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By unprotected sex with a person who has the infection
What are the symptoms?
This infection seems to affect more women than men but women can pass it on through sexual contact or through sharing sex toys and not washing them between uses or not covering them with a condom.
Up to half of men and women will not have any signs or symptoms. Signs and symptoms usually show up within about a month of coming into contact with the disease.
The main symptoms are:
· Vaginal discharge which is thin, yellow or green, frothy and/or with a fishy smell
· Itchy or sore vagina
. Pain when passing urine
· Men may experience unusual discharge or a sore penis
How can I get rid of it?
A course of antibiotics will be given to get rid of the parasite and the infection. Sexual contact should be avoided until you have finished the treatment
To help avoid getting one at all – use a condom!
Want to know more about other STI's, symptoms and treatments?
We have nearly 80 years of quality experience.
Why choose Durex?
Find out why we're the World's No 1.
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May 19th, 2013 Pentecost May 20th, 2013 Whit Monday May 21st, 2013 World Day for Cultural Diversity May 22nd, 2013 National Maritime Day May 22nd, 2013 World Biological Diversity Day May 25th, 2013 African Liberation Day May 26th, 2013 Trinity Sunday May 27th, 2013 Memorial Day May 27th, 2013 Jefferson Davis Birthday May 29th, 2013 International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers May 30th, 2013 Corpus Christi May 31st, 2013 World No Tobacco Day June 1st, 2013 Statehood Day June 3rd, 2013 Jefferson Davis Birthday June 4th, 2013 World Day for Child Victims of Aggression June 5th, 2013 World Environment Day June 6th, 2013 Isra and Mi'raj June 8th, 2013 World Oceans Day June 11th, 2013 Kamehameha Day June 12th, 2013 World Day Against Child Labour June 14th, 2013 World Blood Donor Day June 14th, 2013 Flag Day June 16th, 2013 Father's Day June 17th, 2013 Bunker Hill Day June 17th, 2013 World Day to Combat Desertification June 19th, 2013 Juneteenth June 20th, 2013 World Refugee Day June 20th, 2013 West Virginia Day
Large Stoneware Crock Beverage Dispenser Maxwell House Iced Tea - Brown Barrel For Sale
Antique Maxwell House Stoneware Crock In EXCELLENT Antique Condition. Circa early to mid 1900sStands 10 inches tall from top to bottom (does not include the handle on the top) and is approximately 9 inches wide (at the widest point).Not sure if the spigot works but is attached very well! Handle on spigot does turn. Inside is also in good condition. Looks like its straight off a corner store or candy shop counter! I tried to take a lot of pictures to show how wonderful condition this antique crock is in! Looks like a brown barrel. Brown glaze with embossed white letters. MADE IN THE U.S.A. on bottom.***IF THIS IS INTENDED FOR USE AND NOT DISPLAY - the seal around the spigot may need to be replaced and the handle will need lubrication.*** --Please feel free to ask any questions you may have.-- Thanks for looking and I only ship within the USA. This crock weighs almost 9 lbs.
This item has been shown 28 times.
Large Stoneware Crock Beverage Dispenser Maxwell House Iced Tea - Brown Barrel: $69
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Eli Lilly and Co. announced last month that it has entered into settlement
agreements with attorneys representing thousands of patients who claim they
were harmed by the company's second-generation antipsychotic medication,
Zyprexa (olanzapine). All told, the settlements could amount to payouts
equaling $1.2 billion.
The company has been entangled in a legal maelstrom for more than three
years, facing numerous product-liability civil lawsuits alleging the company
withheld or attempted to cover up data concerning questionable efficacy and a
strong association between taking olanzapine and significant weight gain,
which could lead to the development of diabetes and/or cardiovascular
Since the drug's approval in 1996, Zyprexa has been prescribed to about 20
million individuals worldwide, according to Lilly. Zyprexa is by far the
company's biggest seller, bringing in $4.2 billion in revenues in
2005—30 percent of the company's total revenues for the year.
A higher incidence of diabetes in patients taking olanzapine was apparent
to Lilly researchers early in development of the drug and was readily apparent
during the phase III clinical trials of the drug in the early to mid-1990s.
The first five of what would become thousands of lawsuits against the company
claiming that olanzapine caused patients' diabetes were filed in 2003.
The vast majority of the individual civil claims against Lilly were
consolidated into a class action by the Federal District Court for the Eastern
District of New York. The company is specifically accused of with-holding data
questioning Zyprexa's effectiveness compared with other antipsychotic
medications and minimizing or covering up data regarding serious side effects
associated with the drug.
At press time, Lilly was also facing ongoing criminal investigations in at
least five states—New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and
Vermont—regarding accusations that the company illegally and
aggressively marketed the product for unapproved uses, resulting in hundreds
of millions of dollars in extra costs for individuals, insurance companies,
and taxpayers who fund the state/federal partnership, Medicaid.
Although Lilly did not respond to requests from Psychiatric News
for input on this article, the company denies the allegations in statements on
a new Web site. Lilly says it launched the site "to give the public
factual information about the legal issues that confront the company's
atypical antipsychotic, Zyprexa."
The Web site notes that "[f]rom the day that Zyprexa was first
marketed, the labeling provided to physicians identified the potentially
clinically significant weight gain that was observed in more than half of all
patients treated long term with Zyprexa, as well as the diabetes-related
adverse events observed in clinical trials."
The Web site also says, "Lilly's Company policy, which is endorsed by
senior management, has always supported full disclosure of adverse-event
information on Zyprexa, and all Lilly medicines, to the FDA."
Lilly stated that it entered into settlement agreements "to resolve
the vast majority of remaining product-liability claims against Lilly relating
to [Zyprexa]." The agreements follow a June 2005 "master
settlement agreement" that covered approximately 8,000 individual claims
against the company, bringing the total claims subject to out-of-court
settlements to more than 18,000.
As a condition of the 2005 settlements, Lilly paid about $700 million to
claimants. The latest settlement agreement, according to a company statement,
should amount to "substantially less" in payments. While the exact
amount is under review, the company said "it is not expected to exceed
In a statement announcing the latest round of settlements on January 4,
Lilly Chair and Chief Executive Officer Sidney Taurel, noted, "While we
remain confident that these claims are without merit, we took this difficult
step because we believe it is in the best interest of the company, the
patients who depend on this medication, and their physicians."
The decision to resolve the claims, Taurel added, "does not change
the fact that Zyprexa has [improved], and will continue to improve, the lives
of millions of patients around the world."
Attorneys representing the consolidated claims had been in negotiations
with the company since last fall, attempting to reach out-of-court
settlements. Those negotiations were significantly influenced when a large
number of sensitive internal documents compiled by the company during the
discovery phase of the litigation were leaked to New York Times
business reporter Alex Berenson and a number of organizations involved in
mental health issues.
The documents had been placed under seal by the court but were provided to
the Times and the other organizations by an attorney who was not
directly involved in the product-liability suits, but who represents mentally
ill patients subject to state-mandated treatment with psychiatric
Berenson subsequently wrote a series of articles based on the hundreds of
pages of leaked documents, comprised of company letters, e-mails, memos,
presentations, and reports.
Shortly after Berenson's New York Times articles appeared, the
documents were posted on numerous Web sites, including many outside the United
States. A search for "Lilly lawsuit documents" conducted by
Psychiatric News the week of January 8 produced multiple links to Web
sites where the documents could be downloaded.
The documents provide evidence of a number of actions by Lilly or its
employees that are damaging to the defense of its positions in the law
In a prepared statement, Lilly said it "vigorously objects to the
characterization of company practices in [the] New York Times
article[s] based on selective documents illegally leaked by plaintiffs'
Lilly went on to say that the Times articles failed to mention
that the leaked documents "are a tiny fraction of the more than 11
million pages of documents provided by Lilly as part of the litigation
process. They do not accurately portray Lilly's conduct."
In a letter to the editor submitted to the New York Times, APA
President Pedro Ruiz, M.D., acknowledged that the Times articles
raise "important and troubling questions." Ruiz wrote,"
Physicians and patients need as much information as possible about the
risks and benefits of medications. America needs an open, mandatory, public
database of all clinical trials now."
The New York Times' articles detailing the leaked Lilly
documents can be accessed for a fee at<www.nytimes.com>.
Lilly's response to the lawsuits and information on Zyprexa are posted at<www.zyprexafacts.com>.▪
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(MENAFN - Oxford Business Group) In spite of the slowdown in its European markets, tourism, one of Tunisia's key economic sectors and the country's second largest employer after agriculture, has shown steady growth over the first nine months of 2008, with record revenues expected by the end of the year.
Official figures released last month showed that Tunisia's tourism revenues rose by 9% year-on-year to approximately 1.8bn for the first nine months of 2008. Minister of Tourism Khalil Lajimi, speaking to local press last week, said that by the end of the year, taking into account seasonal changes in demand, he expects the sector's revenues to increase by a total of 8% to a record 2.4bn, compared to nearly 2.2bn in 2007.
The revenue growth has outpaced the modest increase in visitor numbers, which - in line with previous annual figures - has grown around 3% in 2008 to nearly 5.6m so far. Lajimi said he was optimistic that figure could reach 7m tourists by the end of 2008.
By comparison, 2007 saw a total of 6.7m visitors, a 3.2% increase over 2006. The vast majority of the visitors come from neighbouring Libya and Algeria. The two countries sent around 2m tourists across the border in 2007.
The tourism sector, which also serves as Tunisia's largest foreign currency earner, employs nearly 16.6% of Tunisia's total labour force, with more than 500,000 jobs in 2008. Thanks to the steady flow of visitors and the stable economic environment, the industry is also one of the chief attractions for foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country. Together with the real estate sector, FDI in tourism over the first nine months of 2008 jumped to an impressive TD183.6m (133.87m), compared to TD8.2m the year before, with the dramatic rise due in part to the launch of several large-scale projects as well as the expansion of various hotels.
Tourism directly contributes to nearly 7% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), when the total impact of the sector on economic growth is taken into account, tourism and tourism-related revenues jump to 17.7% of Tunisia's GDP, or TD8.65bn.
While Tunisia's economy is relatively sheltered from the worst excesses of the current financial crisis, tourism is expected to be one of the more vulnerable sectors. While Maghreb visitors make up the largest portion of Tunisia's incoming tourist traffic, European markets also remain a steady client, particularly from France (1.3m visitors in 2007), Germany (514,000 visitors), Italy (440,000) and the UK (312,000) - all of which have seen cutbacks in consumer spending in recent months. Given that European visitor numbers were already dropping prior to the crisis - German visitor numbers, for example, fell by 6% in 2007, while Italian arrivals dropped by 4.3% - the crisis obviously has some in the country's tourism sector concerned about future growth.
According to Lajimi, the full impact of the economic slowdown has yet to be felt in Tunisia, but the government is already working to come up with measures to counter the expected drop in demand. Their efforts include promotional efforts to help improve the visibility of the sector, along with a series of modernisation programmes that have already been implemented for the country's 800 hotels. Indeed, earlier this year, 19 hotels and two tourist restaurants were closed due to a failure to meet basic standards, while several others saw their official classification downgraded.
According to estimates from the WTTC, should the programmes be implemented successfully, tourism and tourism-related contributions to the GDP will rise by over TD9bn to TD17.94bn in 2018, while the number of jobs in the sector will rise to over 620,000.
Of course, Tunisia is by no means the only tourism market to be affected by the financial crisis. Following a strong start to the year, global tourism figures fell from 5.7% year-on-year growth during the first four months of 2008 to less than 2% over the summer.
Tunisia is seeking to change the structure of its tourism sector to better cope with the rigours of the global slowdown as well as with increased regional competition from places like Morocco and Turkey. Since the 1970s, Tunisia has been a leading market for mass tourism, with a market that relies heavily on tour operators and wholesale package groups. While this launched the country into its role as a leading tourist destination, it had a negative impact on its sustainability and growth prospects. Given that package tours rarely spend outside of their prescribed itineraries, tourism-related revenues are limited and demand is often constrained by seasonality. Income per head in Tunisia is around 333, whereas Morocco - which is seen as a more upmarket destination - receives around 1040 per head. Similarly, Egypt receives around 850 per head.
In a bid to move beyond the mass tourism model, Tunisia has begun to build up its niche markets, particularly in medical tourism. The country already boasts a highly qualified health services sector, welcoming 150,000 foreigners to its thalassotherapy facilities in 2006 and an additional 75,000 to its various medical clinics in 2007. While the majority of the patients come from neighbouring Maghreb countries, an increasing number come from Europe, seeking to take advantage of cheaper prices and comparable treatment for a variety of operations ranging from cardiovascular surgery to cosmetic procedures. With the global medical tourism market currently worth 60bn, according to a recent report by US-based consulting firm Deloitte, Tunisia is looking to increase its share of the pie by investing heavily in new medical tourism projects, providing generous tax breaks and reducing import duties for private investors.
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Lumizyme Approved for Non-Infantile Pompe Disease
A rare genetic disorder
TUESDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- Lumizyme (alglucosidase alfa) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat late-onset Pompe disease, a genetic disorder that often leads to fatal respiratory failure.
Pompe, affecting one in every 40,000 to 300,000 births, is caused by a gene mutation that prevents the body from making enough of an essential enzyme. This leads to heart and skeletal muscle weakness that commonly progresses to respiratory failure.
Lumizyme is thought to replace the deficient enzyme, acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA), the FDA said in a news release. The approval sanctions the drug for people aged 8 and older with non-infantile (late-onset) Pompe disease.
The drug will carry a boxed label warning of potential side effects including anaphylaxis and severe allergic reactions, the FDA said. Other commonly reported side effects include hives, diarrhea, vomiting, shortness of breath, itchy skin or rash, neck pain, partial hearing loss, flushing, extremity pain and chest discomfort.
Lumizyme will be made available through a restricted distribution system "to ensure that it is used by the correct patient group," the agency said.
The drug is produced by Genzyme, based in Cambridge, Mass.
The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more about Pompe Disease.
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Burnsville High School, 1924. Virginia is 6th from the left, center row.
Glenville Normal School and State Teachers CollegeAfter graduating from high school, Virginia enrolled at Glenville State Teachers College. Her older sister, Ione, who graduated from Salt Lick District High School in 1922, was a senior in the college when Virginia enrolled. Virginia received a Normal Certificate from Glenville in 1927 and began her teaching career. She received her A. B. Degree in Elementary Education from Glenville State College in 1948. Later, Virginia received a Masters Degree from the University of South Florida.
Left: Virginia and Ione from their Normal School days at Glenville.
Marriage and Time Off for Children
After a more than ten year hiatus from teaching and with the children growing older, Virginia returned to the class room, due in large part to World War II and the drafting of male teachers to fill the ranks of the military services. During the 1941-1942 school year, Delis “Fisher” Blake, son of Lee and Civilla Riffle Blake of Clover Fork, was teaching at the Walnut Grove School on Oil Creek when Uncle Sam sent him an RSVP letter. Delis, not waiting on some Induction Center Private First Class to decide how he would serve his country, instead joined the United States Navy and entered the Officers Training School. As Delis was packing his bags, the Lewis County Superintendent Marion G. Rogers asked Virginia if she would be interested in the Walnut Grove School position. Virginia said “Yes.”
Left: Virginia and Glenn in the 1960s.
From Clover Fork to Grass Lick
Virginia and Glenn's move to Grass Lick set off a chain reaction. John Gibson and his family had been renting the Dolan place, so the Gibson family had to move. They moved to the Jeddy Groves farm on Oil Creek above Rag Run. Jeddy’s widow, Esta Groves, moved to Charleston with family. Glenn and Virginia and their family moved onto the Dolan farm. Dwight Skinner moved into the house that Glenn and Virginia had vacated on Clover Fork. The house that Dwight Skinner vacated was moved into by Mrs. Oley McCoy and her sons. Blanche Bleigh, who had been boarding with Glenn and Virginia, began boarding with Pres and Jessie Bragg. Clarence Posey and family who had been living in a home on the Pres and Jessie Bragg farm moved to the Mike Moran farm at the mouth of Three Lick. And finally the Sol Brown family moved into the house vacated by Clarence Posey. It was a busy summer of 1942.
The Dolan Farm
Tessie (Morton) McGinnis was another of Virginia’s Locust Grove School students. Tessie remembers Virginia as one of her best teachers and enjoyed going to school to her. Coincidentally, Tessie’s mother was the second wife of Virginia's father-in-law Gid Skinner. Tessie has happy memories of the Locust Grove School and her teacher Virginia Skinner. She feels she was well-prepared by her teacher for her high school education at Burnsville High School from which she graduated in 1952. Tessie in the past few years re-visited her former home on Clover Fork. During her visit, she was surprised that the Clover Fork was asphalt paved (although still one-lane). Tessie recalled that when she lived on Clover Fork many years ago the road was unpaved and when it rained the road was so muddy that students had to walk the railroad track or get lost in the mud.
I know Mom was teaching at Walnut Grove by the fall of 1950. That is where I started to school in 1950 with her as my teacher. Her story had her moving to teach there in 1955. She became the Principle in 1954. The reason I remember that was that was the only year I had a different teacher (Mrs. Ernestine Tulley). That was 4th grade in 1954. Mr Reed was the “Big Room” teacher and Principle before that.
Comment on Virginia's heritage
Virginia (McCoy) Skinner’s paternal grandparents were William McCutcheon (“W.M.”) McCoy and Sabina (Cogar) McCoy. W.M. McCoy was a merchant and postmaster in Cogar, was a former deputy sheriff of Braxton County, teacher, and Superintendent of Schools of Braxton County. He died in 1935. His wife, the daughter of John M. Cogar and Mariah (Haymond) Cogar, preceded him in death many years previous.
Comment on the town of Gem
The old town of “Cogar,” sometimes spelled “Coger,” is located two miles east of Burnsville. The town was renamed “Gem” by the United States Post Office in a naming contest in which Virginia (McCoy) Skinner’s grandfather, W. M. McCoy, submitted the winning name. The name “Gem” was derived from the initials of the name of W. M.’s son, Guy Everett McCoy.
When Virginia McCoy’s father, Nola Hugh McCoy, was killed in the Gassaway rail yard accident in 1912, he was laid to rest in the Town Hill Cemetery in Sutton where his mother, Sabina (Coger) McCoy, had been laid to rest two years earlier. Virginia’s grandfather, William M. McCoy, former superintendent of schools of Braxton County, was also buried there in 1935. Virginia’s older sister, Ione (McCoy) McLaughlin and her husband James Orville McLaughlin, are also buried there.
Comment on Married Female Teachers
Before and particularly during the Depression there was significant discrimination against married female teachers. After her marriage to Glenn Skinner, Virginia McCoy Skinner left the teaching profession for several years. Not only was the rearing of children involved but the Lewis County School Board, as did the Braxton County Board of Education and other counties, had adopted a policy not to hire married female teachers. Some female teachers, to skirt this policy, married in secret and kept their marriages “secret.” Some counties, such as Upshur County, also barred female teachers from the classroom if they were pregnant or had young children. The West Virginia State Board of Education also weighed in on the issue in 1942 by issuing a policy barring female teachers from the classroom if they were past four months of pregnancy or had children younger than seven weeks old. Some, but not all West Virginia counties enforced this policy well into the 1960’s. However, the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 ended the practice of discriminating against female teachers who married or who became pregnant.
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Wednesday, April 1. The Confederate armies were reorganized: the Confederate Department of Richmond was created with General Arnold Elzey commanding, the Confederate Department of Southern Virginia was created with General S.G. French commanding, and the Department of North Carolina was created with General D.H. Hill commanding. General Francis J. Heron assumed command of the Federal Department of the Frontier. Skirmishing occurred in Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, and Arkansas.
Thursday, April 2. Food shortages and soaring prices led to what became known as the “Richmond bread riot” in the Confederate capital. An angry group of citizens, mostly women, surrounded a wagon demanding food. When their demands were not met, they stormed the city’s business district, smashed store windows and doors, and seized items such as flour, meal, and clothing. Virginia Governor John Letcher dispatched state militia to restore order. Then President Jefferson Davis stood on a wagon, threw the crowd all the money he had, and warned that the troops would open fire if they did not disperse. The crowd finally disbanded with no arrests or injuries.
Davis defended General John C. Pemberton, who was facing criticism for his northern heritage and for allowing the Federals to close in on Vicksburg, Mississippi. Davis stated that “by his judicious imposition of his forces and skillful selection of the best points of defence he has repulsed the enemy at Vicksburg, Port Hudson, on the Tallahatchie and at Deer Creek, and has thus far foiled his every attempt to get possession of the Mississippi river and the vast section of country which it controls.”
President Abraham Lincoln issued orders directing the Treasury secretary to regulate trade with states in rebellion.
Friday, April 3. President Davis wrote to Arkansas Governor Harris Flanagin that “if we lost control of the Eastern side (of the Mississippi River), the Western must almost inevitably fall into the power of the enemy. The defense of the fortified places on the Eastern bank is therefore regarded as the defense of Arkansas quite as much as that of Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana.” President Lincoln informed General Joseph Hooker, commanding the Army of the Potomac, that he planned to meet with him in northern Virginia this weekend.
In Pennsylvania, four men were arrested in Reading for allegedly belonging to the pro-Confederate Knights of the Golden Circle. Federal expeditions began in western Virginia and Arkansas. In Tennessee, Federal forces destroyed Palmyra in retaliation for an attack on a Federal convoy the previous day.
Saturday, April 4. In celebration of his son Tad’s 10th birthday, President Lincoln and his entourage steamed down from Washington to visit General Hooker and watch a “grand review” of the Army of the Potomac at Falmouth Heights, Virginia. Off North Carolina, Federal naval forces failed to capture a Confederate battery near Washington. Skirmishing occurred in Tennessee and Louisiana.
Sunday, April 5. In Virginia, President Lincoln conferred with General Hooker. Skirmishing occurred in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
Monday, April 6. In Virginia, President Lincoln wrote a memo in General Hooker’s headquarters stating that “our prime object is the enemies’ army in front of us, and is not with, or about, Richmond…” In Great Britain, the British government seized the Confederate vessel Alexandria while it was being fitted in Liverpool harbor. Skirmishing occurred in western Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, and Louisiana.
Tuesday, April 7. Flag Officer Samuel Du Pont led an attack by nine Federal ironclads on the forts in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. The ironclads sustained heavy damage from Confederate artillery at Forts Sumter and Moultrie; U.S.S. Keokuk sank the next morning after suffering 91 hits, and four other ships were disabled. The Federal attack was unsuccessful.
In Tennessee, Confederates under General Joseph Wheeler raided the Louisville & Nashville and Nashville & Chattanooga Railroads. In Louisiana, the Federal steamer Barataria was captured by Confederates on the Amite River. Skirmishing occurred in Tennessee and Louisiana.
Primary source: The Civil War Day by Day by E.B. Long and Barbara Long (New York, NY: Da Capo Press, Inc., 1971)
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Redheads Don’t Feel Pain
New research reveals more clues as to why our ginger brethren seem, well, just a little bit different. Specifically, redheads appear to feel pain differently. While redheads are more sensitive to the cold, they appear to have a higher pain threshold than the rest of us. A recent study showed that redheads were less sensitive to painful stinging sensations from pinpricks or eating extremely hot foods.
Capsaicin, the active substance in chili, was injected under the research subjects’ skin and their pain responses were measured. To the surprise of the researchers, redheads reacted less strongly to this horrible, painful-sounding experiment.
Among the other notable differences between redheads: they have a much higher tolerance for injected anesthetics, such as Novocain, and are thus less likely to go to the dentist; their bodies might also be less adept at synthesizing Vitamin D, making them more prone to illness, though it could just be that redheads have to keep their lily white skin far away from sunlight.
The genetic differences that produce these changes aren’t well understood. It’s thought to involve the receptor gene MC1R, a gene that codes for melanin in most people. Redheads have a version of the gene that doesn’t produce melanin. MC1R, along with MC2R, MC3R, and MC4R, is also involved in brain function. Though its mechanism and function is not well understood, it offers a glimpse into the fundamental, genetic differences between the gingers and everyone else.
By Kelly Bourdet
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DETROIT, MI – The Detroit Historical Society continues its monthly film series with “Borderline: The Story of 8 Mile Road,” showing Saturday and Sunday, February 9 & 10 at 1 p.m. at the Detroit Historical Museum. Each screening is free to the public.
This 1997 Emmy-winning film, written and produced by Gary Glaser and Dave Toorongian, directed by Gary Glaser, and narrated by Kim Hunter; captures the spirit and eccentricity of metro Detroit's most provocative thoroughfare. No other road in Michigan evokes a response like the one you get when you mention 8 Mile. From topless dancers and the neighborhood groups that battle them, to storefront preachers and the homeless people they minister, 8 Mile remains our area’s most notorious boundary.
Thoughtful commentary from Jerry Herron, director of American Studies, and Ronald Stephens, associate professor of Communications (both from Wayne State University), provides context and analysis. The documentary also features an interview with Mr. Belvedere, whose office is on 8 Mile, as well as clips from some of his classic commercials. Part history, part pop culture, this film, like a ride down 8 Mile, is both thought-provoking and entertaining. The run time for the film is 30 minutes, and it does contain explicit language so viewer discretion is advised.
The Film Series at the Detroit Historical Museum is supported by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Detroit Historical Museum, located at 5401 Woodward Ave. (NW corner of Kirby) in Midtown Detroit, is open to the public Tuesday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free for all, all the time. Parking in the Museum’s lot is $5 at all times. Group tour pricing and information is available by calling (313) 833-1733. Permanent exhibits include the famous Streets of Old Detroit, the Allesee Gallery of Culture, Kid Rock Music Lab, Doorway to Freedom: Detroit and the Underground Railroad, Detroit: The “Arsenal of Democracy,” Frontiers to Factories, America’s Motor City, and The Glancy Trains.
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What an amazing two weeks it has been for astronomy, especially if you have been keen on watching the latest celestial happenings in the sky! First there was a spectacular annular eclipse of the Sun on May 20/21, 2012, followed by a partial eclipse of the Moon on June 4/5, 2012 and finally, the grand finale, the transit of Venus which occurred on June 5/6, 2012. The transit event was so rare that it will most likely never be seen again by anyone currently living here on Earth. Transits of Venus usually occur in pairs – spaced roughly eight years apart and seen approximately twice per century. The first transit of the 21st century occurred back in 2004, although it was not visible from Los Angeles. Fortunately, the 2012 transit of Venus was. Only six transits of Venus have been observed since the telescope was invented more than 400 years ago, and mankind will have to wait 105 years until the year 2117 for the next transit of Venus to be visible once again.
Mike Simmons, president and CEO of Astronomers Without Borders, a California based non-profit organization which brings people together from diverse cultures around the world through a common interest of sharing the sky, invited Celestron, along with the media, local astronomer club leaders, astronomy historians and notable VIP guests for a special 2012 transit of Venus viewing party. The venue was the historic Mount Wilson Observatory, located in the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles. Founded in 1904 by George Ellery Hale, Mount Wilson Observatory once laid claim for having the largest operational telescope in the world until 1948 – the 100-inch Hooker telescope. Famous American Astronomer, Edwin P. Hubble, used the Hooker telescope to discover that faint nebulae were actually spiral galaxies (island universes) outside of our own Milky Way galaxy.
Under clear skies high above the LA Basin and right on schedule, Venus touched the solar limb and for the next five hours (as seen from LA), slowly crossed the face of the Sun for the very last time of the 21st century. We brought along our CPC 800 GPS (XLT) and NexStar 6SE with white light solar filters to visually observe and image this historic occasion with our DSLR cameras. We also brought along our ultra-portable Solar Observer 70 which provided clear and stunning transit views from such a lightweight, grab-and-go package. It was quite a sight to see all the telescopes on the observing field, ranging from vintage classics to modern day computerized and H-Alpha telescopes all pointed toward our nearest star! Excitement filled the air as everyone gazed skyward to witness a part of history.
Throughout the day, Astronomers Without Borders streamed the transit of Venus viewing party live to a worldwide audience from the observatory’s grounds. Mike and his co-host, Ian O’Neill, could be seen interviewing everyone on hand, including members of the Celestron team to share their thoughts. In one rather unique interview, a gentleman even played his "Airmonica" musical device that sounded really "out of this world" and drew much applause from the audience. Nine video segments were made and can be viewed here: http://www.astronomerswithoutborders.org/projects/transit-of-venus/live-webcast.html
As the Sun moved closer to the mountain tops, everyone trained their telescopes towards the setting Sun to have one last opportunity to glimpse the small black disk of Venus superimposed on the solar disk. In one final hurrah moment, a commercial airliner was seen transiting the Sun as if to offer a final salute to this remarkable celestial event. Yes, the moment was bittersweet as we all watched and said "good bye" knowing we will never see another transit of Venus ever again in our lifetime. However, after it sunk in a bit, we realized how fortunate we all were just to be alive on that particular day to witness a part of history. Celestron would like to thank Mike Simmons and his Astronomers Without Borders organization for inviting Celestron to join the special viewing party at the famous Mount Wilson Observatory. We look forward to teaming up with you again at a future astronomical event, but surely it won't be 105 years!
To see photos from this event, please view our 'Transit of Venus at Mt. Wilson Observatory' photo album on Flickr Photos:
Or on Facebook:
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What is Lean Six Sigma?
In order to answer the question, what is lean six sigma, it is first necessary to understand the two constituent parts which are lean manufacturing and 6 Sigma. These are two different business improvement methodologies that have become popular due to the many documented successful implementations.
What is Lean Manufacturing?
Lean manufacturing is a process improvement methodology based upon the highly acclaimed Toyota Production System (TPS). The main focus in lean manufacturing is the removal of waste from a value stream. Waste in this instance is defined as anything that consumes resource but does not add value for the customer. By removing the waste in a value stream it becomes possible to only produce the right material, in the quantity desired by the customer, at exactly the right time. This results in a process that is more efficient and delivers product to the customer more quickly. The elements within a value stream that add value for the customer tend to represent a very small percentage of the total process. Therefore focusing on removing the waste, or non-value adding elements represents a significant opportunity for improvement in many businesses.
“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
~ Antoine de Saint Exupery
A common method that is used to drive improvements is a rapid improvement workshop or kaizen event. In such a workshop, a team will work through multiple iterations of the PDCA cycle to improve the process. The PDCA cycle asks the following questions:
- What is the performance gap?
- What is preventing the target from being met? (5 Whys, Fishbone, Man/Method/Machine/Material)
- What are the root causes in order of importance? (Pareto)
- What countermeasures will prevent the most important causes from recurring?
Once these questions are answered, the team will make a Plan based on their hypothesis. They will execute the plan during the Do phase. The team then either confirm or disprove their hypothesis by performing a Check on the output of the process.
This process is often documented on a one-page or A3 report. The A3 report serves multiple purposes such as documenting the status of the problem, a tool for reporting out to managers and is also useful for building consensus.
The emphasis in a lean workshop is rapid improvement to the process. Often they can be less than a week in duration. The operators from the shop floor are empowered to run these improvement events as they know the process inside out.
What is 6 Sigma?
6 Sigma is a popular quality improvement methodology made famous by the likes of Motorola and GE. 6 Sigma focuses on reducing the variation within a process. The term 6 sigma itself, relates to a level of performance where only 3.4 defects are produced per million opportunities. This is achieved by using careful measurement and statistical analysis to understand which ‘levers’ to pull to create the desired output.
Instead of the PDCA cycle, 6 Sigma relies on the DMAIC cycle which is used to fix problems with existing processes. The five stages of the DMAIC process are:
- Define the opportunity
- Measure the baseline performance
- Analyse the root causes
- Improve the process
- Control the improved process to prevent regression
There are many possible reasons for variation in a process. Examples include different operators, fatigue, different equipment, completing tasks in a different sequence, machine/tool wear, different raw materials, environmental changes (temperature, humidity, light etc). 6 Sigma aims to understand the influence of these variables so that they can be controlled to give more consistent, better quality outputs from the process.
Where a lean event might only last for a week, a typical 6 sigma project can typically last for up to 6 months. They tend to be led by a project manager known as a 6 Sigma Black Belt. The project team will be comprised of subject matter experts from each department within the business.
What is Lean Six Sigma?
Lean six sigma then is a methodology that looks to combine the best of both the lean manufacturing and the 6 Sigma approaches. In particular the emphasis is on obtaining the benefits of both methodologies, whilst minimizing any potential weaknesses. For instance, trying to take advantage of the velocity inherent in the lean method, whilst maintaining the statistical rigour of the 6 Sigma style. Using a combination of both approaches, also opens up the number of tools and techniques available to solve any particular problem.
To find out more about Lean Six Sigma, check out The Lean Six Sigma Pocket Toolbook: A Quick Reference Guide to 70 Tools for Improving Quality and Speed
by Michael L. George, John Maxey, David Rowlands & Mark Price.
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Interested in Advertising? Black Engineer provides black technology news and information about black engineering, black entrepreneurs, black technology, black engineers, black education, black minorities, black engineer of the year awards (BEYA) and historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) from black community in US, UK, Caribbean and Africa. Find out more about your reader demographics, web-traffic, and valued added client services. Click here to contact us
A brief from the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) cites Kauffman-funded research that shows highly skilled immigrants could wait up to seventy (70) years for a green card.
In "Keeping Talent in America, " the NFAP conducted research funded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation that shows a highly skilled Indian national sponsored today for the most common skilled employment-based immigrant visa could wait 70 years to receive a green card. The report addresses the need for STEM graduate talent and solutions to the backlog.
The National Foundation for American Policy paper also says international students who graduate from U.S. universities with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) should get a green card with their diplomas. The paper says such a policy would significantly benefit U.S. competitiveness and the economy overall.
A virtual spokesperson for black technology, BlackEngineer aspires to serve as leading news and information provider on the advancements in black technology with deep insights into black engineering, black entrepreneurs, black education, and historically black colleges and universities (HBCU). In fact, BlackEngineer is one of the very few to promote the achievements of black technology. The Black engineer of the year awards (BEYA) is one of our successful ventures to promote black technology, progress and achievements made in black technology, and the sentiments of the Black community in the US, the UK, Caribbean, and Africa.
Black technology entrepreneurs are increasingly providing the horsepower that drives the global economy. Over the last two decades, black entrepreneurs have created more jobs, and contributed much more to the economic expansion of the Black community as a whole, than any black pastor or politician. Black entrepreneurs are taking risks and building businesses that generate economic growth and increase prosperity in underserved areas, as more minority-owned and minority-focused businesses emerge, willing to serve the financial needs of Black entrepreneurs. US Black Engineer & Information Technology magazine's annual list of Top Black Technology Entrepreneurs reflects the expanding scope of leading Black entrepreneurs in information technology, homeland security, and defense.
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Intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text on the opening pages of each chapter. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
Do not use for reproduction, copying, pasting, or reading; exclusively for search engines.
OCR for page 24
BUILDING AN EFFECTIVE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SCIENCE PROGRAM:: INITIAL ASSESSMENT FUTURE ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMITTEE ER and EM face a formidable challenge in structuring and managing the EMSP to attract the best researchers and research ideas and to capitalize on the existing research infrastructure of the nation. This initial assessment of the EMSP has identified several major issues relevant to this challenge that will require the future attention of the committee. To examine these issues further, two panels of the committee will be established: the Panel on Science will focus on the science needs of the program, and the Panel on Management will evaluate the management structure and process. The Panel on Science will obtain information on EM research needs and the basic research activities of other DOE programs and federal agencies in order to produce a report that addresses the following questions: How can science needs most effectively feed into the development of the EMSP research agenda? How can the program be structured to take advantage of research efforts and capabilities in other relevant DOE programs and federal agencies? How can the program be structured to broaden the community of researchers that can be called upon to address environmental problems? What areas of basic research are likely to provide the best payoffs for EM cleanup efforts over the next few decades? What additional areas of research should be included in future program notices as program evolves? The Panel on Management will examine research program management and assessment in government and industry in order to produce a report that addresses the following questions: How can DOE evaluate the quality of the basic research it supports and the impact of this research on its cleanup mission? How can DOE identify changing needs for basic research as the program evolves? How should the program be structured and operated to assist the DOE in overall reduction of cleanup costs, risks, waste generation, and time requirements?
Representative terms from entire chapter:
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The Appeal-Democrat or A-D, a print and online news publication, has been recently recognized for its big innovation in multimedia. According to Editor and Publisher, otherwise known as E&P, the news publication is being spotlighted in their article listed, “10 Newspapers That Do It Right”. A-D was written up as one of the five newspapers that standout individually with a taste for technology. Editor and Publisher goes on to say that the small town paper hurled itself into a bright future by being in the QR code generation through it’s blogs and live webcasts.
The Appeal-Democrat had a pledge to improve its multimedia last 2010 in order to increase its revenue and generate the growth of its website. The honor from E&P is proof enough that the paper is directing the charge to innovation that offers advantages to both advertisers and readers.
QR codes which were introduced last fall in the news publication, allowed print edition readers to make use of their smart phones to scan 2D codes linking them to videos and photos as well as different searchable databases. These codes also lead users to details such as health inspection reports, salaries of public employees and even local gas prices.
QR scanning is also becoming big in highlighting materials for contest marketing. Readers can also take advantage of QR codes for downloading mobile applications for Appeal-Democrat.
Filed under: United States · Tags: advertising with qr codes, Appeal-Democrat, cheap marketing, cheap marketing ideas, commercial qr code, Editor and Publisher, iphone, iPhone application, marketing ideas with qr codes, marketing on a budget, mobile marketing, mobile marketing technology, multimedia advertising, new marketing ideas, newspapers use qr codes, online news about qr codes, qr, qr code, qr code advertising, qr code app, qr code contests, qr code coupons, qr code marketing, qr code news, qr code news march 2011, qr codes, qr codes in business, qr marketing, scan qr code, small business marketing
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BERLIN (AP) - German Nobel literature laureate Guenter Grass, under fire for a poem that sharply criticized Israel, said he was singling out the Jewish state's government, not the country as a whole.
The poem drew sharp rebukes at home and from Israel, including accusations of being anti-Semitic, but Grass received praise from a senior Iranian official Saturday.
In the poem published in European dailies Wednesday, the 84-year-old German author criticized what he described as Western hypocrisy over Israel's nuclear program and labeled the country a threat to "already fragile world peace" over its belligerent stance on Iran.
In an interview published Saturday by the daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Grass said he sought foremost to single out Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, whose policies "are creating ever more enemies of Israel, and are ever more increasing the country's isolation."
"The man who damages Israel the most at the moment is in my opinion Netanyahu _ and I should have included that in the poem," Grass was quoted as saying.
The left-leaning Grass established himself as a leading literary figure with "The Tin Drum," published in 1959, and won the Nobel Prize in 1999. He urged fellow Germans to confront their painful Nazi history in the decades after World War II.
However, his image suffered a bruising when he admitted in his 2006 autobiography that at age 17 he was drafted into the Waffen-SS, the combat arm of the Nazis' paramilitary organization, in the final months of World War II.
In his poem, Grass called for "unhindered and permanent control of Israel's nuclear capability and Iran's atomic facilities through an international body." Also, he specifically criticized Israel's "claim to the right of a first strike" against Iran.
"What is now an imminent threat is a risk without parallel _ a preventive strike, a first strike against Iran which would have terrible consequences," Grass told Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
In a sharp-worded response to the poem, Netanyahu rebuked Grass' views as "ignorant and reprehensible."
His "shameful moral equivalence between Israel and Iran, a regime that denies the Holocaust and threatens to annihilate Israel, says little about Israel and much about Mr. Grass," Netanyahu said in a statement dated Thursday.
"For six decades, Mr. Grass hid the fact that he had been a member of the Waffen SS. So for him to cast the one and only Jewish state as the greatest threat to world peace and to oppose giving Israel the means to defend itself is perhaps not surprising," he added.
But Iran's deputy culture minister, Javad Shamaqdari, said Saturday that by criticizing Israel, Grass beautifully carried out his human and historical responsibility, and his revelation of "truth may awaken the silent conscience" of the West.
As a result of the country's Nazi past, German governments over the past decades have made staunch support for Israel a cornerstone of their foreign policy. But many Germans recently have been irritated by the hawkish tone and the threats emanating from Netanyahu's government.
But Israel views Iran as a threat to its existence, citing among other things some Iranian calls for its destruction and fears that Iran aims to produce nuclear weapons.
In the poem, Grass didn't mention those calls, which have been made by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but obliquely referred to the Iranian people being "subjugated by a loudmouth."
Israel is widely believed to have an arsenal of nuclear weapons, but has never admitted it, pursuing instead an official policy of "ambiguity" to deter potential attackers.
Ali Akbar Dareini in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.
Juergen Baetz can be reached on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/jbaetz
Independent voices from the TWT Communities
Politics, economics, and business from a real world perspective.
An establishmentarian conservative, short on cash, but long on wisdom.
A collection of reader guest articles, thoughts and opinions by Communities writers and breaking news and information.
News and opinion from a Millennial Urbanite with Southern sensibilities,
World's Ugliest Dog Contest
Spelling Bee finale
Marines train Afghan soldiers
Rolling Thunder 2013
Benghazi: The anatomy of a scandal
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Frank Ramsey's parents were Arthur Stanley Ramsey and Agnes Mary Wilson. Arthur Ramsey was President of Magdalene College, Cambridge, and a tutor in mathematics there. Frank was the oldest of his parents four children. He had one brother and two sisters and his brother Michael Ramsey went on to become Archbishop of Canterbury.
Ramsey entered Winchester College in 1915 and from there he won a scholarship to Trinity College, Cambridge. He completed his secondary school education at Winchester in 1920 and he entered Trinity College, Cambridge, to study mathematics. At Cambridge, Ramsey became a senior scholar in 1921 and graduated as a Wrangler in the Mathematical Tripos of 1923.
After graduating, Ramsey went to Vienna for a short while, returning to Cambridge where he was elected a fellow of King's College Cambridge in 1924. It is worth noting that this was a most unusual occurrence, and in fact Ramsey was only the second person ever to be elected to a fellowship at King's College, not having previously studied at King's.
In 1925 Ramsey married Lettice C Baker and they had two daughters. In 1926 he was appointed as a university lecturer in mathematics and he later became a Director of Studies in Mathematics at King's College. It was a short career, for sadly Ramsey died at the beginning of 1930. However, in the short time during which he lectured at Cambridge he had already established himself as an outstanding lecturer. Broadbent writes in :-
His lectures on the foundations of mathematics impressed young students by their remarkable clarity and enthusiasm ...
Although Ramsey was a lecturer in mathematics, he produced work in a remarkable range of topics over a short period. As well as starting up the new area of mathematics now called 'Ramsey theory', which we say more about below, he wrote on the foundations of mathematics, economics and philosophy.
He published his first major work The Foundations of Mathematics in 1925. In this work he accepted the claim by Russell and Whitehead made in the Principia Mathematica that mathematics is a part of logic. Ramsey's aim in this paper, however, was to improve on the Principia Mathematica and he did so in two ways. Firstly he proposed dropping the axiom of reducibility which, he writes, is:-
... certainly not self-evident and there is no reason to suppose it true; and if it were true, this would be a happy accident and not a logical necessity, for it is not a tautology.
His second simplification is to suggest simplifying Russell's theory of types by regarding certain semantic paradoxes as linguistic. He accepted Russell's solution to remove the logical paradoxes of set theory arising from, for example, "the set of all sets which are not members of themselves". However, the semantic paradoxes such as "this is a lie" are, Ramsey claims, quite different and depend on the meaning of the word "lie". These he removed with his reinterpretation that removed the axiom of reducibility.
Ramsey published Mathematical Logic in the Mathematical Gazette in 1926. In this he attacks the:-
... Bolshevik menace of Brouwer and Weyl ...
for denying that propositions are either true of false. He writes:-
Brouwer would refuse to agree that either it was raining or it was not raining, unless he had looked to see.
He also criticises Hilbert in Mathematical Logic saying that he had attempted to reduce mathematics to:-
... a meaningless game with marks on paper.
His second paper on mathematics On a problem of formal logic was read to the London Mathematical Society on 13 December 1928 and published in the Proceedings of the London Mathematical Society in 1930. This examines methods for determining the consistency of a logical formula and it includes some theorems on combinatorics which have led to the study of a whole new area of mathematics called Ramsey theory. Harary describes this birth of Ramsey theory in where he writes the following:-
The celebrated paper of Ramsey [in 1930] has stimulated an enormous study in both graph theory ..., and in other branches of mathematics .... Most certainly 'Ramsey theory' is now an established and growing branch of combinatorics. Its results are often easy to state (after they have been found) and difficult to prove; they are beautiful when exact, and colourful. Unsolved problems abound, and additional interesting open questions arise faster than solutions to the existing problems.
The combinatorics was introduced by Ramsey to solve a special case of the decision problem for the first-order predicate calculus. However, as Mellor points out in , it is now known that there is a more direct proof than that given by Ramsey, while the general case of the decision problem cannot be solved. So Mellor points out that :-
Ramsey's enduring fame in mathematics ... rests on a theorem he didn't need, proved in the course of trying to do something we now know can't be done!
Ramsey made a systematic attempt to base the mathematical theory of probability on the notion of partial belief. This work on probability, and also important work on economics, came about mainly because Ramsey was a close friend of Keynes. Being a friend of Keynes certainly did not stop Ramsey attacking Keynes' work, however, and in Truth and probability , which Ramsey published in 1926, he argues against Keynes' ideas of an a priori inductive logic. Ramsey's arguments convinced Keynes who then abandoned his own ideas. Ramsey, proposing a probability measure based on strength of belief, :-
... derives measures both of desires (subjective utilities) and of beliefs (subjective probabilities), thereby founding the now standard use of these concepts.
In economics, Ramsey wrote two papers A contribution to the theory of taxation and A mathematical theory of saving. These would lead to important new areas in the subject.
It was philosophy, however, that was Ramsey's real love. He wrote a number of works such as Universals (1925), Facts and propositions (1927), Universals of law an of fact (1928), Knowledge (1929), Theories (1929), and General propositions and causality (1929). Braithwaite writes in :-
... in general philosophy took more and more of his attention. For profitable thought in this most difficult field Ramsey was superbly equipped, and there is no doubt that his early death has deprived the world of one of its most promising philosophers.
One would have to say, however, that Ramsey's work in philosophy has been somewhat overshadowed by that of Wittgenstein. Recently, however, Ramsey's work in philosophy seems to be receiving more attention.
Several of the articles cited in the references paint vivid pictures of Ramsey's character. For example Braithwaite writes in :-
As a person, no less than as a thinker, Ramsey was an ornament to Cambridge. From his undergraduate days he had been recognised as an authority on any abstract subject, and his directness of approach and candour were an inspiration to his associates. His enormous physical size fitted well the range of his intellect, and his devastating laugh suited his power of humorously discarding irrelevancies, which power enabled him to be both subtle and profound in the highest degree.
Mellor, in , paints a similar picture:-
He was a quiet, modest man, easy going and uninhibited, with a loud infectious laugh, his tolerance and good humour enabling him to disagree strongly without giving or taking offence; as with his brother Michael ... whose ordination ... Frank, as a militant atheist, regretted.
He was tall (six feet three inches) and bulky, short-sighted, wore steel-rimmed spectacles and appeared clumsy but was in fact a good tennis player. He produced his remarkable output in four hours a day - he found it too exacting to do more - in the mornings, with afternoons and evenings often spent walking or listening to records. He listened a lot to classical music, both live and recorded, and was a keen hill-walker.
In his potential is emphasised:-
There was no one in Cambridge among the younger men who would be considered his equal for power and quality of mind, and also for the boldness and originality of conception in one of the most difficult subjects of study.
Ramsey suffered an attack of jaundice and was taken to Guy's Hospital in London for an operation. He died following the operation.
Article by: J J O'Connor and E F Robertson
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ELLSWORTH, Maine — The city has been awarded the “highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting,” according to a news release.
Ellsworth earned the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the U.S. and Canada for its comprehensive annual financial report for fiscal 2012. The awardees were named in late August, but not publicized by Ellsworth until Wednesday.
The city’s finance director, Tammy Mote, also was awarded by the organization. A panel of judges selected Ellsworth for the award, saying it demonstrated a “constructive spirit of full disclosure.”
The panel uses a 78-page checklist to evaluate submissions from municipalities and nonprofits in Canada and the U.S.
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enter your email address to receivea daily dose ofThe Genealogue
Amedeo Obici—co-founder of the Planters Peanut Company—was honored Saturday in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. No less than two Mr. Peanuts attended.When and where did he become a naturalized citizen of the United States?
Judging by information gleaned from the census records, all roads lead to Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, PA. Later census records indicate he was naturalized in 1900 and he was in Wilkes-Barre in June of that year. However, at the time of the census, he apparently had not yet received his papers. Since naturalization was a multi-year process, from the time of application and petition, until being granted citizenship, and since this guy was moving between Scranton, Suffolk, VA, and Wilkes-Barre, I'm going to punt. Not sure and can't find proof.
I had found the same 1920 census that said Obici was naturalized in 1900. I've checked PA, NY and anything I can think of. I don't see it either. You're the mightiest on this one.Deb
Aside from the census, what other online records might (occasionally) include the date of naturalization?
Washington June 25 1932according to a passenger list for SS Saturna sailing from Trieste Sept. 7th 1932arriving NY Sept 22 1932here's the Ancestry Link:http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=7488&iid=NYT715_5231-0149&fn=Amedeo&ln=Obici&st=r&ssrc=&pid=2015460575Doris
Got it. Ship manifest says he was naturalized in Luzerne County in 1902. It only took two minutes from the time I read the last clue.
I notice the 1930 ship manifest says Amedeo was naturalized in 1902, but the 1937 manifest says 1901. The latter record also says he was naturalized at the District Court in "Workerbury", which I talk to be a corruption of Wilkes-Barre, right? Professor Dunham might have to give credit for both answers, or all three if someone submits the census date, which says he was naturalized in 1900.
Voting or military records?
Found some ship records. He did a lot of travelling between Italy and the US (and other places). A trip on the Vulania departing Triesk Italy and arriving 29 Jul 1930 shows Luzerne Co PA 1902 in the naturalization column, however, another trip from France on the Queen Mary 4 Oct 1937 shows a date of 4 Oct 1937. It's not clear whether these are Passport dates or naturalization dates.His home address is Suffolk VA for these trips.Deb
Also, this guy registered for WWI and WWII (neither registration showed his naturalization date) He was in his 60's for the WWII registration!!
Passenger lists.When Amedeo Obici arrived in New York from Trieste on the Vulcania on 29 July 1930, he had to list where and when he had been naturalized. According to that list, it was in 1902 in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
I'll give each of you credit for answering this one.I'm leaning toward Luzerne County in 1901-2, though the passenger lists give a number of conflicting dates and places. Some of these probably refer to passports held by Amedeo, as they are usually dated a few months before his return to America.
Post a Comment
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A new year is upon us and with every new year comes a list of resolutions. And in the spirit of a new year being a new beginning, below is a list of resolutions for the high school student. While many resolutions fade as the days and months pass and a new year is no longer new, remind yourself that the advice below can serve you well year-round.
1) Resolve to find the purpose of a high school education. As you go from class to class, realize that the goal of high school is not specifically to teach you about geometric proofs or the deep symbolism found in literary pieces. High school is meant to give you the fundamental skills to be successful in life -- to be analytical, to think beyond the obvious, to think creatively to solve problems, and to interact with others well. These are just a few of the goals of these four years. So look for deeper meaning to your everyday tasks and you may find a deeper enjoyment for school.
2) Resolve to treat your teachers and administrators with respect. These are the people who work day in and day out to make sure your day is as seamless as possible. Yes, you may occasionally or oftentimes disagree with them. You may believe that you are being treated unfairly or that one or the other is being unreasonable. The reality is that, unless an egregious act was performed against you, no one will really care. Admissions officers don't care about the minutia of your relationships with your teachers, but you
3) Resolve to work hard and actually mean it. While on your vacation, you have probably had a few minutes to reflect on the past semester. And whether you have perfect grades or are just trying to find your footing, there have probably been times when you should have worked a bit harder. Over the next few days that you have off, think about what "working harder" means to you and create a plan to follow through. It might mean starting earlier on essays or doing more math problems for practice. It might also just mean making sure you complete all of your assignments.
4) Resolve to ask for help if you need it. There are so many people around you who can help -- your teachers, your friends and your parents to start with. You might need help with something very specific like a math problem or something more fundamental like how to be better organized. Rely on the expertise and experience of those around you. While it can sometimes be difficult to ask for help, even from those people you are closest to, don't try to do everything on your own.
5) Resolve to get more sleep. Chances are you are not getting a solid seven to nine hours of sleep each night. While it is impossible to say that you should never stay up late working, it is reasonable to say that late nights should be the exception and not the norm. It may not seem that you can be successful and well-rested, but I assure you that pulling all-nighters every night is not an indicator of success. Rather, it demonstrates that your time-management skills need some sharpening.
New year's resolutions are meant to make your life easier or better, and they certainly should not be fleeting aspirations. Hopefully a few of the above tips resonated with you, but if not, take a few minutes to really think about what will make your high school career more successful and enjoyable. And then stop thinking about what you will do, and actually do it.
Happy New Year's Day. I hope this year brings you happiness, success and one step closer to realizing your dreams.
Purvi S. Mody is co-owner of Insight Education, an educational consulting firm that helps students throughout the Bay Area to achieve their educational goals. Email her at firstname.lastname@example.org.
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By: Mark Roseman, Board Member
For: Red Rock News
Date: February 5, 2010
February is Black History Month . . .
As part of my research for this column, I asked a 53-year-old black man what Black History Month meant to him. He responded without hesitation: “It means the connecting of the historical dots . . . black people helped build this country and deserve recognition.” Then he paused. . . “Our American heritage, you know, bears deep scars from institutionalized racial prejudice . . . in Arizona, I’m very much aware of being black.” The history of Arizona’s blacks is good reason why Black History Month recognition is an important cultural magnifying glass of black peoples’ history, here, and everywhere.
The roots of the nation’s recognition of blacks’ struggles, contributions, and collective genius go back to 1926. Carter G. Woodsen, a noted African American historian, scholar, educator, and publisher, established “Negro History Week.” In 1976, the celebration was extended to the month of February and renamed “Black History Month.”
Black History Month draws attention to “the dots” . . . the black men and women, whose tenacious struggles and defining achievements, slowly wrestled and eased the vise-like social grip culturally stymieing what was once referred to as “a troublesome minority.” That struggle continues, often mired in distorted history that perpetuates racial misunderstanding and contempt. Historians’ avoidance of the dots is noted in “The First 100 Years of Arizona Blacks,” by Richard E. Harris (Dewey 971.1, Arizona Collection): “Black History is that ‘American history’ which, until the ‘60s [1960s] was largely viewed with contempt and disdain or ignored altogether . . . because blacks themselves were largely so viewed.” Harris writes that “Chroniclers of Arizona history generally treated the native Negro as . . . an invisible man. Thus, it would come as no great surprise if coming generations, perusing their history books, were tempted to perceive persons of Afro-American descent in the usual stereotype manner.”
On February 14, 1912, Arizona became the last of the 48 contiguous states admitted to the union. The original Arizona constitution adopted total segregation within its boundaries. “The First 100 Years of Arizona Blacks” is a poignant chronicle of Arizona’s first black pioneers, tracing the history of Arizona’s black people from 1870 to the early 1980s. Many of the original black settlers were freemen . . . most were former slaves or their offspring. The author points out that there were only 155 Negroes in the Arizona Territory by 1880, and their population jumped to over 1,300 by 1890. Harris’ book describes the turbulent history of race relations in Arizona, punctuated with segregated schools, impediments to voting, and Ku Klux Klan terrorism.
The Sedona Public Library (SPL) has a broad collection of books with different views of black peoples’ experiences in early Arizona. “The Life and Adventures of Nat Love,” published in 1907, by Nat Love, (Biography, Love, N.) is the true story of one man’s three life-defining experiences—a slave boy, a cowboy, and a porter. The author’s preface is straightforward: “I have tried to record events simply as they are, without attempting to varnish over the bad spots or draw upon my imagination to fill out a chapter at the cost of the truth.” Home based in Arizona, Love’s book recounts his treks across the country as a cowboy. The colorful Mr. Love earned an impressive reputation as a buffalo hunter, “Iron Horse” porter, gunfighter, gold hunter, and much more.
Another in depth view of early black settlers in Arizona is “This Land These Voices: A different view of Arizona history in the words of those who lived it,” edited by Abe Chanin (Dewey 979.1). Chapter five is entitled “The Blacks Who Pioneered,” and highlights Curly Bill Neal, a black man, successful hotelier, and friend of Buffalo Bill Cody. The book details how many black families in Arizona are associated with grandfathers and fathers stationed in Fort Huachuca, in the southern part of the state. It is from there that General John Pershing rode out the Tenth Calvary against Pancho Villa, with a unit made up of black men.
The SPL collection contains an abundance of books and materials written by or about blacks in America. A small sampling includes: “Let The Trumpet Sound, A Life of Martin Luther King, Jr., by Stephen B. Oates (Biography “King”), “They Had A Dream: The Civil Rights Struggle from Frederick Douglas to Marcus Garvey to Martin Luther King to Malcolm X,” (Dewey 920, Archer ,Young Adult Collection), and “King: Go beyond the dream to discover the man.” (DVD 323.092).
Blacks have had innumerable supporters of their legal and moral entitlements to America’s opportunities. One such person was Howard Zinn, who died last week at the age of 87. Howard Zinn was an author, teacher and political activist whose historical works challenge how American history is taught in schools. Through the SPL, and its vast inter-library system, thirty-four (34) of Mr. Zinn’s books are available for thought provoking reading. Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States.” (Dewey 973, Zinn, Young Adult Collection) is a million-selling alternative to standard, mainstream history textbooks. This book highlights, in part, the dots that connect the struggles of blacks, and others, in America, from 1492 to the present. You won’t necessarily find real history, without folklore, in standard high school or college history text books or course syllabi. Mr. Zinn’s historically annotated writings read like startling treatises, unlike any other history books you may have read.
Racial prejudice is learned behavior. The SPL is a place for higher education, with resources available to teach and learn about tolerance, for all. Black History Month . . . think about it . . .
Mark Roseman, author of this week's article,
is a retired attorney and a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Sedona Public Library.
Library News appears each Friday in the Red Rock News
and is also presented on: Gateway to Sedona and Sedona Biz.
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October 28, 2012
The body's immune system normally reacts to anything it recognizes as foreign and tries to eliminate it. A vaccine is a substance that helps the immune system respond to a specific germ or virus. A vaccine can prevent an infection. However, no vaccine is 100% effective. Most vaccines being used in the US are between 70 and 95% effective.
Vaccines can help individuals by protecting them against a disease or by helping them fight the disease. For a community, vaccines can lower the overall infection rate and help stop the spread of a disease. See Vaccinations and HIV fact sheet 207 for more information on vaccinations that can help people with HIV prevent some common diseases.
A healthy immune system fights anything it thinks is foreign. It produces proteins called antibodies. These proteins lock onto the invading germs and prevent them from infecting cells.
These antibodies keep the germ from multiplying. Once the threat of infection is over, the immune system produces special memory cells that remember how to fight the specific germ.
Most vaccines are used to prevent infections. However, others help your body fight an infection that you already have. These are called "therapeutic vaccines." See fact sheet 480, Immune Therapies in Development, for more information on therapeutic vaccines and HIV.
Some vaccines are made up of weakened germs or viruses. These are called "live vaccines." They can give you a mild case of disease, but then your immune system kicks in to protect you against a severe case. Examples include measles, mumps and rubella. Other "killed" or "inactivated" vaccines, like for influenza or rabies, don't use a living germ. You don't get the disease, but your body can still build up its defenses.
Vaccines can have side effects. With live vaccines, you might get a mild case of the disease you are fighting. With inactivated vaccines, you could have pain, redness, and swelling where you got the shot. You might also briefly feel weakness, fatigue, or nausea.
All of the proposed AIDS vaccines use copies of parts of HIV to produce an immune reaction. They cannot cause HIV infection or AIDS. These are different from both types of vaccines mentioned above. They are not weakened live vaccines or inactivated or killed vaccines. They are "engineered" vaccines.
AIDS vaccine trial participants will likely develop antibodies to HIV. People who take part in a study of a proposed AIDS vaccine might test positive for HIV even if they are not infected. If you are in a vaccine trial, you should only have HIV tests at your trial site.
Vaccines start with a researcher's idea about how to fight HIV. This idea is tested in the laboratory and then in animals.
If it is successful in these early studies, a vaccine "candidate" can then be tested in humans. Human testing takes place in three phases:
Phase 1: Is it safe?
Phase 2: Does it produce an immune response?
Phase 3: Is it effective in preventing HIV infection? Does it slow disease progression?
No vaccine provides 100% protection against infection. So any vaccine is only partially effective. Although that may sound like a problem, vaccines are actually powerful tools for preventing disease. They bring enormous bene?ts to individuals and communities. For example, if a vaccine can be given to an entire community and reduce the infection rate by 40%, it will have a major impact on the overall number of new infections.
This is a very different situation from measuring the success of an antiretroviral treatment in a group of people already infected. We are used to seeing success rates of 80% or more in achieving an undetectable viral load.
Vaccine testing takes many years. For example, scientists have been working for over 126 years to find a malaria vaccine. It took over 100 years of work to develop a vaccine for typhoid. Polio vaccine took 46 years. The measles vaccine was one of the fastest; it took 9 years to develop.
There is currently no effective AIDS vaccine. Data from a large trial in Thailand were released in late 2009. The study looked at using standard prevention techniques with or without the vaccine. Participants who got the vaccine regimen were about 30 percent less likely to become infected than those who received the placebo. Researchers are trying to understand this result and to use it to develop a more effective vaccine.
In late 2007, two large trials of an AIDS vaccine were stopped. These were the Step and the Phambili trials. The vaccine failed to prevent HIV infection.
Developing an AIDS vaccine is extremely difficult. Even with the modest effect in the Thai trial, we don't yet know how to measure immune protection against HIV. New ways have to be found to measure the immune response to HIV, and to produce it. There are still many vaccine candidates being developed in the lab, and in human clinical trials.
Most vaccines are designed to prevent infection. However, some vaccines might also help people who are already HIV-positive. These are called therapeutic vaccines. A good therapeutic vaccine would strengthen the body's immune response against HIV. We still have to identify ways to measure the immune response against HIV. Dermavir is a therapeutic vaccine that is currently being studied in humans. See fact sheet 480for information on other immune boosters.
Some researchers believe that taking anti-HIV medications might prevent HIV infection. This approach is called Pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. Prophylaxis means prevention. Studies reported in 2011 showed dramatic success. However, there are major questions about availability of the medications, and funding.
Microbicides might be another way to prevent HIV infection. These are substances that could be applied as a cream or gel by women or men to prevent HIV infection during vaginal or anal sex. Several microbicides are currently being tested.
Experts agree that a safe and effective AIDS vaccine would be a vital way to help deal with the global epidemic. It would work along with effective antiretroviral drugs that treat existing HIV infection.
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PHo To cour TeSy oF FloriS van Breugel
Just as the democratization of information through personal computers was a key advance of the 20th century, the democratization of production through improvements in
fabrication technologies will be a pivotal development in the 21st century.
Digital fabrication is the process of translating a digital design into a physical object. At
one time, digital fabrication required expensive
manufacturing plants for computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing
(CAM). But today, personal fabrication systems
are beginning to allow individuals access to these
Young students have not typically had the opportunity to see their ideas make the trip from
concept to physical form. The advent of personal
fabrication gives students this opportunity for
the first time.
The Society of Manufacturing Engineering
concludes that personal fabrication will offer
“revolutionary changes for both manufacturers
and the everyday consumer, forever changing
the way we view manufacturing.” The society
includes personal fabrication in a short list of innovations that could change engineering, noting
that U.S. President Barack Obama has identified
this kind of innovation as the key to prosperity.
In Outliers: The Story of Success, author Malcolm Gladwell concludes that early access and
opportunities to practice are the keys to success
in any field involving complex tasks. He notes,
for example, that Bill Gates had extensive access
to a state-of-the art computer lab in his school in
CONNECTED CL ASSROOM
◀ The Fab@Home fabber employs a relatively new form
of manufacturing that builds 3D objects by carefully
depositing materials drop by drop, layer by layer.
◀ The design for this gear system is
one of many available in the Shapeways
database ( www.shapeways.com).
an era when these capabilities were not widely
To excel in the field of digital fabrication,
students will need early access to personal fabrication tools and opportunities to practice. As
fabrication tools become increasingly accessible,
students will be able to learn about engineering
design and experience the thrill of seeing their
ideas realized in physical form.
Computer-Controlled Die Cutting
The inexpensive computer-controlled die-cutting systems that are now emerging can be
used to create a variety of shapes and objects
from card stock and vinyl. These systems are
essentially computer-controlled, electronic
scissors. Most schools already have mechanical die-cutting systems, but these machines
can only use premade metal dies.
A computer-controlled die-cutting system,
such as the CraftRobo, can transform a digital design on the screen into a physical shape.
This can expand a learner’s ability to construct
two- and three-dimensional objects in ways that
surpass ordinary office or classroom tools. For
example, it can consistently cut in clean, straight
lines and transform a variety of media, such as
Computer-controlled systems can create perforated lines that students can bend and fold
into three-dimensional shapes. They are about
the size of an inkjet printer and are affordable
at as little as $300. (See Connected Classroom,
L&L, May 2009.)
36 Learning & Leading with Technology | November 2009
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Colin Gunn is an award winning writer, director, producer and an accomplished animator. His is a home school father of 7 children who produced a documentary field trip of a lifetime. Colin and his family travel across America in an old yellow school bus exploring the origins and social impact of public school education.
Some people believe that the infiltration of ungodly philosophies in American education began with President Obama while others believe it began in the 1950’s or 1960’s. Colin, however, believes it began to occur already back in the 1800’s when there were individuals like Robert Owen and Horace Mann who desired a new type of utopian society. These individuals believed that man could be prefected through education and the result is that now we have this massive compulsory education system that is failing.
Colin communicated that parents have abdicated their duty to make sure their children are being instructed properly. Instead parents have become unwittingly trusting toward the systems that are cheating them.
When you consider that nearly 90% of Christian children in the U.S. attend public schools, this subject is a critical one as it pertains to America’s future.
To obtain a copy of “Indoctrination” in book or DVD form, contact Crosstalk at 1-800-729-9829.
Package with both a book and a DVD—$35.00 donation
Links to the pages in the Crosstalk store:
Book-DVD Combination package:
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May 16, 2013 § 1 Comment
I have been in Brussels to attend a conference on the Radical Enlightenment, and to interview Jonathan Israel, the keynote speaker, for an essay I am writing about his work and argument. Israel has transformed our understanding of the Enlightenment with his superlative trilogy published over the past decade: Radical Enlightenment, Enlightenment Contested, and Democratic Enlightenment. At the heart of his argument is his insistence that there were two Enlightenments. The mainstream Enlightenment of Kant, Locke, Voltaire and Hume is the one of which we know and which provides the public face of the Enlightenment. But it was the Radical Enlightenment, shaped by lesser-known figures such as d’Holbach, Diderot, Condorcet and, in particular, Spinoza that provided the Enlightenment’s heart and soul.
The two Enlightenments, Israel suggests, divided on the question of whether reason reigned supreme in human affairs, as the radicals insisted, or whether reason had to be limited by faith and tradition – the view of the mainstream. The mainstream, Israel writes, ‘aspired to conquer ignorance and superstition, establish ideas and revolutionise ideas, education and attitudes by means of philosophy but in such a way as to preserve and safeguard what were judged as essential elements of the older structures, offering a viable synthesis of old and new, of reason and faith.’ By contrast, the Radical Enlightenment ‘rejected all compromise with the past and sought to sweep away existing structures entirely’.
The argument, as can be imagined, has created considerable controversy. « Read the rest of this entry »
May 12, 2013 § 1 Comment
In completing my book on the history of moral thought I had to reduce the original manuscript by some 30,000 words to get it to a reasonable size. Much of what has been lost is better off left on the cutting room floor. There are, however, some sections coherent enough to be worth reading. So, I am running an occasional series publishing some of the more cogent ‘lost pages’ from the book. The first was on Machiavelli. This extract is on Descrates and his influence (it has not been entirely cut from the book, but is considerably condensed). The book itself, which is called The Quest for a Moral Compass, will be published early next year.
Vermeer’s Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window, painted around 1657, reveals wonderfully the new eyes through which painters now viewed their subject. It shows a woman, ensconced in her own world, absorbed totally in reading the private words of another. There is a startling stillness about the room. Its physical features, the walls, the drapery, seem to define the boundaries of her mental world. She is alone in the room. There is an open window to the world beyond but she has eyes only for the letter in her hand. Reflected in the window is not the world beyond but her own face. The window is both a portal to the world outside and an opening to her thoughts inside, an expression both of her yearning to break the constraints of her domesticity and her total absorption in her own little world. There is an intimacy about the scene that is truly breathtaking. « Read the rest of this entry »
April 17, 2013 § 3 Comments
My book on the history of moral thought is written. In the process, I had to reduced the ms by some 30,000 words. Much of that is better off left on the cutting room floor. But there are also some portions coherent enough to be worth reading. So, I am running an occasional series publishing some of the more cogent sections that are no longer in the book. This first of the ‘missing pages’ is on Machiavelli.
‘A prince never lacks legitimate reasons to break his promise.’ The cynicism of Nicolo Machiavelli’s voice is unmistakable. However, as Bertrand Russell once put it, ‘It is the custom to be shocked by him, and he is certainly sometimes shocking. But many other men would be equally so if they were equally free from humbug.’
Machiavelli (1467-1527) was a Florentine who lived through some of the city’s most turbulent years. In 1494 the ruling Medicis were overthrown by Charles V of France and the Dominican friar Girolama Savonarola emerged as the new leader of the city. He set about morally cleansing Florence, organizing the infamous Bonfire of the Vanities during which any item deemed moral corrupting, including mirrors, cosmetics, pagan books, chess pieces, musical instruments, and women’s hats, were burnt in a large pile in the Piazza della Signoria. In 1497 Savonarola was excommunicated by Pope Alexander VI. The following year he was arrested, tortured and executed. Fifteen years later, the Medicis were restored to power. « Read the rest of this entry »
February 28, 2013 § 1 Comment
This is the penultimate extract from my almost-finished book on the history of moral thought. This is from chapter 6 – another of the chapters I am publishing out of sync – which explores early Chinese philosophy. This extract is about two philosophers, one of whom is well known as China’s most famous thinker – Kongzi, or Confucius as he is known in the West – and the other who has been almost forgotten, even in China, but who should not be – Mo Tzu.
He is known in the West as Confucius, thanks to the sixteenth century Jesuit missionaries who Latinized his name. He is revered in China as Kongzi or ‘Master Kong’. And he was born as Kong Qui around 551 BCE in Zou, in the state of Lu on the eastern seaboard. He lived at around the same time as the Buddha though neither, of course, knew of the other. This was in China the middle of Zhou dynasty, a time known as the Spring and Autumn period, after the Spring and Autumn Annals, a chronicle of the state of Lu. Not only were there struggles between the fragmenting parts of the Zhou dynasty but also between fiefdoms inside and outside Zhou territory. The conflicts that marked the second half of the Zhou period were part of a complex transition to imperial rule and the unification of China. By the time of Kong’s birth, Lu was in a state almost of anarchy. « Read the rest of this entry »
February 24, 2013 § 22 Comments
Iain McGilchrist has written a response to my post about his book The Master and his Emissary and about the RSA workshop that discussed it. Since it is a long reply, Iain asked me whether I could publish it as a post, rather than as a comment, which I am happy to do. I have appended my own response at the end. (And just to avoid any confusion, while I have set up the discussion in the form of two open letters, Iain’s piece was written as a straightforward essay, not in letter form.) I am slightly puzzled, as I observe in my reply, by the tone of Iain’s piece. He seems to suggest in places that my original was written in bad faith and that I seem not to have not read his book or the RSA document. Whether I have adequately understood either is, of course, a matter for debate. But my post was written in good faith, and while critical of Iain’s thesis was also, in my eyes at least, respectful of his work. I wrote it to engage in the kind of debate for which I had hoped that Iain himself had written his book, and the RSA had held its workshop. I am publishing Iain’s essay in the spirit of such debate, I have written my response to it in that spirit, and I hope that people will engage in that spirit with both sets of arguments.
When Jonathan [Rowson, Director of the RSA’s Social Brain Centre] and I agreed to attempt this short publication we did so with a degree of foreboding. We knew that the attempt to abbreviate an argument that is, for the most part, carefully articulated, and already somewhat compressed, in its original 350,000 word form, was inviting difficulties. One such difficulty was that in further compression much would be lost: subtlety, nuance, complexity of argument, qualification of expression, and that I would be taken as saying something cruder than I am. Another was that the casual reader might be lead to think that they could substitute an acquaintance with the paper for a careful reading of the book. Yet we were encouraged by the advice of many readers from many academic disciplines and from many walks of life to think that it was worth risking such casualties in order to engage readers who otherwise might not have come across it at all, trusting that, at least before passing judgment, they would be led to do the book justice by reading it for themselves.
But perhaps even the RSA document is too long for today’s reader. Our fears would appear to have been more than justified. It is a little dispiriting that most, if not all, the comments and objections that KM raises are addressed, sometimes at considerable length, in the course of the document. Of course, those responses might still not satisfy KM, but at least if he had read them the debate would be at a higher level. « Read the rest of this entry »
January 22, 2013 § 5 Comments
Those who have followed the excerpts I have been publishing from my ‘Book in progress’ on the history of moral thought will know that there were several gaps in the chapters. That was because I left till the end a series of chapters on the Indian and Chinese traditions. These are now almost complete, and I will publish, as before, monthly extracts from each remaining chapter. Some of the chapters have been renumbered as you can see from the complete set of extracts.
This extract is from chapter 5 which explores the ancient Indian traditions, primarily Hinduism and Buddhism.
November 6, 2012 § 1 Comment
Back in September, I wrote an essay about Judith Butler and the controversy over her winning the Adorno Prize. It touched off a debate in Pandaemonium, less because of my defence of Butler’s right to win the prize than my criticism of her work and, in particular, of her poststructuralism. I noted then that I have written little directly on Butler’s main theme, gender, but much, in the context of the debate about race, on poststructuralist / postmodernist conceptions of difference, identity, equality and agency. That critique is scattered across a number of books – in particular The Meaning of Race, Man, Beast and Zombie and Strange Fruit. I promised to delve into the archives, as it were, and publish some extracts from those books. The first – on Edward Said, Michel Foucault and the concept of the Other - I posted last month. This second extract, also from The Meaning of Race, is not so much a critique of poststructuralism as part of an explanation of how certain key themes in poststructuralist thought – in particular hostility to humanism and to Enlightenment ideas of rationalism and universalism – that once had been seen as the province of reaction came to be major currents in radical thought.
One of the problems in republishing extracts is that while essays and blog posts are generally self-contained, book extracts rarely are. In a book the argument runs through the whole work. Any extract necessarily assumes familiarity with arguments that have already been set out and builds up to conclusions that arrive only later in the book. At the same time, The Meaning of Race is now almost 20 years old. Many of the ideas that may have been barely formulated or ill-constructed in the book I have developed much further since then; some have changed quite considerably. I have, for instance, reworked the arguments about Frantz Fanon, the tradition that he represents and the legacy that he left. My forthcoming book on the history of moral thought contains new perspectives on humanism within both the liberal and Marxist traditions. Nevertheless, despite these shifts and changes, I hope that an extract such as this is still useful, both because I still stand by much of what is here and because it is, as always, a good starting point for debate.
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This is one of those epoch-making books that colors how you see everything that comes after it. At the height of the painfully certain 1980's, with Thatcherism and Reaganomics out there telling everyone just how it is, Ciaran Carson came along with his marathon Whitman-inspired lines and his almost naively inquisitive tone, and presaged the decade of uncertainty that was the 1990's.
But I don't think this book sets out to redefine anything. Instead, it strips away layers of definition, its long irregular lines reflecting the shapelessness of the ideas Carson seeks. Violent Belfast, which through most of the Twentieth Century was the opposite of a literary city, here becomes a beacon every bit equal to Leopold Bloom's Dublin. But how can a person find himself in a city where maps lie, where memory is unreliable, and where indirection is the rule rather than the norm?
Of course, he can't. And that is the message Carson brings to the fore with this slim volume. Carson evades the grim despair that pervades much current poetry, but his formless indecision is an accurate reflection of the search for purpose and shape we see so often today. Really, Carson seems almost optimistic, even downright happy, in the lack of specificity that his city imposes on his life. Why, there are so many ways to grow!
Recommended for lovers of poetry, students of history, and devotees of human nature. Carson's "The Irish for No" is one of those rare books that has already influenced you in ways you don't know. And once you read it, the influence only becomes that much more powerful.
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9 Tips for Applying for Social Security Disability Benefits
1. Likelihood of success. If (a) your physical or mental disability is severe, (b) your condition limits your activities of daily living, (c) your medical impairment will last or has lasted longer than 12 months, and (d) your doctor agrees with this assessment, you should apply for Social Security disability.
2. Irrelevant evaluation factors. SSA has a strict definition of disability that ignores many real-life aspects of the job market. Difficulty finding a job, thinking that no one will hire you with your condition, believing you could not pass a job-required physical, or even knowing that the pay you would receive for the work you can do is too little to live on … all of these important real-world considerations do not matter to the Social Security Administration (SSA) when evaluating your claim for benefits.
Proof from doctors
3. Medical evidence. As is the case with most legal claims, what counts in disability evaluations is what you can prove. If no medical records exist to support your claim of disability, you are unlikely to be successful. SSA figures that if your medical condition is severe enough to keep you from working, then it should justify doctor visits, tests, diagnosis, and treatment.
4. Failure to follow treatment. SSA expects you to try to get better. That means doing what your doctor prescribes. If you do not believe that your doctor’s recommended treatment will help, then be sure your doctor documents the treatment’s odds of success or failure.
5. Keep good records. Conversely, if you do follow your doctor’s prescribed treatment, document your efforts. Without records, you are unlikely to remember the date of every doctor visit, lab test, medicine taken, and therapy received. Obtain the business cards of every doctor you see and file them. Save your pill bottles. Keep notes of your pain and other medical events.
Evidence from you
6. Symptoms vs. diagnosis. SSA does not expect you to be an expert on medical conditions. Even if you are, SSA would rather learn about your impairment from your doctor and your medical records. What SSA wants to receive from you are details about your symptoms. For example, how severe is your pain? Is it constant or intermittent? What aggravates your pain? What reduces it? Do you suffer from shortness of breath or fatigue? No one knows your symptoms better than you. Do your best to explain them in detail without exaggerating or minimizing. Do not omit or gloss over any lesser conditions just because you have one severe condition and several minor ones.
7. Physical restrictions. What can’t you do? Sit for lengthy periods? Stand and walk? Lift and carry? Bend, twist, kneel, and stoop? Manipulate objects with your hands? Social Security disability is a functional program. SSA will focus on your limitations rather than your diagnosis.
8. Effect of symptoms and restrictions. How does your medical condition affect your daily activities? Tell SSA about the impact on your personal care (hygiene, dressing, bathing), errands and housework (driving, shopping, cleaning), and social functioning (hobbies, sports, interaction with friends and family).
9. Consistency, accuracy, and honesty. Contradictions, errors, memory lapses, and discrepancies all work to erode your credibility, and nothing will sink your claim faster than questions about your truthfulness.
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War tears at every fiber of society, but conflict doesn't have to be violent to harm communities. Mercy Corps works to help families rebuild after the destruction of war and engages citizens to find mutually beneficial solutions for change.
Especially in post-conflict settings, we facilitate collaboration between government officials and the people they serve, leading to more accountable and productive leadership. Addressing the root causes of conflict today can help avoid tomorrow's wars and other crises.
All stories about Conflict & Governance
Iraq: Empowered youth build stronger society April 2, 2012
Salahadin in one of the hardest hit provinces in Iraq. Just north of Baghdad, services here are hard to come by and the security situation is often critical. But it is also the center of a groundswell of civic activism and organization.
Guatemala: Land ownership yields stronger, healthier communities March 15, 2012
Families in the rural highlands are dependent on the land, but years of civil war have diminished resources. Find out how they are rebuilding from the ground up.
Tunisia: Organizing a movement for her new country March 8, 2012
Sabrine Wafi is a dynamo. Young and filled with energy, it’s difficult to keep up with her. More than once during our conversation, I found myself asking her to hold up so I could wrap my head around her ideas.
Afghanistan: Building better lives in the midst of conflict February 29, 2012
As the uncertain tensions and violence in Afghanistan continue, our predominantly Afghan team is working tirelessly to ensure that community needs are met.
Iraq: A safer walk to school in Basra February 13, 2012
Flying into Basra in southern Iraq for the first time, all I could see was desert and the occasional smoke plumes from the oil fields.
Lebanon: Steps toward a fuller democracy December 22, 2011
Earlier this year 800 people in a small village in northern Lebanon went to the polls. Like people across Lebanon, many in the village of Qaa had never voted before in their lives, mostly because they’d been disillusioned with tales of corruption, inefficiency and greed in politics.
Afghanistan: Setting a strong development agenda December 3, 2011
Ten years after the international intervention in Afghanistan began and the Taliban regime fell, world leaders are this week gathering in Germany to discuss Afghanistan's future.
Libya: Ambassador Rice visits resource center December 2, 2011
U.S. Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice toured a photography exhibit, watched a film and participated in a discussion with the artists at our newly opened Civil Society Resource Center in Benghazi on Nov. 22.
Egypt: I cast my ballot November 29, 2011
This week, Egyptians began voting in their freest elections in decades after ousting President Hosni Mubarak earlier this year. Sherry Mikhael, Mercy Corps' operations officer in Egypt, recounts her experience yesterday casting a ballot in the historic elections.
Tunisia: Election day in Tunisia October 23, 2011
The blue ink on the tip of the fingers of these Tunisians indicates they've voted in the first free and fair election in their country's history.
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This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only.
Tear gas and rubber bullets were flying last Friday in the streets of San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Nearly two years after the overthrow of the country’s democratically elected president, the new regime was knocking elbows with diplomats and billionaires at a widely publicized business convention unironically called (with no Spanish translation) “Honduras is Open for Business.” What Hondurans saw was their country being sold to the highest bidder.
This is nothing new, perhaps, in a “banana republic” long controlled by U.S. interests. Already by 1917 a few foreign companies, led by United Fruit (now Chiquita) owned a million acres of the best Honduran farmland. After 1954, the U.S. heavily built up the Honduran army?military aid exchanged for access to raw materials?ultimately leading to a military coup in 1963. By this time, the U.S. controlled 95 percent of all foreign investments, including infrastructure, key exports and the two largest banks. A boom in commercial agriculture, especially in cattle and cotton, led to waves of peasant expropriation from their lands.
With the lowest per capita income in Central America, but with a strong military, Honduras in the 80s was viewed as a “U.S. surrogate” in the region, providing a base for counter-insurgency operations. The Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) signed in 2005 further cemented U.S. economic influence.
But when president Manuel Zelaya was overthrown in a military coup in June 2009, with strong support from large landowners and business elites, something changed in Honduras. A national resistance movement emerged, embodied in the Frente Nacional de Resistencia Popular, uniting virtually every sector of Honduran society, from teachers and students to peasants, workers, indigenous peoples, faith-based organizations and LGBT groups. The scale of the repression, little-publicized in the U.S., has also been intense, with regime leader Porfirio “Pepe” Lobo Sosa unleashing violence on unarmed pro-democracy protestors.
The U.S. is further strengthening the repressive Honduran military with $1.75 million in Drug War funds, and bankrolling “trade, investment and competitiveness” activities through USAID, including last week’s business conference. A May 3 press release by the U.S. embassy in Tegucigalpa reads:
“U.S. officials including Under Secretary of Commerce Francisco J. Sanchez, who leads U.S. international trade policy, and Ambassador Hugo Llorens are visiting San Pedro Sula to support the Honduras is Open for Business conference May 4-6? The U.S. welcomes this opportunity to deepen trade relations with Honduras, and to show American companies how investing in Honduras benefits both countries.
Approximately 70 per cent of new foreign direct investment in Honduras already comes from the United States. Business relationships, both established and new, will have the opportunity to flourish under CAFTA-DR, which over the past five years has increased trade flows between the U.S. and Honduras. The U.S. is pleased to continue working with President Lobo and his economic team, who are making consistent efforts to ensure Honduras’ continued economic recovery.
The Lobos Sosa regime is desperate for this kind of recognition, and scrambling to keep the lid on its misdeeds by ransacking community radio stations, and threatening and killing journalists. Attacks against women, gays and lesbians, indigenous people and Afro-Hondurans have increased. Artistic and cultural expressions are viewed as a subversive threat by a regime with almost no popular legitimacy. A peaceful, open-air concert by the band Caf? Guancasco was repressed in September 2010, tear-gassing the crowd, beating the musicians and destroying $30,000 in rented gear. March was a particularly brutal month for the pro-democracy movement. Government efforts to privatize health care and public education were met with nation-wide protests.
The Honduran daily Tiempo reports that, after Day Two of “Honduras is Open for Business,” $250 million in investments has been committed in the energy, tourism, agribusiness and infrastructure sectors. Foreign Relations Sub-Secretary Alden Rivera told Tiempo that another 4.5 billion would be rolling in over the next three years. The new investment strategy includes pursuing the expansion of agrofuels production, at the expense of peasant food production, and the production of genetically modified seeds, stating: “Honduras is the only Central American country that has the legal bases for the production of GMOs. Considering this potential, the project proposes the production of certified seeds for local production of GMOs for export.”
In the Aguan Valley, some of the richest land in the country is controlled by three powerful men, who are using the land to produce palm oil for export. Weeks before it was overthrown, the Zelaya government had agreed to grant land titles to peasants in the region. In November 2010, the military occupied the Aguan Valley’s National Land Reform Institute, the government ministry charged with distributing land, for two months. During this period, the private security guards of Miguel Facuss?, the richest man in Honduras, ambushed and killed five peasant farmers working land they had held for more than 10 years. Fourteen peasant murders have been linked to the palm oil magnate with no criminal investigation.
In response to government attempts to justify the repression through accusations of terrorist organizing in Aguan, Honduran representative of V?a Campesina Rafael Alegr?a stated:
“For a year now they’ve been claiming there is an organized guerrilla cell in Aguan, even trying to blame some of us peasant leaders, but days later they recanted the allegations. In Aguan, there is an organized peasant movement that fights every day to defend the land. But Mr. Lobo is mistaken: those who have the weapons are the police, the military and the security guards of large landowners? The state bought this land for purposes of agrarian reform so it belongs to the peasants.”
Aguan Valley farmer Miguel R?mirez?who survived a gunshot to the face with a high-caliber machinegun?speaks out: “We have to move this country forward through Resistance. It’s our only hope. Thankfully, the country has now woken up.” The U.S. has recognized the Lobo regime as legitimate despite mounting State repression and a broad-based and growing pro-democracy movement. Now more than ever, as the country nears the two-year anniversary of the June 28 coup, Hondurans need international solidarity.
Tanya Kerssen can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org Spread the word, and urge your congressperson to sign the Congressional Letter, by the May 25 deadline, publicly denouncing human rights’ abuses in Honduras.
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What Makes an Effective Visualization?
While each visualization is a unique creation for a particular range of uses, there are several overarching themes that can help both in creating new visualizations and selecting from existing ones for use in teaching. These principles emerged from a recent On The Cutting Edge workshop on Teaching Geoscience with Visualizations.
- The same things that work well in designing a class or educational activity work well in designing or selecting a visualization.
In particular, it is important:
- to know what you are trying to accomplish with the visualization: what are you trying to teach? What do you want the students to learn?
- To ascertain what the students already know as this will determine what they see and learn from the visualization
- To obtain feedback on how the visualization is working: does it convey the intended information? Work in the desired way? Enable the desired learning?
- Students don't always see what faculty are seeing when viewing a visualization.
Just as in other aspects of learning, what students see and learn from a visualization is built on what they already know. Understanding what students know and see can be addressed on three levels:
- Cognitive: what do students focus on in a visualization?
- Educational: how does the visualization promote generation of new questions?
- Geoscience: how do students understand and interpret the processes that are represented?
- Simple is usually better.
The power of visualizations comes from their ability to clarify relationships rather than from reproducing exactly the natural world. Thus, a design which emphasizes the desired relationships or information is likely to be more successful than one that makes every effort to be realistic. Students can become confused when elements of a diagram closely resemble the actual entity they represent in the real world (Uttal et al., 2006).
- Context is important and is easily lost.
Effective visualizations maintain the contextual relationships between the different parts of the visualization and between the visualization and whatever it represents. For example, when a series of diagrams are used to explain a process, it is important to keep the student aware of how each step in the progression relates to the overall process.
- Guidance helps.
Visualizations present a large number of relationships at a single time. Visual or textual clues can focus attention on meaningful items or guide the learner through the visualization in a particular order.
- Visualizations are most effective if their organization reflects the mental organization that the student is creating.
For example, if students create a series of still images in their mind to represent a geologic process, a series of still images will be most effective in conveying information. Similarly, if students create a mental movie, an animation may be more effective. (Tversky et al., 2002 ).
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It’s been nearly a hundred years since the Weimar Bauhaus sought to remove the class distinctions that put a barrier between craftsman and artist. Walking into the “Time and Materials” exhibition at Manifold, it’s clear to see how the art/design, craft/production dualities are still communicating, perhaps not across class lines but along ideological ones.
Formerly operating as metal+works in Pilsen for ten years, Ross and Elizabeth Fiersten relocated their manufacturing workshop to a Ravenswood storefront, paired it with a gallery, and renamed it Manifold. Their new exhibition, “Time and Materials,” was conceived as a reflection on the way precise measurements could lead to uncertain outcomes. The show features new works by the Fierstens and Manifold workshop residents Bridgette Buckley Studio and Merkled Studio, as well as a specially commissioned artwork by James Jankowiak.
Jankowiak’s wallpaper, composed of one-inch masking tape, alternates color-black-color. The floor-to-ceiling installation of hypnotic mutations of shape and color is like graffiti grown-up and domesticated. The wallpaper frames whimsical furniture pieces, such as Merkled Studio’s office chair turned saddle. Many of the so-called functional objects are noticeably handcrafted, sometimes confrontationally so, with materials like rough fabric, wood, and metal uncleanly exposed. The Manifold showroom provokes the distinction of ”a finished object.” (Jason Kreke)
Through October 5 at Manifold, 4426 North Ravenswood
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[I was torn between posting here or security.stackexchange.com. In the end, I felt that this was more of a design question, rather than an implementation question and so chose this forum.]
My question is: How do I assure myself that the results data submitted to me was generated by my official build of an open source program?
I'm developing an open source program. The program essentially collects data, performs some calculations, and sends back the data and results to me. The program is for all intents and purposes offline. More often than not, I'll get the results data back via a single HTTP post of XML data if I'm lucky, or more likely an emailed XML file, or a USB key with the XML for pure SneakerNet mode.
I will be releasing official builds of the program with the appropriate Authenticode signatures. (My target platform is Windows.) The Authenticode signing will prevent tampering of the program. Presumably, the program will be digitally signing the results data to prevent tampering of the data as well as establish the chain of evidence that the data was generated by this particular build. But how do I go from these "hand-waving" concept to actual implementation?
Since the program is open source, anybody else can also build the program, examine how it works, and potentially modify the program to perform some "cheating" or the results data that sent, as well as bypass any self-integrity checks I may embed in the code.
Here is what I've thought through so far:
Obviously, I'll be the only one holding on to the code signing keys. First layer of defense would be for the program to do a self-check for a valid Authenticode signature on all binaries. As as next layer, assuming it's doable, is verify that all binaries were signed using the same signing keys. I don't want to hardcode any attribute of the signing keys just in case somebody else wants to build their own official builds and verify that they are getting results from their official builds.
Although, the program integrity seems to be good, since it's open source somebody can always edit the code and make a build that doesn't do any self-integrity checks. :-(
The next bit of the puzzle is putting some characteristics of the running program binaries into the results XML. This could be simply a hash of all the running binaries. My server that accepts all the data can check the hash for a known good value. A malicious build can't bypass putting in a hash if the results data to be considered valid by the server, but it can just go ahead and compute the hash of all the official binaries and put it in the results XML. Essentially a replay attack. :-(
The next bit of the puzzle is how to digitally sign the results XML. This is a biggie. To do XML digital signatures, I'll need both the public and private keys. How do I embed these two keys into the program? Obviously checking them into source control is a really bad idea. :-(
I can hold the keys private the same way I held the code signing keys private and only at build time insert the keys as resources into the program. But I'm essentially publishing those keys once I release an official build. Anybody who looks at the source will discover that the keys are held in the resources and can get the keys themselves. :-(
Is there a public key system where I can generate my own private/public key pairs using characteristics of the official binaries? But this still suffers from the issue as above where a malicious build can just pick up those same characteristics from the official build. :-(
Any help or guidance on where to look for possible approaches to solve this problem would be most helpful.
Update: Think of this problem as building an open source voting machine. The Commission of Elections would like to build its own machines and distribute these for the elections, but it wants the source open to the world so that there are no rumors of impropriety. The commission doesn't care if the local Rotary club also makes their own voting machine for their board, but that machine should not be used to submit votes for the US Senate.
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Baby eats 42 magnets!
Mom shocked as baby swallows 42 fridge magnets.
Babies are notorious for tasting things adults never would, and, occasionally, smaller items get swallowed- that’s the reason many toys and other items carry warnings such as “SMALL PARTS- KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN”- but you can imagine a Russian mom’s horror at realising that her missing fridge magnets could well be inside her baby, according to the Austrian Times.
Article originally in Parent24
“M” is for...
After discovering that her alphabet fridge magnets were all missing the magnets from their backs, the mother realised that her 12-month-old was the likely culprit; a rushed visit to the ER and an ultrasound confirmed her fears- all 42 of the magnets were clearly visible in the child’s digestive system. Surgery was needed to remove the foreign objects and the child is reportedly recovering.
Magnetic munchies are an ongoing problem- HuffPo reports that last year a child swallowed 37 magnets, and that a certain magnetic desktop manufacturer had been forced to remove stock from retail outlets.
Most parents use fridge magnets to keep their budding artist’s crayon masterpieces on the fridge, or to manage shopping lists or school timetables. The alphabet letters are also common to many homes. It would appear that these seemingly harmless objects present a significant risk to very young children. Consider securing any magnets in your home, and, as they say, keep them out of reach of small children.
What’s the weirdest thing your child ever swallowed?
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Eddin Woodin '69, at center, with fellow volunteers in Scarborough, Maine.
Eddie Woodin ’69 knew it was time to quit his job as vice president of national sales for a Pittsburgh-based store fixtures company when, during a business trip, he woke up in a hotel room in a city he couldn’t name. He racked his brain, guessing incorrectly a few times before realizing where he was. “I literally had the wrong city twice,” Woodin said.
So Woodin, who grew up in a blue-collar family in Concord, Mass., resigned from the high-stress job and moved back to New England. In 1993 he launched his own company, following his own instincts. He felt it was something he needed to do or, more specifically, something God had been telling him to do, Woodin said. “God was telling me, ‘Let’s go!’ So I did,” he said.
The company, Portland, Maine-based Woodin & Company Store Fixtures, may not be a household name, but if you’ve been in a college bookstore or Barnes & Noble you’ve probably seen the company’s work. Six employees in Woodin’s office design displays and bookshelves that are then built by a network of more than 200 manufacturers.
In retrospect, launching his own venture was the right move, but Woodin says that wasn’t so apparent in the beginning. He started the company with cash and five credit cards. His first account was a company in Chile. Later a contact at Barnes & Noble opened a door for the new company, though Woodin still had doubters. “But I was believing and God was believing,” he said.
That first year Woodin posted $1 million in sales.
The relationship with Barnes & Noble has since exploded, pushing Woodin & Co.’s sales to $7.5 million last year and an anticipated $9 million this year. The company currently supplies fixtures to 600 college bookstores across the country, with 100 more in line for this year, he says.
With a successful company, Woodin, who lives in Scarborough, Maine, could sit back, spend his hard-earned money, and enjoy life. But, while he does live comfortably, Woodin doesn’t sit on his profits. He has helped build churches in Rwanda and the Congo. He donates to Maine Audubon and the Boy Scouts of America. He funded a Christian rock concert in Biddeford. Last year, he gave $7,000 to help a family flee East Africa for the United States. The evidence of his philanthropy is on a photograph-covered wall at the entrance to his South Portland office. “This is my victory wall,” he said on a recent afternoon, beaming as he pointed to one photo and then another. “These are a lot of those stories.”
Over the past 15 years, Woodin estimates he’s donated more than $1 million to charity. In 2005 he gave away the entire net profit of his company, he says, sitting on a couch in the break room of his office. It wasn’t exactly intentional, Woodin said with a shrug and a laugh, noting that his philanthropy is born from his belief in God. “Faith without deeds is no faith,” he said, paraphrasing the Bible’s Book of James. “To this day, that’s my mantra.”
Woodin said he was “born again” in 1988 and describes himself as a Christian charismatic. But his legacy of generosity has roots to his time at Colby, where he was a star baseball and football player. When he graduated he set a plan for himself. Each month he would volunteer his time at an organization, write five charitable checks, and call on five friends in need. He started writing $10 checks. Now he writes $10,000 checks. “I built a plan,” he said, “and that was the foundation. … It started small, but the concept grew to where it is today.”
He began life with nothing, Woodin said, so giving away his money doesn’t faze him. “I started at zero,” he said. “What if I go back to zero? What have I lost? Nothing.”
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Is faith of our fathers living still in US?
When the murdered U.S. ambassador and three Navy SEALs came back to Andrews Air Force Base, the messages by the secretary of state and the president were very moving. However, I was even more impressed by the hymns, “Nearer My God To Thee,” and “America — God Shed His Grace on Thee.”
Especially so, since it was only a few days ago when the delegates at the Democratic Convention stood and shouted, “No” three times to God. You will remember that the liberal wing of the Democratic party took the words “God” and “Jerusalem” out of the platform, and the delegates were called to order to put them back. The vote was taken three times, and it sounded like the no’s had won, and goodbye God. However, the chairman, rather than throw the convention into utter confusion, gave a questionable ruling on the third voice vote that the “yea’s” had it, and it passed.
Shades of William Jennings Bryan! He must be spinning in his grave! Oh, you don’t know who he is? He ran for president three times, and was defeated by McKinley twice and Taft once.
Similar to President Obama, he came out of nowhere when he concluded his speech on free silver at the Democratic National Convention with the words, “You shall not press down on the brow of labor this crown of thorns; you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold.” The convention went wild, and although Bryan was only 36 years old, he was nominated. Through his newspaper, the Commoner, he spoke for many reforms: popular election of senators, prohibition, creation of the Department of Labor, the federal banking system and women’s suffrage. They were all accepted.
If he were living today, he might well ask, “What happened to my Democratic Party?”
Someone said, “Liberals have gone through Heaven and taken the gold out. They have gone through Hell and taken the fire out. The have gone through our hymns and taken the blood out. And they have gone through our nation and tried to take God out.”
Wayne E. Smith
Issues have no gender
In Cindy Larson’s column, “Local women voice views on reproductive rights debate, ‘war on women,’ (Sept. 28)” she writes, “When laws regarding reproductive rights are written, debated and voted on in this country, men still largely make the rules.” Pro-choice men make the rules, too. Remember, it was nine men who exclusively decided the fate of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton: Warren E. Burger, William O. Douglas, William J. Brennan Jr., Potter Stewart, Byron White, Thurgood Marshall, Harry Blackmun, Lewis F. Powell Jr. and William Rehnquist.
Should we overturn those decisions because nine men made these rules? Are we to exclude the opinions of all men or just those standing up for the lives of pre-born boys and girls? Issues don’t have genders, people do.
David A. MacDonald
Hank Achor apparently doesn’t understand the economics of business building. Like President Obama he believes businesses are built by the government. He uses investment from NASA in the 1960s as an example of how Steve Jobs was able to ultimately create the Apple company.
First of all, NASA is funded by federal dollars. Where does the federal government get their funds? Out of the pocket of taxpayers, including small businesses. Those same taxes that fund government programs that enable other companies to create technology did produce jobs. The taxes those companies paid to the federal and state governments also pay for all of the roads they use. The government also takes taxes from employees who work at those companies. So essentially businesses did build themselves while also financing the layers of waste and fraud in D.C., including government programs.
Laura J. Smyser
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When Casey Coleman decided to spend a year telling only the truth, it became immediately obvious he’d need to be honest with himself, too. A lifetime of facade took less than a week to unravel, as the college student ended things with his girlfriend and acknowledged his attraction to men.
“The lies you tell yourself are the ones that help you sleep at night,” says Coleman, 20. “I grew up in a small town where there were a lot of negative stereotypes about being gay . . . But I finally said to myself, ‘I’m tired of having to hide who I am.’”
Polls find the average person will admit to telling two lies a day, even as lab experiments reveal that as many fibs are told in just 10 minutes by strangers getting to know each other. Noted social psychologist Dan Ariely says the reality is that fudging the facts has become so second-nature, most of us don’t realize how often we do it.
Parents preach that honesty is the best policy, all the while instructing their kids to feign happiness when opening an unwanted gift. When people are tardy, they blame “bad traffic.” And when presented with an infant who poses a risk to mirrors, friends nonetheless coo, “How cute!”
“We have this education for dishonesty. But we don’t think of ourselves as liars when we do it because we think we’re doing it for a good cause,” says Ariely, professor of behavioural economics at Duke University and author of the new book The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty.
He recalls, for example, doctors assuring him he had nothing to fear when being treated for serious burns, despite their knowing he had every reason to be fearful. Ariely was grateful for the deception.
“It’s an incredible social lubricant,” says Ariely. “Who would want to live with somebody who told the perfect truth all the time?”
Coleman is finding out.
Seven months into his experiment, the broadcasting student says he’s already lost three close friends to honesty. But he cites no regrets with his decision to be 100 per cent truthful.
“Some days I wake up and think, ‘Why am I doing this?’” says Coleman, who is blogging the experience at mebeinghonest.com. “But overall, I find I’m a lot happier . . . I was finally able to embrace myself.”
Phil Callaway, a humourist from central Alberta, documented his own year of truth-telling in the recent book, To Be Perfectly Honest. He credits the self-made acronym THINK for saving his marriage during that time: Is it True? Is it Helpful? Does it Inspire? Is it Necessary? Am I Kind about it?
“I learned that a closed mouth gathers no foot but, in my defence, what do you do when (your wife) asks what you think of the soup, or if you’d like to go visit her mother for the weekend?” says Callaway, who emerged from the experience determined to lead an authentic life.
“Sounds idealistic but all of us admire a person who can be trusted. We’d much prefer that kind of person as captain of a cruise ship.”
Clinical psychologist Vivian Diller says people must learn to thoughtfully tell the truth, which she notes is different from brutal honesty.
“If we didn’t know how to censor ourselves or how to modulate truth, we’d ruin our jobs and our relationships,” says Diller. “To tell the complete truth all the time doesn’t allow you to live in society.”
Callaway admits his year of honest living saw two exceptions: speaking engagements, which demand hyperbole, and visits with his mother, who suffers from Alzheimer’s.
“When she gazed out over the windswept prairies and said, ‘Aren’t those boats wonderful? I like the purple one best,’ I agreed completely and even found myself pointing out guys on Sea-Doos,” recalls Callaway. “She thought I was crazy.”
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Mining pollution may be hurting Minn's wild riceby Stephanie Hemphill, Minnesota Public Radio
Duluth, Minn. — High levels of sulfates released from Minnesota's mining industry are suspected of diminishing Minnesota's native wild rice beds. The state is reconsidering its current standard for sulfate in wild rice waters, but until recently it hasn't been enforcing the existing standard.
The issue is particularly important now, because a half-dozen companies are exploring for copper and nickel in northeastern Minnesota and could build mines to extract the minerals. The mines would likely release elevated levels of sulfate, a form of sulfur that comes off the rock when it's dug up and exposed to air.
The rivers and lakes of northeastern Minnesota used to be full of wild rice. The Ojibwe call it mahnomen, and it's not only a staple of their traditional diet; it's regarded as a special gift of the creator.
There are still wild rice beds in the region, but Ojibwe elders say they're not nearly as rich and plentiful as they used to be.
A lot of factors have contributed to the decline -- changing water levels, clearing shorelines for beaches, acid rain. But in one area, attention is focused on pollution from iron mines.
Len Anderson is a retired science teacher who has paddled and harvested wild rice in the area for years. He points to research the DNR has done that shows a spike in sulfates in the St. Louis River as it winds its way south of the mines, collecting water from tributaries, like the Partridge River.
"Above the Partridge River, the river's choked with wild rice, and of course flocks of ducks that go with it. When you get to the Partridge River -- the end of wild rice," said Anderson. "That's when the first mining-impacted water hits the St. Louis River. It's the Partridge River."
Anderson says sulfate interferes with root development and the wild rice doesn't grow well. The sulfate comes from sulfide in rocks exposed to air during mining operations.
Existing taconite mines have been sending extra sulfate into the water for fifty years.
But now, half a dozen companies are exploring and planning to build a new kind of mine that's expected to produce much more sulfate. They've found copper and nickel in rock that contains more sulfide than most iron ore formations.
Minnesota has had a standard in place since the 1970s, to protect wild rice beds from sulfate pollution. But the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency only started trying to enforce the standard this year.
"Apparently they suddenly discovered their rule," said Mike Robertson, an environmental consultant with the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.
Robertson says the MPCA only began enforcing the rule this year, when two mines applied for permits to expand. The permit work is moving ahead, but no one knows if the companies will be able to meet the standard of 10 parts-per-million of sulfate in water.
"The permits have quite lengthy timelines in them for compliance. That's one of the issues going forward -- to determine the technology, the cost, and the feasibility of meeting that standard," said Robertson.
With the volumes of waste rock and water from mining operations, there's no doubt it will be very expensive.
The Chamber argues the standard is arbitrary, and is not based on recent scientific research.
The group also says the rule was originally written to protect paddy-grown rice, not native wild rice, and should not be used as a standard in waters where wild rice grows.
Robertson also argues the rule could be applied to many types of facilities, including wastewater treatment systems, not just mines.
The PCA says until recently it had very little information about sulfates, and about which waters have wild rice growing in them. The agency says it made case-by-case permitting decisions.
The agency also says it was focusing on other concerns, such as excess nutrients, mercury, and other issues related to aquatic life and human health.
In an e-mail, MPCA spokesman Ralph Pribble says the agency has begun a review of the wild rice rule. He says over the next couple of years "we are looking to clarify the definition of water used for production of wild rice," and in the future the agency may update the numeric limit.
It's part of a periodic review of state water standards, which is required by the federal government.
Shannon Lotthammer, who is supervising the process at the MPCA, says the agency is hoping to get some answers from research going on now at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
"What we need is those toxicity studies, to show how different concentrations of sulfate affect wild rice health and viability and growth," said Lotthammer.
The PCA also wants to make a list of which bodies of water have wild rice growing in them and therefore need protection. But that could be a controversial process, since tribal groups say the mines and other sources of pollution have already wiped out so many of the stands that once sustained them.
Meetings Monday and Tuesday at MPCA offices all over the state will provide a chance for the public to learn more.
- Morning Edition, 11/29/2010, 8:25 a.m.
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Calvin's Commentaries, Vol. 4: Harmony of the Law, Part II, tr. by John King, [1847-50], at sacred-texts.com
Deut. 11:16, 17
16. Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;
16. Cavete ergo vobis ne seducatur cor vestrum, et recedatis, colatisque deos alienos, et vos incurvetis coram eis.
17. And then the LORD’S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.
17. Unde excandescat ira Jehovae in vos, et claudat coelos ne sit pluvia, ac ne det terra fructum suum: pere-atisque celeriter e terra bona quam Jehova dat vobis.
16 Take heed to yourselves. By often inculcating the same thing, viz., that they should diligently take heed, he indirectly arraigns man’s proneness to superstition; and this too is again expressed in the words, “that your heart be not deceived;” for by them he signifies, that unless they take diligent heed to themselves, nothing will be more easy than for them to fall into the snares of Satan. Wherefore the impudence of the Papists is the less excusable, who intoxicate their own and others’ minds with security, when God constantly exhorts them to solicitude. Let us learn, then, that since many impostures and deceits besiege us on every side, we shall in the vanity of our nature be liable immediately to fall into them, unless we carefully guard ourselves. By the expression “turn aside,” he implies what has been before said, that whosoever declines to corrupted worship, impiously falls away from the true God. Unbelievers but little think so, for with them it is a light transgression to exceed in this respect; and they would wilfully blind the eyes of God with their inventions (commentis), nay, there is nothing too silly for them to desire to be approved of, and sanctioned by God. But if it be objected that obedience is better than sacrifice, they shield themselves under the cover of their good intention, as if God were not at liberty to repudiate what they foolishly obtrude upon Him. At any rate, they so pertinaciously indulge themselves in their inconsiderate zeal, that they will hardly acknowledge the slightest fault in it. But, on the other side, God declares that all are apostates who do not confine themselves to the simplicity of the Law. A threat is again added, that God will avenge the violation of His worship, and will curse their land, until He shall destroy them by dearth and famine; and, finally, He pronounces that they shall perish off that land which God had promised them to the end that He might be there purely worshipped.
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Friendship is the backbone of The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, maybe the backbone of the whole Millennium trilogy. We could look at the saga as Lisbeth Salander's journey from finding few friends in the world to finding many. In the first two novels, Salander seems to have more enemies than friends. She feel like it's her against the world. In this novel, the friends totally outweigh the enemies. Since she's stuck in a hospital and in jail, she must rely on the people who care for her in order to win her freedom. Now, Salander just has to figure out what to do with all these supporters and learn how to be a friend in return.
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Archival News Release
This is an outdated document posted here for archival purposes. Click "News Releases" at left for current releases.
News Release Index
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2010
College to Host Second Environmental Science Fair
The College of the Canyons Students for Sustainability, will host the college’s second Environmental Science Fair featuring projects presented by elementary, junior high, high school and COC students from across the Santa Clarita Valley.
Organized by Students for Sustainability and sponsored by the Lockheed Martin Corporation, the 2010 Environmental Science Fair will take place from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, May 7, in the COC student center located on the college’s Valencia campus.
Featuring displays of environmental themed projects and reports from students grades K-14, the event is part of the college’s ongoing 40th Anniversary celebration, and will coincide with day one of the college’s ARTstART festival.
“Environmental awareness has to start early. We can’t afford to wait until students come to college to begin talking about environmental issues,” said Jia-Yi Cheng-Levine, Students for Sustainability advisor. “By raising awareness in K-12 students, and carrying that through to the college students, we have a better chance of affecting positive changes for a more balanced and environmentally sustainable future for all.”
This is the second time that College of the Canyons has hosted a regional environmental science fair. The first such event was held in October 2008, and featured more than 35 entries based around categories including: transportation, ‘green’ building and design, plastics and recycling, daily toxins, composting and sustainable gardening and organic foods.
At this year’s event students will present their projects and offer explanations of their research and experimentations to the science fair’s group of judges, fellow students, and various visitors. In addition, Students for Sustainability will be awarding a total of $1,000 in cash prizes in the form of gift cards, for winning projects in each of the four age categories.
“This is truly a community event in which we get to see the creative side of our younger generation,” said Cheng-Levine. “We encourage everyone to come view what our kids have to offer and explore the ways in which they see our environmental future.”
Students for Sustainability is dedicated to promoting sustainability awareness and practices both on campus and in the community. The club works closely with the Sustainable Development Committee in activities and events that help COC students become more active and involved in environmental issues.
For more information about the College of the Canyons Environmental Science Fair or the Students for Sustainability campus organization please contact Jia-Yi Cheng-Levine at (661) 362-5806.
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The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
I am one of the few people who have been fortunate enough to visit Midway Atoll in the northern part of the Hawaiian Archipegelo; in fact, I’ve made it there twice! Midway is famous as a nesting site for millions of pelagic seabirds such as Laysan and Black-footed Albatrosses, Bonnin’s Petrels, endangered Laysan Ducks and many more.
My first visit, over 10 years ago, was to train US Fish & Wildlife personnel to be better prepared for oil spills should they occur in this remote part of the world. The second trip, only 7 years ago, was to help in the annual bird census. We were required to spend three weeks on the main island, but I had no problem with that — it was awesome.
The beauty of the place was overwhelming, but unfortunately what really caught my attention was the trash. Beaches that should be pristine were littered with plastic of all kinds, as far as you could see. It was shocking and disturbing to see that Albatrosses were feeding the smaller pieces of plastic to their chicks. As Albatross parents swooped down to grab surface-floating food they could not tell the difference between the squid and fish they needed and the trash that littered the area.
There were literally hundreds of thousands of Albatross nests on the Atoll, and every nest had pieces of plastic in or around it. Some nests even contained the skeletons of Albatross chicks that died due to dehydration from eating too much plastic and not enough juicy, liquid-filled squid.
For a powerful visual of what we saw check out Jean-Michel Cousteau’s short video on YouTube.
I bring all this up to highlight the release of an excellent new book called I’m Not a Plastic Bag by Rachel Hope-Allison. Allison’s story, published in association with JeffCorwinConnect, is told entirely without words and follows the journey of a few pieces of discarded trash—a supermarket plastic bag and an old umbrella—all the way out to the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Here, the bag and the umbrella join together into a tragic and destructive island of trash, which searches for its place amidst the fragile beauty of nature. This graphic novel depicts a very real phenomenon known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, an accumulation of human consumer waste that floats in an area between Hawaii and the California coastline.
This book is brilliant! Take this opportunity to learn about plastics and how we are responsible for the damage they do. It’s all preventable!
International Bird Rescue
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Canoe and Kayak Checklist
One of the many Chicago area traditions is paddling The Ralph Frese Water Trail year round. Even during those months where the air temp is 60 deg. or above, there are always some risks involved. This trip is not advised for new paddlers, or persons who have not paddled in this type of current. The combination of cold spring air and high fast water can make this reach dangerous if you should capsize. We ask you to carefully consider the following questions. If you are unable to answer yes to all of them, you should not paddle, because you are risking serious consequences, including drowning, and hypothermia.
1. I am wearing adequate clothing that will remain warm, even if it gets wet. (ie: enough layers (best to begin with a wet suit) of synthetic fleece, wool, or wicking layers to maintain body heat with a breathable outer water proof layer such as a drysuit, paddling jacket and pants, full rain suit, etc. and insulated boots, gloves and hat. Note that clothing made of cotton, including sweat clothes and flannel, are unacceptable and could kill you.)
2. I have a complete change of wool and/or synthetic clothing in a bag made of waterproof material that will not leak if wet. (i.e. professionally made dry bag or knotted heavy garbage bags.)
3. I have a properly fitted, US Coast Guard approved, life jacket and will wear it for the entire trip.
4. I have paddled at least five miles on a river with current, at least twice before.
5. In swiftly moving water I can steer
my craft away from brush, low-hanging branches, bridge pilings, and
floating logs. I am able to recognize other hazards and avoid
6. In the event of my boat flipping over, I understand that I may have to swim until I am rescued, or reach shore without assistance, while immersed in cold water.
7. I will forgo the recreational use of drugs and alcoholic beverages before and
during the event.
A TREMENDOUS TOOL !
As of now, you can go to the site and download the full "Rock River Water Trail Plan" booklet which contains complete maps, an inventory of access sites along the river with complete information about what ammenities they provide, plus there are GPS Coordinates for each site,and a narrative description of each of the segments.
At the present time, in order to obtain the information concerning the eleven water trail sections in the plan, you must download the complete plan, but shortly you will be able to obtain the individual segments (Samples seen on the left.).
Having this information will allow planning, campsites, lunch stops, etc. using exact mileage, complete information as to what amenities are availble, and what the section is like to paddle.
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Fruit - See also: Melon Trivia, Tips, Quotes; Cantaloupe Trivia, etc.
Many melons originated in the Middle East and gradually spread its popularity across Europe. Ancient Egyptians and Romans enjoyed cantaloupes or muskmelons. Melon seeds were transported to the United States by Columbus and eventually cultivated by Spanish explorers in California.
Most people don’t know that melons are in the same gourd family as squashes and cucumbers. Most melons have similar structure to winter squash with thick flesh and inner seed-filled midsection. So what’s the difference between melons and squashes? It’s the way that they’re used. Squashes are considered vegetables, while melons are known as fruits with sweet and juicy flavor.
Melons are a good source of vitamin C and potassium. They have high water content are relatively low in calories, and also fat and cholesterol free.
Melon varieties are now endless! Cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon are the most well known varieties. Lookout for more unusual melons at your local supermarket or farmer’s market for a different and tasty sweet treat!
Actually called a muskmelon, this familiar fruit with orange flesh and khaki netted colored skin provides the most beta-carotene in the entire melon family. Select melons that are slightly golden with a light fragrant smell (an indication of its ripeness). Cantaloupe is typically available year-round, with a June through August peak season.
Unlike the other melons, casaba melons do not have an aroma. This is a large melon that is pale yellow when ripe and has white flesh with a sweet taste. This melon peaks in the fall, but starts showing up in markets in July through December.
These melons can weigh up to ten pounds and deliver a unique sweet and spicy flavor. They are a hybrid between the casaba and Persian melon with a yellowish skin and salmon colored flesh. Peak season for Crenshaw melons is August through September, with the fruit season beginning in July and ending in October.
The sweetest of all the melons and averaging five to six pounds, honeydew melons have a creamy yellow rind when ripe and pale green flesh. It’s best from June through October, but is available year round.
This melon is quite similar to the Cantaloupe, but it slightly larger in size, has a reener rind, and on the outside it has finer netting. Persian melons are peak in August and September with the season beginning in June and ending November.
This melon is also known as the Christmas melon because it peaks during the month of December. This variety is similar to the watermelon with the green and gold stripes, but is about a foot long and isn’t as sweet as the other melons.
This melon tastes like a cantaloupe and honeydew combined. Sharlyn melons are sweet with netted outer layer, greenish-orange rind, and white flesh. The availability varies, so check your local supermarkets and farmer’s market.
In general, melons should be shaped according to their variety. For example, cantaloupes should be round, etc. In addition, melons should not have cracks, soft spots, or dark bruises. You should look for a clean and smooth break at the stem and for most mature melons have a fruity fragrance (if not chilled).
Keep uncut melons at room temperature for two to four days or until fully ripe, then refrigerate for up to 5 days. Refrigerate cut up melon in a covered container up to 3 days. Remember that cut melons are aromatic and their smell will penetrate other foods.
Melon preparation is easy! Always wash melons in warm soapy water before cutting to get rid of any impurity on the rind that might be carried from the knife blade to the flesh. Simply cut the melon in half and scoop out the seeds and strings. Melons can be cut into halves, quarters, wedges, cubes, or scooped into balls with a melon baller. Most melons will benefit from a squeeze of lemon or lime juice to enhance the flavor and served at room temperature.
- Make Melons Part of Your 5 A Day Plan
- Melons make a great addition to fruit salads.
- Stir in melon in your cold fruit soups.
- liced melons make an attractive edible garnish.
- Make melon boats — scoop out melon balls then refill shell.
- For appetizers, wrap melon wedges or cubes with thinly sliced prosciutto ham.
- Season melon with lemon or lime juice or cayenne pepper.
- For dessert, serve melon with vanilla ice cream. Drizzle melon cubes with non-alcoholic syrups like hazelnut or orange.
- Dice up melons make great fruit salsas.
- Mix melons with chicken or seafood salad.
- Make quick melon kebobs! Thread different melon varieties on a skewer for a colorful 5 A Day treat.
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Knitidote of the Day 2013-02-15
Knitting for Anarchists by Anna Zilboorg
From Chapter One:
"The great desire of anarchism is for all people to live in peace, following their own stars. We may not be able to accomplish that in the world at large, reality being as it is, but we might well attain that ideal in the world of knitting. We do not need to be ruled by fashion in deciding what to make. We do not need to be cowed by professional decrees of the right and wrong way to do things. We do not need to be fearful of trying out ideas, of making mistakes and thereby learning, of creating something new and wonderful, or of just pleasing our own selves and nobody else."
If you have any interest in knitting or creativity, I recommend this book highly. Knitting and anarchy may not seem like a natural pairing. But in the beginning, knitting is about following directions. Blow off the instructions, and you're likely to end up with a disaster. But once you understand how knitting works, you don't need a pattern per se. You only need an idea, or a template that can accommodate your own personal vision. Case in point: the anarchist's sweater (below) is made from Zilboorg's template, so you can easily come up with your own variations.
As Zilboorg explains, understanding the process of knitting (or most things, for that matter) gives us power.
"Through understanding we become able to control our knitting and make it do what we want. Without understanding, we are doomed to do what we are told. Anarchists generally do not like to do what they are told."
There are probably quite a few words that could be substituted for "knitting" in the sentence above, with some interesting results. Because really, once you understand the process of cooking, writing, designing, etc., etc., you stop following directions and start creating. Anna Zilboorg does not have a website that I can find, but she has written several other books and you can read a little more about her here.
Readers, please send twig (firstname.lastname@example.org) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote, Petidote, or Knitidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.
Click on the image for the full-size version. Click here to see the entire series.
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Japan is the true space efficient architecture, and they’re the best interior design and architect when it comes to space and mini house design, although they’re also good in designing modern and sophisticated architectural building and home design.
Check out at the OH House designed by Atelier Tekuto. The name of this house comes from the family living here and they’re so fascinated by this fascinating residence from Yasuhiro Yamashita. The Atelier Tekuto’s (Yasuhiro Yamashita) house is 1,5 meters lower than the road in front and the house was executed on unleveled terrain.
The architect stated that “Upon entering a space, human eyes unconsciously measures distance from perpendicular lines. Thus the OH residence has multi-sided ceilings which surprise people by feeling bigger inside than the outside”.
The inhabitants here wanted a place with private and peaceful atmosphere this means that they want the street to be blocked and unable to see through the house. Yasuhiro Yamashita also commented that they have successfully live up to the challenge and they also successfully create the windows as big as possible. Such a fascinating Japanese mini house design and no wonder it’s named OH.
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Blowback goes cyber and has the US in its sightsPUBLISHED: 23 Oct 2012 00:05:08 | UPDATED: 23 Oct 2012 03:43:07PUBLISHED: 23 Oct 2012 PRINT EDITION: 23 Oct 2012
Blowback is defined as “an unforeseen and unwanted effect, result, or set of repercussions” by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
In a speech on cybersecurity, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta described as “probably the most destructive attack that the private sector has seen to date” the Shamoon computer virus that in August virtually destroyed 30,000 computers belonging to the Saudi Arabian state oil company Aramco.
Did Mr Panetta limit his description, in his talk before the Business Executives for National Security in New York, to “the private sector” because he knows of the major cyber attacks against foreign governments? What crossed my mind was the Stuxnet virus, which has been described as a US-Israeli collaboration that, beginning in 2009 and for at least a year, affected software associated with Iran’s nuclear program. In February, Iran’s Fars News Agency quoted a Tehran intelligence officer as saying that 16,000 computers in Iran had been infected by Stuxnet.
Earlier, there was Flame, another intelligence-gathering virus that focused on Iranian and other Middle Eastern computers. International computer security companies reported that Flame had some of the same characteristics as Stuxnet and apparently the same US-Israeli origin.
Should we be surprised that Iran may have been behind the attacks on Aramco and probes of US banks?
On October 6, an Israeli F-16 shot down a drone that had flown in from the Mediterranean Sea and over the Negev desert near Dimona, site of Israel’s secret nuclear weapons facility. Five days later, hours before Mr Panetta’s speech, Hasan Nasrallah, secretary-general of Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia, confirmed that his organisation had launched the drone, which it had assembled from parts manufactured in Iran.
Mr Nasrallah has made it clear his use of drones isn’t over. “This flight was not our first, will not be our last, and we give assurances we can reach any point we want. We have the right to dispatch recon planes over occupied Palestine at any time,” he said on Saturday.
In short, while armed drones have for years been a growing US military and CIA weapon of choice in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen, other countries have been quietly but quickly getting into the game.
The US paved the way, using drones in the late 1960s and early ’70s during the Vietnam War. Israel had joined in by the 1973 Yom Kippur War, using drones as decoys to confuse Syrian radar as well as for surveillance.
Iran is one of many countries in the drone business. A January 3 Congressional Research Service report noted that last year there were 680 drone programs worldwide, up from 105 in 2005. The US has about 7000 drones.
In his New York speech, Mr Panetta called the internet “a new terrain for warfare”. He also described it as “a battlefield of the future where adversaries can seek to do harm to our country, to our economy and to our citizens”. It has already become that battlefield, but with little public debate, as the US has been taking the fight to its enemies wrapped in secrecy.
Mr Panetta said that the Pentagon is spending $US3 billion a year on cyber security, “to retain that cutting-edge capability in the field” and invest “in skilled cyberwarriors needed to conduct operations in cyberspace”.
Translation: preparing to go on the offensive.
Pre-emption was the George W Bush administration’s word, and it involved bombs and boots on the ground. Mr Panetta called it “developing the capability to conduct effective [cyber] operations to counter threats to our national interests in cyberspace”.
The administration complains about the Russians, the Chinese and the Iranians hacking into US computer networks without noting what US electronic warriors are doing.
How prepared is the American public for the inevitable blowback? Just what can be done about this remote-control warfare?
Walter Pincus is a Pulitzer Prize and Emmy Award winning national security journalist.
The Washington Post
The Australian Financial Review
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TV makers ready to test depths of market for 3-D
LAS VEGAS (AP) – This is supposedly the year 3-D television becomes the hot new thing: Updated sets and disc players are coming out, and 3-D cable channels are in the works. But it's not clear the idea will reach out and grab mainstream viewers.
Besides having to spring for expensive new TVs, people would have to put on awkward special glasses to give the picture the illusion of depth. That limits 3-D viewing to times when viewers can sit down and focus on a movie or show.
It's one thing to put on 3-D glasses in a theater, but "at home, you're with other people in the living room, running to the kitchen and doing other things," said Greg Ireland of the research firm IDC.
Unfazed by the potential hang-ups, the biggest TV makers began revealing their 3-D models Wednesday before the official opening of the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Tim Baxter, president of Samsung Electronics Co.'s consumer division, said in an interview that 10 to 14 percent of the roughly 35 million TVs sold in the U.S. this year will be 3-D-capable.
Samsung is determined to make 3-D a big feature on its more expensive TVs this year. It's teaming with DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. to make the Blu-ray 3-D version of the movie "Monsters vs. Aliens" an exclusive for buyers of Samsung's 3-D TVs.
Panasonic Corp. said it will debut four 3-D sets this spring, but they won't be LCD sets, the most common type of flat panel. Instead, Panasonic is using plasma panels, saying the viewing quality will be superior to 3-D on LCDs.
Sony Corp. said its 3-D sets will be out this summer. Some will come with glasses, others will be "3-D ready," which means that buyers will have to complement with a separate plug-in device and glasses for 3-D viewing.
LG Electronics Inc. said it will introduce 47-inch and 55-inch flat-panel TVs with 3-D capabilities in May.
LG didn't announce exact prices for its new sets. But Tim Alessi, director of product development at LG Electronics USA, said 3-D TV sets will likely cost $200 to $300 more than comparable flat-panel sets without 3-D capabilities, which already run more than $1,000.
Even Vizio Inc., which is one of the TV market share leaders in the U.S. but mainly sells inexpensive sets, said it would have 3-D capabilities on its larger, higher-end sets.
Manufacturers aren't counting on 3-D to take over instantly. Color TV and high-definition caught on over many years. Like those earlier advances, 3-D programming requires upgrades throughout the TV and movie infrastructure, from shooting to editing to distribution. Incidentally, Samsung and Dreamworks are working with Technicolor, which pioneered color movies, to get 3-D right.
Of course, movies in 3-D have been around since the 1950s and from time to time have been billed as the next big thing in entertainment. And technically speaking, 3-D viewing in the home has been possible for the past few years. But there has been no good way to get 3-D movies and shows to watch.
That obstacle is being swept away this year, as plans for a 3-D version of the Blu-ray disc have solidified. Players are expected this spring. Also, satellite broadcaster DirecTV Inc. said Wednesday that it will send out software upgrades to most of its set-top boxes in June that will enable 3-D reception.
On Tuesday, two major cable networks – ESPN and Discovery – said they plan to start beaming 3-D entertainment into homes for the first time.
ESPN plans to have its channel running in time to show World Cup soccer matches in 3-D on June 11. Discovery Communications Inc. will partner with Imax Corp. and Sony to bring out its own full-time 3-D network in 2011.
Samsung isn't waiting for 3-D programming: It said its sets will be able to convert standard 2-D programming to 3-D on the fly. The effect likely won't be as good as original 3-D footage, but it will "tide consumers over" until there is more 3-D programming, Baxter said.
Toshiba is taking the same tack. It plans to roll out a new line of five TVs this year that will perform the 2-D to 3-D conversion in a separate box with a powerful processor, similar to one used in the Sony PlayStation 3. Like the other manufacturers, Toshiba didn't announce prices for the sets, but they will probably be expensive.
TV manufacturers, movie studios and broadcasters are counting on the excitement around the latest wave of 3-D movies in theaters to finally drive interest in adapting the technology for the home. In particular, James Cameron's "Avatar" has set a new standard for 3-D in movies and has surpassed $1 billion at the box office. It demonstrates that 3-D is viable for more than just computer-animated children's or family movies such as "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs."
"The hopes of the industry have undoubtedly been raised by the success of `Avatar,'" said NPD analyst Ross Rubin.
But it's not clear people will be eager to pony up the premium prices for 3-D in the home – at least for a few years – or even that the experience will translate well from the movie theater to the living room. (It is possible to do 3-D TV without glasses, but those solutions usually require viewers to keep their heads in one particular place. The image quality is also lower.)
Viewing 3-D discs will require new Blu-ray players that could cost a few hundred dollars, to the possible annoyance of people who invested in regular Blu-ray players in the past several years. However, PlayStation 3 owners are in luck: Sony says that a free software upgrade will enable them to play 3-D movies.
It may also be difficult to tempt shoppers to buy new TVs after the flat-panel binge of the last few years.
Jay Weil, 42, a day trader from San Francisco, said he's unlikely to jump in to buy 3-D technology right away because he bought a new 52-inch, high-definition TV about six months ago for $1,800. He has no problems with the setup.
"I'm not suffering, even though it's 2-D," he said Wednesday inside a Best Buy store in San Francisco.
Analyst Riddhi Patel at iSuppli Corp. said one target market would probably be people who have moved the flat panels they bought a few years ago into their bedrooms and now want new sets for their living rooms.
Or TV makers can count on hitting the mainstream later and aim for enthusiasts first – people such as Michael Pearce, 39, a supervisor at a biotechnology company.
Pearce loves the thrill of new electronics, even though his family tells him he's gone overboard. He says he has bought 12 flat-screen TVs in the last three years and sells the old ones on eBay whenever he upgrades.
"I like to see how they push the envelope. I like to see what's next," he said. "Three-D TV is like, wow. You have to go to the movies for that."
– AP Business Writer Andrew Vanacore in New York and AP Technology Writer Jordan Robertson in San Francisco contributed to this report
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When Apple concluded its iPhone 5 event in San Francisco last week, I walked past the hands on area where Apple had devices for press to use, and went to meet with Apple executives to get an iPhone 5 of my own.
I’ve been using the iPhone 5 as my main device for almost a week now and it has been a treat. As I do with all of my reviews, I want to give you an idea of how I use it in my life and how it performs in my daily tasks. To me, that is what makes a device like the iPhone 5 important, not the specs.
At first glance you may think the iPhone 5 looks exactly the same as the iPhone 4S, but that can be a little deceiving. There is no doubt the new iPhone is very similar to its predecessor, but there are many small changes.
For instance, the silver band around the iPhone 5 has the slightest bezel that gives the iPhone a slightly more rounded feel in your hand. You may be wondering how much difference that little change could make, but if you hold your iPhone all day, even the smallest change makes a big difference.
That has been my takeaway from the design of the iPhone 5 — small design changes that make for big user experience improvements. It’s important to remember that while the changes on the outside may be small to the naked eye, the changes on the inside are huge. Every major component of the iPhone has been changed in one way or another.
Of course, the thing that everyone is talking about with the iPhone 5 is the 4-inch screen. I can tell you that it’s gorgeous.
The thing with the larger screen is that you get this feeling of having space on the display that you didn’t have before. Clearly, that’s true because the screen is larger, but I mean even more space than the screen allows. Perhaps it’s a perceptual thing. If you told me that I would be able to see another few rows of emails or more of a Web page, I don’t know that I would see the importance, but when you look at the iPhone 5, it’s more than that. You have to see it to get an idea of what can be done.
Apps are not just going to be stretched to fit the screen. Developers have already shown at Apple’s event that with more space comes new and innovative design ideas. That’s the future of iPhone apps.
iOS developers are some of the most innovative people I’ve ever met. They are continually pushing the envelope of what can be done on a mobile operating system and mobile hardware. I expect, from the conversations I’ve had, that trend will continue with the iPhone 5.
The most important point of Apple’s larger iPhone screen is that it’s not too large. I know that sounds strange, but bigger is not always better. If the screen is so big that you can’t comfortably operate the iPhone 5 with one hand, then Apple would have failed.
But they didn’t. I am able to easily navigate through the iPhone 5 menus and options using one hand. My thumb reaches the top of the screen to tap on options and hit the back button without shuffling the phone in my hand.
This is a mobile device, not a desktop computer. We want to operate an iPhone with one hand. This is a device that we use on the go, with a coffee in one hand and an iPhone in the other. We can send an email, visit a Web page or make a phone call.
We can also use the multitude of apps available, but the second you require two-hands, you take away functionality and convenience from the user. That is a design failure.
Another factor that comes into play with size is the ability to put the iPhone 5 in your pocket. Again, it’s a mobile device — we need to be able to take it out, use it and put it back in our pocket without really thinking about it. If we have to find a new place to put the iPhone, it’s no longer convenient. When that happens, we stop using it.
If there is one problem I had with the iPhone, it would be with the apps that weren’t designed for the larger screen. We’re used to going to the bottom of the screen for the menu, but because the older apps are centered on the screen, the menus aren’t there. I tap a few times before I realize I have to move my thumb up a little bit.
It’s a minor quirk that will go away as soon as the developers update their apps.
I use my iPhone 5 to make phone calls, iMessage, text, Web browsing, email, Twitter and generally keep up-to-date with what’s going on around the world. I unplugged my phone from the charger at 10:00 am, used it all day doing the things described above and then waited for it to run out of battery.
It wasn’t until about 7:00 am the next morning that it finally died. I didn’t watch any movies or intensive things like that, but I had Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on. Basically this was real-world usage testing for me. It was a normal day.
Many of us have experience with LTE from using the iPad. I’ll tell you it’s great to see it on the iPhone. I actually use LTE more on the iPhone than I do on the iPad, simply because I use the phone a lot more. The speed is incredibly fast, especially when compared to what the iPhone 4S could do.
Like the faster processor and graphics, LTE gives you the feeling of never waiting for anything. Apps open fast and you are ready to work or browse the Web right away.
I know we hear about Apple’s products being thinner quite a bit, but the iPhone 5 is noticeably thinner than the 4S. I was actually surprised at how much thinner the new iPhone was when I held it next to the 4S. Of course with thinner comes lighter, and the iPhone 5 is that too. I guarantee you’ll be surprised the first time you pick it up. Because it’s larger, you naturally assume it will be heavier, but it’s not.
I have taken advantage of everything iCloud has to offer. I sync my contacts, calendars, bookmarks, I use Documents in Cloud with iWork and most of all, I use iTunes Match. Everything I have is in iCloud and I couldn’t be happier.
iOS 6 and Mountain Lion makes this even better. With Notes and Reminders, everything I need to schedule, listen to, make an appointment with, contact or work on is on every device I own. From my iPad, to my iPhone and Macs, all of my information is there.
For me, the operating system isn’t just about what’s on my device, but also how that OS lets me access and interact with my information and content when I’m not on my iPhone. That is where iOS excels.
I really should mention Maps, Apple’s new turn-by-turn direction app on the iPhone. I love it. I used in Cupertino and I used it at home — it worked equally well in both places. Using Siri and Maps together, I can get information and directions to pretty much anywhere I want to go. The street labels in Maps are easy to read while driving, which is great at a quick glance and the spoken directions were great for me.
One of the things I was excited about was Apple’s new headphones that they call EarPods. I listen to music on my iPod or iPhone quite a bit when I travel, so having good headphones is important.
Personally, I never had a problem with Apple’s old headphones, but a lot of people complained they fell out of their ears. My wife and son both have this problem. For me, the EarPods fit even better than the previous model.
You know when headphones start to push out of your ears and the music seems like it’s getting farther away? That didn’t happen. I pushed on these a number of times and they didn’t go into my ears any more than they did when I first put them there.
I wore them on my flight from California after the event for five hours and they were quite comfortable.
What I really liked was the bass response. I tried a number of EQs and different types of music and the headphones sounded great.
My experience with the iPhone 5, iOS and the EarPods has been great. The iPhone is everything Apple said it would be and with iOS 6 built-in, it’s clear to me that Apple has another winner on its hands.
I can’t think of any good reason why anyone wouldn’t upgrade or purchase the iPhone 5.
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The Second High-Level Round Table on the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGR) took place at the Rio Centro, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 21 June 2012 during the Rio+20 Summit. The event was co-organized by Brazil and Italy, under the patronship of the High-level Task Force of the Benefit-sharing Fund of the ITPGR. The Round Table aimed to help to join efforts for a coherent and synergic implementation of the International Treaty.
As part of the UN Decade on Biodiversity 2011-2020, the event fostered discussions among ITPGR parties, stakeholders and experts on pressing issues regarding the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. The discussion in particular focused on: the interaction between economy, biodiversity and food security; the ITPGR innovative mechanisms such as the Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-sharing and its Benefit-sharing Fund; and the potential monetary and non-monetary benefits arising from the utilization of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. Meeting participants agreed to adopt as recommendations of the Round Table a six-point action plan for the ITPGR.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF ITPGRFA
Concluded under the auspices of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the ITPGR is a legally binding instrument that targets the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) and equitable benefit-sharing, in harmony with the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), for sustainable agriculture and food security. The Treaty contains sections on general provisions, farmers’ rights, supporting components, and financial and institutional provisions. It establishes an Multilateral System for facilitated access to a specified list of PGRFA including 35 crop genera and 29 forage species (Annex I), balanced by benefit-sharing in the areas of information exchange, technology transfer, capacity building and commercial development. The Treaty entered into force on 29 June 2004, and currently has 127 parties.
NEGOTIATION PROCESS: The Treaty’s negotiations were based on the revision of the non-binding International Undertaking on PGRFA (IU). The IU was originally based on the principle that PGRFA should be “preserved … and freely available for use” as part of the common heritage of mankind. This was subsequently subjected to “the sovereignty of States over their plant genetic resources,” according to FAO Resolution 3/91. In April 1993, the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA) decided that the IU should be revised to be in harmony with the CBD. The negotiations spanned seven years. .
ITPGR INTERIM COMMITTEE: The CGRFA, acting as the ITPGR Interim Committee, held two meetings (October 2002 and November 2004, Rome, Italy), where it adopted its rules of procedure, and set TORs for intersessional consideration of the rules of procedure and financial rules for the Governing Body, procedures for compliance, and the terms of the standard material transfer agreement (SMTA).
An open-ended intersessional working group (December 2005, Rome, Italy) revised the rules of procedure and financial rules of the Governing Body, the funding strategy and procedures for compliance, and prepared a draft resolution on compliance for consideration by the first meeting of the Governing Body. An expert group on the SMTA (October 2004, Brussels, Belgium) considered options for the SMTA terms and draft structure, and recommended establishment of an intersessional contact group to draft its elements.
This contact group held two meetings, which ended with agreement on a draft SMTA but left a number of issues unresolved, including: the Third Party Beneficiary’s rights; the definitions of “product” and “sales,” and the formula for benefit-sharing; obligations of the recipient in the case of subsequent transfers of material; dispute settlement; and applicable law. Contact group Chair Eng Siang Lim (Malaysia) established an intersessional Friends of the Chair group to resolve pending issues prior to the first session of the Governing Body.
ITPGR GB 1: The first session of the ITPGR Governing Body (June 2006, Madrid, Spain) adopted the SMTA and the Funding Strategy. The SMTA includes provisions on a fixed percentage of 1.1% that a recipient shall pay when a product is commercialized but not available without restriction to others for further research and breeding; and 0.5% for an alternative payments scheme. The Governing Body further adopted: its rules of procedure, including decision making by consensus; financial rules with bracketed options on an indicative scale of voluntary contributions or voluntary contributions in general; a resolution establishing a Compliance Committee; the relationship agreement with the Global Crop Diversity Trust; and a model agreement with the IARCs of the CGIAR and other international institutions.
ITPGR GB 2: The second session of the Governing Body (October-November 2007, Rome, Italy) addressed a series of items, including implementation of the Funding Strategy, the MTA for non-Annex I crops, cooperation with the CGRFA, and sustainable use of PGRFA. Following challenging budget negotiations, the meeting adopted the work programme and budget for 2008-09. It also adopted a resolution on farmers’ rights, as well as a joint statement of intent for cooperation with the CGRFA.
ITPGR GB 3: The third session of the Governing Body (June 2009, Tunis, Tunisia) agreed to: a set of outcomes for implementation of the Funding Strategy, including a financial target of US$116 million for the period July 2009 - December 2014; a resolution on implementation of the MLS, including setting up an intersessional advisory committee on implementation issues; procedures for the Third Party Beneficiary; and a resolution on farmers’ rights. The meeting also adopted the work programme and budget for 2010-11; agreed to finalize the outstanding financial rules at GB 4; and established intersessional processes to finalize compliance procedures by GB 4 and review the SMTA.
HIGH-LEVEL ROUNDTABLE ON THE ITPGR: Hosted by the Government of Italy with the support of the ITPGR Secretariat under the title “Leading the Field,” the High-level Roundtable on the ITPGR (7 December 2010, Rome, Italy) focused on the role of the ITPGR in addressing food security in a time of climate change. Speakers emphasized: the need to continue exchanging and using PGRFA to achieve food security, particularly in the climate change context; the Treaty’s role in that regard; that all parties should make their relevant PGRFA available through the MLS; that the Treaty’s benefit-sharing fund should be used to assist small-scale farmers to adapt to climate change; and that investing in the Treaty should continue and the Treaty’s Core Administrative Budget should be funded adequately.
CONFERENCE ON FARMERS’ RIGHTS: The Global Consultation Conference on Farmers’ Rights (23-25 November 2010, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) focused on: rights to save, use, exchange and sell farm-saved seeds; protection of traditional knowledge; benefit-sharing; and participation in decision making. The meeting provided an overview of national measures affecting the realization of farmers’ rights, achievements and success stories, farmers’ views on required measures, major obstacles and options, gaps and needs, as well as recommendations to the Governing Body.
BALI MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE: Convened on 11 March 2011, this ministerial conference adopted the Bali Ministerial Declaration on the ITPGR, in which participants: engage themselves to further enhancing Treaty implementation to help meet the challenges of agricultural biodiversity erosion, food insecurity, extreme poverty and the effects of climate change; and call upon parties and relevant stakeholders to prioritize activities relevant to the MLS, SMTA, sustainable use of PGRFA, and farmers’ rights, and to mobilize more effective and timely contributions to the implementation of the Funding Strategy, including its benefit-sharing fund.
ITPGR GB 4: The fourth session of the ITPGR Governing Body (14-18 March 2011, Bali, Indonesia) adopted nine resolutions, including on procedures and mechanisms on compliance, the financial rules of the Governing Body, a work programme and budget for the 2012-2013 biennium, farmers’ rights, sustainable use and implementation of the Funding Strategy.
Maurizio Antonio Lopes, Executive Director of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, chaired the roundtable. Bård Vegard Sohjell, Minister of Environment of Norway, emphasized: the complementarity between the ITPGR, the CBD and its Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS); the importance of the continued improvement of crop varieties for climate change adaptation; participatory plant breeding; and the contribution of traditional seed supply systems of indigenous and local communities to food security and the conservation of biodiversity. He called for partnerships between farmers, industry and governments in building the capacity of developing countries.
Erikson Camargo Chandoha, Secretary of Agricultural Development and Cooperativism, Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil, pointed to sustainable agricultural production and development and food security as pillars of the green economy.
José Graziano da Silva, FAO Director-General, recalled FAO’s three key messages to Rio+20: the Rio vision of sustainable development cannot be achieved unless hunger and malnutrition are eradicated; the Rio vision requires that both food consumption and production systems “achieve more with less”; and the transition to a sustainable future requires fundamental changes in the governance of food and agriculture and an equitable sharing of the transition costs and benefits.
He welcomed the adoption of the Nagoya Protocol and the important role the ITPGR plays in it. He underscored the importance of farmers’ rights, their traditional knowledge, their access to genetic resources, and their active participation in benefit-sharing and national decision-making about plant genetic resources. He also stressed the need for increased participation of farmers, civil society and the private sector in debates on food security. He further highlighted the reference in the draft Rio+20 outcome document to the Voluntary Guidelines on Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security.
Yannick Glemarec, UN Development Programme (UNDP), reported on UNDP’s work on mainstreaming biodiversity conservation and sustainable use in productive systems, notably agricultural systems and on increasing demands for support of the conservation of plant genetic resources and on agricultural biodiversity in increasing resilience to the negative impacts of climate change.
Javad Mozafari, ITPGR Governing Body Chair, underscored the importance of a comprehensive vision for plant genetic resources, of countries’ interdependence in the conservation and use of these resources, and the global-to-local integrated approach for their effective conservation and sustainable use. He pointed to the role of the ITPGR in relation to information exchange and technology transfer, public-private partnerships, intellectual property rights and farmers’ rights, compliance and capacity-building, innovative technology, and traditional knowledge. He also reported on the ITPGR side-event on public-private partnership for the implementation of the Treaty held on 20 June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro and the resulting six-action plan for the ITPGR.
Braulio de Souza Dias, CBD Executive Secretary, stated that the agriculture community is one of the major users of biodiversity and that on-farm conservation should receive more support. He then announced a new cooperation initiative between the CBD Secretariat and the ITPGR Secretariat to promote the complementarity between the Nagoya Protocol and the Treaty, noting the opportunity for the implementation of the Protocol to benefit from the experience of the ITPGR and the need to provide a clear indication to the agricultural community that the two instruments are complementary.
Dias and Shakeel Bhatti, ITPGR Secretary, signed a document on the Joint Initiative between the Treaty and the CBD.
Dacian Cioloş, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, emphasized: the added value of crop diversity in addressing climate change; other environmental challenges and food security; and the need to translate this value into a competitive edge in the agricultural sector, by promoting the use of plant genetic resources, not only their conservation. He announced that the EU is in the process of doubling its budget for research and innovation in agriculture.
Hans-Jürgen Beerfeltz, Vice-Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany, reported on: continued investment in national rural development; agricultural development and food security; work towards the elimination of agricultural subsidies; and the adoption of an action programme for rural development and food security for 2012-2014, which includes an agenda to tackle corruption and land grabbing and an initiative to stop land degradation globally.
Roberto Cavalcanti, Secretary for Biodiversity and Forestry at the Ministry of Environment of Brazil, stated that the conservation of genetic resources is a duty for every country. Participants then watched a video message on food security, poverty eradication and sustainable development by John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor, former President of the Republic of Ghana and former Chairman of the African Union, who encouraged all countries to support the realization of the purpose of the Treaty.
Ibrahim Thiaw, Director of UNEP Environmental Policy Implementation Division, expressed satisfaction for the adoption of the Nagoya Protocol, noting that no agreement can be implemented in isolation. He also reported on UNEP’s work on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. He then exchanged with Bhatti the documents for a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Treaty and UNEP.
Sándor Fazekas, Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development of Hungary, underscored: the fundamental role of FAO in strengthening international cooperation on plant genetic resources; the importance of the genetic diversity in cultivated lands and of wild species; and cooperation with all stakeholders at the national level towards achieving international objectives.
Emile Frison, Director-General of Bioversity International, emphasized: the role of agricultural development and sustainable agriculture in addressing climate change, poverty and malnutrition; the contribution of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research to the distribution of genetic material and the generation and sharing of benefits; and the need for countries to adopt measures implementing the ITPGR. Participants then watched a video message by Francis Gurry, Secretary-General of the Union for the Protection of New Plant Varieties and Director-General of the World Intellectual Property Organization, who underscored the important role of innovation in plant breeding and facilitated access to plant genetic resources to improve productivity, and pointed to a joint research project on the economics of the Multilateral System carried out with the ITPGR Secretariat.
Emilia Harahap, Assistant Minister for the Environment of Indonesia, announced her government’s intention to host a conference on biodiversity, climate change and food security in 2013 as a follow-up to the Ministerial Conference on biodiversity, food security and climate change held in Bali, Indonesia, on 11 March 2011. Harahap also publicized a back-to-back a high-level consultation on completing the governance of all PGRFA under the Treaty and ensuring the ITPGR implementation to its full potential. Participants then witnessed the signing ceremony of a German contribution to the Benefit-sharing Fund of the Treaty by Clemens Neumann, Ministerial Director, Department for Bio-based Economy, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection of Germany.
On the six-point action plan for the ITPGR, Pat Mooney, ETC Group, welcomed proposals on: the platform for the co-development and transfer of technologies as part of non-monetary benefit-sharing of the Treaty, emphasizing the need to include technology assessments as part of technology transfer; a public-private partnership for pre-breeding; and a new keystone-type dialogue to complete the governance of all PGRFA under the Treaty.
FAO Director-General Graziano da Silva emphasized the expansion of the list of the crops included in Annex I of the Treaty. Chair Lopes suggested, and participants agreed, that the six-point action plan be the main recommendation of the Second High-level Round Table. Chair Lopes drew the meeting to a close at 1:07 pm.
Outcome: The Rio Six-point Action Plan for the ITPGR highlights a list of action items, including to:
- establish a platform for the co-development and transfer of technologies as part of non-monetary benefit-sharing of the Treaty;
- promote a public-private partnership for pre-breeding;
- facilitate a new keystone-type dialogue to complete the governance of all PGRFA under the Treaty, as part of the international regime on ABS, including all the relevant stakeholders;
- raise awareness of the actual and potential value of underutilized species of local and regional importance for food security and sustainable development;
- sensitize policy-makers and other key stakeholders about the importance of the full implementation of the Treaty, not only for food and agriculture but also for food security, nutrition and the resilience of agriculture systems, particularly in the context of the climate change; and
- explore the possible expansion the list of the crops included in Annex I of the Treaty.
Nagoya Protocol IC 2: The second meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of the Nagoya Protocol on ABS will address, inter alia, compliance procedures and mechanism, and the need for a global multilateral benefit-sharing mechanism. dates: 2-6 July 2012 location: Delhi, India contact: CBD Secretariat phone: +1-514-288-2220 fax: +1-514-288-6588 email: firstname.lastname@example.org www: http://www.cbd.int/
CBD COP 11: The eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity is will address, inter alia, the status of the Nagoya Protocol, biodiversity and climate change, implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, and the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity. dates: 8-19 October 2012 location: India contact: CBD Secretariat phone: +1-514-288-2220 fax: +1-514-288-6588 email: email@example.com www: http://www.cbd.int/
ITPGR GB 5: The fifth session of the Governing Body of the ITPGR is expected to be held in 2013. dates: to be determined location: to be determined contact: ITPGR Secretariat phone: +39-06-570-53441 fax: +39-06-570-56347 email: firstname.lastname@example.org www: http://www.itpgrfa.net/
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Witold Riedel has an interesting post today related to the sudden hipness of Moleskines. His words got me thinking about the separation of the Moleskine (the object) and what we can do in them (the process and the message).
This separation seems to be a problem with any attractive “thing”, because people often look at the thing itself and not at what can be done with it. I think there is soften a similar phenomena which occurs with cameras, computers or with other tools. There are always those who figure buying a certain tool will suddenly make their work amazing.”
No, no no. It is about the work, even if the medium (in this case a Moleskine) fits your working needs well and provides an enjoyable experience. Personally, I love Moleskines because they are very well designed. They seem to have a perfect size, thickness, paper quality, and small design details which I appreciate for the way I work.
However, though a Moleskine’s niceties do not make my art or writing better, I do believe they can sometimes encourage me to write or draw more because the process is more enjoyable than on a uncrumpled sheet of notebook paper.
Now, that certainly won’t make what you do in the Moleskine any better — but by being encouraged to work on your process of expression, maybe it can encourage you to improve, or at least to explore when you might not.
Years ago, my father was an amateur photographer and spent a good amount of time finding the right SLR camera to fit his hands and working style (which turned out to be a Minlota SRT-101). When I asked whether his camera would help him take better photos, he told me that the camera is not what’s important to making great photos… the eye of the photographer is what makes great photos.
He made a statement something like this:
“Give a great photographer a box camera and an average photographer the best equipment available, and I bet you that the great photographer will always produce better, more interesting shots. It’s not about the camera, it’s about the photographer.”
Personally, I hope people don’t read my enthusiastic weblog posts about a love for Moleskines and misinterpret that to mean the book makes my work better. My intent with my Moleskine posts was to share this wonderful little object with others who might want to try them out, to kick start or encourage their own process of writing or sketching.
I suppose there is something related here to an earlier posts about worries on sudden popularity of Moleskines: will they become a fad and therefore become diluted? I do suspect some people will buy them because they are “hip”. However, I am willing to deal with this, if it means another person who buys one in curiosity is encouraged to see it as a means to an end. An improvement on the process of expression. To do writing or sketches they may not have otherwise done.
In the end, I believe it’s about the process of expression (writing, drawing) and not the medium (Moleskines) in which that process is explored. I think it’s our job as Moleskine fans to make certain those we influence to try Moleskines for themselves stay focused on the process of working and not the medium.
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Guardian roundtable event highlights fears that investment, jobs, gender, and humanitarian crisis will be underemphasised
Somalis living in the UK say diaspora groups have not been properly consulted ahead of Thursday's international conference in London aimed at setting a course for a country ravaged by war for two decades.
Somali representatives of UK organisations addressed some of the questions raised by readers at a roundtable organised by Global development on Friday. A feeling emerged that the concerns of Somalis – in Somalia and in the diaspora – have not been addressed, with participants arguing the focus should have been on investment, jobs, gender, and the humanitarian crisis rather than international security and piracy.
Somalis in the UK have been invited to various events in the prelude to the London conference, but feel the agenda has been preordained. Mohamed Sharif Mohamud, a former ambassador of Somalia and former under-secretary general of the Arab League, voiced particular concern at plans – contained in a leaked document– for a group of 15 states "that would lead work on supporting Somalia with the United Nations".
The international community is "planning to end the mandate of the transitional government and replace it by a committee of 15 states, this is direct colonisation," he said, directing trenchant criticism at Ethiopia for "sponsoring antagonistic warlords in an endless divide-and-rule policy".
The international Somalia contact group, a support body that brings together the UN, World Bank and countries including Ethiopia, Kenya and the UK, has said Somalia's current transitional governing arrangements must end in August, as stipulated in recent agreements. The group has called for a new draft constitution by mid-April.
Rahma Ahmed, co-ordinator of the Somali Relief and Development Forum, agreed the conference has failed to address the concerns of Somalis.
"When the British government decided to step forward it should have asked what Somalis wanted," she said. "What they did instead was to identify a few areas. It failed to respect the process and priorities set by Somalis."
However, Abdirashid Duale, the CEO of international funds transfer company Dahabshiil, cautioned that Somalis were so divided it was difficult to know who to consult. While acknowledging that British interests may have taken priority over Somali interests, he took a more charitable attitude.
"Whether the outcome of the London conference is effective we don't know yet," he said. "But the British government wanted to help and we should give them the benefit of the doubt."
On the issue of why the international community was so focused on Somalia now, several saw realpolitik at work, with the west competing for influence against Turkey, the Organisation of Islamic States and, particularly, Iran in a strategic part of the world. It was pointed out that the Red Sea is close to the vital Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil flows, and that Africa Oil, a Canadian firm, has started drilling for oil in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland, the first oil exploration in Somalia for 21 years. Duale also attributed western interest to concern that radicalised Somali youths will make the UK a target.
Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, and Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, are among the officials from 50 countries and international organisations expected to attend, along with representatives from Somalia's transitional institutions. Al-Shabaab, the Islamist insurgents who last week announced their formal alignment with al-Qaida, will not be at the five-hour conference.
All four participants thought al-Shabaab was a fact of life – like the Taliban in Afghanistan – and had to be engaged politically at some point.
"Anyone who prioritises ordinary Somali people has a role to play in the future of Somalia, whoever that group might be," said Ahmed.
She also said Somalis had to come to terms with their country's troubled history, a source of much anger and resentment.
"Somalia definitely needs to deal with its past," she said. "We need to address it, we need a platform to let out the anger and frustrations towards each other. We've been through civil war. Young people have witnessed their parents and grandparents being killed. It's part of our very recent history. There has to be reconciliation between average Somalis, between people, neighbours, friends, families, for everyone to feel they have been heard."
Mohamed Elmi, chairman and founder of Somali Diaspora UK, which encourages the integration of the Somali community in Britain, agreed with Rahma Ahmed that women should be more involved in Somalia's fiuture.
"Women should be at the forefront of social issues," said Elmi, a call echoed by Somali women living in the UK.
Amina Souleiman, a Sheffield-based Somali activist who spoke with hundreds of Somali women, highlighted deep concern about women being ignored by the London conference.
"Somalia has been a failed state for 20 years, and all along, men were in charge," she said. "The draft communiqué talks about a role for Islamists in Somali politics but says nothing about a role for women. This clearly sends the wrong message and gives the green light to clan, tribal and religious leaders to exclude women from the political process."
Mark TranLiz Ford
guardian.co.uk© 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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On the other hand, etymologically it means 'worth regard,' which is exactly the opposite of its use. The word 'cromulent' is in the dictionary for no other reason than that the Simpsons made it up.
Language is defined by its usage. If people are using a word enough, it'll be considered as part of the language, the word 'meh' was not so long a go included in the dictionary and it is considered to denote 'indifference'.
Yes, you can trace the etymology behind a word, but a semantic shift can still occur in language change - so the previous meaning doesn't affect the current meaning (hence it has shifted), the word 'gay' is a perfect example of a semantic shift. From 'happy' to 'homosexual'. With the compounding of the two words 'irregardless' came to be an informal version of the word 'regardless'. What the two words compounded actually mean is irrelevant. 'Irregardless' is an acceptable term to use in the English language, however, I know that there are people who cringe at the sight of the word, so I'll respect that and use 'regardless' instead.
Also, TV can influence language change too - you'll probably find 'doh' in the dictionary as well (just checked and it is).
'Standardised English' is based on common usage and not a prescribed authoritarian order of language. Even then, it's not considered inappropriate to speak anything that isn't "Standardised English", I am a big fan of colloquialisms myself and use them a lot of the time, though less frequently when typing.
Who gets to decide whether or not the benefits make it worthwhile, and what data is used to draw this conclusion?
Who gets to decide? How's a bill passed? Through government. Does this mean the government decide - not necessarily, whenever a bill is proposed, in our democratic society you as a collective have the ability to get the right amendments made or stop the bill being passed altogether. Democracy isn't necessarily going to result in decisions that best
benefit society, but there's no such thing as a flawless system of government. But at least the system places the responsibility on the people who are affected.
As for data. I went through that one: research, studies, scientific method (like social sciences) etc. Yes, it's difficult, but a fool's decision is based on rhetoric. A fool would also universalise the stats for the US, I am sure a good scientist will tell you this. If you're going to based 'knowledge' on rhetoric and misused statistics, then you're no different to a creation scientist, whose expertise is selling unscientific bollocks to back a claim. If judges in court based their decisions on misused statistics and rhetoric, they'd could be putting innocent men in jail, this could be argued of the West Memphis Three, whose prosecutors were spouted rhetoric over evidence or proof and they were sentenced on death row.
But they shouldn't have been banned in the first place.
It depends, would violent crime be worse or better today if they hadn't?
But as mentioned in another thread, you're either free or you're not.
Then you, like I, are not free. Somalian pirates on the other hand, well, you might even then suggest on some accounts that even they aren't 'free'...There's levels of freedom, you can say a person is more free than another, but yes, I'd agree that technically speaking they're not free. I believe this was one of my previous points.
If the word "no" isn't good enough for you, what the hell is?
I need more info. You won't budge if guns lead to major problems, but will if they're the cause of major problems. I could at least do with knowing why you've made this distinction, particularly as it appears to be a contradiction to, "no stats in the world would make me budge". Also, if my analysis of your arguments are wrong, I'd like to know why, if I don't, then I don't have much to go on.
What exactly am I dodging here?
You've not stated why you don't offer the same logic for guns as you do with missiles. You say you'd need more thought, I asked why? I've seen no reason in your arguments that requires you to thing more on the situation surrounding missiles because your arguments support guns by proxy supports missiles. Each time I keep making these kind of challenges you won't actually tell me they're wrong or exactly why they're wrong. I have one thing saying to me: this guy wants civil liberties surrounding arms regardless of consequence. Then: this guys is undecided about missiles because of the consequences. Then: this guy isn't bothered if legalisation leads to a problem but claims if it's the cause, then he'll budge - I think the difference is semantics when you consider than changes would be as a result of gun legalisation; after all, we're not talking about correlation, but where the legalisation of guns becomes responsible.
But, if I'm going to trust your previous statement - you'd budge at cause, then does that mean if the legalisation of guns in the UK were to cause the increase of murders and other violent crime in the UK then would you say, "the UK didn't need them", despite it being in contradiction with a previous statement?
Which makes these 3 statements seem contradictory and I keep raising them because I am looking to be told exactly how they don't contradict one another and how you're able to be undecided about missiles but be so stern when it comes to guns.
But also, when I make comparisons or suggestions about your mentality - for example, where I suggest that it's your kind of mentality that's caused so many problems in the world involving guns, you've barely addressed the issue. When talking about the West arming other nations, you argue that they ought not to interfere, but you pass no judgment the result of the interference, which is what I was trying to get at, essentially, are these countries better off because they're armed?
It's these kind of things that I feel are being avoided and now it's making it increasingly difficult to assess exactly what it is you're arguing, after all, statements you make seem to contradict the logic you're using and the arguments you have been making.
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- Professor of Education
- Division: Education
Why I love teaching at Molloy College
I love interacting with the students through courses, advisement, Freshman Seminar, and clubs. You don't often get all these opportunities to get to know your students at larger colleges.
What I am working on
Currently, I am examining the needs of children with challenges that are not great enough to necessarily qualify them for services. I think all classroom teachers would benefit from the same "bag of tricks" typically used by Special Education teachers.
I think children learn best by doing and by being personally invested in the work. Teachers today need to know how to make learning fun and interactive and not solely focus on standards and testing.
B.A. in Elementary Education- Queens College, CUNY, NY
M.S. in Reading- C.W. Post, Long Island University, NY
Ed.D in Instructional Leadership- St. John's University, NY
Moderator of the Delta Epsilon Sigma Honor Society
Kraemer, L. A., McCabe, P.M, & Sinatra, R. (in press). The effects of read alouds of expository text on first graders' listening comprehension and book choice. Literacy Research and Instruction.
McCabe, P. P., Kraemer, L. A., Miller, P. M., Parmar, R. S., & Ruscica, M. B. (2006). The effect of text format upon underachieving first year college students' self-efficacy for reading and subsequent reading comprehension. Journal of College Reading and Learning, 37(1), 19-44.
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Alan Bennett on private schools and history teaching
18 Jan 2011
I had the great pleasure of listening to - and asking a question of - the playwright and author, Alan Bennett, at the wonderful Rose Theatre in Kingston Upon Thames last night. www.rosetheatrekingston.org/
He had some trenchant things to say about private schools and I was also able to ask the author of "The History Boys" for his views on the school history curriculum.
Bennett pulled no punches on private education: "I think it is wrong", he said, "it causes a great chasm" in society.
He lamented the failure of Tony Blair to tackle the issue, saying he "could have amalgamated the two systems at 6th form level" as a start.
"I can't see any argument for private education", he added, as "I can't see why a child should get a second rate education because they cannot afford to pay".
However, in his self-deprecating way, Bennett added: "I am a bore about it".
However, once into his stride, there was no stopping him on the subject. He noted that in this age of austerity - when all others are being asked to take cuts - the public schools "have not been asked to contribute anything". He alluded to the attempt by the Charities Commission to review the charitable tax status of independent schools but added "that's now gone away".
On history teaching, I asked him what he though should be set out in the forthcoming review of the National Curriculum.
A history graduate himself, Bennett admitted he was "so far from the nitty-gritty of teaching history" that he was a bit reluctant to comment. However he said it seemed there was a concentration in schools on "Henry VIII and the Great War". He said that was understandable as there was a "lot of blood and guts" in these areas and this went down well with pupils.
However, he said, "I think we should be teaching the outline of English history" as used to happen when he was at school. Mind you, he admitted, that he only really got the full chronology of history when he went to Oxford.
There, he admitted to finding the 18th century "very, very dull". But he said that was no bad thing as you "had to get down to hard work" to get through it, which was a useful lesson.
Bennett also commented on the proposed rise in university tuition fees. In response to my question about history, he ventured onto the topic of his play 'The History Boys" (about to be revived at The Rose). He said today the question was not so much "how would these boys get into Oxford as how is it going to be paid for?".
He said the cost of university was "not what the play was about but there's a lot to be said about it - perhaps it needs another half an hour with the audience".
I have also written in today's Education Guardian about the debate over school history teaching. This follows the report from The Better History Group www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/news/better_history_group.html which recommends a stronger focus on the factual chronology of British history. One of the group's leaders - Dr Sean Lang from Anglia Ruskin University - is hopeful that their ideas will be taken up in the government's review of the national curriculum. More on this at: www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/jan/18/history-national-curriculum
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Disunion follows the Civil War as it unfolded.
On Sept. 19, 1862, just two days after the Battle of Antietam, Alexander Gardner, an employee of the photographer Mathew Brady, began documenting the battle’s grim aftermath. One of Gardner’s photographs, titled “Dead Horse of Confederate Colonel; both killed at Battle of Antietam,” depicted a milky-white steed lying on the field in an eerily peaceful repose. Another showed a line of bloated Confederate bodies along the Hagerstown Pike. Titled “View in the Field, on the west side of Hagerstown road, after the Battle of Antietam,” it is one of the most reproduced photographs of Civil War dead.
In October, Brady displayed Gardner’s photographs in his New York City studio. “The Dead of Antietam” both horrified and fascinated people. It was the first time in history that the general public was able to see the true carnage of war. One reporter wrote, “Mr. Brady has done something to bring home to us the terrible reality and earnestness of war. If he has not brought bodies and laid them in our door-yards and along streets, he has done something very like it.”
The photographs of the dead horse and the Confederate bodies along Hagerstown Pike stood out among the horrific images, and yet their subjects’ identities remain a mystery. Arriving just days after the worst fighting in the war so far, Gardner was working amid the slow-moving post-battle chaos. The Union troops who held the field had other priorities than identifying the Confederate dead, a near-impossible task anyway in the days before soldiers carried dog tags. Still, there is a haunting coincidence between these two photographs: in his book “Antietam: A Photographic Legacy of America’s Bloodiest Day,” the historian William A. Frassanito makes a compelling case that they were associated with the same unit, the Louisiana Tigers.
Louisiana infantrymen in the Army of Northern Virginia, regardless of their unit, were nicknamed Tigers, partly because of their ferocity on the battlefield, but more so for their highly publicized drunken exploits in camp. The Tigers made up two brigades in Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson’s corps, and at Antietam they were held in reserve a few hundred yards behind the front line that ran through D. R. Miller’s cornfield: Gen. William E. Starke’s brigade was positioned west of the Hagerstown Pike, while Gen. Harry T. Hays’s brigade was to the east.
As a corps under the Union general Joseph Hooker attacked Jackson’s front at daylight on Sept. 17, Federal artillery began to pound the Confederate positions. G. P. Ring, a captain in the Sixth Louisiana, a regiment under Hays’s command, wrote to his wife, “I thought, Darling, that I heard at Malvern Hill heavy cannonading, but I was mistaken. That half hour that we were lying in that field taught me to the contrary.”
By 6:45 a.m., Hooker’s juggernaut had shattered Jackson’s front line, and the rebels retreated from the cornfield. Jackson then sent his second line forward to stabilize the situation, and Hays’ Tigers joined other units in charging across Miller’s farm. George W. Smalley, one of Hooker’s aides, wrote, “In ten minutes the fortunes of the day seemed to have changed; it was the rebels who were now advancing, pouring out of the woods in endless lines, sweeping through the cornfield from which their comrades had just fled.”
Hooker ordered more units forward in response, including a brigade under Gen. George Hartsuff. After Hartsuff was severely wounded and taken from the field, his men stood their ground and slugged it out with Hays’s Louisiana Tigers. One member of the 13th Massachusetts wrote his father, “I fired between fifty and sixty rounds, and had a good mark to aim at every time. I did not waste any ammunition, I can assure you.”
Hartsuff’s deadly fire riddled the Tigers, and the Sixth Louisiana’s Col. Henry Strong was among those to fall. The 40-year-old Strong was an Irish immigrant, and fellow Irishmen made up a large portion of his regiment. The colonel was riding a white horse along the edge of the cornfield near the East Woods when a Yankee volley killed him and his mount. Seeing Strong fall, Captain Ring rushed to his side to try to recover some personal effects. Ring wrote home, “I was struck with a ball on the knee joint while I was kneeling by Col. Strong’s body, securing his valuables. I got another ball on my arm and two on my sword in my hand, so you see I have cause to thank God that he has protected me in this great battle.”
The Tigers held their position for a few minutes but were soon forced to retreat to the Dunker church. The Yankees shouted in triumph and rushed across the field in pursuit. When one soldier reached Strong’s body, he picked up one of the colonel’s gloves and waved it triumphantly over his head.
Approximately 550 Louisiana Tigers had followed Harry T. Hays into Miller’s cornfield. Barely 30 minutes later, only 40 or so rallied around the colors at the church. Forty-five had been killed, 289 were wounded and 2 were missing, a staggering 61 percent loss in half an hour. The rest were scattered over the field in confusion. Every staff officer and regimental commander had been shot down. Of the approximately 100 men in Colonel Strong’s Sixth Louisiana, 11 were killed and 41 wounded. Of the regiment’s 12 officers, 5 were dead and 7 wounded.
But Hartsuff’s brigade had suffered equally heavy losses in running Hays out of the cornfield. Out of about 1,220 men, 82 were killed and 497 wounded. The 12th Massachusetts went into the fight with 334 men and lost 224. Its 67 percent loss earned it the dubious distinction of suffering the highest percentage casualty rate of any Union regiment on America’s bloodiest day.
While lying in reserve on the other side of the Hagerstown Pike, Starke’s Louisiana brigade had come under the same devastating artillery fire as Hays’s men. One shell instantly killed the Fifth Louisiana’s Charles Behan on this, his 18 birthday. When another shell put division commander Gen. J. R. Jones out of action, Starke turned his brigade over to the Ninth Louisiana’s Col. Leroy A. Stafford and took command of the division. Starke then led the men forward to shore up the front line at the same time Hays advanced into the cornfield.
Although directing the actions of the entire division, Starke grabbed one of the Tigers’ flags and personally led the Louisianians up the west side of the road toward the enemy. A terrific roar filled the air as each side cut loose with long, rolling volleys of thunderous musketry. Three bullets hit Starke almost simultaneously and knocked him from his horse, mortally wounded. Nonetheless, the Tigers pushed the Yankees back through what one soldier called a “murderous fire which thinned our ranks at every step.”
John Gibbon’s famous Iron Brigade, the only brigade in the Army of the Potomac comprising men from the Western states, had just helped drive Hays’s Tigers and other rebels out of the cornfield. The brigade’s experience there had been horrific: the Sixth Wisconsin’s Maj. Rufus Dawes wrote, “As we appeared at the edge of the corn, a long line of men in butternut and gray rose up from the ground. Simultaneously, the hostile battle lines opened a tremendous fire upon each other. Men, I can not say fell; they were knocked out of the ranks by dozens.”
When the Sixth Wisconsin reached the Hagerstown Pike, it pumped a deadly fire into the right flank of the Louisiana brigade on the other side of the road. Colonel Stafford immediately wheeled his men to the right to meet this new threat. Scarcely half a football field apart, the blue and gray infantry faced each other across the chest-high rail fences that lined the narrow road and traded volleys at point blank range. Two regiments of Union sharpshooters joined in the fight and poured a heavy fire into Stafford’s left flank, while a battery of cannons unlimbered 75 yards from the road and raked the Tigers’ line. Major Dawes reported that one cannon fired [[A?]] double-shotted canister that sent the fence rails flying ”high in the air.” Stafford’s men stood under this murderous fire for 15 minutes, but then the Virginia brigades on their left withdrew and Yankees poured into the gap, forcing the Tigers to pull back as well.
In the brief time Starke’s Louisiana brigade was engaged in the fight it lost 81 dead, while 189 were wounded and 17 were left missing. Some companies simply ceased to exist as fighting units; Sgt. Edmond Stephens reported that the Ninth Louisiana “is almost destroyed.” Stephens’s company had lost 20 of 32 men, and another company had 10 killed and 8 wounded among its 18 members.
In short, in less than an hour both Louisiana brigades had been shattered.
The carnage along the Hagerstown Pike, where Starke’s brigade traded volleys with the Iron Brigade, was particularly horrifying. One Union soldier wrote that “the piles of dead . . . were frightful.” After the battle, a path had to be made by dragging bodies out of the road and placing them along the fences. The Sixth Wisconsin’s Edward S. Bragg claimed, “I counted eighty Rebels in one row along the fence in front of us, lying so thick you could step from one to the other.”
Two days after this slaughter took place, long after many of the bodies had been buried, Alexander Gardner began taking his battlefield photographs.
Of his 70 pictures, Gardner featured only one lone horse, stripped of its saddle and tack. It very likely belonged to Colonel Strong, and it became something of a landmark among the Union soldiers left on the field because of its strangely peaceful appearance. Gen. Alpheus Williams wrote, “The number of dead horses was high. They lay, like the men, in all attitudes. One beautiful milk-white animal had died in so graceful a position that I wished for its photograph. Its legs were doubled under and its arched neck gracefully turned to one side, as if looking back to the ball-hole in its side. Until you got to it, it was hard to believe the horse was dead.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. saw the horse four days after the battle while searching for his wounded son. Later, Holmes examined Gardner’s photograph and said it was the same horse. Holmes wrote that the horse was “said to have belonged to a Rebel colonel, who was killed near the same place.”
The human wreckage along the Hagerstown Pike must have particularly impressed Gardner because he took five photographs of one scene from different angles — the most he took of any single group of dead. One was labeled, “View on Battle-field: Group of Louisiana Regiment, as they fell, at Battle of Antietam.” The bloated, contorted bodies were almost certainly members of Starke’s Louisiana brigade.
Sources: Rufus Dawes, “Service With the Sixth Wisconsin Volunteers”; William A. Frassanito, Antietam: The Photographic Legacy of America’s Bloodiest Day”; Terry L. Jones, “Lee’s Tigers”; “Head Quarters 13th Regt. Rifles, Mass. Vols.”
Terry L. Jones is a professor of history at the University of Louisiana, Monroe and the author of six books on the Civil War.
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Globalization is changing our way of doing business, with freer movement of products, people, capital, jobs, trade, environmental impacts and information.Read more
Electrolux is active in more than 150 markets and we strive to create a positive impact wherever we conduct business. Our approach to human rights issues particularly influences how we manage our employees and suppliers. It is an intrinsic part of our commitment to doing business well.
Guided by UN Global Compact’s ten principles that relate to responsible business conduct, we strive to uphold the same universal values wherever we have a presence.
From the business perspective, human rights work encompasses areas such as eliminating under-age labor, instilling fair labor practices, non-discrimination, non-tolerance of harassment and freedom of association.
The Electrolux response
- Participation in international organizations such as the UN Global Compact and Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) provide a platform for dialogue with interest groups on how best to address these complex issues. Engagement helps define collaborative solutions, especially valuable in emerging markets.
- We integrate human rights principles into our business practices through our Workplace Code of Conduct. The Code is applied group-wide and to our suppliers.
- Within our own units, the electronic assessment tool ALFA (Awareness-Learning-Feedback-Assessment) is used to monitor adherence to the Workplace Code of Conduct, offer feedback opportunities and test the Code’s integration.
- We aim to be an agent for change by influencing our supply chain on human rights related issues. Our risk-based approach allows us to focus on the issues and regions where we can make the greatest difference.
CategoriesThe global agenda - Social
Read more within The global agenda - Social
Our consumer profiles are evolving; dramatically changing their priorities, preferences and lifestyles.Read more
Our reputation is built on how our products perform and how we act as a company. We want to be perceived as a good neighbour—a company that you trust to do the right thing.Read more
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[Ben Nelson] didn’t even know how to ride a motorcycle when he started on this electric conversion of a 1981 Kawasaki KZ440. The engine wasn’t a loss since the bike was nonrunning when he purchased it for $100. The permanent magnet Etek motor was $500 and each of the four yellow top batteries were $160 (only three pictured). He says that the majority of the conversion work only took two weekends. The resulting, still street legal, ride averages 20 miles per charge with a 45mph top speed.
More electric motorcycles on Hack a Day:
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Somerville College was formed in 1879 as a female-only college at the University of Oxford that would not discriminate on religious grounds. It remained female-only until 1992.
Somerville College played its role during World War I as a hospital. Amongst its patients were the poets Siegfried Sassoon and Robert Graves. Somerville's literary reputation also extends to being credited with its own 'School of Novelists', whilst its pioneering spirit is reflected in its alumni, which include Britain's first female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher.
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China’s industry and commerce authorities have handled more than 60,000 intellectual property rights infringement cases amid stepped-up efforts in IPR protection after its entry into the World Trade Organization, according to a senior official.
From 2002 through the first half of this year, the country’s industry and commerce departments at all levels have dealt with 60,203 IPR infringement cases valued at 1.4 billion yuan (186 million U.S. dollars), said Li Wenzhang, deputy director of the fair trade bureau of the State Administration of Industry and Commerce (SAIC).
The IPR of overseas companies, such as Estee Lauder, Coca Cola and Anheuser-Busch, have been protected in China after infringements were solved, Li said at the China Trademark Festival held Friday to Saturday in Changsha, capital of central Hunan province. The event attracted more than 1,200 companies and officials both home and abroad.
The SAIC will continue to focus its crackdown on illegal activities faking trademarks, names and packaging from others, Li added.
Li also said a research report on commercial secrets in China has been completed as part of the country’s implementation of its IPR strategy. The comprehensive research, launched in 2005 by a 16-member team of experts, tells the status quo of commercial secrets in China and its future development measures and goals, according to Li.
- Intellectual Property: China says piracy problem not “extremely serious”
- Living in China: southern city drafts ‘Good Samaritan’ law
- Intellectual Property: China piracy cost U.S. firms $48 billion in 2009
- Chinese People and Their Mobile Phones: E-commerce is going mobile
- China, Socialism & Consumer Behavior: Digital revolution drives retail
This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 6th, 2007 at 2:57 PM
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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This coming Monday, Kenyans will head to the polls for the first presidential election since 2007, when over 1,000 people died in postelection violence. It is the most important election in the country’s 50-year history, one which could mark the difference between a stable democratic country becoming the economic breadbasket of Africa, and a nation-state permanently divided by tribal politics and land disputes. While the country gets ready for its turn on the world stage, its most famous (half) son, Barack Obama, is missing from the conversation.
In 2002, as the son of a Foreign Service officer, I served as a 14-year-old observer in Kenya’s first truly democratic elections, Seeing Kenyans, poor and rich, old and young, cast their votes, and then, witness the victory and inauguration of the opposition candidate, Mwai Kibaki, was truly transformative. Kenya seemed primed to become the African success story – a country that had emerged from colonialism, taken control of its own future and created a stable democracy in which citizens had a real stake in their own future.
And then, 2007 happened. After an election marred by inconsistent vote tallies and definitive rigging at the polling stations, Kibaki claimed victory over opposition leader Raila Odinga. Kenyans immediately took to the streets, upset that the democracy they had worked so hard for had been snatched from their grips. A power-sharing agreement between Kibaki and Odinga was eventually brokered, but not before the electoral process was scarred.
Despite the monumental political setback, Kenya’s economy has actually thrived, growing at a 5 percent rate over the last year, propelled by an expanding financial and technological sector that has created a burgeoning middle class. Vast economic inequalities remain, but Kenya, buoyed by improving infrastructure and ripe international investment opportunities, is on the precipice of becoming the power in Africa.
But signs ahead of the upcoming election are mixed. The international community has invested countless dollars and time into ensuring the polls are peaceful, but tribal disputes are once again at the forefront. One of the two main presidential candidates, Uhuhu Kenyatta, is currently being investigated by the International Criminal Court, further complicating the election.
But there’s a key difference this time around – Barack Obama, son of a former Kenyan economist, is the president of the United States. For the majority of Kenyans, the fact that one of their native sons has become leader of the free world is a source of immense pride.
Obama’s relationship with Kenya has been mixed. Obama traveled to Kenya in the summer before attending Harvard Law School, an experience detailed in “Dreams from My Father,” and went back with his wife during his Senate tenure. But since he became president, he has distanced himself from his father’s native land.
In 2010, before Kenya’s constitutional referendum, Obama stated that, “I’m positive that before my service as president is completed I will visit Kenya again.” Yet during his first term, Obama spent less than one day in sub-Saharan Africa — a day trip to Ghana. Of the 51 countries he visited, Kenya was not on the list. Part of the reason may have been because of a desire not to allow Republicans to paint Obama as a “socialist African.” The fact remains that Obama’s lack of embrace toward his father’s heritage has confused and disappointed Kenyans.
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LGBT youth homelessness is an extraordinary problem, and advocates trying to treat the symptoms are saying that LGBT rights organizations and allies are not doing enough to address it. At a panel discussion in New York City last night entitled “Sleeping in the Streets or Walking Down the Aisle? Prioritizing LGBT Youth in Our Struggle for Equality,” panelists discussed the scourge of homelessness and how little attention it’s getting:
CARL SICILIANO (Ali Forney Center): I am proud to be part of the gay rights movement. I’m not proud of what we’ve done for our young people. We can do better. … We have to acknowledge we are in an adult-centric movement.
LEW FIDLER (New York City Councilmember): A responsible adult doesn’t leave a child sleeping on a subway grate at night.
KAI WRIGHT (Journalist): The problem is a handful of people in the queer movement who try to build a more positive space are small, underfunded, and not supported.
TOBIAS WOLFF (University of Pennsylvania Law Professor): [Unlike passing marriage equality or repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell,] this is an ongoing issue we’re going to have to continue engaging with.
It is estimated that 20-40 percent of all homeless youth are LGBT even though only 5-10 percent of youth are LGBT. This disproportionately high number is very much due to family conflict and abuse that leaves the youth feeling unsafe or unwelcome in their homes. There is also systemic discrimination and oversight in child welfare systems and homelessness programs. Unsurprisingly, the compounded discrimination leads to severe physical and mental health disparities for these youth.
Currently, there is very little support to address LGBT youth homelessness. New York City’s Ali Forney Center offers 57 beds, but its executive director, Carl Siciliano, is fighting desperately to keep Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) from cutting its funding in the state budget. Shelters in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Detroit offer an additional 10-20 beds each. At best, there are 200 beds available each night nationwide for the hundreds of thousands of LGBT homeless youth, who often find other shelters to be unsafe because of bullying and harassment from other residents.
In 2009, a Pew poll showed that more Americans perceive the LGBT community to be discriminated against than any other group. The progress of issues like marriage equality and nondiscrimination protections may help reverse this trend (thanks to millions of dollars channeled into advocacy campaigns) and minimize the impact of stigma, but in the mean time, LGBT homeless youth continue to struggle to find the support they need to survive.
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Architecture sights in Liáoníng
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This 13-storey brick pagoda dates back to AD 1044. A small museum on the peaceful grounds includes relics removed from inside the pagoda. Take bus 205 from the North Tomb or the south train station and get off at the corner of Taiwan Jie and Ningshan Lu. Walk north, cross the bridge and turn right. The pagoda is a three-minute walk north of here. Look for a red gate on the right.
Don't miss the octagonal Dazheng Hall with its coffered ceiling and elaborate throne, where Nurhachi's grandson, Emperor Shunzhi, was crowned. The central courtyard buildings include ornate ceremonial halls and imperial living quarters, including a royal baby cradle.
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Question of the Week
browse by: questions
First, remember that broadleaf weed killers are very damaging to St. Augustine lawns and other grasses in summer.
Plus, if you use too much, they can damage your others plants if they drift over or wash onto them.
You should be extremely cautious any time you use this sort of product, though ideally, you would not ever use it. But if you simply must, do not apply when the temperature is over 85°.
The best thing to do is build your soil and lawn health to get a denser lawn that shades out or chokes out 90% of those broadleaf weeds, and even grassy weeds.
Mow high, water deeply but infrequently, and fertilize properly. Hand pull weeds as you see them come up and you'll soon be past the problem.
In the fall you can apply a pre-emergent against winter germinating weeds. By now, warm season weeds have sprouted, so the best thing to do is hand pull them.
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One Billion Rising to Dance on February 14th
On V-Day’s 15th Anniversary, February 14th 2013, One Billion Rising invites women and those who love them to WALK OUT, DANCE, RISE UP, and DEMAND an end to violence against women.
ONE BILLION RISING IS:
A global strike
An invitation to dance
A call to men and women to refuse to participate in the status quo until rape and rape culture ends
An act of solidarity, demonstrating to women the commonality of their struggles and their power in numbers
A refusal to accept violence against women and girls as a given
A new time and a new way of being
For more information, visit the One Billion Rising website.
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Letter: Government serves useful purposes
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
In response to John Dingethal's Aug. 20 letter, "Parker column insightful," I wonder if Dingethal knows what governments do best. Governments provide their citizens with what they need to be successful. Highways, bridges, schools, police, fire departments, parks, transportation, water and sewer systems, etc. They care for the poor, elderly, sick and disabled. They fight wars and help when disasters strike. They enforce needed laws to maintain order and safety. Those are just a few of the things the government does well.
Dingethal believes "'Social justice' should be pursued by individual members of society and the organizations that they directly support." Nice thought, but there are nowhere near enough people who actually volunteer. Who can or will support a stranger who is homeless, mentally ill or in a nursing home? Who will intervene in a domestic abuse situation? Track down gang members?
"Social Justice and personal responsibility" are nice sound bites but unrealistic. Life happens. Children are orphaned. Planes crash into buildings. Freak accidents leave people permanently disabled. Natural disasters wipe out entire towns. Cancer strikes.
Your neighbor has his own problems. Fortunately, the government IS here to help.
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Update: CERT/CC Takes AMD To Task On Driver Security, AMD Respondsby Ryan Smith on June 8, 2012 10:00 AM EST
In a bit of an odd move, the Carnegie Mellon's Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT/CC) has posted a vulnerability report and a blog post taking AMD to task over their drivers and the impact on system security. As the major partner in the United States’ internet security agency US-CERT and de-facto coordinator for the international CERTs, CERT/CC is both a front-line organization for developing responses to cybersecurity threats and on a more typical day is responsible for organizing and publishing reports and notices about computer system vulnerabilities. So while it’s common for CERT/CC to publish information regarding specific vulnerabilities, it’s less common for them to get involved with general security weaknesses in this manner.
So what has drawn CERT/CC’s attention? It turns out that AMD’s drivers don’t properly behave with/support a vulnerability mitigation feature called Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR). ASLR serves to make it harder for software vulnerabilities to be exploited by randomizing certain program structures in memory, so that the addresses of these structures cannot reliably be predicted and attacked. Although not undefeatable, ASLR can reduce a number of different types of attacks from a system-owning exploit into a program crash that keeps the system secure. In other words ASLR can’t fix the underlying vulnerabilities in programs, but it can help mitigate the problem so that a proper fix can be instituted.
Because of the chaotic nature of ASLR not every program (particularly legacy programs) can work with it, and for that reason since its introduction in Windows Vista in 2006 ASLR has been a per-program feature that is only enabled with applications that are flagged as being compatible. However because most applications can handle it just fine, systems requiring higher security can use the Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET) to enable ASLR across the system, which forcibly activates ASLR for all programs.
It’s this last bit that has caught CERT/CC’s attention. As it stands AMD’s video drivers are not ASLR compatible. Turning on ASLR will cause AMD’s drivers to crash, making always-on ASLR unusable on systems using AMD’s drivers.
From a practical perspective this isn’t an issue that affects more than a handful of users. Unlike DEP it’s not something that can be turned on from within Windows, so even technical users like ourselves almost never have ASLR in always-on mode. However for governments and other high value institutions this means they’re forced to choose between AMD hardware and ASLR, which is not something they want to be worrying about. Furthermore it’s been the long-standing goal of computer security organizations to get OSes and programs to a state where ASLR can be enabled globally for every user, a very messy transition that is held back by programs and drivers that are still not ASLR compatible.
Drivers in turn are of particular concern here because of how they interact with the Windows kernel, with video drivers in particular having high access levels for performance purposes, a position that will only become more entrenched as GPUs continue to become more CPU-like and more important to even fundamental computing. All of this is compounded by the fact that AMD in has already been in the spotlight for security vulnerabilities as their drivers were found to have a security exploit in 2007.
Ultimately CERT/CC is looking to apply pressure to AMD to get them to finally make their drivers ASLR compatible, even going so far as to specifically testing and naming Intel and NVIDIA as having ASLR compatible drivers in the vulnerability note. Because of their relationship with US-CERT this is akin to having an arm of the US Government breathing down your neck, which does tend to get results, doubleplus so since the US Government is also a massive IT buyer. In the meantime typical computer users have nothing to be concerned about – and this is the important part for most of us – but it’s unfortunate that AMD has let themselves end up in this situation in the first place.
Update: CERT/CC contacted us this afternoon to clarify who originated the vulnerability report in question. It is technically CERT/CC who published it (in spite of it appearing on US-CERT), so we've corrected the article accordingly.
Update 2: AMD has issued a formal statement in response to CERT/CC's report. In it they assert that the specific condition CERT/CC specifies (modifying a registry key) was not reported in advance, and go on to reiterate that regular users (even those using EMET) are not impacted by this. Furthermore AMD states that they are working on a driver that corrects the issue CERT/CC has discovered. We have republished the full response below
CERT recently approached AMD with information pertaining to what they believed to be a possible video driver vulnerability exposed by non-default settings of the Microsoft Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET). EMET is a security test tool that allows system administrators to create test conditions to validate correct behavior of system components or indicate potential weak points. The presence of an issue does not necessarily mean that this issue can be exploited in regular operation of a system. The default safety settings of the EMET do not cause the issue in question to occur.
The non-default settings used to produce the system crash at start-up as reported by CERT require changing a System Registry key for the tool (named "EnableUnsafeSettings"), which was not documented until the CERT report was published, and is not accessible through the EMET tool itself.
Given that the conditions created by CERT are a departure from the default safety settings of the Microsoft EMET, users of AMD graphics products will face the problem outlined by the CERT report if their EMET settings are modified, and will otherwise not experience the issue in question. Shortly, AMD will release a driver designed to ensure that a crash does not take place under the conditions outlined by CERT.
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Homebound (Pre-"Thor" Lucy story)
Asgard. Home to powerful beings, beautiful maidens, valiant warriors, and yes, even traitors. Many years after the war with the Frost Giants, a warrior and so-called friend close to the Allfather, Odin, tried to rise up against the king with dark powers that had transformed him into an evil enemy. He was a formidable opponent, but the powerful Odin was able to cast him out, banishing him out of Asgard. Before he was cast out though, Massnordore tried to take his newborn daughter with him, in hopes of training her up as she grew. But her mother, realizing that the man she had married was gone, stole away with the child. Just as Massnordore was about to catch them, Lilia sent the baby with a trusted friend to be taken to Midgard, in hopes that the baby would be safe from him for the time being. Enraged by his wife's betrayal, he struck her down. Lilia died protecting her most precious treasure.
The warrior was able to escape with the child, and in secret, he, with the help of Loki, the younger Prince of Asgard, stole away to Earth with a Transport, one of the few magical cubes that could be used to travel to different realms without using the Bifrost. Disguised as humans, the two arrived on Earth. It was snowing heavily, and no one was around that they could see. Not having much time, Loki used his magic to create a barrier that would protect the child from all evil and would keep her in an unanimated state until a person with a kind and caring heart came along and found her. It wasn't the choice that Loki would have made if he had had more time, but since the two had to get back to Asgard before Odin or Massnordore realized they had left. Leaving her protected, the warrior and the young prince returned to their home.
A thousand years passed, and through weather and civilizations, the child was buried underground, though she was safe, and still in the form of a baby. In Asgard, life went on. Massnordore was banished and hadn't made any attempts of striking back. But all of this changed in the year 1990 when a well- respected scientist was on a trip in Norway. Little did he know that he would get more than mineral samples……..
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After decades of driving, Bobby Temple is investing in a refresher course. He says times have changed since he first learned to drive.
"There's a lot more distraction out there right now because of all the phones. Now people are going down in their seats, looking around and changing diapers and all kinds of stuff, texting, so I think you really have to be careful."
He says with so many distractions like the use of cellphones and texting, he wanted to make sure he had the tools to continue to be a safe driver.
"I think it's a great thing to do and it's important that all of us try to remember all the things that we knew when we first started at 16 when we took the test."
Temple signed up himself and his mother for a safety driving course at the Macon Bibb Senior Center conducted by AARP instructor John Abbott.
"We train senior citizens to be able to drive longer by keeping their mobility and independence," said Abbott.
Abbott says he teaches strategies to help drivers overcome challenges on the road. Texting and talking on the phone while driving he says is a major temptation for many people.
"In just a moment you can have a crash and someone can be killed. If you're texting, you're concentrating on that typing and your focus is on it rather than the driving.
It's very important that no matter what age people are, that they are aware of the dangers of distraction for anything," said Abbott.
He says even if you don't drive while distracted, others do, so it's important to watch out for them when you're on the road. A lesson that Temple says he already practices.
"That's why it's so important to scan so much. A lot of people don't do that. They look straight ahead, they don't scan," said Temple.
As far as talking and texting on your phone while behind the wheel, Abbott says the only time you should do so is if you're parked and in a safe place.
"The best thing to do is to stop, take care of the situation and then get back to driving," said Abbott.
Driving classes at the Senior Center are open to all ages. The cost is $12 for AARP members. If you're not a member, the cost is $14.
For more information call 478-751-2790.
We want you to join the Great Hang Up and put down the phone before you start up your car.
Look for the pledge under the "features" tab on our homepage.
You can find the link to sign the pledge on the right side of the page.
After you sign the pledge, we want to hear from you.
We share your stories during our Great Hang Up day on the last Tuesday of each month.
Just send an email to email@example.com to let us know you're interested in sharing your experience.
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The warning of offensive material sign outside the school was also a little misquoted (“Play shouldn’t be such an issue,” June 25, Community Commentary).
The sign at the school said that the play contained 400-year-old bawdy jokes, that some may find offensive. They were Shakespeare’s jokes. Not one word in the play was altered.
I did not consider this a serious warning of any perversions to come. Yes, swords were used with a thrust, to insinuate, but these scenes are acted out the same in the movie versions of “Romeo and Juliet.”
All the actors were fully clothed in modern wear. When Romeo and Juliet were in bed, the bed was a large wood crate with a sheet thrown over it, they recited lines in fluffy pink bathrobes.
Hardly a porn scene. Bailey and the students worked so hard to make a great play. These are kids that are old enough to drive, and have already started forming romantic relationships of their own. Is it OK to let our children have romantic relationships, then act so puritanical?
Most of the audience members have seen much more erotic material watching perfume, beer and car commercials on television. My husband and I were fully aware of the casting and costumes.
Our son even asked our permission because his character uses a swear word in “The Laramie Project,” and he wanted us to know beforehand. We certainly never felt that there was anything hidden in the drama class.
Shakespeare’s original version had men performing all roles.
Auditions were held, and a female won the role of Romeo. She did an amazing job.
I hope that this ongoing witch hunt against Bailey is not because of macho pride. Is the underlying problem really the issue of “why should a girl play Romeo when I have a son in the drama class?”
Bailey’s career and life have been turned into a horrible ordeal. Over a school play. He is the teacher who stayed with these kids late at school rehearsing, who led them to victories at Drama Teachers Association of Southern California events. Instead of going to the movies, some of the students were going to see live theater instead. He inspired them to read plays, as well as novels.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but why the need to ruin a career over it.
Bailey certainly has a grievance (“Teacher files grievance,” June 25). I have a son who was introduced to theater, discovered he had fun acting, found a wonderful mentor in Bailey, and is now only thinking about dropping drama class for next year.
He does not want to be there without Mr. B.
DEBBIE PIEHLER is a Burbank resident.
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What is food allergy?
A food allergy is an abnormal response of the body to a certain food. It is important to know that this is different from a food intolerance, which does not affect the immune system, although some of the same signs may be present.
What causes food allergy?
Before having a food allergy reaction, a sensitive person must be exposed to the food at least once before. It is the second time the person eats the food that the allergic symptoms happen. At that time, when IgE antibodies react with the food, histamines are released, which can cause hives, asthma, itching in the mouth, trouble breathing, stomach pains, vomiting, or diarrhea.
What is the difference between food allergy and food intolerance?
Food allergy causes an immune system response, causing symptoms that range from uncomfortable to life threatening. Food intolerance does not affect the immune system, although some symptoms may be the same as in food allergy.
What foods most often cause food allergy?
Approximately 90 percent of all food allergies are caused by eight foods, including the following:
Eggs, milk, and peanuts are the most common causes of food allergies in children, with wheat, soy, and tree nuts also included. Peanuts, nuts, fish, and shellfish commonly cause the most severe reactions. Nearly 5 percent of children under the age of 5 years have food allergies. From 1997 to 2007, the prevalence of reported food allergy increased 18 percent among children under age 18 years. Although most children "outgrow" their allergies, allergy to peanuts, tree nuts, and shellfish may be lifelong.
What are the symptoms of food allergy?
Allergic symptoms may begin within minutes to an hour after ingesting the food. The following are the most common symptoms of a food allergy. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:
Itching or swelling of the lips, tongue, or mouth
Itching or tightness in the throat
Lowered blood pressure
According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, it does not take much of the food to cause a severe reaction in highly allergic people. In fact, as little as 1/44,000 of a peanut kernel can cause an allergic reaction for severely allergic individuals.
The symptoms of a food allergy may resemble other medical conditions or problems. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis.
Treatment for a food allergy in adults
Specific treatment for a food allergy will be determined by your physician based on:
Your age, overall health, and medical history
Extent of the disease
Your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
Expectations for the course of the disease
Your opinion or preference
At this time, no medication is available to prevent food allergy. The goal of treatment is to avoid the food that causes the symptoms.
People with food allergy must be prepared to treat any accidental ingestion of the foods that cause the allergic reaction. Discuss this further with your physician.
There are medications available to treat some symptoms of food allergy after the food has been eaten. These medications may relieve rhinitis symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, or asthma symptoms. Discuss this further with your physician.
Although research is ongoing, currently, there is no allergy injection approved for the treatment of food allergies. Strictly avoiding the allergy-causing food is the only way to prevent a reaction.
Treatment of food allergies in children
After being examined by a physician and determining foods to which your child is allergic, it is very important to avoid these foods and other similar foods in that food group. If you are breastfeeding your child, it is important to avoid foods in your diet to which your child is allergic. Small amounts of the food allergen may go to your child through the breast milk and cause a reaction.
It is also important to give vitamins and minerals to your child if he/she is unable to eat certain foods. Discuss this further with your child's physician.
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The detectives gather in front of a big screen to examine patterns of insulin cell damage in a diabetic patient, a molecular crime scene of sorts.
Slide after slide goes up, and the investigators — physicians and researchers with the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes — study the pictures together, veering from calm assessments of the evidence to vigorous challenges of controversial ideas about diabetes.
"Are they crazy?" one researcher says of one theory.
"No, they're just wrong," says another.
At the front of the room, Dr. George Eisenbarth, 62, turns his gaze away from the screen and grins, admiring the intellectual pursuit into what he calls the mysterious world of Type 1 diabetes, a disease in which insulin is destroyed, upsetting healthy blood-sugar balances in the body.
This is how some of the most important research in the world into the condition also known as juvenile diabetes gets done — aggressively and under the watch of the mild-mannered, bow-tie-wearing Eisenbarth, the executive director of the center, a unit of the medical school at the University of Colorado on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora.
Eisenbarth, the center's top medical detective, rose to prominence in the research world by showing, despite many doubters, that Type 1 diabetes is a disorder of the body's immune system. In other words, the body's defense shield turns renegade.
He supervises a team of 30 faculty members who in recent years have identified genes that serve as key risk factors for diabetes. After decades of research, they are able to predict the risk for certain individuals in developing the disease with 80 percent accuracy.
They also have developed better treatments for tracking and controlling the disease's effects in children and adults. The work has set standards for guiding diabetes research, therapies and diagnoses across the world.
"We can prevent most complications," said Eisenbarth, who won the prestigious Banting Medal for Scientific Achievement from the American Diabetes Association in 2009. "With good care, blindness and other problems can be avoided. The next big part for us to play is to prevent diabetes."
That's where the real detective work comes in. Funding for the center's mission has been steady in recent years at about $20 million annually. The National Institutes of Health, the Children's Diabetes Foundation of Denver and other philanthropic foundations recognize the value of building on the center's long string of scientific discoveries.
In attacking the disease on several fronts, Eisenbarth's teams are trying to uncover everything from possible environmental impacts to how the immune system's T cells dock onto molecules in the pancreas to kill insulin-producing cells.
It's a race against time. Every two decades in the Western world, Eisenbarth said, the rate of Type 1 diabetes doubles, unlike the more stable rates in poorer countries. "It could, ironically, mean that our society is too clean," he said, adding that immune systems can be stimulated by exposure to more diverse germ environments.
If that's true, the better prospect for finding a cure could be in disrupting the T cells' assault on insulin cells. Using his computer like a magnifying glass, Eisenbarth can zero in on a diagram of the molecular crime scene: the point where the T cell meets the insulin molecule.
"That's where we need to focus," Eisenbarth says, pointing to where a potential drug could act as a wedge to keep the cells apart. "We have lots of mysteries."
Miles Moffeit: 303-954-1415 or firstname.lastname@example.org
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WisBusiness: Officer says business is 'exploding' at Cellular Dynamics International
By Brian E. Clark
Scientists who in the past might never have considered working in the middle of the country -- opting instead for jobs on the East or West Coasts – are now choosing Wisconsin because of the work spawned by Jamie Thomson and other stem cell researchers at UW-Madison, the chief commercial officer of Cellular Dynamics International said.
"It's exciting," Chris Parker said at a Wisconsin Innovation Network luncheon Tuesday. "We are actually able to recruit individuals that normally would have flown over this area from Boston to San Francisco. They're now willing and eager to come to Madison to help us in our mission."
CDI is a privately held company that was co-founded by Thomson and three UW-Madison doctors in 2005. It currently creates and sells four different cell types derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) or reprogrammed stem cells to aid drug discovery and toxicity testing. The firm, which provides stem cells to many pharmaceutical companies and universities around the globe, has 107 employees, including at least 75 scientists who focus on research and development.
Parker said CDI is expanding at a "double digit" rate and will triple its revenue this year.
"Our growth is explosive," said Parker, who has worked for several life science companies and was a cancer researcher at the UW Carbone Cancer Center. "It's hard to keep up with it."
WisBusiness audioWhile Parker covered the commercial side of stem cell advances at the luncheon, Dr. Anita Bhattacharyya, a senior scientist at the UW-Madison Waisman Center, spoke about recent discoveries relating to brain cell regeneration. Her work is focused on Down syndrome and Fragile X syndrome, both genetic developmental disorders.
She said she uses stem cells to see what went wrong in the prenatal development of the brain. And she said she has learned that individuals with Down syndrome make fewer brain cells from reprogrammed stem cells. In addition, these cells have defective nerve cell communication, don't fire as often as normal brain cells and have fewer synapses.
"Now," she said, "the question is what can we do to fix this?"
Tom Still, head of the Wisconsin Technology Council, said CDI and the Waisman Center are part of a cluster of researchers and young businesses that are helping improve human health and put Wisconsin on the international biotech map. He and Parker estimated there are at least six stem cells firms now operating in Madison.
Parker and Bhattacharyya's talk attracted three Brazilian veterinary medicine scientists who are part of a stem cell partnership between UW-Madison and the Latin American country.
Parker, who said CDI was not financed by venture capitalists, explained that the company's backers are high net-worth individuals who are "in for the long-term, not a short-term flip."
He said Thomson resisted overtures to start a company for seven years before co-founding CDI in 2005 with a mission of "making stem cells available to the masses."
To do that, CDI has had to 'industrialize the processes, translate the recipes that are being generated in academic labs across the country ... put process controls around it and manufacture these cells so they can be put in the hands of not only stem cell biologists, but pharmaceutical companies, drug developers and other researchers who have had a huge lack of availability of human cells."
Parker said it is difficult to make reprogrammed stem cells.
"It's not surprising there are so many iPS cells out there that have problems because they are made in unregulated environments," he said.
Parker said CDI first had to figure out how to scale up and manufacture large quantities of reprogrammed stem cells, then freeze and ship them to countries around the globe.
Next they had to "scale out," he said, noting that the knowledge of how to reprogram skin and blood cells was derived from working with embryonic stem cells.
"We knew that with iPS technology, it wasn't going to be about taking one cell line and manufacturing a lot of cells. It was going to be about 'how can I make a billion neurons from everyone in this room' and what infrastructure needs to be put in place to do that.
"And it's not cheap. It requires people thinking in a much different way than they've done in a serial process of reprogramming and then taking it to differentiation."
Now, he said, pharmaceutical companies have new tools to help determine if drugs are toxic.
He said three companies used CDI heart cells to test drugs that passed their in-vitro (test tube) trials, animal-model tests and gotten into clinical trials.
The heart cells revealed toxicity "so they never would have gone into later-stage animal studies or the clinical trials that had problems.
"That makes me sleep a lot better because while it's interesting to make heart cells in a dish that beat, it's even better when you know that they are more predictive than any other model that's out there."
He said the company had just been awarded a $6 million grant from the NHLBI (National Heart Lung and Blood Institute) with the Medical College of Wisconsin to generate 250 iPS lines form individuals with genetic hypertension to study that disease.
Parker said he believes the "sky is the limit" for CDI.
"I'm fortunate to work in an environment where science is really driving our commercial strategy," he said. "It's not just marketing. We actually have products that have utility."
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Zero Energy Construction, and I thought it was a very interesting idea. It seems that the Nissan corporation is investigating ways to reverse the flow of electricity on its electric car (the Nissan Leaf) and allow the auto to power your home during a temporary blackout. Here's the post:
Everyone's looking for an edge in the electric vehicle wars, and Nissan might have one. It's working on a system that would allow Leaf owners to use the car to supply electricity to their houses during power outages.
Lots of people buy generators for that purpose, but Hideaki Watanabe, head of Nissan's Global Zero Emissions Business unit, says his EV could handle the job.
The Leaf's battery can store 24 kilowatt hours of electricity, equal to about a day's worth of energy use in a normal U.S. household.
"In case of blackouts we can utilize that," Watanabe said. "In Japan, some people say instead of installing a generator they'll just buy a Leaf. As of today we don't have a function to discharge, but we are looking into that."
Watanabe is pushing his engineers to look for ways to reverse the flow of energy.
"I want it ASAP--at least I would like to see some concrete proposal by the end of the year," he said. "I want a prototype."
Watanabe said Nissan could use the CHAdeMO DC fast-charging system backed by most Japan automakers because the technology can detect electricity leaks.
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Letter to a young farmer
While this blog is called “Your Money or Your Life” I am migrating the core understanding of living your values financially to living your values through your eating – and I’m bringing you along. The book arising from the potters wheel of my mind is called Blessing the Hands that Feed Us. I have asked some of my local farmers featured in the book to answer questions about why they farm, even in the face of minimal net income.
As the answers roll in, I am more in love with them and my work as a “word farmer” – our motivations meet in love for the tangibles of earth and life and the intangibles of love and service.
In response to one farmer I wrote something rough but heartfelt and I wanted to share it:
“i don’t know if i told you that i am calling what i discovered “relational eating” – that eating is never a lone act, tho the industrial systems fosters that illusion. It is a relational act. Our food is connected to seed and soil, farm and farmer, forest and forager, and the living system, especially when we eat the food of our locale, food that breathes the same air we breathe. The industrial/commodity system hides all that like the glasses in the Emerald City and the tricks of the Wizard of Oz.
i learned from the YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE work that the consumer culture lives like a vampire, by breaking human bonds and sucking our vitality (to be terribly graphic). every bond broken engenders the loneliness and insufficiency that sends people into consumerism to fill non material needs. so it is with food. we are nourished without being related and it is fundamental insanity. i suspect “lone eating” and being nourished by processed and packaged food-like substances contributes to all food disorders, personal and systemic.
this appears to be up to the lone individuals to fix in their own lives, but it is not. it is up to us to change our collective approach to nourishment.
Another dynamic of the consumer culture: problems are systemic but our notion of freedom makes us believe our power is in personal solutions. While fine for the aware individual, it is disaster for all of us eating the output of the invisible grinding system, permitting the industrial/commodity approach to food to make problems we as individuals – believing in a false notion of freedom – must solve. Now the problems are multiplying so we the people are crazed with trying to know enough to fix ourselves.
I say reversing this dynamic starts with seed and soil and farmers like you joined by eaters like me who advocate for change, join organizations, build businesses, raise money, spend money locally, lobby, work for change, partner with farmers in every way, allowing them to grow our food while we grow their capacity to farm.
This is all relational eating. This is what i bow before and what my words are dedicated to – as well as the pure joy when the words are flowing and when i know my words have carried ideas across the chasm between my heart/mind and another’s – and inspired a shift in them as well.“
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Article Archive >> Good Health
Get help getting healthy
Get help getting healthy
(NAPS)-If you've long feared you've a slim chance of losing weight and staying fit, a few hints from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may help:
* Make a commitment. Many people find it helpful to sign a written contract with themselves committing to the process.
* Take stock of where you are. Your doctor can evaluate your health and weight and suggest lifestyle changes.
* Set goals. "Exercise More" is not a specific goal. "I'll walk 15 minutes, three days a week" is.
* Identify resources for information and support. Join a weight loss group.
* Continually monitor your progress. Studies have shown that the more consistently a person tracks food intake and exercise, the more likely he or she is to lose weight and gain fitness.
To help, there's now a health and fitness community with easy-to-use tools for tracking nutritional intake and exercise levels. It's a social network for people interested in diet and fitness, with more than a million active members.
Each member gets a personalized calorie counter and exercise tracker based on his or her profile and determines a daily calorie budget. Custom tools measure BMI (body mass index) and BMR (basal metabolic rate; the number of calories you burn doing nothing). You can customize foods and exercises to help you meet goals based on your profile. The system lets you track food intake and exercise, with a fast and simple interface.
There are more than 600,000 food items in the database and it's growing daily due to user contributions, so most people find the majority of what they eat is already online. You can track your intake wherever you go because the MyFitnessPal.com site can be reached through a free app on both the iPhone and the Android platforms, giving members full mobile access to their account, including the entire food and exercise database. Phone and computer input sync automatically.
The network remembers what you eat most often and makes it easy to add those foods again to your log. The more you track your meals, the easier it becomes. You can track calories as well as all major nutrients including, fat, protein, carbs, fiber, cholesterol and more. Graphs and reports monitor your progress.
Because the community active_ly uses social media channels, you get a steady stream of motivation, communication and support. Discussion forums let users learn from each other, share tips and recipes, give and get encouragement and make friends.
Learn more online at www.myfitnesspal.com.
<< back to Articles on Good Health
<< back to All Articles
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The Women's and Gender Studies Major
The major in Women's and Gender Studies requires a total of eleven courses. In addition to the three foundational courses (Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies, Feminist Theory, and Women's and Gender Studies Capstone), students must take eight additional electives.
The Women's and Gender Studies Program offers four areas of concentration:
- Globalization and Poverty,
- Social Justice and Violence,
- Sexuality Studies
- Cultural and Media Representations of Gender.
Students who major in Women's and Gender Studies Program must take at least one elective from either Globalization and Poverty or Social Justice and Violence, and one course each in Sexuality Studies and Cultural and Media Representations of Gender.
The five additional electives are to be chosen by the student. We urge students to take courses and courses that encompass issues of diversity within the U.S. context. Of the total electives required for the major, one must be outside the Western European/North American context; these courses are indicated by an asterisk.
In addition, students are encouraged to take a Community Based Learning course (CBL) or volunteer in a community service organization. Please contact the Center for Social Justice office at 202-687-5330, 130 Poulton, for more information, application forms, and volunteer opportunities. Also, volunteer opportunity links can be found under the Resources tab on this web site.
- May 30, 9am-5pm: Housing & Residence Life Conversations
- Jun 4, 9am-5pm: Assessment Day
- Jun 6, 9am-5pm: Housing & Residence Life Conversations
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|Iraq Table of Contents
The pattern of Iraqi foreign trade in the 1980s was shaped primarily by the Iran-Iraq War, its resulting deficit and debt problems, and developments in the petroleum sector. Iranian attacks on petroleum industry infrastructure reduced oil exports sharply and Iraq incurred a trade deficit of more than US$10 billion in 1981. The pattern continued in 1982 as the value of Iraqi imports peaked at approximately US$23.5 billion, while exports reached a nadir of US$11.6 billion, leading to a record trade deficit. In 1983, however, imports were cut roughly by half. Figures for Iraq's imports and exports from 1984 onward vary widely and cannot be considered authoritative. Despite the partial recovery of Iraqi oil exports in 1986, exports were valued at only about US$7.5 billion because of the plunge in world oil prices. In 1987 imports were expected to rise to about US$10 billion. Export revenues were also expected to rise, as Iraq compensated for low oil prices with a higher volume of oil exports (ssee; table 8, Appendix).
Iraq had counted heavily on solving its twin debt and deficit problems by reestablishing and eventually by augmenting its oil export capacity. But increases in volume were insufficient to offset lower prices, and because demand remained low, expanded oil exports served only to glut the market and further drive down the price of oil. The depressed price of oil and the low prices of other raw materials that Iraq exported, coupled with higher prices for the goods it imported, trapped the nation in the classic dilemma of declining terms of trade. Although Iraq was cutting the volume of its imports and was increasing the volume of its exports, the relative values of imports and exports had shifted fundamentally. More than 95 percent of Iraq's exports were raw materials, primarily petroleum. Food stuffs accounted for most additional exports. Conversely, nearly half of Iraq's imports were capital goods and consumer durables. According to Iraqi statistics, 34.4 percent of 1984 imports were capital goods, 30 percent were raw materials, 22.4 percent were foodstuffs, and 12.5 percent were consumer items.
Iraq's declining imports resulted not so much from belt- tightening or from import substitution, as from the increasing reluctance of trading partners to extend credit. Despite its socialist orientation, Iraq had long traded most heavily with Western Europe. Initially, Iraq's debt accumulation worked in its favor by creating a hostage effect. Western creditors, both governments and private companies, continued to supply Iraq in an effort to sustain the country until it could repay them. Additionally, the debt helped to secure outlets for Iraqi petroleum in a tight international market through barter agreements in which oil was exchanged for a reduction in debt. In 1987 however, as some West European companies prepared to cut their losses and to withdraw from the Iraqi market, and as others curtailed sales by limiting credits, other countries were poised to fill the vacuum by offering goods and services on concessional terms. Companies from Brazil, South Korea, India, Yugoslavia, and Turkey, backed by their governments' export credit guarantees, were winning an increasing share of the Iraqi market. In 1987 the Soviet Union and East European nations were also offering goods and services on highly concessional terms. Eventually, Iraq's exports might also be diverted from the West toward its new trading partners.
Iraq continued to seek Western imports when it could afford them. In 1987 Iraq was forced to ration imports for which payment was due in cash, although nonessential imports were purchased if the seller offered credit. Imports contributing to the war effort had top priority. Imports of spare parts and of management services for the maintenance of large industrial projects were also deemed vital, as Iraq sought to stave off the extremely high costs it would incur if facilities were shut down, mothballed, and then reopened in the future. Consumer goods were given lowest priority.
In 1985 Iraq purchased 14.4 percent of its total imports from Japan. Iraq bought an array of Japanese products, ranging from transport equipment, machinery, and electrical appliances to basic materials such as iron and steel, textiles, and rubber goods. In 1987, as Iraqi debt to Japan mounted to US$3 billion, the government of Japan curtailed the export insurance it had offered Japanese companies doing business with Iraq; nevertheless, Japanese companies continued to trade with Iraq. Iraq bought 9.2 percent of its imports from West Germany. Neighboring Turkey provided the third largest source of Iraqi imports, accounting for 8.2 percent of the total. Italy and France each accounted for about 7.5 percent, followed by Brazil with 7 percent and Britain with 6.3 percent. Kuwait was Iraq's most important Arab trading partner, contributing 4.2 percent of Iraq's imports (see table 9, Appendix).
In 1985 Brazil was the main destination of Iraqi exports, accounting for 17.7 percent of the total. France was second with 13 percent, followed by Italy with 11 percent, Spain with 10.7 percent, Turkey and Yugoslavia with about 8 percent each, Japan with about 6 percent, and the United States with 4.7 percent.
In April 1987, the government attempted to streamline the trade bureaucracy by eliminating five state trading companies that dealt in various commodities. Although the state trading companies had been established in the 1970s to foster increased domestic production, they had evolved into importing organizations. In view of this orientation, their operations were incorporated into the Ministry of Trade. Three Ministry of Trade departments, which had administered trade with socialist, with African, and with Arab nations, were abolished. The responsibilities of these disbanded organizations were centralized in a new Ministry of Trade department named the General Establishment for Import and Export.
The Ministry of Trade implemented a national import policy by allocating portions of a total budget among imports according to priority. The import budget varied from year to year, depending on export earnings and on the amount in loans that had been secured from foreign creditors. The government's underlying intention was gradually to replace imported manufactured products with domestic manufactured products and then to increase export sales. In the mid-1980s, however, the government recognized that increased domestic production required the import of intermediate goods. In 1987 state companies were permitted for the first time to use private agents or middlemen to facilitate limited imports of necessary goods.
The private sector, which had long been accorded a quota of total imports, was also deregulated to a limited extent. In 1985 the quota was increased to 7.5 percent of total imports, and the government gave consideration to increasing that percentage further. All imports by the private sector had previously been subject to government licensing. In 1985, Law No. 60 for Major Development Projects exempted the private sector from the obligation to obtain licenses to import basic construction materials that would be used in major development projects. In an attempt to increase remittances from Iraqis abroad, the government also gave special import licenses to nonresident Iraqis, if the value of the imports was invested in Iraq and was not transferred outside the country.
In 1987 the rules concerning private sector imports were liberalized further when private sector manufacturers were granted special licenses that permitted them to import raw materials, spare parts, packaging, machinery, and equipment necessary for plant modernization and for expansion. In some cases no ceiling was placed on such imports, while in other cases imports were limited to 50 percent of the value of the export earnings that the manufacturer generated. Such imports were not subject to quotas or to foreign exchange restrictions. Moreover, the government announced that it would make no inquiry into the companies' sources of financing. In a remarkably candid statement in a June 1987 speech, Saddam Husayn promised that citizens would not be asked where they had acquired their money, and he admitted that the private sector had not imported any goods because of its fear of prosecution by the security services for foreign exchange violations.
While the government permitted more imports by the private sector, it nevertheless continued to promote exports at the same time. Starting in 1969 it maintained an Export Subsidy Fund, which underwrote the cost of eligible nonpetroleum exports by up to 25 percent. The Export Subsidy Fund was financed with a tax of .5 percent levied on imports of capital goods and .75 percent levied on imports of consumer goods. Most imports were also charged both duty and a customs surcharge that varied from item to item. Export licenses were granted freely both to public and to private sector firms with only a few exceptions. The Board of Regulation of Trade had the authority to prohibit the export of any commodity when domestic supplies fell short of demand, and the control over export of certain items was reserved for the General Organization of Exports. The degree to which government economic policies would be liberalized in the late 1980s remained to be seen. The government had taken several steps in that direction but state controls continued to play a major role in the economy in 1988.
Both primary and secondary source information on the Iraqi economy tends to be both scant and dated. The government of Iraq has regarded data on national economic performance as a state secret, particularly since the start of the Iran-Iraq War in 1980. The government does not publish a budget, although it releases a yearbook, the Annual Abstract of Statistics, which contains some economic figures. The Iran-Iraq War has also diverted scholarly attention from economic issues. One exception is Phebe Marr's The Modern History of Iraq, which contains a chapter titled "Economic and Social Changes under the Revolutionary Regime." The most detailed and authoritative periodic reports on the Iraqi economy are produced by the Wharton Econometric Forecasting Associates in their semiannual Middle East Economic Outlook. The Economist Intelligence Unit's Country Report: Iraq, a quarterly, contains much useful information and analysis. Another good source of up-to-date information is the Middle East Economic Digest.
Source: U.S. Library of Congress
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In 2007, then-Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe said that no formal peace treaty would be concluded [JURIST report] between Japan and Russia until Russia relinquishes control of the islands it has occupied since the end of World War II. Possession of the island chain was first transferred from Russia to Japan in 1855 under a friendship treaty. It remained under Japanese control until Russian troops seized the islands during the last days of World War II, an act in violation of the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact [text], signed by both nations on April 13, 1941. Abe and Putin discussed the return of the islands [Kyodo News report] during an economic summit in 2005, but no agreement was reached.
Paper Chase is JURIST's real-time legal news service, powered by a team of 30 law student reporters and editors led by law professor Bernard Hibbitts at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. As an educational service, Paper Chase is dedicated to presenting important legal news and materials rapidly, objectively and intelligibly in an accessible, ad-free format.
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Written by Fr. Lev Gillet, also known as “A Monk of the Eastern Church,” In Thy Presence is a book of short spiritual reflections on the presence of Christ. As in the case of the quotation below, these reflections are sometimes imagined as words spoken from our Lord to the believer.
“Poor children, you want to manage without Me. What then will you look to for support?
Poor child, thou thinkest to escape Me by plunging into what thou dost believe to be nature, into what thou callest nature. But what thou dost clasp is not nature in its truth, in its depth.
Thou thinkest to live a fuller life by estranging thyself from the Love which goes beyond all limits and loves beyond the visible. Thou desirest to give thyself exclusively to the visible. Thou doest speak of asserting thy personality, of realising thyself. Thou dost speak of earthly foods, and expect from them harmony and joy.
But thou wilt run up against the refusal with which all the elements of creation will oppose thee. The universe gives no peace to him who professes to separate any situation or person from total Love.
Thou seekest the support of reality. Thou dost conceive of nature alone as being what is real. Thou dost want to lean on a reed, and this reed will pierce thy hand.
In a world where everything is bound by a Love that is limitless, all the creatures which thou dost desire to separate and grasp by themselves, without reference to absolute Love, will withdraw from thee, one after another. Thou wilt be left alone, wounded, lying helpless on the road. Everything will abandon thee at the moment when thou dost abandon Me.
Poor child, whom wilt thou find to save thee, if not Me? Whom wilt thou find to love thee, if not Me?”
Excerpt from In Thy Presence by Lev Gillet, St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1977, p. 25.
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More books by Francesca Simon
Illustrated ByTony Ross
PublisherOrion Children's Books (an Imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd ) an imprint of Orion Publishing Co
Suitable for AgesFeatured Books for 7+ readers
Books of the Month - May
Featured Books for 5+ readers
Recommended Children's eBooks
Publication date24th May 2012
Children's Author 'Like-for-Like' recommendations
Click to buy book vouchers
Horrid Henry's Monster Movie
Written by: Francesca Simon
Illustrated by: Tony Ross
Part of the 'Horrid Henry' Series
This title is in stock RRP: £4.99 Saving £1.25 (25%)
Julia Eccleshare's comment:
June 2012 Book of the Month. Horrid Henry loves scary movies! The problem is Perfect Pete hates them. And so do mum and dad. How will Henry ever get to see The Vampire Zombie Werewolf ? As ever, in this story and in the other three in this rip roaring collection, Horrid Henry does everything he can to get what he wants but things don’t turn out just as he had expected….
Who is Julia Eccleshare ?
SynopsisHorrid Henry's Monster Movie by Francesca Simon
The twenty-first storybook in this multi-million-copy-selling series, containing four brand new Horrid Henry stories - in which Horrid Henry makes his own scary movie, "The Undead Demon Monster Who Would Not Die"; persuades Peter to hand over his stash of Grump Cards (as a brilliant scheme to get him out of the punishments his parents give him); and spends a weekend at Aunt Ruby's where he has to share a bedroom with his two arch-enemies, Stuck-Up Steve and Bossy Bill. Then when Henry's school decides to have a mini-Olympics, he sets up his own Holympics, with medals for crisp-eating, TV watching, and Burping to the Beat.
ReviewsEverybody loves a bad boy don't they? And they don't make 'em more bad or more lovable than Francesca Simon's young impertinent protagonist, Henry. The horrid one's latest is a suitably anarchic affair, with four brand new tales sure to delight young fans.
About The Author
Francesca Simon was born in St Louis, Missouri, grew up in California, and attended both Yale and Oxford Universities, where she specialised in Medieval Studies.
She worked as a freelance journalist, writing for the Sunday Times, Guardian, Mail on Sunday, Telegraph, and Vogue (US) and after her son Joshua was born in 1989, she started writing children’s books full time. One of the UK’s best-selling children’s writers, Francesca has published over 50 books, including the immensely popular HORRID HENRY series, which has now sold over fifteen milllion copies.
Francesca won the Children’s Book of the Year in 2008 at the British Book Awards for Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman. HORRID HENRY is published in 24 countries and is also an animated CITV series. She lives in London with her husband, son, and Tibetan Spaniel, Shanti.
If you'd like to know a bit more about Horrid Henry click here to read a letter from the author.
Author photo © Francesco Guidicini
More books by this author
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Comics : Santa's World: Origin Of Spider-Woman
These Santa's World mini-book comics are roughly 2.5" x 3" in size. Thick padded card covers, only twelve actual pages. They were packed in plastic bags ready to be hung as a Christmas Tree treat, or put into the stockings of nice children.
Santa's World: Origin Of Spider-Woman
Year 1980 : SM Spin-Off
Each of the eight pages in this story is a single panel taken from the re-told Spider-Man Origin from Spider-Woman (Vol. 1) #1. The first of the twelve is a splash panel which I think is from a later issue, since it shows her with a mask that reveals her hair. But then we're into the real tale.
Page Two: Jonathan Drew (with wife and daughter) and The High Evolutionary (Herbert Edgar Wyndham) tell each other how much they love each other's work.
Page Three: Jonathan is an arachnid scientist, Herbert studies evolution.
Page Four: Jonathan is a nutcase who wants to infuse mankind with spider DNA.
Page Five: They move to the mountains, and discover uranium.
Page Six: They construct Wundagore, a metallic city that would fall over in the slightest gust of wind.
Page Seven: Jessica (the baby) is sick. She's a baby, even though months ago she looked like a four-year old child. Clearly Meriem Drew is being inaccurate in her speech, most likely a by product of anxiety and stress caused by concern for her child's condition.
Page Eight: Jonathan does what any father would do, inject his sick daughter with spider-serum.
Page Nine: Herbert helps too - he shoves Jessica into an untested genetic accelerator. What a pal. Meanwhile, Meriem (hitherto completely healthy) dies for unexplained reasons. Bad luck for her!
Page Ten: Jonathan Drew vanishes mysteriously, but Herbert keeps Drew's young daughter's ever-maturing but comatose body for performing his own bizarre experiments. Are you concerned? Is this the kind of thing impressionable kids should read about in Christmas Tree treats? I don't think so. This is all... just... very wrong!
Page Eleven: Herbert now wears pink armor, and Jessica emerges as half spider. Both are rather disturbing events.
Page Twelve: Jessica is the Dark Angel of the Night... Spider-Woman. She wears red lycra, probably because Herbert asked her to.
This is all very, very concerning. It's also rather confusing unless you are previously familiar with the story. Clearly, young kids in the seventies didn't ask too many complex questions.
Most of the panels in this tale have been reworked... art and script/plot from Spider-Woman #1 has been used for all except the first and last panels. But even then, the dialog has been cut and pasted to support the 10-panel version of the story. Doubtless the editing was a well-meant attempt to render the origin story down to the most compact form possible.
Spider-Woman's origin fares no better than her male equivalent did with Santa's World: Origin Of Spider-Man. In both cases, the necessary editing leaves us with a mangled and confused story. It's a terrible travesty of an already confused and muddled origin (Jessica's origin story is a mess already, without this kind of treatment).
But once again the very charm of the collectible is undeniable. There's no way I can give this a poor rating. It's obscure, it's trite and terrible, and it hangs on a tree. Four webs is the lowest I dare go.
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Not everyone who stops drinking experiences withdrawal symptoms, but most people who have been drinking for a long period of time, or drinking frequently, or drink heavily when they do drink, will experience some form of withdrawal symptoms if they stop drinking suddenly. Take the Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms Quiz.
There is no way to predict how any individual will respond to quitting. If you plan to stop drinking and you have been drinking for years, or if you drink heavily when you do drink, or even if you drink moderately but frequently, you should consult a medical professional before going "cold turkey."
For more information about withdrawals, see Alcohol Withdrawal.
Mild to moderate psychological symptoms:
- Feeling of jumpiness or nervousness
- Feeling of shakiness
- Irritability or easily excited
- Emotional volatility, rapid emotional changes
- Difficulty with thinking clearly
- Bad dreams
Mild to moderate physical symptoms:
- Headache - general, pulsating
- Sweating, especially the palms of the hands or the face
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Insomnia, sleeping difficulty
- Rapid heart rate (palpitations)
- Eyes, pupils different size (enlarged, dilated pupils)
- Skin, clammy
- Abnormal movements
- Tremor of the hands
- Involuntary, abnormal movements of the eyelids
- A state of confusion and hallucinations (visual) -- known as delirium tremens
- "Black outs" -- when the person forgets what happened during the drinking episode
Getting Help and SupportWith the proper medical care, alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be greatly reduced or even eliminated. There are specific treatments available for anyone who wants to stop drinking, even after long-term, chronic alcohol abuse.
If your withdrawal symptoms are mild and you are trying to quit on your own, you might benefit from the encouragement and support that you can find at a support group meeting or even online in our Alcoholism / Substance Abuse Forum at About.com.
Source: National Institutes of Health
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http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/withdraw/a/aa030307a.htm
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A titanic political battle is brewing between the parasitic aristocracy, the dependent class and the two classes creating value with their labor.
In the conventional view, America's socioeconomic classes are divided by income and wealth into various layers of Wealthy, Middle Class and Poor.
If we extend the analysis presented in Why Employment in the U.S. Isn't Coming Back (January 29, 2013) and Why Employment Is Dead in the Water (January 28, 2013), we get an entirely different framework that breaks naturally into four classes:
1. Parasitic financial Aristocracy (creates no value, skims national surplus)2. High value creation (employed, heavily taxed)3. Low value creation (employed/informal economy, lightly taxed)4. No value creation (unemployed, dependent)
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CC-MAIN-2013-20
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http://www.scoop.it/t/gold-and-what-moves-it/p/3995729275/charles-hugh-smith-america-s-four-socioeconomic-classes?tag=burma
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TZieli22 wrote:I think I was really just wondering if the technology has come around to help reduce the smoke output on a fire that is getting filled up.
A stoker may be the answer for you like shortbus suggested. Stokers using bituminous smoke very little but that would mean replacing your stove. I have a stokermatic coal furnace and it makes very little smoke but they don't look anything like your stove and some people don't like the looks of them sitting in the living room. Another issue is availability, these furnaces are not in production any more and can be hard to find in some areas. Here in Utah they can still be found but are becoming rare as time goes on. These heaters require electricity to run and use stoker size coal.
Here is a link showing what these furnaces look like.http://www.peasefeedandcoal.com/Mountain-Man-85.html
If you are interested in finding a furnace like this watch craigslist/local ads ect. for them....stokermatic, firetender and combustioneer are the most common models.
Are you getting your coal at Healy?
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http://nepacrossroads.com/about17354.html
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A Vietnamese scientist and his colleagues in Ho Chi Minh City have introduced a generator powered by water with the application of nanotechnology.
The generator,which is said to be a first in Vietnam, if not the world, was introduced by Dr. Nguyen Chanh Khe, deputy director of the Research and Development Center, at the Saigon Hi-tech Park, and his group on Saturday.
According to Khe, the main principle for the generator’s operation relies on a nano-catalyst, but very few scientists have managed to create an effective nano-catalyst that has high electrochemical stability.
Since the generator only releases water or vapors, it does not pollute the environment and cause noises, he said, adding that various kinds of water can be used to run it, including water, sea water and rainwater.
The generator has a life expectancy of between five and six years, and it can be recycled by having its compartments replaced, he added.
Khe said the generator will be introduced to the market this June and can be bought from 512 agents across the country.
A 2,000W-generator will be priced at VND32 million (US$1,500), while those of 300W will be sold at VND6-8 million ($285-380), which is cheaper than normal generators.
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<urn:uuid:044f8454-ff1f-44b4-adbd-37c32063ce2b>
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CC-MAIN-2013-20
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http://www.lookatvietnam.com/2012/01/vietnamese-scientist-introduces-water-powered-generator.html
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A dual-stage membrane bioreactor (MBR) for advanced treatment of industrial wastewater takes up less space and has lower operating costs than conventional activated sludge processing systems.
The ITT Dual-Stage MBR system, developed by ITT Industries , has been created by combining technologies developed at two of its subsidiary companies: Sanitaire and Aquious. It is targetted at industrial wastewater applications in pharmaceutical and chemical processing, food and beverage manufacturing and other sectors.
The system is a complete and continuous process. It accepts wastewater with high loadings of BOD (biochemical oxygen demand), suspended solids and other contaminants and yields an effluent that can be suitable for direct discharge to surface water bodies (depending on local regulations) and low grade re-use applications. The water can be further treated with polishing processes (for instance, reverse osmosis) to yield potable water.
In a traditional activated sludge process, wastewater is introduced into a biological treatment tank where organic contaminants are reduced and nutrients removed. The resultant biomass or sludge then flows to a clarifier or settling tank where solids separate out and effluent can be taken off and filtered prior to disinfection. If higher levels of effluent quality are required before disposal or re-use, an additional microfiltration or ultrafiltration step may be required.
Membrane bioreactors, on the other hand, use the physical barrier provided by an ultrafiltration membrane instead of a settling tank to separate solids from liquid. Thus the effluent is of significantly higher quality and little, if any, additional treatment is required prior to disposal or re-use.
The growth of membrane bioreactors in the global marketplace is a direct result of water scarcity and the increasing need to reduce levels of solids and nutrients in effluent to meet more stringent treatment requirements and to allow for water re-use. In general, any wastewater source that can be treated using activated sludge can be treated using the MBR process. Until recently, traditional activated sludge processes have been used for most applications because of their relatively low cost. However, MBR costs have been dropping and can be comparable or less than conventional treatment, especially when effluent quality requirements are more stringent.
In the ITT Dual Stage MBR system, the biological treatment portion of the process is kept separate from the membrane filtration stage. Parameters such as aeration rate can be controlled discretely to minimise cleaning and power costs, according to the company.
The unit is designed to have a competitive capital cost and will show a 20 to 30 per cent lower operating cost when compared to other MBRs currently marketed, according to ITT. In a typical 20-year life cycle analysis, the per-1000-gallon cost of the ITT system will be at least 30 per cent lower than other systems, it claims.
Aquious is a new brand that envelopes ITT Industries' existing membrane filtration products and technology, including PCI Membrane Systems. Meantime, Sanitaire develops wastewater treatment technologies used in municipal and industrial wastewater treatment facilities.
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CC-MAIN-2013-20
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http://www.in-pharmatechnologist.com/Processing/Smaller-cheaper-wastewater-plant-from-ITT
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SAN ANGELO, Texas — Value is equal to the benefit of a purchase minus the costs. When customers make a purchase, they not only consider the price but the overall value of the product package.
Are you providing a good value?
For example, when a restaurant sells a plate of food to a customer, that customer walks away with more than just a full belly (hopefully). Other benefits people enjoy by going out to eat include a relaxing and clean environment, having attentive and pleasant servers, and enjoying food presented in an impressive and appealing manner.
The food must be good, but it goes further than that. Are you missing opportunities to improve the value of doing business with your company?
Benefits include everything positive about a product and the business exchange. One benefit your business can provide is ease of purchase.
Why are we willing to pay more for goods at a convenience store? Because it is a small store with shorter lines at a convenient location. You pay more for the ease of that purchase.
Another benefit is how your product is perceived socially. Will your friends or colleagues be impressed by your purchase?
In marketing there is a theory of a "thought leader" in groups of people. In secondary school it was easy to spot these trendsetters but, no matter our age, we are always looking up to someone even if we do not realize it.
This is why many companies will give celebrities free samples of their goods in hopes that they will be photographed with said items, and their fans will want to emulate them. Even nightclubs or restaurants will comp high-profile clients to improve the perceived value of the restaurant. Could you put your goods in the hands of influential people?
Another way to increase value is to decrease costs. Are you adding costs to people who do business with you? Cost is not only the price of a product or service, but also includes everything negative about doing business.
When I go to a store, and the inventory is not organized, I know it will take me longer to find what I am looking for. That time is an extra cost to me that I must consider if I decide to shop there. Unfriendly staff, not accepting credit cards and inconvenient hours are also examples of costs that can negatively affect shoppers.
As online shopping became increasingly popular, many brick-and-mortar businesses feared they would be priced out of business; however, there are always additional costs to doing business online. These costs can include extra shipping costs and time.
If you decide to purchase online, you have to be willing to wait for the product to arrive. Another cost is the inability to test or try on something you are considering buying. You can focus on this benefit if you have a brick-and-mortar store.
Finally, don't forget to communicate your benefits to your customers and potential customers. If they do not know about a benefit, it cannot help influence their decision.
You can increase the value of your business by either increasing benefits, or decreasing costs to people doing business with you. Benefits and costs are more than just the dollar value, so take time considering the ways you can improve the purchase package to increase the value of your products and services and increase sales.
Business Tips was written by Jessica Lambert, business development training coordinator and certified training coordinator of Angelo State University's Small Business Development Center. Contact her at Jessica.Lambert@angelo.edu.
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http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2011/oct/02/formula-for-added-value-to-business/
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Aeros to develop peacetime Walrus that will will do to the cargo industry what Internet did for information exchange
November 6, 2006 The DARPA Walrus program, one of the most ambitious projects ever scoped, may have been officially wound up due to budgetary constraints, but in achieving the program objectives, chief contractor Aeros Aeronautical Systems believes that the technological concepts successfully demonstrated by the program provides a basis of confidence on which to launch a new commercial effort to build a full scale demonstration vehicle. Aeros President Igor Pasternak believes that "Aeroscraft will do to the cargo industry what Internet did for information exchange. With continuous development of this technology we move a step closer to the next breakthrough in aerospace innovation." The Walrus is a massive blimp that can transport 500 military units in their entirety but could equally offer myriad peacetime solutions, opening land-locked countries to trade, enabling heavy construction materials to be delivered into urban centres with minimum disruption and facilitating a more robust and agile air transportation network. Indeed, business logistics could be completely rethought because many physical transportation limits would no longer apply once a fleet of commercial Walruses (Aeroscraft) became available. The Aeroscraft does not require an airstrip and can land on water or on open ground.
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http://www.gizmag.com/go/6430/picture/28790/
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A bipartisan resolution is expected to pass through the House next week, recognizing the four Americans killed in the attack this week on the American Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Speaker John A. Boehner and Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia, the Republican leader, drafted the resolution late Friday evening, along with Representative Nancy Pelosi, the House minority leader, and Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, the Democratic whip, to honor those killed in the attack and to condemn the anti-American violence that rippled throughout Egypt and Yemen.
“The House of Representatives recognizes the selfless commitment to United States national security and to Libya’s hard-won, transitional democracy by the brave United States citizens who lost their lives in the unjustified attack on the United States consulate in Benghazi, Libya,” they wrote.
The Congressional leaders also expressed “profound concern” for the security situation in the region, echoing President Obama’s call in his weekly address for foreign governments to strengthen cooperation with the United States in protecting diplomatic facilities.
While the White House is struggling to persuade Muslims that the inflammatory video that prompted the violence was not endorsed by the American government, the resolution issued support for Libya’s “transitional democracy,” but expressed dismay because “many diplomatic facilities remain threatened by terrorist attacks or violent protests.”
Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens was the first American ambassador killed by an attack in more than 30 years. The resolution honoring him and the four others who were killed will be submitted to committee early next week.
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CC-MAIN-2013-20
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http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/15/house-honors-americans-killed-in-attack-on-consulate-in-libya/?ref=libya
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Over 20 years ago, the renowned pediatric surgeon and Surgeon General of the United States, C. Everett Koop, M.D., joined with one of the leading Christian thinkers of the 20th century, Francis A. Schaeffer (1912 - 1984), to analyze the widespread implications and frightening loss of human rights brought on by the practices of abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia. They viewed their time as a crucial turning point. Choices were being made that undermined human rights at their most basic level. Practices once labeled "unthinkable" were then considered acceptable. The destruction of human life, young and old, began to be sanctioned on an ever-increasing scale by the medical profession, by the courts, by parents, and by silent citizens.
Refuting the faulty logic of their time (and predicting 21st century thinking as well), these two great minds set a clear base for Christian thought on these subjects.
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CC-MAIN-2013-20
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http://reviews.christianbook.com/2016/1072918/crossway-books-bibles-whatever-happened-to-the-human-race-reviews/reviews.htm
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T. S. Eliot
Indian influences, both Hindu and Buddhist, are scattered everywhere in the work of the British (American-born) poet/critic/dramatist T. S. Eliot (1888–1965). For instance, the three shantis (peace blessings) that close The Waste Land transforms the long poem of 1920 into an Upanishad, for in the Indian tradition only Upanishads are permitted the triple benediction at the end. While acknowledging the Brihadaranyaka–Upanishad, Eliot changes the advice of Prajapati to the three kinds of intelligent forms who came to him as disciples: gods, anti-gods, and man. In the original Sanskrit, the gods are given the final advice by Prajapati to be disciplined, to control themselves, because gods tend to be victims of arrogance; the anti-gods are advised to be compassionate, because they tend to be brutal and vicious; and the men are asked to be giving, because they tend to become victims of selfishness. Eliot turns the sequence into datta (give), dayadhvam (be compassionate), and damyata (be self-controlled). He has switched the order of the shastra (rule), and shastras are best not tampered with. What appears to have the words of an Upanishad is therefore not an Upanishad, but a Christian reworking.
In 1944, “The Dry Salvages” section of Four Quartets sets forth the advice by Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, “Do not think of the fruit of action.” Eliot may have been talking here to the Allied soldiers in the Battle of Britain (Eliot was an ARP warden). Was he trying to say that one should fight but forget that one is fighting to save democracy from Nazism and Fascism? The doubt lingers: “I sometimes wonder if that is what Krishna meant… Fare forward… Not fare well,/ But fare forward, voyagers.” Maybe not even that, but just fare on. Who can tell if our faring is linear (in the Western sense of time) or circular (in the Eastern sense, karma)?
Eliot expressed a similar doubt in 1943 in his poem “To the Indians Who Died in South Africa,” written at the request of Miss Cornelia Sorabjee for Queen Mary’s Book for India:
…action None the less fruitful if neither you nor we Know, until the judgment after death, What is the fruit of action.
In 1950, in The Cocktail Party, Celia Coplestone, guilt-ridden by her adulterous affair, goes to Sir Harcourt Reilly, the psychiatrist, for analyses and advice. He tells her:
Go in peace, my daughter. Work out your salvation with diligence.
The words of the Buddha to his disciple Ananda were: “So karohi dipam attano (Be a lamp to yourself. Work out your nirvana.)” The difference between “salvation” and “nirvana” is critical. Salvation suggests self-fulfillment after self-discovery; nirvana implies snuffing-out, self-extinction. What kind of self-extinction can be obtained in the crowded corridors of cocktail party circuits? In comparing poems by Eliot, it becomes apparent that he plays with metaphors and imagery from both Eastern and Western philosophic traditions in creating his world cosmography.
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http://asiasociety.org/countries/traditions/indian-influences-western-literature?page=0,2
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en
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How do you save important(privacy-wise) user data like SSN, Credit Card Numbers and Addresses in databases?
Only data which needs to be available is saved. For eg, SSN is saved because the app uses the SSN to identify a particular record. or credit card details are saved to make 1-click transactions possible.Some such data can be encrypted and saved, but some data needs to be available in plain text(eg. for full text search). The app uses third party hosting.
How secure is such data in plain text(or otherwise) on third party hosts like HostGator or App Engine?
Do you save such data on third party hosts(and is this practice recommended)?
Do you store it in plain text or do you encrypt such data?
Should only those companies who have the resources to have their own servers proceed to build such apps?
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<urn:uuid:3c25f05f-0981-48b4-b13a-a75af2f664b4>
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CC-MAIN-2013-20
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http://programmers.stackexchange.com/questions/37812/saving-critical-data-in-third-party-databases/37828
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Here's a suggestion to help you get started:
Project Connect is a FREE, 12-week class that focuses on the math, reading, personal, and computer skills adults need to move on to school, employment or training.
Who Should Enroll?
Adults who have finished high school or earned a GED and are not sure what to do next.
Adults who are trying to get into training or certification programs or trying to get into school or college
Why Should I Enroll?
Project Connect teaches math and reading skills that can help you skip expensive remedial classes in college
Project Connect teaches skills to help you pass Entrance Tests for Training and Certification programs
Project Connect teaches communication and time management skills that employers demand
Project Connect teaches computer skills you'll need on the job and at school
Medina County Career Center, 1101 W. Liberty St., Medina 44256
Begins Monday, April 11, 6:30 pm
Classes are held on Monday and Wednesday, 6:30-8:30 pm
To enroll, call 440.891.7647 or 330.725.8461, ext. 230
Project Connect is sponsored by Polaris Adult Basic & Literacy Education, a member of the University System of Ohio.
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<urn:uuid:2f7eaa19-2f9a-46b6-8502-f20da3db61af>
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CC-MAIN-2013-20
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http://blog.cleveland.com/polaris/2011/04/earned_a_ged_what_next.html
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Washington County’s plans for urban reserves were scaled back further last week, after county commission chairman Tom Brian gave concessions to land conservation advocates.
Specifically, Brian declared the area north of West Union Road to be “out of discussion” as an urban reserve, a victory for groups like Save Helvetia but a move that will force Hillsboro to rethink its long term planning.
Urban reserves are slated to be designated by February and will be targeted by Metro for urban growth boundary expansions for the next 40 years.
The concession is good news, said Save Helvetia member Brian Beinlich, but not nearly enough.
“We don’t feel that trying to make West Union, which is a two-lane rural road, a boundary between industrial and agricultural makes any sense,” he said. “A more appropriate buffer would be Highway 26 or Waible Creek.”
Representing Washington County on the team that is negotiating a final plan, Brian has an uphill battle in some of the key discussion areas in his county.
Some Metro councilors are reluctant to allow Hillsboro to grow all the way to U.S. 26 by 2050, relying on an Oregon Department of Agriculture report that suggested Hillsboro’s growth be limited at Waible Creek.
Near Cornelius, there is more appetite to allow for reserves in areas south of town — areas Brian said are prone to flooding — than to allow growth in the peninsula between Council and Dairy creeks north of the city.
A reserve south of Hillsboro could extend all the way to Rosedale Road, but Clackamas County Commissioner Charlotte Lehan said she would only accept that if the Farmington area south of Rosedale was preserved as a rural reserve.
And a planned reserve for Sherwood was chopped significantly Friday after Lehan objected to growth on so-called foundation farmland, which has the highest quality of soil.
“I don’t see what the justification is when you’re talking about foundation ag land,” Lehan said. “I’m very uncomfortable with ... doubling the size of Sherwood.”
Lehan’s reluctance to allow development on foundation land would seem to favor her county, which has more conflicted and important farm land, both considered lower quality and better suited for conversion from agricultural to residential and industrial.
But the region’s leaders have been trying to get away from a system which uses soil quality as the key factor in determining where growth will go, and a discussion centered around foundation farmland would seem to send the reserves designation process right back in that direction.
“Some have taken the broad brush of ‘foundation land’ as used in the Oregon Department of Agriculture report as gospel, and essentially say ‘no matter what, the land should not be urbanized,’” Brian said in an e-mail last weekend.
That attitude, he said, is unrealistic.
“We are in a metropolitan area, and apparently about a million more people are coming our way,” Brian said. “I agree we should be extremely careful about the use of the ag land, but I do not subscribe to the idea that we virtually cannot go there and instead have to substantially increase the densities of our communities and neighborhoods to the extent that some dream about.”
Kathryn Harrington, western Washington County’s Metro councilor and the Metro Council’s representative in the negotiations, said some foundation land will be sacrificed for growth.
“We realize we are going to impact some foundation land. That’s just a fact,” she said. “It’s a difficult fact, which is why we’re trying to ensure that we’re being very prudent about what foundation ag lands we are impacting, and how we are bounding those and utilizing those to make sure they’re in the right places.”
But, she added, a certain amount of agriculture must be maintained in order to ensure there is a critical mass of farming-related businesses to support the industry as a whole.
The group undertaking the negotiations is called the Core 4, and consists of Brian, Lehan, Harrington and Multnomah County Commissioner Jeff Cogen.
They’ll return the negotiated agreement to their boards for approval, with reserves set to be designated in February after two years of study.
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Why is the Vietnam war not considered one of the world's greatest disasters when all America did was kill millions, destroy a culture and then leave the country?
Asked by jasper1890 (193 ) April 5th, 2011
I deliberately worded the question this way to spark better answers….
I studied Vietnam in detail would be very interested to know other views on this.
Observing members: 0 Composing members: 0
Wow! You've got 847 knowledge matches!Want to see them? Join Fluther!
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http://www.fluther.com/116743/why-is-the-vietnam-war-not-considered-one-of-the-worlds/
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| 0.961869
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Post by Contributing Writer, Beth
The amount of information on the natural living lifestyle can be overwhelming. It can be really difficult to sort through what to change, when to change it, and why. Here are a few first steps that I think are important, and will serve you well as you embark on the journey toward a healthier and more natural life.
1. Have the Desire.
The very first thing required for a journey into natural living is a sincere desire for change. It sounds kind of obvious, but don’t spend all kinds of extra money on natural body care products unless you actually care about intentionally avoiding the chemicals that are in conventional ones.
Don’t buy expensive healthy ingredients if they’re only going to sit in the pantry for a year. It’s pointless to try and senselessly jump on the bandwagon only to fall off later and feel guilty about it!
2. Baby Steps.
If you have the desire to move toward a more natural mindset and lifestyle, then go easy on yourself and take baby steps. Don’t rush to your pantry and throw every single thing away and then panic and wonder what the heck to make for dinner.
Perhaps you could start with making homemade cleaners instead of the conventional ones that are full of harmful chemicals. Or try out a shampoo that is free of SLS and Parabens. Maybe you could even just start out by choosing one item in your pantry to make healthy and homemade instead of buying the unhealthy version (like chicken stock – which is one of the most nutrient-dense good-for-you things you could possibly serve your family, not to mention so frugal!).
3. Become an Avid Label Reader.
Learn to check the ingredient list of every product you buy, and learn what the ingredients are and what they do. Be conscious of what you are putting on or in your body. You will be surprised at first just how much junk is hidden in products that we supposed to believe are safe.
Did you know that peanut butter often contains extremely high amounts of sugar? And that most conventional shampoos contain a carcinogenic chemical called Sodium Laurel Sulfate? Read labels… or better yet buy things that don’t require a label (think produce, meat, etc), or make your own!
4. Be Informed.
Of course no one can assimilate all of the information out there, especially when it continues to expand and change so quickly. Don’t worry about knowing it all, just focus on reading and learning little bits as you are able.
Choose a few blogs to subscribe to (may I suggest Frugal Granola and Red & Honey as good places to start! ), read a few books, and commit to being a learner. A few key things to check out to start would be the EWG database and the Dirty Dozen list, and for nutrition, check out WAPF.
5. Have Healthy Treats on Reserve.
If you are trying to eat better (cutting out sugar/grains/processed foods or whatever it may be), then I would highly advise having a plan for when those cravings hit. For example, this recipe for chocolate coconut macaroons is pretty much as healthy as it gets… they are even GAPS legal, with no grains, no dairy, no refined sugars… and yet they are one of my most popular recipes among my friends.
6. Don’t Take it Too Seriously.
This will depend on your own convictions and it will look different for each person. In general though, I would advise that you don’t let your new knowledge and lifestyle be more important than relationships.
Many of the strictest real foodies I know will say that the 80/20 rule is ok: If 80% of what you ingest is super healthy, then an occasional indulgence (like on special occasions, etc) should not be a big deal. That is assuming, of course, that your 80% really is actually healthy, and not just “pseudo-healthy” (like the Food Pyramid and other misleading “resources”).
Embracing a natural and healthy lifestyle and diet is a continual journey. It can be difficult at times, but if you stay on the course, you will not regret it!
What is your number one tip for a beginner who is learning about natural living?
Beth is a natural redhead, wife to a pilot husband and mama to (almost) 3 little ones. She is passionate about missions, motherhood, and finding the beauty in everyday life. She blogs from the Canadian prairies about the art and soul of audacious homemaking at Red & Honey.
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650 W. State St.
Boise, ID, 83720 United States
Determined not to have an potato heads in its state, the Idaho State Department of Education (SDE) works to raise student achievement and support school districts and administrators. To that end, SDE provides certification and testing of and guidelines for teachers as well as guidelines and publications for administrators. It tracks the state's 275,000 students, including 9,000 in private schools, and provides school support services like driver education, adult and GED education, and accreditation. SDE also oversees Native American education in the state and offers scholarships and resources specifically for that population. The agency has an annual budget of $25 million.
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Upon completion of a set programme students are recognized with a completion certificate, China’s New Horizons Certificate of Global Achievement, designed in association with The University of Melbourne.
Certification recognizes that students have successfully completed a programme that focuses on critical thinking, global citizenship, self reflection, lifelong learning and cultural respect. Certification is awarded based on modules completed and tasks assessed during the programme. Certification will be useful to students wanting to demonstrate global awareness, exhibit familiarity with China, and add educational experiences to their personal resume.
Breadth – Participation in modules from all domains
Depth – Specialization in one or more domains
Inquiry – High order thinking and inquiring into the issues emerging through the experience.
Question – Formulating a focused question based on inquiry and answered through a portfolio. The portfolio is a group project that includes reflective writing, photography and sketches. The portfolio is presented and assessed.
Gold, Silver and Bronze standards of certification are awarded for each level, based upon the assessment throughout a programme. The assessment includes; participation, attitude and effort, critical thinking and inquiry skills, reflection and posed questions, portfolio presentation and reflective pieces based around questions and findings.
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Maine Health Information Exchange Adds Medical Images
HealthInfoNet, Maine's health information exchange, becomes first in the nation to support statewide sharing of X-rays, CT scans, and other medical images.
HealthInfoNet, which went live in 2009 and currently supports the exchange of health records for 1 million of the 1.3 million people who live in the state, this week will begin a pilot to make patients' medical images accessible to the state's healthcare providers.
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Until now, HealthInfoNet provided access to medical image reports, but now physicians will also have instant access to the actual images themselves, rather than waiting for image copies to be sent (for example) on disks, said Jerry Edson, a consultant on the HealthInfoNet medical imaging project, and former CIO of Maine Medical Center.
"We had the image reports in the HIE, but people want the images," he said. That's particularly the case for rural Maine physicians who don't have access to picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) but want to view in a timely manner patients' medical images, for example, to compare the progression of a disease or injury against previous image studies, he said.
[ Some hospitals and clinicians are fighting quick patient access to medical records. See Compromise On Health Data Access May Be Ugly. ]
HealthInfoNet will be able to link each image with a single patient identifier through its HIE Master Person Index, allowing clinicians to search for all a patient's prior images to track changes over time.
The HealthInfoNet medical image archive is supported through a cloud-based architecture and services provided by Dell, which in December 2010 acquired medical image archiving vendor InSite One, said Jim Champagne, executive director of Dell services industry sector, and former CEO of InSite One.
Currently, for healthcare clients, including HealthInfoNet, Dell (via its Unified Clinical Archive technology and services) manages approximately 71 million clinical image studies comprised of more than 5 billion images from over 800 clinical imaging centers, said Champagne.
The HealthInfoNet archive includes five years of previous images studies and is expected to generate about 1.8 million new medical images containing more than 45 terabytes of data annually. HealthInfoNet also estimates that by consolidating medical images onto a single archive, Maine healthcare providers will save a total of $6 million over seven years through a reduction of distributed image storage and transport costs.
HealthInfoNet, Dell, and the pilot group of Maine health care organizations will work together over the summer to confirm the system design and integrate the service with existing PACS systems and the HIE. HealthInfoNet expects to end the pilot phase in the fall and expand the service statewide by 2013.
There will be 52 imaging centers in Maine participating in the medical image archive, which represents about 80% of all medical images generated in the state. Other providers are expected to join HealthInfoNet in the meantime, as well.
As part of its medical imaging offerings, Dell provides more than 10,000 interfaces to PACS so that those systems can connect to its cloud-based archives.
HealthInfoNet, an independent, non-profit organization, currently has 34 of Maine's 39 hospitals contracted to participate in its HIE, and 25 of them are already connected. There are also 182 physicians groups in Maine currently participating in the HIE, and 25 behavioral health centers will also be connected by year end. In addition, long-term care facilities and home nursing providers are also signing up. Healthcare providers pay a subscription fee to participate in the HIE.
In addition to the latest medical imaging services being offered by HealthInfoNet, the HIE also supports the exchange of patient clinical data including hospital discharge summaries, medication histories and e-prescribing info, lab results, diagnoses, problem lists, allergies, and claims information.
Get the new, all-digital Healthcare CIO 25 issue of InformationWeek Healthcare. It's our second annual honor roll of the health IT leaders driving healthcare's transformation. (Free registration required.)
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Leaders are paid to lead, period. What Governor Christie is doing is simply dodging an issue in order to appeal to socially conservative voters during an election season.
NJ Governor Christie vetoes same-sex marriage law
Leadership is needed in this issue; as noted above, if the Voting Rights Act of 1965 had been put to a vote, how many people in, say, Alabama would have voted for it? Would it have passed in any state?
Telling a minority that they can only enjoy the same rights a the majority only if the majority first approves of it is wrong, period.
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Words, words, words; words are some of my favourite things.
Words elicit laughter:
Words tell us what you believe in:
This post is for Weekly Geeks: 2011 – 9 which is titled, “That word we never use.“
This week’s challenge has four parts:
1 – I would like to make you all parents and send you over to Save The Word.org to look at all the words that are either not being used enough or are due for a cull probably within the next couple of years. Adopt a word.
As you can see in the photo above, the word I adopted was gelicide which is a noun. It means a frost and is used in the following sentence so that you all can get a sense of what gelicide means.
Those poor garden gnomes – they’ll die from gelicide if we don’t bring them inside.
I encourage you all to rush over and adopt a word – it was a fun and rewarding experience.
2 – What is your pet peeve word? – The word that makes you grind your teeth with either it’s over use or being used out of context.
I have no pet peeve word per say but grit my teeth every time some one misuses the plural, that is, they write sister’s when they mean sisters.
3 – What is a word you adore, or a word that you feel is not used enough. Irrespective of meaning or even era it’s a word that you just love.
The word I adore I have not been able to find in any dictionary. That word is sundelightful – I fell in love with it the minute I read it in a book. I wish I could link to the book but it’s been decades since I discovered the word and forgot the referenced book.
4 – Lastly what is your opinion on word culling or the rise in “text speak” that’s happening now.
I’m in favour of words so I have no problem with new and evolving languages. I wish I was better at learning languages as I love to pepper my speech with foreign words but will only do so if I can explain the foreign word or phrase that I am using.
Words, words, words: I love words. When I went back to school in my thirties (shh – I’m old, aged, ancient, decrepit, experienced, mature, geriatric, antique) I discovered the multi-volume print edition of the OED. I could spend hours sitting and exploring all the words stored within. This is something I covet; I want to own the print version of the OED. Does anyone have a spare $1, 595.00 + (today’s price) that they do not need and could give to me?
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