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'Fiscal cliff' deal may affect SA
South African economists are encouraged by the last-minute deal this week by the United States government to avert the fiscal cliff but they warned that it's a short-term solution and that the real impact on South Africa will be seen only in two months' time.
The deal on January 1 averted the spending cuts and tax increases that were likely to push the US back into recession, which would have had serious global implications. Instead, the Congress voted for a White House proposal that will see tax increases for high-income earners and spare the middle- and lower-income sectors.
But the key decisions on spending cuts and the debt ceiling has been delayed until March 1, and South African economists and analysts say this will be the real test for the US, which is close to its $16.3-trillion borrowing ceiling.
Ironically, the uncertainty could have a short-term benefit for gold-producing countries such as South Africa. The metal rose to a two-week high on Wednesday following news of the deal.
A rally in the equities market is also expected, although one analyst warned that the tax cuts, although affecting only a small percentage of the population, could have a slightly negative effect on South Africa, because US consumers could become cautious about spending.
Global and some local commentators said this week the US's inability to reach a deal that addressed the budget deficit could see a rally for gold over the coming weeks, as people look for certainty.
Protection against inflation
Chris Hart, chief economist at Investment Solutions, said the US deal did not address the urgent need to cut expenditure and the deficit was expected to widen.
"There is often a relationship between the dollar and the gold price. Gold offers protection against inflation and systemic risk. The dollar also fulfills that role but, when the dollar [is] being debased, gold benefits," said Hart.
In 2012, with the eurozone still facing a sovereign debt crisis and the so-called fiscal cliff looming over the US, governments, especially those of emerging economies such as China, Russia and Brazil, continued to increase reserves of the precious metal.
Some analysts believe that gold may also attract speculative buying if it breaks through the present high. It ended a little softer in the last quarter of 2012 because of concerns about its ability to retain traction.
Based on gold's performance so far, global financial services firm Morgan Stanley expects the metal to be among the top-performing commodities in 2013 and is its "preferred fundamental metal exposure", because the company predicts there will be more quantitative easing in the US and Europe.
The global investment banking firm, Goldman Sachs, believes the metal is likely to peak this year before declining in 2014.
According to Reuters, US Bancorp, in its outlook for 2013, said the financial uncertainty warranted a defensive posture.
"We, therefore, think gold and platinum are an outright buy at present levels as both metals have very low supply elasticity and are key beneficiaries to loose monetary policy."
The bank said it expected gold to reach $1 950 an ounce during the next three months and platinum, which closed on January 2 at $1 566, would move to $1800 in the same period.
Edward Meir, a metals analyst at INTL FCStone, a Fortune 500 company, said in a precious metals report: "Whatever happens in Washington, we suspect gold will likely do better over the next few weeks as the colossal failure of political will to get America's fiscal house in order should provide fodder for the gold bugs to bid prices higher, the current slight decline we see notwithstanding."
But a high gold price may not necessarily spell good news for South Africa's gold mining industry if the rand slips, as some analysts have predicted. Hart said a gold price high against a weaker rand would see short-term benefits for gold but would eventually push up costs, a problem already plaguing the local mining industry.
The best-case scenario for the local industry would be a stable currency, combined with higher precious metal prices. Also good, Hart said, would be if the US could avoid a recession.
The rand also recovered in the first few days of the new year, coinciding with market anxieties over the US deal.
Hart said: "I think it's the weak dollar effect. But it's also about our own internal uncertainty [that] has been largely resolved; people are reasonably hopeful."
The JSE, like global markets, responded well to the news on January 2, passing its 40 000 point barrier to reach 40061.23 points, the highest since December 28 2012, extending a 20% gain made last year. Notable share price increases were seen for Anglo American, BHP Billiton, Exxaro Resources, African Rainbow Minerals, AngloGold Ashanti and Gold Fields.
Global markets opened on January 3 a little weaker, with analysts saying that the looming budget fight was responsible.
Annabel Bishop, group economist for Investec, said South Africa was unlikely to see a real benefit from the US deal in the next two months. "If anything, it might have a slightly negative impact on South Africa. While tax cuts are levelled at the very wealthy, spending by the US consumer may reduce."
Bishop, like other analysts, was concerned about the impact further spending cuts, expected in March, would have on South Africa. "I expect that one of the outcomes of this deal is that we will see a rally on equity markets," she said. | <urn:uuid:ba6984c2-e2d3-4e95-90c7-dc01ddc822b9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mg.co.za/article/2013-01-04-00-fiscal-cliff-deal-may-affect-sa/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00047-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968323 | 1,126 | 1.921875 | 2 |
During the much anticipated Angkor Photo Festival 2010 in November, the first ever Asian Women Photographers’ Showcase was held. 15 of Asia’s most promising women photographers in the field of photojournalism, documentary and investigative visual story-telling, displayed compelling images of life through their lens.
Curator of the showcase, Yumi Goto, proposed to do it because “in Asia this kind of work being produced by female photographers is still not very recognised and I think it is important for us to do such a showcase.”
What is most interesting to me is that if you only looked at the images, you can’t really tell if men or women produced them. Originally, I had expected to see work that appeared feminine, but in the end, I really didn’t feel any influence by gender at all. Perhaps, this means that it really doesn’t matter if the person taking the photo is a man or woman.
Below are the works from each photographer with a summary of their project.
Night Shift by Burcu Göknar, Turkey
Just as the women of their family have done for generations, the two sisters in Burcu Göknar’s story have worked as belly dancers in Istanbul nightclubs since they were eleven years old. To bring home enough money to support their family, they perform in five or six different venues every night, returning home with the sunrise. Gradually, their lives have diverged; one is now a celebrity who dances on TV, while the other continues to dance in nightclubs.
Echoes of Christian Jerusalem by Gali Tibbon, Israel
Thousands of pilgrims from across the world flock to Jerusalem to retrace the last steps of Jesus, walking the Via Dolorosa that ends at the Holy Sepulchre, built on the site where Jesus is believed to have been buried and resurrected. A kaleidoscope of colors and shapes, Gali Tibbon’s photographs offer a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the church, home to six ethnic Christian denominations.
Women of Isfahan, Ten Years Later by Isabelle Eshraghi, Iran/ France
Born in 1964 in Iran, Isabelle Eshraghi and her family immigrated to France when she was three, and did not return until 1996. Regular trips to Iran since then have allowed to her to compile a long-term project, and in this essay, she examines what has changed there in the last ten years through the daily lives of these women. Her intention is to show through their faces and gestures the essence of their femininity. Although some behaviour has changed along with a new way of consumption, the future is still uncertain.
Korea’s Forgotten Women: Comfort Women for the U.S. Army by Jean Chung, South Korea
After being treated as pariahs for decades, some elderly women have begun speaking out about their experiences as prostitutes in camp towns constructed around American military bases in South Korea. Through their testimonies, it has emerged that “Comfort Women” were not just provided to the Japanese Imperial Army as sexual slaves, but also to American military servicemen from the 1960s to 1980s. Part of the lowest social strata, these retired, semi-enslaved prostitutes now live alone in shanty houses, surviving on government welfare checks and collecting recycling.
Prison by Mariam Amurvelashvili, Georgia
Since 2005, Mariam Amurvelashvili has been documenting the conditions in Georgian prisons. Ortachala prison was notorious for its poor living conditions, housing ten times more prisoners than it was built to contain. In 2006, it was destroyed and replaced by a new facility where each prisoner has a bed, good food and hygiene, medical care, a library, and visiting hours. These improvements ensure that the prisoners, no matter what their crime, retain their human dignity.
The Life of Peasants in Armenia by Mery Agakhanyan, Armenia
The life of a peasant in Armenia is a hard road, unchanged for decades. They have no power, no choice, and no hope of securing a better station in life as the months and years pass. Their faces reflect ancient memories, filled with fatigue and exhaustion. The soil is as tired as the farmers, and they merge together into one arduous life.
We Are Farmers by Huiying Ore, Singapore
Up until recently, a typical household in Singapore had several generations living under the same roof. Huiying Ore grew up with a hundred extended kin living and working together on a farm. Rapid industrialization and the resulting rural-urban shift has since changed that lifestyle, and now, most Singaporeans live in compact high-rise apartments which house on average four people. Her family fought to stay together, relocating their farming business and re-establishing it. Currently, three generations continue to work on the farm – a vanishing way of life in Singapore. This project documents the struggle as they toil on the land, and explores their hopes and dreams.
To Conquer her Land by Poulomi Basu, India
In September 2009, India’s first ever group of female soldiers in The Border Security Armed Force were deployed on the infamous India-Pakistan border. Poulomi Basu spent time with these young women at boot camp, in their homes, and on their journey to the border, documenting their transformation from woman to soldier. By following women from different parts of the country, castes and social backgrounds, she brings to life not only the challenges and struggles of ordinary Indian women, but also how these women face the reality of being a soldier.
Oil Village by Rena Effendi, Azerbaijan
In Azerbaijan, Soviet-era industrialization programs and the economy’s heavy dependence on the oil sector have attracted people to the capital, Baku, in search of work. Nearly four million people, half of the country’s population, now live in Baku, which is imploding through overpopulation and urban decay. Communities in the city and the suburbs – called Oil Village – live dangerously in makeshift homes, abandoned factories, and oil fields. Living in inhumane conditions for two decades, the air they breathe, the water they drink, and even the playgrounds where their children play are contaminated and hostile. And yet, life goes on.
Ano Basyo Kara: From That Place-The Voice of Being by Saori Ninomiya, Japan
Saori Ninomiya has long wanted to join the cause of raising awareness about the suffering of rape victims – in part because she was raped herself, but also because she felt a deep need to do so. She believes that healing takes place during the process of photographing.
End of Labor Town: Dumping Ground of Old Men in Japan by Shiho Fukada, Japan
Once a thriving day laborer’s town in Osaka, Kamagasaki today is home to about twenty-five thousand people, mainly men, of whom about 1,300 are homeless. This “welfare town” is considered a dumping ground of old men. Alcoholism, poverty, street death, suicide, TB and most of all, loneliness prevail here. They have no family ties, and live and die alone as outcasts from the mainstream “salary man” culture. Japan’s economy, once the world’s second largest, is deteriorating rapidly; it is now difficult if not impossible for the greying men of the construction industry to find work.
Sites of Terror by Suruchi Dumpawar, India
Suruchi Dumpawar’s body of work documents the sites of a series of bomb blasts that shook Ahmedabad in Gujurat, India, on 26 July, 2008, killing forty-nine people and injuring more than 150. She explores the tenacious link between landscape and memory through the medium of photography and text derived from newspaper reports of the blast. Her work is a reflection on a horrifying past seen in the rather ordinary landscape of the present, thus commenting on the banality of terror itself.
Russia: Alcohol Abuse by Tatiana Plotnikova, Russia
The per capita consumption of alcohol in Russia is among the top ten highest in the world, and the problem continues to grow. The Balashov Narcological Clinic in the Saratov region is one of many clinics scattered all over Russia that treats alcoholics. Many patients have already experienced the terrible torture of delirium tremens but cannot stop drinking, as very often, entire families drink habitually, from generation to generation.
Form and Home: Young Generation in Beijing by Wenjing Wang, China
Growing up under the one child policy amidst the recent frenzy of economic growth in China, the new generation has different values on life, wealth, and their future. At the same time, faced with an ever-changing environment, they also feel confused and solitary. Wenjing Wang photographs each person standing and lying down to represent the contradiction between what society demands of the youth and their own self-awareness.
The Heartland by Ying Ang, Singapore
In a rapidly modernizing China, the rural heartland and its inhabitants are often overlooked. A skewed demographic of mostly the very old and very young in villages contrasts with the city-centres’ ever-growing populations of unemployed youths. Like communities who have lost their young men to war, this toothless and infant-dominated population is left to fend for itself amidst a swathe of cross-provincial issues like climate change, water pollution, and the rising cost of land. Ying Ang photographed her family’s homestead on Hainan Island, where seven generations of blood relatives live and continue to do so.
If you would to exhibit The Asian Women Photographers’ Showcase, you may contact the curator Yumi Goto: g.youme[at]gmail[dot]com.
For more information on the showcase, check out:
- Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/Asian.Women.Photographers
- Photography for Change: http://www.photographyforchange.net/festivalhome.html | <urn:uuid:0b5a21a9-f2af-47e1-a0e9-863fae321f31> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://chiqclicks.com/?tag=ying-ang | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959421 | 2,082 | 1.71875 | 2 |
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Laissez-Faire:French for "let do", this term means to let the owners of a business or industry make their own working conditions without any interference from the government.
Capitalism:An economic system where the factors of production are privately owned and money gets invested in business ventires so a profit is made.
Few countries still practice Laissez-Faire because people feel that businesses need regulation in order to function.
Capatalism developed because the people criticized the idea that nations grow wealthy by placing high prices on foreign goods.
Laissez-Faire was developed because people argued government regulations only interfered with the production of wealth.
Beliefs of Laissez-Faire~Thought the government only managed to get in the way of business~Thought that if the government allowed free tradethat business and the economy would boost~Nations grow wealthy by placing high prices on foreign goods.
Beliefs of Capitalism~Thought natural laws governed economic life~Believed an underclass would always be poor.~The more workers there are the cheaper goods are. Less workers means goods are more expensive.~Didn't approve of the government trying to help the poor. Minimum wages and bettering working conditions would upset the freemarketing system, lower profits, and undermine the production of wealth in society
Most modern societies practice capatalism like France, America, England and Japan
These theories came about in the late 18th century
French economic philosophers of the Enlightenment developed the theory of Laissez-Faire and Adam Smith theorized Capitalism
By Elle, Megan, Kaitie, and Heather
These theories are important because they were the base of how most economies worked some of the ideas presented in these theories are still used today
Buy no ADS | <urn:uuid:5165941a-043e-4f1e-ad1f-6e741cd1154e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.glogster.com/boobear72/elle-heather-kaitie-megan-glog/g-6lnsc686lifiu0h07gpeda0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00062-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935127 | 384 | 3.796875 | 4 |
Back Gizmos Do They Work
There are a host of back support products out there, but will they really help alleviate your pain? Kathy Shillue, physical therapist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, helps sort through some of the most popular ones.
Back Supports and Back Belts
Back supports are sometimes worn by people with back pain, or to prevent injuries in people who do a lot of heavy or repetitive lifting at work. The use of back supports is somewhat controversial because there is no evidence that they are effective for treating back pain or preventing back injuries. In fact, there is some evidence that suggests that using a back support is no more effective than no treatment at all. For this reason, and because there is often a substantial cost in purchasing a back support, their routine use is not recommended.
Some people believe they feel better using a back support, and if that is the case, there is no harm in using the support. In some individual cases, using a back support might be beneficial if it allows the user to return to work or daily activities sooner than without it.
In some instances, your doctor may recommend a back support for a specific purpose. Some customized braces provide more rigid support or control of motion than a soft support, and are used after a traumatic injury or surgery. These are usually worn for a limited period of time while injured tissues are healing.
Some small studies have shown some effectiveness of shoe inserts, but they tended to focus on subjects who had specific problems with one leg, or had one leg significantly longer than the other. For most people, it is more beneficial to invest in a pair of good, comfortable, supportive shoes so you can do more walking, as walking itself has been shown to help alleviate back pain.
There is no conclusive evidence that a person with back pain needs a special mattress. A good night's sleep, however, is important, not only for your back, but for your total well-being. It is important to have a comfortable and supportive mattress, but finding the right one may be a matter of trial and error. What is comfortable for one person may not be comfortable for another, so make sure you try before you buy.
Above content provided by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
For advice about your medical care, consult your doctor. | <urn:uuid:a8bc39b9-dab0-4791-9575-f7bf949fd839> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bidmc.org/YourHealth/HealthNotes/BackPain/PreventionManagement/BackGizmosDoTheyWork.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962257 | 472 | 2.03125 | 2 |
2845 ways to spin the Risk
In the animation below we show how risks can be ‘spun’ to look bigger or smaller, how medical treatments can be made to seem useless or to be wonder cures, and how lifestyle changes might look worthwhile or not worth bothering with. All by changing the words used, the way the numbers are expressed, and the particular graphics chosen.
You may like to open a new window on the animation so you can refer to it easily as you read the article. Check back for updates to the animation which will allow you to adapt it to your own data.
Many medical findings about the effect of a treatment are summarised in reports which compare just two numbers; the risk without the treatment and the risk with the treatment - or even just one number, the percentage change in risk. But there has been a lot of research into how people's perception of the magnitude of a risk can be manipulated by changing the way in which that risk is communicated. We have taken a selection of the options that are available, and by putting them together we reckon the animation contains 2845 different ways of expressing the effect on the risk of an event of an intervention: we have chosen as illustration the effect of consuming processed meat, and the effect of taking statins (cholesterol lowering drugs) on a moderate-risk middle-aged man.
Absolute risks / relative risks / numbers needed to treat
A good example to start with is ‘bacon sandwiches’. A major report estimated that there was a 20% increased risk of bowel cancer if you ate 50g of processed meat every day – that’s a large bacon sandwich. We've discussed the way this story was handled by the media, including the wonderful headline from the Sun: "Careless pork costs lives!". This is a relative risk, and can sound quite frightening. But for an average person, the chance of getting bowel cancer at some point in their life is around 5%. A 20% relative increase on this translates to a lifetime risk of 6%, or an increase of 1% in absolute risk, which now does not sound so bad.
Yet another way to think of this is to consider how many people would need to eat large bacon sandwiches all their life in order to lead to one extra case of bowel cancer. This final quantity is known as the number needed to treat (NNT), although in this context it would perhaps better be called the number needed to eat. To find the NNT, simply express the two risks (with and without whatever you are interested in) as decimals, take the smaller from the larger and invert: in this case we get 1/(0.06 – 0.05) = 100. Now the risks do not seem at all remarkable.
Try these buttons on the animation to see how the text changes – it has been shown in experiments that these different ways of expressing risk differences can carry very different messages to people. One of the most misleading, but rather common, tricks is to use relative risks when talking about the benefits of a treatment, for example to say that "Women taking tamoxifen had about 49% fewer diagnoses of breast cancer", while harms are given in absolute risks - "the annual rate of uterine cancer in the tamoxifen arm was 30 per 10,000 compared to 8 per 10,000 in the placebo arm". This will tend to exaggerate the benefits, minimise the harms, and in any case make it unable to compare them. This is known as 'mismatched framing', and was found in a third of studies published in the British Medical Journal.
Chance / population / possible futures
We can also change what we mean by the number we put on a ‘risk’. First, we can talk about the chance of getting bowel cancer, with the idea that this is an event that is like the flip of a coin or a throw of dice, unpredictable but with some physical basis. This creates an image of life as a gamble with the outcome determined by some invisible mechanism over which we have no control. A very popular alternative, used by most people trying to communicate risk, is to think of the frequency of the event is expected to occur in a population of similar individuals, that is a group of ‘people like you’, some of whom will get bowel cancer and others won't. A disadvantage if this analogy is that it is easy for me to think that 100 people like me don't exist, and even if they do then I am going to be one of the lucky ones. To make it impossible to see the problem as belonging to other people, we've included the option of possible futures about the ways things may turn out for you in the future: in what proportion of these alternative worlds will you get bowel cancer? This may be a bit shaky philosophically (and it is perhaps best to avoid ideas of parallel universes), but it personalises the risk while keeping in a simple frequency language.
Percentage / frequencies
Probabilities can be expressed as fractions (eg 1/2), decimals (0.5), percentages (50%) or frequencies (5 out of 10). In the animation we just have percentages or frequencies, but allow you to decide whether to have 5 out of 10, 50 out of 100, or 500 out of 1000. It may seem these choices are irrelevant since they all express the same proportion, but it has been shown in experiments that the size of the numerator and denominator change people’s perception of the size of the risk. For example, people have been offered a prize if they drew a red ball from a bag, and then given the choice of two bags: one containing 1 red ball and 9 white balls, the other having 8 red balls and 92 white balls. The majority chose the bag with 8 red balls, presumably reflecting a view that it gave more opportunities to win, even though the underlying chance was lower. Similarly people confronted with the statement “Cancer kills 2,414 people out of 10,000” rated cancer as more risky than those told “Cancer kills 24.14 people out of 100”. The potential influence of the size of the numerator and denominator is known as the 'ratio bias'.
Frequencies are generally used in risk communication, but it is important to keep a common denominator in all comparisons: for example to describe what is expected to happen to 1000 women who go for screening for breast cancer, no matter whether they benefit or are harmed by the test.
Positive / negative framing
What would you prefer, a game in which you had a 10% chance of winning, or one with a 90% chance of losing? You may shake your head and say that they are exactly the same, but it has been shown that it can make a big difference whether an outcome is expressed positively or negatively. For example, in a classic experiment, one group of people were told
‘Of 100 people having surgery for lung cancer, 10 will die during treatment, 32 will have died by one year and 66 will have died by five years. Of 100 people having radiation therapy, none will die during treatment, 23 will die by one year and 78 will die by five years.’
When framed in these negative terms, the risks of surgery appear large and 42% preferred radiation therapy. Others were told
'Of 100 people having surgery, 90 will survive treatment, 68 will be alive at one year and 34 will be alive at five years. Of 100 people having radiation therapy, all will survive treatment, 77 will be alive at one year and 22 will be alive at five years.’
When framed in these positive terms, surgery appears much more attractive and only 25% preferred radiation therapy.
Framing inevitably influences perception, so it best to provide both a negative and positive description of the chance of an outcome.
Words / graphics / animations
So far we have only looked at the words that can be used, but each of these phrases can be accompanied by a picture. Pie charts are popular, and as we see below can reflect both a negative (getting cancer), and positive (being free of cancer) framing.
Column charts are again very popular, but as we see below the perception of the importance of a change in risk can ve manipulated by altering the scale of the column - the effect of eating bacon looks a lot larger in the second chart.
Using frequencies naturally leads to using icons to represent people or possible futures. We have allowed blobs, tallies, smiley faces, and even photographs to further personalise the information. There is the choice to have the possible outcomes grouped or scattered: grouping makes them easier to count and can make the risks look larger. Colour can also influence perception, for example with attention pulled towards the outcomes coloured red.
Experts in the area of risk communication have reviewed all the research but have been able to draw few firm conclusions. People are different in their demands, tastes and understanding – there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and so it seems reasonable to use techniques that can be adapted to individuals. However it is clear that certain practices should be avoided as they can clearly bias perception, for example mismatched use of relative and absolute risks, changing denominators, emphasising a negative or a positive frame, and so on.
It's also important to ask - what is it all for? Are we just trying to interest people with attractive attention-drawing displays, or are we trying to increase their knowledge, or even change their behaviour? These multiple aims are not necessarily all achieved using the same technique.
And of course it is vital to remember that information plays a limited role in anyone's perception of the size and importance of a risk. Bigger influences will be their emotional response to the situation, their feelings of control, their dread of the outcome, how much they trust those giving the information, how familiar they are with the problem, what their friends and family think, and so on. But even if people are not going to take a very mathematical approach to the numbers, it still seems essential that they should have access to this information in a fair and balanced way.
Additional reading and links
There is a huge literature on risk presentation and we can only provide some pointers. An excellent resource is the polemical article by Gigerenzer and colleagues: Helping Doctors and Patients Make Sense of Health Statistics. Smiley-face representations have been developed by Chris Cates. A recent review article Numeric, Verbal, and Visual Formats of Conveying Health Risks: Suggested Best Practices and Future Recommendations by Isaac Lipkus is freely available, as is a more formal review from 2001: Presenting Risk Information—A Review of the Effects of ‘‘Framing’’ and other Manipulations on Patient Outcomes by Edwards and colleagues.
We are very grateful to Dr Tim Rakow for help with ideas and examples. | <urn:uuid:1f0df10f-ea03-4377-bfc8-b1e5de62ee2e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://understandinguncertainty.org/comment/691 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958686 | 2,242 | 3.046875 | 3 |
Better Survival Rates With Robotic Prostate Surgery
Dr. David B. Samadi, leading robotic surgeon, discusses a comparison of patient survival rates for robotic prostate removal surgery and prostate cancer radiation.
NEW YORK, July 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In a first-of-its kind research initiative, radical prostatectomy surgery yielded better survival rates than external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) in the treatment of localized prostate cancer. Dr. David Samadi, world-renowned SMART (Samadi Modified Advanced Robotic Technique) robotic surgeon and prostate cancer treatment expert, talks about this study of more than 1,600 men and the survival benefits of robotic prostate surgery.
"This is the first side-by-side survival comparison of these two prostate cancer treatment modalities," said Dr. Samadi. "After considering a full spectrum of comorbidity factors researchers saw drastically decreased prostate cancer-specific mortality rates in the men who opted for radical prostatectomy surgery."
Nearly 2/3 of the study's participants underwent robotic prostate removal surgery for the treatment of their localized prostate cancer. After long-term observance these men showed improved survival rates of 40 percent and 65 percent over the men who opted for external beam radiation therapy. Findings were presented at the 2012 American Urological Associate annual meeting and are featured on the cover the June 2012 Renal & Urology News.
A board certified urologic oncologist, Dr. David Samadi has devoted his career to perfecting robotic prostate surgery with his SMART procedure for the expert removal of a cancerous prostate and the preservation of delicate urinary and sexual nerve bundles. The more than 4,000 patient success stories to his name support his firm belief in the numerous survival and quality of life benefits of SMART surgery.
"Robotic prostatectomy surgery is the most comprehensive prostate cancer treatment. Surgery is the only way to fully and precisely isolate the scope of the disease and remove the tumor. The administration of radiation therapy is somewhat hindered by pre-surgery imaging. There is no replacement for the clarity of first-hand analysis during surgery."
Men in Dr. Samadi's care are reassured by his unmatched patients survival rates as well as superior recovery from potential side effects. With his ongoing post-operative attention, 96 percent of his patients have urinary control in only 2-3 months and in just a year or two 85 percent regain sexual potency.
"After radical prostatectomy, patients have the cancer-free assurance of a zero PSA level," Dr. Samadi explained. "After radiation, PSA levels continue to fluctuate, requiring greater vigilance and testing." Also, the side effects of EBRT can include significant and long-term bowel and bladder issues, erectile problems, and even an increased risk of bowel and bladder cancer.
"For otherwise healthy men with localized prostate cancer, radiation may not be the best first line of defense. If the cancer returns after EBRT, surgery is a challenging option and treatment choices become limited," cautions Dr. Samadi. "However, radiation can be effective prostate cancer therapy for some men." Those who are not surgical candidates can achieve positive results with radiation therapy and EBRT can be a useful secondary treatment in cases of high-risk recurrence after surgery.
Dr. Samadi is Vice Chairman of the Department of Urology and Chief of Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York and a frequent international educator on prostate cancer and his SMART prostate surgery.
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Can anyone give a review on the main differences between Hebrew and Aramaic? Of course, I am asking in the context of the Bible, but if there are some other known ones that lay outside of the biblical linguistics, they are also welcome. I guess the writing system of these two was just the same, no?
migrated from christianity.stackexchange.com Jan 7 at 9:45
The two languages are related (both are Northwest Semtic languages) and eventually shared a script. Hebrew, prior to the exile used its own script called Paleo-Hebrew. It was still used afterwards in isolated places and instances, but what we now call Aramaic Square replaced it for the most part. Though they share many common words and large pieces of grammar (noun states are the same and verbal stems are similar), there are differences.
In the same way that English is a Germanic language that, after a French invasion, incorporated so much it's structure as to be mutually unintelligible, so too Biblical Aramaic is Hebrew that was infused with the Assyrian language after the conquest of Israel. Aramaic itself is Assyrian, and there are many, many dialects. When most people talk of it nowadays, however, they are referring to the amalgamation that resulted.
Aramaic is used in parts of Daniel and Ezra- books written in exile, as one would expect. It uses Hebrew characters but has a foreign vocabulary and grammar.
By Jesus' time, Aramaic (and Koine Greek) was the lingua Franca - not the ancient Hebrew. The Torah itself had been translated into a book called "The Peshitta" which was an Aaramaic translation, in the same was that the KJV is an English translation of the LXX.
They are both west Semitic and have a very obvious shared root language. They also use the same script. However, there are a handful of differences in the way they developed. For instance, the long 'a' was retained in Aramaic but changed to a long 'o' in Hebrew in some words. Also, the original tav was retained in Aramaic but changed to a shin in Hebrew.
I want to point out an important difference between Aramaic and Hebrew by comparing some specific words in Aramaic and Hebrew.
1) In Hebrew, "Ben" means Son. For Example, "Ben"jamin. But in Aramaic, "Bar" means Son.
By the time of Jesus, Aramaic was the language of Israel. Not Hebrew. Just look at the names in English NT Bible- "Bar"tholomew, "Bar"abbas, Simon "Bar" Jonah, "Bar" Jesus, "Bar"nabbas, "Bar"sabbas, "Bar"timaeus, etc. A common female name during the time of Jesus was Martha which in Aramaic means "Mistress or Lady."
In Josephus' Jewish Wars, we see that Simon Bar Giora was one of the three leaders who fought against Romans in Jewish Wars. "Bar Giora" means "son of a proselyte" in Aramaic.
2) In Our English Bible, We see Jesus speaking Aramaic. For Example, We see Jesus saying "Talitha Cum" or "Talitha Cumi" in Mark 5. Talitha is Aramaic. If it was Hebrew, then "Yaldah" would have been used instead of Talitha.
3) In Mark 15:34, we see Jesus saying "Eloi Eloi lama sabachthani." Through sabachthani, it is confirmed that it is Aramaic. If it was Hebrew, then Azabthani would have been used instead of Sabachthani. Aramaic word "Sabachthani" (from Aramaic verb "sabach") in Mark 15:34 and Matthew 27:46 is not used in Hebrew. However, both Aramaic and Hebrew has "Sabakh" (slightly different pronunciation) which means to praise or to glorify.
4) In Mark 14:3, In Aramaic Peshitta, it says Simon the Potter in Mark 14:3. Aramaic word "Gariba" means Potter and Aramaic word "Garoba" means Leper. Gariba can be confused with Garoba, because it was written without vowel markers in first century AD. While Aramaic words are identifical, they are not in Hebrew. The Hebrew for a potter is יוצר (yotser) while leper is צרוע (tsaru'a).
I want to point out that in order to differentiate Aramaic from Hebrew, we first have to recognize that Aramaic was called Hebrew in first century AD, because it was spoken by Hebrews. That is why the New testament says, "Hebrew" not "Aramaic." When Jews say "Hebrew", they are referring to their "Hebrew tongue." Hebrew tongue during the first century Israel was Aramaic. Peshitta Tanakh is First Century Old Testament written in Aramaic.
Just like we call Deutsch "German", because it is the language of German People. Jews are called Hebrews, because they are the descendants of Abraham who is called a Hebrew (Genesis 14:13, Philippians 3). Even today, many Iraqi jews call their aramaic "hebrew" (Hebrew tongue is called "Ibraith" in Aramaic), because it is the language of Hebrews.
Thus you see, that Both OT Hebrew and Aramaic have at times been referred to as "Hebrew." While we often think of Hebrews using Hebrew, surviving Aramaic documents of Jewish Wars written by Josephus, available in Codex Ambrosianus, demonstrates that Aramaic was in prominent use by the Hebrews. Judean Aramaic was also known as Hebrew in order to differentiate the way Aramaic is spoken in Judea and Aramaic spoken in Galilee and Syrian regions.
Through Matthew 26:73 and Mark 14:70, Peter was exposed by his Galilean Aramaic speech among people. Judeans used Dead Scrolls Alphabet for Aramaic while Syrians used Estrangela Alphabet for Aramaic in first century AD. The Galilean accent of Aramaic would have sounded to the Judean Aramaic somewhat like Cockney sounds to a British aristocrat. Even in Talmud, Galileans are ridiculed for their Galilean Aramaic.
One of the most noticeable differences between the two languages (Hebrew and Aramaic) is the position of the definite article, 'the'. Let's use the Hebrew word for potter (Yotser) as an example. In Hebrew, the definite article of the word will be in the front - "Ha-Yotser." But Aramaic places the definite article at the end of the word, thus the 'tha' at the end of 'Talitha' is the Aramaic definite article on a feminine noun.
In 1 Corinthians 16:22, we read Maranatha. Maranatha is Aramaic. If it was Hebrew, then it would have been "adonainu atha."
In Old Testament (during ancient times), Aramaic was spoken by Laban (uncle and father in law of Jacob), Laban's family, and in Padan Aram (where Laban and his family lived). When we read Genesis 31, we see Laban saying "Jegar Sahadutha" which means Witness Pile. That's Aramaic. Jacob who spoke Old Hebrew called it Galeed. Jacob must have spoken both Hebrew and Aramaic since his mother Rebekah (sister of Laban) knew Aramaic very well and Jacob stayed with Laban and his family for 20 years (Genesis 31). We also know that Jacob married two of Laban's daughters who spoke Aramaic. Jacob left Laban after the birth of Joseph.
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Hebrew and Aramaic are both West Semitic languages with common ancestry in Phoenician and Canaanite roots. Hebrew is about 200 years older, and based on a Canaanite dialect spoken around Jerusalem. Aramaic originated in Damascus, Syria, not Assyria which is modern day Iraq. Aramaic was used by the conquering Assyrians and Persians in their occupied lands because it was easier to teach than their own languages. Hebrew stopped being spoken and written after the Exile. Aramaic became the lingua franca. Later replaced by Greek.
Ezra's copyists transferred the Hebrew content of the OT to newer manuscripts with Aramaic script! But everyone spoke Aramaic, not Hebrew!
Torah was recopied during Ezra's time using a different script. Different reasons are given for the change: | <urn:uuid:1fd1e4cd-ae5e-45b2-829e-897f65bb29ae> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/2915/what-are-the-differences-between-hebrew-and-aramaic | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973851 | 1,816 | 3.015625 | 3 |
A murder case in Detroit lies at the heart of labor scholar Boyle’s wide-ranging examination of race relations early in the 20th century.
One September evening in 1925, physician Ossian Sweet and his young family spent their first night in their new home on Garland Avenue, a previously all-white block four miles east of downtown. The very next evening, a crowd formed across the street from the Sweets’ bungalow, which now sheltered some volunteer defenders. Rocks were thrown, shots were fired from the house, and a white man lay dead. Boyle (History/Ohio State) meticulously tells the story of the Sweets, one family among the many who participated in the grand effort to do away with Jim Crow laws. The ’20s were the decade of the New Negro, the Harlem Renaissance, and the rise of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The KKK’s Invisible Empire spread in response to black militancy, but the NAACP also grew, thanks to remarkable activists like James Weldon Johnson and William White. The Great Migration brought strivers by the thousands from oppression in Dixie to unexpected prejudice in the urban North, including the Motor City. Born and raised in Detroit, Boyle depicts the politics and people of the industrial metropolis, vividly evoking life in the city’s Black Bottom ghetto. He presents a balanced, considered portrait of Sweet, born in rural Florida, a graduate of Wilberforce University and Howard Medical School, and of other players in the drama. Along the way, he establishes an early tension that, after instruction in some African-American history, culminates in a classic courtroom drama starring the Great Defender himself, Clarence Darrow. Told with exemplary care and intelligence, this narrative chronicles inflammatory times in black and white America and pays tribute to those heroes who struggled to get Old Jim Crow where he lived.
The way history should be written. (8 pp. b&w photos, not seen) | <urn:uuid:667a865e-035c-4035-8564-e9a0e1d32618> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/kevin-boyle/arc-of-justice/print/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954743 | 398 | 2.71875 | 3 |
This November, the presidential election might be the most important in the history of this nation. Our economy is on the verge of collapse, unemployment is about to rise to record levels, auto manufacturers have literally thousands of automobiles sitting on lots that they cannot sell, our country has been mortgaged to China to fund an illegal and immoral war over--well--nothing. Our children are being deprived of essential education as schools scramble just to stay open. Medical care is in crisis, with hundreds of thousands of Americans not being able to afford life sustaining care. Meanwhile, our so-called "liberal" media battles over which candidate is wearing the right pin, or misspoke over something trivial--ignoring the issues as if not talking about them will make them suddenly disappear. It is absolutely essential that we choose the right President. Every person in this country who is eligible to vote must go to the polls and cast a ballot. Every voter must be fully informed before casting their ballot. This election has to be settled at the polls--not at the hands of paid members of the Electoral College or the Supreme Court. There is no room for error. | <urn:uuid:8c27c497-30ae-4e73-be59-2039396b27d9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.daily-jeff.com/citizen%20opinion/2008/05/27/the-coming-election | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963666 | 227 | 1.625 | 2 |
The southern belt of Nepal is known as the Terai. It is a lowland covered with dense subtropical forest. Here you will find some of National Parks in Nepal. The national parks and game reserves of the Terai offer some of the finest Wildlife experiences in Asia, and it definitely is the ultimate in sub-tropical adventure.
Endangered species such as one-horned rhinos, Bengal tigers, and Gharial crocodiles abound on the ground, while uncountable species of birds and butterflies dominate the air. The indigenous Tharu ethnic group lives in the lowland Terai areas around the parks areas, and provide a surprising cultural contrast to the mountain peoples of the north. Nepal's parks and reserves offer incredible Wildlife viewing opportunities just choose the best one to suit your time and interests. You will be going into deep jungle on elephant back or four-wheel drive to view wild animals in their natural habitat. The activity of Nepal Jungle Safari includes canoeing, nature walks, bird watching, excursions, and visit to an ethnic Tharu village in the Jungle Safari Park. There are 14 national parks and wildlife reserves in the Kingdom. Royal Chitwan National Park, Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, and Royal Bardiya National Park are most famous and popular. | <urn:uuid:5975c7c0-c911-4fff-b1bc-94be4d796f1a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nepaltourism.info/safari_agencies.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923806 | 260 | 2.203125 | 2 |
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Officials approved a Catawba County development plan Monday that will build upon plans and initiatives more than 15 years in the works.
Catawba County Commissioners approved the 321 Eco-Tech Development Plan on Monday, taking another large step in making some of the project’s long-range goals a reality.
The purpose of the Eco-Tech plan is to develop specific strategies for getting long-term county goals completed. Building on existing plans from the past 15 years, the Eco-Tech plan has strategies for economic development, land use, transportation, public services and utilities, natural resources, and cultural resources, according to a planning PowerPoint.
The bulk of the plan revolves around the U.S. 321 corridor in southwest Catawba County — an area that has seen recent increases in economic development with the construction of the Target distribution center, Apple data center and the county’s EcoComplex.
Catawba Planning Director Jacky Eubanks said the 321 corridor has seen a lot of recent economic success, pointing out that the new businesses could serve as a catalyst for other eco-development projects in the surrounding area.
Wanting to take advantage of some of these opportunities as soon as possible, county commissioners also agreed Monday to rezone about 500 acres around the EcoComplex from residential property to a 321-ED (I) Industrial district. The rezoned area was mostly farmland before, but can now be used for industrial purposes, Eubanks said.
“The immediate impact is that it immediately opens up opportunity for development now,” Eubanks said. “It does mean that if an industrial prospect came to the EcoComplex, it is now zoned industrial. It is less hurdles for a potential entity to overcome in the future.”
The board did rezone the land, but only after removing about 112 acres from the original rezoning request after county resident Paul Gadd voiced concern about the future businesses encroaching on his home south of the EcoComplex.
Eubanks said the land eliminated from the rezoning proposal is mostly rural and would not be used for many industrial opportunities anyway.
Commissioners also agreed to rezone property owned by Hmong Southeast Puavpheej Inc., that lies within the 321 Eco-Tech plan’s boundaries.
Commissioners voted to rezone the Hmong property from residential to 321-ED Industrial and 321-ED Mixed-Use districts.
Members of the Hmong community attended the board’s meeting Monday to support the rezoning, as the new industrial and mixed-use zones will help their festivals and other events they hold throughout the year.
Just because commissioners approved the plan Monday, it does not mean changes can’t be made to the Eco-Tech Development Plan in the future.
Eubanks said approval of further rezoning requests and plan specifics will also have to be approved in the future.
“All of those things happen over time,” Eubanks said. “That plan is just a blueprint over time.”
Commissioners also approved:
A resolution for financing of up to $400,000 for expansion and renovation for Oxford Fire Protection Association Inc. to obtain a more favorable interest rate. The board also agreed to allow the association to appropriate $25,182 to the existing fund balance to pay for the cost of the expansion and renovation. | <urn:uuid:ec6bf998-2950-4fce-b90c-12bf22ba075b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.observernewsonline.com/content/county-approves-eco-tech-plan | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933644 | 733 | 1.84375 | 2 |
NIRSPEC Data Reduction
No standard procedures exist at Keck for reducing NIRSPEC data. Reductions of grating spectra are relatively straightforward, requiring rectification of the frames and extraction of those rows containing signal. Reductions of echelle spectra are complex, because each data frame contains several non-parallel sections of a spectrum and the sections do not adjoin in wavelength, except below 1.04Ám. Final echelle spectra will have to be stitched together from extracted and wavelength-calibrated segments, usually obtained from more than one data frame.
Rudimentary scripts are being developed at Gemini to extract, calibrate, and examine both grating and echelle spectra (the latter spectra will be handled piece by piece) while at the telescope, to enable us to evaluate the data quality. These scripts will be made available upon request to members of the Gemini community. Gemini does not guarantee the performance of these scripts. It will be the responsibility of the authors of the successful proposals to reduce their NIRSPEC data.
Questions relating to data reduction should be addressed to the Gemini HelpDesk (follow this link to the request submission web page).
Last update November 30, 1999; Tom Geballe | <urn:uuid:8fc297d3-2b6f-44cd-9eb3-e6eb2ecb3589> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gemini.edu/sciops/instruments/nirspec/nirspecDR.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.909012 | 256 | 1.625 | 2 |
Birds plentiful in Baldwin City area despite drought
Standing Saturday morning on the west shore of Douglas County Lake, Joe Hoelcher couldn’t identify the species of ducks on the water near the opposite shore.
“Those are decoys,” said Bill Busby.
Hoelcher laughed at his mistake. The two men were at the lake as part of Saturday’s Baldwin bird count, and Hoelcher had volunteered to learn from experienced birdwatchers like Busby, a hunter and a zoologist with Kansas Biological Survey at Kansas University.
The decoys signaled the presence of an unseen hunter, and that provided a clue to the lack of ducks on the lake, Busby said.
But ducks like water and the lake is attractive habitat, especially with marshland and farm ponds dried up from the drought. As the hunter went out on the lake to retrieve a downed bird, five ducks flew safely onto the lake from the north.
“They’re hooded mergansers,” Busby said while eyeing the birds with his binoculars. “Females on the right, and males on the left.”
Busby said there would normally be 20 or more duck species on the lake. The hunter accounted for some of the low numbers, but Busby said the drought might have contributed to a dip in species at the lake.
On the eve of Saturday’s count, Roger Boyd, Baker University biology professor emeritus and Baldwin bird count organizer was predicting there would be fewer birds and bird species spotted in this year’s count because of the drought. With seed production down, almost all crops out of area fields and few acorns, migratory species of sparrows, finches and blackbirds that normally winter here would find more hospitable places stay, he said.
However, Baldwin bird count numbers indicate our feathered friends still like the lakes, woods and fields near Baldwin City.
Saturday’s count identified 88 bird species, more than the about 85 Boyd was predicting before the count. That was two less than the record 90 spotted in 2011 and significantly higher than the 10-year average of 79.
The Baldwin bird population was estimated to be from 10,000 to 15,000, or about average, Boyd said.
“It was a good count and only a few species that we usually get were missing,” he said. “We have more duck species than normal.”
The absence of acorns explained for the count’s low number of red-headed woodpeckers, Boyd said.
The Baldwin bird count is one of more than 2,000 conducted for the National Audubon Society from Dec. 14 through Jan. 4 nationwide, Boyd said. The Baldwin City count is done in a circle, which encompasses a territory within a 7.5-mile radius of Baldwin Junction. It includes Douglas County State Lake and Lone Star Lake, the Baldwin Woods, farmland and pastures.
This was the 71st year for the Baldwin bird count, which Boyd’s parents, Ivan and Margaret Boyd, started in 1941, the year his father stated teaching biology at Baker University.
“It’s the oldest continuous bird count in the state,” Boyd said. “There are others that are older, but they missed a year somewhere.”
The first bird counts were conducted in 1900 in response to an older tradition of hunter outings.
“People would go out on Christmas Day to see how many birds they could shoot,” Boyd said. “In reaction to that, conservationists decided to go out and see how many birds they could see.”
About 15 volunteers participated in this year’s Baldwin count, Boyd said. Some, like Busby and Hoelcher, drove routes in different sections of the circle, while others staked cedar groves.
The most numerous species in Saturday’s count was Canada geese, with 2,504 counted, Boyd said.
Lone Star provided the count with its nicest surprise. Four trumpeter swans were counted at the lake. It was the fourth-straight years swans were reported there and the second-greatest number since seven were spotted four years ago, he said.
“Apparently, they are increasing their numbers around Kansas and Missouri,” he said. | <urn:uuid:a8b5fedb-9c18-415b-be88-6321814d557e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://signal.baldwincity.com/news/2012/dec/26/birds-plentiful-baldwin-city-area-despite-drought/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966853 | 908 | 2.421875 | 2 |
Battle of Olustee
In February 1864, the commander of the Department of the South, Maj. Gen. Quincy A. Gillmore, launched an expedition into Florida to secure Union enclaves, sever Rebel supply routes, and recruit black soldiers. Brig. Gen. Truman Seymour moved deep into the state, occupying, destroying, and liberating, meeting little resistance on February 20, he approached Brig. Gen. Joseph Finegan’s 5,000 Confederates entrenched near Olustee. One infantry brigade pushed out to meet Seymour’s advance units. The Union forces attacked but were repulsed. The battle raged, and as Finegan committed the last of his reserves, the Union line broke and began to retreat. Finegan did not exploit the retreat, allowing most of the fleeing Union forces to reach Jacksonville. (NPS summary)
The Battle of Olustee
The first major land campaign in Florida had its roots not in the state but in South Carolina. Stalled outside of Charleston MG Quincy Gillmore was looking for a way to revive his sinking reputation. In early December he proposed a strike into northern Florida to check the flow of supplies into South Carolina. At the same time a political mission, led by Lyman Stickney, was raising the possibility of an early political reversal in Florida. As a means of supporting his planned campaign Gillmore included the “speedy restoration of Florida to her allegiance” as a goal for the proposed action. With an election year coming up President Lincoln saw promise in the plan and dispatched John Hay, with a provisional commission to major, to Gillmore with instructions that “the thing be done.” Not surprisingly military approval soon followed with the details of the campaign left to Gillmore on 22 December. Halleck informed Gillmore that he was “at liberty to undertake such operations in your department as you deem best.” The only restrictions placed on Gillmore were that his position in front of Charleston had to be maintained and that no reinforcements would be available.
Gillmore did not hesitate to put his plan in motion. BG Truman Seymour was ordered to depart from Hilton Head, SC with his troops on 4 February, 1864. They landed in Jacksonville on 7 February and quickly dispersed the few Confederate troops in the area to claim the city once again. The departing Confederates rushed word to BG Joseph Finegan, commander of the district of East Florida, of the Union expedition. Finegan had but 1500 troops available to meet the Federal advance. He immediately sent an appeal for reinforcements to P.G.T. Beauregard. Beauregard directed Finegan to conduct delaying operations while troops could be gathered in South Carolina, Georgia, and elsewhere in Florida to come to his assistance. On the evening of the 8th the 40th Massachusetts Mounted Infantry and the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry headed west from Jacksonville with “Union men” as guides. In the darkness the column lost the road several times but managed to skirt the main Confederate camp and came upon the camp of the Milton Light Artillery. A lone mounted picket detected the approach of the Federal column and raised the alarm at the camp. CPT Dunham described what happened next in just three words; “my command fled.” They left behind 4 cannon, 6 wagons, 45 horses and mules, and 18 prisoners. The Union troopers pushed on to the railroad town of Baldwin, about 20 miles west of Jacksonville. Arriving at 0700 the found the town empty of Confederate troops who had retreated leaving an additional 8 artillery pieces behind as well as 40 horses and mule and a small stock of commissary supplies.
The successful early going left the Union troops confident and they marched out of Baldwin the next morning on a reconnaissance toward Lake City expecting more of the same. The column was formed by the 40th Massachusetts Mounted infantry and 1st Massachusetts Cavalry Battalion, roughly 1000 strong. Unbeknownst to the Union commanders MAJ Robert Harrison’s portion of the 2nd Florida Cavalry was traveling to Lake City to link up with the Confederate forces that were being gathered there to confront the Federal expedition. Harrison’s men arrived at the crossing before the Union column and planned a surprise greeting. As the Federal troopers made an approach to the plank bridge over the St. Mary’s River a fusillade of shots rang out from across the river. Three of the four men riding in advance were unhorsed. The ambush had been expertly planned and the location well chosen. The stream was wide enough and swift enough to make fording difficult and the nearby foliage provided excellent cover and concealment for the Confederate troopers waiting at the bridge. The stream acted as a barrier to the more numerous Union troops and the bridge, which had been partially destroyed, was a focal point to enemy movement allowing them to concentrate their fire there. The startled Union column broke into the brush on either side of the road and dismounted. After seeing to the safe removal of their mounts the Federal troopers began laying down return fire on their attackers with their Spencer carbines. With the initial shock of the ambush gone COL Henry ordered up artillery and sent Co. E of the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry to attack the bridge hoping to gain some knowledge of the enemy strength. CPT Webster led his troopers on a mounted dash for the bridge but they were quickly pinned down after discovering that the bridge was ruined. The attack helped discover the disposition of the Confederate troops and a dismounted company of the 40th was sent forward in an effort to gain the far side of the river. The volume of fire coming at them was too great and they were pulled back after discovering that the bridge was in ruins. A second company was committed to attempt to ford the river but they too had to give way to the fire from the Confederate troopers. By this time Elder’s battery had come on line and began to pour fire into the Confederate position. The barrage significantly slowed the Confederate fire and Henry decided to attempt to ford the river with mounted troops while a dismounted force attempted another crossing near the bridge. Once it was clear that the Union troopers would gain the near side of the river the Confederates began pulling back. However the mounted attackers overtook some of the late movers and secured about 70 prisoners. The losses were 5 killed for the Union and 2 killed for the Confederate forces. A total of about 30 wounded soldiers from both sides were left to the care of the Federal medical staff. The column moved on to Sanderson where they established camp.
Following the ambush at St. Mary’s River the Confederate forces withdrew to consolidate at Olustee Station. Here Finegan used his cavalry to retard the Federal probes while he constructed earthworks that were bordered on one side by a swamp and the other by Ocean Pond. While he waited for reinforcements there a cloud of uncertainty fell over the Union command. The unexpected tenacity of the Confederate defenders in the area began to raise doubts in the mind of BG Seymour. Writing to Gillmore on the 11th BG Seymour announced that;
“I am convinced that the movement upon Lake City is not …admissible.”
He also recommended that his forces withdraw from their advanced positions and fall back to Jacksonville and Palatka. Gillmore thought the idea of withdraw a good idea and responded to Seymour
“Don’t risk a repulse in advancing on Lake City”
However he ordered Seymour to fall back only as far as Baldwin. Seymour moved back and called back the Henry’s cavalry advance as well. Once in Baldwin he started to regain some confidence. In a reply to Gillmore he stated that “this is the place to fortify”. The two men met in Jacksonville on the 14th to discuss the situation and it was determined, at least in Gillmore’s mind,
“…that no advance would be made…”
Gillmore detailed CPT Reese of the engineers to Seymour to help lay out the planned defenses “capable of resisting a coup de main” at Jacksonville, Baldwin, Palatka, and the crossing of the St. Mary’s River. Gillmore then departed for South Carolina. While Seymour was meeting with Gillmore a small operation departed for Gainesville to attack the Florida Railroad depot and Confederate Quartermaster operations there. CPT G. E. Marshall leading details from Companies C, G, and H of the 40th Massachusetts Mounted Infantry arrived in Gainesville on the morning of the 14th. They found“immense stores of cotton, of turpentine and rosin, sugar, tobacco, and supplies of all kinds…”The supplies were broken open and the captured rations were distributed among the local population “who were suffering for want of them.” The brief occupation of Gainesville was interrupted that evening by the appearance of two companies of the 2nd Florida Cavalry. The Union troopers erected a barricade of cotton bales and awaited an attack. The Confederate leaders seemed to have some misgivings about challenging the barricaded streets and eventually called for volunteers. According one participant (PVT Lawrence Jackson) about two dozen men stepped forward to follow LT Samuel Reddick into town. The attack was short lived. The men charged down Liberty Street as two platoons and made it to the barricade where some “of the horses jumped on the bales.” They were greeted by the rapid fire of the Union Spencer’s and quickly fell back when the attack was not supported by the remainder of the Confederate troops. They left behind one man killed. Jackson felt that “the outcome was anything but creditable to the officers in command of the Confederate forces.” The next morning the Confederate troopers found the Union cavalrymen gone.
On the 17th Seymour sent a dispatch announcing a move to the Suwannee River to destroy the railroad bridge there to a shocked and confused Gillmore, who responded;
“You have forgotten my last instructions... Your project distinctly and avowedly ignores these operations and substitutes a plan which not only involves your command in a distant movement without provisions, far beyond a point from which you once withdrew on account of precisely the same necessity, but presupposes a simultaneous demonstration of “great importance” to you elsewhere over which you have no control and which requires the co-operation of the navy.”
But the harsh reminder of the agreed upon course of action would not arrive in time. Seymour had his command on the move westward without waiting for authorization.
The end of the first days march brought the Federal advance to the St Mary’s River. At Barber’s Station the troops were ordered to cook several days of rations and prepare for the hard march ahead. On the morning of the 20th the infantry advanced up the Lake City Road and the railroad preceded by COL Henry’s cavalry. The march stopped briefly in Sanderson and then continued westward in the afternoon. About three miles west of town the Union troopers ran into the Confederate cavalry pickets and began a lively skirmish that continued on for several miles. The skirmishing grew in intensity until BG Joseph Finegan ordered the deployment of the 64th Georgia and two companies of the 32nd Georgia to assists his thin line of cavalry. With the appearance of infantry to his front Seymour deployed the 7th Connecticut and Elder’s Horse Artillery (Battery B 1st US Artillery) to help push back the stubborn Confederate line. As both sides added troops to the fight a general engagement resulted.
The growing number of forces at this line east of the Confederate entrenchments stabilized the fight and Finegan realized that his hope of a fight at his prepared defense was not going to be forthcoming. In anticipation of a call for reinforcements Finegan ordered more of Colquitt’s Georgians (6th, 19th, and 28th and the remaining companies of the 32nd) out of the works to reinforce the advanced position. The Union forces likewise began to deploy for battle in the flat open terrain. Trailing the 7th Connecticut was the remainder of COL J. R. Hawley’s Brigade (7th New Hampshire and the 8th Regiment USCT) which Seymour ordered to each side of Elder’s battery as the 7th Connecticut cleared the field. In an attempt to bring the 7th New Hampshire into position only 250 yards from the Confederate line COL Hawley issued a confusing set of orders that left the regiment badly scrambled under intense fire. Coming in on the right of a Union battery Hawley ordered the regiment “By company into line” which was promptly obeyed. He then had the order relayed down the line to deploy on the fifth company. As the regiment reacted to the order Hawley realized a mistake had been made and tried to correct it. In quick fashion he changed the order to “on the eighth company” and again realizing his error to “on the tenth company”. The result was complete disorder. The several minutes under fire waiting for the correct orders resulted in “a faltering on the part of some of the men and finally in almost a complete break.” The regiment dissolved. Hawley would later claim that the regiment pulled itself back together and rendered good service but BG Seymour wrote that “this regiment counted as nothing during the remainder of the engagement.” The 7th for all intents and purposes was out of the fight.
The departure of the 7th New Hampshire allowed the Confederate line to concentrate its fire on the 8th USCT who had formed on the other side of the battery. The poorly trained men of the 8th took an incredible pounding, suffering 310 casualties (of about 550 present) before finally falling back. The retreat of the 8th presented COL Colquitt with the opportunity to seize the initiative. The Confederate commander ordered an advance on the sole remaining enemy units on the field, the Union artillery. The unsupported gunners began to feel the brunt of the Confederate fire but they continued to resist the advance “with perfect tenacity and coolness” until COL Barton’s Brigade of New Yorkers rushed to the scene.
The infusion of fresh troops momentarily reversed the tide of battle. The Confederate attack was stalled and in some places actually pushed back. Again reserves from the original Confederate line pushed the fight the other way. Another Confederate advance captured several Union artillery pieces. The battle fell into a bloody stalemate until the attackers began to run low on ammunition and it appeared that they would have to concede the hard earned ground. At the critical moment BG Finegan arrived with the last available Confederate troops (1st Florida Battalion and Bonaud’s Battalion) and a resupply of ammunition. When the reenergized Confederate attack threatened to overwhelm the Union line near dusk Seymour called for a retreat.
The final uncommitted Union brigade was called forward. COL James Montgomery’s 54th Massachusetts and 35th USCT (1st North Carolina) left their duty protecting the supply train and assumed a blocking position to cover the retreat of the main body. The successful but costly delaying action allowed the retreat of the badly mauled brigades of Barton and Hawley. A Confederate pursuit never materialized and the Union column returned to Barber’s Station and by the 22nd all the way to Jacksonville. The Federal losses at Olustee were enormous for the number of troops involved. Nearly 40% of the Union force was counted as casualties (203k, 1,152w, and 506m) while the Confederates suffered about half that total. In a decidedly brief statement on the outcome of the battle sent by Seymour on the night of the 20th he called the result “a devilish hard rub.” The plan for the grand Union strategy was foiled and they remained content to use Jacksonville for a base of operations for the remainder of the war.
Order of battle | <urn:uuid:1a3a9468-6722-4ee8-92da-16dd9d84ddee> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://civilwarwiki.net/wiki/Battle_of_Olustee | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970674 | 3,262 | 3.5 | 4 |
Statement on Auditing Standards No. 70: Service Organizations
||This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2010)|
Statement on Auditing Standards No. 70: Service Organizations, commonly abbreviated as SAS 70 and available in full-text by permission of the AICPA, is an auditing statement issued by the Auditing Standards Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) with its content codified as AU 324. SAS 70 provides guidance to service auditors when assessing the internal control of a service organization and issuing a service auditor’s report. SAS 70 also provides guidance to auditors of financial statements of an entity that uses one or more service organizations. Service organizations are typically entities that provide outsourcing services that impact the control environment of their customers. Examples of service organizations are insurance and medical claims processors, trust companies, hosted data centers, application service providers (ASPs), managed security providers, credit processing organizations and clearinghouses.
There are two types of service auditor reports. A Type I service auditor’s report includes the service auditor's opinion on the fairness of the presentation of the service organization's description of controls that had been placed in operation and the suitability of the design of the controls to achieve the specified control objectives. A Type II service auditor’s report includes the information contained in a Type I service auditor's report and also includes the service auditor's opinion on whether the specific controls were operating effectively during the period under review.
SAS 70 was originally titled “Reports on the Processing of Transactions by Service Organizations” but was changed by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 88 to "Service Organizations". The guidance contained in SAS 70 is effective for all service auditors' reports dated after March 31, 1993.
SAS 55
In 1988, the AICPA issued SAS 55, titled “Consideration of the Internal Control Structure in a Financial Statement Audit”. SAS 55 required that financial statement auditors assess the internal control related to any process that could impact the client’s financial reporting objectives. In cases where the client outsourced a critical process that impacted the financial statements, the auditor was required to assess the internal control of that process as it is performed by the service organization. For example, an auditor might be required to examine the manner in which a payroll processing company controls the processing of payroll for its client. This situation was very detrimental to many service organizations since all of their clients’ auditors have an obligation to perform the same internal control assessment on them.
The overwhelming resources that service organizations were spending complying with requests from financial auditors led the AICPA to issue SAS 70. In layman’s terms, SAS 70 allowed for one internal control review to be performed on service organizations that examined all of the areas that the financial statement auditors were required to consider to meet SAS 55 requirements. The resulting service auditor’s report (i.e. SAS 70 report) can be distributed and relied upon by all of the financial statement auditors of the service organizations' clients. The extent of that reliance is based on whether a Type I or Type II SAS 70 audit was performed.
SAS 94
In 2001, SAS 55 was amended by SAS 94, titled “The Effect of Information Technology on the Auditor’s Consideration of Internal Control in a Financial Statement Audit”. SAS 94 obliges the financial statement auditors to place an increased focus on the increasing role of information technology on meeting financial reporting objectives. Given this change, SAS 70 reports are now placing similar emphasis on information technology’s role in the control environment of service organizations. This helps to ensure that the SAS 70 report contains all of the information required by user organization auditors.
SAS 109
In 2006, SAS 55 was superseded by SAS 109 (codified as AU 314) which provided an expanded theory regarding an auditor's responsibility to understand the entity under audit including the information systems employed by the entity under audit among other items. This understanding is to be used in determining certain risks associated with the financial statements and audit.
Changing uses of the SAS 70
Over the last few years, the use of the SAS 70 audit has migrated to be used in non-traditional ways. Companies in the financial services industry are being required to show adequate oversight of service providers, such as obtaining a SAS 70 review conducted to comply with Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) requirements. Service organizations which provide services to healthcare companies are often asked by their clients to have a SAS 70 audit conducted to ensure an independent third party has examined the controls over the processing of sensitive healthcare information.
While some companies utilize the SAS 70 audit to promote themselves in the "Other Information Provided by Service Organization" section, the more appropriate application is to utilize properly modified objectives from internal control framework(s) appropriate to their industry and company; such as COSO, COBIT for SOX, ISO, ITIL, BITS, or the AICPA's Trust Principles (which are specifically applicable to SysTrust or WebTrust services).
Users of SAS 70 audit reports
User auditor
Traditionally, service auditor reports are primarily used as auditor-to-auditor communication. The auditors of the service organization’s customers (i.e. user auditors) can use the service auditor’s report to gain an understanding of the internal controls in operation at the service organization. Additionally, Type II service auditor reports can be used by the user organizations’ auditors to assess internal control risk for the purposes of planning and executing their financial audit.
Other third parties external to service organizations
Service auditor reports are growing in popularity and are being used by customers, prospective customers and financiers to gain an understanding of the control environment of outsourcing companies. In some cases, these third parties are not intended users of the report, but still find value in using the report as third party independent verification that controls are in place and are operating effectively.
Unless the report is noted for restricted use only by the CPA firm, the service organization retains control of distributing the report. Every Service Auditor’s report contains an auditor’s opinion letter. The opinion letter is required to contain a paragraph that defines the authorized user of the report. On rare occasions, this paragraph is limited to a specific third party, which may or may not be a user organization. Use of the report is typically restricted to the service organization’s management, its customers, and the financial statement auditors of its customers. Typically, a statement in the final paragraph states:
This report is intended solely for use by the management of XYZ Service Organization, its user organizations, and the independent auditors of its user organizations.
Financial statement auditor of service organization
The report is not designed to support the financial statement auditors of the service organization, because the service organization's own financial reporting IT controls are not the target of a SAS 70 audit. The environment supporting user organization's processes is the SAS 70 audit scope. However, a service organization's external auditor's Entity Level Control Considerations may be useful for a SAS 70 report.
Other auditing standards address the appropriate process to obtain client authorizations for auditors of different firms to obtain audit information about a shared client, which may include the sharing of workpapers and reports between the auditors.
Audit frequency
Type 1 audits are typically performed no more than once per year; however, there is no technical reason for this practice. In fact, many companies use the type 1 audit as a primer and tend to move on to a type 2 audit for the purposes of subsequent audits. Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) provisions that require a type 2 audit have made this a very common practice.
Type 2 audits are also typically performed once per year; however, a small percentage of companies undergo multiple type 2 audits during any 12 month period. There is no technical guidance that states, or even recommends, a type 2 audit frequency requirement. It is generally expected that the frequency will be no less than once per year.
The SAS 70 audit guide recommends, but does not require, that type 2 examination periods be at least six months in length. Companies generally choose a review period between six and 12 months. There is no requirement or recommendation that the examination period fall completely within the calendar year.
SAS 70 audits are performed throughout the calendar year. Each service organization is responsible for making their own decisions regarding the type of audit they undergo, the timing of the audit, and the review period of the audit in the case of a type 2 audit.
User organizations will desire a type 2 audit report that has an examination period with as many months as possible falling within their own fiscal year and an examination period end date that is within three months of their fiscal year end. Most service organizations have many user organizations and often can not satisfy all of their clients if they only perform one audit per year, regardless of the length of their review period. For example, a company could have a 12 month Type 2 SAS 70 audit review period ending 12/31. This report would be less than ideal for clients with 6/30 fiscal year-ends because it will be six months "old" by that point in time. However, this issue does not render the report useless and audit guidance and SOX guidance provide specific directions for dealing with this common situation when it occurs.
SAS 70 report types
Report on controls placed in operation
A report on controls placed in operation, referred to as a Type 1 report, opines on controls that are in place as of a date in time. The opinion states whether the controls are fairly presented, whether the controls are suitably designed to achieve defined control objectives, and whether the controls were in place as of a specific date. Since these reports only provide assurance over a single day, they are of limited value to third parties.
Report on controls placed in operation and tests of operating effectiveness
A report on controls placed in operation and tests of operating effectiveness, or Type 2 report, opines on controls that were in place over a period of time, which is typically a period of six months or more. The opinion states all that is covered by a Type 1 report and whether the controls were operating effectively enough to achieve the defined control objectives during a specified period. Third parties are better able to rely on these reports because a verification is provided regarding these matters for a substantial period of time.
SAS 70 and Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
With the introduction of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX), SAS 70 took on increased importance. SOX adopted the COSO model of controls, which is the same model that SAS 70 audits have used since inception. SOX heightened the focus placed on understanding the controls over financial reporting and identified a Type II SAS 70 report as the only acceptable method for a third party to assure a service organization's controls. Security "certifications" are excluded as acceptable substitutes for a Type II SAS 70 audit report. PCAOB's Audit Standard No. 5 (which replaced AS 2) details how a SAS 70 audit should be used in relation to SOX.
Changes to SAS 70
The AICPA had proposed changes that would move the guidance for Service Auditors to the Statements on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE), naming the standard Reporting on Controls at a Service Organization. The guidance for User Auditors would remain in AU section 324 (codified location of SAS 70) but would be renamed Audit Considerations Relating to an Entity Using a Service Organization.
Service Auditors to the Statements on Standards for Attestation Engagements No. 16 (SSAE 16) was formally issued in June 2010 and became effective on 15 June 2011. SSAE 16 reports (also known as "SOC 1" reports), which have effectively replaced SAS 70 reports, will be prepared in accordance with Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE) No. 16, Reporting on Controls at a Service Organization. SOC 1 reports retain the original purpose of SAS 70 by providing a means of reporting on the system of internal control for purposes of complying with internal control over financial reporting.
Similar international guidance
The German standard report in this section is called IDW PS 951. It is similar to SAS 70 Type II. IDW PS 951 is released by Institut der Wirtschaftsprüfer.
United Kingdom
A SAS 70 is similar to the United Kingdom guidance provided by the Audit and Assurance Faculty of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. The technical release is titled AAF 01/06 which supersedes the earlier FRAG 21/94 guidance.
In Canada, a similar report known as a Section 5970 report may be issued by a service organization auditor. It usually gives two separate audit opinions on the controls in place. Furthermore, it may also give an opinion on the operating effectiveness over a period. These reports tend to be quite long, with descriptions of the controls in place.
Similar to the SAS 70 Report in the United States of America, reporting requirements are defined in India's Audit and Assurance Standards 24 "Audit Consideration Relating to Entities Using Service Organizations". The AAS 24 is issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, and is operative for all audits relating to periods beginning on or after 1 April 2003. | <urn:uuid:4ccbe6f3-240b-47ae-a2f8-b47af0c2d83c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAS_70 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00060-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946932 | 2,744 | 1.84375 | 2 |
US Aid for Road Sign Plan - Towards a PA State
The United States is funding a Palestinian Authority project to place non-Hebrew road signs throughout Judea and Samaria. The PA plans to implement it in exclusively Israeli-controlled areas as well.
The project is part of American aid “towards the establishment of an independent Palestinian state,” as a top official of USAID (United States Agency for International Development) in the PA, Howard Sumka, told the Al-Hayat Arabic daily.
The project was announced by PA transportation minister Dr. Saadi Alkaranz. Correspondent Haggai Huberman reports that it is the first of its kind since Jordan lost control of the area when it attacked Israel during the 1967 Six Day War. All roads and localities will appear in Arabic and English on the new signs; Hebrew will not appear.
Several weeks ago, Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz announced a decision to change road signs throughout Israel to reflect the Hebrew, and not Arabic, names of cities in Israel. He explained that the current situation, in which “the official road signs of the State of Israel have Jerusalem written not as 'Yerushalayim,' but as 'Al-Quds,' and Acco appears as 'Akka,' [could lead to] the ‘right of return’ slipping in at us via the back door.”
Minister Alkaranz said, “This project is included in the government’s plans to lay the foundations for the establishment of a Palestinian state whose capital is Jerusalem.” He explained that the signs will not include the names of any Jewish locations in the region.
Alkaranz further said that the first stage of the project will be implemented in Area A (under full PA control) and Area B (under PA administrative control and Israeli security control). He said the PA will insist that it be executed in Area C – under full Israeli control – as well. | <urn:uuid:a68ff97a-8f65-4eab-b851-f284d08c44cb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/133256 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957577 | 407 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Despite the fact that real-time bidding is a complex and sometimes confusing space, media buyers and sellers alike continue to flock to RTBs, a trend that experts don't believe will end any time soon.
Real-time bidding, of course, isn't the end-all and be-all of digital advertising, and there are numerous areas for concern.
But is the entire model for how ads are bought and sold via RTBs broken?
According to Konrad Feldman, the CEO of analytics firm Quantcast, the answer is essentially yes.
In an AdAge op-ed, he argues that the CPM model, which just about everyone in the industry acknowledges is as imperfect as it is popular, "is now preventing the online advertising industry from realizing the full potential of what may be one of its biggest game changers -- real-time bidding (RTB)".
As Feldman sees it, buying ads on a CPM basis is particularly detrimental to the value proposition of RTBs because real-time bidding offers the opportunity to price ad impressions on "an impression-by-impression basis".
That's powerful because advertisers know that not all impressions are created equal. "Some consumers are more likely than others to purchase certain products" he points out, and he observes that seemingly small details, such as the time of day, can influence an impression's effectiveness.
If CPM is the problem, is CPA the solution?
Unfortunately, the CPM model can result in an advertiser purchasing ads in a less-than-optimal manner. According to Feldman, "In some cases, higher-priced impressions have been 100 times more effective at influencing consumer behavior" and while "this doesn't mean that a buyer should simply pay a higher CPM," it raises the point that many advertisers focus more on the cost than the benefit received in the CPM environment.
So what's the solution?
Feldman suggests that the CPA model would be a dramatic improvement that eliminates some of the barriers he believes the CPM model has put in front of RTBs. "CPA simplifies the transaction and enables the advertiser to take full advantage of the dynamics of a real-time marketplace".
The need for speed
Moving to a CPA model might look good on paper, at least from certain angles. But is it realistic?
Feldman notes that there are challenges. CPA requires a closer connection between advertisers and publishers, and that's not necessarily going to be easy to forge. Attribution complicates this incredibly, because a publisher which delivered the last click will likely want full credit for a completed action while other publishers which delivered earlier impressions will likely claim that those impressions contributed to the conversion.
Perhaps even more problematic is the notion that all of the parties involved will need to estimate the value of every impression and make a decision "in milliseconds." Feldman says that this "requires large volumes of data, the algorithms and processing power to make sense of that data, and a platform with the scale to apply those models to billions of buying decisions every day."
That sounds like an attractive proposition for VC-backed ad tech startups, but for advertisers hoping to reach customers and publishers hoping to move their inventory, it sounds like a potentially costly pipe dream that will likely never be realized.
Which raises an important question for RTBs: should they really be treated as platforms for real-time bidding, or should they be viewed as a means to buy and sell digital impressions more fluidly and efficiently?
Perhaps there's no right or wrong answer to this question, but for the advertisers that treat real-time bidding as the ad world's equivalent to high-frequency stock trading, it's important to realize that when moving fast, losses can be magnified as easily as gains. | <urn:uuid:5bdc0175-b56e-48a8-b6ba-08bfb740d5d8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://econsultancy.com/ie/blog/61947-is-the-cpa-model-holding-real-time-bidding-back | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958068 | 768 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Miguel Faria was the Editor of The Medical Sentinel, a publication of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, which supports fundamental liberty for all people and governmental non-intervention in the Practice of Medicine. Miguel was a refugee from Cuba during the 1960s when that country was taken over by a communist revolution. He escaped with his family to the USA and went on to become a US citizen, a neurosurgeon, and a noted author of several books on history, liberty, and authoritarian governments. He has experienced communism first hand, as have many of our readers from liberated countries. He is our World Affairs Editor.
Why is Surgical Neurology International (SNI) discussing these political topics and not reporting on some new procedure in neurosurgery? The reason is simple: SNI stands for the patient, as should every doctor. SNI believes that you are a good citizen and family person, first; a physician, second; and a neurosurgeon, third. Too many neurosurgeons all over the world have gone to the operating room and left the administration of medicine to others. They left the politics to others. The result is that control of medicine was handed to people who have no understanding of the principle that the “Patient comes First” and have taken control of medicine for their own self-centered interests. SNI wants to keep all neurosurgeons informed of what is happening in their role as citizens, so that they can act to protect the Practice of Medicine for their patients. It is very difficult to regain power once you have lost it. Physicians have lost their power over the Practice of Medicine. It will take planning and time to get it back. Remember, you will not be able to do that new procedure or even report about it if you ignore your responsibility as a citizen to protect your liberty and that of others.
What Miguel is writing about below is how a country that has been dominated by authoritarian leadership for centuries and had a brief taste of freedom in the 1990s was converted back to a controlling government. It is about to continue that role today in its coming elections, which have been alleged to be corrupt to ensure that those in power remain in control, because the people have lost their individual liberty to control by their government. But a rebellion is stirring in Russia as it has across the globe in these historic times, involving 4 of the 7 billion people in the world. Some revolutions today are being taken over by others who want power over the people with centralized control and suppression of liberty. Others are becoming more free.
Our colleagues in Russia publish their journal on SNI quarterly and continue to produce good work. Read the English abstracts. Russia is a country whose creative people have given the world great works in music, literature, the arts, and innovative ideas in medicine in spite of its restrictive culture. Creativity is hard to suppress because it is individualistic. Yet, the birth rate in Russia is declining below the death rate, so the population is shrinking, and the life expectancy for men is 10 years lower than in other European countries. These alarming statistics are the results of governmental control of the lives of the people and medicine. The experiment in central control of the lives of others has been done, and it is a failure. Now the government is paying any family $9000 to have a second child and each additional child to raise the birthrate. Others over the world want to try the central government control experiment again and again. It will always fail. In the end, the patient suffers as the statistics above show. It always becomes a struggle for power over the people. The people want freedom for their own lives. “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness,” says the USA Declaration of Independence.
We support our colleagues in Russia, who could never write what Miguel has written. You should be aware of those who would promise you everything and steal your freedom in the process. In the end, you and your patients will suffer.
Do not take liberty for granted — as many have in the USA — or someone else will take it from you, as we are experiencing today in the USA.
James I. Ausman, Editor-in-Chief, Surgical Neurology International, USA. | <urn:uuid:02020c75-0383-4d02-a8f5-4421f60b4490> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://haciendapublishing.com/articles/editor%E2%80%99s%C2%A0note%C2%A0on%C2%A0miguel%C2%A0faria%E2%80%99s%C2%A0editorial%C2%A0on%C2%A0-russian%C2%A0elections | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974701 | 864 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Activelink works with non-profit organisations to develop online communications in the public interest, to promote action and participation and to foster the sharing of ideas, experience and information for a better world. Community Exchange is the monthly e-mail bulletin aiming at providing a communication channel for groups and individuals involved or interested in the work of community and voluntary organisations in Ireland.
Adult Refugee Programme Website
Official website of Adult Refugee Programme. It provides links to all local Adult Refugee programmes.
Assist Ireland - Info on Assistive Technology
This online resource provides information on assistive technology and a directory of products available from Irish suppliers.
Blue Brick 3rd L Part time Portal
Information and access portal for part time courses in 14 Institites of Technology
Business Access to State Information and Services
A one stop shop with links to all government online services.
Clare County Council
Home page of Clare County Council website. This gives access to all Council services: register to vote, view planning applications,motor tax etc
Wesite of Clare library Service. An excellent source of information on genealogy, archaeology and history of Clare.
Comhairle is the national support agency responsible for supporting the provision of information, advice and advocacy on social services.
Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.
This is the official Dept of CRGA site.
Department of Education and Science.
Information on Adult and community education is under the Furthher education link.
The website of the Equality Authority has access to up to date publications on Equality.
The national awarding body for further education and training in Ireland, the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC) gives people the opportunity to gain recognition for learning in education or training centres, in the work place and in the community.
Supporting Further Education
This is the website of SFE which supports quality in further education. Site has resources for FETAC tutors and coordinators and also a training calendar.
Training the Trainers - Adult Education
The Grundtvig mobility action offers those involved in the delivery of adult education in the formal and non-formal sectors the opportunity to develop skills in areas such as coaching, counselling skills and training methodology. A broad range of courses are being conducted throughout Europe and can be found on the Comenius Grundtvig Course
Training the Teachers
This site gives details of the Leargas sponsored Comenius Teacher Training Initiative. This action supports teachers, language teachers and other educational staff to attend a general in-service or language training course or work place activity of 1-4 weeks in any of the 31 participating countries.
The website of the national agency with responsibility for supporting and developing volunteering
The Wheel is a national network connecting Community and Voluntary organisations with a mandate from over 200 organisations and individuals, The Wheel has evolved to become a resource centre and forum for the Community and Voluntary sector. | <urn:uuid:e37c2b3a-c97a-4146-83c2-75798b1770c6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.clarelearningnetwork.org/clln/www/index.asp?magpage=11 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.904386 | 593 | 1.984375 | 2 |
With a thud, Tío Roberto plunked down a large glass jar before me filled with hunks of meat, onion, carrot, parsley, bay leaf and garlic suspended in a cloudy bath of vinegar. He unscrewed the jar's red plastic lid and invited me to fish out a piece of meat and some vegetables.
The jar, I was told, contained homemade vizcacha en escabeche or pickled viscacha. After trying to determine the mystery meat's identity through an elaborate game of 20 Questions with my husband's family, I still couldn't form a solid mental image of this critter. Ultimately, I decided to do what any open-minded foodie would: eat first and google later. The viscacha's meat was tender, lean and white with no trace of gaminess. Whatever it was that I'd just eaten, it tasted decidedly delicious.
As it turns out, the plains viscacha (spelled vizcacha in Spanish) is a rodent and member of the chinchilla family native to South America. At home on the range here in Argentina, viscachas live together in groups of up to 50 in a system of burrows known as a vizcachera.
Viscachas are primarily nocturnal animals, beginning their period of activity in late afternoon. The group's dominant male pops out of the vizcachera first to check for predators, and if all is well, the rest of the colony follows.
The viscacha is prone to some rather curious habits, which include hoarding sticks, small bones, wire and other objects at the entrances to the vizcachera. In a nod to the animal's propensity for collecting trinkets and baubles, people who do the same are sometimes referred to as vizcachas.
For a number of reasons, Argentine farmers and cattle ranchers consider viscachas an agricultural pest. They strip the ground surrounding the vizcachera bare, leaving little to nothing for grazing animals to munch on. Viscachas also have quite a taste for vegetables and grains, causing significant damage to farmers' crops. In addition, their burrows present a hazard for horses or cattle that may accidentally step in the holes. As a result, the government strongly encourages hunting as a method of population control.
According to Daniel's family, the flavor of the animal's meat depends a lot on its diet, and given that the vizcacha is an herbivore, its meat retains a "clean" (i.e. non-gamey) flavor. Honestly, I found the taste and texture of viscacha to be quite enjoyable, and I wouldn't hesitate to sample it again in the future.
Vizcacha en escabeche [photo] is usually enjoyed at room temperature as part of a picada—a selection of meats, cheeses and other finger foods. If you're in Argentina and looking to try the dish, shops with a selection of specialty foods often carry pickled viscacha. In the country's Cuyo region, viscacha marinated in a mixture of garlic, parsley, onion, wine and spices and roasted in the oven or on the grill [photo] makes the occasional appearance.
Have you ever dined on rodent, viscacha or otherwise? | <urn:uuid:fb808e14-5514-4455-8677-c77be5df3209> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.seashellsandsunflowers.com/2011/10/foods-of-argentina-vizcacha-viscacha.html?showComment=1320269010337 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948194 | 680 | 2.484375 | 2 |
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GP suspended during inquiry
AN OXFORD doctor who has admitted using Christian beliefs as a ‘complementary therapy’ for patients has been suspended by a medical watchdog.
The General Medical Council (GMC), one of the highest medical authorities in the land, has suspended Dr Mark Huckstep for 18 months.
Dr Huckstep last worked at Wolvercote Surgery and Kendall Crescent Health Centre, in North Oxford, in 2010.
He was suspended by NHS Oxfordshire, the county’s health authority, in August of that year after concerns were raised over his time-keeping and record management.
Dr Huckstep has been suspended while the GMC investigates whether he should face a Fitness to Practice panel – a move which could see him struck off for a minimum of five years. No details have been released of the nature of the investigation.
Dr Huckstep was last night unavailable for comment.
In October the married father, a devout Evangelist, admitted to the Oxford Mail that he believed his Christianity could be treated as a form of “complementary therapy” in addition to usual treatment, and that he refused to refer women for abortions.
According to the 1967 Abortion Act, doctors are free to opt out of involvement with abortion.
NHS Oxfordshire later confirmed there were four official complaints received about Dr Huckstep between 2007/08 and 2009/10 – two of which had ‘religious components’.
At the time Dr Huckstep said he fully acknowledged the administrative failings that led to his suspension. But he said: “However, issues of integrity and truth are so important that they need frank discussion, even from a doctor who has been fairly criticised on other issues.”
He continued: “If the patient consented, then I was free to discuss more metaphysical issues such as the meaning of their lives, their struggles with feelings of guilt, shame and meaninglessness, their fear of death, etc, and to suggest books that may help in confronting these issues.
“Such discussions were always in addition to normal treatment, if time allowed. They were not instead of normal modes of treatment.”
Last night the GMC confirmed its Interim Order Panel had suspended Dr Huckstep for 18 months ‘subject to review’.
NHS Oxfordshire said it had referred his case to the GMC in July 2010.
A spokesman said: “Since July 2010 he has not been be permitted to provide NHS GP services in Oxfordshire.”
Previously, the county’s primary care trust NHS Oxfordshire said the GP could return to work under strict conditions, which included undertaking a retraining programme.
Comments are closed on this article. | <urn:uuid:785ddb9a-3309-45b3-837b-b00896aca9d1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/headlines/9638822.GP_suspended_during_inquiry/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983931 | 582 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Letter to the Editor: Environmental group plans
Since the mid-1960s when the first environmental groups reared their ugly heads every one figured, "if we ignore them long enough they'll go away."
Well everyone was wrong. These controversial groups had an alterior motive to pull off and they are dedicated to their plan. The plan was to bring all federal land under their total control and to make the United States of America totally dependent on foreign oil. But to bring this about they needed to connive the federal government to work for them.
So they found a few representatives and senators that were on the same wave length and from this came the Wilderness and Endangered Specie Act. Both acts have set aside many millions of acres. The Endangered Specie Act is our own in house, weapons of mass destruction. Our Utah delegation in Washington voted for these acts.
The Endangered Specie Act has forced sawmills to shut down and nearly every oil lease issued or application to drill for oil or gas has been appealed. Have you as a gasoline or diesel user voiced a concern to your congressmen opposing these ridiculous appeals?
Headlines in our stateside daily newspapers read, "Congress again ponders Red Rock Wilderness Act."
If passed it will lock away 9.5 million acres in Utah of which many contain billions of cubic feet of natural gas, coal bed methane gas, crude oil, and thousands of acres of coal.
Citizens who do not call their congressional delegation, grin and bear it when gasoline makes another five cents per gallon. The local enviromentalists have changed their minds too. They want more than the original agreed upon 3.2 million acres of wilderness. They now want 9.5 million acres.
When all federal land is closed to drilling, and a few more foreign countries refuse to sell oil to the United States, we will then become totally dependent on foreign oil. We will become a self-defeated nation.
The time is now for you, the gentle reader, to call your Washington Congressmen and voice your opinion. For in the end point the of the game they are play is to make the United States of America totally dependent on foreign oil. Wake up Americans and tell the environmental groups enough is enough. | <urn:uuid:b2fe56f9-6ebc-4b0f-8a0a-8b619685fa1b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sunadvocate.com/index.php?tier=1&article_id=6940&poll=269&vote=results | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966364 | 460 | 2.078125 | 2 |
Time machine: Moog Prodigy
Moog Prodigy Analog Synthesizer from the year 1979
The Prodigy was an entry-level monosynth from Moog, which has since become a very popular and widely used Bass-synth in techno and electronic music. It was designed as an affordable dual-oscillator synth. It was, however, designed without any help from Bob Moog himself. But that didn’t stop the Prodigy from becoming an excellent analog synth!
Its simple yet effective design employs two voltage controlled oscillators (VCOs) with saw, triangle and pulse waveforms…all classic analog stuff! There’s also a genuine Moog 24dB / octave lowpass filter (emphasis), A/D/S envelope generator, and LFO with square or triangle waveforms and routing to the VCF, VCO or both! Even Portamento, Pitch and Mod wheels. To save money there are no highly flexible modulation routings, no on-board sequencers or arpeggiators, and a simple 32 note keyboard.
recording: multi-track without midi, sequenced by the SCI Pro-One step-sequencer over CV/Gate and synced with the TR-808.
drums: Roland TR-808
fx: a little bit delay and reverb
more info: http://www.retrosound.de | <urn:uuid:bbbdb2ba-6936-495f-9f27-e764a8775a4e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://stereoklang.se/blog/time-machine-moog-prodigy-2 | 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 | 0.917931 | 292 | 1.726563 | 2 |
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When are medications used to treat agitation?
Sometimes it is impossible to help a person become calm, despite your best efforts at providing warmth and structure. Medication for agitation can help you avoid caregiver "burn out" and make it easier for a suffering person to respond to your efforts. The more severe the agitation, the more important it is to consider medication. It does not "cure" dementia or agitation, but can reduce the frequency and severity of agitated behavior.
Doctors who are experts in geriatrics, psychiatry, or neurology are familiar with all of the medications we will be discussing. It is important to understand that most of the research in this area has been done with one group of medications (the antipsychotics, described more fully below). However, doctors often need to use other types of medicine. For this reason, the authors of this article conducted a survey to find out about the entire range of treatment that experts find helpful. Some trial-and-error is often involved before finding the right medication, dose, and schedule---every treatment plan is "custom made." Although the doctor can help call the shots, it is a good idea for you to learn as much as you can about the various choices available in terms of their likely benefits and possible side effects. Ideally, you can become the doctor's partner, since you see the person more than anyone else and may be in the best position to know how a medication affects him or her.
Families sometimes fear that anti-agitation medicines will just sedate a person or make their confusion worse, or that they are shirking their responsibility by relying on medication. To the contrary, the careful use of medication can lessen agitation without unwanted sedation and make it more possible to care for and communicate with an ill person.
Experts choose different medications based on several factors:
Is the goal short-term or long-term? The goal of short-term or acute treatment is to calm the person down quickly during a crisis. This often calls for sedation to make the person somewhat drowsy for a few hours. On the other hand, since agitation is often persistent, the goal may be to find a long-term treatment that can be used for many weeks or months without causing unwanted sedation or harmful side effects. However, it may take several weeks for such a treatment to begin working. This delay can require a fair amount of patience on the part of caregivers as doses are slowly and carefully adjusted.
What other medical problems does the person have, and what other medicines is he or she already taking? General medical conditions cause a person to be more vulnerable to side effects of medications. Older people are often already taking several medicines and it is extremely important to avoid interactions if another drug is added. Also, particular diseases may make it difficult to use certain anti-agitation medications. For example, people with lung disease should avoid medicines that might slow down their breathing, whereas those who fall or are unsteady on their feet should avoid medicines that might affect coordination.
What types of agitation symptoms does the person have? In choosing a medication, it is also important to consider the types of agitation symptoms the person has. For example, some medicines that might be best if the main problem is psychosis, whereas others would be more appropriate if the main problem is anxiety or depression.
Many kinds of medication can be used to treat agitation, depending on the person's main symptoms. Doses are almost always lower than used in younger persons, because our bodies eliminate drugs more slowly as we age and side effects are more likely. The experts' recommendations for broad treatment strategies are outlined in the Table below. Each type of medicine is discussed in detail in the sections that follow.
|Main problem||Usual choices to start with|
|Delirium from a sudden medical problem||Conventional antipsychotic|
|Psychosis||Antipsychotic. For long-term use, an atypical antipsychotic is preferred.|
|Aggression, anger||Antipsychotic for
Divalproex or antipsychotic for long-term use
Benzodiazepines sometimes for short-term use only
(confusion in late afternoon or early evening)
Sometimes an antipsychotic
|Anxiety||Buspirone for long-term
Benzodiazepine for short-term use only
|Depression||Antidepressants, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)|
|Pain from arthritis if usual anti-pain medicines donít work||Tricyclics and other antidepressants|
Conventional antipspychotics, such as haloperidol (Haldol)
Atypical antipsychotics, such as risperidone (Risperdal); olanzapine (Zyprexa); quetiapine (Seroquel); others are likely to be available in 1998.
Antipsychotic medications, also called neuroleptics, have been the mainstay for treating agitation for many years, both in clinical practice and in research studies. There are two kinds: conventional antipsychotics, which have been available for the past 40 years (11 conventional antipsychotics are on the market), and atypical antipsychotics, which have been widely used since the mid-1990s. Antipsychotics are effective against delusions, hallucinations, aggression, and sundowning. They act rapidly and can be sedating, which makes them useful in emergencies. Haloperidol can also be given by injection if the need is urgent. Conventional antipsychotics sometimes cause three kinds of neurological side effects: 1) muscle stiffness and tremor that resemble Parkinson's Disease; 2) a restless feeling called akasthesia that may make the person want to pace around even more; and 3) after high doses given for many months or years, involuntary movements of the mouth or hands called tardive dyskinesia. A reasonable dose of haloperidol to treat agitation while minimizing side effects is about 1--2 mg/day, often given at bedtime.
The newer atypical antipsychotics represent a potential advance because they are less likely to cause neurological side effects. For this reason, many experts in our recent survey prefer to use the atypical antipsychotics rather than conventional antipsychotics, especially for long-term treatment. Even though they cost more and are not always free of side effects, they may be preferable for many patients in the long run.
The atypical antipsychotics in widest use now are risperidone (Risperdal) and olanzapine (Zyprexa). Risperidone has been tested extensively in older patients with dementia and agitation and can be as effective as conventional antipsychotics and, at a low dose, is usually free of neurological side effects. Possible side effects of risperidone are sedation and dizziness when standing. Side effects can be minimized by starting with a low dose, 1 mg or less per day. Small amounts can be given either by breaking a scored pill or using a liquid form. Olanzapine can be somewhat more sedating than risperidone, but is a useful alternative, especially for a person who has had muscle stiffness on risperidone, which occasionally happens, or for someone who has Parkinson's Disease. The typical starting dose is a 2.5 mg pill at bedtime. Quetiapine (Seroquel) had just recently been introduced at the time we were writing this guide: other atypical antipsychotics are expected to be available soon and may prove useful as more is learned.
The type of antidepressant most often recommended for older persons with dementia is medication from the group known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Most experts prefer one of these two agents:
Other antidepressant choices to consider for an older person with dementia are listed below in alphabetical order:
desipramine (Norpramin, Pertofrane and others; a tricyclic)
fluoxetine (Prozac, an SSRI)
fluvoxamine (Luvox, an SSRI)
nortriptyline (Pamelor or Aventyl; a tricyclic)
Clearly, there are many antidepressants to choose from. There is often a need to try several medications before finding the best one for an individual. It is important to be very patient, since it often takes several weeks to tell if a medicine is working. During the waiting period, you can sometimes help keep up a personís spirits with activities, a day program, or a support group.
Among the antidepressants, sertraline or paroxetine is often chosen first because these antidepressants have few side effects (occasionally insomnia or nausea) and are usually safe to combine with other medications an older person is likely to be taking, They are given once a day (usually in the morning). If these do not work, an alternative can be chosen, tailored to the needs of the individual. For example, bupropion and venlafaxine tend to be energizing and might be chosen for someone who is very withdrawn or apathetic. Nefazodone is relatively calming and might be a good choice for someone with a great deal of anxiety. The tricylic antidepressants tend to have more troublesome side effects, such as dry mouth, constipation, and dizziness if a person stands up too quickly. However, when used by experienced doctors and carefully monitored, they are sometimes quite effective in severe depression.
People with depression can also have delusions, such as a fear that body organs are not working, that they have been abandoned by everyone, or that they have no more money (when in fact they have). Delusional depression can be life-threatening due to suicide, or because of refusal to eat and drink, which can cause severe weight loss and dehydration. Agitation and trouble sleeping are also often very prominent. Although these symptoms can be very upsetting to witness, there are effective treatments. Usually, the first strategy is to combine the antidepressant with an antipsychotic medication. If severe depression or delusional depression does not respond to medications, electroconvulsive therapy can be lifesaving. Although there are many negative myths surrounding shock treatment, it is very safe when given by experts and is an important tool for the severely depressed person who is in extreme suffering.
Antidepressants can also be used in conditions other than depression. Some antidepressants, especially the SSRIs, can help with anxiety. Tricyclics and SSRIs are also used for pain relief in arthritis and certain types of nerve pain if over-the-counter medicines like Tylenol or Advil havenít worked. Trazodone, a relative of nefazodone, is sold as an antidepressant but is usually too sedating for this purpose; we discuss it later as a sleeping aide.
Divalproex is best known as a treatment for brain disorders, such as epilepsy and seizures, and as a mood stabilizer for bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness). It can also help with behavioral symptoms in older persons with dementia, especially in a person showing aggression, anger, or hypersexual behavior. It is often combined with an antipsychotic. The side effects of divalproex are nausea and sedation, which can usually be controlled by starting at small doses, making gradual adjustments, and monitoring the level of medication in the bloodstream. A low to average final dose of divalproex is 250 mg two or three times a day.
Carbamazepine is another anti-seizure medication that is also sometimes used for agitation. It can lower blood counts, which need to be monitored.
Buspirone is an anti-anxiety medication that is not habit-forming and does not cause sedation. Buspirone is an excellent choice for someone who is very nervous or worried but does not have psychotic delusions. It is sometimes helpful for someone who gets angry too easily. It is also very safe to combine with other medications that an older person may be taking for general medical problems. Side effects of headache, dizziness, or nausea can occur if the dose is too strong; once in a while it can also cause overstimulation. Buspirone works gradually, and the dose usually needs to be adjusted over 2 to 6 weeks before beneficial effects can be judged. A typical starting dose is 5 to 7.5 mg twice a day, whereas a final dose may be 15 to 30 mg twice a day.
Trazodone is a relatively safe, non-habit-forming medication that is technically considered to be an antidepressant, but is actually used more often simply to help the individual get a good nightís sleep. It is also a good short-term alternative treatment for anxiety or when a mild sedative is needed. It should be started in very small amounts at first and adjusted upward until the right dose is found, usually about 50 mg. To help with sleep it should be given about 1 hour before bedtime. Its effects usually last about 8 hours, so if it is being used to help with daytime agitation, it may need to be given two or three times a day. Its main side effect is drowsiness if the dose is too high. Other side effects include dizziness when standing up and, very rarely, painful erections of the penis in men. Nefazodone (Serzone), a new antidepressant related to trazodone, is sometimes used for similar purposes; it may have fewer side effects.
zolpidem (Ambien) (a related sedative)
Benzodiazepines are a group of about a dozen medications that cause sedation and can relieve anxiety. They are best used only in temporary situationsóonce in a while for sleep or for a daytime crisis of anxiety or agitation when someone needs to be calmed down quickly. In an emergency, benzodiazepines are sometimes combined with an antipsychotic; they can also be combined for a week or more with other medicines that may take longer to start working, such as divalproex.
The benzodiazepines listed above are preferred by experts for use in older people because they are cleared from the body relatively quickly. The effects of others, such as flurazepam (Dalmane) and clonazepam (Klonopin), can last 24 hours or longer; these longer-acting agents are usually best avoided because they may cause daytime sedation or falling. A typical dose of lorazepam is 0.5 mg; its effects last about 8 hours, so it is sometimes used two or three times over the course of a day for someone who is very agitated. Zolpidem, the effects of which last 6 to 8 hours, is usually given only to help sleep, at an average dose of 5 mg. Temazepam and oxazepam are good alternative choices that are cleared from the body relatively quickly. Benzodiazepines are habit-forming if used steadily for more than a few weeks; even single doses can cause unsteady gait and interfere with memory.
Because of the disadvantages of benzodiazepines, it is usually best to avoid using them for the long-term treatment of insomnia, anxiety, or agitation unless other choices have failed.
Hope our logo helps you find your way back to us.
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Nov. 13, 2008: Home Energy Bills Are Up, but Most Deny Using More Energy
November 13, 2008
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Despite government reports documenting that consumers now use more electricity than five years ago, 61 percent of consumers deny using more. So reports Shelton Group’s fourth annual Energy Pulse study, which also reflects widespread economic concern tied to energy use, with 62 percent of Americans indicating they have experienced home utility cost increases of 10-30 percent or more.
“For the first time in four years we increasingly see economic concerns driving consumer interest in conserving energy,” said Suzanne Shelton, CEO of Shelton Group, an advertising agency that independently sponsors the study.
“However, one thing hasn’t changed since 2005: most Americans don’t view their own consumption behaviors or energy-use demand as having much to do with energy costs,” Shelton said. In fact, Energy Pulse 2008 finds that less than one-fourth of consumers mention U.S. consumer demand as most to blame for rising energy prices. Most consumers either blamed kids in the home for increased electricity usage or said they did not think they used more electricity because they now had no kids in the home.
When asked the primary reason to participate in energy conservation activities or purchases, the top three answers were the same as in 2007 but shifted in order, with saving money No. 1 - again, reflecting tougher economic times:
1. To save money (ranked No. 3 in 2007).
2. To protect our environment and save natural resources (remained No. 2 from 2007).
3. To preserve the quality of life for future generations (ranked No. 1 in 2007).
“Energy costs are forcing Americans to prioritize energy efficiency in their daily lives,” Shelton said. “For the first time since 2005, energy-efficient home improvements edged out aesthetic improvements as a priority.”
When asked, “Given an extra $10,000 in your construction budget for discretionary items, which of the following would you choose?”, the top three answers consisted of the following: replace windows (35.2 percent), replace HVAC system or furnace (26.7 percent), and refinish kitchen or bathroom (26.5 percent).
When Energy Pulse asked participants if they would choose one home over another based on energy efficiency, 81 percent said yes, up considerably from 69 percent in 2007.
Additionally, when participants were asked which, from a number of messages, would be the most persuasive to encourage home buyers to spend $4,000 more on energy-efficient or green features, the top three answers all related to saving money:
1. Energy-efficient homes have lower utility bills (25 percent).
2. An initial investment of $4,000 would, on average, be paid back within six years through reduced heating/cooling costs (19 percent).
3. Monthly utility savings would more than cover the difference in mortgage payment (14 percent).
However, most consumers have a high tolerance for bill increases. When asked how much their bill would have to go up in order to force them to undertake energy-efficient renovations, the average answer was $129 - a 62 percent increase over average reported winter heating bills and a 78 percent increase over average reported summer cooling bills. This answer indicates that many consumers would have to see a substantial increase before they would make changes.
In another sign that the current economic situation is first and foremost on Americans’ minds, responses changed in 2008 over previous years to the question, “Why don’t you do more to conserve energy?” Responses included:
1. In the current economy, I’m curtailing spending (61 percent).
2. Energy-efficient products cost more (57 percent).
The above two price-related reasons beat the former No. 1 answer for the past three years:
3. It’s hard to change habits (54 percent).
Publication date: 11/10/2008 | <urn:uuid:2ff5e90c-2924-4508-a3c1-c51539c80345> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.achrnews.com/articles/print/nov-13-2008-home-energy-bills-are-up-but-most-deny-using-more-energy | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944152 | 836 | 1.875 | 2 |
north carolina yoga teacher training - you should know the fundamentals first
Different hatha yoga disciplines, such as Iyengar or Bikram, require you to study under their own certified instructors. north carolina yoga teacher training Before you take it up, though, it is a good idea to have in mind the right information to help you succeed and get the most out of the experience. This ancient tradition of breath, movement and meditation developed within the Hindu culture of the Indian subcontinent becomes the practitioner's sacred ritual.
It has been shown to reduce blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, diminish back pain and improve cardiovascular health. Unlike traditional weight building exercises, in yoga your body provides the resistance. Each yoga instructor has a responsibility, that is, the obligation to conduct themselves in a way that represents the yoga community in a positive light. Different styles emphasize varying aspects of yoga.
When one gets physically better, you can argue that the person gets better mentally. Some types of it are more strenuous than others, so before you sign up for a class or purchase a yoga video, you may want to make sure you're choosing a yoga program that's right for you. A yoga teacher can teach an appropriate breathing pattern to cater to your needs and your condition. A thicker mat should support you with enough of a cushion effect to better protect any recent or recurring physical problem.
It ultimately begs the question does body and mind go hand and hand? An instructor also needs to be able to quickly spot incorrect postures. An important point to realize about yoga for a beginner is that it is non-competitive. Yoga can also help you improve your concentration and enhance your creativity.
There is a tonne of information on the internet and narrowing down what you are looking for can help immensely. During busy days, we may not be able to unwind because work is still on our mind. Lack of motivation is the reason for diet and exercise failure. You can choose whether you want to teach a class or prefer providing private instruction.
Also, as you take your body past the limits of where it has been, you start to feel that you can move past other limitations in your life as well. Buy appropriate video's for Yoga. It is normal for people to feel apprehensive about change, but change is often one of the gateways to success.
Lastly, regular Yoga practice will lower stress levels, allowing you to sleep better, and feel energized the next morning. To learn more useful tips for yoga teaching or to receive our free newsletter, which is packed with expert interview's, and brings you teaching insights from legendary yoga teachers, sign up in the box above.
For more information on north carolina yoga teacher training browse around this site | <urn:uuid:ab93ccda-944c-4ff8-9f0e-a235abcb1499> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.becomeayogateachertoday.com/north-carolina-yoga-teacher-training---you-should-know-the-fundamentals-first.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951876 | 555 | 1.875 | 2 |
Primary Presidential Evaluation 2008 (pre-Florida)
Joining and participating in politics... important if you are a ambitious "joiner". Observers, however, take the time to watch others participate with a keen, wincing sports-eye.
Play-by-play CNN, DrudgeReport, FoxNews, MSNBC, NPR, NY Times and TIME Magazine are feeding me versions of how the campaign is evolving.
A motto shared among all candidates. Yes, it's the same as 1968, 1980, 1992, 2000 and 2006. Front-runners on both sides offer the most diverse and publicized candidates (probably) EVER!
So, what would "change" feel like with each candidate AS president?
This is my take:
Philosophically, he's a giant. As an orator, he would inspire and motivate people in communities to take action in their own lives. Under an Obama administration, I'd expect government bottom-feeders might feel disenfranchised. He may be "rubberband-snap" America desires to get back to "sanity".
But Possible? Can he win with South Carolina, New York, California, Oregon, Washington, Massachusetts, Vermont, Georgia, Hawaii? Is this enough? In any fashion, one state at a time, he'll need to keep his head up above the stink of the Billary nonsense.
DR. RON PAUL.
Genius American conservative. The youth support the essence of "the best" of anything. The youth also enjoy deconstruction and re-construction. Unfortunately, the young often lose some pieces along the way. We all should be more like Ron Paul... and actually believe in something.
With more media attention, Ron Paul libertarianism could become a part of the American political landscape. Some ideas take time to make sense to many.
Like a fire alarm: "Break Only In Case of Romney". From the duo that pushed for NAFTA, no trust. But -- she'll work hard to do something/anything domestically. Imagine American tax dollars spent in our own country for once!
Bush/Cheney/Rove politically brow-beat our favorite POW in South Carolina in 2000. I planned on voting for him, never got the opportunity. Now he's much older and browner from standing so close to W's stain. He would lead the military fantastically. He'd probably get Powell or Schwartzcoff(sp?) on his ticket or cabinet and that would be hard *not* to vote for.
A military state doesn't really sound awesome for free people, but maybe he could clean up the mess the Bush's Wars have become. Maybe bring some stability to both the forgotten Afghanistan and economically distraught Iraq.
Cavett said it best in his NYTimes blog: "Lackwitt". Howdy-Doody, even. Anyone that values the Constitution and freedom will be disenfranchised. Romney appears to value his own morals over all others. At least W ignored us all.
So, I don't register for political parties, yet follow the campaigns. In November I'll vote for someone. For once, I'd like to win -- it's been a long while. | <urn:uuid:fe2bade1-4e25-42c4-92bc-e58bc6f95408> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.seanrox.com/southernzen/labels/Evaluation.php | 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 | 0.944447 | 652 | 1.53125 | 2 |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - State officials have offered tips for guarding against fake health insurance.
Ask hard questions, read all materials and scrutinizing websites. Coverage that boasts low rates should be alarming.
Be skeptical of ads for insurance via spam emails or blast fax.
Make sure insurance agents are selling a state-licensed insurance product.
Deal with reputable agents.
According to a news release from the Department of Commerce and Insurance, unlicensed companies defraud consumers by collecting premiums for bogus insurance policies with no intention of paying claims.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) | <urn:uuid:e3cd3a62-3fc6-446c-a075-8a0e8a77c1db> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newschannel5.com/story/18643207/officials-offer-tips-for-avoiding-fake-insurance | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00062-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.917351 | 125 | 1.867188 | 2 |
This is my first recipe from this book and I even managed to find a video by Jeff Hertzberg demonstrating this recipe on a television talk show.
This a really, really easy recipe to do! And I'm not bluffing! If it's your first time attempting bread you may want to try this. No kneading is required. All the ingredients are dumped into one bowl, let the dough proof for a couple of hours and then chuck the whole thing into the fridge for one night. The next day remove the dough from the fridge, shape it, let it proof again and then bake. What more could a baker ask for! I even left the dough in the fridge for 3 nights before baking it. I shaped the dough into one large loaf and was proofing it for about 30 minutes before I realized that I was not satisfied with the shape. I grabbed the proofing dough, punched it down again and reshaped it into 3 separate loafs. I wasn't sure if the dough could take such treatment after this ... but guess what! It did! I was totally amazed and the loafs turned out exactly as they should have.
The crust is nice and crisp and chewy, and the longer the dough sits, the more it develops a sourdough flavor. The dough can be used for other types of bread by adding dried fruit, nuts or sprinkle oats on top for a farmer's loaf. You can even use the dough for pizzas or naans.
Quick and Easy Artisan Bread
Recipe from "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes"
(makes about 4 medium loafs)
3 cups of lukewarm water
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1) Grab a very large mixing bowl, or a large container that you can cover. In it, mix the water, yeast, and salt. Just let that sit together for about 5 minutes. Then dump the flour all at once and stir with a wooden spoon. You don’t need to knead this, and you’re not looking to make it come together into a dough ball. You just want everything mixed well, with no streaks of flour left, and you’re done.
2) Leave it in your container, covered (but not airtight, or it’ll pop), for about 2 hours. When it has risen and then deflated a bit, your dough is done. It’s ready to be used or stored in the refrigerator.
To bake the Bread:
1) Just grab a chunk of dough (they recommend a chunk about the size of a grapefruit, but you can use larger chunks). Dust your hands with flour to help prevent sticking, dust the dough with flour and gently pull the sides of the dough toward the bottom, rotating the dough, until you get a roundish shape with a smooth surface. It should only take you about a minute or less to do this. The dough won’t be entirely in the bottom, where it may look bunched up, but don’t worry about it.
2) Put the dough onto a baking sheet or tray that’s been dusted with cornmeal to prevent sticking, and let it rest for at least 40 minutes. No need to cover it. If the dough has been refrigerated, it helps to let it rest a little more, until it’s no longer chilled.
3) Twenty minutes before you are ready to bake, put a pizza stone or baking sheet in the middle rack of your oven, and put a broiler pan in the bottom rack. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Dust some flour on the top of your loaf, and make some slashes on the dough, about 1/4-inch deep. (Unfortunately I didn't slash deep enough which is my the end result looks flat)
4) After twenty minutes of preheating, it’s time to bake. (You can put the bread in after 20 minutes, even if your oven hasn’t reached 450 degrees yet.) Slide the loaf onto the baking stone or sheet, and then quickly pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler pan. Then quickly shut the oven door to keep the steam inside.
5) Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until you get a nice brown crust. It tastes best when you let it cool completely. Don’t worry if your beautiful crust seems to soften a bit. It will harden again.
I served my slices of Artisan Bread with a smear of tapenade and topped it with a simple salad made of cherry tomatoes, diced red onions and cucumber and seasoned it with black pepper, salt, fresh basil, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. It made a great Sunday brunch! | <urn:uuid:cdde405a-74ba-44d3-94e0-3abea61bbf5e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sugareverythingnice.blogspot.com/2010/02/quick-and-easy-artisan-bread.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938623 | 995 | 1.523438 | 2 |
1.Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
2.Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.
3.Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't.
4.Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.
5.The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong.
6.If you lined up all the cars in the world end to end, someone would be stupid enough to try to pass them, five or six at a time, on a hill, in the fog.
7.The things that come to those who wait will be the scraggly junk left by those who got there first.
8.The shin bone is a device for finding furniture in a dark room.
9.A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.
10.When you go into court, you are putting yourself into the hands of 12 people who weren't smart enough to get out of jury duty.
Thanks Bob H. | <urn:uuid:60449e1d-810b-4943-b36e-8918bae4e193> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://southbros.blogspot.com/2006/12/murphys-lesser-known-laws.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966181 | 244 | 1.976563 | 2 |
Many types of bacteria and yeasts are relied upon in the winemaking process. However, sometimes these organisms can cause the resulting wine to spoil. Often, this spoilage results in undesirable textures as well as off odors or flavors in the finished wine, including bitterness, too much buttery character, and excessive volatile acidity.
|Acetobacter pasteurianus http://bacmap.wishartlab.com/system/images/
Winemakers often combat these issues conventionally by adding antimicrobials such as sulfur dioxide or dimethyl dicarbonate, pasteurization, or by physically removing the organisms by filtration methods. These methods may not always be completely effective, and sometimes results in other off-flavors in the finished wine.
In other aspects of the food industry, ultrasound is often used for the treatment of microbial spoilage. It is because of this, the authors of the study presented today suggested that perhaps the technology could also be used in treating microbial spoilage in wine.
How this ultrasound technique works is that high power ultrasound waves pass through a liquid (potentially wine) causing small bubbles to form and pop (a.k.a. cavitation). This cavitation process creates localized areas of high temperatures and pressures, as well as the formation of hydroxyl radicals. These conditions of high temperature and pressure can cause breakdowns in microbial cell walls, rendering the organisms more susceptible to the hydroxyl radicals, which ultimately destroy them.
Perhaps by applying these ultrasound waves to wine at some point during the winemaking process, spoilage-causing microbes could be destroyed without causing ill effects on the wine. The study presented today set out to research just that very idea.
The microbes chosen for this study were representative strains of bacteria and yeasts that are commonly associated with spoilage in wine.
The grape juice used in the study was a Semillon from the 2008 vintage. The finished red wine used in the study was produced in 2007 at the Hickinbotham Roseworthy Wine Science Laboratory at the University of Adelaide. Yeast and bacteria cells were cultured and then inoculated into saline solution (control), sterile grape juice, or sterile red wine. If you’d like to know more details about the culture methodology, just ask.
High power ultrasound was performed using a titanium alloy radial probe. The different media (grape juice or red wine) was kept in an ice bath to maintain a temperature of 23oC during the high power ultrasound irradiation. During ultrasound exposure, cultures were exposed for 2 minutes followed by a 2 minute rest. This cycle was repeated for up to 40 minutes, for a total ultrasound exposure time of 20 minutes.
Viability of bacteria and yeasts were calculated for each media. In a nutshell, 0% viability indicates that all cells are dead, whereas 100% viability means that all cells are healthy and alive.
Ultrasound-treated wines were tested for sensory impact by 31 participants (unclear who they were) who were asked to pick the wine with the same flavor and aroma as a reference that did not undergo ultrasound treatment.
- Decreases in viability following ultrasound treatments occurred for all yeast strains, though some yeasts were more susceptible than others.
- Saccharomycescerevisiae viability decreased to 20% in the saline control, and decreased only to 75% in the grape juice.
- Schizosaccharomyces pombe viability decreased to 20% in the saline control, and decreased only to 75% in the grape juice.
- Z. bailii viability initially increased after ultrasound exposure, but after 20 minutes decreased by 15% in wine, and 50% in grape juice.
o This initial viability increase may be due to the fact that Z. bailii grows in clusters, creating the illusion of increased viability when the individual cells were shaken away by the ultrasound waves from the cluster group.
- Yeasts least affected by the ultrasound treatment were Hanseniaspora uvarum (47% viability loss) and Dekkera bruxellensis (43% viability loss).
- The control for yeasts (no ultrasound treatment) did not show any increase or decrease in viability over the entire 40 minute incubation period.
- The control for bacteria (no ultrasound treatment did not show any increase or decrease in viability over the entire 40 minute incubation period.
- Viability of A. aceti in grape juice was 82%, but dropped to 40% in the saline control medium. A. aceti did not grow at all in the wine medium, so viability could not be tested.
- Acetobacter pasteurianus viability decreased to 12.8% in saline, 24.4% in red wine, and remained around 74% in juice.
- Oenococcus oeni viability decreased by around 25-35% in all media.
- Pediococcus sp. showed 45% viability in wine, 75% viability in grape juice, and 100% viability in the saline control.
- Lactobacillus plantarum viability remained between 75% and 100% for all media.
- There were significant sensory differences between wines treated with high power ultrasound and untreated control wines.
It appears from the results of this study that some yeasts and bacteria were more affected than others during the high power ultrasound treatments. The most greatly affected yeast was S. cerevisiae, while the greatest affected bacteria was A. pasteuranus. According to the authors, the variability in the effectiveness of ultrasound on yeast and bacteria viability could be a result of differing configurations of cell walls between the different species. For bacteria, some species have a thicker cell wall (gram-positive), thereby possibly making them more resistant to the physical damage caused by ultrasound treatment compared to bacteria with thinner cell walls (gram-negative).
The medium used also greatly affected the ability of the ultrasound to decrease viability of the yeasts and bacteria. According to the authors, this could be a result of the viscosity, vapor pressure, and surface tension of the different media, as all of these things alter cavitation efficiency in liquid media.
In regards to sensory changes, it is clear from this study that ultrasound treatment significantly altered the flavor/aroma of the wine. The authors speculated that this may be due to the increase in free radicals as a result of the cavitation process of ultrasound treatments. Since they do not know for sure what exactly caused this different in sensory characteristics, more research needs to be done. The authors bring up the concept of “bottle shock”, in that perhaps this change in sensory characteristics is only temporary, and needs to undergo a rest period before consumption. Again, this idea would need testing to confirm or refute it.
High power ultrasound technology may be a way to control different types of wine spoilage microorganisms, however, a lot more work needs to be done to determine exactly when in the winemaking process is ideal for treatment, as well as exactly which microorganisms the treatment would be used to treat against. This study touches briefly on these questions, but much more research needs to be done for a better understanding of the mechanisms involved.
Also, since the ultrasound treatment significantly altered the sensory characteristics of the wine, a lot more research needs to be done to try and optimize the procedure so that spoilage is maximally decreased while sensory characteristics remain unchanged (if that’s even possible). This study did not go into exactly how the flavor and aroma of the wine was just, just that it was different. More detailed sensory analysis should be conducted, in order to get a greater understanding of how this technology affects these characteristics.
Overall, I think the moral of the story is that ultrasound technologies could potentially be a treatment for preventing wine spoilage; however, there is a significant amount of research that needs to be done in order to optimize the system without resulting in any negative impacts on wine sensory characteristics.
What do you think about using ultrasound technology for combating wine spoilage? Do you think these initial results warrant further research? Or should they just toss the idea in the trash? Please leave your comments below! (no html tags, please).
Source: Luo, H., Schmid, F., Grbin, P.R., and Jiranek, V. 2012. Viability of common wine spoilage organisms after exposure to high power ultrasonics. Ultrasonics Sonochemistry 19: 415-420.
I am not a health professional, nor do I pretend to be. Please consult your doctor before altering your alcohol consumption habits. Do not consume alcohol if you are under the age of 21. Do not drink and drive. Enjoy responsibly! | <urn:uuid:24e1a992-425d-45b5-b8f9-76cce1e6ed95> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.academicwino.com/2012/03/using-ultrasound-technology-to-combat.html/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954055 | 1,782 | 3.46875 | 3 |
Morocco Travel Articles
Morocco is a country made legendary by such cities as the fabled Casablanca, and by a fluid movement of cultures across the centuries. A Moroccan cruise will reveal a kaleidoscope created from indigenous Berber, Arab and Roman, to Spanish and French influences. Men and women wear beautifully-colored traditional dress, and take great pride in the quality of home-cooked Moroccan cuisine. The food in Morocco is some of the best that can be found in Africa and the Mediterranean, with an exquisite blend of spices and a delicious focus on meats and couscous. A Mediterranean cruise would be incomplete without a visit to this beautiful African country!
Historic Cities and Cultures of Morocco
The region of modern-day Morocco has been inhabited since 8,000 BC. The Berbers were the first significant civilization to call the region home. They are an indigenous group that has lived North Africa for centuries, and have seen a long line of invaders, colonizers, and empires come and go on the northern reaches of the continent.
As Phoenicians founded Carthage and settled the surrounding regions, the Berbers became exposed to the wider world of the Mediterranean through trade and other encounters. Over the years, the Roman Empire took hold of Morocco, followed by the Vandals, Visigoths, and Byzantines. The Berbers patiently maintained their own strongholds in the mountainous highlands.
Islam came to the area in the seventh century, and a widespread assimilation took place across the countryside. As Arabs exerted their influence on the region, kingdoms formed and declined until finally the country broke away from the distant rulers of Baghdad. The Idrisid Dynasty established their capital as Fes, and soon became a considerable regional power.
Morocco didn’t reach its height as a powerful country until the Berber dynasties of he 11th century, when its reach extended across most of Northern Africa. Science, mathematics, medicine, and astronomy flourished under the Berbers’ rule. A Moroccan cruise will reveal some of the cultural legacies of this influential era.
The Legacy of Carthage
Berber tribes, the indigenous people of North Africa, were the first inhabitants of what is now Tunisia. They were responsible for the earliest expressions of Saharan rock art. Its coast was settled around the 10th century BC by Phoenicians migrating from ancient Canaan.
The great city of Carthage rose two centuries later. It became one of the richest and most advanced cities along the Mediterranean coast. It’s reach extended all the way to Sicily at its height. The glory of the city under the Phoenicians came to an end in 146 BC, when its armies suffered great losses to Rome. The city came under Roman control, and became the capital of Rome’s empire in North Africa, as well as a center for early Christianity.
Carthage changed hands in quick succession in the 5th century when it was captured by the Vandals, and recaptured by the Byzantines a century later. Another 100 years later, it fell to the Arab invasion. They destroyed the city, and replaced it with Tunis as the capital of the region. The area was controlled over the next centuries by Berbers, Turks from the Ottoman Empire, and Arabs, with a brief interlude in the 1600s as a pirate stronghold. A Tunisian cruise may off the opportunity to discover this pirate legacy along the Barbary Coast.
Morocco's Kaliedoscope of Culture
Morocco’s eventful history has helped to create a culture influenced by many others: Phoenicians, Jews, Arabs, Romans, Moors, etc. Morocco has therefore experienced a chain of religious transformations from pagan to Judaism, Christianity, and finally to Islam. It is a crossroads of the Mediterranean, Africa, the Sahara, and the Arab world.
The great majority of Moroccans, 99%, identify themselves as Berber-Arabs. Arabic and Berber are spoken widely throughout the country, although French is still used as a business language.
Visitors to Morocco will see many men wearing the traditional clothing, called djellaba, which is a long loose tunic with full sleeves. They wear baboosh, leather heel-less slippers, on their feet, and sometimes a cap on the head for special occasions. Women also wear djebella, but in beautiful bright colors with beads or ornate stitching, often with gold or silver high-heeled slippers.
The legendary city of Casablanca is located in Morocco, and a Moroccan cruise may stop there for sightseeing. It is now Morocco’s chief seaport on the Atlantic, and is home to Hassan II University and the Great Mosque. Casablanca is Morocco’s largest city, one of the best places to encounter the colorful bazaars that characterize the country.
Some of the Best Food in the Mediterranean
Morocco’s cuisine has been as diversely influenced as its culture by its colorful history. Travelers will find tastes reminiscent of the Mediterranean, Middle East, Moorish, African, Iberian, and Berber.
Moroccan dishes are generally spiced in a variety of flavors: cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, coriander, saffron, mint, and pepper are just a few. Couscous is a common base of most dishes.
Moroccan meals usually start with hot or cold salads, such as tomato and green pepper or eggplant, followed by a stew that often has a seafood base. A main dish of lamb or chicken will come next, with a plate of couscous topped with vegetables. The roasted lamb might be mechoui, or the chicken djej emshmel, cooked with olives and lemons. Dessert may come in the form of “gazelle’s horns”, a pastry stuffed with almond paste and sprinkled with sugar, or honey cakes. The most popular pastry is the bisteeya, which is a savory three layers of chicken, eggs, and lemony onion sauce.
A Moroccan cruise will feature some of the best food in Africa and the Mediterranean, although locals are quick to point out that it won’t be found in the restaurants. They acknowledge that the best food is cooked in the Moroccan home.
A Geographical Crossroads
Morocco is a North African country, with extensive coastline along both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It is just across the narrow Strait of Gibraltar from Spain, and bordered by Algeria and Western Sahara. The capital city is Rabat, although the fabled Casablanca is the largest city in the country.
The breathtaking Atlas Mountains cover the central and southern portions of Morocco. They are divided into the Middle Atlas and the High Atlas, and each are accessible to those adventurous travelers on a Moroccan cruise.
A Moroccan cruise will doubtlessly reveal the long stretches of Mediterranean beach that the country boasts. The warm, blue waters are a perfect contrast to the rich coastal plains that nudge up to their edges.
Resistance and Nationalism
The Alaouite Dynasty took control of Morocco in the 17th century, and faced increasing aggression from the Spanish and Ottoman Empires. It annexed modern-day Tangier in an effort to stave off impending invasion.
Morocco was the first nation to offer recognition to the United States as a country in 1777. Morocco’s sultan declared American merchant ships to be under his protection from the pirates ravaging the Barbary Coast. Today, the U.S.’s oldest friendship treaty remains unbroken with Morocco.
The country resisted European colonization even as interest in the region escalated in the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1904, Spain and France concluded a secret agreement that divided the country between the two powers. Germany attempted to gain some control of the mineral-rich country in 1905, nearly sparking a European war. The Moroccan sultan forced an agreement that maintained his control over his kingdom and curtailed French privileges. Six years later, the sultan submitted and allowed the nation to become a French protectorate. Spain maintained control of the south, which became known as the Spanish Sahara. Many Moroccan soldiers served in the French army during the World Wars.
Moroccan nationalism spread throughout the country during the 19th century, flaring up in 1953 when the French deposed the sultan; the Moroccan people forced his return to the throne two years later. In 1956, both Spain and France grudgingly recognized Moroccan sovereignty. Those years are known as the Revolution of the King and the People, as it strengthened the bond between the sultan and his kingdom. It is celebrated in the country every year on August 20. An African cruise may provide the opportunity to take part in these festivities.
Morocco is a constitutional monarchy with an elected Parliament. The King of Morocco appoints the Walis (governors) who administer the country’s 16 regions. The King has vast administrative powers: he appoints the prime minister, members of government, can terminate the term of any minister, call for new elections, dissolve the Parliament, or rule by decree. He is Morocco’s religious leader as well as the head of the military.
Parliament consists of the Chamber of Counselors and the Chamber of Representatives. It has limited powers that include budget concerns, some investigations, and approval authority.
Morocco’s government is exceptionally stable, with the last elections in 2002 ruled free and fair. King VI declared that the government was working toward meaningful education, gainful employment, economic development, and increased infrastructure within the country. These are admirable goals, as the country’s literacy rate among women is only about 34%, and as low as 10% in rural areas.
Because Morocco has such a varied landscape, its weather patterns are diverse. Travelers on a Mediterranean cruise should be prepared for different temperatures depending on where in Morocco they plan to visit. The Atlas Mountains are covered in snow throughout most of the year, and temperatures at high altitudes can dip below zero, while some inland areas can reach 100 degrees in the summer.
Morocco, rather than a single rainy season, has some rainy months across the year, mainly April and May, and October and November. The winter in the Saharan south of the country is always dry and very cold.
Temperatures along the coast are perfect for a beach vacation. Summer temperatures range between a perfect 64 and 79 degrees, although winter temperatures can dip to between 45 and 65 degrees.
Morocco has an astonishing variety of wildlife that roam within its borders. One of the highlights of a Moroccan cruise is a glimpse of the country’s famous Barbary ape. It inhabits the beautiful cedar forests of the Atlas Mountains, and is the best known of the Old World monkeys.
Over 100 other mammals can also be found in Morocco, including the jackal, red fox, and African Savannah hare. Wildcats include cheetahs, lions, leopards, and sand cats. The rare elephant shrew may also be seen, high in the Atlas Mountains.
The wetlands of Morocco are host to a huge amount of birdlife. The exotic flamingo may be found here, as well as black-winged stilts ,ad little-ringed plovers, alongside more common ibises, herons, and ospreys.
An African cruise may offer the chance to visit one of Morocco’s many national parks. Bokkoyas and Merdja Zerga Biological Reserves, Sous-Massa, and Toubkal are just some examples of protected areas in the country. | <urn:uuid:1a592a84-b0ea-4242-922b-605dfda55ef2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.adventure-life.com/articles/africa/morocco/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95999 | 2,400 | 2.5 | 2 |
Kenyan DJs go without food to promote peace
Stunt draws attention to 2013 elections
Three radio DJs in Kenya are going six days without food while broadcasting non-stop to promote peaceful voting in a country that was nearly torn apart after its last election five years ago.
Ghetto Radio presenters Mbusii, Solloo and Essie have been locked inside a "glass house" in central Nairobi since Wednesday, as part of the station's annual Serious Request Kenya event.
This year's theme is "Vote4Peace Vote4Kenya," ahead of the East African country's elections on March 4 2013. The vote will be the first since ethnic violence engulfed the country after disputed elections in December 2007, leaving more than 1,000 people dead and 350,000 displaced, according to the Kenya Red Cross.
Read related: Can tech revolutionize African elections?
Three days into the challenge, DJ Solloo is in good spirits -- despite the lack of food.
"I'm a bit hungry," he laughingly admits, "but we have to do this -- it's a pretty good feeling."
Solloo, whose real name is Solomon Njoroge, says Kenya cannot afford a return to post-election violence. Last time around, he says, he was a victim of the bloody unrest that swept his town of Eldoret, one of the fighting hotspots in Kenya's Rift Valley province.
Solloo says that back then he had to spend more than two weeks with limited food supplies while camping at a police station for safety.
"This country cannot afford to go back to that time," says Solloo from the glass house, a few moments before going on air. "I decided to come here because we have to push for this message to be a part of every Kenyan. It has to be every Kenyan's initiative to know that peace is more than just the absence of war."
The radio presenters' food strike kicked off on December 19 and will run until December 24. So far, Solloo says, thousands of young people have gathered outside the glass house to show their support and also take part in a host of election-related activities, including issuing of ID cards, a voter-registration program and democracy workshops.
"The response has just been amazing," says the DJ, who is relying on water and juices to get through the six-day period. "Everyone's proactive saying Kenya needs peace. We have to work for Kenya and work for peace."
Some of the country's best-known musicians have also joined the cause by performing live outside the glass house, adding their voice to a growing chorus of Kenyans calling for a peaceful election.
Kenya has had a coalition government following the disputed 2007 elections. In that vote, both Mwai Kibaki, the incumbent, and challenger Raila Odinga claimed to have won. The post-election chaos escalated into ethnic violence with members of the president's tribe, the Kikuyu, fighting members of Odinga's Luo tribe and other groups.
The two later entered into a power-sharing agreement, with Odinga named prime minister and Kibaki named president.
Despite some pre-election tensions between politicians in the country, Solloo is hopeful that Kenya's young population will show the nation's leaders that bloodshed should be avoided at all costs.
"I just want everyone to understand that we need peace," he says. "We cannot afford another post-election violence."
Copyright 2012 by CNN NewSource. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | <urn:uuid:11c2c56f-2d17-4d81-937f-101f8dc60837> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wcyb.com/news/Kenyan-DJs-go-without-food-to-promote-peace/-/14590844/17865300/-/view/print/-/amniny/-/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973988 | 744 | 1.523438 | 2 |
"Poaching is rising again in Africa, to the point where we have 20,000 elephants being killed annually just for the illegal trade," says Peter Pueschel, IFAW's Wildlife Trade Program Manager. "We see rangers risking their lives to keep these animals from being killed for the illegal trade. When you have these loopholes that allow for some trade in these products, that covers the illegal market. That's why I believe a complete ban is the only responsible approach."
Image: IFAW/D. Willetts | <urn:uuid:b26cf84c-092a-4228-81d8-8012a1daaa45> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://discovermagazine.com/sitefiles/resources/image.aspx?item=%7B9590156C-D2EA-490D-970C-8494D6780053%7D | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965166 | 109 | 1.804688 | 2 |
Internal Revenue Service has heard your frivolous tax argument before
Every year the IRS hears new and different frivolous tax arguments. The most popular unsubstantiated claims made by working class individuals yearly are compiled into a compendium by the IRS. Several frivolous tax arguments may seem ridiculous to a lot of people, but the IRS takes them very seriously. Source of article - Frivolous tax arguments are amusing, but the IRS penalty is not by MoneyBlogNewz.
Tax cheating never good to do
There is an annual report called the Truth about Frivolous Tax Arguments. The 2011 report was just released by the IRS. The document was 87 pages long. It described many tax evasion scenarios that have been popular. The document also involves the official legal policies the government has used to get frivolous tax arguments rejected by courts, as well as the penalties and sanctions levied against would-be tax cheats as a result. Most of the arguments are spread on the Internet by a growing number of scam artists posing as brave crusaders against an unjust government and consist of refusal to pay federal income taxes for moral, religious, semantic or philosophical reasons.
Paying for an argument
You will find many people that say they aren’t a “person” as the Internal Revenue Service define it in their argument. Others have argued that the federal income tax is unconstitutional or that paying taxes is voluntary. Foreign income is taxable for military members occasionally. Some military members do not have to pay on income. At least 10,000 individuals make an effort to keep away from paying taxes yearly. Several try to file frivolous tax return arguments. These individuals will get a $5,000 IRS penalty. An IRS penalty up to $25,000 is given to any working class individuals that take this argument to court. Since the 2000 tax year, the Department of Justice has filed injunctions against more than 455 corporations and individuals for frivolous tax arguments.
Never seeing courts rule in favor of tax arguers
The IRS said you will find three very popular arguments. These consist of that paying taxes is against the 13th Amendment, that it's against the Fifth Amendment and that it's against one’s religion. ”Paying taxes is against my religion” is one courts just rule against. According to the fifth amendment, an individual won’t be “deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law." Nevertheless, the government can collect from U.S. citizens. This is part of the law. Courts do not think the idea that paying taxes is servitude is really a valid argument when using the 13th Amendment.
Christian Science Monitor
It was just an average Saturday morning back in April 2009 when Kelly Jent's life changed forever. Kelly, a Springfield resident and 33-year-old mother of three, was helping a friend with a yard sale when she suddenly felt the uncontrollable urge to go to the bathroom.
To read this and other Her Well-Being stories, click here. | <urn:uuid:0bead1db-fd67-4173-872a-2a7377bd366b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://hernashville.com/her/internal-revenue-service-has-heard-your-frivolous-tax-argument | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954484 | 611 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Jim OwensCoaching Tree
Jim Owens is a member of the following coaching trees:
What is a coaching tree?
A coaching tree is a graphical depiction of the former assistant coaches of a certain head coach that then went on and became head coaches. The tree also shows the next generations of head coaches at each layer.
In the above Jim Owens coaching tree, only the coaches named directly below Jim Owens are the head coaches that were former assistants of Jim Owens.
Coaching trees can be useful to track the philosophical influence of a particular coach as well as tracing the "lineage" of a coach back to various other coaches. Recently in the NFL, all 32 head coaches could be traced back to three prominent head coaches: Bill Walsh, Bill Parcells and Marty Schottenheimer. | <urn:uuid:0ada6816-955d-44c5-ab6e-bb3495efb907> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://coachingroots.com/football/coaches/jim-owens/coaching-tree | 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 | 0.987785 | 159 | 1.585938 | 2 |
The Doberman Pinscher is compactly built, muscular, very powerful. He is elegant in appearance, of proud carriage, reflecting great nobility and temperament. They are proud, alert and athletic, with endurance and speed.
Devoted and fearless, the Doberman Pinscher is universally known as a "police dog" for its duty on the German Front during World War I. An excellent breed for a jogger to own, he may be a challenge because of his dominance for the elderly or disabled.
Solid black, brown, blue and fawn with rust markings on the head, body and legs.
Short and close to their bodies. Coat care is minimal.
Generally healthy. Wobblers Syndrome (disease of the spinal column of the neck). Lethal heart disorder. Von Willebrand's disease is no longer a large problem. To minimize the risk of your Doberman developing any hereditary health issues, you should buy a Doberman dog from a reputable Doberman breeder. | <urn:uuid:cf607e46-4e29-4903-9462-8612a7d3354c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.europuppy.com/dog_breed_choosing/doberman_pinscher_puppies.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941718 | 208 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Over the years, Food Management’s editorial team has covered many natural and other disasters. Food is always a critical issue in any relief effort and our readers have often been intimately involved in helping mitigate the difficult conditions that always accompany these events.
From Hurricane Andrew to flooding in North Dakota, to 9/11 and Hurricanes Katrina, Irene and now Sandy, we’ve always found FSDs and their staffs working side by side with emergency responders, management teams and medical personnel.
That said, the lessons learned in retrospect from these and similar events are always uncannily familiar. One of the most important is the value of an Emergency Preparedness plan, and more importantly, a plan that has been tested and reviewed regularly. Too many of these are little more than bureaucratic white papers that sit on office shelves, and are of little use in the case of an emergency that really requires advance planning.
There is often little a foodservice director can do to influence how effectively a host institution prepares for emergencies. But there is much a director can do to ensure that his or her department is prepared for one.
One of the most important contributions is to ensure that foodservice supply chain relationships are firmly established, that key understandings are in place with distributors and embedded in their contracts, and that advance arrangements are clearly documented. Here’s a recap of some other lessons:
Establish an Emergency Preparedness Plan—and your distributor’s role in it—ahead of time. For example: does your primary distributor maintain emergency power backup generators at its site? Can it provide temporary refrigerated storage if asked to do so?
Importantly, what kind of emergency preparedness plan does the distributor itself have in place for its own business continuity? Does it have standing mutual aid agreements with other distributors for supplies in an emergency? What kinds of emergency arrangements has it made with key manufacturers, such as bottled water providers?
Consider that regional emergencies are much different than individual location emergencies. If you will be one of many customers clamoring for emergency services and supplies, understand how your distributor will establish its priorities among customers, institutions and government requests.
Ensure that both you and your suppliers have exchanged copies of your emergency plans. Understand what you can reasonably expect and make sure you and the distributoraccurately share that understanding.
Make sure you exchange up-to-date lists of key contacts on a regular basis, including office, home and cell numbers, email addresses and (if appropriate) social media arrangements. Include info for all key staff and distributor contacts (not just for your regular sales contact). The order of contact priority should be clear, as should the responsibility for communicating crisis messages and arrangements across both organizations.
Make sure security issues are addressed in advance. Signed letters of understanding and advance security clearances can avoid many security hassles when time is of the essence.
Don’t assume deliveries and receiving will occur in the same way they do normally. Have you established alternate delivery locations if they MIGHT be necessary? Who is in charge of ordering and receiving in case of an emergency?
A few other things to keep in mind:
• Make sure you take beginning and ending inventories, especially for insurance and reimbursement purposes;
• Assign special charge numbers for emergency deliveries.
• Track use of specific product if you are a regional emergency center that will have to feed non-employee, non-student or non-patient customers. It simplifies billback issues later.
A longer and more detailed version of this column is on the food-management.com website. Go here. | <urn:uuid:a167d760-7f87-4317-a024-04071ddd6164> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://food-management.com/editor039s-page/re-learning-preparedness-lessons | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953929 | 736 | 2.171875 | 2 |
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
What Happens Once Global Warming
is at Full Power?
One trend in pollution has been diminishing the effects of another, but as particulate emissions are contained, their disappearance from the atmosphere will unmask the true impact of global warming
Scripps Institution of Oceanography / University of California, San DiegoOne of the parameters that allows Earth to sustain life is its ability to reflect solar radiation, but to this day there is no existing theory that explains how the planet's "albedo," or reflectivity, is achieved or maintained.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego scientist V. Ramanathan has pondered planetary albedo for years but argues that the topic now warrants a serious examination from the greater scientific community. As two consequences of pollution-global warming and global dimming-influence Earth's climate, their trends could jeopardize a condition now optimally set to support life.
V. Ramanathan stands atop a climate observatory at Hanimaadhoo in the Republic of Maldives.
Percentages of the sunlight that is reflected from Earth's surface and atmosphere vary widely. Fresh snow and some clouds, for instance, can have albedos greater than 50 percent while dark surfaces such as the surface of the ocean reflect less than five percent of the light that strikes them. Clouds overall double the planetary albedo. Earth and the atmosphere as a whole maintain an albedo that hovers around 29 percent.
Ramanathan notes that if Earth's albedo were to increase only three percent, the resulting climate change would throw the planet into an ice age. A three-percent decrease would create a severe heating effect comparable to that caused by a sixfold increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide, far greater than anything projected by today's climate models.
Global warming and global dimming both have the potential to alter Earth's prevailing albedo through complex climate feedbacks. Ramanathan suggests there is evidence that they already have. Despite their common origin in human activities, however, they have done so in ironically contradictory fashion.
In the past century, industrial and agricultural activities have generated an infusion of particulate pollution into the atmosphere. Inputs of soot and other aerosols into the atmosphere have made the planet dimmer by limiting the solar radiation that reaches its surface. The phenomenon also impacts human health by exposing people to smog and on agriculture by limiting the production of rain-bearing clouds.
Human activity has also introduced unprecedented concentrations of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, causing the planet to trap more heat and retain more water vapor. After correctly predicting in 1980 that global warming would be detected by 2000, Ramanathan observed at the end of the 20-year period that the amount of warming was roughly half what he'd predicted. The stifling of the warming trend is generally attributed to a counteracting cooling effect caused by global dimming, an inference that has since been supported by data collected by Ramanathan and others from a number of field campaigns.
But what will happen when the counterbalance is eliminated? Already Western nations have been successful in reducing particulate pollution and Ramanathan believes emerging nations, most importantly in south Asia, will soon follow suit. As one form of pollution is eliminated, the mask concealing the true impact of global warming will be stripped away. He predicts an acceleration of warming trends to take place in coming decades but what that means for cloud formation, hydrological cycles and other events that affect albedo is unknown.
"We're sort of in uncharted territory when it comes to what happens 30 or 40 years from now," Ramanathan said.
Related to AGU Fall Meeting 2006 "Bjerknes Lecture: Global Dimming and Its Masking Effect on Global Warming"
# # #
Note to broadcast and cable producers: University of California, San Diego provides an on-campus satellite uplink facility for live or pre-recorded television interviews. Please phone or e-mail the media contact listed above to arrange an interview.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, at University of California, San Diego, is one of the oldest, largest and most important centers for global science research and education in the world. The National Research Council has ranked Scripps first in faculty quality among oceanography programs nationwide Now in its second century of discovery, the scientific scope of the institution has grown to include biological, physical, chemical, geological, geophysical and atmospheric studies of the earth as a system. Hundreds of research programs covering a wide range of scientific areas are under way today in 65 countries. The institution has a staff of about 1,300, and annual expenditures of approximately $155 million from federal, state and private sources. Scripps operates one of the largest U.S. academic fleets with four oceanographic research ships and one research platform for worldwide exploration.
Share This Story | <urn:uuid:98672625-f510-46fd-b8ab-e85699c27284> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://scrippsnews.ucsd.edu/Releases/?releaseID=761 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00047-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937179 | 998 | 4.09375 | 4 |
I’ve been meaning to write a “how this urbanist stopped worrying and learned to love the driverless car” post for a while, but I’ve finally been spurred into action by this piece in the Atlantic Cities by Greater Greater Washington founder David Alpert. Right up front I want to say I still have a lot of concerns about how we plan and incorporate robot cars, but on this issue of competing road users, I take a different view.
Alpert’s contention is that in our society’s haste to adopt driverless cars, we will “intensify current tensions” between drivers (more accurately called passengers in a robot car-filled world of the future) and non-auto users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, who are trying to use the same right of way. I think this case is overstated for a number of reasons.
The author’s main evidence for the idea that tensions will be increased is reference to an animation done by some computer scientists that showed how to optimize an intersection when most of the cars are driverless, thus increasing flow. According to the article,
[H]uman-driven cars would have to wait for a signal that would be optimized based on what everyone else is doing. And the same would be true of pedestrians and bike riders.
And to that Alpert reacts:
That certainly sounds like all other users of the road will have to act at the convenience of the driverless cars, under constraints designed to maximize vehicle movement instead of balancing the needs of various users…
The video even depicts an intersection with a whopping 12 lanes for each roadway, at a time when most transportation professionals have come to believe that grids of smaller roads, not mega-arterials, are the best approach to mobility in metropolitan areas.
Driverless cars, therefore, are poised to trigger a whole new round of pressure to further redesign intersections for the throughput of vehicles above all else.
I’m not sure how this one animation demonstrates why driverless cars would trigger a gush of road-building or elimination of non-auto facilities. Setting aside the fact that I’m sure this animation was developed as a proof-of-concept (I can hear the research team now: “If we use 12 lanes in each direction, it will look even more impressive!”), this leads me to my first objection to the premise that driverless cars will increase tensions.
Driverless cars don’t make bad roads, people make bad roads
As Alpert himself states, “Already, cities host ongoing and raucous debates over the role of cars versus people on their streets. For over 50 years, traffic engineers with the same dreams about optimizing whizzing cars have designed and redesigned intersections to move more and more vehicles.” Yes, and we’ll continue to have this debate into the future whether robot cars are adopted or not. Given that gradual adoption of this technology is the most likely scenario (more on that later), I don’t see auto users getting more vocal (than they already are) about road capacity because there car has a few more widgets.
Building a balanced transportation system that looks at the full picture of quality of life rather than just mobility and speed will continue to be a challenge, although we seem to be making some progress in that direction. Issues of public health, environmental impact and land use impacts will probably always take some extra effort to incorporate into transportation decision-making, an effort organizations like Greater Greater Washington should continue to make. I view this as an institutional problem, failing to bring full information about transportation systems impacts to the design table, and it should be addressed in our decision-making processes.
12-lane at-grade intersections would make any cityscape pretty awful, but that leads me to my second objection:
Driverless cars can do more with less
Maybe the computer scientists at UT Austin should have showed a 2-lane 4-way intersection with driverless cars instead of a 12-lane intersection. They also should have showed a comparison with a present day intersection. One of the potential benefits of driverless cars is squeezing more flow or capacity out of the road systems we already have. Cars can drive closer together, and yes, maybe intersections can look more India-like. Potentially, we’ll get more from our existing concrete without having to widen or reduce non-auto infrastructure.
There is also this nagging funding issue. In Minnesota for example, we already can’t pay for all the roads we want. So 1) a huge explosion of more road-building probably isn’t likely and 2) driverless cars give us kind of another way out: if we’re intent on adding more capacity, maybe we can make our vehicles smarter rather than our roads wider.
Driverless cars are safer
The first forays into “driverless cars” are about collision detection and avoidance (see a long list of existing implementation here). Google’s driverless car has driven 200,000 miles and been involved in two accidents (both while being driven by a human). Before any cars are driving themselves around, their computer brains will just be allowed to stop us from having accidents. This is good for auto users and others alike. And their adoption will happen gradually (they’ll be pretty expensive at first).
It seems obvious that driverless cars will be programmed to not hit pedestrians and cyclists. Driverless cars will never (or very rarely) drive in a bike lane or right-hook a cyclist. And for the next fifty years, they’ll probably be operating on roadways that look very similar to what we have today, pedestrian cross-walks and all. The dys/utopian future where we have streets with tightly-spaced driverless cars traveling 200 mph is quite a ways off, and when that happens, why shouldn’t they be limited access and/or grade separated? Wouldn’t we require the same of high-speed rail?
Again, there are lots of other potential negative impacts we need to be aware of as driverless cars become common (see my summary here), but I think these can be addressed by human policy decisions. We also need to take some drastic action on emissions from transportation that contribute to climate change, and robot cars will likely not have a measurable impact there for some time (it’s also possible our action, if we take any, may actually delay their deployment). | <urn:uuid:95ddbbab-0498-4a78-8ef7-7c962b81c6a6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://netdensity.net/tag/pedestrian/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954277 | 1,332 | 2.46875 | 2 |
During the 22nd century, the Ornarans suffered from a deadly plague that was cured with the medication felicium from the planet Brekka. Unfortunately, felicium was later found to have powerfully addictive narcotic effects, with the result that all Ornarans had become addicted to the drug. The Brekkians exploited the situation, selling felicium to the Ornarans, while concealing from them the fact that the drug was no longer needed to control the plague.
Generations of drug addiction resulted in loss of intelligence and technical knowledge, and by 2364, the Ornarans no longer had the ability to maintain their interplanetary freighters that they needed to transport felicium from Brekka to Ornara. As a result, the freighter Sanction was destroyed above Brekka when a drive-coil malfunction made it impossible for the ship to maintain a stable orbit. Although the malfunction was fairly minor, the Ornarans' technical ignorance made the problem disastrous.
The Ornarans, along with the Brekkians, requested Federation assistance in repairing their remaining ships, but USS Enterprise-D Captain Jean-Luc Picard declined to render aid, citing Prime Directive considerations. (TNG: "Symbiosis") | <urn:uuid:2678496b-6251-49ad-84aa-6061495b5c55> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Ornaran | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959319 | 256 | 1.976563 | 2 |
From The Telegraph
It's some of the comments which got me:Those who had a series of five consultations with a homeopathic doctor experienced “significant clinical benefits,” - whether the tincture they received was a specially prepared “homeopathic” remedy used to treat rheumatism, or a placebo.
Patients given exactly the same remedies without the consultations did not gain the improvements.
The study’s authors said the findings suggested that simply “talking and listening” to patients could dramatically assist their health.
Prof George Lewith, Professor of Health Research from Southampton University, said: “This research asked the question: 'Is homeopathy about the talking, or is it about the medicine?’ We found it was about the talking, and indeed about the listening.”
Today 11:05 AM
Oh dear, it must mean that all the animals treated must have heard, understood and believed every word that was spoken to them.
What an absolute load of rubbish and waste of research time and money
Today 01:42 PM
... The reason scientists need to legitimise homoeopathy is that people need it and it is effective. The present attitude of the scientific establishment is rather like refusing to accept that Newcomen's steam engine doesn't work (1804) because Kelvin hasn't formulated the second law of thermodynamics (1850).
The main way the Telegraph is superior to to Mail is that it has more paper with which to wipe the botty.
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear
bright, until you hear them speak. | <urn:uuid:ee0c134d-a3aa-4bfe-aa88-710189348e96> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rationalinquiry.org.uk/forum/showthread.php/5755-Homeopathy-works?p=93403&viewfull=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964222 | 333 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Narrative:The Dornier 228 originated from Lagos (LOS) at 07:00 UTC. Destination was Eket.
Enroute, the captain briefed his copilot that the wind was northerly at 2 knots. He decided to use runway 19. He also briefed that they would descend to the Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA) of 500 ft. and if they did not have the field in sight by then, they would carry out a missed approach, maintain runway heading and climb to 1,500 ft
From Lagos, they were cruising at 11,000 ft. and started the descent at about 77 nm from Port Harcourt, which was close to Eket. On clearance to 5000 ft by Port Harcourt Approach Control, the crew called Eket Control who descended them to 3,500 ft. At about 10 nm from Eket the NDB frequency was picked up and the crew informed Eket that they were leaving 3500ft for 1500. When the aircraft came overhead the NDB they shot the approach. On the outbound leg of 195 they turned 45░ for a right procedure turn and still maintaining 1500ft. Flap 1 was selected with the speed lever set in the high RPM position. With the runway inbound on track 105 magnetic, the landing gear was selected in the down position and the aircraft was descended to 500ft. After 90 seconds into the final approach on runway 01, the co-pilot called out "runway-in-sight" but the captain thought the aircraft was high, so he announced he was overshooting, whereas, while giving evidence the co-pilot said she advised the overshoot when the ADF needle swung. Another approach was attempted. They came back to the same runway 01 to maintain the MDA and the runway was sighted from about 2 miles out at 400ft height. The co-pilot thought the aeroplane was high and called for a missed approach. Then another landing attempt was made for runway 19. At about between 600 - 700ft height above the approach path, the captain instructed his co-pilot "when you see the field, give me flaps 2, I am going to land". As soon as the co-pilot sighted the runway at about 2nm out, she selected flap 2. The captain descended for the field and while they came over the threshold, the speed was between 95 and 98 knots. Height above threshold was 300ft; the co-pilot felt that the aeroplane was high, but she thought that at flap 2 the aircraft was committed to land. This time the First Officer did not warn the captain though she felt that the aircraft was high. The captain said that he descended fast from 300ft with the target aim of touching down at about the 6th centre line marking from the threshold. After the touchdown, the captain applied reverse pitch but no effect of the deceleration was felt. He then moved the throttle levers to the maximum reverse position, yet there was no deceleration effect. The next action was to go on the brakes while the aircraft still had the rolling speed of about 80 knots. The captain felt that only the right brakes were effective because-the aeroplane skidded to the right; when there was no directional control, the captain said that he then used the opposite rudder for control. The commander was still fighting with the directional control when the aeroplane overran the end of the paved way at about 40 knots with the brakes still applied.
The airplane sustained damage to the wheels and propellers. The fuselage was buckled just forward of the left wing leading-edge and at the fuselage/wing rear attachment point. Also the right hand side of the fuselage had bucklings at the forward section.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The accident was probably caused by the failure of the crew to accord due considerations and proper planning to the prevailing weather conditions. This resulted in a long landing, which extended into the unsuccessful braking action.
The contributory factor to the accident was the emergence of communication breakdown and non display of professional airmanship within the cockpit area. The crux of that discord is the company's recommendation to seat a trainee officer on the left seat for at least 100 flying hours. This decision was not verbally resisted by the senior trainee captain but the aura existed everywhere and this led to the animosity within the cockpit."
Follow-up / safety actions | <urn:uuid:a3ac6600-98ef-46de-8b1d-d97069841911> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19920226-0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980599 | 905 | 2.375 | 2 |
ATVs and Offroading is becoming more popular every year. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission over the last 15 years the number of ATVs in use in the United States has sky-rocketed from less than half a million to over 10 million.
While that's good for the ATV industry and the communities that benefit from the economical push associated with providing people a place to ride ATVs, it may not be so good for Mother Nature. As the numbers increase the demand for resources increases as well, including the demand for more oil/petrolium based products and the demand for more land with which to ride.
There are ever increasing numbers of products we can use on or with our quads that will help us, as a community of good stewards to the environment, have less of a negative impact while we recreate.
Alternative Fuel Vehicles
There's a huge push towards removing or at least reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. The biggest way the ATV and offroading community can impact this trend is to consider alternative fuel vehicles when you're ready to buy a new ATV.
Those buying a utility ATV will find the most variety. The original electric ATV, the Model One EUV by Barefoot Motors, is off to a good start in the migration process to alternative fuel sources. Polaris has stepped it up a notch by adding the EV Electric Powered Side-By-Side (SxS) to the mix for 2010 and stepped it up a few notches since. And what about compressed air as a propulsion alternative? It could happen!
Use Green Products
There are more and more eco-friendly products becoming available for 4x4 and offroading enthusiasts. Whether it's maintenance, repair, or even bling, you can find eco-friendly alternatives ranging from Yamalube Biodegradable Foam Air Filter Oil to eco-friendly tires based on, wait for it...tree fibre!
Some of the other ways you can help reduce Environmental Impact include:
- Supporting and Partnering with Environmental Groups
- Political Activism | <urn:uuid:184ae8ea-2c32-4b86-9296-8f344d360c5e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://4wheeldrive.about.com/od/environmentalconsideration/a/Eco-Friendly-ATVs-Offroading.htm | 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 | 0.946392 | 421 | 2.484375 | 2 |
Henry David Thoreau was a sturdy individualist and a lover of nature. In March, 1845, he built himself a wooden hut on the edge of Walden Pond, near Concord, Massachusetts, where he lived until September 1847. Walden is Thoreaus autobiograophical account of his Robinson Crusoe existence, bare of creature comforts but rich in contemplation of the wonders of nature and the ways of man. On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience is the classic protest against government's interference with individual liberty, and is considered one of the most famous essays ever written. This newly repackaged edition also includes a selection of Thoreau's poetry. | <urn:uuid:f03c13a7-aa7c-4b00-b1eb-f872a1327fc4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.americanpoems.com/store/1052-1000-0451500326-Walden_or_Life_in_the_Woods_and_On_the_Duty_of_Civil_Disobedience.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946089 | 136 | 3.0625 | 3 |
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 06: Runners cross the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge towards Brooklyn at the start of the ING New York City Marathon as seen from the air on November 6, 2011 in New York City.
Photographer: Chris Trotman/Getty Images
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
NEW YORK (AP) - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg says New York City Marathon has been canceled.
His statement Friday came after mounting criticism that this was not the time for a race.
With people in storm-ravaged areas still shivering without electricity and the death toll in New York City at more than 40, many New Yorkers recoiled at the prospect of police officers being assigned to protect a marathon on Sunday.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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The ABC Action News weather team takes a look at what you need to do to prepare for this hurricane season. | <urn:uuid:59c56cee-bed6-4589-a3c2-bbedf2d7224c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/weather/hurricane/mayor-bloomberg-says-nyc-marathon-canceled | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.909264 | 227 | 1.539063 | 2 |
According to American Cancer Society statistics, more than 4,000
Maryland women received a breast cancer diagnosis in 2004. That year,
female breast cancer claimed 760 lives, more than any other cause except
heart disease, lung cancer and colorectal cancer. Pink "awareness"
ribbons are everywhere, but there are also concrete things we as women
can do to protect our lives from breast cancer.
"The best thing that we know (to do) at this point is regular mammogram
screening starting at age forty, then yearly throughout life," says Dr.
Laurence Polsky, a gynecologist with offices in St. Mary's County.
"Mammograms alone miss about ten percent. For the rest, the only way to
find them is to feel them. Deaths decrease by 20-25% for women who use
both screening methods."
The press has often focused in recent years on genetic risk factors for
breast cancer. While a family history of breast cancer does increase a
woman's risk of cancer, according to Dr. Polsky, only five percent of
cases are clearly linked to a genetic component.
Lifestyle factors can influence whether or not a woman develops breast
cancer. Breastfeeding seems to have some protective effect, as does
pregnancy before age thirty, but breast cancer prevention isn't a reason
to decide to have a baby.
Race can be a factor, although even there the facts are a bit murky:
white women have the highest rate of occurrence of breast cancer;
African-American women are less likely to develop breast cancer, but
more likely to die of it. There is little professional consensus on why
that should be. Is it truly genetic? Or is it because African-American
women (and Hispanics, as well) statistically have been shown to be less
likely than whites to go for regular breast cancer screenings? Women who
come to America from Asia have a lower risk of breast cancer, although
that risk rises, the longer Asian-American women live in the U.S.
Obesity is one risk factor with a clear connection to breast cancer. The
heavier a woman is, the more likely she is to develop breast cancer in
her lifetime. Current theory on the weight-cancer connection suggests
that women with more fat deposits, especially after menopause, are
bathing their body in estrogen converted from those fat cells. "It's
just one more reason to try to keep your weight at a reasonable level,"
says Dr. Polsky.
More and more local women are taking advantage of cancer treatment
programs right here in Southern Maryland. Area hospitals can provide
cancer surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation close to home, so that long
commutes and hard-to-contact doctors don't add to the stress of a cancer
"There's nothing people do up the road that we don't do here," says Dana
Russell, a nurse practitioner in the St. Mary's Hospital Outpatient
Infusion Service (OPIS) department. "We pick up the pieces, and know our
patients by their names. We treat the whole family, because it affects
the whole family."
According to Nurse Russell, those close connections with caregivers can
make a real difference in the recovery of cancer patients. Support from
family, friends, and fellow cancer patients can help. And, as always,
laughter is the best medicine.
"We have a lot of humor, here. People come depressed, but they don't
leave here depressed," she says.
When chemotherapy causes hair loss, Russell and the rest of the OPIS
staff offer to add hair dye to the chemo solution. Monday "Chemo Bingo"
sessions give patients a way to pass the time while their medications
are administered. And when all else fails, there are special
"We ask a woman what her favorite restaurant is, and then hand her
husband a prescription for an Outback steak dinner and baked potato.
Tell him she can't wash clothes. It's still very traumatic, but you've
got to find humor to cope with disease," Russell explains.
Breast cancer care in Southern Maryland is personal, and
up-to-the-minute. Calvert Memorial Hospital is one of only sixty
facilities nationwide to participate in a current Roche trial of drug
combinations previously used individually.
Mary Emma Middleton, of the Calvert Memorial Hospital Cancer Helpline,
is excited about the work CMH is doing to improve cancer treatment for
women far beyond the local scene. "We can be small," says Ms. Middleton,
"but we can be mighty."
Of course, cancer care goes far beyond research and medication. Southern
Maryland is home to support groups for cancer patients and survivors,
and cooperates with nationwide programs such as the American Cancer
Society's "Look good, Feel Better" hair and skin care seminars.
Civista Medical Center sponsors an annual Cancer Survivor's Walk and
Reception as part of the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Each
October, Civista also sponsors Surviving Cancer: A Photographic Essay
display. These and other events are refreshing reminders that a cancer
diagnosis isn't as catastrophic as it was generations ago. Women in
Southern Maryland today can say "the C word,' face their cancer, get
treatment and work toward a healthy future.
Cancer Survivor's Walk and Reception
American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, 888-332-4847
Civista On the Line
Physician referral and help line. There, you can also learn about
the hospital's new infusion center, which provides all kinds of
intravenous medication including chemotherapy. 1-888-332-4847
Surviving Cancer: A Photographic Essay
Breast, colon and prostate cancer survivors are featured in this
event, which emphasized early detection and treatment. The display will
be at the Charles County Government Building in La Plata October 11-18,
at the Richard Clark Senior Center in La Plata October 18-25, and at the
Hughesville Jazzercize Fitness Center October 25-November 1.
A support group for women experiencing or having experienced breast
cancer. Contact Anne Griffith, 301-932-2942 or Evelyn Lavorgna,
301-934-8513 for location information.
St. Mary's Hospital Cancer Support Group
Support for patients with any kind of cancer, their family,
caregivers and friends. Meets monthly in the hospital Atrium to discuss
relevant topics. 301-475-6070
Calvert Memorial Hospital Women's Wellness
Acupuncture, massage, biofeedback, breast cancer support groups, and
free cosmetology services. Case managers help you understand your
treatment options and get the help you need. 410-286-7992
Calvert Memorial Hospital Toll-Free Cancer Help Line
1-877-CMH CANCER (264-2622). CMH also provides an extensive cancer
resource library, with an emphasis on breast cancer.
Calvert Memorial Hospital Keep Well Center
Provides free mammograms and pap smears to financially qualified
Maryland residents over 40 without insurance coverage.
Look Good, Feel Better
Hands-on beauty workshops to get your self-image back. Wigs
available. Gail Harkins, 410-414-4571
Calvert Memorial Hospital cancer support groups:
Megan Toffey, 410-414-4730
Maryland Regional Cancer Care
301-705-5802, Advanced Radiation Oncology services.
Calvert County Health Department, 410-535-5400
Charles County Health Department, 301-870-2691
St. Mary's County Health Department, 301-475-4391
American Cancer Society-sponsored support group
Marcia Shapiro, 301-475-6760
Plastic Surgery of Southern Maryland
Helps build back your confidence with reconstructive surgery. Dr. | <urn:uuid:927c5ea2-e367-4906-a631-835ea9849bef> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://somdthisisliving.somd.com/archive/vol7num3/breast_cancer_care.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923798 | 1,678 | 3.203125 | 3 |
In The power of reading and listening, I emphasized that comprehensible (understandable) input from reading and listening gives us most of our fluency. One of the best sources of comprehensible input is popular fiction – books and stories that people read simply because they enjoy them so much.
Why popular fiction?
There are several good reasons to use popular fiction to improve your English. Popular fiction is a good source of comprehensible input. When we understand what we read or listen to, we acquire new language. We acquire more language when we enjoy what we’re reading so much that we get “lost” in the story. And we acquire more language when we can read easily, without stopping. Popular fiction gives us so many choices that it’s usually easy to find both: the fun and the ease of reading.
Second, popular fiction teaches about culture. Language is more than vocabulary and grammar. A language is an important part of the culture of the people who use it. Language cannot be separated from culture. It’s what the people in a culture use to understand and share their lives, ideas, and beliefs.
If you want to be able to say that you know a language, you must know something about the people who use the language. You need to know what they talk about and how they talk in different situations.
Reading and listening to popular fiction is one of the best ways to get to know the people who use the language you’re learning. And as you begin to know them, it’s easy to begin to imagine yourself becoming a part of that group.
Finally, I want to repeat something I said in The power of reading and listening. Popular fiction – in printed books, e-books, and audio books – is better than watching television and movies for language development. Why? Popular fiction is full of language. That may seem like an obvious, perhaps even a silly statement. But take a moment to think about it. When we watch a movie or television program, we listen to the dialogue, the conversation between characters. But we see the location and the action. The only language we hear is what the characters say to each other. But when we read a book or story, we read the dialogue and we read the writer’s description of the location and the action. We receive more language, more comprehensible input, than we do when we watch a movie or television program. And we learn how to describe people, actions, objects, and ideas.
Think of it this way. When we watch a movie or a television program, it’s like having a language snack. When we read a book or story, it’s like sitting down to a full language meal, plus dessert!
What you should read
When my students ask me what they should read, I usually answer with a question: What do you like to read? This is the first, and perhaps most important, question to answer. This is reading for pleasure, for fun. Many of my students have read and enjoyed English books that have been translated into their languages. Often, one of those would be a good place to start.
What can you do if you’re not familiar with American authors? Here is a list of popular authors that my students and I have enjoyed or that I have heard about from other teachers. Each author’s name is linked to his or her web site.
Finding and choosing authors and books
If you have the name of an author that you might be interested in, try this: Do a Google search with the name of the author and the word “excerpt”. Your search results will include books by the author and pages that have excerpts, usually one chapter, from the book. Your search should look like this:
- John Grisham excerpt
You can do the same if you have the title of a book that you have heard about. Do a Google search with “the title of the book” in quotation marks and the word “excerpt.” Google will give you web pages that have excerpts from the book. Your search should look like this:
- “Memories of Midnight” excerpt
Using bestseller lists to find books
Finally, another way to find popular fiction is to look at bestseller lists. There are many of these, but I am going to suggest one and show you how to use it. The most famous bestseller lists in the U.S. are those published by the New York Times. Here’s one way to use the Times’ lists:
- Go to the Best Sellers page.
- Click on either Hardcover Fiction, Paperback Trade Fiction, or Paperback Mass-Market Fiction.
- In each category, you will see a list of titles and other information with a very short description of each book.
- When you see a book that looks interesting, click on the title and read the longer description of the book. Some of the descriptions include excerpts or audio files to listen to if they are audiobooks.
- Go back to the list page. At the top of the page you will see buttons for Amazon and Barnes and Noble. If you click on one of them, you will see the same list at the Amazon or Barnes and Noble web sites.
- To read or listen to excerpts click on the cover of the book and look for Look inside! (Amazon) or Read an excerpt (Barnes and Noble).
Print books, e-books, or audiobooks?
Yes! All of them are good sources of popular fiction. Some of my students have read books and listened to them at the same time. If you want to do that, be sure that you get an unabridged audiobook. Unabridged means complete; something that is abridged has been shortened.
I hope you enjoy your journey into popular fiction, wherever it takes you! And I hope you discover the power of reading – and listening – to improve your English!
Related reading: The power of reading and listening | <urn:uuid:7cb6a4ff-373b-4219-a76c-502e7eb08300> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://successfulenglish.com/2010/01/using-popular-fiction-to-improve-your-english/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952126 | 1,253 | 2.828125 | 3 |
The sun was closing on the horizon when we got back to Waitangi, the village that’s the main centre and de facto “capital” of the Chatham Islands, nearly 900 kilometres east of New Zealand.
A staff photographer, Ross White, and I had been sent for a week to the “Chats” by our employer, the New Zealand Herald. It was less a chase after hard news than it was a biennial ritual of cultural sovereignty, and a recognition that the Chathams were New Zealand too: the first part, in fact, to catch the dawn, if not the opportunities, of each new day.
We’d spent the day in rugged bush up the Tuku river valley where a dedicated ornithologist called David Crockett and a team of volunteers were anchoring the survival of the endangered Taiko Petrol — Pterodroma magentae — a far-ranging seabird that had long been thought extinct.
Hungry and tired we went looking for a meal. But Waitangi was not only scarce of restaurants. It was devoid of them. All of the island’s imported supplies were due to arrive the next day on the Holmdale: the islands’ supply ship from Christchurch back on the “mainland”… even the general store had closed its till until its shelves were re-stocked.
But the pub was open and we asked the barman about food. Along with a sad look, he gave us each a big, brown quart bottle of beer and a crackly little package of crisps.
Ross and I had scarcely poured our beers when a shadow moved behind us and a quiet voice barely whispered in our ears: “’na koe, bros. You hungry?” Behind us stood a muscular Maori in a stained woollen shirt with a smell that announced his profession. “You eat kina?”
I said “sure”… Ross, I think, was more warily taking in the implications. “Kina” is a delicacy to many; a gag-inducing nightmare to some. You take a big, spiny sea urchin (Evechinus chloroticus), crack it open, tip out the slimy entrails and, if the season’s right (summer), you’re left with five, plump yellow roes, like orange segments, adhering to the inside of the shell. You scoop them off with your finger and pop them into your mouth. They are salty, sweet and splendidly pungent with the savour of the sea. They are — I am ready to swear to it — one of nature’s purest and most healthy forms of delectable protein. And they are best raw, fresh from the shell.
“Come with me,” said our benefactor. “Bring your beers.”
He led us outside to a battered flatbed truck and pulled sacks off the pile of crates. He set one of the crates in from of us. It was full of grapefruit-sized, premium-grade spiny sea-eggs… and he began splitting them open.
We set our glasses on the deck and ate. Before us, the sun was setting over the sea and a long, slow Southern Ocean swell was hauling long, scarlet and orange seams of fading sunlight towards the shore. Behind us was the light and buzz of voices from the pub, the puttering of generators — there being no power grid on the island — and the towering darkness of night-time cloud. The air was cool and sea-sweet.
Unexpecting, we had toppled headlong into one of those timeless experiences, when every sensation connects in a way that leaves nothing to be said… a perfect completeness of being you can recall in detail just by closing your eyes and letting your thoughts wander away into whatever silence they can find.
The smells, the sounds, the flavours, the sight, the sensations, the significance of it all slid into the ocean of our consciousness like a magical island: uncharted, distant, but — once you have been there — forever accessible and with far more to explore than could ever occur to you at the time.
I have others.
Sometimes I stand a night watch in my memories on one of the old “harbour defence launches” that the New Zealand Naval Reserve used for training and fishery protection patrols: the stars blaze above and phosphorescent trails mark, not only the little ship’s wake, but also the trajectories of porpoises and fish… so I am riding a moving platform of diesel-grunting shadow that rises through and is surrounded ahead, behind, to left and to right, above and below, by a shifting, multi-dimensional display of light.
And there is the first time I leapt from a yacht into one of those phosphorescent night seas and, looking up, saw the luminous path of my plunge and the glow of the hull… and, looking down, the light-trails of fleeing fish and startled squid, speeding into the darkness.
There is crawling through a never-before visited passage deep underground, then standing mud-caked in the stream-bed and looking around: the glittering, delicate, complicated and startling perfection of undisturbed limestone cave formations.
As well, I have somehow stored away a constellation of daylight moments: seeing my wife for the very first time and continuing to see her in ways that startle me with new, dazzling facets of that moment; the lift of a wave under a surfboard and the kick of a sail filling with wind; the rushing sound of being airborne in a glider after the towline’s let go; watching, then feeling a very rare giant weta* crawl onto my hand from a broken, rotting piece of log and being amazed by its weight, beauty and deliberation; watching clouds part beneath me from a windswept mountain-top; holding my baby daughter; the very particular way my first pet dog, Robin, would look at me…
There are many other moments I repeatedly continue to enjoy this same way — my first meal in Isernia, Italy, is one — people and places, performances, conversations, smells, moments, sights, emotions and sounds… even a few dreams. Some are very recent. Some were kindled when I was a child. All have the quality of visions.
And, it seems, the more that these islands of magic dot themselves around my inner ocean, the more eager I am to welcome more.
It is as though these memories, for that’s what they are, excite an appetite for more and more new experience, new visions, and open me more and more to the unexpected, the fortuitous, the wonderful… and the everyday (and there IS such a thing as an “everyday” vision). You can’t plan them; you just have to be open to them.
They work like demolition charges… they bring the bullshit down. They turn the dull opacity of routine to rubble. They snap the bonds of schedules and crack the niceties of conceit like bubbles. The trivia all explode into blown puffs of dust so that…
… yesterday, I saw a tree dance: the wind resistance of the leaves, the relative flexes of stem, twig and branch, the anchoring solidity of trunk, they all joined in and conspired with the gale then, with the emphatic intensity of a symphony orchestra, the leaping fluidity of a mountain stream, the hoof-beat thrill of a wildly galloping horse and the grace of a wheeling bird… the tree, a soft maple, danced.
*giant weta (Deinacrida heteracantha): this gentle, anciently-evolved Antipodean relative of grasshoppers survives only on Hauturu (Little Barrier Island), a wildlife sanctuary in the Auckland Gulf, New Zealand. The “giant weta” weighs in at 20-30 grams and can have a body four inches long. It’s one of the world’s heaviest insects. | <urn:uuid:5a00dd45-303f-4951-8ae9-d312acc20b9c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nosretap-ekim.blogspot.com/2010_09_26_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00044-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950451 | 1,705 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Study: Can Supplement Prevent Type 1 Diabetes?
Researchers Give Compound To Babies
Last Updated: 1919 days ago
Johanna Phillips, 9, likes to lend a hand around the house. She especially likes to help out with her baby brother, Frank."I like to rock him to sleep and feed him bottles," Johanna said.Johanna also wants to protect the 10-month-old from Type 1 diabetes. She has lived with the disease since she was 3 years old."When you get site changes, it kind of hurts, and he might have to get shots and I don't want him to get shots," Johanna told 6New Staying Healthy reporter Stacia Matthews as she showed off her insulin pump.Johanna may get her wish.Frank is enrolled in the Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet study because his sister has the disease. In this blind study, participants receive baby formula with three times the regular amount of a supplement called docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. It's an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish, walnuts and soybean.Dr. Henry Rodriguez is leading the research at Indianapolis' Riley Hospital for Children."Several popular studies have shown those individuals that have a greater intake of these fatty acids may very well have a (decreased risk) of developing Type 1 diabetes," Rodriguez said.In those studies, the DHA appeared to prevent or delay the destruction of insulin-producing cells. Without intervention, Frank has a 78 percent chance of developing the disease before his 5th birthday."Boy, if we can keep him from getting that sick, she almost died," said Sara Phillips, the children's mother.Johanna's entire family is eating more foods with omega-3 fatty acid."What would you not do to try to help? If that means changing our diet completely, absolutely, we'd do that," Phillips said.Researchers believe the study is timely because of the growing number of people being diagnosed with the disease. Most of them are under the age of 5.The trial is attempting to combat diabetes as early as possible in high-risk newborns and babies still in the womb.To qualify, the baby must have a parent, brother, sister or half-sibling who has Type 1 diabetes. Screening consists of a simple blood test.This is a test-run trial with a small number of participants. If it proves successful, researchers hope to conduct a larger, more definitive study to find out if DHA can prevent Type 1 diabetes.For more information, contact the Riley and UI TrialNet Clinical Center at 866-230-8486. | <urn:uuid:dffb4749-c9ff-426f-972a-075868eaca62> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theindychannel.com/lifestyle/health/study-can-supplement-prevent-type-1-diabetes- | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967032 | 534 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Vincenzo Ippolito is Italian to the core, an ardent young man and an open book. But his blend of the soulfulness and passion that typifies his countrymen is muted. He’s more genial than garrulous.
The Ippolito 1845 winery is in the toe of Italy’s boot, in the little-known (especially to wine people) region of Calabria. The fifth generation of his family to grow grapes and the third to make wine, Ippolito is quietly determined to help his home turf get past that little-known part, especially with the red galioppo grape.
“Our philosophy was always to bet on indigenous varieties,” said Ippolito (shown at left with journalist Giulia Cannada Bartoli). “They’re not like any other wines in the world. My dream is for galioppo to become as known as nero d’Avola, primitivo or even aglianico.”
He realizes that it’s an uphill battle, but points out that the ever-more-popular nero d’Avola grape originally was called Calabrese, and still is in his region. The Ippolitos blend some into their Rosso.
“The people in Sicily are smarter than us,” he said with a smile. “They decided to call it nero d’Avola after the town [of Avola]. The name Calabrese reminds people of Calabria.”
There’s also the matter of geography. Calabria has the same hot, arid climate as its island neighbor, but is much smaller, and a large portion of the land is not suitable for vineyards.
“We are mostly mountains,” he said. “The only vineyards are just from the end of the mountains to the coast. We are not so much corporations, mostly individual farms. And our olive trees are protected, so we cannot pull them up to plant grapes.” (Not to mention, although he did, that Calabrian olive oil is justifiably world-renowned.)
Ippolito’s main goal, of course, is to sell the 1 million bottles a year he and his brother Gianluca make, 30 percent of which is exported. The winemaking and marketing work keeps the two of them seriously busy, but they are big believers in being jacks of many trades.
“We all wear many hats,” he said. “How can you talk about the wine if you don’t know the vineyards, the conditions, the winemaking process? If you’re in the winery, how do you know what the market needs? So we do both.”
Foreign markets have become especially important, Ippolito said, because Italians have changed their approach to buying. “More and more we are becoming, how you say, provincial,” he said. “We stick to our own region. Each region is promoting its own wines very strongly. So we are losing market share in Italy.”
They should be able to make up for it here and elsewhere, for the wines are mighty tasty and food-friendly, especially with Calabrese dishes in that “if it grows together, it goes together” deal. Ippolito said the Greco “has the minerality to match with tuna. swordfish, spaghetti with anchovies” and that the Rosso “is fruity and spicy, and goes with sausage and spaghetti all’arrabiata.”
Making the marketing easier is a pair of back stories around the greco. First off, the vines are planted “very close to the beach” – so low-lying that a lot of the vineyards flood in the winter – and “the sandy ground gives it a lot of minerality,” Ippolito said.
And then there’s the harvest, two of them actually, a month apart, for the incredibly delicious 2011 greco: “at the end of August when it’s not ripe enough, for more acidity and aroma, and four weeks later, when it is much riper, with more sugar and alcohol. The balance is juicy and complex.”
Of the scores of winemakers I’ve yakked with, Vincenzo is the first to own up to such a practice. Must be that whole Italian open-book thing. | <urn:uuid:0287d308-4b10-4958-9693-8909c738963a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.decant-this.com/2012/10/16/profile-vincenzo-ippolito-ippolito-1845/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966075 | 960 | 1.820313 | 2 |
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Vive la Différence. Really?
Americans are gun-loving, car-crazy redneck bigots. The French are garlic-breathing, sex-mad sleazy winos. If you believe either statement, what are you doing on Bonjour Paris? One of the under-observed consequences of the internet is the discovery that people the world over are far more similar than they are different. Patriotic fervor is fine, but mix it with xenophobia and the cocktail becomes deadly. The trick is to showcase your best side while generously recognizing that the other guy has something as good on offer—just not the same.
The only way to know that is through a shared language. Not Esperanto or Volapuk or even English. But something new. And it is already on your favorite web browser. Automated translation interface is here and it means that we can read any page on the web regardless of language. Translation quality improves constantly as the software accumulates context-based rules of usage. VOiP like Skype or Vonage is next. Your new best friend in France need never learn a word of English. When you meet face to face, you’ll be communicating through a WiFi earpiece, sign language or the old-fashioned way. But you will have the choice.
By the way, although this is not the place you might expect to read about context-based wireless simultaneous translation as The Next Big Technology Thing, doesn’t it make sense that your mobile phone will soon have an app for that? Just ten years ago, the hot item was a Palm Pilot with the stupid stylus. Scarcely more than a glorified Rolodex. Now our phones have GPS, two-way video and take better pictures than most cameras. But why stop there? Two words define the future of technology: organic transistors. That’s all you get on that topic for now but remember, you read it here first.
OK. Back to the theme of this billet—la différence. If the aforementioned convergent technologies allow us to break through the language barrier between the English-speaking world and la Francophonie, what then? Simultaneous translation as a career option will become as marginal as, say, blacksmithing, lamp-lighting or typing. Once we understand our interlocutors, the tired stereotypes, prejudices and suspicions fly out the window as we realize that we all share the same concerns: family, love, career, taxes, raising our kids, staying safe, being useful.
History, art, architecture, music are definitely worth the effort to show that, gee, you’re not in Kansas anymore. Some might argue that the geographies in France or Britain or America or Mexico are uniquely and unmistakably different. Movie location scouts demand and get big bucks for regularly proving the contrary. Food can’t help us here either. It’s as easy to eat well or badly in any part of the world. The best French chefs work in London and New York. The best burgers are made with Charolais (French) or Kobe (Japanese) beef.
Yes, folks, we are all the same under the dome of the bell curve. So what’s left to enjoy? Or better still, laugh at?
Happily, there is still a barrier to universal homogeneous one-size-fits-all human experience. Humor. Not comedy. Comedy is something else. Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, Jacques Tati are all visual acts. No language needed. Mr. Bean is comedy. However, the same Rowan Atkinson playing Edmund Blackadder is English humor at its most trenchant, ruthless, devastating best.
It is precisely because it is so universal that comedy is of no use in defining what makes the French view of the world different from the Anglophone. Only an intimate understanding of specific, local humor can do this.
Pure homespun, neighborly I-feel-your-pain humor. Can Joan Rivers or Don Rickles be translated? What would remain after laboriously translating Guy Bedos or Pierre Desproges? Or Coluche? It is the use of language and a lifetime of shared references which resonate with the audience. Irony and satire only make us laugh when we know what is being mocked and cruelly pilloried.
And just in case you were thinking that wit and humor are so idiosyncratic that they cannot be translated, allow this writer to offer to you, esteemed reader of Bonjour Paris, en guise de cadeau de fin d’année, from Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, that most French of plays, an extract as celebrated in French theatre as the To Be Or Not To Be soliloquy is to the English stage. I refer of course to the emblematic “Tirade du Nez”. Not as you might expect in French. Or by Gerard Depardieu. But in English. Played for TV in 1985 by Derek Jacobi. As you will discover, not a thing is lost in translation. Enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ts8sAhHJl_s (7:35 to 10:38)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrR6NZfyP_Y&feature=related (0:00 to 05:19) | <urn:uuid:b98f2d9a-072e-4f9d-822a-87a48e234680> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bonjourparis.com/story/vive-la-difference-really/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914444 | 1,150 | 1.84375 | 2 |
BY MIKE GRIFFITH Californian staff writer firstname.lastname@example.org
Could motor sports be incorporated into the future of the Kern County Museum? Quite possibly.
Kern County Museum executive director Randall Hayes is in the exploratory stage of determining the feasibility of an eventual motor sports museum at the facility.
What Hayes has discovered thus far is that Kern County has a rich and diverse motor sports history worthy of recognition.
Hayes and the museum's chief curator, Lori Wear, have done some preliminary research into the history of motor sports in the county and have been fascinated by what they've uncovered.
"I've never been to a place where one field runs as deep and broad as racing does here," Hayes said. "Why here? This is part of the fabric of this community."
What Hayes has discovered is that, in Kern County, it seems that if it has an engine, somebody raced it -- motorcycles, boats, cars and even airplanes.
"The range of motor sports here is phenomenal," he said. "The more we dig, the more we find."
An informational meeting was held at the museum last week to gauge interest in the project and it appears to be high. A couple dozen motor sports enthusiasts were at that meeting and have been spreading the word.
"The phone has been ringing all week," Hayes said.
At this point in time, Hayes said the museum is trying to gather as much information on the history of racing -- the people, places and machines -- in the county as possible.
"We're storytellers," Hayes said of the museum. "We want to hear from people, record history and write the stories."
The idea is to gather as much history as possible now and start looking for items that could be displayed in a museum.
Hayes cautioned that it is way too early to be talking about raising money for a building, but said if there is interest that will come.
"People have been talking about it, so I said let's sit down and talk," Hayes said of the initial meeting. "Its up to the community. When you have enough people and enough interest these types of projects can get done. If there's a need and the community perceives that need and wants to fill, it will be done."
People with information, stories, pictures or video of racing in Kern County are asked to contact Lori Wear by email, email@example.com, or phone, (661) 868-8412.
Bakersfield's David Mayhew could be doing double duty and competing in his first NASCAR Sprint Cup race this weekend at Sonoma. Mayhew is third in points on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Series and will be competing in Saturday's Pick-n-Pull Racing To Stop Hunger on the 1.99-mile road course.
He will also be attempting to qualify the No. 98 Ford of Mike Curb today for Sunday's Sprint Cup Toyota/Save Mart 350 at the track. Mayhew qualified Michael McDowell's car for the Cup race last year at Sonoma, but McDowell drove that car in the race.
Five divisions of racing -- IMCA Modifieds, Sports Mods, American Stocks, Mini Stocks and NMRA Midgets -- will be in action Saturday night on the third-mile clay oval at Bakersfield Speedway.
Two-time winner Brad Pounds leads the IMCA Modified points race by 16 points over Gary Dutton, one of four other drivers with a solo win. Robbie Witwer of Ridgecrest leads Darrell Hood by two points Sports Mod competition.
Racing starts at 6.
Brennan Newberry of Bakersfield had quite an ARCA debut last weekend, crashing his primary car Friday then racing to a fourth-place finish Saturday at Michigan International Raceway. Ryan Reed of Bakersfield was running in the top five when he encountered tire problems, lost three laps and finished 12th. Reed is eighth in overall points heading into Saturday's 200-lap race at Winchester (Ind.) Speedway. Newberrry is not entered in that event.
Construction continues at the Kern County Raceway near Interstate 5 and Enos Lane. Beams, all of which had to be sand-blasted and repainted, continue to be put in place on the four-story superstructure that will house concession areas, bathrooms, suites and offices.
Workers are also finishing drain work, which when finished will allow crews to start preparing parking areas and the entry road for paving.
In addition, pads for six 8,000-square foot race shops are being cut. The first shops should be finished in August.
The inaugural Lucas Oil NMCA West Street Car Nationals are taking place today through Sunday at Auto Club Famoso Raceway. Competitors in 10 classes, including the six-second 240 mph Garrett Turbo Pro Street cars, will chase points toward a year-end prize and the title of World Champion. | <urn:uuid:e863ff03-bd83-42d1-9e21-cc39dda2060a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kcmuseum.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=news_item&news_id=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963764 | 1,020 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Wes Craven(Wesley Earl Craven)
director, producer, screenwriter
Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio
A humanities professor turned horror-film maker, he is best known for creating the Nightmare on Elm Street series, which features Freddie Krueger, a killer with razor-like talons who stalks small-town teenagers in their dreams. His subsequent movies include The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), The People Under the Stairs (1992), Scream (1996), and Scream 2 (1997). His career took a dramatic turn as director of the 1999 release of biopic Music of the Heart, starring Meryl Streep.
Fact Monster/Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
More on Wes Craven from Fact Monster: | <urn:uuid:eaa00b22-5d5a-4aab-97c2-6e531b5da147> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0762227.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.906036 | 161 | 1.601563 | 2 |
UNDERSTANDING how a bank calculates your interest rate provides an opportunity to reduce this cost.
All businesses are being faced with tighter margins. Farmers are no different apart from having a few other variables to contend with. Part of the equation for a profitable business is to reduce or control costs while maintaining or increasing income.
If you are a borrower one of your main expenses can be the cost of funds or interest and fees. You may think you have no control over what interest rate is being charged, however this is not entirely correct.
The cost of funds or interest rate is calculated based on the bank's costs of funds plus a client margin which is calculated by the bank based on the client risk profile. The client risk profile will determine the risk margin, the loan term and other requirements and conditions of the loan agreement.
The credit risk profile is determined by the bank assessing your business from two main angles. Firstly there is the financial side of the equation. This will typically include assessing the historical financial data, projected cashflow forecasts, current net equity position, account conduct and credit history.
The second criteria assesses such areas as how the enterprise is structured, management experience, trading history, succession planning, estate planning, economic environment; risk management including price and production risk management, diversification and exit strategies. That is, does the farming operation have a plan?
Implementation of better management and planning practices in your farming enterprise will not only help to reduce loan funding costs but provide up-to-date information for decision making. So, there is much to be gained by working through this process.
The first step is to become better financially organised.
This includes completing a farm business review to obtain a better understanding of how your farming enterprise is currently positioned.
The next step involves taking the information from the farm review to complete a list of priorities that need to be actioned to improve your business.
The third step is implementation and review. For example, this could include the preparation of quarterly financial management reports with comparison to budget, developing a succession plan etc. Be proactive and put this process in place to not only assist with better management and decision making but to also assist with reducing the cost of borrowing.
Chris Mulcahy is a director of Mulcahy and Co. | <urn:uuid:a9498d86-40ab-432a-9939-3acbab3b421f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/302340/farm-finances-reduce-the-cost-of-your-borrowings/?cs=138 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958686 | 466 | 2.078125 | 2 |
Chilling: The Tornadoes' Path As Viewed From Space
We've been putting videos of the devastatingly destructive force of the tornadoes that ripped through parts of the South in a post we began earlier today.
This compilation of satellite photos, put together by the NOAA-NASA GOES Project, is worth its own post. It shows the paths the storms took from Tuesday to today. We recommend clicking the "full screen" button at the bottom right of the video player: Copyright 2011 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. | <urn:uuid:49ab6ff1-0275-461c-9184-096207d97762> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://weku.fm/post/chilling-tornadoes-path-viewed-space | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93608 | 118 | 2.375 | 2 |
Looking to learn more about the Common Core State Standards? Here are a few great resources:
CoreStandards.org The website that details all aspects of the standards.
About Common Core Presented by the Connecticut Education Association
Parent Guides to Student Sucess Created by the National PTA, these are grade-level guides that detail the skills children are expected to master.
Shifts for Students and Parents Created by EngageNY.org, this document explains the six major shifts in English and Math that happen under Common Core.
Congratulations to this year's ALA Youth Media Award Winners!
The Newbery Award for excellence in children's literature went to The One and Only Ivan by Kathryn Applegate. Newbery honors were given to Laura Amy Schlitz for Splendors and Glooms, Sheila Turnage for Three Times Lucky, and Sibert Winner Bomb.
This year, the Caldecott Award for excellence in picture books went to John Klassen, for This is Not My Hat. Klassen also won a Caldecott Honor for Extra Yarn, by Mac Barnett. Other Caldecott Honors were given to Peter Brown for Creepy Carrots, Laura Seeger for Green, David Small for One Cool Friend and to Pamela Zagarenski for Sleep Like a Tiger. Special Congratulations to Miss Kiera on her excellent work on the 2013 Caldecott Committee!
The Sibert Award for excellence in children's non-fiction went to Bomb: The Race to Build (And Steal) The World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steven Sheinkin. And the Geisel Award, for excellence in Early Readers, went to Up, Tall and High, by Ethan Long.
See a full list of winners below!
On Thursday, the children's librarians hosted an App Chat. A small but enthusiastic group of parents met with Miss Kiera and Miss Claire to hear about great new apps for all ages and share their own favorites.
Click to view and print the handouts:
What are some of your favorite apps- for children or grownups? Share them in the comments below! | <urn:uuid:998008e7-002e-40b9-b35d-518c2ef593d2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.darienlibrary.org/grownups/teachers | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.926758 | 430 | 2.109375 | 2 |
Being beautiful is one of the main desires that are prioritized by women to support their daily activities. They usually use various ways to make themselves look beautiful. Using beauty products, like shampoo, soap, and moisturizer cream regularly is a way that is women often do to take care of their hair, body skin, and facial skin health.
Shampoo comes from Anglo-Indian term ‘shampoo’ which means massaging and Hindi term ‘champo’ which means holding or squeezing muscle in 1762. Theoretically, shampoo is fluid that is used to clean dirt and dust on hair and increase hair quality. It is made from natural and chemical materials, like Aloe Vera, egg, surfactant, sodium benzoate, zinc, nutrient, etc. Most of women uses shampoo every day to get beautiful and shiny hair.
Soap is a beauty product to wash and clean body skin from dust and dirt. Based on history, soap had been known since prehistory about 2800 BC. Like shampoo, it is also made from natural and chemical materials. At this time, there are two types of soaps, liquid soap and soap bar. For you who like using soap bar, there is high quality soap bar product from SFIC that works with private label soap manufacturers to create luxurious shops. Clear, white, Aloe Vera, cocoa butter, honey or organic oil soap is soap product that you can order here.
- Moisturizer cream
To keep facial skin moisture women usually use moisturizer cream. This cream is really useful to protect facial skin moisture from various conditions, windy, cold, and hot condition. Generally, this beauty product contains of glycerol which is able to hold and maintain facial skin moisture. This cream is produced in two types, day moisturizer cream which is usually used in the afternoon and night moisturizer cream which is used at night.
If you are a user from these beauty products you should be wise in using the products. For the time being there are many fake beauty products that are dangerous for your hair, body skin, and facial skin health. Choose high quality product at reliable beauty store is a wise way to take care of your beauty. | <urn:uuid:6622bd74-a633-44cd-ae35-1f49ef41137d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.omerazak.com/2012/08/beauty-products-for-women/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962542 | 451 | 1.945313 | 2 |
Most recent Sermons on Sermon Cloud All Time
Sermons about Boasting
Continuing our study of 1 John by looking at the call of Christians in interacting with the world. A call to recognize where we do and where we should call our headquarters, and what responsibility we have in Christ's transforming work over "every square inch."
We can either boast in the flesh or boast in the cross of Jesus Christ.
1. The Universal and Fundamental Problem of the Human Race (vs9-20) ● All of humanity is under sin and deserves God’s wrath. ● We are all held accountable to God and cannot save ourselves. 2. The Saving-Righteousness of God has been Made Known (vs21-26) ● The long dark night is over: and the new age in Christ has dawned (adapted from John Stott). ● God’s gift for all who believe: we are justified by God’s grace through faith alone in Christ alone. ● God’s justice and God’s love are reconciled on the cross: Do you have faith in Jesus? 3. The Life-transforming Power of Justification by Faith in Jesus Christ (vs27-31) ● God will judge the proud in heart who boast in themselves: so live by faith in Jesus and we will not be put to shame. ● God is one and the ground is level at the cross: so love one another and live in unity for God’s glory. ● God empowers His people for godly witness to the nations: so be obedient from the heart through the spirit’s power.
In this sermon we see how Paul reminds the Corinthians what they were without Jesus, and what they should really be bragging about.
What does it mean to boast in the Lord?
Being wise is much than knowing stuff. Much, much more.
The cross is the epicenter of God's story of redemption. The cross of Christ will either be a scandal to you or the wisdom and power of God to you. The beautiful opportunity for all people is to get over the scandal of the cross to receive the scandalous power of the cross. For those who do, their boast is in the cross of Christ alone. | <urn:uuid:37540b13-a74f-4cc8-a0f9-aaabb887ab11> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sermoncloud.com/sermons-about-boasting/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938687 | 461 | 1.921875 | 2 |
Monday, March 23, 2009
Nonfiction Monday: Machines Go to Work
Machines Go to Work by William Low, Henry Holt, 2009
William Low brought a long-gone train station to life in his book Old Penn Station. Here, Low brings us working vehicles such as fire trucks, helicopters, backhoes, container ships, cement trucks and even railroad crossing signs that vibrate with color and strength.
This is not Little Toot, the anthropomorphic tugboat nor Thomas the Tank Engine. Low's brush strokes do suggest a presence and power as his machines rumble across the two page spreads. The reader can see the helicopter's rotors whirl and the front tire of a cement mixer deflating. Illustrations open with full page flaps to extend the reach of a backhoe or the length of the fire truck's ladder.
The narrative is set up to suggest a problem for each machine which is then gently resolved as the flap unfolds. A fire truck roars past cherry trees in full bloom, not because of a fire but to rescue a cat. A news helicopter races to the scene of a traffic tie-up but happily, an accident is not the cause of the problem.
The last two pages unfold to present a 4 page an aerial view of the city in eye-popping color. All the machines are visible from on high as they go about their work. It is fun to try and find them all. At the end of the book, small paintings of the machines are labeled along with some brief facts. The parts of the Cement Mixer are labeled: the water tank, the cement chute, the engine exhaust. The cement drum is "like a big mixing bowl. Just add sand, gravel, portalnd cement, water and mix."
Low paints with realistic and technical accuracy. People are there, operating these machines and giving the reader a sense of scale as well as the machine's purpose.
This is a "must-have" for school libraries and for young truck-boat-train-heavy machine enthusiasts.
Trained in traditional oil technique, Low used Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter to create this book. He demonstrates how he works in this series of videos.
Nonfiction Monday round up is at MotherReader today. | <urn:uuid:023f1483-bb58-4a43-8c01-c5d77f9ff6fb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bookmoot.com/2009/03/nonfiction-monday-machines-go-to-work.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950818 | 464 | 2.21875 | 2 |
I'm just gonna say it: If you can, at least, safely and accurately wield a pair of scissors, it's simply unacceptable to have a plain, straight from the store memo board: either cork, magnetic, or dry erase. There are so many easy ways to make it interesting: make it woodgrain, turn it into bold graphic shape, build a handprinted inspiration board from scratch for way less than the office supply store, or create a double duty DIY dry erase board.
Or, take a cue from Michael, and go straight up vintage map-y. Sarah Coffey reports, "If you haven't yet seen the tour of Michael's Michigan Cottage, it's definitely worth checking out. His home is full of simple but great ideas, like this one — a magnetic map board that's incredibly easy to make. Michael says the bulletin board is "an IKEA magnetic board that I decoupaged using vintage maps from e-Bay." That's it. So smart and so simple."
How To Make a Magnetic Map Board [Apartment Therapy Chicago]
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My son Jake is now 13 months old (how time flies). Give him dairy, grains, fruits or vegetables and he’s a happy boy. Put meat like chicken or hamburger in front of him, and not so much. If you’re a parent, this may sound familiar, as many children take longer to accept meat foods. In fact, child nutrition expert, Bridget Swinney, MS, RD shares her son was a “vegetarian by choice” until he was a year in a half, in her book Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids.
So does this mean your child won’t grow up to be big and strong like their meat-eating piers? Absolutely not! In fact, my 2-½ year old niece, Sadie, has been brought up as a vegetarian and is one of the healthiest kids I know.
All you need to do is simply offer a variety of other protein-rich foods like beans, high protein grains like quinoa, tofu, eggs, nut butters and milk products like yogurt and cheese.
One of my favorite protein-packed foods to give Jake are Chobani® Champions Yogurts. Chobani® Champions are new to Big Y and are Greek-style yogurts for kids. They come in Verryberry (Jake’s favorite) and Honeynana flavors with less sugar and approximately twice the protein of other yogurts.
Just one container provides 8 grams protein, the same amount of protein found in a 2-tablespoon serving of peanut butter. Not bad for yogurt! Plus, your little one benefits from 10% and 20% the Daily Values for calcium and vitamin D, respectively.
Chobani® Champions are on sale with Living Well Eating Smart until March 16th, so stock up on these tasty yogurts…you might just find the whole family snacking on them! | <urn:uuid:394857e7-c4ae-40ed-b11c-071956d09145> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.masslive.com/bigy/2011/03/pass_the_yogurt_please.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955662 | 393 | 2.09375 | 2 |
Dealing with the spreading financial crisis has become like a high-stakes game of Whac-A-Mole as policymakers bat down one crisis only to have one after another pop up. And policymakers have been using mallets they haven't touched in decades.
The U.S.'s financial foundation has clearly been shaken—and the erosion has gone global with several countries' financial situation teetering on the edge of collapse. Conventional wisdom says it may well get worse before it gets better.
Test of "too big to fail.” As the government helped facilitate the sale of Bear Stearns to JPMorgan Chase earlier this year, most assumed that it was because allowing Bear Stearns to go under would create market havoc. That same thought process accompanied the government action on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, backers of a huge amount of U.S. home mortgages.
Despite that government action, about 25% of U.S. banks figure they will lose an estimated $10 billion to $15 billion from the federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Then, the Federal Reserve gave its blessing to convert investment banks Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. into traditional bank holding companies. While this may trim their profit potential, it also reduces the level of downside risk that both firms face.
But while those two companies successfully made the shift, venerable Lehman Brothers was allowed to go under as government officials like Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson rejected a takeover. That line of thinking prevailed until insurer AIG was given an $85 billion infusion and the government took a stake in the firm in exchange. It fit the "too big to fail” template after regulators determined what it insured had tentacles deep in the U.S. and world financial arena.
As the financial meltdown continued, Paulson pushed for a $700 billion rescue plan that would establish a government entity to buy up these bad assets held by companies, with the goal of reselling them back into the market. Lawmakers grilled Paulson and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke on whether the plan would work and fretted about the U.S. taxpayer being asked to shoulder the cost of the plan. Paulson chillingly warned that taxpayers are "already on the hook.”
Initially, the House rejected the bailout package. Shortly after, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted 777.68 points, or 7%, to 10,365.45—the biggest one-day point drop and biggest percentage decline since trading resumed after the terror attacks in 2001.
That sobering market vote led lawmakers and policymakers back to the table. By the time a Senate vote rolled around on Oct. 1, the plan had swelled in terms of provisions added to garner support. It worked. The Senate cleared the modified plan 74 to 25, followed by House approval Oct. 3 on a wide 263 to 171 margin.
But that's when things took a global turn. Stock markets around the world fell as fears rose that the U.S. plan might not work and wouldn't address the growing crisis in other countries.
Country after country mulled over what to do, with some opting to buy up banks to shore up confidence. Then, six central banks—the U.S. Fed, the Bank of Canada, the Bank of England, the European Central Bank, Sveriges Riksbank, and the Swiss National Bank—teamed up to reduce short-term interest rates. In addition, the Fed waded into the commercial paper market, effectively loaning directly to companies—something not done since the Great Depression.
Most of U.S. agriculture is solid and strong, and is poised to escape the brunt of this situation. That wasn't the case for Farmer Mac, which held investments in Lehman Brothers that turned sour. This weakened its position and prompted the Farm Credit System to inject capital into Farmer Mac.
Many farmers (and bankers) painfully remember the 1980s and have taken steps to help weather this storm.
Some ag-related banks have taken steps like limiting the loan-to-value ratio on property purchases to around 65%. They reason the borrower can withstand a 30% drop in land values and still have a loan that will "work.”
U.S. agriculture's balance sheet looks much better than it did in the 1980s. The average debt-to-equity ratio is expected to fall from 10.6% in 2007 to 9.9% in 2008, and the debt-to-asset ratio to fall from 9.6% to 9.0%.
Can U.S. agriculture still get caught in the crisis? Yes. Especially if tightening credit spills into ag lending.
"We could see tight credit markets having an effect on agricultural production,” warns USDA Secretary Ed Schafer. "It's something we're watching.”
With commodity prices under pressure, vigilance is key to ensure that ag doesn't become one of the "moles” to pop up for financial policymakers.
|Rescue Plan Details
|The core of the bailout plan remains virtually unchanged since Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson presented it to lawmakers in September. It authorizes the Treasury to buy up to $700 billion in troubled assets of financial institutions. The funding is provided in installments, making $250 billion available immediately and $100 billion upon the President's certification. A final installment of $350 billion would be available pending a congressional vote.
|Key Plan Additions
¡FDIC insurance: Through 2009, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) protection for bank accounts will be increased to $250,000 from $100,000 per account. The bill also would give the FDIC unlimited borrowing access to Treasury funds through 2009. The FDIC now has $45 billion in funds backing $4.5 trillion in deposits.
¡Executive compensation: When the Treasury Department buys more than $300 million in assets at auction from a single institution, executive compensation above $500,000 will not be tax-deductible and the institution will be subject to penalties for some golden parachute payments.
¡A stake in companies: The Treasury Department will receive warrants for nonvoting stock from participating financial institutions, if needed, to cover losses and administrative costs while allowing taxpayers to benefit from equity appreciation.
¡Farm equipment: Reduces to five years from seven years the period in which the cost of certain farm equipment can be recovered.
¡Disaster relief provisions: The measure contains several disaster relief provisions.
Tax Breaks and Offsets
The measure contains $150.6 billion in tax breaks and $43.5 billion in offsets that include:
¡Alternative energy: Extends and modifies the existing Section 45 credit for producing energy from certain alternative sources, including extending the credit through 2009 for wind and refined coal facilities and through 2010 for other sources, such as closed-loop biomass, open-loop biomass, geothermal, hydropower and trash combustion facilities.
¡Alternative fuel property: Extends for one year, through 2010, a 30% credit for alternative refueling properties, such as E-85 and natural gas pumps, while expanding the credit to cover electric vehicle recharging property. Maximum credit: $30,000.
¡Depreciation rule: Allows various types of cellulosic biofuels, and not only cellulosic ethanol, to qualify for a 50% depreciation rule.
¡Biodiesel and renewable diesel credits: Extends through 2009 the $1 per gallon credit for producing biodiesel, the $1 per gallon credit for producing diesel from biomass and the 10% credit for small biodiesel producers. Also eliminates requirements that renewable diesel be produced using a thermal depolymerization process and clarifies that credits are designed for fuels produced and used domestically.
You can e-mail Roger Bernard at firstname.lastname@example.org
- November 2008 | <urn:uuid:bd023d2c-479c-4cfc-b95b-3d19717dab85> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.agweb.com/farmjournal/article/Rewriting_the_Global_Playbook_203492/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941777 | 1,622 | 2.140625 | 2 |
If Christ had only earned forgiveness of sins for us, then we would not merit heaven. Our guilt would have been removed, but we would simply be in the position of Adam and Eve before they had done anything good or bad and before they had passed a time of probation successfully. To be established in righteousness forever and to have their fellowship with God made sure forever, Adam and Eve had to obey God perfectly over a period of time. Then God would have looked on their faithful obedience with pleasure and delight, and they would have lived with him in fellowship forever.
For this reason, Christ had to live a life of perfect obedience to God in order to earn righteousness for us. He had to obey the law for his whole life on our behalf so that the positive merits of his perfect obedience would be counted for us. Sometimes this is called Christ’s “active obedience,” while his suffering and dying for our sins is called his “passive obedience.” Paul says his goal is that he may be found in Christ, “not having a righteousness of [his] own based on law, but that which is through faith in Christ the righteousness from God that depends on faith” (Phil. 3:9). It is not just moral neutrality that Paul knows he needs from Christ (that is, a clean slate with sins forgiven), but a positive moral righteousness. And he knows that that cannot come from himself, but must come through faith in Christ. Similarly, Paul says that Christ has been made “our righteousness” (1 Cor. 1:30). And he quite explicitly says, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous” (Rom. 5:19). | <urn:uuid:e2c8b039-4734-4c1c-aa02-800dd8f15a9a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.davidwesterfield.net/2009/09/the-active-obedience-of-christ-wayne-grudem/ | 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 | 0.989796 | 366 | 2.125 | 2 |
Farmers vs. Monsanto, Round 2
Dozens of small farmers and their supporters have traveled to Washington, DC today to ask the U.S. Court of Appeals to reinstate a class-action lawsuit against biotech giant Monsanto.
The landmark suit, first filed in March 2011 by the Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association, challenges the validity of 23 Monsanto patents. Claimants say that the move is needed to protect farmers whose seeds become contaminated by Monsanto-patented seeds from lawsuits for infringement.
Though Monsanto has painted the lawsuit as “a transparent effort by plaintiffs to create a controversy where none exists,” it acknowledges elsewhere that it has filed suit more than 145 times against farmers accused of using its patented seed varieties. Monsanto owns the patents to ninety percent of genetically modified crops and, according to a 2005 report from the Center for Food Safety, the company has a staff of 75 and a budget of $10 million devoted to investigating and prosecuting farmers.
The case was dismissed in February 2012 by a federal judge who ruled that the farmers lacked standing. Attorney Dan Ravicher of the not-for-profit Public Patent Foundation, which is prosecuting the case, said in a statement, “The District Court erred when it denied the organic seed plaintiffs the right to seek protection from Monsanto’s patents.”
The legal challenge comes as Monsanto is reporting that sales in its most recent quarter more than doubled. Though this growth is spurred by an expanding market for biotech corn seeds in Latin America, the company is also facing pushback in that region. In June 2012, Times of India reported on an important victory for five million Brazilian farmers who filed suit against Monsanto for collecting royalties for “renewal” seed harvests:
The farmers are claiming that the powerful company has unfairly extracted these royalties from poor farmers because they were using seeds produced from crops grown from Monsanto's genetically engineered seeds, reports Merco Press.
In April this year, a judge in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, ruled in favor of the farmers and ordered Monsanto to return royalties paid since 2004 or a minimum of $2 billion. … Monsanto has appealed against the order and a federal court ruling on the case is now expected by 2014.
Supporters and food justice activists will hold a “citizen’s assembly” as oral arguments are heard in court today. “It’s time to end Monsanto’s campaign of fear against America’s farmers and stand up for farmers’ right to grow our food without legal threats and intimidation,” said Dave Murphy, founder and executive director of Food Democracy Now! | <urn:uuid:28c7f33b-5f59-45b8-89a4-fe8b709753f7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://inthesetimes.com/uprising/entry/14399/farmers_vs._monsanto_round_2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963337 | 539 | 1.796875 | 2 |
James Hill was sitting in his Piermont apartment with his ex-girlfriend and their son watching the news while Superstorm Sandy hit Rockland back in October when their power went out.
Hill, wearing sandals, walked outside to turn on the generator and get their power back on. It was completely dark outside, so it took until he stepped off his porch to first realize the full extent of the storm, as he was then knee-deep in water.
He ran back upstairs to get boots and a flashlight so he could turn on the generator. The driveway continued to fill with water, so he started moving the cars uphill. His large truck was fine, but the water was so high as soon as he opened the door to his grandmother’s smaller vehicle, water started pouring into the car.
“I ended up losing my motorcycle,” Hill said. “Eventually I got extension cords and wires hanging from the ceiling in the basement so I could hook up the generator and start the sump pumps.”
That didn’t last too long either, though, as water poured into the basement, knocking the door partially off the hinges. The basement was nearly packed with water standing more than six-feet high, almost completely overflowing onto the house ground-floor. The water stopped just before reaching the top of the top step leading from the ground floor to the basement.
“It the water was another inch or so higher, the bottom floor of the house would’ve been completely submerged,” Hill said.
Hill lives in the Piermont apartment upstairs in his grandparents’ house. His grandparents, Veronica and James Artrip, were in Florida when the storm him. Veronica Artrip said they try to get down to Florida, especially later in the year as the cold weather isn’t good for her husband’s back.
Since the storm, the family has tried multiple times a week to reach out to their insurance company, Hartford Insurance Company, without much luck. Veronica Artrip estimated that she’s called the company at least once a week since the storm hit, although most weeks she said it’s two or three times. So far they’ve received a $10,000 emergency check, which she said went to a hot water heater, boiler and completely rewiring the basement.
Their estimates for damage assessment are about $65,000. They’ve also noticed black mold growing in their basement.
“I was begging for help and I was telling them about the black mold forming and that we were getting sick and that we couldn’t live like this,” she said. “But still, we haven’t heard.”
After not getting much help, they reached out to State Sen. David Carlucci. On Wednesday, Carlucci set up a walkthrough of the home for reporters and talked about new legislation that would set up a time requirement for insurance companies to respond to residents after a natural disaster.
“We should not have to have a crew of cameras, a senator at the front door step demanding that insurance companies simply do their job,” Carlucci said. “What we’ve seen in this case is the insurance companies, I believe, are purposely delaying. They’re purposely dragging their feet, hoping that Veronica won’t do her due diligence and keep calling, but she shouldn’t have to do that. And that’s why it’s important that we put into state law the timeline that insurance companies have to respond when there’s a natural disaster.”
He said the new timeline would give insurance companies six days following a disaster to start investigating claims, and they’d then have 15 days to let residents know if the claim will go through or not.
“That’s the problem,” Carlucci said. “With Veronica and James, they can’t move on because they’re concerned about whether they’re going to be paid or not. So they have to do and wait and make sure the insurance company does their job so they can get paid and they can pay the contractors to do the job and do it right.”
Carlucci also said mold is a growing problem that people aren’t talking about enough. He said people either ignore it or just paint over it, both of which can have extremely negative impacts on people living in those residences. Carlucci also said they need a mold specialist to come in and work so they not only get rid of the mold properly, but so the specialist can ensure it doesn’t grow back.
“This is black toxic mold that gets into your lungs and is a direct contributor to asthma, so this is a real problem,” Carlucci said. “That’s why we’ve got to do what we can, get on this right away and make sure the insurance companies do their job and pay the victims of Hurricane Sandy immediately, not just so they can get in their house. That’s obviously important. But now we’re talking about a public health issue.”
Hill said the family is still cleaning out the house, and they’ve all had coughs since the storm, although he added he’s not positive it’s from the mold. It took five days of two sump pumps running constantly to full drain the basement.
Since the mold is on the ceiling of the basement, the family isn’t sure if it’s also under the carpet upstairs, which ended up wet from the flooding. Part of the floor under the carpet upstairs has pulled apart or fallen a bit. The bathroom floor sits a bit lower than it did before he storm, and some of the wood floor has buckled a bit.
Veronica and James Artrip have lived in the house since 1977 and Veronica said they’ve had flooding before, but nothing to this extent. She added that they called Carlucci after seeing something on TV that said to call local elected officials if insurance companies weren’t working fast enough. Carlucci, part of a bipartisan task force in the state senate working on Sandy recovery, said they’ve fielded thousands of calls from state residents about storm damage and issues with insurance companies. Veronica Artrip is thankful Carlucci and his staff answered her call and reacted quickly.
“It shows somebody actually cares,” she said. “They’ve been great and they started working with us right away. I know there are people out there worse off than us. But we’re also worse off than we were before too. It’s just such a mess. Every room in the house has something wrong.” | <urn:uuid:bd733ce7-8cee-4376-b34e-d3037e657339> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nyack.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/carlucci-tours-home-of-piermont-sandy-victims-with-mold | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977441 | 1,413 | 1.523438 | 2 |
During the 1970s, the British Broadcasting Corporation produced a genuinely clever situation comedy starring John Cleese who portrayed a frustrated inn keeper who could not get along with his wife, his staff, or his customers. If a guest complained about a poorly prepared dinner, Basil Fawlty responded with insults. If his wife brought a grievance to his attention, he responded with an insult. And on those occasions when employees bungled their assigned duties, Mr. Fawlty responded with more insults. As one might imagine, Basil Fawlty's resort never achieved five star status. Customer conflict makes great comic television, but in the real world, unresolved customer conflict is anathema to the well-being of any business.
Customer conflict is bound to happen. This is a given. Product dissatisfaction, unfulfilled expectations, poor service, or miscommunications can all lead to customer conflict. Businesses make mistakes. Customers are not always right. We all know this. The real issue, of course, is how to best respond when these invariable conflicts arise. Since unhappy customers tend to be far more vocal than happy customers, business operators and employees who continually mishandle customer complaints will quickly discover that enough dissatisfied customers can shut down a business! Thankfully, conflict resolution is hardly a complex matter; in most cases, effective conflict resolution is simply a matter of patience and common sense.
• Resolve customer conflicts by remaining calm. Even if a customer is raising his or her voice in anger, your best move is in maintaining a calm composure. Overwrought with frustration, one may reasonably assume an irate customer simply wishes to be heard. Very well--let the customer have his or her say. Perhaps the customer wishes to provoke you; if you permit this to happen, you have fallen into the customer's snare. By allowing yourself to be provoked, changes are good that you will be the big loser. Besides, if you enter into a screaming contest with a hot-headed moron, bystanders will not be able to distinguish one angry fool from another! Stay calm. Turn the other cheek. Take the high road.
• Confession is good for the soul. If you are wrong, admit to the fault. Apologize without delay or hesitation! Apologize and then set out to make restitution. A sincere apology is a balm that can heal many wounds. And by all means avoid muddling up a perfectly good apology with a long string of mindless excuses. Once you have taken ownership of the fault, work toward correcting the problem rather than doling out silly excuses! By the way, there may be occasions in which accepting someone else's blame will ultimately prove to be beneficial. So what if only you and God know that you are right and the customer is wrong? Swallowing a bit of pride never hurt anyone--and this may be the first step in transforming an angry patron into a loyal customer.
• God has given us two ears but only one mouth. When disputes erupt, we should be quick to listen and slow to speak. Listen very carefully to what the other person has to say! Far too many people fail to listen--while the other person is stating his or her case, the would-be listener may be formulating a response rather than lending full attention to what is being said. No one is offended by a good listener and by allowing the other person speak, you are more likely to be afforded the same courtesy. Remember--only those who are on shaky ground try shouting down their opponents. Two good ears are better than one rampant mouth!
• Could it be that the truth of the matter stands somewhere between you and your distraught customer? It may be that you and the irate person across the counter are both partially right; therefore, consider the situation from the other person's point of view. By examining a problem from another angle, formulating a compromise that is fair and reasonable to both parties becomes more likely; if a compromise cannot be worked out, both parties should pledge to disagree agreeably. A component of rational thinking is considering a problem from a number of angles. Logic and reason are good allies when seeking to resolve a conflict.
• Many years ago, a young tough who roamed the mean streets of New York's Bedford Stuyvesant district threatened a young pastor at knifepoint. "I don't like preachers," he snarled. Today, this former street gang leader pastors a prominent church. So what is the point? Learn to look at everyone--even the angry, red-faced person seeking to provoke you--as someone who is loved by God. For all you and I know, this person may be destined for greatness. The Apostle Paul, prior to his conversion, was an angry little Pharisee who went about persecuting Christian believers. As a chaplain, I am not particularly keen on those who persecute members of my faith, but I must remember that the most prolific New Testament writer was a former Christian hater. There is hope for everyone and this includes the hot-tempered customer with the bloodshot eyes!
• A number of years ago, someone I did not know swaggered into my office and greeted me with a sarcastic countenance and an ultimatum laced with crude vulgarities. I calmly explained that I did not make a habit of entertaining dirty-mouth guests who were so obviously void of civility. I then asked my difficult guest to leave and returned my attention to a stack of paperwork. The person blinked once or twice and humbly apologized. From then on, our conversation remained low-toned and wholly civil. A yeller or a screamer or a purveyor of verbal filth should be kept on a short leash. If an out of control tirade continues, end the conversation. Nothing is likely to be resolved until both parties are calm and reasonable. For those who will not calm down, there is always the door. "Before this gets out of hand, I must insist that you leave. If you choose to calm down later, please return and I will be happy discussing the matter with you, but now is obviously not the time."
When I was a young man, I overheard my employer tell a sales representative, "Anyone can make a sale. Prove to me that you know how to make a customer!" And he was right! Anyone can make a sale, but only a real professional knows how to make and maintain customers who keep coming back. Good customer service is the life blood of any business; mishandling customer complaints is the surest way of hemorrhaging the vital life blood that allows a business to keep its doors open year after year.
Read more articles by Michael Blunk Th.D. or search for articles on the same topic or others. | <urn:uuid:41be147f-a0e9-478b-a487-bd6e0aed95c9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=143606 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961539 | 1,378 | 1.859375 | 2 |
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Golden Globe and BAFTA-winning British actress Miranda Richardson delivered decades of stellar performances on stage and screen, becoming one of the most-respected international actresses of the late 20th century. With an exceptional versatility that staunchly deflected any attempts of "British actress" typecasting, Richardson starred as street toughs, gentile matriarchs and fairy tale queens (of both the good and evil variety) in American and UK film and television productions, earning Academy Award nominations for Louis Malle's "Damage" (1992) and the biopic of writer T.S. Eliot, "Tom & Viv" (1992). Richardson was a member of the stock company of Rowan Atkinson's eccentric "Blackadder" series, but equally at home at the center of character dramas like "The Hours" (2002) or delivering hilarious guest appearances on shows like the bawdy sitcom "Absolutely Fabulous" (BBC, 1992-96; 2001-05). An intelligent, intuitive actress unafraid of exploring emotional extremes and unglamorous reality, Richardson enjoyed steady success with critically-acclaimed projects well past the age when the telephones of one-dimensional fading beauties had stopped ringing.Richardson was born March 3, 1958, the youngest...
Golden Globe and BAFTA-winning British actress Miranda Richardson delivered decades of stellar performances on stage and screen, becoming one of the most-respected international actresses of the late 20th century. With an exceptional versatility that staunchly deflected any attempts of "British actress" typecasting, Richardson starred as street toughs, gentile matriarchs and fairy tale queens (of both the good and evil variety) in American and UK film and television productions, earning Academy Award nominations for Louis Malle's "Damage" (1992) and the biopic of writer T.S. Eliot, "Tom & Viv" (1992). Richardson was a member of the stock company of Rowan Atkinson's eccentric "Blackadder" series, but equally at home at the center of character dramas like "The Hours" (2002) or delivering hilarious guest appearances on shows like the bawdy sitcom "Absolutely Fabulous" (BBC, 1992-96; 2001-05). An intelligent, intuitive actress unafraid of exploring emotional extremes and unglamorous reality, Richardson enjoyed steady success with critically-acclaimed projects well past the age when the telephones of one-dimensional fading beauties had stopped ringing.
Richardson was born March 3, 1958, the youngest daughter of a marketing executive and his homemaker wife. She was raised in Southport, Lancashire where she became so enamored of acting during childhood that she quit academic pursuits at age 17 to train at the prestigious Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. After two years there, she embarked on the regional theater circuit, debuting professionally at the Manchester Library Theater in 1979 and arriving on London's West End two years later in "Moving." Following a string of praised stage performances in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and "Educating Rita," Richardson launched her television career with a guest spot on the British sitcom "Agony." Richardson's career really took off in 1984 with a role in the syndicated television miniseries, "A Woman of Substance," her feature acting debut in "The Innocent," and the first of several collaborations with director Mike Newell on his stage play "Life of Einstein," in which she played multiple, wildly different roles. The following year, Newell cast her in the central role of Ruth Ellis, a spurned murderess and the last woman hanged in England, in the period drama "Dance with a Stranger" (1985). With brassy platinum hair and a hard-shell demeanor, Richardson shined in the role and rose above the clichéd material.
Following the overwhelming, international response to that feature, Richardson retreated to the British stage and television screen for the remainder of the decade. She became a member of the stock company of Rowan Atkinson's comedic "Blackadder" series and acted in the London premiere of Sam Shepard's "A Lie of the Mind" (1987). Director Steven Spielberg coaxed her back onto the big screen to play a reserved British prisoner in a WWII Japanese internment camp who befriends a young boy (Christian Bale) in "Empire of the Sun" (1987), though heavy-handed special effects essentially stole that show. She starred on the British stage in Harold Pinter's "Mountain Language" (1988) and appeared in "Blackadder's Christmas Carol" (BBC, 1988) and "Blackadder Goes Forth" (BBC, 1989), as well as resuming her film career with a bang as a society matron who shares an Italian villa with three other British women in Newell's "Enchanted April" (1991; released in the USA in 1992). She was honored with a Golden Globe Award for the art house hit and also earned critical accolades for two other features that same year: Neil Jordan's "The Crying Game" (1992), in which she played a tough as nails IRA member and "Damage" (1992), in which Louis Malle tapped her to play the wife of a politician who has an affair with their son's girlfriend.
The year of back-to-back triumphs closed with Richardson's Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress (and her BAFTA win) for "Damage." Two years later, she was nominated in the Best Actress Oscar category for her mesmerizing turn as the mentally troubled first wife of poet T.S. Eliot in "Tom and Viv" (1994). By then the actress had become a well-known name in Hollywood, but remained determined to work on her own terms, eschewing offers to act in sub-par American films in favor of projects like HBO's original movie "Fatherland" (1994), for which she won another Golden Globe Award, and a riotous guest appearance as a harried new mother on the cult hit "Absolutely Fabulous." Robert Altman cast her to great effect as the drug addicted wife of a politician in his otherwise dull ode to crime and politics in the jazz age, "Kansas City" (1996), before Richardson effectively stole the proceedings playing the best friend of the deceased Emma in "The Evening Star" (1996), the disappointing sequel to "Terms of Endearment" (1983). On the London stage, she starred opposite Mike Nichols (in a rare acting role) in Wallace Shawn's "The Designated Mourner," which was filmed and received a limited theatrical release in 1997. Adopting another flawless American accent, Richardson enjoyed a supporting role in Robert Duvall's "The Apostle" (1997) as a love interest of Duvall's wayward Pentecostal minister and for her work, earned a nomination as Best Supporting Female from the Independent Spirit Awards.
Richardson took home a Golden Globe statue for playing the evil Queen Mab in the NBC miniseries "Merlin" (1998) and made another fantastical impression as the Queen of Hearts in the network's live action "Alice in Wonderland" (1999). After playing the unhappy, wealthy wife of a political candidate in "The Big Brass Ring" (Showtime, 1999), based on a script by the late Orson Welles, she returned to fairy tale territory as the mysterious stepmother of Christina Ricci in Tim Burton's lavish reworking of "Sleepy Hollow" (1999). She then lent her distinctive vocal talents to the blockbuster animated feature "Chicken Run" (2000) and joined Sylvester Stallone and Rachael Leigh Cook in the disappointing remake of the British classic crime film, "Get Carter" (2000). She made a delightfully wicked Queen Elspeth in the USA Network telepic "Snow White: The Fairest of Them All" (2001) before returning to theaters in a pair of critically acclaimed films centered on emotionally harrowing subject matter. For "Spider" (2002), Richardson earned London and San Francisco Film Critics awards for playing the mother of a schizophrenic. In "The Hours" (2002), she portrayed the sister of author Virginia Woolf and member of an exceedingly complicated family. After taking on the role of the Queen of Denmark in the made-for-Julia Stiles romantic comedy "The Prince & Me" (2004), Richardson appeared as the stern grande dame of an opera house in the flop "Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera" (2004), directed by an over-exuberant Joel Schumacher.
The rare misstep was quickly righted when Richardson gave a Golden Globe- nominated performance as Queen Mary in the BBC drama about a forgotten member of the Royal Family, "Lost Prince" (2004). She was tapped by longtime collaborator Mike Newell for a supporting role as a journalist in the 2005 mega-blockbuster "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" (2005), sticking close to fantasy to reprise her role as the Lady of the Lake in "Merlin's Apprentice" (2005). Turns in well-received independent films "Wah Wah" (2006) and "Paris, je t'aime" (2007) were followed by a surprising appearance in the broad holiday comedy "Fred Claus" (2007) and the futuristic flop "Southland Tales" (2007). Richardson returned to British television with a recurring role on Jennifer Saunders' "The Life Times of Vivienne Vyle" (BBC, 2007- ) before taking on a co-starring role as the Duchess of Kent in the British production "The Young Victoria" (2009), starring Emily Blunt and Jim Broadbent.
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"The biggest sin in my buisiness is having a label and I will do anything I can to keep a director from saying 'Oh yeah, she's the tart killer type or the society matron type.' I want them to say. 'Oh yeah, she can play anything.'" --Miranda Richardson
"If I'm ever asked what I want from film work, I always say I would like to achieve the versatility I can find in the theatre, and having the same variety." --Miranda Richardson
"I'd heard Miranda was a tough interview. And she was. I think it's part shyness, part smart. She's smarter than most people and doesn't like dumb questions, and she doesn't bother trying to charm you. But when she lets herself relax, she's okay." --James Brady quoted in Parade, February 19, 1995.
"There isn't a Miranda Richardson kind of part. In the past, people have been confused about what I might be right for. But ultimately, that should work for you." --Miranda Richardson to USA Today, March 21, 1995.
"Miranda is totally unegomaniacal. She's highly professional, and I mean that in the best sense." --"Tom and Viv" co-star Rosemary Harris quoted in USA Today, March 21, 1995.
Please support TCMDB by adding to this information.Click here to contribute | <urn:uuid:b6b145e6-f645-49c5-a747-57c6e592c46c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/161383%7C185984/Miranda-Richardson/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955948 | 2,312 | 1.523438 | 2 |
What, you didn’t know it was International Women’s Day. You probably did, only because Google said so but it’s been 100 years that the day existed. I wrote an article on Hollaback!. Take a moment to check it out and then let’s get back to talking about being Jews.
Yesterday at work I met two gay Jews. They were both male, both awesome, and neither of them questioned “how” I was Jewish and instead were like, “go homo Jews!” and gave one another hugs and high fives. I appreciated their lack of question. It may have been because they were gay and understand what it is to be “other.” I wonder what an amazing place it would be if you didn’t have to question or qualify anyone.
Mirs and I have been having serious talks about race and ethnicity. Mainly to do with her concerns about raising black children, who are Jews with two mommies but also to do with topics she’s discussing academically. White privilege is the topic in her classes and it seems that it’s making the white people uncomfortable. When, let’s face it. If a white person cannot or choses not to understand the privilege they get based solely on their skin color, they’re lying. If you google White privilege you’ll find the following list by Peggy McIntosh:
1. I can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time.
2. I can avoid spending time with people whom I was trained to mistrust and who have learned to mistrust my kind or me.
3. If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area which I can afford and in which I would want to live.
4. I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me.
5. I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.
6. I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.
7. When I am told about our national heritage or about “civilization,” I am shown that people of my color made it what it is.
8. I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race.
9. If I want to, I can be pretty sure of finding a publisher for this piece on white privilege.
10. I can be pretty sure of having my voice heard in a group in which I am the only member of my race.
11. I can be casual about whether or not to listen to another person’s voice in a group in which s/he is the only member of his/her race.
12. I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented, into a supermarket and find the staple foods which fit with my cultural traditions, into a hairdresser’s shop and find someone who can cut my hair.
13. Whether I use checks, credit cards or cash, I can count on my skin color not to work against the appearance of financial reliability.
14. I can arrange to protect my children most of the time from people who might not like them.
15. I do not have to educate my children to be aware of systemic racism for their own daily physical protection.
16. I can be pretty sure that my children’s teachers and employers will tolerate them if they fit school and workplace norms; my chief worries about them do not concern others’ attitudes toward their race.
17. I can talk with my mouth full and not have people put this down to my color.
18. I can swear, or dress in second hand clothes, or not answer letters, without having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty or the illiteracy of my race.
19. I can speak in public to a powerful male group without putting my race on trial.
20. I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race.
21. I am never asked to speak for all the people of my racial group.
22. I can remain oblivious of the language and customs of persons of color who constitute the world’s majority without feeling in my culture any penalty for such oblivion.
23. I can criticize our government and talk about how much I fear its policies and behavior without being seen as a cultural outsider.
24. I can be pretty sure that if I ask to talk to the “person in charge”, I will be facing a person of my race.
25. If a traffic cop pulls me over or if the IRS audits my tax return, I can be sure I haven’t been singled out because of my race.
26. I can easily buy posters, post-cards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys and children’s magazines featuring people of my race.
27. I can go home from most meetings of organizations I belong to feeling somewhat tied in, rather than isolated, out-of-place, outnumbered, unheard, held at a distance or feared.
28. I can be pretty sure that an argument with a colleague of another race is more likely to jeopardize her/his chances for advancement than to jeopardize mine.
29. I can be pretty sure that if I argue for the promotion of a person of another race, or a program centering on race, this is not likely to cost me heavily within my present setting, even if my colleagues disagree with me.
30. If I declare there is a racial issue at hand, or there isn’t a racial issue at hand, my race will lend me more credibility for either position than a person of color will have.
31. I can choose to ignore developments in minority writing and minority activist programs, or disparage them, or learn from them, but in any case, I can find ways to be more or less protected from negative consequences of any of these choices.
32. My culture gives me little fear about ignoring the perspectives and powers of people of other races.
33. I am not made acutely aware that my shape, bearing or body odor will be taken as a reflection on my race.
34. I can worry about racism without being seen as self-interested or self-seeking.
35. I can take a job with an affirmative action employer without having my co-workers on the job suspect that I got it because of my race.
36. If my day, week or year is going badly, I need not ask of each negative episode or situation whether it had racial overtones.
37. I can be pretty sure of finding people who would be willing to talk with me and advise me about my next steps, professionally.
38. I can think over many options, social, political, imaginative or professional, without asking whether a person of my race would be accepted or allowed to do what I want to do.
39. I can be late to a meeting without having the lateness reflect on my race.
40. I can choose public accommodation without fearing that people of my race cannot get in or will be mistreated in the places I have chosen.
41. I can be sure that if I need legal or medical help, my race will not work against me.
42. I can arrange my activities so that I will never have to experience feelings of rejection owing to my race.
43. If I have low credibility as a leader I can be sure that my race is not the problem.
44. I can easily find academic courses and institutions which give attention only to people of my race.
45. I can expect figurative language and imagery in all of the arts to testify to experiences of my race.
46. I can chose blemish cover or bandages in “flesh” color and have them more or less match my skin.
47. I can travel alone or with my spouse without expecting embarrassment or hostility in those who deal with us.
48. I have no difficulty finding neighborhoods where people approve of our household.
49. My children are given texts and classes which implicitly support our kind of family unit and do not turn them against my choice of domestic partnership.
50. I will feel welcomed and “normal” in the usual walks of public life, institutional and social.
If you google a bit further you will also find an Ashkenazi checklist from the Jewish Multiracial Network
I can walk into my temple and feel that others do not see me as outsider.
___ I can walk into my temple and feel that others do not see me as exotic.
___ I can walk into my temple and feel that my children are seen as Jews.
___ I can walk into temple with my family and not worry that they will be treated unkindly.
___ I can enjoy music at my temple that reflects the tunes, prayers, and cultural roots of my specific Jewish heritage.
___ I can easily find greeting cards and books with images of Jews who look like me.
___ I can easily find Jewish books and toys for my children with images of Jews that look like them.
___ I am not singled out to speak about and as a representative of an “exotic” Jewish subgroup.
___ When I go to Jewish bookstores or restaurants, I am not seen as an outsider.
___ I find my experiences and images like mine in Jewish newspapers and magazines.
___ My rabbi never questions that I am Jewish.
___ When I tell other members of my synagogue that I feel marginalized, they are immediately and appropriately responsive.
___ There are other children at the religious school who look like my child.
___ My child’s authenticity as a Jew is never questioned by adults or children based on his/her skin color.
___ People never say to me, “But you don’t look Jewish,” either seriously or as though it was funny.
___ I do not worry about being seen or treated as a member of the janitorial staff at a synagogue or when attending a Jewish event.
___ I am never asked “how” I am Jewish at dating events or on Jewish dating websites.
___ I can arrange to be in the company of Jews of my heritage most of the time.
___ When attempting to join a synagogue or Jewish organization, I am sure that my ethnic background will not be held against me.
___ I can ask synagogues and Jewish organizations to include images and cultural traditions from my background without being seen as a nuisance.
___ I can enroll in a Jewish day school, yeshiva, and historically Jewish college and find Jewish students and professors with my racial or ethnic background.
___ People of color do not question why I am Jewish.
___ I can send my child to Hebrew School/Young Judea camp without him/her being subjected to racist slurs from other children.
___ I am not discriminated against in the aliyah process as a Jew of my particular ethnicity.
___ I know my ethnic background will not be held against me in being called to read the Torah.
What Mirs and I have been discussing is whiteness in America. Before I go on, to what some may consider a rant, let me just say that I love my white, Ashkenazi partner. I know that when we have children I will be raising children that are part Ashkenazi and part white so I do not have an issue or problem with Ashkenazi Jews or white folks…I just find it interesting and it’s what we’ve been talking about lately.
So, in our chat we talked about the ability for groups of people to become White. There is a book called “When Jews Became White Folks” that’s on my list of reading. But it wasn’t just Jews who became white. Nearly any race that could, did in order to assimilate to the world they immigrated to. Italians, Jews, Russians, Irish, anyone fair enough to pass as white did, thus stripping themselves of their culture to avoid being an other. When you’re Indian, Asian, Latino, or Black you don’t have that privilege. The skin color you’re born with always “fails” and in any situation the jig is up-you are an “other”.
Add to that homosexuality and the fact that I’m woman it’s a wonder that I would want to purposely add Jew to my otherness…which is where a lot of my discussions about raising children with my partner stem. How is she, a white woman with 50+ printed privileges supposed to raise children of color? I asked her what it was like being a Jew in Texas and she sort of got it. I asked what it’s like to be a woman, to be gay. True, you can “hide” your gay, although some people cannot, and she could hide her Jew she can’t hide being a woman. When you are a person of color you generally have a strong sense of self, or at least I do.
My parents raised me to know that coud go any where I pleased and be anyone I wanted to be. I was raised to question nothing and everything. I was raised to fear nothing. Do people notice that I’m black when I walk into a store, I’m sure but I don’t notice them noticing me because I’m entitled to be there as much as any other person is. That’s what my parent’s taught me and that’s what I will teach my children. I’m proud to be a black woman. I’m proud to be a gay woman. I’m proud to be a Jew(to be). | <urn:uuid:d316f471-3c66-4724-b8b0-fa13e9f351a4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blackgayandjewish.wordpress.com/category/jews-of-color/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966298 | 2,925 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Spend Less on Healthy Eating
Posted Jan 21, 2013
Although modern junk food can be cheaper than fresh fruit and vegetables, it's a myth that eating healthy has to mean a higher grocery bill.
"It doesn't have to be expensive," said Debbi Beauvais, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Nutrition and Dietetics Association. "You don't have to buy all organic fruit and vegetables; you just need nutritious food that's low in fat."
Planning ahead, clipping coupons, buying in season are some of the ways to meet the recommended dietary requirements without putting a dent in your budget.
"It's a really matter of changing habits," said Melinda Bewley, an Amherst-based registered dietitian. "People are crunched for time so they look for convenience, and they are unaware of affordable options that can save them money."
Furthermore, junk foods, while sometimes less expensive, are high in fat and calories. But pricier healthy options are high in nutrients and low in calories. In the end, fresh produce gives you a more nutritious bang for your buck, according a recent study done by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service.
Additionally, a USDA Economic Research Service study in 2008 found that a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet could adhere to dietary recommendations for fruit and vegetables for less than $2.50 per day.
When shopping healthy, it's recommended you make a shopping list to avoid aimlessly wandering into aisles loaded with temptations.
"Create a shopping list so you're not throwing away your money, picking up things you don't need," said Bewley, who owns Balanced Nutrition on Alberta Drive.
Planning and preparing your meals in advance are crucial to eating healthy and cutting costs.
"I can't stress planning ahead enough," said Bewley. "If you don't plan, than you'll buy convenience foods. It could be the choice between a $1 value meal and a 99-cent bag of carrots. With the value meal, that dollar is spent right there, but with the carrots, it'll last you a week. If you're planning ahead, you can budget for those food items."
Bewley suggests preparing meals that can be stored in a freezer and eaten over time, and saving strips of vegetables for stir fry.
When buying produce, it's more economical to do so when they are in season and to buy from sources closest to you.
"This is great farmers' market season; you pick up fresh fruits and vegetables right in your own neighborhood," said Beauvais, who is also the nutrition director of two school districts in the Rochester area.
"They are usually very affordable, cheaper than getting them in the supermarket.
"You have to eat with the season. June is strawberry month, which is when you can get the best prices. The fall is the best time for apples and root vegetables, like squash, potatoes and zucchinis," she said.
Canned and frozen varieties are nutritious and even cheaper substitutes during the cold-weather months, she added.
To boost savings at the checkout, the American Nutrition and Dietetics Association suggests using coupons and signing up for supermarkets' rewards cards. Coupons can reduce a grocery bill by 10 to 15 percent, according to the organization.
Picking up store brands can also cut costs. According to the Food Marketing Institute, almost 60 percent of shoppers said they saved by buying private label products, which tend to be 15 to 20 percent cheaper than national brands but with comparable quality.
Cutting back on protein can also reap savings. Americans tend to eat more than the recommended protein, largely from meat sources, which can be expensive. Reducing the portion is one way to save money and make room in your food budget. Additionally, buying cheaper cuts of meats, like beef round or a whole chicken instead of parts, will lower your grocery bill.
There are also healthier and cheaper sources of protein that can be incorporated into a diet, like eggs and beans.
While there are various ways to achieve a balanced diet on a budget, the singular goal is to adhere to the recommendations at ChooseMyPlate.gov, the website of the Department of Agriculture, Beauvais said.
"The main thing is to include all food groups on your plate," she said. "That's the best way to ensure overall health."
©2012 The Buffalo News (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Visit The Buffalo News (Buffalo, N.Y.) at www.buffalonews.com | <urn:uuid:32a9f985-3993-414c-a861-941501c816f0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.naturalfrontiermarket.net/common/news/news_results.asp?task=Headline&id=13935&StoreID=74FDC012E8D140618EB6B4C6234A2B79 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962682 | 948 | 2.71875 | 3 |
StANDARDS SPOTLIGHT: The INDUSTRIAL ERA
How will you bring Minnesota's Industrial Era to life in your classroom? Telling James J. Hill's story is an attention-grabbing way to spark a variety of lessons. Not only did the "Empire Builder" have a profound effect on the national economy, but his Great Northern Railway affected the politics, landscape, and culture of 1890s Minnesota.
Hill's story can be told from many perspectives--of a laborer working for one of Hill's businesses, an immigrant seeking new opportunity, a citizen from a bypassed town, or possibly a farmer whose prices the railroads dominated.
Minnesota students have easy access to information about this influential figure. They can explore history right where it happened, here in their home state. Check out these sources:
Tour the Hill House. Built by 400 workers, this magnificent mansion gives glimpses of what life was like for the Hill family and the home's servants. For field trips, call 651-297-2555.
Visit the James. J. Hill Reference Library. View online photos or see Hill's personal business papers at the library. History Day students are welcome. Call 651-265-5442 for more information.
Do research at the Minnesota History Center library. Read about Hill or peruse these 400 photos in the Society's collections.
Sign up for "James J. Hill and the Gilded Age" on Dec. 9. Lively sessions explore both sides of Hill's power--the glitz and the grit. Questions? Call 651-296-4975 or write firstname.lastname@example.org
RamSey House FIELD TRIP MATERIALS NOW ONLINE
Any field trip is more meaningful to students when they get a chance to prepare for it. Getting students ready to visit St. Paul's Alexander Ramsey House just got easier: Pre-visit materials are now online.
Developed by a Ramsey House staff member who is a certified teacher, the materials provide a taste of life in Minnesota 130 years ago. Cross-curricular activities combine history, math, literature, science, and reading.
Find out how a trip to the Ramsey House can enrich your lessons about immigration, industry, and technology.
K-2 materials. Explore family trees, play a Victorian game, do art projects from the 19th century, and more.
3-5 materials. Become a house detective, investigate a letter from Henry H. Sibley to Ramsey, and more.
6-8 materials. Research Ramsey's role in westward expansion, discover 19th-century literature, and more.
9-12 materials. Research Ramsey's role in westard expansion, solve math problems about Victorian life, and more.
Homeschool materials. Receive a sampling of the materials above, to mix and match to suit your students' ages.
To book, fill out our field trip request form or call 651-296-8760. Previsit activities were developed with generous help from the The St. Paul Foundation.
NEW HISTORY PLAYERS COMING to a Class near You
"I love playing this character," says Wini Froelich, a History Player at Mill City Museum.
"Mary Dodge Woodward speaks plainly about life, yet can still be poetic about the stark beauty of the world she is thrust into." Woodward's world was that of an 1880s domestic farm manager in the Red River Valley.
Thanks to the History Player in the Classroom
program, more students will be a
ble to hear Woodward's story. In February, she will be one of two new Players available to visit classrooms throughout Minnesota.
William de la Barre--a "not-so-famous" person who made a tremendous impact--will also join the HPIC cast in February. An Austrian immigrant, de la Barre served as chief water engineer for Minneapolis. Influential in the city's inner workings, de la Barre established industrial roots that led to Minneapolis becoming "flour capital of the world" in the late 1800s.
History Player David Berg enjoys his role. "De la Barre's legacy lives on in a permanent way. He put water to work and it is still working." In addition to teaching about immigration and industrialization, de la Barre can share life lessons. As he once said, "Keep right on through praise or blame and do your duty just the same."
History Players are a great alternative to field trips. Complete with props and artifacts, each 45-minute lesson brings history to life in a memorable way. Teachers receive a background packet, pre- and post-visit activities, and a bookmark for each student.
FOR GRADES 3-8. We'll help tailor to your school's needs. If needed, book with a nearby school, or use Box Tops for Education to help cover costs. Players are also popular with homeschool groups. To book Mill City Museum Players, contact Patrick at 612-341-7556 or by email. To book History Center Players, contact Mary at 651-215-5865 or by email.
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Industry LESSONS For MIDDLE-LEVEL STUDEntS
We use the new Northern Lights Curriculum in our study of Minnesota History. Our culmination of Chapter 11: Flour, Lumber, and Iron is to use the "Forests, Fields, and the Falls" on-line activity. During computer time my students explore the four different options that are available. They look at lumbering, saw milling, farming, and flour milling through an extremely well done interactive process using animation, music, and actual artifacts and documents from the Minnesota History Center.
Each student over four days investigates each occupation and takes notes. On our fifth day, the students have to decide which of the four they would have liked to have been involved in and give reasons why. The students then write a report of their findings and present it to the class.
We often see that our personal background and familiarity with the world around us has an effect on what we would want to do. The students love the online work and are excited to put themselves into the shoes of an early Minnesotan and live their life for awhile!
--Kevin Wassenaar, 6th Grade Teacher
Central Minnesota Christian School, Prinsburg, MN
Do you have a classroom idea you'd like to share with other educators? Please contact us with your idea. If your idea is chosen, we'll send you a free book from the Minnesota Historical Society Press. | <urn:uuid:edddf77a-ed7f-4b44-8186-bdcf5dc444bf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mnhs.org/school/newsletter/2005/dec2005.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928347 | 1,363 | 3.6875 | 4 |
Center for Science in the Earth System (CSES)
The Center for Science in the Earth System (CSES) conducts integrated research on the impacts of climate variability and change on the U.S. Pacific Northwest. CSES combines and integrates expertise in climate dynamics, ecological dynamics, hydrologic dynamics, and institutional and policy analysis for the study of Pacific Northwest climate dynamics and impacts. CSES also researches methodologies for accomplishing climate research, and researches applications of climate information in regional decision-making processes in support of the regional aspects of an eventual Climate Service. The CSES is comprised of two groups: the Climate Impacts Group (CIG) and the Office of the Washington State Climatologist. | <urn:uuid:a8168568-61fe-4c1a-b1a7-5fda858a38e3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.georgetownclimate.org/organizations/center-for-science-in-the-earth-system-cses | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.902261 | 145 | 2.46875 | 2 |
Founded in 1997, BookFinder.com has become a leading book price comparison site:
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Integrating Agile Development In The Real World
by Peter Schuh
ISBN 1584503645 / 9781584503644 / 1-58450-364-5
Publisher Charles River Media
List price $41.95
› Find signed collectible books: 'Integrating Agile Development In The Real World'
Have your software projects been suffering from the age-old development problems of slipped schedules and ballooning budgets? Has your development organization experienced a variety of failed and canceled projects? If so, you may benefit from infusing some agility into your development process. Agile development breaks with a 40-year tradition of applying ever more structure and formalization to the design and development of software by advocating a return to the basic principles of satisfied customers, working software, and the willingness to accept and respond to change. As the popularity of agile development has grown, IT professionals have begun to struggle with ways to integrate agile practices and processes into traditional project environments. Integrating Agile Development in the Real World provides programmers and managers with specific and implementable ways to use agile processes in everyday software development projects. Whether read cover-to-cover, or used as a field guide during an agile transition, this book provides valuable insight into how agile practices and processes may be applied in almost any environment. Everything from how to deliver a working system sooner, acknowledge and respond to change, better meet the needs of the project's customer, to increasing software quality, and fostering a more communicative and collaborative team culture are thoroughly covered. [via] | <urn:uuid:0f742bf6-4b4b-4cad-b796-f2f0870de8ec> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bookfinder.com/dir/i/Integrating_Agile_Development_In_The_Real_World/1584503645/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.904507 | 369 | 1.796875 | 2 |
June 10, 2009
Don't close the paper mills yet - more problems with E-textbooks
Following up on our story from a few days ago, the Chronicle of Higher Education is reporting on more problems integrating E-textbooks into the undergraduate curriculum.
Last year [Northwest Missouri State University] tech-happy president, Dean L. Hubbard, bought a Kindle, Amazon's e-book reading device, and liked it so much that he wanted to give every incoming student one. . . . Students who got the machines quickly asked for their printed books back because it was so awkward to navigate inside the e-books.
The CHE lists 6 lessons learned from universities that have experimented with e-books. In particular, here's one that might have an analogue among law school courses:
Subjects are not equally e-friendly. Kevin Green, a junior, loved the e-book required in his business-marketing class this spring. "But if it was an accounting course," he said, "I would kind of want a printed textbook because it's got all the numbers" and equations that would be harder to manage electronically.
His instructor, Michael J. Wilson, an associate professor of accounting, economics, and finance, said the one problem they had with the e-book in the marketing course was when students needed to refer to a dense table of numbers in the back. He demonstrated for me, noting a pop-up window with a font that was almost illegible. "You can kind of expand them, but it's not as easy as it could be."
At least laptops can display color. E-reading devices handle only black and white. That's a major handicap for science or medical books that rely on illustrations.
Read the rest of the article here.
I am the scholarship dude.
June 10, 2009 | Permalink
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Most of the degree courses on offer are instrumental in building and developing the individuals’ professional lives. Importance of the courses, academic or professional, is undeniable as the job seekers with relevant degree qualifications are among the preferred in the lists of interviewees or applicants at professional organisations. The value of degree qualifications conferred by the UK based colleges and universities on the aspiring individuals, is immeasurable. The degrees provided by the UK distance learning hubs are:
• Associate Degree
• Top Up Degree
• 1 Year Bachelor Degree
Why go for distance learning degree courses? Most of today’s undergraduates long to be self-dependent and want to finance their education with their own earnings. Some with not so strong financial backing from their families start doing part-time jobs right after completing the undergraduate courses. They are categorised as working students. On the global front, the figure of working students is quite large and multiplying as well. Distance learning as a mode of post-graduating in different disciplines clicks with them.
The open and deemed universities apart, the regular universities have joined the race of distance learning to stand out in the globally competitive field of education. Having gone online, the universities have increased their student strength worldwide. The distance learning degree courses are designed meeting the standards of higher education on the international levels. Degree courses like LLB, MCA and tourism degree provide the learners with a strong and supportive base to stand tall at workplaces.
The statistics on the global academic field give a measure of the growing popularity of distance learning based degree courses. The UK distance learning hubs deserve to be mentioned for their advanced degree courses coupled with research-oriented e-content. The added value that the post-graduate degrees add to a graduate’s academic profile cannot be denied. Their profiles will weigh more than the profiles of the graduates on the spring of academic qualification, when it comes to selecting the best of fresh candidates queuing up for jobs. | <urn:uuid:06d6226c-882e-449d-865d-04c7f7b68799> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ukdistancelearning.co.uk/degrees.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95158 | 393 | 1.84375 | 2 |
PORTLAND, Maine — A coalition of political groups and activists say marijuana possession should be legalized in Maine’s largest city, in part because they say the drug is significantly safer than alcohol.
The effort comes on the heels of the introduction of a bill in the state Legislature by Rep. Diane Russell, D-Portland, that would legalize, regulate and tax pot possession across Maine.
Tom MacMillan, chairman of the Portland Green Independent Committee, told the BDN Wednesday night his organization — and other like-minded groups — need to get 1,500 signatures of city residents on a petition seeking to place a referendum on whether to legalize pot possession on Portland’s November ballot.
The committee will be joined by representatives from the Marijuana Policy Project and the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine, among others, for a news conference Thursday morning highlighting the petition, which MacMillan said has been circulated for nine days and already has “several hundred” signatures on it.
“By Portland doing this, we will really send a very clear message in the same way that Denver sent a very clear message to the rest of Colorado when they passed an ordinance in 2005,” MacMillan said. “Portland has tremendous power in the legislature. … We think sending a message that [the Portland delegation’s] constituents want this and demand it, it can’t hurt Rep. Russell’s bill.”
In 2005, voters in the city of Denver passed a law making it legal to possess a small amount of marijuana, making it the first major U.S. city to do so. In 2012, Colorado joined Washington as the first states to legalize recreational marijuana.
Maine is one of 18 states in which marijuana can be legally used for medical reasons, prescribed to patients to fight chronic pain, among other ailments.
The Portland groups are seeking to make possession of 2.5 ounces or less of pot legal within city limits. If the measure is placed on the local ballot and then passed by voters, it would still buck current state law outlawing marijuana possession — unless Russell’s bill is passed, and even then for nearly a year before the statewide law is implemented.
And, of course, the state law allowing medical marijuana runs in conflict with federal law, in which marijuana is illegal.
David Boyer, state political director of the marijuana policy project, pointed out that federal law enforcement agents have not cracked down on medical marijuana dispensaries that have been approved at the state levels, and said he hoped the same respect for local laws would play out in Maine’s largest city.
“Ultimately, I don’t think the feds will involve themselves in Portland,” said David Boyer, state political director for the Washington, D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project. “So it will be up to the state and local police to decide if they want to respect the will of the voters or if they want to enforce the state law.”
Boyer said part of the rationale for pursuing the legalization of marijuana is the expected effect on police resources.
“It’s a way to free up our law enforcement to tackle more serious and dangerous crimes. Right now they still give citations and arrests for marijuana-related charges, while there are other crimes going on,” Boyer said. “[There are] robberies of pharmacies for other drugs, assault, or other violent crimes. I think their time is best served pursuing and prosecuting crimes like those instead of adults who are choosing to relax by using marijuana.”
But Boyer said his group’s “No. 1 argument” for seeking to make possession of small amounts of pot legal is that it’s safer than alcohol, which has been legal for decades.
“Alcohol causes deaths every year in Maine — hundreds over the past couple of years — and marijuana hasn’t,” he said.
Efforts to de-fang enforcement of marijuana laws in Portland in the past have fallen short. In 2011, activists gathered signatures on a petition seeking to make pot possession offenses the lowest enforcement priority for Portland police. But despite getting more than 2,100 signatures on the petition — 600 more than necessary to get a spot on the local ballot — the city clerk’s office found the document was invalid because only about 1,400 of the names were from verified Portland residents.
“People were overly enthusiastic — many people signed more than once or signed without being valid registered Portland voters,” MacMillan said.
MacMillan said the groups hope to get between 3,000 and 4,000 by the May 30 deadline to submit petitions for the November ballot this time around, providing enough of a buffer to avoid the results discovered two years ago. | <urn:uuid:50ce5778-8eac-47d0-a466-6df5d2093210> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bangordailynews.com/2013/03/20/news/portland/portland-groups-push-to-legalize-pot-possession-in-the-city-send-a-message-to-the-state/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94107 | 989 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Release Date: August 30, 2010
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- A University at Buffalo researcher will spend the next two years studying post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the long-term effects of Hurricane Katrina on police officers who worked during the disaster.
The present proposal, funded by a $156,750 grant from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), will examine the long-term post-Katrina mental-health and social impact on police officers who policed the disaster in St. Bernard Parish, located southeast of New Orleans and one of the areas most devastated by the hurricane.
John Violanti, PhD, research associate professor in UB's School of Public Health and Health Professions and former member of the New York State Police, is lead researcher.
"Previous research suggests that disasters have a harmful impact on a person's mental health," says Violanti, "and no more is this evident than in those who respond first to disaster, conduct rescue and recovery missions, and try to maintain civil order, as well as deal with their own personal losses.
"Such was the case with the police in the New Orleans area during Katrina," he continues. "In addition, the police, as well as all residents, were impacted by the lack of essential services following the storm. Because of this void in services, mental health among those most exposed at multiple levels of the storm -- the first responders -- got no relief. This may have led to a prolonged strain and extension of symptoms over time."
Through a decade of studies of police officers, Violanti and colleagues have shown that the pressures of law enforcement put officers at risk for high blood pressure, insomnia, increased levels of destructive stress hormones, heart problems, PTSD and suicide.
The present study proposes to assess the possible persistence and/or presence of mental-health symptoms in the police officers since Katrina. The St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Department was chosen because that location likely suffered the worst brunt of the storm.
The study aims to describe the demographic and psychosocial characteristics among police officers to determine if psychological symptoms are connected with a variety of life events associated with the hurricane.
Researchers also will gather data to develop future interventions tailored to the specific needs of the officers and, in addition to publishing the results of their research on this traumatic event, will pass them along to agencies and emergency responders who could use the findings in the future.
"This research may increase our understanding of the prolonged psychological effects of disasters upon first responders," says Violanti. "These results may benefit police officers directly by providing clearer evidence of the relationship between the psychological factors they experience, which could result in organizational changes to reduce stress."
Michael Rutter, PhD, and Holly Fetter, PhD, from the Department of Counselor Education at Canisius College in Buffalo, are collaborating on the study.
The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities. | <urn:uuid:e17e9240-77f8-4eae-9596-bddb2907d58e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.buffalo.edu/news/news-releases/law.host.html/content/shared/university/news/news-center-releases/2010/08/11688.detail.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961068 | 665 | 2.0625 | 2 |
A review of national health data found that approximately 18 per cent of liver injuries are caused by various forms of supplements
A new study has linked liver damage with dietary and bodybuilding supplements.A review of national health data found that approximately 18 per cent of liver injuries in the United States are caused by various forms of supplements mostly for weight-loss and increasing muscle mass.The new data has officials concerned about the use of such over-the-counter products.“The number of cases in our network has increased over the years,” said Jose Serrano of the National Institutes of Health, according to WebMd.
“There were no deaths, but 7 per cent of patients needed a liver transplant. These are not trivial consequences.”The review linked bodybuilding to 34 per cent of liver problems with weight-loss supplements linked to 26 percent of the 93 cases examined, reported WebMd.
The study does not claim to make causal relations between liver damage and the use of the supplements but urges further research on the link between them.HealthDay reported that up to 40 percent of people in the United States use related supplements.The study may provide further impetus to regulate a largely unregulated industry. | <urn:uuid:0bbd8ec7-f511-44e9-b689-8f3c6c009638> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://postnoon.com/2012/05/25/supplements-linked-to-liver-damage-study/50315 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952856 | 244 | 2.4375 | 2 |
Encourage your 1 year old to dive into the world of books! If you don't know where to start then have a flick through our top 10 books...
By Jan Ormerod, illustrated by Lindsey Gardiner, published by OUP, RRP £5.99
What’s the story: Prepare yourself for a riotous animal romp that will have you and your young ones stamping their feet and joining in with gusto. Waddle like a penguin, stomp around like a rhino and wiggle like a monkey with this hugely entertaining, interactive and playful book.
Why we love it: You won’t be sure who enjoys this book more (you or your child) as you both jive, jiggle and jump around to this fantastic book that gets everyone moving. This book is also available with a CD for those who want that extra animal bopping experience.
First published: 2005
© Immediate Media Company Ltd 2012. This website is owned and published by Immediate Media Company Limited. www.immediatemedia.co.uk | <urn:uuid:5b898ba6-dca8-437b-a2cb-f6475da7e463> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.madeformums.com/entertainment/10-best-books-for-1-year-olds/14000-4.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947111 | 221 | 2.171875 | 2 |
Hot off the Press!
Tumor Suppressor Scribble Regulates Assembly of Tight Junctions in the Intestinal Epithelium
Ivanov AI, Young C, Beste KD, Capaldo CT, Humbert PO, Brennwald P, Parkos CA, Nusrat A.
Am J Pathol. 2010 Jan;176(1): p. 134-45
A synopsis written by co-author and ASIP trainee Dr. Christopter Capaldo at Emory University School of Medicine.
Cellular polarity is broadly defined as the ability of the cell to establish functionally distinct plasma membrane surfaces. The protein components involved in this nearly ubiquitous biological process, are shared between a startling array of organisms, cell types, and physiological circumstances. Indeed, these proteins provide a general spatial patterning role for the cell, and as such, are referred to as polarity proteins, or polarity complexes.
The cell polarity protein Scribble is one such component. In epithelial tissues, Scribble acts in concert with Disc-Large (Dlg) and Lethal Giant Larvae (Lgl) to define lateral membrane surfaces and contribute to the formation of intercellular tight junctions. Tight junctions are macro-molecular complexes that prevent the diffusion of plasma membrane lipids and proteins between apical and lateral domains, and hence, are important structures for maintaining epithelial cell polarity. Tight junctions also regulate the paracellular pathway by restricting the flux of molecules and solutes between cells. The Scribble complex interacts with the Par and Pals polarity complexes, in a mutually antagonistic fashion, to establish lateral and apical membrane domains respectively.
Recently, our laboratory observed Scribble at tight junctions in colonic epithelial cells. Using siRNA mediated suppression of Scribble, a correlation was discovered between Scribble levels and tight junction function, i.e., depletion of Scribble increased the “leakiness” of intestinal epithelia monolayers. We also discovered a novel interaction between Scibble and the tight junction scaffold protein ZO-1, which suggests a role for Scribble in maintaining tight junction integrity. Interestingly, treatment with proinflammatory cytokines displaced Scribble from the cell junctions and decreased its protein levels. Likewise, mucosal inflammation in vivo, as seen in colonic tissue samples from Crohn’s disease patients, correlated with decreased Scribble localization at tight junctions.
Our report shows that the polarity protein Scribble acts to enhance epithelial barrier properties through the maintenance of tight junction structures. Two salient facts put these findings in the context of disease pathogenesis. First, our group and others have shown that tight junction barrier dsyfunction is associated with inflammatory bowel disease, which involves pathologic mucosal inflammation. Secondly, Scribble is a tumor suppressor, as evidenced by the human papilloma tumor virus (HPV). HPV targets Scribble for proteolysis and is the agent responsible for cervical cancer. Therefore, our findings contribute to growing body of evidence linking tight junction barrier dysfunction with heightened inflammation and increased risk of carcinogenesis. | <urn:uuid:a17990cb-d5b9-4c3e-be02-2d8e21214274> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.asip.org/Trainee_Newsletter/Feb2010/AJP&JMD.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.917043 | 639 | 1.578125 | 2 |
In last week’s cover article for the Weekly Standard, Elliott Abrams, who most recently served as President Bush’s deputy national security adviser for Global Democracy Strategy, joins a long line of former Bush advisers harkening back to the good old days of George W. Bush’s first term to repudiate policies they helped shape. He takes a swipe at the “visions, dreams, and endless conferences” that marked the Bush administration’s second term policies regarding the Middle East peace process, and extols the “gritty realism” of Bush’s first term — gritty realism that he thinks should be guiding the Obama administration’s policies on the issue.
So what does Abrams mean by gritty realism?
- Accept that “a final status agreement is not now a real-world goal.”
- Realize that instead what we need is “an intense concentration on building Palestinian institutions in the West Bank.”
- And finally, “rethink the recent commitment to leaping all at once to full independence for the Palestinians, and even to break the taboo and rethink that ultimate goal itself.” That includes reconsidering “links to Egypt and Jordan.”
While this may seem like a more convenient path considering the challenges that lay ahead, not least Israeli and Palestinian political fragmentation and deadlock, it is fundamentally wrong.
For starters, Marc Lynch already debunked the Egypt/Jordan links last month pointing out that no one who would be part of this solution –- the Jordanians, Egyptians or Palestinians -– has any interest in it.
The problem with Bush’s second term policies was not that he got too excited about diplomacy. It was that he ignored the peace process for seven years and then took an essential concept –- the combination of progress on final status issues, implementation of Road Map obligations (including for the Israelis a settlement freeze and improving movement and access in the West Bank and for Palestinians fighting terrorism and building security forces) and the building of Palestinian institutions -– and failed to implement the necessary processes to ensure that progress was made on all three simultaneously. | <urn:uuid:36d87336-fa20-4cd9-af16-398c698ab9b0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://thinkprogress.org/security/issue/?m=20090303&mobile=nc | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943731 | 438 | 1.632813 | 2 |
An initial strategy has been determined for analyzing and then implementing new processes related to degree progress and degree clearance. The ultimate goal is to create an online system to track graduate student degree progress and perform degree clearance functions. The target implementation date is June 2013. The Graduate School will continue its current degree progress tracking and clearance activities until new solutions are in place.
Beginning at the end
The ultimate goal of degree progress is, of course, degree completion. In student records terms, degree completion is certified through the degree clearance process--the series of steps that verify the completion of all the required milestones for the student's degree.
So, in order to determine what degree progress milestones need to be tracked throughout a graduate student's career at the University, ASR and the Graduate School are beginning by mapping the degree clearance process and defining the required milestones.
ASR analysts are working with Graduate School staff to document the current steps and requirements for graduate student degree clearance. That set of items can vary depending on the degree, but may include:
- Final oral examination scheduling and reporting
- Verifying the completion of a student's particular degree requirements from the degree program form
- Application for Degree Form
- Reviewers Report Form
- Submission of a correctly formatted thesis/dissertation that meets the University's requirement
- Certifying students for degree clearance
In documenting the existing processes, analysts will pay particular attention to recording the reasons for certain tasks (e.g., University policy, systems constraints, and the student's best interest), as well as other interdependent processes that relate to degree clearance and degree completion.
This initial stage of documentation is currently in progress, with a target completion date of April 1.
Then, retracing the steps
Once we better understand what must be certified to allow a student to graduate, we can turn our attention to the steps that happen along the way. This phase of documentation and analysis will occur between now and the end of June 2011. It will include (but will not be limited to):
- Understanding general degree requirements, like a thesis or dissertation, preliminary exams, and final exams
- Tracking the completion of degree requirements
- Handling transfer credit evaluations
- Managing visa extensions or changes
- Advising students on degree progress and providing feedback
- Issuing warnings to students when degree progress may be compromised
- Monitoring satisfactory academic progress for purposes of financial aid
- Managing the re-admission and/or change of status processes
How colleges and programs can expect to be involved
Degree clearance and degree progress responsibilities are currently shared among academic programs, the Graduate School, and the Office of the Registrar. Any changes to existing roles and responsibilities will be made only after communication and collaboration during the development of new processes.
During these first stages of documentation and discovery, ASR and Graduate School staff will post updates on what we learn and what is coming next on the project website and will hold discussions on related issues at the monthly Registrar's Advisory Committee meetings.
Beginning in April, broad discussions will take place with the colleges about what information must be tracked related to student degree progress, what information should be tracked, and what might be nice to know or have. Through these discussions, we can begin to collaboratively sketch out a new process that is in compliance with relevant policies and systems requirements, and is, to the greatest extent possible, both student- and staff-friendly. | <urn:uuid:d2ef537c-4dd6-4862-ade3-d086f9fc4b95> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.lib.umn.edu/gsdean/transition/2011/03/degree-progress-the-approach-to-creating-new-processes.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.922673 | 691 | 1.523438 | 2 |
|Advanced Health & Life Extension||
Metabolic syndrome is also known as syndrome X, metabolic syndrome X, insulin resistance syndrome, Reaven's syndrome, and CHAOS. Approximately one-third of the U.S. population suffers from each of the risk factors for metabolic syndrome. In general, it is more prevalent in older age groups. However, there is also an increase in metabolic syndrome among children and adolescents. This is due, in part, to the increase in obesity in this age group.
What is Metabolic Syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome is a combination of medical disorders that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The World Health Organization, the European Group for the Study of Insulin Resistance, and the American College of Endocrinology all have named similar but slightly different parameters. However, taking a composite of each of these definitions, the main components of metabolic syndrome are:
How is Metabolic Syndrome Diagnosed?
Several organizations offer slightly different definitions and criteria for metabolic syndrome, but 2 clinical findings -- visceral obesity and insulin resistance -- underpin all the definitions. The key clinical manifestations of metabolic syndrome are visceral obesity, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL-C, and glucose impairment.
The American Association of Clinical Endocrinology Position statement of 2002 and the National Cholesterol Education Program Third Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP ATP III), which was updated in 2005 use the following diagnostic criteria:
The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome requires 3 of 5 criteria to be met.
What Causes Metabolic Syndrome?
Obesity in general and physical inactivity are known to cause metabolic syndrome, but it takes a second set of factors to trigger its accelerated onset the vast majority of the time. One of these is visceral, or abdominal, fat and the other is stress which is also a contributing factor in the deposition of abdominal fat.
Abdominal fat is composed of two different kinds of fat. The fat that accumulates under the skin is called subcutaneous fat and is relatively harmless. The dense visceral fat found deep in the abdomen, surrounding the intra-abdominal organs, is the type of fat linked most strongly with the metabolic syndrome as well as heightened cancer risk. Fat tissue secretes several inflammatory and immune mediators known as adipokines. When abdominal fat accumulates, adipokine secretion is increased, insulin resistance is increased, risk of diabetes is increased, and cardiovascular disease is increased.
Recent research indicates that prolonged stress can be an underlying cause of metabolic syndrome. Stress upsets the hormonal balance of the Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA-axis). This causes high cortisol levels which causes high glucose and insulin levels which promotes the accumulation of abdominal fat, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides and reduced HDL cholesterol.
How is Metabolic Syndrome Treated?
A recent study, conducted at the Pritikin Longevity Center, and published in The Journal of Applied Physiology found that three weeks of a high-fiber low fat diet combined with an exercise program reversed metabolic syndrome in half of the participants. The participants lost 2 to 3 pounds per week and were still considered obese, but still had significant reductions in serum lipids, insulin, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Those with metabolic syndrome dropped from 48 to 19 percent and those with diabetes dropped from 42 to 23 percent, after only 3 weeks.
"The results are all the more interesting because the changes occurred in the absence of major weight loss, challenging the commonly held belief that individuals must normalize their weight before achieving health benefits," Dr Roberts added.
A different medical approach is to consider each of the risk factors identified above as an independent entity and treat it with the indicated medications. Metformin is a widely prescribed drug with few adverse effects that is used to lower blood sugar and treat diabetes, especially in overweight individuals. Consult your doctor if wish to use medications to enhance the effects of lifestyle modification. Life style modification, of course, means reducing calories, increasing fiber and increasing exercise.
Another approach is to use a nutritional product called Irvingia that is derived from the West African medicinal food called Irvingia gabonensis. In a recent controlled study, humans taking this new compound lost 28 pounds over a 10-week period compared to less than 3 pounds in the placebo group. These study participants did not alter their diet in any way. The same mechanisms that enable this compound to remove body fat also lower heart attack risk factors like LDL, glucose and C-reactive protein. Irvingia reduces leptin resistance, reduces CRP, increases insulin sensitivity, increases adiponectin and decreases the enzyme glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase.
In short, the metabolic syndrome can be corrected by:
Articles Related to Metabolic Syndrome
Related Products for Metabolic Syndrome
Warning: Using these supplements can increase your insulin sensitivity. If you are taking insulin, your dose may have to be adjusted accordingly.
Metabolic Syndrome References
To view the references upon which this article is based, Go Here . | <urn:uuid:f9aa7d4d-482a-40ae-b84e-ec875702b390> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.advance-health.com/metabolic.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928162 | 1,031 | 3.515625 | 4 |
Anatol Rapoport (Russian: Анато́лий Бори́сович Рапопо́рт; May 22, 1911 – January 20, 2007) was a Russian-born American mathematical psychologist. He contributed to general systems theory, mathematical biology and to the mathematical modeling of social interaction and stochastic models of contagion.
Rapoport was born in Lozоvaya, Kharkov Governorate, Russia (in today's Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine). In 1922, he came to the United States, and in 1928 he became a naturalized citizen. He started studying music in Chicago and continued with piano, conducting and composition at the Vienna Hochschule für Musik where he studied from 1929 to 1934. However, due to the rise of Nazism, he found it impossible to make a career as a pianist.
He shifted his career into mathematics, getting a Ph.D. degree in mathematics under Otto Schilling and Abraham Adrian Albert at the University of Chicago in 1941 on the thesis Construction of Non-Abelian Fields with Prescribed Arithmetic. According to the Toronto Globe and Mail, he was a member of the American Communist Party for three years, but quit before enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1941, serving in Alaska and India during World War II.
After the war, he joined the Committee on Mathematical Biology at the University of Chicago (1947–54), publishing his first book, Science and the Goals of Man, co-authored with semanticist S. I. Hayakawa in 1950. He also received a one-year fellowship at the prestigious Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences in Stanford, California.
From 1955 to 1970, Rapoport was Professor of Mathematical Biology and Senior Research Mathematician at the University of Michigan, as well as founding member, in 1955, of the Mental Health Research Institute (MHRI) at the University of Michigan. In 1970 Rapoport moved to Toronto to avoid the war-making ways of the Vietnam-era United States. He was appointed professor of mathematics and psychology at the University of Toronto (1970–79). He lived in bucolic Wychwood Park overlooking downtown Toronto, a neighbour of Marshall McLuhan. On his retirement from the University of Toronto, he became director of the Institute of Advanced Studies (Vienna) until 1983.
In 1954 Anatol Rapoport cofounded the Society for General Systems Research, along with the researchers Ludwig von Bertalanffy, Ralph Gerard, and Kenneth Boulding. He became president of the Society for General Systems Research in 1965.
Anatol Rapoport died of pneumonia in Toronto. He is survived by his wife Gwen, daughter Anya, and sons Alexander and Anthony.
Rapoport contributed to general systems theory, mathematical biology, and to the mathematical modeling of social interaction and stochastic models of contagion. He combined his mathematical expertise with psychological insights into the study of game theory, social networks, and semantics.
Rapoport extended these understandings into studies of psychological conflict, dealing with nuclear disarmament and international politics. His autobiography, Certainties and Doubts: A Philosophy of Life, was published in 2001.
Rapoport had a versatile mind, working in mathematics, psychology, biology, game theory, social network analysis, and peace and conflict studies. For example, he pioneered in the modeling of parasitism and symbiosis, researching cybernetic theory. This went on to give a conceptual basis for his lifelong work in conflict and cooperation.
Among many other well-known books on fights, games, violence, and peace, Rapoport was the author of over 300 articles and of "Two-Person Game Theory" (1966) and "N-Person Game Theory" (2001). He analyzed contests in which there are more than two sets of conflicting interests, such as war, diplomacy, poker, or bargaining. His work led him to peace research, including books on The Origins of Violence (1989) and Peace, An Idea Whose Time Has Come (1993).
He won a computer tournament in the 1980s, based on Robert Axelrod's The Evolution of Cooperation, which sought to understand how cooperation could emerge through evolution. The contenders had to present pieces of software that would play iterated games of the prisoner's dilemma against each other. Rapoport's entry, Tit-For-Tat has only four lines of code. The program opens by cooperating with its opponent. It then plays exactly as the other side played in the previous game. If the other side defected in the previous game, the program also defects; but only for one game. If the other side cooperates, the program continues to cooperate. According to Peace Magazine author/editor Metta Spencer, the program "punished the other player for selfish behaviour and rewarded her for cooperative behaviour—but the punishment lasted only as long as the selfish behaviour lasted. This proved to be an exceptionally effective sanction, quickly showing the other side the advantages of cooperating. It also set moral philosophers to proposing this as a workable principle to use in real life interactions".
His children report that he was a strong chess player but a bad poker player because he non-verbally revealed the strength of his hands.
Social network analysis
Anatol Rapoport was an early developer of social network analysis. His original work showed that one can measure large networks by profiling traces of flows through them. This enables learning about the speed of the distribution of resources, including information, and what speeds or impedes these flows—such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, proximity, and kinship. This work linked social networks to the diffusion of innovation, and by extension, to epidemiology. Rapoport's empirical work traced the spread of information within a school. It prefigured the study of six degrees of separation, by showing the rapid spread of information in a population to almost all—but not all—school members (see references below).
Conflict and peace studies
According to Thomas Homer-Dixon in the Toronto Globe and Mail, Rapoport "became anti-militarist quite soon after the war. [WWII]. The idea of military values became anathema". He was a leading organizer of the first teach-ins against the Vietnam War at the University of Michigan, a model that spread rapidly throughout North America. He told at a teach-in: "By undertaking the war against Vietnam, the United States has undertaken a war against humanity...This war we shall not win". (Ann Arbor News, April 1967). He said he was an abolitionist, rather than a total pacifist: "I'm for killing the institution of war". In 1968, he signed the “Writers and Editors War Tax Protest” pledge, vowing to refuse tax payments in protest against the Vietnam War.
Rapoport returned to the University of Toronto to become the founding (and unpaid) Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies programme, working with George Ignatieff and Canada's Science for Peace organization. As its sole professor at the start, he used a rigorous, interdisciplinary approach to the study of peace, integrating mathematics, politics, psychology, philosophy, science, and sociology. His main concern was to legitimize peace studies as a worthy academic pursuit. The Trudeau Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies continued to flourish at the University of Toronto under the leadership of Thomas Homer-Dixon, and, from 2008, under Ron Levi. When Rapoport began, there were one (unpaid) professor and twelve students. Now, there are three (paid) professors and ninety students.
Rapoport's students report that he was an engaged and inspiring professor who captured their attention, imagination and interest with his wide-ranging knowledge, passion for the subject, good humor, kind and generous spirit, attentiveness to student concerns, and animated teaching style.
In 1981 Rapoport co-founded the international NGO Science for Peace, and in 1984 he created the famous tit for tat strategy for the iterated prisoner's dilemma tournament held by Robert Axelrod that year. He was recognized in the 1980s for his contribution to world peace through nuclear conflict restraint via his game theoretic models of psychological conflict resolution. He won the Lenz International Peace Research Prize in 1976. Professor Rapoport was also a member of the editorial board of the International Scholarly Journal of Environmental Peace published by the International Innovation Projects at the University of Toronto edited by Biswajit (Bob) Ganguly and Roger I. C. Hansell.
Rapoport's books and articles include:
- 1950, Science and the Goals of Man, Harper & Bros., New York
- 1953, Operational Philosophy: Integrating Knowledge and Action,Harper & Bros., New York
- 1960, Fights, Games, and Debates, University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor
- 1965, Prisoner's Dilemma, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.(co-author; Albert M. Chammah)
- 1966, Two-Person Game Theory: The Essential Ideas, Ann Arbor, MI, The University of Michigan Press.(republication with Dover Press, Mineola, NY, 1999).
- 1969, Strategy and Conscience, Shocken Books, New York, NY. (first published in 1964)
- 1970, N-Person Game Theory. Concepts and Applications", University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. MI.(republication with Dover Press, Mineola, NY, 2001).
- 1974, Conflict in Man-made Environment', Harmondsworth, Penguin Books.
- 1975, Semantics, Crowell, 1975.
- 1986, General System Theory. Essential Concepts and Applications, Abacus, Tunbridge Wells.
- 1989, The Origins of Violence: Approaches to the Study of Conflict, Paragon House, New York.
- 1992, Peace: An Idea, Whose Time Has Come, University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, MI.
- 1998, Decision theory and decision behaviour, Macmillan, Houndmills.
- 2000, Certainties and Doubts : A Philosophy of Life, Black Rose Books, Montreal, 2000: His autobiography.
- 2001, Skating on Thin Ice, RDR Books, Oakland, CA.
- 2005, Conversations with Three Russians - Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Lenin. A Systemic View on Two Centuries of Societal Evolution, Kovac, Hamburg.
Articles, a selection:
- 1953, "Spread of information through a population with sociostructural bias: I. Assumption of transitivity." in: Bulletin of Mathematical Biophysics, 15, 523-533.
- 1956, with Ralph W. Gerard and Clyde Kluckhohn, "Biological and cultural evolution: Some analogies and explorations". Behavioral Science 1: 6-34.
- 1957, "Contribution to the Theory of Random and Biased Nets." in: Bulletin of Mathematical Biology 19:257-77.
- 1960 with W.J. Horvath, "The theoretical channel capacity of a single neuron as determined by various coding systems", in: Information and Control, 3(4):335-350.
- 1962, "The Use and Misuse of Game Theory", in: Scientific American, 207: 108-114.
- 1963, "Mathematical models of social interaction". In R. D. Luce, R. R. Bush, & E. Galanter (Eds.), Handbook of Mathematical Psychology (Vol. II, pp. 493–579). New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons.
- 1966, Two-person game theory: the essential ideas. Ann Arbor, University of Michigan Press.
- 1974, with Lawrence B. Slobodkin, "An optimal strategy of evolution". Q. Rev. Biol. 49:181-200
- 1979, "Some Problems Relating to Randomly Constructed Biased Networks." Perspectives on Social Network Research:119-164.
- 1989, with Y. Yuan, "Some Aspects of Epidemics and Social Nets." Pp. 327–348 in The Small World, ed. by Manfred Kochen. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
- Ron Csillag,"Anatol Rapoport, Academic 1911-2007." Toronto Globe and Mail, January 31, 2007, p. S7
- Chesmak Farhoumand-Sims, "Memories of Anatol Rapoport." Peace Magazine, April 2007, p. 14
- Alisa Ferguson, "Rapoport was Renowned Mathematical Psychologist, Peace Activist." University of Toronto Bulletin, February 20, 2007.
- Markus Schwaninger,"Obituary Anatol Rapoport (May 22, 1911 - January 20, 2007): Pioneer of Systems Theory and Peace Research, Mathematician, Philosopher and Pianist." Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Vol. 24, 2007, pp.655-658.
- Alisa Ferguson, "Rapoport was Renowned Mathematical Psychologist, Peace Activist, University of Toronto Bulletin, February 20, 2007
- Anatol Rapoport at the Mathematics Genealogy Project
- Ron Csillag,"Anatol Rapoport, Academic 1911-2007." Toronto Globe and Mail, January 31, 2007, p. S7
- Harrison White, Identity and Control, 2nd ed., Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2007
- “Writers and Editors War Tax Protest” January 30, 1968, New York Post.
- Alisa Ferguson, "Rapoport was Renowned Mathematical Psychologist, Peace Activist," University of Toronto Bulletin, February 20, 2007
- Chesmak Farhoumand-Sims, "Memories of Anatol Rapoport," Peace Magazine, April 2007, p. 14
- This book about general semantics along the lines of S.I. Hayakawa's Language in Thought and Action and more technical (mathematical and philosophical) material. A valuable survey.
|Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Anatol Rapoport|
- Science for Peace website
- History of Science for Peace
- Profile of Anatol Rapoport
- Farhoumand-Sims, Cheshmak (April 2007). "Memories of Anatol Rapoport". Peace Magazine: p14. Retrieved 2008-05-03. | <urn:uuid:5fc06625-a03f-4634-8f7e-25d671ca6b32> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatol_Rapoport | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.920516 | 3,028 | 1.992188 | 2 |
Classroom Culture that Inspires Student Learning
A recent issue of The Teaching Professor has an interesting article that describes things you can do to create a classroom that will inspire student learning by making students feel energized and empowered. The 8 suggestions are as follows:
1) Create a sense of belonging.
Of course, knowing students by name is a major factor here.
2) Recognize that students look up to and admire professors.
Take seriously, therefore, everything you say to them and how you say it.
3) Recognize students' accomplishments, not just grades.
Every time you see a student doing something that indicates real learning, praise it or at least acknowledge it and its value. If we want students to be less focused on grades, we will probably have to help point them to the learning we want them to focus on.
4) Build moments of fun and excitement into the course.
This doesn't mean you have to be an “edutainer”. That may not fit who you are. But if you, who loves your field enough to have made it a career, can't get excited over the material, why should the students? And there is no contradiction between serious subject matter and laughter.
5) Encourage students to be creative and curious with the subject matter.
Make some time and space for creativity and curiosity. Let students explore some open-ended questions.
6) Encourage healthy risk-taking by making it safe for students to both fail and succeed.
7) Provide opportunities for students to be leaders in the classroom and to take responsibility.
8) Celebrate when students act on their beliefs.
I am sure we all know how important it is to learn student names and I know many faculty with very large classes who continue to work at learning the names of all the students. But I was also struck by the wisdom of #3. If we want students to focus somewhere other than grades, we may need to help them know what they need to look for. Acknowledging when we see signs of learning will help students know what they should be alert to in themselves and others.
When students don't seem focused on learning, teaching can feel like an energy draining activity. But when you can get the students focused on the right things, there is no place more invigorating than your class! | <urn:uuid:60a53b65-b22e-4ad9-bdb4-75f22dbd7c71> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pointloma.edu/experience/academics/centers-institutes/center-teaching-learning/teaching-tips/classroom-culture-inspires-student-learning | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964661 | 481 | 2.84375 | 3 |
HHS Guidance Could Help States Improve Oversight of Psychotropic Prescriptions [Reissued on December 15, 2011]
GAO-12-201, Dec 14, 2011
What GAO Found
Foster children in the five states GAO analyzed were prescribed psychotropic drugs at higher rates than nonfoster children in Medicaid during 2008. The higher rates do not necessarily indicate inappropriate prescribing practices, but according to research, experts consulted, and certain federal and state officials, could be due in part to foster childrens greater mental health needs, greater exposure to traumatic experiences, and the challenges of coordinating their medical care. However, prescriptions to foster children in these states were also more likely to have indicators of potential health risks. According to GAOs experts, no evidence supports the concomitant use of five or more psychotropic drugs in adults or children, yet hundreds of both foster and nonfoster children in the five states had such a drug regimen. Similarly, thousands of foster and nonfoster children were prescribed doses higher than the maximum levels cited in guidelines developed by Texas based on FDA-approved labels, which GAOs experts said increases the potential for adverse side effects and does not typically increase the efficacy of the drugs to any significant extent. Further, foster and nonfoster children under 1 year old were prescribed psychotropic drugs, which GAOs experts said have no established use for mental health conditions in infants and could result in serious adverse effects.
The six selected states monitoring programs for psychotropic drugs provided to foster children fall short of best principles guidelines published by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP). The guidelines, which states are not required to follow, cover four categories.
- Consent: Each state has some practices consistent with AACAP consent guidelines, such as identifying caregivers empowered to give consent.
- Oversight: Each state has procedures consistent with some but not all oversight guidelines, which include monitoring rates of prescriptions.
- Consultation: Five states have implemented some but not all guidelines, which include providing consultations by child psychiatrists by request.
- Information: Four states have created websites about psychotropic drugs for clinicians, foster parents, and other caregivers.
This variation is expected because states set their own guidelines. HHS has not endorsed specific measures for state oversight of psychotropic prescriptions for foster children. HHS-endorsed guidance could help close gaps in oversight of psychotropic prescriptions and increase protections for these vulnerable children.
Why GAO Did This Study
Foster children have often been removed from abusive or neglectful homes and tend to have more mental health conditions than other children. Treatment of these conditions may include psychotropic drugs, but the risks these drugs pose specifically to children are not well understood. Medicaid, which is administered by states and overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), provides prescription drug coverage to foster children.
For selected states, GAO examined (1) 2008 rates of psychotropic prescriptions for foster and nonfoster children and (2) state oversight of psychotropic prescriptions for foster children through October 2011. GAO selected Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon, and Texas primarily for geographic diversity and size of the foster care population, and analyzed state Medicaid fee-for-service and foster care data from selected states for 2008. 2008 was the most recent year of prescription data available at the start of the audit. Marylands 2008 foster care data were unreliable and could not be analyzed. GAO contracted with expert child psychiatrists to provide a clinical perspective on our methodology and analysis, reviewed regulations and state policies, and interviewed federal and state officials. Results cannot be generalized to other states.
- Review Pending
- Closed - implemented
- Closed - not implemented
Recommendation for Executive Action
Recommendation: To improve the comprehensiveness of oversight of psychotropic drugs prescribed to foster children, the Secretary of HHS should evaluate our findings and consider endorsing guidance to state Medicaid and child welfare agencies on best practices for monitoring psychotropic drug prescriptions for foster children, including guidance that addresses, at minimum, informed consent, oversight, consultation, and information sharing.
Agency Affected: Department of Health and Human Services
Comments: Agency agreed with recommendation. Team is monitoring agency actions. | <urn:uuid:0548371d-5c68-4b43-8012-014e06d015f0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-201 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935734 | 854 | 2.3125 | 2 |
Dignity and freedom for all.
A Coalition for Survival
by Loretta Ross interviewed by Carolyn McConnellposted Aug 18, 2004
- One of the most unreported stories this year was the March for Women’s Lives, which brought over a million people to the streets of the nation’s capital. Even less reported was that women of color played a leading role in the event’s success.
Mother of Exiles
by Pramila Jayapalposted Jul 20, 2004
- In the U.S. today, immigrants are taking the blame for everything from environmental stresses to terrorism to the poor job market. What’s at stake for all of us in this debate?
Etiquette for Activists
by Michael F. Leonenposted May 20, 2004
- Why do so many attempts to build coalitions across race and culture result in hurt and division? These seasoned activists offer tips on what makes the difference between success and disaster.
by Thomas Simonposted May 20, 2004
- UNC students debate with Pastor Fred Phelps and his anti-gay views.
Iraqi Americans Face FBI Inquiries
by Pramila Jayapalposted May 20, 2004
- U.S. Justice Department and FBI interview immigrants.
Second Chance For Black Farmers
by Carol Estesposted Jun 30, 2001
- A recent class-action suit by black farmers against the USDA fails to stem the loss of land by African American farmers.
Martin Luther King's Movement-Building Legacy
by Grace Lee Boggsposted Mar 31, 2001
- The struggle goes far beyond race and rights. We are in the early stages of a new democratic revolutionary movement.
Veterans of Hope: Ruby Sales
by Ruby Salesposted Oct 27, 2000
- In this Veterans of Hope interview, Ruby Sales tells of her release from prison in Haneyville, Alabama, where she and Jonathan Daniels, a white seminarian, had been registering people to vote.
Choose Life: End the Death Penalty
by Sister Helen Prejeanposted Sep 30, 2000
- Sister Helen's work with Patrick Sonnier and her campaign against the death penalty.
by Sarah van Gelderposted Oct 20, 1997
- Integral sex is built neither on a modern version of valueless freedom, nor on a traditionalist view that dogma should determine the nature of our relationships. | <urn:uuid:2d940872-a6d6-4f56-ab25-133e35bd6102> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.yesmagazine.org/peace-justice/human-rights/atct_topic_view?amp=&b_start:int=180&-C= | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924167 | 489 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Where can I learn about Job Search Skills?
The Career Services Department offers a Job Search Skills Workshop, which reviews the five best and five worst ways to find work. Information on how to network and use your existing contacts to increase your chances of finding employment are provided along with how to stay organized in your job search.
For more information follow this link: http://www.brocku.ca/career/students/workshops/
Last update: 2008-06-12 10:12 | <urn:uuid:83cda930-e55b-4bfc-99dc-686b31df1233> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.brocku.ca/fss/vsrg/index.php?lang=en&action=artikel&cat=47&id=11&artlang=en | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00060-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.908434 | 103 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Your baby's first eye exam occurs right in the hospital nursery, when your pediatrician checks for general eye health. High-risk newborns, including premature infants and those with a family history of eye problems, should be examined by a pediatric ophthalmologist.
Otherwise, all children are screened at each well-baby visit for eye issues. The doctor checks baby's ability to fixate on and follow a light; the anatomy of the eye; and whether anything is clouding the lens. Then children will have their first complete vision exam around their third birthday, or between 12 months and 18 months if there's a family history of strabismus. If this is the case, ask your pediatrician for a referral to a pediatric ophthalmologist. Vision problems affecting newborns and young children include:
• Strabismus. This describes crossed or wandering eyes, which affects around 2 percent of kids. The misalignment may be constant or it can come and go, and it can affect one or both eyes. While it's normal for a newborn's eyes to cross or wander when they're tired, if you still see your baby's eyes cross after 3 months, or your child looks at you with one eye closed or with her head turned to one side, talk to your pediatrician.
• Excessive tearing. This may be a sign of a minor, common problem, blocked tear ducts, which occur in about 6 percent of babies. It happens when the normal drainage system for tears fails to open or becomes blocked, preventing the flow of tears from the eyes into the nose. Tears accumulate and overflow onto the cheek, even when baby isn't crying. Other symptoms include mucus discharge at the inner corner of the eye and swollen and red eyelids. Consult your pediatrician, who will show you how to massage the tear duct and apply compresses to encourage it to open. He may also prescribe antibiotics if the ducts get infected. Fortunately, 90 percent of babies outgrow this problem by their first birthday. If the problem doesn't clear up, surgery may be required to open the tear duct.
• Amblyopia (or "lazy eye"). Good vision requires both eyes to see the same clear image; this condition results when one eye has weak vision (usually due to crossed eyes, cataracts, or droopy eyelids) prompting the child to rely on the "good" eye for sight. Treatment usually involves wearing an eye patch over the stronger eye for several months until the weaker eye catches up.
• Cataracts. This is a clouding over the eye's lens, which prevents light from getting in and interferes with your child's vision. Though this condition is pretty rare among babies, it is important to diagnose and remove cataracts as quickly as possible, so your child's sight develops on schedule. Cataracts are generally removed surgically.
• Glaucoma. Also extremely rare in babies, glaucoma is a condition in which there's too much pressure built up inside the eye, due to the overproduction or poor drainage of tears. Warning signs include enlarged eyes, excessive tearing, and sensitivity to light. Since untreated glaucoma can lead to blindness, most children have surgery shortly after it's diagnosed. --Julie Evans
Originally published in American Baby magazine, November 2004. Updated 2009. | <urn:uuid:401285a0-cac9-424f-841d-eea900434fcc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.parents.com/app/advice/print.jsp?questionId=4028002quest&catref=AB4 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952106 | 687 | 3.3125 | 3 |
Today in History
1396 The last great Christian crusade, led jointly by John the Fearless of Nevers and King Sigismund of Hungary, ends in disaster at the hands of Sultan Bajazet I's Ottoman army at Nicopolis.
1598 In Sweden, King Sigismund is defeated at Stangebro by his Uncle Charles.
1775 British troops capture Ethan Allen, the hero of Ticonderoga, when he and a handful of Americans try to invade Canada.
1789 Congress proposes 12 new amendments to the Constitution.
1804 The 12th Amendment is ratified, changing the procedure of choosing the president and vice-president.
1846 American General Zachary Taylor's forces capture Monterey, Mexico.
1909 The first National Aeronautic Show opens at Madison Square Garden.
1915 An allied offensive is launched in France against the German Army.
1918 Brazil declares war on Austria.
1937 German Chancellor Adolf Hitler meets with Italian Premier Benito Mussolini in Munich.
1938 President Franklin Roosevelt urges negotiations between Hitler and Czech President Benes over the Sudetenland.
1942 The War Labor Board orders equal pay for women in the United States.
1943 The Red Army retakes Smolensk from the Germans who are retreating to the Dnieper River in the Soviet Union.
1959 President Eisenhower and Soviet Premier Khrushchev begin Camp David talks.
1974 Scientists warn that continued use of aerosol sprays will cause ozone depletion, which will lead to an increased risk of skin cancer and global weather changes.
1981 Sandra Day O'Connor, the first female Supreme Court Justice, is sworn in.
Born on September 25
1847 Vinnie Ream, who sculpted President Abraham Lincoln from life shortly before he was assassinated.
1897 William Faulkner, Nobel Prize-winning writer (The Sound and the Fury, Absalom, Absalom!).
1906 Dimitri Shostakovich, Russian composer.
1931 Barbara Walters, television news personality and interviewer.
1932 Glenn Gould, concert pianist best known for his Bach interpretations. | <urn:uuid:5a0a0e93-255c-4218-9df1-ad9d0e5eb53b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.conservativeunderground.com/forum505/showthread.php?52308-Today-in-History-September-25&mode=hybrid | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914638 | 439 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Feb 27, 2003 (07:02 PM EST)
Supermarkets Check Out Self-Checkout
Read the Original Article at InformationWeek
A Jewel-Osco supermarket in Barrington, Ill., is serving as a laboratory for technology that could change the way Americans shop for groceries.
At this supermarket, shoppers swipe their customer-loyalty cards into a kiosk that dispenses a handheld scanner, then scan and bag groceries as they move down the aisles. When done, they enter an unstaffed checkout lane where they swipe their cards and pay for the groceries, often not interacting with store personnel.
"It's a very fast pass-through experience," says Bill Bishop, a retail consultant who lives in Barrington and has made that Jewel-Osco his primary grocery store. "Once people experience it, they're going to like it."
Albertsons Inc., Jewel'Osco's parent company, won't comment on the test. Nor will NCR Corp. and Symbol Technologies Inc., developers of the systems, other than to confirm that a large grocery chain is testing the system and plans a bigger pilot. But the current pilot is an example of how self-checkout is starting to change how people shop, not just how they pay.
NCR and Symbol said this week that they're marketing a self-service system that uses Symbol's handheld device and NCR FastLane, a self-checkout system already used by several U.S. retail chains. The Symbol device displays purchase information to shoppers, and the purchases are transmitted to the store's cashier system via a wireless network.
This goes beyond the original self-checkout systems, which have been growing in popularity but essentially let shoppers do only what a cashier would do. The Food Marketing Institute issued a report last week showing that 24% of retailers, mostly grocery chains, are implementing self-checkout systems, up from 19% last year. In 1999, only 6% were using them.
Fujitsu Ltd. jumped into the fray in late February, saying it's developing a self-checkout system based on technologies from Optimal Robotics Corp. Many stores promote self-checkout in express lanes, but Optimal demonstrated at the MarkeTechnics trade show a configuration allowing more items per customer. PSC Inc. introduced self-checkout that can handle personal checks and uses voice prompts and illustrated instructions.
Shaw's Supermarkets Inc. plans to expand NCR self-checkout systems from 52 stores to 120 this year. "The more of these we put in, the more customers flock to them and tell us they like them," says Paul Francis, Shaw's senior manager of security and front-end systems. Customer use of the systems ranges from 8% to 23%, depending on the store.
Supermarkets tend to emphasize the speed of self-checkout, but it's more valuable than that. NCR says a typical configuration of four systems costs about $100,000 per store and pays for itself in about 12 to 18 months through lower labor costs for checkers and baggers.
The timing isn't right for handheld scanners at Shaw's. Wireless networks and security standards need to improve before the chain would be ready, Francis says. However, Shaw's is looking to test expanded self-bagging areas that support self-checkout for customers with a larger number of items. | <urn:uuid:c3ac8a22-4d73-4896-aa8f-80a40ead60e4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.techweb.com/news/8700482/supermarkets-check-out-self-checkout.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960016 | 696 | 1.757813 | 2 |
catmoon wrote:But what some Buddhists are trying to do is to fuse the two systems, having a complete set of minor deities and an omniscient Buddha at the same time. Now omniscience is a tricky beast and it tends to get out of hand. One might think that omniscience implies knowledge of how to do anything desired, so now there is omnipotence as well. Omnipresence is widely assumed for the Buddha. So you can see, there is some danger of assigning the Buddha the three fundamental properties of the Judeo Christian God at which point they become difficult to distinguish.
So I think the whole question can be rephrased as, "What are the actual limitations on a Buddha's omnipotence?" If there aren't any, don't we just have Christianity with the names translated into Asian languages?
The Buddha's function and omniscience is entirely different from monothestic conceptions, because the underlying worldviews are fundamentally different. Christianity operates under the worldview that there is a Creator and he is omnipotent and created all. Buddhism operates under the worldview that there is no creator, all of samsara arose due to ignorance and dependent origination, Buddhas are liberated and their unceasing function is to teach others to free themselves. So its apples and origami. | <urn:uuid:922be283-d6bb-42cc-ad51-875b27b9be26> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=66&t=10513&p=137733 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960398 | 270 | 2.1875 | 2 |
The Edifice Complex
What fancy corporate headquarters really mean.
Deyan Sudjic's new book, The Edifice Complex, makes a spirited argument that architecture is not merely an art but a form of communication—or, more pointedly, a kind of propaganda. The beneficiaries of this propaganda are generally the rich and powerful, for, as Sudjic writes, "There is nobody else with the resources to build." This is hardly an original observation. After all, the function of temples, cathedrals, and palaces—which constituted the bulk of capital-A architecture until the 20th century—was always to impress the viewer with the importance of its builder. But it's useful to be reminded that this overriding architectural function continues to hold sway even in our enlightened "modern" age.
The Edifice Complex is, as Norman Foster notes in a jacket blurb, a gossipy book, which takes potshots at globetrotting architects—"the flying circus of the perpetually jet-lagged"—even as it documents the political uses to which their buildings are put. Sudjic's point, which he somewhat belabors, is that while architecture is an end in itself for architects, it's always a means to an end for the people who pay—the clients. Although architects, especially famous architects, like to think that their buildings belong to them—after all, we commonly refer to "Meier's Getty" and "Gehry's Disney Hall"—Sudjic knows better. "Their work depends on their engagement with the political context of the world," he writes. "And in that world the totalitarians and the egotists and the monomaniacs offer architects, whatever their personal political views, more opportunities for 'important' work than the liberal democracies."
The book is a catalog of well-known and obscure examples of how presidents and prime ministers, CEOs and despots, millionaires and mayors, have exploited architecture. Along the way Sudjic, a British architectural critic who writes for the Observer, takes on such examples of architectural self-promotion as American presidential libraries, Gianni Agnelli's art gallery (designed by Renzo Piano), and Rem Koolhaas' commission for Chinese state television. All underline the fact that, as the author observes, "Architecture defines a regime, but it is never the architect who frames the meaning of the definition."
Sudjic gets one thing wrong, however. He overlooks the fact that for the rich and powerful, grand architectural gestures often prove markedly ineffectual. One of the most munificent patrons of early modern architecture, for example, was the very young King Faysal II of Iraq, who in the mid 1950s hired no less than Le Corbusier, Walter Gropius, Alvar Aalto, and Frank Lloyd Wright to beautify Baghdad; he was killed by revolutionaries in 1958, along with the royal family. Both the Shah of Iran and Saddam Hussein—he of a hundred "palaces"—were architecture buffs, for all the good it did them. They join a long list of patrons whose architectural ambitions came to naught. Notable among these is François Mitterrand, whose Grands Projets were intended, as Sudjic writes, "to make Paris the undisputed capital of a modern Europe." Twenty years later it's obvious that London, not Paris, is the prime European city. And that has nothing to do with Tony Blair's own Big Project, the ill-fated Millennium Dome.
The truth is that individuals and institutions usually turn to architecture at moments of decline. This curious fact was pointed out years ago by Cyril Northcote Parkinson in his 1968 best seller, Parkinson's Law. This book is full of pithy observations on the foibles of business administration, the best-known of which is: "Work expands to fill the time available for its completion." Less well-remembered is the author's observation on architecture. Parkinson considered buildings as an important barometer of corporate health, but as a negative barometer. "During a period of exciting discovery or progress there is no time to plan the perfect headquarters," he wrote. "The time for that comes later, when all the important work has been done. Perfection, we know, is finality; and finality is death."
Parkinson provided several historical examples. St. Peter's in Rome was built by popes who were enmeshed in worldly affairs and had lost much of their moral authority; Louis XIV built his palace at Versailles several decades after his great military triumphs and at a time when his power was in decline; exactly one year after the Viceroy of India moved into his new imperial capital of New Delhi, the Indian Congress demanded independence. One can add more. When CBS built "Black Rock," its imposing black granite headquarters in Manhattan, Edward R. Murrow was gone and infotainment was just around the corner. Pan American Airways built its huge headquarters on Park Avenue long after it pioneered transoceanic air travel, but not so long before it ceased operations.
So, contrary to Sudjic's claim, the rich and powerful don't shape the world. They build what are, very often, glorious tombstones. Neither Microsoft nor Google has erected a "world-class" headquarters on Madison Avenue yet; when they do, watch out.
Witold Rybczynski is Slate's architecture critic His latest book is The Biography of a Building: How Robert Sainsbury and Norman Foster Built a Great Museum. Visit his Web site. Follow him on Twitter.
Photographs of: Met Life building by Mario Tama/Getty Images; CBS building on Slate's home page by Stephen Chernin/Getty Images. | <urn:uuid:8067b97e-c48b-4ad8-aa5e-edd6430ceeee> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/architecture/2005/10/the_edifice_complex.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962699 | 1,186 | 2.171875 | 2 |
The omnipresent tug-of-war between preservation and development is nothing new to Michigan, but, in spite of all the associated challenges, policy makers and environmental leaders can point to some notable success in protecting the Great Lakes. This week’s Greening of the Great Lakes guest recounts some of these accomplishments and singles out invasive species, water pollution and water diversion as the three biggest threats plaguing our waters.
Dave Dempsey is an award-winning author and dedicated environmental advocate. He first worked as former Governor Jim Blanchard's environmental policy advisor and has continued working at various Great Lakes conservation agencies, currently serving as Conservation Minnesota's Communications Director.
Superior Shores, his latest book and first novel, is "an attempt to...help people understand the need for balance between preservation and development," says Dempsey. "It's one thing to write policy papers about environmental matters, but I think most people best absorb this information through story telling."
Such a balance was also examined in his excellent biography of former Governor Milliken, a man who significantly furthered Michigan's environmental policy while in office. According to Dempsey, one of Milliken's greatest achievements was spearheading Michigan's 1977 ban on phosphorus laundry detergent.
This ban played a crucial role in reducing algal blooms, particularly for Lake Erie. However, Dempsey reminds us that, "there are no permanent victories in conservation." Fertilizers and sewage are two other sources of phosphorus pollution, making water quality a major problem for western Lake Erie once again. These waters are the most impaired of the Great Lakes, and toxic algae have even caused some swimmers in the lake to fall ill. Some farms are working to reduce their phosphorus runoff, but Dempsey lists lack of awareness and economic feasibility of such efforts as shortcomings.
It goes without saying that invasive species are also a major concern for the Great Lakes.
While the Asian carp threat is on the top of everyone's mind, Dempsey notes that around 180 aquatic invasive species have already entered the Great Lakes, most of which still reside within our waters. Other species, like the snakehead, might become the next big menace.
Michigan, bordering four of the five Great Lakes, "needs to be the strong advocate for national control of aquatic invasive species," says Dempsey. Not just as a protection effort for the Great Lakes, but also to prevent the spread of invasive species from the Great Lakes into other parts of the country.
Finally, Dempsey believes significant reductions in water levels of the Great Lakes will become an enormous threat if the pressure for water diversion increases with water scarcity.
"Instead of shipping Michigan's water to the Southwest, for instance, we really need to attract people and industry to come here where the water is. That's the more sustainable way," argues Dempsey.
The Great Lakes Compact is the most notable effort to keep Great Lakes water within the region, but Dempsey still sees major loopholes in the legislation—the greatest being that water can still be bottled and sold out of the Great Lakes region in unlimited quantities.
Despite the on-going challenges that confront our Great Lakes and the need for constant public vigilance, Dempsey gives Michigan an overall B+ grade for its efforts to date.
"As a state, we haven't really made much progress towards merging and balancing environmental and economic concerns, but we have done a lot to establish leadership on the Great Lakes, especially regarding water diversion and invasive species." | <urn:uuid:d7e8e39b-9cbc-45e7-b38e-acaac53efafb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2011/08/environmental_policy_advisor_a.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962155 | 691 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Kashmir Hill, Forbes Staff
Welcome to The Not-So Private Parts where technology & privacy collide
Facebook has been spending lots of quality time with federal regulators this year. Last month, the Federal Trade Commission got Mark Zuckerberg to admit that the company “had made a bunch of mistakes” and to submit to 20 years of privacy audits. Today, the Irish Data Protection Commission released the findings of its investigation into the company. Thanks to Facebook’s international headquarters being located in Dublin (for tax reasons), the Irish DPC gets to oversee how Facebook handles the data of all users outside of the U.S. and Canada. Its verdict? Facebook isn’t doing a horrible job!
“The audit has found a positive approach and commitment on the part of Facebook Ireland to respecting the privacy rights of its users,” said Irish Data Protection Commissioner Billy Hawkes.
Despite finding that Facebook was generally complying with European law, the agency produced a 149-page report [PDF] detailing Facebook’s privacy and data protection practices and pointing out areas for improvement. The major recommendations were that Facebook make it clearer what information it retain about users and enhance users’ abilities to make changes to what info is shared about them. Some examples of changes that need to be made to Facebook’s policies for non-North American users:
“Facebook is a relatively young company. It’s not surprising that we found some room for improvement,” said deputy commissioner Gary Davis, who oversaw the audit. “The almost Darwinian nature of the site means that there will constantly be an absolute need to have in place robust mechanisms to keep pace with the innovation that is the source of the site’s success.”
The audit was spurred in part by complaints from Austrian law student Max Schrems of Europe vs Facebook, who got Facebook to send him a hundred+ page file with all of the data the social network had about him. Schrems was disturbed to find that Facebook kept information he thought had been deleted — such as old messages, dismissed pokes and friend removals — and kept records he wasn’t aware of, such as IP information for any computer he had ever signed in from. The Irish DPC reports that Facebook plans to make it possible for users to permanently delete this information.
The extensive report includes some interesting anecdotes about what the team observed at Facebook’s Dublin headquarters. Facebook’s Dublin office handles 60 trademark and defamation complaints per day. The report includes an example the audit team observed:
The Inspection Team viewed a copyright complaint from a user in Germany where one user alleged that a photograph of himself which he indicated was his intellectual property was being used without his permission by another user. In a case like this, following an examination of the report, the Team member may decide to simply remove the photograph so that the user may no longer use/publish the photograph.
More prolific are complaints about fake profiles, private impersonations and cyber-bullying are investigated. “Several thousand reports are received each day from users,” according to the report. From the report:
We also examined a number of privacy related queries. One was from a French user who sought the removal of her deceased father’s account. She sought full removal as opposed to memorialising (which is a status that FB-I will place an account if it is verifiably notified that an account holder has passed away). This request was acted upon once the requester was in a position to supply verification of the death of her father. However, FB-I did confirm in line with its standard policy that it could not provide any information on the account itself.
Another case related to a French user who as the Mother of a 14 year old in France sought the deletion of her daughter’s account as she was unhappy with the use her daughter was making of the account. It was explained to the mother that FB-I could not delete the account on her request and she was provided with extensive information on how to engage with her daughter in relation to her concerns.
Also examined was a complaint from a female user in Germany in relation to a fake account allegedly posted by a former boyfriend. The account in question was already removed by the time the complaint was received. The complainant sought IP address and other contact details for the poster of the fake profile but again FB-I pointed out that such information could only be provided by legitimate legal means such as a court order or via a relevant law enforcement authority relying upon a relevant legal basis. We noted from an examination of the various complaints that where supporting documentation was sought to verify identity that it was immediately deleted as part of the workflow once identity was proven.
If nothing else, working in “User Operations” at Facebook has got to be pretty entertaining.
Facebook welcomed the Irish report, responding on their blog. “We work on a daily basis with regulators around the world, and we appreciate the investment of time and effort by the DPC and its leadership to improve the experience of Facebook users,” wrote Facebook director of public policy Richard Allan.
It makes sense that Facebook would welcome outside stamps of approval from government regulators in the U.S. and abroad. The hope, of course, is that the oversight will reassure Facebook users. One of Facebook’s biggest challenges is to maintain the trust of its users. For without them, as MySpace can well attest, its product will become worthless. | <urn:uuid:e8c4393e-18e9-48c0-a6f0-f8d5a90344bd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2011/12/21/some-scolding-no-fines-for-facebook-after-irish-privacy-investigation/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975186 | 1,122 | 1.867188 | 2 |
The Devon Rex, the Pixie of the Cat Fancy, sports
oversized ears on an elfin face with large impish eyes. This
adorable combination only hints at the mad-cap personality
within – a cross, some say, between a cat, a dog, a monkey,
and Dennis the Menace. They are a fun and fun-loving breed
with a relaxed and social attitude rarely associated with cats.
Delightfully silly in both appearance and antics, Devons are
interested in everything and everyone around them. Their
playful nature means Devons easily learn tricks and are always
up for a game of hide-and-seek, tag, or fetch.
This unique breed possesses intensely loyal, human-loving,
dog-like qualities. A person must be prepared to be owned
by a Devon. A Devon will eat with you, sleep with you, and
perch cozily on your shoulder while you are on the computer
or reading. They will follow you around the house, sit at your
feet, or jump on your lap the minute you sit down. A Devon
will accompany you on your household chores, happily trilling,
cooing, and chirping as they look for ways to help. Children
and Devons are naturals as best friends and tireless playmates.
Family members will frequently find a Devon nestled in their
laps or cradled in their arms. You should not be surprised
to find a Devon tucked in bed with you or another family
member, snuggled underneath the covers or firmly settled
onto a pillow. Devons remain kittens at heart forever, and
their loving nature connects them deeply with every family
The social nature of the Devon makes them unsuited to
spending long periods of time without companionship.
Devons do not discriminate in terms of the company they
keep. They do very well with people, other Devons (often
creating a “Devon pile”), cats, dogs, and even the occasional
bird, ferret, or rabbit.
Words of caution: Devons are food hounds. Whether it is the
traditional burger and fries or the more unusual asparagus
tips, grapes, or olives, be prepared to guard your dinner plate
from the fast and crafty Devon in the house. They never turn
down a meal and would be happy to assist you with yours.
Do not be taken in by the pleading or the heartbreakingly
pitiful expressions that would suggest they have not had a
meal in weeks.
The appearance of the Devon Rex is far from ordinary, given
their long skinny necks, oddly shaped heads, ridiculously big
ears, and coat that can range from wildly curly to a soft suedelike
down. They really are 100% feline, even if they seem
to be 99% personality and 1% cat. Adult Devons are midsized
cats, averaging six to nine pounds, with males heavier
than females. The coat may vary over the life of the cat, with
some kittens dropping much of their coat (molting) during
their development, and some adult coats changing seasonally.
Devons are low maintenance, wash-and-wear companions.
Despite popular myth, Devons are not hypoallergenic. They
do shed, although their unique coat may make the shedding
hair less obtrusive than that of many cats. While some people
with animal allergies tolerate Devons very well, anyone
with allergy issues should arrange to handle a Devon before
considering acquiring one.
They may look like they have just arrived on Earth on an alien
spaceship, but they are a natural mutation. They originated
in Devonshire, England, in the late 1950s when a Miss Cox
found that a stray cat in her care had given birth to a rather
odd looking curly-haired kitten. Delighted with the kitten’s
elfin features and wavy curls, she named him Kirlee – the
founding father of this unique breed.
Mother Nature created the feline oddity, this lithe and
winsome pixie cat. Man had no hand in the mutation, but
man did step in and make it possible for the mutation to
survive and flourish, providing cat lovers around the globe the
opportunity to meet, love, and be loved by one of nature’s true
miracles – the Devon Rex cat. Colors include a wide array of
solid, shaded, smoke, tabby, bi-color, and pointed patterns.
When selecting your Devon Rex kitten or cat, it is important
you take the time to properly interview and get to know a
breeder, as this will be to your advantage when looking
for a Devon Rex to join your family. Breeders will usually
make kittens available between the ages of 14 to 16 weeks,
when they have had sufficient time with their mother and
littermates to be well socialized and old enough to have been
fully vaccinated. Keeping your Devon indoors, neutering or
spaying, and providing acceptable surfaces (e.g. scratching
posts) for the natural behavior of scratching (CFA disapproves
of declawing or tendonectomy surgery) are essential elements
for maintaining a healthy, long, and joyful life.
For more information, please send
inquiries to CFA at firstname.lastname@example.org. | <urn:uuid:c79be24a-f79b-41c3-a280-17cf35e85ccf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cfainc.org/Breeds/BreedsCJ/DevonRex.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936306 | 1,140 | 1.804688 | 2 |
Purpose of this policy
To ensure expert response to all school emergencies and incidents including incidents that occur during:
- camps, excursions or outdoor adventure activities
- weekends and holidays
- travel to or from school
- non-school hours.
- call 000 immediately to report any incident threatening life or property, emergency services on this number are:
- police for crime, injury that may not be accidental or assault
- ambulance for injury and medical assistance.
- fire brigade for fires and incidents involving hazardous and dangerous materials (report all fires, regardless of state and size, even if extinguished).
- DO NOT contact local emergency services directly. To do so increases response times as these calls are redirected to 000 wasting valuable time in an emergency.
- notify the Security Services Unit after contacting 000, telephone: (03) 9589-6266.
Schools must immediately report to Security Services Unit any incident posing a:
- risk to the safety of a student, parent, visitor or staff member including:
- serious injury or death
- allegations of or actual physical or sexual assault
- threat to property or the environment.
Prompt incident reporting (to the Security Services Unit) enables:
- Security Services Unit staff to provide support and advice to schools
- quick resolution of emergencies while minimising the risk to personal safety
- quick implementation of preventative measures in the case of criminal activity.
Note: Prompt incident notification enables Security Services Unit staff at the coordination centre to provide support and advice to schools. This helps to resolve emergencies quickly while minimising the risk to personal safety.
As a general rule, serious incident is one that requires medical attention or a police investigation.
Examples of reportable incidents involving schools include:
- motor vehicle collision and/or all WorkCover incidents
- impact by machinery, equipment, aircraft
- fire on school grounds, bush or grass fire
- incidents of death or serious injury (injury requiring medical attention)
- incidents resulting in:
- closure or significant damage to parts of a building or its contents and/or a threat to health and safety
- bomb threat
- outbreak or incidence of disease
- presence of toxic fumes or explosive conditions
- finding hazardous material on school site including explosives, fog signals, detonators, gun powder, cords and fuses, blasting cartridges, incendiary devices, marine distress signals, propellant powders etc
- fumes, spill, leak or contamination by hazardous material
- flood, windstorm, earthquake or other natural disasters
- criminal activity such as suspicious person/s and/or vehicles, vandalism, burglary, graffiti, theft, fraud, property damage
- neighbourhood complaint
- missing/disappearance/removal of student/s including:
- unauthorised/unexplained absenteeism from school
- unauthorised absenteeism resulting in a missing persons report
- firearms, weapons or bomb threat
- behaviour of a student, visitor or staff member that could lead to potential risk to someone else
- serious threats made against a person
- siege or hostage situation
- need for evacuation or lockdown
- unethical staff behaviour particularly if it involves taking advantage of a student, visitor or staff member
- issues of negligence or legal liability
- near misses: incidents that very nearly lead to injury or death
Example: Hazardous condition observed/near misses.
- an event with a major impact on school operations or the potential to:
- involve the relevant Minister
- subject the Department to high levels of public or legal scrutiny.
Important: Schools shouldn't handle any explosives found at school. However if it’s necessary to remove explosives from a student’s possession avoid bumping, striking or dropping the object. Place the object gently in an isolated position, ensure it is not exposed to any form of heat/ignition and wait for the police.
Note: Schools should also report any nuisance activity which may not have led to damage, but could lead to crime at a future time. This information is used to implement pro-active security measures such as targeted security patrols, temporary surveillance and intruder detection systems to prevent criminal activity.
- call police on 000
- notify the Security Services Unit on 03 9589 6266
- implement the school’s emergency management plan
- do not search for the bomb
- do not allow a search by students or staff
- do not impede an explosives inspector from entering school premises
Note: an inspector of explosives may interview students at school on the same basis as a police interview.
All fires, including those that have been extinguished and regardless of their size, must be reported to the relevant fire service for the particular locality by contacting 000 and the Security Services Unit.
Helicopter landings in schools in an emergency
The Department has given a general authorisation for the use of school grounds as helicopter landing sites during emergencies for the: air ambulance, fire reconnaissance or crime prevention.
The urgent nature of an emergency may preclude advance notification. The pilot is responsible for ensuring that the:
- area chosen for landing is suitable
- safety of those on the ground is not compromised.
If a landing occurs during school time, students must remain at a safe distance, clear of the departure, and approach paths.
The Department has not given approval for media, commercially or privately operated helicopters to use school grounds. They must obtain permission from the principal before landing.
Note: If the principal or school council consider helicopter arrivals or departures from the school grounds for non-emergency purposes there are stringent requirements for the safety of spectators and protection of the environment. Schools must contact the Aviation Branch of the Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure and Transport and the State Environment Protection Authority. See: Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure and Transport and Environment Protection Authority.
Criminal offence and insurance reporting
In the case of a loss arising from a criminal offence, the principal should:
- report the matter to the President of the school council
- take steps to determine the extent of the crime i.e. burglary, theft, fire/arson, vandalism, significant graffiti and details of make, model and serial numbers of any missing equipment
- complete a Criminal Offence and Insurance Report and email it to the Infrastructure Division
- take steps to avoid the possibility of further loss strengthening internal control procedures and security measures.
- Emergency Management Act 1986 | <urn:uuid:9304873c-22c9-4706-b56a-0adc3f185845> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/spag/management/Pages/reporting.aspx?Redirect=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.915147 | 1,301 | 2.140625 | 2 |
Slemish, near Ballymena, draws us back into history for two reasons. It's a place of pilgrimage on St Patrick's Day, but it's also one of the clearest pieces of evidence of the area's volcanic past.
As we fly around the mountain, it becomes more obvious that what we're looking at is a huge plug in the earth where magma once oozed to the surface. It's been a while since any eruptions were seen here, though. The material that makes up this plug is estimated to be about 60 million years old.
The rock is known as dolerite. It's related to basalt, but has much larger crystals which are visible to the naked eye. That's a sign that the volcanic flow cooled relatively slowly.
Ireland's patron saint is thought to have walked these slopes for six years after being taken into slavery at the age of 16. He worked for a master named Milchu, herding swine and sheep. And according to his writings, it was here that St Patrick turned to prayer as his only consolation. He escaped, became a priest and began his mission to convert the Irish to Christianity.
The reason why Slemish dominates the skyline is that the land around it is relatively flat for as far as the eye can see. But even this flatter land is volcanic. Geologists reckon that lava flowed here for around two million years, creating the Antrim Plateau. It covers most of County Antrim and extends into other counties, too.
Slemish is the biggest of a number of volcanic plugs dotted around the plateau.
Slemish is a volcanic plug in the earth where magma once oozed to the surface.
The mountain is the biggest of a number of volcanic plugs dotted around the Antrim Plateau.
Ireland's patron saint is thought to have walked these slopes for six years and it is now a place of pilgrimage on St Patrick's Day. | <urn:uuid:d88517a3-2d7b-45ac-a0c5-b639d22a9ab1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/landscapes/lev1_slemish_script.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982937 | 398 | 3.640625 | 4 |
David Bliss, 1791-1860
David, son of David Bliss and Lucy Stebbins, was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. He was a saddle and harness maker.
David married Samantha Griswold in 1812 and had 13 children, 12 of whom were born in Wilmington, Vermont. He served as a Deacon in the Wilmington Congregational Church. They also lived in Bennington and Shaftsbury, Vermont, and then moved to New York State before heading west.
In 1848, David and several of his children, including our ancestor David Pitney Bliss set off for Michigan to their “soldiers claim” in Riley Township. Their experiences as described by David’s son Henry were reported in the following article from the St. John’s newspaper. The account is long and will broken into several installments. There is not a date on the article, but Henry died in 1929, the last of the Bliss children to die. The article is entitled, “BLISS FAMILY HELD REUNION.”
The Bliss family held a reunion at the M.A.C. Saturday, about 150 being present, the greater part of whom live in Clinton County. G.F. Ottmar of Riley read the following family history.
David and Samantha Bliss lived in Vermont state and later moved to New York state in the early 40’s. The family consisted of Stebbins, David, Horatio, Augustus, Henry, Sidney, Lucy Hodges, Sabrina Temple, Adeline Pratt, Elizabeth Osborn, and Emily, who died in New York state in the spring of 1848. From this point of the family history begins our story as related to me by Uncle Henry Bliss. [Note: Henry Bliss is son of David Bliss and brother to David Pitney Bliss, our direct ancestor.] He said:
In the fall of 1848, father and mother, David, Horatio, Augustus, myself, Sidney, Cyrus and Adeline Pratt his wife, and Rufus Pratt started for Michigan, and settled on a soldier’s claim in the Township of Riley, Clinton County. Stebbins came in 1849. Jim and Lucy Hodges came from Wisconsin to Michigan and joined the family in 1849. Elizabeth Osborn remained in New York. Sabrina and Merret Temple came in 1861.
We took an Erie Canal boat at Schenectady, N.Y., and arrived in Buffalo one week later. The weather was fine and the trip was very slow. The boat was drawn with horses and they walked all the way. We took a steamer from Buffalo to Detroit, Michigan.
Uncle Clark Griswold, who lived at Northville, Mich., sent a team of horses and lumber wagon to Detroit to get us and took us all to his place. It was quite a load. Uncle Clark was husking his corn, so we stayed a week with him and helped him finish. He then sent his team and hired man, and a neighbor with his team and wagons, and took us and what goods we could carry to Riley. The roads were very bad, and traveling was hard. The balance of the goods we left at Uncle Clark’s. The next summer we hired Freeman Nichols, who then lived the second house west of Boughton’s corners, to go to Northville to get the remainder of the goods. We had no money to pay for this, so we agreed to chop and clear a certain number of acres of heavy timbered land to pay for this trip. We had to chop down the trees, burn them and fence the field. We got a lot of experience. The logs were green elms and hard to burn. This was our first experience clearing forests.
Uncle Clark asked Mr. Nichols how we were getting along and he told him that we were hard up, and so he sent along with the goods a whole barrel of pork for us. I tell you that was good. Uncle Clark was certainly a fine man. (Right here let me say that the writer of this article met Uncle Clark at the home of the relater, Uncle Henry, a few years before his sad and sudden death and he can frankly say that he never met a kinder-hearted and more pleasing old gentleman than Uncle Clark Griswold.)
More tales of the Bliss adventures will be told in subsequent posts to this blog. | <urn:uuid:18d08a21-b1a8-43e9-a7f4-e20123249385> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://jimwinegar.wordpress.com/2009/07/07/the-bliss-family-arrives-in-wacousta-part-1/?like=1&source=post_flair&_wpnonce=a832ba55c5 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983812 | 912 | 1.96875 | 2 |
(Real Simple) -- Writing thank you notes has gotten a bad rap as a chore that's, well, thankless. (And the prospect of asking your kids to write them may leave you feeling as grateful as a shriveled houseplant.)
Real Simple: The conversation that changed me
But a note of thanks can do more than dutifully tell Uncle Max how much you like the Word Yahtzee that he sent. Gratitude may be crucial to compassion, empathy, and even happiness, according to Jeffrey Froh, an assistant professor of psychology and the director of the Laboratory for Gratitude in Youth at Hofstra University, in Hempstead, New York. Why? Thanks for asking!
Real Simple: How to tactfully speak your mind
"Grateful kids tend to be much more satisfied with their lives," says Froh. "They do better in school and are less materialistic, less depressed, and less envious. Their relationships are much stronger and more supportive." In one study, grateful kids even reported fewer physical symptoms, like headaches, stomachaches, and fevers.
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Thank you notes don't have to be reserved for physical loot: Your kids can write them in appreciation of awesome outings or good friendship. "My five-year-old borrowed my phone to type a thank you text to his mom for a special day that they had spent together," says Froh. The key is to make it a creative project in which kids get to express themselves. On the next page, you'll find a few fun ideas that will give them the chance to do just that. And when they craft their sentiments, you'll get the chance to appreciate your unique, sometimes wacky little people.
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To Make Thank Yous More Meaningful Set a time for it: There's something wrong about trying to teach gratitude by nagging or rushing a kid. Get some snacks and settle in.
Gather your resources: A correspondence kit is a fun motivator. Put one together with note cards, a return-address stamper, a great pen, postage stamps, stickers, a first address book, and even sealing wax and a monogram seal.
Real Simple: Managing your child's stress
Be the designated writer: A child who can't write yet, or one who is just learning, will feel more grateful if she doesn't have to agonize over sentences. Also, transcribing her thanks gives you a chance to capture the depth and the complexity of her feelings. ("Thank you for the game Candy Land, which has Queen Frostine, which is who I love so much even though it's who Ben loves, too, and so we fight sometimes."
Teach sincerity: You want your kids to learn to be authentically gracious. Aunt Ida's terrifying woolen anorak? Skip "Thank you for the beautiful sweater—I love it!" and talk your child through what is true. "Dear Aunt Ida, it must have taken you so long to crochet this. The wool feels really warm, and you remembered that my favorite color is green! Thank you so much."
Do it now—and later: Every now and then, encourage your child to send another note, long after the fact, just to make somebody's day—especially for a gift that has turned out to be a favorite. "Remember that moose hat you gave me last Christmas? Here's a picture of me wearing it on our trip to Niagara Falls!"
For more ways to make your thank you notes special see 13 homemade thank you note ideas.
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Copyright © 2011 Time Inc. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:5493ef36-8dc8-40d6-b484-e8dde7260f10> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/11/living/real-simple-thank-you-note/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95408 | 770 | 2.703125 | 3 |