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Survival International announced today that it has written to eight travel companies that promote visits to, or sightings of, the Jarawa people, urging them to put an immediate stop to their tours. The Jarawa live on the Adamans, islands between the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea that are politically part of India.
“The trips put the tribe, who are likely to have little immunity to common illnesses, at serious risk of disease,” Survival said in a news statement. The UK-based charity advocates for the rights of indigenous tribes worldwide.
The Jarawa number about 320 and live in the thick forests of South and Middle Andaman. They hunt pig and monitor lizard, fish with bows and arrows, and gather seeds, berries and honey. They are nomadic, living in bands of 40-50 people. In 1998, some Jarawa started coming out of their forest to visit nearby towns and settlements for the first time, Survival said.
A Jarawa man and boy by the side of the Andamans Trunk Road. The survival of the Jarawa tribe of the Andaman Islands is being threatened by human safaris run by local tour operators, according to Survival International.
“The promotion of tourism to the Jarawa is illegal. Four of the companies stopped promoting Jarawa tourism on their websites after Survival wrote to them. The Indian government also issued a public warning to companies after Survival alerted it to the safaris,” Survival’s statement said.
Four companies, however, are continuing to promote the tours, according to the organization. Many more companies promote such tours from their shops in the Andaman Islands, it added.
“An illegal highway runs through the Jarawa reserve, bringing in tourists, poachers and settlers. Survival is urging the Indian government to close the road immediately, and to stop intruders trespassing on the Jarawa’s land.”
“The Jarawa people lived successfully on their island without contact with outsiders for probably about 55,000 years, until 1998.Today, a road runs right through their forest home, and they risk decimation by disease. They call themselves the Ang, which means ‘human being,’ yet they are being ogled at like animals in a game reserve, said Stephen Corry, Survival’s director.
“The very last member of the neighboring Bo tribe died in January. We must not allow the same fate to befall the Jarawa, or the world will lose yet another vibrant, knowledgeable and complex part of humankind,” Corry said.
Survival said the companies still advertising tours with sightings of the Jarawa include:
- Andaman Island Adventure (Update: Since Survival released its statement, this company said it would stop promoting the tours.)
- Explore Andaman with Kariappa
- Rhino Jungle Adventures
- Offbeat Andaman Vacations
Companies that have stopped promoting tours to the Jarawa on their websites since Survival wrote to them:
- Andaman and Nicobar Islands Tours and Travels, owned by Barefoot India.”Barefoot says it bought the company and website from another tour operator, and did not run the tours that were advertised as the website was ‘dead’ for all practical purposes,” Survival said.
- Sky-Sketch (India)
- Andaman Island Travels
- Vicky Tours and Travels
Jarawa and Bo peoples
Information provided by Survival International
The Andaman tribes’ ancestors are thought to have been amongst the first people to migrate successfully from Africa to Asia.
The Andaman and Nicobar archipelago consists of more than 500 islands.
Most of the Bo tribe died of diseases brought by the British in the 19th century. The death of Boa. Sr, in January 2010 meant that what may have been one of the world’s oldest languages, Bo, also came to an end.
Related blog posts |
The unknown Elena Kagan
1. When Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee for her her confirmation hearings Monday, she will be a tabula rasa for large swaths of the American public.
While Kagan has spent the six weeks since she was nominated by President Obama to replace Justice John Paul Stevens on the high court meeting with senators and preparing for this week's hearings, the American public's gaze has been elsewhere.
The ongoing oil spill on the Gulf Coast has been the story of the past month and, even last week when the Kagan hearings were rapidly approaching, the resignation/firing of Gen. Stanley McChrystal by Obama turned the Supreme Court nominee into a secondary story -- at best.
National polling bears out the fact that Kagan is barely known. In an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll released last week, nearly six in ten (57 percent) didn't know enough about Kagan to offer an opinion. (Among those who did know enough about her to form an opinion, 11 percent felt positively toward Kagan, 13 percent negatively and 19 percent were neutral.)
Asked what they thought of Kagan joining the court, 47 percent said they didn't know enough to venture an opinion. That's nearly double the percentage of people who said the same of now-Justice Sonia Sotomayor in July 2009 in NBC/WSJ polling.
Under different circumstances, Kagan's relative anonymity would set up the hearings as a genuine jump ball, with both parties trying to win the perception battle over the coming week.
But, with the 2010 midterm election only 127 days off, a fight over Kagan isn't one that Republicans are likely to pick--barring some sort of major revelation about her. (They will, of course, make some show of a fight in order to please their base, which cares deeply about judicial nominations.)
Polling, too, affirms that most Americans believe Kagan should be confirmed -- even though they don't know much about her. Fifty-eight percent of those tested in a June Washington Post/ABC poll said she should be confirmed, including 52 percent of independents.
Republicans know that in an election you have to pick your fights. And, it's hard to imagine they want to fight over Kagan.
2. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is making a round of endorsements in Maine today, upping to 24 the number of states in which the former Massachusetts governor -- and potential 2012 presidential candidate -- has backed candidates in the 2010 cycle.
Romney, through his Free and Strong America PAC, is endorsing Paul LePage in the open-seat Maine gubernatorial race, businessman Jason Levesque in the 2nd district race against Rep. Mike Michaud (D) and businessman Dean Scontras in the 1st district race against freshman Rep. Chellie Pingree (D).
The governor's race -- in which LePage will face off against state Senate Majority President Libby Mitchell (D) -- is the marquee contest in the state this year, with Republicans insisting they can win it after eight years of Gov. John Baldacci (D). The Cook Political Report, however, ranks the race "lean Democratic."
At the House level, Michaud breezed to re-election with 67 percent in 2008, while Pingree won her first term with 55 percent. Romney's PAC is donating the maximum $750 to LePage, and is backing Scontras and Levesque with $2,500 each.
The endorsements are the latest indication that Romney is working to align himself with Republican candidates across the country -- even in states where they may be potential long shots.
Romney has endorsed 100 candidates this cycle, and his PAC has contributed more than $300,000 to those candidates' campaigns. The list of states in which he's endorsed includes California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Connecticut, New York, Arizona and Virginia.
In some of those states, Romney has taken risks in backing candidates whose wins were far from certain. Last week Romney saw one such gamble pay off when his endorsed candidate, state Rep. Nikki Haley, won the gubernatorial nomination in South Carolina -- a state that will be critical to Romney's 2012 hopes. (Since the Palmetto State moved its primary up in the nominating calendar, no candidate has won the nomination without carrying the state first.)
In other cases, Romney has cast his lot with candidates who fell short. In Utah, for example, Romney backed Sen. Bob Bennett (R), who lost his re-election bid at the state convention. Romney waited until the day after last week's primary to endorse the eventual winner in the race to succeed Bennett: businessman Mike Lee.
Win or lose, no potential 2012 candidate has the political operation -- led by Matt Rhoades -- that Romney enjoys. He is methodically building up chits to cash in if (when) he runs for national office again.
3. Illinois Democratic Senate nominee Alexi Giannoulias says he has been subpoenaed to testify at the trial of Rod Blagojevich (D) at the request of the disgraced former governor's lawyers.
Blagojevich has been accused of trying to sell an appointment to fill the Senate seat vacated when Obama was elected president, in exchange for personal favors. Giannoulias, the state's treasurer, said he introduced the person who has been identified as Obama's choice for the seat, Valerie Jarrett, to a union official. Blagojevich allegedly sought favors from the White House through that union official.
Giannoulias has not been accused of any wrongdoing, and none of his actions have raised any suggestions of impropriety. At the same time, testifying at a high-profile corruption trial is something a candidate for Senate would rather avoid.
(Democrats recently got some mileage out of New Hampshire GOP Senate candidate Kelly Ayotte's testimony before a panel looking into a Ponzi scheme that occurred during her time as state attorney general.)
Giannoulias's name came up at the Blagojevich trial last week, when in a recording, former Blagojevich chief of staff John Harris mentioned that Giannoulias had called about the Senate nomination -- presumably to pitch Jarrett as a candidate. Giannoulias' campaign said he believed in Jarrett as a candidate and was not acting at the president's behest.
"Despite what the Republicans are trying to say," Giannoulias told the Chicago Sun-Times's Lynn Sweet. "I am really not a part of this circus."
4. Unsuccessful Iowa governor candidate Bob Vander Plaats made a failed attempt at hijacking the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor this weekend. But, judging by the result, he could be emboldened to run for governor as an independent.
Vander Plaats, an avowed conservative who placed second behind former Gov. Terry Branstad in the Republican primary earlier this month, challenged Branstad's chosen lieutenant governor candidate -- state Sen. Kim Reynolds -- at the state party convention on Saturday.
Reynolds won -- 56 percent to 44 percent -- but Vander Plaats' strategy created some nervousness within the Branstad ranks before it was all said and done.
Vander Plaats said Friday that he was considering an independent run for governor, confirming a week's worth of rumors. The Des Moines Register's Kathie Obradovich reported Saturday that Vander Plaats left the convention without taking questions -- a move that will surely fuel rumors of an independent candidacy.
The fact that Vander Plaats took 41 percent of the vote in the primary and 44 percent of delegates at the state convention suggests there is an element of the GOP in Iowa that isn't wedded to supporting Branstad and Reynolds in the general election. And an independent Vander Plaats could put a real kink in the Republicans' efforts to take down Gov. Chet Culver (D).
The strong(ish) showing for Vander Plaats is also a reminder of how much control conservatives retain in the Republican nominating process. And that bodes well for former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee if either, or both, choose to run for president in 2012.
5. A new Boston Globe poll shows Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) maintaining a seven-point lead over former Harvard Pilgrim Health Care CEO Charlie Baker (R) in his bid for re-election with state Treasurer Tim Cahill (I) falling to the single digits.
Patrick leads Baker 38 percent to 31 percent while Cahill is a distant third at 9 percent. Patrick's margin is unchanged from a January Globe survey but that's about the only thing that's not different in this topsy-turvy race.
In January, Patrick stood at 30 percent to Cahill's 23 percent and Baker's 19 percent. But Cahill has tumbled following a $1 million TV and radio ad blitz by the Republican Governors Association over the past two months casting him as "just another reckless Beacon Hill politician."
Cahill was sitting on $3.4 million cash-on-hand as of the last reporting period compared to $2.3 million for Baker and about $1 million for Patrick, meaning that it's still too early to count Cahill out.
Still, if the new numbers hold, they suggest that the battle for the governor's mansion is now a two-man race -- a development that should cause concern for the governor's camp.
In a head-to-head contest, Baker can more easily cast the election as a referendum on Patrick, whose approval rating is at a less-than-impressive 41 percent among likely voters in the new poll.
Moreover, 42 percent of likely voters surveyed did not know enough about Baker to have an opinion on him, compared to 4 percent for Patrick. That's a sign that Baker has room to grow and makes how he is introduced to voters in the coming months that much more important.
With Felicia Sonmez and Aaron Blake
June 28, 2010; 6:00 AM ET
Categories: Morning Fix
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Oct. 23, 1923 - Sept. 11, 2011
By Ann Rodgers, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Bishop Walter Righter, whose 1990 ordination of a gay deacon opened the Episcopal Church to partnered gay clergy after a church court dismissed heresy charges against him, died Sunday at his home in Export. The retired bishop of Iowa, who was first ordained in Pittsburgh, was 87.
"Bishop Righter is one of the giants on whose shoulders gay and lesbian Christians stand," said Bishop V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, who in 2003 became the first openly gay Episcopal bishop. "Long before it became popular, Walter became a straight ally of the gay Christian community, putting his life and ecclesiastical career on the line for us."
"The Episcopal Church can give thanks for the life of a faithful and prophetic servant," said Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori. "His ministry will be remembered for his pastoral heart and his steadfast willingness to help the church move beyond old prejudices into new possibilities."
The heresy charge stemmed from his early retirement, when he became an assisting bishop to the firebrand liberal Bishop John Spong of Newark, N.J. Until then, Bishop Righter had been known as an unassuming centrist. But the conservative attempt to declare him a heretic ricocheted, and many conservatives ultimately left the Episcopal Church.
"Walter just happened to be the person in history who was there at an event when suddenly a lot of things came together and the lines were drawn," said the Rev. George Werner of Sewickley, dean emeritus of Trinity Cathedral, Downtown, and a friend for more than 40 years. "In some senses, he was a martyr. He was still scarred."
He moved from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh in his youth, graduating from Sewickley High School in 1941. His wartime experience in the Battle of the Bulge led him to pursue ministry. He returned to the University of Pittsburgh to prepare for seminary.
While he was at Pitt, Bishop Austin Pardue assigned him to run a Sunday School at St. Stephen's, Sewickley, and to plant a congregation in Ligonier that eventually became St. Michael of the Valley. On bishop's orders, he spent breaks from Yale's Berkeley Divinity School working in a Homestead steel mill so he could understand the lives of ordinary Pittsburghers.
Ordained in 1951, he was sent to All Saints in Aliquippa, where he led the racial integration of the parish. The congregation doubled. In 1954, he was called to be rector of Church of the Good Shepherd in Nashua, N.H., where he was active in interfaith and ecumenical work. He became a mentor to young Rev. Werner, then serving in Manchester, N.H.
"He was the quintessential parish priest," Rev. Werner said. "He wasn't high church or low church or evangelical or activist. He was the old-fashioned pastor who takes care of his parish but was also an active player in the community."
When he was elected bishop of the Diocese of Iowa in 1972, he refused the offer of a chauffeur and drove his vast territory, Rev. Werner said. He was active at the national level of the church, where he was best known for promoting evangelism.
"I felt that we were comrades in arms," said retired Episcopal Bishop William Frey, a former rector of Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge and a leading theological conservative. "The sexuality debate found us on opposite sides. But he is a gracious man, not one of the people who engaged in name-calling. He had respect for people on all sides of the issues."
He once held traditional views on sexual orientation. As a new bishop he wrote of homosexuality as an illness that could be cured. In 1979, he voted for the national church resolution against gay ordination. But he began to rethink the issue. After he retired in 1988, he went to Newark to assist Bishop Spong. In 1990, at Bishop Spong's behest, he ordained a partnered gay man. Five years later 10 of his fellow bishops filed heresy charges.
Bishop Frey was not among them. Although he believed Bishop Righter was wrong and would eventually vote to allow a trial, "they brought the wrong charges and it blew up in their faces," he said.
The ruling, Bishop Frey said, created more serious theological problems for conservatives than those related to sexuality. When it said that gay ordination didn't violate core doctrine, the definition of core doctrine was based on modern theology rather than ancient creeds, he said. All of that created an opening that grew into a denominational split.
But for the Rev. Susan Russell of Pasadena, Calif., a past president of the Episcopal gay advocacy group Integrity, Bishop Righter was like the biblical patriarch Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his brothers but was consequently able to save them from starvation.
"There is a verse where Joseph says, 'You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good,' " she said. "What Bishop Righter did absolutely opened the way not just for gay and lesbian people to exercise more fully their ministry in the Episcopal Church, but for the Episcopal Church to become an opinion leader among mainline denominations."
There was a literal price to be paid for his canonical defense. "Walter never fully recovered financially," Rev. Werner said.
About eight years ago he settled in Export with his wife. The Pittsburgh diocese had become one of the most conservative in the country and would split in 2008. He joined Calvary Episcopal Church in Shadyside. When the Rev. Harold Lewis, rector of Calvary, invited him to celebrate weekday Eucharist and listed him among the parish clergy, Bishop Robert Duncan objected.
"That was a grievous blow to Walter," Rev. Lewis said.
Shortly after the diocesan split, Bishop Righter wrote to the Rev. James Simons of St. Michael of the Valley, then the ecclesiastical authority in charge of reorganizing the Episcopal dioceses.
"He asked for canonical residency and we granted it immediately. I sent him an email saying, 'Welcome home.' He was very appreciative," Rev. Simons said.
Failing health kept him from priestly duties. But he kept up a lively email correspondence with friends near and far. In July he began hospice care.
"He said the doctors told him to expect to live until October at the latest. He was very up front and straightforward about it, not at all fearful," Rev. Lewis said. "In dying, he taught us how to live. He was accepting of it. He was rejoicing in what he managed to do. He fought the good fight, as St. Paul said, and he was ready to go on to the next stage."
He is survived by his wife, Nancy; a brother, Richard of Murrysville; a son Richard of Keene, N.H.; a daughter, Becky Richardson of Des Moines, Iowa; a stepson, David DeGroot of Milford, Mass.; a stepdaughter, Kathy Gallogly of Oceanside, N.Y.; and four grandchildren.
The funeral will be Thursday at 11 a.m. in Calvary Episcopal Church, Shadyside, with interment in the parish columbarium.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11256/1174247-122-0.stm#ixzz1XrJRbTax |
Vox Pop : Open Forum - Does the Fiscal Cliff Deal Matter? - 1/2/13
Congress avoided the automatic tax increases and budget cuts of the dreaded fiscal cliff at the last minute this week with a deal that raises tax rates on individuals with incomes over $400,000 and couples making $450,000.
While the deal avoided the $109 billion worth of across-the-board spending cuts to the Pentagon and domestic agencies, it did not address issues of federal spending, simply delaying those cuts for another two months.
Today we want to know if you think avoiding the fiscal cliff will make a difference for the state of the nation. Would having gone over the cliff made congress more likely to provide definitive answers addressing both the federal budget and tax reform? |
When you kick a can or shoot holes in the sides, after its been laying discarded in a gully for some time, little insects and life are likely to surge out to seek refuge. Then left alone as it’s intruder loses interest, it lies abandoned, quietly settling back into the natural landscape as the earth begins to engulf it once again. This cycle of interaction between the world and human kind is a tension explored, reconciled and opened up again in Brenton Bostwicks work. The Doorway Series is an eight panel show of Bostwick’s continual investment in the ‘organic movement’ of life, where the interchanges of humanity and ecology are unlatched with shot up old cans, polished wood fragments and other scavenged items.
Taking Duchamps ideas of the ready-made and fashioning them in a way suitable to the early Assemblage artist, the Doorway Series builds on a tradition of finding beauty in the everyday and the forgotten. Bostwicks sources his material, through a system of forging the landscape for pieces of broken foliage or discarded trash, which he claims, polishes and sorts into a system maybe only discernible to himself. He then creates by referencing the different bins for the right fragment of wood, fitting them together as if a puzzle pre-arranged for him. The resulting use of the ‘natural ready-made’ is a refreshing position to the old masters tricks creating pieces that are meditative to the natural and urban environment.
Where the artist typically deals directly with the figure and human form in his work, these pieces examine the traces or residues of the figure in its absence. The disregarded or functional products of society, whose structure is forever being challenged by the decompositional properties of nature. “Tapped Out,” one work in the series displays the mechanics of a human made hydration system where the water flows as if it were vines, growing directly on top of the intended moisture. As the artist would say, where we “attempt to organize, categorize, label and box the world around us, a massive undertaking given the effortless motion of nature as it works to reintegrate our tireless and hilariously futile efforts.” A similar work outside of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, where a facet springs from under the buildings name plate, spewing thick ribbons of bronzed(*not sure if it was bronze or wood?) sprawling flows, leaking carefully down onto the sidewalk.
The primary use of wood in the series is a trademark of Bostwick who was previously employed as a carpenter. Each piece takes on the skilled craftsmanship of an experienced hand in wood work. The intricate details and construction of the pieces contribute to the very building the work states ‘nature calls into question.’ An endless cycle of systemizing, erecting and understanding only to be problematize; resonating flux and ambiguity. The collection strives through this interrogation of natural and human struggle for control, never asserting which side it is on.
The original works by Brenton Bostwick are now on sale at the online gallery of Patron of the Arts. In addition to the Doorway Series a limited edition print is also being released, marking the debut of the artists return to paint- and on Wednesday, May 9th,2012, Patron of the Arts will be releasing a very limited edition print of “Sightless Vision”, which can be purchased directly, here.
The ‘doorway‘ becomes an apt metaphor in which to interpret Bostwicks artistic transition. Situated around the notion of ‘sightless vision’, the painting is from a larger collection currently in progress. Continually seeking new means of representation and thriving through the growth of learning from new materials, Bostwicks progression from sculptor to painting has been much anticipated. He proceeds to examine the relationship and movement of natural life, with a palette of reds, greens and oranges opened up through the use of acrylic. Where the assemblage of found object allows Bostwick to create pieces of physicality, the paintings become doorways to different imaginative spaces.
– written by Emily Kramer and with photos by Michael Cuffe
To purchase Brenton’s latest print “Sightless Vision” visit: Patron of the Arts Gallery Store
For more about Brenton visit: http://www.BrentonBostwick.com |
Microsoft just announced that they’ll be shutting down Windows Live Messenger – what used to be MSN Messenger – for good on March 15th. After buying out Skype in 2011, the software giant has gradually moved its chat userbase over to Skype’s network. Now, the chat network many of us relied on for over a decade is now going to disappear.
That said, odds are you haven’t used Live Messenger in quite some time, if you’re like most of the people I talk to. Facebook, Skype, and mobile messaging apps like WhatsApp have taken over chatting. You may be chatting more than ever, but odds are it’s not on the same network that you used a half-decade ago, and you’re likely not doing it from your computer.
Or are you? That’s what we’re curious about: what chat network do you use the most? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below! |
Table of Contents:
- Is the almond cart currently ahead of the water wagon?
- Could prices rise?
What happens when there is no water for California's permanent crops?
The question was recently asked by an almond handler about buyer reluctance to spend appreciably more for California almonds under the premise that if supplies turn south while demand is still running northbound, almond prices could be bid up to numbers nobody is willing to pay.
How eager will consumers be to buy snack nuts and pricey boxes of cereal with sliced and diced almonds inside when staples including dairy and meat are also rising rapidly?
The lack of water is the largest kink in the almond supply chain. It’s not just the increase in the number of almond trees, but the boost in production per tree that is raising the water demand. What can the commodity groups do to add voice to California’s need for reliable, sustainable water for agriculture?
The Almond Board of California recently held an environmental stewardship tour aimed at educating state and federal regulators on what the industry is doing to comply with existing law, and how that compliance is impacting growers. Water issues were discussed openly.
Regulators had some good questions, and grower-handler Jim Jasper of Stewart and Jasper had some equally good answers.
California is in desperate need of new water and new ideas before it’s too late, which could include seriously addressing a sacred cow known as the Endangered Species Act and other environmental laws. For those who think “too late” is still decades down the road and that time is on our side, I borrow a phrase attributed to Sarah Palin: “You can see it from here.” |
Woods, Richard (2005) New build (red brick architecture). [Show/Exhibition]Full text not available from this repository.
The Red Brick architectural interventions were designed as a triumvirate of installation projects, which transformed buildings by temporarily cladding them with red brick printed MDF panels. ‘The New Build’ installation was the first version of the series, ‘Red Brick Architecture’. These architectural interventions were designed as a triumvirate of projects: ‘New Build’ at Oxford University; ‘Renovation’ in a suburban detached street in South West London (20.8.05 -18.9.05), and ‘The Decorative Arts’ in a gallery and warehouse building in Turin, (solo show, 2005, and permanent site 2007). Each artwork builds on and explores very different architectural and contextual relationships with the red brick pattern and thus with each other. The Long Room at New College, University of Oxford, was the first location to be chosen for the work, covering a building with a combined surface area of more than 20,000 square feet. By bringing the red brick pattern to Oxford University Woods brought brown field site aesthetics to an architectural and educational heritage site. A suburban detached street in South West London was the second site for the architectural makeover. This site provided a domestic context for the project, concentrating on the DIY nature of home improvement. The third site was a warehouse building which is part of a large Italian Art Foundation. This context explored the many industrial architectural makeovers that exist in inner cities. Woods juxtaposes architectural forms, using the red brick skin in various physical manifestations. As the triumvirate is now being completed the relationships between the buildings become clearer. The ‘Red Brick Architecture’ series has been discussed by Woods at ‘Art in The Public Sphere’ (Tate Britain, March 29th 2006). ‘Newbuild’ features in the V&A book ‘Prints Now' a worldwide survey into important print-based contemporary art (2006).
|Additional Information:||Also shown at 48 Merton Hall Road, London SW18; The Decorative Arts, Galleria MAZE, Turin (Solo Show).|
|Subjects:||University of Westminster > Media, Arts and Design|
|Depositing User:||Miss Nina Watts|
|Date Deposited:||07 May 2008 13:30|
|Last Modified:||31 Jul 2012 09:52|
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Posted 27 September 2010 - 06:08 AM
Posted 28 September 2010 - 12:15 AM
Posted 28 September 2010 - 01:22 PM
I'd suspect that the subject and surroundings both absorb light very effectively so you are getting little reflected light onto the subject which means that t has no reflected or 'fill' light from its surroundings so the shadowed area is very dark whilst the lit area is lit much the same as the surroundings. The only real solution is to add a fill in flash and expose to the limit of the raw file's ability to handle highlight detail - this will give you a lighter image which you can darken to provide decent blacks whilst still retaining a brighter overall image. Easier to do than explain! What you don't want is a dark image which will suffer if brightened. Personally I would put the main strobe closer to the subject too (if possible) to make its effect slightly softer and provide a slightly more flatly lit image.
Paul Kay,Canon EOS5DII/1DS3 SEACAM c/w S45, 15, 24L, 60/2.8 (+Ext12II) & 100/2.8 Macros - UK/Ireland Seacam Sales -see marinewildlife
Posted 28 September 2010 - 11:19 PM
You're rigth, the subject is very mimetic. The water is dark (It was raining) even if the depth was really... (5m eeeh 15 feet). I guess if the diffusor has changed anything (one "on" and the other one "off").
I have had two strobes one frome the sligthy up left and one just on the top, distance less than 1/2 foot (both). I was nearly on the bottom (myself I mean) and I could not put on strobe closer (or on the rigth) because of the stones shape.
Thanks indeed for the ideas. |
Whether you’re just starting out and building a website from scratch, or you’re looking to give your current website a makeover, pulling your SEO team in from the start will save you time in the long run.
I see it time and time again. A website is built, then the SEOs are pulled in to get to work…backtracking and undoing to do it again properly. I’m not saying that all SEOs are great at building sites, but most developers only have a basic knowledge of SEO, so getting experts from both sides working together from the planning stages is crucial.
One of the most frustrating things about being left out until the later stages is that often extra work is required to fix the SEO holes, so the client has to make sacrifices due to budget restraints, which often leads to problems further down the line.
Here I cover some of the most common issues that can be easily avoided by pulling in your SEO experts as early as possible.
This is one of the most common issues that I see – the site being developed is left open for Google to crawl it and list in the search results. If you have a live site with much of the same content, this could cause a huge duplicate content issue.
Adding the disallow instruction to your robots.txt file will prevent it from being crawled and indexed by the search engines. Don’t forget to remove the disallow line when you’re ready to go live!
When a site is being developed, it is common practice to include example text to demonstrate how content will appear on the pages. However, another common issue occurs when test pages are not blocked from the search engines, sometimes causing them to be found by the crawlers, indexed and pulled into the search results.
These pages provide no value and several of them could bring down the overall authority of a site. Placing a ‘noindex’ tag on test pages will prevent the major search engines from accessing them.
If your website targets more than one country and/or language then you need to be sure that the right version of your pages are displayed to your visitors in the search results. The ‘hreflang’ tag allows you to specify all of the alternate versions of your pages, highlighting which version should be displayed based on location and language. It also helps to prevent duplicate content issues, where the same or very similar content is used across the regional versions. A great tool for generating the correct code is the hreflang tags generator tool, created by Aleyda Solis.
The ‘hreflang’ tags can be placed within the code on each page, or within the XML sitemap. A default version can also be specified to highlight which version to display if users are searching with a language or country that has not been targeted, using rel=”alternate” hreflang=”x”.
It is also recommended that you use the ‘geolocate’ option within Google and Bing’s Webmaster Tools to specify the country that the site is targeting. If you’re using folders to split up regions (example.com/en; example.com/de; example.com/it etc.) then you can create separate Webmaster Tools accounts for each, and then change the associated country settings to match.
Be careful when considering automatically redirecting users to the appropriate version of your site based on their location. This can cause all sorts of problems, including search engines being redirected to a single version of your site, causing only this version to appear in search.
Keyword research is one of the most useful and eye-opening tasks of all. It can help to shape your site and provide insights on where best to focus your efforts.
Understanding exactly which terms are being used to search within your industry and the associated volumes can help you to make informed decisions, allowing you to decide which keywords to target. Plan exactly which keywords you wish to target for each page and avoid optimising several pages for a single keyword, as this will confuse the search engines and dilute your efforts.
The golden rule when planning your site architecture is to make it as easy as possible for both users and search engines to navigate through your pages, while keeping the number of clicks required for users to find what they are looking for to a minimum. This is not only to give the user a good experience, but also to prevent authority from being diluted. Each step in the tree passes less value to the next level, leaving pages at the bottom of the tree with little authority.
The search engines are also less likely to crawl through multiple levels of a site, so some of the deeper pages may not be indexed at all and therefore not appear in the search results.
The keyword research will help you to decide which words to focus on when building your pages and categories, but it will also allow you to see which pages are more likely to attract higher search volumes. Based on these findings, you can draw up a navigation plan in order to pass the most value to your key pages.
A clean, consistent URL structure will help users and search engines to understand what to expect from your pages while preventing potential duplicate content issues.
A few rules to follow:
It is also important to note that using the primary keywords assigned to each page within the URL will help the listing to stand out in the search results, as keywords appear in bold when they match the users search query.
Navigation is not only useful for helping users and search engines to quickly navigate through the site, but it’s also an effective tool for distributing value between pages. It’s important to build up authority to your main pages, so including them in your navigation will result in them being linked to from every page on your website, with each link passing value.
As I mentioned earlier, you should use the findings from the keyword research to decide on the category names.
While you’re unlikely to include links to every page on your site within the navigation, your internal linking strategy must take into account that every page that you want to appear in search will need to be linked to from somewhere.
Duplicate content happens, but the problem is that often people aren’t aware of it. In my experience, the most common causes are:
This is a useful tool that can reduce the amount of work required from your developers, speed up tag implementation and prevent your site from being slowed down by unnecessary code.
Simply create a Tag Manager account then add a snippet of code to your template. Now you can manage all of your tags from a single account, rather than having to call on your developers to add them manually.
This only applies to existing sites that are being updated, involving changes to the location of your pages. This can be moving to a completely different domain, or simply updating the structure and design on your current domain.
A redirect strategy should be put in place to map the old pages to the new. Using 301 (permanent) redirects is generally the best way to handle redirects. This is because the 301 is the only redirect that passes value from one page to another. Generate a list of every page on your current site – export live pages from your CMS or crawl the pages (this doesn’t always pull back every page). Using a spreadsheet, map all old pages to the new pages, then use this to build your redirect strategy.
If there is no exact equivalent page to redirect to, try to find the most relevant page instead, e.g. a retired product could redirect to its category page.
Remove redirect chains – These are commonly caused by redirects being added each time a URL moves, causing crawlers to jump between all of the old pages before arriving at the new page. This can slow down load times and leak value passed through links. By removing the unnecessary steps in the chain, you can link straight to the source.
An easy way to identify redirect chains is using Screaming Frog’s redirect chains report – simply click ‘Configuration > Spider’ then under the ‘Advanced’ tab, tick ‘Always Follow Redirects’. Now crawl your site then select ‘Reports>Redirect Chains’ to export the report.
Hopefully you’re now sold on the idea that SEO isn’t just something that’s bolted on once a site is built, but rather a core feature that can help to guide and inform you through the planning and implementation stages, right through to launch and beyond.. So next time you’re looking to build a site, you know who to call! |
Avian influenza – situation in Myanmar
14 December 2007
The Ministry of Health in Myanmar has confirmed the country's first case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The case is a 7-year-old female from Kyaing Tone Township, Shan State (East).
The case was detected through routine surveillance following an outbreak of H5N1 in poultry in the area in mid-November. She developed symptoms of fever and headache on 21 November 2007 and was hospitalized on 27 November. She has now recovered. Samples taken from the case tested positive for H5N1 at the National Health Laboratory in Yangon, and the National Institute of Health in Thailand. The diagnosis was further confirmed at the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Tokyo, Japan.
A team from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries and the WHO Country Office are conducting investigations to confirm the source of her infection. Initial findings indicate poultry die off in the vicinity of the case's home in the week prior to the onset of illness. To date, all identified contacts of the case remain healthy and ongoing surveillance activities in the area have not detected any further cases. |
Ranakpur is a village in Rajasthan in the West of India. It is famous for its exquisite white marble Jain Temple. Ranakpur Temple is open to tourists in the afternoon only. Mornings are reserved for prayers. Visitors are welcome from noon to 5pm.
From Jodhpur, take a train to Falna station (INR250) and get a taxi to Ranakpur (INR~350). Ranakpur is reachable by car or bus from Udaipur as well.
Ranakpur is a small village, and there are no rickshaws or taxis to take you around. Near the Ranakpur Temple, you can hire a private car to take you to hotels in and around the village. Most tourists make Ranakpur a stop on a day trip from Udaipur, although there are a number of nice hotels nearby.
The Ranakpur Temple is one of the most famous Jain temples in Rajasthan and dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankar (enlightened human) of our time cycle, Adinath (aka Lord Rishabha). It is a very big temple (ceiling around 7m high), constructed of white marble and has sculptures of the same quality but of a different type than Dilwara. The exterior is also striking. It has approximately 1440 exquisitely carved white marble columns, none of which are alike.
To enter the temple, you must be appropriately dressed. Women need to cover their legs well below the knee. Leather products (including belts) are not allowed. If you are carrying a camera you will need to "donate" 100 rupees (Feb 2013) for each camera. If you have a cell phone with a camera, you will need another ticket for that or leave the cell phone in your taxi. The guard at the entrance will find it with a metal detector and tell you "one ticket, one camera."
Be aware that if approached by a Jain monk and he offers to show you various "special" images that are usually shrouded, he will rather aggressively and persistently "ask" for a "donation."
Nearby, there are two smaller temples built after two other Jain Tirthankars, Neminath and Parsvanath. There is also a small temple built near the main temple for the Hindu Sun God, Surya.
Ranakpur Temple is open to tourists in the afternoon only. Mornings are reserved for prayers. Visitors are welcome from noon to 5pm.
- Hotel Maharani Bagh, Tel: 91-2934-285151, spacious, clean rooms set among a mango grove. Doubles are around INR5,000 per night. Room service is slow, especially in the morning.
- You can get a room in the temple premises for INR200 a night. The rooms, which were constructed for temple devotees, are spartan but have attached toilet/bathrooms. Hot water for bathing is available in the morning. A breakfast thali is available for INR15. The temple has a right to refuse you a room, so it's best to present yourself in a humble manner and be willing to learn more about Jainism. Hindus should have no problem getting a room.
- Shivika Lake Hotel, Near Jain Temple (Near Ranakpur temple, below the Aravali mountain range, on the shore of lake Nalwania), ☎ 0091-9829191099, . checkin: 12:00 noon; checkout: 12:00 noon. Shivika Lake Hotel is set in an idyllic setting with hills all around. Shivika Lake Hotel has in total 13 rooms and 5 tented accommodations. All rooms are tastefully and traditionally furnished with local material, colour & design. The rooms give a camp atmosphere with modern amenities. You can also trek or have a safari from there. edit
- Fateh Bagh, Ranakpur, Ranakpur Road, Ranakpur, District Pali, Rajasthan, ☎ 02934 286 186, . Fateh Bagh is a recreation of 200 years old beautiful ruined palace of Rawla Koshilav Palace with period furniture and ethnic décor with each guest room seems to have staged a story indigenously recreated into marvelous luxury hotel. edit
- Mana Hotels, Ranakpur, Sadari, Ranakpur Road, Near Ranakpur Temple Ranakpur, Rajasthan 306702 India, ☎ 01148080000, . Spread over 3 acres, Mana Hotels, Ranakpur is a beautiful modern interpretation of traditional Rajasthani architecture. The hotel provides full modern amenities while giving guests a chance to experience local culture, cuisines and religions. The hotel is a short 15 minute drive from the Ranakpur Jain Temple. edit
- Jeep Safari or nature hike through the Ranakpur Valley or the nearby Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary []
- Horseback Safari through the Aravalli Mountains, the Ranakpur Valley and the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary []
- Virendra Singh Shaktawat (email@example.com), Udaipur, ☎ +91-98290-42012, . Arranges horseback safaris from Udaipur to Ranakpur, around the Aravalli Mountains and through the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary. Contact also for jeep safaris, night drives and nature hikes around Ranakpur. edit
A local bus to Udaipur stops right outside the Ranakpur Temple every hour and costs INR45. The journey back to Udaipur takes around 3 hours.
You may go by bus to Mount Abu, a relaxing, peaceful hill resort, a nice place to rest and hike. A bus goes every 30 minutes to Sandera. From there buses leave to Mt. Abu or Abu Road (27km downhill from Mt. Abu, around INR200 for uphill taxi). |
East is a district of Amsterdam.
Eastern Amsterdam is a residential district that lies between the Amstel River in the west and the IJ in the east. It should not be regarded as a homogeneous area, as there are many different neighbourhoods with their own culture and identity.
The Eastern Docklands (Oostelijk Havengebied) dates from the nineteenth century, and as the name suggests, used to be a port that served the growing trade with the Dutch East Indies. In the first half of the twentieth century, this area was in full development as warehouses were constructed to facilitate the trade with the colonies. After the Great Depression, World War II and the subsequent decolonization, the area fell in decay. It was only in the 1990s that this area was reconstructed, turned into a hip and going residential area modeled after the Docklands in London. There are some truly stunning examples of modern architecture to be found here. Following this project, IJburg is a new middle-class neigbourhood on artificial islands reclaimed from the IJ in the early 2000s. More islands are currently being reclaimed to build the Amsterdam of the future.
Directly south of the Plantage is the Oosterpark, the first large park financed by the municipality of Amsterdam as it dates from 1891. The Vondelpark is older and larger, but that initially was a private project. Activities can be undertaken in the park, and a visit to the Tropenmuseum shouldn't be missed. South of the Oosterpark are some ethnically mixed working class neighbourhoods that originate from the late nineteenth century. The Dapperbuurt is known for the Dappermarkt, the second largest market of Amsterdam after the Albert Cuyp Market. It has been a designated market street since 1910. Products for sale aim to a Dutch Antillean, Moroccan, Surinamese and Turkish clientele, reflecting the ethnic make-up of the area. Other working class neighborhoods with a large immigrant population are the Indische Buurt and the Transvaalbuurt; urban renewal projects are underway to improve the living conditions in these neighborhoods.
Going further south is the Amsterdam Amstel railway station, an emerging business district. In 1994 the Rembrandt Tower was completed, with 135 metres the tallest skyscraper of Amsterdam and the first in a series of towers named after famous Dutch painters. In 2001, the tower was accompanied by the Breitner Tower and the Mondriaan Tower, both located in the same area. East of these lies the Watergraafsmeer, formerly a polder that has been incorporated in Amsterdam in 1921. It was home to Stadium De Meer, the home of Ajax football club until its destruction in 1996. It is a green neighborhood with many trees and sport facilities, as it used to be a popular getaway for affluent citizens of Amsterdam. Now it is becoming Amsterdam's knowledge centre due to the development of the Amsterdam Science Park. This science complex is home to the Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AMS-IX), the second largest Internet exchange point in the world.
You can reach most of the East easily by public transport. For IJburg, take tram 26 from Amsterdam Central Station. You can also get on bus 66 from Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA to Vennepluimstraat.
You can also reach IJburg by car. Take Amsterdam's city ring A10 exit S114 (Zeeburg/IJburg), take highway A1 exit 3 (Muiden) or take Piet Heintunnel from the center of Amsterdam. And you can reach IJburg by bike. Take one of the two bridges: the Nesciobrug or the Enneüs Heermabrug.
The architecture at IJburg is worth seeing. The first island you reach by tram is Steigereiland. At Steigereiland South many residents got the chance to design their houses themselves. Steigereiland North is all about water and air, with a basin full of floating homes. Haveneiland is the main island, and called after its harbour. Many buildings here are modern interpretations of the old city center. Blijburg beach is on the main island.
Going out at Blijburg beach, harbour club The Lighthouse, cool restaurant and bar N.A.P. or Dok48. Enjoying the water, the architecture, the nice shops and restaurants.
IJburg has a lot of interesting shops. Design020 (Pedro de Medinalaan 89) is a large interior design center and W.I.C. (Pampuslaan 36) sells sixties vintage designer furniture. IJgenwijs (IJburglaan 1285) and Swah (IJburglaan 354) are nice shops for present and home decoration.
Nice boutiques are Bij'tij (Krijn Taconiskade 126), Frontrow (IJburglaan 1277), Ien Lifestyleshop (Diemerparklaan 52), Sevenlands (IJburglaan 1359) and SUBURB denim (IJburglaan 1499). Kids boutiques are Bliksem en Sterren (IJburglaan 1153), Flo4Kidz (IJburglaan 1273), Mama's Design (IJburglaan 1495) and Tjikky+Ko (Krijn Taconiskade 128P).
There are some special food shops in IJburg: Boerenjongens Eetwinkel (Talbotstraat 3) is a deli shop annex lunch room with products from the region and Dal Magazino (IJburglaan 431) is the deli shop of Italian restaurant Il Lago.
IJburg further has about 25 restaurants and lunchrooms. Nice ones are Beachclub Blijburg (Muiderlaan 1), coffee bar Espressofabriek (IJburglaan 1489), harbour club The Lighthouse (Krijn Taconiskade 432), harbour side restaurant N.A.P. (Krijn Taconiskade 124), Italian restaurant Lago Caffè (IJburglaan 431), Dutch pancake restaurant Pannenkoek en zo (Taconiskade 406), Mediterranean deli annex restaurant Tante Til (IJburglaan 1501), and icecream shop IJsburg (Pampuslaan 41). You can find an overview at the website 'IJburg: Amsterdam by the sea'. |
The US military's Operations Order (OPORD) can be traced to the simple, five-section combat orders written by the Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus, the 17th Century general who founded the Swedish Empire. British historian B.H. Liddell Hart writes in "Great Captains Unveiled":
Gustavus' orders are a model of which a modern staff officer might be proud, the paragraphs numbered, each short, crisp, and ebmodying one specific point; the whole in a logical sequence that is reminiscent of modern practice--information as to the enemy, intention of the commander, and method of execution first, then administrative arrangements, and finally inter-communication.
Though Adolphus issued such orders to fight set-piece battles in the 17th Century, modern armies have used the OPORD to plan all sorts of events--from air assaults to picnics.
Recently, invoking doctrine, military organizations the world over have taken to issuing a daily or weekly "fragmentary order", or "FRAGO", to disseminate routine administrative information. Thus, Gustavus Adolphus' simple orders for conducting linear battles have evolved into, well, this:
BURGER KING IMPROVED CUSTOMER SERVICE
Purpose.To expedite customer service of [redacted] Burger King Eatery during lunch hours.Task to Subordinate Units: See Coordinating Instructions.
Coordinating Instructions.Please know what menu item or value meal number being purchased as soon as possible.Have money ready.Please have one person speak at a time.Know what size value meal (if applicable).Know what kind of drink you desire.Be courteous to eatery staff.The POC for this information is the restaurant manager, [redacted].
Wait a second, this isn't in the FM 3-0.
Doctrine Man, please help us! |
Kevin “Travesty” Trenberth had a peer-reviewed article in Science entitled, “Has there been a hiatus? Internal climate variability masks climate-warming trends.”
First, the word “hiatus” is wrong. Using it assumes what it seeks to prove: that the atmosphere is warming substantially because of human activity. We do not know this is true; and given model results, an area where Trenberth treds oh so lightly, it is almost surely false. The word “hiatus” implies the warming is there, but has been “masked” or “beaten down” by other causes such that the total cause is a no-warming signal in the (operationally defined) global mean surface temperature (GMST).
The real question of interest is not whether there was a “hiatus” but what are the main causes of the (value of the) GMST? Some of the causes Trenberth mentions are uncontroversial; for instance, volcanic eruptions, which block incoming solar radiation. But one cause he mentions, and which is says is responsible for the “hiatus”, is not a cause at all. This is the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO).
He says, “Observations and models show that the PDO is a key player in the two recent hiatus periods”. He cliams the PDO is responsible for “interannual variability” of the atmosphere. This cannot be so. The PDO is an effect, an observation. It is not a primary cause. The PDO is not something apart from the atmosphere, independent of it and which only shows up every so often. It is a pattern formed in the atmosphere by the same (and other) causes which are responsible for the GMST value.
And the same is true, of course, for the El Nino, La Nina, AMO, and any other human-identified handy pattern. To say the PDO is a cause is like saying the “pattern” of colder temperatures we notice in December in the northern hemisphere are responsible for (a.k.a. cause) winter.
Trenberth skirts around the lack of skill exhibited by climate models and implies the models would have been right—which means he acknowledges they were wrong—had this nasty PDO not had its way with the atmosphere. Such faith. He says, “the associated changes in the atmospheric circulation are mostly not from anthropogenic climate change but rather reflect large natural variability on decadal time scales. The latter has limited predictability and may be underrepresented in many models”.
This is silly. The models claimed to be able to identify the main causes of atmospheric change. Because the predictions were so awful is proof that this claim is false. We do not know all the main causes of atmospheric change. If we did, our forecasts would have been accurate.
As I said, the main causes of the changes in the atmosphere also cause changes in the man-identified pattern we call the PDO. We also do not do a stellar job of predicting the PDO. More evidence we do not understand all the causes of the changes in the atmosphere.
Further, there is no such thing as “natural variability”. It doesn’t exist like volcanoes and even human carbon dioxide emissions do. Natural variability is a measure, the result of us holding up a sort of yardstick to the atmosphere. The yardstick exists all right, but it has no causal influence of the atmosphere itself.
For being a world-renowned expert on our climate, Trenberth certainly speaks poorly of its operation.
Small points: Trenberth ignores the satellite data temperature record and instead relies on a statistical reconstruction which does not show the uncertainty in its estimates. He smooths his “data” to show us black lines which are not the “data”, and then speaks of these lines as he speaks of “natural variability”, i.e. as if it’s something real. And then he does some odd ad hoc piece-wise linear regression the purpose of which is unclear and, as far as I can tell, is of no use whatsoever, i.e. it makes no predictions like all good statistical models should. |
By John Upton
Hike away from a reservoir, and something interesting happens. As you walk away from the dam wall, or from any other part of the reservoir’s shore, the sound of chirping birds and buzzing insects often grows louder.
Despite resembling lakes, reservoirs are sterile environments bereft of wildlife. The visually stunning waterbodies are virtual dead zones because their water laps at steep cliffs that restrict shoreline habitat.
Shoreline habitat is a critical environment for birds, young fish and aquatic plants – not to mention the insects and other tiny creatures that more charismatic fauna feast upon. Remove gently sloping shorelines from an ecosystem and you remove much of its wildlife.
The most dramatic example I have experienced is in Yosemite National Park, where San Francisco dammed Hetch Hetchy Valley in the 1930s to create a drinking water reservoir.
The protected, pristine wild lands that surround the flooded meadow and forest environments create an extraordinary contrast: Birds and butterflies are virtually absent around the flooded valley; walk less than a mile in the right direction from the water’s edge and the din of insects and birds becomes aurally dazzling.
Drive away from a reservoir, and something else interesting happens. As you travel farther from the communities that are directly affected by drowned wild land, cheers of support for the presence of the reservoir often grow louder.
A dramatic example of this is playing out in the debate over Hetch Hetchy Valley’s future. San Francisco voters will decide in November whether the city’s water agency will overhaul its water management practices, expand some reservoirs and draw on new sources of recycled water and local groundwater and rainwater. All with the goal of eventually draining and restoring Hetch Hetchy Valley without jeopardizing Bay Area water supplies.
Near Yosemite in Sacramento, the Bee, the city’s hometown newspaper, has long championed efforts to drain the reservoir and restore the habitat into a wilderness mecca for wildlife and visitors. Although Hetch Hetchy is in Sacramento’s backyard, the city and its residents enjoy no real benefits from it.
Less than 100 miles from Sacramento, the Chronicle, one of San Francisco’s hometown newspapers, takes a different stance. Its editorials lambast the ballot initiative, describing it as “insane.” Its views reflect those of local elected officials and Bay Area business groups, most of whom see the reservoir as an indispensable source of snowmelt and cheap hydropower and, consequently, political power for the influential region.
The Chronicle’s owner, Heart Corp., doesn’t just editorialize. The publishing company in late June donated $2,500 to one of the political campaigns that aims to prevent the November ballot measure from passing. The donation, made to Citizens for Reliable Water and a Healthy Environment, came from the corporation’s San Francisco-based land management division.
That’s not a lot of money in the scheme of things, particularly given that ballot measure opponents have already raised more than $150,000 for their fight (supporters have raised more than $100,000, filings show, although I’m told that figure was recently doubled with a single donation), and it’s certainly unlikely to sway the election result. But the donation, combined with the dueling editorials, helps to illustrate how dramatically things can change as you get farther from a reservoir.
Update: The 2012 ballot measure failed, with 73 percent of San Francisco voters rejecting it. |
According to Sayre-McCord...
Geoffrey Sayre-McCord has a very inclusive definition of realism in general and moral realism in particular:
Wherever it is found, I'll argue, realism involves embracing just two theses: (1) the claims in question, when literally construed, are literally true or false (cognitivism), and (2) some are literally true. Nothing more.1In other words, moral realism is a synonym for success theory. Picture a little flow chart:
- Do moral claims aim at truth?
no — moral non-cognitivism
yes — moral cognitivism, continue to the next step.
- Are moral claims sometimes true?
no — error theory
yes — success theory
To be fair, I should explain that Sayre-McCord is advancing a general definition of realism. He's not endorsing all success theories as viable options within moral philosophy. For example, he counts moral subjectivism as a form of moral realism, claiming the faults of subjectivism are for other reasons besides the realism/anti-realism distinction. I highly recommend his paper on the topic:
The Many Moral Realisms — Geoffrey Sayre-McCord (search link)
So, according to Sayre-McCord, moral realism is just the view that some moral statements are true.
According to Gray...
James Gray starts with Sayre-McCord's definition and adds one more restriction:
A moral realist believes that there is at least one moral fact, and moral facts are not reducible to nonmoral facts.2He goes on to explain why:
Some moral realists might argue that morality is reducible to non-moral facts. [...] I don’t agree that this is moral realism because once we can reduce morality to non-moral facts, we can say, “We thought morality was real, but now we know we were talking about something else.” Morality at that point can be dispensed with.2My objection to this is that we aren't so stringent about realism in general. I'm a realist about sandwiches, but a sandwich is nothing but bread, meat, mustard, etc. Should I say, "We thought sandwiches were real, but now we know we were talking about something else"?
I think what's going on here is that 'moral realism' is treated as a label for acceptable moral theories. Since Gray thinks non-reducibility (i.e. moral non-naturalism) is needed for morality to be as important as we commonly think it is, he's including it in his definition of moral realism. This would also explain the tendency for philosophers to include things like motivational internalism, the notion that anyone who accepts a moral judgment as true necessarily has some motivation to comply with it.
I'm more sympathetic with Sayre-McCord's approach of sticking to the question of realism and counting other considerations separately, but while Gray is too restrictive, Sayre-McCord is too permissive.
According to Brink...
A realistic view about ethics presumably asserts the existence of moral facts and true moral propositions. But a moral relativist who thinks that moral facts are constituted by an individual's or social group's moral beliefs is able to agree with this. Moral realism, it seems, is committed to moral facts and truths that are objective in some way. But in what way?3Now we're getting somewhere! This 'objectivity' criterion is a popular addition to mere success theory, but it can be tricky to define the kind of objectivity needed. It's easy to exclude too much.
For example, we could say realism requires full independence from mental facts, but then there would be nothing objective in the science of psychology. Or we could say that anything caused by minds can't count as realism, but Brink points out this would stop us from being realists about tables, chairs, or anything else manufactured by thinking beings! (I'll add that Theists couldn't be realists about the natural world.)
Brink settles on the following distinction:
Whatever else realists might claim, they usually agree on the metaphysical claim that there are facts of a certain kind which are independent of our evidence for them. [...] Not only does ethics concern matters of fact; it concerns facts that hold independently of anyone's beliefs about what is right or wrong.4I'm not sold on this 'independent of our evidence' phrasing, but I do think he's onto something with the criterion of belief-independence. Otherwise, "Everyone believes X is morally permissible, therefore X is morally permissible" would count as moral realism.
At the same time, psychological facts like pain can still play a role in moral realism. This is important because it seems likely morality is — at least in part — about mental facts. In "Naturalism, Theism, Obligation, and Supervenience" (search link), Alvin Plantinga mentions two thought experiments:
- Everyone in the world believes it is morally acceptable to torture people for the fun of it.
- Everyone in the world desires that the behavior of torturing people for the fun of it were more widely practiced.
Brink's objectivity criterion might need further refining, but I'm in broad agreement that moral realism can take into account some mental facts even as it excludes others. His comparison to psychology is very apt. While psychological facts depend on minds (being the study of minds), we can still be mistaken about how our own minds work. Similar deal for morality.
The Big Lesson
If you do use the term 'moral realism,' please give relevant details on what you mean. For now, at least, it's not the clearest term in philosophy's word bank.
1. Sayre-McCord, J. (Ed.). (1998). Essays on moral realism. Cornell University Press.
2. From http://ethicalrealism.wordpress.com/2009/09/16/what-is-moral-realism/
3. Brink, D.O. (1989). Moral realism and the foundations of ethics. Cambridge University Press. p. 14
4. Ibid. pp. 15, 20 |
Online data-entry jobs present an enticing opportunity to earn money from home with very little investment. All that most companies require is that data keyers have a computer and a high-speed Internet connection to receive assignments and transmit finished work back to the company. Unfortunately, many job seekers have been on the receiving end of work-at-home scams, either not being paid for work performed or duped into giving out personally identifiable information to criminals. Still, legal online data entry jobs do exist in industries and fields that many job seekers may not have thought about exploring.
Data-entry keyers may read handwritten information on tax returns, bills and other filled-in forms that have been converted to a digital portable document format, or PDF. The keyer might decipher nearly illegible text, then type what he sees into a database via a data-entry website. Find data keyer job listings on RatRaceRebellion.com and WAHM.com. Companies that hire workers from home include KeyForCash.com, Axion Data Services and DionData Solutions. You can confirm that a company is not a scam by using the Business Business Bureau. Some data-entry companies will even post the "BBB Reliability Program" logo or trustmark at the bottom of their websites, helping to confirm that the online business is legitimate.
Transcriptionists listen to recorded audio on a computer through headphones, then type what is heard. The three common types of online transcription include medical, legal and general. Industries that rely on transcription include doctor's offices that verbally record patient notes; law enforcement agencies that record 911 calls; and corporations that host quarterly conference calls about company financials. Ubiqus is a company that offers corporate, legal and medical transcription. However, many companies focus on just one specialty, such as Transcend, which deals with medical, and NetTranscipts, which deals with legal. Medical and legal transcriptionists often seek out training from approved and accredited colleges before entering the workforce. Schools maintain a list of legitimate online employers for graduates to apply with. Professional associations also exist for transcription specialties, such as the Association of Healthcare Documentation Integrity, which concerns medical transcription.
Home-based third-party verification agents are used by telemarketing companies and credit card providers to help reduce fraud by employees and customers alike. For example, after a household orders long-distance service via a sales agent, a home-based third-party verification agent may listen to a recording of the call to determine whether the sale was valid. He then may enter "Yes" or "No" into a verification system to complete the transaction. The Billing Services Group's VoiceLog unit, as well as the Ver-A-Fast Corporation, both hire at-home workers to verify transactions. You can confirm that a TPV company is legitimate by contacting the client-corporation, such as a long-distance provider, and asking whether it indeed outsources verification services to a particular third-party company.
Surveys abound on the Internet, allowing consumers to submit their responses online. Market research companies hire at-home workers to aggregate and process data and responses from such surveys. Troy Research hires independent contractors for the title of Troy Survey Production. Work is assigned in projects, where contractors set up and launch surveys. Contractors must be very detail-oriented, because data obtained and processed from the surveys needs to be error-free. Online market research opportunities are found on work-at-home job listing websites, such as RatRaceRebellion.com, which prescreen job leads for legitimacy.
- Rat Race Rebellion: Typing and Data Entry
- O*NET Online: Data Entry Keyers -- 43-9021.00
- Axion Data Services: Data Entry Job Opportunities
- New York BBB: BBBOnline Reliability Seal Program
- Ubiqus: Transcription and Writing Services
- AHDI Online: Who Cares If You're Certified?
- Billing Services Group (BSG): Third Party Verification Agent
- Troy Research: The Process -- "Troy Survey Production"
- Polka Dot Images/Polka Dot/Getty Images |
The audience sings along with the wandering beggar, who makes fun of his annual return to the village. This is part of the long-running monodrama “Pumba.” The beggar’s voice is melancholy yet full of vigor, captivating the audience’s attention.
The play “Pumba” is based on a folk song usually sung by panhandlers. It is a monodrama that combined the formats of Korean traditional outdoor play and western-style stage play. Since its debut in 1981, the play has enjoyed steady popularity for 32 years. Such long-standing fame of “Pumba” stems from its unique beginning. Here’s Ms. Park Jeong-jae, CEO of KT&G SangSang Art Hall, for more explanation.
At the time of “Pumba”’s debut performance, in 1981, Korean society was in despair. It was right after the bloody 1980 democratic movement in Gwangju and the “Pumba” playwright realized how powerful stage plays were and wanted to console all Koreans through the play. In a way it was the start of a human rights movement on stage. “Pumba” wanted to champion the rights of the vulnerable and bring justice for the lowest class of people. The play by nature was very dark and morose.
At the time of its inaugural performance Korea was in turmoil. In the months following the death of President Park Chung-hee, many Koreans lost their lives in the civic uprising in Gwangju in southwestern Korea and the entire country was fractured along the regional and ideological divide. The nationwide resolve to live a good life, under the banner of the New Community Movement, dissipated. Corruption was rampant and ordinary Koreans were powerless to stop the social chaos and decline. That’s when “Pumba” debuted. Here’s Ms. Park Jeong-jae, CEO of KT&G SangSang Art Hall, again.
In 1981 political instability and oppression prevailed throughout the country. The audience dried their hearts out at the debut performance, because people still remembered the painful past of Japanese occupation and the Korean War. And we were so desperately poor back then. All these powerful emotions were released when people saw “Pumba.”
For its emotional impact people were drawn to “Pumba” when times were hard. People sang and laughed and cried along with the impoverished yet spirited beggar. They saw themselves in his plight.
I’ve watched “Pumba” for more than 25 years and realized that the play drew the most number of people when the economy is bad or when it was politically unstable. Times were really hard during the 1998 financial crisis, but that’s when we saw the highest ticket sales. That means people wanted an outlet where they could release their stress and frustration.
Pumba originated from Garujigi Song, one of pansori pieces composed by the late Joseon-era pansori scholar Shin Jae-hyo. The term pumba initially referred to a song or sounds of encouragement, not a person. But with the passing of time the meaning of pumba changed to mean beggars who wander around markets or streets and beg for food. Being the lowest members of the lowest social class, the life of a panhandler is definitely hard and barren, but there are still some genuine goodwill and innocence in his life that move people’s hearts. “Pumba” is a medium through which the similarly deprived people communicate with the world.
Twenty-two actors played the role of Pumba over the 32-year run. One actor and one drummer are all there is to this monodrama. One person has to play at least 15 roles, including a Japanese policeman, a father, a fellow beggar, and even a maid. The leading character of the play is named Cheon Jang-geun, an actual person who lived during the Japanese colonial era in the early 1900s. There is even a stone monument erected in Muan County in South Jeolla Province, which claims to be the birthplace of Pumba. Here’s actor Kim Wang-geun who currently plays the leading role.
Pumba is a beggar, but not just any old beggar. His name is Cheon Jang-geun and he used to work as a dockworker in Mokpo during the early twentieth century. But when the Japanese colonial government demanded rice quota from Koreans, he incited fellow dock workers and started a strike and independence movement. He was oppressed by the Japanese colonizers and lost his wife during the Korean War. The play “Pumba” is a story of his eventful life.
When Mokpo Port was opened in the 1930s unemployed men flocked to the southwestern port to seek work as dockhands. Cheon Jang-geun was one of those dockworkers. When he happened to see a shipment of rice quota to Japan, he led a strike and as a result was put on a wanted list. He hid in Illo Village in South Jeolla Province, but during the Korean War the communists tormented him for not joining their cause and he eventually lost his wife. After the war he organized a civic group with some 100 members to rule over a small community, which led him to be called the righteous outlaw Hong Gil-dong of modern times. His eventful life and conscientious personality served as a model for the character Pumba.
The first scene of the play takes place in the middle of winter. The story begins with the beggar lamenting that a barren heart makes him cold all year round.
Cheon sets out to beg for food again. He knocks on the door of a rich man, but gets turned away. But rejection does not deter the king of panhandlers. Instead of becoming dejected and giving up, he talks and sings his way into the rich man’s kitchen and gains a bowl of hot rice.
Although desperately poor, Cheon is nevertheless proud. There is no one as pitiful and powerless as a beggar, but Pumba is different. His constant cheerfulness is the source of comfort for many audience members.
Cheon then meets the love of his life.
The role of his wife is played by an audience member. Other members of the audience applaud the union and wish the couple eternal happiness. The audience member suddenly recruited to play Pumba’s wife is so embarrassed that she can’t even face her play husband. But soon she casts away her shyness and belts out a song to the encouragement of the audience.
But the happy moment is short-lived. Nobody deserves a happy life with a loving wife and family like Pumba, but life does not work out that way. When it rains, it pours for Pumba, and his wife ends up dead during the Korean war.
Although despondent after his wife’s death, Pumba never gives up on life. Rather, he starts looking after war orphans and refugees and establishes a village called Angel Town. He teaches the villagers how to beg for money and food and how to survive in the tough world.
The world may be corrupt and injustice may seem to be rampant, Angel Town founded by Pumba Cheon Jang-geun is run by the rule of law. Everyone follows the town rules, regardless of their lot in life and regardless of their status within the town. So the scene in which a beggar who raped and buried a woman stands trial counts as one of the best scenes in the play.
Pumba Cheon Jang-geun may be a lowborn beggar, but he always tried to realize justice for his fellow disadvantaged people.
Pumba’s sad song brings tears to people’s eyes, because the lyrics describing the injustice and sadness of the time seem to be singing about today’s world. Pumba speaks of the justice of beggars as thus. Here’s actor Kim Wang-geun.
My last line goes like this. We are not beggars because we are starving or pitiful. We are not beggars because we are powerless. Look at other people. Beggars bow their heads and fawn over other people to get something to eat for free. People say there are no longer any beggars now, but there are even worse beggars who suck up to those in power for some free lunches. We, the ordinary beggars, came to teach those real, despicable beggars a thing or two. The play ends with me singing the song about how Pumba came back again this year.
There was a time when power trumped human rights. The voice of the ordinary people is silenced by a single shout of the powerful. The weak dare not dream of reform and are left to live their lives in despair and sorrow, feeling futile at any attempt to change their lives. Having experienced so many frustrations and failures, the powerless have come to resignedly accept their fate. This is why Pumba, who dreamed of a just and ideal society, is winning sympathy and understanding. Here’s actor Kim Wang-geun again.
There are so many self-important people in this world preaching to others. But Pumba speaks on behalf of the lowly people. It is more inspiring when someone ordinary like you and me speaks for the meek. Pumba speaks in the voice of inspiration. When the times are troubling, Pumba represents a voice of reason and an ideal community. He talks about sharing and loving others, and people tend to listen to that.
Over the past 32 years the play “Pumba” underwent several changes. For instance, modern scenes were inserted at the beginning and the end. In those scenes, a homeless man is commenting on the political, economic, and social issues reported in a newspaper. The audience is amazed by how insightful his comments are. The scene goes to show that people, whether they are vagrants or executives, tend to think in the same way. “Pumba” sheds light to the trials and tribulations of common people and provides deep satisfaction, albeit temporary. This long-running and popular monodrama makes us think about the relationship between myself and this society, and encourage us to dream of a hopeful future. This is what has driven “Pumba” to last 32 years.
- Watching Pumba talk about the events and periods he lived through made me reminisce about my almost forgotten past. I vowed to live for the underprivileged, just like Pumba did.
- Korean history is at times exciting and sad. The play was full of teaching moments. I had a great time.
- It was great. It’s a satire of our lives today. It almost made me tear up, even when I was laughing. Although there were only two people on the stage, the actor and the drummer, it was really entertaining, unlike some classical stage plays. Since the times are so hard now, the play gave me something to think over and empathize. |
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights concluded this week what just about everyone in the western hemisphere already knew: leading Venezuelan opposition politician Leopoldo López was denied due process of law in 2008, when socialist President Hugo Chávez’s government barred him from running in elections for six years because of an accusation of corruption in his past. The Costa Rica-based court ruled that López should be allowed to challenge Chávez in next year’s presidential race, and Chávez should let it happen – not merely because it’s the right thing to do human rights-wise, but because it may well be the smart thing for him to do politically.
The law that snared López is, admirably, meant to curtail corruption, oil-rich Venezuela’s most chronic plague. But critics say in reality it’s an arbitrary means of keeping opposition candidates off the electoral playing field – especially popular pols like López, 40, the former mayor of the Caracas municipality of Chacao, who represent a threat to Chávez’s bid for indefinite re-election. Since 2007, some 800 Venezuelans have been declared politically “inhabilitado,” or debilitated, and not surprisingly about 80% of them have been opposition figures. More unsettling is that many if not most of those inhabilitados, including López, were never convicted of any crime – which the Inter-American Court said violated López’s rights in his case.
Few legal scholars would disagree. Nor would they be likely to argue that López’s alleged corruption – a civic group he belonged to got a grant from an office at Venezuela’s state-run oil company that was run by his mother – merited banning him from elections until 2014. Chávez will of course be loath to bow to the Inter-American Court (all too predictably he called the ruling a sign the court is influenced by the “imperial power” of his arch-enemy, the U.S.) even though Venezuela has signed on to the American Convention on Human Rights. But he should accept it, and not just because it would help ease growing international concerns about his authoritarian bent.
Chávez, 57, is undergoing chemotherapy after having a cancerous tumor removed over the summer, but he plans to run for a third six-year term in the October 2012 election. If he’s still the shrewd political player he’s been since taking power in 1999 – certainly smarter than his often lame-brained foes – then he realizes that López’s re-entry into the race could throw an already fractured opposition into further disarray. A big knock against Chávez’s opponents is that they rarely seem able to rally around a single candidate – which is all but mandatory given that the populist president, despite mishandling a raft of crises from soaring inflation to harrowing violent crime, still enjoys a voter approval rating of about 50%.
This time around the opposition plans to hold a unifying primary, in February, and it was beginning to look like popular Miranda state Governor Henrique Capriles would be the unifying candidate. Throwing the Harvard-educated López back into the mix, no matter who wins in February, could make it harder to throw a cohesive front at Chávez and his United Socialist Party (PSUV). López insists that won’t happen this time; but if the past 12 years in Venezuela are any guide, it very well could.
At the same time, if Chávez rejects the Inter-American Court ruling and keeps López inhabilitado, he risks handing opposition voters an injustice to rally around, which could galvanize them even more strongly behind a candidate like Capriles. For all its fecklessness – for all its nagging inability to forge a platform that challenges Chávez’s bond with the poor, and for all its lingering connections to the old-guard kleptocracy Chávez and his left-wing Bolivarian Revolution toppled in 1998 – the opposition has proved that it can thwart the former army paratrooper officer at the national level. In 2007, led by student marches, it defeated Chávez’s referendum bid to eliminate presidential term limits (although he simply put the issue to a vote again in 2009 and won). And last year it picked up more than 40% of the National Assembly’s seats – and scored more than half the popular vote – in parliamentary elections.
And if Chávez does rehabilitate López, López himself will have to decide what’s best for the opposition’s sake. Does he enter the primary fray and risk making it harder to produce that one consensus challenger, or does he forgo that race and throw his substantial cachet behind someone like Capriles? The Inter-American Court made the right call this week. Whether or not Chávez and López make their own right calls in the coming weeks will have a big impact on who ends up controlling the western hemisphere’s largest oil reserves for the rest of this decade. |
Tyler Cowen, a professor of economics at George Mason University, warns that innovation in the U.S. has reached a plateau and a long period of stagnation awaits.
A broken food system is destroying the soil and fuelling health crises as well as conflicts, warns Professor John Crawford of the University of Sydney.
We’re already seeing a return to Cold War era containment strategies as the relationship between the world’s two largest economies deteriorates, argues Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group and author of ‘Every Nation …
The World Economic Forum, in collaboration with TIME, speaks with famed virologist Nathan Wolfe about future pandemics on the horizon.
Be prepared for falling and failing satellites, warns one U.N. expert
They would start to look like North Korea, says an Oxford professor |
A Paper by Anthony Werner, Publisher, Shepheard-Walwyn (Publishers) Ltd (UK), delivered at the 10th Rhodes Forum on October 5, 2012
‘The principles that guide us, in public and in private, as they are not of our devising, but moulded into the nature and the essence of things, will endure with the sun and the moon …’
Edmund Burke, draft of letter to Bishop of Chester, 1771
Are there principles ‘moulded into the nature and the essence of things’ to guide us in our search for a ‘vision of a new earth’? If so, what are they? How may we distinguish principles from mere theory and opinion?
The Concise Oxford Dictionary offers the following definition of principle: ‘1) fundamental source, primary element; 2) fundamental truth for basis of reasoning; in Physics etc. general law (e.g. Archimedes’ principle)’. A Collins dictionary offers: ‘1) a moral rule guiding behaviour; 2) general or basic truth’. Edmund Burke’s contemporary, Samuel Johnson, in his dictionary defined it simply as ‘original cause’.
These definitions support Burke’s contention that principles ‘are not of our devising’, that they are a moral guide and that they are not here today and gone tomorrow. They have a ring of truth.
Today, many would dispute whether there is such a thing as truth. As Professor Allan Bloom pointed out in The Closing of the American Mind: ‘There is one thing a professor can be absolutely certain of: almost every student entering the university believes, or says he believes, that truth is relative.’
This is the prevalent view in academia and the media, and widely held. We may agree or not, but is it true? We may seek to establish whether my assertion is true by conducting a poll. If the majority agree that truth is relative, then we have established by empirical means that my statement is true, but has it established whether the prevalent view is true or not? Does it matter whether it is true or not, whether the majority are right or not?
If we seek to build a house, we need firm foundations – Jesus drew our attention to the importance of this. The present crisis has demonstrated that the global economy, the economic house we are living in, is built on very shaky ground. Are there any firm foundations on which we can build a new economics? Are there any principles in economics as easy for us to validate as Archimedes’ principle is?
I raise this point because, as Paul Ormerod points out in The Death of Economics, economists ‘have erected around the discipline a barrier of jargon and mathematics which makes the subject difficult to penetrate for the uninitiated’. Yet, as Leon MacLaren pointed out: ‘A knowledge of economics is essential to good government’, and in a democracy ‘a general knowledge of economics is essential for good government. A voter who votes in ignorance forges the chains which bind him.’ Can we afford to leave economics to the experts?
Are there, then, any self-evident principles of economics with which we can arm ourselves to play a responsible part in ensuring good government?
Let us begin with a few simple questions: Do we not need somewhere to live, somewhere to work? That somewhere is essentially the earth’s dry surface – we can live for a time at sea, but sooner or later we would need to return to land for repairs and restocking. We are all land animals. Land is our natural habitat.
We are all born into this world with needs and desires. Do we not all need food to nourish us, clothing to keep us warm, and shelter against the elements?
Do we not have to work to satisfy those needs and desires? Do we not have to harvest our food, to make our clothes and build a shelter? Nature has provided us with the wherewithall, but we have to work to shape Nature’s provision to meet our needs. This is work.
So the two fundamental elements of economics are Land and Work. Is this not as self-evident as Archimedes’ principle? If we only had our hands as tools, would not our lives be almost animal-like? But with tools, from the first sharpened flint stone to the modern production line, we can meet our basic needs more easily, allowing us time for other pursuits to enrich our lives.
However, before we can build a production line, another important element in economics is necessary: co-operation which allows for specialisation and the development of skills. With specialisation comes exchange or trade, the market. Here then are the basic elements for an inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations, the full title of Adam Smith’s famous book better known as The Wealth of Nations. Generally acknowledged as the father of economics, he described how wealth is produced by the combination of three factors: Land, Labour and Capital, the latter being the product of previous work used to facilitate current production, essentially tools.
The emphasis in Adam Smith’s inquiry was on the creation of wealth. Forty years later, David Ricardo published his book. He confirms the centrality of the three factors of production in the opening sentence of his preface:
‘The produce of the earth – all that is derived from its surface by the united application of labour, machinery, and capital, is divided among three classes of the community; namely the proprietor of the land, the owner of the stock or capital necessary for its cultivation, and the labourers by whose industry it is cultivated.’
Ricardo, however, attached more importance to how wealth is distributed, noting that ‘in different stages of society, the proportion of the whole produce of the earth which will be allotted to each of these classes, under the names of rent, profit, and wages, will be essentially different … To determine the laws which regulate this distribution, is the principal problem in Political Economy.’
As in his day, we live in a world sharply divided by extremes of wealth and poverty. To Ricardo, the key law which regulated the distribution of wealth was the Law of Rent, sometimes called Ricardo’s Law in his honour. He argued that without an understanding of it, ‘it is impossible to understand the effect of the progress of wealth on profits and wages, or to trace satisfactorily the influence of taxation on different classes of the community’.
So what does the Law of Rent reveal about the ‘progress of wealth on profits and wages’? It illustrates a natural phenomenon, namely that not all land is equally productive. As society and the economy grow, resort will be had to land of lesser quality. Productivity, as we can verify for ourselves, varies for a number of reasons:
1. Natural causes such as soil fertility and climate, richness of mineral deposits,
2. Provision of public infrastructure and services
3. Proximity to markets
The first thing the Law of Rent reveals is that the level of wages and profit in society are determined by the product on the least productive site in use, called the margin of productivity or the marginal site. The product at the margin is only just enough, after paying all bought-in costs, to make it worthwhile to employ labour and capital on that site. Secondly the law measures the advantage enjoyed by the better sites relative to the marginal site, rather as altitude is measured by reference to sea-level. Here there is no rent only enough wealth produced to reward labour with wages and capital with profit. Rent is a surplus which arises only on more productive sites and is the return to the landowner as rent - were all land equally productive, there would be no rent, but this is not the case.
To illustrate the significance of this, take two shops: one in a village street will not sell as much in a day as one in London’s Oxford Street. The reason, estate agents tell us, is footfall. However, hard the village shopkeeper may work, however well equipped the shop might be, the takings will be a tiny fraction of that in Oxford Street. The difference in productiveness has nothing to do with the effort put in or the capital invested, but everything to do with location. This is another self-evident fact.
This relative advantage is reflected in the property market as the capital value or annual rental of each site. The question then arises: Who or what creates location value?
To answer that question, it is important to appreciate that we are here talking of the site only, nature’s provision, not any improvements made by the occupant, such as buildings. Our example illustrates it is not the shopkeeper who creates that value but it is a property of the site itself. So if site value is not produced by the occupant, to whom does it belong?
Today we say it belongs to the landowner, but if he did not make the land or create its market value, is this right? Does not rent become unearned income if society permits the landowner to pocket what he has not produced?
Before answering that, let’s return to Ricardo. He also pointed out that without an understanding of the Law of Rent ‘the influence of taxation on different classes of the community’ would not be appreciated. What did he mean?
If wages and/or profits are taxed, this will make the marginal site unviable (by definition it is only able to pay wages and profits), thus reducing economic activity, the wealth of nations. However, if taxes were levied on rent, this would not affect the margin as there is no rent to tax. Adam Smith recognised this:
‘Both ground-rents and the ordinary rent of land are a species of revenue which the owner, in many cases, enjoys without any care or attention of his own. Though a part of this revenue should be taken from him in order to defray the expenses of the state, no discouragement will thereby be given to any sort of industry. The annual produce of the land and labour of the society, the real wealth of the great body of the people, might be the same after such a tax as before. Ground rents and the ordinary rent of land are, therefore, perhaps, the species of revenue which can best bear to have a peculiar tax upon them.’
It was an American economist, Henry George, who showed how important an understanding of the Law of Rent is. Seeking an answer to why it is (to this day) that, as a nation’s economy develops, the gulf between rich and poor increases, he realised that the key to resolving the issue lies in who gets the rent. He also saw that the remedy lay in taxing land values (the rent) and abolishing taxes on wages and profits.
The efficacy of the remedy was demonstrated after the Chinese Nationalist government fled to Taiwan (PRC) in 1949. They introduced a land and tax reform and, according to the US Overseas Development Council Chairman, the income gap narrowed by 50% in twelve years (1950-1972).
If we understand the Law of Rent, it becomes apparent we need not interfere with existing land tenure arrangements. We simply need to change the incidence of taxation and this can be done over time to enable society to adjust to the new circumstances.
Henry George’s Progress and Poverty is dedicated:
‘To those who, seeing the vice and misery which spring from the unequal distribution of wealth and privilege, feel the possibility of a higher social state, and would strive for its attainment.’ |
The World Public Forum "Dialogue of Civilizations" met for the second time in Rhodes (Greece), 29 September – 2 October 2004, gathering several hundreds intellectuals, practitioners, public figures, NGO’s activists, religious authorities, representatives of means of communications, business leaders from over 40 countries.
In these times characterized by a spreading of a cult of violence, when we have an overemphasis on war talks and a deficit of peace and justice talks, the Forum reaffirms the commitment to dialogue among civilizations as an antidote to the looming clash of civilizations.
The dialogue involves the recognition of the dignity and integrity of different cultures and human identities, and opposes any form of hegemonic domination and cultural standardization.
The dialogue recognizes the values of different traditional religious and cultural traditions and condemns the abuse of these values for power political purposes.
In an effort to strengthen these commitments the Forum concentrated on the following themes: globalization and the need for humane global governance; culture and identity in world politics; the new generation in search of values; and the role of religions within the dialogue of civilizations.
On the theme of globalization, the discussions concentrated on the need to develop a plural and democratic form of global governance as a counterweight to unilateral domination and the unregulated rule of market forces.
On theme of culture and identity, the focus of the discussion was on both preserving the integrity and multiplicity of cultural traditions and preventing the decline into extremisms and militant confrontations.
On the theme of the new generation in search for values, the participants recognized the need to bridge the gulf between tradition and modernity and to encourage dialogue between generations.
On the role of religions within dialogue of civilizations, the discussions concentrated on the need to strengthen interfaith encounters and contribute to the consolidation of ongoing inter-religious dialogues.
The Forum believes that in pursuing these goals we can advance the positive role that public opinion movements can make to global peace and progress.
The Forum also recognizes the need for broad information support to disseminate the dialogue of civilizations and to influence the current political systems in recognizing the value of dialogue as opposed to hegemonic oppression and terrorism. |
Explaining the results of the M3 forecasting competition
UNSPECIFIED. (2001) Explaining the results of the M3 forecasting competition. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FORECASTING, 17 (4). pp. 550-554. ISSN 0169-2070Full text not available from this repository.
Makridakis and Hibon (2000) summarize four main implications of the latest forecasting competition, which we paraphrase as: (a) 'simple methods do best'; (b) 'the accuracy measure matters'; (c) 'pooling helps'; and (d) 'the evaluation horizon matters'. We applaud the detailed empirical investigations, are unsurprised by their summary; but are surprised by the assertion that 'the strong empirical evidence, however, has been ignored by theoretical statisticians'. Having successfully published two books and more than a dozen papers across a wide range of journals, which inter alia analyze their four points, we refute the claim that the issue is being 'ignored', and doubt the implicit suggestion of hostility by the profession.
What must be the relationship between the world to be forecast and the models with which we forecast for conditions (a)-(d) not to hold? The research summarized in Clements and Hendry (1998b, 1999) (henceforth CH98 and CH99) shows that in weakly stationary processes, a congruent, encompassing model in-sample will dominate in forecasting at all horizons.(2) When the data generating process (DGP) is complicated, as is likely in economics, then so will be the dominant model, subject to possible losses from parameter estimation (CH98, ch. 12). Causal variables will dominate non-causal (CH99, ch. 1), forecast accuracy will deteriorate as the horizon increases, and there will be no forecast-accuracy gains from pooling forecasts across methods or models: indeed, pooling refutes encompassing. These are perhaps the 'optimality' claims that Makridakis and Hibon (2000) correctly doubt are empirically relevant.
The results of the forecasting competitions are manifestly at odds with such strong 'theoretical predictions'. This discrepancy between theory and practice (noted by, e.g., Fildes & Makridakis, 1995), and the systematic mis-forecasting and forecast failure that has periodically blighted macroeconomics, stimulated the research summarized in CH98 and CH99. The 'textbook' paradigm discussed in the previous paragraph offers no explanation for observed forecast failures, although they have sometimes been attributed to 'mis-specified models', 'poor methods', 'inaccurate data', 'incorrect estimation', 'data-based model selection' and so on, without those claims being proved: our research demonstrates the lack of foundation for such 'explanations'.
The reason that (a)-(d) hold in practice is that economies are non-stationary and evolving processes which are not reducible to stationarity by differencing, thereby generating moments that are non-constant over time.
Modern economies are regularly subject to major institutional, political, financial, legal, fashion, and technological changes which manifest themselves as structural breaks in models relative to the underlying DGP. Models are far from being facsimiles of the DGP, and even if they closely resembled it in-sample, unanticipated structural change could seriously reduce their usefulness for forecasting. Our research suggests that models which are relatively robust to, or adapt rapidly to, structural change are most likely to be successful in forecasting. Specifically, shifts in deterministic terms appear to be especially injurious to forecasting, and to be a primary factor underlying systematic forecast failure, as they cause a shift in the model's forecast mean relative to the data mean. Other breaks are surprisingly difficult to detect and have relatively benign effects on forecasts (see Hendry & Doornik, 1997; Hendry, 2000). The remaining potential sources of forecast failure, ranging from model mis-specification, a lack of parsimony - including failure to impose restrictions such as unit roots and cointegration inaccurate forecast-origin data, through to inefficient estimation, may all exacerbate forecast failure, but generally just play supporting roles.
|Item Type:||Journal Article|
|Subjects:||H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions
H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management
|Journal or Publication Title:||INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FORECASTING|
|Publisher:||ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV|
|Official Date:||October 2001|
|Number of Pages:||5|
|Page Range:||pp. 550-554|
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Day 21 (Tuesday, November 4) & Day 22 (Thursday, November 6)
Check in: drafting (5-7 minutes)
Ask students about how drafts are coming along. Address any concerns or questions while encouraging students to share strategies that are working well for them. Remind students of what you’ve already talked about in class: how to remain focused on a claim and how to develop a claim with reasons and evidence.
Analyze “Death and Justice” (15-20 minutes)
Start with what students already know about argument, prompting them with questions about what Koch says, such as:
Move the students into a discussion of how Koch says what he says by adding in questions such as:
Introduce Audience Appeals (12-15 minutes)
Tip. On the board, keep a list of ideas for each appeal and give students time to take notes for their own arguments.
Present the following on an overhead transparency. As you present each type of appeal, ask students for ideas about how they can use the appeal in their papers. Also ask for examples of how Koch uses each kind of appeal. You might also discuss how context influences the use of appeals. Ask students to consider how texts they've read—Pollan’s, Wilson’s, their sources, PHG readings, etc.--used appeals. This could lead to a discussion of the use of appeals in academic contexts, emphasizing the privileging of appeals to logos and ethos over appeals to pathos in academic discourse.
Appealing to your audience means using language and presenting your argument in deliberate ways, so that you have a good chance of achieving your goals with as many members of your audience as possible. Appropriately used appeals help support your claim.
Appeals to Character (Ethos): Showing that you are a reliable, trustworthy person can help give your readers confidence in your argument. Establishing common ground with your readers can make them more likely to agree with your ideas.
Appeals to Emotion (Pathos): Getting readers emotionally involved can increase the likelihood that they will feel that your argument is important. If emotional appeals are used in place of credibility or logical reasoning, however, they can make readers feel as though you are trying to manipulate them or that you have something to hide.
Appeals to Logic (Logos): Since most all of your readers will value logical reasoning quite highly and will have very similar ideas about what is and isn’t reasonable, it is important to provide sufficient evidence to support enough good reasons to support your claim. Additionally, it is important that you explain how the reasons support the claim, how the evidence supports the reasons, and how the pieces of evidence relate to each other.
Logical Fallacy Activity (20-25 minutes)
Be sure that students understand how to write logically: present enough support for your claim, and explain it thoroughly.
Next, point out that there are common logical errors, or logical fallacies (distortions of rhetoric to make an argument seem more convincing). Fallacies happen when a writer manipulates a reader’s emotions, when a writer misrepresents someone’s character, and/or when a writer distorts an argument’s logic. Sometimes fallacies are intentional (as is often the case in political speeches and in advertising) and sometimes they aren’t. In either case, they can weaken an argument written in an academic context.
Students should be aware of common types of fallacies, so they can avoid them as they make their own arguments and so that they can identify them in opposing arguments (thus making the opposing arguments easier to refute).
There are many options for a logical fallacies activity; here is one:
Ask students to use pages 579-582 in their textbooks to identify fallacious statements you put up on the overhead projector one at a time. Here are a few examples; be sure to create more of your own (8-10 work well):
Wind power is just a naïve, hippy idea. [Genetic fallacy]
Mr. Smith down the street put up those solar panels. Now he has debt problems. [Post hoc ergo propter hoc]
Taxing carbon emissions would be un-American. [Ad Populum]
We all want to save the planet, but we can’t afford to destroy our economy, can we? [Red Herring and/or Begging the Question]
Next, ask students to create their own examples of fallacies. Call on a student to share a fallacy and then ask the class to identify it. Encourage students to use their own argument topics, so they can become aware of possible fallacies to look for in opposing arguments as well as ones to avoid while drafting.
Academic argument draft workshop (60-65 minutes)
Design a workshop activity that will enable students to read and respond to at least two drafts in the allotted time. Use the workshop activity bank in the syllabus appendix for ideas, keeping in mind that the workshop activity should reflect the assignment sheet, grading criteria and classroom instruction.
Tip. Remember that the goal of workshop need not be for students to “pre-grade” one another’s papers.
Discuss revision strategies and conclude class (7-10 minutes)
Students’ will revise these drafts of the paper, so talk for a few minutes about how they might do that. Share some of your own revision strategies and/or ask students to share some of their own.
Tip. Remind students that revision should be directed at the assignment criteria, not just proofreading.
Homework (Due Day 22)
Finish drafting your argument essay. Bring 2 copies to class for workshop. [Add a reminder of your workshop policy here.]
Homework (Due Day 23)
Read about revising arguments on pages 492-493 of the PHG.
Use your workshop feedback as you revise your argument. Consider going to the Writing Center for further revision ideas [add Writing Center hours here].
Prepare your argument to turn in on Tuesday, along with your process work. |
The U.S. Senate passed a bill on Friday aimed at changing the way credit-rating agencies run their businesses. The Credit Rating Agency Reform Act of 2006 gives the Securities and Exchange Commission authority to regulate competition within the credit-ratings industry, as well as keep an eye on conflicts of interest.
The bill, which has to be reconciled with a similar proposal that passed in the House in July, would abolish the SEC’s authority to designate credit-rating agencies as “nationally recognized rating agencies.” Instead, a credit-rating company with three years of experience that meets certain standards would be allowed to register with the SEC as a “statistical ratings organization.”
The bill also grants the SEC new authority to inspect credit-rating agencies, although the commission would have no say over their rating methodologies.
Of the more than 130 credit-rating agencies, the SEC has granted only 5 the designation “nationally recognized statistical rating organizations” (NRSROs): A.M. Best, Dominion Bond Rating Service, Fitch Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service, and Standard & Poor’s. Moody’s and S&P control 80 percent of the market, according to the House committee that worked on that version of the bill.
The bills are designed to curb alleged abusive practices cited by members of Congress, including the practice of sending a company unsolicited ratings with a bill; notching, which occurs when a firm lowers ratings on asset-backed securities unless the firm rates a substantial portion of the underlying assets; and tying ratings to the purchase of additional services.
S&P, which objects to the House bill, has argued that it represents an unconstitutional infringement of the company’s free speech. In recent testimony before Congress, S&P general counsel Rita Bolger said the bill represents a licensing regime that “is not constitutionally viable. Publishers are free, by longstanding case law, to freely disseminate their opinions. And rating agencies are members of the financial press, the financial press being equally protected by case law.” |
Field report to Belize Marine Program
The presentation included detailed information on identification of adults, hatchlings, eggs, and tracks of three species of turtles that occur at GRMR. Nesting habitat needs and threats, natural and man-made, were discussed.
Participants included six Fisheries Department staff, including the Managers of Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve, South Water Caye Marine Reserve, and GRMR, as well as a biologist and two rangers from the GRMR.
In addition, two land owners of GRMR cayes attended, and three WCS/Belize staff.
After the presentation, we visited Long Caye and Northeast Caye and discussed nesting habitat condition and artificial lighting. Handouts on species identification characteristics and artificial beach lighting were provided. |
ATLANTA -- Members of the Buckhead community are starting to learn more about a proposed park planned for construction over one of the city's main traffic arteries - Georgia Highway 400.
BuckheadView.com reports that the meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Buckhead Theatre with the goal of unveiling the design and vision concept.
However, the architecture firm released new information Wednesday ahead of the meeting that revealed the cost of the major project.
The documentation shows that cost will range between $195 million and $245 million. This cost will include both park construction and structure construction costs.
This money is expected to come from the Federal Transit Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation as well as state agencies such as the Georgia Department of Transportation, Georgia State Road and Tollway Authority and the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank.
The plan also calls for money from MARTA and hopes ot secure funds from private sources such as Special Services District, Buckhead Community Improvement District and philanthropic contributions from foundations, corporations and individuals.
Once the park is complete, it is expected to take $1.75 million to $2 million a year to operate the park which it hopes to make back through revenue-generating options such as use of leasable park concessions space, event fees, sponsorships and paid events.
The project was first announced in 2015 under the supervision of Rogers Partners Architects and Urban Designers.
BuckheadView reports that the proposed park would stretch between the Buckhead MARTA rail station on Peachtree Road and the Lenox Loop road. The park would also cover the MARTA rail tracks and station as well as GA 400.
In documentation released by the design firm, officials said the concept study has been divided into three phases - the program and cost phase, concept and funding phase and the documentation and recommendations phase.
All told, the three phases of the initial study are expected to take about a year.
(© 2016 WXIA) |
They love gutter sounds
by Linda rozo
For years my husband and I have heard rattling sounds on our aluminum gutters. We always joked it was a woodpecker but dismissed it as wind (even on days there was no wind). Today I was out for a walk and heard the sound all the way from the end of the block. I hurried home to find a giant redheaded woodpecker going at it with the gutters. The woodpecker looked just like woody. When I started searching I was able to identify it as a pileated woodpecker. It makes 2-3 pecking rattles on my gutters and flies away. We had never spotted him before because he does this so quickly and then flies off to a tree less than 20 feet away. I don't think he lives in this tree and I have never seen him feeding near us, so I think he comes specifically to peck our gutters. He was quite amazing to see. I'm not sure what attracts him here, but I know that as soon as spring arrives it sounds like I am living in an aviary. We have mockingbirds that sing ALL night, starlings, hummingbirds, crows, Pigeons, doves and much more. I really should get into bird watching. Apparently my own south Florida yard is haven for all these great (and sometimes loud) birds.
As I am sitting outside writing this in hopes of spotting him again. I can hear him rattling off of someone else's gutters nearby. I only hope no harm comes to this guy for messing with people's gutters.
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Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Pileated Woodpecker. |
Posted Jun 01, 2010 05:20 am CDT
As chair of the Committee on Government Operations, Wisconsin Sen. Joseph McCarthy cast a wide net in his manic quest to root out subversive elements in government. By the fall of 1953, he was investigating vague and varied evidence that the U.S. Army was “coddling Communists,” a charge Secretary of Defense Charles Wilson dismissed as “damn tommyrot.”
On March 11, 1954, the Army fired back, alleging that McCarthy and his chief counsel, Roy Cohn, had sought an Army commission and other favors for David Schine, a recent draftee and close friend of Cohn’s. In hearings that followed in April, McCarthy fared poorly before live TV cameras. For weeks, he was seen badgering witnesses and brandishing doctored documents, often appearing inebriated.
When he impugned Boston lawyer Fred Fisher, a colleague of Army counsel Joseph Welch’s, Welch (at left) disdained: “Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?” Welch walked out, leaving a bewildered McCarthy to ask, “What did I do?”Badly damaged personally and politically, McCarthy was censured by the Senate, 67-22, on Dec. 2, 1954. |
The Alberta Dance Alliance (ADA) is a provincial service organization that exists to foster and promote the appreciation and practice of dance in Alberta. Created in 1984, ADA provides education, awareness and advocacy though programs, events and services.
In 1996, Alberta Community Development and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts officially named ADA as the provincial arts service organization (PASO) for the dance communities across Alberta.
ADA is a registered non-profit organization, incorporated under the Societies Act of the Province of Alberta.
The Alberta Dance Alliance aims to:
- raise the profile of dance
- facilitate the development of a solid communications network
- provide up-to-date resource information and education services
- provide consultative services for the profession and practice of dance
- enhance the awareness of dance in Alberta
- advocate for the profession and practice of dance
- contribute financial support for workshops
- provide a voice for dance politically and socially
- advocate for the status of the dance artist
- partner with national, provincial and municipal dance and arts organizations |
Abbreviation: Int. J. Sci. Technol. Educ. Res.
Start Year: 2010
Page 1 of 4, showing 20 records out of 65 total, starting on record 1, ending on 20
DOI: 10.5897/IJSTER2016.0349[Article Number: 49A712D60721]
Many studies proposed models of ICT acceptance and use in order to better predict and explain users’ behavior to account for the changing technologies. Hence, a question is whether models of technology use and acceptance that have been developed and used in the developed world can be applied to explain Internet acceptance and use by Agriculture staff of two Universities in Ethiopia. To this end, this study applied... Read more.
DOI: 10.5897/IJSTER2016.0355[Article Number: 3CF5D1F60192]
In Nigeria, management of education-based system is still subject to manual method in most of the public secondary schools. This study, however, develops Education Management Information System (EMIS) using Geographic Information System to provide accurate, relevant and up-to-date information on spatial basis. The study further identifies spatial related information that includes; staff strength, student enrollment,... Read more.
DOI: 10.5897/IJSTER2016.0357[Article Number: 761B57659623]
This paper is a report of an action research which attempts to detect and correct various misconceptions in chemical bonding retained by some pre-service chemistry teachers who were in their third and fourth year in the university. At systematic and elaborate instructional sessions, questioning approach, micro teaching, and structured essay test were employed to detect misconceptions while concept mapping blended with... Read more.
DOI: 10.5897/IJSTER2015.0341[Article Number: E7435F759158]
With respect to the reflective behaviour of solar radiation on solid surfaces being relevant for (micro)-climate modelling, particularly at pavements, buildings and roofs, it is proposed that making a difference between the colour dependent terms albedo as and solar reflection coefficient αs, the former being related to a white surface and the latter being related to the total incident solar radiation. As a... Read more.
DOI: 10.5897/IJSTER2014.0277[Article Number: FCC152955922]
This study examined the effect of family characteristics and parental status on adolescents’ sexual behavior in Okun land of Kogi State. Data were obtained from male and female adolescents in ten Government Secondary Schools among the Okun-Yoruba tribe of Kogi State. The Okun-Yorubas occupied five LGAs of the state. Two schools were selected from each of the LGAs. In all, 781 copies of questionnaire were... Read more.
DOI: 10.5897/IJSTER2015.0289[Article Number: 6F8D82953998]
The results of the research presented in this article describe the construction of an instrument to measure and evaluate basic university level competences. It is an instrumental type of study as both psychometric theory and techniques are applied. The theoretical framework for competences is based on the content of the Delors report (1996) and the ideas commonly shared by Perrenoud (1998), Roegiers (2001), De Kelet... Read more.
DOI: 10.5897/IJSTER2013.0266[Article Number: 4B5E8CC49287]
Research about primary school teachers’ understanding of the meaning and implications of science and technology as a learning area has revealed considerable confusion about these terms, both in their professional sense and concerning their roles in education and economic development. Many countries established science and technology in their school curriculum to help pupils develop scientific and technological... Read more.
DOI: 10.5897/IJSTER2013.0279[Article Number: 6231F5D48897]
The poor academic performances of Microbiology students in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and the increasing number of students transferring to the department prompted this study which determined the effects of the choice of Microbiology as career on the students’ academic performance. Eighty five students that consented, out of a total of 106 eligible students that were in 300 level and 400 level in the... Read more.
DOI: 10.5897/IJSTER2013.0231[Article Number: 58D827B47758]
In this paper, first a low-power pulse-triggered flip-flop (FF), a simple two-transistor AND gate is designed to reduce the circuit complexity. Second, a conditional pulse-enhancement technique is devised to speed up the discharge along the critical path only when needed. As a result, transistor sizes in delay inverter and pulse-generation circuit can be reduced for power saving. Various post layout simulation results... Read more.
DOI: 10.5897/IJSTER2010.043[Article Number: 6692A1846574]
The aim of this paper is to measure the effects of using simulation in e-learning programs on misconception and motivation towards learning for the college of education students in University of Kuwait. The course of Environmental Education was used as a case study. Experimental method was used in this study to answer the research questions. Three measurements were used in testing the research hypotheses:... Read more.
DOI: 10.5897/IJSTER2014.0247[Article Number: 95AE8A345736]
In recent days, Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) is used as a proficient resolution to integrate and potentially distributed in the software firm and enterprise. Architectures explore great vital role of network evaluation of the system. In a SOA-network value based environment, Pattern proven the solutions and design is one of the most important issues that must be considered because of the loosely coupled nature of... Read more.
DOI: 10.5897/IJSTER2013.0227[Article Number: C81977845738]
Self- reported health status is the most commonly used measures of subjective and global measure of health because it is simple, economical and easy to administer. The objective of the study is to compare the performance of logistic regression models having multinomial response and identify the factors affecting health status of adolescents. Based on two stage sampling technique 2084 adolescents were interviewed to... Read more.
DOI: 10.5897/IJSTER2014.0244[Article Number: 55E399045740]
The study focused on determining the influence of curriculum models and school type variables on students’ cognitive learning outcome in science. Opinions vary as to variables that affect science learning outcomes among boys and girls. Research reports have also contradicted one another on the disparity that exists between the sexes in achievements in science and in participation in science occupations. This study... Read more.
DOI: 10.5897/IJSTER2012.0195[Article Number: 16AE3EC45639]
This study examined the effect of peer assisted co-operative instructional strategy on the ability levels of students. Two research questions and hypotheses were developed to guide the study. A non-randomized pre-test and post -test control group design was adopted for the study. A total of 110 Senior Secondary 2 Chemistry students were used. Cognitive Ability Test (CAT) and Chemistry Performance Test (CPT) were the... Read more.
[Article Number: 28493921846]
E-Learning is a novel concept in higher educations institutions of developing countries and especially in Pakistan. No one can predict the future but can surely prepare for it. Researchers on e-Learning in higher education institutions are capitalizing on the user-perceptions as possible predictor of the user-attitudes towards the development, use, problems and prospects of e-Learning. This application is... Read more.
DOI: 10.5897/IJSTER2013.0209[Article Number: D82198C5304]
The aim of this study is to investigate the attitudes of undergraduates of library schools in Delta and Edo states towards educational usage of the internet. The instrument used in collecting data was the questionnaire. 238 copies of the questionnaire were administered to the sample size which consists of undergraduates of library and information science departments in Delta and Edo states. The questionnaire... Read more.
DOI: 10.5897/IJSTER2013.0206[Article Number: 8405B405316]
This study determined the effect of two teaching methods (demonstration and discussion) on student’s retention of Agricultural Science knowledge in secondary schools of Bauchi metropolis. The study was guided by two research questions based on the specific objectives and three null hypotheses, tested at 0.05 level of significance. The pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design was... Read more.
DOI: 10.5897/IJSTER10.057[Article Number: 2F5A48B5265]
There is no denial that developing countries have long-standing problems of education due to their scarce resources for providing education facilities to their masses. The provision of education for all and continuous education is impossible for these countries because they cannot afford to establish educational institutions filled with teachers and teaching facilities for every single citizen as available to... Read more.
DOI: 10.5897/IJSTER12.013[Article Number: B36D1185277]
In the present scenario of education system, all people are under pressure to use the innovative strategies in the teaching and learning process, to teach students the knowledge and skills that are required for the 21st century. Active learning is a term used to identify teaching methods that require students to be actively involved in the learning process. Although there is clear evidence for the... Read more.
DOI: 10.5897/IJSTER12.008[Article Number: 840C51F5157]
The major purpose of this study was to compare the relative effectiveness of concept mapping, cooperative learning and learning cycle methods with the intention of identifying which one among them will be most appropriate for teaching biology. To guide this study, five hypotheses were stated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The design of the study was pre-test, post-test, follow-up post-test control... Read more.
Page 1 of 4, showing 20 records out of 65 total, starting on record 1, ending on 20 |
Preamble (Added April 12, 2011). Thanks so much to everyone who has weighed in on this post. I am adding this preamble to address two main points of criticism that I should have discussed in the original post.
First, there is the point that the ads use vocabulary to reflect the nature of the toys and not necessarily gender, that regardless of the target audience a toy about fighting will naturally include words about battling while a toy like an Easy Bake Oven will not. While this is absolutely true, my intention here was to use the toy vocabulary to show the nature of the toys marketed predominantly to boys. The inclusion of the girls’ list was just to show contrast. My real focus is the boys’ toys and what they say about how boys are viewed.
This leads to the second question/criticism: how did I determine which toys were “boys’ toys”? It was a distinction I was hesitant to make because I don’t like to draw that line, but as anyone who has shopped for toys knows, the line is there. I followed the lead of toy sellers when I categorized the toys on these lists. The toys I deemed “boys’ toys” are listed in the boys’ section of the Toys R Us website (and other vendors); they are also the brands featured in the boys’ sections of the toy catalogues that come out periodically; the ads for these include only boys; and the voiceover features male voices.
I would also like to stress that this was a simple exercise, not a rigorously researched academic study. It is not an exhaustive list, just a very small sample. I focused only on brands that I have seen featured in after-school cartoon blocks, since they are seen repeatedly and have the potential to reach a large audience. I will be continuing to look at language and gender in kids’ pop culture, but this post was just an initial glance at some preliminary results.
With that background information in mind, I invite you to read the original, unedited post below. Thanks.
I’ve always wanted to do a “mash-up” of the words used in commercials for so-called boys’ toys. I did a little bit of this in my book, but now, thanks to Wordle, I can present my findings in graphic form. This is not an exhaustive record; it’s really just a starting point, but the results certainly are interesting.
A few caveats:
- I focused on television commercials alone (not web videos or website toy descriptions).
- The companies represented here are the big ones who can afford TV advertising. I looked most closely at the kinds of toys I have seen advertised during prime cartoon blocks on TV. (For example, Teletoon in Canada runs an Action Force block of shows in the after-school time slot and a Superfan Friday on Friday evenings.)
- I included toys targeted to boys aged 6 to 8.
- If a word was repeated multiple times in one commercial, I included it multiple times to show how heavily these words are used.
- I hyphenated words that were meant to stay together, like “special forces” and “killer boots.”
- For the record, my boys’ list included 658 words from 27 commercials from the following toy lines: Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Kung Zhu, Nerf, Transformers, Beyblades, and Bakugan.
- By way of comparison, I also looked at girls’ toys. The girls’ list had 432 words from 32 commercials. Toy lines on this list include: Zhu Zhu Pets, Zhu Zhu Babies, Bratz Dolls, Barbie, Moxie Girls, Easy Bake Ovens, Monster High Dolls, My Little Pony, Littlest Pet Shop, Polly Pocket, and FURREAL Friends. (I have a full list of references for both list, with links, if anyone would like to see it.)
The results, while not at all surprising, put the gender bias in toy advertising in stark relief. First, the boys’ list, available in full size at Wordle:
Now the girls’ list, also available in full size at Wordle:
No further comment needed. |
The study, headed up by Dr. Carsten Flohr of the University of Nottingham and Dr. Luc Nguyen Tuyen of the Khanh Hoa Provincial Health Service, is the largest double-blind placebo controlled clinical trial testing the links between gut worm infections and allergic conditions.
A little background on this unusual and somewhat distasteful theory: Experts believe that over millions of years of co-evolution, worms have found ways to suppress the immune responses of their hosts (including humans) in order to prolong their own survival. Resultingly, our immune systems have become so used to this relationship that without gut worms, our immune responses can become unbalanced. With improvements in hygiene, parasitic worms have been nearly eradicated in humans living in developed countries. Some think that that unbalanced immune systems could account for the development of asthma and allergies.
The researchers conducted their study in rural central Vietnam, where two out of three children suffer from hookworm and other gut parasite infections – and where allergies are also extremely rare. The team looked at whether treatments to clear the body of the parasites made it more likely for the children to develop allergic conditions.
The results? The treated children did not demonstrate an increased risk of asthma or eczema, but did exhibit a significantly increased risk of having a positive skin allergy test to dust mites and cockroach allergen.
While the findings suggest that gut worms do have the potential to tone down human immune responses, further research is necessary to determine exactly how gut worm infection prevents allergic reactions. As Dr. Flohr puts it, ‘The next step is to understand exactly how and when gut parasites program the human immune system in a way that protects against allergic sensitization, and for such studies, follow-up from birth will be essential.’
Note: It's important to remember that gut parasites can cause severe disease and are a major cause of iron deficiency in developing countries. |
Smoking & HVAC Systems: A Cloudy Future?
These are interesting times for system designers and contractors. Interesting when one ponders what is being currently considered, proposed, and bandied about in regard to dealing with smoke, smoking, and appropriate/healthy ventilation rates inside public buildings, casinos, and bars.
In truth, one could describe this HVAC landscape as chaotic. And, it appears two totally different scenarios are surfacing.
On one side of the cigarette- and cigar-smoking debate, a strong society-driven movement is in place looking to ban smoking in public buildings period. Some states, including New York and California, have already banned smoking entirely from public buildings, and more states are expected to follow through in the not-so-distant future or are currently considering following suit.
Of course, with a full smoking ban, system design engineers and contractors can breathe a collective sigh of relief, of sorts. After all, for years and years authorities and standards writers have been wrestling with how to allow smoking - and then how to properly vent it in a healthful way - in public buildings. (But, more on that dilemma later.)
Still, while that movement is in full swing, the other side of the cigar- and cigarette-smoking debate centers on the use and allowing of it in casinos and bars. Lobbyists are here, there, and everywhere around the United States, attempting to keep smoking alive and flowing in these two specific business venues. After all, a majority of customers to these two specific establishments want to smoke away while consuming an adult beverage or betting at a poker table. And many - if not, most - bar and casino owners want to accommodate and keep this tradition alive and well, but in an economical way.
Still, to meet the ventilation requirements of a bar and/or casino can be frustrating, maddening, and downright troubling for those who are hired to make it happen - which includes the services of design engineers and installing contractors. Let's just say the current landscape in regard to codes and standards for these respective institutions are somewhat cloudy, at best. (And, more on this side of the smoking gun later in this article.)
As stated earlier, yes, these are interesting times. The NEWS explores what is possibly on the horizon for systems designers and contractors.
SHEDDING LIGHT ON THE SMOKING BAN MOVEMENTIf the current ban-all-smoking-from-public-buildings movement rolls on, designing and installing healthy systems should not be difficult. Think about it. If one does not have to factor in tobacco smoke entering a building, then ductwork and ventilation rates, etc., should be pretty straightforward.
Of course, that's not always been the case - nor may it be the case in the future. Just ask any committee member from ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2004 ("Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality"), or those involved in ASHRAE Standard 62.2-2004 ("Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in Low-Rise Residential Buildings"). Both committees continue to face ventilation issues - commercial and residential - head on. And, those issues have surfaced, in part, due to the question: What does a system designer do when smoking is involved?
From the commercial side, for instance, there's addendum i, which is currently open for public comment until Nov. 6. Should the current proposed addendum to Standard 62.1-2004 pass as written, then expect building owners to have but two options:
Of course, designing such a system to an acceptable level of risk is currently open for debate. It's one of the reasons why the folks at Standard 62.1 just had to produce addendum i, which removes the existing requirement for an increase to the ventilation rates for smoking areas. It also strikes informative language explaining why specific rates for smoking areas cannot be prescribed.
"The proposed changes, based in part on recent position statements issued by World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Surgeon General, reflect the opinion of cognizant authorities that no safe level of environmental tobacco smoke [ETS] exists and that none need be established," expressed Dennis Stanke of Trane, who is chair of the 62.1 committee. "Whether the proposed changes also reflect the opinions of Standard 62.1 stakeholders will be determined during the public review process. The eventual content of the standard depends on the valuable participation of all interested parties."
In short, the addendum would change the standard so that it would no longer address ventilation in smoking areas. Dilip Vyavaharkar, district manager of technical services at Carrier and a fellow 62.1 committee member, said the committee had no choice in producing such an addendum as the proposed changes had to be made based, in part, on the recent position statements by WHO and the U.S. Surgeon General.
"It is a public health issue," said Vyavaharkar. "We had to do what was right. We could not bury our heads in the sand."
Like many other committee members, Vyavaharkar is certain tobacco lobbyists and the Philip Morrises of the world will vehemently object to the passing of addendum i. All expect those who support smoking will pass along their comments to ASHRAE during this review period. But because the public is now more antismoking than not, Vyavaharkar believes the onslaught from the smoking community will not be as strong as it has been in the past.
"They will object to it," assured Vyavaharkar, "but I'm not sure how hard they will try to get this changed."
Like Vyavaharkar, Stanke is just happy that the previously proposed addenda to Standard 62.1-2004 - addenda a, b, c, d, and g - are in the record books. As Stanke is quick to point out, contractors should be generally aware of the importance of these five addenda, too.
"He specifically needs to know that compared to earlier versions of the standard, the engineers have to go through more intense analysis before specifying and designing a system," said Vyavaharkar. "If the contractor elects to submit a bid with an alternate system, the proposed system must meet the same design criteria as the original specification. He should pay attention to dehumidification capabilities of the alternate system, and if the ductwork is being redesigned, that all the air pathways and pollutant sources are considered."
THE BARS, CASINOS "CONTROVERSY"On the other hand, if you think there is confusion regarding how smoking is being handled in public buildings, one should refrain from exploring the casino and bar scenes, respectively. Talk about confusion and chaos.
Most states are wrestling now - or will be soon - with how a system should handle ETS in bars and casinos. Most bar and casino owners will tell you that they desire to allow smoking in their respective establishments, mainly because their customers like to light up in a bar or a casino. Patrons believe they go hand-in-hand. Simply put, bar and casino owners do not want a blanket "no smoking allowed - period" in their respective places.
How to accommodate these smoking establishments into the HVACR mix is still being debated. Arizona, for one, is just one state tussling over how to handle systems in bars and casinos so that one and all are satisfied.
To be precise, Arizona is examining Proposition 206 and 201, each to be to decided on the Nov. 7 ballot. In a nutshell, Proposition 201 would ban indoor workplace smoking statewide, including bars, but allow exemptions for tobacco shops, private clubs, and a percentage of hotel rooms. It is being backed by a coalition of health groups, including the American Lung Association of Arizona, American Heart Association, and American Cancer Society.
Meanwhile, Proposition 206 also proposes a statewide ban, but most significantly would exempt bars. Primarily R.J. Reynolds, a tobacco company, and the liquor providers' statewide organization, the Arizona Licensed Beverage Association, are bankrolling it. In other words, let the fighting begin.
In Arizona's case, state voters will determine the fate of such proposals. The trouble is that the language in Proposition 206 is unclear about what "a separate ventilation system" means. It's not spelled out, and that could create a loophole big enough to let in a lot of smoke-filled air.
The question remains: Does a separate ventilation system mean providing separate a/c ventilation and return ducts? Answer: Even the spokespeople for Proposition 206 are not clear.
In this case, campaign spokeswoman Camilla Strongin is not tipping her hand. She informed the Arizona Republic in mid-August that the intent of the proposition is to follow the lead of Chandler, Ariz., which has a smoking ban similar to Proposition 206. It allows smoking in bars as long as the area is walled off and separately ventilated from an adjoining business.
Plus, she told the Arizona newspaper, the reference to "separately ventilated" is identical to the language used by the Arizona Smoke-Free Act , which has its own smoking ban proposal in November.
"I'm not sure they can throw a lot of stories at us, since it's in their own initiative," Strongin told the Arizona Republic.
As noted in that state's newspaper, Troy Corder, a spokesperson for the Smoke-Free campaign, acknowledged that his group, just like the competing measure, lacks a clear definition of "separately ventilated." And, Corder informed the newspaper, the lack of definition in his group's measure would be ironed out when rules are made for the Arizona Department of Health Services to enforce the smoking ban.
That being said, Proposition 206 does not spell out any enforcement agency, leaving it to local police, who may not enforce the law evenly, much less write rules, noted Corder.
And, these are just a few examples of the fuzziness in just one state's smoking (and nonsmoking) proposals. "It's the typical language in their initiative that leaves it open to interpretation," Corder told the Arizona Republic.
To throw out another monkey wrench, of sorts, into the smoking arena, Pineapple Hospitality, an EPA Energy Starâ„¢ partner that is headquartered in St. Charles, Mo., is spearheading a movement to ban smoking in the hospitality industry. (See related story "Movement Is on to Ban Smoking in Hotels" in this issue.)
In a nutshell, the company has started an online directory (called FreshStay®) of smoke-free lodging facilities worldwide. The number of completely smoke-free hotels in the United States has grown 2,700 percent during the first eight months of 2006 alone, according to Ray Burger, operator of FreshStay.
Whether this movement continues remains to be seen, but Burger, FreshStay, and Pineapple Hospitality will continue to push for smoke-free rooms and totally smoke-free hotels/motels.
INTERESTING TIMES, INDEEDSimply put, designing and installing an HVACR system that can deal/handle smoking "legally" in any building - be it residential, commercial, or public - is an interesting task anywhere in the United States in this day and age, to say the least. Not only is the current landscape controversial, the debate as to how to handle smoking from an HVAC standpoint marches on.
Sidebar: Addenda to Ventilation StandardIn the eyes of Dennis Stanke, contractors should be interested in the impact of addendum g to ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2004, "Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality."
"For buildings with smoking and no-smoking areas, it requires designers to identify, pressurize, separate, ensure transfer to, prevent recirculation from, exhaust from, and post signage in smoking-permitted spaces," said Stanke, who works for Trane and also chairs the Standard 62.1 committee. "These design requirements are likely to result in more complicated jobs for contractors who construct these types of buildings."
That being the case, Stanke, along with the rest of the 62.1 committee members, are thankful addendum g, as well as addenda a, b, c, and d, are on the books, approved, and now a part of Standard 62.1. Another committee member, Dilip Vyavaharkar, believes a contractor should be generally aware of these changes to the standard - period.
"He specifically needs to know that compared to earlier versions of the standard, the engineers have to go through more intense analysis before specifying and designing a system," said Vyavaharkar, who is district manager of technical services at Carrier Corp. "If the contractor elects to submit a bid with an alternate system, the proposed system must meet the same design criteria as the original specification.
"He should pay attention to dehumidification capabilities of the alternate system, and if the ductwork is being redesigned that all the air pathways and pollutant sources are considered."
Here is a rundown of the recently approved addenda to Standard 62.1.
According to Stanke, addendum a clarifies design requirements for systems that dehumidify building air.
"It helps tell designers the minimum required level of dehumidification system performance," explained Stanke. "Impact on contractors is likely to be negligible, except in those cases where designers choose to include active humidity controls using zone-mounted humidistats or other dehumidification enhancements in the ventilation system."
In Vyavaharkar's opinion, the best development in the approved addendum a is the new requirement for analysis of the system performance with outdoor air at the dehumidification design condition.
"This requirement represents a better and realistic model for the true conditions that the system is supposed to perform at in the real world," he said.
The biggest change comes in regard to Table 6-1 in the addendum, "Minimum Ventilation Rates In Breathing Zone." According to Stanke, the changes to Table 6.1 (minimum ventilation rates) and Table 6-4 (minimum exhaust rates) are, as he put it, "housekeeping" changes, to correct inaccuracies, to add previously overlooked occupancy categories, and to correct inconsistencies among published tables.
As Vyavaharkar put it, the new table is "more concise and consolidates all the information in one place."
"The classification of air is probably the most important change in this table from a contractor's perspective," said Vyavaharkar. "He needs to be aware that the return air has to be treated with proper consideration, and is as important as the amount of outside air that is being brought into the building."
This addendum updates the references in and makes minor corrections to informative Appendix B, according to Stanke.
"It is valuable to have accurate, up-to-date information in the standard," he said, "to guide ventilation systems engineers."
Vyavaharkar said the change is good, too.
"The body of the standard specifies requirements that must be met in order to claim compliance to the standard," said Vyavaharkar. "Table 6-1, for instance, specifies minimum ventilation rates for various occupancy categories. These are general categories that consider pollutant levels that are normally found in those occupancy types."
According to the committee member, it is possible that a designer has to specify a system for a space type that is unique or that is not defined in the table.
"In that case," he said, "the designer has to use his engineering judgment in order to come up with the ventilation rates. Addendum c provides the designer a list of regulations and guidelines that have been developed by various bodies about acceptability of pollutant levels.
"The engineer can refer to this body of data to come up with the appropriate information for his needs. This is an extremely important compilation of information that can be used by the designer in appropriate cases."
In short, this addendum updates Table 4-1 so that it matches the current National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) pollutant listing, rather than the previous NAAQS pollutant listing. In other words, the new Table 4-1 incorporates the latest "National Primary Ambient Air Quality Standards for Outdoor Air as set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency."
"This table was republished in 2004 and the committee is just updating the information to be consistent with the latest publication," explained Vyavaharkar. "I agree with the final outcome as the standard needs to use the latest information available."
Added Stanke, "The information in Table 4-1 was developed and published by the EPA, so ASHRAE changed Standard 62.1 to match. ASHRAE has no authority to alter the entries in the table. They are a matter of federal legislation."
This addendum establishes requirements for separating ETS areas from ETS-free areas.
"Contractors should be aware that buildings with both smoking and nonsmoking areas may include more labor and more material to construct in accordance with design specifications," said Stanke.
Vyavaharkar had a somewhat different spin on the addendum. "The biggest questions that engineers may have is this: ‘Do I have to meet all the requirements or can I just meet some of the requirements of this addenda?' The answer is ‘No,' " he said. "There are eight specific sets of requirements that must be met. They are classified as: classification, pressurization, separation, transfer air, recirculation, exhaust systems, signage, and reclassification. They all must be met."
To read and review the content of addenda a, b, c, d, and g to Standard 62.1-2004, go to www.ashrae.org/doclib/20060815_200652210714_347.pdf.
- Mark Skaer
Publication date: 10/23/2006 |
On November 9, 2011, the Committee for the Right to Know, a consumer advocacy group that focuses on consumer, public health, environmental, and food issues, submitted the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act to the California state attorney general for title and summary–a necessary step needed to place citizen-created initiatives on the California state ballot. The Committee is preparing the Act for California voter consideration in the November 2012 election. For the Act to qualify for the November 2012 ballot, the Committee must circulate a petition regarding the Act and gather over 500,000 signatures of registered, California voters within 150 days of receiving title and summary from the California state attorney general.
The Act would require genetically engineered or modified foods or foods containing genetically engineered ingredients to be clearly labeled as containing genetically engineered material in a manner similar to nutrition information labeling. The Committee describes genetically engineered food as “[a] plant or meat product that has had its DNA artificially altered in a lab with genes from other plants, animals, viruses, or bacteria, in order to produce foreign compounds in that food.” The FDA currently does not require genetically engineered foods or foods that contain genetically engineered ingredients to bear labeling regarding genetic modification.
The full text of the Act, as submitted to the California Attorney General on November 9, 2011 is available here. |
Tagged with Intel, Luxtera, MIT, Photonics
SOI is at the heart of silicon photonics. Here’s an overview of past, present and future trends.
The existence of Silicon Photonics owes much to serendipity. During the early years of the development of SOI wafer technology probably nobody anticipated that SOI would be a perfect medium for short distance transmission and modulation of light beams. Only in 1986 Richard Soref pointed out that SOI structure had the right properties for light confinement in near infrared1, and some years later Si waveguides started being designed.
A very large refractive index contrast between the Si and the SiO2 means that the light is very well confined inside the Si waveguide core, which can have sharp bends. This leads to very compact photonic integrated circuits (PICs) with densely spaced micron-scale photonic devices.
Silicon Photonics emerges
By coupling optical fibers with Si waveguides etched in SOI substrates, the light that is going into or coming out of such fibers can be processed.
In recent years the photonics community has developed all the devices needed for such processing, from light modulators and wavelength filters built in SOI to photodetectors made in germanium that was selectively grown on Si, all capable of handling data streams with a bandwidth of at least 10 Gb/s and often much higher.
Just as multiple wavelengths can propagate in a fiber (wavelength division multiplexing or WDM), they can also propagate together in a Si waveguide, and devices to multiplex and demultiplex these data streams can also be built in SOI.
Power reduction is the key
We can expect that the future silicon PICs will be built with higher complexity and reduced cost, and with reduced power/bit of data. Fully integrated silicon photonics technology for transceivers used in short (10 – 100 m) and medium (1 km) range optical interconnects in data centers and supercomputers exists now at a few companies.
The enormous bandwidth requirements and power dissipation constraints in large IT systems will advance Si photonics for inter-board and inter-chip communication, and eventually for intra-chip links.
Communication Technology Roadmap and future developments
The MIT Microphotonics Center and about 20 industrial partners released Communication Technology Roadmaps in 2005 and 2009 that address the challenges of high bandwidth communication at the lowest possible power.
At the latest Microphotonics Center Spring Meeting in April 2011, presentations covered a broad range of topics. The audience heard a provocative statement by a speaker from Alcatel-Lucent that integrated photonic circuits are unlikely to succeed since photonics devices do not scale as their size is defined by the wavelength of light. Others agreed that this indeed is the reason to aim for hybrid electronic/photonic integration since different device scales are less conducive to monolithic integration.
Speakers from NTT and AIST in Japan, Kotura, Analog Devices, and even Alcatel-Lucent presented new designs for fully integrated photonic circuits on SOI platforms.
Si PIC development will accelerate when a new photonic foundry, OpSIS (Optoelectronic System Integration in Silicon), for multi-user wafers comes on line. It is being organized by the University of Washington, with the financial backing of US government agencies and industry. BAE will be the first fab qualified to process the photonic chips for OpSiS, while two more facilities may join later.
All these developments lend credence to the emergence of silicon (in an SOI structure) as an important photonic material. Dr. Soref’s observation of 25 years ago is paying off.
1 R.A. Soref, J. P, Lorenzo, “All-Silicon Active and Passive Guided-Wave Components for wavelength=1.3 and 1.6μm”, IEEE J. Quantum Electron. Vol. QE-22, 873 (1986). |
Opportunity for G women to develop personal leadership abilities, share ideas and network with other women employees.
San Francisco, CA – This week 18 women from G Adventures, the small group adventure tour operator, are gathering in Northern California to explore the topic of women’s leadership. The 8-day meeting signifies the inaugural launch of what has been labeled “G Women’s Leadership Camp” or GWLC for the 22-year-old company (follow on Twitter using #gwlc). Bringing women from around the globe, including Africa, Germany, Australia, Canada and the US, the purpose of the meeting is a combination of professional and personal development.
“Our goal for the week is to further discuss how we can develop and become better leaders; and how we can help other women to do the same,” said Amanda Chew, Director of Global Talent for G Adventures.
With an application process open to all worldwide G Adventures’ women employees, the final selection of 18 hailed from all areas of the company and represented many of its worldwide offices. The selection was based on a video submission or written response to three questions including what woman leader they admired most and why.
“This week has been all about exploring both the challenges and the opportunities that exist for women,” says Cyndi Zesk, vice president of global marketing and US general manager. “We asked ourselves why should we host a leadership camp for women? Is that the right thing to do? And the answers were things like: it is imperative to have a stronger female voice at the table so as a team we are making more well balanced and well roundeddecisions. We also strongly believe that creating more leadership among women today will help tomorrow’s generation of both females and males become stronger and better leaders themselves.”
The idea for GWLC was presented last September at the company’s annual G-Stock meeting by its founder Bruce Poon Tip as one way the company can live its core values, two of which include Do the Right Thing and Create Happiness and Community.
Adds Chew, “We are just halfway through the week’s program and have already created some inspiring and exciting ideas around ways G women can further women’s leadership globally.”
In addition to daily brainstorming sessions participants have also enjoyed Napa Valley’s vineyards, gone kayaking, participated in acooking class in Sonoma and walked across San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. |
JIMMY NAIL sang about ‘Crocodile Shoes’, Ian Dury had New Boots and Panties, but in his fourth collection of poems, Galway writer Gerry Hanberry ponders What Our Shoes Say About Us.
The title poem is both poignant and humorous, reflecting much of the nature and tone of the collection. It is an affecting ode where footwear symbolises different personalities, from the author’s father (“Shiny shoes were only for the Sabbath/Six days of the week my father wore/the heavy boots of a working man.” ) to a popes sporting shoes “fashioned today by the cobbler from Novara/for the feet of ‘the fisher of men’.”
Yet, no matter the difference in time, position, or historical era, between the people portrayed in these verses, none escapes the fact they share a common humanity, the last verse quoting a Canadian historian on the oldest show ever found: “She told the interviewer that/going by the style of the antique loafer/not a lot had changed in five millennia.”
Gerry is also the author of the acclaimed biography of the family of Oscar Wilde, More Lives Than One, and What Our Shoes Say About Us features a series of verse called The Wilde Poems, including two which deal with Wilde’s last years in France, “shambling through the boulevards”. The poet’s affection for the great Irish writer is clear in the conclusion of ‘Oscar Wilde’s Last Absinthe’: “What a life of thorns./He is welcome in my café anytime/Ah! Monsieur Melmoth, bonsoir...”
What Our Shoes Say About Us, published by Salmon Poetry, will be launched upstairs in Richardson’s Bar, Eyre Square, on Saturday July 5 at 2.30pm. The event will also see the launch of new collections by Celeste Auge and Knute Skinner. |
New York : St. Martin's Griffin, c1982
936 p. : map ; 21 cm ISBN/ISSN:
9780312375935, 031237593X, 031237593X :, Language:
"First published in the United States by Ballantine Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc."--T.p. verso
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Twenty-one Phoenix high school students were selected as youth ambassadors to travel to Phoenix’s nine sister cities through a summer student exchange program, including three from Ahwatukee Foothills.
The Youth Ambassador Exchange Program, sponsored by Phoenix Sister Cities, offers young people from around the world an opportunity to learn about and experience each other’s cultures.
High school sophomores and juniors are selected on the basis of their communication skills, maturity, flexibility, leadership and self confidence. The students live with a host family in their designated sister cities for three weeks during the early summer and then house their host family’s son or daughter when they come to Phoenix in late July.
The three local youth ambassadors and their sister city destinations and schools are:
• Catania, Italy — Joseph Steigerwald, Desert Vista High School
• Ennis, Ireland — Kaitlyn Stiles, Mountain Pointe High School
• Himeji, Japan — Patrick Murphy, Mountain Pointe High School |
Crossair, Europe’s largest regional airline, spreads its wings next month when it formally takes over Swissair routes following the national carrier’s bankruptcy last year. The airline, to be known as Swiss, will fly to 123 destinations in 60 countries with a fleet of 128 aircraft. But André Dosé, the airline’s president and CEO, insisted that the regional roots of Crossair would form the foundation of Switzerland’s new national carrier.
“It may have a different wrapping, but Swiss will have the soul and base of Crossair,” said Dosé.
Under current plans, the airline will be the first to introduce the Embraer 170 into service, and the niche markets that made Crossair so well respected will remain a vital part of the network.
Of the 30 Embraer 170s on firm order, the first is scheduled to arrive this year and a further 14 next year. The first of 30 Embraer 190s will be delivered in 2004, marking the beginning of the replacement of the Avro RJ fleet. The airline also expects another seven 50-seat ERJ-145s to be delivered this year, completing its initial order for 25 aircraft. Their delivery will see the withdrawal of the remaining Saab 340s and the beginning of the disposal of the Saab 2000 fleet.
Dosé insisted that the new airline would serve the major intercontinental trunk routes and those it considered niche markets with equal commitment. “London City is a niche market in which we have been successful and I see no reason to discontinue those routes. Similarly, services from Lugano, Bern and Sion will also continue,” he said. “We know there is little prospect of making money from all of those services, but they are important to the passengers. Our commitment to these niche markets is illustrated by our insistence that the new Embraer aircraft must be able to operate into these challenging airports.”
Dosé said the airline would place more emphasis on point-to-point traffic rather than transfer traffic, which typically provides poor yields. As a result Zurich, which was Swissair’s main hub, will become the new airline’s intercontinental base, and Crossair’s Euro Airport will remain its regional hub.
The airline expects to carry 9.8 million passengers this year, and despite budgeting for a SFr1.1 billion ($644 million) loss this year, it aims to break even next year.
Joining an airline alliance remains a possibility, but Dosé would give no indication as to the favorite. It appears Swiss will join British Airways, American Airlines and six other airlines in the One World alliance, although neither Skyteam nor Star Alliance has been ruled out.
Swissair, once a proud national symbol, ran out of cash and fell into bankruptcy last October after piling up heavy debt from a failed expansion plan. Crossair, a profitable airline serving only European destinations, said it would consider taking over the Swissair intercontinental routes only if it received financial support from government and industry. Within four months, Dosé said, investors raised SFr2.7 billion ($1.6 billion).
The airline’s primary concern rests with replacing the 13 MD-11s currently in service on intercontinental routes. Dosé said the airline would likely decide between the Boeing 777-200ER and the Airbus A340-300 before the end of the year.
Swiss will be owned by a holding company called Swiss Air Lines– a name that traces its roots to the halcyon days of Swiss aviation between 1935 and 1955.
The airline has begun painting its airplanes in the new color scheme. The first, an Airbus A320, debuted at Basel during the announcement. Plans call for all aircraft to be repainted by the end of the year, with some displaying the bold Swiss painted in one of the country’s four official languages–German, French, Italian and Romansch. |
But before Discovery could go on display, some hazardous materials had to be removed. As Valerie Neal, a curator in the Museum’s space history division, says, some of those materials included propellant residues in the orbital maneuvering system, reaction control systems, and auxiliary power units. Also discarded were the explosive charges found throughout the shuttle, including in the landing gear, side hatch, and drag chute system.
Some items, like the main engines, were removed but remain with NASA, for possible use on other projects. Other items, like the shuttle’s galley, were reinstalled in order to keep Discovery as close to its flown condition as possible.
Every artifact in the National Air and Space Museum is the real thing, though some real things, like the Hubble Test Telescope, are test vehicles instead of flight hardware. If there is any doubt, the labels in the galleries will tell all. |
BESSEMER, Alabama – The demolition of Bessemer's historic Arlington School has begun, but the man who purchased the building and is carrying out the demolition said today that he has no firm plans as yet for the use of the property.
"We will just clean (the property) up and make it look good, but we don't know what we will do," Ezra Hopson said.
"When we get (the demolition) done, we will look at it then," he said when asked if he thought he might sell the property when the demolition is complete.
The demolition of the school began about a month ago and should continue for about another month, according to Hopson, who owns a demolition and salvage firm and said he will sell some of the contents of the building.
The school, built in 1908, served as the city's first high school and later as an elementary school. It sat vacant at the corner of Arlington Avenue and 19th Street after it closed in 1986.
The Alabama Historical Commission referred to Arlington School as one of ''the finest early twentieth-century schools in Alabama'' in a March 2000 letter supporting efforts to preserve Bessemer's first high school.
Despite many attempts to renovate the school, including talk at one of time of converting the building into apartments for senior citizens, the historic structure has been repeatedly vandalized.
The Bessemer school system decided in Oct. 2012 to seek bids for the demolition of the school after the failure of efforts by the system to sell the building and property. "It's really a safety hazard, and it's an eyesore for the city," Bessemer Schools Superintendent Dr. Fred D. Primm said at the time.
The Bessemer school board in February 2008 decided to put the property up for sale, and five months later the Bessemer city inspector condemned the building.
The school board sold the building and property to Hopson near the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year, according to Primm. Hopson was the only person to make an offer on the property at that time after the board had advertised it, Primm said Thursday.
Hopson said that his firm does work in the Birmingham area and has done jobs in such locations around the state as Selma and Montgomery.
Do you have memories of Arlington School? Did you or a family member attend school there? Use the comments section below to share your stories.
For more news from Bessemer, go to www.al.com/local/bessemer. |
Lebanon: Third round of parliamentary elections
Voters on Sunday went to polling stations in central and eastern Lebanon in the most crucial round of Lebanon's parliamentary elections. The most interesting contests involved Christian leader and a formerly exiled general, Michel Aoun, and his allies against a coalition led by Druze leader Walid Jumblatt in the central Baabda-Aley constituency and against a Christian alliance in the Byblos-Kesrwan district.
32 seats are up for grabs in the central Mount Lebanon voting district and another 23 seats in the eastern Bekaa Valley.
A total of 1.25 million people are eligible to vote in the Mount Lebanon and eastern Bekaa Valley regions in Lebanon's first national election without the presence of Syrian troops for three decades. The final stage of voting is scheduled for 19 June.
Aoun, who led a "war of liberation" against Syrian troops in Lebanon in 1989, has allied for these elections with leading pro-Syrian figures in different areas in the country after falling out with the rest of the opposition groups.
- Lebanese dailies declare anti-Syrian candidate as ''real winner'' in by-elections
- Expectations low for Lebanon's fifth round of presidential elections
- Al-Arabiya continues coverage in Lebanon as country completes second round of parliamentary elections
- Lebanon ready for crucial election
- Lebanon: Second round of parliamentary elections begins, Hizbullah expects win |
"By leaving American families with more to spend, more to save and more to invest, these reforms will help boost the nation's economy and create jobs," George W. Bush said in his weekly radio address, adding that he would sign the bill in the coming week.
|The tax-cut will lead to "greater |
demand for goods and services,"
"When people have extra take-home pay, there's greater demand for goods and services. And employers will need more workers to meet that demand," Bush said, saying tens of millions of families and small businesses would benefit from the tax cut.
Congress narrowly passed the proposal on Friday in a dramatic vote that required US Vice President Richard Cheney to cast the deciding vote.
The bill is the centerpiece of Bush's economic policy, which he hopes will allow him to win re-election in 2004 and lay to rest his father's failure in 1991.
With $ 320 billion in direct tax cuts, $ 20 billion in aid to states and $ 9.5 billion in refundable credits for families who do not earn enough to pay income taxes, the plan is an ambitious effort to kickstart the US economy.
The most controversial part of the bill cuts taxes on dividends paid to shareholders and on capital gains to a maximum of 15%.
The move has been widely criticised as being bound to produce a short-term spurt for the US economy at the expense of its longer-term viability.
|Greenspan has voiced |
his concern over the
state of the economy
Analysts argue that the new tax cuts, other than adding about one percentage point to the economy could help insulate Bush from charges that he is not trying hard enough to boost the economy and create jobs.
But they also say that the cut will provide little relief to the middle class and the working poor and will undermine the economy by fueling huge budget deficits in the future.
"You have to be careful in politics. What looks like a sweet victory one day can turn into a bitter debacle the next," said Doug Brinkley, director at the Eisenhower Center for American Studies at the University of New Orleans.
"While it's a modest victory, it's no cause for celebration. The economy is suffering and there is very little indication that this type of tax cut is going to rejuvenate it," Brinkley said.
Republican insiders said new proposals for further tax cuts could emerge as early as September. Bush is said to be determined to make the tax cuts permanent and planned to renew his push for the complete elimination of taxes on corporate dividends.
The Saturday edition of the Washington Post called the move “a gamble over which economic force will prove more significant: a rise in the federal deficit, or an investment boom that could create a million new jobs.”
It is the first time that such a major tax cut is approved in the face of such deep budget deficits for the federal government. The 2003 deficit is expected to be the largest ever: an abrupt reversal from the budget surpluses Bush inherited from Clinton.
"It gives Bush the image of a leader, an impression as someone who cares and someone who is effective -- all of which are good arguments for people to hire you for four more years," Allen Lichtman, an American University historian who studies presidential elections, told the Washington Post. |
The killing of Paul Johnson and Nicholas Berg triggered increased hate mail, verbal attacks and anti-Muslim graffiti.
Death threats against American Muslims have risen and mosques have been vandalised.
"Since 9/11, every time there is an incident overseas attributed to Muslims or Arabs, we go on orange alert ourselves," said immigration solicitor Sohail Muhammad.
"There are individuals here who are off the wall, who think that every woman who wears a hijab or every man named Muhammad is out to blow things up," he added.
Dissidents thought to have ties with al-Qaida in Saudi Arabia decapitated Johnson, an American engineer, after warning that they would kill him if the Saudi government did not release detainees. Berg, a businessman, met a similar fate last month in Iraq.
Following Johnson's death, anti-Islam signs surfaced around the rural New Jersey neighbourhood where he once lived. One read "Stamp Out Islam" next to a drawing of a boot over a crescent and star. Another, hung on a mailbox next door to Johnson's sister's home, was more detailed.
"There are individuals here who are off the wall, who think that every woman who wears a hijab or every man named Muhammad is out to blow things up"
"Last night I wasn't a racist, but today I feel racism towards Islamic beliefs," it read. "Last night Islamics (sic) had a chance to speak up for Paul Johnson, but today it's too late. Islamics better wake up and start thinking about tomorrow."
The New Jersey attorney general sent bias crimes investigators to the area, along with stepped-up state police patrols. The signs are gone now, replaced with hand-lettered placards on utility poles that say "Our prayers are with the Johnson family."
But more anti-Muslim graffiti appeared on Thursday at a Muslim man's home in Egg Harbour Township.
"It's really our fear coming true," said Faiza Ali of the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
"It indicates a hatred that could turn into something violent."
Relatives of Johnson, in a statement made through a church pastor after a memorial service on Saturday, said that they hope his legacy is one of peace in the land he grew to love during more than a decade abroad.
"When history is written on the war on terrorism, let Paul's death be the catalyst that led to thousands more Westerners working in harmony with people in the Middle East to ensure fear and barbaric acts against free peoples come to an end," Reverend Kyle Huber of Greentree Church said.
The day after Johnson's death, a coalition of Muslim groups in Paterson, the heart of New Jersey's Arab-American community, held a rally to condemn the killing
A few days later, vandals tossed empty liquor and beer bottles at a mosque in Union City as congregants inside mourned a teenager who died in a car crash.
Some Americans have threatened
to behead Muslims in the US
"If they are throwing empty bottles today, they could be throwing rocks, or worse, shooting at us tomorrow," said Aref Assaf, president of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee's New Jersey chapter.
Two mosques in Florida were vandalised in the days after Johnson's killing.
In the Tampa suburb of Lutz, someone broke into the Islamic Community Centre and scrawled "Kill All Muslims" on the mosque's interior walls, then smashed windows. In Charlotte Harbor, someone vandalised a mosque's sign and left threatening phone messages.
In the St Louis suburb of Ballwin, Missouri, vandals painted a swastika and the word "Die" on the wall of the Dar-al-Islam mosque.
Mosque construction protested
In Texas, dead fish were dumped near the entrance sign to a mosque under construction in a suburb of Houston.
And in the Chicago suburb of Orland Park, residents urged officials this past week to reject a mosque's building application.
A Baptist pastor told a public hearing he feared it would attract Islamic extremists and violence. The centre was approved over boos and catcalls from the audience.
"I believe the time is coming when Muslims will not be safe inside the US borders," one man wrote to the Washington, DC-based Council on American-Islamic Relations.
"I see nothing wrong with us doing the same things to them that they are doing to innocent people."
"It is high time you people wake up and smell the blood," another man wrote to Assaf's group in New Jersey.
"Turn in the terrorists. They are your relatives, in a lot of cases. Cousin Omar. Uncle Mohammad. You know what I mean. Until you come forward to help us stamp out this vermin, you are as bad as they." |
Heavy snow fell across high ground and rain drenched valleys overnight on Monday, triggering tent collapses and landslides, but the military, co-ordinating a huge relief effort with aid groups, said there had been no reports of major incidents.
Major Farooq Nasir, a military spokesman in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani Kashmir, said: "There has been no unpleasant news regarding any accidents."
More than 73,000 people were killed by the 8 October earthquake in northern Pakistan, and about 1300 died in Indian Kashmir.
The Pakistan meteorological department said some parts of the quake zone, which extends from Kashmir into North West Frontier Province, had seen more than 60cm of snow.
Mohammad Aslam, the meteorology office official, said rain and widespread heavy snow was expected until Saturday.
More than two million people have been camping out since the quake in tents or flimsy shelters built in the rubble of their homes.
Snow brought down tents in
the remote Allai valley
They said heavy snow had brought down tents in the remote, high-altitude Allai valley of North West Frontier Province, as well as in some parts of Pakistani Kashmir.
Nasir said heavy rain across the fractured mountains had produced some landslides and rockfalls, but some relief operations by road were continuing.
The bad weather had been expected since early December but held off, allowing more supplies of shelter, bedding, food and medical supplies to be flown and trucked up into the mountains. |
Documents found in the abandoned Tripoli office of Muammar Gaddafi's former foreign minister and intelligence chief indicate that US and British spy agencies helped his regime persecute Libyan dissidents, Human Rights Watch said.
The documents were uncovered by the human rights activist group in abandoned offices once occupied by Moussa Koussa, one of Gaddafi's closest associates who left Libya for the UK in February as the uprising against the now-toppled Libyan leader began.
The group said on Saturday it had uncovered hundreds of letters between the US's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the UK's MI6 secret service and Koussa, who is now believed to be in Qatar.
Letters from the CIA began, "Dear Moussa", and were signed informally with first names only by CIA officials, Human Rights Watch said.
Live Box 20115613924415945
According to other documents, the UK also invited two of Muammar Gaddafi's sons to the headquarters of its Special Air Service (SAS) special forces unit as Tony Blair, the then-prime minister, tried to build ties with the Libyan regime, The Sunday Times reported on Sunday.
The paper said one secret document showed that Robin Searby, Blair's defence co-ordinator on Libya, had sent a confidential invitation in 2006 for Khamis and Saadi Gaddafi to watch "VIP demonstrations" of the SAS and its sister regiment, the Special Boat Service (SBS).
"There can be no publicity at all connected with this visit, either here or in Libya," it quoted Searby as writing in the letter, found in Saadi Gaddafi's abandoned office in the Libyan capital.
Britain's Ministry of Defence said the visits did not go ahead.
"The article alleges that they were invited on two particular dates in 2006. We have checked and no such visits took place," a spokesperson told the AFP news agency.
Documents uncovered by Human Rights Watch also indicated that Abdel Hakim Belhadj, the current military commander for Tripoli of Libya's National Transitional Government (NTC), was captured and sent to Libya by the CIA.
"Among the files we discovered at Moussa Koussa's office is a fax from the CIA dated 2004 in which the CIA informs the Libyan government that they are in a position to capture and render Belhadj," Peter Bouckaert, from Human Rights Watch, who was part of the group that found the stash, told Reuters news agency.
"That operation actually took place. He was captured by the CIA in Asia and put on a secret flight back to Libya where he was interrogated and tortured by the Libyan security services."
The files shed new light on the practise known as rendition, used by the US under President George W Bush, in which terrorism suspects were handed over to other countries for interrogation.
Rights groups have criticised the US for sending suspects to countries where they were likely to be tortured.
Belhadj has said that he was tortured by CIA agents before being transferred to Libya, where he says he was then tortured at Tripoli's notorious Abu Salim prison.
Western intelligence services began co-operating with Libya after Gaddafi abandoned his programme to build unconventional weapons in 2004. But the files show his co-operation with the CIA and MI6 may have been more extensive than previously thought, analysts say.
'Protection from terrorism'
The depth of the ties could anger officials in Libya's provisional government, many of whom are long-term opponents of Gaddafi and are now responsible for charting a new path for Libya's foreign relations.
"Our concern is that when these people were handed over to the Libyan security they were tortured and the CIA knew what would happen when they sent people like Abdel Hakim into the hands of the Libyan security services," Bouckaert said.
In Washington, CIA spokeswoman Jennifer Youngblood, without commenting on any specific allegation or document, said: "It can't come as a surprise that the Central Intelligence Agency works with foreign governments to help protect our country from terrorism and other deadly threats. That is exactly what we are expected to do."
A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, added: "There are lots of countries willing to take terrorists off the street who want to kill Americans. That doesn't mean US concerns about human rights are ignored in the process."
A British government spokesperson told Reuters that Britain did "not comment on intelligence matters."
More recent documents showed that after the war broke out six months ago, Libya reached out to a former rebel group in the breakaway Somali state of Puntland, the Somali Salvation Front, asking them to send 10,000 fighters to Tripoli to help defend Gaddafi.
Source: Al Jazeera and agencies |
Thousands of African migrants have marched in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, appealing for the support of Western governments against Israel's detention policy towards migrants who entered the country illegally.
Protesters chanted "no more prison" outside the US embassy, and also marched on to the French, Italian, British, Canadian and German embassies on Monday, to hand over letters appealing for international support.
The protests prompted a strongly worded statement from the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), saying that Israel's incarceration of migrants, caused "hardship and suffering" and was "not in line with" a 1951 world treaty on the treatment of refugees.
"Placing asylum-seekers in duress that may force them to opt to return without having examined their asylum claims could amount to a violation" of international refugee conventions, Walpurga Englbrecht, the UNHCR representative in Israel, said in a statement on Sunday.
Englbrecht criticised Israel's official description of migrants as "infiltrators", saying most were refugees or deserved international protection.
Israel's newest detention facility "would appear to operate as a detention centre from where there is no release", she said.
Israel isn't their home and we will make efforts to ensure it won't become a state of infiltrators
The protests on Monday followed a mass demonstration of Africans outside Tel Aviv city hall on Sunday.
On December 10, Israel's parliament approved a law permitting authorities to detain migrants without valid visas indefinitely.
More than 300 migrants have been arrested since the new law went into effect, and dozens more have been summoned for detention, the UNHCR said.
Israeli Interior Minister Gideon Saar rejected the allegations, telling Israel Army Radio on Monday the vast majority of migrants had come in search of jobs, not asylum.
"But Israel isn't their home and we will make efforts to ensure it won't become a state of infiltrators," he said.
Some 60,000 migrants, largely from Eritrea and Sudan, have crossed into Israel across a once-porous border with Egypt since 2006, Israeli authorities say.
An Israeli border fence has cut off the African influx from Egypt since 2012, but migrants who have already crossed can be sent to what the government describes as an open prison in Israel's southern desert.
The new detention facility resembles a half-way house.
Detainees can leave but must report back three times a day, including at nightfall, and may be held without a time limit pending voluntary repatriation, implementation of deportation orders or resolution of their asylum requests. |
There have only been seven successful face transplants in the United States, and just 30 done worldwide.
Carmen Tarleton, the recipient of the latest transplant performed in the US, is a woman helping to change the way these surgeries are looked at. After a brutal attack by her now ex-husband, she was left legally blind with burns over 80 percent of her body.
Despite 55 surgeries over five years, her face and neck remained grossly disfigured and terribly painful. Then after months of waiting, doctors finally found a face donor for Tarleton - a 55-year-old stroke victim.
On the edition of TechKnow, Lindsay Moran meets Tarleton and looks back at the 15-hour surgery where doctors worked to connect nerves, blood vessels and muscles onto her face. We also meet the donor's daughter and the doctors whose innovative surgery saved Tarleton's life.
Also on the show, Rachelle Oldmixon visits the mountains of California where condors are making a comeback thanks to a simple use of technology.
The largest flying bird in the US, California condors are on the brink of extinction. But a group of wildlife biologists are merging ecology and technology and using GPS to help save the species.
TechKnow can be seen each week at the following times GMT: Monday: 2230; Tuesday: 0930; Wednesday: 0330; Thursday: 1630.
Click here for more TechKnow |
|The deforestation in Haiti has ensured that flooding and landslides have become more common in recent years.[AP]
Many days of heavy rain has caused widespread flooding and mudslides in Hispaniola. At least six people have died in Haiti and over 11,000 have been forced from their homes in the Dominican Republic.
Nearly 500,000 people still remain homeless in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. On Tuesday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Aid said that the deaths had occurred right across the country.
There are conflicting figures as to the exact death toll; it could be as high as nine. We do know that two people died in a landslide in the capital, Port-au-Prince. Two others drowned while trying to cross a swollen river near the coastal town of Anse-a-Foleur and two more suffered the same fate elsewhere.
In neighbouring Dominican Republic, officials say that there have not been any reports of deaths or injuries, but around 11,150 people have been evacuated from their homes. Emergency office spokesman Jose Luis German said nearly 3,000 homes were flooded in the northern province of Puerto Plata and some central and southeastern towns.
Puerto Plata recorded 124mm of rain in the 24 hours up to 1200GMT Wednesday. There is plenty more rain in the forecast, and some 23 of the country’s 32 provinces remain at risk of flooding over the next few days. Concerns are mounting because this is only the start of the rainy season.
Source: Al Jazeera |
The intent of this book and video review guide is to help us to live according to Kingdom standards which bring Heaven to earth.
Author: John Gilheany
Reviewed by: Frank L. Hoffman
Within the name,Familiar Strangers, John Gilheany captures the essence of the struggle that has existed between the church and the vegetarian movements for the past 2,000 years, and his study of the last 200 years in Britain highlights the continued struggle, as well as the advances that have occurred.
For far too many years the majority of churches and church leaders have turned a blind eye and heart toward the suffering of animals, and the health problems to human beings that an animal product based diet causes. In Familiar Strangers, John Gilheany brings to light the historical documentation and the need for all of us to become vegetarian/vegan, for it is God's heavenly will for our lives, and the best thing for the animals and the environment.
In Familiar Strangers, we also see how the animal rights movement was a natural progression of the vegetarian influence with it's concern for the suffering of animals.
Each chapter of the book is followed by a thorough list of references.
We highly recommend Familiar Strangers, by John Gilheany to all our readers.
John Gilheany is an excellent researcher of historical Christian and Vegetarian issues. He produces all the material published on the The Fellowship of Life website. John works in the construction industry, and in addition to his Christian and vegetarian interests, he enjoys fitness training, illustration, and electronic music.
Return to Book, CD and Video Review Guide |
I can't imagine Mother Earth
Without Her Autumn Dress
How She turns Her leaves to gold
With God's paint-brush-caress...
Creatures born in Springtime
Have grown and left their nest
Some must survive the Winter
Others hibernate and rest....
The Fireflies are gone now
We wake to frosty morns
To crackling fires, hot chocolate
To rose and amber dawns...
Birds sing a last love song
The last Rose petals fall
I listen on the crisp still air
To Summer Calves that bawl...
Mother Earth turns Her golden crown
Catching last of Summer's rays
She'll store them in Her earthen breast
To last through Winter's days.....
(c) M. Linda Steffey 1988 |
If a debtor has become delinquent on their debt payments for long enough, creditors will eventually file a lawsuit against them and may win a judgment. With a judgment in place the creditor can garnish wages and get the right to use non wage garnishments which typically means they will seize bank accounts. If a creditor serves the debtor's bank a non-wage garnishment affidavit, the bank is required by law to hand over the debtor's money on deposit up to the amount owed to the creditor, even if that puts the debtor's bank account at a zero balance. For example if a debtor owed $3,000 and had $1,500 in their bank account, the non-wage garnishment could wipe out the account handing over the $1500 to creditors.
But there are things a debtor can do to protect their bank accounts from non-wage garnishments:
- Be aware of any lawsuits filed against you by creditors. If you are significantly delinquent on any debt payments, there will be a lawsuit, it is just a matter of time. If you are facing a lawsuit, don't ignore it. Show up to court and consider filing bankruptcy to stop the lawsuit. Bankruptcy will stop the lawsuit and prevent a non-wage garnishment before it happens.
- Don't deposit all of your money into your bank account. Yes, we know that is inconvenient; but depositing money into your bank account gives the creditor access to your funds. Consider paying your bills using money orders until you can sort out your financial affairs. Also, consider filing bankruptcy if you have large amounts of debt that you simply cannot pay.
- If a creditor has already won a judgment against you, consider challenging the validity of that judgment. Were you served properly? Many creditors fail to properly serve debtors when they file a lawsuit leaving the debtor unaware of litigation. If a creditor failed to serve you, you may be able to have the judgment thrown out. Has the statute of limitations passed? In Texas, credit card companies have only four years to sue a debtor for non-payment. If the creditor files a lawsuit after the statute of limitations has expired, the debtor can have that judgment thrown out. |
THIS just in: Journalism is a fundamentally arrogant, self-obsessed industry too wrapped up in its own legend to look at the world around it and adapt to sweeping change.
Or at least that’s what’s been interpreted as the view of US journalism professor, C.W. Anderson, whose new book, Rebuilding the News, lays a proportion of the blame for the ‘decline’ in the newspaper business on the hubris of traditional journalistic culture.
Anderson argues that industry-wide snobbery around emerging news tasks like blogging and link aggregation, together with the craft’s reluctance to take seriously or collaborate with non-traditional sources like social media, have prevented journalism from thriving in the digital age.
Up to a point, it’s hard to disagree. Clearly, journalism hasn’t exploited new technology to the extent that it could and should have.
But, aside from the trade’s enduring love affair with the printed word, there were sound reasons for exercising a cautious approach. To begin with, it’s hard to blame journalists for looking askance at the ‘blogosphere’. They are, after all, trained to be suspicious of any content that, in many cases, demonstrates scant regard for fact-checking, the right to reply or publishing law, knowing that if they did that they’d be dragged through the courts, pilloried or sacked. Maybe all three.
It is also true that many reporters have been reluctant to embrace social media. Given the fact that most journalists know readers as the people who ignore 99 per cent of the smashing work that they do (but write in demanding sackings for the slightest error or difference of opinion, however), this seems a fairly natural reaction.
It’s a given that journalism hasn’t reacted with alacrity to the digital era, but in a craft that’s hundreds of years old you’d often expect it to take a generation for fundamental change to be fully implemented.
When all’s said and done, the real reason for the ‘decline’ – at least in sales – is not because reporters don’t want to step up, but because the owners don’t want to ‘play ball’, invest in their core business and provide the sort of investment that quality journalism requires.
Contrary to jaundiced received opinion, the vast majority of today’s reporters are doing a good job against the odds. They are underpaid, overworked, have little room to manoeuvre and few opportunities to cover stories as deeply as they’d like.
The impeccable standards of in-depth reporting demanded by the social media pack are what they yearn for too, but they lack the investment needed to make it happen.
That said, there’s no denying that a credibility gap has opened, and journalism has to fight back and bridge it. They already have the communication, legal and investigative skills to do it, but, to apply them effectively, journalists are going to have to ‘grit their teeth’ and embrace the digital era.
If readers’ faith in the verity of reporting is waning fast, that doubt has to be confronted with line-by-line justifications of major stories, adding contextual pop-up notes explaining how the ‘tale was made’. Key facts need to be attributed, figures and statistics accredited and if sources are to be kept anonymous, we need to explain why. In the face of mounting cynicism, only total transparency can hope to counteract it.
Similarly, newspapers need to run experiments like submitting flagship online coverage to ‘wiki-style’ public audits, allowing readers to query and contest the reportage within. It could prove a problematic process, but when ‘the world and its wife’ is saying that modern journalism has been corrupted by self-interest, commercial bias and PR spin, only a balls-out, stand-by-our-stories approach is going to prove otherwise.
Like it or not, journalism needs to dip a toe into the impressive possibilities of employing data reporting techniques, experiment with social media and invent approaches to distributed journalism that carry reportage to readers beyond traditional web platforms – anything that might increase transparency, recapture the ‘high ground’ and demonstrate to the public what responsible, legal, skilled and engaging reportage consists of.
And without or without the help of media owners, it needs to be done soon.
This is not a drill.
Iain S Bruce is a former technology editor of the Sunday Herald, whose work has also appeared in several other national newspapers, including The Scotsman, The Guardian, the Daily Telegraph and the Sunday Times. He is currently a director of the digital public relations agency, DPRi, and a regular commentator on BBC radio. |
Q: What are the symptoms of hypogonadism ("low testosterone")?
A problem with using these symptoms to diagnose hypogonadism is that you cannot directly relate either the number of symptoms present, or the severity of any of them, to the actual severity of the hypogonadism. That is why proper evaluation by a physician specifically trained in this type of medicine, as well as appropriate laboratory testing (much more on that in future articles), is absolutely necessary.
Q: What diseases and conditions are associated with hypogonadism?
That is a scary list, to be sure! One of the scarier conditions is Metabolic Syndrome X which has only recently begun to receive much public attention. Metabolic Syndrome is an insulin-insensitivity condition that is believed to be the precursor to adult-onset diabetes. It is estimated that approximately 47 million Americans (22%) now have Metabolic Syndrome. For persons 60-69 years of age, the prevalence rises to 42%.
Metabolic Syndrome (also called Syndrome X) is defined as the simultaneous presence of 3 of the following 5 risk factors:
Left untreated, people with Metabolic Syndrome are at increased risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and erectile dysfunction. We learn more about this condition nearly every day, but many signs point to the possibility that HRT may help to prevent and/or delay the onset of Metabolic Syndrome. It may even help you to partially overcome the condition.
Q: Is TRT helpful in treating these diseases and conditions?
Yes, it is not enough to recognize that low hormone levels are associated with a given disease state or physical symp tom . It also must be shown that raising that hormone's level reduces the risk of developing, or dramatically improves-even eliminates--that disease or symp tom . Fortunately, scientific studies have shown that TRT does this for every single one of the above listed diseases AND symptoms.
Q: Is TRT dangerous?
Literally millions of men, from all over the world, have enjoyed the benefits of TRT. To date, we have not found a single case of appropriate TRT hurting anyone.
Q: Can TRT give me cancer?
Absolutely not. In fact, appropriate TRT has been shown to reduce your risk of cancer, probably due to its immune system boosting benefits.
Q: What are the possible negative side effects of TRT?
Some men report some water retention. This usually subsides, but if it doesn't, can be easily controlled by using a medication or OTC (Over-the-Counter) supplement to lower estrogen-the usual cause of chronic water weight gain while on TRT.
The risk of possible liver disease is listed on the package insert. But this is a throw back to the abuse of testosterone supplementation-in other words, taking steroids. I have never heard of appropriate TRT damaging the liver.
While the possibility of inducing, or increasing, the symptoms of BPH (Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy) is often mentioned, numerous studies have shown this is not the case. TRT has also been shown to not increase the risk of prostate cancer as well.
On the subject of prostate cancer, that is one of two medical conditions which are, at this time, an absolute contraindication (meaning a reason to withhold treatment) to TRT. That is why doctors who administer TRT monitor prostate health with regular PSA tests and Digital Rectal Exams. The other contraindication is male breast cancer.
Patients on blood thinners may need to have these medications dosed differently, as TRT also helps protect against unwanted clotting. On the other hand, the consistency of the blood is appropriately monitored while on TRT, as a few men will develop polycythemia (blood that is too thick)-a completely reversible condition. In fact, TRT's ability to build up the blood is why it is one of the treatments for anemia.
Diabetics-whether on insulin or oral medications-usually need to have the dosages of these medications decreased, often dramatically. TRT is profoundly effective at controlling blood sugar levels.
Patients with hypertension (high blood pressure) on a class of medications called beta blockers may need to have their meds monitored as well.
Q: My doctor tested my testosterone level, and because it was just barely above the bot tom of normal range, he said I do not need TRT. Is he right?
The "normal" reference range for Total Testosterone is found through statistical means, meant to include 95% of all adult males. Yet, when tested properly-with what is called a Bioavailable Testosterone assay-about half of all men over the age of fifty have low testosterone . That means a significant percentage of those included in "normal" range are actually sick with hypogonadism (reread the list of serious diseases associated with hypogonadism). Therefore "normal range" has absolutely nothing to do with health and happiness!
Anti-Aging experts agree that if you are experiencing the symptom s of hypogonadism (low testosterone), even if your levels are as high as mid-range, a course of TRT is probably warranted. If your symptoms improve or disappear altogether, that proves you had the disease. This is known to doctors as "therapeutic testing."
Q: Can any adult male with low or low-normal testosterone levels get TRT?
At this time, men who have either prostate or breast cancer are deferred from undergoing TRT. We are also careful to regularly monitor PSA levels, as well as manually checking the prostate with a Digital Rectal Exam.
Along the way, we monitor blood levels, as a small portion of TRT patients will have their blood become too "thick", a condition known as polycythemia. This can happen because testosterone supplementation stimulates the production of red blood cells, which is why it is sometimes prescribed to treat anemia.
Beyond that, it is just a matter of finding a physician well-trained in how to best administer this profoundly effective treatment therapy.
Q: If I go on TRT, how will it change my life?
Most men report dramatic increases in sexual performance, up to and including a reversal of Erectile Dysfunction (ED) symptoms. They also have much more energy, better stamina, increased muscle and decreased fat, and an improvement in their ability to concentrate and remember things. All of a sudden they are being active well into the evening again, enjoy great sex, can catch up to the grandkids, and hit that golf ball 40 yards further. They tell me they have regained their "edge". Plus they feel they just plain look younger. And this is in addition to the dramatic decreases in the risks for the serious diseases I listed previously in this article.
Q: If I go on TRT, is it forever?
No, you can always go back to feeling the way you used to!
Q: Is Testosterone Replacement Therapy the same thing as doing steroids?
Good question, especially with all the press lately regarding steroids in professional sports. Doing steroids means taking testosterone waaaaay above the top of normal range. This is VERY bad for your health. Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT), on the other hand, is merely restoring, or optimizing, testosterone levels to healthy range. S tudies have shown that men get healthier (and happier) as they approach the top of normal range. And they tend to stay that way much longer.
A good analogy is the recent recommendation that a glass of wine at dinner each night may be good for our health. But drinking a whole bottle is a different matter entirely!
Q: What exactly do you do with TRT treatment? Shots? Pills?
There are several different methods for administering TRT: testosterone gels and creams, patches, pills, implantable pellets and injections. Each has their respective benefits, and shortcomings. Which testosterone delivery system to use has as much to do with each individual's lifestyle as it does the medical condition. That is why this decision must be made TOGETHER by the physician and the patient.
In my professional opinion, the best two methods are the gels/creams, and injectable testosterone.
Q: What is Anti-Aging Medicine?
It typically includes the tenets of Preventative Medicine, such as diet, nutrition and exercise. These efforts are meant to reduce the risks of serious diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease. But it goes far beyond that, to the optimization of hormone levels, in order to maximize health, fitness and happiness. This includes not only testosterone, but also growth hormone, thyroid and even adrenal hormones. In coming articles we will explore all of these treatment modalities in depth.
This is why patients who want to maintain-or regain--their "edge" need to seek out the care of an Anti-Aging Specialist.
Q: After recognizing that I have the symp tom s of hypogonadism you describe, I asked my doctor about possibly getting on TRT. He told me I should not get TRT, because it is natural for men to have their testosterone levels drop as they age. Is that true?
You might want to respectfully ask your doctor is he/she prescribes HRT for aging women. After all, it is "natural" for their estrogen levels to drop during menopause, and this is what causes their profoundly uncomfortable symptoms--which dramatically affects Quality of Life (QOL). Yet doctors routinely prescribe estrogen replacement for them, even though this is treating a completely "natural" condition. It has been said that female "menopause" is like falling off from a cliff, while male "andropause" (loss of male sex hormones) is more like rolling down a hill-it happens more slowly and insidiously. But the dangers of hypogonadism with respect to tremendous loss of QOL is undeniable. More so, it is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, depression, dementia (including Alzheimer's) and Erectile Dysfunction. The fact most doctors feel it is perfectly a cc eptable for them to treat a drop in sex hormones in women, but not men, may be thought of as a form of bias against men's health.
When thyroid hormones get low (hypothyroidism) we give thyroid medication. When insulin gets too low (diabetes) we give insulin. Why should it be any different for the sex hormones?
On the second point, there is not one shred of evidence to suggest that TRT causes cancer. Not one. In fact, multiple studies have shown that LOW testosterone levels are strongly associated with a higher risk, and worse form of, cancer.
Both points demonstrate why you need a doctor who really understands this stuff. The risk of being subjected to unnecessary disease is too great. And why not live life to its fullest, for as long as possible?
Q: Why should I enlist the help of a genuine Anti-Aging Medicine physician to test for hypogonadism, and administer my TRT?
In the first place, God bless any doctor who is willing to provide TRT. But there are so many new developments in this exciting new kind of medicine that you want someone who is specially trained in this type of therapy. That is the only way to truly optimize one's health and fitness.
Q: Where can I research more information on this subject?
The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine , of which I am proudly a member (and also lecturer and Moderator of their national and international conferences), maintain a website resplendent with information at: www.worldhealth.net . You can even subscribe to their free email newsletter, which is a fascinating read, and some pretty exciting stuff!
Welcome to the cutting edge of medicine.
Q: What other services do you provide at the ALLTHINGSMALE Center for Men's Health?
We currently provide anti-aging consultation, HRT therapy, Botox treatments (for women and men), nutrition and supplement advice and sales. More services are added frequently, so please explore the rest of this web site. |
All cases involving student infractions of College policies and regulations will be adjudicated by a staff member acting as a hearing agent except where noted. Cases of civil rights violations, discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct will follow the Civil Rights Grievance Policy and Procedures.
All hearings will be heard by a hearing agent except where noted. Typical hearing agents will be members of the Student Life Office staff who have received training in Student Conduct and conflict resolution. Other faculty and staff may hold a hearing at the request of the Student Life Office when appropriate. If the case is of a serious nature the case may go directly to a hearing with the Director of Campus Life or the Vice President of Student Life.
Below is a basic outline of a student conduct hearing:
1. The hearing agent will introduce themselves and explain what will happen in the hearing
2. The student(s) or group representative(s) will receive a copy of the Incident Report and/or other relevant documentation.
3. The hearing agent will review all relevant policies and ensure that all parties understand the policies.
4. The hearing agent will discuss the charges and policies with the student(s) or group representative(s). The parties will have an opportunity to add or clarify any information and ask questions in this stage of the hearing. The hearing agent also will ask any questions they have.
5. The hearing agent will ask the student(s) or group representative(s) to plead responsible or not responsible for violating College policy.
6. If a student(s) or group representative(s) pleads responsible, the hearing agent will discuss potential sanctions with them.
7. The hearing agent will review the timeline for the remainder of the conduct process and describe the appeals process.
8. After the hearing, the hearing agent will consider all of the evidence available and inform the Student Conduct Coordinator of their decision.
The description above is a generic outline and does not reflect the process for all cases. Hearing structure will vary by hearing agent, case, and violation.
If a student wishes to withdraw from Alma College while student conduct charges are pending, the charges will be held until the student returns to campus. The hearing process will resume immediately upon the student’s return. Students charged with serious allegations that could result in disciplinary probation, suspension, and/or expulsion may not withdraw from Alma College until the hearing is completed and a decision has been made.
Last Updated 7/26/16 |
Food occupies a unique position in our lives at the confluence of health, comfort, culture, social relationships, geography, and family budget.
In tough economic times, the question becomes how to eat within a tight budget without sacrificing superior nutrition, cultural tradition, great taste, variety, ease of preparation, and deep-down satisfaction.
Incessant food advertising in an aggressive consumer culture makes it especially difficult to stay away from the trendy new food innovations. After all, the latest product promises to make you healthier, smarter, thinner, younger, better-looking, hipper, more lovable, and a better parent. It’ll save time, give you a break, and show your sophistication. And it will cost a lot more, often without offering much nutritional value.
But frugal households can latch on to one burgeoning trend, the movement towards artisanal foods, edibles supposedly made from scratch by human hands rather than cranked out in industrial facilities.
Even if you can afford expensive food, go “frugal-artisanal” for the health, the flavor, and the sheer adventure of it.
To Get Started:
- Make everything from scratch: bread (including flatbreads and pizza doughs), biscuits, and soups. You can add your own healthy ingredients and experiment with herbs and spices. Scratch cooking takes more organizing and learning, but once you commit to it, you’ll find that it doesn’t take that much more time.
- Make and store your own mixes. Next time you’re making biscuits, bread, or pancakes, make extra, minus the wet ingredients. Mix the dry ingredients together, add one batch to a sealable bag, label, and freeze. When you’re ready to bake, add eggs, oil, milk, or other wet ingredients to a bag of mix, then bake as usual. For soups, store the dry ingredients, including herbs and spices, in glass or metal containers.
- Don’t skimp on fruits and vegetables. Sneak them into every meal. Use them as snacks. People who eat the most produce have more energy, fewer illnesses, and less chronic disease. They manage their weight more easily.
- Use cheap, nutritious, and suddenly trendy vegetables: kale, collards, cabbage, Swiss chard, carrots, onions, winter squash. Buy fruit in season.
- Sneak more whole grains into your diet. Add a handful of rolled oats into that recipe for meatloaf or fish cakes (rather than bread or cracker crumbs). Toss a handful of brown rice or barley into a long-simmering soup. Microwave a rice pudding for breakfast with leftover brown rice.
- Eat more legumes: lentils, dry beans, and dried peas. Cheap, incredibly versatile, and nutritious.
- When the price is right, stock up on nutrient-dense foods that keep well outside the fridge and don’t take much storage space: dry beans, lentils, whole grains, sunflower seeds, unprocessed nuts, peanut butter, onions, garlic, dried fruit. Store in glass or metal containers out of direct sunlight.
- Save nutrients by making savory broths from vegetable scraps and leftovers that you’d ordinarily throw out. Freeze or use immediately in soups or for cooking rice or other grains.
Be Frugal with Fuel, Too
- When you have the oven on, fill it up. Cooking a turkey or a roast? Bake bread, biscuits, and/or a casserole at the same time. Roast a pan of vegetables or try an oven-braised cabbage.
- Soak rice, lentils, beans overnight before cooking.
- When you make a broth or a big soup, half fill a knee-high sock or nylon stocking with brown rice, barley, or pinto beans; tie it loosely and toss it into the pot for use in another meal.
- Investigate pressure-cooker and slow cooker cooking. These are real energy savers. |
One of the biggest climate change skeptics announced over the weekend that his much-publicized investigation into climate data has found that humans' production of carbon dioxide is causing the world to slowly warm up. And this process could speed up dramatically in the coming years.
VERY big news, which has caused me to reconsider my position (not that climate change exists, but man's contribution).
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An outdated fermentation process once used to turn starch into explosives can now be used to produce renewable diesel fuel to replace the fossil fuels now used in transportation, University of California, Berkeley, scientists have discovered.
A team of campus chemists and chemical engineers have produced diesel fuel from the products of a bacterial fermentation process discovered nearly 100 years ago by the first president of Israel, chemist Chaim Weizmann. The retooled process produces a mix of products that contain more energy per gallon than the ethanol used in transportation fuels today. It’s estimated that the fuel process could be commercialized within 5-10 years.
While the cost of the fuel created via this process is still higher than diesel or gasoline made from fossil fuels, the scientists state that the process drastically reduces the greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. (more…)
With the holidays fast upon us and winter drawing near, the appeal of desserts like pies, cakes, pastries, cookies, and brownies will continue to grow. One company that provides a tasty array of healthful desert solutions is Happle’s, a bakery that prides itself on creating American made pies and pastries. The company, headquartered in Williamsburg, Iowa, was founded in 1992, and started going organic in 2004.
All ingredients used to make the delectable treats (with the exception of sea salt) are certified organic. Instead of regular bleached flour, Happle’s uses organic spelt flour, making Happle’s pastries safe to eat for those who have wheat allergies. Since there is no lard (animal fat) and dairy (animal milk) in the pies, it is safe for vegans as well. Pastry lovers can choose from a selection of fruit and berry pies (apple, cherry, cranberry apple, blueberry, peach, and pumpkin) which sell for $24.95 each or $39.95 for two. Kringles (a danish-style pastry) are sold in two packs with a fruit or nut filling (apple, cherry, raspberry, or almond) for $19.95.
Happle’s products can be purchased through their website — www.happlegourmet.com |
"God Did What?
Ilia Delio’s “Faith and the Cosmos” (4/4) reminds me, as I work on my Ph.D. in historical theology at a Catholic university, that few of my colleagues are capable of doing much in regard to science and evolution. The biggest obstacle is not lack of desire, let alone an anti-scientific viewpoint, but the Herculean task of trying to be competent in theology, ancient and modern languages, philosophy and science. In spite of these barriers, faith and science is a recurring theme in the introductory theology course I teach, including a special unit on Genesis 1-3 and evolution. Unfortunately, almost none of my students understand methodology, the distinction between theory and opinion and the cultural relativism that says “everybody is entitled to their opinion.” It is an embarrassment that the general population is anti-evolution when so many of the ministers, Catholic and Protestant, are not.
Silver Spring, Md.No Original Sin
Re “Faith and the Cosmos” (4/4): One problem with the church’s approach to science is that it refuses to give scientific findings due status vis-à-vis theology if science indicates a need to modify its interpretation of a revealed truth. Consider, for example, the scientific evidence against Adam and Eve being actual historical individuals. Without them the concept of original sin and the Fall requires considerable revision. The Vatican will have none of it. The theologian John Haught’s concept replaces the “fallen nature” tradition with one of constant becoming. Thus humankind’s propensity to sin is a consequence of its evolutionary contingency, not some single moment of turning away from God in a garden. And Christ’s redeeming act is not so much to wipe away original sin as to continue humans more accurately on spiritual growth. There are more examples, but until the Vatican gives to science the status it needs to influence theology, the problem will remain.
Los Alamos, N.M.Speak Out
The article “Good Counsel,” by Fran Hezel, S.J. (Faith in Focus, 3/28), is full of down-to-earth perspectives, perhaps based in part on his time spent in a multicultural milieu, to which I can relate. The older I get, the less seriously I take myself and the more time I try to devote to laughter. But I take seriously using my gray hairs and experience to speak up and speak out for those young people around me who cannot do so, mostly out of fear. As Janis Joplin once sang, “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.”
Craig B. McKee
Hong Kong‘Hi! I’m Fran’
Francis X. Hezel, S.J., seems to think we should adopt the cultural norms of the people in Micronesia (Of Many Things, 3/28). Why? If we go to Micronesia, yes, we should observe their cultural norms. But if they come here, no. They should adapt. Further-more, what is “curt” about saying, “Hello, my name is George?” Is Father Hezel unable to respond, “My name is Father Hezel. Nice to meet you. How do you happen to be at this event?”
But the author’s story is an effective attention-grabber leading into what I suspect is the real point of his article: a description of the people of Micronesia, which is quite interesting.
Los Angeles, Calif.Smart Woman
Allen Hubbard Jr.’s “A Recurring Vision” (3/28) about St. Teresa reminds us that in mysticism Christ is to the Christian what Sisyphus is to Albert Camus: a figure who bears pains similar to ours and provides a symbol of identification. Otherwise it is easy for people to turn away from religion that they perceive as revolving around salvation, when the immediate vantage point of life affirms that suffering is and will always be an essential component. I am impressed by this essay.
St. Teresa is my favorite saint. A mystic, a practical woman, compassionate, smart and shrewd. With the Inquisition still out and about in her day, she had to deal carefully with church powers, but she remained focused on Christ and the care of her sisters in faith.
Saratoga Springs, N.Y.Write About It Later
“A Recurring Vision,” by Allen Hubbard Jr. (3/28), reminds me of the saying “You can know all things and know nothing in the right way.” The author, an undergraduate in religious studies, states that he was required to read St. Teresa of ávila. He then quotes Carl Sagan, an atheist, and analyzes Sagan’s statement comparing God’s covenant as symbolic of God’s enduring interest in and attention to humanity. But God’s covenant is one of love, not “interest.” He then compares the relationship of Christ to the Christian to that of Sisyphus to Camus. But the task of Sisyphus is to do nothing but the same task over and over.
The task of the Christian is to seek Christ in prayer to achieve union. Since Mr. Hubbard admits he has not experienced spiritual rapture, he would do well to leave writing about it to St. Teresa, John of the Cross and contemporaries like John Padberg, S.J., and the late David Fleming, S.J., to name only a few.
St. Louis, Mo.Out of Date?
Reading Gary L. Chamberlain’s “Nursing Shift” (3/28), I had to turn back to the cover to check the date. Was I reading a copy that had been lost in the mail? Although I agree there are serious ethical issues related to the practice of recruiting professionals from other countries, there does not seem to be a nursing shortage at this time. The hospital with which I am associated has had R.N. graduates working as dietary aids since their graduation last spring while they wait for a nursing position to open up. A niece of mine had to go 2,000 miles away from home to find a nursing job after graduation. And this is only a part-time job. A good article. But is it timely?
Elizabeth A. Gavula
Flourtown, Pa.Priests and Nurses, Stay Home
With regard to “Nursing Shift,” (3/28), for ten years I’ve been listening to foreign-born priests struggle to pray and preach in English. I know they are here in part to help the church avoid ordaining married men and women; but I have wondered who is preaching to their own people. Have we created a kind of spiritual brain drain from third world countries in an effort to fill our own pulpits? Meanwhile, qualified leaders sit in the pews. I welcome the cultural exchange and service to immigrant communities these priests represent, but I hope this will be balanced by the kind of recruitment Gary Chamberlain advocates for nurses. The developed countries should redouble their efforts to train priests and nurses of their own.
Washington, DC5 Too Old To Confess To Young Priests
Fr. Frank Moan’s “Bless Me, Father . . .” (4/4) reminds me that I have not been in the confessional for decades and it is unlikely that I ever will be. Hubris, perhaps, or sins too great to acknowledge and share with anyone. And I am too old to speak to the young conservative priests, who are all very provincial and speak with the patois of the 19th century following Vatican I. None grasp the relation of the social problems of today — poverty, disaster, corporate sin and war — to the weekly lessons read rapidly without drama or persuasion by a select group of weak voices that never look up at the congregation. Presumption and despair!
Chippewa Falls, Wis.8 The Irish Aren’t Stupid
In “The Irish Question” (Current Comment, 4/4) it appears that the America editors agree with Fintan O’Toole in calling the Irish stupid. Nice that. But the facts are different from how you present them and the people now imagine them. No bank held a gun to the head of anybody to make anybody take a loan. I have friends who have houses and paid over the odds; when I told them this they laughed at me and called me a “scaremonger.” Now it is all the banks’ fault. But everybody is to blame, not just politicians and bankers. The Irish government took the same route as Obama; but I do not recall America taking the US president to task. Nor should you. If he avoided the depression, how is that different from the Irish government? Populism is popular in the short run, but meets with reality sooner or later.
London, U.K.9 Pope Meets Copts
Thank you for Signs of the Times’ “Copts Confront New Reality” (3/28). Despite being persecuted over the centuries, the Copts have contributed remarkably to the welfare and prosperity of Egypt and will be a moderating influence as that society moves toward democracy. We were staying on the island of Zamalek near St. Mark’s (Coptic) Cathedral when Pope John Paul II visited Cairo in his Middle East tour of 2000. The Copts refused to allow him to enter St. Mark’s, and he was consigned to kneeling on a pine prie dieu outside the main entrance behind a construction fence erected around the cathedral. Good for them!
Bendigo, Victoria, Australia98 Future Writer
Allen Hubbard’s “A Recurring Vision” (3/28) gives evidence that he has a great future as a writer. This is one of the most exciting and moving pieces of spiritual writing I have come across in a long time. Well done, America. |
The installation of this valve will add to the value, consistency, and performance of your NX system. The purpose of the purge is to remove all gaseous nitrous and air from your main feed line at the solenoid. This puts liquid nitrous at the N2O solenoid resulting in a harder leave or “hit”.
NOTE: Before you begin make sure that the bottle valve is closed, and the main feed line is empty. Liquid nitrous can cause severe frostbite if it comes in contact with your skin!!!
1. Disconnect the feed line from the N2O solenoid. Using the 1/8-inch male union apply Teflon paste to the threaded ends of the fitting. (NOTE: Never use Teflon tape on any fittings). Now thread the 1/8inch fitting into the 1/8inch inlet port marked “P” in the “Iceman” nitrous solenoid. Thread this completed assembly to the inlet port of the purge valve and remount the nitrous solenoid. Install the fitting and vent tube on the outlet port of the purge valve. Install the main feed line and tighten. Slowly open the bottle valve. Now is the time to check for leaks, if any are seen or heard, tighten the fitting that is leaking. Install the vent line so it does not vent in the engine compartment (a piece of 3/16 vacuum line may be used). The preferred is venting out at the base of the windshield so the nitrous flow can be seen. You are looking for a liquid (white) plume not just the sound of air.
2. Wiring the purge valve is easy but care must be taken. One of the two wires on the solenoid will go to ground, the other will attach to your push button. The other terminal on the push button will go to the N2O side of your arming switch. (See illustration A).
3. TESTING: Turn the arming switch on and push the purge activation button; you should hear a click and see liquid (white) N2O coming from the vent line. Now you are ready to use your new NX purge.
Note: The nitrous and fuel solenoids are rated only for intermittent duty. Do not engage either solenoid for more than 20 continuous seconds. Solenoids that have “burned or scorched” electro-magnets will not be replaced under warranty. |
The Port of Charleston increased the amount of cargo moving in and out of the port by rail by 18 percent last year to nearly 145,000 containers, the South Carolina Ports Authority reported Tuesday.
Since 2011, intermodal volume is up by 50 percent, helped by two recent initiatives to improve access and efficiency.
Rail terminals are located about 15 miles away in North Charleston, but the RapidRail program launched in April 2012 has streamlined the truck shuttle process. Under RapidRail, the port authority coordinates container movements to and from the rail yards to better match outbound export loads arriving at the railhead for delivery to the port, with trucks dropping off import loads from the port and minimize wasted trips. Vessel operators pay a fee to place trucking orders with the port authority, which finds a match for their container and arranges pick up and delivery. The program accounts for about 85 percent of the port's rail drays, with a few ocean carriers still arranging their own truck transport.
In November, the port authority opened the South Carolina Inland Port in Greer. The 40-acre facility essentially moves the port closer to shippers by providing an upstate intermodal rail terminal served by Norfolk Southern for the exchange of international shipments rather than trucking cargo all the way to the coast. Empty containers can also be stored closer to the customer, which benefits the port by freeing up valuable waterfront space and saves shippers from paying for empty truck miles.
The growth in rail container traffic is also the result of the port authority's work to attract discretionary cargo from surrounding states, it said.
"Charleston offers competitive rail facilities and services, providing our customers an advantage to moving discretionary cargo through our port," President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Newsome said in a statement.
Intermodal moves only represent 9 percent of Charleston's total container volume, but should increase in 2018 when a new intermodal container transfer facility is scheduled to be built in North Charleston on property the port authority is developing into a new ocean container terminal. Last year the port handled 1.6 million TEUs.
Port authority spokeswoman Erin Pabst said the inland port is closed
today because of the winter storm blanketing a large portion of the |
The state of our planet has never been more urgent -- for one, 2014 was the hottest calendar year on record, suggesting that the earth is getting increasingly warmer.
In New York City, sustainable and green initiatives big and small are helping to raise awareness about climate change and eco-friendly living, from recycled fashions to vegetarian schools to energy-saving on a stadium scale.
As we mark the 45th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, here's a look at ways New Yorkers are leading the city toward a greener future -- one non-carbon footprint at a time.
Green rooftops are growing across the city. One of the largest of its kind is Gotham Greens' 60,000-square-foot greenhouse being developed atop a Jamaica building. It is set to start growing greens and herbs later this year and is expected to produce more than 500 tons of fresh vegetables each year. This is Gotham Greens' third rooftop greenhouse, with others currently operating in Greenpoint and Gowanus. Brooklyn Grange is also flourishing, with two vegetable gardens in the city producing more than 50,000 pounds of produce a year that goes to markets, retailers and restaurants. Some restaurateurs have taken things into their own hands; Rosemary's operates a rooftop garden of fresh greens and herbs atop its West Village restaurant that help flavor its Italian dishes.
Parks and rec
Caring for the city's parks has gotten a big boost. In March, the U.S. Department of Interior announced plans to increase volunteerism in public parks across the country, choosing NYC as its starting point. The project strives to raise the annual number of volunteers in American parks from 322,000 to 1 million by 2017. Prospective volunteers can contact NYC's parks department for opportunities in protecting the more than 29,000 acres of city park land.
A vegetable-based diet can be a nutritious -- and sustainable -- one. And P.S. 244 in Flushing is paving the way as the first school in the country to serve all-vegetarian meals. Since 2012, the school has served vegetarian breakfasts and lunches every day. The concept seems to have caught on -- Lower Manhattan's Peck Slip School became the country's second school to turn vegetarian in 2013.
Environmental shopping standards
From recycled plastic to organic cotton, NYC retailers are selling items to help protect the planet. Love, Adorned in the East Village offers organic items for men, women and children. Catering to men's fashion, Red Hook's Three Leaves only carries items that meet strict criteria of environmental standards, paying special attention to reducing the amount of shipping materials in each delivery. Sustainable NYC is an East Village staple for biodegradable cleaning products, upcycled bags and jewelry, Fair Trade chocolate and more. The store's wallpaper, paint and solar-powered outdoor sign are also eco-friendly.
Reduce, reuse, recycle, rewear
Fashion designer Kristen Alyce's favorite material is trash. From empty drink bottles to old newspapers, the 28-year-old designer transforms daily garbage into glamorous outfits for her eco-conscious company, Garbage Gone Glam, which recently opened an office in Brooklyn. The high-fashion pieces start at $500, and customizable designs are also offered.
The Bronx Bombers are hitting it out of the park when it comes to going green. When the Yankees rebuilt its stadium, it integrated sustainable initiatives throughout, from purchasing more than 33 million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy certificates and adopting C-Neutral, which neutralizes greenhouse gas emissions, to reducing water consumption and recycling cooking oil. In total, the Yankees' sustainable efforts are equivalent to taking more than 4,700 cars off the road for one year.
When 1 Hotels makes its NYC debut this July near Central Park, it'll provide a sustainable option to tourists. The unique hotel chain offers triple water purification systems in all guest rooms (you won't find any plastic water bottles in the rooms), integrates a chalkboard tablet in place of pads of paper in all rooms and serves several organic options in its in-house restaurant, including a once-a-week meatless menu. Employees are also encouraged to commute eco-consciously: The hotel also provides Citi Bike reimbursement and free bike parking in its garage. |
In which Scrabble dictionary does EMEER exist?
Definitions of EMEER in dictionaries:
- noun -
an independent ruler or chieftain (especially in Africa or Arabia)
noun - an Arab chieftain or prince
There are 5 letters in EMEER:
E E E M R
Scrabble words that can be created with an extra letter added to EMEER
All anagrams that could be made from letters of word EMEER plus a
Scrabble words that can be created with letters from word EMEER
5 letter words
4 letter words
3 letter words
2 letter words
Images for EMEERLoading...
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. |
What is an Advocate?
- A person who speaks or writes in support or defense of a person, cause, etc.
- A person who pleads for or in behalf of another; intercessor
- A person who pleads the cause of another in a court of law
There are many advocates in Hawaii right now who are speaking to Legislators, Working Groups, Agencies, Support Services, Individuals, etc. Even AngelGroup is an Advocate. If you join AngelGroup, you become an Advocate.
This section is to address persons/agencies/groups who are advocating on a more formal forum or in a more "public" way. We'll be adding to this list but for now, please see the following:
Dara Carlin, M.A.
Domestic Violence Survivor Advocate |
Published: 20 July 2016 at 15:00
VIEWPOINT: Anglia Ruskin expert offers advice on how to inject some entrepreneurial spirit into your life
by Dr Lianne Taylor, Anglia Ruskin University
When confronted by life, we are each bound within the scope and the limits of the perspectives we have adopted and nurtured over our lives. In times of uncertainty – and Britain’s current political and constitutional environment is a useful example – we might be tempted to play it safe, pull up the drawbridge and look enviously out as others grab the opportunities we have missed. Entrepreneurs can appear to be a different kind of beast altogether – starting businesses, launching products, failing and starting again. In truth, though, we can all adopt their characteristics to change our own perspectives on life.
Start by viewing life and opportunities through the eyes of a colleague, customer, friend or even a child and you will experience something new. Entrepreneurs try and see this from their customers perspective – how would they use this product or service, how could it be useful for them and what would they think about it? This helps us to break down the cognitive or mental maps that limit idea creation.
For example the High Line, now a vibrant tourist attraction in a multicultural area of New York, used to be a derelict train track. Two ordinary New Yorkers imagined what people would enjoy and initiated a collaboration with designers, artists and business owners to transform an eyesore into a delight.
Not everyone will be able to turn wasted city train tracks into a green, sustainable park, but exploring what is possible is for everyone. Safe and familiar mental maps have been forming from childhood and need conscious rerouting. New tracks need to be laid down for new ideas to germinate.
Take the plunge. And ignore the impulse to “do things properly”. Easy to say, hard to do. But it does mark out the entrepreneurs. Much of the time fear prevents action, and the desire to have all the answers delays using intuition.
Peter Taylor, CEO and chairman of TTP Group Plc, an award winning technology and product development company based in Cambridge, said in a recent interview:
"Management is something we don’t want a lot of, it needs to be intuitive."
For an entrepreneur this means less time following processes and procedures and more time for action. Have a go and let it evolve, because the first action you take might be wrong, but you would have learned something from it.
In a world driven by metrics, entrepreneurs use their intuition when information is lacking. However, as any entrepreneur will tell you, analyse and use the detail, but don’t ignore your inner voice.
Confidence is developed by knowing what you are able to do; know yourself and know your personal strengths. And if you don’t know, adopt the entrepreneurial eagerness to learn, or “steal with your eyes and ears”. Use the intoxicating blend of knowledge and intuition to introduce some entrepreneurial flair where you need it the most.
Collaborate with others in a meaningful way. Although some may believe the entrepreneurial spirit is single-minded, many entrepreneurs appreciate the power of collective cognition or thinking together. That idea of being “in this together” is a significant entrepreneurial driver that builds trust. The spirit of co-creating with colleagues and customers, testing your theories and products and services breaks down our mental maps of how the world works.
These extrinsic behaviours and interactions start to unpick the intrinsic, sometimes unobtainable thoughts, that bind us to our own ideas about life and relationships.
Grow through the uncertainty we face. We have a choice to make in thinking about whether something is a threat or an opportunity. Faced with uncertainty, we all expend energy trying to reduce cognitive dissonance or in other words, sidestep the contradictory arguments. This conflict reduces the ability to learn.
The uncertainty that Britain faces after the EU referendum means that the speed of change around us has increased. It is understandable that deciding to be comfortable with uncertainty feels like a contradiction. But having courage and patience means that the entrepreneurial spirit is comfortable with standing on shaky ground.
Share your glory. People attribute their success to various things, but there is always more than one person that is part of the story. Within families and family businesses the entrepreneurial spirit is kept alive by sharing stories. The narrative of successes is handed down through generational story telling. Attribution theory means that we try and explain events and find reasons for how and why our life is the way it is. By sharing and attributing our successes to others, we generate a culture of belonging.
Take an hour or two to day dream. Entrepreneurial spirits have enjoyed the benefits of this as part of their lives in work and play. It is essential that we are allowed to dream in order to create, allowing the neural networks in the brain to make connections or connect the dots.
This might feel like a waste of time, mostly because the education system discourages gazing out of classroom windows. However, because of the ability of the brain to continually change itself throughout your life, letting your mind wander provides it with fertile ground. Answers to questions are found and new ideas created. Immerse yourself in a walk by the seaside and the grey matter in your brain has more food for thought without you having to do any work.
Put it all together and what do you get? Well maybe others will soon be wondering why it’s you who seems to be grasping all the opportunities. |
More About ...
The Horse Coat Color, Cremello
The term cremello is not actually a breed of horse. This is actually the color of a horse coat. Most of the time, cremellos are horses that have a cream color body with a cream, or sometimes even a white mane and tail. This is a type of coloring that happens after the horse is homozygous for a dilution gene. This is a gene that a lot of farmers and other people call the cream gene. Many people do not know this, but this is a gene that actually acts on a red, or chestnut colored coat. Usually the horses that have these kinds of genes are going to have pink skin. On top of that, most of the cremello horses are going to have blue eyes as well. Some of the horses will get a gold color to their coat when they are first born. However, this is not a color that you should grow attached to, because it is a color that will normally fade to white as the horse grows in age. Although most people do not want the gold color to fade, there is not much that you can do to stop this change. It's just like how human hair changes over time as well.
It is important to note that a cremello horse is not a white horse at all. A white horse and a cremello horse can be hard to tell apart sometimes. That is because the white horse can have the pink skin as well with the brown or blue eyes. If you see a horse that you think is a cremello with brown eyes, then it is not a cremello. That is because cremellos can only have the blue eyes. The good news about the cremellos is that they do not have any of the genes that are needed to produce a true white coat. This is great, because that means that they are not a carrier of lethal white syndrome. Also, try not get albino horses mixed up with the cremello horses as well. These are horses that do not have a white coat, and they have no pigment in their eyes. A horse that is actually a true albino horse is said to be a carrier of the lethal white gene, and thus, they do not mate.
It's also important to note that, a lot of times, the Cremello horse can look a lot like the champagne horse and have the champagne gene in it. Not only that, but they can have the pearl gene in it as well. You should note, however, that the champagne horses are different from the cremellos. This is because the champagne horse normally has mottled skin and striping on their hooves. Not only that, but their eyes are usually a dark yellow green or sometimes hazel. Either way you look at these horses, they are pretty amazing horses, and a type of horse that you are going to want around your farm. If you want a horse that has the champagne color or the pearl color, then you will notice that using cremello horses is a good way for that to happen. |
Fusion Science and Technology / Volume 56 / Number 2 / August 2009 / Pages 1028-1032
Divertors and High Heat Flux Components / Eighteenth Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy (Part 2)
Within the EU power plant conceptual study (PPCS), a modular He-cooled divertor concept (Ref. 1) has been investigated at the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe to achieve a heat flux of at least 10 MW/m2. The divertor conceptual design is based on the use of a tile made of tungsten, a structural element made of tungsten alloy, and a steel cartridge. The cooling of the divertor module is realized by an impingement of helium jets (10 MPa, 600 °C) flowing through an array of small jet holes located at the top of the cartridge, able to remove the high heat flux incident on the top surface of the tiles.
In this paper a modular design of a helium cooled divertor is introduced. A method of design examination regarding the cooling capability and the component stresses are pointed out. The method is based on the use of a combined system of modern computer tools. For the 3D design construction, the CAD program CATIA V5 was utilized. The simulation calculations were performed in two steps: thermo-hydraulic CFD calculations using the ANSYS CFX tool and thermo-mechanical FEM calculations with the ANSYS code. The CFD computations were done taking into account the design geometry with an appropriate meshing and the boundary conditions, i.e. the defined heat flux, the helium pressure and temperature at the inlet. Among other things, the heat-transfer-coefficients received from the CFD runs were then used for the following FEM analyses. The simulation results and a potential of design improvement will be discussed. |
E-cigarettes, coffee capsules enter inflation basket
Most popular goods chosen by agency to measure price pressures04 February, 19:18
Demand and prices for the 1,447 products in this year's basket are measured monthly by Istat to calculate price fluctuations and inflation rates, and reflects changes in consumer trends and habits.
The new basket, larger than the 2013 version which had only 1,429 items, now includes coffee pods and capsules for automated coffee machines, online newspapers, packaged spreadable cheese, and biodegradable bags for organic waste.
Even pro-biotic yogurt has become a new big thing among consumers, replacing organic yogurt, the agency said as it aims to "grasp the evolution of the spending behavior of consumers".
The list of items in this year's basket includes 19 different cereal and bread products, 10 sorts of alcohol products, 11 household appliances and 26 kinds of cheese, milk, yogurt and eggs.
Goods and services that are no longer included in the Istat shopping basket include repairs for electronics, such as computers and televisions; and women's suits, which have been replaced by dresses. At the same time, Istat adjusted the relative weighting given to different products which is used to try to measure a typical consumer's spending patterns.
Istat raised the relative weight of services over manufactured goods in the basket by about one percentage point.
That reflects a widespread trend to spend more and more on a range of services, from health spas and gyms to medical procedures, cleaners for homes and automobiles, to consultants.
In fact, the price of services has been rising above prices for manufactured goods in Italy for several years, the agency said.
Spending on food and non-alcoholic beverages has been given a higher weighting as well, while the weighting in transportation, clothing, footwear and communications has been reduced.
Istat, which adjusts the consumer basket each year, said that the latest weighting in the basket reflects price movements and consumer-spending trends in roughly equal proportions.
The changes come as Istat reported Italy's annual inflation rate remained flat at 0.7% in January, compared with January 2013.
That was the same level as reported in December and November 2013 and the lowest level since November 2009.
Italy's long recession has made it difficult for businesses to increase prices, holding down inflation and raising concerns about deflation becoming a problem in Italy.
A two-year run of falling gross domestic product (GDP) ended in the third quarter of last year, when GDP was flat with respect to the April-June period.
Measured on a monthly basis, Istat said prices were 0.2% higher in January than in December. The rise in overall costs of services in January included increased costs for parking, municipal water and trash-collection charges, as well as a sharp 1.9% jump in the price of basic servicing costs due to new taxes introduced in the 2014 budget.
Istat's basket of most-frequently purchased consumer goods such as food and fuel dropped to 1.1% in January on an annual basis, compared to 1.2% in December. The Istat inflation surveys also include a regional dimension.
In 2014, the territorial basis of the survey will include 80 municipalities (19 regional capitals and 61 provincial capitals) to gain perspective on local taxes ranging from water and garbage collection fees, taxi and public transit costs, as well as schools and local services including cinemas and parks. |
Dr. Jessi Halligan
Dr. Jessi Halligan is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology, with specializations in geoarchaeology and underwater archaeology. She is anthropologically-trained archaeologist with a focus upon the initial peopling of the Americas through my active research program in submerged Paleoindian sites in Florida. This focus leads to complementary foci in hunter-gatherer societies, geoarchaeology, sea level rise and submerged landscape studies, including underwater field methods. Dr. Halligan earned a PhD in Anthropology from Texas A&M University (2012) and a BA (2000) from Harvard University in Anthropology with a specialization in Archaeology. She has been a Registered Professional Archaeologist since 2012 and has more than two decades of field and lab experience in North American Archaeology. She has conducted research and/or worked on Cultural Resource Management projects all over the Northeastern United States, the Northern Plains, Texas, and the Southeast. Dr. Halligan is especially interested in the peopling of the Americas, climate change during the terminal Pleistocene and early Holocene, coastal site preservation, and human adaptation to major climate change.
Her dissertation discussed the geoarchaeological context of submerged Paleoindian sites in the Aucilla River of Florida, focusing upon landscape reconstruction over the past 15,000 years and human usage of the area during this time. This research included underwater survey and excavation, terrestrial survey, coring, sediment analysis, and a bit of remote sensing. Since graduation, Dr. Halligan has been actively involved in new investigations at the Page-Ladson site along with several collaborators and conducted extensive underwater and terrestrial survey and site evaluations of the surrounding area, with plans for field schools involving both underwater and terrestrial components.
She has taught courses on the peopling of the Americas, North American archaeology, geoarchaeology, lithic analysis, underwater archaeology, introductions to archaeology, and anthropology, archaeological method and theory, the archaeology and anthropology of hunters and gatherers, Southwestern archaeology and anthropology, and a senior capstone course in archaeology. |
Joined: Sep. 2004
bfast offers this here:
|If there is a genetic twiddler that, using foresight, has guided the development of life from amoeba to man, even if the twiddler periodically injected huge chunks of data, if the twiddler twiddled with an existing species to get the new one, rather than creating ex-nihlo, then we have UCD.|
This is exactly why many Christians who have taken the time to learn about ID reject it as bad theology (as well as bad science) - because it reduces God to a "genetic twiddler." Thanks to bfast for both the candor and the nicely descriptive term. |
For the seventh year, students and community members from AULA will participate in V-Day and join a global voice that is demanding an end to violence against women. V-Day is a catalyst that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money, and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations.
“The World Health Organization states that worldwide, almost one third of all women who have been in a relationship have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by their intimate partner. In some regions this is much higher,” says Terra Forbes, co-director of the 2014 AULA V-Day events. “And that is just cases of intimate relationships, not including attacks from unknown persons.”
AULA will be offering two V-Day performances: V-Day’s signature performance, “A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer” on Friday, February 28, 2014 and “Any One of Us: Words From Prison” on Saturday, March 1, 2014. Both performances will be held on campus at 7:00 p.m.
In advance of the performances, on Thursday, February 13 from 8:00 a.m. until 6 p.m., organizers are hosting a bake sale to raise funds for anti-violence organizations. Community members will also have the opportunity to purchase a singing telegram for their favorite student or colleague. Later that evening at 6:30 p.m. will boast AULA’s first V-Day open mic night. The theme is the V-Day movement, and all forms of artistic expression are welcome. Interested participants can reserve a 3-5 minute spot for the open mic by emailing email@example.com. Everyone, regardless of gender, is invited to participate.
“Violence against women has affected every single person I know in some way,” notes Forbes. “V-Day gives us a voice to act against it – to take this serious problem out from under the rug it gets swept under and shine a light on it. This is my third year participating in V-Day at AULA and I am always honored to be a part of such a wonderful community of activists.” |
This is an extremely rare museum quality authentic antique early 20th century ( 1916 -1921 ) Polish Military four-cornered Rogatywka, most likely the only surviving example of this particular model, which has not existed in any known museum collection.
DETAILS: Constructed of cardboard hardened by metal wire, covered by fine wool broadcloth, with a yellow band and black oil skin rim, the interior with cotton lining and a black leather sweat band. A top of characteristic square form covered with black oilskin, bordered with ribbon, and reinforced with brass corners, the side corner is with a loop for a cord, which was attached to a uniform to secure the hat from loss in combat. The hat is complete with a black leather chinstrap, with an embossed brass interlocking strap, secured by two matching rosettes, and a black visor with a banded edge with green lacquered cardboard underside. The interior has a full lining with a full sweatband of black leather.
CONDITION: Well used, fabric with moth holes, the ribbon bordering the square top is damaged, the visor is split from the rim of the hat, the sweatband shows wear from routine field use.
On the front of the yellow band are two holes with dark stain left by pins from the eagle which was originally mounted, the Polish eagle, which is missing- please see the photos. Considering the age and material, and that the hat is in its original condition free of any kind of repair or restorations, the item can be classified as in good condition, however needing only minor cosmetic repairs (gluing the ribbon bordering the square), and some cleaning. We sell all antiques in the condition as acquired, we do not perform any restorations, we leave the decision regarding restoration to the client.
MEASUREMENTS: Height: From the base of the hat to the highest point: 16.8 cm (6 5/8 in), overall length from the rear to the front corner: 32.2 cm (12 3/4 in).
We try to describe items exactly as we see them, and include as many good pictures as needed, so a buyer knows exactly what they are getting. We ask that buyers please look at the pictures carefully.
Rogatywka is sometimes translated as peaked cap, a Polish generic name for an asymmetrical, peaked, four-pointed cap used by various Polish military formations throughout the ages. It is a distant relative of its 18th century predecessor, konfederatka, because of the use by members of the Bar Confederation. It consists of a four-pointed top and a short peak. Although rogatywka (derived from rog = horn, corner) in English seems to mean the same as czapka - schapska.
ALL ITEMS ARE GUARANTEED TO BE AUTHENTIC ANTIQUES, AND NOT REPRODUCTIONS.
ALL OUR ARTIFACTS ARE ACCOMPANIED BY A CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY.
WE SHIP INTERNATIONALLY |
My First Games in Spanish, Lite
- Publisher: Apps Capital Social Funding, s.l.
- Genre: Education
- Released: 30 Oct, 2012
- Size: 37.4 MB
- Price: FREE!
- App Store Info
Description¡¡ FREE AND LITE VERSION !!
Learning is fun! Your children will practice spanish and learn the basics while having fun playing with their new friends Dikie and Dukie.
*** EDUCATIONAL GAME COLLECTION FOR KIDS FROM 3 TO 8 YEARS OLD ***
Through these 14 educational games your children will explore the basics of reading, mathematics, colors, music and nature. The child will also develop his creativity and memory, helping him intuitively to become familiar with the device. All of this while having fun playing in spanish!
The cute characters Dikie and Dukie will be guiding and advising the child with full voices in Spanish.
The game is structured in 3 worlds of different difficulty:
1. The Country of Knowledge: 3 games to learn basic educational concepts like the alphabet, colors or musical notes.
2. The Magic Island: 6 games to develop skill, creativity and mental agility.
3. The Island of Adventure: 5 games to check progress and assimilation of the concepts by the child.
- 14 EDUCATIONAL GAMES IN ONE!
- Complete Locution in Spanish!
- Fun graphics and animations.
- Interface adapted for children!
- Games with random outcomes, games change every time you play!
- NO ADVERTISING
- NO IN-APP PURCHASES
EDUCATIONAL GAMES COLLECTION "DIKIE & DUKIE"
The educational games of the series "Dikie & Dukie" are presented as entertaining and fun, but always contain a high educational content and promote values such as friendship or love for nature. This way the child learns easily and naturally many new concepts that will help in the progress of their education.
With the collection of games "Dikie & Dukie" we are committed to parents, educators and adults in general, in the educational development of children, working to bring new formats to develop their creativity and imagination.
A PROPOS DE APPS CAPITAL SOCIAL FUNDING
Apps Capital est une société dédiée au développement de jeux de qualité et des applications pour toutes les plateformes.
Est également spécialisée dans les applications éducatives pour les enfants comme le BabySkool ou Dikie & Dukie, maintenant disponible pour les plates-formes IOS.
Plus d'info: http://www.appscapital.com |
Anthrax, E. coli, salmonella -- all dangerous organisms that can cause illness. Many are contracted naturally -- through food or soil -- but in the wrong hands, such pathogens could be used to harm people. Biologists at the Air Force research lab in San Antonio are on the lookout for these biothreats. Using a powerful process called PCR -- polymerase chain reaction -- they can copy strands of DNA and identify pathogens anywhere in the world. A process that used to take 48 hours has been reduced to just two. With a device called the JBAIDS -- a portable lab-in-a-suitcase -- technicians can use PCR to test samples out in the field as well. Finding a problem swiftly could be key to saving thousands of lives. |
ISLAMABAD, 22 March 2003 — US President George Bush yesterday lauded Pakistan’s cooperation in the fight against global terrorism in a message of best wishes to President Pervez Musharraf on the eve of the country’s National Day.
“The United States greatly values its relationship with Pakistan and is committed to working with you to build on the achievements of the past,” Bush said, according to a Foreign Ministry statement. “The dramatic success that our cooperation has achieved against international terrorists is a record of which we can be proud.
“We look forward to continuing these efforts, as we broaden and deepen our reinvigorated relationship.”
Pakistan has arrested and handed over around 480 suspected Al-Qaeda and Taleban fugitives to US authorities since the ouster of the Taleban regime in neighboring Afghanistan in November 2001 after a US-led military campaign.
Among them were three top lieutenant of Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a suspected mastermind of Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in United States. |
Designed by, RMC (Raafat Miller Consulting) Architects & Engineers, their proposal for the National Museum of Afghanistan aims to best represent the heritage and the people of the country through a practical, innovative and enduring physical plan. This building would provide a clear and simple organization for the visitor to follow a natural progress through the site. They accomplish this by using a spatial concept where the visitor of the museum is led through a sequence of visual and physical experiences to draw them to the next encounter. More images and architects’ description after the break.
The horizontal site is developed by combining the axes between the site entry and parking area, the new and existing museum, and the visual site line to the national Institute for Archeology where by creating a strong visual connection between the different building and site amenities. The vertical site is developed to reflect the beautiful naturally occurring topography of Afghanistan.
Due to the recent troubled history of Afghanistan we have designed a site that is inward focused to allow the walls around the site to start to become a distant memory. This site will feel like a calm, peaceful and protected environment. The site is entered by the visitors and the staff by an entry gate located on Darulaman Road. This entry and ticketing building is fully secured by the use of physical barriers, electronic surveillance and security guards. This location is also accessed by visitors and staff from the car/bus parking lot. The location of that was provided for in the design manual and allows for the existing garden to be maintained and to provide for additional security for the new and existing museum.
Once through the ticketing/security building and pass through the gift shop garden, visitors and staff pass through a gathering/security back of house building. This building would normally be directly connected to the ticketing and security building however for increased security for larger gatherings of people these buildings have been separated. The visitors and staff will separate at this point before entering the Garden.
Upon entering the Museum you are greeted by a grand hall. The temporary museum and the automobile display will be found on your right. To the left is the permanent display and Phase II of the permanent display. Per the design manual the existing garden will be maintained and provides for the foreground and enhancement of the mountain plain concept for the new museum. A museum promenade connects the gathering building with the main museum. This promenade sets up the visual and physical affect of dropping into a river valley cutting between two mountains. There is enrichment to the visual experience as the visitor passes down the promenade as more of the museum is exposed to the visitor the closer they get to the main museum. The “cutting into the valley” also provides an emphasis on the main museum and guides the visitor away from the existing museum until later in the visitor’s experience.
The promenade abruptly spills into the museum courtyard where the full view of the main museum is apparent and provides for an uplifting visitor experience. This courtyard is designed for the exhibit of large and heavy artifacts. The building facade and the water feature guide the visitor into the entrance of the main museum. A vista is created from the entrance of the main museum to the existing museum for the visitor when they leave the main museum. This vista will entice the visitor to walk the path to the existing museum. They will also have the choice to bypass the part of the site if they so choose. At the existing museum an outdoor exhibit area is provided for and also access to the existing museum
The VIP and Service Entrance is located on the south side of the site. A internal road connects to the VIP entrance and to the loading docks with additional van and car parking along with large artifact conservatory. The electrical equipment front end is located along this internal road.
Architects: RMC Architects & Engineers Location: Kabul, Afghanistan Client: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan/Ministry of Information and Culture Program: Master Planning, National Museum Complex, Educational Facilities, Gardens, Dining, Guard Towers Area: 4.25 Hectares (Site) /18,800 SM (Museum Complex) Status: Design 2012 (Competition) |
Project ArchitectsCésar Azcárate, Ana Morón, Xabier Aparicio, Carlos Guimaraes
Project ManagmentElena Varillas, Javier Durán, Ingenieros de Caminos
Electrical EngineerAlvaro Gutierrez
LightingAntón Aman (ALS Lighting)
From the architect. PREVIOUS SITUATION
The districts of Txurdínaga and Otxarcoaga are located in Bilbao's district 3, one of the peripheral areas of the city.
These districts grew during the post-war period when a large number of dwellings were built for workers on the slopes of the mountains that surround the city, characterised by scanty urban services and infrastructures.
As a result of this disorderly growth, the rocky embankment on Jesús Galíndez Avenue had the appearance of an isolated piece of land within the city and until today has divided the city both physically and socially.
At a time when major improvements are being made in the urban infrastructures in the centre of Bilbao, City Hall has also undertaken a number of projects on the outskirts of the city in order to:
- Improve the conditions of the urban space of a number of different outlying areas
- Eliminate physical barriers and improve the accessibility to these areas, which are almost always located on steep slopes
- Eliminate social barriers and improve the conditions of these areas in order to bring them up to the urban quality level of the centre of the city
Our work, consisting of the RESTORATION OF THE EMBANKMENT ON JESÚS GALÍNDEZ AVENUE must be seen against this background.
Prior to this project, the site consisted of a rocky embankment with a difference in level of 18 m,
- with stability problems that caused continuous landslides,
- that created a physical barrier between two districts communicated only by a small, poorly-maintained metal stairway.
- that represented a social barrier, isolating the district of Otxarcoaga, with its severe integration problems, from the rest of the city.
AIM OF THE PROJECT
Consolidate the embankment.
Recover this derelict area, which acts like a physical barrier and disintegrating element in the city.
To shape the embankment by using inclined planes of different materials, which reveal their strange topography to the city.
The triangular planes are formed by different materials: the existing rock, vegetation of different colours, concrete in those areas which required consolidation and light, reconstructing their silhouette at night.
To create connecting elements between the top and bottom levels to lessen the impact of the embankment as a physical barrier in the city.
Create a horizontal platform to take advantage of the height of this area of the city.
All the elements in the project form part of this recreated topography: the stairways, the sitting areas, the public toilets. All these elements are included within a single fold.
Following the embankment project, we were commissioned to develop the Plaza de Pau Casals project and create a children's play area over a former electricity substation.
All these locations are situated on steep slopes next to the embankment.
It has been necessary to treat these spaces in accordance with the rules of geometry.
We continue using triangular planes.
In the children's playing area the planes are soft - of grass, rubber, flowers. There are built-in toboggans. The old substation is enveloped in a fold of wooden slabs that convert it into part of the topography.
In the Plaza de Pau Casals, the folds envelop a retaining wall and generate a space edged by gentle slopes where formerly there had been a crossroads; planting planes between the existing trees in the old central reserve; planes of coloured concrete and planes of water to sit next to.
The rocky embankment that had represented a barrier has now become a connecting element: cut in the rock by means of planes of different materials; a gently sloping stairway connects the two levels of this district and is used by large numbers of pedestrians who choose this as an alternative to taking the much longer existing routes that run around the embankment.
We take advantage of the place has a high point in Bilbao to create a vantage point over the city on a raised platform which is transformed into a sitting area.
We eliminated the old crossroads between Pau Casals Avenue and Jesús Galíndez Avenue, creating a wooded area where the large lime trees which already existed in this area have been replanted.
Above the old electricity substation we have created a play area for children, integrating the platform in an artificial topography of planting and flexible pavement.
All of these elements have converted the rocky embankment that represented a barrier in the city into a connecting element for sitting and public use. Moreover, due to its scale, it has become a landscaping element that improves the quality of the surrounding urban space.
In a cultural environment in which creativity is often likened to personal genius, ACXT is convinced of the potential benefits of combining two separate levels of analysis in the creative process. On the one hand, there is the particular contribution of the individual and, on the other, the collective results of working in groups. In ACXT individuals assume personal responsibility for the development of a project within the framework of an association of professionals. We feel part of a team and of a collective effort that enriches us at a personal level and challenges each one of us to improve as individuals, but also affords us the freedom to give expression to our own proposals. Those responsible for each project are recognised as individual creators and therefore each project is also analysed within the context of the personal development of those who conceived it. As a consequence, the way in which projects are conceived is not the exclusive domain of one person, especially when these are analysed as finished objects. Common aspects do exist but they have more to do with the process and the way the work is delivered than with the final result. We are made richer through a permanent collaboration as professionals and at the same time we are guaranteed sufficient scope to take decisions in accordance with the characteristics of each situation within a system that ensures autonomy and freedom. Our work entails, therefore, an essential paradox, namely, how to reconcile the idea of personal creativity and working in a group. |
The Lahore High Court had ordered laboratory analysis of domestic as well as international brands of packaged milk marketed in Pakistan. After the petition filed in by Barrister Zafarullah Khan, first in Lahore High court in 2010, which was dismissed after poor evidences. Aforementioned, sought help from LHC in 2016 for the said case again, which was also dismissed in May 2016.
In his petition, Barrister Zafarullah Khan had said that adulterated milk was being sold in the market which was causing serious diseases. “There is not a single laboratory in Pakistan capable of measuring contamination of chemicals in milk and water,” the petition said. Barrister Khan said the citizens were being fed poison by the use of steroid injections for boosting milk production of buffaloes and quick growth of broiler chicken. He asked the court to ban sale of adulterated milk…
However, the court ruled out the case declaring the evidences insufficient and also giving a clean chit to the samples tested upon the court orders. Report from PCSIR was also sought which gave its positive report on the quality of the packed milk samples.
The final judgement of the Lahore High Court 2016 and the ruling of 2010 can be viewed here: |
The Great importance of Nutritional vitamins
The price of Dietary nutritional supplements in your every day food plan
Do you require five a working day? Particularly why do you require to consider to consume fruit and veggies? Greens and fruit in quite a few conditions are classified as micronutrients and are significant foodstuff as section of your nicely-well balanced food plan system. Your entire body necessitates these very small natural vitamins and minerals to assist frequent capabilities that arise in the entire body. The entire body can not create those people by alone, hence we require to have those people natural vitamins and minerals coming from foods things as nicely as nutritional supplements. There exists a large vary of nutrition which guide different characteristics each time eaten.
There are two forms of vitamin nutritional supplements. Most are fat soluble as nicely as drinking water disolveable. Overall body excess fat-soluble natural vitamins are discovered in harmful fat, for occasion, graillon, butter, vegetable critical oils as nicely as dairy products and solutions. The Great detail about it is in fact, you do not require to consume these varieties of foodstuff each individual working day. Your entire body will keep these nutritional supplements employing these when desired. Excess fat disolveable nutritional supplements are: Vitamin A Palmitate, D, E K. On the other hand, liquid dislurable nutritional supplements can not be saved in the entire body so that you should really have those people every day. Having said that, if you have a terrific range of these nutritional supplements than your entire body in fact necessitates, they will be excreted out of your method. Liquid disolveable nutritional supplements can be received from new fruit, veggies as nicely as grains. Some of these foodstuff each time cooked simply because of cooking drop the goodness. Goodness can also be dropped when air will get to your food. Make certain you retain all the natural vitamins and minerals the foodstuffs supply by preserving these in their purely natural affliction or quite possibly steam these. Vitamin B, as nicely as C vitamin, are drinking water-soluble nutritional supplements.
Also, there are varieties of nutrition that are significant to incorporate in your every day food plan. As an illustration, Calcium, The mineral magnesium, Blood potassium, Iron as nicely as Zinc oxide are needed. They each and every have a unique function to engage in in the entire body. A calcium dietary supplement is terrific for producing effective bones and tooth. Calcium is recognized to reduce blood strain and will also assistance command muscle mass contractions, like heartbeats. Magnesium vitamin is liable for additional than A few hundred compound abilities in the entire body. It takes place to be linked with a more healthy immune method and you should really be particular that you're like magnesium in what you consume. Food items things these as nuts, these as cashews, kale and oat food consist of a terrific offer of magnesium mineral. Potassium is an further nutrient that is needed by the entire body to command fluids in the entire body. It is referred to as between the essential electrolytes in you. Iron is substantial as it will make purple-coloured blood pores and skin cells that transportation significantly-desired oxygen all around the entire body. Meat, spinach, fruits and nuts are great illustrations of iron-packed foodstuff. Last but not least, there's zinc oxide. Zinc helps the entire body to procedure this macro natural vitamins and minerals – carbs foods, proteins and fat. Zinc is discovered in meats, dairy and bread.
Fresh new fruits you should really use in your food plan come about to be,
Reddish Grapes, Blueberries, Bananas, Grapefruits, and Apples
Veggies you have to incorporate in your food plan have a tendency to be,
Broccoli, beans, Garlic clove, Cauliflower as nicely as Mushrooms.
There are quite a few further natural vitamins and minerals that you can obtain by consuming the right foodstuff. At times suddenless it is not basic to get them by what we consume, this could be for various explanations as nicely as the most possible staying time. Alongside one another with the frantic existence, absolutely everyone guide there is not commonly a great time for you to get the right amount of natural vitamins and minerals in your food plan. Very good information would be that there exists a terrific offer of different multi minerals and vitamin tablets to pick out from if you obtain it difficult to have them with what you consume. |
The Purchase Order window streamlines the complexities of purchasing management by allowing the purchasing process to be accomplished through this window. For more information, click the link to learn how to enter a Purchase Order.
Get started by opening the Purchase Order window:
Once you’ve opened the Purchase Order window, click “New” to start a new PO. Note that some information (Status, Terms, Warehouse address, etc.) will be filled in automatically as soon as “New” is clicked. These are the “Purchasing Defaults”, and can be configured by going to File > Configuration Management > Purchasing > Purchasing Options. Below is an example of a new Purchase Order.
The upper portion of the Purchase Order Window stores the PO Number, the Vendor ID (Supplier), Status of the PO, Terms, Requested and Approved by information.
At the very bottom of the window you will notice the Special Instructions field, in which you can enter free text related to the Purchase Order. Also you will see the ordered dollar amount and the amount outstanding (product waiting to be invoiced) on the order.
The Detail tab will contain all of the Vendor information, Ship To information, Contact information, and the data from when the order was entered, who entered it, when, last updated, etc.
The Detail tab will also contain all of the Product information on the PO, including the quantity ordered, received and invoiced, as well as the price. The “Type” field will show whether it is a standard item, labor, shipping, special order or drop ship. To the right you will notice the quantity fields:
The top line shows the quantity ordered and/or received, below are the Outstanding and/or Invoiced quantities. In this example all items have been received so there are no outstanding items, but they have not been invoiced yet. Click here to learn how to create Purchase Invoices. If you would like to view specific product information, simply click “View Product” above the Data grid.
The Additional Info tab contains specific date information related to the PO (Requested, Promised, Not Before and Not After dates are found here).
You can keep Notes on the PO by pressing the Edit button and entering the notes on the Notes tab.
Any related business activities will be on the Activities tab, and all Emails sent from the Purchase order will be stored on the Email tab. |
The Cycle of Prejudices Applies to any Context: An English class with Refugee Women.
Opinion Piece By Nora Berneis.
It’s a normal Saturday in a Palestinian camp in Jordan, people are walking in the tiny streets, buying food in one of the many small shops, the kids are playing…
A bus from Amman arrives; inside are university students in their early 20s. They are coming to help the poor Palestinian refugees by distributing old clothes that people in Amman do not want to wear anymore. While they are carrying their gifts, a growing crowd gathers in front of the door of a big empty hall, where “the event” would take place.
At the same time and in the same camp, five girls the same age as the Ammani volunteers meet in a dusty computer room to improve their English with the help of a woman, also from Amman, who enjoys teaching them in her free-time.
Today’s lesson is about prejudices and stereotypes. The teacher asks: ‘What do people in Amman think about those living in the camp?’ The girls have many answers: “People think the whole camp is a dangerous and dirty place;” “the inhabitants are poor, stupid troublemakers that have no interest in being educated;” and “they spend their time thinking of nothing more than money and the future of Palestine.”
The young women are fully aware that even if some statements about the camps are true for most inhabitants, complete generalizations are impossible.
When asked about the prejudices about people in Amman, this awareness was almost absent. Is it true that all people in Amman are beautiful, all the districts look nice and clean, and that the capital is inhabited by rich people, where each individual family can afford to have their own apartment and are always smoking, drinking and behaving badly? Although they admitted that there may be some exceptions regarding lifestyle, in their eyes it was true that every part of Amman was rich and beautiful.
Both the teacher and the observer thought the same: ‘Poor girls, you do not understand that it is impossible to apply large generalizations in any context.’
After the lesson the teacher said: “Hopefully next time there will be more girls, people here are not disciplined.”
On the way back the observer pretended to herself to be smarter, until she heard herself thinking: “Most girls here are marrying very early, yet these girls are not married yet. It must have been a difficult struggle to convince their parents to allow them to study instead of getting married.”
So, the first lesson from this English class was obvious: nobody is free of prejudices. The teacher thinks that people in the camp have less discipline than others. Maybe the teacher thought that the people in the camp have to take all extra lessons that are offered to them, in order to defend the prejudices. But would the people in Amman go to an additional class every Saturday after a whole week of studying, just because it is offered for free? Most of the volunteers in the bus from Amman were not able to express their thoughts about the camp in English language. They use their time to do something that is important to them: charity for the poor. The girls from the camp are regarded as undisciplined if they do not use their Saturdays to do what others consider as important to them: learning English.
The observer thought the parents of these girls are all extremely conservative regarding gender roles. These are stereotypes as well. Thus prejudices do not disappear from the heads of those, who are aware of exceptions.
The second lesson is: These girls from the camp are used to be regarded as poor, dirty, uneducated refugees. Marginalization and discrimination belongs to their every-day-life. It is reality that many people, who live in refugee-camps, are poor. It is reality that daughters and sons of Gazan refugees do not have equal rights nor the same opportunities as Jordanians or Palestinians from the West Bank. It is a reality that in marginalized parts of society the rate of criminality is usually high, the houses do not look nice and the level of education is usually low (due to lack of socio-economic advantages) compared to the more wealthy districts.
Apart from the Palestinian cause, the map of prejudices about the camp that the women were drawing fits most poor suburbs, ghettos, slums and favelas all over the world .
Essentially, inequality is not the fault of the inhabitants, but of society. Inequality is nothing to be ashamed of, but to fight against. Living in a class-society means that the place of birth and the social status of the parents set the frame of possibilities each person has. Even if it is possible for individuals to break out of this frame, it is wrong that such a frame exists. |
From since the beginning, wood happens to be the perennial favorite to make furniture. However, many purchasers frequently neglect to distinguish good wooden furniture from the poor quality ones. In the following paragraphs we’d learn to buy high quality things wooden furniture.
For individuals who’re socially very active, home decoration assumes importance. Furthermore, there’s been reasonable alternation in the preferences of patrons of excellent furniture. With selections of furniture increasingly varied nowadays, people are now able to go for the things they feel best. Wooden furniture, unquestionably, is really a best choice for furniture aficionados. The cost of getting a great and priceless bit of wooden furnishings are unmatched and addictive.
Furniture produced from wood like cedar plank, oak, cherry, rustic pine and so forth, increase the value of your house. If you value crafted furniture designs, apply for Indian furniture. India may be the the place to find the best wooden furniture craftsmanship on the planet. If you would like your house to represent your personality, you can purchase Indian furniture. Its wonderful pieces possess the stamp of maximum passion and sweat and they’re highly revered around the globe. Besides, great skills are put on the furnishings pieces which make them masterpieces.
In regards to the wood utilized in the output of furniture, hardwood is easily the most preferred choice. The wood will come in various natural colors. These frequently are the darkest towards the lightest tones. Furthermore, hardwood is broadly regarded as probably the most durable of all the forest utilized in the building of furniture. Regarding handling, hardwood requires low maintenance and also the least care due to its natural strength and sturdiness.
Tough pine wood furniture has acquired immense recognition nowadays. However, buyers must exercise extreme care while buying tough wood. It is because several fake dealers of tough wood have made an appearance on the market who’re selling spurious wood as of tough wood. Hence, typically if you are looking for quality wooden furniture, think about the heavier ones. Heavier furniture guarantees a much better strength and quality. Thus, in front of buying your furniture, attempt to lift it first. You know that it is genuine if considerable efforts are needed to lift it.
Aside from the weight from the furniture, You are also prone to consider transporting out a through study of your furniture in front of purchasing it. Although it may seem surprising, it’s nothing unlikely for wooden furnishings to possess cuts, bruises, protruding nails and many other defects that may simply be detected from the minute examination. To prevent purchasing such defected furniture, run your hands lightly over the top of wooden furniture. You can identify flaws within the furniture’s finishing. Minor flaws could be repaired easily. Or ask the vendor to ensure you get extra discounts. Furniture sellers are not only seen cautious about losing new clients, they should also preserve their status prior to the old customers. |
How to Get Over Jet Lag Quickly
Is jet lag getting you down?
You love the excitement of going to new places but you hate the nagging jet lag that comes with it. Many travelers experience some form of jet lag when they travel and that can intervene with the quality of their business trip or vacation. If you travel across two or more time zones, the chances are you’ll experience some degree of jet lag. You’re sleepy at the wrong time, your body feels weird or tired, you experience constipation or the reverse—diarrhea. You may also feel a little mental lethargy where you’re not as sharp as you should be. All these are classic symptoms of jet lag. Crossing time zones can throw your body’s daily rhythm out of whack. The severity of symptoms is largely dependent on a number of factors including the number of time zones you cross, your age and ability to adapt
What Causes Jet Lag?
Your body has an internal clock that regulates your sleep-awake cycle. The part of your brain, known as hypothalamus, which controls hunger, thirst, body temperature, hormonal levels also controls sleep. Hypothalamus responds to light and darkness. When it is dark, hypothalamus increases the production of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone and when it is light, it reduces the hormone. When you travel thousands of miles, your body’s natural circadian rhythm has to adapt to a new day and night cycle. If your body cannot adapt immediately or fast enough, you will experience jet lag. For instance, when you travel from California, America to Singapore, you face a 15-hour difference. When you arrive in the day in Singapore, your body clock is still on the night circle and you may feel sleepy in the middle of the day.
Traveling long hours on an airplane may also contribute to jet lag. You may experience a general sense of being unwell, your muscles may ache and you may feel tired. Mayo clinic attributes it to the induced cabin pressure at high attitudes in the aircraft. The air also tends to be very dry and can cause mild dehydration if you don’t drink enough fluids. Dehydration may further compound the effects of jet lag.
Although jet lag is usually temporary and will go away once your body adapts to the new rhythm, it can affect the quality of your vacation or work (if you’re on a business trip). You may waste valuable time, waiting for your body to adjust. By the time you’ve recovered, the vacation or work assignment maybe over. However, there are ways to minimize the effects of jet lag and here are some ways seasoned travelers find useful:
Easy Tips and Exercises to Reduce Jetlag
- Stick to the New Schedule
You arrive at your destination during the day but you’re on the night cycle, what do you do? Cave in and go to sleep? Health experts advise you to resist the temptation to do so. Take a walk or do an activity that will keep you awake. Staying in the sunlight will also help your hypothalamus reduce the production of melatonin, thereby helping you keep awake. By sticking to the local schedule, your body will readjust much faster.
- Stay Fit
Staying in optimal physical shape and health will help your body cope with the time changes. Your body will rebound quicker and adapt faster. In order to stay fit, adopt a healthy lifestyle with exercises, good nutrition and adequate rest. If you’re already physically fit, it is important to continue your healthy regimen after you’ve landed. Most hotels have a fitness center— be sure to use it to your advantage. If not, you can always create your own exercise—do yoga in the privacy of your room or enjoy a brisk walk.
Replenish fluid lost duirng air travel.
- Stay Hydrated
A long flight may dehydrate your body to the point where it would take about two pints of water to replenish fluids lost. That’s just one aspect. Dehydration can also worsen fatigue—the last thing you want on a vacation or business trip. Drink plenty of water to keep your body sufficiently hydrated. When choosing beverages on in-flight services, it is best to avoid alcohol or caffeinated beverages as they tend to be dehydrating and they can also interfere with your sleeping patterns.
- Start Adapting
It’s a good idea to adapt your body to the new time schedule of your destination days before you leave. To help your body adapt, Avelino Verceles, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine suggests initiating sleep half an hour earlier each night for several nights prior to traveling east and do the opposite if you’re traveling west. Such gradual changes will help your body get in sync with the new destination time.
What is Melatonin?
- Break Up Your Trip
Traveling across 12 or more time zones can take a toll on your body. Breaking up a long flight may help your body ease into an entirely different time schedule. Most long flights have transit destinations. For example, instead of going directly from California to Singapore, schedule a stopover in Hong Kong or Japan (depending on the flight route) for a day or two to help your body adjust and adapt.
- Sleeping Medications
Sleeping medications should only be used under the doctor’s direction and as a last resort. Melatonin, a natural sleeping aid is often prescribed and research shows some degree of success with melatonin use with regard to jetlag. Ask your doctor to prescribe a medication that is right for you, especially if you have any pre-existing health condition. If you’re a frequent flyer and experience jet lag on a consistent basis, it is best to see a sleep specialist or a physician who specializes in sleep medicine. |
The importance of using images in marketing - 7 facts!
Have you ever sat on the train, on your couch or in a waiting room scrolling aimlessly through social media newsfeeds? Thumb-stopping content is pretty powerful stuff and it’s fun to be more mindful of exactly what made you stop. Was it an image, a moving image (aka video) or a word or phrase that caught your eye? We’ve gathered 7 facts about images and their importance when it comes to marketing and advertising to your consumers. We at Hyphen Photography, Inc. know how important images are to a brands success. They can either elevate you or leave you feeling generic and uncared for. You should take pride in the visuals that represent your company and here’s why:
1. 32% of marketers say visual images are the most important form of content for their business, with blogging in second (27%).
2. When people hear information, they're likely to remember only 10% of that information three days later. However, if a relevant image is paired with that same information, people retained 65% of the information three days later.
3. 11% more B2C marketers than B2B marketers say visual content is the most important type of content today.
4. Eye-tracking studies show internet readers pay close attention to information-carrying images. In fact, when the images are relevant, readers spend more time looking at the images than they do reading text on the page.
5. Tweets with images receive 150% more retweets than tweets without images.
6. In an analysis of over 1 million articles, BuzzSumo found that articles with an image once every 75-100 words received double the social media shares as articles with fewer images.
7. Facebook posts with images see 2.3X more engagement than those without images. |
free the nipple founder lina esco on fighting the fight for gender equality
“Free the Nipple is just a platform, it’s not my thing, it’s everyone’s thing. It’s everyone’s responsibility to get the word out.”
"Well, what are you doing for society?" Lina Esco shouts at me down the phone, from her home in LA, "What are you doing right now? Come on, tell me!" After six years of tirelessly campaigning for women's rights, directing and starring in her first feature length film, Free the Nipple, and, in doing so, launching one of the largest online movements of the 21st century, Lina's heard just about every piece of bullshit criticism there is to hear. "Yes, there are millions of other issues in this world," she says, exasperated, "but for me, there are no bigger, more important issues than gender equality. Did I know that topless women and their nipples would be the Trojan horse into launching this whole conversation? No, but it worked."
Born in Miami to very strict Catholic parents, Lina's been rebelling for as long as she can remember. At 15-years-old, she ran away to Europe to start a new life; what remained, though, was her innate desire to challenge the status quo. "Before I got involved with women's rights, I wanted to end poverty," she recalls, half laughing, "I was about 12 years old. It eventually led to nowhere." Combining her love of acting and filmmaking with this need to save the world, Lina became involved with The Cove, the 2009 documentary about dolphin hunting in Japan. What really resonated with her, though, and what she has since dedicated her life to, is the fight for gender equality. "The first time I became aware of gender inequality was at home when I was 10 or 11," she explains, "I noticed it in my father's behavior towards my mother, how controlling he was over her and how scared she was to stand up to him."
Moved by an intrinsic desire to change how the world saw women, in 2010 Lina set the wheels in motion for a new film that would ultimately change her life. "I wanted to make a film about girls going topless for equality, in order to start a conversation." The film's title, Free the Nipple, arose by trial and error. "If I made a movie called Equality, no-one would be talking about it." It also helped Lina focus her argument on one particular injustice: the criminalization of women's nipples in America. Currently illegal in 35 states, a woman can be arrested for going topless, whether it's a swelteringly hot day at the beach or just a mother breastfeeding her new born baby in public.
While the filmmaking process wasn't without its problems (Lina ended up being arrested along with a cast of topless women), it was finding a distributor that proved most challenging. "You have to remember this was at a time when no one was talking about feminism in the way we are now," reflects Lina. "No one wanted the movie; they didn't think it had an audience. Eventually I reached out to Miley Cyrus, who is friend of mine, who tweeted about it, and then it went viral." From celebrities such as Cara Delevingne and Lena Dunham repping a "Free the Nipple" tee to students and politicians instigating protests in Iceland, the movement spread like wildfire.
eventually aired last year, but by then the movement had overtaken it. Type #freethenipple into Instagram and over 3,000,000 hits come up (three times as many as for #blacklivesmatter), but when it comes to Lina and the film, there's not nearly the same amount of traction. Is this something that bothers her? "The majority of people think it's a movement," concedes Lina, "which it is, I just thought the film would come out sooner and that the conversation would come later. But Free the Nipple is just a platform. It's not my thing, it's everyone's thing, it's everyone's responsibility to get the word out."
The rapid growth of social media and the dissemination of fourth wave feminism has meant that conversations about gender equality have become commonplace. The downside, however, is that it hasn't taken long for big corporate brands and click-bait journalists to tap into and exploit this new "trend" for female empowerment. Then, again, should this inauthentic brand of feminism matter if ultimately it's still getting the message out there? "I don't think it matters if people are using the hashtag to get more hits or to sell products," says Lina, shrewdly. "As long as people are talking about it."
It's been six years since she first had the idea for Free the Nipple, but Lina believes she's barely scratched the surface. Currently working on her largest campaign to date, Lina has her sights set firmly on Congress. "All of this has been leading up to one thing," she says, excitedly, "and that's going to be to pass the Equal Rights Amendment in America. Not many people know this, but America doesn't have it in its constitution that men and women are equal. I've already aligned myself with some very powerful women in DC, I'm shooting a docu-series about it, and I've teamed up with change.org to create a petition. It will solve everything from breastfeeding in public to making sure you get paid as much as your male co-workers." With only three states pending until the legislation can be passed, Lina's certain that success is in her reach. As for Free the Nipple, Lina hopes to transform her fledgling idea into a globally recognized, non-profit organization, dedicated to championing women's rights.
For someone who's achieved so much in such a short time, it's remarkable how down to earth Lina remains, just as it is refreshing to know she's still as passionate about her cause as ever. Does she ever take a moment to step back and reflect on the incredible things she's done? "Yes," she says, somewhat uneasily. "It's amazing how far we've come. But there are women in Pakistan having their fucking noses cut off. My job is to continue spreading awareness, that's what's important to me and I'm not going to stop until I die."
Text Tish Weinstock
Photography Naj Jamaï
Swimsuit by Lee + Lani for Free the Nipple collaboration |
Wetter and cooler weather for the weekend
The weekend is set to be wetter and cooler than in recent days, according to information from the Icelandic Met Office.
The country is forecast to progressively cloud over from today, with parts of the north and east seeing rain stright away.
All parts of Iceland are expected to see rain at some point over the weekend – most likely in the north and the West Fjords tomorrow and in the south and east on Sunday. The West Fjords will also experience strong winds tomorrow, dying down by Sunday.
Maximum temperatures in coastal areas over the weekend are forecast to be in the region of 11-13°C (52-55°F).
You can check out the weather for your part of Iceland on Iceland Monitor here. |
The Rural People, Rural Policy initiative brought together as many as 500 highly connected and remarkably diverse rural organizations, linked together as a “network of networks.” Individually and collectively, they shared a common goal of promoting policy changes that improve the well being of rural children, families and their communities.
Through a specially designed Internet communication and social networking platform, organizations engaged in shared learning and mobilize for policy changes to benefit rural children and families.
The project was managed by a partnership of four organizations: IEI, the Center for Rural Strategies (KY and TN), Network Impact (MI and MA), and MDC, Inc (NC). Working with its partners, IEI provided research and technical assistance related to the policy making process, identification of emerging policy opportunities, stakeholder identification and recruitment, and design of action plans.
Click here for a list of organizations involved in the Rural Assembly and Rural Policy Networks.
Effective responses to boost long-term competitiveness required targeted and sustained investments of public and private resources over time. Our current systems of public finance at the state and local levels are outdated and ill-suited to meeting these needs. A system that allocates adequate resources to high priority areas–despite the inevitable ups and downs of the economic cycle–is crucial. |
Taken as a whole, our industry is one of the greatest unremarked-upon workhorses of society. Landscape contractors get more done with less fuss than any other profession. Every member of our crews is expected to do the work of three, four, or even ten people regularly, rain or shine.
How is this possible? The answer is hiding in plain sight. If you haven’t already realized it, it’s only because it’s so obvious that you don’t even think about it. I’m talking about power equipment; in many ways, it’s the lifeblood of our industry.
With just the simplest of hand-held power tools, a single employee can do a job that would take an entire crew to complete manually. We use hand-held power equipment so regularly and rely on it so much, that it’s hard to imagine trying to do business without it.
Power equipment is a prime example of the old business aphorism that you have to spend money to make money. To get a better idea of the most common factors that drive our purchases, I talked with some of the major manufacturers for our market.
Walt Rose, national sales manager of Husqvarna’s Commercial Lawn and Garden division in Charlotte, North Carolina, says that there are three chief design considerations for contractors when it comes to hand-held power equipment. “Everybody’s concerned about the ergonomics, weight, and performance when it comes to hand-held products,” he said.
If Husqvarna, or any other manufacturer, can make a tool easier to use, less tiring to carry around, or more powerful, it’s pretty easy to see how that benefits us. Strange as it may seem, though, lighter isn’t always better. “Backpack blowers are a great example,” he said. “A large blower can put out more than 970 cubic feet per minute (CFMs). It will be heavy, but it’ll get the same amount of work done in about half the time as a smaller blower.”
That said, when picking a blower, you can’t completely ignore the strain it will put on the user, either. If an employee is running a blower for three or four hours at a time during the fall, he’s got to be able to keep his fatigue level down. As his fatigue level increases, accidents become more likely. Even well-trained people make mistakes when they’re too tired to think straight.
With other hand-held tools, like string trimmers, one also has to weigh sheer performance against other considerations. “When it comes to string trimmers, buyers are looking at balance,” Rose said. “They are also looking at the ease of replacing the trimmer line, because they might do that three or four times a day.”
Whenever you can make a frequent task easier, faster, or simpler, it’ll save you time or headcount. That kind of thinking may be what’s behind another trend in specialty turf equipment, stand-on units.
We’re seeing a lot of stand-on applications now, for core plugging, fertilization, etc. Stand-on machines seem like technological marvels compared to walk-behinds, as they’re less taxing on the users, as well as more efficient. For companies that have crews dedicated to tasks like coring and overseeding, the increased speed pays for itself. The higher performance makes them an attractive rental option for smaller operations as well.
Another major trend in hand-held power equipment has been the rise of cordless, battery-powered tools, says Kris Kiser, president of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), Alexandria, Virginia. “All these battery technologies have advanced; runtime has increased, charge speed has gotten faster, while lithium ion pricing and availability have improved,” he said. “So now they’re finding their way into the marketplace.”
There are a lot of reasons to consider buying battery-powered equipment. For one, they produce no emissions. Customers are more environmentally conscious than ever before, and even if your business doesn’t have an eco-green focus, you may find that battery-powered equipment is a real marketing coup.
They’re also a lot less noisy than gas-powered tools. Communities around the country have restricted the usage of, or even banned, leaf blowers because of the noise they make. For contractors operating in these communities, it’s either battery power, or manual labor.
Tyler Delin, product manager for DeWalt Outdoor Power in Towson, Maryland, says that battery-powered tools are perfect for early mornings, where gas engine blowers would be too noisy. “I’ve actually had contractors tell me that they can take phone calls while using their battery-operated string trimmer,” he said.
Even without noise regulations, plenty of commercial clients are put off by the volume of our tools. “We’re actually seeing commercial companies have ten gas crews, and then two battery-powered crews to service specific properties,” said Delin. “They maintain hospitals, resorts, universities, theme parks and golf courses.”
Clients aren’t the only ones who directly benefit from using quieter tools. Continued exposure to high noise levels may cause hearing loss, hypertension and sleep disorders. Cutting down on the decibels will certainly reduce crew members’ stress, and may be a healthy company policy in the long term.
Those are only the immediate benefits, which may be why contractors who make the switch don’t often switch back. “They don’t miss buying fuel all the time,” Rose said.
“They don’t miss the fuel theft, they don’t miss the fuel leaks, and they don’t miss the repairs that come from using the wrong fuel.” Fewer engines to take care of means lower maintenance costs, and you’re never losing business because your gear is getting repaired.
Which is not to say that batteries are completely immune to the ravages of time. Your batteries will lose capacity with time and use, so a battery that will last the workday now may not in a year or two. Keeping a spare battery or two on a trickle charger in the truck for that eventuality isn’t a bad idea.
Still, the worry for most contractors when it comes to battery-powered equipment is whether it has enough power to get the job done. “Battery power is in the range where its performance is comparable to gas, and we’re seeing landscape contractors actually using it instead of gas,” Delin said.
For most tools, the question isn’t whether the battery can achieve the same power as the gas equivalent, but whether it can achieve the same runtime. Battery capacity is measured in watt-hours, which is voltage multiplied by amp-hours. For most outdoor power equipment lines, the voltage is constant, which means a battery’s amp-hours roughly equate to its runtime.
With a hedge trimmer, even a four amp-hour 40V battery will achieve higher runtimes than gas, but that same battery in a string trimmer or leaf blower will get less runtime. To surpass gas, you probably need to go up to a 7.5 amp-hour battery, but it is possible.
The applications that are most power-intensive, like leaf-blowing in the fall when there are many leaves on the ground, will probably be a bit too tough for the current batterypowered equipment to be practical.
“There are just certain applications, and certain configurations, where cordless will take a long time to catch up,” said Dennis Stauch, vice president of Outdoor Power Equipment for Makita in La Mirada, California.
“The adoption of battery-powered equipment in our market mirrors the switch from corded to cordless tools in the indoor power tools world,” said Stauch. “When cordless first came out, Makita was primarily a corded tool company, and we still sell a lot of corded tools,” he said. “I think cordless is going to be an excellent addition for companies, but it’s going to go hand-in-hand with other products on the market.”
That’s why, along with their battery powered products, they’ve introduced a line of 4-stroke hand-held tools. I asked him the reason for the new engine configuration: “4-stroke machines are always cleaner, with fewer emissions than 2-stroke equipment, and yet they can still have the same durability,” Stauch said.
Our industry is one of the last still using 2-stroke engines, which require fuel mixing, and produce a lot of emissions. You may find that switching away from 2-stroke equipment will simplify your operations.
You won’t have to carry separate fuel cans, and 4-strokes are less finicky to start up, saving space and time.
Which is not to say that 2-stroke tools are inherently bad. “Don’t get me wrong, 2-stroke machines are very, very good,” said Stauch.
“They’re good for multi-position operation, and there are all kinds of positives about them, just not from an emissions standpoint.”
Naturally, 4-stroke machines will require oil changes just like your mowers do, but Stauch says it’s still a net benefit. “If you sit down and determine the actual cost associated with changing the oil as opposed to running a 2-stroke mix, it’s dollar savings into your pocket.” Whatever equipment you’re thinking of buying, being mindful of maintenance is never a bad idea.
You’re spending tens of thousands of dollars on equipment, yet you could be leaving thousands on the table. Spending a little time on a regular basis to see that your gear is kept shipshape could extend its service life by years. “It’s a huge diamond in the rough out there,” said Stauch, “just waiting for companies to take advantage of it.”
Also worth considering is that hand-held tools are just one element of outdoor power equipment. No discussion of the topic would be complete without at least making mention of larger machines, like compact utility loaders (also known as mini-skid steers) and mowers.
These topics are big enough that they merit their own articles, but to put it simply, they offer even greater labor savings than their smaller cousins. A single operator on a zeroturn mower can do many times the work of a walk-behind, let alone a push mower. Compact utility loaders offer similar efficiencies, but for moving materials and earth, rather than mowing lawns.
Both categories of machines offer a host of attachments that make them highly adaptable. “Buckets and forks are obviously our most popular attachments for moving materials, especially for landscape contractors,” said Josh Beddow, marketing manager for Toro Siteworks Systems in Bloomington, Minnesota. “For digging work, augers and trenchers are the most popular choices.”
Some hand-held lines also offer a variety of attachments. A combi-tool would allow your string trimmer to also be your power broom, your edger or your pole saw. While this is chiefly aimed at the consumer market, some contractors are buying them to save space and money. For applications that may crop up infrequently, like sawing tree limbs, or applications that are highly seasonal, like hedge trimming, a combination tool can be a smart move.
That’s really what it comes down to when choosing power equipment —determining what the smartest move is for your operation. No one else can tell you how much power you need, or how important noise is for your crews or worksite. You’ll have to determine that for yourself.
“One of the nice things about outdoor power equipment is that there’s a product for everybody,” Kiser said. “Regardless of your size, strength, age or sex, there’s something for you. There’s big stuff, small stuff, gas stuff, hybrid stuff, battery stuff, electric stuff or propane stuff. You can find something you can hold, carry or wear.”
The great strength of the green industry has been our ability to simultaneously react to, and modify, our environment. We’re used to fielding nature’s curveballs; compared to those, hitting the pitches from state and federal agencies are simple.
Partly, our ability to change with the times comes out of the technological advances that come with them, but that isn’t all. We make our decisions with open eyes, knowing the effects our actions will have on the communities we serve. It’s caring for our clients’ landscapes that drives us.
Buy the tool that will do that job well, and you’ll never go wrong. |
The problem in Northern Ireland was, in part, majority rule.
Should it be a 6-country majority or a 26-version? Hence, in part, the troubles. Then came the Belfast Agreement, and a new majority took over. Initially, the ‘nice’ people, the SDLP and UUP were supposed to have a majority over the ‘unnice’ parties, (and we all know who they were), but the plan back-fired of course.
Part of the problem lies in the fact that most people, most politicians, and most professors of political science, actually believe in majority voting, even though it is the most inaccurate measure of collective opinion ever invented.
Take, for example, 2012, and Queen’s invited one Professor Tierney to talk on the theme, Can Referendums be Fair? I wrote to him beforehand, to remind him of all the multi-option referendums there have been in the world – the first was in New Zealand in 1894! – but, in a one-hour lecture, he said not one word about any of them!
One year earlier, remember, we had the 2011 referendum on the voting system: the alternative vote versus first-past-the-post, AV v FPP. Neither is PR, proportional representation. So for the PR supporter, it was like asking the vegetarian, beef or lamb? Just before the ballot, the BBC did a one-hour documentary on referendums, but again not one word on multi-option voting.
Earlier still, in Dr. Whitaker’s 1996 Review of the Irish Constitution, a bevy of lawyers and professors declared, “the referendum has worked well in practice,” (p 469). This was after the 1972 border poll, which was a dangerous nonsense; after the referendum on divorce, which was won by less than 1 per cent; and after numerous binary plebiscites in the former Yugoslavia, where “all the wars started with a referendum,” (Oslobodjenje, 7.2.1999).
Not only do these professors and journalists think that majority voting is OK, they actually think anything better would be worse: the “obvious problem in multiple-option referendums is what to do if none of the options receive a majority,” writes Professor Michael Gallagher in his book, The Referendum Experience in Europe, p 245. Presumably he still believes in what the late Professor Sir Michael Dummett called “the mystique of the majority,” and this despite all the appalling evidence, from here in Northern Ireland, from the Balkans, from the Caucasus etc. Professor Brendan O’Leary, for example, supported the idea that South Sudan should have a referendum. It has now imploded.
In all, the de Borda Institute was prescient: we warned of the dangers of two-option voting in Ukraine (2009 before 2014),South Sudan (2003 before 2011), Bosnia (1991 before 1992) and the Caucasus (1990 before 1992). In all of these conflicts, then, we warned, before the violence erupted, of the dangers of majority voting.
But we criticised majority voting. Imagine that. And we criticised professors. And imagine that! Yes, we criticised what many misguidedly believe is the very foundation stone of democracy! That apparently – or so it would seem – we are not meant to do. Which is why, presumably, the organisers of Imagine! Belfast chose not to even mention consensus voting, let alone invite the de Borda Institute to give a presentation.
Peter Emerson, The de Borda Institute www.deborda.org
Editor’s note: Unfortunately we have a jam packed programme of talks and workshops and it is not possible to facilitate other debates at this point. However, we are happy to publicise Peter’s campaign in this way. |
In its pursuit of solutions to the challenges posed by Modernity, India’s urban youth now takes pride in indigenous culture: “tribal” Fashion, Health and nutrition, Nature and wildlife, Eco tourism and the Rights of Indigenous Peoples are regularly featured in the Media.
It is up to young members of tribal communities themselves to overcome those Misconceptions or stereotypes that stand in the way of their self-development. Many among them have realized that progress and emancipation in a democratic society would elude their communities unless they make their voice heard in higher education. For this they need to overcome the alienation from their cultural roots often blamed on Colonial policies and their impact on the country’s educational system.
As a case in point, a literary meet in Jharkhand 23-24 January 2013 was titled “JAGWAR: Santal Onolia Helmel”. The Santali term Jagwar means being “vigilant, watchful”. Public readings gave senior Santali authors and scholars an opportunity to interact with budding poets, prose writers and the audience.
The Keynote speaker, Prof. Promodini Hansdak spoke eloquently on the problems facing Santali language and literature within the Indian academia and outside it:
She pointed out how the identity of a group is closely linked to the protection of its language.
Prof. Nikudimus Tudu underlined the need to rejuvenate Santali literature and language through the use of effective pedagogical practices in schools and universities. The challenges posed by social change came into focus:
One specific trend that was discussed at length in the Akhara was the use of ‘crude language’ by new writers, similar to the trend found in the Dalit autobiographies of so-called ‘lower-caste’ groups in India. This controversial debate centred on the emergence of a new idiom of expression in a world poised between tradition and change. The question in everyone’s mind was: Should this new trend be viewed negatively or should the traditional literary norms be redefined?
Lokhon Chand Hansdak and Mr. Shibu Soren, two poets from Birbhum, West Bengal introduced the incantatory style in poetry reading:
Their poems may be described as ballads that began with Santal relationship to Nature, and then moved back to the Santal Hul or Rebellion of 1855-56. No tribal poetry is complete without going back to the ancestral and primeval world of past history, folklore and mythology.
Participants examined the impact of this event on Santal society in a critical manner, hoping that such events would become a regular feature:
We felt as if we had entered a new world through our rich and vibrant literary heritage. We felt glad, confident and watchful… in other words, we felt Jagwar! – From convener Ivy Imogene Hansdak’s report on the Santali Literary Meet 2013 held in Jharkhand |
Why injection molding?
After getting past the upfront cost of tooling, which may be between five thousand dollars and several thousand dollars, plastic injection molding offers the fastest least expensive way to manufacture plastic parts. New products are made using injection molding every day. Several existing parts are being reinvented. Products originally made of wood, steel, glass and several other materials have been and are continuing to be transformed into plastic injection molded parts. The more parts you need manufactured the higher potential return on investment becomes.
Injection molding materials are being improved constantly which is why a non-injection molded product you may be using now may be costing you more than it should. You should take a look once a year at products that you either buy or manufacture in quantities in excess of 5,000 units annually to determine if you should convert them to injection molded parts. What once didn’t make sense due to materials not meeting your specifications, may make sense now. Some parts by their design alone require injection molding as the method of manufacturing. The rate of new highly engineered resins being introduced to the market is one reason to investigate your products potential for reducing cost while improving performance, appearance, and speed to market. Don’t let your competition get there before you do.
Here is a great video describing the injection molding process |
Since the arrival of HTML5, the web has seen a tremendous increase in complex animations. Whether they are decorative or explanatory, animations must be built.
Thank you to everyone who attended my webinar/writing workshop last week, Quick Tips for Writing Meaningful Alt Text (Even If You’re Not a Writer). It was a.
Did you attend CSUN this year? If not, we can bring a little bit of CSUN to you! We asked our Levelers to share about some.
Typically I’m well known for ripping products apart, but not really for endorsing a product due to the amazing level of its accessibility. Since this.
Localization is the process of translating a product into different languages or adapting a product for a specific country or region. When localization is performed.
The 10th and final webinar in our Accessibility Basics Webinar Series covered best practices for accessible dialogs. In this post the presenter – Accessibility Training.
Last week’s presentation in our Accessibility Basics Webinar Series covered best practices for ARIA. In this post Chief Accessibility Officer Jonathan Avila has provided answers to.
The Text Alternative Computation Over the years, there has been a lot of confusion about the W3C Text Alternative Computation and how this works, especially. |
For the past five years Inhabitat has written about many LEED buildings. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification system has proven to be enormously successful at pushing commercial buildings to reduce their environmental footprint. However the New York Times featured an important story on the under-performance of some of these buildings and has just published an opinion piece by Alec Applebaum in which he suggests that governments add-long term energy management initiatives to a LEED building in order to keep the project from “going gray after its grand opening.” Is the LEED system dropping the ball on energy efficiency?
The USGBC is a consensus-based membership organization and has developed a broad array of certifications for almost any kind of building, including entire neighborhoods. To its credit the USGBC has been very adaptive in its twelve years developing the LEED system. Many oversights, vagaries, and priorities have been addressed by LEED, which is now on version 3.0. One of newest changes is that a building needs to report annual energy use and compare it with the designed energy use. According to a USGBC study, approximately half of all certified buildings would not even make Energy Star. Currently there is no penalty (such as a revocation of the certification) for buildings that miss their projected energy targets. Mr. Applebaum would like to see an aggressive incentive program for buildings to go beyond a basic LEED certification, a baseline that is relatively easy for many projects. We fully agree.
What Mr. Applebaum overlooked in his piece, though, are options within the LEED system itself that encourages ongoing energy efficiency. The system is flexible so that design teams can find the best options for their specific projects. There are some basic requirements supported by a menu of options to get to certain levels of certification. This provides a design team with a lot of latitude to “cherry pick” points that are cheaper or easier, but ignore some that may be a larger initial investment but can have significant energy savings and payback in a short time.
When it comes to energy, for instance, two available options are enhanced commissioning and measurement and verification. These two credits have been proven to be the greatest energy-saving measures with the best payback in a building, but projects often balk at pursuing them. When a design team is “point chasing” for certification, the project often fails to meet expectations. The responsibility is on the project team to take integrated environmental design to heart throughout the entire process. The LEED system can only be as good as those who use it.
What do you think is the cause for buildings to not live up to their promised energy performance? What should be done to ensure that our buildings use less energy long after the plaque goes on? |
February 13th, 2018 by Jack Waknitz
Your Facebook News Feed will soon change to display more content from friends and family and less from businesses. For the casual user, this could be a good thing. But what about those of us with a business presence on Facebook?
You’d almost have to have been living under a rock to be ignorant of the recent Facebook News Feed controversy.
For years, critics have accused the Facebook News Feed of being an echo chamber. The Facebook News Feed is what users see on their “wall” when they log in to the site. It is a scrolling feed of content posted by friends, family, and businesses.
While Facebook content is primarily produced by its users, what you see of it in your News Feed is controlled by Facebook.
Critics have charged for years that Facebook reinforces negative ideologies by serving users content and viewpoints they already agree with. Further, it is now clear Russian agents exploited the Facebook platform in an attempt to manipulate the 2016 presidential election.
The social-networking site responded to the concerns in January, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg announcing major changes to the Facebook News Feed. You can view his comments in full, below.
To summarize, the stated aim of the changes are to encourage people to spend less time on Facebook but to interact more while they are there.
From a normal user’s point of view, that sounds like a move in the right direction. But what about business users?
How Do the Facebook News Feed Changes Impact My Business Presence?
For those of us with an active Facebook business presence, these changes likely spell lower engagement. If Facebook reduces the amount of business content in the News Feed, fewer people will see your posts. Facebook ads may also see reduced views.
The biggest surprise from this announcement was that Facebook expects the change to cause people to reduce on their time using the service. Less time spent on the News Feed means a smaller window for your message. Add this to the reduced business posts and the implications are substantial.
Of course, Facebook users will still, undoubtedly be able to add whatever content they prefer to their News Feeds. Relying upon friendly users to purposefully follow your postings is a tenuous hope, however. While it’s still a “wait and see” situation, you may have to start spending more on sponsored posts to get your news out there. |
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Background: Degeneration of the tibiofemoral articular cartilage often develops in patients with posterior cruciate ligament deficiency, yet little research has focused on the etiology of this specific type of cartilage degeneration. In this study, we hypothesized that posterior cruciate ligament deficiency changes the location and magnitude of cartilage deformation in the tibiofemoral joint.Methods: Fourteen patients with a posterior cruciate ligament injury in one knee and the contralateral side intact participated in the study. First, both knees were imaged with use of a specific magnetic resonance imaging sequence to create three-dimensional knee models of the surfaces of the bone and cartilage. Next, each patient performed a single leg lunge as images were recorded with a dual fluoroscopic system at 0°, 30°, 60°, 75°, 90°, 105°, and 120° of knee flexion. Finally, the three-dimensional knee models and fluoroscopic images were used to reproduce the in vivo knee position at each flexion angle with use of a previously described image-matching method. With use of these series of knee models, the location and magnitude of peak tibiofemoral cartilage deformation at each flexion angle were compared between the intact contralateral and posterior cruciate ligament-deficient knees.Results: In the medial compartment of the posterior cruciate ligament-deficient knees, the location and magnitude of peak cartilage deformation were significantly changed, compared with those in the intact contralateral knees, between 75° and 120° of flexion, with a more anterior and medial location of peak cartilage deformation on the tibial plateau as well as increased deformation of the cartilage. In the lateral compartment, no significant differences in the location or magnitude of peak cartilage deformation were found between the intact and posterior cruciate ligament-deficient knees.Conclusions: The altered kinematics associated with posterior cruciate ligament deficiency resulted in a shift of the tibiofemoral contact location and an increase in cartilage deformation in the medial compartment beyond 75° of knee flexion. The magnitude of the medial contact shift in the posterior cruciate ligament-deficient knee was on the same order as that of the anterior contact shift.Clinical Relevance: The observed changes in the location and magnitude of cartilage deformation in the tibiofemoral joint provide insight about the development of degeneration of the tibiofemoral joint cartilage in patients with posterior cruciate ligament deficiency. Our data also suggest that recreating mediolateral stability of posterior cruciate ligament-deficient knees might be of importance in addition to surgically improving anteroposterior translation. |
TRY THESE SPACE HACKS IN YOUR OFFICE guest post by Workplace Design
As humans, we often make modifications to the environments we inhabit to better serve our needs. In some spaces we have more freedom to make changes than others. In our own homes, the sky’s the limit when it comes to the way we customize our living spaces. But what happens when we enter the workplace? This is a space that has historically allowed for very little modification possibilities. Our human nature does not get left at the door when we walk into the office, rather we take our needs, personalities, and preferences into the workplace.
The changes we make to accommodate our needs may range from plastering pictures of one’s family on any open surface, creating makeshift barriers with stacks of paper, or only communicating with coworkers digitally because there are not appropriate spaces for collaboration. With an absence of supportive environments, workplaces can become cluttered and no longer work well as creative hubs and production centers.
Some workspaces have realized that they can account for these common workplace modifications by providing objects that are designed to be customized and have hacks built in! This can come in the form of height-adjustable desks, customized office lighting, and attractive workplace accessories.
If you are experiencing a misalignment of space and people check out the tips below for ways to introduce space hacks.
1. Partitions and screens
In an open floor workplace some people find the need for more privacy and separation. This can have to do with different work styles or the need for less visual and auditory distraction. Others just need less socialization at work in order to be productive which might mean a little more physical separation is necessary. Thankfully partitions can provide some of this necessary workplace respite. This can be accomplished by purchasing partitions specifically designed for the workplace, having movable partitions on wheels, or using desktops computers that can double as makeshift partitions. Vitra offers a solution to this, appropriately called “hack“. This solution offers and mobile and re-configurable product that can work as a partition system when you need it to. So no need to hide behind those stacks of paper anymore!
2. Height adjustable desk
Sitting is the new smoking! Ever heard that? While we may not agree with this alarming statement there are reasons to offer height adjustable desks in the workplace. To account for desk sharing, storage needs, and personal preference, providing the option of standing height desks can help offer a quick solution. You can sit, you can stand, you can create a super secret fort beneath it with bean bag chairs. A company who has recognized this workplace need and risen to meet it is West Elm. At NeoCon 2016 they showed off their new adjustable height benching systems. Keep in mind Several of our PLASTARC studies show that unless standing height desks are deployed office-wide it is far less likely that one person will utilize a standing desk while everyone else around them is seated.
3. Collaborative zones
Within a work environment, you can create collaborative zones just by providing movable furniture like stools or chairs with handles, that employees can rearrange as needed. Spaces that serve both as heads down spaces and as collaborative spaces help to create a workplace that can serve more than one need. Knowing that the environment supports collaboration and meeting can encourage employees to seek information from one another. It is possible to have a collaborative and concentrative environment all in one, just so long as the right furniture and social cues are provided to encourage usage.
No, this does not mean bringing in even more photos of your dog dressed in that cute Halloween costume. This means bringing plants, workplace objects, and accessories like desk lamps into the workplace. One company that has nearly perfected this practice is WeWork. WeWork curates the art and objects in each of its locations. If you work in the Times Square location, you are going to see books, neon signs, and wallpaper that all harken back to the neighborhood’s seedier past. In Brooklyn you may just find some wallpaper honoring famous Brooklyn born artists like Biggie. The goal of the workplace is to create a space that has personality but is not necessarily personal. This is the difference between having books that look like they could belong in someone’s home and having every employee bring in the dog-eared copy of their favorite childhood book.
Hopefully one of these four space hacks will help solve for some of your common workplace space issues. The workplace is where many American adults spend the majority of our waking hours. Work should not be a space that depletes energy and zaps creativity. But there is a risk of this happening when people make certain modifications that clutter and distract colleagues. Companies that are able to create a sense of ownership and engagement in the workplace through the use of space hacks encourage their employees to be active participants and modify their environment in efficient ways to meet their needs.
Need a little inspiration for your office design? Click here for some ideas.
For more information about the products featured or if you would like to partner with us, please contact us.
For technical assistance and information click here. |
Minister Mykkänen joins mission to select quota refugees in Turkey
Minister of the Interior Kai Mykkänen will travel to Ankara in Turkey to participate in selecting quota refugees. He will observe the refugee selection process, in which the Finnish authorities will work together with the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR.
While in Turkey, Minister Mykkänen will also meet Turkish Minister of the Interior, Süleyman Soylu, and non-governmental organisations operating on the Syrian border. He will also visit a refugee camp. Minister Mykkänen will be accompanied by Permanent Secretary Ilkka Salmi.
The reception, or resettlement, of quota refugees is the most effective way of helping people in severe distress. Persons proposed by the UNHCR or other foreigners in need of international protection, whose need for protection has been investigated before their arrival, are selected for admission to Finland as quota refugees. Finland has been admitting quota refugees since the 1970s.
The majority of the quota refugees to be admitted to Finland are Syrians. This year, Finland will receive 530 Syrians from Turkey. The UNHCR’s resettlement operation in Turkey has been the largest of its kind globally since 2014.
Finland and the European Union would like more countries to take action in this respect and establish their own refugee resettlement programmes.
"Expanding the resettlement of quota refugees to an increasing number of Member States plays a key role in reforming the entire EU asylum system. Instead of dealing with asylum seekers coming across the borders, the emphasis must be shifted towards accepting quota refugees. This will allow us to offer lawful ways of entering Europe and protection to those who need it the most", notes Minister Mykkänen.
The particular emphasis in Finland's quota policy is on resettling members of the most vulnerable groups, including families with young children and women in a difficult position.
Director General Laura Yli-Vakkuri, tel. +358 40 720 2216, [email protected]
Titta Andersson-Bohren, Special Adviser to the Minister of the Interior, tel. +358 50 5131 539, [email protected] (Minister Mykkänen's interview requests) |
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