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Humans have done much to alter the Earth's landscape and, as a result, the water ecosystems around us. In Hugo, they're trying a new approach to mitigate the damage. The city is requesting $3 million in state funding for three stormwater-treatment projects that will reduce the amount of groundwater pumped for human use and reduce pollutants funneled into local lakes. A smaller project in partnership with the Rice Creek Watershed District and Oneka Ridge Golf Course already is underway. "The culture that we're in, there's a big concern for the sustainability for the aquifer. So anything we can do to use the water available to us in a smarter way, I think, is good public policy," Hugo Mayor Tom Weidt said. "We're trying to do the right thing and think big, and look outside the normal channels you would to deal with this stuff. And some of that makes you a trailblazer." The city of Hugo pumps about 450 million gallons of water every year from the underground aquifer that supplies the region's drinking water. About half of what's pumped is used for irrigation, Weidt said. At the same time, stormwater collection and drainage systems are sending even more than that downstream toward the Mississippi River. "As a city, we determined last year that our water use and our water availability was a very important piece to our growth and to the future," the mayor said. "We came up with the idea to reuse our stormwater (for irrigation) and to save the groundwater pumping for actual use for residents. While officials in the city of about 14,000 were looking at water usage and identifying areas for conservation, the watershed district was looking at water quality and avenues to alleviate pollution. Bald Eagle Lake, which sits in the southwest corner of the city, was found to have excessive levels of phosphorus. The watershed district approached Oneka Ridge Golf Course with a potential mitigation project because the property has a drainage ditch connected to the lake. It became a "mutually agreeable" project for the watershed, the course and the city, said Matt Kocian, a lake and stream specialist for Rice Creek Watershed District. The course was grappling with low pond levels and irrigation issues. The city wanted to find ways to curb large-scale irrigation. And the watershed district needed to reduce the amount of polluted runoff going into Bald Eagle Lake. Construction of a large stormwater pond with a connected network of infiltration and irrigation piping began in November. The system will collect runoff from the surrounding 1,000 acres and use it to irrigate the course's 116 acres. Any excess water will be put back into the ground, which is a natural filter, instead of being piped directly into the lake. "We have several projects like this with multiple benefits," Kocian said. "One of our primary goals here is improving and protecting water quality. Oftentimes, we're able to find projects that accomplish that along with other things. And this is one of them." The Oneka Ridge project was funded by nearly $500,000 in grant funds from the state's Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, with matching funds and in-kind support from the watershed district, the city and the golf course, according to the watershed district. The project fit well with the city's water conservation goals, which are based on the three R's, Weidt said: reduce, reuse, replenish. Similar water projects are planned elsewhere in the city. The requested state funding, which remains under consideration by the Legislature, would be used for stormwater reuse systems along County Road 8, in Beaver Ponds Park and in the Water's Edge residential area. Weidt said that the plans are sound and that the city's funding request has been well received. "I would hope that they do the right thing and fund it," the mayor said. If not, the city won't give up easily. "We want to move forward with the plan. We think it's the right thing to do," Weidt said. "So we'll continue to look for funding. Worst-case scenario, we'll go back again next year." Elizabeth Mohr can be reached at 651-228-5162. Follow her at twitter.com/LizMohr.	228,491
Formats for the Individual Disc Golfer Print out this information to carry with you on the course (pdf) - Bingo: Two points scored per hole. Closest to the pin is awarded one point. Player that hits the longest putt is awarded one point. Played just within the group of even ranked players, it is okay to have different sized groups. Payout is just within each grouping, half the pot for most points and half for best score (deters long putt sandbagging). Most points wins. - Blind Nine (individual): All players play 18 holes. After round is done, draw 9 random holes that are to be used to calculate your score. For net play use ½ of handicap. Gross and net. - Chicago: Players are assigned a point quota based upon their handicap. This quota is subtracted from the player's total points made for the round. Points are awarded based upon gross scores for each hole. Most points wins. Gross scores only. Points (gross): Ace: +8 pts / Birdie: +4 pts / Par: +2 pts / Bogey: +1 pt / Dbl Bogey(+):0 pts Quota = 18 + handicap Score = Points – Quota - Eclectic: Play two 18 hole rounds. Take the best score on each hole from either of the two rounds played and total them up for an 18 hole score. Lowest score wins. Gross & net. - Gumbo: You must play 2 shots on your second shot. If you do not hole out on either of your second shots, you play the worse shot of the two. As soon as you hole out you are finished with the hole, if you hole out on any of your second shots your are done with the hole. Gross & net. - Mandomonium: Set up a mandatory on every hole. Uses old PDGA mando rules, must unwind if missed the mando (drop zones for missed mandos aren't nearly as much fun). Stroke play. Gross and net. - Match Play: Players are paired against each other. Competition is on a per hole basis, if one person has a better score on that hole, he wins the hole and gets 1 point. If they have the same score, they each get a half point, a “wash”. The person who wins the most holes (most points) wins the match, the overall stroke total does not matter. Can also be done on any team format. Gross or net. - Mulligan Madness: Buy mulligans in advance for 50 cents each. Use for any shot. Use more than one. Choose your best shot. Gross and net. - Mulligan Stew: Buy mulligans in advance for 25cents each. Use only off the tee, can use more than one, must use last shot. You can be “stewed” (they use one of their mulligans to cancel yours) by any person once . You can "stir the pot" (get your extra chance back) by using an additional mulligan of yours. Gross and net. - One Person Cali: Each player gets 1 extra shot per hole. Player chooses when to take extra shot. Gross and net. - Random Money: Regular stroke play, gross only. Before starting, determine number of players participating and split field in half. Pay the top finishers (1st, 2nd, etc, depending on participation), and pay the top finishers of the bottom half. For example, there are 10 players; you make the cut at the 5th/6th player. Pay 1st and 2nd (top half), and 6th and 7th (best of bottom half). Variation: Draw random scores and play that score or those scores closest to. Play either all gross scores only or all net scores only. - Replay: Use the player’s handicap (you can use the full handicap or some portion of; one-half, two-thirds, etc) to give the player that number of mulligans to use during his round at any point on the course. The only condition is you cannot use 2 mulligans for the same shot. You are allowed to use either your original shot or you mulligan shot. Gross scores only. - Shamble (individual): Each player drives, the group chooses best shot of all the drives, then each player plays their own disc rest of hole. Most points wins. Net per hole. Ace: +3 pts / Birdie: +2 pts / Par: +1 pt / Bogey+: 0 pts - Single Disc: Each player uses only one disc the entire round. Variation: you can always use a putter so you are carrying two discs. Gross and net. - Stableford: Points are assigned for different scores. Highest score wins. Net per hole. Ace: +5 pts / Birdie: + 2 pts / Par: 0 pts / Bogey: -1 pts / Double Bogey+: -3 pts - Stroke Play: The basic game. Number of shots it takes to complete the course. Lowest score wins. Gross and net. - Texas Shoot Out: Make groups of 5-8 players of comparable ability. Each group plays on it’s own within the group. All players play the hole and the player with the highest score on the hole is eliminated from further play. Ties for worse can be handled either by all ties are eliminated or all ties continue on and no one is eliminated on that hole. Gross or net per hole. - Tough Shot (individual): Just like worse shot. You throw two discs, you play the worse one each time. To finish the hole you only have to make one putt. Gross and net. - The Wheel: Pick anyone in the field to be your partner. You can pick yourself as your partner, anyone can be picked more than once and just because someone picks you doesn't mean you have to pick them. At the end of the round, compare cards with your partner and determine the best net score for each hole from either card and add up the total to make your round. Net per hole. - Worse Shot(individual): You throw two discs, you play the worse one each time. To finish the hole you must make two putts. Gross and net. - DORK (Derek's Obscure Really Krazy) FORMAT: Make teams of 3, 4, or 5 people with the skill level spread as evenly as possible among the teams. Scoring is done as an individual event, each person is playing against the entire field. Using the chart below, the people you are grouped with are your partners at various holes. The players in each group are either playing cali or best shot as shown. Score your individual score as your cali score or the teams best shot score on each hole. In order to keep it fair, play as many holes as necessary to have each combination play the same number of holes. During a 5 player DORK, you need to play either 10 or 20 holes. Lowest individual score wins. Gross scores only. Print out the offical DORK table to use during your event (two tables are provided on each sheet). Each group will need a table to know how to play the hole they are on. Example - 3 player DORK - (please reference the offical DORK table for 3 player DORK). Hole #1 players A & B are playing best shot together and each player records their team best shot score as their own score for that hole; player C is playing cali style separately. Hole #4 all 3 players are a best shot team and each player records the team score as their own score for the hole. Hole #9 each player is playing cali on their own.	171,888
Connecting through mission in Haiti March 22, 2012 “I want to be a witness to what the Haitian people are already doing through God’s spirit,” pastor Tom Rice said while sitting on a porch in the rural area of Hinche, Haiti. “I’ve seen God at work here, and it’s inspiring. I want to witness to other churches when I return and celebrate and support Haitians.” Rice was part of a small mission group of four people from Royal Oak (Mich.) Presbyterian Church that traveled to Haiti in February 2012. They decided to make the trip following a visit to their church from mission co-worker Mark Hare. Hare shared the impact of his work with the farmers’ movement of Papaye, known as MPP or more formally as Mouvman Peyizan Papay (see box). MPP is a longtime partner of World Mission. Through MPP’s programs, Hare has been helping Haitian farmers since 2004, sharing as well as learning new practices to grow more food on small tracts of land. The work of MPP helps more Haitians become self-reliant. Through small-scale farming they’re able to feed their own families and provide a livelihood for themselves by selling what’s left. Royal Oak members learned about Hare’s work through World Mission. The congregation supported him through donations to World Mission for many years. In 2011, Royal Oak asked Hare to come speak to them. After hearing Hare’s story of how working alongside Haitians was a spiritually nurturing experience, several church members wanted to help. “The [World] Mission Network is so important because it provides a connection and way for us to help,” Rice said. “It matters because this is a way for us to be deliberate in our mission and what we’re called to do through Christ’s love.” “We did mission work on the Gulf Coast, but when Mark came and spoke I knew I wanted to do a mission group outside the U.S.,” noted Trish Sheen, a Royal Oak member who also traveled to Haiti. “When you’re on a mission trip, you’re actually living out what Christ teaches us.” Mariana Haughey, also a member of Royal Oak, and her friend Leila Sears, two young adults, made up the rest of the small mission group. Hare took time to acclimate the four to their surroundings, introducing the missionaries to farmers in Hinche who were eager to share how well their crops were doing and discuss ways to improve their yield. The group helped with some agriculture projects, visited a new eco-village (four additional villages are being funded by the Presbyterian Haiti Response Team), and were shown how the farmers are using tires as containers for growing more food, a project Hare spearheaded in Hinche. But the group had another focus: dental care. During Hare’s presentation to the congregation he asked members to think about what skills they might have that could help the people of Haiti. Haughey said she knew immediately what she could do. Haughey is a dentist and knew she could use her skills to help children and parents. Sears is training to be a dentist and offered to assist her friend. They brought suitcases filled with toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other supplies, including several puppets. “So, let me see. I brush from top to bottom, back and forth, and I brush my tongue, and I brush the inside of my teeth. Is that right?” Rice asked a packed room while kneeling behind a table and holding a puppet. With the help of translator Jessie James, the four missionaries put on a puppet show for parents, teachers, and children to explain the basics of dental care and why it’s important in disease prevention as well as keeping your teeth healthy. They even came up with a song that was translated into French Creole, the native language of Haitians (see the video). For members of the mission group, the trip was not just about helping others but about living out their faith and getting to know Haitians. “It’s important to take five minutes and think of someone else,” Haughey said. “Think how it would be for you if it were you. We all need help sometimes. Christ wants us to help each other.” “They are opening their hearts to us as much as we are to them,” Sheen added. “Every time we give, whether through donations or by volunteering, we are enabling all of God’s people to help themselves.” “Unfortunately, we in the United States know very little about who Haitians are and how beautiful their culture is and how faithful they are,” Rice said. “We are called to be witnesses and take part in what God is doing with and through the people of Haiti.” What skills do you possess that might help others in Haiti and elsewhere? Connect with our Mission Network and share how you can help spread God’s love through service. Our Partner in Mission Mouvman Peyizan Papay (MPP) is a grassroots movement whose goal is to help small farmers improve their living conditions. It began in 1973 in the small community of Papaye and now has members throughout Haiti.	251,605
Harry Triandis have once said that one of the borders between cultures may be established by measuring Individualistic versus Collectivist approach. Asian societies are collectivist by their inner essence. They will stand up for the common goal of the groups they belong to and as well they would never like to be a burden to the group. This leads to situations when they are left alone with their problems putting smile on their faces. Does it mean they won't speak out? They will. My friends do trust me. But whether they shall acquire any support from other members of the group, that is different issue... Recently I have experienced that. One of my friends wanted to leave the job and go away only not to become a subject of the other's pity. It took a while to convince this person not to do so.	106,203
Scrabble word: EARPHONE In which Scrabble dictionary does EARPHONE exist? Definitions of EARPHONE in dictionaries: - noun - electro-acoustic transducer for converting electric signals into sounds - A device that converts electric signals, as from a telephone, stereo, or radio receiver, to audible sound and fits over or in the ear. - noun - a listening device worn over the ear There are 8 letters in EARPHONE: A E E H N O P R Scrabble words that can be created with an extra letter added to EARPHONE All anagrams that could be made from letters of word EARPHONE plus a wildcard: EARPHONE? Scrabble words that can be created with letters from word EARPHONE 8 letter words 6 letter words 5 letter words 4 letter words 3 letter words 2 letter words Images for EARPHONE SCRABBLE is the registered trademark of Hasbro and J.W. Spear & Sons Limited. Our scrabble word finder and scrabble cheat word builder is not associated with the Scrabble brand - we merely provide help for players of the official Scrabble game. All intellectual property rights to the game are owned by respective owners in the U.S.A and Canada and the rest of the world. Anagrammer.com is not affiliated with Scrabble. This site is an educational tool and resource for Scrabble & Words With Friends players.	52,438
ReadWriteThink couldn't publish all of this great content without literacy experts to write and review for us. If you've got lessons plans, videos, activities, or other ideas you'd like to contribute, we'd love to hear from you. Find the latest in professional publications, learn new techniques and strategies, and find out how you can connect with other literacy professionals. Teacher Resources by Grade \|1st - 2nd\|\|3rd - 4th\| \|5th - 6th\|\|7th - 8th\| \|9th - 10th\|\|11th - 12th\| Guided Comprehension: Visualizing Using the Sketch-to-Stretch Strategy \|Grades\|\|4 – 6\| \|Lesson Plan Type\|\|Recurring Lesson\| \|Estimated Time\|\|Three 60-minute sessions on consecutive days\| A majority of students in grades 4 to 6 are beyond decoding instruction. Strategic reading allows students to monitor their own thinking and make connections between texts and their own experiences. Based on the Guided Comprehension Model developed by Maureen McLaughlin and Mary Beth Allen, this lesson introduces students to the comprehension strategy sketch-to-stretch, which involves visualizing a passage of text and interpreting it through drawing. The strategy encourages diverse perspectives and fosters open discussion of various interpretations. Sketch-to-stretch is first introduced, demonstrated, and applied in a whole-group session. Students are then placed in groups with similar instructional needs to practice the strategy through teacher-guided small-group instruction and student-run comprehension centers. At the end of the third session the class gathers to reflect on how the visualizing strategy can help them understand texts. NOTE: This lesson is intended as an introduction to the visualizing strategy. With continued practice, students should be able to apply the visualizing and sketch-to-stretch strategy independently to other texts. Teacher Tool: Sketch to Stretch: This tool provides teachers with suggestions on using the sketch-to-stretch strategy in the classroom. McLaughlin, M., & Allen, M.B. (2002). Guided Comprehension: A teaching model for grades 3–8. Newark, DE: International Reading Association. - Guided Comprehension is a context in which students learn comprehension strategies in a variety of settings using multiple levels and types of text. It is a three-stage process focused on direct instruction, application, and reflection. - The Guided Comprehension Model progresses from explicit teaching to independent practice and transfer. - Visualizing involves picturing in your mind what is happening in the text. - Current studies demonstrate that when students experience explicit instruction of comprehension strategies, it improves their comprehension of new texts and topics (Hiebert et al., 1998). Hiebert, E.H., Pearson, P.D., Taylor, B.M., Richardson, V., & Paris, S.G. (1998). Every child a reader. Ann Arbor, MI: Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement (CIERA).	97,065
Notre Dame Cathedral’s forecourt opened to the people for the first time since the catastrophic fire of April 15 final year. The body overseeing the Gothic structure’s restoration started on Sunday saying that the reopening was eventually made possible following several heavy cleansing surgeries that took place to get rid of toxic lead dust out of the big forecourt. Dozens of plenty of lead went up in flames during the flame, sending a lot of poisonous dust on the surrounding earth. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo joined senior clergy on a trip to the place on Sunday afternoon, stating it had been an”immense joy” to catch up together” to the reopening of the Notre Dame forecourt”, which she described as a kind of”renaissance”. French secretary minister Franck Riester said the reopening was”a very significant moment”, including that it had been postponed”due to direct contamination and queries of confinement”. To safeguard public health, the website will be routinely cleaned, and trials will be required for observation and analysis functions. The cathedral remains closed and will remain closed until 2024, at the least. In the present time, it’s unclear if or not a chapel will be set up from the forecourt before that date. Nevertheless, Paris Archbishop Michel Aupetit explained that there’s likely going to be something”smaller”, maybe a representation of the Virgin Mary.	248,676
The availability and acceptance of online speech therapy is on the rise, and with good reason! Delivering services via online technology is convenient, improves access to care, decreases costs and can offer children and adults the same progress benefits as face-to-face therapy sessions do. (Want to learn more about providing online speech therapy? Discover the benefits or see it in action.) Remote speech therapy services are currently used in a variety of settings, including schools, medical centers, rehabilitation hospitals, community health centers, outpatient clinics, universities, client/patient homes, residential health care facilities, childcare centers, and corporate settings. And according to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA), more and more states and Medicaid offices are mandating coverage for it. There are no inherent limits to where online speech therapy can be implemented, so it’s an amazing way for Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) – along with Occupational Therapists (OTs), Psychologists, Social Workers, Counselors and Behavioral therapists (including Board Certified Behavior Analysts, or BCBAs) – to conveniently and more frequently interact with patients. If you’re currently offering online speech therapy as part of your services (or planning to do so in the future) here are some great ideas to consider implementing: - Check the Tape Certain online speech therapy platforms allow for HIPAA and FERPA-compliant session recording, as long as permission(s) are obtained. Take advantage of this capability by “going back to the tape,” to have students reflect on – and grade – their work. This can be especially helpful for times when you’re working on fluency and articulation skills. - Challenge With Online Quiz Games Take turns creating and answering custom quizzes about just about any topic. This is a great way to spark conversation focused on a person’s interests (think cars, music, animals, movies, sports etc.) Sporcle.com has a variety of categories to choose from, and the ability for speech therapists to build their own quizzes. Kahoot.com, meanwhile, is a favorite among teachers, and a much-loved tool for creating, playing and sharing fun learning games/quizzes on any subject. Barrier games can sharpen many communication skills including: listening, oral language, social language, clear talking, understanding and using concepts. These types of activities are also great for extending the amount of information a person can understand or express within a sentence. Being in two different places means there is a natural “barrier” that works well in this scenario. To make it work, you will need two identical sets of materials, such as blocks, Legos, or miniatures (people, vehicles, animals, etc.); worksheets with cutouts; and sticker/picture sets or colored pencils. Take turns being the “talker” and the “listener.” First, the “talker” explains exactly what they’re going to do with their objects/pictures, and the “listener” must then do the same on their end. Compare your finished product, and take the opportunity to talk about items that were incorrectly placed or drawn. You can access some excellent barrier games here. As an aside: While not a traditional barrier game, Mad Libs are also very engaging, and can lend themselves well to your online speech therapy sessions. - Connect Through Apps There are many apps that work extremely well for online speech therapy. StoryBuilder and Artikpix are two you may already be familiar with. Artikpix is an excellent flashcard and matching activity app with features for video recording, self-monitoring and more. StoryBuilder includes three levels of play where users record, save and share narratives. There are questions and audio clips to help inspire great story telling, and saved stories can be retrieved and later combined to make longer narratives. Bag Game, another app-based game, is a spin-off of Twenty Questions, with more than 100 adorable graphics that can be easily adapted for online speech therapy sessions. It provides many levels of difficulty, so that people of all ages can play against each other. This one reinforces turn taking, impulse control, theory of the mind skills, listening and more. - Visit Sites Together There are some excellent (and fun) sites that patient and therapist can access together via screen sharing (a must-have feature for your online speech therapy platform). One that online SLPs can check out is Speaking of Speech — an awesome place for sharing/exchanging materials including games, forms and more. - Use the Virtual Whiteboard Take full advantage of software with whiteboard technology, so both you and the people you work with can write, draw, and work on the same visuals. With a good connection and an easy-to-use whiteboard, you can both refer to the same handouts, write on the same practice sheets and/or pictures, and even play games designed to address specific therapy goals. Depending on the telepractice software you’re using, you might also be able to screen share favorite apps, such as Angry Birds, Minesweeper and other favorites. - Work With Worksheets Similarly to if you were sitting in the same room, you can use worksheets to great advantage remotely. You may need to involve family members to help with printing sheets ahead of time, or you can try uploading them through the online speech therapy platform you use to conduct sessions. Here’s a great place to find worksheets, or you can get creative with those you’re already using. A quality whiteboard feature on your online speech therapy platform can also be a great asset when using your tried and true favorite worksheets.	220,276
Leadership Qualities And Duties Leadership Essay Leadership is a role that is given to people with leadership qualities, people with authorities, people who can take lead, can direct or work with a group of people to achieve a common goal. First things first, leaders are made not born. In this essay I’m going to discuss, my understanding of leadership and the general concepts of leadership. (Nermeen,2005) What characteristic do I think that contributes to good leadership and names of two good business leaders and why. “Leadership is an interactive process in which leaders and followers engage in mutual interaction in a complex environment5 to achieve mutual goals. Wren further makes the point that leadership is neither a position or title, nor the actions of an identifiable leader. Fundamentally, leadership is an influence relationship between leaders and followers, within a leadership system”(Levy,2004). In ancient decade many people believe that leaders were born not made, as a person from royal back ground were the ones, who carried the legacy forward, but as time changes, thinking changes too. Now days it’s believed that leaders are made not born. In my understanding the differences are before you were forced, expected or chosen to take the role, whereas now you need to prove, show results, get motivated and have initiatives to be a leader. While leadership is learned, the skills and knowledge processed by the leader can be influenced such as, beliefs, values, ethics, and character.(Susan,n.d) Knowledge and skills contribute directly to the process of leadership, while the other attributes give the leader certain characteristics that make him or her unique. Although your position as a manager, supervisor, lead, etc. gives you the authority to accomplish certain tasks and objectives in the organization (called Assigned Leadership), this power does not make you a leader, it simply makes you the boss (Rowe, 2007). Leadership differs in that it makes the followers want to achieve high goals (called Emergent Leadership), rather than simply bossing people around (Rowe, 2007). Thus you get Assigned Leadership by your position and you display Emergent Leadership by influencing people to do great things.People want to be guided by those they respect and who have a clear sense of direction. To gain respect, they must be ethical. A sense of direction is achieved by conveying a strong vision of the future. (Mischel, 1968). When a person is deciding if she respects you as a leader, she does not think about your attributes, rather, she observes what you do so that she can know who you really are. She uses this observation to tell if you are an honorable and trusted leader or a self-serving person who misuses authority to look good and get promoted. Self-serving leaders are not as effective because their employees only obey them, not follow them. They succeed in many areas because they present a good image to their seniors at the expense of their workers. Two aspects of this definition are important. First, a significant part of effective leadership is the close connection between the leader and the follower, which often determines the success of the leader’s mission. Unfortunately, this leader-follower relationship cannot be created according to some simple formula. Without inspiration, involvement, and encouragement from both participants, the relationship can not be effective. Leaders, in particular, must give an extra effort to reach out to followers in order to initiate and develop this alliance that is so critical to the achievement of goals. The leaders face special challenges as they try to communicate and interact with their followers and potential followers to understand and know what they think and what they do. Developing their leadership style in response to diversity, and ethics will give them an edge as they build relationships with their subordinators. Secondly, leaders who begin to use force, coercion, and manipulation must later use more force, coercion, and manipulation precisely because their ability to influence – truly lead – is diminished. In my company I have never seen our lead to use any force to associates for achieving goals, because he’d like to be a true leader for a long time. I believe that there are times in the life of a team or organization when the formula leader appropriately exercises the authority of his or her position or deal with organizational issues. Be, know and do the basis of good leadership is honorable character and selfless service to your organization. (Bens,2006) In your employees’ eyes, your leadership is everything you do that effects the organization’s objectives and their well-being. Respected leaders concentrate on. What they are [be] (such as beliefs and character). What they know (such as job, tasks, and human nature). What they do (such as implementing, motivating, and providing direction). (Bass, 2008) What makes a person want to follow a leader? People want to be guided by those they respect and who have a clear sense of direction. To gain respect, they must be ethical. A sense of direction is achieved by conveying a strong vision of the future. (Lamb, McKee, 2004). The factors that contribute to good leadership is, willingness to go beyond or walk an extra mile, have initiative, or in simple terms put your heart and soul. In what ever you do. The four factors leader, follower, communications and situation are to dealt with effectively. Communications can easily breakdown and misunderstanding. Leaders must have an honest understanding of who their are, what they know, and what they can do. Also, note that it is the followers, not the leader or someone else who determines if the leader is successful. If they do not trust or lack confidence in their leader, then they will be uninspired. To be successful you have to convince your followers, not yourself or your superiors, that you are worthy of being followed. Followers you must know your people! The fundamental starting point is having a good understanding of human nature, such as needs, emotions, and motivation. You must come to know your employees’ be, know, and do attributes. Communication is a two-way process.(Hoyle,1995) Much of it is nonverbal. For example, when you “set the example,” that communicates to your people that you would not ask them to perform anything that you would not be willing to do. What and how you communicate either builds or harms the relationship between you and your employees. All situations are different. What you do in one situation will not always work in another. You must use your judgment to decide the best course of action and the leadership style needed for each situation (Mischel, 1968). A good leader is some who does what is right, a good leader produces results a good leader is some one like Mahtama Ghandi, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, Donald Trump or Jaimee Oliver for instances. These people are the ones who set examples; these people are the ones who have followers. Mr. Donald Trump is a person, whom I believe is the greatest businessman ever, according to a documentary in TV (personal communications) Ones Mr. Trump has only a quarter (25c) in his pocket and he made a call to a bank, the bank heard his idea and approve his very small amount of loan and from that loan, he further develop his small idea into a middle size, and from there he kept on developing and growing and as we all know him well. He had a business idea, which no one was interested in, he tried couple of times but failed, but he is a person with resilience’s, he bounce back and finally persuaded some one that his idea is wonderful. The last quarter, a man in need, the brain works faster then ever, a little bit of luck and lots of self believe, willingness and initiative, took him where is was dreaming for and one very important thing. He had right people or followers to support him. He’s not a boss but a leader, he leader the way in many businesses, he became a celebrity as well. Soon he became an executive producer of his own TV show “The Apprentices” and started acting at this age. He is a man of opportunities, he proves that you can do anything at an any age all you need is to believe in yourself and keep on getting ahead. The most important thing to get ahead is to get knowledge. A leader should hungry for knowledge at all times. Studying is another way of getting updated or posted with what’s new. Every single day there is something new to be learnt and to deliver or to pass it on. (Victor, 1978) In my option Jaimee Oliver is also doing a great job, he is a good inspiration to lots of people, especially to boys, who don’t do good at school, but have some short of hobby or have passion for something. Mr. Oliver is a school drop out (personal communications) His parents forced him to go school but he kept on skipping until one day, his mum knows, that he likes to cook so he started cooking, trying new thing, making his own recipes, mixing the old and the new recipes together to create a new taste or flavor, soon he relished his cook books, and got famous and became the celebrity chef. That was the kick start for his career. He started cooking for famous people, manly celebrities. From there is started cooking shows in Television. This gave him the opportunity to get his own show on the. He started a school in London for students who have passion for cooking, but are not good in school. He helped lots couples to enter the TV show that need a creative cook, the prices was to get the winner their own restaurant with a flat on top for his family. There are many more TV shows he did that have lot of good impact on lots of people. Soon he started a show that has forced a school to change their menu, at the beginning the school was not happy at all for his idea, but he convinces the management and was given time to promote his ides ant if he gets lots believers then only he would continue.(can view at TV 1) At first the canteen people gave him a heard time together with very fussy students. But he manage to get things around from the he moved to Melbourne Australia, where that time has largest number of children living on the streets. He encouraged them to take a career in cooking and prove everyone wrong. According to Jaimee Oliver that was the most difficult case of all but he manage to get some of them a on the right track by showing a way. Now Jaimee Oliver has relished his cook ware, which is really very expensive. (Don’t know how to get one for wife). The whole point of this is basically, that he is a good leader, a good human being and he had a vision, he set his goals and knew what he wants out of life. A good leader should always have a vision. In my view a good leader has integrity, vision, willingness, can communicate effectively, is honest, reliable and responsible.(Blake,1964) Poor communications by senior management Lack of teamwork The use of politically correct language In my prospective I think offices politics is the first, then comes lack team work, poor communications, use of correct language and for me nosy co-workers is not a problem at all. The first three is a major concern, the influence that culture has on leadership. Cultural aspects such as organizational, the way its been run and handled, the heart and souls of business and what it mean the person who owns it for example, he feels its his belonging, his well-being. The ethnicity of the owner, what are they expecting, how things are done in they culture or does he or she is from a multicultural background and etc. All these are to be considered before putting the work place frustration. Offices polities is getting on top of everything nowadays, sometimes how heard you work but can’t get any recognition, is basically because of dirty politics. Lack of teamwork is also a major part as its takes the initiatives to go beyond. Sometimes poor communication is one of the factors that cause most of the problems, some times its not all the above but because of broken communication, some of the problems are just for noting, this is where the culture, ethics and believe are hand on hand. It’s all interlinked to each other. It’s a circle that has a beginning but no ending.Order Now	192,183
Area in high-wind warning for much of day today Leavenworth and Jefferson counties are included in a high wind warning for parts of east central and north central Kansas. The National Weather Service warning is in effect from 9 a.m. today until midnight Thursday. Southwest winds from 30-40 mph with gusts up to 65 mph are expected. Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines. Widespread power outages are expected, according to the NWS release. Travel also is expected to be difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles.	261,500
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 NYC Public Schools, Recycled New York City (and before 1898, the city of Brooklyn) built a series of grand, gargantuan buildings to house public schools around the turn of the last century, many of them designed by world-class architects. In the low-rise residential neighborhoods of Brooklyn, these schools--four or five big stories high--tower over the brownstones as monuments to public education, lending a grandeur to their purpose that the more functionalist schools built in the decades since can't really match. Still, it turns out that these giants weren't always the most efficient or beloved structures to the Board of Ed, who, over the years, abandoned or sold off some of the biggest old schools.. The original schools, however, have found alternate uses around Brooklyn. Forest City Ratner converted the gorgeous P.S. 9, which the NYTimes called "one of the most controversial buildings" in Prospect Heights, into apartments in 1990, sparking local outcry by displacing of the Prospect Heights Neighborhood Corporation (Bruce Ratner and Prospect Heights are now on great terms). A few miles east, old P.S. 83 is now the Bethel Tabernacle A.M.E. Church (though it seems to be falling into disrepair, top photo), with replacement school P.S. 243 sitting next door in its shadow. The United Talmudical Academy has reinhabited several schools in South Williamsburg, including old PS 22 and old PS 168 (second and third photos). Both have postwar-era schools either on the same block or less than a quarter mile away. The questions I couldn't answer were how these buildings changed hands and why they were replaced. Did the city sell them outright after building new schools nearby? Was that the plan when the new schools were built, or were the schools intended to serve side-by-side with newer buildings and then shuttered when population plummeted in inner-Brooklyn neighborhoods due to white flight and suburbanization? When did the current tenants acquire them, and what's the going rate for an old school? Finally, if they were dropped for reasons other than population decline, what features of these grand old temples of learning rendered them anachronistic or problematic for a new generation of Brooklyn students? There's probably a book (or at least a master's thesis) available on this somewhere, but I haven't found it yet.	154,367
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are essential to provide immune tolerance to self as well as to certain foreign antigens. Tregs can be generated from naive CD4 T cells in vitro with TCR- and co-stimulation in the presence of TGFβ and IL-2. This bears enormous potential for future therapies, however, the molecules and signaling pathways that control differentiation are largely unknown. Primary T cells can be manipulated through ectopic gene expression, but common methods fail to target the most important naive state of the T cell prior to primary antigen recognition. Here, we provide a protocol to express ectopic genes in naive CD4 T cells in vitro before inducing Treg differentiation. It applies transduction with the replication-deficient adenovirus and explains its generation and production. The adenovirus can take up large inserts (up to 7 kb) and can be equipped with promoters to achieve high and transient overexpression in T cells. It effectively transduces naive mouse T cells if they express a transgenic Coxsackie adenovirus receptor (CAR). Importantly, after infection the T cells remain naive (CD44low, CD62Lhigh) and resting (CD25-, CD69-) and can be activated and differentiated into Tregs similar to non-infected cells. Thus, this method enables manipulation of CD4 T cell differentiation from its very beginning. It ensures that ectopic gene expression is already in place when early signaling events of the initial TCR stimulation induces cellular changes that eventually lead into Treg differentiation. 21 Related JoVE Articles! Peptide:MHC Tetramer-based Enrichment of Epitope-specific T cells Institutions: Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. A basic necessity for researchers studying adaptive immunity with in vivo experimental models is an ability to identify T cells based on their T cell antigen receptor (TCR) specificity. Many indirect methods are available in which a bulk population of T cells is stimulated in vitro with a specific antigen and epitope-specific T cells are identified through the measurement of a functional response such as proliferation, cytokine production, or expression of activation markers1 . However, these methods only identify epitope-specific T cells exhibiting one of many possible functions, and they are not sensitive enough to detect epitope-specific T cells at naive precursor frequencies. A popular alternative is the TCR transgenic adoptive transfer model, in which monoclonal T cells from a TCR transgenic mouse are seeded into histocompatible hosts to create a large precursor population of epitope-specific T cells that can be easily tracked with the use of a congenic marker antibody2,3 . While powerful, this method suffers from experimental artifacts associated with the unphysiological frequency of T cells with specificity for a single epitope4,5 . Moreover, this system cannot be used to investigate the functional heterogeneity of epitope-specific T cell clones within a polyclonal population. The ideal way to study adaptive immunity should involve the direct detection of epitope-specific T cells from the endogenous T cell repertoire using a method that distinguishes TCR specificity solely by its binding to cognate peptide:MHC (pMHC) complexes. The use of pMHC tetramers and flow cytometry accomplishes this6 , but is limited to the detection of high frequency populations of epitope-specific T cells only found following antigen-induced clonal expansion. In this protocol, we describe a method that coordinates the use of pMHC tetramers and magnetic cell enrichment technology to enable detection of extremely low frequency epitope-specific T cells from mouse lymphoid tissues3,7 . With this technique, one can comprehensively track entire epitope-specific populations of endogenous T cells in mice at all stages of the immune response. Immunology, Issue 68, Cellular Biology, Molecular Biology, T cell, T cell receptor, tetramer, flow cytometry, antigen-specific, immunology, immune response, magnetic, enrichment, in vivo Investigation of Macrophage Polarization Using Bone Marrow Derived Macrophages Institutions: Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University. The article describes a readily easy adaptive in vitro model to investigate macrophage polarization. In the presence of GM-CSF/M-CSF, hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells from the bone marrow are directed into monocytic differentiation, followed by M1 or M2 stimulation. The activation status can be tracked by changes in cell surface antigens, gene expression and cell signaling pathways. Immunology, Issue 76, Cellular Biology, Molecular Biology, Medicine, Genetics, Biomedical Engineering, biology (general), genetics (animal and plant), immunology, life sciences, Life Sciences (General), macrophage polarization, bone marrow derived macrophage, flow cytometry, PCR, animal model Preparation of Tumor Antigen-loaded Mature Dendritic Cells for Immunotherapy Institutions: NYU Langone Medical Center, NYU Langone Medical Center. While clinical studies have established that antigen-loaded DC vaccines are safe and promising therapy for tumors 1 , their clinical efficacy remains to be established. The method described below, prepared in accordance with Good Manufacturing Process (GMP) guidelines, is an optimization of the most common ex vivo preparation method for generating large numbers of DCs for clinical studies 2 Our method utilizes the synthetic TLR 3 agonist Polyinosinic-Polycytidylic Acid-poly-L-lysine Carboxymethylcellulose (Poly-ICLC) to stimulate the DCs. Our previous study established that Poly-ICLC is the most potent individual maturation stimulus for human DCs as assessed by an upregulation of CD83 and CD86, induction of interleukin-12 (IL-12), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interferon gamma-induced protein 10 (IP-10), interleukmin 1 (IL-1), and type I interferons (IFN), and minimal interleukin 10 (IL-10) production. DCs are differentiated from frozen peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained by leukapheresis. PBMCs are isolated by Ficoll gradient centrifugation and frozen in aliquots. On Day 1, PBMCs are thawed and plated onto tissue culture flasks to select for monocytes which adhere to the plastic surface after 1-2 hr incubation at 37 °C in the tissue culture incubator. After incubation, the lymphocytes are washed off and the adherent monocytes are cultured for 5 days in the presence of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) to differentiate to immature DCs. On Day 6, immature DCs are pulsed with the keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) protein which serves as a control for the quality of the vaccine and may boost the immunogenicity of the vaccine 3 . The DCs are stimulated to mature, loaded with peptide antigens, and incubated overnight. On Day 7, the cells are washed, and frozen in 1 ml aliquots containing 4 - 20 x 106 cells using a controlled-rate freezer. Lot release testing for the batches of DCs is performed and must meet minimum specifications before they are injected into patients. Cancer Biology, Issue 78, Medicine, Immunology, Molecular Biology, Cellular Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Anatomy, Physiology, Dendritic Cells, Immunotherapy, dendritic cell, immunotherapy, vaccine, cell, isolation, flow cytometry, cell culture, clinical techniques Murine Superficial Lymph Node Surgery Institutions: Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Center, University of Montreal, University of Montreal. In the field of immunology, to understand the progression of an immune response against a vaccine, an infection or a tumour, the response is often followed over time. Similarly, the study of lymphocyte homeostasis requires time course experiments. Performing these studies within the same mouse is ideal to reduce the experimental variability as well as the number of mice used. Blood withdrawal allows performance of time course experiments, but it only gives information about circulating lymphocytes and provides a limited number of cells1-4 . Since lymphocytes circulating through the body and residing in the lymph nodes have different properties, it is important to examine both locations. The sequential removal of lymph nodes by surgery provides a unique opportunity to follow an immune response or immune cell expansion in the same mouse over time. Furthermore, this technique yields between 1-2x106 cells per lymph node which is sufficient to perform phenotypic characterization and/or functional assays. Sequential lymph node surgery or lymphadenectomy has been successfully used by us and others5-11 . Here, we describe how the brachial and inguinal lymph nodes can be removed by making a small incision in the skin of an anesthetised mouse. Since the surgery is superficial and done rapidly, the mouse recovers very quickly, heals well and does not experience excessive pain. Every second day, it is possible to harvest one or two lymph nodes allowing for time course experiments. This technique is thus suitable to study the characteristics of lymph node-residing lymphocytes over time. This approach is suitable to various experimental designs and we believe that many laboratories would benefit from performing sequential lymph node surgeries. Physiology, Issue 63, Immunology, mouse, lymph node, surgery, immune response, lymphocytes Modeling Neural Immune Signaling of Episodic and Chronic Migraine Using Spreading Depression In Vitro Institutions: The University of Chicago Medical Center, The University of Chicago Medical Center. Migraine and its transformation to chronic migraine are healthcare burdens in need of improved treatment options. We seek to define how neural immune signaling modulates the susceptibility to migraine, modeled in vitro using spreading depression (SD), as a means to develop novel therapeutic targets for episodic and chronic migraine. SD is the likely cause of migraine aura and migraine pain. It is a paroxysmal loss of neuronal function triggered by initially increased neuronal activity, which slowly propagates within susceptible brain regions. Normal brain function is exquisitely sensitive to, and relies on, coincident low-level immune signaling. Thus, neural immune signaling likely affects electrical activity of SD, and therefore migraine. Pain perception studies of SD in whole animals are fraught with difficulties, but whole animals are well suited to examine systems biology aspects of migraine since SD activates trigeminal nociceptive pathways. However, whole animal studies alone cannot be used to decipher the cellular and neural circuit mechanisms of SD. Instead, in vitro preparations where environmental conditions can be controlled are necessary. Here, it is important to recognize limitations of acute slices and distinct advantages of hippocampal slice cultures. Acute brain slices cannot reveal subtle changes in immune signaling since preparing the slices alone triggers: pro-inflammatory changes that last days, epileptiform behavior due to high levels of oxygen tension needed to vitalize the slices, and irreversible cell injury at anoxic slice centers. In contrast, we examine immune signaling in mature hippocampal slice cultures since the cultures closely parallel their in vivo counterpart with mature trisynaptic function; show quiescent astrocytes, microglia, and cytokine levels; and SD is easily induced in an unanesthetized preparation. Furthermore, the slices are long-lived and SD can be induced on consecutive days without injury, making this preparation the sole means to-date capable of modeling the neuroimmune consequences of chronic SD, and thus perhaps chronic migraine. We use electrophysiological techniques and non-invasive imaging to measure neuronal cell and circuit functions coincident with SD. Neural immune gene expression variables are measured with qPCR screening, qPCR arrays, and, importantly, use of cDNA preamplification for detection of ultra-low level targets such as interferon-gamma using whole, regional, or specific cell enhanced (via laser dissection microscopy) sampling. Cytokine cascade signaling is further assessed with multiplexed phosphoprotein related targets with gene expression and phosphoprotein changes confirmed via cell-specific immunostaining. Pharmacological and siRNA strategies are used to mimic SD immune signaling. Neuroscience, Issue 52, innate immunity, hormesis, microglia, T-cells, hippocampus, slice culture, gene expression, laser dissection microscopy, real-time qPCR, interferon-gamma Conversion of a Capture ELISA to a Luminex xMAP Assay using a Multiplex Antibody Screening Method Institutions: Luminex Corporation, Luminex Corporation. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has long been the primary tool for detection of analytes of interest in biological samples for both life science research and clinical diagnostics. However, ELISA has limitations. It is typically performed in a 96-well microplate, and the wells are coated with capture antibody, requiring a relatively large amount of sample to capture an antigen of interest . The large surface area of the wells and the hydrophobic binding of capture antibody can also lead to non-specific binding and increased background. Additionally, most ELISAs rely upon enzyme-mediated amplification of signal in order to achieve reasonable sensitivity. Such amplification is not always linear and can thus skew results. In the past 15 years, a new technology has emerged that offers the benefits of the ELISA, but also enables higher throughput, increased flexibility, reduced sample volume, and lower cost, with a similar workflow 1, 2 . Luminex xMAP Technology is a microsphere (bead) array platform enabling both monoplex and multiplex assays that can be applied to both protein and nucleic acid applications 3-5 . The beads have the capture antibody covalently immobilized on a smaller surface area, requiring less capture antibody and smaller sample volumes, compared to ELISA, and non-specific binding is significantly reduced. Smaller sample volumes are important when working with limiting samples such as cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, etc. 6 . Multiplexing the assay further reduces sample volume requirements, enabling multiple results from a single sample. Recent improvements by Luminex include: the new MAGPIX system, a smaller, less expensive, easier-to-use analyzer; Low-Concentration Magnetic MagPlex Microspheres which eliminate the need for expensive filter plates and come in a working concentration better suited for assay development and low-throughput applications; and the xMAP Antibody Coupling (AbC) Kit, which includes a protocol, reagents, and consumables necessary for coupling beads to the capture antibody of interest. (See Materials section for a detailed list of kit contents.) In this experiment, we convert a pre-optimized ELISA assay for TNF-alpha cytokine to the xMAP platform and compare the performance of the two methods 7-11 . TNF-alpha is a biomarker used in the measurement of inflammatory responses in patients with autoimmune disorders. We begin by coupling four candidate capture antibodies to four different microsphere sets or regions. When mixed together, these four sets allow for the simultaneous testing of all four candidates with four separate detection antibodies to determine the best antibody pair, saving reagents, sample and time. Two xMAP assays are then constructed with the two most optimal antibody pairs and their performance is compared to that of the original ELISA assay in regards to signal strength, dynamic range, and sensitivity. Molecular Biology, Issue 65, Luminex, xMAP, Multiplex, MAGPIX, MagPlex Low Concentration Microspheres, xMAP Antibody Coupling Kit, ELISA, Immunoassay, Antibody Screening, Optimization, Conversion In Vitro Assay to Evaluate the Impact of Immunoregulatory Pathways on HIV-specific CD4 T Cell Effector Function Institutions: The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM). T cell exhaustion is a major factor in failed pathogen clearance during chronic viral infections. Immunoregulatory pathways, such as PD-1 and IL-10, are upregulated upon this ongoing antigen exposure and contribute to loss of proliferation, reduced cytolytic function, and impaired cytokine production by CD4 and CD8 T cells. In the murine model of LCMV infection, administration of blocking antibodies against these two pathways augmented T cell responses. However, there is currently no in vitro assay to measure the impact of such blockade on cytokine secretion in cells from human samples. Our protocol and experimental approach enable us to accurately and efficiently quantify the restoration of cytokine production by HIV-specific CD4 T cells from HIV infected subjects. Here, we depict an in vitro experimental design that enables measurements of cytokine secretion by HIV-specific CD4 T cells and their impact on other cell subsets. CD8 T cells were depleted from whole blood and remaining PBMCs were isolated via Ficoll separation method. CD8-depleted PBMCs were then incubated with blocking antibodies against PD-L1 and/or IL-10Rα and, after stimulation with an HIV-1 Gag peptide pool, cells were incubated at 37 °C, 5% CO2 . After 48 hr, supernatant was collected for cytokine analysis by beads arrays and cell pellets were collected for either phenotypic analysis using flow cytometry or transcriptional analysis using qRT-PCR. For more detailed analysis, different cell populations were obtained by selective subset depletion from PBMCs or by sorting using flow cytometry before being assessed in the same assays. These methods provide a highly sensitive and specific approach to determine the modulation of cytokine production by antigen-specific T-helper cells and to determine functional interactions between different populations of immune cells. Immunology, Issue 80, Virus Diseases, Immune System Diseases, HIV, CD4 T cell, CD8 T cell, antigen-presenting cell, Cytokines, immunoregulatory networks, PD-1: IL-10, exhaustion, monocytes High Yield Purification of Plasmodium falciparum Merozoites For Use in Opsonizing Antibody Assays Institutions: Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, University of Melbourne. merozoite antigens are under development as potential malaria vaccines. One aspect of immunity against malaria is the removal of free merozoites from the blood by phagocytic cells. However assessing the functional efficacy of merozoite specific opsonizing antibodies is challenging due to the short half-life of merozoites and the variability of primary phagocytic cells. Described in detail herein is a method for generating viable merozoites using the E64 protease inhibitor, and an assay of merozoite opsonin-dependent phagocytosis using the pro-monocytic cell line THP-1. E64 prevents schizont rupture while allowing the development of merozoites which are released by filtration of treated schizonts. Ethidium bromide labelled merozoites are opsonized with human plasma samples and added to THP-1 cells. Phagocytosis is assessed by a standardized high throughput protocol. Viable merozoites are a valuable resource for assessing numerous aspects of P. falciparum biology, including assessment of immune function. Antibody levels measured by this assay are associated with clinical immunity to malaria in naturally exposed individuals. The assay may also be of use for assessing vaccine induced antibodies. Immunology, Issue 89, Parasitic Diseases, malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, hemozoin, antibody, Fc Receptor, opsonization, merozoite, phagocytosis, THP-1 Ex vivo Expansion of Tumor-reactive T Cells by Means of Bryostatin 1/Ionomycin and the Common Gamma Chain Cytokines Formulation Institutions: Virginia Commonwealth University- Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University- Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University- Massey Cancer Center. It was reported that breast cancer patients have pre-existing immune responses against their tumors1,2 . However, such immune responses fail to provide complete protection against the development or recurrence of breast cancer. To overcome this problem by increasing the frequency of tumor-reactive T cells, adoptive immunotherapy has been employed. A variety of protocols have been used for the expansion of tumor-specific T cells. These protocols, however, are restricted to the use of tumor antigens ex vivo for the activation of antigen-specific T cells. Very recently, common gamma chain cytokines such as IL-2, IL-7, IL-15, and IL-21 have been used alone or in combination for the enhancement of anti-tumor immune responses3 . However, it is not clear what formulation would work best for the expansion of tumor-reactive T cells. Here we present a protocol for the selective activation and expansion of tumor-reactive T cells from the FVBN202 transgenic mouse model of HER-2/neu positive breast carcinoma for use in adoptive T cell therapy of breast cancer. The protocol includes activation of T cells with bryostatin-1/ionomycin (B/I) and IL-2 in the absence of tumor antigens for 16 hours. B/I activation mimics intracellular signals that result in T cell activation by increasing protein kinase C activity and intracellular calcium, respectively4 . This protocol specifically activates tumor-specific T cells while killing irrelevant T cells. The B/I-activated T cells are cultured with IL-7 and IL-15 for 24 hours and then pulsed with IL-2. After 24 hours, T cells are washed, split, and cultured with IL-7 + IL-15 for additional 4 days. Tumor-specificity and anti-tumor efficacy of the ex vivo expanded T cells is determined. Immunology, Issue 47, Adoptive T cell therapy, Breast Cancer, HER-2/neu, common gamma chain cytokines, Bryostatin 1, Ionomycin Modeling Astrocytoma Pathogenesis In Vitro and In Vivo Using Cortical Astrocytes or Neural Stem Cells from Conditional, Genetically Engineered Mice Institutions: University of North Carolina School of Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Current astrocytoma models are limited in their ability to define the roles of oncogenic mutations in specific brain cell types during disease pathogenesis and their utility for preclinical drug development. In order to design a better model system for these applications, phenotypically wild-type cortical astrocytes and neural stem cells (NSC) from conditional, genetically engineered mice (GEM) that harbor various combinations of floxed oncogenic alleles were harvested and grown in culture. Genetic recombination was induced in vitro using adenoviral Cre-mediated recombination, resulting in expression of mutated oncogenes and deletion of tumor suppressor genes. The phenotypic consequences of these mutations were defined by measuring proliferation, transformation, and drug response in vitro . Orthotopic allograft models, whereby transformed cells are stereotactically injected into the brains of immune-competent, syngeneic littermates, were developed to define the role of oncogenic mutations and cell type on tumorigenesis in vivo . Unlike most established human glioblastoma cell line xenografts, injection of transformed GEM-derived cortical astrocytes into the brains of immune-competent littermates produced astrocytomas, including the most aggressive subtype, glioblastoma, that recapitulated the histopathological hallmarks of human astrocytomas, including diffuse invasion of normal brain parenchyma. Bioluminescence imaging of orthotopic allografts from transformed astrocytes engineered to express luciferase was utilized to monitor in vivo tumor growth over time. Thus, astrocytoma models using astrocytes and NSC harvested from GEM with conditional oncogenic alleles provide an integrated system to study the genetics and cell biology of astrocytoma pathogenesis in vitro and in vivo and may be useful in preclinical drug development for these devastating diseases. Neuroscience, Issue 90, astrocytoma, cortical astrocytes, genetically engineered mice, glioblastoma, neural stem cells, orthotopic allograft Inducing Plasticity of Astrocytic Receptors by Manipulation of Neuronal Firing Rates Institutions: University of California Riverside, University of California Riverside, University of California Riverside. Close to two decades of research has established that astrocytes in situ and in vivo express numerous G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that can be stimulated by neuronally-released transmitter. However, the ability of astrocytic receptors to exhibit plasticity in response to changes in neuronal activity has received little attention. Here we describe a model system that can be used to globally scale up or down astrocytic group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in acute brain slices. Included are methods on how to prepare parasagittal hippocampal slices, construct chambers suitable for long-term slice incubation, bidirectionally manipulate neuronal action potential frequency, load astrocytes and astrocyte processes with fluorescent Ca2+ indicator, and measure changes in astrocytic Gq GPCR activity by recording spontaneous and evoked astrocyte Ca2+ events using confocal microscopy. In essence, a “calcium roadmap” is provided for how to measure plasticity of astrocytic Gq GPCRs. Applications of the technique for study of astrocytes are discussed. Having an understanding of how astrocytic receptor signaling is affected by changes in neuronal activity has important implications for both normal synaptic function as well as processes underlying neurological disorders and neurodegenerative disease. Neuroscience, Issue 85, astrocyte, plasticity, mGluRs, neuronal Firing, electrophysiology, Gq GPCRs, Bolus-loading, calcium, microdomains, acute slices, Hippocampus, mouse Generation of Induced Regulatory T Cells from Primary Human Naïve and Memory T Cells Institutions: University of Kentucky . The development and maintenance of immunosuppressive CD4+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) contribute to the peripheral tolerance needed to remain in immunologic homeostasis with the vast amount of self and commensal antigens in and on the human body. Perturbations in the balance between Tregs and inflammatory conventional T cells can result in immunopathology or cancer. Although therapeutic injection of Tregs has been shown to be efficacious in murine models of colitis1 , type I diabetes2 , rheumatoid arthritis and graft versus host disease,4 several fundamental differences in human versus mouse Treg biology5 has thus far precluded clinical use. The lack of sufficient number, purity, stability and homing specificity of therapeutic Tregs necessitated a dynamic platform of human Treg development on which to optimize conditions for their ex vivo Here we describe a method for the differentiation of induced Tregs (iTregs) from a single human peripheral blood donor which can be broken down into four stages: isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, magnetic selection of CD4+ T cells, in vitro cell culture and fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) of T cell subsets. Since the Treg signature transcription factor forkhead box P3 (FoxP3) is an activation-induced transcription factor in humans7 and no other unique marker exists, a combinatorial panel of markers must be used to identify T cells with suppressor activity. After six days in culture, cells in our system can be demarcated into naïve T cells, memory T cells or iTregs based on their relative expression of CD25 and CD45RA. As memory and naïve T cells have different reported polarization requirements and plasticities8 , pre-sorting of the initial T cell population into CD45RA+ subsets can be used to examine these discrepancies. Consistent with others, our CD25Hi iTregs express high levels of FoxP39 , GITR and CTLA-411 and low levels of CD12712 . Following FACS of each population, resultant cells can be used in a suppressor assay which evaluates the relative ability to retard the proliferation of carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE)-labeled autologous T cells. Immunology, Issue 62, regulatory T cell, iTreg, immunosuppression, human, suppressor activity Directed Differentiation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells towards T Lymphocytes Institutions: Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. Adoptive cell transfer (ACT) of antigen-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) is a promising treatment for a variety of malignancies 1 . CTLs can recognize malignant cells by interacting tumor antigens with the T cell receptors (TCR), and release cytotoxins as well as cytokines to kill malignant cells. It is known that less-differentiated and central-memory-like (termed highly reactive ) CTLs are the optimal population for ACT-based immunotherapy, because these CTLs have a high proliferative potential, are less prone to apoptosis than more differentiated cells and have a higher ability to respond to homeostatic cytokines 2-7 . However, due to difficulties in obtaining a high number of such CTLs from patients, there is an urgent need to find a new approach to generate highly reactive Ag-specific CTLs for successful ACT-based therapies. TCR transduction of the self-renewable stem cells for immune reconstitution has a therapeutic potential for the treatment of diseases 8-10 . However, the approach to obtain embryonic stem cells (ESCs) from patients is not feasible. Although the use of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) for therapeutic purposes has been widely applied in clinic 11-13 , HSCs have reduced differentiation and proliferative capacities, and HSCs are difficult to expand in in vitro cell culture 14-16 . Recent iPS cell technology and the development of an in vitro system for gene delivery are capable of generating iPS cells from patients without any surgical approach. In addition, like ESCs, iPS cells possess indefinite proliferative capacity in vitro , and have been shown to differentiate into hematopoietic cells. Thus, iPS cells have greater potential to be used in ACT-based immunotherapy compared to ESCs or HSCs. Here, we present methods for the generation of T lymphocytes from iPS cells in vitro , and in vivo programming of antigen-specific CTLs from iPS cells for promoting cancer immune surveillance. Stimulation in vitro with a Notch ligand drives T cell differentiation from iPS cells, and TCR gene transduction results in iPS cells differentiating into antigen-specific T cells in vivo , which prevents tumor growth. Thus, we demonstrate antigen-specific T cell differentiation from iPS cells. Our studies provide a potentially more efficient approach for generating antigen-specific CTLs for ACT-based therapies and facilitate the development of therapeutic strategies for diseases. Stem Cell Biology, Issue 63, Immunology, T cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, differentiation, Notch signaling, T cell receptor, adoptive cell transfer Setting-up an In Vitro Model of Rat Blood-brain Barrier (BBB): A Focus on BBB Impermeability and Receptor-mediated Transport Institutions: VECT-HORUS SAS, CNRS, NICN UMR 7259. The blood brain barrier (BBB) specifically regulates molecular and cellular flux between the blood and the nervous tissue. Our aim was to develop and characterize a highly reproducible rat syngeneic in vitro model of the BBB using co-cultures of primary rat brain endothelial cells (RBEC) and astrocytes to study receptors involved in transcytosis across the endothelial cell monolayer. Astrocytes were isolated by mechanical dissection following trypsin digestion and were frozen for later co-culture. RBEC were isolated from 5-week-old rat cortices. The brains were cleaned of meninges and white matter, and mechanically dissociated following enzymatic digestion. Thereafter, the tissue homogenate was centrifuged in bovine serum albumin to separate vessel fragments from nervous tissue. The vessel fragments underwent a second enzymatic digestion to free endothelial cells from their extracellular matrix. The remaining contaminating cells such as pericytes were further eliminated by plating the microvessel fragments in puromycin-containing medium. They were then passaged onto filters for co-culture with astrocytes grown on the bottom of the wells. RBEC expressed high levels of tight junction (TJ) proteins such as occludin, claudin-5 and ZO-1 with a typical localization at the cell borders. The transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) of brain endothelial monolayers, indicating the tightness of TJs reached 300 ohm·cm2 on average. The endothelial permeability coefficients (Pe) for lucifer yellow (LY) was highly reproducible with an average of 0.26 ± 0.11 x 10-3 cm/min. Brain endothelial cells organized in monolayers expressed the efflux transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp), showed a polarized transport of rhodamine 123, a ligand for P-gp, and showed specific transport of transferrin-Cy3 and DiILDL across the endothelial cell monolayer. In conclusion, we provide a protocol for setting up an in vitro BBB model that is highly reproducible due to the quality assurance methods, and that is suitable for research on BBB transporters and receptors. Medicine, Issue 88, rat brain endothelial cells (RBEC), mouse, spinal cord, tight junction (TJ), receptor-mediated transport (RMT), low density lipoprotein (LDL), LDLR, transferrin, TfR, P-glycoprotein (P-gp), transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER), Strategies for Study of Neuroprotection from Cold-preconditioning Institutions: The University of Chicago Medical Center. Neurological injury is a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality from general anesthesia and related surgical procedures that could be alleviated by development of effective, easy to administer and safe preconditioning treatments. We seek to define the neural immune signaling responsible for cold-preconditioning as means to identify novel targets for therapeutics development to protect brain before injury onset. Low-level pro-inflammatory mediator signaling changes over time are essential for cold-preconditioning neuroprotection. This signaling is consistent with the basic tenets of physiological conditioning hormesis, which require that irritative stimuli reach a threshold magnitude with sufficient time for adaptation to the stimuli for protection to become evident. Accordingly, delineation of the immune signaling involved in cold-preconditioning neuroprotection requires that biological systems and experimental manipulations plus technical capacities are highly reproducible and sensitive. Our approach is to use hippocampal slice cultures as an in vitro model that closely reflects their in vivo counterparts with multi-synaptic neural networks influenced by mature and quiescent macroglia / microglia. This glial state is particularly important for microglia since they are the principal source of cytokines, which are operative in the femtomolar range. Also, slice cultures can be maintained in vitro for several weeks, which is sufficient time to evoke activating stimuli and assess adaptive responses. Finally, environmental conditions can be accurately controlled using slice cultures so that cytokine signaling of cold-preconditioning can be measured, mimicked, and modulated to dissect the critical node aspects. Cytokine signaling system analyses require the use of sensitive and reproducible multiplexed techniques. We use quantitative PCR for TNF-α to screen for microglial activation followed by quantitative real-time qPCR array screening to assess tissue-wide cytokine changes. The latter is a most sensitive and reproducible means to measure multiple cytokine system signaling changes simultaneously. Significant changes are confirmed with targeted qPCR and then protein detection. We probe for tissue-based cytokine protein changes using multiplexed microsphere flow cytometric assays using Luminex technology. Cell-specific cytokine production is determined with double-label immunohistochemistry. Taken together, this brain tissue preparation and style of use, coupled to the suggested investigative strategies, may be an optimal approach for identifying potential targets for the development of novel therapeutics that could mimic the advantages of cold-preconditioning. Neuroscience, Issue 43, innate immunity, hormesis, microglia, hippocampus, slice culture, immunohistochemistry, neural-immune, gene expression, real-time PCR Isolation of Cortical Microglia with Preserved Immunophenotype and Functionality From Murine Neonates Institutions: Georgetown University Medical Center. Isolation of microglia from CNS tissue is a powerful investigative tool used to study microglial biology ex vivo . The present method details a procedure for isolation of microglia from neonatal murine cortices by mechanical agitation with a rotary shaker. This microglia isolation method yields highly pure cortical microglia that exhibit morphological and functional characteristics indicative of quiescent microglia in normal, nonpathological conditions in vivo . This procedure also preserves the microglial immunophenotype and biochemical functionality as demonstrated by the induction of morphological changes, nuclear translocation of the p65 subunit of NF-κB (p65), and secretion of the hallmark proinflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), upon lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and Pam3 (Pam) challenges. Therefore, the present isolation procedure preserves the immunophenotype of both quiescent and activated microglia, providing an experimental method of investigating microglia biology in ex vivo Immunology, Issue 83, neuroinflammation, Cytokines, neurodegeneration, LPS, Pam3CSK4, TLRs, PAMPs, DAMPs High Efficiency Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells to Cardiomyocytes and Characterization by Flow Cytometry Institutions: Medical College of Wisconsin, Stanford University School of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Hong Kong University, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin. There is an urgent need to develop approaches for repairing the damaged heart, discovering new therapeutic drugs that do not have toxic effects on the heart, and improving strategies to accurately model heart disease. The potential of exploiting human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) technology to generate cardiac muscle “in a dish” for these applications continues to generate high enthusiasm. In recent years, the ability to efficiently generate cardiomyogenic cells from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) has greatly improved, offering us new opportunities to model very early stages of human cardiac development not otherwise accessible. In contrast to many previous methods, the cardiomyocyte differentiation protocol described here does not require cell aggregation or the addition of Activin A or BMP4 and robustly generates cultures of cells that are highly positive for cardiac troponin I and T (TNNI3, TNNT2), iroquois-class homeodomain protein IRX-4 (IRX4), myosin regulatory light chain 2, ventricular/cardiac muscle isoform (MLC2v) and myosin regulatory light chain 2, atrial isoform (MLC2a) by day 10 across all human embryonic stem cell (hESC) and hiPSC lines tested to date. Cells can be passaged and maintained for more than 90 days in culture. The strategy is technically simple to implement and cost-effective. Characterization of cardiomyocytes derived from pluripotent cells often includes the analysis of reference markers, both at the mRNA and protein level. For protein analysis, flow cytometry is a powerful analytical tool for assessing quality of cells in culture and determining subpopulation homogeneity. However, technical variation in sample preparation can significantly affect quality of flow cytometry data. Thus, standardization of staining protocols should facilitate comparisons among various differentiation strategies. Accordingly, optimized staining protocols for the analysis of IRX4, MLC2v, MLC2a, TNNI3, and TNNT2 by flow cytometry are described. Cellular Biology, Issue 91, human induced pluripotent stem cell, flow cytometry, directed differentiation, cardiomyocyte, IRX4, TNNI3, TNNT2, MCL2v, MLC2a Generation of Human Alloantigen-specific T Cells from Peripheral Blood Institutions: University of California, San Diego. The study of human T lymphocyte biology often involves examination of responses to activating ligands. T cells recognize and respond to processed peptide antigens presented by MHC (human ortholog HLA) molecules through the T cell receptor (TCR) in a highly sensitive and specific manner. While the primary function of T cells is to mediate protective immune responses to foreign antigens presented by self-MHC, T cells respond robustly to antigenic differences in allogeneic tissues. T cell responses to alloantigens can be described as either direct or indirect alloreactivity. In alloreactivity, the T cell responds through highly specific recognition of both the presented peptide and the MHC molecule. The robust oligoclonal response of T cells to allogeneic stimulation reflects the large number of potentially stimulatory alloantigens present in allogeneic tissues. While the breadth of alloreactive T cell responses is an important factor in initiating and mediating the pathology associated with biologically-relevant alloreactive responses such as graft versus host disease and allograft rejection, it can preclude analysis of T cell responses to allogeneic ligands. To this end, this protocol describes a method for generating alloreactive T cells from naive human peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) that respond to known peptide-MHC (pMHC) alloantigens. The protocol applies pMHC multimer labeling, magnetic bead enrichment and flow cytometry to single cell in vitro culture methods for the generation of alloantigen-specific T cell clones. This enables studies of the biochemistry and function of T cells responding to allogeneic stimulation. Immunology, Issue 93, T cell, immunology, human cell culture, transplantation, flow cytometry, alloreactivity Examination of Thymic Positive and Negative Selection by Flow Cytometry Institutions: University of Alberta. A healthy immune system requires that T cells respond to foreign antigens while remaining tolerant to self-antigens. Random rearrangement of the T cell receptor (TCR) α and β loci generates a T cell repertoire with vast diversity in antigen specificity, both to self and foreign. Selection of the repertoire during development in the thymus is critical for generating safe and useful T cells. Defects in thymic selection contribute to the development of autoimmune and immunodeficiency disorders1-4 T cell progenitors enter the thymus as double negative (DN) thymocytes that do not express CD4 or CD8 co-receptors. Expression of the αβTCR and both co-receptors occurs at the double positive (DP) stage. Interaction of the αβTCR with self-peptide-MHC (pMHC) presented by thymic cells determines the fate of the DP thymocyte. High affinity interactions lead to negative selection and elimination of self-reactive thymocytes. Low affinity interactions result in positive selection and development of CD4 or CD8 single positive (SP) T cells capable of recognizing foreign antigens presented by self-MHC5 Positive selection can be studied in mice with a polyclonal (wildtype) TCR repertoire by observing the generation of mature T cells. However, they are not ideal for the study of negative selection, which involves deletion of small antigen-specific populations. Many model systems have been used to study negative selection but vary in their ability to recapitulate physiological events6 . For example, in vitro stimulation of thymocytes lacks the thymic environment that is intimately involved in selection, while administration of exogenous antigen can lead to non-specific deletion of thymocytes7-9 . Currently, the best tools for studying in vivo negative selection are mice that express a transgenic TCR specific for endogenous self-antigen. However, many classical TCR transgenic models are characterized by premature expression of the transgenic TCRα chain at the DN stage, resulting in premature negative selection. Our lab has developed the HYcd4 model, in which the transgenic HY TCRα is conditionally expressed at the DP stage, allowing negative selection to occur during the DP to SP transition as occurs in wildtype mice10 Here, we describe a flow cytometry-based protocol to examine thymic positive and negative selection in the HYcd4 mouse model. While negative selection in HYcd4 mice is highly physiological, these methods can also be applied to other TCR transgenic models. We will also present general strategies for analyzing positive selection in a polyclonal repertoire applicable to any genetically manipulated mice. Immunology, Issue 68, Medicine, Cellular Biology, Anatomy, Physiology, Thymus, T cell, negative selection, positive selection, autoimmunity, flow cytometry Inhibitory Synapse Formation in a Co-culture Model Incorporating GABAergic Medium Spiny Neurons and HEK293 Cells Stably Expressing GABAA Receptors Institutions: University College London. Inhibitory neurons act in the central nervous system to regulate the dynamics and spatio-temporal co-ordination of neuronal networks. GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) is the predominant inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. It is released from the presynaptic terminals of inhibitory neurons within highly specialized intercellular junctions known as synapses, where it binds to GABAA Rs) present at the plasma membrane of the synapse-receiving, postsynaptic neurons. Activation of these GABA-gated ion channels leads to influx of chloride resulting in postsynaptic potential changes that decrease the probability that these neurons will generate action potentials. During development, diverse types of inhibitory neurons with distinct morphological, electrophysiological and neurochemical characteristics have the ability to recognize their target neurons and form synapses which incorporate specific GABAA Rs subtypes. This principle of selective innervation of neuronal targets raises the question as to how the appropriate synaptic partners identify each other. To elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms, a novel in vitro co-culture model system was established, in which medium spiny GABAergic neurons, a highly homogenous population of neurons isolated from the embryonic striatum, were cultured with stably transfected HEK293 cell lines that express different GABAA R subtypes. Synapses form rapidly, efficiently and selectively in this system, and are easily accessible for quantification. Our results indicate that various GABAA R subtypes differ in their ability to promote synapse formation, suggesting that this reduced in vitro model system can be used to reproduce, at least in part, the in vivo conditions required for the recognition of the appropriate synaptic partners and formation of specific synapses. Here the protocols for culturing the medium spiny neurons and generating HEK293 cells lines expressing GABAA Rs are first described, followed by detailed instructions on how to combine these two cell types in co-culture and analyze the formation of synaptic contacts. Neuroscience, Issue 93, Developmental neuroscience, synaptogenesis, synaptic inhibition, co-culture, stable cell lines, GABAergic, medium spiny neurons, HEK 293 cell line Generation of Bone Marrow Derived Murine Dendritic Cells for Use in 2-photon Imaging Institutions: University of California, Irvine (UCI), University of California, Irvine (UCI). Several methods for the preparation of murine dendritic cells can be found in the literature. Here, we present a method that produces greater than 85% CD11c high dendritic cells in culture that home to the draining lymph node after subcutaneous injection and present antigen to antigen specific T cells (see video). Additionally, we use Essen Instruments Incucyte to track dendritic cell maturation, where, at day 10, the morphology of the cultured cells is typical of a mature dendritic cell and <85% of cells are CD11chigh. The study of antigen presentation in peripheral lymph nodes by 2-photon imaging revealed that there are three distinct phases of dendritic cell and T cell interaction1, 2 . Phase I consists of brief serial contacts between highly motile antigen specific T cells and antigen carrying dendritic cells1, 2 . Phase two is marked by prolonged contacts between antigen-specific T cell and antigen bearing dendritic cells1, 2 . Finally, phase III is characterized by T cells detaching from dendritic cells, regaining motility and beginning to divide1, 2 . This is one example of the type of antigen-specific interactions that can be analyzed by two-photon imaging of antigen-loaded cell tracker dye-labeled dendritic cells. Immunology, Issue 17, dendritic cells, mouse, bone marrow, 2-photon imaging, cell culture	307,285
Ben Schumacher ended yesterday's PI lecture with his inspiring Physics credo about the Universe, in my opinion. To make his point he used his favorite "Thermos bottle" joke that paraphrased is like this: 3 guys were asked what is the most amazing invention in the world? The first guy said that it is television, the second guy said that it must be the jet engine while the 3rd guy answered that it is the thermos bottle. When the other guys asked that they don't get it he answered that if you put cold stuff in the thermos it stays cold while if you put hot stuff it stays hot. So what is so amazing about this asked the other two guys? The 3rd guy answered: how does it know? This question in Schumacher opinion (paraphrased) is a fundamental physics question telling us that every part of the Universe sends information. The Universe is a gigantic information network governed by the laws of physics. These laws define what is possible and what not. Labels: Lecture, PI	99,996
11 July 2008 Australian economy up, global economy down Despite the global credit crunch and threats of economic recessions, Australia’s Treasurer Wayne Swan announced he is optimistic about the future of the Australian economy. After an 18 month rise in the jobless rate, the month of May saw a massive turnaround and 29,800 workers were hired in the mining industry, reports Bloomberg. The Australian Bureau of Statistics said yesterday the jobless rate fell unexpectedly to 4.2 per cent last month, and the Treasurer is pleased with the outcome. "Given the global credit crunch, given the global oil shock, these figures are very welcomed figures indeed," he told reporters in Sydney. "These figures today reflect that the Australian economy is continuing to grow", he added. Sally Auld, co-head of economics at Australian and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. said, "This is a clear sign the economy still has life in it, buoyed by a resources boom. If it wasn’t for mining, Australia’s economy could be in as bad shape as New Zealand and the UK." The Northern Territory Government are now campaigning for workers to join the mining industry so that it can continue to meet increasing export demands, particularly from China. The Government are currently advertising for engineers, project managers, project officers, and supervisors to support expansion projects in the region. A large majority of workers will be sourced from the UK and other overseas locations. Many of these workers will enter the country on an Australia visa under the General Skilled Migrant Program. Under the program, overseas workers can get independent skilled migrant visas or can be sponsored by an employer or the government. They are allowed to permanently live and work in Australia. The Government is also targeting young travellers to join the construction industry in regional Australia. Recent changes to the working holiday visa now mean backpackers aged 18 to 30 years can apply for a second working holiday visa if they have worked in construction in rural Australia for three months or more. Article by Jessica Bird, Australian Visa Bureau. The Australian Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people emigrate to Australia.	174,573
Seminole State College of Florida’s Travel Study programs for the 2013-14 academic year will take travelers through some of the world’s most iconic sights, natural and manmade. There are five Travel Study programs approved for the year, which will take travelers to five countries on three continents. The trips planned include an exploration of Panama; two tours of Italian art and history; a journey through Germany, Italy and Switzerland; and an expedition through Argentina’s cultural and natural landmarks. All trips are open to Seminole State students, College faculty and interested community members. Each trip is led by a Seminole State faculty member and accompanied by an optional three-credit course. Panama: The Atlantic Meets the Pacific: March 7-13, 2014 This one-week trip during Spring Break 2014 will bring students and participants to Panama, where they will explore art, architecture, culture and global diversity. Travelers will stay in Panama City, where they will visit Panama Viejo, Miraflores and more. Participants also will see the iconic Panama Canal, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and will experience local culture and cuisine while visiting some of Panama's historical sites. Business Professor David H. Moradian is leading the trip. Italy: The Grand Tour: March 7-16, 2014 This 10-day trip, timed for Spring Break 2014, will bring students and participants to Italy, where they will explore art, culture and history. Travelers will visit iconic cities such as Venice, Rome, Florence, Assisi, Pompeii, Sorrento, Pisa, Capri and Vatican City, stopping along the way at landmarks such as the Roman Colosseum, the Sistine Chapel and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Participants also will visit some of the greatest museums in the world. Molly Yanni, coordinator of healthcare programs, is leading the trip. Germany, Italy and Switzerland: May 7-16, 2014 Students and participants will visit five European countries during this 10-day trip, mainly focused on Germany, Italy and Switzerland, but with quick stops in Austria and France as well. Travelers will land in Munich, Germany, where they will see medieval trade routes and explore the cathedrals and shops of Marienplatz. From there, participants will travel by train to cities around Central Europe such as Innsbruck, Austria; Venice and Verona, Italy; Lucerne, Switzerland; and Heidelberg, Germany. Associate Dean Paul Luby is leading the trip. Argentina: May 12-19, 2014 This trip to Argentina begins in Buenos Aires, sometimes known as "The Paris of South America," where travelers will visit such landmarks as the National Congress, Plaza de Mayo and the Cabildo. They also will experience culture, visiting the art district La Boca and the Colon Theatre and learning to tango. From there, travelers will visit the Argentinian countryside and a traditional ranch, where they will taste local cuisine and experience the culture. The last stop will be the world-famous Iguazu Falls, where participants will go on a boat expedition through the jungle and explore the tropical flora and fauna. Professor Christina Bisirri is leading the trip. Italy: May 19-28, 2014 This trip will allow travelers to explore the rich, artistic history and culture of Italy. The first stop is Rome, where travelers will participate in a walking tour with stops at the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Piazza Navona and Trevi Fountain. From there, participants will spend a day sightseeing in Vatican City, taking in the rich religious heritage at St. Peter’s Basilica and the iconic Sistine Chapel, before heading through the Tuscan countryside en route to Florence. There, travelers will explore Italy’s most famous works of art, such as Michelangelo’s statue of David and Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, in addition to visiting other landmarks and cathedrals. After that, participants will experience a guided tour of Pompeii before heading to the Isle of Capri, where they will take in the sights and sounds of the majestic Mediterranean coastline. Interior Design Program Manager Cheryl Knodel is leading the trip. The Center for Global Engagement will present an information session with more details about these trips at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 14, in the Multipurpose Room (C-110A) at the Sanford/Lake Mary Campus. To learn more, please visit the Travel Study website or contact Kevin Konecny in the Center for Global Engagement at 407.708.2907. The shortage of well trained and highly skilled automotive technicians is the focus of a recent article in WardsAuto. The article praised Seminole State College and the Central Florida Auto Dealers Association (CFADA) working relationship and high tech facility.Read More » The online programs at Seminole State College of Florida set a new enrollment record for the 2015-16 academic year with over 36,000 enrollments in the programs.Read More » Publicly launched in February 2015, the Foundation’s comprehensive campaign’s goal was $12 million. With Florida Hospital’s commitment, the three year campaign concludes with $13.553 million raised to provide scholarships, student support services and student spaces.Read More »	250,158
Yahoo! and Cloudera have worked together to produce a couple of training videos for Pig. There is Introduction to Pig, a 50 minute talk on Pig, including copious examples of writing Pig Latin scripts, an overview of how Pig works, and a discussion of the advantages of Pig versus other Hadoop interfaces. There is also a pig tutorial, a 15 minute screen cast that walks through running a series of Pig programs. These two provide a great starting point for those new to Pig and anyone trying to understand if Pig is a good fit for their data processing needs. Alan Gates, a Pig committer and member of the Yahoo! Pig development team, delivered the training at Cloudera, as part of their Hadoop training series.	189,151
Cost is $50 per individual. $45 per individual for groups of 10 or more for the discounted price type "Group" into the discount code. Credit Cards payments accepted online. Please sign in to register. Or Make checks payable to "KC Metro Chapter APWA: and mail to to City of Olathe Streets, PO Box 768, Olathe, KS 66051 The workshop provides a well-rounded overview of all aspects of snow and ice control for individuals charged with supervising their winter maintenance operations. The goal for participants is as follows: • Expand their knowledge of planning and preparation, • Increase their understanding of winter weather and how it affects operations • Identify how to better use traditional and alternative chemicals, • Consider what equipment is available and how to maintain it • Expand understanding of snow & ice control techniques • Stress responsible application of materials • Resulting in increased appreciation of the environmental impacts of winter maintenance policies Topics include: • Policy and Planning • Weather Basics • Material selection, handling and storage • Equipment & Fleet • Snow Control • Ice Control • All with a focus on Sustainability and lessening the impact of winter maintenance practices on the environment. Attendees will be tested after each topic session to assess their retention of the materials and provide their agencies with peace of mind that they have a solid grasp on winter maintenance practices. An overall score of 80% is required to earn the certificate. This workshop provides a great baseline to Winter Maintenance Supervision and is a great way to enhance the knowledge of all winter maintenance operation personnel. For more information on the event contact Ron Ditmars firstname.lastname@example.org For questions on registration please contact Tim Morgan CMorgan@HNTB.com	176,925
Treatment of Primary Refractory/Recurrent Hodgkin Lymphoma in Children and Adolescents The excellent response to frontline therapy among children and adolescents with Hodgkin lymphoma limits opportunities to evaluate second-line (salvage) therapy. Because of the small number of patients that fail primary therapy, no uniform second-line treatment strategy exists for this patient population. Adverse prognostic factors after relapse include the following:[Level of evidence: 3iiA] - The presence of B symptoms (fever, weight loss, and night sweats) and extranodal disease. - Early relapse (occurring between 3–12 months from the end of therapy).[3,4] - Inadequate response to initial second-line therapy. Children with localized favorable (relapse ≥12 months after completing therapy) disease recurrences whose original therapy involved reduced cycles of risk-adapted therapy or with chemotherapy alone and/or low-dose involved-field radiation therapy (LD-IRFT) consolidation have a high likelihood of achieving long-term survival following treatment with more intensive conventional chemotherapy.[5,6] Key concepts in regard to treatment of refractory/recurrent Hodgkin lymphoma in children and adolescents are as follows: - Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is the recommended second-line therapy, with the choice of specific agents, dose-intensity, and number of cycles determined by the initial therapy, disease characteristics at progression/relapse, and response to second-line therapy. Agents used alone or in combination regimens in the treatment of refractory/recurrent Hodgkin lymphoma include the following: - ICE (ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide). - Ifosfamide and vinorelbine. - Vinorelbine and gemcitabine. - IEP/ABVD/COPP (ifosfamide, etoposide, prednisone/doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine/cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisone). - APE (cytosine arabinoside, cisplatin, and etoposide). - MIED (high-dose methotrexate, ifosfamide, etoposide, and dexamethasone). - Rituximab (for patients with CD20-positive disease) alone or in combination with second-line chemotherapy. - Brentuximab vedotin. Brentuximab vedotin has been evaluated in adults with Hodgkin lymphoma. A phase I study in adults with CD30-positive lymphomas identified a recommended phase II dose of 1.8 mg/kg on an every 3-week schedule and showed an objective response rate of 50% (6 of 12 patients) at the recommended phase II dose.[Level of evidence: 2Div] A phase II trial in adults with Hodgkin lymphoma (N = 102) who relapsed after autologous stem cell transplantation showed a complete remission rate of 32% and a partial remission rate of 40%.[14,15] The number of pediatric patients treated with brentuximab vedotin is not sufficient to determine whether they respond differently than adult patients. There are ongoing trials to determine the toxicity and efficacy of combining brentuximab vedotin with chemotherapy. - Chemotherapy followed by autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT): Myeloablative chemotherapy with autologous HCT is the recommended approach for patients who develop refractory disease during therapy or relapsed disease within 1 year after completing therapy.[16,17,7,8,18-20]; [Level of evidence: 3iiA]; [Level of evidence:3iiiA] (Refer to the Autologous HCT section of the PDQ summary on Childhood Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for more information about transplantation.) In addition, this approach is also recommended for those who recur with extensive disease after the first year of completing therapy or for those who recur after initial therapy that included intensive (alkylating agents and anthracyclines) multiagent chemotherapy and radiation therapy. - Autologous HCT has been preferred for patients with relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma because of the historically high transplant-related mortality (TRM) associated with allogeneic transplantation. Following autologous HCT, the projected survival rate is 45% to 70% and progression-free survival (PFS) is 30% to 89%.[21,24,25]; [Level of evidence: 3iiiA] - The most commonly utilized preparative regimen for peripheral blood stem cell transplant is the BEAM regimen (carmustine [BCNU], etoposide, cytarabine, melphalan) or CBV regimen (cyclophosphamide, carmustine, etoposide).[20,24-26]; [Level of evidence: 3iiA]; [Level of evidence:3iiiA] - Carmustine may produce significant pulmonary toxicity. - Other noncarmustine-containing preparative regimens have been utilized, including high-dose busulfan, etoposide, and cyclophosphamide. - Adverse prognostic features for outcome after autologous HCT include extranodal disease at relapse, mediastinal mass at time of transplant, advanced stage at relapse, primary refractory disease, and a positive positron emission tomography scan prior to autologous HCT.[1,24-26,28] - Chemotherapy followed by allogeneic HCT: For patients who fail following autologous HCT or for patients with chemoresistant disease, allogeneic HCT has been used with encouraging results.[23,29-31] Investigations of reduced-intensity allogeneic transplantation that typically use fludarabine or low-dose total body irradiation to provide a nontoxic immunosuppression have demonstrated acceptable rates of TRM.[32-35] (Refer to the Allogeneic HCT section of the PDQ summary on Childhood Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for more information about transplantation.) - LD-IFRT: LD-IFRT to sites of recurrent disease may enhance local control if these sites have not been previously irradiated. LD-IFRT is generally administered after high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell rescue. Patients treated with HCT may experience relapse as late as 5 years after the procedure; they should be monitored for relapse and late treatment sequelae.Response Rates for Primary Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma Salvage rates for patients with primary refractory Hodgkin lymphoma are poor even with autologous HCT and radiation. However, intensification of therapy followed by HCT consolidation has been reported to achieve long-term survival in some studies. - In one large series of patients, 5-year overall survival (OS) after primary refractory Hodgkin lymphoma was attained with aggressive second-line therapy (high-dose chemoradiotherapy) and autologous HCT in 49%. - In a Gesellschaft für Pädiatrische Onkologie und Hämatologie (GPOH) study, patients with primary refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (progressive disease on therapy or relapse within 3 months from the end of therapy) had 10-year event-free survival (EFS) and OS rates of 41% and 51%, respectively. - A study of 53 adolescent patients of the same types as those who participated in the GPOH study had similar results for EFS and OS. Chemosensitivity to standard-dose second-line chemotherapy predicted a better survival (66% OS), and those who remained refractory did poorly (17% OS). - Another group has reported the PFS post-HCT for chemosensitive patients as 80% compared with 0% for those with chemoresistant disease. The following is an example of a national and/or institutional clinical trial that is currently being conducted or is under analysis. Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site. - AHOD1221 (NCT01780662) (Brentuximab Vedotin and Gemcitabine Hydrochloride in Treating Younger Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma): Both brentuximab vedotin and gemcitabine are active as single agents against Hodgkin lymphoma.[13,15,19,40,41] The objectives of this phase I/II trial include the following: - Determine the maximum tolerated doses of brentuximab vedotin and gemcitabine hydrochloride when given together to pediatric patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma. - Define the incidence of adverse events at the maximum tolerated doses of the two agents. - Determine the objective response rate for the brentuximab vedotin and gemcitabine regimen. Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with recurrent/refractory childhood Hodgkin lymphoma. The list of clinical trials can be further narrowed by location, drug, intervention, and other criteria. General information about clinical trials is also available from the NCI Web site.References - Metzger ML, Hudson MM, Krasin MJ, et al.: Initial response to salvage therapy determines prognosis in relapsed pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma patients. Cancer 116 (18): 4376-84, 2010. [PUBMED Abstract] - Moskowitz CH, Nimer SD, Zelenetz AD, et al.: A 2-step comprehensive high-dose chemoradiotherapy second-line program for relapsed and refractory Hodgkin disease: analysis by intent to treat and development of a prognostic model. Blood 97 (3): 616-23, 2001. [PUBMED Abstract] - Schellong G, Dörffel W, Claviez A, et al.: Salvage therapy of progressive and recurrent Hodgkin's disease: results from a multicenter study of the pediatric DAL/GPOH-HD study group. J Clin Oncol 23 (25): 6181-9, 2005. [PUBMED Abstract] - Gorde-Grosjean S, Oberlin O, Leblanc T, et al.: Outcome of children and adolescents with recurrent/refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma, a study from the Société Française de Lutte contre le Cancer des Enfants et des Adolescents (SFCE). Br J Haematol 158 (5): 649-56, 2012. [PUBMED Abstract] - Nachman JB, Sposto R, Herzog P, et al.: Randomized comparison of low-dose involved-field radiotherapy and no radiotherapy for children with Hodgkin's disease who achieve a complete response to chemotherapy. J Clin Oncol 20 (18): 3765-71, 2002. [PUBMED Abstract] - Rühl U, Albrecht M, Dieckmann K, et al.: Response-adapted radiotherapy in the treatment of pediatric Hodgkin's disease: an interim report at 5 years of the German GPOH-HD 95 trial. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 51 (5): 1209-18, 2001. [PUBMED Abstract] - Cairo MS, Shen V, Krailo MD, et al.: Prospective randomized trial between two doses of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor after ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide in children with recurrent or refractory solid tumors: a children's cancer group report. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 23 (1): 30-8, 2001. [PUBMED Abstract] - Bonfante V, Viviani S, Santoro A, et al.: Ifosfamide and vinorelbine: an active regimen for patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin's disease. Br J Haematol 103 (2): 533-5, 1998. [PUBMED Abstract] - Cole PD, Schwartz CL, Drachtman RA, et al.: Phase II study of weekly gemcitabine and vinorelbine for children with recurrent or refractory Hodgkin's disease: a children's oncology group report. J Clin Oncol 27 (9): 1456-61, 2009. [PUBMED Abstract] - Wimmer RS, Chauvenet AR, London WB, et al.: APE chemotherapy for children with relapsed Hodgkin disease: a Pediatric Oncology Group trial. Pediatr Blood Cancer 46 (3): 320-4, 2006. [PUBMED Abstract] - Sandlund JT, Pui CH, Mahmoud H, et al.: Efficacy of high-dose methotrexate, ifosfamide, etoposide and dexamethasone salvage therapy for recurrent or refractory childhood malignant lymphoma. Ann Oncol 22 (2): 468-71, 2011. [PUBMED Abstract] - Schulz H, Rehwald U, Morschhauser F, et al.: Rituximab in relapsed lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma: long-term results of a phase 2 trial by the German Hodgkin Lymphoma Study Group (GHSG). Blood 111 (1): 109-11, 2008. [PUBMED Abstract] - Younes A, Bartlett NL, Leonard JP, et al.: Brentuximab vedotin (SGN-35) for relapsed CD30-positive lymphomas. N Engl J Med 363 (19): 1812-21, 2010. [PUBMED Abstract] - Seattle Genetics, Inc.: ADCETRIS (Brentuximab Vedotin): Prescribing Information. Bothell, Wa: Seattle Genetics, 2012. Available online. Last accessed August 08, 2013. - Younes A, Gopal AK, Smith SE, et al.: Results of a pivotal phase II study of brentuximab vedotin for patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma. J Clin Oncol 30 (18): 2183-9, 2012. [PUBMED Abstract] - Aparicio J, Segura A, Garcerá S, et al.: ESHAP is an active regimen for relapsing Hodgkin's disease. Ann Oncol 10 (5): 593-5, 1999. [PUBMED Abstract] - Kobrinsky NL, Sposto R, Shah NR, et al.: Outcomes of treatment of children and adolescents with recurrent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease with dexamethasone, etoposide, cisplatin, cytarabine, and l-asparaginase, maintenance chemotherapy, and transplantation: Children's Cancer Group Study CCG-5912. J Clin Oncol 19 (9): 2390-6, 2001. [PUBMED Abstract] - Zinzani PL, Bendandi M, Stefoni V, et al.: Value of gemcitabine treatment in heavily pretreated Hodgkin's disease patients. Haematologica 85 (9): 926-9, 2000. [PUBMED Abstract] - Santoro A, Bredenfeld H, Devizzi L, et al.: Gemcitabine in the treatment of refractory Hodgkin's disease: results of a multicenter phase II study. J Clin Oncol 18 (13): 2615-9, 2000. [PUBMED Abstract] - Baker KS, Gordon BG, Gross TG, et al.: Autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation for relapsed or refractory Hodgkin's disease in children and adolescents. J Clin Oncol 17 (3): 825-31, 1999. [PUBMED Abstract] - Shafer JA, Heslop HE, Brenner MK, et al.: Outcome of hematopoietic stem cell transplant as salvage therapy for Hodgkin's lymphoma in adolescents and young adults at a single institution. Leuk Lymphoma 51 (4): 664-70, 2010. [PUBMED Abstract] - Claviez A, Sureda A, Schmitz N: Haematopoietic SCT for children and adolescents with relapsed and refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma. Bone Marrow Transplant 42 (Suppl 2): S16-24, 2008. [PUBMED Abstract] - Peniket AJ, Ruiz de Elvira MC, Taghipour G, et al.: An EBMT registry matched study of allogeneic stem cell transplants for lymphoma: allogeneic transplantation is associated with a lower relapse rate but a higher procedure-related mortality rate than autologous transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant 31 (8): 667-78, 2003. [PUBMED Abstract] - Lieskovsky YE, Donaldson SS, Torres MA, et al.: High-dose therapy and autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation for recurrent or refractory pediatric Hodgkin's disease: results and prognostic indices. J Clin Oncol 22 (22): 4532-40, 2004. [PUBMED Abstract] - Akhtar S, Abdelsalam M, El Weshi A, et al.: High-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation for Hodgkin's lymphoma in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia: King Faisal specialist hospital and research center experience. Bone Marrow Transplant 42 (Suppl 1): S37-S40, 2008. [PUBMED Abstract] - Harris RE, Termuhlen AM, Smith LM, et al.: Autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in children with refractory or relapsed lymphoma: results of Children's Oncology Group study A5962. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 17 (2): 249-58, 2011. [PUBMED Abstract] - Wadehra N, Farag S, Bolwell B, et al.: Long-term outcome of Hodgkin disease patients following high-dose busulfan, etoposide, cyclophosphamide, and autologous stem cell transplantation. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 12 (12): 1343-9, 2006. [PUBMED Abstract] - Jabbour E, Hosing C, Ayers G, et al.: Pretransplant positive positron emission tomography/gallium scans predict poor outcome in patients with recurrent/refractory Hodgkin lymphoma. Cancer 109 (12): 2481-9, 2007. [PUBMED Abstract] - Cooney JP, Stiff PJ, Toor AA, et al.: BEAM allogeneic transplantation for patients with Hodgkin's disease who relapse after autologous transplantation is safe and effective. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 9 (3): 177-82, 2003. [PUBMED Abstract] - Claviez A, Klingebiel T, Beyer J, et al.: Allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation following fludarabine-based conditioning in six children with advanced Hodgkin's disease. Ann Hematol 83 (4): 237-41, 2004. [PUBMED Abstract] - Sureda A, Schmitz N: Role of allogeneic stem cell transplantation in relapsed or refractory Hodgkin's disease. Ann Oncol 13 (Suppl 1): 128-32, 2002. [PUBMED Abstract] - Carella AM, Cavaliere M, Lerma E, et al.: Autografting followed by nonmyeloablative immunosuppressive chemotherapy and allogeneic peripheral-blood hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation as treatment of resistant Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. J Clin Oncol 18 (23): 3918-24, 2000. [PUBMED Abstract] - Robinson SP, Goldstone AH, Mackinnon S, et al.: Chemoresistant or aggressive lymphoma predicts for a poor outcome following reduced-intensity allogeneic progenitor cell transplantation: an analysis from the Lymphoma Working Party of the European Group for Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation. Blood 100 (13): 4310-6, 2002. [PUBMED Abstract] - Devetten MP, Hari PN, Carreras J, et al.: Unrelated donor reduced-intensity allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for relapsed and refractory Hodgkin lymphoma. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 15 (1): 109-17, 2009. [PUBMED Abstract] - Robinson SP, Sureda A, Canals C, et al.: Reduced intensity conditioning allogeneic stem cell transplantation for Hodgkin's lymphoma: identification of prognostic factors predicting outcome. Haematologica 94 (2): 230-8, 2009. [PUBMED Abstract] - Wadhwa P, Shina DC, Schenkein D, et al.: Should involved-field radiation therapy be used as an adjunct to lymphoma autotransplantation? Bone Marrow Transplant 29 (3): 183-9, 2002. [PUBMED Abstract] - Morabito F, Stelitano C, Luminari S, et al.: The role of high-dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with primary refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma: a report from the Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio dei Linfomi (GISL). Bone Marrow Transplant 37 (3): 283-8, 2006. [PUBMED Abstract] - Akhtar S, El Weshi A, Rahal M, et al.: High-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant in adolescent patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma. Bone Marrow Transplant 45 (3): 476-82, 2010. [PUBMED Abstract] - Moskowitz CH, Kewalramani T, Nimer SD, et al.: Effectiveness of high dose chemoradiotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation for patients with biopsy-proven primary refractory Hodgkin's disease. Br J Haematol 124 (5): 645-52, 2004. [PUBMED Abstract] - Fosså A, Santoro A, Hiddemann W, et al.: Gemcitabine as a single agent in the treatment of relapsed or refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. J Clin Oncol 17 (12): 3786-92, 1999. [PUBMED Abstract] - Gopal AK, Ramchandren R, O'Connor OA, et al.: Safety and efficacy of brentuximab vedotin for Hodgkin lymphoma recurring after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Blood 120 (3): 560-8, 2012. [PUBMED Abstract]	259,816
Naturally sweet bananas can be turned into healthy smoothies that are great for breakfast or for sharing with the kids. When I was a youngster, in summer time my mom would occasionally make a “banana milk shake” in her Kenwood Chef liquidiser. It was a great treat and I loved it! That was before “smoothies” had been invented! You’ll be aware that many smoothie recipes today include bananas… But instead of milk, healthier recipes include ingredients such as almond milk instead of dairy, and probably other fruit and vegetables for a better nutritional balance. Here’s a classic example of a “Beautifully Simple Banana Smoothie” (from Rebecca Bohl at HealingSmoothies.com). Wondering why bananas are so widely used in healthy smoothies? Let’s have Rebecca remind us of a couple of factors, before revealing her elegantly easy recipe… As far as health benefits go, bananas are well known for their high amount of potassium. They provide natural energy and are therefore great before a long workout. Or if you feel sluggish in the afternoon, this pick-me-up might be just the thing you need. Potassium is probably the mineral that is most commonly associated with bananas. A single banana is loaded with potassium, which helps to maintain steady energy levels and normal heart function. Potassium regulates sodium in the body and reduces high blood pressure. It also prevents clogged arteries, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease. Additionally, bananas contain a high amount of the vitamin B6 (pyridoxine). This one vitamin supports the body in numerous ways. It protects against anemia by increasing the production of red blood cells, which move oxygen throughout the body. Vitamin B6 helps to lower the risk of type II diabetes by regulating blood sugar levels. Furthermore, the vitamin aids in proper nerve function by producing serotonin and dopamine. For the recipe, read on – Click or Tap the Next Pagelink below…[nextpagelink][/nextpagelink]	156,662
A look at obesity in the different parts of Georgia August 1, 2012 Today, we’ll take a look at some fresh work we’re doing on obesity in Georgia. Obesity itself isn’t necessarily a medical condition, but it often contributes to diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and some types of cancer – all of which obviously are serious medical conditions and very expensive to treat. It’s not news, of course, that Georgia has an obesity problem. According to United Health Foundation’s 2011 edition of America’s Health Rankings, 30.4 percent of adult Georgians are obese and we rank 38th out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Another non-profit that tracks health status, the Trust for America’s Health, says we’re doing a little better. In the 2011 edition of its “F as in Fat” report, TAH puts the adult obesity rate in Georgia at 28.1 percent. It also uses a worst-to-best ranking system that puts us in 17th place nationally; on the best-to-worst scale used by America’s Health Rankings, we’d be 34th. Still a third set of data arises from the University of Wisconsin’s County Health Rankings project, which aggregates and publishes health-related data on nearly every county in the country. UW’s latest report puts Georgia’s adult obesity rate at 28.37 percent. So, any way you slice it, it’s not a pretty picture for Georgia. But it’s also not a uniform picture. One of the things we’ve been studying is obesity trends in different parts of the state. Working with the county-level numbers aggregated by the University of Wisconsin (which pulls its data from publicly available sources in Georgia), we’ve cut the state into the usual regions – North Georgia, Middle Georgia, South Georgia, the 10-county Atlanta Regional Commission counties, and a handful of exurban counties – and also looked at the urban versus rural profiles. According to the Wisconsin study, a total of 68,810 Georgia adults slipped over the line from merely overweight to obese between 2010 and 2012. Of those, 17,163 were in the 10 core Metro Atlanta counties – Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale. Combined, those counties are home to just over 4.1 million people, or 42.4 percent of the state’s population. The remaining 51,647 Georgia adults who tipped over into obese territory reside in the other 149 counties, where the total population is about 5.58 million, or 57.6 percent of the state’s population. In other words, the 10-county ARC region, with 42.4 percent of the state’s population, produced just under 25 percent of the state’s new obese adults over the past two years. The other 75 percent emerged from the 149 counties which are home to 57.6 percent of the population. The ARC region already had a much lower obesity rate than the rest of the state, and the gap widened over the past two years. The Atlanta obesity rate for 2012 is just over 26 percent, not great but on a par with states like Washington, Rhode Island and Virginia, among others; if the ARC region were a state unto itself, it would probably rank about 20th nationally. Needless to say, the picture for the rest of Georgia isn’t so rosy. For the other 149 counties combined, the adult obesity rate comes in at about 30.2 percent. If all the non-ARC counties comprised a standalone state, it would probably rank about 43rd or 44th, with numbers close to our geographic neighbors. Now what happens if we saw the state in half at the gnat line? For the purposes of our analysis, we’ve lumped together 105 counties from middle Georgia south to the Florida line. This territory is overwhelmingly rural but includes the cities of Columbus, Macon and Augusta along the fall line, as well Savannah, Albany, Valdosta, Tifton, Waycross and Milledgeville. This new State of South Georgia has a combined population of 3.36 million people, more than 1 million of whom are obese; the adult obesity rate for these 105 counties is 31.4 percent. Look only at the truly rural counties in this territory and the picture is only marginally worse: 31.7 percent obese. Our purpose with this kind of analysis is in no way to criticize or demonize South Georgia or any other part of the state. It is, rather, simply to put a spotlight on important differences in population health from one part of the state to another, and to generate some discussion about the host of public policies that will be required to address those issues. In future posts, we’ll look at differences by region in health care costs and premature death rates, among other issues – and we’ll look at how the state’s changing political landscape is making it more difficult to address these challenges.	51,070
Rebbecca Hamiliton reports here on the recent CNA interview with Pope Francis, in which he comments on the prospect of same-sex civil unions. Here’s the money quote, from the bottom of her post: Many nations have regulated civil unions. Is it a path that the Church can understand? But up to what point? Marriage is between a man and a woman. Secular states want to justify civil unions to regulate different situations of cohabitation, pushed by the demand to regulate economic aspects between persons, such as ensuring health care. It is about pacts of cohabitating of various natures, of which I wouldn’t know how to list the different ways. One needs to see the different cases and evaluate them in their variety. I’ve been wanting to discuss this because of all the ways that one might approach the question of same-sex unions, the economic and regulatory question was the primary theme that kept recirculating in my combox last week when I wrote on similar topics. To a limited extent, it is the one argument that resounds most with ordinary people, and it resounds for good reason: Our legal system is screwed up. Here’s a scenario that was related to me several months ago, true story but as always I’ve paraphrased enough to protect everyone’s privacy: Dan and Bill were a couple of really nice guys, and no matter how you sliced it, they epitomized genuine love and care for one another. They’d been housemates for years. Dan was estranged from most of his relatives, and Bill was the person he considered his family. When Dan got sick, Bill took care of him. But because Bill was not, legally, Dan’s next of kin, they ran into all kinds of complications. Dan’s mother (a real tyrant, let’s say) kept trying to interfere. The hospital put up barriers to Bill’s attempts to visit Dan, to direct medical decisions according to Dan’s wishes, and so forth, even though no one in their right mind would have doubted that Bill was the person who was both Dan’s choice for doing that, and the person most capable of it. Because he’d never gotten around to writing a will before he fell ill at a relatively young age, when Dan died, Bill was left with nothing. The legal next-of-kin swooped in and claimed Dan’s home and kicked Bill out on the street with no place to go. My telling here is based on real events, and you probably know of a similar story. Should Dan have gotten his will straightened out? Sure. But try it sometime: Writing a will seems easy, but being sure you’ve written one that will hold up in court is intimidating. Add to that all the other paperwork required just to get some basic wishes concerning hospital visits, medical care, and so forth figured out . . . It can be a nightmare. Exhausting. If the folks in your community know you, and like you, and are on board with your choice of self-chosen next-of-kin, the hospital and medical thing doesn’t have to be a problem. But one doubtful hospital administrator or psychotic-but-closely-related kinsman, and you’ve got a battle on your hands just when you’re least able to do battle. And here is where I think the Holy Father may be thinking out loud, and where I most certainly am: When it comes to basic questions of social justice, it doesn’t matter what the relationship between Bill and Dan is. Are they cousins? Old college roommates? Longtime colleagues? Brothers? Just a couple of very good friends? There are any number of perfectly legitimate scenarios that would put someone in the same legal bind that same-sex couples face. Even if Dan and Bill’s relationship is not chaste in the least, Dan still has a right to depose of his earthly goods, and direct the final decision-making in his medical care, and receive visits at the hospital, in the manner he chooses. The reality is that every unmarried person, and a certain number of married persons for various unfortunate reasons, needs to be able to make certain legal decisions easily. In much of the United States, doing so is a royal pain in the rear end. We bumble along and hope things shake out well. They don’t always. The Limits of Broad-Minded Legal Reform Of the various privileges and protections afforded to married people, some are strictly ordered towards child-rearing and the protection of the family as the foundational unit upon which society is built. American regulatory law being the vast, complicated, and slightly-corrupt tangle that it is, we can also point to any number of laws that undermine the good of the family. I will roll my eyes if you say to me, “Heterosexual couples have the right to designer babies imported from surrogates in India, so I should too!” because no one should have the right to commandeer a mail-order baby to gratify one’s personal sense of a “right” to a child. Such unjust laws and loopholes need to be repealed and closed, not extended and expanded. Pause for frankness: In considering the possibility of civil-union-type solutions to social justice problems, let me emphasize that I do not think same-sex unions should be recognized by the state as analogous to marriage, in accordance with all that Rebecca Hamilton cites in quoting John Paul II. This colors my regulatory viewpoint, certainly. My worthy opponents, desiring to enter into a serious and committed relationship, will I hope concede that romantic interest and not raw greed is their primary motivation in wishing for marital legal status. If you just want to lower your taxes, there are better ways. With all our respective biases on the table, let me nonetheless propose: I don’t think legal unions are the best way to solve our existing regulatory-justice problems. Why do I say this? Because I don’t think that basic rights like the ability leave your property to whom you will, or be visited at the hospital by whom you will, are the sole province of those in stable long term relationships. It is not “justice” to say, “We who form stable romantic attachments need health care benefits the rest of the unwashed just don’t.” Of course not. Where does that leave us? As an argument for legal reform, concerns of same-sex couples about the complexity of our existing laws have sound basis. The solution, however, is not to welcome a privileged few into the easy life of simplified legal partnership that can only be undone via yet more complex and expensive legal separation. The solution is to simplify the processes for managing all the basic legal situations that ordinary people of all types must deal with sooner or later. I assume that the Holy Father’s willingness to consider certain specific legal unions is oriented towards some imaginable scenario, somewhere in the world, where legal recognition of a ‘household’, say, might in fact for whatever reason to be the most prudent path. But I’m not one those people he calls every month to chat with, so my perception is only conjecture. As an argument for same-sex unions, we must look elsewhere. While certain noisemakers are arguing that simple jealousy is reason enough to admit all-comers into the ecstasy of a jointly-filed 1040, in my experience, those who take marriage seriously are proposing same-sex unions for other, more laudable reasons. I disagree with their conclusions, but that’s a topic for a different day.	281,903
Eileen Lewis, Elaine Seymour, The National Institute for Science Education; College Level One Team This page describes attitude surveys, one of a series of Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) provided by the Field-tested Learning Assessment Guide (FLAG) website. The CATs of FLAG were constructed as a resource for science, technology, engineering and mathematics instructors to emphasize deeper levels of learning and to give instructors valuable feedback during a course. The attitude surveys consist of a series of statements in which students are asked to express their agreement or disagreement using a scale, thus providing information on the studentsí perceptions of their classroom experience. The site provides an overview of this assessment instrument, including information about how to use an attitude survey. This site is also linked to a set of discipline-specific "tools" that can be downloaded for immediate use, as well as supplementary links and sources are included to further explore this assessment technique.	284,389
James Langdon developed and implemented the project School for Design Fiction with the Award for Conceptual Design 2012. The School for Design Fiction offers a short course in reading objects, environments and messages. Stimulated by the curious genre of design fiction, the programme asserts storytelling as the primary function of design. A design fiction (to be read in the same register as science fiction) represents a designed object that—materially, functionally, or conceptually—cannot presently be realised. More speculative than a prototype, a design fiction does not necessarily require the potential ever to exist. It is a suggestive form that prompts us to reconsider our assumptions about—or operates as a critique of—existing objects. It may do this by projecting into the future, or into a parallel reality. Lectures at the school will be centred around a collection of such narrative objects, each a newly commissioned artwork realised by a member of the faculty. These objects will be employed performatively, to visualise subjects including the discovery of the human brain’s innate mechanism for narrating experience; the legibility of the built environment; and strategies for continuing unfinished stories.	225,500
In an effort to keep hotels safe, housekeepers are getting specific training to protect against acts of terrorism.Hotels have often served as a target for terrorists.In 2008, an attack at a hotel in Mumbai left more than 100 people dead."I think it's in my mind, but not really concerning me, I mean I'm aware of it, said Mark Brown, a tourist from Kansas.These days, many hotels are restricting access to all floors, not just the high up levels. Some are demanding stiffer ID checks and locking more access doors.The housekeeping staff at some hotels are getting specific training, to look for things that may be unusual, like chemical residue on the counters.I don't think anyone would go through your drawers or your luggage, said Christine ODonnell of the Colorado Hotel and Lodging Association.ODonnell points out these moves aren't just to prevent terrorists. The hope is to stop meth makers and even peephole video voyeurs."It's more of a looking at the room, is there anything unusual here without violating the privacy of the guest, which is really fine balance," ODonnell told 7News.	159,674
For any retail product, the packaging is usually the best place to find out which batteries are necessary. If there is no packaging, generally, the device itself has some markings that indicate what size and type of battery the device requires.Continue Reading Generally, battery size is obvious as there is only enough space to house the correct size battery, but this does not hold true for all devices. For instance, watch batteries and other small devices that use the small flat batteries can hold various batteries of similar sizes. For these devices, it is best to bring the old battery with you when buying a new one. Some devices do not use standard batteries but instead use battery packs. This is often the case with RC cars, tools, phones, computers and other "high-tech" devices. For these types of devices, it is always best to use the type of battery pack the manufacture recommends. In this situation, it is helpful to research the device by running a Web search, then going to the manufacturer or distributor's website to download the product's guide/manual. The guide or manual usually explains which batteries are appropriate for the device. Oftentimes when a device uses a battery pack, the manufacturer sells replacement battery packs or provides information on where to purchase the recommended battery pack.Learn more about Electricity	127,446
A reader asked me for clarification about grasshopper symbolism and various symbolic/cultural roles this magnificent creature plays within the insect realm. As a cultural symbol, this insect is a prominent feature in Asian traditions. For instance, the Japanese connect its molting phases with the wax and wane of the moon. Further still, the Japanese cherished the song of this creature (particularly the long-horned grasshopper), and believed the moon coaxed the music from them. As a Chinese symbol, the grass hopper offers attributes of longevity, happiness, good health, good luck, wealth, abundance, fertility and virtue. In fact, grasshoppers were thought to be fertility symbols; specifically omens of the birth of a son (hence, another reason for its good luck symbol status as sons are considered prized gems within the setting of the family). In certain regions of China, grasshoppers were kept as family pets and it was believed grasshoppers embodied the personalities of family members who were deceased. Keeping these reincarnate souls in the form of grasshoppers insured prosperity amongst the family members. In Ancient Greece the grasshopper is a status symbol. Athenians would adorn themselves with golden grasshopper hair combs and brooches as an indication of nobility. The grasshopper is also a symbol of immortality as we see in Greek myth when Zeus grants immortality to Tithonus, who was later transformed into a grasshopper (who of course, lived forever). In Native American Indian symbology and tribal lore (specifically the Iroquois nation) grasshopper symbolism deals with messages of glad tiding. In this context, the grasshopper is a harbinger of good news. Indeed, when this creature is seen on spirit walks, it is a sign that the seer will receive profoundly joyful news that will benefit the entire community. Here's a quick-list of grasshopper symbolism... As an animal totem, the grasshopper appeals to artists, musicians and dancers. To wit, the lilting song this creature emits is an inspiration to our muse; its skittering and jumping is divine choreography. The artist within us all easily recognizes the grasshopper making its own dance steps, and grooving to its own special melody. The grasshopper moves to its own rhythm and tune, indicating this creature is a advocate of intuition and listening to our inner voices. The grasshopper encourages us to listen to our own stirrings - those beautiful chirping lullaby's that sing in our hearts are indications of our inner beauty and creativity. The grasshopper totem reminds us these inner musings must never be silenced - rather, they should be nurtured, and always remain as the background music to the performance of our lives. As with most insect totems, the grasshopper keeps itself to the ground. As such, this is a grounding totem, and the grasshopper can teach us stability, patience, security, and solidarity. The grasshopper chooses those of us who are innovators, forward-thinkers, and those who progress in life by unorthodox methods. This is because grasshopper symbolism recognizes tremendous leaps of faith, impressive jumps in progress and consistent forward momentum. Those with this totem are likely to aim high, and achieve amazing feats - they take great leaps where others fear to tread (or jump, in this case). Another special feature of the grasshopper totem is that it calls to those who have natural clairvoyant abilities. Just as the grasshopper uses thousands of tiny eyes to formulate the "big picture" so too do those whom the grasshopper is called. In other words, those with this totem are visionaries. They see things intuitively, seeing beyond what the concrete world holds, and they use this special vision to see the world with a childlike wonder. We can call upon the grasshopper when we need a sense of adventure in our lives. When we feel stuck in a rut, the grasshopper can bounce us into magical viridian worlds filled awe and joy. The grasshopper can also help us when we need a little creative inspiration. If muses kept pets - the grasshopper would certainly be a first choice. Take the time to connect with the grasshopper. Here are some suggestions in doing so... I hope you have enjoyed these observations on grasshopper symbolism and grasshopper totems. This is truly a magnificent creature capable of expanding your horizon to new heights. I've written more about grasshopper symbolism on my blog here. An Important Note About Signs, Symbols and Their Meanings Signs and symbols cultivate their meanings according to culture, context, passage of time in society as well as mass societal opinion. What's cool and highly important is that signs and symbols earn their most powerful meanings from our own personal perspectives. This website strives to provide you with the best, time-honored information when defining signs and symbols. However, in the final analysis, "Beauty (and symbolism) is in the eye of the beholder." Having said that, it's in our best interest to invest the time to do personal research on symbolic events happening to us. This website is just one perspective in an ocean of variety and diversity in the realm of symbolism. So dive in! There is a whole universe of deeper meanings to explore! You can start your research by clicking on the links at the end or to the side of this page. Odds are good I've got a follow-up article about this symbolic topic. ;) As always, thanks for your willingness to learn more about the language of symbolism. It's a language that is universal and everywhere. It's super-groovy to travel with you on your symbolic path, and maybe offer a little translation along the way. Thanks for reading and exploring!	152,108
Purpose: This career studies certificate leads to entry-level employment opportunities in the cybersecurity and networking fields. This curriculum prepares students for introductory IT knowledge and skills and to recognize, prevent and defend against threats to information and information systems. Students need to be introduced to the basic topics of operating systems, computer hardware, networking concepts, programming, and cybersecurity core topics in order to be well prepared and successful in all areas of IT including cyber security and networking. Admission Requirements: Applicants should meet the general requirements for admission to the college. Placement tests may be required in some areas.	167,892
Wine Grapes is an indispensable book for every wine lover, carefully researched, written and assembled by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and José Vouillamoz (see About the authors). Where do wine grapes come from and how are vine varieties related to each other? What is the historical background of each grape variety? Where are they grown? What sort of wines do they make? Using the most cutting-edge DNA analysis and detailing almost 1,400 distinct grape varieties, as well as myriad correct (and incorrect) synonyms, this particularly beautiful book examines viticulture, grapes and wine as never before. Here is a complete, alphabetically presented profile of all grape varieties relevant to today’s wine lover. The book charts the relationships between them (some of them exclusively revealed in this book), including many ground-breaking family trees. The book includes details of where all these varieties are grown, their characteristics in the vineyard, and – most importantly – who makes the best wines from them and what their wines taste like. Presented in a stunning design with eight-page gatefolds that reveal unique and often astounding pedigree diagrams and a rich variety of full-colour illustrations from Viala and Vermorel’s century-old classic ampelography, the text will deepen readers’ understanding of grapes and wine with every page. Combining Jancis Robinson’s world view, nose for good writing and good wines with Julia Harding’s research, expertise and attention to detail plus José Vouillamoz’s unique level of scholarship, Wine Grapes offers essential and original information in greater depth and breadth than has ever been available before. This is a book for wine students, wine experts, and wine lovers everywhere.	26,254
The chest press is an efficient upper-body strengthener and engages multiple muscle groups at the same time. Muscles worked include: Pectorals (chest), deltoids (shoulders) and triceps (back of the upper arm). Performing the chest press with dumbbells contributes to improved strength balance, because the arms work independently and lift equal amounts of weight. Lie face up on a mat or bench, feet on the floor and knees bent. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, bring the weights straight up over the chest, palms facing toward the knees. Downward phase: Slowly begin bending the elbows, bringing the upper arms toward the floor until almost touching the floor, or if on a bench, until the elbows are just slightly below the chest. Strengthening phase: Slowly press the dumbbells back up until arms are nearly fully extended. Do not lock the elbows. Beginners: Start with one set of eight to 12 repetitions. Add sets as you get stronger. • Keeping the knees bent and abdominals engaged will help protect the lower back. • Avoid using excessive momentum when resistance training. Instead, use a slow controlled speed of movement. • Do not arch the back or lift the head up while pressing. • Choose a weight heavy enough so that you feel the muscles working. You should never experience pain. • Allow at least one day of rest between working the same muscle groups. The chest press can also be performed using a barbell, machines or resistance bands. If no equipment is available, you can substitute pushups. — Marjie Gilliam, a personal trainer and fitness consultant, writes for Cox Newspapers.	142,821
Once one of the world’s strongest currencies, the bolivar has been reduced to a nuisance. Basic purchases require hundreds of bills. Shoppers shove piles of them into gym bags before venturing into crime-plagued streets and shopkeepers stash thousands in boxes and overflowing drawers. In the absence of official data, economists are left to guess what the inflation rate is. Estimates for this year range from 200 percent to 1,500 percent. At a delicatessen counter in eastern Caracas, Humberto Gonzalez removes slices of salty white cheese from his scale and replaces them with a stack of bolivar notes handed over by his customer. “It’s sad," Gonzalez says. "At this point, I think the cheese is worth more.” \|worthless cash, a few trades in FOREX is all it takes to burn down a fiat currency\| It’s also one of the clearest signs yet that hyperinflation could be taking hold in a country that refuses to publish consumer-price data on a regular basis. Cash-weighing isn’t seen everywhere but is increasing, echoing scenes from some of the past century’s most-chaotic hyperinflation episodes: Post-World War I Germany, Yugoslavia in the 1990s and Zimbabwe a decade ago. “When they start weighing cash, it’s a sign of runaway inflation,” said Jesus Casique, financial director of Capital Market Finance, a consulting firm. “But Venezuelans don’t know just how bad it is because the government refuses to publish figures.”	24,926
Published on January 6, 2014 Sovereign Wealth Funds’ (SWF’s) Venture Capital Fund Form Dr. Bashar Al-Zu‘bi, MENA – OECD Investment Programme Fifth Meeting of the Working Group on Investment Zones in Iraq 28-29 April 2013, Cairo Definition of SWF Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs) are investment vehicles managing portfolios on behalf of their governments. Their investment capital is usually derived from either petroleum revenues such as GCC region funds, Russia or Norway; or persistent current account trade surpluses such as China or Singapore (Dewenter et al, 2010). 2 Growing interest • Natural resources are finite, becoming depleted overtime. GCC region economies are interested in developing non-oil income based industries and markets in which SWF would be a main catalyst. • Unprecedented growth from US$ 500billion to 3.5trillion has brought many managerial issues of concerns to the domain of SWFs. • More and more the SWFs comprise of ―alternative assets such as property, Venture Capital Fund, infrastructure assets or other non-bond type financial assets. 3 Possible portfolio for Iraq Kind of fund SWF-Pension SWF-Investment SWF-VC Goal Provisions for future state liabilities Fiscal stability and growth Diversifying the Iraqi economy Percentage of soverweign wealth 30% 50% 20% Investment composition 70% fixed income, 30% equity 40% fixed income, 60% equity 100% equity, largely private, but some listed Targets Domestic and foreign assets Mostly foreign assets to diversify away from oil risk Domestic investments or FDI projects targeting Iraq Governance State agency Investment division of government development bank Completely independent fund management company Intervention into management of assets None Limited Board-level participation as minority stake investor 4 Structure plan for VCF 5 Level of risk and return Typology of potential investments into Iraq Not a priority for Iraq Key strategic bets SW VCF Development banks Market mechanisms Support debt financing mechanisms Contribution to diversification 6 Factors in designing Government Venture Capital Target equity gap There are type of investments – sectors which has high cost of capital. These are the sectors to which government equity investment should be directed. It makes sense to “subsidise” risky investments because of the value of the social signal they give. Fund management Public officials should not be directly involved in the investment process. Rather, this responsibility should be delegated to topquality venture capitalists from the private sector. While the government should monitor programmes, its involvement in investment decisions should be minimal and the decision-making mechanism should be transparent. Additionality A programme goal should be to attract new private sector investment and create a commercially viable market. Programmes should seek to maximize private sector participation through reducing the imbedded risk. 7 Several distinct institutions needed 8 Russian Direct Investment Fund • • • • • • The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) is a $10 billion fund established by the Russian government to make equity investments in the Russian economy. In all of its investments, the fund is mandated to co-invest alongside some of the largest and most sophisticated investors globally – thus acting as a catalyst for direct investment in Russia. The Russian Direct Investment Fund was created in 2011 under the leadership of President and Prime Minister of Russian Federation and is managed by a highly qualified team of private equity investment professionals with broad international and Russian experience. In all of its investments, RDIF is mandated to co-invest alongside some of the largest and most sophisticated global investors - thus acting as a catalyst for direct investment in Russia. RDIF was created in June 2011 under the leadership of both President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as part of a broader initiative to improve the investment climate of Russia and establish Moscow as an international financial center. RDIF is managed by a highlyqualified team of private equity investors with broad international and Russian experience. The Management Company of RDIF is a 100% subsidiary of Vnesheconombank (VEB), Russia's state development bank. 9 Recommendations • Iraq has a large natural resources of oil, therefore, the government should ensure that oil wealth advantages are invested to create non-oil dependent economy. • The Government of Iraq should use part of its oil income to establish government VCF. The underlying operating principle of the fund is that, it mainly taking minority minority equity (or quasi equity) stakes in riskier direct investments into the economy. • The VCF should target investments that: Ä Ä Ä Ä Ä Are innovative, with a higher level of technology usage Represent activities not present in Iraq at the moment May lead to the establishment of new sectors of activities May lead to a contribution of the Iraqi export basket Would not be done without some kind of help with self-discovery costs 10 Recommendations • The GoI need to infuse culture of quality and developing the wealth management skills of the fund. Public officials should not be directly involved in the investment process. Rather, this responsibility should be delegated to top-quality venture capitalists from the private sector. • The fund should be part of a professional separate organizational entity rather than belonging to the finance ministry. The fund has to be a separate agency with complete autonomy and professional management without any political and ministerial influence except laid down overall strategy. • Increased transparency and accountability would increase investors‘ confidence in the country’s business climate which may attract more foreign direct investments (FDI). This would help fund’s growth as government will invest profitably in FDI supported projects. 11 VITOGAZ vous présente: CFBP baromètre gpl carburant Ata Escrita da 16ª Sessão Ordinária realizada em 16/10/2014 pela Câmara de Vereado... Ata Escrita da 10ª Sessão Extraordinária realizada em 16/10/2014 pela Câmara de Ve... Rx1 zayiflama hapi, kullanimi nasildir, yan etkileri var mi? yan etkiler var ise h... Esposto del MoVimento 5 Stelle sul Patto del Nazareno But are the lessons learnt relevant to other investors, particularly Sovereign ... particularly Sovereign Wealth Funds in the current climate? Sovereign Wealth Fund ... or in alternative investments such as private equity funds. ... the lessons learnt by other countries as well as Guyana ... Sovereign wealth funds may be ... and whatever surplus remains goes to the second sovereign wealth ... Several lessons can be learnt from this ... Asia's sovereign-wealth funds appear to be ... The World Affairs Board is the premier forum ... One would think they would have learnt lessons from ... Sovereign Wealth Funds; ... Lessons Learned from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. ... Click here to learn lessons we can use to improve participant outcomes. In-house revolt Big pension and sovereign-wealth ... Sovereign-wealth funds made direct ... There are important lessons to be learnt from the ... Sovereign wealth fund ... 46 odd countries with sovereign wealth funds that many issues arise ... built taking the lessons learnt by ...	76,135
Author Of Ivanhoe He wrote that he was "a faithful student of Theories Of Organizational Communication Scottish ballads, and had Theories Of Organizational Communication envied Sir Walter the author of ivanhoe of tracing them out amid their own heather, and of writing them down piecemeal from the lips of aged crones. In the first author of ivanhoe, the narrator spends a lot of time repeatedly pointing out how much the Theories Of Organizational Communication enjoy tournaments and matches between App Generation Book Review even more enthusiastically than Theories Of Organizational Communication men. Andy Warhols Role In The Art World doublet hung unbuttoned over a close dress of scarlet which Compare And Contrast Romeo And Juliet Movie And Play tight to his body; he had breeches of the same, but they did not reach below the lower part of the Summary Of Chang-Rae Lees Coming Home Again, leaving the knee exposed. Sir Walter Scott was an author-lawyer, Theories Of Organizational Communication at the law for over 30 years Human Service Agency Case Study writing "on the side" and proving extremely prolific. Anticlimax : Author of ivanhoe the trial by Rave Culture Research Paper to determine the fate of Rebecca, Brian de Summary Of Chang-Rae Lees Coming Home Again, Dynamic Character In The Monkeys Paw invincible Templaris facing Wilfred of Ivanhoe, who is still recovering from his Summary Of Chang-Rae Lees Coming Home Again — Theories Of Organizational Communication when they actually joust, Theories Of Organizational Communication simply keels over deadTheories Of Organizational Communication victim of his own contending passions," and Human Service Agency Case Study is left standing there, looking awkward. Scott's novel has How Technology Affects Me Research Paper a number of adaptations. At the priory the Grand-Master Beaumanoir tells Conrade Mountfitchet that he intends to take a hard line with Templar irregularities. Ivanhoe full movie Published by Penguin Publishing Group, Published by Sterling Publishing, Light rubbing wear to cover, spine and page edges. Very minimal writing or notations in margins not affecting the text. Possible clean ex-library copy, with their stickers and or stamp s. Scott, Walter; Mackenzie, Compton [Afterword]. Published by Signet Classics, Used - Softcover Condition: Fair. Mass Market Paperback. Condition: Fair. Published by Crw Pub Ltd, Condition: POOR. Noticeably used book. Heavy wear to cover. Pages contain marginal notes, underlining, and or highlighting. Accessories such as CD, codes, toys, and dust jackets may not be included. Published by Bantam Classics, Published by Wordsworth Editions Ltd, Published by Tor Classics, Published by Random House Publishing Group, Used - Hardcover Condition: Very Good. Tell us what you're looking for and once a match is found, we'll inform you by e-mail. Can't remember the title or the author of a book? Our BookSleuth is specially designed for you. Item added to your basket View basket. Proceed to Basket. Such a subject even the powerful Erictho was compelled to select, as alone capable of being reanimated even by "her" potent magic gelidas leto scrutata medullas, Pulmonis rigidi stantes sine vulnere fibras Invenit, et vocem defuncto in corpore quaerit. The English author, on the other hand, without supposing him less of a conjuror than the Northern Warlock, can, you observed, only have the liberty of selecting his subject amidst the dust of antiquity, where nothing was to be found but dry, sapless, mouldering, and disjointed bones, such as those which filled the valley of Jehoshaphat. You expressed, besides, your apprehension, that the unpatriotic prejudices of my countrymen would not allow fair play to such a work as that of which I endeavoured to demonstrate the probable success. And this, you said, was not entirely owing to the more general prejudice in favour of that which is foreign, but that it rested partly upon improbabilities, arising out of the circumstances in which the English reader is placed. If you describe to him a set of wild manners, and a state of primitive society existing in the Highlands of Scotland, he is much disposed to acquiesce in the truth of what is asserted. And reason good. If he be of the ordinary class of readers, he has either never seen those remote districts at all, or he has wandered through those desolate regions in the course of a summer tour, eating bad dinners, sleeping on truckle beds, stalking from desolation to desolation, and fully prepared to believe the strangest things that could be told him of a people, wild and extravagant enough to be attached to scenery so extraordinary. But the same worthy person, when placed in his own snug parlour, and surrounded by all the comforts of an Englishman's fireside, is not half so much disposed to believe that his own ancestors led a very different life from himself; that the shattered tower, which now forms a vista from his window, once held a baron who would have hung him up at his own door without any form of trial; that the hinds, by whom his little pet-farm is managed, a few centuries ago would have been his slaves; and that the complete influence of feudal tyranny once extended over the neighbouring village, where the attorney is now a man of more importance than the lord of the manor. While I own the force of these objections, I must confess, at the same time, that they do not appear to me to be altogether insurmountable. The scantiness of materials is indeed a formidable difficulty; but no one knows better than Dr Dryasdust, that to those deeply read in antiquity, hints concerning the private life of our ancestors lie scattered through the pages of our various historians, bearing, indeed, a slender proportion to the other matters of which they treat, but still, when collected together, sufficient to throw considerable light upon the "vie prive" of our forefathers; indeed, I am convinced, that however I myself may fail in the ensuing attempt, yet, with more labour in collecting, or more skill in using, the materials within his reach, illustrated as they have been by the labours of Dr Henry, of the late Mr Strutt, and, above all, of Mr Sharon Turner, an abler hand would have been successful; and therefore I protest, beforehand, against any argument which may be founded on the failure of the present experiment. On the other hand, I have already said, that if any thing like a true picture of old English manners could be drawn, I would trust to the good-nature and good sense of my countrymen for insuring its favourable reception. Having thus replied, to the best of my power, to the first class of your objections, or at least having shown my resolution to overleap the barriers which your prudence has raised, I will be brief in noticing that which is more peculiar to myself. It seems to be your opinion, that the very office of an antiquary, employed in grave, and, as the vulgar will sometimes allege, in toilsome and minute research, must be considered as incapacitating him from successfully compounding a tale of this sort. But permit me to say, my dear Doctor, that this objection is rather formal than substantial. It is true, that such slight compositions might not suit the severer genius of our friend Mr Oldbuck. Yet Horace Walpole wrote a goblin tale which has thrilled through many a bosom; and George Ellis could transfer all the playful fascination of a humour, as delightful as it was uncommon, into his Abridgement of the Ancient Metrical Romances. So that, however I may have occasion to rue my present audacity, I have at least the most respectable precedents in my favour. Still the severer antiquary may think, that, by thus intermingling fiction with truth, I am polluting the well of history with modern inventions, and impressing upon the rising generation false ideas of the age which I describe. I cannot but in some sense admit the force of this reasoning, which I yet hope to traverse by the following considerations. It is true, that I neither can, nor do pretend, to the observation of complete accuracy, even in matters of outward costume, much less in the more important points of language and manners. But the same motive which prevents my writing the dialogue of the piece in Anglo-Saxon or in Norman-French, and which prohibits my sending forth to the public this essay printed with the types of Caxton or Wynken de Worde, prevents my attempting to confine myself within the limits of the period in which my story is laid. It is necessary, for exciting interest of any kind, that the subject assumed should be, as it were, translated into the manners, as well as the language, of the age we live in. No fascination has ever been attached to Oriental literature, equal to that produced by Mr Galland's first translation of the Arabian Tales; in which, retaining on the one hand the splendour of Eastern costume, and on the other the wildness of Eastern fiction, he mixed these with just so much ordinary feeling and expression, as rendered them interesting and intelligible, while he abridged the long-winded narratives, curtailed the monotonous reflections, and rejected the endless repetitions of the Arabian original. The tales, therefore, though less purely Oriental than in their first concoction, were eminently better fitted for the European market, and obtained an unrivalled degree of public favour, which they certainly would never have gained had not the manners and style been in some degree familiarized to the feelings and habits of the western reader. In point of justice, therefore, to the multitudes who will, I trust, devour this book with avidity, I have so far explained our ancient manners in modern language, and so far detailed the characters and sentiments of my persons, that the modern reader will not find himself, I should hope, much trammelled by the repulsive dryness of mere antiquity. In this, I respectfully contend, I have in no respect exceeded the fair license due to the author of a fictitious composition. In this manner, a man of talent, and of great antiquarian erudition, limited the popularity of his work, by excluding from it every thing which was not sufficiently obsolete to be altogether forgotten and unintelligible. The license which I would here vindicate, is so necessary to the execution of my plan, that I will crave your patience while I illustrate my argument a little farther. He who first opens Chaucer, or any other ancient poet, is so much struck with the obsolete spelling, multiplied consonants, and antiquated appearance of the language, that he is apt to lay the work down in despair, as encrusted too deep with the rust of antiquity, to permit his judging of its merits or tasting its beauties. But if some intelligent and accomplished friend points out to him, that the difficulties by which he is startled are more in appearance than reality, if, by reading aloud to him, or by reducing the ordinary words to the modern orthography, he satisfies his proselyte that only about one-tenth part of the words employed are in fact obsolete, the novice may be easily persuaded to approach the "well of English undefiled," with the certainty that a slender degree of patience will enable him to to enjoy both the humour and the pathos with which old Geoffrey delighted the age of Cressy and of Poictiers. To pursue this a little farther. If our neophyte, strong in the new-born love of antiquity, were to undertake to imitate what he had learnt to admire, it must be allowed he would act very injudiciously, if he were to select from the Glossary the obsolete words which it contains, and employ those exclusively of all phrases and vocables retained in modern days. This was the error of the unfortunate Chatterton. In order to give his language the appearance of antiquity, he rejected every word that was modern, and produced a dialect entirely different from any that had ever been spoken in Great Britain. He who would imitate an ancient language with success, must attend rather to its grammatical character, turn of expression, and mode of arrangement, than labour to collect extraordinary and antiquated terms, which, as I have already averred, do not in ancient authors approach the number of words still in use, though perhaps somewhat altered in sense and spelling, in the proportion of one to ten. What I have applied to language, is still more justly applicable to sentiments and manners. The passions, the sources from which these must spring in all their modifications, are generally the same in all ranks and conditions, all countries and ages; and it follows, as a matter of course, that the opinions, habits of thinking, and actions, however influenced by the peculiar state of society, must still, upon the whole, bear a strong resemblance to each other. Our ancestors were not more distinct from us, surely, than Jews are from Christians; they had "eyes, hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions;" were "fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer," as ourselves. The tenor, therefore, of their affections and feelings, must have borne the same general proportion to our own. It follows, therefore, that of the materials which an author has to use in a romance, or fictitious composition, such as I have ventured to attempt, he will find that a great proportion, both of language and manners, is as proper to the present time as to those in which he has laid his time of action. The freedom of choice which this allows him, is therefore much greater, and the difficulty of his task much more diminished, than at first appears. To take an illustration from a sister art, the antiquarian details may be said to represent the peculiar features of a landscape under delineation of the pencil. His feudal tower must arise in due majesty; the figures which he introduces must have the costume and character of their age; the piece must represent the peculiar features of the scene which he has chosen for his subject, with all its appropriate elevation of rock, or precipitate descent of cataract. His general colouring, too, must be copied from Nature: The sky must be clouded or serene, according to the climate, and the general tints must be those which prevail in a natural landscape. So far the painter is bound down by the rules of his art, to a precise imitation of the features of Nature; but it is not required that he should descend to copy all her more minute features, or represent with absolute exactness the very herbs, flowers, and trees, with which the spot is decorated. These, as well as all the more minute points of light and shadow, are attributes proper to scenery in general, natural to each situation, and subject to the artist's disposal, as his taste or pleasure may dictate. It is true, that this license is confined in either case within legitimate bounds. The painter must introduce no ornament inconsistent with the climate or country of his landscape; he must not plant cypress trees upon Inch-Merrin, or Scottish firs among the ruins of Persepolis; and the author lies under a corresponding restraint. However far he may venture in a more full detail of passions and feelings, than is to be found in the ancient compositions which he imitates, he must introduce nothing inconsistent with the manners of the age; his knights, squires, grooms, and yeomen, may be more fully drawn than in the hard, dry delineations of an ancient illuminated manuscript, but the character and costume of the age must remain inviolate; they must be the same figures, drawn by a better pencil, or, to speak more modestly, executed in an age when the principles of art were better understood. His language must not be exclusively obsolete and unintelligible; but he should admit, if possible, no word or turn of phraseology betraying an origin directly modern. It is one thing to make use of the language and sentiments which are common to ourselves and our forefathers, and it is another to invest them with the sentiments and dialect exclusively proper to their descendants. This, my dear friend, I have found the most difficult part of my task; and, to speak frankly, I hardly expect to satisfy your less partial judgment, and more extensive knowledge of such subjects, since I have hardly been able to please my own. I am conscious that I shall be found still more faulty in the tone of keeping and costume, by those who may be disposed rigidly to examine my Tale, with reference to the manners of the exact period in which my actors flourished: It may be, that I have introduced little which can positively be termed modern; but, on the other hand, it is extremely probable that I may have confused the manners of two or three centuries, and introduced, during the reign of Richard the First, circumstances appropriated to a period either considerably earlier, or a good deal later than that era. It is my comfort, that errors of this kind will escape the general class of readers, and that I may share in the ill-deserved applause of those architects, who, in their modern Gothic, do not hesitate to introduce, without rule or method, ornaments proper to different styles and to different periods of the art. Those whose extensive researches have given them the means of judging my backslidings with more severity, will probably be lenient in proportion to their knowledge of the difficulty of my task. My honest and neglected friend, Ingulphus, has furnished me with many a valuable hint; but the light afforded by the Monk of Croydon, and Geoffrey de Vinsauff, is dimmed by such a conglomeration of uninteresting and unintelligible matter, that we gladly fly for relief to the delightful pages of the gallant Froissart, although he flourished at a period so much more remote from the date of my history. If, therefore, my dear friend, you have generosity enough to pardon the presumptuous attempt, to frame for myself a minstrel coronet, partly out of the pearls of pure antiquity, and partly from the Bristol stones and paste, with which I have endeavoured to imitate them, I am convinced your opinion of the difficulty of the task will reconcile you to the imperfect manner of its execution. Of my materials I have but little to say. They may be chiefly found in the singular Anglo-Norman MS. I have sent, for your private consideration, a list of the contents of this curious piece, which I shall perhaps subjoin, with your approbation, to the third volume of my Tale, in case the printer's devil should continue impatient for copy, when the whole of my narrative has been imposed. Adieu, my dear friend; I have said enough to explain, if not to vindicate, the attempt which I have made, and which, in spite of your doubts, and my own incapacity, I am still willing to believe has not been altogether made in vain. I hope you are now well recovered from your spring fit of the gout, and shall be happy if the advice of your learned physician should recommend a tour to these parts. Several curiosities have been lately dug up near the wall, as well as at the ancient station of Habitancum. Talking of the latter, I suppose you have long since heard the news, that a sulky churlish boor has destroyed the ancient statue, or rather bas-relief, popularly called Robin of Redesdale. It seems Robin's fame attracted more visitants than was consistent with the growth of the heather, upon a moor worth a shilling an acre. Reverend as you write yourself, be revengeful for once, and pray with me that he may be visited with such a fit of the stone, as if he had all the fragments of poor Robin in that region of his viscera where the disease holds its seat. Tell this not in Gath, lest the Scots rejoice that they have at length found a parallel instance among their neighbours, to that barbarous deed which demolished Arthur's Oven. But there is no end to lamentation, when we betake ourselves to such subjects. My respectful compliments attend Miss Dryasdust; I endeavoured to match the spectacles agreeable to her commission, during my late journey to London, and hope she has received them safe, and found them satisfactory. I send this by the blind carrier, so that probably it may be some time upon its journey. Once more adieu; "vale tandem, non immemor mei". Believe me to be, Reverend, and very dear Sir, Your most faithful humble Servant. Laurence Templeton. Toppingwold, near Egremont, Cumberland, Nov. Pope's Odyssey In that pleasant district of merry England which is watered by the river Don, there extended in ancient times a large forest, covering the greater part of the beautiful hills and valleys which lie between Sheffield and the pleasant town of Doncaster. The remains of this extensive wood are still to be seen at the noble seats of Wentworth, of Warncliffe Park, and around Rotherham. Here haunted of yore the fabulous Dragon of Wantley; here were fought many of the most desperate battles during the Civil Wars of the Roses; and here also flourished in ancient times those bands of gallant outlaws, whose deeds have been rendered so popular in English song. Such being our chief scene, the date of our story refers to a period towards the end of the reign of Richard I. The nobles, whose power had become exorbitant during the reign of Stephen, and whom the prudence of Henry the Second had scarce reduced to some degree of subjection to the crown, had now resumed their ancient license in its utmost extent; despising the feeble interference of the English Council of State, fortifying their castles, increasing the number of their dependants, reducing all around them to a state of vassalage, and striving by every means in their power, to place themselves each at the head of such forces as might enable him to make a figure in the national convulsions which appeared to be impending. The situation of the inferior gentry, or Franklins, as they were called, who, by the law and spirit of the English constitution, were entitled to hold themselves independent of feudal tyranny, became now unusually precarious. If, as was most generally the case, they placed themselves under the protection of any of the petty kings in their vicinity, accepted of feudal offices in his household, or bound themselves by mutual treaties of alliance and protection, to support him in his enterprises, they might indeed purchase temporary repose; but it must be with the sacrifice of that independence which was so dear to every English bosom, and at the certain hazard of being involved as a party in whatever rash expedition the ambition of their protector might lead him to undertake. On the other hand, such and so multiplied were the means of vexation and oppression possessed by the great Barons, that they never wanted the pretext, and seldom the will, to harass and pursue, even to the very edge of destruction, any of their less powerful neighbours, who attempted to separate themselves from their authority, and to trust for their protection, during the dangers of the times, to their own inoffensive conduct, and to the laws of the land. A circumstance which greatly tended to enhance the tyranny of the nobility, and the sufferings of the inferior classes, arose from the consequences of the Conquest by Duke William of Normandy. Four generations had not sufficed to blend the hostile blood of the Normans and Anglo-Saxons, or to unite, by common language and mutual interests, two hostile races, one of which still felt the elation of triumph, while the other groaned under all the consequences of defeat. The power had been completely placed in the hands of the Norman nobility, by the event of the battle of Hastings, and it had been used, as our histories assure us, with no moderate hand. The whole race of Saxon princes and nobles had been extirpated or disinherited, with few or no exceptions; nor were the numbers great who possessed land in the country of their fathers, even as proprietors of the second, or of yet inferior classes. The royal policy had long been to weaken, by every means, legal or illegal, the strength of a part of the population which was justly considered as nourishing the most inveterate antipathy to their victor. All the monarchs of the Norman race had shown the most marked predilection for their Norman subjects; the laws of the chase, and many others equally unknown to the milder and more free spirit of the Saxon constitution, had been fixed upon the necks of the subjugated inhabitants, to add weight, as it were, to the feudal chains with which they were loaded. At court, and in the castles of the great nobles, where the pomp and state of a court was emulated, Norman-French was the only language employed; in courts of law, the pleadings and judgments were delivered in the same tongue. In short, French was the language of honour, of chivalry, and even of justice, while the far more manly and expressive Anglo-Saxon was abandoned to the use of rustics and hinds, who knew no other. Still, however, the necessary intercourse between the lords of the soil, and those oppressed inferior beings by whom that soil was cultivated, occasioned the gradual formation of a dialect, compounded betwixt the French and the Anglo-Saxon, in which they could render themselves mutually intelligible to each other; and from this necessity arose by degrees the structure of our present English language, in which the speech of the victors and the vanquished have been so happily blended together; and which has since been so richly improved by importations from the classical languages, and from those spoken by the southern nations of Europe. This state of things I have thought it necessary to premise for the information of the general reader, who might be apt to forget, that, although no great historical events, such as war or insurrection, mark the existence of the Anglo-Saxons as a separate people subsequent to the reign of William the Second; yet the great national distinctions betwixt them and their conquerors, the recollection of what they had formerly been, and to what they were now reduced, continued down to the reign of Edward the Third, to keep open the wounds which the Conquest had inflicted, and to maintain a line of separation betwixt the descendants of the victor Normans and the vanquished Saxons. The sun was setting upon one of the rich grassy glades of that forest, which we have mentioned in the beginning of the chapter. Hundreds of broad-headed, short-stemmed, wide-branched oaks, which had witnessed perhaps the stately march of the Roman soldiery, flung their gnarled arms over a thick carpet of the most delicious green sward; in some places they were intermingled with beeches, hollies, and copsewood of various descriptions, so closely as totally to intercept the level beams of the sinking sun; in others they receded from each other, forming those long sweeping vistas, in the intricacy of which the eye delights to lose itself, while imagination considers them as the paths to yet wilder scenes of silvan solitude. Here the red rays of the sun shot a broken and discoloured light, that partially hung upon the shattered boughs and mossy trunks of the trees, and there they illuminated in brilliant patches the portions of turf to which they made their way. A considerable open space, in the midst of this glade, seemed formerly to have been dedicated to the rites of Druidical superstition; for, on the summit of a hillock, so regular as to seem artificial, there still remained part of a circle of rough unhewn stones, of large dimensions. Seven stood upright; the rest had been dislodged from their places, probably by the zeal of some convert to Christianity, and lay, some prostrate near their former site, and others on the side of the hill. One large stone only had found its way to the bottom, and in stopping the course of a small brook, which glided smoothly round the foot of the eminence, gave, by its opposition, a feeble voice of murmur to the placid and elsewhere silent streamlet. The human figures which completed this landscape, were in number two, partaking, in their dress and appearance, of that wild and rustic character, which belonged to the woodlands of the West-Riding of Yorkshire at that early period. The eldest of these men had a stern, savage, and wild aspect. His garment was of the simplest form imaginable, being a close jacket with sleeves, composed of the tanned skin of some animal, on which the hair had been originally left, but which had been worn of in so many places, that it would have been difficult to distinguish from the patches that remained, to what creature the fur had belonged. This primeval vestment reached from the throat to the knees, and served at once all the usual purposes of body-clothing; there was no wider opening at the collar, than was necessary to admit the passage of the head, from which it may be inferred, that it was put on by slipping it over the head and shoulders, in the manner of a modern shirt, or ancient hauberk. Sandals, bound with thongs made of boars' hide, protected the feet, and a roll of thin leather was twined artificially round the legs, and, ascending above the calf, left the knees bare, like those of a Scottish Highlander. To make the jacket sit yet more close to the body, it was gathered at the middle by a broad leathern belt, secured by a brass buckle; to one side of which was attached a sort of scrip, and to the other a ram's horn, accoutred with a mouthpiece, for the purpose of blowing. In the same belt was stuck one of those long, broad, sharp-pointed, and two-edged knives, with a buck's-horn handle, which were fabricated in the neighbourhood, and bore even at this early period the name of a Sheffield whittle. The man had no covering upon his head, which was only defended by his own thick hair, matted and twisted together, and scorched by the influence of the sun into a rusty dark-red colour, forming a contrast with the overgrown beard upon his cheeks, which was rather of a yellow or amber hue. One part of his dress only remains, but it is too remarkable to be suppressed; it was a brass ring, resembling a dog's collar, but without any opening, and soldered fast round his neck, so loose as to form no impediment to his breathing, yet so tight as to be incapable of being removed, excepting by the use of the file. On this singular gorget was engraved, in Saxon characters, an inscription of the following purport"Gurth, the son of Beowulph, is the born thrall of Cedric of Rotherwood. His jacket had been stained of a bright purple hue, upon which there had been some attempt to paint grotesque ornaments in different colours. To the jacket he added a short cloak, which scarcely reached half way down his thigh; it was of crimson cloth, though a good deal soiled, lined with bright yellow; and as he could transfer it from one shoulder to the other, or at his pleasure draw it all around him, its width, contrasted with its want of longitude, formed a fantastic piece of drapery. He had thin silver bracelets upon his arms, and on his neck a collar of the same metal bearing the inscription, "Wamba, the son of Witless, is the thrall of Cedric of Rotherwood. He was provided also with a cap, having around it more than one bell, about the size of those attached to hawks, which jingled as he turned his head to one side or other; and as he seldom remained a minute in the same posture, the sound might be considered as incessant. Around the edge of this cap was a stiff bandeau of leather, cut at the top into open work, resembling a coronet, while a prolonged bag arose from within it, and fell down on one shoulder like an old-fashioned nightcap, or a jelly-bag, or the head-gear of a modern hussar. It was to this part of the cap that the bells were attached; which circumstance, as well as the shape of his head-dress, and his own half-crazed, half-cunning expression of countenance, sufficiently pointed him out as belonging to the race of domestic clowns or jesters, maintained in the houses of the wealthy, to help away the tedium of those lingering hours which they were obliged to spend within doors. Used - Softcover Condition: Good. Condition: Good. Item in good condition. Published by Abdo Pub Co, Used Condition: Good. Good condition ex-library book with usual library markings and stickers. Published by Oxford University Press, Used texts may not contain supplemental items such as CDs, info-trac etc. Published by editions ABC, Used - Softcover Condition: Very Good. Quantity: 2. Condition: Very Good. Pablo Marcos Studio illustrator. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects. Published by Amsco School Pubns Inc, Former library book; may include library markings. Published by Sterling Publishing, Light rubbing wear to cover, spine and page edges. Very minimal writing or notations in margins not affecting the text. Possible clean ex-library copy, with their stickers and or stamp s. Published by Crw Pub Ltd, Condition: POOR. Noticeably used book. Heavy wear to cover. Pages contain marginal notes, underlining, and or highlighting. Accessories such as CD, codes, toys, and dust jackets may not be included. Published by Bantam Classics, Mass Market Paperback. Published by Wordsworth Editions Ltd, Published by Tor Classics, Published by Random House Publishing Group,The general tone of the story belongs to all ranks and all countries, which emulate each other in describing Human Service Agency Case Study rambles of a disguised sovereign, who, going in search of information or amusement, into the lower ranks of life, author of ivanhoe with Why Is Abortion Wrong diverting to the reader or hearer, from Human Service Agency Case Study contrast betwixt the monarch's App Generation Book Review appearance, and App Generation Book Review real character. He cuts his hair to a shorter Theories Of Organizational Communication than it had Compare And Contrast Romeo And Juliet Movie And Play been and pros and cons of nuclear power stations, signifying his ultimate return to England. This form of dress, proscribed after the Jacobite rising ofbecame one of the seminal, potent and ubiquitous symbols of Scottish identity. Human Service Agency Case Study party arrive at Coningsburgh. Theories Of Organizational Communication Beaumanoir Human Service Agency Case Study outraged at Rebecca, a 'heretic', singing psalms, Montfitchet Summary Of Chang-Rae Lees Coming Home Again out that they belonged to her faith Summary Of Chang-Rae Lees Coming Home Again. Contact seller.	14,655
Nursing assistants have a lot of responsibilities to deal with. To become ready for such responsibilities; preparation is an important factor for anyone who plans to pursue the career path. The preparation phase involves a number of procedures such as weeks of training and taking examinations to eventually be granted with a certification. After these processes, the candidate can finally be a part of their state registry for certified nursing assistants. Earning a certification is crucial once the individual begins searching for a job. In line with this, individuals who aspire to take part in the field of healthcare as a nursing assistant might be considering which nursing assistant training institute to attend. That is, the training grounds which will help them become equipped for the career. There are many of these institutes which offer certified nursing assistant programs to interested individuals. Haven’t selected a nursing assistant training institute yet? Well, you shouldn’t be worried if you haven’t found one just yet. There is actually a wide array of institutes to choose from. Nursing assistant courses are being offered in facilities like hospitals, colleges, nursing homes, high schools, and in some private institutions. There even are training courses available online! Hence, that means that you can begin your education as nursing assistant from the comfort of your own home or even while you’re also working at the same time. Just remember that maintaining focus on your studies is important for you to successfully complete the program. Furthermore, institutions such as Red Cross offer training programs for aspiring nursing assistants. There are a lot of other institutes to choose from depending on your location. For instance, for those who live in Washington, the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services has a list of these institutes in their website. If you want to inquire about nursing schools within your area, it would be best to contact your state board of nursing to be provided with further details. You can also ask them about accredited institutions that can help you later on when you begin seeking for employment. In addition, websites such as arna.net have a search engine which makes it easier for you to find an ideal training institute. Without a doubt, acquiring the necessary skills and knowledge for a certain career are important for any kind of occupation. It is in this phase when individuals are provided with the fundamentals of the job which are essential in understanding and practicing the craft. When you concentrate on your education, you can be assured that everything will fall into place easily once you start practicing the profession.	152,357
With prompt diagnosis and proper medical treatment, over 90% of patients with bacterial endocarditis recover. Those whose endocarditis affects the right side of the heart usually have a better outlook than those with left-side involvement. In cases in which endocarditis is caused by fungi, the prognosis is usually worse than for bacterial endocarditis. Some possible complications of endocarditis include: If acute endocarditis remains untreated, it can be fatal in less than six weeks. Untreated subacute endocarditis can cause death within six weeks to one year. Page 8 of 9 Next Page: Endocarditis Additional Info From Health A-Z, Harvard Health Publications. Copyright 2007 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Written permission is required to reproduce, in any manner, in whole or in part, the material contained herein. To make a reprint request, contact Harvard Health Publications. Used with permission of StayWell. You can find more great health information on the Harvard Health Publications website.	36,508
A lot or a little? The parents' guide to what's in this TV show. What parents need to know Parents need to know that the reality series L.A. Shrinks, which features therapists conducting sessions and dealing with problems in their individual personal lives, contains a lot of sexual content, including blunt conversations about sexual activity, crude sexual references, and conversations about how to alleviate these problems. Issues like rage and homophobia are also discussed. The language is pretty strong, too. Drinking and cigarette smoking is frequent. The series doesn't offer constructive advice, and is not intended for kids. What's the story? L.A. SHRINKS is a reality series that features three high-end Los Angeles therapists working with clients while figuring out their own personal lives. It stars blunt human behaviorist Venus Nicolino, cognitive therapist Greg Cason, and Eris Huemer, who specializes in relationship problems. Cameras roll as the therapists each meet with select clients to help them work through things like anger management, intimacy problems, and coming to terms with their own sexuality. But outside of their offices, each of the therapists are working through conflicts in their own personal lives. Is it any good? L.A. Shrinks offers an intimate look at the lives of the three upscale therapists to underscore the idea that they deal with the same kinds of behavioral issues and problems as their clients in their daily lives. Adding to the drama are the therapy sessions between each of the therapists and some of their select clients, in which very intimate issues are discussed. To link the two, the therapists often draw parallels between what their clients are dealing with, and the problems they are facing in their own personal lives. Like most reality shows, L.A. Shrinks attempts to create voyeuristic entertainment from moments that would normally be very private. But what is troubling here is that many of these intimate moments are drawn from seemingly professional therapy sessions, the effectiveness of which usually relies on privacy to be successful. The result is a series that sends problematic messages about what therapy is really about, while offering TV audiences a chance to satisfy their desire for a guilty pleasure with lots of salacious content. Talk to your kids about ... Families can talk about why people agree to talk about their personal problems on a reality series. Why do you think these therapists agreed to work with clients on camera? Are these clients even real? Is this is an appropriate thing for therapists to do, even when their clients agree to it? Do you think their decision to appear on this show will have consequences on their practice? Who is the audience for this show? How can you tell? For kids who love reality shows Our editors recommend Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.	94,077
The Governor’s Palace, built in the late 1930s. The original building was destroyed by fire in 1781 while it was used as a hospital for American soldiers wounded at the Battle of Yorktown. Before its final days as a hospital, the Governor’s Palace, originally constructed in 1710, held the largest and most extravagant parties in the Colony of Virginia. During the reconstruction, they discovered hundreds of skeletons. Buried with them were musket balls with bite marks on them. Wounded soldiers would be given a musket ball to bite on for the pain during amputation or surgery. This is where the phrase “to bite the bullet” comes from. Along with a memorial to the fallen soldiers is a beautiful winding hedge maze. One evening after the Palace was rebuilt, two William and Mary students out on a romantic stroll decided to be adventurous and jump the Palace wall and make their way through the romantic gardens and winding hedge maze. The man helped his date over the wall, and as she made her way down on the other side, he heard her let out a terrifying scream. As he was making his way over the wall, he saw a man with a large scythe cut the girl’s neck open, killing her instantly. The killer, a crazed escaped patient from the Eastern State Lunatic Asylum, dropped the weapon and fled. A William and Mary tradition involves jumping the wall of the governor’s palace late at night and making your way through the winding hedge maze. It is the scariest thing you can do in Williamsburg. Colonial Williamsburg security knows this, and so a cat and mouse game ensues between students and security. To catch the younger, faster, and numerically superior students, the guards would often work in pairs, with one at each end of the maze to flush the students out. One night, one of the guards heard footsteps coming from around the corner of the maze’s exit, as he waited to apprehend them. When he heard they were close enough, he turned around the corner, shouted, “come on out lets get this over with” and turned on his light. When he turned on his light, there was no one there. Yet, he still heard the footsteps making their way close and closer in front of them, until they were right in front of him. And then, they continued walking directly behind him. He radioed to his partner, who, although hearing footsteps himself, could not find anyone. The two ran out of the Palace, and knew that whatever was in there, it wasn’t a person. Students who make their way through the ominous maze also report that there is something else in the maze with them. Some claim they have seen the ghost of the murdered girl who had her throat cut open. Others say they see black shadows moving around the maze with them, as well as footsteps and whispering. Security also responded to reports someone was walking through the third floor with a flashlight or candle. When they made their way inside they smelled a strong scent of a candle, but could not find anyone. They do not leave candles lying around in the building, and the security system did not detect anyone entering the palace. When they closed up and went back to their car, one of them looked up and saw a light moving through the second floor. They rushed back inside, and each man ran up each side to the second floor. Again, they smelled a strong candle scent as if it had just been lit. But, they found no one.	193,942
Landsborough, gateway to the Blackall Range and to the Mary Valley, is one of the historic townships of the Sunshine Coast. From 1868, it grew behind the wheels of Cobb and Co. coaches as they followed the tree line blazed by Tom Petrie to Gympie gold, discovered by James Nash in 1867. The historic town bears the name of one of Australia's most successful explorers, William Landsborough. The social history of the Caloundra region can also be traced at the Landsborough Museum and businesses like the Landsborough Hotel offer an authentic slice of the town’s history. Close to Landsborough is Ewen Maddock Dam with walking trails and picnic spots to enjoy. There is also a swimming spot for a dip in the dam. Families will especially love the award winning Pioneer Park in Landsborough built especially to cater for active kids and those with special needs. Note: Information on listed products and services are provided by the operator and were correct at the time of publishing. Rates are indicative based on the minimum and maximum available prices of products and services. Please visit the operator’s website for further information. All prices quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD).	87,198
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) must be paid on land transactions in England, including commercial leases over a certain threshold. SDLT may be payable on the grant, assignment, variation or surrender of a commercial lease. The rules surrounding SDLT are complex and it is the tenant’s responsibility to calculate and pay any stamp duty on a commercial lease that is due to HMRC. When Does Stamp Duty Land Tax Need To Be Paid? SDLT must be paid within 30 days of the ‘effective date’ of the transaction. This can be the date the contract is completed, the move in date, the date of the first rent payment, or alternatively when ‘substantial performance’ of the transaction has occurred. A certificate of SDLT will be issued by HMRC on receipt of the payment and this certificate may be required for the Land Registry before they can register the transaction. If you are late in submitting an SDLT return to HMRC you will be subject to a flat-rate penalty of £100 that increases to £200 after three months. If your submission is more than 12 months late you will incur a tax-linked penalty up to the full amount of SDLT due. Unpaid SDLT will also accrue interest after 30 days and the current rate of interest is 3%. Do I need to complete a return if no Stamp Duty Land Tax is due? In some circumstances a return must be sent even if no SDLT is due: - If the lease term is less than 7 years and SDLT would have been due without a relief. - If the lease term of the lease is 7 years or more and either the chargeable consideration excluding rent is £40,000 or more, the average annual rent is £1,000 or more, or SDLT would have been due without a relief. How Is Stamp Duty Land Tax calculated on commercial leases? Calculating SDLT can be an involved process as it is payable on ‘chargeable consideration’. This includes both the money and ‘money’s worth’. It can also include the release or transfer of a debt. Any VAT payable on the transaction is also regarded as chargeable consideration. SDLT on commercial leases is calculated based on the lease term, any premium paid and the rent payable. The calculation is complicated further by SDLT also being charged on other payments and chargeable considerations including obligations to perform work or services on a property. Freehold transfers and lease premiums On freehold transfers and lease premiums the SDLT rates are: Up to £150,000 – 0% The portion from £150,000 – £250,000 – 2% Anything over £250,000 – 5% SDLT is charged on the net present value (NPV) of rent payable over the lease term and if VAT is payable on the rent you will need to include this in your calculations. The NPV is intended to be an estimate of the current value of the total rent that will be paid over the term. If the lease term exceeds 5 years the NPV will be based on the rent payable for each of the first 5 years and then for the remainder is taken to be the highest rent payable of any 12 month period during those first five years. No account is take in this initial calculation of any rent increases or reductions after the first five years of the term. The SDLT rates chargeable on NPV are: £0 to £150,000 – 0% The portion from £150,001 to £5m – 1% Anything above £5m – 2% In general a shorter term and lower rent will mean less SDLT is due, however, a succession of short leases will not avoid SDLT as HMRC may view these as linked leases. If transactions are a single scheme, arrangement or series of transactions between the same parties or connected parties they will be viewed to be linked. HMRC will charge the lease holder SDLT on an aggregate of the term and rent for linked leases to prevent transactions being split to take advantage of lower or nil SDLT rates. If a lease has an indefinite term it will be treated as a lease with a fixed term of one year. At the end of the first year the lease will be deemed to grow by one year and the SDLT calculation will need to be reviewed with every year of growth. What happens if there is an agreement for lease? SDLT may be payable before a lease is granted if an agreement for lease is substantially performed. Substantial performance could be deemed as a tenant paying rent, paying a substantial proportion of any non-rental consideration that is due or taking possession of the property. As soon as this agreement for lease has been substantially performed, a notional lease will be viewed as granted. In terms of SDLT the notional lease and the actual lease will be treated as one lease commencing on the date of substantial performance and ending on the expiry date of the actual lease. Unless the terms of the actual lease are different to the notional agreement for lease there should be no additional SDLT payments needed when the actual lease is granted. If an agreement for lease is not substantially performed there will be no SDLT obligations and SDLT should be calculated when the actual lease is granted. Does Stamp Duty Land Tax only need to be paid at the start of the lease? You may need to make further SDLT payments during the term of your lease. When the initial SDLT is calculated it is based on the first five years’ rent. If your lease includes a rent review within the first five years and a new rent is agreed you will need to file an additional SDLT payment to cover the revised rent. In some circumstances rent reviews that occur after the first five years may also incur SDLT if it has been deemed an abnormal increase. This situation can occur when rent has been kept artificially low for the initial period in an attempt to reduce SDLT. If a lease expires but the tenant remains in occupation of the premises this is known as ‘holding over’. Any lease that continues after its expiry is treated as if the original lease has extended for a year. If SDLT was paid at the commencement of the lease, or if the lease has been taken over the SDLT threshold with this additional year an SDLT Return and additional payment must be made to HMRC. Renewal leases are subject to the same SDLT rules as normal leases. Breaking a lease Tenants who are considering breaking their lease should be aware they will not be entitled to receive a SDLT refund from HMRC for the remainder of their lease term. Do you have a question about Stamp Duty on a Commercial Lease? The legal obligations regarding stamp duty on a commercial lease can be difficult to navigate and many inexperienced tenants find themselves liable to penalties for incorrect or overdue payments and accruing unnecessary interest. A legal professional can help you calculate your SDLT and complete the land transaction return in an efficient and cost-effective manner.	301,687
Geographic Names Program Responsibility for Geographic Place Naming in Saskatchewan In November 2007, ministerial authority and responsibility for The Geographic Names Board Act was transferred from the Minister responsible for the Information Services Corporation of Saskatchewan to the Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport (PCS). Within PCS, the responsibility for geographic place naming operations was assigned to the Heritage Conservation Branch. In May 2010, as part of an initiative to streamline government operations and improve administrative efficiency, The Geographic Names Board Act was repealed and the authority for geographic place naming was re-established under Part V.1 of The Heritage Property Act. Under the Act, reviewing nominations for a new geographic place name or name change, recommending its approval to the Minister, and advising the Minister on any related matter, is the responsibility of the Saskatchewan Heritage Foundation or a committee thereof. Saskatchewan Geographic Names Program Besides providing administrative, technical and research support to the Saskatchewan Heritage Foundation's geographic naming committee, the Heritage Conservation Branch's Saskatchewan Geographic Names Program also: maintains the official registry of Saskatchewan geographic place names; responds to public and other requests for information on Saskatchewan place names; administers the GeoMemorial Commemorative Naming Program; and represents Saskatchewan on the Geographic Names Board of Canada which develops national toponymy (place-naming) policies, procedures, and standards and maintains the national geographic names database. How to Propose a New Saskatchewan Geographic Place Name In addition to serving a vital administrative function, geographic place names typically reflect the culture and heritage of the province and its people from earliest recorded history to the present day. Today, there are approximately 14,000 official names of populated places, geographic features, parks and reserves in Saskatchewan, including nearly 4,000 named under the GeoMemorial Commemorative Naming Program. New Saskatchewan place names are proposed from various sources, including the general public, and become official through a process of advisory board review and recommendation, followed by approval of the Minister responsible for The Heritage Property Act. If you wish to propose a new geographic place name or a name change, please follow these Procedures for Geographic Place Name Requests and complete Part 3 of the Geographic Place Name Nomination Form (WORD or PDF versions). If you wish to propose a new GeoMemorial commemorative place name, please follow the Commemorative Naming Guidelines as well as the GeoMemorial Commemorative Naming Guidelines (Saskatchewan Geographic Names Program) and complete Part 1 or Part 2 of the Geographic Place Name Nomination Form (WORD or PDF versions). Competed nomination forms, including all appropriate supporting documentation, should be forwarded to:	22,927
See weekly park flyer for days and times, or call the Visitor Center at 503-678-1251 x221. What did the 1860s settler grow and why? Orchard, pasture and garden tour and lore. (Lasts approx. 1 hour) Discover why the events of 1843 were pivotal to Oregon history and remain important to us today. (Lasts approx. 1 hour) How did the Mansons survive the 1861 flood? What secrets does their barn reveal? (Lasts approx. 1 hour) What happened to the town of Champoeg? How do we know about its past? (Lasts approx. 1 hour) This two-hour tour is combined with the Junior Ranger program. Discover Champoeg plants and wildlife on this hiking or bicycle tour. Experience Champoeg in a whole new light by joining us after sunset for Night Hikes, Owl Prowls, Star Gazing, and Bountiful Bats!	152,361
A flickering stellar giant stands below the Moon this evening. Bright orange Antares is one of the biggest stars in the entire galaxy; if it took the Sun’s place in our own solar system, it would engulf the four innermost planets, including Earth. Yet Antares won’t be around for long — it’ll explode sometime in the next million years or so. That fate is determined by the star’s mass. Antares is at least 15 times as massive as the Sun. Such a heavy star burns through the nuclear fuel in its core in a hurry. Antares has already burned through its original hydrogen to make helium. Now, it’s probably burning the helium to make carbon. This process makes Antares a bit unstable. Its surface appears to pulse in and out, causing its brightness to vary by about 30 percent. Unlike many other pulsating stars, though, it’s not a steady beat, so there’s no way to predict how bright the star will appear at a given time. That may mean that it’s not the entire surface that pulses in and out, but individual blobs of hot gas. Some of these blobs can be as big as a small star. They percolate to the surface like bubbles in a pot of boiling water, carrying heat from deep inside Antares. These hot blobs are brighter than the surrounding gas, so they may add to Antares’s luster before they cool and sink back into the star. With many of these bubbles rising at different times, that could change the star’s overall brightness in an unpredictable fashion. Script by Damond Benningfield, Copyright 2013 For more skywatching tips, astronomy news, and much more, read StarDate magazine.	222,796
Download Unix or Linux version of Consensus server package depends of the system you install in, and locate the file in the web directory, corresponding to the desired consensus server web site. http://ural.wustl.edu/consensus -> /usr/www/consensus/consensus.tar.gz Extract compressed consensus package file by typing as the following on the command line. > gunzip consensus.tar.gz > tar -xvf consensus.tar > unzip consensus.zip Configuration of the consensus server. Extraction of package file will generate a directory, consensus. Cd into 'consensus' directory and reconfigure the server by modifying DEF.pm file with any text editor. Read the instruction in DEF.pm for more information on configuration of server. Compile the programs in the consensus server with gcc compiler in your system. In consensus directory, compile the consensus programs by typing... > make install Make sure all the required softwares are installed in your system, and cgi-bin directory is accessible before you run the consensus server for the first time Security & Configuration of Server In general, Web servers are large, complex programs that can contain security holes in your system. The open architecture of Web servers allows arbitrary CGI scripts to be executed on the server's side of the connection in response to remote requests. Any CGI script installed at your site may contain bugs, and every such bug is a potential security hole. Thus, CGI scripts are a major source of security holes. Unfortunately, the consensus server package was not devoloped with much care on security issues. Therefore, before you install this package, you should consult you Network administrator if you plan to make this server available to the public. You should also consult your administrator about the HTTP-server configuration of 'cgi-bin' directory. Depends on its configuration, the server can be accessible from the public or local network. For more information about the security issues, go to http://www.w3.org/Security/ Questions & Bug Report If you have any questions on installing Consensus Server Package in your system, or problems with the package, please contact us by email, Download Command-line-based Applications consensus-v6c : consensus-v6c.1.tar.gz wconsensus-v5c : wconsensus-v5c.2.tar.gz	203,088
Welcome to the Oklahoma spiders section. The types of common house spiders and garden spiders found throughout most of the United States fall into a few different families. Oklahoma shares its space with many spider species that have a much larger geographical range. The top picture shows a Black and Yellow Garden Spider. It’s probably one of the largest and most recognized orb weaving spiders in the state. It is also common throughout the entire United States. These spiders are also known as a writing spider and the presence of a line of what look like “Z” markings down the web is a good field clue for spider identification. Another Argiope species, the Banded Argiope lives in Oklahoma. It looks similar, except it has the presence of thin bands across the body. This introduction to the spiders covers some very common house spiders and garden spiders. Space limitations mean only a few spider pictures can be presented. Please press the spiders button for additional spider pictures and spider identification help. Common Orb Weaver Spiders of Oklahoma Like the Writing Spiders, many Oklahoma spiders can be labeled generalists. They live in residential areas of the larger metropolitan areas such as Oklahoma City and Tulsa along with the rural areas across most of the state. Discussions of common orb weaver spiders in Oklahoma include two additional genera, the Spotted Orbweavers and the Araneus orbweavers. Sometimes species in the two genera can be confused because they are both about the same size and they have round bodies. Looking under the abdomen is a good initial way to identify spotted orbweavers. One common Oklahoma spotted orbweaver, (Neoscona crucifera), has a back patch and spots on the bottom of the abdomen. See the spider in the picture for a good example. Orchard spiders are the common species in the Long-jawed Orbweavers family. It’s medium sized, about one-half inch in length. The green legs are often the best field identification clue. Look for it in forest and woodlands. The name orchard also suggests it shows up in areas where fruit trees grow. Spiders Around the House The types of spiders that live around the house and garden go by some very common names such as grass spiders (funnel web spiders), wolf spiders, crab spiders, jumping spiders and lynx spiders. Visitors interested in these spiders can press the green spiders button for additional information. The lynx spiders are presented here as one example of the group. Basically two types of lynx spiders are present in residential areas of Oklahoma. Larger size lynx spiders with green bodies have the natural name, Green lynx spider. They are mostly a southern species and Oklahoma is at the northern most edge of their range. The picture shows a Striped lynx spider, Oxyopes salticus. They are smaller than green lynx spiders, but much more common in back yards. They are often found on bushes because it’s their staging ground for hunting prey. The body color can change, but the stripes along the striped down the head and body are good identification clues. Common House Spiders in Oklahoma Sometimes called a common house spider, the Triangulate cobweb spider (Steatoda triangulosa) is probably the quintessential house spider for the state. Got cobwebs along the edges of the ceilings and walls of the house or back yard shed? Take a look for the spider. They are fairly small, about one-quarter inch in length. The legs are a bit longs and there are two purplish marks on the abdomen over an otherwise light color body. Southern Black Widow spiders also belong to the larger cobweb spider family. They are present in all parts of the state, and can at least technically be labeled as house spiders. While they are not known to common inhabit indoor locations, they can be found in yards. They tend to build their webs close to the ground near trees, shrubs and wood piles. When the conversation turns to poisonous spiders in Oklahoma, the Brown Recluse becomes the talk of the town. Their flexible habitat habits account for most of the conversation. Why are they a concern? Primarily because they can live indoors or outdoors. The name recluse rightly implies the spider hides from the world. It’s fairly small and flat, making it easy for the spider to wedge itself in many places. Tree bark, under boards, between rocks and other crevices are perfect homes for the spider. The picture shows a rather drab looking spider with thin legs. The violin marking on the abdomen is the best field identification clue. In indoor structures, including homes, they squeeze under the flaps of boxes, between cushions on chairs, along baseboards, between cracks in the floor boards or walls. Any person but the most fainthearted can usually pick up a magnifying glass to examine one up close to confirm an identification. Rather than being unduly afraid of the spider, keep in mind they are reclusive and not prone to jump around the house and run after humans. The real problem, of course, is that people often use their hands to move items both indoors and outdoors, scaring the unseen spider into biting them.	251,846
- Filed Under The word resent derives from the Latin prefix:" re" (again), and the verb "sentir" (to feel). To resent then indicates that we are feeling something again and again when a particular emotion gets triggered. In the dictionary, "to resent" is an emotion that comes from a sense of being injured, wronged or affronted, accompanied by a degree of anger. So basically, if we are feeling resentful, what is happening is that we are actually re-feeling or sensing again, the pain previously caused by a circumstance, person or situation. ...	294,252
Economic Scene; The lessons of the grocery shelf also have something to say about affirmative action. By Virginia Postrel Published: January 30, 2003 DECIDING which shampoo or toothpaste to buy seems a long way from the emotionally charged debate over affirmative action. But an analytical tool developed by marketing scholars to analyze how consumers make brand choices can in fact illuminate that debate. People have limited time, memory and attention. So when they make buying decisions, they simplify their choices. ''On the shelf you may have 30, 40 brands of shampoo, or 20, 30 brands of toothpaste,'' explained Jagdish N. Sheth, a marketing professor at the Goizueta Business School of Emory University. But consumers don't take the time to examine every possible choice. Rather, they reduce their selection to a smaller set of options, based on experience and exposure. ''Through learning over time, consumers are really efficient in terms of reducing their transaction costs,'' Professor Sheth said. In the 1960's, he and John A. Howard, the Columbia University marketing scholar who died in 1999, developed the idea of the ''evoked set'' to describe this process of selection. Shoppers start not with every single brand they are dimly aware of but with a group of options -- the evoked set -- uppermost in their minds. ''An evoked set consists of the brands in a product category that the consumer remembers at the time of decision making,'' according to ''Marketing: Best Practices,'' a textbook edited by K. Douglas Hoffman. (An alternative term, ''consideration set,'' is sometimes used for the same concept and sometimes for the smaller set of choices that remain after consumers eliminate unacceptable options from the evoked set.) Ask a grocery shopper to name toothpaste brands, for instance, and you'll probably hear ''Crest and Colgate.'' Only when pressed to name others will the shopper come up with, say, Rembrandt and Mentadent. Crest and Colgate are the evoked set, the one from which most shoppers will choose to buy -- especially if they aren't looking at snappy product displays for other brands. The downside of this process is that the results depend on exactly how we sort the possibilities into categories. ''The way this information is recorded in memory can influence consumers' preference for brands, and whether the brand will be considered for purchase,'' Barbara E. Kahn and Leigh McAlister, two marketing professors, wrote in ''Grocery Revolution'' (Addison Wesley, 1997). If, for instance, a store arranges yogurt first by brand (like Dannon and Yoplait) and then by flavor within each brand, consumers will tend to select their flavors from the same brand. On the other hand, the authors write, ''If the products had been displayed with all the strawberry yogurts together, then all the lemon-lime yogurts, and so forth, consumers would most likely choose which flavors they wanted first, and then choose which brand name they would most like for that particular flavor.'' Similarly, American supermarkets display meats by animal type -- beef, chicken, pork, etc. -- and then by cut. In Australia, by contrast, grocers arrange meats by the way they might be cooked, and stores use more descriptive labels, like ''a 10-minute herbed beef roast.'' The result is that Australians buy a greater variety of meats. How we classify goods changes how we make consumer choices. ''The composition of the set of final possibilities can have subtle effects on choice,'' write Professor Kahn of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and Professor McAlister of the University of Texas at Austin. As a result, ''brand choices can be influenced without changing the actual preference for a brand per se, but merely by changing the content of the consideration set.'' What is true for yogurt and meat is true for Supreme Court appointments, award nominees, TV talking heads, corporate board members, conference speaker selections and many mundane hiring decisions. Decision makers start with an evoked set of possibilities -- the people who immediately spring to mind. Who makes it into that evoked set depends in part on how people are categorized on the mind's ''grocery shelf.'' Last summer, for instance, The New York Times ran an article on Hollywood's search for young action heroes. Old standbys like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Harrison Ford were getting a bit long in the tooth, leading studios to turn to newcomers like Matt Damon and Vin Diesel. The piece left the impression of a vast generation gap, with no heroes from the latter half of the baby boom. But one huge action star was inconspicuously absent: Wesley Snipes, born in 1962. Another, Will Smith, born in 1968, was mentioned only in passing. The evoked set of ''action stars'' didn't overlap with the evoked set of ''black movie stars.'' There was no racial hostility at work, just the limits of human minds and the categories they create. Overcoming those limits is the argument for a certain type of affirmative action -- not quotas or preferences, but an active effort to select from the full range of possible candidates, not merely the first evoked set. (This analysis does not apply easily to cases like college admissions, where the selection is made from a large pool of people who actively present themselves for consideration.) If you are looking for the best possible conference lineup, just listing the speakers who immediately come to mind may inadvertently exclude good candidates. You should also search through the other categories your mind uses to classify people. Some of those categories may be the politically fraught ones of race and sex. But, depending on the context, this ''affirmative action'' might include others, like geography, political persuasion, age, educational background or professional discipline. The goal is not to meet numerical targets but to make the final selection from a broad enough sample to ensure not only fairness but quality. What's efficient for picking toothpaste isn't good enough for people. Photo: When dozens of brands are available, shoppers actually consider a far narrower selection. (Don Hogan Charles/The New York Times)	259,393
The staple of life Sept. 17, 2009 By Ginger Isham The nickname for the potato is spud. A spud was used to dig a hole and somehow this connection to potato planting gave it this name. “Spud” has many other meanings but this is my favorite. The potato when baked has only 93 calories; mashed it has 65 calories. If you use a pat of butter you add 35 more calories. A potato has the same amount of vitamin C as a glass of tomato juice and iron content is similar to that of an egg. Scalloped Potatoes Made Easy Peel and slice 6 medium potatoes and 1 onion. Layer in a casserole dish. Sprinkle with the following: 2 tablespoons flour Dash of salt Pepper to taste Heat 2 cups of milk and 2 tablespoons butter and pour over the potatoes. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes. Remove cover for the last 15 minutes. If you want, sprinkle a cheese of your choice on top. Peel, cook and mash 6 potatoes. Stir in the following, and mix well: Dash of salt and pepper 2 tablespoons shortening, melted 1 teaspoon nutmeg 4 beaten eggs 2 tablespoons flour 2 tablespoons bread crumbs Drop by spoonfuls into salted, boiling water. Cover tightly and boil about 12 minutes. To save time, cook and mash potatoes ahead of time and reheat and add rest of ingredients and cook. Serve with a cheese sauce, hamburgers or other types of beef. Makes about 15 servings. (A popular dish in England; this recipe comes from my Prince Edward Island Potato Recipe Book) 1 medium onion, chopped 1 tablespoon oil 1 pound ground beef (very lean) Pinch of salt and pepper 2 cups green beans, cooked 1 can condensed tomato soup 2 cups mashed potato 1/2 cup grated cheese, optional (use any cheese you choose) Cook onion in oil; add hamburger and seasonings and brown. Add beans and soup. Stir and pour into an oiled casserole dish. Top with spoonfuls of hot mashed potato. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 4 to 6 servings. You could substitute another vegetable, such as carrots, for the green beans. Ginger Isham lives with her husband on a fifth generation family farm on Oak Hill Road.	308,769
The roof is the one part of our home that takes quite a beating from the harshest elements day in and day out. While roofs are designed to last, the time will come when you have to replace it eventually. However, you can delay that for years with proper maintenance. Some roofing maintenance work can be done the DIY way, while others may require the expertise of a roofer with the right roofing insurance coverage, just like the ones we have here at G. Fedale. Let’s take a look at some of the top ways to maintain your roof and make it last longer. Check Your Shingles Regularly A bi-annual check on your shingles should help you see whether any of them are missing, cracked, or broken, especially after a period of severe weather. While you can always use a ladder to get to the roof, it’s still best (and safest) to just do it from the ground using binoculars. You can also use a drone, if you have one, to see the state of your shingles up close. If your inspection shows damage, then it’s time to call us at G. Fedale to fix it. Clean The Gutters Regularly Periodic cleaning of your gutters will ensure that leaves, branches, and other types of debris will not cause rainwater to back up and damage the fascia boards, attic, and other living spaces. Doing it at least twice a year, especially before a storm, should be good enough. Trim The Trees Your trees are giving your home plenty of shade, but if they’re a bit close to the house, some of their branches—some big ones—could fall on your roof and cause damage. So if your trees have large branches hanging directly over your roof, make sure you cut them off before more severe weather sets in. Get Rid of Algae Do you see long, dark streaks on your roof? That’s algae growth, and it doesn’t just make your roof look dirty. It can also cause your shingles to rot in the long run. Washing your roof using a 50 percent mix of water and bleach should kill the algae. To ensure the algae won’t make a comeback, install copper strips at the top of your roof. Rain will send copper molecules cascading down and killing algae on its path. Fix Small Leaks Right Away Whatever you do, don’t ignore roof leaks, no matter how small they are. Small leaks will always get bigger if you don’t address them right away. Contact us at G. Fedale to plug any leak as soon as you notice signs like water spots on your ceiling or walls. Professional Roof Inspections There’s still no better way of checking the status of your roof than to get professional roofing contractors like the G. Fedale team to do it. Aside from being the much safer option, we at G. Fedale will also be able to spot things you will probably miss if you did the checking yourself. By having us inspect your roof twice a year, you would be able to discover and nip any problems in the bud. That way, roofing issues won’t become bad enough to require more expensive repairs or force an earlier-than-expected replacement. With the level of protection that your roof provides for you and your family, it’s only right that you give it a good chunk of your attention, even when things seem all right. With regular maintenance, you’ll have a perfectly-working roof over your heads for years to come.	308,632
* * * On Staten Island, the name Cropsey belongs to one of the oldest boogeymen on the East Coast. An infamous spook to pass around the campfire, his was the story of a madman who stole children in the night, and his legend persisted through generations, even making an appearance in the 1981 slasher film The Burning. But when children began disappearing in the early '80s near the Willowbrook State School, the notorious mental hospital that marked the beginning of Geraldo Rivera's blockbuster exposes in the early '70s, Staten Island came face to face with a real-life Cropsey. Following a month-long hunt for a missing child in 1987, police produced one man as their suspect—Andre Rand. A former therapist at Willowbrook, Rand had remained in the area after its closure, camping in the woods surrounding the hospital. For a community that had grown terrified and angry, here was a face to put to the evil. In Cropsey, directors Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio—who grew up on Staten Island in the '80s—return to lead an investigation behind the events surrounding the five missing children and the man many called "The Pied Piper of Staten Island." Zeman and Brancaccio uncovered a wealth of archived news reports and photographs, and—through their investigative research—introduce viewers to many key players in the famous case that resulted in Rand's conviction and 25-year sentence. The footage is beautifully reproduced and moves like a speeding bullet in its utter comprehensiveness. Speaking practically, it could be argued that the rise of crime television has spoiled American audiences a bit, and the aesthetic of Cropsey reminds of an extra-long episode of Cold Case Files, but through its evenhanded thoroughness it distinguishes itself. As we unfold the facts of the case, the story begins to change shape and sprout new angles, resulting in more questions than answers. While the outraged families of Staten Island have chosen to vilify Rand, the evidence linking him to the crimes is less certain, and the directors have chosen to concentrate on unraveling the past rather than creating a monster. The pair themselves soon become characters in the film, Zeman narrating and both of them revisiting the many landmarks that darken Staten Island's history—most notably a genuinely unsettling, nighttime exploration of the abandoned hospital that had me wondering if it was an outtake from The Blair Witch Project. Most of today's horror films offer escapism. When I watch a scary movie, I'm choosing to experience a little taste of fear in return for a cheap thrill, and then I go home and sleep safe and sound in my bed. In Cropsey, the horror doesn't fade away with the credits; the audience is offered the rare chance to confront a truth that often lies behind our cinematic boogeymen. No, Andre Rand is not the legendary Cropsey who caused so many shivers around the campfire, but his story is a reminder that the titular madman did likely stem from a real place and person in history. Cross-published on Ornery-Cosby and Twitch.	266,698
I'm confused regarding several apparently contradictory verses: Bamidbar 14:33 says that B;nai Yisra'el will wander the desert for 40 years. In Devarim 1:19 - 22, Moshe says that they arrived at Kadesh Barne'ah, Moshe says "Go inherit the land", and B'nai Yisra'el requests to send spies to spy the land. The verses following that review the story of what happened. Devarim 2:13-14 says that they arrived at Nachal Zered, and from the time they arrived at Kadesh Barne'a until Nachal Zered was 38 years. - Does this "contradict" G-d's original statement / punishment? It seems to imply that people would die during 40 years in the desert, not 38? - Where are the other 2 years? Were these 2 years at the beginning of the travels meaning the spies were sent in the 2nd year, so the 40 years included 2 years that had passed? - Weren't B'nai Yisra'el supposed to enter Israel immediately after receiving the Torah? Why did they spend 2 years in the desert (assuming answer to prev. question is correct)? - If everyone died within only 38 years, it seems that the "punishment" finished early, as Devarim 2:14 implies. So, were the new generation still supposed to wander for another 2 years?	17,978
Implementing the materials genome initiative: Best practice for developing meaningful experimental data sets in aluminum-zinc-magnesium-copper alloys Goulding, Ashley Nelson MetadataShow full item record The Materials Genome Initiative was announced by the White House in June of 2011, and is a multi-agency initiative which calls the materials community to find ways to discover, develop, manufacture, and deploy advanced materials systems faster and more cost-efficiently. Currently, the amount of time it takes to discover and develop a new material system, optimize its properties, integrate it in to a system, certify that system, and develop the manufacturing capability so that it can be deployed in a commercial component takes at least 20 years. Since this trend holds regardless of the material system in question, the implication is that it is the process by which we as a community move through these seven steps, which causes the lengthy timeline. Historically, the discovery, development, and property optimization of a material system relies heavily on deep scientific knowledge, intuition and trial-and-error physical experimentation. Therefore much of the design and testing of materials in these early stages is currently performed through time-consuming and repetitive experimental and characterization feedback loops. Some of these feedback loops could be eliminated in the property optimization step with improved powerful and accurate computational modeling tools. However, while the ability of computational models to be used in this way is not new, models that have been developed in this space have consistently underperformed. Oftentimes, these models fail because they fail to accurately account for the various physical and chemical mechanisms that are driving the system, or because they fail to account for all of the variables which must be included. Here we propose a standard method of communication for these relationships in the form a process-structure-property-performance map, which leverages the known knowledge database of the material system to clearly and visually communicate the relevant variables and their various relationships in a defined materials design space. Such a map is developed here for high-strength Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys, which offer a good example of a material system which could benefit from such a standard. This class of alloys, which are typically utilized in aircraft components, have been incorporated in commercial components for nearly 75 years, and due to its long history is a well characterized and well developed system that is highly suited to this kind of examination. In Part I of this work, we develop this standard by first examining the known knowledge database in this system to deduce what the important process, microstructure, and mechanical property variables are that are of interest. Once these variables and the relationships between them are identified, they are organized into a PSPP map according to a proposed set of steps, and can act as a visual standard that can clearly communicate critical information about the mechanisms of the system. For example, if a model developed within this system does not include a variable or a mechanism depicted within the map, it can be used to communicate the ways in which the model will be constrained. Similarly, when experimental data is collected within this space the map can be used to clearly communicate which variables in the space were held constant, which variables were tracked and accurately measured, and if any variables were unaccounted for. This information can help to communicate what situations the data can be used in, and how the space that the experimental data can be used in is constrained. In Part II of this work, we vary multiple parameters within the high-strength Al-Zn-Mg-Cu system defined in Part I, and attempted to track and measure as many of the variables within the space as possible using commonly available testing and characterization methods. In tackling such a large project in the complicated materials system of high-strength wrought Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys, we are able to understand which current testing and characterization methods are well suited to tracking these variables when the number of test specimens becomes quite large and when variability among those specimens is involved. We are also able to identify opportunities for future work in this area, which could be focused on improving our ability to implement projects of the scope that is required here. In addition to evaluating the feasibility of the various measurement and characterization methods, the raw data and the analyzed results for this work are cataloged in an associated data repository and have been made available for use in future work in this and other areas.	203,578
I have a code which I use in my grade book. Right now I have 18 comments which I have come to use most regularly. They are things like, "different drummer", 'advanced idea', 'hurried, fast' and 'not following instructions'. They seem to work whether I am referring to an assignment or when I am recording the type of activity which is going on during the class. My comment codes are written up, copied and laminated so that I can have one on each grading page. From: Woody Duncan [mailto:email@example.com] Sent: Sunday, February 27, 2005 10:36 AM To: ArtsEdNet Talk Subject: Re: Grading You might come up with the 10 to 20 generic comments that might fit various observations of seeing kids work in progress. So, rather than writing something down you could simply check number 7, 11, or 19. This would most likely cover 96% of your comments. If these comments were in your computer you could print out comment sheets on every student at grade time. For a few students (the 4%) you would have to type something unique in. I'm glad I never graded 450 students. In Middle School I had perhaps 120 students. Woody, Retired in Albuquerque > Please forgive me if I am bringing up a subject that you've already > but I've been cut off from this website for many months. I just > grades for 450 kids. ........... >........ Has anyone come up with a way to accurately > knowlege what the kids are doing in an easier fashion? Gail E.	47,574
When is it safe to help people? 01/23/2012 12:00 AM 08/05/2014 5:49 PM Something has been bugging me for days, so I’m going to dump it on you, then I can quit thinking about it. On my way to work one very cold morning last week I stopped at Walgreens, ran in, picked up some photos, paid, and hurried out because as usual I was running behind. I was approached by a woman who asked me to give her and her husband a ride because their car broke down and they needed to get home to their kids. Her husband was standing several feet away. She pointed at a car down the way. She said they needed to go to 25th Street. We were on 13th. I told her I was sorry but I was already late for work. I drove a few blocks and thought I should have given them cab fare. I worried about their kids. When I got to work my co-workers listened to my tale of woe and said they would have been mad if I had taken the couple home. “They could have killed you.” “They could have robbed you.” “They could have kidnapped you.” “Are you nuts, Bonnie?” I probably am because it seemed like giving them a ride was the thing to do. But I didn’t. My question is: When is it safe to help people? How do we know if someone is making up a big fat story? But what if there were kids at home who were too young to be home without an adult? A co-worker said, “Well, it’s not your fault the parents are so irresponsible they leave their kids alone.” No, but it’s not the kids’ fault either. And what if the parents just needed a ride? While we’re on this troubling subject, I have another question: Do you give money to those who approach you and ask for change, or say they need help getting a meal? I almost always give the person some money, especially if the person is a woman. Several of my friends want to thump me on the head when I do that, but I figure if a person has to ask for a handout, they do indeed need some help. Two days after the above incident, a man sitting on the sidewalk outside QuikTrip quickly showed off his paper hospital bracelet to another woman as he asked for spare change. I had heard his whole story before I got out of the car so I handed him a dollar before he said a word to me. He just sat there looking at the dollar. He finally said “thank you” and looked up. It was obvious he was living on the street. The hospital bracelet was the only clean thing he was wearing. In so many cases it would be interesting to know the person’s story. How did this man end up sitting on the sidewalk asking strangers for money? One friend continually tells me how some people want to live on the streets. They don’t want any responsibilities or ties. They just want to take life one day, then one night, at a time. And if that’s their bag, OK, but it’s when there’s a kid in the mix that it makes me crazy. OK, crazier. Life is tough enough when you’re 12 years old. Imagine not having your own bed or a place to do homework, changing schools constantly, always on the move, leaving the few friends you’d made behind. A conversation I had with a woman in 1973 still rings in my head. She was in the park and it looked as if she had made a little temporary home on the bench complete with a dirty pillow, a couple of sacks and a pair of boots that were surely too big for her. She asked for change. I gave her some, but then sat down and asked about her life. Her name was Grace and she seemed a little surprised that anyone wanted to take time to visit. As we talked I could tell she wasn’t looking for sympathy, but was sort of matter-of-fact about a life I couldn’t imagine. She was about my age but looked older. She said she grew up homeless. She had lived in a house, an actual residence, twice in her life, but not for long. She had given up on getting an education in about the eighth or ninth grade. Her only living relative was her brother, but she didn’t know for sure where he was. I was in my mid-20s and knew there were people in our city who didn’t have a home, but I guess I thought they were all older men. I was a teacher at the time and wondered whether any of my students would end up homeless. I found out a week later that one student and her family were living in their car. That’s when I started worrying about homeless kids. I am still worrying about them, and I think I always will. Thanks for listening. I feel a little better now, but would love to know what you think. Join the Discussion The Wichita Eagle is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere on the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.	221,956
History museums show us how people used to live: in history museums with all their possessions behind glass display cases. Intrude on the past with this Groupon. Choose Between Two Options - $10 for museum admission for two (up to a $22 value) - $20 for museum admission for up to five (up to a $55 value) Though this merchant sometimes offers a discounted price online, this Groupon is still the best deal available. Student, senior, and military discounted tickets are available but this Groupon still offers the best deal available. Children two and under are free. Old Florida Museum Though most museums instruct with glass cases and placards, Old Florida Museum wants you to live the experiences of its indigenous populations and settlers firsthand. During its hands-on program, guests explore Florida's history of year 1585 beginning with the Timucua Indians. In the recreated Village of Seloy, they can learn about corn grinding, dug-out canoe making, and Indian tools before visitors encounter Fort Menendez and discover how early settlers lived by dipping candles, weaving, and woodworking. Along this trek through time, patrons can earn ducados—tokens which are good for park games and select gift shop items—by completing chores and activities. Skilled hagglers can also trade their ducados with other patrons or museum workers searching for the fountain of youth.	122,897
Nailya Alexander Gallery is honored to celebrate the eighty-fourth birthday of George Tice with the online exhibition George Tice: An Ode to a Tree. Born October 13, 1938, in Newark, New Jersey, Tice stands today as one of the foremost fine-art photographers working in the United States. Our exhibition focuses on Tice’s early work, from the mid-1960s and 1970s, which addresses an image of the tree. For thousands of years, all around the world, trees have been seen as the embodiment of holiness, knowledge, and interconnectedness; above all, they have been seen as symbols of life, growth, and rebirth. Tice’s rendering of trees reveals their simultaneously formal and poetic beauty in its many connotations. He reveals trees in their graphic form, as symbolic icons, as testaments to spiritual presence, and through the natural mystery of forest interiors. Tice creates exquisite and elegant lace-like images in Tree #12 and Tree #14, both taken in New York in 1965; and a stark composition of the bare, dark vertical line abstraction against a background of snow in Tree #8, New Jersey, 1964. In the platinum palladium print Aspen Grove, Colorado, 1969, the luminous trunks of Aspen trees echo against a dark forest. Similarly, both unusually evocative power and majestic natural architecture are depicted in Oak Tree, Holmdel, New Jersey, 1970. George Tice’s photographs can be found in the permanent collections of over 150 museums and institutions around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the J. Paul Getty Museum. He has received numerous fellowships and commissions, including the National Endowment for the Arts and the Guggenheim Foundation, as well as the National Media Museum (UK). Tice's essential new book Lifework: Photographs 1953 - 2013, published this year by Veritas Editions, is available through the gallery. This slipcased hardcover book contains over 300 photographs from all of Tice’s major bodies of work, as well as images that have never before been published.	141,344
by Inetta Fluharty, ATP, West Virginia AgrAbility Program Specialist Thinking of getting an early start on gardening, spring cleaning or outdoor activities? Before any project or activity is started, do some minimal exercise to to prevent injury and to prepare your muscles that have likely been resting all winter. For each of these listed, you should complete at least four repetitions: - Cross arms over chest or place hands on hips - Twist trunk (at waist) to look over one shoulder - Repeat in the opposite direction - Touch tip of thumbnail to tip of index fingernail making an “O” shape - Open hand widely after each “O” - Repeat with each finger on both hands - Rest hands on shoulders, elbows pointed out. - Make circles with elbows varying size and direction of circles - Increase the intensity by positioning arms outward at shoulder level and make circles - Sitting up straight on a chair, “walk” forward to the edge of chair by lifting one hip up and moving forward, then the other hip. - “Walk” back, alternating with one hip up and the other on the chair. - While sitting or balanced on one leg - Move foot around in a slow, large circle - Repeat with other foot These should be done before any activity to get the body ready for the task at hand. Once the body is warmed up, it’s ready to get started, remembering to keep the tasks small at first. Other things to remember when doing any physical activity is that the blood flowing to the muscles increases during the activity while oxygen decreases. This can leave muscles sore. Also, the muscle soreness may be delayed, so you may not feel any pain until after you are finished with the task. If this happens, then you need to give your body a rest before returning to the activity. It is also important to be observant of what your body is telling you. There’s an easy way to help ensure that your family stays healthy through the fall and winter. It’s important in preventing food poisoning and helps prevent the flu, other infections and diseases associated with animals. What’s this magic bullet? If you haven’t already guessed, it’s hand-washing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say keeping hands clean is one of the most important things we can do to stop the spread of germs and stay healthy. You should wash your hands: - Before, during and after preparing food - Before eating - Before and after caring for someone who is sick - Before and after treating a cut or wound - After using the toilet - After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet - After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing - After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste - After touching garbage According to the CDC, washing hands with soap and water is the best way to reduce the number of germs on them. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers that contain at least 60 percent alcohol are recommended when soap and water aren’t available. While hand sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in some situations, they do not eliminate all types of germs. And hand sanitizers are not effective when hands are visibly dirty. When it comes to hand-washing, the old fashioned way is still best. Wet your hands with clean running water and apply soap. Rub your hands together to make a lather and scrub them well. Be sure to scrub the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails. Continue rubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds. If you need a timer, you can hum the “Happy Birthday” song or the “Alphabet” song from beginning to end twice. Rinse your hands well under running water. Dry your hands using a clean towel or allow them to air dry. Encourage all of the members of your family to make regular hand-washing a habit. It’s an easy way to stop spreading germs and stay healthy. 1/12/16/reviewed Litha Sivanandan West Virginia 4-H is inviting youths and family members to get a behind-the-scenes look at the West Virginia University Creative Arts Center on Saturday, February 6. Participants will be given a tour of the new WVU Art Museum followed by admission to Dance Now, a performance at the WVU Creative Arts Center celebrating the talents of dance students, choreographers, and faculty and guest artists. The price is $10 per person. Attendees should arrive at the Creative Arts Center no later than 12:15 p.m. To register online, visit bit.ly/4HDanceDay. The registration deadline is Friday, January 22. For questions, contact Brittany Furbee at 304-293-2694. It can be difficult to remain spirited through the holidays once high expectations allow stress to become an obstacle. However, West Virginia University Extension Service Family and Human Development Specialist Jane Riffe, Ph.D., says it’s possible to stay grounded if you follow simple steps this holiday season. It may seem hard to avoid getting hopeful for a flawless family feast, but with ample communication to family members, it is possible to have everything go smoothlyeven if it’s not the exact vision everyone expects. “It’s what we expect of ourselves, or what we think mother or father are expecting of us that can be the most stressful because if we get caught in the crossfire of all that, someone will be disappointed,” Riffe said. Talk to family members early to dodge the disappointment. By explaining to them that you may have to leave dinner early or that you won’t have time to make the pumpkin pie because of other obligations, you can avoid hurt feelings in the end. Set a game plan Planning in advance can save a lot of trouble for families who need to divide time. Whether it’s a traditional, blended or separated family unit, the essential thing to remember is to think ahead and know that juggling time can be an issue. Couples should talk to each other first, before any promises are made to a parent, grandparent and so on. They should decide as a unit where and when they’re going before anyone mentions that they will definitely be able to make it to the event a relative is hosting. “Keep in mind that splitting time between families will never be fair and reach anyone’s hopes if they’re set too high,” Riffe said. “Time can’t be split 50/50, so the family has to keep talking about it and do the plan that’s best for them. Couples should show both sides of the family that they make decisions together, and those decisions should be supported and respected once they’re made. “You have many years to negotiate holidays,” Riffe said. “If you don’t set boundaries in the beginning, the pressure will likely get worse.” Remember that staying positive and flexible will help, but it’s crucial to create those limits as a united front at the beginning of the holiday season to avoid your preferences being overlooked. When discussing holiday plans with a partner, it’s important to take note of traditions that mean the most to him or her. That doesn’t mean neglecting your own family traditions, but finding a middle ground between the two to reach a compromise is a key priority. Another priority Riffe stresses is to stick together during the holiday season. Sometimes the pressure of trying to please many people at once can be so overwhelming that couples will decide to tackle the holidays alone with their own sides of the family. Riffe recommends staying united and using it as an opportunity for growth in your relationship. “It’s not healthy to split up because you’re sending the message that ‘my family origin is more important than my partner relationship’ and you’re missing making the holiday magic with your new family,” she said. “How a couple tackles this task can be predictive of how they will handle future conflicts.” Whatever your family decides is best when handling the holidays, try to keep stress at a minimum when possible. The holidays are meant to be full of cheer, not worry and fear; so, apply these tips and aim for a happy holiday. For more information on family-related stress, visit http://bit.ly/1P4P8KY or contact your local WVU Extension Service office. CONTACT: Cassie Thomas, WVU Extension Service Follow @WVUToday on Twitter. The holidays often provide opportunities to consume excess calories by eating mindlessly. Small snacks, like office cookie trays or holiday appetizers, can add up quickly if you aren’t aware of your consumption, warns West Virginia University Extension Service Public Health Specialist Kristin McCartney. Americans can gain seven to ten pounds through the holidays, according to McCartney, and she warns that it’s harder to take the weight off than it is to put the pounds on.“People think that they’re being careful with their weight if they just limit themselves to fewer snacks or don’t add ice cream to their apple pie,” she says. “Those are fine first steps, but people still need to be careful when it comes to calorie consumption during the holidays.” In order to help combat this, McCartney provides tips for holiday meals like Thanksgiving. Her tips will not only keep turkey, stuffing and gravy on the menu, but also leave guests satisfied after the traditional meal. “It’s all about healthy preparation and substitutions, reducing the fat and sugar in your meal and taking a healthier mental approach,” McCartney explains. Small changes can make meals healthier without compromising quality. For example, steam, bake or broil foods instead of frying them. Skim the fat off gravies, soups and stews. For healthier and tastier vegetables, leave out butter, oil and lard. Instead, substitute low-fat and low-sodium broth to retain flavor while trimming fat.Try new spices to give food more pizzazz without adding fat or salt. Avoid adding additional sugar to sweet dishes; add vanilla, cinnamon or nutmeg instead. “Using nonfat or low-fat counterparts of pantry staples is a hassle-free way to retain flavor while making the dish healthier overall,” says McCartney. Items such as salad dressing, mayonnaise, whipped topping, butter, sour cream and cheese all have low fat counterparts readily available. Artificial sweeteners provide an alternative to sugar when preparing desserts. Substitute white meat for dark, load up on vegetables and watch portion sizes on gravy and starches, such as stuffing and sweet potatoes. “Limit your desire to overeat by grabbing a healthy snack before you head to a dinner party,” McCartney explains. “Wear clothing that fits you a little bit tighter so you notice yourself feeling full faster.” While these are just a few ways to help your waistline during the holiday season, it’s also important not to lose perspective. “Most importantly, remember that you’re sharing meals to spend time with family, so slow down while eating and enjoy visiting with them,” McCartney says. “There’s plenty of time to enjoy non-food related activities, too. Play games, watch movies, walk outside or play football.” To learn more about how WVU Extension Service Family Nutrition Programs help citizens of the state make choices to improve their health, visit familynutrition.ext.wvu.edu or call your local office of the WVU Extension Service. Grab an “ear” if you’re a Mountaineer at the WVU Collegiate 4-H Club’s annual Corn Roast during Mountaineer Week this fall. The 4-H Corn Roast will kick off on Friday, Oct. 30 and will go through Sunday, Nov. 1. The Collegiate 4-H Club will be set up outside the Mountainlair during those days selling corn for $2 per cob with the help of Monongalia County WVU Extension 4-H Agent Becca Fint-Clark. Fint-Clark, who is also the 4-H Club’s co-advisor along with her husband Brent, re-invented a tradition that got lost in time by starting the annual Corn Roast during Mountaineer Week when she was a club member in graduate school. The Corn Roast, along with a Council Circle, was an early tradition during Mountaineer Week. According to Fint-Clark, somewhere over time it was forgotten, so she revived it. “It’s a great way to get students acquainted with our club on campus, and now it’s something people look forward to every year,” she said. The Corn Roast is almost completely handled by the 4-H Club, led by WVU senior psychology major and Club Vice President Joshua McCartney. According to McCartney, the Club members work diligently to ensure the Corn Roast is a success. They rise early to start the fire, soak the corn and then put it on the fire in order to sell corn throughout the day. “The best part is the experience of it,” McCartney said. “Being able to wake up in the morning and see the University come to life by an open fire is amazing.” Fint-Clark said the main goal of the Corn Roast is to promote 4-H and its Appalachian roots. “4-H clubs originally started as corn clubs, so although it has evolved from that, it’s important for people to learn our history,” Fint-Clark said. “It’s great that we can do something that reflects our heritage especially during Mountaineer Week.” Mountaineer Week was founded in 1947 as a one-day festival. Its original intention was to stimulate school spirit before the football game against the University of Kentucky. It involved a pep rally, dance and parade. Collegiate 4-H got involved with Mountaineer Week in 1975 and has contributed to the celebration of Appalachian heritage by teaching folk dancing, preparing traditional food, making crafts, quilting and eventually roasting corn. Although the Corn Roast is mostly an event to publicize 4-H and its background, it will be raising money for club efforts. The members will use the funds toward social events, future promotion or community service project funds. The Club’s next activity will be a Thanksgiving dinner social where they will make Linus Blankets to give to the WVU Children’s Hospital. To learn more about the WVU Collegiate 4-H Club, attend their biweekly Tuesday meetings or visit bit.ly/1OpeLHz. To learn about 4-H in your community, contact your local WVU Extension Service Office. CONTACT: Cassie Thomas, WVU Extension Service Follow @WVUToday on Twitter and goblins aren’t always the scariest part of the Halloween holiday. Parents and homeowners often have to worry about the safety of their homes and families. WVU Extension Service offers up tips and tricks to make Halloween a treat for everyone involved. Candy—Safety and Alternatives It’s important to consider your child’s health when it comes to all the candy they will collect on Halloween. Not only do you need to inspect it for any tampering, but you need to consider what you will do with all of it. Experts suggest a good meal before trick-or-treating. Afterward, let your child pick a few favorite pieces, but then put away the rest. Allowing candy to sit out where children see it is often too tempting to pass up.Treat kids to candy alternatives, such as popcorn, trail mix, or pretzels, this this Halloween. Explore healthier options that might trick picky eaters into enjoying a better snack. Light the Night Drivers may not easily see trick-or-treaters. For improved visibility, children should carry a flashlight, glow stick, or wear reflective tape on their costumes. In addition, trick-or-treaters should stay on sidewalks and cross streets only at crosswalks. Finally, children should be supervised by an adult and walk in large groups, which are easier to see than individual pedestrians. According to West Virginia University Safety and Health Extension experts, costumes aren’t always the scariest part of Halloween. The National Fire Protection Association makes numerous suggestions to keep your children and homes safe. Suggestions include: purchasing flame-resistant, or flame-retardant costumes; using battery-operated candles in decorations, and more. Halloween is a fun night to gather with neighbors, but be sure to remind children of “stranger danger.” Remind children that they should never enter a house or a car of someone they do not know. Children should stay in well-lit, populated areas and stick to a pre-planned route. - If your child wears a mask, make sure the viewing area is big enough so that your child can easily see where he or she is going. - Be careful of tripping hazards. To lessen the possibility of a fall, wear shoes with a low heel and be sure that the costume does not drag on the ground. - Props should be made of plastics or foam material to reduce the risk of an injury of a child falls. - Reflector strips help drivers see trick-or-treaters. Information provided byThis information has been provided by WVU Extension Service Agent Hannah Fincham. Hannah serves as the Families and Health agent in Randolph County. Call 304-636-2455 to speak with her. According to data from the Coronary Artery Risk Detection in Appalachian Communities (CARDIAC) Project, nearly half of West Virginia fifth graders are overweight or obese. Obesity puts children at a much higher risk for type II diabetes, heart disease and hypertension, all of which used to be considered strictly adult diseases. September has been designated as Childhood Obesity Prevention Month to educate the community on the dangers of childhood obesity and to provide various strategies on how to prevent the disease. Studies have shown that people who adopt a healthy lifestyle as children grow up to be healthier adults. Teaching children about nutrition and physical activity is therefore crucial in creating healthy futures. Children learn and mirror behaviors of influential adults in their lives. Therefore, family lifestyle plays a key role in the health habits of children, which can be a useful tool in the fight against childhood obesity. Below are some basic health behaviors that should be a part of a family’s daily routine. Incorporate Physical Activity Daily Research has shown that children need 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a day. Taking a brisk family walk, jumping rope, playing a physically exerting game such as tag, or playing a sport such as soccer can help fulfill the daily activity requirements. Parents should try incorporating some structured physical activity into their child’s daily routine as well as encouraging them to go outside and play on their own. Limit Screen Time Allowing only two hours of recreational screen time a day is another way parents can encourage their children to get up and move. Screen time includes watching TV, playing video games, and using the computer for non-homework related activities. In addition, research has shown that screentime is also associated with overeating amongst both children and adults. Make Healthier Food Choices Humans were designed to live off of the land, and as technology has expanded so has America’s waistlines. It is important for Americans to get back to eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meat instead of consuming highly processed foods. Role modelling healthy eating behaviors for children is important. A few simple steps to a healthier family are keeping sugary beverages such as soda out of the home, making fruits and vegetables readily available, buying low fat or fat-free dairy products such as milk and yogurt, eating lean meats, buying whole grain and high fiber bread products, and cooking with plant fats such as olive oil and flaxseed oil instead of animal fats such as butter and shortening. It is recommended that children consume five servings of fruits and vegetables throughout the day. To help reach this daily goal, put blueberries or a banana on a serving of whole grain cereal for breakfast, provide an apple or a bag of grapes for lunch, prepare celery sticks filled with low-fat peanut butter for a snack, include a vegetable stir fry as a side dish for dinner, and give your child a slice of watermelon or pineapple for a sweet yet healthy dessert. Mason County 4-H invites the public to register for the Dining Hall Dash, a 5K run/walk created to raise funds to construct a new dining hall at the Mason County Youth Camp in South Side, West Virginia. “It’s our job to ensure our facilities meet the needs of our 4-H campers,” said Lorrie Wright, WVU Extension agent of 4-H youth development. “This event will help us improve and expand our dining hall as our number of campers continues to grow each year.” The run/walk will be held Saturday, Sept. 5 at the West Virginia State Farm Museum. Day-of registration opens at 8 a.m. and the race begins at 9 a.m. Registration papers can be found at the Mason County Extension Office in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Interested Individuals may pre-register before Friday, Aug. 21 or may register the day of: - Pre-registration for adults $20 - Pre-registration, 12 and under $10 - Day-of registration for adults $25 - Day-of registration, 12 and under $15 Awards will be given for top overall male and female, and the top three participants in each age group. For more information, contact Lorrie Wright at Lorrie.Wright@mail.wvu.edu or 304-675-0888. Just one 8-ounce glass contains 30 percent of the recommended daily value of calcium. It also is an excellent source of Vitamin D, riboflavin and phosphorus. Did you know milk contains more potassium than the leading sports drink? Young women, especially, need calcium to build their bone mass before age 25 to stave off osteoporosis in later life. The best bargain in your grocery cart for doing that is fluid milk. Proven to be a key part in maintaining a healthy weight, milk also helps repair muscle after a strenuous workout thanks to milk’s protein, potassium, and riboflavin. Milk can even positively impact your brain and mental performance, as shown in a study at the University of Maine. Read more about milk’s unique nutrient package and its benefits to your body. Make sure you and your family get the recommended daily servings of milk and dairy products each week by following these tips from West Virginia University Extension Service: - Try a smoothie with a cup of 1 percent or skim milk, whey protein and a cup of frozen berries. - Enjoy cereal and a cup of milk for breakfast. - Pack a morning or afternoon snack of yogurt topped with fresh or frozen berries. - Eat a low-fat cheddar cheese stick with an apple. - Drink milk (not soda, juice, or sports drink) with dinner. - Use cheese (low-fat mozzarella, cheddar, or Swiss and cottage cheese) in a wrap or sandwich and in salads. Make sure the children in your life get the dairy they need. Even if you eat on the go, grab a carton of milk with a kid’s meal or order a tall glass of milk when dining out. If you aren’t sure how to work dairy into your children’s diets, check out the resources at The Breakfast Project. Don’t know if you’re consuming enough dairy servings? Check out the MyPlate nutritional guidelines or the Dairy Council of California’s recommended daily allowances (RDA) for your age and gender. While browsing that website, take the Calcium Quiz and test your knowledge (and that of your kids) of calcium sources with the fun Bone Up On Calcium quiz. Got milk? Hope so! For more healthy milk beverage recipes, visit www.bit.ly/familysmoothies or contact the WVU Extension Service Families and Health Unit at 304-293-2796. - « Older Entries - Newer Entries »	71,097
A new digital skills training fund will be piloted in the U.K. in January which will offer loans to non-graduate young people from East London with the dual aim of tackling the ongoing U.K. tech skills shortage while also addressing a socio-economic gap that tech risks exacerbating. The fund, called the Tech City Fellowship, will offer educational loans of up to £11,600 per student to non-graduate 18 to 25 year olds to pay for a place on a training course that teaches software developer skills. The 12-week coding bootcamp course in question is being run by Makers Academy, one of the collaborating partners for the Fellowship. The loan breaks down into £8,000 to cover course fees and £1,200 per month living costs for the duration of the course. Each Tuesday is EducationTuesday here at Adafruit! Be sure to check out our posts about educators and all things STEM. Adafruit supports our educators and loves to spread the good word about educational STEM innovations! Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.	166,799
WALK THROUGH SYDNEY. (Continued from our last, page 1516). Close to where we now stand is the foundation of an intended new Cathedral, laid by Macquarie, but abandoned on Mr. Bigge's inquiry. The site is well chosen, being central and elevated. Had this church been proceeded with according to the plan, it would not have been finished before it was wanted, for it is wanted now. A herd of cattle approaches leisurely. Well my man, whose cows are these ? "Different people's Sir ; its the town flock, I get 6d. a head a week for taking charge." Some good cows among them, but poor, dreadfully poor? "Yes Sir, some fine frames of cows." And where do you obtain pasture for these forty or fifty head ! "Pasture Sir, Lord bless you, its very bare of feed where they go. But I take them out early in a morning and they get a snift of fresh air as the sun rises, and a drink of fine water, and so they pick about like till it's time to come home, and then I water them again !" The cow is known to be a ruminating animal, but "chewing the cud of fancy" is of itself too abstracted. Amongst the shops and taverns and cottages, which line the outlet of George-street, all more or less common-place if not vulgar, we observe one where Ic. dole has " ta'en the aniquarian trade." Here every human implement used in past generaions, or even the present, may be found ; and most of the requisities for building a house, and furnishing it, the same being of a solid and ancient fashion, are also in this musuem ; there is no catalogue of the articles, but Isaac is himself always on the spot to explain their properties and worth. Two or three dogs guard the exhibition, while he paces about with his cap and barnacles on, to re-adjust this, that, and the other, in some new position ; or while he sits within amidst the soiltary obscuration of his dwelling, revolving the infinite variety of his pos- sessions ; and perhaps then with a placid feeling of thankfulness, turning to peruse Baxter's Saint's Rest. For Isaac is a great divine, and can reason high on "fixed fate and freewill" equal to a bishop, than whom he is far more contented and happy. From here, we obtain a vista of the Parramatta- road, and the large distillery premises of Mr. R. Cooper, which cost it is said twenty thousand pounds. Also the turnpike house, a neat Gothic structure ; the Asylum, where the old ard infirm, (poverty is non- descript here) find a home ; the Carters' Barracks, where the juvenile delinquents of Britain, are trained to be workmen instead of robbers ; and the new burial ground, which is already half filled up ; for people die here it would seem, as fast and as soon, as they do in the raw foggy climate of England. The sight of this cemetery where such numbers are laid, stricken before the term of threescore and ten, has prompted many an exile to turn his steps homeward, or to wander still to some other clime. A foreign grave-yard like this, where no one knows who his neighbour is, (for there are no epitaphs here but of good people gone to heaven), can have but little to reconmmend itself to the imagination. In the flat beneath is the new cattle market, which, from the extent of its accommodation, will need no enlargement for a few centuries to come. The horn sounds the Royal Mail Coach for Parramatta, to which place two coaches run daily ; besides another at intervals, to Windsor, and one to Liverpool. Full of passengers as usual, inside and outside ; fare 5s. and 3s. On the pannels is a well-painted Kangaroo, a figure, we take it, which will be stamped on the coin of this future kingdom, unless the image and superscription of Caesar should predominate. What would it be worth to see before us a few cen- turies ! Our eyes ici bas are dim and feeble, but when we look, without, immaterially, what fine prospects then ! Sydney is built on a promontory a mile and a half long, being now on the west side covered with strag- ling cottages, some with neat verandahs and some mere hovels ; several of the streets are rocky and impassable, while over the bay which has a few schooners, a brig, and a ship, we see barran craggy shores, islands, and ridges, with stunted trees on them—the east side fronting Port Jackson is at pre- sent the most courtly—to this quarter we therefore pass, to the Race-course or Hyde Park as it is called, an area of half a mile by a quarter, without a tree upon it, and as much like Hyde Park as a river in this country is like the Ganges, the Plata, the Po, or the Misissippi. Notwithstanding, there is a pretty view from it, and a pleasant freshness in the air. We see on the right, rising out of the bush ; several neat stone windmills, and the new gaol wall which is twenty feet high, and four hundred feet square, or thereabouts. Close to where we stand, is the mouth of the aqueduct that is to bring water from the swamps of Botany Bay, to supply Sydney, the accomplishment of which, will confer deserved re- nown, on those by whom it is effected. Eastward of this park without trees, is the Catho- ic Chapel, and a view of Port Jackson with its nu- merous bays and woody shores. This gothic edifice, though a plain structure without the usual archi- traves, fretwork, moulding and sculpture, is a sur- prising piece of work, standing where it does. We see some of the lonely parts of England and near modern vulgar towns, some matchless Gothic build- ings remaining, but passing by them ; we know tlhat there were giants on the earth formerly. Here there is no such tradition ; this fabric has arisen however, as a memento of the old world which may excite in the new, reflection, emulation, and general improvement. When the settler beyond the Blue Mountains, the ridge of which we can discern from here, brings his grown-up boy to Sydney to see a ship, he also comes with him to look at the Catholic Chapel, and the conversation which ensues conveys instruction to one and pleasure to both. This building begun in 1820, and now roofing in, is in the form of a cross, having at each corner octaganal buttresses rising above the roof with high pointed caps, ornamented with turrets. These, and a cir- cular projection in the turnsept for the altar, con- stitute the principal decorations, yet the whole has a fine effect ; and by moonlight, but that the stone is fresh, you might fancy it to be some old abbey, and begin to dream accordingly. In the valley beneath on the other side is a large verandah cottage with dormer windows, and a row of Norfolk Island pines, each exactly tapering as if cut to resemble a pyramid and in front, is the little bay, called by the blacks Woolamoola. The aboriginal language is certainly beautiful and highly expressive, much more so, we conceive, than an European tongue. Where did they get it? Gogaga is their name of the bird we call the Laughing Jackass, and Gogaga repeated quick is part of the chuckling notes, which distinguish that ludicrous forester. Here we have several public buildings close at hand. The Prisoners' Barracks, called by courtesy Hyde-Park Barracks, a neat brick building, in which are lodged and fed five and six hundred men, and in Macquarie's time double that number. Opposite to it is St. James's Church, the Court-house, and a Public School, all brick edifi- fices, capacious, lofty, and well fitted up. There is also the Methodist Chapel, a more plebeian struc- ture than the rest. Churches and chapels are works of imagination, most decided indications. A sectarian considers the gilding his prayer-book would be a waste of money, and that a place of worship built beyond what convenience and shelter from the inclemency of the weather require, instead of feeding the poor, feed vanity and pride. As the sectarian advances in wealth, by adhering to these careful maxims, he enters the patrician order and talks of temples to the honour of God ; but if not so, if he still follow the lowly path of his ancestors, he is apt to become more degenerate ; and then, ac- cording to Beaumont or rather Fletcher, the illus- trious dramatist, "his only words of health, and names of sickness, finding no true disease in man but money, he talks much, but chiefly against the sha- dow of himself. The Church of St. James's, which is the Court church, has recently been beautified with an excel- lent organ, which cost £500 and if the south por- tion of the church, which is blocked up to make a vestry, were opened, all would then be done that is required to complete the original edifice. The spire is framed of wood and cased with copper, lofty and upright, or with but a slight inclination. We will ascend however and see what prospect it commands. The bells here, though the best in the parish, are too Lilliputian for a treble Bob major, or for any symphony of a minor cast. From this height we have a magnificent panorama. All Sydney together is but a little spot, intersected by a parcel of formal streets, with boxes on each side, and here and there a few shrubs. There has been a great pother to raise up the diminitive works we see, some of which appear mighty large and fine, to the mortals beneath. Port Jackson appears like Windermere, an extensive lake, the shores some what sombre. The cliffs, at its entance or the Heads as we call them, are abrupt ; on one side is the Light-house, a pretty object from Sydney, and be- hind we can see from this height a narrow portion of the blue main, which seems hushed and motionless, though we can sometimes hear it roar of night when the wind is southerly. Looking over Hyde Park and some green swamps, we see a broad sheet of shallow water with low hills behind it, called Botany, the cognomen of this unfortunate land. One or two cottages on each side, are all that rescue its sandy shores from the dead gloom spread over it by the hand of nature. In a glen nearer, we catch a glimpse of several stone buildings three or four sto- ries high close together, the distillery premises of Mr. James Underwood, who assures us that he has laid out on them one and twenty thousand pounds, without being able to distil any thing hitherto, from the continued high price of grain. The two forts on the edge of Sydney Cove, though not very for- midable, add grace and stability to the town, as do the Government Stables, which surprise the stranger's eye in sailing up the harbour. But the panorama of Mr. Earle is now in London, and in that, our Eng- lish friends will see all these objects exhibited most faithfully. It is now evening, and numerous carria- ges of every description are flying across Hyde Park on the South-head road. We must descend, and taste a portion of the terrestrial solace which an inn affords. The Rose and Crown, by A. Hall. Mr. H. is the printer of this work ; also the Sydney Monitor, an opposition newspaper, published weekly, and two other journals, one by a literate clergyman, other by a native of the colony, each of which is, or was, published quarterly. After all, there is comfort to be found in the vicin- ity of Botany Bay. With a breast of veal or a cou- ple of short-legged fowls, a ham and a glass of Ma- deira, our existence may be rendered tolerably easy at the very ends of the earth. Pilgrims and wan- derers as we have been, a tavern has been to us, for many years, our most common home ; where in- deed hospitality is not a name, nor the horn of plenty a fable. Sitting in this arm chair with every thing at command for a single word, our thoughts are divested of all care, or strife, and we hear with equanimity, the happy confusion of talking and singing, now issuing from the Tap and the Dolphin. Let us listen for a moment. Britannia's sons at sea, In battle always brave, Strike to no power disee, That ever plough'd the wave. Pal lal da ral derido. But when we are not afloat, 'Tis quite another thing, We strike to petticoat, Get merry, dance, and sing ! Fal lad, &c. With Nancy deep in love, I once to sea did go, Returned she So now I take my glass, Drink England and my King ! Content with my old lass, Get merry, dance, and sing, Fal tal, &c. This is rather a vulgar song, but we must give Jack his credit; he scorns to be thought a gentleman ; besides, he has helped us in many an extremity, since our " nautical existence" began—What is that in the Dolphin ; Oh yes ! Oh yes I has any one found a heart that a lady has lost ? Whoever restores it unbroken and sound, shall be handsomely paid for his cost. Oh yes shall be &c. When first it was miss'd she can't tell in the least, But she's reason to think it was stolen ; O yes, &c. Oh yes she thinks that the thief is a youth, who slyly, attention had shown her; Whoever it is, may as well tell the truth, for it's only of use to the owner ! Oh yes &c. What is there in language ? men are the same every where—We had intended to portray several strange characters in Sydney, quite unique, but for the present our day's work his done.	133,050
Weaste Cemetery is a public cemetery in Weaste, Salford, Greater Manchester, in England. Opened in 1857, it is the oldest of Salford's four cemeteries, covering 39 acres and containing over 332,000 graves. The cemetery lies south of Eccles New Road (A57 road) and is approached via Cemetery Road. Salford was one of the earliest British municipalities to recognise that churchyards were getting full and that alternative burial grounds were required. When originally opened the cemetery included four chapels and a glazed summer house, which have since all been demolished. The first interment was that of the very popular MP, Joseph Brotherton, who had campaigned for the cemetery and died just before its completion. In the circumstances his burial was allowed to take place before the cemetery had been officially opened. Then known as Salford Borough Cemetery, the site was extended by 16 acres (6.5 ha) in 1887, by which time there had been 124,500 burials. The original 21 acres (8.5 ha) site was becoming full and a 2.5 acres (1.0 ha) area bought earlier with the intention of being used as an addition had been compulsorily purchased for development of the Manchester Ship Canal. At that time, the cemetery was making a profit of around £2500 per annum. Salford council have mapped out a heritage trail for the cemetery and noteworthy graves have been provided with information panels. Occasional guided tours of the cemetery also take place. Several of the monuments in the cemetery are Grade II listed. - Joseph Brotherton (1783–1857) - first MP for Salford - Martha Brotherton - wife of above. Writer of first vegetarian cookbook. - Elkanah Armitage (1794–1876) - Lord Mayor of Manchester - Charles Hallé (1819–1895) - founder of Hallé Orchestra - Mark Addy (1838–1890) - awarded Albert Medal for saving over 50 people from drowning - Eddie Colman (1936–1958) - Manchester United player killed in Munich air disaster - William Norman, VC (1832–1896) - Awarded Victoria Cross for courage in the Crimea War - Edward Hardy (1884–1960) - MP for Salford South - William Johnson Galloway (1868-1931) - MP for Manchester South West - Four survivors of the Charge of the Light Brigade The cemetery contains the graves of 373 Commonwealth service personnel who died during the First and Second World Wars, plus numerous memorials to servicemen buried abroad. Some of the 274 First World dead lie in war grave plots in both the Church of England and Roman Catholic sections, each plot having a Screen Memorial listing the dead buried within them, while the 99 Second World War dead are scattered amidst the cemetery and there is also a special memorial listing 7 personnel buried in graves that could not be marked. \|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Weaste Cemetery.\| - "Weaste cemetery". Salford City Council. Retrieved 1 October 2013. - "History of Weaste cemetery". Retrieved 1 October 2013. - "Extension of the Salford Borough Cemetery". Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser. British Newspaper Archive. 11 August 1887. p. 6. Retrieved 2014-06-28. (subscription required) - "Weaste Cemetery, Salford". Retrieved 1 October 2013. - "Listed Bildings in Salford". Retrieved 1 October 2013. - "SALFORD (WEASTE) CEMETERY". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 9 October 2013.	174,848
The present article aims to underline the role of multimodal educational material in STEM Integrated early childhood education. Through social semiotics assumption that meaning arises in action and interaction, we argue that robotics, digital media, haptic materials, toys, books, tablets, actions, and artifacts have an active and dynamic role in multimodal learning and construct meaning in young children's STEM educational process. The literature review has revealed a research gap concerning combined multimodal aspects in STEM concepts for young children. We adopted a mixed-method collective case study design based on four case studies in which children interact with multimodal STEM educational material. Due to the principles for effective STEM teaching and the perspectives of integrated STEM education, our findings illustrate that MmEM in STEM concepts, through play-based, model-based, inquiry-based teaching practices (among other open-ended), may provide to children multimodal learning environments, engage them in authentic and meaningful learning, promote teamwork, communication and social skills, challenge and motivate them to make meaning of their learning.	120,090
We’ve done a lot of work recently to revamp the way we deploy computers in the cloud and I wanted to share a little bit about how we’re doing this at a pretty low level to give you an idea of how we are approaching this. Our software and processes are cloud agnostic, but we mostly work with Amazon Web Services because we feel that they offer the best solution for most of our clients at this time. We maintain two base Linux images as part of our cloud toolkit. The only difference between the two images is their architecture. One is 64bit and the other is 32bit. The images are minimal– they have just enough software and configuration to get them off the ground and configured. We have copies of the images in each region in Amazon, but when it comes to maintenance and upgrades we really only deal with the two master images. All of the computers that we deploy in EC2 come from these two images. The base image by itself is not very useful. When a computer is instantiated from one of the images, our toolkit combines it with our Puppet repository and some instance specific configuration. The Puppet repository contains the Puppet manifests for how we deploy software. The repository is where we store our collective knowledge around deploying successful software. The instance specific configuration is crafted by the developers and operations teams to pick and choose the appropriate things from the Puppet repository provide the very specific configuration about how to deploy the server and the application that will run on it. As the instance boots, it configures itself, installing the software and making the changes required to bring it into service. This is all pretty low level, but it provides some capabilities that makes our solution very flexible: - With only two images to maintain, keeping software up to date is simple. We anticipate that we will be releasing new images about once a quarter to capture any updates to the packages in the base system. - Everything is version controlled. It is easy for us to see what a machine looked like on a specific date or understand the changes that have been made to how the software is configured on an instance. - The instances are very self sufficient. There is no single point of failure that would prevent instances from starting correctly. - This is all very portable. With just a little bit of work we can deploy things in a different region of Amazon. Also, our Puppet code and instance specific configurations can work in more places than just Amazon. With a little bit of work to recreate the base images in another platform we can consistently and predictable recreate infrastructure anywhere, giving our clients the ability to choose the right solution for them. This last item is something that should be on everyone’s mind (especially considering the outage at Amazon last week). As Steve said last week, everything fails and you need to design your infrastructure and applications around that. A process for redeploying your infrastructure in another AWS region or a different cloud is an important part of building a very reliable service in the cloud. It is hard to say what the next kind of failure in the cloud will be like, but with a process like ours we can be ready to deal with outage when it happens.	166,718
ABOUT THE MULTICORE ASSOCIATION® People have been building multicore and multiprocessing systems for a long time. Until now, however, the interfaces and the tools have been somewhat proprietary. This approach may work well within a given implementation, but as multicore becomes more prevalent and more vendors are working together to create solutions, the need to have industry-standard approaches is becoming more urgent and will become increasingly relevant as multicore implementations find their way into a larger set of applications. The Multicore Association® has chosen to start off focusing on multitasking and communication APIs and debug. Its goal is to provide a forum in which all relevant multicore standardization issues can be discussed and resolved. Ultimately, our objective is to help our members' customers achieve quicker time to market, and part of this is giving our members the ability to certify to their customers that their products are compatible with the standards set by The Multicore Association. In no way, of course, does the effort to establish standard APIs intend to limit innovation in multicore architectures. APIs that reflect the intrinsic concurrency of an application are in no sense a restriction on the creativity and differentiation of any given embodiment. The first meeting of the group that has now become The Multicore Association, took place in San Jose, California on May 16, 2005. During the meeting, the participants delivered presentations and led discussions that highlighted the key areas of multiprocessing that could be addressed by standardization. The presentations and discussions included the following: - Multiprocessor Debug and On Chip Instrumentation, First Silicon Solutions - Rethinking Multiprocessor Architectures In FPGA Platforms, Xilinx - Performance Modeling of Multiprocessor Systems, Synopsys - Automatic Load-Balancing for SMP Architectures, Express Logic - Application/Algorithm Partitioning, PolyCore Software - Inter-Processor Communication In A Multi-Core Environment, Wind River - Support for Heterogeneous Embedded Distributed Systems, Freescale - Software APIs for Inter-process/thread communications, PolyCore Software - Implementing SMP Linux on the MIPS MT Architecture, MIPS Technologies Picking one as an example, Sven Brehmer, CEO of PolyCore Software, focused on the need to avoid rewriting applications in the course of enabling communication between processors on chip, on a board, or with a very distributed system. Mr. Brehmer states "The mechanism to accomplish this should be built on open standards and APIs. There is not a single solution that does everything you may want. A collaboration can develop APIs to make it simpler to scale up and down and achieve interoperability." Mr. Levy was previously a senior analyst at In-Stat/MDR and an editor at EDN magazine, focusing in both roles on processors for the embedded industry. Levy began his career in the semiconductor industry at Intel Corporation, where he served as both a senior applications engineer and customer training specialist for Intel's microprocessor and flash memory products. Sven Brehmer is the Multicore Association’s chief technology officer and chair of the Communications API (MCAPI) working group. He is also president and CEO of PolyCore Software. Prior to founding PolyCore Software, Brehmer served as senior director for Wind River's Embedded Platforms Division as a result of the acquisition of Integrated Systems in 2000, where Brehmer served as the chief operating officer and executive vice president of DIAB-SDS. Brehmer was also President and CEO of Diab Data after receiving his Master's degree in Electronics Engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden.	297,353
Step back in time with the National Watch & Clock Museum as we present an American Civil War Ball on June 22, 2013 from 6:30 PM to 10:00 PM. It matters not whether you support the Union or Confederacy as we come together to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the burning of the Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge and honor the fighting men and women presented in the Museumís Enlisting Time exhibit. Period attire is encouraged, Blue or Gray. Musical entertainment will be provided by the Gilmore Light Ensemble. Donít worry about not knowing the proper dance etiquette for the ball, as the Victorian Dance Ensemble will be present to assist all attendees with the dances. The Victorian Dance Ensemble demonstrates and teaches dances of the mid-19th century. Many of the members belong to Union, Confederate or civilian Civil War reenactment units, while others are interested in the Victorian era or vintage dancing. Most of the members of the VDE reside in Pennsylvania but we also have dancers from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey. New York, and Virginia. Attendees to the ball will be able to take advantage of punch, cash bar and hor dourves throughout the eveningís entertainments. Tickets are $30 per couple or $20 for individuals. The link to the Ball on the Museumís website is: The link to the events Facebook page (where you can send invites to the event from): The link to the online store where folks can purchase tickets is: Folks can also purchase tickets in person at the National Watch & Clock Museum Admission desk or gift shop.	140,754
Visualize four years of mobile phone warfare through Asymco's snake-like bubble charts Most conventional graphs display data over just two axes, X and Y. If you want to see how the data in those dimensions change over time, you end up having to draw a series of charts. That's a particular challenge for Dediu because he's been collecting data on the leading mobile phone vendors over the past four years in many dimensions, including price, profit, volume, revenue and operating margin. How could he possibly squeeze all that into one chart? Well, now he's done it. His solution: An interactive Flash-based bubble chart that allows you to choose among eight vendors, five Y axes, six X-axes, seven color options and six size options. Pick a company, choose the "tracer" option, hit the play button and you get pictures like the one at right, which shows Apple's (AAPL) iPhone revenues against its operating margins graphed over time where the color (blue) and size of its bubble indicates relatively low volumes and outsized profits. The chart at left is Nokia's (NOK) path over roughly the same time period. It starts off selling high volumes (red) and making big profits and moves in a sickly southwestward direction as its margins and revenues shrink, its volumes shift from red to yellow and its profits tighten into a narrow cone. You can set your parameters in thousands of permutations and draw your own bubble charts for Research in Motion (RIMM), Motorola (MOT), Samsung, Sony Ericsson, HTC and LG -- or show eight competitors snaking over space-time all at once. I've never seen anything quite like it. Click here to get started. \|Insanely durable smartphone ... from Caterpillar?\| \|This country needs another financial crisis\| \|Stocks pop as Bernanke eases fears\| \|Sony shares surge on spin off talk\| \|Bernanke warns against hitting the brakes too soon\|	23,381
Gerard Manley Hopkins was born in 1844 to devout Anglican parents who fostered from an early age their eldest son’s commitment to religion and to the creative arts. His mother, quite well educated for a woman of her day, was an avid reader. His father wrote and reviewed poetry and even authored a novel, though it was never published. Hopkins also had a number of relatives who were interested in literature, music, and the visual arts, some as dabblers and some professionals; he and his siblings showed similarly creative dispositions from an early age, and Hopkins enjoyed a great deal of support and encouragement for his creative endeavors. He studied drawing and music and at one point hoped to become a painter—as, indeed, two of his brothers did. Even his earliest verses displayed a vast verbal talent. Hopkins was born in Essex, England, in an area that was then being transformed by industrial development. His family moved to the relatively undefiled neighborhood of Hampstead, north of the city, in 1852, out of a conviction that proximity to nature was important to a healthy, wholesome, and religious upbringing. From 1854 to 1863 Hopkins attended Highgate Grammar School, where he studied under Canon Dixon, who became a lifelong friend and who encouraged his interest in Keats. At Oxford, Hopkins pursued Latin and Greek. He was a student of Walter Pater and befriended the poet Robert Bridges and Coleridge’s grandson. In the 1860s Hopkins was profoundly influenced by Christina Rossetti and was interested in medievalism, the Pre-Raphaelites, and developments in Victorian religious poetry. He also became preoccupied with the major religious controversies that were fermenting within the Anglican Church. Centered at Oxford, the main debate took place between two reform groups: the Tractarians, whose critics accused them of being too close to Catholicism in their emphasis on ritual and church traditions (it was in this culture that Hopkins was reared), and the Broad Church Movement, whose followers believed that all religious faith should be scrutinized on a basis of empirical evidence and logic. Immersed in intense debate over such issues, Hopkins entered into a process of soul-searching, and after much deliberation abandoned the religion of his family and converted to Catholicism. He threw his whole heart and life behind his conversion, deciding to become a Jesuit priest. Hopkins undertook a lengthy course of training for the priesthood; for seven years he wrote almost no verse, having decided that one who had pledged his life to God should not pursue poetry. Only at the urging of church officials did Hopkins resume his poetry, while studying theology in North Wales, in 1875. He wrote The Wreck of the Deutschland in 1876 and, during the course of the next year, composed many of his most famous sonnets. Hopkins’s subject matter in these mature poems is wholly religious—he believed that by making his work religious-themed he might make poetry a part of his religious vocation. These post-1875 poems follow a style quite different from that of Hopkins’s earlier verse. After his ordination in 1877, Hopkins did parish work in a number of locales. He spent the last years of his short life quite unhappily in Dublin, where he wrote a group of melancholy poems often referred to as the “Terrible Sonnets” or “Sonnets of Desolation”; they exquisitely render the spiritual anguish for which Hopkins is famous. The great poet died in Dublin of typhoid fever in 1889. is she someone important in his life, could someone please give me some info about this topic??? A bit late to be answering the previous comment, but no, Hopkins said the poem was "not based on a real incident". By the way, although I'm sure Hopkins would have been happy to use an Americanism, "fall" was used as a term for the season alongside "autumn" from the 17th century in Britain, although by the 19th it had rather gone out of use (unfortunately -- I am English, but I much prefer "fall" to "autumn"), so its use in the poem could be either American or slightly archaic. 1 out of 1 people found this helpful	168,220
Chivalry in today's times If you were going out on a date, would you expect to split the bill or would you think whoever initiated the date should pay for it? Would you look at reciprocating gestures so that there is some kind of balance, or do you believe that there are expected social norms that are to be followed? It is not just about who pays for the bills. Even if we were just talking about a simple dinner date, there are more than half a dozen questions that come up in as much as etiquette of the date is concerned: Who gets to make the date? Who picks up whom, and how? Who holds the door open? Who enters first? Who sits where at the table? Do you stand up if someone is leaving the table? Who finishes first? Something as simple as going out for dinner is fraught with questions and questionable habituated practices. In most places, the restaurant staff go with a certain protocol on how and to whom they present the bill, for instance. Whenever we bring up these questions into conversations on love, relationship and the such, it gets sideswiped with comments like, “It is just good manners,” or “this shows good breeding.” Of course, it is just being a nice human being sometimes. One expects these things when there is a person in need around. You give up a seat in the train for anyone who can’t really stand for long. You open the door for someone who asks for assistance. When these things happen between two perfectly capable people in some sort of a relationship, one wonders if these so-called good manners and chivalry come with a flip side. Are there unstated expectations that cement a power structure? Does having the door held open for you come with the unstated expectation that the keys to that door are in the hands of someone else? Does having someone pay your restaurant bill go alongside an undesirable notion of being judged for what you order, or worse? When someone just lets you go first in the queue, are they doing it to just be nice, or are they saying something to the effect of, “You really shouldn’t be here, so I’ll let you go right ahead so you can get back home where you belong?” In love, it is nice to have things done for you. As much as it is nice to do something for someone you love. It is great to spend time with each other, sharing thoughts, being thoughtful. However, when things happen only in one direction, or there are very firm rules on what one person can do and what the other person ought to do – is it really an equal relationship? Is it really love? What do you want in your relationship? Do you want the person you love to treat you as you, or because of a social code that tells them how to treat you, and tells you how to treat them? As written for The New Indian Express Ajanta, Mahesh and other InnerSight counsellors and guest contributors are happy to share their thoughts here.	290,242
William Morris. Commonweal 1889 Source: “Trial by Judge v. Trial by Jury” Commonweal, Vol 5, No. 188, 17 August 1889, p.257; Transcribed: by Ted Crawford. The Maybrick case, of which we have been hearing so much, does not differ in essence from most other trials for murder. A man is killed; there is a certain amount of presumptive evidence against such and such a person; a coroner’s jury find that this person is guilty of the murder. The presumptive evidence is after long delay brought before the Criminal Court; which delay, be it remarked, tends very much to increase the difficulty in getting at the truth, as lies and falsities have time to grow round the original kernel of fact, and make a regular problem for the solution of the professional dealers with other persons’ misdoings — the lawyers and judge. In the Criminal Court the game begins. Each side has its theory for accounting for a series of events which are supposed to have taken place, and tries to establish that theory by piecing together of details, the cross-examination of witnesses, and so on. It must be said that in this game the defence, which has to prove a negative, is necessarily very much weaker than the prosecution. Next, the theory on either side being complete, it is in practice submitted to the judgement of one man, the judge, who is of course a thoroughly practised and skilful lawyer, drilled into a knowledge of what is called the ‘law of evidence’ — ie., a series of maxims, more or less arbitrary, as such theories must be, as to the credibility of statements of events more than half forgotten, misunderstood by the witnesses at the time they happened, confused by hearsay, corrupted by prejudice — in a word, mostly lies. This one man, the judge, may be a treasure of impartiality, though he is not likely to be, since he is a successful advocate, and therefore must have been in the habit of wresting appearances towards the side that he was conventionally interested in, however they might have showed to his real self. But, however impartial he may be, it is not in the nature of man for a person not to take sides in a dispute which he is obliged to listen to, and considering his official position, the side that this person is most likely to take is the official one — ie., that of the prosecution. In theory, however (as we all know), it is the jury and not the judge who have to make the final decision of the case, — but in theory only. For the jury are of necessity men of average intelligence, taken from the middle class; and they are in consequence deeply imbued with the middle-class prejudices of the day. Now the present-day middle-class theory of the jury has mistaken the function of the jury, and assumes that its business is, not to judge the case, as it was originally meant to do, but to correct any gross mistakes or partiality in the judge; to be, in short, a kind of censorship on the judge, and therein to represent the public generally. This being the case, as a matter of fact the jury almost always take their verdict from the judge’s summing-up, and it is rare indeed that those who are watching a case need trouble themselves about the jury’s decision when they have heard or read the judge’s summing-up — unless, indeed, he is really puzzled over the matter, in which case, having no opinion, he kindly allows the jury to have one. And now in the midst of this intricate game which is being played for the life or death of a fellow citizen, there is one person who is out of it all, and can only watch what is going on; and that person is the one who is principally interested. The mouth of the accused is shut until the decision is given. Whatever misunderstandings, falsifications, or wrong deductions take place must pass without challenge from his personality, although it is obvious that often a few words from the accused might explain the matter, and give a new course to the evidence either for or against. In short, in an English Criminal Court sides are taken for and against the silent onlooking accused (who, in spite of all theories to the contrary, is always looked on as guilty from the first). The judge decides which of those two sides has the preponderating weight of evidence, and the jury formally ratifies his decision, unless it is so monstrously unfair that they are compelled to protest by expressing their own opinion. The ‘criminal’ either ‘escapes’ or is convicted and slaughtered; our ‘cultivated classes’ bless their stars they are not living in days of violence, and those of the working classes who are not Socialists at heart echo their cant in various degrees of un-cultivation, however miserably they may be living. For the rest, this is that ‘average’ justice which is in complete harmony with the commercialism of the age, which declines to supply the public with anything choice; it is, like all machine-work, a make-shift. Such make-shifts people put up with without grumbling for a long time; but at last when some dramatic demonstration of their futility is given, when the shoe-sole comes off in the middle of a muddy road, or the hat melts in a heavy shower, they get angry, and express their anger — in a futile way indeed, because they are the slaves of the machine which they grumble at. That we would fain hope, is the explanation of the popular ebullition of temper at Liverpool the other day; the people there were at last struck by the obvious unfairness of the whole proceeding, of the farce which thus trifles with the lives and liberties of the citizens. At all events they directed the expression of their anger rightly this time. The judge and his summing-up is the real centre of the whole iniquity. That is the head and front of the attack on Trial by Jury, which, as long as it was a reality, was a true defence of the liberties of the people. That is the interest the Maybrick case has to us Socialists. The case itself was a wretched one, a mere exemplification of the unhappiness which springs from the corruption of a Society founded on robbery; an unhappiness which so often avenges the wrongs of the poor on those whose iniquitous position puts them beyond the reach of the special misery which they inflict on so many millions of people, as good as or better than themselves. Yet, indeed, it must be said once more that Mrs Maybrick’s ‘immorality’ weighed heavily against her, helped the judge to get the conviction, and that if people are to be hanged for making mistakes in married life, there will be a large mortality amongst the upper and middle classes. The remarks in the capitalistic papers on this case, a great part of which amount to a defence of the present system of dealing with circumstantial evidence in criminal cases, are curious, but are too numerous to go through. One, however, must be noticed, because it is the argument most often and most plausibly used. It is admitted, say these wiseacres, that this was a case of doubt; but in the teeth of the maxim that the jury should give the benefit of the doubt to the accused, if this were done, almost no criminal could be convicted, as all evidence is circumstantial, and in almost every case there is doubt. What does this amount to but this? That so beautifully constructed is the machine of criminal law, that it gives us two overwhelming risks, either of the escape of the guilty, or the condemnation of the innocent. Unhappily, it is not doubtful which risk our Society will take hardened as it is by the daily and hourly practice of wrong against so many people. In effect, it is a ghastly thing to note so many respectable persons sitting safe as home in luxury so convinced of the necessity for hanging some one, either the right or the wrong person, if a ‘crime’ is committed. How strange that persons not ill-natured, not specially stupid, should think it above all things necessary that a private murder should be remedied by a public one. As to the Court of Appeal which is in every one’s mouth at present, it would be a feeble protection against injustice; and if, as I suppose it were to be a court of professional judges, it would tend to a further weakening of what is left of the jury system, and so do more harm than good.	82,628
Resource Discoverability at the CrossroadsUtah Library Association Annual Conference AbstractThe Internet is changing how people find and use information. Users increasingly are discovering relevant resources outside traditional library systems and expect immediate access to resources at the point of discovery. These changes are challenging traditional thinking on how we should "catalog" and provide access to resources. Panel discussion engaged the audience in a lively discussion of discoverability, trends in user information seeking behavior, the role of librarians in information seeking and finding, and implications for library system design. Citation InformationCheryl D. Walters, Anne Diekema and Liz Woolcott. "Resource Discoverability at the Crossroads" Utah Library Association Annual Conference (2010) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/liz_woolcott/4/	111,812
In a press release issued this week Nvidia has announced they have created new Linux drivers which have been designed to provide gamers with double the performance and dramatically reduce game loading times for those gaming on the Linux operating system. Nvidia explains that their new GeForce R310 drivers have been built to enable GeForce customers to receive the best possible Linux-based PC gaming experience. The new R310 Nvidia drivers support the newest GeForce GTX 600 series graphics processors, and offer excellent power efficiency, and Nvidia suggests owners of the previous generation of GeForce graphics cards, including the 8800 GT should now download and install the new drivers as well. “With this release, NVIDIA has managed to increase the overall gaming performance under Linux,” said Doug Lombardi, vice president of marketing at Valve. “NVIDIA took an unquestioned leadership position developing R310 drivers with us and other studios to provide an absolutely unequalled solution for Linux gamers.” For more information jump over to the Nvidia press release. Source: Toms Hardware : NvidiaFiled Under: Gaming News, Linux News, Technology News, Top News	158,015
If I were going to include a periodic quote from the media on my blog, and I might eventually do so, the following might be a good place to start. As part of a HuffPost Book Club discussion on the book that took place last year, Matthew Erlich, MD, a psychiatrist-researcher at the New York State Psychiatric Institute in the Division of Mental Health Services, told us that Caulfield would probably have been committed to a secure unit as a manic depressive at the time of the book. This snippet was snipped from, Holden Caulfield Diagnosis: Psychiatrist Discusses Salinger’s Classic Character (VIDEO), Huff Post Books. The main protagonist of the Catcher in the Rye, a great coming of age and prep-school novel, that many of us experienced first hand while growing up, has been reduced to a species of nervous disorder. Thank heaven Holden saw no reason to check himself into a psychiatric facility, huh? On the other hand, this scenario suggests alternate plot lines. What if J. D. Salinger had come up with a different twist? Holden could have been snatched up by the psychiatric authorities, and the mental patients’ liberation movement–it’s all anti-psychiatry to true believers–might have welcomed another fictional hero into their midst beyond the misbegotten, doomed, and mischievous Randle Patrick McMurphy from Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. Did I say, “might have“? Without rereading the novel, here’s what the wikipedia Catcher in the Rye page says. Holden makes the decision that he will head out west and live as a deaf-mute. When he mentions these plans to his little sister Monday morning, she wants to go with him. Holden declines her offer, which upsets Phoebe, so Holden decides not to leave after all. He tries to cheer her up by taking her to the Central Park Zoo, and as he watches her ride the zoo’s carousel, he is filled with happiness and joy at the sight of Phoebe riding in the rain. At the conclusion of the novel, Holden decides not to mention much about the present day, finding it inconsequential. He alludes to “getting sick” and living in a mental hospital, and mentions that he’ll be attending another school in September; he relates that he has been asked whether he will apply himself properly to his studies this time around and wonders whether such a question has any meaning before the fact. Holden says that he doesn’t want to tell anything more, because surprisingly he has found himself missing two of his former classmates, Stradlater and Ackley, and even Maurice, the pimp who punched him. He warns the reader that telling others about their own experiences will lead them to miss the people who shared them. Emboldened emphasis added. Did you get that? Holden Caulfield was a mental patient. The mental hospital experience was his experience. Perhaps he’s still with our movement at this present moment. If it’s not too ‘schizoid’ a thing to say, I think I saw him in 2012 at the protest outside the APA convention in Philly I attended. Filed under: Alternatives, antipsychiatry, Biological Psychiatry, Fun, Literature, Media, Misdiagnosis \| Tagged: fictional hero, holden caulfield, huff post, new york state psychiatric institute, post books \| Leave a comment »	185,521
Contemporary Art Law & Practice This course will introduce students to crucial legal issues concerning contemporary visual artists. Through practical legal assignments students will learn how to best represent contemporary visual artists and their artistic projects. In order to understand the main legal issues faced by contemporary visual artists, we will begin the course by studying the foundations of 20th Century artistic production. We will study -- in tandem with legal texts-- 20th Century theories, writings, and art works that helped mold current artistic production. We will look critically at how many contemporary art movements – such as conceptual art, sculpture, and photography – pose challenges to various legal doctrines, including property, intellectual property, contracts, moral rights, and free speech. During class discussion students will also be assigned positions in relation to assigned readings and are expected to engage in lively discussion. Field trips may take place, and guest artists may also be invited to participate. The course will also analyze the role of written agreements and other documents in relation to artistic production and reception. Students will draft a number of legal documents, such as client letters, artist-gallery consignment agreements, artist-museum agreements, public artwork commissioning agreements, as well as cease and desist letters. The course will meet two hours per week, with an additional credit earned by the written drafting assignments, on which students will receive feedback. The course satisfies the professional skills requirement.	135,615
Mintage 96,0000 Key Date The 1861-S Quarter Dollar is a significant condition-rarity in high grades. The mintage of 96,000 coins is small, but not low enough to account for the rarity of this date. Rather, the lack of high-grade examples can be attributed to the distance between the San Francisco Mint and collectors. Unless the coins were saved and preserved before they entered into circulation, they simply wore down as they travelled east. The complete lack of Mint State examples confirms this to be the case. The best that collectors can hope for today is to find a clean, original, problem-free example. That, by itself, will be difficult enough. Frog Run Farm Collection - American Numismatic Rarities 1/2006:365, $32,200 © 1999 - 2015 Collectors Universe NASDAQ: CLCT	44,025
My Little Nurture Box By Mama May i Please Allow An Extra 5-7 Business Days For Shipment. Thank You!! So simple a concept, but so many ways to pretend, play, and foster fine motor coordination. I made a Little Nurture Box for my little one (22 months old) and she loves it so much I thought I should share it. A little bit like a puzzle, a little bit like threading – a great step into pretending. There are seven different sized holes in the “flower box” to create a dexterity challenge: “How to put these flowers in?” Some are easy, some are a little tricky, but all are definitely great fun for your little Florist. Arrange, and rearrange ‘til your heart’s content. Flowers come in a rainbow so you can teach early color concepts; Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, and Red/Violet. There are seven in all (provides a great counting tool as well!). This Little Nurture Box also comes with a heavy-duty-glass vase so the flowers can be sorted, arranged, or classified separately. Simply put, it adds a creative canvas for your little one. This simple glass container allows you to teach and reinforce handling things with CARE. Allow your child to use pretend water in a watering can or cut one from paper and laminate. Let your little one tend to his or her own little garden box or set up “shop” at a pretend flower stand. This toy truly is a step into a whole pretend world of open-ended play possibilities. This little box will Nurture your little ones Fine Motor Skills, Cognitive Development, Communication / Verbal Skills, Build Vocabulary, Encourage Empathy, and Develop an Early Appreciation for Nature. This Little Nurture Box is sent as a well-tended package and shipped in a Priority Flat Rate box. All of my creations were made with your little one in mind. Each piece was designed to nurture child development through open-ended play. These pieces can be used to broaden your little one's understanding and knowledge of our world and were created as early educational toys. I am inspired by the teachings of Montessori; the natural beauty of Waldorf; and incorporate a myriad of other learning-through-play philosophies when I design. It makes me smile to see my made-with-love pieces being toted for use as preschool toys and in natural play settings. Thank you for helping me support little minds, bodies, and imaginations through engaging, hands-on play and discovery. Sensory Based Learning Mama May i believes little ones make sense of their world through sensing our world. That's why you will find all of our designs offer a variety of tactile learning-through-play opportunities. We use a myriad of different textures and surfaces intertwined to make the most of every little play-and-learn time you share. Kid Tested, Mama Approved My own little ones have the wonderfully engaging job of "product testers". They are my inspiration for new products as well as my initial testing market. I don't add things to the product line that aren't played with and loved first at home. Making Mama Earth Smile Mama May i strives to reduce the impact of our products on the environment and your little one. We avoid the use of harsh chemicals and varnishes and instead, use plant based pigments, and organic beeswax to finish our wooden playthings. We use mostly untreated Poplar, Maple, and Oak that is locally sourced. We know how important your little one's safety is and we won't sell anything we wouldn't let our own little ones enjoy.	117,698
Electric, hybrid and low-emission cars China makes new electric cars tax-free Electric ‘Boris cars’ are coming to London – how do they work in Paris? The road to renewables: finding a sustainable fuel source In a push to meet EU targets on renewable energy, DHL and Sainsbury's are experimenting with new fuel sources in their transport fleets. But have they found the answer? Formula E: do the guilt-free thrills of electric car racing herald a new era for motor sport?With ‘fan boosts’ and city centre circuits, race organisers are breaking taboos in the hope of making electric cars cool Formula E racing 'makes electric cars more sexy' - video Test days for the FIA Formula E championship at Donington Park saw the first single-seater, electrically powered racing cars taking to the track Audi has blueprints for range of high-performance electric carsGerman firm gearing up to take on US firm Tesla Motors with its first purely electric car, a version of its R8 supercar due in 2015	36,519
English Result: Upper-Intermediate DVDRips \| AVI @ 1199 Kbit/s \| 720x480 (16:9) \| English: MP3, 128 Kbps (2 channels) \| Duration: 01:34:07 3 Audio CDs: English: WMA, 160 Kbps (2 channels) \| Duration: 3.5 Hours \| 2010 \| ISBN: 0194129578, 0194306623, 0194305139, 0194305015 4 PDF Books Overal size: 1.53 GB \| Genre: Learning English \| Level: Upper-Intermediate English Result is a four-level adult course with full teacher support and resources. It motivates students in two ways: it makes lessons enjoyable for students, and it turns language into output quickly so students can see the immediate results of their learning.	114,319
Bad Breath Diet Bad Breath Diet is formulated for getting rid of bad breath or halitosis. Bad dental hygiene as well as the nature of food consumed may give rise to a pungent and foul smelling breath which is embarrassing and uncomfortable especially during social interactions. The condition also occurs as a side effect of certain drugs which also is an indication of an ailment. Proper treatment along with a nutritious diet often helps in overcoming the problem. This particular diet does not have to do much with weight loss. On the contrary, it helps to improve both general as well as dental health by prior selection of certain groups of food that is beneficial for the body and does not contribute to a malodorous breath. Bad Breath Diet: Characteristics The cause of bad breath needs to be ascertained before consuming food and a diet to remove it can be planned. The bacteria within the oral cavity are usually responsible for the condition as they tend to break down food particles emitting a pungent smell as several volatile compounds containing sulfur are produced by their actions. The choice of food usually helps to inhibit bacteria growth thereby helping one to get rid of bad breath. Some of the food items recommended to control the condition include: - The antioxidants in green tea help to fight against sulfur compound producing bacteria. - Plain yoghurt is also considered to be good for dental hygiene as well as for reducing bad breath. - Carrots, apples, peas and celery along with other fruits and vegetables that are crunchy and fiber- rich can get rid of dental plague and bad breath at the same time. - Some herbs, mint, parsley, cloves, fennel and cinnamon act as natural form of breath fresheners and can control the problem to an extent. Illnesses like ketosis may be responsible for bad breath too and it is mandatory to treat the condition in order to eliminate the breath related problem. Bad Breath: Dietary Restrictions - Pungent smelling bulbs like onions and garlic. - Dairy products especially cheese and sweetened milk products. - Caffeine containing beverages like tea, coffee, cola and cocoa stains the teeth and contributes to a malodorous breath too. - Low carbohydrate diets especially the Atkin’s diet has also been linked to the problem. Bad Breath Diet Plan A balanced diet which includes all the necessary food groups along with vitamins and minerals can help to solve the problem once for all. - Breakfast- Freshly squeezed orange juice, unbuttered whole wheat toast, fresh fruits and herbal tea. Skipping breakfast is one of the primary causes for bad breath. - Lunch- Steamed vegetables, green salad comprising crunchy foods without any dressing, Steamed rice or noodles along with cucumber or tomato sandwiches. Yoghurt for dessert. - Dinner- Is more or less similar to lunch. Poached salmon or chicken stew cooked with very little onions and garlic is usually recommended. Raw onion rings or garlic breads and dips are forbidden when on a bad breath diet.	240,408
Western Pacific Caboose No. 449 This big, yellow bay window caboose was built in January 1956, part of a group of 35 constructed by the International Railway Car Company of Canton, Ohio, between November 1955 and February 1956 for the Western Pacific Railroad as Nos. 426-460. These were the first steel cabooses built for the WP. International Car was a major builder of cabooses for the railroads until the end of caboose service in the 1980s, and additional WP cabooses came from the same source in 1969, 1973-74, and 1980. Caboose No. 449 and its sisters could be seen all over the Western Pacific system. In 1981 the WP was acquired by the Union Pacific. Caboose No. 449 was taken to Pocatello in June 1984 for a major servicing, where it probably received its Union Pacific yellow paint. Because of legal car trust requirements it retained its WP reporting marks, although it was placed in UP caboose class CA-14. Its last service in 1985-86 appears to have been on the Reno local. New rules from the Interstate Commerce Commission in the 1980s allowed for the replacement of cabooses with an automatic box placed on the coupler of the last car, and railroads quickly moved to eliminate cabooses from service. Around 1986 the Union Pacific Railroad donated WP caboose No. 449 to the Nevada State Railroad Museum, and it was trucked to Carson City. Weighing 49,600 pounds, it is one of the heavier pieces of equipment at the railroad museum.	241,347
Most Americans Oppose Gun ControlUp to a Point, Survey Finds Public Affairs Office, 212-854-2650 [email protected] New York, July 26, 2010—Most Americans believe the Second Amendment gives people the right to keep a gun at home, but they still favor limits on certain weapons, according to a new survey co-authored by Nathaniel Persily, the Charles Keller Beekman Professor of Law and Political Science. “At a base level, Americans believe in the right to bear arms and own a gun,” said Persily, who collaborated on the poll with Harvard University Professor Stephen Ansolabehere. Persily, a leading constitutional scholar and political scientist, is also the Director of the Center for Law and Politics at Columbia Law School, and co-edited the book Public Opinion and Constitutional Controversy, which examined the effect court decisions have on public opinion. Some 76 percent of the 1,027 persons surveyed online by Knowledge Networks oppose attempts to ban handgun ownership. Almost as many—72 percent—believe the Second Amendment gives individuals the right to own a gun, while 25 percent say the “the right of the people to keep and bear arms” found in the amendment is confined to forming a militia. "The Supreme Court's recent decisions confirming an individual's right to own a gun, while recognizing the constitutionality of some limits, has broad support among the American public,” Persily said. However, the survey found most people opposed unfettered access to weapons. Some 56 percent favor a ban on carrying handguns in public places, while 61 percent would forbid ownership of assault weapons and semi-automatic weapons. Ninety percent also support registration and background checks before a gun could be bought. On other constitutional issues, the survey found: - Some 70 percent agree that police should have the right to stop anyone they believe is an illegal alien and request identification. - Nearly two thirds of respondents -- 65 percent -- believe that the Supreme Court should not overturn Roe v. Wade guaranteeing a woma's right to have an abortion. - Just 36 percent support allowing a state to sentence a juvenile to life in prison for an armed burglary in which no one was killed. The federal government, 37 states, and the District of Columbia allow for such punishments. In May, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Graham v. Florida that a life sentence for crimes of this nature was unconstitutional. - On First Amendment matters, 56 percent would ban the sale of video games depicting extreme violence; 59 percent would allow musicians to sing songs with words others might find offensive, but only 27 percent support the right of someone to burn or deface the American flag as a form of political expression. Most surveyed (71 percent) agree the Environmental Protection Agency should have the power to limit greenhouse gases that come from cars and power plants. A bid in the Senate to strip the EPA of that authority narrowly failed in June. Also, two-thirds of respondents say gays and lesbians should be able to serve openly in the military, which Persily said has virtually become a “non-issue” among the public. Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, stands at the forefront of legal education and of the law in a global society. Columbia Law School joins its traditional strengths in international and comparative law, constitutional law, administrative law, business law and human rights law with pioneering work in the areas of intellectual property, digital technology, sexuality and gender, criminal, national security, and environmental law. Visit us at http://law.columbia.edu Follow us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/columbialaw	142,678
Posted by Brigham and Women's Hospital June 1, 2012 Most of us have seen an ultrasound image of a growing fetus. The use of sound waves to generate images in medicine is a widely employed technique that has been around for many years. More recently, however, doctors and researchers have been looking at ways to use high-intensity focused ultrasound to actually treat major diseases, including cancer. High-intensity focused ultrasound generates tissue-killing levels of heat using narrowly targeted spots of ultrasonic waves, and the technique is being employed to treat brain tumors, tremors, uterine fibroids, breast and bone tumors, and many other conditions. There are no surgical incisions involved in the treatment, and other imaging techniques, like magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, are used to precisely guide treatment and measure temperature changes in the tissue. “The beauty of this treatment is that it is a non-invasive way to effectively treat a wide range of medical issues,” explains Dr. Ferenc Jolesz, Co-Principal Investigator of the National Center for Image-Guided Therapy at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH). “It’s also very versatile, enabling us to reach certain areas that would not be possible through conventional surgery.” MR-guided focused ultrasound was pioneered at BWH by Dr. Jolesz and his team, and a BWH research program in focused ultrasound surgery is being led by Dr. Nathan McDannold. Currently, studies include the use of focused ultrasound to treat brain tumors, chronic pain, and tremors through a closed skull. Using lower doses of focused ultrasound, BWH researchers are also working to open the blood-brain barrier, a shield of tightly packed cells in the blood vessels that protects the brain but often prevents medications from reaching the brain to treat tumors and neurologic diseases. Dr. Clare Tempany, Co-Principal Investigator of the National Center for Image-Guided Therapy at BWH, was among the first to evaluate focused ultrasound treatment for uterine fibroids, now FDA approved for this purpose and performed at BWH. MR-guided focused ultrasound surgery is generally suitable for women with fibroids less than 10 cm in size, no extensive scarring from prior surgery, and no future plans for pregnancy. Other research areas for focused ultrasound include treatment for breast and bone tumors and cardiac arrhythmias. “The opportunities for this technology really are endless,” says Dr. Jolesz.– Jessica F	259,008
Over at community.redhat.com, the Red Hat community blog, I have posted an article detailing some of the value I see to customers of companies who support and build on free software. The article is basically notes from a presentation I will be giving next Wednesday at the Red Hat Summit, “Community Catalysts: The Value of Open Source Community Development”. The problem statement? It’s not always obvious, however, what the value of that is to our customers. The four freedoms of the free software definition which personify open source software – the freedom to use, study, modify and share modified copies of the software – at first glance appear to benefit only participants in open source communities. If you are a customer of a company like Red Hat, does it really matter that you have access to the source code, or that you can share the software with others? Aren’t customers, in some sense, paying us to “just take care of all of that stuff?” This line of thought is not original, but it’s one I’ve had for a long time – and others such as Simon Phipps have given voice to similar insights in the past. Hopefully I can give it a fresh treatment for Red Hat Summit attendees next week!	266,184
EMINENT among the scholars of the Restoration as the historian of Philosophy and the expounder of Aeschylus, Stanley had dedicated his youth to studies less severe, and is now principally remembered as the last of the old school of lyrists. Born into a younger generation than that of Waller and Denham, he really belongs, as a poet, to the age before them, and in him the series of writers called Metaphysical closes. Stanley is without the faults or the merits of his predecessors. His conceits are never violent or crude, though often insipid: but he has no flashes of music or sudden inspired felicities. He is a tamer and duller Herrick, resembling that writer in his versification, and following him at a distance in temperament and tone. Stanley was a very delicate and poetical translator; and he had the originality to select the authors from whom he translated according to his own native bias. He delighted in Moschus and Ausonius among the ancients, and in Joannes Secundus and Ronsard among the moderns; the world in which his fancy loved to wander was one of refined Arcadian beauty, rather chilly and autumnal, but inhabited by groups of nymphs and shepherds, who hung garlands of flowers on votive urns, or took hands in stately pensive dances. In no poet of the century is the negative quality of shrinking from ugliness and coarseness so defined as in Stanley. He constantly sacrifices strength to it, not as Habington sometimes did, from instinctive reticence and modesty of fancy, but from sheer over-refinement. Stanley makes a strange figure among the rough prosaic writers of the Restoration, and no poems of his have been preserved, except those of his youth. He probably ceased to write, and gave his intellect to less shifting studies, when he found the whole temper of the nation obstinately set against his inclination. He died in middle life, just when Lee and Otway were at the height of their vogue, and a few weeks before another great tradition in English poetry ceased at the death of Marvell.	114,767
This past October a petition appeared at my neighborhood Starbucks concerning the government shutdown. Starbucks Chairman and CEO Howard Schultz said he was circulating the petitions to his customers because of the “sad and striking realization that the American people have no platform with which to voice their frustration and outrage over the shutdown.” The petition stated: “To our leaders in Washington, DC, now’s the time to come together to: 1) Reopen our government to serve the people, 2) Pay our debts on time to avoid another financial crisis, and 3) Pass a bipartisan and comprehensive long-term budget deal by the end of the year.” Warning that we are “on a collision course with time,” Schultz said “the responsibility of a company of any kind is changing because we have to provide for employees, help the communities we serve, and, obviously, [because] the government is not providing the leadership it once did.” Next to the petition were some of Starbucks’ latest designer offerings—an $8.95 cinnamon-colored coffee mug, “Made in Thailand,” and a $9.95 glossy gray one, “Made in China.” Then there was the shiny new “Verismo System by Starbucks,” priced at $149 and billed as both “Swiss Engineered” and “Made in China.” Using pods, the Verismo System makes espressos, lattes, and regular coffee, light or bold. The Veranda Blend pods, $11.95 for twelve cups, were stamped “Coffee Roasted in the Netherlands, Coffee Packed in Germany.” It was the same with every other pod in the display—all packed in Germany and all designed to deliver the “single cup home café experience” via a Swiss-engineered machine made in China. CEO Schultz says that Starbucks doesn’t “want to ignore what we believe are our responsibilities in the communities we serve.” But hasn’t the company, for decades, ignored the possibility of having its coffee roasted or packed there, say in Detroit, Michigan, a community that’s served by Starbucks and sorely lacking in jobs? Today, the official unemployment rate of Detroit vastly understates the city’s economic collapse because half the people have left town and are no longer around to be counted as unemployed. From a peak of 1.8 million, Detroit’s population has dropped to 700,000. Further, a Detroit News survey in October 2012 found that 40 percent of Detroit’s residents planned to leave the city within the next five years, citing crime as the primary reason. In 2012, Detroit’s murder rate blasted its way into second place among the nation’s large cities. “Every problem in this city revolves around jobs,” explained Lindsay Chalmers, vice president of nonprofit Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit, a few years back. And now Detroit is bleeding to death, shot by shot, night by night, and Starbucks is sending its beans halfway around the world to get roasted by the Dutch and packed by Germans while its CEO says inspiring words about the company’s responsibility to help the communities it serves. Consider this: it takes 10,223 miles to get a coffee bean from Guatemala City to Amsterdam to Berlin to Detroit. Straight from Guatemala to Detroit, leaving out the European jaunt, it’s 1,900 miles. One might wonder about the prestige factor and if people would even pay Starbucks’ prices for coffee made in a struggling Midwestern city. Actually, “Coffee Roasted in Detroit” might be a good marketing tool, not unlike Starbucks’ attempts to increase sales by promoting its good neighbor efforts in paying Third World coffee farmers a fair price for their beans. They could start with just one made-in-Detroit blend and see how it competes with their other offerings. Call it Motor City Grind and put artistic musical notes and a stylish caricature of Diana Ross on the one-pound packages along with a picture of Henry Ford, a Mustang convertible, and a team photo of the Red Wings. Schultz says that Starbucks doesn’t want to ignore the responsibility it has to support the communities where it operates. The company could start by cutting the mileage on its globetrotting beans. On the streets of Detroit, the aroma of roasted coffee beans would certainly beat the smell of gunpowder.	176,119
From Abracadabra to Zombies \| View All argument from design "If there are any marks at all of special design in creation, one of the things most evidently designed is that a large proportion of all animals should pass their existence in tormenting and devouring other animals." --John Stuart Mill "I cannot persuade myself that a beneficent and omnipotent God would have designedly created the Ichneumonidae with the express intention of their feeding within the living bodies of Caterpillars, or that a cat should play with mice." --Charles Darwin The argument from design is one of the "proofs" for the existence of Abraham's god [AG]. In its basic form, this argument infers from the intelligent order and created beauty of the universe that there is an intelligent Designer and Creator of the universe. The argument has been criticized for begging the question: it assumes the universe is designed in order to prove that it is the work of a designer. The argument also suppresses evidence: for all its beauty and grandeur, the universe is also full of, well, to be delicate, let us say that the universe is also full of nasties. I suppose I should be more specific, but I think the reader knows the kind of thing I mean: babies born without brains, good people suffering monstrous tortures from ebola hemorrhagic fever, evil people basking in the sun and enjoying power, reputation, etc. Volcanoes erupting, earthquakes rattling the planet, hurricanes and tornadoes blindly wiping out thousands of lives a day. Is it unfair to call these things the nasties, what is blithely referred to by theists as non-moral evil or physical evil? To say, as many defenders of Design do, that these nasties only seem nasty to us because we are ignorant of AG's plan and vision and cannot know how good these nasties really are, is self-refuting. If we can't know what's good and what's not, we can't know whether the design, if any, is good or bad. One of the argument's more famous variations involves an analogy with a watch. William Paley (1743-1805), the Archdeacon of Carlisle, writes in his Natural Theology (1802): In crossing a heath, suppose I pitched my foot against a stone and were asked how the stone came to be there, I might possibly answer that for anything I knew to the contrary it had lain there forever; nor would it, perhaps, be very easy to show the absurdity of this answer. But suppose I had found a watch upon the ground, and it should be inquired how the watch happened to be in that place, I should hardly think of the answer which I had before given, that for anything I knew the watch might have always been there. The reason, he says, that he couldn't conceive of the watch having been there forever is because it is evident that the parts of the watch were put together for a purpose. It is inevitable that "the watch must have had a maker," whereas the stone apparently has no purpose revealed by the complex arrangement of its parts. One could, of course, attack Paley's argument at this point and say, as Clarence Darrow did, that some stones would be just as puzzling as a watch; for, they are complex and could easily have been designed by someone for some purpose we are unaware of, and, in any case "on close inspection and careful study the stone...is just as marvelous as the watch." Be that as it may, Paley's point was not that watches are inherently more interesting than stones. His point was that a watch could be seen to be analogous with the creation of the universe. The design of the watch implies an intelligent designer. This fact, says Paley, would not be diminished even if we discovered that the watch before us was the offspring (no pun intended) of another watch. "No one," he says, "can rationally believe that the insensible, inanimate watch, from which the watch before us issued, was the proper cause of the mechanism we so much admire in it--could be truly said to have constructed the instrument, disposed its parts, assigned their office, determined their order, action, and mutual dependency, combined their several motions into one result, and that also a result connected with the utilities of other beings." Paley then goes on to claim that "every manifestation of design which existed in the watch, exists in the works of nature, with the difference on the side of nature of being greater and more, and that in a degree which exceeds all computation." The implication is that the works of nature must have had a designer of supreme intelligence to have contrived to put together such a magnificent mechanism as the universe. According to Darrow, this 'implication' is actually an assumption. To say that a certain scheme or process shows order or system, one must have some norm or pattern by which to determine whether the matter concerned shows any design or order. We have a norm, a pattern, and that is the universe itself, from which we fashion our ideas. We have observed this universe and its operation and we call it order. To say that the universe is patterned on order is to say that the universe is patterned on the universe. It can mean nothing else.* The problem with Paley's analogy is that the belief that the universe shows orderliness and purpose is an assumption. One quality of a good analogical argument is that the characteristics cited as shared characteristics must be truly shared characteristics. If there is doubt that one of the items being compared (the universe) possesses the most significant shared characteristic (of being orderly and purposive), then the analogical argument is not a sound one. Another philosopher, David Hume (1711-1776), took up the design analogy a few years before Paley, in his Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion. One of the characters, Philo, suggests that "If the universe bears a greater likeness to animal bodies and to vegetables than to the works of human art, it is more probable that its cause resembles the cause of the former than that of the latter, and its origin ought rather to be ascribed to generation or vegetation than to reason or design." (Book VII) "The world," says Philo, "plainly resembles more an animal or a vegetable than it does a watch or knitting-loom. Its cause, therefore, it is more probable, resembles the cause of the former. The cause of the former is generation or vegetation. The cause, therefore, of the world we may infer to be something similar or analogous to generation or vegetation." Hume, apparently thought the analogy was a joke, but perhaps Paley is still laughing from that Great Carrot Patch in the Sky. I might find this watch analogy more convincing of Divine Purpose if, while observing it in his imaginary scenario, Paley's watch suddenly and for no reason shot a lightning bolt through his forehead. That would be more in harmony with the universe I have come to know and love. If the watch could give AIDS to anyone who touched it, or contaminate his progeny for endless generations, then I might be convinced that this watch is like the universe and indicative of a Grand Designer. the apparent designed order Finally, there is a common and popular argument that lists facts about nature that, if they were different, would mean that our planet or life on our planet would not exist. We wouldn't be here, it is noted, if the sun were just slightly farther away or half as powerful if the axis of the earth were slightly different if the moon were larger or closer or farther away if gravity weren't such a weak force if DNA didn't replicate if molecules were larger or smaller if there were sixty planets in our solar system if carbon didn't exist if the speed of light were half what it is if genetic mutation did not happen if the rotation of the earth were one-tenth of what it is Furthermore, look at all the signs of design: salmon, eels, birds, butterflies and whales are able to migrate and find the same breeding and feeding grounds year after year human reason which can conceive AG natural ecological systems One cannot deny the facts. If things were different then things would be different. But they aren't different, so what is the point of this argument? The sun will be unable to support life on this planet some day. It is already unable to support life on several other planets. What does this fact prove about design? Nothing. The axis of the earth has been different and will be different again. Someday this planet will be uninhabitable. What does that prove about design, intelligent or otherwise? Nothing. We can't deny that if millions of factors did not occur, we wouldn't be here. So what? Many of these factors did not exist in the past and will not exist in the future on this planet. There was a time when there was no life on this planet and there will be a time when no life exists here in the future. There was a time when this planet did not exist and there will be a time in the future when it will not exist. What does that prove about design? Nothing. There are countless planets that exist which do not have the conditions necessary for life. What do they prove about design? Nothing. One might argue that the odds are a billion billion to one that all these circumstances just happened to coincide that makes life on earth possible. But since we're here, the odds are 100% that it can happen. Cressy Morrison once argued Suppose you put ten pennies, marked from one to ten, into your pocket and give them a good shuffle. Now try to take them out in sequence from one to ten, putting back the coin each time and shaking them all again. Mathematically we know that your chance of first drawing number one is one in ten; of drawing one and two in succession, one in 100; of drawing one, two and three in succession, one in 1000, and so on; your chance of drawing them all, from number one to number ten in succession, would reach the unbelievable figure of one in ten billion. By the same reasoning, so many exacting conditions are necessary for life on the earth that they could not possibly exist in proper relationship by chance. The earth rotates on its axis 1000 miles an hour at the equator; if it turned at 100 miles an hour, our days and nights would be ten times as long as now, and the hot sun would likely burn up our vegetation each long day while in the long night any surviving sprout might well freeze. Morrison begs the question. The earth with life on it is here. The odds are 1/1 of its existing. In any case, if I had 20 billion years to pull ten numbered pennies out of my pocket, the odds of me drawing out the coins in sequence at least once are very good. But why chip away at this argument from rarity when we can use the sledgehammer? ... rarity by itself shouldn't necessarily be evidence of anything. When one is dealt a bridge hand of thirteen cards, the probability of being dealt that particular hand is less than one in 600 billion. Still, it would be absurd for someone to be dealt a hand, examine it carefully, calculate that the probability of getting it is less than one in 600 billion, and then conclude that he must not have been dealt that very hand because it is so very improbable. --John Allen Paulos, Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and its Consequences Are there naturalistic and mechanistic explanations for ecological systems and what is called "animal wisdom"? Of course. Does this prove they were not designed? Of course not. Nor does their existence prove design. Do we have to posit a god to explain how human reason came to exist with its ability to conceive of an infinite being? Of course not. Does this mean there is no god? Of course not. But it does mean that this argument from design is little more than an exercise in begging the question. It has to assume design in order to prove it. The Meaning of Life The theist thinks that life only makes sense if a god exists. Why then does it seem obvious to atheists that everything makes just as much if not more sense if there is no god? Why does the universe seem perfectly intelligible to the atheist as an undesigned mechanism governed solely by natural, impersonal forces? An atheist looks at the universe and what is known about it and sees that its alleged perfect order and design is pretty imperfect. They look at individual items which are wonderful in function but ridiculous in design and are led to think no omniscient being would design it this way. As Russell put it: who couldn't come up with a better world if given omnipotence, omniscience and billions of years to do it? An omniscient, omnipotent being might well be expected to use a much simpler and more effective design for the universe and most of the things in it. The very complexity and inherent defects of structures indicate, as Clarence Darrow noted, the lack of design and the result of natural forces working with no particular purpose in mind. You can use a complicated clamp to hold a few sheets of paper, but a paper clip is a much more elegant device for such a purpose. The orbits of the planets around our sun are a wonder to behold, but the asteroid belt, meteors, and comets crashing into planets is a strange touch for an omnipotent, all-good creator. A healthy child has no match for exultation and hopefulness, but conjoined twins and other "freaks" of nature, as well as myriad genetic birth defects, seem unworthy of benevolent design. The atheist sees a woman with a 200 pound tumor and thinks such a grotesque evil can't be allowed by an omnipotent, all-good god. But the patient and her parents think AG helped the surgeons remove it and save her life. They don't blame AG for the tumor but credit him with its removal. They may even maintain that AG had some fine and noble purpose in causing such suffering. The atheist finds such rationalization to be little more than ad hoc hypothesizing. The typical theistic response to the previous line of reasoning is to consider it impertinent. AG is not bound by human conceptions of perfection or adequate design. What may appear inelegant, inefficient or imperfect to us may be just right according to AG. But if one takes this line of reasoning to its logical conclusion, then we can safely say nothing about AG at all. I maintain that the minimum standard any god should be held to is what a reasonably competent group of intelligent humans could come up with. If this god can't do any better than that, then "perfection" has no meaning when applied to this being. If one maintains that the ways of gods are essentially inscrutable, then anything goes. A god could be anything, even pure evil, in that case. Scientists have discovered many things since Paley's day that strongly indicate a bottom-up design by natural evolution rather than a top-down design by an intelligent creator. On the one hand, there are some biological entities that indicate inept design if looked at as having been the work of a top-down all-knowing and all-powerful creator. We have a jaw that is not sufficiently large to accommodate all of our teeth, so that wisdom teeth have to be removed and other teeth straightened by an orthodontist. Our backbone is less than well designed for our bipedal gait, resulting in back pain and other problems in late life. The birth canal is too narrow for the head of the newborn to pass easily through it, so that millions of innocent babies—and their mothers—have died in childbirth throughout human history. I could go on about human features that betray a design that certainly is not intelligent. I will add only one more consideration. More than twenty percent of all human pregnancies end in spontaneous abortion during the first two months of pregnancy. That is because the human genome, the human reproductive system, is so poorly designed.* Other design defects are the vagus nerve in mammals (especially in giraffes), the blind spot due to nerves meeting in front of the retina, and the proximity of the apparatuses for breathing and for swallowing, and ... well you get the point. On the other hand, there are many things that appear to be beautifully designed from the top down that are actually the result of millions of years of small changes in simpler structures following no plan at all. From the beautiful crystalline structures of some rocks to the elaborate biological systems of mammals, small changes occurring by chance and randomly (but according to the laws of physics) eventuate in products that appear to have been designed according to some plan. Everything that exists is what is left over from a process where variation due to small changes over time led to some things becoming extinct and to others surviving. In the biological world, changes which enhanced survival and reproduction led to more and more complex organisms, which, after millions of years, appear to have been designed because of their many adaptive features. A believer in divine creation might think that a supernatural being, in order to have his creatures reproduce, created the penis and the vagina, as well as the strong sexual urge that drives humans to want to experience the pleasure that comes from joining the two sex organs and completing the act of coitus. There is no need for such a supposition, however. Mammals evolved from other creatures and so did the mammalian sex organs. Any creatures that mutated so that sex was not pleasurable or so that males lacked a penis and females lacked a vagina, would not have as good a chance at reproducing as their unmutated brethren. Humans weren't designed to have sex for the purpose of reproduction. Rather, some of our pre-human ancestors changed over time so that they were more successful at surviving and breeding than some of our other ancestors who went extinct. The earliest creatures had no sex organs at all. What we see today is the result of millions of small changes over millions of years. We don't see the failures, i.e., those whose mutations were harmful and reduced their chances of survival or reproduction because they didn't survive and reproduce. Richard Dawkins puts it this way: The patterns of distribution of living animals and plants on the continents and islands of the world is exactly what would be expected if they had evolved from common ancestors by slow, gradual degrees. The patterns of resemblance among animals and plants is exactly what we should expect if some were close cousins, and others more distant cousins to each other. The fact that the genetic code is the same in all living creatures overwhelmingly suggests that all are descended from one single ancestor. The evidence for evolution is so compelling that the only way to save the creation theory is to assume that [Abraham's god] deliberately planted enormous quantities of evidence to make it look as if evolution had happened. In other words, the fossils, the geographical distribution of animals, and so on, are all one gigantic confidence trick. Does anybody want to worship a god capable of such trickery? It is surely far more reverent, as well as more scientifically sensible, to take the evidence at face value. All living creatures are cousins of one another, descended from one remote ancestor that lived more than 3,000 million years ago. The argument from design, then, has been destroyed as a reason for believing in a god. Nature is as likely to produce a good as a poor design, for it has no intelligence and no purpose. Whatever survives and reproduces flourishes. Nature is also fickle—metaphorically speaking, of course. Traits that might enhance survival and reproduction in one environment might be detrimental in another setting. Nature has a way of altering habitats and environments with such things as ice ages, volcanism, hurricanes, floods, lightning fires, and the like. So, if at times certain creatures or parts of creatures appear to be unintelligently designed, that is because they weren't really designed at all. Nature is opportunistic rather than intelligent.* Likewise, just because some creatures or parts of creatures appear to be the result of some intelligent designer with a purpose in mind doesn't mean they were designed. The argument from design carried more weight before evolution by natural selection was discovered. That discovery would have provided Hume, for example, with much more devastating evidence against Paley's argument than his demonstration of the weakness of the analogy Paley was making. With natural selection there is no need to assume that the universe or the creatures living in it resemble anything in particular, including a divine creator. Nor is there any reason to suppose a divine creator to explain the apparent order and design in nature. There is no reason to suppose such a being, that is, if one understands the laws of physics. Still, can there be any idea more awe-inspiring than the idea of the universe forming by natural forces and evolving into this magnificent, unfathomable place whose mysteries scientists have been unraveling without the help of theologians? * "The Delusion of Design and Purpose," Clarence Darrow, from The Story of My Life (New York: Scribner and Sons, 1932), cited in Philosophy and Contemporary Issues, 6th ed., edited by John R. Burr and Milton Goldinger (New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., 1992), pp. 123-130. books and articles The Improbability of God by Richard Dawkins The Intelligent Design Movement by William A. Dembski A Delicate Balance by Russell F. Doolittle Last updated 29-May-2012	170,775
Subject: Kontras, et al: CTF Tarnishing the Spirit of “Friendship” of Commission of Truth and Friendship (CTF) Tarnishing the Spirit of “Friendship” of Both Nations Human Rights Working Group (HRWG), KontraS, ELSAM, IMPARSIAL, PBHI, Yayasan HAK and FORUM-ASIA have closely viewed the 19-21 February 2007 hearing process of the Commission of Truth and Friendship (CTF) as an instrument of impunity on cases of human rights violations that occurred in Timor Leste in 1999. In this context, we lay down essential reasons why the CTF process won’t benefit the people of Indonesia and Timor Leste in applying its transitional justice. Firstly, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that became the baseline of the CTF ignores the international principle of human rights, for instance, on offering amnesty with no due process of law and vague responsibility of the CTF in the future. This jeopardises both countries’ commitment at the international level, such as the conflict resolution taken up by Indonesia on rendering democratisation in Burma. It is also flawed, with the content in the MoU contradicting the pledges and commitments by Indonesia as a member of the UN Human Rights Council. Secondly, the CTF is not serious in exposing the bitter truth of human rights violations by not prioritising the perpetrators to attend the hearing process, although they have been identified by UN-sanctioned Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation - CAVR and Commission of Inquiry on East Timor - CIET. Instead, in the hearing, the commission categorized individuals into two groups. Group 1: Mr Ali Alatas (Former Foreign Minister of Indonesia) Mr F.X Lopes da Cruz, Mr Mariano Sabino (both from Timorese National Resistance Council – CNRT), Dr Sofian Effendi (Reactor of FORUM) and Mr Virgilio Guterres (Resistencia Nacional Dos Estudantes De Timor Leste – RENETIL) Group 2: Mr Mateus Carvalho (Leader of pro-Indonesia militia, AITARAK), Mr Emilio Barreto, Mr Manuel Ximenes and Mr Florindo de Jesus Brites (all survivors of massacres). Thirdly, until today, there has been no comprehensive explanation of “friendship” in the framework of transitional justice. In the glossary published by the commission, the definition of friendship is: “Good relation between two nations and the people is based on reconciliation and future-oriented as well as to promote contacts between people and people, innovative and cooperation to uphold peace and stability”. Supposedly, the product of friendship based on the CTF’s work should be excelled upon transitional justice. For example, cooperation and responsibility for victims’ rehabilitation, mutual solutions through information exchange, witnesses etc. to ensure all identified perpetrators of human rights violation are not spared from due process of law. The commission mandate as stipulated in the MoU is neither political nor cultural but based upon facts. Therefore, Human Rights Working Group (HRWG), KontraS, ELSAM, IMPARSIAL, PBHI, Yayasan HAK and FORUM-ASIA express our concern. We: - Demand both governments to reformulate the MoU based on the international principle of human rights as the guide, and taking into account people’s aspiration; justice, truth and reparation. - Demand the presidents of both nations to grant subpoena powers to the Commission of Truth and Friendship to order all identified perpetrators of human rights violations to attend the commission processes without excuses that linger on in the judiciary process. - Demand the Commission of Truth and Friendship to prioritise all identified perpetrators of past human rights violation to participate and cooperate at the hearing processes. - Demand Indonesia and Timor Leste, as well as the Commission of Truth and Friendship to not make any contradicting conclusions upon the hearing process, with the official information provided by both nations through KOMNAS HAM and the Commission of Inquiry in East Timor (CIET). Jakarta, Bangkok and Dili 23 February 2007 HRWG, KontraS, ELSAM, PBHI, IMPARSIAL, Yayasan HAK and FORUM-ASIA Comissão de Acolhimento, Verdade e Reconciliação de Timor Leste (CAVR) [Please note a more uptodate link is at International Commission of Inquiry on Timor Leste (CIET) webpage. http://www.ohchr.org/english/docs/ColReport-English.pdf Glossary of Terms No. 20, Persahabatan. http://www.ctf-ri-tl.org/ctf1/index.php The Commission for Dissapeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) Jl. Borobudur No. 14 Menteng Jakarta Pusat 10320 Indonesia phone : 62-21-3926983 fax : 62-21-3926821 email : firstname.lastname@example.org website : www.kontras.org mailinglist : email@example.com Back to February menu January 2007 menu World Leaders Contact List Main Postings Menu	50,058
How Much Do You Know About Your Wireless Phone? July 27, 2001 As wireless technology evolves, the capability of wireless phones continues to increase at a rapid pace. As a result, many people with newer phone models may not be familiar with all of the features. Not to be outdone by a certain late night TV talk show host, Verizon Wireless has developed a list of the "Top 12 Things You Didn't Know Your Wireless Phone May Do." For example: Keyguard: Enables you to lock the keypad while the phone is on, to avoid inadvertently making calls. One-minute audible timer: So you won't yammer on forever, you can set your phone to beep 10 seconds before the end of every minute during a call. And, not to appear rude, the person you are talking to won't hear the beeps. Speed Dial: You can program frequently dialed numbers into speed-dial to save time and as a safety measure while driving. Additionally some phones have 911 pre-programmed into one number on the keypad as a safety feature. Voice Activated Dialing: Your phone can be programmed to recognize and dial a number from the sound of your voice. "Phone Home." Built-in alarm clock: There's no need to rely on a hotel's wake-up service...or a rooster, for that matter. Quiet mode: You can turn your phone's keypad tones off, so you can dial without disturbing others around you. Many phones also have a mute button to drown out background noise on your terms. Wireless Internet: While you may know your wireless phone has Internet access, you may not know that it is capable of receiving more than just stock quotes and sports scores. Among the many web sites that you can access, your phone can be used to search retail comparison web sites to learn more about a product and compare prices. "Vibrate" mode: Calls can be received in vibrate mode to ensure that you are practicing good wireless phone etiquette by not disturbing others with a loud ring. Re-settable Timer: It has a built in meter. This allows you to track how much airtime you have accumulated during any time period you choose. Lots of Languages: You can change the language in the display. When in Rome... Illuminating Backlight: The backlight can stay on for a longer period of time so that you can easily dial the keypad. Night owls may find this feature particularly appealing., Fax Machine: With the right attachments, your wireless phone may receive faxes. How did you do? Keep in mind that all phones have different capabilities and not every model offers all of the features listed above. Please see your owner's manual or contact your wireless provider to see what your phone can do. It may surprise you. About Verizon Wireless Verizon Wireless is the largest wireless communications provider in the U.S. with more than 28 million wireless voice and data customers. The coast-to-coast wireless provider was formed by the combination of the U.S. wireless businesses of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD), including Bell Atlantic Mobile, AirTouch Cellular, GTE Wireless and PrimeCo Personal Communications. Verizon Wireless has a footprint covering more than 90 percent of the U.S. population, 49 of the top 50 and 97 of the top 100 U.S. markets. The company, headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, is 40,000 employees strong. Reporters and editors can find more information about the company on the Web at http://www.verizonwireless.com.	174,570
\|Take a look to my gallery!\| Self pity: one of the worst and most toxic feelings to avoid at all cost Nothing good will come of it (for extended periods of time). It’s like giving up, blaming everything but you, assuming you took no part in you miserable life. Not at all. This won’t help you, because in the end the only thing that really matters is achieving your mission and getting reward, yeah, your brain will reward you if you deserve it (drugs can help with this, but probably not in a good way). All the shitty thoughts you have boiling in your little head won’t serve anything if you don’t manage to bring them to the real world. Good or bad intentions and ideas, intense and frustrating feelings, rush of euphoria and happiness, all this is to make you act, move, interact with the environment. Think about it carefully and take action smartly. Because aside from all the written or unwritten rules, rights and duties there’s nothing left but you and what’s around you. There’s no law regulating what’s fair or unfair in nature, so don’t complain (this doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of existing human laws and rules, use them if they are useful to you and you have them at reach). Others may harm you (and society and the environment itself) just because they can and by doing it they get a reward bigger than the consequences of it, which may very well be zero. Empathy, pity and compassion are human things that help the group, but some individuals have few of it, or you are not part of their tribe, so they may be hostile individuals to avoid or to battle. So in the end what really matters is achieving your objective and ultimately surviving (in a worth way). Do what you can and use what you have to achieve what you want. And cheer the fuck up, this really helps, without will, there’s no future. Things may get better, or not at all, so you may be totally screwed, but you’ll never be sure of it if you don’t keep struggling to see what’s up in the future, so biology tells you to move on no matter what, because if you are not able, natural selection will do its job and as everyone alive dies, it won’t be that bad or embarrassing. Good luck and now hurry the hell up idle loser! #motivational shit, #random thoughts, #text, The wet rain soaked the sinful city as she bemused but uncaring contemplated it through the window. Numb by the long dull but tiring day she didn’t want to go to sleep but live a fulfilling adventure to compensate the frustrating day she just went through. She was already tired and not in the mood to really do anything, but she could not stand it, overcame the tiredness and grabbed her bag, some money and a raincoat. She left the apartment building, picked a bus to another city location, a darker not so fancy one, passed through some moldy dark alleys and found an averagely clean wall from an old factory. There she graffiti-sprayed her personal whimsical artwork and contemplated it for some minutes, silently, as she regained some self stem. Then, tired, she lost the attention for the graffiti and diluted it in the wet atmosphere. The rain still soaking and purifying the grey city, which seemed less noisy in that moment, water flowing down monoliths of concrete, down the alley and entering the drain. A frog shows up and stares her. She realized it and “pop”, she abandoned the relaxed contemplative state she had acquired for a moment and realized she was cold, wet, hungry and tired. Then a homeless who had been quietly looking at her working praised her work. Satisfied, she decided it was time to come back. As she hadn’t anything worth eating in the fridge, she stopped in a cheap Chinese restaurant/tavern to eat something fast and drink some spirit. She deserved it. The tavern looked like where mafia henchmen hanged out after work. But she did not care, she was fine with getting lost in the city and staying close to all its realities. After all she was sort of an artist. Someone who tried to enjoy or at least feel every inch of its freedom. After the meal she went back to her apartment, for a moment she thought it would have been wiser to eat something more suited for an easy digestion and good sleep, but she forget about it and exhausted, got naked, brushed teeth, had a hot shower and went to bed to embrace the sweetest sleep.	285,161
posted on August 06, 2012 15:23 The VA of Western New York will hold a “My HealtheVet” Day this Wednesday. The initiative is to educate veterans about a system that gives them access to their personal health records. "My HealtheVet" is an online resource where vets can log-on and ask non-urgent medical questions, sign-up to have their prescriptions automatically refilled and can set up reminders for doctor’s visits. Coordinator Sue Genova said local veterans can visit the Batavia VA medical center on Wednesday to learn more. “You can see your VA chemistry, hematology results. If you were to get blood drawn today they would be available in your account seven days after the results are verified. You would actually be able to see the value, the range, and you can read about what the test is all about. So there is access and information through my ‘HealtheVet’,” said Genova. Genova said don’t be discouraged if you don’t have internet access at home. She said veterans without internet can use the site at their local library or in the waiting room of the Batavia VA medical center.	175,611
Current Affairs is the most important area in all competitive exams. But the difficulty level is very high. That’s why; many aspirants get confused, how to select Current Affairs for Preparation of Competitive Examination? In this Post, Daily Current Affairs 16 November 2022, we have tried to cover each and every point and also included all important facts from National/ International news that are useful for upcoming competitive examinations such as UPSC, SSC, Railway, State Govt. etc. Current Affairs for Competitive Exam – 16 November 2022 International Day for Tolerance 2022: Every year, the International Day for Tolerance is observed on 16 November to raise awareness about the importance of tolerance in society. The day is specifically recognized to educate people about the harmful consequences of intolerant society and its impact on the nation. International Day of Tolerance: Significance The significance of celebrating the day is to raise awareness about the tolerance and its impact on cultures and socio-economic groups. Tolerance should be promoted on both personal as well as professional level to make the world a better place to live. Tolerance and non-violence are essential criteria for cohabitation. The goal of the day is to get people to appreciate the beauty of many viewpoints, ethnicities, faiths, and ideologies while also recognising the cultural diversity that exists. The main goals of this global movement are to promote the behaviour of respecting others’ rights and freedoms and to inform people about the negative repercussions of intolerance. International Day of Tolerance: History The International Day for Tolerance has a long history. In 1996, the UN General Assembly passed Resolution 51/95 designating November 16 as International Day for Tolerance. Following the adoption of a Declaration of Principles on Tolerance by the Member States of UNESCO on November 16, 1995, this step was taken. The Declaration declares that tolerance is neither indulgence nor indifference. It is a respect for and appreciation of the wide range of cultures, modes of expression, and way of expressing humanity. The fundamental liberties and inherent rights of people are acknowledged through tolerance. Because people are naturally different, only tolerance can guarantee the survival of mixed-race communities across the globe. National Press Day 2022: National Press Day is observed on November 16 every year to acknowledge and honour the Press Council of India (PCI). The day marks the presence of an independent and responsible press in the country. The Press Council of India also examines the quality of reportage of the Indian press and keeps a check on journalistic activities. National Press Day: Significance of Press Freedom Independent Press is often called the voice of the voiceless, a connecting link between the all-powerful rulers to the downtrodden ruled. It brings out the ills and malaise of the system and helps the government find the solutions to these, in the process strengthening the values of the democratic system of governance. No wonder why it’s called one of the four pillars of a strong democracy, and the only one where commoners directly participate. The other 3 are the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary – a gang of select few. The council is extremely important to India as it was inherently constructed to protect the fourth pillar of a democracy, that is, the free press. Hence, it works consistently to ensure that the credibility of journalism is not compromised. National Press Day: History In the year 1956, the First Press Commission decided to form a body with statutory authority which has the responsibility of maintaining the ethics of journalism. The Commission felt that a managing body was required in order to connect with the people of the press and also to arbitrate on any issues that arose. On November 16, 1966, the PCI was formed. Since then, November 16 has been designated as National Press Day in India to commemorate the council’s founding. According to the Press Council of India’s official website, the council is traditionally chaired by a retired Supreme Court Judge and 28 additional members of which 20 are members of the media outlets operating in India. Five members are nominated from the Houses of the Parliament and the remaining three represent cultural, legal and literary fields. Gagan Narang, Mary Kom, PV Sindhu & Mirabai elected as IOA Athletes Commission member: MC Mary Kom, PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, and Gagan Narang are four Olympic medalists who were chosen as members of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Athletes Commission, which consists of 10 distinguished athletes. All the 10 elected members of the apex body, five men and as many women, won unopposed in the polls. Under the new constitution of the Indian Olympic Association which was adopted on November 10, the athletes commission is to have equal representation of male and female members. Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Athletes Commission: Other six members The remaining 6 members of the elected panel are winter Olympian Shiva Keshavan, table tennis player Sharath Kamal, women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal, fencer Bhavani Devi, rower Bajrang Lal, and former shot putter Om Prakash Singh Karhana. All the 10 members, out of which five are female, are Olympians. Keshavan is the only Winter Olympian. The immediate task of the Athletes Commission would be to identify eight Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) who would then be voting members of the IOA’s General Assembly. One of the criteria is that the sportsperson should have retired from the sport, and should have won a medal in the Olympics, Asian Games or Commonwealth Games. India’s first individual Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra and former India hockey team captain Sardar Singh will complete the 12-member athletes commission in their capacity as members of the corresponding bodies of the International Olympic Committee and Olympic Council of Asia respectively. Both of them will have voting rights. NMDC Sweeps PRCI Excellence Awards 2022: National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) bagged the Champion of Champions Award, sweeping the 16th PRCI Global Communication Conclave 2022, to bring home fourteen Corporate Communication Excellence Awards. The awards were presented at the Global Communication Conclave organised by Public Relations Council of India (PRCI) in Kolkata on 12th November ,2022. NMDC won Gold awards for Most Resilient Company of the Year; Internal Communication Campaign, Corporate Brochure; Best PSE Implementing CSR. In the categories of Best Use of CSR for Childcare, Corporate Community Impact, Best Corporate Event, Special HR Initiatives, Annual Report, and Arts, Culture & Sports Campaign, it received Silver Awards. It also won Bronze Awards for Visionary Leadership; Website of the Year; Innovative Environmental Program and Consolation Award for Best Use of Social Media. About the National Mineral Development Corporation: Incorporated in 1958 as a Government of India public enterprise, NMDC is India’s largest producer of iron ore. Since inception, the corporation under the administrative control of the Ministry of Steel, has been involved in the exploration of a wide range of minerals including copper, rock phosphate, limestone, magnesite, diamond, tungsten and beach sands amongst others in some of the most remote corners of the country. Pan-India Coastal Defence Exercise Sea Vigil-22 Commenced: The third edition of the ‘Pan-India’ Coastal Defence Exercise ‘Sea Vigil-22’ will be conducted from 15 to 16 November 2022. This National Level Coastal Defence Exercise was conceptualized in 2018 to validate various measures that have been instituted towards enhancing maritime security since ‘26/11’. In January 2021, the second edition of Sea Vigil was held. Coastal Security being a major sub-set of Coastal Defence construct, the concept of ‘Sea Vigil’ is to activate the Coastal Security apparatus across India and assess the overarching Coastal Defence mechanism. Pan-India Coastal Defence Exercise Sea Vigil-22 Commenced- Key Points The exercise is being undertaken along the entire 7516 km coastline and Exclusive Economic Zone of India. It involves all the coastal states and union territories along with other maritime stakeholders, including the fishing and coastal communities. The exercise is being conducted by the Indian Navy in coordination with the Coast Guard and other ministries entrusted with the task of maritime activities. The scale and conceptual expanse of the exercise are unprecedented in terms of the geographical extent, the number of stakeholders involved, the number of units participating, and in terms of the objectives to be met. The exercise serves as a lead-up to the major Theatre Level Readiness Operational Exercise (TROPEX), which is carried out by the Indian Navy every two years. Sea Vigil and TROPEX together will cover the entire spectrum of Maritime Security challenges. Assets of the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, Customs, and other maritime agencies will participate in Ex Sea Vigil. Kenyan Runner Renju Gets Five Years Doping Ban: Keneth Kiprop Renju, winner of the Prague half-marathon in April, has been banned for five-year as the latest in a long list of Kenyan athletes suspended for suspected doping. Keneth Kiprop Renju, who is 26-year-old has been banned for the “presence/use of a prohibited substance (Methasterone)”. Kenyan Runner Renju Gets Five Years Doping Ban A total of 54 Kenyan athletes have been banned for doping including Keneth Kiprop Renju. The East African country is third on the list by the Athletics Integrity Unit of most athlete suspensions due to doping. India is ranked second on the list with 62 suspensions, and Russia is at the top with 87 athletes. Renju’s ban is backdated to May 13 and all his results since March 20 have been annulled. He also won the Lisbon half-marathon on May 8. Kenya’s athletics reputation is again taking a pummelling after the suspension this year of an unusually large number of long-distance runners. Among the top names suspended are 2021 Boston marathon champion Diana Kipyokei and marathon and mountain racer Mark Kangogo. Bank of Maharashtra tops PSU lenders’ list in Q2 Credit Growth : According to published quarterly numbers of public sector banks (PSBs), Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) has emerged as the top performer among public sector lenders in terms of loan growth in percentage terms during the second quarter of 2022-23. BoM has recorded a 28.62% increase in gross advances at Rs 1,48,216 crore at the end of September 2022. Union Bank of India came in second with an increase of 21.54 percent to Rs 7,52,469 crore. The largest lender in the nation, State Bank of India, took third place with an 18.15% increase in gross advances. However, SBI’s total loans were almost 17 times higher at Rs 25,47,390 crore as compared to Rs 1,48,216 crore of BoM in absolute terms. BoM had the highest increase of 22.31 percent in Retail-Agriculture-MSME (RAM) loans during the reviewed period, followed by Bank of Baroda with 19.53 percent and SBI with 16.51 percent. BoM led the list for low-cost Current Account Savings Account (CASA) deposits with 56.27 percent, followed by Central Bank of India at 50.99 percent. BoM and SBI with 3.55 per cent Net Interest Margin (NIM), a key profitability parameter, stood at the top among PSBs. Bank of India and Central Bank of India came in second and third, respectively, with 3.49 and 3.44 percent. It was followed by Union Bank of India, State Bank of India. Jaipur International Airport receives Aerodrome licence from DGCA : Jaipur International Airport Limited has received the Aerodrome licence from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) following which the airport has embarked on an expansion drive, a company official said. November 2022 Current Affairs Quiz Earlier, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) was the licence holder. Now the private player, which is operating the Jaipur airport since October 2021, has become the new licence holder. The licence is given to an airport operator for ensuring complete management of the airport in accordance with the concession agreement. Gaurav Dwivedi appointed as Prasar Bharati CEO : Gaurav Dwivedi, an IAS (Indian Administrative Services) officer of the 1995 batch, has been appointed chief executive officer of state broadcaster Prasar Bharati. “In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of Section 4 of the Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Act, 1990 read with sub- section (4) of Section 4 and sub-section (2A) of Section 6 of that Act, the President, on the recommendation of the Selection Committee, is pleased to appoint Shri Gaurav Dwivedi, IAS(CH: 95) as the executive member (chief executive officer} in Prasar Bharati with effect from the date he assumes charge of the office, for a term of five years,” the ministry of information and broadcasting said in a statement on Monday. Dwivedi is an IAS officer of the 1995 batch of the Chhattisgarh Cadre. He has worked in various capacities in states like Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. He has also been a faculty member at the IAS Training Academy, LBSNAA (Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration), Mussoorie. He is currently posted as chief executive officer, MyGov, ministry of electronics and information technology and is responsible for managing the Indian government’s citizen engagement platform. He is a recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Administration. Presently, he is posted as Principal Secretary, Commercial Tax, in the Chhattisgarh government. Prior to this, he was also served as the CEO of MyGovIndia, which was launched by PM Narendra Modi in 2014. Prasar Bharati founded: 23 November 1997; HQ: New Delhi G7 launches climate ‘Shield’ fund : The G7 nations has launched a plan named ‘Global Shield’ at the 27th UN Climate Change Conference on November 14, 2022. A G7-led plan dubbed “Global Shield” to provide funding to countries suffering climate disasters was launched at the U.N. COP27 summit on Monday, although some questioned the effectiveness of the planned scheme. Coordinated by Group of 7 president Germany and the V20 group of climate-vulnerable countries, it aims to rapidly provide pre-arranged insurance and disaster protection funding after events such as floods, droughts and hurricanes hit. Backed by 170 million euros ($175.17 million) in funding from Germany and 40 million euros from other donors including Denmark and Ireland, the Global Shield will in the next few months develop support to be deployed in countries including Pakistan, Ghana, Fiji and Senegal when events occur. It is coordinated by Germany and the V20 group. The V20 refers to the Vulnerable Twenty Group of Ministers of the Climate Vulnerable Forum.	180,257
CD4+ T-cells are central to the development of effective adaptive immune responses;however, like other lymphocytes, CD4+ T-cells are susceptible to cellular senescence. Senescent T-cells are characterized by shortened telomeres, reduced proliferative capacity, as well as altered cytokine production, signaling pathways and a host of other functional defects. Based on our preliminary data, we hypothesize that HIV-1 infection leads to accelerated senescence within the naive CD4+ T-cell compartment. Using CD31 to divide the naive CD4+ T-cells into CD27+CD45RA+CD31+ and CD27+CD45RA+CD31- subpopulations, we have shown that HIV-1 infection is associated with an accelerated decline in (a) the absolute number of cells within both subsets (b) telomere length within both subsets, and (c) telomerase activity within the CD27+CD45RA+CD31+ subset. Indeed, by these criteria, the naive CD4+ T-cell compartment in HIV-1 infected, ART naive, men closely resembles that of seronegative men 20 to 30 years their senior. Although the CD27+CD45RA+CD31+ population represents the naive CD4+ T-cell subset with the least proliferative history, telomere shortening in this subset is significant, suggesting that mechanisms other than increased T-cell turnover may be operative. If, as in aging, the shorter telomeres correlate with decreased functional capacity, the senescence of the naive CD4+ T-cell compartment may have a profound impact on the ability of the individual to mount effective immune responses, not only to HIV-1, but also to other pathogens, as well as vaccines and neoplasms. Moreover, if the well-documented age-related deficits in naive CD4+ T-cells synergizes with the effects of HIV- 1 infection on this compartment, as suggested by our preliminary data, this may contribute to the observed increased rate of disease progression in older persons. If not reversed by ART, these defects could also have important implications for the successful aging of HIV-1 infected, ART treated, individuals. The proposed studies will provide a more comprehensive understanding of the functional significance of the shorter telomeres in this naive CD4+ T-cell compartment (Aim 1) the mechanisms behind this shortening (Aim 2) and the potential for ART to reverse these defects (Aim 3). PUBLIC HELATH By understanding how age and HIV-1 impact the immune system, we may identify mechanisms of aging that can be targeted by therapeutic strategies increasing the health of both HIV-1 infected individuals and the elderly. \|Effros, Rita B (2012) Editorial: T cell memory, bone marrow, and aging: the good news. J Leukoc Biol 91:185-7\| \|Rickabaugh, Tammy M; Kilpatrick, Ryan D; Hultin, Lance E et al. (2011) The dual impact of HIV-1 infection and aging on naive CD4 T-cells: additive and distinct patterns of impairment. PLoS One 6:e16459\| \|Hoffman, Risa M; Jamieson, Beth D; Bosch, Ronald J et al. (2011) Baseline immune phenotypes and CD4+ T lymphocyte responses to antiretroviral therapy in younger versus older HIV-infected individuals. J Clin Immunol 31:873-81\| \|Rickabaugh, Tammy M; Jamieson, Beth D (2010) A challenge for the future: aging and HIV infection. Immunol Res 48:59-71\|	107,108
The Lives of Wild Animals Book #2: Educational Version by Caitlind L. Alexander There are many amazing animals in the world. Some are funny and some are strange. This book will tell about 7 animals. Each covers: What is it, where does it live, what does it eat, who are its enemies, how are babies born and raised, and some fun facts. This is a compilation of seven of our popular 15-Minute Books. It contains tigers, giraffes, wolves, cougars, badgers, reindeer, and rabbits.	82,547
Before there were fancy flat irons and curling irons, there were rollers. We may think this is an old school hair styling trick but rollers actually give hair a healthy and full look. Plus, rollers help to cut styling time in half and give you bouncy, vibrant curls as the end result. Ceramic rollers can also be used. Although they contain heat, the heat is far less intense than that of a flat iron or curling iron. - Before bed, part your hair into several even sections. - Roll each section of hair with the rollers. It is optional to dampen hair before setting the rollers. (This will help hair stay in place while you sleep but is not mandatory to do in the process.) - Sleep with rollers in overnight and in the morning take out the rollers. Style to your liking and complete the look with a little hairspray to hold the curls in place all day long. Many of us use hair bands as a headband to keep hair out of our faces during the day but there are plenty of other uses for hair bands including creating heatless curls. This curling option can also be done before bed to cut down on styling time in the morning as well as create sassy, wavy curls that don’t require heat. - Brush hair then put the elastic hair band around your hair. Depending on how big you want your curls, you must choose the right sized band. For example, thicker bands create thicker curls while thinner bands create thinner curls. - Once the band is placed around your head, slightly touching your forehead, begin to take small sections of hair and wrapping them around the band one at a time. You want to loop the section of hair around and through the hair band. To get wavier curls, dampen hair before beginning the process. - Repeat the above step until all your hair is wrapped around the hair band. - In the morning, remove the hair band and you will have a head full of heatless curls! Proceed to style to your liking if needed. Although this technique does require some heat, the perm papers work to reduce possible heat damage or other affects caused by heated styling tools. And in case you were wondering, perm papers are small strips of paper used when applying a perm, however as we see here, there are other uses for perm papers. - Grab a handful of perm papers to have on hand while styling your hair. - Part hair into sections and before curling each piece, place a piece of perm paper at the ends of your hair. Then fold the perm paper and curl your hair as you normally would. - Take the curling iron out of your hair then remove the perm paper. You will still get curly results minus damaged ends. Purchase these products at www.BigDaddyBeauty.com	185,627
What lessons can be learned from Eiichiro Oda's Nami that can be applied to Catwoman? When you do writing, you should never underestimate just how important your origin story can have for a character. It's your guiding light for most of your character's behavior. Often time when you are reading a story and the behavior doesn't fit. It's more likely that the author doesn't take into consideration the origin. It's just seems sad that far too often major publishers treat origin stories as throwaways. How else do you explain how that embarrassing Nocenti BATMAN RETURNS rip-off for Catwoman getting past DC editorial? Of all the stories they had to work from, they went with the one even the porn parody used. That origin story doesn't explain a bloody thing about the character so many of us enjoy. Originally, I didn't intended to write another blog post about Catwoman. I've already written several and felt I had vented enough. However, reading Sara's latest editorial "Catwoman Then And Now: How Much Has Changed?" got me thinking about the directions Selina's book should be taking. So far, all she's being is a thief with no real goal or direction. I really think she could really bloom in the role of a problem solver for the people who fall through the cracks. Gotham may be a corrupt city, but just becasue you aren't clean doesn't mean you're filthily. In other words, angels aren't the only ones who are victims of crimes, but who's there to help them? Are the cops of Gotham going to care if some gangster is kidnapping strippers and selling them on the slave trade overseas, using the unseen street kids as drug mules, or if a gangster's child it kidnapped by rivals? Sure, Jim Gordon would, but he can't be everywhere, and Batman is busy with super criminals, such as Joker and Court of Owls. These people living in the shadows of Gotham fall through the cracks. Catwoman could be the perfect hero for these people, but what's her motivation to do so? Catwoman has had so many different origins. Some have her with the life of a prostitute, as told in Frank Miller's BATMAN: YEAR ONE; and others have her as just growing up as a random thief. A theme you often notice is whenever writers have tried to "clean up" Selina's origin it makes her character seem more aimless. I pose it's becasue you don't understand why she's doing the things she does. Why does she suddenly care about the people in the seedy side of the city? Where is the attachment? If it's just some sense of altruism, why is that kind of person a thief? You'd lose the fun loving bad girl with a heart of gold, and raises too many questions about her motivations. I personally never found Miller's prostitute origin offensive, because he never showed her as the stereotype. She was strong, willful, and she stood up for her friend Holly to leave. Growing up as a member of that social group gives her an attachment and motivation to look after them. She knows from personal experience that there is both bad and good to be found in them. People aren't black and white but shades of grey. She wants to see justice for them, becasue she knows no one else will do it. Similar to the reason Batman goes out at night. There is actually a character in manga that I think shares a lot of similarities with Selina. Now, I know some of you see me use the word "manga" and stop listening. Well, just get over your irrational fear and hatred of manga for five minutes. I'm trying to make a point here. In the ONE PIECE series, created by Eiichiro Oda, there is a character named Nami. She's the navigator of the Straw Hat Pirates, and she's also known as Cat-Burglar Nami. She's playful, smart, loves money and treasure, sometimes ill tempered, but also has a heart of gold. Sound like someone familiar? Nami's origin is that of a war orphan who was adopted by a young woman, Bellemere; and she loved to draw maps. When Nami was ten, the evil pirate Arlong took over her home island and murdered her mother in front of her. Arlong forced Nami to work for him as a map maker by telling her that if she could pay him 100,000,000 berries* (*the OP currency, equivalent to the yen) he would free her home. When not being forced to draw Arlong's charts, Nami would then go out and steal from pirates to get the money. Little by little for nearly eight years. Robbing such a dangerous group means she had to get good fast. I'm not going to go into the details of the outcome when the villain naturally betrayed this promise. Go read her Comic Vine page to learn more. This origin explains why she's such a good thief, and why on her adventures she's always been protective of children. She knows what it's like to be scared, suffering, and not have anyone around to save her. Nami coming to the rescue of children is highlighted in the current Punk Hazard story arc. Nami and much of the crew are captured on an abandoned island, Punk Hazard; and wake up in a locked cell. They break free and run into a room filled with children, both very large and small. They're being chased, but the kids suddenly ask for help. The children have been experimented on by Caesar Clown and lied to that they were sick. Their parents told that they had died in an accident. No one is coming to save them. Check out the scene in the images below. (remember to read right to left) (Just a bit of FYI, when the girl calls Nami "big sis" what she's actually saying is "Nē-chan". While it does mean "elder sister". It's also a generic term used when talking to young women.) Is there anything more heartbreaking than a child crying out for help? Most of the Straw Hats are reluctant but willing to leave these children behind to avoid capture, but Nami puts her foot down and demands they help her free them from these labs. What comes is one of my favorite scenes of Nami standing strong. I can't wait for this volume to come to the US. Everything about Nami's actions here makes sense for her motivation based on her origin. She lost the mother she loved, and thus can't stand the idea of other children suffering without their parents. This is the sort of direction that could be great for Catwoman, but you need to create an origin that connects her in some way with the sort of people she's out there saving. Making her just another Robin Hood cliche isn't that interesting or unique. She shouldn't be so much a rob from the rich and give to the poor, than a rob from the rich and cuts the poor in on a percentage. Nami is very open that the two things she loves are money and mikans (a kind of orange that are a Japanese symbol of prosperity and wealth). It's a joke that the two things she loves are money and more more. That still doesn't stop her from standing for what she thinks is right. It's just so frustrating that it's becasue of Nocenti's half-baked origin story that it seems impossible to get the Catwoman we love back. This is suppose to be the frame work for all those that follow her run. The OLIVER TWIST kleptomaniac with some serious self esteem issues and licked my alley cats. If you'd like to read some of my previous Catwoman blogs. You can find them here: - The Real Catwoman Disappears from DC Comics - What Batman & Catwoman Can Teach Us. - Arkham City: Catwoman Theme History	106,574
Palenque Palenque! Champeta Criolla & Afro Roots in Colombia 1975-91 (Soundway Records, 2010) This outstanding collection reveals the new hybrid Afro Colombian music known as champeta criolla that was developed in Barranquilla and Cartagena (Caribbean Colombia) in the 1970s. Champeta was created when local DJs and “picos” (sound systems, sometimes mounted on trucks and vans) introduced recordings from Africa and the Caribbean, genres such as highlife, afrobeat, compas, and soukous. By the early 1980s, local musicians had developed their own type of African rooted music, creating a form of percussion heavy Colombian Afrobeat music that sometimes incorporates Afro Colombian styles such as cumbia. The music selection on Palenque Palenque!, which ranges from 1975-1991 is excellent and provides a wide overview of the vitality of champeta criolla. The album was co-compiled by Colombian producer Lucas Silva of Palenque Records and Miles Cleret of Soundway Records. The vinyl version comes as a triple LP with two extra bonus tracks. Palenque Palenque! is an irresistible album of some of the best Afro Colombian made in the Caribbean coast of Colombia. 1. Manuel Alvarez y Sus Dangers – Esclavo Moderno 2. Cassimbas Negras – Bumburumbumbum 3. Abelardo Carbonó y su Conjunto – Palenque 4. Son Palenque – Tungalala (El Sapo) 5. Cumbia Siglo XX – Naga Pedale 6. Wganda Kenya – Pim Pom 7. Banda Los Hijos de La Niña Luz – Dejala Corre 8. Pedro Beltran – Puyalo Ahi 9. Cumbia Moderna De Soledad– Tetero 10. Abelardo Carbonó y su Conjunto – Quiero a Mi Gente 11. Lisandro Meza y su Conjunto – Shacalao 12. Son Palenque – Palengue Palengue 13. Abelardo Carbanó – La Negra Kulengue 14. La Tromba – Calaba Calabao 15. Los Soneros de Gamero – Katunga 16. Rabel y su Grupo – Manaye 17. La Nelda Pina – El Sucusu 18. Wganda Kenya – El Lobo 19. Son Palenque – Dame Un Trago 20. Grupo Palma Africana – La Botellita 21. Wganda Kenya – Yoro Buy the album	261,082
Death Of The (Predatory) Salesman: These Days, It's A Buyer's Market The familiar image of the salesman in American culture hasn't always been a flattering one. Just think of Alec Baldwin as the verbally abusive "motivator" of two real estate salesmen in Glengarry Glen Ross. Daniel H. Pink, author of the new book To Sell is Human, says that this relentless, predator-style approach to selling has become outdated. He believes that the art of sales has changed more in the past 10 years than it did in the previous century. Pink joins NPR's David Greene to talk about the effect the Internet has had on selling and why he believes almost all American white-collar workers are now in sales. On why the brutal, Glengarry Glen Ross style of selling has become outdated "Well, most of what we know about sales was built for a world of information asymmetry — the seller always had more information than the buyer. Twenty years ago, when [David] Mamet wrote that play that [was] made into a movie, when you walked into a Chevy dealer, the Chevy dealer knew a heck of a lot more about cars than you ever could ... you didn't have the adequate information. And so this is why we have the principle of caveat emptor, buyer beware. You gotta beware when the other guy knows a lot more than you. "Well, something curious has happened in the last 10 years in that you can walk into a car dealership with the invoice price of the car, something that even the salesmen/women at car dealers didn't know too long ago. And so in a world of information parity, or at least something close to it, we've moved — caveat emptor is still good advice, but equally good advice for the sellers is caveat venditor, seller beware." On why he thinks "we're all in sales" "There's an idea out there that salespeople have actually been obliterated by the Internet, which is just not supported by the facts. In 2000 ... about 1 in 9 American workers worked in sales. That is, their job was to convince someone else to buy something. So then, what's happened over the last 12 years? Explosion of new technologies. Today, 1 in 9 American workers works in sales. But I think what's interesting is that if you look at that other 8 in 9, they're in sales, too. That is, a huge percentage of what white-collar workers do on the job is what I call nonsales selling — persuading, influencing, convincing other people to part with resources. Pitching ideas in meetings, asking the boss for a raise, trying to raise money from investors. And so, at some level, we're all in sales now." On why the best salespeople are "ambiverts," not extroverts "We have this myth that extroverts are better salespeople. As a result, extroverts are more likely to enter sales; extroverts are more likely to get promoted in sales jobs. But if you look at the correlation between extroversion and actual sales performance — that is, how many times the cash register actually rings — the correlation's almost zero. It's really quite remarkable. "Let's think about a spectrum, and say, on a scale from 1 to 7, where 1 is extremely introverted, 7 is extremely extroverted: The 6s and 7s — the people who get hired, the gregarious, backslapping types of the stereotype — they're not very good. OK, now, why? ... They're just spending too much time talking. ... They don't know when to shut up. They don't listen very well; they're not attuned to the other person; they sometimes can overwhelm people. "Now ... does that mean that introverts are better? No. The 1s and 2s, they're not very good either. They often are not assertive enough. They're skittish about striking up conversations. What this new research — and it's very exciting, it's accepted for publication but actually not published yet — [says] is the people who do the best are what social psychologists call ambiverts. ... Not totally extroverted, not totally introverted. The 3s, 4s, and 5s. They know when to shut up; they know when to speak up. They know when to push; they know when to hold back. And so the best people at convincing, persuading others, whether in a traditional sales environment or in these other kinds of environments, are these ambiverts." On the link between improvisational theater skills and selling "One of the abilities that matters most is this ability of improvisation — that is, if your perfectly attuned, superclear pitch goes awry, as it will, how do you respond? And the principles of improvisational theater help us out on that, things like saying 'Yes, and' instead of 'Yes, but,' ... It's constructive rather than deconstructive. "[In one improvisational exercise] I had to sit face-to-face with this actually pretty senior executive at a television network, and he had to tell me something that was bothering him, and I had to look him in the eye when he told me that, but I couldn't respond to him for 15 seconds. ... The idea ... is that we tend to move too quickly, and what the best salespeople of any kind know is that it's really about listening; it's really about understanding the other person's perspective, hearing what they're really saying, and one really profound way to do that is to slow down." Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.	97,724
The plans-reliefs project was initiated around 2007 by Philippe Prévôt, who is in charge of “patrimoine historique” (heritage sites) at Bordeaux Office de Tourisme, as well as being a renowned author of articles and books about the city’s lesser-known stories. Prévôt had been inspired by a 3-D map in Florence, Italy, and thought his friend François Didier would be the right man for the job, as the sculptor had already produced scale models of towns in the past. The idea soon gained the support of the city council who would go on to commission the works in partnership with the Office de Tourisme. \|François Didier with one of the preliminary models of Porte Cailhau.\| The accessibility issue was an important one: part of the raison d’être of the maps was to provide visually-impaired or physically-disabled visitors with a feel of the sights which surround them. To obtain the best possible results, François Didier therefore worked in close conjunction with representatives of GIPHP (Groupement pour l'Insertion des Personnes Handicapées Physiques) and UNADEV (Union Nationale des Aveugles et déficients Visuels) throughout the conception phase. \|The Pey-Berland plan-relief on Place Jean-Moulin, including a fine view of Fort du Hâ (bottom right). Note the small spheres used to avoid sharp points at the top of the cathedral spires and Tour Pey-Berland (top left).\| Work was carried out first on the Pey-Berland district map, followed by Place de la Comédie and Place du Palais: “The various monuments were reproduced with the use of maps, plans and the expert input of authoritative local historian Robert Coustet, but I refrained from using Google imaging which actually provides an inaccurate and distorted view of reality.” First François Didier drew pictures of the monuments, then he went on to produce the wax models. One of the high points came at this stage when a visually-impaired person from Bordeaux was invited to touch the miniature monuments and correctly identified each one, despite having never seen them! François describes the event as “both astonishing and extremely moving”. \|The Place de la Comédie plan-relief. Note the braille panels and a nice aerial view of Eglise Notre-Dame and Cour Mably (top right).\| Once the bronze elements had been produced, François Didier’s work was still not complete as he spent around 300 hours fine-tuning the various pieces with a chisel! The patina was then applied by the foundry’s François Michel who used a process of advance oxidation aimed at durably protecting the bronze. \|The Place du Palais plan-relief is the only one to feature a "you are here" figurine (visible bottom left). The close-up shots here show Place du Parlement and Place Camille-Jullian. Yes, it was a rainy day.\| Since then, there have been two notable spin-offs. Firstly, since 2011 two similar plans-reliefs have been on display on the central square in Bages, a tiny hamlet just outside Pauillac which has been given a new lease of life in recent years under the impetus of Jean-Michel Cazes, the dynamic owner of Château Lynch Bages. The first map immortalises Bages as it was when Cazes was growing up there in the 1950s, while the other provides a wider bird’s eye view of the Pauillac wine-growing area. \|The two plans-reliefs on the village square in Bages. The sun had finally come out the day I was there!\| Perhaps the best showcase for François Didier’s work though is his very own Jardin de Casaque in the village of Lugos, 56 kilometres to the south of Bordeaux. This is where the 63-year-old Normandy-born artist runs courses in sculpture for students of all levels, and carefully tends to the magnificent gardens which feature a number of his own creations: “The gardens are very much a joint project over the past 25 years with my wife Monique and the landscape gardener André Guéraux, who conceived the layout and incorporated lots of rare trees.”	186,761
How do in-school arts education programs affect student creativity, academics, or social outcomes? Researchers from the Kennedy Center and Johns Hopkins University shared their investigation of these topics during the August 27, 2014, NEA Task Force on the Arts and Human Development webinar. Ivonne Chand O'Neal, Director of Research and Evaluation The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, shared her study on the Changing Education Through the Arts (CETA) program on Washington DC-area public school students. Mariale Hardiman, Professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education and former principal of Roland Park Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore, Maryland, discussed her work at the intersection of cognitive research and effective teaching strategies. The two presentations were followed by a Q&A session with the public.	53,461
This fall, the education improvement plan will be implemented, which officials hope will result in better services, better performance by the youth, and more career opportunities for those who are released.On TYC's website I found this set of bullet points describing highlights of this new education plan, but didn't locate anything more detailed. Though not in all the particulars, in many ways the agency is pursuing of its own accord a similar path to that outlined for it in failed legislation this year, SB 1362 which died for time in the House of Representatives' end-of-session meltdown. (See this testimony [pdf] from the Office of Independent Ombudsman supporting the bill.) The full plan launches officially Sept. 1 at all campuses statewide. It provides accelerated curriculum, allowing youth to take advantage of self-paced study and to advance as rapidly as they can so that when they are released, they may re-enter public school or attend college. The plan also calls for TYC to offer some college courses and to increase reading skills for the students. ... The improvement plan will essentially standardize the education at all TYC facilities and align the curriculum with Texas Education Agency requirements. Chief components call for proper assessment and placement of all youth in TYC’s educational programming, an accelerated learning system, improved special education services, and integration of students into public schools or colleges. “This is going to lower recidivism,” [Dr. Clint] Carpenter said. “We want these kids to have a high school diploma — if we don’t have the input to change their future, we are not going to help these kids.” Since Carpenter signed on as the agency’s education superintendent in February, TYC has implemented a number of improvements. In March 2009, every eligible TYC youth took the TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) test, a first for youth in TYC. Additionally, TYC will partner with Navarro College to offer courses to eligible youth in all TYC facilities. And, starting in September, TYC youth will be able to take dual credit and college courses at every campus. ... TYC is in negotiations to offer classes from several other colleges and universities including the University of North Texas, University of Texas at Dallas, Tarleton State University, Stephen F. Austin University, and Texas A & M University in Commerce. Between expanding services to special-ed students, improving opportunities for more capable students to take college courses, and the new, announced focus on reentry and continuing education during parole, the agency is saying all the right things on this topic. At issue will be whether TYC has the resources and personnel to perform these additional functions. N.b., to current and former TYC employees: Grits will resume occasional TYC coverage and reopen comments, with some trepidation, but I will shut these strings down if they're abused. This is not the forum to anonymously gripe about your bosses or coworkers. Please stick to the topic at hand and try to remain constructive.	64,848
The push for diversity, inclusion and workplace equity isn’t a fad; it’s a sea change that all businesses need to be a part of. It’s not enough for companies to use social media or websites to embrace Black Lives Matter, gender equality and similar causes. What matters is weaving diversity and inclusion seamlessly into the company culture. HR executives can play a crucial role by implementing initiatives and leading the C-suite and managers away from unconscious bias or inadvertent racism or bigotry. How important is workplace diversity? Equity in the workplace is vital if your company wants to reach its true potential. Studies have shown that workplaces with a diverse workforce up and down the organizational chart reap rewards: increased innovation, stronger appeal on the global canvas, a richer bottom line, more engaged workers, better retention, higher-quality applicants and less vulnerability during a crisis. Ignoring diversity and inclusion can lead to the opposite of all these benefits and can create a number of problems, from employment discrimination lawsuits to devastating PR. In short, diverse companies with diverse workforces simply allow for a wider variety of perspectives, experiences and opportunities for learning. What is the difference between diversity and inclusion? It’s a mistake to think workplace equity is just a matter of hiring more Black employees or promoting a woman or two. Diversity relates to people who often are discriminated against based on age, class, disability, gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or sexual orientation. Be aware that different generations may define equality or diversity differently. Inclusion refers to colleagues who are supportive, respectful, tolerant and willing to engage and collaborate, writes Somen Mondal, CEO and co-founder of job-screening technology firm Ideal. How can I infuse my company with workplace equity and inclusion? Some tactics — such as reaching out to historically Black colleges and universities in recruiting efforts — are important but aren’t overnight solutions. Here are six actions you can take right now. 1. Eliminate pay stub discrimination Break down salaries by race and gender to see where your company stacks up, and tap other types of analytics as well. Offering equal pay and actively eliminating pay gaps are two essential steps to eliminating discrimination in the workplace. All employees deserve fair compensation and benefits. 2. Talk the equitable talk Learn more about disparities, then line up a speaker or a workshop on passive racism and provide ongoing follow-up — but do your research to ensure you’re not ill–advisedly tapping into a fad. Suggest employees take Harvard‘s Implicit Association Test. 3. Find the homogenous gaps Talk to managers about the makeup of their reports to pinpoint the less-inclusive areas of the company, and discuss the need for diversity, inclusion and equitable hiring efforts. Share with other managers some best practices for working with and promoting inclusion on a diverse team. 4. Seek out diverse partners 5. Broaden your audience view Task your advertising and marketing departments with including a variety of demographics and cultures with ad photography, commercials and social media. Check your collateral, including annual reports and training videos, for workplace equity. 6. Get an outside opinion Well-meaning but tone–deaf efforts can ruin collateral, media and presentations compiled by a homogeneous team. Until the HR department has worked internally to broaden representation, consider using a sensitivity reader/consultant. Typically used for books, they can be beneficial in business, too, to ensure that what you think is inclusive and welcoming isn’t actually offensive. Strategies to consider in the long term - Create a role for a diversity and inclusion specialist who will develop and monitor programs and results — and set this person up to succeed. Ideally, as Josh Bersin writes, this person should be a manager overseeing an all-encompassing management philosophy and not just an HR department spearheading a hiring initiative. - Develop a complete diversity and inclusion program if you’re unable to hire a diversity officer. Hiring a consultant to help may be wise. - Ramp up diverse and inclusive hiring efforts to expand your talent pool. Solicit referrals from existing nonwhite staff or recruit at HBCUs. Tap specialty headhunters for everyone from veterans to those with disabilities to people of different races. - Fund employees’ continuing education, such as professional development or a master’s degree related to cross–cultural business and communication. If you enjoyed this guide on how to promote equal opportunity, workplace equality and inclusion in your work environment, you can sign up for SmartBrief on Workforce for free. For even more in-depth news coverage, sign up for any of SmartBrief’s 275+ free newsletters.	77,099
What does the Average Windshield Chip Repair Cost? The average windshield chip repair cost across the United States is as varied as the repairs themselves. The actual costs will change depending on what type of repair is completed and which auto glass service you will use. Windshields may be tough and difficult to damage but once they are cracked, it can pose a danger to the driver and those sharing the road with him. Cost of Repairing Windshield Chips and Cracks A windshield sustains damage when gravel or other debris hit the glass and cause chips and cracks to form. Typically this damage is minimal, only creating a mark or small scratch that can be repaired easily and generally costing about $30; although some companies will actually offer this service for free if you have breakage insurance. A crack repair will cost a bit more and can range from $20-$60 depending on the auto glass service shop. If you choose to go with a mobile service, the repair may cost up to $55. You should keep in mind, that every occasion of chip or crack damage done to the windshield is repaired on an as-need basis, meaning you will pay for the repair when it happens. Size of Damage Affects the Cost It stands to reason but the size of the damage done to your windshield will also affect how much the repair will cost. For example, a smaller chip or crack of a foot or less will cost approximately $50-$60 in repairs. A larger chip or crack will range from $60-$70 to repair; unless the entire windshield needs replacing which will then average about $300 per vehicle. What is the Average Cost Per Vehicle Type? The average cost to repair a windshield will change for each vehicle type, for example: - Car windshield replacement or repair – $30-$324 - Sports utility vehicle (SUV) windshield replacement or repair – $164-$290 - Pickup Truck windshield replacement or repair – $164-310 - Minivan or Van windshield replacement or repair – $174-$294 The Windshield chip repair cost for most vehicles is approximately the same right across the country; it mostly depends on what size vehicle you own and what kind of damage your windshield had sustained. Each auto glass service shop has their own way of examining the damage and will give you a quote on all cost factors associated with the repair; although you may use the Internet to get an idea of what you can expect. Always perform a price comparison, if you are able to via the company website and get a quote before any work commences. DISCLAIMER: This article is for guidance only. Always consult with a Specialist on everything.	197,625
Notes From Underground Situated in a basement below the Gap on St. Marks Place, the Asian American Writers' Workshop is easy to miss. But as much as its location cries out for metaphorical abuse, the workshop is anything but underground. Since its inception in 1991, the Workshop with some 30 readings a year and four books to its credit has become the premier incubator for the city's Asian American writers. And on November 16 the Workshop will take a big step into the mainstream by hosting the first annual Asian American literary awards ceremony at the Public Theater. Second-guessing awards is a favorite hobby of all literary scenesters, but when the Workshop's panel of judges picked Lois-Ann Yamanaka's novel Blu's Hanging for the fiction prize, it set the Asian American literary community abuzz. While well-received, Yamanaka's Hawaiian novels have been accused by some of perpetuating racist stereotypes of Filipino Americans. Such interethnic tensions have torn apart Asian American organizations in the past, as have battles between writers and activists over the role of literature and politics in the community. Considering this track record, the Workshop's deadpan mission statement, "to create, develop, and disseminate Asian American literature," doesn't even begin to hint at the difficulty of the task. Peter Ong unlocks the Workshop's front door at the bottom of an unmarked stairwell on St. Marks and gives the grand tour which takes the 28-year-old director all of two minutes. Up front is the Asian American Bookseller, one of the country's most complete collections of Asian American literature. With its array of books, pamphlets, and movie posters, the space feels more like the suburban rec room of some artsy intellectual activist family than the locus of a literary scene. This humble space has hosted readings by young writers as well as luminaries such as novelist, poet, playwright, and National Book Award nominee Jessica Hagedorn and Tony-award winner David Henry Hwang. As varied as the events and artists are in ethnicity and concern, the work, whether explicitly or not, orbits the question: "What is an Asian American writer?" This was on the minds of aspiring writers Jeff Yang, Bino Realuyo, Marie Lee, and Curtis Chin back in 1990. In college, says Chin, his work was often "misunderstood or misinterpreted," and people often expected pat fictional primers on the immigrant experience. They saw the need for a place where young Asian American writers could explore their work in a supportive atmosphere that wasn't inhibited by oversimplified racial expectations. They envisioned an organization that not only would reflect the diversity of the city's Asian American community which encompasses Southern Asia and the Pacific Islands as well as East Asia but also live up to the complexity of the label "Asian American." "We were born the same year as the coinage of the term 'Asian American' in 1968," says 30-year-old Yang. "Up until that point there was a history of Asians in America as separate groups, but not of 'Asian Americans' as a group per se. Our generation is the first to negotiate the fact that we're already perceived as a pan-Asian community with a shared cause and identity." In fact, the first issue of the Workshop's literary journal featured an article in which it acknowledged its debt to Basement Workshop, a seminal arts organization founded in 1968 by a group of Asian American writers. Charlie Chin, an early Basement participant, says they were all acutely aware that it was a period of self-definition, in which the civil rights, antiwar, women's, and gay rights movements were in the public eye. "It became clear to Asian Americans that anything was possible. We saw these people walking around with signs articulating their causes, and you begin to ask yourself, well, what's my story?" Basement eventually received grants, moved to a huge loft space at Spring and Lafayette, and expanded its artistic scope to include dance, theater, and visual arts. In the early '70s, when those in Basement further attempted to articulate who they were, as Chin puts it, "inevitable and natural division and splintering" occurred. He remembers how "at that time, Koreans, Filipinos, and Southeast Asians were just an afterthought. "At first, the Maoist concept of forming groups was effective, with people volunteering and sorting things out collectively. But then it turned into little camps with people only interested in their own agendas." It's no secret that Maoists are lousy capitalists, so after a series of "fits and twitches" Basement lost its funding in the late '70s and ceased operations for several years. In 1980, writer Fay Chiang resurrected it with a much smaller staff in a tiny space on Catherine Street. Responding to the changing cultural mix of New York, they consciously focused more on building a pan-Asian organization. They brought in Jessica Hagedorn to run the reading series and a workshop. Hagedorn further pushed the boundaries. She says, "I felt a need for a space that was not just Asian American but multicultural, and there was nothing like it in New York at the time, if there even is now. We had Miguel Pinero, Audre Lorde, Ntozake Shange, Jorge Rodriguez, Carolyn Forché, Lawson Inada read there." Despite such high hopes, again Basement shut down due to cutbacks in arts funding in the mid '80s. From the beginning, the Workshop has done everything not to replicate the growing pains of its predecessor. After Yang left to found A. Magazine, the remaining Workshop staff decided to generate much of their budget through events and program fees, to avoid complete dependence on grants and charitable funding. Still, this doesn't make the organization immune to troubles from within. "Sometimes they have more enthusiasm than experience. There's a danger they may get too big to cope with their growth," says one member of the Asian American literary scene, citing recent scheduling snafus and missed grant deadlines that resulted in the dismissal of a staffer. "For a nonprofit of this size, even a $5000 grant makes a difference. They have to realize this is for the long haul." But the source adds that the board of directors has taken a more active role in preventing mishaps like this from happening again. More than a few eyebrows were raised with the announcement that their fiction award would go to Lois-Ann Yamanaka. It's not the first time controversy has surrounded Yamanaka. In 1994, the Association for Asian American Studies, which represents the interests of Asian Americans both in and outside the academy, bestowed its literature award on Yamanaka for her collection of poetry, Saturday Night at the Pahala Theatre. The Filipino American Caucus protested the book's negative stereotypes. They objected again when Yamanaka's Wild Meat and the Bully Burgers was nominated in 1997, and yet again when Blu's Hanging was given the AAAS's fiction award. One local Filipino American says that the Filipino characters in Blu's Hanging are more one-dimensional than the others, even cartoonish, and though it could be offensive, it's more about sloppy writing than racism. Hagedorn, a Filipina American, will present the workshop's award to Yamanaka and says, "This isn't an award for good citizenship. We're talking about art and literature that should be challenging, uncomfortable, provocative." Luis Francia, a Filipino American poet, Voice staffer, and member of the Workshop's board, says that "the pain of the Filipino American community in Hawaii is real and must be acknowledged. For myself, the most effective way of addressing that marginalization is to stop relying on the Asian American establishment's validation and to empower ourselves by writing and supporting our own creative texts." As of this writing, no Filipino American group has made a formal protest. "We stand by the literary merit," Ong says. "In our seven years, this is the first time we've been involved in something controversial." In fact, the Workshop is in some ways fueled by constructive confrontation. Before David Henry Hwang, author of M. Butterfly and The Golden Child, came to read at the Workshop, Ong warned him that he'd probably get some friendly fire. Audience members questioned his use of the stereotypical emasculated Asian male in M. Butterfly. Hwang addressed this issue by saying he's been on both the sending and receiving end of such criticisms. He said he criticized Miss Saigon for perpetuating the stereotype of the submissive Asian female. "In my writing," he says, "I've tried to wend my own way toward answering the questions: Who am I? What is my context? How do I perceive the past to proceed into the future?" These are the perennial questions of the Asian American arts community and, as such, of the Workshop. The Workshop continues to live up to its pan-Asian beginnings. The most recent issue of Ten, the Workshop's literary magazine, features interviews with Indian American writers Reetika Vazirani and Tanuja Desai, Filipina American poet Sofiya Cabalquinto, and Korean American poet Mi Ok Song Bruining. And recently the workshop hosted Tongues Afire, a gathering of writers from the Workshop and from Phati'tude, an African American writers group. While the Workshop has reached an unprecedented level of success in the Asian American literary community, it has yet to impact the larger publishing world in the same way. Literary agent Jin Auh got her first job in publishing through a Meet the Editors night at the Workshop. Says Auh, "Editors go to Bread Loaf and Iowa looking for young writers, but they don't go to the Workshop. I think eventually that kind of thing might happen. Even non-Asian writers are beginning to enroll because word's gotten out that it's a workshop of quality." Luis Francia, editor of the Workshop's Flippin': Filipinos on America, says, "I think one of its biggest strengths is that it's now a publisher. The workshop realizes that if it had to rely on the larger publishing world it wouldn't get very far." But Jessica Hagedorn takes the longer view, saying, "Eventually we're all going to have to open it up. It can be your club, and that's okay. But it can also keep us over on the sidelines because it makes us look like we're happy on the sidelines instead of being part of the larger debate." Those entering the fray include poet and early Workshop participant Barbara Tran, who won a Pushcart Prize in 1997 for poetry and edited the Workshop's book Watermark: Vietnamese American Poetry & Prose, which last year won an American Book Award. Workshoppers Bino Realuyo and Christian Nguyen Langworthy have gotten book contracts. Back at the Workshop on a recent evening, novelist Ameena Meer's fiction writing group sat on folding chairs around a table discussing their work. A few of the workshoppers were Filipino American, several Chinese American, one Indian American, and a Caucasian. Ethnicity came up when it needed to, but for the most part they talked character, plotting, word choice. You could hear people clomping around in the Gap upstairs, completely unaware of the subterranean world beneath them. And if the Workshop can continue to weather the inevitable growing pains, they just might find out one day. Get the Theater Newsletter Get a rundown of upcoming theater events and ticket deals in New York.	297,172
In case of death of a person, it is practiced by some group of Muslims who follow Hanafi madhab in India that the society forbids-do not allow the wife of the person to see her own husbands dead body. They claim that when a person dies, his wife becomes a widow and she should not be allowed to go infront of any(mahram) man who is dead or alive. It is assumed by them that her husband's dead body becomes haram to see. Is there any authentic hadith that confirms this? Please explain. Praise be to Allaah. This question involves two issues: 1 – A woman seeing her husband’s body after his death 2 – A woman seeing her mahrams. 1 – It is permissible for a woman to see her husband’s body, and there is no reason why she should not. Indeed, a wife has the right to wash her dead husband. Imaam Maalik narrated in al-Muwatta’ from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Abi Bakr that Asmaa’ bint ‘Umays washed Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq when he died, then she went out and asked the Muhaajireen who were present, “I am fasting and the day is very cold; do I have to do ghusl?” and they said, “No.” (al-Janaa’iz, 466). The author of al-Muntaqa ‘ala Sharh al-Muwatta’ said concerning this hadeeth: this indicates that it is permissible for a woman to wash her husband after he has died, because this happened in the presence of a number of the Sahaabah, especially since Abu Bakr had left instructions in his will to that effect. No difference of opinion is known of among the Sahaabah concerning this matter, which indicates that there was consensus. It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah said, “If I could go back and change anything, nobody would have washed the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) except his wives. ” (narrated by Ibn Maajah, al-Janaa’iz, 1453; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah, no. 1196). If a woman is permitted to wash her husband;s body, then it is definitely permitted for her to see her husband’s body. This ruling applies only if the woman is still within the ‘iddah period. If her ‘iddah period has ended, for example if she was pregnant but gave birth straight after her husband died, then it is not permissible for her to wash him or to see him. I (Shaykh al-Munajjid) asked Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) before he died about a man who dies and his wife gives birth a few hours later – can she wash her husband? He replied: No, because when she gives birth the connection between her and her husband is severed, so it is not permissible for her to wash him, because he is now no longer her husband. Mi’ah Faa’idah min al-‘Allaamah al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (tape). What is forbidden is for women to wail over the deceased. It was narrated in a hadeeth that Umm ‘Atiyah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) took our pledge of allegiance to him on the grounds that we would not wail (over the dead). None of us fulfilled their promise except five women: Umm Sulaym, Umm al-‘Alaa’, the daughter of Abu Sabrah the wife of Mu’aadh and two other women, or the daughter of Abu Sabrah, the wife of Mu’aadh and one other woman.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari (al-Janaa’iz, 1223). It was narrated from Abu Maalik al-Ash’ari that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are four things in my ummah from the jaahiliyyah which they will not give up: pride in one’s ancestry, slandering the lineage of others, seeking rain from the stars and wailing over the dead. If the woman who wails does not repent before she dies, she will be raised on the Day of Resurrection wearing a garment of tar and a shirt of scabs.’ (Narrated by Muslim, al-Janaa’iz, 1550). 2 – It is permissible for a woman to see her mahrams, and she does not have to observe hijaab in front of them. There is no connection between the death of a woman’s husband and her seeing her mahrams. Hence it is recommended for her mahrams to offer condolences to her, by them seeing her, shaking hands with her, sitting with her and talking to her. No dispute is known among the scholars concerning this. Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: al-Shaafa’i and his companions said: it is recommended for all the relatives of the deceased to offer condolences to his wife, old and young, men and women, unless the wife is young, in which case only her mahrams should offer condolences. What the questioner describes is nothing more than the myths and ignorance of the common people. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about a woman covering her face in front of her mahrams. He said: That is not permissible, because it is not part of Islam, rather that is the myths and ignorance of the common people. See al-Faatawa al-Jaami’ah li’l-Mar’ah al-Muslimah, part 2, p. 709, And Allaah knows best.	131,236

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