basics of photovoltaic systems the solar energy received globally is approx. 1, 540, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000 kwh / year ( 1, 540 peta kwh / year ). this is 15, 000 times more than the worldwide energy consumption. congratulations on your decision to actively use this largest energy pool worldwide. by the way, did you know that solar energy was first discovered in 1839 by the physicist alexandre - edmond becquerel? the somewhat strange - sounding term " photovoltaics " originates in the driving force behind this technology, the light beam. a light beam consists of unimaginably tiny particles, the photons. to simplify matters, let ' s start by explaining a pure silicon solar cell. if we recall what we learned in our physics lessons, silicon features 4 electrons in the outer electron shell of the atomic nucleus, the so - called valence electrons. the photons, i. e. the sunlight, bombard the solar cells and enrich the valence electrons with energy. the electrons are finally knocked off the silicon atom and leave a positive atom behind. for the free electrons to move into the right direction and to allow current to be generated, the front surface and the back surface of the cell need to be polarized differently. so the silicon atoms at the front surface are doped with a minor quantity of phosphorus atoms featuring an extra valence electron. on the back surface of the cell, however, boron atoms with only three valence electrons are added to the silicon atoms. this establishes a voltage difference between the positive and negative pole and allows electrons to flow, that ' s how current is generated. a large number of these solar cells put together and encapsulated with glass will then form one of your solar modules. dc generated in the solar modules can be used in the household or fed into the utility transmission grid, provided it is first converted into ac. this is the core task of the fronius inverter. your fronius inverter is a solar inverter of the most recent generation. it represents a highly complex link between the solar modules and the utility transmission grid. it is therefore expected to fulfill a series of highly demanding tasks. the fronius inverters convert dc, generated in the solar modules, into ac. synchronized with the supply voltage, this ac is then either fed into the circuit of your home or into the utility transmission grid. the fronius inverter were developed exclusively for application in


convert dc, generated in the solar modules, into ac. synchronized with the supply voltage, this ac is then either fed into the circuit of your home or into the utility transmission grid. the fronius inverter were developed exclusively for application in utility interactive pv installations. for more information on circuit diagrams, please turn to the installation and service instructions. fronius inverters operate in a fully automated manner. after sunrise, as soon as there is sufficient output generated by solar modules, the control unit starts monitoring the utility line voltage and frequency as well as the energy offer. once enough sunlight is received, the solar inverter starts feeding the utility transmission grid. depending on the type of installation, a few watts of solar power will be enough do the job! the fronius inverter will now continue to work in a way to always draw the maximum of power from the solar modules. this function is called mppt ( maximum power point tracking ) and is carried out with a rate of accuracy of more than 99 %. after dark, when the energy offered is no longer enough to feed the utility transmission grid, the fronius inverter automatically cuts the connection to the grid and stops operating, of course with all settings and data being conserved. the fronius inverters are designed to be used in solar modules with a wide range of input voltage, which allows to use the most varied types of solar modules. consider that the indicated values for the maximum dc voltage ( total voltage of all solar cells connected ) must never be exceeded. thanks to its structure and its way of working, a fronius inverter provides a maximum of safety, from installation and mounting to operation. the fronius ig inverter is the first solar inverter to feature a hf transformer ( hf = high frequency ) that ensures a galvanic separation of the dc side from the utility transmission grid. in addition, the hf conception allows a radical reduction of the transformer ' s size, it therefore needs a lot less space and weighs much less. despite the complete galvanic separation, fronius inverters accomplish a high level of efficiency thanks to innovative circuit conceptions. inverters from fronius also assume the task of monitoring the grid. this term includes all measures required for the protection of people and devices in case of a utility outage. fronius inverters are programmed to immediately stop operating in case of irregular grid conditions ( e. g. utility outage


the grid. this term includes all measures required for the protection of people and devices in case of a utility outage. fronius inverters are programmed to immediately stop operating in case of irregular grid conditions ( e. g. utility outage, interruption ) and to interrupt feeding the grid. there is a series of possibilities for fronius inverters to identify a utility outage : - voltage monitoring - frequency monitoring - measuring the line resistance ( only with the fronius ig featuring ens ) - intended feeding of a slightly modified frequency or voltage in this context it is important to know that the fronius inverters are able to carry out the monitoring procedures applicable in each country by theirselves, without additional electronic measuring devices. this considerably reduces installation work and all related costs. the high technical complexity of novel solar inverters requires a perfect display design, which is actually the " interface " with the user. it is uncompromisingly designed for easy operation and permanent availability of the system data. fronius inverters already feature a fundamental logging function for recording data on minimum and maximum values directly on the display - on a daily, yearly and a total basis. as an option feature, the display also allows indicating the following weather related data : - 2 different temperature values ( e. g. temperature near the solar modules, outside temperature in the shade ) - wind velocity - atmospheric pressure - relative atmospheric humidity in addition to the functions implemented in the fronius inverters, a wide range of elements for data communication offered provides a large number of possibilities for data recording and visualizing. required system expansions are easy to install. the appealing box provides space for a large number of system expansions, with a focus on easy connection to all current and new media, such as remote inquiry via modem, e - mail, internet, sms, fax, etc. the more of the above tasks the photovoltaic inverter is able to do itself, the easier and cheaper the installation will be as there are no more additional peripherals needed. thanks to our experience and highly innovative technologies, the fronius inverters can handle all these tasks simultaneously. it furthermore meets a series of requirements for the protection of people, household appliances and the inverter itself. some of these requirements are : - grid monitoring - the type of current fed into the grid - response to interferences ( e. g. mobile phones ) - intended feeding of a slightly modified frequency or voltage


convergence of technologies has drastically changed the way that americans communicate and how they access goods, services, and information. consumers can use a single device to talk to friends, edit and send work documents, pay bills, read the news, watch videos, and listen to music. convergence also allows consumers to obtain service for those functions from many sources. in this way, convergence has blurred the bright lines dividing formerly compartmentalized industries. for example, consumers can get phone service from internet companies, video programming from phone companies, and internet services from cable television companies. consumers can benefit enormously from the convenience and choices, but convergence also presents many consumer protection challenges. some of these include the privacy and identity theft concerns raised by storing sensitive personal information in one do - it - all device, and the ease with which fraudsters may attack consumers. at the hearings, the commission asked panelists to explore both the benefits and challenges presented by convergence. this topic was considered during the following panels : see the tech - ade agenda for more information on these panels and for links to the panelists ’ presentations. - voice over internet protocol or “ voip ” : voip is the transmission of voice communication over the internet or another ip - based network. it allows consumers to make and receive telephone calls using a broadband internet connection instead of a phone line. other related materials anticipating the tech - ade hearings : convergence of media, november 2, 2006 if you would like to post a comment about this topic or if you have relevant written materials that you would like to share on this webpage, please send us an email. comments and other materials will be posted on this page, at the moderator ’ s discretion, but your personal information will not be shared. disclaimer : the views expressed on this webpage and in the referenced materials are those of the authors. they do not necessarily represent the views of the federal trade commission or any individual commissioner.


migratory bird day on saturday, may 14, with festivals, bird walks and boat tours for immediate release with the arrival of spring, the u. s. fish and wildlife service and several conservation organizations made an historic announcement on april 28. the ivory - billed woodpecker, a species that has been thought to be extinct for more than 60 years, had been rediscovered in “ the corridor of hope ” in eastern arkansas near cache river national wildlife refuge. the rediscovery gives americans a special reason to celebrate international migratory bird day this saturday, may 14, with festivals, bird walks, and birder ’ s boat tours throughout the southeast. “ international migratory bird day is celebrated annually on the second saturday in may to focus attention on migratory birds, their journey between their winter and summer homes, and the importance of their conservation, ” said sam d. hamilton, the service ’ s southeast regional director. “ we encourage people to visit their local national wildlife refuge or natural area to enjoy a bird walk or boat tour and learn more about the migratory birds they see in their area. ” the theme for this year ’ s international migratory bird day is “ collisions : clear the way for birds. ” to explore the human - related obstacles that birds may encounter in flight and the steps people can take to minimize the impact, please visit http : / / www. fws. gov / birds / imbd / 2005theme. html several refuges and communities are offering activities in recognition of international migratory bird day. here is a sampling of service activities in the southeast : the u. s. fish and wildlife service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the american people. the service manages the 95 - million - acre national wildlife refuge system that encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. it also operates 70 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices, and 78 ecological services field stations. the agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the endangered species act, manages migratory bird populations, restores national significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. it also oversees the federal aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. can view our releases or subscribe to receive them - - via e - mail - - at the service ' s southeast regional home page at


efficient solar cells may be one part of the puzzle for providing green energy in the future, but they currently suffer from a major problem. many of the most efficient solar cell solutions rely on very rare materials such as copper indium, gallium selenide, and cadmium telluride. as long as such materials are required wide - spread solar adoption and low pricing cannot happen. there is a light at the end of the solar tunnel, however. ibm claims to have created a new, efficient solar cell that only relies on materials that are abundant on earth. that means not only can we produce a lot of them, but they should be very cheap to manufacture. even better, the manufacturing process relies on techniques already widely in use meaning the cost savings will be available from day one. the new cells are made from a combination of copper, tin, zinc, sulphur or selenium, and manufacturing involves the use of established techniques including printing, dipping, and spray coating. the efficiency of the cells is 9. 6 % which is on a par with many of the best solar cells produced to date and much better than other solar cells created using similar materials. ibm now intends to patent and license the tech. that means any number of solar cell manufacturers can pick up and run with this and we may all get solar cells in the home that much quicker and cheaper. read more at greenbang i ’ d love to have a solar array in my garden or sitting on my roof, but it is cost that stops me even considering it. to recoup the cost of the purchase and installation takes many years with current solar solutions and therefore it just isn ’ t feasible as a form of power. i have little doubt that prices will come down and efficiency will go up to the point where solar isn ’ t just an option, it becomes the standard on all new house builds. prices should also fall to the point where replacing a cell is something you don ’ t really have to think about, you just go to the local hardware store and pick one up for a few dollars. as it states in the greenbang article : more energy from the sun strikes the earth in an hour than we currently use in a year. if we can harness that power cheaply and efficiently it solves the energy crisis before it ever has a chance to take root.


the first issue of the cherokee phoenix was published on february 21, 1828. in 1829 the name of the cherokee phoenix was changed to the cherokee phoenix and indians ' advocate to reflect the expanding scope of the publication. the impending removal of the cherokees from georgia was a closely watched issue nationally. as the focus of the newspaper shifted to the removal crisis, the paper ' s editor began to find himself at odds with the general council and the anti - removal principal chief john ross. in the years following the indian removal act ( 1830 ), boudinot had increasingly supported the voluntary removal of the cherokees to a territory west of the mississippi river. the paper was never intended to be a vehicle of free speech but an instrument of the official leadership of the cherokee nation, which vehemently opposed cherokee removal on any terms. in august 1832 boudinot was forced to resign, and elijah hicks, an anti - removal cherokee, became the editor of the phoenix. the cherokee phoenix and indians ' advocate was published weekly until may 1834, when the cherokee annuity was not paid and the presses came to a stop. in 1835 the georgia guard, a militia unit organized to police the cherokee territory that the state claimed, confiscated the printing press to prevent anti - removal sentiments from being voiced. that same year elias boudinot was one of several cherokees who signed the new echota treaty ( 1835 ). under its terms, the cherokee nation relinquished all remaining land east of the mississippi river. theda perdue, ed., cherokee editor : the writings of elias boudinot ( athens : university of georgia press, 1996 ). sam g. riley, " the cherokee phoenix : the short, unhappy life of the first american indian newspaper, " journalism quarterly 53 ( 1976 ). angela f. pulley, yale university, new haven, connecticut a project of the georgia humanities council, in partnership with the university of georgia press, the university system of georgia / galileo, and the office of the governor.


tanks are a basically mobile armoured fortresses, so - to - speak. they are the most heavily armored unit on the modern battlefield. given the large chassis, heavy armor, and a large calibre, a tank has the potential to deal large amounts of damage to the opponent if not dealt with right off the bat. the concept of the tank first appeared in the 19th century, well before world war i. a reader of the london united service magazine in 1833 imagined the concept that would not be realised for another 80 years “ the great forte of steam is its passiveness. secure the boiler and the machinery from the stroke of a cannon - ball, and you might drive a steam - chariot triumphantly through a regiment. imagine three or four of these machines driven at a galloping speed through a square of infantry ; the director might be seated in perfect safety in the rear of the engine, and a body of cavalry, about fifty yards in rear, would enter the furrows ploughed by these formidable chariots, and give the coup - de - grace to the unfortunate infantry. " by 1916 the british and french had to find a way to breach the otherwise impregnable german trench defenses. this is where the concept of an infantry tank began. the british designed the mark i to combat, and while it wasn ' t a huge success, more than a third of the nearly 50 deployed made it through german lines. the mark i was basically a giant box with its guns mounted on the front or sides of the engine. the first tanks had many problems, the armor of the mark i had a terrible case of spalling, where razor sharp flakes would bounce around the inside even if the small calibre rounds from a pistol hit the armor of the tanks. they were also only able to move at walking speed, around 6kmh or 2mph. early tanks were meant to move with the infantry and attack strong points in the trench system. throughout the 30s and into ww2 tanks were gradually developed from several classes, tankette, light, cruiser, medium and heavy and again into the two current types by the 1950s. main battle tank and light tank. armor is the key to a tank ' s survival, being one of many features that separate armoured cars from tanks. a tank is a small fortress but when out on the battlefields, you have to depend on your " shell " to get you through the battle in one peice. there are different types of armor ; the most well known being rha


tanks. a tank is a small fortress but when out on the battlefields, you have to depend on your " shell " to get you through the battle in one peice. there are different types of armor ; the most well known being rha, or rolled hom. armor which acts as sort of a base build that many other systems build and compare there systems to, it is also a testing module for future tank guns. tank armor takes alot of influences back in the day, as you take a general look at tanks today, they all utilize sloped armour, this technique was developed by the russians back in world war ii, it was a simple idea, but a very effective and influential design that countered every tank the germans had, another technique is the cages armour with protects tanks from shaped charges, or rocket propelled grenades, another technique developed in wwii, this technique was used by the russians to counter the panzerfaust ( tank fist ) rockets that could decimate t - 34 ' s at 20m. speed and agility are not usually associated with tanks. early tanks in wwi could rarely move more than 5km / hr. tanks throughout the interbellum were redesigned for a multitude of roles, with most work being done in the ussr and germany. light and fast tanks were used often in germany ' s invasion of france and won there mostly because of their ability to bypass the french formations and get into the french rear areas. although vulnerable to the allied tanks of the day, the germans had better use of air support and after the initial breakthroughs the french were disheartened. soviet light tanks fared poorly during the invasion of finland in ' 39 - ' 40 and again when the soviets were invaded by germany. poor experiences with the other powers in ww2 led to the abandonment of the fast, light tank concept. mobility as it turned out is no substitute for firepower and armour. tank weapons have changed along with their mission during the century since their invention. early tanks used small artilery pieces as well as machine guns to support infantry in close assualts. throughout the inter war and second world war periods, tank armament changed rapidly along with the rest of their design. small calibre high explosive guns used on earlier tanks proved useless against enemy tanks and tanks moved from infantry support to being used to counter enemy armour ( along with specifically anti - tank vehicles ) and for spearheading attacks ahead of infantry, not with them. tanks that used multiple guns ( grant / lee ) faired very poorly against


tanks moved from infantry support to being used to counter enemy armour ( along with specifically anti - tank vehicles ) and for spearheading attacks ahead of infantry, not with them. tanks that used multiple guns ( grant / lee ) faired very poorly against the german armour which had always single more powerful gun, and sponsons were phased out completely in favour of a turret. the single powerful gun is still a feature of tanks today. the arms / armour race between the warsaw pact and the nato allies nations culminated in steel / ceramic laminates that were all but immune to large calibre 125mm shells from tanks only fifteen years earlier. in the gulf war of 1991, m1a1 abrams tanks were able to defeat superior numbers of iraqi t - 72s and taking no losses. the smaller calibre but incredibly high penetration of the depleted uranium rounds used proved lethal to the opposing tanks. use in video games tanks appear in a wide variety of games in various capacities. in simulations and rts titles they are fulfilling roles close to their real life counterparts, mobile gun platorms that are generally expensive, strong against infrantry and light vehicles, but vulnerable to aircraft and uneven terrain. the game men of war features tanks realistically modeled with armour deflecting shots instead of a health bar, it also shows that a heavy tank can be knocked out by a single man with a lucky at grenade or molotov cocktail. action games and fps may also feature tanks in these realistic situations, but just as often they will constitute a boss fight with a health bar. vulcan raven is piloting a tank in an exaple of such a battle in metal gear solid. but it is metal gear solid : peace walker that features the most metal gear - y tank, which is also a cardboard box. - often in sci - fi rts there will be at least one tank with dual cannons - the most common tanks found in games are the t - 72, m1 abrams, panzer iv, panther tank, and tiger tank. - the most produced tank of all time is the soviet t - 54. an estimaed 86 000 - 100 000 were built, and its still in service today.


best viewed as a pdf download this chapter as a pdf please ensure you have the latest adobe reader broadly speaking, four models of social - political structures for a sustainable future have been proposed, whether by environmentalists or by branches of the left. each of these can be regarded as an ideal type so authors of actual proposals may draw on one or more models. model one : regulating the capitalist economy in this model, environmental sustainability is achieved by regulating the mechanisms of the capitalist market place. one method is interdiction - rules, laws, administrative principles which ban certain kinds of conduct. another is adjustments to incentives - systems of taxation, subsidies and tariffs. amory lovins is widely known for this position ( hawkens, lovins, lovins 2000 ) but many others propose some version ( andersen 1994 ; beck 1995a ; 1995b ; goldsmith 1988 ; pearce, markandya, barbier 1989 ; sachs, loske & linz 1998 ). the structure of capitalism as an economy based on competitive private ownership is a problem for this model ( mclaughlin 1993 ). managers of any business are required to maximise profitability. they can do this by expanding markets, cutting costs, bringing in new technology, saving on labour costs. in a competitive environment, any failure to maximise profitability may result in the collapse of the business. accordingly, every manager tries to externalise environmental costs. they will do their utmost to avoid environmental regulation. adding to this, shareholders and managers of private firms are the most wealthy people, the ones who can most readily afford political campaigns and control most media. they can well afford political and media campaigns to pressure governments for non - binding and minimal regulations in efforts to retain profits. all this makes it very hard to get the political will to regulate the capitalist economy. the structure of the economy itself works against what this model proposes. this economic structure also creates galloping and inevitable growth — firms compete to reduce labour costs by bringing in more productive technology and increasing markets. the result is constant expansion and the threat of growing unemployment if growth slows. another problem for the regulated capitalist economy is the political interests of consumers. when marxists say that labour in a capitalist society is ' alienated ' they mean that people do not take creative pleasure in their paid work, what they do at work is dictated by those who own the company or direct the public body in which they work. in capitalism, to have access to goods and services, ordinary people must sell their labour power ( marx 1978, 66 - 125 ; 203


what they do at work is dictated by those who own the company or direct the public body in which they work. in capitalism, to have access to goods and services, ordinary people must sell their labour power ( marx 1978, 66 - 125 ; 203 - 217 ). hence the cultural dominance of consumerism. material consumption is an arena of choice and power that is valued precisely because of the absence of choice, creativity and power in the world of paid work.. in turn the capitalist economy has come to depend on the expansion of the market in consumer goods that comes from continuous pressure on wages ( cardan 1974 ). any serious regulation of the capitalist economy would mean increasing regulation of leisure and consumer choice with lower real wages and fewer consumer goods. this would be experienced as a strangling of freedom of expression. in the regulated capitalist economy, people would still have little control over their work. as today, this experience would provide a powerful motive for the accumulation of private consumer goods as a compensation for paid work. as in the present economy, consumers would have lots of reasons to resist environmental policies. summarising these objections to the first model ; the model leaves intact the key structures of ownership and paid work which are at the heart of capitalism. yet it is these very structures which are the wellsprings of the resistance to environmental regulation and explain the political force of this resistance. any serious attempt to implement this model could either founder on this resistance - with a return to business as usual - or be forced to move on to deeper attacks on the structures of capitalism, thereby changing into one of the other models i will consider. model two : the mixed economy model in the mixed economy model, the problems of regulating capitalism have been overcome. there is popular support for very radical changes. in this model a democratic government supervises three economic arenas. it regulates the private sector which produces consumer goods and provides inputs to public works. second, the government handles environmental repair and public infrastructure. third, the government funds ( through a " guaranteed adequate income " and direct grants of equipment ) an " autonomous " sector of the economy. people in this sector are not employed by the government but may engage in voluntary work. in this autonomous sector, products of the other two sectors are used in community projects such as community gardens or childcare. this attractive model has been very popular both with environmentalists ( see goodin 1992 ; leahy 2001 ; porritt 1990 ; tokar 1987 ; trainer 1995 ) and before that with the new left ( gorz 1982 ). it


childcare. this attractive model has been very popular both with environmentalists ( see goodin 1992 ; leahy 2001 ; porritt 1990 ; tokar 1987 ; trainer 1995 ) and before that with the new left ( gorz 1982 ). it is expected in this model that many firms currently operating would not be able to survive strong environmental regulation. however the government sector would expand. unemployment would not be a problem. the government would find people a job in a government owned industry, fund them on a " guaranteed adequate income " or shorten the working week. some early criticisms of this model still seem apt. frankel ( 1982 ; 1987 ) points out that capitalist companies could not easily cope with the higher taxes and greater controls that the model proposes. for example, even in today ’ s capitalist world, companies are faced by problems of international competition and overproduction. the most likely result of the mixed economy model would be bankruptcy for most companies, with capital flight likely. while displaced workers could be employed by the government, it is probable that taxation of a struggling private sector could not provide sufficient funds for this. sustainability requires zero or negative growth. given increasing productivity, the only way to achieve zero growth would be to continually reduce employment in the private economy. however, this private economy would be the source of consumer goods and inputs to the other sectors of the economy. so the number of people fully employed in the private economy falls - at the same time as the distribution of its products, to people who are not part of its paid workforce, must continually increase. this situation would be very difficult to handle politically. another problem with the mixed economy model is the role of the guaranteed adequate income or voluntary sector. while people receiving the guaranteed adequate income could be expected to volunteer for socially useful work, they are not supervised or made to work. the problem can be viewed as a dilemma. the guaranteed adequate income enables a comfortable lifestyle and people are provided with tools and resources to help them make a useful contribution. - the gai draws people out of the consumerist lifestyle and soaks up unemployment - as is intended. - yet many people leave paid employment and take up the gai to escape hierarchical supervision - draining the other two economic sectors of employees. - the experience of the democratic control in gai community groups undermines discipline in the paid workforce. the guaranteed adequate income is less than the lowest wage and does not allow a comfortable lifestyle. - those forced onto the gai through contractions in the private economy remain disaffected. - the ga


groups undermines discipline in the paid workforce. the guaranteed adequate income is less than the lowest wage and does not allow a comfortable lifestyle. - those forced onto the gai through contractions in the private economy remain disaffected. - the gai is experienced as low status. - there is insufficient funding for the voluntary sector to make a meaningful contribution. while strong commitment may lead to progress in resolving these concerns, a central problem remains. at least two thirds of people ’ s experience of work in this model is still an experience of taking orders, whether within private firms or government bureaucracies. because consumer spending is always the legitimate reward for alienated work, the pressure to expand spending and growth would continually plague the model in practice. model three : the nationalization plus democracy model in the nationalization plus democracy model, democratic control guides a soviet style economy ( 1993, see also ( commoner 1990 ; martell 1994 ; pepper 1993, resistance 1999 ; weston 1986 ). government would own most businesses, but they would not be organised completely by government direction. workers would also participate through some degree of control in their own workplaces. whereas representative democracy was quite nominal in the soviet union, current proponents of this model envisage representative democracy as substantial and central. the community at large democratically directs major production decisions and environmental planning. in this model there would be no problem with businesses going broke and laying off employees or with capital flight. while some industries would be abandoned, others would be taken over by government ownership. industries which were not socially useful would be abandoned. new government owned enterprises would create environmentalist infrastructure. taxes would not come from private businesses — as in the mixed economy model. instead the government would use its control over the money supply to ensure the funding of central planning decisions. the problems of the guaranteed adequate income in the mixed economy would vanish as there would be employment for community tasks, not voluntary work on a guaranteed income. most people today believe a nationalized economy cannot work efficiently and would curtail political freedom. every productive organisation that could disseminate ideas would be owned by the state. a more central problem is whether it is actually politically viable to mix local democratic control of production with national control of the economy. as cardan ( 1974 ) castoriadis ( 1987 ) and hardt & negri ( 2000 ) have pointed out, capitalism faces a problem like this continuously. modern production requires producers to constantly make decisions and participate responsibly. yet these elements of workers ' control have to be continually monitored and


and hardt & negri ( 2000 ) have pointed out, capitalism faces a problem like this continuously. modern production requires producers to constantly make decisions and participate responsibly. yet these elements of workers ' control have to be continually monitored and squashed lest they get out of hand - calling the necessity of management control into question. the nationalisation plus democracy model merely replicates and intensifies this problem, presenting its own dilemma. - local democracy really means something. workers use their discretion to subvert and sabotage government directives - getting extra income through corruption or making their own decisions about what is useful production. - government control is sufficiently far reaching to prevent any sabotage or subversion. it also prevents any significant workers ' control. there is the same disaffection that plagued the soviet economy. another issue is that the economic problems of the soviet union would be replicated by any form of nationalisation. feher, heller and marcus discuss the problems of eastern europe in the soviet era ( 1983 ). at the local level, each management unit tries to increase their share of national resources, in de facto competition with other units — to make sure they can carry out the tasks government has set them. they inflate their estimation of the necessity and importance of their projects. they understate the costs of their intended projects. the aim is to get central government to become committed. then later, it will make sense to put more into the project. the bureaucrats respond by discounting all claims. but by how much? the end result is massive inefficiency in the allocation of raw materials, the determination of markets and the estimation of social needs. systematic hoarding becomes the norm - government may not be able to supply resources when needed. as in the soviet societies, a common tendency would be for top planning authorities to favour projects which they could most easily monitor and were guaranteed to work out as predicted. this would work against local democracy, which would introduce an unpredictable element. producer goods and large state projects would get most funding because success would be easier to predict than in the case of consumer goods. the quality and durability of all goods and services would suffer without marketplace competition. none of this would help to reduce waste - a key issue for any environmentalist utopia! in this model, control over labour through the wage would be the key to reliable implementation of central planning decisions. people would be working for a wage to get access to goods and services produced by other units. wages, private income, or income from corruption


in this model, control over labour through the wage would be the key to reliable implementation of central planning decisions. people would be working for a wage to get access to goods and services produced by other units. wages, private income, or income from corruption would still be seen as the main compensation for the submission that goes with paid labour. environmentally, this would be disastrous. each individual worker would aim to consume more while the government would want to cut back to attain environmental goals. more responsible and trusted managers of the economy would have to be rewarded for their loyalty by being paid higher wages, sending the message that the consumer lifestyle is desirable and a mark of social status, power and community trust. model four : the gift economy model. in a gift economy people do not work to get money to buy things. what people get in the way of goods and services is either what they make themselves or what is given to them free of charge. so why would people work? people would volunteer their work because they realised that some job needed to be done and they could help to do it. they would work on something because they thought it was enjoyable and interesting work. they would do work to get the social status that goes with giving something to other people. in the gift economy, the economy is not owned by private shareholders or by a government. it is owned by a patchwork of clubs, societies and federated hobby groups. the gift economy model is one kind of anarchist stateless utopia ( guerin 1970 ). this use of the term gift economy comes from the writings of the situationists ( debord 1977, vaneigem 1983, plant 1992. for more recent authors in this vein see p. m. 1985, wilson 1998 and bey 1991, 1994 ). in relation to environmentalist thinking the writers whose thinking is most close to this model are bookchin ( 1971 ) and purchase ( 1994 ). however, other anarchist models favour a more decentralised commune based society ( bahro 1986 ; allaby & bunyard 1980 ) or a return to a hunting and gathering existence ( zerzan 1994 ). these latter perspectives are usually addressed in critiques of anarchist utopias ( pepper 1993, dobson 1990, plumwood 2002 ) the gift economy model would occur if the mixed economy or the nationalised economy was attempted but, unable to contain its contradictions, moved to new ground rather than back to capitalism. a gift economy could be more compatible with ecological imperatives than capitalism or nationalization for several reasons. - useless production would be reduced by


is the stock in trade of capitalist ideology. to consider just a few issues. a common objection to stateless utopias is that coordination in a modern industrial economy requires authoritative and coercive centralised organisation of production ( pepper 1993 ). the gift economy achieves coordination through two factors. first, independent and multi - pronged collectives of media, research and administrative workers keep other producers ' collectives up to date with what is required and by whom. second, the aim of the producers ' collectives is to ensure an equitable outcome for society as a whole. another critique of stateless utopias is that they imply a socially divided populace ( frankel 1983 ) where an insular and smug parochialism would prevent an even handed distribution. the gift economy is not a communalist utopia of this type. it is not " bioregionalism " as that term has been explained by sale ( 1991 ). in the gift economy model, society is organised into networks of producers ' collectives which are geographically overlapping. together, these collectives would secure a fair share and sort out problems. it is argued that only a democratic state can ensure the rights and well being of minorities. however, in today ’ s liberal democracies these rights are supported by the majority. a gift economy would do no worse. in a gift economy the same majority would be implementing these same policies : through their participation in producers ' collectives to ensure just distribution ; through the defence of minorities from violence through voluntary organisations of peace keepers ; and through community processes of justice and social work. critiques of the gift economy in terms of human nature are common. many people assume that a competitive human nature would destroy any society that had to depend on egalitarian generosity to work. we can accept that human nature as it is now socially constructed operates to prevent a gift economy. for a gift economy to work, a cultural shift must take place. socialisation for the gift economy 1. as hamilton ( 1981 ) argues, being indulged one ' s infant and childhood needs is the prerequisite for becoming a generous adult who feels confident that their needs will be met by other people. western child raising practices have emphasised the practice of denial as a preparation for adulthood and a lesson in self control : separation from the mother for days after birth in hospital wards ; scheduled infant feeding ; prohibitions on dummies or even thumb sucking ; children left to cry because picking up a child is supposed to encourage them to manipulate adults ; ruthless childhood competition over toys. hamilton concludes from


for days after birth in hospital wards ; scheduled infant feeding ; prohibitions on dummies or even thumb sucking ; children left to cry because picking up a child is supposed to encourage them to manipulate adults ; ruthless childhood competition over toys. hamilton concludes from this that western adults grow up to be extremely and continuously anxious about their needs being met by other people. they amass and hoard consumer goods and property in an attempt to stave off these anxieties. what we are currently seeing in the culture at large is a gradual process of reversal of these aspects of socialisation in western societies. 2. the involvement of men in the care of young children is necessary to prevent boys from becoming anxious, competitive and insecure adults who seek to gain advantage to establish their masculinity. chodorow ( 1974 ) has argued that a universal feature of patriarchies is that men avoid most care of young children - while mothers and other adult women relate closely to young children. initially, boys identify with their mothers and have a close emotional link with women. as patriarchal society increasingly insists that they are to ' become ' men, they try to develop their masculinity in a situation where adult males are not intimate company in their daily lives. they solve this problem in three main ways - by denying their ties to women and their identification with women ; by rejecting the qualities of nurturance associated with adult female role models ; by developing the ability to compete with other men and prove their masculinity competitively in relationship to adult males. this becomes the basis of status competition between men and a psychological prerequisite for all hierarchical social structures. so, these psychological conditions work against a gift economy. this competitive masculinity could be undone if men were to develop a close nurturing relationship with their children. 3. an experience of family life in childhood in which close familial adults are equal partners negotiating daily life is necessary if people are to grow up without expecting someone to always be the boss. following the arguments of freud and his radical follower, reich, firestone ( 1972 ) suggests a connection between authority in the family and the widespread acceptance of authoritarian structures in society. the father in the family becomes the psychological model for a figure who demands love and obedience, and whose authority must be accepted. in class societies, the leaders of society find it easy to represent themselves as the ' fathers ' of society, this becomes an ideology behind which exploitation is concealed. to overturn this mass psychology of hierarchy and submission it is necessary to support


be accepted. in class societies, the leaders of society find it easy to represent themselves as the ' fathers ' of society, this becomes an ideology behind which exploitation is concealed. to overturn this mass psychology of hierarchy and submission it is necessary to support the feminist goals of equal power to men and women in the interrelated realms of domestic life and the wider economy. these keys to socialisation for the gift economy can be regarded as practices which are being gradually implemented now as part of a current cultural transition. getting to the gift economy organisations and practices which include aspects of the gift economy operate today - and these modifications to capitalism are indeed the embryo of a new social order. yet it is not helpful to see these as pure enclaves of the gift economy or even to hope and expect that they will be. capitalist culture, as well as the economic requirements of effective operation within a capitalist economy, produce a variety of hybrid situations. in these, some aspects of a gift economy operate to further the goals of the left social movements while other aspects of the capitalist authoritarian mode of production are also present ( leahy 2004 ; mollison 1988 ; trainer 1995 ). allaby, m. & bunyard, p. ( 1980 ). the politics of self - sufficienc., oxford university press. andersen, m. s. ( 1994 ). governance by green taxes. manchester university press. bahro, r. ( 1986 ). building the green movement. london : heretic books. beck, u. ( 1995a ). ecological politics in an age of risk. cambridge : polity press. beck, u. ( 1995b ). ecological enlightenment : essays on the politics of the risk society. new jersey : humanities press. bey, h. ( 1991 ). t. a. z. the temporary autonomous zone, ontological anarchy, poetic terrorism. new york : autonomedia. bey, h. ( 1994 ). immediatism. edinburgh : ak press. bookchin, m. ( 1971 ). post scarcity anarchism. san francisco : ramparts press. cardan, p. ( 1974 ). modern capitalism and revolution. london : solidarity. castoriadis, c. ( 1987 ). the imaginary institution of society, k. blamey ( trans. ). london : polity press. chodorow, n. ( 1974 ). ' family structure and feminine personality ', in m. z. rosaldo & l. lamphere ( eds. ), woman


morning herald, january 10th, 1992, p 7. hawken, p., lovins, a. b. & lovins, h. ( 2000 ). natural capitalism : the next industrial revolution. london : earthscan. jacobs, m. ( 1991 ). the green economy : environment, sustainable development and the politics of the future. london : pluto. leahy, t. ( 2001 ). on the edge of utopia : a letter to the green parties, www. octapod. org / gifteconomy leahy, t. ( 2004 ). anarchist and hybrid strategies, www. octapod. org / gifteconomy marx, k. ( 1978 ). the marx - engels reader. r. c. tucker ( ed. ), new york : w. w. norton. martell, l. ( 1994 ). ecology and society, an introduction. amherst : university of massachusetts press. mclaughlin, a. ( 1993 ). regarding nature : industrialism and deep ecology. albany : state university of new york. mollison, b. ( 1988 ). permaculture, a designers ' manual. tyalgum, australia : tagari publications. pearce, d., markandya, a. & barbier, e. ( 1989 ). blueprint for a green economy. london earthscan. pepper, d. ( 1993 ). eco - socialism : from deep ecology to social justice. new york : routledge. plant, s. ( 1992 ). the most radical gesture. london : routledge. plumwood, v. ( 2002 ). environmental culture : the ecological crisis of reason. london : routledge. p. m. ( 1985 ). bolo ' bolo. new york : semiotext ( e ). porritt, j. ( 1990 ). seeing green : the politics of ecology explained. oxford : blackwell. purchase, g. ( 1994 ). anarchism and environmental survival. tucson, arizona : see sharp press. resistance books ( 1999 ). environment, capitalism and socialism, sydney : resistance books. roszak, t. ( 1992 ) the voice of the earth. new york : simon and schuster. sachs, w., loske, r. & linz, m. ( 1998 ). greening the north : a post - industrial blueprint for ecology and equity. london : zed books. sale, k. ( 1991 ). dwellers in the land : bioregional vision,


& linz, m. ( 1998 ). greening the north : a post - industrial blueprint for ecology and equity. london : zed books. sale, k. ( 1991 ). dwellers in the land : bioregional vision, philadephia : new society. sennett, r. & cobb, j. ( 1973 ). hidden injuries of class. new york : vintage. tokar, b. ( 1987 ). the green alternative : creating an ecological future, san pedro, calif. : r & e miles. trainer, t. ( 1995 ). the conserver society ; alternatives for sustainability. london : zed books. vaneigem, r. ( 1983 ). the revolution of everyday life. london : left bank books and rebel press. weston, j. ( ed ) ( 1986 ). red and green. london : pluto. willis, p. ( 1990 ). common culture : symbolic work at play in the everyday cultures of the young, boulder, colorado : westview press. wilson, p. l. ( 1998 ). escape from the nineteenth century and other essays. new york : autonomedia. zerzan, j. ( 1994 ). future primitive. new york / columbia mo : autonomedia and anarchy, c. a. l. press.


ntrip ( networked transport of rtcm via internet protocol ) ntrip is a protocol for streaming global navigation satellite system ( gnss ) data over the internet. based on the hypertext transfer protocol http / 1. 1. ntrip began as an rtcm standard designed for disseminating differential correction data ( e. g in the rtcm - 104 format ) or other kinds of gnss streaming data to stationary or mobile users over the internet, allowing simultaneous pc, laptop, pda, or receiver connections to a broadcasting host. ntrip is designed to be an open non - proprietary protocol and has gained wordwide recognition as a useful means of transporting gnss data. wireless internet services and mobile ip networks like gsm, gprs, edge, or umts are all quite capable of carrying ntrip streams. major characteristics of ntrip ’ s dissemination technique are : - based on the popular http streaming standard ; comparatively easy to implement when having limited client and server platform resources available. - application not limited to one particular plain or coded stream content ; ability to distribute any kind of gnss data. - potential to support mass usage ; disseminating hundreds of streams simultaneously for up to thousand users possible when applying modified internet radio broadcasting software. - considering security needs ; stream providers and users don ’ t necessarily get into contact, streams often not blocked by firewalls or proxyservers protecting local area networks. - enables streaming over any mobile ip network because of using tcp / ip.


saber para reagir according to a survey of 600 adolescents from the impoverished sao jorge community in the brazilian city of londrina, 60 % do not use contraceptives and 30 percent have used illegal drugs. to protect these vulnerable teens from infectious diseases, alia began the saber para reagir ( to know is to react ) program. the program ' s workshops educate 80 participants at a time about sexually transmitted diseases ( including hiv / aids ), early pregnancy, correct use of male and female contraceptives, and citizen rights. in addition, monthly meetings with families in the community spark dialogue and empower their involvement in the education process. " saber para reagir is just one of 18 projects run by alia, which was established in 1989 by hiv - positive professionals working in several fields. now the largest hiv / aids - related organization in brazil, its mission is to protect the civil rights of people living with hiv / aids and to prevent the spread of hiv / aids through the creation and implementation of scientific and social programs. alia is considered an authority in combating hiv / aids and actively participates in formulating policies related to public health, social assistance and education. since the partnership with johnson & johnson began in 2005, alia ' s saber para reagir program has reached more than 240 teens at high risk for hiv / aids infection.


mental mondays : adjust for the wind the general rule for dealing with breezes is to add or subtract one club for each 10 mph of wind. the trick is knowing just how fast the wind is blowing. the beaufort wind speed scale can give you an idea of wind speed : wind speed : indicators 4 - 7 mph : win felt on exposed skin. leaves rustle, vanes begin to move. 8 - 12 mph : leaves and small twigs constantly moving, light flags extended. 13 - 17 mph : dust and loose paper raised. small branches begin to move. 18 - 24 mph : branches of a moderate size move. small trees in leaf begin to sway. 25 - 30 mph : large branches in motion. whistling heard in overhead wires. umbrella use becomes difficult. empty plastic garbage cans tip over 31 - 38 mph : whole trees in motion. effort needed to walk against the wind. anything faster : you shouldn ’ t be on the course. so, with twigs and small branches moving, add one club. if larger branches are swaying add two. it ’ s important to notice not only how things are on the ground, but also what ’ s happening up in the air. on tree lined fairways, there are dead zones where the wind is screened. high flying golf shots, however, still can be caught up in the breezes. while assessing the situation, notice how the wind is affecting the upper branches of the trees. hitting the ball harder into the wind isn ’ t a solution. a harder shot will increase the spin and exaggerate the wind conditions. take more club. estimating what to do in a crosswind is a lot more tricky. in a crosswind, your ball will not only lose distance ( though likely not as much as directly into the wind ), but also drift in the direction it ’ s blowing. if you ’ ve got the game, you can try to spin the ball into the wind to hold the line. for most of us, though, the solution is to try to compensate for the drift by aiming more left or right. a rule of thumb is to aim five yards left or right for every 10 mph of wind speed. crosswinds will exaggerate your ball ’ s natural flight. if you ’ re a slicer, a wind blowing to the right will carry your ball right off the course. remember to compensate for that, also. this all creates some very interesting calculus as you ’ re not only trying to figure how much club, but also how far left and right


question : " what does the bible say about satire and / or sarcasm? " answer : sarcasm is the use of irony ( saying one thing while meaning another ) or other rhetorical devices in a biting, hurtful way. there is a difference between sarcasm and satire, although they are related. satire is the use of irony or ridicule to expose foolishness, but without the “ bite ” of sarcasm. satire is gentler ; sarcasm is more derisive and sneering. the question is, is satire or sarcasm ever appropriate? this would be easy enough to resolve if not for the fact that god uses satire in several places in scripture. for example, paul ' s words in this passage : you are already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us ; and indeed, i wish that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you. for, i think, god has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death ; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. we are fools for christ ’ s sake, but you are prudent in christ ; we are weak, but you are strong ; you are distinguished, but we are without honor. to this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless ; and we toil, working with our own hands ; when we are reviled, we bless ; when we are persecuted, we endure ; when we are slandered, we try to conciliate ; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now. 1 corinthians 4 : 8 - 13 is paul ' s language ironic here? absolutely. was it hurtful? intentionally so. yet, because his intent was to lead the stubborn corinthians to the truth, it can still be considered loving. in fact, paul followed this passage with, " i do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. " the corinthians would not have considered paul ’ s language intentionally cruel. instead, they would have recognized paul was using rhetoric to make a point. the corinthians felt superior to paul, casting judgment on him. so he calls them spiritual kings and says, ironically, that god considers his apostles “ scum ” and “ dregs. ” the passage sounds sarcastic. it says one thing


corinthians felt superior to paul, casting judgment on him. so he calls them spiritual kings and says, ironically, that god considers his apostles “ scum ” and “ dregs. ” the passage sounds sarcastic. it says one thing while meaning another in a way that makes the hearers look foolish. but paul ’ s method was not meant as a personal insult. the goal was to grab the readers ’ attention and correct a false way of thinking. in other words, paul ’ s words are satirical, but not sarcastic. they are spoken in love to “ beloved children. ” other passages in the bible that use satire include isaiah ’ s ridicule of idol - makers ( isaiah 40 : 19 - 20 ), god ’ s taunting of egypt ( jeremiah 46 : 11 ), and elijah ’ s gibes directed at the prophets of baal ( 1 kings 18 : 27 ). jesus himself used satire in the form of hyperbole when he told his hearers to “ take the plank out of your own eye ” ( matthew 7 : 5 ). therefore, we can say that irony is fine ; irony is a figure of speech that can bring attention and clarity to a situation. sometimes, irony can be painful because the truth it reveals is convicting. satire, which uses irony to gently deride and prompt needful change, can be appropriate on occasion ; we have examples of satire in scripture. sarcasm, on the other hand, is not appropriate. sarcasm has at its core the intent to insult or to be hurtful with no corresponding love or wish for well - being. instead, the goal of sarcasm is to belittle the victim and elevate the speaker. jesus warned against such harsh, unloving words in matthew 5 : 22. our words should be helpful and edifying, even if they are uncomfortable to the hearer. we should speak the truth with loving intent ( ephesians 4 : 15 ), avoiding “ foolish talk or coarse joking ” ( ephesians 5 : 4 ). we should speak in such a way that the hearer will understand our motivation. and we should never be malicious or cruel. carefully worded irony may be fitting, but malicious sarcasm is not. © copyright 2002 - 2013 got questions ministries.


langley – the temperatures and the shoreline scenery may be different in the winter months, but many still consider this time of the year to be perfect for a visit to grand and hudson lakes. in fact, boating, fishing and hunting take place all around the lakes, all around the year. safe boating is also something that should be practiced year - round, and when you are on the water in the winter, there are some extra precautions you should keep in mind. the grand river dam authority police department says a december 29 incident on grand lake – when two duck hunters were saved from the frigid lake waters by two other hunters – should serve as a reminder of those special winter boating precautions. “ cell phones are of greater importance in the winter, ” said grda superintendent of homeland security chris carlson. “ there are just fewer boaters around to flag down for emergency and non - emergency help. ” a whistle – attached to your life jacket – is also an important for winter - time boaters. carlson added that producing a loud and effective call for help with a whistle takes less energy than shouting for help and waving your arms. also, because cold water can rob the body of its heat 25 times faster than cold air, it drastically reduces the time of exposure needed to experience hypothermia. “ so if your boat does capsize, your main priority is to get as much of your body out of the water as possible, ” said carlson. “ if you can, climb on to the overturned vessel or nearby debris or get to the nearest shore or dock. ” also, in cold winter temperatures, wet clothing is actually colder than less clothing and can lead to hypothermia more quickly. “ so you should remove as much of the wet clothing as possible as soon as possible, ” said carlson. “ you will be warmer with less clothing than with wet clothing. ” in fact, dressing properly for winter boating is a very important step that should not be overlooked. while many people dress in additional layers to guard against the cold temperatures, they need to know that those layers can present a hazard if you do accidentally go into the water. when other clothing is tucked into bibbed overalls or wading pants it can actually cause the water to be trapped. that can cause the amount of energy needed to stay afloat to increase considerably at a time when muscles are cramping and movements are increasingly more difficult. it is very important that life jackets must have sufficient flotation to support heavy, water - logged clothing. of course,


energy needed to stay afloat to increase considerably at a time when muscles are cramping and movements are increasingly more difficult. it is very important that life jackets must have sufficient flotation to support heavy, water - logged clothing. of course, the other option is to simply dress for the outing in proper winter boating attire, said carlson. “ there is a wide range of flotation - equipped cold weather gear available. it is designed to provide an individual with all the warmth they need without sacrificing safety. ” whether you are boating in january or july, it is also important to file a “ float plan ” any time you visit the water. let someone know where you intend to be boating, who is going with you and when you expect to return. providing a description of the vessel and the number of occupants is also important. having a vessel that is in good working order is also very important. finally, when lake waters turn to ice patches, its best to stay clear of the area, whether you are in a boat or just walking along the shore. typically oklahoma does not get those below freezing periods that generate ice that is thick enough to safely stand on. “ with that being said, it is possible for the ice to be weak enough to fall through in one area and thick enough to trap you underneath if you didn ’ t come right up to the top of the water in the same location, ” said carlson. “ with no leverage in the water, and no chance of getting a gasp of air between the ice and water, this could prove deadly fast. ” by taking proper winter - time precautions, wearing proper gear and practicing the common sense boating safety tips that are applicable year - round, boaters can still enjoy the waters of grand and hudson lakes no matter what the calendar is showing. headquartered in vinita, grda is oklahoma ’ s state - owned electric utility ; fully funded by revenues from electric and water sales instead of taxes. directly or indirectly, grda ’ s low - cost, reliable ; electricity serves nearly 500, 000 homes in oklahoma and stretches into 75 of 77 counties in the state. at no cost to oklahoma taxpayers, grda also manages 70, 000 surface acres of lakes in the state, including grand lake, lake hudson and the w. r. holway reservoir. today, grda ’ s 500 employees continue to produce the same “ power for progress ” that has benefited the state for 75 - plus years. # # #


glossary of green power terms | what is green power? | | what are the benefits of green power? | | what is renewable energy? | | glossary of green power terms | annual consumption – annual consumption refers to the amount of electricity used by a consumer in one year and is typically measured in kilowatt - hours ( kwh ). this information is available on your electricity bill or by contacting your energy provider. carbon dioxide – carbon dioxide ( co2 ) is an atmospheric gas that is a major component of the carbon cycle. although produced through natural processes, carbon dioxide is also released through human activities, such as the combustion of fossil fuels to produce electricity. carbon dioxide is the predominate gas contributing to the greenhouse effect, and as such is know to contribute to climate change. commodity electricity – is physical electricity in the absence of the technological, environmental, social and economic benefits associated with a specific generation source. these benefits are transferable over geographic distance through a tradable instrument called a renewable energy certificate ( rec ) and can be re - associated with the physical electricity at the point of use. conventional power – power that is produced from non - renewable fuels, such as coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear material. conventional fuels are finite resources that cannot be replenished once they are extracted and used. distributed generation – small, modular, decentralized, grid - connected or off - grid energy systems located in or near the place where energy is used. electricity supplier – as states restructure their electricity markets, an increasing number of customers will be able to choose from a range of electricity suppliers who market different types of power products, including green power. in states without restructured electricity markets, local utilities may offer green pricing programs that enable customers to elect to have their utility generate a portion of their power from renewable sources. to find out about green power products in your area, visit the green power locator. energy efficiency – refers to products or systems using less energy to do the same or better job than conventional products or systems. energy efficiency saves energy, saves money on utility bills, and helps protect the environment by reducing the demand for electricity. when buying or replacing products or appliances for your home, look for the energy star® label — the national symbol for energy efficiency. for more information on energy star® labeled products, visit the energy star® web site. energy marketers – see electricity supplier. executive order 13423 : strengthening federal environmental, energy and transportation management – executive order 13423 calls for


for energy efficiency. for more information on energy star® labeled products, visit the energy star® web site. energy marketers – see electricity supplier. executive order 13423 : strengthening federal environmental, energy and transportation management – executive order 13423 calls for federal agencies sets goals in the areas of energy efficiency, acquisition, renewable energy, toxics reductions, recycling, sustainable buildings, electronics stewardship, fleets, and water conservation. fossil fuels – fossil fuels are the nation ’ s principal source of electricity. the popularity of these fuels is largely due to their low costs. fossil fuels come in three major forms — coal, oil, and natural gas. because fossil fuels are a finite resource and cannot be replenished once they are extracted and burned, they are not considered renewable. generation – the act of transforming energy into electricity. global climate change – climate change refers to any significant change in measures of climate ( such as temperature, precipitation, or wind ) lasting for an extended period ( decades or longer ). climate change may result from : - natural factors, such as changes in the sun ' s intensity or slow changes in the earth ' s orbit around the sun ; - natural processes within the climate system ( e. g. changes in ocean circulation ) ; - human activities that change the atmosphere ' s composition ( e. g. through burning fossil fuels ) and the land surface ( e. g. deforestation, reforestation, urbanization, desertification, etc. ) greenhouse gases ( ghg ) – gases in the earth ’ s atmosphere that produce the greenhouse effect. changes in the concentration of certain greenhouse gases, due to human activity such as fossil fuel burning, increase the risk of global climate change. greenhouse gases include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, halogenated fluorocarbons, ozone, perfluorinated carbons, and hydrofluorocarbons. green power – renewable energy resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass and low - impact hydro generate green power. a green power resource produces electricity with zero anthropogenic ( caused by humans ) emissions, has a superior environmental profile to conventional power generation, and must have been built after the beginning of the voluntary market ( 1 / 1 / 1997 ). green power marketers – due to increased customer awareness of the environmental implications associated with conventional power generation, a growing number of utilities and other types of energy service providers have begun offering green power products. the term “ green power marketers ” usually refers to energy


power marketers – due to increased customer awareness of the environmental implications associated with conventional power generation, a growing number of utilities and other types of energy service providers have begun offering green power products. the term “ green power marketers ” usually refers to energy providers operating in states that permit retail competition in the electricity markets. in states that do not allow this retail competition, many utilities have begun offering green power options under what are typically referred to as green pricing programs. to learn more about green power products in your area and whether your utility offers a green pricing program, visit the green power locator. green power product – green power electricity products are supplied from renewable energy resources that provide the highest environmental benefit. green power sold by regulated utilities is called green pricing, and when sold in competitive electric markets green power is called green marketing. green pricing – some power companies are now providing an optional service, called green pricing, which allows customers to pay a small premium in exchange for electricity generated from green power resources. the premium covers the increased costs incurred by the power provider ( i. e. electric utility ) when adding green power to its power generation mix. to find out if your utility offers a green pricing program, refer to the green power locator. green power purchasing – green power can be purchased nationwide from several sources. green power marketers offer green power products to consumers in deregulated markets — such as new jersey, pennsylvania, and new england. in states that do not allow retail competition in the electricity markets, many utilities offer green power products through green pricing programs. in addition, all customers nationwide have the opportunity to buy green power and stimulate the development of renewable generation sources through renewable energy certificates. finally, customers can choose to install on - site generation, such as solar panels. kilowatt - hour – a kilowatt - hour ( kwh ) is a standard metric unit of measurement for electricity. the average home in the united states uses approximately 900 kwh / month or 10. 8 mwh / year of electricity. - one kilowatt - hour ( kw ) is equal to 1, 000 watt - hours ( wh ). - one megawatt - hour ( mwh ) is equal to 1, 000 kilowatt - hours. - a watt - hour is the amount of energy delivered at a rate of one watt ( w ) for a period of one hour. - one watt is the amount of power rate of one joule of work per second of time. - example : a 100 watt light bulb


is the amount of energy delivered at a rate of one watt ( w ) for a period of one hour. - one watt is the amount of power rate of one joule of work per second of time. - example : a 100 watt light bulb in use for 10 hours uses 1000 watt - hours, or 1 kilowatt of electricity. ( 100 watts x 10 hours = 1000 watt - hours = 1 kwh ) megawatt - hour – a megawatt - hour ( mwh ) is equal to 1, 000 kwh. net metering – a method of crediting customers for electricity that they generate on site in excess of their own electricity consumption. customers with their own generation offset the electricity they would have purchased from their utility. if such customers generate more than they use in a billing period, their electric meter turns backwards to indicate their net excess generation. depending on individual state or utility rules, the net excess generation may be credited to their account ( in many cases at the retail price ), carried over to a future billing period, or ignored. “ new ” renewables – the voluntary green power market came into existence in the late 1990 ’ s. january 1, 1997 is considered a definitive point in time when green power facilities could be adequately identified as having been developed to serve the green power marketplace. green power facilities placed into service after january 1, 1997 are said to produce “ new ” renewable energy. the “ new ” criterion gets at the additionality requirement for the voluntary market. on - site renewable generation – electricity generated by renewable resources using a system or device located at the site where the power is used. on - site generation is a form of distributed energy generation. for more information about distributed energy technologies that are renewable and non - renewable, visit the department of energy ' s distributed energy resources web site. renewable energy resources – see what are renewable energy resources? renewable energy certificates – also known as recs, green tags, green energy certificates, or tradable renewable certificates, certificates represent the technology and environmental attributes of electricity generated from renewable sources. renewable energy credits are usually sold in 1 megawatt - hour ( mwh ) units. a certificate can be sold separately from the mega - watt hour of generic electricity it is associated with. this flexibility enables customers to offset a percentage of their annual electricity use with certificates generated elsewhere. renewable portfolio standard – - the requirement that an electric power provider generate or purchase a specified percentage of the power it supplies / sells from renewable energy resources, and thereby guarantee a market for electricity


are a glass - like surface derived from sand. some manufacturers offer tiles containing recycled glass light bulb waste, automobile windshield waste and a waste product from feldspar mining. tiles are growing in popularity for many reasons. they are highly durable, freeze - proof and easy to clean and maintain. they also have a high thermal storage capacity which means they retain their heat and emit it slowly especially good in climates which are warm during the day and cool at night. are available in many varieties, glazed and unglazed, mosaic and quarry tile and in various sizes, surface textures and colors. unglazed, often called mexican pavers, are all clay usually requiring a coat of protective sealant before or after installation to prevent soiling and bacterial growth. they are usually less expensive than glazed. glazed tiles are water - resistant, require no sealant and permanently retain both their hard quality and their surface issues can include the mining of raw materials which can produce soil erosion, pollutant runoff and habitat loss. although relatively abundant resources, clay and sand are nonrenewable. tile manufacturing is energy - intensive, but the industry is making many improvements in this area. some glaze pigments are obtained from heavy metals and some conventional tiles can have radioactive glazes, particularly cobalt blue and some yellows. radiation detectors are available to test the levels. still, when chosen carefully, tile can be a good sustainable choice. installation involves adhesives and grout which are typically derived from petrochemicals and can contain plastic additives, considered inert when cured, but can emit vocs while curing. when making your choice of tiles, remember that larger tiles require less grouting joints to fill.


flossing and childrenuso del hilo dental flossing and children flossing should begin when your child is around ages 2 to 3, under the direction of your child ' s dentist. prior to this age, flossing is not necessary. children usually need assistance with flossing until they are ages 8 to 10. the importance of flossing brushing teeth properly and consistently helps to remove most dental plaque ; however, brushing alone cannot remove plaque that is located in places that a toothbrush cannot reach, particularly in between teeth. in addition to removing plaque, flossing also helps to : flossing should take place at least once a day for two to three minutes each time to be most effective. types of dental floss regular, consistent flossing is the single most important weapon against plaque, perhaps more important than the toothbrush. the different types of dental floss include the following : waxed and unwaxed flavored and unflavored wide and regular textured and smooth your child ' s dentist or other oral health care provider can provide a demonstration of any of the following flossing techniques. they include : spool method ( also called the finger - wrap method ) cut off a piece of floss that is approximately 18 to 20 inches in length. lightly wrap each side of the piece of floss several times around each middle finger. next, carefully maneuver the floss in between the teeth with your index fingers and thumbs in an up and down, not side - to - side, motion. it is best to bring the floss up and down, making sure to go below the gumline, bending it to form a " c " on the side of each tooth. loop method ( also called the circle method ) cut off a piece of floss that is approximately 18 inches long, and tie it securely in a circle. next, place all of the fingers, except the thumb, within the loop. then, use your index fingers to guide the floss through the lower teeth, and use your thumbs to guide the floss through the upper teeth, making sure to go below the gumline, bending it to form a " c " on the side of each tooth. other flossing techniques flossing tools, such as a prethreaded flosser or floss holder may be helpful for people who are just learning how to floss, individuals with limited dexterity in their arms and / or hands, or persons who are flossing the teeth of someone else (


bakari kitwana kicked off martin luther king jr. week events at grand valley with a speech monday that drew connections between activists from the civil rights era and activists from the hip - hop era. kitwana ’ s latest book is hip - hop activism in the obama era. he is a senior media fellow at the jamestown project, a harvard law think - tank, and ceo of rap sessions, a company that conducts townhall meetings around the country on difficult topics facing the hip - hop generation. kitwana told an audience in the kirkhof center that hip - hop music emerged from generations of artists who sought ways to convey their political messages. “ in the 1970s, hip - hop ’ s political message was found in songs about how globalization had impacted urban communities, ” kitwana said. he continued describing the decades and said by the 1990s established artists like public enemy and queen latifah were using music as tools to mobilize young people to activism. kitwana said the 2008 election of president obama was the first political victory for young people. he projected that the political apathy and unrest that followed years later occurred because the young voters who helped elect obama into office stopped being political activists, although there is a resurgence in activism with occupy wall street. “ the issues surrounding occupy wall street have been channeled by young people and brought them back into activism, ” he said. he suggested to students in the audience that they do not need to wait for an invitation to be an activist. “ just jump in, ” kitwana said. “ to be inspiring to others, the most important thing is to be engaged yourself. ” * kitwana said there was a surge of political messages in music in the 1970s ( audio ). * kitwana said the term raptivist described hip - hop performers who were also activists ( audio ). * kitwana said by 2004 hip - hop was used to mobilize young people ( audio ). * kitwana said the election of obama was considered the first real victory but then people were discouraged ( audio ). mlk commemoration week events continue through saturday ; see details below. • tuesday, january 17 : 1 p. m. : melanie shell - weiss, assistant professor of liberal studies, will discuss “ race, migration and social justice : what would mlk say today? ” in the kirkhof center, pere marquette room. • wednesday, january 18 : 5 p. m. : michelle alexander, civil rights advocate and author of the new jim crow, presentation in kirkhof center, grand river room.


tuesday, sept. 28 ( healthday news ) - - when taken shortly after the onset of symptoms, the antiviral drug tamiflu seems to have protected otherwise healthy swine flu patients from contracting pneumonia during the 2009 h1n1 pandemic, chinese researchers tamiflu may also have shortened the period that patients were contagious and reduced the duration of their fevers, the research however, reporting in the sept. 29 issue of bmj. com, the study authors stressed that their findings should be interpreted with caution given that the conclusions are based on an after - the - fact analysis and on a pool of patients not uniformly given chest x - rays at the time of illness. the study team, led by dr. weizhong yang and dr. hongjie yu from the chinese center for disease control and prevention in beijing, note that in 2009 the fast - spreading influenza a ( h1n1 ) virus killed more than 18, 000 people in over 200 countries. prior research has suggested that patients who take antiviral medications within two days of experiencing seasonal flu symptoms may develop a less severe and shorter - lasting illness and may also reduce their risk for complications. to gauge to what degree this might be true for healthy patients with a mild form of h1n1, the research team reviewed the medical records of nearly 1, 300 chinese patients diagnosed with the infection in 2009. the average age of the patients was 20. more than three - quarters were given tamiflu within a median of three days following the onset of symptoms, and 920 of the patients underwent follow - up just 12 percent of those x - rayed had signs of pneumonia, the researchers observed. none of them needed admission for intensive care, and none required mechanical ventilation. even after accounting for age, gender, influenza vaccine and antibiotic treatment history, the authors concluded that tamiflu treatment appeared to offer significant protection against this protective effect was apparent in all patients who took tamiflu, even those who took it more than 48 hours after symptom onset, but those who took the medication within 48 hours experienced shorter fevers and were contagious for a shorter the chinese team nonetheless called for more follow - up research to investigate the potential benefits of tamiflu for swine flu. for more on swine flu, visit the for disease control and prevention.


tuesday, sept. 6 ( healthday news ) - - many first - year medical students in the united states may have an unconscious preference for white and upper social class people, but these biases don ' t appear to affect patient care, according to the results of a survey at one medical school. johns hopkins school of medicine researchers analyzed the responses of 202 first - year medical students who took part in a web - based survey that included the implicit association test ( iat ), used to assess unconscious ( or " implicit " ) preferences. the survey also included direct questions about the students ' race and class preference, and eight hypothetical patient assessments, focusing on pain evaluation, informed consent, patient reliability and patient trust. the iat results showed that 34 students ( 17 percent ) had no implicit race preference, 140 ( 69 percent ) had a white preference, and 28 ( 14 percent ) had a black preference. the test also showed that 174 students ( 86 percent ) had an implicit upper - class preference, 22 ( 11 percent ) had no preference, and six ( 3 percent ) had a lower - class preference. however, there was no link between implicit race or social preferences and the students ' performance on the patient assessments, according to the study published in the sept. 7 medical education theme issue of the journal of the american medical association. race and socioeconomic status are associated with health care disparities among patients in the united states, dr. adil haider and colleagues noted in a journal news release. they said that medical school could offer a good opportunity to decrease implicit biases and possibly reduce doctor - related health care disparities, although discussions with students suggest that may not be " it has been recommended that medical education curricula focus on integrating cross - cultural education to reduce disparities ; however, students have noted the existence of a ' hidden curriculum ' in which what is taught about bias in the classroom differs starkly from in - hospital training experiences, " haider ' s team concluded. the u. s. centers for disease control and prevention has more


the ummah ’ s sole way to salvation : al - firqah al - najiyyah our prophet ( saas ) stated, “ my ummah will divide into seventy - three sects. and all of them will belong to hell except for one ( which will belong to paradise ) : the one that will follow the path on which i walk and my companions walk ” ( al - tirmidhi ). this hadith carries a special importance today, as it guides the believers. if we look at human history, we see that when the words of allah ’ s ( swt ) messengers were ignored, the result was always pain, privation, and failure. so long as muslims do not fully adhere to the qur ’ an and the sunnah, which shows how to apply the qur ’ an to one ’ s life, the islamic world will have failures and helplessness. in order not to be among those whose faces will turn black and bitter on the day of judgment, but among those whose faces will gaze full of light upon our lord, muslims have to follow the qur ’ an and the path taken by the messenger of allah ( saas ). prophet muhammad ( saas ) said that our time, called the “ end times, ” will be a period when, at first, corruption will prevail. however, after that time will come the days of blessed tidings. he described this period as one during which islamic morality will be widespread and islam ’ s beauties will be dispersed throughout the world. the fact that the islamic world is currently going through a difficult time is nothing but an indication that we are on the brink of those days of blessed tidings. the hadiths and accounts of the end times, which is an important matter in the ahl al - sunnah ’ s creed, and the events to take place at that time all point at today.


although all ants may seem alike, they are divided into many different species based on their lifestyles and physical attributes. these living beings in fact have approximately 8800 species. each species also has special admirable attributes. now, let us discuss some of these species, their lifestyles and characteristics. leaf cutter ants the specific characteristic of the leaf cutter ants also called " atta, " is their habit of transporting the leaf pieces that they cut out on their heads. the ants hide under leaves that are quite large compared to their own sizes. these they secure in their closely shut chins. therefore, the return voyage of worker ants after a day ' s work presents a very interesting picture. anyone who sees this happening would feel as if the floor of the forest were alive and walking. in rain forests their actions remove about 15 percent of leaf production. 19 the reason for their carrying leaf pieces is, of course, not protection from the sun. ants do not utilize these leaf pieces as food either. then, in what way do they use so many leaves? it has been discovered that, surprisingly, attas use these leaves in fungus culturing. ants cannot eat the leaves themselves, because they do not have enzymes in their bodies that could digest the cellulose in the leaves. worker ants make a heap of these leaf pieces after chewing them and insert them into the garden substratum. in these chambers, they grow fungus on the leaves. this way, they obtain the required protein from the shoots of the fungus. 20 however, when attas are removed, the garden would normally begin to deteriorate and would soon be overwhelmed by weed fungi. then, how can the attas, who clean their gardens only before " planting, " be protected against weed fungi? the trick of maintaining a pure fungus culture without constant weeding seems to depend upon the saliva the ants work into the compost as they chew it up. it is thought that the saliva contains an antibiotic that inhibits the growth of undesirable fungi. it probably contains a growth - promoter for the right fungus, too. 21what one has to ponder upon is the following : how have these ants learned to cultivate fungus? is it possible that one day one of the ants took a leaf in its mouth by coincidence and chewed it, and then again by chance, it placed this liquid that had become porridge - like on a dry leaf floor which, by sheer coincidence is a totally appropriate place, and other ants brought pieces of fungus and planted them there


by coincidence and chewed it, and then again by chance, it placed this liquid that had become porridge - like on a dry leaf floor which, by sheer coincidence is a totally appropriate place, and other ants brought pieces of fungus and planted them there and, finally, the ants which had anticipated that some sort of food that they could eat would grow there, started cleaning the garden, throwing out unnecessary material, and harvesting? and then they went over and conveyed this process to the whole colony one by one? also, why would they have carried all those leaves to their nests although they could not eat them? furthermore, how could these ants have created the saliva that they use while chewing the leaves for the production of fungi? even it is thought that they may form this saliva, one way or the other, with what information could they produce an antibiotic in their saliva which prevents the formation of weed fungi? does it not require having a significant knowledge of chemistry to achieve such a process? even if they did have such knowledge - which is impossible - how could they apply it and get their saliva to have this antibiotic substance characteristic? when one thinks about how ants could realize such a miraculous event, hundreds of similar questions come up to none of which there are any answers. on the other hand, if a single explanatory answer could be given, all these questions would have been answered. ants have been designed and programmed to achieve the job they are performing. the observed event is sufficient to prove that ants are born or rather caused to be born knowing farming. such complex behavioural patterns are not phenomena which may develop in stages and with time. they are the work of a comprehensive knowledge and a supreme intellect. thus the claims by evolutionists that beneficial behaviour is selected in time and the required organs develop through mutations seem totally illogical. it is, of course, no one other than allah who gives this knowledge to the ants from day one, and who creates them with all these astonishing features. it is allah who is the " creator " ( sani ). the features of the atta ants we mention above set forth a picture we shall face frequently all throughout this book. we are talking about a living being without the ability to think, but which nevertheless achieves a great task displaying a tremendous intellect. this is hard for man to conceive of. then, what does this all mean? there is only one answer and it is a simple one : if this animal has no capacity to think in order to enable it to do what it


intellect. this is hard for man to conceive of. then, what does this all mean? there is only one answer and it is a simple one : if this animal has no capacity to think in order to enable it to do what it is doing, then its show of intellect, in fact, introduces us somebody else ' s wisdom. the creator who has caused the ant to exist is letting this animal do things beyond its capacity to show his existence and superiority in his creation. the ant acts under allah ' s inspiration and the intellect it displays is in fact, the wisdom of allah. actually, a similar situation exists in the whole of the animal world. we meet creatures who display a very superior intellect, although they have neither an independent mind nor the capacity for judgement. the ant is one of the most striking of these and like other animals, acts, in fact, in accordance with the programme it has been given by the will that trains it. it reflects the wisdom and power of possessor of that will, that is, allah. the attas ' interesting defence methods medium - sized workers of the leaf cutter ant colony spend almost all their days in carrying leaves. it becomes difficult for them to protect themselves during this process, because they secure the leaves with the chins that they use for protecting themselves. then, if they are not able to protect themselves, who does? it has been observed that leaf cutter worker ants walk around with smaller size workers all the time. at first, it was thought that this was accidental. then, the cause for this was researched and the finding, which was the result of a long analysis, was an astonishing example of cooperation. medium - sized ants, given the task of carrying leaves use an interesting defence system against a hostile type of fly. this hostile fly has chosen a special place to lay its eggs - the head portion of each ant. the maggot hatching from the egg would feed on the ant ' s head, eventually decapitating the ant. without their smaller assistants, the worker ants are defenceless against this fly species that is always ready to attack. under normal circumstances, the ants who, with their scissors like sharp mandibles, are able to chase away the flies trying to land on them, cannot do this while carrying leaves. therefore, they place another ant to defend them, on the leaf that they carry and during the attack, these small guards fight against the enemy. 23 highways of attas the road that attas use, while carrying the leaves they cut back


leaves. therefore, they place another ant to defend them, on the leaf that they carry and during the attack, these small guards fight against the enemy. 23 highways of attas the road that attas use, while carrying the leaves they cut back to home, seems like a miniature highway. ants who crawl slowly on it collect all twigs, small gravel, grass and wild plants and put them to one side. thus, they make a clear path for themselves. after a long period of intensive work, this highway becomes straight and smooth as if built with a special device. the atta colony consists of workers the size of a single grain of sand, soldiers who are many times larger and medium - sized " marathon runners ". marathon runners run around to bring leaf pieces to the nest. these ants are so industrious that, scaled to human dimensions, each worker runs the equivalent of four - minute mile for 30 - some miles ( 48 km. ), with 500 pounds ( 227 kg. ) slung over her shoulders. 24 in an atta nest, fist - sized galleries may be found that may go 6 metres deep. the miniature workers may move some 40 tons of soil while digging the many chambers of their huge nests. 25 the building of these nests in a few years by ants is comparable in difficulty and high standard of professionalism to man ' s construction of the great wall of china. this is proof that the attas may not be regarded as ordinary simple creatures. these ants, who are extremely hard working, are able to achieve complex tasks that a man would find difficult to do. indeed, the only possessor of might who could have given them such skills is allah. to say that they have acquired all these skills on their own and of their own accord would be illogical. leaf cutting technique of attas when the ant cuts the leaf with its mandibles, its whole body vibrates. scientists have observed that this shaking fixes the leaves, thus facilitating the cutting. at the same time, the sound serves to attract other workers - all females - to the site to finish off the leaf. 26 the ant rubs two small organs on his belly to produce this vibration that may be heard as a very slight sound by human beings. this vibration is sent through the body until reaching the sickle - like mandibles of the ant. by rapidly oscillating her hind end, this ant cuts out a crescent of leaf with vibrating mandibles in much the same manner as an electric carving knife. this technique facilitates the