black market yesterday, highlighting the importance for both countries to get oil from South Sudan’s oilfields via the north for export.
In January, South Sudan shut down its entire oil output of 350,000 barrels a day after tensions with Sudan over oil fees escalated, but an agreement to reopen the export pipelines was signed in September. Oil is the economic lifeline for both.
But Kiir said Sudan had now demanded as a new condition for reopening the pipeline that South Sudan disarm rebels of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-North), which operate in two states bordering South Sudan.
“It is an impossible mission which our brothers in the government in Khartoum would want us to undertake. Because of this Khartoum authorities have refused to accept passage of South Sudan oil through their territory to market,” he told state governors and UN officials in a speech in Juba.
“We are a different country, SPLM-North is in a different country. You cannot imagine that a foreign army can cross to another country to go and conduct disarmament. That can’t be. It will not happen,” he said.
Sudan accuses South Sudan of supporting the SPLM-North, which seeks together with rebels from the western region of Darfur to topple Sudan’s veteran president, Omar Hassan Al Bashir. Juba denies any links to the SPLM-North.
Sudanese officials were not immediately available to comment on Kiir’s remarks. State news agency Suna said in a brief report that Bashir and Kiir had spoken by phone yesterday and agreed to speed up executing the deal to restart oil. | <urn:uuid:c8915499-4d6b-4baa-869c-610fe976ce57> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/middle-east/215824-sudan-puts-new-obstacles-to-oil-sales-south-complains.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950162 | 434 | 1.804688 | 2 |
For many the 1930s were a time of sadness. The Great Depression left a heavy
mark on the country. Many people remained unemployeed for years and thousands became homeless every year. Migrant workers, who led nomadic lifestyles traveling from place to place as the seasons changed were common across the US particularly in the Midwest where most of the farming occurred. Many called this decade the "Lost Generation" inspired by Earnest Hemmingway's novel The Sun Also Rises.
It would take a great president and social reformer to change the country. Franklin Delano Roosevelt began his sixteen year presidency in 1933, following Herbert Hoover.
Between 1933 and 1939 alone he and his wife Eleanor, started numerous projects to improve the state of the country, particularly those in need. In 1933 he created the National Recovery Administration to increase employment and business. In 1934 he launched the Federal Housing program assisting the homeless in getting homes. In 1935 the Social Security Act was passed in addition to the National Labor Relations Act. The Work Projects administration was formed
in 1935 giving eight million jobs to people. In 1938 the Fair Labor Standards were passed. 1939 tested Roosevelt's strength as a president during war time. Despite Germany's seizing of Poland the United States took a neutral stance. | <urn:uuid:732c7c2e-6c50-47c4-8edf-c0497eee3080> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://library.thinkquest.org/C007481/1930.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979402 | 252 | 3.796875 | 4 |
the species lists of birds
and mammals seen on tour, please click
This was a relaxed 15-day tour, from 15 to 29 November 2009
Areas visited: Sossusvlei, Walvis Bay, the Erongo Mountains, Brandberg,
Hobatere, Etosha and the Waterberg
Number of bird species: 254 species seen, 3 heard, 4 seen
by the participants only, 1 seen by the leader only.
Top ten birds: Burchell’s Courser, Rockrunner, Dune
Lark, Herero Chat, African Quail-Finch, Violet-eared Waxbill,
Rueppell’s Parrot, Damara Tern, Bare-cheeked Babbler,
Bradfield’s Hornbill, Double-banded Courser, Rosy-faced
Lovebird, African Hawk-Eagle, Orange River Francolin,
Blue Crane, Double-banded Sandgrouse,
Violet Woodhoopoe, Chestnut-banded Plover,
Black-faced Babbler, Great Sparrow and
Number of mammal species seen: 42 species, including Striped Polecat!
Top mammals: South African Porcupine, Dassie Rat,
Bat-eared Fox, Cape Fox, Black Mongoose, distant views of Meerkat,
Spotted Hyaena, a pride of Lion with very young cubs, two tiny Black-backed
Jackal cubs at play, Caracal, African Wild Cat, Black Rhinoceros,
Damara Dikdik and the rarely seen Striped Polecat.
also saw 15 reptile species, the Marbled Rubber Frog and the Namib
Scroll down for the trip summary and detailed report.
Peringuey’s or Side-winding Adder, Namaqua Chameleon,
Palmato Gecko and Shovel-snouted Lizard © Michael
Mills on this Birding Africa
Namibia tour during the Living Deserts Optional Excursion.
Trevor & Jenni Franks and Gillian & David Jackson ©
Trevor and Jenni Franks on this Birding
Africa Namibia tour.
This relaxed Namibian tour took
in the essential birds of the country, allowing enough time to thoroughly
enjoy prolonged views of the specials, and savour the varied scenery,
abundant mammal and reptile life, and superb lodges and sunsets.
And there was even a little time for shopping! Our circular route
took in Sossusvlei, Walvis Bay, the Erongo Mountains, Brandberg,
Hobatere, Etosha and the Waterberg, over a 15-day period.
Burchell's Courser and Double-banded Sandgrouse © Trevor and
Voted Top Ten birds of the trip were: (1) the stubborn Burchell’s
Courser, which only relented on day 12, but gave superb
views when it finally did, (2) confiding Rockrunner seen
on several occasions, on both the first and last full days of birding,
(3) a fearless Dune Lark that foraged within 5
m of us, (4) prolonged views of Herero Chat on
the very first day of birding, a flock of 30 African Quail-Finch
that foraged in the road for at least 15 minutes, allowing us to
approach within 10 m, and Violet-eared Waxbill,
for sheer gaudiness (all in tied fourth), (7) Rueppell’s
Parrot for dazzling with its orange socks, (8) Damara
Tern for perfection in a tiny package, (9) Bare-cheeked
Babbler for pure entertainment and (10) Bradfield’s
Hornbill for being unexpected. Other noteworthy highlights
included Double-banded Courser, Rosy-faced
Lovebird, African Hawk-Eagle hunting Orange
River Francolin, Blue Crane, thousands
of Double-banded Sandgrouse drinking after dark,
Violet Woodhoopoe, Chestnut-banded Plover,
Black-faced Babbler, Great Sparrow and
Mammals of note included South African Porcupine,
Dassie Rat, Bat-eared Fox, Cape Fox, Black Mongoose, distant views
of Meerkat, Spotted Hyaena, a pride of Lion with very young cubs,
two tiny Black-backed Jackal cubs at play, Caracal, African Wild
Cat, Black Rhinoceros, Damara Dikdik and the rarely seen Striped
Reptile highlights included the Peringuey’s or Side-winding
Adder, Shovel-snouted Lizard, Palmato Gecko, Namaqua Chameleon,
and several species of Agama.
This is a more detailed account
of our travels…
Detailed trip report
Avis Dam near Windhoek provides a superb introduction to central
Namibian birding, and shortly after arriving in the country we found
ourselves surrounded by thornveld full of birds. While most species
seen here would be seen again, our first White-backed Mousebird,
Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Barred Wren Warbler, Burnt-necked Eremomela,
Mountain Wheatear, Dusky Sunbird, Black-faced Waxbill, Pririt Batis,
Ashy Tit and Cape Bunting were very welcome.
More noteworthy were Cape Penduline Tit, Grey-backed Cisticola,
Bradfield’s Swift and Icterine Warbler.
However, the undoubted highlights were a displaying male Monteiro’s
Hornbill and very confiding pair of snappy Rockrunner,
in full, melodious song. We also heard distant calls of Orange
River Francolin, but that was all they remained by the
time it was to move south to Sossusvlei.
We took the scenic route via a breathtaking mountain pass, where
we were thrilled to find a confiding pair of Herero Chat,
probably Namibia’s trickiest special. En route we also notched
up Karoo Long-billed Lark and Spike-heeled
Lark, before arriving on the flat desert plains near Sossusvlei.
Along the entrance road to our accommodation we notched up the first
of many Rueppell’s Korhaan and Stark’s
Lark, a watched a pair of striking Ludwig’s
Bustard feeding in the afternoon light. While Sossusvlei
is not an essential birding destination, it did give us the chance
to look for the localised Dune Lark whilst enjoying the world-renowned
scenery. At first several birds were heard in the distance, and
after trudging up a tall, orange dune we were rewarded with perhaps
the most memorable bird sighting of the trip, a Dune Lark
scurrying between wiry grass tufts not more than 5 metres from us,
focussed on finding breakfast and not in the least perturbed by
our presence. Other highlights during our visit included Double-banded
Courser, Namaqua Sandgrouse, Desert Cisticola
and Tractrac Chat.The best mammal was Bat-eared
Fox, with its radar ears.
From Sossusvlei we headed for
Walvis Bay, making numerous stops en route to watch Black-chested
Snake Eagle, a striking Bokmakierie, impressive numbers
of Gray’s Lark, a very responsive Rufous-eared
Warbler and our first Karoo Chat. And
we were on the continual lookout for Burchell’s Courser,
of course, but to no avail. At Walvis Bay the hordes of waterbirds
were as impressive as ever, and included vast numbers of Great
White Pelican, Cape Cormorant, Greater
Flamingo and waders. Some careful sifting through the thousands
of birds turned up Common Redshank, Terek Sandpiper
and Red-necked Phalarope. Also spotted were Cape
Teal, Crowned Cormorant, African Black Oystercatcher, Cape Gannet,
the ever-popular Chestnut-banded Plover and Orange
River White-eye. However, the star of the show was the
near-perfect Damara Tern, watched fishing for extended
periods less than 10 m away. We also made a return visit to the
desert to log some more hours unsuccessfully looking for Burchell’s
Courser, and took an exciting dune tour on which we saw
some fantastic reptiles, including Sidewinder Adder and Palmato
Rosy-faced Lovebird and White-faced Scops-Owl © Trevor and
Our next destination was the Erongo
mountains, specifically in the surrounds of our superb accommodation.
Here we were treated to prolonged views of two coveys of Hartlaub’s
Spurfowl, our first Red-billed Spurfowl,
flocks of Rosy-faced Lovebird near our breakfast
tables, Carp’s Tit, Short-toed Rock
Thrush, numerous Great Sparrow and gaudy
Violet-eared Waxbill. Nearby excursions to some
river beds turned up Verreaux’s Eagle Owl,
our first of many Rueppell’s Parrot, excellent
views of Bradfield’s Swift, Damara
Red-billed Hornbill, a band of Southern Pied Babbler
and Burchell’s Starling. To our
frustration all woodhoopoes we laid eyes on turned out to be Green
Woodhoopoe, and not the expected Violet Woodhoopoe!
At night we watched Caracal and
South African Porcupine drinking at the waterhole, and by day we
were accompanied by Damara Dik-dik, Dassie Rat and Rock Hyrax.
From the Erongo mountains, we
continued north towards Etosha, pausing en route at the Brandberg
to visit the famous White Lady rock art and to find Benguela
Long-billed Lark. And we continued logging many more miles
in Burchell’s Courser country, still without
reward. A roadside dam turned up South African Shelduck
and Southern Pochard, and a lunch stop en route
turned up the first flock of Chestnut Weaver (all
in non-breeding plumage).
Our first stop in the Etosha
area was at our fantastic lodge, where Bare-cheeked Babbler
was studied in detail, a snappy Rueppell’s Parrot
impressed with its orange socks, Olive Bee-eater
was breeding, Meves’s Starling walked on
the lawns and Red-headed Finch, Augur Buzzard,
Double-banded Sandgrouse and Pearl-breasted
Swallow visited the nearby waterholes. Our first Kalahari
Scrub Robin was seen further afield and a night drive turned
up Rufous-cheeked Nightjar, with three individuals
captured and ringed by Steve.
The nocturnal mammals were even
more impressive and we saw, in short succession, Bat-eared Fox,
Cape Fox and Striped Polecat. Other mammals seen were a pride of
Lion, Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra and the scarce Black Mongoose.
Perhaps the most memorable birding
experience of the trip, however, was provided by two species…
distant calls of Orange River Francolin lead us
up a rocky hillside were we, after much persistence, managed to
track down our quarry and watch a group of eight birds stalking
through the rocky grassland. Suddenly all havoc broke loose a pair
of African Hawk Eagle swooped in, sending birds
running for cover and shrieking off in all directions. The francolins
were lucky this time, and all appeared to escape unharmed…
before we made our way to Etosha National Park.
At Etosha National Park, we worked our way from west to east. The
plains north of Okaukuejo were fertile hunting grounds for bustards
and larks, with Kori Bustard, Northern
Black Korhaan, Eastern Clapper Lark, Pink-billed
Lark and Red-capped Lark all seen well.
In camp, Shaft-tailed Whydah was in breeding plumage.
Towards Halali David spotted his much-desired and much-deserved
Burchell’s Courser, and we enjoyed prolonged
views of six birds, followed shortly by another two. Another highlight
of the trip was finding a flock of African Quail-Finch,
which fed in the road and allowed us to approach within
10 metres! Further east still the rains had come and the bush was
greening up quite nicely. Rufous-naped Lark sang
from the bushtops, we spotted a perched pair of very smart Red-necked
Falcon and a trio of Blue Crane fed near
the roadside. Raptors and vultures were numerous, and we found both
Lapped-faced Vulture and White-headed Vulture. In the dense Commiphora
bush near Namutoni we were treated to good views of Black-faced
Babbler and Crested Francolin crossing
the road. Before heading for the Waterberg we searched for Burchell’s
Sandgrouse and waited at a waterhole for them to come and
drink, but without luck.
Mammal highlights in Etosha included
a pride of Lion, Spotted Hyaena, Black Rhinoceros, Banded Mongoose
and Black-faced Impala.
Banded Mongoose, Lion, African Elephant, Black-backed Jackal, Greater
Kudu, Gemsbok © Trevor and Jenni Franks
we returned southwards back towards Windhoek, pausing for a night
at the Waterberg Plateau National Park en route where we immediately
found a smart Bradfield’s Hornbill, even before we could unload
our bags from the vehicle. Bearded Woodpecker and Golden-tailed
Woodpecker were also seen well and, after dark, Freckled Nightjar,
which landed nearby and called in the torch beam. At the last minute
we snatched Violet Woodhoopoe from the jaws of defeat, with a group
of six birds first rallying noisily above our heads and then watched
at eye level, feeding in the bright sunlight! What a fitting birding
end to our Namibia tour!
Birding Africa Trip Report by Tour Leader Michael
Many of the birding sites on this trip are described in detail in
the Southern African
Birdfinder which is widely available in South African bookshops
and on the internet. (e.g., www.netbooks.co.za
or www.wildsounds.co.uk). However
you're always welcome to contact
us if you're interested in a guided trip in this area. | <urn:uuid:5ae265be-40e3-43ae-b628-1ecca10ed4b4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.birdingafrica.com/africa_tours/trip_reports/TR_Namibia_Nov09MM.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914384 | 3,270 | 1.929688 | 2 |
The book “Intuitive Eating” was a foundational tool for me as I began to develop a better understanding of how to become more attuned to my body’s natural signals of hunger, satisfaction & fullness when I gave up dieting.
I consider “Intuitive Eating” to be my holy scriptures and have read it countless times. Still, when the new 3rd edition came out, I was delighted to read it again.
The original book came out in 1995. The authors, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch are both nutrition therapists and registered dieticians. They were tired of seeing clients lose weight initially and then later gain it all back. In addition, both authors were discouraged by the emotions (such as guilt and shame) women were feeling while being put on diets. They decided to try something revolutionary with their clients. They threw out diets and lists of “good” and “bad” foods. Instead, they added practices such as allowing all foods into their clients’ eating, and helping them learn to trust their bodies to know when and how much to eat.
The third edition of “Intuitive Eating” has three important updates:
- Removal of numbers/statistics related to weight/height and BMI. Rather, they stress putting weight loss on the back-burner, so you can implement health-focused practices such as eating mindfully, body trust, and eating with attunement.
- A new chapter about the science behind the principles of intuitive eating. Since the original printing there have been more than 25 studies that show the principles of intuitive eating really do lead to happy, healthier people and eating habits. In the Smith and Hawks (2006) study, researchers found that intuitive eaters ate a wide variety of foods and had lower Body Mass Index than non-intuitive eaters. Additionally, these eaters found pleasure and satisfaction with what they were eating.
- A new chapter on how to raise children, adolescents, and your entire family as intuitive eaters. We are born with this internal wisdom. Think about how toddlers eat. They eat a few bites here, a few bites there. They stop when their bellies feel full or satisfied. It’s the job of parents to provide a wide variety of foods, making sure that no food group is demonized as “bad.” It’s the job of the child to decide how much. If we can give our children the gift of learning to trust their bodies, think of the future of the diet industry? It would be kaput!
Intuitive eating has become a real way of life for me and thousands of other individuals. I would encourage you to read the new 3rd edition. It will enable you to integrate intuitive eating even more fully into your daily life.
In addition, you can get even more support in the Intuitive Eating Online Community. It’s free! http://intuitiveeatingcommunity.org
Are you ready to become an intuitive eater? If you have questions about it, leave them in the comments below! | <urn:uuid:33b7678e-b0e9-4b4d-b495-b129c640249e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fitwoman.com/blog/2012/11/29/intuitive-eating-3rd-edition/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00075-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975341 | 634 | 1.929688 | 2 |
The Heroic Act of Charity in favour of the souls detained in purgatory consists in this, that a member of the Church militant (Christifidelis), either using a set formula or simply by an act of his will, offers to God for the souls in purgatory all the satisfactory works which he will perform during his lifetime, and also all the suffrages which may accrue to him after his death. Many Christians devoted to the B.V. Mary, acting on the advice of the Theatine Regular Cleric Father Gaspar Olider, of blessed memory, make it a practice to deposit the said merits and suffrages as it were into the hands of the Bl. Virgin that she may distribute these favours to the souls in purgatory according to her own merciful pleasure.
Olider lived at the beginning of the eigtheenth century.
The Heroic Act is often called a vow, yet it partakes more of the nature of an offering made to God and to Mary, and it is also, unlike a vow, revocable at will. This point has been decided by the S.C. Indulg., 20 Feb., 1907, in answer to a question from Chicoutimi in Canada. A special vow "never to revoke the Act" would probably be binding, because its subject matter is an act of the personal will of which man can freely dispose, whereas he has not the disposal of his satisfactory works in favour of the departed; that depends on God; for man it is only a matter of pious desire, and only in this sense a votum. It always remains doubtful to what extent God accepts the oblation, and it is certain that the holy souls altogether lack the power of accepting it. The practice of the Heroic Act is based on the communion of saints, in virtue of which the good deeds of one member of Christ's body benefit all other members. Its meritoriousness results from the more intense charity (love of God and His suffering friends) which inspires it, and on which the intrinsic perfection of all our good deeds depends. Its heroicity arises from the willingness it involves to take upon one's self the dreadful pains of purgatory for the love of one's neighbour, although there remains the reasonable hope that God in His goodness, and the sainted souls in their gratitude, will not allow the punishment to be exacted to the full.
The Heroic Act has been enriched with numerous indulgences by Benedict XIII (1728), Pius VI (1788), and Pius IX (1852). Priests who make it receive the personal privilege of gaining a plenary indulgence for a soul of their choice each time they say Mass (see PRIVILEGED ALTAR). Laymen gain a similar indulgence each time they receive Holy Communion, also each Monday they hear Mass for the departed; in both cases the usual visit to a church and prayers for the intention of the pope are required.
APA citation. (1910). Heroic Act of Charity. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07292b.htm
MLA citation. "Heroic Act of Charity." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 7. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07292b.htm>.
Transcription. This article was transcribed for New Advent by Robert B. Olson. Offered to Almighty God for graces and blessings on Bill and Ann Bourgeois & family.
Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. June 1, 1910. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.
Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads. | <urn:uuid:509e3351-8d3b-4931-aa0f-c02363438638> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07292b.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949241 | 854 | 2.28125 | 2 |
A Checklist for Installing Safety Light Curtains
Installed near a press, robotic cell or other piece of manufacturing equipment, a safety light curtain detects the presence of an opaque object such as a finger or hand and sends a stop signal to the safety-related controls of the machine to stop the hazardous motion before the person can reach the hazard. Light curtains must be installed between the machine hazard and all personnel, in accordance with requirements specified in accepted standards. Metalformers installing light curtains should:
1) Review procedures and manuals, including the light-curtain installation manual and the company’s procedures for performing work on the particular machine being safeguarded.
2) Identify the hazard or hazardous area to be guarded, ensuring that additional hazards have not been overlooked.
3) Determine the separation (safety) distance, where the sensing field is no closer to the hazard than the determined distance, as described in the installation manual. Generally, the sensing field should not be less than 4 in. from the hazard and typically is more than 12 in. away.
4) Ensure the hazards cannot be accessed by reaching over, under, around or through the sensing field; additional guarding may be required.
5) If the safety light curtain or interface to the machine control is configured for a manual reset, ensure the switch or the means to perform the reset is outside the guarded area, located to allow the switch operator unobstructed view of the entire guarded area, out of reach from within the guarded area and protected against unauthorized or inadvertent operation. If any areas within the guarded area are not visible from the reset, provide additional safeguarding.
When mounting the light curtains, installers should ensure that the mounting surface can support the weight of the sensors, brackets, cables and hardware. Mount the emitter and receiver so that the sensing field is no closer to the hazard than is determined by the safety distance, and ensure they are aligned in a common plane and level/plumb and square to each other (vertical, horizontal or inclined at the same angle and not tilted front-to-back or side-to-side). Avoid locating the sensing field near a reflective surface, which could reflect sensing beams around an object or person and prevent its detection.
Attach the required cables to the sensors and route the sensor cables to the junction box, electrical panel or other enclosure housing the safety components of the control system. Ensure that power is not available to the actuators or any other device that can cause a hazard prior to making any electrical connections to the machine. Then set configuration options—depending on the model, some options may have been previously set; refer to the installation manual. Make initial electrical connections as detailed in the installation manual; do not connect the safety outputs until performing the initial alignment and checkout procedures.
Apply power to the safety light curtain and make final optical-alignment adjustments as described in the installation manual. To ensure the sensors are pointed squarely at each other, use a straight edge to determine the direction the sensor is facing. The sensor face must be perpendicular to the optical axis. Once the indicator(s) verify a clear or aligned condition (usually a green light), snug, but do not tighten down the mounting hardware. To optimize alignment and maximize excess gain, slightly loosen the sensor mounting screws and rotate one sensor left and right, noting the positions in each arc where the indicator(s) verify a blocked condition (usually a red light); repeat with the other sensor. Center each sensor between those two positions and tighten the mounting screws while maintaining the positioning.
When alignment proves difficult, use laser-alignment tools to assist or confirm alignment by providing a visible red dot along the sensor’s optical axis. When using mirrors to align an installation, all sensors and mirrors must be level/plumb, and the height of the midpoints of the mirrors above the floor (assuming a level floor) should be at the midpoint of the sensing field. Only one individual should move any one device at any one time.
Test the detection capability by performing a trip-test procedure with the proper test piece or rod. This procedure might include the following steps:
• Select the proper test piece determined by the resolution of the sensing field. The test piece typically is supplied with the light-curtain system; if not, use an opaque cylindrical object that has a cross-section no larger than the resolution of the sensing field, such as a straight piece of PVC or steel pipe.
• Indications vary, but typically a green indicator will be on to indicate a clear sensing field.
• Pass the test piece through the sensing field in three paths: near the emitter, near the receiver, and midway between the emitter and receiver.
• During each pass, and with the test piece interrupting the defined area, the indicator must turn and remain red for as long as the test piece remains in the sensing field.
Having performed the trip-test procedure, make the required electrical connections to the guarded machine, referring to the machine documentation and the light-curtain installation manual. Perform the commissioning checkout in combination with the guarded machine; a qualified person much verify the operation of the light curtain before placing the safeguarded machine into production.
Banner Engineering: 763/544-3164; http://www.bannerengineering.com/
See also: Banner Engineering Corp.
There are no comments posted at this time. | <urn:uuid:03beaf57-8338-4a9b-9846-6e5fb2aaf32d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.metalformingmagazine.com/magazine/article.asp?iid=53&aid=5720 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.903215 | 1,110 | 2.421875 | 2 |
What sparks anti-authoritarian revolutions in today's world? On Wednesday, AEI hosted an impressive lineup of leading anti-authoritarian activists and intellectuals from around the world to discuss the moral foundation of anti-authoritarian struggle.
Ammar Abdulhamid of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies began the first panel by quoting a powerful slogan from the Syrian Revolution: "Death but not humiliation." Akbar Atri, co-founder of E-Collaborative for Civic Education, assured that despite the Iranian regime's corrupted norms and values, the essence of the Green Movement and the Arab Spring epitomizes civic values and universal human rights. Yang Jianli from the Initiatives for China advised U.S. policymakers to start paying attention to students, farmers and street-level society so individuals are prepared for revolutions before they occur.
In the second panel, Vladimir Kara-Murza, a member of the Federal Political Council of Solidarity, stressed that the renewed quest for civic dignity in today's protests is trigged by the blatant fraud in Russia's November parliamentary elections and the backdoor deal that predetermined the Putin-Medvedev swap. Now, Vladimir Putin's regime is forced to look over its shoulder, Kara-Murza insisted, and can no longer pursue authoritarian policies with complete immunity.
Lilia Shevtsova from the Carnegie Moscow Center disagreed with the first panelists' conclusion that current anti-authoritarian revolutions require Western support. She furthermore stressed the loss of hope as a catalyst for revolution, agreeing with AEI's Leon Aron’s opinion that decency, conscience, honesty and morality are central to the struggle against authoritarian regimes.
The third panel explored the role of historical memory in the struggle to democratize after the dissolution of totalitarianism. Anne Applebaum of the Legatum Institute and Minxin Pei of Claremont McKenna College noted that the lack of historical memory in Russia and China resulted in general moral decay in those countries. Vladimir Tismaneaunu, on the other hand, cited the success of his truth commission in Romania after the local downfall of communism. While their countries of origin differed, all of the panelists agreed that honest and viable historical memory is crucial to the survival of a new, democratic state.
---Katherine Earle and Samantha Costello
What sparks anti-authoritarian revolutions in today’s world? In his just-published book “Roads to the Temple,” Leon Aron argues that values and morality lie at the heart of every revolution. From glasnost to the Arab Spring, the battle against authoritarians has been characterized by the triumph of human dignity over an over-centralized, brutal and corrupt state. Leading anti-authoritarian activists and intellectuals from Iraq, Iran, Syria, China, Russia and Sudan will share their experiences and provide insights of critical importance to U.S. policymakers seeking to understand and support the international quest for freedom.
Online registration for this event is now closed. Walk-in registrations will be accepted.
If you cannot attend, we welcome you to watch the event live on this page. Full video will be posted within 24 hours. | <urn:uuid:6cd2b29e-58cd-4f6e-8c27-f257136ed3ed> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://aei.org/event/foreign-and-defense-policy/from-glasnost-to-the-arab-spring-the-moral-foundation-of-the-fight-for-freedom/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918099 | 642 | 1.59375 | 2 |
The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.
In diving to the bottom of pleasure we bring up more gravel than pearls.
Equality may perhaps be a right, but no power on earth can ever turn it into a fact
When you doubt your power, you give power to your doubt
When a woman wants to betray her husband, her actions are almost invariably studied but they are never reasoned.
A good husband is never the first to go to sleep at night or the last to awake in the morning.
A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband.
A man may and ought to pride himself more on his will than on his talent
Innocence alone dares commit certain acts of audacity. Virtue, when tutored, is as calculating as vice.
Manners are the hypocrisy of a nation.
Passion is universal humanity. Without it religion, history, romance and art would be useless.
Envy lurks at the bottom of the human heart, like a viper in its hole.
Our worst misfortunes never happen, and most miseries lie in anticipation.
In a husband there is only a man; in a married woman there is a man, a father, and mother, and a woman.
Modesty is the conscience of the body. | <urn:uuid:4b40b778-3da0-402b-9da4-c6e89a8a9820> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.finestquotes.com/author_quotes-author-Honore+De+Balzac-page-0.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967327 | 283 | 1.523438 | 2 |
One caveat is observational studies, where you identify a large cohort of people – say 80,000 people like in the Nurse’s Health Study – and you ask them what they eat. You give them diet and food frequency questionnaires that are almost impossible to fill out and you follow them for 20 years. If you look and see who is healthier, you’ll find out that people who were mostly vegetarians tend to live longer and have less cancer and diabetes than people who get most of their fat and protein from animal products. The assumption by the researchers is that this is causal – that the only difference between mostly vegetarians and mostly meat-eaters is how many vegetables and how much meat they eat.
I’ve argued that this assumption is naïve almost beyond belief. In this case, vegetarians or mostly vegetarian people are more health conscious. That’s why they’ve chosen to eat like this. They’re better educated than the mostly meat-eaters, they’re in a higher socioeconomic bracket, they have better doctors, they have better medical advice, they engage in other health conscious activities like walking, they smoke less. There’s a whole slew of things that goes with vegetarianism and leaning towards a vegetarian diet. You can’t use these observational studies to imply cause and effect. To me, it’s one of the most extreme examples of bad science in the nutrition field.
That’s Gary Taubes in a FiveBooks interview over at The Browser. Taubes is better known for his book Good Calories, Bad Calories, in which he argues that a diet rich in carbohydrates is what makes us fat and, eventually, sick, and in which he argues in favor of an alternative diet rich in fats.
I really don’t know what kind of diet is best for weight loss, but I do want to stress Taubes’ point about the weakness of observational studies, even longitudinal ones. It is not uncommon for social science researchers to say “Well, we’ve been following these people over time, so we can use fixed effects to control for unobserved heterogeneity.” That is, they control for what remains constant for each unit of observation over time, which is made possible because they have more than one observation for each unit of observation. I have certainly been guilty of that.
The truth of the matter, however, is that fixed effects rarely ever solve an endogeneity problem. This is especially true in long panels — that is, longitudinal studies over long periods of time, such as the 20-year study Taubes refers to.
(And don’t get me started on random effects which, unless you have actual experimental data, I find completely unbelievable. That is, even with a Hausman test, I don’t buy random effects models — Hausman tests are known for being terrible given that the bulk of the probability mass sits on the null hypothesis that random effects should be used, and it is much easier to fail to reject the null than it is to reject it…)
Sure, there are certain things that do not change over time. Gender is one of them (although not always; a large enough data set will include people who undergo a sex change operation), height might be another, but there aren’t that many.
The fact that fixed effects are not a cure-all to endogeneity problems is the reason why few people actually buy the results of cross-country regressions nowadays.
Take a bunch of countries, and regress the logarithm of their GDP per capita on some variable of interest (e.g., the amount of foreign aid they receive). Even with country fixed effects, a time trend, a rich set of controls, etc., there is almost no chance that what you’ve estimated is the causal impact of foreign aid on economic growth. There are just too many things that change over time for a given country, and which no data set can possibly be rich enough to account for.
That’s why for such cross-country analyses, my preferences lie with a convincing quasi experimental design, i.e., a design that involves a plausibly exogenous instrumental variable, in the style of Acemoglu et al.’s (2001) study of the impact of institutions on economic performance (and even that has come under serious fire…) | <urn:uuid:ea1ca9c2-7ded-45c8-b4fa-04cc35fd4fa9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://marcfbellemare.com/wordpress/2012/01/taubes-on-the-weakness-of-observational-studies-and-a-methodological-rant/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957704 | 900 | 2.21875 | 2 |
Gym Ball 55 cm
The Health Benefits to Exercise Balls
It’s near impossible to walk into a gym or health club these days and not see some exercise balls being used. Even if you don’t belong to a gym, you’ve most likely seen these bright-colored balls on television or in your favorite magazine. Even if you have never used an exercise ball before, you have probably wondered what it would be like to use one or what it might feel like to stretch out backwards over one. Why is this exercise apparatus so popular and what are the health benefits to those who regularly use them as a part of their fitness routine?
Back and Spinal Health with Exercise Balls
How strong is your lower back? Many people have weak lower backs, thereby increasing the likelihood of injury. When utilizing an exercise ball as part of a fitness program, you will notice that it provides a great deal of support for your lower back as you are working out. An exercise ball can also support your lower back while you work on stretching exercises, allowing you to gain deeper and more beneficial stretches than stretching without one.
Building Core Stability with Exercise Balls
You have likely heard a lot of fitness experts talk about a body’s core, but you may not be familiar with what your core is or why it is important to strengthen it. Your core refers to the muscles that are in your abdomen and your back. These muscles work to support your entire body as it moves. Using an exercise ball works to strengthen these muscle groups, increasing your balance and overall stability. With so many various exercises to do on an exercise ball, anyone can build their core in order to reap all of the associated health benefits.
Improved Posture with Exercise Balls
Many people have poor posture and have heard the old suggestions of standing against a wall or balancing with books on your head while trying to walk across a room. These behaviors are supposed to help improve your posture. Exercise balls can also have a positive impact on your posture. Working out with a fitness ball can help to improve the strength and alignment of the natural curve in your spine. This, over time, improves your overall posture and helps to increase flexibility in your spine.
Improved Balance with Exercise Balls
Most of us begin to lose our balancing abilities as part of the natural aging process. Loss of balance is a primary reason that aging adults fracture bones in their body as the loss of balance leads to a higher risk of falls. One reason that people may experience poor balance is that their muscle strength may be imbalanced; people generally have stronger muscles in their front than in their back sections. If one muscle group is stronger than another, your balance could be off center. Working out with an exercise ball can enable muscle groups to form strength in a more even fashion, working to improve a person’s balance. This is one reason why exercise ball exercises are often recommended to older adults who are in need of improving their balance.
Support Up to 180 kg ++
Diameter 55 cm
Hand Pump Included
WARRANTY 1 YEAR
Watch gym ball exercise
Shipping and Handling Cost via poslaju/kangaroo express: (NO COD please)
(Peninsular Msia Shipping Cost Included) / (Sabah & Sarawak pls add RM18)
Payment via Maybank acc # 107303026522 (Ooi Soi Boon)
Delivery Lead-time: 2 Working Days
Jenis Iklan: Tawaran Jualan
Status Iklan: Persendirian
Harga (RM): $ 60 | <urn:uuid:e53e9ce0-cc96-4680-a5b1-5b5191a2c3b1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.iklanlah.com/pilih-kategori/sukan/peralatan-sukan/gym-ball-55-cm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947973 | 733 | 2.125 | 2 |
For several weeks in April, there was a new yet familiar face roaming the stacks of the OSU Libraries Special Collections. It was Dr. Burtron “Burt” Davis of the University of Kentucky’s Center for Applied Energy Research, who had traveled across the country to research his former mentor, Dr. Paul Emmett. Dr. Davis is the first researcher to conduct work in Special Collections under the Resident Scholar Program.
Dr. Davis is a self-described “hillbilly from West Virginia.” He originally wanted to be a teacher so he attended Potomac State College in Keyser, West Virginia, where he earned his associate degree but did not do any research work. He then transferred to West Virginia University and earned his Bachelor of Science in chemistry in 1959. He had originally planned to study agriculture but found that he hated his classes. Needing to pick something as a replacement, he choose chemistry, which he ended up enjoying.
Following his graduation, Davis began working in Philadelphia at Atlantic Refining from 1959-1962, while concurrently taking night classes and earning his Master of Science from St. Joseph’s College (now St. Joseph’s University). When he decided to return to graduate school to earn his doctorate in 1962, he asked a professor for letters of recommendation to four schools. The instructor instead gave him a recommendation to a fifth school, the University of Florida, where he earned his Ph.D. in 1965.
Davis worked under Paul Emmett while completing his post-doctorate research on catalysis at the John Hopkins University from 1965-1966. He then worked for four years (1966-1970) at Mobil, where he discovered a platinum-10 catalyst for converting gasoline from low-octane to high-octane.
In 1970, Davis decided that he would like to teach and accepted a position at Potomac State College as an Associate Professor of Chemistry. After seven years of teaching, Davis felt the urge to return to research and so began working at the University of Kentucky’s Center for Applied Energy Research, where he remains working full-time to this day. Davis’ scholarly track record is prolific. He is a member of the American Chemical Society, including the divisions of Fuel, Colloid and Surface Chemistry, Petroleum, and History of Chemistry. He is likewise credited with over 400 publications as either an author or a co-author.
Paul Emmett is not the only scientist that Dr. Davis has researched. Indeed, Davis has made a hobby of collecting research on the great scientists of our time and, as he has progressed through his career, he has grown to appreciate and become more interested in history. This appreciation and interest has led him to preserve history. Not long after completing his postdoctoral work, he suggested to the editor of the Journal of Chemical Education that Dr. Emmett be featured in a monthly section the of journal in which a chemist is interviewed. The editor agreed that it should be done but said that he could not conduct the interview himself. In response, Davis chose to take a few days off from his work at Potomac State College, flew to Chicago and interviewed Dr. Emmett. The resulting article can be found in the April 1978 edition of J. of Chem. Ed.
In 1985, the American Chemical Society organized a gathering to honor Dr. Emmett, who unfortunately died during the preparations. Emmett’s death led Dr. Davis to thinking about ways to further document other living scientists. Shortly thereafter he began a project, which continues to this day, of videotaping interviews with and seminars delivered by all manner of scientists. As of now, he has videotaped over 2,000 individuals, including ten Nobel Prize winners. But his interest started with Paul Emmett.
Davis is planning on writing a biography of Dr. Emmett. Through his work in the OSU Libraries Special Collection, he has uncovered new information that has led him to sources and topics about which he had not been previously aware (although Emmett’s own notes appear to be the only resources available to learn about certain aspects of his early life). One particular surprise was learning the degree to which Emmett was such a detailed and organized scientist. Emmett outlined his research as he was taught to outline a speech in his high school- and Oregon Agricultural College debate teams, developing step-by-steps notes on the procedures that he intended to follow. This noted, Emmett evidently did not take notes at meetings. He was blessed with a photographic memory and could easily re-plot a graph that he had seen at a presentation.
Dr. Davis hopes to have his biography published sometime in the next six to twelve months. Please check back on Thursday when we’ll further discuss the life and work of his subject, catalysis chemist Dr. Paul Emmett. | <urn:uuid:321baad6-7ab3-43d2-8c33-df35b6d8a8f9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://paulingblog.wordpress.com/2009/05/19/resident-scholar-dr-burt-davis/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982655 | 1,002 | 2.125 | 2 |
SDERA wins Injury Control Council of WA Research Award
Friday, 10 August 2012
KIT-Plus research project team receives Injury Control Council of WA Research Award.
School Drug Education and Road Aware (SDERA) have won the Research Award for excellence in community safety and injury prevention research from the Injury Control Council of WA (ICCWA).
The award recognises excellence in community safety and injury prevention research undertaken in Western Australia for the (Keeping in Touch) KIT-Plus Research Project. This three year (2008-2010) collaboration between SDERA and the Child Health Promotion Research Centre set out to evaluate the effectiveness of training secondary school staff in early drug intervention strategies and practice with the aim of reducing harm to students from the use of tobacco and other drugs.SDERA Manager Bruno Faletti was quoted as saying "... It was the culmination of a successful partnership between SDERA and ECU, translation of important research into practice, and the end result is a great resource to help young people seek help around drug and alcohol issues." | <urn:uuid:c004b83f-668f-4471-b871-078489248f37> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ecu.edu.au/faculties/computing-health-and-science/research-activity/research-news/chprc/2012/08/sdera-wins-injury-control-council-of-wa-research-award | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937116 | 208 | 1.875 | 2 |
Library staff develop and curate the collections to the highest possible standards.
The Library continues to acquire new material through purchase, donation or via exchange partners. Our team is working hard to ensure that collections are as complete as possible and accessible via the Library catalogue and other associated databases.
Existing material is currently being digitised. Many of our art collections can now be viewed online, and a range of digital resources are available to browse or search.
Access to older material is possible through an international digitisation project: the Biodiversity Heritage Library. This resource is expanding rapidly due to the contributions of natural history libraries around the world.
The Library maintains its collections in the best possible storage conditions. We have a constant series of curatorial projects underway to re-house and conserve Library material.
Our experienced and qualified team ensures that Library materials are well looked after. The team includes a specialist paper conservator who advises on best practice and works on long-term conservation projects and emergency repairs. | <urn:uuid:e22572fb-d762-4864-8d34-9268b1f36644> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nhm.ac.uk/print-version/?p=/research-curation/science-facilities/library/about-the-library/collections-management/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936542 | 200 | 1.789063 | 2 |
Advice every parent needs to hear about firearm safety.
A third-grade student took a loaded handgun to a Pennsylvania elementary school Monday, school officials said. Penn Manor School District Superintendent Donald Stewart says, "He said he wanted to show it at recess."
More than 500 children die annually from accidental gunshots. Some shoot themselves, while others kill friends or siblings after discovering a gun.
Here are more scary stats: Americans own 200 million firearms, and 35 percent of homes contain at least one gun. Last year, a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found more than 1.7 million children live in homes with loaded and unlocked guns.
And if you do own a gun and think your kid won't get to it, listen to this: A recent study published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine found 39% of kids knew where their parent's guns were stored, while 22% said they had handled the weapons despite adult's warnings to stay away. What's more, age was not a factor in whether children had played with the guns -- 5-year-olds were just as likely to report doing so as
Here are just a few heartbreaking cases:
- 4-year-old Dylan Jackson shot himself to death after finding a loaded gun at a friend's home during a birthday party.
- A 3-year-old Southeast Washington boy shot himself in the foot and grazed his hand while playing with his father's gun -- which he found lying on the floor.
- A 2-year-old Tampa boy shot himself in the chest with a loaded 9 mm he found in his parent's couch while playing.
- Last February, a 13-year-old boy shot himself with a semiautomatic handgun in the home of his guardian, a Maryland police officer.
- The 10-year-old son of a New York City police officer died after shooting himself in the face with his father's loaded revolver. The boy found the weapon on a shelf in the basement while looking for a ball his mom had hidden.
Is there a way to stop these senseless deaths?
The NRA (National Rifle Association) sponsors classes that teach children if they find a gun to leave the area and inform an adult, but studies show kids who take these classes are no less likely to play with guns than kids who don't attend class.
"The biggest mistake parents make is assuming their child doesn't know where the gun in the house is," says Matthew Miller, associate director of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center. "Kids are smart and if they know there's a firearm in the house, they'll probably figure out a way to get to it."
"We can't expect children to act like adults," he adds. "Parents monitor their kid's diet, curfew, and social life but when it comes to guns, parents often just say, 'Respect the gun, it's off limits' or 'Guns are dangerous.' That type of parenting just doesn't work."
So should parents not tell kids if there's a gun in the home? "First, you have to weigh whether or not you really need a weapon," says Miller. "Do the benefits outweigh the risks? If the answer is yes, you must take safety precautions."
"Be honest with your children," says Miller. "Tell them there is a firearm in the home but explicitly explain that guns are fatal, no matter how children handle them. Don't keep the gun loaded and store the ammunition in a locked safe and carry the key with you at all times. Also, don't hide the combination and don't give it an obvious numerical password."
"The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends pediatricians ask parents about guns in their home in an effort called 'Anticipatory Guidance' which attempts to keep children safe in cars, on bikes, and around swimming pools," says Miller. "It's rare that doctors initiate this conversation, but they should."
"Also, ask the parents of your children's friends if they keep guns at home and if kids will be playing where they're stored," added Miller. "Don't worry about appearing intrusive. It's better to seem pushy and be safe."
Do you think parents should keep guns in their home with children present? | <urn:uuid:0d3c9438-a03e-4834-937f-cfec6f8ec31b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.momlogic.com/2009/03/third_grader_brings_gun_to_school.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.98256 | 873 | 2.1875 | 2 |
The SC3K Map Editor provides an interface so that Windows C++
programmers can create new transforms.
A sample transform is included in the installation, and it is
located in the directory transforms\sample. There isn't
any documentation at this stage, but the sample along with the
header file TransformIntf.h should be enough to get you
You can build the sample with Borland C++Builder 3 or 4 using the
file bcbuild.bat. It may be built with Microsoft Visual
C++ 6 using vcbuild.bat. Other compilers are not
supported, although you may be able to get them to work.
Once you have built your transform you should add it into the
file transforms.ini so that the SC3K Map Editor can find
If you like, you can send your transforms (source code is
required) to firstname.lastname@example.org
and they may be included with a subsequent release of the
SC3K Map Editor. Authors of included transforms will be
acknowledged in the About box and in the online help. | <urn:uuid:958c7e04-180d-49b0-be42-045471ded4c4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tenermerx.com/sc3maped/programmers.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.904112 | 232 | 1.882813 | 2 |
It’s been a full “first year” for Morgan Empowered, our community organization consisting of volunteers who decided a year ago to organize and work together to “…coordinate family and community resources to empower youth to become responsible and upright adults.” Combating the plague of drug abuse in our community was the initial catalyst for drawing Morgan County leaders together representing parents, schools, law enforcement, religious organizations, and city, county, and government agencies.
Looking back on their first year, Morgan Empowered has certainly taken some big strides to empower Morgan’s youth. Their first step at the beginning of last year was to empower parents by sponsoring three “Parent Drug Awareness” presentations. Over 100 people in the community contributed their time and talents to make these presentations successful.
M.E.’s second step was sponsoring our community celebration, “I Like Me, Alcohol Free!” Children in our community sang and awards were presented for posters and videos created that showed our Morgan youth engaging in positive and healthy activities together. Culminating this family event was guest speaker and BYU football star, Bryan Kariya, who encouraged our youth to choose good friends, do their best in academics, and maintain a healthy relationship with their parents.
At the beginning of the new school year, M.E. sponsored another Parent Awareness presentation, “Cell Phone and Internet Safety”. This educational presentation helped parents understand the myths vs. reality regarding internet predators and pornography, the impact today’s technology can have on our youth for better or worse, and how parents can protect their children by monitoring and knowing how to use the technological devices their children are using. Additionally, parents were encouraged to teach their children to be smart and intelligent about sex, and to empower their children to police themselves.
Later in the fall, M.E. sponsored a community food drive involving the youth in the county collecting food and donating it to the county food bank. In one neighborhood alone, the youth collected 1,200 pounds of donated food. It was a very rewarding experience to be able to contribute to the dwindling supply at the food bank especially just in time for the upcoming holiday season.
What are their upcoming goals for this new year? Continuing to implement M.E.’s monthly goals as individuals and within each organization is certainly one goal such as:
*writing “lift” notes and giving sincere compliments to youth and adults to strengthen and recognize their positive attributes and actions,
*focusing on expressing gratitude,
*providing acts of service, and
*establishing “connection” with those who need it most.
Upcoming monthly goals will be “Turn Off Technology and Tune-In to Family”, “Table Talk Topics”, and slowing down and enjoying connection time with our community’s youth, starting with our own children and grandchildren. We invite our community to join us in empowering our youth, and others in our community, by adopting these goals in your own life for this new year! | <urn:uuid:3095f068-c4ee-465b-b9ce-6381d737c2cb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://morgannews.com/article/morgan-empowered-celebrating-1st-year-anniversary-0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96192 | 628 | 1.609375 | 2 |
President Alan Garcia labored Saturday to contain Peru's worst political violence in years, as nine more police officers were killed in a bloody standoff with Amazon Indians fighting his efforts to exploit oil, gas and other resources on their native lands.
The new deaths brought to 22 the number of police killed — seven with spears — since security forces moved early Friday to break up a roadblock manned by 5,000 protesters.
Protest leaders said at least 30 Indians, including three children, died in the clashes. Authorities said they could confirm only nine civilian deaths, but cabinet chief Yehude Simon told reporters that 155 people had been injured, about a third of them with bullet wounds.
He announced a 3 p.m.-6 a.m. curfew, which took effect immediately in this sweltering jungle region where Simon said authorities had made 72 arrests.
In a statement issued Saturday, Garcia defended the crackdown as an attack on "subversive anti-democratic aggression" that had blocked the flow of oil and gas from the Amazon and prevented food, medicine and gasoline from getting in.
The political violence is the Andean country's worst since the Shining Path insurgency was quelled more than a decade ago and bodes ill for Garcia's ambitious plans to boost Peru's oil, gas and mineral output and spur logging and biofuel development. Garcia compared the "savage and barbaric methods" used to kill police "who had surrendered and been disarmed" with those employed by the Shining Path.
The violence began before dawn Friday when security forces moved to break up a roadblock protesters mounted in early April. About 1,000 protesters seized police during the melee, taking more than three dozen hostage, officials said.
Twenty-five officers were rescued in Saturday's storming of Station No. 6 at state-owned Petroperu in Imacita here in the jungle state of Amazonas, authorities said, with two officers missing.
Simon said the nine killed were taken more than a mile from the station and slain while an army general was negotiating protesters' retreat from the facility.
Among at least 45 people being treated at the main hospital in the Amazonas town of Bagua was local Indian leader Santiago Manuin, who received eight bullet wounds on Friday, said a nurse who identified herself only as "Sandra" for security reasons.
Peru's public ombudsman, Beatriz Merino, toured hospitals and clinics in the violence-wracked Utcubamba province, of which Bagua is the seat, and complained of a shortage of "blood, analgesics, antibiotics, trauma equipment and doctors."
Also Saturday, a judge ordered the arrest of protest group leader Alberto Pizango on sedition charges for allegedly inciting the violence, said Javier Villa Stein, the president of Peru's supreme court.
Neither Pizango nor other senior members of his organization, the Peruvian Jungle Interethnic Development Association, could be reached by telephone.
On Friday, Pizango accused Garcia's government of "genocide" for attacking what he called a peaceful protest. Indians have been blocking roads, waterways and a state oil pipeline intermittently since April 9, demanding that Peru's government repeal laws they say help foreign companies exploit their lands.
The laws, decreed by Garcia as he implemented a Peru-U.S. free trade pact, open communal jungle lands and water resources to oil drilling, logging, mining and large-scale farming, Indian leaders and environmental groups say.
In addition to violating Peru's constitution, indigenous groups add, Garcia is breaking international law by failing to obtain their consent for the projects.
Garcia defends the laws as necessary to help develop Peru.
The government owns all subsoil rights across the country and Garcia has vigorously sought to exploit its mineral resources.
Contract blocks for oil and gas exploration cover approximately 72 percent of Peru's rain forest, according to a study published last year by Duke University in North Carolina.
And though Peru's growth rate has led Latin America in recent years, Garcia's critics say little wealth has trickled down in a country where roughly half the population is indigenous and the poverty rate tops 40 percent.
Indians say Garcia's government does not consult them in good faith before signing contracts that could affect at least 30,000 Amazon Indians across six provinces.
Last month, Roman Catholic bishops in the region issued a statement calling their complaints legitimate.
Protests prompted Garcia to declare a state of emergency on May 9, suspending some constitutional rights in four jungle provinces including Amazonas.
Because of the protests, Petroperu stopped pumping oil through its northern Peru pipeline from the jungle on April 26.
Company spokesman Fernando Daffos said Station 6 and another pumping facility in the region had resumed operation at midday Saturday.
The government declared Sunday a national day of mourning. In Lima, anguished relatives holding candles held a wake for nine of the slain police officers.
Source: AP News | <urn:uuid:6f6d341d-789f-4557-a9bd-c73dd089ec04> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.blnz.com/news/2009/06/05/Peru_says_police_killed_Amazon_3803.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966265 | 1,005 | 1.640625 | 2 |