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Professor of English
B.S. and M.LS., St. John's University; M.S., Iona College; Ed.D., Columbia University
Prof. O'Donoghue has been teaching at St. John's since 1988. During this time she has taught Composition and Rhetoric, Modern Poetry, Women's Voices in Literature, Contemporary Literature, Great Themes in Literature, The Short Story, and Visualizing American Literature. Her current research interest is in nineteenth-century American women poets, and is in the process of recovering Laura Catherine Redden Searing, a deaf poet, whose Sounds from Secret Chambers has fallen through the cracks of literary history. For the last two years, Prof. O'Donoghue has been using web-based tools in all of her classes.
ENG 1031: Themes in Literature - Love
ENG 1068: Women's voices in Literature (new)
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by Dylan Kenseth ’14
Several hundred people sat with rapt attention under the perfect blue sky over the Reed Center as Head of School Robert W. Hill, III welcomed them to Williston’s 170th Commencement exercises on the morning of June 4, 2011. In his usual cheery but dignified manner, he spoke of how, in his earlier years, he would watch three episodes of M*A*S*H daily, a TV show thought to be “the best of all time.” Without further ado, he turned and gave the podium to the man sitting casually to his left. Alan Alda, distinguished actor, writer, and grandfather to senior Emilia Caligiuri, rose and began a speech filled with unique advice for the graduating seniors.
“Try to arrange to have wisdom now,” Alda said, looking out over the attentive seniors before him. He quickly followed this up with other suggestions such as “oldness should be avoided at any age,” as “youth and old age should be the same thing.” Old age could be avoided, he said, by continuing to learn throughout one’s life. Also, “learning is the only thing you can get high on that actually does you good.”
The overall message of Mr. Alda’s speech was that you should have a dream, and keep working on it throughout life to make it happen. However, a dream can change over time, as evidenced by his personal history. When Mr. Alda was eight, he dreamed of being a writer. By the age of nine, this had changed into a dream of becoming an actor. There was even a time, he added, when he was twelve, when he wanted to own a cream puff factory. Mr. Alda also offered guidelines to make a dream a success. First, you should devote yourself to your dream and involve other people in it. Those who create a dream that benefits others will find that it also benefits themselves. When you have a dream that you’re working on, life has more meaning. There is a “pleasure of learning how to be useful.”
Following Mr. Alda’s speech, academic prizes were awarded, and ten more students were inducted into the Cum Laude Society. One by one, the seniors rose and accepted their diplomas, presented either by Greg Tuleja and Mr. Hill or their parents. When all was said and done, Emilia Caligiuri, chosen as the senior class speaker, said a few words about her first coming to Williston amid stormy October skies and entering the darkened theater during her tour with Ms. Talbot. The wings were blanketed in darkness until the lights miraculously flipped on and made her realize that “gray skies are a temporary condition, and illumination is always possible.”
After commencement, in an exclusive interview for The Willistonian, I was granted the opportunity to ask Mr. Alda a few questions regarding his work and beliefs. In the span of five minutes, I learned an incredible amount about the experiences he creates through his works and the roles he has played. Adding to his speech, Alda mentioned that regardless of the advice given to the seniors, they will truly be affected and shaped by their experiences more than anything they are told. The complete audio of this interview is available for downloading at www.williston.com/podcasts.
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Earlier this year, the Massachusetts state Senate passed a “Right to Repair” bill that would allow your local mechanic to have access to info that is now only available to car dealerships. But the legislation has stalled in the state House. Sick of inaction, 16,000 Bay State residents petitioned the state, and everyone will have a chance to vote on it come November.
In case you’ve never had your car repaired at a dealership, it’s often quite expensive. And with each new model that rolls off the line representing another leap in technology, dealerships are sometimes the only placed that is both fully trained and equipped to handle a repair.
But the legislation would compel automakers to make the information and tools needed for these repairs available for purchase at a reasonable price to both independent mechanics and car-owners who decide to go the DIY route.
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers says the bill as-written would put automakers’ intellectual property at risk. The Boston Globe reports that the AAM claims it has been working on a compromise, but that it will put up a fight if the measure goes before the voters of Massachusetts.
“Automakers have a responsibility to the safety of our consumers, the longterm integrity of our products, and the jobs of eight million American workers who rely on us for their livelihoods,” an AAM rep tells the Globe.
The group that pulled together the 16,000 signatures says a legislative compromise could be acceptable, but that it was important to get the matter on the November ballot because, “one way or another, Massachusetts consumers will soon be able to take their vehicle where they want for repair and maintenance.”
Whether this is legislation is passed in the state house or in the voting booth, we expect it will ultimately end up being resolved in a court of law.
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St Joseph's Peace Mission For Children provides:
Emergency Shelter for children, licensed by the State of Kentucky Cabinet for Families and Children
Is designated as the emergency shelter for the national Safe Place Project in Owensboro
Care for boys and girls age 18 and under
Can serve sibling gloups, pregnant children and children with children
Provide a nurturing, home-like environment
Welcoming All Children in Need
Situations leading to a child's placement are often complicated. Fortunately, state government agencies and processes are in place to ensure that all children, no matter how complicated their circumstances might be, can receive the help they need to be protected and nurtured appropriately.
Children are referred to the Mission by way of the Department of Community Based Services (DCBS), which is under the Protection and Permanency wing of the state's Cabinet for Families and Children, or through the Court Designated Worker (CDW) program, which is part of the Juvenile Services division within the Kentucky Department of Justice.
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Elvia H. Thompson
Dryden Flight Research Center, Calif.
March 16, 2005
NASA Tests Show Wing Warping Controls Aircraft at High Speeds
A NASA flight research project, designed to test a derivative of the Wright Brothers' concept of wing-warping to control aircraft turns, indicates the concept works, even at supersonic speeds.
This high-tech version of century-old technology may have an impact on aircraft design. It may make airplanes more maneuverable at high speeds, enable them to carry heavier payloads or use fuel more efficiently.
The Active Aeroelastic Wing (AAW) project is located at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The project is evaluating active control of lighter-weight flexible wings for improved maneuverability of high-performance aircraft. The project is jointly sponsored and managed by NASA, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; and Boeing's Phantom Works, St. Louis.
"It works!" concluded project manager Larry Myers during AAW flight tests at Dryden. "We have demonstrated a number of subsonic and supersonic flight conditions, where we have actually taken advantage of the aeroelasticity of the wing," Myers explained. "We've gotten excellent results, good agreement with predicted results, and roll rates are comparable to what we predicted in simulation. It looks like we've proven the AAW concept," he added.
Active computerized control of wing flexibility is a step toward the "morphing" concept, where aircraft can change their shape to adapt to differing aerodynamic conditions. The AAW is primarily intended to benefit aircraft that operate in the transonic speed range. The range is approximately 80 to 120 percent of the speed of sound, where traditional control surfaces become minimally effective or ineffective.
Wing flexibility is generally a negative at those speeds. Wing flexibility tends to offset or counteract the effects of normal aileron movements at high aerodynamic pressures. The AAW concept reverses the traditional approach to this problem. The traditional approach has been stiffening the wings of high-performance aircraft with more structure and more weight. AAW reduces the structure and weight. It then actively controls the wing flexibility via computerized flight controls.
Data obtained from flight tests at Dryden will help guide the design of future aircraft including high-performance fighters, high altitude-long endurance uninhabited aerial vehicles, large transport aircraft and high-speed, long-range aircraft.
The test aircraft is an F/A-18A Hornet obtained from the U.S. Navy. It carries extensive instrumentation to measure the twisting and bending of the wing during flight. Once the flight research is successfully completed, the inventors will turn toward spreading the AAW design philosophy to the technical community.
"Transitioning AAW will likely be a relatively long process, since it represents a design philosophy," said Pete Flick, Air Force AAW program manager. "The application to future aircraft will depend on specific design requirements of those future systems. The benefits are greatest when a vehicle design is initiated with AAW in mind, and limited when applied to an existing vehicle," he added.
The flight tests were conducted as part of the Vehicle Systems Program of NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. For more information about Aeronautics at NASA on the Internet, visit:
- end -
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Edited by Greg Neyman
Argument: Paleontologist Mary Schweitzer discovered red blood cells within a t-rex bone, indicating that it could not be millions of years old
Source: Answers in Genesis (http://www.answersingenesis.org/Docs/4232cen_s1997.asp)
Young earth creationists never studied the cells, therefore they are in no position to make any claims about it
Schweitzer's teacher at the time, Dr. Jack Horner, firmly denounces it being red blood cells (click here to read). They were the remnants of cells, but not actual cells
For more Reading:
If you are not a Christian, and you have been holding out on making a decision for Christ because the Church always preached a message that was contrary to what you saw in the scientific world, then rest assured that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, and you can believe in Christ and receive salvation, while still believing in an old earth. Click here for more.
Are you a Christian who believes in young earth creationism? Now that we have shown the many difficulties of the young earth creation science model in this and many other articles, how does this impact your Christian life? If you are a young earth creationism believer, click here.
To learn more
about old earth creationism, see
Old Earth Belief,
or check out the article
Can You Be A
Christian and Believe in an Old Earth?
Feel free to check out more of this website. Our goal is to provide rebuttals to the bad science behind young earth creationism, and honor God by properly presenting His creation.
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By Tom Perry
CAIRO (Reuters) - Arriving in Egypt last year, Julie Hughes had hoped to help write history by aiding the country's new generation of politicians and civil society groups to build a democratic future.
Instead, the American director of the National Democratic Institute is under investigation by authorities for funding irregularities at her U.S.-based group and is banned from leaving Egypt, a measure that prompted other activists to seek refuge this week in the U.S. embassy in Cairo.
Her hope for change, inspired by the fall of Hosni Mubarak at the hands of hundreds of thousands of protesting Egyptians, was punctured on December 29 when her offices were raided in connection with an investigation by Egypt's new military rulers.
The work of NDI, which is loosely linked to the U.S. Democratic Party, had fallen prey to what Egyptian pro-democracy campaigners say is a war between remnants of Mubarak's inner circle and a rapidly developing civil society.
It's a war, some campaigners say, that is more vicious than the one they fought under Mubarak, and it could further sour relations between Cairo and Washington, putting $1.3 billion of annual U.S. military aid in jeopardy.
But for the authorities, it is a matter of law; the non-governmental organizations broke it by receiving foreign funding without government approval.
For Hughes, the first casualty has been NDI's work with Egypt's budding new political class. "That is more than a little heartbreaking for us," Hughes told Reuters at her Cairo home.
A handful of Americans, including a son of a member of President Barack Obama's cabinet, are sheltering behind the fortress-like walls of the U.S. embassy for protection.
All employees of U.S.-based non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that have loose links to America's two leading political parties, they say they have been accused of running groups that were not properly licensed in Egypt and receiving foreign funding illegally.
A judicial source said on Wednesday the travel ban had been extended to three more Americans, taking the total to 17 U.S. citizens out of a total of 28 foreigners who have been prevented from leaving Egypt. The source expected the release of the probe's results next week.
The government has yet to confirm the specific charges, leaving the activists guessing as to what the punishment could be.
The groups work on everything from educating voters to advising politicians on how to build a successful coalition.
Hughes sums up the euphoria with which many activists arrived in Egypt.
"It's an honor to be right here now at this point in history: to see history being rewritten and being remade and people grabbing hold of their political future and helping them participate in the democratic transition," she told Reuters.
NDI has trained around 14,000 Egyptians in advocacy, voter education and election monitoring since April 1 last year and has brought speakers including former leaders of Poland and Chile, countries with an experience of democratic transitions.
But the investigation shows how far Egypt has to go before such organizations can operate as freely as they do in much of the world, highlighting what Egyptian activists describe as the persistence of the Mubarak-era mentality - one of fear of allowing too much debate.
Egyptians have also been targeted by the investigation. They accuse the military rulers of trying to row back on democratic reforms by silencing their number.
"It is one of the frontlines of the revolution," said Nasser Amin, head of an Egyptian-run organization working to advance judicial independence, which is also being investigated over its legal status.
"It is the counter revolution that is attacking us."
Egyptian activists said the fact that the investigation has been spearheaded by a government minister who served under Mubarak showed it was being pursued in his image.
But Faiza Abu el-Naga, minister of international cooperation, who has survived repeated cabinet reshuffles before and after Mubarak was driven out, has said the investigation is simply a matter of law.
"The rights groups that are being investigated received funds from abroad without government knowledge and in violation of the law," she told a news conference on the subject.
Some political analysts said the steps were being orchestrated by the ruling generals to try to secure leverage over Washington while rallying support around anti-American sentiment and undermining the reputation of their most vocal critics in the Egyptian-led NGO community.
But the generals will be careful not to lose the $1.3 billion in aid they get yearly in return for Egypt becoming the first Arab state to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979.
Congress has approved this year's payout, but it has also set conditions, including requiring that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton certify the Egyptian government is supporting the transition.
For now, Pentagon officials said the alliance with Egypt was still on solid ground.
"There are going to be differences of opinion. There were before the popular revolution there ... Part of what makes a relationship a relationship is the ability to continue to discuss and try to find a way to move forward even beyond the differences you might share," Pentagon spokesman Captain John Kirby said in Washington.
On a visit to Cairo, Michael Posner, the U.S. State Department's top human rights official, urged Egypt to resolve the NGO issue. And it will almost certainly be discussed in Washington, where an Egyptian military team is visiting.
TOO MUCH FOREIGN MONEY
Some Egyptian media have said American money poured into NGOs last year, proving there was a plot to subvert the course of change in Egypt.
The U.S. ambassador to Cairo had spoken of "close to $40 million" invested in organizations including NDI and the International Republican Institute, an NGO affiliated with the Republican Party which is also under investigation.
Hafez Abou Saeda, chairman of the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights, said the state's aim was to sway public opinion against the pro-democracy movement.
"It is using this card to influence domestic opinion: to give the impression that the whole revolution is a foreign product," he told Reuters.
Abu Saeda's organization has faced no formal accusations in the current investigation, though he said his bank accounts were examined by investigators as part of the probe.
The case has a sense of deja vu for him. He was jailed in 1998, accused of receiving foreign funds to write a report in which he documented cases of torture by the security forces.
"Instead of putting the officers on trial, they arrested me and put me on trial and said I had received foreign funds to distort the image of the country," said Abu Saeda.
"It's always the issue of foreign funding that is used to defame the rights movement in Egypt," he said, adding that his organization gets most of its funds from the European Union.
OLD REGIME REMAINS
The restrictions placed on NGOs over the years have encouraged many to register their organizations in other ways.
The Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession, the organization led by Amin, has been registered as a not-for-profit company since it was set up in 1997.
"All of a sudden they have discovered that we have been working for 15 years without an (NGO) license," he said from his organization's office overlooking the Nile, describing being questioned for seven hours on Monday over the group's legal status and funding.
His 11th-floor office was among those raided on December 29 by investigators who confiscated documents and computers. Staff were still using their own laptops on Tuesday because the equipment had yet to be returned.
Amin said it was the return of the old days. The two judges investigating the case against his organization had formerly worked for Egypt's State Security Prosecution, part of a widely-hated security agency that was formally dissolved last year.
"The members of state security are still there in the apparatus," he said. "A year after the revolution, the old regime has started to regain its strength."
(Additional reporting by Ahmed Tolba in Cairo and Andrew Quinn in Washington; Editing Edmund Blair and Elizabeth Piper)
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Bible Study for Muslims
Who is Jesus? - Day 4
Day 4: Jesus the Prophet
God ordained prophets to give His message and foretell future events. As we learned yesterday, Jesus’ teaching came from God (John 8:28). Jesus also proved He was a prophet by predicting His own death.
Jesus prophesied His own death
“Then he said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ And Peter answered, ‘The Christ of God.’ And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, ‘The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised’” (Luke 9:20-22).
“‘Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.’ But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying” (Luke 9:44-45).
“At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’
“And he said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox, “Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.”
“‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (Luke 13: 31-35).
“And taking the twelve, he said to them, ‘See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise’" (Luke 18:31-33).
Prophesies predicting Christ’s death
Not only did Jesus prophesy His approaching death and resurrection, but also the Scriptures, hundreds of years before Isa’s birth, precisely foretold His death.
“Who has believed what they heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
“For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.
“He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
“But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.
“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
“By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?
“And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.
“Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
“Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.
“Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:1-12).
“For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet–I can count all my bones–they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots” (Psalm 22:16-18).
Now we know the prophecies of Isa’s death, but how did the prophecies come true? Why would God allow His Prophet to die in such a horrible way? On day 5, discover the truth about the cross.
Day 1 - Jesus the Perfect Man
Day 2 - Jesus the Miracle Worker
Day 3 - Jesus the Teacher
Day 5 - Jesus the Savior
Day 6 - Jesus the Resurrected Lord
Day 7 - Jesus the Exalted King
Bible Study for Muslims - Who is Jesus? - Day 4
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This post comes directly to you from the Department of Intellectual Property Irony.
Chinese manufacturer of photography tripods, Sirui, is waging a patent infringement war against another Chinese firm. Sirui claims the other company stole intellectual property related to its "elaborately researched and developed patent technology."
The Sirui website includes the following graphic, complete with the raised fist of underdogs who have been wronged and refuse to accept their fate without a fight:
All of which ignores one key point: Sirui tripods appear to be knockoffs of a top tripod maker called Gitzo, which was founded in 1917. Both brands feature carbon fiber tubes and twist-locks, which are the mechanism for controlling how the legs extend. Several Chinese companies manufacture tripods that photographers consider Gitzo knockoffs, but it's extremely unusual for one of them to pursue its own intellectual property case.
This situation reflects China during a period of transition. Having developed excellent manufacturing capability, China is now the manufacturing outsourcer of choice for many major Western brands. At the same time, some Chinese firms want to become innovators who create intellectual property rather than merely reproduce other company's designs. Sirui's patents suggest broader ambitions, a sentiment that its website supports:
To promote benign competition and development of photographic equipment industry, it’s increasingly essential to standardize the industry action, reject illicit competition, initiate intellectual property construction and truly strengthen industry foundation construction and core competition.
In other words, Sirui faces the same intellectual property challenges that Western firms have complained about for years. As innovation, rather than duplication, becomes more deeply a part of Chinese business culture, the intellectual property situation will improve. For now, however, we find ironic situations that only make sense in the context of China's ongoing transition to innovator. China's intellectual property evolution will take many years, during which time we will surely see many odd and confusing situations -- such as this case.
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Hebrews 11 are two texts providing us near text book examples of how illuminating knowledge of Jewish backgrounds can be for New Testament study.These are "Givens" that we have spoken of before.
Paul's text in Ephesians 6.10-18 bristles with power, excites the mind, and challenges the soul. It is one of my favorite (of course Ephesians is probably my favorite Pauline epistle too but . . .). This text also has evoked a plethora images in the imagination down through the years as well.
Many a preacher (including this one) has waxed eloquently on how Paul was meditating on the dress of a Roman soldier and then applied that to the Christian life. Though this makes for a great analogy, it is probably not what Paul was doing at all -- much to my consternation. Rather Paul is meditating, first and foremost, upon Scripture as he so often does in his writings as he wrestles with new life in the messianic age. I have argued elsewhere that the NT writers are saturated with the Hebrew Bible and virtually every paragraph is written on the "subtext" of the Hebrew Scriptures or its Greek translation the Septuagint (LXX).
In Ephesians 6 for example the text to begin with is Isaiah 59. I recall reading through Isaiah years ago and saying to myself that the language of Isaiah 59.17 sounds awful familiar! The text reads in the NIV:
"He [Yahweh] put on righteousness as his breastplate,
and the helmet of salvation on his head . . ."
And sure enough the Greek NT puts Isaiah 59.17 down as the "echo" or "allusion" (this is the technical term) for Eph. 6. Paul's mode of thought was "scripture" -- primarily. This satisfied me until about 1999.
In 1999, I was introduced to a body of literature known for centuries to others (early Christians, Reformation Christians, Jews, etc). That body of literature is called the Apocrypha. I now regard the Apocrypha as one of the key elements as far as the background of the NT is concerned.
One of those writings is known as the Wisdom of Solomon. This work was written sometime after 220 B.C. and had a profound influence in early Christianity. The Apostle Paul shows himself to be familiar with this writing in a number of places. This should hardly surprise, nor trouble, us being the Rabbi and scholar that he was. One of the most interesting places of connection between Wisdom and Paul concerns this very text describing the "whole Armour of God" in Isaiah and Ephesians. Both Wisdom and Ephesians are clearly reflecting back Isaiah 59. But interestingly Paul includes two things that Isaiah 59 did not: 1) the shield and 2) the sword. Significantly enough Wisdom includes both of these. Here is the Wisdom text:
"The Lord will take his zeal as his WHOLE ARMOR, and will arm all creation to repel his enemies; he will put on righteousness as a
breastplate, and wear a helmet of righteous justice; he will take
holiness as an invincible shield, and sharpen stern wrath for a
sword" (Wisdom of Solomon 5.17-20, the BV translation - but see the
Wisdom goes on to mention a bow as well. I remember when I read this passage and thinking -- that sounds a lot like Paul. More than a faint echo for sure. One of the most interesting parallels between Paul and Wisdom is with the word "panoplia" (whole armor). This word ONLY occurs twice in all biblical Greek. Guess where? You got it: in Ephesians 6 and Wisdom 5.17. (I say biblical Greek because Wisdom is part of the LXX which is in fact "biblical" Greek).
Paul, the Jewish rabbi turned Messianic theologian, uses a text that is literally describing the armor of God in his battle against his foes and applies that text to Christians who are to take on God's own armor -- not a Roman soldier's but God's! To do battle against the same spiritual realities, the principalities and powers, that are God's enemies.
Thus Ephesians 6 and the "panoplia" of God gives us a remarkable case study in the usefulness of in depth background study. There a numerous other examples where the Apocrypha sheds rich light onto the customs and even at times the very words of the NT. A good commentary on Ephesians will bring this background out for the modern reader. We may have not noticed the connection before -- but the ancients most certainly did.
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Devil5052 wrote:Since the topic is now Electronic Voting Machines, I see no reason why all voting is not done via the internet. (Security could be easily controled just as it is when people spend Thousands of dollars securely buying things online)
We all know it's coming, so why not speed it up?
That's wouod be impossible task and I can give you multiple reasons as to why that should never be done. Off the top there is no way to control the security of the users computer itself.... When you order something online a over secure connection your computer is sent a public key, this public key can be used to encrypt the data you are going to send but it cannot be used to decrypt it, for that you need the private key. Where the issue arises is that data is not encrypted until you hit the submit button, for example... If you input your credit card information into text box you could possibly have what they call a keylogger that records all your keystokes and sends that to a third party. Additionally you could also have malicious software that could change the data before its submitted.
There's also the issue of identification and without some kind of biometric method I don't see how that can be reliably done.
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Sept. 28, 2011
CONTACT: K.E. Schwab
Click here first: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCYApJtsyd0
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Children’s story character Annie Mouse has an alter ego – her creator and author Anne Maro Slanina, Slippery Rock University associate professor of elementary education and early childhood. Slanina’s passion is the famed U.S. Route 66. So, Annie’s latest adventure takes her across the America on the nostalgic roadway.
Slanina, who joined the SRU faculty in 1998, has authored four previous “Annie Mouse” books. Her latest is “Annie Mouse’s Route 66 Adventure.”
All of the Mouse Family books are designed to provide parents, teachers and others both an enjoyable read for their children and the opportunity to talk about important family issues and values in a disarming way. Topics such as fears, make-believe, going to the hospital, making new friends and, in the latest offering, taking a family vacation are covered. The latest book can also be used as a travel guide and to supplement social studies textbooks, Slanina said.
“My real passion is Route 66; it began with my first trip across country. I have driven it yearly since 2006 to visit my son, Michael and his family, in Arizona. I have just fallen in love with it,” she said. Over the years, Slanina has picked up all number of trinkets, brochures, fliers, souvenirs and memorabilia along the way, including the Route 66 earrings she wore to the interview. And, she has made innumerable friends.
“The trip for Annie and her family was just a natural,” she said, adding she first started working on the book during her first trip. “The book is really a great way to open communication,” she said.
The latest book is now on sale at numerous stores, restaurants and souvenir shops along the roadway. “There are even copies available at the souvenir shop in the Grand Canyon,” Slanina said.
The Route 66 book opens with Annie, the series’ principle character, arriving home on the last day of school to find the family car already packed. She initially thinks the Mouse Family is moving, but quickly learns that a family trip is planned instead.
“This is the longest book I have written, at 48 pages, but it could have gone on for 2,000,” she said, explaining that with the stories she has to tell from her own trips and the stacks of photos, postcards and information she has gathered.
Slanina took all of the color photographs in the book. David Keppel digitally added the animated characters to the photos. “Keppel did a terrific job of working with the photos and the layout of the book’s pages,” she said.
“It was really difficult trying to determine which photos to include and which to leave out,” she said.
The book takes the family to some of the famous, and not so famous, stops along the famed highway.
U.S. Route 66 is also known as the “Will Rogers Highway” named after the famous American humorist, as well as the “Main Street of America” or the “Mother Road,” among other titles. Established in 1926, in its heyday Route 66 ran continuously from Chicago to Los Angeles, covering 2,448 miles. However later expansion of the U.S. freeway system left parts of the original route closed, abandoned or merged into other numbered roadways.
Those of a certain age will remember the “Route 66” hit recording done in 1946 by the Nat King Cole Trio and later performed by Chuck Berry, The Rolling Stones, The Manhattan Transfer and Depeche Mode. There was also a weekly television show of the same name in the 1960s staring Martin Milner and Tod Stiles, and including George Maharis.
“There is also a renewed interest in the roadway as a result of the Disney/Pixar movie ‘Cars,’ which highlighted the plight of Route 66 towns and also employed the ‘Route 66’ tune,” Slanina said.
“Since I don’t like to fly, my only option was to drive to visit my son’s family. So I started my first trip and I met wonderful people along the way. Along much of the road once thriving businesses are now closed or are shoestring operations because the newer freeway system draws travelers from the original route. But, I still keep traveling the old roadway and stopping to see people who have come to be my friends,” Slanina said.
Her latest book starts in Joliet, Ill., just south of Chicago, and takes the Mouse Family to such sites as “The World’s Largest Totem Pole” in Foyil at Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole Park and the “Blue Whale Swimming Park” in Catoosa – which is now closed for swimming. There are stops at “The Midpoint Café” and “The Big Texan” in Texas, along with visits to Sapulpa, Bristow and Depew.
“Part of the overall idea is to plant the seed of an old-fashioned family vacation, putting away the video games, seeing some of the unusual sites of America – and just spending time together as a family. The adventure has the potential to draw the family closer together and enhance family communication, while also building academic skills. This is a great way for children to see things firsthand, often related to things they are learning in school,” Slanina said.
Slanina points with pride to a photo she took of the once-famed Riviera Restaurant in Pontiac, rumored to have been a favorite hangout of famed gangster Al Capone. “It may be among the last photos taken of the restaurant, because it burned down last year a few weeks after I snapped the photograph,” she said.
Slanina took delivery of her latest work from the printer in May and promptly set out both to again visit her family and to deliver copies of the book to potential booksellers along Route 66.
“It was a great experience, but also frightening. I was just 20 miles outside Joplin, Mo., on May 22, visiting with friends when tornado warnings were issued. I had been scheduled to be in Joplin, but had made a last-minute decision to stay longer visiting my friends in Neosho. After the tornado, I drove 100 miles south to stay with relatives until the volatile weather stabilized. The devastation was terrible,” she said. The tornado that hit was rated at EF5 and stretched five-miles wide.
“Because there are ‘Road Ends’ signs along Route 66, I have to periodically hop on an interstate and follow special Route 66 maps to find where the old route picks up again. You have to do a little research if you want to drive as much of the original roadway as possible,” she said.
The book includes an “Autograph Page” already signed by Annie Mouse and open to others that travelers meet along their own vacation route.
Slanina is also writing a teacher/parent guide that will be available online to help structure discussions with their children.
“I am a Route 66 enthusiast, and I really encourage parents to explore the beautiful United States with their children. Road trips on historic highways, like Route 66, help bring families closer together and expose children to the many wonders of the nation’s countryside,” she said.
In addition to the actual photos in the book, drawings of Annie and her family compliment the pages. The illustrations are done by Kelsey Collins, a May SRU elementary education and early childhood graduate.
Slanina’s other “The Adventures of Annie Mouse” works are “Annie Mouse Meets Her Guardian Angel,” “Baby Brother Goes to the Hospital,” “Annie Mouse Meets a New Friend” and “Where the Rainbow Touches Ground.”
Slanina said the books are available for purchase at the SGA Bookstore in the University Union and from Amazon.com as both e-books and print. More information can be found on her website, where books may also be purchased at www.anniemousebooks.com.
Slippery Rock University is Pennsylvania’s premier public residential university. Slippery Rock University provides students with a comprehensive learning experience that intentionally combines academic instruction with enhanced educational and learning opportunities that make a positive difference in their lives.
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Issue 11.05 UNWIRED - A Wired Special Report - May 2003
Good-Bye 3G - Hello Wi-Fi Frappuccino (continued)
Wi-Fi had fast become the thing carriers fear most: a disruptive technology. How disruptive? T-Mobile is now fiercely ambivalent about 3G as the future of wireless data. "We've always been an advocate and supportive of 3G, but frankly never saw a way to get it done in the US," explains Cole Brodman, senior vice president and chief development officer at T-Mobile and the man who hatched a business plan from Stanton's enthusiasm. "We looked at Wi-Fi as a disruptive technology and a chance to get something done. On the 3G side, we are in the wait-and-see mode, and we are working on evaluating some other technologies."
The goal for T-Mobile and similar wireless providers is a seamless network, where one device hops from the Wi-Fi network to the cellular network with ease. Call it communications convergence: a blissful harmony of technologies, invisible to the consumer, that allows broadband access anywhere, anytime, from any device. Despite significant technical hurdles (not the least of which is a lightning-quick power drain), chipset makers like Intel and Qualcomm are experimenting with built-in Wi-Fi, and dual-action handsets are on their way. Samsung and HP have already shown PDA-based Wi-Fi phones; Motorola has promised one by the end of the year.
Though T-Mobile is the only carrier that has publicly disclosed plans to converge Wi-Fi with cellular, others are working on integrated networks. In February, at the 3GSM Congress in Cannes, Texas Instruments floated a scenario that includes cellular microbase stations combined with Wi-Fi hot spots to blanket dense urban environments.
In the meantime, T-Mobile is still tweaking its strategy. As the company evaluates various 3G technologies, the Starbucks Wi-Fi experience so far has been only a limited success, with reports of just 20 Wi-Fi users per day even in busy locations. To spur demand, in March T-Mobile slashed Wi-Fi access prices, and it's pushing ahead to unite its Wi-Fi and cellular networks. The ultimate goal: offering customers the ability to roam between the two and get one bill at the end of the month.
If T-Mobile gets it right, the company may soon have a customer base accustomed to using phones to move around big data and multimedia files. That's not far from the previous 3G vision - except for the 3G part, which T-Mobile barely mentions anymore. Wi-Fi, even in its young and developing form, has everything to do with that.
<< Page 1
Copyright © 1993-2004 The Condé Nast Publications Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1994-2003 Wired Digital, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church
The Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC) is the third largest Orthodox Church in Ukraine after the autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate and the independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate. The UAOC, which has its origins in the early 20th century in Ukraine, has preserved the vision of an independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Ukrainian nationalism in the Ukrainian Diaspora during the Soviet era and now in independent Ukraine itself.
Founding and Dissolution of the UAOC
For centuries what became the UAOC was part of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, which was founded by the Church of Constantinople and remained part of it prior to the independence of the Church of Rus'. After the transfer of the seat of the metropolitans of Kiev from Kiev to cities further east and north (and eventually to Moscow) the territories of what today is Ukraine came under the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which had jurisdiction over the region returned to Constantinople and eventually to the Ukrainian Catholic Church after the Union of Brest. It wasn't until the conquest of Ukraine by the rising Russian Empire that its Church was reunited with the Church of Rus'.
Due to the cultural differences that had developed as a result of the Polish occupation and the Union of Brest the reunion of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine with the Church of Rus' was opposed by some Ukrainian Orthodox, who began advocating the establishment of an independent Church of Ukraine. Although suppressed by the Russian Empire, following its collapse in the early 20th century supporters of an independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church held an All-Ukrainian Council (sobor) in Kiev that on 5 May 1920 declared the establishment of an independent Local Orthodox Church in Ukraine.
The UAOC sought for hierarchical support, but none of the hierarchs serving in Ukraine would join the Church and consequently in 1921 a group of clergy and laymen together "consecrated" Archpriest Vasyl Lypkivskyj as a bishop, enthroning him as Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine. He consequently "consecrated" other bishops for Ukraine and dioceses of the UAOC formed in Canada and the United States by Ukrainian nationalists and converts from Ukrainian Catholicism. (These eparchies later became the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA.)
The UAOC in Ukraine was dissolved following the Bolshevik occupation and annexation of eastern and central Ukraine in the 1920s. In 1924, however, the Ecumenical Patriarchate unilaterally rescinded the transfer of the Orthodox Church in what today is western Ukraine, Belarus, and Poland to the Church of Rus' and established it as the independent Church of Poland. Although operating on the territory of interwar Poland and officially called the Polish Orthodox Church, this new Local Orthodox Church's flock was primarily Ukrainian and Belorussian in composition.
Restoration of the UAOC
During World War II the German government strongly encouraged Ukrainian and Belorussian nationalism as a counterweight to Polish and Soviet resistance and influence in Eastern Europe. It was this that allowed dissident hierarchs of the Polish Orthodox Church in what had been southeastern Poland and the western USSR to declare the restoration of the UAOC in 1942. Bishop Polycarp (Sikorsky) of Lutsk, formerly of the Church of Poland, became the first legitimately consecrated hierarch to serve as primate of the UAOC (its pre-WWII hierarchical consecrations had all been invalid under canon law).
UAOC in the Diaspora
The restoration of the UAOC in Ukraine proved to be brief as the region was occupied by the Red Army in the 1940s and annexed to the Soviet Union. Those hierarchs and clergy of the UAOC who remained in Soviet Ukraine were forced to submit to the Moscow Patriarchate or else sent into internal exile or executed. Several of the Church's hierarchs fled the advance of the Red Army and ended up in the Ukrainian Diaspora in the West, among them Metropolitan Polycarp.
In the following years the UAOC existed only in the Diaspora, with parishes scattered across the globe in Australia, North and South America, and Western Europe. It, like other jurisdictions present in the West following the Bolshevik Revolution, drifted in and out of communion with world Orthodoxy. Following the repose of Metropolitan Polycarp in France in 1953, Archbishop Mstyslav (Skrypnyk) of Parma became primate of the UAOC in 1969.
UAOC Returns to Ukraine
In 1990 the weakening of the central government of the Soviet Union allowed for the restoration of the UAOC in Ukraine for the first time since World War II. Not long after the UAOC accepted into its communion hierarchs and clergy led by Metropolitan Philaret of Kiev of the Moscow Patriarchate and elected the 92-year old Metropolitan Mstyslav as Patriarch of Kyiv and All Ukraine, enthroning him on 6 November 1990.
Following the repose of Patriarch Mstyslav in 1993 two new Patriarchs of Kyiv, Volodomyr (Romaniuk) and Dymytriy (Yarema), were elected by factions of the UAOC, those under Patriarch Volodymyr largely consisting of supporters of the former Russian Orthodox Metropolitan Philaret who together founded the Kyiv Patriarchate of Ukrainian Orthodox Church. It was around this time that both of the UAOC's dioceses in North America together with large parts of its Western European and Australian flocks left the Church to join the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
After the death of Patriarch Dymytriy in 2000 the UAOC elected Archbishop Methodius of Ternopil' as Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine. Although the UAOC has established new dioceses in the Ukrainian Diaspora, it remains on friendly terms with its daughter churches under the Ecumenical Patriarchate and has attempted itself to establish communion with Constantinople in the hopes of having it establish a universally recognized, independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The UAOC today is concentrated in western Ukraine and has its headquarters at the historic Church of St. Andrew in Kiev.
External Links and Sources
- Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (Official Website of the UAOC)
- Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in the USA (Official Website of the UAOCUSA)
- History of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada (Official Website of the UOCC)
- History of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA (Official Website of the UOCUSA)
- Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (Wikipedia)
- Mstyslav (Skrypnyk) (Wikipedia)
- Polikarp (Sikorski) (Polish-language Wikipedia)
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Last week I wrote about unpredictability, mainly as it applies to the sciences. But one doesn’t have to understand evolutionary biology or chaos theory to appreciate the real-world significance of contingency.
Crashing your bike, for example, is a highly contingent event, balancing on the fulcrum of the tiny circumstance: the patch of black ice or the open car door. Careening into the pavement, one feels keenly the power of the unforeseeable cause. Yet other events, such as weddings, usually unfold according to predetermined paths and produce predictable outcomes. Indeed, wedding planners make their living on this assumption, convincing couples that certainty is achievable, that contingency can be banished from church and reception hall.
All of this is to say something that is probably already pretty obvious: some events are more predictable than others. Historians have no quibble with this. The more interesting question is this: what kind of events matter? Which of them are the movers of history? (Or, as a historian might phrase it, which forces have the most historical agency?).
For some, the power of contingency remains a relatively minor factor in history, dwarfed by the unfolding of large-scale, long-term events. Karl Marx’s theory of historical materialism, for example, sets up a series of stages (Feudalism, Capitalism, Socialism, Communism) that societies pass through as people try to fulfill their basic needs. In Marx’s vision, societies evolve according to a pattern which cannot be easily upset by contingent forces. History is a supertanker which moves through the water with a momentum scarcely touched by the people on deck, no matter how unpredictably they might be acting.
On the other hand, there are the proponents of “great man” history who tend to place the course of events in the hands of individuals who make decisions that change the world: Caesar, Napoleon, Hitler, Justin Timberlake. This vision of history tends to be far more open to the power of contingency since unforeseeable events clearly effect the lives of individuals, even “great men.” While these histories remain enormously popular and fly off the shelves at Barnes and Nobles, they are seen as rather old-fashioned in the Academy. Here among the turtle-neck and tweed-jacket classes, the “great man” has been replaced by a focus on other agents: institutions, states, empires, or culture.
Yet even with the interest in big-scale forces such as institutions and empires, the idea of contingency has gained caché within the Academy. For many it is clear that institutional or imperial events also do not have predictable outcomes, unfolding in surprising ways with unforeseeable consequences.
The irony in all of this is that historians are largely to blame for making history seem inevitable. It is not for want of trying. Historians, even more than political analysts, do Monday-morning quarterbacking, bringing coherence to events that benefit from the wisdom of hindsight. This is what we do. Yet the irony is that, in bringing coherence to seemingly chaotic events, we loose something of the reality of the event as it unfolded.
The hardest part of history, as I see it, is not in chasing down and explaining these events. It’s in conveying the sense of open-endedness that people felt in living through them.
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Customers Need IAQ
Originally published: 05.01.08 by Traci Purdum
Partnering with customers to make their indoor environments healthier.
Did you know that most homes generate about 40 pounds of dust per year for every 1,500 square feet of space? While some neat-freaks may argue that point, it’s a safe bet that unless they have the proper filters in place to eliminate the dust, they also are living with 40 pounds of pet dander, human skin flakes and various other microscopic particles that invade the home.
The thought of living with such filth has consumers running for their dust rags and in many cases indoor air quality (IAQ) solutions.
In fact, the U.S. market for air quality product manufacturing will grow to $221 million by 2012, according to Rockville, Md.-based SBI (Specialists in Business Information), whose parent company is MarketResearch.com.
According to the EPA, all of us face a variety of risks to our health as we go about our daily lives. Driving, flying and being exposed to environmental pollutants all pose some risk.
We accept these risks because we want to lead our lives the way we want. However, some risks can be avoided with the proper information. Indoor air pollution is one risk consumers can do something about.
And IAQ problems aren’t limited to dust. Combustion sources (oil, gas, wood and tobacco products), building materials, cleaning products, cooking smells and outdoor sources such as pesticides and pollution all commingle together to create poor indoor air quality and exacerbate symptoms for allergy and asthma sufferers.
Imagine what the recent Southern California wildfires, which displaced more than 900,000 people from their homes and filled the air with smoke, did to those with allergies. Homeowners were tasked with making sure their families were safe from the noxious fumes.
For one Southern California homeowner and hvac contractor, an IAQ solution made a significant difference.
John Hurn, CEO of Hurn Mechanical Inc., which services the San Diego area, installed Trane CleanEffects air cleaner technology in his home.
“As soon as the fires started, I put the fan in the ‘on’ position so it would run continuously,” explains Hurn. “It worked so well that even when the smoke was so [thick] outside that you couldn’t see or breathe, you couldn’t smell it in the house.”
The Hurns also noticed that their home had less dust even with two cats. Knowing how pleased they were with the results of CleanEffects, they decided to send out a questionnaire to their customers to see if others were experiencing the same results.
One customer had the system installed just a few days before the wildfires. The wildfires caused the family to evacuate their home. Before they left they made sure the CleanEffects system was on. When they returned a few days later, they came home to a house covered in ash and soot. Inside, the air was pristine.
According to Trane, the CleanEffects air cleaning technology removes up to 99.98% of airborne particles and allergens from the air. To prove its effectiveness, Trane had the performance results tested by third-party vendors LMS Technologies and Environmental Health & Engineering Inc. To further validate the findings, Harvard School of Public Health professors signed off on the results.
Regardless of tests results, the real challenge for contractors is convincing consumers that they are the go-to person for IAQ solutions. And with throw-away products like the Ionic Breeze and various other portable air purifiers that all tout cleaner air for a fraction of what it costs to have a contractor install an IAQ product, it’s a tough sell.
To help contractors get their arms around IAQ technology and ultimately become more comfortable selling IAQ, Bryant launched its Healthy Home Solutions kit, which is a training, sales and marketing kit aimed at educating contractors and consumers on the need for healthy indoor air quality.
“Homeowners are beginning to become aware of IAQ,” says Jeff Goss, marketing manager for IAQ products at Bryant. “We took a look at the marketplace and saw where the sales were going — things like portable air cleaners and high-efficiency vacuums. Sales for those have shot up dramatically in the last couple of years. We take that as a sign that people are interested in these kinds of products, but maybe don’t realize that their hvac professional can offer them a solution.”
The Bryant kit gears sales literature around concepts the homeowner can understand and that resonate with them on a day-to-day basis. It also tries to position the contractor as the specialist in IAQ.
In addition to the sales literature, the Healthy Home Solutions kit leans heavy on the technical literature so contractors can better understand IAQ products.
“They see IAQ as a sales opportunity and a growth opportunity, but they don’t feel comfortable talking with customers— they don’t want the homeowner to stump them on a question and look like they don’t have all of the answers,” says Goss.
Bryant understands that a contractor’s comfort level with products will equate to more sales. To further their comfort level, additional training will earn a factory authorized Bryant dealer the designation of Healthy Air Specialist.
Agreeing with the need for education is Lance Fernandez, general manager of Yes! Air Conditioning, Las Vegas.
Yes! Air Conditioning recently had an IAQ marketing professional train its staff on how to improve sales of the company’s air scrubber/UV light combo that fetches between $1,500 and $2,500 installed.
“I hate to have the entire staff out for three consecutive mornings and not on service calls, but indoor air quality products represent such a potential growth market today and for the foreseeable future,” says Fernandez. “[Currently], we’re not specifically focused on direct marketing indoor air quality, but it’s going to represent 10% of our total revenue in the next few years.”
The first key to IAQ sales, Fernandez points out, is that the staff must educate every consumer about indoor air quality.
Yes! offers “leave-behind” marketing materials to help raise awareness among its customer base that explain the problems of a “tight” home that lacks air circulation, and the degree to which ultraviolet light plays in controlling airborne germs/contaminants. Another tool Yes! has used in marketing the issue more proactively is in-home air quality tests in which the company sends collected data to be analyzed for health assessment. Fernandez said this has helped demonstrate to consumers that their system is more than something that just heats and cools your home — it creates an indoor environment.
According to Goss, IAQ solutions show strong growth in a declining core-equipment market. The products offer a great opportunity for contractors to differentiate themselves in a time when a lot of people are competing on price.
Bryant has a full range of products that address various issues. This is where product knowledge comes into play.
“A lot of times we hear of dealers out on a service call and there is a dog in the home or there is a child with allergies,” says Goss. “The technician will take that opportunity to bring up the topic of IAQ as an upgrade to their current system.”
Depending how the dealer wants to address IAQ, the opportunity is always there — the hurdle is opening that conversation. Many times customers aren’t coming to the contractor for better air filtration in their homes.
“It’s tough to put metrics on the quality of life, from a dollars perspective it’s difficult to make that sale,” explains Goss. “What we try to do is encourage contractors to offer customer testimonials because a lot of times word-of-mouth marketing is much more powerful than anything we can put on a sheet of paper.”
Articles by Traci Purdum
Flip This Fleet
Traci Purdum summarizes characteristics of successful branding strategies and presents insight from the winners of HVACR Business' fleet design contest.
Proper and on-going safety training can prevent most accidents. Investigating accidents and routine safety audits also can keep workers safe.
Tap The Light Commercial Service Market
Responsiveness and quality of work will help you make the sale and retain customers.
Customers Need IAQ
Education is key to IAQ sales. One way to help consumers is to offer customer testimonials, which can be a very powerful marketing tool.
Every year natural disasters and common events like fires force thousands of businesses to close, and 25% can not recover. To better your odds of survival, devise a disaster plan.
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How do you know if you are a LASIK candidate?
A thorough examination by a LASIK surgeon is required to identify a good LASIK candidate. Dr. William Boothe and his staff at Boothe Eyecare will check the eyes health, overall health, thickness of cornea, curvature of cornea and refractive error of the candidate before suggesting a LASIK surgery. If he does not think that the results of the tests are good enough for a LASIK eye procedure, he will suggest to undergo other procedures for correcting your refractive errors. It is necessary to get an appointment with Dr. Boothe and his assistants to know more about your condition and whether you are the right candidate for the LASIK procedure.
To be considered a candidate for LASIK, there are some requirements you have to meet with. Around 15% of the people coming for this eye procedure are not good candidates because of differences in corneal size and shape. The patient should be of 18 years of age or more to be considered as suitable for this procedure. In case of a female patient, she must not be pregnant or breast-feed a child because it may lead to complications for both mother and the baby.
The amount and quality of the tears produced is measured to know whether your eyes are too dry. If your eyes are dry, then you have to get treated for dry eyes prior to surgery. The thickness of the cornea will be measured by the doctor and his assistants. Cornea’s surface characteristics are also determined by the doctor to find out whether the eyes have to be treated using a LASIK procedure. Majority of the patients who are having refractive errors can ask for LASIK eye procedure because of the advanced technology and techniques, but there are exceptions.
If you are a glaucoma patient, you cannot undergo this procedure because this condition raises intraocular pressure to more than 21mm Hg. This measurement is just like high BP as the pressure of the eyeball is increased in the case of glaucoma. LASIK eye procedure is performed only when the pressure inside the eyes is controlled. Diabetes patients are not eligible for LASIK eye surgery, when the patient does not have leveled blood sugar. The procedure should be done only after reducing the blood sugar and keeping the blood sugar within the normal limits. If your immunity system is weak, the doctor will not perform the LASIK procedure.
Certain conditions will adversely affect the results of a LASIK eye procedure. Poor eye vision cannot be corrected using LASIK eye surgery and patients with hyperopia of more than +6.00 diopters, astigmatism of over 6.00 diopters and myopia of -14.00 diopters are not advised, in general, to get a correction using the LASIK eye procedure. The anterior and posterior portion of the eyes will be examined by Dr. William Boothe using a slit-lamp for finding abnormalities that may affect the result of the procedure.
Boothe Laser Center will also compare the history of your eye conditions and the results of the current eye examination to find out whether the prescription of your eyes is stable or not. This is usually done to prevent your eyes from being operated again, if they are in a maturing process. For eyes that are in the growing process, Lasik corrections will most likely be reversed later because of continuous changes happening inside the eyes. If you have abnormally large pupils, your eyes cannot be treated with LASIK procedure. Normally, only a small corneal portion is treated using the laser procedure and when you have larger pupils than normal ones, the circumference area treated will be too small, creating visual problems like halos, ghosting and starburst.
As a thumb rule, irregular corneas cannot be operated. Our doctor will examine the cornea, meaure the corneal topography and use it to create a corneal map. Using this map, the doctor will determine whether to perform a surgery or not. Corneal thickness also affects the outcome of the surgery as some patients have thinner corneas. It is difficult for the doctor to create a flap out of a thin cornea because there will not be enough tissue to make a flap. Dr. Boothe will measure the thickness of the cornea using the corneal pachometer and decide whether the cornea is thick enough to perform LASIK eye procedure. The normal thickness required is 6.0 -6.5 mm and pupils with more than 7mm thickness usually cannot undergo LASIK eye surgery.
If you have active ocular herpes, you have to wait at least one year to undergo LASIK eye procedure. After one year and if you and your doctor are sure that the disease is completely cured, then Dr. Boothe may consider you for a surgery. Usage of contact lenses also change corneal shape and can make it difficult for an ophthalmologist to determine the correct prescription of the candidate. Most ophthalmologists ask their patients to discontinue soft contact lenses at least for three days and strong lenses for two to three weeks before the evaluation procedure. Sometimes patients have to discontinue the contact lenses for several months in order get the cornea to return to its natural shape and size.
Patients with history of having eye injury and ocular problems like strabismus, lazy eyes and double vision should avoid the surgical procedure. Autoimmune disorders such as lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes affect the healing of the corneal flap created after the surgery. So it is important to cure these diseases, if possible, in order to become the right candidate of LASIK surgery. Eye disorders like cataracts, keratoconus, diabetic retinopathy and retinal detachment also pose additional complications to laser eye surgery. Right candidate should not have any kind of eye disease for one year or more. The candidate should understand the risks and complications involved in the surgical procedure.
The technology of LASIK keeps on improving and changing. The preciseness and safety has been increased eyery year and post-operative risks are largely reduced. The accuracy of the LASIK procedures is improved because of new technologies such as Wavefront technology, IntraLase, IOLs etc. Boothe Eyecare uses all the latest technologies to determine whether the patient is a right candidate for performing LASIK eye surgery or not.
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Evacutaion of Rongelap Islanders to Mejato by crew Rainbow Warrior. Pacific 1985.
Since 1945 most of the world has lived in fear of nuclear war, but for many Pacific Islanders from 1948 to 1956, nuclear war was a reality. In the 8 years of atmospheric nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll, fall out from 66 fission and hydrogen bombs had rained down on their region.
On March 1, 1954, the United States exploded a hydrogen bomb, code named 'Bravo'. At 15 megatons 'Bravo' was a thousand times more powerful than "Little Boy" the bomb droppedon Hiroshima and after the explosion there was a marked increase in the level of background radiation measured around the globe.
The inhabitants of Bikini and Enewetak were evacuated from their island homes prior to the nuclear tests to avoid exposure to radioactive fallout. But the inhabitants of Rongelap 150 kilometres away, were not so fortunate.
Within four hours of the explosion, fallout from Bravo was settling on the island. A fine white ash landed on the heads and bare arms of people standing in the open. It dissolved into water supplies and drifted into houses.
Evacuation of Rongelap Islanders to Mejato by crew of the Rainbow Warrior. Rongelap was contaminated with radioactive fall out from American nuclear tests in the Pacific.
The snow-like debris fell all day and into the evening, covering the ground up to 2 centimetres thick. On the day after the blast, Americans wearing protective suits
came to the island. They took readings with a Geiger counter from two wells and left after 20 minutes, without saying a word,
according to the islanders.
Although U.S. authorities knew of the fallout pattern and the strong winds that had been blowing towards Rongelap on the day of the test, they made no attempt to evacuate the Islanders for more than 48 hours. Many Marshallese believe the Rongelap Islanders were used by the US as 'guinea pigs' to study the effects of radioactive fallout on humans. Scientists at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York State stated that "The habitation ofthese people on the island will afford most valuable ecological radiation data on human beings".
The Rongelapese exposed to the tests had all the symptoms of severe radiation sickness: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, itching and burning of the skin, eyes and mouth. They suffered from skin burns over much of their bodies, and lost much of their hair within two weeks of the Bravo explosion.
Thirty one years on, 95% of the population alive between 1948 and 1954 had contracted thyroid cancer and a high proportion of their children suffered from genetic defects.
The Rongelap people were returned to their island in 1957, in spite of the fact that it had been continually dosed with fallout from nuclear tests during their absence. No 'cleanup' of radiation was ever conducted and in 1979, an aerial radiation study of the northern Marshalls conducted by the US revealed high levels of residual radiation on Rongelap Atoll - in some places even higher than at Bikini itself.
But the US government representative to the Marshall Islands had ruled that Rongelap was still perfectly safe, as long as the people stay away from the northern islands and eat imported tinned food.
The Islanders' pleas to the US government to be evacuated had always fallen on deaf ears. So at the request of Rongelap's representative to the Marshall Islands parliament, Greenpeace agreed to take on the task of evacuating the entire population to the safer island of Mejato 180 kilometres away.
'Operation Exodus' was a major departure for Greenpeace, this was not a traditional Greenpeace style protest, there were no inflatables or banners to hang, there was just the logistic challenge of moving an entire population 180 kilometres in the Pacific.
When the Rainbow Warrior arrived at the seemingly idyllic tropical island on the 17th May, local women sailed out to greet the crew singing Marshallese songs. Other Rongelapesewaiting on the beach held up banners that read, "We love the future of our kids."
With all they had heard and read about Rongelap, it was an overwhelming experience for the crew of the Warrior: the realisation that these people who had been living here for thousands of years would probably never see their homes again. For the next few days the Greenpeace crew and the islanders worked together to dismantle the houses and ferry the materials to the Warrior.
The ten day evacuation required 3 trips between the islands and in all, 300 Islanders and over 100 tons of building materials were relocated. When it was time to leave, most of the crew were devastated. Their experience at Rongelap brought home to them the consequences of nuclear testing on these isolated South Pacific communities and stirred up powerful emotions.
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It's been a while since I first purchased Richard Bertinet's Dough, a terrific book that includes a DVD with his now-famous method of "slapping" and folding dough. Some people find it more satisfying (even therapuetic) than gentle or no-knead techniques. Recently I had the chance to interview him for Stir the Pots.
In the interview, among other things Richard explains the background to his methods which he says are not new, but simply a continuation of traditions from when dough was prepared in wooden troughs. According to him, when electric machines (Artofex) were produced, they were engineered to mechanically replicate the technique. For Richard, there is no wasted movement in baking, the body is an extension or tool to control the bread or it controls you.
Hailing from Brittany, he now considers himself a Briton (more or less), in spite of his "outrageous" French accent. Based in Bath, he heads Bertinet Kitchens, teaching bread and food for small classes of up to 12 students. He is also the author Crust and his most recent book, Cook. Richard was recently awarded BBC Food Champion of the Year. Thinking about the interview, what I found most interesting was Richard's passion, especially for bread, bakers and learning from others. Light it up!
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Social Cognition Overview Socially intelligent robots need to understand “people as people.” Whereas research with modern autonomous robots has largely focused on their ability to interact with inanimate objects whose behavior is governed by the laws of physics (objects to be manipulated, navigated around, etc.), socially intelligent robots must understand and interact with animate entities (e.g. people, animals, and other social robots) whose behavior is governed by having a mind and body. How might we endow robots with sophisticated social skills and social understanding of others?
Coupled minds in coupled bodies is a powerful force on human social intelligence and its development. Minds are in bodies with a particular morphological structure. A body’s momentary disposition in space reflects and projects to others the internal state of the system that generated those bodily gestures. Correlations emerging from coupled like bodies with like internal cognitive systems can create --- through the body’s external behaviors – higher order correlations that may lead to inferences about the internal states of self and other.
The key correlations are these: the correlation between the appearance of the self and the appearance of others (e.g., hands to hands, feet to feet), correlations between the behavior of the self and the behavior of others (looking to an object), correlations between one’s own bodily behaviors and one’s internal states (e.g. looking left and remembering what was on the left, maintaining the memory of a goal and looking in the direction of that goal), correlations between the external states of others and one own’s internal states (where they look, where a consequence one looks oneself and thus what one sees and thinks about).
The dynamic socially-embedded coupling of two intelligent systems –to each other through a similar body with similar body parts capable of doing similar things in the world – seems the likely origin of the very idea of mind. Can one, through this kind of coupling, build an artificial device with “human-like intuitions” about the internal states of others? Is it possible for a robot to acquire an “empathic” understanding of people, to go beyond recognizing a happy facial expression per se, to inferring the underlying valence in that expression? We are optimistic that the answers are “yes.”
One way robots might develop socially adept responses that seem to reflect beliefs about the internal states of others is by attempting to simulate –in its own cognitive system – the behaviors of others. We have been developing a cognitive-affective architecture based on embodied cognition theories that emphasizes the coupling of minds through bodies from psychology (supported by recent neuroscientic and brain imaging data) to give our robots such as Leonardo a variety of socio-cognitive skills and abilities. These include competencies such as shared attention mirror-neuron inspired mechanisms for recognition-generation of observable behavior, visual and mental perspective taking abilities to support mind-reading skills and simple models of emotional empathy.
Shared Attention To implement shared attention, the robot’s attentional state must be modeled with two related but distinct foci: the current attentional focus (what is being looked at right now) and the referential focus (the current topic of shared focus, i.e., what communication, activities, etc. is about). Furthermore, the robot must not only have a model for its own attentional state, but it must also have a model for the attentional state of the human. Thus there are three foci of interest: the robot's attentional focus, the human's attentional focus, and the referential focus shared by the two.
To compute the robot's attentional focus, Leonardo's attentional system computes the level of saliency (a measure of “interest”) for objects and events in the robot's perceivable space. The contributing factors to an object’s overall saliency fall into three categories: its perceptual properties (its proximity to the robot, its color, whether it is moving, etc.), the internal state of the robot (i.e., whether this is a familiar object, what the robot is currently searching for, and other goals), and social reference (if something is pointed to, looked at, talked about, or is the referential focus). For each item in the perceivable space, the overall saliency at each time step is the result of the weighted sum for each of these factors. The item with the highest saliency becomes the current attentional focus of the robot, and also determines where the robot's gaze is directed. The gaze direction of the robot is an important communication device to the human, verifying for the human partner what the robot is attending to and thinking about.
The human's attentional focus is determined by what he or she is currently looking at. Leoardo calculates this using the head pose tracking data, assuming that the person's head orientation is a good estimate of their gaze direction. By following the person’s gaze direction, the shared attention system determines which (if any) object is the attentional focus of human's gaze.
The mechanism by which infants track the referential focus of communication is still an open question, but a number of sources indicate that looking time is a key factor, such as word learning studies. For example, when a child is playing with one object and hears an adult say “It’s a modi”, the child does not attach the label to the object the child happens to be looking at. Instead the child redirect’s his or her attention to look at what the adult is looking at, and attach the label to that object.
To robustly track the referential focus, we use a simple voting mechanism to track a relative-looking-time for each of the objects in the robot’s and human’s shared environment. An object receives x votes each for time step that it is the attentional focus of either the human or the robot; it loses y votes for each time step that it is not the current focus; and, it loses z votes when another object is the attentional focus of either the human or robot (x, y, and z are determined empirically). The object with the highest accumulated relative-looking-time is identified as the referent of the communication between the human and the robot.
These two videos show Leonardo and human sharing joint visual attention. In the top video, Leonardo has tracked the human's head pose (could also be a pointing gesture) to determine that this object is the human’s attentional focus. This in turn made this object more salient to the robot and therefore the robot's own attentional focus. Both of which thereby cast that object as the referential focus as well. In the bottom video, Leonardo not only follows the gaze direction of the person, but also actively looks back to monitor the attention of the person as well.
Perspective Taking For robots to cooperate with people in a human-like way, they must be able to infer the mental states of others (e.g., their thoughts, intents, beliefs, desires, etc.) from observable behavior (e.g., their gestures, facial expressions, speech, actions, etc.). In humans, this competence is referred to as a theory of mind (ToM), mindreading, mind perception, or social commonsense to name a few.
In humans, this ability is accomplished in part by each participant treating the other as a conspecific---viewing the other as being “like me”. Perceiving similarities between self and other is an important part of the ability to take the role or perspective of another, allowing people to relate to and to empathize with their social partners. This sort of perspective shift may help us to predict and explain other’s emotions, behaviors and other mental states such as beliefs and desires, and to formulate appropriate responses based on this understanding. For instance, it enables us to infer the intent or goal enacted by another’s behavior---an important skill for enabling richly cooperative behavior.
Simulation Theory (ST) is one of the dominant hypotheses about the nature of the cognitive mechanisms that underlie theory of mind. Simulation Theory posits that by simulating another person’s actions and the stimuli they are experiencing using our own behavioral and stimulus processing mechanisms, humans can make predictions about the behaviors and mental states of others based on the mental states and behaviors that we would possess in their situation. In short, by thinking “as if” we were the other person, we can use our own cognitive, behavioral, and motivational systems to understand what is going on in the heads of others.
From a design perspective, Simulation Theory is appealing because it suggests that instead of requiring a separate set of mechanisms for simulating other persons, we can make predictions about others by using our own cognitive mechanisms to recreate how we would think, feel, and act in their situation---thereby providing us some insight into their emotions, beliefs, desires, and intensions, etc.
Empathy By using a simulation theory inspired mechanism, our robot learns to decode emotional messages conveyed through facial expressions by leveraging its early facial imitation capability to bootstrap a primitive form of emotional empathy.
We are inspired by various experiments with humans that have shown a dual affect-body connection whereby posing one’s face into a specific emotive facial expression actually elicits the feeling associated with that emotion. Hence, imitating the facial expressions of others could cause a person to feel what the other is feeling. This same dual affect-body pathway coupled with early facial imitation could allow human infants to learn the association of observed emotive expressions of others with their own internal affective states. Other time-locked multi-modal cues may facilitate learning this mapping, such as affective speech that accompanies emotive facial expressions during social encounters between caregivers and infants.
In a similar way, a robot could learn the affective meaning of emotive expressions signaled through another person’s facial expressions and body language. We have based our robot's affective system on computational models of infant-inspired emotions. In humans, emotions are centrally involved in appraising environmental and internal events that are significant to the needs and goals of a creature. The robotic implementation includes a simple appraisal process based on Damasio's theory of somatic markers that tags the robot's incoming perceptual and internal states with affective information, such as valence (positive or negative), arousal (high or low), and whether or not something is novel.
For the robot, certain kinds of stimui, such as pleasing or soothing tones of speech, have hardwired affective appraisals with respect to arousal and valence. This computational model is based on the developmental findings of Fernald (1989) which showed that certain prosodic contours are indicative of different affective intents in infant-directed speech. We found that even simple acoustic features, such as pitch mean and energy variance, can be used by the robot to classify the affective prosody of an utterance along valence and arousal dimension.
The tasks that couple these heterogeneous processes and in so doing drives developmental change is the face-to-face interactions (and imitations) described in the previous section. Via dual body-affect pathways, when the robot imitates the emotive facial expressions of others, it evokes the corresponding affective state (in terms of arousal and valence variables) that would ordinarily give rise to the same expression during an emotive response. This is reinforced by affective information coming from the person’s speech signal. These time-locked multi-modal states occur because of the similarity in bodies and body-affect mappings, and they enable the robot to learn to associate its internal affective state with the corresponding observed expression. Thus, through this “empathic” or direct experiential approach to social understanding, the robot uses its own cognitive and affective mechanisms as a simulator for inferring the human’s affective state as conveyed through behavior.
This is one example of our approach of endowing our robot with social understanding – and how it arises from heterogeneous processes that are time-locked in a shared task with bodily and mentally like others.
Deictic Object Reference Robust joint visual attention is necessary for achieving a common frame of reference between humans and robots using multi-modal cues while working together on real-world object-based spatial tasks. In this work, we make a comprehensive examination of one component of this process that is often otherwise implemented in an ad hoc fashion: the ability to correctly determine the object referent from deictic reference including pointing gestures and speech. We develop a modular spatial reasoning framework based around decomposition and re-synthesis of speech and gesture into a language of pointing and object labeling that supports multi-modal and uni-modal access in both real-world and mixed-reality workspaces, accounts for the need to discriminate and sequence identical and proximate objects, assists in overcoming inherent precision limitations in deictic gesture, and assists in the extraction of those gestures. We have implemented our approach on two humanoid robot platforms to date: Leonardo and NASA JSC’s Robonaut.
We have developed a cognitive-affective learning architecture that incorporates ST-based mechanisms to enable our robots to understand people in a similar way. Importantly, it is a strategy that naturally lends itself to representing the internal state of the robot and human in comparable terms. This facilitates our robot’s ability to compare its own internal state to that of the person it is interacting with in order to infer the human’s mental states (e.g., beliefs, intents) to better collaborate with people, and to learn from observing people’s behavior and demonstrations. Such theories could provide a foothold for ultimately endowing machines with human-style social skills, learning abilities, and social understanding.
We have shown how Leonardo’s perspective taking skill enables the robot to learn from ambiguous human demonstrations, infer the beliefs of others even when they diverge from the robot’s own beliefs (false beliefs --- see "Leo False Belief Task"), and infer the diverging beliefs and goals of different people to provide each with appropriate assistance in a collaborative task (see "Leo False Belief with Goal Inference").
Leo False Belief Task Our benchmark tasks are variants of the classic false belief task (Wimmer & Perner, 1983) from developmental psychology used to assess a child's development of their mindreading abilities. In the classic task, subjects are told a story with pictorial aides or puppets that typically proceeds as follows: two children, Sally and Anne, are playing together in a room. Sally places a toy in one of two containers. Sally then leaves the room, and while she is gone, Anne moves the toy into the other container. Sally returns, and the subject is asked: where will Sally look for the toy? This test probes the child's ability to realize that people may hold different beliefs about the same situation, and hold beliefs are different from the child's. Normally developing children begin to successfully perform this task around four years of age.
The top video shows Leonardo using our perspective taking architecture to perform the false belief task.
Leo False Belief with Goal Inference This task examines goal inference with multiple people and false beliefs within a collaborative task setting. In this task, Leonardo is introduced to two collaborative partners, Matt and Jesse. In order to successfully assist both people, Leonardo must keep track of Matt’s (black shirt) false beliefs about the object locations as well as Jesse’s (red shirt) correct beliefs about these locations. The bottom video explains the implementation and demonstrates this task.
Papers L. Barsalou, C. Breazeal & L. Smith (2007) “Cognition as Coordinated non-cognition.” Cognitive Processing 8: 79-91.
L. Smith and C. Breazeal (2007) “The Dynamic Life of Developmental Process.” Developmental Science, 10(1), 61-68.
Papers Thomaz, A. L., Berlin, M. and Breazeal, C. (2005), “An Embodied Computational Model of Social Referencing.” Proceedings of Fourteenth IEEE Workshop on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (Ro-Man-05), Nashville, TN. 591-598.
Papers Gray, J., Breazeal, C., Berlin, M., Brooks, A. and Lieberman, J. (2005), “Action Parsing and Goal Inference using Self as Simulator.” Proceedings of Fourteenth IEEE Workshop on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (Ro-Man05), Nashville, TN. 202-209.
C. Breazeal, J. Gray, M. Berlin (2007). “Mindreading as a foundational skill for socially intelligent roots. In Proceedings of the 2007 International Symposium on Robotics Research (ISRR-07). Hiroshima, Japan
Papers L. Smith and C. Breazeal (2007). “The Dynamic Life of Developmental Process.” Developmental Science, 10(1), 61-68.
Papers Brooks, A. G. and Breazeal, C. (2006). “Working with Robots and Objects: Revisiting Deictic Reference for Achieving Spatial Common Ground.” In Proceeding of the 1st ACM SIGCHI/SIGART Conference on Human-Robot interaction (Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, March 02 - 03, 2006). HRI '06. ACM Press, New York, NY, 297-304.
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The micro attenuated total reflectance (ATR) chemical imaging of polymers, in particular polymer laminates, typically requires
significant pressure to ensure good sample-to-ATR crystal contact. For thin cross-sectioned materials, ensuring structural
rigidity against this pressure requires significant sample preparation, such as resin embedding, cutting, and polishing. Such
procedures are tedious, require overnight resin curing, and carry the added risk of cross-contamination. Presented here is
a novel method of ultralow-pressure micro ATR Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) chemical imaging that removes the need for
any structural support and allows samples to be measured "as-is" (no embedding) with direct contact with the ATR crystal.
Polymer laminates are film structures consisting of two or more layers adhered together to make a structure. The polymeric
materials forming these laminates have varying thickness (from a few micrometers to >100 Ám), which can influence a variety
of properties, including chemical, mechanical, and barrier (for example, impervious to oxygen or moisture) properties. To
construct these materials, adhesive (tie) layers are often required between two adjacent and chemically incompatible layers.
Typically, these incompatibilities are between materials with differing polarities, such as nylon and polyethylene. The adhesives
usually have intermediate polarity or contain functional groups with an affinity to both polar and nonpolar sides and hence
act as good binding material. Such adhesive layers can be very thin, ranging from ~2 Ám to ~10 Ám. Polymer laminates can range
in complexity and thickness from only two layers to well over 10 layers (not including adhesive layers), with total cross-sectional
thicknesses ranging from <50 Ám to >200 Ám. Polymer laminates can be used in a variety of applications ranging from food packaging
to pharmaceutical packaging.
Figure 1: An example of a polymer film, held by clips embedded in a polished resin block.
With ever-increasing manufacturing sophistication enabling the production of more complex and thinner laminate structures,
the analytical challenges to ensure good product quality control, troubleshooting, or the reverse engineering of competitive
products are also increasing in complexity.
The analytical tools available to analyze such laminates include a range of optical microscopy techniques, thermal techniques
(such as differential scanning calorimetry), and various spectroscopic techniques.
In particular, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) microscopy has proven most useful for the analysis of polymer laminates.
This suitability resulted from the core application of FT-IR spectroscopy for the identification and characterization of polymers
in general, combined with the ability to obtain this information from small areas.
When applied to polymer laminate analysis, FT-IR microscopy is typically performed in transmission mode and requires that
the total sampled thickness be within a certain maximum thickness limit, which is usually 10–20 Ám for polymeric materials.
To prepare thinly sliced polymer and polymer laminate materials at <15–20 Ám presents some challenges. Often, dedicated (and
often expensive) specialized cutting devices are required, such as microtomes. Even then, the cut samples are often difficult
to handle because of curling or difficulties with static stick. To minimize these effects, samples can be embedded in resin
and microtomed together within the resin support before cutting. This, unfortunately, adds another material with a complex
IR spectrum to the sample. After the sample is cut, if it is flat, it can be placed in a sandwich between IR-transparent windows
and sampled in transmission mode. Even still, because of sample front and backside inter-reflections, "fringing effects" can
commonly be observed, which present themselves as a sinusoidal baseline.
With these issues and sampling preparation steps aside, transmission FT-IR microscopy is a relatively simple technique to
obtain spectra from small areas. It does however suffer from one major limitation — spatial resolution is relatively poor,
especially when compared to optical microscopy techniques. Typical spatial resolution limits are about 10–15 Ám.
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An embryo’s heart begins to beat between 18-24 days after conception.
An embryo’s brain waves can be detected six weeks after conception.
By nine weeks after conception, a fetus’ fingernails are forming.
Based on the development of the nervous system, a fetus is likely able to feel pain as early as 8 weeks after conception.
- At nine weeks after conception, a fetus is able to bend its fingers around an object in its hand, and sucks its thumb.
- At 11 weeks, a fetus is breathing amniotic fluid steadily and will do so until birth.
- At 12 weeks, a fetus can kick, turn over, make a fist, open its mouth and press its lips together.
- At 13 weeks, a fetus’ sense are present.
- At 20 weeks, a fetus can be startled by a loud external noise.
- At 23 weeks, a fetus can demonstrate rapid eye movements (REM).
- At six months, fine hair grows on the fetus’ head and eyebrows, and small eyelashes begin to appear.
- At seven months, a fetus’ hands can support his entire weight.
- At eight months, a fetus weighs more than four pounds.
- During the ninth month from conception, a fetus gains half a pound per week. Of the 45 total generations of cell replication that will occur by mature adulthood, 41 have already taken place.
Each person is a masterpiece.
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This morning the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the Affordable Care Act is constitutional. The health insurance mandate, also known as "Obamacare" was found to be "permissible under Congress's taxing authority." The full ruling (PDF) is now available, and the court's opinion begins on page 7. Amy Howe from SCOTUSblog summarized the ruling thus: "The Affordable Care Act, including its individual mandate that virtually all Americans buy health insurance, is constitutional. There were not five votes to uphold it on the ground that Congress could use its power to regulate commerce between the states to require everyone to buy health insurance. However, five Justices agreed that the penalty that someone must pay if he refuses to buy insurance is a kind of tax that Congress can impose using its taxing power. That is all that matters. Because the mandate survives, the Court did not need to decide what other parts of the statute were constitutional, except for a provision that required states to comply with new eligibility requirements for Medicaid or risk losing their funding. On that question, the Court held that the provision is constitutional as long as states would only lose new funds if they didn't comply with the new requirements, rather than all of their funding." Further coverage is available from CNN, the NY Times, and Fox.
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The following is the printed history of the 49th Iowa, Company I and biographies of its officers.
"Company I is rather uniquely officered. Its present Captain was formerly and for nearly eight years Colonel of the Regiment to which it belonged. Its First Lieutenant served as its Captain for about eight years, and its Second Lieutenant was chief two years. None of these excellent officers were reduced, however, but all retired honorably from their higher rank and accepted their present positions simply from devotion to the Company and the cause in which it was embarked. It is one of the oldest Companies in the State and none is more capably officered nor more reliable.
Captain Albert H. STEWART, son of Thomas STEWART, Esq., comes from an old Virginia family, of Scotch-Irish ancestry. He was born in Wisconsin, on March 1st, 1854; finished his education and studied law in the University of Wisconsin, and was admitted to the bar in Iowa in 1876. He enlisted as private in 1878 and was promoted twice before his time expired and was discharged in 1881 a sergeant. He immediately re-enlisted as private, and was soon chosen Captain of the Company. Under his command the Company was freely acknowledged to be the best in the State, winning prizes in 1882 and 1883. In 1885 Captain STEWART became Colonel of the Fourth Regiment, Iowa National Guard, and served one term and part of another, until 1892, going on the retired list with a rank of Colonel. In 1897 his old Company became disorganized, and at the request of the Govenor and Adjutant General, Colonel STEWART easily accomplished the reorganization, the men refusing, however, to be mustered in unless Colonel STEWART would again take active command. At the President's call for volunteers, Company I unanimously responded and were mustered in with their organization intact. Captain STEWART lost his only son, Albert, aged 18 years, sergeant in Company I, at Camp Cuba Libre, Jacksonville, Fla., the second victim in the Regiment of the dread Typhoid fever, which afterwards wrought much havoc among the men. Captain STEWART has been prominent in legal, political and social circles in northeast Iowa for many years.
First Lieutenant Ross A. NICHOLS was born in Ohio in 1861, but removed when a small child to Waukon, Iowa, where he has resided since, and received his education. He joined Company I, Fourth Regiment Iowa National Guard, in 1878, as private; served through all the various grades, including First Lieutenant, till 1887, when Captain STEWART was chosen Colonel of the Regiment, Lieutenant NICHOLS was made Captain, serving faithfully until 1893, when he resigned under the pressure of business. Four years later on the reorganization of the Company he accepted the position of First Lieutenant, and at the President's call for volunteers, in the absence of the Captain, he was in command during the concentration and mobilization of his Company. In civil life he is a contractor and is prominent in local politics.
Second Lieutenant Wm. S. HART was born in Allamakee
County, Iowa in 1866, receiving his education in the public schools, and
later graduating in law from Iowa State University, teaching school as
a means to this end. At the age of twenty-three he was elected clerk
of the District court of Allamakee County, serving one term and a part
of the second, resigning to take up the practice of law. Joined Company
I as private in 1889, and, serving through the various grades, became Captain
in 1895. At the reorganization of the Company in 1897 he re-enlisted
as private, but was made Second Lieutenant soon thereafter, and was mustered
into the United States service as such. He is an intelligent and
"Historical and Biographical Souvenir of the 49th Iowa U.S. Volnteer Infantry. Illustrated with scenes of camp life." (Jacksonville, FL 1898).
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Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Spring cleaning, Lower East Side style
One hundred and nine years ago, this could have been your bedroom. Members of the New York City Tenement House Department have the unfortunate task of inspecting this tenement living room.
The Tenement House Department was created in 1900 by the state to monitor tenement construction and ostensibly improve living conditions in the most squallid of New York neighborhoods. Although described as an "impotent enforcement body," the department did occasionally succeed in rectifying some of the more aborrent conditions.
Below: a 1902 outhouse, from the Tenement House case files:
First picture courtesy the National Archives. Second from the New York Public Library
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Conference calls are very expensive whatevertheir purpose. Whether they’re run for the purposes of decision making, learning or information dissemination, they are expensive if only because of the value of the people who attend.
So becoming effective and efficient when running a conference contact is essential.
In this article, I am going to share 4 of the keys to running an efficient conference contact. Becoming effective is to focus around the right things. Following all, there’s little cause to become effective together with your conference contact in case your call doesn’t attain what it set out to achieve.
1. Always possess a facilitator. Inside a studying conference contact, your facilitator is normally the teleseminar leader. However in the other types, the facilitator should be independent with the leader. The facilitator’s job would be to make certain the meeting procedure itself runs easily. They’re anticipated to focus around the meeting rather than the content material of the meeting. Which explains why they need to be independent with the individuals concerned. A part of their task would be to act being an arbitrator and to make sure that all participants are encouraged to participate.
2. Always have a comprehensive agenda or strategy. While a typical agenda is better than absolutely nothing, a correct meeting plan is preferred. An agenda lists only the various topics that will be raised. However, it usually doesn’t include the various parts with the meeting. A meeting strategy around the hand expands on the subject to talk about when and the way the topic will be initiated, and what the dialogue process will probably be. Within this way, the meeting is far more most likely to stay on topic and progressing in the direction of the specified objective.
3. Usually begin using the meeting guidelines. Keeping on track towards the objective is one element of the usefulness of the meeting. But getting the meeting run easily without making hard feelings is always a part of the objectives. This could very best be achieved by following some simple guidelines. By stating these guidelines up front you are more likely to actually possess the participants adhere to them. The guidelines generally are based on being positive and respecting the other participants.
four. Usually keep people concerned. Even 1 way communications requires effort on the a part of both parties. By involving the participants you are able to assist to ensure the communication path is open. This involvement can take many forms including participation in setting the rules, asking concerns or providing answers. Participation will help the facilitator make sure that the meeting is centered on intellectual discussion instead than degrading into an emotional explosion.
The author of this article is a proud contributing author and writes articles on several subjects including conference call services. You can get free access to his articles and writings at conference call.
- Earn Cash Daily
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- The Massive Passive Profits System Is What We’re Going To Be Taking An even better Look At In This Article
- When It Comes To Going Green Here Are A Few Good Ideas
- Some More Suggestions To Help You To Begin Living A Greener Life
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Via Dan Maslowski:
3.3 Responsibilities to your Organization
3.3.1 be a technical conscience
When the “Emperor has no clothes”, it is the responsibility of the senior technical staff to stand up and say so. Sales people are driven by short term business. Marketing people work with all manner of vague and ambiguous factors. Executives work with the information that other people have given them. Managers work with the directions they have been given. Engineers are the people who responsible for figuring out how this stuff is all going to work … and if it isn't going to work they have an obligation to say so.
When somebody says “good enough for who its for”, it is the responsibility of the senior technical staff to set higher standards. The business people are primarily driven by time and cost considerations, and if the senior engineers don't stand up for technical excellence, we can be sure that nobody else will.
Senior engineers need to regularly ask the questions:
- If not now, when?
- If not us, who?
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What makes a franchisee successful?
Posted on September 24, 2009 by Lizette Pirtle
The success of franchisees depends on many factors however the most important ones seem to rest on the franchisee. The outer factors include:
- Is the franchise concept viable?
- Is the success of the business replicable?
- Are the financial results of the business sustainable or is the business just a fad?
- Is the business capable of producing profits commensurable with the investment required.
- Does the franchisor provide an effective training program?
- Does the franchisor offer a solid support system with efficient and effectual tools?
- Does the franchisor focus on innovation?
- Does the franchisor invest in the system continuously?
- Is there sufficient demand for the business products and/or services?
Traditionally franchise experts have focused on these outer elements as the keys to franchisee success. Yet, if these factors were enough to produce successful franchisees then no franchise systems with these components would ever experience franchisee failure. Unfortunately this is not the case.
Franchisee success depends on much more than outer circumstances and conditions. It depends on the inner character of each franchisee, specifically around the following factors:
- How well do franchisees know what they want to achieve from the business; that is, what the business will do for them? How engaged with their dreams are they?
- Do they hold beliefs that support their success or are they still hanging on to beliefs that work against them?
- How ready are they to accept all of the conditions that are brought about by their potential success?
Franchisees who don’t do well in a franchise where others are thriving tend to look outwards for the causes of their personal lack of success. Typical comments from these individuals include:
- Had the franchisor been honest with me I would not have bought into this franchise.
- Only those franchisees who have this or that innate skill can succeed at this business.
- If we only had this or that tool then I could succeed.
I know this may sound stern but to me these are rationalizations from franchisees who are not ready to take responsibility for their success. There may be some truth to their statements and feelings, but when they use them to justify their results without examination these statements are unreliable.
Successful franchisees know what they want and go for it. They hold the beliefs that support their success and dismiss those that don’t. And, they are willing to do whatever it takes to get ready to achieve the success they seek.
Franchise Success = Dreams + Beliefs + Readiness
You are welcome to use the information on this post; all I ask is that you give credit and provide a link to this post or the blog front page. Thank you.
Tags: Beliefs, Dreams, Franchisee Success, Readiness
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The House of Representatives is currently considering the bill “Stop Online Piracy Act,” (SOPA) which would infringe upon the freedom we currently enjoy on the Internet.
SOPA is so controversial — EFF calls it “disastrous” — because it would force changes to the Domain Name System and effectively create a blacklist of Internet domains suspected of intellectual property violations.
Those against SOPA include Google, Facebook, Wikipedia, and hundreds of Internet start-up companies. Those opposed to the bill have described it in dark terms:
SOPA is an “Internet blacklist bill” that “would allow corporations, organizations or the government to order an internet service provider to block an entire website simply due to an allegation that the site posted infringing content.”
The House is also attempting to silence criticism of the bill by presenting a skewed hearing:
Rep. Lofgren from California said during this morning’s hearing that it was a mistake for SOPA’s backers to dismiss criticism from people and companies who would be affected by it.
“It hasn’t generally been the policy of this committee to dismiss the views of the industries that we’re going to regulate,” Lofgren said. “I understand why cosponsors of this legislation aren’t happy about widespread criticism of this bill,” but attacking the messenger isn’t the answer.
Lofgren also accused Smith, the panel’s chairman, of deliberately stacking the composition of the panel in favor of SOPA. Of the six witnesses invited, “five are in favor and one is against,” she said. “That’s not a balanced panel.”
Internet piracy is an ongoing problem that certainly needs to be addressed. But the way in which this committee is attempting to legislate is unethical and without merit. It is a slippery slope to start censorship and regulation on a note of non-transparency and a failure by the legislators to take all viewpoints into consideration, especially from the industry leaders, themselves.
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Meth problems come to light in Lake CountyIt’s one of the most addictive drugs available and it’s spreading across Lake County, but the problem is mostly unrecognized.
By: Tom Olsen, Lake County News Chronicle
It’s one of the most addictive drugs available and it’s spreading across Lake County, but the problem is mostly unrecognized.
The drug is methamphetamine and local law enforcement officials are coming to grips with the problem and looking for ways to prevent to the flow to Lake County.
“Methamphetamine was a hot topic here four or five years ago in the drug world when it got to be the really popular drug,” said Two Harbors police chief Kevin Ruberg. “We haven’t heard so much in the national media in the last year or two and people might not think it was as prevalent as before, but we’re always actively investigating meth cases in the community much more than people might think.”
Sheriff Carey Johnson said that relative ease of manufacturing meth makes the crime easy to hide.
“You can make meth as easy as doing it in a two-liter bottle in your car,” he said. “And that’s an officer awareness thing for us. You used to be able to open a container and sniff to see if there’s alcohol. Now you do that and you can end up dead.”
Rural communities a hotspot for drugs
Dr. Bob Zotti, an emergency medicine physician at Essentia Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Duluth, said meth isn’t just an inner city problem anymore. In fact, a lot of patients are coming from rural areas like Two Harbors.
“They like rural counties because a lot of the time when you manufacture drugs, there’s loud blasts or it gives off odors,” he said. “They don’t want that in a place where there are people watching, so they’ve moved it out to cabins and places that aren’t out there in the open.”
The hospital has seen an increase patients involved with meth labs in fish houses, Zotti said, because all of the evidence is washed away when the ice melts.
The rural nature of illegal drug manufacturing is consistent with what the sheriff’s office has seen, Johnson said.
“We’ve had areas, basically outside of town, where we’ve suspected marijuana grows or someone is trying to manufacture drugs in a tent-like setting,” he said.
Statistics on methamphetamine use and distribution have traditionally been hard to track. Most studies have focused on major metropolitan areas, rather than rural locations.
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health has shown a significant decline in active meth users in the United States over the past decade. The most recent numbers show that only about 0.1 percent of population can be classified as active users.
However, officials say they have a tough time estimating statistics for Lake County. Other than a 2011 bust that resulted in the arrest of four men suspected of manufacturing meth in a Silver Creek Township trailer, discoveries of meth labs have been rare in the county.
But that doesn’t mean the drug isn’t finding its way there.
“I’m very confident that the meth we’re seeing isn’t being made in backyards,” Ruberg said. “Typically it’s coming from other sources. Mexico is a huge source and it funnels up through the United States. We’ve dealt with a couple lab situations over last few years, but not in great numbers.”
The sheriff’s office has a representative on the Lake Superior Drug and Gang Task Force, a coalition of local law enforcement agencies spearheaded by the Duluth Police Department. Johnson said the task force does help with drug issues in communities like Two Harbors, but most of the resources are spent in Duluth.
“Duluth is the area that tends to be more of a hub and it expands from there,” he said.
Health effects severe
At St. Mary’s, Zotti said he sees the effects of methamphetamine more often than many people might think. Patients suffering from the effects of meth typically come in with their hearts racing and a nervous or nauseous feeling, he said.
“These are young, healthy people,” Zotti said. “Next to marijuana, I’d say methamphetamine is probably the most common drug we’re seeing with patients ages 18 to 40.”
Smoking and injection are the most common methods of use Zotti sees. He said users often feel euphoric and energized after using the drug, but violent personality changes, high blood pressure, kidney disease and eye problems all can result from the use of meth.
He estimated that about half of the patients he sees come in voluntarily, while the other half are brought in by police or concerned family members.
“When (the police) bring people in who are not answering questions appropriately or are being combative, most of the time they understand that either drugs or psychiatric illness are involved,” Zotti said.
Methamphetamine takes about six to 24 hours to pass through the body. Once the patient is stable, doctors will refer him or her to a treatment program, typically the Center for Alcohol and Drug Treatment, a Duluth detoxification center that provides treatment for much of the region.
But meth is known as a strongly addictive drug and treatment programs don’t always work.
“If you go back to the same environment or scenario where you were exposed to methamphetamine the first time, it’s difficult to break that chain,” Zotti said. “They might go (to rehab) to appease a family member or to get away from people, but many times people have relapses and fall back.”
Ruberg and Johnson agreed, saying that repeat offenders are common with many drugs.
“I can tell you that meth, from the people we’ve talked to, is a hard habit to break,” Ruberg said. “We certainly deal with a lot of repeat offenders, but that’s not to say there aren’t any success stories.”
The issue is even more complicated by the fact that friends and family members often don’t seek help for drug users out of fear of retaliation or seeing their loved ones go to prison, Johnson said.
“There’s all kinds of reasons that people don’t report it – they don’t want them to go to prison or face other consequences,” he said. “But you’re not going to help them unless you get them some help.”
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Marjorie Morrison is a San Diego psychologist who took time out of her busy private practice to provide “pro-active” mental-health counseling to more than 500 Marines at the recruit depot there. Such counseling removes stigma – because everyone gets it, no one feels “different.” It’s designed to prevent mental-health ailments before they begin, instead of trying to fix them after they’ve taken root and disrupted lives. She details her fight and frustrations with the military’s mental-health bureaucracy in a new book, The Inside Battle: Our Military Mental Health Crisis.
Morrison believes today’s war-strapped U.S. military needs to make such counseling as much a part of its everyday life as PT and field exercises. But that requires scaling up the military’s mental-health culture into a bigger commitment than it is now. She recently conducted this email chat with Battleland about her new book, which is being published Tuesday, September 11:
Why did you write “The Inside Battle: Our Military Mental Health Crisis”?
In 2008, I had the unique opportunity to work as a mental health counselor at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. I decided to take a short leave from my busy private practice at hopes of doing some meaningful work and to give back to my community.
When I first arrived at the Depot, I was placed in the on-base counseling center where I was given administrative tasks and rarely used my clinical skills. I didn’t want to be another example of taxpayers waste and was determined to bring quality services to the Marines.
Through perseverance, some amazing forward thinking Marine leaders, and a little bit of luck, I ultimately created a thriving proactive counseling program. I routinely met with over 500 Drill Instructors in both individual and group sessions.
It was a tremendous experience and I learned so much having had access to that many Marines. After a year of working closely with them, I gained a deep understanding about what was really going on inside their heads, especially those that have returned from multiple deployments.
Through this exposure, I became convinced that making counseling an ongoing requirement is the only way to effectively help this population.
Unfortunately, even though the Marines were benefiting and publically supporting the program, I met peripheral roadblocks every step of the way. Between the on-base counseling centers and the for-profit insurance company I was contracted with, I became disheartened at the gross negligence that echoed throughout the broken system.
When I initially left the Depot, I wasn’t sure there was anything I could do with my newfound knowledge. It was a problem much bigger than what I could influence.
Nevertheless, not a week went by without some military member contacting me to ask for help for either himself or a buddy. I’d often hear the familiar sad story where someone that needed help didn’t get it, couldn’t find it, or got turned away. Marines would frequently ask me the hard questions, “Why aren’t you doing anything? Why haven’t you told your story?”
I felt guilty that I hadn’t spoken up, but was also afraid of the repercussions. After two and a half years of researching and writing, I’m finally ready to share what I observed and how I came to the conclusion of the necessity of proactive counseling.
Is it really a crisis? If so, why?
Absolutely! When you have more service members dying from suicide than from war, I’d say we have a crisis. The Army suicide rate this year so far in 2012 is surpassing last year’s numbers, particularly among active-duty soldiers.
Suicides are now the most common form of death in the Army, claiming more lives than combat or motor vehicle accidents. For every soldier killed in war this year, about 25 veterans now take their own lives.
It is a very difficult problem to solve because non-deployed service members are taking their lives the same as those having multiple deployments.
There are many different theories for the higher rate of suicides. One reason could be with the draw down of troops from combat, soldiers are spending more time at home struggling with the emotional adjustments. Another is the fear of getting help and that they may feel they have no options. To top that, service members and veterans who have sought help often can’t get it.
It’s also important to note that the crisis goes far beyond suicidal and homicidal acts. It has been estimated that the majority of those suffering from emotional wounds would never harm themselves, but nonetheless are still profoundly disabled. Close to half of those who served in Iraq or Afghanistan are now seeking compensation for injuries, in many cases psychological ones.
In addition to the human component of this crisis, the financial cost to care for the magnitude of service members requiring assistance is huge and we are just beginning to see the impact.
What are some important things the nation needs to do to ease this problem?
We need to stop waiting for service members to seek help on their own. A population of people, who are molded from the very beginning of their careers into being strong and reliant on their commanders for orders, will rarely seek help on their own, and if they do, it’s often too late. The military has such a large emphasis on being physically fit, but I don’t feel they spend nearly the time needed on being emotionally fit.
We need to change our culture and attitudes toward mental health from reactive to proactive. If everyone routinely goes in and sees a mental health professional there is no sigma.
Everyone has a certain propensity towards stress: some people become isolated and depressed, other display angry outbursts, and some turn to alcohol. Often we don’t slow down enough to wonder why we are implementing these coping mechanisms, but they usually develop as a response to fear.
When you learn what your triggers are, you can put strategies in place that will alleviate the symptoms. Catching things before they spiral out of control is the key to successfully managing your mental health.
It’s no different than getting a yearly physical from your doctor or developing a healthy lifestyle. You are investing in your long-term healthy future. I think that this process is especially important for our service members as they are exposed to more stress than the average civilian.
What military background did you have prior to working with the Marines?
None. I knew very little about the military. I wasn’t raised in a military community and none of my family members or friends ever served. Everything I knew about the military was either something I had read in a book or seen on TV. Only 1% of the American population is currently serving in our military and only 7% of the population is veterans.
That leaves over 90% of Americans like me, an outsider. I had the unique advantage of being let inside. This gave me the opportunity to see things with a fresh set of eyes.
I quickly understood at a very deep level why the majority of us knows very little about what really goes on in the military world. I hope my book will help the average civilian gain a better understanding of military life, and get a closer look at what the critical issues our men and women in uniform are faced with.
There are a multitude of programs that exist, many which are under utilized and not frequently used.
At the same time, there is a profound need for mental health services. I was employed by a for-profit insurance company to provide anonymous, confidential counseling.
I was initially placed at the Family Advocacy Center, which was the on-base counseling center and the same place that Marines are mandated to go to for charges or accusations placed upon them including domestic violence, anger management, etc.
Needless to say, service members might not consider it a place where they would feel comfortable voluntarily walking into for help.
Additionally, my contractor gave me almost no training and I had practically no oversight. I quickly realized that they cared more about not making waves then they did providing quality services.
I am now convinced that an inherent conflict presents itself any time you have a for-profit insurance company whose primary function is to report earnings to share holders, be the same people that are responsible for providing mental health services to our military. I think it’s a systemic issue that definitely needs to be looked at more closely.
How applicable are your lessons to the other services?
I have to think they are very applicable.
I implemented this program with Marine Corps Drill Instructors, often considered the “best of the best.” In order to receive the assignment of Drill Instructor, you must be a high achiever in your military career. Only 1% of Marines are accepted for this billet and the majority of them have had multiple deployments.
If the program worked with them, I am confident it will work with all branches of the military. I think it’s symbolic of how American culture as a whole is much more reactive than proactive. Change in our country happens very slowly and sadly we don’t always look at models that are working before we ‘reinvent the wheel’.
In Israel, military psychologists play a key role in a soldiers’ life the entire time they are enlisted. Their involvement includes mental preparation prior to any and all activities performed, counseling throughout the operation, and participation in tackling any mental disorders after the mission ends. The role of ongoing psychologist is pinpointed as one of the key factors in why the Israeli Defense Force is so efficient. It’s sad to say, but in the U.S., seeking mental health services is still often considered a sign of weakness.
How big is the issue of stigma in the corps in terms of keeping Marines from seeking help?
It’s a very complicated issue with multiple layers contributing to the problem.
In an attempt to simplify things, the military prepares its members to be strong, tough and rely on authority to make decisions for them. I saw this first hand, watching recruits get molded from young men into Marines while training at MCRD “boot camp.”
They are required at the earliest stages to follow “instantaneous obedience to orders.” You are trained to think about the military unit first, and as an individual second. If you have any personal issues, they get pushed to the back burner. Even if the overt message is “seek help,” the covert message is “you should be strong and man up.”
I was very surprised at what I learned at MCRD.
I anticipated Marines to be reluctant to talk with me, based on the belief that talking would indicate signs of weakness. I observed the contrary: the Marines were extremely open and welcomed the opportunity to share about themselves and the challenges they were experiencing.
Once they opened up, they were motivated to take changes in their life. Over time, it became overwhelmingly evident that this was not a population that would seek out services on their own. Not because they don’t want to talk, but because they are afraid it will hurt their career.
Part of the problem with their fear is that it is somewhat rational. Although the government has tried to remove the stigma, there can be real ramifications for seeking counseling.
If military members receive a diagnosis that indicates impairment in their daily functioning, they may be able to receive the help they need, but may not be able to advance their careers.
The stigma is still there and is deeply embedded in the military mindset.
What is the best way to reduce that stigma?
In my opinion, the only way to mitigate this is to make mental-health counseling a routine event that everyone partakes in from the top of the chain of command to the bottom. I’m not going to claim to have all the answers but with the individual and group sessions I implemented there was no stigma.
Receiving help was an expected part of training. The group sessions provided the opportunity for members to share their personal experiences and feelings, which created a shift from struggling as separate individual to participating in a collective group experience.
The process was so powerful to watch because it immediately normalized the challenges the Marines were facing and created avenues for people to offer help to their peers. The groups not only helped strengthen the individual, but also created a greater sense of camaraderie within the unit.
The individual sessions were equally as important helping build emotional intelligence and giving people the opportunity to share feelings and concerns in a private setting.
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Sinusitis is inflammation of the sinuses, most commonly caused by a viral or bacterial infection or by an allergy.
Sinusitis is one of the most common medical conditions. About 10 to 15 million people each year develop symptoms of sinusitis. Sinusitis may occur in any of the four groups of sinuses: maxillary, ethmoid, frontal, or sphenoid. Sinusitis nearly always occurs in conjunction with inflammation of the nasal passages (rhinitis), and some doctors refer to the disorder as rhinosinusitis. It may be acute (short-lived) or chronic (long-standing).
Sinusitis is defined as acute if it is totally resolved in less than 30 days. Acute sinusitis may be caused by a variety of bacteria and often develops after something blocks the openings to the sinuses. Such blockage commonly results from a viral infection of the upper airways, such as the common cold. During a cold, the swollen mucous membranes of the nasal cavity tend to block the openings of the sinuses. Air in the sinuses is absorbed into the bloodstream, and the pressure inside the sinuses decreases, causing pain and drawing fluid into the sinuses. This fluid is a breeding ground for bacteria. White blood cells and more fluid enter the sinuses to fight the bacteria. This influx increases the pressure and causes more pain.
Allergies also cause mucous membrane swelling, which blocks the openings to the sinuses. Additionally, people with a deviated septum are more prone to obstructed sinuses.
Sinusitis is defined as chronic if it has been ongoing for more than 8 to 12 weeks. Doctors do not understand exactly what causes chronic sinusitis, but it may follow a viral infection, a severe allergy, or exposure to an environmental pollutant. Often the person has a family history, and a genetic predisposition seems to be a factor. If the person has a bacterial or fungal infection, the inflammation is much worse. Occasionally, chronic sinusitis of the maxillary sinus results when an upper tooth abscess spreads into the sinus above.
Acute sinusitis usually results in pain, tenderness, congestion and obstruction in the nose, reduced ability to smell (hyposmia), bad breath (halitosis), a productive cough (especially at night), and swelling over the affected sinus. Maxillary sinusitis causes pain over the cheeks just below the eyes, toothache, and headache. Frontal sinusitis causes headache over the forehead. Ethmoid sinusitis causes pain behind and between the eyes, a bacterial infection of the skin around the eye socket (periorbital cellulitis), tearing, and headache (often described as splitting) over the forehead. Sphenoid sinusitis causes pain that does not occur in well-defined areas and may be felt in the front or back of the head.
In acute sinusitis, yellow or green pus may be discharged from the nose. Fever and chills also can occur, but their presence may suggest that the infection has spread beyond the sinuses. Any change in vision or swelling around the eye is a very serious condition that can quickly—within minutes to hours—result in blindness. Such a change should be evaluated by a doctor as soon as possible. Often, pain is more severe in acute sinusitis.
The symptoms of chronic sinusitis are similar to those caused by acute sinusitis. The most common symptoms of chronic sinusitis are nasal obstruction, nasal congestion, and postnasal drip. People with sinusitis may have colored discharge and a decreased sense of smell. A person also may feel generally ill (malaise).
A doctor bases the diagnosis on the typical symptoms and, sometimes, on x-ray studies. X-rays may show fluid in the sinuses, but a computed tomography (CT) scan is better able to determine the extent and severity of sinusitis. If a person has maxillary sinusitis, the teeth may be x-rayed to check for tooth abscesses. Sometimes a doctor passes a thin viewing scope (endoscope) into the nose to inspect the sinus openings and to obtain samples of fluid for culture. This procedure, which requires a local anesthetic (to numb the area), can be done in the doctor's office.
Sinusitis in children is suspected when a pus-filled discharge from the nose persists for more than 10 days along with extreme tiredness (fatigue) and cough. Pain or discomfort in the face may be present. Fever is uncommon. When examining the nose, a doctor sees pus-filled drainage. A CT scan can confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment of acute sinusitis is aimed at improving sinus drainage and curing the infection. Steam inhalation; hot, wet towels over the affected sinuses; and hot beverages may help relieve the tightened or constricted blood vessels and promote drainage. Nasal sprays, such as phenylephrine, which cause blood vessels to narrow (constrict), can be used for a limited time. Similar drugs, such as pseudoephedrine, taken by mouth are not as effective. For acute sinusitis, antibiotics such as amoxicillin or trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole are given.
People who have chronic sinusitis take antibiotics, such as amoxicillin/clavulanate or cefuroxime, for a longer period of time. When antibiotics are not effective, surgery may be performed either to wash out the sinus and obtain material for culture or to improve sinus drainage, which allows the inflammation to resolve.
Last full review/revision July 2008 by Marvin P. Fried, MD; Michael Jacewicz, MD
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The Shangri-Las were a girl group, an American pop group of the 1960s. Between 1964 and 1966 they charted with often heartbreaking teen melodramas, and remain known for "Leader of the Pack" and "Remember (Walkin' in the Sand)".
They began playing school shows, talent shows and teen hops, coming to the attention of Artie Ripp, who arranged the group's first record deal with Kama Sutra. Their first recording in December 1963 was "Simon Says", later issued on the Smash label, on which Betty Weiss sang lead. They also recorded "Wishing Well" / "Hate To Say I Told You So", which became their first release in early 1964 when leased to the small Spokane label.
Initially, the girls performed without a name. But when they signed their first deal, they began calling themselves the Shangri-Las, after a Queens restaurant.
Some discographies list The Beatle-ettes and The Bon Bons, who both issued singles in 1964, as early versions of The Shangri-Las. However, they are different groups.
Mary Weiss was the main lead singer, Betty however took lead on "Maybe", and a number of B-sides and album tracks. One of The Ganser Twins took lead on "I'm Blue", which is a cover of the Ikettes biggest hit at the time, and was included on their 1965 album "Shangri-Las 65!". And One Of the twins takes the lead on "Sophisticated Boom Boom" b-side of "Long Live Our Love".
The recordings for Morton featured lavish production with heavy orchestration and sound effects, and their next and biggest hit, "Leader of the Pack" (U.S. #1, UK #11), climaxes with roaring motorcycles and breaking glass. UK re-issues peaked at 3 in 1972 and 7 in 1976. The song epitomized the "death disc"; other examples include Ray Peterson's "Tell Laura I Love Her", Jan and Dean's "Dead Man's Curve", and Twinkle's "Terry".
By the end of 1964 the group were an established act. They performed with the Beatles, toured with R&B artists such as The Drifters and James Brown (who, according to Mary Weiss, was surprised to discover the girls were white), and Cashbox magazine listed them as best new R&B group. They also promoted Revlon cosmetics. In March 1965 they toured the UK with Dusty Springfield and The Zombies.
Because Betty did not tour until 1966, and because she often did not appear in photos, many fans believed the Shangri-Las were a trio.
The Shangri-Las' 'tough girls' persona set them apart from other girl groups. Having grown up in a rough neighborhood of Queens, they were less demure than their contemporaries. Rumors about supposed escapades have since become legend, including:
Whatever truth these stories may have, they were believed by fans in the 60s, and they helped cement the group's bad-girl reputation. According to Weiss, that persona helped fend off advances from musicians on tours.
The Shangri-Las continued to chart with fairly successful U.S. hit records, specializing in adolescent themes such as alienation, loneliness, abandonment and death. Singles included "Give Him a Great Big Kiss", "Out in the Streets", "Give Us Your Blessings", the top ten hit "I Can Never Go Home Anymore", "Long Live Our Love", "He Cried" and the spoken-word "Past, Present and Future", featuring music from Beethoven's "Moonlight" Sonata". Noteworthy B-sides included "Heaven Only Knows", "The Train from Kansas City", "Dressed in Black", and "Paradise" (written by Harry Nilsson) .
Among titles in critics' favorites lists is "I Can Never Go Home Anymore", the story of a girl who leaves home for a boy; her pride keeps her from returning to her mother who "grew so lonely in the end/the angels picked her for their friend". Lines from "Give Him A Great Big Kiss" include "When I say I'm in love, you best believe I'm in love, L-U-V", and "Well I hear he's bad." "Hmm, he's good-bad, but he's not evil."
All the Shangri-Las withdrew from the spotlight. Morton said "The Shangri-Las vacated, they vanished". Reportedly, they were angry that they received little royalties, despite the millions of records they sold. Mary Weiss moved to New York's Greenwich Village, then to San Francisco. Returning to Manhattan a few years later, and prevented from recording because of lawsuits, she worked as a secretary while taking college classes. She then went into the architectural industry, working in the accounting department of a New York architectural firm. She moved up to be the chief purchasing agent and later ran the commercial furniture dealership. In the late eighties she managed a furniture store and was an interior designer. By 2001 she was a furniture consultant to New York businesses. .
She married in 1974 but the marriage ended in 1985; she married again several years later, and her second husband now manages her music career.
Betty Weiss also married and had a daughter, the only member of the group to have a child. She worked for a cosmetics company in Manhattan and later started her own business in Long Island.
Mary Ann Ganser died on March 14, 1970, from barbiturates. According to her mother, Mary Ann had a heroin addiction for two years. Mary Weiss claimed that Mary Ann had died from encephalitis, brought on by a mosquito bite.
The group declined offers to reform throughout the '70s, although they did a few random live performances. But following the successful re-issue of "Leader of the Pack" in the UK in 1976 and renewed interest in the group, Mary and Betty Weiss and Marge Ganser reunited. Contacting Seymour Stein of Sire Records, they spent summer 1977 in New York with producer Andy Paley. Paley said the sessions went well, but they weren't satisfied with all the material and declined to release the record. The tapes now appear lost.
They did, however, give a live performance at CBGBs; Paley put together a band, including Lenny Kaye, and after two hours of rehearsing, the Shangri-Las returned to the stage for the first time in a decade. Although the Sire sessions came to naught, the group toyed with signing with another label. But they were put off by the insistence of record executives that they be a disco vocal group, the musical trend of the day. Mary said she envisioned the Shangri-Las like punk singer Patti Smith). The Shangri-Las split up.
Since the 1980s a trio has called itself the Shangri Las, although unconnected with the original group. The tribute act was put together by Dick Fox, who claimed to have bought the rights to the name, and resulted in legal action from both sides. The original group performed for the last time at a reunion show hosted by Cousin Brucie (Bruce Morrow) in East Rutherford, New Jersey on June 3, 1989.
The line from "Give Him A Great Big Kiss" — "When I say I'm in love, you best believe I'm in love, L-U-V" — was used by the New York Dolls on their 1973 recording "Looking For A Kiss". The New York Dolls' guitarist Johnny Thunders included a cover of "...Great Big Kiss" on his first solo album "So Alone". Ian Svenonius also used the line at the beginning of "Today I Met The Girl I'm Going to Marry" by his band Nation of Ulysses on the album 13-Point Program to Destroy America. More recently, Ryan Adams (and the Cardinals) paid homage to that line in their song "Beautiful Sorta" off the album Cold Roses, but they changed it to "When I say L-U-V, you better believe me L-U-V. Give me a beer!" In 2005 Julian Cope parodied the famous line in "Dying to Meet You" from his "Citizen Cain'd" album. He's heard to say “When I say I’m dead you best believe I’m dead. D.E.A.D.” during the outro.
The opening from "Leader of the Pack" — "Is she really going out with him ?" — was recycled both as the opening lines of 1976's "New Rose" by the Damned, the first British punk rock single, and of "Kill" by the parody punk group Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias, as well as the title of the 1979 hit song by Joe Jackson.
Although most covers and remakes of the Shangri-Las material focus on the hit singles, some express the groups' influence on them by recording songs from The Shangri-Las which were never released as singles by group. Among these, the Los Angeles rock group Red Kross covered "Heaven Only Knows," an album cut from The Shangri-las second album "Shangri-las '65," and Superchunk and Belle and Sebastian recorded versions of "The Train From Kansas City," which was a b-side, and an album cut from the Shangri-las debut album "Leader Of The Pack."
British singer Amy Winehouse has cited the Shangri-Las as an influenceand occasionally integrates the hook lyrics from "Remember (Walkin' in the Sand)" into the bridge of her song "Back to Black" during live performances .
Kathleen Hanna of the electropunk group Le Tigre has mentioned that the "one girl calling another" motif and the opening sound of seagulls on the track "What's Yr Take On Cassavetes?" were inspired by The Shangri-Las.
The Shangri-Las were imitated by groups like The Nu-Luvs, who had a hit with "So Soft, So Warm", which was originally recorded by the Shangri-Las as "Dressed In Black" and used as the b-side to "He Cried" (a Jay And The Americans cover}, others included, "The Pussycats", and "The Whyte Boots" who scored big with their single "Nightmare" originally intended for The Shangri-las. Which was written, produced and performed by Lori Burton and Pam Sawyer.
The Detergents had hits with "Leader Of The Laundromat" and "I Can Never Eat Home Any More", both of which parodied the Shangri-Las.
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What is Judo?
Judo is a combative Japanese martial art and competitive Olympic sport that involves largely the practice of throws, pins, strangles and arm-locks which are used in contests against uncooperative opponents. Contests are also available for Judo Kata forms, which are 2-person pre-defined and choreographed demonstration series. Beside the physical practice of techniques, Judo also encompasses moral teachings and fostering the belief that Judo should be used only for defense and for the mutual welfare and benefit of the community.
Origins of Judo
Judo was founded by Jigoro Kano in Tokyo, Japan in 1882 and is derived from the many schools of Jujitsu (“the gentle technique”). Jujitsu uses punches, kicks, blocks, wrist-locks, leg-locks, throws, pins, arm-locks and strangles to defeat and/or control an opponent. Kano studied at various schools and found that Jujitsu was a very effective and admirable fighting form, however, severe injuries were very common during the learning process. So, Kano developed a form that would strengthen mind and body but also could be learned safely as a form of physical education, and used as a competitive sport. The result was Judo. Once Judo was established in Japan, Dr. Kano sent many of his students abroad to teach judo to others making it an international sensation. Today, a few relatively new combative art forms owe it’s roots to judo including Brazilian Jujitsu (BJJ) and Sambo.
“Judo” is a Japanese word that literally translates to “gentle way,” but is more accurately understood as “reasonable conduct.” This is because the “ju” and “do” in “judo” are meant in the context of Taoist philosophy where “to be gentle” is “to be reasonable” and “way” refers to both physical and moral conduct. Below is a list of other words and phrases commonly used in Judo and their generally understood meaning:
|ashi-waza = foot/leg techniques||newaza = ground techniques|
|dan = degree black belt||randori = free practice|
|dojo = place where judo is practiced||sensei = teacher|
|ippon = 1 point / perfect throw||shiai = fighting competition|
|joseki = where VIPs sit||shido = penalty in shiai|
|judogi (gi) = judo uniform||shimewaza = strangling techniques|
|judoka = person who practices judo||sutemiwaza = sacrifice techniques|
|kaeshiwaza = counter techniques||tachiwaza = standing techniques|
|kumikata = gripping methods||tatami = mats|
|kuzushi = breaking opponent’s balance||uchikomi = practice fitting-in for throws|
|kyu = student judo rank||ukemi = break falling|
|nage-waza = throwing techniques|
To view the new IJF Rules or download a complete set of the International Judo Federation Refereeing rules, go to the IJF Web Site.
|The most complete book written about Judo is still Kodokan Judo, written by Jigoro Kano. Kodokan Judo includes a brief history and etiquette as well as the throws, pins, armlocks, strangles and counters for these techniques and it contains descriptions of the seven Kata of the Kodokan. This book is available from www.amazon.com by clicking on the logo to the right.|
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Mercia (mûrˈshə) [key], one of the kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England, consisting generally of the region of the Midlands. It was settled by Angles c.500, probably first along the Trent valley. Its history emerges from obscurity with the reign of Penda, who extended his power over Wessex (645) and East Anglia (650) to gain overlordship of England S of the Humber River. After his death Mercia suffered a three-year loss of ascendancy during which it was converted to Christianity by a Northumbrian mission. Penda's son, Wulfhere, then reestablished a Greater Mercia that finally, under Æthelbald in the 8th cent., extended over all S England. This hegemony was strengthened by Offa (reigned 757–96), who controlled East Anglia, Kent, and Sussex and maintained superiority of a sort over Wessex and Northumbria. He had the great Offa's Dyke built to protect W Mercia from the Welsh. After his death, Mercian power gradually gave way before that of Wessex. The victories of Egbert of Wessex in Mercia established him briefly as overlord. In 874, Mercia weakly succumbed to the invading Danish army, and ultimately the eastern part became (886) a portion of the Danelaw, while the western part was controlled by Alfred of Wessex. Thereafter Mercia had no independent history, although it had one more distinguished ruler in Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians.
See F. M. Stenton, Anglo-Saxon England (3d ed. 1971).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
More on Mercia from Fact Monster:
See more Encyclopedia articles on: British and Irish History
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Myanmar: Empowering Sex Workers to Prevent HIV
By Mette Hartmeyer and Sidney Traynham
February 16, 2011—Ma Thaw is a local community activist in Yangon, Myanmar. She uses drama and her network of friends to promote health and reverse discrimination in her community.
Another aspect to her life: She is a sex worker and is living with HIV.
“My positive status is very difficult to disclose to other persons, including my own family, my friends, and people in my community,” states Ma Thaw (whose name has been changed to protect her identity). She is fearful to publicly share her status, because she feels she could be additionally discriminated against and made a further outcast from her community.
After she learned of her status, one of her friends introduced her to a local self-help group to start getting information and education about what it means to live with HIV. The women in this group who welcomed Ma Thaw are part of a larger network of self-help groups linked to the organization, the Myanmar Positive Group (MPG).
“Now I have the chance to come and work here at MPG and get a little training in computers,” explains Ma Thaw after a recent coordination meeting with other self-help group leaders. “Wherever I go, I cannot get a good job because of this stigma and because I don't have an education. Most sex workers have a very low level of education.”
She now helps with HIV prevention training to educate others. “I am a sex worker and I am positive, and I have many experiences of discrimination. So I educate non-positive sex workers about how to protect against HIV,” she shares.
Kathrine Alexandrowiz, the head of programs for CWS Asia Pacific, has been working alongside and supporting MPG for more than a year. She notes, “We can’t necessarily change the exploitation of the sex industry in Myanmar overnight, but we can work directly with those who are most vulnerable in ways that promote dignity, health and safety.”
The network that MPG has created throughout Myanmar is one of the best prevention, awareness and care activities happening in the country, reports Alexandrowiz. “Their reach into communities is an incredible source of hope for people who have nowhere else to turn, particularly when they learn news that will change their life forever,” she shares. The partnership between CWS Asia Pacific and MPG is supported through funding from the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR).
Through counseling, peer education and workshops, MPG is working to lessen the gap between people living with HIV and medical service providers. The workshops aim to train self-help group members to learn how to manage their own health status as well as that of their friends. They also learn more about the different kinds of treatments and various side effects.
With the knowledge and skills that Ma Thaw has gained through MPG, she continues to help her peers with the many challenges that sex workers face in Myanmar. “We discuss how to avoid not using a condom, and the dangers of non-condom use,” she says. Yet she adds that the pressure to not use condoms not only comes from clients, but it also can come from the police.
“Sometimes we are arrested with the evidence of a condom,” notes Ma Thaw. She says that police can use possession of a condom as a sign that someone is a sex worker.
“The only way that we can bring about lasting change is to dramatically increase the awareness of communities,“ says Alexandrowiz. “Our goal is for MPG to continue to empower its group members with knowledge so that they multiply and become local resources among their own families, friends and peers in order to connect people with assistance and decrease the prevalence rate of HIV in Myanmar.”
While living with HIV for the past decade, Ma Thaw has been on antiretroviral drugs for the past four years and is quite healthy today. She remains grateful for the acceptance she has found in her group and the sense of purpose she has to help her peers to prevent the spread of HIV.
Her group is called, Shwe Nyiama, or Golden Sisters.
How You Can Help
You can support projects like these that create education, prevention, treatment and awareness through the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund, UMCOR Advance #982345. Through 20/20: Visioning an AIDS-Free World, a gift of $20 a month until 2020 can stop the transmission of HIV from mother to child, teach young adults about HIV prevention, and feed an HIV-positive person, that enables them to take their medicine and lead a productive life.
Mette Hartmeyer and Sidney Traynham work with CWS Asia Pacific.
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June 1, 1880 the U.S. Federal Census was enumerated for Pine River. We find George is listed with a family but not much detail:
Source: The George Barclay Family, 1880 U.S. Federal Census Pine River, Cass Co., Minnesota, SD 3, ED 218, pg. 10, Line 1:
Barclay, George, male, 30 years old, husband, tavern keeper, place of birth unclear. Under George’s name is written wife, age 26 place of birth not indicated, child age 7/12, male born Minnesota. The wife is keeping house.
This census is not very clear and lists the family members under George as “wife” and “child” with no names given. We do know that George has a family started and is living in Pine River.
Along with George and his family there are two other individuals: John Eins age 32 and Thomas [Nourling] age 62. Both men are helping in the Tavern. John is from Norway and the other is from Kentucky.
There is only one page for Pine River listed for this census.
This 1880 census lists as enumeration districts for Cass County as follows with the approximate number of people in parentheses:
The Chippewa Agency (21), Clayton (18), Gull Lake (19) and Gull River (135?), Hay Creek (2), Leech Lake Indian Reservation (6), Not stated – Twps 139 and 140 with 9 pages with children and wives listed (200+), Pelican Lake (3), Pillager (18) , Pine River (5) and West Brainerd (36).
The birthplace given for George is also obscure and has the word “Native” written above another scribble that is very faded and difficult to read. It might indicate he refused to answer or more likely he wasn’t home?
The listings from the above census enumeration districts had lots of families listed but most of the population was north of Pine River.
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Illnesses caused by civilization such as diabetes or increased cholesterol levels are ready markets for pharmaceutical applications. Meanwhile practical analyzers for self-diagnosis are on the market.
Commercial diagnostic strips already replace complete analysis laboratories and are very effective. These are multi-layer film preparations, which classify the samples by means of enzymes. Other products function by osmotic absorption into the smallest cavities.
Highly precise process steps during the production of diagnostic products ensure the optimal handling and quality of the product. We are speaking here about accuracies of film alignment in fractions of a m. These position accuracies are reached by synchronisable reference die-cuttings or imprints. This means that a complete production line is designed for this measurement system. Precise die-cuttings and formed cuts are obtained with servo-controlled cylinders. This incredible accuracy to size does not stand in the way of extremely high-volume production runs.
Höfliger provides you with first-hand expert knowledge in processing technology for the production of diagnostic strips.
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When Satyajit Ray introduced a new Bengali detective in Feludar Goendagiri (ফেলুদার গোয়েন্দাগিরি) in the Bengali periodical Sandesh in 1965, he did not have any plans for continuing the series. Details on how the story originated can be found in Sandip Ray’s piece in a Feluda commemorative issue published 30 years later and also in a report published in The Telegraph. The short story involves a case quite simple compared to some of Feluda’s more intricate adventures.
We also learn some facts about Feluda, some of which change in future stories. In Feludar Goendagiri, Topshe’s name is Tapesh Ranjan Bose, and Pradosh Mitter (Feluda) is a cousin related to him on his mother’s side. Topshe’s name changes to Tapesh Ranjan Mitter (Mitra) in subsequent stories and so does the relationship. Tosphe is a little over thirteen, and Feluda is twenty-seven years old in the story. We also learn that Feluda’s father’s name is Jaykrishna Mitter (Mitra). Although Feluda is as sharp as ever, in my opinion, he does seem a bit more impatient with Topshe than in future stories.
From reading Sandip Ray’s reminisces we know that Satyajit Ray was fond of traveling and making sure Bengali readers could share his experiences through the Feluda adventures. Satyajit Ray directed Kanchenjunga, his first completely original screenplay a few years earlier. Kanchenjunga (which has always been one of my all-time favorite movies in any language) was shot in Darjeeling. For the first Feluda story, Feludar Goendagiri, readers were transported back to Darjeeling. Feluda would come back again for Darjeeling Jomjomat and Sandip Ray mentions that this was one of Satyajit Ray’s favorite places.
Through Topshe’s first-person narrative, Feluda also educates as well as entertains. From the outset, he explains his thought-process and shares tidbits of information with readers. For example, in Feludar Goendagiri, readers learn some facts about differences in Bengali type-fonts
Equally important, Feluda’s acute sense of observation is evident in Feludar Goendagiri. He notices minute details that others fail to detect. However, his acute powers are not limited to visual observation, since the sense of smell, plays a major part in this story. Feluda uses this sense to great effect in future stories such as Bombaiyer Bombete as well.
As discussed, many of the key features of future Feluda stories are already present in Feludar Goendagiri.
(If you’ve already read the story, please check out the quiz.)
©2010-2012 Feluda.net. All rights reserved.
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By virtually any measure, official Japanese debt is the highest in the world. The total outstanding volume of Japanese Government Bonds (JGBs) is an almost unfathomable $9 trillion, only just below the $10.5 trillion in outstanding debt for the full 17-country eurozone, which has more than triple the population.
So grim has Japan's fiscal position become that bond issuance has exceeded tax revenue since 2009. Taxes cover less than half of government spending. And last year's earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster only made a grim fiscal picture worse by requiring huge new spending on reconstruction. Japan issued a record 55.8 trillion yen ($693.5 billion), or 12 percent of nominal GDP, in government bonds during the last fiscal year.
Of course, Japan's fiscal problems have been mounting for decades. Annual tax revenue has fallen 30 percent since the country's property bubble burst in 1989, owing to slow growth and deflation, with tax cuts implemented as stimulus measures during the 1990's recession playing a subsidiary role.
The only reason that Japan has been able to sustain its fiscal position is that 93 percent of its debt is domestically held (with the Bank of Japan now buying close to one-third of the JGBs issued each year). Indeed, in contrast to the foreign capital flight that has so damaged Europe, willing foreign buyers of JGBs are currently plentiful, pushing interest rates to their lowest levels ever.
Moreover, Japan's private sector – its households and companies – sits atop a mountain of savings, which is mostly used to purchase JGBs. Because the government can still borrow mainly from the Japanese people, its balance sheet remains stable. But, given Japan's aging population, how long can that continue?
Most leading Japanese economists believe that the situation cannot be sustained, given that the large number of households formed by pensioners is increasingly drawing down savings. The share of those aged 65 or over has nearly doubled over the past two decades, to 23 percent, compared to 13 percent for the United States and 16 percent for Europe. If this trend continues, as seems likely, the captured market that JGBs have had for decades will begin to shrink dangerously. At that point, foreign purchasers are unlikely to pick up the slack.
In reaching the agreement to raise the consumption tax, the opposition Liberal Democratic Party insisted that the main squeeze on the budget deficit – the amount spent on social-security benefits for Japan's retirees – begin to be addressed. But the agreement actually does nothing to fix that problem.
The large number of elderly and retired people means that spending on health care and social security now consumes 29.2 percent of the budget, a one-third increase since 2000. To meet these demands, Japan's government has been slashing spending on education and research, the two areas in which the country's post-war economic rise was forged. And the old jibe that Japan cannot resist building bridges to nowhere if the government is paying rings less true nowadays. Public works and pork-barrel spending fell to 5.1 percent of the budget this year, from 13 percent in 2000.
Of course, the tax system will also need to be addressed. Just as Japan's deficit is monumental by any measure, Japanese income earners are clearly under-taxed. Even after the proposed doubling of the consumption tax, the rate will remain half the 20 percent (or more) that almost all European countries levy. Overall tax revenue is roughly 27 percent of GDP, putting Japan in 28th place among the 35 OECD countries.
The government must not overestimate how much revenue can be gained by the consumption-tax increase, and thus how much of the budget hole can be closed. Moreover, it has so far shrugged off any concern that the tax increase might have a chilling effect on consumption, and thus on economic growth.
Hiromichi Shirakawa, the chief economist at Credit Suisse AG in Tokyo, suggests that the revenue increase from the consumption-tax hike will soon begin to evaporate – and disappear completely in 5-7 years. If he is right, the increase will turn out to be little more than a finger in the dyke of Japan's budget problems.
Despite its two decades of economic malaise, Japan remains the world's third-largest economy, and will grow by about 2 percent this year and 1.5 percent in 2013. Given the economic doldrums in which the world finds itself, that may not seem so bad. But, if Japan is ever to address its fiscal dilemma effectively, it will need to sustain faster growth than that.
Such growth presupposes a credible strategy to pare the deficit, which means a plan that recognizes the reality of the growing cohort of pensioners. Japanese authorities will also need to launch bold liberalizing reforms to unshackle the many areas of the economy that are shielded from competition. These reforms must aim to boost greater workforce participation by women; induce corporations to invest more at home; and increase competition in cosseted sectors of the economy.
If any country has the political tools to undertake a program of comprehensive reform, it is Japan. The unity with which the Japanese population met last year's disaster demonstrated once again that, when called upon, the national spirit can work miracles. And Japan's “greatest generation” – the men and women who rebuilt a war-shattered country into an economic powerhouse – should not be deemed unwilling to sacrifice for the greater good. After all, they saved their country once; they are more than capable of doing it again.
*Yuriko Koike has served in Japanese governments as Minister of Defense and National Security Adviser.
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Occam's razor, the philosophy that the simplest explanation is usually the correct one. Occam's razor can be well-applied to the "right to bear arms" argument.
Yesterday, I came across this simple, brilliant tweet in my Twitter feed (article continues after photo):
In 140 characters or less, the author of this tweet reminded the most vociferous gun control advocates that they, too, depend on private gun ownership for protection. Brilliant!
My succinct arguments, presented using hypothetical situations:
1) A felon has broken into your house and intends to rape and kill you. You dial 911, but the police are 5 minutes away. Would you rather spend those 5 minutes unarmed, risking being raped and killed? Or, would you rather have the ability to eliminate the threat before you are harmed?
2) The economy further deteriorates, history repeats itself, and society collapses. There are riots in the streets, and the government becomes tyrannical. In this scenario, would you rather your defenses be limited to handguns, or would you rather have assault weapons at your disposal?
Think about it, libs.
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It is time, it is time they called
as they gathered belongings to go,
the angry mountain was fuming
and threatened the people below.
They took possessions and fled
Away from the valley of death,
To escape the molten lava
And the mountains acrid breath.
They thought the Gods were angry
It was all they could comprehend,
For they were plain simple folk
But knew their world would end.
Then the red hot, pent up, magma
Getting ready now to blow,
The volcano spewed it`s worse
And covered the valley below.
It was this huge part of nature
Which folk did not understand,
For blackened burned out ashes,
Was all that was left of their land.
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ELLINGTON FIELD, TX – July 28, 2011 – MADE IN SPACE, a start-up dedicated to providing solutions for manufacturing in space, announced the successful completion of testing 3D printers in zero-gravity.
The test took place on multiple zero-gravity flights provided by NASA’s Flight Opportunities Program. Two modified off-the-shelf 3D printers were tested, including one provided by their partner 3D Systems, a leading provider of 3D printing solutions. The company also tested a custom-made printer that’s designed to manufacture structures in space.
Several objects were printed during the flight, including a scaled-down wrench that became the first ever tool printed through partial zero-gravity. They also built a part that was designed by Within Technologies to be optimized for complete strength-to-mass ratio.
MADE IN SPACE believes the advantages of 3D printing — limited material waste, the ability to build complex geometries, immediate production time, and minimal human involvement required — make it the perfect manufacturing system for outer space.
“3D printing and in-space manufacturing will dramatically change the way we look at space exploration, commercialization, and mission design today.” said Aaron Kemmer, CEO and Co-Founder of MADE IN SPACE. “The possibilities range from building on-demand parts for human missions to building large space habitats that are optimized for space.”
Once the printers and material are set in space, missions will have the freedom to build what they need when they need it and not have to rely on transport from Earth.
The company flew the printers in order to better understand how 3D printing works in a space-like environment.
“Based on past research, we already knew that 3D printing works in zero-g to some degree. The question we are answering is how well does it work.” said Jason Dunn, CTO and co-founder.
For the flight, MADE IN SPACE partnered with Autodesk,a world leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software, who provided software and techniques to optimize space-based design principles for practical applications.
The test in zero-gravity is a crucial first step for the company. Over the next month, they will be conducting post-flight analysis, and have plans for further zero-gravity testing over the upcoming year. For more information and on-going updates from their experiments, visit www.madeinspace.us.
Contact: Alison Lewis
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Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) October 27, 2005
Charles Patrick Dugan of Del Rio, Texas, a retired U.S. Marine Corps infantryman and survivor of heavy combat in Vietnam, gave his rank and serial number to his muscular Jack Russell terrier by calling him Cpl. Jack Russell Dugan, USMC, 2164539, or "Cpl. J.R." for short. Dugan and the dog often exercised by walking through four local cemeteries.
As it neared Veteran's Day one year, Cpl. J. R. ran off unexpectedly. Dugan found the dog scratching at a neglected grave marker. Brushing the debris away, he was amazed to find that the dog had found one of the only military gravestones in the cemetery. It was inscribed with the dog's same name, Jack A. Russell, Texas, Cpl. Signal Corps. After Dugan swept the tombstone clear of debris, the dog rested on the headstone of his namesake who had died during the Korean War.
Cpl. Dugan says, "A little dog paid honor and respect by bringing new meaning to the belief that no soldier should ever be forgotten." Now, Cpl. Dugan shares details of his remarkable story in the new book "Angel Dogs: Divine Messengers of Love" by Allen and Linda Anderson with a foreword by Willard Scott (New World Library, October 2005).
Dugan's story shows that a dog's loyalty need not be underestimated. Dogs have served in the U.S. military since World War II, detecting landmines and offering companionship and safety to soldiers. In the current Iraq war, stray dogs are befriending military units and individual soldiers. This occurrence has become so prevalent that a movement and Website, militarymascots.org, has been organized to help bring these loyal canine friends home when the soldiers return.
Allen Anderson says, "Cpl. Dugan's story is one of the thousands we've receive that show animals have a way of letting people know that they are never truly forgotten or abandoned."
Take for example another story in the Andersons' collection that demonstrates how the loyalty of dogs sustains people during times of war. Bob Shaw, an award-winning writer and newspaper columnist from Benton, Missouri, writes about Pinkey, a blond cocker spaniel who made her family wonder if she might be able to read. Pinkey was Shaw's constant boyhood pal and the family's "little thief" -- she stole baseballs from a nearby amusement fairground booth, hiding them in her backyard.
After Shaw enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was sent to Vietnam, Pinkey mourned for the loss of her best friend. When Shaw's first letter home arrived from overseas, the family read it eagerly and left it on the kitchen table. During the night, Pinkey stole the young soldier's letter and curled up in her bed with it tucked under her chin. From that point on, Pinkey kept all of Shaw's letters in her bed and slept with them every night.
Other stories in "Angel Dogs" illustrate why people and dogs are inseparable. The book features:
In 1996, Allen and Linda Anderson co-founded the Angel Animals Network and its free online "Angel Animals Story of the Week" at http://www.angelanimals.net. "Angel Dogs" is the latest in an ongoing series of books that contain inspiring stories about courageous and loyal dogs. The book has favorable reviews in "Publisher's Weekly," "Best Friends," and "Foreword" magazines. It is available through bookstores nationwide and at online booksellers.
# # #
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Over 8,000 websites created by students around the world who have participated in a ThinkQuest Competition.
Compete | FAQ | Contact Us
The Happening '70s
This website is about the 70's. It has the events, fashion and bads, entertainment, and music of the 70's. It has some fun games and neat pictures. It is really a fun and educational site!
19 & under
Geography & Travel > North & Central America > United States
History & Government > United States
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The Cadogan Hotel, a beautiful townhouse off London's Sloane Square, weaves contemporary styling with classic Edwardian decadence - and has an Irish connection to boot.
The Irish are travel birds. There's probably not a spot on the globe where they haven't touched down and built a nest or two. And finding corners of Ireland even in the most obscure places is always a fun travel thing to do.
On a trip to London late last year, I stayed at the Cadogan Hotel, which proved the perfect spot for an Irish-tinged weekend (I was in London to attend the premiere of Doubt by Irish-American writer John Patrick Shanley).
Located at 75 Sloane Street, the Cadogan exudes Old World charm with a hint of Edwardian decadence, and it has an Irish connection to boot. It was here that Irish playwright and author Oscar Wilde was arrested in 1895.
Wilde lived a couple of blocks away on Tite Street, and he was a frequent visitor to the hotel, where today a suite is named in his honor. (There is also an Edward VII Suite, named to celebrate the future King of England's liaisons with Oscar's close friend, the actress Lillie Langtry.)
The Oscar Wilde Suite is an experience in sumptuous luxury. Large and airy, with a huge bed, velvet-covered duvet, padded headboard, marble bathroom, and a dressing area where the closet reveals a smoking jacket la Oscar. It is in fact a replica of the one the writer is wearing in a photograph with Bosie (Lord Alfred "Bosie" Douglas, the youthful lover who was Wilde's downfall) that hangs in the room.
The photograph of Oscar Wilde in the suite is the only one of him that I came across in the hotel. The celebrated beauty Lillie Langtry has more of a presence - the restaurant is named in her honor. (I had a wonderful dinner there - Fisherman's Pie with bread pudding for dessert.)
Langtry (Wilde helped launch her theatrical career) lived at the property from 1892 to 1897. She sold the house, in 1895, to the Cadogan Estate, but retained her bedroom and living quarters.
As Richard Ellman says in his biography of Wilde, "She welcomed [Wilde] as a friend. For him, her beauty was a 'form of genius.' He was engaged in the same storming of London by his wits that she was achieving by her looks. Then too, they were both weary, Wilde of being an over-age undergraduate, Mrs. Langtry of being the wife to a nondescript Irish yachtsman, and both eager to perform on a larger stage."
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I’ve heard my mom say on more than one occasion that people come in all shapes and sizes. The same is true for school districts, too. Rebecca Jones at Education News Colorado provides some interesting insights with a story focused on Colorado’s smallest, and steadily shrinking, school district: Agate. When you see the numbers and the trends that tell the story, you can see why the “State’s smallest district ponders future”:
A decade ago, enrollment in Agate peaked at 132. Since then, the decline has been steady. And like many small school districts across Colorado struggling with declining enrollment, the prospects for remaining a viable independent district grow slimmer with each departing child.
To serve its 26 students – 12 in high school, five in middle school and nine in elementary school – Agate has a nearly $1.2 million budget for the 2010-11 school year. More than 70 percent of that comes from the state, which sets aside a relatively generous per-pupil allotment for rural school districts, and lets a district with declining enrollment average out its head count over four years, so a sudden drop in enrollment won’t cause quite so catastrophic a loss of revenue.
That means Agate is actually collecting state funds this year as though it were serving 51 students rather than the 37 it projected it would have, the 33 it opened the year with or the 26 it has now.
You were doing some back-of-the-envelope math there, weren’t you? So was I. At the beginning of the current school year, Agate’s budget stood at roughly $36,000 per student. Now it stands closer to $46,000 per student. It’s easy to make light of the problem, but how many other districts would experience a 20 percent drop in student enrollment just because the economy forced a couple families to move away? That would be a loss of nearly 1,000 students in an average-sized Colorado school district or more than 17,000 students in the state’s largest district: Jeffco. Continue Reading »
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So has EU policy to diversify gas supplies through the “Southern Corridor” become a failure now that it’s clear that there will be no Nabucco pipeline running through Turkey?
Nabucco, whose major shareholders are RWE of Germany and OMV of Austria, has long been seen as the flagship EU pipeline project in the Southern Corridor. It was meant to take gas from Azerbaijan (and at a later stage other sources in Central Asia and the Middle East) through Turkey and South East Europe to the gas hub at Baumgarten in Austria, thereby significantly reducing European dependence on Russian gas. The EU has long lobbied in favour of the 3,900 km project.
Last week it became clear, however, that Azerbaijan and Turkey are close to a deal on the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP). This will take Azeri gas from the Georgian-Turkish border to the Turkish border with Europe, effectively replacing the Turkish section of Nabucco. The Nabucco Consortium subsequently announced that it is giving up on its Turkish plans and will limit its ambitions to a pipeline running from the Turkish border to Baumgarten (“Nabucco West”), covering only 1,300 km.
This was widely reported as a failure of EU diversification policy in the international media, including for example the Financial Times, which said that the TANAP deal “marked the end of the road for a long-standing European plan … to reduce the Continent’s dependence on Russian imports”.
The European Commission, however, does not view things that way. The concept of the Southern Corridor does not favour a particular gas pipeline, one high-ranking Commission official said to European Energy Review recently. “We don’t care how the gas will come through the Southern Corridor to Europe, as long as it comes”, this official explained, on condition of anonymity. “We backed Nabucco at the start because it was all we had. But if there are alternatives, fine. We are not fighting for Nabucco.”
That’s a credible view - up to a point. Because, as our regular analyst Matthew Hulbert argues in a new analysis of the evolving Southern Corridor situation, there is a difference between the original Nabucco concept and a TANAP-Nabucco West combination. In the first case, gas flows to Europe would have been ensured. In the second case, they might not be. In this new concept, Azerbaijan will be able to divert gas flows to other destinations as it sees fit.
This, says Matthew, points to a wider issue that Europe has so far failed to sufficiently consider, namely the intentions and ambitions of the party that is to supply Europe’s “non-Russian” gas, namely Azerbaijan. Policymakers seem to assume, Matthew says, that the Azeri’s will be happy to deliver gas at the European border, count the money and go home.
But according to Matthew this is a mistake: their actions show that the Azeri’s want “in” on every part of the Southern Corridor value chain, all the way to European end consumers. And that, he says, turns the Southern Corridor into a whole different ball game. To read Matthew’s timely analysis, click here.
In addition, after our long weekend, we have some news for you from Brussels. Our correspondent Sonja van Renssen reports that the European refining industry has launched a fresh offensive against EU climate and environment policy at the first-ever EU round-table on refining organised by the European Commission last week. How about that for a new ball game? To read more about this, check out our European Energy Blog.
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People inspect their destroyed cars at the scene of a car bomb attack in the Ameen neighborhood of eastern Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013.
(Photo: Khalid Mohammed/ AP)
BAGHDAD (AP) - Shiite neighborhoods in Iraq's capital have been hit by a series of car bombs today.
Police and hospital officials say at least 37 people have been killed and more than 100 wounded as car bombs tore through shopping areas within minutes of each. The explosions struck at the start of the local work week and primarily targeted outdoor markets.
Sectarian tensions have been growing in Iraq and appear aimed at shaking Iraqis' confidence in the Shiite-led government.
Violence in Iraq has fallen since the height of sectarian fighting in 2006 and 2007, but insurgents still frequently launch lethal attacks against security forces and civilians. It was the third time this month that attacks have claimed more than 20 lives in a single day.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Ethical Issues in Crim Justice (CRIM 305)
Explore selected issues in criminal justice organizations with emphasis on the role of practitioners and relationships with the public. Students will evaluate issues surrounding their personal value systems, as well as ethical and moral development within criminal justice organizations. The foundation of this study will be a structured debate of moral dilemmas from ethical perspectives. Pre-Requisites: Criminal Justice students only or department approval. Typically Offered Fall Only
Use the search to find the course(s) that you are looking for.
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‘We’re in this Lover Together’ by Al Jarreau – Classic Hit or Miss
In 1968, Jarreau made jazz his primary occupation. In 1969, Jarreau and Martinez headed south, where Jarreau appeared in such Los Angeles hot spots as Dino’s, The Troubadour, and Bitter End West. Television exposure came from Johnny Carson, Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin, Dinah Shore, and David Frost. He expanded his nightclub appearances performing at The Improv between the acts of such rising-star comics as Bette Midler, Jimmie Walker, and John Belushi.
In 1975, Jarreau was working with pianist Tom Canning when he was spotted by Warner Bros. Records and soon thereafter released his critically acclaimed debut album, We Got By, which catapulted him to international fame and garnered him a German Grammy Award. A second German Grammy would follow with the release of his second album, Glow.
One of Jarreau’s most commercially successful albums is Breakin’ Away (1981), which includes the hit song “We’re In This Love Together.” He wrote and performed the Grammy-nominated theme to the 1980s American television show Moonlighting.
How about today?
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THURSDAY, May 3 (HealthDay News) -- A new study finds that antipsychotic drugs can help many people with schizophrenia, cutting patients' risk of relapse by 60 percent.
The study, involving data stretching back 50 years, also found that schizophrenia patients who take antipsychotics are much less likely to be hospitalized and may behave less aggressively and have a better quality of life than patients who don't take the drugs.
One expert said the finding mirrors what he and other professionals have experienced.
The data "is consistent with what we see in clinical practice -- that we are very well able to keep our patients functioning better and out of the hospital when they consistently take these medications," said Dr. Roberto Estrada, attending psychiatrist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
The findings are published in the May 3 online edition of The Lancet.
In the study, German researchers combed through findings from 65 clinical trials reported in 116 articles published between 1959 and 2011. The trials included nearly 6,500 patients with schizophrenia.
After one year, relapse rates were 27 percent among patients who took antipsychotic drugs and 64 percent among those who took an inactive placebo, the review found. Rates of hospital readmission were 10 percent for patients who took antipsychotics and 26 percent for those who took a placebo.
Evidence from five studies indicated that patients who took antipsychotic drugs behaved less aggressively, and findings from three studies suggested that they have a better quality of life.
Antipsychotic drugs are the main type of treatment for people with schizophrenia, but they can cause serious side effects. Indeed, the investigators found that patients who took antipsychotic drugs had more negative side effects than those who took a placebo, including movement disorders (16 percent versus 9 percent), sedation (13 percent versus 9 percent), and weight gain (10 percent versus 6 percent).
Antipsychotic medications can also be expensive, the authors noted. In 2010, about $18.5 billion was spent worldwide on antipsychotic drugs, according to a journal news release.
Estrada agreed that the drugs have their drawbacks. "The cost and adverse effects associated with antipsychotics remain major impediments to achieving more successful treatment of schizophrenia," he said. "Further work needs to be done to develop more effective treatments for schizophrenia that are better-tolerated and thus likely to improve patients' adherence to taking these medications."
Still, the take-home message from the new study is clear, the study authors said.
"Antipsychotic maintenance treatment substantially reduces relapse risk in all patients with schizophrenia for up to 2 years of follow-up," Stefan Leucht from the Technical University of Munich, and colleagues, said in a journal news release "The effect was robust in important subgroups such as patients who had only one episode, those in remission," he added.
Benefits seemed to occur regardless of whether patients took older or newer forms of antipsychotic drugs, Leucht added. However, for many patients "the drugs seemed to lose their effectiveness with time," he said.
Another expert said that, while the medications are not perfect, they have eased the suffering of many patients.
"This study confirms clinical observations going back to the early 1950s -- that is, antipsychotic drugs are effective in reducing the symptoms associated with schizophrenia. The decreased number of patients in long-term mental health facilities, such as state mental hospitals, is a testimonial to this," said Dr. Norman Sussman, a psychiatrist at NYU Langone Medical Center and professor at the NYU School of Medicine in New York City.
"Hopefully, even better treatments will emerge in the near future that have fewer adverse effects and more robust therapeutic impact on cognition and social functioning," Sussman said.
The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health has more about schizophrenia.
Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
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Laparoscopy helps to see direct visualisation on the interior of the body and can make laparoscopy treatment.
We shall talk about laparoscopy and its relationship to infertility.
During a laparoscopy it is possible to see clearly internal genitals of the woman and to receive, owing to it, exhaustive information on their condition.
The laparoscopy is surgery during which the tool equipped by optics (one of the laparoscopy instruments) is put into abdominal cavity of patients. In cases of a diagnostic laparoscopy when the only purpose of a woman is to determine the reason and character of the barrenness, it is better than one small cut (5-7 mm) in the area of navel or a little below and away from it.
When besides the diagnostic purposes there is a problem of surgical intervention on tubes or on ovaries doctors should make one-two additional cut on 5-7 mm, as a rule at the right and at the left of the stomach bottom. In this case the laparoscopy turns into an operative one.
Both diagnostic, and an operative laparoscopy can be executed not on every patient. The basic contra-indication to it is a massive commissural process in the abdominal cavity, connected with greater cavitary operations which the patient has undergone in the past in occasion of a peritonitis, bowel obstruction, etc. In the case if there is a gut damage during a laparoscopy with heavy consequences for the patient, then a risk of danger for a life is great.
One more serious contra-indication to a laparoscopy is the expressed cardiac abnormalities since this operation is made in position of the patient head-down and at filling abdominal cavity by gas that can cause cardiac decompensation.
The diagnostic laparoscopy is carried out usually under local anesthesia, and operative - under a narcosis.
It is necessary to remember that the laparoscopy is additional, instead of the basic diagnostic method. It supplements instead of replaces x-ray research of organs of a small plavis.
The laparoscopy is conducted under precisely fulfilled and strictly observed scheme. Despite the external differences from classical cavitary operations, a laparoscopy is the same surgery which is carried out on all classical canons of surgery and according to all requirements and standards of surgery.
After the patient has fallen asleep in a narcosis and the anesthesiologist has authorized to begin surgery, start the first stage - "imposing of pneumoperitoneum". It means that carbonic gas (??2) is forced in an abdominal cavity through thin special cavitary needle. Carbonic gas has been chosen because it is absolutely safe. Gas moves until its pressure in an abdominal cavity does not reach 14-15 of mercury.
Pressure is defined by the same sensitive device it as injects gas and refers to endoflator. This device works during the whole surgery and constantly pumps up gas for constant level of pressure. This gas is necessary as it draws in internal organs protecting them from wound, and raises a forward abdominal wall, than the space for work (for laparoscopy treatment or for diagnostic laparoscopy) is created.
Laparoscopy treatment and diagnostic laparoscopy are very effective medical procedures. Laparoscopy treatment is considered to be a safer surgery than so-called "blind" surgery.
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Linear Equations With Integers
June 18, 2009
One of the most useful algebra rules on the GMAT is that, to solve for two variables, you need two distinct linear equations. However, there are exceptions to every rule, especially with the real-world constraints of word problems.
To see what I mean, let's look at an example.
7x + 5y = 29
There are an infinite number of solutions to this equation. If x = 1, y = 22/5. If x = 9/7, y = 4, and so on. Positives and negatives, integers and fractions, all are acceptable.
Now consider a very similar problem:
Frida buys x books for $7 each and y books for $5 each. If she spends a total of $29 on books, what is the value of x?
If you translate that to algebra, the result looks familiar:
7x + 5y = 29
But now, the question makes it sound like there's just one value for y. What's different?
When Variables are Integers
When a word problem refers to a number of people, or books, or tickets, or any number of other common units, we need an integer. After all, we can't have 7.36 people or 22/5 books. Thus, when we solve 7x + 5y = 29 for the second time, we're limited to integers for x and y.
The most thorough way to do this is to consider all of the possible values for one of the variables, then see what the other variable must be. Start with the variable with the larger coefficient, in this case y. The largest possible value of y is 4, since if y is 5, 7y = 35, which is larger than 29. If Frida spent $29 on books, she couldn't have spent $35 on just some of the books.
We have five possible values of y, each of which implies a corresponding value of x:
- y = 0, then x = 29/5
- y = 1, then x = 22/5
- y = 2, then x = 3
- y = 3, then x = 8/5
- y = 4, then x = 1/5
Only one of those options includes an integer value for both variables, so that must be our answer.
Spotting and Solving
Questions like this one look a lot like questions that have multiple solutions, so you must be careful. The most important characteristic of these problems is what we've already discussed: The variables represent something that can only be denominated in integers.
However, that doesn't always mean there's only one solution. In the equation 2x + y = 8, there's more than one possibility where both variables are integers:
- x = 0, y = 8
- x = 1, y = 6
- x = 2, y = 4, etc.
Another important characteristic, then, is that the coefficients have few common factors. In the first example (5x + 3y), 5 and 3 have no common factors. In the second (2x + y), one coefficient is a multiple of the other. For a good example of large coefficients, see Data Sufficiency #123 in the 12th edition of the Official Guide.
The most devious thing about questions like this is that they look so simple. At first glance, DS #123 looks very simple; it's the sort of question that, if you saw it late in your exam, you might suspect you weren't doing very well. The GMAT doesn't just test your ability to handle ugly, complex problems, it also wants to know how well you can spot exceptions like this one.
About the author: Jeff Sackmann is a GMAT tutor based in New York City. He has created many resources for GMAT preparation, including the popular Total GMAT Math and Total GMAT Verbal, as well as 1,800 practice GMAT math questions.
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I know, you're an atheist, you're a skeptic, and you're cynical about these questions. It's totally understandable if it seems like they are bordering on an intrusion of your privacy. You do not, of course, have to answer these questions at all. Please keep in mind, though, there are a few really basic reasons why we'd like to know these two things about you.
This article first appeared in the June 17th edition of the Star Tribune. It is a response to Katherine Kersten's article "Hostility to Religion Bodes Ill for Society," which appeared in the June 7th Star Tribune. The premise of Kersten's article was that religion, Christianity in particular, is necessary to keep scientific progress in check. She argued that without Judeo-Christian beliefs, society would be morally corrupt and incapable of compassion. )
I am convinced that there is absolutely no value to the muddled ramblings of Katherine Kersten. In her recent column, "Hostility to religion bodes ill for society," she shamelessly blames secular freethought and atheism for infanticide, the Holocaust and general draconian attitudes toward social welfare while crediting Christianity for human compassion. In making her assertion she conveniently ignores the numerous Bible passages where the bloodthirsty Judeo-Christian God condones war and ethnic cleansing. In Numbers 31: 17-18, for example, God actively calls for the killing of male children and the raping of female children. That's one of the many Bible passages Kersten is forced to gloss over when she touts that Judeo-Christianity teaches us "universal standards of right and wrong." Also, since she had brought up Hitler, I would like to point out to Kersten, and her atheist-bashing ilk, that the SS belt buckles Nazi soldiers wore during the Holocaust bared the motto: "Gott mit uns" (God is with us).
Kersten ends her article by suggesting that Social Darwinism is a legitimate science that promotes the notion of the survival of the fittest. Therefore, Kersten argues, scientific progress needs to be constrained by religion so that the poor and vulnerable citizens of society are protected. Her position might have merit if Social Darwinism were an actual science, but it's nothing more than pseudo-science just like astrology and intelligent design. Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection is a biological science that was never intended to be co-opted by the social sciences. In fact, Charles Darwin wrote that human beings could not "check our sympathy even at the urging of hard reason without deterioration in the noblest part of our nature." If Kersten simply understood legitimate science she probably wouldn't be so afraid of it, and she might even tone down her spiteful and erroneous anti-secular rhetoric.
By Crystal Dervetski
On June 20th, Minnesota Atheists met at Lilydale Park in St. Paul for a fossil hunting adventure. Everyone met outside in the parking lot, grabbed an information packet about the park and the fossils, and then made the hike up to the three fossil beds located in the park. Everyone found something, and had a great time sharing their finds with one another. Families were out in full force, and even some of the really tiny ones made the trek up the hill. After the find, everyone came back down and drank some much needed water and munched on granola bars. The adults were entertained by a miming of a light saber battle and a spot-on impersonation of C-3PO, courtesy of a couple of the youngest fossil adventurers. The weather was beautiful, the fossils were abundant, and the socialization couldn't be beat!
Mark your calendars for an easy fossil hunt at the Intergroup Secular Labor Day Picnic on Saturday, September 6th in Northfield, MN. Crystal and Vic will take everyone out to a very easy site after the picnic that is right next to a road; no hiking involved!
By Victor Tanner
Is “Atheist” a strong enough word for skeptical thinkers? It really only denotes a non-belief in gods and, as we all know, there are many more wacky things out there. What's stranger than believing that an invisible friend is watching over your every move? Or than believing that the world is only 6,000 years old despite the evidence to the contrary? How about believing that a race of tiny elves that cannot be seen by human eyes are inhabiting the world all around us?
By Jack Caravela
You may be wondering why a group of atheists would choose to see a film titled Drag Me to Hell. The short answer is that the movie's co-writer and director, Sam Raimi, treats the concept of eternal damnation about as seriously as we do. Mr. Raimi, recently at the helm of the three blockbuster Spider-Man films, decided to return to his roots with his latest offering. Fans of the Evil Dead series which launched the filmmaker's career will welcome this throwback horror flick, whose first wink to the genre comes before the movie even begins, with the retro Universal Pictures tag (Raimi opted for the rotating Earth logo last seen in the early sixties rather than the modern version).
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Time Magazine Best American Novel (1993)
In this fiendishly imaginative book (which may or may not be fiction), Philip Roth meets a man who may or may not be Philip Roth. Because someone with that name has been touring Israel, promoting a bizarre reverse exodus of the Jews. Roth is intent on stopping him, even if that means impersonating his own impersonator.
With excruciating suspense, unfettered philosophical speculation, and a cast of characters that includes Israeli intelligence agents, Palestinian exiles, an accused war criminal, and an enticing charter member of an organization called Anti-Semites Anonymous, Operation Shylock barrels across the frontier between fact and fiction, seriousness and high comedy, history and nightmare.
About the Author
In 1997 Philip Roth won the Pulitzer Prize for American Pastoral. In 1998 he received the National Medal of Arts at the White House and in 2002 the highest award of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Gold Medal in Fiction. He has twice won the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award. He has won the PEN/Faulkner Award three times. In 2005 The Plot Against America received the Society of American Historians’ Prize for “the outstanding historical novel on an American theme for 2003-2004.” Recently Roth received PEN’s two most prestigious awards: in 2006 the PEN/Nabokov Award and in 2007 the PEN/Bellow Award for achievement in American fiction. Roth is the only living American novelist to have his work published in a comprehensive, definitive edition by the Library of America. In 2011 he received the National Humanities Medal at the White House, and was later named the fourth recipient of the Man Booker International Prize.
Praise for Operation Shylock: A Confession…
"One of Roth's grand inventions.... [He is] a comic genius...a living master." —Harold Bloom, The New York Review of Books
"The uncontested master of comic irony." —Time magazine
"A devilish book, nervously exuding a kind of delirious brilliance like sweat at every pore, and madly comic." —Alfred Kazin
"A brilliant novel of ideas...Roth has gone farther into his own genius than he ever has before." —Ted Solotaroff, The Nation
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Help! I've got a new convection oven, and I don't know what to do with it." I hear this plea a lot from cooks who have just redone their kitchens, and also from people who are intrigued about convection cooking but aren't sure what the big deal is. The answer is simple: You can cook just about anything in a convection oven, and while learning to use one certainly isn't a big deal, the results you get—evenly cooked cookies, crisp pastry, and juicy, well-browned meats (including that Thanksgiving turkey)—are.
To get comfortable with a convection oven, you just have to start using it. The easiest way to do this is to experiment with your favorite recipes by cooking them at a slightly lower temperature and for a slightly shorter time than you normally would (read The Food Geek's post The Convection Changeover for some good tips on this). But before you do that, or before you follow through with your plans to buy a convection oven, read on to learn how these ovens work, how different models vary, and what kind of results you can expect.
Visit In the Kitchen to get answers to your convection oven questions and watch a video explaining how convection ovens work. You'll also find plenty of information on conventional ovens, too, as well as kitchen remodels, floor and countertop materials, and kitchen-related hot topics from our Facebook fans.
Also, if Sunday dinner is sacred around your house—whether you're using a traditional or convection oven—you'll want to check out our favorite no-fail Sunday suppers that bring the family together.
A convection oven circulates hot air with a fan
Unlike conventional radiant (also called thermal) ovens, convection ovens have a fan that continuously circulates air through the oven cavity. When hot air is blowing onto food, as opposed to merely surrounding it, the food tends to cook more quickly. A short version of the scientific explanation for this is that moving air speeds up the rate of heat transference that naturally occurs when air of two different temperatures converges. To help understand this, consider wind chill: When cold air blows against you on a blustery winter day, you feel colder more quickly than you do on a windless day of the same temperature.
This acceleration effect is one reason for the superior results you get from convection. The rush of heat speeds up the chemical reactions that occur when food cooks. The butter in a pie crust or a croissant releases its steam quickly, creating flaky layers. The skin of a roasting chicken renders its fat and browns more quickly, so the meat cooks faster and stays juicier. The sugars in roasting vegetables and potatoes begin caramelizing sooner, creating crisp edges, moist interiors, and deep flavors. Overall, food cooked in a convection oven is usually done about 25% faster than it is in a conventional oven.
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Interdisciplinary Thematic Service Learning Units for Engaged Learning
Interdisciplinary Thematic Units are not only the backbone of middle school academics, they also drive much of the emotional and social aspects that make learning successful for early adolescents. By adding Service Learning to an interdisciplinary unit will make it even more successful and allow you and your students to use the people and organizations in your community to assist you with teaching and learning. Interdisciplinary Service Learning Units will have many previously disengaged students deeply focused on learning. The following components are what make these units successful. Every one does not need to be included to make a unit effective, but the more that are included the more effective for the students and teachers:
Teams should consider which level is the most effective for what they are trying to accomplish.
Level I: Least integrated; separate subjects in isolationLevel II: Material blended from disciplines within a subject area; not coordinated between subjects; possible common themesLevel III: Material kept in separate disciplines, but coordination of topics and common themesLevel IV: Few distinct discipline boundaries. Teacher teams working on one or more projects around a theme. Usually some team teaching in same room.Level V: Most integrated; no discipline boundaries.
Middle School ProgramsMiddle School Resources--Effective Practices
--Integrated Service Learning Units: Components for Success
--Integrated Service Learning Units: Examples--Service Learning--Science Activity Plans
Graduate School of Education PreK-12 Education ProgramsPh.D. Programs Online Education ProgramsSchool-Based Education Programs Programs in Your StateFacultySchool BlogsScholarship OpportunitiesProfessional Development, Events, and Workshops Centers of Excellence Reggio-Emilia Inspired Offerings
Certification/Educator Licensure Field PlacementAcademic Advising
Explore this collection of Integrated Thematic Service Units created by Lesley Middle School graduate students, with topics ranging from revolutions to food production to elections and the immigration experience.
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control, and governance
Aligning People, Processes, and Technology for Effective Risk Management
Learning the basic components of a continuous risk management program can help auditors provide recommendations that enhance IT security risk management practices.
Many companies are implementing continuous risk management activities to reallocate resources used for troubleshooting security problems to revenue-generating initiatives, such as the use of real-time notifications that alert key personnel of security threats requiring immediate attention. As a result, these organizations can quickly report on the status of their compliance activities; are aware of vulnerabilities before problems occur; and require fewer resources to prevent, detect, and respond to problems. In addition to these benefits, implementing a continuous risk management program can help IT departments to cost effectively reduce security liabilities and protect their assets, customers, and business partners from common security threats.
Whether an organization has an effective risk management program or is looking for ways to improve an existing one, IT auditors of all levels should understand the different components of an effective continuous risk management program. Doing so will enable auditors to provide recommendations that can help organizations to properly align their people, processes, and technology assets to create a culture of continuous risk management.
ADOPTING A CULTURE OF CONTINUOUS RISK MANAGEMENT
Implementing a continuous IT and security risk management strategy requires all business units (e.g., internal audit, compliance, and security departments) to work together and effectively communicate on the organization's compliance, technology, and risk management efforts. Before a major risk management strategy is undertaken, however, managers and auditors need to understand the company's existing risk culture and threats to its business operations. This will enable auditors to provide recommendations that are in line with the organization's risk management needs. For instance, the presence of weak internal controls may lead to a network security breach that could expose confidential information and other data assets to unauthorized personnel. Worse, this breach could lead to a significant business disruption that impacts the organization's bottom line, reputation, and shareholder value.
Benefits of Automated Risk Management Tools
Automated risk management programs can help organizations enhance the effectiveness of continuous risk management activities. For instance, these programs can help companies:
The use of an automated risk management program also can help the organization to position itself favorably for its next audit or regulatory examination. For example, automating and continuously monitoring the organization's compliance with industry-recognized best practices will position the company with a strong security posture during an internal audit, protect the organization from any future security attacks, and lower the cost of security activities. Audit, security, and compliance personnel also can have access to information that provides an audit trail for resolving problems, enforcing policies, and reviewing forensic activities.
Once IT auditors understand the organization's risk culture and IT infrastructure, they can provide recommendations that enhance existing risk management efforts and compliance. For instance, auditors can recommend that traditional security practices be updated and supplemented with real-time vulnerability assessments, monitoring, and alerts; policy monitoring and enforcement; compliance monitoring; and user training. Such capabilities can enable auditors and management to access information that will help to prevent, detect, and respond to IT security incidents more effectively. (For a list of more effective IT security components, auditors can download this IT Security Risk Management Checklist, (PDF 3KB)) The benefits of these automated capabilities are discussed in greater detail below.
Real-time Security and Activity Monitoring
Monitoring and updating IT security policies and procedures are an important aspect of an organization's risk management efforts. To help organizations ensure the effectiveness of these policies and procedures, auditors can recommend that IT departments continuously gather and analyze information regarding new threats and vulnerabilities, actual attacks on the organization, and the effectiveness of existing security controls. In addition, the IT department needs to provide assurance on the adequacy of its risk mitigation strategy, operations, and initiatives.
There are numerous actions that security personnel and system owners can take when monitoring for new vulnerabilities and developing appropriate mitigation tactics to address them. Actions auditors can recommend include:
Real-time Vulnerability Assessments
In addition, auditors can recommend that IT departments continuously look for network vulnerabilities that expose the organization to unauthorized activity risks, below-average system performance, and other threats that could harm the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of data or information systems. Vulnerabilities can be characterized as weaknesses in a system or control gaps that, if exploited, could enable unauthorized disclosure, misuse, alteration, or destruction of data or information management systems.
Vulnerabilities also are generally classified as known or expected. Known vulnerabilities are discovered by testing or reviewing a system's environment and by identifying policy weaknesses, inadequate system implementations, and personnel issues, while expected vulnerabilities can be reasonably anticipated to occur in the future. Examples of expected vulnerabilities include:
Regardless of whether vulnerabilities are known or expected, auditors should encourage the organization to perform effective and real-time testing of policy compliance and controls to identify these vulnerabilities and other known and expected threats. Auditors can also expand their role beyond that of a consulting capacity and review whether the organization is adopting and testing many of the recommended practices listed above as well as perform internal assessments of the organization's ability to identify vulnerabilities and adopt risk-based controls as needed.
Real-time Vulnerability Alerting
The sophistication of today's zero-day threats (i.e., computer attacks that expose application vulnerabilities for which there is no known solution) creates an immediate problem for the entire organization, its customers, and partners. Many of these zero-day attacks are designed to exploit vulnerabilities in a network infrastructure and its systems. As a result, organizations should implement a rapid response method that identifies vulnerabilities and alerts the necessary personnel to prevent or remediate these threats in real time.
The goal of real-time vulnerability alerts is to allow the organization to execute a rapid response that avoids or minimizes companywide damages. Preparation for the rapid response is a key ingredient for its success and involves defining the policies and procedures that guide the response, assigning responsibilities to the appropriate individuals, providing the necessary training to these individuals, and formalizing information flows among responsible parties. In addition, the response's effectiveness is a function of the organization's culture, policies, procedures, and training and primarily involves people rather than the use of technology. These staff members should represent different business functions ― senior management, compliance, operations, internal auditing, human resources, and IT ― and have expertise in the various aspects of their work.
As part of their work, auditors should take an active role in helping the organization to validate the adequacy of its rapid response capabilities. For example, IT auditors can assess whether the organization has:
Policy Monitoring and Enforcement
All employees must formally acknowledge their understanding and acceptance of following company-approved policies. A successful policy enforcement program, however, needs to keep up with changes in the company's risk profile and updates to controls and security practices. These continuous adjustments require ongoing awareness training for employees to confirm that their understanding of security roles and responsibilities is accurate and effective. All employees also must be kept aware and educated on the different threats and vulnerabilities that can affect the organization's daily operations.
Furthermore, senior management should support strong ongoing security policy awareness and compliance, while remaining alert to operational changes that could affect security and communicating these issues to security personnel. Finally, business line managers must have responsibility and accountability for maintaining the security of their personnel, systems, facilities, and information.
As the organization enforces and monitors its security policies, auditors should review documentation that validates whether all staff have acknowledged their understanding of existing policies. Auditors also should review training materials on an annual basis to ensure they are updated to address current policies, practices, and threat scenarios. Training records should go beyond a sign-in sheet for a particular session and include confirmation of the attendees' understanding of these topics. Finally, auditors can look for prior policy violations to help identify areas that may warrant additional education and monitoring.
Companies need to have the ability to proactively know when user violations occur, take the necessary remediation and enforcement steps, help mitigate fraud risks, avoid financial losses, minimize productivity losses, and manage damages to the company's brand and reputation. Therefore, senior managers should ask auditors to perform periodic self-assessments that provide an ongoing evaluation on the adequacy and effectiveness of current policies and procedures, the company's compliance with these IT security policies, and any corrective actions taken to rectify identified security deficiencies.
Establishing a compliance monitoring program will help the organization, the compliance officer, and internal auditor to perform periodic self-assessments as well as:
As a best practice, organizations should educate all employees on internal policies and their security roles and responsibilities. This training should support the company's security awareness program and strengthen compliance with security policies, standards, and procedures. Ultimately, the behavior and priorities of senior management will heavily influence the level of employee awareness and policy compliance, so training and the commitment to security should start with senior management (i.e., take a top-down approach).
The training frequency and method of delivery might vary among different companies depending on their current resources, infrastructure, and needs. Generally, training activities are held annually or as material updates are made to policies, and many companies are using a variety of multimedia approaches, such as in-person seminars, Web-based courses, and video conferences. In addition, many organizations are now asking employees to sign a security awareness agreement at the conclusion of each training session and refresher course to make sure employees are aware of and continuously adhere to these policies.
Throughout the risk management process, auditors should ensure that IT security training materials include a review of the company's acceptable-use policy for desktops and laptops as well as the programs and applications residing in those machines. Examples of issues that should be covered in the acceptable-use policy include desktop security, login requirements, password administration guidelines, and proper use of the e-mail system. Training also should address social engineering tactics, insider fraud, and other threat scenarios along with the organization's policies and procedures that protect against these kinds of threats.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?
In today's rapidly changing networked environment, current security technologies such as antivirus programs, firewalls, and intrusion detection systems are not enough to protect an organization's resources from constantly emerging vulnerabilities and threats. As a result, organizations must be proactive in their efforts to deal with IT security issues. To this end, aligning an organization's people, processes, and technology assets is an effective way to minimize security risks and prevent security breaches.
Adopting a successful culture of continuous risk management also requires top-down and bottom-up awareness and acceptance of responsibility among board members, executive management, and company staff. Therefore, for the continuous risk management program to be successful, everyone ― from the chief executive officer to the summer intern ― must be held accountable. IT auditors can become part of this process by helping to validate that a proactive risk management culture exists. Auditors that are not actively engaged in monitoring their organization's risk culture and are not sure where to begin should start by keeping it simple. For instance, auditors can start taking an active role by:
In addition, while the company's information security officer is ultimately responsible for aligning the organization's people, processes, and technology assets, everyone in the organization needs to adopt daily security practices that help to mitigate vulnerabilities and understand the risks posed by the unauthorized use of sensitive information or network resources. Consequently, prudent and educated user behavior should be supported by a companywide infrastructure of proactive risk management tools that help to prevent, detect, and respond to network and user vulnerabilities.
Once a culture of continuous risk management is established, the role of the company's compliance officer will also change. He or she needs to advocate for promoting and influencing a positive culture of compliance security management throughout the organization. To help compliance officers in their new role, auditors can recommend that organizations invest in a risk management program that will manage compliance activities, distribute and maintain policies, assess and monitor vulnerabilities, and train employees. Such capabilities provide the information security officer, compliance officer, internal auditor, and other key personnel with access to actionable data to help monitor, maintain, and enforce a culture of information security compliance, which in turn, helps to create a cost effective and continuous risk management culture.
Paul Reymann is co-author of Section 501 of the U.S. Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act's Security Rule. As an expert in the financial services industry, he helps Fortune 500 companies develop market strategies for information security and technology products and services within key vertical markets. Reymann was recognized with the 2006 Heritage Registry of Who's Who and is referenced frequently in industry news and magazine articles. He is also the author of various articles and papers on technology risk, transactional Web sites, customer information, network security, and other technology topics.
COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE
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Chipping – Strike the Match
Want to improve your golf score? Practice short game shots around the green. Here is a tip that may help with those pesky chip shots.
How many times have you confidently pulled your favorite wedge from the bag and promptly created a divot large enough to plant last year’s christmas tree but only moved the ball about 5 feet?
Many times golfers take too long of a backswing with a wedge and then decelerate as the club approaches contact with the ball. This common malady creates many unpleasant results. The good news is that there is a quick cure for this golfing misque and once you’ve mastered it, you’ll be chipping like a pro.
Years ago, I learned a great tip that I would like to share with you. On short chip shots around the green feel like you are “striking a match” with the club head as you pass through the ball. On your practice swing, brush the grass. Listen to the sound the club makes as you swing through the hitting area. This sound should resemble a match being struck. Keep your backswing short and accelerate the club as you brush the grass. Take a couple of good practice swings and then step up and make the same swing with the ball there.
Shorten your backswing, accelerate through the ball, and “strike the match”. Try this simple drill the next time you are faced with that daunting chip shot onto the green.
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Professor Paul Catanese
Paul Catanese found the perfect fit when he joined the faculty of the Interdisciplinary Arts Department at Columbia in 2008. As a hybrid media artist with a complex creative process and a penchant for collaboration, experimentation, and investigation, Catanese is right at home working with students who—like him—defy simple classification.
Catanese is right at home working with students who—like him—defy simple classification
His interdisciplinary approach to art practice stems from a diverse background. With an undergraduate degree in Theatre from SUNY Geneseo and an MFA in Art and Technology from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago he elicits wonderfully innovative results. In the project, Forgotten Constellations, he transformed the 1708 Gallery in Richmond, Virginia with “projection, silhouette and illumination.” The installation incorporated found artifacts, overhead projectors and a series of black and white “digital relief prints” created using his own hybrid process—a combination of custom drawing software, industrial machine control, and traditional printmaking techniques. In another project, A Short History of the Bezoar Stone, he repurposed Nintendo’s Gameboy Advance handheld game system into a series of digital Cornell Boxes.
Catanese also undertakes numerous “experiments”— investigations into particular thoughts or ideas that have an open-ended resolution. For example, he recently set out to define the invented term handmade media — a notion inspired by one of his students — which lead to the creation of handmade paper with electronic inclusions, cast handmade paper microphones and handmade paper speakers.
“I have always been interdisciplinary” he says, “Breaking creativity into subdivisions is a learned construct; and while the magnetism of disciplinary orientation, with the convenience of established answers and traditions is alluring, mixing things together is in itself a rigorous practice.”
Catanese’s conceptual desire to “mix things together” finds a receptive audience at Columbia. He calls his department “invigorating” and his students “entrepreneurial self-starters who are incredibly engaged in Chicago’s art community.” He notes that at Columbia, faculty and students come together with the support of extraordinary facilities to form an environment that is ideal for both teaching and making. “We have an incredible wealth of resources,” he says, “from computer laboratories, a sound studio, electronics fabrication, laser cutting, video editing, installation laboratories, space for performance as well as studios for letterpress, offset, intaglio printing, papermaking, and bookbinding.”
Breaking creativity into subdivisions is a learned construct; and while the magnetism of disciplinary orientation, with the convenience of established answers and traditions is alluring, mixing things together is in itself a rigorous practice.
When asked about the future of interdisciplinary art, Catanese emphatically states, “It’s not just the future, it’s the now. This is how people work in contemporary art.” He echoes the sentiment of his department that calls interdisciplinarity “a necessary prerequisite for those artists who will shape the future of creative practice.” Most assuredly, Catanese and his students will be part of that future.
His artwork has been exhibited internationally—notably at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the New Museum of Contemporary Art, SFMOMA Artist’s Gallery, the Bangkok Experimental Film Festival, and the New Forms Festival. In addition to being an Associate Professor and Associate Chair of the Interdisciplinary Arts Department at Columbia, Catanese is the President of the New Media Caucus, a College Art Association Affiliate Society formed to advance the conceptual and artistic use of digital media.
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hcg spray Berkeley CA Have you been searching web for hcg spray Berkeley CA? Then you have come to the right place. hCG Lifestyle is The leading supplier in hCG Products & has the strongest hCG around in 1M formula.
Top Common-Sense Weight-Loss "Secrets" For You To Try
Anything worth having is never easy, but when it comes to weight loss, having some good information really makes the journey a whole lot easier. Use the tips, tricks and advice offered in this article to help you avoid some of the stumbling blocks that dieters inevitably face along the way.
Instead of buying already sweetened yogurt that has fruit on the bottom you can buy fat-free plain yogurt and add some fresh fruit to it. If that is still not sweet enough for you then you can try adding a package or two of artificial sweetener to it. This will give you a serving of fruit and dairy without adding calories from sugar.
Pre-package your favorite healthy snack into appropriate portions. By doing this you can easily grab a healthy snack at all times. It will also help because it will be pre-portioned out for your and you will be less likely to over indulge on your favorite snack. A little pre-packaging will help your weight loss right along.
Walk your way to weight loss. One of the most effective ways of losing weight is by walking. It is convenient, doesn't cost anything, and you can do it with a friend. Just be sure to have a good pair of walking shoes. Remember that whether you walk or run a certain distance, you will burn about the same amount of calories, and walking is a lot more relaxed! Start slowly and try to build it up so that you can walk comfortably for an hour using a moderate pace.
To boost the rate at which you lose weight, just add flax to your diet. Sprinkling flax on your oatmeal or chicken noodle soup not only adds a light, nutty taste to your meal, it also adds more fiber to your diet. The added fiber helps fill you up quicker and it has only 35 calories per tablespoon. Flax also provides omega-3 fatty acids which promotes cardiac health.
The more healthy protein you consume, the easier it will be to lose that excess weight. Healthy proteins include fish, poultry such as chicken or turkey, beans, lean beef and dairy products such as cheese or milk. Combining healthy protein consumption with a steady cardiovascular diet is a sure way to lose weight safely.
When setting a weight loss goal, be sure to keep it realistic. You are not going to lose 50 pounds in two days. Creating a realistic goal can be motivation every time that you meet your goals. You also will not be setting yourself up for failure. Try setting a weekly goal of one half to two pounds lost.
Keep the kitchen and dining room as places for eating. Try and do all your other activities in another part of the house. Sitting around in the kitchen can tempt you to eat even if you are not hungry so find another place in your home to relax and get work done.
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Leave your remembrance
For many Americans, Memorial Day has simply become a three day holiday and an excuse for a cookout. Sadly, Veterans Day isn't far from that either. What we ask is this: take a few minutes to remember someone who served and is no longer with us.
Comment on this article with the name and remembrance of the veterans in your life.
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MSG-4 contract means sunny outlook for European weather forecasting
ESA PR 58-2004. The contract for a fourth Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) spacecraft was signed today, ensuring continuity of European meteorological satellite services with the delivery of data for weather forecasting, climate and the environment for many years into the future.
The contract and cooperation agreement for construction of the MSG-4 satellite were signed at ESA Headquarters in Paris by Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA Director General, Lars Prahm, EUMETSAT Director General, and Pascale Sourisse, Chief Executive Officer of Alcatel Space.
French firm Alcatel Space is prime contractor for MSG-4 while EUMETSAT will finance, launch and operate the satellite. ESA is responsible for managing the satellite construction contract with industry. The price of the MSG-4 satellite contract is €135 million, calculated at December 2001 economic conditions, with delivery expected in 2007.
“This is another excellent example of ESA’s commitment to utilitarian activities, developing space systems to support public services for the benefit of citizens in Europe and other parts of the world,” said ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain.
Since ESA launched Meteosat-1 into geostationary orbit 36 000 km above the Earth in 1977, this system of satellites supplying continuous images and data for weather forecasting, climate and the environment has become an integral part of European life. Millions of us see Meteosat images in our television weather reports every day.
In December 1995, when the seventh Meteosat was launched, operational control of the system was transferred from ESA to EUMETSAT - the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meterological Satellites, based in Darmstadt, Germany. Product and services from EUMETSAT’s satellites make a significant contribution to weather forecasting and to the monitoring of the global climate.
ESA and EUMETSAT jointly decided not only to continue the Meteosat system but to enhance it with an improved satellite design called Meteosat Second Generation. The new satellite acquires images of the Earth's surface and clouds in sharper resolution across a wider range of wavelengths and at more frequent intervals than the imagers aboard its Meteosat predecessors.
To date three MSG satellites have been constructed. The first, MSG-1, was launched on 28 August 2002 and in January this year started routine operations, as Meteosat-8 to mark its formally becoming part of the Meteosat family. The follow-on satellites in the series are MSG-2, MSG-3 – and now MSG-4.
MSG-2 is scheduled for launch in June 2005, explained Lars Prahm, EUMETSAT’s Director General "It will be placed in a parking orbit until needed to take over its sister satellite's duties, waiting in the wings to ensure seamless continuity of service. Collectively the three MSGs are projected to provide up to 15 years of meteorological coverage, and with today's addition of MSG-4 this figure will be significantly extended."
The close cooperation between ESA and EUMETSAT is due to bear fruit in another area at the end of 2005, when the first of three Metop satellites is to be launched into low-Earth polar orbit.
Replacing a service previously supplied by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Metop series is a joint undertaking between ESA and Eumetsat, and forms the space segment of EUMETSAT's Polar System (EPS).
Metop will carry a number of European and American instruments to measure temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction and also atmospheric ozone. The mission is Europe's first-ever polar orbiting satellite dedicated to operational meteorology.
For further information please contact:
ESA Media Relations Division
Tel. : + 33(0)18.104.22.16855
Fax. :+ 33(0)22.214.171.12490
EUMETSAT Media Relations
ALCATEL SPACE Media Relations
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You know what’s even worse than using the font Comic Sans for every message you create on a computer, printed and online alike? Bringing the horror to the real world by using these two-inch-tall Comic Sans stencils. Don’t do it. Not even you, Banksy. [More]
Century Gothic, a knockoff of classic sans serif fonts like Twentieth Century and Futura is one of the more stylish typefaces bundled with most Windows computers. And it turns out it’s also one of the cheapest to use. A study by Printer.com found that using Century Gothic instead of fonts like Tahoma or Franklin Gothic can cut toner costs by as much as 31%. [More]
Sure, you can save ink and paper by changing around your printer settings, but to truly commit to saving ink or toner, try changing your font.
Fun weekend project: make your own homemade font for free. [CoolTools]
The miscellany gods at Slate have compiled a slideshow describing how companies such as American Airlines, Sears, Target, ConEd, Verizon, and the New York Subway system use the font Helvetica to convey a sense of “modern efficiency with a human face.”
Ultimately, Helvetica is a cipher–and this is the key to its success. It can be authoritative or ironic, sober or idealistic, corporate or cozy. It’s the tofu of typefaces: bland in itself but ready to absorb whatever flavors you add to it. It’s clean, legible, and well-designed, but its real power lies in its uncanny mutability.
Though we seldom think of many of the companies using Helvetica as efficient, it’s nice to know what they were striving for when they chose their font. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER
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The new talent economy
By Andrew S. Rosen
Over the last century, our country's traditional, world-class universities such as Harvard, Yale, and Berkeley have played an essential role in vaulting the United States into worldwide economic, military, and sociopolitical primacy, and they are indispensable to maintaining that position. But our obsessive focus on and considerable investment in these exclusive institutions, and the many others that emulate them, sometimes lead us to pay too little attention to the more inclusive schools that serve far more students, in far less glamorous surroundings. As taxpayers, we're helping to fund an increasingly lavish college experience at institutions that cater to the few. The competition for the best students has led universities to turn themselves into full-fledged resorts; they've spent billions building climbing walls, French bistros and 20-person hot-tubs to entice students to their campuses. Meanwhile, low-income students can't find a spot in their local community colleges for lack of funding.
We're living in a time of profound economic challenges, and unlike in the Gold Rush era during which the land-grant colleges like Berkeley were founded, the country's greatest resource today isn't in the ground; it's in the skills of our citizens, who urgently need education to develop their competencies. For some, an elite education is a wonderful way to develop their talents. Indeed, if we could afford it, it would be a tremendous boon to countless others. But for many, many more, there are legitimate alternatives that will give them the tools they need for advancement: to help the kid sweeping the drugstore learn to work the register or manage the shop; to help the register clerk become a technician or a pharmacist; to help the pharmacist become the store owner or even own a chain of stores. Our country doesn't have a person to waste.
Between 1973 and 2008, the percentage of jobs in the U.S. economy that required postsecondary education more than doubled, rising from 28 percent to 59 percent.
When it comes to producing these educated workers, America has become a notable laggard. In 1995 the United States was a world leader among the most developed countries when it came to the percentage of twenty-five to thirty-four-year-old population with postsecondary credentials. By 2009, we had dropped to sixteenth place, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. One of the few postsecondary stats in which the United States leads is the rate at which its students drop out of college.
It's downright embarrassing -- something President Obama acknowledged in an address to Congress soon after taking office in 2009. Referring directly to the college dropout rate, he said, "This is a prescription for economic decline, because we know that countries that out-teach us today will out-compete us tomorrow." In the same speech, Obama laid out an audacious goal: "By 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world." Like many grand political plans, however, this one will require major changes to our higher ed system, something that won't be accomplished without challenging some sacred cows.
America has faced pressures like this before, particularly after World War II, when our nation decided to send millions of returning GIs to college. During those periods, the U.S. government had a ready tool to address this kind of problem: it could throw money at it. That won't work in these times, given the dismal fiscal condition of the federal and state governments. States are slashing budgets to keep pace with falling tax dollars; instead of seeking to add seats to classrooms in state universities, legislators in many states are being forced to make sharp cuts in student enrollment to try to bring budgets closer to balance.
At a time when we desperately need more students to gain access to a high-quality college education, more spending won't be available to smooth the way. Instead, America needs to make the dollars it spends on higher education work more efficiently. Ultimately, we'll have to make choices between providing immersive, amenity-rich and socially focused residential college experiences for a select few, or expanding access and offering less elaborate but more focused high-quality education for a vastly larger group of Americans. This may challenge the typical American view of "college", but our higher ed system needs to evolve to meet the demands of the 21st century economy.
Andrew S. Rosen, author of Change.edu: Rebooting for the New Talent Economy, is chairman and CEO of Kaplan, Inc., one of the world's largest and most diverse education organizations. Throughout his career, Rosen has pioneered new approaches to education with a focus on student achievement and success. He is an outspoken advocate for adult learners, and a frequent speaker on the challenges facing higher education in a knowledge economy. Mr. Rosen holds an A.B. degree from Duke University and a J.D. from Yale Law School. © 2011 Andrew S. Rosen, author of Change.edu: Rebooting for the New Talent Economy.
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Pictures of the Swedish culture minister cutting a cake designed like an African tribal woman has caused widespread anger and prompted one organisation to demand her resignation.
Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth was invited to cut the cake, which doubled as an art installation, at an event marking the 75th anniversary of the Swedish Artists Federation at Stockholm's modern art museum on Sunday.
The exhibit at the Moderna Museet was meant to highlight the issue of female genital mutilation, and Makode Aj Linde, its Afro-Swedish creator was part of it all with his head built into the cake.
When Adelsohn Liljeroth put the knife into the cake, he screamed "No, no!" from inside the installation.
A Swedish organisation promoting the rights of people of African origin on Tuesday called for the minister to resign for participating in a "tasteless, racist spectacle".
"According to Moderna Museet, the cake eating party was intended to highlight the problem of female circumcision, but how this is supposed to be done with a cake depicting a racist caricature of a black woman ... is unclear," said Kitimbwa Sabuni, head of the African Swedish National Association.
Adelsohn Liljeroth described the incident as a "bizarre situation".
"I was invited to speak at World Art Day about the freedom of art and the right to be provocative, and then they asked me to cut up the cake," the minister said.
"I had no chance to inspect the cake beforehand ... If some people have been offended, I apologise. Then it's up to the artist to explain what he meant with his work."
Linde said the message of his piece had been misunderstood.
He has for several years used art to criticise stereotypes of black people and said that female genital mutilation as a choice of theme for the cake "was quite natural, as you would have to cut it up."
"I think the people who have been upset misunderstood the intention or the agenda of me as an artist," he told Al Jazeera's The Stream.
Mariam Osman Sherifay of the Swedish Centre against Racism described the images of the minister as "deeply disturbing", and said the art installation was "problematic".
"In Sweden, it seems to be comme il faut to caricature Africans in ways we could never imagine portraying other ethnic groups which have been persectuted: for example Jews, Romani or Saami people. Still in the 21th century we haven't dealt with the stereotypical notions of Africans that seem to have been passed on by heredity in Swedish mentality."
Karin Olsson, culture editor of Swedish daily Expressen, wrote that the event appeared to be a "brilliant performance, in which the initially humourostic tone raised questions about power and colonial perspectives.
"Of course it would have been easier to do as PR consultants and nervous press spokesmen probably would have recommended: politely decline cutting the cake, to avoid tough questions afterwards. But such sterile politicians, who never take a risk, are not wanted," she wrote.
The arts critic Dan Jonsson of the Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter raised the possibility that Adelsohn Lijeroth had been "trapped", and said that whatever the minister had chosen to do, it would have been "wrong".
"Either she'd been accused of being judgemental about artistic freedom, or to express racism," he wrote. "If this is the case, it was a skillfully set trap."
Meanwhile, the museum was evacuated on Tuesday afternoon after a bomb threat over telephone from an English-speaking man accusing the institution of being "racist".
Police with sniffer dogs searched the building but nothing suspicious was found.
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New committee to advise Pope on reforms 13 April 2013
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Britain's Cameron leads Thatcher tributes 11 April 2013
Serbia mourns 13 killed in shooting rampage 11 April 2013
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at first, and then once or twice a month. The sole purpose of the meeting is to draw on the expertise of the group to solve problems. Each individual should have an opportunity to present a problem for discussion and input. The synergy of the group win provide exceptional problem-solving and information sharing opportunities. Trust and respect for the knowledge of others will increase as you open your mind to the group’s collective wisdom.
How’s Your Attitude?
Take this short quiz to see how in sync you really are with other black managers.
1. When I receive phone calls from my black colleagues, I always return them in a timely fashion. T F
2. I look for opportunities to encourage and support other black managers (sending cards, notices, articles of interest, etc.). T F
3. I am truly proud when a black manager is promoted. T F
4. If I need information for a project, I will call a black manager first before calling a white counterpart. T F
5. When I am in the office, I answer my own phone and try to make myself available to others. T F
6. I belong to at least one professional minority association and share my professional knowledge freely. T F
7. I do not buy into the “fewer-is-better’ view of many. (The fewer minority managers there are, the better it is for me). T F
8. I do not distance myself from other blacks. T F
9. I go out of my way to spend time with newly-hired black employees (taking them to lunch and sharing some of the unwritten rules of the company). T F
10. I try to hire qualified blacks on my staff. T F
11. When black professionals are in a job search, I not only refer them to others, but will take an advocacy role and make the call
for them. T F
Count the number of “true” answers and see how you rate.
10-11: You are a champion. Keep on doing what you’re doing.
8-9: You are a friend, but could become a better mentor or coach.
7 or less: You can be more supportive. Choose one of the questions you answered “false” and plan to change your behavior.
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Washington, D.C. – The America Gas Association (AGA) today applauded the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for passing measures to support the development of U.S. natural gas resources along the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) that will benefit consumers, the economy and the environment. Specifically, AGA commended the passage of an amendment sponsored by Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) which would allow new oil and gas leasing around Florida’s gulf coast beyond 45 miles from the shore.
“Increased access to domestic resources will not only help lower energy costs for consumers but will also ultimately help make America more energy secure,” said David Parker, AGA’s president and CEO. “We are pleased that the Dorgan amendment will provide access to the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, which is known to have vast resources of natural gas that are close to existing pipelines and other vital infrastructure. This vote moves us one step closer to greater control of our natural resources.”
The Dorgan amendment also allows energy companies to have access to the Destin Dome field, an area off the shores of Pensacola, Fla., believed to hold 2.6 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
“AGA strongly supports the development of these new reserves and we are pleased that Chairman Bingaman and his committee are working to expedite their production and delivery to the nation’s consumers,” Parker said.
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Originally Posted by AppleInsider
Had Apple co-founder Steve Jobs not cancelled his stock options in exchange for $75 million in shares in 2003, he would have an extra $10.3 billion in profits today.
The revelation comes courtesy of a new column Tuesday from Brett Arends of MarketWatch. He noted that the tech bubble burst in 2000 had left many companies hurting, including Apple, which dropped from a peak of $36 down to $7.
In 2003, stock options granted to employees "seemed completely worthless," he wrote. "After all, Apple stock would have to climb all the way back up to those giddy heights before the options even started to show a profit again."
Apple employees were allowed to exchange their options for a smaller number that became valuable at a lower price. Jobs canceled his options in return for $75 million in shares, a move that was said to allow the company to offer more options to other staff, and reportedly was not done due to the diminished stock price.
"Jobs held 15 million options at an exercise price of $9.15, which meant they started to gain value only if Apple stock exceeded that price, and 40 million options at an exercise price of $21.80," Arends wrote. "Apple at the time was little more than $7 a share. (These prices have been adjusted to reflect the subsequent stock split.) Total value: $12.8 billion."
"In other words," he continued, "Steve Jobs missed out on $10.3 billion in extra profits."
Of course, Jobs' 10 million shares are still worth about $2.5 billion today. And last year, he was named the No. 43 wealthiest American with a net worth of $5.1 billion by Forbes.
The chief executive famously takes a salary of only $1 for his work at Apple, but receives millions in compensation in the form of stock options.
While Arends suggested Jobs' move in 2003 was the "dumbest trade ever," Jobs has also been behind some quite profitable deals. Perhaps his best move was purchasing Pixar from filmmaker George Lucas in 1986 for $10 million. He sold the company to Disney in 2006 for $7.4 billion in stock, and was also given a seat on the Disney Board of Directors.
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Located in a city park amid old skyscrapers and apartment buildings is Hanayashiki, Japan’s oldest amusement park (circa 1892). This park is built on multiple levels, with many rides and attractions stacked on top of each other, encircled by Japan’s oldest roller coaster (circa 1952). Hanayashiki is a very touristy place, but in a good way, and getting there is an adventure in itself—don’t miss walking through the bazaar and traditional Japanese temple near the amusement park. If you want a taste of “old Tokyo,” Hayanashiki would be a good morning or afternoon jaunt. But be advised—this park’s sense of humor is a bit “earthy.”
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All onride photos and videos on this website were taken with the permission of the park by a professional ride photographer. For yours and others safety, please do not attempt to take photos or videos at parks without proper permission.
Disclaimer! You need a sense of humor to view our site, if you don't have a sense of humor, or are easily offended, please turn back now!
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ART21: How did Knowmad evolve?
CHIN: I was interested in the maps that are not written down but created in the mind. And where do they occur? In contemporary culture, they occur with eleven-year-olds, ten-year-olds, playing video games and winning or getting the prizes or whatever they do, slashing or slaying the beast. And they memorize their path because that’s the one way—it’s the start of memory—and that intrigued me. How can we create this kind of mapping? I’ve been interested in arcade games and in all these things, not necessarily as a player, and not necessarily as one who participates in that, but as it has a profound effect on culture. How do ideas survive in culture? Not necessarily my ideas or anybody’s ideas, but how do ideas stay around long enough to have a conversation? From a conceptual standpoint, I’m interested in that. And knowing that video games probably equal or better Hollywood in their volume of intake of money shows you how much influence it has in the world. And then where is the art? Where is the cultural aspect involved with it?
ART21: The map in the mind and a kid memorizing the path—could you talk about that a little more?
CHIN: Other people who, I feel, probably don’t have maps that are written down are nomads. And that’s the third factor—artists, the world of art—are also people who roam in the mind. You travel and come upon things and places. In some places, I feel like being an artist is about this idea of survival, let’s say, or this concept about the survival of ideas to what you do—your own ideas, or others, or things that you have stumbled upon. In terms of nomadic culture, I feel it’s not so romantic as we would have it—a Jack Kerouac, Dharma Bum attitude about it—that has been infused, of course. And Kerouac’s a little more complicated than that, but there is this idea of American culture, of being a nomad, this freewheeling attitude. And real nomadic culture, I feel—its more about survival, visible survival. This idea of these mappings of the mind—I feel that there are parallels. Think about the artifacts of a culture, like travel culture, where creativity is kind of woven into the fabric. And what’s roaming around are these beautiful objects that portrayed it for capital, or whatever, to survive. So, there are meaningful things that were created in travel culture that are being lost in those parts of the world. And with it, we lost this method of transmission of ideas.
ART21: What kinds of ideas get transmitted in tribal rugs? Some of the patterns are maps to meditation; they’re used for prayer purposes.
CHIN: Well, certain prayer rugs are very specific; we know what they are for. But tribal weavings don’t have that. They’re more secular and were made for—[from] my knowledge of them—they were made for trading and giving, for warmth, and also for comfort. So, their value is there within the tent or within what you’re living in. But anyway, I think that what you see from place to place is that there are repeated patterns, but they are different. And this is a way of people being able to express themselves in a very sincere and difficult way. It’s not easy to create those things, knot by knot.
ART21: Isn’t there another element there—that nomadic people don’t exist on a map?
CHIN: Well, yes, because of the political issues. The Kurds don’t have a nation. There’s no Kurdistan anymore, and they’re not recognized. In some parts of Turkey, they can’t even speak Kurdish. And when the Shah of Iran came to power, one of the projects was the destruction of tribal culture, of its political impact, so there was active engagement in the removal of these associations. There is a constant remapping in the real world. But I guess the whole project itself is about creating the possibilities for the player or the person in the game to travel from the cathode ray version to the wool version, and back and forth, and see associations that are not always in front of you. So, if you never had any knowledge of either one, you would walk away with this possibility of knowing more about both, you know?
ART21: And the sense of knowing would be a visual knowing?
CHIN: It’s visual, and I feel that this is where it can begin. This visual knowing begins with a recognition—that first, you recognize that this game is created, these fantastic worlds that were created by the Knowmad Confederacy, came from a source that was equally fascinating. So, this project is sort of a homage to both: to the gaming culture (what it can offer in association with art or conceptual art) and what tribal culture has offered (not just these objects and artifacts that come from real people). If you look into them, beyond their pattern and beyond their beauty, they came from women who have woven these rugs for thousands of years. That may no longer exist.
ART21: Is there a goal?
CHIN: I don’t think the goal of art is just this travel of the mind, the travel of the passion to discover more. I always describe art as a catalytic structure that actually creates the possibility for languages to be formed or the place where language is to be formed. And I keep saying that because I want to be clear that art can have an effect, a movement. And this movement from place to place creates options and perhaps the only vestiges of freedom and thinking that we have. Because I feel that—and I can only speak for myself—but I think we’re full of (or I’m full of) delusions about what things are, and I’m not so sure. The job description is to create the paths or the methods to enlarge on that and to create options to the activities that you do. So, there is some freethinking. The question is: can you be responsible in ignorance? I think you can play the game and not have the direct associations of “Oh, now I’m going to find out about travel culture,” but play the game and say, “Wow, video games can be more than the dungeons and slashing projects that I’ve seen before, [in] games before.” They can be more about a visual reward, and that’s okay, too. So, I think it’s about creating flexible space, conceptually and personally.
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This guy, Edward DeMarco, is deliberately damaging America — promoting foreclosures, high unemployment and excessive taxes.
This guy, the acting head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), has aggressively denied help to eviction-imperiled homeowners.
And now he’s threatening to prevent towns from implementing their own plans to rescue underwater homeowners — those with mortgages exceeding their home values.
This guy, Edward DeMarco, has got to go. He’s a George W. Bush administration holdover and is only by default running the agency that regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the nation’s mortgage financing giants. Handed the chance to help homeowners, as well as taxpayers, the economy and Fannie and Freddie, urged by President Obama and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to seize that opportunity, DeMarco yelled, “NO, NO, NO, NO.” So he’s just gotta go.
There’s some technical glitch with outright firing this bureaucrat even though he is defying the President of the United States. Fine. Demote him. Install him in a sub-basement office somewhere. And disarm him; defang him; disqualify him from wielding power to hurt America.
Here’s what DeMarco refuses to do: He won’t allow Fannie and Freddie to reduce the principal owed by underwater, foreclosure-threatened mortgage holders. He is denying them the help, even though a study by his own agency says this:
- It would cost Fannie and Freddie $3.6 billion less than its current efforts to help homeowners.
- It would save taxpayers $1 billion.
- It could help as many as 500,000 homeowners.
In addition, another study, “The Win/Win Solution: How Fixing The Housing Crisis Will Create One Million Jobs,” found that a larger principal reduction program would save each underwater mortgage holder more than $500 a month. That money, spent by all those homeowners in their hometowns, would create a million jobs.
It would act as a stimulus to the economy — one that would cost taxpayers nothing. They have everything to gain, and bankers and Fannie and Freddie have nothing to lose.
In fact, banks are doing it. Principal reduction now accounts for nearly 40 percent of all bank mortgage modifications. Banks are reducing principal because it can be cheaper than foreclosure. And the rate of re-default is lower than it is for other kinds of mortgage modification.
The FHFA study found that even if the Treasury Department gave money to Fannie and Freddie to help with principal reduction, taxpayers would ultimately save $1 billion.
The Treasury money would come from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) =- the one Bush created to bail out the banks. There could be no more appropriate use of that money than aiding homeowners who are unemployed, underwater and threatened with foreclosure because reckless banksters gambled with the economy and lost.
But one bureaucrat, one loyal Republican who doesn’t want an improving economy to threaten Mitt Romney’s election, one obstructionist callous to suffering Americans is forbidding Fannie and Freddie from establishing principal reduction programs.
DeMarco doesn’t believe his own agency’s study. He claims less than $1 billion will be saved. Not enough for him. He’d rather not do it if it saves taxpayers only $500 million.
Also, DeMarco contends he is very worried about moral hazard — about rewarding people who might manipulate the system to get a principal reduction. DeMarco would rather squelch the program for everyone than countenance cheating by one homeowner.
The program is intended to help only underwater homeowners who already are behind on mortgage payments. It’s possible that some people whose mortgages are underwater but who have incomes sufficient to make the payments would deliberately fall behind in an attempt to qualify.
They’d be placing themselves in significant jeopardy if they did. That’s because an investigator may deny their application for principal reduction after determining that their income remains sufficient to cover mortgage payments. And at that point, they’d have damaged their credit rating by deliberately defaulting on their loan.
It’s worth risking some small amount of cheating for $1 billion in savings to taxpayers and a massive free stimulus to the economy. It’s worth it to rescue hundreds of thousands of struggling homeowners threatened with foreclosure. It’s worth it to salvage communities spiraling down because of neighborhoods deteriorating from a multitude of vacant foreclosed houses and homes posted with eviction notices.
Just this week, DeMarco attempted to unilaterally expand his power and authority by threatening to take action against communities that are considering using eminent domain to seize underwater mortgages and reduce the principal owed. In these places, like San Bernardino County, Calif., as many as half of mortgage holders are underwater. DeMarco said no. No help for besieged towns. No help for besieged homeowners who, through no fault of their own, lost home value and jobs. DeMarco rules.
Earlier in his reign, DeMarco blocked homeowners and communities from using a federal program called PACE established by Congress to ease the purchase of energy-saving household projects such as rooftop solar panels.
Like the principal reduction program, PACE would have put money in homeowners’ pockets and created jobs. The money would come from lowered energy bills and the jobs from additional orders at manufacturers of energy-saving devices.
But Emperor DeMarco said no. This guy has got to go. Senate Republicans blocked President Obama’s choice to replace DeMarco. So it’s time for the President to make a recess appointment to head FHFA and demote this guy DeMarco who is poisoning the economy and underwater homeowners.
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Food additives are substances that become part of a food product when added (intentionally or unintentionally) during the processing or production of that food.
Common food additives include:
- Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
- Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, saccharine, and sodium cyclamate
- Antioxidants in oily or fatty foods
- Benzoic acid in fruit juices
- Sulfites in beer, wine, and packaged vegetables
- Nitrates and nitrites in hot dogs and other meat products
- Antibiotics given to food producing animals
- Lecithin, gelatins, corn starch, waxes, gums, propylene glycol in food stabilizers and emulsifiers
- A number of different coloring agents
Additives in food; Artificial flavors and color
Food additives serve five main functions:
1. Maintain product consistency
Substances called emulsifiers provide a consistent texture and prevent products from separating. Stabilizers and thickeners provide an even texture. Anticaking agents allow substances to flow freely.
2. Improve or preserve the nutrient value
Many foods and drinks are fortified and enriched to improve the nutritional status of the United States population. For example, vitamins and minerals are added to many foods including flour, cereal, margarine, and milk. This helps to make up for vitamins or minerals that may be low or completely lacking in a person's diet. All products that contain added nutrients must be labeled.
3. Maintain the wholesomeness of foods
Contamination from bacteria can allow foodborne illnesses to occur. Preservatives reduce the spoilage that air, fungi, bacteria, or yeast can cause. Certain preservatives help preserve the flavor in baked goods by preventing the fats and oils from going bad. They also keep fresh fruits from turning brown when exposed to the air.
4. Control the acidity and alkalinity and provide leavening
Specific additives help change the acid-base balance of foods to obtain a desired taste, color, or flavor. Leavening agents that release acids when they are heated react with baking soda to help biscuits, cakes, and other baked goods rise.
5. Provide color and enhance flavor
Certain colors improve the appearance of foods. There are many spices and natural and synthetic flavors that bring out the best in the flavor of food.
Intentional or direct food additives are added to foods to produce a desired effect, such as to maintain freshness, improve nutritional quality, assist in processing or preparing food, or make a food more appealing.
Unintentional or indirect food additives are substances that are found in food during the production or the processing of a particular item. These are present in minimal quantities in the final product.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a list of food additives generally recognized as safe. Many have not undergone any testing, but they are regarded as safe by the scientific community. These substances are put on the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) list, which contains approximately 700 items. Examples of some of the items on this list are: guar gum, sugar, salt, and vinegar. The list is evaluated on an ongoing basis.
Safe is defined by Congress as "reasonable certainty that no harm will result from use" of an additive. Some substances that are found to be harmful to people or animals may be allowed, but only at the level of 1/100th of the amount that is considered harmful. This margin of safety is a protection for the consumer by limiting the intake of a dangerous substance. For example, some people are allergic to sulfites, and their reaction can be mild or very severe. People with any allergies or food intolerances should always check the ingredient listing (label) for their own protection.
The list of additives has been changed dramatically since the time the government began overseeing its safety. It is still important to gather information about the safety of food additives. The general public is encouraged to inform the FDA of any adverse reactions related to food or food additives.
The FDA and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) supervise and regulate the use of additives in products sold in the United States. However, people who have special diets or intolerances should be careful in selecting products in the grocery store.
Bush RK, Taylor SL, Hefle SL. Adverse reactions to food and drug additives. In: Adkinson NF Jr, ed. Middleton’s Allergy: Principles and Practice. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2003:chap 90.
Rangan C, Barceloux DG. Food additives and sensitivities. Disease-a-Month. 2009 May;55(5).
Reviewed By: Paula J. Busse, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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PharmaIN is a development stage biopharmaceutical company focused on enabling and improving injectable therapeutics based on the Protected Graft Copolymer (PGC™), our patented and proprietary drug delivery technology licensed from Massachusetts General Hospital. We are focused on half-life extension and targeted delivery of proteins, peptides, siRNA, and potent small molecule therapeutics.
Located in Seattle, WA in the Pacific Northwest Diabetes Research Institute (PNDRI), our team of scientists is dedicated to enabling and improving injectable drugs.
PharmaIN has been awarded over $6MM in peer-reviewed NIH SBIR grants to develop its Protected Graft Copolymer drug delivery technology and associated intellectual property.
Our business consists of two aspects:
Our proprietary drug delivery technology for both therapeutic and imaging agents has been proven to:
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whether new or old, are an excellent alternative to decking. See 'railway
What is 'ACQ',
Tanalith 'E' or 'pressure-treated' timber?
It is a wood preservative treatment that protects against decay fungal /insect
It is a treatment that is much more friendly to people and the environment,
than Creosote, that was banned in 2003. See Treatments
~ The timber is treated using pressure impregnation with a water based preservative,
complying with BS 4072
~ Treated timber has a green or natural pine colour.
~ When impregnated into the timber the chemical components become fixed within
the wood structure and are leach resistant.
~ Usually specified for general construction and outdoor timbers
How long does it last?
Believe it or not,
the treatment companies (and hence us!) offer NO
at all as to the treatment and the longetivity of the timber. They
argue that the way timber is used and constructed is in so many different
applications and settings (above ground, under ground, in water etc...) not
to mention timber naturally splitting and moving, and being cut, drilled into
etc.. that they cannot guarantee or predict how long the
timber will last and how long the treatment will be effective.
Sitting on the fence
In reality, like many companies, they are frightened about
people making claims against them, and so chose to offer
no guarantee, rather than risk someone wanting the whole of their fencing
to be replaced after 10 years, if it starts to rot.
Although we all know that pressure treated timber will last
considerably longer than 2 days (!) we are unable to say or guarantee how
long it will last. Sorry.It's all very unsatisfactory, but it's the way of
the world !
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ALTe Powertrain Technologies
ALTe Powertrain Technologies is an electric powertrain system provider. The Company is engaged in the development of range extended Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle “PHEV” powertrains and pure battery electric vehicle “BEV” powertrains. These powertrain systems are designed to replace internal combustion engine powertrain in full-size pickups and vans.
ALTe’s business model offers two ways for fleets to go green without the upfront costs of an entirely new vehicle. First, ALTe offers fully certified used full-size pickups and vans that have been retrofitted with our cutting-edge electric or plug-in hybrid electric powertrains. Second, through strategically located conversion centers, ALTe can retrofit a fleet’s existing full-size pickups and vans as seen in this Translogic video.
ALTe’s turnkey solution simultaneously maximizes fuel economy and vehicle performance while minimizing initial costs, ongoing operating expense, emissions, changes in driver behavior and additional infrastructure requirements. Based in Auburn Hills, Michigan, the company is headquartered in a 185,000 square foot facility where it will assemble its powertrains that will be shipped to installation locations across North America.
ALTe’s mission is quite simply to “Advance Sustainable Transportation.” The company is dedicated to advancing sustainable mobility by offering practical, well-engineered electric and hybrid propulsion system alternatives to the vehicle transportation industry. In many ways, the Company will be a tangible catalyst in the Vehicle to Grid (V2G) electric transportation infrastructure as it will provide electric plug-in hybrid vehicles as well as fully electric vehicles at a very significant scale. Even the name ALTe is a shortened version of the combination of two words: Alternative Energy.
ALTe’s management team shares a common belief in the electrification of the automotive industry. It is comprised of a group of talented automobile engineers with extensive experience at leading OEMs and suppliers worldwide and in Silicon Valley. ALTe’s executives are dedicated to building a large, highly profitable company which makes electric powertrains whose widespread adoption will significantly reduce oil consumption and carbon emissions globally – and create jobs in America within the EV industry.
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Prune roses, prep garden next month
Published: Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 5:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, January 25, 2013 at 5:46 p.m.
Feb. 15 is pruning day for roses in Florida. Prune back approximately one-third of the plant. Remove suckers from below the graft, any dead wood, and any crossing stems and branches. Remove all old fallen leaves from under the plants and keep mulch away from the base of the plants to help reduce fungal diseases.
If no rain, water once every 10 to 14 days. Put down approximately 1/2- to 3/4-inch of water each time. Calibrate your sprinkler system by putting down flat-sided cans, such as tuna or pet food cans, diagonally between your sprinkler heads to measure the amount of water your system puts out. This is also a good time to check your system for leaks, cracks or breakage and fix before the spring season.
Since the warm season grasses are mostly still dormant, we get a break from having to mow regularly. There is no need to fertilize lawns in this part of the state until mid-March.
If you have had problems with crabgrass, now is the time to apply a pre-emergent herbicide. Pre-emergent herbicides are most efficient if applied before the ground temperature reaches 68 degrees, which usually occurs in late January in Flagler County. Weed seeds begin to germinate at 68 degrees. Products containing Balan/Treflan or Pendimethalin (labeled "Crabgrass Preventers") do a good job of keeping seeds from fully germinating. Don't forget to re-apply the product 10-12 weeks later, or as directed on the label, for summer weed control.
If you have not done so already, apply Atrazine to prevent weed seeds from germinating and control any winter weeds that may have popped up. This can be the first or second application. Atrazine should be applied only twice in any 12-month period and never once temperatures reach 85 degrees, in accordance with the product label. When applied more than twice in a 12-month period or during hot temperatures Atrazine may seriously damage a St. Augustine lawn. This application limitation also includes the use of weed-n-feed products containing Atrazine.
Prepare spring vegetable garden areas by turning the soil, check pH and refresh soil with organic matter such as compost, manures, peat humus, etc. If soil pH test results indicate a need to amend the soil with organic matter to lower pH or lime to increase pH, it is best done at least two to three weeks before planting.
Start warm-season vegetable seeds indoors so they are ready to plant outdoors in six weeks.
Brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, lettuce, mustard, green onions, and potatoes can be planted in February.
Prune grape and other dormant vines in February.
Fertilize all fruit trees, fruiting shrubs and vines this month. Use a balanced citrus fertilizer for citrus trees and a general-purpose slow release fertilizer with micronutrients on most other fruiting plants. A slow-release fertilizer is best, since it spreads the release of the fertilizer over a longer period and helps to prevent over-fertilization.
For blueberries, use a fertilizer for acid-loving plants, such as an azalea/camellia, citrus or palm fertilizer at half strength, and repeat again next month. Blueberries like frequent light fertilizations. If your trees have expressed iron, manganese or magnesium deficiencies this past year, apply a micronutrient spray in addition to your fertilizer application. You should also have your soil pH checked before spring.
Start flower seeds indoors to be ready for planting in March.
Early February is still a good time to transplant dormant trees and shrubs.
Roses can be pruned back on or by Feb. 15. For hybrid varieties, prune to the main canes, shrub types thin out and deadhead. Always prune to an outward facing bud. After pruning, fertilize roses with a slow-release or organic fertilizer. Check for black spot and spray with a fungicide labeled for black spot disease for roses.
For all other landscape plants, wait until signs of new growth emerge on freeze-damaged plants and evergreens before taking anything off. Remove only dead or damaged areas.
Deciduous trees like elms, figs and crape myrtles can be pruned this month. Do not cut more than one-third of the tree, remove old seed heads, and remove any crossing branches. Do not leave stubs from pruned branches. That will invite disease and decay problems.
To obtain a copy of the "Pruning Landscape Trees and Shrubs" go to http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/MG/MG08700.pdf or call your local Extension office for a hard copy.
Annuals to plant this month include baby's breath, calendulas, carnations, dianthus, dusty miller, Marguerite daisies, pansies, petunias, snapdragons, and statice.
Ruth A. Micieli is horticulture program assistant and Master Gardener coordinator at the Flagler County Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida. For more information, contact the office, 386-437-7464. The Extension Service is at 150 Sawgrass Road, off C.R. 13, one mile north of Bunnell.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.
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- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Carson envisioned harnessing the knowledge of biological diversity — entomology, pathology, genetics, physiology, biochemistry and ecology — to shape a new science of biotic controls that would help control weeds, diseases and pests without further damaging the environment, Ronald wrote.
"Her dream of a science-based agricultural system may come as a surprise to those who believe that sustainability and technology are incompatible," the article says.
In her UC Davis laboratory, Ronald has genetically engineered rice that tolerates flooding and resists disease.
"I have to believe that, if Rachel Carson were alive today, she would reject the anti-science, fear-mongering of anti-GE campaigners," Ronald said.
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From a subtropical ski slope to a spinning skyscraper, Miami is the nation's capital of obscenely audacious projects that never come to fruition. Why not a sovereign, moving island the size of Manhattan?
English multimillionaire Ben Way, we get the feeling, is the sort of fellow who would demand that the words English multimillionaire precede his name on his tombstone. He boasts he started his own company at age 15, was "one of the first dot-com millionaires," and appeared on ABC's Secret Millionaire. We imagine the "secret" part was torture for him.
Anyway, Way recently pitched to prospective investors "the biggest idea [he's] ever worked on" at Kickstarter.com, the online fundraising site. "I want to create a new civilization," he said in his Harry Potter-esque voice via video, in which the sprightly 30-year-old stood in front of a green screen featuring photos of the sun, beakers, infrared maps, sailboats, and swimming fish, "on a floating island the size of Manhattan. Now, before you think I'm crazy, this project is technically feasible. The social, scientific, and economic opportunities and implications of this new civilization are huge."
It would be called Arc Island. Though the project initially would be based in the Miami area, the "expandable superstructure" would move around the globe via "advanced wind transportation," have its own constitution, and basically be rad. "But I am only one human being," Way lamented coyly. "I am fallible, and there is no way I can do this by myself."
Way's fundraising goal is $50,000 to "engage the relevant architectural and engineering talent required to pull together the basic strands of the concept" — in other words: get some people to figure out how in hell to make a power-boating giant island.
By the way, don't ask Way why such an undertaking is worthwhile. "Asking that question defeats the object of a project like this," he protested in the comments section of his pitch. "When the Internet was developed, the space race began, or the light bulb was invented, nobody could have predicted where those ideas would take us as a civilization."
The most surprising part: At the time of this writing, Arc Island had raised $7,926 in potential investments, including pledges of $500 from eight Kickstarter users, with 41 days to go for Way to reach his goal. So now instead of saying, "I have a bridge to sell you," there's a new phrase to connote gullibility: "I have a moving island the size of Manhattan to sell you."
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Social networking platform company Ning Inc. has raised $60 million in Series D financing at a $560 million post-money valuation, girding itself for a potential "nuclear winter" during an economic slowdown.
The funding sources were undisclosed large institutions, according to a blog post written by Ning co-founder and President Marc Andreessen, a co-founder of Netscape Communications Corp.
The funding is the latest eye-popping round for the company, which provides a platform that allows anyone to create and customize a social network. In July 2007, Ning raised a $44 million Series C led by Legg Mason at a post-money valuation of $214 million.
The latest Ning funding was raised to scale the Palo Alto, Calif.-based company. It currently has more than 230,000 social networks and is adding 1,000 per day, Andreessen said.
Ning also raised this large round "to make sure we have plenty of firepower to survive the oncoming nuclear winter," Andreessen wrote, referring to the current economic slowdown. Start-ups raising extra-large rounds have become more common in recent months, as insurance against difficult times in the near future.
While commonly known as a service for individuals or small groups to set up their own customizable social networks, Ning can be useful for mid-market groups or companies that want to quickly develop an online community, according to Jeremiah Owyang, an analyst at Forrester Research who recently compiled a list of more than 70 white-label social networking companies.
The crowded white-label social networking space is undergoing a shake-out as companies attempt to gain traction in particular niches, Owyang said.
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April 9, 1805
Tuesday April 9th
Set out as early as it was possible to see this morning and proceed about five miles where we halted and took beakfas— the Indian man who had promised us to accompany us as far as the Snake Indians, now informed us of his intention to relinquish the journey, and accordingly returned to his village. we saw a great number of brant passing up the river, some of them were white, except the large feathers in the first and second joint of the wing which are black. there is no other difference between them and the common gray brant but that of their colour— their note and habits are the same, and they are freequently seen to associate together. I have not yet positively determined whether they are the same, or a different species.— Capt Clark walked on shore to-day and informed me on his return, that passing through the prarie he had seen an anamal that precisely resembled the burrowing squrril, accept in point of size, it being only about one third as large as the squirrel, and that it also burrows. I have observed in many parts of the plains and praries the work of an anamal of which I could never obtain a view. their work resembles that of the salamander common to the sand hills of the States of South Carolina and Georgia; and like that anamal also it never appears above the ground. the little hillocks which are thrown up by these anamals have much the appearance of ten or twelve pounds of loose earth poared out of a vessel on the surface of the plain. in the state they leave them you can discover no whole through which they throw out this earth; but by removing the loose earth gently you may discover that the soil has been broken in a circle manner for about an inch and a half in diameter, where it appears looser than the adjacent surface, and is certainly the place through which the earth has been thrown out, tho the operation is performed without leaving any visible aperture.— the Bluffs of the river which we passed today were upwards of a hundred feet high, formed of a mixture of yellow clay and sand— many horizontal stratas of carbonated wood, having every appearance of pitcoal at a distance; were seen in the the face of these bluffs. these stratas are of unequal thicknesses from I to 5 feet, and appear at different elivations above the water some of them as much as eighty feet. the hills of the river are very broken and many of them have the apearance of having been on fire at some former period. considerable quantities of pumice stone and lava appear in many parts of these hills where they are broken and washed down by the rain and melting snow. when we halted for dinner the squaw busied herself in serching for the wild artichokes which the mice collect and deposit in large hoards. this operation she performed by penetrating the earth with a sharp stick about some small collections of drift wood. her labour soon proved successful, and she procurrd a good quantity of these roots. the flavor of this root resembles that of the Jerusalem Artichoke, and the stalk of the weed which produces it is also similar, tho both the root and stalk are much smaller than the Jarusalem Artichoke. the root is white and of an ovate form, from one to three inches in length and usually about the size of a man's finger. one stalk produces from two to four, and somitimes six of these roots.
at the distance of 6 miles passed a large wintering or hunting camp of the Minetares on the Stard. side. these lodges about thirty in number are built of earth and timber in their usual stile. 21/4 miles higher we passed the entrance of Miry Creek, which discharges itself on the Stard. side. this creek is but small, takes it's rise in some small lakes near the Mouse river and passes in it's course to the Missouri, through beatifull, level, and fertile plains, intirely destitute of timber.— Three miles above the mouth of this creek we passed a hunting camp of Minetares who had prepared a park and were wating the return of the Antelope; which usually pass the Missouri at this season of the year from the Black hills on the South side, to the open plains on the north side of the river; in like manner the Antelope repasses the Missouri from N. to South in the latter end of Autumn, and winter in the black hills, where there is considerable bodies of woodland. we proceed on 111/2 miles further and encamped on the N. side in a most beatifull high extensive open bottom
9th of April Tuesday 1805.
Set out this morning verry early under a gentle breeze from the S. E. at Brackfast the Indian deturmined to return to his nation. I saw a Musquetor to day great numbers of Brant flying up the river, the Maple, & Elm has buded & Cotton and arrow wood beginning to bud. I saw in the prarie an animal resembling the Prarie dog or Barking Squirel & burrow in the Same way, this animal was about 1/3 as large as the barking Squirel. But fiew resident birds or water fowls which I have Seen as yet at 6 miles passed an old hunting camp of Menitarrees on the S. S. 21/2 miles higher passed the mouth of Miry Creek on the S. S. passed a hunting Camp of Minetarees on the S. S. waiting the return of the Antilope, Saw Great numbers of Gees feedin in the Praries on the young grass, I saw flowers in the praries to day, juniper grows on the Sides of the hills, & runs on the ground all the hills have more or Less indefferent Coal in Stratias at different bites from the waters edge to 80 feet. those Stratias from 1 inch to 5 feet thick. we Campd. on the S. S. above some rocks makeing out in the river in a butifull ellivated plain.
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Director Larry Pogemiller from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education visited FarmFest last week to hear directly from those in the field about the connection between higher education and the Ag industry in Minnesota.
The strong partnership between the two was made evident by a panel of experts from the University of Minnesota, including President Eric Kaler. The discussion, “Innovations in Agriculture…Opportunities from the University” focused on the significant contributions the states only Land Grant institution has made in both educating students to work in the agriculture industries and as a world-leader in research and development of new technologies.
During the panel discussion, Kaler announced his intention to ramp up the University’s commitment to agriculture in the future, saying that Minnesota could be the “Silicon Valley” of the food industry. He plans to advance his idea of a stronger commitment to agriculture with state leaders leading into the next legislative session.
Photo by Dave Wild
Minnesota is one of the top livestock producers in the nation. The $7 billion livestock sector is a vital part of both the state’s agricultural production and its overall economy, and it is important that the industry remains able to produce at its top level. This is why the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has announced a new program to help Minnesota’s livestock farmers fund their operations in the long-term.
MDA Commissioner Dave Fredrickson has announced that $1 million in grant funding is being made available to livestock producers in the state for on-farm improvements – improvements that will encourage long-term development in the livestock sector The Livestock Investment Grant Program was first funded by the Minnesota legislature in 2008. Since then, 89 grant recipients have invested an estimated $31 million in improvements to their operations. Farmers can use the funds to purchase, build and improve buildings and facilities for livestock production, as well as purchase fencing and pay for feed and waste management equipment.
The improvements and modernizations available to livestock farmers with this funding will also help expedite the process of transitioning the farm to their sons or daughters, a process that could encourage more young Minnesotans to stay with their family farm and continue their families’ legacies of producing vital agricultural output for the state.
With Farmest 2012 underway, it is important to accentuate the importance of Minnesota’s farm families—the foundation of both our agriculture and our rural communities. Minnesota farm families raise crops and livestock efficiently in an environmentally friendly way; they also account for more than $3 billion in exports and provide the raw material for Minnesota’s leadership in renewable energy. This is why Governor Dayton has proclaimed today, August 9, 2012, to be Farm Family Recognition Day in Minnesota.
Minnesota’s health insurance exchange will give farmers affordable health care coverage choices for their families and their employees. Farmers can select low cost health insurance for their families from the consumer exchange, or purchase coverage for themselves and their employees from the small business exchange. Whatever the choice, farmers will see savings between 7.5 and 20 percent after federal tax credits.
From Grand Old Days to the State Fair, Minnesota has a terrific set of summer get-togethers. One particular event that is happening this week may not be on the radar screen for many urban Minnesotans, but it is a big deal for Minnesota farmers and others who work in agriculture.
Farmfest, held every August just outside Redwood Falls, is an opportunity to showcase the latest and greatest technologies and equipment, as well as an opportunity for farmers to learn about the range services provided to them by a bevy of organizations. Farmfest 2012 will be held this week, from Tuesday, August 7, through Thursday, August 9. Governor Dayton will be there on Tuesday, and will speak at the main forum tent at 1 p.m. just before Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson and a number of other leaders from partner agencies participate in a panel discussion on agriculture and water quality.
In addition to the forum events, several state agencies will have displays at booths around the Farmfest grounds. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) will have a sizable booth (#619) displaying information about new and notable programs and services of interest to farmers. This year, the display will feature segments on the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program, as well as informative displays on anhydrous ammonia safety, plant pest controls, and agricultural marketing and development services designed to help farmers.
It has been a bizarre stretch of weather for much of the state, from a warm and dry winter to a wet spring to a summer of drought. Crop and weather reports show Minnesota is in better condition on average than other corn-belt states, but farmers don’t farm in the aggregate.
Rainfall has been spotty, and the health of an individual farmer’s crops – and his or her financial outlook – can vary dramatically depending on whether the fields happened to be under the right cloud at the right time. For livestock producers, even those with forage and feed on hand, the hot and dry summer has stressed animals and intensified concerns about feed costs.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, most of Minnesota’s agricultural area is abnormally dry, and sizable portions of western and southern Minnesota are now experiencing moderate or severe drought. Every day that goes by without rain makes the situation worse. Of course, the suffering extends well beyond our state borders. As of late July, nearly 80 percent of America’s corn belt was in moderate drought or worse.
Recognizing this growing crisis, we recently sat down the leaders from many of Minnesota’s top agricultural organizations to ask them how state and federal officials might help. We can’t make it rain, but we can help farmers in three specific ways: first, by making sure federal officials are aware that Minnesota farmers are suffering from this drought; second, by making it easier for farmers to find useful crop and weather information; and third, by helping farmers access the range of state and federal programs available to help them.
Gypsy moths are tree pests that can defoliate large sections of forests and are among America's most destructive tree pests, having caused millions of dollars in damage. These moths are common in Wisconsin, but are now threatening Minnesota as well. Their preferred hosts are oak, poplar, birch and willow trees. The moths spread slowly on their own, but people can unintentionally speed up the process if they unwittingly transport firewood and other objects on which the moths have laid their eggs.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has recently completed treatment of approximately 150,000 acres of land in Carlton and St. Louis Counties to slow the spread of the moth. The infestation was identified last summer and the MDA has been working hard to slow down the infestation before it takes hold.
For over 70 years, National Dairy Month has been celebrated in the United States during the month of June to recognize the important role dairy plays in our nation. In the infographic above you can see some of the most important benefits dairy has for Minnesota, or, for more information, visit the website of the Midwest Dairy Association.
Deep-fried and served on a stick or wok-fried and served with chopsticks, food is one of the strongest connections between Minnesota and China.
Food is not just something to eat. It’s a reflection of taste and culture and geography and more. Food says a lot about people. It’s why we find the food in other countries and regions so interesting.
So it makes sense that Governor Mark Dayton’s trade mission to China has a strong emphasis on agriculture and food. It makes dollars, too. A whole lot of them.
China is Minnesota’s top market for agricultural commodities and related food products, with purchases of $1.35 billion in 2010.
“That accounts for more than one-fourth of Minnesota’s agricultural exports,” says state Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson, who is traveling with the delegation.
“In the past 10 years, our ag exports to China have jumped 800 percent, mostly driven by exports of bulk and intermediate commodities,” said Frederickson. “China’s the top buyer and the main market for Minnesota soybeans and a growing market for our pork.”
And it’s not just commodities. Sales of processed foods were $202 million. Push a cart through the aisles of a big supermarket in China and you’ll find more than a few iconic Minnesota food brands on the shelves.
Trumpeting the Bugles®
At one time or another, most Minnesota kids have eaten Bugles®, those crunchy, cone-shaped corn snacks made by General Mills that small children especially love to wear on their fingertips like a witch’s fingernails.
But unless you’ve been in China, you’ve never eaten “Seaweed” flavored Bugles®. In the Chinese market, the snack is made with potatoes, corn or rice and comes in dozens of flavors. In fact, Bugles® has become the leading brand among non-potato chip snacks in Greater China.
Curious how they market Bugles® in China? Take a look at this commercial on YouTube:
As Governor Dayton leads the state’s trade mission to China June 8-June 17, he is joined by many businesses and organizations representing Minnesota agriculture. China is the state's top foreign market for agricultural commodities and related food products, accounting for more than a quarter of Minnesota's agricultural exports. Agricultural businesses, food service companies, and other farming organizations join the larger delegation with the goal of fostering trade relations between Minnesota and China.
Among the farming companies that compose the delegation is Knewtson Soy Products, a family owned and operated farm in Good Thunder, Minnesota that exports 90% of their soybean production to food and feed manufacturers, with customers in several Southeast Asian countries. Additionally, Hastings Co-op Creamery, a 98-year-old company currently marketing milk and milk products for 105 dairy farmer members/owners, and Superior Feed Ingredients, a company based in Waconia, will also join the Governor as members of the delegation.
Also included in the delegation are key members of the food service industry, such as Dombrovski Meats, based in Foley, Minnesota, a family owned company, wholesale manufacturer, and national distributor of the highest quality meat products [see featured profile below]; Midwest AG Enterprises, Inc., a Marshall-based manufacturer and supplier of high quality feed ingredients for the livestock industry in China; and Michael Foods, the world’s largest egg processing company, based in Minnetonka, whose newest facility is located near Beijing.
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In his classic study “The American Cinema,” Andrew Sarris says that what sustains the heroes of Raoul Walsh’s films is “a feeling of adventure.” You think?
Consider a sampling of titles from “Action! Action! Action! A Raoul Walsh Retrospective,” which began Friday at the Harvard Film Archive and runs through March 10 (consider the title of the series, too, and all those exclamation marks): “They Drive by Night” (1940), “The Thief of Bagdad” (1924), “Objective, Burma!” (1944 — speaking of exclamation marks), “What Price Glory?” (1927), “They Died With Their Boots On” (1942). Even if you knew nothing about those movies, the titles would whet expectations for dash, clash, and bash, and those expectations would be rousingly met.
Walsh (1887-1980) had one of the more excitingly implausible careers in film history. As a young man in New York, he was friendly with the Barrymore family and Virginia O’Hanlon, of “Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus” fame. He became a stage actor and then made the trek to Hollywood. He did double duty on “The Birth of a Nation” (1915), playing John Wilkes Booth and serving as D.W. Griffith’s assistant director. Walsh had made his own directorial debut two years before, with a short, “The Pseudo Prodigal.” He’d go on to direct more than 110 features. He was one of the founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He was one of Errol Flynn’s two most simpatico directors (the other being Michael Curtiz — not bad company to be in). Walsh, who directed John Wayne in his first starring role, “The Big Trail” (1930), even looked the part of a great director. He sported — and that is the verb — an elegantly trimmed mustache, swept-back hair, and piratical eye-patch.
Walsh’s abilities weren’t limited to action and adventure. As much social history as gangster picture, “The Roaring Twenties” (1939) brings a sense of sweep to the crime genre that would not be surpassed until “The Godfather” (1972). It’s in the series, as are “Sadie Thompson” (1928), “Manpower” (1941), “The Man I Love” (1947), and “The Revolt of Mamie Stover” (1956). Each of those films boasts a strong woman in a leading role: Gloria Swanson, Marlene Dietrich, Ida Lupino, and Jane Russell, respectively. Walsh was a man’s man, yes, but he was no misogynist.
Action for Walsh wasn’t divorced from psychology. That’s one reason he was so good at it. “Pursued” (1947) probably isn’t the ultimate Freudian western; for that dubious distinction it’s hard to top Nicholas Ray’s “Johnny Guitar” (1954). But it was surely the first. “The Outlaw” (1943)? That’s not so much Freudian as perversely polymorphous. As for “White Heat” (1949), it not only gives James Cagney his most literally combustible role. It takes the Oedipus complex to places that Sophocles couldn’t have imagined even if he’d had a regular table at the Warner Bros. commissary. Both films are in the series.
Walsh’s greatest contribution to movie history was indirect. He made it possible for Humphrey Bogart to become “Bogie.” Before “High Sierra” (1941) Bogart had played a string of one-dimensional bad guys, as in “Roaring Twenties,” or forgettable nonentities, like his brogue-burdened horse trainer in “Dark Victory” (1939). “High Sierra,” which is in the series, reveals an actor, and persona, unlike any Hollywood had previously seen. Bogart’s ex-con Roy “Mad Dog” Earle is torn between nihilism and nobility. He’s violent and fierce, yet also desperate and tender. There’s a stylization of emotional complexity that in films like “The Maltese Falcon” (1941), “Casablanca” (1942), “To Have and Have Not” (1944), and “The Big Sleep” (1945) would become the stuff of legend. None of them would have been the same — certainly, Bogart wouldn’t have been — without the possibilities indicated by “High Sierra.” Which says as much about Walsh as it does about Bogart. After all, isn’t adventure the vigorous pursuit of possibility?
For more information, go to hcl.harvard.edu/hfa/films/
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MOT in Occupational Therapy
Program Director: Roxie Black
Professor: Black; Assistant Professor: Spear; Lecturers: Bickmore and Clark; FieldWork Coordinator: TBA
Lewiston-Auburn College offers a professional, entry-level master's degree in occupational therapy for people who hold a baccalaureate degree in a discipline other than occupational therapy. The master of occupational therapy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).
Occupational therapy (OT) is a health and human service profession that recognizes humans as occupational beings. People define who they are by what they do; or by the occupations in which they engage. Occupational therapists use meaningful occupation or activities as intervention to help people of all ages maximize wellness and perform the skills they need to participate as fully in society as possible. OTs intervene with people who are experiencing varying degrees of activity impairment as a result of developmental, physical, psychological, cognitive, or environmental dysfunction. As an OT, you will assist people in developing, compensating for, or regaining the skills necessary for participation in meaningful life roles and skills of self-care, work, and leisure.
Graduate entry-level occupational therapy education builds upon the previous education and experience of the student by providing a sequential course of professional study that stresses active, independent inquiry, critical thinking, strong communication skills (oral, nonverbal, written, and electronic), problem solving, clinical reasoning, and professional behaviors. Realizing that consumers may receive occupational therapy services in a wide variety of settings, students are exposed to practice in hospitals, other health institutions, schools, community agencies and centers, and other facilities where potential clients may be served.
If you have not yet completed a bachelor's degree consider the MOT Jumpstart option!
Students in the MOT program will complete seventy-nine graduate credits consisting of four semesters of full-time coursework and six months of full-time fieldwork.
Students are required to complete three Level I Fieldwork experiences; one each in mental health, physical disabilities, and developmental disability settings. The Level I fieldwork is completed concurrently with the semester in which the relevant coursework is taken.
Students are also required to complete two level II, 3-month Level II Fieldwork experiences in two different settings of their choice.
Personal health insurance is required for all students in this program. Students may select the University insurance coverage or a private company as long as the coverage meets that of the University policy.
Students are required to have a current criminal background check. People with felonies must check with NBCOT and the Maine state licensure bureau regarding certification and licensure eligibility. Because of requirements from field sites, all MOT students are required to be fingerprinted prior to entering the MOT program and have evidence of such available for their field placements.
Students are required to become members of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and the Maine Occupational Therapy Association (MeOTA).
Program of Study
|Fall Semester Credits||Credits|
|OTH 501 Occupational Therapy Foundations||3|
|OTH 502 Introduction to Occupation||3|
|OTH 503 The Reflective Practitioner||2|
|OTH 513 Applied Concepts of Movement||3|
|OTH 514 Human Anatomy: Structure and Function||4|
|OTH 504 Applied Research I||3|
|OTH 505 Mental Health and Occupational Performance||5|
|OTH 507 Ethics and Social Justice||3|
|OTH 509 Level I Fieldwork: Mental Health||1|
|OTH 517 Occupational Well-Being||3|
|OTH 601 Neuroscience||3|
|OTH 605 Leadership and Management||3|
|OTH 510 Level I Fieldwork: Adults||1|
|OTH 512 Applied Research II||3|
|OTH 518 Group Process for Practice||2|
|OTH 603 Occupational Performance in Adulthood||7|
|OTH 614 Adult Conditions||2|
|Winter (8-week session)|
|OTH 511 Level I Fieldwork: Developmental Disabilities||1|
|OTH 604 Occupational Performance: Infancy throughAdulthood||7|
|OTH 615 Pediatric Conditions||2|
|OTH 620 Level II Fieldwork*||6|
|OTH 608 Reflections on Practice: Cognition and Perception||3|
|OTH 616 Professional Presentations||1|
|OTH 618 Contextual Considerations in Practice||2|
|OTH 621 Level II Fieldwork*||6|
|Total credit requirements||79|
*All students must complete two Level II Fieldwork experiences.
Admission to the master of occupational therapy program is competitive and limited to 30 spaces. The program seeks applicants who have a bachelor's degree in a field other than occupational therapy with a record of academic achievement and who are committed to employing interdisciplinary approaches and strategies in the study of occupational therapy.
The program also seeks candidates who are committed to self-development as a necessary foundation for assisting others. Academic coursework and clinical experiences require that students be available throughout the day and some evenings. A part-time option is also available where students may complete their academic work in three years. In addition to four semesters of academic coursework, students are required to complete six months of full-time fieldwork in an occupational therapy setting.
Students should submit an on-line application to: Office of Graduate Admissions, USM, P.O. Box 9300, Portland, ME 04104-9300. The deadline for completed applications is October 1st for matriculation the following fall semester.
The following criteria are used in the selection process:
Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or a B average is highly recommended. If you have a graduate degree, your graduate cumulative GPA will be used. If your cumulative GPA is not 3.0 or better, the likelihood of acceptance is significantly diminished. Your application will not be considered if you have a cumulative GPA lower than 2.75.
Prerequisite courses: Either as part of your baccalaureate degree or subsequent to receiving it, you must have completed the following courses or have a plan to complete them with a grade of B (3.0) or better. All of the science prerequisites must have been taken within six years prior to the fall semester for which you are applying. If science courses were completed with a B or better more than six years ago, you may do one of the following: 1) use more current upper division courses in the discipline to satisfy the requirement, 2) retake the course, or 3) take a CLEP or equivalent exam if one is available. If you have questions regarding the prerequisite requirements, contact the MOT director.
|Statistics (such as MAT 120D or SBS 328 or equivalent)**||3|
|College Algebra (such as MAT 108 or equivalent)*||3|
|Intro to Sociology*||3|
|or an upper level SOC or SBS course|
|Abnormal Psychology or Psychopathology***||3|
|Human Growth and Development or Developmental Psychology (Life span course)**||3|
|Intro to Physics with lab (or Biomechanics at LAC)||4 (3)|
|Human Anatomy and Physiology I***or equivalent||4|
|Human Anatomy and Physiology II*** or equivalent||4|
* There are CLEP exams available for these courses.
** There are DANTES exams available for these courses.
*** There are Excelsior College Exams available for these courses.
Students may apply to the program even if not all of the prerequisite courses are yet completed.
If you have not already completed the English and math course requirements, please register to take Lewiston-Auburn College's placement exam in reading, writing, and math. The exam will determine whether you need to take any developmental courses in preparation for the college level math and English courses.
All applicants must complete a 2- 3 page essay as part of the admission package. Within this essay you must introduce yourself, describe why you are interested in Occupational Therapy, and outline the strengths and experiences you bring to the Occupational Therapy profession.
All applicants must complete a minimum of 15 hours of job shadowing or work experience with an occupational therapy practitioner. An evaluation form, found in the application materials must be submitted.
All applicants who meet the above requirements will be scheduled for an interview.
Completion of the application requirements does not guarantee admission into the program. Admission will be based on a comparative evaluation of applicants' materials as they relate to academic achievement, writing skills, and interviewing. If two or more applicants are otherwise equally qualified, additional consideration will be given for work experience in a related field (e.g., education, recreation, or other health related profession).
Admission decisions will be made based on the applicant's performance on all criteria above .The admissions committee will inform the applicant of that decision within one month of acceptance.
Upon being acceptance, students must submit documentation that they are in good health as evidenced by a physical examination, including specific immunizations, prior to beginning the fall semester (See Health Requirements below). Forms will be sent with acceptance letters.
The MOT admission deadline is October 1st prior to the fall semester to which one is applying. Unconditional acceptance to the MOT program will be extended only to students who are competitive and who have submitted documentation that all of their requirements have been completed at the time of their application. Successful candidates who are in the process of completing prerequisite courses will receive conditional acceptances until all their requirements have been completed. Full-time students must have completed all prerequisites before the start of classes in September, while part-time students may take until the following fall to complete select courses. Students must select those courses in collaboration with the MOT program director.
Jump Start Option
Students may complete their undergraduate and graduate education in five (5) years by selecting this option. Students who identify as MOT jumpstarters and who are matriculated into an LAC undergraduate program or the Health Science program in Gorham must apply to the MOT program in fall of their junior year. They must complete the following by August of the year they plan to enter the program:
- USM Core curriculum requirements;
- Academic major requirements; and
- MOT prerequisite requirements.
The Jump Start option does not guarantee admission to the MOT program. Students must qualify in the same manner as any other applicant to the MOT program. Contact the Student Success Center for an advising appointment or more information at (207) 753-6536.
In addition to the general policies described in the Academic Policies chapter, specific policies of this program are as follows.
Unless applying for a part-time option, the program's academic work is designed to be completed within five semesters of being admitted to the program. To ensure continuity of application of academic concepts and to meet accreditation standards, all fieldwork MUST be completed within 24 months following completion of academic preparation.
All courses in the occupational therapy curriculum must be completed with a minimum of B- (2.67) in order to carry graduate credit. If a student receives a grade below B-, the student must repeat the course in the next semester that it is offered. Because occupational therapy courses are only offered once a year, it will be necessary for the student to receive permission from the faculty committee in order to take any other courses in the curriculum prior to repeating the course. A student is only permitted to repeat a course one time. If a student gets a grade below B- in a repeated course, he or she will be dismissed from the program.
Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in each semester in order to progress in the program. A student whose grade point average falls below a 3.0 in the first, second, or third semester will be placed on academic probation and will have one semester to bring the grade point average up to at least a 3.0. Students who fail to do this will be dismissed from the program. A student may not be placed on probation more than once.
Any student whose cumulative GPA is below 3.0 in their final semester will be dismissed and will not be permitted to graduate. Students must also demonstrate satisfactory professional behaviors. Unsatisfactory ratings of professional behaviors in two semesters may result in termination from the program.
The MOT Program abides by the transfer policy outlined in the graduate catalogue. In addition, all transfer courses must be evaluated by the MOT Program Director to determine whether they meet the content requirements of the appropriate ACOTE standard. Only those courses which meet the standards will be accepted for transfer.
ACOTE and NBCOT:
The MOT program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220. AOTA's phone number is (301) 652-AOTA. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR) and will be eligible to practice. Most states require licensure in order to practice. In Maine, the license is based upon initial certification from the NBCOT certification examination. NBCOT is located at 800 S. Frederick Ave., Suite 200, Gaithersburg, MD 20877-4150.
Students must comply with the University's immunization requirements. In addition, students must comply with the MOT program's health policy requirements and any additional requirements of those health care agencies to which they are assigned for clinical practice. Students must show evidence of completion of the following immunizations:
- Lab test (titer) providing immunity to:
- Chicken Pox
- Hepatitis Vaccine (three doses) and Hepatitis titer
Student health records must be on file with University Health Services and the MOT program prior to entry into clinical courses. Health insurance, equal to or better than the USM Student Health Insurance Basic Plan, and CPR certification is required prior to beginning clinical coursework.
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In the 1990s, there were not one, but two highly competitive open-wheel racing series going on in the US, IndyCar and CART. For many race fans, CART was the series of choice, thanks to its less formulaic approach to racing, and it seemed to attract the biggest names, both behind the wheel and behind the hardware. Precision Preparation, Inc., or PPI, led by Cal Wells, had built a name for themselves and their partner, Toyota, in off-road racing. In 1995, Wells formed Arciero-Wells with good friend Frank Arciero, and joint the CART ranks using Toyota power in their cars. For the next five years, Arciero-Wells/Toyota would field some of the fastest Champ Cars the series had ever seen, including this record-setting 24 car driven by Scott Pruett at the 1999 Marlboro 500.
It was qualifying day for the Marlboro 500, the Champ Car World Series (CART) race at California Speedway (now Auto Club Speedway) in Fontana, California. From behind the wheel of this Pioneer/MCI WorldCom Toyota, Pruett clocked a lap at 30.030 seconds-an astounding 235.398 miles per hour-earning the teams and Toyotas first pole position in Champ Car history.
This remarkable qualifying effort, the fifth pole of Pruetts five-year open wheel career, stood out among a 24-car field that had an average qualifying speed of 228.076 miles per hour. It also outpaced all other Toyotas, with the next highest Toyota-powered qualifier starting 15th at 31.432 seconds and 273.911 miles per hour.
This race signaled two significant developments: One, it announced to the world that Toyota was a contender. And two, it would be the last time Scott Pruett would ever drive a Champ Car in competition. Following the 1999 CART season, he moved to NASCAR. Sadly, as most enthusiasts know, the CART series folded not long afterwards.
Based on a 99 Reynard chassis (chassis number 99I 027) with a carbon-fiber honeycomb tub, this is the 1999 Number 24 Pioneer/MCI WorldCom powered by Toyota Champ Car that set that lap record, and it remains in as-raced condition with the exception of the running gear. Fully detailed and prepped, it is in brilliant condition for display as a piece of racing history, or could be retrofitted with an appropriate powertrain for vintage race events. The body, as with most racecars, has been expertly maintained and since retiring and has seen no on-track usage. It features the speedway wings and nose cone, and is appropriately dressed in the red and white Pioneer color scheme with a correct decal package. Of note, Pioneer signed on at the beginning of the 1999 season with Arciero-Wells, their first and only foray into CART.
The hardware on this car is as impressive as its history. The suspension is, of course, the tried-and-true double wishbone with inboard-mounted bell crank actuated coil-over shocks wearing Eibach springs. Front and rear sway bars are adjustable on the fly from the cockpit, and the laser-sharp steering is via rack-and-pinion. At each corner, theres a massive Brembo ventilated steel disc fitted with powerful eight-piston calipers. Wheels are specially made forged magnesium pieces by BBS wearing Firestone Firehawk racing radials. With a curb weight of only 1550 pounds, its easy to understand how this car was able to crush its competitors lap times on that fateful day in 1999.
Inside, the cockpit is all business, from the fitted seat, to the carbon fiber tub around it. If youre about Scott Pruetts size, its probably an extremely comfortable place to be, and all the controls fall easily to hand, including the Momo steering wheel and sway bar adjustment controls. With low hours and excellent maintenance, it remains in outstanding condition and is a period-perfect showcase of the technology used at the time in motorsports.
Motorsports history is made of up great moments. Early on, it was possible for cars and drivers to remain dominant for years, but by the end of the 20th century, it was rare for a car to remain competitive for more than a year due to rapidly advancing technology. That the 1999 Number 24 Pioneer/MCI WorldCom powered by Toyota Champ Car shattered its competitions lap times so convincingly is one of those special moments. Add in the fact that it was Scott Pruetts last time in a Champ Car before moving to NASCAR, and it becomes a significant part of racing history.
DISCLAIMER: The information in this ad is provided by the seller and not OldRide.com. The prices, terms, and reliability of the item remains subject to the direct negotiation between the buyer and seller. OldRide.com is not responsible for any damages that may occur during a transaction. For more resources about purchasing a vehicle online visit our help section "Buying a
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The boards discussed a 'three-bucket' expected loss approach for the impairment of financial assets.
The guiding principle of the 'three-bucket' approach is to reflect the general pattern of deterioration of credit quality of loans. Allowance balances would be established for all financial assets subject to impairment accounting. The different phases of the deterioration in credit quality are captured through the 'three-buckets' that determine the allowance balance. Generally, the 'three-bucket' approach would encompass the following:
- Bucket 1: in the context of portfolios, assets evaluated collectively for impairment that do not meet the criteria of Buckets 2 or 3 (this would include loans that have suffered changes in credit loss expectations as a result of macroeconomic events that are not particular to either a group of loans or specific loan).
- Bucket 2: Assets affected by the occurrence of events that indicate a direct relationship to possible future defaults, although the specific assets in danger of default have not yet been identified.
- Bucket 3: Assets for which information is available that specifically identifies that credit losses are expected to, or have, occurred on individual assets.
The boards decided to continue to develop the 'three-bucket' approach. In addition, the boards agreed with the broad approach to distinguish between the buckets on the basis of credit risk deterioration. The boards decided that the allowance balance of Buckets 2 and 3 should be the remaining lifetime expected loss estimate.
The boards provided the following direction to the staff for future deliberations:
- Pursue an approach for Bucket 1 with an overall objective of recognising an impairment allowance equal to losses expected to occur in the next twelve months based on initial expectations plus the full amount of any changes in expected credit losses. However, the boards also noted the operational complexities of such a model, and directed the staff to consider how to operationalise the approach.
- The boards noted the importance of having clear and well-defined indicators and guidance related to when to transfer assets between Buckets 1, 2, and 3. Consequently, they instructed the staff to further develop criteria to determine to which of the three buckets the financial assets should be attributed.
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Police officers have a dangerous and often thankless job. They put their lives at risk for the safety of the general public, and we appreciate their efforts. But sometimes, for whatever reason, some people in this type of job go too far when dealing with a suspect. This is called police brutality.
Police brutality can take many forms and can happen in many different places. The use of excessive force is a common type of police brutality that often results in personal injury or even death. In a recent Kentucky brutality case, the family of one man is claiming that he died after being abused at a county detention center. According to the wrongful death lawsuit, the man was serving a 10-day sentence for a DUI when he had two seizures in May 2012. During the second seizure, he was restrained in a chair and sprayed with pepper spray. He was then given an anti-anxiety drug and returned to his cell where he became unresponsive. Jail employees were unable to revive him. The lawsuit states that the corrections officers "engaged in various aggressive and unwarranted activities, conduct and behavior" that led to the victim’s death.
A few years ago, we reported on an alleged police brutality case that occurred in Louisville, KY. A woman’s neighbors called the police on her children and their friends. When the police arrived, she told the kids to go home. The police officer hit her head against part of his car and sprayed her with pepper spray. He then arrested her, saying she assaulted him. This second action is another type of police brutality – false imprisonment. Fortunately for the victim, the jury in her personal injury case believed her and she was awarded $1 million in damages.
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Paul A. Chadbourne Papers, 1865-18831 box (1 linear feet).
After distinguishing himself as a chemist on the faculty at Williams College and serving one term in the State Senate, Paul Chadbourne was called upon in 1866 to become the second president of Massachusetts Agricultural College. Although he pressed an ambitious agenda for building a College from scratch, ill health forced him to resign only a year later. He returned to MAC after holding faculty positions in Wisconsin and at Williams, filling a second stint as president from 1882 until his death in 1883. Though brief, he set an important precedent by creating a “scientific and literary” track of study to complement the “agricultural and scientific” one, and by pushing for the financial support of poor students.
The collection includes correspondence of and about Chadbourne, drafts of speeches and sermons, published writings, biographical and genealogical material, and reports from the Massachusetts Board of Agriculture (1865-1881).
- Agricultural education--Massachusetts.
- Massachusetts Agricultural College. President.
- Chadbourne, Paul A. (Paul Ansel),1823-1883.
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The legacy of Fukushima
At Time, Bryan Walsh reports on two pieces of news coming out of the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear disaster
. First, the World Health Organization has released estimates of the health effects on the plant's workers, the people who were involved in shutting it down, and the local residents who lived closest to the plant when it went into meltdown. These people will have an increased risk of leukemia, thyroid cancers, and cancer, in general. But the increase isn't as large as you might have feared. Walsh does a very good job of breaking down the statistics, here. The second bit of news is, unfortunately, not so good. In Germany, which decided to phase out nuclear power in the wake of Fukushima, coal power is on the rise. And it's rising faster than the increase in renewable energy.
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For over 10 years, teens have been asking us questions on every topic imaginable. While we are no longer taking new questions, we have a wealth of information we would like to share with teenagers.
Questions about suicide? Call the NATIONAL SUICIDE HOTLINE 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433).
FAQ Home Page
Genital skin concerns
Bumps on genitals
Posted on: 01/27/2007
I'm 16 and I have two or three small brown circular patches on the inside lips of my vagina and I also have raised bumps at the bottom of entrance of my vagina. I also have bumps inside my rectum and on the outside of my anus. Please help me!
Since you're not mentioning pain or itching with these, they might be just normal, or benign. But if you're sexually active, they might be warts. These can be easily treated as well with a variety of remedies. Of course, it's impossible to be sure of the cause without seeing them, so I strongly recommend you see your doctor for an evaluation.
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When a historical era is marked by turbulence, bloodshed, and larger than life figures, it can appear almost mythic to those who examine it later. The American Old West is a good example of this sort of retroactive impression. A cursory glance at the era makes it seem like it was a time where gun-slinging lawmen and dangerous outlaws clashed daily on the streets. Shifting across the seas, feudal Japan has a similar feel to the days of the Wild West, regularly depicted as a time where highly skilled samurai frequently crossed swords in battles and duels over honor and revenge. That epic sense of struggle and conflict has made both eras incredibly popular settings for stories in a variety of media.
This March, writer Peter Milligan and a group of talented artists tell a different type of samurai story when they kick off the weekly five issue miniseries "5 Ronin" from Marvel Comics which reimagines Wolverine, Psylocke, Deadpool, the Punisher and the Hulk as 17th century Japanese warriors. CBR News spoke with Milligan about the project.
CBR News: Peter, in the past couple of years we've seen the rise of the Marvel Noir line, an imprint tasked with taking a look at what happens when a Marvel character is reinterpreted during the 1920s through '30s. Beyond that, we've recently seen "Deadpool Pulp," which reimagines that character in a '50s-style setting. Considering the relation between the pulp magazines of the '20s and '30s to comics, and comics in the '50s, it's easy to see where those ideas came from, but reimagining Marvel characters as samurai in Feudal Japan seems like an unexpected and interesting idea. Where did it come from and what drew you to it? Are you a fan of films like "Yojimbo" and "The Seven Samurai?"
Peter Milligan: First off, I am a big fan of Kurosawa's "The Seven Samurai." To be honest, this was my initial "entry point" into the world of Feudal Japan when Editor Sebastian Girner and I began talking about this project. Secondly, I know what you're saying when you suggest that the '20s and '30s seem on the face of it a more obvious setting in which to re-imagine these characters, but other eras work equally well, and for different reasons. In "Namor: The Depths," for example, the 1950s was a good time for my story, partly because it just predated the whole Space Age and the new era that the '60s ushered in.
The original idea of Japan came from Sebastian -- he is very interested in all things Japanese -- but I immediately saw that I could use this setting to tell a story I wanted to tell. I've said this elsewhere (and will probably say it again!), but what interested me was that this era of Japan was in such a state of flux. One era was ending and a new one beginning. These times are difficult to live through; people are unsure where they stand, and this is a great arena for looking at character and seeing how characters act when taken to uncomfortable places.
The characters being reimagined for "5 Ronin" are an interesting lot. Wolverine is an obvious candidate, and as a fan of the film "Lady Snowblood," I can see why you chose Psylocke as well. Deadpool, the Hulk and the Punisher are a bit unusual on the face of it, though. What made you want to reinterpret these particular characters for this setting?
Of course, there are a lot of Marvel characters to choose from -- but I think when you read the story you'll see how right the characters we have are. Deadpool is perfect; he could have been originally designed for this story. I don't want to say any more because it will give an important part of the plot away. Punisher also perfectly fits with what we wanted. Both of these characters manage to be archetypes (in a world of comic book stereotypes) and that's why they so neatly and usefully worked with this story. Hulk is a little different. Part of the fun there was writing against type or character expectation. Though, again, an integral part of Banner/Hulk's character perfectly matches what we wanted in this book.
What can you tell us about the setting of "5 Ronin?" What's sort of the climate of the country at the time?
Well, as you say, it's Feudal Japan; specifically, the early seventeenth century. In 1600, there was a famously bloody and pivotal battle at Sekigahara, where the Western and Eastern clans fought. This battle ended what became known as the era of the warring states. In other words, the world of Japan that we find is going through a some kind of cataclysmic, epochal change. It's a violent age, an age of deep anxiety. Though it's a very alien time and place, I feel that this era speaks to us about our own troubled times. We have our own cataclysmic changes going on, our own sense of anxiety and "uprooted-ness."
How big of a role does the fantastic play in this story? Do your protagonists have their traditional super abilities?
I don't really want to talk about exactly what "superpowers" our characters have, but there is certainly an element of the fantastic running through the story. It must be said though that the characters are more grounded in reality -- albeit a strange reality -- than they might normally be in your average Marvel epic.
How much does real world history factor into "5 Ronin?" Will your cast be rubbing elbows with any historical figures?
Actual real world history does impact upon the story. One big event is the catalyst for a lot of what happens. All that follows with our characters is either a version of what actually happened, or the kind of thing that happened. There is one important character who is based loosely on an historical character. It must be said though that knowledge of Japanese history is not absolutely necessary to understand and enjoy "5 Ronin."
In terms of personality, how similar and how different are the protagonists of "5 Ronin" to their traditional Marvel Universe counterparts?
In their characters, who they are, I tried to keep them the same people -- though, of course those people are in a different setting with different problems. I mean, Logan is Logan. Punisher is certainly Punisher. Oh, God, is he Punisher. And Psylocke -- well, you'll have to see about Psylocke for yourselves.
How is the story structured in "5 Ronin?" Does each issue focus on one lone character or is this a team book?
Each episode focuses on one character, but there is a degree of slippage. These characters' lives are linked, woven together by something or someone they're not immediately aware of.
The story's plot deals with five characters, each with a burning desire or goal. The themes deal with how we cope with change in a changing world. How we ourselves either embrace or are resistant to change. And what happens when we get what we thought we wanted.
What are some of the obstacles and adversaries you plan on throwing your characters' way? Can we expect, for example, Samurai versions of classic Marvel villains?
Struggling with their own demons and the adversaries thrown up by this violent, changing world is enough to keep anyone, even a re-imagined Marvel hero, busy.
The villain is based loosely on a historical figure. Logan has a number of supporting players whose identities will be revealed in the book that focuses on him.
David Aja, Mark Brooks, Giuseppe Camuncoli, David Mack, Ed McGuiness and John Cassaday are providing the covers for "5 Ronin" and the series rotating cast of interior artists include Tomm Cokker, Dalibor Talajic, Lawrence Campbell, Goran Parlov and Leandro Fernandez. Based on that roster, it sounds as though "5 Ronin" will be one of the most beautiful books Marvel publishes in 2011. What's it like to be working on a series with all these great artists?
This is the easiest question to answer so far. It's been amazing to see the artwork come through, both interior and cover work. Brilliant. To work with one of these very talented artists would be great. To collaborate with so many brilliant artists on one book is spectacular.
Have you thought about what you might do if fans really respond to "5 Ronin? Would you like to tell more stories with these characters? Or perhaps give some other Marvel characters the samurai treatment?
This story and these characters were devised with this finite story in mind. But you never know.
Any final thoughts you would like share about "5 Ronin?"
After a while you just want to stop talking about it and see the bloody thing in the stores. Each book seems to have its own unique quality, yet somehow and very strongly the books add up to a whole.
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That must be a huge Waystation. You only need 10 stems of milkweed and probably about that many of nectar plants to certified.
I just wrote a state park an easy way to create a Waystation.
I have a very easy way to plant plants. Lay out the garden by placing the plants that you want to plant. Then, all you do is dig a hole and put the plant in, add a bit of compost and mix it with the existing soil. Once all the plants are planted, then take 4 or more sheets of black and white newspaper, stack those and wet them, then place those near the plants (wetting the newspaper helps to keep it down while you add the mulch) and all grassy areas in the planting bed, add 3 inches of hardwood mulch to the top of that. This will kill/compost the grass. No tilling or digging up the grass. Your garden is done. If you add a plastic/wooden border/edge, this will keep the grass from creeping back in. I usually edge the bed (dig a small trench, too). It's called 'Lasagna Gardening'.http://organicgardening.about.com/od/st ... garden.htm
Butterfly & Hummingbird Garden Mix
These are not all natives, but this would be an excellent start.
Some of these will start blooming in the spring and the others will take 2-3 years to mature because they are perennials. These can also be planted in the spring. http://www.ernstseed.com/products/planting-guide/
I would ask Ernst to leave out some of the non natives out of the mix, like the poppies and bachelor's buttons. Add butterfly weed. It is the low orange flowering milkweed.
[This is $50 a pound.]
If you were planting seeds in the bed that I described above. You'd put down the newspaper, add the mulch and then add 2-3 inches of soil. On top of that soil you could add the seeds. When I used to do this with kids, I'd have them walk on top of the seeds to make seed/soil contact and I'd call this the wildflower dance. You could actually design a program and have those attending do the planting. Let the kids sprinkle the seeds and then do the wildflower dance. The kids and their parents could also help prepared the beds. You could do this in the spring so that you would have time to advertise it. Probably mid May would be a good time to plant (when the soil is warmer). After the dance, I usually would come back and add a light dusting of soil on top of the seed and then tamp that down myself. Then there is the issue of keeping it watered. If it doesn't rain, it needs to be watered at least once a week with a light sprinkle. Let the sprinkler run for an hour at least.
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States Report Strong Tax Revenues in Fiscal 2011
State government tax collections in Fiscal 2011 showed strong year-over-year growth compared to fiscal 2010 collections, according to Census Bureau data released April 12. Fiscal 2011 ended on June 30, 2011 for 46 states.
Fiscal 2011 total state government tax collections increased by 8.9 percent. Personal income tax grew by 9.8 percent, sales tax by 8.2 percent, and corporate income tax by 9.4 percent, according to the Census Bureau.
Personal income tax collections were still 6.8 percent below the 2008 levels. At the end of fiscal 2011, overall tax collections were still 2.1 percent below the peak tax collections levels, and sales tax collections were above by an insignificant 0.3 percent.
North Dakota Leads Pack
North Dakota was the only state where overall tax revenues showed continued growth, regardless of the recession.
Overall state tax revenues still have a long way to go before they fully recover from the deep declines caused by the Great Recession. The extent of revenue recovery varies dramatically among the states. Overall, 32 states reported fiscal 2011 total-tax collections that were still below peak levels; 10 of those declines were by double-digit percentages. Only 17 states reported fiscal 2011 total taxes that were higher than previous peak levels.
Eighteen states reported sales taxes in fiscal 2011 that surpassed earlier peak revenues. Sales tax revenues were below the peak levels in 28 states, of which 7 states saw double-digit declines. Arizona reported the largest decline in sales tax collections compared to its peak level at 32.5 percent, followed by Louisiana at 19.2 percent.
Personal Income Ht Hardest
Personal income tax collections have suffered the most persistent and widespread declines, despite strong growth in the last year or so. Among 43 states with personal income taxes, 38 states reported declines in personal income tax collections in fiscal 2011 compared to their peak levels, with 18 states reporting double-digit declines. Only five states have seen increases in their personal income tax collections since peak levels.
Nonetheless, fiscal 2011 was a better year for state tax revenues than fiscal 2010. The year-over-year growth rates in overall tax collections in fiscal 2011 ranged from 0.4 percent in Hawaii to 44.5 percent in North Dakota.
In terms of sales tax collections, South Carolina and Virginia were the only two states reporting declines in fiscal 2011 compared to fiscal 2010 at 1.4 and 2.3 percent, respectively. All states with broad-based personal income tax collection, but Hawaii, reported growth in personal income tax collections in fiscal 2011 compared to fiscal 2010.
While the growth rates in fiscal 2011 tax collections were relatively strong compared to 2010, such growth is not sustainable over time. The preliminary tax revenue data from Census Bureau for the first and second quarters of fiscal 2012 indicate a noticeable softening of tax revenue growth compared to fiscal 2011 collections.
Lucy Dadayan (email@example.com) is a senior policy analyst at the Rockefeller Institute of Government in Albany, N.Y.
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KEALALOKAHI LOSCH is currently an Instructor in Hawaiian and Pacific Islands Studies at Kapi’olani Community College, a campus of the University of Hawai’i. His research into Polynesian tattooing focuses on the revival of Hawaiian uhi and Maori moko. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Sociology and Pacific Islands Studies on the identity issues faced by Hapa-Haole (aboriginal Hawaiian/Caucasian half-castes) in Hawai’i.
An Ancient Polynesian Tradition
For centuries, various arts of tattooing have graced the bodies and satisfied the souls of the aboriginal peoples of Oceania. The vast majority of what we know today about these ancient arts has been passed down through legends, songs, and ritual ceremonies. The roles, techniques and motifs of the arts of tatau, moko, and uhi have continued to exist for over 2,000 years. The oldest of these traditions is in Samoa, and the youngest is in Aotearoa/Te Waipounamu. However, every Polynesian culture had similar traditions. In Tahiti, the Arioi, a class of professional entertainers, used tattoos (tatau) to mark the various ranks and status within their troupes. In fact, within the islands currently known as French Polynesia (the Society, Tuamotu, Austral, Gambier and Marquesas groups), the individual island groups or even individual islands had unique designs. Thus, it was possible to identify a person's origins based on their tattoos. Unfortunately, while Tonga once had a strong tradition of tattoo (tatatau), the missionary presence of the 19th century completely extinguished the art. In Rapanui, tattoos (ta') were used extensively as well, although not much is known by the outside world today about their meanings or usages.
In Samoa, Aotearoa/Te Waipounamu, and Hawai'i, there were many shared elements, both traditional and contemporary. The status of the master, the general motifs used, and the methods of application were common elements to all of the cultures of Polynesia.
The roles, techniques and motifs of the arts of tatau, moko, and uhi have continued to exist for over 2,000 years.
The master: Within Polynesian societies, the masters of various arts and skills were held in high esteem by the general population, including the sacred chiefs (ali'i/ariki) who ruled the society. These masters were known as tufuga in Samoa, tohunga in Aotearoa/Te Waipounamu, and kahuna in Hawai'i.
The master of tattooing was a highly trained individual, usually male, who was knowledgeable of both literal and figurative meanings of motifs, placement, and associated responsibilities or consequences. In most cases, it was the master who determined not only what designs were appropriate, but also who could be tattooed and when. The master might also instruct the subject on what protocols and prohibitions needed to be observed before proceeding. Some of these requirements were fasting or a special diet or refraining from certain activities that might "taint" the person spiritually.
The master was well compensated for his efforts. Because most of the tattooing tended to be done on those of the higher social strata, the master was often fed and housed during the duration of the tattooing session. In addition, the master was often given various cultural treasures such as fine mats in Samoa or wood or jade (pounamu/greenstone) carvings and weapons in Aotearoa/Te Waipounamu.
With great gifts come great sacrifices and the master often had to give up having a family or other permanent relationships for their craft. The master's lifestyle was also restricted to avoid tainting themselves or their work. There were spiritual responsibilities as well. It was often a patron god who was credited for giving the master the necessary skills. The master always had to take care not to offend their gods lest their gift of tattooing others be taken away.
Common Motifs: Some design elements that were common throughout
Polynesia were linear geometric motifs, petroglyphs, and very basic
pictographic representations of men, animals, birds or other man-made
objects. Each of the geometric designs, including lines; triangles;
circles and other polygonal symbols had multiple meanings based
on placement on the body, incorporation with other designs, and
the person being tattooed. It was usually up to the master to determine
what was appropriate for each person and to then explain the story
to that person.
Linear geometric motifs are common throughout
The role of the master in the contemporary revival has been greatly affected by the wealth of information on tattooing and general culture that is available to any that are willing to look for it. The days of apprenticeships and the preservation of privileged or sacred knowledge are nearly gone from the mainstream tattoo industry and may also be a thing of the past for indigenous practices.
Techniques: With the exception of the Maori moko, the process of tattooing in Polynesia has not changed much. First, the design was marked and major sections were outlined on the skin, usually with charcoal or colored earth. Then, the master began work with the needles, which were often made of bird bone, turtle shell, bamboo, and occasionally shark teeth. The tattooing itself was a process of multiple taps. The implement used to cut the skin and inject the ink was similar in form to an adze, with the needles mounted on the end of a wooden haft. The soot from the burned candlenut (Aleurites moluccana) was collected and mixed with a variety of liquids including candlenut oil, sugar cane juice, coconut milk/water, other plant-based liquids or water to produce the ink. In Hawai'i, there was occasionally a fourth step in the process between the inking and the healing. After the ink was inserted the first time, the uhi was sometimes darkened with the juices or saps of other plants, most notably the 'ilie'e (Plumbago zeylanica).
Aside from continued rinsing with seawater, there are no specific details given in most written sources regarding the healing processes used in Polynesia, but it can be assumed that the vast pharmacological knowledge of the master would have been applied to assist in the healing.
Two sisters, Taema and Tilafaiga, are credited with bringing the
art of the tatau from Fiji. However, the tradition they had
been taught in Fiji of "the women get tattooed and the men do not,"
got reversed on their journey home. From this mix-up evolved the
current Samoan tradition and saying, "women have children and men
get tattooed." Thus, in ancient Samoa, the most extensive tatau,
in the form of the pe'a, were applied to the men. However,
the women did share in the art as well. The pe'a covers the
thighs, butt, and lower back, with a final "locking" piece applied
just around the navel. The pe'a as a whole is a representation
of a bat, its wings wrapping around the legs of the man. In ancient
times, the pe'a was a sign to the village and larger community
that a young man was committed to serving his aiga, or extended
family. In fact, getting the pe'a was a prerequisite for
a man to receive a matai (chief's) title. In general, a young
man with a pe'a was deemed to be more attractive to women
because he had shown his dedication and bravery by undergoing the
very painful process of the pe'a. What then of the women?
In Samoa, the women were not excluded from tatau; in fact
the tattooing of women was considered to be more sacred in some
ways than tattooing the men. There were separate styles for the
women, including designs on the hand and the malu on the
thighs. The malu, applied only to a woman's thighs, was far
less extensive than the male pe'a and more of a lace web
than solid patterning. The malu is sometimes flashed when
Samoan women dance the traditional siva.
Samoan women's malu.
Ironically, the most predominant style of tattooing, the armband, was originally developed as a "souvenir" for American Peace Corps workers returning to the United States.
The pe'a and malu are still applied today just as they were centuries ago, making Samoa the last bastion of an unbroken tradition of tattooing in Polynesia. However, the art is also evolving to suit the needs and tastes of a younger, often urban transplanted generation. Ironically, the most predominant style of tattooing, the armband, was originally developed as a "souvenir" for American Peace Corps workers returning to the United States. The band started on the wrist or ankle and eventually migrated to other parts of the body. Today, the band is most often found on the bicep and features not only traditional geometric motifs but also images of Samoan cultural artifacts, namely the tanoa ('ava bowl), the to'oto'o (orator's staff) and the fue (fly whisk). Due to the intricacy of the latter designs, much of the armband work, especially in diasporic communities, is done with the tattooing machine.
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Date: March 5, 1951
Creator: Birge, W. A.
Description: Report issued by the Argonne National Laboratory discussing a progress report on the Argonne-Oak Ridge digital computer. This report is an interim report, whose primary value is that it has forced those engaged in the work to give concrete expression to what they have been doing and thinking about up to this point. This report includes tables, illustrations, and photographs.
Contributing Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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|<< Genesis 42 >>|
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
1Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?
The aged Jacob is the only man of counsel. "Behold, I have heard there is grain in Mizraim:" go down and buy. The ten brothers are sent, and Benjamin, the youngest, is retained, not merely because of his youth, for he was now twenty-four years of age, but because he was the son of his father's old age, the only son of Rachel now with him, and the only full brother of the lost Joseph. "Lest mischief befall him," and so no child of Rachel would be left. "Among those that went." The dearth was widespread in the land of Kenaan.
2And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.
3And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.
4But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.
5And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
6And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.
The ten brothers meet with a rough reception from the lord of the land. "The governor" - the sultan. This, we see, is a title of great antiquity in Egypt or Arabia. Joseph presided over the cornmarket of the kingdom. "Bowed down to him with their faces to the earth." Well might Joseph think of those never-to-be-forgotten dreams in which the sheaves and stars bowed down to him. "And knew them." How could he fail to remember the ten full-grown men of his early days, when they came before him with all their peculiarities of feature, attitude, and mother tongue. "And he made himself strange unto them." All that we know of Joseph's character heretofore, and throughout this whole affair, goes to prove that his object in all his seemingly harsh treatment was to get at their hearts, to test their affection toward Benjamin, and to bring them to repent of their unkindness to himself.
"They knew not him." Twenty years make a great change in a youth of seventeen. And besides, with his beard and head shaven, his Egyptian attire, his foreign tongue, and his exalted position, who could have recognized the stripling whom, twenty years ago, they had sold as a slave? "Spies are ye." This was to put a color of justice on their detention. To see the nakedness of the land, not its unfortified frontier, which is a more recent idea, but its present impoverishment from the famine. "Sons of one man are we." It was not likely that ten sons of one man would be sent on the hazardous duty of spies. "And behold the youngest is with our father this day." It is intensely interesting to Joseph to hear that his father and full brother are still living. "And one is not." Time has assuaged all their bitter feelings, both of exasperation against Joseph and of remorse for their unbrotherly conduct. This little sentence, however, cannot be uttered by them, or heard by Joseph, without emotion. "By the life of Pharaoh." Joseph speaks in character, and uses an Egyptian asseveration. "Send one of you." This proposal is enough to strike terror into their hearts. The return of one would be a heavy, perhaps a fatal blow to their father. And how can one brave the perils of the way? They cannot bring themselves to concur in this plan. Sooner will they all go to prison, as accordingly they do. Joseph is not without a strong conviction of incumbent duty in all this. He knows he has been put in the position of lord over his brethren in the foreordination of God, and he feels bound to make this authority a reality for their moral good.
7And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
8And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
9And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
10And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.
11We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.
12And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
13And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.
14And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:
15Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.
16Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.
17And he put them all together into ward three days.
18And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:
After three days, Joseph reverses the numbers, allowing nine to return home, and retaining one. "This do and live." Joseph, notwithstanding the arbitrary power which his office enabled him to exercise, proves himself to be free from caprice and unnecessary severity. He affords them a fair opportunity of proving their words true, before putting them to death on suspicion of espionage. "The God do I fear." A singular sentence from the lord paramount of Egypt! It implies that the true God was not yet unknown in Egypt. We have heard the confession of this great truth already from the lips of Pharaoh Genesis 41:38-39. But it intimates to the brothers the astonishing and hopeful fact that the grand vizier serves the same great Being whom they and their fathers have known and worshipped; and gives them a plain hint that they will be dealt with according to the just law of heaven.
"Carry grain for your houses." The governor then is touched with some feeling for their famishing households. The brothers, though honoring their aged father as the patriarch of their race, had now their separate establishments. Twelve households had to be supplied with bread. The journey to Egypt was not to be undertaken more than once a year if possible, as the distance from Hebron was upwards of two hundred miles. Hence, the ten brothers had with them all their available beasts of burden, with the needful retinue of servants. We need not be surprised that these are not especially enumerated, as it is the manner of Scripture to leave the secondary matters to the intelligence and experience of the reader, unless, as in the case of Abraham's three hundred and eighteen trained servants, they happen to be of essential moment in the process of events. "Your youngest brother." Joseph longs to see his full brother alive, whom he left at home a child of four summers. "Verily guilty are we concerning our brother."
Their affliction is beginning to bear the fruit of repentance. "Because we saw the distress of his soul when he besought us, and we would not hear." How vividly is the scene of Joseph's sale here brought before us. It now appears that he besought them to spare him, and they would not hear! "This distress." Retribution has come at last. "His blood is required." Reuben justly upbraids them with their hardness of heart. Their brother's blood is required; for murder was intended, and when he was sold his death was pretended. "The interpreter was betwixt them." The dragoman was employed in holding conversation with them. But Joseph heard the spontaneous expressions of remorse, coming unprompted from their lips. The fountain of affection is deeply stirred. He cannot repress the rising tear. He has to retire for a time to recover his composure. He now takes, not Reuben, who was not to blame, but Simon, the next oldest, and binds him before them: a speaking act. He then gives orders to supply them with corn (grain), deposit their money in their sacks without their knowledge, and furnish them with provision for the way. Joseph feels, perhaps, that he cannot take money from his father. He will pay for the corn out of his own funds. But he cannot openly return the money to his brothers without more explanation than he wishes at present to give.
19If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses:
20But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.
21And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.
22And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.
23And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.
24And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.
25Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them.
26And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.
The nine brothers return home and record their wonderful adventure. "In the inn;" the lodge or place where they stopped for the night. This place was not yet perhaps provided with even the shelter of a roof. It was merely the usual place of halting. They would probably occupy six or seven days on the journey. Apparently at the first stage one opened his sack to give provender to his ass. The discovery of the silver in its mouth strikes them with terror. In a strange land and with an uneasy conscience they are easily alarmed. It was not convenient or necessary to open all the bags on the way, and so they make no further discovery.
27And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack's mouth.
28And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?
29And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,
30The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.
31And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies:
32We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.
33And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone:
34And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land.
35And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.
Upon emptying the other sacks all the silver turns up, to their great amazement and consternation. Jacob laments the loss of his son. Reuben offers two of his sons to Jacob as pledges for Benjamin, to be slain if he did not bring him back in safety. The sorrowing parent cannot yet bring himself to consent to Benjamin's departure on this hazardous journey. "And ye shall bring down." Jacob either speaks here in the querulous tone of afflicted old age, or he had come to know or suspect that his brothers had some hand in the disappearance of Joseph.
- Joseph and His Eleven Brethren
11. דבשׁ debash, "honey," from the bee, or sirup from the juice of the grape. בטנים bôṭen, "pistachio nuts." שׁקד shâqêd, "almond tree;" related: "awake." The tree is also called לוּז lûz. Some refer the former to the fruit, the latter to the tree.
The eleven brothers are now to bow down before Joseph.
36And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.
37And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.
38And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
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An article about gene sequencing contained several errors. The leader of the University of California-San Francisco is chancellor-designate Susan Desmond-Hellmann. The university's new facility is called the Helen Diller Family Cancer Research Building. A Mountain View sequencing company is Complete Genomics, not Complete Genetics.
They'll be as small as your microwave and cheaper than your laptop. And the powerful tools — future gene sequencing machines — will be able to tell you exactly what you're made of. Someday, they could help keep you healthy.
It took 10 years and $4 billion for the federal government to complete the first sequence of the human genome in 2000. Its equipment filled vast rooms at many campuses.
Now rival scientific teams, including three in the Bay Area, are racing to build tests that can accurately sequence an entire human genome in less than 30 minutes for $1,000 — about a hundredth of the current price. The cheaper tests will make it possible to sequence the genomes of tens of thousands more people, providing vital data about human traits, such as susceptibility to disease.
Virtuoso bioengineers predict that within two years their tests will start to transform medicine much as PCs rocked the world of mainframe computing.
Modern genetics is essentially a giant math problem. Which of our 23,000 genes cause, or protect
As more genomes are sequenced, correlations between genes and diseases will become more apparent.
Currently, scientists searching for rare genetic variants in a population are rooting for a needle in a haystack, said University of California-San Francisco Chancellor-Designate Susan Desmond-Hellmann; the university just opened the Helen Diller Family Cancer Research Building, which will take advantage of the emerging technology.
As the cost of sequencing drops, and it becomes practical to scan many more genomes, we'll get much better at "needle-spotting," she said.
Over time, sequencing will move into more diagnostic settings, like community hospitals. The tests could be used to decipher the genetics not just of healthy cells, but also out-of-control cancer cells. For instance, there are 38 different genetic subtypes of leukemia. Genomic profiling could help doctors match the treatment to the precise disease, improving patient outcome and reducing side effects. That's because some cancer genotypes respond well to chemotherapy, while others are unaffected.
Mountain View's new Genomic Medicine Institute at El Camino Hospital already sequences small parts of the genome that are linked to trouble, such as the breast cancer-related BRCA1 gene, said director Dr. Paul R. Billings.
"Our ability to do it at a better price point means more people will have access," Billings said. "We will take advantage of continued economies of sequencing to expand what we offer."
There remain formidable policy problems to solve, such as how to keep such information private. Also, there is a vast amount of information to be interpreted and stored.
The acceleration is being propelled by technological innovations. The performance of gene sequencers has accelerated even faster than that of microprocessors, which double every 18 months under the famed "Moore's law." Money is also a motivator. The first team to sequence 100 human genomes in 10 days at a cost of $10,000 or less per genome will be awarded $10 million by the X Prize Foundation. The market for full-genome sequencing and analysis could be worth billions.
Rivals include Applied Biosystems of Foster City, as well as Menlo Park's Pacific Biosystems and Complete Genomics of Mountain View.
The old approach used by the government's Human Genome Project worked by chopping DNA into short strands, sequencing each strand and then laboriously stitching them all back together.
Newer generations of the test, such as that offered by the Cambridge, Mass.-based Knome, are available to private individuals for about $100,000 and take about two weeks to complete.
"Technologies that are smaller and faster are driving this along," said Mark Stevenson of Applied Biosystems. In 2010, sequencers will cost about $10,000, he said.
The price tag will fall to $1,000 by 2011, as technologies like nano-size chemicals and lasers become more perfected, he predicted.
"The Bay Area plays a critical role, because of our access to leading class universities and startups," Stevenson said. "The field cuts across fields like chemistry, biology and IT."
The goal is a full-genome scan, far larger than the tests offered by existing gene-testing Silicon Valley startups like 23andMe and Navigenics. These companies test only a tiny part of a person's DNA — certain parts of a chromosome known as single-nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs. Variations in SNPs are linked to the likelihood of developing certain diseases. But they don't tell the whole story.
"New technologies are dropping the price and speed," said J. Craig Venter, a scientific leader in genome sequencing.
"Right now we have a very limited subset of information. Soon we'll have not just one or 10 genomes — but tens of thousands of genomes."
Contact Lisa M. Krieger at firstname.lastname@example.org or 408-920-5565.
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TrustPort eSign PRO Security Object Exporter
This page is displayed only when the private key is exported. To ensure the security of exported private key, it is necessary to enter a password that will protect the output file. This password must be entered into two editing fields (the second one serves for check) to prevent problems with a wrongly entered password. Small and capital characters are distinguished when passwords are entered.
It is recommended to enter strong passwords to make a possible unwanted access to private key more difficult. The correct password should contain small and capital characters and numbers. All passwords are saved only to the safe memory and when they are saved to disk or to any buffer memory in Windows systems, they are always encrypted.
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BitFlipper said:tfraser said:*snip*
Re eliminating all human labour, this idea can only work sustainably if every person in the whole world has a "machine double" that they can send to (or leave at) the office/farm/factory. This way everyone is still employed by proxy and can therefore still "earn" a wage.
You are making this way more complicated than it needs to be. This reminds me of the comment someone once made that "One day we will have a room full of robots sitting in front of computers typing away".
Well ok, but why exactly do you need a computer inside a robot, controlling the mechanical robot so that it can input information via a physical keyboard one character at a time? Why not interface it directly to the computer? Or better yet, why have two computers at all?
The answer is much simpler: Things are getting more and more automated. All the hard physical work in a auto factory is done by an almost fully automated assembly line. What would have required 100s or 1000s of people now only require a fraction. So no-one is sending a robot to the "office".
So instead of driving down to the mall, you will order something online, and a fully automated system will deliver the item you ordered.
It is already happening. Our standard of living keeps going up (present little financial glitch notwithstanding). We are doing less and less physical work for a more luxurious life. We no longer need to go and slave on the crop fields anymore or hunt for our food. Instead our jobs are very comfortable compared to what it used to be a long time ago. The idea is similar to the "Star Trek" idea, where eventually no-one really has to work for a living. If you want something, just request it, and since everything is automated, it no longer costs anything to produce. Everything is build and maintained by computers controlling "robots". Food will be produced or grown in fully automated factories, with little or no human supervision. Eventually the idea of money will go away since all of our needs will be taken care of.
Probably hard to imagine that, but I think that is where it will trend towards at least. And even in this fully automated world, none of the computers need to be smarter than us. Is an auto-assembly robot smarter than us? No, but it surely can do our work for us.
So no-one is sending a robot to the "office".
Yes, I explained that badly. I mean that each employee would need to have some stake (be it a physical robot, software system or otherwise) in the business/farm where they used to work to ensure that they continue to be paid a "wage" for their stake. Sort of like a shareholder in a company who receives a dividend on their equity.
... since everything is automated, it no longer costs anything to produce.
I don't think so. Firstly, there are other costs to be factored into production besides labour. Secondly, you will have to tell every business they are no longer allowed to make a profit. Thirdly, people would still need to be "employed" and wages paid anyway as long as you don't want people resorting to crime to survive.
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