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Valley Public Radio Staff
Shots - Health Blog
Fri August 10, 2012
Why Is The World's Largest Foundation Buying Fake Poop?
Originally published on Fri August 10, 2012 9:31 am
Last week, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced that it's purchasing 50 pounds of fake poop.
A practical joke? No, not in the least.
Nor is this synthetic poop a plastic replica of the real thing; it's an organic version made from soybeans. The Gates Foundation will use it to test high-tech commodes at their Reinvent the Toilet Fair next week.
Naturally, real poop would not be welcome inside the foundation's elegant Seattle offices. But if you're going to demonstrate how supertoilets could cut down the spread of diseases and reduce environmental footprints, you'd better have a reasonable substitute.
The Gates Foundation might be best known for its work on malaria and vaccines. But lately it has also taken an interest in sanitation, for good reason. More than 2.6 billion people in the world don't have access to clean toilets, and 1.5 million children die each year of diseases that could be prevented with decent sanitation.
But in many places that lack sanitation, people also don't have good access to water or power. So last year, the Gates Foundation granted eight engineers around the world more than $3 million to develop cheap commodes that don't require water, electricity, or even a connection to a sewage system. The idea was that the toilets would be completely self-contained, and instead of releasing waste out into the world, they would produce clean water and nutrients useful for farming.
Since winning one of the $400,000 grants, Christopher Buckley from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa has been working on a toilet that dries and then burns feces into fertilizer.
"It's like a toilet that you'd find in the spaceship," the chemical engineer tells Shots. "The fecal matter itself powers the toilet, and you maybe have some energy left over to power the latrine's light and recharge your cellphone."
Another team from the California Institute of Technology has built a solar-powered commode that could charge hydrogen fuel cells. And a group from the Netherlands is converting waste into electricity with microwave technology. A climatologist from Stanford University is even trying to make charcoal that captures carbon from human waste.
On Aug. 14 and 15, the teams will demo their innovations in Seattle and in front of Bill Gates himself. Top performers will win more funding and the chance to have their devices deployed in the field.
The scientists need a standardized material for testing their toilets, and that's where the fake poop comes in.
They can't use the real stuff because it's a hazardous material, and of course, it's noxious. So the foundation turned to the experts of fake feces — Maximum Performance, which distributes synthetic poop to nearly all toilet manufacturers around the world for testing purposes.
The company first concocted the fake poop in 2003, and the recipe is simple. Soybean paste is mixed with a dash of rice to obtain the correct moisture level and consistency. The paste is then extruded through a sausage machine into 350-gram cylinders.
The fake poop is "very important from a technology perspective," Carl Hensman, who leads the water, sanitation and hygiene programs at the Gates Foundation, tells Shots. "You need to demonstrate what the equipment can do without having the real stuff around."
"There isn't a silver bullet for the sanitation problems," Hensman adds. "But when we put together very smart people, we have a much better chance of solving this problem."
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Project Atlas: Resources for Mental Health
Project Atlas of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse is designed to collect, compile and disseminate data on mental health and neurology resources in the world. Resources include policies, programmes, financing, services, professionals, treatment and medicines, information systems and related organizations. These resources are necessary to provide services and care for people with mental, behavioural and neurological diseases/disorders.
The primary objective of the project is to raise public and professional awareness of the inadequacies of existing resources and services and the large inequities in their distribution at national and global level. The information is also useful in planning for enhancement of resources.
This website presents updated information from the project Atlas; at this time, subprojects on Mental Health and Neurology are included. The website allows users to find and display global, regional and country data, as well as to compare countries and WHO regions and prepare tables, charts and maps for downloading.
To access the Atlas data on the interactive site
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CC-MAIN-2013-20
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http://www.who.int/mental_health/evidence/atlas/en/
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| 0.914863
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Daytime owl knows where it's headed
|A short-eared owl. Credit: contributed|
The sparrows caught my eye. With eight species flitting around a corn stubble field in Watertown, my attention was mostly on the ground.
I think it was a sound in a tree across the road, maybe the tapping of a woodpecker, that turned my gaze upward. That's when I saw the raptor gliding by overhead.
This was hardly unexpected. A variety of hawks are on the move right now, heading south on migration. I trained my binoculars on the bird and immediately realized it wasn't a hawk. The rounded wings and large head indicated it was an owl, and I knew that an owl migrating high in the sky during the day was almost certainly a short-eared owl.
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The Best Food For Healthy Hair
Want more shine and volume? Try these foods for healthier hair
Vitamins that are good for your hair include Biotin, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E. Biotin helps prevent hair loss, Vitamin A produces healthy sebum on the scalp, Vitamin C helps maintain skin and hair health while Vitamin E enhances circulation of the scalp. You can either take supplements consume any of these foods for healthy hair, which also contain the same vitamins: carrots, milk, cheese, spinach, whole grains, fish and citrus fruits, to name a few. Read 8 Heart Healthy Foods for more foods that are good for your health and your looks.
In addition to consuming some of these foods for healthy hair, there are other things you can do for your mane as well, such as weekly hair masques and deep conditioning. Check out the 21 Best Hair Treatments For Healthy Hair in order to find out what else you can do to make your hair look and feel its best.
Rate this story|Avg member rating: 7
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http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/article/healthy-hair-foods
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Background: Proponents of mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty believe that it has potential advantages over a fixed-bearing design in terms of diminished wear and improved motion and/or function, but these advantages have not been demonstrated in a randomized clinical comparison to our knowledge. We conducted a patient-blinded, prospective, randomized clinical trial to compare mobile-bearing and fixed-bearing cruciate-substituting total knee arthroplasties of the same design.
Methods: Patients between the ages of sixty and eighty-five years were prospectively randomized to receive a cruciate-substituting rotating-platform design or a fixed-bearing design with an all-polyethylene tibial component. There were no significant differences in the demographic characteristics (mean age, 72.2 years; mean American Society of Anesthesiologists score, 2.7; mean body mass index, 31.8 kg/m2) or preoperative clinical or radiographic measures between the groups. Routine clinical and radiographic follow-up measures included the Knee Society score (KSS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and Short Form-36 (SF-36) outcome measures.
Results: The results of 312 arthroplasties (136 with an all-polyethylene tibial component and 176 rotating-platform designs) in 273 patients were analyzed at a minimum of two years (mean, forty-two months) postoperatively. Although there was significant improvement in both groups, there was no significant difference between the groups with regard to the mean postoperative range of motion (110.9° and 109.1°, respectively; p = 0.21), the mean KSS clinical score (90.4 and 88.2 points; p = 0.168), or the mean KSS pain score (44.9 and 43.1 points; p = 0.108) at this follow-up point. There were ten revisions: seven because of infection, one because of patellar fracture, one because of instability, and one because of aseptic loosening.
Conclusions: The two designs functioned equivalently at the time of early follow-up in this low-to-moderate-demand patient group. The rotating-platform design had no significant clinical advantage over the design with the all-polyethylene tibial component.
Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level I. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
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The rheumatoid arthritis (RA) market is huge. According to Wolters Kluwer Pharma Solutions, nine drugs currently approved for RA generate over $16 billion in worldwide sales each year. While these drugs are prescribed to treat a variety of autoimmune conditions, approximately three quarters of the users are RA patients.
Five of the nine drugs are used as first line treatment for patients who failed to improve on so called oral "DMARDs." DMARDs, such as Methotrexate and others, are "disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs" that slow the progression of joint damage from rheumatoid arthritis.
These are the five: Enbrel from Amgen (AMGN) and Pfizer (PFE), Humira from Abbott (ABT), Remicade from Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Merck (MRK), Cimzia (UCB SA, a Belgian company), and Simponi (Johnson & Johnson). All five are TNF inhibitors.
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) promotes an inflammatory response which in turn causes many of the clinical problems associated with autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, psoriasis, refractory asthma and others. These disorders may be treated by using a TNF inhibitor.
Inhibition can be achieved with a monoclonal antibody such as infliximab (Remicade), adalimumab (Humira), certolizumab pegol (Cimzia), and golimumab (Simponi), or with a circulating receptor fusion protein such as etanercept (Enbrel).
Many of these injectable biologics have been tested and approved for the treatment of other autoimmune diseases as well. An autoimmune disorder is a condition that occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissue. There are more than 80 different types of autoimmune disorders.
For patients who do not respond to TNF inhibitors, rheumatologists have some other options: Rituxan from Roche (RHHBY.PK) and Biogen Idec (BIIB), a B cell depletory; Orencia from Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY), a T-cell inhibitor; and Actemra from Roche, an IL6 inhibitor.
Sales figures: Below are the sales figures of some major players for the first quarter of 2012, as reported by the companies. Also shown are the percentage increases from the same quarter of the previous year:
Humira $1.934B +18.5% Abbott
Remicade $1.895B +20.5% J&J/Merck
Enbrel $938M +7% Amgen/Pfizer
Copaxone $909M +18% Teva
Rituxan $792.2M +9.7% Roche/Biogen
Price: These drugs cost patients and their insurers a considerable sum.
For example, Enbrel costs more than $20,000 a year per patient.
Remicade can cost $19,000 to $22,000 a year per patient wholesale.
Humira costs patients, their employers, and health insurance companies about $20,000 for one year of treatment. Doctors say costs can run higher depending on the patient and the dosage needed.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a lifelong, chronic disease, and patients experience a broad range of complications. Compared with the general population, RA patients are at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease, lymphoma, lung cancer, and serious infections. The disease is characterized by inflammation, joint destruction, and progressive disability. Destruction of the joints is believed to be irreversible.
RA affects women three times more frequently than men. The typical onset of RA occurs between the ages of 20 and 40 years.
The clinical consequences of RA are substantial. In addition to loss of employment during years of typically high productivity, the disability hinders patients from carrying out their daily activities.
RA world market: According to the World Health Organization, RA affects roughly 1.3 million Americans and 23.7 million people worldwide. According to Visiongain, a London-based business information company, the worldwide RA market will reach $17.3bn in 2015. The RA market has the potential for considerable growth.
A Credit Suisse survey found that people's opposition to injections is one of three main obstacles to putting patients on biologic medication. Safety concerns and cost are the other two.
In February 2012, Abbott launched a disease awareness campaign to help consumers understand the role of treatment in preventing joint damage, an RA hallmark which the company says can occur no matter how much, or how little, pain patients feel.
All current RA drugs are injectable. Could a drug administered orally have greater appeal for the untreated, as well as those already in therapy who want a more convenient, or cheaper, alternative? Pfizer and competitors think so.
Tofacitinib: Pfizer's Tofacitinib is the first oral pill in this segment and the most advanced pill in a family of experimental drugs to target a protein called JAK. Approval is expected in the summer of 2012.
If approved, Tofacitinib would be the second JAK inhibitor to reach the market, after Jakafi from Incyte, which was approved in late 2011 for the treatment of cancer myelofibrosis.
Incyte is also developing an RA JAK1/2 inhibitor, now known as LY3009104, with its partner, Eli Lilly. The company will report early phase IIb data in rheumatoid arthritis in June.
Galapagos, a biotech based in Mechelen, Belgium, joined Abbott Laboratories in promoting its candidate GLPG0634. In February 2012, biotech Galapagos signed a deal with Abbott Laboratories worth $1.35 billion over rights to the drug GLPG0634. Galapagos's small-molecule Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) inhibitor is currently in phase 2. Abbott assumes sole responsibility for final phase 3 studies and manufacturing.
Also in play for the oral pill market are Rigel and its partner AstraZeneca (AZN), whose Syk inhibitor fostamatinib (R788) is in phase 3. Results are expected to pave the way for the filing of new drug applications with the FDA and the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) in 2013. Other biotechs are trying to catch up to Pfizer by offering similar treatments: Vertex (VRTX), Chelsea (CHTP).
Although Pfizer leads the pack in the clinical and regulatory process, thanks to tofacitinib's imperfections, opportunity abounds for other companies to improve upon the drug and capture a sizable chunk of the RA market.
At present, Pfizer's pill is the only one to have completed Phase 3, and on May 9, 2012 the FDA Advisory Panel voted 8 to 2 in favor of approval. The FDA's final decision is slated for August 2012 and European approval is expected during the summer. Although the panel's vote suggests a "yes," victory for the drug is not assured. Committee members rejected the 10mg dose in favor of a 5mg dose, and even floated the idea of a 3mg dose, which Pfizer has not tested.
Among the concerns are malignancy rates, shown to increase with exposure to the drug. Additionally, tests failed to show a significantly slower progression of the disease in response to the 10mg dose versus the 5mg version. Pfizer requested a label that would allow tofacitinib to be prescribed to patients who failed to improve on one or more disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARD), meaning methotrexate. The panel's vote was 8-2 in favor, with the two negative votes coming from experts who wanted use restricted to patients no longer responding to a biological drug.
Side effects: All drugs have risks, and as long as RA therapies rely on suppressing dysfunctional immune system function to relieve disease symptoms, cases of infection and cancer will occur.
Humira and Enbrel, the two biggest sellers in the segment, have black box warnings about infections, with Enbrel carrying a warning for lymphomas.
Tofacitinib data have been mixed. While the drug met its primary endpoint in some phase 3 trials, Pfizer reported four patient deaths in the treatment arm of another trial. Still, data support tofacitinib as a viable oral therapy in a world of largely injectable drugs, much like Novartis' oral, multiple sclerosis drug, Gilenya.
Sales forecast: Tofacitinib is forecast to sell $49m in the few months following its launch in 2012, with sales for Pfizer increasing to $2.14 bn worldwide by 2018, and Takeda earning $137m from its co-promotion in Japan, according to consensus data from EvaluatePharma.
Analysts on average have forecast annual tofacitinib sales of $1.1 billion by 2015, according to Thomson Reuters Pharma.
Bernstein Research's Tim Anderson predicts tofacitinib hitting-and likely surpassing-the current sales estimates of $1.7B in 2016 and $2.5B in 2020.
Pricing: Pricing is the key to gaining market share. The costs have to be lower than the current biologicals. But how much lower?
Small molecule drugs are cheaper to manufacture. On the other hand, Tofacitinib does not show obvious superiority in efficacy over injectable drugs, and it also comes with side effects, including risk of infection and raised cholesterol levels.
Georg Schett, head of rheumatology and immunology at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, believes tofacitinib should be priced between biological anti-TNFs, which cost up to $20,000 a year, and the older drug methotrexate, which is priced at around $1,000.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.
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Relying upon strategic creativity, Brigadier General Daniel Morgan and a mixed Patriot force rout British Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton and a group of Redcoats and Loyalists at the Battle of Cowpens on this day in 1781.
Commander in chief of the Southern Army, Major General Nathaniel Greene had decided to divide Patriot forces in the Carolinas in order to force the larger British contingent under General Charles Cornwallis to fight them on multiple fronts—and because smaller groups of men were easier for the beleaguered Patriots to feed. Daniel Morgan took 300 Continental riflemen and 740 militiamen with the intention of attacking the British backcountry fort, Ninety-Six.
In response, Cornwallis dispatched Tarleton with 1,100 Redcoats and Loyalists to catch Morgan, whom he feared might instigate a broad-based backcountry Patriot uprising. Morgan prepared for the encounter with Tarleton by backing his men up to a river at Cowpens, north of Ninety-Six.
As Tarleton's men attacked, Morgan instructed the militia to skirmish with them, but to leave the front line after firing two rounds. The British mistook the repositioning of the Americans as a rout and ran into an unexpected volley of concentrated rifle fire coupled with a cavalry charge and followed by the return of the militia. Tarleton escaped, but Morgan's troops decimated his army.
American rifles, scorned by Britain's professional soldiers, proved devastatingly effective in this engagement. The British lost 110 men and more than 200 more were wounded, while an additional 500 were captured. The American losses totaled only 12 killed and 60 wounded in the first Patriot victory to demonstrate that the American forces could outfight a similar British force without any other factors—such as surprise or geography—to assist them.
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Tale of the Romance Novel
The Romance novel covers often do not hide their content with their pictures of the "perfect" man and the woman that enters his life. The reader embarrassed to be seen with a Romance novel may hide them with book covers, on their lap, hoping people believe they are reading a mystery, fantasy, adventure, etc. But Romance novels can blend in with many of the other genres as it entwines a relationship within a murder mystery, or have supernatural beings that lurk in the night, or be set in far off lands to be explored. How did the romance novel begin? Beginning with Shakespeare's romantic comedies to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice to today's Nora Roberts, romance has explored the feelings of the heart. The romance novel exists as an overlap between comedy and romance, from modifying the Greek Comedy to today's contemporary stories, romances have kept similar structures but changed over time.
Even with the changes a romance novel has its basic structure including: defining society, the meeting, creating a barrier, creating attraction, setting a declaration point, having a point of ritual death, recognition, and the betrothal4. By defining society the author creates the setting for the novel. Society can be one of the conflicts or barriers the hero and heroine encounter as they deal with the pressures of society. In creating a barrier the author can choose it to be physical or mental. Of course the novel needs to have the two characters meet, to look upon one another with interest and sometimes with hate. Between these two characters there needs to be attraction, some sort of tension or knowledge that one another exists. After the attraction has grown the characters declare their love or caring for the person that has entered their heart. A point of ritual death can follow or be before the declaration. Ritual death is the moment when the union between the two characters seems impossible. But the barrier and ritual death are overcome at the period of recognition. Recognition opens the way for the betrothal that leads to the joining of the hero and heroine in marriage. With all eight elements the courtship between the hero and heroine begins with conflict and ends with happiness.
To begin the evolution of the romance the writers had to start with past writings including Greek comedies, ballads, and Shakespeare. The Greek comedies brought laughter to the reader as a young man falls for a woman and runs into a few missteps before he can claim his bride. There were also the male ballads oriented toward the hero's of the time as tributes to their bravery2. And of course Shakespeare's fantasies which can be called romantic comedies1. His plays "promoted a new idea of individualism," expressing a demand for freedom and liberty while also focusing on the family and the relation between the spouses4. Within these ballads and plays the focus remained on the man with the lady in the background. Although in Shakespeare the ladies may play a role in the banter between other characters. There was also the novel Incognita by William Congreve which focused on the male characters of father and son and their finding love at a masquerade. The novel begins with the hero's falling in love at first sight, with love being defined as a man's affair4. It was with these forms of writing that the romance novel was able to flourish and create the new genre.
As Shakespeare's belief in finding a compassionate marriage began to spread the focus of romances went from the hero's to the heroine's point of view. The romance writers rarely wrote about love at first sight as seen in Incognita. They believed that love at first sight could be a mask that blinds the characters from finding true love. Sight became important for insight to the man the heroine falls in love with. The heroine is not blinded by love and does not make faulty discussions about their match. Their eyes are open to all faults to know and love. To begin in 1740 the first romance to be a best seller by Samuel Richardson brings the tale of rags to riches at the point of view of a ladies maid named Pamela, which is also the title of the novel. The author uses Shakespeare's idea of freedom and made it part of the barrier. Pamela must overcome her servitude to become free. Following Pamela is one of the best known novels written by Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice with the stories complete exploration of marriage and the overcoming of many barriers. Austen's work avoids a story that presents woman as subordinate and inferior. Instead it presents a work that grants women more freedom and respectability4 which was unusual in society or other novels of the time. Then Jane Eyre was written by Charlotte Bronte as a feminist statement and a novel about education giving a woman freedom to run her life. Jane rises on her own two feet from being an orphan living with an abusive family to becoming a governess and in the end marrying the man she loves. She is an orphan that is cast upon her own resources and exerts her independence4. Finally, the author of a Room with a View which was his only romance novel that ended happily in married. E.M Forester believed that ending a novel with marriage was problematic and wrote about the idea of separation which4. In his public address "Pessimism in Literature" Forester looks at two ways to end the romance novel, with marriage or a scene of separation, where marriage is the beginning and the writer explores the problems that occur after the wedding bells ring. The 20th century writers explored Forester's idea and expanded the amount of problems and barriers the two characters could overcome to be together.
The 20th century novels changed the content of past romances and added their own twists. The heroine has freedom throughout the novel, they are not suppressed by societies' rules of a woman only goal is to be married and have children. The heroines have their own money, jobs, and believe themselves to have the power to find love. Along with the heroine the hero also changed and became the alpha male, the man most women would swoon over and some would avoid. This hero can be mean and moody with mocking eyes and an arrogant air of self assurance3. Because the more rough-hewn and obdurate the man, the sweeter the triumph3. This is the man that remains the challenge for the heroine, the man to be tamed, and the rake that provides the best husband. The hero is the man that evokes emotion and even the will for the heroine to change them.
Most present authors utilized the new hero and heroine as they expanded the boundaries, beginning with Georgette Heyer, who wrote Regency novels which are set in the period between 1811 and 1820. Heyer did not write a typical Regency heroine that obeyed her mother or father's decisions; instead she placed a 20th century independent woman as the heroine. Her hero's don't remain obedient to society either as they spends their time gambling, drinking, and keeping mistresses while also retaining the respect of the ton. Mary Stewart perfected the hybrid of romance and mystery. Stewart ties in the ritual death as a part of the reality of the characters life being in danger instead of a character having a scare of a social death as seen in Pride and Prejudice. Janet Dailey introduced the western romances. Her novels settings remain far from the civilized streets of London4 in Heyer's novels, and instead are set in the remote uncivilized world of the Wild West. The two characters remain unconstrained by society's rules and instead have to bend to the rules of the harsh environment. She uses the environment to bring the characters together as they face the elements on the frontier4. Then there is Jane Ann Krentz who has written futuristic romances. Krentz defined the dangerous man and the woman that makes him safe to be around. She gives her heroines the energy, perseverance, adventurous spirit, intelligence4, and other characteristics that are needed to tame the man she encounters and falls in love with. Her heroines are as strong as the hero's. Finally, Nora Robert's, she has written many novels that fit into a wide range of sub genres in the romance, for example supernatural and time travel romances. She focuses on the importance of the heroine to have individualism, financial independence, and a wit to compete in a battle of wills with the hero. All the writers have contributed to the present romance with the new heroine's and settings to tell the story of courtship.
The romances have changed with shifts in the focus of the novels, beginning with the plays and novels that focus on the male character then changing to the female's point of view. To balance the act is the 20th century the writers who have brought the male characters to the front as equals with the heroine's. Although some of the present writers focus on the female, others write both views as the heroes and heroines come to term with their emotions. Romance novels have evolved from many novels that are studied like Shakespeare and Greek plays. Some have become classics Pamela and Pride and Prejudice, many have become best sellers, and others become books to be enjoyed by readers.
1) Brander, Matthews. "The Development of Drama: Greek and Roman Comedy." Charles
Scribner's Sons 1912 74-106. Web.19 Apr 2009
2) Cowling, Claire. "History of the Romance Novel." suite101.com. 21 Aug 2008. suite101.
19 Apr 2009
3) Krentz, Jayne Ann. Romance Writers on the Appeal Dangerous Men and Adventurous
Women of the Romance. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1992.
4) Regis, Pamela. A Natural History of the Romance Novel. Philadelphia, PA: University of
Pennsylvania Press, 2003.
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New York's maple syrup production grew 10 percent from 2008 to 2009.
New York's more than 1,500 maple syrup producers made more than 362,000 gallons of syrup in 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Only Vermont with 920,000 gallons and Maine with 395,000 gallons produced more maple syrup.
The breakdown in production of New York syrup in 2009: 45 percent dark; 46 percent medium and 9 percent light. The dark syrups are usually more robust in flavor.
New York's 1.51 million taps produced enough sap to account for 15.6 percent of the maple syrup made in the United States in 2009.
The final value of the 2008 crop is estimated at $13.9 million, up 55 percent from the year before. The economic impact of maple production in New York state was estimated at $55.6 million in 2008.
Source: New York State Maple Producers Association
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Weight loss surgeries seems like a great idea to many: doctors get rid of excess fat without any real effort on the patient’s part. However, lipo can be expensive and dangerous. The average abdominal liposuction cost can run between $3,000 to $8,000. Also, it does not remove excess skin caused when the fat reserves leave the body.
There are many ways to shed fat without going into surgery. One way is to simply change your diet. Do not “go on” a diet, but change your diet. Substitute fresh vegetables instead of candy for snacks. Cut down on drinks with calories in them, such as soda, alcohol, and juice.
It is important to remember not to undertake a diet that advocates cutting out an entire food group. For instance, do not cut all sources of fat out of the diet. Fat is an important nutrient because it cushions bones and the brain. Rather, make sure to get fat from good sources, such as avocados, rather than bad sources, such as potato chips. The unsaturated fats in avocados serve a purpose and will keep one full for a long time, whereas the saturated fats in chips do not have a real purpose and will not satiate as well.
Also, cut down on carbohydrates, but do not eliminate them. Instead, switch out simple carbs for complex ones. For example, use wheat bread instead of white bread for sandwiches. Wheat has more fiber and grains, meaning it will keep you fuller for longer.
To help in your diet, begin drinking a lot of water. It will help flush out excess water weight, as well as help curb appetite so that you do not feel the temptation to snack as much.
Exercise is another alternative to liposuction and tummy tuck to help slim down. But do not just use cardio to lose weight. It is best to get into a regular routine of cardio and weight-lifting to achieve and maintain weight loss. If you are uncomfortable using the weight machines at a gym, consider getting a free session or two with a personal trainer. Many gyms offer complimentary sessions for new members. Remember that to tone, instead of building muscle, do more repetitions with less weight on your muscles.
And if it was abdominal liposuction you were after, you could even just ad abdominal exercises to your routine. Do situps every day at a set time. Make sure to do them properly – there are a lot of free videos that will explain proper technique to actually slim down the waist and avoid injury.
Remember, the liposuction and tummy tuck cost, in terms of both money and effects, is much greater than that of changing diet and exercise habits. Furthermore, changing your lifestyle, rather than going in for a surgical procedure, means the results are much more likely to last. Finally, changing your diet and exercising are self-motivating; they make you feel good, so you want to keep doing them. Once you get into these habits, you will never consider lipo again.
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San Mateo, Calif. — June 30, 2008 — When the owners of Seattle’s Space Needle wanted a photorealistic 3D sequence of the iconic structure for a new marketing campaign, advertising agency Radarworks knew exactly who to call: Dawson 3D. Their confidence was rewarded when studio founder Henk Dawson delivered a stunning animated fly-by created entirely in modo® 302, Luxology’s award-winning, artist-friendly 3D content creation software.
The art direction Dawson received was both simple and challenging, requiring him to draw on his 18 years of experience in illustration and animation. Even though no real-world camera could capture the close-up perspective required, the sequence had to look as if it was physically filmed. The client’s objective was to inspire people at the Space Needle’s base to visit the restaurant and observation deck at the top of the 605-foot Googie-style structure, built for the 1962 World’s Fair.
Dawson began by using modo 302 to model the Space Needle in hyper-realistic detail, working from architectural drawings and photos. modo’s superb animation capabilities were then utilized to create spiraling camera moves around the tower all the way to the top. At that point, the camera smoothly pulls back, flies around the exterior of the Observation Deck and then sails over the structure looking straight down. Other views of the Space Needle for the homepage of the website were created simply by adjusting the digital camera in modo to achieve the exact perspective desired.
“I recently converted to modo and it now sits at the center of my pipeline,� says Dawson. “On this project, two things in modo carried the day for me – the use of Instances and Physically Based Daylight. With Instances, I was able to build the model by replicating components across portions of the structure, such as the repeating 9-foot sections of the elevator shaft. And when I turned on Physically Based Daylight in modo, the result was incredible, with no tweaking required.�
The quality of modo’s output was clear early in the project, when Dawson completed a presentation using photographic-quality images he had created with an unusual perspective. “Their reaction was, ‘Whoa! How did you get that shot?’,� he adds. “They had never seen such photorealistic architectural renderings.�
“The sequence Henk Dawson created in modo looks so realistic that many people will never realize it is animated, and it is a testament to his artistry,� says Bob Bennett, vice president of marketing for Luxology. “With modo, Henk was able to create never before seen perspective views of the Space Needle’s unique architecture.�
The finished animation is being looped on plasma screens around the base of the Space Needle and a lower resolution version of the animation is also featured on the “I Am Seattle� portion of the web site at www.spaceneedle.com.
modo® 302 is a modern, artist-friendly 3D software that combines modeling, sculpting, painting, animation and rendering in a fused workflow for artists creating 3D content and final imagery for design visualization, creative imaging, game development, film and broadcast, educational and scientific purposes. A favorite tool among many designers and artists, modo’s innovative toolset offers one of the fastest paths to content creation on the PC and Mac.
About Dawson 3D
In 1989, Henk Dawson founded Dawson 3D, a Seattle-based illustration and animation studio. Since then, he has been working with clients such as Apple, ESPN, Fox, FedEx, IBM, Hasbro, Intel, Microsoft, Nintendo, Pepsi, Taco Bell, The Federal Reserve, Volvo and Warner Books. Dawson has received many accolades, both for his illustration work and his animation endeavors, including a permanent placement in the California Museum of Science. He has taught at the School of Visual Arts in Seattle and has been a featured speaker at the 3D Design Conference in Los Angeles, AIGA’s Currents Conference and Apple’s Symposium. Dawson has additionally lectured at the Society of Illustrators/New York.
Based in San Mateo, Calif., Luxology® LLC is an independent technology company developing next-generation 3D content creation software that enhances productivity via artist-friendly tools powered by a modern underlying architecture. Founded in 2002 by Allen Hastings, Stuart Ferguson and Brad Peebler, Luxology is home to some of the top 3D engineering expertise in the industry. More information on Luxology, its flagship product modo, a gallery of artists’ images and the active modo community is available online at www.modo3d.com.
© Copyright 2008 Luxology LLC. modo is a trademark of Luxology LLC., in the USA and/or other countries. All products or brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
For more information, press only:
Jennifer Foss, (503) 796-9822, firstname.lastname@example.org
1670 South Amphlett Blvd, Suite 214
San Mateo, CA 94402
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Why the Philippines sucks
I can imagine the reactions of many of the Filipinos reading the title of this blog entry; all a-quiver with self-righteous indignation, the nerve of this gaga to be insulting the Philippines in this way, especially a Filipina insulting her own countrymen in lieu of the Quirino Grandstand hostage situation that had left eight dead, and at least seven other Chinese tourists traumatized. Filipinos do one of two things when their culture or their race is being insulted – they make excuses, or they call you names; anti-patriotic if you’re a fellow Pinoy, or a racist if you’re a foreigner. So why am I writing when all it’s going to do is cause me trouble?
I have never driven a car in the Philippines, and I continue to refuse to do so. When I was younger, a friend tried to give me instructions. “If the car’s bigger than yours, may as well let him go ahead, even if he’s in the wrong.”; “Make sure you’ve got some fifty and hundred peso bills every time you’re driving. That way, if you’re ever stopped by a policeman, you can bargain down his asking price to let you go without taking your license.”; “If you hit a pedestrian or a kid you’ll have to stop, but if you run over someone’s pet just floor the gas and take off.” As I grew older, this last advice became “If you can get away with it, just drive away. If you kill a child on the road, you’ll have to pay the parents some thousands of pesos. In fact, it might be cheaper if you ran the person over and killed him, since medical bills are more expensive than a death payment.” I learned that the average price of a Filipino was four thousand pesos ($100). But it is what it is.
When I was younger, my friend was killed by the Philippine military. His name was Mark Welson Chua, and he was the main reason ROTC for many of the boys here has become optional rather than mandatory. He was investigating corruption within the ROTC military command with his girlfriend, a newspaper writer at the University of Santo Tomas, when he was beaten up, rolled inside a carpet, and then dumped in the trash-ridden Pasig River. When he was retrieved, his face was bloated, and the water in his lungs indicated that he was still alive when they threw him in.
And all to help the scores of boys who have taken ROTC since then, most of whom never take it seriously, or never question why it’s now an optional service.
The known mastermind, one of the higher generals within the military, was never arrested, or even charged. But it is what it is.
I initially wanted to pursue a career as a journalist. Many friends and parents soon disavowed me of that notion. The Philippines was until recently ranked the third in number of journalists killed, behind Afghanistan and East Timor, and the only country with the highest number of casualties during what is considered peacetime. To earn enough money, many journalists have to rely on blackmail – I won’t write these things about you if you pay me this much money. Succinctly put – if someone powerful enough didn’t like the way you were writing about him, or if you were asking for too much money, he’d hire someone to have you killed. A journalist’s life generally costs P10,000 ($200-250).
The Philippines is no longer third in rank. It is now ranked first, after the Maguindanao Massacre the previous year, where fifty or so journalists were killed while accompanying the wife of a local warlord’s political rival to submit her husband’s candidacy for election. The warlord in question, Ampatuan Jr., is still awaiting trial, the trial itself being prolonged. Many of his allies and cronies have already been found innocent.
But it is what it is.
Early this week, an ex-cop took a busload of Chinese tourists hostage, demanding his job back. The police involved were not equipped with the right kind of weapons, used an ax to smash down the windows of the bus, attempted to throw tear gas inside the bus without bothering to use a gas mask of their own, and failing to activate the gas twice. Most were not wearing any protective armor.
The media reported and interviewed the police officers, who divulged most of their plans on air. What neither failed to remember was that the bus had a television set, accessible to the gunman inside as well. So when the gunman’s brother was arrested in full view of the cameras as an accessory to the crime, gunshots inside the bus were heard.
It was an hour before the police decided to break down the doors and return fire. They killed the gunman, but not before the gunman had succeeded in killing eight of the tourists inside.
Donald Tsang, the Executive Chief of Hong Kong, spent hours frantically trying to get through to the Philippine president, Noynoy Aquino, without success. Noynoy himself had been absent from the public eye throughout the whole ten hour hostage siege. Aftewards, he appeared at a press conference with a smile on his face, telling reporters that had he called for a media blackout, people would have complained of his censoring them, so he decided against it. Many Chinese people – and a large number of Filipinos – were disgusted by how unaffected and uncaring he seemed.
It is what it is.
The number one reason why the Philippines suck, is because it is what it frigging is.
Filipinos learn to deal with a lot of things. Suffering seems to be a part of our genetic makeup, so we laugh and smile and wave at the camera even as the flash floods are sweeping away houses behind us. When something tragic happens, we grieve for awhile and we are angry, but we put them all behind us to prepare for the next tragedy we know is lurking on the horizon.
We’re a hopeful people, optimistic. We always believe that change is going to happen tomorrow if we wait long enough. We’re so busy waiting for other people to change we don’t think about changing first. We don’t realize that the change that can happen tomorrow should be the change happening today.
Because we’re a prickly sort of folk. We don’t like to admit things when we’re in the wrong. We blame it on outside environments and external factors; we blame our poverty and our economy and our government, but we don’t blame ourselves. So when other countries call us out on our flaws, we are quick to always give offense, to make excuses about how this is not our fault.
I want to be an author. I was told that there was no market for it here in the Philippines; everyone prefers mass-produced Filipino romance paperback novels (and even they still struggle to get by) or Western books. No modern writer currently living in the Philippines has ever achieved any great lasting popularity. Oh sure, we say we take pride in our national artists; Francisco Balagtas and Felix Hidalgo and Fernando Amorsolo. But most Pinoys don’t even know which paintings Hidalgo and Amorsolo are known for, or three books F. Sionil Jose had written, or the last time they’ve read Florante at Laura, or even Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere outside of school (many cheat and use the comic book version of the novels instead). We mouth platitudes and say we have good artists, but only because we are told that they are.
If I wanted to be popular, I was told, I’d have to do it outside of the country first. Because Filipinos usually pay closer attention to their fellow countrymen when they’ve made it big abroad. Lea Salonga after she performed in Broadway musicals and voiced Jasmine in Disney’s Aladdin. Charice Pempengco after her singing was featured in Ellen. Manny Pacquiao only after he’d defeated known boxers outside of the country. Reynaldo Lapuz, singing ‘You are My Brother’ on American Idol. They’re Filipinos Who Made It Big, Just as Good as the Americans Are. Even local celebrities feel different from those who’d been successful abroad. We’re so very quick to claim that Batista is half-Filipino, that Vanessa Hudgens is half-Filipino, even that Filipina girl who played a minor role as Psylocke in those X-Men movies. Even Jasmine Trias, who has stated time and time again that she looked to Hawaii as her home, not the Philippines. That our lives here suck, but we can at least live vicariously through the successes of these other people. Filipino pride.
Am I mistaken? Then name me at least seven national artists, and what they’ve done to become national artists. Without using google.
There is a very good Philippine website called the antipinoy.com. Its writers frequently criticize Filipinos and suggest a multitude of reasons as to why the Philippines continue to stagnate in comparison to its other wealthier neighbors, and point out flaws in the Filipino character itself. Many Pinoys take offense at this. To call their website the “Antipinoy” was most likely a deliberate choice and a form of irony I fully appreciate, because pointing out defects in the Filipino nature does not make them anti-patriotic, and they know it. Someone agreeing with Claire Danes when she says the Philippines is a smelly place, or Mariah Carey when she calls Regine Velasquez a monkey, does not mean he also agrees that Filipinos are scum.
Why? Because many places in the Philippines ARE smelly, and Regine Velasquez IS a b!tch.
When Filipinos complain about their government, their poverty, their economy, nobody seems to mind. But when a foreigner makes that same observation, they rise up to engage the enemy, their prides sorely wounded.
Because we’re always so downtrodden. We’re always the underdogs, the ones who have to live through a lot of suffering that, eventually, good things would have to come their way. And the underdogs are always encouraged, the ones people always root for. Underdogs are allowed to drive like madmen through the streets, because it isn’t their fault; the police will try to extort money out of them no matter how they drive, anyway. Underdogs can complain that the current Miss Philippines lost the Miss Universe pageant because it’s not her fault; the question was too ridiculous, English isn’t her native language, the pageant has been Americanized because of Donald Trump, Obama was asked the same question and he couldn’t answer it in 22 seconds either, etc. Noynoy Aquino wasn’t smiling at that press conference; he was just trying to be optimistic, he was hiding his sorrow inside, his mouth has a defect where it’s always crooked, so it looks like he’s smiling when he’s not, and so on. Underdogs shouldn’t be criticized for underlying flaws, because – after all – they ARE the underdogs!
When A Filipino, an underdog, loses, or is shamed in the eyes of the world, there’s always supposed to be an excuse why they are not to blame. That’s what’s wrong with this nation.
A former friend posted on his Facebook account about why the Philippine president shouldn’t be blamed for the deaths of the Chinese tourists. I called him out on this claim, pointing out the flaws of the man he was defending in relation to the tragedy. He deleted his previous comment to make my reply sound nastier without the provided context. He forgot that I received Facebook email notifications containing the relevant comments, and when I re-copied the one he had removed to defend my stance, he responded by deleting the status and blocking me from his facebook page.
In the Philippines, there are millions like him.
Admitting that yes, the Philippines sucks but that doesn’t mean I don’t love it, is the first step. And until we all realize that the truest love for one’s country is to understand its flaws and the flaws of its people, and to acknowledge those flaws rather than making excuses for our mediocrity – then nothing will ever change.
It is what it is.
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Hip Bursitis, a Patient's Story
Medical Editor: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
The following is a real story, by a real patient.
It all began with a fracture to my L5 vertebra. I had been out playing on my Sea Doo (personal watercraft), which is one of my favorite activities. I hit the ocean hard that day, and apparently, I hit my L5 vertebra hard! After a fun day on the ocean, I usually soak in the hot tub to take away the aches and pains I have incurred while playing on the ocean. My back is generally sore after a day like that particular day, so I didn't think much of the back and hip pain I was experiencing.
Two weeks passed, and I was still suffering from significant back and hip pain. I thought, guess it's time to see a doctor. When the doctor brought in the X-ray of my spine, and said "you have a fracture" I just about fell off the table. All I thought was "what? fracture? how?" My doctor took a history of what activities I had been participating in the last couple of weeks. It was decided that my "fun day" on the water was the culprit of the back and hip pain.
A magnetic resonance image scan (MRI) and CT scan later, it was confirmed – a fracture of my L5. Recovery was estimated at approximately six months. But at six months, I was still suffering from significant hip pain. Significant enough that I could not walk more than 100 yards without having to stop in wrenching pain. I had to limit any exercise, as the pain was just too much. I went back to the orthopedist, and he referred me to a pain management specialist. The pain management physician reviewed my MRI again, and noticed some swelling at the spinal cord nerve junction at L4 and L5. He said this compression on the nerve could refer pain to my hip. Two spinal epidural injections later, I felt pretty good for a short period of time. I was using my ability to take long walks as my key to recovery success.
After a month, the hip pain was back, and with the same intensity. My orthopedic doctor was stumped. The pain management doctor was stumped. Out of frustration, I decided to take the pain in the hip matter into my own hands. I work with physicians, so I called the rheumatologist I work with, and asked him if I he would be willing to examine the pain I was having.
After a short exam, describing the hip pain, intensity, location, etc., his diagnosis was hip bursitis. He gave me a steroid injection into the troublesome area. I am happy to report that nine months later, I only have hip pain on occasion.
Sometimes it takes a fresh perspective to make a diagnosis. I can only surmise that my orthopedist and pain management doctors were focused on the fracture, or nerve compression as the source of my hip pain, and failed to "look outside the box."
Patient advocacy is an important part of your health care, and sometimes it is necessary to take an active role in the diagnosis and treatment process. Doctor's aren't perfect, if you feel that you are not getting the answers you need, sometimes a second opinion is helpful. In my case, taking the matter into my own hands and reaching out for a second opinion solved the problem.
Last Editorial Review: 2/6/2009
Chronic Pain/Back Pain
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Some kids are sensitive to chocolate, which contains natural chemicals called phenols the body needs to break down. No-phenol is an plant based enzyme which helps to break down the phenols. It also comes in a chewable form. Other kids are sensitive to the sugar in chocolate chips. But my kids do okay with 1 tablespoon of these when they have the protein and nutrients of an egg to balance the sugar.
The original recipe is for individual crepes. If you need to make a bunch, the easiest way is to line up the number of small bowls you need. For instance if you need four crepes, then line up four bowls.
-Crack 1 egg in each bowl.
-Add 1 tablespoon +1 teaspoon gluten free flour into each bowl.
-Add 1 teaspoon water into each.
-Add 1/2 teaspoon agave (or sugar) and a pinch of salt into each bowl.
-Whisk ingredients in each bowl until smooth.
-Heat 8 or 10 inch pan with coconut oil or butter.
-Pour one bowl into hot pan and tilt the bottom of the pan to evenly cover the surface with a thin, even coating.
-Cook the crepe until it is firm (about 1 minute.)
-Turn with a spatula and cook 30 more seconds.
-Put 1 Tablespoon on ENJOY LIFE chocolate chips in a line down the center of the crepe.
-Roll and serve or freeze for up to one month.
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Recreating treasures of the past
Yazh, mayuri, the darbu… Sangita Vadyalaya’s mission is to reconstruct ancient musical instruments.
Aesthetic array: Obsolete instruments, North and South, reconstructed at Sangita Vadyalaya.
There are hollowed coconut shells, brass gongs, a peacock made of wood, and there is music all around you. Welcome to Sangita Vadyalaya, Centre for the Development of Musical instruments. The coconut shells, the wooden peacock and the gongs are all musical instruments!
The centre, located on Anna Salai (28592485/28591869), comes under the Ministry of Commerce. It was started in 1956, with Prof. Sambamurthy as Director, to organise a gallery of musical instruments, and to reconstruct obsolete ones.
Gopal, who has been with the institute since 1985, studies books on old instruments, and follows this up with visits to temples to see sculptures depicting the instruments, so that he can recreate them.
Yazh, of different kinds, for example, has been mentioned in the Silappadikaram, and can be seen in sculptures in the Darasuram and Tirumeyyam temples in Tamil Nadu and also in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh. But they are no longer in vogue. The vil yazh, the sakota yazh, the makara yazh and the senkottu yazh have all been reconstructed at the centre.
A pancha mukha vadyam, similar to the one seen at the Tiruvaiyaru temple, is on display. It consists of a big bronze shell, to the top of which are fixed five hollow cylinders, covered with skin. Since the instrument has a common resonating chamber, even if only one face is struck, the other faces vibrate too. The mayuri is a North Indian stringed instrument, so called because it resembles a peacock.
The collection at the centre has been enriched by contributions from individuals. There is a pranava bell, presented by actor Chittoor V. Nagiah. This bell has no clapper. When the rim is rubbed with a wooden stick, a note suggestive of “aum” is heard. The veena that was used by Veena Seshanna is also on display. The centre has prototypes of rare Western instruments. Rubbing shoulders with the aristocratic yazh, are simple, yet ingenious village instruments. For instance, the thandi paanai — an instrument made with the humblest of materials — a mud pot, a string, goat’s skin and a wooden peg. And yet it is a compound instrument that is both a drone and rhythm accompaniment.
There are folk instruments from Mizoram such as the darbu, which is a set of brass gongs, and the beng bung, which consists of six hollowed pieces of wood, each producing a different note when struck.
Gopal, the only artisan attached to the centre, learnt the art of making musical instruments from his father Somu Achari, who used to make mridangams for Palghat Mani Iyer, Umayalpuram Sivaraman and T.V.Gopalakrishnan, and tamburas for MLV. “Mani Iyer used to call me Kutti Achari,” says Gopal. Instruments from the centre have been displayed in schools across the State, and at national meets.
K. Karuppiah, Assistant Director-Display, has a suggestion: “ Just as musicians are given awards by sabhas and by the Government, those who make musical instruments should also be given awards.”
The centre used to make instruments to be sold to the public at reasonable rates, a practice that has been discontinued. It would be a good idea to revive the manufacturing unit. The institute can also make replicas of Indian musical instruments for display in other countries, he says.
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Adam, Meldrum & Anderson Company (AM&A's) was a chain of department stores based in Buffalo, New York. It was an institution to generations of shoppers in the Buffalo area. The company remained family owned until its sale to The Bon-Ton in 1994.
The company was founded in 1867, as Adam, Meldrum & Whiting, at 308-310 Main Street. Co-founder Robert Borthwick Adams, was a brother of the founder of J. N. Adam & Co.
In 1876, William Anderson joined the company after Whiting departed and it was renamed Adam, Meldrum & Anderson. In 1886, the company pioneered the use of electricity at a commercial enterprise in Buffalo with the installation of a Westinghouse
generator. The company incorporated in 1892. In 1896, it joined the Syndicate Trading Company
, a retail joint purchasing company based in New York City
. From 1925 to 1956, it operated the Adam, Meldrum & Anderson State Bank, which merged with M&T Bank
. In 1942, Robert Adam III, grandson of the founder, became President and served in that capacity until 1980; then serving as Chief Executive Officer until his death in 1993. The chain was purchased by The Bon-Ton
Stores Inc. in 1994.
The original store was located on Main Street at the current site of the Main Place Mall
. A $500,000 expansion of the store occurred in 1924, adding 70,000 square feet to the original location. In 1932, the store expanded northward with the purchased of the Hudson's
store at 410 Main Street. From the 1940's until its closing, the store was known locally for its elaborate Victorian Christmas windows. In August 1960, the chain moved its flagship across the street to 389 Main Street in the building formerly occupied by J. N. Adam & Co.
After expanding warehouse space in adjacent buildings, a major remodeling of the store occurred in 1966; it was remodeled again a decade later. The store also had a restaurant, the Yankee Doodle Room, which operated from 1960 until 1993; then reopened for a short time as a gourmet market and deli. The flagship store operated as a Bon Ton until 1995. It reopened for eight months in 1998, as an upscale ladies department store. Since that time it has been vacant and is currently threatened with demolition.
AM&A's opened the first branch location of a downtown department store in 1948, when it opened a 5,000 square foot store at University Plaza. Shortly after they opened branches at Sheridan Plaza in Tonawanda
and Airport Plaza in Cheektowaga
. In October 1952, they took over the former E. W. Edwards & Son
location at L.B. Smith Plaza, later Abbott Road Plaza, in Lackawanna
; it closed in 1971.
During the 1960's through 1980's, many major malls were erected throughout suburban Buffalo and AM&A's expanded to most of them. An 18,000 square foot store opened at Southgate Plaza in 1961, expanded to 100,000 square feet in 1964. In 1966, a store opened at Thruway Plaza, later Thruway Mall. That location would close in 1990, when the Walden Galleria location opened in a store originally constructed for B. Altman. The Eastern Hills Mall location opened in 1972, Lockport Mall store in 1974, and Olean Center Mall in 1976. A store opened in 1979, as part of an expansion to the Summit Park Mall. After the closure of the local Hens & Kelly chain in 1982, AM&A's moved into its former location at Northtown Plaza. The McKinley Mall Location opened in 1985. All branch locations operating in 1994, became branches of The Bon Ton.
- Buffalo: Flagship: 410 Main Street, after 1960 at 389 Main Street - (opened 1867, moved to last location in 1961, closed by The Bon-Ton in March 1995)
- Buffalo: 3500 Main Street - (opened 1948; closed in 1984; demolished in 1999; now site of University Plaza)
- Amherst: Northtown Plaza - (opened 1982 in former Hens & Kelly, was The Bon-Ton from 1994 until closure in 2007)
- Cheektowaga: Thruway Mall (Thruway Plaza - 1952-1976, 2000-present; Thruway Mall 1976-2000) '' (opened 1952, closed in 1990 in move to Walden Galleria . Home to Value City Furniture since 1994. Only piece of original plaza/mall remaining)
- Cheektowaga: Walden Galleria - (opened 1990, building built to originally house a never-opened B. Altman and Company location, converted to Bon-Ton 1995, closed 2006, demolished as part of 2006-07 Galleria expansion)
- Clarence: Eastern Hills Mall - (opened 1971, now The Bon-Ton)
- Hamburg: McKinley Mall - (opened 1985, now The Bon-Ton)
- Lackawanna: L.B. Smith Plaza, later Abbott Road Plaza - (opened 1952, closed 1971)
- Lockport: Lockport Mall - (opened 1974, now The Bon-Ton)
- Olean: Olean Center Mall - (opened 1976, now The Bon-Ton)
- Tonawanda: Sheridan Plaza - (opened 1950, now The Bon-Ton)
- West Seneca: Southgate Plaza - (opened 1961, now The Bon-Ton)
- Wheatfield: Summit Park Mall - (opened 1972, now The Bon-Ton)
- Sibling retail rivalry forms part of the history of chain's growth, Buffalo News, May 17, 1994.
- Robert Adam dies, Buffalo News, September 12, 1993.
- Bon-Ton Department Store Chain Extends Lease at West Seneca, N.Y., Plaza, Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News, April 23, 1999.
- Rizzo, Michael F. (2007) Nine Nine Eight: The Glory Days of Buffalo Shopping Lulu Enterprises, Inc.; Morrisville, North Carolina. ISBN 978-1-4303-1386-1.
- Elvins, Sarah (2004). Sales & Celebrations: Retailing and Regional Identity in Western New York State, 1920-1940. ISBN 0821415492.
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Is this topic for you?
This topic discusses using a bottle to feed formula to your baby. To learn about using a bottle to feed breast milk to your baby or to learn about breast-feeding, see the topic Breast-Feeding.
When is bottle-feeding with formula the best choice for your baby?
If you are having a hard time breast-feeding and are trying to decide whether to switch to using formula, know that the first few weeks of breast-feeding are the most challenging. You may want to talk to your doctor to help you make your choice. Some moms choose to both breast-feed and bottle-feed their babies.
You may not be able to breast-feed for different health reasons, such as if you've had breast surgery or if you have certain infections. While breast milk is the ideal food for babies, your baby can get good nutrition from formula. Formulas are designed to give babies all the calories and nutrients they need until they are 6 months old. (Babies born early or with health problems may drink formula even longer.)
What are your choices for infant formula?
There are many types of infant formulas for you to choose from. Most of the time, parents start with formulas made from cow's milk, such as Enfamil, Good Start, and Similac.
Talk to your doctor before you try other types of formulas, including:
Formulas for toddlers are also available. These formulas have extra nutrients, and you can use them to help your child make the switch to whole milk. But healthy babies and toddlers don't really need them.
How do you feed formula to your baby?
When you make formula, use safe water and be sure your hands and equipment are clean. Follow the advice of your doctor and read the label on the formula package. Make sure the formula is not too hot or too cold when you give it to your baby.
The length of time between feedings varies. It depends on the amount of formula your baby drank during the previous feeding. As you get to know your baby, you will be able to notice his or her signs of hunger and fullness. Don't hesitate to call your doctor if you are worried about whether your baby is eating enough.
When is it okay to start giving your baby whole milk?
When your baby is 12 months old, he or she can start to drink whole-fat cow's milk. Other kinds of milk, such as goat's milk, fat-free milk, 1% milk, or 2% milk, don't have as many nutrients as whole-fat milk. It is best not to give your baby these kinds of milk if you can give whole-fat milk instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
eMedicineHealth Medical Reference from Healthwise
To learn more visit Healthwise.org
© 1995-2012 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.
Find out what women really need.
Pill Identifier on RxList
- quick, easy,
Find a Local Pharmacy
- including 24 hour, pharmacies
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It is funny to me that the future of traditional advertising is digital. Where people believe that digital will someday kill traditional media, I believe that digital is in fact its saviour. With the fast adoption of smartphones, wireless internet and other mobile devices, the emergence of traditional and digital is most certainly happening in the mobile space.
Firstly though, for digital to truly save traditional, it has to solve a few of the fundamental problems traditional media faces.
The first is analytics: traditional has for far too long gotten away with poor performing campaigns because of no real measurable analytics. The second, more important issue for me is conversion. Having a digital background where everything is tracked and measured has instilled into my very core a results-driven attitude to advertising. If it's not returning on investment on a pre-determined objective, it's a failure.
Although it's not a perfect science, digital does have the ability to measure traditional media through the use of URL calls to action. Separate URLs can be created for different media channels and creative. The analytics can then determine which media and creative is achieving the best results for future optimisation. It's not an exact science, but it is a step in the right direction. This for me is second prize; first prize is determining which media and creative not only got a consumer to my digital platform but also converted at that very moment.
This is key: if you are not familiar with the ZMOT (zero moment of truth) principle I strongly suggest you read up about it as this is where traditional and digital convergence is at its most beneficial... capturing a consumer at their decision-making moment and providing them with the tools to convert - simply and efficiently.QR and AR
The ability to now see a print ad and convert in that very moment is now a reality through a mobile device, or at least should be. There are a few technologies that facilitate this process, most notably QR (quick response) and AR (augmented reality), but are they really the future? What other methods and technologies should we be looking at?
Let's start with QR and AR, although these are two very different technologies and really perform two distinct actions. In marketing terms their objectives are one and the same. This is to drive consumers to digital platforms from traditional media via their mobile devices and ultimately to convert on a pre-determined action. AR is actually a much broader topic but in context of this article I'll focus on the branded mobile marketing applications of the technology.
AR has a lot of buzz around it at the moment. Its ability to display to the consumer a fun, engaging experience is probably its biggest selling point - see some examples here
. It has been used internationally for brands such as VW, Marmite and many more, and is growing in popularity - but for me not in the right way. Most executions are nothing more than gimmicks and do not provide the consumer with any real benefits. Although these gimmicks get some attention at first, the problem is, the effect wears off fast. The gimmicks can also at times get in the way of the most important objective, conversion. I feel there is a future for this technology but marketers need a new approach. I'll touch on this later.
QR codes have been around for several years now, but if you don't know what they are you might have seen their strange-looking black and white pixel-looking images on till slips, print ads and even some product packaging. The idea here is that this code, when scanned by a QR reader on your device, takes you to an optimised web page where you can read more or convert. It sounds great, but there are problems.Shared issues
Both AR and QR share many of the same issues that stand in their way of becoming bona fide traditional media saviours.
The first being access, because although some devices come with a QR code reader pre-installed, many people don't know it exists, let alone what to do with it - and never mind the devices that don't have the reader pre-installed. AR on the other hand has even less device penetration, as AR requires bespoke apps to read the symbols, so shipping devices with pre-installed AR apps is well nigh impossible. With QR codes at least, any QR code reader will be able to read it. Creating QR codes is also a simple process with many websites providing this service for free.
It's worth mentioning here that there are several apps available that allow for multiple branded AR experiences. They essentially offer the platform for brands to upload their AR content into their system, which then propagates this down to consumers who have their app installed on their device. The issue here once again is there are several apps and consumers will need to have all these apps installed and kept up to date all the time for them to have all the current content. That's not very convenient to the end user.
The second is education. QR has been around for quite some time but has not really taken off. This is largely because the vast majority of consumers don't know what it is, how it works, or what it can do for them. AR faces the same problem. This lack of education around these technologies brings me to my next issue...Removing the barriers is key
Convenience. Technologies that survive the test of time are those that remove barriers and make users' experiences easier and simpler. Although education can help to achieve this, at the end of the day the technologies need to stand on their own. The more convenient a technology, the more likely consumers will adopt it.
Bearing this in mind, let's look at some other technologies and methods.
Firstly, something that I feel is greatly underused and gets far less attention than it deserves is the modest URL. This is by far the easiest way a consumer can access your digital content from traditional media. The consumer does not need any special apps installed, in most cases will know what a URL is and what it does, and therefore little, if any, additional education is required. It will take the consumer the same time, if not less, to access their mobile browser, enter the URL and load the webpage, as it would to open their AR/QR app, focus the camera, process and download the information and then display the content.
What is absolutely key here, however, is this URL must take the consumer to an optimised page for the device they are using. With responsive design, it's now possible to create pages that react differently to various devices. This means iPhone, BlackBerry, iPad etc. users can have experiences they are used to on that device. Providing a simple and familiar experience to your customer will no doubt contribute to an increase in conversions.The technology of the future - NFC?
The second technology I would like to talk about has the potential to change the game completely - and it's NFC or Near Field Communication. Much like Bluetooth, but for the 21st century, this technology allows the immediate transfer of information between two or more devices with or without authentication. This technology has already been part of our lives for several years but in a far more passive state - such as in the little dongle you swipe to open the parking boom at work, or the access card you swipe to open the front door.
The beauty of this technology is its simplicity. At its bare minimum it comprises a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter is a tiny microchip with a copper wire antenna, so small you will hardly notice it glued between two pieces of paper. The transmitter or reader is a powered device that creates a magnetic field that when within its field it can read or write to the microchip.
OK, so what does this mean in marketing terms? Well, imagine a large supermarket chain distributing a mobile NFC app to its loyalty customers to see promotions in the press. Those customers simply open the app, swipe their device over the promotion and the product is immediately added to their online shopping cart ready for payment and delivery. Although this still means the consumer needs to have the app installed on their device, enough incentive has been provided long-term for them to do so: convenience.
Another example of this could be a music retailer that has its NFC app distributed to its customers. When they see an in-store poster promoting their favourite artist's new album, simply holding their device close to the poster opens their app and starts downloading the album to their device immediately.
What about seeing the latest blockbuster movie poster at the bus stop? Simply holding your device near the poster opens your favourite cinema app and allows you to book tickets there and then or, if you not yet sold, watch the trailer while you wait for the bus.
Probably the best thing about NFC is the fact that this technology will be prevalent five years from now, meaning consumers will not need to be educated. A few large international banks have already rolled out this technology on their credit card products, allowing customers to pay for products by tapping their card on the point of sale device. The London transport system operates almost exclusively on the NFC enabled Oyster card system. Back to AR
But I digress... I mentioned earlier there is a future for AR. The thing about all this NFC stuff is it's still a few years away from being a reality. AR can do all this now, maybe not with the full connivance of NFC, but certainly more conveniently than the current gimmicks.
All three of the above the NFC examples can be implemented now through AR. The supermarket, music and movie apps only need to recognise the promotions being advertising to do the same actions.
I don't believe that traditional media will die; I don't believe digital will be the killer. I do believe the two need to work together in a truly holistic and integrated collaboration.
Digital is not enemy, it's an ally - ready and waiting to be called up to take its place.
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Excavations at New Bunhill Fields, Southwark in 2008 uncovered evidence of a heavily used private burial ground. Documentary sources suggest that from c 1821–53 up to 33,000 burials may have taken place in the commercial Nonconformist burial ground. Excavation of 827 wooden coffin burials allowed comparisons of the use of the burial ground, coffin furniture and burial finds with other contemporary cemeteries. Of particular interest were the good level of preservation of floral remains in a child’s coffin, ceramic plates in a woman’s coffin and good examples of burial clothing. The 514 skeletons selected for full osteological analysis, demonstrated a broad spectrum of pathological conditions including evidence of metabolic, infectious, congenital and neoplastic diseases. Evidence of trauma suggested high rates of interpersonal violence and eight skeletons showed signs of post-mortem examination. One adult male displayed a particularly striking case of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (cancer) with massive destruction of the central facial area of the skull. Another condition rarely encountered in the archaeological record was a case of osteogenesis imperfecta identified in an 18 month old child. This evidence will help provide information about life and death in this area of 19th-century London.
Next up is the much anticipated bioarchaeological study of the medieval burials from Spitalfields Market.
Major excavations in 1999-2002 on the site of the Augustinian priory and hospital of St Mary Spital uncovered the remains of over 10,500 human skeletons. Unprecedented accuracy of dating and phasing of the cemetery was achieved using a targeted programme of stratigraphic and radiocarbon dating techniques, resulting in four chronological periods of burials. Osteological analysis of a sample of 5387 skeletons has provided a unique insight into the lives of medieval Londoners from the 12th to the early 16th centuries. Many of the skeletons showed evidence of disease and injury including some of the earliest cases of syphilis in Europe. The results of this major project are integrated into a biocultural framework, which includes the recurrent famines and epidemics of the time, effects of urban living on child health, the role and influence of the hospital and the reasons behind the mass burial of almost 4000 people.
For more information and to order any Museum of London Archaeology publications go to:
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How to stop biofuel crops becoming invasive
23 April 2009 | News story
Experts have come up with a series of tips for biofuel producers to stop biofuel crops becoming invasive species.
All introduced crops for biofuel production should be treated as suspect or potentially invasive until proven otherwise, according to the experts. Risk assessments should be carried out at the earliest stages of planning biofuel production, they add.
Production systems should be monitored for possible escapes and appropriate barriers should be used, such as fences, gullies or buffer zones of resistant plants to reduce chances of escapes and invasions.
Finally, the crops should be converted into the first stage of fuel on site if possible to remove the possibility of spreading invasions through seeds or other plant parts.
“We need alternatives to fossil fuels and the judicious development of a range of biofuel production systems is a logical way of addressing that need,” says Geoffrey Howard, IUCN’s expert on invasive species. “Biological invasions from the introduced species themselves, as well as from the production processes, are real risks to biodiversity and livelihoods. The risks can be reduced by following the recommendations we’ve set out.”
The recommendations, compiled by a workshop hosted by IUCN in Nairobi, Kenya, will be published as soon as they have been refined by industry and other invasive species experts.
The experts found that many characteristics of biofuel crops are shared by invasive species, such as fast growth, high productivity, adaptability to a range of soil and climatic conditions and resistance to pests and diseases.
“Existing standard food-crops that are used for biofuels have limited risk of becoming invasive,” says Nadine McCormick, of IUCN’s Energy, Ecosystems and Livelihoods Initiative. “But new plants that are being proposed to increase biofuel production often have higher risks of developing invasive tendencies.”
IUCN will develop a series of best practices and guidance for the avoidance of biological invasions. This will be discussed at a second workshop later in the year for eventual input to the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels principles.
For more information, please contact:
- Geoffrey Howard, Species Programme, Invasive Species Coordination at IUCN
- Nadine McCormick, Business and Biodiversity, Energy, Ecosystems and Livelihoods Initiative
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If you’re the type who really go crazy status symbols then you’d really need to get an iPhone if you haven’t already. A new study has shown that people who are rich prefer the iPhone over other mobile phones.
The research was conducted by The Luxury Institute. The study involved studying the app usage of people who earn a minimum of $150,000 a year. They discovered that 45 percent of those who were observed use an iPhone. This is followed by people who use an Android smartphone (35 percent). This is a big difference in numbers when it comes to market share. Android already enjoys a market share of 50 percent, while the iOS has 30 percent of the market.
The study also revealed that those who are well off would often download more – with 80 percent having downloaded apps. They also tend to pay for apps that they want. The study also revealed that those who are wealthy do not download a lot of games. But then this could because the average age of the people who participated in the study is 52 years.
The Luxury Institute contacted 603 people with an average income of $295,000 and have a net worth of $2.8 million for this study.
Will you buy an iPhone for the sole purpose of showing off and making people believe that you are wealthy?
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Issue Date: April 6, 2009
THE NEXT GENERATION of batteries could be made with the help of an unusual manufacturing partner—a virus that infects bacteria. Using an environmentally benign process, scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology coaxed a genetically engineered virus into building and wiring the cathode of a lithium-ion battery (Science, DOI: 10.1126/science.1171541).
MIT materials science professor Angela M. Belcher, who spearheaded the work, previously used genetically engineered viruses to fabricate the anode portion of a battery. Working with cathode materials, she says, proved to be more difficult because the material needs to be good at conducting both electrons and ions and also has to work well at high voltages. By tweaking one gene in the M13 virus, Belcher's team was able to get it to build itself a coat of amorphous iron phosphate, a promising material for lithium-ion batteries that's been hampered by low electronic conductivity.
To boost the system's conductivity, the team manipulated another gene in the virus so that it would latch onto a single-walled carbon nanotube. The nanotube acts as viral wiring, connecting the cathode to the battery's other components. The tighter the virus grabs the nanotube, the better the battery performs, the researchers found.
"This is a creative approach to producing heterostructures at the nanoscale in order to address one of the most significant problems in lithium-ion batteries," comments Paul S. Weiss, a chemistry and physics professor at Pennsylvania State University.
The battery fabrication process is also quite mild, Belcher adds. It takes place below room temperature and requires neither harmful organic solvents nor toxic starting materials. "We can't use anything that's harmful to our organisms," she explains.
The team prepared a prototype battery using the viral components, but Belcher tells C&EN that she'd like to find better performing materials before scaling up the process to make these batteries commercially. What the work shows "is that we can use benchtop conditions to make batteries that are as good as what's out there," she says. "What we're focused on now is doing better than that."
- Chemical & Engineering News
- ISSN 0009-2347
- Copyright © American Chemical Society
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Lab-on-a-Chip Performs 1,000 Chemical Reactions At Once (Special Interest Paper)
Flasks, beakers, and hot plates may soon be a thing of the past in medicinal chemistry labs. Instead of handling a few experiments on a benchtop, scientists may simply pop a microchip into a computer and instantly run thousands of chemical reactions, with results—literally shrinking the lab down to the size of a thumbnail.
Toward that end, a team of investigators at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), have developed technology to perform more than a thousand chemical reactions at once on a stamp-size, PC-controlled microchip, which could accelerate the identification of potential drug candidates for treating diseases such as cancer. The results of their study appear in the journal Lab on a Chip.
Heading the multidisciplinary were Hsian-Rong Tseng, Ph.D., a member of the Nanosystems Biology Cancer Center, one of eight Centers of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence created by the National Cancer Institute. Their miniaturized laboratory uses microfluidics to automatically handle and channel tiny amounts of liquids and chemicals. The chemical reactions were performed using in situ click chemistry, a technique often used to identify potential drug molecules that bind tightly to protein enzymes to either activate or inhibit an effect in a cell, and were analyzed using mass spectrometry.
Traditionally, only a few chemical reactions could be produced on a chip, but the research team pioneered a way to instigate multiple reactions, thus offering a new method to quickly screen which drug molecules may work most effectively with a targeted protein enzyme. In this study, scientists produced a chip capable of conducting 1,024 reactions simultaneously, which, in a test system, ably identified potent inhibitors to the enzyme bovine carbonic anhydrase.
A thousand cycles of complex processes, including controlled sampling and mixing of a library of reagents and sequential microchannel rinsing, all took place on the microchip device and were completed in just a few hours. At the moment, the UCLA team is restricted to analyzing the reaction results offline, but in the future, they intend to automate this aspect of the work as well.
“The precious enzyme molecules required for a single in situ click reaction in a traditional lab now can be split into hundreds of duplicates for performing hundreds of reactions in parallel, thus revolutionizing the laboratory process, reducing reagent consumption, and accelerating the process for identifying potential drug candidates,” said Dr. Tseng. Next steps for the team include exploring the use of this microchip technology for other screening reactions in which chemicals and material samples are in limited supply—for example, with a class of protein enzymes called kinases, which play critical roles in the malignant transformation of cancer.
This work, which is detailed in the paper “An integrated microfluidic device for large-scale in situclick chemistry screening,” was supported by the NCI Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer, a comprehensive initiative designed to accelerate the application of nanotechnology to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. Investigators from Siemens Medical Solutions and China’s Wuhan University also participated in this study. An abstract is available at the journal’s Web site.
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By Ryan Ekvall | Wisconsin Reporter
MADISON — Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig paints a glowing picture of publicly funded sports complexes.
“There’s been a debate everywhere you’ve had it, and every community has wound up doing it and they’re happy they did it,” Selig told Wisconsin Reporter on Tuesday after a speaking appearance at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “They bring in business. They make the community a better place to live. And overall it’s been a very positive experience, and I happen to believe in it.”
Selig, former owner of the Milwaukee Brewers, was at his alma mater to give a speech at the university’s business school on ethical leadership. In the big leagues, ethics of operation often involve wealthy franchise owners strong-arming cities for hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to pay for state-of-the-art stadiums on threat of losing the team to a city that will.
Opponents say it’s a racket on the legal side of extortion.
The uber-wealthy sporting elite don’t see it that way.
“We never really talked about that,” Selig said about the idea of moving the Milwaukee Brewers to North Carolina in the 1990s while politicians debated the merits of bilking $150 million from taxpayers.
They finally agreed. After the approval of a contentious multi-county sales tax that cost a Racine senator his job through recall and tens of millions of dollars in cost overruns, Miller Park was built.
“But the Brewers put in a lot of money and there’s just not a debate. In fact … with (the Brewers) now drawing 3 million-plus people a year, that’s why I said all the critics are gone now, because they know they’re wrong. And they were wrong.”
The critics, as it turns out, are alive and well. Whenever a new stadium is pushed by an owner, however, their voices tend to be drowned out by vote-seeking politicians and the team’s loyal fan base.
Marc Levine, director of the Center for Economic Development University of Milwaukee, recently wrote in a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel op-ed:
“The same fallacious economic development arguments that were used to sell Miller Park are being trotted out to justify public spending for a new (Milwaukee) Bucks‘ arena: the building of a new facility, and the presence of a sports team, is an engine of economic growth for the city and region, a critical source of jobs, income and enhanced revenues for public services.
“Yet, with a unanimity that is rare in social science research, academic studies have found that professional sports franchises and facilities generate little or no job creation or income growth.”
The total taxpayer cost of Miller Park, the place the Brewers call home, has swelled to nearly $500 million. In 1995, the debate over $150 million raged on. Former state Sen. George Petak, R-Racine, lost his job in a recall election after promising to vote against the stadium only to later cast the deciding vote in favor.
The economic benefits of a stadium are really a reshuffling of the consumer’s spending cards, research shows. Instead of going to the movies, the consumer goes to a baseball game. Milwaukee, one of the poorest cities in the country, has been dogged by persistently high unemployment even though it has two publicly financed professional sports complexes.
“The sporting industry in general, it’s not like it’s suffering for money,” said Eileen Norcross, senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. “It’s analogous to the film tax credits. Do they really need these subsidies in order to build these stadiums? These can be privately financed or financed through other means. To have them publicly subsidized, it seems to me, is putting the taxpayer on the hook for something for economic benefits that don’t necessarily materialize.”
But Selig insists publicly funded stadiums are a good deal for taxpayers.
“It’s not a question of monopoly power, there’s a question of doing the right thing. If it brings in $350 million a year, what other public facility can you spend that kind of money and then draw that money back on?” Selig asked, pointing to a MLB-commissioned study on the economic impact of the Brewers.
Selig and others suggest there’s an arguably bigger benefit to stadiums, particularly in communities like Milwaukee.
Minnesota state Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina, said during a discussion last spring on financing a $975 million Minnesota Vikings stadium that professional football is “one of the things that puts us on the map.”
Publicly financed sports facilities have hit taxpayers nationwide.
A recent Bloomberg article noted that, “Over the life of the $17 billion of exempt debt issued to build stadiums since 1986, the last of which matures in 2047, taxpayers’ subsidies to bondholders will total $4 billion.”
“In the last 20 years, there have been more than 60 publicly financed stadiums and arenas in the U.S. that have totaled about $20 billion,” Norcross said. “And all the team has to do is hint at leaving in order to extort a subsidy from the city. So in a sense they hold the city hostage. And that’s just not good fiscal policy, and I don’t think it’s good economic development policy.”
Contact Ryan Ekvall at firstname.lastname@example.org
— Edited by John Trump at email@example.com
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Alex Wong/Getty Images
File Photo: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Barack Obama, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and King Abdullah II of Jordan walk toward the East Room of the White House for statements on the first day of the Middle East peace talks September 1, 2010 in Washington, D.C.
On Wednesday President Obama began a series of bilateral meetings with the leaders of Israel, Jordan, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority. The president's goal is to kick start a process that will ultimately resolve the big issues in the Israeli/ Palestinian conflict – borders, settlements, refugees, Jerusalem -- so that the implementation of a two-state solution becomes a reality. These are the first direct Middle East peace talks in 20 months and many observers are asking the question. What, if anything, makes this round more hopeful than the last?
Jacob Dayan, Consul General of Israel in Los Angeles
Hussein Ibish, Senior Fellow at the American Task Force on Palestine. He blogs at Ibishblog.com
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Roman citizen. Nothing is known about his early life. Monk. Priest. Bishop in Rome during the papacy of Saint Stephen I. Involved in the controversy over orthodox and heretical forms of Baptism. Following an inter-regnum of a year caused by the persecutions of Valerian, Dionyius was chosen 25th Pope.
Issued a doctrinal letter to correct the writings of Patriarch Dionysius of Alexandria regarding the Trinity. The letter opposed Sabellianism, and insisted on the true doctrine of Three Persons in one Godhead. Sent large sums of money to the churches of Cappadocia for construction and the ransom of slaves; invading Goths had destroyed the buildings and enslaved the faithful. Brought order to the Church after a period of no leadership, and made peace with Emperor Gallienus who issued an edict of toleration. He condemned Paul of Samosata as a heretic. First pope to die not as a martyr.
- in Greece
- 26 or 27 December 268 at Rome, Italy of natural causes
- buried in the papal crypt in the catacomb of Callistus
- Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
- Catholic Encyclopedia
- New Catholic Dictionary
- Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
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Scholarships for Germany
So Many Subjects to Study
Late September through early October is known to Germans as one thing: Oktoberfest! This three-week long celebration is only one of things that makes Germany so unique. Its historical architecture, art, people, and diverse culture make it a haven for study abroad programs. The major cities of Berlin, Munich, and Frankfurt with a mix of this rich, old heritage and modern-day tourism attract students from all over the globe. Any course can be studied here, including international business, political studies, language and literature, hospitality and tourism. Check out some of these programs that will provide you with the funds you need to experience Deutschland.
The Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD)/ German Academic Exchange Services provides students with the opportunity to study internationally in Germany. Since its inception in 1925, DAAD has been working to promote cultural understanding and international exchange. Each year they provide financial assistance to over 67,000 students and scholars. Only the top-students are recruited for their programs. They offer multiple fellowships and scholarships to students who academically-prove they deserve them.
- Undergraduate Scholarship- seniors looking to conduct thesis research or an internship in Germany are encouraged to apply for this award. Preference is given to students whose work will be based out of a German university. These scholarships can be allotted as either an individual award or part of an organized study abroad program. This scholarship awards a monthly stipend of € 650 for a length of four to ten months.
- Study Scholarship- graduating seniors at the top of their class are eligible to receive this scholarship. It provides funding for one year of independent study or a full master’s degree program at a German university. These study scholarships are granted for one year of academic study (10 months) with the possibility of a one-year extension. Students will receive a monthly stipend of €750 plus money for health insurance and travel costs.
Cultural Vistas is focused on connecting the globe through international exchange by enriching minds, advancing global skills, and building careers. They provide both American and international students the opportunity to study abroad. Cultural Vistas offers programs all over the globe. Here are a few programs for students who are interested in going to Germany:
- Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals- the CBYX program provides 75 American and 75 German young professionals the chance to change countries for a year to study, intern, and live with hosts in a cultural exchange program.
- Robert Bosch Foundation Fellowship Program- this is an intensive language training program. Students will attend top German institutions and engage in thorough work phases while meeting with leaders all across Germany and Europe. This program is only open to the most devoted of students.
- Work Immersion Study Program- this three-month work-study immersion program is designed to give students studying in vocational fields the chance to advance their skills while improving their German language skills and directly experience German culture. A monthly stipend of EUR 300 is provided along with free accommodations and work authorization.
- Students interested in a unique political studies opportunity may qualify for a short-term internship with the German government through the Émigré Memorial German Internship Program. Students will gain true, governmental work experience while improving their German language skills and encounter German culture firsthand.
American Graduates are eligible for the German Chancellor Fellowship Program through the Humboldt Foundation. Students that show true leadership skills in their fields such as politics or public policy, law, media, business, arts, and the non-government sector are the only ones qualified for Chancellor Fellowship Program. While in Germany, Fellows will work at their host institutions on independent projects. The topic of their research should be focused on a topic or issue within their field of interest. Only 10 students from America are selected for this award annually. Accepted applicants receive EUR 550 per month for as long as they stay in Germany and will cover the cost of traveling expenses.
Schiller International is a very unique university. With campuses in America, Germany, Spain and France, students get the chance to earn a college degree in another country. Do you want to study in Germany, but don’t know how to speak German? No problem. Schiller’s courses are taught in English making studying in another country effortless (except for the studying, of course). They even offer specific programs where you study at different universities while earning the same, one degree. They offer the European Scholarship Program where 15% is taken off of tuition each year. Students must maintain a 2.25 GPA in order to be eligible.
Rutgers University has a Landscape Architecture program where students can study abroad in Germany. During their stay, students study many different environmental solutions and their relation to the planning and design challenges faced here in America:
- School of Environmental & Biological Sciences (SEBS) Summer Scholarships- these awards are given to students in the SEBS program. this scholarship goes to help pay for the costs of having an internship or participating in a summer study abroad program. Up to $5,000 can be received by this scholarship.
- Rutgers Study Abroad Global Reach Scholarship- students participating in a study abroad program can apply for the Global Reach Scholarship. This award provides anywhere from $500 to $1,500 for summer programs.
The Division of Germanic Studies at the University of Kentucky has a special program where students can study in Heidelberg, Bielefeld or Ludwigsburg Germany. To support this, UK offers the Heidelberg Scholarship. These highly competitive scholarships are awarded each year. Only two of these awards are handed out. While in Germany, students will receive approximately 500 EUR/month to conduct undergraduate study.
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A chocolate cake. Pasta. A pancake. They’re all very different, but they generally involve flour, eggs, and perhaps a liquid. Depending on how much of each ingredient you use, you can get very different outcomes. The same is true of your investments. Balancing a portfolio means combining various types of investments using a recipe that’s right for you.
There are various approaches to calculating an asset allocation that makes the most sense for you.
The most popular approach is to look at what you’re investing for and how long you have to reach each goal. Those goals get balanced against your need for money to live on. The more secure your immediate income and the longer you have to achieve your investing goals, the more aggressively you might be able to invest for them. Your asset allocation might have a greater percentage of stocks than either bonds or cash, for example. Or you might be in the opposite situation. If you’re stretched financially and would have to tap your investments in an emergency, you’ll need to balance that fact against your longer-term goals. In addition to establishing an emergency fund, you may need to invest more conservatively than you might otherwise want to.
Some investors believe in shifting their assets among asset classes based on which types of investments they expect will do well or poorly in the near term. However, this approach, called “market timing,” is extremely difficult even for experienced investors. If you’re determined to try this, you should probably get some expert advice—and recognize that no one really knows where markets are headed.
Some people try to match market returns with an overall “core” strategy for most of their portfolio. They then put a smaller portion in very targeted investments that may behave very differently from those in the core and provide greater overall diversification. These often are asset classes that an investor thinks could benefit from more active management.
Just as you allocate your assets in an overall portfolio, you can also allocate assets for a specific goal. For example, you might have one asset allocation for retirement savings and another for college tuition bills. A retired professional with a conservative overall portfolio might still be comfortable investing more aggressively with money intended to be a grandchild’s inheritance. Someone who has taken the risk of starting a business might decide to be more conservative with his or her personal portfolio.
Things to think about
- Don’t forget about the impact of inflation on your savings. As time goes by, your money will probably buy less and less unless your portfolio at least keeps pace with the inflation rate. Even if you think of yourself as a conservative investor, your asset allocation should take long-term inflation into account.
- Your asset allocation should balance your financial goals with your emotional needs. If the way your money is invested keeps you awake worrying at night, you may need to rethink your investing goals and whether the strategy you’re pursuing is worth the lost sleep.
- Your tax status might affect your asset allocation, though your decisions shouldn’t be based solely on tax concerns.
Even if your asset allocation was right for you when you chose it, it may not be right for you now. It should change as your circumstances do and as new ways to invest are introduced. A piece of clothing you wore 10 years ago may not fit now; similarly, you just might need to update your asset allocation, too.
That’s where we come in. The financial advisors in Annapolis at Safe Retirement Solutions can help you allocate your assets to help you make the most of your investments. To get started, call 877-268-4086 or visit our website today!
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Matthew Henson, polar explorer.
Click on image for full size
Photo by Robert Peary, 1908.
Matthew Henson - Polar Explorer
Matthew Henson was an explorer during the late 1800s and early 1900s. He made many journeys to the Arctic during that time. In 1909, a group led by the famous American polar explorer Robert E. Peary may have been the first people to reach the North Pole. Matt Henson was part of that group.
Matt Henson spent nearly 20 years exploring the Arctic along with Peary. He learned a lot about surviving in the cold from the Inuit people who live there. Henson (an African-American) learned the Inuit language and became very good at driving dog sleds. Peary once said that Henson "was more of an Eskimo than some of them".
Matthew Alexander Henson was born near Washington, D.C. on August 6, 1866. He became an orphan at the age of 11. Young Matt found a job as a cabin boy on a ship in Baltimore. The captain of that ship taught him how to read and write.
Matt Henson met Robert Peary in 1887. He went on many journeys with Peary. In 1909, Peary led a group that tried to make it to the North Pole. Henson and four Inuit men were also in that group. Peary claimed the group made it to the Pole, but some historians aren't sure whether he really did or not.
In 1912 Henson wrote a book about his explorations titled "A Negro Explorer at the North Pole". Later, in 1947, he worked with author Bradley Robinson on another book. That book, called "Dark Companion", was Henson's biography. Matt Henson died on March 9, 1955.
The National Geographic Society awarded Matt Henson the Hubbard Medal for exploration and discovery. Matthew Henson Middle School in Maryland (near the place where Matt was born) was named in honor of the explorer. The United States Navy also named a ship that studies the oceans the USNS Henson after Matt.
Shop Windows to the Universe Science Store!
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section of our online store
includes a climate change card game
and the Traveling Nitrogen game
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|Friday, Jan 4, 2013 - 7:30 AM
"Bounce/Timmy Tippy Toe"
Bounce - Nick and Sally are wondering why their ball is so bouncy. Fish tells them it's because it's made from rubber, and rubber comes from trees. Cat doesn't believe him so it's time to ask the expert, Dr. Twiggles! It turns out Fish is right! And Dr. Twiggles shows them all just how rubber is made, and all the wonderful things rubber can make! Timmy Tippy Toe - Nick and Sally are playing on a climbing frame but just can't manage to get to the top. D
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The Long-Distance Journey of a Fast-Food Order
By MATT RICHTEL
Published: April 11, 2006
Like many American teenagers, Julissa Vargas, 17, has a minimum-wage job in the fast-food industry -- but hers has an unusual geographic reach.
''Would you like your Coke and orange juice medium or large?'' Ms. Vargas said into her headset to an unseen woman who was ordering breakfast from a drive-through line. She did not neglect the small details --''You Must Ask for Condiments,'' a sign next to her computer terminal instructs -- and wished the woman a wonderful day.
What made the $12.08 transaction remarkable was that the customer was not just outside Ms. Vargas's workplace here on California's central coast. She was at a McDonald's in Honolulu. And within a two-minute span Ms. Vargas had also taken orders from drive-through windows in Gulfport, Miss., and Gillette, Wyo.
Ms. Vargas works not in a restaurant but in a busy call center in this town, 150 miles from Los Angeles. She and as many as 35 others take orders remotely from 40 McDonald's outlets around the country. The orders are then sent back to the restaurants by Internet, to be filled a few yards from where they were placed.
The people behind this setup expect it to save just a few seconds on each order. But that can add up to extra sales over the course of a busy day at the drive-through.
While the call-center idea has received some attention since a scattered sampling of McDonald's franchises began testing it 18 months ago, most customers are still in the dark. For Meredith Mejia, a regular at a McDonald's in Pleasant Hill, Calif., near San Francisco, it meant that her lunch came with a small helping of the surreal. When told that she had just ordered her double cheeseburger and small fries from a call center 250 miles away, she said the concept was ''bizarre.''
And the order-taking is not always seamless. Often customers' voices are faint, forcing the workers to ask for things to be repeated. During recent rainstorms in Hawaii, it was particularly hard to hear orders from there over the din.
Ms. Vargas seems unfazed by her job, even though it involves being subjected to constant electronic scrutiny. Software tracks her productivity and speed, and every so often a red box pops up on her screen to test whether she is paying attention. She is expected to click on it within 1.75 seconds. In the break room, a computer screen lets employees know just how many minutes have elapsed since they left their workstations.
The pay may be the same, but this is a long way from flipping burgers.
''Their job is to be fast on the mouse -- that's their job,'' said Douglas King, chief executive of Bronco Communications, which operates the call center.
The center in Santa Maria has been in operation for 18 months; a print-out tacked to a wall declares, ''Over 2,540,000 served.'' McDonald's says it is still experimental, but it puts an unusual twist on an idea that is gaining traction: taking advantage of ever-cheaper communications technology, companies are creating centralized staffs of specially trained order-takers, even for situations where old-fashioned physical proximity has been the norm.
The goals of such centers are not just to cut labor costs but also to provide more focused customer service -- improving the level of personal attention by sending Happy Meal orders on a thousand-mile round trip.
''It's really centralizing the function of not only taking the order but advising the customer on getting more out of the product, which can sell more -- at least in theory,'' said Joseph Fleischer, chief technical editor for Call Center Magazine, an industry trade publication.
McDonald's is joined by the owner of Hardee's and Carl's Jr., CKE Restaurants, which plans to deploy a similar system later this year in restaurants in California.
Not everyone is sold on the idea. Denny Lynch, a spokesman for Wendy's Restaurants, said that the approach had not yet proved itself to be cost-effective. ''Speed is incredibly important,'' he said, but ''we haven't given this solution any serious thought.''
Mr. Lynch said that Wendy's would need concrete evidence that call centers worked. For example, could remote order-takers increase sales by asking customers to order dessert?
Then there is the question of whether combining burgers, shakes and cyberspace is an example of the drive for efficiency run amok -- introducing a mouse where the essential technology is a spatula.
''This is a case of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it,' '' said Sherri Daye Scott, editor of QSR Magazine, a trade journal covering fast-food outlets, which refer to themselves as quick-service restaurants.
But the backers of the technology are looking to expand into new industries. The operator of one of the McDonald's centers is developing a related system that would allow big stores like Home Depot to equip carts with speakers that customers could use to contact a call center wirelessly for shopping advice.
Jon Anton, a founder of Bronco, says that the goal is ''saving seconds to make millions,'' because more efficient service can lead to more sales and lower labor costs. With a wireless system in a Home Depot, for example, a call-center operator might tell a customer, ''You're at Aisle D6. Let me walk you over to where you can find the 16-penny nails,'' Mr. Anton said.
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Face value: CMU art students capture their images for posterity
Carnegie Mellon University art professor Ron Bennett stands between some of the aluminum masks he and his sophomore art students have cast over the past 15 years in the basement of The University Center at Carnegie Mellon University.
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The faces stare back at you from the wall.
Some seem normal enough. But then you notice that one has a pig snout and ears. Another has flowers for eyes. Another has a tiny action figure jutting out of its forehead.
And what's that in the corner? It's a frying pan, with two faces and a spatula lying inside.
The setting for this startling array of visages is the basement of the University Center at Carnegie Mellon University. Cast in aluminum and welded together in striking collages, the sculptures represent 15 years of work by art professor Ron Bennett's sophomore students.
But they are much more than that. The faces are also a burnished time capsule of who these students were and what was important to them when they cast their countenances upon the world.
The collages also include a personal history of Bennett himself. Every two or three years, he creates a sculpture of his own face and fits it in among those of his students.
The professor plans to retire in three years. As fate would have it, there are just enough empty spots left on the University Center walls to accommodate his remaining collages.
This is the story of one of his classes, and the journey its students made this year toward their place in the hall of faces.
The introductory sculpture class began this year on Aug. 27, when 13 young women gathered in the dusty, utilitarian basement of Doherty Hall.
The course is designed to teach the basics of 3-D modeling and metal casting. But its focus on faces began almost as a joke about 20 years ago. Bennett was teaching an advanced sculpture class when one of the students said, "Let's leave ourselves for posterity and put our faces on the wall."
Bennett welded the resulting face masks, including his own, into a circle, and hung them in Doherty's basement. And when he did that, "The light went off, and I thought about how the minute I pulled my face out of that mold, I had a precious thing, you know? It wasn't just another thing for me to cast; it was something really important."
Ever since then, the introductory students have made their faces, or occasionally other body parts, using a four-part process.
First, they create plaster "death masks" of their faces. Then, they paint the insides of the masks with molten wax to create wax molds that can be embellished and transfigured.
The wax masks are then dipped in several layers of ceramic, which is fired in a kiln to harden the ceramic and melt the wax, leaving a hollow, 3-D replica of each mask inside the ceramic shell.
Finally, molten aluminum is poured into the ceramic shells through special funnels, and after it hardens, the ceramic is chipped and sandblasted away.
The first group to go through these steps this year was sophomore art majors. Reflecting recent trends at Carnegie Mellon, eight of the 13 students had been born in Asia -- in this case, all were from Seoul, South Korea. Of the rest, one was from Russia; one from Brazil; one from Canada; and just two from the United States, one of them a Pittsburgher.
At this point, more than a fifth of Carnegie Mellon's students -- 2,170 -- are Asian, and 459 of them are from Korea alone.
And while the Korean women all seemed to know each other, chattering and laughing intimately during class, none had met each other before coming to Pittsburgh, which is not surprising considering that Seoul, with 10.2 million people, is one of the largest cities in the world.
As they gathered that first week, Bennett used one of the Korean students, Jeesoo Ro, to demonstrate making the plaster mask. After she slathered her face in Vaseline, she lay down on a metal table covered with welding jackets to protect her clothing, and Bennett began to mold wet plaster strips to her face.
The plaster masks, and the wax molds that would be made from them later, would pick up the finest details of eyebrows, eyelashes and lips, as well as any other designs or figures the students added to the wax molds later.
It took only 5 to 10 minutes for the plaster to harden, pulling heat out of Ro's face as the chemical reaction progressed.
As she gently pried the mask off her face, stray bits of plaster stuck to her skin.
Soon, the students were all sculpting each other.
From the outset, the students' creativity emerged.
Viviane Kim loves Life Savers, so she clustered them on her eyelids and forehead before the plaster was laid down. Her friend, Joo Hyun Lee, put an index finger to her lips, "because I like to keep secrets."
Jackie Kook had picked up a threadbare copy of Marshall McLuhan's "The Medium is the Massage" on her way to class and held it open over her mouth and nose as the plaster was layered over top.
Her Korean friends giggled as they worked away on her. "We're laughing because she never reads," one said.
Ahyoung Sun didn't want to do her face, so she wrapped the plaster around her forearm and hand, index finger pointing. Later, she would cast a light bulb in wax and attach it to the finger. "It is an idea finger," she explained.
Flexible Bella Lee put her feet together, sole to sole, and had her friends cast them in plaster.
"I love to walk because I can get ideas when I walk," she said. "I've been to many places by myself, and from that I've seen so many different people and so many different situations, that I believe that is what has created me."
While each student had to keep her eyes closed during the plaster casting, Robin Scheines of Squirrel Hill did manage to keep her lips curved, so that when she finally levered the mask off, it had a perfect Mona Lisa smile.
After the students had painted the insides of their plaster faces, arms and feet with molten wax and then peeled the plaster away, they could begin the work of transferring their inner selves to their outer forms.
Andrea Meythaler, of Tampa, Fla., decided to honor her mother's and father's love of gardening by festooning her face with organic forms.
She handcrafted branches and tiny mushrooms to attach to them. She tried to make the flowers by hand, too, but the wax kept cracking, so she dipped silk flowers into melted wax. When she was done, with the help of Bennett's welding skills, the greenery would grow directly out of her face.
While Meythaler's mask was elaborate, Carolina Elizabeth Ramos' was the ultimate in simplicity.
The Sao Paulo, Brazil, native says she has a chronic physical ailment she contends with, so she decided to fashion a keyhole in the middle of her forehead, to symbolize how her condition has "made me go into myself and find the strengths in myself to overcome what I have to live with."
Tessa Park, who grew up in Seoul and now lives in Bronxville, N.Y., took a different tack with her face sculpture.
Instead of doing a full mask, she created a profile of her face. She then sculpted a feathered wing where her hair would be, to symbolize how her imagination soars, but also made a hemisphere of wax, to be attached to her face by a real length of chain, to illustrate her feeling that her lack of technical skill holds her back like a ball and chain.
Then there were Bella Lee's feet. The more she worked on them, the more they evolved.
To evoke how she listens to the world while walking, she crafted a set of headphones on them. Then she sculpted her own face onto each foot, one with a normal expression, and the other grimacing, because "in order to get my ideas I sometimes have to see really extreme and dangerous and dirty stuff."
By Oct. 6, the students were ready to witness the final stage of their projects, and unexpectedly, it would all take place outdoors.
When the class started, the students had been surrounded by construction workers remodeling Doherty Hall. Then, Pittsburgh fire inspectors discovered several violations and the class was suddenly shut out of its work space and foundry.
But Bennett, ever resourceful, had located a private foundry in Finleyville, operated by Bob Ferguson, one of his former graduate students. On this balmy fall day, a school bus took several of the students to the outdoor kiln and metal smelter.
The class's carefully crafted sculptures were now encased in kiln-fired ceramic shells that surrounded the empty space where the wax had once been.
Ferguson and his brother-in-law, Ken Runac, propped up the shells in sand pits and then lifted the red-hot crucible of molten aluminum with a pair of tongs and began to pour it into the shells.
So excited that she was bouncing up and down, Andrea Meythaler snapped pictures of the silvery lava flowing into the casts. "This is so cool," she said.
Sometimes, Ron Bennett says, he slips down to the basement of the University Center and just lingers near his students' creations.
"No one knows I have any involvement. The last time I hung up one of the collages, I saw kids coming off the stairways, and these were engineering students, and they would say, 'Oh, that one's new,' and they would run over and investigate.
"That's the power of these faces. I don't get that kind of response when I put a piece of sculpture out in the yard."
He sees the same attachment when former students drop by to visit.
"I'll run into students I haven't seen for five or 10 years. Often they will come in to the shop, and after the reunion talk, I'll say 'What have you been doing?' and they'll say, 'Oh, we just got back from the center to see our faces.' "
Over the years, Bennett said, the face sculptures have become more and more elaborate, almost as if each class were trying to outdo the previous one.
Whether they are fantastical or simple, though, the faces continue to exert a pull on visitors and alumni alike. Arrayed together, they have more power collectively than they do individually.
Bella Lee believes she knows why.
Before coming to Carnegie Mellon, she attended a Quaker school in Pennsylvania, and it instilled in her the idea that everyone is connected to everyone else.
"I like the idea of putting all these projects together and incorporating everyone else's feelings. I think that's a really good idea."
First Published November 14, 2007 12:00 am
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How to Drive Safely in Fog
Whilst many people would advise you to never drive your vehicle during fog, it might not be always at practical option for you. Having your vehicle regularly serviced by qualified auto mechanic will ensure that you have a vehicle which is safe and reliable at all times, but in emergencies you will need to call upon your own skill to keep yourself safe.
This is certainly the case when it comes to driving during storms, snow or when there is fog about. As you know, fog can be quick to descend and whilst you may be driving in clear conditions one moment you may soon find yourself in a thick fog where driving conditions are less than optimum to say the least. That’s why it’s important to have sufficient driving skills to get yourself out of a problem should this occur.
Let’s take a look at some safety tips when it comes to driving in fog.
- First of all the obvious thing to do is to slow down. The at least gives you the benefit of anticipating problems before they arise and you can avoid collisions with other vehicles.
- Turn your lights on so that other people can see you, and make sure you have fog lights turned on too. Fog lights are especially designed to penetrate as far as possible into the fog to make it easier for you to see and for others to see you too.
- If the fog is simply too thick and you cannot see and feel unsafe, pull over to the side of the road and put your hazard lights on, but make sure you pull off as far as possible. In other words leave no part of your vehicle on the road so that other drivers who are brave enough to drive in these conditions will not collide with you.
- Remember to consider drivers behind you. By constantly applying your brakes you may make them nervous and want to overtake you. Drive calmly and carefully and slowly instead.
- Keep your windows and windscreens clear all times by using the wipers and the defroster continuously.
- Expert driving instructors will tell you that the longer you drive in fog the more likely you are to drive faster. Be aware of this and keep your speed at a minimum at all times by watching speedometer carefully.
- Keep distractions to a minimum by turning off your radio or at least turned down so it is barely audible. You may want to listen for traffic or weather reports but at a low-volume you can still pick up these reports.
- If you have to make a turn, make sure you give plenty of notice by turning on your indicators a long way in advance. Then look for lights in every direction before making your turn so that you can avoid oncoming vehicles.
Driving in fog is difficult under any circumstances but these tips should put you in a better position. Your mechanic has a role to play in keeping your vehicle in tiptop condition, but when it comes to driving, it is all up to you.
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Archive for September, 2011
Posted by carldavidson on September 28, 2011
Posted by carldavidson on September 28, 2011
The 4th Congressional District of Pennsylvania Will Lose 7,623 Jobs If New Trade Deals Pass
4th CD Breakdown:
299 in Motor Vehicles & Parts
158 in Other Transport
812 in Electronics
4092 in Metal Product
2025 in Iron Metals
130 in textiles
116 in Apparel
Join the AFL-CIO National Call in to Congressman Altmire on Oct. 4th to stop the Korea Free Trade agreement.
The history of NAFTA shows that Pennsylvania and the 4th CD suffer from free trade deals. We need fair trade.
Pennsylvania lost 313,839 manufacturing jobs (or 35.8 percent) during the NAFTA-WTO period (1994-2010), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.* This figure is for total manufacturing employment, so it takes into account both jobs created by exports and jobs displaced by imports, among other causes of net job change.
The percentage of all private sector jobs that are manufacturing jobs in Pennsylvania declined from 20.1 percent to 11.7 percent during the NAFTA-WTO period.
These are aggregate numbers, but the Department of Labor tracks instances of specific workers at specific workplaces who applied for special benefits for trade-displaced workers. In Pennsylvania, there are 149,519 such workers certified as having lost their job due to imports or offshoring under the Trade Adjustment Assistance program. (Note: This program is difficult to qualify for, and this figure only includes those workers who were certified.)
The Economic Policy Institute found that 26,300 jobs have been lost or displaced in Pennsylvania – and over 680,000 in the United States – due to the rise in the trade deficit with Mexico alone since NAFTA was enacted in 1994.
The Economic Policy Institute also found that 95,700 jobs have been lost or displaced in Pennsylvania – and over two million in the United States – due to the rise in the trade deficit with China since it joined the World Trade Organization in 2001.
Posted by carldavidson on September 28, 2011
Beaver County Mail Carriers Rally
at Rep. Altmire’s Office to Stop
GOP’s Wrecking of National Postal Service
By Carl Davidson
Beaver County Blue
Fifty postal workers and their allies rallied outside the Aliquippa office of Congressman Jason Altmire on the afternoon of Sept 27. They joined postal workers around the country demanding changes in special accounting rules imposed on them by Congress. The cost of the rules threatens to end Saturday deliveries, lay off 120,00 workers and close many post office facilities across the country.
“Congress created this problem and Congress can fix it,’ states a USPS TV ad explained the problem. Unlike any other agency, the are required to overpay billions of dollars into their pension fund by the same amount that it would take to clear up the Post Office’s current deficit.
“They could fix this problem with the stroke of a pen and not cost the taxpayers a penny,’ said Charlie Hamilton, a retired mail carrier and Labor Council member who organized the rally. “But the Republicans are determined to destroy anything with ‘public’ in it connected to the government.”
Altmire spoke briefly to the gathering, saying that he agreed with them, and would back legislation to support them. He warned, however, that the fight would be hard.
“What’s with Issa? Why is he doing this?” shouted one of the workers in a question to Altmire. He was referring to California GOP Rep. Darrell Issa, the House leader of the drive against the Post Office.
“We have a block of people in Congress with the ideology that government shouldn’t do hardly anything, that wants private businesses to take over things like the Post Office. They’re a minority, but they’re what’s making it a tough fight.”
The workers were glad to get Altmire’s support on the issue, but many were still wary due to his recent ‘Blue Dog’ votes with the GOP on other budget matters.
Posted by randyshannon on September 23, 2011
by Randy Shannon
Altmire supported the austerity agenda of the far right which says that emergency aid cannot be funded without cutting the funds of programs already in place.
Neighboring Democratic Congressmen Mark Critz and Mike Doyle voted against the bill that ultimately failed due to overwhelming Democratic opposition and the opposition of a handful of Republicans.
Posted by carldavidson on September 22, 2011
Sept 21, 2011 – 4th CD Progressive Democrats of America at its every 3rd Wednesday ‘Brown Bag Lunch’ vigil at Altmire’s Aliquippa office pressing our Blue Dog Congressman to vote with labor and Obama on the Jobs for America Act
Posted by randyshannon on September 19, 2011
|By: David Dayen Sunday September 18, 2011 3:42 pm|
The successful auto industry rescue is definitely a feather in the cap for the Administration, protecting up to a million direct and indirect auto industry jobs, and putting GM and Chrysler in a position to succeed. Now there’s a new contract with the United Auto Workers to share the success with labor.
Posted by carldavidson on September 19, 2011
Posted by randyshannon on September 14, 2011
DEFAZIO AND SANDERS OFFER PLAN TO PROTECT SOCIAL SECURITY
Urge Deficit Commission to Reject Privatization or Raising Retirement Age; Make Wealthy Pay Same Rate as Working Men and Women
WASHINGTON, September 30 – Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today sent a letter to the co-chairs of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, the so-called Deficit Commission, outlining a plan to protect Social Security for the more than 50 million American seniors collecting benefits. The bi-partisan Deficit Commission is charged with making recommendations to rein in federal spending in order to reduce the federal budget deficit.
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and others have recently suggested that Congress may need to privatize Social Security or raise the retirement age to help save the Social Security program from insolvency. However, we do not need to raise the retirement age or cut benefits to ensure the future solvency of the program. According to the Social Security Trust Fund Board of Trustees annual report which was released last week, without any changes in the program, the Social Security Trust Fund will continue to pay current benefits up until 2037 – 27 years from now. And without any changes in the program, after 2037 the Social Security Trust Fund would continue to pay up to 75% of current benefits until 2075.
Posted by carldavidson on September 7, 2011
Photo: Aliquippa’s SOAR Contingent in Parade
By Kaitlynn Riely
Labor Day was a day off work for many, but for Shawn Wygant, it was one more day he didn’t have a job.
In May, Mr. Wygant, 37, of Forest Hills, was laid off from his job as a washing machine operator for Sodexo. Since then, he has been searching for work, without success.
He uses unemployment benefits to pay his bills and makes large pots of spaghetti to feed his wife, her sister, her brother and a niece and nephew.
Frustration sets in when he sees news reports that say the job situation may not improve for years.
"I can’t wait that long," he said. "We need people to start standing up for us."
On Monday morning, he stood in the rain on Freedom Corner in the Hill District as he prepared to march in the Pittsburgh Labor Day Parade. He was one of about 70,000 who participated in the Downtown procession.
On the annual observance of the contributions of workers, Mr. Wygant’s story was similar to those of millions across the country who have found themselves unemployed or underemployed in the economic downturn.
Nationally, the unemployment rate is 9.1 percent, and in Pennsylvania, it is 7.4 percent.
Jack Shea, president of the Allegheny County Labor Council, and Frank Snyder, the secretary-treasurer of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, called attention to the plight of the jobless at a news conference before the parade Monday.
For the unemployed and the underemployed, the dreary holiday weather was another chapter in a bleak period of their life.
"For the past two years, it’s not been that happy of a Labor Day as they’ve not been able to find work," Mr. Snyder said.
At this year’s Labor Day Parade, one of the largest in the country, Mr. Snyder said he and other leaders of Pittsburgh’s labor community wanted to focus on putting people back to work.
That focus includes both union and non-union workers, he said.
"Unemployment does not discriminate," he said. "Union members as well as non-union members, Democrats, Republicans, no affiliation, find themselves unemployed on this Labor Day."
Dave Ninehouser, the Pittsburgh coordinator for PA Wants to Work, said his group was using Labor Day to ramp up its efforts to help the jobless gain access to resources and to spur the creation of jobs.
"This parade is a perfect example of what we need to do," he said. "Come together, stick together, stand together and fight back."
The parade began at 10 a.m. and lasted almost three hours. Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Bishop David Zubik joined union members ranging from postal employees to Teamsters as they marched from the Civic Arena to the Boulevard of the Allies.
A steady rain fell throughout the morning, but there was a fair turnout, particularly among parade participants.
It was, for many parade participants, a bittersweet Labor Day.
About 5,000 members of the Pennsylvania State Education Association have been laid off from their jobs due to education cuts in the state budget, said Michael J. Crossey, president of the association. As the school year starts, they are out of work instead of in the classrooms, he said.
"We need to start doing the positive things that will move the economy forward," Mr. Crossey said. "This cuts budget doesn’t work."
More than 50 people came out in support of the National Association of Letter Carriers, said Mike Plaskon, the executive vice president for Branch 84.
Part of their aim in marching in the parade, Mr. Plaskon said, was to urge Congress to find legislative solutions for the U.S. Postal Service’s funding crisis.
"Our job is, we are going to get the facts out there, let the public know that they don’t need to close post offices," he said. "They don’t need to eliminate Saturday delivery. They just need to fix the funding."
Therese Kisic of Morningside has never been in a union but has family members who have, and she watches the parade every year.
This year, she said, she wished the labor movement would take its jobs message to Congress.
"I want to move this parade to D.C.," she said.
Although the parade had a definite message — of supporting organized labor, providing access to health care and promoting job creation — it was still a parade, with bands and banners and a few people throwing candy and other prizes to the umbrella-wielding bystanders.
Sandy and Andrew Pszenny of Franklin Park sat in lawn chairs on the sidewalk outside the DoubleTree Hotel, Downtown, and watched for their daughter Amanda, a piccolo player in the North Allegheny marching band.
They sought cover under their umbrellas as rain fell. It was their daughter’s first time marching in a downpour, they said.
"But she’s a tough kid. She likes the weather," Mr. Pszenny said.
Kaitlynn Riely: firstname.lastname@example.org o
Posted by carldavidson on September 6, 2011
Italians Launch General Strike against Austerity
BBC New, Sept 6, 2011
Millions of Italian trade union members are thought to be taking part in a day-long strike against the government’s latest austerity measures.
Flights have been cancelled, trains and buses are stationary, and government offices have been shut across Italy.
The government has faced criticism over a 45bn-euro (£40bn) austerity package, and has been scrambling to revise it.
"This is a plan the country doesn’t deserve," said CGIL union leader Susanna Camusso, marching through Rome.
CGIL, which called the general strike, is Italy’s largest union federation.
It is demanding stronger action against tax dodgers and continuing job protection.
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Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) helped arrange the president’s tour of the disaster, saying support from him would encourage the displaced residents and firefighters.
But former Gov. Bill Owens (R) called the visit “ill-advised,” saying that it would distract from the effort to contain the flames. Authorities say that the president’s tour will not interfere with firefighting efforts.
Taylor Lane, a Junior at the University of Colorado at Boulder, is in her hometown of Colorado Springs this week helping friends evacuate their homes. Two neighborhoods, Pine Valley and Douglass Valley, lifted mandatory evacuations on Friday morning, she said.
The fire has claimed at least 346 homes and 16,750 acres despite the progress that local and national firefighters are making. The Waldo Canyon Fire is the largest of nine major fires currently burning in Colorado.
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Cheryll Schuette in Bella Online shares how “Prayer, study of the sacred texts and meditation upon ways to apply the Word to one’s life are daily requirements at morn and evening” for members of the Baha’i Faith.
“The Founder, Baha’u'llah, wrote numerous prayers and meditations to assist His followers in understanding and achieving a prayerful attitude. “The important thing that should always be borne in mind is that with the exception of certain specific obligatory prayers, Bahá’u'lláh has given us no strict or special rulings in matters of worship whether in the [House of Worship] or elsewhere. Prayer is essentially communion between man and God, and as such transcends all ritualistic forms and formulas.” – Lights of Guidance, p. 460″
Read the full blog entry
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We can expect to see more of the kind of letters and misinformation like the one that appeared in the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus today from Jay Drick, a member of the Livingston County Republican Party's executive committee and a former Republican District Court Judge candidate, as Bush’s tax cuts for the rich are set to expire.
This propaganda piece from Drick throws figures around like 100 million Americans will pay an extra $1,716 a year in taxes a year if they expire, and, of course, there is not one reference or attribution as to where these figures came from. However, a good guess would be the state or national Republic parties
He also used the Bush catch phrase the “death tax” in place of the more accurate estate tax. This is a tax that not one single family in Livingston County will be effected by. It will affect families and people like Paris Hilton and Dick “The Amway Guy” Devos, and God knows those people need all the financial breaks they can get. In fact, more than 99 percent of estates pay no estate tax at all. A better name for the tax is the inheritance tax, and an even better name is the "Paris Hilton tax cut.”
These taxes will only affect the richest 1 percent of the taxpayers at a time when the gap between the rich and the non-rich is growing and the middle class is under assault and disappearing. According to the nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, making the tax cuts permanent would increase the national budget deficit and thereby add to the national debt.
“The interest payments needed to service this higher level of debt would amount to about $500 billion over the next ten years. Thus, the total cost of making these tax cuts permanent, including the related interest costs, would be $3.5 trillion over the ten-year period Once the tax cuts are fully in effect, their annual cost (not including debt service) will amount to about $400 billion per year. In 2006 terms, that amount is more than 7 times what the federal government spent last year on K-12 and vocational education and almost 10 times what it spent on hospital and medical care for veterans. In today’s terms, that amount also exceeds the combined 2006 budgets of the Departments of Education, Homeland Security, Veterans’ Affairs, State, and Energy, and the Environmental Protection Agency.”Watch for these GOP talking point inspired letters in your local newspaper today.
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- Worldstart's Tech Tips Newsletter - http://www.worldstart.com -
Adding Space to Dropbox for Free
Posted By Kevin On April 13, 2011 @ 2:00 PM In Using The Internet | Comments Disabled
How to Earn Additional Space Easily in Dropbox
Dropbox is the best file backup solution out there. It allows us to backup files over the cloud in a reliable and safe manner. I recently discovered that the vast capabilities of Dropbox extend beyond being a simple file backup solution.
With Dropbox, you can synchronize a certain folder over the Internet and can use it like your personal briefcase. This allows access from anywhere, and also makes it easy to move files across computers. The moment you put anything into that folder, it is automatically set to sync online and can be accessible to anyone you share it with. I am really enjoying the backup and syncing capabilities of Dropbox and you should try it too. Go to this link to see how you can start using Dropbox.
I am using Dropbox to sync and backup nearly all my projects and it keeps them synchronized across my teams as well. The best part of the entire story, is that Dropbox is totally free for basic usage, and offers you a space of 2 GB initially, which is enough for basic tasks.
However, your disk space requirement might extend at times, and it becomes a hassle. Two options come to your rescue. You can either buy additional space or, you can get them for free by inviting friends to Dropbox.
Inviting one new friend to Dropbox as the cost for each 250 MB
You can invite new friends to Dropbox, and each successfully converted invite will earn you 250 MB of additional space. Divided by 6 GB, that makes a maximum of 24 friend invites.
Go to the Dropbox homepage at http://www.dropbox.com and login with your username and password.
Enter your login credentials in the box that pops up. Click on login once you are done.
Once you’re inside, you will find a page that looks like the one shown below. You will also find a Get extra space free link as shown. Click on the link.
The page clearly says that you earn an additional 250 MB for every referral made.
Scroll down on the page to see the area where you can send out invites.
There are two ways you can invite friends. Invite them directly by supplying their email addresses as shown here, of you can log in to your email account to fetch a contact list and send out the invites.
After you send an invite, click on the Account link at the top right hand corner to see your account status.
Check your account status. It says 2.5 GB for me, and you will get an additional 250 MB.
Go back to your Dropbox home page and you will see a message announcing your additional space.
You can keep on earning more free space each day with this method. Likewise, you can send out Dropbox invitation mails to 24 email contacts to reach that 8 GB space instantly. However, the space is added only if your contact accepts the invitation and becomes a user at Dropbox.
Article printed from Worldstart's Tech Tips Newsletter: http://www.worldstart.com
URL to article: http://www.worldstart.com/adding-space-to-dropbox-for-free/
URLs in this post:
this link: http://www.worldstart.com/adding-dropbox-to-windows-7/
http://www.dropbox.com: http://www.dropbox.com
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Nature Bulletin No. 282-A November 11, 1967
Forest Preserve District of Cook County
Richard B. Ogilvie, President
Roland F. Eisenbeis, Supt. of Conservation
Chicago stands at the crossroads of America -- the heart of the Middle
West -- and one of the most important natural resources upon which it
depends is the Niagara limestone beneath it. The bedrock in this region
consists of layer upon layer of limestones, shales and sandstones
stacked almost a half mile thick on top of the ancient granite, once
molten, that formed the original surface of the earth before oceans
formed and life appeared. The Niagara limestone is the uppermost layer
here but few of us are aware of it because it is covered with soil and
ground up rock -- glacial drift -- ranging from a few feet to a hundred or
more feet in depth.
The steel skeletons of the skyscrapers, in and near the Loop, rest on
huge concrete "legs" that extend down to rest upon this thick layer of
Niagara limestone. Farther out, huge industrial plants have been built
where this bedrock lies just beneath the surface. Formerly, many
industries, including the stockyards and meat packing plants, and many
suburbs, depended upon the supply of underground water obtained from
deep wells into this limestone or the other layers of sedimentary rocks
below it. Thousands of outlying homes, and our forest preserves, still
depend upon wells tapping the Niagara formation. Around the city, in
its suburbs and as far away as Kankakee and Joliet, there are several
great limestone quarries in operation: some of them hundreds of acres
in area and some over 300 feet deep. Many more have been abandoned
and several, including some very deep ones within Chicago itself, have
been filled with refuse and excavated material.
Years ago, these quarries supplied blocks of limestone for the buildings
and sidewalks of this region. Miles and miles of such blocks protect our
lake front. Today, crushed limestone is used in making the concrete that
goes into the construction of buildings, streets, sidewalks and highways.
Limestone dust is spread over the fields of Illinois farms as "soil sugar"
to sweeten the soil and help increase its fertility. The cement used in
making concrete is manufactured at mills in Gary, Indiana, and near
LaSalle and Dixon in Illinois, where crushed limestone is burned with
slag or with clay and then ground into fine powder. Further, crushed
limestone is an essential ingredient, a fluxing material, that makes it
possible to remove impurities from the iron ore in the smelters which
produce pig iron for the great steel mills at South Chicago and Gary.
This limestone is called Niagara because it is the same layer that dips
downward and reappears as the ledge of hard rock that forms the lip of
Niagara Falls. Around Chicago it varies in thickness from about 450
feet to 200 feet or less. Its composition is more than 90 percent calcium
carbonate and magnesium carbonate. .Where the latter is present in
sufficient quantity, it is called dolomite. It was formed beneath a warm
shallow salty sea that must have covered almost half of North America,
a few hundred millions of years ago. The shells of countless billions of
many kinds of marine animals disintegrated and formed a limy mud
upon the bottom, which became thicker and thicker and gradually
hardened into rock. All this went on very, very slowly. It is estimated
that several thousand years were required to build a single inch of this
rock, and many millions of years to lay down the entire layer of Niagara
limestone. There was no hurry, then.
In the quarries we find ancient reefs of corals and the fossil remains of
the ancestors of our modern octopus, starfish, snails, clams, the
chambered nautilus and the horse-show crab.
They lived, they died, and now they help build Chicago.
To return to the Nature Bulletins Click Here!
Update: June 2012
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Dead River Public Reserved Land
When newly commissioned colonel Benedict Arnold plotted the route for an invasion of Canada in 1775, he used central Maine’s Dead River. Today, however, the only invaders to this popular river region are whitewater rafters, canoers and kayakers. Comprised of several miles of shore along Flagstaff Lake and the first miles of the Dead River as it leaves the lake, Dead River Public Reserved Land encompasses more than 4,700 acres. Year-round activities range from camping, fishing, boating, swimming, canoeing, and horseback riding to snowmobiling, off-road biking, and even ATV riding. In fact, for those seeking Maine ATV trails, Dead River is the place to come; there are a plethora of trails to explore.
Whatever your favorite outdoor activity, Dead River Public Reserved Land provides a spot to set up camp and kick back after the day’s excitement. The lake campsites are accessible by boat only, but the Big Eddy campground on the river welcomes all comers. With fishing so popular, there’s no question what most visitors will be grilling come suppertime.
Situated several miles northeast of the 35,000-acre Bigelow Preserve (through which passes a stretch of the Appalachian Trail), this public land is overseen by the Bigelow Mountain Range, so the Dead River area offers spectacular scenery as well as endless outdoor fun. Whether you’re packing snowshoes, paddles, or ATV helmet, don’t forget to tuck in the camera, too.
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Scientists continue to scare the world population with imminent disasters. This time, the role of the force of nature that will destroy the planet was given to the Global Flood. Spanish hydrologists believe that it can occur in the beginning of this century due to the melting of the glaciers. Will their predictions come true?
Modeling of changes in the Atlantic currents that took place in the past allowed the international team of scientists to calculate the speed at which the level of the World Ocean is rising. Hydrologists believe that in this century the water can claim the territory of the largest sea powers. Traditionally, scientists blame this on the notorious global warming, whose existence has not been proved.
The researchers from Seville University believe that as the global warming progresses, the underwater currents in the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans grow stronger.
Yet, they cannot answer the question why this happens (logically, the effect should be the opposite because warming reduces the difference between the temperature of water at the equator and the poles that creates global oceanic currents similar to the Gulf Stream).
Hydrologists think that additional redistribution of water that occurs due to these phenomena speeds up the approaching of the ocean. This statement seems doubtful because it violates the law of mass preservation, because stronger currents cannot create additional volume of water out of nothing.
Yet, according to the forecast of the Spanish specialists, this will happen in the middle of the 21 century. As a result, the larger part of Island, nearly entire Scotland and many northern islands will be covered with water. Denmark and Netherlands are also threatened with floods.
Besides, the authors of this forecast are convinced that melting of the arctic ice will cause cooling of the Gulf Stream. It is not very clear how this is connected to the global warming that is to cause the rise of the water temperature in the tropics where the Gulf Stream starts.
In addition, it seems that two mutually exclusive processes will occur on Earth simultaneously – rising of the temperature and glaciers melting, and cooling of the Gulf Stream.
But back to our climate-related horror story invented by the Spanish hydrologists.
The cooling of the Gulf Stream will destroy the temperature balance in the north. The world population will not be able to live on the remaining territories of Great Britain, Ireland and partially Canada.
The melting of the southern glaciers threatens nearly all the rest of island countries in the Pacific and Indian oceans, as well as Australia and South America.
What is the conclusion of the story? It looks like there will be simultaneous global warming and new ice age. However, this idea is so absurd that even school kids are not scared by it. Yet, the researchers might have meant something else.
It looks like they suggested the following scheme of the catastrophe. First, global warming will cause mass melting of the glaciers, which will result in a temporary rise of the level of the world ocean and some inhibited territories will be flooded.
Significant masses of cold water that formed as a result of glaciers melting will cause the Gulf Stream to stop, and the climate in the Northern hemisphere will get colder. It will stop the glaciers melting and a part of water that caused the Global Flood will freeze again.
The level of the world ocean will drop again, the flooded lands will be out of the water, but will be so cold that life on them will be impossible. This theory looks most logical since in this interpretation it, at the very least, does not contradict itself.
But how realistic is it? Mostly likely, not at all, and here is why. Even if we imagine that all ice of Arctic and Antarctic melt for a short period of time, not all the water will get to the ocean. The rise of average temperature on the planet will cause the water to evaporate faster. As a result, rain clouds will form which do not always pour their water on the ocean. A large part of rains will get to the land.
These rains may “soak” the territories of huge deserts like Sahara, Gobi, Kara Kum and Kyzyl Kum. The freed-up water will form new rivers and lakes on their territories.
Of course, it will eventually make its way to the ocean, but this process will be lengthy and will not cause an immediate change in the level of the ocean.
Additionally, enhanced snow precipitation on the poles will cause formation of new ice. The summer on the poles is short and not very hot, so all the snow that falls in the winter will not melt. It will be accumulating and will eventually turn into ice.
This means that our planet is capable of regulating the level of the ocean on its own. Possibly, the process described above will take hundreds of thousands or even millions of years, and during these regulations transgression may occur, however, it is hardly likely that it will be catastrophic.
It should be remembered that any transgression causes flooding of some territories and “rising” of other ones from the water.
As for the “stop” of the Gulf Stream, according to the studies of Russian paleoscientists conducted back in the 20th century, it was to cause global warming, not global cooling of the area near the poles.
What are the sources of the “raw material” for the polar ice? They are snow precipitation brought by this warm current.
If the Gulf Stream does not supply snow to the north, then the ice will not be able to recreate and will eventually melt.
The situation with the South Pole and Antarctic is even more interesting. The masses of water that formed due to the melting of the glaciers cannot depart from the continent because they will not be stopped by cold currents “covering” the ice continent. Accumulation of cold water around Antarctic will cause a local drop of temperature and formation of new masses of ice. This means that Australians, New Zealanders and residents of Oceania do not have reasons to worry.
As you can see, the prediction of Spanish hydrologists will hardly come true. Most likely, the scientists understand it themselves. Perhaps, the model was meant to scare the taxpayers and pump out more money for research.
Unfortunately, this method to get new grants is becoming increasingly more popular because people are ready to pay to avoid catastrophic events. If the catastrophe does not happen (which is most likely), the researchers will not have to account for the money they have spent.
These apocalyptic events are so tiring that there is a great temptation to adopt the method of an ancient Chinese Emperor who would generously pay for predictions, but if they would not come true, would have the “fortune tellers” and their families executed.
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Displaying 631 to 636 of 681 results
If you have an idea for a business and want to progress it, you are probably thinking in earnest about your business plan. If you are looking for outside finance, you are no doubt keen that the business plan will be a great marketing tool for your idea to banks or other investors.
Years ago, when private equity was still called venture capital, I was involved in funding start-ups. I would look through countless business plans, trying to sort the ‘possible’ from the ‘dream-on’ varieties, with a view to investing in the best. Some plans were back-of-the-envelope affairs, with enthusiasm but no financial viability analysis; some described in depth inventive products, but showed no realism with regard to cost of production; others assumed world domination in a few months.
But what really put me off was the business plan that plainly had been written by someone other than the people who were going to make the idea happen. However slick the document, with every possible detail carefully analysed in beautiful spreadsheets, if the words do not reflect the essence of the entrepreneur – his enthusiasm, her conviction the idea will succeed, their commitment to the project – then the proposal will lack that essential ingredient that is the reason for making an investment. The basis of our decisions was mimicry of estate agents’ ‘location, location, location’ replacing the key word with ‘management’. Yes, of course we wanted to see that the projections made sense, and that the amount of investment required was adequate and would be wisely spent; that there was indeed a market for the product or service, and that it would be sold appropriately. But the key was always: is this the right person to make the proposed business succeed?
So if you do use professionals to help compile your business plan, make sure that the final result is imbued with your DNA, and that it convinces the reader why you are the one to turn the plan into the success you describe.
When selling it's often very easy to forget that a feature is what a product is… an intrinsic characteristic of the product or service.
Examples of features are:
All very interesting (or perhaps not!) but of no real concern to the buyer who really wants to know what the product will do for him/her.
In other words, the benefits.
For example: “This promotion will increase your sales (feature) which means that you will get increased turnover and profit” (benefit)
Or…. “The new display unit is compact and eye catching (feature) which means that you will get more impulse sales at the till points (benefit), therefore increasing your profits” (benefit)
Never forget… the product features are important but they are unlikely to clinch the sale without making the link in the customer’s mind to the specific benefit they will derive from the product.
That is what the customer is really interested in!
Any type of vehicle can be used to deliver cargo, freight or precious items. Most commonly you will see small vans, although once upon a time it was lots of motorcycles.
What happens if someone causes you to have an accident? Or you hit another vehicle? How will your business operate if your main tool for work is out of action?
When starting a courier business, insurance can seem like a big expenditure. People know exactly what they are getting when they buy a van, but insurance can be a bit fuzzier. For example, do you really need insurance at all to be a courier? After all it's only delivering stuff.
The answer to that question is a resounding yes, it's essential for a courier business to have insurance. What type of insurance is down to the business owner. Insurance for couriers comes in several types:
Goods in Transit Insurance covers the potential damage of goods on the vehicle whilst in transit. Goods in Transit doesn't cover all goods, so check what your policy covers.
Light Haulage Insurance offers similar cover to courier insurance and goods in transit but for a limited amount of drops per day, often 3.
Hire and Reward Insurance covers you for the carrying of other parties' goods.
At the very least you need hire and reward insurance. It may not give you as much 'cover' as the other options but to be without insurance is a situation that may cost you business. Customers are reluctant to let their goods be transported and delivered without insurance no matter how safe you think you are!
It's quite common for glass, fine arts, ceramic, antiques and second hand goods to be uninsured under the 'goods in transit' or courier insurance policies.
These need to be specified as add ons to your policy when you talk to your broker. Make sure you find out what is excluded and whether it is financially beneficial to have these added on before you buy your insurance policy.
If you decide to trade without insurance, stop for a moment and think... How will you pay if your clients goods are damaged in an accident? How will you continue with your business?
Sarah Arrow is co author of the Complete Courier guide which is an essential guide for self employed couriers looking to start their own courier business. It can be downloaded from http://www.thecouriershop.co.uk.
Our clients, and most people we've met and talks and events recently, have asked the same question: Is social media appropriate for business-to-business marketing? Unequivocally, the answer is YES. In the last year, 40% of Clear Thought's revenue can be tracked back to a social media source, and 100% has been enhanced or aided by it in some way. In the last six weeks alone, here are some things that Clear Thinkers have achieved through social media:
From a new business perspective, social media has critical impact in the first three stages of the sales funnel. That is, Awareness, Interest and Evaluation. From a social media perspective, you need to do the following: To generate awareness: 'Be There' find out where your prospects hang out online and have a presence there. To convert awareness in the interest: 'Be Relevant ' provide information that is useful or controversial to pull people into your content. To make it through evaluation: 'Be Proven' provide case study and testimonials at every turn online, ideally with other people talking on your behalf. To really make the most of the channel, it makes sense to get some expert support - particularly in measuring and enhancing your activity. But, here are some really simple things to get you started. 10 FREE things you can do to generate awareness online:
10 FREE things you can do to generate interest online:
10 (nearly) FREE ways to prove your credentials online:
Note: In this blog, we're focusing specifically on lead generation. It is worth noting (and blogging in the future) that social media can be powerfully used in market research, recruitment, lead nurturing and much more. You might also be interested in:
Nasty Nick Griffin’s much-publicised appearance on Question Time raised a lot of questions, namely about democracy and freedom of speech, and about how much freedom is too much when your views just happen to be fascist.
Pay attention employers, because these uncomfortable questions may be closer to home than you think.
The media has started its own debate over the BBC’s invitation to Griffin to join other, mainstream politicians on its flagship current affairs programme; The Guardian claims the BNP is losing the support of even its own loyalists over Griffin’s performance, while The Telegraph insists the programme has given the party a platform from which to ensnare new supporters.
Either way, the BNP has upset and enraged a lot of people in the last few days alone, with its anti-almost-everybody viewpoints. Democracy is democracy, and you can’t ignore that more than a handful of people are putting their crosses in the BNP box, but it is a challenge for every one of us to decide how to deal with this.
Look a little deeper and there are parallels here with the workplace. How far should you allow your employees to discuss their religious, social or political views in the workplace, if there is a risk that they could seriously upset other people with them?
Luckily, as a business owner, there is a more clearly defined line for you to draw, partly because your employees have not been elected or recruited on their personal policies, although healthy debate can benefit your business in many ways.
While your staff obviously have a human right to manifest their beliefs and express their opinions, you must keep a beady eye out to ensure that what they express does not discriminate against or undermine other employees. It may be unlikely that you have a BNP activist in your midst, but any viewpoint that undermines someone based on their gender, age, race or religion, or simply makes them feel uncomfortable, can have serious consequences.
Aside from a dent in your team’s morale, constant controversial comments or an over-zealous employee trying to convert people to their religion or cause can lead to staff absence or legal claims of discrimination or harassment, both of which can be expensive and damaging.
Speaking to Acas equality specialist, Steve Williams, recently, I found out that employers can protect their business from these perils by including some pointers in their HR policy, and by having a quiet word with anyone that breaches them.
“Emphasise that discussion is welcome but that it must not be used to oppress or discriminate against other staff,” he adds. “Spell it out — for example, it is acceptable for an employee to mention that they go to church or campaign for the Green Party, but if they start pressurising other people, that isn’t.”
On the bright side, Williams told me that most employees have an “innate sense” of where the line should be drawn with regard to other people’s feelings, and would soon apologise if they realised they had overstepped it. If we are to take his word for it, there’s a good chance you will never be faced with this complex problem. Nevertheless, in the face of an increasingly re-politicised population, you should be well-prepared.
I love the internet; in the last 50 years has there been a more important development in the history of business? People compare the net to other important media developments, such as the printing press, the TV or radio. Wrong. The internet is bigger than all of those put together.
For business the internet is the ultimate leveller. For the first time we have a platform that allows the small guys, the spare room businesses and entrepreneurial spirits to compete with the big goliaths. And competition generally has intensified. As a software and services provider I can tell you it has forced the entire industry to up our game radically.
The internet makes it much easier to find all of the products and services you need to start a business. Much of your business can be run online and you can even access cheap but talented resources from across the world. When your product or service is ready, you can let the world know too.
Ten years ago I recall working for a mammoth international TV and media company that invested millions of both time and money into its billing and subscription platform. All it wanted to do was ensure no matter how or where you subscribed, it all came into a single system. This wasn’t rocket science, but at the time it was complex to stitch disparate software and web systems together, and it came with a suitably horrible price tag.
The internet has turned this problem on its head; you don’t need a million bucks any more. There are hundreds of free or low cost solutions available to help you run a startup professionally.
My own company, SellerDeck provides functionality out of the box for controlling multiple retail channels (e.g. web, shop, phone, mail). Ten years ago this concept wasn’t even around. Today you can buy standard applications and services at a commodity price.
So, this is a very exciting time to be starting a business. The tools are out there for you to create both great products and services. For once you don’t need an IPO to afford them.
What are you waiting for?
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Online Safety: An Introduction
They connect to it. They download from it. They watch on it. They listen to it. They play on it. They surf on it. They converse with it. Do you know how to monitor it? It can be hard to keep up when today’s inventions are tomorrow’s antiques, but we want our kids to be safe online, and with the amount of time kids spend online, it’s crucial that you do what you can to keep them safe.
Did You Know?
- Kids who are educated in the importance of online safety are more likely to take steps to keep themselves safe online than kids who aren’t educated.1
- One out of five teenagers use their cell phones to go online.2Of those who do, one out of five say their parents don’t know that they do this.3
- One half of all teenagers post their real age on social networking sites.4 Two out of five post the name of the city where they live.5
- While 25 percent of 13- to 15-year-olds think it’s unsafe to post personal stuff online, only 14 percent of 16- to 18-year-olds feel the same way.7
- Two out of five teenagers are exposed to pornography online.8
- Two out of three teenagers say that cyberbullying is a serious problem.10 One out of three say that online bullying is worse than being bullied in person.11
1. Dian Schaffhauser, “Teens’ Online Safety Improved by Education, Research Shows,” The Journal (2008), http://thejournal.com/articles/2008/11/25/teens-online-safety-improved-b….
2. Kim Thomas, “Teen Online & Wireless Safety Survey: Cyberbullying, Sexting, and Parental Controls,” Cox Communications (2009), http://www.cox.com/takecharge/safe_teens_2009/media/2009_teen_survey_int…
4. Ibid., 18.
6. Ibid., 19.
8. Andrew Schrock and Danah Boyd, Enhancing Child Safety & Online Technologies: Final Report of the Internet Safety Technical Task Force, The Berman Center for Internet & Society (2008), 29, http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/sites/cyber.law.harvard.edu/files/ISTTF_Fin….
10. Thomas, 27.
Related Blog Posts
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Celebrity business has always been big business. The year 1910 is no different in a remote town in Russia called Astapovo. The Count, Leo Tolstoy, is living out his last hours in the stationmaster’s house. Considering what an important man The Count is, it is a given that his death will be “covered” extensively by the media. It turns out that media outlets from all over the world have descended upon the sleepy hamlet, desperately trying to grab at some nugget of information that might emanate from the papered doors of the stationmaster’s house. Among these news-hungry people is a young cameraman, Nikolai Gribshin, who works for the French movie company Pathe Freres.
As he tries to capture the drama of the events unfolding before him, Gribshin is convinced that the camera is a powerful weapon of the future. It can be channeled towards more “useful” ventures. At the melee in the station, Gribshin also meets two other interesting characters — one a scientist, Professor Vorobev, who strongly believes in immaculate embalming as a way of indefinitely preseving the present. The other is a “Caucasian” who it turns out is Stalin. In actuality, of course, Stalin was never around at the time of Tolstoy’s death. In a powerful what-if, author Ken Kalfus wonders how Stalin would have exploited these two powerfully potent media: the camera and the art of preservation. Stalin recognizes the potential of the cinematic medium early on and conveys his exuberance to Gribshin:
“The camera does not lie. The lens has no motives, no class background, no secret interests. It’s a piece of glass. It has no mechanism for lying. When we gaze at the cinema screen, regardless of how flickering and scratched the image, or the distractions of the cinema hall, or the competence of the cinematographer, we know that we peer through a transparent windowpane onto reality. Consider the potential: for education, for science, for documenting injustice, for ripping away the veil of lies thrown up by language.”
And so it happens that Gribshin leaves Astapovo with a potent knowledge of how to “assemble facts into something useful.”
The second half of the book is set in post-revolutionary Russia. The state is still vulnerable and the masses are ignorant. Enter Gribshin (renamed Astapov) as a member of The Commissariat of Enlightenment. The agency is nothing more than a propaganda machine meant to disseminate the word of Stalin and the Bolsheviks. Both Stalin and Astapov use the powerful media at their disposal to create material that will hold sway over the masses. Both are convinced that:
“a man’s psyche would be continually massaged, pummeled, and manipulated (by the camera) so that he would be unable to complete a thought without making reference to some image manufactured for his persuasion, Exhausted, his mind would hunger for thoughtlessness. Political power and commercial gain would follow.”
Toward the end when Comrade Lenin is on his deathbed, the embalmer, Professor Vorobev, is called in to preserve a certain vision of the leader requested by Stalin. After all, “leaders have to be more than known; their characters would have to be forged by narrative.”
Kalfus’s debut novel reminds one of the other famous novel set in Russia this season, The Slynx. While The Commissariat of Enlightenment does not share any similarities with The Slynx’s bizarre plotline, both novels maintain a stringent, almost unremitting focus on a plot that portrays the evils of a censored society. Kalfus has developed a whopper of a thesis, but his characters seem at times a little out of focus. In the beginning, Gribshin seems to be a young man full of promise. His transformation into the hard Astapov is a little fuzzy and unconvincing.
Throughout the novel, Kalfus’s imagery is striking. Of particular appeal is his use of light as a symbolism of many opposites: the black and white of the media circus as opposed to the desperate town at its edges, the black and white of the “ignorant superstitious masses” as opposed to the more “enlightened” radicals, and the black and white of the truths and lies told us by the camera.
The Commissariat of Enlightenment is a wonderful novel built around the basic premise of truths and half-truths. Kalfus warns, “even in the Western countries, where the written word had reigned for centuries, the bourgeois eye was increasingly overwhelmed by visual representations unhinged from language.” If that is indeed the case, one prays that the hand cranking the celluloid does not belong to an “Astapov”. In the modern world, now more than ever, we cannot afford a doctored version of reality.
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The fort of Nea Pafos (Paphos) is located at the west end of the harbor. It was built during the Frankish occupation in the 13th century in order to replace the Byzantine castle of 'Saranta Kolones'. The fort has only one entrance on its east side and very small windows. Its main part is a big square tower that has an enclosed courtyard in the middle. The Venetians dismantled the fort in 1570 so that the Ottomans, who had begun their conquest of the island, would not use it. According to a Turkish inscription placed above the entrance the Ottomans rebuilt the fort in 1780. Nearby are the ruins of a second fort, which was probably built in the same period.
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The FDA has now approved Strattera (atomoxetine), a new non-stimulant drug to treat ADHD in adults and children over age 6. This is not the first non-stimulant medication for ADHD though. Antidepressants, including Wellbutrin (bupropion hydrochloride) and tricyclics, like Desipramine and Imipramine, have long been considered second line medications, and are sometimes used when two or more stimulants don't work, are contraindicated, or cause too many side effects. Antidepressants are usually not considered to be as effective as stimulants though. And these medicines aren't FDA approved to treat ADHD, so Strattera's claim of being 'the first non-controlled medication that's FDA-approved to treat ADHD' is technically true.
The introduction of Strattera (pronounced Stra-tair-a) is going to be welcome news for most parents. Although widely known to be safe and effective, stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin, have long had a bad reputation and many parents are anti-Ritalin and hesitant to put their kids on a stimulant. So if it isn't a stimulant, how does Strattera work? It is thought to be 'a potent inhibitor of the presynaptic norepinephrine transporter,'1 which causes more norepinehrine to be available to increase attention and control hyperactivity and impulsivity. Like the stimulants, it is not yet known exactly how Strattera works though.
Although a new medicine, six research studies have already been done that show that Strattera is safe and effective.
One of these studies, Atomoxetine and methylphenidate treatment in children with ADHD: a prospective, randomized, open-label trial,1 compared Strattera and Ritalin. These children with ADHD, 228 in all, received either Strattera or Ritalin for 10 weeks, and those who took Strattera were found to have 'symptom reduction' and 'tolerability' that were 'comparable to that observed with' Ritalin.
- new or increased thoughts of suicide
- changes in mood or behavior including becoming irritable or anxious
References:1Atomoxetine and methylphenidate treatment in children with ADHD: a prospective, randomized, open-label trial. Kratochvil CJ - J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry - 01-Jul-2002; 41(7): 776-84
2Once-daily atomoxetine treatment for children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a randomized, placebo-controlled study. Michelson D - Am J Psychiatry - 01-Nov-2002; 159(11): 1896-901
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"How can we reverse the downward spiral?"
As a banker, Eric Holterhues is struck by the fact that the cultural sector mainly concentrates on the short term: financing its operations, whereas what is important is to have a vision that will last longer than the next four years. If it is the mission of an organisation to provide society with a particular service, this ambition must also be able to be financed in the medium and long term. It is all about sustainable financial entrepreneurship.
When considering that art and culture are at a turning point – and that’s where we are, now that one of the most important finance providers, the government, is withdrawing – we immediately tend to look for solutions and focus on discussions about funding. However, when such serious developments as the ones we are seeing nowadays affect the financing of art and culture, it seems to me a good idea to take two steps back before we answer these questions. The first step is to establish the mission and ambition. Only then can we define the financing question.
Step 1 – What is your mission?
In the summer of 2011 I attended the Summer Intensive Program in Arts Administration at New York University. The impressive thing about this programme was not so much that we learned all sorts of techniques for acquiring money in different ways, but the focus there was on non-profit organisations’ missions. What is your mission? What is your organisation’s purpose here on earth? How do you serve the community? The latter is a little different than the more point-blank question: what is your target group? It is asking how you as a cultural institution are literally of service to a community. How does your institution give added value to your community? What is its role in society? This mission points you in a direction: your ambition. In my opinion, certainly now that the landscape is changing so fast, every cultural institution should first ask itself these questions: What is our mission? What is our goal?
Step 2 – Define your financing question
Once your mission and goal are known, another question needs to be answered before you start looking for sources of funding. This is the financing question: what do you need the money for?
It strikes me that the cultural sector mainly concentrates on the short term: financing its operations. And that’s no surprise, since that is the greatest concern at present: how are salaries, productions, exhibitions, gas, water and electricity to be paid? Apart from the short-term financing question: the operational budget (which is the most urgent), there are two more questions every sound business and non-profit organisation has to answer. The financing question for the medium term relates to investments. Which investments are needed to fundamentally improve operations in the medium term? Which investments can I make that will lead to sustained higher income and/or lower costs in my operations? The long-term financing question is that of building up reserves. These reserves will ensure continuity for the longer term. Theoretically they will not be used and the revenues they generate form a source of income for the operational budget. In times of need, if the funding for operations or investments falls short, a claim can be made on these reserves.
Apart from hammering on about the mission, repeated warnings were given in New York about not confusing these different financing questions and not raiding a surplus from one to pay the other. The financing questions regarding operations, investments and strengthening reserves are separate issues with separate sources of funding.
Step 3 – Specify which source of funding is for which financing question
Once the ambition has been expressed and the consequences it has for the short, medium and long term have been identified in a business plan, it is time to look for operational funding, for buffer equity and for investments, in that order.
It is important that operational funding does not become dependent on one dominant source of income. Sound operations are built on several sources of funding. Compare it to a company: its turnover might be excellent, but if that turnover is only coming from one client, the company is very vulnerable. If that client were to withdraw its business, the company would collapse, certainly if there are no reserves.
A whole range of sources of funding is possible for financing operations. This might include the institution’s own income from ticket sales, sponsoring by industry, gifts from private foundations, or gifts from friends.
To guarantee continuity for the longer term, it is wise to build up sound buffer capital or an endowment. In an ideal world, an institution has two years’ worth of annual turnover to fall back on; this will allow it to withstand hard times and the revenues such capital produces will provide a source of income for operations. Building up buffer capital or an endowment can provoke conflicts with subsidy providers. It would be good for the sector not only to lobby for a subsidy for its operations, but also for permission to accrue equity.
Equity is generally accrued from the operational surplus. However, in non-profit institutions, this surplus is zero, or very limited, since they operate on zero-based budgeting. The dominant sources of funding for equity are therefore wealthy parties such as patrons and sponsors: parties who are prepared to commit themselves to an organisation for a period longer than a few years. These are gifts: sums of money donated by others which are permanently placed on deposit at an institution (in the case of patrons, this could be money from bequests). Equity in business is further underpinned by issuing shares. An alternative for issuing shares is to issue bonds.This is a very common construction in the United States for funding hospitals and schools but also for cultural institutions. In both cases - shares and bonds – money is placed temporarily with an institution: after some time you get your money back, with interest. The institution can use this money to finance investments it wishes to make and/or to underpin – temporarily – its reserves. It is important that banks start to offer products to make this possible; Triodos Bank is looking into whether this is possible.
Investments are essential to be able to fundamentally improve your operations in the medium term. A theatre might want to renovate to become more attractive to the public, a museum might invest in a new museum shop to give it an additional source of income, or a musician might invest in a musical instrument that will help him to make better music. In other words, investments that lead to systematically better operations in the medium term because they provide for an increase in income. Investments that lead to structurally lower costs could be, for example, investments in a new heating installation that is more energy-efficient than the old one, or investments in a new security system so that savings can be made on gallery attendants.
Nowadays, the financing of investments in the cultural sector is dominated by gifts from authorities, industry, private individuals and funds. Outside the cultural sector, however, this role is played by banks and investment funds, who traditionally fund investments. When the cultural sector is threatened by a shortage of funds, it would be a good idea for it to look at the possibilities banks and investment funds offer too. Triodos Bank is the only bank that has specialised in this and actively makes this known. We have a team of account managers working with artists and cultural institutions on a daily basis and we also try to develop a stream of new products that enable a bank to finance the cultural sector.
Step 4 – How can ambition, financing questions and sources of funding be integrated?
The various money issues and the sources of funding that play a dominant role in them may be separate pathways, but they reinforce each other too: one can serve to drive the other. From a banker’s viewpoint, I can see a number of possibilities: banks are comforted by the idea that buffer capital is being accrued when they finance investments. It ensures you have a back-up when times are hard so that when economies have to be made or when a subsidy is withdrawn, you always have something to fall back on; this gives banks confidence to do business with you. A wide circle of friends gives subsidy funds the confidence that you have a broad social support base. Stable operations funded from several sources give banks confidence to finance your investments over many years because there is less likelihood that you will run into trouble when the next spending cuts occur.
The broad basis for financing the things you want to do – your operational budget as well as your investments and your buffer capital – does much more than just bring money in. It brings more commitment; it ensures a much broader support base in society, more involvement and more engagement. It makes you much more broadly embedded than when you are dependent on a single source, such as the government.
Above all, these sources of funding offer different perspectives. In terms of content, the subsidy fund challenges you to provide a good, artistically-defined product and the association of friends keeps you alert about being customer-friendly. Your mission has to be the touchstone when you integrate these different perspectives: what is your purpose as an institution, what are you on this earth to do, now that art is at a turning point?
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The mission of the Center for Research on Reproduction & Women’s Health (CRRWH) at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania is to advance the fields of reproduction and women’s health through (1) interdisciplinary research and training in basic, translational and clinical investigation and (2) promotion of the well being of women through the study of gender-specific biology and female-specific health and disease.
Utilizing team science, the investigators of the Center aim to:
- Understand the pathophysiology and health sequelae, and develop treatments for conditions of public health importance such as menopause, endometriosis, fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome and obesity, urinary incontinence and gynecologic cancers.
- Increase our understanding of human reproduction through the study of male and female infertility, fertility regulation, pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes.
- Expand our basic knowledge of the developmental origins of neonatal, pediatric and adult health and disease through the study of pre-implantation and in utero development.
- Unravel the complex disease states that adversely affect maternal and child health and test interventions to reduce maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality.
Activities in the Center cut across basic science and clinical disciplines in accordance with contemporary views of women’s health, which hold that these involve much more than gynecological issues. This multidisciplinary biomedical research enterprise is composed of faculty from the departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pharmacology, Pathology, Medicine, Cell and Developmental Biology, Genetics, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Clinical Studies and Animal Biology (School of Veterinary Medicine) and Biology (School of Arts and Sciences).
Please browse our website and learn about our long-standing commitment to improving reproductive and women's health through basic and clinical research.
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A Short Film by TGR on Winter, Snow and the Affects of Climate Change
Jackson Hole, WY - World-renowned action sports filmmakers Teton Gravity Research is proud to introduce Generations, a short film on the consequences of Climate Change upon winter environments and snow culture. Presented by The North Face in partnership with the non-profit group Protect Our Winters, Generations discusses climate change through the perspectives of those for whom snowy winters have a deeper personal significance. Going beyond charts and numbers, Generations humanizes the debate on climate change by exploring the delicateness of winter and the intrinsic value of snow to people across generations and cultures.
The original idea for Generations was suggested by outdoor manufacturer The North Face in a desire to produce a more potent call-to-action over the climate crisis. Teaming with Protect Our Winters (POW) and action-sports filmmakers Teton Gravity Research, the film poignantly captures cultural and personal reactions from those to whom mountains and snow represent an irreplaceable way of life. Founder of POW and professional athlete Jeremy Jones said of the film, "As a professional snowboarder I felt a real need for the debate on global warming to be humanized. It's my hope that this film draws awareness and action toward a subject that holds dire consequences for an entire culture and sport."
Teton Gravity Research Co-Founder and film producer Steve Jones also commented, "We constantly do our best to draw attention to issues that are important to our audience and the sports we love. Currently, there is no bigger threat to winter sports than climate change—doing this film with POW and TNF was an amazing opportunity."
Generations is presented by The North Face and produced by action-sport filmmakers Teton Gravity Research in partnership with the non-profit group Protect Our Winters (POW). Generations will released Winter 09/10.
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Daylilies - "Pardon Me" Advance Sale Coming Soon!
The following item(s) have been added to your basket:
- Fast Facts
- Planting Info
Common Name: Daylily "Pardon Me" Type: Fall-Planted Perennial Bulb/Root Size: 2-3 Fan root Botanical Name: Hemerocallis Color: Blood red Plant Height / Flower Size: Up to 20 inches tall / Blooms up to 3 Inches Sun/Shade: Full sun to partial shade Bloom Time: Long blooming: mid summer through early fall - Rebloomer Hardiness Zones: 3 - 9 Ships: Fall
How to Grow Daylilies - Planting Instructions
Daylilies require full sun (North cooler zones) but can tolerate light shade (South warmer zones) as long as they receive at least six hours of full sunlight every day. Prior to planting, loosening the soil to allow oxygen into the soil is recommended.
Compost or manure are often used to help fertilize Daylilies, and is recommended especially to those with nutrient poor soil. Fertilize the plants two to three weeks after planting. Fertilize once in early spring and, if preferred, again in late summer.
Daylilies should be planted in relatively shallow holes; the size of the bulbs will determine the size of the hole. The hole should be wide and deep enough to place the bulb inside without bending the roots, plant with the eyes toward the surface. The top of the bulb should be close to one inch under the surface.
We recommend watering the Daylily immediately upon planting them. Daylilies do not like to get dried out, but they do not like to be kept in a soggy environment. Unless you are in an extremely dry climate, regular watering after planting is unnecessary. As is common, Daylilies prefer a heavy watering once a week as opposed to a daily light watering.
Regularly weed the area around the plant to avoid root confusion when you go to transplant or separate your bulbs.
Remove dead blooms and leaves if you prefer a manicured appearance. In the late fall, trim the remaining dead leaves down to ground level, and place mulch on top of the root system to protect the roots from cold freezing winter month temperatures.
In the north, spring planting is advised. In colder climates, if daylilies are planted in the fall, they often die because they do not have time to form new roots and begin to anchor before winter arrives. Some experienced gardeners in the north will fall plant, but they consider the hardiness of the plant and take preventive measures like mulching.
In the south, the best times to plant are early spring or very late fall. Note that daylilies planted in July-September face a high probability of rotting if humidity and temperatures are high (i.e. over 90 degrees).
Unexpectedly Magnificent by Sharpton Few (South Charleston SC )
An aquaintance recommended this one to me and it turned out far better - and beautiful - than I could have imagined.
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The Difference between Hahnemann and Darwin
In contrast to evolutionary biology, homeopathy is a closed, dogmatic system of fixed rules. Moreover, its basic tenet is an irrational tautology that lacks any factual basis.
A “Special Report” published recently in Nature argued that Samuel Hahnemann’s famous Principle of Similars (“let like cure like”), which is based on the treatment of the sick with extremely diluted, vigorously shaken agents (so-called “potencies”), is a pseudoscience (Giles 2007). While that conclusion is true, I fear that this paper, which can be viewed as a sequel to an excellent review article on homeopathy and physics published ten years ago in the Skeptical Inquirer (Park 1997), will not convince all readers of the antiscientific nature of this alternative medicine. However, I think that the following additional arguments should persuade every open-minded person that homeopathy is, in fact, eighteenth-century quackery.
First, the claim of homeopaths that the extremely diluted remedy has an effect independent of the belief of the patient and practitioner has been refuted. This contention is based on the premise that the various potencies can be distinguished from one another. In a quantitative study, it was shown that two specific potencies, namely Natrium muriaticum 30C and Sulphur 30C, which are said to be very active and have strikingly different properties, were indistinguishable by an eminent homeopath. For identification of the potencies the practitioner was allowed to use all available methods, whether clinical, physical, or chemical (Roberts 1989).
Second, homeopaths usually argue that Hahnemann’s principle has been corroborated by the treatment of animals with homeopathic medicine. In these trials, the nonhuman patient is not even aware of receiving any medicine, so the placebo effect can be discounted. But a recent article on homeopathy in veterinary medicine showed that this popular claim is false (Taylor 2005).
Third, modern homeopathy rests on the assumption that remedies retain physiological activity even when diluted beyond Avogadro’s number (see figure 1), meaning no molecules of the active substance should remain (“high potencies,” i.e., are “solutions without solute”). This “memory-of-water” or “imprint” hypothesis, which was discussed in detail by Park (1997), has recently been refuted. Using novel spectroscopic techniques, it was shown that water loses its “memory” of structural correlations within fifty femtoseconds (a femtosecond is 10-15 of a second), discounting any long-term “information storage” of former dissolved particles, as claimed by homeopaths (Cowan et al. 2005).
The Avogadro number (or constant) is the number of “entities” (atoms or molecules) in one mole (NA = 6.02214179 x 1023 mol-1). If a stock solution of 1 mol3L-1 of substance (for instance, sucrose) is diluted 24 times by a factor 1/10, no solutes remain in this “diluted solution” (i.e., “D 24” is pure water).
Figure 1. Illustration of Avogadro’s number (NA). A defined amount of sucrose (342.3g) is dissolved in pure water to give a volume of 1 Liter. This aqueous solution contains about 6.022 x 1023 molecules of sucrose (NA).
Finally, it should be noted that the tenets of homeopathy have not changed much over the past two hundred years. If Hahnemann had to pass an examination in homeopathic medicine today, he should have no problems answering most questions correctly. However, Charles Darwin would have no chance at passing an examination in evolutionary biology today, because our modern synthetic theory of biological evolution has developed far beyond his classical Principle of Descent with Modification by Natural Selection. Terms such as genotype, phenotype, germ-line mutations, etc., were unknown to Darwin, who used the methods of his time. Despite these restrictions, he raised many new, open questions and finally became the doyen of a new research agenda and scientific discipline (Kutschera and Niklas 2004).
Figure 2. Dilution series. A concentrated solution is serially diluted by a factor of 10. After three steps, the number of particles per volume of water drops from 100 to zero (average value). According to one of the dogmas of classical homeopathy, this “solution without solutes” is supposed to exert a positive physiological effect on the bodies of animals, humans, and plants.
In contrast to evolutionary biology, homeopathy is a closed, dogmatic system of fixed rules. Moreover, the basic tenet of homeopathy, “Nothing, dissolved in water, is more effective than water in which nothing is dissolved,” is an irrational tautology that lacks any factual basis (see figure 2). Homeopathy must be regarded as a static, quasi-religious faith that has no place in any science curriculum.
- Cowan, M.L., B.D. Bruner, N. Huse, J.R. Dwyer, B. Chugh, E.T.J. Nibbering, T. Elsaesser, and R.J.D. Miller. 2005. Ultrafast memory loss and energy redistribution in the hydrogen bond network of liquid H2O. Nature 434: 199-02.
- Giles, J. 2007. Degrees in homeopathy slated as unscientific. Nature 446: 352-53.
- Kutschera, U., and K.J. Niklas. 2004. The modern theory of biological evolution: an expanded synthesis. Naturwissenschaften 91: 255-76.
- Park, R.L. 1997. Alternative medicine and the laws of physics. Skeptical Inquirer 21 (5): 24-28.
- Roberts, T.D.M. 1989. Homeopathic test. Nature 342: 350.
- Taylor, N. 2005. Homeopathy in veterinary medicine. Skeptical Intelligencer 8, 15-18.
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ARCHIVED—Prince Edward Island Wind - Hydrogen Village Project Backgrounder
Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats on the "Contact Us" page.
Government of Canada Supports Development of Alternative Energy Project
The Government of Canada, through the Technology Partnerships Canada (TPC) Hydrogen Early Adopters (h2EA) program, is contributing $5.1 million in the multi-year Prince Edward Island Wind-Hydrogen Village Project. With the support of this contribution, Hydrogenics Corporation and the Prince Edward Island Energy Corporation will proceed with the $10.3-million project, which is designed to provide energy solutions and economic growth opportunities for local communities.
The project will use wind energy as the primary energy source and produce hydrogen to provide backup and primary electricity for industrial, farm and household applications, as well as for fuel for a mix of transportation and other requirements. Using an integrated hydrogen power generation system, the project will provide real-life demonstration opportunities, permitting the evaluation and refinement of cost-effective hydrogen solutions.
The Government of Prince Edward Island is committed to taking action to reduce its dependence on imported energy supplies derived from fossil fuels. With the highest electricity rates of any province, Prince Edward Island wants to increase its reliance on renewable energy, such as wind, wind/hydrogen and various forms of biofuels. It now draws 4 percent of its electricity from the North Cape Wind Farm and 1 percent from the V-90. In addition, Prince Edward Island has legislated that utilities obtain at least 15 percent of their electrical energy from renewable resources by 2010.
The Government of Canada is committed to the vision of a hydrogen economy, and to ensuring that all departments and levels of government work together to make projects like this a reality. A strong supporter of sustainable energy solutions, the Province of Prince Edward Island will be providing $2.9 million to this project. In addition, Natural Resources Canada is contributing $115 000, through the Canadian Transportation and Fuel Cell Alliance, toward an engineering study that is underway for the hydrogen fuelling stations component of this project.
The Technology Partnerships Canada h2EA program encourages Canadian industries to take the lead in demonstrating existing technologies in real-world applications, thus accelerating the market acceptance of hydrogen and hydrogen-compatible technologies with broad environmental, economic and social benefits for all Canadians.
Based in Toronto, Hydrogenics Corporation is a leading global developer of clean energy solutions, and is advancing the hydrogen economy by commercializing hydrogen and fuel cell products to meet the energy needs of customers. The company employs 325 employees worldwide, with facilities in Mississauga, Vancouver and Belgium, as well as satellite operations in Germany, Japan and New York.
The Prince Edward Island Energy Corporation is a Crown corporation of the Province of Prince Edward Island, established to develop and promote energy systems within Prince Edward Island in response to the province’s dependence on imported electricity, and thermal and transportation fossil fuels. The Atlantic Wind Test Site, one of the corporation’s current areas of focus, was established at North Cape in 1980 as Canada’s only national wind energy laboratory, and has become the country’s premier research and development centre for wind energy.
- Date modified:
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International Women's Day Highlights Reality of Life in Prison for Cambodian WomenPublished on March 17, 2008
There are over 640 women currently detained in prisons all over Cambodia and on a day that is meant to celebrate women everywhere and promote the rights of women, LICADHO, partner NGOs, comedians and musicians spent the day remembering these vulnerable members of society.
On Saturday March 8 LICADHO and partner NGOs celebrated International Women's Day by distributing food, drinks, clothes and materials to female prisoners, children living in prison and female prison guards across 20 prisons in Cambodia. There were also performances by comedians and musicians at two prisons to help celebrate the day. These donations are greatly needed in a prison system which must subsist on a budget of 1,500 riel (USD$0.38) per prisoner per day to cover the costs of food, water, electricity, clothing and medical care.
Coinciding with the Women's Day celebrations LICADHO also released its latest report on prison conditions entitled "The Story of a Mother and a Child". This report profiles the story of one particular mother and child who spent several years in prison living together. The report reveals the harsh realities of life in Cambodian prisons where prisoners must cope with limited access to food and clean water, overcrowding of prison cells, routine denial of quality medical services and violence towards prisoners from prison guards and other inmates.
Other findings illustrated in the report are the corruption and inefficiency of Cambodia's prison and judicial systems which contribute to an ever increasing prison population. Many prisoners serve extra time during pre-trial detention, and gain longer prison sentences as they are often too poor, or unable to pay the high bribes needed to gain early release, or shorter sentences. The majority of prisoners do not have adequate access to legal representation and are uninformed and unaided during their trial and imprisonment. Many are also ignorant of their legal right to appeal.
In January 2008, LICADHO's prison researchers recorded 235 cases of excessive pre-trial detention in 18 prisons out of the country's 26 that it monitors. In one such case, a man who was arrested in September 2004 on a charge of assault and robbery had been held without trial for almost three and a half years, which is far beyond the legal six month limit.
The overcrowding in Cambodia's prisons is further compounded by the procedure of holding detainees while prosecution appeals are pending. For example if a prosecutor appeals the verdict of a trial, the detainee remains incarcerated until the appeal court hears the case. As a consequence, detainees who have been acquitted, or convicted prisoners who have already served their prison sentences, can remain in prison for years awaiting prosecution appeal hearings. Waiting times are also excessive given that there is only one national appeals court for the whole country.
In January 2008, LICADHO registered 39 cases of prisoners waiting for appeal hearings. One particular case involved two 18-year old prisoners who were arrested in October 2004 on robbery charges. In 2006 they were sentenced to two years jail and should have been released for time served in pre-trial detention, however due to the prosecution's appeal the two men are still in prison awaiting their appeal hearing.
Additionally, there have been reports of the abhorrent practice of detaining people who have already served their prison sentence. One example involves a woman who was arrested in 2002 on the charge of transporting drugs. In 2003, she was fined 10,000,000 riel (USD$2,500) however after a prosecution appeal the woman was further sentenced to four years jail. The woman was scheduled to be released in late 2006, however due to the failure of the court and prison officials to keep a record of the woman's prison sentence she was never released. Only after intervention by LICADHO prison researchers was the woman finally released in November 2007.
LICADHO strongly urges the Cambodian government to take action to reform the many systemic problems in the Cambodian prisons system, in particular the need to provide prisoners with adequate access to food, water, sanitation and legal representation.
LICADHO renews its call for the judicial system to not keep pre-trial detainees in prison over the legal limit as provided by Cambodia law. Furthermore, procedures that detain people in prison over their sentence due to the appeal process should be reviewed to allow people to be released while they await their hearing.
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http://www.licadho-cambodia.org/articles/20080317/73/index.html
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California Sen. Dianne Feinstein has introduced new assault weapons legislation in Congress. The president and vice president are both campaigning hard for movement on a variety of gun legislation. Yet we are already being told that such legislation is unlikely to pass. At most, Congress may move only in the area of universal background checks.
Why are we already being forced to accept the reality of failure in achieving an assault weapons ban, even in limiting large capacity magazines? Apparently the powers that be who decide these things have decided to let President Barack Obama have his universal background checks but are shutting the door on any further movement. Republicans and far too many Democrats do not want to buck the National Rifle Association. Actually, the NRA is not really interested in protecting gun owners, but rather, gun manufacturers. It turns out that, as with most things, it is all about money.
As we learn more about the way our government works, we find that all too often it is about special interests, power and money. Does it not matter that a majority of Americans favor a ban on assault weapons? Does it not matter that the victims and families of these horrendous crimes are pleading for meaningful change in gun laws? Must the voices of the people take a back seat to those who wield power in Washington?
A new Gallup Poll shows the American people support significant changes in our gun laws. The poll shows that Americans approve changes in all nine of the categories the president included when he laid out his gun agenda. This includes 91 percent who support universal background checks; 60 percent who support a ban on assault weapons; as well as 75 percent who support stronger penalties for those who purchase guns for others who are not eligible to buy or own guns.
We now have an opportunity to find out what power the people have in our democracy. I believe we can prevail on these issues if we assert our beliefs and demand action on the part of our legislators. The gun lobby should not be allowed to decide what the government does or does not do. It should not be allowed to override the outrage and pain so many have experienced in the wake of the numerous incidents of gun violence, including the tragedy in Newtown, Conn. People from all parts of the country and all faith communities need to continue to speak out and not waver in insisting that change occur. We need to prove the pundits wrong in this case. We need to give politicians the courage to vote the will of the people and not fall in line with the gun lobby. We need to prove that we do have a government of all the people and not just of the few and powerful.
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CC-MAIN-2013-20
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http://ncronline.org/print/blogs/ncr-today/struggle-new-gun-laws
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It seems odd that when others transplant an Uchiha's eyes, they inherit the abilities of that Uchiha (even in the case of Obito, who is an Uchiha simply lost his original eye). However, in the case of the EMS, it simply acts as a refresher for the sibling's previous MS (and takes on the appearance of a fusion, complete with increased potency).
Am I the only one who found it strange to look into a normal set of eyes of a super-strong shinobi (http://www.mangapanda.com/naruto/620/17). ET-eyes, Naruto's Kurama-eyes, Naruto's sage-eyes, Sharingan (Kakashi, Obito, etc.), MS, EMS, Rinnegan, Byakugan, Guy's white eyes (while he is in Hachimon-Tonkou, third gate/life gate)... It's good to see that normal eyes can be helpful from time to time.
By the way: Does anyone have a good explanation, why Hashirama isn't just immune to Amaterasu (if Madara can use it, what I believe), and perhaps to Tsukyomi (if Madara can use it), but at least to Genjutsu? It was even enough to corner Pain.
Hashirama's immunity is just a guess, however...
Since the Sharingan originates from the Juubi, AND Mokuton can be used to control the Juubi (also it weakens and binds tailed beast which also originate from the Juubi), THEN it's a good guess that Hashirama's Mokuton will also weaken, dissipate, or absorb the Chakra away, from Sharingan techniques like Amaterasu.
Even if it's only a guess, it a pretty logical guess in my opinion.
@lakritze, i never put into question orochimaru's skills. if my post was confusing then apologies. my point was orochimaru intentionally limited the power of hashirama and tobirama when summoned against sarutobi. it would been too dangerous to give them full power in such tight enclosed space. you do not summon "redraw the maps" type of shinobi into a cupbard! oro was ignorant of a few things then, dds for one, but he was no fool. regulating their power in the barrier was smart and who is to say that once he succeeded in defeating sarutobi as he planned, that he could not then boost their power to their natural levels once outside the barrier and in konaha village proper? that's my understanding and opinion. orochimaru had excellent skills, the dds that sealed his arms and the kages was the perfect trump and couldn't have known it.
@paulbee, zetsu's are weak because they lack a clear will to drive their capabilities. will of fire considerably affects leaf ninjas and their power. zetsu's, having no will or nothing and noone to fight for prevents all sorts of developments. i thought about your question many times after seeing the differences in mokuton behavior after obito's flashback. it takes will and motivation and feelings to develop power. strong feelings cause sharingan and the more powerful feelings become the more powerful sharingan becomes, eventually waking ms. strong will is what brought jiraya back from the dead to carry out one last heroic action, allowed ooniki tsuchikage to get back on his feet for a grand dust jutsu and is what got tsunade toe to toe with madara. of course good old fashioned training and practice is necessary but is zetsu even motivated to do that? zetsu seems to be lacking too many factors that define a shinobi especially a complete will of its own. black zetsu was but a fraction of madara's resigned will and the whites, now seemingly goofy because hashirama was goofy (illustrated past 2 chapters) ..while inheriting some signature hashirama petsonality traits, they dont have all of his personality, ideals, or anything that drives a person to become powerful. they seem to be more like tools of shinobi, ala jutsu, and not shinobi themselves. it was obito's determination and constant training that allowed him to increase mokuton ability, making zetsu a conduit of sorts. the actual hashirama splicing seems different as it behaves as a symbiotic component reflective of hashirama during a certain state of his power (sloppy reasoning) whereas zetsu is not symbiotic but instead more of a true integration. maybe symbiotic is incorrect term but orochimaru/kabuto splices are not true integrations like madara/tobi's gedou bloomed clones.
After the transplant, Sasuke can still use Amaterasu separately, but it seems that he no longer can use Kagetsuchi without Susanoo, since Itachi himself didn't have that jutsu. This might mean, that after transplanting and overriding the eyes (for Uchiha bros), you loose jutsu that weren't compatible, or rather the same as from the person you took the eyes. This might be the reason why transplanting MS and turning it into EMS, rarely worked.
In short, the reason why Madara can only use Susanoo, might be because the other 2 jutsu were not the same as his brothers (so he lost them, although parts of them might have left their imprint on his Susanoo, since the Susanoo does seem to be build upon the previous 2 jutsu). From his Susanoo alone, you can notice that he can't use Amaterasu (which seems to be the source of Susanoo's shield, at least it does seem that way for Sauke and Itachi, seeing as it is the only jutsu that they have sheered beside Susanno). You can notice that Amaterasu form the shield, while their other jutsu, Tsukuyomi and Kagetsuchi, form Susanoo's final weapons (their swords), for Itachi and Sasuke respectively.
I guess this means that the eyes don't combine, but are overridden. The capabilities of the new eyes are limited to what the same jutsu the previous and current user could use. For example, if Izuna's two other jutsu were genjutsu type only, and Madara's ninjutsu, then of course he couldn't use them with Izuna's eyes that are specified for genjutsu and neither could use Izuna's, since Sharingan cannot copy bloodline limits (MS is like a bloodline, within a bloodline limit).
That would also explain why the wood-technique is feared that much. At the very beginning, I thought it's little more than an earth-technique (when it comes to manipulating the ground), and sand seemed even more effective to me than wood. However, if it were known that wood has also chakra-absorbing-capabilities, it would be far more convincing, why it was considered so great.
That makes me wonder whether Kisame was a Senju, too (water-technique as the Tobi-brothers, great chakra-reserves and chakra-absorbing-prowess), but maybe that would stretch it a bit. But, hell, who would have Karin expected to be an Uzumaki. So why not.
^ Well, rather than a Senju for certain, he might have been just one of the So6p's descendants. The Silver and Gold brothers are mentioned just like that, without specifying from which descendant (the younger or the older brother) they came.
Anyway, is it me, or have Tobirama experimented on the Uchiha ? He seems to know way too much, with way too detailed background images and workings of their brains. To even mention that he has seen it countless time, yet strangely enough, no one else knew about it and there was no mention of it, to the point that even Oro didn't seem to know about it. Yep, he might have been, no, he probably was a mad scientist as well. After all, how many people had he sacrificed, before completing Edo Tensei to an usable point/state ?
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CC-MAIN-2013-20
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http://www.mangashare.com/forums/printthread.php?t=147301&pp=10&page=6
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This emergent reader little book is a great way to practice reading with young students. This story uses a fun winter topic (penguins) and cute clip art to engage young readers in important early reading practice.
This story includes several sight words, such as look, at, the, he, and is.
This book includes the same text on both the top and bottom of each sheet of paper to make copying, sorting, stapling, and cutting easy to create a class set of little books!!
I am also adding a Shared Reading PowerPoint and a Pocket Chart Packet that would accompany this emergent reader little book perfectly!!
Great!! I love it when kids get excited about books and reading!! Thanks for the feedback!!
February 4, 2012
Although an emergent reader, the text varies slightly from page to page, making it very appropriate for this time of the year in a kindergarten classroom. Also, accompanying pictures for a pocket chart are available. Thank you!
Ask Melissa Williams a question. They will receive an automated email and will return to answer you as soon as possible.
Please Login to ask your question.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:
I purchased the Funny Penguins Emergent Reader. Would you consider putting the images--four on a page to go with the reader for use with a pocket chart. I would not mind at all paying a dollar more for pictures to make sentence strips to match.
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<urn:uuid:d53e55a4-7710-474a-ae80-2d16eaaa23bb>
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CC-MAIN-2013-20
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http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Funny-Penguins-Winter-Kindergarten-Emergent-Reader-book-178293
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Web-based advertising and electronic commerce, combined with the key role of search engines in driving visitors to ad-monetized and e-commerce web sites, has given rise to the phenomenon of web spam: web pages that are of little value to visitors, but that are created mainly to mislead search engines into driving traffic to target web sites. A large fraction of spam web pages is automatically generated, and some portion of these pages is generated by stitching together parts (sentences or paragraphs) of other web pages. This paper presents a scalable algorithm for detecting such "quilted" web pages. Previous work by the author and his collaborators introduced a sampling-based algorithm that was capable of detecting some, but by far not all quilted web pages in a collection. By contrast, the algorithm presented in this work identifies all quilted web pages, and it is scalable to very large corpora. We tested the algorithm on the half-billion page English-language subset of the ClueWeb09 collection, and evaluated its effectiveness in detecting web spam by manually inspecting small samples of the detected quilted pages. This manual inspection guided us in iteratively refining the algorithm to be more efficient in detecting real-world spam.
In 35th Annual International ACM SIGIR Conference on Research and Development in Information Retrieval (SIGIR)
Publisher Association for Computing Machinery, Inc.
Copyright © 2012 by the Association for Computing Machinery, Inc. Permission to make digital or hard copies of part or all of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, to republish, to post on servers, or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from Publications Dept, ACM Inc., fax +1 (212) 869-0481, or email@example.com. The definitive version of this paper can be found at ACM’s Digital Library --http://www.acm.org/dl/.
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CC-MAIN-2013-20
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http://research.microsoft.com/apps/pubs/default.aspx?id=168070
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Randolph County will go wet and cease to be one of the remaining two completely dry counties in Alabama. Or it will vote dry and hold to the prohibitionist tradition that gave birth to the complex system of legislation and loopholes that define liquor laws in this state.
When national prohibition ended in the 1930s, Alabama politicians, hoping to make everyone happy, voted the state wet but allowed counties the “local option” of remaining dry if that was what residents wanted. Thus, anti-liquor forces, mostly evangelical Protestants, rallied their followers and kept most of the state’s rural counties dry.
Over time, attitudes changed and slowly, one by one, counties voted wet. The reason usually given was based in economics — local government needed the money, and since it didn’t want to raise sales taxes and was unable to raise property taxes, liquor taxes were the answer. Also important, but not advertised, was the fact that a lot of Alabamians wanted to drink but did not want to drive to a neighboring county to buy it.
The economic argument was so compelling that dry advocates sought legislative help to preserve prohibition in their counties. The result was one of those “only in Alabama” solutions in which money was given to dry counties “in lieu of” the tax money they would have collected if they went wet — in other words, the state subsidized prohibition.
However, as it became evident that alcohol sales had economic benefits beyond taxes, more loopholes were requested and the Legislature responded. Cities of a certain size in dry counties were eventually allowed to sell liquor and development zones (usually including golf courses) were given the same permission. So it went until finally there were only two completely dry counties.
Soon there may be only one.
The same arguments are being argued again in Randolph County. One side touts the economic benefits, the other side claims the figures are bogus, the first side claims the benefits are real, and so it goes.
In the past, the economic side has usually prevailed; in these hard times, it might win again. However, the determining factor will likely be whether the old, historic Protestant prohibitionist sentiment is as strong as it used to be.
Either way, history will be made.
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<urn:uuid:f94d5c25-e311-473d-95c4-cbc2a8945059>
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CC-MAIN-2013-20
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http://www.annistonstar.com/view/full_story/20674739/article-Wet-or-dry-in--Randolph-County--Wonder-if-the-Protestant-prohibitionists-will-win-out-over-their-foes?instance=home_opinion
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Anti-whaling group says Japan attacked ships
Sea Shepherd calls it worst incident since vessel sank 2 years ago
Japan and Australia are exchanging harsh words and threats of legal action in a dispute over a whaling incident near Antarctica.
Environment Minister Tony Burke is threatening to take Japan to international court, claiming a Japanese whaling fleet attacked Australian ships on Wednesday. But in the Japanese version of what happened, it's the Australians who deserve court sanctions.
"Japan needs to stop this once and for all," Burke told Australia's Seven Network on Thursday.
"What we are watching and what we've been seeing Japan do in that Southern Ocean year on year now is just disgusting. No other way of describing it. Now, as a government we don't settle it in the car park, we settle in the court," he said.
"There's been the most outrageous attack on the Sea Shepherd Australia ships," said Bob Brown, a member of the board of directors of Sea Shepherd Australia, describing it as the "worst incident" the anti-whaling group had experienced since one of its vessels sank two years ago.
In an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Brown said that a large Japanese factory ship, the Nisshin Maru, had repeatedly rammed Sea Shepherd ships in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica where it was trying to refuel and that a Japanese government escort vessel had directed water cannon and lobbed concussion grenades at the activists.
He claimed the Japanese ships had intruded into Australian territorial waters and breached international and Australian law.
"I'm very concerned and alarmed that Japan has decided to become pirates in our territorial waters," he said. "It's time the Australian government acted."
Burke told Seven Network it's not that simple.
"In terms of sending in the Navy, you've got to make sure you don't have a response here that blows up a whole lot of other things. The reason -- even though they're our territorial waters -- we don't assert that. And that's part of the whole Antarctic Treaty System, which prevents mining in Antarctica. You don't want to blow up that system," he explained.
"I've got to say with that court case we are now getting very close. It has been too long. We are now getting very close on that. But I'm not going to take an action that blows up the Antarctic Treaty System either," Burke said. "What we will do, though, is take the action that we've taken already with the International Court of Justice to [expose] that this gimmick that they've got -- claiming that's its scientific whaling, when everybody knows that's a con."
Japan annually hunts whales despite a worldwide moratorium, utilizing a loophole in the law that allows for killing the mammals for scientific research. Whale meat is commonly available for consumption in Japan.
Each year, environmental groups such as Sea Shepherd face off with Japan's hunters in a high seas drama that has led to collisions of ships, the detaining of activists and smoke bombs fired back and forth between the groups.
The Japan Fisheries Agency's Institute of Cetacean Research disputed the Australian claims in a statement.
The ICR says three Sea Shepherd ships sailed recklessly and abnormally close to the Nisshin Maru and its fueling ship during a refueling operation on Wednesday.
Although the Nisshin Maru tried to ward off the Australian ships with loud speakers and water cannons, the Sea Shepherd ships' "extreme dangerous" acts halted the refueling operation, the ICR said. During the process, the three Australian ships bumped the Nisshin Maru at least four times, causing some damage, the ICR said.
The Japanese agency said it's considering filing a third claim in a U.S. court for Sea Shepherd's "insults against the court authority." According to ICR, Sea Shepherd has been banned from threatening whaling ships' operations or sailing within 500 yards of whaling ships.
Copyright 2013 by CNN NewSource. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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<urn:uuid:cc09f25d-56c4-4e53-80bf-6ae345c6831f>
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CC-MAIN-2013-20
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http://www.keyt.com/news/Anti-whaling-group-says-Japan-attacked-ships/-/17671600/18996014/-/view/print/-/oco52sz/-/index.html
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en
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What Will Santa Claus Say (When He Finds Everybody Swingin’) was a Swing classic by Louis Prima; I couldn’t find an exact year, but he was big in the 1930′s.
You probably know Louis Prima from his more popular film appearance:
The two sound similar enough to make me smile
You never hear it anymore, and there’s not many covers, but I did find this one by Mark Shane:
Dig that trumpet
Rockin Around The Christmas Tree can thusly be seen as a spiritual successor to this song; written in 1958, it’s more Rockabilly than Rock n’ Roll, but it brings a whole new genre to Christmas just like Louis did for swing. It was recorded by Brenda Lee, apparently only aged 13 at the time with a remarkably mature voice for her age:
(Knowing she’s 13, it does sound a little Jackson 5, doesn’t it?)
Here’s Miley Cyrus, age 16, probably one of the most appropriate artists to cover it shy of Taylor Swift:
Definitely more rock nowadays.
Here’s John Travolta (swoon) and Olivia Newton John:
Calypso, Swing, and Rockabilly. Any other interesting genres of “carol” I should hit?
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<urn:uuid:78a725bf-88d1-489a-b899-2686f0fe23c9>
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CC-MAIN-2013-20
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http://yamikuronue.wordpress.com/2012/12/23/christmas-songs-day-23-what-would-santa-claus-say-vs-rockin-around-the-christmas-tree/
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s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
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“We want to celebrate the achievements of young people across the UK and feel it’s time outstanding students were recognised for what makes them unique. Young people don’t always get the helping hand they deserve, especially when it comes to the motoring industry. So we thought a car and a donation would be a great reward to the student and their university.”
Motors.co.uk advertises hundreds of thousands of 2nd hand cars on their site, and selected a Renault Twingo, worth over £5,000, as the prize for this competition, because of its low running costs and suitability to the student lifestyle. They will also donate £1,000 to the student society or group of the winner’s choosing.
The initial nominations were eventually whittled down to a shortlist of just 10 exceptional students, which is where the fun really began. The competition was turned over to the public to vote for the student they thought deserved to drive off in that nippy Renault Twingo. It’ll have been a tough decision, as each student has a fantastic story and deserves the prize. There are lots of students who volunteer: Aimie who spends her time caring for terminally ill children at Acorn’s Children’s Hospice; Keldene who volunteers at residential youth camps for children with special needs; India who took a year out of her degree to do an International Health project in Malawi and Amanda who has just spent three weeks renovating a school in Ghana and will later be leading a charity climb to Mount Kilimanjaro.
Not forgetting those who have battled hardship to excel at their studies, like David who has overcome dyspraxia and dyslexia to achieve his PhD and Adam who has a severe congenital heart valve defect, but managed to achieve excellent GCSEs and A Level results despite undergoing open heart surgery during the exam period. There are also many of the shortlist with caring responsibilities, like Shanice who cares for her partner alongside studying to become a primary school teacher, and Nathan, who has been caring for his disabled mother since the age of 10. And then there are just those who go out of their way to help others around them, like Zoe who runs a support website for the wives and girlfriends of soldiers whilst her husband serves in Afghanistan and Renee who founded the eating disorder charity BEAT.
Voting closed on 4th January 2013 and the judges will select the winner out of the three students with the most votes. So head on over to read their stories and see who will pick up the keys to the Renault Twingo and be awarded the title of Motors.co.uk’ Motors’ Most Deserving.
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http://blog.studentgems.com/2013/01/most-deserving-student.html
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Thu, 27 Oct. 2011 - 4:51 p.m. MT
Credit: ARA Staff - American Running Association
The term "organic foods" refers to the methods used to produce the foods rather than to the characteristics of the food themselves. The most common concept of "organically grown" food was articulated in 1972 by Robert Rodale, editor of Organic Gardening and Farming magazine, at a public hearing:
“Food grown without pesticides; grown without artificial fertilizers; grown in soil whose humus content is increased by the additions of organic matter, grown in soil whose mineral content is increased by the application of natural mineral fertilizers; has not been treated with preservatives, hormones, antibiotics, etc. ”
In 1980, a team of scientists appointed by the USDA concluded that there was no universally accepted definition of "organic farming." The USDA began to develop an official definition. The original proposed rules, from 1997, applied to all types of agricultural products and all aspects of their production and handling, ranging from soil fertility management to the packaging and labeling of the final product. The proposal included a national list of approved synthetic substances, labeling requirements, enforcement provisions, and rules for importing equivalent products.
Organic farming and handling was defined as “a system that is designed and managed to produce agricultural products by…using, where possible, cultural, biological and mechanical methods, as opposed to using substances, to fulfill any specific function within the system so as to: maintain long-term soil fertility; increase soil biological activity; ensure effective pest management; recycle wastes to return nutrients to the land; provide attentive care for farm animals; and handle the agricultural products without the use of extraneous synthetic additives or processing in accordance with the Act and the regulations in this part.”
While organically approved weed and pest control methods included crop rotation, hand cultivation, mulching, soil enrichment, and beneficial predators and microorganisms, the USDA indicated that if these methods were not sufficient, various (non-cytotoxic) listed chemicals could be used. The proposal did not call for monitoring specific indicators of soil and water quality.
For raising animals, antibiotics would not be permitted as growth stimulants but would be permitted to counter infections. The rules permitted up to 20% of animal feed to be obtained from non-organic sources. This was done because some nutrients are not always available organically. Irradiation, which can reduce or eliminate certain pests, kill disease-causing bacteria, and prolong food shelf-life, would be permitted during processing. Genetic engineering would also be permissible.
The USDA received more than 270,000 comments on the proposed rules. The vast majority of the objections pertain to the provisions that permitted irradiation, genetic engineering, and the use of sewage sludge as fertilizer. The final regulations, published in December 2002, eliminated these three provisions.
The organic rules are intended to address production methods rather than the physical qualities of the products themselves. So are we getting what we pay for, when we pay more for organic?
Many consumers who pay more for organic believe that the foods themselves are more nutritious, safer, and tastier. But the USDA proposal itself noted that, "No distinctions should be made between organically and non-organically produced products in terms of quality, appearance, or safety." In other words, no claim should be made that the foods themselves are better—or even different.
Organic foods are not more nutritious. Think of it this way: If essential nutrients are missing from the soil, the plant will not grow. If plants grow, that means the essential nutrients are present. Experiments conducted for many years have found no difference in the nutrient content of organically grown crops and those grown under standard agricultural conditions.
Many "organic" proponents suggest that their foods are safer because they have lower levels of pesticide residues. However, the pesticide levels in our food supply are not high. In some situations, pesticides even reduce health risks by preventing the growth of harmful organisms, including molds that produce toxic substances. To protect consumers, the FDA sets tolerance levels in foods and conducts frequent "market basket" studies wherein foods from regions throughout the United States are purchased and analyzed. Its 1997 tests found that about 60% of fruits and vegetables had no detectable pesticides and only about 1.2% of domestic and 1.6% of imported foods had violative levels. Its annual Total Diet Study has always found that America's dietary intakes are well within international and Environmental Protection Agency standards.
Manfred Kroger, PhD, Professor of Food Science at The Pennsylvania State University, puts it this way: “Scientific agriculture has provided Americans with the safest and most abundant food supply in the world. Agricultural chemicals are needed to maintain this supply. The risk from pesticide residue, if any, is minuscule, is not worth worrying about, and does not warrant paying higher prices.”
"Organically grown" foods are not inherently tastier than conventionally grown foods. Taste is influenced by freshness, which may depend on how far the products must be shipped from farmer to consumer. Tastiness has a lot to do with how long a fruit is allowed to hang and ripen before picking. Therefore locally grown foods are tastier because they endure shorter shipping distances (which affect the moment in a food’s growth at which it must be picked), and not because of organic practices.
Many buyers of "organic" foods believe that the extra money they pay will ultimately benefit the environment by encouraging more farmers to use "organic" methods. But doing this cannot have much effect because "organic" agriculture is too inefficient to meet the world's food needs. Moreover, the dividing line between organic and conventional agriculture is not sharp because various practices are not restricted to one or the other. For example, "organic" farmers tend not to use pesticides, but faced with threatened loss of crops, they may change their mind—yet can still consider their farms organic.
(Adapted from “‘Organic’ Foods: Certification Does Not Protect Consumers,” by Stephen Barrett, MD, Quackwatch, Inc., July 17, 2006, www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/organic.html)
USDA Agricultural Research Service, Resource Economics Division, Information bulletin No. 770, June 2001.
Data: Organic production. USDA Economic Research Service, Oct 18, 2002.
USDA Study Team on Organic Farming. Report and Recommendations on Organic Farming. USDA, July 1980.
National Organic Program; Proposed Rule. Federal Register 62:65850-65967, 1997.
National Organic Program: Final rule. Federal Register 65:80547-80684, 2000. (Dec 21, 2000)
Newsome R. Organically grown foods: A scientific status summary by the Institute of Food Technologists' expert panel on food safety and nutrition. Food Technology 44(12):123-130, 1990.
FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Pesticide Program: Residue Monitoring 1999, August 2000.
Organic produce. Consumer Reports 63(1):12-18, 1998.
Organic food standards and labels: The facts. USDA Web site, accessed Oct 21, 2002.
Boume D, Prescott J. A comparison of the nutritional value, sensory qualities, and food safety of organically and conventionally produced foods. Food Science and Nutrition 42:1-34, 2002.
(RUNNING & FITNEWS® September / October 2007 • Volume 25, Number 5)
Apr 08 7:22 p.m.
Article by: Jeff Venables
Feb 21 11:15 a.m.
Article by: Jeff Venables
Jan 24 3:31 p.m.
Article by: UNITED MEDIA
Nov 27 12:54 p.m.
Article by: Steve Nearman
Aug 07 6:01 p.m.
Article by: Jeff Venables
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- Prayer and Worship
- Beliefs and Teachings
- Issues and Action
- Catholic Giving
- About USCCB
The Dreams Interpreted. 1* Some time afterward, the royal cupbearer and baker offended their lord, the king of Egypt. 2Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3and he put them in custody in the house of the chief steward, the same jail where Joseph was confined. 4The chief steward assigned Joseph to them, and he became their attendant.
After they had been in custody for some time, 5the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt who were confined in the jail both had dreams on the same night, each his own dream and each dream with its own meaning. 6When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they looked disturbed. 7So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why do you look so troubled today?” 8They answered him, “We have had dreams, but there is no one to interpret them.” Joseph said to them, “Do interpretations not come from God? Please tell me the dreams.”a
9Then the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. “In my dream,” he said, “I saw a vine in front of me, 10and on the vine were three branches. It had barely budded when its blossoms came out, and its clusters ripened into grapes. 11Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; so I took the grapes, pressed them out into his cup, and put it in Pharaoh’s hand.” 12Joseph said to him: “This is its interpretation. The three branches are three days; 13within three days Pharaoh will single you out* and restore you to your post. You will be handing Pharaoh his cup as you formerly did when you were his cupbearer. 14Only think of me when all is well with you, and please do me the great favor of mentioning me to Pharaoh, to get me out of this place. 15The truth is that I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and I have not done anything here that they should have put me into a dungeon.”
16When the chief baker saw that Joseph had given a favorable interpretation, he said to him: “I too had a dream. In it I had three bread baskets on my head; 17in the top one were all kinds of bakery products for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.” 18Joseph said to him in reply: “This is its interpretation. The three baskets are three days; 19within three days Pharaoh will single you out and will impale you on a stake, and the birds will be eating your flesh.”
20And so on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, when he gave a banquet to all his servants, he singled out the chief cupbearer and chief baker in the midst of his servants. 21He restored the chief cupbearer to his office, so that he again handed the cup to Pharaoh; 22but the chief baker he impaled—just as Joseph had told them in his interpretation. 23Yet the chief cupbearer did not think of Joseph; he forgot him.
* [40:1] Joseph interprets the dreams of the Pharaoh’s two officials. His ability to interpret the dreams shows that God is still with him and points forward to his role of dream interpreter for Pharaoh in chap. 41.
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nor does it necessarily endorse, the website, its content, or
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Dominion Trail Elementary
School Counseling Program
What is School Counseling?
School Counseling is focused on prevention and childhood development. A School Counselor encourages successful academic, career, and personal/social development to ensure that every child succeeds. This is accomplished through classroom guidance, group, and individual counseling. Counselors work with students, parents, teachers, and administrators. School counseling services are inclusive and respectful of student and staff differences in gender, religion, ethnicity, race, ability, handicapping, condition and age.
The Dominion Trail School Counseling Program is designed to help children:
- Become self-directive and responsible for their behavior in relation to academic achievement
- Understand the character traits consistent with Loudoun County Public Schools' Character Education program
- Develop decision-making, conflict resolution, and coping skills
- Understand the relationship between personal qualitites, education and the world of work
- Feel good about themselves
- Make school a successful experience
- Communicate effectively
- Develop positive relationships with peers and adults
- Cope with stress, life changes and crises
- Plan for further education
Counselors help parents:
- Understand how to help their child achieve his or her academic, social, and emotional potential
- Enhance the relationship with their child's school
- Gain access to services for children
Why Do Parents Contact a School Counselor?
New school registration, orientation, and transition
Special needs of students
Student crisis situations
Higher education issues
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Have you ever noticed the little icon that shows up in your bookmarks and in the tab display of some Web browsers? That is called the favorites icon or favicon.
First Create Your Image
Using a graphics program, create an image that is 16 x 16 pixels. This is small, so try out many different versions until you create the image that will work for your site.
Save the image as a GIF or BMP file with 256 colors or less. Icon files, like Web images, have to display on computer monitors, so they can't reliably display millions of colors. However, since an icon file is for Windows displays only, it can be 256 colors, rather than the Web standard 216.
Converting it to an Icon
Once you have an acceptable image, you need to convert it to the icon format. There are many icon editors available, and Sue Chastain, the Graphics Software Guide, has a list of some good ones. I used IconForge by CursorArts. Be sure to save the file as favicon.ico.
Publishing the Icon
It is simple to publish the icon, simply upload it to the same directory as the file you want bookmarked. For example, for this page on the HTML site at About, I would place it at
You can also put a different icon on every page of your site (if you like), or point to one icon in many folders. To do this, you add a link reference to the head of every HTML document that you want the favorite icon associated with. e.g.
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="path to icon/favicon.ico">
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Scholarships provide money that does not have to repaid and usually is awarded on the basis of academic merit. There are more than 1,000 scholarships, awards, and special program opportunities offered throughout CUNY and its 24 colleges and schools. Some are designed to help students as they begin their college careers, others are awarded as they progress in their major — be it the arts, sciences, or the humanities. Some are based on need, others on merit. Each college has a complete listing of all the scholarships and financial awards it offers. In addition to scholarships available at the CUNY campuses there are thousands of private organizations that provide assistance to college students. These scholarships are based on a variety of factors.
Record 16 CUNY Students Win NSF Graduate Research Fellowships
A record 16 CUNY students — 15 of whom earned undergraduate degrees at the University — have won Nat >>
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I’ve heard it said often that humanity’s first sin was a desire for knowledge. I see that line of reasoning. Adam and Eve were forbidden “to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Gen 2:17). And, after they did, everything changed.
But my eye catches another part of that phrase. You may not eat. What is implied here? Is a kind of innate hunger already assumed?
Fast forward. I’ve also heard it said that the question most often on the lips of Jesus is this: What do you want? Jesus asks, what do you crave?…what do you hunger and thirst for?…what do you desire?
Adam’s first problem was that he looked to satisfy that deep desire immediately. The desire wasn’t the problem. The way in which he attempted to satisfy it was. But simply acknowledging the hunger, apart from resolution, seems counter-intuitive. I almost want to dismiss C.S. Lewis when he says, “It was when I was happiest that I longed most…The sweetest thing in all my life has been the longing…to find the place where all the beauty came from.”
And yet, Lewis gets Jesus better than we do. In fact, Lent reminds us of this all over again. As Lewis says elsewhere, “All joy…emphasizes our pilgrim status; always reminds, beckons, awakens desire. Our best havings are wantings.”
We give things up during Lent not to manipulate God, but to acknowledge a deeper hunger, a deeper want. Lent opens up our hearts, previously constricted by reckless craving, inviting us to long.
In God’s original Garden command, He was actually paving the way to joy. Do not eat, God says, in a way that speaks to a more primitive hunger for microwavable satisfaction. We beg to differ however, grabbing and devouring because we can’t accept the alternative.
Lent invites us to accept the alternative, to long, to trust, to hunger for something far more satisfying…
+ + +
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Victor Marie Hugo (18021885). Notre Dame de Paris.
The Harvard Classics Shelf of Fiction. 1917.
ON waking the next morning, she discovered to her surprise that she had sleptpoor girl, she had so long been a stranger to sleep. A cheerful ray from the rising sun streamed through her window and fell upon her face. But with the sun something else looked in at her window that frightened herthe unfortunate countenance of Quasimodo. Involuntarily she closed her eyes to shut out the sight, but in vain; she still seemed to see through her rosy eye-lids that goblin faceone-eyed, broken-toothed, mask-like. Then, while she continued to keep her eyes shut, she heard a grating voice say in gentlest accents:
Be not afraid. I am a friend. I did but come to watch you sleeping. That cannot hurt you, can it, that I should come and look at you asleep? What can it matter to you if I am here so long as your eyes are shut? Now I will go. There, I am behind the wallyou may open your eyes again.
There was something more plaintive still than his words, and that was the tone in which they were spoken. Much touched, the gipsy opened her eyes. It was true, he was no longer at the window. She ran to it and saw the poor hunchback crouching against a corner of the wall in an attitude of sorrow and resignation. Overcoming with an effort the repulsion he inspired in her, Come back, she said softly. From the movement of her lips, Quasimodo understood that she was driving him away; he therefore rose and hobbled off slowly, with hanging head, not venturing to lift even his despairing glance to the girl.
Come hither! she called, but he kept on his way. At this she hastened out of the cell, ran after him, and put her hand on his arm. At her touch Quasimodo thrilled from head to foot. He lifted a suppliant eye, and perceiving that she was drawing him towards her, his whole face lit up with tenderness and delight. She would have had him enter her cell, but he remained firmly on the threshold. No, no, said he; the owl goes not into the nest of the lark.
She proceeded, therefore, to nestle down prettily on her couch, with the goat asleep at her feet, and both remained thus for some time motionless, gazing in silencehe at so much beauty, she at so much ugliness. Each moment revealed to her some fresh deformity. Her eyes wandered from the bowed knees to the humped back, from the humped back to the cyclops eye. She could not imagine how so misshapen a being could carry on existence. And yet there was diffused over the whole such an air of melancholy and gentleness that she began to be reconciled to it.
Never did I realize my deformity as I do now. When I compare myself with you, I do indeed pity myselfpoor unhappy monster that I am! ConfessI look to you like some terrible beast? Youyou are like a sunbeam, a drop of dew, the song of a bird! While I am something fearsomeneither man nor beasta something that is harder, more trodden underfoot, more unsightly than a stone by the wayside! And he laughedthe most heart-rending kind of laughter in all the world.
Yes, I am deaf, he went on. But you can speak to me by signs and gestures. I have a master who talks to me in that manner. And then I shall soon know your will by the motion of your lips and by your face.
I understood, he replied, you were asking why I saved you. You have forgotten a poor wretch who tried to carry you off one nighta wretch to whom, next day, you brought relief on the shameful pillory. A drop of watera little pitythat is more than my whole life could repay. You have forgottenhe remembers.
Listen, he said, when he had regained control over himself. We have very high towers here; a man, if he fell from one, would be dead before he reached the ground. If ever you desire me to throw myself down, you have but to say the worda glance will suffice.
No, no, he answered, I may not stay here too long. I am not at my ease while you look at me. It is only from pity that you do not turn away your eyes. I will go to a spot where I can see you without being seen in my turn. It will be better.
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Yes, squirt, its a huge deal. PH is 8.1, 8.2 in the reef area were all the corals and fish in our tanks come from. The reef is the most stable environment on Earth, thus the fish and other animals that developed there have a very narrow latitude in which they can live, unlike freshwater fish, which because of rainwater and seasons, have a much wider latitude. For instance, you could keep a neon tetra easily between pH 6.0 to 7.5. But a marine neon gobie MUST be kept in pH 8.1 to 8.2, as it can't survive and thrive in anything else. Yes, some people keep them all the way down to 7.9, but that means they don't know how to have proper pH in their tank, and the gobies suffer because of it. And corals, clams and other inverts couldn't survive anything OTHER than 8.1 to 8.2.
Originally Posted by squirt_12
When a finger points to the moon, the imbecile looks at the finger.
Omnia mutantur nihil interit.
The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go
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Tunnel-detection technology at US-Mexico border: Is it worth the effort?
The US government is researching use of robots, microgravity sensors, and other high-tech tools to find smuggling tunnels under the US-Mexico border. But police work may be the most effective tool.
(Page 2 of 2)
In response to the problem, the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security have upped their research on ways to detect suspicious activity below ground. Homeland Security representatives recently testified to a congressional subcommittee there are at least four federal task forces dedicated to finding new ways to stop tunnel construction. One project experiments with ground sensors that use seismic waves to detect movement underground, as well as robots that map the terrain using infrared and other technologies.Skip to next paragraph
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After dramatic 2011 in Cuba, will US-Cuban policy shift in 2012?
Boom goes the churro: Chilean court upholds damages for exploding sweets
Why did Hugo Chavez spam Venezuelans on Christmas?
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There a various technologies the US can use to detect tunnels, but all have their limitations. Ground penetrating radar does a poor job at detecting anything before 40 feet. This does little good considering that one tunnel discovered between San Diego and Tijuana traveled at a depth of almost 100 feet below the surface. Ground radar readings are also affected by ground conditions, and give poor results in urban settings or in damp, clay-rich soils.
Other research involves microgravity – the measurement of minute changes in Earth's gravitational field caused by cavities in the ground. However, the equipment is costly and could give many false alarms. Other technologies using cosmic rays and electrodes have proven to be as equally limited. Tunnels vary greatly in dimension and depth, which also complicates detection through these high-tech methods.
The Department of Defense is reportedly most focused on developing seismic and infrared technology to detect tunnels, although the Department of Homeland Security has observed that such research is slow and "labor intensive." Israel has reportedly developed another method, using fiber optic cables, to track the tunnels excavated in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. But installing such a system on a mass scale would be expensive and vulnerable to tampering.
The US clearly intends to continue investing resources in tunnel detection research. But it's not clear here that a technological solution is the best one. So far, US authorities have managed to identify tunnels relying on police work and intelligence collection. Resources may be better invested in areas like the cultivation of informants or supporting the investigative work of units like the San Diego Tunnel Task Force.
More research could well be done in developing a seismic detection system, which appears to be the most promising technological approach. But considering that US Border Patrol has defined only 15 percent of the southwest border as strongly secured, it's unlikely the US will develop anything close to control of the underground frontier anytime soon.
IN PICTURES: US-Mexico drug tunnel
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The Christian Science Monitor has assembled a diverse group of Latin America bloggers. Our guest bloggers are not employed or directed by the Monitor and the views expressed are the bloggers' own, as is responsibility for the content of their blogs. To contact us about a blogger, click here.
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David Robson Extension Educator, Springfield Extension Center, University of Illinois
Yard & Garden
How to Start Your Own Seeds
It will give you cheaper choices and you can share
The dreary winter months are the ideal time to get a start on gardening, though lately most of us have been looking to garden centers, nurseries and big box stores to do the work for us. Maybe times are changing.
Not too long ago, the green thumbers would think nothing of purchasing seeds through a catalog company and starting their own plants for the garden. Vegetables were the primary seeds started, though some looked at flowers, while others attempted some perennials. The truly adventurous thought nothing of ordering the near dust-like petunia seeds and giving them a go.
Let’s face it - starting your own seeds holds several advantages over purchasing plants locally at some store, though there are distinct disadvantages as well.
It’s good to have choices
First, you can choose exactly what plants or cultivars to sow. You may desire a certain type or color unavailable locally. Let’s say you rightly dislike the color pink, while others foolishly think it’s the best thing since sliced bread.
Sowing seeds is also an inexpensive means of obtaining a large quantity of plants. The cost of raising 100 marigolds is much less than buying them. True, you may not need 100 marigolds. The good news is that most seeds can be saved for several years, so you don’t have to plant the entire packet in 2009.
Share with others
Or, you can work out an agreement with some others to share plants. Let’s say you raise 100 tomatoes, someone else raises 100 geraniums, another grows 100 cardoon, and a fourth person produces 100 salvia. Get together over coffee in April and share three-quarters of your stock with the other, ending up with other plants. Add or subtract the number of plants depending on the number of people in your group.
Four factors for success
Seeding success can be attributed to four factors: quality seeding medium, moisture, temperature and light.
Most homeowners use houseplant soil for starting seeds. Packaged mixes are satisfactory as long as the material is sterilized. If the mix isn’t sterilized or the package has been open, sterilize the soil by placing the moistened soil in a metal pan for 30 minutes in a 200 degree Fahrenheit oven. An old meat thermometer should register between 130 and 140 degrees. By the way, cooking soil does stink. Cooking bags used for turkey are a good option to contain the smell. Opening windows is another.
Houseplant soil should be loose and well-drained. If it isn’t, add peat moss, vermiculite or perlite. Some gardeners report success using individual peat pots for starting seeds. A common type is the Jiffy-7 pellet, which expands when wet. It looks like a cookie when dry, but doesn’t taste like one, though there is a lot of fiber in it.
Keep it clean and cool
Make sure your starting pots or trays are clean and sanitized as well. Run them through the dishwasher, or use hot soapy water.
Order your seeds and keep them cool. The refrigerator is a great place to store them, but make sure the kids realize they aren’t to be sprinkled on pizza rolls, nachos or cookies. To be on the safe side, store them with the vegetables where they probably won’t be found.
Next month, we’ll look at the actual techniques for starting seeds. That will give you more than enough time to get your transplants ready for spring planting.
David Robson is an Extension Educator, Horticulture, at the Springfield Extension Center, University of Illinois Extension, P.O. Box 8199, Springfield, IL 62791. Telephone: 217-782-6515.
© 2013 Illinois Country Living Magazine.
Designed and Maintained by Cooperative Design and Print.
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As newlyweds who'd both done some overseas traveling, my husband and I fantasized about taking our future children to exotic places. Reality intruded shortly after our twins were born. Globetrotting and raising a family on a modest single income were not compatible, at least in the short run. With the arrival of a third child, our dream seemed even more impossible. That's when we decided to modify the dream; if we couldn't take our family out to explore the world, we'd find a way to bring the world home to our family. With a little creativity and a minimum of money, we've managed to expose our children to many of the sights, sounds, smells, and flavors of far-off lands. Here's how you can bring the world home too:
Books, Movies and CDs: Public libraries have a wealth of materials for would-be armchair travelers. There are colorful picture books for the youngest members of your family, international cookbooks for adventurous chefs, foreign novels, travel guides, and memoirs of journeys to exotic places. Don't forget to check out the international CD's in the music section, and the foreign movies and travelogues in the video and DVD section. If your library branch is small and the selection is limited, request items from other libraries in your system.
Food: Sample the world's cuisine by trying recipes from the cookbooks you picked up at the library or found on the Internet. You may be able to order key ingredients online if you can't find them locally, but explore the ethnic markets in your own neighborhood first, sourcing new ingredients can be half the fun. If your budget allows it, visit a restaurant featuring food you've never had before. It's more expensive than cooking at home, but still much cheaper than plane tickets.
Theme Night: Put it all together and have a theme night. My husband and I prepared an elaborate Finnish meal many years ago, and my brother has since reciprocated with Thai, East Indian and Vietnamese feasts. Share the meal preparation the way families do in many other cultures, and the event will be even more enjoyable. And don't forget the music. If you can't find something suitable at the library, Putumayo offers great recordings from almost every region of the world.
Ethnic Markets and Neighborhoods: We might not be able to afford the plane fares to Beijing, but we can afford to visit the two Chinatowns within a hundred miles of our house. The East Indian and Asian food markets nearer to our home have been worth exploring as well. There are lots of interesting things to see, touch and smell.
International Holidays, Folk Festivals, and Film Festivals: Thanks to the many multicultural events that take place around our region every year, we've had the opportunity to visit a number of different cultures without having to travel overseas. Find out when and where such events take place in your community by watching your local newspaper, checking community bulletin boards, or contacting the nearest tourist information center. College campuses are often good places to look for foreign movie screenings.
Exchange Students: Interacting with people from other cultures is one of the things I value most about traveling. You can have the same experience if you open your home to guests from other places for brief or extended periods of time. So far our family has hosted two students from Japan for a long weekend, and a student from Korea for a month. My parents shared their home with a young woman on a Rotary exchange from Mexico for several months. In all three of these cases, we were paid a generous honorarium to cover our expenses. To find out if there are hosting opportunities in your community, contact local high schools, colleges, or Rotary Clubs.
If visiting far-flung places is outside your budget at the moment, invite the world home instead. Happy armchair traveling!
Rachel Muller is a freelance writer and children's novelist from Vancouver Island, off the west coast of Canada. Look for her two novels When the Curtain Rises and Ten Thumb Sam (Orca Young Readers) at your local library.
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Thanks to data from ESA's Mars Express mission, combined with models of the Martian climate, scientists can now suggest how the orbit of Mars around the Sun affects the deposition of water ice at the Martian South Pole.
Early during the mission, the OMEGA instrument (Visible and Infrared Mineralogical Mapping Spectrometer) on board Mars Express had already found previously undetected perennial deposits of water-ice. They are sitting on top of million-year old layered terrains and provide strong evidence for a recent glacial activity.
However, only now a realistic explanation for the age of the deposits and the mechanism of their formation could finally be suggested. This was achieved thanks to the OMEGA mapping and characterisation of these ice deposits, combined with the computer-generated Martian Global Climate Models (GCMs).
The mapping and spectral analysis by OMEGA has shown that the perennial deposits on the Martian South Pole are of essentially three types: water-ice mixed with carbon dioxide (CO2) ice, tens-of-kilometres-wide patches of water-ice, and deposits covered by a thin layer of CO2 ice.
The discovery of the ice deposits of the first type confirms the long-standing hypothesis that CO2 acts as a cold-trap for water-ice. But how were the other two types of deposits, not trapped by CO2, accumulated and preserved over time"
Franck Montmessin, from the Service d'Aronomie du CNRS/IPSL (France) and lead author of the findings, explains how the deposits of water ice at the Martian's poles 'behave'. "We believe that the deposits of water-ice are juggled between Mars North and South Poles over a cycle that spans 51 000 years, corresponding to the time span in which the planet's precession is inverted." Precession is the phenomenon by which the rotation axis of a planet wobbles.
Montmessin and colleagues came to the conclusion by turning back time in their Mars climate computer model. This was done
Contact: Agustin Chicarro
European Space Agency
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Amy Shearn (558 posts)
Just when you think you've seen everything, here comes the spirit bear (conveniently enough, in gorgeous and mind-bendingly close-up photographs). No, this white bear is not a Polar Bear, but rather a denizen of Canada's Great Bear Rainforest, and get this -- she's actually a black bear. Born of a recessive gene similar to the human genes for pale skin and red hair, Kermodism, as it's called, is quite rare in the larger black bear population. But on Gribbell Island, nearly one in three black bears is white. (Read the entire article for theories as to why this is.) The native people of the area, the Gitga'at First Nation, call these creatures spirit bears, and according to Bruce Barcott's fascinating National Geographic article, they have never hunted them.
There is something really special about these Kermode bears, something beautiful and rare. And like with so many creatures, their uniqueness seems to lend them a secret advantage in life: apparently the white bears are more successful at catching salmon than their darker counterparts. Oh, and they are scientifically proven to be more likely to make your heart flutter in your chest. Okay, maybe not that last one. You must check out the full National Geographic story, complete with a stunning slide show of Paul Nicklen's miraculous photos. (via My Modern Met.)
Experience Nature's Beauty
The Health Benefits of Time Outside
I am fond, along with everyone I know, of saying things like, "I don't even have a moment to breathe." But what that means is, "I don't take a moment to breathe." Because there are hidden moments here and there, even in the most hectic life, moments that most of us spend staring off into space, or more often at our phones' glowing informative faces—when we could be breathing, or stretching, or humming a tune, or scribbling down a few choice lines or images on whatever is at hand. The back of a receipt. An envelope.
This was the first thought I had when I heard of a new artist's book that includes facsimiles of Emily Dickinson's "envelope-poems." Now on view at the New York Public Library, this lovely object offers insight into Dickinson's later years and creative process, as well as a celebration of the poet's famous economy: the title comes from Dickinson's manuscript A 821, "the gorgeous | nothings | which | compose | the | sunset | keep." But it also offers a reminder to the rest of us non-Dickinsons in the world. It's not your materials that matter (i.e. "This crappy old laptop is keeping me from writing my memoirs!"), or even your scope. We all have envelopes, and pens, and scattered (and non-grocery-list-related) thoughts. We all have tiny moments we can transform into gorgeous nothings.
Golden moments that everybody gets
Why you need improbable goals
It is, indeed, artwork that makes you wonder such strange things: Birds, fairies, storybook characters, flowers, all manners of figures and shapes, perched in the eye of a needle, or on the tip of a pin, or even on the end of an eyelash. Carved out of, sometimes, a single grain of sand. Created by -- get this -- a regular-sized human.
Willard Wigan's artwork is impossible. I know. I don't believe it either. How? And why? Well, I thought I was going to write here about patience, about how Wigan taught himself to concentrate hard enough to create these astoundingly tiny works. And yes, he spoke at TED about how he has to slow down his nervous system to do his work. He works in between his heart beats, in the middle of the night. He has to hold his breath so that he doesn't inhale the sculptures. (Doesn't just hearing that make you squirm?) Sometimes, as he explains, working on this molecular level means your materials (spider webs, fly hairs, plastic fibers, glass shards) get finicky. Learning his Lilliputian craft -- each eensy sculpture takes up to 7 weeks to create -- has surely been a Brobdingnagian process.
And yet, this very TED talk made me realize that Wigan's story isn't just one of patience and concentration: it's a story of transcendent failure. Wigan is dyslexic, and was routinely humiliated at school. He talks about being 5 years old and smarting from the cruel teacher who labeled him a failure. He would hide away in a shed, where he noticed some ants who, in his magical world, indicated to him that they needed a home. Wigan constructed them a tiny apartment out of wood splinters, and an artistic quest was begun. He found the thing he was good at, the thing no one else could own, the world that was his, and he worked it; as his mother told him, “The smaller your work, the bigger your name." He's since been called (unofficially) the 8th Wonder of the World, so there you go.
You must listen to his TED talk -- he's surprisingly funny, mysteriously inspiring, and his message is an important one for anyone who's ever needed to find their own little corner of the world.
Trading Art for Health Care
Learning to Play Viola at 52
How is it that inanimate objects are so often so eloquent? We know they are just things, but we love our things. I know I like to think of myself as too deep and unsuperficial to really care about material things, and yet, when my home almost burned down (I exaggerate slightly) I spent the remainder of the day wandering around in a daze, loving all those dumb things: the sticks my kids collect and the photograph of my grandmother holding baby-me, yes, but also, the rocking chair, the potted plants, the bathroom sink. Maybe those things aren't me, exactly, but those mute hunks of wood and plastic and stone are my life. And though I don't think of myself as having a lot of things, compared to the Chinese farmers photographed by Huang Qingjun my small home becomes a low-rent-version of the British Museum.
According to the BBC, Huang Qingjun has spent the past decade traveling around China's rural areas, photographing people outside their homes with all of their material possessions. (The BBC has a can't-miss slide show of his photographs.) The photographs are haunting portraits of the simple way people still live in the quickly-changing country. But they tell stories, too -- a story of forced change, in the case of a couple posing in front of their house which has been slated for demolition; a story of intentional change, in the case of families proudly displaying their modern DVD players and satellite dishes.
it's impossible to look at these photographs and not think, "That's IT?" I'd like to think I could live so simply as these families, possessing only what I needed to work and make food and little else, but it takes me about twelve seconds to start wondering, but what do they do in their free time? (The answer is, probably, what free time?) Where are the books and games and photographs and all those other things that we think make our homes our homes? And what would my life be, who would I be, in a yurt on the plain?
Read the entire article for more, including the the wonderful history of the "Four Big Things."
What Are Your Chairs Telling You?
The History of the World in 100 Objects
But what about those who really, really don't have money to plunk down on a gorgeous gown they'll only wear once? One woman, faced with this ridiculousness, decided to give away her wedding dress after her wedding to a bride in need. The bride, who wishes to remain anonymous, is offering her lovely ruffly confection of a Cambodian silk gown through Huffington Post Weddings. Head on over to see photos of the dress and find out more. I can't think of a better way to start off a marriage than by sending some kindness out into the world, can you? After all (as it's easy to forget when you're suffering satin-blindness in the middle of David's Bridal panic attack), this getting married thing, it's not about a day, or even a dress -- it's about starting a new life together. A life, one hopes, of giving, and sharing, and good vibes all around.
Don't Tell the Bride...
The Beginner's Guide to Wedding Planning
As I stuck the list to the fridge, I daydreamed about the different lessons we would have every week, how I would combine documentary clips and projects and field trips in a totally inspiring and life-affirming improvised homeschooling situation. I envisioned the children and I racing through a meadow, peering at clouds through homemade cloud-viewers and shouting, "Cumulus! Nimbus!" at each other like greetings in a newly-learned language.
Right. So as it turns out, I apparently don't know how to learn about anything other than by checking out relevant books at the library. Each Monday I stare at the list, and think, Right. India. We were going to learn about India. Hm, guess I'll check out a book. What's next? Animal groups. Okay, I'll find a book. Now don't get me wrong, the disintegrating, outdated science textbooks at my local library are great and all. But I know there must be more engaging ways to learn about new things. And now I know where to find them: Learnist.
This new social media site is essentially Pinterest with a point. (No offense to Pinterest!) Users share their areas of expertise, compiling, say, helpful grammar infographics, or the best works of filmmaker Werner Herzog, or (my favorite so far) words that can't be translated into English. Learnist draws you in and around (I was not exactly looking for Werner Herzog, but suddenly here I am, obsessed) the way Facebook and Twitter do, but with more useful content -- lots of resources for teachers, home cooks, sports enthusiasts, basically, everyone.
So I can space out online and actually be compiling an unofficial lesson plan for my curious kid. Or, you know, myself.
Check out Learnist and request a (free, easy) beta invite!
Is Learning Ever Just Plain Learning?
The Importance of Curiosity
As Martha Beck writes on this very site, to live a life rich with everyday miracles, all one needs is a " sense of what's probable—and a world filled with moments of grace, strange synchronicities, and perhaps (who knows?) the occasional bedroom full of guardian angels." So where are your everyday miracles today? And when they appear, will you let them in?
The Big Question: An Adventure or a Nap?
The 23-Year-Long Road Trip
Depressing, I know. But the article also shares the story of Namakula, a young woman who was denied schooling but took a catering class. She has since started a catering company called Allied Female Youth Initiative and said that "the training showed her that she had other options besides being dependent on a boyfriend or husband." Namakula now says that people treat her with respect; she is now a woman with a future—all because she's taken the trajectory of her life into her own hands.
Ugandan Skaters Make Their Own Fun
Oprah's School for Girls in Africa
As someone perpetually preparing food in a tiny, under-stocked space, I found this revelation to be quite refreshing: Even Julia Child had to fake it sometimes! Design Research's Jane Thompson describes how they set up the studio kitchen, and why it was so significant: "What [Julia Child] was doing was sort of modern living demonstration of the big symbolic thing, which was [meals going directly] from the stove to the table. We didn’t have servants anymore...we’re not living in the old elegant way."
But we can be living in the new elegant way, thanks to Child -- even if our kitchens are less than perfect. Read the whole post for more, including the unexpected significance of pepper.
Finding Your Inner Julia Child
Julie Powell's Favorite Kitchen Tools
I know it's a luxury of my life that I get to think this, and yet I sometimes find myself wondering what I'm really doing here. Here in my life, I mean. Reading my kid a picture book about the rain forest the other day sent me into a mental tailspin. The rainforests! Are getting destroyed! What am I doing about it? Nothing! I don't volunteer, I don't donate large sums of money, I don't save the children (except my own, of course, when they teeter off the playground equipment). I don't even use cloth diapers! I'm part of the problem! Of course (and here come the excuses of which we all have so many) what could I do that would really make an impact without turning my life upside down, or maybe it needs to be turned upside? (And don't say use cloth diapers.)
So it was like something chimed in my chest when I read this BBC News story about Hernando Guanlao, a 60-something book lover in Manila who turned his private book collection into a lending library for his community. Twelve years ago, his parents died and Guanlao was looking for a way to honor their memory. Since he had shared with them a love of reading, he decided to put his books -- 100 or so -- outside his house, encouraging people to borrow them on an honor system. Over a decade later, his collection has swelled to the thousands, providing reading material to a community in which few people can afford to buy books and there is not a public lending library. Guanlao told the BBC, "It seems to me that the books are speaking to me. That's why it multiplies like that. The books are telling me they want to be read... they want to be passed around."
Books now overtake nearly all of Guanlao's home -- and life, since he quit his job in order to run the library, living off his savings. And this, as you may guess, was what spoke to me so eloquently. Here is a man who has found a way to combine a wish to help others with his personal passion, and it's changed not just his community's life, but his own. There was of course risk here -- he may well have lost all his books, in a place where books are expensive. And yet, as he told the BBC, "You don't do justice to these books if you put them in a cabinet or a box. A book should be used and reused. It has life, it has a message. As a book caretaker, you become a full man." Words which should be inscribed on every overstuffed bookcase everywhere, probably. (Read the full article to learn Guanlao's plans for even more intrepid and creative book-sharing.)
Guanlao offers another gift, too, even to those of us too remote to visit his library: a reminder that sometimes, when you're least expecting it, a need dovetails with your passion, and your life's mission finds you.
Becoming the Person You Were Meant To Be
How to Make Your Life Sparkle
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This week on Armed with Science, Dr. Barbara McQuiston of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), spoke about a few interesting ways the Department of Defense is trying to revolutionize renewable energy sources.
“I think Peter Drexler always said it well … ‘If you want to control the future, you need to create it,’” McQuiston said. “So DARPA invests science and technology to make these changes. When we looked at energy, what we were looking at was the diversification of energy sources and moving away from a reliance on fossil fuel to create better energy security for ourselves now and in the future.”
Their plan? To create renewable biofuel using things like cellulose (”woody” materials), rich oil and algae. You read right: algae, the plant-like organisms that float around in the ocean, could one day fuel C-130s and F-16s. But the focus isn’t as much on what the fuel is made of, but where it can be made.
For example, all fuel used in Afghanistan needs to be shipped there. If bio jet fuel could be made from plant materials that could be farmed there, it would be a “game-changer” for the military operation there and the country’s economy.
“If you looked … at Afghanistan, if you could be able to create jet fuel from indigenous sources, and rely on that, you’d not only be able to be able to source energy for our military, but you’d be able to leave an infrastructure that would be more sustainable for the country,” McQuiston said.
To listen to the podcast interview, click here.
To view the transcript, click here.
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2012 has been yet another milestone year in the world of American craft beer. There are currently more breweries in operation in the United States than ever before, even surpassing the alcohol boom of the late 1800s. Outdated beer laws are beginning to change and will benefit both brewers and consumers, and a debate began between the little guys and the big boys about what exactly defines craft beer. Oh yeah - there were also some incredible beers made in the last 12 months.
What defines a beer as "the best"? For me, it goes far beyond just the appearance, smell, and taste. The setting, the time of day or year and the company I'm with all factor into it. Sometimes a mediocre beer can become a thing of beauty purely based on its surroundings.
Since being turned onto the world of craft beer, I rarely order a Guinness, but I swear the one I had in Dublin atop the Guinness brewery is one of the best beers I've had to date. I should also point out that I was enjoying it with my new bride and it happened to be St. Patrick's Day. When I'm drinking a beer or eating a meal, these outside factors matter to me.
The rarity of a beer factors into my perception of it, as well. Often times, much like a rare car, it might not be the collector's fastest or sleekest, but it could very well be the favorite based on its lack of availability. Take the Belgian beer, Westvleteren 12 (pictured), for example. Many beer geeks swear it's the best beer on the planet, but it probably doesn't hurt that it's also considered one of the rarest. The only place this beer is sold legally is the actual brewery, which happens to be a monastery, and the procedure to buy the beer isn't exactly easy.
The brewery is one of only eight authentic Trappist breweries in the world and is the only one that is not distributed outside its respective monastery for retail sales. The Westvleteren monastery, however, is currently in need of repairs and to raise money the beer was distributed and sold in the United States for one time only on 12/12/12. The beer sold out quickly and unless you were in line early at your local beer store and ponied up $85 (for a six pack), you'll have to rely on a trip to Belgium to buy one or spend hundreds of dollars via eBay.
The beer is extremely rare, yes, but it's also fantastic and for a Quadrupel it's extremely dry, which sets it apart from the many others that try to replicate it. It's one of my picks for the top beers of 2012.
Choosing a "best of" list is difficult and regardless of the quality of choices, someone is going to cry foul when they don't see their favorite listed. This list is not based on any formula for determining the best beers or even based on things like tasting notes or reviews. It's just my personal list and the beers that stood out to me in the past year. With that, I give you my top 12 beers of 2012.
- Westvleteren Trappist 12
- 21st Amendment Marooned on Hog Island Stout brewed with oysters in collaboration with Hog Island Oyster Company
- Firestone Walker Union Jack Double dry-hopped IPA made using over four pounds of hops per barrel
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Is the T7 tag sequence immunogenic (from pET plasmid) - (Dec/15/2011 )
I have succesfully cloned a gen in pET28a through BamHI and XhoI sites. My goal is to purify the corresponding protein and inoculate it into rabbit for immunization. The point is that as it has been cloned through BamHI site the recombinant protein will have the His-tag plus the T7-tag (MASMTGGQQMG).
I am afraid that the rabbit could produce undesirable antibodies through this N-terminal region of the recombinant protein. Does anybody knows whether the T7-tag is immunogenic?
Thanks in advance,
the T7-tag might develop an antibody response. However, if you are producing polyclonal antibodies, you don´t need to worry about that since you will have protein specific antibodies too.
That's right Chelo but afterwards, if I perform a immunochromatography purification step with the recombinant protein coupled, I will certainly purify those antibodies too...
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Sportsmanship is displayed when one strives to compete to one's potential,
while at the same time respecting the rules of the game and the integrity of the opponent.
Sportsmanship is displayed by fans when one cheers for the Patriots and not against the opponent or officials.
A student-athlete must maintain a sportsmanship attitude throughout the school year. He or she will strive to improve their team and the athletic program. Athletes will not dishonor or discredit Great Valley High School.
Final determination on sportsmanship problems rests with the Principal, Director of Athletics, and coaches.
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Respiratory Virus Detection with FilmArray Respiratory Panel Compared to Conventional Methods in Immunocompromised Patients
Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 07/27/2012
Hammond SP et al. – Most of the additional viral pathogens identified by the FilmArray respiratory panel assay that were confirmed by verification testing were pathogens not assessed by routine clinical tests, including rhinovirus/enterovirus, human metapneumovirus, and coronavirus. The FilmArray respiratory panel assay allowed for increased identification of respiratory viral pathogens in this cohort of immunocompromised patients.
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Old Friends has received a $50,000 grant from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, it was announced March 5 by Old Friends founder and president Michael Blowen.
Old Friends was selected by the ASPCA in October 2009 to apply for the “Rescuing Racers Project”, a $1 million granting opportunity designed to support horses impacted by the racing industry. Old Friends was one of six selected recipients whose mission is to promote equine welfare.
The funds will be used by Old Friends to construct new run-in sheds at the facility’s Dream Chase Farm in Georgetown, Ky., and to begin construction on two additional paddocks that will accommodate up to six Thoroughbreds.
“We are very grateful to have been chosen for this grant opportunity,” Blowen said. “It’s very satisfying to be recognized for the work we do and it’s great to be able to give even more to the horses.”
Old Friends supports nearly 100 retired racehorses, including six on its first satellite facility in New York: Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division.
In 2009, the ASPCA awarded more than $540,000 in the form of 164 grants to equine rescue groups and humane organizations across the country. For more information on the ASPCA’s equine programs, please visit http://www.aspcapro.org/saving-lives/equine-program.
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“What does it really take for a small business owner to get a loan from a bank today?” It’s one of the top questions our bankers hear.
Let me share the five things small business owners need to know when applying for a small business loan or line of credit.
1. Show that your business generates steady cash flow. Cash flow is a key indicator of a business’ health and its future prospects. When you can show reliable cash flow for your business, your bank can see that you have the resources to pay for new loans.
2. Make sure your current debt load is manageable. Your bank wants to make sure your business has the ability to take on additional debt and is in a strong financial position to manage its debt payments.
3. Maintain a good payment history. Before extending credit, a financial institution needs to be confident a business has the ability repay. Your payment history provides an important record of your ability to responsibly pay down debt. Obtaining a debit or credit card is a good way to begin building a payment history for your business.
4. Demonstrate business acumen. Successful businesses reinvent themselves all the time. Your bank wants to see that you anticipate potential challenges and have the management skills to overcome obstacles and pursue growth opportunities.
5. Build a solid relationship with your banker. A long-term relationship with your bank – for both business and personal financial needs – will show how you manage your finances as a creditworthy business owner.
For more information on how to qualify for a loan, visit Wells Fargo’s Business Insight Resource Center at
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Brent M. Giddens
Carlton DiSante & Freudenberger LLP
What documentation is important when hiring someone?
|There are several documents that are very important in the hiring process, but perhaps there is none more important than a job description. That is a written document that sets forth mental and physical requirements of the job. Obviously if there is a desk job or administrative position the job description is going to look quite different than something that requires more manual labor such as a warehouse person, or a shelf stocker or more physical jobs. But whatever job it is your hiring to fill make sure that you've prepared a detailed written description that covers not only the mental requirements of the job but also the physical requirements of the job and in general what it is you expect that employee to perform. One of the biggest problems that I see when I get telephone calls from my clients about poorly performing employees is often times it's just a lack of communication. That is that the employee was never specifically told what precisely it was expected of them and having that job description both in the interview process to use as a tool but also down the road to help in evaluating the employee's performance, there will be no miscommunication between the employer and the employee about precisely what it is that is expected of them. In addition it is also very important to have that job description if that employee God forbid is injured on the job or sick or otherwise needs to go to the doctor, because you will not be able to communication very directly with the employee's doctor with what job requirements that employee is expected to fulfill. Obviously a doctor in evaluating somebody's fitness for duty is going to look at an employee very differently if they have a lifting requirement say of 50lbs that might be typical of a warehouse employee vs a more clerical employee who really doesn't life much of anything but sits in front of a computer scene all day. Those job descriptions are going to be quite different and therefore the doctor's evaluation that whether that employee is fit for duty is going to be quite different as well. And so we don't want the doctor to know about the employee's job only from the employee because the employee maybe motivated by either that they don't want to come back to work or they can't afford to be off of work. But in any event the employees tend to shade what the tell the doctor about their job responsibilities and as a result we want to make sure that you have something to present to the doctor that tells the doctor from your perspective precisely what it is that the employee is required to do.|
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Acne is a very common and widespread problem. It often causes discomfort and embarrassment to those who suffer from it. Although there are many creams, lotions, and treatment methods to help solve ongoing problems with acne, prevention of acne is equally as important. Finding out what causes acne and eliminating that cause can be a great help in curing acne and preventing recurring bouts.
Unfortunately, there are many different reasons for acne. All cases of acne are different, are linked to different causes, and are cured with different forms of treatment and medication. This means that what works for someone else will not necessarily work for you. Thus it is very important that you identify your particular case of acne and its cause, it is a unique case and must be treated as such. Consult a specialist and have them identify the causes of your acne, not only will this help you know how to treat your acne, but will also give you valuable insight on how to prevent it.
There are a few basic steps that apply to most cases of acne and should be followed by anyone who faces skin problems with acne.
• Do not pop or squeeze pimples! A very simple rule, although not so simple to follow. The urge to squeeze a pimple is often very strong, but should be avoided at all costs. Squeezing pimples can cause more outbreaks and often leads to scarring.
• If you are acne prone, be sure to read the labels on cosmetics and products that will be applied to your skin. Look for the items that are “non-comedogenic” or “non-acnegenic” when choosing such products. Products marked with those words indicate that they were specifically designed for people with acne. Oil-free products are also a good suggestion for those who suffer from acne.
• Proper washing of the affected areas is a must. Gentle washing with warm water and a soft, neutral soap should be done a few times a day in order to keep the skin free of dirt, oils and other substances that can cause irritation and inflammation.
• Before using facial scrubs or cleansers, be sure to consult your doctor. Such products often contain substances that can cause irritation if you have sensitive skin, leaving your skin more susceptible to acne.
• Before discontinuing the use of any medication that you are using to combat acne, consult your physician. Often the outer symptoms disappear, but medication must be continued until the hidden causes are entirely eliminated.
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Letter to Virginia Marine Resources Commission from the Committee on Non-Native Oysters in the Chesapeake Bay (2003)Ocean Studies Board
Each report is produced by a committee of experts selected by the Academy to address a particular statement of task and is subject to a rigorous, independent peer review; while the reports represent views of the committee, they also are endorsed by the Academy. Learn more on our expert consensus reports.
The Virginia Seafood Council has introduced a proposal to establish triploid C. ariakensis (nonnative oysters) into the Chesapeake Bay. Although triploid oysters are generally sterile, hence reducing the likelihood that these oysters will spawn, a small percentage (0.09 percent) will be diploid, or may revert to the diploid condition. The National Academies' committee reviewed the proposal and was concerned that it did not contain sufficient safeguards to reduce the risk of introducing a reproductive population of nonnative oysters into the waters of Virginia and neighboring states. This letter identifies several specific risks and concerns and recommends that the Virginia Marine Resources Commission amend the Virginia Seafood Council proposal to include additional safeguards.
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Selecting a VoIP Provider Can Be Challenging
With the growing popularity of the VoIP system for telecommunications, there are several VoIP providers in the marketplace --- each one trying to outdo the other in their offers and prices. It is, therefore, important not to get swayed by the sales spiel. You should make an educated, informed decision when you need to choose the right vendor for your needs. Do your research. Read reviews about the various VoIP providers.
The system you choose also depends on the number of people you employee, and your specific needs. Then there is the question of selecting the company which would provide you with these services, give you service support when needed, and offers these at a reasonable price. Quotations should be obtained from several vendors. You should make a comparison among the various VoIP systems in the areas of features and functions, maintenance, service support, performance, and cost.
Points to Consider
Before the service contract is signed, it is essential to remember that this is not just a financial investment, but an issue that also concerns the reputation of the company. It would be disastrous if the service company went bankrupt or just shut down, leaving you in total disarray with your VoIP system. It could take weeks to get the system going again. In the meantime, business operations would likely come to a halt.
Price is an important factor. However, price should not be the only consideration in the search for a good VoIP provider. It is necessary to find a reliable company. The streamlined telephony and communication systems of your business operations would depend on the service company and, therefore, you must choose with great care and consideration.
The Service Angle
In the hosted PBX service, the equipment remains with the service provider. This ensures that problems with the service are resolved remotely by the provider. When choosing the VoIP provider, this is an aspect that must be evaluated and understood through the terms and conditions of the Service Level Agreement (SLA). An SLA is a signed contract between the VoIP provider and the client organization. The SLA spells out, in measurable terms, the kind of services the former would provide the latter, including all the support parameters.
Questions you should ask VoIP Providers
Before you sign a contract with a VoIP Provider, there are certain relevant queries that the vendor should answer to your satisfaction. These could concern the duration of the SLA, how long it would take to get the system up and running, cost of additional phones, the frequency of updates and redundancy issues. In addition, there are questions such as the areas of preparation on the part of the customer; the strength of the broadband connection; the need for a PSTN landline; the need for any special equipment; the size of the company; and the number of employees.
It is best to choose a VoIP provider who has a good reputation for reliability, quality and prompt technical support. Asking around among those who are already using the service is also another way to collect information, which would help in selecting the best among the many VoIP providers. Reviews written about VoIP providers can help greatly.
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Premium Content "All That Matters"
by Anonymous - December 10, 2004
Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
No matter how old I grow, the meaning of friendship has always remained the same - loyalty, sympathy, understanding, and unwavering support. I learned this lesson early in life, back when my best friend's trampoline was the cornerstone of my social life. It was there that I learned the value of friendship and the understated importance of simply…
This excerpt of the essay is provided for free. To read the complete essay of 369 words or to get access to the rest of our College Application Essays, please subscribe below or log in if you are already subscribed.
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College Application Essays accepted by Boston College
- The Absurd, The Prom
- An Academic Affair
- College Diet
- Wanting to be a Nurse
- "All That Matters"
- Thursday Mentoring
- The Loss
- Watch Me
- From Charity Case to Friend
- A New Life
- Piano Conquest
- Lesson Well Learned
- A Newfound Nostalgia
- “Buenos días, ¿cómo estás?”
- Me in 1000 words
- A Man of Convictions
- From Tackle Practice to the Barre
- As I Am
- Sandy's Lesson
- Home Run
- Diverse Identity
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Respiratory Support Information
Options Offered For Respiratory Care
Following are excerpts from "Breathe Easy" published in Quest, the MDA magazine, vol. 5, no.5, 1998. These excerpts are from part one of a two-part article. AMDA wishes to thank the Muscular Dystrophy Association for giving us permission to reprint portions of this article.
When most of us think of breathing, we think first about our lungs.... However, lungs can't do their job without…. the muscles of ventilation.... Progressive weakness of these muscles significantly affects health, mobility, and quality of life. In fact, for people with severe, generalized neuromuscular disease, complications from ventilatory muscle weakness are a major cause of death...
Strategies that keep the airways clear and the lungs free of infection can delay the need for "invasive" mechanical ventilation (tracheostomy tube) in most cases, and even avoid it in others... Respiration includes both ventilation, moving air in and out of the lungs, and the exchange of gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) between blood and the air.
"Breathing in and coughing out are the two most important medical issues for a person with neuromuscular disease," says Dr. John Bach, co-director of the MDA clinic at New Jersey Medical School in Newark.
Taking a breath, called inspiration, requires contracting the diaphragm, a sheet of muscle below the lungs that separates the chest from the abdomen. As the diaphragm pulls downward, it causes the chest cavity to expand. Muscles in the rib cage pull the ribs outward, further expanding the chest. As the space inside the chest increases, outside air pushes in to fill the partial vacuum.
Gas Exchange System
One of the most important facts about respiration in neuromuscular disease is that there is nothing wrong with the gas exchange system. "Patients with neuromuscular disease have essentially normal lungs," says Robert Warren, director of Pediatric Pulmonology Services at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas. So, if a person can get air to the alveoli (air sacs) he can get enough oxygen for all his needs. Weakness of the diaphragm and the rib cage muscles interferes with that and is the reason mechanical ventilation may be needed.
Unfortunately, says Greg Carter, co-director of the MDA clinic at Mary Bridge Hospital in Tacoma, Washington, some doctors, and even respiratory specialists, don't recognize these important differences when they treat people with neuromuscular disease....many physicians still use the confusing term "restrictive lung associated with neuromuscular disease," implying that the problem is in the lungs themselves. As a result, they may offer therapy designed for obstructive problems (affecting the respiratory system, such as emphysema, cystic fibrosis, cancer, or infection) but not neuromuscular conditions.
Giving Oxygen May Do More Harm Than Good
Bach believes that in neuromuscular conditions, "Perhaps the worst thing we can do for an otherwise healthy patient is to give them oxygen." The reason giving oxygen may do more harm than good stems from the way the body regulates breathing. High levels of oxygen in the blood suppress the natural drive to breathe, diminishing even further the low rate of gas exchange. This allows carbon dioxide to build up in the blood to dangerously high levels. Supplemental oxygen temporarily hides the problem of under ventilation, but does nothing to solve it. "It's like putting a Band-Aid on a cancer," Bach says.
In addition, Carter says that bronchodilators, drugs that expand the airways, are also overused, since again, the problem isn't obstruction, but an inability to breathe deeply enough to fill and clear the lungs. Carter notes, however, that "some patients with very weak respiratory muscles do occasionally benefit from bronchodilators such as albuterol, because these agents not only dilate the airways but help muscles contract more strongly. Nonetheless, their possible benefits may not outweigh their risks even here, since bronchodilators can also affect the heart rate. Any drug affecting the heart must be used with caution where cardiomyopathy (heart muscle damage) may be a feature of the disease.
Deep breaths fulfill another important function besides supplying air to the lungs - they stretch out the lung tissue and chest wall.....the lungs and chest wall stiffen without regular deep breaths, such as those taken during a yawn or sigh. This stiffening can have serious consequences for the health of the lungs.
Breathing Out and Coughing
During normal expiration or breathing out, the diaphragm relaxes while muscles in the rib cage contract. When a more forceful expiration is required, such as a cough, additional strength is provided by the abdominal muscles. Abdominal weakness can be more important than even diaphragm weakness, because of the crucial role played by coughing in maintaining healthy lungs.
The Importance of Coughing
...the forceful expulsion of air from the lungs during a cough is designed to remove mucus secretions, and removing secretions is the body's way of preventing infection. Normally, the moist lining of the lungs produces a small amount of clear mucus which traps dirt and bacteria ...the mucus is swept slowly up and out of the lungs by tiny hairs on the surface of the cells lining the airways. During infection mucus increases and is cleared by coughing.
Three Factors Can Affect the Ability of a Person With a Neuromuscular Disease to Cough:
- weak abdominal muscles
- weakness of the bulbar or throat muscles
- weakness of the diaphragm
A good cough requires a deep breath. If the chest wall has become stiff through under use or scoliosis, a person may not be able...to produce an effective cough. This not only reduces the amount of lung tissue available for gas exchange, but greatly increases the likelihood of more serious infection...
Signs of Trouble
For many people with neuromuscular disease, the beginnings of ventilatory failure come on slowly and may be mistaken for other problems. Shortness of breath, the best known symptom of too little oxygen, may not occur, especially when weakness prevents exertion. Instead, Warren says, the most common symptoms are fatigue, poor sleep, vivid dreams or nightmares, and headaches, especially right after waking. In fact, under ventilation at night is often the first problem, both because the natural urge to breathe is lower during sleep, and because the abdomen pushes up against the diaphragm when a person lies down.
(After) months of under ventilation and inadequate coughing... a crisis can appear, as if from nowhere, causing a life threatening medical situation in which a major airway becomes clogged with mucus and the ventilatory muscles are too weak to cough it out. A respiratory crisis is often set off by an infection of the respiratory tract, especially a chest infection.
Symptoms of Possible Underventilation
- sleep disturbances
- vivid dreams or nightmares
- morning headaches
- nausea or confusion
- poor appetite
- weight loss
- weakened or softened voice
- unproductive cough
In cases of progressive ventilatory weakness, the need for mechanical ventilation may be delayed by a number of measures. The most important are effective coughing and regular deep breaths....below are measures you can take:
- Stop smoking.
- Drink plenty of fluids. This keeps lung secretions thin, aiding their clearance.
- Limit caffeine and alcohol intake. These promote water loss through the urine.
- Practice good nutrition. This helps maintain general health and prevents fatigue.
- Avoid obesity. Extra weight means more work for the whole body, including the ventilatory muscles. Also, the extra work means more oxygen is needed, further taxing the system.
- Treat scoliosis or curvature of the spine. This is a common complication in neuromuscular disease. Scoliosis prevents full expansion of the chest cavity and can lead to stiffness and loss of breathing capacity.
- Avoid inhaling food into the lungs (aspirating food). For those with trouble swallowing, a speech therapist can offer strategies to minimize the risk of aspiration and exercises to strengthen the swallowing muscles.
- Get flu and pneumonia vaccines unless you have a vaccine allergy.
- Stay away from crowds to avoid being exposed to respiratory infections.
- Don't use sedatives or cough suppressants, especially at bedtime.
At the Clinic
People with neuromuscular disease should have their ventilatory function monitored regularly. Bach says, "One of the most important aspects of evaluation for the neuromuscular patient is measuring the vital capacity," or the total volume of air that can be expelled after an unassisted deep breath. This is done with a simple instrument called a spirometer. He notes that it's important to measure vital capacity lying down, since it represents the sleeping position, and the first problems usually develop at night.
People who are at risk for ventilatory problems may need to monitor their oxygen levels using a device called an oximeter… "When vital capacity is less then 1.5 liters, we teach the patient how to ‘stack breaths’ using an Ambu bag (or a ventilator if one is already being used)." An Ambu bag has a mask that fits over the mouth and nose and a flexible bag that forces air into the lungs when it's squeezed. It's a sort of hand held ventilator.
"What air stacking involves is taking a breath and holding it, and taking a second breath on top of that and trying to hold that, and putting as much air into the lungs as possible. We then have the patient exhale that air into the spirometer, and that is the patients maximum insulation capacity," or the maximum volume of air that the lungs can hold. "The greater the maximum insuffulation capacity, the greater the patient's ability to cough."
Whether the person has the strength to cough is a separate question, addressed by a different test.
"We use a peak cough flow meter and have our patient cough as hard as he can, and we measure the flow of air," Bach says. Peak flows above 6 liters per second are usually sufficient to prevent mucus plugging. When the flows are lower, manually or mechanically assisted coughing is usually needed during a respiratory infection.
- * Manually assisted cough—The abdominal thrust is the most common type of manually assisted technique. Carter notes, "It’s a technique we teach early on in the course of neuromuscular disease, and it can be quickly learned by any home caregiver.
- * Mechanically assisted cough—If the flows still aren’t sufficient, Bach recommends using a cough machine, such as the In-Exsufflator distributed by Respironics of Pittsburgh. This machine first delivers a deep breath and then, rapidly reverses the pressure to produce the cough.
- The In-Exsufflator Machine was recommended in AMDA's December 1997 Newsletter by Dr. J. Clarke McIntosh, a pediatric pulmonologist at the Ruth and Billy Graham Children's Health Clinic in Asheville, NC:
- "We have...started using the Mechanical In-Exsufflator by Emerson…The technique is simple… Basically the machine has a positive pressure cycle and a negative pressure cycle. You hold a face mask over your mouth and nose, and it gives 2-5 seconds of positive pressure. Then, you switch to negative pressure which basically sucks the secretions out. This could be much better than other maneuvers to assist your cough."
Finally, Bach recommends that people with neuromuscular disease who are at risk for ventilatory problems use a portable measuring device called an oximeter to monitor the level of oxygen in the blood. "Normal is 95 percent to 98 percent oxygen saturation," Bach says. "If it falls below that you should be thinking one of two things: there’s a mucus plug or you are underventilating. If you neglect these problems" he cautions, "you can end up with pneumonia or collapse of your alveoli and develop acute respiratory failure."
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Hundreds of Miami-Dade County public school students now have a new tool for success.
Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, at Nova Southeastern University in North Miami Beach, presented 450 students this week with iPads that were purchased with grant dollars from a program designed to help students learn English.
“This is 21st century education, leveraging digital content with good minds at work we are taking advantage of the way kids learn today, exciting them into language acquisitions,” Carvalho said.
“It is a great opportunity for us,” said student Yenifes Alonso.
Miami-Dade is at the forefront of this new program called iWorld, which will provide global access for recently arrived, foreign-born secondary ESOL immigrant students.
In collaboration with Pearson Education, Miami Dade Public Schools created a new curriculum to help the students learn English and though their new iPads they will be able to access the program.
ESOL teachers will be trained to use iPads to teach reading and to use their text and apps to provide content tutorial support and instruction. Students will attend a two-day conference style training called iSummit. Pearson has customized training for ESOL students to learn how to use the iPads to become digital learners
So far, 450 students were given iPads and the program will be available in 12 schools. The project will be tested in Miami-Dade County before being taken nationwide.
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A brief history and overview of Kasbah du Toubkal
This article first appeared in the Emirates magazine and is written by Tricia Welsh
As an eager young British adventurer who fell in love with the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco while trekking there in 1972, Mike McHugo had no idea that his life would end up so intrinsically bound to this exotic and mystical country.
Opting out of conventional corporate business, McHugo established Hobo Travel, which eventually grew into the more salubrious, Discover Ltd., operating adventure holidays to Morocco. Today, he is the distant force behind Kasbah du Toubkal, the premier mountain retreat in Morocco.
Kasbah du Toubkal is run through a unique partnership with the local Berber community, with a five per cent levy included in guests’ accommodation bills being funnelled back to the villagers. it is more of a berber hospitality centre than a traditional hotel, where the genuine friendliness, warmth and hospitality are exceptional.
Like many things in life, the Kasbah came to McHugo in a circuitous manner. In 1986, with financial help from family and friends, McHugo bought what is now The Eagle’s Nest in the Cevennes National Park in central southern France, where he lives with his wife and family. He then turned it into a permanent fieldwork base operating educational tours for school and college students. So far, some 20,000 students and teachers from around the world have visited the property.
It was not until 1989 that McHugo, while travelling through Morocco with his brother Chris and their mother, stayed in a small Berber village below a ruined kasbah at the foot of the highest peak in North Africa, the 4167-metre high Mount Toubkal. They were the guests of local mountain guide and respected leader of the local community, Hajj Maurice, with whom Mike had built up a firm friendship over the years.
“We had noticed the crumbling ruin of an old kasbah – originally the summer home of a local feudal chief,” recalls McHugo. “It was Chris who suggested we buy it. He had read that direct foreign investment in Morocco was being encouraged and was apparently going to become easier. It was also seen to be the key to the country’s development.
“After all, he thought, we were possibly as safe a pair of hands as anyone to do something useful and sustainable with the special site.”
On a business level, the two brothers couldn’t be further apart. Chris is very much the “well-heeled consultant formerly with one of the world’s largest agencies” while Mike has been a bus driver, entrepreneur and now educator. What binds them, apart from filial love, is a keenness for North Africa—in particular, Morocco—where they have both trekked extensively through the remote and spectacular mountains.
The McHugos, through Discover Ltd. and funds from their French connection, duly bought the property, restored it and, in 1995, opened Kasbah du Toubkal for paying guests. Maurice and his wife, Hajja Arkia, manage the property, employing a team of 32 friendly and efficient staff from nearby villages.
It was not a straightforward project and might easily have gone off the rails had it not been for a fortuitous meeting with pragmatic British architect John Bothamley who, says McHugo, kept the style simple and in the vernacular.
Village labourers used traditional building techniques and local materials in its construction, with everything having to be carried in by hand or on the backs of mules. Power tools could not be used, as electricity didn't arrive in this remote region until 1997.
Perched on imposing outcrop 1,800 metres above sea level, Kasbah du Toubkal crowns Imlil Valley with its population of around 5,000 mostly subsistence farmers, whose own fields and walnut, cherry and apple orchards flourish below.
Its location, high above a waterfall-fed stream where villagers bathe and wash their laundry and opposite a handful of primitive adobe villages that cling to the rocky mountain face beneath the snow-dusted Mount Toubkal, is perfect. Little wonder Hollywood movie director, Martin Scorsese, found it an ideal location for Kundun his film about the Dalai Lama, when it was temporarily converted into a Tibetan monastery.
Today, there are fourteen rooms with ensuite bathrooms, including a three-bedroom family house and separate Berber Salons, which although can be used on a dormitory basis at only 40 euro per night per person, cannot be booked in advance. Plus a conference centre for study groups. The rooms are rustic yet comfortable, with simple berber adornments such as hand-woven carpets, blankets, intricate carved woodwork and oleander branch panelled ceilings.
The project took several years to complete, with each phase being planned as investment funds came to hand and while McHugo learned what the site required in order to address the needs of the clients.
“We already had an established business in the school education market, so the next phase was to make the building more useful for that purpose,” he says. “In 1998, we ran an exclusive trip for YPOs – members of the Young Presidents’ Organisation. We already knew we had an exceptional site, but these participants, who had been almost everywhere and done everything, confirmed it.”
A stay at the kasbah is a unique chance to learn about the Berber culture and simple lifestyles of these proud mountain people who have changed little over the centuries. The village of Imlil comprises some five separate settlement areas with a population of just 1,500. Its location is at the end of the main road system, beyond which narrow footpaths and precipitous mule tracks are the only channels of communications with the outside world.
The Kasbah recently opened a trekking lodge—the first in the area—in a remote location in the heart of the High Atlas Mountains. Built in traditional style, it offers solar-powered underfloor heating and spectacular views a day’s walk away.
To ensure the Kasbah retains its close links with the local community, Discover Ltd. was instrumental in setting up the Imlil Village Association that is funded by the accommodation levy. To date, the association has been able to build a hammam—the region’s first community steam bath—and recently assisted in the construction of a school for 80 children in an outlying valley. It has also instigated a much-needed rubbish disposal system, as well as providing the region’s first ambulance and driver.
Kasbah du Toubkal has won numerous awards for its unique approach to responsible tourism and was mentioned by HRH Prince Charles in an essay he wrote on responsible tourism for Condé Nast Traveller magazine last year. In it, he touched on some ‘excellent examples of good practice, such as the Kasbah du Toubkal’, where restoration was so sympathetic to its original design that ‘visitors regularly believe it to be hundreds of years old’, adding that ‘the approach they followed has since been enforced by His Majesty, the King of Morocco, as a regional standard, ensuring other developments follow’.
The Kasbah has found such wide appeal among its many guests that McHugo keeps them informed through a regular newsletter (to subscribe, use the box in the lefy-hand column).
Today, the Kasbah is a viable business proposition with a positive outcome for all involved. When reflecting on it, McHugo likes to quote the Dalai Lama: “We are good selfish as opposed to bad selfish.”
“I imagine such a project would not be possible without close and deep local ties,” he adds. “I also believe that by our correct behaviour and respect for the local population, hopefully they have come to respect us and also accept some of our differences.”
It is, as a plaque on the Kasbah’s front door reads, a case where ‘Dreams are only the plans of the reasonable’.
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Lord Hutton, the head of the UK’s Nuclear Industry Association, has said the future of the country’s energy security is hanging in the balance over the outcome of nuclear talks between the government and EDF.
He’s not wrong. Rarely has so much of a country’s energy policy been at stake over a single deal.
EDF and the government are talking today in a bid to establish a strike price for the French energy giant’s proposed new nuclear plant at Hinkley Point.
EDF says the project is “shovel-ready”: all that is needed for them to sign off the deal is an agreement on the contract for difference, or strike price – the guaranteed minimum sum for which they will be paid for electricity generated from the plant.
And that’s where the sticking point is. It doesn’t take an economics genius to know that EDF will be going in with a bottom-line sum which it is not prepared to go under, just as the government will have a figure it will not go over.
Earlier this year EDF boss Vincent De Rivaz told members of the government’s Energy Bill Committee that he made no apology for trying to secure a “reasonable profit” from the strike price negotiations.
He said it was simplistic to assume that any company would enter strike price talks without planning to get a “fair deal”.
“Yes, we are going to ask for a reasonable profit. We are a force for good. It is time to respect investors,” he added.
The UK simply cannot afford to let EDF walk away from the table. If the Hinkley Point talks fail, the Department of Energy might as well tear up its nuclear new build programme.
Lord Hutton said there was “no Plan B” if the EDF talks failed and such failure would expose Britain “to many risks”.
Meanwhile, no-one will be watching the outcome of the talks more intently than Hitachi, which bought the Horizon nuclear new build project from E.ON and RWE last year.
A senior Hitachi executive in Tokyo today told British newspaper The Daily Telegraph: "EDF is the front-runner for us. We're watching the strike price conditions very carefully."
He went on to warn that although Hitachi is “committed to the idea [of nuclear investment in the UK], we're a private company. We're not tied. Without an acceptable plan we can't invest".
An “acceptable plan” means at the very least seeing a successful conclusion of the EDF talks.
Contracts for difference form a cornerstone of the UK government’s Energy Bill and Electricity Market Reform. The EDF deal is the litmus test for them and if the talks fail, investors across all forms of power generation will look very unfavourably indeed on the UK as a place to do business.
With as Lord Hutton rightly points out, no Plan B, failure really is not an option.
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by Laura Stuart
Monday, March 5th, 2012
As the Arab Spring has rolled across North Africa and the Middle East unseating dictators such as Mubarak, Ben Ali and Ali Abdullah Salih, the Kings and Emirs of the Gulf States and Morocco have remained firmly on their thrones.
Street protests are not allowed in Kingdoms such as the United Arab Emirates or Saudi Arabia. Since the advent of the Arab Spring, Islamic Scholars, especially in Saudi Arabia, have issued fatwas that protest has no basis in Islam. The Prophet Mohammed p.b.u.h. warned the scholars to keep away from the rulers lest their religion became corrupt if they pleased the rulers or, if the ruler was not happy with their judgements, the scholars would be mistreated. The Muslim Brotherhood have always had a different opinion and used different evidences to support the legality of protesting against an unjust ruler.
One Scholar who has been prepared to speak out during the revolutions, despite the fact that he lived in exile in Qatar for many years, is the Egyptian Sheik Yusuf Qaradawi. When Qaradawi spoke out about Gaddafi that was fine by the Gulf rulers, but now a storm is brewing in the Emirates as he has issued a warning to the Emirs about the injustice of their action towards Syrian nationals in the U.A.E. who staged a protest.
As everyone knows (but some wish to deny) there is a massacre going on in Syria. The Syrian people have taken to the streets in protest against the oppression of Bashar Al Assad. Whilst the Arab spring in other Arab lands may not have been desirable to the State of Israel and their Western satellites, in Syria we have the potential for major disaster as the Shia crescent of Lebanon, Syria and Iran (with Russian and Chinese backing) battle to keep Assad in power, against most of the rest of the world. In this titanic quest for domination in the region, the human rights of the Syrians is forgotten.
Protests have been taking place outside Syrian embassies around the world for almost a year now. In the U.A.E. 2,000 Syrians went to express their anger outside the Syrian embassy in a protest for which they had not applied for a license from the rulers. They now face terrible repercussions. The Syrian participants have been summoned by the police to come in and sign a document pledging not to participate in future protests. It is reported that over a hundred have been ordered to leave the country.
The Gulf is full of hard-working foreign nationals yet they rarely ever gain citizenship and such citizenship if it is ever granted can easily be revoked. One Syrian man, who wished to remain anonymous, said he was born in the U.A.E. since his father was there working before him, yet he too has had to leave, leaving his family behind until he can settle somewhere else. He fears repercussions on his family if he speaks out.
In a speech last night Sheik Yusuf Qaradawi told the Emirati rulers ……
–they (rulers) have power more than others—– All they have is money, Allah has given money to all humans not just to them alone, with money they can not control the lives of people. It is forbidden for them to sacrifice these families, around a hundred families , thrown in streets, are not these humans? If they do that with their own brothers in their lands, we can not deal with these people, especially in these circumstances. They need someone to care for them. It is an obligation on them (rulers) to care for them. All Muslims and Arabs are obliged to care for the Syrians. They are part of Gulf States Cooperation Council. How can they throw them out or ask them to leave? Some were striped of their nationality. That is very strange. I advise these brothers as an Arab Muslim as they are Arab Muslims, I have right on them and I have a duty as a Muslim Scholar, to advise the Muslim rulers to fear Allah, in their brothers, their fellow citizens, who they treat in a strange way, preventing some of them from speaking in journals or on TV or radio. What is that? Some are stripped of their citizenship and …. This is HARAM. That is not permissible. The rulers duty is not to control people, the ruler is a servant for the people.Saydina Abu-Muslim Alkhawlani addressed Mayawiah Ibn Abi Sufian: “Salam you servant”. People said to him say: “Salam Your Royal Highness” (IUHA AL AMIR). He repeated it several times. Mayawiah said “leave him : he knows better what he means”.The ruler is a servant to the ummah (world community of Muslims). He should not treat them as slaves. I ask Sheikh Khalifah the ruler of Emirates, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifah bin Zaid the son of the ruler and Mohammed bin Zaid the deputy of the ruler, I ask them to fear Allah and the ‘last day’. There is death and after death there is resurrection and after resurrection there is judgement, punishment, paradise and hell fire. Fear Allah in the people of Emirates. Those who live in Emirates, they have rights. They (rulers) should not cross the boundaries.Allah says : These are the limits of Allah, so do not transgress them. And whoever transgresses the limits of Allah – it is those who are the wrongdoers.
These are my first words and I may come back to it if the response is not adequate in another time or in jumuaa (friday) sermon.
In response to such a strong warning from Qaradawi the Chief of Police has said that they will arrest him.
The Gulf leaders should listen well to the Sheik, who is after all an elder and a learned scholar.
Yet again the killing and suffering of the Syrian people will continue as they fall victim not only to Bashar Al Assad but to the International power struggle over who rules Syria and even despotic Gulf rulers. Despite condemnations from Western leaders about the deaths of Syrian protestors, no one believes for one minute that they care at all for the human rights of the Syrian people beyond their own regional interests.
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Growing your own vegetables is a great money saving tip – but the cost of pesticides (to your pocket, your health and the earth) can be pretty steep. Luckily there are eco-friendly ways to save your money and your conscience.
I’ve never been one for chemicals and sprays around the home – I always get the feeling that the fly spray is doing more to hurt me than those pesky little blow-ins. So when it comes to spraying products full of words I can’t pronounce on the food I’m going to eat is just not something I can swallow.
On the other hand, having my investment in the garden decimated by hoards of crawling insects is not something I can afford either. We recently planted a punnet of Wombok (chinese cabbage) only to wake up in the morning to find them completely leafless! Our spring onion seedlings suffered a similar fate. We’ve since discovered it was the work of cabbage moth caterpillars.
Well, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” and “knowledge is power” as they say and we discovered a simple solution to keep cabbage moths from laying their eggs in the first place – egg shells! Thanks to the Sustainable Gardening Australia website, we discovered (amongst other great tips) that these cabbage moths are territorial and when they see the egg shells, they think they’re other moths and stay away. Well that sounds a whole lot safer and cheaper than any chemicals!
Well, it’s early days yet of course, but 3 days into the experiment our lettuce and spring onion seedlings have remained safe from harm and time will tell as to whether we win this round or not. I’ll definitely keep you posted.
On the upside, we’re currently enjoying our crop of cos lettuce, our cucumbers are flowering madly and our tomatoes are fruiting like crazy – there’s nothing like the eager anticipation and smug satisfaction of even this small amount of self-sufficiency.
Mary Holm: Get Rich Slow: How to Grow Your Wealth the Safe and Savvy Way
Martin Hawes: Twenty Good Summers: Work Less, Live More and Make the Most of Your Money
Liz Koh: Your Money Personality: Unlock the Secret to a Rich and Happy Life
Martin Hawes and Joan Baker: : Coach Yourself to Wealth: Live the Life You Want
Anton Nadilo and Andrew Lendnal: Budget Wise, Dollar Rich: The New Zealand Guide
Compare Credit Cards - Independent interest rate and fees comparisons for New Zealand banks.
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Abstract: When proponents of Intelligent Design (ID) theory deny that their theory is religious, the minimalistic theory they have in mind (the mini-ID theory) is the claim that the irreducibly complex adaptations found in nature were made by one or more intelligent designers. The denial that this theory is religious rests on the fact that it does not specify the identity of the designer — a supernatural God or a team of extra-terrestrials could have done the work. The present paper attempts to show that this reply underestimates the commitments of the mini-ID Theory. The mini-ID theory, when supplemented with four independently plausible further assumptions, entails the existence of a supernatural intelligent designer. It is further argued that scientific theories, such as the Darwinian theory of evolution, are neutral on the question of whether supernatural designers exist.I certainly think that Sobers essay is interesting and he makes some new points that I hadn't considered much before. Personally however, I've never thought that the way "ID" is set up now would ever include aliens period. Natural aliens would have methods that we could potentially establish and look for in making life as we knew it. The fact ID research don't try to establish anything about the potential methodology the designer(s) 'used', indicates heavily that their 'designer' is supernatural and as a result doesn't have a detectable methodology.
*You see what I did there? I took the guys name and made a witty pun with it in the title of the post. I'm so awesome!
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This website is dedicated to providing free information about automobiles
to a large audience. Complex engineering principles are explained
in plain English so that anyone can understand how engines work
and how to increase engine efficiency. Using fuel more efficiently
can mean an increase in power and gas mileage.
This is a work in progress. It will take some time
to write and publish all of the content. Come back and check periodically
to see what's new.
There's a great mythology perpetuated by all sorts
of public media ranging from televised news, to newspapers, to magazines,
and the web. This myth has become so commonplace that it is accepted
without question. The myth is that high gas mileage vehicles use
fuel efficiently. High gas mileage does not and has never meant
If better gas mileage is the goal, then the problem,
not the symptom needs to be addressed. There are no magical gas-saving
devices. However, there are proven ways to get an engine to do more
work with less energy. That means making a car use fuel more efficiently.
This will be explored in great detail on this website.
There are few fundamental ideas that this website
is based on:
• “Fuel efficiency" does NOT mean "high
• Energy is free. Gasoline is cheap.
• Economical cars are not expensive.
• All machines are governed by the same natural forces.
• This website is based on data, math, physics, and engineering.
• No conspiracy theories here.
• The author panders to no special interest group, no
matter how small.
• The author is not responsible for the actions of others.
• Try it at home; just don’t blame the author if
it doesn’t work out.
High gas mileage means the automobile travels far
on a relatively small amount of fuel. High gas mileage does not
mean high fuel efficiency. As an example, a 2006 Kia Rio gets 50%
more mpg than the 2008 Corvette while the Corvette's efficiency
is twice that of the Rio. This means the Corvette makes more use
of the same quantity of fuel than the Kia Rio does.
The Corvette does a very fine job at converting every
bit of energy the gasoline has to offer into acceleration. The Kia
Rio wastes energy converting fuel into distance. The Kia Rio could
be doing a much better job than it is currently doing. This means
the Corvette owner is getting more value from the gasoline purchased
than the Rio owner. If the Rio used fuel as efficiently as the Corvette,
it would achieve 60mpg.
To find out how the best gas mileage cars compare
to the most fuel efficient cars go to the efficiency rating
index. There isn't another comparison chart like this. The information
Copyright 2008 -
2009. Efficient-Mileage.com. All rights reserved.
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ITPro: By the end of 2012, we will have single-socket, x86 devices with 128 cores. The only way to manage systems built with such devices is to exploit the parallel processing technologies developed for the rarefied world of High Performance Computing.
One of the interesting side benefits of that famous Moore's Law, made famous by Intel's Gordon Moore is that from now on, for a while at least, it will be possible to get a very clear and explicit 'feel' for what it actually means.
Until the arrival of the multicore processor, the advances in semiconductor technology were increasing abstruse and meaningless to the majority of people in IT, even experts in server and infrastructure architectures. Now, a simple statement of the Law's impact demonstrates its profound effects: by the end of this year we will have at our disposal single socket, x86 architected devices sporting eight processor cores, and by the end of 2012, we will have single-socket, x86 architected devices with 128 cores.
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|
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I have been busy these days so I’m sorry for being a bit behind on my posts. There is some IBD news that I will share with you but first I wanted to highlight this article that I saw on BI-ME.
Considering the ridiculous rates of diabetes in the Middle East, I felt that the topic of accessibility to proper treatments and medicines was one worth discussing. According to the article ‘there are 6.5 million residents of the GCC suffering with diabetes’. This is a huge number when you consider that there is no cure for the disease and that it is a very burdensome, chronic condition that these people will have to live with, monitor and manage every day of their life.
As new treatments are being developed, tested and put into use around the world, the governing powers whose responsibility it is to make these treatments accessible in this region, need to be prepared for the high demand of the increasingly self-educated diabetes sufferers looking for the most innovative treatment options. Doctors and their institutions also need to push for more education and adequate prescription processes in order to manage the situation. If the lives of 6.5 million people in the GCC are dictated by their diabetes, how accessible these treatments are will have a direct correlation to the growth of an increasingly dangerous gray market which is subject to exploitation of illegal counterfeits. Those living with diabetes will also be more prone to self medicating practices that could make a bad problem exponentially worse.
If you have a story or comment, share it. Debating the issue will likely point to potential solutions.
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|Feeding the sharks?|
With a look of disdain at the sign warning of strong currents (Richard loves currents and waves) he strode toward the water. True a swimmer was swept away by the current and drowned here, but the water's warm and inviting, and it's easy to see which way the current is flowing. What could be more inviting?
|Boca Grande Pass, current warning|
But as Richard prepared for his dip, a passing local approached him with some quiet words of advice. She suggested caution for a reason unrelated to the current. The sign doesn't mention sharks.
Sharks have been known to attack here, even in the shallows. But, I hear you ask, aren't there sharks all around the Florida coast, even in the shallows, and yet there are people swimming all the time without being bitten! Even though about half of all shark attacks in USA occur in Florida, in 2011 there were only 14 reported shark attacks in the entire state in the whole year. from sharkattacksurvivors.com The chances of even being nibbled at are infinitesimally small.
Well, it's true: few people actually get bitten by sharks even when they swim all year round. Humans probably are not the tastiest meal for a fish. But Boca Grande Pass is a rather special place... It's a place where tarpon gather to spawn.
|brown pelican above tarpon|
Tarpon can grow to 5-8 feet long and weigh 80-280 pounds. Boca Grande Pass is "the place" to go angling for tarpon. Catching a tarpon with rod and line is fine sport fishing; catch and release because tarpon don't make such good eating... for humans. However, it's not uncommon for an angler to bring a tiring 100 pound tarpon close to the boat and to finally land only the head. Sharks, especially hammerheads and bull sharks, are not slow to nip at a weary tarpon on a line. And they gather here in their thousands when there are tarpon about.
So if tarpon grow to 8 feet long, how big are the fish that eat them? The world record for the largest hammerhead shark caught goes to a shark landed in Boca Grande pass in 2006. It weighed 1,280 pounds. Now stuffed and harmless it is on display at Mote Marine, Sarasota. motemarine.org Mote is the perfect place to learn about marine creatures and what they eat before you test the waters.
|Stuffed hammerhead shark|
Richard is no fool. he's a good swimmer, but he changed his mind about swimming in Boca Grande Pass, just in case. Since there were no reported shark attacks on kayaks in Florida in 2011, and there are some great places to kayak... perhaps a glance at my "Guide to Sea Kayaking in Southern Florida" (Globe Pequot Press) might offer some good alternatives?
|available from nigelkayaks store|
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Judging by his collection Songs of Innocence and Experience, William Blake was obsessed with lambs. If you gave him a Rorschach test (where you look at a random pattern of ink and say what comes to mind) Blake would probably say, "Lamb…Another lamb…newborn lamb…Lamb doing gymnastics…" In his poem titled "The Chimney Sweep," he writes that the shape of some poor kid's shaved head is "curled like a lamb's back." This is definitely one of the stranger metaphors we have encountered in any classic poem.
"The Lamb" takes us to the heart of the matter. We learn Blake's two main reasons why lambs are so awesome: 1) they are soft, happy, and make cool noises; 2) they are associated with Jesus Christ, whom the speaker of this poem regards as the savior of the world.
But we're not going to lie, this poem doesn't exactly make us want to head to the nearest petting zoo. If you're reading "The Lamb" out of a textbook or anthology, you might even think it's a bit, well, boring. It sounds like something you might see embroidered beneath an image of the unbearably cute creature and placed in a pretty frame to hang on someone's bathroom wall. The rhymes are gratingly simple and the speaker repeats himself constantly.
But that's not the whole story. "The Lamb" was published in 1789 as part of a larger work, Songs of Innocence, which is itself part of Songs of Innocence and Experience. This collection is Blake's most famous work, and it's more than the sum of its parts. How so? Blake believed that life could be viewed from two different perspectives, or "states": innocence and experience. To Blake, innocence is not better than experience. Both states have their good and bad sides. The positive side of innocence is joy and optimism, while the bad side is naivety. The negative side of experience is cynicism, but the good side is wisdom.
Many of the poems in the Songs of Innocence have counterparts in the Songs of Experience. The counterpart of "The Lamb" is "The Tyger." If you're tempted to call "The Lamb" boring and childish, remember that it's supposed to complement "The Tyger," and vice-versa. The logic of "The Lamb" is that God creates lambs and that lambs are sweet and gentle, so God must be sweet and gentle. The logic of "The Tyger" is that God also creates Tigers, and tigers are savage and terrifying, so…uh-oh.
One other thing to know about William Blake: he is like a graffiti artist in the sense that the meaning of his words oftentimes cannot be separated from their visual appearance. Blake was an amazing painter, and the Songs of Innocence and Experience were published as art books rather than as "literature" plain and simple. Blake's illustrations are actually quite strange and fascinating. For example, check out the illustration for "The Lamb." What's the deal with those curly, intertwining trees? We think Blake gives Dr. Seuss a run for his money, and then some.
Why should you read this seemingly childish poem about a lamb? For that matter, why read its counterpart, "The Tyger," Blake's most famous poem? That lambs have soft fur or tigers like to hang out in forests should come as news to no one. But the division of daily life into periods of "innocence" and "experience" – two sides of the same coin, really – is something that we grapple with every day.
On a very simple level, Blake's conception is similar to the Chinese division of the world into "Yin" and "Yang," forces of light and darkness that can never be fully separated from one another. As Blake puts it, they are "the Two Contrary States of the Human Soul." For him, there are no neat divisions between good and evil.
What's your take? In your life, are there clear cut boundaries between innocence and experience, good and evil? Or do you see the world more like Blake did?
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The Global Energy Community's Leadership Imperative
by Rex W. Tillerson
Exxon Mobil Corporation
For the first time in history, the World Petroleum Council held its triennial
congress on the continent of Africa; this action is a well-deserved tribute
to Africa's growing role as a producer and consumer of energy in
the 21st century. The meeting, held in late September, was historic for
another reason, as it came in the wake of two natural disasters that demonstrated
the importance, interdependence and resilience of the global energy community.
Gulf Coast Hurricanes
In the last month, hurricanes have struck the very heart of production,
refining and supply in the United States, the world's third-largest
producer and single-largest consumer of energy. Hurricane Katrina hit
the Gulf of Mexico on Aug. 29, and Hurricane Rita hit Sept. 24.
These storms have had a devastating impact on the communities in their
paths, as have many natural disasters the world has faced. What distinguished
these from others – and what we, in the energy industry, should
now reflect upon – is the impact they have on the international
energy operations centered in the Gulf of Mexico region.
It is too early to draw definitive conclusions from Hurricane Rita. [Note:
This article was adapted from a speech delivered three days after the
event.] In the aftermath of the storm, several refineries remained closed
and much production was suspended. Although damage caused by Rita is still
being assessed and addressed, we can draw important conclusions from Katrina,
and it is these conclusions that I ask you to consider.
Hurricane Katrina caused the evacuation of 80 percent of the manned platforms
in the Gulf of Mexico, destroyed 40 platforms and severely damaged many
more. The hurricane shut nine major refineries, closed two major pipelines,
halted 95 percent of the Gulf of Mexico's oil production and close
to 90 percent of its gas production, and substantially curtailed import
facilities in the area.
It threatened to paralyze operations and panic markets, and it did, in
fact, propel prices sharply upward.
A Market-Driven Recovery
Instead of panic, what we witnessed in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina was a rapid, market-driven recovery.
Within two weeks, all major import facilities and product pipelines were
operating at full or only slightly reduced rates, all but about 5 percent
of U.S. refining capacity had been returned and all but 15 percent of
U.S. oil production and 6 percent of gas production had been restored.
Markets responded accordingly. Crude prices returned to pre-storm levels.
Trading volumes normalized. Although prices at the pump remain high, they
stabilized at lower levels after the steep spike experienced in the immediate
aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Even the temporary regional price spike was evidence of a properly functioning
market. With supply unavoidably curtailed, prices rose and demand moderated,
which ensured large-scale shortages were averted.
How can we account for this remarkable recovery? Many energy companies
operating in the region – including mine, I am pleased to say –
made advance preparations, executed those plans effectively, quickly repaired
damage and adapted production and refining operations immediately afterward.
Global energy markets likewise rose to the challenge. The industry and
the investment community responded calmly and confidently. Traders reallocated
resources effectively and efficiently. Market mechanisms and financial
institutions operated smoothly. Under this extraordinary circumstance,
as under normal circumstances, markets worked.
Finally, local and national governments played a constructive role by
collaborating with the industry to dismantle impediments to trade, temporarily
easing regulations and releasing reserves of crude to meet the shortfall
created by supply-chain interruptions. The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve
and all 26 member countries of the International Energy Agency (IEA) released
stocks to industry refiners, exemplifying successful industry-government
collaboration to address a severe energy-supply disruption.
Lessons from Katrina
I believe we can draw three lessons from Hurricane Katrina.
First, disruptions such as these remind us of the critical importance
of energy to all spheres of our economic life. In the immediate aftermath,
as floodwaters engulfed whole communities and assistance was en route,
stranded victims depended on three commodities above all else to survive:
food, water and energy.
Energy is not only key to progress. Energy is also often key to survival.
Hurricane Katrina should remind us of the essential nature of our industry.
Second, this crisis demonstrated the true extent of our global interdependence.
Hurricane Katrina was a regional weather event that had a worldwide economic
impact. It sent shock waves through energy markets, supply networks, refining
complexes and production sites around the globe.
This confirms an important truth: Net energy-importing countries like
the United States cannot escape their dependence on foreign supply; likewise,
net energy-exporting countries cannot escape their dependence on foreign
demand. The hurricane showed that, with precious few exceptions, the notion
that any one nation can be energy independent is not realistic.
Finally, the response to Hurricane Katrina demonstrated the strength and
resilience of our industry. With timely and appropriate assistance from
government, the worldwide energy industry's vast network of interlocking
assets, functions, components, services and, above all else, its dedicated
professional workforce proved its mettle.
Hurricane Rita required that we rise to the challenge once again.
This is an achievement for which all of us in the global energy community
– industry executives and employees, government leaders, capital
investors, service providers – can be proud.
The Energy Challenge
It is with this achievement in hand and these lessons in mind that we
must urgently rise to another challenge: meeting the next generation's
It is an acute challenge. We are all familiar with the statistical projections
for future energy supply and demand. We know abundant petroleum supplies
exist. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, more than 2 trillion barrels
of conventional oil remains to be recovered, twice what has already been
produced in all of human history. Beyond that, it is expected that more
than a trillion barrels of frontier resources, like oil sands and oil
shale, will be recovered over time.
We also know, however, that demand for energy is growing at a tremendous
rate. World energy demand is expected to increase by almost 50 percent
in just 25 years, with 80 percent of the demand growth occurring in the
developing world. A broad range of energy options will be needed to meet
this demand, and we expect to see growth in the use of nuclear, biofuels,
wind and solar energy. Fossils fuels, however, are realistically the only
energy source with the scale and versatility to meet the challenge of
growing demand over this period.
This challenge comes at a time when the energy map is in flux. On the
supply side, although the Middle East is and will long remain the epicenter,
other production is shifting from mature areas in North America and Europe
to new supply sources in Russia, the Caspian Basin and Africa.
On the demand side, rapidly growing economies – especially China,
India and many other nations in Africa, Asia and Latin America –
are expected to consume an ever-increasing share of the growing energy
These dramatic supply-and-demand shifts in the energy map have further
increased the physical distance between producers and consumers. Such
shifts also continue to place a high premium on the wider application
of solutions such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), as well as the safe
and reliable transport of such options.
This, then, is the crux of the challenge we all now face: discovering,
developing and delivering the global endowment of hydrocarbon resources
in an efficient, economic and socially responsible way to a new generation
demanding – and deserving – higher standards of living.
Leadership in the Global Energy Community
Meeting this challenge will take the same qualities we have seen in the
aftermath of the hurricanes during the last month: foresight, flexibility,
fortitude and confidence in market forces. It will also require tremendous
investment and technological innovation.
Most importantly, it will take leadership. It will require right-minded
and steadfast leadership that is grounded in reality, honest and open
in approach, and firmly focused on the future.
This brand of leadership must come from all segments of the global energy
community: industry, investors and government.
The Role of Industry. First, private industry must invest wisely, manage
effectively, operate efficiently and responsibly, and prepare for tomorrow
through research and continuous technological innovation.
We must maintain our commitment to building local capacity. Our industry
has a strong interest and a responsibility to invest in the long-term
productivity and prosperity of the communities in which we operate. Such
investments pay long-term economic and social dividends for all.
On a daily basis, ExxonMobil strives to meet this challenge, and we are
doing so successfully. In Africa alone, we have invested $12 billion in
the upstream sector over the last five years and plan to double this investment
by the end of the decade.
We are conducting exploratory drilling in high-quality, untapped acreage
around the globe, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of Guinea to the
Gulf of Arabia.
In our operations, we apply our Operations Integrity Management System
on a global scale, setting industry benchmarks for effectiveness, efficiency,
reliability and safety.
ExxonMobil has consistently led the industry in research and development,
investing over $600 million annually. As a result, we do not rely on “off
the shelf” technologies that represent the average, but on propriety
technologies that set a new standard.
At the same time, ExxonMobil is contributing to the communities in which
In Africa we are collaborating with governments and businesses to build
indigenous capacity by making investments, purchasing local goods and
services, creating local jobs, supporting education and training and transferring
knowledge and skills.
For example, in Angola we offer extensive technical job training and support
for education. In Chad we recently opened an in-country training center
offering instruction in all facets of our operations. In Nigeria, 95 percent
of our workforce is Nigerian, and 100 percent of our local workforce is
given the training needed to succeed and advance. It is a pattern we replicate
around the world.
By investing in the local workforce and infrastructure, we are building
a legacy of economic progress, enabling host countries to reap the long-term
benefits of their resources. I know I speak for all international energy
companies when I say we view building local capacity as a business imperative
and a partnership responsibility.
ExxonMobil's community contributions extend far beyond the fence
line of our facilities. On a worldwide level, we support education, health,
safety and environmental initiatives for our employees, their families
and the communities in which we operate. We recently launched our Educating
Women and Girls program to help provide education and training opportunities
for women and girls in the developing countries where we live and work.
Through our Africa Health Initiative we have donated more than $10 million
in grants to help the fight against malaria. Employees in more than 20
countries in sub-Saharan Africa are participating in our StopAIDS program.
Investors. The second segment of the world's energy community that
is called upon to play a leadership role is the investment community.
Much will be required of investors to meet the future energy challenge.
The International Energy Agency estimates that over $200 billion per year
of investment is needed to produce the oil and gas the world requires.
That is more than $5 trillion by 2030, or about half the gross domestic
product of the United States, the world's largest economy. The IEA
estimates that about $10 trillion of additional investment is required
for the electricity sector alone.
We cannot, however, call on investors to act unwisely. Ultimately, investment
capital will flow to the companies that perform and the countries with
the most favorable business climates.
Leadership from Governments. Governments from resource-rich and importing
countries are the third segment of the global energy community. They need
to demonstrate leadership. To meet the energy challenge, governments must
act as partners in attracting investment.
Government can show leadership by providing access to acreage, opening
markets, reducing trade barriers, eliminating subsidies and market interventions,
providing fiscal certainty, upholding the rule of law, protecting the
sanctity of contracts, acting transparently and protecting human rights.
It is critical to remember that industry and host governments ultimately
compete for a share of the world's investment dollars. To maintain
investors' support, it is essential that we continually earn their
confidence by demonstrating a commitment to stability, consistency and
the long term.
If you lead in this way, industry and investors will follow.
Many governments in Africa and across the globe have shown this brand
of leadership, and ExxonMobil has found reliable partners in them.
Finally, leaders of civil society have a vital role to play in meeting
the energy challenge. It is critical for social leaders to participate
in an informed and reality-based debate about the global energy challenge
while recogniz-ing the need to strike a positive balance between the economic,
environmental and social priorities involved.
A Focus on Fundamentals and the Future
Meeting the next generation's demand for energy will require that
all of us – industry, investors, governments and our societies at
large – play our leadership role.
At current crude prices, the reward appears great; however, this will
change. Ours is a cyclical industry; what goes up will invariably come
down, and it will undoubtedly go up again.
What will not change is the presence of risk. Despite the tremendous gains
we have made in technology and safety, we cannot escape the reality that
a large proportion of hydrocarbon resources reside in physically challenging
parts of the world, many far from the world's consuming markets
and lacking sufficient infrastructure to export commercial quantities
of oil and gas.
Therefore, a focus on the fundamentals and on the future, not on fluctuating
spot prices, is paramount.
Petroleum is a commodity, arguably the world's single supercommodity.
No two commodities are the same, but many are susceptible to sudden and
sharp price fluctuations. The history of nearly every commodity market
indicates the only successful investment strategy is one that remains
steadfast during the inevitable price peaks and troughs.
This is especially true in our industry, where lead times and planning
horizons for major projects span many years, even decades. A long-term
investment strategy is the best and only means to achieving the greatest
total returns for investors, as well as the greatest total value for host
Short-term price fluctuations do not significantly affect the pace of
our projects at ExxonMobil. We neither accelerate our pace of implementation
when prices are high, nor do we decelerate when prices are low, beyond
what is sustainable over the long term. Nor should current prices significantly
affect the pace of investment or market liberalization.
Where industry, investors and governments have worked together in this
risk-reward framework, it has proven largely successful for all concerned.
Private-sector investors have captured a reasonable return on the resources,
technology and human capital they have dedicated. International oil companies
have been able to build capacity for themselves and for the communities
in which they operate. The citizens of host governments have enjoyed direct
economic benefits through taxes and royalties, and indirect benefits through
jobs and economic growth.
ExxonMobil's projects in Angola are a prime example. In Angola we
have deployed the world's largest floating production storage and
offloading vessel, large enough to hold 2.2 million barrels. We successfully
brought the Kizomba "B" project on stream this year, more than
five months ahead of schedule, and, together with our other Angolan production
facilities, we are already producing more than 550,000 barrels of oil
We could not have accomplished this significant technical, scientific,
managerial and financial feat without the support of the government of
Angola and its national oil company. We could not even have launched this
ambitious project, which was first conceived more than a decade ago, without
sufficient incentive for investment.
Further examples can be found elsewhere in Africa, where we are privileged
to partner with the national governments of countries including Nigeria,
Equatorial Guinea, Chad, Cameroon, Madagascar and São Tomé
Shaping the Energy Future
In summary, I would like to recall the theme of the World Petroleum Council's
congress this year: "Shaping the Energy Future: Partners in Sustainable
We have the ability to shape the future of energy and overcome the challenge
we now face. This challenge is equally severe but far greater in scope
than the one posed by the recent hurricanes.
The solution is leadership: leadership from all sectors of the global
energy community. Let us resolve to show the leadership necessary to take
on this challenge – together.
Rex W. Tillerson is president of Exxon Mobil Corporation.
A native of Wichita Falls, Texas, Mr. Tillerson earned a bachelor of
science degree in civil engineering at the University of Texas at Austin
before joining Exxon Company, U.S.A. (EUSA) in 1975 as a production engineer.
He held several engineering, technical and supervisory assignments in
the EUSA Production Department throughout Texas and, in 1987, was named
business development manager in the EUSA Natural Gas Depart-ment, where
his responsibilities included developing long-range plans for the commercialization
of Alaska and Canadian Beaufort Sea gas.
In 1989, he became general manager of EUSA's Central Production
Division, responsible for oil and gas produc-tion operations throughout
a large portion of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kansas.
Mr. Tillerson moved to Dallas in 1992 as production advisor to Exxon
Corporation and then to Florham Park, New Jersey, as coordinator of affiliate
gas sales in Exxon Co., International.
Three years later he was named president of Exxon Yemen Inc. and Esso
Exploration and Production Khorat Inc., and in January 1998 he became
vice president of Exxon Ventures (CIS) Inc. and president of Exxon Neftegas
Limited. In those roles, he was responsible for Exxon's holdings
in Russia and the Caspian Sea as well as the Sakhalin I Consortium operations
offshore Sakhalin Island, Russia.
In December 1999, he became executive vice president of ExxonMobil
Development Company. He was elected to the position of senior vice president
of the Corporation on Aug. 1, 2001. Mr. Tillerson became president of
the Corporation and a member of its board of directors on March 1, 2004.
Mr. Tillerson is a member of the U.S.-Russia Business Council, the
Engineering Foundation Advisory Council for the University of Texas at
Austin, the Society of Petroleum Engineers and the American Petroleum
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DOE Releases Comprehensive Report on Offshore Wind Power in the United States
October 7, 2010
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today the release of a report from the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), which comprehensively analyzes the key factors impacting the deployment of offshore wind power in the United States. The report, "Large-Scale Offshore Wind Power in the United States: Assessment of Opportunities and Barriers," includes a detailed assessment of the nation's offshore wind resources and offshore wind industry, including future job growth potential. The report also analyzes the technology challenges, economics, permitting procedures, and the potential risks and benefits of offshore wind power deployment in U.S. waters.
"Clean, renewable energy development that capitalizes on the nation's vast offshore wind and water resources holds great promise for our clean energy future and our economy," said Secretary Chu. "Today's report will help guide our efforts in the coming years to support the offshore wind industry, create new clean energy jobs, and develop environmentally responsible energy resources."
The NREL report finds that harnessing even a fraction of the nation's potential offshore wind resource, estimated to be more than 4,000 gigawatts, could create thousands of jobs and help revitalize America's manufacturing sector, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, diversify U.S. energy supplies, and provide cost-competitive electricity to key coastal regions. The report also reaches the conclusion that while significant challenges remain, effective research, policies, and market commitment will enable offshore wind to play a significant role in the country's energy future. More information is available in the Executive Summary and full NREL report.
This week, the Department also highlighted its continued work with the U.S. Department of Interior to help facilitate and accelerate the deployment of offshore renewable energy technologies on the Outer Continental Shelf. In conjunction with the American Wind Energy Association's North American Offshore Wind Conference, the agencies brought together a broad spectrum of federal agencies, state governments, nongovernmental organizations, and members of academia to discuss ongoing efforts that are leveraging resources and expertise from both Departments to help develop commercial-scale offshore wind and water energy projects. More information on these interagency initiatives is available.
These efforts and the NREL report are playing an important role in the development of the Department of Energy's strategic work plan on offshore wind energy, which will include recommendations for how to effectively reduce the cost of energy generated by offshore wind turbines and shorten the timeline for deploying offshore wind power.
More information on DOE's efforts to promote responsible offshore renewable energy deployment can be found on the Wind and Water Power Program's Web site.
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