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Wisconsin's Experience with Environmental Education
April 22, 1997
Millions of school children are consistently taught the catastrophic version of environmental issues while almost completely ignoring existing science.
A recent study of textbooks used in Wisconsin schools revealed:
- Twenty-two of 24 books discussed as fact that the world population is growing faster than its food source, while failing to mention that this assertion is highly debated among scientists and that the world population growth rate has actually been declining since 1960.
- Twenty-seven textbooks cover the potential health hazards (e.g., skin cancers) associated with the thinning of the ozone layer.
- They fail to mention, however, that the thickness of the ozone layer fluctuates as much as 50 percent, making it difficult for scientists to gauge if the changes are caused by humans or by nature.
- In 23 of 24 textbooks, children are told with graphic illustrations of natural disasters that could occur due to global warming, such as flooding and famine.
- Yet, 21 of the 24 books fail to mention that the computer models on which the natural disasters are based have major weaknesses.
- In addition, 19 of 24 textbooks fail to mention that water vapor, including clouds, play a major part in regulating the earth's temperature.
Source: Michael Sanera and Jane S. Shaw (co-authors, "Facts Not Fear: A Parent's Guide to Teaching Children About the Environment"), "Hysteria in the Classroom...," Washington Times, April 22, 1997.
Browse more articles on Environment Issues | <urn:uuid:0270fac6-6d2f-4d82-801f-5cc4ad5d6836> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=17644 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281151.11/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00115-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955243 | 312 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Reducing food waste is one of the most effective ways to reduce the overall greenhouse gas footprint of the food supply.
- Plan your week and shop for all that you need. Start by taking an inventory of what you have in your fridge, freezer, and pantry.
- Buy what you need and try to use it up.
- If you can, shop for 2 or 3 days at a time.
- If you need to do larger shopping trips, consider purchasing more frozen fruits, vegetables, and proteins.
- Try to plan when to take a day off from cooking so you aren’t buying food that won’t be used.
- Don’t throw those leftovers away. Plan on having leftovers to enjoy the following day or freeze in individual portion sizes for a quick and easy meal you can defrost.
- Reimagine leftovers. Repurpose grilled vegetables in a quiche or add to a delicious soup.
- If you are unable to use all of your fresh ingredients – freeze them for another time.
Learn more below. | <urn:uuid:6d654554-4663-4e21-93b5-252198b62da6> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://farmfolkcityfolk.ca/resources/food-matters-lets-not-waste-it/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572212.96/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815205848-20220815235848-00478.warc.gz | en | 0.915167 | 223 | 2.921875 | 3 |
Brain imbalance, where a side of the brain is deficient, can lead to food sensitivities, and it is much more common in right-brain dysfunction due to its involvement in immune response and inflammation. Increases in the immune response due to a brain imbalance, raises the stress response and increases chronic inflammation, the primary catalysts for a leaky gut which in turn leads to food sensitivities. As such, food sensitivities can further aggravate the actions and issues of children who already have developmental issues ultimately caused by a brain imbalance. The following are common signs that a food intolerance or food sensitivity is present:
Common Symptoms of Food Sensitivities
- Aggressive behavior
- Chronic stuffy, itchy or running nose
- Irritability and total meltdowns
- Inability to focus or concentrate
- Impulsive actions
- Headaches, including migraines
- Learning disabilities
- Mental sluggishness
- Muscle pain and soreness in the legs
- Pale, sallow complexion
- Puffiness or dark circles under the eyes
- Sleep disturbances, such as bad dreams and frequent awakening
Food Addiction: A Vicious Cycle
It’s likely the very food your child craves is the one he or she is most sensitive to. Food sensitivities, poor digestion and a leaky gut can cause a cascade of chemical reactions, including the increase of opiates, substances associated with addiction. These food generally contain dairy and/or wheat like cereal and milk, cream cheese and bagels, macaroni and cheese, pizza and pasta.
A Food Sensitivity is Not a Food Allergy
There is a big difference between a food sensitivity and a food allergy. Allergies are more immediate and occur within minutes or hours of eating, resulting in symptoms like hives, watery eyes or even life-threatening anaphylactic shock. Only about 10 percent of children with brain imbalance will have this type of allergy. However more than 85 percent of them have food sensitivities which do not produce an allergic reaction that results in physical symptoms. Rather, they produce a more gradual inflammatory response that results in more subtle mental and behavioral symptoms that can take anywhere from six hours to three days to appear.
It’s important to understand that both allergies and food sensitivities are abnormal responses. For either of them to occur, two systems have to be functioning improperly – the digestive system and the immune system. Why would both of these systems be dysfunctional? What is the link? The brain.
To learn more about brain imbalance and food sensitivities, start reading Chapter 1 of my book The Disconnected Kids Nutrition Plan offering proven strategies to enhance learning and focus for children with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other neurological disorders. | <urn:uuid:21b86070-fc44-4bf2-ade4-83427f70bb34> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.drrobertmelillo.com/signs-and-symptoms-of-a-food-sensitivity/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571584.72/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812045352-20220812075352-00666.warc.gz | en | 0.940625 | 572 | 3.296875 | 3 |
How many calories does one serving of Sabudana Khichdi in Microwave have?
One serving of Sabudana Khichdi in microwave gives 326 calories. Out of which carbohydrates comprise 170 calories, proteins account for 19 calories and remaining calories come from fat which is 144 calories. One serving of Sabudana Khichdi in microwave provides about 16 percent of the total daily calorie requirement of a standard adult diet of 2,000 calories.
Click here to view Sabudana Khichdi in microwave recipe.
Is Sabudana Khichdi in Microwave healthy?
Sabudana Khichdi in Microwave is high in
1. Folic Acid
: Folic acid
is an essential vitamin required throughout pregnancy.
Note : a recipe is deemed high in a Vitamin or mineral if it meets 20% and above the recommended daily allowance based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
How to burn 326 calories that come from one serving of Sabudana Khichdi in Microwave?
Walking (6 kmph) = 1 hr 38 mins
Running (11 kmph) = 33 mins
Cycling (30 kmph) = 43 mins
Swimming (2 kmph) = 56 mins
Note: These values are approximate and calorie burning differs in each individual. | <urn:uuid:5ad43865-d762-45b5-97c9-d1dbbc5a44af> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://tarladalal.com/calories-for-sabudana-khichdi-in-microwave-2749 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571190.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810131127-20220810161127-00078.warc.gz | en | 0.86676 | 270 | 1.703125 | 2 |
(From the publisher):
In pre-World War II Czechoslovakia, Helene Richter's childhood glows with an idyllic richness and grace. Summers are spent in grandfather's great house on Prague Street, tranquil, shimmering days, strung together likw shining jewels. Until the war. As the half-Jewish Helene reaches adolescence, her serene existence becomes a holocaust of disintegration and death. Her uncles, aunts, cousins are gone -- to a place called Theresienstadt, from which they send postcards once a month with the same message: we are well we are healthy thinking of you how are you. As the war comes inexorably closer to her German father and Jewish mother, Helene falls in love. But the war will close in on that love, too...
Original title: Ein Haus in Böhmen
Genre: Fiction→ Historical→ World War II→ Holocaust | <urn:uuid:bc7f72e1-a676-447e-bddf-0318235fa9ed> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.iblist.com/book59101.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279169.4/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00215-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.909653 | 194 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Howard Andrew Foster and Myra Clark met in high school, but he was of African descent and she was Caucasian. In 1967, race relations were taboo, testing the love between the two. Love, after all, is the driving force of life. It is not something that can be fought, despite numerous love stories with tragic endings and countless hearts broken by others. True love will win, nor does it transcend time and space.
They went on to date for two years, during which time Howard faced daily racism. When he realized that their relationship was doomed, there was no time to protect them, so he decided to end things. The torture continued while I was growing up and studying at the Columbus Technical Institute. He was the only black student there and experienced many instances of racism.
“Society didn’t want us to be together and she wasn’t happy, but she was tired of being stared at and I thought it was unfair on her. Her happiness was the most important thing to me.”
Tears were in their eyes when they parted, Myra explains, and as they said goodbye, they walked in different directions, each spinning when their eyes met. I think a wave means seeing you again.
Howard remembers crying in his car – it wasn’t an easy decision, but he loved Myra. And he will never forget how she imagined their life if they stayed together. Myra remembers the problems they faced in society.
About five decades later, in 2013, a mutual friend reconnected the two.
Myra met a nurse when she worked at Mount Carmel Hospital, whose daughter was married to Howard’s son. Howard and Myra eventually got in touch and decided to meet on Sharon Woods Metro Park over Labor Day weekend 2013.
They felt they would never stop loving each other. Their love sparkled in their eyes as they sat at a picnic table holding hands.
It’s a dream you never thought would come true. “For me, the fact that I’m sitting here holding her hand, I thought that would never happen. I couldn’t let her go” claim Howard.
The lovebirds tied the know on August 1, 2015, and claim they still enjoy being together. They say they have no regrets about how things worked out.
Interracial couples face numerous challenges. While people from traditional families often face disapproval, mixed-race couples also struggle with societal judgments and statements with racist overtones. Stereotypes still exist, and many are aware that their differences run deeper than they expected. Some people are racist and discriminatory, and some become tyrants of various kinds.
Since the legalization of interracial marriages in 1967, after the Supreme Court case ‘Loving vs. Virginia, ’ there has been a five-fold increase in these marriages.
If you are in an interracial relationship try to be open-minded and ready to resist challenges when you love your partner. Learn more about the culture of your partners and be prepared to make cultural adjustments and compromises. We are all in this together and nothing can change that.
Remember that what people say about you is a reflection of who they are, not who you are. Don’t let stereotyping or changing your behavior cloud your judgment. Love transcends skin color. If you don’t remember to respect, never insult. | <urn:uuid:a8677f11-e594-4e14-a08d-0c51fe61b85d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://keeponmind.com/2021/06/28/50-years-after-their-love-was-torn-apart-by-racism-theyre-finally-married/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00270.warc.gz | en | 0.978928 | 696 | 2.015625 | 2 |
Google objects to the sky-high sum that Oracle is claiming in the ongoing copyright lawsuit between the two companies.
In Google's latest filing, the search giant says that its damages expert "strongly disagrees" with the assessment that it could owe Oracle "no less than $8.8 billion" for its use of certain parts of the programming language Java in its Android operating system.
The next phase of the case is about to head to court. A jury will decide if Google had the right to use certain parts of Oracle's programming language, Java, for free, or if it owes Oracle damages for its use that has been going on for years.
Google says that Dr. James Kearl, the damages expert that the court hired, came up with the "no less than $8.8 billion" value by taking Oracle's theory on how to calculate how much Google owed "at face value."
Kearl came up with that number based on a calculation of the amount of profits that Google earned as a result of Android, which Google doesn't report, but the company says that "several of [Kearl's] opinions on disgorgement are ungrounded in the facts of the case or based on improper analytical frameworks."
You can read the whole filing here: | <urn:uuid:22d601a1-6fac-4459-b2f2-c4410c365253> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.businessinsider.com/google-oracle-case-2016-3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281069.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00273-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96252 | 262 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Medical cannabis is known for pain relief, is it equally good for your pet too? This post from The Chill Bud discusses the benefits and dangers of cannabis for pets!
More and more people are warming up to the idea of medical marijuana and even recreational cannabis use. But what about cannabis for pets? If medical marijuana can do wonders for pain relief and reducing inflammation in humans, wouldn’t it be just as beneficial for your dog or cat?
Before you go rolling up a doob for your pooch, it’s important to fully understand the potential risks involved in giving your pet cannabis.
Understanding THC, CBD and Your Pet
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, it’s the compound that gives users the sensation of being high / stoned. While THC can be utilized for a myriad of medical conditions, it can be very dangerous for your pet.
Dogs in particular are quite a bit more sensitive to THC than humans. It doesn’t offer them the same euphoric high, in fact they really don’t enjoy being high at all.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the most beneficial cannabinoids in the cannabis plant, yielding a vast number of medical benefits. The real kicker with CBD is the fact that it has no psychoactive effects, we can harness the healing powers of cannabis without the high. This has proven to be a fantastic treatment option for children and even pets!
Benefits of Cannabis for Pets
The stigma surrounding cannabis is starting to disappear, and people are finding all sorts of new ways to use this miracle plant. There is no question that cannabis is useful for a wide variety of conditions in humans, and many of those benefits translate to your pet as well.
Cannabidiol specifically has been in the medical spotlight as of late. It’s ability to provide profound health benefits without making users high is hugely beneficial. CBD is helping to make a name for cannabis in the medical world without giving marijuana-opponents any ammo to dispute its safety or efficacy.
The health benefits of cannabidiol are numerous, and quite a bit of it’s ‘power’ comes from the fact that it is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is widely regarded as the number one cause of virtually every known disease, flooding the system with free-radicals and taxing immune function.
Cannabidiol can be used to help treat chronic pain, inflammation, cancer, multiple sclerosis, epileptic seizures, depression, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and much more! It has powerful neuroprotective benefits as well as potent anti-cancer and anti-tumor properties.
We have a far better understanding of the health benefits of cannabidiol for humans than we do for pets. And even still, we have quite a ways to go before we understand the true spectrum of benefits cannabidiol has to offer.
Real Life Examples of CBD Benefits for Dogs
Matthew J. Cote, brand manager at Auntie Dolores, a San Francisco Bay Area edibles manufacturer has its very own pet line of edibles called Treatibles. They decided to pursue CBD products for animals because aging dogs share quite a few of the same health problems as humans. If we could benefit so greatly from CBD, why couldn’t man’s best-friend?
Cote told ABC News “What we’ve seen is that some of these dogs respond very rapidly,” sharing an experience of one of their clients, “One woman from Fort Bragg was ready to put down her dog due to how sick and in pain he was, but the day before he was scheduled to go under, she administered our treats and just like that the dog was up, walking around, and acting normal again.”
Some people might find it hard to totally trust a story like this from a brand manager of a company that offers cannabidiol pet treats. But there are dozens of success stories circulating that are just like this.
Dr. Rob Silver, a veterinarian in Colorado quite literally wrote the book on cannabis for pets, ‘Medical Marijuana & Your Pet: The Definitive Guide.’ He recently shared a story with Dr. Becker on mercola.com about a client’s dog who has osteosarcoma (bone cancer), which caused the poor dog an enormous amount of pain each day. The client decided to try cannabinoids to help his pet, and after just 5-days the dog showed a huge improvement! He was able to put weight on the leg with the tumor once again; after just five days!
Dr. Silver mentions in the article that the clients dog is still going strong thanks to the cannabinoid treatment. But it’s important to fully grasp what CBD gave this dog, as well as its owner. It didn’t just give the dog a few more weeks, months or years to live, it made that time infinitely more enjoyable. It offered the dog a quality of life that would have otherwise been lost forever.
Cannabidiol does the very same thing for many humans, it offers powerful pain relief and healing qualities without sacrificing quality of life. There isn’t a laundry list of debilitating side effects like so many pharmaceuticals, which is why the pharmaceutical industry is spending so much trying to block marijuana legalization.
Dangers of Cannabis for Pets
CBD may be useful for your pet, but THC isn’t!
Blowing smoke in your pet’s face, or putting a whack of potent cannabis extract in their food-bowl is not only a terrible idea, it could do serious damage to your pet or even kill them. It’s not funny, it doesn’t affect them the same way it does you. Don’t be an idiot, save your buds for your human buds.
As we mentioned before, THC hits dogs quite a bit harder than it does humans. It’s a problem that has surfaced over the past few years since home-grows have become legal across a few states. The surge of edibles on the market is one of the biggest dangers for pet owners.
High potency edibles are as attractive to your pet as they are to you. The problem is your pet can actually die from eating them, you will just pass out, worst case Ontario.
Beyond the fact that marijuana edibles contain high levels of THC which is very dangerous for pets, they often contain foods that are toxic. These include chocolate, some nuts, raisins, etc…
Picking the Best Cannabis Products for Your Pet
The cannabis gold-rush is in full-force right now, so it’s no surprise that there are already companies offering cannabis products for your pet.
Thanks to the companies specializing in the advancement of CBD research and product development, there are plenty of strains and extracts available that are safe for your pet. Cultivators are breeding cannabis plants to maximize CBD levels and minimize THC. These are the purely ‘medical strains’, usually used to create high CBD cannabis oils.
CBD oil can be used to help treat your dog or cat, but be mindful to start with a very low dose and slowly work your way toward the desired dose. As with any medical condition, work with a qualified health professional, in the case of your pet, work with your veterinarian.
Again, don’t just toss Fido a joint or a weed brownie. Do your research, work with a professional and truly enhance your pet’s quality of life. | <urn:uuid:e9c45ce4-3fd4-48f0-bc6c-a318bd3bf8a3> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.thecannabisadvisory.com/cbd_news/cannabis-for-pets-good-not/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573876.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20220820012448-20220820042448-00073.warc.gz | en | 0.959936 | 1,569 | 2.015625 | 2 |
Environmental Database Model is designed to allow for observational data of different observation types to be managed in a single database. It is the underlying data layer.
An ADO.Net entity framework model will provide logic layer to make the model accessible to scientists.
Present DB requirements:
Required for Building:
EnviroDb Build Notes | <urn:uuid:f923651b-5db8-4604-b487-07d22d046fc7> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://envirodb.codeplex.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988721174.97/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183841-00283-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.799826 | 67 | 2.1875 | 2 |
In his Jan. 14 letter regarding gun control and violent video games, Michael Pearson advocates teaching children how to use firearms, “just as we teach our children about driving, drugs, and sex” (“Safety may best be learned at the firing range”); however, in teaching kids about drugs, we teach them about how dangerous drugs are; we don’t offer them drugs.
Guns, like drugs, are dangerous in the wrong hands. The Second Amendment protects citizens’ rights to bear firearms as part of a well-regulated militia. Also, at that time, muskets were the latest technology in firearms. If you want a musket, go for it.
People argue that the government would never be able to get everyone’s guns; they’re right, but that brings us back to drugs and driving. We cannot completely extinguish the danger of drugs or driving, so we regulate them to make them safer. For example, the drinking age has been raised, and there are stricter penalties for drunken driving and serving people who are drunk and stricter blood alcohol limits.
Citizens don’t need to own automatic or semiautomatic firearms. As a high school student, I would feel safer if the proper laws were enacted to control gun ownership. | <urn:uuid:d3df5580-e3a0-4eca-8b2b-4f9d964aa3d7> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/letters/2013/01/18/dangers-firearms-call-for-stricter-rules-not-hands-lessons/jh1QIrogFkKf88IQ3owFLN/story.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279650.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00429-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965303 | 267 | 2.796875 | 3 |
This self-editing checklist covers the basics of self-editing so you can get your work looking its best.
If you want your message to be heard, be clear. Don’t tempt readers to click away or put your book down because of careless mistakes in grammar or construction.
Writing and editing are different skills with different mindsets. You need to separate creation (right brain activity) from critique (left brain activity).
Write your piece, then let it sit for a while before editing it. Concentrating on one aspect of editing each time leads to better results.
1. Back Up Everything Every Time You Write
Back up regularly to an external hard drive and/or the cloud. At the very least, save to a USB stick (thumb drive.)
Save each version and number the file names v1, v2, etc., especially for a longer work. This allows you to turn back time if you need to reference an earlier draft.
2. Check the Overall Appearance
On the screen we need much more white space than on a page. White space allows our eyes to rest. For online pieces, paragraphs can be one to three sentences long.
To improve clarity, have one idea per sentence. Avoid comma splices, where a comma is used instead of a full stop.
3. Print it Out
Use a different font in a larger size than usual. This makes it easier to see errors like missing punctuation, extra spaces, or duplicate words.
Non-justified text is easier to read.
Always start a new paragraph when there is a change in:
You might also want to break the paragraph to emphasize a particular sentence.
4. Read it Aloud
This is the number-one method to catch awkward or choppy dialogue, repeated words, and long sentences. Hearing your story read out loud is great fun. You can mark up the print copy as you go along.
Use text to speech to have your computer read to you.
This is standard on Macs: open System Preferences, then Dictation and Speech.
For Android devices, look under Accessibility. Or download a free app such as ReadAloud for PC.
5. Typos and Homonyms
The spell checker is very useful for catching spelling errors. However, it will not highlight typos that are real words, for example, “bets” rather than “best.” You’ll see them on a print copy and hear them on audio.
It’s essential to read through your print copy more than once to catch typos, even when the spelling check is complete.
Homonyms are words with the same sound or spelling but different meanings. For example:
Homonym errors can be repeated because you’re unaware or unsure of the correct word. If you’re not sure, you don’t know it. Look it up.
You can find more information about homonyms here. It’s worth reading more about homonyms because they can trip up even the most experienced writer.
6. Avoid Repetition
In everyday speech, crutch words give us time to think:
In writing, crutch words are those we lean on and use repeatedly.
Using a few of these in written dialogue can show character and sound natural, but beware of using them too often. Good dialogue is natural speech, polished.
You can use a word frequency counter like this one to see which words you overuse.
Action tags are another source of repetition: shrugged, smiled, laughed, sighed.
Use the ‘find’ function and make a choice to keep, cut, or change.
And, that, when, but: common words which are not always necessary. Removing some of them tightens your prose.
7. Limit Your Adverbs
Adverbs modify verbs, but often a stronger verb is the better choice.
Walked quickly strode, ran, hurried
Said quietly murmured, whispered, muttered
Laughed loudly chuckled, chortled, giggled
The suggested alternatives are not exact synonyms. Choose the one that best matches your meaning.
8. Make Reading Easier
Reading age describes a person’s reading ability compared to an average child of that age. Average reading age is 11-12 years in the UK and 12 years in the US.
People prefer to read for recreation at least 2 years lower than their educational level.
Cut jargon, slang, unusual, or long words unless they are essential to your point. Use simple words that everyone understands.
Reading age of popular media (years)
The Sun tabloid newspaper 7-9
Harry Potter 12-13
Improve readability by splitting long sentences and making paragraphs shorter.
The Hemingway application has both free and paid versions, which allow you to check for readability, adverbs, passive voice and more.
9. Use Active Voice
Academic and business writing ruins us as creative writers. Business writing often combines overuse of passive voice with jargon. This makes our writing feel formal and stilted. There are exceptions where we choose passive voice for a distancing effect. Be sure that’s what you’re aiming for when you use it.
Passive voice uses the construction object – verb – subject.
The active construction subject – verb – object uses fewer words and focuses attention on the subject.
The boy was hit by the ball. The ball hit the boy.
Passive voice is disliked by modern writers. Modern writers dislike passive voice.
10. Don’t Overuse Progressive Tenses
Using “was” with “-ing” is a favorite in writing, as it mimics the natural speech patterns of storytelling. Look at example #1, which features past progressive and, for good measure, also the cliché adverb “suddenly.”
1. She was walking slowly along the road, when suddenly, he came into view.
We can improve it by using a stronger verb in the past simple tense, removing the cliched adverb, and making it more descriptive:
2. She shuffled along, scanning the road ahead. There was no time to hide when he stepped into her path.
If you overwrite, using past simple is one way to cut words without losing the sense of your text. If you underwrite, better verb choice and more description can flesh it out.
11. Avoid Hanging Participles
These are verbs or verb phrases without a subject. It’s not clear who or what performed the action.
A hanging participle could be a sentence that starts with an –ing word. If you start a sentence with an -ing word, ensure the noun that follows belongs to the verb at the beginning.
Rushing through the entrance, the doormat nearly tripped me up.
Rushing through the entrance, I nearly tripped on the doormat.
I stumbled over the mat as I hurried out of the rain.
A hanging participle could be a phrase without a subject.
Now aged six months old, doctors say Karen has fully recovered.
Karen is now six months old and doctors say she has fully recovered.
The hanging participle is best rewritten to clarify who is doing what to whom.
12. Remove Filter Words
Filter words stand between author and reader, creating distance. They describe thought processes and sensations. To deepen point of view and immerse the reader in the character’s mind, remove them. Here’s an example:
She started to run away from the man, and saw an alleyway coming up ahead. She ran into the alley, feeling her heart beating quickly in her chest. She heard his footsteps behind her. She felt as if she could not escape. Deciding to stand her ground this time, she turned to face her attacker. (54 words)
She ran from her attacker and ducked into an alley. Her heartbeat kept pace with the footsteps racing ever closer. It was a dead end, no escape. She took a breath and turned to face him. This time she would stand her ground. (43 words)
The new shorter version is more vivid and immediate. It’s rated Grade 2 on the Hemingway app, so an average seven year old should be able to read it.
Go Beyond this 12-Step Self-Editing Checklist
There’s much more to this subject than this article can cover. There are many other useful resources to choose from. For instance:
Grammar Girl is a comprehensive website that can answer all your grammar questions.
Grammarly offers free and paid versions of its grammar and spelling checker.
Self Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni King and Dave Brown gives in-depth advice on all aspects of editing.
Now try applying some of these simple changes to your work. You’ll see how it improves. And don’t forget to back up everything. | <urn:uuid:df75de8b-6d5b-4fdd-ac67-23f0164f8116> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.refiction.com/articles/self-editing-checklist | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573760.75/warc/CC-MAIN-20220819191655-20220819221655-00672.warc.gz | en | 0.926758 | 1,932 | 3.265625 | 3 |
Forensic testing isn't always the way it appears on TV.
On the popular TV shows, staff from a forensic laboratory solve a number of crimes within the show's hour-long format, presenting forensic testing as quick producers of irrefutable evidence that can be used in Court. But unlike the flashy, made-for-television scenario, real-life forensic laboratory analysis is much slower.
For example, when pop star Michael Jackson died in 2009, forensic toxicology testing took almost a month. That's not unusual. Tests can take weeks or even months to complete because of the technical and administrative requirements of different forensic tests, the limited availability or poor quality of some samples, the complexity of testing for illicit drugs, drugs used in therapy, and other toxic chemical agents, and the extensive record keeping necessary to ensure that reliable evidence is presented in Court. Sometimes tests are beyond a laboratory's expertise, so the laboratory has to send specimens to a more specialized laboratory to get the testing completed.
Forensic Laboratory Testing: What Is It?
Forensic testing is the gathering of data for use in legal proceedings, depending on the requirements of particular jurisdictions. "Both the requirement to keep very detailed records, and the scope and potential complexity of analyses that may be required in forensic laboratories are important differences from clinical laboratory testing” " explains Professor Robert Flanagan, consultant clinical scientist at London’s King’s College Hospital. Forensic laboratories have a certain way of handling samples, sometimes using specified testing methods as required by law, and always follow "chain of custody" procedures.
The chain of custody refers to keeping a record of every person who has had charge of a sample, what it has been used for, how it has been stored, and where it has been. Adherence to chain of custody procedure ensures that forensic laboratory evidence can be admitted in Court with the knowledge that the item was collected from a specified individual or location by a specified person and that the results obtained on testing the specimen can be traced back to the specified individual or location.
Laboratory staff who handle and process forensic specimens typically receive special training that is directed both to laboratory science, and to the legal demands of forensic work. Forensic laboratory scientists often have some clinical training, while forensic pathologists are qualified doctors who have received specific forensic training. Forensic pathologists conduct examinations on body tissues, blood, and/or other body fluids collected during a post-mortem examination (autopsy) or from a suspected crime scene and attempt to interpret the findings to help ascertain the cause, manner, and time of death, and sometimes to establish the identity of the deceased.
Investigation of deaths in England and Wales is the responsibility of the Coroner, who is appointed by the Ministry of Justice and must be legally qualified. The Coroner is empowered to require a post-mortem examination to be performed to find out the cause of death if this is uncertain, The post-mortem will usually be performed by a hospital pathologist, but if the death is suspicious the Coroner works closely with the police and a Ministry of Justice registered forensic pathologist will usually be appointed to perform or oversee the post-mortem and report the results. In Scotland, the Procurator Fiscal performs the functions of the Coroner, but also has an investigative role and not only directs any police investigation, but also acts as the prosecuting authority. Northern Ireland, the Channel Isles, and the Isle of Man also have separate systems.
In the UK clinical laboratories are accredited by Clinical Pathology Accreditation (UK), part of the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). UKAS also undertakes accreditation of forensic laboratories. There are no specific standards of competence for individual forensic practitioners as yet in the UK other than pathologists, who undertake examinations to become Fellows of the Royal College of Pathologists and undertake further training before admission to the Ministry of Justice register. | <urn:uuid:011e0988-8185-43b2-b304-4b29ebae236b> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://labtestsonline.org.uk/understanding/features/forensics/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560283301.73/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095123-00503-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9449 | 786 | 3.6875 | 4 |
Churches in the city usually celebrate Mother Mary's birthday on September 8 with special masses and processions. But this year, several parishes will give their festivities a unique theme — saving the girl child and the environment.
This theme is in line with a mandate from the Archdiocese of Bombay, which had declared Care for Creation as the focus of church activities in 2010.
The celebration has been organised with children because the Novenas (nine days of preparatory masses before the birthday Feast) are often centred on encouraging the youth to participate in the mass.
St Ignatius parish at Jacob’s Circle, for instance, will have a special sermon on caring for the environment after the mass on Wednesday.
“The message is that we are killing our resources on the planet in the way we have been killing the girl child,” said Father Joe D’Souza, the parish priest who will give the sermon. “We are making an effort to come down to the level of children and encourage them to be more eco-friendly in daily life.”
During the Novenas, the church had also given prize coupons to every child attending a mass. “Those carrying all nine coupons for the Feast will be given a box of sweets, as an incentive to participate more often,” said Samuel Rebello (24), a Sunday school teacher at St Ignatius, who expects around 80 of the 160 parish children to win sweets.
In Orlem's Our Lady of Lourdes Church, local school children have been putting up environment-themed skits before the mass on all nine days of the Novenas. Presentation topics included air and water pollution, plants, animals and energy conservation.
“Children have pledged to be more conscientious about each of these topics, and on the final Feast day, they will pray for the protection of the girl child,” said parish priest Father Nigel Barrett. | <urn:uuid:3b7abcbd-7997-426c-a161-e519cf844afe> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai/for-mother-mary-s-sake-save-the-girl-child-environment/story-Qp2IFb87WEQje5mevfQcdP.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560284411.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095124-00456-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956293 | 400 | 2.21875 | 2 |
An Indiana gym gem: Restoration of Pleasantville gym a pleasant surprise
PLEASANTVILLE – There is no getting here without really wanting to get here.
Pleasantville is one of those long-forgotten, never-heard-of-it little towns that dot the map all over Indiana. It sits on the western edge of Sullivan County, near the Greene County line, a few miles south of the Bear Run Mine, which began coal mining production in 2010.
I was on assignment in the area Wednesday and decided to stop by Pleasantville. I had not visited since 2009, when I was able to get inside the old gym there and shoot some photos and include in my book (Historic Hoosier Gyms: Discovering Bygone Basketball Landmarks).
I remembered that visit well. The school was long gone but the gym, built in 1954, was still standing. The town trustee gave me the key and I let myself in. There were basketballs sitting on the original wood floor, which was covered in a couple layers of dust. It was a beautiful gym, with high-arching wooden trusses that made the place feel larger than it really was. For years, the Pleasantville Blue Streaks had played basketball in a basement gym of the old school, built in 1916 — the new gym must have felt like it was the Boston Garden when it opened.
Pleasantville’s school — the smallest in the state at the time with 47 students — closed in 1965, a victim of consolidation into Union High School in Dugger, a few miles north. The gym continued as a center of community functions, including independent league and pick-up basketball games.
But by the winter of 2009-10, when I visited, the gym had fallen into disrepair. Kids still played there occasionally, but there were unattached wooden boards littering the bleachers and random furniture scattered throughout the place. The roof needed repairs. I figured it had a few years left before it would either be torn down or become an eyesore.
Life moves on. I had not thought much about Pleasantville in a long time. When I drove through on Wednesday, I did not expect much. If the gym was locked — assuming it was still there — I did not plan on spending any time trying to get inside.
To my delight, there were three or four cars in the gravel parking lot. I opened the door and could hear basketballs bouncing. Orange cones were placed on the court. An actual practice! In the entryway, there were old team photos of the Pleasantville Blue Streaks, school photos and articles — new articles from the Greene County Daily World — about the renovation of the gym.
Marty Hale was inside, running a workout for middle school kids. The back doors were propped open by folding chairs on a 92-degree day. Hale’s T-shirt was drenched with sweat. But he was smiling. He grew up near this gym and played here for years.
“It took a lot of work,” said Hale, an assistant coach at Linton-Stockton, “but this is a great place.”
A $25,000 donation from Bear Run Mine helped immensely with the restoration in 2014. The leaking roof was repaired. Spearheaded by Jefferson Township trustee Lonnie Todd, volunteers pitched in to get the gym game-ready. At the beginning of the 2014-15 season, Union Dugger’s team wore Pleasantville Blue Streak uniforms and played an actual game there.
I couldn't help but linger around and watch practice for a few minutes. The sunshine through the windows reminded me of Hinkle Fieldhouse during an afternoon game.
Before I left, I thanked Hale and he responded to come back anytime. There is talk of more high school games being played in Pleasantville. Save me a spot — I will be back.
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.
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See the inside story of Indiana's rich tradition of high school basketball in IndyStar's new hardcover book, "History of Our Hysteria: Indiana High School Basketball." This collector's item will feature stunning historic images and compelling stories, and is sure to be a showpiece on your coffee table.
You can purchase the book by clicking here. | <urn:uuid:3525b237-7bfb-4d2c-93e8-d6dd6ba95d9b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/high-school/2018/07/12/indiana-basketball-gyms-best-gyms-pleasantville-indiana-indystar-kyle-neddenriep-history/778809002/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571909.51/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813051311-20220813081311-00270.warc.gz | en | 0.977038 | 903 | 1.734375 | 2 |
World Environment Day Essay in English, We are living in an environment, which is getting toxic and polluted day by day. There are many reasons behind our environment getting polluted. Firstly, we should understand what is environment and how it is important for us. Our environment plays an important role in our lives. It is the only thing, which people survive on this planet. It can make our life sustainable. We cannot even think of surviving without an environment for even a single day.
World Environment Day Essay in English
Essay on Environment Day
With no environment, our skin will be burnt, blood pressure will get increased, the lungs will get ruptured, and several bad things can happen to living beings. Apart from that, people will not have water and food, which can make their lives hell. And the most important thing to know is that it can also be possible due to an imbalance of atmospheric pressure and heat.
These are some mandatory reasons to understand. After understanding, we can take care of our environment. It is important to take care of our environment so that we can live a clean and green life. In addition to that, it would be good to eliminate all those things, which are creating bad effects on our earth and environment.
So, it is the right time to think of how to save our environment from getting polluted and impacted by the use of non-biodegradable items and much more.
We should take the initiatives to save our environment. But the main thing is that it is important to have awareness. This is the main reason why World Environment Day is being celebrated almost in the whole world. Today, in this essay, we are going to talk about World Environment Day in detail. So, start reading:
Environment Day Essay in English
World Environment Day comes on 5th June every year. It is being celebrated in different parts of the world. More than 100 countries celebrate this special day and take some important steps to conserve our environment. Moreover, World Environment Day is operated by the United Nations Environment Program or UNEP. It has been celebrated worldwide for many years.
The primary motive to celebrate World Environment Day is to spread awareness among people because the environment is getting affected due to our poor and harmful daily activities. We should give it a thought to save our environment. This is why World Environment Day has come into existence. The awareness is all about how to conserve the environment. We should beware of how our activities are impacting the environment and how they can be reduced.
Paragraph on Environment Day
Reasons to celebrate World Environment Day
We should think of our environment, which is the most precious gift to us. Not only to us, but even our environment is a gift to every living creature on the earth planet, whether it is a plant, an animal, a bird, or any other. Every element of the environment is important such as soil, air, forests, water, oceans, and many others.
Such elements need to remain in their undisturbed and pristine form. If our environment including all elements should stay in its exact condition, this is how it can support living beings sustainably. It can provide support to live, which can be continued till ages.
There are plenty of reasons why our environment is getting damaged. Some of the reasons are deforestation, industrialization, mining, pollution, and many more. World Environment Day is celebrated so that we can come to know about the reasons that are causing the exploitation of the environment.
And we can think out of the box to reduce human interference within the environment. On this day, many events and programs are held in schools, colleges, private companies, and many other places to raise awareness on how to protect the environment.
What people should do on World Environment Day?
On the day of World Environment Day, people should come together to put in hard efforts to enhance our life. Schools, colleges, and organizations should organize some events regarding environmental conservation. There should be a theme, with which people become aware of what to use or what to avoid.
Every year, there is one theme on the problems of the environment. These problems need to be emphasized. Every person should take a pledge to fight against those problems and some initiatives to protect the environment.
Many things can be done to protect our environment. In schools and colleges, students should be encouraged to plant more and more trees. They should come together and do some cleaning activities to spread awareness about cleanliness and hygiene. With such small efforts at different levels, we can leave a big influence on our environment.
If we talk about the government, they should join their hands with international organizations to combat the problems and protect the environment. New strict laws must be introduced on this special day of spreading awareness. Things like eliminating the use of plastics and other harmful items, and planting more trees to reduce pollution should be discussed and focused on. This is how we can save our environment from getting extinct.
World Environment Day is a special day, on which we remind ourselves of consolidating our planet and make sure that how we can conserve or save our environment at all costs. This day lightens up the causes, which cause the most damage to the environment. World Environment Day works as an eye-opener for those citizens, who are unmindful of all this.
At the same time, it also spreads attentiveness to them to be normal people about the present situation. Once they know the consequences of different problems causing the extinction and damage to the environment, they can play an active part in celebrating World Environment Day.
What to do to participate?
We can stay active on social media and share our opinions and ideas and motivate others to save the environment. Aside from that, we can do many things at our levels to start contributing to saving the environment. We should also do something extraordinary on World Environment Day.
This is world environment day essay in english, from this entire article, we cover information regarding short essay on world environment day. If found anything missing let us know by commenting below. For more info kindly visit us at wikiliv.com | <urn:uuid:0ec9a771-173e-4f51-8297-51483cf990a2> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://wikiliv.com/world-environment-day-essay-in-english/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571190.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810131127-20220810161127-00078.warc.gz | en | 0.960168 | 1,240 | 2.625 | 3 |
Here's a reminder about something we talked about in class. Please don't forget!
In "Forms and Docs": content_not_commonsense
One of the homework problems asks you to calculate a present value, but requires a factor that isn't on the table in the book. Here's an online tool that will give you factors that are outside those provided by the text:
Hubbard and O'Brien does a not-so-great job of explaining where the deadweight loss arising from an externality comes from.
So I made a little exhibit to try to break it down a bit. I chose the positive externality (benefit) case to illustrate. Can you figure out how to do the negative externality (cost) case?
Go to "Forms and Docs" to see the exhibit.
1-3 of 3 | <urn:uuid:9a5419de-b4b2-43d1-bddb-e7f364374a64> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://sites.google.com/a/tmcc.edu/robert-kirchman-tmcc/classroom-news | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279410.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00173-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933375 | 178 | 1.992188 | 2 |
Asked by AngharadM
Thanks for answering - your answer appears below
the aches and pains associated with coeliac diseases completely disappear when strictly avoiding Gluten. Massage although proven to be extremely efficacious with all forms of aches and pain cannot be a substitute for diet. The type of massage also has to be adapted to the cause of pain. Often pain is caused by swelling so the massage must be light and structured to assist lymphatic drainage. If pain is referred from inappropriate muscle tension and spasms then the massage must be on specifically associated muscles and much deeper. There are also clear energetic connections between pain and acupuncture meridians and a massage that incorporates acupressure will be most appropriate.
Kinesiology is the best tool to assess the cause, type and remedies (including the type of massage needed). Best to choose a massage therapist who understand the multidimensional nature of pain and is able to understand the need for a holistic treatment
Anne-Lise Miller kinesiologist, massage practitioner, nutritionist
Sources: To find a practitioner: Association of systematic kinesiology | <urn:uuid:05b39e8c-9ab3-464d-b5fb-1f15f276165f> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://www.treatwell.co.uk/question/1607-can-regular-massage-help-with-the-aches-and-pains-related-to-coeliac-disease/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560284352.26/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095124-00190-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.899237 | 225 | 1.898438 | 2 |
Monte Burke, Contributor
I'm a contributing editor at Forbes.
The fourth hole at Glenmore Country Club in Keswick, Va. is a very long par 3 and rife with danger. From the tee box the green looks as tiny as a tea saucer and has two sand traps guarding its front. A thicket of high grass lines the left of the hole and a creek snakes along the right.
I grip my 2-iron and step toward the ball, trying mightily to block out negative thoughts. “I want you to focus only on your target,” says the man standing a few feet away. Coming from a golfing buddy that would be a wisecrack, but this is from Robert Rotella, sports psychologist. We’re a few holes into our session, the same drill he’s performed for 100 of the world’s best professional golfers.
According to Rotella, the trap, grass and creek are just distractions, manifestations of my self-critical conscious brain, which needs to be sublimated in favor of my more intuitive and instinctual unconscious brain. I’m supposed to focus only on the flagstick and visualize the ball getting there. I let it rip. The ball flies off the club head and goes straight into the thick grass, where it will remain, gone for good. Score one for life’s distractions. “Hey, you struck that really well,” Rotella says, cheerfully.
Rotella, a trim 58-year-old with dark, bushy eyebrows and deeply etched laugh lines, has fashioned a career out of teaching the virtues of optimism. His brand of therapy owes more to Norman Vincent Peale than to Sigmund Freud, but there is scientific support for the power of positive thinking. Psychologist Albert Bandura of Stanford University has written extensively about the connection between positive thoughts and better sports performance, demonstrating that belief in oneself improves motor skills.
Rotella, who charges thousands of dollars per session, has worked with players for the New York Yankees, basketball’s New Jersey Nets and football’s Baltimore Ravens. He helped the singer Seal overcome stage fright. Under his counsel, John Rzeznik, the singer for the Goo Goo Dolls, overcame a bad bout of writer’s block during the making of the band’s second album. Rotella has lectured to chief executives and managers at
Rotella is in the right place at the right time. The American Psychological Association has had a 43% jump in members practicing sports psychology in the last ten years. The majority of the 120 players on the PGA Tour now hire a mental coach. (One exception: Tiger Woods, not counting a round of hypnosis at age 13 to deal with on-course distractions.)
The fact that most of Rotella’s work happens on the golf course is by design. He’s a scratch golfer who sees golf as the sport that most mirrors real life. “It is a game of mistakes played by humans who are flawed,” he says. To win, you have to have an inner arrogance to propel yourself above mediocrity and past your peers. “Most psychology is focused on trying to make abnormal people normal,” he says. “I try to make normal people exceptional.”
Rotella counsels amateurs–he helped Gary Burkhead, the 66-year-old retired chief executive of FMR, work his handicap down from the 20s to 4–but works mainly with 100 or so golf professionals, including Tom Kite, Ernie Els and Davis Love III. His clients have won 24 major championships, the most recent being the British Open victory by Irishman Padraig Harrington, who was better known for his inability to win big events before his breakthrough victory in July.
Harrington was set to capture the event on the final day but choked on the 18th hole, hitting two consecutive balls into a creek before a nifty chip and putt for a double bogey that put him into a playoff against the Spaniard Sergio Garcia. On the practice green before the playoff Rotella emerged from the crowd to hover by Harrington’s side. He gave him a big high five. “I told him what great shots those were to save double bogey,” says Rotella. He never mentioned the two balls in the water, instead offering one of his signature aphorisms: Think like a track star. Don’t run to the finish line–run through it, or you’ll slow down. Harrington won the playoff by one stroke. “I think that 95% of this game is mental,” says Harrington, who has worked with Rotella for the past nine years. “I wouldn’t have won the British without Bob.”
Rotella was born and raised in Rutland, Vt., the son of a barber. He received a Ph.D. in sports psychology from the University of Connecticut and started his career working with mentally retarded children, teaching them sports skills. He’d show up to teach swimming, and the kids would already be lined up, towels around their necks and huge smiles on their faces. “They had 99 out of 100 things going against them, but they decided to focus on that one thing they could do: swim.” The kids made Rotella realize that most people are too caught up in what they can’t do to excel at what they can do. One of his clients is pro golfer Brad Faxon, a superb putter. In the 1990s his game was falling apart because he was getting caught up in trying to hit drives as long as Tiger Woods. Rotella told Brad to concentrate instead on what he’s good at. After he took the advice, Faxon had his best stretch and qualified twice for the elite Ryder Cup.
Rotella became head of the sports psychology department at the University of Virginia in 1976. His first client was Zimbabwean golfer Denis Watson, who went on to tie for the most wins on the PGA Tour in 1984. Rotella spent years honing his ideas about what keeps people from choking in pressure situations. The key is turning off your conscious mind and turning on your unconscious one. He tells his golfers to practice their swing technique all they want on the driving range, but on the course, let instinct take over.
The same goes for a salesman. Practice your pitch with your co-workers or in front of the mirror. But when it comes time to get in front of potential clients, let it rip. Rotella says underperformance is caused by a lack of confidence. “You’re not allowing yourself to win, thus you start to focus on things that can hurt you,” he says. In golf, that’s a bunker or a water hazard. In life, that’s laziness or booze.
A lot of this is common sense, and some of his players admit as much. “He’s not telling me anything I don’t already know,” says Dana Quigley, a pro golfer who has worked with Rotella for a decade. “But he’s helped me focus and relax.”
Some pros, especially from the generation before today’s PGA players, seem perplexed by the widespread use of mental coaches. “To each his own, but for me personally, I never saw the need. It never actually crossed my mind,” says Jack Nicklaus, maybe the greatest golfer who ever lived. He adds: “My wife is the best sports psychologist I know.”
“The players these days have been told that they need this coaching,” says Hale Irwin, a three-time winner of the U.S. Open. “I think most of them probably don’t need it. What you learn yourself you remember better.”
But Rotella views his role as a part of the new way of doing things. “Guys these days have swing coaches and strength coaches and flexibility coaches,” he says. “The mind needs practice, too.” | <urn:uuid:1b851e9b-8785-403d-a91c-8c4740de15f0> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2007/1126/162.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988721405.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183841-00312-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977577 | 1,708 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.
2007 Holiday Crackdown
December 15 - 31
The holiday season should be a time to celebrate with friends and family. Unfortunately, all too often, too much holiday "spirit" has tragic consequences when revelers make the reckless decision to drink and drive. According to NHTSA, in December 2006, 1,076 people were killed in crashes involving a driver with a BAC level of .08 or higher—above the legal limit in every state as well as the District of Columbia. This is why State Highway Safety Offices around the country are working with NHTSA, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) to step up drunk driving education and enforcement efforts around the holidays.
Examples of specific state enforcement and public information efforts are listed below. State drunk driving laws and additional resources about this issue are available on the GHSA Drunk Driving Laws page. For information on the national campaign, visit www.stopimpaireddriving.org.
- Alaska—Alaska’s Drunk Driving. Over The Limit. Under Arrest DUI holiday crackdown enforcement runs from Dec. 1 - 31. Media ads are running on both adio and television. Law enforcement agencies across the state will be out in force and cracking down on impaired drivers.
- Arizona—Arizona's 17 DUI Task Forces will be aggressively removing impaired drivers during its annual Holiday DUI Crackdown from Thanksgiving weekend through New Year's Day. Last year, the Task Forces arrested 2,683 people for DUI. Additionally, the Governor's Office of Highway Safety and the Arizona DUI Task Forces will again be distributing its These Lights Will Silent Your Night blinking ice cubes. The campaign includes 50,000 plastic red and blue blinking ice cubes distributed at bars and holiday parties with the message: "You don't want to see these red and blue lights in your rearview mirror, so if you've had too much to drink, talk to your server or host about getting a safe and sober ride home." TV, radio and Internet ads accompany the campaign, along with the website www.blinkingice.com.
- Arkansas—Law enforcement agencies across the state are gearing up to provide extra protection for travelers on the roadways this holiday season. At a news conference on Dec. 18 Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel will join State Police Director and Governor’s Highway Safety Representative Colonel Winford Phillips and Arkansas MADD Director Teresa Belew in announcing a statewide initiative to join the national law enforcement and media campaign, Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. The state initiative will focus on the weekends before the Christmas and New Year holidays, Dec. 21 - 22 and Dec. 28 - 29.
- California—In California, holiday DUI enforcement mobilizations start at Thanksgiving and run through New Year’s. Starting Dec. 14, more than 475 police and sheriff’s departments and CHP area offices will mobilize all available officers for increased regular patrols, checkpoints and saturation patrols. $4 million in California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) grants will be used by 103 law enforcement agencies for holiday checkpoints. OTS is funding installation of 750 permanent signs with the “Report Drunk Drivers – Call 911” message every forty miles along all county and state roads. California’s Department of Transportation is using its 325 permanent changeable message signs to display “Report Drunk Drivers – Call 911” and “Click It or Ticket” messages across all state freeways. The Department of Motor Vehicles will feature "Report Drunk Drivers. Call 911" messaging in all of their field offices. The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control will be out in force to fight alcohol sales to those obviously intoxicated or underage.
- Colorado—In Colorado, more than 70 law enforcement agencies will participate in the Heat Is On DUI enforcement over Office Party Weekend, Dec. 14-17. Two news conferences will be held in Denver and Colorado Springs on Dec. 13. The Colorado Department of Transportation is partnering with downtown Denver businesses and cab companies to donate taxi cab vouchers to encourage safe choices. The statewide emphasis is on raising awareness of DUI enforcement and reminding party-goers to plan ahead. A second DUI enforcement wave is set for Dec. 28-Jan 2.
- Connecticut—Connecticut is conducting a comprehensive traffic safety media campaign including television radio spots, billboards and bus panels. This campaign will supplement the national media buy. Two Connecticut-specific television commercials will broadcast, one featuring Governor M. Jodi Rell. Public service announcements and an impaired driving fact sheet were sent to all Connecticut media outlets. Governor Rell has designated December 2007 as Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month in Connecticut and has generated an official proclamation to mark this campaign. The Connecticut Department of Transportation has awarded 90 Comprehensive DUI enforcement grants to state and local law enforcement agencies for the 2007 holiday travel period. Included in this effort are saturation DUI patrols and 76 planned DUI checkpoints throughout the state.
- Delaware—Delaware’s enforcement plan runs from Dec. 10 - Jan. 2 and includes 13 scheduled checkpoints and 172 roving patrols. Thirty police agencies are conducting the patrols, and 31 agencies are involved in the sobriety checkpoint activities. Activities are focused from 8:00 p.m. Fridays through 4:00 a.m. Sundays to coincide with the crash data trends. In addition, there will be two “dedicated” checkpoints, honoring victims of impaired driving crashes. Drug Recognition Expert officers will be available at checkpoints and for call-out during the holiday period.
- Florida—Florida will hold a media event at the State Capitol on Dec. 17, with Over the Limit, Under Arrest as the primary message. Individuals from the state Department of Transportation, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the Department of Law Enforcement, Commercial Motor Vehicle Enforcement, the Florida Highway Patrol, local law enforcement agencies, MADD and NHTSA Region IV have been invited as speakers. The Law Enforcement Liaisons (LELs) will be working with law enforcement during this effort. Law enforcement agencies across Florida will be conducting both DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols from Dec. 17 until Jan. 1. Local press events will be conducted in Miami, St. Petersburg and Tampa.
- Georgia—Hundreds of Georgia traffic safety officers are busy planning for the Over The Limit. Under Arrest DUI campaign to keep families safe on the highways over the Christmas and New Year’s holiday travel period. Activites include high visibility DUI road checks and concentrated patrols during Georgia’s Operation Zero Tolerance.GOHS Deputy Director Spencer Moore will conduct the statewide Christmas holiday campaign kickoff from Savannah. This year’s media event will include MADD-Georgia and Miss International 2007, Whitney Kudela, whose platform is based on drunk driving awareness. News conferences like the kickoff in Savannah will be repeated across the state.
- Hawaii—All police departments are implementing sobriety checkpoints during the holiday period. Hawaii is also releasing a Drunk Driving, Over the Limit, Under Arrest DUI media campaign for both radio and television.
- Idaho—Forty-three law enforcement agencies are participating in Idaho’s Drunk Driving, Over the Limit, Under Arrestcampaign from Dec. 17 through Jan. 2. The statewide emphasis is on keeping families safe on the highways by: raising awareness of DUI enforcement; and reminding people to plan ahead if they are going to drink and always wear their seat belts. Media coverage includes radio and television ads and billboards placed throughout the state. Bar coasters (featuring DUI and seat belt messages) were distributed by our regional law enforcement liaisons.
- Illinois—This holiday season, the Illinois Department of Transportation/Division of Traffic Safety is planning an enforcement crackdown with approximately 170 state and local law enforcement agencies across Illinois. Law enforcement agencies will conduct hundreds of roadside safety checks and impaired driving saturation patrols from Dec. 14 through Jan. 1. Kickoff media events will take place Dec. 19 in Chicago, Springfield and Belleville. A statewide media buy will will place anti-impaired driving spots on radio, TV and mobile billboards. The media campaign runs from Dec. 17 - Jan. 1 and focuses on 18-34 year-old males (African-American, Hispanic and rural). Additionally, on Dec. 27, the Division of Traffic Safety will hold a news event in Chicago, unveiling a new community-based, Hispanic impaired driving initiative.
- Indiana—Indiana law enforcement will be cracking down on drunk drivers Dec. 1-31. A highlight of state activites will be Lights on For Life/Holiday Lifesaver Weekend Dec. 18-21. Lights on For Life is a symbolic headlight observance to focus attention on the impaired driving issue. SADD chapters and other groups (Indiana MADD, ICJI, and Indiana law enforcement) will encourage drivers to drive with their headlights on throughout the day to recognize those who have been killed or injured by impaired drivers and remind the public that alcohol and drug-related crashes are preventable. During National Holiday Lifesavers Weekend, law enforcement agencies stage a three-day crackdown on impaired drivers, using sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols. Indiana's holiday drunk driving campaign also include media events and educational events in schools.
- Kansas—Kansas is issuing a press release and running radio spots in the Topeka area. State highway protral and many local law enforcement agencies are stepping up enforcement. The Kansas Bureau of Traffic Safety will also be sponsoring a Wichita State basketball game, with extra messaging at the arena and on the radio during the game.
- Kentucky—Law enforcement agencies across the state will conduct traffic safety checkpoints and additional traffic patrol enforcement efforts for the holiday season. Multiple messaging PSAs will air on radio, with a particular emphasis on impaired driving. Department of Transportation Safety personnel will provide on-camera interviews, and the Department will distribute a press release with the theme Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.
- Louisiana—The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission will hold press events in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lake Charles and Shreveport, detailing the state's effort to stop drunk driving. Speakers include the Superintendent of State Police, the head of the Sheriff's Association, the head of the Municipal Police Officer's Association, Louisiana MADD Executive Director and the Governor's Representative. The press event will feature a demonstration of how an alcohol interlock device operates. Louisiana law enforcement will conduct 100 sobriety checkpoints throughout our state between Dec. 15 and New Year's Day.
- Maryland—On Dec. 5, Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown hosted the annual Maryland Remembers memorial event in Annapolis. More than 800 guests, including families of impaired driving victims, were invited to this unique program, presented by the Maryland Highway Safety Office, the Washington Regional Alcohol Program and MADD. The ceremony serves as the culminating event of a year-long commitment to impaired driving prevention efforts, honoring victims of impaired driving crashes. It is also used as to increase awareness of the consequences of impaired driving and the commitment by law enforcement statewide to remove drunk drivers from Maryland roadways. Throughout the holiday season, Maryland will participate in NHTSA Region III's Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign, providing radio advertising, television PSAs and outdoor advertising in the Baltimore and D.C. metro areas. Maryland's enforcement efforts include sobriety checkpoints and increased saturation patrols, and the state will also fund alternative transportation programs in both Washington, D.C. and Baltimore.
- Massachusetts—With up to $1.1 million in federal grant funding, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security will support a Holiday Season Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. mobilization from Dec. 12 - Jan. 2. This statewide mobilization will involve additional state and local police traffic enforcement focused on apprehending impaired drivers, paid and earned media to spotlight this extra enforcement as well as the dangers of drunk driving, and supportive community-level liquor law/underage drinking education and enforcement efforts. The mobilization enforcement will involve saturation patrols as well as up to nine sobriety checkpoints, lead by the state police and featuring their Breath Alcohol Testing (BAT) Mobile.
- Michigan—Michigan's Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) is gearing up for its Over the Limit. Under Arrest. drunk driving mini-mobilization. Currently, 37 counties are planning at least one night of alcohol enforcement during the mobilization crackdown period of Dec. 15-31. Over 150 local, county and state police agencies will be participating. The estimated cost is $325,000. A statewide news release will be sent December 17, along with localized versions to six media markets. On December 20, a follow-up news release will remind the media that alcohol enforcement efforts will continue through December 31. OHSP is also participating in the MADD Red Ribbon kickoff scheduled for Dec. 13.
- Minnesota—On Dec. 5, Minnesota held a news conference to announce its DWI mobilization as well as the 2008 Operation NightCAP counties. This received extensive media coverage. More than 32,000 Over the Limit. Under Arrest coasters were shipped to Minn. Beer Wholesalers Association for distribution to bars and restaurants. A custom 30-second "Elf Arrest" TV PSA is being distributed to TV stations statewide. White Castles in the Twin Cities metro will apply 150,000 DDOTLUA Post-It notes to drive-thru orders on weekends throughout December. Customized print PSAs featuring "Open Wide and Say 'Oh $#%@'" and "Cuffed and Stuffed" are being distributed to major papers in the 15 deadliest impaired driving counties. Media ride-along opportunities are also being promoted.
- Mississippi—The Mississippi Office of Highway Safety is working on several holiday safe driving projects. The Law Enforcement Liaison (LEL) network program and the Mississippi Association of Highway Safety Leaders will launch a national Christmas/New Year's Highway Safety Blitz campaign that runs Dec. 15 through Jan. 2. Statewide, law enforcement officers are focusing on DUI enforcement, seatbelt/child restraint enforcement, speeding and distracted drivers. Local law enforcement officers will also be promoting safe driving practices in schools before the holidays. The state MADD office is partnering with the Office of Highway Safety and American Medical Response for the New Year's Eve project "Give a Gift of a Lift," providing rides home for those that are to impaired to drive. Finally, Mississippi is airing two weeks of paid media radio ads, totaling $100,000.
- Missouri—Missouri's holiday impaired driving campaign began shortly before Thanksgiving. A statewide press release was followed by paid radio advertisements running Nov. 19 - Dec. 16. Additional advertising with a strong enforcement message will run Dec. 10 - 16 in preparation for statewide DWI enforcement and checkpoints on Dec. 15. The message is "You Drink & Drive. You Lose," with posters available with a "Going Out Tonight? So Are We" message.
- Montana—Law enforcement, DUI task forces, Safe Kids Safe Communities coalitions and the Montana Department of Transportation are mobilizing to prevent impaired driving this holiday season. Nearly 70 law enforcement agencies will conduct impaired driving overtime patrols between Dec. 21 and Jan. 1. Many of Montana's 21 DUI task forces will be supporting law enforcement related shoulder taps and party patrols. Safe Kids Safe Communities coalitions will partner with law enforcement, media companies and the DUI task forces to promote campaigns focused on impaired driving, such as the designated driver program and the "empty dinner party." A new media spot for TV and radio was produced with a message about one family's tragic loss because of drinking and driving.
- Nebraska—Throughout December, Nebraska's You Drink and Drive. You Lose. campaign utilizes extensive public information and enforcement to target drunk driving. Messages encourage motorists to report suspected drunk drivers using 911 or *55 on their cell phones. Over 12,000 extra hours of traffic enforcement by 53 law enforcement agencies from across the state is concentrated on weekends. The enforcement includes publicized sobriety check points and saturation patrols. The Nebraska Office of Highway Safety is also partnering with the Nebraska MADD organization with the tie one on for safety "Red Ribbon" promotion.
- Nevada—Several activities in Nevada will kick of the state's December efforts to reduce traffic fatalities and serious crashes caused by impaired drivers. The University Medical Center in Las Vegas is hosting a media event on Dec. 14 in Las Vegas, featuring law enforcement and our community partners. The Clark County Safe Communities will be working with local servers and providing free transportation to those who need a safe trip "home for the holidays." Additionally, STOP DUI will be celebrating their 20th anniversary with a red ribbon dedication at Kyle Canyon and US 95, as law enforcement statewide gears up for stepped up enforcement.
- New Jersey—New Jersey will conduct a statewide year-end impaired driving crackdown from Dec. 7 - Jan. 2. All 496 local, county and state police agencies in New Jersey will be asked to participate in the campaign. The New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety has awarded 80 grants of $5,000 each to local police departments to pay for overtime impaired driving roving patrols and fixed checkpoints. During the most recent statewide impaired driving crackdown during the two-weeks around Labor Day, 473 police agencies in the state reported 1,655 DUI arrests.
- New Mexico—The New Mexico DOT Traffic Safety Bureau and The Bureau of Indian Affairs - Albuquerque Office are holding their December DWI SuperBlitz and the Native American Don't Shatter the Dream mobilization. SuperBlitz activities are taking place from Dec. 12 - Jan. 1. Activities include billboard campaigns, New Mexico State Police participation in the Border to Border I-40 Texas - NM - AZ DWI Enforcement Campaign and release of a new awareness and consequences TV spot, "Mi Hijito," targeted at 18-34 year old Hispanic youths. Throughout the mobilization, enforcement agencies in New Mexico will conduct high visibility DWI checkpoints and saturation patrols. These enforcement efforts will be support by intense paid media and earned media outreach.
- North Carolina—The North Carolina Governor's Highway Safety Program is conducting it's Holiday Booze It & Lose It campaign, which kicked off Nov. 30 with an announcement from Governor Mike Easley and will continue until Jan. 2. Stepped up patrols and checkpoints will be conducted across the state during this effort. GHSP hosted it's tenth annual "Tree of Life" ceremony Dec. 7 at the State Capitol, honoring lives lost in North Carolina traffic crashes. GHSP will also partner with the N.C. State Highway Patrol for their Drive to Live campaign aimed at teen drivers Dec.10-14.
- North Dakota—North Dakota's holiday impaired driving campaign began the second week in December with a kickoff event for a newly developed 3D Month campaign: Designate a Driver and Live. The event included a statewide news release and the first of multiple news conferences to be conducted through the month of December. Safe Communities coalitions will conduct subsequent news conferences and will further promote the Designate a Driver and Live message through partnerships with law enforcement, emergency medical services providers, bars and other community partners. Promotional items (including credit card ice scrapers, medical ID tags attached to the stethoscopes of emergency medical services providers, "blinky buttons" worn by alcohol beverage servers, table tents and posters) will be distributed widely. Bars are encouraged to provide free food to patrons, and the availability of taxi vouchers and additional hours of taxi service and sober driver services will be publicized. The Designate a Driver and Live campaign is tagged with the Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. enforcement message, and high visibility enforcement will be conducted Dec. 15 - Jan. 2.
- Ohio—Ohio's 10 OVI Task Forces have scheduled 17 sobriety checkpoints during the holiday period. Over 200 other law enforcement agencies from around the state have holiday enforcement activities scheduled. Some larger city police departments are planning a 24 hour blitz on Dec. 21 - 22 to address office party activity. Ohio has also placed a radio media buy to complement the national holiday media campaign, Drunk Driving, Over the Limit, Under Arrest. A media release will go out from the Ohio Department of Public Safety the week of the 17th reminding motorists of the dangers of impaired driving and to plan ahead.
- Oregon—Oregon's holiday impaired driving enforcement activities coincide with several exciting DUI events this year. The Oregon Transportation Safety Division recently rolled out a new Mobile DUI Processing Center and distributed approximately 200 in-car digital video cameras to local and state police agencies. These activities, along with statewide saturation patrols and press releases, will serve to alert the driving public that impaired drivers will not be tolerated on Oregon's roadways this holiday season and remind them to "Drive Sober, Save Lives."
- Rhode Island—Rhode Island uses the You Drink and Drive. You Lose public awareness message. On Dec. 27, there will be a AAA press event to announce the next wave of MADD victim family ride-a-longs with local and state police on their enforcement patrols. Rhode Island also has a new radio spot featuring former 3-time World Champion New England Patriot Joe Andruzzi that will air on sports talk radio and possibly during Patriots game broadcasts. The state will have overtime impaired driving details with the state police and approximately 97 percent of Rhode Island's local and municipal police, running from Dec. 15 - Jan. 1.
- South Carolina—South Carolina's holiday crackdown campaign, Sober or Slammer!, combines enforcement and paid/earned media to reduce the occurrence of alcohol and drug-related traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities. Paid media runs Dec. 12 through Jan. 1. The SC Department of Public Safety’s Office of Highway Safety has a $200,000 media effort featuring two thirty-second television spots. The enforcement portion of the campaign takes place Dec. 14 - Jan. 1. The SC Highway Patrol and the State Transport Police are partnering with local law enforcement agencies to engage in aggressive DUI enforcement using public safety checkpoints and saturation patrols. A press event with local law enforcement will launch the campaign on Friday, Dec. 14. The Department of Public Safety will also be partnering with the SC Department of Transportation (SCDOT) to use SCDOT’s variable message boards to post “Statewide DUI Crackdown in Progress” messages statewide during campaign weekends.
- Tennessee—Tennessee's impaired driving holiday campaign runs Dec. 15 - 31. Results will be posted on the NHTSA mobilization website by Feb. 4. Additionally, Tennessee held a 3D Press Events with the state police chiefs and sheriffs organizations on Dec. 6th, with Governor Phil Bredesen participating. A highlight of the December campaign is a 24-hour crackdown on two non-interstate roads that run from Kentucky through Tennessee to Alabama and Georgia. The crackdown will involve every agency that has jurisdiction over these roads.
- Texas—On Dec. 4, Texas held a December holiday campaign kickoff press event in San Antonio at Lackland Air Force Base, featuring Santa arriving by sky diving. Several local press events will also be conducted. Public media includes radio and TV PSAs, billboards, gas pump toppers, coasters for bars and restaurants, posters, decals for beer coolers in convenience stores and fact sheets. Materials have been produced in English and Spanish. In addition to year-long enforcement grants, Texas has an additional 36 law enforcement agencies that will be conducting overtime DWI enforcement through impaired driving mobilization grants between Dec. 21 - Jan. 1.
- Utah—Utah will hold a Media Event and DUI Checkpoint for November 30, with the message that if you plan to drive drunk this holiday season you will "Go Directly to Jail." The event will take place in the Davis County Jail in Farmington, Utah. Invited speakers include Linda Richards, a mother who lost her daughter in a DUI crash in Davis County. Following the event, media will be given a tour of the jail. That evening, a DUI checkpoint will be set up in Layton City, conducted by officers from the newly formed Davis County Multi-Agency Task Force. The Utah Highway Safety Office will be offering DUI saturation patrol overtime shifts to the Wasatch Front area law enforcement agencies, and members of the Salt Lake Multi-Agency Task Force are planning DUI checkpoints throughout December.
- Vermont—The Vermont Governor's Highway Safety Office has distrubuted campaign materials to law enforcement agencies across the state. Several agencies are planning DUI checkpoints. Some town constables will be participating in the checkpoints and 'sponsoring' checkpoints in their town. The Agency of Transportation Enforcement Officers, who normally work dayshifts, will flex their hours so that they can be included in the enforcement effort.
- Wisconsin—To prevent needless deaths and serious injuries by getting motorists to buckle up and drive sober during the holiday season, more than 100 law enforcement agencies throughout Wisconsin will mobilize for the Booze & Belts traffic safety effort running Dec. 10-16. The high-visibility enforcement during the Booze & Belts mobilization will be backed by federally funded media messages to deter impaired driving and increase compliance with the state’s mandatory safety belt law. | <urn:uuid:6e434f2a-de01-47e0-8e7e-fefdea5f4f7d> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://www.ghsa.org/html/issues/impaireddriving/holiday07.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988717954.1/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183837-00509-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934534 | 5,131 | 1.90625 | 2 |
English Language Proficiency
Guidelines & Requirements
All applicants to degree and certificate programs at CTU are to demonstrate English language proficiency.
The English Language proficiency requirement can be met by:
- undergraduate or graduate studies from an institution in which English was the instructional language.
- the TOEFL exam with an internet total score of 79 (213 computer, 550 paper), with a 20 minimum in four sections of reading, listening, speaking and writing; or International English Language Testing (IELTS) results with a minimum score of 6.5, with a minimum score of 6 in the reading, writing, listening, and speaking subsections, or
Applicants who are unable to demonstrate English proficiency may be admitted conditionally pending:
- assessment through CTU’s English for Theological Education Program and
- adherence to an individual learning plan developed through the assessment.
If you have questions about demonstrating English language proficiency, or need more information, please contact: | <urn:uuid:52deebb7-d308-4497-b314-75ec442dee1e> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://www.ctu.edu/admissions/english-language-proficiency | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279410.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00164-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.888402 | 196 | 1.585938 | 2 |
why are group 15 called "Pnictogens" ?
Asked by Hardik Chauhan | 19th Sep, 2012, 10:50: PM
The greek word pnigein means to cholk or stiffle.Which is property of molecular nitrogen in absence of oxygen.that is why group 15 elements are called nitrogen family or pnictogens.
Answered by | 20th Sep, 2012, 11:25: AM
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Enter the OTP sent to your number | <urn:uuid:7f554ae7-20d6-48d5-91d1-72f59471f259> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.topperlearning.com/answer/why-are-group-15-called-pnictogens/vde7xf44 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573029.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20220817153027-20220817183027-00274.warc.gz | en | 0.850231 | 142 | 3.328125 | 3 |
ERIC Number: ED393709
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1993-Jan
Reference Count: N/A
Proceedings of the National Technical Literacy Conference (8th, Arlington, Virginia, January 15-17, 1993).
National Association for Science, Technology, and Society, University Park, PA.
This document of conference proceedings is divided into five sections. The first, STS (Science Technology and Society) Studies, contains five papers: (1) "Scientific Discourse and Public Policy" (Jane C. Webb; George R. Webb; Charolette Webb); (2) "An Answer to Neil Postman's 'Technopoly'" (David K. Nations); (3) "Reflections on the Theory and Practice of Constructive Technology Assessment" (Jesse Tatum); (4) "Total Quality Management as An Ethics Issue Mediated by Technology Transfer in Unsolicited Sociotechnical Interventions" (Ely A. Dorsey) and (5) "'Silent Spring' The Myth of Two Cultures" (Doris Z. Fleisher). The second part is on women in science and technology, and also contains five papers: (1) "Ordinary and Extraordinary Women in Science" (Darlene S. Richardson; Connie J. Sutton); (2) "Women and Technology: Feminist Perspectives" (Linda Condron); (3) "Why Constructivist Classroom Practice Can Increase Participation of Women and People of Color in Science" (Barbara J. Reeves; Cheryl Ney); (4) "From Hostile Exclusion to Friendly Inclusion: Transforming the College Science Classroom" (Darlene S. Richardson; Maureen McHugh); and (5) a preliminary report on the NSF project discussed in the previous paper (Sue V. Rosser). The third section, Bioethics, Health, and Medicine, contains two sections: (1) "Breast Implants and the Challenge of An Informed Public" (R. Eugene Mellican); and (2) "Bioethics Event-based Future Worksheet" (Richard G. Dawson). The fourth section looks at STS in the Nonindustrialized World. The three articles are: (1) "Sustainable Development: Some Interpretations, Implications, and Uses" (Subodh Wagle); (2) "Transcending Efficiency's Dilemma: A View from the Coadaptationist Position" (Craig R. Duennen); and (3) "Urban Sustainability in an Industrializing Country Context: The Case of China" (John Byrne; Young-Doo Wang, Bo Shen; Congfang Wang, Ziuguo Li). The fifth and final section is devoted to education. The part on K-12 contains 18 articles. The section on higher education contains 10 articles. The part on research has four articles. (DK)
Descriptors: Bioethics, Classroom Environment, Curriculum Development, Developing Nations, Educational Research, Elementary Secondary Education, Environmental Education, Ethics, Females, Futures (of Society), Higher Education, Public Policy, Science and Society, Science Instruction, Scientific and Technical Information, Technological Literacy
Publication Type: Collected Works - Proceedings
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Teachers; Researchers; Policymakers; Practitioners
Authoring Institution: National Association for Science, Technology, and Society, University Park, PA.
Identifiers: China; Technopoly
Note: Proceedings Foreword authored by James J. Murphy. For related materials, see ED 350 248, ED 339 671, ED 325 429, ED 315 326, and ED 308 099. | <urn:uuid:8b446574-ba55-4bd1-b3a1-e1de0d8baae1> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED393709 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988720962.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183840-00386-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.807068 | 770 | 1.75 | 2 |
A Wall Street surge pushed the Dow Jones Industrial Average past 10,000 Wednesday.
Wait, did we say "industrial"? Better call it "technological."
The comeback to levels not seen since the collapse of Wall Street last fall owes much to Silicon Valley mainstays. Cisco and Intel are part of the closely watched basket of stocks, as are Microsoft and IBM, both major employers in the region.
The first time the Dow hit 10,000, Cisco, Intel, and Microsoft were all higher, buoyed by frothy investors during the dotcom boom.
Now, they're powering the Dow more through process of elimination.
Wall Street's investment banks were crushed and Detroit's automakers have been humbled. Retailers and consumer-goods manufacturers have been pinched by the end of America's shopping spree.
The Dow used to embody business as usual -- the titans of America's industrial economy. But now widgets aren't something we manufacture. They're bits of codes on Web pages, the fruit of intellectual effort, not manual labor.
Likewise, the collapse of New York's once-haughty banks just shows that the real payoff is in software engineering, not financial engineering.
Used to radical shifts in business, the tech sector has largely eschewed the debt that has crippled other industries.
Betting on the movement of stocks has always been a random walk. But the Dow isn't just a number for traders. It represents the pulse of the American economy. And as that economy increasingly leans on Silicon Valley for signs of life, shouldn't we be asking why the tech sector doesn't figure more prominently on that list? | <urn:uuid:9ec61716-9922-4ce4-bd46-0e8ff8519087> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/business/Dow-10000-Thanks-Silicon-Valley-64264312.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988721141.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183841-00415-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959006 | 333 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Celebrating the Centennial
On August 26, 2020, the National Women’s History Museum celebrated the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment with a full day of free virtual programming and the launch of its new non-partisan voter engagement initiative, Women Vote, Women Win. Programming included two virtual “Determined to Rise” panels, several film screenings, and a concert and rally to increase votes by and for women before the November election.
August 26, 2020 • 11 a.m. ET
The earliest suffrage victories were in the west. The territory of Wyoming granted women the vote in 1869, the same year as the founding of the two national suffrage organizations. When Wyoming became a state in 1890, the new government continued to allow women to vote. Three years later, Colorado became the next woman suffrage state. Utah and Idaho followed in 1896. Suffragists from all over the country traveled to states considering new suffrage laws to advocate for their cause and, in turn, informed the woman suffrage debates that were occurring in the east.
August 26, 2020 • 2 p.m. ET
Finding Justice: The Untold Story of Women's Fight for the Vote tells the story of how a 2,000-pound bronze bell became a celebrated symbol of the women’s suffrage movement. The creation of suffragists in Pennsylvania who were agitating for the right to vote, the Justice Bell helped rally support around the cause in the last crucial years leading up to the passage of the 19th Amendment. Rosie Rios, 43rd Treasurer of the United States, joined filmmaker Amanda Owen for a discussion after the film.
August 26, 2020 • 4 p.m. ET
The conditions for African Americans in the 1890s were very challenging. Following the abolition of slavery in 1865, a prosperous period for the new emancipated slaves started during which African Americans acquired new civil rights, notably the right for Black men to vote. However, in the increasingly racist society of late 19th-century America, womanhood failed to emerge as a universal category. Although instances of interracial collaboration existed within the women’s rights movement, the club movement—so integral to African American women’s activism at the time—was not an integrated experience since African American women were officially excluded from white women’s clubs. Inherently, the position of Black women within the women’s rights movement involved far more complex issues of sexism, racism, and class bias. This important discussion explored African American women’s activism in the suffrage cause and the importance of the club movement in their mobilization.
August 26, 2020 • 8 p.m. ET
The National Women's History Museum was proud to screen two short films about suffragist Inez Milholland: Inez Milholland - Forward Into Light and Into Light. The films were followed by a panel discussion with the filmmakers, including actress Amy Walker, director Jessica Graham, producer Martine Melloul, Forward Into Light filmmaker and advisor Martha Wheelock, and composer and sound engineer Nipun Nair.
August 26, 2020 • 9 p.m. ET
Women Take the Stage Concert and Rally
The National Women's History Museum is pleased to partner with top musicians, changemakers, and activist icons for Women Take the Stage: a free, livestreamed multi-ethnic concert and rally to increase votes by and for women before the November election. Join Gloria Steinem, Dolores Huerta, Alicia Garza, Vanessa Williams, Idina Menzel, Lily Tomlin, Billie Jean King, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Indigo Girls, BETTY, Dance Brigade, Pura Fé, DGLS, B-52s’ Kate Pierson, poet Staceyann Chin, founder of The Representation Project Jennifer Siebel Newsom, HBCU president Ruth Simmons, 3rd CTO of the U.S. /shift7 CEO Megan Smith, Time’s Up CEO Tina Tchen, ERA Coalition CEO Carol Jenkins, National LGBTQ Task Force’s Kierra Johnson, Native Action’s Gail Small, disability activist Mia Ives-Rublee, trailblazing transgender politician Andrea Jenkins, and N.Y.'s groundbreaking Attorney General, Letitia James.
Suffrage is a common right of citizenship. Women have the right of suffrage. Logically it cannot be escaped.Victoria WoodhullLeader of the Women's Suffrage Movement | <urn:uuid:f391c3fb-616d-46a1-957f-b60d42e65213> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.womenshistory.org/august-26 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571198.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810161541-20220810191541-00269.warc.gz | en | 0.945015 | 925 | 3.34375 | 3 |
Karma Yoga is a path to enlightenment achieved through selfless service that often involves some form of work.
Anything that helps people can be considered service, which includes creative work. Even if your job prevents you from helping people on a regular basis, it can still be considered a form of service if it helps the world function.
Karma Yoga traditionally involves guiding people to enlightenment – spiritual education is considered by many to be the best form of selfless service – but there are countless good things you can do for others and there’s no need to limit your service.
None of them compare to helping people discover higher consciousness, but this doesn’t mean they’re worthless.
Start in Your Community
If you do want to wake people up, I recommend either starting on the internet or somewhere in your community.
You don’t have to overwhelm people with your truth, but you can drop little hints about higher consciousness or our potential to attain this state of being naturally.
You might help some people wake up, and they can share the wealth with those who are still in the dark.
According to Zarathustra, a little knowledge shared with others is better than none at all.
“One who gives of the little he knows to those who are fit for it, is more acceptable than the one who knows but neither helps nor benefits deserving persons.” (1)
Lao-Tzu tells us that the archetypical ‘good man’ should appreciate the opportunity to help the ‘bad man’.
“Surely the good man is the bad man’s teacher; and the bad man is the good man’s business. If the one does not respect his teacher, or the other doesn’t love his business, his error is very great. This is indeed an important secret.” (2)
Remembering we’re here to serve humanity makes it easier to deal with challenging people.
Sadly, the world doesn’t yet reflect the enlightened state of consciousness strived for by seekers everywhere and there’s still a lot of negativity and trauma in the collective consciousness.
It can be difficult to deal with a world that resists love and higher vibrations, but we aren’t here to change everything overnight. We’re here to do our best, and no matter how big or small your impact is, you will make a difference if you try.
Feed the Soul
According to Krishnamurti, the most effective way to serve people is to lead them to enlightenment.
“You must distinguish not only the useful from the useless, but the more useful from the less useful. To feed the poor is a good and noble and useful work; yet to feed their souls is nobler and more useful than to feed their bodies.
“Any rich man can feed the body, but only those who know can feed the soul. If you know, it is your duty to help others to know.” (3)
Blessed Henry SUSO tells us that our actions determine our ‘blessedness’ more than our words.
“True blessedness does not consist in fine phrases. It consists in good actions.” (4)
Love Grows Through Selfless Service
Paramahansa Ramakrishna encourages us to “Perform [our] duties in an unselfish spirit … without desiring any result.” (5)
Through the path of selfless service, he tells us, “love of God grows in the heart. Then, through His grace, one realizes Him in the course of time.” (6)
Our reason for doing all of this, Ramakrishna tells us, “should be to set others, by your example, on the path of duty. By these philanthropic activities you are really doing good to yourself. If you can do them disinterestedly, your mind will become pure and you will develop love of God. As soon as you have that love you will realize Him.” (7)
Creativity and Higher Consciousness
I’m passionate about Karma Yoga because I’m passionate about creative work, which brings the artist as well as those who enjoy their art closer with their soul.
The soul is slowly drained from us through conditions set up by the powers that be to make sure our life force energy is given to them instead of invested in our passions.
Fortunately, creative work like art, writing and music brings us back into contact with this long-lost part of ourselves.
To help a person reconnect with their soul is noble regardless of how it’s done, and if you consider yourself a lightworker, wanderer, etc. on a mission, the best way to awaken people is to share what you know and feel.
Art is a reflection of the artist’s reality, and if you want to create art that uplifts people and inspires higher consciousness, I recommend tapping in to the silent, sacred part of yourself that can answer any question, solve any problem and create any kind of masterpiece.
It’ll provide what you need to awaken others to the existence of their silent higher self, and when this life is finished, you’ll be satisfied knowing you made a sufficient effort to illuminate the other side of the veil.
(1) Duncan Greenlees, trans. The Gospel of Zarathushtra. Adyar: Theosophical Publishing House, 1978, 10.
(2) Lao Tzu, The Way of Life. The Tao Te Ching. trans. R.B. Blakney. New York, etc.: Avon, 1975, 79.
(3) J. Krishnamurti, At the Feet of the Master. Adyar: Theosophical Publishing House, 1974; c1910, 26-7.
(4) Frank Tobin, trans. Henry Suso. The Exemplar, with Two German Sermons. New York and Mahwah: Paulist Press, 1989, 133.
(5) Swami Nikhilananda, trans., The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. New York: Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center, 1978; c1942, 113.
(6) Ibid., 109.
(7) Ibid., 108.
By Wes Annac, Culture of Awareness, July 13, 2016 – http://tinyurl.com/jcqf9mc | <urn:uuid:3aea894e-b2f6-424b-8f34-a8329f75180f> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://goldenageofgaia.com/2016/07/14/karma-yoga-enlightenment-service-others/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280292.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00339-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937072 | 1,354 | 2.296875 | 2 |
In the 1950s, company management at a poultry plant in Gainesville owned by industry pioneer Jesse Jewell led a violent mob against workers trying to unionize under Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen.
The developer of the Myrtle Terraces senior living homes in Gainesville is hoping the city will authorize a community revitalization plan for the area as a way to help secure tax credits necessary to add more apartment units.
From dry rot and sagging or rusted roofs to uneven or cracked foundations, the conditions of many homes in many neighborhoods throughout Gainesville is a glaring and aching element of the city's affordable housing crunch.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is pushing back against a local judge's recommendation to deny the agency a warrant to inspect the Mar-Jac poultry plant in Gainesville for worker-safety violations.
The number of Hall County residents losing food stamp benefits after the reinstatement of a work requirement has leveled off this summer, but Georgia is now looking to expand cuts to additional counties, including nearby Forsyth, Clarke, Jackson and Barrow. | <urn:uuid:7ddf1651-4226-4d5c-a288-ff70bf88e59a> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/archives/author/98422/?page=1&archive_page=3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988719286.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183839-00499-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938864 | 220 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Using the cash flow yield methodology, a spread is calculated over a comparable Treasury security. How is a comparable Treasury determined?
Answer to relevant QuestionsWhat are the limitations of the option-adjusted spread measure? In the calculation of effective duration and effective convexity, why is a prepayment model needed? Answer the below questions. a. Suppose that a convertible bond has a conversion ratio of 20 and a delta of 0.70. For a price change of $0.125 for the stock price per share, what is the approximate change in the convertible ...Upon exercise of the conversion option for a convertible bond, all issuers must exchange shares of stock for the bond. Explain whether you agree or disagree. Assuming the data in the following table for corporate bonds, compute the theoretical hedge ratio at the average spread level for the three credit ratings (X, Y, and Z):
Post your question | <urn:uuid:6aae6ac2-d4a2-4936-964e-87c5b939236d> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.solutioninn.com/using-the-cash-flow-yield-methodology-a-spread-is-calculated | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280128.70/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00385-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.906549 | 181 | 2.109375 | 2 |
Regulation and the Cost of Food
The authorities argue that the benefits of this regulation outweigh the costs. But they rarely attempt to fully quantify these benefits, and for good reason. Unlike the costs that involve cash payments by farmers, the benefits to a large extent depend on subjective estimates of the value delivered and only in rare cases is this tested by requiring people to actually pay for the claimed benefit. In fact many of these benefits emanate from non-farming, special interest groups who claim to reflect society’s preferences. For example, surveys undertaken by such groups find that in the UK around 70 per cent of consumers are concerned about animal welfare or rate ethical food production as important and therefore regulations in these areas are justified. But such surveys should be contrasted with more general surveys of consumers’ behaviour showing that only 5 per cent of consumers include animal welfare as one of their major concerns when buying food. When it comes to private decisions regarding food purchases the evidence shows that price and convenience dominate. Put simply, when it comes to food, affordability is critical.
I will argue below that estimating the farm level costs of regulation greatly underestimates the longer term impact on the affordability of food. The costs of excessive regulation are long lasting and threaten future generations not only with more expensive food but also paradoxically a higher cost in terms of the loss of natural resources non-farming interest groups seek to protect. Before I explain why this is likely to be the case I must first explain how agriculture got into this situation.
The rising burden of agricultural regulation owes much to the political need to justify high levels of public funding for farm businesses. For its first 30 years the CAP boosted farm incomes by supporting the prices of farm produce above the levels that would have been generated by the market. By the end of the 1980s this system had produced chronic surpluses and the associated costs of storing and disposing of these not only threatened to exceed the Community’s total budget but also it was causing tensions with trading partners and damaging the livelihoods of poorer farmers in other parts of the world.
In 1992 the CAP was reformed: farm-gate prices were allowed to fall nearer market levels and in return the basis of farm support was switched to direct payments i.e., income subsidies. Given the crisis caused by overproduction it was no longer possible to argue that support was needed to maintain production levels. Under pressure from the powerful farming lobby the authorities disingenuously argued that continued support was necessary to deliver environmental protection, high levels of animal welfare and ecological sustainable farming systems. This widening of the basis of support under the CAP inevitably opened the door to the involvement of non-farming interest groups in agricultural policy making and it is their involvement that has proved costly in terms of the scope and volume of regulation.
Well resourced, non-farming interest groups, such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, have not only influenced policy but also they have been the driving force that has caused the authorities to place greater reliance on the precautionary principle when it comes to farming regulation rather than transparent, evidenced based risk assessment. The effect of such pressure is that much regulation is now based on opinion, vested interests and even commercial gain. The effect has been to usurp science while adding unnecessary costs to hard pressed farmers. I noted above that not only do the authorities rarely attempt to quantify the benefits of regulation – and when they do they are both superficial and opaque – but also their evaluations amount to serious underestimates of the longer term costs to society. Studies show that excessive regulation adversely influences farm level experimentation and innovation. And upstream of farming, their effect is to discourage research into new technologies, the effect of which is to reduce the number of new, productivity enhancing, science based products. Put simply, over time the growth of precautionary based regulation under the CAP is likely to result in farm level productivity being lower that it otherwise would be; the direct effect of which will be to make food less affordable than it might otherwise have been. Moreover, it is only via high levels of productivity that the industry’s demands on the earth’s natural resources can be diminished while feeding, at affordable prices, the world’s growing population.
I can demonstrate how excessive regulations threaten the affordability of food with two examples where the precautionary principle has had a significant effect on productivity-constraining regulation; namely, crop protection products, and GM technology. Studies show that precautionary based regulations have greatly increased the cost and uncertainty of turning new knowledge into commercial products with the effect that the development of crop protection in the EU has been arrested. Indeed, let alone development, the precautionary principle has come very close to denying EU farmers glyphosate; the crop protection product most heavily relied on by farmers. Had common sense not prevailed agricultural production in the EU would have fallen sharply causing a corresponding rise in food prices and imports. Crop protection products have been at the heart of productivity growth in agriculture, a process that has lowered the price of food and thereby improved the quality of life across the planet.
Similarly, non-farming interest groups have succeeded in using the precautionary principle to bring about a de facto moratorium on the growing of GM crops in the EU. As this technology spreads around the world with no adverse effects, EU farmers and their customers are denied the benefits. These range from higher agricultural productivity, potentially enormous opportunities to improve the quality and choice of foods while reducing the impact of agricultural production on the environment. Furthermore, the precautionary based attitude of EU regulators has the side-effect of encouraging research institutions and scientists to relocate to other parts of the world where science can be pursued in a more open, supportive environment. The behaviour of non-farming interest groups towards GM technology gives the lie to their claim that precautionary regulation stimulates innovation and alternative technologies.
Sean Rickard is the author of the IEA/Epicenter Discussion Paper ‘Ploughing the Wrong Furrow. The costs of agricultural exceptionalism and the precautionary principle’. | <urn:uuid:0ef9f2e0-cd8d-48b4-a68d-4564e03a0f9f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://iea.org.uk/regulation-and-the-cost-of-food/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573760.75/warc/CC-MAIN-20220819191655-20220819221655-00668.warc.gz | en | 0.955432 | 1,224 | 2.859375 | 3 |
An inexhaustible energy level plus a very short attention span – a foolproof combination to wear out any mom. Yes, we know how draining keeping your little ones occupied can be. That’s why we’ve prepared some great ideas you can use to entertain your toddler!
Trampoline jumping and a vast array of creative stimulating games and activities make one of the best indoor playgrounds in Peoria, AZ a great place to spend quality time with your toddler and keep them occupied. Read on to discover more ways to keep your little one busy!
How do you occupy a toddler?
Toddlers need a lot of entertainment, that’s for sure. Luckily, their short attention spans make them easily distracted and their endless curiosity makes it easy to engage them in almost any activity, at least for a short while. Here are some ideas:
- Buy creative toys: some toys are more effective than others in captivating the attention of toddlers. Wooden blocks and LEGO bricks are great for encouraging their focus and enhancing motor and spatial skills.
- Use technology wisely: the Internet can be an amazing tool to engage and educate your toddler. Whether it’s educational apps or fun YouTube videos targeted to children, technology can be a lifesaver if your toddler just won’t sit still.
- Play them songs: there’s always that one song your toddler loves to listen to on repeat. Sure, hearing the same song over and over can be annoying, but it’s often the only way to calm your child down.
- Make something together: whether it’s finger painting or making a cardboard box maze, engaging in creative activities with your toddler can keep them occupied for hours and also help you relax and have some fun too!
- Get the books out: toddlers need to exercise their imagination and reading stories is the perfect way to help them do so. Either read their favorite stories to them or let them look at pictures and pretend to read.
How do you engage a toddler in activities?
Most parents don’t have that much time on their hands to keep their kids entertained all day. Toddlers get bored quickly and one activity can usually captivate their attention for no more than a couple of minutes. Because of this, most parents are at a loss to how to keep their children engaged.
No matter how difficult it may seem, captivating your toddler’s attention and involving them in cognitively stimulating activities can be easy as one-two-three if you follow our tips and tricks.
Engage their senses
While gadgets can be a great educational tool if used correctly, the virtual world can never give your kid the mental and physical stimulation they need to stay healthy. Toddlers love using all their senses to experience the world around them and you should make an effort to provide them with hands-on sensory experiences as often as you can. Organize a scavenger hunt in the park, bake cupcakes together or take them to the Zoo to see the animals, the possibilities are endless!
Give your toddler an active role
Your kid will learn best by doing so make sure to always give them a chance to experience the activity on their own. No matter what kind of activity it is, try to find a way to immerse them fully. If it’s a story, let your toddler act it out, if you’re creating something together, let them get their hands dirty and take the activity where they want it to go.
Yes, we know you are busy and don’t always have the time to join your toddler in their play. Still, we also know how beneficial it is if you share your enthusiasm and excitement with your kids. If you jump around with them or act like a fool around them, they will be more likely to find the activity amusing and would follow your actions.
Where can I take my toddler to play?
While spending time indoors can be calming and fun for both the parent and the toddler, you’re bound to run out of ideas to engage your kid after a while. When your toddler’s toys and books stop being fun, try taking them to the following places:
- The mall: most malls have children’s play areas and other attractions fit for kids, such as carousels and train rides. Malls are great because they usually offer a vast range of fun activities and allow your toddler to socialize with other kids.
- Indoor playgrounds: there’s no better place for spending excess energy and meeting other kids than indoor playgrounds and play areas. These places are designed to keep your toddler occupied with age-appropriate activities which stimulate their bodies and minds.
- Aquariums: if you’ve visited the Zoo too many times already, try taking your toddler to an aquarium. Most kids love looking at colorful fish and other small animals. If your town doesn’t have an aquarium, visit your local pet store.
- Local toy store: obviously, taking your toddler to a toy store is not the best idea unless you’re prepared to spend some money, but many toy stores have great play areas where your toddler can try out different toys or do different kinds of crafts for free.
Amazing indoor playgrounds in Peoria, AZ bring great adventures
Keeping a toddler engaged continuously can be a daunting task, especially when you’ve run out of creative ideas and places to visit. Sure, you can take your toddler to Lake Pleasant for a fun time in the sun, but what if the sun is nowhere to be found?
At Uptown Jungle Fun Park, rain and cloudy days can’t spoil the fun! Visit us with your toddler and let them enjoy a vast variety of games and activities carefully designed just for them and find some time to relax in our parent lounge while your little one jumps around. Stop by today! | <urn:uuid:cad6b5c2-8b01-45b1-a149-ec755cd43ebb> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://avondale.uptownjungle.com/2019/07/04/occupy-toddler-engage-activities-where-play/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00066.warc.gz | en | 0.947313 | 1,212 | 2.203125 | 2 |
As yet another Solyndra looms, a new government report shows that by the government’s own broad definition of a green job, more can be found in a coal mine than near a solar panel.
The second annual Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report on “Employment in Green Goods and Services,” released Tuesday, will be the last, allegedly a casualty of the same sequestration that claimed the White House tours and may doom the Easter egg hunt on the White House lawn.
That is probably a good thing, for if it were published as a book, it would deserve a place at the top of the New York Times best-seller fiction list.
It is chock full of charts claiming millions of new “green” jobs being produced by President Obama’s efforts to heal the planet and lower the rising seas. But if you have the eyes and the patience to actually examine it, it is full of lies, damned lies and government statistics.
The BLS defines green jobs as those that produce goods or services “that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources,” or jobs “in which workers’ duties involve making their establishment’s production processes more environmentally friendly or use fewer natural resources.”
Its report claims that such jobs account for 2.6% of all jobs in the economy, for a total just north of 3.4 million jobs.
But buried in Table 3, “Green Goods And Services,” we find under “Utilities” and “Electric power generation” a total of just 522 jobs for “solar electric power generation” and 2,724 jobs for “wind electric power generation” for a total of 3,246 jobs.
Under the heading “coal and petroleum products mfg.” we find 3,278 jobs. So even in the BLS list of “green” jobs, coal and oil wins.
So what about the “millions” of other “green” jobs claimed? The problem is in that definition.
The bureau includes clothing stores, television and radio broadcasters, and office furniture manufacturers among the country’s green industries.
Heritage Foundation energy expert Nick Loris said of the report that “you don’t have to scratch the surface too deeply to realize that these numbers are bogus.”
“Many of these jobs being counted as ‘green’ are not green and not new,” says Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee who sponsored legislation to repeal energy tax credits. “BLS is counting green jobs to include bus drivers, trash collectors, radio broadcasters and movie producers.” | <urn:uuid:294f9869-74a0-4a92-85fe-22652d32c9bc> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.netzerowatch.com/green-coal-phony-green-jobs-report/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570793.14/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808092125-20220808122125-00666.warc.gz | en | 0.944568 | 575 | 1.929688 | 2 |
The Rembrandt Database is a research resource for information and documentation on paintings by Rembrandt or attributed to him, either now or in the past. The database is an international collaboration between museums, research institutions and scholars, coordinated by the RKD – Netherlands Institute for Art History in The Hague and generously supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in New York. The development of The Rembrandt Database has been a joint initiative of the RKD and the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis in The Hague.
The Rembrandt Database makes available art-historical information and the body of visual and textual material that has emerged from the technical analysis and treatment of the paintings. The resource virtually gathers widely-dispersed documentation in the form of high quality digital files with extensive associated metadata. The database also publishes the latest art-historical insights and overviews of the paintings’ conservation and research histories. The Rembrandt Database is not striving to be the first to publish new findings; rather, it seeks to safeguard documentation on a long-term basis. | <urn:uuid:c65488c4-1f9d-40e8-bbed-1c3085508ebc> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://rembrandtdatabase.org/about | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570879.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809003642-20220809033642-00678.warc.gz | en | 0.878734 | 217 | 2.71875 | 3 |
He had his tough side. As a kid he loved backpacking, camping, boating, flying down zip lines and a vigorous game of capture-the-flag. Sgt. 1st Class James F. Grissom was a Green Beret in the U.S. Army, after all.
But the 550 people who filled San Leandro's Fairhaven Bible Chapel two weeks ago to remember Grissom were reminded that he also had his soft side.
Grissom 31, of Hayward, died March 21 at Germany's Landstuhl Regional Medical Center of wounds suffered in a small-arms firefight March 18 in Paktika province, Afghanistan.
FOR THE RECORD:
Military deaths: The obituary in the April 28 California section about the death of Sgt. 1st Class James F. Grissom said he was a member of an Army airborne Special Services battalion. He was a member of an airborne Special Forces group. —
A member of an Army airborne Special Services battalion based at Lewis-McChord Joint Base in Washington, Grissom was in his fifth overseas deployment.
Born Sept. 9, 1981, at Eden Hospital in Castro Valley, Grissom grew up in Hayward.
As a preschooler, he collected bugs in plastic film canisters. "He'd explain, 'I'm a scientist,' " recounted Kevin Cooper, who later would teach Grissom's Sunday-school class for teens at Fairhaven Bible Chapel.
Grissom was known as James to his young friends, primarily because "in school there were way too many Jimmys," Cooper said.
When his father drove him to elementary school, young Grissom came up with a strategy to prevent classmates from teasing about the farewell hug and kiss he always gave his dad: He would lead his father behind the car and out of their view for the embrace.
Cooper's voice broke as he related to those at the memorial service how Grissom fine-tuned that morning ritual when his father dropped him off at middle school and high school. "He'd say, 'What about those 'Niners!' It was his secret phrase that meant 'I love you,' " Cooper said.
Ed MacDonald, who taught a Bible study that Grissom attended, recalled how the teenager would mesmerize others in the class by pretending to catch imaginary flies flitting above his head. "James was quirky. He was unique," he said.
MacDonald told of Grissom's contributions to Mt. Eden High School, where he was a 1999 graduate. When school's choral director put out a campus-wide dragnet to fill the ranks of the "Sharks" for the campus production of "West Side Story," Grissom found himself on the stage. He ended up performing in the musical "Grease" and joining the school chorus — perhaps prompted by word that the choral group was planning a trip in coming months to Hawaii.
"He had all the moves in 'West Side Story' and 'Grease,' but he couldn't sing," MacDonald said, provoking laughter from those at the service.
In honor of their friend, about 50 alumni of the 1999 choral group reunited at the memorial service to sing.
Grissom's high school teachers described him as a talented artist who designed and constructed sets for school productions and created computer mouse pads. Some of those mouse pads are still used in classrooms nearly 15 years later, teachers Kenneth Rawdon and Bill Sandau told the Hayward Daily Review.
After high school, Grissom studied computer animation at the Art Institute of California-San Francisco, earning an associate of arts degree before moving to Santa Monica in search of work. When he was unsuccessful at launching his career, he joined the Army in June 2003.
In 2006, he married Angela Eastman, whom he met in the Seattle area while stationed at Fort Lewis.
In addition to his wife, Grissom is survived by his parents, Jim and Peggy Grissom, sister Becca Grissom of Sacramento and grandparents James and Dorothy Grissom of Hayward.
Interment will take place May 20 at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, family members said. | <urn:uuid:166630a9-29a3-4a0e-b9ce-2b9977221561> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-james-grissom-20130428-story.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280065.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00547-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986154 | 859 | 1.664063 | 2 |
You can search the pages of Scripture and you will never find the word trinity. Don’t let that alarm you. The word is theological short hand to describe our triune (three person) God. All the evidence is in Scripture. Check out the slides at the bottom of this blog to see for yourself.
The topic of the trinity defines who God is. That may seem to be an underwhelming topic. We’ve heard about the three persons of the trinity repeatedly for most of our lives. We confess our Christian faith in the Apostle’s Creed. There we find details about our God. There are no surprises here.
What might be surprising to you is what other gods look like, how they are described, and in what way they are different. Why do the Mormons claim to be Christian when they clearly worship a different God than Biblical Christianity? Do Buddhists even worship a god? A study of the trinity won’t necessarily provide you with the answers to those questions, but they will help you identify differences when they appear.
Want to learn more about the trinity and a few common pitfalls that people run into when encountering another god? Watch this Sunday’s Bible class on the trinity.
Please click HERE to view the Bible class slides. | <urn:uuid:a1541c9e-a389-40cf-a3b7-88c81a722156> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://looktothestar.org/2017/10/trinity/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572089.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814234405-20220815024405-00073.warc.gz | en | 0.933166 | 266 | 2.21875 | 2 |
Lean principles, in the manufacturing context, revolve around the flow of activities that produce value for a customer, i.e. a value stream. The essence of the value stream lies in the identification and elimination of all categories of wastes inherent in the stream.
Although waste is difficult to visualize in the virtual world of software, most IT professionals would be familiar with the following:
- Transportation Waste: Data replication to a data warehouse instead of direct access from the system of record creates waste. To avoid replication, we could use Wikis to edit and review documents and eliminate multiple copies of the same document over e-mail.
- Inventory Waste: Change request backlog is an inventory of user requests that causes waste every time the list is reviewed and re-prioritized. Similarly, a code that is in production but not in use is wasted inventory.
- Motion Waste: Unnecessary meetings or rekeying requirements from one tool (like Excel) into another tool (like PowerCenter)
- Time Lags: The waiting period for architecture council approvals, production change request approvals, etc.
- Over production: The process of building more functions into a program than what was originally requested, sometimes also referred to as “gold plating”
- Over processing: Rework due to testing defects or design changes once data quality issues have been detected
- Defects: Defects in requirements, design, coding, etc. that can delay a project by weeks or months are a significant source of waste
Applying a Value Steam Map in a Software Development Scenario
A value stream map (VSM) is a powerful lean tool that helps eliminate and continually improve processes. It has been effectively used in manufacturing organizations and finds application in software development.
How do we attach monetary value to the application of VSM in a software development scenario?
We can better articulate the benefits of VSM by analyzing the as-is state of the SDLC. While it is proven that VSM touches many aspects of the SDLC, reducing defects (both data and code-related) will help in reducing waste. Achieving an absolute defect-free environment may not be a possibility; however, defects can be reduced significantly with the use of VSM in the SDLC.
During a study to demonstrate the above, for the purpose of simplicity, the analysis was restricted to the elimination of waste; it specifically focused on defect generation.
In a traditional SDLC environment, the percentage of defects generated is high when the application is ready to move into maintenance phase in production. In a complex ADM environment where multiple technologies, platforms and resources are involved, defect corrections in the maintenance phase will only lead to further increase in effort and lead time.
How does the scenario change when a VSM tool is used in the SDLC?
To understand this, both small and large software development projects were analyzed. The defect generation pattern at different points in the SDLC was identified and the output of this exercise was captured and analyzed.
When we apply a VSM tool for a set of software projects of varying complexities, the defect generation contours change notably. Now, with the application of the VSM tool, majority of the defects are successfully identified in the initial stage viz. the requirement analysis stage. As a result, the cost per defect correction is dramatically contained.
It has also been found that when applying Lean principles to system and data integration, Lean Integration teams frequently realize large improvements in labor productivity and significant reduction in lead time through VSM and continuous efforts to eliminate non-value-added activities.
The Benefits of a Value Stream Map in a Software Development Scenario
A quick glance through an indicative list of recommendations touches upon multiple aspects of SDLC, including these key elements:
- Goal Setting
- Involvement of tester early on in the SDLC
- Understanding of requirements using standard templates
- Comprehensive test cases
- Technical resource pooling
- Collaboration among departments and with vendors
- Structured Execution Cycle (SIT, UAT and Production)
- Structured analysis and retest
- Frequent cross department review meetings
- Hansei (self introspection and sharing) event after each project: To increase and facilitate knowledge management within the company
- Revised check list at various stages to reduce wait times and waste
IT organizations that are currently embracing VSM in various application development scenarios will potentially position the usage of VSM as a strong differentiator in winning large deals in complex ADM environments, where multiple technologies, platforms and resources are involved. | <urn:uuid:e68bedd2-f137-4d5a-9d9e-898ddb3676cd> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://globaldeliveryreport.com/reduce-waste-value-stream-your-software-development-life-cycle/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280929.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00427-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931098 | 929 | 2.359375 | 2 |
By Nancy Greig, Director Emeritus, Cockrell Butterfly Center
As I was leaving the museum around 9 p.m. last week, after the fun “Evenings with the Owls” event at the Butterfly Center, my attention was piqued by an unfamiliar sound. It was a sort of double cheep, with the accent on the second cheep – I did not recognize it. (I think it’s interesting how we don’t consciously hear most background noises because they are familiar – but even subtle sounds stand out, if they are novel. Perhaps it is a good survival strategy.)
In any case, there were plenty of other sounds – cricket frogs, traffic, etc. – in the area, but I soon located the source of the cheeping, about 15 feet up in a large live oak tree. I was able to mimic it closely enough to get whatever was making the sound to answer back, and we called back and forth for a while. I was mystified. Was it a bird? Maybe. A frog? More likely. An insect? I wasn’t sure. So bringing modern technology to my aid, I pulled out my iPhone and recorded a short video – of blackness, since it was well after dark, but the sound recorded quite nicely. I posted the video to Facebook, flagging a couple friends who are bird and herp experts, asking for their opinion. Not five minutes later I got a reply that included a video and recording of the coqui, a small tree frog (Eleutherodactylus coqui) endemic to Puerto Rico. Several other FB friends concurred, and some also sent more recordings and photos. The mystery was solved!
Photo courtesy of California Fish and Wildlife
But not entirely. How did it get here? The coqui originated in Puerto Rico, but has been introduced to the Virgin Islands and Florida (in 1972), and in 1988, it arrived in Hawai’i (possibly in plant material from Florida). Since that accidental introduction, its populations in Hawai’i have exploded, especially on the big island. Some areas have as many as 10,000 frogs per acre, and the males’ incessant call, which continues throughout most of the night, is driving people crazy (and driving down real estate prices). In addition to being a major noise nuisance, all these frogs (in a place with no native amphibians, and few predators) almost certainly impact the delicate/fragile island ecosystem.
Eleutherodactylus is a very large genus of mostly small, usually brownish tree frogs (185 species, all in the New World tropics). All species have direct development – i.e., the eggs are not laid in water and there is no tadpole stage; the eggs hatch directly into tiny frogs). Most species show some form of parental care, males and/or females guarding the eggs or sometimes even the young froglets. Female coquis may be almost two inches long; males are somewhat smaller. In their native Puerto Rico, coquis are cherished and have become a national symbol.
None of my knowledgeable friends had heard of the coqui being reported from Texas, at least not from our area. However, Texas has one of the fastest growing Puerto Rican populations in the country. It’s not inconceivable that a recent immigrant inadvertently imported one of these frogs. Or perhaps a frog arrived in a shipment of plants from south Florida. I have not noticed the coqui’s call in any other part of Houston, but I will be keeping my ears open from here on out.
It’s unlikely that the coqui would become as big a nuisance here as in Hawai’i. There are plenty of local frogs and toads that would function as competitors, and plenty of predators (other frogs, lizards, birds, snakes) that will eat small frogs. Also, our area has the potential at least of having some freezing weather during winter months, although this has not happened recently. A significant cold snap would likely do in these tropical creatures. So it’s not clear if this is something to worry about. However, because of its impact in Hawai’i, the coqui is listed as one of the 100 most noxious invasive species in the world…
If you hear this call in your area, please let us know, or even better, send us a recording stating where you heard it. We’d like to help track the coqui’s presence here in Texas. | <urn:uuid:a933222b-ed21-4436-8c00-c37f8f1fd375> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | https://blog.hmns.org/tag/species/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988722459.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183842-00344-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973422 | 941 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Tesla shares are up 4% Thursday after the electric-car and battery maker reported better than expected sales and maintained its delivery outlook for the year.
But analysts are skeptical of Tesla CEO Elon Musk's claim that the company won't have to raise capital in the first quarter of 2017.
Musk said on Wednesday the company's current plan didn't require new funding, after going back and forth this month about needing to raise money to fund the launch.
"Our current promotional plan does not require any capital raise for Model 3 at all," he said on Tesla's third-quarter earnings call, adding "that’s different from whether we should raise capital or not to account for uncertainty, to have a larger buffer, and to sort of de-risk the business."
Wall Street analysts, however, remained skeptical and said they expected the company to hit the market for money sooner than Musk had suggested.
"Management asserted that it would not need to raise cash, but our model forecasts Tesla ending 2018 with $575 mln, which we think is too close for comfort," Cowen and Co analyst Jeffrey Osborne said in a note. He rates the stock "underperform."
Tesla said it planned capital spending of $1.8 billion for the year — about a fifth lower than the automaker's previous forecast — with just over $1 billion of the outlay coming in the fourth quarter.
Tesla said it had $3.08 billion in cash and cash-equivalents as of Sept. 30, compared with $3.25 billion at the end of the second quarter.
Kitchen sink effort
"The bulk of 2016's capital spending will occur in the fourth quarter, which likely leaves 2016 cash flow negative and Tesla needing capital market infusion in 2017," CFRA Research analyst Efraim Levy told Reuters.
"It was a kitchen sink effort to get the third quarter to look good ahead of the deal vote," he said.
Tesla ended the third quarter with positive free cash flow (FCF) of $176 million, but is FCF negative for the nine months ended Sept. 30.
Analysts, however, said the third-quarter profit — the company's second ever — and a forecast that it could turn a profit again in the current quarter would improve the odds of investors approving Tesla's deal to buy debt-laden solar panel maker SolarCity Corp.
"The positive optics in this print ... and likely lower-than-expected SCTY cash drain on Tesla may help improve investor sentiment, and therefore improve the chances of SCTY merger approval," Barclays analyst Brian Johnson said.
Tesla and SolarCity's shareholders are expected to make a final vote on the SolarCity deal on November 17.
Musk said on the third-quarter earnings call that if the merger is approved, he expects SolarCity to be cash neutral or "perhaps a cash contributor" in the fourth quarter.
Of the 20 brokerages covering the stock, 4 rate the stock "buy" or its equivalent, 9 a "hold" and 7 a "sell". The stock has a median price target of $205.
(Reporting by Tenzin Pema and Sayantani Ghosh in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Narattam Medhora; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty; Danielle Muoio contributed to this report) | <urn:uuid:2b70952e-c867-4d08-9499-b9866c9a5d3e> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.businessinsider.com/r-tesla-up-on-surprise-profit-reassurance-on-capital-plans-2016-10?r=UK&IR=T | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280242.65/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00074-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953727 | 685 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Building a Bridge Toward a 21st Century Multi-Racial Multi-Cultural Society:
Tearing Down Walls of Hate, Ignorance and Fear
Developing a Common Language for All to Access
There is significant political import at present attached to whether or not persons fleeing oppression in other countries and seeking asylum in the U.S. can be granted “refugee” status. “Political refugees” are granted asylum, but those judged to be fleeing economic oppression are generally turned away.
This is mot commonly understood as a posture which maintains that the basis for judgment in matters of ethics or knowledge is relative, differing according to persons and contexts. Therefore, universal judgments applicable to all persons and all contexts is difficult or impossible.
It does not follow, however, that all judgments are therefore equal in this view (that judgment could only be made from an objective perspective which the relativist denies), nor that one cannot assess judgments as better or worse from one’s own culturally bound point of view.
The issue of relativism is raised by discussions of cultural diversity, since the claim is often made that no one cultural perspective is absolute and universal but rather that there is much to be gained from a sharing of multiple cultural vantage points (each relative to the peoples and contexts which form it).
Means literally that development or progress is stunted. This is considered a derogatory term if used in reference to persons. The most common and acceptable term for persons whose intellectual development is significantly below the norm is developmentally disabled.
This list is compiled from a variety of sources by the Office of Racial Justice and Multi-Racial, Multi-Cultural Transformation, United Church of Christ, Cleveland Based Team, Fall 2006 | <urn:uuid:a63a8a9c-e748-4a73-9266-8721b2b65f61> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://www.ucc.org/justice_multiracial-multicultural_glossary_r | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988721008.78/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183841-00117-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953269 | 352 | 2.703125 | 3 |
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Maanam (Tamil for respect or dignity) is a popular Polish rock band.
Maanam was formed by Marek Jackowski, Kora (Olga Jackowska), and Milo Kurtis (b. 1951) in 1976. Originally an acoustic outfit, the band went electric in 1980, and since then has recorded some of the best-selling singles and albums in Poland over the past 25 years.
During the first half of the 1980s, Maanam featured an energetic, guitar-centred post-punk sound. Kora's vocal gymnastics were an example of iconoclastic international female pop vocalists of the time, and showcased the consonant-laden Polish language as one perfectly suited to rock sounds. In 1988, Maanam's "Sie ściemnia" became the first Polish music video to air on the international MTV. Maanam's sound in the 1980s could be considered a cross between Nina Hagen, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Blondie.
In the 1990s, Maanam acquired a more melodic, and equally catchy, sound. | <urn:uuid:e9d1b12a-a240-40da-94a3-4091cf116533> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://primanota.ru/maanam/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560283689.98/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095123-00344-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.733845 | 464 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Throughout the health care industry, professional certifications are a widely recognized way for staff to demonstrate their competence and commitment. Certifications are especially useful for nurses, the industry's most versatile caregivers. Experienced registered nurses can be taught to fill almost any niche within the system, and certification demonstrates their mastery each skill set or patient population.
Certification for LPNs
Licensed practical or vocational nurses provide basic nursing services, usually in hospital and nursing-home settings. By earning specialized certifications they can broaden their scope of practice, making themselves more valuable to their employers. In many states, an LPN with certification in pharmacology can be permitted to administer medications to a patient. Another widely sought certification enables LPNs to start intravenous drips, a widely useful skill. Other certifications are available in geriatric care, palliative and hospice care, dialysis nursing, wound care and numerous other areas of practice. The National Federation of Licensed Practical Nurses and National Association of Practical Nurses Education and Services are the leading certification bodies for practical nurses.
RN Clinical Certifications
Registered nurses are the most versatile of health care professionals, employed in most clinical and nonclinical settings. Their choice of certifications is correspondingly broad. Clinical nurses can choose to become certified in critical-care nursing, perinatal nursing, psychiatric nursing or pediatric nursing. Other credentials are more skill-based, such cardiovascular nursing, surgical nursing and advanced diabetes management. The American Nurses Credentialing Center offers certifications in many of these areas. Other bodies offer specialized certifications in their own areas of expertise, including the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses for critical-care certification, the Competency & Credentialing Institute for surgical nursing and Cardiovascular Credentialing International for several cardiovascular credentials.
RN Nonclinical Certifications
Although bedside care is the most visible form of nursing, RNs also fill several important nonclinical roles. Certifications are available in most of these areas. For example, informatics nurses help design computer systems for health care facilities. Case management nurses oversee long-term care, ensuring patients receive the treatments they need in a timely manner. Nurse executives and nurse managers provide administrative support to clinical staff, overseeing departments and entire facilities or rising to the executive suite. Certified nurse educators help keep the system working and train new generations of registered nurses to meet the needs of the expanding health care industry.
Advanced Practice Certifications
Nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists are experienced RNs who have earned master's or doctoral degrees in nursing, and practice at doctor-like levels of care and independence. Nurse practitioners are commonly found in clinics and private practice, usually in a primary-care role. Clinical nurse specialists are found more in hospitals and clinics, where they collaborate with physicians and other caregivers to provide advanced care. These highly skilled nurses can become certified in areas such as acute care, gerontology or pediatrics, family practice or psychiatry and mental health.
Certification and Maintenance
Each certifying organization and individual credential has its own distinct set of criteria. Most involve some combination of formal education, practical experience or continuing education, and require candidates to take and pass a certification exam. To ensure that nurses remain current in their field, most certifications must be maintained either through a program of continuing education or periodic recertification exams. Most credentials also require nurses to maintain their state's nursing license and avoid professional censure as conditions of their certification.
- Explore Health Careers: Vocational/Licensed Practical Nurse
- Explore Health Careers: Registered Nurse (RN)
- Advance for Nurses: Your Certification Connection
- American Nurses Credentialing Center: ANCC Certification Center
- American Association of Critical-Care Nurses: Certification
- Cardiovascular Credentialing International: Examinations Offered
- Competency & Credentialing Institute: About CNOR
- Association of Nurse Executives: Certification Exam Preparation
- National League for Nursing: Certification for Nurse Educators
- Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images | <urn:uuid:6c2a2076-43b3-4ee0-991c-35430eb772eb> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://work.chron.com/types-nursing-certification-20781.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280900.71/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00003-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933857 | 832 | 2.328125 | 2 |
ETD Guide/Students/Using Style Sheets
Preparing a word document to be converted into an archivable form using the SGML or XML standard first of all means using word stylesheets. Usually the university provides these style sheets, as they contain university specific structuring and formatting.
In Word it is possible to distinguish between the information a document holds and the structure in which it is written. Style sheets provide the structure. They help you, for example, if you want to format all your headings for chapters with the same style.
If you use the style sheet heading1 (see picture below), than it may be possible to associate a certain formatting like text height: 14pt, text-font Arial, paragraph settings: left bound, leave 12 pt space after a heading, number the headings automatically with roman numbers, etc. with the structure element heading1.
You can see the left row within the word window. This is the so-called structured view, which you can get by choosing the Normal option under View. The names of the paragraph structures are displayed if you choose the point Options under Extras. Within the popup menu there is a possibility to set the width of the style sheet view. (see below). This is how it is displayed in German Word97, but is similar in other language word systems.
Next Section: Using Plug-ins: Bibliography Plug-in | <urn:uuid:8a6a2c3a-c340-4266-a26b-72bc862beec0> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/ETD_Guide/Students/Using_Style_Sheets | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560283301.73/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095123-00502-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.857131 | 287 | 3.734375 | 4 |
This year's American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) meeting is being held in San Diego, Feb. 19-22. Eight Caltech-associated researchers will be presenting on topics ranging from linear colliders to climate change to earthquake science, lasers, and space/time. Also occurring at the end of this year's meeting will be the installation of Caltech's Alice Huang as the next president of the AAAS. Below is a brief description of Caltech-affiliated presentations from this year's AAAS program:
Friday, Feb. 19
The Arrow of Time
Presenter: Sean Carroll: Senior Research Associate in Physics
Title: From the Cosmos to the Kitchen
One of the most obvious facts about the universe is that the past is different from the future. The world around us is full of irreversible processes: we can turn an egg into an omelet, but can't turn an omelet into an egg. Physicists have codified this difference into the Second Law of Thermodynamics: the entropy of a closed system always increases with time. In the 19th century, Ludwig Boltzmann explained why entropy tends to increase, but only under the assumption that it starts out small to begin with. The initially low entropy can only be explained by cosmology: why was the early universe in such a special state? We don't know the answer, but modern theories lead us to think about the multiverse and what happened before the Big Bang.
Time: 1:50 - 2:10 PM Location: Conv. Center Room 11B
Saturday, Feb. 20
Sarton Memorial Lecture: Knowledge in the Early Modern Era: The origins of Experimental Error
Presenter: Jed Z. Buchwald, Doris and Henry Dreyfuss Professor of History at Caltech
Buchwald has written books and articles on the histories of optics and electromagnetism, and continues to work and publish in these areas. Since arriving at Caltech, his interests also include issues that arose in the 18th and 19th centuries from attempts by scientists and others to engage with new archaeological discoveries and with historical chronology. This led to collaboration with his colleague, Moti Feingold to write a book on Isaac Newton's attempt to redate the past using astronomical evidence. Along the way they have discovered what they believe to be important issues concerning the understanding and manipulation of data before the development of statistical methods. Buchwald was previously director of the Dibner Institute for the History of Science and Technology at MIT. He won the McArthur Fellowship in 1995. George Sarton, professor of the history of science at Harvard from 1940 to 1951, is widely regarded as one of the key figures in the establishment of the history of science as a discipline in its own right. In 1960, the History of Science Society, under the auspices of AAAS, established the George Sarton Memorial Lecture. The first lecturer was Rene Dubos. The lecture is coordinated through the AAAS History and Philosophy of Science Section and delivered at the AAAS Annual Meeting.
Time: 12:30 - 1:15 PM Location: Conv. Center Room 6F
Earthquake Science and Advocacy: Helping Californians Live Along the San Andreas Fault:
Presenter: Lucy Jones, Chief Scientist, Multi Hazards Project, USGS, and Visiting Associate in Geophysics at Caltech
Title: The Great Southern California ShakeOut: From Science to the Community and Back Again
The Great Southern California ShakeOut program in November 2008 was the largest earthquake drill in U.S. history, involving more than 5 million southern Californians through a broad-based outreach program, media partnerships, and public advocacy by hundreds of partners. The basis of the drill was a scenario for a magnitude 7.8 earthquake on the southern San Andreas fault, which would cause broad devastation. The scenario was developed with the contributions of over 300 scientists, engineers, and other experts. In early 2009, the decision was made to hold the drill statewide on the third Thursday of October each year. A summary of the 2008 and 2009 drills will be shared in this session and plans for other ShakeOut drills elsewhere. A key aspect of the ShakeOut is the integration of a comprehensive earthquake scenario (incorporating earth science, engineering, policy, economics, public health, and other disciplines) and the lessons learned from decades of social science research about why people get prepared. The result is a "teachable moment" on par with having an actual earthquake (often followed by increased interest in getting ready for earthquakes). ShakeOut creates the sense of urgency that is needed for people, organizations, and communities to get prepared, to practice what to do to be safe, and to learn what plans need to be improved.
Time: 1:30 PM Location: Conv. Center Room 10
Societal Strategies for Addressing the Climate and Energy Challenge
Presenter: Nathan Lewis, George L. Argyros Professor of Chemistry at Caltech
Title: Making Energy Technology Choices: Dead Ends or Stepping Stones?
Where in the world will our energy come from? What would it take for the world to get away from fossil fuels and switch over to renewable energy? It takes more than willingness to buy a Prius or to have solar panels installed on your roof. If we want to use wind, solar thermal, solar electric, biomass, hydroelectric and geothermal energy it will take a lot of planning, and willingness on the part of governments and industry. It takes R&D investment, a favorable price per unit of energy to get anyone to produce alternative energy, and plenty of resources to create those energy sources. Lewis will discuss these and other hurdlestechnical, political, and economic- that must be overcome before the widespread adoption of renewable energy technologies.
Time: 2:10 PM Location: Conv. Center Room 4
Unexpected Discoveries on Brain Function and Development from Model Organisms
Presenter: David Anderson, Seymour Benzer Professor of Biology; Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Title: What Can Model Organisms Tell Us About Emotion?
The behavior of an organism relies on the function of neural circuits. Neural circuits comprise complex ensembles of neurons interconnected through precise patterns of connections called synapses, specialized structures that underlie the regulated flow of information in the brain. How precise patterns of synaptic connections emerge during development and how these circuits control specific behaviors remain exciting frontiers in neuroscience. To gain insight into neural circuit function and development, scientists have turned increasingly to genetic technologies to manipulate specific cells within circuits and the function of specific genes in a model organism, such as a worm, fly, and mouse. In this symposium, recent progress in uncovering the cellular and molecular basis of neural circuit function and development will be presented.
Time: 1:50 PM Location: Conv. Center Room 2
Sunday, Feb. 21
Celebrating the Birth of the Laser: A Look Back After 50 Years
Presenter: William Bridges, Carl F Braun Professor of Engineering, Emeritus
Title: Gas Lasers: The Early Years
In 1960, the laser was an embryonic research tool with no clear applications beyond the laboratory "a solution in search of a problem." Since then, the laser has acquired immense commercial, industrial, and scientific importance. Its impact on how we live, from health care to entertainment to national security, has been enormous. This session tells the story of how the laser came to be, and provides a first-hand account of the birth and early growth of this ubiquitous scientific device. It also recognizes a major celebration, LaserFest.
Time: 9:10 AM Location: Conv. Center Room 17B
Mathematics and the Analysis of Fairness in Political Processes
Presenter: Chris Chambers, Assoc. Professor of Economics
Title: A Measure of Bizarreness
Politics may be viewed as the science of aggregating the preferences of individuals to determine policies to govern the collective activities of society. Science, and mathematics in particular, as applied by economists, political scientists, lawyers, computer scientists, and mathematicians, aids in the analysis and development of political processes, including voting, apportionment, and redistricting, to represent members of society fairly. Geometry, topology, game theory, discrete mathematics, and voting theory are part of the machinery and the foundation of our political processes and provide the abstract setting to understand how well our political processes work and to propose modifications and new solutions. In this symposium, mathematics will be used to analyze fairness in voting (elections for one or more candidates), apportionment (apportioning delegates in the Democratic primary, representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives, and seats in parliamentary systems), and redistricting (determining boundaries of political regions within states). Legal, social, and practical aspects and implications will also be discussed.
Time: 2:50 PM Location: Conv. Center Room 11A
Monday, Feb. 22
Barry Barish: New Frontiers in Particle Physics
Presenter: Barry Barish, Director, Global Design Effort for the International Linear Collider, and Linde Professor of Physics at Caltech, Emeritus
Among Dr. Barish's noteworthy experiments were those performed at Fermilab involving high-energy neutrino collisions. These experiments were among the first to observe the weak neutral current, a linchpin of electroweak unification theories. Today he directs the ILC, the highest priority future project for particle physics worldwide that promises to complement the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in exploring the TeV energy scale. In the 1980s, Barish initiated an ambitious international effort to build a sophisticated underground detector which provided some key evidence that neutrinos have mass. In 1994, he became principal investigator of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) project. As director of the LIGO Laboratory from 1997 to 2005, he led a team of scientists who built two facilities to detect and study gravitational waves from astrophysical sources. Dr. Barish is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts, and is a Fellow of AAAS and the American Physical Society. He earned his Ph.D. degree in experimental high energy physics at the University of California, Berkeley.
Time: 8:30-9:30 AM Location: Conv. Center Room 6AB
|Contact: Jon Weiner|
California Institute of Technology | <urn:uuid:1e1969a1-24d9-4ebe-af3e-fd91b2256398> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://www.bio-medicine.org/biology-news-1/Caltech-researchers-presenting-at-AAAS-Meeting-11907-1/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988720026.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183840-00456-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.920668 | 2,137 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Home > Patients & Visitors > Health Library > Spermicide for Birth Control
A spermicide is a substance that kills sperm. Spermicides
are available as jelly, foam, cream, suppositories, and film. The active
ingredient of most spermicides is a chemical called nonoxynol-9.
Most spermicides come with an applicator. The applicator is filled with
spermicide and inserted into the vagina right before intercourse.
One application of spermicide is necessary for each act of
Spermicide use does not
require a prescription or a visit to a health professional. Spermicide is sold
in drugstores, grocery stores, and family planning clinics.
and a condom used together provide a reasonable level of
birth control without a prescription. Using spermicide alone is not recommended
because it offers poor pregnancy prevention and does not protect against
sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In fact, the
nonoxynol-9 in most spermicides may increase the risk of getting HIV/AIDS from
an infected partner.
effective strength spermicide contains at least 100 mg
of nonoxynol-9 per dose. You are more likely to get pregnant if you use a
weaker spermicide. There is no difference in effectiveness between various
spermicide types, such as gel, film, or suppository.footnote 1
Typical use failure rate includes all
possible users, including people who are careless and those who use a method
perfectly every time. Perfect use failure rate includes
only people who use a method perfectly every time.
Vaginal douching is not considered a birth control method
even if it is done with spermicides. Douching after intercourse does not
prevent sperm from reaching the fallopian tubes, where fertilization takes
Spermicides used alone do not protect against STIs,
including infection with the
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). You must use a
condom for the best possible STI protection.
Most spermicides contain a
chemical called nonoxynol-9 (N9). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
warns that N9 in vaginal contraceptives and spermicides may irritate the lining
of the vagina or rectum. This may increase the risk of getting HIV/AIDS from an
Failure rates for
barrier methods are higher than for most other methods of birth control. Other
disadvantages include the following:
Raymond EG, et al. (2004). Contraceptive effectiveness and safety of five nonoxynol-9 spermicides: A randomized trial. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 103(3): 430–439.
Trussell J, Guthrie KA (2011). Choosing a contraceptive: Efficacy, safety, and personal considerations. In RA Hatcher et al., eds., Contraceptive Technology, 20th ed., pp. 45–74. Atlanta: Ardent Media.
ByHealthwise StaffPrimary Medical ReviewerSarah Marshall, MD - Family MedicineSpecialist Medical ReviewerFemi Olatunbosun, MB, FRCSC - Obstetrics and Gynecology
Current as ofMay 30, 2016
Current as of:
May 30, 2016
Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine & Femi Olatunbosun, MB, FRCSC - Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Our interactive Decision Points guide you through making key health decisions by combining medical information with your personal information.
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Use our interactive symptom checker to evaluate your symptoms and determine appropriate action or treatment. | <urn:uuid:b2f20264-7953-4804-8a1e-1fa5e8ef7473> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://www.genesishcs.org/patients-visitors/health-library/healthwise-document-viewer/?id=tw9509 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988718278.43/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183838-00240-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.842851 | 880 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Authors: Helena Sjögrén; Pasi Syrjä; Kaisu Puumalainen; Sascha Kraus
Addresses: School of Business, Lappeenranta University of Technology, P.O. Box 20, FI-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland ' School of Business, Lappeenranta University of Technology, P.O. Box 20, FI-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland ' School of Business, Lappeenranta University of Technology, P.O. Box 20, FI-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland ' University of Liechtenstein, Fürst-Franz-Josef-Straße, 9490 Vaduz, Liechtenstein
Abstract: This paper aims to contribute to the existing knowledge of family firms and small business management. Small business owners have to carefully balance individual and business needs when making decisions about the extraction of profits from the company, most notably in times such as the current economic downturn. In many circumstances owner-managers will sacrifice their drawings in order to secure the future growth or even the survival of the firm. This may be even more pronounced in small family businesses. First, we show that small family firms' owner-managers differ from other small firm owner-managers in terms of the amount and type of drawings they take from the company. Secondly, we examine the role of owner-manager work values as a potential link between family involvement and drawings strategy.
Keywords: family firms; family businesses; dividend distribution; owner-managers; drawings strategy; small business management; profit extraction; work values; family involvement.
International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing, 2014 Vol.6 No.4, pp.348 - 366
Received: 22 Jun 2012
Accepted: 22 Mar 2013
Published online: 08 Jan 2015 * | <urn:uuid:4021a6a4-4624-48e2-a533-d268290e7837> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.inderscience.com/info/inarticle.php?artid=66838 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573744.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20220819161440-20220819191440-00470.warc.gz | en | 0.87449 | 390 | 1.789063 | 2 |
Most teens gamble at some point in their lives. For some, gambling is a casual pastime that doesn’t lead to any problems.
However, for some teens gambling can become a serious problem that can lead to financial difficulties, relationship problems, and even mental health issues.
Why Gambling Can be Appealing to Teenagers?
There are many reasons why gambling can be appealing to teenagers.
For one, it can be a way to make quick money. Teenagers are often looking for ways to make extra money, and gambling can provide this opportunity. Additionally, gambling can be thrilling and exciting, providing an adrenaline rush that many teens crave. Finally, gambling can be a way to socialize and meet new people, which is especially appealing to those who are shy or introverted.
Ultimately, each teen will have their own reasons for being drawn to gambling. However, these are some of the most common motivations.
If you are a teen who is concerned about your gambling habits, or if you know someone who might have a gambling problem, there are resources available to help. Here is some information on what gambling is, the risks associated with it, and how to get help if needed.
What Is Gambling?
Gambling is defined as betting on the outcome of an event where the result is uncertain. It can take many forms, including casino games, sports betting, lotteries, and scratch cards.
Many teens gamble without realizing it. For example, buying a lottery ticket or playing a game of poker with friends can be considered gambling.
Why Do People Gamble?
People gamble for many different reasons. Some do it for fun or as a way to socialize. Others gamble because they are hoping to win money. Some people gamble because they are trying to escape from problems in their life.
Whatever the reason, it’s important to be aware of the risks associated with gambling before you start.
What Are the Risks of Gambling?
Gambling can be risky for anyone, but it can be especially harmful for teenagers. This is because teens are still developing emotionally and mentally, and they may not have the maturity to deal with the losses and consequences there of that can come with gambling.
Teens who gamble are more likely to develop problems with gambling later in life. They are also more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
How Can I Tell if I Have a Problem?
If you’re not sure if you have a problem with gambling, here are some signs to look for:
- Chasing losses: You keep gambling in an attempt to win back money that you have lost.
- Betting more than you can afford: You regularly spend more money on gambling than you can afford to lose.
- Gambling when you’re upset: You gamble as a way to escape from problems or negative emotions in your life.
- Lying about gambling: You lie to family and friends about how much you gamble or how much money you’ve lost.
- Borrowing money to gamble: You borrow money from others in order to gamble, or you use gambling winnings to pay back debts.
If you are experiencing any of these signs, it’s important to seek help. Gambling addiction is a serious problem that can have lasting consequences if not treated.
How Can I Get Help?
If you think you might have a gambling problem, there are resources available to help you. Here are a few places to start:
- Talk to a trusted adult, such as a parent, guardian, or teacher. They can offer support and help you find resources in your community.
- Contact a helpline, such as the National Gambling Helpline at: 1-800-522-4700. Helplines are confidential and can connect you with counseling and other resources in your area.
- Visit the website of the National Council on Problem Gambling at www.ncpgambling.org. This site has information on treatment and prevention, as well as a directory of counseling services across the country.
Tips for Parents of Teens with Gambling Addiction
As a parent, it can be difficult to know what to do if your teen is struggling with gambling addiction. Here are some tips to help you get started:
- Talk to your son / daughter about gambling addiction and its dangers. Explain that it is a serious problem that can lead to financial ruin, criminal activity, and even suicide.
- Encourage your teen to seek help from a qualified treatment provider. There are many resources available to help teens with gambling addiction, including 12-step programs, therapy, and medication management.
- Help them develop healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with stress and anxiety. This may include exercise, journaling, or talking to a trusted friend or family member.
- Keep communication open with your teen. Let them know that you are there for them and that they can come to you with any problems or concerns.
- Seek professional help if you are struggling to cope with your own emotions or if you feel like you are enabling their gambling addiction. A therapist or counselor can help you develop a healthy support system.
If you think your teen might have a problem, it’s important to talk to them about it and seek professional help if needed.
Teens Gambling FAQ
How Many Teens Gamble?
It's estimated that about half of all teenagers in the United States have gambled at least once in their lives. However, only a small percentage of teens (between 2-3%) are considered problem or pathological gamblers.
What Types of Gambling Do Teens Typically Engage in?
The most common type of gambling among teenagers is playing the lottery, followed by scratch-off tickets, card games, and betting on sports events.
Why Do Some Teens Gamble Excessively?
There are a number of reasons why some teenagers might develop a gambling problem. These can include things like peer pressure, boredom, a need for excitement, or a way to escape from personal problems.
How Can I Tell If My Teen has a Gambling Problem?
There are some signs you can look for. These can include things like lying about gambling, stealing money to gamble, skipping school. | <urn:uuid:495c73ae-6469-4d59-aa02-f935aec01066> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://rg.org/teens-gambling/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00066.warc.gz | en | 0.953776 | 1,290 | 2.359375 | 2 |
Newborn Lambs' Central Heating System Could Aid Fat Busting In Humans
10/19/2005 5:10:55 PM
The way newborn lambs regulate their temperature in the first few weeks of life using a special deposit of brown fat could give clues for tackling obesity in humans, according to Imperial College London scientists. Unlike normal white fat that stores surplus energy, brown fat generates heat in response to cold or excess caloric intake. While some mammals such as rodents maintain this 'good' fat throughout life, humans are similar to lambs: brown fat is present in the newborn to act as an internal central heating system maintaining body temperature and preventing hypothermia, but rapidly disappears as brown fat is irreversibly replaced by normal white fat.
comments powered by | <urn:uuid:f696e883-b440-412d-b425-285e66216005> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.biospace.com/News/newborn-lambs-central-heating-system-could-aid-fat/15753320 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281649.59/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00440-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.919885 | 155 | 3.078125 | 3 |
Gun rights and gun control advocates demonstrated in the Pennsylvania Capitol building last year. Both sides of the gun control debate had rallied in Harrisburg over the ban on assault weapons at the now-canceled Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show.
As someone who has dedicated my life to fighting gun violence, I wholeheartedly agree with the June 14 editorial “Official Time Wasters.” Mass shootings have become so commonplace that they don’t even make the front page of many newspapers, and in 2012 more than 6 million guns were sold nationally without a background check.
But our state legislators chose a bill naming a “state gun” as their first firearms bill to pass in the 18 months since Sandy Hook. Absolutely outrageous.
They could have voted House Bill 1010, a one-page bill that would, for the first time in Pennsylvania history, require the private sales of long guns (military-style weapons like AR-15s as well as the family rifle) to undergo background checks, out of the House Judiciary Committee where it has been languishing since March of 2013.
Or they could have voted HB 1515, which, also for the first time in Pennsylvania, would require gun owners across the state to report a loss or theft of a firearm to the authorities when they discover that the firearm is missing, out of the same committee (it’s been waiting on a vote since last June). Instead, our legislators voted on a purely symbolic bill that does nothing to address the problem of gun violence and does everything to symbolically normalize our state’s already rampant firearms culture.
Will the “state gun” bill increase gun violence and gun trafficking? Not necessarily.
But it will certainly do nothing to curb those problems and I, along with most law enforcement officials in Pennsylvania, firmly believe that HB 1010 and HB 1515 will significantly decrease both.
It’s sickening to once again see which path the state Legislature has chosen.
ROB CONROY CeaseFirePA Western PA Regional Director North Side
What do you think? Do you agree with the letter writer? Leave your comment in the thread below.
To report inappropriate comments, abuse and/or repeat offenders, please send an email to
email@example.com and include a link to the article and a copy of the comment. Your report will be reviewed in a timely manner. | <urn:uuid:01bc4e12-5a3e-4f9a-ac4f-644786cbd024> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/letters/2014/06/24/Real-gun-control/stories/201406240077 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280835.22/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00051-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959047 | 493 | 1.53125 | 2 |
What’s common between Swiggy, Zomato, Facebook, Amazon, Google, Flipkart, Airbnb, and Uber?
These firms don’t actually produce anything.
Uber doesn’t own cars, Zomato doesn’t own restaurants, YouTube doesn’t create content, and Google doesn’t publish anything. Facebook, the deadliest, doesn’t do much at all—co-founder Mark Zuckerberg (described by some as “the most dangerous man in the world”) claims it just helps people connect.
Yet, the power these entities wield over society and the economy is lethal. I will come to this a little later when I examine why they exhibit deviant behaviour.
Whether you run a restaurant, are a publisher, or sell pumps or furniture, or just cater kathi rolls from a small stall, these platforms impact your business, and chances of survival.
Frogs vs. Sharks
At a talk, I asked the leadership team at one of India’s largest financial services businesses this question—a digital aggregator in their space raised a billion dollars in funding a few days earlier. Do they see it as a threat?
They laughed it off. Because the online aggregator got them less than 5-6% of their business. They wondered why someone would invest a billion dollars in it.
I then asked, what’s the growth rate of business via that channel?
About 40% per annum, they said.
So, is it conceivable that this aggregator could be 10% of their overall business? They agreed it’s possible, but still didn’t think it was a threat.
Until I spelt it out: What if in a couple of years this aggregator takes a 10% share of all the firms in the segment they operate in? Won’t the aggregator suddenly have a 10% market share and possibly become larger than the leader?
That’s when realisation dawned.
No matter what business you are in, there is a platform working to put a digital wrapper around your offering, and serve you up to a customer. You are sold the idea of reaching more customers—and earning more profits.
What you forget is, the platform wants to put its own wrapper, its own price sticker, and create its own augmented bundle of value (fast delivery, easy payment, trackability and more) to the customer, with its own imprint.
Platforms are like sharks. They creep up in every market where the consumer can search, discover or transact via a smartphone. Traditional businesses are constrained by geography, regulations and are usually overseen by people keen to protect their turfs. Their DNA isn’t designed for the digital world. Their fate is akin to that of frogs in hot water.
The CEO of Time Warner, when asked about the threat of Netflix on media companies, said: “It’s a little bit like, is the Albanian army going to take over the world? I don’t think so”. We all know how that ended.
As some offline businesses try to reclaim their turf, we are witnessing tussles break out. We see neighbourhood restaurants reneging on agreements with Swiggy and Zomato, and small merchants up in arms against Amazon and Flipkart.
Globally, regulators and governments are grappling with accusations of breach of privacy, fixing of local elections and other predatory actions by these firms.
But no one really knows what to do. Why not? Our standard blueprints for regulating markets fail when it comes to dealing with these platforms.
Much of the difficulty lies in the nature of platforms, how they’ve evolved, and a common playbook that has allowed them to corner profits and power, and change consumer behaviour. They now wield disproportionate influence acquired insidiously.
(Note: For this piece, to keep things simple, I’ve used marketplace and platform interchangeably—at a high level the rules governing them are similar.)
To understand how platforms operate, I’ve identified five themes in their playbook. Let’s examine each of them.
1. Get the Flywheel Going
The initial challenge they face is to ensure supply and demand in the marketplace, and to lubricate the path to natural network effects. Simply put, the growing size and scale of a marketplace makes it a compelling magnet for new customers and merchants, resulting in a virtuous flywheel of spiralling growth.
Some platforms, by their very nature, have strong network effects. Customers bring in their own personal networks or become super-creators in the hunt for status (followers, likes, shares). Prime examples are those that attract user-generated content and social networks like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp and Google. They don’t have to spend to grow their customer base. The network effects are so powerful that you download these apps on your phone without thinking. Being left out of the network is not a choice—imagine not being accessible via WhatsApp or not being on Linkedin. Some seed content artificially—Tiktok, the fastest growing short video platform in the world, pays professional creators for the videos you see and forward—but once it achieves a certain scale in a market, free user-created content kicks in.
Others that deal in real goods in the real world usually have weaker network effects. They have no choice but to cajole consumers to transact with eye-popping discounts, coupons and cash backs to kick-start the “bazaar”. The supply side is crucial and they invest in developing a huge merchant base so customers can experience diversity and depth of supply, which is unbeatable by any offline player. Case in point: Amazon lists over 100 million products; a typical Walmart superstore has just over a hundred thousand (about 0.1% of Amazon’s).
Kick-starting the two-sided engine is a matter of life and death. This phase is wasteful as they burn enormous amounts of capital. We’ve seen it with Flipkart, Ola, Swiggy, Zomato—capital is thrown around like a drunk sailor pouring drinks for his mates.
Once the flywheel gets going, things get interesting.
2. Your Candy, My Wrapper
Past the launch phase, marketplaces quickly realise that remaining just a digital wrapper and leaving customers in the hands of merchants isn’t enough. Truant merchants game the market—fake products, bad service and fake reviews abound. Customers, even if wooed with discounts or convenience, need a consistent experience.
The platforms now begin to weed out dubious merchants. They start imposing rules and delist those who break them. They enlist customers to sift through the merchants through reviews and ratings.
They give incentives to merchants who conform to service standards, ship faster, get better reviews (or drivers who work longer and harder). Customers now start getting quality goods and consistent services; they begin to consume more, and more often. As for merchants, the better performing ones become increasingly dependent on the marketplace as their revenues on the platform grow.
The merchants learn how to operate within narrower rules and build services designed to make customers’ experience more consistent. It’s the merchant’s candy, but the platform’s wrapper.
3. Value Migration
The platform puts up an impenetrable wall between you (the merchant) and your customer. You don’t know who your customer is, what they like, or how they make their choices. From a consumer-facing merchant, they convert you to a mere supplier.
Slowly but surely, from being an agent (of the merchant) the marketplace starts appearing like a principal to customers. People complain about the food to Swiggy, not to the restaurant. The customer’s entire experience, trust and faith is tied into Amazon and not the merchant who serves them. They probably don’t even check who the actual merchant is.
Consumers gift platforms this power to choose for them.
Steadily the marketplace or platform becomes the port of entry for consumers. The capture of demand leads to a capture of value, and the platform starts squeezing value from both merchants and consumers.
Their Holy Grail is to implant a new habit—that irreversible moment when customers talk to them as a digital convenience. When they hunt for Uber rather than walk to the kerbside to hail a taxi; when they pull out their smartphone to order everything off Amazon rather than enter a grocery store; when they just go with what Netflix thinks they may like, or more dangerously, when they leave the choice to Facebook to decide what news and videos to feed them.
The ambition is to embed themselves as a default choice and become a verb: Uber it, Amazon it, Google it, Instagram it, Swiggy it.
At this stage, the platform’s allegiance shifts to only the customer. There is no bond with suppliers—they are seen as mere tools to fit their objective.
Value migrates to the wrapper, the candy becomes a commodity.
4. Your Profit Pool or Mine
Ask yourself: If your restaurant is not on Swiggy, or as a merchant if you are not listed on Amazon or Flipkart, do you even exist? To an increasing number of customers who live by the smartphone alone, you don’t.
Though listing (or putting up your wares) on the marketplace is usually free for the supplier, being discovered by the customer is not.
Consumers are optimisers, not maximisers. We rarely scroll through hundreds of listings. We are happy to do a cursory search, and go by the marketplace’s recommendation. The algorithm is designed to create an illusion of choice for the customer—it decides which merchant (or which piece of content) serves the end goals of the marketplace best.
And merchants must pay to be visible on the platform, because customers won’t go past the first few scrolls or recommendations the platform makes. The platform starts charging an access fee—directly (by charging a commission) or indirectly (by tweaking the algorithm, which makes it difficult for a merchant to be discovered unless it advertises on the platform).
Swiggy and Zomato, which started with a 15% commission from restaurants, have steadily upped it to 25-30%. The “organic reach” of your Facebook post is merely 1-2% of your followers. Pay up, and Facebook will ensure the post reaches all of them.
Amazon earns over $12 billion in advertising revenues from merchants paying to be discovered on the platform. But it is incorrect to call it advertisements. It’s actually a rent that Amazon is charging merchants so they are visible on Amazon’s digital aisles. Don’t pay, and its algorithm will probably bury you.
Slowly a merchant becomes beholden to the marketplace. You get business, but your cost of doing business creeps up, until you are caught between a rock and a hard place.
5. How Deep Is Your Love
Success and failure for a platform are heavily dependent on two things:
- The nature of the underlying market—its level of formalisation, excess capacity, and fragmentation. And Customer behaviour—are the transactions high frequency or low? Are they taking high involvement or low involvement decisions? And what tools will create habits?
- How deeply can a platform make inroads into the value chain to organise supply, and how well it is able to execute on the shift of trust from the merchants to themselves to create a moat.
That is why, once their flywheel gets moving, many marketplaces simply launch their own vertically integrated services and private labels. It gives them more control over the customer’s experience and higher margins. Since they can channel demand, they are instantly able to create successful sub-platforms. Netflix starts making movies (it produces more shows than the top five studios combined), Airbnb operates some properties like a full service hotel, and food-delivery platforms dabble in private-label kitchens. Amazon owns the warehouses, operates the planes, the trucks and even does the delivery right into your home when you are not there. It even publishes catalogues now.
Eventually these marketplaces start looking more and more like the offline businesses they set out to disrupt. Except for one big difference—unlike offline businesses, they own and nurture a direct connection with the customer. P&G doesn’t know which family has had a baby and buys Pampers; Amazon does. The digital wrapper is worth a fortune more than the physical one.
Seeds of Deviant Behaviour
The twin engines of network effects and migration of value to the digital wrapper give these platforms the power to upend every industry.
Powered with this playbook, these firms blur market boundaries, ignore regulation, exploit merchants, suck in freely available venture capital and grow at breath-taking speed. Move fast, and break things—until last year, Facebook’s motto—is applied recklessly.
The first reason they behave strangely is actually survival. If they don’t build a dominant position, someone else will.
Two good engineers sitting anywhere in the world can put together code to make a new digital wrapper. They can easily undo all the hard work a marketplace has put in to build up the habit.
In fact, the pioneer’s curse plays itself out perfectly. The early mover enters the market, burns capital to organise supply and consolidate demand, and boom! A swanky new version of the platform arrives and cleans out the “incumbent’s” customer base. Amazon isn’t the first ecommerce player, Facebook isn’t the first social platform, WhatsApp isn’t the first instant messaging service, and Tinder is not the first dating platform.
Switching costs for consumers are low—they really don’t care whether they order on Zomato or on Swiggy. It begs another question: if you delete Swiggy on your phone, does Swiggy even exist?
The loss of attention from customers is what worries them the most. That gift of trust and habit is the leading indicator of success or failure. If that starts waning, a downward spiral begins. Twitter was on the verge of going out of fashion till Donald Trump’s tweets started shaking the world and journalism as we knew it.
This fear of irrelevance propels these companies to out-innovate, out-spend, and out-manoeuvre every form of business known to the modern economy.
The second reason is more complex—it is why you see the headlines on $100 billion venture funds, founder misbehaviour, and the tussle with merchants, regulators, governments and citizens.
Enter, the Perfect Company
As these players scale, they realise they have something else within their grasp. Why aim for profitability and function like any other company, when they can reach a goal every business in the world tries for? Perfection.
It means a few things:
- Zero competition
- Locked-in customers
- Capacity to scale infinitely
- Great margins
In other words, a monopoly.
The marginal cost of serving a new customer is near zero, operating costs become fixed in nature—and the benefits of scale give them unprecedented bargaining power over suppliers, which is used as a lure to keep customers coming back. Scale begets scale.
Their singular aim is to create monopolies, dominate markets and become gatekeepers to the customer’s attention and wallet. Capital follows them blindly to this place where scale is free, customers are hooked and competition is absent.
Netflix demonstrated how it can be done when it launched at once in 130 countries, on a single day—just like that. Google powers search, video, maps, email and more for the entire world (except China) with a few engineers sitting in Silicon Valley. Craigslist, which should be a role model for all platform businesses quietly generates more than a Billion dollars annually in revenue with a 90% margin and just 50 employees. It is single-handedly responsible for catalysing the decline in the newspaper industry in the US.
But, having raised capital at such astronomical valuations, the goal of the management team shifts to find a way to justify it—their wealth, status and reason for existence gets wedded to creating market power.
Naturally, with great power comes the thirst for even greater power.
So, how do you get greater power? A few rules emerge here too:
- Customers are minions, merchants are lemmings
- The best way to keep a moat is to dig a new one
- No one can compete with free
- Data is meant to be abused
1. Consumers, the new minions. Merchants, the new lemmings
Over time, platforms learn how to extract their price from customers as well by examining data closely. Uber famously increased ride prices for customers whose phones were running low on power. Consumers are the new minions. Every aspect of our behaviour is tracked and exploited, as we will see later.
They pit merchant against merchant, feature against feature, and bring down competitive differentiators down to the width of a few pixels. Customers win and so does the platform since it—and not the merchant—gains customer loyalty.
Game theory tells us that if firms come in direct competition with each other, they will drive profits down to zero. Merchants become like suicidal lemmings—one dies, and another is ready to take its place with all the inherent optimism that drives an entrepreneur. Example? For every restaurant willing to leave Zomato Gold, there are hundreds interested in getting in.
Amazon is a master at the game, on both sides. In a curious way it makes you pay for your own loyalty. You pay a fee to become a member of Amazon Prime, and then buy more from Amazon to recover that sunk cost. You stop checking prices on other platforms—the platform lulls you into becoming an inefficient consumer, and you quietly hand over the power to Amazon’s algorithm to direct your attention and your eventual transaction.
2. The best way to keep a moat is to keep digging new ones.
If you have millions of customers hooked to your platform, and have direct, personal access to their digital wallets, the marginal cost of entry into a new business is near zero. The upside: Infinite.
What’s more, customers may actually prefer dealing with you versus setting up a new relationship with another platform. Thus, like I said earlier, once customers shift their markers of trust to the marketplace, a flurry of related businesses start on the back of the original flywheel: Amazon started with selling books and moved on to appliances, Kindle, insurance, healthcare, and finally aims to become a bank; Swiggy is moving from food delivery to groceries and local merchandise; Uber recently announced it will list freelance service providers, besides the food delivery business; WeChat has become the gateway to payments, insurance, and mutual funds.
Investors love this ability to sell other things to the customer and extract value from a customer over a life-time. Investors pump up valuations and cash into the business as they predict towering market share across categories of consumption. They start valuing the “optionality” the firm has to enter new businesses.
So, Uber is not valued like a company that merely transfers bits and bytes between a driver’s and a customer’s smartphone. Instead it is (over)valued like a company that is expected to herald the future of transportation with its own self-driving fleet. Investors disregard unit economics, overlook founder bad behaviour, and ignore the cost to society—they are punting on a company that will destroy a category and replace incumbents.
Source: CB Insights
(Note: One prevailing belief is that to keep the customer hooked, create a deeper ongoing relationship with them, and gain access to their pocket, add a financial product (wallet, loyalty programme, insurance, even offer them credit). Almost every large platform—from Apple to Amazon to Ola—dabbles in this. And you get Amazon Pay, Ola Pay and Apple Pay. Even Facebook, which doesn’t do any financial transaction with a user, is trying to launch Libra, a cryptocurrency for the masses. This belief extends to content too—streaming content is seen as a great freebie to offer consumers—another way to keep their attention from moving elsewhere)
3. You cannot compete with ‘free’
Cross-subsidise and kill. Competition is for losers, anyway, right?
Some readers may recall the browser wars of the 1990s—Netscape’s battle with Internet Explorer. Microsoft gave away Internet explorer for free with its flagship operating system Windows, effectively cutting off Netscape’s air supply. Google is accused of similar behaviour.
The simple agenda: Do not allow another player to achieve network effects.
Customers are served free, or at a price way below the value they derive from using the platform. This is a recipe to keep network effects intact and competition at bay. So you can store years of photos and documents for free, interact and make video calls for free, or get next day delivery for free. Do you ever wonder why?
Amazon’s cross-subsidisation play is folklore. It doesn’t need to make money from retail. Over 75% of its profits come from the Cloud business, and it is shoring up revenues from advertising (over 65% product searches begin directly on Amazon). Between the two highly profitable pools of profits, Amazon can cross-subsidise its product marketplace endlessly. How will anyone else compete? The results: Amazon controls over half the online market in the US.
4. Data is meant to be abused
Every swipe you make, everything you watch or hear is tracked. Your actions and behaviours are profiled. Your Google searches contain your dreams, aspirations, fears and hidden biases. Your digital avatar now resides somewhere in an algorithm. It knows more about your impulses than you do.
The marketplaces (or platforms) know that the lure of free compels consumers to make that misguided trade of their personal data. Different apps on your smartphone ask your permission to access different sets of data. That information is then traded and re-traded by thousands of data brokers. By triangulating these different data sets, platforms know where you are, who you are with, and how much money and time you spent on what. Nothing is private anymore.
The algorithm knows you are a function of your biases and fears. And there are no limits to the exploitation of your mind.
Facebook’s algorithm learns how you react to messages and notifications. Forget the market for products and services, it found a bigger market in selling ideology. It left a window open via which voter activation firms like Cambridge Analytica could peep into your mind, check for susceptibility and then choose political messages you were most likely to absorb. It kept iterating, hidden in the background, until it got the desired results.
Over the last decade, politicians have exploited the direct access these platforms offer. Why allow journalists and editors to put a filter when they can get direct access to the customers’ minds, via WhatsApp or Twitter? This has led to a seismic change in how politics and propaganda works in the digital era.
This abuse is still being unravelled. (Those interested should read Mindf*ck: Inside Cambridge Analytica’s Plot to Break the World, a book by the whistleblower Christopher Wylie.) The Indian elections and the holes through which WhatsApp messages reached your smartphone from political parties is yet to be investigated and documented as meticulously.
As you read this on your digital device, know that some algorithm somewhere is preparing to send you down a path you never intended to go. The Rubicon between advertising and manipulation is criss-crossed trillions of times a day.
Here’s a more benign example: Booking.com has over 10,000 experiments running at any point of time to evaluate how consumers react to cues and notifications. Next time you see “last room available at this great price”, or that “21 other people are viewing this property right now”, or “free cancellations till you check-in”, know that you are being gamed into booking impulsively.
Controlling the Beast
Society has started to grapple with this force. It is just beginning to understand how narrowing of choices, access to personal data and network effects can effectively create competitive barriers.
There are early signs of action: The EU’s orders against Google and YouTube, the investigations into Facebook’s actions in the US, and the Indian Supreme Court’s ruling on data protection.
The Supreme Court created history when it ruled that data privacy is a fundamental right and must be protected. And that all entities that operate in India must do what it takes to protect user privacy. The matter had gained attention when vociferous arguments were raised for and against Aadhaar (the identity layer of the India Stack platform), and how data can be manipulated by social media platforms.
Social media platforms claim that they simply offer choice and are not exploitative; they use freedom of speech as a fig leaf. They abrogate their fundamental duties as publishers in favour of profit. The ‘choice’ is a deception. At an atomic level it is nothing but a predetermined feed and a set of cues designed to make you behave exact as they want. This three-and-a-half minute speech by Sacha Baron Cohen is an eye-opener.
While the Supreme Court ruling is good in the longer run, attempts to tame a beast you can’t even see clearly or comprehend fully poses unique challenges:
- Platforms are now inescapable. Because when they cross-subsidise businesses, they offer customers extraordinary value. We cannot imagine functioning without Google search, connecting with others on Facebook, or chatting for free on WhatsApp. The cognitive load of switching to another mode is too high. If attempted, there is a chance we may regress in some cases. That is why there is a paradox. Platforms are intrinsic to our society and an imposition, at once.
- The standard tests for abuse of power, and our standard blueprint for regulating markets fail precisely because the platforms’ power is hidden in the algorithms—the behavioural hooks they deploy to acquire consumers. These algorithms control our behaviour more than we know. Operating like precision-guided missiles, they analyse thousands of data points, to manipulate us and send us down whatever paths they choose. It is difficult to scrutinise an algorithm.
- Ironically, platforms actually welcome regulation, as long as it is designed to suit them. That is because once they already have critical mass, and their algorithm isn’t subject to scrutiny, any regulatory activity will only put the brakes on network effects others are seeking to gain, strengthen the moat of incumbents, and make it harder for new entrants. In other words, it will perversely safeguard monopolies.
- These new monopolies are unlike anything we’ve seen before. They keep redefining the market to avoid being caught in standard anti-competition and predatory pricing norms. Amazon is 50% of all online retail in the US and nearly 70% of all product search. But it defines itself as a retailer with a mere 5% share of the total multi-trillion-dollar retail market. Between Swiggy and Zomato, they control over 90% of online food delivery. But they define themselves as a tiny player in the overall food consumption market. Google, despite running seven services with over a billion users each, claims it has a small portion of the overall media advertising market.
In India, things are even more interwoven and complex. We have the dominance of the Google and Facebook ecosystems on one hand, and the Chinese platforms and handset players on the other. On top of that, we are creating our own public digital bedrock through Aadhaar and India Stack.
Flush with dollar capital, the American and Chinese platforms are attacking Indian businesses with rupee balance sheets. National security, citizen privacy and surveillance issues collide in our courts and there are no easy answers. India doesn’t have a blueprint to deal with these new capitalists and will need to craft one, soon.
The path ahead is rough. A regulator cannot ordain how algorithms must work or will evolve. Nor can anything be done about the natural instinct of consumers to deal with a limited set of choices.
But regulators can start with severely restricting the use of data to cross-sell and up-sell services, or sell data to third parties. Or impose rules that compel platforms to “restrict my data usage to your platform, restrict it to the minimum required, and do not buy or trade in data about me from other platforms where I leave my fingerprints”.
One way regulators are thinking is to break up large platforms and end the element of cross-subsidy. That may be a partial answer.
Another is to apply the test of monopoly at an individual’s level or at a network level. Each dominant platform exhibits different patterns of monopolistic behaviour and will need a unique framework. It will be interesting to watch how this evolves over the next few years.
Merchants too must fight back for fairer terms of trade. We are seeing that in India. Pressure is on the government and regulators to ensure that online firms don’t undercut small offline merchants with predatory pricing and consumer incentives. Again, there are no simple answers because the tests we can apply are antiquated.
In conclusion, of course, there is much good platforms do. When they resets markets, they weed out weak businesses and expose inefficiencies. They force competition on firms that hitherto had localised monopolies and got away with poor service or pricing.
The challenge lies in dealing with artificially induced competition, when customers’ biases are exploited, and the process of discovery is monopolised.
The future looks even more ominous, as these platforms are now surrounding us in our homes and cars with smart speakers, launching wearable devices (watches, intelligent earpods, smart glasses and rings), which act like a second skin on consumers, and become the guardrails of our experiences, effectively dictating our choices, and our view of the world itself.
We must rewrite our understanding of what is a fair playing field. And relearn the rules of this frictionless game
“My kids accuse me and my wife of being fascists and overly concerned about tech, and they say that none of their friends have the same rules. That’s because we have seen the dangers of technology first-hand. I’ve seen it in myself, I don’t want to see that happen to my kids.” - Steve Jobs
(Note: Haresh Chawla will join a by-invitation Masterclass on Zoom with Prof Karim Lakhani and K Vaitheeswaran on ‘Understanding Platform Power: Destruction or Disruption?’ on Wednesday, November 27, from 6.30 pm IST – 8 pm IST. A recording of the live Masterclass will be published later on foundingfuel.com.)
Also Read And Watch
- The difficulty of cross-selling: How far can businesses push the power of platforms to sell new types of products? The past week offered some interesting pointers. (A special edition of the This Week in Disruptive Tech column by NS Ramnath)
- How platforms really work: A reading list: A curated list of articles, videos and a podcast (By NS Ramnath)
- The difficulty of cross-selling: How far can businesses push the power of platforms to sell new types of products? (By NS Ramnath)
- Understanding platform power—disruption or destruction? Founding Fuel Masterclass: Platforms, data, analytics are not going to go away. The good news for incumbents: they do have strengths they can play to. The bad news: They will need a different mindset and rethink customer experience.
- Battles in the Age of Engagement: The tech giants are rewriting the rules of how business empires are built. How deeply they can engage the millions on their network is the key to the kingdom. No business, including their own, is invulnerable. The concluding part in a two-part series. (By Haresh Chawla) | <urn:uuid:c5daa5f5-c811-49e9-a215-a0fc8ca915d2> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://foundingfuel.com/article/making-sense-of-the-new-capitalists/?utm_source=site&utm_medium=related&utm_campaign=storyview | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573029.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20220817153027-20220817183027-00270.warc.gz | en | 0.940489 | 6,743 | 1.945313 | 2 |
The Tate has agreed to return a John Constable oil painting which was stolen from a castle in Hungary by Second World War Nazis.
Experts said 1824 work, Beaching A Boat, Brighton, was likely to have been “ looted ” in “1944 or early 1945”, after the Jewish owner fled and went into hiding.
The Spoliation Advisory Panel report said the Tate had “a moral obligation” to return it to the family of the owner, who died in 1958.
A Tate spokeswoman said: “Tate acknowledged the claim and welcomed the suggestion that the case should be presented for consideration by the Spoliation Advisory Panel as the body that was established by Government to advise on the merits of such claims.
"Tate is grateful for the care with which the Panel has examined the evidence and is pleased to follow the conclusions of the report. Tate will therefore recommend to its trustees, when they next meet in May, that the work be returned to the claimants.
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Hypertension refers to the high pressure of blood against the artery walls. It leads to several serious health issues like kidney disease, heart disease, and stroke, as it damages the blood vessels. Hypertension, known as a silent killer, high blood pressure goes unnoticed and without any symptoms for years in some instances.
However, it is pretty standard and takes a significant toll on health. According to the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC), around 75 million Americans suffer from high blood pressure.
It is common because many of its risk factors are beyond anybody’s control. These risk factors include family history, age, race, and gender. Still, you can control many factors, like diet and exercise. A diet rich in magnesium, potassium, and fiber helps with high blood pressure.
Foods To Avoid If You Have Hypertension:
If you have been diagnosed with hypertension, you may be worried about taking many medicines to bring your numbers down, prevent blood clotting, and control cholesterol.
While you cannot avoid taking mediation altogether, you can still limit the amount you take every day. You can bring your blood pressure back to normal by adopting a healthy lifestyle, avoiding certain foods, and eating others.
You should also be mindful of your calorie intake and keep tabs on the portion size. Also, you can reduce the medication and lower your blood pressure by avoiding these foods:
Salt and sodium are significant villains when it comes to heart disease and high blood pressure. According to the 2015-2022 Dietary Guidelines for America, people with high blood pressure should limit their daily sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams (mg).
However, according to Mayo Clinic, the average American consumes around 3,400 mg per day, more than double the recommended amount. A person with hypertension needs to limit their salt intake, as 90 percent of our sodium consumption comes from table salt.
The Food and Drug Administration revealed that about 75 percent of the sodium Americans consume every day comes from added salt in foods at restaurants and processed foods instead of what they add to their favorite foods with a saltshaker.
Foods having a vast salt content include frozen pizza, deli meat, canned soup, and vegetable juices.
Even if cutting on sodium can immensely improve your heart health by a slight amount. Your blood pressure can reduce by around 5 to 6 mm Hg if you reduce your sodium intake.
Also, you need to know that the effect of consuming sodium varies from person to person. Generally, a person needs to limit sodium intake to 2,300 mg a day, while most adults’ ideal sodium intake is 1500 mg a day.
In order to reduce sodium in your food, you should check the sodium content in the food that you are buying. Check the food labels and opt for low-sodium items, including beverages.
Furthermore, you should eat fewer processed foods. Natural foods do not have much amount of sodium. The element is added during the processing of foods.
It is prudent that you do not add salt when you are served with the food. One level teaspoon of salt contains 2300 mg of sodium, which is more than the recommended amount. So, opt for other seasoning options to add flavor to your food.
If a drastic reduction in your sodium intake seems to be an uphill battle, try cutting back gradually. Your taste buds will adapt accordingly.
2. Packaged Foods and Chicken Skin
People having high blood pressure(hypertension) should avoid trans fats and reduce saturated fats in their diet. Items containing saturated fat include full-fat dairy, chicken skin, red meat, and butter.
Trans fats are naturally present in fatty meats and dairy products. However, the biggest suppliers of trans fats are packaged and prepared foods. They also contain high amounts of low-fiber carbohydrates and sugar.
These fats, known as empty calories, are produced in the process of hydrogenation. In this process, the liquid oils are infused with air, after which it turns into a solid oil. Hydrogenated oils are added to increase packaged foods’ shelf life and stability.
Research has shown that substituting fats for processed sugar and carbohydrates worsens heart health. Moreover, excessive saturated and trans fats consumption increases the Low-Density Lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol. High LDL levels can worsen your high blood pressure while leading to the development of coronary heart diseases.
To reduce these risks, it would help replace saturated and trans fats with plant fats like seeds, olive oil, nuts, and avocadoes.
While consuming alcohol in moderate amounts is good for your health, excessive consumption can do disasters. Drinking too much alcohol can increase your blood pressure. It can also increase the risk for several kinds of cancer, even if the person drinks alcohol occasionally.
In fact, drinking over three drinks in one go can temporarily spike blood pressure. Repeated consumption of alcohol can cause long-term blood pressure problems.
Alcohol can also impact the efficacy of any blood pressure medication you may be taking. Moreover, the drink is full of calories and can result in weight gain, while obesity or being overweight is one of the major causes of high blood pressure. Therefore, cut back on your alcohol intake. If you face any difficulty in doing that, seek help.
The experts are somehow divided on how caffeine intake impacts blood pressure. However, the majority of the experts believe that caffeine can increase blood pressure up to 10mm Hg in people who consume it occasionally. Some experts opine that caffeine does not affect people who drink it regularly.
However, there is a possibility that the long-term effects of caffeine are adverse to blood pressure. In order to confirm if caffeine increases your blood pressure, check your blood pressure within half an hour of consuming a caffeinated beverage.
If your blood pressure has increased by 5 to 10 mm Hg, you are prone to the negative impacts of caffeine. Talk to a health care professional regarding the effects of caffeine on your blood pressure. Also, it would help if you avoided or at least limited your daily consumption of coffee and other high-caffeine beverages.
You must know that overconsumption of sugar increases weight and leads to obesity. But you may not know that excessive sugar intake can also raise your blood pressure.
Sugar, especially sugary beverages, has led to increased obesity among people of all ages. And we know that obesity is a significant contributor to high blood pressure.
While the US Department of Agriculture does not have any recommended daily limit for sugar, the American Heart Association suggests limiting sugar intake to 24 grams per day for women and 36 grams per day for men.
Limiting your sugar intake can also save you from many other severe health conditions like diabetes. There is a reason why sugar is called white poison.
Related article: 10 Real Reasons Why Sugar Is Bad For Your Health
6. Canned/Bottled Tomato Products
Tomato products with added salts can create problems for people having high blood pressure(Hypertension). The majority of the canned tomato sauces, juices, and pasta sauces are high in sodium and, thus, are troublesome for people with hypertension.
In fact, a half-cup serving of classic marinara sauce contains at least 400 mg of sodium. Moreover, a cup of tomato juice comes with more than 600 mg of sodium. This high sodium content covers quite much of the recommended daily intake.
You do not have to shun the tomato products entirely from your life. All you have to do is find low-sodium versions of these items. You can also buy fresh tomatoes and make these products at home. This way, you would be avoiding added salt and consuming lycopene, which has many health benefits.
Foods To Eat In Hypertension
You can quickly improve hypertension by consuming certain foods while avoiding others. Here are a few foods that can help you with hypertension.
Berries, especially blueberries, are filled with flavonoids that help a lot with high blood pressure. One study indicates that consuming these natural compounds can lower blood pressure and prevent hypertension.
Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries are easy to add to the diet. You can put them in your granola or cereal for breakfast or add frozen berries to a healthy dessert.
You can also make smoothies, which give a refreshing effect on your mood and are suitable for your health.
2. Mediterranean Diet
Whenever there is a discussion on a healthy diet, the Mediterranean owes a mention. The Mediterranean diet is quite helpful for treating high blood pressure symptoms.
This diet is rich in vegetables, fruits, seafood, and healthy omega-3 fat oils. Many healthy food items like olive oil, leafy greens, fruits, and wild-caught fish are an incumbent part of the Mediterranean diet. All of these foods are known to lower blood pressure naturally.
3. Leafy Greens
Leafy greens are known to lower your blood pressure (Hypertension)because they are high in potassium. Potassium assists your kidneys in getting rid of sodium via urination.
According to the American Heart Association, a potassium-rich diet plays a vital role in controlling blood pressure. It reduces the harmful effects of sodium on the body.
Leafy greens rich in potassium include arugula, turnip greens, kale, romaine lettuce, collard greens, beet greens, spinach, and swiss chard.
However, it would help if you kept in mind that canned vegetables do more harm instead of doing good. They often have added sodium, so abstain from using them. Frozen vegetables are a good alternative, as they have as many nutrients as fresh vegetables and are easy to store.
You can add leafy greens to salads, cook them, and even blend them with bananas and nut milk to make a juice.
4. Red Beets
Beets are filled with nitric oxide that helps open the blood vessels and lower the blood pressure. According to research, the nitrates in beetroot juice lower blood pressure within just 24 hours.
You can make a juice of red beets or cook the whole root. It is scrumptious when added to stir-fries and stew or when roasted. The root can also be baked into chips; however, apply caution when handling it as the juice can stain your clothes and hands.
5. Fish with Omega-3
Fish like salmon and mackerel are a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids can reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, and decrease triglycerides.
Moreover, trout contains vitamin D, which is a hormone-like vitamin that helps lower blood pressure. Not only are fish effective in lowering blood pressure they also are easy to cook. Place a fillet on parchment paper, add herbs, olive oil, lemon, and bake.
6. Garlic and Herbs
According to one review, garlic helps reduce hypertension by increasing nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide helps widen the arteries, lower blood pressure, and promote vasodilation.
Garlic is one of the main ingredients in ayurvedic diets because of its medicinal properties. You can add it into your daily diet with herbs and spices to cut back on your salt intake. Spices and herbs you can add alongside garlic are rosemary, thyme, cinnamon, basil, etc.
Pistachios can decrease blood pressure (Hypertension) as they tend to reduce peripheral vascular resistance. They also reduce blood vessel tightening and heart rate.
According to one study, a diet containing one serving of pistachios daily can help reduce blood pressure. You can add the dry fruit to crusts, salads, and pesto sauce or eat them as a snack.
8. Olive Oil
Olive oil is one of the healthiest fats and is a significant component of the Mediterranean diet. It contains polyphenols that are known to reduce blood pressure (Hypertension). It is also a suitable replacement for butter, canola oil, and commercial salad dressing. | <urn:uuid:8b92aaa6-a405-4360-bbfd-f32cad01aea4> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.bythewayhealth.com/hypertension-6-foods-to-avoid/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573197.34/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818124424-20220818154424-00666.warc.gz | en | 0.942524 | 2,490 | 3.25 | 3 |
The first is a heavy-handed criticism of feminism, either for being too radical or too obsolete in “this day and age.” The second is that contemporary feminism is given due credit for its incredible energy and influence. However, when this occurs, it’s usually only the “big names” that are referenced. For instance, in Emily Nussbaum’s New York magazine piece “The Rebirth of the Feminist Manifesto,” Nussbaum does a good job of profiling the heavy hitters out there in the feminist online space (Amanda Marcotte, Irin Carmon, Molly Lambert, Feministing, Racialicious), but misses an opportunity to feature some of the great resources, blogs and writers who don’t get as much lip service.
A few months ago I wrote about my disappointment with the way the media skims the surface of the feminist blogosphere and what it has to offer. Many people seemed to agree with me. From Facebook to Twitter to my own site, fellow feminists voiced similar frustration over being left out of the larger conversation.
My feelings only solidified last month when I participated in Ms.’s “Future of Feminism” series in honor of Women’s History Month. I wrote a short, less-than-500-word blurb on feminist parenting bloggers. Again, I got a resounding response of “Yes! Thank you!” and then, “But we want more!”
And so this series was born. I figured that instead of waiting for mainstream media or anybody else to sit up and take notice of the hundreds of other strong, passionate and interesting feminist voices online, I’d do it myself.
There is a richness and depth within the feminist blogosphere that deserves exploring. There are feminists writing about parenting, geek culture, reproductive rights, class issues, sex, disability, race, gender, youth and so much more.
Each future post in the series will take on a different sub-genre within the “femisphere.” Sometimes one or two different sites will be highlighted and profiled; other times a number may participate in a roundtable discussion. Either way, we’ll take a closer look at the various feminist sites out there and find out how they started, what makes them tick and what we can look forward to from them. I will also always do my best to include a resource list of related sites within each post.
The first post of this series will start where my “Future of Feminism” piece left off and devote some more words and attention to feminist “mommy bloggers”–so stay tuned!
After that? The sky’s the limit. I have some sites and sub-genres in mind, but even with all the time I manage to spend online, I’ve hardly made a dent on what feminist cyberspace has to offer. That’s where you come in. I know you have your favorite feminist blogs, vlogs, or Tumblrs, or are attached to a particular sub-genre within the movement. Please leave any and all suggestions in the comments below, and join me soon for the first post in this new and exciting series! | <urn:uuid:f4bf153d-b381-4ad4-b2da-13473d2af8d2> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://msmagazine.com/2012/04/04/the-femisphere-welcome-to-a-new-series/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00067.warc.gz | en | 0.941315 | 674 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Paul Farmer, chief executive of mental health charity Mind, calls on the next government to guarantee shorter waiting times for those in need of therapeutic support
An estimated one in four people will experience a mental health problem in any given year. Despite this high prevalence, there is still a stigma surrounding mental health, which can prevent people seeking help.
Nowhere do people worry more about talking about mental health than at work. We all have mental health and many of us experience stress in our jobs. But most people are reluctant to disclose problems, fearing that they’ll be perceived as weak or incapable.
A 2014 Mind poll found that only 5 per cent of workers who had taken time off due to stress told their employer that they were too stressed to work. The rest gave a different reason for their absence, such as a headache. Employers need to create open, honest environments where staff feel able to talk about mental health in the same way they could discuss a physical health problem.
Employers are increasingly recognising the value of supporting staff wellbeing. Organisations that promote staff wellbeing are rewarded in terms of increased staff morale and productivity, and decreased sickness absence. Small, inexpensive changes, such as offering flexible working hours, buddy systems, employee assistance programmes (confidential phone support), social events and regular catch-ups with managers, can make a huge difference and save businesses a great deal of money in the long run.
Despite certain businesses addressing poor staff wellbeing, we still hear from people whose employers aren’t supportive and even from those who have been dismissed because of their mental health.
With cuts to legal aid making it difficult to get help, demand for Mind’s confidential legal helpline has rocketed. From May 2012 to May 2013, advisers received 675 calls, which shot up to 1,029 between May 2013 and May 2014. In response to increasing demand, we’ve recently launched a range of online publications, including Discrimination at work, which explain in a simple and practical way what people’s legal rights are, and what they can do to assert them.
Stigma and discrimination can permeate all aspects of life, including work, healthcare settings and even with friends and family. In 2007, Mind, together with Rethink Mental Illness, launched Time to Change, England’s most ambitious programme to end the stigma and discrimination faced by people with mental health problems.
With funding from the Department of Health, Comic Relief and Big Lottery Fund, Time to Change has reached millions of people and has seen a significant improvement in public attitudes. Recent data shows that since 2011 an estimated two million people – or 4.8 per cent of the population – have improved attitudes towards people with a mental illness. It also shows there was a 2.8 per cent improvement in attitudes between 2012 and 2013, the biggest annual shift in the last decade.
Attitudes are starting to change, and there is greater awareness and understanding of mental health, but we still have a way to go.
The role of high-profile individuals speaking out about their own mental health shouldn’t be underestimated. They help normalise mental health problems by talking about their own experiences living with a mental health problem. Soaps, dramas and documentary-makers are also turning more frequently to storylines involving a character with a mental health problem which, if done in the right way, can be enormously powerful. Many people who take the first step by getting in touch with organisations including Mind do so as a result of viewing such a programme or seeing a celebrity speaking out.
Evidence suggests that mental health problems are on the rise. Since the start of the recession, Mind’s confidential information support line, Mind Infoline, has received an increasing number of enquiries, while visitors to our website are also on the rise. Antidepressant prescriptions dispensed in England topped 50 million for the first time in 2012 and continue to increase year on year.
Mental wellbeing depends on many factors, including employment status, working conditions and financial security. It’s no coincidence that mental health services are overstretched at a time when many are facing increased poverty, job loss, lack of access to benefits and a lack of appropriate care.
While it’s good that mental health problems are being taken more seriously and stigma is lessening, the people we work with still face a number of challenges. There’s been a lot of rhetoric around achieving “parity of esteem” between physical and mental health, but this is still an aspiration.
After years of chronic underfunding, cuts are still being made to mental health services despite increasing demand. A recent survey by the We Need to Talk coalition found that one in ten people had waited over a year for talking therapy, which wouldn’t happen if you were waiting for treatment for a physical health problem.
It’s no coincidence that mental health services are overstretched at a time when many are facing increased poverty, job loss, lack of access to benefits and a lack of appropriate care
With the general election looming, Mind has produced a manifesto, Take Action for Better Mental Health, setting out our recommendations for whoever forms the next government. This includes committing to maximum waiting times like those for physical health. We need safe, speedy access to urgent care in a crisis and an end to bed shortages which often mean people who are acutely unwell are detained in police cells.
Above all, we desperately need to see mental health get its fair share of funding. Ultimately, uncomfortable and unrealistic as it may seem in the current climate, investment in mental health services to bring them up to a basic standard is crucial. Fixing these issues is vital if we are to end the stigma associated with having a mental health problem. | <urn:uuid:0a4ffa8f-cb57-46a8-aa24-9362557e3857> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.raconteur.net/healthcare/mental-health/the-tide-is-turning-for-mental-health/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572286.44/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816090541-20220816120541-00270.warc.gz | en | 0.966591 | 1,180 | 1.851563 | 2 |
On Sale. Regularly at $75.00 available now at $55.95!
Exactly 50 years after the tragic events that decimated the Greeks of Turkey’s greatest city, greekworks.com will publish The Mechanism of Catastrophe: The Turkish Pogrom of September 6-7, 1955, and the Destruction of the Greek Community of Istanbul by Speros Vryonis, Jr. This monumental work of a decisive moment in modern Turkish and Greek history is the first study of its depth and range to be published on this critical subject in any language. Without a doubt, it will soon take its place as the definitive analysis of the violence it so meticulously describes and examines.
On the night of September 6-7, 1955, the Greek community of Istanbul was violently struck throughout the expanse of Turkey’s most important metropolis. Within hours, businesses, homes, and even the churches of the Greeks were in ruins, with the British press calculating the damage at £100 million. It was the beginning of the end for the ethnic descendants of the city’s founders, who had first settled this eastern tip of Europe over two and a half millennia earlier.
This vicious and unprovoked attack quickly became entangled in the Cold War politics of the time, and the truth of it was just as quickly suppressed. Now, on their fiftieth anniversary, Speros Vryonis has painstakingly reconstructed all the events—before, during, and after that night of mass violence—in his magisterial work, The Mechanism of Catastrophe: The Turkish Pogrom of September 6-7, 1955, and the Destruction of the Greek Community of Istanbul.
This monumental study of a decisive moment in modern Turkish and Greek history is the first work of its depth and range to be published on this critical subject in any language. It has been lauded before publication as “a magnum opus,” “original and significant,” and a “brilliant book.” Without a doubt, it will soon become the definitive study of the violence it so meticulously describes and examines. The volume also includes an extensive section with the remarkable photographs of the attacks taken by Dêmêtrios Kaloumenos, the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s official photographer at the time. This rare visual documentation lends additional weight to the archival testimony presented by Speros Vryonis, and to his historical analysis of the pogrom, its aftermath, and its broader consequences.
Professor Vryonis has produced a magnum opus. The thoroughness of his research and analysis, the variety of his materials, the precision and minuteness of his detail, the perspectives of perpetrators, victims, and bystanders, and the ultimate unraveling of the truth regarding a crime that has been intentionally downplayed and even suppressed, stand as witness to the power of the committed investigator and historian. As one who arrived in Istanbul only four days after the events so meticulously described in this volume, I have vivid memories of the wanton destruction that engulfed every quarter with Greek and Armenian homes, businesses, churches, schools, and even cemeteries, stretching from Kumkapi and Kadiköy to the mouth of the Bosphorus. Equally impressive was the indomitable spirit of the victims, who replaced a sea of shattered glass with temporary wood shutters and reopened for business even before the smoke had fully dissipated. Speros Vryonis, Jr. has captured and preserved it all in this encyclopedic volume. — Richard G. Hovannisian, professor of Armenian and Near Eastern history, UCLA, and author of Armenia on the Road to Independence and The Armenian Holocaust.
Every nation’s history contains events it would rather forget, whose memory it attempts to mute, silence, and bury forever. The September 6-7, 1955, aggression instigated by the Turkish state against the Christian minorities in Istanbul is one such event in contemporary Turkish history. Even though the event and the role the state played in it have now recently been publicly acknowledged in Turkey, there still are no scholarly analyses undertaken of them. This brilliant book by a very eminent historian of Asia Minor is therefore most welcome. It provides a very thorough and well-documented account of the tragic events, which not only decimated, as the book argues, the Greek and also Armenian and Jewish communities of Istanbul, but also impoverished the Turkish nation in spirit and moral rectitude, as nationalist groups mobilized and guided by the state destroyed a part of what had made Turkey so uniquely blessed in the first place, namely its centuries-old multicommunal composition.
— Fatma Muge Gocek, associate professor of sociology and women’s studies, University of Michigan, and author of Rise of the Bourgeoisie, Demise of Empire: Ottoman Westernization and Social Change.
The persecution of the Greeks in modern Turkey was and still is an extension of the Ottoman empire’s inexorable policy of ethnic cleansing. After having violently eliminated the masses of the heirs of an ancient and venerable civilization prior to, during, and immediately after World War I—a war that was also punctuated by the incidence of genocide against the Armenians—successive Turkish governments of the modern era relentlessly pursued an overriding goal: purging Turkey of its residual Greek population. In this remarkably comprehensive, meticulously documented, and massive tome, based almost entirely on primary sources, the distinguished scholar, Speros Vryonis, Jr., underscores a central fact: that the events of September 6-7, 1955, were carefully organized and orchestrated by the highest authorities in Ankara but that, as usual, they went out of control. The result was another abhorrent blot on a historical record stained with a plethora of episodic barbarities that were inflicted upon a host of vulnerable minorities.
—Vahakn N. Dadrian, director of genocide research, Zoryan Institute, and author of The History of the Armenian Genocide and Key Elements in the Turkish Denial of the Armenian Genocide.
The Turkish state is founded on certain taboos, one of which is the atrocities against its Christian citizens before and during the founding of the Republic. On Turkey’s way to membership in the European Union, many unfortunate events in its past, which remain in darkness, have slowly become subjects of public discussion. We are very fortunate to have this extremely thorough analysis by Prof. Vryonis, who has lifted yet another dark moment in Turkish history into the light of scholarship. The complicity of the Turkish state on September 6-7, 1955, in organizing the attacks against the Christians, and especially Greeks, has been known only in limited circles, and there have not been many detailed studies in English. Prof. Vryonis has not only made a great contribution to both Turkish and Greek studies, but he has also opened up the space for Asia Minor studies wherein the two societies can one day write their own narratives.
—Taner Akçam, visiting associate professor of history, University of Minnesota, author of From Empire to Republic: Turkish Nationalism and the Armenian Genocide, and former Amnesty International Turkish prisoner of conscience.
The troubled events of September 6-7, 1955, in Istanbul marked a watershed in Greco-Turkish relations, the future of the Greek presence in the Turkish capital, and the wider politics of the eastern Mediterranean. Speros Vryonis’s account is meticulous and exhaustive in its coverage of the causes, dynamics, and effects of disturbances that had tangible political goals from the start. Based on a thorough acquaintance with archival sources in Greek, Turkish, and English, as well as oral testimonies, Vryonis has provided an original and significant contribution to the literature on the regional politics, the evolution of the Cyprus problem, and the Hellenic presence in Asia Minor.
—Robert Holland, professor of overseas history, School of Advanced Studies, University of London, and author of Britain and the Revolt in Cyprus, 1954-59.
A recent review from FrontPageMagazine.com, Turkey's Forgotten Islamist Pogrom.
About the Author
Speros Vryonis, Jr., is one of the most eminent Byzantinists of his generation. After a distinguished career at UCLA, he became the founding director of the Alexander S. Onassis Center for Hellenic Studies at New York University, from which he retired as emeritus Alexander S. Onassis professor of Hellenic civilization. Prof. Vryonis’s extensive work on the history and culture of the Greeks from Homer to the present, and on their relations with the Slavic, Islamic, and New Worlds, includes the seminal The Decline of Medieval Hellenism in Asia Minor and the Process of Islamization from the Eleventh through the Fifteenth Century; Byzantium and Europe; Studies on Byzantium, Seljuks and Ottomans; Byzantium: Its Internal History and Relations with the Islamic World; and Studies in Byzantine Institutions and Society. He has also edited, among other volumes, Aspects of the Balkans: Continuity and Change (with Henrik Birnbaum); Essays on the Slavic World and the Eleventh Century; Islam and Cultural Change in the Middle Ages; Individualism and Conformity in Classical Islam (with Amin Banani); and Islam’s Understanding of Itself (with Richard G. Hovannisian). Prof. Vryonis is a Guggenheim Fellow and Fulbright Scholar, as well as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Medieval Academy of America, and the American Philosophical Society. | <urn:uuid:35160c1e-a321-40b5-8445-863570f9e452> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.greekshops.com/Clearance-and-Bargain/Book-Clearance/The-Mechanism-of-Catastrophe-by-Speros-Vryonis-Jr-SALE.html?pdi=9780974766034&ug=234 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571909.51/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813051311-20220813081311-00266.warc.gz | en | 0.954059 | 1,970 | 1.929688 | 2 |
Construction Services – Reverse Charge – What cost to Housing Associations and their Development Companies?
As a means to addressing VAT at risk in the construction services sector from rogue firms who charge VAT on services, but then disappear before paying that VAT over to HMRC a “domestic reverse charge” has been under consideration for some time. After a period of consultation, the government plans to introduce this reverse charge from 1 October 2019.
The consultation process identified that businesses will need a long lead in time if they are to undertake the required adjustments to their accounting and IT systems. An important aspect of the new reverse charge will be that whilst there will be no threshold of value set for services which will trigger the reverse VAT charge, it will not affect sales to the final business or domestic consumer of construction services.
Draft legislation should be finalised by October 2018 so it’ll be important to keep abreast of the plans as they roll out.
What is a “reverse charge”?
To remove the risk of VAT being charged to customers on construction services but not passed over to the Revenue the application of a reverse charge in this sector will mean that the supplier does not charge VAT on the value of their sale. This removes the risk of that VAT disappearing. The supply still remains a taxable supply but the responsibility for the accounting of VAT on that supply moves from the supplier to their customer.
Clearly if the construction services qualify to be treated as zero rated – as being the services of construction of new dwellings, relevant residential or relevant charitable use new buildings then the reverse charge will not apply to that element. There will be areas to clarify where mixed supplies of zero, reduced and standard rated construction is being undertaken on a project.
We are awaiting the definition of what will be meant by the “final consumer” to identify who will need to take account of these changes. Currently it is our understanding that the impact will fall on charges from sub-contractors to the main contractor.
Once it is clear who is caught under these provisions then changes will be needed, to contracts, accounting and IT systems, to be able – in the main contractors accounts - to trigger the process of calculating the VAT due to be paid over on affected construction services which that contractor has bought in from a wide range of sub-contractors.
In sectors such as housing associations any VAT incurred by that body may not always be fully VAT recoverable due to the nature of income an association generates from renting out social housing. Whilst it is thought that the housing association itself would be regarded as the “final consumer” and not have to undertake the reverse charge it is more likely that the impact will fall on a Development Company established by the association, caught up, as they are, in the supply chain between subcontractors and the association as the “final consumer”.
With all that is planned for 2019 with Making VAT Digital this will form another system issue to manage through an organisation’s VAT accounting records.
It’s a topic area that will be covered at our VAT Forums in June for Housing Associations, Universities and Colleges so do book in to the relevant sector Forum to attend and learn more. VAT Forum Events
Centurion VAT offer an independent and expert source for VAT advice. Based in Wales we work across the UK and have overseas clients who need VAT advice and support when setting up in the UK. VAT advice for organisations who find themselves at an unfortunate juncture with UK VAT for whatever reason, is where we help out. VAT sensitive sectors such as Universities, Further Education Colleges, Housing Associations, Charities and Corporate businesses where VAT can be a real cost are where we specialise. Exporters under challenge from HMRC on Export Evidence; a Property development where VAT Exempt activities are complex; a Local Authority or a Leisure or Cultural Trust – whatever your sector, when you need to get expert VAT advice Centurion is where you’ll find it.
An award-winning VAT team is what you’ll find at Centurion – evidence of the quality of our VAT advice and service can be showed by our long term retention of clients. Whatever your VAT issue – BREXIT, Making VAT Digital, Partial Exemption or Property then do make contact, with a call or email email@example.com
“VAT – It’s what our people do” | <urn:uuid:0e946886-f181-4018-9589-d551254dfc7c> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://centurionvat.com/news/construction-services-reverse-charge-what-cost-housing-associations-and-their-development-companies/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571147.84/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810040253-20220810070253-00478.warc.gz | en | 0.948386 | 906 | 1.632813 | 2 |
The American College of Physicians said Monday that it strongly recommends against annual pelvic exams for healthy, low-risk women.
In fact, the intrusive exams may do more harm than good for women who aren't pregnant or don't have signs of problems, a group of doctors wrote in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
When we heard that news here at Shots, we were happily surprised. No more stirrups? No more stripping down below the waist or hearing those dreaded words: "Now, you're going to feel a little pressure"?
Sounds great! I'm canceling my annual visit now.
Not so fast. Not all doctors agree about these new guidelines.
"This recommendation will be controversial," obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. George Sawaya wrote in an accompanying editorial with a colleague at the University of California, San Francisco. "Pelvic exams have long been considered a fundamental component of the well-woman visit."
Most pelvic exams are performed by OB-GYNs, and their society, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, still recommends annual pelvic exams for all women over age 21.
The agency concedes that "no evidence supports or refutes the annual pelvic examination ... for the asymptomatic, low-risk patient." And it recommends that each woman should discuss with her doctor whether a full exam is necessary, the agency writes on its website.
So what in the heck is going on? Should I get the pelvic exam this year?
To start figuring that out, we spoke with Dr. Ranit Mishori at Georgetown University School of Medicine, who wasn't involved in the new recommendation.
"When you go to the doctor's office and put your feet in the stirrups," she says, "the doctor uses the speculum to open the vagina and see the opening of the cervix. Then she takes a sample of the cervix."
This is called the Pap smear, and it screens for cervical cancer.
"There's no question that the Pap smear saves lives," Mishori says. "That part of the exam is not under question." (Women still need to get that exam every three to five years, the American Cancer Society recommends.)
It's what comes next in the exam that's up for debate.
After the Pap smear, the doctor puts two fingers up the vagina and the other hand on the outside of the stomach, Mishori says. The doctor then examines the ovaries and uterus with both hands.
This is called the bimanual exam, and for decades, doctors thought it could help detect ovarian cancer. But studies haven't shown that to be true.
"Every society, even ACOG, agrees that the pelvic exam can't find ovarian cancer in women who don't have symptoms," Mishori says. "There's really no evidence to support doing these exams on a regular basis in women who have no symptoms."
There's also no evidence that the bimanual exam cuts your risk of dying from ovarian cancer, the American College of Physicians concludes. On the other hand, false positives can lead to unnecessary tests and other procedures — not to mention the extra cost of seeing a doctor every year, instead of once every three to five years for a Pap smear, as is currently recommended.
If a woman is having symptoms or signs of trouble, such as bleeding, discharge, pain during sex or infertility, the doctors' association still recommends the pelvic exam.
Here's why the ACOG thinks the bimanual exam has value, even if scientific data don't exist to support it: What if you don't know you have symptoms or you think your symptom isn't serious enough to bring up with the doctor?
A doctor might discover hidden problems during the full pelvic exam, a representative for ACOG told Shots in an email.
For example, many women don't bring up urinary leakage with their doctors because it's embarrassing or they think it's a normal part of aging. But it's treatable, the rep says. And a gynecologist might be able to see signs of it during a full pelvic exam. If the woman skipped the pelvic exam, she might have missed the opportunity for treatment. | <urn:uuid:bcb65614-4958-4d79-81fb-a75055371f5f> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://ijpr.org/post/skip-stirrups-doctors-rethink-yearly-pelvic-exams | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560283008.19/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095123-00081-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963715 | 858 | 1.570313 | 2 |
As Canada’s fourth largest private employer, the restaurant industry is booming and continues to grow every year. According to Restaurant Canada, average annual industry sales add up to around $68 billion dollars, which accounts for almost 4 % of Canada’s economic activity. With over 1 million people employed in the industry, and millions more dining out each day, restaurants are one of the most commonly used public spaces, making it imperative to maintain safe and compliant business practices.
Pest management is probably one of the most challenging aspects of owning a restaurant. Not only do restaurants provide the perfect environment for pests such as flies, rodents, roaches and more, but the consequences of failed safety measures can put your restaurant at risk for violations and temporary closures. Even with a temporary closure, financial losses incurred could be detrimental to your bottom line and depending on the severity of the problem, cause lengthy delays in reopening. This can also have an adverse effect on nearby businesses as unattended pest problems can easily spread to neighboring restaurants, impacting local business as a whole. In today’s world where news travels fast, it also doesn’t take long for negative reviews or the unpleasant sighting of one or two pests to tarnish the reputation of a restaurant.
The presence of roaches, rodents and other bacteria carrying pests can be daunting on most restaurant owners. Even just a few of these creatures in your immediate surroundings is enough to prevent customers from returning, as well as pose serious health and safety issues when it comes to the hygiene and cleanliness. The good news for restaurant owners is that working with your local Truly Nolen Canada pest professional to identify any current problems is the best first step you can take in keeping your restaurant pest free.
Common Restaurant Pests
While your restaurant patrons don’t mind shelling out good money to enjoy their favorite meal, restaurant owners may have a hard time dealing with uninvited guests who come around to enjoy the free food. Rodents and pests are notorious for making themselves feel right at home both on the interior and exterior of eating establishments, primarily because they tend to stay close to sources of food and water.
During the cold Canadian winters, pests can become even more of an issue as they seek warmth and shelter to avoid the cold.
For restaurants, some of the most problematic pests that can potentially wreak havoc are:
- Rodents – Prone to foraging in the dumpsters outside your restaurant, rodents will eat just about anything they can get their hands on, including garbage. Once inside, mice and rats are hazardous to the safety of your food as they can contaminate exposed food and leave behind bacteria and germs on countertops.
- Cockroaches- Perhaps the most elusive pest, roaches can find themselves hiding in cupboards, boxes and in almost any crack and crevice in your restaurant kitchen. As carriers of germs and bacteria, the presence of roaches is highly concerning as they can move around easily especially at night after your restaurant is closed and they have free reign of your kitchen.
- Flies- As vectors of disease and pathogens, flies are difficult to eliminate completely as they take advantage of the hustle and bustle of activity in restaurants, and the constant opening and closing of doors to the exterior.
While there are certain preventative steps that restaurant owners can implement themselves, the most effective means of ridding yourself of these pests is to employ the services of a certified, trained pest professional.
Truly Nolen Commercial Services
As part of the full suite of pest control services offered, the service experts at Truly Nolen work with health inspectors through an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system including:
- Inspection and monitoring
- Establishment of a pest control plan that involves: Sanitation, Exclusion and Elimination
- Implementation of control measures
- Measurement, evaluation and on-going communication with customers.
Since pests such as rodents and roaches may be difficult to get rid of on your own working with an IPM expert who can develop an integrated solution as part of your program is the most effective way to identify, monitor and treat any signs of a pest problem.
As part of the inspection and treatment of pests, your Truly Nolen pest professional will perform a thorough inspection of your premises, both on the interior and exterior including, but not limited to:
- Bar & patio areas
- Stairs and elevators
- Utility rooms
- Loading docks
- Laundry and janitorial areas
- Benches & restaurant entrances
- Soffit lines and eaves
- Landscaped areas
Truly Nolen’s 12 Step Approach
With an emphasis on crawling pests, Truly Nolen has developed an intensive 12 step approach to specifically target and treat pests found in restaurants.
- Inspection (NS) – Thorough inspection to identify which pests are active and what the next course of action should be.
- Vacuum (VAC) – A heap back pack vacuum system is used to remove visible pests.
- Fecal (FFP) – Visible fecal matter is coated with a Boron product to destroy the bacteria.
- Crack (C & C) – Treat cracks in the building structure to affect the areas where insects take refuge.
- Void (VI) – Address any spaces or voids where insects can take shelter.
- Floor (FMT) – Treatment of high moisture areas.
- Monitoring (M & C) – Insect monitoring stations are used as an added quality control step.
- Webster (WEB) – Natural extract repellant is used to wipe eaves and outside areas.
- Hot (HS) – Treatments of hot spots around windows and doors.
- Power Treatment (PWR) – Power sprayer is used on structural elements.
- Outer Barrier Treatment (BAR) – Bait is applied to grass, mulch and areas that are in direct contact with the building.
- Exclusion (EXC) – Caulking and sealing of all areas that pests can use to enter the building.
Provinces and Government Regulations
In facilities where food is prepared, handled, stored and distributed to the public, operating under these guidelines is key to keeping your restaurant operating at a regulatory-compliant level. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) develop food safety rules and regulations that are consistent with up keeping industry standards in the food service industry. (http://www.inspection.gc.ca/eng )
In compliance and accordance with the Pest Management Regulatory Agency’s Pesticide Public Registry, the CFIA outlines the following guidelines as pertaining to pest control management:
- The operator should implement an effective, written pest control program for the premises and equipment. The program should inhibit the entry of pests and should detect and eliminate any pests which may gain entry. The program should include:
- the person who is assigned responsibility for pest control;
- the name of the pest control company or the name of the person contracted for the pest control program, where applicable;
- the list of chemicals used, their concentration (in accordance with label instructions), and the location, method and frequency of application;
- a map of the location of pest control devices that are monitored; and
- the type and frequency of inspection to verify the effectiveness of the program.
- Pesticides used should be registered under the Pest Control Products Act and Regulations. Pesticides must be used in accordance with the label instructions (available on the Pest Management Regulatory Agency‘s Pesticide Public Registry).
- Chemical treatment of equipment, premises or ingredients to control pests should be as per label instructions. They should also be applied so that the maximum residue limit specified in theFood and Drugs Act and Regulations is not exceeded (for example, the number of fumigation treatments per lot is limited).
- Toxic rodenticides should not be used within the premises.
Truly Nolen Canada pest control experts are certified to work with local inspectors and restaurants to address any current pest control problems you may be faced with. Addressing these issues early on can prevent future infestations.
Adhering to these guidelines is critical to avoid suspension or closure of business licenses as some of the grounds for closure due health risks could include:
- Contaminated food
- Foodborne illness and outbreak due to contamination
- Vermin infestation
Contact your high trained, and certified Truly Nolen pest control expert today to see how we can implement an effective Integrated Pest Management program to help keep your restaurant safe, healthy and pest free. | <urn:uuid:38ec501a-b66b-429e-9c20-8d309e45b36e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.trulynolen.ca/keeping-your-restaurant-pest-free/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571090.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809215803-20220810005803-00076.warc.gz | en | 0.936202 | 1,773 | 1.898438 | 2 |
At the beginning of February, a viral twitter video showcased what a Tesla vehicle “sees” when its autopilot AI is enabled. The brief clip of the Tesla navigating busy streets was hard to decipher, but at the same time, highly reminiscent of the T-800’s HUD display. Now, thanks to another viral video, we’re seeing how that surreal, first-person-robot machine vision will soon enable Teslas to stop at stop signs and red lights all on their own.
Out of Spec Motoring, a group of car enthusiasts “who happen to love electric vehicles,” posted the clip above. The tweet (which comes via Reddit by user rocketmoon) says that this is a clip of Tesla’s autopilot “stopping for red lights for the first time.” Presumably, the reference to autopilot stopping the vehicle for red lights for “the first time” is due to the fact that this capability is going to be added to Tesla’s autopilot software in a forthcoming software update.
A full build of Autopilot neural networks involves 48 networks that take 70,000 GPU hours to train. Together, they output 1,000 distinct tensors (predictions) at each timestep. This is what a Tesla autopilot sees [source: https://t.co/AJrFMbHTWW] pic.twitter.com/mNLtrobk8U— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) January 31, 2020
Tesla’s autopilot AI utilizes machine vision and machine learning, combined with big data collected from its vehicle fleet, in order to achieve this kind of autonomy. Tesla made its one millionth car in early March and as of November of 2019, its vehicle fleet had driven over 2 billion miles collectively.
The next Autopilot update will stop for red lights and stop signs automatically. pic.twitter.com/JddyJ363Ub— Third Row Tesla Podcast (@thirdrowtesla) March 26, 2020
It’s not clear when the latest over-the-air update for Tesla’s autopilot software is going to take place, but it’ll probably happen sooner rather than later; likey weeks or months but that’s just speculation based on timelines of previous updates. This update will also, presumably, only apply to Teslas that have the Full Self-Driving (or FSD) package, which costs $7,000.
A tesla being “summoned” without its driver. Tesla
What do you think about this Tesla stopping at a red light? Are you ready to have robotaxis roaming the streets in 2020, or would you like humans to remain in control for at least another decade? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Featured Image: Out of Spec Motoring via Auto Vision | <urn:uuid:1b601c80-d8f3-466b-a4ed-e7e5122a3f74> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://nerdist.com/article/tesla-stoplight-surreal/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573540.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20220819005802-20220819035802-00468.warc.gz | en | 0.911847 | 594 | 2.109375 | 2 |
Policy and Research Papers
Timor-Leste has experienced a combination of United Nations (UN), bilateral and Government of Timor-Leste (GoTL)-led Security Sector Development (SSD) efforts since its people voted for independence from Indonesia in 1999. The overcrowded SSD field with multiple agencies and contradictory influences was a further hindrance to coherent SSD. The failure of international actors to engage politically and engender state ownership of the SSD processes was a lost opportunity. As a result, many of the government’s own initiatives did not meet internationally-upheld democratic benchmarks. The compromises made continue to blight the security sector context today, however, they were, in the eyes of the government, political necessities for the survival and stability of the new state. Following the withdrawal of the last UN mission, UNMIT, in 2012, the SSD field has become less crowded. While there are fewer bilateral agencies involved, some inconsistencies and contradictions between approaches to SSD remain. The GoTL is however being more directive of international support and is demanding more collaboration, coordination and consistency from its partners. New, second generation approaches to SSD are emerging that are working more closely with government systems as well as non-state actors and informal justice systems to bring about a more gradual, but more embedded process of transition towards improved democratic accountability in Timor-Leste’s security sector.
To access the full report Assessing the Impact of Orthodox Security Sector Reform in Timor-Leste, kindly click on the link. | <urn:uuid:a597e339-ffcd-4021-8320-263cbd333775> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://issat.dcaf.ch/ara/Learn/Resource-Library/Author/Joana-Saraiva | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571745.28/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812170436-20220812200436-00476.warc.gz | en | 0.949574 | 304 | 1.960938 | 2 |
What makes a good PE student at Blueberry Park?
A student who has a positive attitude to P.E and has an understanding of how to apply skills in everyday life. They can work independently, as part of a team and can support and encourage others. They can identify key strengths and areas of improvement.
Have a positive attitude towards a variety of sporting areas and willingness to further develop both technical and tactical skills.
Physical education at Blueberry Park provides children with the opportunities to develop and progress through a staggered approach. The children enjoy communicating, collaborating and competing with each other on a weekly basis.
The children at Blueberry love their weekly PE lessons that are engaging and child led. Many of our children take part in a range of extra-curricular clubs, including; Cricket, Dance, Gymnastics, Multi-skill games, Tennis.
Physical activity not only improves health, reduces stress and improves concentration, but also promotes correct physical growth and development. Exercise has a positive influence on academic achievement, emotional stability and interaction with others.
In Key Stage 1, pupils should develop fundamental movement skills, become increasingly competent and confident and access a broad range of opportunities to extend their agility, balance and coordination.
In Key Stage 2, pupils should continue to apply and develop a broader range of skills. They should develop an understanding of how to improve in different physical activities and sports and learn how to evaluate and recognise their own success.
Progression of skills
End of year expectations | <urn:uuid:fe1dd9a3-fbf4-4f07-b880-d4a088180676> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.blueberryparkprimary.co.uk/curriculum-learning/physical-education | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572833.78/warc/CC-MAIN-20220817001643-20220817031643-00275.warc.gz | en | 0.945439 | 321 | 2.96875 | 3 |
For a student who wants to continue a successful academic career, writing an assignment is essential. Online Assignment Help professionals from college written assignments advise students to spend a couple of days deciding what to include and exclude in the essay to construct a full-proof assignment before they begin producing it. While students frequently make mistakes in their papers by ignoring most of the principles, here are a few pointers to help you avoid making such blunders when creating a writing assignment:
Students are having trouble coming up with an academic paper:
Students who plan to write a paper typically struggle with choosing a topic, according to executives from college application Assignment Help organizations. A badly picked topic for their writing project, according to experts, reflects poorly on their personality, choices, and objectives. As a result, selecting a topic that is both safe and relevant to the current situation is crucial. Professors always want a diverse cohort of students in the school; therefore, all of this is regarded to be hurting students’ impressions.
As students choose an academic paper, bear the following in mind:
- Don’t be very personal
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Putting ideas into action is a nightmare:
Students typically struggle with executing their ideas in the article paper, according to specialists at Online Assignment Help Provider services. The central topic, upon which the entire work is built, must be presented in simple words. However, a lack of understanding of both the chosen topic and how it should be written diminishes the quality of the paper. As a result, the students’ perceptions of themselves in the eyes of the professors deteriorate.
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It’s best to stay away from repeating facts
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The term “challenge” is distinctly important and drastically used, mainly among university students, but moreover among specialists and jobholders. The challenge’s essential purpose is to reinforce the student’s connection to the material. Students and younger aspirants are presently so overworked that they’re not able to continuously supply attractive assignments. As a result, Assignment Help experts are accessible to assist college students with their homework. Tutors, lecturers, writers, and different forms of challenge helpers reveal their roles in quite a few ways. When a trainer assigns homework to college students, they do now no longer hesitate to be looking for assistance. Now that they have got been assigned work, all college students can loosen up their minds and align their attention in numerous activities. | <urn:uuid:93da0636-ab6f-4033-b057-8d126a5d4076> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://kizung.com/professional-advice-from-an-online-college-assignment-help-service | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573623.4/warc/CC-MAIN-20220819035957-20220819065957-00671.warc.gz | en | 0.950336 | 757 | 2.34375 | 2 |
It's official: Canada will remain in Afghanistan beyond the mission's scheduled conclusion in 2011.
The confirmation came Saturday; Defence minister Peter MacKay acknowledging that Canada will play a ‘non-combat' role in Afghanistan beyond the 2011 withdrawal of combat forces. MacKay stressed he'd work "within the parameters of the parliamentary motion which states very clearly that the ‘military' mission will come to an end in 2011," saying Canadian troops would "transition into some of the other important work that we're doing, that includes a focus on police training."
The proposed training role outlined by MacKay will surely be welcomed by our partners in NATO who recently requested that Canada remain in Afghanistan, in some capacity, beyond 2011. In fact, the mentoring role Canadian troops are set to undertake was specifically suggested by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. International pressure was likely a factor in the strategy shift detailed by MacKay, but the deepening rift between the Karzai government and the West calls into question the wisdom of such a decision; A decision which comes on the heels of increasingly erratic behaviour by Afghan president Hamid Karzai, who's recent outlandish accusations drew international criticism and unilateral scorn.
Although many Canadians have been under the impression that Canada's Afghan contribution would come to a complete conclusion in 2011, MacKay insists "the prime minister has been clear in saying that our commitment to Afghanistan is for the long term."
You're forgiven if you don't recall the ‘clarity' MacKay suggests came from the PMO; Harper has remained intentionally muted on the issue while others privy to the details offer identically scripted answers to questions pertaining to Afghanistan.
This is why we need a public discussion about Afghanistan; Canadians want clarity on the mission they're being asked to support, and answers to fundamental questions surrounding the proposed new plan.
What is the ultimate goal of the mission? What will a continued ‘non-military' presence achieve? How many troops will be involved? Will the renewed commitment be an open ended one, or will it have a scheduled termination? Most importantly, with Canada and our NATO allies questioning the sincerity of the Karzai government, how will continuing to support a corrupt, dishonest, opportunistic regime amount to anything but a frivolous attempt toward an unachievable ideal?
The soldiers who've already served in Afghanistan, and those who died in the battle, did so with honour and conviction; Their contributions were not in vain. However, over the course of eight years the circumstances have changed; The military is exhausted, NATO forces are worn out, and the battle has shifted beyond Afghanistan into Pakistan. It's clearly become an endless crusade, and one that cannot be sustained.
Unless the Harper government is prepared to commit our troops to the indefinite struggle of creating, and maintaining a sense order in the Middle East, it's difficult to imagine that the proposed extension of Canadian involvement will result in any substantive gain. Unless there is a comprehensive strategy and detailed plan to justify a continued presence in Afghanistan, it's time to bring our troops home.
All of them.
UPDATE April 12: Afghan president Hamid Karzai threatens to block NATO offensive
UPDATE April 25: More questions than answers as RCMP plans training for Afghan police | <urn:uuid:0b33f009-7f63-4a56-b25a-f7ee99a588d8> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://rabble.ca/comment/1132818 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280891.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00154-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961552 | 658 | 1.734375 | 2 |
The Missouri legislature is on spring break at the moment, so let’s take a look at the health-related bills working their way around the Capitol.
The legislature will reconvene Monday, March 30, before a short Easter break at the beginning of April.
Proving only that silence is deafening, this session in Missouri has offered disappointingly little movement, or even debate around Medicaid expansion. Despite momentum from last session, the conversation seems to be stalled. A handful of legislative champions have offered a range of Medicaid bills, including:
- SB 301 (Senator Ryan Silvey, R – Kansas City): Medicaid reform without adult coverage expansion. Extends managed care statewide and expands use of health care homes for the medically frail.
- SB 419 (Silvey, R – Kansas City): Block grants Medicaid, does not explicitly expand the program.
- SB 230 (Senator Gary Romine, R – Farmington): Extends managed care throughout the state and moves elderly, blind and disabled beneficiaries into coordinated care organizations. This bill was voted out of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs & Health Committee.
- SB 287 (Silvey, R – Kansas City): Expands Medicaid for veterans and their families.
Despite the abundance of proposals, none of them fully expand Medicaid. Neither Medicaid reform nor expansion have received much debate in the general assembly. Simultaneously, opponents of Medicaid expansion in Missouri have recently organized to create the Missouri Century Foundation (news article), an organization singularly dedicated to opposing Medicaid expansion.
The debate has been bolstered by Governor Sam Brownback’s signal of support for Medicaid expansion, as well as a plethora of positive news detailing Kentucky’s expansion. Recently released polling data in Missouri shows 80 percent support for a plan to reform and expand Medicaid.
Prescription Drug Monitoring
Missouri is the only state in the U.S. that has not yet enacted a prescription drug monitoring program, an electronic database that monitors controlled substance prescriptions. Such drug monitoring programs can warn of dangerous drug interactions and also reduce prescription drug abuse. SB 63 (Senator David Sater, R – Cassville) and HB 130 (Representative Holly Rehder, R – Sikeston) both offer prescription drug monitoring programs. The House bill has passed and been transferred to the Senate. The Senate bill is on the calendar, waiting for a vote.
Both the House and Senate have approved SB24, which would substantially change the state’s welfare program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The program currently has five-year, lifetime limits on benefits. The Senate reduced the limit to four years and the House reduced it further to 2.5 years. Also under consideration is reinstating work requirements for food stamp beneficiaries and instituting stricter work/education requirements for parents. Of the 73,000 Missouri beneficiaries, 2/3 are children.
Odds and Ends
Just a few other issues to watch…
- SB 46 (Senator Jason Holsman, D – Kansas City): requires hospital price transparency.
- SB 89 (Senator Paul LeVota, D – Independence): create an insurance rate review.
- HB112 (Representative Diane Franklin, R – Camdenton): creates a mechanism for enhanced workforce data collection. | <urn:uuid:b6e1c98b-c26b-47a2-b912-1c11322295f1> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://hcfgkc.org/whats-going-on-in-missouri-a-mid-session-legislative-recap/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280891.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00154-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.915545 | 665 | 1.53125 | 2 |
| We are
very proud of our newest attraction ~ the newly renovated Georgetown
Ranch Barn. This beautifully restored historical monument was part of
the original Georgetown Ranch and has recently been restored to
beautiful condition. It is located right next to the #7 green.
A History of the Georgetown
Contributed by Holly Wilson ~
In the late 1800's a group of Mormon settlers led by George
Morley arrived in the Steptoe Valley and established a farming
community at its southern end. Named Georgetown for its founder (or,
alternately, for a church official of the time--there is
controversy here), the colony prospered, building a small
church, a schoolhouse, and other structures that supported the Western habit of self-sufficiency.
The very water that gave the Ranch life,
however, proved too
abundant for the settlers, often flooding their expanding enterprise. So
they moved on, many into the Lund and Preston areas.
Arthur L. Smith, President of Ely Light and
Power, took control
of the Ranch in the early 1900's, and it was he who ordered the barn
built---generic in its uses, individual in design and character.
All tin painted red exterior with white wooden trim, galvanized
metal roof, and some windows with real glass, the two-story structure
housed teams of draft horses, Smith's prized Hereford stock, calves,
dairy cows, and stores of hay and grain. Unusual trapezoidal framing
sturdied the loft over a partially-cemented floor. Feed slid from the
loft through interior chutes or was tossed outside from the
"cannonball" sliding windows. Smith had the barn wired for lighting and
modest electrical needs. It sat amid a sea of corrals; the big red
beyond Georgetown's red gate.
Click on any photo to
Eventually the Ranch passed into Ely City's ownership, sections
of its valuable flood plain leased for compatible purposes. The old
Georgetown buildings were dismantled, removed, or succumbed to fire. Today
just the slaughterhouse (east of #5 golf tees) remains in addition to the
barn, which finds itself ( at nearly 100 years of age) surrounded by
colorful golfers instead of cowboys. Course equipment now fills the dark
We encourage visitors to photograph and/or sketch the Barn from
different perspectives in every season. It stands as icon of
White Pine's history and the special landscape that is Great Basin and | <urn:uuid:0a0651c0-7c0a-476e-9915-5f454b1edf44> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://www.elygolfing.com/georgetown_ranch_barn.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988721558.87/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183841-00045-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949438 | 528 | 1.992188 | 2 |
The most famous series of peaks in the enthralling mountain ranges of Pakistan are climbed up by thousands of local and foreign tourists every year but due to coronavirus this year, the tourism industry has been badly affected.
Before June, July, and August, famous mountaineers from Italy, the USA, UK, Netherlands, Brazil and Spain, etc come to Pakistan to visit famous destinations and climb up the famous peaks of Nanga Parbat, K-2, etc. Approximately 5 million rupees are received by the government of Pakistan in taxes in this term.
The increasingly stable security situation, improvements in road infrastructure (extension of motorways and KKH under CPEC project), and extensive promotional campaigns at national and international levels (by collaborating with famous vloggers, bloggers and social media activists) has contributed in a major way for the growth in tourism.
Consequently, local tourism gets flourished and people’s income increases during these months. According to Abu Zafar Sadiq, the President of Alpine Club of Pakistan, The local mountaineers also get highly encouraged by the international mountains who visit Pakistan every year. Moreover, the income of local mountaineers also increases in an honorable way.
This year, the financial conditions of the concerned population are aggravating. Mr. Sadiq appealed to the government of Pakistan to include those sufferers in the Ehsaas emergency cash program. Apart from the population concerned with the hiking and trekking activities that are being suffered, the Government should address the issues of all those who are related to tourism activities.
Hotel and related industry have not been included in the list of those who have been given permission to start the business activities. But in major good news for the tourism sector, yesterday, PM Imran Khan said that the tourism industry should be revived once again, urging the public to follow the SOPs outlined by the government.
“I think that tourism should open now because tourism provides jobs to many in Gilgit-Baltistan and elsewhere. My appeal to you is please be a responsible nation because we have to prevent the spread of virus and also avoid poverty and misery.”
Image source link | <urn:uuid:8ef2d05d-7787-4672-a478-bb39ef9fe05a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.aboutpakistan.com/news/tourism-badly-affected-by-the-coronavirus-pm-lifts-the-restrictions/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571538.36/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812014923-20220812044923-00476.warc.gz | en | 0.95796 | 444 | 1.726563 | 2 |
For centuries and to this day, (male) poetry about women compares them to flowers,
or at least surrounds them in their objectification raptures. Here is a feminine musical formation which, in its own name, reinforcing the assumed and intentional circumstance of being made up only of women, in a medium – that of improvised music – which is dominated by men, subverts this botanical factor.
Lantana is called, referring to flowers that spontaneously grow in nature. Weeding, weed, indomitable flowers. The use of herbicides and the introduction of insects to control their spread do not affect them and livestock that feed on them become ill.
For Maria do Mar, Joana Guerra, Helena Espvall, Maria Radich, Anna Piosik and Carla Santana, the music they play doesn´t need to contain more explicit messages (Radich’s voice is an instrument like the others): what they bring as a concept and the project could not be made clearer, by the inherent attitude of nonconformity, rebellion, and contestation in the form of music that doesn’t need to be anything other than organized sound. An organic and rhizomatic song made of wild blossoms that spontaneously burst from the earth, a song that does not submit to stereotypes, that explores, that invades, that contradicts, that destabilizes, including the coordinates of what we recognize as “improvised music”, to such a creative stream that these exclusivist manifestations – “boys things”, one would say – has been going on since the late 1960s.
(Text by Rui Eduardo Paes) | <urn:uuid:3940661f-f705-4676-9f15-db5cda25bf31> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://lisboasoa.com/en/performance/lantana-pt-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571989.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813232744-20220814022744-00466.warc.gz | en | 0.9584 | 340 | 1.835938 | 2 |
***This course is not available for the Track C July/August learning period.***
*Recommended Grades: 4-8 (1 quarter long).
This course is a Lower School and Middle School course focusing on the introduction of Theatre through creating a Puppet Show final project. In this course, learners will read scripts geared for their age group, be introduced to essential Theatre vocabulary such as characters, setting, costumes, scenery, and props. Learners will create their own script and create a puppet show to perform. This course will explore their artistic abilities, in both performance and visual, and encourage learners to utilize both critical thinking and writing skills as they work to understand how to write in script format. | <urn:uuid:d1832dd7-d8f3-4d40-a074-cfa4d6c77a04> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://ileadonline.org/product/puppet-show-theatre/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573760.75/warc/CC-MAIN-20220819191655-20220819221655-00672.warc.gz | en | 0.943016 | 143 | 4.125 | 4 |
Estonian Sauna culture
Some people insist they’re part of an important health ritual, a way to keep clean, or an unbeatable hangover cure. For most Estonians, however, saunas represent a way to relax, spend time with family and friends, and to warm up after a day out in the bone-chilling extremes of the Nordic winter.
Though Estonia’s northern neighbour, Finland, is the undisputed sauna capital of the world (the very word ‘sauna’ in English is actually borrowed straight from the Finnish), the practice of confining steam or heat to a confined area for bathing purposes is found in a number of world cultures. Japanese, Native Americans and Russians all have their versions of steam and sweat baths.
The Estonian saun is thought to come from a rural sauna tradition that extends from the Baltic region to the Urals, so it’s no surprise that the development of sauna culture and practices here has a lot in common with that of Estonia’s neighbours. The aforementioned Finns will find few differences between their sauna designs and the ones in Estonia. Since the tradition dates back before written records were kept, there’s no way of telling how long it has been going on in the country. The fact that there’s even a ‘Sauna’ street and a medieval ‘Sauna Tower’ in Tallinn’s Old Town is, however, a good indicator of the importance of saunas in centuries past.
These days, while saunas are often still used for bathing by country folk, it’s much more common to find them used for de-stressing, for warming up, and for parties. Because advances in technology mean that saunas are no longer confined to separate buildings or little huts in the woods, a lot of hotels and sports clubs have one or more saunas built in. Some inventive people even manage to squeeze two-person saunas into their tiny, Soviet-era apartments. If you’re a first-time visitor to Tallinn, or just someone who’s curious about this important part of Estonian life, you’ll definitely want to make at least one sauna stop while you’re here.
What follows are some tips to make your sauna experience more rewarding, and to point out some fascinating sauna possibilities that go way beyond what’s on offer in the average hotel. The most important thing to remember, however, is that the sauna is a social experience, so get together with some Estonian friends, pack up some bottles of beer, and head to where the steam is!
A ‘how-to’ guide
First, get naked. Bathing suits in saunas are a rarity. Most public saunas will be single-sex or have times for men and women, though families and groups of friends often go in mixed groups. That said, if you’re in a large bathhouse or health club, check the signs before running out naked into the common pool area and having your photo taken by the tabloid press or Tallinn In Your Pocket.
Once you’re ready, step into the sauna. It’s good to bring a towel with you to sit on. Choose your bench carefully. Heat rises, and the top bench, especially when the ceiling is low, can be real scorcher. Though experts say 60 - 70 °C is the optimal temperature for sweating, Estonians typically heat their saunas to 80 - 100°C, sometimes as high as 110°C. If you’re a novice, start with the lower bench.
After you’ve gotten used to the heat, it's time for leil. You take the dipper and scoop some of the water from the bucket and pour it over the stones. The effect of even a little water on the stones is instantaneous, so take it slow. Under no circumstances should you pour the whole bucket onto the stones. Even if you survive the resulting heat, your companions will probably kill you.
When you’re nice and sweaty, and comfortable with the temperature, you can take the viht or birch branches (sometimes provided, sometimes sold separately) and gently swat your back, torso and limbs. Better still, go the traditional route and let your sauna companion give you a hand. This is a kind of massage, and will supposedly increase your circulation and make you perspire more, getting rid of all those nasty toxins.
The typical session, the time you sit in the sauna itself, lasts about ten minutes. By this time, you should be fairly well drenched in your own perspiration, and ready to cool off. Of course, you should go at your own pace, and leave early if you feel dizzy or start to see mystical visions of Estonian folk dancers.
As in Finland, Estonians like to run out into the snow or jump in a cold lake after a sauna session, but lakes and private snow banks simply aren’t as available here, so many people skip this step. A shower is usually available to help you clean up. A post sauna drink and snack are a must.
The many faces of sauna
What Estonians simply call an ordinary ‘sauna’ is also referred to here as ‘Finnish sauna’ for clarity’s sake. The most typical type of sauna, this one involves a wood-fired stove (or sometimes an electric heater, though purists scoff at this innovation) with a collection of fist-sized stones on top. When the stones are hot enough, the water poured over them instantly vaporises. Sauna interiors are almost always made of wood, which gives them a pleasant, distinct fragrance.
This older type of sauna is gaining a newfound popularity lately, and many people swear by it. It’s only found in the countryside, built into small huts usually made of logs. Here the stove is much larger and the benches higher than in an ordinary sauna. The idea of the smoke sauna is that, instead of having a chimney pipe, the stove lets all its smoke into the room. This smoke-out is actually an exercise in nostalgia, harkening back to the time before Estonians had chimney technology. To avoid an unfortunate carbon monoxide incident, a small window in the opposite wall is opened to let the air clear before people actually use the sauna.
Much less common than the Finnish and smoke saunas, steam sauna is what most English speakers would refer to as a ‘Turkish bath.’ As the name implies, large amounts of steam are pumped into the room, which is usually lined with tile, rather than wood.
The very latest in sauna technology is a recent arrival in Estonia. In fact, there are only a handful of them at the country’s health resorts. Usually build into a smaller sauna booth, the infrared sauna uses heat lamps, rather than a stove, to warm up your flesh and get your sweat glands going. Tallinn In Your Pocket tried this one out and found it relaxing enough, but with the strange light you may feel like a rotisserie chicken in a restaurant window.
Read an interview with sauna aficionado Adam Rang.
Rangi saun, Kalma saun, Mustamäe Elamus Spa, Tallink Spa & Conference Hotel sauna. | <urn:uuid:14070c22-bda4-4138-8549-962c9528f0cf> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.inyourpocket.com/tallinn/estonian-sauna-culture_55311f | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573760.75/warc/CC-MAIN-20220819191655-20220819221655-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.939285 | 1,583 | 2.03125 | 2 |
The latest US non-farm payrolls show that 165,000 jobs were created last month. Economists had been predicting a figure closer to 145,000.
The US Labour Department also revised its figures for March and February upwards. The February number was revised up to 332,000, the best monthly gain since May 2010.
The unemployment rate is now at a four-year low of 7.5%.
The drop in the unemployment rate reflected an increase in employment, rather than people leaving the workforce.
March non-farm payrolls were revised upwards by 50,000 to 138,000.
Joe Manimbo, market analyst at Western Union Business Solutions, said the numbers were "surprisingly positive".
"This shows the job market and the economy in general appear to be more resilient than investors had feared," he added.
'Uneven' labour market
But some analysts felt the details behind the headline numbers still pointed to a economy that continues to struggle. Construction employment fell and the payrolls in the manufacturing sector remained flat.
Tom Porcelli, US economist at RBC Capital Markets, saw a more mixed picture in the figures.
"A couple of things drive this home, namely average weekly earnings are down and aggregate hours. Those are more forward looking metrics and how it will unfold in the fourth quarter that is not encouraging," he said.
"This report confirms that the labour market backdrop remains very much uneven."
The US dollar gained more than 1% against the Japanese yen, hitting 99.18 yen. The euro lost 0.1% against the greenback, falling to $1.3059. Before the payroll numbers were released, it had been trading higher against the dollar.
Spot gold fell 0.4% immediately after the release of the figures, to $1,460.11 an ounce.
So, some previous numbers were revised upwards and April was a very strong month. Good to see the US is recovering well, this should help the global recovery. | <urn:uuid:8a4f6a43-5fe8-4d34-bddb-c8ac7af682fb> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?t=239438&f=20&view=unread | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988722951.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183842-00210-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976615 | 408 | 1.75 | 2 |
H.R. 1592: Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007
In January of 2007, after the Democrats were elected to a majority of the seats in the United States Congress, Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas) introduced the Federal Hate Crime bill H.R. 254 or the David Ray Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007. This law would bring a mandatory sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted or life, if "the acts committed in violation of this paragraph include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill." Critics call it a "thought crimes" bill.
These penalties come into effect if an "actual or perceived" threat occurs. Because it is up to the court to determine how the criminal perceived the "race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, or disability, of the victim," it is felt there is the possibility to abuse this law in places where more ordinary harassment or assault charges would suffice.
There are some hypothetical situations where this bill can cause what many would see as unethical penalties.
1) If two serious assaults were committed against different, but similar, healthy white male young adults, if one were a type of person protected by the legislation, then the criminal who assaulted that person may serve more time.
2) "Actual or perceived" may cause problems in cases where minor assault would have resulted in a citation, whereas now it may lead to an arrest and conviction.
The Democratic controlled House Judiciary Committee rejected minority ammendments to add military personnel, senior citizens, pregnant women who have been battered by their boyfriends and husbands when they become pregnent, and the homeless -- all groups which have suffered violence and hate motivated attacks -- from the special protected classes defined for inclusion within the bill. In its present form the bill targets free speech and religious leaders who denounce homosexuality as a sin and then could be charged under Federal law with incitement.
Concerned Women for America President Wendy Wright expressed concern the bill is intended to give heterosexuals second class citizenship. Wright pointed outm, "Matthew Shepard’s assailants received the same sentence as Mary Stachowicz’s, a grandmother who was brutally murdered by a homosexual man. Victims are — and should be — treated equally in the justice system, regardless of their ‘sexual orientation.’ This ‘hate crimes’ bill would overturn this balance, creating second-class victims and a federal justice system that discriminates against grandmothers, children, women and men simply because they are heterosexual. We cannot imagine that President Bush would sign a bill that would create a two-tiered justice system that discriminates against grandmothers.”
- Christian belief a 'hate crime' under plan, WorldNetDaily, March 3, 2007.
- CWA Asks President for Veto Pledge on ‘Hate Crimes’ Legislation, May 1 2007, | <urn:uuid:e1277a54-b011-475a-bcd8-6664bba82de7> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=H.R._1592:_Local_Law_Enforcement_Hate_Crimes_Prevention_Act_of_2007&oldid=772752 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560284411.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095124-00454-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958629 | 605 | 2.09375 | 2 |
Mohamad Hesam Shahrajabian1, Wenli Sun1, Hong Shen2, Qi Cheng1,3,*
1Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, CHINA.
2NMPA Key laboratory for Testing and Risk Warning of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Biological Inspection Department, Zhejiang Institute for Food and Drug Control, Hangzhou, CHINA.
3College of Life Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei, China; Global Alliance of HeBAU-CLS&HeQiS for BioAI-Manufacturing, Baoding, Hebei, CHINA.
Published: January 2021
Type: Review Article
Introduction: Galactomannas are polysaccharides similar to cellulose and starch. Methods: A literature search was conducted in Medline, Scopus, PubMed and Google scholar databases. The keywords were fenugreek, health benefits, bioactive components, galactomannans, diosgenin and pharmaceutical science. Results: Fenugreek galactomannan is a heteropolysaccharide which reduces blood glucose level as normalize the surface activities inside the small intestine. They are also used in food products in order to increase the thickness of the water content. The most important health benefits of galactomanna are reduction in LDL cholesterol levels in hypercholesterolemic, blood lipids, as well as to reduce blood pressure and fibrinolysis. Diosgenin is an isospirostane derivative and the product of acids or enzymes hydrolysis process of dioscin and protodioscin. Conclusion: Diosgenin shows biological activities including antioxidant, anti-diabetes, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-adipogenic effects. | <urn:uuid:31958864-6d9f-430e-9f1b-6bdbb8127173> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://phcogcommn.org/content/292 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570741.21/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808001418-20220808031418-00075.warc.gz | en | 0.873144 | 409 | 2.875 | 3 |
Date: Tuesday 2 April, 2013
Organizer: Anna Maria di Sciullo (Université du Québec à Montréal)
Deadline for submission: November 15, 2012
Notification of acceptance: January 20, 2013
Submission of abstracts: EasyChair
This workshop addresses fundamental questions on the properties of the Language Faculty from a biolinguistic perspective, with a particular attention on how this perspective contributes to further understanding of linguistic phenomena with large empirical coverage.
The study of the relation between humans’ biology and the Language Faculty is central in Biolinguistics (Lenneberg 1967; Chomsky 1983, 2005; Jenkins 2000, 2004; Gallistel, 2009; Di Sciullo et al 2010; Berwick and Chomsky 2011; Di Sciullo and Boeckx 2011).
While theoretical hypotheses about this relation emerged in the generative enterprise since its beginnings, recent developments directly address the issue in terms of the properties of the ‘language organ’. Different hypotheses about the properties of the generative procedure giving rise to the discrete infinity of language are still under discussion, and their connection with biology is open to important cross-disciplinary work (Hauser, Chomsky and Fitch 2002; Piattelli-Palmarini and Uriagereka 2008; Larson 2011; Lasnik 2011, 2012; Arsenijević and Hinzen 2012).
Advances have been made in human-animal studies to differentiate human language from animal communication (Jarvis 2004; Fitch and Hauser 2004; Friederici 2009; Fitch 2010). Contributions from neuroscience also point to the exclusive properties of the human brain for language (Moro 2010; Friederici et al. 2011; Patel 2008, 2012). Studies of genetically based language impairments also contribute to the understanding of the properties of the language organ (Ross and Bever 2004; Bishop et al. 2005; Hancock and Bever 2012; Patel et al. 2008; Wexler 2003).
This workshop invites contributions showing how the theoretical and experimental works on the biological basis of language shed light on core linguistic phenomena.
The relation between language variation and biology is another important area of research in biolinguistics, as variation is a constant in the observable biological world, as it is in language variation and historical evolution (Cavalli-Sforza and Feldman 1981; Lewontin 2000). Theoretical approaches to language variation stemming from works on population genetics, and syntactic approaches to language phylogeny opened new horizons for the study of language variation, and more broadly for language development, including its development in the child (Bever 1981; Longobardi and Guardiano 2011; Niyogi 2006, Niyogi and Berwick 2009; Di Sciullo 2011, 2012, Biberauer, Holmberg and Roberts 2012). Recent works on the poverty of the stimulus bring additional arguments to the biological nature of language, and they address central issues related to deterministic/probabilistic theories of language learning and language variation (Berwick et al 2011; Yang 2002, 2008, 2011).
Other works address the question of why parameters emerge and why resetting of parameters occurs, and consider the role of external, environmental factors in language variation and change. This workshop invites contributions with large empirical coverage that address fundamental questions on language development and language variation and their technical instantiations as feature-valuing, symmetry-breaking, functional flexibility, as a distinctive instance of variation and development in the natural world.
The relation between Language as a computational procedure and principles reducing complexity has been part of the research agenda in the generative enterprise since the 1950’s. Framed within biolinguistics, the principles of efficient computation are natural laws affecting the properties of the operations and the derivations of the (Narrow) Language Faculty (Chomsky 2005, 2011). They apply to Merge (No Tampering Condition), as well as to the derivational procedure (minimal search, phases, Agree), to SM (Pronounce the Minimum, Chomsky 2011), and CI (Reference Set, Reinhart 2006; Local Economy, Fox 1999) interfaces. They reduce the specific properties of the Language Faculty, while they affect all aspects of the generative procedure.
Several questions arise regarding the properties of the so-called ‘third factor’ in language development, including the following: How do the principles of efficient computation address classical computational notions of complexity, such as Kolmogorov’s 1965 definition, as well as novel notions of complexity? How are they related to natural laws? What is their relation with the Strong Minimalist Thesis? This workshop invites contributions with large empirical coverage that address fundamental questions on principles of efficient computation in the study of the biology of language.
Arsenijević, B. and W. Hinzen. 2012. On the absence of X-within-X recursion in human grammar. Linguistic Inquiry 43(3): 423–440.
Berwick, R.C. and N. Chomsky. 2011. The Biolinguistic Program: The Current State of its Evolution. In A.M. Di Sciullo and C. Boeckx (eds.). The Biolinguistic Entreprise: New Perspectives on the Evolution and Nature of the Human Language Faculty. 19–41. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Berwick, R.C., P. Pietroski, B. Yankama, and N. Chomsky. 2011. Poverty of the Stimulus Revisited. Cognitive Science 35: 1207–42.
Bever, T.G. 1981. Normal Acquisition Processes Explain the Critical Period for Language Learning. In Diller, K.C. (ed.). Individual differences and universals in language learning aptitude, 176–198. Newbury House.
Biberauer, T., A. Holmberg, and I. Roberts. 2012. A Syntactic Universal and its Consequences. Ms. University of Cambridge.
Bishop, Dorothy V. M., Caroline V. Adams & Courtenay F. Norbury. 2005. Distinct genetic influences on grammar and phonological short-term memory deficits: Evidence from 6-year-old twins. Genes, Brain and Behavior 5, 158–169.
Cavalli-Sforza L. and M. Feldman. 1981. Cultural Transmission and Evolution. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Chomsky, N. 2011. Poverty of Stimulus: Unfinished Business. Lecture presented in the Lecture Series ‘Sprache und Gehirn – Zur Sprachfahigkeit des Menschen’ organized by Angela D. Friederici in the context of the Johannes Gutenberg endowed professorship. Summer 2010.
Chomsky, N. 2005. Three Factors in Language Design. Linguistic Inquiry. 36: 1–22.
Chomsky, N. 1988. Language and the Problems of Knowledge. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press.
Chomsky, N. 1980. Discussion. In Piattelli-Palmarini, M. (ed.). Language and Learning. The Debate between Jean Piaget and Noam Chomsky. 73–83. London: Routledge.
Chomsky, N. 1975. Reflections on Language. New York: Pantheon.
Di Sciullo, A.M. 2012. An Evolutionary Developmental Universal: Evidence from the Morpho-Syntactic Evolution of the Nominal domain. Paper presented at the Typology and Universals in Word-Formation Conference.
Di Sciullo, A.M. 2011. A Biolinguistic Approach to Variation. In A.M. Di Sciullo and C. Boeckx (eds.). The Biolinguistic Entreprise: New Perspectives on the Evolution and Nature of the Human Language Faculty. 305–328. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Di Sciullo, A.M. and L. Jenkins. 2012. Biolinguistics and the Nature of the Language Faculty. To appear in Language.
Di Sciullo, A.M., M. Piattelli-Palmarini, K. Wexler, R.C. Berwick, C. Boeckx, L. Jenkins, J. Uriagereka, K. Stromswold, L. Cheng, H. Harley, A. Wedel, J. McGilvray, E. van Gelderen, and G.T. Bever. 2010. The Biological Nature of Human Language. Biolinguistics 4:4–34.
Fitch, W.T. 2010. The Evolution of Language. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Fitch, W.T. and M.D. Hauser. 2004. Computational Constraints on Syntactic processing in Nonhuman Primates. Science 303: 377–380.
Fox, D. 1999. Local Economy. Cambridge, Mass: The MIT Press.
Friederici, A.D. 2009. The brain differentiates hierarchical and probabilistic grammars. In Piattelli-Palmarini, M., J. Uriagereka, and P. Salaburu (eds.). Of Minds and Language: A dialogue with Noam Chomsky in the Basque country. 184–194. New York: Oxford University Press.
Friederici, A.D., J. Bahlmann, R. Friedrich, and M. Makuuchi. 2011. The Neural Basis of Recursion. Biolinguistics 5(1-2): 87–104.
Friedrich, R., and A.D. Friederici. 2009. Mathematical Logic in the Human Brain: Syntax. PLoS ONE, 4(5): e5599.
Gallistel, C.R. 2009. The foundational abstractions. In Piattelli-Palmirini, M., J. Uriagereka, and P. Salaburu. (eds). Of minds and language: A dialogue with Noam Chomsky in the Basque country. 58–73. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Hancock, R. and T.G. Bever. 2012. Genetic Factors and Normal Variation in the Organization of Language. Ms. University of Arizona at Tucson.
Hauser, M.D., N. Chomsky, and W.T. Fitch. 2002. The faculty of language: What is it, who has it, and how did it evolve? Science 298: 1569–1579.
Jarvis, Erich D. 2004. Learned Birdsong and the Neurobiology of Human Language. Annals of the New York Academy of Science 1016: 749–777.
Jenkins, L. 2000. Biolinguistics. Cambridge, Mass: The MIT Press.
Jenkins, L. (ed.). 2004. Variation and Universals in Biolinguistics. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Kolmogorov, A.N. 1965. Three approaches to the quantitative definition of information. Problems in Information Transmission 1.1–7.
Larson, R.K. 2011. Clauses, Propositions and Phases. In A.M. Di Sciullo and C. Boeckx (eds.). The Biolinguistic Enterprise: New Perspectives on the Evolution and Nature of the Human Language Faculty. 366–391. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Lasnik, H. 2011. What kind of computing device is the human language faculty? In A.M. Di Sciullo and C. Boeckx (eds.). The Biolinguistic Enterprise: New Perspectives on the Evolution and Nature of the Human Language Faculty. 354–365. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Lasnik, H. 2012. A Surprizing Consequence of Single Cycle Syntax. In A.M. Di Sciullo (ed.). Towards a Biolinguistic Understanding of Grammar: Essays on Interfaces. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Lenneberg, E.H. 1967. Biological Foundations of Language. New York: Wiley.
Lewontin, R.C. 2000. The Triple Helix: Gene, Organism, and Environment. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press.
Lewontin, R.C. 1974. The Genetic Basis of Evolutionary Change. New York, NY: Columbia University Press.
Lightfoot, D. 2006. How New Languages Emerge. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Lightfoot, D. 1999. The Development of Language: Acquisition, Change, and Evolution. Malden, Mass: Blackwell.
Lightfoot, D. 1982. The Language Lottery: Toward a Biology of Grammars. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press.
Longobardi, G. and C. Guardiano. 2011. The Biolinguistic Program and Historical Reconstruction. In A.M. Di Sciullo and C. Boeckx (eds.). The Biolinguistic Enterprise. New Perspectives on the Evolution and Nature of the Human Language Faculty. 266–304. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Moro, A. 2010. The Boundaries of Babel: The Brain and the Enigma of Impossible Languages. Cambridge, Mass: The MIT Press.
Niyogi, P. 2006. The Computational Nature of Language Learning and Evolution. Cambridge, Mass: The MIT Press.
Niyogi, P. and R.C. Berwick. 2009. The proper treatment of language acquisition and change in a population setting. PNAS 106(25):10124–10129.
Piattelli-Palmarini, M. and J. Uriagereka. 2008. Still a bridge too far? Biolinguistic questions for grounding language on brains. Physics of Life Reviews 5: 207–224.
Patel, A.D. 2012. Advancing the comparative study of linguistic and musical syntactic processing. In P. Rebuschat, M. Rohrmeier, J. Hawkins, and I. Cross (eds.). Language and Music as Cognitive Systems. 248–253. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Patel, A.D. 2008. Music, Language, and the Brain. New York: Oxford University Press.
Patel, A.D., J.R. Iversen, M. Wassenaar, and P. Hagoort. 2008. Musical syntactic processing in agrammatic Broca’s aphasia. Aphasiology 22: 776–789.
Patel, A.D., E. Gibson, J. Ratner, M. Besson, and P. Holcomb. 1998. Processing syntactic relations in language and music: An event-related potential study. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 10: 717–733.
Reinhart, T. 2006. Interface Strategies. Cambridge, Mass: The MIT Press.
Ross, D.S. and T.G. Bever. 2004. The time course for language acquisition in biologically distinct populations: Evidence from deaf individuals. Brain and Language 89: 115–121.
Wexler, K. 2003. Lenneberg’s dream: Learning, normal language development and specific language impairment. In Y. Levi and J. Schaeffer (eds.). Language Competence across Populations: Toward a Definition of Specific Language Impairment. 11–61. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Yang, C. 2002. Knowledge and Learning in Natural Language. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Yang, C. 2008. The Great Number Crunch. Journal of Linguistics. 44: 205–228.
Yang, C. 2011. Usage unevenness in child language supports grammar productivity. BU Conference on Language Development. | <urn:uuid:a23891ee-19d7-4422-ae25-a3c8daf530ec> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://konferens.ht.lu.se/glow-36/call-for-papers/workshop-1-biolinguistics | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280791.35/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00363-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.761761 | 3,265 | 1.921875 | 2 |
Eritrea 1999 - A bleeding country that never kneels down
Serier Country Economic ReportDescription:
2000:5 Country Economic Report / This economic country study on Eritrea is part of a series of annual studies, undertaken by various Swedish universities and academic research institutes in collaboration with Sida. The main purpose of these studies is to enhance our knowledge and understanding of current economic development processes and challenges in Sweden's main partner countries for development co-operation. It is also hoped that they will have a broader academic interest and that the collaboration will serve to strengthen the Swedish academic resource base in the field of development economics.
This report has been prepared by Göte Hansson, Department of Economics and Institute for Economic Research, University of Lund.
- Download: Eritrea 1999 - A bleeding country that never kneels down
- Filesize: 1,5 MB | <urn:uuid:fe3a261c-b207-43b0-86ff-a4b3e2b79636> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.sida.se/Svenska/Publikationer-och-bilder/publikationer/2004/augusti/eritrea-1999---a-bleeding-country-that-never-kneels-down/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280891.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00159-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.90763 | 175 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Maja-Jalunji has undoubtedly become the most highly-refined photosynthetic performer on the planet.
Drawing red bands of light from the white-light of the sun leaves a residue of reflected light that most humans see as green; and yet, within this reflected light, blue and ultraviolet bands dominate the un-utilised portion of residual white-light.A light environment is established at the leafy, outer-surface of the rainforest, which makes the colour blue stand out with greatest prominence
BEAUTIFUL BACKERS OF BLUE
Fruits of the Cassowary Plum – Cerbera floribunda (Schumann, K.M., 1889) are discretely green until fully developed, turning conspicuously blue upon ripening.An abundance of these beautiful blue fruits are dislodged to the forest floor by the enthusiastic attention of fruit doves.To the highly adapted auditory sensitivities of Southern Cassowaries – Casuarius casuarius johnsonii (F. Müller, 1866), with their stunning blue head and neck, fruit striking the forest floor must resound with great appeal. The diurnal Zodiac Moth – Alcides metaurus (Hopffer, 1856) also distinguishes itself with blue and compounding structural attributes of wing-scales that increase iridescence and reflectivity, as bold and beautiful as the deep freshwater pools of Cooper Creek.
Forest Kingfishers – Todiramphus macleayii (Jardine & Selby, 1830), Little Kingfishers – Alcedo pusilla (Temminck, 1836), Azure Kingfishers – Alcedo azurea (Latham, 1802), Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfishers – Tanysiptera sylvia (Gould, 1850); Rainbow Bee-eaters – Merops ornatus (Latham, 1801), Noisy Pittas and Dollarbirds – Eurystomus orientalis (Linnaeus, 1766), all benefit from the beautiful prominence of blue.
Deep within the ancient rainforests of Maja-Jalunji, a deep blue birthing site occupies the confluence of three significant watercourses about a sharp bend in Cooper Creek.Brimming with spirituality and all the qualities that optimise birthing advantage long into life, the site imprints new-born sensitivity with utopian foundations, from which a lifetime of custodial decision-making aspires to the pristine paradise from whence it came. | <urn:uuid:546491ac-577a-465b-afd7-c492c95bd041> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.astrayliana.com.au/the-colour-blue/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571911.5/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813081639-20220813111639-00472.warc.gz | en | 0.838985 | 515 | 2.90625 | 3 |
TAMPA- Time is running out for the Jackson House. For its owner, Willie Robinson Jr., there have been sleepless nights and hours sitting on the porch in his mother's favorite "pondering" chair. "I know it's going to take a miracle," Robinson said. But there have been no easy answers on how to repair and restore his family's 112-year-old rooming house. It is a legacy of Tampa's once-thriving black business district, and during segregation was one of the few places blacks could find lodging. Famous visitors included Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Count Basie and James Brown.
The wood-frame house, at 851 E. Zack St., is on the National Registry of Historic Places, the Florida Black Heritage Trail and is a local historical landmark. That might not be enough to save it. On Wednesday an official working with the city's code enforcement board set a 60-day deadline for minimal repairs to be done. "There's got to be progress," said Special Magistrate Alex Dunmire. "We don't want someone to get hurt." Robinson could face daily fines. For nearly seven years he has struggled to find money and resources to preserve the house. His wish is for it to become a home for veterans. Estimates by Bracken Engineering firm two years ago put restoration costs at about $1 million. Code enforcement officers said the house is in danger of collapsing and needs to be stabilized. They pushed for a 30-day deadline. "That's how serious it's become," said Kevin Amos, district supervisor with the city's code enforcement department. Code enforcement officials and the board have monitored conditions at the house since a hearing in 2010. The roof has gaping holes that allow rain to pour inside the house. Windows, door frames, the porch and a chimney also are in disrepair. Outside walls need painting, and aluminum siding must be removed to meet guidelines for historical structures. Volunteers occasionally have helped clear away debris and make minor repairs at the house. Robinson said the key to securing grants and holding fund-raising events is a proposed charitable foundation. In October he spoke with an attorney about the matter. An application was filed in May but Robinson doesn't anticipate approval for four to six months. That is too late to address the city's mandate for immediate repairs, though Robinson said there is an eight-member foundation board ready to put plans into action. "I'm not bitter. I'm not angry," he said. "I know time is my enemy." Matthew Depin, project engineer with Bracken, and Robinson are looking into covering the roof with a waterproof tarp and shoring up beams in the attic before the deadline. City officials also have tried to help. "We're still trying to find something that would be a good fit for him," said Dennis Fernandez, the city's historic preservation manager. But most grants require matching funds, he said. "It's a very difficult situation," Fernandez said. "We're trying to balance the historical importance of the building with issues of health, safety and welfare." And historical designation won't keep the house from collapsing. "Hopefully there is a benefactor out there," Fernandez said. Robinson said the Jackson House might date back as far as 1865 when freed slaves settled in an area north of downtown, known as "The Scrub." County records show the house was built in 1901. It was part of a vibrant black business and entertainment district that was destroyed by highway widening projects in the late 1960s. Once dozens of shops and trade services populated Zack Street. They have been torn down leaving the Jackson House as an outpost surrounded by county parking lots. The whites-only Union Depot Hotel, across from the Jackson House, was torn down three years ago. Robinson delights in the visitors that stop by the Jackson House. A family from The Netherlands, who knew of the house from the Internet, came by two years ago. Local historian Fred Hearns brings his tour groups to the house. Black Shriners and students from the University of South Florida have made field trips there. "This building has huge significance to the city of Tampa," said Dunmire. He recalled the loss of the 95-year-old Gary Adult High School about five years ago. It also was cited repeatedly for code violations and then suddenly caved in. The entire building had to be torn down. A neighbor who was an administrator at the school will "tell you we basically let the building fail," Dunmire said. Robinson's maternal grandmother, Sarah Jackson, was the original owner of the 24-room Jackson House. Jackson also operated the Jackson Cab Co., Tampa's only black-owned taxi service in the 1930s. Robinson's mother, Sarah Robinson, inherited the rooming house, operating it for more than 50 years until her death in 2006 at age 89. Willie Robinson Jr. returned home from Texas in the last year of his mother's life. He feels the burden of holding on to a legacy for his family and for Tampa. It has been discouraging at times, he said, especially now. "Things that were said (at the hearing) were hurtful but truthful," Robinson said. "I feel like I'm letting them down, all the people that tried, who worked so hard to provide for their children and their children's children." email@example.com (813) 259-7652 | <urn:uuid:a8b4a577-7cf2-42b3-a3ce-d54117478884> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.tbo.com/central-tampa/time-running-out-to-restore-112-year-old-jackson-house-in-tampa-20130620/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280730.27/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00250-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982614 | 1,103 | 2.03125 | 2 |
According to the Chatered Society of Physiotherapy, 448,000 British workers have serious problems with Repetitive Strain Injury. Meanwhile, studies show that between 50 to 90 per cent of computer workers suffer from screen-related eye strain, leading to dry or watery eyes, sensitivity to light, or headaches.
So, where do you start if you want to do something about it? The problem is that many office jobs involve spending most of the day stuck in front of a computer screen. Luckily, there’s a handy little program that can monitor exactly how long you spend in front of your monitor. A site for sore eyes, Workrave is there to remind you to take a break and cut the risk of PC-related health issues. Let’s run through the process.
1. Get started
Go to www.workrave.org and click the free download button, followed by the MS Windows installer link. Save the installation file to your hard drive and when it has downloaded, double-click the installer file and follow the instructions to set it up. Tick the ‘Start Workrave when Windows starts’ box when prompted, so it’s up and running as soon as you turn on your PC.
2. Tracking the timers
A little window containing three timers will appear on your desktop. The top one – with the tiny hand – is the micro-break timer. This is a three-minute countdown designed to encourage you to take a breather. As long as you’re typing or moving the mouse, the clock will click down to zero. If there’s no activity on your PC for more than six seconds, the countdown will pause until you start working again.
3. Take a micro-break
As the countdown reaches zero, a screen flashes up warning you to prepare for a micro-break. This warning displays for 30 seconds or until you stop working – whatever happens first. If you carry on working you’ll be rewarded by a short, sharp burst of sound. Take your fingers off the keyboard and the micro-break window itself kicks in, forcing you to pause for 30 seconds. If you can’t break off, you can always postpone the break for 150 seconds or click ‘Skip’ to start the process again.
4. Time for tea
The middle timer, next to the picture of the cup of tea, indicates how long you have until you will be prompted to take an extended rest break. When you’ve been working for 45 minutes, or you click on the tea icon itself, a 10-minute break starts. But don’t think this is just an excuse to check your email: Workrave blocks access to all other programs. If you can’t tear yourself away from your desk, you could run through the series of suggested exercises.
5. Daily limits
The bottom timer is your Daily Computer Limit. By default this is set to four hours, and as soon as you launch your computer it starts ticking down. That’s four hours of activity – it pauses every time you take a break. When your time is up, Workrave prompts you to switch off your computer and do something less boring instead. Just hit ‘Shut Down’.
Workaholics can put off the inevitable for another 20 minutes by clicking ‘Postpone’ or you can even skip it completely.
6. Change timings and settings
Of course, the default timings might not be convenient for you – and your boss might have something to say if stop work for the day after just four hours. But don’t worry; customising Workrave is simple. Press the ^ button on your taskbar , right-click the Workrave icon (the sheep) and select ‘Preferences’. Now you can set the time between breaks, the length of the break itself and how long you want to be able to postpone the interruption. You can also disable Workrave’s ability to block access to other programs by going to ‘User Interface’ and changing the ‘Block Mode’. | <urn:uuid:fe808d1a-ae8b-4cf0-b2c7-8d641f7c02b5> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://adventcomputers.co.uk/everyday-computing/stay-healthy-while-working-your-pc?page=0%2C0%2C0%2C2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560282202.61/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095122-00557-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.908608 | 848 | 2.15625 | 2 |
About City of Hope
City of Hope is an independent biomedical research and treatment organization for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases.
Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a leader in bone marrow transplantation and immunotherapy such as CAR T cell therapy. City of Hope's translational research and personalized treatment protocols advance care throughout the world. Human synthetic insulin, monoclonal antibodies and numerous breakthrough cancer drugs are based on technology developed at the institution. AccessHope™, a subsidiary launched in 2019 serves employers and their health care partners by providing access to City of Hope's specialized cancer expertise.
A National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, City of Hope is ranked among the nation's "Best Hospitals" in cancer by U.S. News & World Report and received Magnet Recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Its main campus is located near Los Angeles, with additional locations throughout Southern California and in Arizona.City of Hope's commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
We believe diversity, equity and inclusion is key in serving our mission to provide compassionate patient care, drive innovative discovery, and advance vital education focused on eliminating cancer and diabetes in all of our communities. Our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion ensures we bring the full range of skills, perspectives, cultural backgrounds and experiences to our work -- and that our teams align with the people we serve in order to build trust and understanding. We are dedicated to fostering a community that embraces diversity - in ideas, backgrounds and perspectives; this is reflected in our work and represented in our people.Position Summary
Delivers independent direct medical management for a defined population in a defined service line, according to standardized procedures and in collaboration with a physician advisor. S/he will provide care within scope of license in collaboration with physician. Professional practice as a health team member is defined by departmental policies with institutional approval. Emphasis is placed on health promotion and patient education, combining the qualities of both nursing and medicine. Act as a patient advocate in all ethical and legal aspects.Key Responsibilities include:
Basic education, experience, and skills required for consideration:
- Utilizes the City of Hope nursing process in clinical practice.
- Assumes responsibility for independent, direct medical management of a defined patient population, according to standardized procedures and in collaboration with a physician advisor or supervising physician.
- Performs physical examinations applying the medical model and nursing process to patient care problems that require medical intervention and skill. Strives to maintain consistency of quality patient care.
- Develops and follows protocols/standardized procedures for practice for Nurse Practitioners in the department.
- Assists in developing methods and systems for provision of medical care and overall department operations.
- Maintains open lines of communication with the physician and multidisciplinary health team regarding patient information.
- Under supervision of a physician advisor, performs initial and interval physical assessment for evaluation of patient progress, applying techniques of observation, inspection, auscultation, palpation and percussion to determine plan of care.
- Discriminates between normal and abnormal findings, consulting with physician advisor/supervising physician when indicated, evaluates, diagnoses and manages certain illnesses and conditions, orders appropriate laboratory studies, identifies appropriate pharmacologic agents and non-pharmacologic interventions, refers or consults with other physicians within City of Hope Medical Center.
- Develops and implements patient education activities; provides education and counseling to patients.
- Develops and participates in performance improvement activities to evaluate the program's effectiveness in meeting patient care and departmental needs. Understands and supports the milieu of patient care in these areas to foster a supportive care environment
- Enhances professional growth and development through participation in educational programs, reviewing current literature, attending in-service meetings, and workshops.
- Attends and participates in meetings and/or committee as required.
- Performs other related duties as assigned or requested.
- Master's Degree, or Doctorate Degree as Nurse Practitioner
- Three years clinical experience
Preferred education, experience, and skills:
- Current California RN license
- California NP License
- California NP Furnishing License within 6 months of hire
- DEA within 6 months of hire
- National NP Board Certification through accrediting body
- Specialty Certification as defined/required for role
- Basic Life Support (BLS), CPR card through American Heart Association
- ACLS and PALS
- Nursing medical oncology experience
- EPIC experience preferred but not required
As a condition of employment, City of Hope requires staff to comply with all state and federal vaccination mandates.
- Shift: Day 10 hours
- Job Status: Full-Time 40 hours
- This position is represented by a collective bargaining agreement
- Certification pay may apply
City of Hope is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with disability. | <urn:uuid:97b1ac78-b60c-4bde-bf87-0161d7b62fc8> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://jobs.sciencecareers.org/job/607084/nurse-practitioner-medical-oncology/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572063.65/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814173832-20220814203832-00670.warc.gz | en | 0.925913 | 1,070 | 1.632813 | 2 |
The global credit crisis, of course, gets most of the blame for why companies must pay hefty premiums to sell new bond issues these days. But there’s another factor: Investors concerned that they may not get their money back, or at least all of it.
This concern is underscored by a new report from Moody’s Investors Service, which notes that 101 corporate issuers rated by Moody’s last year defaulted on a total of $238.6 billion of bonds and $42.7 billion of loans.
What’s more, this year it expects this number to triple, to around 300.
Recoveries also are likely to be below historical averages as a result of strong loan issuance in recent years, warns Moody’s Director of Corporate Default Research Kenneth Emery. “Because recovery rates are negatively correlated with default rates, recovery rates on defaulted debt are likely to decline in 2009 as default rates continue to increase,” he adds.
In its twenty-second annual study of default and recovery rates, Moody’s said that its global speculative-grade default rate ended 2008 at 4.1 percent, more than quadrupling 2007’s year-end level of 0.9 percent. The default rate for all Moody’s-rated corporate issuers rose to 1.9 percent at the end of 2008 from a measly 0.3 percent at year-end 2007.
For the first time since 2003, rating downgrades in 2008 surpassed rating upgrades, Moody’s also points out. The upgrade-to-downgrade ratio fell significantly from 2.0 in 2007 to 0.3 in 2008.
Earlier this week Standard & Poor’s pointed out that the number of potential “fallen angels” — issuers downgraded to speculative grade (BB-plus and lower) from investment grade (BBB-minus and higher) — has reached an 18-year high. According to that credit rating agency, 75 entities worldwide, representing debt topping $174 billion, were identified as potential fallen angels in the most recent month. This compares with an average of 47 potential fallen angels per month in 2008.
Little surprise, then, that even as new bond issuance has surged 40 percent, the current spread on investment-grade debt is around 467 basis points, and 1374 points on speculative-grade debt, according to S&P. | <urn:uuid:fa93fcc1-652a-4d4e-be40-cacc88106a1f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.cfo.com/banking-capital-markets/2009/02/rising-defaults-haunt-surging-bond-market/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572286.44/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816090541-20220816120541-00266.warc.gz | en | 0.951444 | 494 | 1.71875 | 2 |
We’ve observed that knockdown of NRAS by 2 different siRNAs induces apoptosis in Hut78 cells however, not in cell lines harboring WT RAS, recommending that Hut78 depends upon hyperactive RAS-RAF signaling thus. This dependency on RAS signaling could have therapeutic implications for these patients therefore. Furthermore, we recognized a NRASQ61K mutation in the CTCL cell range Hut78. Knockdown of NRAS by siRNA induced apoptosis in mutant Hut78 cells however, not in CTCL cell lines missing RAS mutations. The NRASQ61K mutation sensitized Hut78 cells toward development inhibition from the MEK Val-cit-PAB-OH inhibitors U0126, AZD6244, and PD0325901. Furthermore, we discovered that MEK inhibitors induce apoptosis in Hut78 cells exclusively. Taken collectively, we conclude that RAS mutations are uncommon occasions at a past due stage of CTCL, and our preclinical outcomes claim that such late-stage individuals benefit from MEK inhibitors. Intro Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are uncommon malignancies of skin-homing T lymphocytes. Curative modalities have much tested elusive as a result. CTCL microarray research have revealed organic clusters in colaboration with prognosis.1 Array-based comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) coupled with gene expression profiling identified highly recurrent chromosomal alterations both in mycosis fungoides (MF) and Szary symptoms (SS) individual specimens.2,3 For instance, SKAP1 and FASTK gene loci showed recurrent benefits, and these genes exhibited increased manifestation also, whereas DLEU and RB1 tumor suppressor genes displayed diminished manifestation connected with reduction. In another scholarly study, repeated deletion of tumor suppressor genes BCL7A, SMAC/DIABLO, and RHOF in MF was noticed.4 Genomic patterns characteristic of MF change from SS markedly.5 This may implicate discriminative molecular pathogenesis and various therapeutic requirements. The RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK signaling pathway regulates cell reactions to environmental stimuli and takes on an essential role in lots of malignancies.6 Thus, MEK and RAF are attractive therapeutic focuses on.7,8 RAS is a little guanine-nucleotide binding proteins that is mounted on the inner part from the plasma membrane. Activation of RAS causes RAF activation and recruitment by phosphorylation. Activated RAF kinase activates and phosphorylates MEK, which phosphorylates ERK. Three RAS (KRAS, NRAS, and HRAS), 3 RAF (ARAF, BRAF, and CRAF), 2 MEK (MEK1 and MEK2), and 2 ERK (ERK1 and ERK2) isoforms compose the canonical mitogen-activated proteins kinase pathway. Somatic mutations that are located in many malignancies, including digestive tract carcinoma, melanoma, or pancreatic tumor, happen nearly in BRAF specifically, KRAS, or NRAS isoforms.9C11 Normal mutations affect glycine 12 (G12), glycine 13 (G13), or glutamine 61 (Q61) and maintain RAS within an turned on form. The RAS pathway regulates success, proliferation, senescence, and differentiation. Nevertheless, in tumor cells, mutated (oncogenic) RAS preferentially promotes success and proliferation. Therefore, MEK and RAF kinases serve while suitable medication focuses on. RAF can be targeted by inhibitors in medical or preclinical advancement, including, for instance, PLX4720 and RAF265.12,13 However, focusing on the RAF pathway can be complex due to the modes of pathway regulation and activation. Recently, it had been demonstrated that RAF265 and PLX4720 stop MEK-ERK signaling and tumor development only in malignancies harboring a BRAFV600E mutation however, not in wild-type BRAF or tumors having a KRAS mutation.12,14,15 Further, dealing with wild-type BRAF tumors with BRAFV600E specific inhibitors induced tumor growth in Rabbit Polyclonal to SHP-1 vitro and in vivo.14 Thus, MEK inhibitors could be appealing in wild-type BRAF cells. Currently, these inhibitors are in dose-finding and early stage 2 research.8,16,17 AZD6244, a nonCadenosine triphosphate-competitive particular MEK inhibitor, was evaluated inside a stage 1 clinical trial and reached a proper safety profile for even more research.16 It inhibits epidermal homeostasis.18 Inside a stage 2 clinical trial, AZD6244 showed similar effectiveness regarding progression-free success as control treatment.19 Inside a stage 2 clinical trial of 200 patients with melanoma patients, AZD6244 monotherapy led to lasting remissions, in individuals with documented BRAF mutations mainly.20 Another Val-cit-PAB-OH particular inhibitor targeting MEK is PD0325901. PD0325901 treatment was proven to influence retinal function in medical trials. Consequently, its advancement was discontinued.8 No extensive seek out stage mutations in CTCL continues to be reported up to now. In today’s study, we examined CTCL samples with a mass-spectrometric genotyping strategy, termed OncoMap.21,22 This evaluation revealed oncogenic mutations in RAS kinase in 4 of 90 CTCL individuals and in Val-cit-PAB-OH 4 of 42 lately disease CTCL individuals. Furthermore, we determined an oncogenic NRASQ61K mutation in the CTCL cell range Hut78 that leads to hyperactivation from the RAS pathway. We display that oncogenic mutation creates an dependence on the RAS-RAF-MEK signaling pathway and sensitizes toward treatment with the precise MEK inhibitors AZD6244, PD0325901, and U0126. Strategies Patient examples Ninety CTCL examples were collected in the Division of Dermatology, College or university Medical center of Zurich (n = 78) with the Division of Dermatology, Yale. | <urn:uuid:7d2020f5-204e-46ee-8fbc-fb60e19140ff> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://woodgreenoutreach.org/%EF%BB%BFweve-observed-that-knockdown-of-nras-by-2-different-sirnas-induces-apoptosis-in-hut78-cells-however-not-in-cell-lines-harboring-wt-ras-recommending-that-hut78-depends-upon-hyperactive-ras/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571190.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810131127-20220810161127-00066.warc.gz | en | 0.902418 | 1,290 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Last week, I had the pleasure of an online conversation with a cadre of outstanding Calvert County Public School (CCPS) school librarians and their district-level Specialist for School Libraries and Digital Learning Jennifer Sturge. This team of librarians serving students in Maryland, led by their colleague Monique, were in the process of a professional book study focused on Maximizing School Librarian Leadership: Building Connections for Learning and Advocacy.
After last week’s blog post “School Librarianship in the Time of Coronavirus, Part 2,” their voices from the field were critical to furthering my understanding of ways to increase school librarians’ service to their learning communities—whether or not our physical library facilities are open. Note: Selected indicators interjected into this post are from the 6/15/20 post and demonstrate the roles effective school librarians fill in their learning communities as leaders, instructional partners, teachers, information specialists, and program administrators.
As a way to engage in reflection, I launched our conversation by posing a “what if” question: “If you are serving your school learning community remotely in fall 2020, what would you do differently from your practice this past spring?” The librarians’ responses fell into four categories: getting physical books in the hands of students, increasing rigor through inquiry learning, communication and collaboration, and working with principals. Although more than one librarian addressed these topics, I have identified one or two people who took the lead in the discussion in each area.
Many school librarians across the country and around the globe did not have the opportunity to plan for the best ways to get physical books into the hands of K-12 students before schools closed. Theresa shared how she is strategizing some effective ways to checkout and deliver/send books directly to students, especially if they cannot access the physical space of the library. I suspect all of us in the “room” agreed that getting high-quality, diverse books into the hands of youth helps keep their minds engaged in learning and growing as thinking and empathic people. (If you haven’t yet seen it or if you need another smile, checkout Nashville Public Library’s PSA “Curb Side, Baby” | What You Need to Know about NPL’s Curbside Service.”)
For me, this goal reinforces a key indicator in “Reading and Information Literacy Instruction:”
- Promote reading for information and for personal enjoyment.
Inquiry learning is a core practice in CCPS. High school librarian Donna would like to see increased rigor in remote learning through a greater emphasis on inquiry. School librarians have a strong commitment to inquiry learning as a way to honor student choice and voice. As authentic learning, inquiry prepares young people for lifelong learning. Classroom-library collaboration for instruction and shared responsibility for guiding students’ inquiry projects could improve student success even more when teaching and learning are conducted online.
Promoting inquiry in the online classroom/library is an essential aspect of “Integrated, Collaborative Teaching;”
- Coteach with other educators whether face to face or online to engage students in critical thinking and deep learning.
- Co-assess student learning outcomes with other educators to improve instructional strategies and resources and ensure continuous improvement for students and educators.
Mary Brooke shared her experience of the importance of school librarians communicating with a collective strong voice. She talked about the previously planned lessons that were ready to implement when learning when online. In addition to the lessons created by CCPS librarians, we talked briefly about accessing published lessons and units of instruction in order to fast-track instruction when time for planning is even shorter than usual.
Later in the conversation, we talked about the challenges of carving out collaborative planning time. While most educators agree that time is in short supply, using online tools for collaborative work is essential whether our academic program is face to face or virtual. School librarians who have developed strategies for using online tools to plan may have been ahead of the curve in meeting the needs of colleagues in spring 2020. In addition, educators must encourage school principals to create dedicated planning time for classroom and classroom-library collaboration, which in turn establishes a value for collaborative teaching.
For me, this conversation reinforced the indicators under “Collaborative Planning:”
- Reach out to teaching teams and attend face-to-face and virtual team meetings to support colleagues’ teaching goals.
- Reach out to classroom teachers and specialists to coplan and integrate the resources of the library into the classroom curriculum.
Working with Administrators
Again, I believe everyone in the room understood the importance of positive and strong relationships between principals and school librarians. Both Anne and Monique shared their value for working with administrators to address the teaching and learning needs of faculty and students. This spring, many principals and other decision-makers may have been overwhelmed. Anne noted the importance of sensitivity to other people’s stress and monitoring one’s communication accordingly. Monique shared how she worked collaboratively with classroom teachers online this spring. In the process, she created advocates for the library program who may be poised to speak up for the impact of classroom-library collaboration on student learning outcomes.
For me, this is an excellent example of “Library Advocacy & Support:”
- Collaborate with administrators to assess students’ and classroom teachers’ needs and develop and implement plans to address them.
Learning from Spring 2020
A belief attributed to John Dewey based on this writing in Experience and Education (1938) can be our guide as we prepare for the 2020-2021 academic year: “We do not learn from our experience… we learn from reflecting on experience.” Reflecting on our practice as school librarians is essential and the change and challenge thrust upon educators in spring 2020 created a golden opportunity to learn from our reflection.
Thank you to Jen and the Calvert County Public School Librarians for sharing your reflective process.
From the Personal Collection of Judi Moreillon | <urn:uuid:cde72607-c4bb-4fcf-8cc6-a42dad29a2a7> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.schoollibrarianleadership.com/tag/reflection-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573699.52/warc/CC-MAIN-20220819131019-20220819161019-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.94673 | 1,288 | 1.960938 | 2 |
HOUSTON — Hurricane Ike barreled across a wide swath of Texas on Saturday, deluging the city of Galveston with a wall of water, flooding coastal towns and leaving extensive damage across metropolitan Houston.
With wind gusts approaching 100 miles per hour, the 600-mile-wide Category 2 hurricane peeled sheets of steel off skyscrapers in Houston, smashed bus shelters and blew out windows, sending shattered glass and debris across the nation’s fourth-largest city, with a population of 2.2 million.
The storm came ashore on Galveston Island, which in 1900 suffered one of the worst hurricanes to hit the United States. Winds covered the main highway with a layer of boats and debris, shutting it down. In Orange, Tex., near the Louisiana coast, the sea rose so rapidly that people were forced to flee to attics and roofs, and the city used trucks to rescue them, local police said.
Yet officials expressed relief that the damage was not as catastrophic as federal and state officials had warned it would be, in part because forecasters appear to have overestimated how much the sea would rise in the path of the storm.Continue reading the main story
“Fortunately the worst-case scenario did not occur,” Gov. Rick Perry of Texas said at a news conference Saturday afternoon. “The good news is the surge was not as big as we thought it would be.”
There were reports of as many as four people killed, but it could take days to search flooded homes to assess the full impact of the storm, officials said.
Authorities said the hurricane could still prove to be the most punishing storm to hit the area since Hurricane Alicia 25 years ago.
Almost the entire metropolitan area lost power, and authorities said more than three million people were trying to manage in the dark. Utility officials said it could be weeks before power is restored throughout the region.
The magnitude of the power loss and the flooding raised the possibility that several major oil refineries would take more than a week to reopen. As a result, gasoline prices will probably spike around the country, even if oil prices continue to ease on international markets. Overnight, prices rose an average of 5 cents a gallon, to $3.73 for regular gasoline, according to AAA.
The expectations at nightfall Friday that a virtual tsunami of 20-foot waves would crash directly into Galveston, a city of 57,000, were fortunately dashed after midnight when the eye of the hurricane hit shore. City officials estimated the seas rose about 12 feet, though some tide gauges showed a 15-foot rise, and federal officials said it would take time to determine the exact number.
Whatever the height of the surge, longtime residents of Galveston said the damage was still the worst they had ever seen.
More than two million people evacuated coastal areas of Texas and Louisiana before the storm struck, but the authorities estimated that more than 100,000 people throughout the region, including 20,000 in Galveston, had disregarded mandatory evacuation orders.
For industries in the area, officials at refining companies said early damage reports were encouraging, because the center of the storm missed the refineries. The surge of water into Galveston’s shipping channel, an important depot for imported oil, was not as strong as many had feared, and officials hope to reopen it early in the week if no major obstacles are blocking shipping lanes.
At least 100,000 homes were inundated by surging waters, while isolated fires broke out around the region when trees and flying objects fell on electrical transformers, causing sparks.
In Houston, only the downtown area and the medical center section had power as of Saturday evening.
“It’s going to be weeks before we get power to the last customers,” said Mike Rodgers, a spokesman for Entergy Texas, the primary electricity provider between Houston and the Louisiana border.
President Bush issued a major disaster declaration for 29 Texas counties and said federal officials were prepared to help with recovery efforts.
“Obviously, this is a huge storm that is causing a lot of damage not only in Texas, but also in parts of Louisiana,” Mr. Bush said. “Some people didn’t evacuate when asked, and I’ve been briefed on the rescue teams there in the area. They’re prepared to move as soon as weather conditions permit.”
Senator Barack Obama canceled an appearance on “Saturday Night Live,” aides said, because he felt it would be inappropriate.
Civic leaders asked residents to conserve water and call 911 only in life-or-death situations.
“We don’t know what we’re going to find,” said Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas of Galveston, according to The Houston Chronicle. “We hope we’ll find that the people who didn’t leave here are alive and well.”
Despite the devastating flooding in Galveston, experts said the storm surge had not been as severe as some predicted.
Benton McGee, a hydrologist with the United States Geological Survey, told The Associated Press that the surge at Galveston, where the storm made landfall, was about 11 feet. Forecasters had predicted a surge of up to 25 feet.
But Stacey Stewart, a senior hurricane analyst at the National Hurricane Center, defended the government’s predictions of a 15- to 20-foot surge and said it would take time to determine the exact rise in sea level.
“I wouldn’t go out and say that surge values weren’t as high as predicted,” he said. “We have received reports of 15 feet and the sea wall being topped.”
Mr. Stewart said a shift in the storm’s track to the north just before landfall may have kept the rise in sea levels on the lower side of what had been forecast.
The storm moved through the region more quickly than some previous hurricanes and tropical storms, limiting flooding. By early afternoon, the National Hurricane Center had downgraded Ike to a tropical storm.
Mike Varela, chief of the Galveston Fire Department, said flooding was 8- to 10-feet deep in some areas of the city. “The low-lying neighborhoods are extremely flooded right now,” Chief Varela said.
Twenty-two men aboard a crippled freighter, which was adrift off the coast of Galveston when the hurricane hit, came through the storm safely, the Coast Guard said.
Initial reports from residential neighborhoods around Houston suggested that flooding and property damage were not as serious as some had feared early in the morning after hearing reports from downtown, where windows were shattered on skyscrapers and hotels. Winds downtown were particularly intense.
At Reliant Park, in southwest Houston, the storm tore chunks from the retractable roof of the football stadium, the park’s president and general manager told The Associated Press. The game between the Texans and the Baltimore Ravens scheduled for Monday night would probably have to be postponed, he said.
-Late in the afternoon, Air Force helicopters began plucking people out of flooded homes in Galveston and carrying them to shelters on the mainland.
Joyce Williams, 58, arrived on the first chopper with her 80-year-old mother, Eunice Haley, who had spent the night in a house with four feet of water on the ground floor. Ms. Williams was trying to get her mother out of the swamped house when she saw the helicopter and waved. “I was relieved,” she said.
Steven Rushing, who had tried to ride out the storm at his Galveston home with his family, eventually left by boat. Mr. Rushing, six relatives and two dogs wound up at a hotel in Galveston.
“I know my house was dry at 11 o’clock, and at 12:30 a.m., we were floating on the couch putting lifejackets on,” he said. Once the water reached the television, four feet off the floor, Mr. Rushing said, he retrieved his boat from the garage and loaded his family into it.
“I didn’t keep my boat there to plan on evacuating because I didn’t plan on the water getting that high, but I sure am glad it was there,” he said.Continue reading the main story | <urn:uuid:2625d6fc-16f0-4bcd-9f3a-dc7cf2894cc6> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/13/us/13cnd-ike.html?hp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560284352.26/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095124-00199-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976041 | 1,745 | 2.09375 | 2 |
The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote tomorrow on President Bush's nomination of Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor to the US Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. However, Senate Democrats are likely to delay the vote until next week. The Feminist Majority joins a broad coalition of women's rights, civil rights, environmental, church-state separation, disability, and lesbian and gay rights groups-including even the gay Republican Log Cabin group-in opposing Pryor.
At his confirmation hearing last week, Pryor spoke openly of his ultra-conservative personal views, defending earlier statements calling the 1973 US Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade "the worst abomination of constitutional law in our history," and "the day seven members of our high court ripped the Constitution and ripped out the life of millions of unborn children." Still, Pryor insisted he would "follow the law" as a member of the 11th Circuit Court. Senate Democrats remained skeptical, pointing to Pryor's equally disturbing stance defending so-called "state's rights." For example, he has criticized the Supreme Court's decision in United States v. Virginia, which ruled Virginia Military Institute's denial of admission to women was unconstitutional. Pryor disparaged the constitutional rights of women, and denounced this decision, citing it as an example of the court's having been "both antidemocratic and insensitive to federalism," according to NOW LDEF. Pryor also submitted an amicus brief on behalf of Alabama in the Supreme Court case United States v. Morrison arguing that the civil rights remedy of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was unconstitutional, according to the National Partnership for Women and Families. He later wrote an article stating that the federal government should remove itself from efforts to protect women against violence. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) said, "It's just not enough to say 'I will follow the law.' Every nominee says that, and then when they get to the bench they have many different ways of following the law," reported the New York Times.
Throughout his term, President Bush has been packing the federal courts with far right judges - all of whom will serve lifetime appointments. A broad coalition, including women's rights, civil rights, environmental, disability rights, and pro-choice organizations, has been fighting hard to protect the Circuit Courts of Appeals and key District Courts, but now with up to two of the nine Supreme Court justices are expected to retire this summer, many rights-including the right to safe, legal abortion-currently hanging by a 5-4 balance, may be overturned. Join the Feminist Majority online for our June Chat Series: "Supreme Court in Peril," featuring speakers from a variety of organizations speaking on civil, women's, workers', disability, and gay rights and the environment. Find out how you can get involved in the fight to protect the courts.
1/27/2016 Taiwan Elects First Woman President - In a landslide victory, the leader of Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Tsai Ing-wen won the country's presidential election, becoming the first woman in Taiwan's history to hold the position.
Emphasizing her party's commitment to maintaining Taiwan's independence from China, Tsai won over young voters eager to usher in a political changing of the guard following some 70 years of dominance by the pro-Chinese unification party, the Kuomintang (KMT), chaired by presidential opponent Eric Chu. . . . | <urn:uuid:0e7e6f12-72ec-410c-9165-b0681c4cc9c2> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.msmagazine.com/news/uswirestory.asp?id=7865 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281353.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00065-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960914 | 689 | 1.65625 | 2 |
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Category Archives: Venetian (Serif)
A font that almost made it. A Venetian serif font by Jos Buivenga (exljbris.com), Calluna has a smaller x-height than Georgia, and works best at a generous font-size. Calluna feels like an “old” font; it has pen-formed serifs and terminals. The rising crossbar of the lowercase e is reminiscent of early Renaissance (Venetian/Humanist) letterforms.
Unfortunately, the font does not hold up across browsers. On Windows (XP, 7, Vista) the strokes on the letterforms get very light (thin). The pen-formed head serifs on letters such as h, b, d, u, and so on become too prominent, and the rising crossbar on the e becomes jagged and breaks.
The overall structure, spacing, and system of the font is beautiful. I had to include it in my collection anyway. If you are creating a site primarily for mac users, Calluna will serve you well.
The Calluna family consists of 8 fonts (styles, weights). Calluna Regular is available for free download at fontspring. The full family is available for license at fontspring and for font-linking via typekit. | <urn:uuid:15a60222-f34e-4915-9ca0-7dd17f4c60e3> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.goodwebfonts.com/category/venetian/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281162.88/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00535-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.902671 | 287 | 1.796875 | 2 |
This Same-Sex Penguin Couple Is A Role Model for Fathers
As a 20-something, I graduated college, came up with career aspirations, and then set to work to make those dreams happen. But then I got to a certain level and I feel like I've stalled. And what do you do when you aren't sure what the next stage in life should be? You look for inspiration. You look for something to kickstart your next chapter. So consider me blessed when I came across Sphen and Magic today.
Sphen and Magic, nicknamed Sphengic, are members of Australia's most perfect same-sex penguin couple. On October 19, they welcomed their first baby chick into the world. According to the Sydney Aquarium, the chick, coming in at 91 grams (or about 3 ounces), is the first sub-Antarctic penguin in Australia since the colony was introduced to the Darling Harbour aquarium in 2016.
But let's go back—back to the beginning. Sphen and Magic, a pair of Gentoo penguins, kicked things off the way many penguins do. In what may be the best party fact ever, multiple breeds of penguins start their monogamous relationships by presenting a pebble to one another. It's essentially a penguin proposal. According to the aquarium, the pair presented each other with pebbles (I like to believe it was an understated, but elegant pewter) and was going on swims and waddling around together leading up to mating season. Just perfect. But before they could become parents, they had to prove that they were capable of raising a penguin egg and were given a dummy in place of a real one.
Long story short, they crushed their dry run at incubation. Sphen and Magic put together a rockstar nest made of pebbles that they found as a couple. They took turns as one incubated the egg on the nest while the other warded off pebble thieves. After a successful dry run, Sphengic was given a foster egg, which they incubated successfully. Though I don't speak penguin language, they look absolutely jazzed.
What comes next is the crucial three-week period where they'll raise the unnamed chick by regurgitating food into its mouth. Parenthood, am I right? After that, they'll teach their chick to swim and deal with the opinions of people like famed Australian tennis player and staunch opponent of gay rights, Margaret Court. The chick's gender can't be determined for two months because male and female chicks show no physical sign of gender—a blood test this early could endanger the chick's life.
But most important, Sphen, Magic, and their baby seem to be thriving, and if that's not an inspiration, then what is? I'm not saying that I'm looking to present anyone with a pebble yet, but let's put it this way: I'm keeping my eyes open for a good rock.
This story originally appeared on Esquire.com. Minor edits have been made by the Esquiremag.ph editors. | <urn:uuid:f56328a3-4e20-413e-91a1-c620ecf9eb7a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.esquiremag.ph/life/sex-and-relationships/gay-penguin-fathers-sydney-aquarium-a2102-20181104-src-esquire | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571284.54/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811103305-20220811133305-00465.warc.gz | en | 0.975071 | 636 | 1.960938 | 2 |
RRI, in collaboration with Fresenius Medical Care GRD, has developed advanced techniques to create realistic simulations of large clinical trials—providing valuable safety information, revealing possible treatment protocol limitations, and predicting potential patient benefits. At their core, virtual trials are comprehensive mathematical models that simulate actual patient physiology. RRI applies advanced mathematical and computational techniques to adapt essential characteristics of individual patients using real-life dialysis clinical data, producing a model referred to as an avatar. Thousands of avatars are generated and comprise the population used in virtual trial.
Recording and acting upon instantaneous bio-signals is an important way to create smoother dialysis treatments to minimize patient physiological stress. RRI researchers were the first to analyze high-frequency recordings of arterial oxygen saturation to detect sleep-associated hypoxemic episodes during dialysis. Using physiological models, advanced analytics, and bio-signals—such as intradialytic central venous oxygen saturation and hematocrit in combination with other patient-specific data—researchers were also able to follow the maturation of newly created arteriovenous fistulas and patient hemodynamics to predict intradialytic hypotensive episodes.
Mobile App: Vascular Access Images
RRI created a mobile application that uses vascular access images to identify and classify aneurysms that pose a high risk to patients. This app is an example of how artificial intelligence can help recognize patterns in data, automatically flag potential problems, and improve personalized patient care. By quickly analyzing smartphone images taken by a caregiver, the app can classify the severity of the patient’s vascular access problem and then immediately send a message to the clinical team. This innovative tool is currently being piloted in 20 RRI clinics.
Smartphone-Based Tool: Detecting Peritonitis
Peritonitis, a serious complication for peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, can cause morbidity and mortality. Swift diagnosis and reduced time-to-treatment are essential for therapy. Cloudiness, resulting from increased white blood cell levels in spent PD dialysate, is a significant indicator of potential peritonitis. Often early detection of cloudy dialysate relies on patient judgment, which may be compromised due to poor visual acuity and/or cognitive challenges. RRI scientists developed a smartphone- based tool to objectively measure turbidity in spent PD fluid and automatically report the results to the care provider. This system is economical because it utilizes built-in light sensors and is possibly more sensitive than the turbidity recognized and reported by the patient.
Predictive Analytics: Intradialytic Hypotension
Intradialytic hypotension (IDH), a common complication of hemodialysis, is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Despite significant effort to develop strategies to prevent IDH, there is limited data describing dynamic changes in blood pressure during hemodialysis. A model developed at RRI and based on machine learning methods can predict IDH, defined as a systolic blood pressure < 90 mm Hg during hemodialysis, with clinically meaningful accuracy. The model used a host of data, including pre-treatment data (e.g., demographics, routine dialysis-specific measurements, lab values, and comorbidities), data captured during dialysis in the Chairside system (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate), and Crit-Line® data (relative blood volume, oxygen saturation).
Predictive Analytics: AVF and AVG Failure
Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) and arteriovenous graph (AVG) complications are frequent in chronic hemodialysis patients, resulting in compromised dialysis efficiency, increased hospitalization, mortality, and higher costs. Clinical diagnosis of AVF patency is difficult, and it was hypothesized that patient clinical and laboratory parameters might be indicative of impending AVF failure. RRI researchers developed a predictive model using the temporal dynamics of those parameters, identifying patients at risk of AVF or AVG failure and allowing for timely interventions to reduce conversions from AVF or AVG to central venous catheters.
Exploring point-of-care technologies for AVFs
RRI is exploring smartphone-based technologies to address issues related to AVFs. There is a pressing need to develop point-of-care devices that can be used by patients at home to monitor their AVF daily without assistance from clinical staff. RRI’s previous clinical study indicated that signals derived from post-processed smartphone video recordings of AVFs correlate with their flow rates. With this technology, RRI may be able to develop a smartphone-based application utilizing built-in camera functionalities to detect early AVF failure.
Kidney Innovation Accelerator (KidneyX) Redesign Dialysis Award 2019
RRI's novel concept for “displacer-enhanced dialysis” was named a winner of the Kidney Innovation Accelerator (KidneyX) Redesign Dialysis competition, a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the American Society of Nephrology. RRI’s proposal aims to develop a new displacer substance that can rid the blood of protein-bound uremic toxins that can negatively affect patient health and are notoriously difficult to remove by hemodialysis. There has been little progress in the past decade in medicine’s ability to remove these toxins during hemodialysis, and this award recognizes RRI’s research toward finding a practical solution that would help improve the quality of life for patients requiring life-sustaining hemodialysis treatment. The KidneyX competition focuses on accelerating innovation in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of kidney diseases. RRI was one of 15 winners for this first phase of the Redesign Dialysis competition. | <urn:uuid:febe55f0-6984-42e3-b7eb-b9df92679462> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://renalresearch.com/research/innovations/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571198.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810161541-20220810191541-00266.warc.gz | en | 0.912185 | 1,199 | 2.59375 | 3 |
User Interface (UI) design vs. User Experience (UX) design
UI is the graphical user interface in software or computerized devices. It focuses on looks or style. UX focuses on entire aspects of user experience (UX). It is determined by if the designed interface elements are easily interacted with users.
What is your favourite app? Netflix, Spotify or Openrice. What does your favourite app look like? Is the interface visually attractive and arouses your interest?
Here are some UI design principles:
To begin your career in UI design, join us to equip the key insights:
Take your first step to the UI journey by signing up!
*Design background is not necessary, absolute beginners are welcomed | <urn:uuid:6dcd92eb-3184-4f48-abc0-589a07e2212d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://xccelerate.co/zh-Hant/events/all-you-need-to-know-to-become-a-ui-designer-or-free-trial/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571097.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810010059-20220810040059-00268.warc.gz | en | 0.777072 | 387 | 2.375 | 2 |
Carlsbad, N.M. (KRQE) – New air sampling data from the Department of Energy shows a major radiation increase in Carlsbad and around the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.
Six of the seven department’s air monitoring stations including the one inside Carlsbad city limits had higher radiation levels in March than in Feb. when the leak happened.
Still, officials say there’s no public health threat.
“They’re at no consequence level,” said Nuclear Waste Partnership Communications Manager Donavan Mager.
According to the DOE, the radiation detected inside city limits is not related to the WIPP leak.
“This is normal activity you would see even if WIPP had not been here,” said Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center Director Russell Hardy. “If WIPP were three states away you would see this.”
Hardy says the air filters in Carlsbad tested negative for the type of radiation that was leaked at the WIPP site.
He says high wind speeds are causing natural radiation found in the Earth’s soil to land on the filters.
“This is not man-made stuff, but God-made stuff that’s in the ground that’s getting blown around,” said Hardy.
Like the DOE and WIPP officials, Hardy says the public has nothing to worry about.
“Listen to the science. Try not to get your scientific lesson from the internet.” he said. “Listen to what the experts are telling you. This is safe.”
Officials say every spring they see radiation levels increase because of the high winds.
They say this year it’s only getting attention because of the recent radiation leak. | <urn:uuid:4964bca1-df57-4065-8e75-2dcdc1234f5c> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://krqe.com/2014/03/18/increased-radiation-in-carlsbad-not-related-to-wipp-leak/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560282926.64/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095122-00401-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935754 | 369 | 2.46875 | 2 |
Creator: Zygar-Hoffmann, Caroline; Hagemeyer, Birk; Pusch, Sebastian; Schönbrodt, Felix D.
Contributor: Zygar-Hoffmann, Caroline; Hagemeyer, Birk; Pusch, Sebastian; Schönbrodt, Felix D.
Funding: German Research Foundation, grant number SCHO1334/5-1 and HA 6884/2-1
Title: A large longitudinal study on motivation, behavior and satisfaction in couples: Research data from a four-week experience sampling study with a pre-, post-, and one-year follow-up assessment.
Year of Publication: 2020
Citation: Zygar-Hoffmann, C., Hagemeyer, B., Pusch, S., & Schönbrodt, F.D. (2020). A large longitudinal study on motivation, behavior and satisfaction in couples: Research data from a four-week experience sampling study with a pre-, post-, and one-year follow-up assessment. [Translated Title] (Version 2.0.0) [Data and Documentation]. Trier: Center for Research Data in Psychology: PsychData of the Leibniz Institute for Psychology ZPID. https://doi.org/10.5160/psychdata.zrce18mo99_v20000
576 individuals from 293 heterosexual couples completed an online preliminary questionnaire on dispositional implicit and explicit motives, global relationship satisfaction, personality, satisfaction with life, self-reflection and decision-making in intimate relationships. 510 of these individuals took part in an experience sampling study spanning four weeks, answering questions about their momentary motivation, affect, state relationship satisfaction, behaviors and experiences in their relationship five times a day. Afterwards, 508 individuals provided feedback, assessed again their global relationship satisfaction and the relationship satisfaction during the last four weeks . A year later, 390 of these individuals reported on their current relationship status, last year’s events, conflicts, their idiosyncratic behavioral implementations of agency and communion, and completed questionnaires on implicit and explicit motivational dispositions, life satisfaction and depending on their relationship status on global relationship satisfaction, or loneliness, and narcissism. The study was conducted to examine motivational dynamics in couples and its relevance for relationship satisfaction. Datasets of the preliminary questionnaire, the ESM-Study in long and wide format, the post questionnaire and the one-year follow-up as well as the corresponding codebooks are provided.
The following additional material can be found at https://osf.io/psqx8/:
– the “original” codebooks, including for example connecting passages between question texts or general instructions,
– R scripts documenting the preprocessing of the data,
– R scripts for further processing of the data,
– a file pointing to inconsistencies in the data,
– a link to the preregistration of hypotheses on the data.
Currently no preview available.
Research Questions/Hypotheses: Information about the preregistered hypotheses can be found at https://osf.io/psqx8/
Research Design: Mixed survey instrument (combination of hardly, partially and fully standardized parts); repeated measurements
The following standardized instruments were used:
1: Partner-Related Agency and Communion Test (PACT),
2: The ABC of Social Desires. 3: Couples Satisfaction Index (CSI),
4: Positive – Negative Relationship Quality (PN-RQ) Scale (own translation to German),
5: Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS),
6: Revised Blood & Wolfe (1960) scale for decision-making intimate relationships (own translation to German),
7: The Unified Motive Scales,
9: Self-reflection and insight scale (own translation to German),
10: Adapted Affect Grid (own translation to German),
11: UCLA Loneliness Scale,
12: Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire (NARQ),
13: Experiences in Close Relationships Scale Revised,
14: Adapted IOS-Scale.
Data Collection Method:
Collection without the presence of the investigator
– other: Experience-Sampling with Smartphone (ESM)
Population: Persons in a partnership (German-speaking, heterosexual, predominantly childless)
Survey Time Period:
Experience Sampling for four weeks five times a day, four weeks between pre and post questionnaire, approx. one year between post questionnaire and follow-up
Sample: Convenience sample
51% female subjects
49% male subjects
Age Distribution: 18-68 years
Spatial Coverage (Country/Region/City):
Subject Recruitment: Recruition: Announcements, newsletter of the university, facebook-groups, homepage, flyer at couple therapists, personal contacts
Motivation: Up to 170 Euro per couple or course credits and for follow-up 10 Euro per person and a raffle of vouchers at a total value of 1000 Euro
Sample Size: 576 individuals
Return/DropOut: Mean comliance of ESM was 88%. | <urn:uuid:77f1e031-6c65-4ecb-83cc-62d1e9a227b2> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://rdc-psychology.org/zygar-hoffmann_2020 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570868.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808152744-20220808182744-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.838789 | 1,101 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Kinder Morgan is rerouting and expanding the capacity of its Trans Mountain pipeline, even as it faces concerns in Burnaby, B.C. about how it will store the oil that reaches the end of the line.
The company is in the midst of a National Energy Board review of a $5.4-billion expansion of the pipeline, an Edmonton-to-Vancouver oil pipeline that has existed for 60 years.
Most of the new pipeline would be built in the existing right of way, but the company has proposed changes to the route that would take the new pipeline through environmental sensitive areas such as North Thompson River Provincial Park, Lac Du Bois Grasslands Protected Area and Coquihalla Summit Recreation Area and McQueen Creek Ecological Reserve.
The routing change included in a May 15 NEB filing includes boring a hole through Burnaby Mountain, the company has announced.
Kinder Morgan's proposal includes plans to increase the daily capacity of its pipeline from 300,000 to 890,000 barrels per day, by running a second pipeline beside the existing line.
Oil tank farm in Burnaby a concern
That means it will need more storage capacity at Burnaby, B.C., where it would load oil onto tankers for overseas markets.
A proposal to build 14 new tanks at its tank farm in the community has run afoul of local firefighters, who fear increasing the tank capacity could set up conditions for a disaster if one of the tanks catches fire.
There are currently 13 tanks in Burnaby, and the Burnaby Fire Department says there is an elementary school nearby.
NEB hearings into the proposal begin in August. If approved, construction could begin as early as next year.
Although that proposal is in the midst of a review, Kinder Morgan is designing its proposal with the idea that it could increase pipeline capacity to 1.13 billion barrels a day.
A Kinder Morgan spokesman said line 2 — the new line being built — would have a "theoretical expanded capacity" of 780,000 barrels per day.
"Trans Mountain has not made any assessment if it is possible or practical to transport expanded volumes," the company said in an email statement.
The revised plan would require the addition of more pumping capacity and some new pipeline segments, as well as a fresh round of regulatory reviews. | <urn:uuid:cebf4103-b211-47b2-80f0-a22f7b8eed40> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/kinder-morgan-oil-storage-plan-for-burnaby-criticized-1.2657027?cmp=rss | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281746.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00291-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960224 | 474 | 2.046875 | 2 |
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Science - T2 W3
Transcript of Science - T2 W3
EXPERIMENT: tie a plastic bag around the leaves of a tree. Observe how much water you collect from the leaves over a number of days.
Most plants have stomata that close during the heat of the day. This stops the leaves from loosing too much water. Some desert plants have stomata that only open at night. Plants put down roots into the soil to draw water and nutrients up into the stems and leaves. How can plants drink when there is no water?
Most deserts receive some water...just not a lot.
Plants have adapted to these conditions by being able to store and restrict how much water they transpire (sweat) through their leaves. Dodging desiccation. Desert plants may have:
smaller and fewer leaves to reduce stomata
waxy cuticles (leaf coverings) to stop water escaping
light-coloured pigments or hairs to reflect the Sun's heat
Desert plants also:
drop leaves during dry seasons
store water in their leaves
Desiccation is the scientific word used to describe the removal of water from the cells of the organism.
Desiccation tolerance - the ability to withstand water loss - is one way plants survive in desert conditions. Your teacher is now going to guide you through an experiment where you will see how surface area can affect evaporation.
Plants can reduce desiccation by reducing the surface area of their leaves.
Which cloth will lose its water first:
the cloth stretched out with maximum surface area, or
the cloth folded over to reduce the surface area? How plants survive in the desert. Transpiration is the process by which moisture is carried through plants from roots to small pores on the underside of leaves. | <urn:uuid:f486a165-6b01-4dc6-bbf6-682b6ef2a49f> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://prezi.com/iahvt70iujtp/science-t2-w3/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279169.4/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00211-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945121 | 525 | 3.65625 | 4 |
The marketplace has often been referred to as a battlefield. A battlefield is a ground on which a battle has been waged and in which there are likely winners and losers. What wars have you witnessed in the marketplace? Many businesses are often quick to point out price wars. Price wars are fought off and on when competing businesses lower prices to attract customers. This has been seen both with street vendors and large corporations. However, there are also other factors besides price that characterize a competitive market. Businesses outrightly compete for more customers, market share, and reputation by differentiating themselves, their products and services, and their entire customer experience.
We all like to win. How are you and your team winning in the marketplace? Every time I pose this question to business leaders, some have clearly outlined their winning strategies. Unfortunately, many do not have clear answers. I love watching competitive sports. . We may learn the most about how to win from the finest sporting teams. Together, the best sports teams triumph. They plan and train together to win as their shared objective. They are supported and guided by coaches. They make sure that everyone on their team is focused on winning. Above all, winning sports teams are made up of individuals who are individually committed to winning. Individual commitment to winning is at the heart of winning together. Every team member has a role to play!
To win together in the marketplace, we need clarity on what winning looks like. For some business people, winning simply means retaining the existing customers. A hairdresser I recently spoke with informed me that she is not presently accepting new clients. This is because she is frequently booked two months in advance and hardly has time to assist her current clients. She worries that adding new clients will lengthen the wait time for the clients she started with to get their sister locks fixed. She is content with the decision she made not to scale her business. For many other firms, winning may entail gaining more clients, increasing sales, gaining market share, receiving better customer feedback, developing a solid reputation, raising awareness of the brand, or simply surviving difficult times. What does winning mean for your company? Does your team understand what winning looks like?.
I think that winning together at work is the first step toward success in the marketplace. It is impossible to win externally unless we are winning internally. Therefore, every smart company must approach winning from the inside out. This calls for assembling the ideal team and making a conscious effort to foster a high-performance culture. Additionally, it entails team training and being receptive to personal growth. As new players enter the market and current companies battle it out, the marketplace will remain competitive. Even as businesses seek to better understand the marketplace, attract new customers and hold on to their existing ones, they must remember that winning comes from the inside out.
Dr Lucy Kiruthu is a Management Consultant and Trainer. Connect via Twitter @KiruthuLucy | <urn:uuid:4183fe42-015e-4304-9a2f-81d5c69b031d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://evolve-consultants.com/winning-together-in-a-competitive-marketplace/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570879.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809003642-20220809033642-00676.warc.gz | en | 0.9828 | 593 | 1.71875 | 2 |
In the 1960s a material called carbon fiber really began to show its potential in the creation of ultra strong, ultra light parts which were utilized by companies such as Rolls-Royce, Morganite and Coutaulds. Over the years, the technology behind the manufacturing processes of carbon fiber, as well as their potential uses, has increased substantially. Today, the demand for carbon fiber composites is close to $20 billion annually, with more uses coming about for the material on a continuous basis.
Just recently has the world of 3D printing begun to realize the benefits of carbon fiber, with the introduction of various new technologies for printing with the material. Most notable would probably be MarkForged’s Mark One 3D printer which actually can print objects with carbon fiber embedded into them. The parts come off of the print bed with properties very similar to more traditional carbon fiber manufactured parts. There have been other companies and individuals dabbling with the idea of 3D printing carbon fiber as well, and there have been several carbon fiber composite filaments released for ordinary desktop 3D printers over the past two years.
Now, one School of Form student in Poznań, Poland is using 3D printing to create a machine which itself has the ability to print and weave carbon fiber. As part of her graduation project, Basia Dżaman has used a KUKA robot and added to it custom 3D printed tool heads and parts in order to turn the robot into a carbon fiber weaving machine.
“I focused on creating a fully working technology that allows you to make any carbon construction built around a supporting structure,” Dżaman explained. “Carbon fibre is coated with resin during the process. All the tools used by KUKA were modeled in Rhino and 3D printed.”
Dżaman has used the carbon fiber weaver/printer to create a traditional Polish handcraft art called “snutki.” It extrudes the resin coated carbon fiber and moves in a pattern that creates the unique Polish stitch. This is just one example of what this machine is capable of though. As the resin hardens, the remaining carbon fiber becomes extremely hard and stiff. The software that runs the robot can be modified and is very flexible in what it can tell the printer to do.
Each part of the modified KUKA robot that Dżaman 3D prints in plastic takes 3-5 hours each to fabricate. She then removes the support material and screws the parts onto the KUKA robot. This is what turns the robot into the carbon fiber extruding machine that she utilizes.
“This has proven to be a versatile process which leaves many possibilities open for exploration in the future,” Dżaman explains.
While there may not be much point of using this machine to extrude carbon fiber into a traditional Polish stitch, this method certainly looks to have potential for companies and individuals interested in producing lightweight, custom, carbon fiber parts. By using thinner strands of carbon fiber, or even fiberglass, Dżaman’s robot could certainly be the carbon fiber 3D printer of the future.
What do you think about the potential of Dżaman’s machine? Discuss in the Carbon Fiber 3D Printing KUKA Robot forum thread on 3DPB.com. Check out the video of the robot in action below.
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Professor Lori A. Nessel
Speaks at Law School Commencement in Haiti
Professor Lori A. Nessel, Director of the Seton Hall Law Center for Social Justice, served as the Commencement speaker at the recent ceremony in honor of the students who graduated from L’Ecole Superieure Catholique de Droit de Jérémie (ESCDROJ), a small Catholic law school located in the remote city of Jérémie, Haiti, and a sister school of Seton Hall Law. With Professor Kip Cornwell serving as translator, Professor Nessel delivered a speech that tied the law schools together, bound by their shared commitment to social justice.
Bon soir. I want to thank Father Jomanas Eustache and Bishop Decoste for the honor of inviting me to address you today and to congratulate all of you on this great achievement as you graduate from law school. I traveled to ESCDROJ for the first time in 2002 and was so moved by what I saw.
I was inspired by ESCDOJ students like you who sacrifice so much and are so passionate about justice and rule of law and by the vision of Father Jomanas and Bishop Romulus in establishing a law school to realize the dream of law, justice and peace for Haiti. As Father Jomanas says, “the opposite of justice is impunity,” and it is only by training a new generation of smart, honest and committed lawyers like yourselves that justice can prevail in Haiti.
From the moment that we saw ESCDROJ, Seton Hall Law School committed to an ongoing relationship and to supporting your work. I have returned to ESCDROJ three times since that first trip and each time I have left more impressed with the work that you are doing. I see the way that ESCDROJ is fulfilling its mission by transforming the legal system in Jérémie. I was at the Jérémie Court today and met with ESCDROJ graduates that are working to increase access to justice including the Chief Prosecutor and the Dean of Court.
The impact of ESCDROJ in creating rule of law is felt throughout Jérémie. I am also so impressed with ESCDROJ’s progress in creating a criminal defense clinic to serve those that cannot afford lawyers and have been denied access to justice and the numbers of ESCDROJ graduates that are now serving as prosecutors, judges, lawyers, police officers, with MINUSTAH, and more, and are transforming the reality of Haiti. I want to talk for a few minutes about this idea of law as a means of achieving justice and share some of my experiences trying to fight for justice and defend human rights in the United States.
Although the situation in the United States is different in many ways, we share the need for strong, honest and committed lawyers that are willing to sacrifice to fight for human and civil rights and dignity and justice for all persons. I have been incredibly fortunate to spend my career as a lawyer representing those that have been denied access to justice, and being able to do so through legal services or clinical education programs so that we never have to charge our clients.
I had never thought of being a lawyer and spent years trying to achieve justice through teaching and community work. But then I heard about a law school like yours whose motto was “Law in the Service of Human Needs.” I decided to pursue law school with the idea that I could use my law degree to fight for social change. After law school, I represented migrant farm workers, many of whom were Haitians that had left families behind in Haiti and migrated to a country as wealthy as the United States, only to find themselves locked away on remote farms and denied the most basic necessities.
As a legal services lawyer, I had to fight just to gain access to the farms and speak with the workers to let them know that they had rights that were being violated under US law. We had to tell the workers that they were entitled to be paid the minimum wage, to drink clean water, to live in decent housing and to be given safety equipment when using dangerous pesticides.
After representing the farm workers, I was offered a position at Seton Hall Law School to teach in a clinical program representing immigrants. When I first arrived at Seton Hall 16 years ago, almost all of our clients were Haitians that had fled by sea and spent long periods at Guantanamo before finally being allowed to seek political asylum in the United States. I wanted to secure safety for our clients, but also to instill in our law students a sense of public service and a duty to represent those that cannot afford a lawyer. Over the years, I have continued to represent immigrants and to work on human rights issues and I have also become the Director of our large Center for Social Justice.
In this Center, our law students represent clients that cannot afford to pay. As part of their training to be lawyers, they fight for the rights of immigrants, or those that are victims of domestic violence, or have been treated illegally by the police, or that are at risk of losing their homes because banks have cheated them, or children that are denied their right to a free appropriate education or juveniles that face criminal charges.
Through all of this work, we hope to obtain justice for our clients and to make the system function more fairly, but we also hope to train a new generation of lawyers, like you all, that are committed to serving the poor and to fighting for dignity and justice for all people. As your godfather of ceremonies said in a class at ESCDROJ last night, you must always fight for justice, even if it is illusory and you do not see that you are achieving it. It is the ideal that we must always work towards.
You have all made great sacrifices in committing yourselves to the study of law, even after a long day’s work and often a long walk to ESCDROJ. You have committed to staying in your beloved Haiti to make it a better place at a time when so many have left in search of an easier life. And you have committed to being lawyers and working towards a Haiti that will be ruled by law, justice and peace.
As your beloved Professor Khristian Caze, who is honored today, has shown you, being a lawyer lasts a lifetime. I congratulate you on your journey and your accomplishments and wish you the best of luck in the future. My colleagues, students and I at Seton Hall Law School are committed to our partnership with you and will help along the way in any way that we can. | <urn:uuid:9611fa61-5fb0-4745-9121-1f57ccc62bf9> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://law.shu.edu/About/News_Events/Program_Highlight/program-highlight-spotlight.cfm?customel_datapageid_4661=249570 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279368.44/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00320-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983358 | 1,353 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Google Bypassing User Privacy Settings in IE
According to Microsoft, Google circumnavigates Internet Explorer's P3P Privacy Protection feature to track cookies of users.
Dean Hachamovitch, corporate vice president of Internet Explorer, wrote in a blog post that Microsoft started looking into the issue after a last week Wall Street Journal article discussed how Google got around tracking blockers in Apple's Safari browser to keep tabs on Web users.
"When the IE team heard that Google had bypassed user privacy settings on Safari, we asked ourselves a simple question: is Google circumventing the privacy preferences of Internet Explorer users too? We've discovered the answer is yes: Google is employing similar methods to get around the default privacy protections in IE and track IE users with cookies," said Hachamovitch.
Internet Explorer automatically blocks third-party cookies from sites that haven't presented a P3P Compact Policy Statement to the W3C Web standards body. This statement publically discloses how and when a site will document data (in the form of cookies).
In Google's case, it has been bypassing the P3P requirements for Internet Explorer to track cookies without presenting a clear intent on how it would use the information.
"Technically, Google utilizes a nuance in the P3P specification that has the effect of bypassing user preferences about cookies," said Hachamovitch. "The P3P specification (in an attempt to leave room for future advances in privacy policies) states that browsers should ignore any undefined policies they encounter."
When the news hit last week concerning Google avoding Safari's privacy protocol, Google responded by saying it was accidental, and the unintentional bypass was part of some bad code connected with its "+1" button that is integrated into many Web sites.
Today, in response to the Internet Explorer blog post, Google said that Microsoft purposely omitted information in its blog post, including its opinion that using P3P specifications was outdated. "It is well known -- including by Microsoft -- that it is impractical to comply with Microsoft's request while providing modern web functionality," said Google in a statement released today. "We have been open about our approach, as have many other websites.
Microsoft made no mention on whether it previously had knowledge or investigated this issue in the blog posting.
Apple and Microsoft aren't the only ones raising concern over Google's privacy circumnavigation -- A class-action lawsuit was filed today with the U.S. District Court for Delaware, alleging that Google violated the Stored Electronic Communication Act, the Federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and the Federal Wiretap Act. | <urn:uuid:76c0ba23-a777-4bb5-8673-6168c2b63cf1> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | https://redmondmag.com/articles/2012/02/21/google-bypassing-user-privacy.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988721174.97/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183841-00282-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945871 | 533 | 1.820313 | 2 |
2015 Summer Project Week:Astronomy
- Davide Punzo, Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, University of Groningen, Netherlands
- Steve Pieper, Isomics
Upcoming HI (neutral Hydrogen) surveys will deliver large datasets, and automated processing using the full 3-D information (two positional dimensions and one spectral dimension) to find and characterize HI objects is imperative. In this context, visualization is an essential tool for enabling qualitative and quantitative human control on an automated source finding and analysis pipeline. Visual Analytics, the combination of automated data processing and human reasoning, creativity and intuition, supported by interactive visualization, enables flexible and fast interaction with the 3-D data, helping the astronomer to deal with the analysis of complex sources. 3-D visualization, coupled to modeling, provides additional capabilities helping the discovery and analysis of subtle structures in the 3-D domain.
- proper visualization of astronomical data cubes: using data astronomical data formats, such as FITS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FITS), and astronomical world coordinates system (WCS);
- generation of flux density profiles, moment maps and position-velocity diagrams linked with the 3-D view;
- enabling interactive smoothing in all three dimensions and multiscale analysis, such as wavelet lifting;
- interactive 3-D selection of HI sources;
- interactive HI data modeling coupled to visualization;
- introduction of the SAMP protocol (Simple Application Messaging Protocol) to enable interoperability with Topcat, and other VO (virtual observatory) tools and catalogs.
- discuss the best approaches;
outcome from 1st day: coordinates, labels and units.
- VTK_FITS reader (and writer) and the Slicer AstroVolume module done;
- data probe coordinates: factorize getPixelString in the logic of the volumes and use the WCSlib in the logic of AstroVolume;
- ruler widget: takes units properly -> OK;
- text on slices view: takes units properly -> OK;
- "spacing annotation" (horizontal widget showing the physical spacing): problem, makeScalingRuler method is hardcoded with mm and cm. Moreover we'd like a different design -> is factoring the class vtkPVScalarBarActor in the logic of the volumes a solution?;
- units: we have different unit for the third axes and we have also units for flux (pixel intensity), how to handle these?;
- question on AstroVolume and wcs: AstroVolume module allocates a vtkMRMLScalarVolumeNode, therefore I am adding the *wcs (it is a struct) in the vtkMRMLAstroVolumeStorageNode. Is this adequate? or it is better to do a vtkMRMLAstroVolumeNode child of vtkMRMLScalarVolumeNode and store the *wcs there (in this case it is not possible to use anymore CLI modules, but allows a better infrastructure)?
outcome from 2nd day: deeper investigation on units module.
- unitsLogic->AddUnitNode add a MRMLUnitsNode to the Scene, but from an interface point of view in Settings only two quantities are allocated qSlicerUnitsSettingsPanelPrivate::setMRMLScene -> quantities << "length" << "time"; (in principle adding "length1" << "length2" << "length3", should update automatically the interface).
- AstroVolume and wcs: let's do an vtkMRMLAstroVolumeNode and for the moment lose the skill to use CLI modules. In future we can see some tricks in the COMBOBOX to allow the use of them if they will be required from the users.
outcome from 3rd day:
- vtkMRMLAstroVolumeNode with *wcs struct integrated in SlicerAstro extension.
- working on modifications to the Units module for adding velocity and intensity quantities.
- Engineering solutions for data probe and slice view annotations hardcoded features will be addressed after the Units module. | <urn:uuid:da72fd79-b97c-476a-bd20-95889d42ecd9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.na-mic.org/wiki/2015_Summer_Project_Week:Astronomy | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571147.84/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810040253-20220810070253-00473.warc.gz | en | 0.789973 | 860 | 2.4375 | 2 |
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Sign Up and receive exclusive online promotions | <urn:uuid:1fbaef5c-08fb-4dd2-8a75-75f27dbb2525> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://samkoandmikotoywarehouse.com/shop/smithsonian-readers-ultimate-predators-level-3-softcover-paperback/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571056.58/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809155137-20220809185137-00675.warc.gz | en | 0.913666 | 144 | 1.65625 | 2 |
I DON’T UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE CREATED A WHOLE SOCIETY IN SUPPORT OF WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND FREEDOM AND STILL SAY THAT THIS IS A MALE DOMINATED SOCIETY. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO TRIVIAL MATTERS, WE START SUPPORTING WOMEN BECAUSE THEY ARE WEAK AND STILL CALL IT A MALE DOMINATED SOCIETY. ONE HAND WE CLAIM TO SUPPORT WOMAN ON THE OTHER HAND WE CALL THIS COUNTRY MALE DOMINATED
FEW PEOPLE GET MARRIED THESE DAYS, SO THAT THEY GET INTO A GOOD FAMILY… AND THEN LIVE FOR A FEW DAYS AND THEN JUST CLAIM ALIMONY FOR THEIR FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE. SO MARRIAGE HERE IS JUST A CONTRACT, RIGHT? INSIDE A COURTROOM - QUESTIONS ARE RAISED ON THE MAN FOR NOT FULFILLING THE NEEDS OF HIS WIFE WITHOUT EVEN CONSIDERING THAT SOMETIMES IT’S NOT JUST THE MAN WHO HAS ILL INTENTIONS. WHY SHOULD A MAN PAY ALIMONY WHEN THE OBJECTIVE OF WIFE WAS JUST TO EXTRACT MONEY POST WEDDING? ARE WE REALLY FIGHTING FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT OR ARE WE ON OUR WAY TO GIVE UNNATURAL POWERS TO THE FEMALE SOCIETY SO THAT THEY CAN USE THIS AGAINST THEIR HUSBANDS AND TORTURE/BLACKMAILING THEM FOR TAKING THEIR EACH AND EVERY PENNY IN THE DIVORCE PROCESS? IF A MAN IS RIGHT, HE IS RIGHT! IF A WOMAN IS WRONG, PEOPLE WOULD STILL BLAME THE MAN BECAUSE THIS IS HOW WE CAN CALL OURSELVES A FEMINIST MAN AND WOMAN ARE EQUAL - SO WHY SHOULD A MAN SACRIFICE AND LISTEN TO WORST ALLIGATIONS IN A COURT ROOM OR BY THE SOCIETY? IF WE THINK WE WILL BE ABLE TO BRING EQUALITY BY SUPPORTING SOMEONE JUST BECAUSE THAT SOMEONE IS A WOMAN : THIS IS NOT EQUALITY, THIS IS RATHER HYPOCRISY. THIS IS MISUSING OUR RIGHTS “A MAN IS NOT ALWAYS WRONG A WOMAN IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT” AND BEING RIGHT AND WRONG IS NEVER NEVER NEVER DEPENDENT ON THEIR GENDER" BEING A FEMININE OR MASCULINE IS FAKE IN SUCH SITUATION JUSTICE IS REAL. TRUTH IS REAL. IF YOU REALLY WANT TO FIGHT, FIGHT FOR THE TRUTH
I agree with what you’re saying but it’s not always the man who pays the alimony. The spouse that earns more is the one that has to pay it. It’s not a law in favour of women per se. Now usually women earn less, which is another issue. But you’re right, the both genders can be the victim and women shouldn’t use their position to manipulate someone. Same goes for men
Here’s one more. This is from my family itself. My aunty beats my uncle n when he used to say I’ll divorce instead she used to threaten him for beating her (which he never did) n now knowing about the rape law she feels to have more power n now threatens to use that against him… As its a family incident I can tell you my uncle feels like a slave and he’s lost himself. | <urn:uuid:4df5c6c3-d7d0-4158-afe9-d4020899be79> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://nowandme.com/i-dont-understand-that-we-have-created-a-ekoU2zURx_LGAN-?ref=related_thoughts | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571993.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814022847-20220814052847-00669.warc.gz | en | 0.711108 | 793 | 1.5 | 2 |
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Posted by Richard Fichera on November 29, 2010
In October, with great fanfare, the Open Data Center Alliance unfurled its banners. The ODCA is a consortium of approximately 50 large IT consumers, including large manufacturing, hosting and telecomm providers, with the avowed intent of developing standards for interoperable cloud computing. In addition to the roster of users, the announcement highlighted Intel with an ambiguous role as a technology advisor to the group. The ODCA believes that it will achieve some weight in the industry due to its estimated $50 billion per year of cumulative IT purchasing power, and the trade press was full of praises for influential users driving technology as opposed to allowing rapacious vendors such as HP and IBM to drive users down proprietary paths that lead to vendor lock-in.
Now that we’ve had a month or more to allow the purple prose to settle a bit, let’s look at the underlying claims, potential impact of the ODCA and the shifting roles of vendors and consumers of technology. And let’s not forget about the role of Intel.
First, let me state unambiguously that one of the core intentions of the ODCA, the desire to develop common use case models that will in turn drive vendors to develop products that comply with the models based on the economic clout of the ODCA members (and hopefully there will be a correlation between ODCA member requirements and those of a wider set of consumers), is a good idea. Vendors spend a lot of time talking to users and trying to understand their requirements, and having the ODCA as a proxy for the requirements of a lot of very influential customers will be a benefit to all concerned.
But it is a huge jump from acting as an honest broker to encourage things that almost everyone connected with cloud computing eventually wants – interoperability standards, common interfaces, common management models, etc. – and an organization with the de facto power to control purchases and dictate vendor product plans. In this role I think the ODCA will fail.
Consider some of the underlying background and industry realities:
- Standards in a rapidly evolving technology are difficult – The history of IT screams this fact at us. Group attempts at standardizing rapidly evolving technologies have usually been dismal failures, and true standardization has been driven by the Darwinian give and take of the marketplace. Sometimes de facto standards remain vendor controlled de facto standards and get widely deployed anyway. The reality of today’s technology marketplace is that technology is evolving faster than any standardization effort could evolve. Additionally, standards always lag proprietary practice because complex technology always works best in proprietary integrated stacks. Only after it has had some time to bake in the market can it be standardized. Standards groups gave us X400 and Token Ring, while the market gave us universal TCP/IP and Ethernet.
- Users are not necessarily the ones to define standards – End users of infrastructure technology as a group are excellent at defining what their problems are, and solving them with available technologies, but are not in the business of defining future products, architectures, or developing standards. The skill sets are different, and most IT groups, even in large companies, do not have people sitting around with nothing to do but try to become product architects. Additionally, consortiums of diverse corporations are not monolithic, and will make pragmatic buying decisions, not ones circumscribed by the group standards. If a “nonconforming” product is the best one to get their job done, that is the one that will be purchased. On the other hand, I&O groups are excellent at defining their problems, and the development of use cases and requirements is a strength of the teams, and this is the area where the ODCA can shine.
- The $50 billion of market clout is grossly exaggerated – This figure appears to be the total IT spend of these companies, and possibly with a little compressed air added. The actual portion of this total that is directly applicable to the cloud-related IT spend of the companies is hard to pin down, but is much, much smaller. Let’s say maybe 5% at a very generous maximum, leaving us with a couple of billion dollars distributed over 50 companies. A lot of money, but way short of $50 billion. And any leverage is years in the future, since the group hasn’t actually delivered anything yet.
- Evil vendors – Let’s face it, evil vendors are a fact of life. They are in it to make money. For themselves, at the expense of their competition, with tactics that often push to the very limits of what is allowed under law. That’s capitalism. And because of this, it has been the vendors who have pushed technology as far and fast as it has gone, and who have created things that most users never even dreamed of – ubiquitous compatible desktops, virtual machines, cloud computing models, the commercialization of the web, and so on ad infinitum. Without evil vendors we might still be writing on paper ledgers with quill pens. Admittedly, vendors sometimes need a little discipline from the courts, but all in all it's hard to think of a better system for promoting progress, and somewhat disingenuous to complain about proprietary lock-in with products that have been purchased with an eyes open evaluation of their price versus benefits. If the benefits did not outweigh the price, including the lock-in factor, they wouldn’t get purchased for long.
- Intel as the sole technology advisor – Intel’s role in the ODCA is not in any way altruistic, nor is it required to be. Intel will almost certainly at a minimum use their relationship with the ODCA to gain early access to emerging requirements so they can factor them into their product decisions and where possible gently steer things in directions more compatible with what Intel wants to do. This is not in any sense evil, but rather behavior well within the cultural norms of the technology industry, and Intel has a lot of smart people who can probably contribute to the group’s efforts. But we would be more comfortable with the ODCA’s overall credibility and ability to deliver vendor-neutral products if AMD was a member, along with an assortment of other vendors with cloud portfolios.
Netting it out, the ODCA has a strong potential to develop use cases that can be of value to the vendor community, which will in turn encourage vendors to build products that deliver the desired solutions to customers. In communicating these requirements, and in providing a ready channel to market for vendors who produce conformant products, the ODCA can provide a service. But I think the odds are against it becoming the kind of powerhouse gating organization with immense market clout that its organizers projected in its opening days.
I’d be interested in hearing from our Forrester I&O clients. Would you join such a consortium? Will the future recommendations of the ODCA influence your buying decisions?
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- Stephanie Balaouras (1) | <urn:uuid:00c0068b-df79-475b-be39-f16760280be8> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://blogs.forrester.com/richard_fichera/10-11-29-open_data_center_alliance_lap_dog_or_watch_dog | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281162.88/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00533-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951883 | 1,647 | 1.632813 | 2 |
On Monday, President Obama delivered the proposed budget for fiscal year 2011 to Congress.
We are grateful that the Administration has expanded federal funds for Title X family planning programs and clinics, which invest in reproductive health and wellness for Latinas and immigrant women and provide reproductive health care to many Latinas. Latinas have the highest uninsured rate of women of any other racial or ethnic group, at 37%, and it is critical that during our national economic crisis we continue to offer an essential source of reproductive health and preventative services, especially for low-income women.
It is also good news that the President has increased funding for evidence-based sex education and for community health centers, which are an essential source of reproductive and preventive health care for low-income Latinas and immigrant women.
However, we are deeply disappointed with the President’s decision to preserve the harmful provision known as the Hyde Amendment in the FY 2011 budget. A woman’s ability to access a legal, safe abortion remains under attack, and as evidenced by health care reform debates, the Hyde Amendment only serves as ammunition. Over a quarter of women on Medicaid are Latinas, and low-income Latina and immigrant women are disproportionately impacted by restrictions to abortion access. Preserving this provision will enable a politically-motivated barrier to continue and restricts safe, legal abortions for poor women.
While it is important to recognize that the budget includes some victories for reproductive health access, it is also crucial to speak out against provisions that prevent true reproductive justice. Basta! 33 years is enough!
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The ongoing effort to reform our health care system received a shock on Tuesday with Scott Brown’s upset win against Martha Coakley in the Massachusetts Senate election race to replace the late Edward M. Kennedy Jr.. This means that Democrats no longer have the filibuster-proof 60-seat majority to pass health care reform as planned, and are currently in the process of re-assessing their efforts and strategies.
Several options have been put forward, but it is as-of-yet unclear what strategy will prevail. The Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, has already announced that the House will not adopt the Senate bill, a strategy that would have avoided another vote in the Senate. The Senate version of the health care reform legislation includes the problematic Nelson-Casey provision that would place tremendous bureaucratic obstacles for abortion to be included in insurance packages in the Exchange. Additionally, the Senate bill would not allow undocumented persons to purchase health insurance from the Exchange with their own money. Another option, one put forward by President Obama, would be to pass a smaller, pared-down bill that encompasses some “core elements” of the reforms currently being proposed. Yet another option would rely on the budget reconciliation process. What has become clear, however, is that lawmakers are operating under different circumstances than they were before the Massachusetts election results.
Staff from the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH) visited the offices of key legislators this week, and we will continue to work towards the best possible package. Legislators said they have received a record number of phone calls and letters from our activists on the ground and in their districts. We must sincerely thank you for your support and continued hard work – your voices are being heard.
As we commemorate the 37th Anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, it is critical for us to advance a national reproductive justice agenda. We will continue to update you as this situation develops, and continue to demand that health care reform not be passed on the backs of women and immigrants. ¡Que siga la lucha!
The NLIRH staff
P.S. Check out some of our recent media hits related to health care reform!
RH Reality Check: “Securing Real Choices Means Going Beyond “Choice”
Silvia Henriquez, NLIRH Executive Director on GritTV
Houston Chronicle: “Now is the time for Latinas to speak up!”
CNN.com: “Latinas need a voice in the abortion debate”
New York Times Letter to the Editor by Silvia Henriquez
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The fight for health care reform has reached its last stage, and the bills passed by the House and the Senate are currently being merged by Democratic leadership. It has been long and it has been tough, and now we are advocating for the best possible result even though closed-door meetings have replaced an open conference process. Our efforts have not led us where we would have liked given the momentous opportunity that health care reform presented. Certainly, the final bill will contain a number of key provisions that will improve the way people access health care by ending pre-existing conditions exclusions, expanding Medicaid, and ending gender-rating (the practice of charging women more than men for similar policies). Although we knew from the beginning that this legislation would not create a system of truly universal health care, we dedicated our best efforts into improving reform options for Latinas and their families.
Activists and staff from the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH) have been engaging legislators in DC and in their home districts on a weekly basis with visits, letters and phone calls. We are reminding them that Latinas do want and need abortion coverage, and that immigrant families must be able to access the health care system.
We will not stand silent as this battle is fought on the bodies of women and immigrants. For the past several years NLIRH has been fighting to repeal the Hyde amendment, which prohibits federal funding for abortion coverage, except in the case of rape, incest or life endangerment of a woman. Though the amendment offered by Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA) in the House bill represented a compromise that maintained the status quo established by the Hyde Amendment, it was a compromise we were willing to make so that the health care reform process would not come to a halt. For some in Congress, the painful concession in Capps was not enough. The amendment offered by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) in the House and the “compromise” by Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) in the Senate stopped just short of banning abortion coverage in private insurance policies. If either Stupak or Nelson’s provisions are included in the final bill, health care reform will enact some of the most egregious and detrimental setbacks to abortion rights since the seventies. Latinas, immigrants, and women of color are deeply affected by any language restricting abortion access. Because women of color and immigrants are disproportionately poor, they are less likely to be able to pay for reproductive care out-of-pocket, which puts them at risk for seeking alternative, unsafe abortion methods.
NLIRH will continue to advocate for real and meaningful health care reform. We are still working tirelessly by organizing our base and reaching out to key legislators to let them know that women and immigrants must not be left out. Thank you for your continued support – we cannot do this without you. La lucha sigue!
The NLIRH team
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The National Coalition for Immigrant Women’s Rights just released a statement applauding the removal of the HIV travel ban:
The ban, which was in place since 1987, was anachronistic and reflected a fundamental misunderstanding about HIV/AIDS and how it is spread. The public health community has long recognized that it is inappropriate to classify HIV as a “communicable disease of public health significance,” as that term is understood to apply to diseases that can be transmitted by casual contact.
This is an important victory – a step closer to reproductive justice for all.
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To those of you that have been paying attention to NLIRH’s work during the long process to craft and pass health care reform legislation, it might seem as though what was a flurry of action at the end of the year has died down. Behind the scenes, however, we are hard at work. Though many provisions in both the Senate and the House version of the health care reform legislation are deeply flawed, NLIRH is not ready to give up. We are currently developing strategies and materials for the last leg of this struggle, and we are continuing our work both with activists on the ground and our colleagues in the movement to ensure that the merged bill comes out free of provisions that are hurtful to women of color, low-income people, and immigrants.
The Senate and House versions of the bill will be merged soon, but right now it is not clear exactly how that will happen. Though legislation typically enters a conference committee made up of members of both the House and Senate to resolve differences and emerge with a final bill, there is speculation that health care reform will undergo an alternative process in order to avoid Republican stalling tactics.
Stay tuned – we will need all your help soon!
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Check out this short video clip of NLIRH Executive Director Silvia Henriquez speaking at the Stop Stupak Rally in Washington, DC on December 2nd!
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It was 5:53 in the morning. The rain was pouring down, and the No. 6 train uptown was now ten minutes late. None of that mattered though, I was excited. I knew that in just a few hours I would be in a different city, completely, being an advocate for what I believe in. I was going to participate in a rally that would voice concerns over the Stupak-Pitts Amendment to Health Care. While representing NLIRH as an intern, and with other advocacy groups like Planned Parenthood, the Feminist Majority Foundation, NARAL, Advocates for Youth, NOW, the Hispanic Federation, Voces Latinas, the Pro-Choice Education Project, and countless others, I was going to stand up for women’s and reproductive rights.
The Stupak Amendment does not affect only women and people of color. As a man, I understand that my voice against human rights violations is just as important. My intersections of identity — man, Latino, gay, Catholic — are all important in fighting for equality. Some people think that just because you’re a man, you can’t be a feminist. The truth is, I am a man AND I am a feminist. I have no place in taking away the human rights of a woman. That said, I will continue to fight these rights. The bus we took to D.C. We were all united for women’s rights, regardless of gender, race or age. (more…)
Read Full Post » | <urn:uuid:3223527a-0d14-4d19-b45b-67d57e25a786> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://latinainstitute.wordpress.com/category/politics/page/5/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279368.44/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00330-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96752 | 2,175 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Although issues like health seemed to plague Harrisburg in the 1890s, one area thrived - the establishment of Reservoir Park. As early as 1883, city officials expressed a desire for the lands surrounding the reservoir to be made into "beautiful pleasure grounds, a pride of and credit to the city, instead of the unsightly wilderness it now is" (6). Although this idea is absent in the reports from the years immediately following 1883, this idea evidently did not die, for in 1890, Reservoir Park was established.
The new park was under the Park Commission, who took care of creating an entrance to the park on Walnut Street, painted buildings located in the park, and maintained the grounds as a whole (56). Under the commission's careful guidance throughout the 1890s, the park soon thrived, meeting and even surpassing the visions of the city officials in 1883.
For example, continued improvements to the park throughout the early 1890s had made the green space quite popular with city citizens by 1894. The city's Arbor Day celebration, complete with speeches and music, was a hit with the town, and someone donated a flag to the park during the year's Independence Day festivities. Neighbors from the park as well as visitors from further afield would regularly come to visit and relax (53).
Reservoir Park continued to prosper and grow. In 1897, there were so many visitors to the park that suggestions were made to enlarge it (1897 report, 73). 1899 continued to see an influx of visitors to the park, and concerts began to be held there (1899 report, 71-76). By 1900, right around the time of the emergence of Harrisburg's City Beautiful movement, Reservoir Park had become "the principal outing place for the people of Harrisburg and the surrounding towns" (1900 report, 84). There were more calls to enlarge the park, and the Park Commission continued to make maintenance of the park a priority (85-86). Although Harrisburg had faced many municipal challenges in the 1890s, oftentimes unsuccessfully, the Reservoir Park proved to be a bright spot in the city's municipal affairs and perhaps was indicative to the people of Harrisburg of what the impending City Beautiful movement could accomplish. | <urn:uuid:5c846cd5-6b88-49a2-92e9-553aed81d990> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://citybeautiful.omeka.net/exhibits/show/cbmbackground/other/park | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570871.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808183040-20220808213040-00276.warc.gz | en | 0.981877 | 464 | 3.046875 | 3 |
Tainted peanut butter, rotten eggs, bacteria-ridden fruits and vegetables, and chemically compromised merchandise are literally the spoils of the globalization of industry, and the bane of the big businesses that sell most people the food they eat and products they buy.
For years, companies promised to manage and monitor the process of provisioning for global retailers with tools that would make consumer goods safer and the supply chain that provides them more reliable, but the hits just keep on coming.
Stepping into the breach with a suite of new products including a hosted service that connects retailers with inspection companies to automate risk management, iCix, a San Francisco-based company with over a decade of experience in food safety and supply chain management, has raised $25 million.
The company spends most of its time focused on selling its suite of technology services to general merchandisers like Wal-Mart or the giant Australian conglomerate Wesfarmers (which is like a combination of Cargill, General Electric, and Wal-Mart in a single company).
“We started this in the food industry after 9/11,” says Matt Smith, the chief strategy officer at iCix. “Food companies needed to understand where their products came from. What we did was give them a very clear way for how the products they’re buying are coming from the manufacturing places where they’re made.”
Now, in addition to tracking a network of suppliers, iCix is integrating that information with its tools tracking the monitoring work that’s being done by independent testing companies around the world. “There’s an army of lab companies that have been the verifiers of trade,” says Smith. Ever since ships began calling at ports in the world, technicians, auditors, or merchants have been around to verify that the goods coming off of a boat were the goods that businesses had paid for.
“Over 200 years forward they are very sophisticated in the way they test and understand products around the globe,” says Smith.
Money from the new round that iCix raised from Wesfarmers, Vertical Venture Partners, and previous investors Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Starfish Ventures (an Australian fund), will be used to boost research and development, and make a bigger push to sell and market its services.
“There’s a lot of emphasis on corporate responsibility these days,” says Smith. “There’s been a big shift, I feel, in the last four, five, or six years that companies are really starting to act on, with social media playing a big part. You’re seeing events like what happened in Bangladesh be big black eyes for these buyers, who are ultimately selling these products.”
The company’s newest product integrates with testing laboratories to automate the documentation of product testing and regulatory assessments. By checking to ensure that each shipment has the proper documentation, iCix tells companies they can better manage their risk by identifying and rejecting goods that don’t have the right documents. | <urn:uuid:9ebf09ff-cac0-4cbc-bafd-b21fb216cb03> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | https://techcrunch.com/2014/07/22/tackling-food-safety-and-supply-chain-issues-icix-raises-25-million/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988719079.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183839-00035-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963059 | 629 | 1.921875 | 2 |
BAGHDAD — Not long before the fall of Saddam Hussein, the two Iraqi men frequented some of the same intellectual circles in Baghdad.
They drank tea with friends at Shabandar Cafe, holding long discussions near the Friday book market in the heart of Old Baghdad. They attended the antique auction - where this reporter first met them - held every other Friday night in a dim but inviting shop crammed with dusty artifacts.
But three years later, their lives have been touched very differently by the US occupation, and by its soldiers. The men's trajectories have forced them to confront a wrenching decision: whether to reorient their lives in a radically changed Iraq - or to leave their homeland.
As US forces rumbled toward Baghdad, Esam Pasha al-Azzawy, with his thick beard and long black hair, was gaining ground as a young artist who talked up his paintings as the auctioneer gaveled gilt chairs and old swords. [Editor's note: The original version misspelled Esam Pasha al-Azzawy's name.]
Bassim Sulaiman was an established antique dealer with an air of high learning, who chain-smoked his way through each auction, seeking out customers and friends, as well as deals for his antique shop.
Today, Mr. Azzawy says he is fully experiencing the American dream - a rare enough event these days for any Iraqi. But after three years of violence in his homeland, Azzawy says that the promise of freedom carried by US forces when they invaded Iraq can only be found in one place: America itself.
Azzawy left the car bombs, killing, and chronic danger behind, and was invited by a Minnesota gallery to visit last spring. Earlier this year he exhibited work in New York - as part of the first east coast showing by Iraqi artists. He has spent the past six months living in New London, Conn., in a "dream" studio as an artist-in-residence at the Griffis Art Center.
"This is a great experience; the horizon is wide open here," says Azzawy, in a telephone interview. "People are very nice and cooperative. Iraq is also a melting pot, with so many religions and ethnic groups. So in Iraq nobody is a foreigner, and it's the same in America."
Azzawy's grant ends this month, and he will apply for asylum in the US. But the path from his tiny Baghdad apartment and studio has been difficult and dangerous.
Azzawy had mixed emotions about the US arrival, and what it would mean for his beloved city. But just after the regime fell, he said it felt like "my first time in the outside world."
His first contacts with American troops were "gentle" because "we [Iraqis] were gentle with them." But he warned then that "hoping is not enough. We must act, and take [government] out of the hands of the Americans before it is too late."
An optimist by nature, the tall, barrel-chested Azzawy is a former Iraqi national judo champion. He began working as a translator for US units a week after they arrived, quickly picking up the nickname "Jesus" because of his looks. His job with the 101st Airborne and later the Florida National Guard, was made easier because he was with "good units," he said at the time, which did not partake in heavy-handed raids that alienated many Iraqis.
But the close calls began to add up, as Iraqis working for Americans began to be targeted by insurgents. One fellow translator was killed. And besides working nights for US units at five dollars a day - raised later to $12 a day - Azzawy also worked for Western journalists.
One incident in Najaf in August 2003 sticks with him, and has convinced him not to "try his luck again" by staying in Iraq. While working with this correspondent in the aftermath of a car bomb that killed a ranking Shiite cleric, we were first trapped in a hotel by an angry mob, and then escaped - only to have an Iraqi point toward Azzawy and yell "Wahhabi!" because of his looks.
Believing that Sunni Wahhabi extremists had killed the cleric, Shiite crowds chased us down narrow alleyways. Eventual rescue by Iraqi police took more than an hour to arrange, as crowds threw stones into a courtyard where we had taken shelter. I had to wrap my arms around Azzawy, and we were ringed by police with bulletproof vests, as we made our way through the irate crowd to waiting police vehicles.
"In Iraq, either you work and be in danger, or you stay at home and do nothing," says Azzawy, who changed his routine every day in Baghdad, leaving and arriving home at different times, and changing his routes. "People even get killed going shopping, so you may as well work."
But Azzawy's art suffered, even though he had realized one aspect of his post-Saddam dream, of painting a large mural at the Labor Ministry on an edifice that before had lionized the dictator with a 3-by-4 meter portrait.
Also tough has been the deteriorating situation in Iraq. But, he says, "It's not the Americans or the Iraqis to blame, or the soldiers and politicians - it's everyone." Having seen the US occupation from the inside, as a translator, gives Azzawy pause, before voicing the knee-jerk opposition to the US presence heard from most Baghdadis today.
"The necessity of the situation makes you act a certain way; [sometimes it] forces you to be rude, and there is no time to win hearts and minds," says Azzawy. Iraqis and Americans need to learn more about each other, he says, and to meet each other.
"I have more friends in the US than in Iraq," laughs Azzawy. But ironically, it is Azzawy's time in America that has made it more dangerous for him to return to Iraq. He has been the subject of a handful of stories on Western and Iraqi TV channels, about his art and the start of a new life.
"People in the street will recognize you, and say: 'You worked for the Americans! You were in America!' " notes Azzawy, who says he is already 10 chapters into a book about his experiences. "Now the threat [in Baghdad] is more and more for me than before."
Bassim Sulaiman never calls that momentous day in April 2003 the "fall of Baghdad." Instead he calls it the "fall of Saddam," because it was then he knew that he would never again have to entice customers to the downstairs gallery of his antique shop - as he did to this correspondent just before the war - to whisper curses against the Iraqi dictator.
The regal antiquary didn't want war in his country, but he grew up taught by Jesuit Fathers, had known a number of Americans, and tasted their generosity. He wanted to give the self-described "liberators" of Iraq a chance.
"When people would speak badly about the Americans, I said: 'No, don't be so quick to judge them,' " recalls Sulaiman. "I used to give them excuses: 'They are young, they can make mistakes. They can't tell good Iraqis from bad Iraqis.' "
But Sulaiman's story of how that initial, cautious optimism turned to angry opposition to US forces in the course of three years - as high expectations fell prey to violence and even small, inadvertent humiliations - has been repeated often across Iraq.
"Before [the Americans] started messing up, I opened my arms to them," says Sulaiman. "We have a history of resistance. My grandfather fought the British, and my father fought the British. I never thought that I would fight anybody, but here we are with the Americans."
Sulaiman says he first started to see mistakes, such as the arrival of exile Iraqis slotted into positions of power; they were people who had been away so long that their accents had changed. Violence also began to take root, making it more difficult for Sulaiman to travel from his house in upmarket Mansour neighborhood to his shop elsewhere in Baghdad.
"I'm not going there every day," laments Sulaiman. "It's too far, and you never know what is in the road." He has, in fact, not visited the shop for eight months, and the two women who run it might call with big sales of $2,000 or $3,000 two days in a row, and then sell nothing for months.
While keeping a close watch over the large collection of original paintings in his home - many purchased as families left before and during the 2003 conflict - Sulaiman's first love has turned into more of a hobby. He now manages four large companies owned by a friend he has known since he was a boy.
"I did not think of leaving," scoffs Sulaiman. "I thought: 'If I leave, then who will stay? The idiots, the thieves, and the bombmakers?' "
That disdain is not just reserved for Iraqis and their ineffective politicians. Sulaiman's optimism about the Americans began to deflate with a small incident in late 2004.
He watched as a Humvee rear-ended a car in his district. "The [Iraqi] man got out - he was probably feeding seven kids - his bumper falls off, and his mouth was wide open," says Sulaiman. "The American comes out, and laughs, and says, 'Oh, sorry,' and drives off. Ever since then, I have been disturbed."
Sulaiman is also concerned with the quality of "democracy" being preached in Iraq. He met one man in the street at 10 a.m., drinking the licorice-flavored Arak liquor. When Sulaiman asked him what he was doing, the man replied: "This is democracy."
"Iraqis don't know what democracy is.... If they were serious, [Americans] would print a leaflet for kindergartens, telling them the meaning of democracy and freedom," says Sulaiman. "Most important is to explain why it doesn't interfere with religion, that you can be both democratic and religious."
But Sulaiman's concerns were soon pushed to the limit. While his family of four slept in one room in June 2005, US forces launched an overnight raid. Soldiers fast-roped from helicopters, used explosives to blast open three entrances to the house, and within seconds had their guns trained on Sulaiman.
"They made a mess of the house, a real mess. You couldn't walk because of the glass," says Sulaiman. The soldiers asked for the name of a man he did not know, and then bundled him into a Humvee for questioning. Before he left, Sulaiman told his 26-year-old epileptic son: "Don't worry, they are a bunch of cowards, and your father is a strong man."
When the US troops took off his blindfold at a facility near the airport, they scolded him: "You were talking and cursing, when guns were pointed at you."
"Yes, because I am in my country. You are not in your country," Sulaiman retorted. "I told them: 'I was raised by Americans, they were hospitable. But I have never met any like you.' "
The soldiers eventually realized their mistake, apologized, paid $500 to cover the cost of damage, and showed him a map with his house marked out in red - thanks to a false tip-off, they said, from a neighbor. A final bottle of white table wine, as a goodwill gift, was not enough to change his mind; Sulaiman's $6,000 claim has been filed with the US embassy in Amman.
"If they turned the country into something livable I would forgive them - I would love them!" exclaims Sulaiman. "But from what I see, it is worse and worse." | <urn:uuid:2ff9ff5f-c11f-4490-9488-87d08b30df8e> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0323/p01s04-woiq.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988719136.58/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183839-00466-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.988139 | 2,511 | 1.9375 | 2 |
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