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Shaolin temple 少林寺 (Shaolin Si) was built for a Buddhist Indian monk called Ba Tuo in 495 to preach his faith. Buddhism was becoming very popular and well-respected all over China at that time. Many Chinese monks were sent to India to bring back Buddhist manuscripts to their homeland, where Indian monks were invited to preach their religion. There are no specific writings about what Ba Tuo taught in the temple, but he is known as the first abbot of Shaolin.
The most famous character in the Shaolin history is an Indian prince called Damo, also known as Bodhidharma. He lived in the south of India were he practiced Mahayana Buddhism and was considered to be "enlightened". Invited to China by the Liang Wu Emperor he arrived to Guangdong in 527. After a while he visited the Shaolin temple but found the monks weak, sick, and very unhealthy. He decided to isolate himself in the mountain behind the temple to meditate. After nine years he returned to the temple with two classics: Yi Jin Jing (classic of muscle and tendons transformations), and the Xi Sui Jing (classic of brain and marrow cleaning). He taught the Yi Jin Jing to the monksin order for them to have more Qi and to be healthier but they also noticed that their physical strength was growing significantly. When added to their martial practice, it also improved the efficiency of their techniques. That was a new stage of Chinese martial arts.
During the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907) the Shaolin temple was allowed to have its own soldiers and its own private lands. Untill the Qing dynasty (1644) the Shaolin temple continued to improve its martial art training by absorbing lots of information from the outside world.
Many monks traveled abroad in search of new skills, and new techniques to bring back to the temple. This explains why the Shaolin gong fu was so powerfull, and up-to-date compared to outside martial arts. Gradualy the temple turned into a famous laboratory of Chinese gong fu. Unfortunatley the temple has been burnt down 3 times since its creation resulting in the loss of a wealth of information about traditional Shaolin style.
One of the meanings of "gong fu" is to put time and effort in the practice of a specific skill. When practicing gong fu the practitioner focuses all their intention on reaching their goal. It is an excellent way to improves one's body, patience, will and intention force.
Practicing Shaolin fundamentals or Shaolin jiben gong 少林基本 helps to improve the practitionner's body structure. The Shaolin forms not only help to reinforce the muscles and the tendons, but also improves one's movements and motions coordinations. This leads to the discovery of the old essentials of traditionnal Gong Fu, with all its philosophy. Since Shaolin gong fu was an important root to martial arts, many of its basics are common to other styles. It allows the student to adapt to any kind of training regardless of the style.
Master Ruzhong, head teacher of the warrior monks in the southern shaolin temple (Pu tian) | <urn:uuid:d7aa6c48-92fd-440a-809f-ae0ce9490534> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.meshkah.net/people | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571198.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810161541-20220810191541-00273.warc.gz | en | 0.974603 | 669 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Stingray Bites Man. Will the Fourth Amendment Bite Back? (Location Tracking)
On October 28, the Department of Justice will argue to a District Court Judge in Arizona that neither the public nor criminal defendants should learn about a special investigative tool it uses to track individuals’ location via their cellphones. According to the Wall Street Journal, law enforcement and the military are regularly using such devices, called “Stingrays”. In the Arizona case, United States v. Rigmaiden, investigators used the technology to assist them in locating the suspect. That defendant is now asking the court to order the government to turn over information about how Stingray functions and how it was used in his arrest so that he can litigate whether use of the device violated his Fourth Amendment rights.
The case could have serious implications, especially as the Supreme Court is set to hear argument next month in U.S. v. Jones, a Fourth Amendment challenge to warrantless GPS location tracking. Most courts to consider the issue have held that the government needs a probable cause warrant to perform real time tracking via cell site location data from a service provider. See In the Matter of the Application of the United States, 534 F. Supp. 2d 585, n. 40 (W.D. Pa. 2008), vacated on other grounds, 620 F.3d 304 (3d Cir. 2010).
However, the government says it need only meet the lower pen register/trap and trace statute standard of “specific and articulable facts” to use Stingray. Further, in Jones, the Government asserts that it needs nothing whatsoever to put a GPS device on your car. The fact that Stingray technology exists and is widely (but secretly) in use is likely to be of great interest to the Supreme Court when it considers the invasiveness of location tracking capabilities.
The Stingray device tracks an individual’s location by tricking his or her handset into connecting to Stingray as if it were a cellphone tower. It then sends signals to that handset and measures strength and delay time of responses, thereby enabling investigators to locate the handset so long as its turned on. While initially available only to law enforcement at great expense, stingray-type devices, known in the hacker world as IMSI catchers, are becoming increasingly affordable. At the 2010 Black Hat conference in Las Vegas, researcher Chris Paget demonstrated a fake GSM base station she created for less than two thousand dollars. Like Stingray, the device tricks handsets into connecting to it. Paget’s device could also make the phone drop voice encryption enabling a man-in-the-middle eavesdropping attack. Which calls into question – what can the oh-so-much-more-expensive Stingray do?
In investigations where such devices were used, the government is taking affirmative steps to avoid revealing that information to both judges and defendants. The FBI told the Wall Street Journal that it regularly deletes all information obtained from using Stingray gear after the location mission is complete. In the Rigmaiden case, the government objected to discovery about the device and its use, and is now asking for a closed door session with the judge to keep the capabilities of the device secret. If there’s no expectation of privacy against the government for this use, will it also be lawful for private parties, including stalkers, to use something like this to figure out when you are home?
Stay tuned for the latest saga in location tracking and cell phone privacy, or for more information now, check out another one of my recent posts on location tracking here. | <urn:uuid:ddaf478c-ef01-4cbb-a966-467f51ba33a4> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://blog.zwillgen.com/2011/10/20/stingray-bites-man-will-the-fourth-amendment-bite-back-location-tracking/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280128.70/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00393-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950505 | 738 | 1.742188 | 2 |
From 23rd to 29th May it is British Tomato Week 2022. No one grows tomatoes quite like the British, and this awareness week is the perfect opportunity to celebrate a wonderful fruit loved by much of the nation. Tomatoes are easy to grow and have always been a popular addition to meals, from sandwich fillings to salads and sauces to soup.
Tip Top Tomatoes
Tip top tomatoes have a range of health benefits. They are a good source of vitamins A, C and E. They also contain minerals, such as potassium, which has been linked to lowering blood pressure and calcium, which is vital for healthy bones and teeth.
The vitamins and antioxidants found in tomatoes are thought to fight the harmful effects of free radicals that cause cell damage – a precursor of conditions such as heart disease and cancer.
Grow Your Own
Tomatoes are easy to grow and are becoming an increasingly popular fruit to cultivate at home. A couple of tomato plants will produce hundreds of these little red wonders and should keep you in stock from mid-summer right through to early Autumn.
Since British Tomato Week is the perfect time to start sowing your seeds, here’s some interesting facts about this prolific plant to nurture your interest:
- Tomatoes originally came from Peru, where their Aztec name translated to plump thing with a navel
- The scientific name for tomato is Lycopersicon Lycopersicum – meaning ‘wolf peach’
- Tomatoes are the richest source of lycopene which is important for the health of the prostate gland in men
- They were first brought to Europe in the mid-1500s
- A tomato is a fruit. The confusion arose after the 1890s when the US supreme court named them a vegetable for taxation purposes. A fruit is the edible part of the plant containing seeds, a vegetable is stem, leaf or root
- There are over 10,000 varieties of tomato, these come in a variety of colours including pink, purple, black, yellow and white
Why not head to Van Hage in PE1 this British Tomato Week to get started in growing your own tomatoes? They have plenty of gardening goodies and tomato supplies in-store to begin your journey.
What you’ll need:
- 1 growing bag
- 2 x tomato plants per bag
- Sharp knife
- Tomato food
- Watering can
- Garden twine
- Bamboo canes
What to do:
- Using the sharp knife, cut several holes in the sides of the growing bags for drainage. Then cut two evenly spaces planting holes on the top
- Put the tomato plants in the bags and support them with bamboo canes
- Tie the stems to the cane with twine (not too tight) and then drain well
- Remove the shoots that appear between the leaf and the stem as the plant begins to grow. Once four clusters of fruit have grown, remove the main shoot from the top of the plant as well
- Harvest the fruit when it is ripe (approximately 12 weeks)
We’d love to see photos of your tomato plants in situ during British Tomato Week, or any dishes you make using this versatile fruit! Simply post any pictures to our Facebook, Instagram or Twitter pages. | <urn:uuid:6cf2b599-edeb-4042-b00b-58f3ee485457> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.pe1.co.uk/blogs/british-tomato-week-2022/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572870.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20220817062258-20220817092258-00675.warc.gz | en | 0.94812 | 668 | 2.875 | 3 |
Mr. Robinson, I am a long time reader of your column and chats and appreciate your good work. I just read your Friday column on the Oscar win for "12 Years a Slave." I agree with you that the picture is an important milestone for our country coming to terms with slavery. I have a question about the line, "It's Time to Come to Terms with Slavery." What does this look like to you? Certainly, it would mean that Africian American men don't have to walk around scared of being shot and it would mean that we are all given the opportunity to become whatever we strive to be in this world, but I guess that feels like it is not enough. Slavery is a part of the American story, but how does our country come to terms with it?
My strongly held view is that coming to terms with slavery means knowing it thoroughly -- knowing what really happened. We think we know it all, but we don't. Scholars are doing groundbreaking research about various aspects of the slave trade, the economics of bondage, the many slave rebellions that have never been written about, etc. First, let's know what happened. Only then can we really process it.
Slavery is a shameful mark not only for the US, but for all mankind throughout human history everywhere. Americans (South, Central, and North) enslaved Western Africans, India enslaved eastern Africans, Africans enslaved Africans, Asians enslaved Asians, pre-Columbian Indians enslaved pre-Columbian Indians, etc. Millions are still slaves today. In fact, the Ottoman Empire/Turks enslaved so many white eastern Europeans (Slavs) that the word "slave" derives from it. Maybe Slavs should petition that word to be abolished because it demeans them.
It is true that slavery is not confined to the African-American experience. It's also true that the chattel slavery practiced here was particularly distinctive and dehumanizing. I'll leave Ottoman history to the Turks if we can just study our own history here.
I fully believe Senator Feinstein. How does she explain the obvious double standard she has? Congress has constitutional rights but not US citizens?
You're referring to today's reports that Sen. Dianne Feinstein is shocked, as she should be, at learning that the CIA apparently snooped into the Senate Intelligence Committee's computers. I admit that given Feinstein's nonchalance at electronic surveillance of ordinary citizens, I felt a bit of schadenfreude.
After looking at the comments section for your "My Brother's Keeper" column last week, I noticed a lot of people claiming that you are racist for mentioning race in a column. Do you think Republicans have been successful in removing race from the national political discussion by yelling "race card" anytime race is mentioned? Also, I've always wondered why it seems that 9 out of 10 times there's a racist remark or joke made, it's from a Republican. Have there been any studies to estimate the level of racism by party affiliation?
I'm totally used to those catcalls at this point. If you write a column, you develop a pretty thick skin. I do think the "race card" allegation makes some people reluctant to talk about race, but the rest of of push on. As for your association of party identification with racist orientation, I think it's wrong to say Republicans are racist and Democrats aren't. It is true, however, that the GOP in the Nixon years made an open appeal to Southern whites who opposed racial integration.
Suppose the Democrats lose the House and the Senate, but win the Presidency (and thus the right of veto). Under this scenario do you think America will survive as a democratic nation? I feel strongly that the suppression of the vote by Red states, and the Supreme court's gutting of the Voter's rights act are going to significantly impact this upcoming election and thus elections for generations to come. Please talk me down, Sir. A concerned Canadian
Oh, you hot-blooded Canadians! The country will survive divided government, if necessary, although gridlock means many lost opportunities. Attempts at voter suppression don't always work; the GOP effort in Ohio, for example, spurred African Americans to vote in higher percentages than whites in 2012. There will be another census in 2020, followed by another round of redistricting and a chance to undo some of the gerrymandering -- assuming Democrats take state elections seriously. Come in off the ledge.
Why havn't you written about the present day slaves held by tribes in the Congo? It's still going on. Also, what about the Black plantation owners in the South prior to the Civil War who had slaves? Do you think maybe it's possible that slavery existed eons ago? e.g. Sumeria Persian Empire, Roman, Grecian.
I don't live in the Congo, nor am I a descendant (to my knowledge) of ancestors who were held in bondage in the Congo. My ancestors were held in bondage here. Please name a "black plantation owner" who owned slaves. I won't hold my breath. There were some blacks who "owned" small numbers of slaves, but in many instances these were freemen who "purchased" relatives because that was the only way to free them. Slavery that existed thousands of years ago may be an academic matter. Slavery that existed 150 years ago, and was followed by a century of Jim Crow segregation and repression, is personal.
Mr. Robinson, the GOP like to portray Mr. Obama as weak on defense; the latest salvo based on the Ukraine crisis. Have you seen the GOP offer any viable alternatives to Obama's cautious approach, which squares with polls on the issue?
I have heard no alternatives, viable or otherwise. This is really a pretty shameful display by GOP politicians, if you ask me. They seem to be saying they think President Obama should have been more bellicose. But the exact same thing happened -- in the former Soviet republic of Georgia -- under George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, the most bellicose president and vice president in recent memory. No one should condone what Vladimir Putin is doing. But no one should pretend there was a way to prevent him from doing it.
Gene, The reality is its far more likely members of the Senate Intel Committee committed a serious crime by mishandling classified info than the CIA. The CIA may have erred in the way it investigated the matter, but its had a right to investigate. Also the fact that congress usually removes itself from laws and may have given the CIA an exemption to do "whatever" is required to protect their information has a taste of irony.
I disagree. Surely you're not suggesting that unelected bureaucrats in a federal agency -- a secret federal agency, no less -- should have the right to spy on our constitutionally elected Congress, are you? Especially since what the CIA seems to be trying to do is cover its own behind for excesses committed in the war on terror.
I see the WP saw fit to publish Condoleeza Rice's thoughts on Ukraine. Why would the thoughts of someone who screwed up so royally be of interest, or considered likely to add anything useful to the conversation? I have seen published thoughts of Dick Cheney, William Kristol, and others as well. They are of course entitled to their thoughts, and they have the right to offer them, but why would any news outlet decide to accept these opinions, except in the humour section? I'm not talking about their political perspective here; a conservative perspective is as valuable as any other, but why not go for an informed perspective from someone who has been successful in the arena, instead of going to those who have demonstated how not to proceed?
Sec'y Rice is a very smart woman who made some extremely big mistakes, in my view. She does know a lot about Russia, so I think it's worthwhile hearing what she has to say. I admit I was amused at her conclusion that Ukraine was a "wake-up call." Apparently, her bedside alarm failed during the Georgia invasion on her watch. (Maybe, as in the Seinfeld episode, the volume was inadvertently turned all the way down.)
As for Cheney and Kristol, I agree. Have they said a single thing that makes any sense?
I no longer feel we should run to the defense of the Ukraine in this matter. Unless I'm mistaken the idea is to have a stable Europe. But if Europe is so dependent on Russia's oil that it doesn't want to intervene, then why should we care so much?
Our major interest is that Ukraine is a sovereign country with internationally recognized borders, and no one should be able to pluck off the Crimean Peninsula like a ripe fig. But you're right that the European powers are taking a much more cautious attitude toward sanctions. The oil and gas are a big part of it, but another factor is that Europeans simply can't turn their backs on Russia. It's too big.
William Ellison, He held 60 slaves at his death and more than 1,000 acres of land.
The one exception -- from South Carolina, of course -- who proves the rule.
How bad is it that to get attention on the event that will probably affect the United States the most for years to come, one of its legal bodies has to pull a stunt like this? And this will probably only result in a one minute blurb on tonight's network news and a few jokes by late night comedians!
Pretty bad. Realistically, there isn't going to be meaningful action from this Congress. The main event will come when the EPA issues its planned rules regulating carbon emissions from power plants.
What are some good movies about the massacre and marginalizing of this country's indigenous people? Or the late 19th century Chinese migration into the West? I haven't seen "12 Years A Slave" but I hope it opens doors for lots of different parts of the American experience too.
I'e seen "12 Years" twice and it's a powerful film. We need these other stories, too, because they are -- simply put -- the American story.
And that's my story for today, folks. I'm out of time. Thanks so much for dropping by, and I'll see you again next week! | <urn:uuid:56f1563a-4a27-45e5-8afe-a40471f92239> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://live.washingtonpost.com/opinion-focus-with-eugene-robinson-140311.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280825.87/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00207-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9727 | 2,100 | 2.046875 | 2 |
The US military has agreed to remove targets depicting a Muslim woman and verses from the Qur’an from shooting ranges, it was announced at the weekend, where they were being used for target practice.
“We have removed this particular target and Arabic writing in question from the range in the near term, and will explore other options for future training,” Lt David Lloyd, a Navy spokesperson, said in a statement.
The move comes after the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Washington-based Muslim advocacy group, sent a letter to US Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta on Friday asking for the targets and religious text to be removed from a military facility based at Joint Base Fort Story on the east coast of the US.
“We welcome the Navy’s prompt action to address community concerns and hope this incident serves as a reminder that credible scholars and experts need to be consulted when designing training materials relating to Islam and Muslims for our nation’s military personnel,” CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said in a statement.
By Paul Egan
Dearborn — CIA Director Leon Panetta plans to visit Dearborn on Sept. 16 for an invitation-only dinner and speech with 150 leaders of the Arab and Muslim communities, officials confirmed Tuesday.
The visit comes amid an unprecedented outreach effort by the Central Intelligence Agency and as Panetta seeks to double the number of CIA analysts who are proficient in Arabic and other Mideast languages.
But the date chosen for the meeting — the 27th night of Ramadan or “night of power,” when many devout Muslims and imams spend the entire night worshiping in the mosque — is drawing criticism.
“They picked the entirely wrong night on this,” said *Dawud Walid, executive director of the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations*. “This is our leading intelligence agency who doesn’t know this.”
The Central Intelligence Agency is attempting to recruit more spies by advertising on the internet, radio, and television, and holding meetings with American Muslims to make up for a severe shortage of Arabic speakers.
Leon Panetta, the new CIA director, will meet with Muslim groups in cities such as Detroit to spearhead the new drive to recruit more Arabic speakers and Muslims. Urdu and Pashtu speakers are also among those being sought in the continuation of an anti-terror initiative launched by former U.S. president George W. Bush.
“We want to emphasize to those communities that we welcome first-generation Americans to apply. They bring critical language skills and a knowledge of culture to support our intelligence mission.” Earlier this month Scott White, third in command at the CIA, held meetings with Arab-American and Chaldean-American representatives in Detroit, which has heavily populated American Muslim suburbs. He told the groups that he would bring Mr. Panetta to a future meeting. | <urn:uuid:50ef793c-ad5f-466f-a8a1-34d72ead3f80> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://more.bham.ac.uk/euro-islam/tag/leon-panetta/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00277.warc.gz | en | 0.948683 | 601 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Part I. Safavid pottery and society -- Safavid society and the ceramic industry / Lisa Golombek and Eileen Reilly -- Dominant fashions and distinctive styles / Lisa Golombek -- The measure of faithfulness : the Chinese models for Safavid blue-and-white / Patty Proctor -- The "Kubachi problem" and the Isfahan workshop / Lisa Golombek -- The Safavid workshops and petrographic analysis / Robert B. Mason -- Part II. Identifying Safavid pottery : a guide -- Diagnostic motifs / Lisa Golombek and Eileen Reilly -- Potters' marks / Lisa Golombek, Robert B. Mason and Eileen Reilly -- Shapes study / Eileen Reilly -- Part III. A catalogue of Safavid pottery in the collections of the Royal Ontario Museum -- Appendix A -- Appendix B.
Published in association with the Royal Ontario Museum.
"[The book] studies the ceramic industry of Iran in the Safavid period (1501–1732) and the impact which the influx of Chinese blue-and-white porcelain, heightened by the activities of the English and Dutch East Indies Companies after c. 1700, had on local production."--Back of cover. | <urn:uuid:8033e3ec-8ff2-4230-9685-5d1691858e1a> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://search.library.utoronto.ca/details?9164516 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560282935.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095122-00242-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.754392 | 253 | 2.40625 | 2 |
Three surveys of exchange rate expectations allow us to measure directly the expected rates of return on yen versus dollars. Expectations of yen appreciation against the dollar have been (1) consistently large,
(2) variable, and (3) greater than the forward premium, implying that investors were willing to accept a lower expected return on dollar assets. At short-term horizons expectations exhibit bandwagon effects, while at longer-term horizons they show the reverse. A 10 percent yen appreciation generates the expectation of a further appreciation of 2.4 percent over the following week, for example, but a depreciation of 3.4 percent over the following year. At any horizon, investors would do better to reduce the absolute magnitude of expected depreciation. The true spot rate process behaves more like a random walk.
Home | IFDPs | List of 1986 IFDPs
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Last update: December 10, 2008 | <urn:uuid:4a67f97d-3579-4c5d-bf7c-331d51b892e2> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/ifdp/1986/292/default.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279169.4/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00219-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.90512 | 185 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Get things done and avoid productivity deficits
If you suffer from one or more of the following, take heart, practical help is at hand. You can now consider each of these problems as an opportunity in waiting.
Difficulty getting started – Initiation Deficit
Can’t keep going when things get tough – Perseverance Deficit
Desire to make a project perfect prevents you from finishing it – Closure Deficit
The Managing Director of a company I worked for years ago had the following notice prominently displayed on his desk: NEXT WEEK WE’VE GOT TO GET ORGANISED. I never saw anyone else display their weakness so prominently. Do you find it difficult to start something new? Many people do. What can you do about it? Just as the Starter at the Race Course needs training, so do you.
A former colleague, a brilliant man, was always starting new ventures. There were many great ideas among them. As soon as they showed signs of being difficult he gave up and started – a new venture. Do you tend to give up at the first hurdle? Another man I knew was such a perfectionist that he never finished a project at all. He worked away into the night, determined to make it perfect, but never got it to the point where he could move it along.
All these three blocks are about discipline. Whatever we do in life we have to balance Gratification with Grind recognising that Grind comes first. Even the most fulfilling job in the world has its moments of boredom and frustration. When you pause on the way up a mountain it is to give you renewed energy to go on, not simply to relax. The relief of resting can be more motivating than the far off reward of conquering the summit.
So how do you change your mind-set to present the greater, but slower reward, as more desirable than the quicker one? It is an act of will-power that requires practice even though the concept is easy to understand. ‘Just do it’ was what Nike said. Easy to say, not so easy to make happen. Our remedy is to get your objectives clear and then put you through a short programme of mobile mentoring specifically linked to the things you are trying to initiate, persevere with or close.
We first ask you to complete a starter questionnaire and study your answers. We make no charge for this. We then put you through a 60 to 90 minute Skype briefing for which you pay S$935. During this briefing we assess your needs for dealing with your particular issues. Once you and we are happy that we can help you, you buy mobile access to us for a series of calls of ten minutes each. The number of calls needed varies from one person to another. On average it takes about twenty.
Your calls to us will all be about starting, persevering or closing something. They may cover a number of subjects or they may concentrate on one. Your Terrific Mentor refocuses your mind to the reward value of what you are doing and deflects you from distracting.
Oh, and if you are hesitating about doing this could you perhaps be suffering from severe Initiation Deficit?
In that case you’d better get on with it!
To get your starter questionnaire write to firstname.lastname@example.org | <urn:uuid:dfaaef6e-c8b9-474e-9f75-0c50b6c71904> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.terrificmentors.com/get-things-done-and-avoid-inaction/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573193.35/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818094131-20220818124131-00467.warc.gz | en | 0.96736 | 680 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Much, indeed some will say too much, has been written about the conflict between religion and science. Unfortunately, though, the sheer volume of the rhetoric on the topic seems to have replaced any meaningful content.
And make no mistake about it—much remains to be said both from a historical and from a contemporary perspective. In fact, the position that is most commonly articulated, that religion and science are and must be in conflict, is neither historically nor currently supported by the evidence. The fact that those on both ends of the spectrum, both the religious right and the self-proclaimed "new atheists," have honed in on the same message should be enough to give us pause. When groups this disparate come to the same conclusion, and when in doing so they both believe they are advancing their own agendas, a closer look is obviously necessary.
A good place to begin taking that closer look is with a fascinating book edited by Ronald Numbers, a University of Wisconsin historian of science specializing in the interface between religion and science. In Galileo Goes to Jail and Other Myths about Science and Religion, Numbers attempts to set the record straight right at the outset. His very first sentence sets forth his main thesis: "The greatest myth in the history of science and religion holds that they have been in a state of constant conflict."
Numbers goes on to argue that the belief that these two fields have been at war forever largely arose from two books published in the 19th century. In 1874 John William Draper published History of the Conflict between Religion and Science, which built on the work of Cornell University president Andrew Dickson White. A bit later, in 1896, White himself produced his massive, two-volume opus entitled A History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom.
As with most myths, there is a kernel of truth in Draper's and White's accounts. But, as Numbers says, "Historians of science have known for years that White's and Draper's accounts are more propaganda than history." Both, as Numbers explains, were promoting personal anti-religious agendas and both were engaging in hyperbolic, but very persuasive, rhetoric.
The problem with most myths, indeed, the thing that makes them powerful, is that they are so absolutely believable. And their believability, in the minds of many, can substitute for their truth. Today, for example, as Numbers points out, "The secular public . . . knows that organized religion has always opposed scientific progress. . . . The religious public knows that science has taken the leading role in corroding faith."
Knowing something to be true, however, isn't the same as that thing being true. It turns out that a vast cross-section of both the religious community and the scientific community is actively engaged in dispelling the myth of conflict between religion and science. I know this to be the truth from my personal experiences as founder and executive director of The Clergy Letter Project, a grassroots group of more than 14,000 religious leaders and scientists representing all corners of the globe.
Although disagreements between religion and science most often seem to center on the theory of evolution, the ordained members of The Clergy Letter Project have absolutely no problems reconciling evolution with their faith. For example, almost 13,000 Christian clergy members have enthusiastically endorsed the following simple statement: "We urge school board members to preserve the integrity of the science curriculum by affirming the teaching of the theory of evolution as a core component of human knowledge."
More than that, for the past five years, hundreds of religious congregations representing Christians, Jews, and Muslims in twenty countries have joined together to celebrate an annual event called Evolution Weekend. This year, on the weekend of 11-13 February, the sixth annual Evolution Weekend will occur and, again, hundreds of congregations will find ways to raise the quality of the dialogue about the compatibility of religion and science while demonstrating, via their actions, that the myth of warfare between the two has little basis in reality.
This particular weekend was selected because it coincides with the birth of Charles Darwin (February 12, 1809) and participants thought that there could be no better time to demonstrate the ways in which a mature and robust relationship between religion and science might take place. During Evolution Weekend participating clergy often preach about the compatibility of religion and science while congregants often engage in deep discussions on the subject. | <urn:uuid:c2328bb0-9b4c-462e-b6b4-4d7f1140f688> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.patheos.com/resources/additional-resources/2011/02/evolution-sunday-michael-zimmerman-2-7-2011 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572089.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814234405-20220815024405-00076.warc.gz | en | 0.967377 | 884 | 2.3125 | 2 |
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Department of Energy published joint guidance on mitigating cyber attacks against uninterruptible power supply (UPS) devices.
The US agencies warn of threat actors gaining access to a variety of internet-connected uninterruptible power supply (UPS) devices by exploiting default credentials.
UPS devices provide clean and emergency power in a variety of applications when normal input power sources are interrupted for various reasons.
The guidance recommends organizations immediately enumerate all UPSs and similar systems and ensure they are not accessible from the internet. In the case where a UPS device must be accessible online, organizations are recommended to implement the following controls:
CISA recommends checking if organizations’ UPS credentials are still set to the factory default.
Additional info, including incident response best practices, are included in the “Mitigating Attacks Against Uninterruptible Power Supply Devices” guidance.
(SecurityAffairs – hacking, BazarLoader) | <urn:uuid:6d0b4a8a-72ce-4db3-9ed3-47f228055b61> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://securityaffairs.co/wordpress/129620/security/cisa-doe-warn-attacks-ups.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=cisa-doe-warn-attacks-ups | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00069.warc.gz | en | 0.900806 | 202 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Producers of Animal Planet would like to film a program about
migratory animals and their vast habitats to be aired on other network
science channels around the globe. Students will role-play scientists
who must research basic information about migratory animals such as
their where they live, what kind of habitat they live in, food
preferences and how they move. Each scientist must report his/her
findings on a specific animal on a graphic organizer. A poster with a
picture of the animal or a shadow box portraying the animal in its
habitat along with a map hilighting the continent on which it lives
must accompany the presenter. Classmates role-playing a panel of
producers in class will ask the scientist specific questions about the
research project to determine if scientists will include the migratory animal
in the program.
The United Nations Environmental Program has released a new
endangered species list of migratory animals. Students will role-play a
small group of scientists attempting to launch their own environmental
advocacy organization to speak up for a particular migratory animal.
Each environmental group must create a name for their organization,
determine in what country they will be located, design an advocacy
poster to bring awareness to their classmates in school and present
information about the endangered animal. Group presentations must
include a world map that details the continents and countries in which
the animal migrates.
Students read information on their selected animal and complete a
graphic organizer about the animal's habitat, where it lives, its
physical characteristics, its needs for survival and why it migrates.
(It is suggested that younger students be given choices to circle to
simplify the task of writing.) Students will illustrate the animal in
its habitat on a poster or in a 3-D shadow box for the final
Students role-play scientists asking and answering questions about
migratory animals' habitats, physical characteristics, and needs. Older
students must create and agree on an environmental organization name and
its location in the world based on the type of migratory animal they
select. They will research different aspects of their animal and then
share findings with their group members.
Students share posters or shadow boxes of their animal and information
learned about it using their graphic organizers. Students will
report on what type of habitat the animal lives in, what continents or
countries it is found in, and where it migrates. | <urn:uuid:6a581014-aa3a-4cb9-9a03-31e23aebc37c> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://senoraglass.com/wlo/migration/page3.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573118.26/warc/CC-MAIN-20220817213446-20220818003446-00677.warc.gz | en | 0.904506 | 546 | 4.34375 | 4 |
Off the Tenure Track
Before diving into the differential equations, it is worthwhile pausing to look back over Lewis Fry Richardson's life and career, which were no less strange and wonderful than his scientific work. He came from a prosperous family in Newcastle upon Tyne, the industrial port in the far north of England. They were Quakers, and Lewis was sent to Bootham, a distinguished Quaker boarding school, where his interests in science and natural history were cultivated by J. Edmund Clark, a prominent member of the Royal Meteorological Society. "Another master," Richardson later wrote, "left me with the conviction that science ought to be subordinate to morals."
At Cambridge, Richardson's mentor was J. J. Thomson, the Cavendish professor of physics (and the discoverer of the electron). Richardson took first-class honors in natural sciences. Later he sought a fellowship at King's College, but he was passed over. There followed a decade of short-term, low-ranking jobs in out-of-the-way places, like the succession of postdoc appointments so many graduates face today. In the end Richardson never did hold a chair at any of the major British universities.
In 1913 he became superintendent of the Eskdalemuir Observatory in the Scottish Southern Uplands. Talk about out-of-the-way places! This small institution, run by the Meteorological Office, had been founded to measure variations in the earth's magnetic field, and it was deliberately put as far as possible from railroads and power lines. Richardson described it as a place of "bleak and humid solitude," but this was probably not a complaint; when he was once asked if he had any hobbies, his answer was "solitude."
In any event, the solitude was soon interrupted. "In August 1914," Richardson wrote later, "I was torn between an intense curiosity to see war at close quarters and an intense objection to killing people, both mixed with ideas of public duty and doubt as to whether I could endure danger." He requested a leave of absence but was refused. In 1916 he resigned his post and joined the Friends' Ambulance Unit.
After the war, Richardson returned to the Meteorological Office, working at the Benson research station near Oxford, but that job also ended prematurely. In 1920 the Meteorological Office was put under military administration, and Richardson felt compelled to resign again. After that, he never got back on the tenure track.
Some biographers emphasize the price that Richardson paid for his convictions. According to family members, his pacifist principles cost him a university appointment. Family memoirs also describe an anguished moment when he destroyed his research on atmospheric turbulence because it was attracting the attention of "the 'poison gas' experts." On the other hand, it would be misleading to portray Richardson as an outcast from the scientific establishment. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society; he served as secretary of the Royal Meteorological Society; he had well over 100 scholarly publications (recently collected in two fat volumes by Cambridge University Press). Today there is a Richardson Institute for Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, and one of the dimensionless numbers of fluid mechanics is called the Richardson number.
Whether for reasons of conscience or pure predilection, Richardson did turn away from work in meteorology after the mid-1920s. He took a degree in psychology (at age 48), and then for the last 15 years of his life focused on the study of war and its prevention. He took a mathematical approach to these problems as well. For most people, the idea that mathematics might be the key to world peace seems naive and implausible, but maybe we shouldn't be too quick to give up on it. In Richardson's day, mathematics also looked like an outlandishly unsuitable tool for weather forecasting. | <urn:uuid:63ffa633-ca22-4c8e-93ab-f1ee2e5f49be> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/num2/the-weatherman/2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281649.59/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00438-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980798 | 780 | 2.484375 | 2 |
There are some weapons from mythology and history that are so famous that whether they actually existed or not is irrelevant since their names have been in human memory for ages which is excellent considering that they’re inanimate objects if they ever even existed at all. Their owners were here are some of the most famous weapons that ever, or never existed:
1) Excalibur- This is probably the most legendary sword ever. It belonged to King Arthur whose existence is still debated by historians. The story of how Arthur came to own Excalibur is nothing short of odd to say the least. The story goes that there once was a sword that someone stuck into a rock claiming that only the true King of Britain would be able to remove the sword from the rock. Many strong men tried and failed to remove the sword until one day Arthur came along and pulled it out, much to everyone’s surprise. That being said pulling a sword out of a rock is unlikely to make you king, however pushing a sword into a king is likely to make you rock.
2) The Holy Lance- This is the name of the spear that a Roman soldier used to pierce the side of Jesus Christ during his crucifixion to check if he was dead. There are four different relics today that all claim to be the Holy Lance. The Holy Lance is frequently mentioned in popular culture, for example in DC comics, Hitler’s possession of the lance means that superheroes cannot interfere in the war.
3) Shiva Dhanush- This was the legendary bow of Lord Shiva which was given to King Devaraata for safe keeping. King Janaka a descendent of Devaraata decreed that any man who wanted to marry his daughter would have to prove himself by lifting the bow and stringing it (a very difficult task because of the weight of the bow). However when Lord Rama tried to string the bow after successfully lifting it, the bow broke. Rama had thus won Sita’s hand in marriage. | <urn:uuid:191cfc98-8cf5-4f9b-a4d1-57aafcd8f71b> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.india.com/buzz/the-3-most-famous-weapons-from-legend-54324/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280825.87/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00205-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.98164 | 408 | 2.140625 | 2 |
Zelzate is mentioned for the first time in a deed of Saint-Genois of 1236 as a district of Assenede. A 1242 document carrying the seal of Johanna of Constantinopel charges the Assenede Corporation with the administration of Assenede and Zelzate. In 1288 the Gravejansdijk (Duke John's Dike) is completed.
The year 1377 was long remembered for a terrible flood which destroyed so much of the northern part of Flanders and Zealand. In this same year the polder farmers and people working in the peat industry built a small chapel dedicated to Saint Laurentius at the "Endeken".
There exists a patent letter of 13/6/1526 by Emperor Charles V addressed to the St. Sebastian's Guild of Zelzate. In 1531 His Holiness Pope Clemens VII orders religious services to be celebrated in the St. Laurentius Chapel at Zelzate.
In 1547 Emperor Charles V grants permission for the construction of the "Sassevaart" (Sasse Canal) between Roodenhuize (Red House) and the sea dike of the Braeckman, then still an inland sea.
In 1559 Philip II, king of Spain and Portugal and champion of the Roman Catholic Counter-Reformation creates new dioceses (bishoprics). Assenede and Zelzate are now part of the new diocese of Ghent.
In 1568 the "Geuzen" (Beggars), a derogatory name for the Protestants, sacked the new part of Assenede and burned its church to the ground.
The year 1570 sees the separation of the parishes of "Selsaete" and Assenede by order of the famous bishop Cornelius Jansenius. Zelzate's new parish priest is the Reverend Jacobus Bertram. The chapel at the Endeken is rebuilt. There is a terrible storm in the night of 31 October and 1 November and on All Saints Day much of the country is under several feet of (sea)water.
In 1579 Zelzate is part of the Northern Provinces and France begins her attempts to recover the Southern Netherlands.
In 1585 Zelzate belongs once again to Spain still ruled by King Philip II. The next year the Spanish build the St-Anthonis Fortress on the east side of the Ghent Canal. This same year Zelzate lives through another inundation.
Spain was at the height of her power during the reign of Philip II but he couldn't suppress the revolt of the Netherlands and in 1588 he lost much of his Invincible Armada with which he had hoped to invade England to overthrow Queen Elisabeth I, the champion of Protestantism.
In 1598 Philip II donates the Southern Netherlands (corresponding more or less with what is now Belgium) to his daughter Isabella who was betrothed to Albert, the Archduke of Austria. Our people hoped with the reign of Albert and Isabella there would be no more wars. When the couple came to their new possessions they were received with great enthusiasm.
1611 is a great year for future genealogists: the first register of births is opened in Zelzate's Saint-Laurentius parish. In 1613 the Franciscus Polder is dammed in. Also in 1613 the renovated and enlarged church at the Endeken is reconsecrated. It has three brand new altars.
In 1621 our country is once again ruled by Spain. And in 1625 there is once again a fearsome storm with the inevitable consequences i.a. inundation. But there is also the construction of new dikes. And in this same year the Four Corporations are separated during the Eighty Years' War: two fortresses were built with a chapel in between.
On 15/10/1629 Jaecques De Voghelaere, born at Zelzate, an "unfree" boatman in the service of the King is hanged at Ghent on the "Coornaert", the "Korenmark" (Wheat Market). He was condemned to death for spying for the Dutch.
In 1634 a dike is built from Hulst to the St. Anthonis fortress at Sas van Ghent (a "sas" is a lock, a sluice). In the next year there was a furious battle between the fortresses of Raepenburch and Zelzate. In 1635 Zelzate has a new parish priest Lambert Van Roye. Mass is celebrated not in the church but in the fortresses. Was the church damaged ? Or occupied by soldiers ?
Europe's Thirty Years' War ends in 1648 with the Peace of Westphalia and the Treaty of Münster recognizes the independence of the "Dutch Republic of the United Provinces". Sas of Ghent is part of this Dutch Republic. That same Treaty of Münster also closes the Scheldt River to navigation and little by little Amsterdam takes over from Antwerp as Europe's major commercial city.
In 1672 a French army of 100.000 men crosses the Rhine and invades the Dutch Republic of William III. Louis XIV wants to punish the Dutch who gave shelter and help to his enemies. The Chateau Ter Loveren serves as a prison. Once again Zelzate's church is not used for religious services. In 1673 the Dutch save Amsterdam and the Holland province by opening the locks and piercing dikes thus flooding Zelzate. This conflict ends in 1678. But the peace is short-lived because in 1691 we hear of a French army commanded by the Marquis De Boufflers who uses Zelzate as a base for sorties against the Dutch.
The Treaty of Utrecht (1713) ends the War of the Spanish Succession. The Southern part of the Netherlands goes to Austria.
On 11/5/1777 the renovated and enlarged church at the Endeken is solemnly consecrated by Monseigneur Van Eersel.
In 1779 the first bridge across the Sasse Canal in Zelzate was inaugurated. It was a swivel bridge in the "Groenstraat", (Green Road) near an inn called "De Roos" (the Rose).
In 1794 France defeats the Austrians at Fleurus near Charleroi and now our country becomes French territory.
On 15/11/1797 Joannes A. Hazaert became the parish priest of Zelzate because he had sworn allegiance to the godless French state. This meant his church staid open.
1798: the "Boerenkrijg" (Farmers' Revolt). It wasn't just some farmers who revolted against the French.
14/01/1808: spring-tide from the Wester-Scheldt: 20 dead and 30,000 acres inundated.
1815: with the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo our country is now part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
1817 King Willem I founds the State University of Ghent.
On 18/11/1827 the new Canal Ghent-Terneuzen is inaugurated by King Willem I.
In 1830 Belgium becomes an independent state. The next year Leopold of Saxe Coburg Gotha is crowned its first King (Leopold I).
In 1843 Father Petrus De Sutter expands the church at the Endeken: he adds a porch and installs a new organ.
31/01/1853: four Sisters from Wachtebeke found a school for lace making at Oosttragel.
1856: the crowning of King Leopold II, the second king of Belgium.
A railway is built from Ghent to Terneuzen and in 1865 the section from Wondelgem to Zelzate is put into use.
1870 a new town hall is built in the "Groenstraat" (Green Street) (now the Franz Wittouck Lane)
1870 the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal is widened in Belgium to 56.3 meters.
1873 the Sisters open an old peoples' home in Church Street and their primary school is classified as an officially recognized school.
1875: the plague strikes and in three months 29 adults and 27 children die.
In 1876 at the Oosttragel they lay the first stone of the new church which will be consecrated on 07/08/1879. But before the end of the year the burgomaster J. Honoré Willems has already confiscated the old church and the cemetery.
In 1889 the Brothers of Charity start a boarding school, the St John Berchmans School. It caters for boys from 12 to 18 years old. On 18/03/1892 it is completely destroyed by fire.
In 1903 they widen and deepen the Canal Ghent-Terneuzen: it is now 97 meters wide and 8,75 meters deep. From Zelzate to Terneuzen the canal has a new bed and at Terneuzen the West Lock is built.
In 1914 King Albert who was crowned in 1909 spends the night in the house of burgomaster Cesar De Clercq.
In 1918 the St.-Laurentius Church is bombarded.
1924 sees the end of the orphanage which the Sisters had opened in their convent in 1885.
For Belgium the year 1940 means the start of WW II. On 20 May 1940, less than 20 years after the repair of the damage of WW I, they dynamite Zelzate's church tower. It crashes through the vaults of the main nave. The invaluable organ and so much more is lost. The reconstruction will last from 1950 to 1952: the neogothic interior is rebuilt the way it was before the war.
In 1960 the canal is again deepened and widened. In 1962 a steelworks is opened in Zelzate which by now has been transformed from an agricultural into an industrial town.
Until 1776 Zelzate was administratively an integral part of Assenede. That is good enough a reason, as far as we are concerned, for considering it forever an inalienable part of our Meetjesland.
Our source for most of the above is a great and well informed website on Zelzate and its history: we are most grateful to Mr. Martin Acke for allowing us to translate and bring here to you so much of his information. Those who speak Dutch and want more details may click here for a very rewarding visit of his website. | <urn:uuid:e6e4dce1-1692-4d51-937a-f04b558738ff> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.mijnplatteland.com/meetjesland/zelzate/en/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571989.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813232744-20220814022744-00467.warc.gz | en | 0.935732 | 2,476 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Guest Author - Lisa Shea
Back on June 20, 1782, the American Bald Eagle was chosen as the national bird and emblem of the newly formed United States. At the time, they believed the Bald Eagle was only found in the US. They liked its symbolism of strength and long life. It is usually shown carrying an olive branch for peace, 13 arrows for the strength of the original 13 colonies, and a scroll stating "E Pluribus Unum".
Bald Eagles were once endangered, but their population has rebounded enough that most organizations now consider them to be stable. Eagles can now be found in most of the US and Canada. They migrate from their winter ranges in the lower states up to their summer ranges in the upper reaches of Canada.
Bald Eagles mate for life, although if one of the pair dies, the other will promptly find a new mate. Each couple stakes out a territory of around 2 miles square and protects it from all other eagles. Nests are build in high trees or in rocky crags, and can reach 5' or more in diameter.
Only 1 to 3 eggs are laid, and those only when the weather and conditions seem good for raising a chick. The eggs are incubated for just over a month, and by 3-4 months after hatching, they are flying and pretty self sufficient. Eagles can live for up to 30 years.
American Bald Eagle Presents
Birds that Mate for Life
State Bird Listing | <urn:uuid:304ac328-9c22-4719-a5f5-cae06ec37034> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art5088.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280835.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00467-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964059 | 300 | 3.515625 | 4 |
Voices of young people at EU level
Young people play a vital role in their communities. They are eager to participate and contribute to the future of their societies at large. It is crucial to hear, encourage, support and prepare them to fulfil this commitment at national and European levels.
One of the common priorities of the French Red Cross for the French Presidency of the Council of the EU was to strengthen the engagement and mobility of young people in the European debate.
Over the last six months, the French Red Cross supported a group of Young Ambassadors to participate in and contribute to discussions taking place in context of the French EU Presidency. We interviewed one of these Ambassadors: Elise Monceau – a volunteer manager who started volunteering with the French Red Cross in Lille one and half years ago.
Why did you join the French Red Cross Youth Ambassador Group?
I chose to participate in this group because I believe it is a good opportunity to bring the voices of young people to the European level and contribute to the French Council Presidency. But also, it allows me to highlight the actions and positions of the Red Cross on key issues and raise awareness among young people.
As I mainly have field experience, I was not very familiar with this type of activity. It was an interesting way to discover other types of commitment within the Red Cross, but also to share my experience and the lessons I have learned in a different context and develop leadership skills.
Who is part of this group?
We come from all over France and have a wide variety of profiles which reflect the different kinds of roles played by young people in the organisation. For example, Célia is a volunteer in the foodaid sector in Lille, while Hannah and Odair are European Solidarity Corps volunteers in Bordeaux, and Manon and Lisa are students at the Regional Health and Social Training Institute of the French Red Cross.
What kind of activities does the team organise in the framework of the French EU Presidency?
We have participated in a lot of different activities and events, such as conferences and seminars, as attendees, facilitators and organisers. These events were an opportunity to share our point of view on a variety of topics and to reflect on future projects. For example, we participated in the European conference “Generations inclusive et solidaire”, a cooperation project supported by the Eramus+ programme and sponsored by the French Presidency that brought together 41 young people from 15 countries on the theme of climate change. We also attended conferences held during the Africa-Europe Week and held several meetings with representatives from the European Commission, European Parliament and the French Permanent Representation to the EU. Finally, we developed and pedagogical project for high schools to raise awareness about the European institutions, the French Permanent Representation to the EU and the role of the Red Cross.
What are your views and hopes for the future?
One of our hopes is to increase awareness about ecology and to take serious actions to avoid the catastrophe that awaits us if we do nothing. Secondly, I have seen in the field how important is to simplify the legislation that affects refugees. Also, I would like the EU to engage more in advocacy with third and neighbouring countries to ensure displaced people are treated with dignity.
Finally, being a Youth Ambassador has been a great opportunity to learn about EU matters and to contribute to volunteer engagement on a European scale, while maintaining my commitments at the local level. It would be fantastic to extend this opportunity to other young people.
What message would you like to share with European citizens?
From the French Red Cross’ perspective, we have four priorities:
1) Increased mobility for young Europeans mobility and creating opportunities for them to express themselves, and get involved, but also to receive training and information to better know their rights.
2) A strengthened social and solidarity economy as a sustainable model in Europe, which recognises the important role played by not-for-profit organisations.
3) Stepping up the fight against homelessness by reinforcing social welfare systems, ensuring unconditional assistance and reception and guaranteeing the right to housing.
4) Enhance prevention, protection and recovery activities to deal with growing crises, be they linked to the climate or other humanitarian emergencies.
European citizens can support these priorities through everyday actions that can make a difference at a larger scale, or by becoming a volunteer with the Red Cross in their community.
This year is the European Year of Youth, what would you like to ask the EU?
From my point of view, the knowledge that citizens, especially young people, have about the EU institutions, their functioning and their impact needs to be improved. I grew up in a rural environment and European considerations seemed very far away, as did the opportunities of mobility offered to young Europeans.
My question would be: how can the EU make itself more accessible to young Europeans? How can the reach of this information be improved so that mobility schemes are known and accessible to all, regardless of the young person’s origin or context? It's a big concern for me, and something that I think is essential to guarantee the inclusiveness of all young Europeans.
For media inquiries, please contact Eva Oyón on: firstname.lastname@example.org or +32 2 235 09 22 | <urn:uuid:9b2b5508-90c2-42d5-a24b-39a63db68d9a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://redcross.eu/latest-news/voices-of-young-people-at-eu-level | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572089.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814234405-20220815024405-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.95673 | 1,072 | 1.757813 | 2 |
��it is refined and moralized, kept under the control of intel ligence and conscience, it becomes a worthy motive. When dominated by conscience, blended with love and transfigured into reverence, it becomes one of our noblest sentiments. In this regenerated form it retains, though in a much lower degree, its fusing power and may be most properly used by the orator or preacher. But in its baser form of physi cal fear it should never be appealed to by one who aims at spiritual results.
Another emotion which is most effective in welding a crowd is anger. This is one of the most powerful emotions, and all normal persons are capable of it, although there are great variations in the development of the pugnacious in stinct among men. When a common hostile feeling against any object is aroused in a group of persons, its power to unify and blend them is unsurpassed. The heat of the anger which envelops them all melts them into conscious oneness, and the conscious unity is considerably strength ened by the sense of conflict with the person or persons against whom the hostility is directed; for conflict with an outside enemy is a very efficacious means of unifying the members of a group. This is the emotion that usually sways a mob. Elsewhere we have pointed out how it may convulse a whole neighbourhood, or section, or nation, in stantly quieting or suspending all internal antagonisms, and solidifying all interests. Here we consider it only as it de velops and manifests itself in an assembled multitude. It is so easily aroused, is so intensified by reflection back and forth between individuals, and so quickly overwhelms reason that only extreme situations will justify appeals to it. There is always great danger of inducing the mob-state, if not mob-action. But while its crude form is always de moralizing and the orator, especially the preacher, should rarely or never make an appeal to it, it may, nevertheless, like fear, be redeemed and transformed by being moralized, and thus converted into one of the noblest, most healthful and valuable of all human feelings indignation ; and thus | <urn:uuid:e67e61e7-aa9d-4e2d-93ea-40690c188407> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:Psychology_and_preaching.djvu/273 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560284411.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095124-00458-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955932 | 440 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Spring is here in Texas! I am so excited that flowers are blooming, warmer weather is here, and time in the garden each day is a must! Just yesterday I got to enjoy a salad with lettuce from my own garden! Planting has started in our raised beds and I even have more garden space than plants, which is a first!
Spring on the farm is one of my favorite times of the year. I love to see the farm wake up from its winter slumber. The grasses are greener, cows are happier, and all the wild flowers are in bloom!
We even found some wild blackberry vines for future berry-picking fun!
During the long winter months I tend to get the itch to create long project lists that are now getting to come to fruition. Here is a snap shot of our spring projects.
My first spring project is my potato plants. I have been wanting to grow potatoes in a potato box but decided to use the concept of the box within the structure of my already built garden beds. Things have grown nicely so far as all the spuds have sent up green leaves and are growing well.
Another exciting project is that three beehives are on their way to Stoffels Family Farm. Beekeeping has been in my husband’s family for two generations now, and we hope to pass on the love for bees to our children through the adventures of beekeeping. I can’t wait to share the details with you. Some of the best resources we have used to get ready for bees have been You Tube videos so we have been studying away in front of the computer.
I have also been curious about growing my own meat birds especially after reading the article "Raising Chickens for Meat" by Gwen Roland in GRIT's Guide to Backyard Chickens. So this March, I was able to purchase five straight run Cornish broilers from the local feed store to raise. I am amazed at how fast they grow. And can I say they LOVE to eat! These birds put away feed like nothing else. These birds are a test run to see if I can maneuver a plan to grow meat birds on a larger scale on our farm.
Overall spring means great weather, outside fun, and nature springing to life all around us. I love being in the blue bonnet capital of Texas. | <urn:uuid:07f53a7b-2afa-43e3-987a-fd93592c6eb3> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://www.grit.com/farm-and-garden/do-it-yourself/springing-to-life | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988721595.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183841-00477-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963368 | 482 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Virtually all of the speakers voiced support of LGBT teens and the RYSE center. The meeting was calm until they heard from the man who caused a big commotion two weeks ago. It took less than a minute for police to move in and for the crowd to shout down Richmond resident Mark Wassberg after his anti-gay comments.
Wassberg: I have the right to speak.
Mayor: No. I think you're talking hate speech. I'd like to ask you to take your seat. You're out of order! You're disrupting this meeting! Please escort him out!
Wassberg: And what's going to happen is if everybody turns gay, it'll be the end of the world because nobody will be making babies. If you want to shut me off...
Supporters of the LGBT community filled the Richmond City Council chambers because of what happened here two weeks ago. The city had presented a proclamation to LGBT teens from the RYSE Center naming June as "Gay Pride Month." Wassberg laughed while talking about a young gay man who committed suicide and said, "I think it's funny."
This week, his comments were widely challenged.
"How could you curse or damn somebody when there's so much hate in your heart yourself," Denise Henry, a Richmond teenager, said.
In the end, the LGBT supporters got what they wanted. Each member of the city council signed a pledge to speak out against hate and intolerance. Now a study session is scheduled in three weeks. The city council will bring in experts to discuss LGBT issues and it will be open to the public.
Protesters gathered for a rally ahead of the city council meeting. Their issue was not on the agenda, but the goal was to make sure that what happened at the last meeting, at the expense of some high school students, doesn't happen again.
A Richmond resident laughing loudly while talking about a young gay man committing suicide was just one of several comments made minutes after a group of high school students received a proclamation designating June as "Gay Pride Month" in Richmond.
Jenabi Pareja with Richmond's RYSE Center was escorting the group of gay teens who first gave a presentation and then accepted the proclamation. "They were angry. They were angry about it. They didn't feel supported by adults that were there," he said, referring to the teens.
Wesley Ellis, a local minister and member of the NAACP, also spoke. "Whatever your choice in life, that's up to you, not me. But the lord said, the lord said, Leviticus 18 and 22, 'It is an abomination,'" he said.
Council member Jovanka Beckles co-sponsored the gay pride proclamation. "We want to share that with our young people that we love them, that we accept them for who they are," she said.
Some took issue with designating June as "Gay Pride Month" because it coincides with the African American community's celebration of Juneteenth, which marks the end of slavery. "You don't have time to talk about anything when it relates to the black folks," one man told the council.
But Wassberg's comments were considered by many to be the most offensive and told ABC7 he would not take back any of his comments. "Yeah. I'll do it again. I'll keep on doing it as long as I don't say anything about harming anybody," he said. | <urn:uuid:27dc16d0-ac5b-4973-8507-ff450e21f373> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://abc7news.com/archive/8690420/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280791.35/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00356-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.988497 | 706 | 1.867188 | 2 |
a – During the 1600s, the British colonists in the the Chesapeake and New England developed vastly different societies. Based on what you have and if necessary, will read, create a minimum 12 line rhyming poem that articulates these regional differences. Be sure your poem RHYMES and includes SPECIFIC content. 🙂
b – You work for a 17th century land developer. Your job is to recruit colonist from the Chesapeake and New England colonies to both New Amsterdam and Pennsylvania. Create a two paragraph personal and inviting statement designed as a recruitment brochure (one for New Amsterdam and one for Pennsylvania) calling out the negative aspects of the Chesapeake and New England colonies as well as celebrating the aspects of N AM and PENN.
c – Create a 8 line poem illustrating you know the causes and effects of Bacon’s Rebellion.
d – Summarize the section “The Half-Way Covenant and the Salem Witch Trials” in 1 sentence.
e – How might America be different had __________ never existed? Respond with one sentence for each of the below:
Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield
f – Create a 2-line poem capturing the significance of the historical people below:
John Trumbull, Phillis Wheatley, John Peter Zenger
I need this done ASAP | <urn:uuid:fabf1d62-a12f-4fff-b4e9-cc6ba69f365d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://studyhope.com/apush-test/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572063.65/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814173832-20220814203832-00676.warc.gz | en | 0.905294 | 278 | 3.703125 | 4 |
This blog is a collection of hands-on notes on building Android ICS 4 virtualbox installer for x86 from official Google x86 virtualbox target vbox-x86-eng (included in ICS 4.0 source) and using a Linux 2.6 kernel provided by Intel to add specific feature for virtualbox and how to use installer.vdi to install Android ICS 4.0 into Virtualbox.
In addition to Google AVD emulator supported by Intel Hardware Accelerated Execution Manager (HAXM) technology (already available Here), Android for x86 Virtualbox is completely running x86 codes and provides another fast and high performance tool for developer and partner for quick app development and testing. Booting an Android ICS 4 in virtualbox takes about 20 seconds, same process on an ARM-based ICS 4 AVD emulator in Eclipse takes 65 seconds. Speed, performance, and user experience are all counted for the popularity of virtualbox among Android developers, especially for x86 platform. It takes time for x86 based Android tablet and phone to be easily available on the market. Develop apps on AVD and virtual platform continue to be a top option for Android for X86 developers.
Why Google provides Virtualbox build Target for ICS 4?
If you have been using Google’s latest ICS source repo, you probably have noticed that Google provided an x86 version of Virtualbox target vbox_x86-eng. When you key in the lunch command before start your build, the first three targets that Google provide for ICS 4.0.1 are:
With vbox_x86-eng (#3) target, developer and system builder can compile and make android_disk.vdi and android installer.vdi which can be used to run Android ICS 4 in virtualbox for app development and system integration on Windows, Linux and IOS platform .
Downloading the Source Tree and Installing Repo
Read Things I Wish I Knew Before I Built My First Android-x86 from Google Source Supported by Intel to set up your app development platform and get ready for your Android build.
To install, initialize, and configure Repo, follow these steps (More detail on Android source site) :
$ mkdir ~/bin
$ curl https://dl-ssl.google.com/dl/googlesource/git-repo/repo > ~/bin/repo
$ chmod a+x ~/bin/repo
$ mkdir ANDROID_TOP_PATH
$ cd ANDROID_TOP_PATH
To get a list of available branches, (from your android repo checkout root), use this command:
$ git --git-dir .repo/manifests/.git/ branch -a
Google ICS 4.x are listed below:
Run repo init to bring down the latest version of Repo with all its most recent bug fixes. I check out android-4.0.1_r1 at this hands-on:
$ repo init -u https://android.googlesource.com/platform/manifest -b android-4.0.1_r1
To use the Gerrit code-review tool, you will need an email address that is connected with a registered Google account. Make sure this is a live address at which you can receive messages. The Kernel version and Build number will be assigned to your build, and information will be displayed in Android/settings/about phone/ page.
A successful initialization will end with a message stating that Repo is initialized in your working directory. Your client directory should now contain a .repo directory where files such as the manifest will be kept.
To pull down files to your working directory from the repositories as specified in the default manifest, run
$ repo sync
By default, access to the Android source code is anonymous. To protect the servers against excessive usage, each IP address is associated with a quota. Now we switch to build a new Kernel before we come back to build ICS4.
What version of gcc and g++ to use?
Ubuntu 11 already start using gcc 4.6. So you can check your C/C++ compiler version by gcc –v to make sure your system is using gcc-4.4. You also need to make sure that you use g++ version 4.4 for CXX command.
$ gcc -v
$ gcc version 4.4.3 (Ubuntu 4.4.3-4ubuntu5)
I am using Ubuntu 10.04LTS. So it happen on the same GCC version with Google
Using built-in specs.
gcc version 4.4.3 (Ubuntu 4.4.3-4ubuntu 5)
If you are using gcc 4.6, you will always need to do “ make CC=gcc-4.4 CXX=g++-4.4.. “ for following Android build process
Building a Kernel Provided by Intel
Since Android is meant for touchscreen devices, it doesn’t include support for a mouse pointer by default, and possibly no network too as most Android devices are using wireless. To build a Android ICS 4 virtualbox for regular app development platform, we need to rebuild the kernel with mouse support as well as some of features that you probably need for your own apps. Intel Android developer site provided a Linux 2.6. kernel SDK for x86 which included many drivers that Intel developed. Go to Intel Android Developer site to download Android* 2.3.7 (Gingerbread) x86 Emulator Image Add-on. After Unzip the package Intel_x86_sysimg_2.3.7_Source_Files.zip ( 1.2G), you will find:
Run a untar to kernel_sdk_x86.tar.gz to create a new folder with the kernel 2.6.x source ( Intel soon will make new kernel for Ice Cream Sandwich 4 or higher available.However the process is similiar)
We switch to the directory that holds your kernel files. Now that we have the kernel source, we need to modify the configuration according to the hardware that you are using for Virtualbox host system and rebuild it. We can use menuconfig graphical interface provided by kernel source which will allow us to do this conveniently:
$ cp ANDROID_TOP_PATH/your_kernel_path/arch/x86/configs/vbox_defconfig .config
$ make ARCH=x86 menuconfig
It will take a few seconds to compile and load:
Once it does, use Up/Down arrows to navigate, enter to select (i.e. to expand), ‘y’ (or space) to include. e.g. to enable Mice,You will need to go to: Device Driver->Input Device Support -> Mice. To enable Wireless, you can go to Network Device Support etc. You can also see that there session dedicated for Tablet, you can go to related line and select them.
Note: menuconfig is the place that you check to make sure the required features and support for your application or system integration is supported. For App developers, it is equally important that you must test and validate your app on Android that is built with default menuconfig to guarantee the maximum compatibility of your app to various Android device made by different OEM
$ make ARCH=x86 –j32
After the compiling, if you see the last line that Kernel: arch/x86/boot/bzImage is ready .Then, your make is successful.
Add patched Kernel
Here the kernel image bzImage need to be renamed to kernel-vbox, and copied to /ANDROID_TOP_PATH/prebuilt/android-x86/kernel/kernel-vbox:
$ cp /ANDROID_TOP_PATH/kernel/arch/x86/boot/bzImage /ANDROID_TOP_PATH/prebuilt/android-x86/kernel/kernel-vbox
Setup Faster Android Builds using CCACHE
You can greatly reduce the compile time for subsequent compilations by use the compiler cache. To set up a 50GB cache ( I have a big HDD), you can run:
1. Install CCcache program and Create a directory for your ccache
$ sudo apt-get install ccache
$ sudo mkdir /ANDROID_TOP_PATH/ccache
$ sudo chown $LOGNAME /ANDROID_TOP_PATH/ccache
2. Set up your environment variables Place these in your ~/.profile,
$ sudo gedit ~/.bashrc
3. Set the ccache sizes. If you have a big hard drive, you can set it bigger:
$ ccache -F 100000
$ ccache -M 50G
Build ICS 4 with new Kernel
Setting up Environment:
$ /ANDROID_TOP_PATH/> source build/envsetup.sh
For ICS 4.0.1, you will see:
Time to time, I encounted "No Target to Make" error message when using lunch vbox_x86_eng. So it is easy to just do the following:
You're building on Linux
Lunch menu... pick a combo:
Which would you like? [full-eng] 3 (Note: make sure you select 3.vbox_x86-eng)
Run make, I have a 16-core server, so I use j=32 (double by HT).
$ make -j32
Compiling time is dependent on your hardware. Using 2.6 kernel will lead to a image file about 300 mb.
There have been issues reported by Android developer that time to time the networking does not appear to get the default DNS servers. No knowing when the related patch will be provided to ICS 4 vbox-x86 target repo. One way around this is to use some publicly available DNS servers, such as those provided by Google (18.104.22.168)(See post here ):
Build the VirtualBox Android Disk (Android_disk.vdi) and VirtualBox Android Installer
Finally, we build the Android_disk.vdi and installer_vdi together :
$ make android_disk_vdi installer_vdi -j32
If the build is successful, You will see the output below somewhere:
Done with VirtualBox bootable disk image -[ out/target/product/vbox_x86/android_disk.vdi ]-
Done with VirtualBox bootable installer image -[ out/target/product/vbox_x86/installer.vdi ]-
With android_disk.vdi (334mb), you should be able to New->Create New Virtual Machine and use android_disk.vdi as an existing and run the ICS 4 in virtualbox. Set up the parameters for virtualbox is straigfoward. Unlike the previous Android in virtualbox that you need to click Machine on top menu -> Disable Mouse Integration to enable your mouse. You just need to click inside the VirtualBox window (Press the right Ctrl key to release your mouse).
Go to setting -About this phone, and you will see your build information:
Install Android Virtualbox using installer.vdi
Even the file size in Virtualbox is expanded to ~550mb. It is still too small to load apps to test. We still need a Android installer disk to install Android into a much larger partition ( better larger than 4G ).First you start New and follow Create New Virtual Machine Wizard to create a larger disk under IDE controller. In my case, I create a 4G disk in the format of vdi fixed file, and set it as IDE Primary Master.
Then in Storage of the Settings of your virtual machine as below:
Add the installer.vdi as the Primary IDE Slave as show below. Now you can get started to install Android on the larger 4G Disk you just created.
- Start the emulator
- Use F12 to get to the BIOS boot menu. Boot to the secondary drive
- Use grub to select the Install option: 2. Boot from Primary Slave
When you see "Done processing installer config", type "reboot"
Note: The first time you install on your target virtual disk, the install will most likely fail. A message will be printed that tells you to run the installer again. You should do so:
After reboot, you can see that your Android is running from the larger disk that you create, and you can safely remove the installer.vdi from Storage under IDE Controller.
The Serial port has been enabled by default . The virtual machine needs a one-time enabling of the COM1 serial port however. The following instructions will cause VirtualBox to create a named pipe called .vbox_pipe in your home directory. From the command line:
$ VBoxManage modifyvm Android --uart1 0x03f8 4
$ VBoxManage modifyvm Android --uartmode1 server /home/user/.vbox_pipe
Or from in the GUI, use the serial ports tab to enable COM1 as a "Host Pipe" and select "Create Pipe" for it to be created as /home/user/.vbox_pipe.
To connect to this named pipe, use:
$ socat unix-client:$HOME/.vbox_pipe stdout
Note: Environment variables (e.g. $HOME) might not be understood by VirtualBox, so you will have to specify a full explicit path, like /home/user/.vbox_pipe.
The ethernet port (eth0) is enabled for DHCP in the image. To connect to it via ADB you will need the DHCP address that has been assigned.
If you are using a bridged ethernet, you may obtain this address from a shell prompt either from the serial port or from "developer tools -> terminal emulator" using the command:
If you are using a Host-only adapter, 'vboxnet0', you should use the address 192.168.56.101. to create your host-only interface, you may need to use the command:
Now you have a virtualbox completely built from Google official vbox-x86 target for Ice Create Sandwich and the Kernel of your choice, and you control what to add or remove at Kernel built or Android compile level to address your need for Apps development and testing. There are a lot of discussion of Android ICS in virtualbox that you find tips and tricks, In my case, I was able to twig and add/install apps made by Java, NDK or Chrome Web application, play around and test them:
I can also user Intel Power Monitor tool to do power related profiling and monitoring about the application: | <urn:uuid:69880c99-fc69-4abb-8e24-06e8f9a7aafa> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | https://software.intel.com/en-us/blogs/2012/03/06/hands-on-notesbuild-android-x86-ics-4-virtualbox-from-google-virtualbox-target-and-intel-kernel/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988719784.62/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183839-00427-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.809795 | 3,095 | 2.140625 | 2 |
I recently had sex with my boyfriend. Unfortunately, the condom broke. I am really scared and terrified; I don’t know what to do. Will I become pregnant? Someone please help me!
Dear Accidental Breakage,
Hopefully, you discovered this within 72 hours of the condom breaking because Plan B (or otherwise known as the morning after pill) would be a useful option for you. If used within 72 hours the pill will be effective, if you aren’t already pregnant. Plan B doesn’t terminate an existing pregnancy, but it is effective because it contains a higher dosage of levonorgestrel (a hormone which is found in many birth control pills). Remember, Plan B does not protect against STD’s. Visit the Mary Walker Health Center to get more information on Plan B.
I am a woman who is really cautious about my body and aware of any changes to it. But lately I’ve been getting a discharge similarly to a yellow color. Do you have any idea of what it could be and how I can get rid of it?
What you are experiencing sounds like a yeast or bacterial infection. The white or yellow vaginal discharge can be caused by what is known as yeast, which naturally resides in the body and is also called Candida. Stop by the Mary Walker Health Center (321-4100) to make an appointment and get things checked out.
Finals are quickly approaching, and I am a horrible procrastinator and time manger in school, at work, and even getting around to cleaning my dorm room. I’m somehow always putting it off till tomorrow or taking forever to finish. Do you have any practical suggestions on time organization and overcoming procrastination habits?"
Dear Always Late,
An inordinate amount of stress in students’ lives revolves around time. Procrastination is probably the number one time management problem of all time! With patience and determination, you can change some of your procrastinating ways and learn to live with what you can’t change. The goal is to learn to fit our daily activities into time’s schedule. Come visit the Lifestyles Center in the Mary Walker Health Center to pick up one of our pamphlets on self-management strategies and stress. | <urn:uuid:f164504d-7c32-4026-97b2-00824b0e1b2c> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.oswegonian.com/2010/04/23/shortie-says-11/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280221.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00232-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937475 | 466 | 2.015625 | 2 |
Indonesian Millennials Interested in Improving Knowledge of Palm Oil
ANOTHER event has been held to promote sustainable palm oil to the millennial generation in Indonesia.
ANOTHER event has been held to promote sustainable palm oil to the millennial generation in Indonesia. This time, the Indonesia Oil Palm Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDPKS) held a Talkshow for Millennial on Palm Oil with highly topical theme: Amazing Race Sawit Hunt 2019. The event held in Bogor Botanical Garden, Saturday (3/8/2019), was organized in collaboration with Warta Ekonomi magazine. The topics will be addressed by speakers from palm oil stakeholders including BPDPKS’ Corporate Secretary Achmad Maulizal Sutawijaya, Speaker of the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (Gapki) Tofan Mahdi, Senior Food Technologies Garudafood Brury Wijaya, and Marketing Director of Mustika Ratu Isabella Silalahi.
Maulizal said the talkshow was structured to be strictly about education on sustainable-related issues in palm oil sector. This was the second event after the first one held in F3 Atrium – FX Sudirman, June, 19 2019. He told audiences there are at least three major issues that are deemed necessary for public knowledge, especially millennial generation. Firstly, palm oil has contributed to economic benefits such as government revenues, profits for companies, employment, and raised incomes for smallholders. Secondly, palm oil is the healthy natural edible vegetable oil as it contains natural antioxidant.
“Thirdly, palm oil is the source of renewable energy that produce biodiesel. Currently, Indonesia makes it mandatory for biodiesel to have a bio-content of 20 percent (B20) and will be increased to B30 next year,” Maulizal said. Meanwhile, Isabella Silalahi told audiences about palm oil product in cosmetics.
“Cosmetics industry depends on palm oil greatly. It is an integral ingredient in all types of cosmetic products,” she said. At the same time, Tofan Mahdi spoke about challenges in the industry, saying that the European Union has implemented discriminatory policy that undermines palm oil. He said, the industry needs a strong government policy to meet the challenge. “Without extraordinary policy, the national palm oil industry will face an insecure future,” Tofan said. ** | <urn:uuid:a5be8064-9e60-4b4a-9aa7-c960af0e9851> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.bpdp.or.id/en/indonesian-millennials-interested-in-improving-knowledge-of-palm-oil | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570868.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808152744-20220808182744-00074.warc.gz | en | 0.93799 | 488 | 1.710938 | 2 |
by Mordechai Kedar
Read the article in the original עברית
Read the article in Italiano (translated by Yehudit Weisz, edited by Angelo Pezzana)
In contrast to the desert that covers most of the Middle East, the Fertile Crescent has been an area that kingdoms thrived in since the dawn of history. The reason is simple: it was possible to maintain a reasonable and stable community life in this area because communities could establish an economy based on agriculture and raising herds of animals. The children of Israel in the Land of Israel, the Phoenicians in Lebanon, the Assyrians in Syria, the Sumerians, the Babylonians, and the Chaldeans in Iraq, all established kingdoms with a strong and effective central government, based on an agricultural society dwelling in permanent communities from which it was possible to collect taxes and enlist its sons into the ruler's army. The desert, on the other hand, was not a place of kingdoms and regimes because its nomadic residents do not represent a civil and economic basis upon which it is possible to establish a permanent, central framework.
The modern era is a continuation, to a large extent, of the classic picture of the Fertile Crescent: Lebanon, Syria and Iraq were established as states that should have been frameworks for legitimate states with governmental systems based on a egalitarian and shared civil society, that would include the tribes and the many ethnic, religious, and sectarian groups that populate the area. The objective data of the area -plentiful precipitation, comfortable weather, flowing rivers and fertile ground - could have provided a comfortable life for the people of these states, if only they could have lived with each other in peace. The borders of the states were drawn by the colonial forces that ruled in the area, and these borders define their territories, the area of their sovereignty and the identity of their citizens. Protection of the borders is a prerequisite for the existence of every state in the world.
But in the past decade - and especially in the past two years - the borders of Lebanon, Syria and Iraq are continually being penetrated, undermined, dissolved, eroded and annulled. Those who are undermining the states are its neighboring states, organizations and individuals, who relate to borders of states as if there is no need to respect them. It is important to note that great sections of borders exist only on maps, while in reality, there is no fence, wall or any real barrier that would enable the state to protect its borders from invasion of evildoers and prevent their entry.
The efficacy of border protection is an effective indicator of a state's overall condition: a state that protects its borders and prevents the entry of hostile elements is a state with the power to live and survive even if it is situated in an unfriendly environment. On the other hand, a state that does not succeed to protect its borders from foreign and hostile elements penetrating into its territory is a state in the process of deterioration that might end in its demise. The recent events in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon fully confirm this assumption.
For the whole duration of the twentieth century there were factors that undermined its borders, mainly Iran of the Shah: He supported the Kurds in the North of Iraq until 1975 and channeled weapons, equipment, fighters and money to them via the border. This undermined the integrity of Iraq, and ever since the Kurdish area was declared as a no-fly zone for the Iraqi air force in 1991, the Kurds of Iraq have lived almost totally independently. They have a parliament, government, political parties, an army, police, communications media, mass media and independent economic viability. From a practical point of view, the borders of Iraq do not include today the Kurdish area that was once the northern part of the state.
The border between Iraq and Iran has been wide open ever since the beginning of 2004, less than a year from the day when Iraq was occupied by the Western coalition led by President Bush. After the Iranians understood that the Americans did not want an additional front in Iran, they began to transfer weapons, ammunition, explosives, money and fighters into Iraq by way of the border in order to strengthen the Shi'ite militias to the detriment of the badly defeated Sunni militias, and so that the Shi'ites could successfully resist with the occupation armies and act against the influence of al-Qaida, which had established an organization called "The Islamic State of Iraq". Thousands of fighters from the United States and its allies were killed in Iraq with weapons and explosives that Iran smuggled into the Land of the Two Rivers. The border between Iraq and Saudi Arabia as well, served as a conduit for weapons, ammunition, money and jihadists for the Sunni organizations, chiefly al-Qaida. Only in recent years did Saudi Arabia set up a fence on the length of its border with Iraq in order to prevent the Iraqi chaos from seeping into its territory, but the fence did not prevent Saudi Arabia from transferring anything that the Sunni Jihadists could think of, into Iraq.
Turkey never respected its border with Iraq, and its forces would often cross the border into Iraqi Kurdistan to attack the bases of the "Kurdish Workers Party" (PKK), which would send its fighters into Turkey.
The border of Iraq with Syria has served for more than ten years as a two-way membrane. Between the years 2004 and 2011 the porous border served as a passage for Hizb'Allah fighters who crossed from Lebanon into Iraq by way of Syrian territory in order to support the Shi'ites. Since March of 2011 the border has served as a passage for Shi'ites from Iraq to support the regime in Syria, but Iraqi Sunnis also cross it freely with their weapons and explosive material in order to help their Syrian brothers in their struggle against the Assad regime and indirectly against Iran, which controls Iraq.
Since 2011, fighters, weapons and equipment have also been freely transferred by the tribes of northern Jordan to their brothers in the area of Hauran in southern Syria. And until today almost a half million Syrian refugees have fled the Syrian inferno to Jordan. The border between Syria and Lebanon has never been taken seriously on either side: smuggling of goods from Lebanon to Syria has provided livelihood for many thousands of Lebanese ever since the two states were established in the forties, and many Syrians have crossed the border illegally into Lebanon, fleeing the oppression of the regime, mainly since Hafez al Asad rose to power towards the end of 1970. Many Syrian workers have moved to Lebanon illegally via the porous borders, and in peak years the number has been estimated at a million.
Syria's border with Turkey is not sealed either and many have crossed it unofficially over the years: Syrian and Turkish Kurds have always crossed it almost without restriction, just as the border between Iraq and Turkey has served as a passage for the Kurds on both sides. In the past two years Turkey has been sending to the Syrian rebels support and jihadists who come from Saudi Arabia, from Qatar, from North Africa and from other areas, even from Europe. Not in vain have the rebels against Asad captured the border crossings in the early phase of the rebellion, because having control of the border crossings makes it possible for them to bring into Syria people who support them in the fighting against the regime.
Hizb'Allah has turned smuggling into an art form: in broad daylight as well as in darkness, in the paved streets as well as the dirt roads, at official as well as unofficial border crossings from Syria to Lebanon, large amounts of missiles, light and heavy weapons and ammunition have been transferred from Iran, China and Russia, through Syria into Lebanon, and fighters from Hizb'Allah have crossed by way of the Lebanese-Syrian border into Syria and Iran in order to train for their jihad against their Lebanese brothers as well as against Israel. In the past two years Hizb'Allah fighters have crossed with their weapons and equipment into Syria via the breached border, in order to help Asad. In the beginning, Hizb'Allah snipers shot demonstrators in the streets of Dara'a from the roofs, and afterwards the Hizb'Allah people joined in the street fighting, primarily in the streets of Homs, Hama and Damascus. The "shaheeds" of Hizb'Allah who were killed in Syria were usually smuggled into Lebanon via the open border and were buried temporarily and secretly in the Buqa'a valley, near the border, primarily to avoid media exposure. Lately, since Hizb'Allah's involvement in Syria has become common knowledge, the shaheeds are brought to their families for burial.
The only border of Lebanon that looks like one is the coastline, but by any effective test this border does not exist: On the breached shores of Lebanon are tens of unofficial mooring places that have served for many years in the smuggling of goods - primarily automobiles - that are stolen in Europe to Lebanon, and are transferred by agents to the Lebanese market and other Arab states. Since 2011 these moorings, along with the port of Triploli, have served the Sunnis, as a transfer point for the smuggling of weapons and ammunition to the rebels in Syria. These weapons come mainly from Libya, from two sources: Qadhaffi's military storehouses and surplus European and American weapons that Qatar sent to the anti-Qadhaffi rebels in 2011. On the other hand, Alawites who live in Lebanon - chiefly in the Jabal Mohsen quarter of Tripoli - cross the border between Lebanon and Syria illegally in order to support Asad.
The conclusions that can be drawn from all of the above is that the borders of the Arab states in the Fertile Crescent - Iraq, Syria and Lebanon - are increasingly losing their effectiveness, and that this phenomenon has been increasing in the past two years, since some of the Arab regimes have been under attack, but this time from within. When the borders of a state are breached, its existence as a state is undermined, and the more violated its borders become, the more its existence and its meaning are threatened.
The architecture of the fertile crescent that was bequeathed by colonialism is changing before our eyes: Iraq is breaking up, Syria is crumbling and Lebanon for some time has lost the pluralistic character that its constitution was supposed to ensure. On the ruins of these countries new bodies arise with many and varied agendas. Some have an Islamist slant, and see the modern states as illegitimate creations that were born in the basements of colonialism, and therefore must be totally done away with. Some have a local slant - ethnic or tribal - and they are interested in establishing new frameworks based on the demographic data that colonialism tended to ignore completely.
In recent months, the battles in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon have taken on an old-new hue that these states - as long as they were effective states - had relegated or marginalized, which is the religious hue, and the historical conflict between the Sunni and the Shi'a floats on the surface and becomes the name of the game, or - preferably - the name of the conflict. In Iraq, the Shi'ite government bombs the Sunni citizens using fighter jets. In Syria the regime of Alawites, a sect that broke off from the Shi'ites and are supported by Shi'ites, bombs its Sunni citizens with jets and even uses chemical weapons against them. In Lebanon the Shi'ite group threatens to take over the whole state, and because of this threat, the state conducts itself in such a way that no one is willing to gamble on its democratic future.
The struggles along the fertile crescent have become dirty, filthy and bloody, while all of the traditional limitations increasingly collapse and man becomes an unbridled predator. The forces of the governments are not righteous, and the forces of the rebels are not pious. Both of them murder, maim, rape and cruelly violate the rights of many victims, most of whom are not involved in active fighting.
In comparison: Israel's borders serve as an almost absolute seal against foreign invaders, with various and sundry intentions. The border with Egypt has been closed off and the number of infiltrators has become negligible. The border with Jordan is well protected by right of the joint interest of the two states. The border with Syria in the Golan Heights survives, despite the chaos in Syria, the border with Lebanon holds firm by right of Israel's deterrence versus Hizb'Allah, and if it weren't for the drug smugglers, this border would be hermetically sealed. The coastal border also is protected effectively by the Israeli Navy, and only the border with the Gaza Strip serves as a point of tension because of the jihadists that have taken over the Strip.
In comparison with her neighbors, the state of Israel is an island of stability and normal life, and the borders of the state testify to this clearly and accurately. The situation in our days gives an interesting meaning to the passage from the poem in the weekly Torah portion "ha'azinu" ("listen"): "When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel." (Deuteronomy 32:8).
Dr. Kedar is available for lectures
Dr. Mordechai Kedar (Mordechai.Kedar@biu.ac.il) is an Israeli scholar of Arabic and Islam, a lecturer at Bar-Ilan University and the director of the Center for the Study of the Middle East and Islam (under formation), Bar Ilan University, Israel. He specializes in Islamic ideology and movements, the political discourse of Arab countries, the Arabic mass media, and the Syrian domestic arena.
Translated from Hebrew by Sally Zahav with permission from the author.
Additional articles by Dr. Kedar
Source: The article is published in the framework of the Center for the Study of the Middle East and Islam (under formation), Bar Ilan University, Israel. Also published in Makor Rishon, a Hebrew weekly newspaper.
Copyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the author. | <urn:uuid:16e991cd-6099-4118-b712-467c8fea80e4> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://israelagainstterror.blogspot.co.il/2013/05/mordechai-kedar-collapsing-crescent.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280929.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00421-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972315 | 2,885 | 3.1875 | 3 |
In response to the World Health Organization’s recent decision to classify diesel exhaust as a carcinogen, more toxic to your health than second hand smoke, America’s largest retailer of diesel passenger cars is questioning the findings.
“After initial review, it is clear that the IARC’s (International Agency for Research on Cancer) evaluations specifically focused on older diesel engine technology, that is, engines that don’t have filter systems and were built prior to the EU4 standard,” said Volkswagen in an official statement. “Currently, automakers in Europe build vehicles to the more stringent EU5 regulations, while diesels in the U.S. adhere to the EPA’s Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions standard that is the strictest in the world.”
According to VW, which just this week announced pricing on it’s latest diesel-powered model, the Beetle TDI, the IARC’s tests are out-dated by nearly a decade. “The engines tested do not represent the current state of diesel technology, which has been available in the market since 2004.”
Newer technologies ranging from improved combustion, to after-treatment exhaust fluid systems to (specifically) particulate filters have, “contributed significantly to minimize particulate emissions,” says VW.
The diesel engine has been a core product in Volkswagen’s powertrain offerings since the 1970s and will continue to be so into the future. “The diesel engine is highly efficient and remains an essential building block in Volkswagen’s drive to reduce CO2 emissions.” | <urn:uuid:13ce278d-c7dd-4a58-a750-adaf73184277> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2012/06/volkswagen-challenges-who-claims-about-cancer-causing-diesel-exhaust.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560285001.96/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095125-00298-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944335 | 332 | 2.328125 | 2 |
One company that has managed to remain relatively obscure despite making gargantuan contributions to the pro audio field is Fraunhofer IIS. Headquartered in Germany, the Fraunhofer Society is one of Europe’s largest organizations for applied research, with more than 17,000 employees spread across nearly 60 institutes of specialized areas of study and an annual research budget of $2 billion. Fraunhofer is credited as the developer of the ubiquitous MP3 (MPEG Layer 3) codec and co-developed its improved successor, AAC (Advanced Audio Coding).
Fraunhofer IIS (Institute for Integrated Circuits) is the firm’s institute (business unit) dedicated to the advancement of audio and multimedia digital coding technologies. Mathias Rose, head of marketing communications, said that the company works by identifying and researching needed technologies, and then it develops products that, generally, are then licensed to companies wishing to incorporate them into their products. Over the past two decades, more than 1000 companies have licensed audio-specific software implementations of Fraunhofer technologies, finding homes in excess of 1 billion devices globally. For instance, every new iPhone from Apple uses the AAC Enhanced Low Delay codec, and Android phones support MPEG Surround.
With its documented history in the development of the MP3 and AAC digital audio compression schemes, Fraunhofer IIS has followed that technology path to develop more recent standards that address the market needs for surround-sound, full-bandwidth and lossless audio in various applications. Fraunhofer’s AAC Low Delay and AAC Enhanced Low Delay are state-of-the-art audio codecs designed for maximum speech and audio quality with very low coding delay. The MPEG Surround and MP3 Surround codecs aim to make 5.1 audio more accessible.
“This is one of our major activities: to design low-latency, high-quality audio codecs, as well as surround audio coding,” Rose said. “We are developing audio technologies for communication systems of the future. Those technologies are also used for remote broadcasting and intrastudio connection. For example, Telos has integrated our codecs into their broadcast equipment.”
At CES 2011, Fraunhofer demonstrated a new application of MPEG Surround in partnership with Texas Instruments. A software implementation of MPEG Surround on a TI board was able to transmit full 5.1 surround at 64 kb/s: the same speed used by most stereo codecs. This suggests that streaming 5.1 surround will soon become a viable in AV receivers, on the Web and in mobile devices. In fact, Texas Instruments has licensed MPEG Surround and integrated it into its network audio software development kit for a range of its DSPs.
Another recent announcement was Diveemo, a joint project with Thomson Broadcast and Chengdu NewStar Electronics. This technology can launch small-scale video via Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM), which promises to deliver cost-efficient educational and informational programming across wide geographic areas from a single DRM transmitter. The video-over-shortwave stream can be accompanied by multiple audio streams, allowing synchronous multilanguage support. Diveemo is slated for standardization by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute.
For mixing and mastering engineers, Fraunhofer partnered with plug-in designer and manufacturer Sonnox for a workflow-enhancing product called Pro-Codec. This tool allows up to five codecs to be instantly accessible within a DAW environment in real-time, enabling the mix to be optimized across all major platforms on the fly. Pro-Codec supports MP3, MP3 Surround, AAC-LC and HE-AAC, plus lossless codecs including HD-AAC and MP3 HD. Compatibility with Mac and Windows platforms is supported across such platforms as Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, Nuendo and several others.
A big part of the Fraunhofer business model involves the licensing and promotion of the technologies it develops. Most income derives from the licensing of software, IC/DSPs and hardware; the company is not a manufacturer.
“This is a big part of why we come to trade shows,” Rose said,” to meet new and existing customers, to introduce new technologies and educate the marketplace, to show manufacturers what’s possible. Our technology department tries to work three to five years ahead of the end consumer.”
Another piece of the puzzle is technical standards developed by industry groups, to ensure that the technologies developed meet the specifications required.
“We try to get involved in all those standards where our technology might be used,” Rose said. “The most important of these organizations is MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group), which we have participated in from the very beginning, in 1988. We support open-easel standards. We are convinced that is one major factor in the success of audio codecs like MP3 and AAC. They are open standards, easily available and licensed in a reasonable and nondiscriminatory way. ”
While Matthias Rose acknowledged that Fraunhofer would like to become a more familiar name in the United States, the company is concentrating on the industries relevant to its areas of expertise, as indicated by its continued presence at NAB. Rose remained suggestively mum about any Fraunhofer announcements slated for the 2011 show, confirming only that the company will once again be there with cutting-edge demonstrations, educating broadcasters on the technologies of our digital future. | <urn:uuid:2769d2b6-e5d2-4be8-a699-02eb608286b9> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.tvtechnology.com/audio-etc./0193/audio-coding-giant-fraunhofer-iis-leverages-research-into-advanced-technology/258702 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280763.38/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00519-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941194 | 1,132 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Politicians are turning up the heat on former CIA employee Edward Snowden, who has gone into hiding since outing himself this week as the person who leaked documents on the National Security Agency's broad surveillance programs.
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), among others, called Snowden, 29, a traitor. "The disclosure of this information puts Americans at risk," Boehner said. "It shows our adversaries what our capabilities are. And it's a giant violation of the law." Similarly, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper claims the leaks did "huge, grave damage" to U.S. intelligence gathering efforts.
Glenn Greenwald, who unveiled secret documents leaked by Snowden in Britain's Guardian, claims that none of the revelations "even remotely jeopardizes" U.S. security.
Former officials say it's not so much the specifics of what was leaked as the huge wave of publicity the leaks generated: Every news story could serve as a revelation to some terrorists, and a reminder to others, of the nation's capabilities.
"It's kind of Darwinian," former National Security Agency Director Michael Hayden said. "The more stuff like this is in the public domain, we'll still catch terrorists, but it will be the stupid terrorists... The guys we should really be worried about will be far less likely to be swept up in this effort." [Politico]
The most dangerous terrorists, of course, are already doing everything they can to avoid using telephone lines or internet communication that might be spotted in the kind of dragnets the NSA has been using. Here's Rick Moran at American Thinker:
It's no accident it took a decade to catch up with Osama Bin Laden. The al-Qaeda leader took extraordinary precautions against being detected. Most of his communications within the al-Qaeda network were by old fashioned messenger...
So how much damage was done by the leaks? Even stupid terrorists can cause a lot of casualties. Alerting them to the existence of these programs will make them more cautious — but probably not invisible. I don't know how intelligence agencies assess damage, but making it harder to track an enemy has to be considered a minus. [American Thinker]
Snowden's defenders, however, say that any damage the leak did — and they doubt there was much, if any — is far outweighed by the damage he prevented by exposing the extent of the government's vast surveillance apparatus. John Cassidy at The New Yorker argues that any honest accounting of the consequences of Snowden's actions will conclude he did the right thing.
So what is Snowden's real crime? Like Ellsberg, Vanunu, and Bradley Manning before him, he uncovered questionable activities that those in power would rather have kept secret. That's the valuable role that whistle-blowers play in a free society, and it's one that, in each individual case, should be weighed against the breach of trust they commit, and the potential harm their revelations can cause. In some instances, conceivably, the interests of the state should prevail. Here, though, the scales are clearly tipped in Snowden's favor. [The New Yorker] | <urn:uuid:3b43b9f0-c051-4cf2-9ce6-b466c999165f> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://theweek.com/articles/463354/did-edward-snowdens-leak-make-americans-less-safe | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280835.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00474-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965729 | 632 | 1.617188 | 2 |
There is little doubt about it. If you are overweight, the risk of accompanying health problems is probable. If you are obese, the risk for accompanying health problems is nearer to being carved in stone.
The possibilities of obesity related illnesses are severe and include gallstones, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, coronary artery disease, stroke, and sleep apnea. There are other potential illnesses, but I imagine you have the point: Obesity is life-threatening.
This point became personalized when I met the criteria for metabolic syndrome.
What is Metabolic Syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors that increase the chances for coronary artery disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
The risk factors for metabolic syndrome are additional weight around the middle and upper body parts, insulin resistance, aging, genetics, changes in hormones, and lack of exercise. I met all the criteria of the syndrome.
In addition, those who have metabolic syndrome may very well have excess blood clotting and low levels of inflammation over the body.
From Metabolic Syndrome to Type 2 Diabetes
I would eventually see my doctor to question why I was constantly fatigued and why I was constantly urinating. Blood testing was done and the results showed that my blood sugar level was 373 and that I was hypertensive. I was off to the hospital for a three-day stay with a diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes. After I stabilized, I was discharged with 5 prescriptions. Three were for diabetes including a prescription for injectable insulin. The other two prescriptions were for hypertension. My health and spirit were poor.
Treatment Recommendations for Metabolic Syndrome
Although the treatment recommendations for metabolic syndrome are logical they may as well be recommendations to buy the winning lottery ticket. It's a good idea but probably will not accomplish the purpose of the suggestion.
Recommendations include losing 7-10% of your current weight, 30 minutes of robust exercise 5-7 days per week, lose weight to lower cholesterol, and lose weight to lower blood pressure. Is it just me, or is there a pattern here?
To say I had never been accomplished at losing weight is about the same as saying I had never been accomplished at flapping my arms and flying around my living room. Weight loss had not even come close to happening in over twenty years.
I asked my self a basic but astute question: What can I do?
Gastric Bypass Surgery is Successful at Resolving Metabolic Syndrome
The reason I decided to have gastric bypass surgery was because of health issues. Success in resolving those health issues has been remarkable. I lost 50 pounds in the first few months immediately after the weight-loss procedure. Shortly thereafter, my primary physician decided I no longer needed to continue taking medication for hypertension and diabetes. My total weight loss is 100+ lbs, which I've maintained since 2003.
The resolution of metabolic syndrome after gastric bypass surgery has been equally impressive.
A Mayo Clinic study on gastric bypass and metabolic syndrome was conducted with 180 patients who had gastric bypass surgery and 157 patients who did not. All participants received medical and dietetic care as well as counseling about the importance of being physically active.
After a 3.4 year follow-up, it was discovered that metabolic syndrome decreased from 87% to 29% in the in the surgical group but only decreased from 85% to 75% in the control group.
The average weight loss was 44 pounds in the surgical group and 0.2 pounds in the non-surgical group.
The results speak for themselves.
Reuters, "Gastric bypass surgery reverses metabolic syndrome," accessed April 8, 2012.
WebMD, "Obesity overview and facts," accessed April 12, 2012.
Medline Plus, "Metabolic syndrome," accessed April 12, 2012.
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Published On: April 09, 2012 | <urn:uuid:1f066f03-7685-4b60-b169-e57944715f0c> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/276918/151937/metabolic-life/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280310.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00182-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97196 | 894 | 2.265625 | 2 |
Q&A -Ask Doubts and Get AnswersPrevious Next
Understanding Elementary Shapes
1. Which of the following are models for perpendicular lines :
(a) The adjacent edges of a table top.
(b) The lines of a railway track.
(c) The line segments forming the letter ‘L’.
(d) The letter V.
Solution: (a) Yes, the adjacent edges of a table top are perpendicular to each other.
(b) No, the lines of a railway track are parallel to each other.
(c) Yes, the line segments forming the letter 'L' are perpendicular to each other.
(d) No, the line segments of letter 'V' are making an acute angle.
2. Let be the perpendicular to the line segment . Let and intersect in the point A. What is the measure of ∠PAY ?
Solution: The figure looks like shown below:
The measure of ∠PAY = 900.
3. There are two set-squares in your box. What are the measures of the angles that are formed at their corners? Do they have any angle measure that is common?
Solution: The measure of angles in two set squares in the box are:
30°, 60°, 90º and the other set square has 45°, 45° and 90°
Yes, the angle of measure 90° is the common angle between the two set-squares.
4. Study the diagram. The line l is perpendicular to line m
(a) Is CE = EG?
(b) Does PE bisect CG?
(c) Identify any two line segments for which PE is the perpendicular bisector.
(d) Are these true?
(i) AC > FG
(ii) CD = GH
(iii) BC < EH
Solution: (a) CE = 5 - 3 = 2 units.
EG = 7 - 5 = 2 units.
Yes, CE = EG.
(b) As, CE = EG, hence PE bisects CG.
(c) From the figure, PE is the perpendicular bisector for the line segment DF and CG.
(d) (i) True, AC = 2 units and FG = 1 unit
Hence, AC > FG
(ii) True, CD = 1 unit and GH = 1 unit.
Hence, CD = GH
(iii) True, BC = 1 unit and EH = 3 units.
Hence, BC < EH
Related Questions for Study
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BRUSSELS GRAND PLACE IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SQUARE IN EUROPE:
Many cities in Europe claim to have the most beautiful main square and Brussels’ Grand Place is up there as one of the most beautiful. As we stand in the middle of the square, surrounded by ornate 17th century architecture, I must say that the Grand Place or Grote Markt is a grand place indeed and what a magnificent place from which to begin any visit of the Belgian capital.
Brussels Grand Place
The Grand Place is in the Lower Town of Central Brussels, traditionally the less effluent of the two main sections of the centre. Nevertheless the Grand Place is the historical and commercial heart of Brussels.
What made an impression on us was the rich guildhouses and ornate and harmonious Flemish Renaissance buildings that surround the square.
Most of these buildings were rebuilt in the 17th century after French cannon fire in 1695 destroyed all but the town hall and a couple of guild facades.
Grand Place Buildings
Starting from the north-east corner of Grand Place and moving clockwise, the magnificent buildings of Grand Place include:
The Grand Place has been a venue for open-air markets since the 11th century and today many of popular Brussels events take place on this square, including the Belgian Beer Weekend, the Tapis des Fleur and Christmas markets. | <urn:uuid:dc13e389-dd06-4c69-bf30-8cf478d0caa2> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.travelsignposts.com/Belgium/sightseeing/brussels-grand-place | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570879.1/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808213349-20220809003349-00470.warc.gz | en | 0.937525 | 284 | 1.898438 | 2 |
Windows' own "small fonts" at 4 or 5pt size seems to come out quite well, though you might have to pick and choose what characters look OK and which don't. If it's actually rendered properly (you may have to turn off Cleartype, or even use Paint in 1-bit monochrome colour more) then it should come out looking a bit like Berkelium above, which isn't far off a minimum-size hand-tuned face I used to use (either zoomed in and hand-pixeling, or with lots of high speed copy and paste) for putting very small text onto low resolution images.
There's so little space for conveying information in that tiny 5x5 (or 5xless) grid that you have to get a bit creative with letter shapes in some cases, like the "e" in Berkelium (it also has interesting lowercase "a" and "s" shapes IIRC), for each one to be both readable and identifiably unique. And it may well be useful to use proportional width, so you can save on pixels with thinner letters in order to spend them on those where extra width is necessary.
As someone hinted at in passing above, the 6x6 system font used on the Atari ST (for drive and uppercase file labels in the main, with 8x8 or 8x16 used elsewhere, though not exclusively) may also be worth your attention. It's essentially 5x5 the same way that the others are essentially 7x7 and 7x15, as they have vertical and horizontal spacing built in for all but the deepest descenders and box-drawing characters. Notably ISTR the e's and a's lacked openings in their loops, but they were still recognisable (and as demonstrated, if you end up modifying them into a custom typeface, you can fix that).
Other than that the smallest you tend to get in common use is 6x6 or 6x8, with or without surrounding space, or 5x7 on some dot matrix LCDs. It's hard to make a decent font with any kind of character to it rather than pure robotic functionality with fewer pixels (indeed the other examples given above feel rather familiar, as they're either identical or very similar to ones I've seen used regularly on low-rez mobile phone LCDs back in the late 90s/early 2000s). Similar to how it can be difficult to make letters (and certainly to have a choice over using upper or lower case) with 7-segment numeric LCDs, and it's not much better with 9 or 11(+) segment. And 5x5 pixel is essentially 25-segment, except really it's more like a slightly more flexible kind of 11 or 15 seg. That's the kind of constraint you're working with here.
If you can stand it, just plonk the pixels by hand... at least you have ultimate control over the hinting/kerning, then, which as mentioned by others is probably going to be your biggest issue unless your font engine is specifically tuned for, or can have an option set to tune for pixel based rendering of small typefaces, rather than assuming everything is infinite-resolution vector and of a decent size. (if you scaled up a tiny pixel font to a normal size and morphed full-size type to conform to its critical boundaries, it would look quite strange, the same as trying to cram a large face down to minimal pixels - your minimum spacing granularity is ENORMOUS vs the actual glyphs) | <urn:uuid:9b40eae3-223e-48a8-bd59-baf6e3b5a9f6> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://graphicdesign.stackexchange.com/questions/91478/a-font-thats-readable-with-a-5px-height | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00067.warc.gz | en | 0.954833 | 730 | 1.796875 | 2 |
What if the solar system revolved around the Earth? That’s what scientists believed for many years. But Galileo was one of the first scientists to prove that the solar system actually revolved around the Sun.
Galileo also invented an improved telescope that allowed him to see far into space. He first saw Jupiter’s moons and realized that our moon was covered with craters. Although Galileo was a brilliant physicist and mathematician, his personal life was not easy.
Fun Facts about Galileo for Kids
- Galileo was born in Pisa, Italy in 1564.
- He attended college but dropped out because he ran out of money.
- Galileo later became a professor.
- The Catholic church did not like Galileo’s findings. They forbid him to write or teach about his work.
- Galileo did not listen. He was tried and found guilty. He was put under house arrest. He had to stay in his house and could not invite people over. He could not send his writings out.
- Galileo continued to work and study. He wrote booklets and sent them to France and Holland.
- Revolve: circle around
- Telescope: a device that allows the viewer to see items in the distance clearly
- Crater: holes surrounded by hills
- Professor: person who teaches at colleges and universities
- House arrest: imprisoned within your own home
Learn More All About Galileo Galilei
Watch this video for more all about Galileo:
A short biography video of Galileo Galilei.
Question: Did Galileo have any children?
Answer: Galileo had three children. One of them, a nun, was one of his most devoted friends and supporters when he was imprisoned.
Enjoyed the Easy Science for Kids Website all about Galileo Galilei info? Take the FREE & fun all about Galileo Galilei quiz and download FREE Galileo Galilei worksheet for kids. For lengthy info click here. | <urn:uuid:f61b7126-701a-4ed9-830e-c1ae39396233> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-galileo/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573193.35/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818094131-20220818124131-00468.warc.gz | en | 0.978698 | 406 | 3.046875 | 3 |
Sciences of Hope (Brain Science) 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Sciences of Hope: This three-hour session exists to support communities with the fundamental elements of brain science with a focus on the strengths of knowing how this can positively impact individuals and organizations within a community. The interactive session uses a common language and includes content related to brain structure, unconscious responses of fight, flight, freeze and fawn and roles of different parts of the brain. In addition, we explore the role adverse childhood experiences and the COVID-19 pandemic as they relate to brain development in partnership with the tools of resilience
Trauma Informed Approach 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Trauma-Informed Care: This community focused session explores the role that traumatic experiences can have in people’s everyday life. The focus of this information is to offer a generous approach by implementing skills that help community adopt a trauma informed approach in the relationships and roles they have. Trauma is part of human experience and working from a trauma informed lens acknowledges the prevalence of trauma within the population. As such, front line workers in the human services sector can anticipate that they will often serve individuals who have experienced or been affected by trauma. The hope of sharing this information is that together we can create a kinder more generous community for everyone.
Registrants will receive the Zoom link and further instructions by email within days of the start date.
This training is fully sponsored by the Community Mental Health Action Plan, with funding made possible by Alberta Health Services. | <urn:uuid:e7cd2edb-b607-4301-b1b0-357fcba8bbf1> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://bookwhen.com/imagineinstitute/e/ev-szrl-20220316090000?fbclid=IwAR3u2vLSAV8Md2g4G1wfL7Rlxj6u8VZVTghNaHAVVjYbO09J6vMJ0FvyRgc | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00268.warc.gz | en | 0.933997 | 325 | 2.125 | 2 |
Maine Could See Both A Heat Wave and Ice Storm This Weekend
There's an old cliche in Maine that goes something like, "don't blink because the weather in Maine could change before you open your eyes again". Well, this weekend won't be quite that drastic but it has potential to be one of the most bizarre weekends of weather that Vacationland has seen in quite some time.
First comes the heat wave. All of New England is going to see some very rare heat on Saturday. For most it'll be under cloud cover, but temps across central and southern Maine should be in the 50's, and portions of New Hampshire and Massachusetts are likely going to be in the 60's. Absolutely crazy for January. But, that mini-heat wave won't last long because overnight Saturday into Sunday comes something much different.
Sunday will be the battle of the air masses. The arctic air versus the southern warmth and that clash of the titans may result in Mainers least favorite result, ice. We're a little over 20 years removed from the ice storm of '98 and while this storm has potential to cause some issues for large portions of Maine, it isn't likely to be anything like '98, which is great news.
There's also the possibility that the warm air wins this major clash. If it does, freezing rain and sleet will be the precipitation of choice on Sunday. As ugly as that sounds, it still would be welcomed over a layer of ice. So enjoy your rare Saturday warmth and be prepared for Sunday. | <urn:uuid:029a3d2b-e6a4-47bd-a3bc-676faad00a26> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://949whom.com/maine-could-see-both-a-heat-wave-and-ice-storm-this-weekend/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573104.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20220817183340-20220817213340-00466.warc.gz | en | 0.964792 | 315 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Human beings evolved in the company of others and flourish in proportion to their positive social ties. To understand the human brain, we must situate its biology in the wider context of society. To understand society, we must also consider how the brains and minds of individuals shape interactions with other human beings. Social Neuroscience offers a comprehensive new framework for studying the brain, human development, and human behavior.
In this book, leading researchers in the fields of neurobiology, psychiatry, psychology, and sociology elucidate the connections between brain biology and the brain’s functioning in the social world, providing a state-of-the-art interdisciplinary explanation of how humans think and act, as well as the ways we define and treat pathological behavior. Synthesizing the insights and perspectives of these experts, Social Neuroscience examines how neural processes make the brain sensitive to social experience, how cognition shapes social behavior, and how social networks create a range of responses among different individuals to the same environmental stimuli.
The mutually reinforcing connections between brain, mind, and society have profound implications for human health, from the emotionally damaging effects of severe social deprivation to the neurological impact of parental abuse and neighborhood violence. The authors explore these connections, with special focus on mental illnesses, including schizophrenia—a disorder characterized by marked social deficits in which a neurological basis is now well established. | <urn:uuid:baf468e7-45ef-41aa-abf4-6557cc84c649> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.pandora.com.tr/urun/social-neuroscience/396589 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280891.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00156-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923866 | 269 | 3.171875 | 3 |
Combating Infections in the West Bank
Globus Relief’s recent donation of Cephalexin antibiotic, distributed by ANERA, has been a tremendous help to the poverty-stricken patients of a medical center located in Hebron.
“Cephalexin 500 mg usually has no side-effects, meaning it is quite safe for pregnant and lactating women, children, and the elderly. It is excellent in cases of inflammation of the windpipe and upper respiratory infections, as well as sinusitis, and some urinary infections,” explains Dr. Wael Al-Rajabi.
“The amount we received from ANERA is sufficient to meet our patients’ needs. We began dispensing the medicine almost immediately after receiving it; with the change in seasons, each capsule is vital right now.”
260,000 capsules of antibiotics were recently distributed to West Bank clinics.
Badir Nassar, a 24-year-old father and auto mechanic, has developed acute headaches, which the doctor explains are due to a sinus infection and overexposure to fumes and the smell of rubber.
“This persistent headache began around a month ago. I never had such severe headaches before, only mild very infrequent headaches like anyone else,” said Badir.
Dr. Rajabi prescribed Cephalexin for him to get rid of the headache. “If Badir takes this medication regularly and diligently, he’ll be better in no time,” he said.
The medical center cares for approximately 10,000 patients per year with a staff of only 13. The center includes a lab, a gynecology division, a dentistry division and its very own humble pharmacy that distributes medicine at a very minimal charge to those who can afford it and free of charge to those who cannot.
“We see new faces everyday in this clinic. A lot of people come in with acute headaches due to the penetration of foreign bodies inside their ears. Headaches should not be taken lightly, as they can be indications of other health problems. If neglected, they could lead to serious health problems or even psychological problems,” cautions Dr. Rajabi.
ANERA recently distributed 260,000 capsules of Cephalexin donated by Globus Relief in the West Bank. | <urn:uuid:c227886d-abbc-4246-80ec-8675d0fd14b7> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.anera.org/stories/combating-infections-in-the-west-bank/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280761.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00091-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955777 | 483 | 1.820313 | 2 |
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. yogis are being asked to regulate more than their breathing -- and they are fighting back.
About 50 yogis gathered in New York recently to discuss hiring a lobbyist and raise funds to fight a state proposal to require certification of yoga teacher training programs -- a move they say would unfairly cost them money.
"It has brought us under one roof," said Fara Marz, who held the gathering at his Om Factory yoga studio in New York. "And this shows that yogis can be vicious, political, together."
Yoga enthusiasts who say autonomy is fundamental to what they do are pitted against state governments eager for a slice of what the Yoga Journal says has become a $6 billion industry with yoga practiced by 16 million Americans.
The fight has underscored the difficulty of regulating yoga studios that have become ubiquitous on Main Streets and in gyms across the country without appearing heavy-handed or infringing on religious freedom.
New York's yoga instructors first attracted the state's attention last spring, when the education department announced training schools could face up to $50,000 fines if they did not submit to state regulation that governs vocational training. After protests from yoga proponents, the education department withdrew its plans.
Perhaps yogis can breathe easily in New York. The state legislature is considering a bill that would exempt them from vocational school certification.
"The message from the community has been loud and clear: get your government hands off my yoga mat," State Senator Eric Schneiderman said in a statement. "Next time, the state will think twice before threatening a practice that brings so much tranquility to New Yorkers."
Meanwhile, in Virginia, yoga training programs are fighting a directive that they submit to oversight.
All 50 U.S. states require vocational schools to meet certification standards and many charge a registration fee for schools to maintain certification. But according to the Yoga Alliance, only 13 states actively enforce those requirements for yoga teacher training programs.
Yogis say their industry does need some regulation but are divided as to whether they can regulate themselves.
"Yoga seems to be popping up on every single street corner and what we're concerned about is that they're teaching good yoga, ethical yoga -- as opposed to, some people are only in it for the money," said Mark Davis of the Yoga Alliance.
The Virginia-based nonprofit group keeps a voluntary yoga school registry and their standards are now the industry benchmark.
"There have been consumer complaints to state agencies because of unethical behavior and there was no recourse because the school wasn't licensed," Davis said.
In New York, many yogis say the state has no business telling people how to practice yoga.
Marz, who also heads an architecture firm, said many yogis were reluctant to form associations and spend money on lobbyists and lawyers.
"Most of the people who open yoga studios, they did it because yoga changed their lives and they want to share it. They don't realize that such an incredible, complete beast is waiting there for them," he said of state regulations. | <urn:uuid:787c659c-1a6a-465e-b51e-6ce0b1a9d4f1> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.lifescript.com/health/centers/depression/alternative_treatments/5-hydroxytryptophan_articles/hatha_yoga_articles/thats_a_stretch_states_seek_to_regulate_yogis.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560283301.73/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095123-00509-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976846 | 624 | 1.875 | 2 |
At 8:30 in the morning, a line weaves through the lobby and out the front door of the Shanghai Ji Ai Genetics and IVF Institute. Next to the lobby, people crowd into a waiting room, which looks and sounds as much like a train station as it does a medical office. There's an electronic board on the wall, but instead of destinations and times, it flashes names of patients, telling them which room to go to and which doctor to see.
Weipeng Zhao, 71, heads this center. Two decades ago, he was a well-known surgeon in China and in the prime of his career when he was sent to the National Institutes of Health on a scientific exchange. He later landed at the Genetics and IVF Institute, or GIVF, a privately-owned clinic in Fairfax, Va., just outside Washington, D.C.
He remembers talking about China's economic growth with the company's founder, Joseph Schulman, some 15 years ago.
"He said, 'Why we don't go to China?'" Zhao recalls. "I said, 'Yes, you have to go. This is [an] opportunity.'"
At the time, in vitro fertilization was being done in China in government-run hospitals, but the numbers were small and equipment was scarce. Chinese officials were eager to have American help in setting up IVF clinics — ones that would be stocked with Western technology.
Given the extreme measures China had taken to slow its population growth, this came as a surprise to many. Zhao remembers that there was disbelief among some people, who thought of China as a "family planning country," not as a place to go for infertility treatment.
China's introduction of strict population control policies in 1978 led to forced abortions and sterilizations. Over the years, many families have paid substantial fines for violating the policies.
Still, by the mid-'90s, there was government support for IVF, the idea being every family should be able to have one child. And thus, an industry was born.
Looking back, Zhao recalls a journey that was "imbued with resistance...and invasion of corruption from all sides." Doing business in China was complicated, approvals were hard to come by, and parts of the original plan failed. But a partnership with a prominent Chinese hospital in Shanghai took root.
And today, Shanghai Ji Ai, whose name means "collecting love," is in its 13th year, and the center is busier and more profitable than ever.
Chen Hua, an obstetrician-gynecologist, sees about 40 patients a day.
"We have many families in China who don't even have one child," Chen says. "So they need a child even more."
Experts in China and the U.S. don't believe that the infertility rate in China is unusually high. They also don't believe that the growth of in vitro fertilization is fueled by couples looking to skirt the one-child policy, not to say that doesn't happen in some cases.
Anywhere in the world, it's estimated that approximately 10 to 15 percent of couples suffer from infertility. With a population of 1.3 billion, China's need for infertility treatment is huge.
Wang Zhongqing, 34, has tried for several years to get pregnant. She's gone to three different hospitals but was told her case was too complicated.
"Not having a child, you feel the pressure," she says, adding that family pressure is the greatest of all. "They're always pushing, 'Go get looked at! How come you haven't gone yet?' They're so anxious."
At Ji Ai, the cost of a typical IVF cycle — that's one attempt at getting pregnant — runs about $4,500. With rising incomes in China, it's something that a growing number of people can afford, and it's almost a given that parents help out.
A Great Demand In Shanghai
One floor up from the consultation rooms is the embryology lab. It was set up by Andrew Dorfmann, who directs GIVF's embryology lab back home in Fairfax. Many of the Chinese technicians have trained in his lab in the U.S., and Dorfmann comes to Shanghai a couple times a year to make sure they're on track.
The two labs are largely identical. They perform most of the same procedures, though one procedure they don't do in Shanghai is sex selection. Perhaps the biggest difference is volume. Demand for IVF in Shanghai is so great that the lab there handles about six times the volume as the lab in Fairfax.
"The pace here is so high, and the number of patients they're seeing, the throughput is high," Dorfmann says.
When the Chinese staff go to Virginia, they're amazed at how spacious and uncrowded the facilities are.
"Last time I went to America, there were at most two patients sitting on sofas. Only when one left did the next one go in. They weren't all standing in a line," remembers Han Jinlan, an OB-GYN.
In Shanghai, on the other hand, the lines keep getting longer and longer.
"In 1998, we had sofas for everyone. Then we switched to chairs. Then to stools. Now we have people sitting in the stairwell," she laments.
The productivity in Shanghai has resulted in big paydays for the staff, who get monthly bonuses based on the revenue their departments bring in. This pay-for-performance would have been unthinkable in Weipeng Zhao's time as a surgeon in China. Today, it's part of his strategy for keeping Ji Ai competitive as IVF centers pop up all around.
"Last month I showed board members one Shanghai map," Zhao says. Surrounding them are 10 IVF centers, in Shanghai alone. There are now several hundred government-licensed clinics throughout China, some of them with newer, more spacious facilities, and even VIP services for China's growing upper class.
"The patients always criticize us, hah, you are joint-venture medical center, but you don't have the VIP service," he says. "Yes, we don't have yet. We don't have the space!"
Real estate is hard to come by in downtown Shanghai, but Zhao says, somehow they will figure out a way to keep growing. | <urn:uuid:81bdc365-44e2-4800-a291-8ca30c23e7f5> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://weku.fm/post/china-ivf-clinic-grapples-huge-demand | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560282202.61/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095122-00555-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982096 | 1,311 | 1.882813 | 2 |
TV + Meals = Unhealthy Eating
On television, we often see families gathered around the dinner table, eating together and talking. While that looks great, for most of us that’s not necessarily typical. Between the post-work commute, afternoon activities, and chores to take care of at home, some nights you’re lucky that dinner even gets made. So it’s probably not the worst thing in the world if you don’t all sit cozily around the kitchen table catching up and instead zone out watching television during the meal, right? Before you let yourself off the hook for this one, you should probably consider the results of recent research that suggest that families dining with the TV tend to have less healthy and less positive dining experiences.
The study, which took place at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, found that families who eat meals in front of the TV may consume unhealthier food and receive less enjoyment eating it than those who don’t watch during meals.1 The subjects were 120 families with a child between the ages of six and 12. Recruited at primary care clinics in 2012 and 2013, each family lived in the Minneapolis area and was primarily from lower-income minority groups.
An iPad was provided to the families so they could record two meals eaten together at their homes. The participants were requested to list what was consumed at the meal, how much they all enjoyed it, and the circumstances surrounding the meal. The investigators then analyzed the nutritional value of the meals eaten by the families, noted whether a television was on, and evaluated the level of satisfaction demonstrated among family members during the course of the meal.
Perhaps not surprisingly, 43 percent of the families kept the television on during both of their recorded meals. Approximately one-quarter of the families kept the TV on for one of the two meals, and just one-third of the families kept it off for both meals. What’s more, two-thirds of the families with the television on were focused on what they were watching as they ate, and the remaining one-third just used it for background noise.
The families who dined without a TV on or with it on for one meal out of the two reported enjoying their meals more than their peers who watched during both meals. Surprisingly, whether they paid attention to the TV or not made no difference in this particular aspect of the study. As far as the nutritional effects, the families who watched no TV while dining ate considerably healthier food than those who watched. In this case, paying attention to the screen did make a difference though. Those who had the TV on in the background consumed more nutritious meals compared to those who were active watchers. Plus, the families who ate in front of a television had fast food dinners much more frequently than those who ate without TV.
Curiously, the kids whose families watched TV at meals were not more likely to be overweight or obese than their counterparts who did not watch TV while eating. This portion of the results is contradictory to earlier research. A 2013 study at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom found that when people are distracted while eating, such as by watch television, they tend to consume more calories in a sitting.2
The current study has certain limitations, too. It uses a relatively small population sample and one that is not especially diverse either socioeconomically or ethnically. In addition, we do not know if the problem is actually worse than what was discovered here since the volunteers were aware they were being filmed. In other words, despite being told to have a typical meal, some of the subjects might have kept the TV off or served healthier food because they knew their choices were being recorded by the iPad.
At any rate, we would all be better off spending less time in front of the television, during mealtimes or not. A 2014 study at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain showed that people under the age of 40 who watch a lot of TV double their risk of death.3 Plus, the current study reminds us that a little effort can go a long way with our meals. Buying and preparing healthy dishes will result in meals we enjoy more, and the effort we put into them might be enough to make us decide to leave the television off and talk to one another for an all-around better dining experience on a regular basis. Remember, health issues aside, the study found that people who didn’t watch TV while eating enjoyed their family meals more.
- 1. Trofholz, Amanda C.; et al. "Associations between TV viewing at family meals and the emotional atmosphere of the meal, meal healthfulness, child dietary intake, and child weight status." Appetite. 1 January 2017. Accessed 14 November 2016. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666316305669.
- 2. Robinson, Eric; et al. "Eating attentively: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of food intake memory and awareness on eating." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 27 February 2013. Accessed 15 November 2016. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/97/4/728.full?sid=b9197e3a-4dd2-4ab7-9900-55f65b61600e.
- 3. Basterra-Gortari, Francisco Javier; et al. "Television Viewing, Computer Use, Time Driving and All-Cause Mortality: The SUN Cohort." Journal of the American Heart Association. 25 June 2014. Accessed 15 November 2016. http://jaha.ahajournals.org/content/3/3/e000864. | <urn:uuid:c5a72c3a-80a5-45dd-999b-172111da3388> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://jonbarron.org/weight-management/tv-meals-unhealthy-eating | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281353.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00068-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977412 | 1,177 | 2.546875 | 3 |
Great Dark Spot
The Great Dark Spot (also known as GDS-89) was one of a series of dark spots on Neptune similar in appearance to Jupiter's Great Red Spot. GDS-89 ((G)reat (D)ark (S)pot - 19(89)) was the first Great Dark Spot on Neptune to be observed in 1989 by NASA's Voyager 2 spaceprobe. Like Jupiter's spot, Great Dark Spots are anticyclonic storms. However, their interiors are relatively cloud-free, and unlike Jupiter's spot, which has lasted for hundreds of years, their lifetimes appear to be shorter, forming and dissipating once every few years or so. Based on observations taken with Voyager 2 and since then with the Hubble Space Telescope, Neptune appears to spend somewhat more than half its time with a Great Dark Spot. Almost all that is known about Neptune is based on the research carried out by Voyager 2.
The dark, elliptically-shaped spot (with initial dimensions of 13,000 × 6,600 km, or 8,100 × 4,100 mi) of GDS-89 was about the same size as Earth, and was similar in general appearance to Jupiter's Great Red Spot. Around it, winds were measured blowing up to 2,400 kilometers (1,500 mi) an hour, the fastest in the Solar System. The Great Dark Spot is thought to represent a hole in the methane cloud deck of Neptune. The spot was observed at different times with different sizes and shapes.
The Great Dark Spot generated large white clouds at or just below the tropopause layer similar to high-altitude cirrus clouds found on Earth. Unlike the clouds on Earth, however, which are composed of crystals of ice, Neptune's cirrus clouds are made up of crystals of frozen methane. And while cirrus clouds usually form and then disperse within a period of a few hours, the clouds in the Great Dark Spot were still present after 36 hours, or two rotations of the planet.
Neptune's dark spots are thought to occur in the troposphere at lower altitudes than the brighter upper cloud deck features. As they are stable features that can persist for several months, they are thought to be vortex structures.
When the spot was to be photographed again in November 1994 by the Hubble Space Telescope, it had disappeared completely, leaving astronomers to believe that it has either been covered up or vanished. The persistence of companion clouds shows that some former dark spots may continue to exist as cyclones even though they are no longer visible as a dark feature. Dark spots may dissipate when they migrate too close to the equator, or possibly through some other unknown mechanisms.
However, an almost identical spot emerged in Neptune's northern hemisphere. This new spot, called the Northern Great Dark Spot (NGDS), has remained visible for several years. It is unknown whether this spot is still present on the planet, as observations using the Hubble telescope are limited.
- Hammel, H. B.; Lockwood, G. W.; Mills, J. R.; Barnet, C. D. (1995). "Hubble Space Telescope Imaging of Neptune's Cloud Structure in 1994". Science. 268 (5218): 1740–1742. Bibcode:1995Sci...268.1740H. doi:10.1126/science.268.5218.1740. PMID 17834994.
- Stratman, P. W.; Showman, A. P.; Dowling, T. E.; Sromovsky, L. A. (2001). "EPIC Simulations of Bright Companions to Neptune's Great Dark Spots" (PDF). Icarus. 151 (2): 275–285. Bibcode:1998Icar..132..239L. doi:10.1006/icar.1998.5918. Retrieved 2008-02-26.
- Gibbard, S. G.; de Pater, I.; Roe, H. G.; Martin, S.; Macintosh, B. A.; Max, C. E. (2003). "The altitude of Neptune cloud features from high-spatial-resolution near-infrared spectra" (PDF). Icarus. 166 (2): 359–374. Bibcode:2003Icar..166..359G. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2003.07.006. Retrieved 2008-02-26.
- Max, C. E.; Macintosh, B. A.; Gibbard, S. G.; Gavel, D. T.; Roe, H. G.; de Pater, I.; Ghez, A. M.; Acton, D. S.; et al. (2003). "Cloud Structures on Neptune Observed with Keck Telescope Adaptive Optics". The Astronomical Journal. 125 (1): 364–375. Bibcode:2003AJ....125..364M. doi:10.1086/344943.
- "Dark spot on Neptune". Retrieved 28 June 2016.
- Sromovsky, L. A.; Fry, P. M.; Dowling, T. E.; Baines, K. H. (2000). "The unusual dynamics of new dark spots on Neptune". Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society. 32: 1005. Bibcode:2000DPS....32.0903S.
- "Neptune". SolarViews.com. Retrieved 2011-09-28.
- "Hubble Discovers New Dark Spot on Neptune". newscenter. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
- "Dark Spots in Our Knowledge of Neptune". nytimes. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Great Dark Spot.| | <urn:uuid:739778a7-d265-4e9d-b058-9863cbb8fa31> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Dark_Spot | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279189.36/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00055-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.887846 | 1,186 | 3.765625 | 4 |
If you're questioning what makes a relationship healthy, look at this. A healthy romantic relationship does not involve abusive habit or term calling. It takes both parties to respect every single other's needs and to make the decisions collectively. It is also respectful of time apart. While most problems in a marriage can be resolved, others might not be able to be fixed. Here are some indicators that a marriage is healthful: You respect your companion, you demonstrate interest in every other's lives, and you reverence your partners' decisions.
To begin with, a healthy romantic relationship is based on shared benefits, certainly not about who the other person is. This is because a healthy romantic relationship does not have one dominant personality. Instead, it is a partnership between two people with different goals and personalities. Additionally, a healthy relationship does not find identity inside the other person. This means equally people must be equal. They must be comfortable with each other and be able to share their particular needs and desires.
Each time a relationship is normally healthy, both equally partners should certainly respect every other's mental and physical boundaries. A healthy romance is one out of which the companions have split lives, and in addition they value each other's dreams and beliefs. They must not use all their period together because they are not suitable. They should be capable to communicate with each other and support each other's goals. They must likewise have mutual trust and support. When they don't feel secure with each other, they need to not use every minute alone.
A healthy relationship depends on the two partners' ability to interact. They must support each other peoples goals. A proper relationship should be honest. It should not require constant looking at in and out. It should be based on respect and trust. It must be a shared partnership. It must also support each other peoples goals. Both of them parties should not blame one another. If they can not work together, they must separate to avoid a detrimental conflict.
A proper relationship includes a common core of trust. A wholesome relationship is free of secrets and is situated. A healthy marriage does not need to always be secretive. Rather, it should be open up and genuine. A romantic relationship that is genuine will have no hidden causes. A mutual trust is crucial for a healthful relationship. Not necessarily the same in the event that one partner does not discuss the same ideals. Yet , both associates should be ready to listen to the other.
Last but not least, a healthy relationship lets each partner to talk about all their interests and hobbies. Additionally necessary to skimp on these types of. The two companions should be able to discuss their worries without judging each other. A healthy relationship Daniel Brides is available and genuine. The two companions should not be scared of the opposite individual's viewpoint. A proper relationship should allow for every single partner's specific needs. This is actually the key to a normal relationship. | <urn:uuid:41ce5a56-f271-46bb-847f-4d4d583a6779> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://geloradpcsetu.com/2021/03/01/the-actual-a-healthy-romantic-relationship/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571222.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810222056-20220811012056-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.968428 | 587 | 1.867188 | 2 |
1) I guess that this "internally", stands for services such as mtgox. How do they work?... I send money to an external wallet and then they are sent to a bigest wallet and "internally" assigned to my user? So no further transaction occurs in the blockchain until my user pretends to send them out to another address? If so, any hacking could mess transaction reccords loosing Bitcoin traceabillity...?
eWallets keep a database of how much they owe to each user. When a user wants to transfer funds to another user, they just update the balances rather than make a Bitcoin transaction. | <urn:uuid:7bae6abe-36b7-4593-b428-b103a6b1c159> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=88643.0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281331.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00223-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944508 | 131 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world after water. It can be very helpful in preventing and treating diseases.
Tea leaves contain calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, vitamins, tannins, chlorophyll and caffeine. The Red RedRuby International Co offers the highest quality varieties of tea and herbal teas for the benefit of its consumers
This tea relieves stress and helps improve sleep quality. It contains the following herbs: | <urn:uuid:0cad99f8-6730-4ba9-9d53-cf56d7387d0a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.redrubynorway.com/product/relaxing-tea/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572089.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814234405-20220815024405-00064.warc.gz | en | 0.811202 | 142 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Welcome to this very special auction by Pangaea Auctions. They are offering over 600 lots that will hit the auction block on September 9th, 2017 with incredibly low start prices ensuring great buys and investment level purchases. This collection represents a collector’s quality selection of Chinese, Native American, European, and American antiques, jewelry and collectibles of the highest quality and importance ranging in historical periods from prehistoric to 18th Century to the 20th Century. A spectacular lot line up for bidders with enough variety to suit every collector ranging from the 18th century to 20th Century with museum quality items. Absentee bidding is available right up until auction day, with the live action kicking off at 8AM Pacific Time.
Pangaea Auctions is an International auction house that operates in more than 50 countries throughout the world. We are a premier auction management company that provides a world-class auction service to its clients. Clients may range from consignors, galleries, artists, estates, collectors, museums and even other auction houses. The Pangaea Auctions business model enables us to consign our client’s collections and market them to a global audience, where Millions of potential qualified buyers are able to bid. The Pangaea Auctions management team pre-approve these bidders through limited partnerships with Internet auction houses and Public auctions houses located around the world.
Lot 3 presents an opportunity to bid on a rare Chinese Rock Crystal Sculpture of a Dragon Serpent emerging from the sea. The catalog description shares the stunning work:
” Estimated more than 75 yrs. old. Chinese art is visual art that, whether ancient or modern. Early “stone age art” dates back to 10,000 BC, mostly consisting of simple pottery and sculptures. Chinese art has arguably the oldest continuous tradition in the world. Traditional Chinese painting involves essentially the same techniques as Chinese calligraphy and is done with a brush dipped in black or colored ink. As with calligraphy, the most popular materials on which paintings are made of paper and silk. Chinese ritual sculptures from the Shang and Western Zhou Dynasties come from a period of over a thousand years from c. 1500 and were cast with complex patterns and zoomorphic decoration, but avoid the human figure. Smaller figures in pottery or wood were placed in tombs for many centuries afterwards, reaching a peak of quality in the Tang Dynasty. Small Buddhist figures and groups were produced to a very high quality in a range of media, as was relief decoration of all sorts of objects, especially in metalwork and jade. Sculptors of all sorts were regarded as artisans and very few names are recorded. Chinese ceramic ware shows a continuous development since the pre-dynastic periods, and is one of the most significant forms of Chinese art. Most later Chinese ceramics, even of the finest quality, were made on an industrial scale, thus very few individual potters or painters are known. Many of the most renowned workshops were owned by or reserved for the Emperor, and large quantities of ceramics were exported as diplomatic gifts or for trade from an early date. (Wikipedia) Size and/or Weight: See Measurement Photo.”
Beautiful Navajo jewelry is featured at Lot 35. With a great opening bid of only $150, this exceptional creation is open for bidding. The full description is as follows:
“Large Allen Chee Sterling Silver Eagle Cuff Bracelet Paired With A Running Bear Shop Sterling Silver Eagle Ring. Silver Tested. Bracelet Size Ring Size 10. Estimated more than 50 yrs. old. The Navajos are a Native American people of the Southwestern United States. After the Cherokee, they are the second largest federally recognized tribe in the United States. Until contact with Pueblos and the Spanish, the Navajos were largely hunters and gatherers. The tribe adopted crop farming techniques from the Pueblo peoples. The practice of spinning and weaving wool into blankets and clothing became common and eventually developed into a form of highly valued artistic expression. Silversmithing is an important art form among Navajos. Atsidi Sani c. 1830–c. 1918 is considered to be the first Navajo silversmith. He learned Silversmithing from a Mexican man called Nakai Tsosi “Thin Mexican” around 1878 and began teaching other Navajos how to work with silver. By 1880, Navajo silversmiths were creating handmade jewelry including bracelets, tobacco flasks, necklaces and bracers. Later, they added silver earrings, buckles, bolos, hair ornaments, pins and squash blossom necklaces for tribal use, and to sell to tourists as a way to supplement their income. The Navajos’ hallmark jewelry piece called the “squash blossom” necklace first appeared in the 1880s. Turquoise has been part of jewelry for centuries, but Navajo artists did not use inlay techniques to insert turquoise into silver designs until the late 19th century. (Wikipedia) Size and/or Weight: See Measurement Photo’
Pangaea Auctions are extremely grateful to their collectors and galleries for selecting them to represent such a high quality body of work. This important event will begin live bidding at 11:00 AM Eastern US Time on Saturday September 9th, 2017. Absentee bidding is available right now on iCollector.com. Bidders can join the live auction from any internet enabled device. Pangaea Auctions conducts only four auctions per year to ensure quality lots at a low start price. The entire catalog is available today with photos and detailed descriptions ready for browsing through iCollector.com | <urn:uuid:0fe05753-afc0-4866-a1ae-20bdbe4276b3> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://auctionnews.icollector.com/native-american-fine-jewelry-and-ethnographic-tribal-museum-collection-live-on-september-9th/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571147.84/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810040253-20220810070253-00465.warc.gz | en | 0.957857 | 1,179 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Greek physician. He attempted to systematize the whole of medicine, making important discoveries in anatomy and physiology. His works became influential in Europe when retranslated from Arabic in the 12th century. The word galenical, meaning (of a medicine) made of natural rather than synthetic components, derives from his name.
Subjects: Arts and Humanities. | <urn:uuid:ce75005f-5604-48bc-bbb3-c9c083b17b3a> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095840933 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560282926.64/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095122-00392-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956823 | 74 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Temperature Check: How Quickly Temps Change in a Car
It’s no secret that leaving children in a hot car can be dangerous during the summer. Did you know it can be dangerous other times of the year, as well? The ambient temperature outside is usually quite different than that of a closed car and children are a lot more susceptible to health effects of temperature extremes than adults.
Outside temperatures are different than inside car temperatures
Have you ever sat in your car on a warm day waiting for someone without the air conditioning running? Within minutes you’re most likely feeling a bit toasty and being tempted to turn on the vents to cool you down. There is a temperature differential between ambient (outside) temperatures and the temperature inside a closed vehicle. A study showed temperature differences of up to 20 degrees Fahrenheit increase in just 10 minutes. Stretch that time to 20 minutes and the internal car temperature was up to 33 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the ambient temperature.
The Science Behind Temperature Differences:
Preventing Hot Car Deaths in Children
How do we keep children from being left in cars? The best strategy is awareness, reminders, and action. First, as a caretaker or parent, it’s important to get in the habit of checking around the inside of your vehicle every single time before you leave. Set reminders to check your car on your phone, with your spouse, and on your work computer. The more backups you have, the better your chance of preventing a child from being left in your car.
Put reminders on keychains, doors, and at your place of business to help you and other caregivers remember to check their cars for kids. The more places we put reminders about the dangers of leaving children (and pets!) in a hot vehicle, the more likely someone will be worried enough to run out and check their vehicle for their kid.
Finally, if you hear a child crying or see a child locked in a vehicle, take action. Call 911 for help and follow the directions of the dispatcher. | <urn:uuid:8ba3e22e-41d7-4897-a37d-71f49a85aac5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://babysav.org/temperature-check-how-quickly-temps-change-in-a-car/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00069.warc.gz | en | 0.942705 | 410 | 2.578125 | 3 |
|Village || Kachigam|
|Block || Daman|
|District || Daman |
|State || Daman and Diu|
|Country || India |
|Continent || Asia |
|Time Zone ||IST ( UTC + 05:30) |
|Currency || Indian Rupee ( INR )|
|Dialing Code || +91|
|Date format || dd/mm/yyyy|
|Driving side ||left|
|Internet cTLD ||in|
|Time difference ||38 minutes|
Kachigam is a village panchayat located in the Daman district of Daman-Diu state,India. The latitude 20.383917 and longitude 72.8839889999999 are the geocoordinate of the Kachigam.
Daman is the state capital for Kachigam village. It is located around 6.9 kilometer away from Kachigam.. The other nearest state capital from Kachigam is Hyderabad and its distance is 360.1 KM. The other surrouning state capitals are Mumbai 158.5 KM., Gandhinagar 325.3 KM., Bhopal 564.0 KM.,
The surrounding nearby villages and its distance from Kachigam are Dabhel 2.1 KM , Varkund 3.1 KM , Patlara 4.4 KM , Magarwada 4.5 KM , Pariyari 5.1 KM , Damanwada 5.5 KM , Daman 6.9 KM , Bhimpore 7.6 KM , Marwad 7.9 KM , Kadaiya 9.4 KM , .
The official language of Kachigam
The native language of Kachigam is Konkani and most of the village people speak Konkani. Kachigam people use Konkani language for communication.
Kachigam Sun rise time
Kachigam village is located in the UTC 5.30 time zone and it follows indian standard time(IST). Kachigam sun rise time varies 38 minutes from IST. The vehicle driving side in Kachigam is left, all vehicles should take left side during driving.
Kachigam people are using its national currency which is Indian Rupee and its internationl currency code is INR.
Kachigam phones and mobiles can be accesed by adding the indian country dialing code +91 from abroad. Kachigam people are following the dd/mm/yyyy date format in day-to-day life. Kachigam domain name extension( cTLD) is .in .
The nearest railway station in and around Kachigam
The nearest railway station to Kachigam is Vapi which is located in and around 2.8 kilometer distance. The following table shows other railway stations and its distance from Mamakudi.
|Vapi railway station||2.8 KM.|
|Udvada railway station||9.4 KM.|
|Bhilad railway station||12.0 KM.|
|Vilad railway station||12.0 KM.|
|Atul railway station||18.5 KM.|
Nearest airport to Kachigam
Kachigam‘s nearest airport is Daman Airport situated at 6.8 KM distance. Few more airports around Kachigam are as follows.
|Daman Airport||6.8 KM.|
|Surat Airport||83.2 KM.|
|Gandhinagar Airport||107.0 KM.|
Nearest districts to Kachigam
The other nearest district head quarters is valsad situated at 26.5 KM distance from Kachigam . Surrounding districts from Kachigam are as follows.
|Valsad ( valsad ) district||26.5 KM.|
|Navsari ( navsari ) district||64.2 KM.|
|Surat ( surat ) district||91.0 KM.|
|The_Dangs ( ahwa ) district||92.3 KM.|
|Nashik ( nashik ) district||102.3 KM.|
Nearest town/city to Kachigam
Kachigam‘s nearest town/city/important place is Chala located at the distance of 2.2 kilometer. Surrounding town/city/TP/CT from Kachigam are as follows.
Schools in and around Kachigam
Kachigam nearest schools has been listed as follows.
|Suraj School Building||0.7 KM.|
|Goverment Primary School Kachigaon||0.9 KM.|
|Divya Jyoti Eng Mid School||2.4 KM.|
|San Francis English Medium School||2.4 KM.|
|Divya Jyoti English Medium School||2.4 KM.|
Beaches in and around Kachigam
Kachigam‘s nearest beach is Ennore Beach located at the distance of 1122.4 kilometers. Surrounding beaches from Kachigam are as follows.
|Ennore Beach||1122.4 KM.|
|Thiruvottiyur Beach||1125.9 KM.|
|Marina Beach||1133.4 KM.|
|Santhome Beach||1135.1 KM.|
|Adyar Beach||1136.6 KM.|
The following Kachigam map is from google. Kachigam map consist of nearest villages and more information based on the zooming. You can enlarge or minimize the map zooming level based on your requirement.
Dear Kachigam people we have started this wikiedit.org to publish all village details around the world. You are welcome to provide more information about Kachigam. It can be under the following category.
- About Kachigam
- History of Kachigam
- Festivals in Kachigam
- Kachigam Location
- Kachigam Route map
- Tourist places in Kachigam
- Shops in Kachigam
- Hospitals in Kachigam
- Bank ATM in Kachigam
- Bus train Kachigam
- call taxi in Kachigam
- Hotels in Kachigam
- Marriage hall in Kachigam
- Telephone numbers Kachigam
- Police rescue help in Kachigam
- Temple in Kachigam
- Church in Kachigam
- Mosque in Kachigam
- volunters NGO in Kachigam
- business in Kachigam
- Two wheer sell buy in Kachigam
- Land in Kachigam
- House to-let Kachigam
- Car sell buy Kachigam
- Your experience about Kachigam | <urn:uuid:f308921e-4310-4087-b5a2-1a0267ca49c2> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://wikiedit.org/India/Kachigam/168830/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00073.warc.gz | en | 0.888433 | 1,590 | 1.75 | 2 |
Hello friends! It’s good to have you join us today on our usual career guides!
This article will teach you the principles or rules you should respect as you take on each graphic design project.
You will also learn how to balance each with the others.
By the end of this article, we are sure that you will be ready to take your graphic design career a step further because of the new things you will learn.
Here is a sneak peek into what we will learn today:
Let’s get on with it!
What are ‘Principles’ in Graphic Design?
Principles in graphic design refer to the rules each Graphic Designer should adhere to before they can create or compose something magical, appealing, and effective.
Among Graphic Design Principles are Contrast, Emphasis, Movement & White Space, Balance & Alignment, Proportion, Repetition, and so on.
When you take a good look at everything around you, what do you see? You see designs all around you.
For example, we’re always amazed at how household utensils, clothing, gadgets, and even nature around us exhibit some level of design.
As a Graphic Designer or aspiring Designer, you too will need to make many decisions daily about what your project should look like based on the intended use and your target audience.
Have you ever seen an expert Graphic Designer at work? It looks like everything they do is effortless even though we know it isn’t.
However, this expectation is neither unreasonable nor elusive.
It all depends on how well you follow the rules or principles of engagement when designing a poster, logo, marketing ad, animation, or a simple practice project.
So, before you even go far in your learning of the design processes, you should get a good knowledge of the principles and elements of graphic design.
Graphic Design Elements are components like line, shape, topography, color, size, font, etc.
When you follow the rules and consider each element when working on a project, you are sure that your project will come out as planned: elegant, appealing, and functional.
In the remaining part of this article, we will examine these principles.
As we discuss each principle, please do not limit yourself only to a head knowledge but try to put them to use.
And as you use each, you’ll be surprised at how much you would have improved after considering these fundamental principles of graphic design.
The Principles of Graphic Design Every Designer Should Know and Use
The first principle of graphic design we will discuss is crucial of the basics you should know.
Come to think of it, if everything on a webpage or poster is given the same importance, none of the components of that page will stand out, and the entire design may be bland.
However, a good design will have the components of the design listed or arranged in order of importance.
In most cases, what you want the audience to focus on will appear first, while other essential points (not as important as the first) may follow.
That is what the principle of hierarchy is all about.
To create hierarchy in your projects, you will need elements like size, topography, visual weight, color, and scale.
With these elements, you can show your audience that the first line carries more importance than the last line of the poster.
With these elements, a part of your project will stand out as more urgent and informative than the remaining part of your page.
When you get a new project, ensure you understand what your client wants.
Ask questions about their intended purpose and goals.
This way, you can help the client determine what part of the design needs to be ahead in the hierarchy.
Once you determine this, you will know what to do first as you approach this task.
Here is another question: how will you know that you have done an excellent job with this principle of hierarchy?
Please take a look at the completed job, then squint as you look at it. If you squint and can still read the essential part of your job, you have done an excellent job.
You can also ask someone you are sure is unfamiliar with that job to read through.
Ask that friend what part he feels is essential.
If they can decode this, you have also done a great job.
Their answer will help you know if you have done an excellent job or not.
This second principle revolves around design composition.
There are two ways to achieve this: Symmetrical and Asymmetrical.
With symmetrical balance, you look at the elements on both sides of a vertical line.
It is a relatively straightforward way because once you realize that the elements on both sides are the same, you are convinced immediately.
For instance, if there are two rectangular boxes of the same shape and size on both sides of a vertical line, you have achieved your balance regardless of the contents of each box.
However, if the shape and size of both boxes are not the same, you are sure right away that the design elements are not balanced.
With asymmetrical balance, the number of elements on both sides of the vertical line is different.
So how is the balance achieved?
There may be a large box or image on one side, while there is more than one smaller image on the other.
The weight of the elements (smaller images) on the one side must not be heavier than the element on the other side.
For example, if the weight of the single image on one side is 20, the total weight of the smaller images on the other side of the vertical line must not be more or less than 20.
Another way asymmetrical balance between two design elements can be attained is when the line that divides a page is not directly in the middle of the page.
Instead, it is placed where the weight of the elements on the right-hand side is the same as those on the left-hand side.
Each Graphic Designer will decide which type of balance they want.
However, the goal of balance is to bring harmony to your project.
Alignment refers to how your design page’s contents (images or blocks of texts) are arranged or lined up.
It is the same as how texts are aligned on a Microsoft word document.
The contents can be aligned to the right, left, or center.
The only difference here is that the alignment is related to the whole design and one another.
How will you know if your content is aligned?
When the design looks disorganized or messy, that is a sign that the elements on your projects are not aligned in relation to each other.
So, take a good look at your design and align each element as appropriate.
To know the best way to align each body text or image, you can consult expert Graphic Designers or simply learn from one of the online Graphic Design Courses available to you.
For example, the headers and subheadings must always be aligned to the center in all projects.
Some online tools make aligning elements in relation to one another very easy.
For example, when using a photo editor, you can always use the provided feature to move the images either to the right or left.
Such software will also alert you when moving the images or texts out of the expected position(s).
Although not one of the basic principles, it will surely catch any audience’s eye regardless of any prior graphic design experience.
As a Designer, certain elements within your design must be emphasized.
The owner or client wants to remember these elements in the design theory the most.
The most emphasized elements are CTA, the headline, or just an image.
All too often, inexperienced Graphic Designers emphasize the wrong elements in a design job, which can distract the audience from the main point or confuse them.
How will you know what element(s) to emphasize in your project?
Discuss with the clients and get to know what elements to emphasize in the design process.
When you have completed your job, take a second look at it.
To emphasize any part of your page, the following graphic design elements will help you:
- White space
The design scale is also known as the proportion, and this is the size of the contents of the graphic design project you have on hand.
Here is how it works: if there are several objects or images on a page, the largest of these images stands out more, and the audience will quickly notice this in relation to the others.
In like manner, smaller images or objects on a page will also be noticed by they might have less importance to the audience.
When composing the contents of your design page, use this principle (proportion) to stir the viewer’s interest by scaling the more essential objects in your design job.
There is a word of caution, though, when doing this.
Be careful not to scale some objects too much so that the more minor things on the page appear unimportant.
Remember that every object, including the more minor things, is essential, so they too must get noticed.
This principle of graphic design refers to the movement of the eyes.
However, these are of your eyes but the eyes of the user.
How your design turns out will determine the movement of your user’s eyes across your design,
When your designs are dynamic, there will be a lot of eye movements, but when your creations are stationary, there is a significant reduction in eye movement.
You have done an excellent job of using the elements to create what your user’s eyes will focus on in the path of the eye’s natural movement pattern.
So, how will you go about it? Take some time to study the eye’s natural movement.
The common eye patterns are:
- The F- pattern
- The Z- pattern
- The Layer Cake pattern
The first two patterns are commonly used by designers when creating a page with lots of images.
The layer cake pattern is widely used when creating pages with lots of written contents, paragraphs, headers, and bullet points.
Why not explore the social media pages of expert designers for more ideas on the principle of movement and any related graphic elements?
This next Graphic Design Principle will help you organize the objects in your design.
Certain elements must be correctly placed or grouped to make a design more appealing.
There is also a relationship between the objects on the same page.
For example, there may be large and small images on each project.
Suppose several images are jampacked in a specific location.
In that case, a Graphic Designer will use the proximity to declutter the area, adding to the beauty of the overall design.
Designers also use proximity to adjust some aspects of a page to make the page better understandable to the average reader.
To find and use the proximity principle when working on any project, toggle the menu or list.
You can also check the ‘invitation’ on any Graphic Design Software.
Some call the next Graphic Design Principle white space; in most cases, it refers to an area on a design project with no design element.
In graphic design, leaving space without any element in it rarely happens.
This element may be a background color.
Most professional Designers use the negative space principle in a project to give other elements around a particular section some “composition room to breathe.”
A page lacking appropriate negative space looks disorganized and heavily clustered.
What should you do when working on any project?
Leave some negative space around some of your design elements.
This principle adds to the page’s beauty and makes essential elements easily stand out.
When talking about contrast, you already know it has to do with contrasting colors.
As applied to various elements on the design page.
While many people rightly believe that contrast has to do with color, other factors on the design page can create some contrast too.
For example, different elements of different sizes or shapes can create some contrast too in any design.
Contrasts are necessary for any project for at least two reasons:
- They help some elements to stand out and become more prominent
- The second reason is that it improves accessibility
Try and imagine a design without any contrast.
The entire page, the elements of a design job, and everything on the page will contain just one color, both in the background and on the objects.
It will just be bland and not in any way appealing.
But when there is enough contrast, especially when talking about written texts in relation to their background (for example, black text on a yellow or rose gold background), apart from being appealing, it makes the page easily accessible to your intended audience.
Some people have an issue with their vision and may not find it easy to read texts that are small or not too different from the background.
With effective use of contrast, you can quickly solve their problem.
As the name suggests, this Graphic Design Principle refers to repeating some aspects regularly throughout the design process.
It doesn’t matter if this repetition is regular or irregular.
Designers use this rule to create some reinforcements in a project and contribute to the unity of the element, while others use this principle to maintain continuity.
It can also create a rhythmic composition that adds to your job’s beauty and appeal.
Its use can be as simple as repeating the same icon or using the same background color or pattern. It could also be how you style some tests or images throughout the project.
Whether it is regular or irregular, be careful so that your repetition does not look too awkward or make your design a little static.
Just how much repetition is needed in each project?
Each Designer will answer this question; however, make sure whatever style of repetition you use helps people remember your project with pleasantness and not disgust.
Be consistent in your use of imagery and fonts.
You can search the line for various repetition templates by professional Graphic Designers.
This next principle is what keeps your users interested right through your design.
Variety is beneficial when doing various forms of repetition.
Having a variety of repetitions, not just one type, throughout the design will not let your users become bored.
To create repetition, add some unique elements to your work.
Designers use a variety to call users’ attention to specific design aspects.
For example, people pay more attention to bold, italicized, or capitalized texts.
They believe the writer added those important elements to call their attention to something important.
The same way a writer used these varieties to add spice to written contents, give the elements in your design that uniqueness.
Unity is that rule that creates harmony within your project.
It ensures each element is placed correctly, and the user will not have any problem navigating through the webpage or your design.
It is like a run-through at the end of your project that helps you adjust whatever you need to until every element looks picture perfect.
There are three other Graphic Design Principles where you need ‘Unity.’
- Repetition: How often do you repeat some elements of graphic design in a specific project
- Proximity: The distance between two or more elements
- Alignment: The right, left, or center alignment of images or texts
That rounds up the information in this guide.
But before you go, do you still remember the principles of graphic design?
We have discussed the following:
- White or Negative Space
How you apply these rules in your design will make a difference.
Last but not least, always keep your audience in mind when working on any project because they are the consumers, and if they don’t like what they see, then your efforts have not paid off.
We hope that as you review this guide on the principles of design, you have learned something that can help you improve the quality of your designs. | <urn:uuid:5506fa9b-3969-42e9-9ced-38359161bb43> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://starterleague.com/graphic-design-principles/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571150.88/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810070501-20220810100501-00668.warc.gz | en | 0.924803 | 3,416 | 2.828125 | 3 |
Weather Underground midday recap for Saturday, May 04, 2013.
Heavy rain with areas of flooding developed across the Tennessee Valley and Southern Appalachians on Saturday. A strong low pressure system slowly moved eastward from the Mississippi River Valley and continued to pull warm and moist air northward from the Gulf of Mexico due to its counter-clockwise rotation. This system created a cold front that slowly moved into the Southeast and stretched northwestward into the Mid-Mississippi River Valley. Heavy rainfall that lasted for many hours developed along this frontal boundary. Eastern Alabama, central and eastern Tennessee, central Kentucky, and Georgia saw the heaviest rainfall. A mid-day rainfall total of 3.02 inches was reported at Gadsden, Alabama. Flood warnings and advisories over the Tennessee Valley have extended into the Carolinas as this system slowly spread heavy rainfall eastward. While the rainfall was not as heavy for the Midwest, flooding remained a concern as the area has not yet recovered from the record flooding event from last week.
Elsewhere across the nation, a weak front lingered over the Upper Midwest, which kicked up a few light rain showers across the region. To the west, a trough of low pressure and associated frontal boundary brought scattered rain and high elevation snow showers to the Intermountain West and Northern Rockies. Further west, fire danger remained high for parts of California as high pressure created another warm day and low relative humidity and gusty winds.
Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Saturday have ranged from a morning low of 17 degrees at Hazen, N.D. to a midday high of 91 degrees at Imperial, Calif. | <urn:uuid:bec9e293-7ffe-4eb7-adac-dc0391cfe561> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://wkbn.com/2013/05/04/the-nations-weather-18/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280718.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00409-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949448 | 327 | 2.3125 | 2 |
Feb 10, 2022
Episode 50 - Dr. Greg Fonzo, Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy at Dell Med
This is the first time on the MAPS podcast that we've had an academic centers lead that is studying psycheelic research come on the show the very onset of their research center. Dr. Fonzo shares his visions, curiousity and hopes for what the new Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy at Dell Med will bring. This interview brings a mind opening perspective into psychedelic research and its implications for mental health.
Greg Fonzo, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School. He is also Co-Director of UT's newly launched Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Georgia Honors Program in 2005 with a dual bachelor’s degree in biology and psychology. He received his doctorate in clinical psychology in 2013 from the San Diego State University/University of California-San Diego Joint Doctoral Program. He completed his postdoctoral research fellowship at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Fonzo’s research focuses broadly on utilizing non-invasive neuroscience tools to understand mechanisms of affective disorder psychopathology and treatment and leveraging this understanding to improve clinical care and patient outcomes with neuromodulatory, psychotherapeutic, and psychedelic approaches. | <urn:uuid:f047b143-381c-4777-b96f-6995b8f17e60> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://mapspodcast.libsyn.org/episode-50-dr-greg-fonzo-center-for-psychedelic-research-and-therapy-at-dell-med | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570913.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809064307-20220809094307-00076.warc.gz | en | 0.943539 | 291 | 1.570313 | 2 |
The hotel sector has been forced to adapt to unprecedented market disruption over the last 18 months as a result of the global pandemic. And while anyone who says they can accurately predict when operating conditions will return to normal should be listened to with a high degree of scepticism, it is understood that vaccination rates will play a central role in the resumption of travel and driving hotel occupancy.
Research shows that high vaccination rates help boost travel confidence, with a recent study showing “54% of Europeans are intending to book a trip once they have been vaccinated against COVID-19.” A separate study also showed 49% of people agreed with the statement that “getting a vaccine is very important to allow them to resume travel.”
Importantly, booking data also shows a direct correlation between the easing of government mandated travel restrictions as vaccination rates hit a critical mass and increased demand for flight and hotel bookings. The ‘Skift Recovery Index: July 2021 Highlights’ stated that: “According to data from Skyscanner, bookings for outbound flights from the UK jumped up after July 8, which was the day it was confirmed that ‘Freedom Day’ (a day in which lockdown measures and travel restrictions were eased following high rates of vaccination) would go ahead. Spain, Greece, Italy, and Portugal were the most searched international destinations.”
However, the rollout of mass national vaccination programs is not occurring equally across the globe, with markets like North America outpacing much of Southeast Asia, meaning the timeline for recovery won’t occur at the same rate in all regions. So, how will vaccination rates impact hotel demand going forward and what trends are emerging from those markets open for travel today? What can hoteliers learn from other regions and what do guests want today?
The path to recovery will be uneven
Tourism Economics’ latest forecast indicates domestic travel will reach 82% of 2019 levels in 2021 and surpass 2019 levels in 2022 by 110%. However, international travel is expected to recover at a slower rate and will only return to 2019 levels by 2024. This means the recovery trajectory for hotels will also vary for individual properties, even those within the same market. For example, two hotels in the same city—one previously filled with domestic business and another with mainly inbound international demand—will see their occupancy and market mix rebound differently.
According to Daniel Chong, Director, Revenue Account Management & Global Strategy at the Preferred Hotel Group, the speed of demand recovery will be dependent on a number of factors like geography, COVID-19 outbreaks and the rollout of vaccines.
“The positive news is that if we look to markets like China, the UK and North America—which have either managed to suppress large outbreaks of COVID-19 or have successfully undertaken mass vaccination drives, signs of strong recovery are present. Occupancy and RevPAR levels are rising, largely driven by domestic travel and leisure segments,” said Chong.
However, while some international markets are improving, the recovery path in Southeast Asia is slower due to reliance on international markets and lower levels of domestic demand.
“Countries like Indonesia and Philippines, which focus on attracting and catering for international guests, are impacted more severely by border closures and international travel restrictions. They don’t have a strong domestic demand to pivot towards when international travel is restricted, which means that the recovery will take longer. Having said this, the rollout of vaccination programs across the region makes me confident that the recovery will grow in momentum across Southeast Asia over the send half of 2021 and into 2022,” commented Chong.
Uncertainty will continue to impact booking windows
Markets with high rates of vaccination and open travel have seen high demand for accommodation options outside of city centres. Beachside resorts, holiday parks, hotels and motels in regional country towns and national wildlife (or heritage) areas are seeing high levels of occupancy due to a desire for travellers to reconnect with nature and not around large groups of people.
Local, or drive, destinations are also experiencing recovery ahead of other sectors, with air-travel still not the first option for many guests. As a result, hoteliers should be prepared for shorter lead times and booking windows. This is due to an abundant supply of rooms and price stability but is primarily driven by uncertainty. Guests are reluctant to plan and book a holiday, or business travel, far in advance given the possibility of new travel restrictions being enacted by governments at a local, national or international level.
In this new environment, hoteliers will need to adjust their inventory management. Hotels should focus on family friendly options like interconnecting rooms or flexible room capacities and provide transparency in any extra person or rollaway charges. The family or drive market may often be seen as a lower yielding or price-sensitive segment; however, don’t underestimate the pent-up demand for luxury and indulgence. Hoteliers should highlight features, promote add-on experiences and upgrade options that will enable the guest to make that first ‘return-to-normal’ hotel stay memorable.
Learn from markets piloting new travel initiatives
Ahead of a wide-scale, generalised relaxation of international border restrictions, it is expected that as countries achieve high rates of vaccination and reopen for travel, they will do so selectively, through partnerships like ‘green lanes’ or the UK’s traffic-light system of rating the safety of destinations. These initiatives can open new source markets for hotels to target for business and should be carefully monitored.
Outside of these selective travel corridors, initiatives like Thailand’s Phuket Sandbox also offer learnings, in particular for resort markets in the future. Given its national economy is heavily reliant on international tourism, Thailand is launching a pilot program to restart international travel to the island of Phuket. The Phuket Sandbox initiative focuses vaccination efforts on locals and workers in Phuket ahead of opening the destination for quarantine-free international travellers who can demonstrate they are fully vaccinated.
Although data is limited around the Sandbox initiative so far, early indications are that smaller scale properties (with less than 75 rooms) and luxury accommodation providers are outperforming the wider market. As this initiative may likely be replicated in other resort destinations, like Bali, hoteliers should analyse early data from Phuket (like what destinations people are travelling from, what class of rooms are attracting demand, etc.) to help with their own planning.
What do guests really want?
Even after social isolation measures and travel restrictions ease as a result of higher rates of vaccination, travellers may still be wary of putting themselves at unnecessary risk. As a result, hotels need to provide services that make them feel secure and safe from a public health standpoint. Hotels should review their dining offerings to provide flexible options which allow for guests to enjoy meals in their rooms. This could include facilitating in-room meal deliveries from outside providers (like Uber Eats, Grab or Doordash) and provide a boxed breakfast doorstep delivery instead of the traditional buffet.
Guests will likely be more conscious of limiting interactions in communal areas and want to move through these areas quickly, with minimal contact. Hotels should provide either virtual, kiosk or contactless check-in procedures and be properly staffed to handle front desk needs quickly and avoid lines and overcrowding.
Cleaning and hygiene protocols are now at the top of the list as a desirable commodity for guests. Where once making cleaning shifts visible throughout the day was avoided by hoteliers, it should now be encouraged to increase the frequency of cleaning and make this visible to guests seeking reassurance of their own safety. Disposable mask stations and hand sanitisers should continue to be made conspicuously available at all guest contact points (such as check-in desks), within rooms and in toiletry kits.
Plan around interruptions
Although some travel markets are beginning to reopen, it will be some time before full international travel returns at a global scale. In the meantime, vaccine passports, mask wearing and visiting approved destinations may become the norm for travelers. Just as guests will have to adjust, so will hotels have to quickly pivot as travel restrictions evolve and their source markets change.
For example, a widely reported ‘travel bubble’ between Australia and New Zealand has been halted in recent months due to Delta variant outbreaks in both countries. The reintroduction of travel restrictions due to Delta outbreaks should be factored into all hotels planning, as the ‘Skift Recovery Index: July 2021 Highlights’ said that in Australia “hotel occupancy has been on a rapid decline since new and extended restrictions have been put in place.”
In a disrupted market, where travel restrictions can be implemented at short notice, impacting demand and occupancy, hotels need to be agile and able to collect, analyse and derive strategic pricing and inventory decisions from an array of data points. This is a time-consuming process, made only more difficult by consolidation and a reduction of headcount in many hotels. This is where an automated revenue management system with advanced algorithms and processing speeds make a difference in recognising scenarios and supporting revenue managers in making fast, complex decisions based less on gut instinct and more on science.
A more positive future ahead
While a full market recovery will take time, there are positive signs that as mass vaccination programs progress around the world, travel restrictions will be eased and guests will return at higher levels. Through understanding market trends and targeting likely guests with the right promotion and the right message at the right price, hotels will be best placed to begin regrowing business.
About the author
Written by: Klaus Kohlmayr, Chief Evangelist & Development Officer, IDeaS
For more information on how your hotel can navigate business disruption and maximise revenue in an uncertain market, please visit: www.ideas.com | <urn:uuid:e652b8f6-da94-46d8-b691-3be9a168dbd7> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://insights.ehotelier.com/insights/2021/09/15/the-impact-of-vaccination-rates-on-a-hotels-business-recovery/?goal=0_e17a7bf7c4-42c0459378-326768117&mc_cid=42c0459378&mc_eid=76d18d24e2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570868.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808152744-20220808182744-00070.warc.gz | en | 0.946125 | 2,003 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Roasted vegetables are always a winner: delicious and easy to prepare! This dish truly celebrates my love for veggies!
Start off by selecting your favorite vegetables. Select to taste, or use whatever vegetables are left in your kitchen or garden. Choose 5-6 different types of vegetables. For example, pick between: eggplant, green asparagus, beet, carrot, fennel, leek, onion, peppers, shallot, spinach, zucchini. All great veggies to use for roasting. Try to look for color as well. Choose pretty colorful veggies that complement each other.
In this recipe I’ve went for fennel, a yellow and green bell pepper, eggplant, onion and some cherry tomatoes. For added flavor, these veggies where joined by their friends: garlic, olive oil and thyme. Roasting is a great way to make vegetables taste so yummy. Place the veggies in the oven and let the flavors come together. Soon your kitchen will be filled with the lovely scent of thyme. Enjoy!
- 1 fennel
- 1 eggplant
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 red onion
- a handful of cherry tomatoes
- 2-4 cloves garlic
- 1 small bunch fresh thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
- olive oil
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
- Remove the roots and stalks from the fennel and cut the fennel into wedges. Halve and deseed the peppers, then cut each half into 4 pieces. Peel the red onion and cut into quarters. Wash the tomatoes. Top and tail the eggplant, cut lengthways into slices.
- Put all the veggies in a roasting tray. Add thyme and garlic cloves. Drizzle with olive oil and add a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Roast for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring every 10 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked through. | <urn:uuid:f226bc5f-efbf-47a0-ae10-b47ae7dc6a7e> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://feistyveggies.com/roasted-veggies/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280730.27/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00247-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.896544 | 416 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Why Work to Change the World? (Matthew 21:23-32)
by Matt Skinner
It's hard to follow through on our commitments. It's hard to do what we know to be right.
We don't need Jesus to remind us of all that. Most of us figured it out easily enough on our own.
What, then, does Jesus contribute to our understanding of what a well-lived life looks like? Can he help people of faith be agents of change, people who look at our fouled-up world and make differences that will benefit other people and will give voice to God's desire for human flourishing?
A Parable and Its Surrounding Story
When we read about a parable Jesus tells concerning two sons -- one who verbally refuses his father's command to work in a vineyard but later changes his mind and obeys, and another who agrees to toil in the vineyard but does not keep his promise -- we might be tempted to moralize it. We may assume its message is simply "Actions speak louder than words!" or "Don't be such a hypocrite!" or "Obey your father!"
More serious: how inattentive to what's going on at this point in the Gospel according to Matthew.
In Matthew 21:23-32, Jesus confronts some of the highest-ranking, most powerful, and more widely influential authorities within the Judaism of his time and place. These chief priests and elders, members of a "scribal elite" class, played important and visible roles regarding religious practices, rituals and symbols, the interpretation of sacred texts, and Roman governance over the region. Jesus has not directly engaged people like this before, except for a brief encounter in Matthew 21:15-16, and the tension is high.
Jesus implicitly criticizes them for not recognizing John the Baptizer and his ministry as authorized "from heaven," that is, as expressions of God's own intentions or as means by which someone might glimpse God and God's priorities for the world. By extension, Jesus insinuates that these religious authorities also fail to recognize the same in him and in the teaching and work he does.
Jesus tells his parable after that exchange, after he has exposed these particular leaders as unable or unwilling to grasp how God might be knowable -- or even at work -- in other places or in other ways.
Because if God is active or discoverable in the efforts of someone like John, a wild-eyed long-toiling prophet who sets up camp in the wilderness calling for a new world to come into being, a world marked by justice, changed lives, and a recognition that God intends for more than just the continuation of an ongoing and corrosive status quo...
...then perhaps people who care about religious language, symbols, practices, and truth claims should be curious people, bent on keeping their eyes open for ways in which God might be made known, or ways in which the purposes of God might be expressed.
In other words, saying "Yes" to God should lead a person to say "Yes" to looking for God and "Yes" to getting engaged in God's business -- the business of seeing to the flourishing of justice, peace, reconciliation, security, restoration, and forgiveness.
That's why Jesus, in his parable and in his words immediately after it, praises "tax collectors and prostitutes" -- people who by most appearances have not claimed to say "Yes" to God but have nevertheless responded to or found their place within God's activity.
Therefore don't equate the parable with banal morality tales meant to extol hard work and integrity. Although the parable commends obedience, it does so in a context suggesting that a life of "working in the vineyard" is about playing one's part in God's ongoing work and enjoying God's benefits. Such toil is not punishment or lifeless religious obligation. It is about going to where God is.
Americans talk about race.
Which Vineyard Will I Choose?
Where might we encounter God now? Where might we participate in giving expression to God's intentions for our world? Are there wilderness places you see, circumstances that appear hostile to human flourishing?
The problem is, there are so many places. And they can become easy to forget when the sirens stop and the video cameras and reporters leave town.
We don't need many words to evoke the vineyards -- places, issues, causes -- where we might have been called to labor over the last few months. Consider, for starters:
- Domestic violence, provoked by NFL scandals
- Racial injustice and profiling, provoked by Ferguson
- Immigrants and immigration reform, provoked by children detained in Texas and politically-motivated delays
- Religious persecution and violence, provoked by ISIL
- Capital punishment reform or abolishment, provoked by the deaths of Troy Davis and Joseph R. Wood III
- Sensible gun-control legislation, provoked by the Sandy Hook shootings
Your list may be different, larger, more personal, or more urgent.
People of faith may not agree about exactly how to go about our work to address these and other issues, but we usually share a sense of outrage, pain, or dismay. Those feelings could very well be our summons to go into the vineyard.
It is easy to make pledges when an issue erupts. It can be easy to write a check or to resolve to put our faith into action into particular ways. Following through by working for long-term change is more difficult.
Working in a vineyard implies patient, hard work. Progress does not occur unless people come back and resume their work day after day. Usually in groups.
If we fail to do so, it does not necessarily mean we are evil or worthless people. The religious authorities Jesus criticizes in the Gospels were not, either. But Jesus insists their vision had become too limited. They weren't able to see what Jesus saw. Their imaginations were too puny. Perhaps Jesus thought their view of what was possible had withered.
Because God might be there, out among the vines. God might be waiting for me to transform my good intentions into actions, not merely to keep me busy, but because of an eagernessr for me to recognize places where God can be encountered and God's intentions actualized.
For Further Reading
Arland J. Hultgren, The Parables of Jesus: A Commentary (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2000), pages 218-225
Chris Keith, Jesus against the Scribal Elite: The Origins of the Conflict (Baker Academic, 2014)
Bible Study Questions
1. The article makes reference to God's intentions for the world. What do you think God intends? How do you arrive at those conclusions?
2. What makes you unwilling or unable to glimpse the "places" where God might be discovered among us, or the "places" where God's intentions are being voiced?
3. Have you ever felt stirred to take action to address a particular cause and to work for change? What pressed you to move from intention to action? How would you help another person experience the same kind of thing?
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and the Henry Luce Foundation | <urn:uuid:1df37f54-6921-4c0a-9a65-0f875cb657a9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://day1.org/articles/5d9b820ef71918cdf2003a77/view | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571909.51/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813051311-20220813081311-00276.warc.gz | en | 0.956995 | 1,528 | 2.71875 | 3 |
Cuba has survived more than 40 years of US sanctions intended to topple the government of Fidel Castro. It also defied predictions that it would not survive the collapse of its one-time supporter, the Soviet Union.
Since the fall of the US-backed dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista in 1959 Cuba has been a one-party state led by Mr Castro and - since February 2008 - by his anointed successor, younger brother Raul.
Fidel exercised control over virtually all aspects of Cuban life through the Communist Party and its affiliated mass organisations, the government bureaucracy and the state security apparatus.
Exploiting the US-Soviet Cold War, Fidel Castro was for decades able to rely on strong Soviet backing, including annual subsidies worth $4-5 billion, and succeed in building reputable health and education systems. But, at least partly because of the US trade sanctions, he failed to diversify the economy.
The disappearance of Soviet aid following the collapse of the USSR forced the government to introduce tight rationing of energy, food and consumer goods. The economy soldiered on with the help of Canadian, European and Latin American investments, especially in tourism.
Controls were relaxed in the 1990s, with companies allowed to import and export without seeking permission and a number of free trade zones opening up.
Politics: Communist leader Fidel Castro led the one-party state for nearly 50 years; his brother Raul took over as leader in 2008
Economy: US economic embargo has been in force since 1961; since collapse of USSR and loss of Soviet aid, there have been several tentative moves towards economic liberalisation
International: US, EU have pressed for democratic change and criticise the state of human rights; Venezuela under Hugo Chavez is an important ally
Some of these economic reforms were later rolled back, with Fidel Castro denouncing what he called the "new rich".
However, after Fidel Castro was succeeded as president by his brother Raul, the pace of economic reform picked up once more.
Cuba has forged closer ties with China and with oil-producing Venezuela. The latter supplies cheap fuel, while the former is helping Cuba to develop its own oil industry.
But the money sent home by Cubans living abroad - many of them in the US city of Miami - is still crucial to the economy. Hardships have led to an increase in prostitution, corruption, black marketeering and desperate efforts to escape in search of a better life.
Cuba has fallen foul of international bodies, including the UN's top human rights forum, over rights abuses. The UN's envoy has urged Havana to release imprisoned dissidents and to allow freedom of expression.
The US leases the Guantanamo Naval Base on the eastern tip of the island under a 1903 treaty, and continues to send Cuba payment for it. Cuba under the Castros disputes the lease, saying that it was concluded under duress, and has refused to cash any of the cheques since the early days of the revolution.
Relations with the US showed signs of a thaw following the election of President Barack Obama, who in April 2009 said he wanted a new beginning with Cuba.
Russia has also taken steps to revitalise ties with its Soviet-era ally, and in July 2009 signed an agreement to explore Cuba's offshore oil deposits, which are believed to be substantial.
Raul Castro, the world's longest-serving defence minister, took over as president in February 2008, succeeding his ailing brother Fidel, who had been in power for five decades.
Raul Castro picked up the reins of power from his brother Fidel
Raul Castro became acting president 18 months earlier when his brother was incapacitated by ill health, and was formally named as president by the National Assembly days after Fidel announced his retirement.
Fidel Castro, a devotee of Marxist-Leninist theory, brought revolution to Cuba and created the western hemisphere's first communist state. His bearded figure, long speeches, army fatigues and defiance of the United States earned him iconic status across the globe.
Raul, 76 at the time of this appointment, has been his brother's trusted right-hand man and was once known as an iron-fisted ideologue who executed Fidel Castro's orders - and enemies - ruthlessly.
Under his leadership, Cuba's Revolutionary Armed Forces became one of the most formidable fighting forces in the Third World with combat experience in Africa, where they defeated South Africa's army in Angola in 1987.
Fidel Castro outlasted no fewer than nine US presidents
Known as a good administrator, Raul Castro substantially cut the size of the army after the collapse of Soviet Communism threw Cuba into severe economic crisis. He introduced Western business practices to help make the armed forces self-sufficient. The military has a large stake in the most dynamic sectors of the Cuban economy, including tourism.
Raul Castro has also eased some restrictions on personal freedoms by lifting bans on mobile phones and home computers, and has promised to consider allowing Cuban citizens to travel abroad as tourists.
Following the election of US President Barack Obama, he said he was willing to respond to overtures from Washington and enter into dialogue with the US administration, but insisted that Cuba's communist system remained non-negotiable.
The Cuban media are tightly controlled by the government and journalists must operate within the confines of laws against anti-government propaganda and the insulting of officials which carry penalties of up to three years in prison.
Private ownership of broadcast media is prohibited, and the government owns all mainstream media outlets.
Cuba is the only country in the Americas not to allow a non-state independent press, says Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Official media "serve first and foremost to transmit propaganda for the regime".
The US tries hard to reach Cuban audiences. Washington-backed Radio-TV Marti says it provides "balanced, uncensored" news for Cubans.
Citing UN data, Internetworldstats.com says there were 1.7 million internet users by December 2011.
US-based NGO Freedom House says most users are connected to the "closely-monitored" government intranet, and not the internet proper. A small but vibrant band of bloggers faces harassment and intimidation, it adds.
Cuba is one of RSF's "Enemies of the Internet". Connection problems are also the result of restrictions under the US embargo, says the press freedom group.
Granma - Communist Party newspaper, website in five languages including English
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so. | <urn:uuid:13b1d861-cf61-41e8-b16a-d91bed21aa62> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/1203299.stm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560285289.45/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095125-00145-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968107 | 1,388 | 3.328125 | 3 |
Sometimes you just luck into rare bird sightings, especially around Cape May. This weekend, Ellen’s friend Elise is visiting, and while we were out sightseeing, we stopped at the Cape May Point State Park for a stroll around the area. As we walked up the ramp over the dunes to get to the beach I spotted some familiar birders looking intently at some trees about fifty feet away. One of them said, “You’ve come to Ground Zero.” I asked what they were seeing, and it was this Fork-tailed Flycatcher, a rarity in New Jersey, though one shows up in the Cape May area about once a year. They are generally no further north than Florida. We were lent binoculars and all had a look. Elise is not a birder, but as friend Michael O’Brien said, “This is a great one to start with.” It’s actually a better look than we had in this photo I pulled off eBird, but we saw it well enough. There aren’t many birds with a tail that long in North America. Pretty cool! | <urn:uuid:a9b755ec-1b92-4548-9cac-7a4b8b32b843> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://kleinletters.com/Blog/fork-tailed-flycatcher/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570879.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809003642-20220809033642-00674.warc.gz | en | 0.985945 | 235 | 1.867188 | 2 |
Nucleic Acid Testing for Human Disease describes various techniques including target and signal amplification-based NAT procedures, microarrays, bead-based multiplex assays, in situ hybridization, and SNP techniques. This book discusses RNA expression profiling and laboratory issues such as the need for proper validation of tests intended for routine use. It focuses on specific applications of NATs to human disease diagnosis and treatment, from viral, bacterial, fungal, and protozoan detection to genetic exploration by SNP determinations, patterns of RNA expression, and the growing relevance of epigenetic changes. It also offers different perspectives on future directions in the field.
Table of Contents
Nucleic acid diagnostic technology. Target Amplification-Based Techniques. Signal Amplification-Based Techniques. Microarrays: Human Disease Detection and Monitoring. Bead-Based Flow Systems: From Centralized Laboratories to Genetic Testing in the Field. In situ Hybridization. SNP Detection Techniques. RNA Expression Profiling. Evolution of the Molecular Microbiology Laboratory. Disease applications of NAT tests. Bacterial STDs. Sexually Transmissible Viral Pathogens: The Human Papillomaviruses and Herpes Simplex Viruses. Blood-Borne Viruses in Clinical and Diagnostic Virology. Molecular Methods for the Diagnosis of Fungal Infections. Molecular Diagnostic Approaches in Infectious Disease. Cancer Detection and Prognosis. Common Inherited Genetic Disorders. Bridging the Gap Between Analytical and Clinical Validation. Future Perspectives on Nucleic Acid Testing. Index. | <urn:uuid:828baee8-2f8a-4544-996c-7d15de6fe020> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.routledge.com/Nucleic-Acid-Testing-for-Human-Disease/Lorincz/p/book/9780367453541 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571090.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809215803-20220810005803-00075.warc.gz | en | 0.81629 | 337 | 2.59375 | 3 |
You may be eligible to deduct casualty and theft losses relating to your home, household items, and vehicles on your federal income tax return. However, you may not deduct casualty and theft losses covered by insurance, unless you file a timely claim for reimbursement and you reduce the loss by the amount of any reimbursement or expected reimbursement. Casualty losses are generally deductible in the year the casualty occurred.
If, however, you have a casualty loss from a federally declared disaster that occurred in an area warranting public or individual assistance (or both), you can choose to treat the casualty loss as having occurred in the year immediately preceding the tax year in which the disaster happened, and you can deduct the loss on your return or amended return for that preceding tax year.
A casualty loss can result from the damage, destruction, or loss of your property from any sudden, unexpected or unusual event such as a natural disaster like a flood, hurricane, tornado, fire, earthquake, or volcanic eruption. A casualty doesn't include normal wear and tear or progressive deterioration.
- Federally Declared Disaster — A federally declared disaster is a disaster that occurred in an area declared by the president to be eligible for federal assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. It includes a major disaster or emergency declaration under the Act. See Publication 547, Casualties, Disasters, and Thefts, for more information.
Theft is the taking and removal of money or property with the intent to deprive the owner of it. The taking must be illegal under the law of the state where it occurred and must have been done with criminal intent. The amount of your theft loss is generally the adjusted basis of your property because the fair market value of your property immediately after the theft is considered to be zero.
Insurance or Other Reimbursements
You must reduce the loss, whether it's a casualty or theft loss, by any salvage value and by any insurance or other reimbursement you receive or expect to receive. The adjusted basis of your property is usually your cost, increased or decreased by certain events such as improvements or depreciation. For more information about the basis of property, refer to Topic 703. For Casualties, Disasters and Thefts refer to Publication 547, and Publication 551, Basis of Assets.
Claiming the Loss
Individuals are required to claim their casualty and theft losses as an itemized deduction on Form 1040, Schedule A, Itemized Deductions (or Schedule A in Form 1040NR, if you're a nonresident alien). For property held by you for personal use, you must subtract $100 from each casualty or theft event that occurred during the year after you've subtracted any salvage value and any insurance or other reimbursement. Then add up all those amounts and subtract 10 percent of your adjusted gross income from that total to calculate your allowable casualty and theft losses for the year. Casualty and theft losses must be reported on Form 4684. Use Section A for personal-use property and Section B for business or income-producing property. If personal-use property was damaged, destroyed, or stolen, you may wish to refer to Publication 584 and for losses involving business-use property, refer to Publication 584-B.
When Your Loss Deduction Exceeds Your Income
If your loss deduction is more than your income, you may have a net operating loss (NOL). You don't have to be in business to have an NOL from a casualty. For more information, refer to Publication 536, Net Operating Losses (NOLs) for Individuals, Estates, and Trusts. | <urn:uuid:77964770-6917-434e-a2bf-e7bfbffd894e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.troutcpa.com/blog/helpful-tips-for-deducting-casualty-and-theft-losses | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571745.28/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812170436-20220812200436-00472.warc.gz | en | 0.946207 | 753 | 1.835938 | 2 |
Over the past several years some progress has been made in reducing the harsh sentences for crack cocaine offenses. Most recently, on August 3, 2010 the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 (FSA) was signed into law, reducing to approximately 18 to 1 the sentencing ratio amount of powder cocaine versus crack cocaine that triggers the same penalty. The legislation also eliminates the mandatory minimum for simple possession of crack. The Sentencing Commission has promulgated amendments implementing the directives of the Act.
The resources on this page help explain the current law and applicable sentencing guidelines. In addition, you will find information on prior actions by the Sentencing Commission addressing crack/powder cocaine sentencing disparity, and reports and testimony useful when arguing for non-guidelines sentences in crack cases. | <urn:uuid:106dbcc3-e528-420b-b17a-d0cf97965975> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://www.fd.org/ods-other/crack-cocaine-sentencing/subsections/introduction | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560283008.19/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095123-00090-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938065 | 150 | 2.109375 | 2 |
To keep those fragile boxes full of Christmas decorations and 6th grade soccer participation trophies safe, why not dangle a tennis ball from your garage ceiling to mark where you should stop?
Here's a way to do it*:
- Hang a string from where you think it will hit the center of your windshield or the spot right in front of the driver.
- Park better than you ever have before.
- Using a stick, laser pointer, friend, or your eyeballs, determine where you should hang your tennis ball.
- Put a screw into your sweet spot, then tie on the string.
- Attach the string to the tennis ball.
*You could also make a dowel/tape/nail contraption to stick the string to the ceiling all in one go. Or just send a lanky friend onto the roof of your car. Or tie a string to a spear gun. There are other options, is all I'm trying to say. | <urn:uuid:5907ee74-9004-4e49-931f-fee7ec8b0d9b> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.instructables.com/id/10-Unusual-Uses-for-Tennis-Balls/step3/Garage-Penetration-Indicator/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279410.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00163-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.905109 | 199 | 1.546875 | 2 |
NEIT christens shipbuilding, marine trades program
New England Institute of Technology (NETech) has a new opportunity for the unemployed of Rhode Island. A new program, Shipbuilding/Marine and Advanced manufacturing Institute (SAMI), provides students with a cost free educational experience that provides them with skills necessary to enter and succeed in the 21st century job market.
On Monday NETech officially launched the new program at NETech’s Post Road campus. Numerous government officials, NETech professionals, and industry leaders attended the event to wish the program success.
The vice president of corporate education and training, Steve Kitchin, opened the ceremony. He explained that through the United States Department of Labor, the Governor’s Workforce Board of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Foundation, the program is cost free to accepted students. The three organizations awarded NETech a $2.5 million grant to educate the workforce for today’s manufacturing jobs.
Kitchin said, “New England Tech has a 75-year tradition of hands-on training to prepare the future workforce. SAMI is a major step forward in assisting Rhode Island’s unemployed. We received guidance from industry leaders to create a program that would train people with the skills that employers are looking for.”
The program, with open entry and exit, allows students to use their previous knowledge and work at their ability level. Kitchin hopes to see 400 students go through the program by next October.
Senator Jack Reed said Rhode Island has jobs, but not enough skilled workers to fill them. He believes SAMI is an initiative that can help lower the skills gap.
He said, “It is terribly important that we have individuals training for jobs that are there and jobs that will be there tomorrow.”
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse said, “We are in a world trade economy now and there is no going back. There are going to be folks who win and folks who lose.”
He explained that the “folks” who lose are those manufacturing workers who lose their jobs to foreign industries. He believed SAMI would help train and retain workers because it didn’t only serve students. The curriculum and a lot of reference and influence from employers for the specific skills they need on their work force.
Congressman James Langevin said, “In the Ocean State, we have a ship building tradition. With this 2.5 million grant and the hard work from everyone involved, we are going to have a continuation of that legacy.”
Those in attendance commented on the collaboration efforts to make sure this program succeeded.
Congressman David Cicilline thanked everyone for their attendance and help in securing the program. He mentioned that there were private and public sector efforts from across state and federal and local governments.
Mayor Scott Avedisian of Warwick said, “Everyone left their individual silos and worked together to better our state. New England Tech is growing in leaps and bounds. They are adapting and creating new programs and this program is a testament to everyone’s hard work.”
Avedisian mentioned that there have already been 100 students that have participated in the SAMI program and 90 percent of the students are already working good-paying, long-lasting jobs.
NETech had actually put the Post Road campus up for sale when they built the East Greenwich campus. NETech began re-purposing rooms of the building for their new programs and eventually took the building off the market. They now hold the SAMI classes at the campus.
“They are training students for niche markets, offering real job opportunities for our residents,” Avedisian said.
Sean Davies, the facilities manager of Electric Boat, spoke at the event. He has hired 20 of the students who went through and are going through the SAMI program.
Electric Boat was one of the businesses that had worked with NETech to create the SAMI curriculum. Other businesses NETech collaborated with include Senesco Marine, RI Carbide Tool, Guill Tool and Engineering, Swissline Precision, RI Marine Trades Association and the RI Manufacturers Association.
Donnie Daniel Jr., one of the first students to graduate from the SAMI program, was the last guest speaker for the event.
He said, “This was an opportunity of a lifetime. This program helped me find a job so I can provide for my family. It was a major turning point in my life.”
He wasn’t the only student who thought the SAMI program was essential to further their education.
After the event, everyone was invited to tour the new facilities for the SAMI program. Current students were in the workshop showing off some of their new skills and explaining the machinery to the tour groups.
Brian Reeves, who is in his fifth week of the program, said, “I have been in carpentry all my life. I wanted to re-educate myself in a field that is always going to be there.”
Steven Gal, also a student in the SAMI program, said that he had always wanted to further his education, but there were always financial and time constraints stopping him.
“I never thought it would have been a good thing to be unemployed, but now I am participating in this great educational opportunity because I finally have the time,” he said.
Electric Boat has already offered Gal a job and he hasn’t even finished the program.
For more information on SAMI or NETech, visit www.neit.edu or call 739-5000 ext. 3700. | <urn:uuid:5e3719a4-0d0f-4f2b-af87-2a7ce22463a1> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.warwickonline.com/stories/neit-christens-shipbuilding-marine-trades-program,94495 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280900.71/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00005-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97427 | 1,159 | 1.804688 | 2 |
We have a number of publications that we have created to communicate our progress and plans for the future.
These publications exist so that we can set out targets and achieve work that will one day mean that a brain tumour is no longer a life threatening disease.
Impact Report 2015-2020
Learn more about how you've helped us make a difference to the lives of people affected by brain tumours.
Research Impact Report
This report highlights the influence of the pioneering research we fund, improvements to quality of life and survival rates
The Price You Pay
Part of our Life with a Brain Tumour series of publications, this report highlights the financial impact of a brain tumour.
This research report outlines the daily struggles faced by the majority of those affected. May be distressing for some people
Finding Myself in Your Hands focuses on people's interactions with the NHS, healthcare professionals and their treatment.
Losing My Place
Losing My Place is based on a survey of 300 young people and their parents following a childhood brain tumour diagnosis.
The Grey Matters
The Grey Matters is our publication which gives you a chance to catch up on everything that we at The Charity have been doing
Annual report and accounts
We aim to invest 80p in every £1 raised into helping everyone affected by a brain tumour. | <urn:uuid:d1a2e8b1-6862-4c87-b634-41f9d4058e6d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.thebraintumourcharity.org/about-us/our-publications/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570741.21/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808001418-20220808031418-00067.warc.gz | en | 0.93557 | 283 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Born Novobelitsa, Belarus, 1903; died Moscow, 1987
Georgii Grigor’evich Nisskii studied at VKhUTEMAS/VKhUTEIN from 1922 to 1930, where he joined the Department of Painting in 1923 to study with Aleksandr Drevin and Robert Fal’k, among others. In 1925 he joined OST. Over the following decade, he became active as a painter of landscapes and seascapes. During World War II, he painted numerous naval battles and illustrated historical novels about the Russian navy. He designed ten posters and window-paintings for the TASS studio between July 1941 and November 1942. After the war, he painted landscapes and railway scenes. In 1958 he was elected a full member of the Academy of Arts of the USSR, and in 1964 he was given the honorific title People’s Artist of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.
Georgii Grigor'evich Nisskii and Vasilii Ivanovich Lebedev-Kumach. The Red Fleet Has One Mission, September 28, 1942. Ne boltai! Collection. | <urn:uuid:a7fc69f0-dcc2-4690-93c4-22baab8f10b5> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/exhibitions/TASS/Nisskii | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280763.38/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00519-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96708 | 234 | 2.015625 | 2 |
Contemporary silver pendants consists of a variety range of subjects such as abstract designs , classic style, religious topic and many more ideas. David star known in Hebrew Magen David or the Shield of David is a generally recognized symbol of modern Jewish identity and Judaism. Its shape is made by 2 triangles forming a hexagram, combination of two equilateral triangles. The star of David has been adapted into a variety of many culture, but in different meanings.
Nowadays it is symbolizing the state of Israel’s flag since the first Zionist congress in 1897. Before that it was used in Christianity to decorate churches in medieval time. Only later 19th century it has been used by eastern European Jewish communities as their Jewish symbol.
The Zohar (Kabbalah) gives a spiritual explanation as for the star of David triangles. The first triangle has the connection of G-D , Torah and The sons of Israel. The second triangle is reflected by G-D , the study of Torah and the study of the Zohar. By doing these learning the Torah and the Zohar you approach yourself to G-D.
The fact that in a triangle each of The three corners of the triangles are connected with each other . It demonstrates that the Jewish soul is itself knotted to G‑d Through the Torah study and observance. By that connection between the Jew and G‑d and the Torah study it merely brings it to light.
Contemporary silver pendants sometimes I can make them in 14 carat gold by request. So before deciding , please converse with me by mail and I can let you know ahead if it is possible. | <urn:uuid:d41d02ba-077e-4bfa-bce4-2a3cec9ca78b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://jerusalem-mall.co.il/product-category/silver-and-gold-jewelry/silver-necklace-and-pendants/silver-pendants/contemporary-silver-pendants/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00275.warc.gz | en | 0.960194 | 336 | 2.46875 | 2 |
Friday, February 29, 2008
Wonderful British Almshouses
If you are ever touring the British countryside and see a group of cottages usually set around a beautiful garden they will be Almshouses - it is charitable housing provided to enable people (typically the elderly who can no longer work to earn enough to pay rent).
The first recorded Almshouse was founded by King Athelstan in York in the 10th century AD. The oldest charity still in existence is thought to be the Hospital of St. Oswald in Worcester, founded circa 990.
Nowadays these fabulous buildings are run by charities but many were originally built by kindly rich people.
To this day I have never met anyone who lives in one so I could go and have a peek inside.
I love them. | <urn:uuid:fdf68195-f5db-47eb-b8ed-aafb433ba863> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://designersblock.blogspot.com/2008/02/wonderful-british-almshouses.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572833.95/warc/CC-MAIN-20220817032054-20220817062054-00476.warc.gz | en | 0.980837 | 162 | 2.0625 | 2 |
TURKEY CREEK (WISE COUNTY)
TURKEY CREEK (Wise County). Turkey Creek rises five miles north of Bridgeport in western Wise County (at 33°15' N, 97°47' W) and runs south for nine miles, through Bridgeport, to its mouth on the West Fork of the Trinity River (at 33°12' N, 97°45' W). The stream traverses a portion of the Cross Timbers region of the county, characterized by rolling hills and native pecan trees. The watershed supports both native and improved grasses.
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If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
The following, adapted from the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, is the preferred citation for this article.Handbook of Texas Online, B. Jane England, "Turkey Creek (Wise County)," accessed January 16, 2017, http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/rbtaj.
Uploaded on June 15, 2010. Published by the Texas State Historical Association. | <urn:uuid:3decb8e7-c338-4f11-a5db-bacff1b7f50c> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/rbtaj | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279368.44/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00327-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.903796 | 361 | 2.765625 | 3 |
Unpacking embryonic pluripotency
Researchers at EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) and the Wellcome Trust–Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute at the University of Cambridge have identified factors that spark the formation of pluripotent cells. Their findings, published in Developmental Cell, shed light on human embryonic development and help research into cell reprogramming and assisted conception.
Embryonic stem cells are widely known for their ability to differentiate into any cell type – a state called pluripotency. This state is short lived in the embryo, but is essential to normal development. In this study, the researchers mapped when and where genes were expressed (turned on or off) during early development of the mouse and common marmoset, a nonhuman primate species. This allowed them to pinpoint changes that regulate pluripotency in both mammals. They analysed the complex network of gene regulation that supports pluripotency, looking closely at how this network comes together and later collapses as cells exit the pluripotent state to become specialised cell types.
“Our goal was to generate a comprehensive map of gene expression in the early stages of embryogenesis in the mouse, which has traditionally been the best model for mammalian development, and to see how that knowledge could be translated to primates,” explains Paul Bertone, former EMBL-EBI group leader now at the Wellcome Trust–MRC Stem Cell Institute.
To compare pluripotent cells in rodents and primates, the researchers used single-cell RNA sequencing on small clusters of cells (8-20 cells) to establish precise gene-expression patterns for specific stages of early development. The results provide a framework for understanding the emergence and progression of pluripotency in different mammals.
“Many of the genes that give rise to the pluripotent identity in mice were also expressed in marmoset, demonstrating a common foundation for pluripotency in mammals,” says Austin Smith, also of the Stem Cell Institute. “But there were some differences in signalling pathways between the two species, indicating that lineage specification in primates is not entirely conserved.” | <urn:uuid:4d86a219-ab07-4ad9-8b16-f108008bbe2f> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.stemcells.cam.ac.uk/publications/publication-news/unpacking-embryonic-pluripotency | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280242.65/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00079-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941663 | 448 | 2.90625 | 3 |
Mr Keating has never trusted opinion polls, and with good reason. At the last election in 1993, the polls predicted a similar drubbing, and almost every political commentator in the country had written Mr Keating's obituary before the campaign was a week old. They drew on his personal unpopularity among Australians, the man who brought them a recession which he loftily described as "a recession that Australia had to have", offended many voters, particularly women, with his gutter political language and scared middle Australia by vowing to ditch the country's flag, with the Union Jack in the corner.
Yet Mr Keating went on to win that election, the first in his own right after unseating Bob Hawke as Labor leader, and to increase the government's majority in the House of Representatives in Canberra. Only the foolhardly would write him off again. This time, though, the odds against Mr Keating repeating his Houdini act are much greater. Labor has been in power for 13 years and many Australians believe that the government has run out of steam. Mr Keating pulled off his astonishing victory last time, when unemployment was 11.3 per cent and the recession was still biting, largely for one reason. He mounted a brilliant scare campaign against John Hewson, then leader of the opposition Liberal-National conservative coalition which proposed a VAT-style consumption tax.
Three years on, the opposition has dropped the tax proposal and Mr Hewson. He has been replaced with John Howard, a more seasoned, if equally charismatically challenged, politician.
Although the opposition leads the government in opinion polls by up to 10 points, voters are sending out confusing signals. After two weeks of campaigning, Mr Howard has failed to widen his lead and Mr Keating actually leads Mr Howard in polls for preferred prime minister. Voters describe him as untrustworthy but strong and Mr Howard as honest but weak.
More than 20 per cent of Australians do not know who would make the best prime minister. A remarkable 40 per cent have still not made up their minds how they will vote on 2 March. The reasons are straightforward enough. Australians have never seemed more disenchanted with politicians and the political process or concerned about the future. Mr Keating has trumpeted loudly about his government's "vision thing": its proposal to end Australia's links with the British Crown and replace the monarchy with a republic, its historic introduction of land rights for Aborigines and forging of closer ties with Asia. But Australians want answers on the questions that worry them most: the security of their jobs, access to health care and the future of their children's education.
Somewhere along the road of the heady 1980s, the "lucky country" was quietly buried. After Labor dropped its traditional dogma about government intervention, pulled down the barriers around Australia's protected economy and opened it up to the chill winds of international competition, Australians woke up to a different world in the 1990s. Egalitarian Australia now feels that it has been pushed more and more into a society of haves and have-nots, where the rich have become richer and the working- and middle- class "battlers" have lost out through industry restructuring, mergers, downsizing and other impacts of the global economy. Although the economy is growing steadily, unemployment stands at 8.6 per cent, a sad indictment of Labor after 13 years.
Mr Howard has offered few, if any, prescriptions to improve things. The policy differences between government and opposition are so minimal that both leaders have resorted to offering a swag of promises costing billions of dollars.
Sceptical Australians suspect the promises will either be shelved after election day or paid for only by raising taxes and cutting spending. Mr Keating has promised packages on housing, forests, youth and health care, together with a new film production studio in Melbourne and a fast ferry linking Tasmania with mainland Australia. Mr Howard has pledged packages for small business, the environment and the arts. But voters see these promises as not so much the return of the lucky country, as more like something out of the land of Oz.Reuse content | <urn:uuid:2db5ccd7-08cf-43cc-9ca6-a9a966afc269> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/disillusion-reigns-in-the-land-of-oz-1318410.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560285289.45/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095125-00144-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976959 | 838 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Helen’s head, always drooping, sank a little lower as she finished this sentence. I saw by her look she wished no longer to talk to me, but rather to converse with her own thoughts. She was not allowed much time for meditation: a monitor, a great rough girl, presently came up, exclaiming in a strong Cumberland accent —
“Helen Burns, if you don’t go and put your drawer in order, and fold up your work this minute, I’ll tell Miss Scatcherd to come and look at it!”
Helen sighed as her reverie fled, and getting up, obeyed the monitor without reply as without delay.
My first quarter at Lowood seemed an age; and not the golden age either; it comprised an irksome struggle with difficulties in habituating myself to new rules and unwonted tasks. The fear of failure in these points harassed me worse than the physical hardships of my lot; though these were no trifles.
During January, February, and part of March, the deep snows, and, after their melting, the almost impassable roads, prevented our stirring beyond the garden walls, except to go to church; but within these limits we had to pass an hour every day in the open air. Our clothing was insufficient to protect us from the severe cold: we had no boots, the snow got into our shoes and melted there: our ungloved hands became numbed and covered with chilblains, as were our feet: I remember well the distracting irritation I endured from this cause every evening, when my feet inflamed; and the torture of thrusting the swelled, raw, and stiff toes into my shoes in the morning. Then the scanty supply of food was distressing: with the keen appetites of growing children, we had scarcely sufficient to keep alive a delicate invalid. From this deficiency of nourishment resulted an abuse, which pressed hardly on the younger pupils: whenever the famished great girls had an opportunity, they would coax or menace the little ones out of their portion. Many a time I have shared between two claimants the precious morsel of brown bread distributed at tea-time; and after relinquishing to a third half the contents of my mug of coffee, I have swallowed the remainder with an accompaniment of secret tears, forced from me by the exigency of hunger. | <urn:uuid:40fb15df-40b1-4413-9f6a-1fdb9a613551> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.bookrags.com/ebooks/1260/43.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280310.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00184-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976384 | 495 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Don't Wait! Renew Your Credential
In every state, teachers must renew their teaching certificates before their current license expires. It is the responsibility of the educator to determine which workshops or training meet the requirements for standard certificate renewal. This requirement exists to make sure educators keep up with the latest in training to stay abreast of changing techniques and standards.
School systems provide professional development opportunities that meet renewal requirements. These learning units have many different names depending on the district: CPE (Continue Professional Education), PLU (Professional Learning Units), CEU (Continuing Education Units) just to name a few. Check your state’s link below to determine the courses offered in your area.
In addition to school supported professional development for certification renewal, most systems accept college credit as well. If you’re working towards a Master’s degree, these courses should count towards the hours you need, but check to make sure.
A word of advice:
Don’t wait until the last minute to take the courses you need for renewal. The application process for a new certificate takes time. It must be submitted well in advance to make sure your teaching contract will be renewed in a timely manner. Many districts will not offer contracts unless your certification has been renewed properly. Don’t interrupt your employment by forgetting the renew on time!
Click here to search for continuing education units online | <urn:uuid:7823c0d9-c4a6-4f58-af6d-cea6114f7a55> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://teaching.monster.com/education/articles/1928-dont-wait-renew-your-credential | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988718285.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183838-00107-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94112 | 285 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Artist Mark Mawson London dripped paint into the water and filmed the result of the camera.
"Most of all I like the picture with blue" fungi ".
This is one of my first shots, "- says Mark.
Some people see in this picture poisonous toadstools, others - "fungus" after a nuclear explosion, but this and other photos - just a photo of paint that had fallen into the water. (MARK MAWSON / BARCROFT MEDIA)
Mark specializes in underwater photography. (MARK MAWSON / BARCROFT MEDIA)
For these shots, he just picked up a paint of different colors and poured it into the water, taking the result of the camera. (MARK MAWSON / BARCROFT MEDIA)
The difference in the density of different types of inks creates incredible variety of forms in water. (MARK MAWSON / BARCROFT MEDIA) | <urn:uuid:4aa60311-860b-4afb-bb19-0187f8e1f605> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://bashny.net/t/en/26218 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281069.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00265-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.910606 | 200 | 2.015625 | 2 |
By: Nelson S. Badilla
THE Ombudsman Act of 1989 is obviously unfair law.
It does not completely order the Office of the Ombudsman to punish all the public officials who have the capacity and power to rob the public coffers like those in the legislative and judicial branches of government.
It is an open secret that there are legislators and officers of different units of the judiciary who have enriched themselves in various ways while performing their functions and duties in the government, but never suffered any form of punishment.
The Office of the Ombudsman, likewise, prevents the Office of the Ombudsman to conduct an investigation on top officials of the national government and recommend to the Congress that they should be removed through impeachment.
The move to impeach the president, vice-president, and other impeachable officials can only be done by the members of the House of Representatives.
If the House members approve the impeachment move, then it will be elevated to the Senate for the latter to go on with the trial as an impeachment court.
The Ombudsman Act has given the Office of the Ombudsman the power to investigate and file charges on government officials who were elected, or appointed, but ordered the office to spare senators and representatives from finding out if they are corrupt, or not, despite the fact that they are also elective officials.
Look at the case of Atty. Julito Vitriolo, a public official who was appointed to the position of the executive director of the Commission on Higher Education (Ched).
On January 5, the Office of the Ombudsman sacked Vitriolo after it found the Ched official “guilty” beyond reasonable doubt of grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, incompetence and inefficiency, and breach of conduct.
Because of these, the Office of the Ombudsman also found sufficient grounds to slap Vitriolo with graft charges at the Sandiganbayan.
Vitriolo told the reporters that he will appeal the decision.
While he is preparing his appeal, Vitriolo should follow the decision of the Office of the Ombudsman because the latter has a jurisdiction on him.
Vitriolo could not defy the decision of the Office of the Ombudsman, nor question it, since Vitriolo is not a member of any chamber of the Congress.
Vitriolo’s graft charges have nothing to do with public funds.
Vitriolo’s case is not about millions, or billions of money, that he supposedly rob from the Ched coffers.
The crime, according to the Office of the Ombudsman, that the Ched official has committed was that he failed to conduct an investigation about the complaint that an academic program at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) was offered for diploma purposes.
Vitriolo was also accused of allowing the PUP to release transcripts of records (TOR) and diplomas despite the program covered by the two documents have been suspended by two years already by the university president after he learned from the probe of the Commission on Audit (COA) that the content of the academic program it jointly offered with a tertiary college was not beneficial to the PUP.
Virtriolo gave green light to the PUP in 2010 to proceed with the release of the TOR and diplomas to the graduates of the academic program of the PUP and the National College of Physical Education (NCPE) “based on vested rights” of the students.
But Senator Emmanuel Joel Villanueva who was found guilty of corruption charges and other connected crimes by the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the P10 Million worth of Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) remains a senator.
As a neophyte senator, Villanueva has a ball to intentionally ignore and defy the Ombudsman’s order.
The commission of the crime of corruption over the P10 Million PDAF was done in 2008 where Villanueva was the Citizens’ Battle Against Crime (CBAC) party-list representative to the House of Representatives.
In 2010, Villanueva did not run for a House seat since he already served three consecutive terms at the House.
In 2010, although not a member of the Liberal Party (LP), Villanueva was appointed by then President Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III as administrator of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) with Cabinet rank.
During Aquino’s term, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) discovered P10 Billion PDAF scam where the NBI pinned down the culprits as Janet Napoles, Jinggoy Estrada, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Juan Ponce Enrile (senators who belong to the opposition), among others.
Further NBI investigation showed that Villanueva might have benefited in the PDAF scam since his P10 Million PDAF in 2008 appeared to be part of plunder scheme.
Signatures of Villanueva were seen on a number of documents about the P10 Million PDAF.
In a delayed action, then Justice Secretary Leila de Lima ordered the filling of corruption charges and other connected crimes against Villanueva and his cohorts.
De Lima’s order was done months before the May 9 elections, prompting Villanueva to describe the act as politically motivated.
The Office of the Ombudsman proceeded with the deeper probe on the complaints against Villanueva since he was not a senator at that time.
Also, the Office of the Ombudsman has no exact idea that Villanueva would win the polls.
Villanueva top the senatorial elections.
Several months after, the Office of the Ombudsman finished its investigation where it found Villanueva and several others guilty beyond reasonable doubt of corruption charges and other crimes connected with graft and corruption.
Thus, the Office of the Ombudsman ordered Villanueva dismissed from the “government service.”
Villanueva questioned the decision asserting that the Office of the Ombudsman has no jurisdiction on him since he is a member of the Congress, he is in fact a senator.
Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III stood up and defended his fellow senator.
Then, Pimentel directed Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, Senate Ethics Committee chair, to study the case of Villanueva.
The Sotto Committee asserted the supposed correctness of Villanueva’s and Pimentel’s arguments citing the Section 21 of the Ombudsman Act, which explicitly states that the Office of the Ombudsman has no jurisdiction over the members of the Congress.
Three elected officials in Mindanao were dismissed from the government service by the Office of the Ombudsman last year due to violation of the Republic Act No. 3019, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corruption Practices Act.
Records from the Office of the Ombudsman even banned Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno; Matanao, Davao del Sur Mayor Vicente Fernandez; and Ditsa-an Ramain, Lanao del Sur Mayor Mamintal Adiong from running for public office because of the violation of the RA 3109.
Moreno, Fernandez, and Adiong were also elected officials like Villanueva and yet they could not deliberately ignore, nor intentionally defy, the Office of the Ombudsman’s decision, despite the fact that they were also elected by the people for government positions.
The reason is obviously clear, the three mayors were not members of the Congress, but officials of different organs of the local government units (LGUs).
Let me ask: What is so special with the members of the Congress why they were excluded from the Office of the Ombudsman’s legal power to investigate and sack them from government service?
If the LGUs of the three provinces can still function and serve their constituencies after the dismissal of Moreno, Fernandez, and Adiong from the government service, why not Villanueva?
The Senate can still function and serve the Filipino people even after the Senate abide with the decision of the Office of the Ombudsman.
The Senate can still approve and pass one, or two, proposed laws in six-month period, or one year, under the leadership of Pimentel without Villanueva.
I am not attacking Villanueva to defend Vitriolo, Moreno, Fernandez, and Adiong.
I am asserting that one of the anti-corruption laws of the Philippines is extremely defective.
If the members of the Congress fail to amend the Ombudsman Act with a purpose of getting rid of the protective provisions for the senators and representatives, members of the judiciary, and other impeachable government officials, the Philippine government battle against massive graft, corruption, and plunder in the entire bureaucracy will remain futile. | <urn:uuid:4d0aec8d-5946-4e49-bde9-e1ce6664b22f> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://tapatnews.com/lawmakers-must-amend-ombudsmans-act-1989/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560282140.72/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095122-00131-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955026 | 1,834 | 2.265625 | 2 |
Intelligence agencies in the US have released information about a new variant of 12-year-old computer virus used by China’s state-sponsored hackers targeting governments, corporations, and think tanks.
Named “Taidoor,” the malware has done an ‘excellent’ job of compromising systems as early as 2008, with the actors deploying it on victim networks for stealthy remote access.
“[The] FBI has high confidence that Chinese government actors are using malware variants in conjunction with proxy servers to maintain a presence on victim networks and to further network exploitation,” the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Department of Defense (DoD) said in a joint advisory.
The US Cyber Command has also uploaded four samples of the Taidoor RAT on the public malware repository VirusTotal to let 50+ Antivirus companies check the virus’s involvement in other unattributed campaigns.
However, the malware itself is not new. In an analysis by Trend Micro researchers in 2012, the actors behind Taidoor were found to leverage socially engineered emails with malicious PDF attachments to target the Taiwanese government.
Calling it a “constantly evolving, persistent threat,” FireEye noted significant changes in its tactics in 2013, wherein “the malicious email attachments did not drop the Taidoor malware directly, but instead dropped a ‘downloader’ that then grabbed the traditional Taidoor malware from the Internet.”
Then last year, NTT Security uncovered evidence of the backdoor being used against Japanese organisations via Microsoft Word documents. When opened, it executes the malware to establish communication with an attacker-controlled server and run arbitrary commands.
According to the latest advisory, this technique of using decoy documents containing malicious content attached to spear-phishing emails hasn’t changed.
“Taidoor is installed on a target’s system as a service dynamic link library (DLL) and is comprised of two files,” the agencies said. “The first file is a loader, which is started as a service. The loader (ml.dll) decrypts the second file (svchost.dll), and executes it in memory, which is the main Remote Access Trojan (RAT).”
In addition to executing remote commands, Taidoor comes with features that allow it to collect file system data, capture screenshots, and carry out file operations necessary to exfiltrate the gathered information.
CISA recommends that users and administrators keep their operating system patches up-to-date, disable File and Printer sharing services, enforce a strong password policy, and exercise caution when opening email attachments.
You can find the full list of best practices here.
images from Hacker News | <urn:uuid:6fdbe397-778d-4d72-b694-2875684df59a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://news.cyberfreakz.com/us-government-warns-of-a-new-strain-of-chinese-taidoor-virus/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570767.11/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808061828-20220808091828-00478.warc.gz | en | 0.930576 | 579 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Brief SummaryRead full entry
The Scarce Fritillary occurs in clearings or forest fringes, where young ash trees are growing in open, mixed woodland or where nature-like fringe structures with abundant Ligustrum are present. The eggs are laid in one batch on a leaf of Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) or Aspen (Populus tremula), preferably at a height of 4 to 10 m. In continental mixed oak forests, Ligustrum vulgare is the most important initial food plant (eggs on 0, 5–1 m). The populations of the Carpathian basin and southeast Europe can use several Fraxinus species as larval foodplant. In lowland riverine gallery forests Fraxinus angustifolia is the most important one, while in white oak forests Fraxinus ornus is used for oviposition. The butterfly generally has a slow, gliding flight but can speed up when necessary. The caterpillars build a nest of silk and leaves and feed together at first, while still quite small. They go into hibernation, remaining in the nest, which usually falls to the ground onto the woodland floor. In spring, they leave the nest and separate, spreading out in search of food. They use a variety of larval foodplants at this stage, including honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.), plantains (Plantago spp.), privets (Ligustrum spp.), Cow-wheat (Melampyrum spp.) or Speedwell (Veronica spp.). They pupate in the litter layer and on tree-trunks. The species has one generation a year, although in Northern Europe some of the caterpillars hibernate a second time before pupating. Habitats: broad-leaved deciduous forests (42%), mixed woodland (18%), alluvial and very wet forests and brush (7%), mesophile grasslands (7%), humid grasslands and tall herb communities (5%), tree lines, hedges, small woods, bocage, parkland dehesa (5%). | <urn:uuid:b07d526d-0a04-4fcf-9b98-9ac655e92991> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://www.eol.org/pages/157701/overview | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988719215.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183839-00199-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.887399 | 435 | 3.671875 | 4 |
Alan Mollohan has been under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a few years. Today it’s reported that his charitable foundation received free rent from a high-tech consortium that he blessed with millions of dollars in earmarks:
The West Virginia High Tech Consortium has provided more than $75,000 in free rent and administrative services to the Robert H. Mollohan Family Charitable Foundation, according to tax records, while receiving millions of dollars worth of earmarks from Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-W. Va.), who serves as the family foundation’s secretary.
The West Virginia High Technology Consortium Foundation is a nonprofit organization that Mollohan helped establish in the 1990s to bring high-tech jobs and training to his district in northern West Virginia. Mollohan has provided the WVHTC with millions of dollars of earmarks from his seat on the House Appropriations Committee. According to documents from an ongoing court case, Mollohan has been intimately involved in some of the organization’s major management decisions.
The Robert H. Mollohan foundation is a charity the family created in 2000 that provides small grants and internship opportunities to local students. It operates out of a building bearing Alan Mollohan’s name that is run by the WVHTC.
Neither Mollohan’s office nor the WVHTC responded to repeated requests from Roll Call for comments on this story…
Over the years, Mollohan has provided millions of dollars in earmarks for the WVHTC, and though he lists no position with the group on his annual financial disclosure forms, he appears to have been closely involved in the operations of that group and others that he provides with earmarks.
Mollohan has grown wealthy over the last few years while showering earmarks on organizations run by real estate partners. The entities that Mollohan has created with taxpayer money all seem to be run by former staffers, friends, and campaign donors. The ongoing investigation into this network prompted House Democrats to remove Mollohan from the Ethics Committee, but hasn’t yet prompted them to launch an ethics investigation into his finances – despite Nancy Pelosi’s promises to run the most ethical House in history.
Pelosi’s promises notwithstanding, we see ethics controversies surrounding John Murtha, Charlie Rangel, Sil Reyes, Paul Kanjorski, Pete Visclosky, and others. Will we have to wait for indictments before House Democrats do anything to clean up the mess?
With the 2010 midterms looming not too far off, that suits me fine. | <urn:uuid:68040cd2-ba3a-45d2-a9d8-e90114b59026> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.redstate.com/diary/BrianFaughnan/2009/03/10/another-corrupt-house-democrat/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280410.21/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00458-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960424 | 536 | 1.53125 | 2 |
To the editor:
The Saturday Column of May 14 highlights the importance of language learning for American global competitiveness and asks whether "KU leaders might take the steps necessary to establish the university as a true leader in foreign language education."
KU is already a true leader in foreign language education. KU offers more than 30 different languages. Strategically important languages such as Arabic, Turkish and Uighur have recently been added. (See http://www.ku.edu/~language/ for examples.) KU's outstanding language programs have been designed by specialists in the problems of beginning language study in college. The university has a state-of-the-art language laboratory. Opportunities for study abroad programs from KU have never been more plentiful, varied or interesting than they are now.
Unfortunately, the American educational system has never emphasized the importance of language education. Despite economic incentives, most students choose the language that they think is easiest to learn. Thus enrollments in Spanish grow at U.S. universities - KU is no exception - while the majority of other language programs go perpetually undersubscribed. The EU, China, India, Latin America, and other U.S. economic competitors promote lifelong language learning. Their graduates have competence in three or four languages and understand us far better than we understand them.
Language learning is hard work. But the rewards are great; language skills are applicable to a wide variety of occupations, and language-learning challenges can be overcome. Students should know that outstanding language resources are already available to them at KU - parents, teachers, and guidance counselors should encourage students to take advantage of them.
Marc L. Greenberg,
on behalf of KU foreign language chairs, | <urn:uuid:e7bf39b0-07e5-4d80-875d-c68fd2216f4f> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2005/may/22/letter1/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988719453.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183839-00229-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945345 | 348 | 2.3125 | 2 |
by Bill McBride on 6/24/2010 10:54:00 AM
Thursday, June 24, 2010
From Reuters: Mortgage Rates Drop to Lowest Level on Record
Interest rates on U.S. 30-year fixed-rate mortgages, the most widely used loan, averaged 4.69 percent for the week ended June 24, the lowest since Freddie Mac started the survey in April 1971.Click on graph for larger image in new window.
This graph shows the 30 year fixed rate mortgage interest rate, and the Ten year Treasury yield since 2002. The 30 year mortgage rate is now at a series low (started in 1971), although the spread between the mortgage rate and the treasury yield has widened about 30 bps recently.
The decline in mortgage rates is related to the weak economy and falling treasury yields.
Posted by Bill McBride on 6/24/2010 10:54:00 AM | <urn:uuid:ce7da983-00f9-425c-9626-be03b0ff9200> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2010/06/30-year-mortgage-rates-fall-to-record.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560284352.26/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095124-00193-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94267 | 184 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Nicholas M. Massa, Springfield Technical Community College, Springfield, Massachusetts, USA, is the 2010 Educator Award winner in recognition of his multiple contributions to optics/photonics education over the past 23 years including: educating, mentoring and preparing hundreds of college students for the workforce; teaching in-service teachers and technicians in industry; serving on SPIE Education and ETOP long-range planning committees; developing new instructional materials and co-authoring a user-friendly introductory optics textbook.
"Nick wrote grants and received funding for numerous projects from the National Science Foundation and others to build his laboratory and enhance the curriculum and instructional materials that he used in his classroom," said Fenna D Hanes, New England Board of Higher Education. "He developed an enviable network of industry partners who provided advise, financial and in-kind support and opportunities for his students to find internships and subsequent jobs."
"Nick is a rare educator who is not only engaged in continuously improving his teaching skills, he is also constantly improving his own advanced education," said Chandrasekhar Roychoudhuri, Photonics Lab., Physics Department, University of Connecticut.
Massa has authored and coauthored numerous papers for SPIE, including many on optics education, and has served many years on the SPIE Education Committee.
The Educator Award is given annually in recognition of outstanding contributions to optics education by an SPIE instructor or an educator in the field. An honorarium of $2,000.00 will be presented.
For more information on this year's recipient and past winners, visit http://spie.org/x3069.xml.
SPIE presents several yearly awards that recognize outstanding individual and team technical accomplishments and meritorious service to the Society. SPIE urges you to nominate a colleague for his or her outstanding achievements. Nominations may be made through October 1 of any given year and are considered active for three years from the submission date. Visit SPIE.org/x1164.xml for instructions and nomination forms.
SPIE the international society for optics and photonics was founded in 1955 to advance light-based technologies. Serving more than 188,000 constituents from 138 countries, the Society advances emerging technologies through interdisciplinary information exchange, continuing education, publications, patent precedent, and career and professional growth. SPIE annually organizes and sponsors approximately 25 major technical forums, exhibitions, and education programs in North America, Europe, Asia, and the South Pacific, and supports scholarships, grants, and other education programs around the world. | <urn:uuid:9685c9a0-6aad-4de0-a1c9-dc716b0ea679> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://spie.org/about-spie/press-room/spie-member-news/educator-2-25-10 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280730.27/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00256-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954445 | 519 | 1.664063 | 2 |
broccoli rabe with walnuts and apples
In French, the word “de” can mean “from” or “of.” This distinction, along with the ambiguity of the ellipsis, make the original title of Ousmane Sembene’s first feature film, La Noire De…
enigmatic. It becomes a question–is Diouana the woman from Senegal, or is she the girl who belongs to her French employers? The film opens with a question as well, Diouna steps off a boat into a new world, and wonders, “Will someone be waiting for me?” a question that echoes in the loneliness she experiences throughout the film. There is someone to meet her at the dock, but he is coldly polite. He does not carry her bag or open the car door for her. She answers him with the same tone, saying no more than “Oui, Monsieur,” to his perfunctory inquiries. Sembene shot the film in 1965, in a short time on a very low budget, but he transformed the constraints of production and used his limitations to beautiful advantage. The film was shot without sound and post-synched, but the dialog between Diouana and her employers is so clipped and minimal that this doesn’t become a problem. She doesn’t have a voice in their presence. They scold her with increasing petulance and ferocity, but she goes silently about her chores. What we get instead is the rich, intelligent voice of her thoughts and her memories. We hear her hopes about starting this new life as a nanny, her anxieties as it becomes obvious she’s not a nanny but a maid of all work, and finally her disappointment and bitterness at being mislead and mistreated. This painful, voiceless isolation is at its worst when she receives a letter from her mother. Neither of them can read or write. Her mother had to hire a letter-writer, and Diouana relies on her employer to read the letter to her. He takes it upon himself to write back, taking down not her words, nothing close to her thoughts, just trite niceties about her situation that he wishes were true. The jarring space between his words and her reality, between her hopeful memories and her present situation, between her articulate imagination and her silent life is so great and dark that she falls into it and can’t find her way back out. The film is beautifully filmed–it is one of the most aesthetically thoughtful black-and-white films that I have ever seen. From Diouana’s graphically patterned hand-me-down dresses to the gleaming white tub and toilet she must scrub, every shot is so full of contrasts of light and shadow that it becomes more than metaphor, it becomes the whole world. This is a movie I want to read
. Every image, every shot and movement seems full of shifting significant meaning that I want to notice and understand. I want Diouana to explain it to me. I want to hear her voice.
I love the music in La Noire De…, but I can’t track down the composer. Does anybody know who it is? My search led me to this beautiful song by Sory Kandia Kouyate, called Massane Cissé. So that is your song for today.
I’ve been craving greens like a crazy person! Something about seeing the world turn green all around me, and smelling the fresh sharp sweet smell of the ferns and undergrowth makes me want to cook and eat them! So I make lots of broccoli rabe, which has that bitter-sweet, strong-tender pleasantness. I combined it, here, with crunchy walnuts and tart-sweet pink lady apples. I cooked the apples with the garlic when we ate it, but I think they’d be better fresh and crispy and raw, so that’s how I’m telling you to do it! | <urn:uuid:774b0d37-7423-43ee-8fd9-7c273bf8545d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://outoftheordinaryfood.com/tag/ousmane-sembene/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571190.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810131127-20220810161127-00068.warc.gz | en | 0.976199 | 842 | 1.742188 | 2 |
The Pentagon has suspended a program in which it used media military analysts to portray the Iraq war in rosy terms, following an exposé of the practice by The New York Times. The Times article documented how the Defense Department supplied retired officers with pro-war talking points, which the analysts didn’t disclose; instead, they led TV viewers to believe that their analyses of the war were objective and based on observation and reports from former colleagues.
The analysts were not paid by the Pentagon, but were frequently given private meetings with high-ranking civilian Defense Department officials, including Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Some retired officers used that access to build their second careers as defense contractors or consultants. Critical analysts, on the other hand, saw their access curtailed or eliminated. Robert Hastings, the Pentagon’s top public-affairs official, said he is concerned that Defense’s relationship with the analysts may be improper and that the information program would be halted indefinitely pending a review. “We’ll take the time to do it right,” he said. | <urn:uuid:c52384c3-f35b-44a3-8550-4f1150e635a7> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://theweek.com/articles/515094/pentagon-ends-analyst-program | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279368.44/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00322-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969827 | 218 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Facebook’s project could make MRIs more efficient.
Researchers at Facebook’s AI Research lab (FAIR) are working to make MRI machines operate faster by reducing the amount of data they have to gather to compose an image, the company announced Monday, Aug. 20 in a blog post.
The project, which is a collaboration with New York University School of Medicine, will use 3 million MRI images collected by NYU that have been stripped of patient names and identifying information, according to Facebook. This data will also be made open to the public, so other researchers can tackle the same problems.
Here’s how Facebook thinks its technique will work: Current MRI machines take anywhere from 15 minutes to more than an hour to scan because they’re capturing an immense amount of data. If the machines were able to work off of less data, they would be able to scan and process that information more quickly. The artificial intelligence would look at that incomplete data and generate synthetic data to fill in the gaps that’s true to the real world. The goal is to make the MRI scan 10 times faster.
It’s not as crazy as it seems, either. There’s a great deal of existing research where AI is being trained to fill in the blanks of traditional photography, and Facebook has some of the world’s top experts in visual AI. For instance, in a technique called super-resolution, AI makes a blurry image sharper by relying on images of similar objects it’s seen in the past. Other researchers are working on reconstructing partially-hidden human faces, which is great for fixing those images where wind blows hair in your face—and state surveillance. Facebook itself has developed AI that can generate fake eyes for a person and edit them into an image if they’ve blinked in a photo.
Of course, there should be caution when taking this research into the real world. The data being generated by research labs for traditional images aren’t perfect yet, and artificial intelligence is prone to catastrophic failure if it sees something it wasn’t trained to deal with. This typically happens because there’s not enough data for the AI to properly learn. In facial recognition, people of color typically aren’t represented in datasets, so AI has difficulty even categorizing these people as human. Such “biased” datasets could be the difference between life and death when not considered for medicine.
This isn’t Facebook’s first entry into the medical space. CNBC reported earlier this year that the company’s hardware research lab was looking to couple anonymized user data from hospitals with user data Facebook had collected. Facebook would reportedly have used this to tell users when they showed signs of needing medical attention, but Facebook commented that the project never left the planning stage. Facebook has also used AI algorithms to predict when users might intend to kill themselves, so the social media company can offer help.
The U.S. spent nearly $3.5 trillion on health care in 2017, and that number is only expected to rise. Every major tech company from Google and Amazon to IBM and Apple is looking to get a cut of that cash, especially as the U.S. health care system is seen as outdated and inefficient. If Facebook can build a health product that doesn’t freak people out, it could be a welcome addition to its slowing revenue growth.
There’s no timeline for how long the collaboration will last, but Facebook writes that there’s the potential to bridge this research into work with other kinds of medical imaging, like CT scans. | <urn:uuid:9ef6b5e7-61ee-4087-ad68-f9e18134dd88> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2018/08/facebook-dipping-its-toe-medical-ai-research/150723/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571989.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813232744-20220814022744-00474.warc.gz | en | 0.954171 | 739 | 3.171875 | 3 |
Name: Nicholas Goldsmith
Major: Plant Biology in Botany and Plant Pathology
Minor: Leadership Development Certificate in Agriculture
Hometown: Frankfort, Indiana
After witnessing instances of hate and discrimination, Nicholas Goldsmith became active on the LGBTQ Advisory Board. As leader of the Queer Student Union, Nicholas' activism led to an amendment of Purdue's Nondiscrimination Policy to include gender identity and expression and genetic information as protected elements – ultimately making Purdue a safer and friendlier place for future generations.
"I want to go into evolutionary ecology and study how the world is adapting and changing with humans. I think in better understanding the world around us, we also better understand ourselves. I believe that environmental and social justice go hand-in-hand."
"One problem I notice that many students face is where to turn when they are having difficulty. Sometimes it's not abundantly clear on campus where one goes when they're facing an issue. So I made it a priority in my leadership role to network with other organizations and refer students where to go for help."
"As president of the Purdue Queer Student Union, I worked with Purdue Student Government (PSG) to amend the Nondiscrimination Policy. I became really passionate about this issue. I remember before we first went in front of PSG to present the amendment, I was nervously pacing back and forth, worried about how many votes it would get shot down by. It never occurred to me that it could possibly pass unanimously. I was happily shocked, to say the least."
"If we treat each other better, we have a lot of potential as a University, community and world. So we need to recognize that others are facing issues and we need to be supportive of them. I believe that an important legacy to leave at Purdue is a legacy of helping others. We need to make the experience that everyone feels much, much better so we can leave the world a better place."
By Emily Blue
Photos by Mark Simons
Published May 2012
Looking for a student? A topic? Use this search engine to find what you need in our archives | <urn:uuid:c0bfef6a-ee9c-4816-957d-a69df4c2828c> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.purdue.edu/fivestudents/trail-makers/goldsmith.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279915.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00274-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970335 | 430 | 1.820313 | 2 |
SINGAPORE – Learning’s never restricted to the classroom at Raffles!
In-line with our pedagogy of innovation through creativity, a group of Raffles Singapore students from Animation and Games Design visited the DreamWorks Animation Exhibition at the ArtScience Museum on 10th September 2015, led by Raffles Creative Practitioner Federico FIORE.
And it was an immersive and eye-opening experience indeed, with a series of insightful tours, creative workshops and of course, film screenings of much-loved blockbusters – in addition to amazingly interactive digital experience featuring over 400 numerous rare and never-before-seen original concept drawings, models, artworks and displays from DreamWorks’ world-renowned works and collections.
The highlight of the trip however, was perhaps several specially-recorded interviews with top DreamWorks Animation artists, which provided our budding Raffles Designers with great insight into the brilliant minds behind the creative processes of the world-class animation studio.
Summing up the trip, Raffles Creative Practitioner, Federico FIORE said: “The exhibition deepened our students’ understanding of the extensive research behind the pre-production phase of an animated feature, and provided insights into the process of creation of the various elements used to enrich the animations such as particles effects and liquid simulations. It has also been a unique opportunity to observe original artwork from the animation studio, including paintings, clay and 3D printed maquettes.” | <urn:uuid:d958bc44-3b8e-4a61-a4a6-e35f43584fea> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.raffles-iao.com/a-peek-into-the-life-of-animation/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571234.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811042804-20220811072804-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.932907 | 301 | 1.96875 | 2 |
- Go to Administration in the navbar of your course.
- Click Classlist.
- You will see an overview of all students and teachers (including assessors) in the course. If you see a green dot next to a person's name, they are online.
- You can see the role of the person beneath Role.
- Below the table you will see how many participants are currently in the course. The All tab will show you the total number of participants for this course.
You can filter the users on groups:
- Click the drop-down menu next to View By.
- Click Groups.
- Click Apply.
- Behind Groups you select the group on which you want to filter.
You can also flag persons. You do this by clicking the flag icon next to the picture of the person. You can flag someone if you want to find them easily.
You can search for specific students / teachers by typing the person's name in the search bar (Search For). Click on Show Search Options to do a more specific search.
- Search in: Select if you are searching by first name, last name and/or username.
- Search Type: You can either search for an exact match, a name that contains the search term, or a name that starts with the search term.
- Role: Search by role.
- Flagged: Search for flagged/unflagged persons.
- Online Status: Search for users that are online/offline.
- Active Status: Search for users that are set on active/inactive.
- If you only want to see teachers or students, navigate to the Teacher tab or the Student tab.
- You can also see which groups a student is in:
- Click the fold-out arrow next to the name.
- Click View Group Enrolments for. A new window (pop-up) opens in which you can see in which group(s) the student is.
Overview course enrolments
- Click Enrolment Statistics for an overview of enrolments and un-enrolments.
The overview shows all possible roles and how many people with a certain role are in your course. For example, you see how many students are enroled (Enrolments) and how many students have withdrawn and when (Withdrawals). You can still e-mail people who have un-enroled.
It is not possible to manually add students or employees from OSIRIS to the course (via Add Participants). Please contact OSIRIS management for this. The same applies for assigning roles. For more information, see the article on roles and rights in Brightspace.
Exception: in courses with no link between Brightspace and OSIRIS, the coordinator of the course can add users to the course.
Add a person as coordinator
- Click Add Participants to add persons to the course.
- Then click Add existing users.
- Type the first name, last name or username in the search bar below Add Existing Users. Click the magnifying glass.
- Select the person(s) you want to add.
- Give the person(s) a role (for example teacher or student). You provide a user with a role at Enrolment Options. Select a role at Set all roles to and click Set all roles.
- You will recognise previously enroled users in the classlist by the icon behind their name.
- Click Enrol Selected Users to add all selected persons.
You can only search on one search term at once. This means that if you want to add several people you have to look up and add them one by one. | <urn:uuid:93083e31-a6f5-4cde-a86e-2a628c7d5feb> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://icto.tutorials.ru.nl/a/1007056-how-do-i-use-the-classlist-administration-classlist | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573699.52/warc/CC-MAIN-20220819131019-20220819161019-00273.warc.gz | en | 0.886461 | 763 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Adjust file-management settings.
New pictures are stored in image files named using a four-digit file number assigned by adding one to the last file number used. The file number is displayed during playback as shown at right. [FRAME NO.] controls whether file numbering is reset to 0001 when a new memory card is inserted or the current memory card or internal memory is formatted.
Numbering continues from the last file number used or the first available file number, whichever is higher. Choose this option to reduce the number of pictures with duplicate file names.
Numbering is reset to 0001 after formatting or when a new memory card is inserted.
If the frame number reaches 999-9999, the shutter release will be disabled.
Selecting [RESET] sets [FRAME NO.] to [CONTINUOUS] but does not reset the file number.
Frame numbers for pictures taken with other cameras may differ.
Choose [ON] to save unprocessed copies of seamless panoramas or pictures taken using [RED EYE REMOVAL], [PRO LOW-LIGHT MODE], or [PRO FOCUS MODE].
Stamp the time and/or date of recording on photographs as they are taken.
Time and date stamps can not be deleted. Turn [DATE STAMP] off to prevent time and date stamps appearing on new photographs.
If the camera clock is not set, you will be prompted to set the clock to the current date and time.
We recommend that you turn the DPOF “print date” option off when printing images with a time and date stamp.
Time and date stamps do not appear on movies, panoramas, or pictures taken with best frame capture. | <urn:uuid:22f087c0-f4e4-4f7f-bd6d-ed108725385a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://fujifilm-dsc.com/en/manual/x30/menu_setup/save_data_set-up/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572870.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20220817062258-20220817092258-00667.warc.gz | en | 0.854245 | 365 | 1.859375 | 2 |
Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality (CMAQ) is a Federal program that funds transportation projects and programs in air quality nonattainment and maintenance areas to help achieve and maintain national standards for air quality pollutants. In North Carolina, NCDOT serves as the administrator for this program.
Funding is apportioned to North Carolina based on the population in non-attainment and maintenance areas of the state and the severity of air quality problem. NC’s allocation of CMAQ funding is split in three pots available for funding, as follows:
- Statewide CMAQ funds are administered by NCDOT and are awarded to prioritized NCDOT-driven CMAQ eligible projects either on a statewide tier facility or involving a system wide improvement within nonattainment and maintenance areas. Statewide CMAQ funds are not subject to regional or subregional allocations or the allocation formula. This category accounts for 35% of the total North Carolina CMAQ apportionment.
- Regional CMAQ funds are locally-administered and awarded to projects spanning more than one air quality region that cannot be considered subregional projects. Air quality regions are Catawba, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Metrolina, Rocky Mount, Triad and Triangle. The local project sponsor is responsible for providing the required match. This category accounts for 5% of the total North Carolina CMAQ apportionment.
- Subregional CMAQ funds are locally-administered and awarded at the MPO/RPO level to projects within eligible counties. The local project sponsor is responsible for providing the required match and meeting federal funding requirements. This category accounts for 60% of the total North Carolina CMAQ apportionment. | <urn:uuid:cf427987-948b-4b56-b914-223840b400c8> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/planning/Pages/CongestionMitigationAirQualityNC.aspx | 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 | 0.903425 | 357 | 2.078125 | 2 |
I just heard that the folks at Xilinx have started shipping the first member of their Virtex-7 family of 28 nm FPGAs - the VX485T - to advanced customers.
I just heard that the folks at Xilinx have started shipping the first member of their Virtex-7 family of 28 nm FPGAs – the VX485T – to advanced customers.
Just to remind ourselves, there are three families of 7 Series FPGAs: The Artix-7 family will offer the lowest cost and power (these will be available early 2012), the Kintex-7 family address the middle part of the price/performance curve (members of this family started shipping in March 2011), and the Virtex-7 family offer the highest capacity and system performance.
Relative to the previous generation of devices, the new Virtex-7 FPGAs offer 2X the serial I/O bandwidth, 2X the processing capability, and 2X the capacity.
Actually, the raw specifications are enough to make your eyes water. In the case of serial I/O bandwidth, for example, we’re talking about up to 96 serial channels, some of which will provide up to 12.5 Gbps, others up to 13.1 Gbps, and still others up to 28 Gbps giving a maximum I/O bandwidth of 2.7 terabits per second.
Similarly, in the case of raw processing power, we’re looking at up to 3,960 systolic DSP slices running at up to 700 MHz providing a single chip DSP bandwidth of 5.1 teraMACs (eeek!). And with regard to capacity, the largest device (implemented using four FPGA die mounted on a silicon interposer using through-silicon vias) will provide 2 million logic cells (the mind boggles).
As I said, the first member of the Virtex-7 ensemble to be made available to advanced customers is the VX485T, which occupies the “sweet spot” in the middle of the family. As one example of the type of application in which this component will shine, consider a wired communication 2 x 100G line card:
Is it just me, or do you agree that this sort of thing is pretty amazing. I remember when the first FPGAs came out containing just a couple of handfuls of logic cells (metaphorically speaking). I had no idea that they would evolve into the monsters of today. Also, check out the following video on YouTube – about 2 minutes and 12 seconds in you can see a live demo of the VX485T, which looks rather tasty:
I’m sure we will be hearing more about these little scamps in the not-so-distant future … watch this space!
If you found this article to be of interest, visit Programmable Logic Designline where you will find the latest and greatest design, technology, product, and news articles with regard to programmable logic devices of every flavor and size (FPGAs, CPLDs, CSSPs, PSoCs...).
Also, you can obtain a highlights update delivered directly to your inbox by signing up for my weekly newsletter – just Click Here to request this newsletter using the Manage Newsletters tab (if you aren't already a member you'll be asked to register, but it's free and painless so don't let that stop you [grin]). | <urn:uuid:40d716a1-cd0e-44eb-834b-d5d472068131> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=36&doc_id=1285242 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281226.52/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00380-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929246 | 716 | 1.945313 | 2 |
Reading is an important skill for young children to develop as early as possible. Rather than have children play games online to occupy their time, they can listen and read along to famous and not-so-famous stories for free. Children can follow the words of each story no matter what age level as the text is almost always highlighted in ebooks. Also, the animation on many of these websites for reading is excellent and engaging.
AOL "KOL" Kids
AOL Kids provides a selective group of children's books online for reading along purposes. The actual books have been scanned, so the pictures and texts are the same without any adaptations. The "Arthur" series makes up fifty percent of the stories on this website, but there are a few others. Some stories include: "The Lady with the Alligator Purse" and "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." As each story is being read aloud, the words are highlighted one-by-one in the story.
Storyline Online is a website funded by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation. Several stories are read by well-known actors. The viewer can see and hear the reader, and the reader shows the page from the book after she reads each page. The viewer can read along as there is a dialogue box with the words from the story at the bottom of the screen. The text lights up as the reader recites each word. Storytellers do a great job "acting" the story out with tones and voices.
Ziggity Zoom Stories
Ziggity Zoom uses Flash technology to animate several short stories for beginning readers. Children can read these stories as fast or as slow as they wish because they can "flip" the page. This website is for Kindergartners and first-graders who are learning to read and identify words. Usually, there are only about three to five words on each page. The words are read with great emphasis from the reader and the pictures are animated. Each book has many interesting sounds as well.
Portland Public Library: Tumble eBooks
Portland Public Library's Tumble books include a wide array of read along stories for all ages of children. It is well-organized and each book shows parents or educators the age level on the cover page. Every book contains audio with text that lights up. Also, the animation is very engaging as students read or listen to the text. Children can work at their own pace as they can "flip" the pages. Also, a feature exists where children can replay pages. This site has hundreds of stories to choose from to promote active reading in young children.
- Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images | <urn:uuid:bc5828d0-9383-4e51-a7fd-18d2612756a8> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://classroom.synonym.com/online-along-stories-young-children-8359003.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280504.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00146-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959478 | 540 | 3 | 3 |
Francis Scott Key Middle School has been selected as a recipient of the inaugural Green Ribbon School Award. The Silver Spring school is among a total of 78 winning schools from 29 states.
The Green Ribbon Schools award program, established in 2011, is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education and recognizes schools that save energy, reduce costs, feature environmentally sustainable learning spaces, protect health, foster wellness, and offer environmental education to boost academic achievement and community engagement.
“This award is a reflection of our commitment to ensuring that all of our schools and facilities are environmentally friendly and foster healthy and productive learning environments,” said Superintendent of Schools, Joshua P. Starr. “Congratulations to the staff and students of KeyMiddle School on receiving this distinguished award.”
In 2009, Key Middle School was the first middle school in Maryland and just the fourth in the country to achieve Gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification from the United States Green Building Council. The modernization of Key Middle included many green construction practices, including the use of environmentally friendly building materials and the installation of solar photovoltaic panels to reduce energy costs.
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) has a comprehensive district-wide program to reduce the environmental footprint of its facilities, including recycling initiatives, energy conservation efforts and a commitment to green construction practices.
The 78 U.S. Green Ribbon Schools were selected from among nearly 100 nominees submitted by 30 state education agencies, the District of Columbia and the Bureau of Indian Education. More than 350 schools submitted applications.
The other Green Ribbon School award recipients in Maryland are Dunloggin Middle School in Howard County, McKinsey Elementary School in Anne ArundelCounty, and the Lucy School, a private school in Frederick County.
Representatives from the winning schools will participate in a national awards ceremony on June 3 and June 4, 2012. The Maryland recipients will also be recognized during the Maryland Green Schools Youth Summit sponsored by the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education on June 1, 2012 at Sandy Point State Park in Anne Arundel County.
For more information contact the Public Information Office 850 Hungerford Drive, Room 112, Rockville, MD 20850 | <urn:uuid:9ab60a70-b21f-427a-95f7-6535d671e807> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://myspiritdc.hellobeautiful.com/974855/francis-scott-key-middle-school-named-among-first-ever-u-s-department-of-education-green-ribbon-schools/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281069.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00270-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950157 | 449 | 1.859375 | 2 |
September is Passport Awareness Month. The U.S. Department of State is launching an awareness campaign to educate and inform travelers about upcoming changes to travel identification requirements for domestic flights.
Beginning on January 22, 2018, domestic air passengers with driver’s licenses issued by a state that is not yet compliant with REAL ID and that has not received an extension will need to show an alternative form of acceptable identification for domestic air travel. Both the U.S. passport card and passport book are REAL ID compliant. If you already have a REAL ID compliant driver’s license, it will remain valid for domestic air travel.
REAL ID Requirements The REAL ID Act, which became law in 2005, requires driver’s licenses to meet minimum security standards for issuance and production. For air travel and certain other purposes, federal agencies are prohibited from accepting driver’s licenses and identification cards from states not meeting the Act’s minimum standards unless those states have been granted extensions.
The U.S. passport book and the U.S. passport card are REAL ID compliant and are acceptable identification to board domestic flights. The U.S. passport card is the same size as a driver’s license and only costs $55 for first time applicants or $30 for those who have already had a passport. A U.S. passport book is always required for international air travel – passport cards are not valid for international air travel.
Applying for a U.S. Passport Passport demand is on the rise and the Department of State expects to see 20 million applications in Fiscal Year 2017. It is best to apply early and to take advantage of lower wait times September through December. For adults renewing their passport, the process can be done by mail.
For information on how to apply for a U.S. passport, visit travel.state.gov or call the National Passport Information Center toll-free at 1-877-487-2778/1-888-874-7793 (TTY/TTD).
For more information on the acceptable forms of identification for boarding aircraft, please see TSA’s website tsa.gov. To find out if your state’s driver’s license or ID are Real ID compliant visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website dhs.gov/real-id.
For media inquiries please contact: | <urn:uuid:26453472-a4cd-4fe5-ae34-73277c8e4c59> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.halberthargrove.com/travel-update-new-regulations-beginning-january-2018/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573399.40/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818185216-20220818215216-00068.warc.gz | en | 0.917651 | 503 | 1.859375 | 2 |
“Women have fought hard to be considered equals when it comes to wine,
whether professionally or in our private lives.”
Mary Orlin, WineFashionista
The press of late has been obsessed with discussions of calories in alcoholic beverages and the adverse effect
of consumption on weight. The reports have targeted women, despite epidemiological studies that have not
shown alcohol consumption to be a risk factor for obesity. A typical headline ran in The Washington Post
(January 9, 2013), “When counting calories, you need to think before you drink.” The CDC has warned that
alcoholic beverages may add extra calories and reported that men consume on average 150 calories worth of
alcohol a day compared to a little over 50 calories for women, with younger adults consuming more than older
Alcohol is likened to a sugared beverage akin to soda since it is similarly high in calories (one 5 ounce
standard drink of Pinot Noir has 121 calories while the other most popular varietals contain between 118 and
129 calories according to the USDA National Nutrient Database), but no more than commonly ingested
“healthy” juices from oranges or apples. There have been no studies published looking at the effects on weight
of calories from different food sources such as wine versus apple juice.
An important study published in 2012 “Alcohol Consumption, weight gain, and risk of becoming overweight in
middle-aged and older women” JAMA Internal Med 170 (5) found that compared with abstainers, initially
normal-weight women who consumed a light to moderate amount of alcohol gained less weight and had a
lower risk of becoming overweight and/or obese during the 12.9 years of followup. This was the first study to
look at the risk of becoming overweight or obese among initially normal-weight individuals. See page 18 for a
full description of this study.
While it is true that alcohol is a nontrivial energy source (7.1 calories per gram or slightly less than a gram of
fat) that theoretically can contribute to a positive energy balance and long-term weight gain and obesity,
evidence from prospective studies shows that if the energy from alcohol consumption is added to a diet high in
protein, low in carbohydrates, the effect would not be as high a risk factor. Data from the first National Health
and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES I, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 42 1985)) found that even
though alcohol consumers had significantly higher intakes of total calories than nondrinkers, drinkers were not
more obese than nondrinkers. In fact, women drinkers had significantly lower body weight than nondrinkers.
As alcohol intake among men increased, their body weight decreased. Data from the second National Health
and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 54 1991) and other large
national studies have found similar results for women, although the relationship between drinking and body
weight for men is inconclusive with heavy drinking possibly associated with abdominal obesity. Some studies
have shown weight gain when alcohol is added to the diets of overweight persons.
A recent study published in Nutrition Reviews (Alcohol Consumption and Body Weight: A Systematic Review,
July 26, 2011) reviewed thirty-one publications. The overall results did not confirm a positive association
between alcohol consumption and weight gain. The authors concluded that light-to-moderate alcohol intake,
especially wine intake, may be more likely to protect against weight gain, whereas consumption of spirits has
been positively associated with weight gain.
When alcohol enters the body, it is detoxified quickly in the liver with top priority. A small amount is metabolized
in the stomach, and the less than 10% that escapes metabolism is excreted through sweat, saliva, urine and
breath. Alcohol and wine are processed differently than other dietary energy sources such as sugars and
starch so their effect on weight cannot be strictly compared. It has been found that alcohol induces an
increase in the sensitivity of muscle to insulin and down-regulates the effect of insulin on fat tissue so fat mass
decreases. Alcohol does increase the production of triglycerides within the liver but it is not clear that this
translates into weight gain when alcohol is consumed in moderation.
A low-calorie line of wines from Treasury Wine Estates, The Skinny Vine, has 95 calories per 5 ounce serving
or about 25% to 35% less calories than traditional wine. The winery claims the wines have the taste and
quality of full-calorie wines and carry names like Slim Chardonnay, Mini Moscato and Thin Zin ($11 a bottle).
Promoted by Christine Avanti, author of Skinny Chicks Eat Real Food, these wines are offered at www.cellar360.com. A wine label called Skinnygirl was launched by Bethenny Frankel, a reality TV star and
former Real Housewives cast member. The three wines offered, with an initial production of 200,000 cases,
have 100 calories per 5 ounce serving, 12 percent alcohol and sell for $15 a bottle. Weight Watchers has
partnered with McWilliams Wines to produce a line of lower-alcohol wines that are currently available in the
I believe low-calorie wine is silly since women who pursue these wines are only saving about 25 calories each
time they drink a glass which is no big deal, and for reasons described above, this savings does not translate
into significant avoidance of weight gain. Women should not be consuming more than one glass of wine a day
anyway. That said, women are frequently buying wine on visits to grocery stores and any product that
promotes less calories or weight loss grabs their attention. Sensible portions and proper food choice is
unquestionably important to health, but the low-calorie wine idea is an affront to women. This was pointed out
by Mary Orlin, the WineFashionista on Huff Post Food, “Would anyone make a Skinnyboy wine?”
Further research is needed toward assessing the specific roles of different types of alcohol beverages in weight
gain, especially concerning consumption patterns. In the meantime, it is mindless to wring our hands over
moderate wine drinking since a glass or two a day appears to have little real effect on weight in those drinkers
who are not already obese. | <urn:uuid:e3cd715d-6894-4164-90f4-7849f43efcfa> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://princeofpinot.com/article/1309/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281226.52/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00374-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945666 | 1,317 | 2.4375 | 2 |
The Land was born out of a bitter dispute between the owners of the Farmer and Settler and one of Australia’s pioneers of organised rural lobbying, Thomas Irving Campbell (1861–1942), which ended up in the NSW District Court in late 1909.
‘T.I.’ Campbell was a hard-nosed warrior in the struggle to unite small battling farmers (‘Cockeys’) against the power of the emerging union movement and the big pastoralists, who were clinging to their vast ‘runs’ of mainly unimproved land. He was elected secretary of the NSW Farmers and Settlers’ Association (FSA) in 1897, and in 1906 helped launch the Farmer and Settler as its official organ.
Campbell was listed as editor on the newspaper’s imprint but during the court battle of 1909, when he was sued for alleged breach of contract, the lawyers for the independently owned Farmer and Settler Publishing Company claimed he hadn’t fulfilled an agreement to provide the new paper with a regular supply of editorial copy about FSA activities and views while also using his influence to attract advertising.
The judge dismissed the case, which fractured the relationship between the FSA and the owners of the Farmer and Settler. Delegates to the FSA’s 1910 annual conference directed the executive to establish its own official newspaper. The first Land rolled off the presses on 27 January 1911, at twopence a copy.
The Land’s founders set out to create a newspaper with the clout and influence to ensure the voice of farmers could not be drowned out by city-based politicians, media, lobbyists and business leaders seeking to place their own interests above agriculture and country people.
The Land survived a rocky start during a long drought, and came close to financial ruin during the Great Depression, and again in 1970, when a new printing venture in western Sydney flopped badly. However, sales soared in good times, with circulation peaking at 68,728 during the wool boom of the 1980s, and the Land ended its first century as the pre-eminent farm weekly newspaper in New South Wales.
The Land was pulled from the brink in the early 1930s by legendary managing editor, (Sir) Harry Vincent Budd (1900–79), who was still in charge when the Lidcombe printing business almost ruined the company. He stepped aside and his replacement, John Lindsay Parker (1932– ), transformed the Land from a one-newspaper company into a regional and rural publishing giant called Rural Press Limited. It took the Land 64 years to conquer all its rural newspaper rivals in New South Wales, a battle which ended when NSW Country Life was swallowed up in 1975.
The takeover of Country Life sparked an astonishing growth spurt, driven largely by acquisitions. To better reflect this growth and diversity, The Land Newspaper Ltd was renamed Rural Press Limited in 1981.
That empire, like the Land, is now part of Fairfax Media (John Fairfax and Sons had bought a 25 per cent stake in the Land in 1970 to prevent its collapse) after a merger of the two companies in May 2007. Rural Press had a market capitalisation of $2.6 billion at the time of the merger.
REF: V. Graham, The Story of The Land 1911–2011 (2011). | <urn:uuid:b54af0c6-9417-4b29-9073-7bce3a5bea59> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/9563535 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280761.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00092-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97583 | 676 | 2.515625 | 3 |
LANL loses track of nuclear materials
Plutonium operations placed in standby mode
In an April 20, 2012 report, the Safety Board charged with oversight of defense nuclear facilities reported that the system used to track nuclear materials in the Plutonium Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory was operating erroneously. The system apparently only kept track of 1,700 out of 13,000 containers of nuclear “materials at risk” (MAR). This omission caused the facility to exceed its limits for MAR located in individual containers and outside of gloveboxes at least 15 times.
If one is operating a facility with large quantities of fissionable nuclear materials it is very important to know where the materials are at all times because stacking too much plutonium in one place can cause a criticality event or worse. After the error was noticed, the Lab manually started to verify container MAR amounts manually. “To date, fifteen containers, all housed in the facility’s vault, have been identified with contents that exceed the MAR limit of 7500 g WG-Pu [Weapons Grade Plutonium] equivalent.” That’s a lot to lose track of because these limits help the facility to comply with the seismic requirements of operations in the Lab’s earthquake fault zone.
Normal operations have been terminated in the 150,000 square foot Plutonium Facility and the facility has been placed in “Standby Mode.” How much does a shutdown cost taxpayers?
How long has the Lab violated these limits? The report states that the tracking error was introduced during software development, apparently due to a “miscommunication” between the software developers and the security personnel. The MAR tracker program performs other required MAR limit surveillances in the facility. Are these other surveillances reliable? This incident also calls into question other Lab software, such as programs that model contaminant transport.
The Defense Nuclear Facility Safety Board Report is here. | <urn:uuid:13f062fa-3be6-4c87-95df-ffb2c1980594> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://www.nukewatch.org/watchblog/?p=1163 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560282140.72/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095122-00131-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953314 | 392 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Even though using Windows Server 2003 is in vogue, a lot of shops are still running Windows 2000 Server -- and...
with good reason. It was a pretty solid release, with a lot of useful features, and the improvements in Windows Server 2003, while nice, weren't compelling enough for some companies to make the jump. However, as with any older operating system, security is a concern that grows with each passing day. Here are some tips on to help you lock down Windows 2000 Server machines.
- Update to Windows 2000 Server Service Pack 4. This is a well-tested, simple installation that will fill many holes that have been discovered by Microsoft and others during the lifespan of Windows 2000. After installation, then apply the Update Rollup package to finish off your updates. Note that Service Pack 4, combined with the rollup application, constitutes the final release of Windows 2000 that Microsoft will make. Windows 2000 is now a deprecated product, and while support still exists and security updates will continue to be made, no more service packs will be issued.
- Download and use HFNetChk to scan and inventory your network for security-patch installations. This tool, which incidentally is the basis for the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer, is a lightweight scanner that scans client computers for installed updates and patches. The comparison is based on an XML file of all available updates and the criteria for those updates, and Microsoft constantly updates the list. You can find the tool, and instructions for its use, at Microsoft.
- Set restrictions on Windows passwords. They should be at least six characters long, they shouldn't be based on a dictionary word, and they shouldn't last longer than 90 days. To configure this, within Group Policy or local policy, navigate through Security Settings, to Password Policy, and apply the appropriate settings.
- Configure Windows to disable or "lock out" accounts for at least 15 minutes after three unsuccessful authentication attempts. This inhibits password-cracking programs from breaking simple passwords in a short amount of time. Most automated programs will move on to different targets after a short period of inaccessibility, so 15 minutes is a sweet spot between user inconvenience and healthy paranoia. To configure this, within Group Policy or local policy, navigate through Security Settings, to Account Policy, and apply the appropriate settings.
Windows server hardening
- (If you're not a fan of the lockout suggestion,) Use passphrases on user accounts. Passphrases are sentence-long passwords with punctuation, mixed cases, and spaces that are very difficult to break through a cracker. If you use these more secure phrases, the lockout feature becomes unnecessary as the probability these phrases will be broken is low. Tell your users to create passphrases that express an idea, and enter it into the password dialog box exactly as they would type it in Word or your company word processor.
- Disable all anonymous access except where explicitly allowed in file-system permissions. Windows allows access by an anonymous user to many shares and files through the use of a null user account; this is a security hazard, of course. You can still enable anonymous access to files and directories by explicitly granting rights to the ANONYMOUS USER account in Windows inside the appropriate access control list (ACL). This setting merely disables it by default, so you know exactly where connections are being made. To fix this hazard, set the Additional Restrictions for Anonymous Connections selection to No Access Without Explicit Anonymous Permissions within Security Settings/Local Policy/Security Options in Local Computer Policy.
- Enable automatic logoff upon logon time expiration, and set up at least one half hour each night during which no user is permitted to log on. Some users log on to the network and then don't log off for months. This is a prominent security hole, because when that user leaves her desk, she is still authenticated to the network with her credentials. These can be used to do destructive things: file deletion and transfer, planting of a "root kit" or backdoor program, or password changing. The way to make this work is twofold: First, each valid user needs to have a time when he isn't permitted to log on. This can be somewhere in the morning for a standard 9 AM to 5 PM office, perhaps at 3 AM to 3:30 AM. Then, you need to make a change to the local security policy so that when the user's logon time expires, he isn't permitted to log on.
- Require digitally signed communications when possible, but not always. I recommend requiring the signatures when possible on both ends of a connection (the remote procedure call, or RPC) protocol refers to the requesting end as the "client" and the responding end as the "server," no matter the systems' usual roles). Unsigned transmissions should only occur when signatures aren't available, supported, or possible. (For future reference, in Windows Server 2003, the default is to require signed communications for all transmissions.) To require digitally signed communication when possible, enable the Digitally Sign Client Communication (When Possible) and Digitally Sign Server Communication (When Possible) options in Local Computer Policy.
- Require the user to press Ctrl-Alt-Del before logging on, a key sequence recognized only by the Windows operating system. The logon screen is one of the most trusted aspects of a computer to a normal user. She trusts it enough that she gives her password and username, and then the computer trusts her, too, if all of that is correct and verified. A cracker can take advantage of this mutual trust by writing a program that runs as a system service -- that is, it doesn't need user privileges. The program will mimic the logon box, grab the user's input, and do something with it. "It" could be e-mailing the password to the cracker, saving the credentials to a backdoor program data file, or any number of other nefarious things. However, pressing Ctrl-Alt-Del brings Windows itself to attention, and you get the authentic Windows logon instead of a shell of one that a cracker creates. This is an easy step that makes your system much more secure. To require this keystroke, disable the Disable Ctrl-Alt-Del Requirement for Logon option in Local Computer Policy.
About the author: Jonathan Hassell is author of Hardening Windows (Apress LP) and is a SearchWindowsSecurity.com site expert. Hassell is a systems administrator and IT consultant residing in Raleigh, N.C., who has extensive experience in networking technologies and Internet connectivity. He runs his own Web-hosting business, Enable Hosting. His previous book, RADIUS (O'Reilly & Associates), is a guide to implementing the RADIUS authentication protocol and overall network security. | <urn:uuid:210f76e5-28be-4d0c-ab9b-952d5747feec> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://searchwindowsserver.techtarget.com/tip/Lock-Windows-2000-Server-down-in-nine-different-ways | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280587.1/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00557-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.919706 | 1,389 | 1.625 | 2 |
The Real Wealth of our Nation is Its People
Over half a million people lost their jobs last month. There's no question we need a job-creation plan. The real question is what kind of plan will most quickly stimulate the economy and at the same time provide the best long-term investment for our nation.
Let's urge President Obama and Congress to use the American Recovery and Reinvestment Job-Creation Plan to massively invest in our human infrastructure: that is, in human capacity development. Investment in our material infrastructure (bridges, roads, etc.) and our natural infrastructure (green jobs, etc.) is certainly important. But study after study shows that when our nation invests in its people, starting in childhood, the economic benefits are enormous.
By creating, subsidizing, and providing training for jobs in childcare, early education, healthcare, eldercare, and other "caring industries," as well as supporting caring work in homes, we quickly stimulate the economy, help families, radically reduce poverty and violence, reward women's economic contributions, save billions in crime and prisons -- and develop the "high quality human capital" needed for our post-industrial economy.
Our economic crisis is an opportunity to lay foundations for a sustainable and equitable economic system instead of just trying to patch up an economy based on unsustainable consumerism, unsustainable consumer debt, and unsustainable environmental practices. The current economic meltdown is not due simply to the globalization of unregulated capitalism. The problem goes much deeper -- and so must the solutions.
The financial return on investment in caring jobs and home activities is huge -- and not accounted for in popular economic models circulating in Washington which, as shown by our economic crisis, encourage disastrous short-term market speculation. We need a new economics that really works -- both in the short and long term.
* America and the world are in the midst of a sea change as we shift from the industrial to the knowledge/information era. Many of the jobs being lost in manufacturing and other fields will be gone for good as we move toward more automation and robotics. Our most effective investment is in human capital development, starting in childhood and continuing all through life.
* A job-creation program component that focuses on the work of caring and caregiving will stimulate economic recovery and develop high capacity human capital capable of pioneering new frontiers of innovation across the board in every sector of society: culturally, socially, technologically, and environmentally.
*Neuroscience shows that the quality of childcare directly affects the development of human capacities and potentials; caregiving produces what economists call "public goods" and should be economically valued as civic work.
* The hi-tech green jobs and infrastructure construction jobs proposed by the job-creation program as currently formulated are still largely "men's work." Yet the time has passed when male "heads of family" were the sole breadwinners. The majority of families are two wage-earner families or woman-headed families. An effective economic stimulus program also provides jobs, training, and subsidies where the female labor force is concentrated: childcare, education, healthcare, eldercare. Studies show that women buy 80% of household goods: the food, clothing, and other essentials that keep the core economy going.
* Support of "caring work" will radically reduce poverty and violence, and their enormous economic, social, and personal costs. In the U.S., as in most nations, the poor are disproportionately women and children.
* As the Baby Boomers age, demand for eldercare is rapidly exceeding services available. The job-creation program must address this urgent need by supporting good eldercare in both the market and household economies.
* Millions of Americans are going uncared and undercared for. We have a huge caring gap from cradle to grave. A more broadly defined job-creation program will help close this gap at the same time that it stimulates the economy and trains both women and men for the work that is most urgently needed for a healthy economy and society.
* Creating a new cabinet post or advisory council for high capacity human development will facilitate the reordering of social priorities and the implementation of a new economic agenda appropriate for the post-industrial era -- and a more equitable and sustainable future.
The economic stimulus plan should be a bridge to the kind of economy and society we want and need: one where caring for humans and the planet is the primary economic driver. Good care and education for children is an essential investment in our nation's future work force, and hence our future quality of life. Investing in human infrastructure will not only rapidly stimulate our economy; it will lay foundations for a new economic era where our most precious resources -- people and the natural environment -- are nurtured, sustained, and thrive for generations to come.
A proposal for a Full Spectrum Job-Creation plan is posted at www.rianeeisler.com.
A Peaceful Revolution is a blog about innovative ideas to strengthen America's families through public policies, business practices, and cultural change. Done in collaboration with MomsRising.org, read a new post here each week. | <urn:uuid:ca451b4b-5e1a-4ec1-896f-52350f4fe0a5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ipeaceful-revolutioni-inv_b_163677 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573193.35/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818094131-20220818124131-00474.warc.gz | en | 0.939104 | 1,038 | 1.960938 | 2 |
Tuesday, 6 August 2013
Vanessa Okken and her colleagues allocated their 86 participants (average age 22; 38 men) to speak to a female Masters student in one of four situations - at a small desk (80cm interpersonal distance) in a small (16 square meters) or larger room (19.8 square meters); or at a large desk (160cm interpersonal distance) in the same small or larger room.
The participants were videoed answering questions posed by the young woman about substance use, sexuality and emotions. She was unaware of the purpose of the study. The video camera was arranged in such a way that the coders who later assessed the participants' answers were unaware of the setting.
Afterwards the participants said they'd felt more at ease and less inhibited in the larger room and this appeared to be because they felt it was more spacious. Further analysis showed that room size only led to feelings of greater openness when participants were sat at a large desk. It's possible the intimacy of a small desk overpowers the liberating effect of a larger room.
Participants also behaved differently in the various physical situations. In the larger room, they leant forward more and had a more open posture. They leant on the larger desk more than they did on the small desk. In the larger room, they also made more eye contact at a large desk compared with a small desk.
For the crucial test of how much the participants revealed in their answers, the results varied according to the interview topics. Sometimes the room size made a difference, sometimes the desk. For instance, participants used more words talking about substance use in the larger room. Talking about sexuality, participants used more words, talked for longer, and referred to themselves more often at a larger desk. Regarding discussion of emotions, including loneliness, participants' answers were more intimate in a larger room and this appeared to be because they felt the room was more spacious.
Okken's team said their findings have practical implications. "The differences in effects per topic call for adopting a flexible environment (i.e. extendible desks) that can be easily altered to fit the needs of a large variation in conversations," they said. "To influence room size, room dividers may be used, when resorting to another (smaller or larger) room is not an option. Furthermore, room layout and positioning of other furniture pieces can influence the amount of space available and in turn possibly influence self-disclosing behaviour."
These are intriguing results but one problem is the lack of any assessment of the interviewer's behaviour. Although she was blind to the purpose of the study, it's possible that room and desk changes affected her interview style and that it was this that explained at least some of the results. As the researchers acknowledged, it was also disappointing that the participants' greater feelings of openness were associated with so few actual differences in disclosure - most measures such as time spent talking led to null results.
V Okken, T van Rompay, & A Pruyn (2013). Room to move: On spatial constraints and self-disclosure during intimate conversations. Environment and Behaviour DOI: 10.1177/0013916512444780
How to make the ceiling of your room seem higher.
Why you should fill your rooms with rounded, curvy furniture.
The perfect workspace according to science.
Post written by Christian Jarrett (@psych_writer) for the BPS Research Digest. | <urn:uuid:33b714d6-db51-4e76-afff-a9194e90cd19> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://bps-research-digest.blogspot.com/2013/08/how-room-and-desk-size-affect-peoples.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988721027.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183841-00549-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965715 | 701 | 2.3125 | 2 |
Standard & Poor's lowered its long-term sovereign credit rating for Belgium on Friday, citing the country's lack of a permanent government and a looming European recession that threatens the country's exports.
In a sign that financial contagion is spreading across Europe, the agency cut Belgium's credit rating from AA+ to AA, a moved that sent shocked politicians immediately back into new negotiations Friday night.
Belgium has been without a permanent government for 530 days, as a series of negotiators has struggled without success to bridge the country's divide between its French-speakers and its Dutch-speakers.
"In our opinion, protracted political uncertainty remains a risk to its creditworthiness," the ratings agency said.
Caretaker Prime Minister Yves Leterme said Friday "we really need strong signals now" from the six political parties trying to resolve the 2012 budget. He said the six parties needed a deal "tonight, the coming days _ but preferably before we hit the market again" on Monday.
After negotiators reached a constitutional deal two month ago giving regions more autonomy, talks are now stuck over how to contain Belgium's high debt and deficit.
In a statement, Standard & Poor's said Leterme's caretaker government "lacks a mandate to implement deeper fiscal and structural reforms."
The country's yields on long-term bonds are closing in on 6 percent _ getting closer to the 7 percent financial danger zone that has pushed other European nations into international bailouts.
The negotiators need to find euro11 billion ($14.8 billion) more in austerity measures.
Leterme aims to get the budget deficit down to 2.8 percent of GDP in 2012, but the European Union is far from convinced, forecasting a wider shortfall of 4.6 percent for the country. It is also forecasting that Belgium's debt-to-GDP ratio will break through the 100 percent barrier in 2013 without big budget reforms.
The record-long negotiations since the June 13, 2010 election have been hobbled by fundamental differences over Belgium's future. Some pundits have predicted the split of the kingdom of 6.5 million Dutch-speakers in Flanders and 4.5 million French-speakers in Wallonia. | <urn:uuid:fc2731b5-689a-48dd-aa82-97f084431d82> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://townhall.com/news/business/2011/11/25/sps_lowers_sovereign_credit_rating_on_belgium/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281450.93/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00180-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946758 | 450 | 1.765625 | 2 |
A Credit Card for People on Social Security Disability
A lot of people are using credit cards nowadays. Ones find credit cards necessary to build credit history. The others cannot imagine their lives without credit cards. Many things like renting a car, booking a hotel room and even every day purchases are thought next to impossible without a valid credit card.
But what to do when your income is limited to Social Security disability payments? Can you get a real credit card, not a prepaid card?
While some credit card companies and banks can be reluctant, the others may issue you a credit card. It may be very difficult to qualify for a credit card though.
You will need to show your income and expenses. All sources of income will count. And your rent or mortgage expenses along with other debt will be considered as well. These things do matter to creditors. They want to insure you will be able to repay timely.
Fortunately, there are some ways to get a credit card you need.
Start with the bank where you already have your checking or savings account. Ask for an application for its credit card. Often it is easier to qualify for a credit card if you have existing relationship with a bank.
If your rent/mortgage payment does not exceed one-third of your income, you may get approved for a general unsecured credit card.
Consider a secured credit card if you do not qualify for a general credit card. You will be required to deposit money into a bank account to secure your credit card. This deposit will be used as collateral against your credit line. The creditors usually refund the security deposit if you close your account and pay your balance in full.
When you get a credit card, you should use your credit card responsibly. Try not to charge on your card more than 30% of your available credit limit. If you pay off the balance on your credit card every month, you can avoid paying interest. | <urn:uuid:5e172787-773a-45c9-919c-3d364f2a4f56> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.bestcreditoffers.com/news/bad-credit-cards/a-credit-card-for-people-on-social-security-disability-957.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281424.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00339-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961689 | 389 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Many schools have first-day exclusion rules, which means that children who aren’t caught up with their immunizations may not be allowed to attend when school begins.
Columbus, Ohio (PRWEB) August 04, 2015
Buckeye Health Plan is reminding parents to ensure schoolchildren have up-to-date immunizations, especially those entering kindergarten. All required immunizations are covered for members under the Healthchek program .
“Many schools have first-day exclusion rules, which means that children who aren’t caught up with their immunizations may not be allowed to attend when school begins in August,” said Dr. Brad Lucas, Chief Medical Officer, Medical Affairs, Buckeye Health Plan. “Parents should call their children’s doctor now to ensure they have the vaccinations they need to attend school.”
Ohio has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country for measles, mumps and rubella, with 86 percent of 19 to 35-month-old children vaccinated against the deadly diseases . Top states have rates of 96 percent or above. Last year, there were outbreaks of both measles and mumps in the central Ohio area.
“When immunization rates decline, an outbreak can occur,” continued Lucas. “These recent outbreaks in central Ohio underscore the need for parents and caregivers to pay attention to the recommended guidelines and get young children vaccinated against these life-threatening diseases for the safety of not only their child but other children in the public school setting and for the general public’s safety, as well.”
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children get two doses of the MMR vaccine, the first at 12 months to 15 months of age and the second between 4 and 6 years of age. A complete schedule of required immunizations is available here. A change this year is that the meningitis vaccination, which was previously recommended, is now required for all students entering 6th and 12th grades. Because of the sudden onset of symptoms and even death within 24 hours in some cases of meningitis, the immunization is now required.
Healthchek is Ohio Medicaid’s name for the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) program and includes well visits and immunizations, as well as vision, dental and hearing screenings. Members who participate may be eligible to receive benefits paid directly to their CentAccount cards. For more information, visit http://www.buckeyehealthplan.com/for-members/members/rewards-program/.
About Buckeye Health Plan
Buckeye Health Plan is a managed care plan that has been providing services in Ohio since 2004. Buckeye is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a leading multi-line healthcare enterprise offering both core Medicaid and specialty services. Information regarding Buckeye Health Plan is available via the Internet at http://www.buckeyehealthplan.com. Buckeye can be followed on Twitter as Buckeye_Health. | <urn:uuid:9beee85a-2edc-416d-b0a5-966475eb3ac8> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.prweb.com/releases/2015/08/prweb12885519.htm | 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 | 0.95815 | 620 | 2.375 | 2 |
Judicial Branch reform under way
Navajo Nation Supreme Court
April 25, 2013
The first thing that is being addressed by the branch is the way Title 7 is written. Because it was modeled on the laws of other jurisdictions, it does not contain statements of mission and philosophy that are specific to our Navajo Nation.
It also contains lengthy procedural provisions that are more suitable to be addressed separately in court rules. Based on our own work sessions, Title 7 will need significant re-drafting in all its sections to keep pace with the last 30 years of developments.
Secondly, because of the checks and balance protections written into Title 7, it is now part of our organic laws. There are certain statutes in the Navajo Nation Code that establish the structure of the government and are therefore considered the core of the Navajo government.
For example, Title 1 establishes the underlying philosophy and the rights and freedoms of the people. Title 2 establishes the concept of separation of powers and checks and balances. Title 7 acknowledges the way the Navajo people resolve their disputes and establishes a court system that is free from political influence.
These are known as "organic laws" which are subject to approval by the Navajo people. There is a need to review Title 7 not only with the legislators but also with the Government Development Commission and the Navajo people.
Thirdly, there very likely will be governmental differences in the reform of any laws deemed organic.
The Navajo Nation courts, like many judiciaries, are the weakest governmental unit as a result of lack of our own funding. Courts everywhere are dependent on their legislatures for funding. Additionally, we have, over half a century, withstood political winds in which court decisions have had a hand in limiting government as our nation matures and gains a firm sense of what it will be, side by side with other jurisdictions.
Historically, there have been many attempts to control our judges. In the 1950s, there was an experiment to elect judges. In the 1970s, the Council created a separate appellate body, consisting only of Council delegates, to handle governmental disputes. Neither of those methods was successful and they no longer exist.
The lesson learned is the permanent need for a separate and impartial judiciary.
Title 7 now provides assurances of judicial independence, the right of access by the people to fair and independent remedies, the observance of Diné bi beenahaz'áanii, and the protection of the rights guaranteed by the Navajo Nation Bill of Rights.
Our courts continue in their reputation for strong leadership among tribal jurisdictions during a period in federal Indian law in which the tribal right to self-determination and self-governance has been under prolonged siege in the federal courts. The judicial branch understands its obligation to maintain our strength and independence, both internally and externally, if the Navajo Nation is to continue as a sovereign nation.
At this time, the selection and removal of judges remains in Council's control. Appointments of justices and judges are presently by the president with confirmation by the Council. Evaluations of probationary justices and judges are by the Chief Justice and Judiciary Committee (now the Law and Order Committee). Removal of justices and judges is by recommendation of an independent Judicial Conduct Commission to the president and Council for reasons of misconduct.
In order to ensure the stability of the courts, it is time for an independent commission to be made responsible for appointments and evaluations.
This may best be achieved by using a "merit selection" system through an independent commission and without an election component. Selection and evaluation through such a commission would ensure accountability, stability and independence. It would also render unnecessary the need for elective candidates to raise funds, advertise, and make campaign promises, all of which can compromise judicial independence.
Two-thirds of the United States and the District of Columbia select some or all of their judges under the merit system.
The sovereign differences of our courts from other jurisdictions should be included in any reform. Revisions to Title 7 should reflect the solutions reached over our decades of experience as to how bi-cultural processes are to be applied in our court proceedings.
The hybrid and controlled nature of proceedings need to be set forth for future generations and ensure the proper conduct of bi-cultural courts.
There are also developments in technology, including the capability of our courts to finally convene virtual hearings using state of the art HD monitors. Such equipment was acquired using federal grants due to the great distances on our rural nation. An "e-court" method of electronic filings, electronic discovery, electronic payment and Web access to basic information regarding Navajo Nation court cases is presently being developed and will need legislative authorization for implementation.
Federal law has also come round to an acknowledgement of the restorative nature of Indian justice. The recent Tribal Law and Order Act calls for "alternatives to incarceration" to be developed with tribal courts. A definition of Indian justice should finally be included within the organic portion of Title 7 as a basic responsibility of the Navajo Nation judiciary.
The Peacemaking Program is on the cusp of providing services within isolated communities themselves, while local governance certified chapters are permitted to establish a peacemaking system or administrative procedure for resolving disputes.
In addition to restorative justice, the Tribal Law and Order Act amends the Indian Civil Rights Act to allow tribal courts to sentence offenders for up to three years imprisonment, a $15,000 fine, or both for any one offense.
It also authorizes tribal courts to stack sentences for up to nine years total imprisonment. In order to utilize this enhanced sentencing authority, tribes must provide a number of defendant protections.
Discussions will explore whether there is a resolve to implement the TLOA's enhanced sentencing provisions.
Discussions must also begin on whether or not the Navajo Nation will participate in the reauthorized Violence Against Women Act, which permits "Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction" over certain non-Indian offenders for a "participating tribe."
If the Navajo Nation elects to participate, defendants are entitled to certain rights including "all other rights whose protection is necessary under the Constitution of the United States in order for Congress to recognize and affirm the inherent power of the participating tribe to exercise special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction over the defendant." | <urn:uuid:a346dcb7-5f47-4d31-8b49-358f95a1e8c4> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://navajotimes.com/opinions/2013/0413/042513notebook.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560285001.96/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095125-00302-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952186 | 1,259 | 2.078125 | 2 |
This case takes place at Hardwell University and is a great example of the problems that can arise from someone given too much power. Dr. Reginald Lear took over as the School’s president and was offered a compensation package, which ranked highly for college presidents exceeding $700,000. This fraud was much different in how it was discovered, as it was not an anonymous phone call or an auditor. The fraud was initially uncovered by a local news outlet who questioned Dr. Lear’s desire to purchase a new university airplane.
The local media expressed concern about such a large investment during a time of budget cuts, layoffs, and tuition increases. They filed an open records request for copies of flight logs to determine if the president could justify spending an estimated $4 million on the plane. This ultimately led to them questioning many of his trips, including those to Alabama where he attended a black-tie event with the president there. After this was uncovered and questionable expenditures on the credit card were found the governor and chairman of the board appointed a special committee to investigate these allegations.
After the investigation began Dr. Lear offered to reimburse the university several thousand dollars for numerous private and commercial flights, regardless of the intentions. He felt this would clear the air and reduce further questioning. This being an obvious sign of him knowing he had abused his power somehow and was now trying to make it right. Any investigator would immediately see this as a red flag as you generally would not see someone pay for extra business related flights. In the end this fraud only took about a month to uncover, as it was not hidden very well.
Travel expenses exceeded $23,000, University credit card had over $5,000 of charges, over $500,000 in unnecessary residence renovations, and two no bid contracts to friends over $300,000. After all this was uncovered by auditors by checking his flight logs and reviewing credit card charges. With these findings he was told to resign and offered a severance package of $400,000 and as part of the deal confirmed there were no other issues or else the deal would be voided. This fraud was different because initially the intent may no be obvious but looks more like a case of the president thinking he is entitled to everything he bought.
As the auditors over saw the process to make sure no university property was taken out a calendar was found that showed additional trips taken proving that Dr. Lear had lied. This calendar had highlighted trips that were personal that were not in the original calendar given to the auditors. After further questioning, it was determined that his administrative assistant to remove personal appointments from the calendar. Due to him altering a public document and lying, the contract with his severance package was considered null and void. This is where the intent to deceive was truly uncovered.
This proved that he had knowingly been taken flights and abusing his power to make personal trips. The controls that were missing here was an employee hotline, caps on travel expenses, disregard of existing policies in order to please Dr. Lear, and a chief financial officer. There was no chief financial officer to monitor financial aspects of the university and employees did not feel comfortable standing up to Dr. Lear. People were told to report directly to him making it very hard for people to turn him in because of a lack of an employee hotline.
The most obvious control missing is caps on travel expenses and all flights documented on a flight log. With the amount of money this university has it is important to put all of these controls in place to stop these things from happening again over $750,000 was fraudulently taken in many different ways. The auditors would most likely want a CFO just for the reason that there needs to be someone there to oversee what the president does. Even though technically he reports to the president it is important to allow him the opportunity to talk with the board.
They also would want an employee hotline as this fraud may have been discovered quickly from one of the many employees who witnessed this. The school itself would most likely agree with these controls however might feel that caps are a good control as they still want the president to be reimbursed for business expenses but be limited on the amount he spends at hotels, dinner, and other costs. The University did enact all of these controls and it has decreased the likelihood of a fraud of this magnitude happening again.
By having a more proactive approach and implementing some simple and complex controls they are able to ensure all employees are treated equally. When looking at this case it is easy to see that this president felt he deserved everything and clearly had too much power. Due to his success and the University willing to give him so much he felt that bending the rules a little would not be a big deal. This is not so uncommon as when someone from the outside is hired there is a desire to please that person especially when they are in such a high role.
This was a perfect example of an abuse of power, the university gave him a credit card to use and never really monitored Dr. Lear making him feel as if what he was doing was okay. It is tough to relate this to anything or anyone other that someone in much higher role than me. However recently with my new job in a new start-up company there was a problem that had similar characteristics. The manager of the store was a friendly, smart, and a great leader. His experience in the army and roles in the past made him a powerful figure and a great leader.
The owner made sure the manger was happy and gave him everything he really needed. A general accounting task for this particular company was for two people to authorize every receipt from the company credit card. The expenses would range from store decorations to employee lunches. I shared the accounting duties with one other accountant and we split time, this was a great control as it served the same role as mandatory vacations. It would be tough to commit fraud due to both of us doing the same job on different days and checking each other’s work.
One day I came in I had realized that there were three receipts filed that were just signed by the store manager. I talked to the other accountant first and reminded her that someone else must authorize these receipts. She had felt that because it was the store manager that one signature was sufficient. This is where I see the similarity with the case previously discussed. Just because someone has such a high role it does not mean they should be exempt from common rules. Whether the other accountant was afraid to confront the manager or felt that he would never commit fraud was a mystery to me.
The process was fixed and I feel that although the intention was never to abuse the company credit card the opportunity was there. I feel that it is very easy to be intimidated by a person who is above you but is important as an accountant to show that no matter what the correct controls are followed. By allowing small controls to be overlooked it shows that there is a lack of appropriate oversight in the accounting office. Every control has a purpose and no matter the position every employee should be treated equally and everyone should be subject to the same rules.
Courtney from Study Moose
Hi there, would you like to get such a paper? How about receiving a customized one? Check it out https://goo.gl/3TYhaX | <urn:uuid:7a6a0510-842e-4b40-b250-e53d00eb0c5a> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://studymoose.com/the-sky-is-the-limit-essay | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560282202.61/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095122-00551-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.990395 | 1,480 | 1.632813 | 2 |
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