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Graduates of the Monterey Institute’s new Master of Arts in International Education Management program are expected to fill key positions in the growing international education sector.
Monterey Children Enjoy First-Ever Interactive International Storytelling Event
April 9, 2009
Posted April 9, 2009
The Monterey Institute of International Studies today opened its doors – and the world – to more than 65 Monterey-area five- to eight-year-old children with its first-ever International Storytelling Event.
Students from the Walter Colton K-8 School and International School of Monterey learned about world cultures through folktales like “The Day It Snowed Tortillas” and other stories from countries like China, Armenia, Ireland and more.
The tales were told by 27 of the Institute’s Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages students in Dr. Peter Shaw’s Curriculum and Materials Design in English Language Education class.
Monterey Institute student and storyteller Thulile Ndaba said the best part about the event was sharing a piece of home. “The story I told is well known to almost everyone who grew up back home, but not all of them ever got to hear Grandmother tell it,” she said. “I shared from Africa, but also from my own childhood, and that is an honor!”
To prepare for their roles and practice their skills, Dr. Shaw’s students participated in storytelling training from the Monterey Public Library.
“In class, we discuss ways in which we can make learning meaningful, engaging, and effective for our learners. The wonderful staff at the Monterey Public Library did a workshop on storytelling,” Institute student and storyteller Rachel Josephs said, “showing us ways that we can get young children to participate actively in the story and how to maintain their interest.”
The event was also open to children of Monterey Institute students and faculty, and included a Monterey Public Library display table, activities and nutritious snacks.
Like this story? Here are a few suggestions:
The greatest hope of Bishnu Adhikari (MAIEP ’07) is that the humanitarian development work he and his colleagues undertake will someday make international aid unnecessary: “I hope one day to be out of a job!”
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Aging of the Face
A stranger who wants to know another person's age can either ask for identification or look at the person's face, and the latter is less intrusive and almost as accurate. People are able to determine age from the face with surprising accuracy, to within a few years when the person judged is between 20 and 60, a skill that develops early in life when even babies can distinguish children from adults.
How the Face Ages
|The signs of age in the face are clear in this contrast: |
expansion of the eye, nose and mouth features to fill
a greater area of the cranium; less forehead and more
chin; changes in hair, skin color and texture, pores open
and wrinkles increase.
As the face matures, it changes some of its most enduring properties (e.g., shape of cranium) and acquires new attributes (e.g., wrinkles). These changes are the basis for information about the aging of the face. The greatest changes occur from infancy to puberty as the face and head mature into an adult form. The eyes, nose, and mouth features of the face expand to fill a relatively greater area of the surface of the cranium; the relative area occupied by the forehead shrinks as the eyes move up into this area; the eyes become proportionately smaller and the forehead slopes back more; the face becomes smaller in respect to the rest of the body; and the chin tends to become larger and more protrusive. Some of these changes may continue, but less dramatically, into adulthood, but other changes begin to occur to mark aging of the face and correspond to the decline of the face past the generative years into old age. The skin becomes darker, less flexible, rougher, and more leathery; lines, wrinkles, folds, pouches, and blemishes or discolorations gradually appear and/or become more pronounced; muscles and connective tissues change their elasticity; and fatty deposits and bone may be lost to produce pouches in the cheeks, bags under the eyes, sagging under the chin or a double chin, opening of pores, and other changes in the way soft tissues conform to the underlying bony structure. Changes in the vascular supply of the skin and in hair, oil and sweat glands usually occur. These changes are illustrated in the images on the right above. There are also changes in the movements and behaviors of the face as it ages, but little is known about these changes because they require a long research period to study. During aging of the face, fine control of the facial muscles is lost, similar to finger dexterity.
Continuity of Identity Through the Ages
Despite the often dramatic changes in the face as it ages, the identity of the face is preserved throughout the person's life. The elements of facial identity of each person can be detected from early childhood through old age, though it may be difficult to match a face using only the extremes of age, versus seeing the steps as the face develops and ages. The series of images at the right show the same woman at different ages, indicated in years below each image. The images show the effects of facial aging on facial appearance. There is a resemblance from age to age that can be seen even between the youngest and oldest image. Humans interpret this consistency in the appearance of the face as part of facial identity and the identity of the person.
What To Do About Wrinkles
|Becoming more attractive? Only temporary, at best.
Becoming more unattractive is a lasting effect of
Wrinkles indicate age, and particularly for women, are seen as problematic for beauty and worth eliminating, if possible. One reason for minimizing wrinkling is that youthful women are generally viewed as more attractive by men. The best way to deal with wrinkles is to prevent or postpone them for as long as possible. One of the most important wrinkle preventatives is to avoid sunlight because the sun's rays penetrate the skin surface and physically destroy tissues of the skin, which leads to wrinking. If you seek a tan in the sun, you will without doubt pay for it later with earlier, deeper wrinkles. Tanning is caused by the sun stimulating production of melanin as a protective response against sunburn. Both tanning and burning are separate from the damage that occurs to deeper layers of skin tissues, which is caused by a different ultraviolet bandwidth. Sun screen products are generally ineffective in preventing this type of damage. Although darker skin types are less vulnerable to sunburn (though not immune), their response to the wrinkling action of the sun is not significantly different. If you must have a darker skin color, tanning spas may have lamps that do not emit the damaging rays (carefully evaluate this claim - they are not the burning rays that damage deep skin tissues), and there are pills and topical lotions that dye the skin to resemble a suntan. These alternatives will save the tan seeking woman many regrets over skin care.
Another recommended preventative approach to skin care is to eat a good diet that
provides adequate nutrients for maintaining skin health, which can be
supplemented with a multi-vitamin or specific vitamins for the skin. Vitamins that are claimed to have beneficial effects for skin health include A, C, D, and E. However, scientific evidence for the specific actions of these vitamins taken in supplemental doses for skin health (beyond their general antioxidant effect) is sparse.
Once you have wrinkles, there are some techniques for reducing them. Recently introduced creams and lotions are effective in reducing wrinkles. These wrinkle creams act by increasing the volume of tissue cells and smoothing out the wrinkle or line. Thus, they cannot eliminate deep wrinkles. See your physician or pharmacist when buying these creams because only some skin care creams and lotions have this action. The other, ordinary skin care cosmetic products may or may not help smooth your wrinkles, and generally act by covering or hiding them.
The face lift is a proven effective cosmetic surgery treatment for wrinkles, pouches, bags, and sagging skin. You should have severe wrinkling to warrant this expensive and drastic step. The surgeon literally pulls the skin tighter on the bones of the face. Because the skin continues to age, the signs of age will eventually return and another face lift will be needed. However, the elasticity of the skin decreases with age and its ability to respond well to the lift also decreases, so signs of multiple lifts eventually negatively affect aesthetic judgments of the face. Careful selection of physician is an obvious consideration for such a procedure; fortunately, this lucrative field attracts many competent cosmetic surgeons.
Recently, botox injections have become popular as a treatment for wrinkles. Botox is a inoffensive name for botulinum toxin, one of the most deadly biochemicals known, and a potential weapon in a future terrorist attack. Is this poison something you want to inject into your face without a highly compelling reason? If your answer is yes, then there are additional facts to keep in mind. This toxin acts by blocking neurotransmitters to the muscle, thus blocking muscular contraction. The blocking action has important medical uses for seriously ill people, and also has the side effect of reducing wrinkles that are the product of chronically tense or frequently contracted muscles. Since these muscles no longer contract (or are partially paralyzed), the wrinkles they produce are minimized. Thus, only wrinkles that are produced or enhanced by muscular actions are mitigated by botox; other wrinkles, lines and folds that are not primarily a product of muscle contractions will not be affected. Also, if the muscles that produce wrinkles also produce important functional actions that botox cannot be allowed to interfere with, such as movements of the lips, botox use is unwise. Thus, the primary site for using botox is around the eyes where loss (or partial loss) of muscular action will not cause functional problems. There are other practical problems in using botox as a wrinkle reducer. Its effects last only a matter of months, so subsequent treatments are required to restore its effects. Also, the body develops antibodies to it that reduce its effectiveness, necessitating stronger doses or more frequent treatments. If a person who has a resistance to botox someday needs it for serious medical purposes, the medical application may be thwarted. Overall, perhaps it would be better to seek treatment for the underlying condition that causes tense facial muscles.
Images in color copyright © Corel Corp; monochrome images copyright © 2003 A Human Face.
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Forget the petroleum-eating microorganisms and the floating polyethylene pads designed to soak up oil. During the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, United Kingdom scientists easily could have fixed the problem with a simple invention: fabric softener soap.
That’s right. Scientists have just created the world’s first magnetic soap – a green technology invention that could help with environmental remediation efforts by allowing experts to tackle contaminated areas of the planet precisely and aggressively using magnetic force.
This magnetic soap initially was created by dissolving iron in inert materials that mirror those found in traditional fabric softener. As a result, the soap particles bore metallic centers, allowing it to simply cling to a magnet when placed in solution. The melting point and electric conductivity of the soap then could be altered using a magnet, which is a helpful quality when performing green cleanups, particularly during a sticky oil spill situation. In addition, because the soap is magnetic, it is relatively easy to clean up.
The list of more than 1,200 Environmental Protection Agency Superfund sites – locations that are contaminated with hazardous substances that can endanger both public health and the environment – remains much longer than it should be. Soil excavation and the use of permeable reactive barriers – which essentially change harmful chemicals into less harmful ones – have been cleanup methods used so far on these sites.
Maybe it’s time to add a little fabric softener to the mix.
About U.S. Green Technology
U.S. Green Technology was established in January of 2009. U.S. Green Technology‘s mission is to share news and information about the latest advancements in green technologies and green jobs. U.S. Green Technology‘s areas of coverage include providing information on green social media campaigns, changes in green business, spread of the green movement throughout entertainment, green technological invention, new green start-ups, green manufacturing, green building, and green jobs. U.S. Green Technology recently launched a new free business directory for companies to promote their products and services. U.S. Green Technology also offers a green jobs board, powered by Simply Hired, for employers to post green jobs for job seekers interested in careers in the green jobs industries such as clean energy, renewable fuels, information technology, green building and green transportation.
Post a Job! $99 for 30 days
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Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae)
Rework of an old photo taken in NZ while on holiday
The Sumatran tiger is only found naturally in Sumatra, a large island in western Indonesia. Its habitat ranges from lowland forests to sub-mountain and mountain-forests, including peat swamp forests. Much of its habitat is unprotected, with only about 400 living in game reserves and national parks. The largest population of about 110 tigers lives in Gunung Leuser National Park. Another 100 live in unprotected areas which are being converted for agriculture.
Deforestation resulting from the production of palm oil is a major threat to the Sumatran Tiger.4 The reserves also do not provide safety, as many tigers are killed by poachers each year despite conservation efforts. According to the Tiger Information Centre and the World Wildlife Fund there are no more than 500 remaining Sumatran Tigers in the wild, with some estimates considerably lower.
The continuing loss of habitat is intensifying the crisis to save this tiger.
Canon EOS 1000D
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In Parshat Eikev we find the Biblical source for Grace after Meals. “And you will eat and be sated and bless the Lord your God on the goodly land that He has given you (Deuteronomy 8:10).” The verse clearly states that the obligation to bless God is only incumbent upon one who has eaten to the point of satiation (כדי שביעה). Yet rabbinic legislation imposed the obligation to recite Birkat Hamazon upon those who had consumed a mere olive’s-bulk (כזית) of bread (Mishnah Berakhot 7:2).
Why did the sages exponentially expand halakhah, saddling Jewry with a heavy burden of religious demands above and beyond the already weighty yoke of Biblical commandments? In some cases the sages utilized their legislative powers to advance a national or social agenda. Some enactments were intended to remind us of the Temple זכר למקדש (Mishnah Sukkah 3:12). Others were necessary to protect social justice תיקון עולם, in cases where Torah law alone proved to be insufficient (Mishnah Gittin 4:3). Other decrees were promulgated to maintain peaceful relations between people מפני דרכי שלום (Mishnah Gittin 5:8) or to avoid acrimony משום איבה (Semakhot 5:11).
It is generally assumed that most rabbinic laws serve as protective measures – that is, they constitute the proverbial “fence around the Torah” (Avot 1:1). This is most evident in the very first Mishnah, studied upon the commencement of the 13th Daf Yomi cycle, which has just begun. The Mishnah states that the evening Shema may be recited as late as dawn. Yet the sages demanded the recitation of Shema no later than midnight, in order to distance man from sin להרחיק את האדם מן העבירה(Mishnah Berakhot 1:1). Why? After a difficult day of backbreaking physical labor in the fields, the Jew returning home at night might easily be inclined to eat and sleep prior to fulfilling his liturgical responsibilities. In that case, sleep might overtake him and the opportunity to perform the mitzvah before dawn would be lost. To prevent that possible scenario, the sages sharply shortened the permitted time frame (Berakhot 4b).
With respect to Birkat Hamazon, it is difficult to see why lowering the eating threshold from a full repast to a small portion of bread can serve as a safeguard. Satiation is a subjective criterion. It cannot be quantified, nor can it result in the creation of a uniform measurement for all people. Indeed, by increasing the number of meals (or even snacks) requiring the recitation of Birkat Hamazon, this rabbinic rule arguably makes it more likely, not less likely, that the individual Jew will violate halakhah.
Therefore, it is reasonable to infer that some other consideration must have motivated the sages to change the contours of the law governing Grace after Meals.
The popular notion that most rabbinic laws are protective measures is largely the result of the historical dominance of the Babylonian Talmud (the Bavli) over its counterpart, the Jerusalem Talmud (the Yerushalmi). In Tannaitic literature, we rarely find a statement that explicitly describes a rabbinic enactment as a safeguard distancing one from sin. The Mishnah Berakhot quoted above is, indeed, the only such example in the entire Six Orders of Mishnah. In the Babylonian Talmud the expression גזירה שמא “a decree lest…” appears 128 times. It never appears in the Jerusalem Talmud. The Bavli understood many rules to be part of the protective fence; the Yerushalmi understood those same rules to be expressions of piety.
The Amoraim of Eretz Yisrael viewed the lower threshold for Birkat Hamazon not as a protective measure, but as a praiseworthy standard of piety meriting divine beneficence. “The angels questioned God: It says in your Torah ‘God Who shows no favor and takes no bribe (Deuteronomy 10:17).’ But You do favor Israel, as it is written, ‘May the Lord lift up His face to you (Numbers 6:26).’ God responded: How could I not show them favor? I wrote in My Torah, “Eat and be sated and bless.’ And they are stringent upon themselves (מדקדקים על עצמם) to bless after an olive’s bulk or an egg’s-bulk (Berakhot 20b).” [The apparent contradiction between these verses was a source of difficulty for the sages with their gentile interlocutors (Rosh Hashanah 17b). Yet anyone familiar with Biblical Hebrew will recognize that, in fact, no contradiction exists. Deuteronomy 10:17 speaks of human faces, while Numbers 6:26 speaks of the divine Face. God promises to show Israel a peaceful countenance and not a wrathful one (Sifre Numbers 42; Tosfot Niddah 70b).]
Man’s most fervent prayer is for God to show him mercy to an extent beyond that which our actions merit (לפנים משורת הדין). Such was Rabbi Ishmael Kohen Gadol’s prayer as he stood directly before God in the Holy of Holies. The Talmud, venturing far into dangerous theological territory, attributes this prayer to God Himself (Berakhot 7a).
For man to be the beneficiary of God’s gratuitous beneficence, he must do something for God above and beyond the mere letter of the law. Reciting Grace after a less than satisfying meal is one way to do that. The hope is that the Almighty will then bless that small morsel of food so that it should fully satisfy our gustatory needs (Kli Yakar Nmbers 6:26).
The late Second Temple period saw many Jewish groups committed to extra-Biblical religious practices as a means of currying divine favor. Haberim ate mundane foods according to Levitical purity standards required for sanctified food (Tosefta Demai 2:2). The Dead Sea Sect (at Qumran) imposed upon its members many additional observances and lifestyle restrictions. The Hemerobaptists (טובלי שחרית) insisted upon ritual ablution every morning (Tosefta Yadayim 2:20). The eccentric piety of the “Seven Pharisees” made them the subject of derision (Mishnah Sotah 3:4; Sotah 22b). Extremists mourning the loss of Jerusalem turned to radical asceticism (Tosefta Sotah 15:11).
But does God prefer (a) unsolicited gestures of religious zeal or (b) steady commitment to expressly commanded dictates of His law? The answer is found in Samuel’s rebuke of Saul after the battle with Amalek and after Saul’s tragic decision to spare the flock for sacrifices. “Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in hearkening to the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken better than the fat of rams (I Samuel 15:22).”
Rabbi Hanina succinctly and definitively concluded, “Greater is he who is commanded and fulfills the command than is he who fulfills it though not commanded גדול מצווה ועושה ממי שאינו מצווה ועושה(Kiddushin 31a).” Tosfot explains that he who is commanded agonizes over the possibility of sin, while the voluntary pietist has no such qualms. Ritba notes that the evil inclination (שטן) tempts us to violate commandments, but plays no role in suppressing optional religious observances. These answers stray into the field of psychology. Ritba offers another explanation, however, that is purely theological. While God appreciates our spiritual enthusiasm and desire to serve Him, only those actions commanded by God are meritorious. The commandment has to have been delivered by God and binding on someone (even if the person performing the ritual is technically exempt). Any other action or refraining from acting – i.e., anything that does not reach the level of formal commandment – is not material.
While Rabbi Hanina’s dictum has become universally accepted in rabbinic Judaism, it was far from obvious to his contemporaries. Rav Yosef was blind. The Tannaitic debate as to whether or not blind people are obligated in mitzvoth had yet to be conclusively decided. Rav Yosef said, “At first I thought that if it were determined that blind people are exempt from commandments, I would make a party for the scholars; I would be exempt yet still fulfilling the mitzvoth. Now that I have heard the dictum of Rabbi Hanina, the opposite is true. I will make a party for the scholars if I find out that blind people are obligated (Baba Kamma 87a).”
Though the sages declared many pious acts to be obligatory for all Jews, there were limits on their legislative prerogatives. No decree could be issued if the majority of the community would be unable to adhere to it אין גוזרין גזרה על הצבור אא”כ רוב צבור יכולין לעמוד בה (Baba Bathra 60b). Since being required to recite Birkat Hamazon after small meals is not in that category, there was little barrier to the creation of that requirement.
Sometimes the public itself is the source of religious obligation extending beyond that demanded by the Torah or the Sages. Three examples: The daughters of Israel themselves imposed upon themselves the seven-clean-day waiting period after sighting even the smallest amount of menstrual blood (Niddah 66b). The lay people accepted upon themselves the obligation to recite the daily Evening Service (Kol Bo 28), and to take upon themselves all four commemorative fasts (Orach Chaim 550:1). Despite their having emanated from popular will and not formal religious authority, observances like these nevertheless have great standing in halakhah and cannot be easily undone or overturned.
Overloading the individual with religious demands is dangerous. The Talmud describes the process of conversion to Judaism, notably the interaction between the curious gentile and the rabbinic gatekeepers. The court is specifically warned not to be overly demanding of the prospective proselyte אין מרבין עליו ואין מדקדקין עליו, lest a quality candidate be scared off by the overwhelming burden of Judaic practices (Yebamoth 47b).
The perceived need to constantly raise the bar of one’s religious behavior, sometimes in competition with one’s neighbor, will often manifest itself in the realm of liturgy. The essential prayers mandated by halakhah are terse; not so the prayer service as actually recited in the synagogue – because of the many accretions that have crept into the Siddur (and Machzor) over the centuries. The Ba’al HaTurim recognized that some Jews were adding too many voluntary supplications and were sacrificing quality for quantity. He wrote, “It is better for less to be recited with concentration, than for more to be recited without concentration טוב מעט בכוונה מהרבות בהם שלא בכוונה (Orach Chaim 1).”
The desire to express our devotion to God through stringencies in our religious practice seems to be an unshakable tendency. It served as a strong motivator in the expansion of halakhah during the formative years of Rabbinic Judaism. Nevertheless, at this point in the development of Judaism, the desired path is to study assiduously in order to discern the critical distinction between self-imposed pseudo-mitzvoth not intrinsic in the Torah and/or Talmud, and explicit commandments from Hashem.
The true test of righteousness is not to be found in self-imposed customs but in our simple – and, therefore, powerful – obedience to God’s commands.
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(Ed.: The following is a guest post by Rory Truex, Ph.D. Candidate in Political Science at Yale University. Rory is currently conducting field work in China.)
Among China watchers, there is an ever-louder group of voices singing the imminent downfall of the country’s political system. The chorus goes something as follows: “The faux representation afforded by the National People’s Congress, the empty channels for public participation, the meaningless village elections— these shell institutions do little to stem the CCP’s growing legitimacy deficit. Protests are already on the rise. Sooner or later, something will happen and the people will rise up and demand real democracy. It’s only a matter of time.”
For many in the prediction game, that time has already come and gone, or it is rapidly approaching. In 2001, Gordon Chang predicted The Coming Collapse of China, asserting that underperforming loans would break China’s financial system and trigger the fall of the CCP within a decade. In a 2011 editorial, Chang revised his estimates to say that the system would fall within one year’s time. This has also proven false. In 1996, Henry Rowen used economic data to predict that China will become democratic “around the year 2015.”
Perhaps the reason the “fall of China” prediction has fallen flat to date is that it rests on the notion that Chinese citizens actually want a new political system. A simple glance at the data, or simple discussions with a few citizens, would make us reconsider this assumption.
The figure above shows summary data from the fourth wave (2005-2008) of the World Values Survey (WVS). Among other attitudinal questions, the WVS asks respondents their level of confidence in their government on a four-point scale. The bars reflect the fraction of respondents responding “a great deal” or “quite a lot.” With the exception of Vietnam, Chinese citizens voice greater support of their government than any other country in the world.
Of course, we should take this fact with an oversized grain of salt. Cross-national surveys of this sort are notoriously bad and suffer from a host of biases— incomparable sampling procedures, poor translations, different cultural interpretations of question wordings, among others. Most importantly, respondents living in repressive political contexts— like China and Vietnam, for example— may be unwilling to voice their true opinions when asked sensitive questions about government. It may be that Chinese citizens have confidence in the CCP, or it may be that fear leads them to systematically bias their answers.
At the risk of sounding like a party mouthpiece, my guess is that the truth is probably closer to the former than we would like to believe. China scholars have long documented that Chinese citizens have a deep reservoir of trust in “the Center.” Many ostensibly subversive activities— protests, non-compliance with rules, petitions— are actually ways for citizens to communicate their grievances to the central government, which is perceived as responsive. The “fall of China” crowd likes to point to rising protest figures as evidence of a desire for change, but the vast majority of protests have nothing to do with political reform. Peter Lorentzen has argued that the regime deliberately allows this “regularized rioting” to help monitor lower level cadres.
In the end, public opinion in authoritarian contexts is difficult to gauge, and so we are left trying to blend imperfect survey data with more impressionistic anecdotal evidence. To build my own impressions, I have taken to asking a simple, direct question among my closer Chinese friends.
If you could change China’s political system today, what would you do?
There is no shortage of demands— more transparency, more freedom of speech, an open media, unregulated internet— but I’m always struck by how often multi-party competition is missing from the list. When probed on this issue, most will give a reply of the sort “this is not appropriate for China.” Some will flip the conversation back at me and point to recent Congressional debacles over the debt ceiling and fiscal cliff. These events are smugly broadcasted by China’s state media outlets, and they undermine the very credibility of the American system. If this is what democracy is, we’ll stick with our one-party system, thank you very much.
So does China want change? It is impossible to know for sure, but there seems to be a societal current pushing for limited liberalizing political reforms. Full-blown multi-party democracy and the “coming collapse” of the CCP?
I’m not sure we should be singing that chorus just yet.
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Ghalib. 18. Founder Of Rescue Pakistan. TEDx Activator. Curator of TEDxSialkot. Blogger at Huffington Post/Express Tribune. The YSA List honoree.
Last year on 15th August 2010 two Sialkot brothers were brutally murdered in open public in the presence of Police, this was the most shameful act that has ever been done by sialkoti’s.
The two brothers were named Mughis and Muneeb aka The Butt Brothers, they belonged to one of the most respectable family of Sialkot and were very kind and humble. One of them was a Hafiz and they were quite young maybe aged under 18 both of them. They loved to play cricket. and this was the craze which brought them near to their death. It was Ramadan when one day both the boys got up early in the morning and got ready for a cricket match, they met their mother and left their home, while they were on the way, they got involved in an incident. Their are many voices to what happened.
i.e. few said that while they were on the way they heard some one shouting for help, and they went to rescue him and found him dead later people saw them there and caught them and labelled them as murderers.
few said that they were very quarrelsome and they intentionally killed a boy and tried to loot him.
whatever was the story, mob of huge men surrounded them and in open street they started beating them, when they got tired, they picked up wooden logs and started hitting them with this, after that they hurled stones at them and when the completely died, they were tied at the back of a lorry and were moved around the city to spread terror. This all happened infront of Police but they encouraged people to beat them.
I was so much broken up by this cause, was totally saddened up as to what happened was never right, even if they were robbers they were not to be beaten like this, this was all Inhumane. I cried though and didn’t fast that day as i saw their video of being beaten up till death, i wasn’t able to eat that whole day.
I visited their family few times and it was really sad to see their parents waiting for justice, they enquiry commission was set up and then it took an year till this day, they had been doing hearing and hearings again and again.
But just today. Right now. Justice has been delivered, which was in their fate.
Some 23 persons were arrested and Death Sentence for 7, life sentence for 6 and 10 Police officers are sentenced 3 years
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Purpose Prize Winner 2006
Ketelsen created Project GRAD (Graduation Really Achieves Dreams) when he was CEO of Tenneco, a Fortune 500 manufacturer of heavy equipment, in 1988. When he retired, he turned his full attention to doing more to help minority and low-income youth graduate from high school and attend college. Early efforts focused on tutoring and summer jobs, but Ketelsen wasn't satisfied with the return. Today Project GRAD includes college scholarships; rigorous new K-12 reading and math curricula; teacher training in classroom management; and a partnership with Communities in Schools, a nonprofit that coordinates school-based community resources. To date, 135,000 students in eight states have been served by Project GRAD; 1,707 GRAD scholars are attending college; 14,500 GRAD students are in high school and plan to go to college; and the high school graduation rate for GRAD participants is nearly double pre-program rates.
Meet James Ketelsen
Susana Escobedo is looking forward to a bright future as an engineer. The 17-year-old Jefferson Davis High School senior is headed to the University of Texas in Austin in the fall. The daughter of immigrants and the first in her family to go to college, Escobedo says college would have likely been impossible without Project GRAD.
"I think I'd be on a different track because my family is low income. Project GRAD has helped me a lot," she says.
Another senior, 18-year-old Rodolfo Reyes, began working with Project GRAD in middle school. "Not only has Project GRAD helped me stay in school, it has motivated me to want to go to college," says Reyes. "I've heard that phrase 'one person can make a difference,' and Mr. Ketelsen has proven that by coming up with the idea for Project GRAD."
James Ketelsen is well-known in Houston for his business career -- 14 years as chair and CEO of Tenneco Inc. But in the years since he retired he's built a national reputation for Project GRAD (Graduation Really Achieves Dreams), a nonprofit that works to help disadvantaged youth -- overwhelmingly minority and low-income students -- graduate from high school and attend college.
Ketelsen launched Project GRAD in one Houston high school in the 1980s. Project GRAD currently operates in 12 cities and serves 135,000 kids, 90 percent of whom are African American or Hispanic and 85 percent of whom are from low-income families.
In the early days, Project GRAD created a few strategic interventions for high school students, including tutoring and summer jobs. Today, Project GRAD is a comprehensive program for improving K-12 education that includes rigorous curricula for math and reading, teacher training in classroom management, a college scholarship for high school graduates, and a partnership with Communities in Schools, a nonprofit that coordinates school-based community resources.
The results are compelling. The high school graduation rate for GRAD participants is nearly double pre-program rates. More than 4,300 students have received Project GRAD college scholarships to date. And while 1,707 GRAD scholars are currently attending college, there are 14,500 high school students in the Project GRAD pipeline now with a stated commitment to continue their educations.
Motivation for Innovation
"I was convinced early on, when I was still in business, that inner-city education really needed to be solved in this country if we were going to be successful in the future," Ketelsen says. "So while I was still running Tenneco, we adopted Jeff Davis High School -- this was back in 1981. We put mentors and tutors in the school. We provided, located, and paid for summer jobs for these kids. And then we put Communities in Schools there, with social workers to assist the kids with their external problems," Ketelsen says.
After that first year, Ketelsen didn't see the results he wanted, so he went back to the drawing board and made adjustments to his plan.
Adding College Scholarships
"I felt like we needed to find something else. I said, what about this gentleman that had promised kids in Boston a scholarship to college if they graduated from high school? Let's put a scholarship program in to see how that works," he explains.
"So we did that with the ninth graders in 1988-89. I told them if they would take college prep courses, maintain a 2.5 grade point average, graduate in four years, and attend two summer institutes at universities, we'd provide a $4000 scholarship -- $1000 a year toward their education. And that worked in terms of increasing the number of kids that went to college," Ketelsen recalls.
The high school, which serves primarily Hispanic students and graduates about 175 seniors a year, saw a spike in college enrollment -- from about 20 to 81 in the first year of the scholarship program.
Still, Ketelsen wasn't satisfied. "The thing that bothered me was that we were still losing the same percentage of kids as dropouts, we weren't reaching the bottom part of the spectrum at all," he says.
Once again, Ketelsen went back to the drawing board. But this time, he also retired from Tenneco in 1992 and began developing Project GRAD.
"I had watched other executives who had retired and they'd sign up with six different organizations to do this and that. And they would sort of run around with a lot of work, but they weren't accomplishing a lot and as far as I could tell they weren't getting a lot of joy out of it, so I decided to just concentrate on education," Ketelsen explains.
"I also decided at that time, if we were going to have success in high school, we were going to have to start in kindergarten. Because the kids were so unprepared coming into high school, you couldn't turn them into good students or college-ready students in four years. It was impossible without a foundation."
So Ketelsen adopted a long view, starting in elementary schools and adding new components focused on improving reading, math, and student behavior. And he began to expand, first to Houston, and then to other cities around the country. Funding came from government grants, school systems, corporate sponsors, foundations, and individuals.
Sustainability and Growth
Like most non-profit CEOs, Ketelsen spends a large percentage of his time raising money, for both sustainability and growth. That's gotten a little more difficult lately, as Congress has cut back on federal earmarks.
On the local side, Project GRAD has encountered some difficulties with the Houston Independent School District. While the system acknowledges that Project GRAD schools do a better job of getting low-income students to graduate from high school and enroll in college, one of the Project GRAD schools showed up on a list of failing schools this year. The district plans to reduce funding.
Ketelsen is frustrated, particularly because the school, Sam Houston High, has only been a Project GRAD school for a short time. While the scholarship portion has been successful, none of the students have benefited from the elementary program. But he is hardly daunted, and he's not losing his focus on the big picture. In coming years, he hopes to expand Project GRAD to reach 270,000 at-risk kids.
"Seventy-five percent of the children in the city of Houston are either Hispanic or African American. If we're going to have a workforce in the future, that 75 percent is going to be a significant part of that workforce and we've got to educate them adequately. If we do a good job, then we'll have a good workforce for the future and these kids will be productive in our society and good citizens. We can't have a democracy with an illiterate voting population."
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From: Thomas Buckner (firstname.lastname@example.org)
Date: Sat Nov 13 2004 - 15:56:14 MST
--- David Clark <email@example.com> wrote:
> In fact your *war meme* hypothesis might be
> correct but you have not given
> any good reasons why anyone should believe you.
> I put forward a theory of war that had to do
> with the perceived relative
> weaknesses of countries.
According to Howard Bloom in "The Lucifer
Principle", up-and-comers are more aggressive as
well as more willing to try new things. Your
'perceived weakness' scenario is more in line,
IMHO, with Bloom (whom I revere; I think he's an
important thinker right now; see
www.howardbloom.net for more)
Having said that, I regard extreme inequality and
the fear of scarcity as a destabilizing force,
and a great current threat. While my attitudes
are generally libertarian, I find the
Libertarian/Ayn Rand attitude toward economics to
be rather sociopathic. Nobody has a 'right' to be
a billionaire, since they do not work a thousand
times harder than anyone else, nor are they a
thousand times smarter. Intellectual capital
always builds on the efforts of others who went
before, thus taking something from the
When I mentioned 'socialism' earlier, I was
lambasted with bad economic growth stats for
Sweden. But I never said Sweden's economy was
booming; I believe I used the word 'livable,'
which refers to other factors, some intangible.
However, I will simply point out that Sweden has
a higher average life expectancy than the United
States. Economic inequality is bad for the health
(if you're on the bottom).
Furthermore, stratified countries seem to spend a
lot of money putting guards between the haves and
the have-nots (and much of the guards' salaries
are paid by the have-nots!) When the government
is busy guarding ill-got gains, it gets very
nosey toward social reformers and malcontents.
The military writer James Dunnigan (whose books I
highly recomment) considers high levels of
banditry to be a form of low-level warfare, a
surprising but (to me) convincing notion.
Scarcity and inequality, in other words, lead to
warfare, but not the (rare) flashy
tanks-at-the-border kind of war so much as the
(very common) simmering insurgency and the
Anyone who dismisses my comments as the addled
ravings of a granola-headed egalitarian naif
should at least consider that a laissez-faire
Libertarian AI might feel no responsibility to
feed *you*. The social contract exists for a
Do you Yahoo!?
Check out the new Yahoo! Front Page.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Thu May 23 2013 - 04:01:12 MDT
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Your child starting kindergarten is scary. You have heard all the horror stories about mean children. Children as young as nine have committed suicide and children as young as kindergarten were expelled at some schools. How do you protect your child and make sure they do not become the bully at the same time?
I wish I had known so many things that I know now when my children were in kindergarten. I want to share with you what I learned from trial and error and from studying other’s recommendations. First do not panic! There are still some good children and good parents. The best way to find them is to volunteer as much as possible, but a word of warning, the parents of the bullies volunteer too.
How do you recognize the good children and the good parents at this age? This is not always easy, but one thing I learned is that children act more like their true selves’ in two places at school. The two places are on the play ground and in the lunch room. This is when the teacher’s eyes are not as focused on them and they let their guard down more.
Therefore, volunteer to help at recess or in the lunch room one day a week if you can or even one day a month if this is your only option. Figure out which children need some guidance regarding how to treat others and which ones will not listen no matter what you say. There is hope for the ones who just need some guidance or who have trouble focusing, but if you observe a child being blatantly mean or disrespectful to you, talk to the teacher about them. Maybe there is a reason or maybe they are the future bullies.
Do not discount the child who is very polite to you and the teachers. Observe them from afar when they are unaware you are there. Are they polite to the other children or are they telling another child, “Go away! You can’t sit here!” and laughing at them? Believe me I have seen this happen. Sometimes these are the children of the heads of parent committees. They have learned to put their best foot forward in front of adults by watching their parents.
Do not assume their parents will listen if you tell them about their child. Some will and some will not. The parents who never believe their child does anything wrong or who tell your child to just tell their child to knock it off are the very parents you need to avoid. They are either totally clueless or they are master manipulators themselves. If they are just clueless there is hope for them. The manipulators are a bigger problem that will take more than you to resolve. Use their behavior as a teaching tool for your children of how not to act and enlist the help of school officials.
Invite children to your house to play so you can see how they behave away from school. Get-togethers outside of school are also a good way to really get to know the other parents. If your child has sensory issues and gets overloaded easily, invite only one child and limit the time of the play dates. You can also limit the time spent at birthday parties without totally avoiding them. R.S.V.P. for part of the party explaining that there is a family event that the child must attend, so they will not be able to stay for the whole party. That way your child does not look so different, but does not have to stay longer than they can tolerate.
Realize that if your child avoids birthday parties, they may have more trouble maintaining friendships at school. Believe me you want your child to have at least two other children they can call their friends. This will help protect them as they move into the tween and middle school years. Help them develop and nurture these friendships now while they are young enough for you to be in charge.
By third to fourth grade children may already start to form cliques. I know this seems young, but this was the age they started forming at both of my children’s schools. Try to encourage your child to remain friends with children outside of the clique, but realize that the clique may try to force them to stop being friends with others. This is especially true of the girls.
This may also be the age girls and boys get cellular phones and start really wanting to e-mail their friends. Some will even want to text or instant message. My children did both receive phones at age ten, but they were not permitted to text at that age and their initial e-mail accounts had to be open to my monitoring. They were taught not to answer calls from numbers they did not know. All important family numbers were programmed into their phones so they knew when it was one of us. They knew that if the rules were not followed they would lose phone privileges. They did not have camera phones at this age either.
They are older now, but there are still rules. So many others have written information about cyberbullying, but the biggest rule is teach your children that phone numbers can be traced and that there are laws that protect people’s privacy and using technology to say mean things to others is illegal. Teach them to be kind in all areas of their life and this will help prevent problems on their end. Also, make them aware of laws that protect them from others who try to use technology to bully them or to harm them in anyway.
Middle school is the age children with high functioning forms of autism may find themselves excluded from a group for not conforming to the rules. There are books that suggest teaching them to conform, but I do not recommend this. Instead, I suggest you help your child to maintain those two best friendships from kindergarten and hope they will protect your child from the abuse.
Girl Scouts and other organized clubs may also help, but if she joins these be sure to volunteer to help, so you can be sure she is not being excluded by any of the girls in the troop or other group she joins. Scouting is supposed to be about all the troop members supporting each other, but again it depends on the troop leader and other volunteers. Know the adults that help the troop.
Boys might also join Boy Scouts or similar organizations. Again make sure you know the adults helping the troop and volunteer as much as possible.
Some boys and girls may also try sports. It is best to let them try at age five or six if they show an interest as at that age everyone is fairly equal and your child is more likely to feel accepted. Once they advance to the higher levels in sports many children on the spectrum lose interest because of the noise of parents shouting at the children and because their teammates become very competitive and they may not feel they can compete at that level especially with the added noise levels.
Middle school may also be the time your child can join orchestra which can be an excellent place for those on the spectrum to find kindred spirits. Drama is another option. Specialty clubs may also be available or your child might be able to start their own club. Certainly by high school any of these options can help our children to find friends that accept them for who they are.
Having friends helps protect our children. Children who are alone are more likely to be victims of bullying, but what if you have done everything right and your child is still a victim of bullying? That will be my next blog.
This post is part of Danette’s wonderful third edition of Best of Best at S-O-S Research Blog.
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Cell phones will be allowed at Lubbock Cooper High School this year. The board lifted its district ban on Thursday, becoming the first district in the area to approve cell phones at school. But not all districts believe schools are a place for cell phones.
For most kids, staying in touch with their parents is as easy as flipping their phones. Tessa Romero, a junior at Lubbock Cooper High says, "Everybody I know has a cell phone, that's how I keep in touch with them."
Lubbock Cooper ISD wrote in a policy that allows students to have cell phones at school, but that doesn't mean they are allowed to use them during class. Deputy Superintendent Thom Vines says, "Their phones need to be off during class, if they go off, they will get them taken away and there will be disciplinary actions."
But other school districts in the area do not allow cell phones because they say even having the phones around will cause too many distractions in class. Frenship high school principal Kim Spicer says, "80-90% of our students have cell phones, we can't have that kind of distraction."
Both Frenship and Lubbock ISD believe cell phones can take away from classroom learning, Spicer says, "Our policy is that we prefer they keep them in cars, if we see them we take them up."
But Lubbock Cooper says as long as phones are regulated they don't see a problem. "Society has changed, cell phones are all over. Parents wanted a way to keep in touch with their kids before and after school and we think that's a reasonable request."
The new rules will go into effect this fall and Lubbock Cooper students say it's about time. Tessa says, "We are mature enough to handle cell phones, and we know when we can and can't use them."
|Back to School- 2005|
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By Derrick Perkins
Maurice Barboza’s dogged fight to pay tribute to black patriots of the Revolutionary War hinges on a massive defense bill being negotiated in Congress.
After years of gathering support for the memorial project, Barboza — an Alexandria resident — got a boost earlier this month when Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) attached an amendment to the multibillion-dollar defense authorization bill. If approved by both houses, Barboza can begin fundraising and working with the National Parks Service to select a site for the memorial near the National Mall.
Still, because the House bill does not contain language for the memorial, Barboza’s dream of honoring his ancestors depends on whether lawmakers in both chambers include the project as they reconcile their competing versions. And that’s nothing new for Barboza.
Since 2005 — when a bill authorizing the memorial was first submitted — Barboza has seen multiple efforts die in congressional wrangling.
“The legislative process is full of ups and downs, and sometimes things move so slowly you can become very frustrated by them,” he said. “And sometimes people change their mind or change their position, and you have to anticipate that and when it happens deal with it.”
Barboza’s decades-long quest to honor black patriots also has seen its share of ups and downs. In the 1970s he traced his roots back to two Maine men who served in the Revolutionary War. And later, he joined the Sons of the American Revolution and urged his relatives to do the same.
But when his aunt, Lena Ferguson, tried to join the Daughters of the American Revolution, she found the group less welcoming of a black woman. Though the DAR eventually relented — after the Washington, D.C., City Council threatened to revoke the group’s nonprofit status — Ferguson began compiling the names of black Revolutionary War veterans.
Barboza joined the effort, and when they hit 5,000 individuals, they decided to push for a monument on the National Mall. But the effort fizzled, and Barboza withdrew from the project in the mid-’90s as support for the memorial dissipated.
When Ferguson died in 2004, he decided to champion the cause once again. While bills authorizing the memorial struggled in Congress, he connected with local lawmakers across the country, bringing often forgotten black patriots back into the spotlight.
Towns and cities across the East Coast, as well as in Louisiana and Ohio, have passed resolutions honoring their black Revolutionary War veterans. In summer 2011, the Alexandria City Council backed his project and honored the memory of four black city residents who hefted a musket or crewed a ship for the fledgling nation.
He hopes the outpouring of local support will impress congressional negotiators.
“The [representatives] from the East Coast have patriots from their districts,” Barboza said. “We’re reminding them that by voting for this bill — you’re voting for your local history.”
If the bill survives the political sausage-making, Barboza will have seven years to raise money for the project and select one of six potential sites for the future monument. The bill before lawmakers blocks Barboza from using federal dollars for the memorial.
He has a few fundraising ideas but won’t reveal them until after President Barack Obama signs the bill — hopefully with his amendment — into law.
“It’s a lot to achieve,” Barboza said. “But the history is worth it, so we have to give it a try.”
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Going way back to yesterday morning, our first visit was to a beautiful Hindu temple in Chennai, where worshipers were continually coming and going throughout the day. Like other South India cities, Chennai's residents tend to be more traditional and conservative, and that was apparent in their frequent visits to Hindu temples. This particular temple offered some beautiful shrines, and we were able to walk through and admire everything that there was to offer. Later on, our extremely knowledgeable translators gave us a run through of the basic tenets of Hinduism, which was helpful.
Later on, we visited a cool firm called Centroid, which develops innovative product designs for various different industries. Those familiar with the company IDEO and its talents would love Centroid - The director showed us designs of various different products that the firm created, as well as their unique innovation process. We then saw one of Centroid's recent products - a portable urban latrine - which really demonstrated how ingenious this firm was.
Next, we checked out an organization that would also be part of the next day's adventures, the Market Literacy Center (MLC). This NGO, which operates with the vision and guidance of UIUC professor Madhu Viswanathan, helps to empower those of subsistence means to become successful entrepreneurs. Leaders of the center initially described some of the assistance they provide, and later we had the opportunity to interview several women entrepreneurs who benefit from the MLC. It was incredible to hear of the social and economic impact that the firm provides budding subsistence entrepreneurs of Chennai. Following with MLC, we checked out a bazaar in Chennai, feasted on Chinese-Indian food and got a good night's sleep before the next day's events.
The following morning, we departed our hotel at 7 a.m. for a visit to a small village in rural Tamil Nadu state. The village, located about 2.5 hours south of Chennai, was in an area unlike any that I'd ever seen before. While it took a while to travel outside of the suburbs of Chennai, we eventually came to rolling green fields of rice and sugar cane, and small roadside settlements of thatched-roof homes and grocery stands. Eventually, we came upon a group of women planting rice in a watery field, where they'd been seeding a field for several hours. The work was extremely hard, and it was clear that life in rural India involved great challenges. That would be confirmed at our next visit, which was at the MLC's rural outpost in the hinterland of Tamil Nadu.
At the MLC's center, we had the opportunity to speak with area farmers, who discussed how securing loans to expand farms was difficult. They also described how some area farmers had sold their land and moved to nearby cities to pursue other work. The farmer who we spoke with, however, was committed to growing his farm, which he felt was a possibility thanks to the MLC's efforts. For me, the experience was a great way to learn about the economic and societal impacts on a very rural resident of a developing nation.
We also had an opportunity to speak to elected officials and other administrators of the village, which we unfortunately could not visit due to unforeseen circumstances. The officials told us of challenges they faced in supplying drinking water, providing adequate health care and ensuring that electricity was available for residents. Nonetheless, the town offers a small clinic, a water purification system and other amenities that I was frankly not expecting to see. Given the number of young people who move to the cities, I'm interested to learn what may become of villages like this one in the future. On the way back to Chennai, we again drove through the lush fields and saw plenty of cattle, goats and other animals grazing as the day ended.
In the evening, we dined at a traditional South Indian restaurant where Idli (a steamed rice patty) and other breads were served along with various chutney sauces. While the food was great, the real difference came in the style of dining - All of the food came on a banana leaf, and we ate with our hands (notably our right hand). The food was outstanding, and it's amazing how rich Indian food can be. After our sumptuous dinner, we returned to our hotel to bid farewell to our local translators and rested after a long day of travel.
Tomorrow will find us doing a bit more exploring of Chennai before we fly back to New Delhi and, after that, to Chicago. Stay tuned for more on this last chapter of our trip!
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Here at Inhabitat we’re pretty much glued to our reusable water bottles, so we got a little giddy when we saw the Bobble, a water filtering bottle designed by iconoclast designer Karim Rashid that sells for just $9.95. On top of being reusable and affordable the Bobble is BPA-free, made from recycled plastic and available now in a green store near you. The super stylish carbon filter comes in six different colors and filters chlorine and organic contaminants from regular tap water — the Bobble website notes that the filter shouldn’t be used on water of unknown quality.
With Americans alone buying over $17 billion dollars worth of bottled water every year and using 1.5 million barrels of oil to make those water bottles, a good alternative is desperately needed. The Bobble is perfect for your, “I drink bottled water because I know it is clean,” friends. The carbon filter on the Bobble is guaranteed to provide 150 liters of impurity-free water — which equates to about 250 bottles of water. Stick that in your Bobble and drink it.
The Bobble was designed by Karim Rashid, a jack of many trades known for his innovative, fun and blobtastic designs. Replacement filters are only $7.00, which is a small price to pay for an inexpensive and more environmentally friendly alternative to bottled water. Coming from one of the coolest designers around, we’re excited to see bobbles hit the streets.
The Bobble retails for 9.95 and can be purchased directly from the Bobble Website.
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While NVIDIA and to a lesser extent AMD (via its ATI branded product line) have effectively monopolized the rapidly growing and hyperbole-generating market for GPGPUs, highly parallel application accelerators, Intel has teased the industry for several years, starting with its 80-core Polaris Research Processor demonstration in 2008. Intel’s strategy was pretty transparent – it had nothing in this space, and needed to serve notice that it was actively pursuing it without showing its hand prematurely. This situation of deliberate ambiguity came to an end last month when Intel finally disclosed more details on its line of Many Independent Core (MIC) accelerators.
Intel’s approach to attached parallel processing is radically different than its competitors and appears to make excellent use of its core IP assets – fabrication and expertise and the x86 instruction set. While competing products from NVIDIA and AMD are based on graphics processing architectures, employing 100s of parallel non-x86 cores, Intel’s products will feature a smaller (32 – 64 in the disclosed products) number of simplified x86 cores on the theory that developers will be able to harvest large portions of code that already runs on 4 – 10 core x86 CPUs and easily port them to these new parallel engines.
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The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Berkeley and Jefferson counties in West Virginia and Washington County in Maryland. The warning is in effect until 5 p.m.
At 4:30 p.m., severe thunderstorms were detected along a line extending from Hagerstown to Shepherdstown and were moving southeast at 10 mph. These storms are capable of producing damaging winds in excess of 60 mph.
This is a dangerous line of storms. Anyone in its path is advised to move indoors to a sturdy building and stay away from windows.
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Home prices have crashed. Interest rates are at all-time lows. If you're in the market to buy, homes are more affordable than they've been in years.
Or are they? An interesting counterargument was made by analysts Andrew Davidson and Alexander Levin of consulting firm Andrew Davis & Co. this week. By their reckoning, homes are barely more affordable today than they were at the peak of the housing bubble.
How? Because there's more to the cost of buying a house than home prices and interest rates. There's a down payment, too. During the housing bubble five or six years ago you could "buy" a home with no money down. Today you'll likely need a 20% down payment before a bank will look at you. Factor that in, and it takes about the same financial effort to buy a house today as it did in 2007.
Some background: In 2005, the median down payment was 2% of a home's value. Nearly half of first-time homebuyers bought homes with no money down. In California, 60% of mortgages were interest-only or negative amortization.
That's all changed, as this report from The Wall Street Journal showed last year:
The median down payment in nine major U.S. cities rose to 22% last year on properties purchased through conventional mortgages. ... That percentage doubled in three years and represents the highest median down payment since the data were first tracked in 1997.
This is how it should be, of course. A 20% down payment (at least) had been the norm before the housing bubble. In the 1950s, homeowners had more than 70% equity in their homes, financing only a small portion with mortgages. By 2006 that fell to 55%, and now sits at around 36% after the housing bust.
Going back to a sane world where large down payments are necessary changes a lot of perceptions about housing. The weight of writing a large check has to be taken into consideration to get the true cost of buying a home. And it's not just coming up with a chunk of cash that poses a burden. The opportunity cost of tying that money up in a house has to be included, too.
Here's a true story from someone I know who bought a house in the early 1990s and paid all cash. Let's say the house was purchased for $100,000, and sold in 2010 for $160,000 (I've changed the numbers, but the percentage increase the owner experienced was the same). In the 17 years the house was owned, the owner paid $18,000 in property taxes, $13,000 in homeowners insurance, and spent $15,000 for repairs and upkeep. In total, they got back just about every penny they put into the house, plus a little extra. They basically got a free place to live. That's great! Had they rented a similar house for 17 years, they would have spent something like $200,000 on rent. They clearly came out ahead.
But hold on. Had they put their $100,000 down payment in a simple Dow Jones (INDEX: ^DJI ) index fund, their investment would have been worth more than $400,000 in 2010 (including dividends). That's the opportunity cost of their down payment. Yes, there are intangible benefits of homeownership like security and social standing. But financially, these people would have actually been better off renting, even after paying capital-gains taxes on their stock investment. I suspect this is true for millions of homeowners across the country.
Now, most people don't pay all cash, so the opportunity cost of the down payment isn't as large. But running through the exercise is important regardless of how much you're putting down. A 20% down payment is a lot of money for almost anyone buying a house. The average home in America now sells for $272,000, so a 20% down payment totals about $55,000. The median household net worth, meanwhile, was $67,000 in 2010, suggesting the average homeowner needs to tie up a tremendous amount of their net worth in a down payment. Can you really afford to part with that much of your savings? Is it money you might otherwise need for an emergency fund, or saving for college tuition? Would it be better off somewhere else? There's a real cost of sinking that money into a house that can't be ignored.
This is especially true when you detach yourself from the widely held belief that housing will make a good investment over the long run. As famed Yale housing economist Robert Shiller told me in an interview last year, that's just not the case:
Davidson and Alexander's report is a reminder that buying a house isn't as simple a transaction as it looks. It's a complicated trade-off between a need (shelter) and a want (an investment). Those two don't always mix.
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Alcohol and liver damage
Originally Published: January 26, 1996 - Last Updated / Reviewed On: January 2, 2009
How does the use of alcohol damage the liver?
Moderate use of alcohol doesn't do tremendous damage to the liver. In fact, some alcohol, like red wine, can actually be healthy in terms of the antioxidants and phytonutrients it delivers to the body. However, the overuse and abuse of alcohol can have devastating effects to the liver and to the rest of the body as a result.
Chronic heavy drinking can cause the liver to become fatty. Fat deposits in the liver block the liver cells from their blood supply, depriving them of oxygen and other nutrients, eventually killing them. As the name implies, the liver performs so many vital functions that we cannot live without it. The liver filters all of the blood in our bodies, breaking down and eliminating toxins, converting excess blood sugar to glycogen, and many other crucial functions. When liver cells die from lack of fresh blood, they are replaced with scar tissue, which can't perform the functions of a liver cell — a condition is called cirrhosis.
Cirrhosis, the main liver affliction of many alcohol abusers, results in a multitude of health problems as well as reduced ability to tolerate alcohol. Genetic make-up can play a big role in a drinker's susceptibility to this condition. For instance, some alcohol users develop symptoms of cirrhosis after just a few years of consuming 3 to 4 drinks a day, while other heavy drinkers never suffer from this potential killer. Warning signs of cirrhosis include jaundice (yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes), fatigue, and a swelling of the abdomen and lower extremities.
The National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information offers more information and links to resources about alcohol-related topics like disease and abuse prevention. In addition, the Mayo Clinic publishes important facts about alcohol related diseases like hepatitis and cirrhosis. If you, or someone you know, have a history of either alcoholism or cirrhosis in your family, it may be a good idea to limit your drinking to one or two drinks per day, if at all. Most studies say that moderate use of alcohol does not appear to produce any health-related challenges. Keep in mind that moderate use is defined as 1 to 2 drinks per day, 1 to 2 days per week.
Staying well-informed about the effects of certain substances on the body is a great way to keep healthy and safe. May all your choices about alcohol be good ones, and may your liver stay healthy and strong.
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Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional
In every day life people do all sorts of things with all sorts of tools. But, do they get it right? Every tool has to be used in a certain manner, and if one doesnít know how to use it, the result can be damage. It's the same is with computer and network security tools. Before you can select the right tools for the job, you have to know what tools are available and learn how to use them.
This book is a comprehensive guide through the field of security tools that provides advice on how to use them. The authors cover tools for auditing and prevention, detection of incidents, investigation, response and remediation. It is important to stress that this book gives knowledge about the usage of certain tools, and not comprehensive methodologies for securing a computer network.
About the authors
Mike Shema is the Director of Research for NT Objectives, Inc., where he is working on improving the accuracy and scope of application security testing techniques and tools. He has performed security tests ranging from network penetrations to firewall and VPN reviews to web applications reviews. He is the author of the "HackNotes Web Security Pocket Reference" and co-author of "Hacking Exposed Web Applications".
Bradley C. Johnson is a network security specialist with a great deal of experience designing, implementing, and maintaining secure networks. He is involved in secure network and infrastructure design; secure network implementation, UNIX computer/network security training, and computer/network security assessments. He is the co-author, with Mike Shema, of the first edition of this book.
Inside the book
The first part of the book describes multifunctional tools which can be used in several different scenarios and for different operating systems. Here you get acquainted with Netcat and Cryptcat. These two tools have many uses like: obtaining remote access to a shell or stealthy port scanning, service spilling, etc. Netcat is explained through a few uses, while Cryptcat is shortly briefed as Netcat with encryption.
As we move on, the X Windows System architecture is laid out. What the authors wanted to stress here is the idea of the potential security risks you take when running X-based applications. Although X isnít a security tool, itís usefully described how it works and how to secure it since it handles your keyboard, mouse, and output screen.
Almost every IT professional has a dual-boot workstation with both Windows and UNIX. By simply rebooting their system they can work with a different interface. To avoid constant rebooting, many use emulators which provide the ability to execute an application in an alternative environment. VMware is one such emulator - it enables you to run multiple operating systems concurrently. This part of the book covers the download and installation of the emulator, its configuration and implementation. Open source alternatives are also brought forth.
Part two of the book covers tools for auditing and defending the hosts. Here you learn about port scanners, UNIX and Windows enumeration tools, web hacking tools, password cracking and brute-force tools, host hardening tools, and more.
Port scanners are useful because they help identify potential targets. Presented here are Nmap, TCH-Amap, Netscantools, SuperScan, IPEye, ScanLine, WUPS, and Udp_scan. Each of these tools is briefly described through their usage and process of installation and implementation. Some case studies are included and the authors describe the basic methods of TCP and UDP port scanning as well as OS fingerprinting, followed by examples. Three case studies help you learn about the types of ports found on the host, the technique of banner grabbing and how a hostís operating system might be identified.
What follows is a presentation on UNIX and Windows. For all the tools mentioned here, the authors write about their implementation and some beginner usage. This chapter also hosts a long list of tools options as well as a few case studies.
With the same approach as in earlier chapters, readers can learn about web hacking tools. The authors discuss tools used to check a web server for common vulnerabilities (such as Nikto and Stealth). Also, a handful of tools described here address web applications security problems (Achilles, WebSleuth, etc.).
The tendency to crack passwords exists as long as passwords do. Password management is surely important because one weak password can circumvent all the installed security measures. The authors start with Windows and UNIX password policies and then show you the process of cracking passwords with John the Ripper and L0pthCrack. Next they present tools for grabbing Windows password hashes and some brute-force tools. A really interesting read are the case studies that come afterwards.
Presented simply are simple source auditing tools: Flawfinder, which collects the most common C and C++ programming errors; and RATS, that smoothes rough edges of C, C++, Perl, PHP, Python or OpenSSL applications. What follows is a presentation of Nessus, the STAT suite of commercial products, Retina, Tripwire, etc.
Part three of the book covers network auditing and defending tools - firewalls, network reconnaissance tools, sniffers, wireless tools, war dialers, and TCP/IP stack tools.
Certain network services should be run only from behind a firewall. In order to learn how to use a firewall properly the readers get some basic theory material, followed by NAT devices, port forwarding, and a VPN and DMZ explanation. In this part the authors additionally include both freeware and commercial firewalls.
Another interesting category of tools is comprised of sniffers. They listen and record any raw data that passes through the network interface. Sniffers are not as dangerous as they once were because of the increasing usage of encryption. But, if you want to diagnose network problems, you will certainly use them at some point. Wireless networks offer the convenience of mobility and reduce the amount of network equipment. After reviewing a few wireless terms, the authors present two wireless tools: NetStumbler and AiroPeek. The main difference between the two is the capability of displaying web traffic that AiroPeek has. Both NetStumbler and AiroPeek identify wireless access points and peer networks. Wellenreiter and Kismet, also describe here, have the same capabilities, but they are used on Linux platforms.
Introduced are also TCP/IP Stack tools that can help you verify access control lists and patch levels. They can be used to create arbitrary TCP, UDP, or DNS packets. They provide a method for analyzing how servers respond to Denial of Service attacks.
Part four describes computer forensics and incident response tools. This chapter will teach you how to create a bootable response media that contains all tools needed to perform a proper analysis of a compromised system. Linux, UNIX and Windows toolkits are presented, each with their own features. When an investigation takes place, itís usually a good idea to obtain a forensic image of the computer involved in the incident. There are a several choices of forensics duplication tool kits and some are presented here.
The last part of this massive volume is comprised of 2 appendixes. Appendix A contains useful charts and diagrams that help the reader in security-related endeavors. It shows protocol headers and ASCII table. Appendix B covers CD-ROM material.
About the CD-ROM
The CD-ROM included with this book contains the 40 security tools covered in the book and some links to the web sites with the latest versions of security related tools. The list of tools shows: name of the tool, purpose of the tool, OS, license type and URL.
My 2 cents
For network managers and administrators itís very important to find the vulnerabilities on their system before someone else does. This book is an excellent guide that IT professionals must keep handy. Itís organized by category and that makes it easier to provide complete details.
I can recommend this book to basically anybody interested in computer security. This book must be on your bookshelf as it will definitely point you in the right direction and enable you to choose the right tool for the job every time.
By subscribing to our early morning news update, you will receive a daily digest of the latest security news published on Help Net Security.
With over 500 issues so far, reading our newsletter every Monday morning will keep you up-to-date with security risks out there.
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If you believe that you have been discriminated against at work because of your race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information, you can file a Charge of Discrimination. All of the laws enforced by EEOC, except for the Equal Pay Act, require you to file a Charge of Discrimination with us before you can file a job discrimination lawsuit against your employer. In addition, an individual, organization, or agency may file a charge on behalf of another person in order to protect the aggrieved person's identity. There are time limits for filing a charge.
Note: Federal employees and job applicants have similar protections, but a different complaint process.
If you file a charge, you may be asked to try to settle the dispute through mediation. Mediation is an informal and confidential way to resolve disputes with the help of a neutral mediator. If the case is not sent to mediation, or if mediation doesn't resolve the problem, the charge will be given to an investigator.
If an investigation finds no violation of the law, you will be given a Notice of Right to Sue. This notice gives you permission to file suit in a court of law. If a violation is found, we will attempt to reach a voluntary settlement with the employer. If we cannot reach a settlement, your case will be referred to our legal staff (or the Department of Justice in certain cases), who will decide whether or not the agency should file a lawsuit. If we decide not to file a lawsuit, we will give you a Notice of Right to Sue.
In some cases, if a charge appears to have little chance of success, or if it is something that we don't have the authority to investigate, we may dismiss the charge without doing an investigation or offering mediation.
Many states and local jurisdictions have their own anti-discrimination laws, and agencies responsible for enforcing those laws (Fair Employment Practices Agencies, or FEPAs). If you file a charge with a FEPA, it will automatically be "dual-filed" with EEOC if federal laws apply. You do not need to file with both agencies.
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Of course not, but just in case: How about packaging a visit to the Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge with attendance at the Birding and Blues Festival coming up at Pacific City.
I'll get to the festival in a minute, as well as to a list of the top birding festivals in Oregon and Washington, but first, let's visit the relatively new facilities at the Nestucca Bay refuge.
Scenic views are dime a dozen on the Oregon coast, but the view from the refuge's Cannery Hill in the is right there with the best.
Set back a mile from shore, the hilltop site offers a nearly 360-degree panorama of lower Nestucca Bay, the Little Nestucca River, gentle hills of the Coast Range and fields grazed by the geese the refuge protects.
In the distance, Haystack Rock rises out of the ocean, with Cape Kiwanda and its big sand dune forming the backdrop for Pacific City.
On a drenched spring day, the Aleutian cackling and dusky Canada geese that the refuge protects are part of the landscape.
That scene changes when the geese head for their summer homes in Alaska in late April.
The refuge's seasonal give and take is beautifully displayed from the viewing platform near the top of Cannery Hill, the newest visitor amenity at the six national wildlife refuges that dot the Oregon coast.
The nation's 552 national wildlife refuges are managed for wildlife habitat, but some public use is important so people can appreciate the largest public land system dedicated to fish, wildlife and habitat conservation.
The Nestucca Bay refuge was created in 1991 from a Tillamook County dairy farm. It opened to the public in October 2008, when two parking lots and a paved trail to the viewing deck were ready.
Watch for signs on U.S. 101, six miles south of Pacific City. The lower parking lot is a half mile from the highway; park and walk the gravel road for 15 minutes to a small upper parking lot that is designed for handicap access. A 10-minute walk from there ends at the viewing platform.
The refuge's Neskowin Marsh, a short way south in Neskowin, is the southernmost sphagnum (peat) bog on the Pacific Coast. View it from roads around it.
Now, here's the scoop on Pacific City's Birding and Blues Festival:
Registration for the eighth Pacific City Birding and Blues Festival is open at the event’s website, www.birdingandblues.com.
Held April 8-10 in Pacific City, the event features a slate of birding experts, including Stephen Shunk of Paradise Birding, who will debut his presentation, “Pacific Coast Waterbirds: Albatrosses, Sea Ducks & Sandpipers” at the festival.
His talk is part of three days of lectures by regional birding experts, as well as two live birds of prey exhibitions. Seminars will address topics ranging from conservation to the natural history of seabirds, from the migration trends of Vaux’s Swift to geese monitoring — and much more.
For the outdoor minded, the festival features 12 birding hikes led by experienced birders to a variety of birding habitat. Among the offerings are trips to Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Clay Myers State Natural Area, Camp Winema and Neskowin.
Registration for three days of excursions and seminars is $40 for immediate families, $25 for adults and $10 for students.
Free birds of prey demonstration will be offered Friday evening and kids can help decorate the Kiawanda Community Center’s great hall in a children’s activity where kids will paint a series of bird banners. There will also be a complimentary bird and wildlife photography presentation on Friday.
Music is also a part of Birding and Blues. This year the festival welcomes the rollicking blues sound of Kolvane on Friday, April 8 and the award-winning Ty Curtis Band on Saturday, April 9 at Kiawanda Community Center. Both concerts start at 8 p.m. Admission to each concert is $10 or opt for a special pass that includes festival field trips and seminars, as well as both concerts for $40 for adults, $15 for students or $80 for immediate families.
The 2011 Birding & Blues Festival is presented by the Pacific City-Nestucca Valley Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex.
Here's a list of the other main birding festivals in Oregon and Washington:
Pacific City: Birding and Blues, April 8-10, 1-888-549-2632, birdingandblues.com.
Klamath Falls: Winter Wings Festival, third weekend of February, 1-800-445-6728, winterwindfest.org
Charleston: Shorebird Festival, Aug. 26-28, 541-867-4550, fws.gov/oregoncoast/shorebirdfestival.htm
Rockport, Wash.: Upper Skagit Bald Eagle Festival, first weekend of February, 360-853-7626, skagiteagle.org
Hoquiam, Wash.: Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival, April 29-May 1, 360-289-5048, shorebirdfestival.com
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There are 232 job postings in Canada.
Explore Careers - Job Market Report
Human resources managers plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the operations of human resources and personnel departments, and develop and implement policies, programs and procedures regarding human resource planning, recruitment, collective bargaining, training and development, occupation classification and pay and benefit administration. They represent management and participate actively on various joint committees to maintain ongoing relations between management and employees. Human resources managers are employed throughout the private and public sectors.
administrator, human resources, manager, employer-employee relations, manager, employment equity – human resources, manager, human resources, manager, industrial relations, manager, occupational health and safety, manager, pay and benefits, manager, personnel, manager, personnel services, manager, personnel training and development, manager, recruiting, manager, staff relations.
- Plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the operations of human resources or personnel departments
- Plan human resource requirements in conjunction with other departmental managers
- Co-ordinate internal and external training and recruitment activities
- Develop and implement labour relations policies and procedures and negotiate collective agreements
- Administer employee development, language training and health and safety programs
- Advise and assist other departmental managers on interpretation and administration of personnel policies and programs
- Oversee the classification and rating of occupations
- Organize and conduct employee information meetings on employment policy, benefits and compensation and participate actively on various joint committees
- Direct the organization's quality management program
- Ensure compliance with legislation such as the Pay Equity Act.
Jobs for Human Resources Managers in Kingston - Pembroke Region
Job opportunities from Job Bank and contributing job sites are updated daily.
Job Opportunities in the Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces is currently recruiting 2,800 Regular Force, and 5,400 part-time Reserve Force members for a wide range of careers across Canada.
The mission of the Canadian Forces is to protect Canada, defend North America in co operation with the U.S., and contribute to international peace and security. On any given day, about 8,000 Canadian Forces members - one third of our deployable force - are preparing for, engaged in or returning from an overseas mission. At home, Canadian Forces can bring the best available military resources from across Canada to bear on a crisis or threat, wherever it occurs, nation-wide.
To learn about the requirements and application process, visit FORCES.CA.
Federal Employment Programs and Services
Want to learn about programs that assist individuals, businesses and community organizations to identify employment resources such as jobs, labour market information and training opportunities? Visit:
- Canada Benefits
- Employment programs and services - Service Canada
- Training and Employment Initiatives - Service Canada
- Career Transition Assistance
- Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities
- Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy
- Students and Youth
Information for Youth and Students
Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP)
FSWEP provides full-time students with valuable, hands-on work experience related to their field of study and allows for a wealth of learning opportunities. For more information, visit the FSWEP Web site.
- Date Modified:
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David Foster Wallace’s Contribution to the Writer’s Thesaurus
By Ashley Bray, Intern Extraordinaire
Few people can get excited over thesauruses like writers can, and as a writer and student myself, I eagerly sat down to take a look at the new Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus. I was immediately drawn to the Word Notes, which are comments from contributing authors about word entries. I love these notes because they bring you inside the heads of authors to show you just what they are thinking about certain words— a privilege a budding writer almost never gets! I looked up a bunch of notes by David Foster Wallace in light of his recent death, and I wanted to share my favorites.
One of the more interesting notes I came across was for pulchritude, which is a synonym for beauty. Wallace points out that this word is anything but beautiful:
“A paradoxical noun because it means beauty but is itself one of the ugliest words in the language. Same goes for the adjectival form pulchritudinous. They’re part of a tiny elite cadre of words that possess the very opposite of the qualities they denote. Diminutive, big, foreign, fancy (adjective), colloquialism, and monosyllabic are some others; there are at least a dozen more. Inviting your school-age kids to list as many paradoxical words as they can is a neat way to deepen their relationship to English and help them see that words are both symbols for things and very real things themselves.”
Well, Wallace is right about the ugliness of pulchritude. Words like putrid and sepulcher come to mind before beauty ever does. Wallace also points out a very interesting activity that I think appeals to word-lovers just as much as “school-age kids.” I decided to take his suggestion in a different direction and started to make a list of words that do correlate with their meaning. Here’s what I came up with:
What words can you think of that are either paradoxical or parallel to their meanings?
Wallace also wrote an awesome entry for hairy. Here’s another word game for you— how many different ways can you think of to say the word hairy?
You’d be surprised at the answer. Wallace writes about 22 different ways (and two additional classifications) to say the word hairy. I won’t list them all here, but I’ll give you a taste of some of the most “hair-raising” (excuse the pun):
- Glabrous: “the loveliest of all hair-related adjectives, means having no hair (on a given part) at all. Please note that glabrous means more baby’s-bottom-hairless than bald or shaved, though if you wanted to describe a bald person in an ironically fancy way you could talk about his glabrous dome or something.” Quite frankly, after that description how could you not want to find a way to use glabrous in your writing?
- Tomentose: “means ‘covered with dense little matted hairs’— baby chimps, hobbits’ feet, and Robin Williams are all tomentose.” Need I comment further on this gem?
- Crinite: “means ‘hairy or possessed of a hair-like appendage,’ though its mainly a botanical term and would be a bit eccentric applied to a person.” I don’t care if it’s eccentric— I smell a story centering on a person with a “hair-like appendage.”
Come on fellow writers, any takers?
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People other than your landlord may have the right to enter your rental, including municipal inspectors and police.
Entry by Health, Safety, or Building Inspections
While your state may give you significant protections against entry by your landlord, the rules are different when it comes to entry by state or local health, safety, or building inspectors. Generally, inspectors may enter when they have reliable information, such as a complaint from a credible neighbor, that there’s a health or safety problem inside. If you refuse entry, usually they’ll return with a warrant and sometimes a police officer who will make sure that you don’t prevent access.
Many cities run random multidwelling inspections, to catch building and health code violations before tenants complain. You are entitled to reasonable notice (many ordinances specify notice periods). Your refusal to allow the inspectors to enter will simply delay the inevitable.
Entry by Law Enforcement
If the police have a valid search or arrest warrant, you have to let them in. The “notice” period is rather short—about as long as it takes them to knock and announce their presence! In addition, they can enter with no notice at all (forcibly if necessary) in order to interrupt a crime, apprehend a fleeing suspect, prevent the imminent destruction of evidence, or prevent a catastrophe such as a fire. Also, different rules may apply if law enforcement suspects terrorist activity by a tenant.
Landlord's Authority to Let Others Into Your Home
Aside from the situations explained above, your landlord has no authority to allow anyone into your home without your consent. If your landlord lets in someone who purports to be your long-lost auntie but turns out to be a creative burglar, the landlord will be liable. Landlords who understand the risk they are taking are naturally unwilling to open tenants’ doors for others.
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Urban and Regional Development (MSc)
1 year (Full-time) / 2 years (Part-time) / n/a (Distance / E-Learning)
Graduates of the programme in urban and regional development will have:
- developed a critical theoretical understanding about processes of socio-economic change in comparative perspective – in towns, cities, regions and city-regions across the world
- developed sound data analysis and research skills, in particular in the analysis of uneven development at the regional and more localised community scales
- practical skills in devising urban and regional development strategies
- the ability to critically reflect on and engage with the practical and policy challenges of addressing uneven development between places
- the opportunity to link theory and practice in the context of a ‘living laboratory’ because the world’s first regional development policy was designed for South Wales and the region is still grappling with the legacy of its heavy industrial past.
- This MSc is recognised by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) as a 'specialist' masters, allowing those who have completed a three year RTPI recognised undergraduate spatial planning degree to complete the RTPI's educational requirements for membership.
- Also accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), allowing completion of the educational requirement for RICS membership.
- Throughout the MSc programme, students will examine issues in urban and regional development within the unique (yet highly relevant) context of the South Wales city-region. One of the first regions in the world to experience de-industrialisation, South Wales was one of the areas – the “special areas” as they were called – where the world’s first regional policy was designed in the 1920s and 1930s. This regional experience presents an excellent ‘living laboratory’ for studying not only the causes and consequences of urban and regional change, but also for distilling the policy lessons which are of relevance to the wider world. Students on the programme will thus have the opportunity to study the theory, policy and practice of urban and regional development in one of the world’s leading academic schools, located in a region with the longest experience of regional policy in the world.
The MSc in Urban and Regional Development provides students with the opportunity to understand socio-economic change in towns, cities, regions and city-regions – issues which are of increasing significance globally across different regions and nations. The focus is on developing knowledge of the key theoretical tools to understand the nature and source of this socio-economic change and its uneven impact on different social groups and different places around the world.
Drawing on leading-edge theoretical debates about uneven spatial development, this programme provides students with the key skills required to shape local and regional development in the worlds of policy and practice. These skills include data analysis and research skills, problem-solving skills through project-based teamwork, and skills in engaging and working across different sectors and organisations, including public, private and third sector organisations. The programme also enables students to focus in more depth on understanding the specific challenges of uneven development at particular spatial scales - from the broader regional and city-regional scale to the more localised community and neighbourhood scale.
The programme also addresses a state-of-the-art public policy agenda to enable students to understand, research and then apply their knowledge and skills to the practical challenge of designing strategies to help cities and regions to become more innovative and resilient places in which to live and work.
The course is divided into two parts:
- Part 1 comprises a teaching programme of core and option modules over two semesters (or four semesters for the part-time course). Options are available in the Masters Graduate School of City and Regional Planning and the School of Social Sciences.
- Part 2 comprises an individual dissertation on a topic selected by each student in consultation with members of staff. Whilst there are few constraints on the choice of topic, it must address at least one of the core course themes of the Urban and Regional Development programme.
The following is a proposed list of modules for the programme in 2013/14. Please note that these may be subject to minor changes.
- Governing Places
- Researching Urban and Regional Development
- Urban and Regional Dynamics
- Community, Sustainable Health and Well-being (School of Social Sciences)
- Designing Cities
- Environmental Policy and Climate Change
- Housing in a Globalising World
- 'Live' Project
- Planning and Real Estate
- Sustainable Housing and Community Development
- Urban and Regional Development in Practice
For further details and up-to-date information on the course and modules, please see the course listing on the School's website.
- Analysis of policy problem
- Critical thinking
- Data analysis
- Evaluation of alternatives
- Recognition of issues of scale, geography and/or culture
- Processing data
- Data analysis techniques of software
- Verbal communication
- Written communication
- Group working
The course offers the knowledge and expertise to enable students to work within a large number of urban and regional development related careers. These can range from research, policy development and implementation, planning roles within the public and private sectors to agencies and businesses involved in new and re-development projects. The course is suitable for both UK and international students.
Our Alumni collectively represent the variety of potential careers and jobs that our current (and future) students may embark on.
Applicants should normally hold a first or second class Honours degree in an appropriate subject. This MSc is suitable for graduates in planning, geography, architecture, engineering or other relevant disciplines, or mid-career professionals working in planning, development or similar fields. The course is appropriate for both international students and UK students interested in urban and regional development.
A minimum standard in English language of IELTS 6.5 or equivalent will be required for students whose first language is not English. The UK Border Agency requires minimum sub-scores of IELTS 5.5 across the four competencies of reading, writing, listening and speaking. The University’s English language centre offers 10 and 8-week Pre-sessional Courses and a longer Bridge Programme and provides on-going support for international students.
There are a number of study visits offered which are linked to option modules. These may range from one day visits to UK towns and cities to longer international visits. Generally travel costs associated with one day visits are met by the School but the costs associated with longer trips will be additional to course fees and will need to be met by students.
Cardiff School of Planning and Geography is able to offer a reduction in tuition fees of £500 (or £250 reduction in each year of a part-time course) to all Cardiff University alumni.
For other funding opportunities available through the School, please visit their Tuition Fees and Funding webpage.
The fees below are those before bursaries have been deducted.
UK & EU Full Time for 2013/14
UK & EU Part Time for 2013/14
International Full Time for 2013/14
International Part Time for 2013/14
Next intake: September 2013
Name: Dr Pauline Card
Telephone: +44 (0)29 2087 6092
Fax: +44 (0)29 2087 4845
School Website: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/cplan
- UK & EU Full Time for 2013/14
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Everything does not always go according to plan. In his many years as Weehawken’s mayor, Richard Turner has come to learn this. So following Hurricane Sandy and the school shooting in Newtown, Conn., he was forced to table some his plans for 2013 and confront those issues most pressing.
“These are reactionary events,” he said. “We would like to avoid them, but obviously we can’t. We have to react.”
And so Turner entered the New Year haunted by the tragedies of 2012, rather than looking toward the promise of 2013.
“Our two biggest priorities right now are seeing through our hurricane recovery and making sure our schools are safe,” he said in an interview last week.
Finishing off Sandy
Turner described the challenge of recovery in the immediate aftermath of Sandy as a massive and difficult task. However, it seemed simple when compared to what lay ahead. He estimated that Weehawken incurred about $2.5 million in public damage. Nearly all those costs will be paid out of the township’s pocket until it is reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). However, Turner said FEMA reimbursement might not come until six months to a year from now.
Overall, Weehawken finds itself starting 2013 in better shape than many other towns and communities affected by Sandy, he said.
“Our two biggest priorities right now are seeing through our hurricane recovery and making sure our schools are safe.” – Mayor Richard Turner
The hardest part for some residents has been managing their own insurance claims. The township has set up a hotline for residents to call and receive assistance on who to call and how to ask for aid. He said he completely understood the frustration some townspeople are feeling, but encouraged them to persevere.
“It’s a constant process, people can’t give up,” he said.
Beefing up security
Since the Newtown shooting, school security and gun safety has been an important issue in the mind of nearly every parent in America, and Weehawken is no exception.
“We’ve had several conversations, and we’re going to be having more, all about what an appropriate level of security in our schools is,” said Turner.
He pointed out that Newtown’s school system resembled Weehawken’s. Both townships organize their student populations by grade, rather than by district.
He noted that police are stationed at all of the Weehawken’s schools every morning when students are being dropped off, but that there were several other facets of school security that have come under review.
“We’re looking at entranceways, lockdown protocols, all things like that,” he said.
Turner, school board President Richard Barsa, and other town officials recently attended an emergency lockdown procedure at the Theodore Roosevelt School, which houses kids ranging from third to sixth grade. They closely observed the actions of school officials as well as responding emergency personnel.
“They have it down, they definitely know what they’re doing,” he said.
Still, Turner admitted that enough precautions can never be taken when it comes to the safety of Weehawken’s young ones.
“It’s really about the comings and the goings throughout the day,” he said. “We need to make sure we have that secure. But in terms of ways in and out of our schools, we’ve checked, double checked and triple checked.”
Turner said that in terms of stationing police officers at each school full time, several options were being considered. Presentations will be made to parent groups soon.
A new park on Boulevard East
Turner said two of the township’s major open space projects will be completed in 2013.
When the American Legion knocked down its old building on 49th Street and Boulevard East last year, its agreement with the township was that their new, smaller building would be built on the township’s tab, and the township would receive the rest of the land so they can build a park.
American Legion Park, or “Old Glory Park II” as it will be known colloquially due to its proximity to Old Glory Park just across the street, was set to be completed by the end of 2012, but construction was sidelined when Sandy hit. Turner said it would be completed in time for spring.
Check out next weekend’s edition of The Weehawken Reporter for the second installment of this article, covering the rest of Mayor Turner’s plans for 2013.
Dean DeChiaro may be reached at email@example.com
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July 03, 2004
The Cassini spacecraft has revealed surface details of Saturn's moon Titan and imaged a huge cloud of gas surrounding the planet-sized moon.
Cassini gathered data before and during a distant flyby of the orange moon yesterday. Titan's dense atmosphere is opaque at most wavelengths, but the spacecraft captured some surface details, including a possible crater, through wavelengths in which the atmosphere is clear.
"Although the initial images appear bland and hard to interpret, we're happy to report that, with a combination of instruments, we have indeed seen Titan's surface with unprecedented clarity. We also look forward to future, much closer flybys and use of radar for much greater levels of surface detail," said Dr. Dennis Matson of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., project scientist for the international Cassini-Huygens mission.
Cassini's visible and infrared mapping spectrometer pierced the smog that enshrouds Titan. This instrument, capable of mapping mineral and chemical features of the moon, reveals an exotic surface bearing a variety of materials in the south and a circular feature that may be a crater in the north. Near-infrared colors, some three times redder than the human eye can see, reveal the surface with unusual clarity.
"At some wavelengths, we see dark regions of relatively pure water ice and brighter regions with a much higher amount of non-ice materials, such as simple hydrocarbons. This is different from what we expected. It's preliminary, but it may change the way we interpret light and dark areas on Titan," said JPL's Dr. Kevin Baines, Cassini science-team member. "A methane cloud is visible near the south pole. It's made of unusually large particles compared to the typical haze particles surrounding the moon, suggesting a dynamically active atmosphere there."
This is the first time scientists are able to map the mineralogy of Titan. Using hundreds of wavelengths, many of which have never been used in Titan imaging before, they are creating a global map showing distributions of hydrocarbon-rich regions and areas of icy material.
Cassini's camera also sees through the haze in some wavelengths. "We're seeing a totally alien surface," said Dr. Elizabeth Turtle of the University of Arizona, Tucson. "There are linear features, circular features, curvilinear features. These suggest geologic activity on Titan, but we really don't know how to interpret them yet. We've got some exciting work cut out for us."
Since entering orbit, Cassini has also provided the first view of a vast swarm of hydrogen molecules surrounding Titan well beyond the top of Titan's atmosphere. Cassini's magnetospheric imaging instrument, first of its kind on any interplanetary mission, provided images of the huge cloud sweeping along with Titan in orbit around Saturn. The cloud is so big that Saturn and its rings would fit within it. "The top of Titan's atmosphere is being bombarded by highly energetic particles in Saturn's radiation belts, and that is knocking away this neutral gas," said Dr. Stamatios Krimigis of Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md., principal investigator for the magnetospheric imager. "In effect, Titan is gradually losing material from the top of its atmosphere, and that material is being dragged around Saturn."
The study of Titan, Saturn's largest moon, is one of the major goals of the Cassini-Huygens mission. Titan may preserve in deep-freeze many chemical compounds that preceded life on Earth. Friday's flyby at a closest distance of 339,000 kilometers (210,600 miles) provided Cassini's best look at Titan so far, but over the next four years, the orbiter will execute 45 Titan flybys as close as approximately 950 kilometers (590 miles). This will permit high-resolution mapping of the moon's surface with an imaging radar instrument, which can see through the opaque haze of Titan's upper atmosphere. In January 2005, the Huygens probe that is now attached to Cassini will descend through Titan's atmosphere to the surface.
During the ring plane crossing, the radio and plasma wave science instrument on Cassini measured little puffs of plasma produced by dust impacts. While crossing the plane of Saturn's rings, the instrument detected up to 680 dust hits per second. "The particles are comparable in size to particles in cigarette smoke," said Dr. Don Gurnett of the University of Iowa, Iowa City, principal investigator for the instrument. "When we crossed the ring plane, we had roughly 100,000 total dust hits to the spacecraft in less than five minutes. We converted these into audible sounds that resemble hail hitting a tin roof."
The spacecraft reported no unusual activity due to the hits and performed flawlessly, successfully going into orbit around Saturn on June 30. The engine burn for entering orbit went so well that mission managers have decided to forgo an orbital-adjustment maneuver scheduled for today.
The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Cassini-Huygens mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. JPL designed, developed and assembled the Cassini orbiter.
Carolina Martinez (818) 354-5011
Donald Savage (202) 358-1727
NASA Headquarters, Washington
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This Week’s Catechism Questions
Q. What is the eighth commandment?
A. The eighth commandment is, Thou shalt not steal (Exodus 20:15; Deuteronomy 5:19).
Q. What does the eighth commandment teach us?
A. To be honest and not to take the things of others (Exodus 23:4; Proverbs 21:6, 7; Ephesians 4:28).
Questions come from A Catechism for Boys and Girls.
This entry was posted in Catechism
. Bookmark the permalink
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How much of the deepening downturn is a direct result of the credit crunch, and how much is the result of indirect causes such as dwindling consumer spending out of fear the recession will worsen?
Credit markets remain extremely tight, leaving producers with few choices in terms of raising new finance when confronted with repaying debt immediately. In addition to facing higher cost of credit, companies having been directly affected by credit market turmoil have had trouble accessing capital.
Yet how much of the deepening recession is really a direct result of the credit squeeze, and how much is the result of indirect causes such as consumers and businesses reducing spending out of fear the downturn will worsen?
According to a recent report, it isn’t the direct unavailability of credit that’s making life difficult for mid-sized manufacturers these days. Rather, it is their inability to measure and predict customer demand as confidence in the economy lags and everyone — consumers and businesses alike — seeks to preserve capital.
The survey, conducted by Prime Advantage, a buying consortium for mid-sized manufacturers, showed that 69 percent so far have not been directly affected by the cost or availability of credit — and only 7 percent of companies have been “very much” affected.
At the same time, manufacturing chief financial officers (CFOs) say they are more concerned about demand and demand visibility. While “credit markets and interest rates” was the second most frequently listed concern among the consortium’s member companies, 94 percent said “an inability to measure customer demand” is among their top three concerns today. Seventy-six percent of respondents cited this as the No. 1 concern. (Volatility of the dollar and a new administration and Congress tied for the third most frequently listed concern.)
Interestingly, in another recent survey, conducted by Duke University and CFO magazine, weak and unpredictable demand was also CFOs’ greatest concern.
In the December 2008 survey of 1,275 CFOs, a record 81 percent of U.S. CFOs were more pessimistic about the economy for the year-end 2008 quarter (twice as many as the quarter prior), and 85 percent of European and Asian CFOs were more pessimistic. In the latest Duke/CFO magazine survey, released earlier this month, CFOs again express record pessimism.
In both the December and March findings, weak consumer demand was the top concern.
The Prime Advantage and Duke/CFO findings seem to suggest that a large part of the cause of the ongoing pain is the expectation by consumers and businesses that the economy is only going to get worse.
The Conference Board’s latest Consumer Confidence Index reflects this consumer pessimism, having determined that consumers’ appraisal of overall current conditions — already bleak at the start of the year — worsened further last month. The index, which was relatively flat in January, “reached yet another all-time low in February.”
Consumers anticipating business conditions will worsen over the next six months increased to 40.5 percent from 31.1 percent, while those expecting conditions to improve declined to 8.7 percent from 12.8 percent in January, according to a statement from the independent economic analyst firm.
“All in all, not only do consumers feel overall economic conditions have grown more dire, but just as disconcerting, they anticipate no improvement in conditions over the next six months,” Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center, said.
Because consumers’ near-term outlook has turned significantly negative, many producers are curtailing any and all spending.
“The uncertainty about both near-term and long-term conditions has made it nearly impossible for executives to plan for the future,” CFO magazine senior writer Kate O’Sullivan said in a statement. “Even firms that are doing relatively well are still cutting back ‘just in case,’ exacerbating the situation.
Indeed, it becomes a self-fulfilling notion as fear-based spending reductions result in lower or unpredictable demand.
Already, more than half (51.1 percent) of the 5,000 Conference Board survey respondents last month claimed business conditions are “bad,” up from 47.9 percent in January.
All of this is not to say that the direct unavailability of credit isn’t hurting small and mid-sized manufacturers in a major way. Over the past six months, the amount of external funding provided by bank lines of credit has been about equal to the total amount provided by other sources of borrowing, such as short-term and long-term debt, according to this month’s Duke/CFO study.
Aimed at helping small companies, President Barack Obama this week announced a three-pronged package to unclog the flow of credit to small businesses.
Coming after a $787 billion economic stimulus package and a $410 billion omnibus appropriations measure for the current year, the new program includes hundreds of millions of dollars from the economic stimulus plan to reduce lending fees while increasing government guarantees on a portion of Small Business Administration loans up to 90 percent. It also seeks to increase bank liquidity by injecting $15 billion into banks in order to thaw the credit market and boost lending to small businesses.
Will continued government involvement in the economy be enough to turn the downturn around? What will it take to convince consumers and businesses that it is again safe to open their wallets?
New Study … Reveals Top Concerns of Midsized Manufacturing CFOs
Prime Advantage, Feb. 27, 2009
CFO Survey: Historic Recession to Last Another Year; Earnings, Capital Spending, and Employment Expected to Drop in 2009
Duke University/CFO Magazine, Dec. 12, 2008
CFO Survey: Historic Recession to Last Another 14 Months; Earnings, Capital Spending, and Employment Expected to Drop in 2009
Duke University/CFO Magazine, March 13, 2008
The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index Plummets Further in February
The Conference Board, Feb. 24, 2009
President Obama and Secretary Geithner Announce Plans to Unlock Credit for Small Businesses
WhiteHouse.gov, March 16, 2009
Unlocking Credit for Small Businesses Fact Sheet
U.S. Dept. of Treasury, March 16, 2009
FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
House Appropriations Committee, Feb. 23, 2009
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Psalm 34:2-3, 10-15
The Wisdom of God has prepared a feast, we hear in today’s First Reading.
We must become like children (see Matthew 18:3-4) to hear and accept this invitation. For in every Eucharist, it is the folly of the cross that is represented and renewed.
To the world, it is foolishness to believe that the crucified Jesus rose from the dead. And for many, as for the crowds in today’s Gospel, it is foolishness—maybe even madness—to believe that Jesus can give us His flesh to eat.
Yet Jesus repeats himself with gathering intensity in the Gospel today. Notice the repetition of the words “eat” and “drink,” and “my flesh” and “my blood.” To heighten the unbelievable realism of what Jesus asks us to believe, John in these verses uses, not the ordinary Greek word for eating, but a cruder term, once reserved to describe the “munching” of feeding animals.
The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom (see 1 Corinthians 1:18-25). In His foolish love, He chooses to save those who believe that His flesh is true food, His blood, true drink.
Fear of the Lord, the desire to live by His will, is the beginning of true wisdom, Paul says in today’s Epistle (see Proverbs 9:10). And as we sing in today’s Psalm, those who fear Him shall not want for any good thing.
Again today in the liturgy, we are called to renew our faith in the Eucharist, to forsake the foolishness of believing only what we can see with our eyes.
We approach, then, not only an altar prepared with bread and wine, but the feast of Wisdom, the banquet of heaven—in which God our savior renews His everlasting covenant and promises to destroy death forever (see Isaiah 25:6-9).
Let us make the most of our days, as Paul says, always, in the Eucharist, giving thanks to God for everything in the name of Jesus, the bread c0me down from heaven.Article URL: http://www.salvationhistory.com/homily_helps/august_19th_2012_-_twentieth_sunday_in_ordinary_time/
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In a series of lab experiments designed to unravel the workings of a key enzyme widely considered a possible trigger of rheumatoid arthritis, researchers at Johns Hopkins have found that in the most severe ...
Arthritis & Rheumatism May 22, 2013 | 5 / 5 (3) | 0 |
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is primarily associated with the respiratory symptoms that are its hallmark, but in fact, patients who struggle with the disease also experience significant amounts of chronic ...
Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes May 21, 2013 | not rated yet | 0
Melbourne researchers have identified an immune protein that has the potential to stop or reverse the development of type 1 diabetes in its early stages, before insulin-producing cells have been destroyed.
Immunology May 20, 2013 | 5 / 5 (5) | 0 |
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Scientists have discovered that fat cells in the knee secrete a protein linked to arthritis, a finding that paves the way for new gene therapies that could offer relief and mobility to millions worldwide.
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Pfizer Inc.'s first-quarter net income rose 53 percent despite falling sales, mainly because the world's second-largest drugmaker took big charges a year ago. Pfizer's results fell short of Wall Street's ...
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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks flexible (synovial) joints. The process produces an inflammatory response of the capsule around the joints (synovium) secondary to swelling (hyperplasia) of synovial cells, excess synovial fluid, and the development of fibrous tissue (pannus) in the synovium. The pathology of the disease process often leads to the destruction of articular cartilage and ankylosis of the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis can also produce diffuse inflammation in the lungs, membrane around the heart (pericardium), the membranes of the lung (pleura), and white of the eye (sclera), and also nodular lesions, most common in subcutaneous tissue. Although the cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown, autoimmunity plays a pivotal role in both its chronicity and progression, and RA is considered a systemic autoimmune disease.
About 1% of the world's population is afflicted by rheumatoid arthritis, women three times more often than men. Onset is most frequent between the ages of 40 and 50, but people of any age can be affected. It can be a disabling and painful condition, which can lead to substantial loss of functioning and mobility if not adequately treated. It is a clinical diagnosis made on the basis of symptoms, physical exam, radiographs (X-rays) and labs, although the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) publish diagnostic guidelines. Diagnosis and long-term management are typically performed by a rheumatologist, an expert in joint, muscle and bone diseases.
Various treatments are available. Non-pharmacological treatment includes physical therapy, orthoses, occupational therapy and nutritional therapy but these do not stop the progression of joint destruction. Analgesia (painkillers) and anti-inflammatory drugs, including steroids, are used to suppress the symptoms, while disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are required to inhibit or halt the underlying immune process and prevent long-term damage. In recent times, the newer group of biologics has increased treatment options.
The name is based on the term "rheumatic fever", an illness which includes joint pain and is derived from the Greek word ῥεύμα-rheuma (nom.), ῥεύματος-rheumatos (gen.) ("flow, current"). The suffix -oid ("resembling") gives the translation as joint inflammation that resembles rheumatic fever. The first recognized description of rheumatoid arthritis was made in 1800 by Dr. Augustin Jacob Landré-Beauvais (1772–1840) of Paris.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
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Pura Luhur Uluwatu Is one of Bali's nine important 'Kayangan Jagat' temples (believed to protect the island through their intricate positioning).
The location is dramatic, rocky precipices drop almost 100 metres to the Indian ocean, and the temple balances on a narrow promontory's edge that offers one of the best sunset views on the island above dramatic crashing white surf.
The Temple was built in the 11th century to worship the holy priest, Empu Kuturan, who came to Bali bringing religious law and the formation of 'Desa Adat' - traditional villages.
The temple is also in honour to the doctrine of the holy man, Dang Hyang Nirartha, who came to Bali at the later date of 1550.
He spent his last day in the world at the temple to reach 'moksa or ngeluhur' (enlightenment) which then lent its name to the temple's present name of Luhur Uluwatu.
Then proceed toNUSA DUA Beach with its famous white sandy beach where you can hire the Jet Ski's, Banana Boat, and other Marine activities.
- Hotel Pick Up
- 4 Hour Tour
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An airport in Nepal will now make passengers carry plastic ID cards.
Kathmandu will make it mandatory for passengers to carry the ID cards due to a growing security concern. Passengers will have to carry a citizen certification, driver’s license and passport or other form of identification.
Most passengers purchase tickets through travel agencies, which account for 99 percent of all tickets sold. Now, all travel agencies will be requested to inform passengers to carry their ID cards. The Airline Operators Association of Nepal recently wrote to the travel agencies, informing them that any passenger who does not have an ID, their ticket could be cancelled.
“Some travel agencies were selling tickets to foreigners [especially non-resident Indians] under Nepali names and strictness over ID cards will bring such activities under control,” said Sita Worlds Travels deputy general manager Suraj Lamichhane.
Foreigners other than Indians will have to pay fees, which are more than double the amount of normal fares. The ID cards will be more useful for identification and insurance claim purposes, especially after the December Tara Air crash, in which Bhutanese passengers traveled under Nepali names. Relatives of the victims were unable to collect insurance because of the fake names used.
Related ID News:
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Luke O'Neill shows how, with a little imagination, self-promo needn't cost the earth.
- Time needed 2-3 hours
- Creating patterns in Illustrator,
- Creating basic packaging nets in InDesign,
- Setting correct cutting and folding guides
In the age of super-fast communication it has become increasingly easy for designers to ply their wares through an endless number of digital avenues. It's not enough to simply have an online portfolio; designers are now expected to be masters of marketing - not only emailing potential clients but also tweeting, posting on Facebook, using LinkedIn and any number of 'oh-so-now' social media tools in an effort to get their work noticed.
As effective as these methods can be if used correctly, often the recipient can be left feeling cold or, worse, irritated. Savvy designers have realised that often the best way to really grab an art director or potential employer's attention is with a beautiful, well-targeted piece of print work that they can actually hold in their hands.
The main drawback of this approach is that the cost can be exorbitant, with even professional digital printing often running into the hundreds for short runs. Through this hands-on tutorial I'll show you how, with a little imagination and design know how, it's possible to produce an effective mail-out on a limited budget, utilising different paper stocks and basic printing.
Variety of coloured card
Knife Photocopier or inkjet printer
Double-sided sticky tape
01 To begin with we want to create the pattern that will form the 'lining' of our folder. Launch Illustrator, select the Pen tool and, ensuring that Snap To Grid is selected, begin to plot a simple right angle shape with a curved outer edge.
02 Now simply duplicate the shape by dragging it while holding Alt/Opt and then rotate it until you've filled out a single square tile, as shown. Group the objects together (Ctrl/Cmd+G) and, holding Alt/Opt, drag the tile across to copy it. Then simply hit Ctrl/Cmd+D to duplicate the tiles as many times as you like. Save this file as a separate document and we'll come back to it later.
03 Move on to the template. As we want to keep costs down, the whole thing is going to have to fit onto an A3 sheet. Launch InDesign and set up a new A3 landscape document with no margins. Draw a box using the Rectangle tool and enter W: 148mm and H: 210mm (A5) for its dimensions. Using the Reference Point tool and X Location, drag and snap guides to either side of your rectangle.
04 Drag your rectangle, holding Alt/Opt to duplicate it. Resize it to 2mm width, duplicate it again and snap the rectangles to either side of our original shape, setting up guides as we go. Duplicate our original A5 rectangle and snap it to the left side, then do the same on the right side but with a width of 74mm. The width of the sides is determined by the width of the prints that the folder will hold, so may vary depending on the weight of paper.
05 To create the flap that will hold our prints in place, simply draw a triangle that is no wider than 148mm and ensure that you allow for the 2mm depth of the folder. Add a small tab on the side that we'll use to glue the flap and also draw in some cutting and folding guides for use later.
06 After our basic template has been created, it's time to add some design elements. Draw a circle on the far left pane of our template and add a semi-circle on the right-hand pane, ensuring that it's positioned exactly so that it will line up once the folder is closed. Add any text or information that you may wish to include. In this case I've simply added my logo, the issue number and my contact details that will appear under the front cover flap.
07 Creating the pattern for the outside comes next. This is done in much the same way as the one we made earlier, except I want a much bolder print. With Snap To Grid selected again, draw some graphic shapes, creating four or five tiles that can then be repeated. I've chosen to keep the shapes simple but feel free to experiment with your own style.
08 Back in InDesign, select the central pane of our folder and hit Ctrl/ Cmd+D to place our pattern image. Select Show Import Options and make sure that Crop To Art is selected. Once the pattern has imported, resize it until you're happy with the positioning of the tiles, and hit Centre Content.
09 Repeat this process for the rest of the folder, dropping the pattern into all the remaining panes and sides of our folder. For the far right-hand pane that will form the front flap, rather than simply centring it you must ensure that the centre point of the pattern lines up with the right-hand edge so that it will match up properly once the folder is finally constructed.
10 Visit your local art supplier and choose a variety of paper stocks in different colours, textures and weights. On a separate A3 document in InDesign, drop our original pattern image onto the page from Steps 1 and 2, and print this out onto one side, then feed the paper back through, printing the front of our folder on the other side. Some trial and error will be required, so you may want to print a few test pieces first.
11 Now for the fiddly part. Very carefully score along our fold lines with a sharp blade and straight edge, exercising some restraint as we don't want to cut straight through. Following our crop guides, cut out the rest of the folder and then carefully create the folds along the score lines. You may wish to push your ruler flush against the score lines and bend the card back over the ruler to ensure maximum accuracy.
12 For the prints that will feature inside the folder, I choose to print them in full colour on a normal desktop ink-jet printer and then simply spray-mount the graphic pattern onto the back on a different colour stock. Little touches like this will help to maintain consistency across the whole folder and add to the overall effect.
13 All that's left to do is assemble our folder by using a thin strip of double-sided tape along the tab that attaches the triangular flap to the main folder. Glue could be used here but I personally prefer tape as it avoids getting any sticky residue on the folder. And that's it!
Deputy art editor of Computer Arts, Luke is a graphic designer and illustrator able to turn his hand to anything from complex layouts to illustrations and branding projects. He is currently broadening his skill set by working on the design of Computer Arts' next must-have iPad application.
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racism and the economic crisis
For The Old Mole February 9, 2009.
Racism is arguably both a cause and a consequence of the current economic crisis.
Joe Sims, writing in the Black Commentator, notes that there are many explanations for the present disaster, including “'financialization' or the capitalism-on-crack of the bond markets and banks, a crisis of overproduction (too many goods chasing too few dollars), and a weak “real” economy due to insufficient allocation of surplus capital to productive investment. Some point to objective processes, others stress mistaken policy decisions. Clearly all were, to one degree or another, at play." But, he continues, "Also at work was institutionalized racism in the form of unfair lending policies that systematically targeted Black and Latino homeowners." As a result, of course, people of color are among the first to be hit by the collapse and to see their homes foreclosed and their jobs eliminated.
Nonetheless, people of color and especially immigrants have faced attempts to blame them for the economic crisis and to shift even more of the suffering onto their backs. For instance, some commentators blamed the Community Reinvestment Act for lending to minorities, though the subprime loans were not subject to CRA regulations. Others blamed mortgages given to undocumented immigrants, though the Department of Housing and Urban Development has dismissed these allegations as baseless. When Congress was discussing the stimulus plan, the Associated Press reported –and later retracted—a false claim that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act would allow undocumented immigrants to claim tax credits. Although House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader John Boehner issued a joint statement stressing that the House bill "would not allow any taxpayer funds to be distributed to" undocumented immigrants (not even the ones who pay taxes), Fox Network sources continued to repeat the false claims.
In Columbia County, voters this past November passed Measure 5-190, which would impose fines of up to $10,000 and threaten the loss of business licenses for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants. Opponents of the measure and their representatives, including the Northwest Workers’ Justice Project and the ACLU of Oregon, successfully sought an injunction that has prevented the measure from going into effect The very fact that the measure passed by 57 percent of the vote, however, suggests the hostility to immigrants that can sometimes take more violent forms.
Scapegoating and hostility to immigrants has been on the rise for some time. According to FBI statistics, from 2003 to 2007, anti-Latino hate crimes increased by 40 percent. In the New York area, the Justice Department is investigating the beating deaths of two Ecuadorian men in separate incidents, as well as other cases that may have been improperly handled by local police.
At Portland's recent Town Hall on the economic crisis, presenters at the workshop on Uniting Across Racial and Ethnic Divides noted that such responses are likely to increase as the economy continues to decline. Organizers with cross-border group enlace international noted parallels with Mexico's 1995 financial meltdown and bailout, which led to further corporate profits and immiseration of workers. As an alternative, they suggest taxing the bailout, 2.3 billion dollars of which has gone to eighty-seven Oregon corporations. Pointing out that state government has to pay half the cost of emergency room care for the uninsured—a group that increases every day as workers are laid off and lose health insurance—enlace suggests that a fifteen percent tax on that 2.3 billion payout would finance emergency room services for the uninsured in Oregon for the next two years, even taking into account the likely increase in the number of uninsured Oregonians.
Organizers with other local groups—including VOZ workers rights education project, the Center for Intercultural Organizing, and the Office of Neighborhood Involvement--similarly stressed the importance of working together across racial and ethnic barriers in order to work effectively for economic justice. We need to remember not to buy into a model of scarcity that keeps us pitted againt each other for scraps, while the wealthy elite continue to profit from our suffering.
Raymond Lawrence in Counterpunch writes, "There is plenty of money in this country. Most of it just happens to be held by a very few people. . . . There are more than 400 billionaires [in the US] and a great many more fabulously rich persons whose wealth amounts to something less than a billion. . . . It is not easy to wrap one's mind around a billion dollars. A billion is a thousand million. To grasp the difference between a million and a billion dollars, consider the following: If a millionaire spent or gave away a dollar a second, or sixty dollars a minute, continually around the clock, the million dollars would be exhausted in 13 days. On the other hand, if a billionaire were to do the same, the money would last for 32 years. . . ." Lawrence proposes that "we levy a . . . national 'property tax' on all financial wealth above, say, three million dollars, and call it an 'infrastructure fee' based on financial wealth. . . . " Lawrence takes as one example the State of Virginia, currently facing a $2.9 billion shortfall over the next two years. In response, the Governor proposes to cut Medicaid funding, which provides health care for almost a million Virginians, reduce public school funding by 15%, cut school construction, release some number of prisoners early, cut 1500 state jobs, and borrow against the future. "If the state of Virginia imposed a 15% infrastructure fee on its own Virginia billionaires, the state deficit would be entirely erased for the next two years, with money left over. The billionaires would hardly feel the pinch. And this does not include a possible similar levy on all those who are simply multi-millionaires."
Of course, in order to get the billionaires to pay up on their taxes, we might have to offer them all cabinet posts.
But there's another way to get things done. Joshua Holland in Alternet notes that with the exception of the United states, "the whole world is rioting as the economic crisis worsens." Naomi Klein, writing in the Nation, points out that taking to the streets has gotten positive results from Iceland to Canada. "The pattern is clear: governments that respond to a crisis created by free-market ideology with an acceleration of that same discredited agenda will not survive to tell the tale."
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Homeowner's Guide to Earthquake Hazards in Georgia
By, Leland Timothy Long
School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0340
When earthquake hazards are discussed, Georgia is not the first state to be mentioned. Earthquakes in Georgia are rare compared to the long history of damaging earthquakes which are associated with California's active San Andreas Fault zone. Movements along active faults like the San Andreas explain 85% of the earthquakes in the world. The rest are scattered over areas like Georgia that lack clearly defined active faults. These scattered earthquakes in Georgia the eastern United States have caused significant damage and can be an important consideration for homeowners.
Because earthquakes are less frequent in the eastern United States than in California, we are not constantly reminded of our seismic hazard by frequent small earthquakes. Never-the-less the historical record of earthquakes in the southeastern United States and Georgia (figure 1) makes it clear that earthquakes and their associated seismic hazards exist. Damages from eastern United States earthquakes are largely forgotten because the last great earthquake was over 100 years ago. The 1886 Charleston, S.C., earthquake killed nearly 60 people and devastated the city. Also, some seismologist argue that while earthquakes in the eastern United States are less frequent, the large earthquakes cause damage over much larger areas and would affect more people than earthquakes of similar size in the western United States. In Georgia, calculations of seismic hazard indicate that large earthquakes outside our borders are as likely to cause damage in Georgia as earthquakes of any size occurring within Georgia.
Figure 1. Georgia's Earthquakes.
The map of Georgia shows the location of all earthquakes that are known to have occurred within 25 km (15 mi.) of Georgia. The earthquakes across northwestern Georgia are part of the Southeastern Tennessee Seismic Zone (STSZ) that extends northeast through Knoxville. The STSZ lies primarily in the Valley and Ridge Province of the Southern Appalachians. Earthquakes in the STSZ are at depths of 14 ± 10 km and do not appear to be correlated with surface geology or near-surface faults. On the basis of seismicity, the STSZ is second only to the New Madrid Seismic Zone in the eastern United States for its size and rate of earthquake production. Earthquakes in the Blue Ridge and Piedmont Provinces occur in clusters with notable concentrations near reservoirs such as Lake Sinclair and Clarks Hill. They may occur any place that has unweathered and slightly fractured granitic rock near the surface. The small Piedmont earthquakes are unique in that they represent movements along shallow fractures that have been weakened, perhaps by penetrating fluids or weathering. Few earthquakes are known to occur in the Coastal Plane Province of South Georgia.
Small earthquakes are often no more alarming than the many vibrations that originate near or in a home, such as thunder, heavy trucks nearby, sonic booms, objects falling, and unbalanced washing machines. These all have unique characteristics that we learn to recognize through experience. Likewise, we can identify the small magnitude 2.0 or less earthquakes and explosions of a similar size by their unique characteristics. They usually start with a jolt, build rapidly in amplitude within a couple of seconds and then decay. The total felt duration of the typical small Georgia earthquake is usually less than 10 seconds and it sounds like a muffled dynamite explosion. Also, the rattling of loose objects may generate earthquake sounds. The typical small earthquake will be felt by many within 15km (10mi.) so that consultation with neighbors should eliminate most non earthquake sources within the home. The events in northern Georgia are 8 to 15 km deep and do not shake the surface as hard as the Piedmont earthquakes that are typically within 2.0 km of the surface. In the Piedmont, the earthquakes may occur as part of a 2 to 4 month long swarm, such as in the Norris Lake Community swarm of 1993. The time during a swarm is a good opportunity to eliminate hazards that could cause damage and injury during an earthquake, particularly because earthquake swarms are often followed by isolated events as large as the largest event in the swarm.
If homeowners live near a quarry, they may be very familiar with vibrations from blasts that feel very much like small earthquakes. If the homeowner feels vibrations that seem unusually large or occur at night, the homeowner could be experiencing earthquakes. If unusually large vibrations are from quarry blasts, usually occurring during the lunch hour or in the late afternoon during the week, the homeowner may contact the State Fire Marshal obtain help in determining if the vibrations exceed the legal limit.
Moderate and Larger earthquakes are usually immediately identified because they are both recorded by regional networks and felt by people who have previously experienced an earthquake. Most transplants from California identify these earthquakes immediately.
Moderate earthquakes are those with magnitudes about 4.0. These will be noticed by almost everyone in the epicentral area and will be felt as far away as100 miles. The news media will usually be quick to distribute information on the identity and size of these earthquakes. Some weak structures may experience minor damage, such as cracked plaster and items knocked off shelves. In rare incidences there may be some minor structural damage, such as cracks in cement blocks or brick facing falling off buildings. The Piedmont and northwestern Georgia each experience about one magnitude 4.0 event every 10 years.
Large earthquakes are those with magnitudes about 5.5. These will cause widespread minor damage in well-built structures. A few structures will suffer major damage and could require examination for safety, but these will be rare. Life-threatening situations would be restricted to the immediate epicentral zone and to weak structures that are located on poor foundation material. These events will be felt from 100 to 500 miles away. As with moderate earthquakes, the news media will distribute information about the felt area and damage. In the eastern United States water heaters and furnaces are not routinely protected against being knocked over and these could start fires.
Damaging and great earthquakes are those with magnitude 6.0 and larger. The Charleston, 1886, and New Madrid, 1811-12, earthquakes are of this size and have caused as much damage in Georgia as the earthquakes occurring within Georgia. The probability for a magnitude 6.0 or larger earthquake somewhere in the eastern United States is about 61% in the next 25 years. We have experienced one magnitude 7.0 once every hundred years in all the eastern United States. There is but only one chance in 1000 per year for a magnitude 7.0 in Georgia. These distant earthquakes provide the greatest threat. The damage in Georgia would be similar the damage caused by the 1886 Charleston earthquake, if the event occurred in a neighboring state. Near the epicenter the damage would be like that experienced in Charleston In 1886 or in the "World Series" California earthquake on October 18, 1989. The Charleston earthquake nearly devastated the city, and killed about 60 people. One should expect extensive damage in a radius of 10 to 30 miles of the epicenter. Outside this zone of major damage to a distance of 150 miles the damage will be moderate. Buildings may be damaged sufficiently to collapse in the larger aftershocks. Many people will be displaced from their homes. Transportation may be interrupted by broken rail lines and bridges. Chimneys will be knocked over, windows broken and plaster cracked. The four New Madrid earthquakes of 1811 and 1812 were the largest of their type in the world. The Mississippi River changed its course, the land surface sunk to form new lakes and the violent shaking snapped off trees. At the time settlements were sparse and limited to sturdy log cabins. A similar event today, perhaps in southeastern Tennessee, could generate extensive damage to all of Georgia.
Seismic monitoring in the United States is coordinated by the United States Geological Survey (http://gldage.cr.usgs.gov). The USGS maintains station GOGA. In Georgia, The Georgia Institute of Technology maintains a small network including station ATL just south of Atlanta. The University of Tennessee (http://tanasi.gg.utk.edu), University of Florida, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the University of South Carolina maintain seismic stations surrounding Georgia. Also, the Center for Earthquake Research and Information at Memphis State University(http://www.ceri.memphis.edu/) maintains a southern Appalachian Regional Network. Worldwide earthquakes are posted as they occur at http://www.iris.edu. There also exists a growing number of amateur seismologists and high schools that maintain working seismographs. High schools sponsored by Georgia Tech that will soon be recording earthquake data in 1999 are shown in figure 3 as a "*" with existing seismic stations.
Our current understanding of the earthquake process is limited and routine use of scientific data to predict the location, time and magnitude of an earthquake is unlikely in the near future. Earthquake hazards instead are estimated from the statistical properties of earthquakes, which are assumed to remain constant through time. Unfortunately, the length of our historical record is too short to give us confidence that every seismic zone has been identified or that the potential of each seismic zone to generate a large earthquake is known. In fact, most of the major historical earthquakes in the eastern United States occurred in areas that were not known for prior historical seismic activity. According to recent studies, significant seismic zones like that at Charleston, S.C. often show evidence of major earthquakes over periods of hundreds or thousands of years. Hence, the seismic zones that are active today have an increased probability of being the location of the next major earthquake; but the next earthquake could surprise us and occur outside of these currently active zones.
Although there is some disagreement and uncertainty among seismologist on how to estimate future seismicity, most agree that statistical estimates of historical seismicity provide the best measure of seismic hazard available today. Consequently, the historical seismicity was used as the basis for the new hazard maps being prepared by the United States Geological Survey. In these maps, earthquake hazards are expressed in terms of the level of vibration that has a given probability of being experienced during some time period. The example in Figure 4 defines the level of vibration (in percentage of the acceleration of gravity) that has a 10 percent probability of occurring in 50 years based. A 10 percent probability in 50 years is equivalent an average of once every 450 years. These USGS ground-shaking maps will be used by the Building Seismic Safety Council in its revisions to the seismic risk maps that will be adapted for use in State and local building codes. The hazard indicated by these maps is the greatest in northwest Georgia, decreases in the Piedmont and is minimal in the Coastal Plane. Except for the 1976 Reidsville, GA. event, earthquakes in the Coastal Plane are infrequent and limited to a few questionable historical accounts. The hazard is greater toward South Carolina, showing the influence of the continuing activity near Charleston, South Carolina.
Figure 4. New seismic hazard map for the eastern United States from the U.S. Geological Survey.
The best insurance against earthquake damage is to eliminate those hazards in the home that could cause significant damage during an earthquake. An earthquake rider on your home insurance policy could reduce the impact of financial losses in an earthquake. To be effective in Georgia, earthquake riders should protect the homeowner against the most likely damage expected from a small or distant earthquake, such as the failure of brick facing experienced by a homeowner in a small earthquake near Lake Sinclair. These riders vary in price depending on the deductible and company pricing practices. Clearly, a high deductible would protect only against the very rare large earthquake.
When the earth shakes in an earthquake, falling objects can cause injury or start a fire. Many of the hazards associated with falling objects can be eliminated or minimized now, before an earthquake strikes. The following checklist can help earthquake proof your home.
Are cabinets, bookcases and mirrors secured to wall studs? Bookcases and cabinets are often heavily loaded and shaking could cause them to fall, causing contents to be damaged or near-by people to be injured.
Do your cabinet doors have strong latches? Strong latches keep contents inside. Also, guide rails can be put on shelves to prevent valuable objects from falling.
Is your gas hot water heater strapped to the wall? If the gas line breaks when it falls over, a fire could be started.
Are your hazardous or flammable materials stored safely? If a container of flammable liquid spills during an earthquake, any source of flame may ignite the fluid and start a fire.
Are you prepared to be self-sufficient for at least three days? This is also good preparation for inclement weather and other disasters. Have on hand a flashlight, portable radio, first aid kits, fire extinguisher, food and water for 3 days, medicine and tools.
Does your family know what to do in an earthquake? Suggested steps to follow after an earthquake are listed below.
Are your important documents (insurance policies) up to date and safe.
Is your house frame securely bolted to the foundation? Loss of contact with the foundation is a major source of damage in large earthquakes.
Have chimneys, roofs, and walls been checked for stability? Bricks from chimneys and wall facings if not tied to the wall can fall and cause significant damage or injury.
During an earthquake "Duck, Cover and Hold"
Duck under a strong table or desk. Injuries and deaths during earthquakes are caused by falling objects and collapsing structures.
Cover your head and face to protect them from broken glass and falling objects.
Hold onto the table or desk and be prepared to move with it. Hold your position until the shaking stops. Do not run outside during the shaking or use the stairways or elevators.
Steps to follow after a large earthquake
After tremors stop, vacate premises immediately until it is safe to return.
Know how to turn off or on electricity, water, and gas.
Look for and eliminate fire hazards that can cause further damage.
Take photos to record damage before you clean up or make repairs.
Check your building for cracks and structural damage.
Move valuables to a safe weatherproof location.
Review your insurance coverage and report claims promptly.
Collect inventory records, appraisals and photographic records.
Use licensed professionals to conduct inspections and repair our home.
Look for ways to better prepare your home for earthquakes as you repair or rebuild.
Review your family disaster plan and see how you can help to improve disaster planning in your community.
Bolt, Bruce A., (1993). Earthquakes, W.H. Freeman and Company, New York, New York, 331 p.
Building Seismic Safety Council, (1995). A nontechnical explanation of the 1994 NEHRP recommended provisions, Federal Emergency Management Agency publication 99, 82p.
Frankel, A., (1995) Mapping Seismic Hazard in the central and eastern United States. Seismological Research Letters, Vol 66, No. 4., pp 8-22.
Slemmons, D.B., Engdahl, E.R., Blackwell, D., and Schwartz, D., (1991) Neotectonics of North America, Decade Map Volume, The Geological Society of America, Boulder, Colorado, 493p.
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Health Services Research and Development Service (HSR&D)
The VA Health Services Research and Development Service (HSR&D) pursues research that underscores all aspects of VA healthcare: patient care, care delivery, health outcomes, cost, and quality. HSR&D research also addresses critical issues for Veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan with conditions that may require care over their lifetimes.
The main HSR&D website can be found at http://www.hsrd.research.va.gov.
VA's Health Services Research and Development Service (HSR&D) works to identify and evaluate innovative strategies that lead to accessible, high quality, cost-effective care for Veterans and the nation.
HSR&D is an intramural research program funding eligible VA clinician and non-clinician investigators to address VA healthcare priorities that ultimately help to improve healthcare for Veterans and the nation. VA HSR&D researchers carry out their mission and are supported by four key enterprises:
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It's a fact we often hear: Breast cancer is one of the most deadly diseases among women in the United States. Only lung cancer is more lethal. In 2011-the most recent year statistics were available-the American Cancer Society (ACS) estimated that 39,520 women would die from breast cancer.
For the same period, the ACS estimated a diagnosis of more than 230,000 new cases of breast cancer in the U.S. While these statistics are alarming and distressing, they don't reflect a much more encouraging aspect of the battle against breast cancer: early detection. Finding breast cancer when it is in an early-and almost always a more treatable-stage can greatly increase a woman's chance of survival and help to minimize the effect of the disease on her health and lifestyle.
"Breast cancer tumors that are causing symptoms are usually much more advanced and, therefore, more difficult to treat effectively," said Simi Valley Hospital radiologist Eric Cordes, MD. "That's why it's so important that women take steps to detect cancer as early as possible, which usually means before they're experiencing any sort of symptoms of the disease."
Breast Health for Every Woman
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month-a great time for every woman to take action to ensure that she has the information she needs about breast health.
The ACS recommends that most women have their first mammogram at age 40. Called a baseline mammogram, this initial screening is very important because it gives physicians a reference point, from which they can compare any changes in breast tissue over time.
"Every woman's breast tissue is different," Dr. Cordes said. "Some have naturally denser tissue than others; some have small growths or other features that are harmless, but that we need to be aware of. The best way for us to detect changes in breast tissue over time is to compare images to the baseline mammogram and to other previous mammograms."
The ACS recommends that women continue to have yearly mammograms from age 40 on and that women in their 20s and 30s have a clinical breast exam (a physical exam of the breasts) at least once every three years as part of a regular health checkup.
Dr. Cordes emphasized that breast health is an important issue for all women-regardless of age, race, health status and other factors.
"Most women under age 40 won't need to have a yearly mammogram," he said. "However, every woman-no matter what age-should talk with her primary care physician about breast health and what she should be doing to prevent the occurrence of cancer. A physician can help women understand how personal and family health history, diseases and conditions they have, and other factors affect their risk for developing breast cancer."
Mammograms Go Digital
A mammogram is simply an X-ray of the breasts. It is the most common way to examine the deep tissue of the breasts for any signs of cancer. Today, the gold standard is digital mammography, which enables physicians to immediately view mammograms, manipulate the images for a better view of the breast tissue, and easily store and retrieve images. Digital mammography also uses less radiation than conventional mammography.
Simi Valley Hospital's Nancy Reagan Breast Center offers digital mammography, as well as a range of other technologies to detect and treat breast cancer. The center partners with the Aspen Surgery Center, which is next door in the same building, on one of those technologies, called needle-wire localization.
"For this procedure, women start at a mammography center for the placement of a thin wire that marks an area of breast tissue that is suspected to be cancerous. They then go to an outpatient surgery center to get a sample of that tissue removed for further study," Dr. Cordes said. "Having those two services literally next door to each other makes for a considerably more comfortable and streamlined experience for our patients."
To schedule a mammogram at the Nancy Reagan Breast Center, call 805-955-6122. To learn more about the center, go to www.simivalleyhospital.com and click on "Services" at the top of the page, then "Nancy Reagan Breast Center."
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States: Texas: Johnson
We know that James McCoy b.1805 was in Floyd Co., Kentucky in 1830, he was in Iowa between 1836 and 1839. We know he was in Missouri as late as October, 1848 when Miles was born and in Texas in the winter of 1848. Does he show up on any census in 1840? Was he in Missouri as early as that? Jennifer Haston claims that her Nancy was born to James and Nancy in Missouri in 1840. Everyone seems to dismiss that idea but I'm not sure why. Where was the family between 1840 and 1848. Did I miss something? I probably did but would you all refresh my memory?
Notify Administrator about this message?
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Edward A. Sothern (c.1830-1881)
Edward Askew Sothern, born in England, was an actor. His real name was Douglas Stewart. He made his theater debut in the U.S., at the National Theatre in Boston, as Dr. Pangloss, in 1852. Sothern had a great hit as Lord Dundreary in "Our American Cousin," with Laura Keene's Theatre in New York. Sothern appeared in England in 1861 at the Haymarket Theatre, where he performed Lord Dundreary for 477 performances in one season.
- 1865 circa 5 years
- Original Format:
- Glass Negative Print
- download hi-res watermarked image
All Licensed images are available for download as jpeg files at 300 dpi of original size.
If your project requires an image at higher resolution, please contact us (be sure to include item number). Custom requests may require an additional charge.
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“Mosaika – Canada Through the Eyes of Its People” is the Story of a Nation Rich in Achievement, Culture and Values
For the fourth consecutive summer Christie®3-chip DLP® projectors will be lighting up Ottawa’s famed Parliament Hill with a rich and engaging display that attracts more than 250,000 visitors annually . The gripping narrative of Canadian history via the National Capital Commission’s sound and light show, “Mosaika – Canada Through the Eyes of Its People” begins July 10 and ends September 7 this year.
Accompanied by lights, a 5.1 surround system, and audio track produced by Groupe Phaneauf, the four Christie Roadster S+20K and five Christie Roadster HD18K projectors paint a video canvas onto the 472-feet long by 246-feet tall, six story high Parliament Building Centre Block including the iconic Peace Tower in the middle. One portion features a dramatic 3D segment where the entire structure appears to move in and out in 3D space.
A Journey in Three Acts
Act One explores Canadian landscapes and our founding peoples. The journey begins at Canada's beautiful west coast, then soars eastward, over the Rocky Mountains, through the foothills and prairies, across the Great Lakes, down the St. Lawrence River, into the Atlantic Ocean, and then northeast to modern-day Newfoundland and Labrador. From here, the audience is taken north, passing ice floes and polar bears, into Canada's Arctic region, where the aurora borealis dances in the velvety night sky. Along the way, the audience discovers the gorgeous mosaic of natural landscapes, flora and fauna that make up Canada's diverse natural world.
Canada's founding peoples are also introduced in Act One, and the storyline carries the audience beyond Canada's Confederation in 1867. ‘Mosaika’ presents how multitudes of people, ideas and voices have combined in a great discussion to create this country.
Act Two presents Canadian achievements. It begins with the railroad — the great iron link that tied the country together and encouraged westward expansion and settlement. Other achievements are explored, in war and in peace, social achievements that helped to create Canada’s rights and freedoms, as well as Canadian achievements in the arts and culture. Great Canadians are encountered, including Agnes Macphail, Tommy Douglas, Terry Fox and many others.
Act Three is a discussion of Canadian values. In the third act of ‘Mosaika,’ Canadians from across the country are seen and heard, discussing what is important to them, what it means to be Canadian, and their hopes for the future. Their encouraging and inspirational words drive ‘Mosaika’ toward its emotional climax.
From History to Projection Mapping Reality with Christie Reliability
Jean-Marc Beauvalet, manager, technical services, National Capital Commission (NCC), said the NCC used two Christie projectors for the predecessor of the current show; however, ‘Mosaika’ was one of its first forays into multi-projector use and projection mapping.
“Because of our experience with them, we were fully confident using the Christie projectors for ‘Mosaika,’” said Beauvalet. “Christie has played an important role in helping us achieve our goals with this presentation – to reflect what Canada and its history are all about.”
“We had used Christie projectors before and were fully confident of their performance – and, as the projectors play such a crucial role, that made everything else easier to deal with. After Moment Factory – the show designer – did a full pixel mapping of the buildings, our biggest challenge was how to repeat the placement of these projectors to ensure a perfect performance every night. The solution they came up with for the projectors that stayed on the hill was to have the projectors on hydraulic lifts with repeatable heights; they have a sensor that stops them at 120 inches so every performance is exact.”
Not only the production itself but also the public and media reaction impresses the NCC.
“The projection mapping creates something magical that people aren’t expecting – they don’t expect to see their Parliament Building transformed into such beautiful colors and delightful imagery. People say, 'this is incredible. I never thought I would see anything like this in my life.’ It’s an honor to see visitors and Canadians with smiling faces telling us how wonderful the show experience was,” Beauvalet concluded. “With the help of Christie, we have achieved our goal with this presentation – to instill a strong feeling of pride in our country and our capital with a one-of-a-kind free nightly show. I can say that Christie and its technology are extremely reliable. They deliver exactly what they say they will.”
“‘Mosaika’ is an extraordinary accomplishment that presents the history of Canada in a way that is entertaining, educational, and visually compelling,” said Kathryn Cress, vice president, global and corporatemarketing, Christie. “We are very proud the National Capital Commission selected Christie projectors to be part of this exceptionally innovative and memorable event.”
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I hadn’t intended to note the passing of Steve Jobs here, however as I thought about it, there are a couple of things that I believe are worth noting for parents and caregivers of children with autism.
Jobs and the creatives at Apple – quite accidentally – gave us an amazing array of new tools to address many of the challenges that come with autism. Single-handedly, Jobs and Apple rendered most of the infinitely-overpriced, clunky communication devices obsolete in two fell swoops with the iPod Touch and the iPad. While many companies who shall remain nameless are still charging $8,000+ for communication devices – which not-so-coincidentally has something to do with the limit of what Medicaid will reimburse for them – they are quickly being sent off into the corner where they belong by iDevices that cost a tenth as much but do significantly more than most of these inferior, price-gouged devices. Apple created the technology that is ushering in the end of that profane nonsense. [end soapbox]
In addition, they have provided us with endlessly extensible, multi-sensory, portable tools for education that are improving the way our children learn. They have given technology to the people, the application developers have jumped at the opportunity, and that has opened up untold possibilities to change the lives of children and their families.
But there’s a more important and personal point I want to make here. So many want to understand why he was such a genius and then figure out how to emulate him. You could copy him right down to the black turtleneck and mannerisms and not succeed at this for reasons I hope should be obvious. You can’t be anyone else; you can only be you. And the goal is to be the best you possible, something Jobs understood from the beginning.
Of the myriad articles about him, a particular one caught my eye because of one sentence. John Gruber at Daring Fireball is one of the most insightful tech bloggers anywhere. In his post in which he shared a particular memory of Steve Jobs, Gruber zeroes in on a specific ability Jobs developed throughout his life that I hadn’t thought about before. He says, “One of Jobs’s many gifts was that he knew what to give a shit about.”
I want to be able to do that. This may be my new life ambition.
Jobs was able to devote himself utterly and completely to what was most important to him because he ignored everything else that wasn’t. He refused to be dragged into trivial things that didn’t advance the ideas and products he was passionate about.
He once said, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.” We may think we have to settle as parents because of the constraints we believe our lives and responsibilities have placed on us, but I refuse to believe that even though I often despair not knowing how to live differently. But it comes back to that phrase I first heard from a beloved mentor of mine many years ago: “Never settle. If you remember nothing else I’ve taught you, remember that.”
Jobs also said, “We’re here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise why else even be here?” I know you and I feel like many – or most – days we’re just trying to survive the period of time between when we wake up and when we finally get to put our head on something soft again. The difference between my belief that we can somehow live out our vision for our lives and the hard reality of the everyday creates a painful tension we live with each day, but I refuse to surrender the hope that there’s a better way.
His mission statement for life included a combination of “do epic stuff”, “do what you love”, “never settle”, and “leave dents in the universe.” If something didn’t fit in with that, Jobs gave no time or attention to it.
For us as parents of autistic children, this is one of the lessons we most need to learn. Every day, we are crushed by endless little details. By the end of the day, we look back and realize we have no idea what we accomplished that day. And this happens day in and day out. Our lives are buried under massive debris piles of things we want to do but that remain untouched, undone, and deferred until some future we fear may never come. All this does is add to our frustration and depression.
We, too, want to do epic stuff and leave a dent in the universe. We want to do something to change the world – or at least the autistic parts of it – but if you’re like me, you feel like you spend most days just treading water or forestalling your ultimate drowning.
There has to be a better way. There have to be clues about how to change the way we pour ourselves into our daily lives such that we can make a lasting mark on the universe. We often think that if we could just push ourselves harder and do more that would solve the problem. When we are more rational, however, we know better. We’re already pushing ourselves to the brink. We are only given so much energy. We have to decide what we’re going to do with it, and we have to do so with great care.
And this is where I think Jobs’s genius comes in. It’s not like he had some unlimited store of energy. He was finite, and the number of years he had on this earth were less than most of us will have. He just refused to give his precious store of energy to crap that didn’t matter.
I spent half the morning yesterday giving emotional energy to a bureaucratic issue with some paperwork for the J-Man. The solution was simple: sign the damn thing, say whatever else needed to be said, and move on with the day. If other people felt the need to expend a lot of emotional whatever about it, fine. That didn’t need to be my problem, but I made it partly mine. I chewed on it like an old bone. None of that was necessary. I was stewing over it instead of trying to focus on doing something far greater with my life.
And we all do this, all day long. We need to be aware that we do it and then focus on taking steps to stop. Decide every day what the most important thing we want to do that day is, then do it. All this other trivial stuff be damned. If other people want to make some petty thing more than it is, let them. You can’t stop them from doing it, but you don’t have to participate. Jobs gave not a whit about convention, politics, politeness, or social niceties. Your work is to focus on what is most essential to who you are, then be ruthless about it.
Here’s something I’m going to try. List everything you’re stressed about. Then look at each one and ask, If I don’t deal with this right now or at least today, is anyone going to, 1) die, 2) take my house, or 3) suffer irreparable emotional or physical harm? Almost nothing reaches this threshold. Many of these things are simply items you and I need to act on in some way, but not in a way that gives them any more of our emotions or energy than they deserve. Do them as they need to be done, then move on.
Then list what’s most important to you. These can be personal values, goals, projects you want to work on, etc. If you’ve ever created a bucket list, then feel free to incorporate that. I’m thinking more of starting with a list of what’s most important to me in the immediate term, but you certainly will want to develop a longer-horizon view of what’s important, too. Choose some things on the list you really feel drawn to right now, then list a few specific actions you can take to get moving on them. Then start moving.
Stupid things that don’t deserve our stress suck up many times as much energy as is required to actually address them. Worrying about other people’s emotional debris as part of it multiplies the energy sucking manyfold. However, when we are working toward what’s closest to our hearts, our own energy multiplies. Do what we love and make a difference. This should be our ultimate aim in life.
Easier said than done, I know. Believe me, I am a master of not following my own words. This isn’t so much an end but a practice – a call to trying to live a better way – lining up one action after another until something amazing comes to life. Our kids do this every day, learning and developing inch by inch until they reveal something wonderful that was previously hidden from view. They already know how. Now it’s our turn to live it.
I think this will be one of Steve Jobs’s enduring legacies: To become the person we want to be we have to commit, act, devote ourselves to this every day, and never quit on our vision. If we fail on any given day, we fail. We get up, put it behind us, move on, and try again. Eventually, wonders will come to life.
What is your vision for your life? What are you going to do to make it happen? What are you going to do right this very second? Go.
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – Steve Jobs (1955-2011)
Posts that hopefully are similar:
- Pre-Game Speech for Parents Just Receiving an Autism Diagnosis
- Be Aware – For Families and Friends
- What Does ‘Strong’ Mean to You?
- Where do parents of autistic kids in Holland go?
- The Many Flavors of Autism Awareness
- Our purpose in life is…
- In Remembrance of My Hero
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Local Medical IssuesRattlesnakes can commonly be found in Northern California, and rattlesnake bites pose a hazard for both people and pets. They are typically active from about March through September, and can be found almost anywhere, but especially near rivers and less-developed areas with wildlife.
When a dog or cat is bitten by a rattlesnake, it is usually around the face (dogs) and extremities (both dogs and cats). It is impossible to know how much venom has actually been injected through a snake's fangs into the bite wounds, so it is extremely important to seek veterinary attention right away. The rattlesnakes in California tend to have hemotoxic venom, which means that the venom disrupts the integrity of blood vessels. Shock, hemorrhage and severe bruising are common with envenomation. Common treatment will include IV fluids, antibiotics and supportive care. In some cases, anti-venin, which is a serum derived from horses with antibodies against four of the most common types of rattlesnakes, needs to be used.
The best treatment for rattlesnake bites is prevention. Be aware of your surroundings. Keep your dogs close to you or on a leash and walk on marked trails. If you see a snake, give it a wide berth and avoid making sudden movements that might startle it. Rattlesnakes are an important part of our ecosystem and most of them just want to be left alone.
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Some dieters say that chitosan helps decrease appetite.
Chitosan has been shown to inhibit fat absorption in animals, although in studies in humans chitosan did not inhibit fat absorption. Some research has found that taking chitosan during a weight loss program increases the amount of weight loss. In other studies, however, chitosan was ineffective.
It is important to note that supplementing with chitosan will also cause the body to excrete the important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, too.
A double-blind Polish study found that people taking 1,500 mg of chitosan three times daily during a weight loss program lost significantly more weight than people taking a placebo with the same program.1 Other studies using smaller amounts of chitosan have reported no effects on weight loss.2 , 3 , 4
Adverse effects on the growth of children and on the outcome of pregnancy are possible.5 In addition, although chitosan-included alterations in intestinal flora are believed to be beneficial, the possibility that these changes may have negative long-term consequences has not been ruled out. People with intestinal malabsorption syndromes should not use chitosan.
While no long-term studies of the effects of chitosan on human health have been done, animal studies suggest that this compound could inhibit the absorption of minerals and fat-soluble vitamins.
Chitosan is extracted from the shells of crustaceans, such as shrimp and crab.
Last Review: 11-07-2012
Copyright © 2012 Aisle7. All rights reserved. Aisle7.com
The information presented in Aisle7 is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires June 2013.
Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.
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| 0.937958
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| 2
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Billie-Jean King, who won 39 Grand Slam titles in total, was probably the greatest-ever competitor at Wimbledon.
Long Beach, California, USA
Wimbledon titles: 1966, 1967, 1968, 1972, 1973, 1975
Runner up: 1963, 1969, 1970
Grand Slam titles: 12
Prize money: $1,996,487
She won 20 titles in all at SW19 when you add 10 doubles and four mixed doubles to her six singles titles.
King competed 22 times in 23 years and played a record 265 matches at the All England Club. losing just 41 of them.
In 1973, she was the last player to win the triple crown of the singles and two doubles championships, with Owen Davidson and Rosie Casals.
She first came to Wimbledon as a bespectacled 17-year-old in 1961, under her maiden name of Billie-Jean Moffat.
Over the next two decades she dominated women's tennis with fearsomely confident and aggressive play, a style perfectly suited to Wimbledon.
Her great rival was Australian Margaret Court, who beat her in the finals of 1963 and 1970.
She will be best remembered for a match that has no place in the official records of tennis. In 1973, aged 29, she played 55-year-old Bobby Riggs in a contest titled the Battle of the Sexes.
It was watched by the largest crowd ever to witness a tennis match, 30,492, and 50 million around the world on television. King won 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.
It is away from the court that King has had her greatest, and continuing, influence.
She was a prime mover in the creation of her sport's ruling body, the Women's Tennis Association, and the creation of a professional tour in 1970.
King worked tirelessly to promote the women's game, fighting for equal prize money at Wimbledon as long ago as 1973.
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HALL Food DemeterBack to the list
Demeter is the mark which makes it possible to recognize the products resulting from agriculture biodynamics
Since the beginning of the century, agriculture underwent a fundamental change.
Country culture working with the world of nature,
one passed to an industrial agriculture using of the increasingly polluting products, with the consequences which one knows on the environment.
The genetic engineering is another drift today.
Since 1924, conscious of the direction in which the evolution began of agriculture,
and anxious of the degeneration of the ground and the food which it produces,
Rudolf Steiner exposed the laws of alive in a cycle of conferences given to the farmers. A prosperous agriculture known as biodynamics had just been born.
Demeter, mark world of the products resulting from agriculture controlled biodynamics, is present in more than 50 countries. It guarantees to the consumer the respect specifications specific to agriculture biodynamics. Seek there on the products that you
The agricultural domains and companies certified Demeter are obligatorily certified in organic farming. Demeter certification is added to it and the specifications “production”, “transformation” and “wine making” go further in several aspects than those necessary for the specifications on the biological production, for example:
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i18n is a popular abbreviation for 'Internationalization'. It is abbreviated by taking the first and last letters and replacing all the characters in the middle with the number of characters replaced. l10n is the abbreviation for localization. I am not sure if a lot of developers who are familiar with the terms understand the origins, but apparently this style of abbreviation is referred to as a Numeronym.
There is some history about them on Wikipedia. Numeronym's also include words such as 'K9', where the number is pronounced as part of the word.
They have become more popular recently in the startup community and in blogs because the venture capital firm Andressen Horowitz has their internet home at the domain a16z.com.
Numeronym's are easy to parse in Python, and there are a dozen ways to do it. I had added a
numeronym(word) method to my utils library, for what reason, I do not know.
I am now 'nik c8c'.
>>> def numeronym(str_name): ... return str_name[:1] + str(len(str_name[1:-1])) + str_name[-1:] ... >>> numeronym('internationalization') 'i18n' >>> numeronym('cubrilovic') 'c8c' >>>
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That there is a common effect for similar actions is beyond dispute, the teachings of the Buddha on kamma show this very clearly, and that karmic effect is modified by intention, the object that is acted upon (killing an arhat as opposed to killing a mosquito), the quantity and quality of the action and satisfaction gained from an action is also indisputable.
But to say that the karma vipakka will be indentical is going a bit too far.
Okay, the Abhidha...ma texts basically outline the limited range of sentient experience, so it can be said that since we are dealing with such a limited range of experience then the combinations that can occur are also limited and that there is a distinct possibility that the karma vipakka for a group of individuals engaged in the same action may be similar. But I think the term "similar" is of importance here. The abovementioned passages seem to say that the karma vipakka will be the same. This, I feel that this is too far fetched. Why? Because sentient beings have been cycling through samsara forever, so the possibility that their individual mind streams will bring about an identical outcome is kinnda difficult to believe.
If one looks to the Abhidha...ma "lists" one finds a limited but still seemingly vast array of experiences, if one combines these with the structures of dependency outlined in the Patthanuddesa Dipani http://www.dharmaweb.org/index.php/The_ ... _Relations
then the possible number combinations shoot right off the end of the scale!
Though I don't find the theory of group karma improbable the lack of references to it in Sutta and Sutra leads me to believe that it is a later development in Buddhist theory which, of course, is not a negative trait but is a point of concern. Maybe the theory requires better elucidation/analysis based on realisations?
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Travelers from China will spend about $2.8 billion a year in Europe by the end of the decade, as the growing China economy gives more people the purchasing power to travel outside the country, according to a University of London study commissioned by Hilton Hotels & Resorts.
The number of Chinese tourists traveling to Europe will grow to 4.5 million in 2015, up about 50% from the number of Chinese who traveled there in 2010, and the numbers will surge to 8.6 million in 2020, according to the study.
Also by 2020, the study said, more of the tourists will shed traditional tour groups and travel independently.
Italy, France and Germany were the most popular European destinations for Chinese tourists last year, according to the study. For hotel and hospitality news, follow Danny King on Twitter @dktravelweekly.
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My Ship Sails!
The object of the game is to be the first player to collect seven cards of a single suit.
What You'll Need:
At the Party:
- A Deck of Cards (or multiple decks for a large group of guests)
- Have the players sit in a circle on the floor or around a table.
- Shuffle the cards.
- Deal each player a card, face down, going around the circle 7 times. (Each player should have 7 cards when you're done.)
- The remaining cards should be set aside.
- Tell the players to organize their cards by suit, and to each choose which suit they want to keep without telling anybody.
- Each player then discards one unwanted card, placing it face down next to the player on their left.
- Once everyone has done this, all players should pick up the card given to them by the person on their right.
- Players then choose a new card to get rid of and pass it to the person on their left.
- Play continues this way until one player collects seven cards of one suit.
- When a player gets all seven cards, he or she shouts, "My Ship Sails!"
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GREENSBURG, Indiana — The greenest car you’ve likely never heard of will soon be hitting Honda showrooms across the United States as the Japanese automaker expands sales of its compressed natural gas powered Civic.
Honda has been quietly winning green car awards for more than a decade as it cautiously introduced the Civic GX first to government and business fleet owners and then retail customers in a handful of test markets.
The nationwide retail launch set for this fall comes as US President Barack Obama pushes for wider adoption of fuel-efficient vehicles — including mandating that all federal cars will need to run on alternative, hybrid or electric power by 2015.
Potential customers could also be lured by substantial cost savings as oil prices climb amid tensions in the Middle East and natural gas prices fall in the wake of major new discoveries in the United States.
But the Civic GX enters a crowded field where new plug-in hybrid and fully electric cars — the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf — are grabbing headlines and zippy new compact cars offer competitive fuel economy.
Honda’s goals are relatively modest — doubling sales to around 4,000 vehicles in the first year of national sales while Nissan is hoping to hit annual US sales of 20,000 Leafs — but it still thinks the GX can compete.
“We’re asking the GX purchaser to make far fewer sacrifices than any other alternative fuel vehicle,” Eric Rosenberg, who heads Honda’s alternative fuel vehicle program in the United States.
“When you compare it to the Volt or Leaf, it’s the most affordable, it has the best range and it has the quickest refill.”
The GX can drive up to 250 miles (403 kilometers) on a single tank and only takes a few minutes to fill at public or home fueling station.
The Leaf has a range of 62 to 138 miles (100 to 222 kilometers) depending on road conditions and takes 30 minutes to partially charge at a quick-charge station and seven to 20 hours using a standard 220 or 110 volt outlet.
GM’s Volt can drive 25 to 50 miles (40 to 80 kilometers) on its battery before switching over to a gasoline-powered engine and takes four to ten hours to charge.
Honda’s GX is also the cleanest car on the US market, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy which looks at a vehicle’s total environmental impact.
That’s because natural gas is a clean-burning fuel. It consists primarily of methane and emits about 30 percent less carbon dioxide and 70-90 percent less smog-forming particulates than gasoline.
Electric cars may emit nothing from the tailpipe, but they have a significant carbon footprint because 45 percent of US electricity is generated by coal. Their batteries also carry a heavy environmental toll.
Realtor and property manager Irma Vargas bought her first Civic GX in 2006 to save on fuel costs and get access to carpool lanes — a perk that can cut a 90-minute commute in half in congested Los Angeles.
“Me and my business partner bought it and were going to take turns with it because it was a new idea,” Vargas said in a telephone interview.
“We found that we were fighting over it, so he ended up getting the next year’s model.”
Vargas sold the GX to an employee so she could upgrade to a new model in 2008 and has convinced four of her friends and customers to buy one as well.
She figures she’s saved thousands of dollars on fuel costs — she can fill her GX at home for about a dollar a gallon while it costs nearly four dollars a gallon to fill her Lexus hybrid, which she saves for long trips and big shopping excursions.
But it will be years before the GX or electric cars are sold in sufficient numbers to make a significant dent in greenhouse gas emissions, cautioned Lonnie Miller, an analyst at auto research firm R. L. Polk.
“If you look at the traditional batch of gas-electric hybrids, it’s 2.6 percent of all US new vehicle registrations,” he told AFP.
“CNG (compressed natural gas) and electric, they’re not even registering.”
It took six years for US consumers to embrace hybrids, which require only a few tradeoffs like a higher initial price tag and limited trunk space.
Like fully-electric cars, the Civic GX requires a much bigger tradeoff.
While owners can fuel up at home with relatively cheap unit called “Phil,” long-range trips are essentially out of the question because there are only about 870 public fueling stations in the entire country.
The cost and environmental advantages of compressed natural gas will nonetheless help boost global sales by 9.1 percent a year to 3.2 million vehicles in 2016, according to a recent report by green tech consulting firm Pike Research.
The biggest growth — 25 percent a year — is forecast in the United States, fueled primarily by sales to corporate and government fleets which typically operate their own fueling stations.
Honda started with fleet sales in 1998 and offered the GX to retail customers in California and New York in 2005 as more fueling stations came online.
It expanded retail sales to Utah and Oklahoma in 2008 and 2009 as tax incentives in those natural-gas producing states drew more customers, but has only sold a little over 12,000 of the vehicles so far.
“The whole idea was for us as a company to learn how to retail the car,” Honda’s Rosenberg said. “It is a little different, it has a few idiosyncrasies.”
The experience with the relatively-low cost GX will serve as a good model for the introduction of the holy grail of green cars — the far more expensive and complex hydrogen fuel cell.
Honda was the first automaker to introduce a hydrogen fuel cell prototype in 1999 and began testing a small fleet with retail customers in 2005. It also plans to introduce a plug-in hybrid next year.
Raw Story is a progressive news site that focuses on stories often ignored in the mainstream media. While giving coverage to the big stories of the day, we also bring our readers' attention to policy, politics, legal and human rights stories that get ignored in an infotainment culture driven solely by pageviews.
Founded in 2004, Raw Story reaches 5 million unique readers per month and serves more than 19 million pageviews.
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mathematical and computing sciences question #531
christina, a 14 year old female from the Internet asks on January 10, 2002,Q:
Why are portable phones called cellular phones? How do they work?
viewed 13306 times
A lot of people think that cellular phones work by satellite, but they don't. Base station radio antennas are placed on tall buidings or towers so that their radio coverage divides a region into geograhic "cells". Each antenna can cover an area of about 10 square miles (26 square kilometers). As you go from cell to cell, the system switches your communication from one base station to another. You can read a lot more about this at How Stuff Works: How cellphones work.
making a small donation to science.ca.
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The Lisa Aucoin Endowed Scholarship in Biology
Dean’s Level Scholarship
Established in loving memory of Lisa Aucoin
The Lisa Aucoin
Endowed Scholarship in Biology
Dean’s Level Scholarship
Purpose of the Scholarship:
The purpose of the Lisa Aucoin Endowed Scholarship in Biology is to provide financial support to a deserving student who is attending Southeastern Louisiana University and majoring in Biology or an Art student working with photography of reptiles and amphibians or any other Biology related program.
Levels of Endowed Scholarships
The SoutheasternLouisiana UniversityFoundation, the primary fund raising arm of the University, has established four levels of endowed scholarships:
Dean’s Level - $10,000
Provost Level - $25,000
Presidential Level - $50,000
Founder’s Level - $100,000
This scholarship is being established at the Dean’s Level--$10,000. If additional contributions are made, then the donors will receive additional recognition and the appropriate name designation (Provost Level, Presidential Level, or Founder’s Level) will be given to the Lisa Aucoin Endowed Scholarship in Biology.
Amount and Method of Payment:
This scholarship is being established at the Dean’s Level ($10,000), with an annual gift of $1,000. This scholarship is being funded by Lisa's parentsSandra andRonald Aucoin, with additional contributions from family and friends. This scholarship will exist in perpetuity. The principal of this scholarship will never be touched.
This endowment will be managed by the SoutheasternLouisiana UniversityFoundation in accordance with the “Investment Guidelines” adopted by the Foundation Board. It is the goal of the Foundation to award 4.5% of the market value of the endowment to the recipient of the Lisa Aucoin Endowed Scholarship in Biology.
A periodic review of this endowment will be conducted. Based on the amount in the endowment, the amount awarded may be changed.
Criteria for Selection of Recipient:
The selection criteria for the awarding of the Lisa Aucoin Endowed Scholarship in Biology are listed as follows:
A.The student must have an overall college grade point average of 2.50 or higher. If the student is a beginning freshman, he/she must have achieved a 2.75 or higher high school grade point average.
B.The student may be a female or male graduate or undergraduate student majoring in Biology. The student may also be an Art student working with photography of reptiles and amphibians or any other Biology related program.
C. The student must be of good moral character.
D. The student must have financial need.
E.The student must be a full-time student. (A full-time student is defined as a student enrolled in 12 hours of credit courses or a graduate student enrolled for 9 hours of credit.)
F. This scholarship may be used to help fund field research for the selected student.
Criteria for Maintaining the Scholarship:
1. The scholarship may be maintained for a total of four years undergraduate or two years graduate.
2. The student must maintain an overall grade point average of 2.50 or better.
3. The student must maintain full time status.
The Lisa Aucoin Endowed Scholarship in Biology will be administered by the SoutheasternLouisiana UniversityFoundation. The selection of a recipient will be made by the Department of Biological Sciences Scholarship Committee. The recipient of the scholarship will be presented at the College of Arts and Sciences Annual Honors Convocation.
Recognition Plaques. A plaque recognizing the establishment of the Lisa Aucoin Endowed Scholarship in Biology will be placed in Southeastern’s D Vickers Hall. Another plaque recognizing this scholarship will be placed on the Wall of Fame to be located in Sims Memorial Library.
News Articles. An article announcing the Lisa Aucoin Endowed Scholarship in Biology will be featured in the Southeastern Alumni News, a quarterly publication with a readership of approximately 26,000. The contribution of Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Aucoin will also be highlighted in the Southeastern Annual Report.
Scholarship Booklet and Scholarship Web-Site. The Lisa Aucoin Endowed Scholarship in Biology will be listed in the endowed scholarship section of the Southeastern “Scholarship Booklet” and will be listed on the Southeastern Scholarship Web-Site.
Leadership Gift to Campaign. Southeastern is engaged in its first major fund raising campaign called “Commitment to Excellence.” Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Aucoin will be recognized as having made a “leadership gift” to this fund raising campaign. At the end of the campaign, there will be a special reception for those individuals who made “leadership gifts” to the campaign.
Tax Deductible Gift:
Gifts made to the SoutheasternLouisiana UniversityFoundation are tax deductible to the maximum allowed by federal and state tax laws.
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| 0.927425
| 1,037
| 1.5
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Does the City of Las Vegas have a Christmas tree?
Wed, Nov 28, 2012 (1:49 p.m.)
Photo: Steve Marcus
One burning question: Does the City of Las Vegas have a Christmas tree?
Answer: Cities across America are lighting up their official evergreens—at Union Square in San Francisco, in Boston Common and at Love Park in Philadelphia, to name a few. While Mayor Carolyn Goodman will light a tree at the Fremont Street Experience, it isn’t the Vegas tree, as the City of Las Vegas doesn’t actually own it. Ward 5 has had a tree in Lorenzi Park in years past, but it won’t this year due to the park being under construction. Humbug.
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Freedom Jane McKenzie isn’t good at following the rules. She’s good at getting into trouble - and playing marbles. All she wants is to enter the marble competition at the Autumn Jubilee and show the boys in the neighborhood that she’s the best player. First, Freedom has to convince her mother to let her enter. But there’s a new baby on the way, Freedom’s daddy is drinking too much, her little brother is a handful, and her mother is even more difficult than usual. Freedom learns that when it comes to love, friendship, and family, sometimes there are no rules. Set in 1959, The Marble Queen is a timeless story about growing up.
©2012 Stephanie J. Blake (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.
“Rich with historical details, The Marble Queen will pull you back to 1959, but Freedom Jane McKenzie is a protagonist for all time. Whether she’s knee-deep in family struggles or proving to the world she has what it takes to play marbles with the boys, Freedom’s voice rings out with determination, humor, and warmth.” (Nan Marino, author of Neil Armstrong Is My Uncle and Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me)
“I wanted to stay with Freedom and her oh-so-real family forever. I wanted to keep watching her play marbles with the boys. And I wanted just one more visit with the kind but eccentric next-door neighbor. Blake has combined the fascinating world of childhood marble-playing with the ups and downs of perfectly realistic characters. A winner!” (Barbara O’Connor, author of How to Steal a Dog and Greetings from Nowhere)
There are no listener reviews for this title yet.
Report Inappropriate Content
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http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=pd_rsp_4?asin=B00ANAFPMK
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David awakens in the brig of the Covenant, in pain and bound by ropes on his hands and feet. He is suffering from seasickness as well, and each lurch of the ship brings a fresh batch of pains. Several days and nights pass as David wanders in and out of consciousness and he is beginning to get a fever. A man visits David briefly, gives him some brandy and water, and dresses his scalp wound. Then he is left in darkness again, and the rats scurry over his face.
Mr. Riach, the ship's second officer, brings Captain Hoseason down into David's room to show the captain how poorly the young man is doing. Hoseason is unsympathetic, and seems inclined to leave the boy to rot and die, but Riach asks to move David to the healthier area of the forecastle, with the other sailors. When the captain refuses, Riach accuses him of being a party to murder, and the captain relents.
David rests in the forecastle for several days as Riach nurses him back to health. He comes to know the sailors, who he finds less rough than he did before. They even give him some of his money back. Ransome often visits him, always with a new wound from Mr. Shuan.
David tells Riach the story of his uncle and how he came to the Covenant, and Riach claims he will send a letter to David's father's lawyer, Mr. Rankeillor, as well as Mr. Campbell, if he gets the chance.
Ransome is brought into the forecastle; Mr. Shuan has killed him. Hoseason orders David to become the new cabin boy. He sends him to the Round-House, the officers' cabin. Shuan is a wreck; killing the boy has ruined his already tenuous sanity.
David becomes used to his duties, and finds it not so bad a life. Riach does not abuse David, his wits being gone. David tries to speak to Riach and the captain about their plans for him, and his plight, but they won't listen, and David has visions of himself slaving in the colonies of North America.
The Covenant strikes another boat, a much smaller one. Upon checking they find a single survivor, a man dressed in fine French clothes and carrying a pair of pistols and a long sword. He speaks with a Scottish accent. He is a Jacobite, a man who believes that the Stuart line, of which King James I and his heirs, are the true kings of England, and should be restored to the throne. Being a Jacobite also means the man is a Catholic, but the captain is a Protestant. Nonetheless, the captain is interested in helping the man in exchange for his gold.
The man asks the captain to set him down in France, where he was heading, but the captain refuses. So the man asks to be set down somewhere in Scotland, and they begin to discuss terms. They come to an agreement, and the captain excuses himself and his officers.
David takes a liking to the stranger, and overhears the captain and officers plotting to murder him and take his money belt. David runs back and tells the stranger, then agrees to fight by his side. They introduce themselves; the stranger is Alan Breck Stewart. The two men prepare to battle the captain and his officers. Fortunately, the Round-House contains all the pistols and other weapons. Alan prepares to guard the front with his sword, while David loads all the pistols and covers the back door and the skylight.
The adventure begins in earnest in these chapters, as David is separated from everything familiar—Mr. Campbell, the Lowlands, even wicked old Ebenezer—and shipped out into the middle of nowhere. The realism found in these chapters, at least until the appearance of Alan Breck Stewart, is a bit surprising for a story intended for younger readers. David does not find himself in the company of decent sailors as well as cutthroats, as Jim Hawkins does in Treasure Island, but only greedy merchants who do not mind selling men into slavery.
Moreover, David does not have his wits about him to work against the rough sailors. Instead he gets a fever as rats scurry over his face. He nearly dies in the fetid cargo hold, and few of the sailors have any sympathy for him. But the most horrific detail is the death of poor Ransome. After Stevenson shows that Ransome is a silly, misguided, but good-hearted boy, he is cruelly murdered by the drunk Mr. Shuan. The sight of the boy's pale, wax-like face, with a "dreadful smile" upon it, is probably the most horrible image in the whole book. But what makes it so terrible is the reader's familiarity with Ransome. There is death in Treasure Island, but is never this personal for the reader.
But once Ransome is gone, the story resumes a more "normal," adventurous tone. David has passed through a sort of trial, by surviving the sickness and then managing to manage his anger against his captors enough to serve them as a cabin boy. The next trial will be one by fire, as David helps Alan Breck Stewart defend himself against the men of the ship.
In their brief dialogues in these chapters, David and Alan begin the dynamics that will serve as the primary hinges of their relationship. The first, and most significant, is their religious and political affiliations—Alan is a Catholic Jacobite, and David is a Protestant Whig. A Whig was a supporter of the English government, who tried to suppress their Jacobites and their claims that the Stuarts belonged on the English throne.
Another dynamic is the question of status. David feels compelled to introduce himself as "David Balfour of Shaws," indicating his upper class status. While Alan believes David, he also feels it necessary to mention that his own name is shared with a king. For most of the novel, David's "gentleman" status will balance out with Alan's greater age and worldly experience, though in the chapter twenty-four, "The Quarrel," they will argue over some of these issues.
Finally, this chapter reveals Alan's competence, a trait often hidden by his arrogance and his flamboyant behavior. He is an experienced fighter, and David is not at all. The ensuing battle is the only real battle in the entire novel, and in it David will deal his first wounds to another man, and ultimately cause their death.
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August 31st, 2012
09:03 PM ET
By Livia Borghese, for CNN
Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, a prominent Vatican figure and one of the more progressive voices in the Catholic Church, died Friday at age 85, the Archdiocese of Milan announced.
Martini suffered from Parkinson's disease and died at his residence in Milan, where he had lived since 2008, when the disease forced him to leave Jerusalem, the archdiocese said.
A public viewing was scheduled for Saturday at Milan Cathedral and the funeral for Monday.
Pope Benedict XVI sent his condolences to the archbishop of Milan, Cardinal Angelo Scola, remembering his "beloved brother that served with generosity the Gospels and the Church."
The Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, called Martini "an expert and passionate in the Holy Scripture."
Pope John Paul II appointed him archbishop of Milan in 1979 and proclaimed him cardinal in 1983. In 2002, at the retirement age of 75, Martini moved to Jerusalem to dedicate himself to Biblical studies, according to his official Vatican biography.
Martini was known for his progressive position on some of the Church's most controversial issues, including priestly celibacy, the use of condoms, euthanasia and homosexuality.
Even after his retirement, Martini raised "subtle though crucial objections" to the Church's opposition to all cases of assisted fertility, distribution of condoms to AIDS victims, and so-called right-to-die cases, Time magazine reported in 2007.
He "politely challenged" the pope's strong condemnation of an Italian government proposal to legalize civil unions for homosexual partners and voiced support for the ordination of women as deacons, Time reported.
Italian President Giorgio Napolitano remembered Martini's "innovative paths in the inter-religious dialogue," as well as the "enlightening and concrete suggestions" he received from the prelate in each of their many encounters, especially on social themes like immigration.
Martini was one of the "papabili," or papal contenders, at the 2005 Conclave that elected the current pope.
From around the web
About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke and Eric Marrapodi with daily contributions from CNN's worldwide newsgathering team and frequent posts from religion scholar and author Stephen Prothero.
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Running a Bible search website means that we collect a lot of raw data about what verses people are looking at. A few months ago we crunched the numbers and came up with some stats that you might find interesting.
Searches for specific passages comprise about 90% of queries on the ESV site; word searches account for only about 10% of queries.
The below chart shows all the verses in the Bible plotted against how many times people see each verse. Note the spikes around John 1, 1 Corinthians 13, Genesis 1, and Romans 1.
Romans Query Distribution
The above chart can appear a little overwhelming. Below is a breakdown for Romans in which you can clearly see that certain chapters (1, 3, 8, 12) and verses (8:28, 1:16, 3:23, 12:2) stand out over others.
Prefer to see things at the chapter level? The below chart shows the number of times that people have seen each chapter in the Bible. You can see peaks at Romans 8, Matthew 5, John 1, and Genesis 1. Conversely, you can see valleys at Ezekiel 15, Psalm 134, Jeremiah 47, and Psalm 114.
Chapters Seen in Their Entirety
The below chart shows what percentage of the time a chapter is viewed in its entirety, as compared to just seeing a few verses from the chapter. The data range from high (85% of people see Psalm 1 in its entirety) to low (11% of people see Jeremiah 29 in its entirety; almost everyone just looks at Jeremiah 29:11).
This last chart shows how popular each book is when controlling for the book’s length (the Psalms get more views than Jude in part because it’s a much longer book). The most popular books by this measure are Ephesians, Philippians, and Romans. The least popular books are Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Hosea.
Most Popular Verses
So, what are the most-viewed verses in the ESV? Here are the most popular verses (including complete chapter views):
- John 1:1, 1:13, 1:12, 1:14, 1:3, and the rest of John 1 dominate the list
- 1 Corinthians 13:4, 13:13 and the rest of 1 Corinthians 13.
- Genesis 1:26, Genesis 1:1, and the rest of Genesis 1
- Romans 1:16 and the rest of Romans 1.
- John 3:16
Here are the most popular verses excluding complete-chapter views, which should give a better sense of popular verses:
- John 3:16
- Proverbs 31:10 and following. We speculate that these verses appear because people often only look at part of this chapter.
- Matthew 5:27-30, concerning adultery. Verse 30 is the most popular of the four verses.
- Romans 8:28
- Romans 3:23
- Genesis 24:27
What are the least-viewed verses? Not surprisingly, they’re pretty obscure. At the time of our analysis, no one had looked at the following verses except as part of their complete chapters. (We’re introducing statistical noise by linking to them here.)
- Numbers 31:25
- Joshua 15:24, 15:40, 15:42, 15:50
- 1 Samuel 30:28
- 1 Chronicles 8:37
- Ezekiel 22:17
Some of the above charts include “complete chapter views.” We separated out queries that looked at partial chapters and queries that looked at complete chapters to minimize noise if a chapter were particularly popular.
Download the Excel file (6.6MB) containing the data and charts (including some we don’t show here) and do some exploring yourself.
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EHRs a major cause of patient info breaches
The "aggressive" adoption of electronic health records is one of the biggest reasons for the rise in security breaches of patient records, according to HIMSS' latest analytics report on the security of patient data.
The report, commissioned by Kroll Advisory Solutions, noted that with the move to patient records in electronic form, the data is more vulnerable since it's more accessible and mobile. Of the respondent hospitals that have reported a security breach of patient information, 22 percent reported that the data compromised had been in electronic form--such as a computer or mobile device--double the amount reported in 2010. Most of the breaches involved theft or loss.
The report also noted that EHR use makes the data more vulnerable because more of the data is going offsite. "Particularly with the rise of EHRs, more healthcare providers are entrusting their patient data to third parties, meaning that the scope of patient data security extends far beyond the walls of their own hospital," the report noted.
This creates problems, according to the report, because while most of the hospitals require their third-party vendors to sign business associate contracts agreeing to protect the patient data, they don't hold the vendors to best practice security standards; just over half (56 percent) ensure that their vendors conduct a risk analysis to determine if security vulnerabilities exist.
Unlike paper records, electronic records are subject not only to breaches caused by employees, but also by outside cybercriminals. The recent breach of Medicaid patients in Utah that has affected roughly 800,000 patients was caused by hackers located in Eastern Europe, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.
While the breach didn't necessarily involve EHRs in a traditional sense, the report makes it clear that with the introduction of new technologies comes added responsibility.
"Knowing that the continued implementation of EHRs and introduction of new technologies in the workplace will only complicate the security landscape, the sense of urgency is clear," the authors concluded.
Officials in New York, meanwhile, are attempting to be proactive with regard to protecting such information. Last week, state health officials announced the creation of a statewide health information network policy committee, established primarily to boost protection of personal health information.
HIMSS: hospitals must be more proactive about data breach prevention
Health department breach impacts 24k Medicaid patients
Report: Data Breaches from Unencrypted Devices up 525% in 2011
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Faster warm up and enhanced overall circulation. Graduated compression of the limbs actively encourages and increases venous return to the heart and lymph nodes.
Deep Vein Thrombosis is a condition that mainly affects the lower body and is typically associated with long periods of travel or inactivity. 2XU Compression garments can enhance blood flow in these areas through enhanced venous return, reducing the risk of DVT and swelling in ankles and limbs.
2XU Compression features muscle containment properties which reduce muscle damage during exercise. By reducing muscle damage, 2XU Compression garments can minimize swelling post exercise and can significantly reduce the severity and duration of exercise induced muscle injury and soreness such as Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS).
During exercise, your muscles are exposed to vibration. This major cause of muscle fatigue,known as muscle oscillation can be reduced when wearing 2XU Compression garments. This leads to improved muscle endurance, strength, power output and lower heart rate for greater performance.
2XU Compression applies pressure to the skin surface to increase the body’s awareness for improved posture, agility and stability (proprioception). Heightened proprioception can help improve technique as an improved sense of your body’s positioning can increase balance, control and muscle coordination.
2XU Compression garments boasts a UPF sun protection rating of 50+ to offer maximum protection during outdoor training and competition. 2XU Compression fabrics wick moisture from the skin to keep the wearer dry and comfortable. 2XU Compression garments are also embedded with an antibacterial, odour resistant application to help minimize odour and prevent bacterial growth.
By offering graduated pressure, 2XU Compression garments work to improve the recovery cycle by helping the pumping action of the cardiovascular system; removing blood lactate from exercising muscles leading reduced swelling, faster muscle repair and reduction in muscle soreness.
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IIT Institute of Design
350 N LaSalle St 6th Floor
FREE - RSVP firstname.lastname@example.org
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
The world is getting only more complex. Entire industries are undergoing seismic transformations wrought by technology, global economics forces and a host of cultural factors. Designers are becoming central to addressing the large, ambiguous problems of our time. Whether the arena is health care, economic development, learning or public policy, design methods are helping solve seemingly impossible problems.
So, why design? You are invited to the Institute of Design (ID), to learn about the methods and frameworks we teach, talk one-on-one with faculty, students and alumni, and find out how design makes a difference.
Come learn about our Master’s and PhD degree programs (http://bit.ly/PDddd8), executive education programs (http://bit.ly/PTXXu8), and faculty and student research (http://bit.ly/PDdZqG), as well as the divergent community of graduate students from around the world that you can be a part of.
William Skelton and Jamie Munger, MDes/MBA ’12, will discuss conducting fieldwork in Haiti to help them conceive economic opportunities for the rural poor.
Guillermo Krovblit, MDes/MBA ’11, co-founder of Peapod Labs (http://bit.ly/QWk66m), connects parents and kids through learning with award-winning educational apps. “Peapod Labs is an unlikely meeting of minds and hearts that just might, unsuspectingly, become leaders in media literacy for preschoolers." - Wired.com (http://bit.ly/N4saF0)
Lauren Braun, a second-year student, will share her experiences as an intern at McDonalds and MAYA and talk about school projects done with the City of Chicago and WBEZ Radio.
RSVP to email@example.com or call ID Graduate Admissions at (312) 595-4900. Feel free to share this invitation with anyone you know who may be interested in design. Everyone is welcome. Refreshments will be served.
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Baylor Professor Authors Two New BooksFeb. 17, 2006
Dr. Richard Couey, a Baylor University health sciences professor, has authored two new books examining ways to improve health. The first book, "Living Longer: The Magic of Enzymes and Nutrition," is a compilation of questions and answers that acts as a reference guide. The second book, "The Happy Cell," explores how the mind, body and spirit can change the chemistry of our bodies.
Co-authored by Couey and Dr. DicQie Fuller, founder and president of the Transformation Enzyme Co., "Living Longer," which is a revised edition to its 1996 predecessor, explores why nutrition and enzymes are essential to human health. Enzymes are the spark that speeds up the chemical reactions in our cells. Humans can not function if our bodies do not get the 45 required nutrients along with the enzymes to deliver those nutrients. The book argues there are steps people can take to get the right enzymes and that can control things like obesity, cholesterol and even prevent heart disease. Couey said many times cooking food destroys the enzymes our body needs, so eating as much raw food as possible is better.
"We studied people who eat all their food raw and we found they don't have problems like diabetes in their society like we have," Couey said. "I think we ought to eat raw food everyday. I think we ought to eat a lot of complex carbohydrates like whole-grain rice, wheat, flour, legumes, etc..."
In "The Happy Cell," Couey aims to help the reader understand their physical well-being by giving medical information and personal research. Couey said every cell in the body tries to achieve a perfect balance or homeostasis. When cells achieve homeostasis, they become "happy". The book is grounded in Christian principles and every chapter has a scripture. Couey relates how that scripture applies to each chapter. The chapters include everything from stress to exercise to healthy eating. Couey said Christians need to grow physically, not just spiritually and emotionally.
"They can't be the best Christian they can be without having homeostasis of the cell," Couey said. "I believe the human body is capable of living upwards of 115 years if you cut out all the junk and pollution we put in."
Couey, who has authored nearly two dozen books, specializes in exercise physiology, sports medicine and nutrition. He has served as an exercise consultant to the U.S. Olympic Team and is a former member of the President's Commission on Physical Fitness and Sports.
For more information, contact Richard Couey at (254) 710-4010
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Microsoft Launches Kodu Game Lab and Game Competition for Kids
- 7:00 AM
Programming can be overwhelming for all but the most determined kids. I learned BASIC at an early age in attempt to create my own games. My cousin, after learning that Wolfenstein 3D was written in C++, picked up the Borland compiler and a book on game programming. He didn’t get farther than creating level maps on graph paper. Kids and game programming are a natural combination, though, because we grow up playing games and the tools are available to us to create our own. Those tools are getting easier and programming environments like those based on Logo or the Lego Mindstorms software use concepts of programming blocks to make building complex logic easy. And Microsoft has taken these concepts a step farther with the Kodu Game Lab.
Making the game
Kodu is a development environment designed for kids, age 9 and up. Development environment may be too strong of a phrase, however, or at least one with too many connotations. Kodu is nearly a game itself for designing games. Using a keyboard or an XBox controller on a PC, you develop environments, place objects, give those objects rules and goals and then interact with those objects when you run your program. You can build third-person shooters, side scrolling games or non-combat environment simulations populated with clouds, trees and fish that react to whats going on around them.
Building the environment is all very intuitive and programming an object is done with simple menus where you define what you want an object to do when an event occurs. For example, you could drop a Kodu character in the environment and instruct its ‘when’ condition to be ‘sees water’ and its ‘do’ condition to ‘move towards’ it. Other characters can be added to react to each other and before long you’ve built a simple AI for your game’s characters. See this in action with the tutorial video below:
At last year’s Imagine Cup in Warsaw, Poland, I had the opportunity to meet with Jon Perera, General Manager for Microsoft Education, and talk about Microsoft’s education efforts. One of the highlights of the meeting was a demo of an earlier build of Kodu. His enthusiasm was infectious and there was a lot of love for what Kodu had become. At the time, there were a number of educational institutions piloting an integration of Kodu into the curriculum. Those have turned out to be successful and Microsoft is looking to expand their reach in alignment with the United State’s focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) goals.
The Microsoft Kodu Cup
Yesterday, Microsoft launched a student game programming and design competition called the Kodu Cup. Open to kids in the United States age 9 to 17 years old, the Kodu Cup is a way to not only develop a great game but also participate in a competition and a chance to win $5000 for you and your school. Games are judged across four categories: innovation, fun factor, production quality and presentation, and entrants are broken up into two age categories to keep things on a fairly even playing field. Winners also get a trip to the Imagine Cup 2011 Worldwide Finals in New York!
So how do you get involved? Kodu is free and Microsoft has put together some pretty excellent guides to getting started in using their environment. They include manuals and videos that both explain the mechanics of using Kodu as well as the programming concepts that you’ll be applying to your game. Educators can also find information and handouts suitable for use right in the classroom.
With Kodu, you can go from conception to functionality in just a few minutes and as you ratchet up the complexity, you’ll be debugging behaviors and actions to understand why your characters are behaving the way they do. Maybe your game is too easy or too difficult requiring you to tweak the actions to help create balance. You’ll be applying concepts that good game developers go through whether designing for the screen or the table top.
I was blown away last year when I saw what students at the high-school and college level were doing in the Game Design category at the Imagine Cup. Not only were the games innovative, they were polished. And while those games weren’t based off of Kodu, kids today can begin preparing and inspiring themselves for careers in game design and programming. Some of the most innovative games coming out today are developed for XBox Live and iOS. And they are often not developed by large studios but by indie firms with a great idea and the tools and skills necessary to execute.
It’s easy to imagine how my career path may have changed if instead of needing to learn C++, my cousin and I could have been designing and building in Kodu. If your kids have interest in playing video games, steer them over to Microsoft’s Kodu page and introduce them to the idea of building their own world.
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Study: Digital Beats Film Mammography at Spotting Breast Cancer
TUESDAY, Oct. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Digital mammography was better than the older film mammography at detecting cancers that could be life-threatening, Dutch researchers report.
"This study again proves that digital mammography is superior to film screen mammography in early detection of breast cancer," said Dr. Kristin Byrne, chief of breast imaging at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
The study comparing the two methods was published online Oct. 2 in the journal Radiology
Researchers from the National Expert and Training Centre for Breast Cancer Screening and other institutions evaluated a total of about 1.2 million screening mammograms.
More than 87 percent were film and nearly 13 percent were digital.
Breast cancer was found in more than 6,400 women during the study period. Cancers were detected at higher rates with digital than with film.
Digital found more cancers known as high-grade ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), which can progress more rapidly to invasive cancer than low-grade DCIS. Low-grade DCIS typically takes more than three decades to progress, although all grades can progress and become invasive.
High-grade DCIS was detected 58.5 percent of the time with digital, but only 50.5 percent of the time with film.
Digital did not result in a disproportionate increase in the detection of low-grade lesions, which may never trouble a woman in her lifetime.
Both film and digital mammograms use X-rays to take an image of the breast. In film mammograms, the image is recorded on film. Digital mammograms store the image on a computer. Doctors can then enhance them on a computer screen and adjust the size, brightness or contrast to focus on certain areas.
Previous research in the United States has found that digital is better than film for certain groups, including women under age 50 with dense breasts.
The new study ''in some ways confirms what we have seen in earlier studies," said Dr. Debra Monticciolo, professor of radiology at Texas A&M College of Medicine and section chief of breast imaging. She also is president of the Society of Breast Imaging and a member of the American College of Radiology Commission on Breast Imaging.
"What they've shown with digital is that we are better at finding the cancers that have the most potential to harm the patients," she said. That includes the invasive and higher-grade DCIS.
The Dutch researchers pointed out that their approach to screening is different than that in the United States. The Dutch focus is on a balance between detection, recall and false-positives. The U.S. focus, they say, is more on high detection rates, which means higher recall and false-positive rates.
Women who have access only to film mammography should know that it, too, is a proven lifesaver, although digital has been shown in much research to be the better detector, Monticciolo said.
To learn more about mammograms, visit the American Cancer Society.
SOURCES: Debra Monticciolo, M.D., professor of radiology, section chief, breast imaging, Texas A&M University, and president, Society of Breast Imaging; Kristin Byrne, M.D., chief of breast imaging, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; Oct. 2, 2012 Radiology
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Russ Van Orman
In the last issue of Deep Countree, we covered how to lower the initial start up costs for someone new to hunting. In this issue, we will cover how to find a place to hunt.
Finding a place to hunt can be daunting task even for veteran hunters at times, let alone if you are new to the sport. Every state has a Fish and Game or Conservation Department. This will be one of your most important resources in your search. I would suggest going to their Internet site and calling the contact number listed. Ask if you can speak with the biologist familiar the specific game you will be hunting. If you don’t reach him or her the first time, be persistent. Most game biologists cover a large area of their respected state and are busy people.
When you reach them, ask what areas have public hunting, what private land could be available, and which areas they would recommend. Have at least a general map (the more maps the better) of the state so you can refer to towns, roads, etc... After thanking them for their time, ask if you can call back again a month before your hunt to see if anything has changed. Prior to the next time you call, purchase specific topo maps for the area which you will be hunting.
Recently, I talked with the game biologist for Deep Countree’s upcoming trip to
Private versus public land hunting:
Hunting on private land has many advantages as it is limited to a few individuals and the game will be pressured less. However, the key is getting permission to hunt on privately owned land. Some state fish and game departments enter into agreements with land owners to allow hunting on their property.
Once you have determined an area, take a trip to the county assessor's office. Here you will be able to look at or purchase plot maps that will tell you who owns what property. After you obtain this information, start making calls to the various land owners. Time your call so it is not during dinner or late at night. If no one answers, try again at a later date. Once you have obtained permission, be respectful of the owner’s property.
On one hunt in north central
Hunting on public land can be a challenge. I would recommend purchasing a map that shows you which properties are forest service land, BLM land, and state owned. When hunting on public land, take into account how close the property is to population centers. A common error many people make is they find the closest public land and then start hunting there. The problem is everyone else has the same idea.
A good example is the public hunting ground south of
Finding a place to hunt takes time and research. Be persistent, talk with the game biologist, study your maps, and talk with landowners and other hunters about places to hunt and you will be more successful in your quest for game. Do not wait until a week before season starts. Start your search at least 4 to 5 months before your hunt.
In our next issue we will discuss stalking and sighting in your gun.
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.fd = Font definition; used in generating the output
.bst = BiBTeX Style File (e.g., a certain journal's preferred Bibliography layout settings); used by BibTeX when generating the bibliography
.aux = LaTeX auxiliary file; created when LaTeX is run, these contain information LaTeX records which is then either used by BibTeX or LaTeX itself on later runs (e.g., about cross-references), and can contain other things as well; this is created by running latex but also used the next time latex is run. It can be deleted, but then you may need to run multiple times in the future to regenerate it.
.bbl = Bibliography; this is what is outputted by BibTeX for insertion into LaTeX the next time LaTeX is run
.blg = Bibliography (BiBTeX) log -- just like
.log but for BibTeX; generated by BibTeX and can be safely deleted if don't need to check it for errors
.brf = BackReference file for the backref package, I think. I'm not very familiar with these, but I suspect they're created by latex when a file using that package is compiled.
.cls = Documentclass (like article, or report - if you have them cluttering up your folders, you must use a lot of custom classes for individual journals or universities, etc.) This is obviously used to generate the output.
.dtx = Documented source file; can be used to generate a latex package or other file along with its associated documentation.
.blg can be safely deleted. Probably .bbl too if you don't mind rerunning BibTeX and have access to the
.bib files needed. The rest shouldn't be deleted but maybe moved somewhere more appropriate. In particular
.dtx are better taking up space on a (personal) TeX tree, not in the folder of the document you're working on.
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Achievement and Quality: Higher Education in the Arts
Numbers and Evaluation in the Arts: Critical Questions
Boyle's Counting Paradoxes
Over-reliance on counting is a serious problem. It can lead to bad decision making and thus to all sorts of dysfunctions. For example, to an accounting firm, the purpose of business may appear to be to create numbers for accountants. But most, including accountants, see business fulfilling a broader range of functions. Accounting is just part of the whole, and at best, a service that helps the other parts function well.
Einstein is reported to have had the following statement on the wall in his study: "Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted, counts."
In The Tyranny of Numbers (HarperCollins, 2000), British mathematician David Boyle outlines a number of counting paradoxes. We have listed these below and provided annotations with an arts example for each but the last.
- You can count people, but you can't count individuals. For example, the relative success of all graduates of a program expressed in numbers does not predict what a specific individual has achieved or will achieve.
- If you count the wrong thing, you go backwards. For example, if you reward high graduation rates, incentives for rigor at high levels are reduced.
- Numbers replace trust, but make measuring even more untrustworthy. For example, any numbers that produce political, financial, or public relations disadvantages produce political challenges regarding the indicators chosen and the motives of those choosing them.
- When numbers fail, we get more numbers. For example, when counting something doesn't seem to solve identified problems, there are calls to measure the thing more thoroughly or to find systems or people to measure it better. It is commonly said that the United States collects more education data than any other nation. Doing so does not seem to improve education. Nevertheless, most reform proposals call for more and better data collection.
- The more we count, the less we understand. For example, when educational achievement is reduced to multiple choice test scores, significant information is lost about what a person or group really knows and is able to do, how well they can think and create with information, etc. This is why evaluation of educational achievement in the arts disciplines still relies so much on the audition or a portfolio of work to judge achievement and quality.
- The more accurately we count, the more unreliable the figures. For example, quests for perfection in counting achievement can result in narrowing perspective to dysfunctional levels. We cannot tell much useful about the overall quality of a symphony performance by setting up measuring devices to count to high levels accuracy of the periodicity of all sixteenth notes played by the violins. Since we tend to count what can be counted easily, this paradox and its attendant unreliability is magnified in systems where there is over-reliance on counting.
- The more we count, the less we can compare the figures. For example, there are tendencies to produce cause-and-effect arguments with sets of figures that have little relationship to each other, particularly with regard to the conditions that produced them. Comparing graduation rates in institutions with different missions and student demographics produces information of little value with regard to providing educational opportunity, maintaining the integrity of degree levels, or assuring the quality of teaching and learning in disciplinary content.
- Measurements have a monstrous life of their own. For example, false numbers repeated as fact, or real numbers repeated out of context produce conditions for false analyses and wrong decisions.
- When you count things, they get worse. That is, official statistics tend to get worse when society is worried about something. This may be due to better reporting due to heightened concern, or heightened concern may produce new criteria that raise the numbers, or that heightened concern produces calls for more numbers with all the consequences that we have mentioned in points 1 through 8.
Kindly report any Web site problems or broken links to Willa Shaffer (firstname.lastname@example.org).
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Stefania Cruz is a catch: 24, ambitious, bright and fluent in English as well as Spanish. In a year, she will complete her degree in industrial engineering at the Monterrey Institute of Technology in Tampico, northeast of Mexico City – training that is desperately sought in Canada's oil sands.
For the past four months, she has worked as a research intern in Vancouver, beefing up her language skills and earning a gleaming reference from her employer. But will she be back?
Upon graduation, Ms. Cruz will decide between Mexico's two northern neighbours. “The United States feels like a land of opportunity,” she concedes, a place with better job prospects and bigger salaries. But Canada feels more like home: “The people are very nice, open and willing to help you. They don't care where I come from.”
They also need her.
The challenges presented by Canada's aging population, low birth rate and growing labour shortages make a strong case for a significant boost in immigration. But the country also should pay particular attention to those it would like to come.
As well as young people like Stefania Cruz, there is a high demand for skilled workers such as Bernard Cross, an Irish heavy-machinery mechanic with 27 years' experience who will arrive in Saskatchewan in two weeks to repair trucks – and take up a post his new boss in Lloydminster has been trying to fill for three years.
Also required are dynamic innovators and job creators such as Sander de Block, who is commercial director of Tocardo International, a Dutch developer of hydro-turbine technology, and currently considering whether to set up shop in Nova Scotia.
Last year, Canada brought in 156,000 economic immigrants and their dependents, along with 191,000 temporary workers, and many more would like to follow suit. But are they the cream of the 640 million global migrants seeking a new home every year?
As countries jockey to lure the most creative and skilled employees – the ones who will drive the knowledge economy and energize its aging society – Canada can't simply wait for them to appear. It must step up the effort to sell the Canadian brand around the world – to get those with the most talent to see it not just as a land of tolerance for diversity, but as a nucleus of economic opportunity.
“We are getting the best who apply, but are those who apply the best?” asks Howard Duncan of the Ottawa-based International Metropolis Project, which researches migration and diversity. “At some point, especially looking at Canada's competitiveness in the international migration market, we are going to have to look at immigration as national – as opposed to a federal, provincial, employer or university project – and put those frictions behind us because there is more at stake.”
The Last Best West revisited a century later
History seems to be repeating itself. In the 1870s, much as now, the West was booming but short on bodies. So the federal government launched an advertising campaign called The Last Best West, targeting farmers and labourers in Britain, the United States and Europe with the offer of free land.
The recruiters ran ads in newspaper, launched touring exhibitions, distributed promotional posters, even covertly bribed steamship ticket agents to pitch Canada to travellers – all to sell a sprawling countryside where a clever newcomer could make a fortune.
The campaign was a success: By 1900, about 1.6 million immigrants had arrived, a number that doubled by 1910 – enough to populate newly formed Alberta and Saskatchewan, and to dampen any expansionist tendencies lurking to the south.
Even so, there were concerns about the “quality” of the newcomers – or, as prairie clergyman J.S. Woodsworth, future leader of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, put it: “Within the past decade, a nation has been born. ... But how shall we weld this heterogeneous mass into one people?”
Leap ahead 140 years, and Canada's goal is the same, although the groups being targeted are not, and the global landscape has changed dramatically. In the race for the brightest, the United States is way out in front – according to a recent Gallup survey, 23 per cent of all potential migrants want to chase the American dream. Canada ranks third, the preferred destination of 7 per cent, and has fierce rivals in Britain, Australia, New Zealand and, barring recent economic circumstances, most of Europe.
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Oregon’s legislature has passed the bill: should the governor sign it? Most opinions on this issue are strong, and many have reached the point of invective. Even such a cool mind as Ronald Pies' has weighed in with an emotionally charged editorial.1 To speak in favor when so many are opposed seems only to invite more affective discharge. On the other hand, editorial views thus far may be moving us toward extremes on an issue that is highly complex. Perhaps a dialectic approach -– what value can we find in an opposing view? -- would be wise at this point. In that spirit, here are 4 considerations that I hope will be useful.
1. Conflict of interest?
2. Oregon is not Massachussetts.
3. Risk assessment: compare the default prescribers, not psychiatrists.
4. Number needed to treat? Number needed to harm?
Conflict of interest?
When a speaker has strong financial ties to a pharmaceutical company, we know to maintain skepticism regarding her comments, and to be vigilant for evidence of undue influence.
So clearly we are familiar with the concept that having a financial stake in a process is a source of bias. And as psychiatrists, surely we are familiar with the subtlety of unconscious mechanisms. We know, for example, how a patient's resistance can blind him to evidence that might help him see more clearly the basis for his anger.
Should we not therefore be skeptical of our own opinions about psychologist prescribing privileges? How can we be certain that an argument against these privileges is appealing because of its logic, and not, instead, because it resonates with an underlying bias in favor of maintaining a beneficial status quo?
We require speakers to reveal their financial connections to the pharmaceutical industry. We require judges to recuse themselves from cases in which they have vested interests. Why are we not more suspicious of our own thoughts about psychologist prescribing privileges? Some of our arguments might be right, but we should model the behavior we encourage in our patients: let’s look at our own responses to this contentious issue and see if we can find evidence of bias, in the form of the familiar “cognitive errors.”
A search for cognitive errors, such as we sometimes conduct with depressed patients, always warrants caution: the meta-message can too easily be heard as “you’re thinking wrong; that’s why you’re depressed; so it is your fault, actually.” That same caution is warranted here: I do not mean to accuse our profession of being wrong in its judgments about psychologist prescribing privileges. At the same time, we should at least wonder about our thoughts on this issue, looking at the standard list, which for purposes of neutrality I have copied from Wikipedia (see Box).
All-or-nothing thinking (splitting) - Thinking of things in absolute terms, like "always", "every", "never", and "there is no alternative." Few aspects of human behavior are so absolute.
Overgeneralization - Taking isolated cases and using them to make wide generalizations.
Mental filter - Focusing almost exclusively on certain, usually negative or upsetting, aspects of an event while ignoring other positive aspects. For example, focusing on a tiny imperfection in a piece of otherwise useful clothing.
Disqualifying the positive - Continually reemphasizing or "shooting down" positive experiences for arbitrary, ad hoc reasons.
Jumping to conclusions - Drawing conclusions (usually negative) from little (if any) evidence. Two specific subtypes are also identified:
Magnification and minimization - Distorting aspects of a memory or situation through magnifying or minimizing them such that they no longer correspond to objective reality. In depressed clients, often the positive characteristics of other people are exaggerated and negative characteristics are understated. There is one subtype of magnification:
Emotional reasoning - Making decisions and arguments based on intuitions or personal feeling rather than an objective rationale and evidence.
Should statements - Patterns of thought which imply the way things "should" or "ought to be" rather than the actual situation the patient is faced with, or having rigid rules which the patient believes will "always apply" no matter what the circumstances are.
Labeling and mislabeling - Explaining behaviors or events, merely by naming them; related to overgeneralization. Rather than describing the specific behavior, a patient assigns a label to someone that implies absolute and unalterable terms. Mislabeling involves describing an event with language that is highly colored and emotionally loaded.
Personalization - Attribution of personal responsibility (or causal role) for events over which the patient has no control. This pattern is also applied to others in the attribution of blame.
See anything on the list that might be operative in some of the written criticisms of psychologist prescribing privileges? I do (all of them, in fact), but that could be the result of my own confirmatory bias, right? On the other hand: if you think that none of these cognitive errors are applicable, might that be, at least in part, the result of your own mental filter? How to proceed, given these potential blind spots which we ourselves might have difficulty recognizing? At a minimum, a brutally honest self-appraisal -- akin to examining one's own resistance in therapy -- is warranted. Better would be to operate with the presumption of bias, in which case we should largely recuse ourselves except for providing data, watching carefully lest we choose only those data which support our a priori assumptions.
Oregon is not Massachusetts
Relax, I’m not going to try to argue against the slippery slope by claiming The West is different from the rest of the US. Regardless of our governor's veto decision on this bill, other states will see new or continued efforts on similar legislation.
At the same time, you Easterners may not know how bad things are out here. (Want to move West? You’re welcome!) Nearly every psychiatrist I’ve talked to in Oregon has a waiting list, usually months long -- even in metropolitan Portland. Many have closed their practices to new patients.
What is organized psychiatry doing about the lack of access to care, here in Oregon? What actions are underway -- not just talk -- after years of this problem? We have one new psychiatric residency program as of this year, but that was initiated by my hospital without help from the Oregon Psychiatric Association (OPA). It may slowly address the shortage in our local area, starting in 2012. Meanwhile, Rick Bingham, departing president of the Oregon Council on Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, continues his multi-year effort to create an analog to the successful phone-consultation programs in Washington and Massachusetts, but is still working on funding and administration issues (an adult component was once discussed with the Oregon Psychiatric Association, he reports). Other than that, I am not aware of any systematic attempts to address this problem, although the OPA may have launched some recently. To my knowledge, no state-wide efforts were underway prior to the current legislation.
Risk assessment: compare the default prescribers- - not psychiatrists
Meanwhile, in the face of this shortage in Oregon, who is taking care of patients with depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, ADHD, and sometimes even schizophrenia? Answer: the steadfast, well-intended primary care providers-- including family nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants (who, I assure you, do indeed prescribe plenty of psychotropics in our area). They-- not we psychiatrists- - are the relevant comparison group when assessing the risks of the psychologist prescribing program.
How many of these prescribers would understand complex drug interaction issues, such as in the cases posed by Dr Ronald Pies in his recent editorial?1 What’s needed in such cases is an awareness of interactions as a potential explanation for complex symptoms; and a means of affirming or downgrading that possibility. Dr Pies acknowledged that psychologists might use online drug interaction databases in cases like these. Confirmatory case report: the psychologist I am currently working with, who is doing the post-PhD/post-Master's training required by the Oregon bill, is well aware of drug-drug interaction issues; and she routinely accesses online resources as needed (including showing me a better interaction database than I’d been using). Granted, as a pioneer, she is likely to be an exceptional student-of-the-art, not necessarily representative of those who will follow her. In the future, some will be as good, perhaps many, but we do not know. We can predict that just like some of our psychiatrist colleagues, some of these psychologists will have poor prescribing habits as well.
Perhaps data on error rates by prescribing psychologists (eg, from Louisiana, New Mexico, and the Armed Forces) could help us evaluate the wisdom of this legislation, if we had any data of significance. I have not seen any, even in editorials which have attempted to stay balanced and examine evidence. However, we can consider the error rates of my local well-intentioned primary care colleagues, who would be the first to admit that they are undertrained for what they've been asked to do. Looking at the patients they refer: I've seen such superb care as to make a psychiatrist unnecessary, even for a complex patient with Bipolar II. But I've also seen patients whose bipolar history is unmistakable diagnosed and treated as unipolar, with disastrous results; patients who developed lithium(Drug information on lithium) toxicity for lack of follow-up; patients with iatrogenic hypothyroidism, EPS, metabolic syndrome, and benzodiazepine-dependence; misdiagnosis, undertreatment, overtreatment; and (very significantly) non-adherence due to lack of patient education. Perhaps most important of all, I’ve seen many cases that should have been referred for psychotherapy before medication trials were initiated. (During this time, I've surely contributed a share of iatrogenic complications and treatment failures as well. My hat is still off to my primary care colleagues for their efforts to address what we Oregon psychiatrists have not been able to take off their shoulders).
My point: the bar for safety in Oregon's psychotropic prescribing is not set very high right now. Nor is it likely to go up, given the efficacy of primary care CME for the problems noted above (including my own local CME efforts over the last 10 years, to which I have devoted deliberate effort, with only minimal evidence for significant change).
Number needed to treat/Number needed to harm
Ideally we should have data with which to compare efficacy and safety results for primary care prescribers and psychologists: how many patients will a prescribing psychologist need to see to produce benefit greater than that which could be expected from "treatment as usual" here in Oregon? (Number Needed to Treat; NNT). And how many patients will a prescribing psychologist see before causing harm greater than could be expected from usual care? (Number Needed to Harm; NNH).
Shall we wait for such data? Society seems to have decided to wait for more data confirming the slow emergency of climate change, so maybe I shouldn't be surprised at a willingness to wait for evidence that psychologists pose less risk than overwhelmed primary care doctors, NP's, and PA's.
In the meantime, I personally have very little doubt that the NNT is small, and that the NNH is negative. But that's an opinion, surely biased by many factors, not least of which is our profession’s lengthy waiting list in Oregon. Psychologist prescribing may not be the best solution (Danny Carlat suggests we create a joint training program, seeking an optimum balance between training for psychotherapy and training for prescribing.2) But it sure seems better than the status quo. So I'm going to help train the psychologists, when asked -- as long as the governor doesn't veto the bill, in response to lobbying by us, the vested interests with no current alternative.
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Front Page Titles (by Subject) IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD. - The Quran, vol. 1
The Online Library of Liberty
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IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD. - Mohammed, The Quran, vol. 1
A Comprehensive Commentary on the Quran: Comprising Sale’s Translation and preliminary Discourse, with Additional Notes and Emendations (London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner, and Co., 1896). 4 vols.
Part of: The Quran, 4 vols.
About Liberty Fund:
Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.
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IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.
∥ (1) Praise be to God, the Lord of all creatures; (2) the most merciful, (3) the king of the day of judgment. (4) Thee do we worship, and of thee do we beg assistance. (5) Direct us in the right way, (6) in the way of those to whom thou hast been gracious; (7) not of those against whom thou art incensed, nor of those who go astray.
ENTITLED SURAT UL BAQR (THE COW).
[(1) ]Lord of all creatures. “The original words are Rabbi’lálumm, which literally signify, Lord of the worlds: but alamina, in this and other places of the Qurán, properly means the three species of rational creatures, men, genii, and angels.”—Sale. Savary translates it, “Sovereign of the worlds.” Rodwell has it, “Lord of worlds.” Abdul Qádir of Delhi has it, “Lord of the whole world.” In the Persian translation it is rendered “Cherisher of the worlds.”
[(5-7) ]“This last sentence,” says Sale. “contains a petition that God would lead the supplicant into the true religion, by which is meant the Muhammadan, in the Qurán often called the right way: in this place more particularly defined to be the way of those to whom God hath been gracious, that is, of the prophets and faithful who preceded Muhammad; under which appellations are also comprehended the Jews and Christians, such as they were in the times of their primitive purity, before they had deviated from their respective institutions; not the way of the modern Jews, whose signal calamities are marks of the just anger of God against them for their obstinacy and disobedience; nor of the Christians of this age, who have departed from the true doctrine of Jesus, and are bewildered in a labyrinth of error (Jaláluddín, Baidháwi. &c.) This is the common exposition of the passage, though al Zamakhshari and some others, oy a different application of the negatives, refer the whole to the true believers, and then the sense will run thus: The way of those to whom thou hast been gracious, against whom thou art not incensed, and who have not erred, which translation the original will very well bear.”
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This article was published in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 3, (MUP), 1969
John Vans Agnew Bruce (1822-1863), road and railway construction contractor, was born in Edinburgh, the son of John Vans Agnew Bruce and his wife Catharina, née Robertson; he was said to be descended from one of the oldest families in Galloway. He gained his early railroading experience in Scotland and arrived in Victoria on 4 April 1854 'with only a £5 note in his pocket'. He soon formed a profitable partnership with Peter Le Page at Gisborne, tendering for road construction contracts, notably the main road from Melbourne to Mount Alexander. After the partnership was dissolved on 13 September 1856 Bruce continued to supply and spread road metal in that area. By 1857 he was well known as one of the largest employers of labour in the colony. In August 1857 a group of Gisborne residents petitioned him to stand for the Legislative Assembly seat of West Bourke, but Bruce was too busy with contracting to enter politics. In 1858 he joined William Cornish in a successful tender of £3,357,000 for the first thirteen sections of the Melbourne to River Murray railway. Their line reached Sunbury ahead of schedule on 13 January 1859, but Cornish died in March and work was delayed by strikes on the northern sections: Woodend was not reached until 18 July 1861, and the line was opened to Bendigo on 26 October 1862. On 3 March 1859 Bruce had moved to Castlemaine where the works could be more adequately supervised and where by 1860 he had established a large foundry turning out rolling stock and railway plant.
Bruce was determined to make a large profit from the huge contract by reducing wages and lowering the working conditions of the thousands who clamoured for employment. Strikes and demonstrations were frequent as the trade unions unsuccessfully tried to maintain their position in a period of deflation: in July 1858 workmen protested at payment by truck; by November 1860 Bruce had forced the strong Stonemasons' Society to agree to his terms by bringing four hundred German masons to the colony to compete with them. In July he had tried to compel the workmen to accept monthly payments, but the government intervened and fortnightly settlements were restored. Demonstrations erupted into violence in 1861 when Bruce reduced all wages by 2s. a day and rioting workmen smashed machinery, assaulted overseers and made three attempts to derail trains.
In 1859 a select committee had investigated reports that Bruce was using inferior materials and submitting false measurements. Its first chairman, John Woods, had to resign after an alleged attempt by Bruce to bribe him, but his use of inferior cement was proved and the committee recommended that government supervision of the contract be tightened. Bruce had enough friends in the government to escape with anything but a mild censure. Certainly the huge contract made him a powerful figure: parliament was told that he 'circulated more money and had more patronage than the government or any individual in the colony', and he was not above using it to achieve his ends. His own engineer, William Zeal, to whom he paid a salary of more than £2000 was earning £600 as a government engineer at the beginning of the line's construction. Charles Don, the working-class member of parliament, claimed that Bruce had once said that any man could be bought for money. Despite his merciless handling of labour he maintained a show of philanthropy, acting in 1863 as chairman of the Irish Relief Committee and working to secure an annual government grant to colonial charitable appeals.
On completion of the railway contract he returned to Melbourne but after an attack of apoplexy died suddenly at his Essendon home on 5 April 1863 aged 41. A Freemason, he was buried in the Presbyterian section of the Melbourne general cemetery. He was survived by his wife Margaret Menzies, née Macfarlane, and by two sons and two daughters. His descendants and those of his partner were left to face the long legal battle for recognition by the government of additional financial claims from the railway contract.
John Maxwell, 'Bruce, John Vans Agnew (1822–1863)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bruce-john-vans-agnew-3094/text4583, accessed 21 May 2013.
This article was first published in hardcopy in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 3, (MUP), 1969
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Health Watch — July 4: Coping With Heat
Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.
It’s the time of year when we celebrate our nation’s independence. That usually means cookouts, parades and fireworks — all in summer’s heat. This week on Health Watch, we’ll offer some tips on enjoying the holiday and the season without harming your health.
In most parts of the country, July 4 is likely to be a hot day, so many of the activities we enjoy take place outdoors. Dr. Paul Pepe, chairman of emergency medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center, says people who are used to being indoors with air conditioning may have problems if they try to do too much in the heat. He suggests wearing loose, light-colored clothing and drinking plenty of water. Alcohol and caffeinated drinks can actually make matters worse, so avoid them in the heat. Use common sense and rest or go to a cool place if you start feeling shaky or nauseated.
Visit http://www.utsouthwestern.org/emergency to learn more about UT Southwestern’s clinical services in emergency care.
Health Watch is heard Monday through Friday nationwide on ABC Satellite Radio. Call your local radio station and ask if they carry the program.
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Tech: Homemade arcade
Cost: $50 to $800
Time: 20 to 40 hours
Space Invaders. Battlezone. Pac-Man. Donkey Kong. Mortal Kombat. Anyone who spent a geeky adolescence haunting loud, dimly lit arcades knows that playing those games on a PC just isn´t the same-a keyboard is a poor replacement for a joystick, and most PCs don´t stand up to even a single full body slam.
So Tim Eckel, a self-employed systems analyst, devised a compromise. He loaded an aging PC with MAME, a program that emulates old hardware so it can run more than 2,700 arcade games, and mounted it in a real game cabinet rescued from the junkyard. Replacing the picture tube with a used monitor and wiring controllers to a keyboard, he squeezed the entire arcade of his youth into one fairly inexpensive box.
Dozens of enthusiasts have followed the trail he blazed-check out
arcadeathome.com for a gallery of home-built boxes, and the other â€Sources†for all the info you need to create your own.
ASSEMBLING THE ARCADE
(1) Get a used game cabinet. Try eBay, arcade suppliers or junkyards.
(2) Strip out the guts, keeping the joysticks and firing buttons.
(3) Mount a 17- to 21-inch CRT monitor behind the cabinet´s faceplate (a sheet of plywood and some L-shaped shelf brackets make a nice cradle).
(4) Install MAME on an old PC (at least a 300MHz P2) and place it in the bottom of the cabinet.
(5) Connect your control panel to the PC so that each joystick motion and press of a button represents a key or combination of keys (see "Cooking the controls," below).
(6) Load the ROM data for the games of your choice. (You can buy and download ROM images or get them free with gaming hardware.)
(7) Wire a button to a key on your hacked keyboard that will simulate dropping in a quarter.
(8) Destroy your old high score.
arcadeathome.com: Most of what you need to know and links to most of the rest
mame.net: The original emulation software, able to reanimate 2,700+ games
macmame.org: MAME for Macs
starroms.com: Download licensed game ROMs
hanaho.com: Hot Rod Joystick control panel ($100), includes 14 games
wicothesource.com: Arcade parts
happcontrols.com: Even more arcade parts
hagstromelectronics.com: Keyboard encoders
COOKING THE CONTROLS
You´ve got a few options for wiring your control panel. The simplest is to buy a prebuilt arcade-quality panel with a keyboard cable that plugs into your PC. Slightly more complex is a keyboard emulator, which has wire inputs for the controls on one end and a keyboard cable on the other. The ultimate DIY solution is to open up an old keyboard and solder wires from the salvaged buttons and joystick to the traces for the keys that you want the PC to think you´re pressing. Keyboards work by scanning a matrix of horizontal and vertical wires with a key at each intersection, so you´ll have to figure out the position of the keys you want to connect to, and then tell MAME which keys represent which commands (instructions included with MAME). One warning: If you make completed circuits on multiple columns and rows at the same time, the keyboard matrix scanner may think some switches are active when they aren´t, or vice versa.
THE HOMEMADE ARCADE SHOPPING LIST
Arcade cabinet: free to $200
Used PC with keyboard: free to $150
Used monitor: free to $150
New controllers, including joysticks, buttons, trackball: $50 to $350
Game ROMs: free to $5
Five amazing, clean technologies that will set us free, in this month's energy-focused issue. Also: how to build a better bomb detector, the robotic toys that are raising your children, a human catapult, the world's smallest arcade, and much more.
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I, like many people, am one to seek out technology to help with daily life or just make things easier. However, as new devices enter the marketplace I am also quick to replace what I have with something better. The result is a small collection of used and now unused items. One example is I have 2 gps units that I purchased within the past 4 years. I used them very much and they have been a great help, but I now have a new smartphone that has gps built into it that is actually better than the unit that was built for it. I also replaced my old Blackberry with this new smartphone. I decided to sell it on a popular classified website to see what I could get for them. I got $200 for the Blackberry which, after my rebate, was more than double what I paid for the new phone. I haven’t pulled the trigger on selling the old gps units yet, but I will.
Smart phones are the latest technology boom taking over the consumer market. You can’t turn on the TV without seeing a few ads for the latest smart phone. The demand for them is huge and it doesn’t look like this trend will be ending anytime soon. Especially when people waited in line for well over 6 hours to receive their new iPhone 4. Smart phones may be expensive, but the potential savings they could allow you to harness can easily make up for the cost. This latest technology boom has brought about app marketplaces where developers can write custom software to run on smart phones. I will be sharing the apps that I use on my iPhone, though many will have versions to run on different smart phones, that I use everyday to make my income go further.
Independence Day is a wonderful time of year to celebrate with friends and loved ones. The weather is perfect for outdoor activities and barbecuing that makes for an all day event. Money shouldn’t be an excuse not to enjoy the fourth and celebrate our nation’s independence. Here are a few quick tips to enjoy Independence Day without being dependent on someone else for the bill.
I recently upgraded my smart phone from a Blackberry to one of the Android phones. Not only is it a change for me in operating the phone, but there is a world of many, many more applications (both free and paid) that I knew about but never had access to. Although Blackberry does very well with their applications, they don’t scratch the surface when it comes to pure numbers of applications. The reason I bring this up is in the process of searching applications to download and discover, I found that there are also many applications related to budgeting. There are applications that cover everything from daily budgeting, expense management, and saving, to budgeting for a vacation. I received 67 results from my simple search for “budget”. There is even one that helps you budget with virtual envelopes as I discussed in a previous post. Pretty cool.
In a personal budget all sources of income are identified and expenses are planned. One way of budgeting originated during the Great Depression. It’s called the envelope system. Basically, for every bill or expense you have you dedicate an envelope to it with the estimated amount written on the front of the envelope. Once you have funds or get paid you put that amount in cash into the envelope. Once the expense is due you take the money out and pay the bill. If you do this for all of your expenses there is no confusion between amounts owed for expenses and other monies in your bank account. Hopefully, by identifying your income and expenses you can also be inspired to save some money for emergencies, or even long term savings goals.
I have never been much of a texter because I’ve always had a pretty crumby phone. I always had plans to upgrade to a smartphone when I could afford one. However, when my girlfriend put my phone through the washer I had to use my upgrade on a replacement phone. I was finally able to upgrade to an iPhone and consequentially my text messages began to rise out of the limits that my basic plan provides (200 total: in and out). For another $10 a month I could add 1300 more messages, but I knew I wouldn’t use all of them and I didn’t want to give more money to my cell phone provider for a service that costs them virtually nothing. Then I realized I could use Google Voice to help with this dilemma. I signed up for it a long time ago and only really used my invite for the vanity number. I could be using it to send free text messages straight from my phone.
About 6 months ago I looked into getting a reclaimed water hookup for my sprinklers. My county offers the option to hook up to reclaimed water if you have the work done to connect the line to your system. I considered this for 2 reasons. First of all my county has cut our regular watering days down to 1 day per week. St. Augustine grass just doesn’t want to survive with water only once a week. The second reason is that reclaimed water is much less expensive than potable water. The initial investment was about $500 for the county and the plumber that installed the lines to my system. So far I have saved at least that much. My water bill has been cut in half since the installation.
Now I understand that some people consider having a lawn in the first place is wasteful and unnecessary. Some people have rocks or wood chips as a lawn, but for my community only a regular grass lawn is allowed.
This is just one way to create more money power for yourself.
I used to always grocery shop with a list. It helped me remember everything I needed at the grocery store. But I still found myself navigating almost every aisle of the grocery store. Except those 2 or 3 in the middle that are always empty, who uses those? By the time I ended up in the checkout line my cart looked like it belonged to a contestant in a shopping spree. It was chock full of stuff that I didn’t need. If you don’t believe me, open up your fridge and take a look at the inside door. How many different salad dressings do you have? Way more than you could ever possibly need. I was wasting valuable money on unplanned purchases. I finally decided to try something I have been putting off for a while: grocery shopping with a menu.
There’s more than one way to create Money Power for yourself. Money Power is the difference between your income and your expenses. Creating more income for yourself automatically increases your Money Power. Here are a few ways one can earn extra money. One way to actually earn income is to join a direct selling company. It’s one of the easiest ways to earn extra money, especially if it’s a product you’re interested in. Avon is one of the best examples of how you can start your own business for $10 with unlimited income potential. Some full time Avon representatives earn six figure incomes. They are the exception to the rule, but any extra income is worth the effort. Another way to earn income is to start your own business. Even if it’s only part time, at night, or only on weekends. There is an example of a man that started giving guitar lessons in his home. He now has 2 clients and earns $240 extra per month. Every little bit of extra income helps and who knows, it may grow into a full time career.
It seems lately that everywhere you turn someone is encouraging you to get rid of your car or appliances in exchange for a newer, more fuel efficient or energy saving model. Even with the government rebates, there is still an argument to be made for keeping a clunker though. First of all if your car or appliance is paid in full, you would then be looking at paying cash outright, or financing your purchase with interest when you were already in a good position financially by not having a payment. You may need to divert funds that could already be allocated to other bills or to savings. There are also other factors to consider such as depreciation of a new vehicle, insurance rates, and manufacturing costs.
I’ve read that 25% of a cars carbon dioxide emissions come from the manufacturing process. Since your used car has already gone through the manufacturing phase, it produces no additional environmental demand. Even though it may get less gas mileage, driving it responsibly arguably produces less pollution than purchasing new.
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The New York Times recently examined several public universities
charging higher tuition for certain majors, such as business,
science/engineering, and journalism.
According to the article by Jonathan D. Glater, "Such moves are being
driven by the high salaries commanded by professors in certain fields,
the expense of specialized equipment and the difficulties of getting
state legislatures to approve general tuition increases, university
officials say. 'It is something of a trend,' said Barmak Nassirian,
associate executive director of the American Association of Collegiate
Registrars and Admissions Officers."
Differential pricing draws mixed reviews from experts, bloggers and
others, and some say it's not a new phenomenon. The bigger
question, mentioned by a source in the Times story, is whether such trends are pushing public higher education toward
becoming a private good.
Education for Its Own Sake--and for a Good Job
According to the NYT story, Mark J. Kushner, dean of the College of Engineering at Iowa State University,
said he thought society was no longer looking at higher education as a common good but rather as a way for individuals to increase their earning power.
There was a time, not that long ago, 10 to 15 years ago, that the vast majority of the cost of education at public universities was borne by the state, and that was why tuition was so low, he said. That was based on the premise that the education of an individual is a public good, that individuals go out and become schoolteachers and businessmen and doctors and lawyers, that makes society better. That's no longer the perception.
Dr. Richard Vedder, director of The Center for College Affordability, said in a recent blog, "The notion that higher education prices should be low because education is a public good takes another hit with differential pricing, I suspect. As I have indicated elsewhere, however, I think higher education is primarily a private investment good, as well as a consumer good, not something with massive positive externalities as the higher ed apologists and romantics would like you to believe."
Kushner gets it right--studies, statistics and experts suggest higher education is increasingly the way to jobs with better salaries (see my related story here, from PayScale's August 2007 newsletter). There's nothing wrong with this; students are essentially buying knowledge (and in some majors, skill-sets), which they know will help them advance in the job market.
But college is about more than just getting a good job. For students fortunate enough to leave home and experience college in their late teens and early 20s, it offers them a chance to learn how to: think, be independent, deal with peers just as smart or smarter than they are, approach professors, manage time and money, and more. College is a unique, four-year chance to learn about yourself, an invaluable time when you can steep yourself in education for its own sake. At the end of the day, society benefits from well-rounded individuals who've had such experiences.
The Big, Expensive Picture
According to the NYT story:
Starting this fall, juniors and seniors pursuing an undergraduate major in the business school at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, will pay $500 more each semester than classmates. The University of Nebraska last year began charging engineering students a $40 premium for each hour of class credit.
And Arizona State University this fall will phase in for upperclassmen in the journalism school a $250 per semester charge above the basic $2,411 tuition for in-state students.
To give context to differential pricing, it's worth considering how much higher-education costs are climbing overall. According to the College Board's Trends in College Pricing 2006 report:
The data in this report confirm the widespread perception that college prices are rising much more rapidly than the prices of other goods and services. Like last year’s increases, the 2006-07 increases in tuition and fees are smaller than those of many recent years. That said, the 35 percent jump in inflation-adjusted average tuition and fees for in-state students at public four-year colleges since 2001-02 is the largest for any five-year period over the 30 years covered by this report.
Cuts in state and local funding are a major cause of skyrocketing tuition costs at public colleges, the report says.
When it comes to differential pricing, the concept isn't new, some say. John V. Lombardi writes in the Reality Check blog at Inside Higher Ed:
While the notion of explicitly charging more for business or engineering majors than for history or English is hardly new, the desperate search for additional revenue to sustain university operations has led to more explicit pricing strategies such as this one. Partly this is because the consumers, the students and their parents, can be convinced that the extra cost of a business or engineering degree will be recovered after graduation, and the extra quality the premium price buys will be reflected in the marketability of the graduates. ... All of this reflects the continued shift of parts of public higher education into the fee for services rather than the public service business.
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Colours, size and fineness of lines do very on these bits (I seem to remember there s also a very dark variation also) - probably best to wait until you can post some pictures.
Re the books for Scandinavian glass;
20th Century Factory Glass (Lesley Jackson)
Millers glass fact file a-z (Ivo Haanstra)
are both good general books
Swedish Glass Factories Production catalogues 1915 - 1960
covers a lot of Lindstrand's production work whilst at Kosta (there are a few gaps, and there's quite a lot of later Lindstrand now coming to market which I haven't comprehensively seen covered in any book).
I'm sure others will be able to ad their own favourites.
If you're really into this, I'd also suggest keeping an eye on the Scandinavian auction houses (regular modern design auctions), and Ebay, there's enough info there to build up your own reference library over time (and on this latter point I'd recommend Smart Pix Manager by Xecute.com - a NZ firm).
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A report recently published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal suggests that hospitals could save considerable sums of money by adopting a handful of common sense measures to reduce waste. The report asserts that 50 to 85 percent of regular waste is incorrectly disposed of as biohazard waste, which is estimated to cost eight times more to process. This alone can result in a hospital spending tens of thousands of dollars per year in unnecessary costs.
Operating rooms are responsible for between a fifth and a third of a hospital's waste while consuming a much smaller proportion of a hospital's budget. It's on the operating room that Yoan Kagoma MD and co-authors from University of Western Ontario’s medical school have fixed their gaze. Using 65 prior studies, the team has come up with a series of money-saving waste management recommendations for hospitals and health care institutions.
The single most effective cost-saving measure a hospital can adopt is to ensure that its waste is properly segregated, the report claims. Biohazard waste costs an estimated $963 per ton to process compared to the $121 per ton for regular waste. At most, biohazard waste should make up 15 percent of a hospital's waste. But the report claims that, due to a simple "lack of awareness" among hospital staff, between 50-85 percent of the remaining non-hazardous waste is disposed of in the same costly manner (though it should be noted this finding is based on a paper published in 1996). By properly segregating waste in its operating rooms, the University of Pittsburgh's Magee-Womens Hospital saved more than $89,000 in 2010.
Biohazard waste from the operating room can be further reduced by installing closed collection systems for fluid waste, which can divert the waste directly to sanitary sewers. According to the report, the Good Samaritan Hospital of Suffern New York saved more than $85,000 in 2010 alone by diverting 250,000 pounds (113,400kg) of fluid waste (a single operation can produce 12 liters of fluid waste, apparently).
In some cases, the report also calls for a reversal of the 1980s trend from reusable to single use medical devices, which were adopted to address the risk of blood-borne infection. The report specifically proposes the reuse of surgical equipment such as saw blades and catheters, which can be "reprocessed" by private companies before selling them back to hospitals for half their original cost. A switch to reusable sharps containers has saved the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore $70,000 per year, and dressing surgeons in reusable surgical linens (which are preferable anyway, the report asserts) saved the same institution $38,000 in haulage in 2010.
Considerable savings can also be made by rethinking the supply of surgical tools. Many hospitals acquire surgical equipment in pre-packed selection boxes from which surgeons tend to pick their preferred tools. The remaining unused equipment, known as overage, must also be disposed of having been "exposed to the surgical field" because the equipment shares the same packaging. Overage from nearly 15 million surgical procedures in the US cost a total of $125 million in 1993. To address the problem, the authors propose that surgical packs are tailored to a hospital's needs, which has been found to reduce overage by 45 percent.
The report outlines a number of other measures to make the operating room more environmentally sound. Among them are the recycling of plastics, collecting rather than venting non-metabolized anesthetic gas (which has 2000 times the global warming potential of CO2), and avoiding the incineration of medical waste. Operating room design is also discussed; the researchers recommended that controls are installed to prevent necessarily high-performance lighting and aircon systems from running at full capacity when rooms are vacant.
Though it's clear that specific strategies can save considerable sums of money, the report is very far from being an audit of the waste procedures of American and Canadian hospitals.
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What is CAP2020?
The European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is not standing still. Changes were agreed in November 2008 as part of the CAP Health Check, and the policy will remain firmly in the spotlight as discussions turn to the next CAP Reform and a new European budget. This is a debate of more than agricultural interest. It affects the environment, climate change, food quality and food supplies, trade and developing countries, as well as rural communities.
With this perspective in mind, CAP2020 provides a platform to share thoughtful commentary and analysis on the future development of European agriculture and rural development policy. It provides a forum to exchange knowledge and ideas, promote research and express opinion on the key issues shaping the reform agenda, such as food security, public goods and climate change. It also advances understanding by acting as a hub of useful information. CAP2020 provides an outlet for Vision statements, think-pieces and research, and insightful summaries of the outcomes of relevant workshops, seminars and conferences. A Policy Diary helps the CAP2020 userbase stay informed of policy developments and related events. The Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) - a leading centre of expertise on the CAP - also author a monthly Policy Briefing. This provides authoritative analysis on recent developments and frames topical issues in the context of the future of the CAP.
Your contributions are sought on the decisive, and often divisive, issues shaping the reform agenda across the EU Member States. The intended users are policy makers and officials from across the Member States, officials at the European Commission and the European Parliament, staff of civil society organisations, university academics and students, researchers, journalists and the wider interested public.
CAP2020 is edited and administered by the Agriculture and Rural Development Team at IEEP. It was launched in November 2008 with the support of the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF).
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“The high number of world leaders present here show that there is a political will to seal the deal. There is a heightened political will and there is a heightened awareness among leaders and the civil society and the high number of participants shows that there are many who want to see this meeting succeed,” he said.
In his keynote address to the leaders, he said: “More than 130 heads of state and government have confirmed their presence in Copenhagen – that is a clear proof that climate change has risen to the top of the international agenda. Every day brings new commitments to our cause – from industrialized countries, emerging economies and developing countries alike. We know what we must do. We know what the world expects.
“Our job, here and now, is to seal a deal … a deal in our common interest.”
Earlier, world mayors and local authority leaders called for a stronger role in climate change management.
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Nick Mariam, a Boy Scout in Troop 128, McLean, and a sophomore at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, combined his interests in technology and hiking in his Eagle Scout Project at Seneca Tract in Great Falls.
Seneca Tract is a Northern Virginia Regional Park that is popular for hiking, access to the Potomac River, and horseback riding. The Potomac Heritage Trail runs through the park and connects the area with Riverbend Park and Algonkian Regional Park.
Nick spent the summer coordinating efforts to GPS map over 7 miles of trails in the park. The derecho storms complicated the mapping of the trails as downed trees obstructed many of the trails in July.
Scouts from troop 128, family and friends helped Nick construct an information kiosk to display the map of the park. Nick dedicated over 200 volunteer hours to the planning and execution of the project.
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IN THIS SECTION:
Blueprint for Australian Agriculture
The Blueprint for Australian Agriculture has brought together all with an interest in, or involvement with, agriculture to help shape its future direction. Now close to finalisation, the final Blueprint will map out where we as an industry want to go and how we are going to get there.
Almost 4,000 farmers, transporters, retailers, consultants, rural businesses, agribusinesses, educators, governments, rural communities, community groups and consumers have taken part in the development of the Blueprint. After all, as the saying goes: if you eat, you're a partner in farming.
The Blueprint has given you the opportunity to have your say on the issues and challenges facing the agricultural sector and its supply chain now and in the future, and your thoughts on the opportunities and solutions to achieving a strong and sustainable future. But the work does not end there. Once the Blueprint has been launched in February 2013, it will be up to the agricultural sector and the supply chain to work together to ensure the Blueprint's goals and strategies are enacted.
The Blueprint is an initiative of the NFF with support from Westpac, Woolworths and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
Thanks for your input.
From February to mid-July 2012, the NFF travelled across the country talking to farmers, the wider industry, government and community groups to seek input into the Blueprint.
During this time, the NFF conducted eight Blueprint regional forums right across the country; ran Blueprint sessions at a host of other meetings, events and conferences; staged forums for current and future industry-leaders; hosted a Blueprint forum at Parliament House for MPs and advisors; ran a Blueprint forum via the online agricultural twitter community #agchatoz; organised two Blueprint webinars; and hosted a meeting of the Blueprint advisory group.
As of July 2012, more than 3,700 people completed the online or telephone Blueprint surveys or took part in the forums and sessions across the country. The NFF, and major Blueprint partners Westpac, Woolworths and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, thank all of those who have contributed to the Blueprint for their time and input.
Putting it all together.
Following the information gathering phase of Blueprint, work continued on the development of the final Blueprint report.
From July to September 2012, the NFF and its Blueprint partners analysed all the feedback gained and developed a Blueprint: Initial Findings report. This report was presented at the NFF National Congress in Canberra on Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 October and is available for you to download here. This report outlines the issues, challenges, opportunities and solutions that the Blueprint participants identified during the information gathering phase.
From 23 October to 20 November 2012, we sought your comments on the Blueprint initial findings. We thank all who chose to contribute to this Blueprint phase. And from 20 November 2012 to February 2013, we have moved into the final phase of the Blueprint development - the writing of the final document ahead of its public launch in February 2013.
On Thursday 14 February the NFF launched the Blueprint. The Blueprint is available in two parts, the executive summary, and the full Blueprint report:
What happens next?
The launch of the final Blueprint report is not be the end of the road for the Blueprint. The Blueprint document will provide a starting point for the discussion of the key issues and for collaborative action on those issues that are shared across the sector.
The NFF will work with key stakeholders across the Australian agriculture sector and government to host a series of forums scheduled for 2013 onwards, designed to drive the Blueprint forward. These forums will develop specific strategies, assign responsibilities, provide resources and set timelines for the next stage of the Blueprint - the legacy phase. More information on the Blueprint forums will be provided once the details have been confirmed.
The NFF is pleased to note that Blueprint major partners Westpac and Woolworths will continue their support of the Blueprint during this next phase, along with new major partners Bayer CropScience and Syngenta Australia.
Have a question or want to know more about the Blueprint? Contact Tony Mahar or Ruth Redfern at the NFF by phoning 02 6269 5666.
Supporters of the Blueprint
Our thanks go to major partners, Westpac, Woolworths and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, for their help in delivering the Blueprint for Australian Agriculture during 2011-12.
We also wish to thank those organisations that have assisted in the development of the Blueprint: the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences, the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, Sefton & Associates, Emergent Futures, Kaliber, the Australian Farm Institute, Fairfax Agricultural Media and the 26 NFF member organisations.
From 2013 onwards, Westpac and Woolworths will be continuing their partnership with the NFF for the legacy phase of the Blueprint, along with new major partners Bayer CropScience and Syngenta Australia.
NFF National Congress 2012
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Our 10 most popular recipes for the month delivered right to your inbox!
In Gaffney, SC, the branch manager of Bank of America removed flags placed in the grass next to the sidewalk in front of the bank. The small flags were placed along the funeral route to honor Lance Corporal Christopher Fowlkes, 20, who was killed last week in Afghanistan.
An elderly neighbor of the soldier's family had placed the flags along both sides of the street last Thursday before the funeral. She noticed later that there were no flags in front of the bank and thought maybe she had just missed that spot. She went back and as she began to put flags out, the branch manager ran outside and told her she could not do that.
The bank manager told the woman that the flags might offend some customers and their policy was no flags of any kind, including the American flag. The manager said she pulled the other flags up and if the woman wanted them back she could come inside and get them.
I regret that I don't have a Bank of America account that I could have the pleasure of closing.
Bank of America later apologized for the incident and called it a "misunderstanding."
AlabamaNeeNeeThe bank manager told the woman that the flags might offend some customers
Wow, imagine being offended by the national flag, how sad!
Reminds me of when I worked at a local restraunt that had a very high percentage of tourist. There was one American couple who were obviously very bitter people. (you havent heard complaining until you served them!!) They were in the middle of BC, had a long way until they were out of Canadian soil. they paid in American money, that was fine. but for change, they were given Canadian money. That is policy, we didn't stock American money, why should we, we are far far away from the border, and American stores don't even accept Canadian money. So this couple got so upset that we gave them Canadian money! They asked what they were suppose to do with the play money. Well, the boss was dealing with them, and she kept her cool, and she dealt gently with them. But HELLO!! They were in the middle of Canadian soil, and they were offended that they were just handed usless Canadian money!
It's people like them that ruin it for the other 99% of the population.
I don't know about the explanation that the flags might offend customers, but the woman was wrong to place the flags on the bank's lawn without asking permission first. That would have bothered me in the first place, but for her to come along and do it a second time.... Nope. That's just incredibly rude on her part.
Back in those days folks cooked their food, not built a shrine to it.
This is the same tactic that some are employing against ACORN... why does this taint Bank of America as a whole to the extent that someone in another state would close their account with the bank (if they had one, that is)?
It was a branch manager at one location who made a stupid move. It does sound like that manager doesn't understand something about their corporate policies. So what? Happens every day at businesses all over the country. Remember the fast food manager who kicked out a 6-month old kid and the mommy because the kid didn't have shoes on? Same thing. Dumb thing for the manager to do, but that's about it.
And I am sick of people trying to make big issues of such things and seeking publicity over it. Their behavior is really as bad as what they're whining about.
sorry cik....i do not agree...i sort of get your point, but thats what i don't agree with, but i don't think it was RUDE?????? Actually, the bank mgr. was rude!!! and i guess his superiors thought the same thing!! i thought it was nice of the woman to try to honor the marine...
I think the bank manager was a woman, ct.
And while I agree, it is nice that this other woman wanted to honor the fallen Marine, common courtesy dictates that you do not place things on lawns that do not belong to you without asking permission. Courtesy can't just be put on hold because of who is being buried. The woman SHOULD have asked permission. There's no way around that.
Had the woman shown the courtesy of asking permission in the first place, she might well have been denied anyway. But perhaps the Branch Manager might have called her district office to clarify the policy. Or the woman could have called herself. At any rate, the Branch Manager was acting within the bounds of what she believed was company policy. B of A has stated that she was mistaken. If the woman placing the flags had asked permission ahead of time the whole situation might have been cleared up ahead of time. But because she did not show that slight courtesy, what we now have is a situation that can no longer be resolved and people like the originator of this thread attempting to spread the word that because of the mistake of one Branch Manager, the entire institution is somehow unpatriotic. And you know how fired up these radical patriots get. Within a week, email inboxes are going to be flooded with only half the story. So much misunderstanding could have been prevented had the woman simply shown the courtesy of asking permission in the first place.
There is a lot unsaid in the article. Did the bank manager even know there was a funeral passing by, or did she just know that corporate policy says not to let people post things on the property. Did the policy say anything including or excluding US flags?
I do think that the woman posting the flags should have asked first. If someone stuck flags in my lawn without discussing it with me, I'd probably remove them too.
Lack of communication, more than misunderstanding. The woman should have asked if she could post the flags, and the manager, after being informed of the reason, could have called corporate management and asked whether this was an acceptable exception to the policy.
A lot of this is folk memories and cultural hangovers.
cast_iron_kingcommon courtesy dictates that you do not place things on lawns that do not belong to you without asking permission.
Some people with dogs to it all the time. They let their dogs poop on the lawn without premissioin. I wonder of this manager runs out everytime some dog poops on the lawn, picks it up and then tell the person it's not permitted. Maybe not, perhaps poop doesn't offend some people, as much as the American Flag..
Put On A Happy Face
Here, there are different businesses and groups that place small American flags all along streets on different occasions, like Memorial Day or 4th of July. I'm sure they don't ask permission to do that. But maybe that's because they place them right along the street and that area belongs to the municipality, rather than to the homeowner? I'm not sure about that. But I'd guess that if the flags were placed on a person's property and they didn't want them there, the property owner could just remove them. Of course, that wouldn't make the news or anything. I think the B of A 'story that isn't really much of a story' is getting attention only because it's connected to the funeral.
Ridiculous! I hope those closest to that incident let that bank manager know that rudeness in placing american flags without permission is more tolerable than someone getting their knickers in a knot over american flags being placed. Her time is better spent making sure her customers are being served, and that no one is putting graffiti on the back wall.
homesweethomeSome people with dogs to it all the time. They let their dogs poop on the lawn without premissioin. I wonder of this manager runs out everytime some dog poops on the lawn, picks it up and then tell the person it's not permitted. Maybe not, perhaps poop doesn't offend some people, as much as the American Flag..
That is a specious argument. Do you ever actually think about what you post, or are you just getting in typing practice?
AlabamaNeeNeeThe bank manager told the woman that the flags might offend some customers and their policy was no flags of any kind, including the American flag. The manager said she pulled the other flags up and if the woman wanted them back she could come inside and get them.
Well, Bank Of America offended me. Where is my letter of apology?
You people on the right must wake up in the moring with terribly sore legs from all this kneejerking.
Keeping up with all these daily hissy fits over some trifling, manufactured offense to your delicate sense of conservative proprety just wears me out.
"Wit is educated insolence." — Aristotle
wait, where is Barbara Anne, she will be LIVID!
© Reiman Media Group, LLC., 2013
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Pragmatic language and social skills are a group of skills which people use to interact and communicate with others. Social rules and relations are created, communicated, and changed in both verbal and nonverbal ways. The process of learning these skills is called socialization.
Social Skills and Pragmatic Language involve three major skills:
1. Using language for different purposes
2. Adjusting language to the situation and/or listener
3. Following rules for conversation
above taken from the website ASHA.org. For more information on pragmatic language/social skills, please click here to visit their website.
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(diff) ←Older revision | Current revision | Newer revision→ (diff)
Dragon Breed Data
Origin Of Name?
There are several Australian butterflies with "Xenica" in their common names from the parent genera Geitoneura, Oreixenica, and Nesoxenica. The first named variety was the Ringed Xenica in 1805, with marbled orange/black wings marked with white-centered black eyespots.
In Temeraire's world, perhaps the Australian butterfly was named for a similar appearance to the British dragon. Conversely, perhaps Novik named the dragon after the butterfly.
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Your #1 source for all things Entertainment, Fashion, Business... and Finance!
The New Year is in and why not create a Healthy Active Lifestyle? Get out of your comfort zone and make some changes this year to be healthy and fit, you are worth it. Here are 35 tips and facts for getting started,
1. Detox – detox the body getting out the toxins every 12 weeks. You can detox naturally with food or find a mild supplements
2. Get on a 30 day meal plan
3. Seek out healthy recipes
4. Stay away from energy condensing foods such as sweets,carbs, foods high in salt and sodium
5. NO FAST FOOD
6. Set some health goals for yourself ex. I want to be a in a size 6 dress in 30 days
7. Find an outfit and make it your goal outfit and hag it in your daily view
8. Add some helpful applications to your “apps” on your phone such as : Shopwell a calorie counter and food scanner, Myfitnesspal,Sparkpeple.com a health community
9. Fit in a “Fitness Plan”
10. Consider joining a 24 hour gym
11. Find a work out buddy or a accountability partner , you can even seek an online buddy
12. To lose and tone create a high protein and low calorie diet and add weight lifting to your work out
13. Eat smaller portions of your food, especially when eating out
14. Eat 5 times a day 3 colorful meals and healthy snacks in between
15. Consider “Juicing”
16. Shop fresh markets
17. Eat lots of veggies and fruits
18. Intake a daily muti vitamin , one that is time released
19. Make sure you start your day with a “Healthy Breakfast” it fuels the body
20. Add some yoga to your morning
21. Sit in a sauna or consider having a vitamin bath
22. By a few tools for home, a mat, exercise ball, a jump rope
23. Read your labels when shopping
24. Burn 400 calories or more with each work out 3,500 calories is a pound shredded
25. Go to bed earlier
26. Drink lots of water
27. When shopping meats buy lean meats
28. Have you tried Zumba yet? Get in two days out of the week cardio
29. Have a Wellness Evaluation and know your BMI
30. Add 10 percent to the amount of daily calories you think you’re eating, then adjust your eating habits accordingly. If you think you’re consuming 1,700 calories a day and don’t understand why you’re not losing weight, add another 170 calories to your guesstimate. Chances are, the new number is more accurate.
31. Walk for 45 minutes a day. The reason we’re suggesting 45 minutes instead of the typical 30 is that a Duke University study found that while 30 minutes of daily walking is enough to prevent weight gain in most relatively sedentary people, exercise beyond 30 minutes results in weight and fat loss. Burning an additional 300 calories a day with three miles of brisk walking (45 minutes should do it) could help you lose 30 pounds in a year without even changing how much you’re eating.
32. Bring the color blue into your life more often. There’s a good reason you won’t see many fast-food restaurants decorated in blue: Believe it or not, the color blue functions as an appetite suppressant. So serve up dinner on blue plates, dress in blue while you eat, and cover your table with a blue tablecloth. Conversely, avoid red, yellow, and orange in your dining areas. Studies find they encourage eating.
33. Avoid white foods. There is some scientific legitimacy to today’s lower-carb diets: Large amounts of simple carbohydrates from white flour and added sugar can wreak havoc on your blood sugar and lead to weight gain. But you shouldn’t toss out the baby with the bathwater. While avoiding sugar, white rice, and white flour, you should eat plenty whole grain breads and brown rice. One Harvard study of 74,000 women found that those who ate more than two daily servings of whole grains were 49 percent less likely to be overweight than those who ate the white s
34. State the positive. You’ve heard of a self-fulfilling prophecy? Well, if you keep focusing on things you can’t do, like resisting junk food or getting out the door for a daily walk, chances are you won’t do them. Instead (whether you believe it or not) repeat positive thoughts to yourself. “I can lose weight.” “I will get out for my walk today.” “I know I can resist the pastry cart after dinner.” Repeat these phrases like a mantra all day long. Before too long, they will become their own self-fulfilling prophecy
35. Switch from regular milk to 2%. If you already drink 2%, go down another notch to 1% or skim milk. Each step downward cuts the calories by about 20 percent. Once you train your taste buds to enjoy skim milk, you’ll have cut the calories in the whole milk by about half and trimmed the fat by more than 95 percent.
Make your body do what you want it to. It starts with the mind; the body does what the mind tells it to.
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Gaza Blockade's Fifth Anniversary
Gaza Blockade’s Fifth Anniversary
by Stephen Lendman
Gaza's blockade is illegal. Collective punishment is prohibited. Fourth Geneva's Article 33 states:
"No protected person may be punished for an offence he or she has not personally committed. Collective penalties and likewise all measures of intimidation or of terrorism are prohibited."
"Pillage is prohibited."
"Reprisals against protected persons and their property are prohibited."
Israel spurns all international laws and its own. It commits crimes of war and against humanity with impunity.
Isolating Gaza is a war crime. June 14 marked the blockade's fifth anniversary. Around 50 international human rights and organizations, as well as six UN bodies called for immediately lifting it.
A joint appeal said:
"For over five years in Gaza, more than 1.6 million people have been under blockade in violation of international law. More than half of these people are children. We the undersigned say with one voice: 'end the blockade now."
"More than 80 percent of families in Gaza are dependent on humanitarian aid."
"This amounts to a collective punishment of all those living in Gaza and is a denial of basic human rights in contravention of international law."
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) marked the anniversary with a report titled "5 Years and Counting: International Organizations and Donors Continue to Fund Israel's Illegal Closure on the Gaza Strip."
In mid-June 2007, total isolation was illegally imposed. World leaders yawned and did nothing. They're still silent. They're complicit in crimes of war and against humanity.
Since 1991, Israel imposed severe hardships on Gaza. At issue was curtailing political and economic freedom. Free movement was also restricted.
Despite a November 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access, Israel enforced severe restrictions on people and goods movement.
Five years ago this month, total closure was imposed. Israel calls Gaza a "hostile entity." As a result, 1.7 million Palestinians are lawlessly collectively punished.
Free movement is denied. Imports and exports of goods are restricted. Essential food, fuel, medical supplies and construction materials are affected.
Virtually all essentials face severe shortages. Redeveloping Gaza is prevented. Unemployment and poverty grow. Without aid, survival is at issue. With it, humanitarian crisis conditions exist.
Unless closure is lifted, "it will be impossible for (Gazans) to rebuild their lives, and (be able) to secure their fundamental human rights."
By continuing to fund the closure, donors relieve Israel's responsibility as an occupying power to observe inviolable international law. Collective punishment continues to be policy.
Blockade conditions exist behind "a security apparatus consisting of a fence, concrete wall, and military installations...."
Israel controls Gaza's coast and air space. Fishermen are attacked at sea. Farmers are shot in their fields. So are children. Israeli border guards use them for target practice.
Pre-mid 2007, five border crossings operated. Karni provided 75% of Gaza imports. Around 600 truckloads got daily access. Another 400 carried exports.
In May 2012, two border crossings operated - Karm abu Salem for goods and Erez for pedestrians. Both face severe restrictions. Traffic is curtailed. Karm abu Salem operates at a fraction of its capacity.
About 570 truckloads daily are required to supply basic needs. In April, Israel allowed only 149 passage rights. Around one-fourth of what's needed got through.
Exports are greatly restricted. Amounts fluctuate monthly. In January, around 3% of pre-2007 levels were permitted. February, March, and April amounts dropped.
Longer waiting times were imposed for goods and pedestrians. Perishable goods are affected. Costs increase. Bureaucratic red tape harms humanitarian efforts.
Permit permission takes more time for approval. International organizations can't function properly. Costs are excessively high. The UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) said it's paying an extra $4 million.
Moreover, goods must be placed on pallets. Containers aren't allowed. Amounts shipped are affected. When emergencies arise, aid groups can't respond properly. Approvals take months to arrange.
Around 19% of UN projects wait on average 17 months for approval. Moreover, since September 2011, no UNOPS ones were approved. Humanitarian efforts are challenged.
The World Food Program also reported difficulties supplying Gaza's essential needs. Israel's closure policy bears full responsibility. Agencies say cost issues and inordinate delays impede them.
UNRWA saw its emergency aid budget increase from about $52 million in 2006 to around $64 million in 2010. OCHA is severely strapped. Its $2.8 million 2006 budget ballooned to $7 million in 2011.
Around 80% of Gazans are aid dependent. Over 40% are impoverished or severely so. Nearly two-thirds of Gazans are refugees. Over 80% of Gazan factories remain closed or operate at a fraction of full capacity.
With limited ability to import and severe export restrictions, Israel suffocates Gaza. Moreover, Its lawless buffer zone prohibits access to about 30% of total agriculture on land considered most arable.
Families can't support themselves. Fishermen can't make a living. The impact on civilian lives is scandalous. Virtually nothing is done to relieve it.
Occupying powers are responsible for the welfare of people they control. Article 43 of the Hague Regulations obligate them with regard to health, education, quality of life, public works, other essential infrastructure, and overall material conditions.
Fourth Geneva Articles 55 and 56 require occupying powers to provide food and health care. Under Article 69 of Additional Protocol I, provision for clothing, bedding and shelter must be provided.
In addition, progressive development of education, health systems, infrastructure, power, and telecommunications capability is required.
Israel spurns its obligations. Homes, factories, infrastructure, commercial and government buildings, and other facilities have been destroyed and not rebuilt.
Fundamental human rights are denied, including to life, health, and adequate food, clothing and housing. Health, of course, includes physical and mental well-being.
UN Charter Articles 55 and 56 require Israel to promote higher living standards, and conditions of economic and social progress and development.
Israel violates all its obligations under international law. Gazans suffer enormously. Blockade was imposed for political and economic reasons. Israel admitted it wasn't for security reasons.
It claimed justification for economic warfare, saying:
"(D)amaging the enemy's economy is in and of itself a legitimate means in warfare and a relevant consideration even while deciding to allow the entry of relief consignments."
International law prohibits collective punishment. Israeli aggression violates UN Charter provisions. Gaza's blockade was institutionalized. Doing so constitutes criminally assaulting a civilian population for purposes of control and denying it fundamental rights.
A new Save the Children Foundation/Medical Aid Foundation report called Gaza's water unfit for human consumption. It's contaminated with chemical manure and waste water.
Children are gravely impacted. Water related illness, including diarrhea and dysentery, doubled in the last five years. Israel bears full responsibility.
Israel bombed coastal area sewage systems and denies construction materials, equipment, and parts to rebuild them properly.
Israel promised to ease Gaza restrictions. No meaningful improvement of life followed. Fundamental rights are denied. Blockade conditions are enforced.
Air and ground assaults occur regularly. A new study said drone attacks terrorize Gazans. They patrol night and day. Their engine noise is audible on the ground.
Gazans call them "zanana" because of their distinctive buzz. They affect sleep. Children are traumatized. Gazans are attacked and killed. No one knows who next will be harmed.
A state of war exists. Crimes are committed. Civilians suffer. Nothing changes. Gazans blogger Rawan Yaghi explained her angst as follows:
"Hi droning drone,
you know what: you've become a real friend of mine. I swore at you. I spit at you. You keep me awake. You have actually been talking to me all day long."
"Well, to be honest my friend, I tried to ignore you by using my headphones and watching TV. But you wouldn't quit, would you? Well, congratulations you've broke the record you've made more than one million friends in less than two days. Take good buzz of yourself."
A Final Comment
On June 14, a Civil Peace Service Gaza press release said an Israeli warship attacked international observers, a journalist, and CPSGAZA's Palestinian Oliva vessel captain "in an attempt to harm the crew members and threaten them with arrest."
Italian observer Rosa Schiano said:
"We were behind the buoy that Israel put out at sea to mark the three mile limit and they attacked us with heavy water cannons for half an hour, chasing us towards the northen nautical border."
"Then they accused us of crossing the border, when they had forcibly chased us in that direction."
Oliva was within three nautical miles of Gaza's coast. Israel's warship circled, chased, and attacked it with heavy water cannon fire. The vessel filled dangerously. It could have sunk. The crew said it posed no danger. A soldier replied "(s)hut up."
Israelis ordered Oliva to shut its motor. Crew members were told to stand in the front of the boat. They asked if they were being arrested. In reply, they were told "(w)e'll take all of you."
Finally, they were allowed to leave with a warning, saying "(n)ext time we won't be as nice, if you know what I mean."
CPSGAZA's land team said Israel's navy attacked Palestinian fishermen at the same time Oliva was assaulted. They "were targeted with live gunfire and wake washed."
Israel does it regularly. Contempt for human rights and safety is policy. Life in Occupation Palestine is brutish, harsh and unsafe.
In Gaza, no one knows from day to day who'll live or die. Nothing is done to end human suffering. When will it end, people ask?
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.
His new book is titled "How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized Banking, Government Collusion and Class War"
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.
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More drugs, more tests, more surgery.
A report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the use of high-tech medical tests and surgeries has escalated rapidly over the past decade in the United States. But whether the expanding presence of medical technology is a good thing is still a matter of debate.
The rates of Americans getting MRIs and CT scans tripled between 1996 and 2006, according to the report released today from the National Center for Health Statistics. CT scans can help doctors detect everything from kidney stones to cancer, but they pack a mega dose of radiation -- as much as 500 times that of a conventional X-ray, which some health experts say raises the risk for cancer.
More Americans are also going under the knife. According to the report, the rate of knee replacement procedures increased 70 percent over the decade studied; kidney and liver transplants increased by 31 percent and 43 percent, respectively.
What's more, Americans are also on more drugs now than in years past: 47 percent of the population in 2006 was taking at least one prescription drug, compared to 38 percent in 1994. About one in five Americans in 2006 were taking three or more prescriptions -- nearly double that in 1994.
Of course, increased use of new medical technology and a spike in the use of prescription drugs has occurred alongside a continual increase in life expectancy and decrease in death rates for cancer, heart disease, and stroke. The connection between these two trends remains unclear, however, experts say.
Still, considering the overall rise in life expectancy, some doctors say Americans are more healthy for the increase in medical interventions.
"Death rates are down for things like heart disease and stroke, which I would suspect has to do with better diagnosis [through diagnostic imaging technology] and people going on preventive medications like statins," says Dr. Daniel Kopans, director of the Breast Imaging Division at Massachusetts General Hospital. The CDC found a ten-fold increase in the use of statin drugs from 1988-1994 to 2003-2006.
But according to Dr. Nortin Hadler, professor of Medicine and Microbiology/Immunology and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and author of "Worried Sick" and "The Last Well Person," "We may be fooling ourselves as a society" in thinking that all this technology is actually making us live longer.
"The decrease in premature death can be traced back long before we had many important interventions," Hadler says. "[It is] not clear that all of our high-tech knowledge is responsible for this. ... The data is consistent that if we never perform a single stent or angioplasty, we would not change the happy outcome of fewer people having and/or dying from heart attacks."
Still, he says, most in the public assume that the high-tech interventions are responsible, which drives up demand.
"Our society has learned that we are technologically dependent for our longevity. So you put together this notion that without all the high-tech we would all be in big trouble and the fact that advantaged areas of society are living longer and you have a perfect marketing storm," he says.
"We are by far the most over-treated, over-medicalized people in the history of the world," he says.
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William Devereux Byron William Devereux Byron, II (May 15, 1895 - February 27, 1941) a democrat, was a U.S. Congressman who represented the 6th congressional district of Maryland from January 3, 1939 to February 27, 1941. After his death in an airplane crash in Georgia on February 27, 1941 his widow, Katharine Byron, a granddaughter of U.S. Senator Louis E. McComas, was elected in a special election to complete his term of office.
Born in Danville, Virginia he moved with his parents to Williamsport, Maryland in 1800 where he attended the public schools, Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire and Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York. Following his service in the Aviation Corps during World War I, where he was commissioned a first lieutenant he entered the family leather manufacturing business in 1919. He served in the Maryland State senate from 1930 to 1934 and as mayor of Williamsport from 1926 to -1930 as had his grandfather for whom he was named.
He was interred in Riverview Cemetery, Williamsport, Maryland.
His son Goodloe Byron was also a representative from the Maryland 6th congressional district.
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School is a large part of a child’s life, but when the child has ADHD it can be a frustrating and difficult time for all involved. It is extremely important, as a parent, to advocate for your child and to maintain a strong and amicable relationship with the teachers. Explaining your child’s condition to their teacher is essential so they understand the basis for any unusual behavior and can better handle it. This will also be helpful if your child needs extra academic support.
August 1 has always been the date that I begin to prepare for the upcoming school year with my children. I begin reviewing with them math concepts, give them worksheets to complete and gather up the school supplies. During this month of August, I will be preparing the Health Central ADHD site for back to school. I will be writing articles on ADHD…
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US could beam neutrinos to Japan
Mar 6, 2002
A beam of neutrinos could be fired nearly ten thousand kilometres through the Earth in an experiment proposed by Fritz DeJongh at Fermilab. DeJongh hopes to persuade Japanese particle physicists to build a new detector at the SuperKamiokande site to analyse a beam of neutrinos sent by a powerful generator currently under construction at Fermilab in the US. Passing through so much matter should alter the beam in a way that makes it possible to establish the masses of the three different types of neutrino, and to study ‘charge-parity violation’ (arXiv.org/abs/hep-ex/0203005).
Neutrinos are difficult to study because they have very little mass and interact only weakly with matter. They also ‘oscillate’ between three possible ‘flavours’ – electron, muon and tau – each of which has a different mass. Previous observations of these oscillations have revealed the differences between these masses, but have not established the masses themselves.
But DeJongh believes that a ‘long-baseline’ experiment in which beams of neutrinos and anti-neutrinos are sent through the Earth could be combined with existing results to determine the masses of the three flavours. By travelling the 9300 kilometres from Fermilab to the SuperKamiokande detector in Japan, the beams would pass through enough matter to increase by a factor of 20 the number of oscillations in either the neutrino or the anti-neutrinos.
The amplified signal would also allow physicists to compare the different oscillation behaviour of neutrinos and anti-neutrinos. Earlier ‘short-baseline’ experiments have been unable to produce this effect because the beams passed through too little matter.
Such an experiment would also give fresh insights into ‘charge-parity violation’, a phenomenon proposed to explain why particles are not exact opposites of their anti-particles. Charge-parity violation could help to explain why there is more matter than anti-matter in the universe when the big bang is thought to have produced equal amounts of each.
According to DeJongh, construction of a new detector in Japan would need to begin around 2006 to coincide with the completion of the new beamline at Fermilab. He has already presented his idea to physicists in Japan, and is optimistic about the project although an agreement has yet to be reached. He concedes that particle physicists are likely to be sceptical until he provides more details.
“Our community as a whole is going through a process of considering the future,” DeJongh told PhysicsWeb, “and I think this is an exciting possible element of our roadmap”.
The SuperKamiokande site has already detected neutrinos from the KEK particle physics lab some 250 kilometres away, although the detector recently suffered an accident and is currently out of commission. There are also plans to send neutrino beams from the CERN particle physics lab in Geneva to the Gran Sasso underground lab 730 kilometres away in Italy, and from Fermilab near Chicago to the Soudan experiment, 710 kilometres away in Minnesota.
About the author
Katie Pennicott is Editor of PhysicsWeb
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What are bank holidays?
Are employees who are required to work on bank holidays entitled to pay in lieu of time off, or additional holiday?
Can employees be required to work on bank holidays?
Whether or not employees are entitled to pay or time off in lieu of bank holidays worked depends on their overall holiday entitlement and the terms of their contract. If the entitlement is limited to the statutory minimum and employees work on a bank holiday, they must have a day off in lieu so that the total paid leave is 28 days per year (if they work a five-day week). Employees cannot be paid in lieu of statutory minimum holiday entitlement except on the termination of employment. However, where the contractual holiday entitlement in question exceeds the statutory minimum, whether or not employees are entitled to pay or time off in lieu depends on the terms of the employment contract, or any custom and practice in the business.
Are part-time workers entitled to bank holidays?
If a part-time or shift-working employee is not scheduled to work on a bank holiday, is he or she entitled to an additional day's holiday?
If a part-time employee is contracted to work a half day on a bank holiday, is he or she entitled to an additional half day's holiday to take at another time?
If an employer provides for pro rata bank holiday entitlement for part-time employees, how should it calculate this?
Can employees be required to take annual leave on bank holidays?
Can bank holidays be included in a worker's statutory leave entitlement?
Are employees entitled to time off for bank holidays in addition to the statutory minimum annual leave entitlement of 5.6 weeks?
What is an employee’s holiday entitlement if an extra bank holiday is granted one year?
If an employee’s contract states that his or her holiday entitlement is a certain number of days "plus eight bank holidays" is he or she entitled to an extra bank holiday that is granted one year?
Is an employee who is required to work on bank holidays entitled to extra pay?
What different types of holiday need to be accounted for in the written statement?
How should an employer deal with an employee who refuses to work on a bank holiday?
Are employers required to provide pay or time off in lieu of bank holidays that coincide with maternity leave?
Where an employee's period of paternity leave coincides with a bank holiday, is the employer under any obligation to provide a compensatory day off or pay in lieu?
Can Christian employees refuse to work on the bank holidays that are aligned to a Christian festival such as Easter?
Should employees who practise religions other than Christianity be given additional time off in lieu where a bank holiday is aligned to a Christian festival such as Easter?
How should an employer deal with an employee who calls in sick on a bank holiday?
XpertHR provides answers to more than 1,000 FAQs. But that's not all...
Request a demo today to find out how XpertHR can benefit your organisation
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Washington -- The U.S. Senate today will likely pass an anti-domestic violence bill that was held up in the last Congress by House Republicans who objected to some of its provisions.
U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., are among a large bipartisan group of senators who say they support the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, or VAWA.
The bill has 61 co-sponsors, enough to assure its passage when the Senate votes late this afternoon. Before that vote, the Senate will consider a series of amendments.
Vera House, a Central New York agency dedicated to helping victims of domestic and sexual violence, is among the supporters of the Senate bill, according to Randi Bregman, the organization's executive director.
But as they did last year, House Republicans have objected to parts of the bill. The New York Times reports GOP negotiators are "still struggling over a 10-page section that would, for the first time, allow Native American police and courts to pursue non-Indians who attack women on tribal land."
Rep. Richard Hanna, R-Barneveled, the Republican congressman from Oneida County, said in an interview that he likes the original Senate bill and will likely vote for its passage in the House. Rep. Dan Maffei, D-DeWitt, also supports the Senate bill.
Last year, Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle, R-Onondaga Hill, upset local supporters of Vera House when she voted for a House Republican version of the bill that stripped out new, stronger protections for gay and transgender victims, American Indians and battered women who are in the United States illegally.
Gillibrand to visit Central New York
Before the Senate votes this afternoon, Gillibrand will stop in Central New York to visit Inficon, an East Syracuse manufacturing company. She plans to discuss legislation she introduced that would create a federal funding competition to help manufacturers, particularly those in the clean-tech and high-tech industries.
Gillibrand is making a swing through Upstate to promote her "Made in America Manufacturing Act." Gillibrand's legislation would award competitive grants to small and medium manufacturing companies in areas that are struggling economically.
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- Prepare talented teachers who will influence the learning and personal development of their students and make significant contributions to the teaching profession.
- Pioneer innovative programs to enhance teaching and that foster intentional connections between the liberal arts tradition and pedagogy or educational methodology.
- Address, through ongoing forums and the use of web-based technology, public policy issues concerning and affecting K-12 education.
- Enable students to explore and develop effective use of technology in the service of teaching and learning.
- Provide outreach to schools in our community and region through in-service and summer programs, learning technologies, collaborative research studies, and service projects.
- Provide and support opportunities for teacher candidates to participate in educational/behavioral research in collaboration with faculty, community schools/teachers and Albion College Foundation for Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities (FURSCA).
- Incorporate a summer program to enable students to complete the requirements for a strong major in a discipline, the new core, sufficient Education courses, off-campus study if desired, and student teaching and still graduate in four years.
- Increase enrollment from 150 to 200 dedicated students (50 students/class) by 2003.
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2010: The ethical issues linked to the use of assistive technology in dementia care
Completed AE projects
This document is the first report produced by Alzheimer Europe in collaboration with a team of experts in the framework of the European Dementia Ethics Network (EDEN), which was set up in 2009. The aim of EDEN is to discuss ethical issues of relevance to people with dementia within a multidisciplinary group of experts including people with dementia and carers in order to present the ethical issues related to specific topics for further reflection, along with a set of recommendations reflecting the position of Alzheimer Europe. The topic of the report for 2010 was the ethical issues linked to the use of assistive technology in dementia care.
In this document, Alzheimer Europe presents its position and guidelines on the ethical use of assistive technology (AT) for/by people with dementia and proposes an ethical framework for decision making. A brief overview is provided of the three main issues of importance, namely dementia, assistive technology and ethics. This is followed by a discussion of the various ethical issues linked to the use of AT (based on an extensive review of the literature) which addresses not only possible disadvantages and ethical dilemmas but also looks at the positive implications of the use of AT and how it can contribute towards respecting certain ethical principles with regard to people with dementia. Whilst we consider that assistive technology should be first and foremost for the benefit of people with dementia, we highlight where appropriate the implications, both positive and negative, on informal and professional carers.
This publication is targeted at a wide audience including people with dementia, carers, health and social care professionals, service providers, AT designers, researchers and policy makers.
The overall goal of this project was to produce recommendations and a position on the ethical issues linked to the use of assistive technology in dementia care through a process of reflection and group discussion.
A multi-disciplinary working group was set up which contributed towards the literature search and the drafting of both the report and the recommendations. They met twice in 2010 (once in Brussels and once in Berlin) and also communicated by email in order to ensure the quality of the final report. Despite different backgrounds and opinions, the recommendations reflect a consensus position of the members of the working group. The report and recommendations were then submitted to the board of Alzheimer Europe which formally approved them before they were published. The working group, which was led by Dianne Gove, Information Officer of Alzheimer Europe, actively sought relevant literature, drafted specific parts of the text reflecting their particular expertise and experience, debated controversial issues and provided detailed comments on the whole document.
The members of the working group to whom Alzheimer Europe is immensely grateful for developing these recommendations and contributing towards the position of Alzheimer Europe are Dianne Gove, Heike von Lützau-Hohlbein, Inger Hagen, Sirkkaliisa Heimonen, Stefánia Kapronczay, James and Maureen McKillop, Maria McManus, Alistair Niemeijer, Päivi Topo and Luiza Spiru. Their expertise and experience was mainly in the domain of assistive technology development, service provision and organisation, ethics, information technology, research in the field of ethics and assistive technology, old age psychiatry, nursing, working for Alzheimer associations, caring, having dementia and using assistive technology. Without the members of the working group, it would not have been possible to produce such a comprehensive report.
The whole project was carried out within the framework of the European Dementia Ethics Network (EDEN) and approved by the Steering Committee of EDEN. Alzheimer Europe would therefore also like to thank the following for their support and expertise in the domain of ethics and in some cases their contribution to the drafting of the report and recommendations: Jean Georges, Alain Franco, Cees Hertogh, Celso Pontes, Christian Berringer, Cornelia Reitberger, François Blanchard, Iva Holmerova, Kati Juva, Malou Kapgen, Mary Marshall, Matthias von Schwanenflügel, Michael Schmieder, Sabine Jansen, Sigurd Sparr, as well as Magda Aelvoet and Bénédicte Gombault from the Roi Baudouin Fondation in Belgium.
The result of this project is a report containing background information and recommendations on the ethical issues linked to use of assistive technology in dementia care (both by and for people with dementia). It also contains annexes containing examples of ethical principles in relevant legal documents and various conventions, techniques to help come to a decision with examples of different decision-making models and a glossary.
The full report can be consulted on the Alzheimer Europe website at:
Last Updated: mercredi 09 mai 2012
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Psalm of the compassionate
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
Blessed is he that considereth the poor:
The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.
The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive;
And he shall be blessed upon the earth:
Ps. 27:12And thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.
The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing:
Thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.
I said, Lord, be merciful unto me:
Heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.
Mine enemies speak evil of me,
When shall he die, and his name perish?
And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity:
His heart gathereth iniquity to itself;
When he goeth abroad, he telleth it.
All that hate me whisper together against me:
Against me do they devise my hurt.
An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him:
And now that he lieth he shall rise up no more.
2 Sam. 15:12;Job 19:19;Ps. 55:12Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted,
Obad. 7;John 13:18Which did eat of my bread,
Hath lift up his heel against me.
But thou, O Lord, be merciful unto me,
And raise me up, that I may requite them.
By this I know that thou favourest me,
Because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.
And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity,
And Job 36:7;Ps. 34:15settest me before thy face for ever.
Ps. 106:48Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.
Yearning for God
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Vic Cassin sweeps ash from a car in Rangipo near Mount Tongariro, New Zealand after a volcanic eruption (AP)
A volcano has erupted in New Zealand and planes have been warned of significant ash release.
Volcanic ash fell in areas near Mount Tongariro in central North Island and GNS Science issued a red aviation code, the highest level, for planes in the region.
The Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management advised residents of five nearby communities to stay indoors and to protect their eyes, mouth and nose if they were caught in volcanic ash.
Mount Tongariro is one of three volcanoes inside Tongariro National Park. The eruption was the mountain's first in decades.
New Zealand is on the Pacific Ring of Fire and has frequent seismic activity. An earthquake last year in Christchurch on South Island killed 185 people and destroyed much of the city centre.
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A teen's guide to credit scores
A good credit rating is a real asset in your financial life. Here's how to get off to a great start.
This post comes from Rob Berger at partner blog The Dough Roller.
As my children move into adulthood, the question of establishing credit for the first time is arising. Does a bank account affect your credit? Will a prepaid debit card establish credit? Should you get a credit card?
As I work through these issues with my children, it seems like a good time to cover this topic in some detail. A credit history and credit score are the single most important aspect of a person's financial life. Seem like an exaggeration? Consider the following:
- A good credit score can save you tens of thousands of dollars in interest payments on everything from a home loan to a car loan to credit card debt.
- A good credit score will reduce the cost of auto insurance premiums.
- A good credit score may help you rent an apartment or get a job.
- A bad credit score can prevent you from getting cable or a cellphone at the best rates.
Whether we like it or not, our credit history and score matter. A lot.
Establishing a credit score, however, can be a bit of a Catch-22. You build a credit history primarily by taking out loans, but you can't take out loans without a credit history. So how do you establish credit for the first time?
Begin with the end in mind
As Stephen R. Covey advised in "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," start with the end in mind. The objective is to establish good credit, not just a credit history. Before you start borrowing money left and right, think about how each decision will impact your long-term financial future.
In addition, understand why you want to establish good credit. For many, credit is important when applying for loans such as a mortgage. Your credit history, however, affects more than just your ability to borrow money, as noted above. The point is that with bad credit, you may get passed over for a new job, have your application for an apartment rejected, or pay higher insurance premiums.
So keep all of that in mind as you go about this plan for establishing your credit history.
Understand what makes up your credit score
First, let's talk about what actually goes into your credit score. While there are many credit scoring formulas, they all look at roughly the same things. The most commonly used formula is from Fair Isaac Corp. Scores developed from this model are known as FICO scores.
Just to confuse things a bit more, there are actually a number of variations of the FICO formula. Regardless, according to MyFICO.com, your credit score is based on these factors:
- 35% payment history.
- 30% amounts owed.
- 15% length of credit history.
- 10% new credit.
- 10% types of credit used.
This means that the most important element in your credit history is your payment history -- whether you make payments on time. The second most important element is how much you owe compared with how much credit you have available.
Since these are the two most important elements in your credit history, our plan focuses on these two elements. But we'll talk about the other three as well.
Establishing a payment history
Did you know that you don't actually have to take out a loan or credit card to establish a payment history?
According to the Federal Trade Commission, utility payments (phone, water, electricity and natural gas) can affect your credit, too. While it may seem odd, keep in mind that you're getting services now and paying for them later.
Since utility credit is easier to get than most other types of credit, consider moving utilities into your own name if they aren't already. If you're living with your parents, begin establishing credit by purchasing your own cellphone plan. If you're out on your own, make sure that necessary utilities are in your name.
Not all utilities report positive payment history to the credit bureaus (they report late payments). A forum thread at myFICO on this issue is worth reading. One interesting note is that signing up for payment-smoothing plans with your utility company may increase the odds that it will report your payments. It's worth calling your utility companies to find out.
Once you have utilities of any sort in your name, make sure your payments are on time, every time. Making on-time payments will help you establish good credit, although the process can be somewhat slow. On the flip side, a single late payment can have a huge negative impact on your credit history.
Work with your own bank
If you haven't already, open savings and checking accounts in your own name. The process is easy, although you might want to compare different checking accounts to find the best option for you.
The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco notes that regularly depositing and withdrawing money, while always being careful never to overdraw an account, will show the bank you're responsible with your money.
Your financial history with your bank doesn't directly affect your credit score (unless you overdraw your account and end up in collections for overdraft fees). But once you have shown a bank you're financially responsible, you can apply for a low-limit credit card through your bank. Often they'll let you get a credit card on the strength of your history with them alone, even if you haven't established credit yet.
If you can't or prefer not to take out a credit card through your bank, consider applying for a secured loan that is well within your means. A secured loan -- like an auto loan -- means the bank has some collateral if you fail to pay, which makes it easier to qualify for the loan.
Check into secured credit cards
Secured credit cards can be used just like unsecured cards, but you have to put down a security deposit as collateral. They're a great place to start when it comes to establishing credit because they're easy to get even with no credit history.
For a secured credit card, you'll have to put about $300 to $500 down, and you'll have a relatively low credit limit. As you use and pay off the card responsibly, you can get your security deposit back and raise your credit limit -- all while building a great credit history.
Not all secured credit cards are created equal, though. Many come with terrible terms, including high fees, so select carefully.
Apply for one or two unsecured credit cards
After you've established a good credit history by paying your secured credit card off in full every month, consider applying for one or two traditional credit cards. Find a couple of cards that will give you some good benefits, such as low interest, cash back or travel perks. If you get those cards, be sure to use them responsibly.
It's best to only use credit cards for amounts that you can pay in full every month. One idea is to use a cash-back credit card to pay only for gas. Since this is a basic expense, it's part of your budget every month, so there's not much chance of being unable to pay of the credit card in full. Swipe your card at the pump, collect cash-back rewards, and pay off your gas purchases every time you get a credit card bill.
Keep your debt low
So far we've been focusing on establishing good credit by making payments on time, every time. But once you have a credit card or two, it's time to look at the other big chunk of your credit history -- amounts owed on revolving debt.
Revolving debt is debt that fluctuates constantly because you can add to it or pay it off at any time. Credit cards and a personal line of credit are two examples of revolving debt. It's different from installment-based debt like student loans and car loans, where you take on a one-time loan and pay it down with set payments every month.
The amounts-owed portion of your credit history is based on how much you owe in total compared with how much total credit you have available. If, for instance, you owe $500 between two credit cards with a combined $3,000 limit, that's a great ratio. But if you rack up $2,500 worth of debt on your cards, your credit score will take a hit. Why? Because the more available credit you have, the better able you are to handle a financial emergency without being late on your other payments.
Carrying a zero balance on your credit card is the best way to boost this portion of your credit score. But if you do carry a balance, experts recommend keeping it at 30% of your available credit limit or lower.
Consider using other types of credit
As you can see from the breakdown above, your particular blend of credit accounts also affects your credit score. So don't just focus on credit cards. Consider other ways you might need to use credit, such as an auto loan.
One word of caution here: Avoid taking out credit you don't need or can't handle financially just to build your credit history. That will only hurt you in the long run. Remember, the end goal is to have a healthy, long-term credit history, not to build credit as quickly as humanly possible.
A car loan is one common credit-building option for young adults. But since you'll have to pay interest on a car loan, it will cost you (unlike credit cards that you pay off in full every month). The best way to take out a car loan with the goal of building credit is to actually save up to pay for your car in cash first.
If you can save up enough to pay for a car in cash, even if it's just an old beater, here's what one Investopedia article suggests you do:
- Pick out a car that's within your price range.
- Take out a loan for the car, either through the dealer (which can sometimes get you a decent discount) or through a local bank.
- Make the first month's payment on the loan.
- Pay off the rest of the loan in full a couple of weeks later.
This process will let you skip out on most of the interest payments for your car, saving you money in the long run. You'll add another type of credit to your credit history, and you'll show that you're capable of making other kinds of payments on time.
Of course, if you really do need a new car but can't afford one at the moment, you can take out a small, affordable car loan. Your best option is to work with a bank or credit union, since they usually offer better financing terms on used cars than dealers. Then, make all your payments on time, and try to pay off the loan as quickly as possible to save on interest payments.
If you're going to college, opening student loans in your name will also help you add in different types of credit.
Leave accounts open
You can't rush establishing a long-term credit history. It will just happen naturally over time. But you can keep from cutting your credit history short by leaving old accounts open, even if you aren't using them anymore.
If your first real credit was a secured credit card, you may want to leave that secured card open for several years, since it will continue to add to the length of your credit history. Once you have other accounts that have been open and in good standing for several years, you can close older accounts that you no longer use. This strategy is best used for credit cards that do not charge an annual fee.
Don't apply for too much credit
As you're applying for credit to help establish your credit score, be sure that you don't apply for too much. If 15 credit card companies pull your credit report, the credit bureau will assume you're trying to take out more credit -- possibly more than you could pay back -- so this lowers your score.
There are two situations in which this doesn't apply, though.
The first is when you're releasing your credit information to a non-lender. Checking your own score -- or allowing potential employers or landlords to do so -- doesn't affect your credit score. Only inquiries from actual lenders count.
The second is when you're applying for a larger loan, like a mortgage or an auto loan. In this circumstance, you can shop around with different lenders without incurring multiple negative inquiries. An article from MyFICO.com says that as long as you apply for loans for big-ticket items within 14 days, your credit score will only get hit once. So if you shop around with five different mortgage lenders, make sure they all check your credit within a two-week period.
Keep track of your progress
As you start this process of building your credit, it's easy to track your progress. Simply pull a copy of your credit history and credit score every few months. This is a good idea anyway because it lets you quickly find any mistakes or fraudulent accounts in your credit history.
Keeping track of your credit is easy with several free credit scoring services. One of my favorites is Credit Sesame. You don't need a credit card and you'll never pay a dime for the service.
As you can see, there's no one single path you should take when you're trying to establish credit. Maybe you'll start with a secured credit card, but maybe you'll be able to get a small unsecured credit card to start. You might need an auto loan at some point, or you might use student loans to pay for college.
The point is to have some sort of plan for establishing credit in the way that works best for you. And be sure you follow the basics of establishing and maintaining great credit: Pay everything on time, and don't take out more than you can pay back.
More on The Dough Roller and MSN Money:
Screw the banks and their shills, the credit bureaus. Don't get caught in their trap.
Here is the link to the University I was talking about, they have a bunch of information on credit.
This article was awesome!! Thank you. Being fairly new to the credit repair and credit score arena I am constantly trying to gather as much information as possible to try and keep myself headed in the right general direction. Spending some time on this post has actually given me a lot of great points to think about. In my recent research I have also been able to find some useful information related to this topic when I Googled the credit locker university. Thanks again!
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Before they approved the redistricting plan, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Geoff Gordon and the members of the board of education expressed their heartfelt wish that they could have made everybody happy with the plan. Assistant Superintendent of Schools Mary Callahan noted that at the beginning of this yeoman's task, the principals of the four existing elementary schools did not want to give up one family. However, reality set in, and Dr. Gordon and the board finally created a redistricting plan that they feel confident in because it is "educationally sound," offering the most number of students a chance to learn about all types of people in a diverse environment. "When youngsters have positive experiences with a variety of peers in a healthy environment when they're in grade school, they are more accepting of differences when they get to middle school. They learn tolerance, and out of that grows kindness," noted Ms. Callahan.
Many factors contributed to the final version of the plan. The desire to keep class size low (in the elementary schools 19-20 students) and distribute students from different backgrounds (i.e. ESL students, Special Needs, free and reduced lunch) evenly throughout the five schools are two of those.
Complicating these goals were consideration of building size and capacity, the location of the schools (four in the northern end of town and one in the southern part), transportation issues and costs, and wanting to keep neighborhoods together. All agree, it was a very complicated process.
The board vote on the plan was 6-1, with board member Dean Nardone dissenting. As each board member gave his/her rationale for approving the plan, each one stated in one way or another that they believed they were doing the right thing for students.
However, a few areas in town expressed dismay over their school assignment. A large group from the Park section vocalized their unhappiness. Their youngsters will be attending Guggenheim, which is the same school they have been going to. They had wanted to go to Salem School, as their homes are near this facility. They argue that students from the west side of Port Blvd. in the Flower Hill area extending to South Bayles St. will be going to Salem, and feel it would be more convenient for them. Additionally, their four block neighborhood is sandwiched in between students from Salem, to the south, and Daly, to the north. They don't see why they have to be bused to Guggenheim, and why their kids lose out on possible friendships with classmates who live nearby.
The families also argue that the board has accommodated other areas (i.e. Sands Point and Soundview).
Dr. Gordon and board members replied that the four block area has 80 plus students in elementary school. Unfortunately, Salem, the only elementary facility in the southern part of town, has a planned capacity of 400 students. Ms. Callahan also reminded the parents that in the beginning of the process, at one of the many meetings the board held with the community, the families of the Park section requested that they be kept together, a wish the board honored.
One Park section resident accused the board of being political in making its decision. Board member Rob Seiden stated firmly that the plan has no political motivations and caters to no special interest groups. "It was done with integrity."
Another area unhappy with the plan encompasses the homes on the north side of the Mill Pond and Smull Place. The parents report that they cannot send their kids out to play because of traffic which is currently exacerbated by the development that's taking place now. They feel that their youngsters are isolated. But, fortunately, they report, Manorhaven Principal Dr. Linda Welles has created a "fabulous" community for the kids and their families at the Manorhaven School. Under the new plan, they will be at Guggenheim School. "We want to remain part of the Manorhaven family. We've come to rely on the school as our community," said Adina Genn.
One other group protesting their assignment are parents from Cow Bay, Harbor Homes. whose children have been placed at Salem School. They argue that they do not want to be bused to Salem, when other schools are much closer to their homes.
Defending his plan, the Superintendent said "From the time the board began deliberations about reopening Salem School in 1998, through today, when we have four elementary schools on the north side of town and just one on the southern end, it was clear that we could not please everyone. Change is never easy, but having received just four e-mails since the meeting, we are now down to a very small percent of issues, and we are trying to help parents as best we can. We are working with the Harbor Homes and Cow Bay families in a very positive way. We now have five liaisons with the community. We'll continue working closely together to assess the impact of the planned upcoming reconstruction of Harbor Homes.
When asked why he voted against the plan, board member Dean Nardone replied:
"The school district had a very difficult undertaking. In the end, what bothered me most was that children who were able to walk one-half-mile to a school will be bused to a different one.
Other issues that Mr. Nardone mentioned were the following:
1- The Park section of town with its 85 students will be isolated from the other 450 students at Guggenheim.
2- Manorhaven School, which is now educating 566 students, in two years will be educating only 420.
3- Forty fifth-graders who would normally be sent to Salem, are instead being grandfathered, which means they remain at their present school (Guggenheim), and have to be bused there. This means the large majority of their younger siblings and friends will be attending Salem.
On a positive note, Nardone commented that he was impressed that the district was able to accomplish creating a fifth elementary school without adding classroom teachers to the budget.
While acknowledging that redistricting changes are always difficult, board member David Strom pointed out the students eventually come together in the middle school (grades 6, 7 and 8) and high school. "It wasn't possible to have a perfect plan," he said.
Commenting on the philosophy of the overall plan, Dr. Gordon said that the foundation of the redistricting plan is to utilize this necessary process as an opportunity to enhance education for every Port Washington student. "We are very excited that this plan attains this and accomplishes another long sought-after goal - keeping every elementary school class below 20 students." He added, "Moreover, we have carefully planned to have diversity in every school, which we know will enrich every student's education."
Continuing, the superintendent noted, "From all the school meetings and communications we listened to the community's preferences and for the most part, kept neighborhoods together. Educationally, this plan moves our district forward, I want to let the community know that orientations are already being planned for students; we intend to make the transition as smooth as possible."
Ms. Callahan mentioned that the staff will determine, on an individual basis, which teacher will be best for each student.
Also for the first year, all fifth-graders will be grandfathered in the schools they currently attend, so that a change in schools doesn't happen in a consecutive three-year period (4th to 5th and 5th to 6th grade at Weber).
Board member Dr. Roy Nelson asked the superintendent when the board could expect the implementation plan to make the transition as comfortable and easy as possible for students and parents. Dr. Gordon told the Port News that the district will be sending a letter directly to parents detailing their thorough student and family orientation programs.
One very positive step the district will be undertaking to help the grade school youngsters cope with the transitions in the schools will be to make a presentation on how to help the kids adjust to their change in schools. Ellen Fox points out that this does not only apply to students leaving a school, but also will give advice on how to help the youngsters whose friends will be leaving their school to attend a different one. (Guggenheim, alone, will be losing half of its current student body.) The program will be organized by Ronnie Smithline, a counselor in the district, and sponsored by the Parent Council. It will be held on March 9 from 7 to 8:30 p.m., ending at that time to allow parents to get home early enough for their elementary school children. Guidance counselors will be attending. Though the meeting is being held at Sousa, it is open to parents of any of the five elementary schools.
During the last round of community comments for the evening, a Park section parent said that he wants their area to unite for the appeal process.
Another parent thanked Dr. Gordon and the board for working hard to create increased diversity in the elementary schools. "You went beyond your duties," she said, adding that "because of this, kids have fewer problems when they get to high school. "Segregation leads to problems later on," she concluded.
At the end of the meeting, board president Laura Mogul thanked the superintendent for his willingness to be at the center of this difficult and unpopular task.
Parents who want to make individual requests regarding their child's placement will be able to file an appeal with Assistant Superintendent for Business Mary Callahan. She can be reached via e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.org or by calling 767-5000 and asking for her.
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I believe there is a truth in any situation, which can be found through investigation.
This should not be controversial. But Ive learned that it is.
I joined the Media Bloggers Association some months ago, believing (from its name) that it would stand for something. What I found is many people, perhaps most people, in that group would rather stand for nothing.
Of course when you stand for nothing youll stand for anything. For some I think this is the point.
We live at a time when liars can get away with it by shouting down or intimidating their opponents. Reporters whove done the work of the powerful for years are going to jail. Others are refusing to publish important stories for fear of prosecution.
That this should be happening in America should alarm everyone in the blogosphere. That it doesnt tells me truth has enemies here, many enemies, powerful enemies, enemies we need to confront.
Its said that a lie can get halfway around the world while the truth is getting its boots on, but if truth is shackled to the bed lies can destroy even the greatest country. That is one of the important lessons of the 20th century. Truth will win out. Truth won out over Stalin, it won out over Hitler, and if liars tell you it was arms that won those struggles respond that without truth there is no call to arms.
The most dramatic example of the power of lies came in our own hemisphere, in Argentina. Many look at Evita as just a bad musical, or a Madonna movie. The fact is that before Juan Peron, Argentina was one of this hemisphere's richest countries. Peron systematically looted it, prevented the people from learning the truth of his depradations, and Argentina has never recovered. It is still a Third World country.
Its possible to go from wealth to poverty simply by believing lies. Thats why it is vital, absolutely vital, that we in the blogosphere uphold truth, meaning the search for truth, the process for discovering truth, and the responsibility of everyone to respond to truth.
Truth isnt a candidate or a position. Truth is a process. Its a process based on objectivity regarding evidence and fairness, a willingness to change your mind based on the evidence.
When I have proposed this standard to the MBA, in various forms, Ive been put down for it. As one wise head put it, We'd lose far more than we'd gain from a backlash against a self-appointed board of bloggers passing judgment on other bloggers. His fear is that bloggers without a standard for truth will walk away if such a standard were even proposed.
I say that without objective criteria for judging someones work, and a transparent process for collecting that information, liars will destroy you and everything you try to do.
There are bloggers working today who are dedicated to lying. They defend every lie of this Administation. They tell lies about any critic. They believe that by destroying critics they destroy truth.
This is a bubble mentality. As a business reporter Ive seen it many times. I saw it in Houston during the 1970s, among the Wall Street LBO crowd in the 1980s, in Silicon Valley in the 1990s. Its the myth that by ignoring hard truths they will go away. And it always ends in disaster.
Right now were in the last stage of what history will call the Conservative Bubble. This false belief now infects the media, it infects the Administration, and it infects the American people.
Fighting such bubbles is my job, and the job of journalists everywhere. Telling truth to power is what we do. Many of us risk our lives to do this. Many journalists will die this year, in the Middle East, in Asia, in Africa and in Latin America, for daring to try and speak truth to power. This doesnt just kill the journalists, but their message, and it prevents progress from occurring. It keeps people in bondage.
No blogger group worth its name should throw its lot in with such people. There is such a thing as truth. There are such things as lies. There is a way to tell the difference. Its not just up to the market (which is so easy to manipulate in the short run) to tell that difference. If bloggers will support liars they deserve no protection, and they will get none from me.
If you dont stand up for truth, and the search for truth, I dont want to be a part of your little gang.
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Where money politics is on the run
After each scandal, such as the latest one involving lobbyist Jack Abramoff, Congress has made minimal efforts to reform its ethical rules and curb the influence of private money. True to form, the latest worthwhile reform efforts are faltering on Capitol Hill.Skip to next paragraph
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Congress, however, might be shamed into action if more attention was paid to aggressive ethics reform approved by state legislatures.
Year by year, politicians in many states hit by money scandals have been forced to shape up (New York passed the first major ethics law in 1954). The latest notable example, and one of the best, is a law passed in Connecticut last December that combines both public financing of campaigns and a ban on contributions to lawmakers by lobbyists and contractors - an effective one-two punch.
Connecticut lawmakers were forced to act after a scandal that saw, among others, a former governor sent to prison. In fact, the new law's provision on public financing is the first one passed by a state legislature, and notably covers both statewide and state legislative candidates. In recent years, Maine and Arizona could enact such public financing measures only by public petition or ballot initiative. And those laws didn't cover the wide scope of public offices. North Carolina has public funding for only judicial elections, while New Mexico's is for a regulation commission.
But activists in more than 30 states are working on such laws, though opposition remains stiff. In Massachusetts, voters approved a "clean-elections" law in 1998, only to have lawmakers overturn it for fear it would enable newcomers to more easily challenge incumbents.
And constitutional challenges to "clean election" laws are still being pursued, as well as attempts to plug loopholes in the laws. Connecticut's law, for instance, sets too high a hurdle for third-party candidates to get public money for campaigns. It also unwisely does not ban many lobbyists, such as those from unions, from contributing to lawmakers.
Paying for this public subsidy of campaigns also remains an issue. Arizona uses surcharges on court proceedings to raise the money. Connecticut plans to tap revenue collected from unclaimed property. But even when general revenues are used, the costs of publically financed campaigns are small compared with the total damage in special benefits, pork-barrel spending, and outright corruption created under a system where the actions of elected leaders are easily bought by big campaign donors.
The federal system of offering public finances to US presidential candidates, first begun in 1976, is no longer a model for the states. The money provided is too little to cover the immense costs of staging a campaign in party primaries. That system is under threat as more candidates choose to rely on private money.
Initial studies of Maine's and Arizona's public financing schemes indicate they do draw more candidates into races and offer increased competitiveness. Connecticut's new law, which takes effect with the 2008 races, should help add further proof that democracy runs best when undemocratic forces such as well-monied donors are not allowed to dominate campaigns and then later presume favors from the winners.
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