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"This has nothing to do with my legislative office; it's a private matter."
It has everything to do with his office. It speaks to his character and ethical integrity and whether or not he is a man or principle and morality. This single sentence may be the most concise illustration of what is most wrong with the people we elect to serve us. It is an attitude that transcends race, gender and political affiliation.
Congratulations on the culmination of a 7 1/2 year journey.
I don't think there is any thing I'd want to do for 7 and a half years straight Monday through Sunday.
Well... maybe one thing.
GLEN, IT'S SPELLED "HARTFORD" AND WHO LIVES "THERE"
THEY'RE = THEY ARE GOING TO HARTFORD
THEIR = THEIR DAUGHTER WENT TO HARTFORD
THERE = THERE WAS SOMETHING FISHY GOING ON IN HARTFORD
LEARN IT. LIVE IT. LOVE IT.
Its one thing to compare numbers but there is no comparison when it comes to character. Sanchez has very little. Keep getting all the press Jets and the Giants will keep wining championships.
Here is a perfect example of what is wrong with the country. Instead of accepting responsibility for being a poor parent just blame someone else. This thought process is permeating all ethnic backgrounds and religions and is quickly becoming the norm rather than the exception. Too much pointing the finger at someone else and not enough hard looks in the mirror at ourselves and our own actions and behavior.
Ata girl. Keep up the great work. When is the federal government going to require licensing for parents?
As I said, if you have to slap an eight year old then you obviously don't have control of the class room regardless of how big or small they are. "What are your options?" I hope you're not an educator asking that question. You make it sound like the woman is alone on an island teaching 8 year olds on steroids. She is a special education teacher who supposedly has been trained to deal with these situations. If it was beyond her control and the child had been repeatedly hitting her over the course of several weeks then she should have involved the administrations and the child's parents. She was wrong. If it was your child you'd be all lawyer up and full of righteous indignation. And nowhere in my previous post did I say that everyone in special ed is disabled. But if you need to twist my words to try and make your point so be it. The term special needs/ed covers a broad spectrum of developmental issues an disabilities. You can find the definition on the internet at ed.govt under OSERS, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
I think people dumping on Fayne are crazy. The kid is a rock solid 4 - 6 D man and played outstanding through the playoffs. He needs to work on taking his man to the outside a little more and got caught flat footed on a few rushes but all in all, he and Greene were steady and dependable as evidenced by the coach using them in high pressure situations throughout the playoffs. (run on sentence)
I think the Devs should stand pat until the right player is out there. Semin is a head case and seems to disappear during the playoffs and the Ducks want too much for Ryan. If Shane Doan was 5 years younger I think he would be an excellent fit but this team needs to get younger, not older.
Either way I still believe in Lou and the boys. A lot of good prospects, a great head coach in place and a nice core of talent on the ice already. Just like the Giants won the Super Bowl after Tiki "retired" the Devs will win the cup next year and stun the hockey world with the fact that there is life after ZP.
LETS GO DEVILS!!!!!
If you have to slap an eight year old whether they are special needs or not it means you do not have control in the class room. If there had been several instances of the student striking the teacher then there should have been conferences with the school staff and the parents. The article does not mention if this was the case or not. If that was not the case then it sounds like the school and the teacher mishandled the situation.
Sorry to see him go and he's right, the guy gave everything he had every shift. At the end of the day it's a business and he did what he thought was best for himself and is family. Hard to lose him but life goes on. The Devs still have a lot of talent and will be an upper echelon, playoff team for years to come.
LETS GO DEVILS!!!!!
As much as I'd love to see Zach come back, I have to agree with the above sentiment that the money is just too unrealistic for him. Great captain, never quits on a play and always gives 100% but not worth 100 million at 12 years. Neither is Kovy and I don't care about the pro rated cap hit of 6.6 mil for the duration, these long term contracts have gotten completely out of control. Thanks for the great play ZP and good luck with your new team.
How can Tyler's mother look at herself in the mirror? She knows it was her lack of unconditional love that drove her son to his death. Ravi's actions were simply the last straw for a tortured soul that knew he had no one to turn to for support when he needed it most. Poor guy must have felt so alone in those last moments. | <urn:uuid:b49c4ead-9d53-4647-b393-f21b312ce113> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://connect.nj.com/user/loudaman/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980653 | 1,172 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Every job, every role, every company you go to is an opportunity to learn how a business works and how an industry works.
Learn everything you can about the business and the industry in which you find yourself.
How would I start a firm like this today?
Or, if I were starting a company in this industry today, how would it be different than this firm?
Why is this firm and other firms in this industry doing what they do?
What are the assumptions underneath their behavior?
Should those assumptions be changing?
How might this industry work differently?
Which customers are being underserved?
What new technologies might change things completely? How were things working 10 years ago, versus today, versus 10 years from now?
And, my favorite: if the creators of this industry were starting out today, what would they be doing now?
The Pmarca Guide to Career Planning, part 3: Where to go and why
Also check out :
The Pmarca Guide to Career Planning, part 1: Opportunity
The Pmarca Guide to Career Planning, part 2: Skills and education
And while we're talking about career advise, check out Scott Adam's take on it as well. | <urn:uuid:73f87c0a-750a-4f95-94a7-9ea7e29f2a1d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.webbingmyway.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963808 | 249 | 1.554688 | 2 |
I read this article on Business Week that really slammed Sony's Blu Ray for its over-reaching DRM.
Kind of interesting especially when taken in context with our earlier debate about ps3 and xbox360...
From : http://businessweek.com/technology/c...h-tech+tv+2006
BORDER PATROL. But all software-based copy-protection schemes can be broken. The only way a DRM can really work is to control all of the hardware the video data flow through, including the monitor. The problem is that at some point an unencrypted video signal is sent to a display device. It can be split off before it gets there or videotaped once it's on the screen.
The AACS (Advanced Access Content System) standard supported by both the Sony and Microsoft camps addresses this problem. The standard calls for scaling down HD content to a low resolution if the player isn't hooked up to an HDCP-compliant connection. HDCP (High Bandwidth Digital Content Protection) is a DRM system invented by Intel (INTC) that attempts to control video and audio as it flows out of a player and onto a display. In other words, if the player is connected to a monitor without the right cables, the quality of the image will be deliberately degraded.
Blu-ray, however, goes beyond the AACS, incorporating two other protection mechanisms: The ROM Mark is a cryptographic element overlaid on a "legitimate" disk. If the player doesn't detect the mark, then it won't play the disc. This will supposedly deal with video-camera-in-the-theatre copies.
STRANGLEHOLD ON CONTENT. Even more extreme is a scheme called BD+ that deals with the problem of what to do when someone cracks the encryption scheme. The players can automatically download new crypto if the old one is broken. But there's an ominous feature buried in this so-called protection mechanism: If a particular brand of player is cryptographically "compromised," the studio can remotely disable all of the affected players. In other words, if some hacker halfway across the globe cracks Sony's software, Sony can shut down my DVD player across the Net.
The Blu-ray's DRM scheme is simply anti-consumer. The standard reflects what the studios really want, which is no copying of their material at all, for any reason. They're clearly willing to take active and unpleasant measures to enforce this. Last year's Sony/BMG rootkit fiasco comes to mind (see BW Online, 11/29/05, "Sony BMG's Costly Silence"). The possibility that they would disable thousands of DVD players, not because they're hacked but just because they might be vulnerable, would have been unthinkable a few years ago; it's clearly an option today. | <urn:uuid:f43a7061-2e8d-4ad3-998c-f85d6dc651e7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://skimonline.com/forum/showthread.php?534-Blu-Ray-DRM&p=9234&viewfull=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936676 | 575 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Premier musical chairs
RUSSIAN President Dmitri Medvedev's nomination of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as Russia's pretender to the throne and Putin's promise to keep his friend as premier was hardly a surprise. All along, it was clear, except to a few starry-eyed liberals, that the buck stopped not with Medvedev but Putin. The liberals were given their chance by Russia's ex-KGB autocrat and failed spectacularly.
Medvedev's claims to fame have been cosmetic or at best fiddling, starting with the faulty restart button with US President Barack Obama, proceeding through a series of giveaways, allowing US troop and materiel to transit Russia to Afghanistan, leaving in place various US bases in Russia's "near abroad", acceding to the US missile defence shield on its borders, and ending with Medvedev's abstention on UN Resolution 1973 allowing the recolonisation of Libya. All his talk about domestic reforms and a new European face for Russia proved to be hot air apart from privatisation, which handed yet more productive forces into the hands of the robber barons. His boyish face concealed a schoolboy naivete. The defining moment during Medvedev's presidency was the Georgian invasion of Ossetia, and it was Putin's steel fist that showed through as he took control of the situation.
Russians have continued to pack their bags for better pastures. Along came the Arab Spring and United Russia suddenly was exposed as a hollow shell, a party of "thieves and swindlers". Putin risked losing his legacy, as the surge of pride and resolve to build a new Russia were frittered away by the Westernisers, and eclipsed by the dynamism of its BRIC colleagues and now the Arabs.
But is a revival of the glory days of Putin's presidency possible? The prospects for a new Putin presidency are being met with unease in Russian society. Protests on dozens of burning issues, from ecology to traffic, education to health continue despite heavy-handed police tactics, and terrorist bombings and assassination continue to take their toll. Some commentators fear that the ground may be paved for the sorts of protests that toppled the equally autocratic De Gaulle in 1968. The Communists are regaining their respect, as the solutions to Russia's pressing domestic problems and to its foreign challenges require a genuine spirit of unity. Putin hinted as much with his "United People's Front" and his talk at the recent United Russia conference about progressive taxation and increased social spending, stealing a page from the Communists' manual.
That Medvedev is a poor prospect even for PM was confirmed when Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said he would not work in a Cabinet led by Medvedev and was promptly fired by the president in a fit of peak. It is unlikely that Medvedev will last long in the grinding and thankless job of PM come March 2012. | <urn:uuid:03fbf93f-b6c0-46f5-98ff-b6795b893541> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2011/1066/in4.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975893 | 590 | 1.765625 | 2 |
About half of all Arizona mortgages are under water, meaning owners owe more than the property is worth. This proposal was aimed at helping those who continue to make payments rather than simply walk away. It is a bit complex, involving the state using its power of eminent domain to acquire the property, paying the bank the current market value with money from investors who buy state bonds, and giving the lender a no-interest promissory note for the balance. That buys the homeowner some time for the market to recover.
Attorney General Tom Horne explains how Arizonans will benefit from the state's $1.6 billion share of a nationwide settlement of mortgage fraud charges against five major banks. With him is Carolyn Matthews who represented Arizona in the negotiations.
Arizonans will divide up about $1.6 billion as the state's share of a nationwide mortgage fraud settlement with five major lenders.
The $26 billion national settlement absolves the five claims that banks acted improperly and illegally in dealing with homeowners who sought mortgage relief. The biggest chunk for Arizona -- about $1.3 billion -- will go to directly helping those who are underwater on their mortgages, owing more than the property is worth. | <urn:uuid:523b269f-7e8a-4103-a47c-dd7d2e19ffdf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.knau.org/term/mortgage | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964344 | 240 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Allen West’s Weekly Wrap Up: 7-4-11
Published By: All Right Magazine on July 6, 2011
During this time period I have done some extensive traveling. I returned from a 72-hour visit to Doha Qatar (Combined Air Operations Center) and Afghanistan this past Tuesday evening, 26 June. I can humbly state that in my first six months of being in Congress, I have spent more time in Afghanistan than our Commander-In-Chief in his first three years.
We released our Afghanistan summary report which you can link to by clicking here. Feel free to review and share with others. Ours was the first CODEL (Congressional Delegation) visit after the President’s speech on Afghanistan troop reductions.
As I sit here typing this missive, I am pondering the 235th birthday of the longest running Constitutional Republic the world has ever known; the United States of America. I went back and re-read the Declaration of Independence, which was written 235 years ago by a young Thomas Jefferson. What many perhaps do not realize, is that the Declaration of Independence not only set forth a new ideal for government and challenged the status quo of aristocratic and sometimes autocratic monarchies, it contained a list of grievances justifying why, “in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another… that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation.”
Here are examples of some of these grievances from the Declaration of Independence:
“He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing Importance, unless suspended in their Operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.”
“He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither Swarms of Officers to harass our People and eat out their Substance.”
“For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments.”
“For imposing Taxes upon us without our Consent.”
Now, I just started to consider, what if Thomas Jefferson were sitting with me right now this weekend and assessed what our Constitutional Republic has become under this Obama administration. What would he outline as the potential “grievances” as he did 235 years ago?
Since Mr. Jefferson cannot use Microsoft Word, he dictated these grievances to me:
He has enacted a fiscal disaster called the stimulus package of some $900B which increased the national debt and did not keep unemployment in America under 8%. It resulted in a reported unemployment topping at 9.8%. For the black community, which supported him by overwhelming numbers, an unemployment rate between 14-16%.
He has proposed raising taxes during a weak economic recovery which would adversely affect long term sustainable growth. He has proceeded to seek increase of capital gains, dividends, and estate taxes. He has not considered reducing the corporate/business tax rate of 35% in order to incentivize private sector growth. He has promoted a widening chasm and divisiveness in America due to his incessant class warfare rhetoric.
He has nationalized several aspects of free market production in the automotive, financial, and healthcare industries in violation of the principles of capitalism and free enterprise.
He has signed into law a healthcare vision which creates 11 new taxes (one of these taxes to be a tanning tax), 16,000 new IRS agents, $500B in cuts to the MEDICARE program, 159 new government agencies and bureaucracies (to include a 15 member panel of bureaucrats which shall regulate the expenditures of MEDICARE), mandated individual American citizens to purchase a private sector commodity (which is not supported by the Commerce Clause), and has provided nearly 1400 exemptions to political cronies from adhering to the law he signed.
He has increased the federal debt by some $5T since taking office and due to historic levels of excessive spending, created record deficits of $1.42T, $1.29T, and $1.65T in just three years. He has seen 41 cents of every dollar being borrowed and 47% of the federal debt owned by foreign nations.
His proposed FY 2012 budget was voted down in the Unites States Senate, 0-97.
He has expanded a “dependency” class in America reflected in a 41% increase in food stamp recipients.
He has failed to produce a full spectrum energy independence resource development program while seeing average gas prices during his tenure go from $1.89 to a high water mark of approximately $3.81. He has inappropriately commanded the release of strategic oil reserves and provided the country of Brazil $2B for its offshore oil exploration.
He has created a shadow government of some 35+ individuals termed “Czars” who are not confirmed by the United States Senate and respond only to him, yet have overarching regulatory powers- a clear violation of our separation of powers concept.
He has increased the regulatory burden on American business through bypassing the legislative process with his executive branch agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration.
He has supported an inept and incompetent Attorney General who has failed to prosecute voter intimidation cases (New Black Panther party), initiated a dangerous gun-smuggling program (Operation Fast and Furious) – which resulted in deaths to our own law enforcement agents, and refused to uphold a law, DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act).
He has failed to take the steps necessary to secure our borders and stem the flow of illegal immigration, termed as “repel invasions” in our United States Constitution in Article 1, Section 8 and Article 4, Section 4; and brought a federal lawsuit against a sovereign state seeking to protect its citizens from this threat.
He has violated the War Powers Act of 1973 and sought to redefine the term “hostilities” to suit his liking.
He has telegraphed troop reductions to our enemies- against the consult of his experienced Field Commanders, while embracing negotiations with our enemy, the Taliban, and recognizing another, the Muslim Brotherhood.
He has placed the security of our most trusted ally in the Middle East, Israel, in danger while increasing funding to the Palestinian Authority (Fatah, just another Islamic terrorist group) whilst they have enjoined a reconciliation pact with long- standing terrorist group, Hamas.
In conclusion, Thomas Jefferson simply stated that, in his humble assessment, the unalienable rights endowed to us by our Creator; life, liberty, and the pursuit (not guarantee) of happiness- are being threatened. He offered his analysis that this current government, the Obama administration, as instituted by the American people, has abridged the consent of the governed and that whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it.
So the 235th anniversary celebration of American Independence message to President Barack Hussein Obama, and his liberal progressive cronies, is simple: “You must go!”
Legislative Update: The House was not in session, therefore, no legislative update.
Highlights of the Week: Besides visiting with our men and women in Afghanistan, I attended the First Baptist Church of Ft. Lauderdale 4th of July celebration services. I was reunited with my former driver in Iraq, SGT Robert Delgado and we discussed the meaning of sacrifice. I participated in several Independence Day celebrations in South Florida, but most important was the “Wade-In” 50- year anniversary on Ft. Lauderdale Beach, reflecting on a period in our community’s history when Edna Johnson and a few others challenged the beach segregation policy. And here I am, with the honor, 50 years later, of being the Congressional Representative of Ft. Lauderdale beach. America is exceptional!
Steadfast and Loyal, | <urn:uuid:5c81cfc1-ab23-4a56-9cbf-5f9a4195140c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.allrightmagazine.com/50states/fl/allen-wests-weekly-wrap-up-7-4-11-9442/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965891 | 1,629 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Atlas de la France Gourmande became my bible last trip thanks to the recommendation of PB reader TK. I bought it at Amazon.fr and it was waiting for me on arrival.
An illustrated book for young adults, it's the perfect guide if you're traveling around France. Ten specialties for each of France's 23 regions with explanations of each item.
Plus regional recipes by chefs of Relais et Chateaux. When I went off to Nancy for the day I knew what was on the menu.
As much Mirabelles in as many forms as possible. And Bergamote too.
Eating this tarte mirabelle was a must-do.
I don't usually eat red meat but when in Nancy one must try le pate Lorrain, tourte Lorrain, plus quiche lardon.
Les dragee de Verdun is another local specialty of Lorrain, first created by pharmacists by accident. i.e. the apothacary glass jars they're displayed in. Dragee means pill by the way.
Back in Paris one forgets to be a locavore yet there are many regional specialties not to be missed. Well we all know about macaron Parisian...
But radis are native of the Ile-de-France. Who knew?
Going off to visit Tout Soul author Karen Wheeler in the Poitou-Charante, the atlas made clear what I must eat.
I tried as many local specialties as possible.
Karen swears her local butter/beurre Echire is the best in all France.
Like Brittany, another tres riche butter-salt region, the Poitou has loads of buttery shortbread galettes in all sizes. You even get mini bisquits automatically when you order coffee. There's no avoiding it and it's delicious.
The coastline L'ile de Re is famous for it's fleur de sel/salt.
Goat cheeses/chabichou du Poitou abound.
Dairy products are certainly important but I loved this milk carton with an illustrated map similar to the Atlas. Pride of place and tradition is key in France. Just follow the cues in the Atlas' maps and you can't go wrong traveling in France. 260 products to taste. Plus cheese routes, salt routes. Do your homework!
Any leftovers scraps Biff will happily gobble up no matter what region they are from. | <urn:uuid:fdcd177e-4b8f-4503-af5d-d70d1069b6aa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://parisbreakfasts.blogspot.com/2012/11/atlas-de-la-france-gourmande.html?showComment=1353434814008 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930808 | 521 | 1.609375 | 2 |
A successful student experience requires a healthy mind and body. At Iowa Wesleyan College it is our goal to ensure that students have access to the best possible health care resources to support their educational pursuits. The Office of Student Life serves as a referral source for students for health related concerns. We work closely with community health care providers to ensure students have access to the best possible medical care in our area.
All students are required to carry health insurance and to provide a copy of an insurance card to the Office of Student Life/Business Office to facilitate more prompt service in the event medical care is needed. When students have a non-emergency need to see a physician, they should contact our office for a referral. The college employs a part-time nurse, and during 3:00-5:00 Monday-Friday, students may see the nurse with questions or concerns about personal health. The nurse works with each student and if the student's needs and circumstances indicate the additional services of a physician, the student will be provided a referral to do so.
After hours and emergency care is available through the Emergency Department at Henry County Health Center, at all times. Students should be aware that visits to the emergency department are not covered by the college contract and therefore such costs are the responsibility of the student.
International students are required to have medical insurance and provide documentation of valid insurance coverage prior to enrolling. Students planning to study at Iowa Wesleyan College may wish to obtain insurance before leaving their home country. For ease of service, students may want to explore insurance plans based in the United States. The following links provide information about a few such policies. The college does not make any recommendation on which program or policy is right for a particular student's situation. We encourage students to discuss their needs and circumstances with family and make the decision that is best for their needs.
- US NetCare may be found on line at www.usnetcare.com
Betins various programs may be found on line at www.betins.com/index.cfm?page=products_scholastic
All athletes are provided a policy under the Athletic Accident Insurance Plan. The nature of this policy is considered "catastrophic" and is intended to begin coverage once expenses exceed $25,000. For this reason, and because participation in intercollegiate athletics does carry a certain level of risk, students are strongly urged to discuss with their families their particular health needs and circumstances.
While the Office of Student Life does not provide excuses for students absent from classes due to illness, we do assist students in communicating with their instructors and advisors about absences due to health related reasons. Students are encouraged to communicate directly with their instructors when possible, as well as informing our office of absence due to illness, doctor appointments, or family emergencies. All excused absences are solely at the discretion of the individual faculty members. | <urn:uuid:19da729a-b4de-4e69-b31c-a89732ba028f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.iwc.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&layout=content&id=223&Itemid=467 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963541 | 586 | 1.570313 | 2 |
"If you want to do something that disobeys Chinese law and regulations, you are unfriendly, you are irresponsible and you will have to pay the consequences," said Li Yizhong about Google, "Whether they leave or not is up to them. But if they leave, China's Internet market is still going to develop."
We here in the west cry foul over China's internet censoring and monitoring practices, but fact of the matter is that several western countries, like Australia and New Zealand, have already set up their own internet filters. In addition, initiatives like ACTA show that there is a strong push by content providers and some governments alike that would lead to massive monitoring of all internet activity in search for copyright infringement.
All these concessions we in the west are making to privacy and individual freedom means that it becomes ever harder for us to judge China harshly while keeping a straight face. People who support internet filters and monitoring should have no qualms about China's censorship, since it all amounts to the same thing: governments trying to restrict access to what they deem inappropriate content.
China looks at all this from a stability angle. "If there is information that harms stability or the people, of course we will have to block it," Li Yizhong said. It's easy to slightly amend that sentence so that it becomes fitting here in the west: "If there is information that harms profitability or the corporations, of course we will have to block it."
No, China is no longer unique when it comes to internet filters. They are being setup in our very own so-called free democracies as well. See, China can do more than copying - they can be innovative too. | <urn:uuid:4807b525-1d09-4a16-9db5-f5fb3c5031bb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.osnews.com/story/23001/China_Insists_Google_Must_Obey_the_Law_or_Face_Consequences/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971838 | 345 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Last week, at both FSOSS and the Teaching Open Source Summit, I heard a word that jarred me slightly, because I had dropped it from my professional vocabulary a number of years ago: "Kids".
I stopped using the word "kids" to refer to students for several reasons -- including the fact that I had a student twenty years my senior, and another who was a fully accredited Civil Engineer in his home country -- but the main reason that I dropped it was that it is simply incompatible with the way open source communities work. In open source, roles are defined by contribution, not age or formal training. Some of the youngest members of the community are the most active, and make crucial and valuable contributions.
If we're teaching inside open source communities, then it's important that we value students as full members of those communities -- and I think that the term "kids" is dismissive of their abilities.
I am almost agree with you; young people aren't m0rons because they are young!!! Also, people must think about this point: everyone was young, once!!! Maybe the main problem is that a lot of old people forgot it!!!! I think discrimination are bad. And these based upon one's age or sex or sexual orientation are the most horrible. As they are inborn particularities on which you've no control (nobody has control over them).
Anyway, i find the word "kid" funny, it sounds nice!!! So i don't feel hurt because it's just a 'familiar' english word!!! it isn't offensive, but honey!!!
You've also to think that some adults are jealous of kids... Mostly because they are adults frustrated and unsatisfied of their lifes..and they know high school and college "kids" have their whole future to write!! Something adults can't do anymore, because they can't go back to the past and start over again.
Young generations deserve more respect and help than what the average of the people is giving them. This rotten World is difficult for everyone, and it will be more difficult for today's kids... as they'll be forced to solve all the errors and troubles caused by today's adults!!!!!!!
Monopolies, patents, DMCA, copyrights, evil multinational companies and open source software are the subjects (about computer science) on the first line that KIDS will inherit and then they'll win back!
Thanks for the reminder and the call-out, Chris. I know I often slip and use the words "kids" still, though I try to be aware of it and say "students" (or something else) instead.
I personally didn't mind being called a kid (I still get called one sometimes, and I still don't mind it), but regardless of how I feel about having the term applied to me, I shouldn't use it to refer to other students.
Let me clarify last facetweet+: I'm specifically wondering about the 25/10 DSL service. I know Teksavvy is awesome :-)2 weeks ago
18th birthday for youngest daughter yesterday. Proud of you, Laura!2 weeks ago
Anyone have comments on TekSavvy (via Bell) DSL 25Mbps down/10Mbps up service?2 weeks ago
These are my first two books: X Power Tools, a thorough guide to the X Window System (O'Reilly, ISBN 9780596101954) and Fedora Linux: A Complete Guide to Red Hat's Community Distro, a practical hands-on book on Fedora (O'Reilly, ISBN 9780596526825).
Fedora Linux is also available for online reading through Safari and in downloadable PDF format from oreilly.com | <urn:uuid:07589b84-a098-479c-9f4e-9adfe9c7e3ce> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.chris.tylers.info/index.php?url=archives/216-Kids-vs.-Students.html&serendipity[cview]=linear | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966083 | 750 | 1.757813 | 2 |
When thinking about Spanish supercars, GTA Spano is no doubt the first coming to our minds. But today, Spanish engineering firm, Applus+Idiada, has revealed the first teaser images of a new electric supercar called the Volar-E. The EV was developed in cooperation with Croatian company, Rimac, the same company that developed the amazing Concept one.
According to first details offered on the concept, the new Volar-E prototype was created in a record time of about three months. The model was built on a tubular chrome-molybdenum chassis and features lightweight carbon-fiber bodywork. The Volar-E is powered by a combination of four in-wheel electric motors that deliver a more than 800 kW (1,072 horsepower) and a peak torque of 1,106 pound-feet. These four engines take their power from a 10-module Rimac battery system with a total of 640 volts and 38kWh of energy. Surprisingly, the battery pack takes only 15 to 20 minutes to fully charge. This battery is combined with a regenerative braking system that will generate even more power.
The new Volar-E will make its world debut at the Circuit de Catalunya on the 28th of February, 2013.
Updated 02/28/2013: The new Applus+Idiada Volar-E made its debut today at the Circuit de Catalunya during the F1 Test Days and this was the perfect opportunity for the company to reveal a video of the new electric supercar on the test track. | <urn:uuid:d94f69a1-0916-47ba-a6bd-970c810a567a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.topspeed.com/cars/applus-idiada/ke4620.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94674 | 322 | 1.5625 | 2 |
If you spend time visiting the little town of Beaufort, no doubt you’ll be confronted with the locals’ stories about ghosts and pirates, especially Blackbeard. The notorious captain (as well as other pirates) has certainly left his mark on this quiet seaside village, murdering many villagers, lovers, and crewmates who later came back to haunt the living. One particularly interesting, lust-filled story takes place around Hammock House, a large mansion at the top of a hill…
There is a famous story of a man who dresses in a rain slicker, and walks the beach prior to hurricanes, carrying a lantern. Those who see him are safe and so are their homes. Without fail, the man warns lonely beachcombers of the incoming storm, even prior to any TV broadcast. The man has supposedly walked the beach since being thrown from his horse to his death many years ago.
The original part of this high school is said to be haunted by the ghost of George Pair, the school's first principal. It is said that Mr. Pair frequently appears in the hall wearing a dark suit with a red tie. His wife who still teaches at the school says that George has told her he just wishes to protect the students. He closes the doors of teachers that work late. He follows students and teachers to their cars after late night activities. It is said that one may hear Mr. Pair's footsteps
On US 76, it is said that an old, ghostly hitchhiker appears at the entrance of the bridge-usually on rainy or foggy nights. The lady, who appears to be in distress, is usually offered help by most. The apparition, who is said to be extremely lifelike, gets into the back seat and tells the driver she is en route to Columbia to visit her mother. Giving them an address on Pickens Street, she continues to converse with the driver before becoming silent. By that time, the car is across the river,
Dr. Ladd traveled from Rhode Island to seek his fortune in South Carolina many years ago. While taking up residence in this house, he got in an argument with another man, so they decided to settle the disagreement with a duel. The next morning, Dr. Ladd had decided that a duel was not the solution, so he fired his gun into the air. The other man, who was still quite angry from the previous day, shot Dr. Ladd's kneecaps out. After three weeks of agony, he died of gangrene. He is often reported
In a place known for Southern hospitality, it’s no wonder that some residents would want to linger. But the residents of some Charleston, South Carolina haunts seem unwilling to ever let go... Even after death. | <urn:uuid:86f3bdbb-bb48-4a39-b97d-1bc6da55a7e8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.realhaunts.com/haunted-houses/united-states/south-carolina/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982983 | 564 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Scientists at the Kewalo Marine Laboratory can once again start applying for research grants, something they ordered not to do since the plan was to shut the lab down July 2013.
Only in the last few weeks, has it become clear that the stay of execution has been lifted.
"I am committed to keeping the Kewalo lab open. It provides real opportunity not just for research, but for education and community outreach," said University of Hawaii Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple.
The fight to save the money generating program did not come with some losses, without an earlier commitment, PBRC is losing two key people to the University of Florida, Professor Elaine Seaver, and Mark Martindale who accepted a new job heading as director of the Miami lab.
"If we closed the lab, we would be below Georgia and tied with lllinois, which has a lake. How in the world do you look at an ocean state in an ocean century, when we know, our resources are more valuable than ever before," said interim Kewalo Lab Director Bob Richmond.
That argument, which fell on deaf ears earlier under former Vice-Chancellor Gary Ostrander, now has the new chancellor’s attention.
"We are tremendously growing our research and that could be a valuable part of that," said Apple.
UH has a 20-year- lease remaining on the prime ocean point at Kewalo, not to mention a salt water intake pipe worth an estimated $3 million that is key to the coral marine research underway.
Researchers have started a self-evaluation process, and in the spring an outside team will review of the units' strengths, weakness and threats that will help seal its future and mission.
"There are so many opportunities for collaboration and being able to jump start more of the natural sciences and make this a regional place of learning," said Richmond. | <urn:uuid:f8d8f376-66c9-4331-890d-e123b6cb1c75> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kitv.com/news/hawaii/Pacific-Biosciences-Research-Center-wins-reprieve/-/8905354/17380764/-/hr1ou/-/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972367 | 384 | 1.703125 | 2 |
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LANCASTER —When local family physician Dr. Robert B. Hess passed away on July 14 this year, he left behind a trove of old and rare books on topics ranging from nature to Mennonite history to the Civil War.
On Saturday, October 13, 9:00 AM–2:00 PM, much of Dr. Hess’s prized collection will be sold in a book auction organized by Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society at the Fivepointville Fire Company, 1087 Dry Tavern Road, Denver, Pa.
The sale will include dozens of first editions and copies autographed by authors, including Mennonite and church literature and theology from Harold Bender, Guy Hershberger, C.S. Lewis, Orie Miller and John Howard Yoder. A first edition of Amos B. Hoover’s The Jonas Martin Era is one of only 650 copies printed.
A mosaic of publications on local history includes a rare 1875 atlas map of Lancaster County by Everts and Stewart and hundreds of agricultural almanacs printed in Reading and Lancaster as early as 1839. Local family and church histories are also available in good condition.
National Geographic magazines from the early 1900s will be sold in complete sets, with some runs stretching over two decades. These and other iconic twentieth-century periodicals—The Guardian, The London Illustrated News, The Saturday Evening Post—often include advertisements coveted by collectors.
Robert Buckwalter Hess (1923-2012) of Terre Hill, Pennsylvania, delivered over 14,000 babies in his career as a doctor, from 1950 to 2007. When he wasn’t practicing, Dr. Hess often had a book in his hands. The October 13 sale will include over 3,000 volumes. | <urn:uuid:d7892759-5995-45f7-bf81-1b0884d3b206> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tricountyrecord.com/article/20120918/NEWS01/120919877/size=2%20style= | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93751 | 364 | 1.804688 | 2 |
Believe it or not, blogging about this is a // TODO item since 2006.
I had lunch with Tony Blair today. (And yes, I have been waiting all afternoon to type that.)
[The Prime Minister] wanted advice on advancing the United Kingdom's position in Europe for research and development. Nearly everyone in the room referenced Stanford and Berkeley's role in making the Valley attractive - as a source of graduates, to be sure, but more as a revolving door for research, partnership, education, dialog.
So if you want to attract companies like Sun to your economy, focus on investing in education, in your students, and in your leaders. Focus on educating your policy makers as to why you're committed to education - not to build prestigious institutions, but to invest in progress, academic as well as economic. Focus on the value of broad based talent as a competitive weapon, don't be distracted by cost reducing labor.
All good and dandy; but we actually want to build the next Sun or Oracle or IBM. Calling sharks in by bleeding, like Schwartz assumes that’s what countries around the world want, may not be a good idea after all. A mere source of labor is not what we want to become.
And this made me think for a while, like, 6 years. I've connected a lot of things.
All these funds, incentives and tax exceptions provided by the Turkish government and EU, innovation centers, "technology parks" and campuses within universities; bits and pieces of good ideas that form a nurturing environment are there, but it's not working. It's not a stupid question to ask why.
We need to understand that failing is the default for start-ups, as Paul Graham stated in his article, appropriately titled "Why startup hubs work?", which I will shamelessly quote here:
The problem is not that most towns kill startups. It's that death is the default for startups, and most towns don't save them. Instead of thinking of most places as being sprayed with startupicide, it's more accurate to think of startups as all being poisoned, and a few places being sprayed with the antidote.
Startups in other places are just doing what startups naturally do: fail. The real question is, what's saving startups in places like Silicon Valley?
In most places, if you start a startup, people treat you as if you're unemployed. People in the Valley aren't automatically impressed with you just because you're starting a company, but they pay attention. Anyone who's been here any amount of time knows not to default to skepticism, no matter how inexperienced you seem or how unpromising your idea sounds at first, because they've all seen inexperienced founders with unpromising sounding ideas who a few years later were billionaires.
The antidote is people. It's not the physical infrastructure of Silicon Valley that makes it work, or the weather, or anything like that. Those helped get it started, but now that the reaction is self-sustaining what drives it is the people.
It's not working, because Turkey, a mega town indeed, is not sprayed with the antidote. We treat people as if they're unemployed when they start a startup. We pity them. We feel an urge to start a fight with their ideas and methods.
We do these bad things, because the Turkish system of education finally succeeded in creating uniform mediocrity, and anything beyond that scares us. From early years of education, kids are seldom encouraged to work together and collaborate to achieve a common goal. We're given separate tasks to carry on, and we race against each other to finish faster and earlier.
This competitive environment and the mindset that comes along with it creates a dangerous selfish personality. We don't want to help each other. In fact, we depend on everyone else to fail, so we can succeed with least effort, or at least have a feeling of justice and equality.
Very first of all, we have to substitute competition with collaboration. Doing that with a population driven by the scarcity of everything is the main challenge. We have to come and work together for anything, just to learn how to collaborate with each other.
It should be obvious that the only way we stimulate not only growth but progress in our civilization is that we have to invest in better education of generations to come, patiently. Planning better education for future alone is a very hard task, and still it's not enough. We have to begin preparing a friendly environment and shift towards a nurturing and collaborating culture; so it will be okay to try and fail, and perhaps occasionally succeed. | <urn:uuid:6d5befe8-16e9-4433-a165-07525ba7f181> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://enveraltin.com/blog/2012/Mar/30 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972563 | 934 | 1.585938 | 2 |
June 7, 2010
Tom Friedman Wants to Raise Your Taxes
There are basically two views of the American people.
In one, we’re the patriots ready to do whatever it takes for our country. If a crisis requires sacrifices, we won’t flinch when our leaders summon us to make them. We’re the people FDR asked not only to fight and die for freedom, but also to pay higher taxes on profits, “to forgo higher wages” and “spending money for things that we want… which are not absolutely essential.” We rise to the challenge and ask what we can do for our country.
In the other, we cry bloody murder when anyone tries to take anything away from us. We’re entitled to benefits, but we’re outraged by costs. We’re the mob pointing fingers at everyone but ourselves, the sheep that demagogues herd toward outrage, the puppets that political candidates spend hundreds of millions of dollars to con with outrageous attacks on their opponents and preposterous promises of their own.
For 40 years, the arena where these schizoid embodiments of our nature have battled most ferociously has been energy policy.
In the 1970s, President Carter declared that America’s “intolerable dependence on foreign oil threatens… the very security of our nation,” and that “every act of energy conservation… is an act of patriotism.” In the last year of his presidency, he advocated a course of “pain” and “discipline” including a fee on imported oil that would raise gasoline taxes 10 cents a gallon. The reaction? A hundred thousand copies of the Boston Globe hit the street the next morning containing an editorial about the speech under the headline “More Mush From the Wimp” before the prank was discovered and the title changed to “All Must Share the Burden.” Take your pick: Sacrifice is for wimps; sacrifice is for patriots.
At the start of the next century, Dick Cheney dismissed conservation as “a sign of personal virtue,” and in the days after 9/11, George Bush told America to go shopping. In the decade since then, New York Times columnist and best-selling author Tom Friedman has pounded on the failure of that administration to use 9/11 to summon Americans to sacrifice and greatness.
Bush blew a priceless opportunity to slam the brakes on America’s dependence on foreign oil and to stop financing terrorism with American petrodollars. What he should have done, says Friedman, was to slap a $1-a-gallon “Patriot Tax” on gasoline, then selling at $1.66. With Obama elected, Friedman renewed his call for a tax on gas or carbon. “Today’s financial crisis,” he said at the end of 2008, “is Obama’s 9/11.” Now the BP disaster has given Friedman a new peg for his case: “The oil spill is to the environment what the subprime mortgage mess was to the markets – both a wake-up call and an opportunity to galvanize a constituency for radical change that overcomes the powerful lobbies and vested interests that want to keep us addicted to oil.” As the Senate takes up the energy bill this week, expect more calls for a carbon tax from Friedman, as well as from his fellow Times op-ed columnists who also have signed on to that solution: David Brooks, Nicholas Kristof and Bob Herbert.
But so far, Obama hasn’t done that. In a speech last week at Carnegie Mellon University, he called for “putting a price on carbon pollution,” which has been interpreted as an endorsement of the alternative, complex-to-explain “cap-and-trade” system in the energy bill passed by the House last year. The reason he won’t step up to a carbon tax, says Friedman, is political cowardice.
Channeling Malia Obama, he wrote, “‘Daddy, why can’t you even mention the words “carbon tax”?’” The answer is Obama’s fear that Republicans will kill Democrats in the midterm elections by reminding Americans that he wants to raise their taxes. But as Friedman points out, Republicans have already turned “cap-and-trade” into “cap and tax.” Whatever Obama supports, and no matter how tepidly he supports it, and no matter how much he tries to hide behind Congress’s skirts, the Republicans will continue savaging Obama as a tax-raiser, and the energy industry – freed by the Supreme Court to buy unlimited campaign ads – will spend whatever it takes to hammer that message home.
Friedman says Obama can beat them. “The people are ahead of the politicians,” he says. We have to abandon “the paralyzing notion that the American people are not prepared to do anything serious to change our energy mix.” A carbon tax won’t pass unless Obama “gets behind it with all his power, mobilizes the public and rounds up the votes. He has to lead from the front, not the rear.” If he summons, as Lincoln did, “the better angels of our nature”; if he tells the truth, as FDR did; if he asks us to step up and do the right thing, as Bush didn’t – if Obama leads, we will follow.
On some days, I believe that. I think Americans will reward sober, brutal honesty way more often than political operatives give them credit for. I think we’re yearning to enlist in the war on our dependency on foreign fossil fuel. I think that the bully pulpit, especially as wielded by Obama when he chooses, can be an awesome force.
But on other days, I think there’s an empirical basis for politicians’ unwillingness to stick their necks out, to give ammunition to their opponents, to be cautious with words and votes. Americans are not only the people who rose to Roosevelt’s challenge. We are also the people who give Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck their ratings. I want to believe that we’re not the manipulable morons that political ads presume we are, that our educations and our news media are effective countervailing forces against demagoguery. But then I also believed that Americans would reward Walter Mondale for telling the country that cutting the Regan deficit required repealing the Reagan tax cuts for the rich. No voter in that 1984 election can forget the 49-state blowout that followed. | <urn:uuid:0e09ab5d-8b1b-4420-8cf2-0b859fd5bc20> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jewishjournal.com/articles/print/opinion_tom_friedman_wants_to_raise_your_taxes_20100607 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958448 | 1,394 | 1.703125 | 2 |
UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- All parties to a peace deal that puts an end to fighting in the Central African Republic need to honor its terms, the U.N. Security Council said.
The Seleka rebel coalition agreed to the terms of a weeklong cease-fire agreement during peace negotiations with CAR officials in nearby Gabon.
Seleka rebels halted their recent move toward CAR's capital Bangui. Their campaign was meant to pressure President Francois Bozize to step aside.
The U.N. Security Council issued a statement calling for the swift implementation of the peace agreement.
"The members of the Security Council expressed serious concerns about reports of human rights violations, in particular reports of the targeting of ethnic minorities and arrests, recruitment and use of children and sexual and gender-based violence," a presidential statement read. "They emphasized that such activities must cease immediately and that those responsible for such violations should be held accountable."
Jules Gauthier Ngbapo, a CAR minister, said Friday that both sides agreed to form a unity government led by Bozize and an opposition-backed prime minister, CNN reported.
Bozize toppled the government of former President Ange-Felix Patasse in a 2003 uprising. He served as the top military official in the Patasse administration.
|Additional Special Reports Stories|
DAMASCUS, Va., May 18 (UPI) --Dozens of people were injured Saturday when a car in the Appalachian Trail Days parade in Damascus, Va., plowed into the crowd.
MALMO, Sweden, May 18 (UPI) --Oddsmakers pegged Emmelie de Forest as the favorite to win the Eurovision Song Contest finals in Sweden Saturday. | <urn:uuid:e8d49405-f4d1-4196-a3f5-136a53694092> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2013/01/14/UN-urges-implementation-of-CAR-truce/UPI-73411358177607/?spt=hs&or=tn | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945863 | 359 | 1.671875 | 2 |
LIFE OF GOD
John 10:10 "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
The Greek word translated "life" here is "zoe" and it means life in the absolute sense or life as God has it. Everyone who is breathing has life in the sense of physical existence, but only those who receive Jesus can experience life as God intended it to be. Jesus came to not only save us from the torment of eternal hell, but also to give us this "zoe" or God-kind of life in abundance. The life of God is not awaiting us in heaven, but is presently possessed by every born-again person in his spirit. We can release this "zoe" life and enjoy it now by losing our natural life and finding this supernatural life. The way we lose our life is to deny any thoughts, emotions, or actions that are contrary to the Word of God, which is life ("zoe" in Jn. 6:63). When we line our thoughts, emotions, and actions up with the instructions of God's Word, then we will find this "zoe" life manifest in our bodies and souls as well.
The Word is spiritual and must be understood through the spirit (1 Cor. 2:14). The Bible is simply a physical representation of Jesus and spiritual truth. It is inspired of God and therefore, totally accurate and reliable, and yet, until we receive the spirit that these words express, the Bible will not profit us (Heb. 4:2).
If we want to know what spiritual truth is, we must believe the Bible, for it is spirit and life. If we want to be led by the Spirit, then we must follow God's Word. If we want to hear from the Spirit of God, then we must listen to what God says in His Word. The Spirit (Holy Spirit) and the Word (Jesus - Jn. 1:1) are one (1 Jn. 5:7). | <urn:uuid:8d8b08b1-250b-447d-95ef-62a8f1efd607> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.awmi.net/devotion/jesus/jun_28 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959893 | 433 | 1.609375 | 2 |
From the beginning of his detention, Manning has been held in intensive solitary confinement. For 23 out of 24 hours every day — for seven straight months and counting — he sits completely alone in his cell. Even inside his cell, his activities are heavily restricted; he’s barred even from exercising and is under constant surveillance to enforce those restrictions. For reasons that appear completely punitive, he’s being denied many of the most basic attributes of civilized imprisonment, including even a pillow or sheets for his bed (he is not and never has been on suicide watch). For the one hour per day when he is freed from this isolation, he is barred from accessing any news or current events programs. Lt. Villiard protested that the conditions are not “like jail movies where someone gets thrown into the hole,” but confirmed that he is in solitary confinement, entirely alone in his cell except for the one hour per day he is taken out.
So as best I can tell Manning is, in fact, guilty of serious crimes. And unlike the nutty and dangerous effort to legally sanction Julian Assange for publishing leaks, I have no problem with the government punishing people who violate the terms of their classification status. But Manning hasn’t had a trial and hasn’t been convicted. Somewhat punitive post-arrest pre-trial measures are kind of a necessary evil, but the prolonged confinement of Manning under cruel conditions go well beyond the necessary into the straightforward evil.
Incidentally, I assume the majority of humanity, including many of the officials responsible for the conditions of Manning’s detention, haven’t read Atul Gawande’s brilliant March 2009 article on solitary confinement. But absolutely everybody should. It utterly transformed my conception of what it meant to hold someone in isolation like this, and makes the idea of doing it to someone who hasn’t even had his day in court seem completely outrageous. | <urn:uuid:059a2623-55b7-426a-8a61-e03e37265695> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://thinkprogress.org/yglesias/2010/12/16/199378/bradley-manning-in-solitary-confinement/?mobile=nc | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969831 | 390 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Internet Explorer users beware, there is a new zero day (previously unknown, unpatched vulnerability) attack targeting your browser.
The flaw affects users of Internet Explorer 6, 7 and 8, but not 9 or 10 and allows for remote code execution with the privileges of the logged in user.
Another poignant reminder that running your computer as a non-administrative user pays off when new flaws are uncovered.
Non-privileged users will severely limit the damage that can be done using a vulnerability like this one.
The vulnerability was initially discovered by FireEye on the Council on Foreign Relations website on December 27th, 2012.
SophosLabs has records showing the Council's website infected as far back as December 7th.
We have seen the exploit used on at least five additional websites suggesting the attack is more widespread than originally thought.
The attack appears to be closely related to attacks we reported on last June that were targeting visitors to a major hotel chain.
While the vulnerability being exploited is entirely different, the payload is nearly identical to the hotel attack and others we have associated with the Elderwood Project.
While the attacks appeared to be targeted to a small number of sites, there is no obvious link between the victims.
Some are referring to this as a "watering hole" attack, but the evidence we have doesn't necessarily support that conclusion.
If you use Internet Explorer, be sure you are using at least version 9 to avoid being a victim of these attacks. If you can't upgrade, consider using an alternative browser until an official fix is available.
Microsoft's FixIt is intended as a temporary workaround that could also be considered, but until an official fix is available I recommend avoiding IE 8 and lower.
If further information becomes available, we will publish the latest here on Naked Security.
Sophos Anti-Virus on all platforms blocks this malware as follows:
• Exp/20124792-B: Misc. files specifically associated with this attack
• Sus/Yoldep-A: Encoded payload also seen in other Elderwood Project attacks
• Troj/SWFExp-BF: Adobe Flash component
Update: Microsoft recommends using its EMET tool for the best mitigation against this threat until an official patch is available. You can find more details in the MS Advisory.
Update 2: There are reports that researchers have been able to exploit this vulnerability even with EMET and the FixIt in place. While it may be possible, we have yet to see any in the wild attacks using these techniques.Follow @chetwisniewski
Watering hole photo courtesy of Shutterstock. | <urn:uuid:fe170435-cb2c-4594-8c14-82a7a1d988c4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2012/12/31/zero-day-vulnerability-in-internet-explorer-being-used-in-targeted-attacks-fixit-now-available/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946853 | 539 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Vidarbha farmers protest with prayers on R-Day
As the nation celebrated the Republic Day, thousands of farmers from Maharashtra's Vidarbha region Saturday worshipped portraits of political leaders and undertook a day-long fast to seek the government's intervention in resolving the agrarian crisis in the region.
Over 300 widows and 2,000 farmers gathered at the Maregaon village temple in Yavatmal district to offer prayers. They prayed that their leaders realise and accept that the ongoing crisis would kill more farmers if corrective measures were not taken immediately.
The farmers garlanded with flowers portraits of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, and worshipped them with incense sticks and lamps.
"Today's protest is a last-ditch effort to put Vidarbha on the national radar as day after day framers are killing themselves due to high debt. But neither the state nor the central government is paying any heed to poor farmers' problems," said Kishore Tiwari, president of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS) -- a farmers' advocacy group.
Last year, a parliamentary panel headed by Basudeo Acharya visited Maregaon village to look into the causes of agrarian crisis and submitted its report to parliament.
"The UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government at the centre has turned a blind eye to the farmers' issues, while the parties in opposition have no agenda to save the dying farmers who are victims of wrong policies and technology promoted by the state," Tiwari added.
Tiwari said the 11 districts in Vidarbha region have seen about 11,000 suicides since 2005. According to him, as many as 22 farmers have committed suicide in January so far.
"The failure of the BT cotton crop in the region's 4.2 million hectare of land has forced farmers to sell their produce at throw away prices. There has been no state intervention or compensation. This is driving bankrupt farmers to kill themselves," he said.
"The administration is busy in painting a rosy picture of bumper crops, which is adding fuel to the fire," Tiwari added. | <urn:uuid:e16f6364-a27c-43ca-a1b4-87cd933d0eff> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newkerala.com/news/newsplus/worldnews-128737.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968438 | 456 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Namdrol wrote:Because, if you dissemble, pretend that you think everyone's pratice is the same, people will eventually find out you are schmoozing and they will think you are dishonest.
Sorry, I realised later after rereading your previous post that you had already answered this question. Thank you for spelling it out more fully though!
Now, you personally may not buy into it, but since the nine yānas hierarchy is there, and since it is embedded into our tradtion, it is a little too much to insist that people not speak from the point of view of the teachings they follow.
While it is good to be honest, and I commend people for being so, it is also good to be tactful. If i am not aware that this is a basic analysis found in the Nyingma teachings then when somebody makes the statement it basically just sounds like they are puffed up full of pride, boastful and demeaning. For me it is a matter of tactfulness (look who's talking, many will say
). I am sure that other schools and traditions also have their hierarchical analysis where they are numero uno, but to use it as a show piece?
I like this piece by Ju Mipham Rinpoche myself, it shows that there exists an ecumenical spirit within the Tibetan tradition based on humor and a auto-sarcastic approach (humbleness)
Satirical Advice for the Four Schools
by Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche
Through the enlightened activity of the victorious buddhas,
And the skilful means of their bodhisattva heirs,
May the four schools of buddhist teachings, old and new,
Successfully transmit their perfect methods of awakening!
The authoritative transmission of sutras, the Gendenpa,
The authoritative transmission of mantra, the Nyingmapa,
The authoritative transmission of exposition, the Sakyapa,
And the authoritative transmission of practice, the Kagyüpa.
The Sakyapas are the masters of learning,
The Gendenpas are the masters of discourse,
The Kagyüpas are the masters of realization,
And the Nyingmapas are the masters of spiritual power.
These are the four marvellous transmissions of the teachings:
The Nyingmapas whose view is beyond all extremes,
The Kagyüpas who persevere in meditation,
The Gendenpas with their perfect conduct,
And the Sakyapas with their regular practice of approach and accomplishment.
Although they all possess infinite qualities,
Each one emphasizes a particular practice.
Nyingmapas chant through their noses,
Sakyapas chant with their lips,
Gendenpas create the melodies mainly in their throats,
And Kagyüpas chant strongly from deep down inside.
The Gendenpas maintain the complete path of scriptural study, so they are like the body of the teachings.
The Sakyapas bring together sutra and mantra approaches, so they are like the eyes of the teachings.
The Kagyüpas bring everything together into the single practice of devotion, so they are like the heart of the teachings.
The Nyingmapas possess the profound key instructions of the tantras and sadhanas, so they are like the life-force of the teachings.
Now for a few words in jest:
The Nyingmapas claim they have a path for accomplishing the level of Vajradhara through the practice of clear light Dzogpachenpo, without the need to rely upon an external consort and so on, and yet the lamas say they must take a wife in order to increase their longevity, improve the clarity of their vision, maintain good health, assist in the revelation of termas and accomplish the welfare of beings. They don’t say that in order to benefit the teachings they should teach and practise! That taking a wife could be a way to benefit the teachings and beings, and a substitute for teaching and practice, and at the same time improve clarity of vision and so on, is, I think, incredible!
The Gendenpas claim the antidote to all the pains of existence is the wisdom which realizes selflessness, and yet when they approach the realization of no-self they are so afraid to let go of this sense of identity that they can not sit still upon their cushions. In the past it was said that the attainment of the path of seeing and the clear experience of selflessness that precedes it are marked by special feelings of joy, so I think this must be a symptom of the current degenerate age!
The Sakyapas make the supreme assertion that one should not place too much emphasis on conduct because inner wisdom is the most important thing, and yet when they recite the Lamdü Hevajra sadhana, they maintain the discipline of never leaving their seats, because to do so would transgress their vow. If they ever did need to get up and do something, they would have to drag their seats behind them, such are their rites of purification and liberation based on time and the physical body. I wonder what would happen to them if they did leave their seats!
The Kagyüpas assert that the Great Mudra is the wisdom which pervades all samsara and nirvana, and yet they think of the word ‘mudra’ as referring to one’s hands. I wonder what such an enormous hand would look like!
Ha ha ha! That was all said in jest.
The teachings of the great masters are rich in meaning,
And each school has its own unique vision and key instructions.
Most followers of the Nyingma school shun the taking of life but think that there is no need to give up women. If they are a genuine yogins, I take refuge in them! But in general this ordinary sexual desire is harmful to the Nyingma teachings, so take care, I pray!
Most followers of the Kagyü school dislike classical exposition and logic, preferring the approach that is based purely on mind and meditation. If they are those in whom realization and liberation are simultaneous, I take refuge! But in general this closed-minded attitude is harmful to the Kagyü teachings and must be abandoned!
Most followers of the Genden school do not see any fault in taking life, but their aggression is harmful to the Genden teachings, so take care, I pray!
Most followers of the Sakya school regard as supreme only those empowerments and instructions they themselves have received and the particular branch to which they belong—be it Sakya, Ngor or Tsar—but this strong prejudice and dogmatism is harmful to the Sakya teachings, so it needs to be abandoned!
Generally, even if one has attachment to one’s own tradition it is important to avoid any antipathy towards other traditions. If we consider just our own tradition, since we are all followers of the Buddha, we can consider that we are all closely related. The different systems of teachings began at the time of Khenpo Shantarakshita, Guru Rinpoche and King Trisong Detsen, and, following the noble traditions of the past, all the schools in Tibet accept the four seals which are the hallmark of the buddhist teachings. We are all equal in this respect, and what is more we all assert the great shunyata free from conceptual elaboration. Not only that, we all accept the mantrayana with its inseparable unity of bliss and emptiness. This means that we are exceptionally close in terms of our view and our tenets.
Other traditions, non-buddhist outsiders and philosophical extremists, who differ even in terms of outer signs and dress, are as numerous as the stars in the night sky, and by comparison we buddhists are as rare as stars in broad daylight. Now, when the buddhist teachings are on the verge of extinction, all who seek to ensure their survival must view one another as the closest of allies. Any feelings of hostility will bring only ruin, so instead we must regard each other with joy, like a mother seeing her only child, or a beggar discovering a priceless treasure.
Having become followers of the same teacher,
May all who are students of these same teachings,
Abandon any hostility and prejudiced views,
And work together with a sense of joy!
Whoever practises in accordance with the true meaning of the teachings,
Be they from one’s own or another tradition, may they gain accomplishment,
So that the four great buddhist schools here within the Land of Snows,
Come to blaze in dazzling splendour with a wealth of Dharma teachings,
And gain complete success and universal victory!
This was written playfully at the request of a friend who has the intelligence to follow all four schools—Sakya, Nyingma, Kagyü and Gelug. Mangalam! | <urn:uuid:391984a7-b7f3-41d5-8ac6-454c568393d8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?p=74812 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953802 | 1,871 | 1.671875 | 2 |
The Garden Bloggers Design Workshop over at http://www.gardeninggonewild.com/?p=1706#more-1706 is on water in the garden this month. That made me think about our bog garden, which is so successful that we’ve been taking it for granted. But, it didn’t start out that way.
We have a difficult spot in a very visible place in the backyard. Here, the slope of the berm meets the slope of the lawn, and they both meet the drainage from a downspout. It was just wet enough that nothing would grow there, not even grass.
One day, I decided that the solution was to make it even wetter and create a bog garden. Dan was working around the other side of the house and I was nearly finished pick-axing through the first inch of clay, when I heard him scream, “What are you doing, you’ll kill yourself!” Music to my ears, this sentence usually means Dan will do the rest of the digging.
After we excavated a shallow, irregular shape, we backfilled it with two different sizes of stone, and topped it off with enough soil to plant something that didn’t require too much depth.
To fill it up my friend, Diane, offered some Ligularia and irises. The caveat was that she had no idea what color the irises were, since her own iris garden had become too shady over the years and just grew leaves. But, even the leaves were lovely. We added some primroses at the very front.
The bog planting looked scrawny, but I thought, “It will grow.” Well, those of you who are already hooked can probably guess the rest of the story. After only three years, the iris rhizomes were the size of Idaho potatoes and their number tripled. At this point, I’ve sorted them by color and have begun interspersing them into other borders.
The Ligularia have spread enough that I can start thinning them out to populate other parts of the garden next year. Growing in a bog allows them to tolerate quite a bit more sun ( 8+ hours) than you would expect and they are covered with flowers every August. The bog needs occasional help from a hose during very dry periods, but this year, I don’t think I’ve had to water more than twice.
Because my bog is wet and not soggy, there has been no problem with the water seeping out onto the lawn and no ruts from the lawn mower. So, if you have a spot where nothing wants to grow, check to see whether it’s too wet for what you’ve been planting --- you might just have the makings of a bog garden. | <urn:uuid:941222af-f18a-4a44-91b6-d183dc525c19> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://loisdevries.blogspot.com/2008/09/bog-garden.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980301 | 590 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Since completing her Elementary Education degree, Becky Palisuri (Moreland) '03, has taught in public and private elementary schools in Indonesia, Colorado, and Arizona.
(Liberal Arts major)
"Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future."
- John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 35th President of the United States (1917-1963)
There is nothing as exciting and rewarding as seeing a young child grow and learn. If you are interested in becoming an elementary school teacher and impacting children's lives forever, CCU's Elementary Education licensure program can prepare you for that critical role. Offered through CCU's School of Education, this rigorous program will provide you with both the required academic coursework and student teaching experience.
In addition to a strong liberal arts foundation, CCU's Elementary Education program exposes you to the latest teaching theories and education technology, both in the university classroom and during 800 hours of field experience that you'll begin during your first year at CCU. The program includes a cutting-edge reading core emphasis that has been recognized for excellence throughout the state of Colorado. Upon graduation, you will receive a bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts and will be ready to pursue Elementary Education Licensure in the state of Colorado. If you wish to teach in another state or country, you may pursue a second license for this purpose.
Elementary Education In the Christian University
In every course, students in CCU's Elementary Education program are encouraged to explore their role as Christians in teaching and influencing young children. The early years of a child's education shapes their capacity for future learning and development. CCU will prepare you to be part of that development process, equipping you with the knowledge and skills you need to become an effective educator and leader in the classroom. | <urn:uuid:ef0b7789-949b-452e-a644-8adbfdad7213> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ccu.edu/academics/elementaryeducation/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958613 | 366 | 1.804688 | 2 |
By Naomi Rose on Zoe: It's our Nature, October 2010
The dolphin nursery pool is the most old-fashioned (long and narrow, painted blue), smallest and shallowest enclosure for cetaceans they have left in the park. And SeaWorld now has a new roller coaster, which goes right past it. This is where they keep their most vulnerable dolphin inhabitants: right next to a screaming roller coaster.
The new roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando. it screams right past the dolphin nursery where the most vulnerable animals are kept.
The dolphin petting pool no longer allows the public to feed the dolphins without direct supervision. Part of the wall is now set off for “feeding” and part of it for “petting.” As far as I could tell, no one gets to pet a dolphin in between the feeding times. They wait at the wall, hands in the water, but the dolphins ignore them. Without fish, they have no interest in being touched by strangers.
The dolphin show
The dolphin show was a cross between a Las Vegas Cirque du Soleil extravaganza, a Disney on Ice performance, and a dolphin show. SeaWorld claims that it does much to educate people, especially children, about the animals in its shows and the benefits of its parks to conservation. But there was no factual information provided during the performance at all. Some factoids were provided before the show started. These were pre-recorded by children, and went along the lines of “Hi, I’m Suzie. I’m 10 years old. Did you know that SeaWorld’s dolphins can weigh up to 500 pounds? That’s more than two professional football players!” It was very difficult to hear these pronouncements over the noise of the crowd. As far as I could tell, most people were not even aware of them.
Then the show started, and there was no factual content at all. It was all about a girl having a dream with dolphins and birds and spirits. They don’t even tell you the species of dolphins used in the performance (bottlenose dolphins). There were human acrobatics, wild costumes, a lot of dolphins leaping, and some macaws flew around. (An Andean condor who was supposed to fly overhead refused to do his part and brought the show to a halt at one point – they let him go back into his aviary without further ado).
The complex as seen from the park's viewing tower: from right to left there's the performance tank, which is in shadow; the middle tanks are brightly sunlit (behind the curved backdrop of the performance tank stage); the square-shaped tank with Tilikum is under the roof; and then there's the "Dine with Shamu" rectangular tank with brown "rocks" around it in the foreground (this tank is called "the Cove." This tank is usually where Tilikum is held, but they may not be letting him use it during the day right now because I imagine they don't want people to ghoulishly come to see the whale who killed the trainer.
After the dolphin show, we walked around some of the other exhibits. These, again, are supposed to highlight the educational value of SeaWorld, but the manatee rescue exhibit is the only one with any easily noticed signage. It also has an old-fashioned wrap-around 3-D film about manatee rescue. The manatees themselves don’t do much, of course. Not many people seem to visit this exhibit.
The Wild Arctic exhibit had almost no signage at all, one sign had no light on it (it was in a corner in shadow and might as well have not been there at all), and the only truly educational thing, an alcove with three or four touch-screen monitors with quizzes and other interactive content, was empty when we came upon it. It is on the way out and most people pass it by as they head for the exit. We stopped to see what the touch-screens said, and a family with two kids came in and used one of the monitors, probably because they saw us in there.
“Believe” (Believe it or not)
We headed back to Shamu Stadium for the “Believe” show. The original Shamu was the star of a SeaWorld show in San Diego in the 1960s. After she died, SeaWorld continued to use her name for various other killer whales, also known as orcas. Before the show started, there was some educational content – a series of questions was asked of the audience, mostly focused on husbandry, like “How much fish does Shamu eat a day? How do you train a killer whale? How cold is the water in Shamu’s enclosure?” A couple of questions were a little more general: “Why are they black and white? How big do they grow?” But the show itself had no factual information at all.
It was all about a boy who dreams of becoming a trainer, whose story is told through a video on a big screen. While kayaking in the wild one day, he sees a whale, and proceeds to carve a whale tail (a replica of which is of course sold in the gift shops). He decides he wants to grow up to be a trainer and we’re told that the boy “believed” hard enough so his dream came true – at which point the live part of the show begins, with a trainer playing the part of the boy.
We went to this show twice, and there was a different trainer playing the role of the boy the second time. The trainers (there are several in the show) didn’t swim with the orcas at all – this is a major change in training and performance protocols after the incident with Tilikum. Instead, they ran along the outside of the tank wall with the whale following them, and did poolside interactions. At one point they put all the whales in the holding tank and five trainers then swam out to the outer wall, sat on it, and then the whales were let back in to interact with the trainers who were sitting on the pool wall. But that’s as close to “in-water” as they got.
Tilikum from the viewing tower. He is logging by the gate and he really didn't move from this corner of the tank for about an hour. You can see the other whale swimming around, but Tilikum did not react to her - he essentially ignored her.
It seems perhaps he has good days and bad days. And SeaWorld seems to be trying to mix it up with the whales, changing the composition of who is in what tank and so on, to perhaps get him to show some interest.
We came back for the 2:30 Believe show, and sat high up in the bleachers this time so we could watch Tilikum the whole time. This time, we definitely saw one other whale in the back with him – I think it was one of the adult females. Tilikum essentially remained motionless, logging in front of one of the gates separating the back tank from the middle tanks. The other whale was relatively active, swimming around, at one point bumping Tilikum (deliberately, one assumes), but Tilikum did not react to her. I think there were a couple of trainers back there during the show, to distract the other whale from what was going on in the show, but Tilikum did not move from that corner.
All told, we were able to observe Tilikum for about two and a half hours. He appeared to be alone for about an hour, was definitely with another whale for a bit more than an hour, and with his trainers (at a distance, with the fire hose) for a bit less than a half hour. They were probably “interacting” with him for a total of 30-40 minutes between the shows, but we didn’t see the entire interaction because we were walking around the stadium and observing three other whales in the underwater viewing area.
Tilikum seems very depressed. He seems focused or fixated on the gate into the performance pool and/or the gate into the “Dine with Shamu” pool. He is not being used in the show, he appears to be spending a lot of time alone (even when another whale is in there with him, he didn’t really interact much with her) and is not being allowed into the tank he is usually held in – and he seems to know it. Maybe he’s allowed in there at night.
It’s very sad.
Naomi Rose, Ph.D. is Senior Scientist for Humane Society International, specializing in international marine mammal protection issues. She has managed a campaign to address the welfare of captive marine mammals for more than 15 years and she studied wild orcas for her dissertation research, in the late 1980s and early 1990s. She recently paid a visit to SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida, and made these notes on the visit. | <urn:uuid:17c2ab02-6720-4734-beb9-bf4752e78dc9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.all-creatures.org/articles/ar-visit.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982823 | 1,897 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Corn Silage and Conserved Forage Field Day
The Corn Silage and Conserved Forage Field Day will be held on Thursday, June 20 at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center in Tifton, Ga. The event begins at 8:00 a.m. and concludes at 2:00 p.m.
For more information, visit the Forages website.
Tomato yellow leaf curl virus threat to tomato crop
Tomato yellow leaf curl virus has been a chronic threat to tomato production in South Georgia for more than a decade. The problem is only getting worse. UGA entomologist Rajagopalbabu Srinivasan says eradicating the disease may not be possible. However, work continues to be done to help farmers select resistant varieties and manage their risks.
Read more about Srinivasan's research efforts. | <urn:uuid:23e1d218-a0bb-491c-bc59-f2e4509d3db4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.caes.uga.edu/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939873 | 176 | 1.726563 | 2 |
BETHESDA, MD 27 December 2012—Pop quiz: What does the United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) call capsules containing both amlodipine besylate and benazepril hydrochloride?
Answer: Amlodipine and benazepril hydrochloride capsules.
What does USP call tablets containing only amlodipine besylate?
Answer: Amlodipine besylate tablets.
Yet, the strength of the calcium-channel blocker in both products is expressed in milligrams of amlodipine, not its besylate salt. And the strength of the constituent angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, benazepril, is expressed in milligrams of its hydrochloride salt.
That inconsistency is an example of what USP wants to avoid in the future through its new drug naming policy, which becomes official on May 1.
The policy, which is not retroactive, states in part: "The titles of USP monographs for drug products and compounded preparations formulated with a salt of an acid or base use the name of the active moiety. . . . The strength of the product or preparation also is expressed in terms of the active moiety."
Exceptions, the policy later states, may be considered for the rare cases in which the specific salt form of the active moiety provides vital information from a clinical perspective.
The titles of USP monographs, by law, are the official nonproprietary names of drugs in the United States. When a USP monograph does not exist, the law allows FDA to assign a name to the drug. But the FDA-assigned name, according to USP, is an "interim" name.
USP this past May estimated the number of FDA-approved drug products without USP monographs at roughly 300. About 200 of the drug products have a salt in their name and the strength is expressed in terms of the salt, and the rest of the products have a salt in their name but the strength is expressed in terms of the active moiety.
The titles of monographs for this latter, smaller group, USP said, will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
A goal of the new policy is to have concise, consistent names for drug products, said Roger L. Williams, chief executive officer of USP and a former deputy director for pharmaceutical science at FDA, in announcing the policy.
Marjorie Shaw Phillips, ASHP’s representative to the group advising USP on how to communicate the new policy, said the lack of consistency has been known for a while.
"After years and years of a lot of examples of confusion and safety issues, I think it’s positive that we’re going to have a consistent naming process going forward," she said.
Oftentimes, Phillips said, USP assigns the name for a monograph years after FDA has approved a nonproprietary name for the company’s new drug. But the monograph’s title may turn out not to be the same as the FDA-approved nonproprietary name. She said USP’s policy, which FDA is bearing in mind, will prevent companies from having to alter the name of a drug after getting it on the market.
"Clinical practitioners don’t think about this very often unless the salt is important, and most of the time it isn’t," Phillips, pharmacy coordinator at Georgia Health Sciences Medical Center in Augusta, said.
One eventual effect that clinical practitioners may appreciate, she said, is shorter drug names in computerized prescriber-order-entry systems and on prescription container labels.
Another eventual effect is easier recognition of a salt’s importance to clinical therapy. "For new drugs," Phillips said, "if there is a salt as part of the name, that should be a really red flag to you that there is something significant about the salt that you need to consider either in the route of administration or dosing or in patient selection."
The pharmaceutical industry has known about the upcoming policy since at least 2007. USP said it posted the policy, termed a revision to the United States Pharmacopeia chapter on nomenclature, online that year. ASHP commented on the proposed policy in 2006.
Actually, ASHP objected to the proposed policy.
The Society warned about confusion and the potential for errors by practitioners.
Removal of the name of the salt from the title of monographs for drug products, ASHP posited, "could result in decreased understanding of important distinctions concerning biopharmaceutics, stability, compatibility, and solubility for some drugs." Also, practitioners may inappropriately substitute a drug salt that is not therapeutically equivalent to the drug salt that had been prescribed or ordered. For patients whose intake of a specific salt must be controlled or monitored, the name of the salt in a drug product is important for practitioners to know.
Those were just three of ASHP’s reasons for objecting to the proposed policy.
More recently, ASHP offered a positive comment about the policy: a new drug product’s strength and dosing instructions will be expressed in the same way.
Specifically, ASHP said, there should not be another situation as with fosphenytoin, wherein the title of the monograph is fosphenytoin sodium, the product’s strength is expressed in phenytoin sodium equivalents and milligrams of fosphenytoin sodium, and the dose is expressed in phenytoin sodium equivalents. | <urn:uuid:817889ad-7ab6-4933-8351-9e85d0a33fd0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ashp.org/menu/News/PharmacyNews/NewsArticle.aspx?Source=News&Type=Rss&Id=3837 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932545 | 1,164 | 1.84375 | 2 |
Posted: Feb 22, 2013 4:04 AM by AP
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - The amount of debt Louisiana carries for each state resident rose again over the last year.
A report to the state Bond Commission on Thursday showed Louisiana carried a debt load of $1,336 for every man, woman and child in the state as the books were closed for 2012. That's an increase of $18 per person from the previous year.
Louisiana borrows money through bond sales to finance construction projects, like road work and building repairs.
The per capita debt has grown under nearly every year of Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration, and is nearing the record set in 2007 during former Gov. Kathleen Blanco's term, at $1,369 per person.
Louisiana is near its debt limit. State officials are reviewing ways to restructure debt to keep from breaching the cap. | <urn:uuid:1c9115c9-7193-491c-b7d7-faca0a25df96> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.katc.com/news/la-s-per-capita-debt-rises-again-in-last-year-259424/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965914 | 186 | 1.6875 | 2 |
lurine at com-pair.net
Sat Feb 6 17:50:01 EST 2010
The National Forests can lease land for these repeaters. The ones around
here and some of the cell phone towers are on leased national forest land.
Well, they'd kinda have to be because less than 10% of the land in the
county is privately owned. The other 90+% is national forest.
----- Original Message -----
From: "EarthNSky" <erthnsky at bellsouth.net>
> Rob wrote:
>> Lynda uses some type of microwave internet, a line-of-sight thing.
>> You are in a valley, Is there any place around your valley that some
>> type of repeater could be put on the ridge? This line of thought
>> gets you turned into an ISP company for the valley.... There are
>> other line-of-sight options which are tough in a valley.
> No, my ridges are national forest land.
>> In Minnesota (7 years ago) the telephone co-op ran fiber optics to
>> all it's customers, out here PUD3 is running fiber optics but is not
>> going everywhere, just to selected areas. The local phone company
>> just started offering DSL at our place and then there is Comcast who
>> does everything out here through a coax cable.
>> I'd ask at the local utilities to see if anything is on the horizon
>> or even being talked about (political promises for the us little
>> people are a very long shots). See what folks have to say about
>> satellite comms (warnings, limitations and things to look for) then
>> I'd call the satellite companies.
>> You have made the decision, that's often the hard part.
> Good-glad you the system is gonna work for you. I've been told that
> there are no plans to EVER upgrade out here due to the small number of
> people who live here. They could never justify the infrastructure costs.
> I've heard rumors that long range planning puts my land under water.
> The ridges all around me are natural dams, and this is valley would be a
> rather deep reservoir. I'd like to see some kind of 50-100 year plan.
> Do these things exist?
> My county has, I think it was a 15 year plan for growth. I looked at it
> before I bought here, and saw nothing near me. Almost 12 years here now,
> and only two houses have been built, and since one store closed, we are
> actually further away from gasoline, food, or conveniences than we were
> when I moved here. It is hard to believe, but some mornings, I can
> drive for 15 minutes before I ever see another car! That's pretty good
> for anywhere in Georgia!
> Many of our greatest American thinkers, men of the caliber of Thomas
> Jefferson, Henry Thoreau, Mark Twain, William James, and John Muir, have
> found the forest an effective stimulus to original thought.
> Bob Marshall
> Homestead list and subscription:
> Change your homestead list member options:
> View the archives at:
More information about the Homestead | <urn:uuid:9206b033-cc51-484d-9ae5-08d93447d493> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/homestead/2010-February/035943.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937426 | 692 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Friday, October 1, 2010
Writer's Police Academy: Underwater Recovery
This was fascinating to me. I suppose it might have something to do with all of the "Lake" movies I've watched over the years where bodies were stowed underwater.
The thing is, most of the Underwater Recovery Team's time is spent recovering evidence—weapons, stolen property and things along those lines. Not so much bodies.
But, if you are writing about a body in the depths, here are some interesting bits:
Prior to body recovery, photos are taken and as much area as possible is processed for evidence.
The bag (pictured) used to recover the body is easily 6+" long and about 4" wide. It is bright yellow with bright blue straps. It comes in five pieces.
There are at least two divers involved in a recovery. One is literally the mule who carries all of the equipment down. The other diver is responsible for making sure the body is kept as intact as possible, and knows exactly what needs to happen first, second, third, etc., in terms of securing it within the body bag.
A pony bottle (pictured in the foreground) holds about 19 cubic feet of air and is used to fill the bag with enough air to slowly float the body to the surface. The divers are with it as it rises.
This is just a sampling of what Underwater Recovery had to offer, so I would encourage any of you to dig a little deeper if you need to. Contact your local unit, or consider attending the next Writer's Police Academy.
CR: Breathing Water by Timothy Hallinan on my Kindle.
It's all better with friends. | <urn:uuid:42c61c0d-96d5-4081-911d-2d6d0ef59429> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://suspensenovelist.blogspot.com/2010/10/writers-police-academy-underwater.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972213 | 346 | 1.695313 | 2 |
I support comprehensive immigration reform for a whole host of reasons. There’s the moral angle: its wrong to have draconian laws that are out of sync with reality and keep 12 million people hiding in the shadows. There’s the economic side: we need immigrants with a wide variety of skills to fuel our economy—from computer scientists from around the globe who can keep America at the cutting edge of innovation and create jobs to agricultural workers who harvest our bounty. But, I want to talk about another reason to support immigration reform, that I don’t hear being discussed: it will make our communities safer.
As it currently stands, undocumented immigrants all across the country are weary of talking to the police. Whether they are victims—mugged or raped or exploited by an employer—or witnesses to crimes, these immigrants fear talking to the police will land them behind bars or result in deportation. When violence, theft and abuse go unreported, perpetrators remain on the loose and everyone in a community remains vulnerable. To get a sense for how immigration reform can abate this, just look at the case study of New Haven, CT.
In 2007, New Haven began issuing its Elm City Resident Card to residents regardless of immigration status. In many ways, the program amounted to local immigration reform: an attempt by the city government to recognize and legitimize the undocumented immigrants in its midst in the wake of the Federal government’s failure to act. By issuing the cards, the city sent immigrants a clear message: you are welcome here and are part of our community.
After the release of New Haven’s card, the city experienced an uptick in police reports and other forms of civic engagement by undocumented immigrants who felt a newfound sense of inclusion in their community. The city’s law enforcement officials attributed declining crime to the advent of the municipal resident card and the ensuing rise in police reports According to Assistant Chief of Police Luiz Casanova, in Fair Haven, historically one of New Haven’s most dangerous neighborhoods, there have been “improved interactions between police and undocumented residents” and “double-digit drops in every category of crime” in the five years since the card’s release.
Documenting the undocumented in New Haven has made that city a safer place for all of its residents, from busboys to Yale professors. Now, think about how comprehensive immigration reform could make cities and towns all across America safer—places where crimes won’t go unreported because of the risks of coming forward.
Creating a path out of the throes of limbo to permanent residency and ultimately citizenship for the 12 million undocumented people living among us isn’t just a moral or economic imperative—it’s a commonsense policy that will help all of our communities become safer.
Immigration reform cleared the Senate judiciary committee and is on its way to the Senate floor.
"The insidious intention of that money is to set the agenda, change the agenda, block the agenda, define the agenda of Washington. How else could we possibly have a US tax code of some 76,000 pages? Ask yourself, how many Americans have their own page, their own tax break, their own special deal?"
From: “Brian Levin”
Date: May 21, 2013 5:15:01 AM
Subject: Letter to Tim Cook from a Disgruntled Shareholder
I’m upset—and no, it’s not because Apple’s share prices have fallen 37% since last September. I’m 24 and got most of my shares around $20 when I was a kid, so I take the long view.
I’m writing to you because I always thought Apple was different. My grief following Steve Jobs’ death—like that of so many others around the globe—mourned the loss of a creative visionary who crafted a different kind of company in his image—an anti-corporate corporation, a company with a soul that made magic, or the closest thing to it. It’s the reason Macs grace the desks of artists and activists and students everywhere and Apple logos are ubiquitous on Volkswagen Beetles next to “Save Darfur” and “No Farms, No Food” bumper stickers. But perhaps I was just drinking the marketing Kool-Aid.
I’m angry because Apple not only engages in the questionable practice of stashing its cash in offshore tax havens, it has become the greatest offender, avoiding US taxes on $74 billion over the past four years. There’s something fundamentally wrong when the wealthiest company in America pays 12.6% in taxes, while my father’s small business, my grandfather’s store and the Korean Deli across the street pay a rate nearly three times higher. And it’s not just savvy accounting or a strategic maneuver—Apple’s tax avoidance has a profoundly damaging effect on our whole country.
The fifty largest San Francisco Bay Area companies alone did not pay taxes on over $225 billion stashed overseas. A 35% corporate tax rate on that money would amount to $78.75 billion, which would nearly cover the $85 billion in painful sequester cuts that resulted from the government not taking in enough money to pay the bills. These cuts are hurting everything from Head Start programs to food safety inspections and police forces to infrastructure projects. In some ways, Apple’s tax avoidance is threatening its own future, as cuts to schools and STEM education mean fewer people will be equipped with the skills to innovate and break new technological barriers at places like Apple. Avoidance by companies like Apple also unfairly shifts the tax burden to individuals and small businesses—after all, the government can’t run on empty, and if companies like Apple don’t pay their fair share, the rest of us pay more.
Apple’s story is an American story, of entrepreneurs hacking away in a garage who ultimately went on to create products that changed our world and the way we live. In doing so, Apple benefited from the prowess of employees educated at government-funded schools, research financed by the American taxpayer and being located in a country where the only limits are those imposed by one’s imagination.
Tim—as Steve Jobs once implored all of us—please “think different.” Don’t go into the Senate hearing on the defensive or with a cockamamie tax proposal. Instead, why don’t you pledge to bring Apple’s money back home where it belongs and be King Arthur, not the Grinch?
I want Apple to innovate with new “incredibly great” products that wow the world like the iMac and iPhone did—not with new ways of nickel and diming Uncle Sam. Do what’s right and stick to what Apple does best and continued success will surely follow.
All the best,
(Source: The Huffington Post) | <urn:uuid:70708263-c6fb-48e8-b900-b24e95090534> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://brianlevin.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947453 | 1,426 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Report date: August, 2011
During 2007, the "Nanomedicine in Healthcare" forum was conducted and formatively evaluated six times by the NISE Network Forum Team institutions. This report provides the formative evaluation results for all six implementations.
When marketing the forum, consider targeting people:
- Who are already familiar with your institution, by marketing through internal email lists and to people who attend other similar programming;
- Who are personally or professionally interested in the topic, such as those who work in the medical field, by marketing through related organizations; and
- Who are not as familiar with your institution, by partnering with diverse community organizations who may be interested in co-hosting or co-developing an event.
- Balance the time allowed for expert presentations and small group discussion because participants find both of these segments important;
- Clearly frame the purpose of the forum and instructions for the small group discussion and report-out;
- Cover the full range of content relevant to the discussion scenarios during the expert presentation, including information about nanoscale science, engineering, and technology, applications mentioned in the scenarios, and some of their potential societal and ethical impacts; and
- Prepare the speaker(s) for the forum by telling them who you expect to attend, working with them to craft their presentation, and giving them forum background materials such as the scenarios and agenda ahead of time.
- Consider what refreshments to provide, and modify these refreshments based on the time of day and length of the program; and
- Think about the cost in time and money of holding the event on-site versus off-site.
Type of product(s) studied:
Method(s) of data collection:
- audio recording
- video recording | <urn:uuid:8e781d04-863f-4f17-9d5e-5f333721b004> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nisenet.org/catalog/evaluation/nise_network_forum_nanomedicine_healthcare_formative_evaluation | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938006 | 359 | 1.523438 | 2 |
What You Need To Know About Dispensing Diabetic Shoes
- Volume 26 - Issue 3 - March 2013
- 4204 reads
- 0 comments
Training your diabetic shoe coordinator and other ancillary staff is fundamental for achieving success in your practice. The benefit of suppliers like SafeStep is that they will provide webinars and even onsite training to help support and grow your diabetic shoe program. You can prevent re-orders and mistakes the first time by simply having protocols to make sure you choose the right shoe with the right size.
Be prepared, however, to have patients tell you that they don’t wear this or that size after you have accurately measured them. Some even get fighting mad when you tell them they are truly a 10 and not a 7, which is what they have worn since 1967. Carrying a gamut of sizes of your key shoes can make sure you get it right the first time.
How To Get Patients To Return For Additional Fittings
Another characteristic of a growing diabetic shoe program is a solid patient recall program among your diabetic patient population. This is another key responsibility of your diabetic shoe coordinator and a fundamental requirement for growth.
While there are many ways to go about doing this, there are important considerations. First, recall letters to your patients in your practice should not be a solicitation for footwear. Your letter should reflect that it is your practice as a diabetic center of excellence and that you perform a comprehensive diabetic foot examination annually for those patients with diabetes. As a part of your comprehensive evaluation, one should perform a thorough assessment of the condition of the patient’s diabetic footwear.
It is perfectly appropriate to educate your patients that they are eligible for one pair of shoes annually along with three pairs of diabetic orthotics, and that determination of need occurs as a part of your comprehensive diabetic foot examination. You should highlight that in addition to footwear, you assess the patient’s skin, nails, balance and circulation.
Your recall protocol obviously can vary but it should an ongoing process. It goes without saying that it is common for our diabetic patient population to miss appointments and often fall off the radar due to other medical problems or transportation problems. It would be appropriate that patients fit in the prior year be fit again by July. If not, suggest they return for a risk assessment to determine their eligibility and fitting if appropriate.
There is no reason why your diabetic shoe numbers should not increase every year with a good recall system.
The last and most vitally important component of a growing and healthy diabetic shoe program is peace of mind that your documentation is compliant with Medicare DME supplier standards. Medicare rules change and can be confusing. Use trusted sources like SafeStep to ensure the documentation you use is compliant and efficient to utilize.
Dr. Moore is board-certified by the American Board of Podiatric Medicine. He is the Fellowship Director of the Central Kentucky Diabetes Management program, is adjunct faculty at the Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine and serves on the Board of Trustees of the American Academy of Podiatric Practice Management. Dr. Moore is a managing partner of Cumberland Foot and Ankle Centers of Kentucky.
For further reading, see “How To Establish And Maintain A Diabetic Shoe Program” in the October 2003 issue of Podiatry Today, “Understanding The Diabetic Therapeutic Shoe Program” in the October 2005 issue or “Secrets To Billing For Diabetic Shoes” in the March 2011 issue. | <urn:uuid:5a400324-1928-4992-a78d-133f3ebc66d4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.podiatrytoday.com/what-you-need-know-about-dispensing-diabetic-shoes?page=3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946096 | 713 | 1.75 | 2 |
WASHINGTON -- The average U.S. rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage touched its record low this week and the rate on 15-year mortgage hit a new record.
The declines followed the Federal Reserve announcement last week that it would buy bonds to try to push mortgage rates lower and stimulate the housing market.
Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate on the 30-year loan declined to 3.49 percent from 3.55 percent last week. That matched the lowest rate since long-term mortgages began in the 1950s.
The average on the 15-year fixed mortgage, a popular refinancing option, plunged to 2.77 percent, a new record. That's down from 2.85 percent last week and the previous record low of 2.80 percent.
Cheap mortgages have helped drive a modest housing recovery this year. And the Fed wants to keep those rates low for the foreseeable future as a way to stimulate the economy.
Last week the Fed said it plans to spend $40 billion a month to buy mortgage bonds for as long as it thinks necessary to make home buying more affordable.
Mark Vitner, senior economist at Wells Fargo, said the stimulus likely helped lower mortgage rates this week. And the Fed's bond purchases will probably push rates down even further over the next six to nine months, Vitner suggested.
"Mortgage rates are going to be lower than they would otherwise," he said. "Housing looks like it's going to provide a significant lift to the economy over the
The market is already benefiting from the lowest rates on record.
Sales of both previously occupied and newly built homes are up from last year. Home prices are rising more consistently. And builders are more confident in the market and are starting to build more homes.
The broader economy is also likely to benefit from a revival in the housing market. When home prices rise, Americans typically feel wealthier and spend more -- a point made by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke when he addressed the new stimulus measures last week.
Still, the housing market has a long way back. Sales and construction rates remain below healthy levels.
And some economists question whether lower rates will make much of a difference. The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage has been below 4 percent since early December. So most people who can qualify have likely already taken advantage of the lower rates.
Many people who would like to refinance or buy a home can't because they fail to meet stricter lending requirements or don't have enough money to make a down payment.
To calculate average rates, Freddie Mac surveys lenders across the country on Monday through Wednesday of each week.
The average does not include extra fees, known as points, which most borrowers must pay to get the lowest rates. One point equals 1 percent of the loan amount.
The average fee for 30-year loans was 0.6 point, unchanged from last week. The fee for 15-year loans also held steady at 0.6 point.
The average rate on one-year adjustable-rate mortgages was unchanged at 2.61 percent. The fee for one-year adjustable rate loans was steady at 0.4 point.
The average rate on five-year adjustable-rate mortgages rose to 2.76 percent from 2.72 percent. The fee was unchanged at 0.6 point. | <urn:uuid:ce8c037f-9f5e-4922-9ffe-905bcd985bb7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_21591601/new-record-average-30-year-mortgage | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973494 | 682 | 1.617188 | 2 |
So these issues--who works the land and how much can be charged for rent,
for example--are where to start when discussing policy.
I personally feel the change in Mexico's constitution regarding land
ownership should be cause for a new revolution. I see its effects here with
thousands of now-displaced people coming to our community--some living in
caves--as their land and their livelihood was lost when corporations like
Grand Metropolitan bought up whole areas of land to plant tomatoes,
broccoli, and strawberries, all for export. This is around Irapuato
>> I'd not envision any chemical pesticides,
>> fertilizers, or food additives.
>This can be done with existing technology. But what about democracy? A
>greater public good must be demonstable. More research is required, and
>the collective results assembled into legislation.
I cannot agree. We do not need more research--we have declining male sperm
count, declining fertility, increasing health problems with especially
children in areas of pesticide drift (see P A N U P S***Pesticide Action
North America Updates Service http://www.panna.org/panna/ August 21, 1998
Millions of Californians May Be Exposed to Dangerous Pesticides in Air).
>> No prisons. Different ways for dealing with
>This hasn't been demonstrated as viable yet.
Of course it has. We have centuries of experience with both prisons and
alternative treatments of law-breakers. One way I would suggest would be to
place an offender to local mores in a multigenerational home setting where
he (or much more rarely she*) will have role models, be given work and a
guaranteed income, where good behavior and misbehaviors will be responded
to in ways designed to reinforce good behavior. The families who take
*criminals* in would be screened and supported by not only social
scientists but community members interested in community. I'd put people
from the city into a less urban setting maybe, and create new means for
support, especially to the families of the law-breakers as well as support
for the families who take them in.
With our current law setup, far more males than females are involved in the
system from police attention to arrests all the way up to prison time. I'd
suggest we need to look at the laws and evaluate how they are producing
good community in the light of this disproportionate application.
>Who is giving the land to the farmers, if it's not owned? What about
farming would be done on community land. no one gives land to anyone. Group
interactions have been working on issues like *favoritism* for some
time--I'm certain measures such as farmer satisfaction, consumer
satisfaction, and food or flowers produced could be determined. We have new
experiences to bring to social interactions. And trying something isn't the
same as doing something--I'd like to see more doing and less trying. <g>
To Unsubscribe: Email email@example.com with "unsubscribe sanet-mg".
To Subscribe to Digest: Email firstname.lastname@example.org with the command | <urn:uuid:76820bc5-791d-4220-9f8a-e788c61a863d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://archive.sare.org/sanet-mg/archives/html-home/27-html/0323.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937084 | 683 | 1.796875 | 2 |
In the midst of Bali’s unprecedented building boom of new hotels, condotels and villas there is a growing demand, particularly among European visitors, for accommodation options in village settings.
As reported by Kompas.com, this developing trend has elicited offers to help develop such accommodation options for varying sources, including Bank Indonesia, the Bali Hotels Association and a number of public-minded organizations. Complementing the growing demand for a “village atmosphere” from foreign tourists is the mounting resentment on the part of many Balinese, complaining that they have become mere spectators in tourism development dominated by non-Balinese investors.
Ketut Gambar, the village chief of Kendran in Tegallalang, Gianyar regency, said: “We have become increasing aware that we are just spectators and, what’s worse, we are being pushed off our own lands. For this reason we are continually trying to advance ourselves by managing our tourism village (desa wisata) in a professional manner.”
Gambar and his fellow villagers feel it is unjust that foreign tourists enjoy the natural panoramic vistas provided by their community without villagers receiving any financial contribution from tourism.
Admitting his village needs expert outside advice, the people of Kendran are adamant that the essential character of their area must be preserved. Gambar added: “Basically, we want to maintain the village lands, particularly the rice fields, ensuring they do not change their original function. We are hoping that local tour companies will become our partner.”
He said that his villagers were working not to be seduced by high prices being offered by investors for their ancestral lands. The current market price for land in the village is approaching Rp. 100 million (US$10,750) per are (100 square meters). Locals are attempting to only enter into rental agreements with candidate investors.
Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the Bali Hotels Association (BHA) Djinaldi Gosana confirmed the growing demand for rural and village settings among Bali visitors. He also commended the governments “Desa Wisata” (Tourism Village) initiative as a means of ensuring a more equitable distribution of the benefits of tourism development.
Said Gosana, ”We (BHA) are supporting and providing guidance to tourism villages to help them manage their communities and provide a safe and enjoyable experience for visitors.”
Bank Indonesia and Bali Hotels Association recently undertook to provide equipment and training to seven tourism villages.
Discovery Tours. Articles may be quoted and reproduced
if attributed to http://www.balidiscovery.com. | <urn:uuid:f0d14f66-9464-4629-b4d1-66cac6c62673> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://balidiscovery.com/messages/message.asp?Id=8352 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958106 | 552 | 1.554688 | 2 |
On Nov. 13, fourth and seventh graders at The New School Montessori Center in Holly Springs decided to help a family who was displaced by Hurricane Sandy.
The family has a young son, an infant daughter and the mother has multiple sclerosis. Because of her disease, the family has to live in a first floor apartment in Hoboken, N.J., which was completely flooded when Hurricane Sandy struck. Sadly the family lost many of their possessions.
The New School students heard about this family from a friend of theirs who works at the school and they decided to do a bake sale to help raise money for them. All the families in the school were invited to donate a baked good of some kind and also purchase from the sale.
The Lowe’s Foods of Holly Springs was kind enough to donate four large bags of yummy goodies. Students decided to do the bake sale during two shifts of carpool pickup.
All of the kids worked really hard making signs and getting the goodies ready. They had a donation jar at the table as well, so everyone was able to donate what they wanted.
The students’ goal was to raise $550, but the money raised exceeded that amount. They were able to raise $666 for the family. The family was very thankful, and the money they received is helping them get back on their feet.
All the kids agreed that it felt good to do something for a good cause. | <urn:uuid:3792497c-2a79-4a63-bf68-5556dcfe9592> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://fuquay-varinaindependent.com/view/full_story/20960120/article-The-New-School-Montessori-Center-students-raise-money-for-a-good-cause?instance=popular | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.991568 | 292 | 1.789063 | 2 |
Still plenty of good fishingEven if you don’t have kids in school, the circadian rhythm, as I refer to it, is evident. When school is out, summer starts. When practices for fall sports begin, the sand is almost out of the summer hourglass.
By: By Doug Leier, North Dakota Outdoors, The Jamestown Sun
Even if you don’t have kids in school, the circadian rhythm, as I refer to it, is evident.
When school is out, summer starts. When practices for fall sports begin, the sand is almost out of the summer hourglass.
Some North Dakota schools didn’t hold graduation until early June, and by the first week of August school activities and informational meetings start to take the place of “free time” for the kids. It seems like “summer” used to be closer to 90 days than 60, and hunting season used to begin and end in fall.
Most hunters will lament how short the seasons are in North Dakota. However, with the Aug. 15 opening of the early Canada goose season, and archery deer season beginning Aug. 31 and not ending until the calendar shows 2013, that’s more than four months when some type of major season is open.
While some hunting seasons have expanded in recent years, it’s not time to put the rod and reel away just yet. In reality, about a third of the summer is still left on the calendar and plenty of good fishing days await.
For those who enjoy the expanded Canada goose hunting opportunities the August opener affords, go for it. This year the daily limit is increased to 15 birds. Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset daily, and the season runs through Sept. 7 in the Missouri River zone, and through Sept. 15 in the rest of the state.
While I’ve always associated August with fishing and baseball rather than hunting and football, perhaps that’s something I need to rethink. While temperatures might be warmer than a typical fall morning or evening, the early goose season can provide some tremendous hunting opportunities.
For those who feel a bit lulled as we approach the backside of summer, let me offer up a suggestion to perk up summer fishing. Take a kid fishing. Not just your own, though. Ask your children if they have a friend who might like to go along.
Beyond taking a kid fishing, don’t forget neighbors or friends who may have not been fishing in a while.
Or how about a gift of fresh fish? Earlier this summer my son brought a few packages of fresh North Dakota walleye to one of our retired neighbors, a true display of the popular philosophy of sharing the resource. Who knows, a fish dinner might be enough to interest someone in going along, or heading out on their own.
With more than 360 fishing waters in North Dakota, most veteran anglers of our state will agree this is the heyday of fishing. Even though we are fortunate we can start hunting in August, it’s not time to store the fishing rods just yet.
Leier is a biologist with the Game and Fish Department. He can be reached by email: email@example.com | <urn:uuid:72473700-d087-4061-8636-f19bea1c53ff> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jamestownsun.com/event/article/id/166803/publisher_ID/10/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953051 | 670 | 1.5 | 2 |
Associate in Liberal Studies (A.L.S.)
The curriculum is designed for students who desire up to two years of college study for personal development. It is also designed to provide students an opportunity to pursue various areas of interest and subsequently to select a more specific educational objective, such as a particular career and technical education program or baccalaureate-oriented associate degree.
Baccalaureate Transfer Option
Both baccalaureate-oriented and career and technical education courses may be taken as a part of this program but must be numbered 100 or above. Not all courses may transfer.
- Communications Skills (9 hours)
- Humanities/Fine Arts (10 hours)
- Social Science (10 hours)
- Natural/Life/Physical Science and Mathematics (10 hours)
May include occupational-oriented courses. (21 hours)
Total Credits Required
A total of 60 credit hours is required for the ALS degree, with a minimum of 15 hours taken at Richland. Courses must be numbered 100 or above. Students transferring credit to Richland Community College should see regulations concerning transfer credit.
Cumulative Grade Point Average
2.00 ("C") or better for all work applicable toward the degree that was completed at Richland. | <urn:uuid:91268014-810c-4794-9424-8a47b022aa33> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.richland.edu/degrees/als | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941891 | 259 | 1.515625 | 2 |
A bear stuck in a tree near Cleveland (WKYC)
BEDFORD HEIGHTS, OH -- A black bear cornered in a Bedford Heights tree made a move to a new perch Monday afternoon.
The bear had been cornered in a tree since Monday morning. Earlier, crews had used water hoses on the animal to try and bring it down. The water only caused the bear to climb higher into the tree.
The decision was then made to build a containment fence around the area and to tranquilize the bear once it climbed down from the tree.
The bear then appeared to settle down for a bit of a nap before making a scramble into near-by trees.
It's believed to be the same black bear that was sighted at the Bedford Heights border near Oakwood Village Monday.
A Bedford police dispatcher received a call from a traveler who reported seeing the black bear on Solon Road, just east of Northfield Road early Monday.
The same dispatcher heard that a black bear may have also been sighted at the Bedford Heights border, near Oakwood Village at about 6:30 p.m. Monday. | <urn:uuid:8eb029cb-e7b3-4b16-98fb-e8ca5c8cbeff> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.11alive.com/rss/article/255195/40/Black-bear-gets-stuck-in-a-tree | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970992 | 233 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Oregon's unemployment rate dropped below 9% in December for the first time in three years.
The jobless rate was 8.9 percent last month, the lowest it's been since November 2008. It ticked down slightly from 9.1 percent the month before but remained higher than the national unemployment rate of 8.5 percent.
"We have made progress, and we still have more to do to get Oregonians back to work in all communities across the state," Gov. John Kitzhaber said in a statement.
Despite the improvement, nearly 176,000 people in Oregon who were looking for work remained unemployed. Excluding farm work and accounting for seasonal factors, the state Employment Department said the number of jobs has increased by just 4,600 since February 2011, or 0.3 percent. More than 1.6 million people are currently employed in Oregon.
Read more at CBS News.
BELOW: Current talk on Twitter on this topic | <urn:uuid:abb51dd8-5af9-454f-af2f-f4641f3240e7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.oregonbusiness.com/must-reads/6515-unemployment-drops-below-9-percent?device=xhtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978947 | 202 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Orange Park Medical Center Surgical Waiting Room Goes Hi-tech
March 19, 2010
Matching recent investments in state-of-the-art operating room technology, such as robotic surgery and minimally invasive techniques to detect lung cancer earlier, Orange Park Medical Center has installed a hi-tech patient tracking system in its surgery waiting room. The main feature of the “OR Tracker” system is a large, flat screen monitor that continually updates friends and family members about the progress of their loved one through the surgical process.
The roughly $16,000 investment in the OR Tracker was made to improve the experience for folks waiting on their loved ones in surgery. “It’s a very stressful time for them, and they are anxious to know what is taking place,” says Diane Carlson, RN, MSN, Director of Surgical Services. “The person caring for the patient cannot always communicate one-on-one with the family, because they are busy providing the care to the patient. So the tracker system gives the family the communication they want about where their loved one is at all times.”
All patients preparing for surgery, in surgery, recovering from surgery, moved to a hospital room or discharged are tracked in the system. Their identity is indicated by first letter of their first name plus the first three letters of their last name. Their status, along with the procedure they are having, is indicated on the waiting room screen. The display is automatically updated as it is being documented in the hospital’s electronic documentation system.
Those waiting for information about their loved ones in surgery say the system is, “very helpful,” “comforting,” and alleviates the anxiety of “waiting for someone to tell me what’s going on.”
Since the OR Tracker provides on time communication to family and friends, it can also reduce the number of interruptions caregivers have in providing care. Family members need not call back to the operating room or recovery room for updates.
There’s a patient safety feature to the system as well. Companion, electronic display monitors have been installed in patient care areas and are only seen by staff. The display on these monitors will flag similar patient names, such as Donna Carlson and Diane Carlson. This flagging feature is one more way caregivers make sure the right patient is in the right operating room having the right procedure. | <urn:uuid:1acca5cd-8ade-42d9-92fe-3b50b590edef> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://orangeparkmedical.com/about/newsroom/detail.dot?id=1840b0ee-8f95-48e6-8421-56a5432f5608 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955224 | 493 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Educational Consumer Tips
Auto Repair and Services
If you're the typical car owner, you may not know much about the mechanics of your vehicle. When it's time for repairs, however, you should know how to locate a reliable shop and a qualified mechanic.
If you have a problem with your car while it's still under warranty, follow the manufacturer's requirements, which may include having repairs made at an authorized, franchised dealership, to keep your warranty in effect. If your car is no longer under warranty and you're looking for a qualified, independent repair shop, ask friends and family for recommendations; and check with your Better Business Bureau about the shop's reliability.
Look for shops that display certification - like an Automotive Service Excellence Seal. ASE certification indicates that some or all of the technicians have met basic standards of knowledge and competence in specific technical areas. Make sure the certificates are recently obtained. Remember, however, that certification alone is not an absolute guarantee of good or honest work. If major repairs are required, you may want to find a dealer or repair shop specializing in the type of repair needed.
If you are in doubt about what the problem is, let the shop diagnose the problem. You may cost yourself money by requesting a specific repair that may not in fact solve the problem. Nevertheless, be as specific and accurate as possible in describing the problem. Always get an estimate for parts and labors. Make sure the estimates states that the shop will contact you for approval before performing any work exceeding a specified amount of time or money.
When you pick up your car, ask the service manager to explain all work completed and all replacements made. Also, ask that any major new parts that have been installed be pointed out to you, if possible. If the shop guarantees its work, get the guarantee in writing. Be sure that your bill itemizes the repairs so if a problem occurs later, you can prove that the item in question is covered by the guarantee. For more information on auto repair, contact your local Better Business Bureau or visit the BBB central web site at www.bbb.org.
Information provided by http://datcp.wi.gov/Consumer/Top_Ten_Complaints/Auto_Repair/index.aspx | <urn:uuid:46216763-f149-4ca7-9fc7-fb850dd64dc9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bbb.org/milwaukee/industry-tips/Read/Tip/auto-repair-and-services-53 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943989 | 459 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Semi-liarLogic puzzles require you to think. You will have to be logical in your reasoning.
There was a criminal mastermind named Dr. Rey. Dr. Rey was very smart and witty to the point of arrogance. He defied everyone by publicly expressing that when he would talk, he would state a true fact and a false statement together.
One time there was a party. Many criminal masterminds were there, and the talk turned to a very recent case that was very mysterious and popular at that time. It was the case of the very clean murder of John Smith, a highly-ranked agent of the CIA. One of the criminal masterminds present asked Dr. Rey whether he had anything to do with that murder - he said it in a humorous way, of course. Dr. Rey, smiling lightly, said: "I had nothing to do with that murder. Oh! How time passes, I was 50 on my previous birthday and I'll be 52 on my next". An undercover agent smiled on hearing that, and a few hours later, Dr. Rey was in prison.
What was the occasion of the party?
AnswerIt was Dr. Rey's birthday.
See another brain teaser just like this one...
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Back to Top | <urn:uuid:727a0e18-d333-4e2d-87a0-b0b405a7dd84> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.braingle.com/brainteasers/teaser.php?id=46513&op=0&comm=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984581 | 295 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Motivation is a tricky thing. We need it in every aspect of our lives: to get up in the morning and go to work, to start (and finish) that 10-page paper, to do laundry after a long day.
Yet the motivation to get healthy often eludes us. It hides in the form of excuses -- excuses for why we can't go to the gym or cook a healthy meal, why we can't get enough sleep or make time for ourselves.
Often we lack motivation because we lack inspiration.
Every year CNN selects iReporters to race in a triathlon with Dr. Sanjay Gupta and the Fit Nation team. This year we're giving six lucky readers a road bike (with all the necessary accessories), a wet suit and a gym membership to help them prepare for the Nautica Malibu Triathlon on September 8.
As they train for their first triathlon with support from our fitness and nutrition coaches, they'll blog, tweet and share their workouts online. You'll watch as they get ready to swim a half-mile in the ocean, bike 18 miles and run 4 miles along the Pacific coast.
We hope this year's Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge team will inspire you to make your own health a priority. Whether it's being a role model for your kids, accomplishing a personal goal or simply being able to enjoy life, find your motivation for getting fit and eating better. If our past Fit Nation team members are any indication, you'll be happy you did. Meet this year's team:
Douglas Mogle was tailgating at a Notre Dame game in October 2011 when he started feeling ill. On his way out of the parking lot, he passed out and fell down face first. At 31 years old, he had gone into sudden cardiac arrest.
"I have a confession to make," Mogle wrote in his first blog for Fit Nation. "I was petrified of not being selected to the CNN Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge. Seriously, petrified.
"It seemed as though everyone who applied to the challenge was going to 'Start this new way of life,' regardless of being selected or not. They were motivated. They had obtainable goals. They had a plan. I, on the other hand, was shaking in my boots. I was not ready to face the reality of trying to live a healthier lifestyle by myself, again."
A fourth-grade teacher from Atlanta, Mogle is now ready to follow his own advice to his students: You have to work really, really hard to reach success.
"I'm in this for the long term, and failure is not an option. I'll do whatever my CNN Fit Nation coaches and mentors ask me to do. I'll follow their workouts, their eating plans and everything in between. Will it be easy? No, probably not. But 'they' usually say that nothing worthwhile ever is."
Will Cleveland grew up in the military, traveling from country to country with his family. As an adult, the Atlanta man became a soldier himself.
Looking back on his childhood has motivated the 28-year-old single father to become a role model for his son. That includes quitting smoking, a bad habit he picked up after leaving the Army.
"I want to stay living as long as possible in order to experience this world in its entirety," Cleveland wrote. "I want to be around when my son has a chance to see the world, and I want to be there to guide him and teach him right from wrong. ... If it makes any sense, I would say just by seeing what I have seen thus far, I know there is much more to see.
"I know this training and competing will be painful and mentally stressful, but if he sees that his father was able to finish something he set out for, maybe he will think he can do the same thing and strive to be the best."
Annette Miller wanted to join the basketball team when she was 10 years old. Permission slip in hand, she excitedly told her parents about her plans -- but, she says, they told her she was too fat to play.
"Those five words impacted my life more than I could ever know," Miller wrote on her iReport submission. "For the past 20-plus years I've been 'too fat to' do a lot of things."
The tipping point came when Miller's twin sister needed a kidney transplant. Doctors wouldn't even test Miller to see if she was a match because she was obese. Since then, Miller has lost more than 100 pounds.
"I've seen how my body has changed and how strong I'm getting and it amazes me," the Nashville resident wrote. "My way of thinking and seeing myself are still works in progress. Many days I feel like the 10-year-old that just wanted to play basketball, and I still hear 'You're too fat to play.'
"I need to be able to run across the finish line and be able to call myself a triathlete. Completing this challenge with the 2013 Fit Nation team will do more for me mentally and emotionally than any amount of weight I can ever lose."
"I barely recognize the person I've become," Stacy Mantooth wrote in his first blog. "Who is this fat guy staring back at me in the mirror? Apparently watching sports on TV doesn't actually count as exercise. Who knew?!" | <urn:uuid:9068f58f-3830-4a4d-96dc-dad1ac97de9b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.krdo.com/news/health/6-people-who-ll-inspire-you-this-year/-/477210/18280642/-/i9mgr5z/-/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985722 | 1,109 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Microsoft has applauded the Chinese government for clamping down on software pirates with prison sentences.
A court in Shenzhen, southern China, has handed down sentences to 11 ringleaders of what was described as the world's largest software counterfeiting syndicate.
The sentences, ranging from 1.5 to 6.5 years, include the longest sentences handed down for this type of crime in China's history.
Based in the southern China province of Guangdong, members of the syndicate were arrested by Chinese authorities in July 2007, following an international investigation led by China's Public Security Bureau (PSB) and the FBI. Microsoft and hundreds of Microsoft customers and partners also provided information which assisted in the investigation.
The 11 accused were part of a criminal syndicate responsible for manufacturing and distributing an estimated $2bn-worth of high-quality counterfeit Microsoft software.
The counterfeit software, found in 36 countries and on five continents, contained fake versions of 19 of Microsoft's most popular products and was produced in at least 11 languages.
"Microsoft greatly appreciates the work of China's PSB and the FBI in taking strong enforcement action against this global software counterfeiting syndicate," said David Finn, associate general counsel for Worldwide Anti-Piracy and Anti-Counterfeiting at Microsoft.
Fengming Liu, vice-president of Microsoft Greater China Region, said, "Software piracy negatively impacts local economic growth, stifling innovation, taking business opportunity away from legitimate resale channels and putting consumers and partners at risk. Enforcement of intellectual property rights is critical to fostering an environment of innovation and fair competition."
Microsoft launched the Genuine Software Initiative in 2006, and since then it has intensified its efforts to protect customers and channel partners from the risks of counterfeit software through an increased focus on education, engineering and enforcement. | <urn:uuid:81580b7d-825d-4baa-99da-c3572fd3f430> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240087919/Microsoft-applauds-Chinese-counterfeit-software-prison-sentences | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951989 | 366 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Court Upholds New York City’s Use of Eminent Domain for Hudson Yards Project
An appellate court dismissed five consolidated actions challenging New York City’s and the MTA’s use of eminent domain to obtain land for a project on Manhattan’s West Side. In Matter of C/S 12th Ave. LLC v. City of New York, the Appellate Division First Department upheld the City’s approval of property acquisition and easements related to the project, as well as the Determination and Findings generated by the City and the MTA. The court also held that condemnation of an entire parcel is reasonable where the project for which the parcel is sought only requires a portion of the parcel, but partial demolition of the existing structure is not feasible.
Owners of property subject to condemnation for the project, which is known as the No. 7 Subway Extension Hudson Yards Rezoning and Redevelopment Program, challenged the City’s authority to acquire their land. Petitioners’ numerous claims include arguments that the City failed to comply with requirements of the Eminent Domain Procedure Law, engaged in unconstitutional spot zoning, acted ultra vires, and failed to state an adequate public use to be served by the project.
The court held that Eminent Domain Procedure Law 204 does not require “extreme accuracy” in reference to the property to be acquired; rather the procedural requirement is satisfied when the acquiring agency sets forth the approximate location and the reasons for the location selection for the proposed project. In reaching its determination that specificity is not required, the court pointed out that the taking challenged in the EDPL claim is a temporary easement needed to construct and support portions of the project. In addition, the court reasoned, the easements were sought for structural stabilization of the subway tunnel during its construction, and precisely where the stabilization points would be required could not be determined in the planning stage of the project.
Petitioners claimed their property was singled out for a use classification that differs from that of the surrounding areas in violation of the Constitution’s Equal Protection clause. In examining this claim, the court found that there was a rational relationship between the disparate treatment of the parcel and the legitimate government purposes of well-considered development, generating jobs, and increasing the tax base. The court thus upheld disparate treatment of the property and discounted petitioners’ spot zoning claim.
In reviewing petitioners’ argument that the City’s actions were ultra vires, the court held that the actions were within the scope of its authority and further found that the Hudson Yards project constitutes a public use as required by the Constitution, since it serves a public purpose, citing the broad definition of public use upheld in Kelo v. City of New London.
The court also noted because the EDPL provided an adequate mechanism allowing the property owners to seek compensation, the challengers bore the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that the challenged rezoning plan destroyed the economic value of the property. The court held that petitioners did not satisfy the burden and therefore allowed the regulations to stand. | <urn:uuid:e25f7007-9a0d-4c9e-bf9a-f2ec3a97240c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.szlawfirm.net/2006/06/court_upholds_new_york_citys_u.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948988 | 630 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Page:Alices adventures in Cambridge.djvu/34
March Hare. "You might as well say that a forward pass is the same thing as a touchdown."
"You might as well say," the Dormouse drowsily murmured, "that to pass with an A is the same thing as to fail with an E."
"You might as well say that the Crime is the same thing as the penalty," said the Hatter.
"It is the same thing, if you read it," said the March Hare.
Alice was silent. She felt somehow that they were all talking nonsense.
"Now," said the Hatter, after a pause, "we will turn to the very important question whether straw hats should be worn by the Student Body before the first of April."
"Is that as important as to decide who should be manager of the Chess Team?" asked the March Hare.
"Well," said the Hatter judicially, "it certainly ought to come before the question of Freshman nominations.""Phibetakappa, Phibetakappa, Phibetakappa," the Dormouse began, and would
[ 28 ] | <urn:uuid:96bdebb5-9310-40ba-af91-d2857b988f19> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:Alices_adventures_in_Cambridge.djvu/34 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985537 | 244 | 1.609375 | 2 |
January 14, 2011 — Lital Dotan and Eyal Perry, two Israeli artists who comprise the Glasshouse,
are at Westphal until January 14th. They are here as Stein
recipients, a grant provided by the Louis and Bessy Stein Foundation to
promote exchange between Israeli universities and Drexel University.
Lital and Eyal will engage in diverse activities that reflect their
interests as performance and installation artists and as photographers.
At Drexel, they will work with students in a performance class, give a
series of live performances, and their exhibition, Alexandra’s Forgiveness, is up at the Leonard Pearlstein Gallery. Alexandra’s Forgiveness
consists of installations, photography, and videos of past
performances and will be at the gallery until February 5th. On Friday,
January 14th, the artists will enact two pieces that will transform the
Leonard Pearlstein Gallery into a live performance space. Those
performances will take place from 3 PM to 5 PM.
Glasshouse is a name that references an
ongoing artistic laboratory of performance, residency, cultural center,
and exhibition space in the house of Lital and Eyal in Tel Aviv.
Artists from all over the world come to live with them for 7-14 days,
while working on collaborative performances and installations. The Glasshouse
provides a forum where artists can experiment and explore as a
community, and it provides Lital and Eyal a means to explore the
social, political, and humanistic complexities of living in Israel. A
mission of their on-going project is to give an understanding to the
many sides of being Israeli and to create a world dialogue. | <urn:uuid:a455d943-8c3f-4688-8f92-5843fe568cc8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://drexel.edu/westphal/news/archive/2011/2011-01-14_Glasshouse/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944199 | 361 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Let me start this post by stating I think Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell should be repealed, and that homosexuals should be free to serve openly in the military. I also think it’s shameful that people who have served their country honorably, and in some cases have risked their lives, have been discharged because of whom they choose to love. In cases like the linguists who were dismissed for their sexuality, DADT has also likely harmed national security.
That said, I find it interesting that military service became such a touchstone issue for gay rights. After gay marriage, it’s really the gay issue right now. I’m a white, straight male from suburban Indiana. So I haven’t suffered much discrimination in my life, save for rarely getting a foul call when I play pick-up basketball at the Y. (That’s a joke. It’s true. But it’s a joke.) But I’d think if I were a member of a group fighting for equal treatment, the right to go off to die in the pet war of whoever is currently occupying the White House would pretty low on my list of priorities. I’d think this would be especially true of the gay community which, if I may stereotype, I’d guess on average is less militaristic and gung-ho war than the general population. (If there’s data showing that I’m wrong here, I’m willing to be wrong here.)
Gay marriage is probably the only gay rights issue that gets more attention than DADT right now. And prioritizing gay marriage makes sense. But there’s comparably little coverage, debate, or discussion, for example, about laws against gay adoption, which it seems to me affect a much larger percentage of the gay community, deal with a much more basic right, and are quite a bit more damaging, both to gay parents who want kids and to the kids who legislators have decided are better off in a group home or rotating through foster homes than in stable homes with same sex parents. (Some of these laws bar adoption by unmarried parents gay or straight, but in states that forbid gay marriage, the effect is to bar gay people from adopting).
Or how about the fact that federal law basically bars private employers from offering the same health insurance benefits to domestic partners that they do to married hetero couples? Some companies do offer such benefits, but the employed partner is taxed at such an obscenely high rate for the partner’s benefit that the benefit becomes far more expensive than it’s worth. (I’m speaking from experience—I signed on for my ex-girlfriend’s former employer’s domestic partner health insurance benefit a few years ago, and we were surprised with a monster tax bill the next year. Even the company’s HR people weren’t aware of the penalty.). I should add here that I’d ideally like to see health insurance severed from employment. But if the tax benefit is there, it strikes me as patently unfair to give huge tax breaks to committed heterosexual couples, but effectively negate any efforts of private employers to offer committed homosexual couples the same benefit (domestic partners benefits are taxed as income on both the employer and employee side).
I guess my point is that there has been a lot of political capital spent on getting DADT repealed, and it seems to me that while the resulting benefit would be symbolic and obviously important to the gay servicemen and women who would be able to serve without being required to lie about who they are, the population of people directly effected seems to be comparably small.
This isn’t necessarily a criticism. I’m genuinely curious, and wondering if anyone has theories as to why this particular issue has become so heated.
MORE: Just to clarify, when I wrote “I’d think this would be especially true of the gay community which, if I may stereotype, I’d guess on average is less militaristic and gung-ho war than the general population,” I wasn’t referring to stereotypes about masculinity. I was referring to the fact (at least I think it’s a fact — a very cursory Google search seems to bear it out) that the gay community disproportionately aligns with the left, and gay activists with the far left, which I think would suggest that they’re more likely than the general population to be be both anti-war and generally anti-military. (If there are public opinion polls showing otherwise, show me!) My point is, given that, it seems counterintuitive that the right to openly serve in the military and fight in wars would become such a priority.
That said, I think the comments below about symbolism and the added insult of discrimination coming directly from the federal government make sense. | <urn:uuid:64f6dbb1-f30f-43fd-ba4f-308826f78e79> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theagitator.com/2010/10/20/why-dadt/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97312 | 1,007 | 1.804688 | 2 |
QUIP: I was shopping at KROGER when a woman approached me and said, "I have my grandmother’s biscuit recipe, which, whenever she made them, always came out perfect, but for some reason I do not have such luck. Sometimes they are good, sometimes they are like hockey pucks, even though I never stray from the recipe. What is it that I am – sometimes - doing wrong?"
TIP: Biscuits rely on a four key things, that can vary without notice, every time you make them. These are: Very little handling, fresh leavening agents, dough staying cool, and proper spacing on baking sheet.
1. Be gentle when mixing and handle dough like it’s a delicate cloud – with as light a touch as possible. Over working will toughen and warm dough so, hands off!
2, Test baking powder for freshness before using. To test for freshness, pour a few tablespoons of warm water into a small bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon baking powder to the warm water. The mixture should fizz moderately if the powder is fresh. If there is no reaction, pitch that can - no matter what the expiration date is - and buy yourself a new can of baking powder before bothering to make those biscuits!
I use Rumford (or Clabber Girl) because it contains calcium phosphate instead of sodium aluminum sulfate that’s in other products, which tastes bitter.
3. Keep dough cold. If it gets too soft or warm, place it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
4. Keep biscuits about one inch apart. If you place them too far apart on baking sheet they will spread too much. If you place them too close together, the centers won't bake through when the end biscuits are done.
Be mindful of all these things and you will always have bicuits that you love! | <urn:uuid:a168f278-a122-4a81-ad96-7fd82955a9b4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sooeveningnews.com/article/20130119/blogs/130119365/0/blogs01 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943863 | 392 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Wineka column: Letters from a stranded WWI soldier
SALISBURY — Barbara Harris Richmond and her husband, David, found the letters in an old metal box more than 40 years ago, after they undertook the restoration of the corner house at 229 Maupin Ave.
Mother’s Day recently reminded Barbara of it. The box they had discovered originally contained one pound of Artstyle Chocolates, and it was dedicated by poem to “Mother.”
But over the years the house’s first owner, W.T.R. Jenkins — or maybe his wife or one of their children — had converted it into a repository for letters, tax and utility receipts, notes for loans and the official 1923 Building Code and Builders Directory for the city of Salisbury.
In fact, everything in the box looked to be from 1918 into the 1920s.
But what fascinated Richmond and prompted her to keep the box all these years, through many different homes and moves, were letters and cards sent to Jenkins from a grateful World War I soldier.
They tell a story of kindness, a random act of kindness that the soldier would not forget.
N.H. Giesse, the soldier in this story, somehow was left behind in Salisbury, stranded by the transport train that was taking him and others to an Army base in Newport News, Va.
Jenkins, living then at 200 N. Long St., befriended the surely forlorn and penniless Giesse and gave him train fare in hopes the soldier could return to his base in time and not be considered AWOL.
Before the next train out, Jenkins also took Giesse to his house and refreshed him with a cup of coffee and slice of apple pie.
The men exchanged addresses. Giesse’s Army address and his home address in Newark, N.J., were written on the back of an American Red Cross canteen card still in the box.
Giesse made it back successfully to Camp Alexander, Va. At his return, he dashed off his first letter to Jenkins. Dated Feb. 1, 1919, it was in longhand:
“Dear friends, I arrived at camp 20 minutes after the other boys. Had free passage from Danville to New Port News. I am being transferred to a camp somewhere unknown in Norfolk. I will write to you and send you the little item I owe you, and I thank you very heartily for what you have done for me, being a total stranger to you. ... With best wishes to all. N.H. Giesse.”
True to his word, Sgt. Giesse wrote back Feb. 28, 1919 — this time from Company E, Army Supply Base, Norfolk, Va. He typed this letter and enclosed the amount of money he owed to Jenkins, though no mention is made of the amount.
“I have been advanced since you heard from me last. I am top sergeant of this company and sure have my hands full.”
Jenkins would not hear from Giesse again until Nov. 26, 1920. Giesse was out of the Army by then and back home on Holland Street in Newark. He was operating N.H. Giesse Auto Express, and here’s part of that letter, written on company papers:
“I sure do thank you from the bottom of my heart and will always think of you. I have started up the express and general trucking business since I was discharged and sure am doing fine. I have a very nice large truck, everything new and up to date and a very nice business too.
“... You may not remember me anymore. I am the soldier you paid the train fare for when I was stranded in your hometown.”
Giesse expressed a dab of concern that he had not heard from Jenkins and, therefore, may not have received the money order he had sent in 1919.
“I sure do not ever want anyone to think I have or have tried to cheat them after being so good to me as you were.”
New year’s postcard
On Dec. 29, 1922, the Jenkins family received a postcard from Giesse wishing them a prosperous new year.
On Nov. 26, 1923, Giesse sent a three-page letter, acknowledging his appreciative receipt of a card from Jenkins. At times, Giesse wrote, he had a “homesick feeling” for the South and wanted to just drop everything and head down for a month.
“My business is such that I cannot give up or leave it, as I do a great deal of hauling of freight from the railroad stations in Newark to store trade that hasn’t got their own delivery service.
“Business with me is very good. ... I have the same truck I had three years ago, and it looks as good as new. I also have a pleasure car, a closed model called a moon sedan, which I bought in December last and you would think the car only came out of the showroom three months ago.
“I take great pride in anything I own and using judgment in regard to keeping down the expense of it.”
Three more things came from Giesse before his correspondence stopped: holiday cards in 1923 and 1924 and a Thanksgiving card, also in 1924.
Barbara Richmond wishes she knew more about the life of N.H. Giesse from there.
Here’s some of what we know about W.T.R. Jenkins, thanks to research done by historian Betty Dan Spencer.
A Gold Hill native, Jenkins lived from 1857 to 1930, when he died from “the shock of a 15-foot fall,” the newspaper said. He is buried in the Gold Hill Methodist Church cemetery.
He had married Margaret Ann Sparnell in 1879, and they had six children: Lillie Mae, Sade, Virginia, R. Theodore, Margie and James William (“Hookie”).
“I remember Mrs. Jenkins, Sadie and Virginia, or ‘Miss Virgie,’ as she was affectionately known,” Spencer says.
W.T.R. stood for William Thomas Rufus. Jenkins and his wife moved to Salisbury from Gold Hill between 1900 and 1907. He had been a merchant in Gold Hill. The 1910 Census in Salisbury listed Spencer as a carpenter.
By the 1920 Census, he had been elevated to a building contractor.
The house at 229 Maupin was built in 1925 for $5,000. Richmond says she and her late husband, David, “bought it for a song” in 1971 because it had fallen into such bad shape and was close to being condemned.
They lived in the house only 10 months before David’s job with Hoechst Celanese took him to Darlington, S.C., and the building of a plant there.
Returning to Salisbury
After many years in South Carolina and an equal amount of time in Spruce Pine and on the coast, the Richmonds returned to Salisbury in 2005, but David died not long after the move.
Richmond notes that W.T.R. Jenkins had a son in World War I — probably “Hookie” — who had been in the air service. During their restoration long ago, the couple also found a leather helmet and goggles that must have belonged to Hookie.
An Englishman and former member of the Royal Air Force, David contributed the items to the Air Force museum in Myrtle Beach (where he was an honorary member).
There’s so much more, of course, to the stories of the Jenkins family and Barbara Harris Richmond.
“Miss Virgie” Jenkins taught shorthand and typing one summer to Spencer and her good friend, Elizabeth “Liddy” Hanford Dole. They had lessons every day.
The senior Fred Stanbacks and the Hanfords never entertained without Miss Virgie’s being there, Spencer says.
“She was always a chaperone at the parties at their cabins, ‘Frog Hollow’ and ‘Fair Forest Lodge,’ ” she adds. “To this day, I make chili sauce for hamburgers and hot dogs the way Miss Virgie taught me to concoct it.”
Richmond, now 82, remains the only woman from Salisbury to have been Miss North Carolina, a crown she captured in 1952.
Now living on Camelot Drive, the former teacher remains as vibrant as ever, swimming three days a week, painting, singing and looking after a spacious home filled with books and history.
Richmond declares that at 5 feet, 2 inches, she was the shortest Miss North Carolina ever chosen.
In June, Richmond will be joining other Miss North Carolinas of the past for a special gathering at the Governor’s Mansion.
She shrugs, as if a World War I soldier’s story is way more interesting.
Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263, or mwineka@ salisburypost.com. | <urn:uuid:f5ef4d23-fa73-4614-8143-27e8b7f29d48> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.salisburypost.com/article/20120518/SP010121/305189996/1077/SP0508/wineka-column-letters-from-a-stranded-wwi-soldier | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978157 | 1,922 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Successful start to a holiday
Fancy taking your child on holiday with you? Make sure that the journey is well planned.
Small children have higher expectations of holidays than babies: If you want to relax and recuperate, you need to make allowance for their needs, ideally before you set off:
Doctors advise against flying in the first few weeks of a baby's life. The key thing after this is only to fly with healthy babies. The good news is that the risk of thrombosis or circulation problems that can occur in adults is negligible for little ones.
- Be aware of the change in pressure during take-off and landing. The best option is to allow the baby to suck on something: give him a pacifier, beaker or bottle.
- Sitting in a confined space and being obliged to wear a seat belt can unsettle little ones when flying. One tried-and-tested tip is to take some headphones with you and play the baby's favourite music or favourite fairytale to him.
- Be aware of the air conditioning in the aircraft: take an adaptable outfit with several layers.
- Collapsible buggies can often be carried as hand luggage – check with the airline before you fly.
- Children aged up to twelve months can fly without their own ticket, but this means they don't get their own seat. Space can be at a premium. If you want more space, you must either hope for some empty seats and friendly cabin crew – or pay around 80 per cent of the standard price for a baby ticket.
Travelling by train:
- Travelling by train may sound relaxing, but for small children this is only the case if the journey's not too long. The average tipping point is two to three hours; maybe longer at night.
- Trains offer greater scope for moving around (no seat belts), but it can often be dirty – make sure you pack plenty of cleansing wipes and spare clothing.
- A good compromise if available is to take the car on the train. You can relax as the train takes the strain, but you'll have the flexibility at your holiday resort and you don't need to worry about your luggage.
- Have the child sit in a buggy? No, buggies and prams have to be folded up on trains because there's not enough room for them.
Lots of train companies offer parent and child compartments. Make sure you reserve a space well ahead! | <urn:uuid:0841c8c9-399b-4b2b-b7a3-6df99f97a757> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mambaby.com/index.php?StoryID=11089&RefStoryID=27446 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965224 | 505 | 1.796875 | 2 |
A Digital Printing Network
Here you go!
Thanks for the video steve,I am still confused how you put the 2 inch blur fade around the outside 2 inches in class. I remember you used the gaussain blur at 65, and you power clipped it but how did you contain the blur to the outside of the picture edge ?
Hi John, if I remember correctly, the graphic that he created the blur with was a copy and put in background. The original picture was still on top and at the correct size for the front of the frame. I'm not sure he even power clipped anything. Just take the graphic you want, copy and paste it back on top of itself, select the bottom layer, increase it's size to I believe 2" around all edges (that number could be wrong), go under bitmap, effects, gausean blur and apply it.
I will work up a video on that tomorrow - I have 2 new ways to do the edge of the graphic and will show them both!
Kathy, The way you described it makes sense, i will give it a try.. thanks John
Great video Steve. I do my canvases slightly differently. I always have to think about how to do things as quick as possible. I realized one of the things that was taking me a long time was lining up the stretcher bars so the print was going to be stretched squarely on the bars. I of course am designing my canvases - but I would think the measurements would be somewhat the same.
For 11x14 canvases - I am using a stretcher bar that is approximately 3/4" thick.
My print is 14" x 17".
I cut the print out along the lines.
I have made a 'frame' of sorts from Coroplast. It is 14"x17" big and has an opening to put my 11x14 frame in. I can then extremely quickly drop my frame in and line it up to make my print ready to stretch. You do not have to trim the canvas afterward and it makes it look very neat on the back. (OK - I get I'm a little bit of a perfectionist so I may be the only one who cares about the back!) Saves canvas too - you can print them side by side and get more on your canvas.
I have a frame for every size canvas I make.
I'm uploading a picture of my frame so you can see. And the next picture show you the stretched canvas and how 3" excess fits perfectly for stretching over a 3/4" frame.
Kelly that is a GREAT idea, and thank you sooo much for sharing! So if I understand this correctly, you line up the cut canvas over your coroplast frame, and then push the frame though the opening of the corolplast? where do you get your stretcher frames from?
I lay the canvas down (print side down).
Then I line up my coroplast frame with the outside edges of the canvas - it will line up perfectly.
Then I place the wood frame down on the canvas on the inside whole of the coroplast frame.
Then I lift away the coroplast frame leaving the wood frame lined up perfectly over your canvas print - ready to stretch.
Hopefully that makes sense.
I purchased frames from a new place this time. MUCH cheaper (almost by half) than I was paying from the Canadian Stretcher Bars place. Here is the place I purchased from:
Thanks Kelly, I totally get it now! Question though how did you cut out the center of the coroplast frame so perfectly?
I just measured. I drew lines. I have quilting rulers I use all the time for things like this. I used my see through quilting rulers for a long time before I ever knew about the big super edge rulers. They have the markings all the way through. I do think I gave like a 1/8" gap so that it lifts up easy over the wood frame.
Did you just use scissors or the coroplast cutting tool?
I cut with an exacto knife. In my former sign life I used to make these cute little yard critters from coroplast. I hand cut the designs. I had the strongest fingers in the world. LOL! Picture attached of my little cows so you can see how adept I became at cutting coroplast! :) | <urn:uuid:35736ac9-bb83-44f4-ae99-958f7f668ca5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://myversacamm.com/forum/topics/video-for-canvas-prints?commentId=826732%3AComment%3A82021&xg_source=activity | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95217 | 909 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Making Work Pay
The provision of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that is of most concern to tax professionals around the state of Michigan and the entire country seems to be the one titled the Making Work Pay tax credit. I have written about this credit previously, but feel that it is so problematic that I have to write one more article about it.
The basic premise of this credit is that taxpayers will receive an additional $13 to $25 per week of take-home pay during the years of 2009 and 2010. For a single person, this should amount to about $400. For joint filers, this should amount to about $800. The credit is the smallest of 6.2% of earned income or $400 single/$800 joint.
When the 2009 tax return is filed next year, a single working taxpayer will claim the Making Work Pay tax credit of $400 on the return and, since that person’s withholding should have decreased by about $400, all things being equal, the tax return shouldn’t look much different than this year’s return. Similarly, when the joint working couple file their return in 2009, their withholding should be about $800 less, but they will get the $800 Making Work Pay tax credit, and all should be okay. The taxpayers’ tax burden will have been reduced by $400 or $800 and everyone is happy.
However, there are potential problems that will result in some taxpayers not ending up in that happy place. One of the key words in the entire provision is the second word of the provision: Making WORK Pay tax credit. In other words, for taxpayers who do not work and do not have earned income, there is no Making Work Pay tax credit. That is where problem number one arises.
When the Internal Revenue Service was instructed to implement this credit and adjust the withholding tables so that taxpayers would get the $13 to $25 additional take-home pay, there was a small communication error. They did not instruct all of those entities issuing pensions to ignore the new tables. The Making Work Pay tax credit does not apply to pension recipients. Pension income is not earned income and does not qualify as work income. However, I have many clients who had their pension withholding reduced anyway. Since they will not qualify for the $400/800 credit when we file their 2009 tax return, they could either get a reduced refund or owe an additional amount. According to Dave Ramsey, getting a reduced refund is good, and I don’t argue with that. However, for those clients who already owe just a little or try to make it all work out to zero refund, having to tell them they owe $800 more than they expected won’t do much for my well-being next tax season.
The IRS very recently released instructions to the entities issuing pensions that they should notify their recipients and give them the option of using tables that do not reflect the Making Work Pay reduction. I would recommend that taxpayers receiving pensions who did receive a decrease in withholding contact their tax professional. An adjustment might be necessary in the form of filing a new W-4 with the pension people or perhaps adjusting estimated payments. Taxpayers should not presume everything will work out, because it may not.
Problem number two arises with taxpayers who work more than one job or joint filers who both work. A single taxpayer who has more than one job potentially could be receiving $13 more take-home pay from each job. This single taxpayer is now having his/her withholding reduced by $800 during the year. However, when the tax return is prepared, only a credit of $400 will be allowed. That could result in a smaller refund or a balance due. Hello, Dave Ramsey, again.
For joint filers, it’s a little more dramatic, and I can use my own situation as an example. Deb and I both work and we both claim married-filing-jointly with zero exemptions on our W-4. We itemize, and I like Dave Ramsey, so I try to keep our refund/balance due as close to zero as possible. However, both of us had our withholding reduced by $800 by the new withholding tables. Our withholding went down by $1,600. We will qualify for $800 of Making Work Pay tax credit, but not $1,600. That means if I don’t adjust our withholding amounts, we could owe $800 when we file our return.
Say I was off just a little on my calculating and instead of getting a slight refund, we owed $300 with our return. Factor in the reduced withholding and we now owe $300 plus $800, or $1,100. Deb Coon is not a happy camper, and neither is the IRS. Because we owed more than $1,000, we can be penalized for owing them too much. Of course, our situation is just hypothetical, because I will adjust our withholding.
Taxpayers out there in a similar situation should not hesitate to contact their tax professional to have a discussion about whether they should submit a new W-4 to increase that federal withholding. This is Jerry Coon signing off.
Jerry Coon is an Enrolled Agent. He owns
Action Tax Service on Northland Drive in Rockford.
His e-mail address is firstname.lastname@example.org. | <urn:uuid:6c57ec7c-204c-4a91-85bf-9ece7b6fe68f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://rockfordsquire.com/2009/05/28/the-tax-attic-may-28-2008/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972838 | 1,099 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Real estate investments have the potential to provide valuable returns to investors. However, the impact that building’s have on the environment and on the communities in which they are located is often overlooked. We believe that we have a responsibility to identify and manage these impacts as effectively as possible.
Our approach to direct and multi-manager real estate investment follows the principles of sustainable property investment and builds on Aberdeen’s experience of managing Socially Responsible Investment products through focusing on the manager of the property company or property vehicle’s approach to sustainable real estate investment and, in particular, the management of energy, waste, water and pollution and their approach to society.
Working alongside the Property Group Head of Sustainability Aberdeen's property team has a full time Sustainability Manager working with cross functional sustainability teams across country business units promoting and facilitating consistent improvements in the environmental performance of the assets we manage by developing and implementing strategies to satisfy local market demands and needs.
Sustainability initiatives include: - | <urn:uuid:ee0dd6f9-6b36-4709-a736-63dd6dfed82f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aberdeen-asset.us/aam.nsf/usProfessional/propertysri | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957023 | 202 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Speaking with Morgunútvarpinu television program this morning, Salvör expressed her disappointment that the reviews of the constitution, both by the parliamentary interior and by the Venice Commission, have taken so long. She notes that many of the comments that arose in the Venice Commission’s report had been brought up previously during local discussions of the constitution, but the comments must still be respected and addressed before the constitution can move forward.
“The worst case scenario would be that the issue would hit a wall and people would be less motivated to take the matter back up following the elections,” Salvör said.
The committee responsible for drafting the Iceland's new constitution had submitted it for parliamentary review last summer, and the parliamentary committee responsible for undertaking the first review of the text was doing so still while the nation went to the polls in October to vote on the need for a new constitution and on several suggested amendments that the new constitution may include. Parliament returned their notes to the committee in November, at which point the text was sent to the Venice Commission, the Council of Europe's advisory board on on constitutional matters. The Venice Commission returned their notes to parliament just this week, and so parliament has just a dozen working days remaining to review the notes, implement any suggested changes and then vote on the enactment of the new constitution before the elections take place in April.Related:
Constitution Draft SubmittedIceland Says Yes To New ConstitutionDemocratic Alliance Chairman Working Toward New Constitution
Salvör Nordal, former chairman of the Constitutional Council, is stressing the importance of taking into consideration the comments submitted by the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe on Iceland’s constitutional draft, adding that the worst possible outcome at this point would be that nothing would come out of all the work that has been done toward instituting a new constitution, RÚV | <urn:uuid:14c5e68a-3442-4e60-927c-277063701b6b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://grapevine.is/Home/ReadArticle/The-Worst-Outcome-Would-Be-No-New-Constitution | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967917 | 375 | 1.5 | 2 |
With 71 days left in office, President Bush is less popular than President Nixon was at the time of his resignation, according to data released Monday by CNN and Opinion Research Corporation.
The new poll, taken Thursday through Sunday, showed an approval rating of 24 percent and a disapproval rating of 76 percent.
CNN released a chart showing presidential "disapproval" ratings in CNN or Gallup polls for each president dating back to Harry Truman. This list shows the percentage of Americans who disapproved of the way each president was handling his job.
Shorter Gabriel Gomez
14 minutes ago | <urn:uuid:9bcef983-124a-4f64-81dd-73f6350aa79a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.beggarscanbechoosers.com/2008_11_01_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957279 | 116 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Leadership Mineral Wells
Leadership Mineral Wells is a program designed to encourage leadership and community development. Having this type of broad-based knowledge has enabled past participants to better serve the community in roles such as city council, Chamber board of directors, and hospital and school boards, as well as allowed them to further hone their leadership skills. In addition, it is an excellent way to meet and network with other leaders with the same objective: to make a difference in the Mineral Wells area and Palo Pinto County.
At right: Leadership Mineral Wells Class 17 with City Manager Lance Howerton and Area Growth Council Director Steve Butcher on the city council dais.
Through a series of self-facilitated programs, Leadership Mineral Wells participants receive a thorough overview of local government, human needs, education, and business as it pertains to Mineral Wells and Palo Pinto County. Participants typically travel throughout the county and city during the course of a day, meeting with business owners, governmental officials, and agency executives.
Leadership Mineral Wells classes are required over the course of their year to develop and execute a class project. The project is up to the class but must be approved by the Chamber executive director.
Leadership Mineral Wells Class 17 hosted a skeet shoot fundraiser to raise money for new playground equipment at West City Park. Class 16 coordinated the parking at the 2010 Crazy Water Festival and donated the proceeds to the National Vietnam War Museum.
Leadership Mineral Wells requires a considerable commitment of time and energy—though the investment is well worth it, as current and past participants will attest. Participants are expected to attend all class sessions. There will be a total of eight (9) eight-hour sessions, held once a month on fourth Thursdays, from February through October, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The September class will be held in Austin, where participants typically spend the night. There is a mandatory ropes course one Saturday in March and a November graduation.
Cost to Participate
Prospective Leadership applicants will want to know about the financial commitment involved in particpating in Leadership Mineral Wells. Many businesses cover all or some of the costs for their employees.
Here is a breakdown:
Participation fee: $375
(includes materials, book, shirt, ropes course, and graduation)
Chamber Banquet ticket: $35
Hotel and meal in Austin: $150
(If room not shared)
One lunch for group: $150
(Many businesses choose to cover one meal for the class throughout the year.)
Estimated total cost: $710 (high side) | <urn:uuid:eb35aeca-c220-4d86-b506-bf45b4b7343a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mineralwellstx.com/pages/LeadershipMineralWells/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951879 | 530 | 1.648438 | 2 |
You know, often I am writing a review as I am discovering the music I am writing about. This has been the case with the Arnold cycle. I have been diagnosed as being bipolar. Some people call this a disease. When I listen to Arnold's music the word that appears most often in all of my notes is "bi". His symphonies share a trait of hitting your senses with jumps from A to B that soar. The next word that has the most frequent use is "Martinů".
One of the things I realized after the meds took effect is that all those years I was misdiagnosed I was angry. I was angry all the time. The overriding sense I get from listening to Arnold's symphonies is that this guy is angry. I don't mean to give you the impression that this essay is about me. No, rather it is an attempt to describe to you how the composer's symphonies mean. I have studied and am studying all of them. I have gotten copies of alternative recordings and listened to them as part of that studying. Arnold gives me the feeling that he is angry about something. This sense comes no matter which recording I am listening to.
If you haven't read my previous reports on Arnold, I will tell you that I am finding his symphonies to be a wonderful learning experience. I am going to make an attempt to tell you what I have learned about these symphonies by studying two different recordings and reading the notes.
I will start with the 6th because I want to. In both recordings I can feel a sense of sitting in a jazz club and listening to a quartet. In the notes I had read that Arnold said he was trying to capture the improvisational aspect he heard in Charlie Parker. In my first few listenings I didn't get it. Then, like an epiphany, I heard it. Once you are aware, nothing is the same. The Chandos recording gives this movement a sense of a jazz quartet, but something you might hear in a Twilight Zone episode. The Penny recording offers sharper brass attacks, a more 'jazzy' feel to the music, less movie. I like both perspectives but found the Naxos recording more involving. The quantity of my notes as I was free writing exploded when listening to the Naxos recording.
The Fifth Symphony brings to mind Sibelius' 4th. The opening clarinet solo is one thing that does that. The use of chimes and tubular bells is another reason. The first movement is intense, it is a swing of emotions: violent, anger, sorrow, and tenderness. It is, quite frankly, one of the most interesting musical experiences I have had. At one point Arnold kind of quotes the Dies Irae but instead of going bup, bup, bup, bup, (then down ) bub, bub, bup, bup Arnold goes bup, bup bup bup… and then repeats it instead of going down. Now, I sure hope you staid with me on that one and will tell me what I said. The intensity, the taut sense of anticipation that closes the first movement is melts away as the second movement opens. It is a sense of release. Turbulence is also in the movement, as it is in all his works. I won't go on, the notes do a credible if somewhat technical discussion of the symphonies.
As to the recordings? Well, Penny's sparer, starker sound is more interesting than the LSO, MGM sound. While Hickox and his orchestra do offer an alternative version, which is important so that you have a concept of a piece of music and not just an example, I must be honest and tell you that the Naxos recording is superior and so is the interpretation. The Chandos is a re-release and at mid price. I suggest you get both and will be interested if your listening experience is different from mine.
Copyright © 2002, Robert Stumpf II | <urn:uuid:54adf025-d1d5-47b9-9494-3c593e7c2815> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://classical.net/music/recs/reviews/n/nxs52000a.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97662 | 829 | 1.742188 | 2 |
Senator Edward "Teddy" Kennedy, 76, is the most prominent living member of the Kennedy family, and the last of the brothers who dominated US Democratic politics in the 1960s.
"Teddy" Kennedy has been a senator for more then four decades
Three infamous tragedies marked his life in that decade - the assassinations of his brothers John and Robert, and a fatal car accident on Chappaquiddick Island in 1969, which clouded his own political prospects.
But as a member of the Senate since 1962 - re-elected seven times - he has become one of the Democratic Party's best-known figures and a leading reform campaigner.
Lately he has been an active supporter of Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination.
"Ted Kennedy is a giant in American political history," said Mr Obama on hearing of his ill-health on 17 May.
Last of the brothers
The man who represents Massachusetts in the Senate was born in Boston on 22 February 1932, one of nine children to Irish-American businessman and politician Joseph P Kennedy and his wife Rose Fitzgerald.
Educated at Harvard University and the University of Virginia Law School, he was elected to the Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of his brother John on becoming president.
The eldest of his three brothers, Joseph, had died first, killed in a World War II air crash. In 1964, Edward himself survived a plane crash in which a pilot and one of his aides were killed.
In 1963, John was shot by an assassin in Texas. Less than five years later, Robert was dead, the victim of a gunman in Los Angeles.
Edward was to try for the presidency himself: first in 1974 when he ultimately withdrew his candidacy and then in 1980, when he failed in a primary challenge to Jimmy Carter.
Correspondents say that his presidential ambitions were haunted by an accident at the Massachusetts island of Chappaquiddick in 1969, when his car plunged off a bridge and a young woman
riding with him, Mary Jo Kopechne, drowned.
He pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of a crime and was given a two-month suspended jail sentence.
After more than 40 years of service as a senator, Edward Kennedy has earned a reputation as both a liberal lawmaker and a dealmaker able to bridge party lines, correspondents say.
Sen John McCain, the likely Republican presidential nominee, paid tribute to his political foe on hearing of his health problems.
"Senator Kennedy's role in the US Senate cannot be overstated," he said.
"He is a legendary lawmaker and I have the highest respect for him. When we have worked
together, he has been a skilful, fair and generous partner."
His current positions include senior Democrat on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and service on the Judiciary Committee, the Armed Services Committee and the Congressional Joint Economic Committee.
Also a member of the Congressional Friends of Ireland, he is a trustee of the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC. | <urn:uuid:d327c770-06cf-4d50-9b03-5b9ac5426cf4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7406627.stm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982272 | 622 | 1.804688 | 2 |
My question started with
Show -243 in polar form which I did, <243, ∏ >
Then find all fifth roots of -243, which I did
z0 = <3, ∏/5 >
. . . .
z4 = <3, 9∏/5 >
Now I need to factorise the polynomial z^5 + 243 giving exact values of the real coeff's. in terms of sin, cos where appropriate.
I think it should be simple for me, but need a quick start as to what is being looked for.
Thank you for looking. | <urn:uuid:e747c4b8-574f-4d41-a226-807c70febb88> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mathhelpforum.com/pre-calculus/198228-factoring-5th-root-polynomial.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953665 | 128 | 1.820313 | 2 |
After Friday's deadly shooting in Newtown, Conn., some parents in Central Indiana have expressed concerns about security measures here.
"It makes me want to send my kids to school with, at least, a Taser or something," said Brandy Ludlum, a mother whose three children attend Indian Creek Elementary School in Lawrence.
Ludlum expressed uneasiness, like many other parents, after 20 children and six adults were killed inside Sandy Hook Elementary School.
"I think every one of our schools could use more security—most definitely," Ludlum said.
Ludlum would like to see more security and uniform policies at every school no matter what grade level. She suggested metal detectors as an example—and wants action now.
"I have to trust and believe they're in good care,” she said. “It makes me want to home school my kids."
Mary Louise Bewley with the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township said the staff looked at the district’s policy on the day of the shooting. She said they feel comfortable with it, pointing out that the township has resource officers at their secondary schools and off-duty firefighters who provide extra support and medical assistance. Each school has a crisis team.
"At each school, the crisis team is made up of different folks in the building that everyone knows their role. Teachers are trained in knowing, if an alarm goes (off) and we need to lock down (they know) what that means," Bewley said.
Bewley said they review their safety plan yearly. She said their school system, like many others, wants parents to know their children are safe.
"Frankly, if there's a maniac who is intent, I don't know any place in the world that you can keep that from happening. But what we do have in place are safety pieces that should keep any kind of risk like that to a minimum," Bewley said.
Since Friday's shooting, many schools are reassuring parents about their plans and that children are safe.
Indianapolis Public Schools wrote, “All schools are locked, require any visitor to use only the main building entrance, require guests to enter the school through the main office and to sign in." IPS also has protocols for staff members to follow if someone enters school with a gun. The district has its own police department.
Carmel Clay Schools posted information for parents on their website. The district has an anonymous alert system for parents and students and employs a school gate guardian system that helps track visitors.
Center Grove Community School Corporation posted a letter online saying they are reviewing their safety plans and procedures. The school system has six school safety specialists. If a door is not monitored continuously, it is locked. Staff members are trained. | <urn:uuid:7185d8b1-20fb-42e1-a189-077c3ebcbac2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wsbt.com/news/wxin-schools-review-security-policies-in-wake-of-conn-shooting-20121217,0,6341497.column | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983209 | 570 | 1.554688 | 2 |
As has been the case seemingly forever, trying to attain some visibility into the nation’s employment situation these days is like trying to take a picture with the new iPhone 5. While that exercise can be marred by a funny purple haze, the view of the labor market at the moment is marred by a thick film of mud. Conflicting data points abound, with gloomy economists predicting growth of about only 120,000 jobs in September and optimistic TrimTabs predicting job growth of 210,000 jobs. ADP reported this week that 162,000 private-sector jobs were added last month, while the Conference Board reported that online labor demand rose 128,600. Consumer confidence is rising, at least according to the Consumer Confidence Index, and the Institute for Supply management reports that the manufacturing index is climbing. And yet, just this morning, the Department of labor reported that initial claims for unemployment insurance rose last week.
And like a horrible NFL replacement ref, even the referee in this matter (the Bureau of Labor Statistics or the BLS) can’t seem to get the calls right. The BLS has revised every monthly data point twice this year and just recently made a not-insignificant upward revision of an additional gain of 386,000 jobs to its data through Q1 of this year. To say the least, no one can be perfectly certain where the labor market is right now or where it’s headed. And with the continued weakness in the economy and the election fast approaching, there has never been more attention paid to the jobs picture.
Unfortunately, LinkUp’s jobs data for the September and the prior few months not only throws more mud onto the lens, the data also points to a significantly gloomier jobs forecast in the months ahead. In September, new job postings on corporate websites throughout the country fell 13% to 379,328, while total job listings fell 3% to 986,448.
Completely unique to the industry, LinkUp’s job search engine indexes jobs that are only found on company websites throughout the U.S. LinkUp’s index currently lists over 1.2 million jobs indexed from over 22,000 companies. As a result of this unique approach to job listings, LinkUp’s search engine and the resulting data set are completely free of the pollution that plagues other sources such as old listings, duplicate listings, lead-gen bait, work-at-home-scams, fraudulent job posts, and jobs posted by 3rd-party intermediaries.
Equally as disturbing as the aggregate numbers in September, every state except Wisconsin reported a decline in new job listings on company websites, and 44 states reported a decline in total job listings on company websites.
The data is even more grim looking at jobs by category. New job listings by category declined 32%, with all 31 categories tracked by LinkUp showing declines. Total jobs by category fell 11%, with 27 of 31 categories showing declines.
Based on September’s jobs data, combined with our data since July, we are issuing our 60-day job forecast showing job growth of only 75,000 jobs in September, 175,000 jobs gained in October, and back down to only 75,000 jobs in November.
Tomorrow’s horrible jobs numbers are the result of what we saw in July on LinkUp’s job search engine – a blended 1.8% decline in new and total job openings on corporate websites. Assuming a 60-day lag between a job opening appearing on LinkUp and that opening translating into an actual hire, July’s activity doesn’t bode well for tomorrow’s BLS report. (In February, the lag between job postings and actual hires jumped from 30 days to 60 days as more and more companies lengthened their hiring process). Likewise, we saw a 9.4% increase in a 50/50 blend of new and total job openings on LinkUp in August which points to better job growth in October. And finally, September’s horrific numbers would indicate an extremely weak jobs report for November.
So while my crystal ball may not be any better than anyone else’s at the moment, I’d take the under on almost any wager these days about upcoming jobs numbers. Of course, if there are replacement refs on the field, all bets are off. | <urn:uuid:33ab7f93-a109-4c46-b271-9a43d1a870ed> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://diggingsblog.com/blog/2012/10/04/2009/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947418 | 897 | 1.523438 | 2 |
This fall, the Nasher Sculpture Center
presents Tony Cragg: Seeing Things, the first U.S. museum exhibition in nearly 20 years of the work of the award-winning, internationally-acclaimed artist. The exhibition will be on view at the Nasher Sculpture Center from September 10, 2011 to January 8, 2012.
Featuring approximately 30 large- and moderately-scaled sculptures dating from 1993 to the present, the exhibition provides a rare opportunity to see and better understand the artist's work since his last U.S. museum exhibition in the United States in 1990-92.
Tony Cragg is one of the leading sculptors of our time, said Nasher Sculpture Center director, Jeremy Strick. Through his work in a variety of media and surprising range of forms, he has consistently broadened and deepened our understanding of sculpture and its possibilities.
Cragg is lauded for his innovative and varied forms, which draw upon the artist's broad intellectual interests in science and literature, as well as an intuitive and emotional response to form and material. The exhibition at the Nasher Sculpture Center will survey the artists great scope and variety of the artists work. In addition, the exhibition will include a selection of drawings, integral to the artist's method and rarely seen in this country.
Arrayed throughout the Nasher Sculpture Center, the exhibition will occupy much of the interior galleries and garden, as well as engage the public on the sidewalk in front of the Nasher. The exhibition will be accompanied by a lavishly illustrated catalogue featuring a new scholarly essay by Nasher curator Jed Morse. | <urn:uuid:540fbd15-8a04-447d-b117-0b617ed61259> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.artdaily.com/section/lastweek/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=50352&int_modo=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970833 | 333 | 1.5625 | 2 |
When I lived in Texas I was fascinated by all the different ways people had of greeting one another. The one-finger hi-dy. A tip of the gimme cap. The Longhorn hook. And all through those six-month summers: Hot enough for ya?
It is no longer a laughable greeting. I am waiting, desperately, for the moment when we collectively ask ourselves: Hot enough yet? In June, we saw the smashing of heat records in more than a dozen states. Since January, 21,402 daily temperature records have been set. A severe and deadly thunderstorm left at least 3 million people from Indiana to Virginia without power for days — as temperatures continued to hit triple digits. In one of the hottest places in the country, Hill City, Kans., the heat reached 115 degrees; farmers burned their hands on hot tools and fainted in fields. The heat also had devastating consequences for crops and cattle.
Extreme temperatures are feeding monstrous events like floods and fires. A swath of the West is incinerating itself: eight fires burned in Utah; 244 sq. mi. are blazing in Montana; 1,000 acres were scorched in Idaho; and a two-mile wall of flame burned its way down the backside of a Colorado ridge, becoming the largest fire in the history of that state. These are hellish, deadly fires — and there will be more and more of them.
What kind of record smashing will it take for people to understand that we have entered a period of accelerated global warming and must demand action? We are well into the presidential campaign season, and neither Mitt Romney nor Barack Obama has seriously addressed this urgent issue. In fact, Romney has been downright cynical, and Obama has been negligent. We, the people, are letting them off the hook. It is time for voters to demand a plan of action.
Already, my own children, in their 20s, have no idea what summer used to be like. How, on the coast of Rhode Island a mere 25 years ago, we wore heavy sweaters at night, well into July — and not because the air-conditioning was turned up. No one needed it then. The climate I grew up in is gone. My children have another baseline expectation of the weather — but that, too, will shift by the time their children are in their teens. And it will shift for the worse.
We tell ourselves we can adapt to long periods of 100-degree heat. But who are we kidding? What makes us think rising temperatures are simply going to stabilize at a tolerable level? Wishful thinking, only. What we are seeing is only the beginning of climate chaos to come.
Americans can rise to the challenge as they have before. The CEO of ExxonMobil (who will soon figure out that he shouldn’t be in the oil and gas business but in the energy business) was half-correct when he said we have an “engineering problem” — though he was cynical in his disregard of the urgent need for a solution. We’re terrific at engineering solutions, but we must have a serious national conversation, beginning in our highest office, about what is at stake and what can be done to stop the pollution while we work on solutions. Only then can true leadership arise. We must demand honesty before it is too late. | <urn:uuid:9d6ce1e5-667c-4b46-bc16-1ebdd90e14c3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ideas.time.com/2012/07/03/hot-enough-for-ya/?iid=op-main-feature | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969032 | 680 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Giving Tuesday | VideoSarahbeth Ackerman | 11/27/2012
"We do spend a lot of time as a society really focused on what`s the best deals and how can I get all of this shopping done?" said Stacy Nordstrom of Souris Valley United Way.
Souris Valley United Way is reminding the community what the holidays are really all about by raising awareness for giving donations that will better the City of Minot.
"We just wanted to make sure we had a say to take a step back and really think about what does our community need, how can we really help people out and really bring the spirit of the holiday back," said Nordstrom.
Just a few dollars to donate could go toward a hot meal for the elderly or even a years worth of reading material for kids.
"We are helping feed people, help protect and inspire children, really make our community safe, keep our families stronger, make our community a better place for everybody," said Nordstrom.
With the growing population, Souris Valley United Way needed to think about expanding their efforts.
"This year we have a larger goal than ever before, because our community has grown a lot and definitely the the number of children we have in our community, the number of opportunities to help and also the needs is a lot greater than before," said Nordstrom.
Their goal this year is to raise $675,000 and they reached 40 percent of that goal so far.
If you want to give back to the community you can visit www.svunitedway.com. | <urn:uuid:39a8e9ac-75cc-47d9-a515-c80c19dea2c6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kmot.com/News_Stories.asp?news=60624 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971322 | 321 | 1.789063 | 2 |
Create an ideabook for your next remodeling project!
Browse more than 1,500,000 photos from top designers and save your favorites
Reaching high into the sky, this curved lean-to design offers glorious views of the city and a sitting room filled with heaps sunlight, perfect for growing large plants.
A small atrium was the perfect solution to connect this house to the shed. I can only imagine how lovely it would be to sip my morning coffee there each day.
Tip: If you are considering a greenhouse or conservatory, it may be in your best interest to start small. Heating a large glass room in cooler regions can get expensive in the winter, and a small space like this would be much more cost-efficient.
Mimicking the shape of the home it’s attached to, this glass house is even more charming with the help of the small ornamental piece that adorns the roof.
Tip: Be sure to match the architectural lines of your home if you opt for a conservatory extension.
Here is the inside view of the structure in the previous photo. You can see that this homeowner uses it as a living space rather than for horticulture, which seems to be quite common these days.
Tip: If you are thinking about a sunroom or conservatory, be sure to furnish it with fabrics, rugs and other furniture that won't be as likely to fade. White seems to be a good choice.
Although the ceiling is not made of windows, this room still fits in with the overall feel of a conservatory, and it is closer to being a sunroom than anything else. A room like this would definitely be my favorite area of the house!
Do you have a sunroom, greenhouse or conservatory? Please post your photos in the comments section below.
Next: See more photos of sunroom designs | <urn:uuid:1210ad12-1d2c-4cff-b067-d49ea32e005e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/307404/list/Life-in-a-Glass-House | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955327 | 386 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Usually it is good to exercise. I cannot say for her because I don't know if her health allows her to exercise or not, but I can explain a little bit about how walking works for dementia elders.
My father-in-law has late Alzheimer's. This is a slow process. Long before late 2006, my FIL was able to jog for a long distance all the way to the beach and campus that is 30 minutes or an hour away from his old house everyday. Starting in 2007, he could no longer jog but he tried to walk a block. I think he had a cane already in 2007 but he used it only sometimes as he tried to be normal without a cane. Starting in 2008 after he got sick once and his cognition level dropped a little bit, he needed a cane for sure. He could not use a walker as he cannot drive anyway. A walker is harder because it needs the drive which he can no longer understand how. Now it is 2010. He fell once or twice so someone has to be next to him this year. He still uses his cane and it is better if someone is next to him to make sure he does not fall - the difference is he uses it all the time for walking. It is a very slow process and it took 4 years! He still does not need any wheelchair at all.
So if your MIL can exercise if the doctor allows it, it is OK. Yes she would forget how to walk but it is not a drastic change. It is a very slow change. So you can certainly give a trial to see how she can walk. But a walker is not a good idea if she does not drive anymore. A cane is good. Make sure someone is next to her.
If the doctor allows it, some little exercise or even physical therapy is good.
I don't think having dementia means no exercise anymore. In fact, it is the other way around: more walk or exercise helps. The director of the home where my FIL is encourages him to walk more without a wheelchair.
Hope this helps,
We hope you find this general health information helpful. Please note however, that this Q&A is meant to support not replace the professional medical advice you receive from your doctor. No information in the Answers above is intended to diagnose or treat any condition. The views expressed in the Answers above belong to the individuals who posted them and do not necessarily reflect the views of Remedy Health Media. Remedy Health Media does not review or edit content posted by our community members, but reserves the right to remove any material it deems inappropriate. | <urn:uuid:89966bb0-2995-4da8-a799-acf9fda2040c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/question/638383/123829 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979526 | 528 | 1.828125 | 2 |
It's not as if I thought the current Supreme Court would actually produce a majority decision that recognized the overwhelming statistical evidence for systematic, nationwide discrimination against the female employees of Wal-Mart in salary and promotion. And, since they did not in fact do so, we can at least seek solace in the text of the decision, in which the perpetual arguments about discrimination and unconscious bias are dramatically displayed.
All but one of the men of the US Supreme Court decided that the female employees of Wal-Mart did not have enough in common to represent a class that could bring suit because Wal-Mart gives its individual managers (>65% of whom are men) so much individual discretion in personnel decisions. Also, Wal-Mart forbids discrimination -- they have a policy! Never mind what the data show. As long as individual managers are discriminating against individual women without specifically saying that they are doing so, and as long as Wal-Mart doesn't have a formal policy that endorses discrimination, female employees as a group don't have much in common.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg's dissent makes this point:
"The practice of delegating to supervisors large discretion to make personnel decisions, uncontrolled by formal standards, has long been known to have the potential to produce disparate effects," she writes. "Managers, like all humankind, may be prey to biases of which they are unaware."
At least 5 Supreme Court justices are prey to biases of which they and everyone else are well aware, with dire consequences for real people (but not major corporations) in this country.
PS - In recognition of this major defeat to more than 1.5 million women, this is the headline that The New York Times came up with:
Wal-Mart Case Is a Blow for Big Cases and Their Lawyers
Well, some of those lawyers may well be women, so it's not as if that headline totally misses the mark.
22 hours ago | <urn:uuid:35e976db-600a-4ba4-84f6-0fd5e480f498> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://science-professor.blogspot.com/2011/06/prey-to-biases.html?showComment=1308681241502 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971936 | 388 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Depending on the time of year and your tolerance for hot and humid weather, I’m either very lucky or unlucky to have lived in Florida for the last decade. But one of the fringe benefits of residing in the Sunshine State is that you become an expert on storm scams.
In the wake of superstorm Sandy, which has left parts of the northeastern United States underwater last week, I’d like to share a few secrets I’ve learned. Who knows, it may save you hundreds — even thousands — of dollars the next time disaster strikes.
Here come the storm chasers
Scammers love bad weather. When I lived in South Florida, and we evacuated the low-lying coastal area where we lived as a hurricane approached, we witnessed caravans of trucks with tree-removal service companies from as far away as Texas driving into the storm. They wanted to be the first on the scene to “help” homeowners clear the debris.
There’s a fine line between providing a valuable service to victims and preying on them, and I wanted to give these tree-removal companies the benefit of the doubt.
Then they came knocking at my door after a storm. ”Do you need any help removing the trees in your front yard?” they asked. Their price: $2,000 — per tree.
How to avoid it
Here’s the thing: if anyone offers you anything after a natural disaster, be skeptical. Very skeptical. It could be legit, but never let your guard down, even if they claim to represent a known organization, charity or government.
The Better Business Bureau says preparation is the best way to prevent a scam, and I agree. They recommend phoning your insurance company before the storm hits to find out what’s covered, making only essential repairs when a disaster strikes, and then taking your time after the event to get several estimates. Don’t rush into anything.
The BBB also agrees with my advice to be wary of workers going door-to-door. Get everything in writing, they add, never pay in full in advance, and do not pay in cash.
You don’t have to be hit to be a victim
Unfortunately, scammers cast a wide net when they’re looking for easy money. The bad news is that you don’t have to be anywhere near the storm’s path to get suckered.
Warnings from the Department of Justice, the FBI and the National Center for Disaster Fraud make it clear — anyone can be a victim.
I’ll summarize their advice: be skeptical. (Sound familiar?)
The government warns against responding to unsolicited email offers from charities or anyone purporting to be with a charity via social media applications like Facebook.
Fraudsters like to copy names of well-known relief organizations, such as the American Red Cross. If you want to make a donation to one of these organizations, find your own way to their websites — don’t follow a link. The link you get from a random stranger could take you to a fraudulent site.
One other thing: don’t let anyone pressure you into making a contribution to a charity and avoid giving cash. Writing a check or using a credit card means you can still recover some of your money later. If you give a scammer paper money, it’s gone forever.
What’s different about Sandy?
In most respects, Sandy is like every other hurricane that comes churning along this time of year. It’s large, unpredictable and destructive, just like most other Atlantic cyclones. But this one is different in one important respect: it struck the media capital of the world — New York City. That means a lot of folks took notice, including the bad guys.
I would expect the scams that spin off from Sandy to become legendary. We’re still in the early stages of the cleanup, and many criminals are just getting started with their nefarious schemes.
All the more reason for you to be on your guard — wherever you are.
Christopher Elliott is a consumer advocate who blogs about getting better customer service at On Your Side. Connect with him on Twitter and Facebook or send him your questions by email. | <urn:uuid:5a3a6979-5d8d-4c6e-bec0-7c73294eb99d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mint.com/blog/consumer-iq/superstorm-scams-to-watch-out-for-1112/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943956 | 882 | 1.5625 | 2 |
White House announces fast-track schedule for 5,000 MW of projects
Written byPHIL TAYLOR, Greenwire
The Obama administration today said it will expedite approval of seven commercial-scale solar and wind projects on federal and tribal lands in Arizona, California, Nevada and Wyoming.
The projects, which include a sprawling wind energy facility in southern Wyoming that would be the largest in North America, would generate a combined 5,000 megawatts, enough to power up to 1.5 million homes, the White House said.
Today's announcement also set target dates over the next two years to issue federal permit and review decisions for each project. Three of the proposals -- the Quartzsite, McCoy and Desert Harvest solar energy facilities, representing a combined 1,000 MW -- are scheduled for approval by the end of the year.
In addition, the Bureau of Land Management by fall 2014 is scheduled to finish its review of the 3,000 MW Chokecherry and Sierra Madre wind energy project in Carbon County, Wyo., a massive, 230,000-acre proposal designed to avoid key sage grouse habitat, the administration said.
While BLM approved the project last month, the proposal also requires a land-use plan decision expected in October, followed by review of a series of right-of-way applications through 2014, the White House said (Greenwire, July 6).
"As part of President Obama's all-of-the-above strategy to expand domestic energy production and strengthen the economy, we are working to advance smart development of renewable energy on our public lands," Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in a statement this morning. "These seven proposed solar and wind projects have great potential to grow our nation's energy independence, drive job creation and power economies across the west."
The announcement came hours before federal officials including Salazar are scheduled to address the National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas, which is hosted by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). And it came a day before presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is scheduled to stump in Iowa -- where he has been criticized for opposing the extension of a tax credit for wind energy production.
Lawmakers in Washington are debating whether to extend several key renewable energy incentives, including the wind production tax credit set for expiration at the end of the year. The Senate Finance Committee earlier this month voted to extend the credits, among other clean energy incentives, raising hope that the breaks would be included in a yet-to-be-unveiled House version of the package (E&E Daily, Aug. 3).
If approved on schedule, the seven projects would add significantly to the 7,200 MW of renewable energy the Obama administration has permitted on federal lands since taking office. The approvals would also help exceed a goal set by the 2005 Energy Policy Act to permit 10,000 MW of renewable energy by 2015.
The expedited reviews stem from a presidential order issued in March that charged the Office of Management and Budget with streamlining the permitting and review process for infrastructure projects. The White House said additional expedited infrastructure projects will be announced in the coming weeks.
Renewable energy has taken a prominent role in the presidential race, with Romney last month announcing he firmly opposes extension of the wind production tax credit, which is a key Obama priority (E&E Daily, July 31).
Republicans have also hammered the president over loan guarantees his administration offered to renewable energy companies that later went bankrupt, costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars (see related story).
But the president's renewable energy platform may find a welcome audience in Nevada, a battleground state that is a national leader in the development of solar energy. In March, Obama visited the 50 MW Copper Mountain Solar 1 facility near Las Vegas, the nation's largest operating photovoltaic plant.
Salazar and Reid today are scheduled to tout the completion of the 150 MW Spring Valley Wind project about 30 miles east of Ely, which will become the state's first commercial wind facility.
The 66-turbine proposal by Pattern Wind Energy moved forward in April after the company struck a settlement with environmental groups to monitor the project's impacts on Brazilian free-tailed bats, which roost in a nearby cave (Greenwire, April 18).
The summit comes weeks after the Obama administration finalized a sweeping new plan to accelerate development of commercial solar projects on public lands in the Southwest, pointing developers to areas with the fewest cultural and environmental conflicts (E&ENews PM, July 24). | <urn:uuid:e45e2cb3-66a7-4aac-85bd-0f0f7a37357f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rlch.org/news/white-house-announces-fast-track-schedule-5000-mw-projects | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947606 | 915 | 1.640625 | 2 |
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DFID has not made any assessment of school attendance rates as we do not provide direct assistance to the education sector, with the exception of very limited support (£47,000) for primary education of refugees in 2001-02. Our support to the education sector has been channelled through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF). This plays a big part in meeting the recurrent costs such as wages and salaries of teachers and school materials. ARTF resources cover over 90 per cent. of the Ministry of Educations wage bill and teachers salaries represent almost 40 per cent. of ARTF recurrent expenditures. DFID funds a third of these expenditures.
Other donors have taken the lead in providing direct support to the education sector, including the World Bank, USAID and United Nations Agencies. The UK is therefore also supporting the education sector through its contributions to multilateral agencies, such as the World Bank and UN.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many BP employees are on secondment to his Department; what areas they are working on; on what terms; and how many BP employees have been on secondment to his Department in each year since January 2002.
Hilary Benn: DFID and a number of other donors are contributing to the Public Sector Capacity Building Programme in Ethiopia, which aims to improve the Governments capacity to implement its policies and deliver effective services to the poor. DFIDs contribution is £25 million over five years. An important part of this programme is designed to deliver more effective and efficient public financial management, including procurement, audit, transparency and accountability mechanisms.
The Protection of Basic Services grant, which DFID helped to design and through which we began channelling assistance earlier this year, supports new initiatives for improving the accountability of Government and local officials to local communities for the delivery of basic services and to improve Public Financial Management.
DFID also made a commitment in our White Paper, published in July this year, to conduct quality of governance assessments in partner countries, and we intend to do so in Ethiopia. The assessment will help us to identify how our programmes for promoting better governance might be strengthened.
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which non-web-related information technology projects cost his Department more than £500,000 since 2001; how many qualified tender proposals there were for each project; and which company was awarded each contract.
|Project||Description||Qualified tenders||Awarded to:|
All three projects were for systems which are primarily aimed at efficient internal administration within DFID. However QUEST and ARIES have small components which deliver web-facing solutions. These components are fully integrated into the systems which were delivered in the contracts.
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent on (a) equipment and (b) consultants for (i) information technology and (ii) web-facing information technology projects in each year since 2001.
DFIDs IT projects in this period have been primarily aimed at efficient internal administration. However some projects have small components which deliver web-facing solutions. These components are fully integrated into the systems and it is not possible to separate out their costs.
The high figure for consultants in 2005-06 arises because it includes the costs for the implementation contractors engaged following competitive tender for the QUEST Electronic Document and Records Management system and the ARIES finance, procurement and reporting system.
QUEST Electronic Document and Records Management system
ARIES Finance, Procurement and Reporting system
ASSIST2000 Desktop installation
Human Resource system
CARIS Desktop refresh
All five projects were for systems which are primarily aimed at efficient internal administration within DFID. However QUEST and ARIES have small components which deliver web-facing solutions. These components are fully integrated into the systems and it is not possible to separate out their costs.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what monitoring and evaluation system is used to measure the effectiveness and impact of his Departments overseas development aid.
We assess the performance of all our projects and programmes of £1 million or more on an annual basis and on completion. Each project/programme is scored using a five-point scale, which assesses the degree to which it meets its objectives.
Reviews may be undertaken by the project/programme team, by external consultants or in conjunction with other donors, partner governments or other external stakeholders. All reviews are scrutinised by Heads of Office or Department. A sample is reviewed in depth by our Internal Audit and Evaluation Departments when undertaking country programme audits and studies. Our Corporate Strategy Group undertakes ad hoc spot checks on compliance in project and programme reviews, and commissions external assessments of samples of reviews where appropriate.
As well as country programme evaluations, the work of the Evaluation Department (EvD) includes a series of independent studies which measure effectiveness and impact across a range of sectors relevant to DFIDs current agenda, from HIV/AIDS to Budget Support, from Anti-Corruption to Gender Equality. EvD studies are carried out by external professional evaluation experts who are free to produce objective and challenging reports for both accountability and lesson-learning purposes.
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many residents of Islington, North constituency are in receipt of (a) income support and (b) jobseekers allowance; how many are (i) under 18, (ii) between 18 and 25 and (iii) over 25 years old; and what the equivalent figures were for each of the last four financial years.
|Jobseekers allowance claimants in the Islington, North parliamentary constituency as at February each year, and by age group.|
|All||Under 18||18-25||26 and over|
|Income support claimants in the Islington, North parliamentary constituency as at February each year, and by age group.|
|All||Under 18||18-25||26 and over|
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. Additionally, for jobseekers allowance there are a few claimants each year whose age is "unknown" due to recording problems. 3. Income support figures exclude residual minimum income guarantee claimants. 4. Jobseekers allowance figures are not seasonally adjusted. Source: Information Directorate 100 per cent. WPLS|
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many residents of Islington, North constituency are in receipt of (a) tax credits, (b) child tax credits, (c) state pension and (d) pension
credit; and what the equivalent figures were in each of the last four financial years.
James Purnell: Estimates for tax credits and child tax credits are provided by Her Majestys Revenue and Customs. Their estimates for 2003-04 and 2004-05 of the numbers of in-work families with tax credits awards, by constituency, based on final family circumstances and incomes for 2003-04 and 2004-05 are published in Child and Working Tax Credits. Finalised Awards 2003-04 Geographical Analysis and the Child and Working Tax Credits. Finalised Awards 2004-05 Geographical Analysis. These publications and provisional estimates for the number of in-work families by constituency with tax credit awards as at selected dates in 2005-06 are available on the HMRC website at:
|Pension credit recipients( 1) , individual beneficiaries and state pensions recipients as at February each year from 2003-06, Islington, North parliamentary constituency|
|Pension credit total claimants||Pension credit total individual beneficiaries||State pension recipients|
| Notes: 1. Figures are taken from the WPLS 100 per cent. data. 2. Caseloads are rounded to the nearest ten and expressed in thousands. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory. 4. Pension credit claimants are those people who claim pension credit either on behalf of themselves only or on behalf of a household. This number is equal to the number of households in receipt of pension credit. 5. Pension credit individual beneficiary figures count total number of individuals in benefit units where pension credit is in payment. Therefore, each couple benefit unit is counted as two individual beneficiaries. 6. Pension credit was introduced in October 2003. Source: JDWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.|
|Next Section||Index||Home Page| | <urn:uuid:8cee3722-6771-4e2c-a572-cdaa5e69ac92> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/vo061107/text/61107w0029.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948092 | 1,751 | 1.703125 | 2 |
manasikara wrote:When the Buddha sent out that first group of arahant disciples, he was still physically present on earth. The dhamma-vinaya had just been thoroughly expounded by him, and it would have (still) been consistently grasped amongst different (arahant) individuals. Plus it was a time in India where social and spiritual conditions were ripe for that sort of thing.
But if we just decide to send ourselves out preaching, 1). we are not arahants, and thus are not free of defilements unlike the arahants the Buddha first sent out with that exhortation, who were; 2). 2500 years or so on, the dhamma-vinaya is now understood in many different ways, there is no longer the consistency that there was back then; 3). nowdays social and spiritual conditions are not the same as back then. If you just sit in a park somewhere and invite people to come and listen, people will either think you are a charlatan, or the police or council officers will eventually move you on. And if you go from door to door, well which one of us has not been irritated by that, when it was done to us by Christian missionaries?
Different time, different place. Let's not become like Christians who 'push' their religion onto others. Rather let us be of as much assistance as possible, making as much effort as possible to make the dhamma available for people, to explain it properly if asked about it (so, let's study the suttas thoroughly), and to assist and support those that can do these things (such as the bhikkhu / bhikkhuni sangha for eg).
That's my take on it, anyway.
I don't think we can wait till we become arahants before we venture to make the Dhamma available, but I doubt that is your point. In any case, it is premature to debate what the conditions out there are and the effective techniques of propagating the Dhamma. I think at the present time, the intention itself is very much lacking. If the intention is strong, I'm sure we could be innovative enough to think of effective methods. For example, just consider how many monks or lay Buddhists have taken upon themselves to venture into India to teach the millions of Dalit converts? Other religions actively push their delusional beliefs. Here we have millions asking for the Dhamma but few among us feel they have a responsibility to provide it. | <urn:uuid:9fccf23c-1a7a-4e46-a805-d444300248de> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?p=163261 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976161 | 516 | 1.804688 | 2 |
By listening to these specially composed melodies, with their rhythmic repetitions of French and English a few times, you will pick up over 200 essential words and phrases that will not just be on the tip of your tongue, but burned deeply into your long-term memory in next to no time.
If you like music, and want to make rapid progress without any formal knowledge of language learning, Earworms mbt© Rapid French is the course for you. Volume 1 was your survival kit of essential words and phrases to get you by on your trip abroad. Volume 2 will have you talking about yourself, past, present and future, chatting, and even flirting!
© and (P)2006 Earworms mbt
"See my review on volume 1"
My review on volume 1 would be similar to this. Great idea as I dont mind listening to it several times and the presenters are quite good - if a tad false at certain points.
You still need a proper approach to learning french at some point to really learn the language. More's the pity.
Worth it for the motivation to get you learning the basics.
"Useful aide memoire (no pun intended)"
This is a jolly way to get one's ear back in train before going to France - helps one develop some vocabulary and intonation
"r werweq rwer rqwewe wqrtwet rter"
rtewr ert er t ewrt ew rt wer twer t ewr t ewrt ewr t wert ewr t wert wer t wer te wrt wer t erwt e wtwe t we t wet we t wer t ewrt e t ewr t
"A good quick fix part 2"
This is part two of the earmworms French Course. This course uses a music background with a native and English speaker going over French phrases and words. The course tends to provide a sentence, in English, and then in French and then breaks down all the words in the sentence, and the pronunciations for the words. The course is similar to the other earworms courses, and if you liked one of the others I imagine you'll like this one.
It's not a bad idea, although the tunes are not that great, I find that I can recall some of the sentences. A good supplement for learning, or for a quick fix before heading on holiday.
"Great way to learn French."
Earworms is a great way to learn a Language. A friend gave me volume one from a disc and I wanted to get volume two I thought it was great that I could buy it and not need this disc. However I do not think that the audio quality is as good as it was on the disc.If I had have known maybe I would have brought the disc as when you want to learn a language it has to be clear. I really recommend earworms for learning the basics in a language. I would give 5 out of 5 but due to the bad audio from the download I can't.
Report Inappropriate Content
If you find this review inappropriate and think it should be removed from our site, let us know. This report will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action. | <urn:uuid:9609f9c8-e05e-45aa-89d5-83064086ebb8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/ref=pd_sim_narr_2?asin=B004EVZEVG | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962686 | 681 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Out of hours press enquiries, call 07918 195 238.
Pfizer fined for mis-selling drugs
Posted 3 September 2009
The world’s largest drugs company, Pfizer, has been fined a record sum for making false claims about four prescription medicines. The company pleaded guilty to the charge and is paying a criminal fine of $1.3bn (almost £800m). It is also paying $1bn in civil settlements to health insurance companies to reimburse proper prescriptions.
Animal Aid’s 2008 report, Making a Killing: How drug company greed harms people and animals reveals that such behaviour is not uncommon in the sector and paints a compelling picture of morally bankrupt industry that has run out of control.
Pfizer settled civil allegations concerning improper payments to compliant doctors who are reported to have been wooed with trips to beach resorts, golfing activities and massages. In 2004, the company pleaded guilty to an earlier criminal charge of improper sales tactics.
The most recent fines are the result of a six-year investigation, which began when a drugs rep for the company became a whistleblower. John Kopchinski said: ‘At Pfizer, I was expected to increase profits at all costs, even when sales meant endangering lives.’ | <urn:uuid:877d21dd-98de-4dc7-89ed-ae26b4b081df> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/NEWS/news_experiments/ALL/2191/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943058 | 259 | 1.703125 | 2 |
The follow post was written by Narine Ohanyan, World Vision field communicator in Armenia.
* * *
Do you believe in miracles?
For a mother in Armenia, something miraculous is happening at Christmas.
“I love the ornaments and the lights. I love to stare at them,” says 4-year-old Narek Qotanjyan.
Coming from a child in the United States, this statement wouldn’t be so surprising. However, Narek lives in Armenia with a disability.
If you are a child in Armenia, your chance of being poor is one in three. But if you have a disability, your chance of being poor is more than two out of three; 70 percent of children with disabilities live in poverty.
Around Christmastime, poverty becomes especially visible. That’s why World Vision throws big Christmas parties every year — so that all children can experience the joys of the season.
Three-year-old Artyusha Aghasyan came to a World Vision Christmas celebration with his mother and sister. Artyusha is autistic. He has been coming to a World Vision child development center for four months now.
Watching her son dance with the other children, Anush Aghasyan cannot help but smile.
“Something miraculous is happening in my child now,” says Anush. “I can see him change day by day. Within a very short period of time, he has had significant speech improvements, as well as behavioral and emotional changes.”
At the celebration, the children got to see Santa Claus, play games, sing songs, and receive presents from World Vision. But the parents benefited just as much, getting a much-needed break and inspiration in the midst of caring full-time for their high-needs children.
“Christmas reveals how very precious life is. It is about giving, about hope and faith, about courage and spirit,” shares Anush.
* * *
May you experience the joy and miracle of Christmas this year and into the next. Happy holidays, from World Vision staff around the world! | <urn:uuid:4707e125-1e45-4746-92c0-49845739d86b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.worldvision.org/stories/something-miraculous-at-christmas/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96375 | 444 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Driven by a sense of oneness, love and a deep longing to reach out and share, Patrick is involved in many religious and human rights movements.
In 2009, Reverend McCollum made history, by receiving support from a vast interfaith contingency who signed on to an Amicus Brief for the United States Court of Appeals, supporting his challenge to the State of California's infamous Five State Sanctioned Faiths Policy.
Reverend McCollum sits on the Executive Board of Directors of the United Nation's NGO, Children of the Earth and is also a Board Member of the Monarch Bear Institute. He is also the Director of Our lady of the Wells Church.
Patrick serves as the Chaplaincy Liason for the American Academy of Religion, the worlds's largest and oldest convocation of religious scholars, theologians, and clergy.
Patrick McCollum, is an elder of the traditional Wiccan community in the U.S. But unlike so many others whose work has
Reverend McCollum has served for over a decade as the Statewide Wiccan/Pagan Chaplain in the California Department of Corrections, and has served inmates in 33 correctional facilities. He also advises numerous state and federal correctional systems and other government agencies across the country on religious accommodation and chaplaincy issues for all faiths, and serves as an expert on Wicca, Paganism, and Earth-Based religions in general internationally. He received an official commendation from the California State Senate for his work on religion in prisons in 1999.
Reverend McCollum has appeared in numerous articles on Wicca, Earth Religions, and Paganism, and has been interviewed dozens of times on both radio and on TV. He also appeared on the History Channel's prime time documentary on Wicca narrated by Leonard Nemoy, in addition to providing technical support in the production. | <urn:uuid:b0944981-f84b-4890-b9d8-7f3d78480922> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.patrickmccollum.org/global-missions.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963586 | 381 | 1.539063 | 2 |
(2008)3.5Jason BuchananIf anyone still harbors doubts as to whether animation can be used to tell a serious-minded story and not simply to entertain children on a Saturday morning, that questioning soul need look no further than Waltz With Bashir to witness just how effective the medium can be at dealing with mature issues with sincerity and reverence. Even if a soldier manages to avoid getting physically wounded in war, no one returns form the battlefield unscathed, and when filmmaker Ari Folman attempts to help a fellow veteran of the Lebanon War discover the hidden meaning of a recurring nightmare, he begins questioning the fact that the war seems to have had no discernible effect on him psychologically. But it has, and as his quest to help a friend find meaning in the abstract commences, Folman discovers that some memories can be so dark that it takes the light of reflection to illuminate them.
Over two decades after the first Lebanon War, an old friend of Folman's summons the filmmaker to a bar to discuss a recurring nightmare in which a pack of 26 vicious dogs sits snarling outside of his window, awaiting the perfect opportunity to strike. Eventually, the two men conclude that the nightmare has something to do with the Israeli mission during the war. Until this night, Folman always thought that he had managed to elude any such lingering trauma. Shortly after leaving the bar, however, he begins experiencing a strange vision in which he and two other soldiers emerge from the sea and walk into Lebanon, where a mob of screaming Palestinians begins to flood the streets. But Folman has no memory of the actual events that took place that day, only a fleeting vision that could possibly be related to the Sabra and Shatila massacre, where Christian Phalangists systematically slaughtered 2,000 Palestinians while their refugee camps were under control of the Israeli army. Folman has no memory of the actual massacre, so in order to get some answers he begins tracking down some of his old army friends. Piece by piece, the mystery begins to come together, prompting Folman to realize just what he had witnessed on that awful, fateful day.
Despite being a film that deals with so much death and sorrow, Waltz With Bashir is vital and vivid from the opening frames. It presents a sobering topic filtered through a hallucinogenic frame, and as such, it commands the audience's attention from the first thrilling second to the devastating final shot. Few films can honestly claim to be totally unique, but the way that Folman uses animation to recount his amazing psychological journey makes it truly one of a kind. It's a captivating mystery, a profound investigation into the power of memory, a soul-searching autobiography, and an unflinching war drama, all wrapped up in a highly stylized package that, when the truth finally emerges, emphasizes the horrifying realities of war and personal accountability in a way that cuts straight to the bone. As a filmmaker, Folman seems to realize that the best hope for instilling that message is to ensure that, despite the remarkably heavy and intense subject matter, Waltz With Bashir remains consistently entertaining. And it is, thanks to the striking visuals, expert pacing, and pulsating soundtrack.
Still, lest we find ourselves drifting too deep into the medium and forgetting the message, Folman sends us off with an expertly placed sucker punch that pulls us back to reality just in time to ensure that the message is not lost. Late in the film, a psychologist recounts to Folman the story of a war photographer who was able to mentally endure the horrible violence unfolding around him by simply viewing his surroundings as if looking through a camera lens. One day, upon witnessing the needless suffering of animals, his "camera" is inexplicably snatched away, leaving him completely vulnerable to the awful images he was previously capable of overlooking. After that incident, the photographer was incapable of doing his job. In the final moments of Waltz With Bashir, Folman essentially snatches away our collective "camera," forcing us to see the Sabra and Shatila massacre through his own eyes. It's a creative decision that will no doubt leave many viewers paralyzed with terror, yet also feels perfectly logical within the context, making Waltz With Bashir essential viewing for anyone foolish enough to believe that the rules of engagement hold any weight at all once the bombs start dropping.
Director Ari Folman's animated, quasi-documentary Waltz With Bashir follows the filmmaker's emotional attempt to decipher the horrors that unfolded one night in September of 1982, when Christian militia members massacred more than 3,000 Palestinian refugees in the heart of Beirut as Israeli soldiers surrounded the area. Folman was one of those soldiers, but nearly 20 years after the fact, his memories of that night remain particularly hazy. After hearing an old friend recall a vivid nightmare in which he is pursued by 26 ferocious dogs, Folman and his friend conclude that the dream must somehow relate to that fateful mission during the first Lebanon War. When Folman realizes that his recollections regarding that period in his life seem to have somehow been wiped clean, he travels the world to interview old friends and fellow soldiers from the war. Later, as Folman's memory begins to emerge in a series of surreal images, he begins to uncover a truth about himself that will haunt him for the rest of his days. | <urn:uuid:5b815857-7cfa-48b0-b3d3-3f94b677fe33> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.allmovie.com/movie/v449999 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965709 | 1,083 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Ofcom Approves 3G Signal Power Boost
With mobile users in certain areas still struggling to gain access to a decent 3G signal, Ofcom is to raise the limit of 3G broadcasting power
Communication regulator Ofcom has decided to help mobile users who struggle to get a decent 3G signal, after confirming that it is looking to boost the limit on 3G broadcast power.
The announcement means that mobile operators will be able to throw out a more powerful 3G signal that should in turn provide better coverage and signal strength.
The limit is to be upped by 3dBm, from 62dBm to 65dBm – meaning operators can increase the power of their transmitters from 1.5kW to 3kW. However Ofcom was actually hoping to boost the level to 68dBm to provide some future proofing, but some operators were concerned that their network infrastructure would not be able to cope with such a large jump.
Vodafone Asks For Increase
An Ofcom spokesman, speaking to eWEEK Europe UK said that increase had been instigated by Vodafone, who had requested an increase in signal power. “Vodafone requested an increase, so we decided to grant all network operators an increase, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will all do it,” said the Ofcom spokesperson.
“We consider that this has the potential to provide benefits for customers through improved voice capacity, data throughput and in-building signal availability by making more effective use of currently available base station technology,” said Ofcom in a statement. “We believe that in practice this will have no adverse effect on the operation of services in adjacent spectrum bands.”
It is clear then that the thinking behind the idea is to help mobile operators better cope with the strain being placed on their networks, by the increasing use of smartphones.
Indeed, networks are increasingly feeling the data strain, as evidenced by the network failures of O2 last Christmas, for which the operator had to make a public apology. Analyst firm Informa warned in October 2009 that mobile data traffic is set to increase 25 fold by 2012, and said that mobile operators needed to take action in order to prevent imminent data traffic jams.
And matters are only going to get worse, with mobile users already struggling to get a decent 3G signal indoors, which has led Vodafone for example to offer its customers a femtocell that will provide a strong indoor 3G signal.
And last month Orange launched its HD voice service for its users (both business and consumer) that will deliver “crystal clear” conversations on the move and in noisy environments.
But are there any health concerns about increasing the broadcast power of mobile phone base stations?
“The emissions will still be signficantly below European standards, by a long margin” said the Ofcom spokesperson, speaking to eWEEK Europe UK.
“The consultation also drew a number of responses from individuals and groups concerned about the potential impact of base station transmissions on health and the environment,” said Ofcom. “In its response, the Health Protection Agency noted that the levels of emissions measured in the vicinity of base stations are generally several orders of magnitude below the level set and recognised internationally as a safe limit for human exposure and the increase in permitted maximum power by 3dB (a doubling) will not significantly change that position.” | <urn:uuid:f8f35ae9-0266-4bb1-9d77-d093c32bf53a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.techweekeurope.co.uk/news/ofcom-seeks-3g-signal-power-boost-9602 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961292 | 706 | 1.773438 | 2 |
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Indiana law gives courts the authority to order the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to suspend a motorist's driving privileges when certain traffic violations have been committed.
Failing to respond to a traffic citation or failing to pay for tickets after a judgment has been entered will lead to the suspension of a motorist's driving privileges. Upon receipt of a certification from a court that a motorist has not appeared in court or paid for a traffic offense, the BMV is required to suspend that person's driving privileges.
The suspension is indefinite and ends only when the court provides the BMV with documentation to end the suspension.
Driving a vehicle without valid liability insurance is against the law. A motorist who operates a vehicle without a liability insurance policy is subject to a 90-day suspension of driving privileges or a one-year suspension if it is a repeat violation within a three-year period. To prevent the suspension of driving privileges, the driver must have his/her insurance provider electronically submit proof of insurance (Certificate of Compliance) directly to the BMV. The insurance company must note the vehicle involved and the date of the accident or ticket as requested by the BMV. If the driver is unable to provide proof of insurance (Certificate of Compliance) to the BMV, the motorist must serve the suspension, pay outstanding insurance and reinstatement fees, and have his/her insurance provider electronically submit an Affidavit Of Current Insurance SR50 to the BMV in order to be reinstated.
Operating a vehicle without insurance coverage is a Class A infraction. A motorist appearing in court on a traffic violation may be requested by the court to prove insurance coverage on the date of the offense.
All accident information sent to the Indiana State Police is provided to the BMV. A request for proof of financial responsibility (automobile liability insurance) will be sent to the motorist's mailing address as shown on the Official Driver Record.
Indiana motorists are required to provide proof of insurance (Certificate of Compliance) when they are involved in any of these situations. The Certificate of Compliance covering the date of the accident/ticket and vehicle operated must be electronically submitted to the BMV by the motorist's insurance provider.
When a motorist receives a Financial Responsibility Verification request from the BMV, he/she must arrange for an insurance provider to complete the information for the request and submit the insurance information (Certificate of Compliance) electronically to the BMV within 40 days. Failure to return the information will result in a suspension of the individual's driving privileges.
Indiana's Habitual Traffic Violator (HTV) law provides serious penalties for drivers who have committed repeat traffic offenses over a 10-year period. A HTV faces a five-year, ten-year, or lifetime suspension. A HTV is defined as any person who, within a 10-year period, is convicted of the following offenses:
The BMV will suspend a motorist's driving privileges for five years if that person accumulates 10 moving violations in a 10-year period, one of which is a major offense from the sections above. For example, a motorist with nine speeding tickets and one reckless driving conviction in a 10-year period will be subject to a five-year suspension as a HTV.
Operating a vehicle while suspended as a HTV is a serious crime. Upon receiving a conviction for operating a vehicle while suspended as a HTV, a court can order the BMV to suspend the person's driving privileges for any period - up to and including a lifetime suspension.
If a law enforcement officer suspects that a motorist is driving while intoxicated, the officer may ask the motorist to submit to a chemical test to determine the amount of alcohol in the motorist's bloodstream. Driving while intoxicated, or with a blood-alcohol content in excess of the legal limit is a criminal offense and has immediate consequences.
A motorist who fails a chemical test may have his or her driving privileges suspended up to 180 days. This suspension occurs upon receipt by the BMV of an affidavit from the law enforcement officer submitted to the court containing the results of the failed test. A motorist who refuses to submit to a chemical test conducted by a law enforcement officer will have his or her license immediately confiscated and will face a suspension of driving privileges for up to two years.
When a motorist is convicted of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, or with a blood-alcohol level of .08 percent or more, the court is required to suspend his/her driving privileges for 90 days or up to two years. Suspension periods are longer for repeat offenders, or if the operating a vehicle while intoxicated offense involves injury or death.
If the motorist is eligible, the court may issue an order for probationary driving privileges. A person must be suspended for at least 30 days before the probationary driving privileges can take effect. The court may require the installation of an ignition interlock device, which mechanically tests the driver's blood-alcohol level before his or her car can be started, as a condition of the probationary driving privileges.
The BMV has terminated the suspensions of any and all persons whose driving privileges were suspended prior to November 5, 2012 because they were on the Previously Uninsured Motorist Registry and did not provide proof of financial responsibility upon request by the BMV. All references to the PUMR-suspension will be removed from the affected individuals' official driving records, and no reinstatement or other fees related to the PUMR-suspension will be assessed. Deletion of the PUMR-suspensions will have no effect on the driving privileges of individuals who are currently suspended, or will be suspended, for reasons unrelated to the PUMR-suspension. In the event that a person’s PUMR-suspension has been fully served, the BMV will still remove all references to the PUMR-suspensions from the individual’s official driving record and will notify the individual by mail that this has occurred. | <urn:uuid:46381eb2-0758-43a4-878d-6598567aff6b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.in.gov/bmv/2375.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939515 | 1,264 | 1.648438 | 2 |
THE ISRAELI CABINET'S announcement last Sunday that the Begin government will continue to promote settlements in the occupied territories of the Sinai peninsula and the West Bank of the Jordan River is as disappointing to Israel's friends as it must be maddening to her foes. Coming at a time when the much-vaunted Sadat initiative appears to be losing momentum, the cabinet's action has vitiated any lingering hopes of a quick peace settlement while creating even greater obstacles to any future negotiations.
In refusing to change its present settlements policy the Begin government has acted not only to estrange further such hardline Zionist opponents as Syria and the PLO, but to push moderates such as Egypt's President Sadat and Jordan's King Hussein towards the hardliners' position of intransigence. Sadat has made it clear throughout the negotiations that without a change in the settlements policy he could not hope to gain acceptance of a peace agreement either in Egypt or the other Arab nations, and the Begin cabinet's refusal to compromise on this issue can only be seen as a diplomatically insensitive rebuff to the moderate Arab leaders without whose help Israel cannot hope to achieve a just and lasting peace settlement.
The cabinet's action may also have the effect of alienating many of Israel's supporters in America. Continued adherence to the present settlements policy can only serve to substantiate charges that Israel is militaristic and expansionist. In fighting for the settlements Israel may gain not security, but international pariah status, and a loss of the diplomatic and military support without which it cannot at present survive.
Observers in Israel have suggested that the cabinet's decision represents an attempted compromise between the moderates who want to suspend settlement activity and extremists who have called for major new developments. In fact, neither the compromise nor the moderate position is acceptable: unless Israel not only suspends development of new settlements but withdraws from those already established in the Sinai, there is simply no chance of a peace settlement. The refusal of the Begin cabinet and particularly of the right wing of the Begin government's coalition to recognize this fact can only lead to a continued state of tension in the Middle East.
Thus far the Carter administration has, commendably, voiced opposition to the settlements, perhaps in the hope of influencing the outcome of last week's vote. Apparently they failed this time, but one can only hope that the Carter administration, with the full support of the American Jewish community, will use all available diplomatic means to persuade Israel's leaders to come to their senses. | <urn:uuid:0e8260a9-cb21-40c8-8033-0d2a1dd94c0a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thecrimson.com/article/1978/3/10/israeli-intransigence-pbtbhe-israeli-cabinets-announcement/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952684 | 509 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Liberating Reproduction from Despair: A kavanah for conception in the age of infertility
Found In: Infertility
By Allen Selis | Prayer
On the day that our clinically fertilized embryos would be placed into my partner's womb, we arrived at the doctor's office and were sent to a small procedure room. After details and paper work, my wife lay down in the hospital bed and the medical staff left us alone. I stood at the foot of the bed and davened Minchah, the afternoon prayer. Afterwards, we held hands, and talked about the life that we wanted to create. We invited God to send a soul that was compassionate, vivacious, and loving to animate the cells that would soon be slipped into my wife's body. We shifted our attention away from the fog of medical technology and stopped to appreciate the yearning call of creation which enveloped us. Finally, we said this blessing from the wedding ceremony together:
We stand in awe of Your blessings, our God, for creating man and woman in Your Image, and blessing them with the power to create new life. Bless you, God, for creating human life.
Our ritual closed with a kiss.
Then the staff arrived in sterile scrubs.
That was fine.
This time, God had arrived first. | <urn:uuid:faf19949-5312-4289-9333-ed61d54985ea> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ritualwell.org/ritual/liberating-reproduction-despair-kavanah-conception-age-infertility | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959637 | 269 | 1.742188 | 2 |
I dimly recall having read a great deal about "online communities" (maybe I'm thinking specifically of something I read in Sherry Turkle's so-so book Life on the Screen ) where it was assumed that what you needed that made you a community was that people can't totally come and go at the drop of a hat. I'm starting to think that while this may be a common (or emergent) attribute of a community, it's "putting the cart before the horse" to consider it necessary, much less something that should be on a checklist of things you put together in order to make a community spring out of nowhere.
Instead, maybe it's better to think of "social capital" as more important -- i.e., that people form a community as a way to share useful information, or other tools. If you look at it that way, CPAN and various Perl forums (like this) are communities where people benefit from social capital in an informational form -- where module code, or whatever, is the information economy equivalent of the farm tools in "Social capital is productive, since two farmers exchanging tools can get more work done with less physical capital." (And programmer time/effort is the equivalent of physical capital there.) | <urn:uuid:620c4fbb-a29f-4578-bb86-48270c496560> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://use.perl.org/use.perl.org/journal489c.html?op=display&id=2314&uid=1933 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967782 | 254 | 1.710938 | 2 |
By Jerry Turnquist
This column marks my 15th anniversary with The Daily Herald. During this time, it has been my pleasure to share various stories with you about our area’s past.
I hope I have helped you understand those who lived before us experienced many of the same joys, sorrows and challenges we do today. Just as importantly, I hope I have deepened your understanding of the heritage they have left us — both in terms of traditions, as well as the physical environment that remains.
“Where do you get your story ideas?” I’m often asked.
Many come from Daily Herald readers, and I hope you will continue to share those with me. These might be stories about people, organizations or buildings. No idea is too small, and some might involve a bit of a mystery that readers can help solve.
To commemorate my 15 years, here’s a quiz taken from information presented in past stories. It is written just as much for those who have read every column as well as those who are new today.
So, give it a try. How much do you know about Elgin area history?
1. What noted individual did not speak at Elgin’s First Congregational Church — a downtown edifice that long served as a community center?
A) William Rainey Harper
B) Booker T. Washington
C) Jane Addams
D) Susan B. Anthony
2. What event occurred decades ago that began the long tradition of Elgin area people vacationing in and even buying property in the Hayward area in northern Wisconsin?
A) They knew a car mechanic who opened a lodge in the Hayward area.
B) An Elgin lumber company operated a logging camp in the area.
C) An Elgin dairy business had a Wisconsin location.
D) The organizer of a Hayward logging contest was from Elgin.
3. When the Elgin Golferettes began the league in the early 1950s — a group which still plays today — 24 of the 32 players had what special distinction?
A) They were left-handed.
B) They had never played golf before.
C) They attended the same church.
D) They were all elementary school teachers.
4. What prompted an Elgin merchant nine decades ago to dress like Paul Revere and ride around the streets of Elgin on a horse?
A) He was intoxicated.
B) It was a sales promotion for new cars.
C) It was the start of World War I.
D) It was a Fourth of July celebration.
5. More than 1,000 mothers held a campaign in 1953 to collect money for what?
A) books for school libraries
B) playground equipment
C) fighting polio
D) campaign against nuclear weapons
6. What recreational event occurred just over a century ago on a frozen section of the Fox River just south of the current Grand Victoria Casino?
A) snowman contest
B) ice skating contest
C) fishing derby
D) horse racing
7. What inspired an Elgin man to found Little League Baseball in the city in the early 1950s?
A) he saw an article in a magazine
B) he had a son who played youth ball in another community
C) he was a former major league player
D) fulfillment of a will request
8. What heavy weight prize fighter once trained on a farm east of Elgin?
A) Floyd Patterson
B) Sonny Liston
C) Muhammad Ali
D) Joe Louis
9. The Elgin Jaycees gave away more than 1,000 of these during the 1961 winter holiday season. What were they?
A) fruit baskets
C) buckets of sand
10. The one-time triangular area bordered by Douglas Avenue, Grove Avenue and Chicago Street was called what?
A) Town Square
B) Fountain Square
C) Tower Plaza
D) Elgin Bank Center
11. What innovation was pioneered in the U.S. at Elgin’s Larkin Avenue McDonald’s restaurant?
A) a double drive-through lane
B) ice cream cones
C) breakfast menu
D) inside dining
12. What drink is traditionally served at Elgin area clubs on winter holidays?
A) Bloody Mary
C) Tom and Jerry
D) hot buttered rum
13. What scandalous story made Elgin headlines in 1907?
A) wife trading
B) gambling in a church
C) nude swimming
D) bank embezzlement
14. Five of the 10 model homes built as part of Elgin’s new Blackhawk housing development in the early 1950s had something the others did not. What was it?
A) TV antenna
D) central vacuum system
15. What were the “Elgin Torpedoes”?
A) an Elgin boat club
B) an Elgin-made speedboat
C) an Elgin swim team
D) an Elgin football team
What did the superintendent of the Northern Illinois Hospital for the Insane, now the Elgin Mental Health Center, introduce to help treat mental illness in the early 1900s?
B) a locally developed drug
D) electric therapyCopyright © 2013 Paddock Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:6c959a25-3864-444a-b9f2-bce0aee610fb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110401/news/703319951/print/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949786 | 1,109 | 1.5625 | 2 |
"Sometimes you read a book so special that you want to carry it around with you for months after you've finished just to stay near it."
"It’s a small story really, about, among other things:
* A girl
* Some words
* An accordionist
* Some fanatical Germans
* A Jewish fist fighter
* And quite a lot of thievery" -Death
"I have to say that although it broke my heart, I was, and still am, glad I was there." –Death
"It was a year for the ages, like 79, like 1346, to name just a few. Forget the scythe, damn it, I needed a broom or a mop. And I needed a vacation. " –Death
"It kills me sometimes, how people die." –Death
"He does something to me, that boy. Every time. It’s his only detriment. He steps on my heart. He makes me cry." –Death (about Rudy Steiner)
"He was the crazy one who had painted himself black and defeated the world.
She was the book thief without the words.
Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like rain." –Death
"How about a kiss, Saumensch?"
He stood waist-deep in the water for a few moments longer before climbing out and handing her the book. His pants clung to him, and he did not stop walking. In truth, I think he was afraid. Rudy Steiner was scared of the book thief's kiss. He must have longed for it so much. He must have loved her so incredibly hard. So hard that he would never ask for her lips again and would go to his grave without them." –Rudy Steiner and Death
“In the darkness of my dark-beating heart, I know. He'd have loved it all right.
Even death has a heart." –Death
"It’s the leftover humans. The survivors. They’re the ones I can’t stand to look at, although on many occasions I still fail.” –Death
"I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right." –Liesel Meminger
"I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn’t already know? I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race - that rarely do I even simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant. None of those things, however, came out of my mouth.
All i was able to do was turn to Leisel Meminger and tell her the only truth I truly know. I said it to the book thief and I say it now to you.
***A LAST NOTE FROM YOUR NARRATOR***
I am haunted by humans." | <urn:uuid:21e9c884-e47e-450d-92c1-41a7696b428a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ya-sisterhood.blogspot.com/2011/03/book-in-quotes-book-thief-by-markus.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983544 | 661 | 1.5625 | 2 |
A Forum on the Status of Women 2011- 55:45
|Thank you to all of the lovely ladies who came to discuss sisterhood and the experience of being a woman at USD at the Forum!|
55:45 is the ratio of women to men at USD. Though women outnumber men at USD, can one say that women hold more power to create change at USD?
On November 9, women from all walks of life on USD's campus came together to discuss the experience of women at USD. Women representatives from every department, center, and student organization were invited to contribute to our discussion. This year's forum allowed this group of representatives and speakers to discuss this idea of an imbalance of power between genders, as well as the prevailing idea that empowerment could lead to transformation.
Thanks to those who came and keep an eye out for the forum report, coming soon!
Worker's Appreciation Lunch
USD was recently rated one America's Most Beautiful College Campuses by Forbes Magazine. This is all thanks to the USD facilities workers and groundskeepers who work diligently behind the scenes in order to make our campus so beautiful. However, a lot of thier hard work goes unappreciated.
|Lunch is served at the Women's Center!|
So on the morning of November 10, we, along with USD's female Chicana student organization, AChA, decided to show some love for the wonderful facilities and grounds workers who help make our lives easier and more beautiful.
Student-made cards and posters were spread around the Women's Center and the United Front Multicultural Center for decoration and for keepsakes, while the workers and students ate together.
The luncheon was a great success, allowing us to share in community with those unseen workers who make our lives at USD less of a hassle. We hope we conveyed how much thier work is appreciated!
$tart $mart Salary Negotiation Workshop
Written by Myra Colon, Women's Center Staff
During the course of her lifetime, a woman will earn just 77 cents per every dollar that a man makes or lose about $1.2 million over her career. African American women earn 67.7% of men’s earnings and Latinas make just 58.7% or about 8% less than a white woman. In California, fortunately, the percentage is a bit higher with women earning about 83% per every dollar that a man makes.
The Start Smart Salary Negotiation Workshop is designed to give college women the confidence and the skills they need to earn fair compensation in the workforce. The workshop teaches college women how to determine what employers are paying for the job she is seeking and when she graduates, how to negotiate for a fair compensation.
Statistics show that women, after their first year out of college, working full time, earn about 80 percent as much as their male counterparts. Ten years after graduation, her wage decreases by eleven percent (Behind the Pay Gap, American Association of University Women, 2007).
Students who attended the workshop on Dec. 1 learned how to aim high and realistically while learning useful language for salary negotiations and strategies needed to achieve fair compensation in her first job after graduation.
If you missed the workshop or would like to learn more about fair compensation, visit us at SLP 420 or The WAGE Project. We will be offering another workshop in the spring!
Women of Impact 2012
Written by Sara Campion, Leadership Council Social Justice Representative
|Women of Impact 2010|
On Friday December 9th the Women’s Center will continue the tradition of honoring women who have made an impact on the USD community by hosting the 14th annual Women of Impact Luncheon. At the end of each fall semester, the Women’s Center accepts nominations from members of the university recognizing outstanding work by female students, faculty, and staff. These women are committed to living out USD’s core values and inspire others to do the same. She encourages new ways of thinking and working at USD and supports the development of her fellow community members. This year’s nominees highlight USD’s emphasis on the Catholic Social Thought principle of Solidarity by working to create a more just and peaceful community.
Women’s Center Programmer Josie Gomez says, “The Women of Impact Luncheon is wonderful event that honors women who make a difference on our campus. I volunteered at this event my first year at USD and was inspired by the women, who were a mix of students, faculty, staff, and administrators. It was great to see women who I knew from the campus community and all that they do to make a difference. I am so excited to have the opportunity to coordinate this event this year as the programmer of the Women's Center.”
All nominees and nominators are invited to the luncheon which will be held on Friday, December 9 from 12 – 2 pm in the Hahn University Center, Forum C. Winners will receive an award and have their name inscribed on the Women of Impact plaque displayed in the Women’s Center.
Looking to Get Involved with the Women's Center? Apply for Leadership Council!
The Women's Center is looking for representatives to be on the Leadership Council for the spring semester! The Council meets on a bi-weekly basis in order to develop, implement, and assess action steps addressing the Women's Center's six core strategies of the strategic plan: Community, Education, Leadership Development, Saftey, Social Justice, and Wellness/Health/Counseling. You must commit to serving on the council for the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year. For more information or an application, visit the Leadership Council webpage. Application are due Monday, December 12, 2011!
Do you have questions about the Women's Center Leadership Council? Email email@example.com.
"You make a living by what you get, but we make a life by what you give."
In this newsletter...
November in Review
- A Forum on the Status of Women
- Worker's Appreciation Lunch
$tart $mart Salary Negotiation
Women of Impact 2012
Apply Women's Center Leadership Council for Spring 2012
Adopt-a-Family this Holiday Season!
Spread the holiday cheer to a person in need!
The UFMC and Women's Center have "adopted" two families this holiday season through SAY San Diego. We invite you to donate a gift to a member of one of the families. A wish list of gifts is posted in the Women's Center for you select from. Gifts range from toys to houshold items.
Gifts need to be turned in by Thursday, December 8.
For more information, email firstname.lastname@example.org
$tart $mart! Did You Know?
Participants learned about where the wage gap comes from and ways to end it.
Did you know?
April 17, 2012 is Equal Pay Day.
This day indicates the number of additional days that women must work in order to earn the equivalant of what white men earn in a year. | <urn:uuid:20b2cf17-5e83-4478-9782-1f8e6396a44c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sandiego.edu/womenscenter/about/December2011Newsletter.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956564 | 1,451 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Facebook…for Farmers: 8villages and Nokia help keep rural livelihoods online
Farmville just got real. Instead of tending to virtual gardens and livestock, an innovative new venture is enfranchising farmers to tend to their actual gardens and livestock virtually.
The BBC on Tuesday ran a feature on 8Villages, a new social networking venture specifically not for those uber connected city folk in the world’s global cities, but instead for developing world agriculturalists who have historically been on the fringes of connectivity. The story for quite a few years now has been how rural communities are more connected than ever with cheap phones and cheap service available throughout previously unreachable corners of the earth. On a recent trip to Northern Uganda, outside of Gulu, I noted with a smile the small solar panels set up outside of huts at midday charging cell phone batteries miles from the nearest electrical socket.
8Villages builds on this growing connectivity. Reuters quotes 8villages’ chief executive Mathieu Le Bras on his new tool for farmers: “It provides them with a link to local buyers, their local sellers – and other farmers who are growing the same crop as them.”
The network’s creators say it is ‘The first online network combining voice, SMS and internet that connects farmers by relevant business communities (‘’villages’’).’’ One of the farmers involved in a pilot in Indonesia told Reuters that “It allows [him] to access information about fertilisers, pesticides and the prices of crops.”
“So now when I need information, all I have to do is wait for an SMS from 8villages.” The service is enjoying success in uptake by its end-users in part from its model that mirrors traditional forms of face-to-face networking – placing special value on the knowledge offered up by elders. Reuters says ‘’8villages has a service that allows farmers to enter a code on their mobile phones and access product reviews by senior farmers – taking the whole “like” concept offline.’’
After Indonesia, 8Villages plans to take its services to other regional neighbors, like Vietnam and the Philippines.
The key to this quirky new networking platform is its mix of old and new – capitalizing on what modern networking technologies have to offer, while not speeding past those who are just now catching up to mobile phone connectivity, embracing simple functions like SMS to disseminate information.
The effort mirrors that of long term initiatives by cell phone maker Nokia. I always knew there was something special about my old school Nokia brick phone. You can flush that thing down a toilet, leave it to marinate at the bottom of a swimming pool, run it over with a scooter and it still works. For farmers, the reliable and affordable phones also offer an information lifeline for small agribusiness at a bargain price of five U.S. cents a day.
With networks like 8villages and innovative corporate culture, like that at Nokia, an exciting world of possibilities opens up. “Roughly half of [the world’s seven billion inhabitants] have a device in their pockets. But only a billion of these consumers are on the web,’’ Nokia told Reuters. ”Nokia’s plan is to connect the following billion consumers to the web.” If you add this to the work being done with mobile banking and cash transfer programs, some of the expensive infrastructure we’ve built up in the global North starts to seem a bit foolish. | <urn:uuid:abbb394d-0939-4229-9baf-f9e11adecb6b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://karireports.com/2012/06/08/facebook-for-farmers-8villages-and-nokia-help-keep-rural-livelihoods-online/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9426 | 738 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Article on Germany was illuminating
Published: Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 4:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, September 1, 2008 at 1:28 p.m.
To The Editor: Our compliments to Jim Wooldridge for his descriptive and
illuminating article about the “New Germany.”
In a short time abroad a river cruise in Austria and Germany, he and wife
Nancy acquired an impressive amount of pertinent information, to include
historical facts, and notable changes in the country and its citizens.
His well-worth-reading story brought back memories since our first
exposure to living in Bavaria in 1947 during the U.S. occupation then later
in the 1950s and also early 1970s, courtesy of the U.S. Army.
Besides learning more about the country’s favorite drink, the writer’s
coverage of how people live, work, relax and succeed in today’s competitive
world was a masterful job. Auf Wiedersehen.
Frank and Joy Blazey
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.
Comments are currently unavailable on this article | <urn:uuid:7018e106-e285-4eb1-8668-0b131e07a11f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20080902/NEWS/809010271?Title=Article-on-Germany-was-illuminating | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948184 | 270 | 1.703125 | 2 |
St Petersburg’s governor has signed into law a bill making it an offence to ‘promote’ gay or transgender personal identities with commentators fearing how badly it will ‘encourage hate’ towards the city’s gay, bi and trans people.
The city now punished the promotion of such identities with a fine of 5,000 roubles, £107 or up to 50,000 roubles, £1,070 for holders of public posts. The fines are increased tenfold again for legal entities.
St Petersburg is one of four Russian cities to have introduced a law banning the promotion of gay and trans identities among minors.
Andre Banks, co-founder and executive director for AllOut.org said: “By validating a new regime of censorship and intolerance, Governor Poltavchenko has diminished the reputation of his city with the stroke of a pen.
“100,000 people have promised not to visit the “new” St. Petersburg after this law goes into effect. Travel companies are considering revising their scheduled trips to the city. St. Petersburg’s sister cities have even begun to put pressure on the Governor to reject this law.
“Together, we have sent a very clear message to Poltavchenko and leaders around the world: there will be a high price to pay for advancing the cause of bigotry and intolerance. AllOut.org continues to stand with our partners in Russia and will work through diplomatic channels, creative online campaigns and offline events to ensure that this law is repealed and that others like it never see the light of day.”
350,000 people have watched an AllOut.org video telling the governor St Petersburg will suffer as a result of the law.
Polina Savchenko, general manager for ComingOut, a St. Petersburg-based LGBT organization said: “Authorities project ‘traditional values’ and clerical rhetoric onto politics, and prioritize ‘interests of majority’ over the value of human individuality. We realize that today, fascist-like rhetoric in Russia is becoming basis for legislative activity.
“In fact, this law has little to do with protecting minors. Today, neither homosexual people, nor human rights defenders, nor lawyers can answer the question of how this law is going to be applied in practice, due to its vague nature and non-legal terminology.”
She said: “To talk about existence of homosexuality, to publicly denounce homophobic violence, to develop sense of self-awareness and dignity in homosexual people, to promote tolerance – all of these acts can fall under the ‘propaganda’ law. This law will serve directly to further isolate and marginalize the gay community and encourage hate towards a social group.
“We are convinced that no authority can deprive people of their right to dignity, to respect of private and family life, to freedom of expression and to protection from discrimination and violence. We are offended and outraged by this act by city authorities and will continue fighting for the rights of LGBT citizens until the barbaric law is repealed.”
The British Foreign Office had said it hoped the governor would reconsider the law.
The Kaleidoscope Trust was told by the British Foreign Office: “We, along with EU colleagues, have already expressed concern to the St Petersburg legislature and the Russian MFA, that this legislation is incompatible with Council of Europe guidelines on preventing discrimination against LGBT people.” | <urn:uuid:23d354b6-b978-43d0-b3c9-585cb19a332d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/03/13/st-petersburg-governor-signs-gay-propaganda-bill-into-law/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954596 | 705 | 1.679688 | 2 |
(CNN) -- New video broadcast on North Korean television shows a military unit carrying out live-fire drills in sight of a South Korean island.
The military exercises this week on the southwestern coast of North Korea were close to the disputed maritime border.
State television, KRT, also shows tanks repositioning and an artillery machine being prepared, overlooking waters that have seen a number of violent incidents over the years. North Korea shelled Yeonpyeong Island in November 2010, killing four South Koreans, claiming it was responding to a South Korean military drill in the area.
Fiery rhetoric accompanied the military actions.
Deputy commander Li Gum-chol said, "We will turn Seoul into a sea of flames by our strong and cruel artillery firepower, which cannot be compared to our artillery shelling on Yeonpyeong Island. We are training hard, concentrating on revenge to shock Lee Myung-bak's traitorous group and the military warmongers in South Korea."
Pyongyang has stepped up its rhetoric against South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak and his government since Kim Jong Un took over as North Korean leader last December after the death of his father, longtime leader Kim Jong Il.
The footage and fresh threats against South Korea come just one week after the United States and North Korea agreed on a nuclear deal after years of deadlock. North Korea effectively agreed to freeze its nuclear program and the United States agreed to provide 240,000 metric tons of food aid. The two sides are due to meet Wednesday to discuss the technicalities of the nutritional aid.
The United States and South Korea are currently carrying out annual joint military drills, which North Korea has condemned as a provocation. Now Pyongyang is staging its own.
The United States has long said improved inter-Korean relations are crucial for success in nuclear talks, but the recent increase in rhetoric against South Korea and its president make that appear unlikely in the short term. | <urn:uuid:aa9264b8-d2b5-4ccf-ad60-04e653f49203> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/06/world/asia/north-korea-military-drills/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96745 | 396 | 1.632813 | 2 |
We find that the best place to find the most accurate news on state politics is the local paper.
Kyrie O'Connor, deputy managing editor over at the Houston Chronicle, writes "An Open Letter to the National Media. Subject: Texas," and compiles a list of rules for the national media to keep in mind when covering their great state in the wake of Governor Rick Perry's announcement of his presidential intentions. It's kinda like a study guide, so Ms. O'Connor, we heed your advice!
Among the items we need to keep in mind are pronunciations of different towns -- and we take pronunciations seriously, what with being on TV and all.
3. Learn to pronounce: Boerne, Pedernales, San Jacinto, Bexar, Mexia, Palacios.
Luckily, Ms. O'Connor provides a handy-dandy instructional video to make sure we've got them right. (This totally beats learning the words from the fairly-creepy, quasi-female computer voice over at Dictionary.com)
Also, we should consider this:
5. If you spend any time on our highways, you will see a vehicle with a bumper sticker that says “Secede”. Shocking, I know. But some Texans think of secession the way you think of a threeway: interesting idea, but it probably won’t happen in this lifetime.
Like this one?
And finally, we are reminded that which is true in pretty much every other state,
6. There are people in Texas who don’t play into any of your stereotypes. They are also Texans.
7. There are people who play into all your stereotypes.
A Jersey girl born and raised, I empathize.
You can see columnist Kyrie O'Connor's full list here. | <urn:uuid:fef34757-5ac0-40d5-b198-c444cc832dee> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2011/08/17/7392989-dont-mess-with-texas-your-guide-to-rick-perrylandia?commentId=57150330 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945306 | 382 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Gaelchultúr was established in 2004 with the aim of promoting the Irish language and various aspects of Irish culture, including music, song and dance, in Dublin and other parts of Ireland.
Gaelchultúr provides Irish language courses and learning resources of the highest quality, aimed at those with an interest in Irish worldwide. Our goal is to provide first-class services that will inspire both learners and fluent speakers of Irish to improve their knowledge of the language. Gaelchultúr offers courses throughout Ireland, taught by our network of talented teachers, and our e-learning website, ranganna.com, gives learners all over the world the opportunity to attain a higher standard of Irish.
We hope that one of our courses will cater for your needs and make the learning of Irish a fun and rewarding experience. | <urn:uuid:22d8eb19-61c8-4ecd-9fcc-b3b61b88c3d2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gaelchultur.com/en/about_us.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960928 | 167 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Dear Car Coach: I was talking to a friend about buying a used car that was newer and he told me about the cars that were flooded in Hurricane Sandy, so what is the best way not to get one of these. My thoughts are that there was sewer water and God knows what else in the water, I think it was salt water too. How do I make sure not to get one of these cars?
– J.L., Hamburg
Dear J.L.: Yes, there was salt water, sewage and all kinds of bad water filled with oils and anything you can imagine. These flood-damaged vehicles can be very dangerous. Many have proven that certain safety systems such as anti-locking brakes, airbags and other electronic-based car control systems don’t work when you need them.
A warning should be posted from coast to coast Beware Online Car Dealers And E-Bay Power Sellers Promoting Flood Damaged Cars As Safe! These cars are not safe and many have even more serious issues. There is no reason to purchase these vehicles. They are good as parts for a scrap yard at best.
Flood-damaged cars are something that most of us don’t think about. Every time a hurricane or flood affects an area of the country, automobiles are damaged. Sadly many are not destroyed by insurance companies. Many sat in fields and are filled with e. coli and mold from the sewage and water. What is unreal is how many different ways this affects us all.
If you were fooled into buying one of these cars, you should know:
• There is no warranty from the manufacturer due to water damage.
• Many of these vehicles stop in the middle of the road unexpectedly.
• In an accident air bags may NOT deploy.
• Seat belts don’t function properly.
• Anti-lock brakes don’t work.
Even worse, is the accident risk that you are creating for yourself and anyone who rides in this car.
Sadly there are about 650,000 cars from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and an estimated 200,000 cars from Hurricane Sandy.
These cars really do get into the marketplace.
One insurance company recently settled a $40 million lawsuit when it was disclosed that the insurer had dumped almost 30,000 totaled cars at auction without bothering to have them retitled as salvage vehicles.
Many of the storm-damaged vehicles will be shredded into little metallic pieces.
However, others will end up in auctions or be sent to your state. This is called “washing titles.” Not all states print on the title what happened to that auto.
If in doubt – walk away from the deal.
Tips to avoid buying flood-damaged cars:
• First, buy from reputable dealers. You can find great vehicles buying from private sellers but beware of “curbstoners” – people who sell numerous cars claiming to be private sellers and therefore avoid basic government oversight and Lemon Law coverage.
• Avoid auctions – unless you are experienced with them.
• Check to make sure the vehicle identification numbers (VIN) match on the door sticker and the dashboard tag.
• Carefully inspect the inside of the car looking for watermarks on door panels, radiators, wheel wells and seat cushions.
• Look for rust in unusual places like door hinges, hood springs, under dash brackets and trunk latches.
• Turn on the air conditioning and heating and smell the air coming out of the ducts. If it smells musty or moldy or even like too much air freshener, it is most likely a flood-damaged auto and you should not buy it.
• Look for water and moisture inside exterior lighting.
• Beware of cars with new or mismatched upholstery.
• If the car has a paper air filter, check it for water stains.
• Ask the seller if the vehicle has had flood damage. Answers like “not to the best of my knowledge” or “the previous owner didn’t tell me of any flood damage” are red flags. Get the answer in writing with the bill of sale.
• Ask to see the title. If it is not stamped “flood” or “salvage,” get the car’s history through online sources to find out if this vehicle has come from a recently or previously flooded area of the country.
•Have a certified ASE technician inspect the vehicle before you make an offer. | <urn:uuid:aff49a8e-a9ba-4f14-86de-2fcdae8b1d22> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121125/LIFE/121129683/1046 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962045 | 929 | 1.695313 | 2 |
There is a phrase...
The south hates the north, and vice versa
But they unite against Scotland, so England hates Scotland, and Vice versa
In turn, Britain hates France
But the Allies hate the Axis
Then again, the West hates the East
Something along those lines
It leads to the conclusion that "Humanity may only be at peace when it as a race is fighting something else"
Interesting thought, and obviously there would still be social issues and minor violent events (comparatively), but you get the point
Someone also said "all these serial killers" earlier in the thread
Interesting fact, number of serial killings/child kidnappings/etc has not changed in the last 20 years by any appreciable amount in almost ALL countries
Merely the presentation of such things by the media
Media controls fear?
Personally, I think it'd be possible to eradicate war in terms of people dying, but conflict is NEVER going to stop between humans, and I don't want it to, the world would be a fucking boring predetermined place if there was no conflict. Violent conflict... is probably not possible to remove, but full blown war, I think might be, either by the definition of "war" changing to no longer be soldiers vs soldiers, but drone vs drone, or hacker vs hacker (yeah right, but you get the idea, and the hacker vs hacker thing isn't too far off the truth, governments recognise computing in general as of strategic importance now) | <urn:uuid:289ab0cf-8c7c-4529-981e-09cdc1a408c4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/forum/topic/350-will-there-always-be-war/page__st__50__p__25585 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951514 | 305 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Turning East is a collection of autobiographical essays in which sixteen contemporary philosophers describe their personal journeys to the Orthodox Church, explain their reasons for becoming Orthodox Christians, and offer a sense of how their conversions have changed their lives.more →
This beautifully-illustrated book, with 13 full page illustrations, relates the often-told story of St George and the dragon, with an afterword that looks at the real meaning of the legend.
Winner of the 2012 Moonbeam Spirit Award
This volume examines the sources of Orthodox doctrine in Scripture and Tradition; its teaching on God in Trinity and Unity, in his essence and in his energies; on the world and man; on Jesus Christ, the incarnate God; on the Church, the body of Christ; on the Theotokos, Mary; and on eschatology, the last things.more →
The Typikon, the liturgical book that contains the order of the liturgical celebration, is complex, whence the necessity of “decoding” it both for recent converts and for “cradle” Orthodox Christians desiring to deepen their liturgical observancemore → | <urn:uuid:16450da6-a3a5-4dbb-ae92-dc06401d0402> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.svspress.com/index.php?cPath=43_100&page=1&sort=4a | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938858 | 233 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Earl Pomeroy arrived at the Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center on Friday bearing money, food and bright prospects for the research facility's 98 employees.
U.S. Rep. Pomeroy, D-N.D., announced that the center has been approved for $10.5 million for the budget year by the congressional conference committee on agriculture spending. He celebrated by handing out red apples "because they're healthy and good to the core."
But the best news, Pomeroy said, is that the facility's future is secure with language in the bill.
"Your long journey out of uncertainty is now completed," he told workers in the lab's lobby.
In February 2008, the Bush Administration announced that it would close the center, moving its research to two other facilities. But it has kept operating through an earmark. Now, the bill specifies that research dollars go to Grand Forks.
"It's as tight as you can lock something down," Pomeroy said. "The lab is secure and it will have a vital mission."
More security comes from the lab refocusing its research into obesity, a major concern nationally but especially so in rural and Native American populations. The center is positioned well for that targeted research, director Gerald Combs said.
"Sexy gets funded before hum-drum in Congress," Pomeroy said. "Mineral research is vital but hum-drum. Obesity research is vital but also sexy."
Combs said the budget uncertainty damaged the ability to recruit researchers. As a sign that those days are over, he introduced three recently hired scientists at the gathering.
"We had a year that was a roller-coaster ride," he said. "We had a rattling of our tree. But in the end, it shook free some apples."
In more ways than one, as it turned out | <urn:uuid:6d9e94c2-7672-445e-abcd-2528d872cc2e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.morrissuntribune.com/content/pomeroy-nutrition-lab-funding-secure?qt-latest_trending_article_page=0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976799 | 384 | 1.585938 | 2 |
With Avatar having captured an Academy Award for cinematography, and several manufacturers having introduced consumer 3D televisions, it's starting to look like 3D may be here to stay. Presumably it's not an impractical crock as I'd kinda like to believe...
Frankly with the technology they're using it's not exactly going to be great quality.
I've recently purchased a GH2 with 14-140mm zoom for capturing video clips and noticed that a 3D lens is also available. I'm curious about the technology used when recording a clip with this lens. Since the camera has a single sensor, would the firmware key successive frames from the double light path separately as left- and right-eye frames and record them successively in an interleaved fashion?
Looking at Panasonic's site for the lens tells you most of what you need to know http://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/systemcamera/gms/lens/g_3dlens.html
ie it puts two squeezed images side by side on the sensor.
Could I hope to edit the AVCHD output with available software/supplied codecs and preserve the 3D nature of a clip?
I guess so, but you'll need to do some more home work on what format is needed to display this. I'd guess a Blu-Ray burner will be needed at the least, but you'll need to finds out if 3D needs non standard fiel structures or tags. | <urn:uuid:5c332d9a-ade4-4c74-ba1d-3ed1305e3ab1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=50464.msg417598 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953895 | 304 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Major U.S. stock indexes fell over 1 percent Thursday morning following a surprise gain in weekly jobless claims and an announcement that the International Energy Agency would release crude oil from its strategic reserves.By noon, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 177.81 points following an almost 235-point slump earlier in the morning.
The Dow traded below 12,000, a psychologically important mark, on Thursday. The Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index fell 18.13 points, or 1.41 percent, led by energy stocks as traders responded to the IEA announcement. The Nasdaq composite index slumped 18.76 points, down 0.70 percent.
Oil prices also fell after the U.S. Department of Energy announced Thursday that it will release 30 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as part of the International Energy Agency’s move to offset oil-supply disruptions caused by unrest in the Middle East. Brent crude, which is used to price many international varieties of oil, fell 6.2 percent to $107.19 per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.
Initial claims for jobless benefits rose unexpectedly, showing continued weakness in the labor market. Claims rose by 9,000 last week to 429,000, according to the Labor Department. They had been expected to rise by just 1,000.
New home sales also declined in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 319,000, according to a separate report released by the Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Sales exceeded consensus predictions for 310,000 but are still far below the 700,000 new home sales per year that economists view as a healthy pace, showing the housing market is still struggling to gain traction.
Stocks began to slide late Wednesday after the Federal Reserve announced it had revised its outlook for the U.S. economy downward and would not be implementing any new policies to stimulate growth. | <urn:uuid:04147393-81e7-4923-a9a0-5a39fb3e9904> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nationaljournal.com/economy/stocks-tumble-in-response-to-weak-jobless-claims-iea-announcement-20110623 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960385 | 391 | 1.578125 | 2 |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a Florida man's floating home was a house, not a boat, and not covered under maritime law, in a case that could affect thousands of people around the country who make their home on floating structures in marinas, bays and coves.
The high court ruled 7-2 for Fane Lozman, who argued that the gray, two-story craft approximately 60 feet in length that he towed to the marina in Riviera Beach, Fla., should not have been affected by maritime law.
Justice Stephen Breyer, who included a picture of Lozman's craft in the opinion, said maritime law affects vessels which are "watercraft or other artificial contrivance used, or capable of being used, as a means of transportation on water." The key words, Breyer said, were "capable of being used" and the court was concerned with practical possibilities, not merely theoretical.
"We believe that a reasonable observer, looking to the home's physical characteristics and activities, would not consider it to be designed to any practical degree for carrying people or things on water," Breyer said. "And we consequently conclude that the floating home is not a vessel."
Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Anthony Kennedy dissented, with Sotomayor saying Breyer's opinion creates a new and unnecessary test.
"An objective assessment of a watercraft's purpose or function governs whether that structure is a vessel," she said. "The court, however, creates a novel and unnecessary 'reasonable observer' reformulation of these principles and errs in its determination, under this new standard, that the craft before us is not a vessel."
Lozman, a former Chicago financial trader, cheered the decision, and said he and his legal team were celebrating the victory. "It leaves you speechless," he said during a phone interview. "It's been a long fight."
Lozman bought the 60-by-12 foot floating home with French doors, a sitting room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and office space in 2002. In 2006, he had it towed to a marina in Riviera Beach, where he kept it docked. After several disputes with the city, and unsuccessful attempts to evict him, city officials used U.S. maritime law to impose a lien on Lozman's property for dockage fees and damages for trespass.
Lozman argued that it was a house, which would have given it some protection from seizure under state law. But federal judges sided with the city, and the property was seized and destroyed. The city, however, was forced to post a $25,000 bond, which Lozman now says he will pursue in district court to reimburse him for the cost of his property, including the furniture and personal possessions that were destroyed after the impoundment of his property.
The lower courts were too broad in their descriptions of vessels, Breyer said.
"Not every floating structure is a vessel," Breyer said. "To state the obvious, a wooden washtub, a plastic dishpan, a swimming platform on pontoons, a large fishing net, a door taken off its hinges or Pinocchio (when inside the whale) are not 'vessels,' even if they are 'artificial contrivance(s)' capable of floating, moving under tow and incidentally carrying even a fair-sized item or two when they do so."
A structure would not fall under the definition of vessel "unless a reasonable observer, looking to the home's physical characteristics and activities, would consider it designed to a practical degree for carrying people or things over water," he said.
Two states with floating home populations, Washington state and California, have laws that are consistent with the justices' opinion, Breyer said. "These states, we are told, treat structures that meet their 'floating home' definitions like ordinary land-based homes rather than like vessels," Breyer said. "Consistency of interpretation of related state and federal laws is a virtue."
More than 5,000 Americans own floating homes, and there are more than 60 floating casinos in the United States. | <urn:uuid:b0e900d0-ad60-4805-9182-c57ae009c60a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wane.com/dpps/news/politics/supreme_ct/floating-home-not-covered-under-maritime-law-nd13-jos_5342824 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975713 | 855 | 1.835938 | 2 |
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