Split (1)

train · ~1.24B rows (showing the first 1.08M)

source stringclasses 1 value	snapshot stringclasses 6 values	text stringlengths 258 621k
warc	201713	Fresh-water shortages and more droughts and floods will increase the likelihood that water will be used as a weapon between states or to further terrorist aims in key strategic areas, including the Middle East, South Asia and North Africa, a U.S. intelligence assessment released Thursday said. Although “water-related state conflict” is unlikely in the next 10 years, the assessment said, continued shortages after that might begin to affect U.S. national security interests. The assessment is drawn from a classified National Intelligence Estimate distributed to policymakers in October. Although the unclassified version does not mention problems in specific countries, it describes “strategically important water basins” tied to rivers in several regions. These include the Nile, which runs through 10 countries in central and northeastern Africa before traveling through Egypt into the Mediterranean Sea; the Tigris-Euphrates in Turkey, Syria and Iraq; the Jordan, long the subject of dispute among Israel, Jordan and the Palestinians; and the Indus, whose catchment area includes Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Tibet. “As water problems become more acute, the likelihood . . . is that states will use them as leverage,” said a senior U.S. intelligence official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity. As the midpoint of the century nears, he said, there is an increasing likelihood that water will be “potentially used as a weapon, where one state denies access to another.” “Because terrorists are looking for high-visibility structures to attack,” the official said, “water infrastructure” could become a target. Release of the assessment coincides with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s scheduled announcement of a new public-private program to use U.S. knowledge and leverage to help find “solutions to global water accessibility challenges, especially in the developing world,” a State Department release said. The assessment was compiled by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, with contributions from the Defense Intelligence Agency, the CIA and other agencies. It assumed, as a starting point, that there would be “no big breakthroughs” in water technology over the next decade and that countries would continue their present water policies. In the first of five “key judgments,” it found that water problems would continue to exacerbate existing instability around the world. “We don’t see water problems by themselves causing state failure,” the intelligence official said, “but in combination with other issues,” including poverty, the environment and “bad leadership . . . water could tip over the edge into social disruptions, which leads to political disruptions and ultimately to state failure.” The assessment noted that 70 percent of all fresh-water supplies are now used for agriculture. “The downside,” the official said, is that many regions are “pulling water out of aquifers faster than it is being renewed, or out of fossil aquifers we don’t estimate will ever be renewed. When it is is gone, the agriculture . . . will also leave.” Based on climate-change assumptions for the next 40 years, the assessment anticipated “more droughts, more extreme weather events” and floods, along with concerns that “states would not make the necessary infrastructure investments to deal with” the shifting climate, the official said. The situation poses an opportunity for the United States to exert leadership, he added, but “we also saw the risk that if the United States wasn’t engaged in exercising that leadership, other states would step up” to exert it and “the United States might find itself losing . . . influence.”
warc	201713	thwedding anniversary (yes, I am that old) by travelling to Charleston, South Carolina, for the first time in our lives. Charleston impressed me with its incredible food and pervasive focus on sustainable, local seafood and produce in its restaurants (the ones we ate at, anyway). I consider myself an informed eater and “home chef” so this was very important to me and I thought I would make it the subject of my blog entry this week. However, a much more interesting topic presented itself as I was perusing the Charleston City Market. City Market is pretty much a flea market where you can find cheap imported trinkets right next to incredible handmade works of art. And that was most obvious in the case of the sweetgrass baskets. Sweetgrass baskets, originally woven by slaves for use in rice production, show the legacy of African influence on Southern culture. The local Gullah people hand down the art of sweetgrass weaving from generation to generation and use local materials gathered from undeveloped beaches near Charleston to create these beautiful works of art. They weave the spiral baskets in elaborate and unique patterns and the finished products are useful, beautiful, and last lifetimes. I had heard about these baskets before and was hoping to bring one home as a souvenir from our trip—an anniversary present. Walking through the market, I was examining some baskets and was put off by the loose weave and plastic bindings. But the price was great—only $50 for a large basket. Incredible! Too good to be true? Yup. On closer inspection of the basket selection, I found one with a sticker on it: “Made in Bangladesh.” My suspicions confirmed, I walked on. At the other end of the market, a woman sat weaving a basket behind a table full of pieces of art. Neat, tight spirals in various configurations and sizes were all around her. And she had made them herself. A basket comparable to the $50 one I had seen before was $250. A reasonable price for something that took this woman weeks to create, but not within my budget. After complimenting her handiwork and giving several pieces longing looks, I had to walk away empty-handed. But it struck me that many people would purchase the cheaper product because they could afford it and ignore or overlook the difference in quality. So how do knock-off sweetgrass baskets infringe on human rights? Firstly, the Gullah people have created and developed this tradition over hundreds of years. The craft is an heirloom itself and different materials or methods of production are contrary to the art form. Replicating the craft in a subpar way strips traditional “sewers” of their heritage and can corrupt outside opinions of the baskets. This craft is part of the Gullah heritage and manufacturing imitations strips the people of their identity in a way. Secondly, conditions in Bangladesh, China, etc. where sweetgrass copies are being made show that inexpensive versions cost less because their creators are paid less and lower quality materials are being used to produce them. Some would see the successes of companies selling these copies show that the economic incentive is there to produce a lower quality, lower cost alternative to the real thing. Others (the sewers) see it as their local traditions being thwarted by international business practices. This topic has made me think of how many of the things we use every day that are now manufactured in large factories staffed by underpaid workers, but used to be created by hand by someone in the local community or a member of one’s family. As local artisanship becomes obsolete, we lose part of the culture that cannot be regained. The craftspeople themselves will lose their livelihood, and perhaps their identity, as economic forces drive down prices due to outside competition. Gullah “sewers” can only weave their baskets as fast as they can and patience and love do not accomplish this task very quickly—but patience and love do contribute to the beauty of these functional works of art.
warc	201713	More Safety for Fighters by Loyiso Mtya The Trainers The resistance of trainers to stop fights starts with a conflict of interests and ends with the boxers themselves. Trainers naturally have so much confidence – sometimes misplaced - in the abilities of some of their boxers that they elongate their stay in the fights and expose them to too much punishment believing that something is still going to happen. The confidence ranges from the boxer s ability to soak up punishment, killer punch, and or the trainer’s belief in himself to turn things around for the fighter. Those abilities in both cases are sometimes overrated. The trainers themselves must not only be able to teach, condition and advise the boxers, but also to detach themselves from the boxer and look at the situation in a holistic manner. This is very difficult indeed because of firstly, the confidence they have built in the boxers, and secondly, the bond that has developed between them and keeps them together. Countless hours of physical interaction, exchanging words, sweat, blood and takes the boxing partnerships to levels beyond your normal father and son relationships people usually talk about. They become like lovers. They will not let each other down. They also become very jealous. The Boxers The boxers themselves are to blame for what happens to their lives by not disclosing previous injuries. A lot of boxers go into fights with injuries known to them but no to their managers and trainers. They know that telling could result in the fight being postponed or cancelled. The reasons for not telling are purely economic. Cancelling the fights denies them of opportunities to make money. We have cases in point that will not be mentioned now where boxers have injured themselves severely in life outside boxing while preparing for fights. They take these secrets to the ring, and sometimes beyond the ring. What To Do Maybe Boxing SA must allocate more manpower in the authority to assist the referee stop fights. The fight Supervisor is the person delegated the powers by BSA to take direct control of the whole tournament, including the referee. That person, by virtue of his/her powers, knowledge of the game and experience, should be given the added responsibility of indicating to the referee when the time to stop the fight has come. There should be interaction between the two each time the referee collects and delivers the scorecards during rounds especially in a heated fight. The referee should be reporting in a word or two to the supervisor just to ensure that he/she is still focused and in control of not only of the fight s activities, but also his/ her own. The boxing ring is a hive of activity to the referee. Not only has he got to keep his/her eyes on the two boxers who are very experienced and sneaky sometimes, but also on the seconds at opposite corners of the ring. Besides that the referee has to contend with very noisy crowds that can deviate the mind of your most experienced official. If you have been at the Orient Theatre you will know what I mean. The referee needs to be protected from the atmosphere. Maybe the agreement signed by Boxing SA and THETHA to train BSA’s licensees i.e. officials, boxers, trainers and ring officials in First Aid will go a long way towards alleviating this challenge. The trainer will be able to identify the symptoms in the gym especially in sparring sessions where a lot of these injuries happen but fail to be identified. The referee in the fight will also be equipped. The doctors must also be given greater powers to intervene and stop fights. It is traditionally known that they are at all tournaments as a rule, but their role is really for cuts and later checking the medical condition of the boxers after the referee has already stopped it. It may be too late. They can only recommend to the referee after they have been invited to inspect cuts. Other than that their role is next to nothing. They can only sit there and watch helplessly. As the most qualified people in the venue, their opinion should be stronger than anybody else. They can only recommend to the referee after they have been invited to inspect cuts. Other than that their role is next to nothing. They can only sit there and watch helplessly. As the most qualified people in the venue, their opinion should be stronger than anybody else. Boxing South Africa has a rule that all boxers for title fights must be tested again no less than five days before the fight. One of the medical rules is that if a boxer is more than five percent over the weight limit, strict measures must be taken to monitor the reduction of that weight as the short space of time to the weigh-in may be cause for dehydration and exposes a boxer to injuries especially to the head and kidneys. Boxing South Africa regulates that fight matches and contracts must be must be lodged with the office about a month before the fight itself. This could be very effective for the new ruling as all boxers in the tournament, not only title contestants, would be known and tested before hand. All boxers in a tournament would now have to be medically examined. This could also give rise to medical advice where needed. Twenty five days examination before the fight would give everybody enough time. Provisions for late minute substitutes, which would be very rare with this kind of ruling, could be made for genuine replacements. The first challenge here would be for promoters to actually deliver fights in the prescribed time frame. This has proved to be very difficult over the years. Maybe time has now come to take punitive measures. Fights are changed and substituted everyday leading up to the fight for reasons ranging from boxers pulling out due to sickness to promoters themselves changing the dates. This makes the exercise long and indecisive. Some of you may wonder why we are considering these new measures. They may regard this exercise as a case of locking the gates after the horse has bolted. On the contrary we will be embarking on the tightening of measures and compliances that already exist. Like all introductions before them, these new precautions may not be the final screws to put the breaks on the unfortunate incidents besetting boxing, but they will go a long way towards slowing them down and making our boxing safer and all of us a lot more comfortable.
warc	201713	Partnership Between University of Missouri Master Gardeners and Food Pantries Reap Rewards It’s National Nutrition Month and University of Missouri Extension Master Gardeners are partnering with local food pantries to increase access to healthy foods. In their local county, more than 15% of the population is food insecure, and nearly another 10% experience hunger at times. And with high food insecurity rates come diet-related health conditions such as obesity, hypertension, and high cholesterol. The partnership with the Master Gardeners provides opportunities for food pantry recipients to plant community garden plots with tools, supplies, and support from the experts themselves. The local gardens will help neighborhoods fight against health problems and build stronger communities. The community garden is just one aspect of the community food system – read about the other benefits here .
warc	201713	January 2008 Featured Articles A landowner and a forester looking at an aerial map of the burn property. By John Howle At age 13, I conducted a prescribed burn with the help of my 13-year-old cousin, Edward, even though no one prescribed it. We thought it would be a great idea to clean dead briars off the pasture fence with fire. The wind picked up, and within 20 minutes, we had burned about two acres of dry pasture grass before we could beat out the flames with pine tops. There was no hiding that large patch of black ground, and we got in big trouble. The following spring, the grass grew better in the burned area than any other part of the pasture. It was then I realized the beneficial effects of burning. A prescribed burn is not to be confused with a wildfire. It is simply a controlled, low intensity fire burning dead leaves and grass on the forest floor or in open fields stimulating the growth of native plants. Burning Benefits for Wildlife • Prescribed burning allows seeds locked in layers of dead matter a chance to make soil contact and germinate. Legumes, grasses and other forbs high in protein, calcium and phosphorous will appear in the spring green-up, and this forage is a holding environment for insects providing turkey poults and quail chicks protein. • Deer, turkey, quail and a multitude of other wildlife need open areas for traveling to bedding, foraging, nesting, breeding and brooding sites, and prescribed burns create these. • Burning clears out overgrown hunting property making travel easier during the hunt. It also rids forest floors and open fields of leaves, pine straw and thatch that can create wildfires that destroy timber stands and wildlife habitat. Prescribed burning cleans the forest floor to allow new growth. Deer Prescribed burning brings the browse level of preferred foods down to a level deer can reach. Plant foods like honeysuckles are stimulated for growth while more undesirable trees like sweet gum are controlled or eliminated. Inspection of new growth following a prescribed burn. Burning adds phosphorous, magnesium and calcium which are needed for healthy antler and bone development. The calcium also helps does produce milk for the fawns. Prescribed burn every three or four years when deer are the main objective. Turkeys Prescribed burns create openings for feeding and travel as well as dusting and strutting areas for gobblers. Poults survive exclusively on insects during the first nine weeks, and prescribed burning provides these insect-holding areas in the new forage growth. Quail Quail need ideal nesting and brood-rearing areas and escape cover. Coveys of quail perform poorly in dense vegetation. Burning at least every two years is sufficient for quail in most areas. Like turkey poults, quail chicks’ exclusive diet for the first few weeks is insects, and the chicks survive better if they can walk on bare ground with cover. Prescribed burning stimulates the insect-holding forage, cleans thatch and dead matter from the ground for nesting and traveling, and encourages native cover plants. Making a Prescribed Burn Plan A professional forester from your local forestry commission can help you create a prescribed burning plan. First, obtain a map or aerial photo of the intended burn area. Your local courthouse can provide a map. Tell the forester whether you are burning for wildlife habitat or forest floor fuel reduction. Next, get a burn permit from your county or state forestry officials. This permit helps fire officials respond quickly if the fire gets out of control. Include your burn permit on the plan. State foresters will create firebreaks and conduct the prescribed burn with adequate equipment for a small fee. An ATV sprayer or backpack sprayer filled with water helps extinguish remaining small flames. Identify weather conditions, paying attention to temperature, relative humidity, wind direction and speed for your burning date. Make a list of any smoke sensitive areas nearby. Smoke around hospitals, homes, schools or highways can pose a liability threat. Avoid burning during fawning, nesting or brood rearing times of wildlife. Your Alabama Department of Natural Resources can give you these seasons. Burn during the day between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Burning at night causes hazards from excessive smoke settling. Burning in open fields is more subject to changes in wind velocity and moisture levels than forests, and sudden gusts of wind can cause fire to jump the breaks or burn with high intensity. Pine straw in pine stands helps keep an even burn and provides adequate fuel for optimum burning. Keep the fire at low intensity level to prevent hardwood damage. Manmade firebreaks can be created with a bulldozer or a tractor with a disk harrow, and they need to be free of debris. Firebreaks approximately 12 feet wide can also serve as food plots and access roads. Natural firebreaks can be streams or access roads. Preparing for a prescribed burn Let neighbors and county officials know at least five days in advance of the burn. This gives people who suffer from asthma or allergies a chance to avoid the area and prepares county officials for incoming calls from residents who see smoke. Study the topography of the land before you start the fire. In low elevation areas around creeks, fire will move slower because of more moisture. On the sides and tops of hills, fire will generally burn faster. Conducting the Burn The burn manager will often use a drip torch which is a canister full of gasoline and diesel fuel mixed together. The operator walks along a line dripping burning fuel onto the ground igniting the fire line. The most common fire pattern used for a prescribed burn is the backing fire. Since the backing fire burns against the wind, it is easier to control. A backing fire does a better job of consuming ground fuel and generally produces less smoke. Burn small tracts from one to ten acres at a time so the fire can extinguish itself before nightfall and you can avoid smoke liabilities from night burning. Follow the guidelines of prescribed burning in your area and enhance your wildlife management program. Also, keep plenty of pine tops on hand. John Howle is a freelance writer from Heflin.
warc	201713	Introduction Our philosophy as a department is that ‘all pupils should have the opportunity to understand their role within society and their world’. We believe that Geography should challenge pupils to think about their place in their society, where they fit in and the impacts they have on the environment on both a local and global scale. We ask pupils to think about the big issues, which affect all of us daily and challenge pupils to develop their own opinions based upon evidence. Staff MrAndrew Watkins - Head of Faculty Mr Paul Dearing - Teacher Miss Leila Haddad - Teacher Key Stage 3 In year 7 there is a strong emphasis placed on gaining Geographical skills and broadening pupil’s knowledge of the world. In year 8, pupils look at contrasting areas of the world, focusing on natural resources, the impact of sport on societies around the world and the areas of the world, which inspire wonder and awe. In year 9, we look at preparing students for GCSE. The key focus is on bringing together all the different strands of Geography and looking at the relationships between people, countries and their environments. A key element of this is looking at the impact of globalisation and how this can lead to conflict across the world. Students are encouraged to undertake independent research into a current topical news event Key Stage 4 At Key Stage 4, pupils follow AQA specification A for Geography. They have to sit two external examinations, which are worth 75% of their final exam grade and undertake fieldwork and write a report, for the final 25%. In year 10 students study: The Restless Earth, Water on the Land and The Coastal Environment. In Year 11 students study: Population, Urban Environments and Tourism.
warc	201713	Title, Synopsis and Publications Investigators and Collaborators Physical activity and optimism across the adult life-span Physical activity has previously been shown to have a positive association with mental health. Most of this work has focussed on reducing the risk of poor mental health, such as depression. Much less work has focussed on promoting positive wellbeing. The association between physical activity and mental health may also differ by age; earlier ALSWH study data indicated that the strength of the positive association between leisure time activity and mental health differed among the young, mid and older cohorts. The aim of this prospective study is to assess the association between physical activity and a specific aspect of positive wellbeing – optimism. This study will also assess whether this relationship differs between young, mid-aged and older women (cross-sectionally), and young and mid-aged women longitudinally. Publications: 756 Return Prof Wendy Brown Dr Toby Pavey Dr Nicola Burton Prof Wendy Brown
warc	201713	WellPoint (an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association) has announced its policy holders will now be subject to a new protocol regarding cancer care in an effort to lower costs for those seeking treatment of cancer. Their physicians will be paid a bonus of $350 dollars per month for each patient who is on one of the insurer’s recommended regimens. In other words, patients are going to be treated according to the insurance carrier’s protocol. Putting this in perspective, Brian J. Bolwell, chairman of the renowned Cleveland Clinic’s Taussig Cancer Institute said, “We generally don’t like to practice by insurance company, we practice by patient.” WellPoint estimates that it will save around $216,000,000 million dollars. The protocols will focus on breast, lung and colorectal cancer but will eventually expand to other forms of the disease. Roy Herbst, a professor at Yale School of Medicine worries that the “broader push toward a narrower number of regimens might cut against emerging approaches that personalize treatment based on genetic factors.” It is anticipated that Cigna and UnitedHealth will follow suit with the same protocols. It is important to note that WellPoint expects its recommendations to apply to 80 to 90 percent of its patients. What’s important to note here is that these protocols DO NOT apply to self-funded, partially self-funded or captive plans like the ones we offer to our clients. Cary Hall America’s Healthcare Advocate
warc	201713	Hideo Soga, Osamu Imanishi Am J Case Rep 2012; 13:234-237 DOI: 10.12659/AJCR.883449 Published: 2012-09-18 Background: Emphysematous cystitis occurs mostly in diabetics with poor glycemic control or in immunocompromised patients. In most cases, diabetes mellitus correlates with the occurrence of emphysematous cystitis. The risk of relapse after tuberculosis cure or treatment completion is high among patients with diabetes mellitus. Case Report: A 64-year-old diabetic man suffering from high fever and lower abdominal pain was admitted to the emergency ward. Due to the results of radiographic examinations, he was diagnosed with an emphysematous cystitis. Although the emphysematous cystitis improved with urinary drainage and antibiotic therapy, the high fever recurred and respiratory symptoms appeared. This patient was diagnosed with a crisis of the pulmonary tuberculosis. He was started on the antituberculosis therapy, and he recovered. Conclusions: This is the first report of a case of emphysematous cystitis that was complicated with pulmonary tuberculosis. Keywords: emphysematous cystitis, miliary tuberculosis, Diabetes mellitus
warc	201713	For more depth on the reauthorization of SMCRA Title IV please visit the AML Campaign's website. For a comprehensive overview see the PA Organization of Watersheds and River's ( POWR) Fact Pack "The Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund, Partnerships and Future Challenges" for an overview of the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund. PA's resolution of the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund. Show your support! The Abandoned Mine Land Story NOTE: This information was extracted from the National Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation web site History From the time that coal was first mined in the United States (beginning in the 1800's) until 1977 there were no federal laws regulating mining operations. When the coal had been mined from site it was abandoned and the mining operation moved to a new location. As a result, in 1977 there were an estimated 1.1 million acres of abandoned coal mine sites in the United States. Problems Caused by Abandoned Mine Sites WATER QUALITY PROBLEMS - Acid run-off and sedimentation from abandoned mine sites contaminate thousand of miles of streams nationwide. This contaminated water eventually serves as the municipal water supply for many citizens in both rural and urban areas. Therefore, an increase in water treatment costs is extended far beyond the mined land boundaries. Acid mine drainage also leads to increased road maintenance costs, due to the corrosive effects of this drainage on culverts. Streams and drainage systems are often clogged by sedimentation from abandoned mine sites. HEALTH & SAFETY PROBLEMS - Abandoned mine sites have contributed to deaths in several states (in one Oklahoma county alone 11 deaths have been associated with abandoned mine site hazards). Children seem to be drawn to these sites, because they see them not as dangerous areas but as interesting places to explore. Highwalls, open shafts, dilapidated mine structures, and water-filled pits present serious health and safety threats. These sites are sometimes within easy walking distance from schools and subdivisions and become deadly play areas. ECONOMIC PROBLEMS -These lands are often located in the most economically depressed areas of our nation. These cities and towns thrived during the mining heydays but were often abandoned when mining activity slowed or halted. All that remains in many once populated mining communities are scared lands and a few residents who are willing to commute to larger cities for employment. These areas are in desperate need of new industries to replace the jobs that the coal mining industry once provided. But, the mine sites make it nearly impossible for these communities to compete for industry and tourism. ESTHETIC PROBLEMS - Abandoned mine sites - with sparse vegetation (if any), stagnant water and often used as illegal trash dumps - have a negative effect on on both "outsiders" and local residents. The appearance of the site and its proximity to public lands depress land value and detract from the tax base. The environmental scars contribute to a lose of community pride and people become apathetic toward the condition of these areas. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 In 1977 the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) was passed by the United States Congress to regulate the mining industry and to address the problem of abandoned mine sites (those sites mined before 1977). SMCRA was amended in 1990 and again in 1992. This law is administered through the Office of Surface Mining (OSM) SMCRA put an end to the practice of abandoning coal mine sites. Coal companies now reclaim lands after they mine them. SMCRA also requires that all active mining operations pay a tax on each ton of coal they produce; at a rate of 35 cents per ton for surface mined coal and 15 cents per ton of deep mined coal. The funds collected from this coal production tax goes into the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund and according to SMCRA as amended are to be used to finance the reclamation of abandoned coal mine sites. The following is a simple breakdown of how the funds are supposed to be allocated. 50% reserved for use by the state where collected 50% placed in the Federal Share Interest earned to be used on other items 20% of item 2 to be allocated for RAMP (Rural Abandoned Mine Program) .... now inactive (RAMP - the Rural Abandoned Mine Program is one of the programs authorized by SMCRA to reclaim abandoned coal mine lands.) Funding Problems The funds collected to finance the reclamation of abandoned mine sites must go though the federal budgetary process each year and the funding provided has been consistently inadequate. No RAMP funds were provided in the FY 1996 or the FY 1997 budgets, yet there was approximately $155 million in the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Trust Fund that could have been appropriated for RAMP at the end of 1996. Due to inadequate funding it is estimated that only 40% of our nations abandoned mine sites have been reclaimed to date. If this trend continues our nation will we left with thousands of acres of abandoned coal mine lands when SMCRA expires, even though funds have been collected (and are still being collected) to repair these lands. How You Can Help Be informed. Check out these talking points. Contact U.S. Senators and Congressmen and ask that they support full funding for all reclamation programs. Help us spread the word about this issue. Share your ideas on what we can do to accomplish our goals. For Additional Information, check out the following links: See the PA Organization of Watersheds and River's Fact Pack "The Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund, Partnerships and Future Challenges" for an overview of the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund. Office of Surface Mining: http://www.osmre.gov ENERGY & MINERAL LAW FOUNDATION http://www.emlf.org/Papers/coalmine.htm A non-profit educational organization providing information on legal issues related to the energy and mineral industry through workshops, specialty programs, publications and electronic information. There ought to be a law, an essay by Eric Whitney, is a look at SMCRA 20 years after its passage. PA DEP's Citizen Advisory Council Issue Paper: Reclamation Issues and the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Trust Fund addresses the current state of affairs with respect to SMCRA. National Association of Abandoned Mine Land Programs was organized around SMCRA. Check here for related information. North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) Summary of Environmental Law in the United States (Mining) Testimony of Robert Hughes of EPCAMR to the U.S. House of Representatives Resources Committee, Jan 24, 2000, on AML/AMD issues and SMCRA.
warc	201713	Urge your members of Congress to ensure Farm Bill preserves voters' rights In recent years and for the first time in American history, several states have passed laws prohibiting certain particularly inhumane factory farming methods. However, California's ban on force-feeding ducks and geese, the phasing out of gestation and veal crates in Arizona and elsewhere, horse slaughter bans in several states, and other key animal protection laws could all automatically become null and void if an agribusiness-driven provision buried in the new Farm Bill being considered by Congress is approved. If this provision passes, states and localities will be forbidden to enact laws banning practices or products that they decide are a threat to public health, safety, or morals -- including those aimed at improving animal welfare, food safety, or environmental sustainability. Here is the language of the provision from Title 1 of the draft Chairman's Mark for the Farm Bill as it is currently written: “SEC. 123. EFFECT OF USDA INSPECTION AND DETERMINATION OF NON-REGULATED STATUS Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no State or locality shall make any law prohibiting the use in commerce of an article that the Secretary of Agriculture has--(1) inspected and passed; or(2) determined to be of non-regulated status.” Though short, this provision is wide in scope, and could have disastrous consequences for animal protection, potentially destroying years of hard work and closing off future prospects for passing humane laws. It would effectively take democracy out of the hands of states and voters and allow the federal government to dictate what constitutes "humane" treatment of animals -- even as our society is starting to recognize certain industrial farming practices are inherently cruel and unacceptable. What You Can Do: The Agriculture Committee is expected to vote on the Farm Bill on June 26, and could send it to the House floor by early to mid-July with Title 1, Section 123 still in place. Please "Take Action" now to tell your federal Representative and Senators that they must not pass a Farm Bill that would prevent states and localities from making their own laws to protect animals, food safety, and the environment. Feel free to edit the sample letter as you wish, and to follow up with a polite phone call or letter to your elected officials. NOTE: THIS PROVISION WAS DEFEATED! HOORAY!
warc	201713	Species \| Rice \| Maize \| Wheat \| Barley \| Oats \| Foxtail Millet \| Pearl Millet \| Rye \| Sorghum \| Wild Rice \| Brachypodium \| Oryza Species \| Grape \| Arabidopsis Image courtesy USDA-ARS Millet has long been a staple for many civilisations, but research into it's nutritional value and use is still new. (1) Crop and production research on pearl millet is being conducted on both the grain and ornamental grass varieties. Millet's resiliency is a reason for it's success in arid climates, and are few or no disease problems associated with pearl millet (2) However, current US research efforts are to improve rust resistancy (newcrop), and and other global research addresses resistance to pests and environment (3). ARC and ICRISAT also conduct research on pearl millet. Their focus includes pest, environmental stress, weed and disease resistance.(4, 5) ICRISAT has helped to identify several QTL associated with downy mildew.(5) For more information about current research on millet, see:
warc	201713	(page 3 of 3) The study released by the center in June confirmed what many in the sector already knew: Nonprofits nationwide were under significant financial stress. Orchestras and theaters had been particularly hard-hit, along with organizations that provide care for children and the elderly. A third of the 363 organizations surveyed for the study had eliminated staff positions. Many had postponed new hires, reduced or eliminated travel budgets, and frozen salaries. Still, Salamon says, the nonprofit sector as a whole has weathered the recession fairly well. Two-thirds of the groups surveyed reported that they had handled the stress successfully—only 5 percent reported that they were in imminent danger of going out of business— and three-quarters reported that they were able to maintain or even increase the number of people they served. How have they done it? Some organizations have insulated themselves from the vagaries of the markets by tapping into a wide variety of funding pools. One such group, profiled recently in a Center for Civil Society Studies publication, is the Presbyterian Villages of Michigan, which spends roughly $50 million annually to provide affordable senior housing in a state that has been hit even harder than most. President and CEO Roger Myers says his business has softened as more seniors have chosen to stay in their homes, waiting for real estate values to rebound before selling and moving into a senior housing “village.” Some have even moved in with their children, both as a way to save money and to contribute Social Security checks to their offspring’s household income. Still, by using a combination of state funds, low-income-housing tax credits, and stimulus money, the organization has been able to move ahead with several new housing projects. “We are doing reasonably well,” Myers says. Other nonprofits are making more use of volunteers—and not just to stuff envelopes and answer phones. Kelly Hodge-Williams, who took a nonprofit management course at Johns Hopkins, is executive director of Business Volunteers Unlimited Maryland, which pairs service-minded businesses with nonprofits that need help. Early in the year, her organization began getting calls from out-of-work professionals. “People were losing their jobs and not finding work immediately,” Hodge-Williams says. “They said, ‘I love serving soup, but I would love to use my accounting skills, or my marketing skills. I’d like to keep my skills fresh and maybe network a bit.’” Since then, Business Volunteers Unlimited has put new energy into partnering “high-skill” volunteers with nonprofits that don’t have the money to hire specialists or contract jobs to consultants. An accountant volunteered to help a community development organization with its annual audit. A computer specialist helped a YMCA develop a database to track its volunteers. A third volunteer is working on a marketing plan for the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks. Hodge-Williams says her group referred hundreds of highly skilled volunteers to needy nonprofits in the first half of the year, and that at least 40 were working on projects like these. Still other organizations have managed to spin straw into gold. Aaron Miripol, A&S ’94 (MA), who earned his master’s degree in public policy, is now president and CEO of the Urban Land Conservancy, a Denver nonprofit that buys up properties in gentrifying neighborhoods with a mission to make life better for the people who live there. Much of the conservancy’s recent work has centered around a massive expansion of Denver’s rail and bus system. “There has been a lot of speculation around some of these transit corridors. Now, investors who bought in can’t refinance,” Miripol says. “Those are our opportunities now.” The group bought a former Budget Motel near a planned light rail station and acquired two parking lots totaling 25,000 square feet one block from another transit stop. Both properties will be redeveloped into affordable housing with help from the new $15 million Denver Transit-Oriented Development Fund, created by the conservancy, the city of Denver, and a national nonprofit called Enterprise Community Partners. Miripol says the Urban Land Conservancy’s financial portfolio—a pool that started with a donation of $15 million from a civic-minded oil and gas company—declined about 20 percent in 2008, limiting the amount of work he was able to do last year. But 2009 is looking significantly better. The organization draws 90 percent of its revenue from leasing the properties it owns to other nonprofits. “Right now, everyone is jumping at the stimulus dollars. It’s a mad frenzy,” he says. “But we’re not dependent on federal money. If [government agencies] are at the table, that’s great, all the better. But to be able to say, ‘We’re going to do this with or without you,’ that’s powerful.” Even in a down economy, groups like these offer proof that, as Lester Salamon has long argued, nonprofit organizations have outgrown their reputation as admirable but amateurish volunteer associations. They have become more business and media savvy. They’ve borrowed tools from and offered formidable competition to the for-profit sector. But the worst may be yet to come. “If you think it’s horrible this year, wait until next year,” says Delaney with the National Council of Nonprofits, a member of the Pocantico group. “Next year, we’re not going to have the stimulus,” he says, and the pressure on state governments to slash spending will be even more acute. He adds that foundations have been able to cushion the blow to some extent this year. The full force of their diminished reserves will not be felt until later this year and early next. He urges nonprofits to take drastic measures, if necessary. “Not one of the nonprofits in this country has written into their mission statement that ‘we’re here to hold on for another day.’ I’m urging board members to reconnect with the organization’s core purpose, to ask, ‘How can we best advance this mission?’” That mission, Salamon says, is what makes nonprofits particularly vital to society. He points to the home health care industry, which was pioneered by the nonprofit sector at a time when forprofits were hesitant to enter the field. The private sector only rushed in after home health care became eligible for Medicare reimbursement. Today, he says, many for-profits are abandoning the nursing home business as Medicare payments have declined. Nonprofits, meanwhile, are holding strong. Still, Salamon is not a champion of the status quo, and while he is confident that the nonprofit sector will survive to see a better day, he predicts—hopes, in fact—that it will be changed along the way. He has been pushing for years for foundations to behave more like “philanthropic banks,” leveraging their money by offering loans and loan-guarantee programs rather than simply giving it away as grants (which he calls “18thcentury technology”). He also believes that nonprofits could be better run and collaborate more effectively with business and government. “This was all created in an ad hoc way,” he says of the current system. “It needs to be fixed.” Salamon envisions a day when the nonprofit sector is embraced as a full partner in society: “In the future, it is not government that is going to solve problems, but networks.” Perhaps this is the silver lining to the current economic cloud: the prospect of emerging on the other side—where and whenever that might be—transformed. Greg Hanscom is a writer and editor in Baltimore. He has worked for numerous nonprofit organizations, including the award-winning Western news magazine High Country News.
warc	201713	From an investor’s standpoint, liquidity is “cash and anything else you own that can easily be turned into cash without taking a significant loss to do so.” Stocks, bonds and gold are all very liquid. Artwork and real estate are generally not. So, is it good to be liquid? Is there a certain percentage of your portfolio that should be liquid? Does it even matter? Well, if you’re a day trader, liquidity is a good thing. If you’re an investor looking at some long term goal, being liquid might not be so important. In fact, it might even be detrimental to your overall investment strategy. Skeptical? Please keep reading…. What if the market for residential real estate were as liquid as the stock market? What if, on a daily basis, you could see what someone (the market) was willing to pay for your house at that moment? A stock or any tangible asset is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it, right? Okay, so the local utility company wants to expand its nuclear dumping site into your backyard and is willing to pay twice the market value for your house – but you have to be out by Friday. Saturday’s “market pricing” might not be nearly as favorable. Do you say “Yes?” Maybe? Conversely, what if the market showed that your house was rapidly losing value – it’s been worth less and less, according to the market, every day for a number of weeks. Do you sell your house for fear that today’s price might be the best one you’ll ever see again? Maybe? Obviously there is an emotional element to owning a home that doesn’t apply to your investment portfolio, so there are other factors that may be dissuading you from just selling your home to realize a profit. Isn’t it possible, though, that these emotions could be keeping you from making the best possible decisions from an investment standpoint? Are emotions getting in the way of your other investment decisions? Could the liquidity and accessibility of the stock market (via internet sites providing real-time quotes, online access to your accounts, discount trading platforms, etc.) actually be hurting you? Is it really necessary for you to know the real-time price of every stock that is owned by every index or mutual fund in your portfolio at every minute of the day? What is the point of that? Is it helping you? My point is that this increased liquidity may only be providing retail investors with a reason to get excited, and opportunities to react to their emotions, rather than the true benefits of liquidity – “….can easily be turned into cash.” One of our goals is to keep our clients on the path to future prosperity and, in some cases, that involves protecting them from themselves. It’s easy to panic, especially with 2008-09 so close in the rearview mirror and with the media frenzy that has followed. What’s more difficult, and potentially more lucrative, is to stay calm and make measured decisions with a long-term goal in mind. Perhaps a certain amount of an investment portfolio ought to be intentionally kept in less liquid assets for this exact reason…. Have a great weekend! Adam B. ScottArgyle Capital Partners, LLC
warc	201713	Piggybacking on Texan99's comment, it is true that almost all of us these days want to mitigate some of life's unfairness. The political difference is that some of us want to restrict the mitigation to those unfairnesses that are clearly that are caused by our society. There is some messy agreement that unfairness caused by our government is also our responsibility. What with the EPA, crony capitalism, the Legacy of Slavery, public education and public debt, Not In Our Name, and police intrusion we have enough disagreement to last a lifetime, but if that were the remaining debate I believe we could get there. We could wrestle out the type of compromises common to the Constitutional Convention, theoretically unsupportable by anyone's definition of government or morality, but enough to go forward. It's the cosmic unfairness that is our real split, however. In the major British founding groups of the American colonies, having terrible things happen to you was not at all considered the problem of anyone else in society-at-large. They might attribute vessels lost at sea to Providence, or to Luck, or to Fate, or to Skill, but no one thought your widow and children deserved anything thereby. It might be a problem for your immediate family. If you had a serious reversal of health, business, or environment your culture might insist that your town, your extended family, or your parish might be on the hook for some assistance. Might. There was no belief that the colony as a whole, never mind the whole nation, had any obligation. And these were the groups which in all the world in the 17th and 18th C's cast their nets widest in terms of supporting the poor or unfortunate. No one else did anything. Drop down in Latvia, Italy, Azerbaijan, Baluchistan, Siam, Japan - there was no sense of obligation by anyone. People gave individually to beggars. Easrly Christians took up collections for distant co-religionists. What we think of as normal safety net - what even American libertarians of the strictest stripe think of as a normal safety net - is very modern, very unusual. Yet that level of "callousness" was typical worldwide for thousands of years because almost everyone was impoverished and the rescue of others meant the starvation of your own children. Before 1700, everyone brushed against starvation some years. Before 1900 everyone went hungry sometimes, even in the very few rich countries of the world. It may be a real moral advance to live in a society that believes if you are sick and a treatment exists you deserve access to it; to have a nation that says we will not only have some educational stuff lying around on the coffee table if you want it, but will take it upon ourselves to accommodate you and get education to you. I think it is a moral advance. But I also see it as an extremely expensive moral advance that I hesitate to lay on others. I don't think it is automatic and unquestionable. Such thinking only comes from people who believe "Oh, there's plenty of money out there, we just have to make those greedy people cough it up." Very, very recently, no one thought that the world was even remotely fair.
warc	201713	Dealer Scam Verified Attorneys Find Dealer Scam Attorneys Located in Popular Cities Find Dealer Scam Attorneys by State Dealer Scams Attorneys Dealer scams are tricks an automobile dealer may use to fool you into paying more money than you are expecting to for a car. This may mean coercing or deceiving the buyer into getting a more expensive car, paying more for a car, or tricking the buyer into agreeing to less favorable terms than he or she has requested. If you have been accused of being involved with dealer scams, you will need an experienced dealer scam attorney to represent you in court and offer legal guidance throughout the process ahead of you Types of Dealer Scams Types of dealer scams can vary, as there are many different ways a dealer can trick you into overpaying. One of these ways is to lie about financing. The dealer may say you failed a credit check when you did not, and offer to give you financing at outrageous rates. Or they may tell you that your financing fell through after you agreed to buy the car and use this as an excuse to try to set up a new, more expensive deal. Other dealer scams may involve trying to get you to buy overpriced insurance that you don’t need, convincing you that a car is worth much more than it really is, or offering you less than you are entitled to on your trade in. Benefits of Hiring Dealer Scams Attorney Often consumers regret a purchase or get themselves into a loan that they don’t feel comfortable with. When this happens, they sometimes try to turn the tables on the dealer. Protect yourself and your business by hiring an attorney to defend you against these claims. Otherwise, you could end up paying out serious money as financial restitution, which can be quite expensive and appears to be an admittance of fault or wrongdoing to your clients, customers and peers. Click to learn about Dealer Scam Law on LawInfo.
warc	201713	16 March 2017 If your asphalt driveway is faded and showing its age, you may be wondering what you can do to bring it back to life. As long as the base under the driveway is still in good shape, you probably won't need to tear out the old asphalt and install a new driveway. Depending on the degree of wear and tear, you can have a sealcoat applied or have the asphalt resurfaced. 10 March 2017 There is nothing like having water where you do not want it. When your home floods it can be one of the most devastating things that can happen. Luckily you do not have to battle this problem alone, and you can hire a professional clean up and water damage repair company. These companies provide many different services that can make your life much less stressful during the anxiety filled time. They can take care of the water cleanup while you see to other matters that have occurred since your home was flooded. 6 March 2017 Industrial cooling involves one or more processes by which the air in the plant has a reduction in temperature. If you are desperately trying to cool your plant down and prevent heat-related medical issues for your employees, you know what a struggle this is. What you may not know is that there are four industrial cooling options, and each of them works a little differently. After you have learned more about them, you may want to use more than one option to cool down your industrial plant. 1 March 2017 If you are looking into installing a great heating system for your home, you should consider radiant heating. Here are three reasons to install radiant heating in your home. Very Efficient A radiant heating system is going to be incredibly efficient because all of the heat is going to go exactly where you want it to go, and you aren't going to have to worry about heat loss. This is possible because the radiant heating panels are going to be installed directly into your floors, walls, and or ceiling, which are located in the rooms that you want to heat. 1 March 2017 If you've recently experienced water damage in your home, you may have a lot of mold to deal with. This can be unsafe for your family as well as the structure of your home. You want to make sure that you carefully remove all mold so that you're safe and there is no further damage. The good news is there are professional teams who can help with this need. You should never guess your way through mold removal on your own. 1 March 2017 If you want to give the exterior of your home a different look, then you have a choice of many different siding veneers. These products are made from different materials like fiber cement and vinyl, which can be used to completely change the look of your home when you do renovations. Here are some of the different vinyl siding and veneer materials to change the look of your home during renovation projects: 1 March 2017 When you are building a home, garage, commercial building, or shed, support for the roof is critical to the design. If the roof is not supported properly, the weight can bow out the walls, or worse, cause the entire building to collapse. There are different styles of trusses that can be used on different roof types and the materials used are varied. Consider talking with a building engineer to determine your needs and have the trusses constructed by a company that specializes in making them.
warc	201713	Your car does a lot for you each day. Perhaps you’re not sure if you know enough about cars, but are willing to learn. If that’s what you want, read on to learn about simple maintenance. Regularly check out your radiator. Start your car, wait a few minutes and shut it off so you can safely inspect the radiator. Never open your radiator if your vehicle is running. Check the radiator fluids using a dipstick and remember to always mix the coolant with water before putting it in the radiator. Before paying your mechanic for any work done, make sure to take it for a short test drive first, to make sure everything is working as it should. If you don’t do this, you may not have the appropriate problem repaired. Take all valuable items out of your vehicle before taking it in for repairs. If something is missing, it will be your fault if you do not take it out. Clear out your trunk, too. Look out for signs that your mechanic isn’t very good. If they avoid your questions, you may want to look elsewhere. It is good to feel like you trust your mechanic, so move on if you don’t feel like you can. Keep washing your car throughout the winter. Your car may get dirty again quickly, but all that buildup is terrible for your car. Salt and sand from frozen streets can cause rust spots and other flaws. Pick a warmer day and dry the car completely before heading back onto the road. A dealer isn’t your only option for auto repair. There are good mechanics all over that can fix your car. Whoever makes you feel most comfortable is the person who should be doing the car repairs. Whenever you fill up on gas, make sure you check the pressure of your tires. Make sure there are no objects embedded in your tires at the same time. It is important to get your tires fixed right away if there is something wrong. You don’t want to have to drive around with bad tires. Don’t try to diagnose and fix complex automotive issues. Keep in mind that you are not a professional. What can seem like it’s simple to fix may be a lot harder, especially if the vehicle is newer. Let the professionals diagnose your problem. Be knowledgeable about the details, but let the repair shop make the diagnosis. Some shops steal your tires and use old tires to replace them! It is a profit racketeering tactic that is used to boost profits. Before going in, chalk tires in order to mark them. Look for the chalk when you pick up your car. Don’t let a mechanic talk you into getting your car’s engine flushed when it doesn’t need it. This service is expensive, and unless you’ve failed to change the oil on time regularly or something similar, you are not in need of this service. You should be consistent with where you get your car repaired. Stick to a trusted mechanic whom you have used before instead of going to multiple places for repairs. Not all shops will give your car the same diagnosis for it’s problems. They will provide different estimates, too. When a mechanic gives you a diagnosis, don’t make a decision about repairs for a couple of hours. Call several other places to get quotes on the same work the original mechanic says you need. If another place can fix it cheaper, pay the first place their fee for the diagnostic and have your car fixed somewhere else. Once you have paid a mechanic for replacing a part of your vehicle, ask him or her if you can keep the old part. If he cannot provide this, he may not have done anything with your car. This is a red flag that should be raised. Any quote over $200 needs to be provided in writing. Should a problem occur, it will be easier to make a complaint when you have written proof. It also ensures that no extra fees can be added later. Don’t be afraid to ask questions of your mechanic. There is no limit to the questions you can ask. How long is the repair going to take them? Ask about the kind of work done to your vehicle. What do the parts cost? Ask any other questions you have. This demonstrates your knowledge and gives you a base of data for future issues. Ask someone you trust for referrals. Word of mouth is often the way to find the best one. This gives you much better chances than just picking one out of the blue. As previously stated, taking proper care of a car is crucial. You can save yourself a good amount of money if you even just know simple maintenance. Use these tips and remember them next time your car is doing something strange or you have reason to worry.
warc	201713	Pregnancy Symptoms Top 10 signs of pregnancy If you’re extremely tuned in to your body’s rhythms, you may begin to suspect you’re pregnant soon after conception. But most women won’t experience any early pregnancy symptoms until the fertilised egg attaches itself to the uterine wall, several days after conception. Others may notice no signs of pregnancy for weeks and begin to wonder “Am I pregnant?” only when they miss a period. Below is a list of some of the first signs of impending motherhood. You may experience all, some, or none of these symptoms of pregnancy: Food cravings. Yes, it’s a cliché, but food cravings sometimes can be a sign of pregnancy. Don’t rely on them as a sure symptom (it may be all in your head, or even a sign that your body is low on a particular nutrient), but if cravings are accompanied by some of the other symptoms on this list, start counting the days from your last period. Darkening of your areolas. If the skin around your nipples gets darker, you may have successfully conceived, though this may also signal a hormonal imbalance unrelated to pregnancy or be a leftover effect from a previous pregnancy. Implantation bleeding or cramping. About eight days after ovulation, you may experience implantation spotting, a slight staining of a pink or brown colour, as well as some cramping. This is caused by the egg burrowing into the endometrial lining. You might also see some spotting around the time you expect your period. Frequent urination. Once the embryo implants and begins producing the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), you may find yourself going to the bathroom more often. Fatigue. Feeling tired? No, make that exhausted. High levels of the hormone progesterone can make you feel as if you’ve run a marathon when all you’ve done is put in a day at the office. Fatigue is a hallmark of early pregnancy, though probably not a surefire symptom on its own. Tender, swollen breasts. If you’re pregnant, your breasts will probably become increasingly tender to the touch, similar to the way they feel before your period, only more so. Once your body grows accustomed to the hormone surge, the pain will subside. Altered sense of taste. You may notice that your sense of taste changes. Some women say they have a metallic taste in their mouth, others that they cannot stand the taste of coffee, tea, or a food they usually like. Morning sickness. If you’re lucky, morning sickness won’t hit you until a few weeks after conception. (A lucky few escape it altogether.) But as early as a couple of days following conception, you may begin feeling nauseated and queasy. And not just in the morning, either — pregnancy-related nausea can be a problem morning, noon, or night. A missed period. If you’re usually pretty regular and your period is late, it’s worth trying a pregnancy test. A missed period is the surest sign of pregnancy in a woman of childbearing age who usually has regular periods. And finally… A positive home pregnancy test. If you’ve waited to test until at least the first day of a missed period and a blue line appears in the test window, you’re most likely to be in the family way. Make an appointment with your doctor to confirm the good news, and head on over to our pregnancy area. Congratulations!
warc	201713	Mostly everybody loves rainy season as it gives a great relief after a long dreadful summer. No season is more beautiful than monsoon as you felt like you are in heaven by watching little drops of rain falling; enjoying cool breezes even it adds more sweetness in your life with a cup of hot tea. Is this beautiful season really good for your car? Does your car love the rainy season? It is really necessary to maintain your vehicle during the rainy season, as increased humidity and moisture during the monsoons can accelerates corrosion. Don’t forget that low maintained vehicles are more prone to accidents. So, better safe than sorry and follow the given below simple ways of maintaining your vehicle during the monsoon. Here are some important and effective ways to maintain your vehicle during the monsoon season First the most important is tyre care, make it sure that all the tyres have at least 2mm of tread as it helps to avoid aquaplaning. While driving your car, it is necessary to have good visibility and so your car wipers should work smoothly. Brakes are most important part of the car so its condition should be in good position. As the time taken for applying brakes increases it is necessary to get service before the monsoon. If any metal part is left exposed then it is necessary to touch up small scratches before the rains hit as small damages may result into heavy loss. The simple way to keep your car clean is make use of rubber mats as wet carpet leaves a bad odor in the car. Check that lights and indicators and fog lights regularly also check whether battery terminal is properly tightened and greased or not. It is advisable to keep extra tapes, bulbs and fuse as they can be used in case of emergency. It is really advisable to keep a first aid box and tool box with all the essential things. AC is one of the best options to keep visibility as it helps in avoiding vapors. By keeping it on the fan mode, the problem of mist can be eradicated easily. Before driving your car, it is necessary that all the four mud flaps should be well fitted as it will not only protect your car from mud but it is also safe. Always use good quality of bulbs as the light which seems okay during other season may not be okay for monsoon. As during this season, wet road absorbs light that ultimately reduces the visibility. The best safety element is your car insurance and make it sure that you get it renew on the time as it protects yourself and your car from an unfortunate damages. Try to avoid your car parking in low-lying areas, like under the tree. Before the rainy season starts, give a coat of wax as it will not allow water to come in contact with the car paint ultimately prevent rusting. It is desirable to wash your car regularly as it prevents dirt, contaminants, and residues from permeating the paint. Use a good car shampoo to clean the car as it prevents scratches from the car. Last and most important, drive carefully.
warc	201713	Dear Cantor Matt, What’s so special about the Shema? Why does everyone close their eyes when we sing it? Is it more important than all the other prayers? — Sometimes I peek Dear Peek, I think the custom started when 80-year-old Aunt Sadie went up on the bimah wearing a dress that was way too low-cut and everyone closed their eyes so they wouldn’t have to look. Actually, I like to think of the Shema as a special and beautiful prayer that’s hiding in plain sight. It’s become so common and so well-known that worshippers have stopped paying attention to it. How did this one single line take on such popularity? After all, the prayer book is filled with beautiful poetry and prose, expressing a wide range of emotions and plaintive pleas. What is it about the Shema that propelled it to Number One? First, let’s look at the simple meaning of the words. Translated to English, it basically says: “Listen up, Israel. Your God is One.” That’s it? It hardly seems like the most profound concept to say that there’s one God. Even our non-Jewish friends and neighbors go to church and pray to one God, even though they do it pretty differently than we do. Muslims, too, go to a mosque and praise one God (whom they call Allah). Why does the Jewish religion make such a huge deal over this one fairly obvious sentence? There are a couple of reasons. Before the Jews came along, no one had ever said this before. That’s right — what seems like a no-brainer to all of us Jews and non-Jews today was earth-shattering, groundbreaking territory in ancient times. Everyone used to worship lots of gods (notice the small G there) before the Jewish people came on the scene. You would have a god for rain, a god for the sun, another god for fertility, a god for your favorite sports team (OK, maybe not that one). Whenever anything bad happened, that would be the evil god’s fault, and you would look to your benevolent gods to be victorious and return your good fortune. Then the Jews announced: “No! There is only one, all powerful God.” To think that one God was in charge of everything in the world, both good and bad was truly a bold statement, and something that no one had thought of before. The Shema is the credo of the Jewish people. One reason why almost everyone knows the Shema is that we start teaching it to little kids as soon as they’re old enough to learn. It’s a great way to teach about the entire Jewish religion in a few short words. Before you can go on and learn Torah, prayers, Jewish history, and all the other stuff that’s important, you have to know the foundation of being Jewish. It’s become customary when reciting the Shema to close your eyes. How you do this — whether simply closing your eyes or covering them with your hand — isn’t important. In fact, it’s not even required that you close your eyes at all. Because this prayer is so fundamental to being Jewish, we try to give it an added measure of concentration, blocking out all other distractions and thinking only about the words. That’s something that both kids and adults can easily relate to. I’ve always thought of the Shema as the mission statement of the Jewish people. It helps send all of the other prayers in the right direction. Cantor Matt Axelrod (Congregation Beth Israel, Scotch Plains, NJ) is the author of “Surviving Your Bar/Bat Mitzvah: The Ultimate Insider’s Guide.” He’s always happy to hear from you and he might answer your question in a future column. You can email him at cantormatt @mattaxelrod.com. ©2014 Community News Group By submitting this comment, you agree to the following terms: You agree that you, and not BarBatMitzvahGuide.com or its affiliates, are fully responsible for the content that you post. You agree not to post any abusive, obscene, vulgar, slanderous, hateful, threatening or sexually-oriented material or any material that may violate applicable law; doing so may lead to the removal of your post and to your being permanently banned from posting to the site. You grant to BarBatMitzvahGuide.com the royalty-free, irrevocable, perpetual and fully sublicensable license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform and display such content in whole or in part world-wide and to incorporate it in other works in any form, media or technology now known or later developed.
warc	201713	Firstly, please accept my apologies for being a neglectful blogger.. (if there are any readers left out there who even bother to check to see if I have written anything anymore...) I have been mostly focusing my mental energies on my studies, and since most of the assignments are research/writing intensive, it takes a great chunk of both time and mental resources away from what I would generally apply to blogging. It isn't that I don't love you anymore, or that I have forgotten about you... I promise! In my religious studies, the lion's share of the assignments are directed towards developing and exercising one's intuitive thinking... learning to see beyond the surface level of whatever the topic at hand may be. While I tend to do this as a matter of course anyway, it isn't a dramatic detour from Bear's normal way of thinking, living, and acting... what isdifferent, however, is the context of the thought and focus of the thinking. While I have philosophized and devoted a great deal of thought to spiritual and/or religious thinking, this is now directed and distilled through the vehicle of the assignments that I have been working on. Much of it is experiential, and time must also be devoted to prayer, meditation, and other exercises that serve to unite aspects of the self into a more unified whole (those aspects being mind, body, and spirit in this instance). So, as you may imagine, my plate has been somewhat full. Nothing in any of this should lead one to believe that my regular schedule of work, gym, and normal maintenance of living area/body/life in general has been changed or diminished in any way. These things must still be attended to. I am called upon to find the time for study in the 'spaces between' the other times. In some ways I am able to do it, and in others I end up dumping on Elysia to some extent, which isn't cool.. because she ends up having to do more than her share... so this is something that has to be worked out so that it won't become a regular thing. Mind you, she hasn't said anything... but Iknow when it happens... so I am working on squaring that away. Balance is the key... and sometimes it takes some adjustments to get your equilibrium just right. That is where I am at the moment. I am moving along in my coursework, and developing a rhythm, which is good. I am learning new things, and learning exactly what it is that I already know, but didn't know that I knew! So.. all in all, things are coming along in the spiritual/college/continuing education department. We had a wee layoff from the gym, due to minor injuries... and we are back on track again, so that's a good thing! We sat down and re-examined what we were doing, and have uncovered a huge flaw in our eating habits! Apparently, ourconception of what constituted a portion, compared with the actualsize of a portion as viewed by the remainder of the world who are not obese, is spectacularly and hideously out-of-whack. This explains a great deal, and hopefully, now that we have gotten our periodic reality check out of the way, we can continue on with our program and actually start seeing some results once again... apparently, there is a thing called 'portion size creep' whereby you start out with normal sized portions, and over time, the size of the portion insidiously grows until you are consuming the equivalent of three hefty-sized water buffaloes, .75 acres of greenery, and sixty-seven barrels of grains and pastas... ... ... between meals!! Needless to say... that's not cool. The amount of weight that I need to lose could serve as ballast for most of the Pacific Fleet. Shit. The garden is starting to wake up, and this brings joy to my heart!! We have Snowdrops, Crocuses, and Daffodills blooming, and many of the other plants are poking thier wee heads out of the earth and are well on their way!! I feel like I am seeing old friends again when I see them starting to grow this time of year! Hopefully, this weekend will be a relaxing one, devoted to resting, recharging, study, companionship.. and, well... other stuff!! I found out last night that one of the people from my Gaelic study group had a massive stroke and a heart attack, and that he had lay for two or three days on the floor of his apartment, all alone and in pain, before anyone knew that he was in trouble.. When I think of this, it makes me feel slightly ill. Needless to say, everyone is praying that he recovers, but, with something like this, I'm not sure how much one can hope for. I suppose you hope for the best and be grateful for whatever good comes of it... I have been going through a somewhat awkward situation at work with a supervisor getting physical on an almost daily basis. This ranged from pushes and shoves, to ear flicking, to hard slaps in the head, to outright hitting. At first, I wasn't sure how to respond, and tried to take it as a form of play. Over time, it started to get more and more physical until it was actually becoming painful, leaving marks, etc. I asked that he stop, tried to talk to him, and finally demanded that he stop, but it wasn't working. Talking to the owner wasn't really an option because he is almost never there, and something tells me that it would come out completely wrong and lopsided, making me look like a bit of a puss in the end. Not that I much care whether I am looked on as a puss, it is more of a case of me not having confidence in that course of action. I spoke with my wife about it.. at length (I think she might just have me whacked if I bring this up much more...), and she said that I was warning way too much, and that I needed to start taking action more. She phrased this a little differently than I have portrayed it, what she actually said was along the lines of; "You need to quit trying to warn him so much, and start hurting him... every time he touches you... he'll get the message, eventually. He just has to decide how badly he needs to be hurt before he stops..." I pretty much decided that, in spite of my personal feelings about physicality, she was correct in what she had said. So, the next time he touched me, I popped him in the gut, not really hard, and said, "I'm not going to keep warning you to keep your hands off me. Every time you touch me, you are going to get hurt. Knock that shit off!!" He was slightly surprised, but came back again the next day and grabbed the hood of my sweatshirt, and tried to choke me by pulling on it. I knocked his hand away, and told him to knock it off. As I turned to walk away, he slapped me in the back of my head. So, I decided to put Elysia's suggestion into practice, and nailed him with a quick but fairly solid lead-hand jab in the center of his chest. His eyes got big and round, and filled with tears, and he began doing something with his mouth that fish do when they are taken out of the water.. I didn't say anything. I just stared at him, and patiently waited for his next move.. He went and sat down for a while, then he left for an hour or so. Later in the day, I heard him telling someone that I "stopped his heart for a few seconds". So far, he hasn't touched me at all, and has been extremely polite, which is very, very much out of character for him. I feel somewhat sheepish about the whole thing, preferring to just be happy and get along with everyone, but part of me recognizes that it wasn't really my choice to take the situation that far. He could have chosen to stop it at any point along the way. I never, ever start in on him or put my hands on him. So this is where it stands, and I am hoping that we have gotten past the whole physical intimidation crap and can simply work together and be comfortable. I'm not sure if it will work out that way... but I will settle for simply working together and keeping our hands to ourselves, to be quite honest. The owner's brother works with us on a daily basis, and has recognized that I never start the incidents and that responded reasonably by consistenly using the very least amount of force necessary to deal with a difficult situation. He seems to think that I should have responded this way long ago and nipped it in the bud. I think he and Elysia are right. I really hate the contention... I just want to go to work, do my job, and stay happily inside my own head until it is time to go home... where I reallywant to be!
warc	201713	There is misconception in people mind, that treating acne scar is something daunting and very hard to treat but unfortunately with advancement in technology getting rid of these scars is become very simple and fast. Acne scar is most prevalent skin conditions in the world and most of the youngsters are suffering with this issue. Lot of products are introducing in the market everyday for getting rid the acne problems and numerous products, definitely people are get more confused in that what to buy how to use what to use, here after no more worries about that. After advent of laser treatments the acne scar removing is very easy and tremendous people are enjoying benefits from the laser treatments. Well there is lot of methods for getting rid the acne but laser resurfacing is more effective with results and that’s reason for getting more number of users for acne scar laser removal. Days are getting more advanced with technology and instead of searching chemicals or natural remedies better go with the acne scars removal Toronto; they provide world’s best laser treatment with effectiveness in treating the acne scars. Why to go with Kaser Acne Scar Removal Method With many other options, most of them are choosing laser acne scar removal due to its effectiveness in works and results are amazing for the user. As you all know that there are so many acne scare removal treatments are present but choosing the right one is little bit daunting and if wants to get the spots to be fade away then choosing the laser is best one for all. Many of them tried with different methods for treating the acne scars but they may not seen good results in the treatments so this makes you to find the right one for treating the scars. The most feasible solution for treating the acne scar is to go with the laser solutions instead of spending more money this is right answer for those who in search of acne scar removing treatments. The new technology in the laser provides complete expected results in removing the acne either it’s in face or body, laser will provide ways and erase the scars from acne with using the laser beam technology and the lights passed in to the scars to treat for permanently. But based on the process of treating the scars are getting rid for temporary and for sometimes this may be sets for permanently. Fortunately, those who are suffering with acne skin problems, scars then choosing the laser treatment will provide best solutions with very effectiveness, and that’s reason for extreme popular for laser technology in the market. There are different types of acne scars but this may requires various laser treatments and based on that laser treatment will be provided so better consult and get suggested with the dermatologist before choosing the laser treatments. Lot of benefits is included in the laser treatments and if you like to get rid these scar very effectively then make your search online. Author Bio: Owen Ormsley describes the seriousness of acne scars and also offer tips to undergo treatment of acne scars removal Toronto in the painless way. Canada Med Laser Hair Removal Clinic 395 Queen St W Toronto ONM5V 2A5 Canada +1 647-493-3254
warc	201713	Realtors: Pocatello area housing market has improvedMar 7th, 2017 \| By Copydesk \| Category: Featured By Kendra Evensen POCATELLO — For years, Gail Bishard has advised people who were interested in selling their homes to wait so they wouldn’t end up losing money on their investment. For some, it would have been a big loss. Due to the recession and recovering economy, there have been many foreclosures, short sales and sellers writing checks in recent years, said Bishard, the broker/owner of Bishard Realty. But that’s no longer the case. Currently, many sellers are getting good prices for their homes and buyers are getting low interest rates, Bishard said. She adds that there’s an unusually nice balance right now. “Finally, I would say go for it,” Bishard said. Greg Johnston, a sales agent for Keller Williams Realty East Idaho, who has been collecting data on the market for years and is known for his expertise, agrees that it can be a good time to buy and sell. “If it’s clean and priced right, the home will sell,” he said. And sellers may be able to make a little money while buyers may be able to get in on a good investment. Home prices have finally returned to pre-recession levels and they’ve even started to surpass them, Johnston said. “People are more confident in the economy,” he said. Prices can vary depending on the types of homes involved, but the average sales price of single-family homes in the Bannock County area at the end of 2008 was $155,151, and in 2007 it was $156,918, according to Johnston. Last year, 1,058 single-family homes sold and the average price was $165,845. Average sale prices have increased about $6,000 over the previous year, Johnston said. “We never have a huge increase. We don’t have big market swings,” he said, but he added that a 3-4 percent increase is still a good thing for the area. And there are other good things happening in Pocatello. Johnston said his office is receiving calls from out-of-state investors interested in buying duplexes and fourplexes. “They’re looking to buy here and that’s a good sign,” Johnston said. There was also more new construction taking place in 2016 than there has been since about 2006 or 2007 — roughly 10 years, Johnston said. Staci Hernandez, president of the Greater Pocatello Association of REALTORS, said 77 news homes were built in Bannock County between 2014 and 2016. And as of Jan. 26, there were 29 newly constructed homes active on the market and two pending. Hernandez believes jobs are helping drive growth and improvements in the market. “Over the last several years Idaho has consistently been in the top two states in the nation for lowest unemployment rate,” she said. Bishard says local mayors and others have worked hard to bring new business opportunities to the area and it’s paying off. New restaurants have been opening and the FBI is expanding its local facility and staff among other exciting changes. More opportunities for employment, combined with an affordable cost of living, numerous recreational opportunities, and a close proximity to other popular locations — such as Island Park, Jackson Hole, Sun Valley and Salt Lake City — make Pocatello appealing. Bishard said buyers coming from larger cities sometimes worry that they won’t be able to find enough things to do in the area. But she encourages them to give the community one year. After that, the buyers often call her to tell her thank you and say they never want to leave. “They all tell me they love it here,” she said. Hernandez said there is currently an inventory shortage of homes in the area, so if anyone is considering selling, now is a good time to do it. “Our association is filled with very talented, dedicated and knowledgeable realtors,” she said. “I would encourage anyone wanting to list their home to call a local realtor today.”
warc	201713	With decades of experience in creating the products that we all know and love to use, we were excited to speak to Dr Ali N. Syed, Master Chemist and President of Avlon. How did you get into the hair industry? When I arrived in the US, in 1972, I wanted to get into the chemical industry. By chance, I got into the cosmetic industry as a Manufacturing Chemist and later specialised in product development. I loved developing products for multi-textured hair, as it is a very challenging research area with a lack of quality products and the market I wanted to do my best to ensure our consumer’s had the choice of better quality products. Tell us about the average day in the life of a Master Chemist/President of Avlon… My days are usually very exciting. Firstly, I take a tour of the company to see what is going on overall. I always have a list of things that I am working on and will follow up on these things. I believe that follow-up is key to the success of any executive. I attend scheduled meetings with various departments on a daily basis. Most importantly, I spend much of my time managing research and development projects and new product development and innovations. I strongly believe that innovation and NPDs are key to success of Avlon and this is what drive’s us as accompany to be better today than yesterday. What tips do you have for today’s consumers that can help them to find the right product for their locks? This is a very important question. I would recommend consumers to research about their hair and how to care for their hair. Unfortunately, manufacturers do make many false claims regarding their products which are often not validated. Consumers should always read about the ingredients and their interaction with hair itself. They should also read about the global textures of hair, find out what hair type they have and what brands and products are available for their specific hair type. They can read my blog as well to get this information (www.dralinsyed.com). As a scientist, what monthly regimen would you recommend to keep your hair healthy? First thing is to identify your hair type and scalp condition. Then use the right type of cleansing products, conditioning products including deep conditioners, leave in products, styling products, and any other specialised products for your specific needs. If your hair texture is curly, and you have decided to stay curly, then use cleansing products such as co-wash and a shampoo once a month, followed by a leave-in conditioner and a curling gel or cream. Also use daily moisturisers that have a cream base. if you relax your hair, make sure you use a salon – I wouldn’t recommend relaxing your hair at home as there are parts of your head you can’t see. Deep treat your hair twice a month and use a leave-in conditioner daily. Work with your hair stylist who will prescribe maintenance products. What is your top tip for transitioning hair? I recommend cutting off your previously straightened hair and then indulge in styling your curly hair using products that are formulated to care for naturally curly hair. What kind of innovations are on the cards from Avlon for 2017? We are constantly involved in innovating new technologies that are less damaging to the hair and scalp. We are looking at new technologies where hair is almost as strong as untreated hair when it is chemically straightened. We will also have new semi-permanent straightening technologies, anti-frizz technology and technologies that will allow you to care for your natural curly hair styles. We believe in providing technologies according to the needs of the consumers, with the least damage to hair and scalp – healthy scalp and hair is our main priority. Our research on human scalp and hair is second to none in the personal care industry – no stones are left unturned Why do sulphates need to be in shampoos? How do they benefit or harm the consumer? The “Sulphates”, generally mean Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, Ammonium Lauryl Sulphate, or TEA Lauryl Sulphate. These are detergents and have been used in hair shampoos for last 60 to 70 years. Our research in our dermatology laboratory shows that these detergents are drying to hair and scalp, whereas Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Ammonium Laureth sulphate are not as drying to hair and scalp. The amphoteric detergents are generally milder to hair and scalp and are present in many high quality shampoos such as KeraCare Detangling Shampoo. I have written extensively on this issue in my blog posts. However, I now formulate shampoo with primarily milder detergents. These shampoos are tested on the human scalp and skin for moisture contents and any skin irritation prior to being introduced to the market. As the leading chemist for relaxer formulation what are your thoughts on them? I know there has been significant bad press against relaxers but that press has been based more on social attitudes rather than science. According to science, ingredients in the relaxers such sodium hydroxide or guanidine hydroxide are not carcinogenic. These materials if formulated right do not damage the hair and scalp as compared to formaldehyde/methylene glycol. One must look at the relaxer formulas as a total system – other ingredients such as mineral oil, petrolatum in relaxers mitigate the irritation potential of the relaxers. The new relaxers would further reduce the hair and scalp damage to almost nothing, as we have found in our Research Center. There are many new natural ingredients that have shown a great potential for protecting the hair and scalp during relaxing process. Some of the problems with relaxers came from the retail industry more than professional salon industry due to bad quality formulations and faulty application techniques. We always recommend consumers visit a good salon for all chemical service and don’t try to do them at home as hair stylist are trained to deliver these types of services. For more info on the Avlon range visit avlon.com
warc	201713	Provocateur Webinars As part of the agricultural and applied economic priorities and solutions project, we are going to host webinars to encourage greater engagement in the ideas presented at the workshop. Please consider attending to hear more about these innovative and forward-thinking ideas! All webinars will be recorded and made available on the C-FARE YouTube Channel. This is a C-FARE facilitated event and part of AAEA Government Relations Activities. Keith Coble, A W.L. Giles Distinguished Professor of Agricultural Economics, Mississippi State University Keith Coble will discuss his vision for how our profession can contribute to solving important problems relating to agricultural production and policy questions associated with those problems. He will suggest that long-standing risks such as market volatility and weather and climate change will continue to pose new challenges while environmental and resource constraints will grow. However, the data used to answer important empirical questions appears be changing dramatically and big data is opening many new doors for research. Ultimately policy makers will still value quality scientific research from objective sources. The challenge is for our profession to provide it. James Vercammen, Professor of Food and Resource Economics, University of British Columbia Academic work in agricultural economics is increasingly driven by the availability of high-quality data sets. While this is good in that important policy questions can be answered more carefully, it does mean, however, that subject areas such as agribusiness and food supply chains that are not well endowed with data are not receiving the research attention they deserve. Graduate students must be shown the value of strong conceptual frameworks, case studies and structural econometric methods of empirical analysis to ensure that they are well equipped to effectively tackle a broad array of topics in their professional careers. Jayson Lusk, Regents Professor and Willard Sparks Endowed Chair, Oklahoma State University The presentation will discuss emerging issues and priority areas related to food policy and consumer concerns about the the food. Madhu Khanna, Professor of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Sustainably growing the food needed to feed 9 billion people by mid-century in the face of climate change and growing policy interest in bioenergy is a grand societal challenge. Integrated approaches that link natural systems with human decisions and that improve our understanding of the effects of climate change on human and natural systems and the potential for adaptation are critical to finding innovative solutions. The potential to use big data to improve private and societal decision-making, the challenges of designing effective policies to address the multiple ecosystem services affected by agricultural systems and the importance of understanding the multi-dimensional spillover effects of agricultural, energy and environmental policies will be discussed. Mike Woods, Chair of the Department of Agricultural Economics, Oklahoma State University The talk will briefly assess contributions made by agricultural economists to enhance the well-being of rural residents through research and outreach. Many models and approaches have been utilized to address issues of economic growth, wealth creation, poverty, and many quality of life factors. Emerging needs related to technology, health care and education will be reviewed. Agricultural economists have much to offer through applied research, extension programming and classroom instruction. International economics TBA
warc	201713	wrongful dismissal claim The Ontario Superior Court of Justice recently awarded an employee $50,000 in punitive damages in a wrongful dismissal claim because it was “rationally required” to punish the employer for its behaviour toward the employee and to meet “the objectives of retribution, deterrence, and denunciation”. What should you do if an employee asks to rescind his or her resignation? If you really love that employee, you say “Great! Welcome back.” But if this isn’t your favourite employee, you may have an obligation to undo the resignation anyway. In order to decide whether or not to allow them to withdraw the resignation, there are a few factors that you should consider. The recent increase to Employment Insurance benefits for Compassionate Care Leave from 8 weeks to 28 weeks has given most employees in Canada the ability to care for seriously ill loved ones without jeopardizing their employment for up to 28 weeks. In addition to compassionate care leave most provinces also provide for critically-ill child care leave and some family responsibility leave enabling employees to cover the periods of illness of family members. So why don’t most provinces offer the same job protection to sick employees? Termination of an employment relationship can come in many forms; some apparent and some not so. In the latter case, it often falls to a court to determine whether an employer’s actions constitute dismissal or constructive dismissal. This was the issue faced by Justice Lack in the recent decision of Sweeting v Mok. Every month I have the benefit of drafting a quick blog on great employment law topics. A case that I very recently read, which is probably the best employment case I have ever read, catalyzed my interest in drafting a quick primer on the law of just cause. In the case of Barton v. Rona Ontario Inc. (2012 ONSC 3809) the plaintiff Kerry Barton was an assistant store manager at Rona in Barrie. He managed approximately 140 employees. One of the employees was wheelchair bound… An employer decides to dismiss an employee without notice and without legal cause. Subsequent to the dismissal, in reviewing the employee’s work, the employer discovers a number of errors which, if known at the time, would have been sufficient to support a dismissal for cause. Can the employer successfully argue cause in defence of a wrongful dismissal claim? This is a question I have been asked many times by employers, as a review of a dismissed employee’s work after dismissal often reveals significant errors or, in some cases, outright dishonesty. This case is a stunning example of mistreatment of migrant workers: a live-in nanny recently launched a wrongful dismissal claim against her employer in the Ontario Superior Court seeking damages in the amount of $195,000 for breach of contract, unpaid wages, statutory holiday pay and vacation pay. A topic that I address often in presentations and with clients is the failure, on the part of the vast majority of employers in Canada, to use employment agreements properly (if at all). As I have said many times, policies and agreements are the easiest ways for employers to establish the rights and obligations of the parties and avoid having them imposed by common law or other principles. Mitigation of damages in the context of a wrongful dismissal claim is one of those concepts that is often referred to but not well understood. Update on damages arising out of bad faith in the course of dismissal: Soost vs. Merrill Lynch Canada Inc. The Court of Appeal in Alberta has just ruled that there was no basis to award “The Damages Formerly Known as Wallace” in Soost v. Merrill Lynch Canada Inc., dramatically reducing the value of the award. Making the decision to dismiss an employee for just cause and litigating a wrongful dismissal claim on the basis of summary dismissal are two different things…
warc	201713	Greater Manchester has announced its plans for health and social care devolution and its oversight of providers. Joy Furnival examines health and social care oversight functions across the UK and asks what Greater Manchester can learn from these. Devolution and integration of health and social care in Greater Manchester (GM) is the first of its kind in England. GM is a conurbation with a population of almost 2.7 million, which is a million more than Northern Ireland’s, and a health and social care budget of approximately £6bn, which is similar to Wales. The devolution arrangements are consistent with the goals outlined in the Five Year Forward View from NHS England, aiming to support the transformation of care in GM to reduce health inequalities and improve health outcomes and wellbeing for all GM residents. Initially, it was suggested that GM would develop its own oversight and regulatory system to support these plans, liberating GM from national requirements. However, the finalised devolution agreement indicated that GM oversight will be in addition to existing national regulation. Whilst these plans are described as ‘breathtakingly’ radical in England, it is less so elsewhere in the UK. Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland have been using integrated health boards since their devolution. (Northern Ireland has health and social care trusts). Across the three devolved nations there are a variety of approaches for regulation, oversight and scrutiny to ensure patient and public safety and the delivery of health and wellbeing. In England there are three main regulators, each with its own purpose. Monitor, the sector regulator of NHS foundation trusts (covering two thirds of all healthcare trusts), is responsible for protecting and promoting the interests of healthcare users by promoting provision of efficient and effective healthcare services whilst maintaining or improving their quality. It also authorises and regulates foundation trusts. For non-foundation trusts, the Trust Development Authority (TDA) takes on a similar role for promoting efficient and effective services and ensures organisations are developing to become foundation trusts. The third national body is the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which regulates the quality and safety of care delivered by NHS trusts and foundation trusts, primary care and adult social care. Across the devolved nations the oversight arrangements, superficially, are surprisingly similar. There are still many complex scrutiny and oversight bodies and devolution does not seem to have simplified this very much. In Wales, care quality in health boards is scrutinised by Healthcare Inspectorate Wales and the Care and Social Services Inspectorate, with performance and delivery reviewed by the Welsh Assembly Delivery Unit. Similar functions are undertaken in Northern Ireland by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA), covering health and social care, and in Scotland by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) and the [social] Care Inspectorate, both with a respective performance and delivery bodies. Despite integrated health boards in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, there remain separate bodies for scrutiny of health and social care quality, performance and finances, with some joint working. They face familiar challenges, linked to resourcing, consistency of approaches and partnership working – however, new approaches to oversight and scrutiny are emerging. In Scotland, for example, there is recognition that integration between health and social care is changing the way services are delivered and thus how they need to be reviewed. Consequently, new – and lengthy, each takes 24 weeks – joint inspections for older people are now being completed in tandem with the Care Inspectorate and Healthcare Improvement Scotland. Whilst it is early days for this approach, it demonstrates the commitment to, and the complexity of, scrutinising health and social care services and offers insight as to ways that integrated services could be examined in GM across care pathways. But what of this transformation and improvement? Won’t all these new powers and bodies and oversight in GM, just be new structures on top of old structures? There is a risk that it will create more complexity and increase duplication of oversight, whilst fragmenting scrutiny expertise and reducing the consistency of approach needed to ensure patient safety. The Memorandum of Understanding between GM, NHS England and the Treasury – whilst revealing much of the ‘why change’ – reveals little of ‘ how’ the new working arrangements will ensure programmes are implemented and evidence-based, new ways of working will be adopted to ensure the best health and wellbeing outcomes and consistently safe care. GM could look to Scottish devolution. HIS has multiple roles, to both scrutinise through review and inspection against standards and also to provide evidence for best practice and to ensure improvements. It does this through traditional scrutiny activities such as inspections and reviews, but also, more radically, alongside the Scottish Quality Strategy. The Scottish healthcare regulator leads the Scottish Patient Safety Programme and is a key partner in the Scottish Quality Improvement hub, building skills, capability and support for staff and patients, to ensure staff and institutions know ‘how’ to deliver improvements, as well as the ‘what’ and ‘why’. This blends improvement science, evidence and scrutiny approaches for care oversight. The prospect of further oversight in an already crowded and complex landscape seems almost like an additional burden for GM. However, new forms of oversight will be needed – nationally or regionally – to understand and hold accountable the complex ways in which GM plans to integrate care and work with partners to deliver its aims and health and well-being outcomes. GM will need innovative solutions for future regulation, oversight and improvement in this area and existing devolution of health care offers learning as to how that may be enacted to ensure the benefits of devolution and health and social care integration are delivered for all the 2.7 million people who live in GM.
warc	201713	Established restaurants and breweries take food safety very seriously. But hobbyist home brewers and new micro brewers may not have access to the food safety testing information they need to ensure they’re brewing clean beer. Sanitation is essential to producing the best product possible, and as Oktoberfest approaches, more and more small-scale breweries are ramping up their production, and thus, their sanitation procedures. In fact, sanitation is so vital that, “most brewers spend their first several months of their career just learning to clean, before they are ever trusted with brewing,” said Jim Kuhr, brewmaster and director of brewery operations and for F.X. Matt Brewing Company, the brewery behind the popular Saranac brand. So, have you ever wondered what goes into preventing contamination at breweries? Swab to Validate Brewery Cleanliness Though every facility will implement their own sanitation and quality control procedures, Puritan Medical Products produces a range of bacterial swabs and environmental sampling kits which may be appropriate for food safety testing in microbreweries or home production facilities. While many home brewers tend to worry about yeast, it’s bacteria, specifically lactobacillus bacteria, that's the most common form of contamination in breweries. According to Suzanne Berens, author of “Prevent Contaminated Beer: Tips from the Pros,” unclean lines are the most common reason that bacteria will develop, and the heat exchanger has the greatest potential for harboring bacteria. One of the easiest ways to validate the food safety procedures at your home or microbrewery is to swab for bacterial growth in areas through which the beer must pass. Morebeer.com recommends "swabbing all areas which should be clean and sterile, including: cleaned-in-place fermenter hose ends, exit ports from hard piping, the plate cooler, or the filter." You may also want to consider swabbing keg interiors and filling heads. Causes of Bacterial Contamination in Breweries During the grain malting process, cereal grains are germinated and dried. The starches are then converted to sugars, which are gradually consumed by yeast as the beer ferments and becomes alcoholic. Not surprisingly, this high-sugar environment is extremely attractive to bacteria, who may thrive and multiply; potentially ruining a batch, or worse, contributing to the contamination of an entire facility. If you’re a small-scale vendor, that kind of contamination can end up costing you thousands of dollars in unusable product. How to Swab for Bacterial Contamination in Breweries Thoroughly wash hands and forearms up to elbow. Apply gloves or other personal protective equipment. If using dry swab, unwrap from packaging and add a few drops of sterile saline solution to swab tip. If using a pre-moistened swab, unscrew cap and carefully remove swab, taking care not to touch swab tip against outside of vial. Using firm pressure, swab an area no larger than 10 square centimeters, rotating the swab to ensure the entire tip has been exposed to sampling area. Immediately place swab in transport medium and cap tightly. Label all samples and place upright for storage. Commence testing How to Test Beer Swab Samples for Bacteria You have a couple of options for testing. MoreBeer.com recommends incubating the swabs for 2-6 days at 75-80 degrees; periodically checking for any growth on the swab tips. Brewingscience.com, on the other hand, recommends streaking exposed swabs across the surface to plated media, or adding 10ml sterile wort to the transport tube and allowing to incubate at 86 degrees for three days, and monitoring for growth. The method you choose should depend on the equipment you have access to. Even small production facilities need to be mindful of their food safety practices. After cleaning and sterilization, take the time to extract a few swab samples of areas that you need to ensure are sterile. Identifying a potentially compromised batch or tool could save you thousands. And the peace of mind in knowing you've got a healthy facility? That’s priceless. Want to learn more about using Puritan swabs for your food safety validation? Contact one of our knowledgeable product specialists today. SOURCES: Berens, Suzanne. Prevent Contaminated Beer: Tips from the Pros. Brew Your Own. The How-To Homebrew Beer Magazine. Retrieved September 12, 2014 from: https://byo.com/stories/item/1263-prevent-contaminated-beer-tips-from-the-pros Donald, Tim. The Art Behind Quality Craft Beer. Food Quality & Safety magazine August/September, 2014. Retrieved September 12, 2014 from: http://www.foodquality.com/details/article/6523631/The_Art_Behind_Quality_Craft_Beer.html?tzcheck=1 Tveekrem, Andrew. Quality control for keg cleaning. probrewer.com. Retrieved September 5, 2014 from: http://www.probrewer.com/library/archives/quality-control-for-keg-cleaning/ Allen, Fal. The Microbrewery Laboratory Manual - Part II: Bacteria Detection, Enumeration, and Identification. Brewing techniques. Retrieved September 5, 2014 from: http://morebeer.com/brewingtechniques/library/backissues/issue2.5/allen.html Brewers’ Laboratory Handbook: BREWING WITHOUT THE BLINDFOLD™. Retrieved September 5, 2014 from: http://www.brewingscience.com/PDF/BSI_brewers_lab_handbook.pdf Malt. Wikipedia.org. Retrieved September 5, 2014 from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malt
warc	201713	Call it a gut feeling or a call it a conviction based on a growing mountain of evidence, but in my opinion, Baby Boomers are going to flood the real estate market during the next 10 years like a tidal wave. Downsizing, relocating, home sharing, group buying, or reeling from that crash point when our plans to stay in our home meet with the reality of our actual income from our savings – here we come, and we’re not going to follow any path or fit any mold you’re probably used to. Real estate firms that gear up for our needs – that take the time to understand us, will prosper. And the first thing to learn and understand is – don’t expect us to walk in the door, hire you to sell our big homes, and trundle off in our electric wheelchairs to the nearest assisted living facility or retirement community. We’re going to be all over the place – choosing options to “age in place,” looking for Village to Village communities, and in some cases buying bigger houses than ever before for shared living. You will not be able to know what we want based upon our age as we walk in the door. We are going to surprise you. If you understand this, you will garner clients and make money. Perhaps more than ever before. Currently, there are 78 million Baby Boomers in the United States, and of those, 10,000 are retiring each day. About half plan to relocate in some form or another. Ka-ching. I think that one company, Southeast Discovery, gets it. They’re a real estate consulting firm specializing in Baby Boomers interested in the Southeast region: Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Tennessee and southern Virginia. Marian Schaffer, Principal and Founder of Southeast Discovery, notes “There’s been a sea change in today’s retirement buyer and what they want their retirement years to look like. It is much more focused on intellectual growth, health and wellness.” Thank you for understanding us, Marian Schaffer. Live long and prosper.
warc	201713	Thursday, April 15, 2010 Published at:JJOLL Abstract This study falls into two parts. The first part aims at demonstrating how pragmatic and functional considerations are important in legal translation. The corpus the researchers relied on consisted of nine translated versions of three authentic contracts. A Real-Estate Contract, a Contract of Lease and an Employment Contract were commissioned to be translated by three professional translators certified by the Palestinian Ministry of Justice asking them to translate these texts the way they would usually deal with legally binding, official documents. The second part explores the relevance of Vermeer\'s Skopos theory to the translation of contracts through a small pilot study that compares the work of translation students with a broad, theoretical background and that of a professional translator uninformed about theories of translation. A group of graduate students of translation and applied linguistics and a professional translator were assigned to translate a \"Power of Attorney\" legal Sunday, November 15, 2009 Published at:International journal of Arabic-English studied (IJAES) vol.10,2009 This paper falls into history and memory studies in the post-colonial tradition, particularly the controversy over the pastness of the past and its relevance, irrelevance or partial relevance in the present. The paper marks out moments of reallocation of the recourses of history and memory in two Morrison texts: Song of Solomon (1977) and Tar Baby (1981). In addition to the concepts of racial injustice, economic exploitation of the subaltern, commitment to black history and cultural heritage, all common themes in the critical canon on Toni Morrison, the novels also represent a conflict between several discourses of value coding within the black community itself . The divergence between these discourses opens a space in which members of the black community can look beyond a cruel past and a stagnant present to rethink the way the black society organizes itself , a move which , to a significant extent , determines its social , economic , and political condition in the present. By introducing alternative s Tuesday, January 10, 2006 Published at:Journal of Contemporary Thought,24(winter)2006 How do all these words live? How do they grow and blossom? We still feed them tears and memories; We feed them metaphors and wine. M. Darwish, "Roses and Dictionaries" And some of us expect literature to provide us with comfort and consolation, or at least a few moments of mercy and grace, or at the very least a little distance and perspective. But I have neither comfort nor consolation, and I have no distance. I tell you that what was is no more. Oz, "Of Dreams and Dreamers" This paper discusses the: shifting conception of nationalism and the role literature plays in the evolution of a national character in the work of two renowned writers, Palestine's Mahmoud Darwish and Israel':; Amos Oz. Many a time in their work, Oz and Darwish stop to ponder the value d their writing to them individually as well as to their respective societies. They, obsessively return to the q Thursday, March 10, 2005 Published at:10th International Culture Studies Conference Refereed Proceedings,spring 2005 Abdel Karim Mohammed currently works as an assistant professo' of comparative literature and c ill! ral studies at An-Najah National University, He teaches Cultural Theory, Liter, ry Criticism, Comparative Literature, and Post¬Colonial Literature. His research interests are in comparative cultur al analysis and post-Marxist literary theory. He takes the definition of a cultural text beyond the traditional one of seeking material for analysis on the shelves of libraries. The definition expands to include ordinary conversations, media presentations, images and photographs, classroom discussions, and other such cultural phenomena. One finds there a first-hand, unofficial narrative of cultural transitions and evolutions. "And We Are of Clay and Light": Palestinian National Memory on the Border Between Myth and History This paper analyzes the cultural productions of a world-renowned narrator who has contributed heavily to forging anl re-forging Palestinian national mem
warc	201713	Improving services for the bottom 40 percent of the population requires more than policy reforms and capacity building. The Inclusive Growth conference suggested that Bank operations may need to further encourage transparency of state performance, help internalize citizen feedback in the public sector, and empower local leaders to experiment and inspire others. In the session, “How to Make Services Work for the Bottom 40 Percent ”, Robin Burgess, Stuti Khemani, Jakob Svensson, drawing on their recent research, showed that . Social Development Uruguay stands out in Latin America and the Caribbean for the significant and early progress it achieved in terms of social protection. Now gaining global attention, Uruguay is pioneering an award-winning information system to reduce poverty and vulnerability. The system addresses challenges faced by many governments in targeting and coordinating social assistance and, with reduced costs from license-free software, it could soon be replicated in other countries. (about 25% of its GDP, and over 80% of total public spending). While these resources have enabled great advances, the wide array of institutions responsible for deploying them creates coordination challenges. A neighborhood road a minute walk away from my house in the southern plains of Nepal used to be paved. When I was a kid, it was usable during all seasons. Not anymore. A few years ago, I’m told, residents worked with the municipal officials to get drinking water to their houses. Officials broke the road so they can connect drinking water pipes from the nearby main highway to neighborhood homes. That road has yet to be repaired. When I asked my parents and neighbors why it has taken so long for the road to be repaired, they responded by saying the municipality officials have ignored it. The town’s municipal officials said locals haven’t contacted them yet about that road and there are other projects the municipality is working on. The broken road in my neighborhood isn’t one of those projects. To put it gently, public services in my hometown remain in dire condition. Would things have been different if residents of my hometown engaged more with their local government? Maybe. Over the last couple of years a small team of us have worked on an initiative to incorporate the regular, systematic feedback of citizens into the design and execution of World Bank programs. I would like to share some of our experiences working together with governments, civil society organizations and citizens in Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa on this citizen engagement initiative. First, citizen engagement is not new. For instance, the early work by Robert Chambers, “The Origins and Practice of Participatory Rural Appraisal and Michael Cernea’s “Putting People First” date from 1980s and early 90s and were quite inspirational for many of us who have worked issues of gathering and acting on citizen feedback. At the same time, something important has changed. There has been an increasing demand by civil society and citizens to have a greater say in public decision-making, and a desire among many governments to be more inclusive and responsive to citizens’ needs. Also, the rise of innovations in technology has provided citizens with new and unprecedented opportunities to directly engage policy makers and demonstrated the potential to facilitate “Closing the Feedback Loop” between citizen and governments. On Monday, the final round of discussions will get underway in Bangkok on the indicators to measure the Sustainable Development Goals that were agreed by all UN Member states in New York last month. The agreement from New York calls for the underlying indicators to “preserve the political balance, integration and ambition” of the agenda. Target 16.3, as agreed in New York, is to “Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.” The proposed indicators for 16.3, to be discussed in Bangkok, do not respect the ambition of the target as they both focus on the criminal justice system. Whilst criminal justice is important to many people’s lives – in truth, only a small percentage of the population comes into direct contact with the criminal justice system. Sustainable development is about much more. World Bank President Jim Kim recently said “we will not reach our twin goals […] unless we address all forms of discrimination, including bias based on sexual orientation and gender identity.” Sexual and gender minorities are particularly important for the Bank because they are (likely) overrepresented in the bottom 40% -- the target of the Bank’s goal to promote shared prosperity. Why only “likely”? Because robust data on LGBTI development outcomes is rare, even in high income countries. With support from the World Bank’s Nordic Trust Fund, we are seeking to fill some of these data gaps, starting with research in the Western Balkans. What we do know is that, across the board, barriers to education and employment contribute to greater chances of being poor – and this may be worse for LGBTI individuals. Available data on Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people shows that youth are more likely to face barriers in getting a good education. It’s also harder to find – and keep – a job, pushing LGBTI people further into poverty. In late 2011, as part of our Institutions Taking Root (ITR) series, my colleagues and I visited some of the most remote villages in Timor-Leste to seek feedback from citizens on the performance of the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MSS). The responses of citizens we met on the trip – many of whom were living on less than $1.25 per day and scarcely had any interaction with government – were intriguing. Governance issues are prominent on the development agenda - as exemplified by the recent G8 focus on transparency or in discussions of the post 2015 agenda. However, at least among most donors, the governance aspects are dealt with separately from discussions of social or environmental (or even economic) aspects. Is this a useful distinction? Or are we missing a trick from the financial and private sectors in not developing integrated environmental, social and governance (ESG) approaches?
warc	201713	The windmill palm, Trachycarpus fortunei, is the most cold hardy of the arborescent palms found anywhere in the world – at least as far as we know. Originating from central China and adjacent parts of southeast Asia, it is grown in far flung parts of the world these days, withstanding surprising amounts of cold, wintery weather. If you’ve seen a picture of a palm tree with snow covering it, most likely it was a T. fortunei. It has become such a common feature in “tropicalesque” temperate gardens that having one is no longer a big deal nowadays. In nature it lives in humid continental climates that range from cool to hot in summer, and quite frosty in winter. For this reason it can be grown in both hot and cool summer areas, provided winter lows don’t get too cold. Trachycarpus fortunei is a single stemmed, arborescent palm of relatively cool mountain forests. The trunk typically attains heights up to 10 meters (~30 feet), however vigorous ones can go 13 meters or more (a little over 40 feet). It’s trunk is quite narrow, no more than 30 centimeters in diameter, and usually covered by a thick layer of old leaf bases that look exactly like a fibrous plant husk. Some older trees have clear trunks that are grey in color. The fronds are palmate, meaning they have a long leaf stem (petiole) that ends in a fan-like frond composed of fused leaflets. These grow up to 2 meters long, are very regular in appearance, are normally dark green, and very nearly round, hence the common name windmill palm. The petioles are nearly bare except for a two rows of small spines, and can be up to a meter long. The fan is composed of 30 to 50 leaflets, each up to 90 cm long. They can be held straight out in some trees, forming a true fan shape, or droop considerably in others (much like the leaflets of Livistona chinesis). These characteristics are consistent within a tree, and so are due to genetic rather than environmental factors. Flowering commences in mid spring. Clusters of flowers (called spadices) emerge and elongate into downward arcing scapes up to a meter long and carry hundreds of flowers each. This palm is dioecious, meaning trees either carry female or male flowers. Flower color is creamy yellow, though the female flowers are bit more green. Male trees can also have spadices that have hermaphroditic flowers (having both female and male parts) and these can set viable seed. The kidney shaped seeds mature to a blue-black color by late fall and winter. The exact native range of T. fortunei is not well known since it has been cultivated for centuries in China and Japan. Most sources list it as being native to elevations of no more than 2400 meters anywhere south of the Qin Mountains of Shanxii Province in north-central China, and westward through Sichuan and up to the edge of the Tibetan Plateau, with the apparent main distribution having been in the Yangtze River Valley. The species is also reported from Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Nepal, and Bhutan, where it is most likely naturally occurring. It is found in Taiwan and southern Japan, but its occurrence here is most likely a product of cultivation. Nowadays this palm is found usually near human habitation, so the exact habitat type it originated in is unknown. It is found near cultivated fields, as yard trees, in plantations and occasionally in forests. It is most commonly seen in warm temperate to subtropical mountains or hills throughout its range. In cultivation this palm has been grown even in areas with distinctly cool temperate climates including much of Europe (as least as far north as the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Holland, France, Germany, Denmark, southern Scandinavia, and westward to Bulgaria and Crimea), North America (north to coastal British Columbia, Canada and coastal areas of Washington State and southward, and in the eastern USA as far north as coastal Virginia and the deep south states), as well as Tasmania and New Zealand (where it is considered an invasive species). Here in Japan it is naturalized to low mountain forests, and though volunteer seedlings even show up occasionally in my small garden, I wouldn’t call it a pest species. Much has been written about and asserted concerning the limits of this plant’s ability to endure cold. It is not uncommon to hear of people growing it in truly cold winter climate areas such as southern New England, the southern midwest states, and the southern plain states in the USA. Mind you these areas rate as cold as USDA zone 5 many winters. Despite these reports, without some fairly serious winter protection, this palm isn’t likely to endure anything lower than -12 C (10 F) and remain a viable plant in the longterm. Still, that is very impressive for a tall trunked palm. Can a mature, well sited specimen endure colder temperatures and live? Sure, perhaps. Severe cold snaps, if fairly short in duration, most likely will be endured, but there is a limit to this as well. Of course, if you wish to go the extra mile and protect your trees, you can extend its growing range remarkably farther north provided the soil only superficially freezes. With that in mind, this palm is fully cold hardy up to USDA hardiness zone 8 (even in cool summer climates), and with good winter protection can certainly endure zone 7, and possibly even zone 6 (there are plenty of folks who said they’ve succeeded). Anything colder than that and you’ll need a greenhouse or equivalent winter protection. Folks cook up all kinds of novel ways of keep their palms alive in winter including completely wrapping them with fleece or cloth, making miniature greenhouses around the whole tree (sometimes just the crown), protecting the crowns with straw or similar materials, knocking snow off the fronds, mulching the ground around their bases, and even wrapping their trunks with Christmas lights! These methods can work wonders, but as you can imagine, as trees grow it becomes increasingly more difficult to protect them. There is a whole wonderful world of “zone deniers” out there that will go to almost any length to keep their prize plants alive in less than perfect conditions. With cold hardiness out of the way, let’s consider other needs of this palm in the garden. It grows very well in full sun if the roots are well watered, but the fronds will tend to grow more compact. In a more sheltered spot the fronds will be longer and the tree will have an overall cleaner look on average. This tree also does fairly well in moderate shade, though in truly deep shade it will be spindly and unhealthy. Some growers report that the foliage will shred fairly easily in windy climates, making them unsightly (you really can’t please some people!). In nature it most commonly grows on well developed loam soils, though this does not seem to be a requirement as trees do quite well in the sandy soils of north Florida. Likewise, clay soils do not seem to be much of a problem since this tree is commonly grown in the southern states of the USA, famous for their red clay. The Royal Horticultural Society’s website even lists chalk base soils as adequate. Soil reaction is optimal from medium acid to around neutral (~pH 5-7), though this tough palm can handle more acidic or alkaline conditions as well. It certainly thrives in Japan’s acidic, volcanic loam soils. Fertilizer can be applied (especially in potted specimens), but most soils have enough natural nutrition to keep this tree happy. Propagation is from seed, which is said to be rather straightforward. Diseases are thankfully not that bad for this palm. Occasionally scale and aphids can cause infestations. Root rot is a problem and can cause the tree to die suddenly and completely, but this condition is rare (I do see this fairly often in wild trees in the forests of Japan though). Leaf spot can also be a problem, but mostly is unsightly. Harrison and Elliott list T. fortunei as moderately susceptible to lethal yellowing (a systemic bacterial disease). Though incurable, the disease has been successfully controlled with oxytetracycline HCL (OTC). Trees have to be treated repeatedly, and even if the bacteria are suppressed enough to allow normal growth, reinfection may occur. A few interesting details about this palm. It was first introduced to Europe by the famous German physician/botanist Philipp Franz von Siebold in 1830, presumably the first westerner to see this species. Oddly enough, it wasn’t described until 1850 under an illegitimate name, and later in 1861 by its present name. Though Siebold was the first to discover this palm, it was the Scottish plant collector Robert Fortune working for the Royal Horticultural Society who brought the palm into England in quantity starting in 1849, and hence it was named after him. Interestingly, Kew had received a seedling from Siebold’s original collection as early as 1836. It is odd how some things work out. T. fortunei has been cultivated for centuries in China and Japan mostly for the fibers derived from the old petiole bases. Especially in times past these were used to create fabrics, brooms, brushes, and doormats. The fruits are also a source of wax and a hemostatic drug (eFloras.org). Until recently, a dwarf growing compact form, ‘Wagerianus’, was considered a separate species. Currently most botanists do not consider it distinct from T. fortunei, probably in part due to the fact that no known wild populations exist (and therefore no type material for botanical analysis). It was found in cultivation in Japan a couple centuries ago, and little is known about its true origins. Regardless, it is very distinctive in appearance, and is true from seed, so for growers it is definitely a different palm. It is much more compact in all respects and coveted as a garden plant, being called “much prettier than fortunei” by most growers. Luckily, it seems no more difficult to grow than the typical type, and is just as cold hardy. Truly, this palm deserves a separate article. Here’s the perfect cold hardy palm if you just can’t live without that tropical look. Moderately fast growing, with few requirements other than a relatively mild climate, this palm’s a winning candidate for tropicalesque gardens everywhere.
warc	201713	No doubt the day your child was born was the happiest day of your life. You have never felt a connection so strong to a human as you do with your child. By utilizing the parenting tips listed below to maintain a parent-child connection which is vibrant and thriving, you can cultivate a blossoming relationship between you and your child! If you are an expectant parent, remember that it is not necessary to spend obscene amounts of money on furnishing your nursery. Many baby items can be purchased at discount stores like Wal-Mart or secondhand from thrift stores, for a much lower price than at a more expensive specialty store. It also makes sense to solicit unused items from friends and loved ones. Make some space on your kitchen counter, set your child on a towel and run water over his hair and scalp. For many toddlers, this method will take the fear out of having their heads dunked or water poured over them. It is natural for young children to have a hard time transitioning. In many cases, shifting between projects or tasks can be so upsetting that your child may even wind up in tears. Parents who have a teenager that is beginning the college selection process need to make sure that they do not try to influence their child to go to the same university that they did. If teenagers feel pressured they may do the complete opposite, feeling they are being controlled. Even dedicated parents need some time for themselves. Have a family member or friend watch your children, even if it is just for a few hours. Parents can become overwhelmed by stress when they do not have any time for themselves and that can have a negative affect on the entire household. To be a successful parent you should be as close as you can with your child. Having an open line of communication now will make it much easier to parent your child after they become a teenager. Follow the advice you have read to strengthen your relationship with your child, and be the parent that your child deserves.
warc	201713	The power of compounding interest is a magical tool. Your growth potential is exponential. Nowadays, we are living longer than ever before. With longer life spans, we now have more time than ever to watch are money grow. When it comes to compound interest, time is key. I first started investing with a broker and dividends from my portfolio holdings would just be placed into a cash account where I would eventually buy something else when enough money accumulated. Now, I index invest, and all of my dividends and earnings are automatically invested into my holdings. I invested with a broker for two years. That time I lost on allowing my money to compound might not seem like much, but it will eventually equate to the loss of thousands down the road. Let your money compound and live off of your interest in retirement; until then, let it be. Budget Smart, Invest Wise
warc	201713	A settlement among the South Carolina Department of Commerce, its Division of Public Railways and the city… Other Post November 12, 2012 May 01, 2012 April 01, 2012 There are numerous disruptive trends that are reshaping fleet management, transportation and supply chain operations. More stringent regulations and advanced technology are examples that are making more companies look for unique and innovative ways to re-think their processes and gain advantage by leveraging the infrastructure and focused expertise of… Caption:A double-stack CSX intermodal train crosses the Bear Mountain Bridge on the northern portion of the CSX River Line, which runs from North Bergen, New Jersey to Selkirk, New York. Photo: CSX Trucks shoulder most U.S. freight – but rail and intermodal transportation is on the rise, and… Caption: FECR provides reliable, flexible and safe end-to-end intermodal rail solutions to customers, reaching 70 percent of the U.S. population in four days or less. Photo: Florida East Coast Railway By Mark Kleszczewski Costs rise, but logistics sector moves forward. Logistics is often undervalued by those outside… By Rachel Duran Advances at intermodal developments boost supply chain efficiencies. “Railroads are pushing and pushing to develop intermodal sites across the country,” says Tim Feemster, managing principal Foremost Quality Logistics, a supply chain consultancy based in Dallas. The results of the efforts are playing out throughout North America as… By Rachel Duran A continued trucking capacity crunch sends more freight to intermodal operations. The roadways of the United States are dominated by tractor-trailer traffic — 75 percent of freight that moves, moves on a truck. Beset by a number of economic and regulatory pressures, trucking companies are dealing with…
warc	201713	Cool Info If You’re Suffering With A Personal Injury You can build and win a personal injury case, but you must know enough about the lawyers in mcallen, and you must have the right attorney on your side. Do not believe all the commercials before you explore all of your options. It’s time to see what is out there and familiarize yourself with all the elements. Even if you are in an accident and you do not feel like you are injured, go see a doctor. There are many times that injuries come up later as a result of an accident. Seeing a doctor will show that you had some concerns about your condition early on. Watch what you say. This is especially true at the site of the injury. You have no obligation to tell people who you think is at fault. You also do not need to provide more information than legally required. Making any statements on the scene of the injury may lead to more complications as your case progresses. Finding the right lawyer for a personal injury case often means trying at smaller law firms. Big firms don’t put these type of cases high on their to-do list, so you may find that your case is handed down to lower level attorneys with little experience, leading to a less positive outcome. Choose a lawyer who talks less and listens more. You’ll find that a lawyer who talks your ear off is one who also talks too much at trial, which can be to the detriment of your case. A lawyer who listens to what you have to say will be able to use your evidence better at trial. One reason why getting to your trial quickly is beneficial to your case is that you will be able to get the money to pay your medical bills as they come due. Obviously, you can’t be in court if you’re still laid up in the hospital, but as soon as you can get there, you should get it over with. If you were injured by an animal, do your best to find out who it belongs to. If you make any mistake about who the owner is, and you file a suit, it may be difficult to sue someone else once it is revealed that this is not the owner. You do not need a personal injury attorney if your injuries are not that significant. It will simply cost too much money to get a lawyer on board if you only have a few cuts and scrapes on your body. If, however, your injuries are causing you to miss work or seek out quite a bit of medical care, it is important to speak with someone in the legal field. Keep in mind most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis. These attorneys get paid a pecentage of the ultimate judgement for your injury. This can range to as high as 40% of the eventual settlement. Find out the contingency percentage before you make any agreement with an attorney. Do not hire a lawyer who contacts you first to help out with your lawsuit. A lawyer who contacts you first to offer their services is probably not good enough to attract clients. You should politely decline their offer and keep looking for a good lawyer who has more experience with this type of cases. If you’re physically injured, document them using photos before getting treatment. Photo evidence will substantiate your claim and provide proof of your injuries. You can earn a larger settlement if your injuries were bad. Find out who can be held responsible for your injury. You need to know which party to sue. If you are unsure who is at fault for your injury, consult an attorney. Remain quiet. After an injury, it is in your best interest to zip your lips. Tell the medical professionals you deal with about your pain, what happened (but not, “My idiot boss caused my injury!”) So mention the specifics and answer questions. If you do not offer a lot of information at the onset, then you preserve your options for your case down the road. Do you feel like you have a much better chance of understanding and winning your personal injury case. With the tips on personal injury law that you have just read, you are much more knowledgeable and should be able to choose the right lawyer to meet your needs today. Remember what you have learned, and win your case!
warc	201713	Beef cattle NSW has Australia’s second largest number of beef cattle, after Queensland, with about 20% of Australia’s cattle and calves. Beef production is very adaptable to climate and occurs in all agricultural areas in NSW. As a consequence beef production can be found in the cold dry climate of Monaro, to the hot dry Western Plains and even the sub-tropical Far North Coast. As a result of the vast weather variances, the processes and advice can also vary substantially. Climate, soil fertility and the level of pasture improvement largely determines the breeding and range enterprises possible in certain areas of the state. How Local Land Services can help Local Land Services (LLS) will work in partnership with farmers and farming groups to provide support, advice and best practise examples to increase productivity and profitability. We work closely with organisations such as the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) to provide up to date technical advice and support. We work together with DPI to implement strategic plans such as the NSW Animal Biosecurity and Welfare Strategic Plan 2013-2015. This plan will safeguard the economy, environment and community from diseases and pests that affect animals as well as improve animal welfare outcomes. LLS livestock officers will coordinate local producer groups and hold field days on timely and locally relevant topics including animal husbandry, pasture management, disease management and drought preparedness. Training and courses LLS experts are pivotal in the delivery of education programs such as the PROfarm range of short courses, including Beef care and handling, and S tock assess. They will coordinate local producer groups on timely and locally relevant topics such as feeding and nutrition, husbandry and breeding and selection. Advice and assistance Our LLS livestock officers and district veterinarians are here to help you. Call 1300 795 299 to get in touch with your Local Land Services region.
warc	201713	About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloe, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which means "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me!?" (Matthew 27:46) The words above are familiar to most Christians. They were spoken by Jesus on the cross just before He died. On the evening previous to this Jesus had been turned over to the authorities by a "friend". Another of his "friends" had disowned him. He had been falsely accused, spit upon, and made fun of. A crown of thorns had been pressed into his head. He had been beaten and in a weakened condition had been forced to carry his own cross. He was tortured by having his hands and feet nailed to that cross, and was then left to die. He felt the pain of being desperately thirsty and not being able to drink. Jesus, the innocent Son of God, suffered all of this because of his love for us. He was able to endure the physical punishment and the humiliation without crying out or pleading with his captors, but when forsaken by God his Father, he cried out in desperation. We read in Isaiah 53:7: He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.Our loving Savior Jesus could withstand human punishment, but when separated from his Heavenly Father he cried out in agony. There is a very strong message here for us. When Jesus cried out in agony, he was suffering the pangs of hell. Hell is a place where there is complete separation from God's presence. We cannot even imagine the despair and loneliness that Jesus felt at that moment. Our lives here on earth are often filled with heartache, sorrow and pain. The problems we experience in this life however cannot be compared to being completely separated from God in Hell. Here on earth believers and unbelievers alike receive blessings and gifts from God. All people enjoy the beauty of nature. All have felt the warmth of the summer sunshine. We have all smelled the fresh air and heard the birds singing on a spring morning. We have all seen the winter sunshine sparkling on freshly fallen snow. Most of us have seen the beauty of the mountains, which God created, and the vastness of the oceans. We all have material blessing, which help to make our lives easier and more enjoyable. In this life believers and unbelievers alike experience good and bad, happiness and sadness. In hell however there will be no happiness. Hell will be the ultimate punishment for those who don't believe in Jesus as their Savior. The presence of God will not be there. Without God there is no happiness, only sorrow and trouble and pain. Jesus gives us an idea of what hell is like in Mark 9:47-49 when he says: And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. Everyone will be salted with fire. As a Christian I consider it not only a privilege, but also my duty to reach out in love to those who do not know Jesus. Hell is a very serious matter. Our time of Grace can be snatched away from us at any moment. Life here on earth is very fragile. Because of this I will continue to lovingly tell all who I meet of the hope they have in Jesus. This life on earth is not all there is. God…wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.(1 Timothy 2:3,4) By Kristeen - To God be the Glory!
warc	201713	1 CITP Luncheon Speaker Series:CITP Luncheon Series Aylin Caliskan-Islam – De-anonymizing Programmers and Code Stylometry – Large Scale Authorship Attribution from Source Code and Executable Binaries of Compiled Code Date: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 Location: 306 Sherrerd Hall Streaming Live: https://www.youtube.com/user/citpprinceton Food and discussion begin at 12:30 pm. Open to current Princeton faculty, staff, and students. Open to members of the public by invitation only. Please contact Jean Butcher at butcher@princeton.edu if you are interested in attending a particular lunch. De-anonymization is identifying the owner of an anonymous piece of data to re-identify the source. Research has shown that it is possible to de-anonymize individuals in large datasets by searching for fingerprints in anonymous data. In this work, we are interested in de-anonymizing programmers by attributing authorship to code samples of unknown authors. Being able to de-anonymize programmers can aid in resolving plagiarism issues, forensic investigations, and copyright-copyleft disputes. However, being able to de-anonymize individuals among thousands is a direct threat to privacy and anonymity. In this talk, we will examine de-anonymizing programmers from the standpoint of machine learning, which provides methods applicable to code stylometry to model programmers’ coding styles. Stylometry has been known to exist as the study of writing style, which is unique to every author. Similarly, code stylometry shows that coding style is unique to each programmer. Consequently, it is possible to de-anonymize programmers from their coding styles. A source code sample can be represented as a feature vector consisting of stylometric properties of code, such as lexical, layout, and syntactic properties. By using these numeric representations, a machine learning classifier generates a model for each programmer’s style, and attributes authorship to 14,400 anonymous source code samples of 1,600 programmers with 94% correct classification rate, which is a breakthrough in accuracy. We also tackle the much harder problem of de-anonymizing programmers from executable binaries of compiled code. Many potentially distinguishing features present in source code, e.g. variable names, are removed in the compilation process, and compiler optimization may alter the structure of a program, further obscuring features that are known to be useful in determining authorship. We examine executable binary authorship attribution by using a novel set of features that include ones obtained by decompiling the executable binary to source code. We show that many syntactical features present in source code do in fact survive compilation and can be recovered from decompiled executable binaries. This allows us to add a powerful set of techniques from the domain of source code authorship attribution to the existing ones used for executable binaries, resulting in significant improvements to accuracy and scalability. We demonstrate this improvement on data from the Google Code Jam, obtaining attribution accuracy of up to 96% with 20 candidate programmers. We also demonstrate that our approach is robust to a range of compiler optimization settings, and binaries that have been stripped of their symbol tables. Finally, for the first time we are aware of, we demonstrate that authorship attribution can be performed on real world code found “in the wild” by performing attribution on single-author GitHub repositories. Bio: Aylin Caliskan-Islam is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at CITP. Her work on the two main realms, security and privacy, involves the use of machine learning and natural language processing. In her previous work, she demonstrated that de-anonymization is possible through analyzing linguistic style in a variety of textual media, including social media, cyber criminal forums, and source code. She is currently extending her de-anonymization work to include non-textual data such as binary files and developing countermeasures against de-anonymization. Aylin’s other research interests include quantifying and classifying human privacy behavior and designing privacy nudges to avoid private information disclosure as a countermeasure. At Princeton, she works with Dr. Arvind Narayanan on text sanitization of sensitive documents for public disclosure, which can enable researchers to share data with linguists, sociologists, psychologists, and computer scientists without breaching the research subjects’ privacy. Her work has been featured in prominent privacy and security conferences such as Usenix Security Symposium, IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy, Privacy Enhancing Technologies Symposium, and the Workshop on Privacy in the Electronic Society. In addition, she has given lectures and talks on privacy, security, and machine learning subjects at the Chaos Communications Congress and Drexel University. She holds a PhD in Computer Science from Drexel University and a Master of Science in Robotics from the University of Pennsylvania.
warc	201713	Center for Improving Value in Health Care Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Blog RSS Jul 10, 2015 \| 0 comments \| Posted by Global Administrator Health Reform, Payment Reform, Delivery System Redesign Originally featured on WantHealthcareLLC.com. I have the opportunity to speak to a number of provider groups in the course of my work, and many recently have asked about the big picture of how care is changing. Here are some of my answers: These five trends mirror what has happened in other industries over the past couple of decades. Sellers get larger and more comprehensive to relieve the consumer of the burden of putting together a satisfying experience on their own. Buyers get more discriminating as sellers put together more satisfying products through customization. As what sellers offer gets more satisfying, our tolerance for less-than-satisfying services and experiences goes down. Such is the endless cycle of improvement that free markets foster. The upshot of this is that it is no longer enough to offer services; those services have to be fine-tuned to the potential customer, offered at times and places convenient to that customer, and then executed expertly to produce a good outcome at a good price, within a good patient experience. About the Author: Dr. Jay Want is CIVHC's Chief Medical Officer. Contact him at jwant@civhc.org. Share on: Digg, Facebook, Reddit, Delicious, Twitter © Copyright. Center for Improving Value in Health Care. All rights reserved. 950 S. Cherry Street, Suite 208, Denver, Colorado 80246 \| 720-583-2095 (main phone) \| 720-549-9189 (fax) \| contact us Terms of Use \| Privacy Policy \| Site Map
warc	201713	Click here for PDF format Click Here for participants' responses to this interview. What is pdf ? Curt Johnson, Managing Partner, Education\|Evolving Civic Caucus, 8301 Creekside Circle #920, Bloomington, MN 55437 Friday, January 8, 2010 Present: Verne Johnson (Chair, phone); David Broden, Marianne Curry (phone), Jan Hively (phone), Paul Gilje, Dan Loritz, Tim McDonald, Jim Olson (phone), Bob White A. Context of the meeting— As Minnesota works to resolve the present budget crisis and begins addressing the long-term imbalance of revenues and expenditures, focus will need to come down on the larger areas of spending in the state budget: Health and Human Services, K-12, Transportation and Higher Ed. Together these three budget items account for 79.5 percent of spending for the 2010-11 budget (see page two at: http://www.mmb.state.mn.us/doc/budget/report-pie/all-nov09.pdf). It is important then for the Civic Caucus to focus its efforts principally on these key areas. Today’s discussion will address K-12, and touch upon higher ed. The original speaker was to be Clayton Christensen, Harvard Business School professor and author of a series of books about disruptive innovation. His most recent is The Innovator’s Prescription, applying his theory of disruptive innovation to the health care industry. In 2008 he published with Curtis Johnson and Michael Horn Disrupting Class, illustrating how information technologies will remake the operations of primary and secondary school. Christensen’s work stemming from his 1997 The Innovator’s Dilemma has been revered for some time. Steadily his scholarship and ideas have been informing efforts at redesigning the public sector, and public services, particularly through a collegial relationships with public policy organizations. Christensen could not make the conversation today, due to unforeseen personal circumstances, so Curt Johnson, who works closely with Christensen as co-author of Disrupting Class (2008), and partner at Education\|Evolving, will visit with us in his stead. B. Welcome and introductions— Welcome to Curt Johnson, managing partner of Education\|Evolving (www.educationevolving.org) and President of Citistates Group (www.citistates.com). Curt has spoken to the Civic Caucus before. As co-author of Disrupting Class, Johnson has now made approximately 40 speeches on the topic of disruption enabled by new technologies in the K-12 system. As former director of the Citizens League and Chief of Staff to Governor Arne Carlson, Johnson has been involved in design work of public services for much of his career. Today he will give us the ‘20 minute version’ of his talk for Disrupting Class, so that we have plenty of time—during and after—for discussion. C. Comments and discussion—During Johnson’s comments and in discussion with the Civic Caucus, the following points were raised: 1. Disruptive, game-changing innovations occur periodically in all industries--When Curt and Clayton Christensen talk about ‘disruptive innovations,’ they are discussing a theory that has been worked on by Christensen and other since the 1990’s. A disruptive innovation is that which has the capacity to up-end an entire industry by remaking established processes. Mass-production automobiles disrupted the horse and buggy. Planes disrupted trains; solid-state radios and televisions upset vacuum tubes; computers replaced typewriters, and so-on. Disruptive innovation stands in contrast to ‘sustaining’ innovations, which are the step-improvements required to improve, polish, and perfect existing products and services. Most innovations that occur on a product or in an industry are sustaining—making the existing product or service better or more efficient. But every so often a disruption occurs, with the introduction of a fundamentally new and different way of doing things. That is what is now under way in education. 2. Disruptive technologies often emerge slowly among those not otherwise served well--Disruptive technologies follow a now predictable path, regardless of the industry in which they occur. Their common point of entry is with what Christensen calls the ‘non-consumers,’ or those that are not served, or served well, by the prevailing technology of the day. Initial quality is often less a consideration for them than cost and convenience. “The first transistor radios,” Johnson reminded the group, “had horrible fidelity. But they appealed to young people without much money, who didn’t want to listen to rock music in their living rooms with their parents around; now they could head to the beach by themselves with their own radios.” Similarly, “Toyota did not enter the American car market with Lexus but something called the Corona (a cheap pile of metal with bad seats and a weak engine).” That car appealed to people for whom the alternative was no car at all. Notice today that Toyota is being threatened by Hyundai, with products that are less expensive and getting better every year; what next, the Chevy from China? 3. Recognizing and understanding the change underway in K-12 education--“We are seeing the exact same thing occur,” Johnson said of tech-enabled disruptions, “in K-12.” The non-consumers in public schools are most easily seen among those who have or are about to drop out. And this is a large pool. But upon closer inspection, the potential group of non-consumers becomes strikingly large: those seeking courses cut from schools in recent years; those seeking niche or advanced courses; home-schoolers; and students that are bored or otherwise uninterested and unengaged with traditional factory-model, teacher-centric schools. It’s a market of considerable and growing size. Disruptive technologies almost always bring a new business or operating model, with different cost structures. School, as it is traditionally arranged, is becoming economically unsustainable, in that it has always relied on constantly expanding revenue; revenues did expand every year, for a long, long time, until the fall of 2008. That upward trajectory of revenue may not resume under 21 st century realities. K-12 may have seen, Johnson said, it’s last real, new dollar. A caucus member observed that K-12 seems to be “the only information industry (he could) think of where the advent of digital electronics has been cost-increasing, not cost-decreasing.” That’s because it was long treated as something to add-on, not a new platform to build on, Johnson said. “It is important to get people to understand,” Johnson said referring to the fundamental shift underway in K-12, “that something we are all very familiar with in other areas of life is now happening in K-12 and higher ed. We have got to get people see that connection.” “The pattern is consistent. A disruption begins by serving part of the market that is not presently being well-served.” He cited the transistor radio, and solid state television. “They appeal on lines of affordability, and are usually not very good at first. But they get better and better, and eventually eat into the market share of the enterprises that once had the market mostly to themselves. Pick any industry you want, and you’ll see the same pattern. 4. An enterprise's culture can hinder its ability to change--“There are three things that drive every enterprise: resources, processes (which form the ‘culture’ of organizations), and priorities. The resources cover cash, facilities, people, equipment – all indispensable. Processes and organizational culture are established by repeating the things that seem to work. They are what have made a company successful, but they can also restrain it from necessary change (think General Motors). “These are the assumptions no one questions, because everyone in the enterprise knows they are imbedded ways of doing things. But the culture that carries the enterprise along its trajectory of success can become a prison when external disruption suggests it’s necessary to change those ‘ways of doing things’, “Johnson said. Priorities are the reasons enterprises do some things and not others, especially when there’s a trade-off. It’s because they value some things more than others.” Those mini-computer companies that evaporated in the late 1980s were building machines their best customers needed and wanted; what would have Digital’s customers done with a PC – with its slow Intel 280 chip and no memory? Nothing. 5. Differences in education from the private sector?--“Okay,” a member said, “but K-12 is different than a company in private industry.” “Yes,” Johnson agreed, “K-12 is layered in politics – from local boards to legislatures and governors. “And, it’s also true that society has moved the goal posts for the industry over the past decade or so – shifting from K-12 as an ‘access’ industry to expecting K-12 to deliver ‘achievement’ for every willing young person.” “But the fundamental problem is that the system is stuck in a model made for the 20 th century. It is premised on what Joe Graba and Ted Kolderie call the presumed ‘givens’ of education: that information is scarce and knowledge difficult to obtain, and that therefore a highly-trained adult must stand at the front of the classroom and profess to the students—‘impart’ learning. The obvious truth is that information is now easy to find; kids find it faster than adults. The model persists in assuming that knowledge should continue to be mashed up into subjects from which courses are organized, the content of which gets ‘delivered’ by a teacher through a phenomenon we call ‘instruction,’ and confirmed as received by students on some standardized test within a reasonable period of time.” “Teachers write things on a board (almost pre-Gutenberg); students write in tablets; information, as someone has put it, goes from teachers to students without passing through the brain of either. There’s more: the model assumes that every kid can and will learn the same things in the same way on the same day in the same place at the same pace. That doesn’t happen. There are multiple types of intelligence, learning styles and paces of learning. But the model insists that the problem isn’t the way school is organized, designed; but a ‘performance’ problem; so the solution is to demand more, get tougher, threaten sanctions. All this sustains a batch-processing, standardize-everything system. When the only rational response to differences in students is to radically personalize the learning opportunity – something that today is not only necessary but affordable.” 6. Newest learning technologies are much higher quality than their predecessors--“See how the disruption is unfolding, as the first generation of education software and on-line efforts have moved from the primitive stage (when they barely mimicked the classroom experience) to nearly breath-taking quality. Think of what’s emerging today as 3.0: more robust, more interactive, more differentiated by learning style, easier to assess. But the main difference is that it fits the way this generation learns; it’s natural for them. It’s not ‘technology’ to this generation; it’s life. Why should they ‘power down’ at the portal of the high school, to go inside to ‘watch teachers work?” There are more than a dozen major firms now in this business, most with growth rates around 40 percent a year. Pretty soon that’s going to produce a big number. And the on-line schools are getting larger and more numerous as well. Florida virtual school (http://www.flvs.net/Pages/default.aspx) has 77,000 students despite some roadblocks that lawmakers have created. 7. Projected growth in on-line learning--“The electronic/online is now becoming better that what most students are presently getting,” Johnson observed. “We predict in the book that by about 2018 the majority of high school courses will be computer-based.” In every industry you can plot the velocity of this sort of change; its growth takes the form over time of what analysts call an S-curve. In the early stages (on the relatively flat entry point of the curve) complacency is the rule because change looks so gradual. But at some inflection point, it takes off like a rocket and people look around and say ‘what happened.’ That’s about to happen in K-12. 8. Importance of addressing achievement gaps--“There is much talk, and rightly so, about the achievement gap between the lowest performers and the highest in our society. But I’d like to draw attention to the other achievement gap, which is just as important—the gap between our top students and global competition, and the gap between high-potential students and how they do now.” Johnson mentioned a story that his colleague Joe Graba sometimes tells, from his days as a biology teacher. “I’d know within a few days,” Graba will say, “who in that class could be done with the material by Christmas time, but we’d make them sit through the whole year because we didn’t have anything else for them to take after Christmas.” 9. Value of personalized learning--“It is absolutely necessary,” Johnson implored, “to personalize learning, if we are to reach the kids we’re now losing.” And now for the first time, because of digital electronics and the new school models they enable, this is possible. There are concerns that electronics are too isolating, too atomizing. “But the MacArthur Foundation (and every subsequent study) has in fact found the opposite,” Johnson asserted. They have found that information technologies enable an entirely new level, and new type, of social engagement. This is counter-intuitive. It is not only that new technologies are qualitative better, but they are fundamentally different than anything we’ve seen before. Teachers affirm that they have a closer relationship with students on-line than they ever experienced in a traditional classroom. 10. New technology's impact on number and range of options--In addition to personalizing learning, new technologies will increase the number and range of options available to students and to parents. In order to incorporate the electronics that have become ubiquitous in the lives of young people and young adults, schools need to be designed differently. 11. Rapid disruption in higher education--The pace of disruption has happened faster in higher education, and its effects may be seen clearly. Most colleges now offer some online components. Capella University, based downtown Minneapolis in the Capella Tower, enrolls 31,000, with expectations for growth to 50,000 enrollment (http://www.capellaeducation.com/news/assets/Media_Fact_Sheet.pdf). “And they don’t have a football team,” came a comment. “The online growth in higher education is stunning,” Johnson said. “Change will happen quicker in the public university system than private. We heard one high-ranking officer at the University of Minnesota say recently: ‘I don’t know what the University will look like in 2-3 years, but it won’t look like it does now.’ Things are changing, and the faculty isn’t even aware. Their attitude is that these are problems for management.” “It is possible that only the elite colleges that are selling atmosphere or prestige and those that offer a really unique campus experience will survive even the next decade,” Johnson said. 12. Importance of public policy changes in supporting new technologies--“What would be the best incentive,” a member asked, “to get the integration of IT going at the most rapid rate?” “This gets us into public policy,” Johnson replied, “and the most essential step, the first step, is to open the system up. Make it possible for people to try things differently, and provide them with radical autonomy.” This has been the motivation behind Minnesota’s major system reforms, since the ‘80’s. Open enrollment, PSEO, Chartering, site governed district schools—each of these was a reform that provided more options to students, families, teachers, and importantly, those that wanted to start schools. “We don’t need to persuade people to change,” Johnson said. “The world is changing, and young people will change it. They demand change in school.” 13. Where standards fit in personalized learning--A member asked where testing fits into all this? “We need to have high standards,” Johnson replied, “though if we have high standards then we cannot have high-stakes tests. If we insist on high-stakes tests, then we’re destined to have low standards, because politics will not tolerate high rates of failure. As Bob Wedl, a colleague, says, “Uniform standards must be uniformly low.” 14. Limitations of standards--This situation illuminates the fundamental flaw of the preoccupation with standards as a means for improving performance: Students do not learn from standards. “Testing can be very beneficial as formative assessments,” Johnson commented, “but how we use it now is a distraction that devours resources and distorts the focus of the enterprise.” 15. Agenda for the Governor and Legislature--A question: “What could the legislature do?” “They can recover the capacity for Minnesota to be different—the bravery to be leading. We’re going have to find every barrier to innovation and delete it. Provide incentives. Open the system in every way possible. Have confidence in parents to choose what is best for their students.” Do we have to look to the governor to lead that? “You could make the argument we’ve stripped away much of the civic capacity to bring serious proposals from the outside,” Johnson said. “This state has devolved to a place where nothing seems to happen unless the Governor initiates it. Kolderie makes the point that we’re missing good ideas—we don’t have enough substantive ideas to draw the legislature’s attention.” 16. The notion of ‘Separate space’ is key, if we are to expect real change -- Back to the design of the K-12 system, Johnson recalled a visit some Education\|Evolving associates had a few years back with Bruce Dayton, of the former Dayton-Hudson Corporation and now Target Corp. “They could see how the department store model was declining, ” Johnson said. Bruce Dayton remembers their conclusion that the department store was a “dying breed of cat.” So they set up a separate enterprise to get the corporation into discount retailing. “The most important thing he said they did was not to have the new upstart retail chain report to the department store management.” Those executives would have sucked the differences back into the standard department store business model (think Saturn and General Motors). “Remember, the most important things all this research shows is you can manage through disruption only through separate space and radical autonomy,” Johnson said. For an annotated illustration of the Dayton-Hudson/Target model for disruptive innovation, see the graphic here: http://thewrittenleague.googlepages.com/The-Target-Model.pdf. “Where is this open sector in K-12?” a member asked. “Charter, district self-governed schools, and increasingly online,” Johnson replied. D. Closing To close, the chair expressed special appreciation for Johnson’s point that Minnesota needs to work to re-establish its leading position as a state. A member closed with this fitting tribute: “We’re so fortunate that Curt, a transplanted Texan, chose to come to Minnesota, and to stay here—especially with all the national work he does. When he became executive director of the Citizens League, right away he came in and could take a report of the League, read it in 10 minutes walking to the Capitol, and answer questions to a committee. He has been an asset to this state, and continues to be.”
warc	201713	“To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude.”— Thomas Jefferson This year, we made our election between economy and liberty, or debt and foolishness. Voted for the latter. I was angry on behalf of my grandchildren, who will be burdened with the debt because of the foolishness, and initially blamed the social conservatives whose positions turn off a majority of women and young voters. But now I think that if these soc-cons didn’t exist, the Democrats would have invented them. Having no record of economic achievement, or hopes realized, President Barack Obama had to change the subject, and I can recall the moment this happened. I’ve never liked the “blame the media” game but can’t deny it here: The Romney “fix the economy” campaign was proceeding effectively through the primaries until the debate hosted by ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, which he opened with a question to Romney about contraception. The candidate, along with viewers, responded with bewilderment to the introduction of a subject that hasn’t been controversial in several decades: “Why,” Mitt asked, “are we talking about contraception?” No reason, except that much of the rest of the Obama-worshipping media dutifully marched to Stephanopoulos’ lead into the “War on Women” with its irrelevant issue of “women’s reproductive rights.” These weren’t really threatened, yet positioned Republican candidates, even those who are pro-choice, as “anti-women.” Incredible as this might seem, it drove out most discussion of the only real issue, the growth of government into $16 trillion plus of unsustainable national debt. That growing debt makes all other issues irrelevant: With severe annual deficits, we can’t deal adequately with the infrastructure, national defense, health care, or the environment and education concerns of young voters. Yet a majority of voters chose Democrats over Republicans because they were told that the latter “don’t relate to people like you.” “The rich,” the 1 percent that pay 40 percent of the income taxes that fund what does get funded, were vilified. And yes, “gifts” were given or promised to various constituency groups. Some of these groups will be on the bottom of the heap when the economy collapses under the weight of the debt, but they foolishly think the word “entitlement” will hold them harmless. I don’t recall any presidential election in which the loser was still being attacked three weeks later, for a remark made in private to his supporters: Romney said that “gifts” from Obama helped the Democrats win re-election. He was just repeating the common conservative wisdom that “once voters discover they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury ... the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits.” People debate who first said that, but no one has provided evidence that it isn’t true. What would make it false would be an understanding on the part of all voters that the money for the largesse can’t be borrowed indefinitely, and that we and our grandchildren will be paying in the future with loss of vital services or extraordinarily high taxes when the debt and unfunded liabilities reach critical mass. This is the message that Republicans should have doubled down on, and never been distracted from, and won with. So here we are, on the edge of “the fiscal cliff,” and speaking of taxes: As Romney fades away into what I hope will be a happy, family-centered future, a new enemy is needed, and the Chosen Villain is: Grover Norquist, holder of the “no new taxes” pledge that many U.S. senators and congressmen have made to their constituents. On Sunday morning TV, political analyst Matthew Dowd called him “an impediment; the only good thing about Grover is he’s named for a character on Sesame Street.” Such cleverness, as we face “the fiscal cliff” over which we plunge on Dec. 31 if our government hasn’t dealt with the deficit. It’s been a year since Obama ignored Simpson-Bowles, the first “blended” plan to cut spending, reform entitlements and raise revenues: In lieu of presidential/congressional action, the so-called “Bush tax cuts” will expire, the alternative minimum tax and death tax will hit the middle class hard, and there will be dramatic sudden cuts in military and entitlement spending. Grover is holding signers to their pledge of “no new taxes.” The AARP is opposing reforms of Social Security and Medicare. Unions are demanding protection of benefits, higher tax rates on “the rich.” Some Republicans are demanding that serious cuts and reforms occur before they vote for taxes on anyone. Based on “budget deals” in 1982 and 1990, in which once the taxes were raised, the spending cuts didn’t happen, the Republicans are right to hold out. We need a complete overhaul/simplification of the federal tax system, removing many loopholes. Any revenue increases should be earmarked for paying down the national debt, not spent on new/expanded programs, “stimulus plans” or bailouts. As I see it, there are two alternatives: major economic discomfort now, or complete collapse later. Don’t overdo the Christmas shopping; you’ll need every penny you’ve saved.
warc	201713	Being a community manager is a 24/7 job, and can be unpredictable. This past week, #CMGRclass learned about how to handle crises. While every community manager will have different needs, there are some basic ways to understand how to approach crisis communication from within a community. Be Present. The biggest lesson learned from Heather Whaling’s presentation was that Community Managers need to be present and attentive. In her presentation, Whaling details how a community manager was able to detect a situation happening between another branch of his organization and the community, get in touch with all parties, and diffuse the situation by understanding the problem and guiding the parties to a better solution. Be Relevant. We’ve seen it countless times: people trying to get exposure by taking advantage of current events. It might work for a little bit, but before you try it for your community: is it a strategy that makes sense for you? Before you join a conversation, make sure you and your community a place in it. Understand if the topic is relevant to your community before your add your two cents or speak for your community. Generally, attempts at leveraging real-time events for your community won’t go over well if you don’t have anything of value to add. A good tip from this article is to respond to actionable conversations. Creating guidelines for what counts as an actionable conversation within your community is a good idea, so that you can avoid both getting too personal or reaching too far in a conversation topic. Be Right (Not First) Everyone has a first impression or reaction to new, surprising, or controversial information. The key to reacting from a community manager point of view is to approach all new information with skepticism. Always ask questions about the source of information, even if something is labeled “confirmed.” It’s better to be right than first. In the past, I’ve attended CERT (community emergency respond training) sessions as a social media manager for a small college. My team went through a hypothetical emergency: a dorm catching fire. As the exercise went on, we were told different information from various sources. Sometimes the information was emotionally heavy (rumored student fatalities), and it was difficult to keep information like that aside – on the chance it’s true, you want to let people know. Although the practice situation was dire, the safety officials emphasized that in any situation the communications team should only release information confirmed by law enforcement officials or any other kind of official source. For organizations, releasing only official information protects the credibility of the institution as a whole, as well as the communications team, and avoids the spread of rumors. As a community manager, it’s important to know how to identify rumor and truth – and understand what level of source or confirmation turns a rumor into a credible source of information. Be Prepared. You know Murphy’s Law? It’s the theory that what can go wrong, will go wrong. Do you know your community? Do you have a plan to follow if it turns against you? As a community manager, there will be issues that make you community go absolutely crazy. No matter the likelihood, always have a Total Disaster Meltdown Plan in place. Know who’s in charge, who you can count on to deliver the right information (even if it’s just yourself) and know who you can call on to provide the right information. Have a plan before things go wrong, so that when they do, you’ll be prepared. Have more advice to add about crisis communication? Have you been through a communication crisis yourself? What helped you, and what do you wish you had known before the crisis hit?
warc	201713	Excellency Chair of the Meeting, Your Majesty the Sultan, Excellencies ASEAN Leaders, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen! On behalf of the Royal Government and the people of Cambodia, I would like to congratulate H.E. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on his assumption of the Chairmanship of this important ASEAN Summit and to express our deep gratitude to the Government and People of Indonesia for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to me and my delegation. I would like also to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to ASEAN member countries for their generosity in providing emergency relief assistance to the Cambodian people during the recent flooding. May I now share with you all some of my views related to our agenda as follows: ASEAN Community Building and the Implementation of the ASEAN Charter I highly appreciate the progress report on the annual targets for 2011, which is useful for assessing the activities that respond to ASEAN’s priorities. I would like to comment on some important issues as follows: ASEAN Political-Security Community I am pleased that significant progress has been made in pursuing the building of the ASEAN Political-Security Community. Cambodia highly appreciates the guideline for the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in South China Sea. Moreover, we should forge a closer cooperation between the ARF and ADMM Plus (ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus) as the two mechanisms provide the synergy to reinforce regional confidence building. ASEAN Economic Community I am also pleased to note that the process of building the ASEAN Economic Community. Nevertheless, I am of the view that we should jointly continue to address the main obstacles on the road toward to the establishment of the ASEAN single market and production base, namely the reduction of non-tariff barriers and trade facilitation, especially the implementation of ASEAN Single Window. In this regard, I would like to urge ASEAN Economic Ministers to pay attention to the implementation of structural reforms and internal regulations to be consistent with ASEAN Agreements, and pay special attention on dispute settlement mechanism in the economic sector. Cambodia wishes to thank the older ASEAN member countries and ASEAN development partners for their valuable contribution to the implementation of the 2nd action plan of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (2009-2015) in order to reduce development gaps in the ASEAN region. I highly appreciate the ASEAN Framework Paper for Equitable Economic Development and also welcome the Blueprint on ASEAN Framework for Comprehensive Economic Partnership at Regional Level. In the spirit of strengthening ASEAN centrality, I would like to support the proposal made by the ASEAN Economic Council to establish 3 working groups to work internally within ASEAN framework in order to formulate in advance the criteria acceptable by ASEAN before inviting our partners to negotiate the establishment of the ASEAN Plus Plus FTA. ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community I highly appreciate ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on Climate Change for the 17th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-17 UNFCCC) and the 7th Session of the Conference of Parties serving as the Meeting of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP7 Kyoto Protocol). I would like to express my full support for the ASEAN Declaration of Commitment: Getting To Zero New HIV Infections, Zero Discrimination, Zero AIDS-Related Deaths, the Bali Declaration on the Enhancement of the Role and Participation of Persons with Disability and the Declaration on ASEAN Unity in Cultural Diversity Towards Strengthening the ASEAN Community. Moreover, I would like to propose that we should push for the establishment of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Fund in order to carry out social-cultural activities aimed at promoting people-to-people connectivity in ASEAN Countries, as well as other activities under the framework of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Council. ASEAN Connectivity Cambodia has given two priorities to the ASEAN connectivity. The first priority is the Singapore-Kunming Rail Link. As this connectivity is of critical importance to ASEAN, I think that our meeting should reiterate ASEAN’s commitment to realizing this project as planned. The second priority is the highway construction linking India, Myanmar, Laos, Viet Nam and Cambodia. In order to accelerate implementation this project, we should convene the ASEAN-India Transport Ministers’ Meeting as soon as possible. Moreover, we should also engage all ASEAN Partners including ASEAN+1, ASEAN+3 countries and the ADB and to secure their support for the implementation of all projects under the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity by all means available, including ensuring maritime connectivity. Implementation of the ASEAN Charter ASEAN Charter is critical for the ASEAN Community in 2015. In this regard, I appreciate very much the development of legal and regulatory framework and would like to encourage the completion of the remaining legal instruments, such as the Rules for Reference of Non-Compliance to the ASEAN Summit. Moreover, ASEAN needs to translate the Protocol to the ASEAN Charter on Dispute Settlement Mechanisms into practical dispute settlement mechanisms in order to make ASEAN a rule-based organization. 2- ASEAN and the Wider Region ASEAN +1 and ASEAN+3 I am pleased to note that the relations between ASEAN and its partners have strongly developed through the strengthening of regular dialogue at all levels. Each of the plus countries has become ASEAN’s strategic partners. The relationship between ASEAN and Australia, New Zealand, Russian Federation and the US has elevated to the Summit or Leader level. With this, I think we should continue to strengthen our cooperation and coordination in order to ensure ASEAN Centrality in an evolving regional architecture, especially the East Asia Summit (EAS) East Asia Summit (EAS) I am very pleased that ASEAN Connectivity has been added as a top priority area to the existing five priority areas of cooperation. We should make further efforts to seek financial contribution as well as technical assistance from the EAS members for the implementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity and the ASEAN Infrastructure Strategic Plan 2011-2015, which lays the foundation for narrowing development gaps within ASEAN and constitute a stepping stone towards East Asian integration over the longer term. East Asia’s economic architecture should progress gradually and in phases, starting from trade in goods, services and investment, and enhancement of ASEAN Plus One and Plus Three cooperation reflecting ASEAN centrality. Thank you for your attention!
warc	201713	We started with four members in February 2013, and opened a pretty basic website to begin with. We reached out to people gradually (though with a special push at the Economics of the Commons Conference in May, of which you may be interested to see the interviews by Remix the Commons, and Helene’s assessment). A number of students at Truman State University joined the network to write pages for the NORA knowledge base, which now has over 70 pages with especially many pages relating to food. Altogether, the site activity page now lists 147 members, of whom the people page lists 118 as being “active. There have been a number of interesting discussions on our forums, of which the following are especially notable: If you haven’t already done so, we encourage you to have a look and comment if you feel moved to do so! These accomplishments of our first year are of course nothing to rest upon, and we are working to ensure that there will be far more to come in the second year! To begin with, we are celebrating the 2014 International Year of Family Farming by having started a NORA page on family farming. Please take a few minutes to read this page and offer feedback, including suggestions for links and references to include. We are not doing crowdfunding as of yet, but we do hope to “crowdsource” our members’ ideas or collective intelligence to improve our website and make it more useful to everybody! We are getting ready for the Fifth Ostrom Workshop on the Workshop, which is one of the premier events for researchers on the commons to get together; this opportunity happens only once every five years. We are organizing one workshop (8. The Commons as Transformative Paradigm: Interweaving the Different Variations of Commons Logic to Build Commons Abundance), where we hope to connect with academics as well as practitioners in the commons movement, and to discuss strategies for convergence and coalition-building. We are working on partnerships with various groups and organizations, and will keep you posted as results from our conversations emerge. Meanwhile, we can use our newsletter as a way to keep you apprised of some key activities of our members. Right now, the Commons Action for the United Nations is conducting conference calls as they work on submissions to the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. Their next call is on March 8; for more details, please get in touch with Lisinka Ulatowksa. At this point, we would like to thank all of you for joining our network, and for your contributions to CAN as well as more broadly to helping build a better world. We’d like to hear back from you about what we can do to improve the website, or about links and content to include on NORA pages, or about news to mention in our next newsletter. This website so far is only a modest beginning, and with your help it can become something much larger! Wolfgang Hoeschele and Helene Finidori
warc	201713	I came across this article on Springfield Karate ( self hypnosis) and I liked it because the top 5 questions on self hypnosis and the answers that follow are not hyped up to make people think self hypnosis is some magic spell that can make you do things you don't want to. Self hypnosis is easier and more powerful than you might think. Self Hypnosis Top 5 Questions Answered Is it true that you can learn more about yourself when you do self hypnosis ? Yes. Because you will be delving into the subconscious, you’ll discover some facts about yourself that you may not have known. This isn’t some mystical fact or some unconscious secret. For the main part, you’ll become enlightened on the things which you usually hide from yourself. You will even realize hidden motivations and repressed feelings that in a lot of ways can help you become a improved person. Can self- hypnosis make somebody highly suggestible and easily influenced in real life? Regular practice of self-hypnosis can improve someone’s reception to hypnosis. Self hypnosis sessions will be simpler and faster and they’ll be able to make the most out of their self-hypnosis procedures. You should however be only highly suggestible during your own self-hypnosis sessions. This is due to the fact that your brain has become familiar to your hypnotic suggestions but if you hypnotise yourself for a very different thing, it will be back to square one. This is also not something that may spill over to your daily grind. You will not become easily influenced simply because you practice self-hypnosis. Besides the better that you know how “suggestions” work, the more you will know how to resist other people’s subtle attempts at manipulating you. What are things you can use self hypnosis with? Some of the commonest things that folks use self-hypnosis for is changing an existing mindset and character. A person as an example who easily gets mad can learn how to have patience thru self-hypnosis. The same applies to someone who cannot stop talking or gossiping. Scholars have also used self-hypnosis to boost their grades and reinforce learning. Hypnosis after all can improve one’s memory and level of concentration. There are some who’ve claimed that it also works miracles with relieving pain in the body. Hypnosis can make a person forget discomfort or not feel the discomfort in any way. Hypnosis can be useful for weight loss, smoking cessaction, and anxiety management. As more people are using hypnosis new data on it’s effectiveness is being gathered all of the time. Self Hypnosis Can it improve sports performance? Some people have also claimed to using self-hypnosis to boost their performance in sports. This however doesn’t make somebody’s muscles or physical attributes stronger. It cannot affect or change an individual’s physical make-up. However a change in the performance can be caused by an improved level of concentration as well as a more fearless attitude. Fear can sometimes make us hesitate even if we are already doing what comes naturally to us. Many athletes are adding an element of hypnosis to their pre-game routine. HealthStatus.com is working with Hypnotist Justin Tranz on a Hypnosis for Weight Loss program and other exciting Hypnotic Audios to enhance your overall health. After reading the top 5 questions on self hypnosis you might have a few self hypnosis questions of your own. Feel free to add your comments and questions below. I want everyone to learn more about the benefits of self hypnosis and since self hypnosis can help a person focus and visualize success at the same time I think that self hypnosis is a natural match with martial arts. x to your right and click the submit button to get free instant Access To the Most Effective and Easy To Use Hypnosis and Self Hypnosis Methods On The Planet.
warc	201713	Psychology of Design and How it Affects Decisions Psychology of design is a little bit complicated than what most people perceive it to be. Each day people are faced with decisions to make. You either sacrifice the convenience of playing at Vegas Palm Online casino so that you can travel miles to the nearest land-based casino or opt otherwise. Generally, choices have to be made, and this is a very important part of cognitive psychology. And since this area looks complex, scientists have tried coming up with theories to explain how and why people make choices based on certain preferences. This could also give us some hint as to why people play online casino games at Vegas Palms Canada. Color and how it affects your choice Colors invoke moods and emotions. If you walked right into a land-based casino, for example, you’d notice colors that typically bring about the mood of playing. The same thing happens on the internet as well. Online casinos use a wide range of colors which are generally perceived to be ideal for a casino environment. Generally, all researchers believe that colors can impact your decision-making process because of the effect which they have on your brain. For instance, red is the color of power and passion. That explains why slot games which are based on love or romantic matters are shaded red. Purple is about royalty and wealth. Interior designers use it to create sophisticated living rooms and master bedrooms. Casino software designers like Microgaming use it to spruce up slot machines that are based on opulence. This could explain why players sometimes get addicted to playing online games at casinos. Apart from the game being captivating and naturally engaging to play, visitors will come and stick to an online casino because of the wide selection of colorful games that invoke certain moods on players. The curiosity gap in design It is not easy to get someone’s attention and eventually keep them listening to you. However, if the concept of curiosity gap (a term that was first coined by George Loewenstein) is explored, people could be made to listen. Curiosity gap is basically the gap which exists between what you know and what you don’t know. People generally feel compelled to want to fill this gap, hence the curiosity. In newspapers or magazines, this is done through designing headlines or updates that naturally raise curiosity. If you go to an online casino site, for example, you will see that games with curiosity-driven names tend to get tested more often than those whose titles don’t raise curiosity. Generally, online casinos face so much competition such that they have to make good use of these marketing elements to attract and keep users. Usually, a good casino that is designed around these psychological elements will keep visitors’ attention a little bit longer on the homepage. That’s because these websites tend to use the best designs which have also been proven to work magic in the psychology of visitors. This is further reinforced with attractive bonuses which are just impossible to resist. Most online casinos make it clear that you can sign up and test games for free or with the bonus money which is freely given to new players. This is done in an effort to keep people exploring and playing games which they would be interested in. But most important of all, casinos must utilize visual design elements to attract and retain their users. Featured image by Clem Onojeghuo
warc	201713	Reality is about Time and your perception of it. We spend much of our time in third dimension in Waiting Mode, waiting for the NOW! Many souls now wait for the greatest challenge of all, something we sense is going to happen but we do not know when. Linear Time can be very frustrating, but must be treated with respect and understanding while we are in a physical body. There appear to be two groups of people, those who have a good sense of timing and are planners, generally prepared for most contingencies, and those who tend to run late for just about everything and have to rush at the last minute to get things done. The second group are chronically late and can be called Time Bandits. A Time Bandit is someone who has questionable and even faulty conceptions of time commitments, scheduling and time management. Many people in this category think nothing about being late. Differences in pace often have their roots in deeply ingrained habits and attitudes of a specific culture itself. Certain cultures appear to be chronically laid back and late, while others, such as those in big cities who have schedules to complete are usually 'time aware.' My friend Paul in Hawaii says that things there are so laid back, they say, "Why do it today, when we can do it tomorrow." He calls it lazy thinking. I live in fast paced New York City where we tend to plan ahead and say, "I finished it yesterday!" I love the pace of the city and its time lines. This remind me back of my college years and teacher-planning days. My papers were always done well in advance, in case something got in the way. I do not put things off. I am not a 'lazy thinker'. My energy levels are very high, up, and positive. I plan my time and use it efficiently. Every day new things happen in my life, as I attract them, on TIME. I am ever-ready! Some people enjoy the adrenaline rush of cutting things close with dead lines. Drama people are often chronically late. Sometimes they just seek the reaction of those waiting for them. A quick apology and they feel free of guilt or the frustration of those who they have kept waiting. They get noticed, but people will be annoyed with for taking up their time. Every time you are late, you are causing anxiety for others. Others do not know how to coordinate their time, or tend to over-extend themselves, committing to more things than they can handle. They underestimate how much time things take to complete. They are generally surprised when things do not get completed on time, or become overwhelmed when things do not unfold perfectly. Poor planning. In all projects, in most things we do in life, we have obstacles and delays, things go wrong. One must factor these into the equation when planning any project. In the nature of the game of 3D, things change and the end result will vary from that which was originally set up. This involves more time spent in planning, again. Allow for changes. Using an alarm, on your wrist watch, or other device, can help you pace yourself. Time coordination comes from structured thinking and proper planning. Chronic lateness, often comes from confused thinking. People with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), and the like, may have problems coordinating time. People on medication for mental disorders may also have problems getting started and thinking clearly, especially if they are depression and unable to motivate themselves to do anything. This is also true of those who drink and do drugs, as judgment is impaired. Allow for that when making plans with these people or take them out of your life completely. Then we have the Day and the Night People....each group performing best based on their biological clock. Night people, often can't sleep, and find it difficult to do things in the morning, yet alone be on time and prepared. If you are a person who thinks they can multi-task and do a great job at more than one think at a time, think again. Much of what you are doing will suffer, and will delay. As a result you will not be able to meet deadlines and will be late for me things, disappointing others. Set new priorities. Some people do not care if they are late. They expect the world to understand that they are busy, or that this is their pattern. Actually this group of people generally have a pattern of their own when it comes to being late. They may always by 30 minutes, or one hour late, so those who are on time have to adjust and invite them one hour earlier, just don't tell them you are doing that. Then you have the flip side, those who are never late, which is where I fit in. I have an unbelievable sense of time. I am never late, am generally a few minutes early, but for the most part arrive exactly when I have to. As I am a busy person, I have no patience for those who are late, and get really annoyed, and hate to wait. If I am delayed due to emergency, I will call ahead. Now that most people have cell phones, staying in touch when you have to meet somebody becomes much easier. Do I get annoyed with people who are late? Depends who and what is happening, but YES. I don't wait if someone is very late and doesn't call me on my cell phone to explain. The way I see it, I could have used that time to do other things than just stand /sit there and wait. Metaphysically Speaking....Can you ask you guides to help you with time scheduling? Yes. They will work with you to get things done most efficiently, if you learn to make the 'quick connection'. High functioning people have a perfect sense of timing and awareness of what is going on. It is as if that 'little voice' inside them is guiding them. They generally pay attention to what is going on, above and below, though they may not realize it. When they are making plans, and you see from the expression on their face, that they are connecting with that which is about, to get the answer. It is that split-second thing they do that guides their direction. Do you take on too many projects? With changes in the energy fields, which effect all of your subtle bodies , you will break down and get sick, or have an accident. Be focused. People get very tired these days, more so than ever before. I have been told that certain astrological signs tend to run late. I forget which group that refers to. Libra? My clients tends to be punctual. I have a waiting room for those who arrive early or come with another person. The most interesting pattern for me occurs during Mercury Retrogrades when many people come early. I have had people arrive as much as one hour early. I don't even have to know when retrograde starts .... people just start coming early. Early is good, but too early is another issue. Reality is about finding out more about yourself, your issues, and how you function best in this concept called 'Time'. If you respect others, and yourself, being on time is part of the equation. It always comes down to respect and understanding. Are you chronically late? Examine your patterns to find out why. Are you trying to prove something to somebody? To yourself? In the long run, does it matter? There are endless excuses for chronic lateness but few good reasons. You must correct this pattern but planning accordingly. Do you need to keep a journal of your daily activities, a Day Planner, to find out the right pace for your body, mind, and soul? Try to handle Pace with Grace. Read a book to help you make the best of your time here. Speaking of time, Sarah Manning finds herself racing against time to stop a time loop in this fast paced adventure novel with a metaphysical twist or two... She can't be late..... ELLIE'S ARCHIVES ELLIE'S WORLD BLOG ALPHABETICAL INDEX OF ALL FILES CRYSTALINKS HOME PAGE PSYCHIC READING WITH ELLIE
warc	201713	New Years isn’t all about resolutions, midnight kisses and champagne. It represents a new, fresh start, which we are always in need of. Before we embark on our “new year, new you” journey, it’s important that we stop, think and assess where our lives are going and who we are becoming. Everyone is excited about New Years Eve, but let’s get excited for the days leading up to it. It’s a time to face our mistakes. It’s also a time to forgive ourselves. If you are carrying the weight of guilt around, leave it at 2016’s door. This is easier said than done, but it sure is freeing when we decide to not let our past into our future. If you’re having a hard time letting go, treat yourself to some coffee at your favorite place, sit down and write a letter. It could be a letter to yourself, a friend you wronged, a family member you hurt, or even to that memory that won’t get out of your head. Writing words down and seeing them in ink, spelling out why you feel the way you feel and that you are sorry or moving on, will give you closure. Let’s make 2017 a year of loving others, but in order for us to do that, we need to forgive ourselves. And in order to forgive ourselves, we need to face our mistakes instead of sweeping them under the rug. It’s an opportunity to pause. We are constantly running around, never stopping, keeping moments from processing or sinking in. Taking time to reflect on our 2016 allows us to take time for ourselves. During the holiday season, it feels like we never pause. Honestly, it’s not good for us. Take the time to sit in the quiet and think about the year. Sound unnatural? Even more of a reason we need to do it. Let’s go into 2017 refreshed and ready. It’s a chance to gain perspective. When we stop and look around, we are able to get out of our own head and circumstances. A lot can happen in a year. You might even be a completely different person now than you were in the beginning of 2016. When we take time to reflect on the year, we give ourselves the chance to look at the big picture instead of the crazy few weeks or months that our minds are currently wrapped in. Take the time to sit in the quiet and think about the year. Sound unnatural? Even more of a reason we need to do it. It’s a great time to set #goals. Let’s get better. Many aren’t into New Years resolutions because they feel like they will fail within the first week. Let’s be intentional this year. When we reflect on the whole year, it opens up the door to goals that could shape the direction of who we are trying to be and what we are trying to accomplish. Not much for goals? Pick a word. Pick one word you want to embody in all aspects of your life. It doesn’t have to be a quantitative goal; it could just be a quality you strive to have. Strength. Compassion. Bravery. Reach. Whatever you choose, write it somewhere to remind you of what you are trying to exude this year. A lot can happen in a year. You may be exhausted, ready for 2016 to get out of here or this may have been the best year of your life. No matter how the year was, it seems each year goes by faster than the last. If we don’t stop for a few hours at the end of each one, we’re going to miss it. We’re going to miss the time we could take to be thankful, get better, and move on. Don’t miss that opportunity. Let’s make 2017 the year of loving ourselves by taking the time to reflect, and of loving others by taking the time to be thankful. Life is too short not to pause. What’s your word for 2017? Images via Paulina Kolondra
warc	201713	A warning to you, kind reader: this blog entry has nothing to do with fatherhood, music, skies or anything else that other posts have considered. If those are the only topics you care to read me ramble on about, read no further. But if you’ve long wondered about my opinions on the controversial relationship between salt and pepper, then this one’s for you. The elephants pictured above are our salt and pepper shakers. Cute. Yeah. Well, a couple nights ago Jackson tried to hook their trunks and one cracked. Here’s what it looks like now. Not as cute. “Well, I hope it was the pepper,” I said to him. “Because salt is way more important. Know what I mean?” “Yeah, I guess,” he said, walking out of the room. “Never really thought about it.” “Nobody thinks about it. That’s the problem.” Jackson turned to look at me, trying to gauge if I was being serious. Then he went off to his mess of legos. I, on the other hand, sat and stared at those two elephants, one holding salt and the other pepper and got all worked up. See ever since I read Salt by Mark Kurlansky, I’ve been troubled by something. My trouble is this: most people consider salt and pepper to be equally important. When we use one, we use the other. We ask for both to be passed. We buy the shakers in pairs, and we set them side by side on our table. But they’re not equal. Not at all. One is vital. The other is dispensable. And I say, enough is enough. Who’s with me? So far, no one. In fact, no one who I’ve brought it up to (namely Sarah and my guitarist Bill) seems equally troubled. So in desperation, I’m turning to the internet in the same vein that so many turn to the internet, to find some like minds out there. Maybe host a meetup or something. Kurlansky does a pretty epic job of explaining the uses and importance of salt throughout history. It has something like 14,000 uses. Wars have been fought over salt. Men have been paid in salt. Sal is the root of the word “salary,” in fact. “Soldier” comes from it, too–in Latin “sal dare” (to give salt), for some early fighters were also paid in salt. So many of our paths were first trodden by animals looking for salt. The city of Buffalo is named that because the wild buffalo came to the get their fix from the nearby salt lick. Animals would die without salt. We’d die without it. It’s magical. It’s romantic. Bridal couples in the Pyrenees went to the altar with pockets full of salt to ward off impotence. The Romans used to call a man in love “salax” or “in a salted state.” It’s the root of the word “salacious.” And, of course, it makes food taste good. If you need more convincing, check out the book or just try to cut salt out of your life for a while. Good luck. Now turn briefly to the shaker beside the salt. The one full of pepper. I don’t want to argue that pepper is entirely irrelevant. I like to pepper my eggs as much as the next man. But I do think pepper has a lot more in common with spices like, say, dried thyme, oregano or basil than salt. Sure, most common black pepper is less dominant than those herbs. It adds a bit of spice and bitterness without drawing too much attention to itself, without altering the main flavors. But does it draw out flavors like salt? I don’t think so. If you forget to put pepper in bread dough, is the loaf ruined? No, in fact, most bread recipes don’t even call for pepper. Could you could go without pepper for a day? a week? a month? Of course you could. In fact, if a doctor told you that as of right now you are off pepper for good, would you be devastated? I doubt it. I’d say that of all the items I regularly eat, pepper might be the easiest to eliminate. If there was a global pepper shortage, would nations go to war? Not a chance. People would just say, “well it had an impressive run,” and then they’d get on with it. Is pepper vital to anything? I don’t think so, no. Would you accept pepper in payment for a day’s work laying bricks? Absolutely not. Is there anything romantic about pepper? Not that I can think of–except maybe for the members of this forum. I’m sure many of you put it on a lot of foods. Most recipes suggest you salt and pepper your meat first. But is this really all that important or merely convention? The salt part is vital. But the pepper? Maybe it makes the average cook among us feel a little more like a chef when he pulls out the mill? But does it really change the chemistry of the cuisine? Listen, I put it on a lot of food, for sure. And I like it. I’m not here to bash pepper. In fact, if it were just another spice on the rack, I’d have nothing ill to say about it, might even be writing to exalt it over its herby neighbors. But it isn’t just another spice. It doesn’t sit beside marjoram. It sits beside salt, the king of all minerals. Somehow, pepper came down off that rack or out of the cupboard and took an exalted place at all our tables. I just don’t believe it earned the promotion. There are two thrones for seasonings. Salt holds one. Pepper sits in the other. And in most cases, the thrones are exactly the same size. Blasphemy! Pepper shouldn’t even be in the throne room! It makes me wonder if there wasn’t some point when some well-funded pepper lobby mounted a huge campaign. Maybe the Koch brothers were behind it. I bet they were. I’m not sure I can imagine a more mismatched pair. Maybe these guys: Are you with me? Let me hear from you if so. Because it’s a lonely crusade over here. I got to go play a gig or I’d write more, a lot more. But try your hand, tell me a more mismatched marriage? Holmes and Watson? Fezzik and Vizzini? Maybe. Still, I put salt and pepper atop the list. Enough, David
warc	201713	Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council to Help Rebuild the Gulf Coasts’ Ecosystems and Economies in the Wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill The Council Announces its First Public Meeting November 30, 2012 Robbie Wilbur, MDEQ, 601-961-5277 WASHINGTON — The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (the Council) announced today that it will hold its first public meeting on December 11, 2012 in Mobile, Alabama. The Council, which was established by the Resources and Ecosystem Sustainability, Tourism, Opportunities Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act), will develop and oversee implementation of a comprehensive plan to help restore the ecosystem and economy of the Gulf Coast region in the wake of the Deepwater Horizooil spill. The oil spill caused extensive damage to the Gulf Coast’s natural resources, devastating the economies and communities that rely on it. In an effort to help the region rebuild, Congress passed the bipartisan RESTORE Act, which dedicates 80 percent of Clean Water Act administrative and civil penalties paid by responsible parties after the date of enactment of this Act in connection with the Deepwater Horizon explosion and spill to the Gulf Region for ecological and economic recovery efforts. This law will likely generate investments in economic development, tourism promotion, and science-based natural resource restoration in the states hit hardest by the spill -- Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. The Council will work with the State and local communities to identify projects and programs that will restore the region’s natural resources and help benefit local businesses, boost their economies, and create jobs. In order to ensure robust public input throughout the entire process, the Council will hold several public meetings and listening sessions in each of the Gulf States in the coming months. The first meeting will introduce the Council to the public. It will also give the public the opportunity to provide feedback on the Council’s restoration planning efforts. This meeting will be held on December 11, 2012 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm at the Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel, 64 South Waters Street, Mobile, AL, 36602. There will also be an Open House from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, during which the public can discuss these issues with participating state and federal representatives. To preregister for the Council meeting, visit: events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=hghxkyjab&oeidk=a07e6po9rtw09ef560b. Gulf Restoration Council The RESTORE Act established a Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (the Council), which is comprised of governors from the five affected Gulf States’, the Secretaries from the U.S. Departments of Interior, Commerce, Agriculture, and Homeland Security as well as the Secretary of the Army and the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Gulf States selected and President Obama appointed the Secretary of Commerce as the Council’s Chair. RESTORE Act The RESTORE Act dedicates 80 percent of all administrative and civil penalties related to the Deepwater Horizon spill to a Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund and outlines a structure by which the funds can be utilized to restore and protect the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, coastal wetlands, and economy of the Gulf Coast region. The RESTORE Act sets forth the following framework for allocation of the Trust Fund: · 35 percent of the money divided equally between the five Gulf States for ecological and economic restoration efforts in the region; · 30 percent of the money through the Council to implement a comprehensive plan for ecosystem and economic recovery of the Gulf Coast; · 30 percent of the money for States’ plans to address based on impacts from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill; · 2.5 percent of the money to create the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Science, Observation, Monitoring and Technology Program within the Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); and · 2.5 percent of the money to the Centers of Excellence Research grants, which will each focus on science, technology, and monitoring related to Gulf restoration. # # #Mr. Robbie Wilbur Communications Director Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Post Office Box 2261 Jackson, Mississippi 39225 601/961-5277 601/421-5699 (c) 601/961-5715 (f) rwilbur@deq.state.ms.us Connect with MDEQ on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/MDEQ/118172664880239?v=wall Follow MDEQ on Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/MDEQ
warc	201713	Being a responsible pet parent means taking the necessary steps to protect your animal family member from illness whenever possible. Vaccinations are an effective tool for keeping our companions happy and healthy for many years to come. It’s equally important, however, to avoid over-vaccinating. Desert Dunes Animal Hospital is pleased to offer ULTRA Duramune to help our clients find the ideal balance. This unique, low volume vaccine line is designed to offer more of what you want in a vaccine, and less of what you don’t! Some of the many benefits of ULTRA Duramune include: At Desert Dunes Animal Hospital, we strive to remain at the forefront of advances in veterinary medicine. This allows us to provide a better overall experience and greater level of care to our patients. We are currently one of the only vet clinics in the area offering this revolutionary type of vaccine. If you’d like more information on ULTRA Duramune, or would like to schedule a consultation for your pet, give us a call. Website Designed & Developed by DVMelite \| All Rights Reserved \| Login
warc	201713	Friday, October 29, 2010 I’ve been thinking about what to write about Halloween. When I think about it I don’t have any cute stories or pictures of my children in costume. We just don’t participate. But we do need to be aware and protect or children body, mind, and spirit during this time of year especially. What it comes down to is education. As Christians we need to know more about what Halloween is before we decide for ourselves and our families whether to participate. I haven’t found a better way to explain it than they do with a flyer at my church. I would post the flyer, but it’s in Spanish. So instead I’ve decided to translate it for you. I hope you will read it and consider carefully what to do for Halloween. “Where Does Halloween Come From? Many years ago in England people believed that the dead returned to eat with people. The druid priests took advantage of this belief by dressing up as the dead and going door to door asking for food. This is where the tradition of going door to door asking for candy dressed in scary costumes comes from. If the priests did not receive anything they would curse the house or they would burn it down with the people inside. This is where the phrase ‘Trick or Treat’ comes from. The people were terrified of these visiting ‘spirits’ and put candles inside of pumpkins to scare them off. In popular tradition this celebration is known as ‘All Hallows (saints) Eve’ also known as Halloween. This festival on October 31 is considered the most important day of the year for those who now practice witchcraft and satanism. What Does The Bible Say About Halloween? The origin of Halloween and the Day of the Dead is just as unknown to people as the Bible verses that show such practices to be an abomination for God. The Bible says in Leviticus 20:27 ‘A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. . .’ Many people participate in this celebration for their children, but they should remember that Christians should not conform to the customs of this world (Romans 12:2). This celebration is an integral part of witchcraft and according to the Apostle Paul those who participate in witchcraft will not inherit the Kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:16-21). While some may think that Halloween is an inoffensive party, it is really a satanic celebration. It is serious and dangerous. During Halloween night those who are in opposition to Christ gather together to observe satanic rituals against the church and the family. What Should I Do For Halloween? We invite you to talk to your children, explaining to them the reasons it is not good for them to participate in these celebrations, teaching them to respond to the questions their friends and classmates may ask, so that they can do it prudently, without judgment, and without scaring them. If it’s possible also speak with your children’s teachers explaining to them why you and your children do not participate in these activities. Tell your small children that if they want candy, you will buy it for them, and do it so they won’t be tempted to get them by participating in Halloween activities. Speak to the older ones about the danger involved in participating in anything that is related to the darkness. If what your children want is to be with their friends organize a healthy party in your house. Prepare games and entertainment for them that have nothing to do with the darkness, but have everything to do with Jesus (it could be a good opportunity for your child’s friends and their parents to know God). Pray and intercede to destroy the works of satan during these days. Don’t get involved in these satanic practices!” . . . what fellowship can light have with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14
warc	201713	Strategic Principles for Internet Businesses This mini-course focuses on strategic principles that are important for understanding and managing Internet businesses. The strategic principles examined in this course apply to a range of businesses, but are especially important for businesses whose products and services are offered via the Internet. We explore how these principles apply to companies whose businesses are primarily on the web, and secondarily to “bricks and mortar” companies that conduct a portion of their business through the web. Most class sessions include readings written for managers that explain core strategic principles. To gain a greater understanding of how these principles apply to Internet businesses, we will use cases that describe both successful and not-so-successful Internet businesses, as well as cases where the jury is still out. Strong student involvement during the class sessions is an integral part of the course. The learning objectives for this course are twofold: to provide an analytical foundation for understanding important determinants of success or failure of strategies and business models for Internet businesses to provide practice applying these frameworks and concepts. More broadly, the course aims to inform your judgment when developing and evaluating strategies and business models for Internet businesses. The concepts and frameworks in this course should be helpful to anyone who deals with strategic issues concerning the Internet. Therefore, the course may be of interest to a broad set of managers, consultants, entrepreneurs, investors, and analysts.
warc	201713	Mediterranean Research on Free/Libre and Open Source Software October 5th, 2006 In conjunction with MCIS 2006, The 7th Mediterranean Conference on Information Systems Rationale Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS) is a growing phenomenon, changing the way in which information systems are developed, distributed and implemented. The changes in the intellectual property regime, as well as in the organizing practices and in the technology produced, stimulate new questions and new answers to old questions. In the last few years, a large number of researches focused on the motivations of FLOSS developers, on how do they organize themselves and on how is it possible to produce high quality software in loosely coupled contexts. New emergent approaches, focusing, for example, on the practises and the materiality of FLOSS, are contributing to the growing level of academic discussions on FLOSS, as well as to its understanding, and to improving IS development and FLOSS diffusion. The aim of this workshop is to discuss with researchers and practitioners, mainly coming from the Mediterranean region, if there are new topics to be considered or new approaches in the study of consolidated topics. The workshop flavour is that of the Social Studies of Information Systems, so we solicit contributions by researchers coming from social sciences and information systems fields, as well as from practitioners. The workshop is intended as a dialogue between different disciplines and perspectives. The workshop will focus on new approaches related to the following, non exhaustive, list of topics: - new approaches to the study of FLOSS and related phenomena - developers and companies motivations: new approaches - organizing communities: new approaches - developing high quality FLOSS software: new approaches - FLOSS as a socio Ð technical phenomenon - intellectual property issues and FLOSS - designing FLOSS software and communities Workshop Description The workshop format is a full day, with presentations and discussions. Perspective participants should send a brief (150 words maximum) description of their focus of interest in the workshop topics. Participants wishing to give a presentation during the workshop are required to send an extended abstract of the presentation subject (1000 words maximum). All submission must include contact information and affiliation, and must be sent to floss@mcis2006.org Invited talk The workshop will host an invited talk delivered by Yuwei Lin (UK ESRC National Centre for e-Social Science, University of Manchester):"At the Boundary of CSCW, OS and STS - How to approach research questions emerging in the area of FLOSS?".Additional details and abstract. Workshop Organizers: Vincenzo D'Andrea, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, University of Trento, Italy,dandrea&dit.unitn.it Stefano De Paoli, Department of Sociology and Social Research, University of Trento, Italy,stefano.depaoli&soc.unitn.it Maurizio Teli, Department of Sociology and Social Research, University of Trento, Italy,maurizio.teli&soc.unitn.it Registration: Workshops are included in MCIS registration. Participation in this workshop is subject to approval by Workshop organizers. To register online for this workshop only (without MCIS conference), go to the MCIS Workshops registration link. In this case, the registration fee is 80 euro. Additional information: See the Workshops descriptionand the Workshop program.
warc	201713	Interview Volume 2 Issue 17 - September 01, 2004 A vision of equality V.R. Jathar is Director, Corporate Social Responsibility, at Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI). He has been associated with the organisation for the past 11 years. Prior to joining BCCI he worked as a journalist, PR executive and a management executive. Recently BCCI prepared a non-discriminatory HIV Policy for companies and Jathar was involved at all the stages of policy-making. He speaks to Naveen Kaul about the evolution of the policy. What is your role in the organisation? The Corporate Social Responsibility Committee was formed 10 years ago with the aim of motivating the corporate world to do some social work; to encourage social investment beyond the business of profit and loss. As a Director, I have to look into these matters. What led BCCI to develop its HIV-friendly policy? Realising our commitment towards corporate social responsibility (CSR), a project titled "Workforce Intervention for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control" was undertaken in association with Avert Society, a joint project of the National Aids Control Organisation, Government of Maharashtra and the United States Agency for International Development. It was in fact Avert society which approached us to undertake a study. It was found that out of 250 members only three companies had a policy on HIV. A need assessment study was carried out among our members from July to November 2003 and the study was released on March 31, 2004. This is how the policy was born. Moreover, it is due to the stigma attached with the disease that we felt there was an urgent need to frame a policy. Workers affected with HIV often do not feel able to speak about their problems to anyone. So it becomes necessary on our part to intervene. Are you aware of any cases of discrimination against HIV positive workers? Yes, there are many cases. But unless our clients give their consent, we can't discuss those cases with anyone. A high level of confidentiality is maintained. How will workers in Mumbai benefit from your non-discriminatory policy? Interventions can be carried out in two ways. The first is to collaborate with workers and then ask them to reach out to the management. The second is to sensitise the management and let them reach out to their workers. We chose the second option to ensure that benefits reach workers. In some cases we also took the Unions into confidence, as it was necessary to make them aware. We are also advocating insurance cover for people with HIV. How prevalent do you feel is HIV in the Indian workforce? HIV is a growing problem throughout India though I can't give you any figures. Various studies carried out by organisations claim there are 4 million HIV affected people in India but no studies have been carried out on the HIV workforce. What sort of an effect is the spread of HIV and AIDS having on industry in Mumbai? Most of the workers employed in industries are between 19 and 45 years old. This is the most productive age group. Most of the people affected with HIV fall into this age group. Therefore it is the most productive segment of the labour force that is affected. Then there are cases of discrimination, which threaten the fundamental principles and rights of workers. Do you think the problem is worse in Mumbai than in other urban areas? Why speak of only urban areas? This problem is more severe in the rural belts of Sangli, Satara, etc. But definitely the problem is more severe in Mumbai than other urban parts of India. This is because there are people from every state and region in Mumbai who come here in search of employment. As there is a housing problem in Mumbai, these workers can't bring their spouses with them. Thus they are more likely to indulge in risky behaviour and this adds to the problem. Have any other Chambers of Commerce in India taken similar steps to protect the rights of HIV positive workers? No other chamber in India has framed such a policy. Ours is the pioneering work on the issue. How do you plan to promote/publicise the policy? We will reach out to each industry and sensitise the management about the issue. We have decided to appoint a team of two social workers, two counsellors, one medical officer and one assistant project coordinator to take the objectives of policy ahead. These people will train at least one person from each company about HIV so that they become instrumental in spreading the policy. What steps can the BCCI take to ensure that companies comply with the policy? We can't force companies to comply with our policy. But we can sensitise management and we think this will pave the way ahead. If the management is enlightened enough to understand the need of framing such a policy, they will be more likely to comply. (External Website)DNIS is produced and managed by: National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People Screening Guidelines to be followed by CISF Security Staff for Passengers with Disabilities at Indian Airports Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill Mental Health Care Bill CRPD Monitoring Report National Policy 20 Stories of Change(book) List of Awardees 2015:NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (2.7 MB) List of Awardees 2014:NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (1 MB) List of Awardees 2013:NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (1.44 MB) List of Awardees 2012:NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (804 KB) List of Awardees 2011:NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (864 KB) List of Awardees 2010:NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (623 KB) Press Release SHELL HELEN KELLER AWARDS NCPEDP-Shell Helen Keller Awardees 2013 Features Interview A vision of equality News Rajiv Gandhi scholarship awards for disabled students 98.8% disabled students don't get higher education High Court sensitive to stuttering assistant Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan to serve education needs of disabled children Disability Law Units convene in Delhi A music album to raise money for disabled children Job opportunity for the physically disabled Aanchal to help mentally challenged children Referral units for disabled throughout the country Self-employment opportunities in Faridabad Additional Links Disability News and Information Service is produced and managed by:
warc	201713	Exhibitor CABI CABI’s stand will highlight the impact invasive species have on millions of people living in poor rural communities around the world, in particular through losses to their crops and to the natural environment their livelihoods depend upon. Invasive species take over critical farmland, damaging crops and reducing the grazing area for livestock. For example, across East Africa, eight of the major invasive species cause economic losses of well over $1.5bn a year, affecting livestock and crops such as maize and cassava. Delegates will be invited to work with CABI on the issue. For more information visit www.invasive-species.org. « Go Back
warc	201713	Living up to Shared Values - Jeremy Henzell-Thomas Issue 80 May 2011 We should join forces to fight social decay and not bring each other down for ethnic or nationalistic superiority. In a previous essay for this column (“Coming Home to the Land,” May 2010) I reflected on why I had decided to return to England after living for four years in the French countryside. It turned out to be the right decision in many ways, not least because we are now blessed with nine grandchildren on English soil. I had also explained that apart from the obvious pull of our growing family, including the needs of elderly parents, I had realised that my emotional roots were firmly planted in the English landscape, and that I could not feel that connection of the ‘soul’ to rural France. It was very clear to me at the time that I had not been impelled to return to England by the allure of core “British values” which had become so politicised, and which, sadly, have been more recently invoked as weapons in an ideological war on multiculturalism. Such values, usually taken to include freedom, liberal democracy, tolerance, and equality, are, in any case, pretty well indistinguishable from the “Western values” or broadly human values which ideally inform our “way of life.” In any case, the heart goes deeper than abstract principles. It was the family and the land I came home to, and it is the beloved land I now walk again. As I wrote at that time, I believe we should always be very wary of misappropriating universal human values for the jingoistic and smugly ethnocentric purpose of national superiority. Instead of colonising core values for the purpose of asserting tribal superiority, we should all, no matter what our affiliation, be working together to reclaim those shared universal principles and core human values which transcend national, cultural, ideological and religious divides. Islam, after all, came to abolish a tribal mentality. Just as I am wary of reducing the universality of shared human values to a distinctive national identity, by the same token I personally try to avoid referring to myself as a ‘convert’ to Islam, because the word ‘convert’ can often be taken to express some kind of shift in allegiance — leaving one tribe or cultural milieu and joining another, and my becoming a Muslim had nothing to do with that. Islam, for me, is not a tribe or a culture, but a set of universal principles; a way of knowing, being and living which guides us to a comprehensive vision of what it means to be a human being. It is, for me, not a sudden espousal of that vision, not a Road to Damascus experience, not a rejection of everything I was before, but the positive culmination of a long and apparently circuitous journey which took 50 years; a destination which does not sever threads, but draws them all together. Tawhid is a vision of unity, not of severance, fragmentation or partisanship. Neither would I call myself a ‘revert’, the term favoured by some converts. To the claim that the Qur’an allegedly asserts that “Everyone is born a Muslim,” and that I have simply “reverted” to the True Faith — to my knowledge the Qur’an does not say this, and neither did the Prophet Muhammad. Muhammad Asad points out that the word islam means ‘self-surrender to God’: and it is in this primary sense that the terms islam and muslim are used throughout the Qur’an. Similarly, the Prophet did not say that everyone is born a Muslim, but that everyone is born into a state of fitrah, and thus shares an essential nature or primordial disposition with all the children of Adam. But I am aware of a paradox. Affirming the universality of shared human values is not to say that I do not recognise that there may be something distinctive in the British ‘temper’ or character which draws on our unique historical and cultural experience and which provides us with a narrative that can inspire us to reach for human excellence. Various qualities are typically associated with that temper, including fairness, decency, moderation (and the related virtue of modesty), balance (and its expression in the national genius for pragmatic compromise), civility, reserve, self-restraint, and stoicism, that very British unflappability and equanimity — keeping calm and carrying on, the ‘stiff upper lip’. Many of these converge in a remarkable way with what I understand to be Islamic principles and values: for example, moderation with the Qur’anic vision of Muslims as a “community of the middle way”; civility with adab (correct behaviour), and stoicism with sabr (patient endurance). I don’t know if we would want to go so far as to agree with the Duchess of Devonshire, who has recently lamented the decline of the British stiff upper lip, claiming that we now have, in her words, a “sloppy, sentimental culture of self-pity and self-esteem.” But we might still want to admire the archetypal British unflappability shown at the Battle of Waterloo, when in the heat of battle the Duke of Uxbridge turned to the Duke of Wellington and said, “By God, sir, I’ve lost my leg!” to which Wellington impassively replied, “By God, sir, so you have.” As for modesty, the Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said, “Every religion has a distinctive feature and the distinctive feature of Islam is modesty,” and “True modesty is the source of all virtues.” The English words ‘fairness’ and ‘decency’ both derive from roots which have the sense of ‘fitting’ or ‘proportionate’, and therefore converge beautifully with one of the underlying senses of the concept of justice (‘adl) in Islam. The word ‘decency’ is directly related to the words ‘dignity’ and ‘decorum’, showing how such virtues have a simultaneously ethical and aesthetic dimension in exactly the same way as the concept of excellence (ihsan) in Islamic tradition refers to both goodness and beauty. Balance and moderation, however, should not be equated with half-heartedness, expediency or mediocrity. It is right to challenge the false idea that to be a ‘moderate’ Muslim, a ‘good’, conforming Muslim, one should become invisible and silent in the public square. We have in Britain an honourable tradition of reforming liberalism, social activism and peaceful, intelligent, legitimate dissent that has historically guided our national evolution towards a free, just and tolerant society. We should not forget that civic engagement cannot be defined solely as conformity to any politically motivated agenda, and that our system of procedural secularism gives Muslims as much right as any other citizen to speak up for political, social and economic justice without fear of being stigmatised. As a British Muslim, I regard my ‘multiple identity’ not as a source of conflict between values, but as a precious gift which helps me to live by those beautiful verses in the Qur’an which sanction diversity as a positive human condition that has been divinely ordained. My identity as a Muslim is not in conflict with my identity as a human being, and some of my cherished human values may find expression in other parts of my identity which I see as English, Welsh or British. All these multiple layers of identity can vie with one another, support each other, and hold each other to account, and each one can help us to see what needs to be reclaimed and revived, for all of us are confronted in these times of social decay with an urgent need to renew the best in our respective traditions. Above all, whatever values we claim for ourselves, we have to live up to them, and even more so if we preach about them to others. If “freedom and democracy” are touted as core British values, we have every right to ask how these values are consistent with the supply of arms and ‘security equipment’ to tyrannical regimes. If “equality” is also held up as one of those values, as it usually is, we might question why the divisions between the rich and poor in Britain are wider now than 40 years ago and how it is that the richest 10% are more than 100 times as wealthy as the poorest 10%. Similarly, if governments uphold “responsibility for others” as integral to our “way of life,” we might well ask why Britain is ranked so low amongst developed nations in child welfare and care for the elderly. Care for the most vulnerable is surely the clearest expression of social responsibility, and yet the vast majority of elderly people in our hospitals do not receive the basic standards of care and respect to ensure human dignity. We might be even more shocked to learn that nine out of ten people with learning difficulties have been abused or bullied, sometimes with fatal consequences. And of course, the same process of ‘holding to account’ applies equally to Islamic values. It is all very well for religious scholars to hide behind the Islamic ideal of equality for women by quoting apposite verses and Prophetic traditions, but as Tariq Ramadan has observed, any objective look at Muslim communities, whether in the east or the west, will reveal that the reality is very different from the ideal, “and to say otherwise would be a lie.” The real debate to be had is not the bogus clash of civilisations and values, whether ‘east’ or ‘west’, ‘religious’ or ‘secular’, ‘traditional’ or ‘progressive’, ‘British values ’or ‘the values of others’, but the stark choice between renewal or decay, and that applies to every civilisation at all times.
warc	201713	What We Can Do We Need to Choose Our Banks More Wisely Our banks may fail to recognize the need to be good corporate citizens in our region. They may refuse to pay back the millions in cancellation fees. They may refuse to re-negotiate current debt deals with our city and schools. But if this becomes the case, then we the people who have suffered the many cuts to our essential services and our children’s schools as a result of banking greed need will work tirelessly to: Organize and encourage individual citizens to leave those banks Empower local institutions to leave those banks Support and encourage our city and school district to stop doing business with these banks Our communities have been deeply damaged by the irresponsible greed of our banks. Despite this, these banks were deemed “too big to fail” and were bailed out. Now, years later and after the stimulus money has dried up, our schools and communities are suffering cuts to services and cuts to our schools. It is unconscionable that these same banks continue to rake in profits on ill-conceived, ill-marketed deals. We call upon the banks that our city and schools do business with every day to remedy this situation and re-negotiate in good faith. Otherwise, we call upon our elected leaders to lead the way to justice and divest all public dollars from banks which do not prioritize our community.
warc	201713	An important thing to know about how to become an instructor for CNA is that you have to be a Registered Nurse. RNs have more of a degree of responsibility than nurse’s assistants. An RN also has either an associates’ or bachelors’ degree, both of which are optional for nurse’s aides. In most states, you’ll need to have two years of work experience as a nurse. If you don’t work in an elder care setting, you should get a years’ worth of experience in this setting. Prior teaching experience or training in adult education is also a necessity. One of the necessary parts of how to become an instructor for CNA is taking a course related to CNA instruction. This should be taken at an accredited institution that’s recognized by your state nursing board. If you go through your coursework at an unapproved school, this could interfere with your ability to get a license as an instructor. Some states have designed a curriculum to use for instructors’ classes. This helps ensure that all instructors learn and teach the same type of material. Since all CNAs in a given state are tested on similar material, a uniform curriculum is important. Once you’ve completed a course about how to become an instructor for CNA, you’ll need to become licensed as an instructor. The application for this license is handled through the state nursing board. Proof of your qualifications as an instructor will need to be submitted, along with your fee and application. Depending on which state you work in, a background check may be required at the time of application. Fingerprints are also usually taken.
warc	201713	11th May 2015 Darius McDermott, Managing Director The surprise majority win of the conservatives last week has resulted in a number of key roles changing hands. Some have yet to be decided, whilst others are already known. One of which is the appointment of Ros Altmann, a familiar commentator in our industry, and a champion for pensioners, who has been appointed pensions minister. This is a grander role than anticipated. David Cameron had already announced that she would be appointed a minister, with responsibility for financial consumer protection and financial education, but the majority win and subsequent empty roles left by the outgoing Lib Dem MPs, has given her this more senior appointment. Her predecessor, Steve Webb, is someone we can thank for the new pensions freedoms we now all enjoy, as well as auto-enrolment. My personal hope is that the bigger role she now possesses won't result in Ms Altmann sidelining the vital work that needs to be done in financial education. Whilst the pensions and savings landscape has been revolutionised, there is still much work to be done in order to educate people about financial services. In my view, this education should start in primary school. Financial education was added to the English national curriculum last year, and will include learning about public spending, interest rates and financial products, but only in secondary schools and, in reality, only for a few hours each term. By that stage children have already been receiving pocket money for a few years, have mobile phones, and are using the concepts of saving and spending as part of everyday life. Good and bad habits have already been formed. I have two children, aged six and seven. Both receive pocket money each week. One is showing signs of being a saver, while the other would spend his pocket money as soon as he got it if allowed. Both of them would benefit enormously from some early financial education at school. As Dicken’s Mr Micawber said: "Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds nought and six, result misery." By the time they get to secondary school, instead of teaching them maths such as algebra, why not more useful maths such as how APRs work? Then there’s my favourite: the eighth wonder of the world, compounding. Let’s show them that borrowing £400 for a month from a payday loan company will result in them paying back £500. Whereas if they saved £25 pocket money each month for the seven years of their secondary school education, they’d have £2,700 at the end of it (assuming 7% returns per annum) to fund a gap year adventure. We could teach them about foreign exchange rates then too. All this would be much more practical, as well as increasing awareness about finances. The gap in knowledge when it comes to retirement planning is worrying. We should not just be educating the young – older people also need to know more about personal finance. More could be done to educate in the workplace, for example. More than ever, those approaching retirement will need education, help and guidance from a wide range of sources including the adviser community. People need to understand and be able to articulate what their objectives are and to find a way, if possible, of achieving those objectives in retirement. The earlier we start with this education process the better, so future generations have the best possible chance of being in a position to provide for themselves and their loved ones throughout their lifetimes and into retirement. Hopefully our new pensions minister can set us on the right course. Sign up to receive our free weekly newsletter. Past performance is not a reliable guide to future returns. You may not get back the amount originally invested, and tax rules can change over time. Darius' views are his own and do not constitute financial advice.
warc	201713	For immediate release: Tuesday 16th July 2002 Todays announcement by the Human Genetics Commission of a consultation into how to regulate over-the-counter human genetic tests was welcomed by GeneWatch UK (1). GeneWatch believes that such tests should only be administered by doctors and health professionals and that a statutory regulator is needed to assess the claims made for the tests. "There is an urgent need to regulate genetic tests to prevent misleading claims and dubious advice on health from spiralling out of control," said Dr Helen Wallace, Deputy Director of GeneWatch UK. "Medical advice and an independent regulator are critical. Busy doctors and their patients need to know that someone is properly assessing the scientific evidence behind these claims." One UK company, Sciona, has already tried selling genetic tests directly to the public, claiming to give dietary advice tailored to peoples genetic make-up. The tests have now been withdrawn from sale after leading scientists described them as meaningless and unethical (2). Other companies, mainly based in the US, such as GeneLink Inc, offer tests over the Internet which claim to identify peoples susceptibility to obesity and osteoporosis (3). "For most people, tailoring your diet to your genetic make-up is about as scientific as tailoring your diet to your star sign," said Dr Wallace. "People need to know that many genetic predictions of their future health are spurious the science is still very poorly understood. Genes are poor predictors of common illnesses such as heart disease, osteoporosis and cancer lifestyle, environmental and social factors are much more important in influencing peoples future health. For those rare conditions such as cystic fibrosis and Huntingdons disease where genetic tests may be useful, having proper medical counselling and advice is vital." GeneWatch believes new legislation is needed so that people are: fully informed about the implications of taking a genetic test before they do so; given accurate and up-to-date medical and scientific information about the results and their reliability, and proper medical advice; protected from potential misuse of their genetic information. - ends - For further information please contact: Dr Helen Wallace on 01298 871898 Notes for editors: "HGC announces consultation into the supply of over-the-counter genetic tests", Human Genetics Commission News Release, Tuesday 16 July. "Public misled by gene test hype", The Guardian, Tuesday 12 March, 2002. Available on http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4372400,00.html http://www.bankdna.com/breakthrough_genetic_profiling.asp
warc	201713	Servings: 4 people Carbohydrate Serves: 2 per person (1 carbohydrate serve = 15 grams of total carbohydrate) This is one small step for man but one giant leap for gestational diabetes cooking. We’ve cooked up a GDM-friendly curry using evaporated skim milk and a dash of coconut essence instead of light coconut milk. This results in a massive 38g/ 1.4 ounces less fat! Although the 48g/ 1.7 ounces of carbs in the can of evaporated skim milk still needs to be counted, reducing the fat is a much healthier option. Too much fat in your diet can increase weight gain and makes it harder for your insulin to work properly. (Main carbohydrate containing ingredients are listed in bold.) Ingredients 1 tablespoon light olive oil 1 brown onion, cut into thin wedges 1 tablespoon, finely grated ginger 1 tablespoon red curry paste (ready-made from supermarket) 1 x 375ml/ 13 ounce can evaporated skim milk 1 tablespoon coconut essence 2 cups cooked diced pumpkin 1 tablespoon fish sauce 500g/ 1 pound of white fish, cut into 3cm/ 1.2″ cubes 200g/ ½ pound of green beans, trimmed, cut into 3cm/ 1.2″ pieces 8 yellow squash, quartered 1 lime, finely zested and juiced 2 cups cooked Doongara rice Fresh coriander to serve Cooking tip: You do not want to let your curry boil or bubble at any time once you’ve added the evaporated milk otherwise the milk will separate and go gluggy. Don’t get any hotter than a gentle simmer at any time. In this way your meat will also come out poached and tender. And pre-cooking your pumpkin before adding it to the curry means you won’t need to turn up the heat. Cook rice according to packet directions. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook onion and ginger for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Add curry paste and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Reduce heat to very low and stir in evaporated skim milk, coconut essence, fish sauce and fish. Simmer on very low heat for 5 minutes or until fish is almost cooked. Now add pumpkin, green beans and squash. Cover and continue to cook on very low heat for another 5 minutes until squash and beans are no longer completely raw. Before serving, stir lime rind and lime juice into curry. Serve curry on rice and top with coriander. Note: To remain within the carb allowance only serve only 1/2 cup of rice per person.
warc	201713	Usually, I have to say, I read more than this. I have been consumed with Gigantic Magazine [now Gigantic Sequins] for most of this month, and also my masters thesis. I should have worked more on both my thesis and relearning the French language for my foreign language proficiency exam on Friday, but. Here’s the deal. I keep track of the books I read on pieces of paper I keep in a folder I’ve had since 8 thgrade. I have kept a list of every book I've ever completed reading since July of 2000. There are some rules. I have to actually finish the book, cover to cover, for it to go on the list. When I was younger, I would put, for example "read four stories from James Joyce's Dubliners." Yeah, no longer allowed to do that. I should probably keep track of the specific editions I read of each book instead of just the title, author and date finished (oh and my 'rating', but that's a funny little Kim-system I won't bore you all with). I also make sure to mark my re-reads, because they don't count as reading a new book, persay. So, when I counted all of the books on this list a month or so ago, I made sure not to count the books I read twice (or three.. or four.. or five times...) any more than once. Another rule is that no matter when I started the book, it only goes in the records when I've finished it. So, for example, if I started reading The Short Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald um, let's say, four? five? years ago... I don't get to write it down until I've read the entire thing cover to cover. And it will go in whatever month I finish it in, despite the numerous months I read it during. Without further ado... (the good thing about this thing, I suppose, is when I make my "Books Read: March, my introduction to it won't be nearly as boring, as I will not repeat any of the above...) In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan I guess if I gave an award for my favorite book I read each month, this month this book would win. I find myself referring to the affect this book has had on me as "brain-washing", but maybe that makes it sound like it's a bad thing. I was glad to be brain-washed by the super-intelligent, informative and well-spoken Michael Pollan. Kathy Rooney recommended this book to me awhile back, and I didn't get around to reading it until now because it's been front-listed and hardcover at work, forever. I finally managed to read it on my breaks at work (and sometimes sitting on top of ladders, while working, shh.) I already have issues that most people don't have with the way I have to eat: I have a chemical sensitivity to man-made preservatives. Okay, that sounds weird and make believe, but I assure you, it's not. Reading this book made me feel like my sensitivity was less of a problem and more of a progressive genetic mutation that occured somewhere along the maternal side of my family line (my mother has the same problem.) Thank you, Michael Pollan, for making me feel like a superhero. Reading this book you will learn the difference between what most people nowadays consider to be food and what actually is and isn't food. Tonight, for dinner, I had what I would call a Michael Pollan-approved meal. Local farm-raised catfish baked with dill and cajun spices; baked and breaded mushrooms; and an arugula blend salad with tomatoes and a splash of balsamic. I eat nuts and fruits as snacks now and avoid anything processed or that comes with more than five ingredients. I don't buy things from the supermarket that have anything listed in the ingredients that's foreign to me. So yes. I have been brain-washed in a sense. But healthily so. When spring comes, and the market has fresh fruits and veggies galore, you will find me shopping there. I try to eat (and drink) as local and as fresh as possible. I've cut down on my meat consumption and eat more fish, fruit and veggies that I have. Lots of whole foods. Eating this way will, according to Pollan, help my body prevent many of the uncurable Western Diseases, keep me healthy and is also better for the environment than I have been eating. Pollan's simple manifesto? Eat food. Mostly Plants. Not too much. Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating by Marc Bittman This book was sort of a follow-up to the Pollan book. Where Pollan focuses on eating better mostly in order to stay healthy, Bittman pays more attention to the affects eating better has on the environment. While both authors discuss both angles, this book definitely had more information on how eating more whole foods, less meat and as local as possible will help sustain the earth, cut back on global warming and lessen your carbon footprint. This book was in some ways a reiteration of the Pollan book, yet it gave good and different tips on how to follow a healthier more sustainable diet. I admit I didn't read the recipes in the back, because recipes are more like reference points than... readable material. I skimmed through a few of them, and vowed to borrow the book and scan into my computer the ones I think I might make. Or if the book is ever not front-listed and hardcover, I might buy it. (I also read this one mostly at work.) White Teeth by Zadie Smith This was a reread of a novel I read only last summer. I reread it because I am writing my masters thesis on Zadie Smith. I bought hardcover copies of each of her books (except for the slim volume of her short-stories I had to order offline because it wasn't published in the states) so that I could write all in of the paperbacks. I basically went through, reread the story and underlined/ circled/ noted every single cultural reference (be it pop culture or high art) I could find. If you haven't read this book, you should. It's excellent. I'll say no more, if only because I have to write a thirty page paper that includes thorough analysis of this novel, and don't want to bore myself... How Fiction Works by James Wood I don't remember as much of this book as I thought I would when I began reading it. It captivated my attention for the better part of the beginning of this month, but then toward the end of the book, I grew restless with Wood's analysis of books I hadn't read and felt that he was repeating himself in disguised ways. I did learn a lot from this book on how to analyze fiction. It helped me edit the few stories we are publishing in Gigantic Magazine. And I am glad to have read it, and glad to own it now, thanks to Jesse. Super double triple a million thanks. Sometimes My Heart Pushes My Ribs by Ellen Kennedy I reviewed this book for volume 1.1 of Gigantic Magazine, don't know if you've heard of it... due out in April...? Well. Look for my thumbs-up review there. Soon. So soon. Meanwhile, check out the Muumuu House site for more information on how awesome this book is. Alright, that's all for the books I read this month. It is time for me to turn on something, anything, very loud in order to drown out my upstairs neighbors loud crashing crying fight, as I embark on an adventure to try to learn the French language by Friday. Oh, Le Petit Prince, here I come.
warc	201713	We’re kicking off May by focusing on saving and investing. Today’s post by Teresa Dentino, of the Financial 411, covers one of the most important investments you can make: investing in yourself! All too often when discussing savvy money behaviors–saving, budgeting, investing, retirement–we deal with the negative connotations, the feelings of “deprivation”, “sacrifice,” and possibly “withdrawal.” We have the best intentions, but “punishment” seems the near-term consequence when saving for the ubiquitous rainy day or retirement–both of which seem so far off in the distance. Striking It Rich So when you’re starting out, the initial significant inflows of money that come from those first product sales or perhaps a corporate bonus feel like a major windfall after all the sacrifice that went into reaching that particular milestone. You are now feeling (albeit momentarily) very rich! I call this the windfall effect and for all people–not just women–the most common reaction is the tendency to go out and splurge with these newfound riches. Among the women I coach, I see this occur regularly among those who have inherited, and now have access to a much larger amount of money than they have previously managed. Over-spending it is one of the possible perils. Reward As Investing in Yourself Your hefty paycheck or big bonus isn’t a windfall though–you’ve earned every dollar of it! I encourage my clients to honor all their hard work by splurging on themselves. When you reward yourself, you’re commemorating the time and energy you’ve spent earning that bigger balance in your bank account. This shift in thinking is a key way to invest in yourself, since rewards can be pivotal to your success in staying on track with your long-term saving and investing goals. The idea of rewarding ourselves is a very correct one that unfortunately doesn’t get as much print as all the “hardship” behaviors do. Redefine What It Means to Splurge It might help to remind yourself that a splurge is something you want but don’t need, which otherwise is an impulse that has no monetary value. I like to buy something lasting with my portion of the “windfall” money; this way I have a solid reminder of all my hard work, be it even so modest as a lovely potted plant, or something more grand, like a piece of jewelry. By splurging this way, your rewards will also serve as symbolic motivation to keep on track. The important thing is to keep it in proportion to the amount you have received, while balanced against other financial planning considerations. If you try this approach I’m sure you will find the same thrill and satisfaction of a splurge, but without derailing your best laid plans!
warc	201713	Some blog readers may be interested in a recent discussion list post "Re: The Burden of Proof #2" [Hake (2009)]. The abstract reads: ******************************************************** ABSTRACT: Kevin Carey in his blog post "The Burden of Proof," quoted Paul Basken's report "Engineering Schools Prove Slow to Change" on a Carnegie Foundation study that bemoand "a faculty culture resistant to change." Carey objects to blaming the slowness of change in engineering schools on culture because, in his view, "the more autonomy faculty are given in the classroom, the greater the burden the burden of proof to demonstrate that their choices are actually working. But the problem is that most faculty fail to discharge their burden of proof of student learning because they (and administrators) are immersed in a culture that relies on course exams and Student Evaluations of Teaching (SET's) to gauge student learning - both of which typically measure lower-level educational objectives such as memory of facts and definitions rather than higher-level outcomes such as critical thinking and non-algorithmic problem solving. How then can faculty measure their students' higher-level learning from start to finish of a course? As demonstrated by the physics education reform effort, by direct formative evaluation of students' domain-specific learning through pre/post testing using: (a) valid and consistently reliable tests of conceptual understanding devised by disciplinary experts, and (b) traditional courses as controls. Such definitive evaluation of the cognitive impact of courses has (a) increased student learning in some U.S. introductory physics courses (including large enrollment classes at California Polytechnic at San Luis Obispo, Harvard, MIT, North Carolina State, and the University of Colorado); (b) is gradually gaining a foothold in introductory astronomy, biology, chemistry, economics, engineering, geoscience, and math; and (c) has the potential to gradually enhance the effectiveness of higher education generally, including that in engineering. ******************************************************* To access the entire 28 kB post please click on http://tinyurl.com/d4yy45 REFERENCES Hake, R.R. 2009. "Re: The Burden of Proof #2," AERA-L post of 23 February 2009 14:57:57-0800; online on the OPEN! AERA-L archives at http://tinyurl.com/d4yy45
warc	201713	The word for this week, June 30, 2008 – July 6, 2008is STILLNESS As I thought about it, I realized that one of the “imbalances” of the modern world is our inability to be still. People spend hours in front of T.V. "Couch potato-hood" is common. But that is not Stillness. In fact, it is avoiding Stillness. It is another way to fill the space that we so fear. We fear it because we have been trained by our culture to see it as “nothingness” therefore, “non-existence” which we equate with death and therefore "bad". All the religions say that only in Stillnesscan we approach, hear, feel or sense God. If we are full of chatter, we cannot know God, because it is like static. There is no room for anything else. Our culture teaches us that chatter is good. The more the better. All the electronic devices we have so that we can stay connected 24/7. People walk down the street with cell phones glued to their ears talking to disembodied voices, but never looking at the people right in front of them. We are actually becoming more isolated, because we are staying within our circle of security – the people on our phone list, rather than interacting with ‘strangers’ who could become our next best friend. This is an addiction. We all have it in some form. I have been getting into this blog thing very heavily lately. My observation is that it is highly addictive. I know I am losing my balance, because even though I am tired, I can’t sleep at night and when I do fall asleep, my dreams are chaotic. I feel agitated all the time and I am extremely impatient. I can’t wait to get back online and ‘networking’. I cannot read, let alone meditate. I have lost the stillness. Thankfully, I have a garden. When I go out there, I am put right back in my body and can feel my healing connection to the earth. I believe that my years of spiritual practice and meditation are helping me to see what is happening and I am grateful for that. It is not about stopping blogging or anything like that. It is about balance. “All things in moderation.” Knowing when to take a break and go outside. STILLNESS Desert Alchemyhad several essences for working with this issue. I found it interesting that two of them are my favorites and the ones that convinced me that this was an important part of my path. Each addresses different aspects of Stillness. Here is what resonated with me. For a fuller description of each essence and its properties, see , by The Alchemy of the Desert Cynthia Athina Kemp Scherer. Queen of the Night Cactus Candy Barrel Cactus For more information about these and the other essences in the Desert Alchemy Repertoirecheck out the website: www.desert-alchemy.com or the book: The Alchemy of the Desert.
warc	201713	The Question: Where is my wife? Didn't God say it is not good for man to be alone before he made Eve for Adam? I'm in my late twenties; trying to have faith that God will send me a companion. I have prayed and prayed and tried to have patience. Any thoughts you could share on this topic? - Marc from Toledo, Oh. The Answer THE ONE (Part 1) I'm happy to hear you are counting God into this equation. It sounds like you aren't forcing the issue or willing to settle for any warm body instead of God's perfect choice. I think that the best thing about waiting to get married is looking at all of the people who didn't. So many couples married early and unwisely and made big mistakes. Now they are divorced and they are sitting and praying like you are but for a second spouse. Remember also that the trend today is to wait longer to get married. It is not at all uncommon for people to wait to marry until they are in their thirties or longer. I can't tell you what is going to happen for you - or when, but I can give you some advice on you wait. how We often hear about "THE ONE". "I'm waiting for the one." "When I meet the one God has for me…" "Do you think this could be the one?" All eyes are on looking for THE ONE. But what if we turn it around? What if, instead of looking for THE ONE, we concentrate on being THE ONE? That means working very hard on our own development. If someone out there is looking for a perfect marriage partner, how closely do we fit the bill? Thinking of it that way turns passive waiting into fruitful and active waiting. That kind flies by more quickly than staring out into space hoping THE ONE will float in. Are you the kind of person someone would consider a real catch? Are you mature and enterprising, stable, unselfish, enjoyable to be around with a good sense of humor, honorable and trustworthy? Are you faithful? Are your life priorities in order? Do you have something to offer, not just an ability to take? Next: How do I become THE ONE? Being THE ONE (Part 2) Most people who want to get married have some sort of list in mind of qualities they are looking for in a life partner. It's even a good idea to write them down. Topping the list for the Christian should always be that your partner has a relationship with the Lord. "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14) After this you may have a whole set of personality traits and interests that you are looking for. That's great and that's valid. But in the meanwhile, why don't you start working the list to see how you stack up? Are you looking for a good listener? Well, how good a listener are you? If someone were considering a marriage proposal from you, what hesitations would they have? I suggest that you do a personality assessment on yourself and honestly try to admit your own character weaknesses. Submit them to the Lord for scrutiny. Ask for help in becoming the most eligible single person out there. You may think: yes, but won't the other person balance me out? I'm messy but won't their tidiness overcome my flaw? That's fine as long as you are willing to reverse that. You won't mind if they are always late while you are always on time? Now, while you wait for THE ONE, throw yourself into life at every level. Work your career full force. Have hobbies. Learn how to do new things. Volunteer. Become as interesting as you want the other person to be. Additionally, use this time while you wait to really concentrate on God. Can you go on a short term mission project? Later during marriage and family you may not have such an opportunity. Develop your spiritual life and form good habits that will last you into your marriage and for the rest of your life. Spend daily time in God's Word. Learn how to pray - not just little throw them up there prayers but the kind of prayers that do violence to the kingdom of darkness and bring heaven upon the earth. God has a right timing for every event in our lives and he remembers you and your desire to marry. Keep praying for THE ONE. In the meanwhile, become THE ONE.
warc	201713	It’s a commonly repeated statistic that migraine is one of the top 20 disabilities in the world. But with new research, it’s time for us to update our information. I would like to say that with better treatments, improved awareness, and cutting-edge research, migraine is no longer in the top 20. I would like to say that. But migraine has actually moved up the list, not down. As the findings of the Global Burden of Disease Survey 2000 (GBD2000) became public in the years that followed, it became clear that migraine was a major global concern. It was #19 on the list of worldwide disabilities. But there were problems with GBD2000. Major parts of the world were not properly represented. And let’s be honest – our understanding of migraine and the disability it causes has greatly increased in the years following. Ten years later, the Global Burden of Disease Survey 2010 (GBD2010) attempted to fill in the gaps, with better statistics from more countries. The results are troubling. In short, * migraine is now easily on the list of the world’s top ten disabilities. Exactly where migraine is on the list depends on the various measurements used. But let’s look at a few statistics. Migraine prevalence was listed as 14.7%. That’s over a billion people. The world’s most common health issue? It’s in your mouth, actually – tooth decay. But after that – tension type headache and migraine. Those with migraine tended to spend about 5.3% of their time having migraine attacks. That means that if you live to be 71, you will have spent 3 years, 9 months actually having migraine attacks. People with tension type headache are, on average, 4% disabled. People with migraine 43.3%. However, the focus on migraine attacks (the “ictal” state of migraine) is misleading. We now know that there are considerable health concerns – and even disability – in between migraine attacks. If we really took this all into account, and better represented some of the common headache disorders on the list, just how much worldwide disability would headache disorders account for? In one measurement, “Years Lost to Disability” (YLD), migraine comes 8th. Here’s the full list: Low back pain Major depressive disorder Iron-deficiency anaemia Neck pain Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Other musculoskeletal disorders Anxiety disorders Migraine Diabetes Falls Imagine the burden on society for all of these. In the case if migraine, if we only include disability during an actual attack, how much time is lost per year due to disability? For every 100 people on earth, 284.6 days are lost to disability from migraine every year. It would be as if every man, woman and child lost almost 3 days of life every year – except that the entire burden is on 14.7% of the population, so for those people it’s much more. And we’re not talking about migraine before treatment. This measures migraine as it is, whether treated or not. In other words, migraine remains high on the list . in spite of treatments that are being given Is migraine a worldwide crisis? There’s no doubt. And although headache disorders should actually probably be higher on the list – and may be, as we get better and more information – they should be falling due to treatment. Although there is no miracle cure for everyone, there are excellent treatments that should easily knock migraine out of the top ten, if not out of the top twenty. Why aren’t people getting the treatment they need? The authors of Migraine: the seventh disabler, published in The Journal of Headache and Pain, put it well (emphasis mine): We might be satisfied by this; but rather we should be appalled. GBD measures disease burden as it is – alleviated by whatever treatments are made available.Headache disorders are among the top ten causes of disability because they are common and disabling; that is clear. Headache is one of the most frequent medical complaints: almost everybody has experienced it, at least 10% of adults everywhere are sometimes disabled by it, and up to 3% live with it on more days than not. But for what conceivable reason do headache disorders remain among these ignominious top ten when they are largely treatable? Another recent global survey, conducted collaboratively by WHO and Lifting The Burden, described “worldwide neglect of major causes of public ill-health, and the inadequacies of responses to them in countries throughout the world”. It drew attention to the very large numbers of people disabled by headache who do not receive effective health care. The barriers responsible for this might vary throughout the world, but poor awareness of headache in a context of limited resources generally – and in health care in particular – was constantly among them. The consequences are inevitable: illness that can be relieved is not, and heavy burdens, both individual and societal, persist when they can be mitigated. To summarize: Even when good treatment is available, people are not getting the treatment. Resources: Global Burden of Disease (GBD) (Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation) Years lived with disability (YLDs) for 1160 sequelae of 289 diseases and injuries 1990-2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. About the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) project (World Health Organization) Burden of migraine: international perspectives (pdf) Burden of Migraine: what should we say more? * Migraine is listed as the 8th most burdensome disease, 7th among non-communicable diseases, and 1st among neurological disorders.
warc	201713	Executives at NPR are forced out of their jobs for telling the truth. Obama dodges responsibility to lead at every turn. The spineless, corrupt Democrats pass for a ‘centrist’ position, when they clearly represent the Republicans’ bitch. Voices of the progressive left are shouted down and out of the public conversation, while the neo-fascist shills at Fox continue to pass for sane. Truth tellers like Chris Hedges are crowded off the edge of the platform and “liberals” continue to back away from their core beliefs. Discouraging? Just slightly. Let’s not mince words or dice the truth. The Tea Parties are dominated by uneducated, scared racists. The few who don’t fit that profile have simply (and justifiably) lost faith in the ability of government to function in their behalf, or for anyone other than the moneyed elite. Did one of those NPR execs make some reference to their “stupidity”? Oh dear. We are watching what will likely be seen as the final battle between human intelligence and human ignorance, willful ignorance, fear and denial. It’s the top of the 8th, and stupidity is up by ten. There are peer-reviewed studies, documented and reproduced, that demonstrate significant patterns of difference between those who hold the conservative mindset and those who identify as liberal / progressive. Those on the left are better educated, less materialistic, less nationalistic, more in favor of human rights and humanistic values, and more open-minded, more flexible in their thinking, more creative and appreciative of culture. Sadly they are more inclined to play by the rules, even when their opponents are cheating at every opportunity. Conservatives are motivated, in general, across their experience, more by fear than confidence in the future or hope. They are more resistant to change AS change, regardless of the reasons for change. They are less willing to question their assumptions or prejudices. DUH. Liberals are conversely all too willing, continually, to question their assumptions, values, goals, strategies, clothing choices, religious beliefs and diet. To a fault. To THE fault that pushes human civilization and humanity toward the brink: the tipping point of global eco-disaster. Every statement here is already established fact, or provable tendency. Chris Hedges, in a “book talk,” links the global financial fraud with the global eco-crisis. He sees that they are two sides of the same issue. He acknowledges that we can’t address one without addressing both. He points out that at the root of both problems - the environment at risk and the economy sucked dry - are the same corrupting influence of money on “democratic” politics, protected by corporate controlled information. My words, not his: There is a zero-sum equation between the dollar value of total global ecological (and human rights) damage, and the total of accumulated, stolen, exploited and hoarded global wealth. Clues are emerging everywhere, to the only trend that can save us. The middle east rebellions demand punishment for political criminals and the return of the wealth the dictators stole from their own people. Progressives here continue to speak of the shameful refusal to tax the rich or to force corporations to obey tax law. No mention of the eco-damage as yet. One can only hope, that additional link will be established and that rebellions for basic rights will continue to spread. Wednesday, March 9, 2011 This is my last message to you, and my last comment on your behalf. I gave money and volunteered for your campaign. I cried with joy when you were elected. I am a life long Democrat and environmental activist. And right now you are my worst nightmare: someone who promised hope and change and has allied with the corrupt corporate state. Someone who is in a position to shift the direction of the global economy from inevitable eco-disaster to a sustainable model, yet who ignores that essential role. You will, as I feared, go down in history ONLY as the first black president and "better than Bush." You are abdicating the most important responsibility any president in history has seen. I'm back to where I was in '68: consider voting for the Conservative in the hope it will bring down the system, rather than continue to be fooled by fake progressives. I did not do that then, but I will in 2012. The apparent fact that you will win re-election is further evidence of the opportunity you are, with your inaction and cowardice, killing.
warc	201713	The Exclusive Guide to Successfuly Grow Fresh Herbs There are some very simple facts about growing herbs and you shouldn't even consider starting an herb garden until you are made aware of them! Dear Friend, You may be a 1st time gardener, wishing to start an herb garden and have no idea how to care for it? or perhaps you have experienced the joy of gardening but are often disappointed with the results. Are you unsure about which herbs to plant? Soil? Watering? Light? Are you interested in discovering the best, fastest and easiest way to care for your herb garden so it consistently produces an abundant stock of herbs? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then this may very well be the most exciting message you've read all day. Here's why: You're about to discover a proven system for optimizing your herb garden to produce the freshest, best tasting herbs . You will be able to apply this knowledge whether your herb garden in indoor or outside. Just imagine being able to grow healthy, flavorful herbs and get results in 10 days (or less) without using fertilizers or chemicals or spending a fortune on expensive equipment. And you could do this from the comfort of your own home, wouldn't that be great? Yes, you canhave the most stunning herb garden, Here's the thing: Herbs are very delicate and require the proper mix of conditions to thrive. Herb Gardens need water and sunlight in just the right amounts. Once you use the basics of properly taking care of your herb garden, you can be certain you will have an abundant supply of delicious, fresh, full-flavored herbs at your fingertips. You may believe that setting up and caring for an herb garden is a complex process, you will be pleasantly surprised to learn how it is extremely easy to do. I know, because: I've been growing herbs for over 20 years!In the process of all these years, I've developed a foolproof formula for caring for herbs. I've compiled all my knowledge and experience into an easy to follow, downloadable guide called "The Easy Guide To Successful HerbGardening". This ebook is guaranteed to teach you everything you'll ever need to know about herb gardening. I recognize that this is a bold promise and it might sound a little "over the top" but it's true, and I can back up every word. The fact is this: I reveal to you a time-tested and perfected herb garden formula that work, every time. The method is a simple, yet complete, step-by-step plan that you can easily follow to setup the perfect home herb garden suited to your space and needs. All the technicsexplained in the book have been tested, tweaked, The reason why it's so popular is simple: It does what it promises! There's nothing like it available: not in bookstores, at amazon.com, or even on the Internet in general. What most people don't realize is that caring for herbs is extremely simple. You just need to know what to do, and how to go about it! If you want to raise an indoor herb garden in your apartment it tells you how. If you want an outdoor herb garden it tells you want to do and how to protect your herbs during winter months. Even if you're a total beginner and haven't got a clue where to begin, you can have your own home herb garden setup and running smoothly within hours! There are essentially 3 main things you need to know aboutgrowing herbs: You may underestimate the grocery savings that you will be making by growing your own herbs. Herb have been considered the "perfect plant" for many, many centuries. Cooking, teas, medicine, ornamental, scents and more. Once your garden is in full bloom, you may reap its rewards for numerous uses and see the savings add up rapidly. Andthat's not nearly all! You Could Be Reading This Fantastic Book In The Next 60 Seconds! You can order this amazing system right now and actually start discovering these herb garden secrets within 60 seconds! + and that's not all... All you need is acredit card, no special internet accounts or anything like that. Andit's 100% safe & secure. Your credit card data is passed directlyto the bank and no one but the bank has access to your sensitiveinformation.) And, as I said earlier, you can place your order right now and be enjoying this fine book. The way it works is simple and fast. Just click any of the blue links and you'll be taken to my 100% secure order page. As soon as your order is processed (takes about 45 seconds), you'll be taken to the "Download Page" where you can instantly download "The Easy Guide To SuccessfulHerb Gardening" and the Bonuses immediately. Your billing statement willshow a charge from CLKBANKCOM. You'll be thrilled with how fast, fun, and easy it is to care for your herb garden once you learn the right way to do it. I have chosen to offer this information-packed guide in a ebook format rather than its offline "physical" format to keep the price low. Production and storing of a printed version would have sky-rocketed the price, especially with color photos. But thanks to the wonders of modern technology, I have made "TheEasy Guide To Successful Herb Gardening" which containsmy home herb garden formula, available to you as a downloadableebook directly accessible from the Internet at a very reasonableprice This way I have no inventory and no fulfillment costs. I don't need to pay anyone to take the orders over the phone. This way I can pass along my cost savings to you. So you win and I win. But don't worry, downloading the information in "The Easy Guide To Successful Herb Gardening" and the bonuses is a absolutelysecure and extremely simple. Also, I'm offering it at this low price because this entire "internet sale" is part of a marketing test I'm trying out. Frankly, I plan to raise the price by an extra $5.00 to $10.00 in the very near futur. Even at a higher price, It will still be a bargain because this this is a fantastic method to grow strong, healthy, productive herbs! I know from 1st hand, personal experience that it does and I'm so confident you'll love it that I'm offering the following guarantee: YourHerb Garden Will Be So Beautiful, and Healthy That YourFriends Will Be Jealous Or Else I'll Give You 100% Of Your Money Back And Still Let You Keep This amazing guideis guaranteed to work for you. And I stand behind it 100%. Try outthe knowledge I am putting forward for 60 days. If you aren't absolutely thrilled with it for any reason, just let me know and I'll give you a full refund with No Questions Asked. But this revealing ebook is still yours to keep free forever. There are no questions asked, no "wiggle clauses" and no funny business. You have 60 full days to put it to work for you, and you either you love it or you get a refund and keep it free. Wouldn't it be great if everything came with this kind of guarantee? Please Note: Your billing statement will show a charge from CLICKBANKCOM So,click here and get your discounted copy of You have absolutely no risk! and everything to gain! Happy trouble-free gardening , P.S. The Internet Introductory low price of only$14,77 is a part of a market test I'm conducting. Once I'vecompleted my market test, I will be raising the price. So, pleasedon't wait, you'll be glad to have taken this step and add great tastingfood every meals, a variety of fantastic herbal teas, natural medicine to naturally heal of various ailments and so much more to your and your family's life. © Copyright HerbGardeningOnlineGuide 2009
warc	201713	Artifact Lingo 101 You may have heard the terms preservation, conservation, and restoration used interchangeably in museums, antique shops, and even popular culture. These terms are often used to describe the acts of working with historic or artistic objects in order to keep them from deteriorating or make them look better (and sometimes both). Yet these three terms actually have distinct meanings. Objects degrade over time. The act of preservation seeks to slow down or stop degradation in historic and artistic objects so the objects can be studied and appreciated for years to come. In the museum world, the activities of preservation tend to focus on creating safe storage and exhibit environments. This means we spend a lot of time monitoring the things that cause objects to degrade faster, such as relative humidity, temperature, light levels, pests, and pollutants. Much of the work carried out by staff in the Missouri History Museum’s Library and Research Center involves a great deal of preservation as we strive to prevent degradation and damage from occurring to the artifacts entrusted to our care. This is especially true in the Conservation department, where our main focus is the preservation of materials. The term conservation The profession devoted to the preservation of cultural property for the future. Conservation activities include examination, documentation, treatment, and preventive care, supported by research and education. Conservators aim to alter objects as little as possible. When we do have to treat an object, it’s usually to clean or to repair a broken component. When treatment involves chemicals or adhesives, conservators make sure their work can be carried out (and reversed, if necessary) without affecting the original materials. A good example of conservation is the work we did to curb the progress of glass degradation in the beads of an 1880s dress featured in the Little Black Dress exhibit. Due to a manufacturing flaw in the glass, the black glass beads were developing a thick white crust on their surface, something known as "bead disease." In the interest of slowing down the degradation and showing the dress as it once looked, our staff and volunteers spent nearly 300 hours cleaning the thousands of beads (individually!) with tiny cotton swabs and a chemical solvent. This treatment, along with careful monitoring of the exhibit and storage environment, will help to slow down the degradation of the beads. At times, a conservation treatment may involve restoring some aspect of an artwork or artifact. One example of this is the conservation of the historic Chase Hotel sign featured in our Route 66 exhibit. Restoration aims to return an object to its original appearance (or a known previous state). In museums, this is done through careful historical research and analysis of materials still present on the artifact. This often requires adding materials that weren’t part of the original object. When conducting conservation treatment on an object, we consider restoration only if we know the exact shape and look of the material we’re restoring. Take, for example, a broken ceramic vase. If pieces are missing from that vase, we’d fill them in only if there was enough original material present to figure out how the missing pieces would have been shaped. And if there are painted designs on the vase's surface with parts of the design missing, we’d recreate the missing parts only if we knew for certain what they would have looked like. So, when restorations occur in museums, they’re carried out with materials that are easily reversible and done in a way that preserves and maintains the original material as much as possible. Outside of museums, restoration may involve much more aggressive methods, because the goal is often to make something look brand-new again. The overall look of an object may even change because color choices may be based on owners’ preferences, rather than the history of a piece. Surfaces are typically stripped and repainted, and some materials may be replaced. (If you want to see restoration in action outside of the museum world, try the History Channel’s American Restoration show.) Of course, restoration to this degree isn’t always a bad thing, and restoration certainly has its place in the world of cultural heritage. But museum and conservation professionals mainly work within the realms of preservation and conservation and are guided by the AIC Code of Ethics. This ensures that all cultural property that has been entrusted to our care is preserved and protected for many generations to come. —Crista Pack, Objects Conservator
warc	201713	If you have been harboring thoughts of building your very own solar panel with a small budget, then you are in the right place. Before you begin, there are quite a few things to bear in mind, and of them is being open to trying new stuff and this will definitely increase your chances of achieving your goals. The making of your own solar panel can be done with the help of your family members and thus, it can be a great cohesion day altogether. In addition, the use of a solar panel can help you save a huge sum of money and also protect the environment at the same time. Take a look at some of the many benefits home solar power systems can provide you and our environment: Green energy: When you use solar energy, you will realize that it uses absolutely no fuel other than the sun's light. Moreover, it does not release into the atmosphere anything harmful. Affordability: Energy comes free. The installation cost is a one-time cost. Therefore, the investment is recovered within a few years of installation, making the power generated by solar energy absolutely free. Ease of use: You cannot store conventional power but you can store solar power for future use. Low on maintenance: The home solar power systems are easy to maintain. They do not involve high costs or too much effort, thus letting you reap the benefits of the solution comfortably. Free and renewable: With solar energy, you can lower or even eliminate your monthly electricity bills. Increase the value of your property: The price of your house tend to worth much more with the implementation of solar power systems. Make Money: You can sell your excess generated electricity back to the utility companies. Basically, solar panels are dependent on sun energy to function; therefore, the most ideal location to position your panels is none other than on the roof of your home. However, there can be also other alternative locations such as on an empty piece of land that is close to the main area. The main point to take note here is that the solar panels have to be accurately angled to face the sun's direction. This is to ensure that the solar panels receive maximum exposure to direct sun rays. There are tons of companies out there selling DIY solar installation guides and this has made the installation process of solar panels cheap and very much efficient. With step-by-step instructions provided along with video tutorials, learning how to build a solar panel has never been easier than this approach. The cost for this DIY installation guides costs at a reasonable price of no more than $50 and the overall costs for the materials required for the building process won't take more than $200. Don't Pay For Electricity Instead Make Them Pay You. Here's How Step-by-Step Make Your Own Energy Step-by-step guide reveals how to make your own energy for 100$ or less!
warc	201713	WORK-IN PROGRESS The IEG Discussion paper series has been discontinued. Instead, abstracts of these papers from the past 4 years, are given below. The full papers can be obtained from the authors. A list of earlier papers is also given below. Year Author Title Abstract 2010 Goldar, Bishwanath Impact of Environmental Management Practices on Profitability and Market Value of Indian Industrial Firms 2010 Goldar, Bishwanath Energy Intensity of Indian Manufacturing Firms: Effect of Energy Prices, Technology and Firm Characteristics 2009 M.N. Murty Design of Economic Instruments And Participatory Institutions For Environmental Management In India 2009 Nilabja Ghosh Enterprise among farm women in india And understanding their constraints: An exploration of nsso’s 55th round Household data. 2009 Manoj K. Pandey Association Between Marital Status and Health: Examining The Role of Age and Gender 2009 Sanghamitra Das, Vikram Dayal, Anand Murugesan, R Uma, Meena Sehgal, S K Chhabra An Integrated Empirical Model of Health Effects of Air Pollution: The Case of Mining in Goa, India 2009 Manoj K. Pandey Labour Force Participation Among Indian Elderly: Does Health Matter 2009 Bhanumurthy, N R and Prakash Singh Understanding Economic Growth in Indian States 2009 Indrani Gupta Potential Impact On Health And Economic Inequality From Cardiovascular Diseases And Diabetes In India: Evidence From The National Sample Survey 2009 Indrani Gupta and Mayur Trivedi The Slow Decline In The Infant Mortality Rate In India: Can Governance Be An Explanation? 2009 Indrani Gupta, Mayur Trivedi, Mead Over, Damien De Walque Determinants of Adherence in the Antiretroviral Treatment Programme of the Government of India. 2009 Gulati, S C and Singh, Raghubansh Mani Determinants of Infant Mortality in India: A District Level Analysis 2009 Debajit Jha, Sabyasachi Kar and Alpana Kateja Distribution Dynamics of States in Post Reform India 2009 Sekhar C.S.C. Effect of Exporting Countries’ Stocks and Trade Policies on World Price – an Analysis of Cereal Markets 2009 Goldar, Bishwanath Trade Liberalization and Labour Demand Elasticity in Indian Manufacturing 2009 Chopra, Kanchan Sustainable Human Well-being: An Interpretation of Capability Enhancement from a ‘Stakeholders and Systems’ Perspective 2009 Nilabja Ghosh,Yogesh Chandra Bhatt and S.S. Yadav Impact of Crop Insurance on Agricultural Productivity: Reviewing the performance of India’s NAIS 2008 Sharma, Suresh Urban-Rural Differentials in Maternal and Child Health in Uttar Pradesh 2008 Rakesh Mohan On the Occasion of National Conference on “Growth and Macroeconomic Issues and Challenges in India” (February 14-15, 2008) 2008 Sahoo, Pravakar and Bibhu Prasad Nayak Green Banking in India. 2008 Bhanumurthy, N R and Dony Alex Threshold Level of Inflation for India 2008 Alam, Moneer Population Ageing in South Asia: An Overview and Emerging Issues of Poverty and Old Age Health 2007 Gupta, Indrani and Guin, Pradeep Health Status and Access to Health Services: A Study of Four Slums 2007 Alam, Moneer Is Caring for Elders an Act of Altruism? Some Evidence from a Household Survey in Delhi 2007 Gulati, S C, Chaurasia, Alok Ranjan and Singh, Raghubansh Mani Women's Reproductive Morbidity and Treatment Seeking Behaviour in India 2007 Chaurasia, Alok Ranjan Population Transition in BRIC Economies: 1950-2050 2007 Murty, M N India Environmental Outlook. 2007 Chaurasia, Alok Ranjan The Age and Sex Structure of Tribal Population in Central India. 2007 Uberoi, Patricia Aspirational Weddings: The Bridal Magazine and the Canons of ‘Decent Marriage’. 2007 Gulati, S C, Chaurasia, Alok Ranjan and Singh, Raghubansh M Unmet and met need of contraception in India. 2006 Bora, R S and Tyagi, R P Factors Influencing the Phenomenon of Declining Child Sex Ratio: A Study of North Western States in India 2006 Chaurasia, Alok Ranjan Mortality Transition in Urban India 1971-2002. 2006 Sharma, Suresh and Ghosh, Nilabja Progress of School Education, Gender and Imbalances: The case of Uttaranchal state in India. 2006 Gupta, Indrani, Trivedi, Mayur and K, Subodh Costing of the Free ART Programme of the Govt. of India 2006 Gulati, S C Fertility, MCH-Care and Poverty in India. 2006 Gulati, S C Beyond National Rural Health Mission 2005: Issues of National Concern 2006 Kumari, Anita Growth of Capital in Indian Manufacturing Industries During Post-Reform Period - A Comparative Analysis of Firms in High Tech, Medium Tech and Low Tech Industries. 2006 Chaurasia, Alok Ranjan Fifty Years of World Population Growth 1950 - 2000. 2006 Chakravarty, Sangeeta Stock market and macro economic behavior in India. 2006 Chaurasia, Alok Ranjan Obstetric Risk and Obstetric Care in Central India. 2006 Chopra, Kanchan The Role of Disciplinary Perspectives in Policy Design for Common Pool Resources: Some Reflections. 2006 Kumar, Pramod Inter Commodity Price Linkages In India: A Case Of Foodgrains, Oilseeds and Edible Oils. 2006 Gupta, Indrani, K, Subodh and Upadhyay, Devmani Economic Impact of Cardiovascular Diseases in India. List of Papers before 2006
warc	201713	Leonardo Boff's weekly columns are available in Spanish from Servicios Koinonia. Some of his older columns are available in English at LeonardoBoff.com. by Leonardo Boff (English translation by Rebel Girl) 2/26/2010 The Lula government has undeniable merits in the social field. But on environmental issues, it is glaringly unaware and backward. Analyzing the Growth Acceleration Program (PAC), we feel we are back in the nineteenth century. It's the same mentality that sees nature as a mere pool of resources, as a basis for programming pharaonic projects, carried out by blood and fire, within a model of excessive growth that favors large corporations at the expense of the depredation of nature and the creation of much poverty. This model is being challenged all over the world because it destabilizes the Earth as a whole, and yet it is assumed by the PAC, without any qualms. The discussion with the affected populations and society was ridiculous. Authoritarian logic prevails: first the decision is made, then the public hearing is convened. Well, this is exactly what is happening with the proposed construction of the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Plant on the Xingu River in the state of Para, Brazil. Everything is being rushed along, trampling processes, concealing the important 114/09 opinion of December 2009, issued by IBAMA (the organ that takes care of environmental issues) against the construction of the plant as well as the opinion of most national and international environmentalists, who say the project is a serious mistake, with unforeseeable environmental consequences. The Ministério Público Federal (General Prosecutor's Office), that set embargo processes in motion, eventually bringing the issue to international forums, was threatened with prosecution of attorneys and promoters of these actions for abuse of power by the Attorney General of the Union (AGU), with the public support of the President. This project comes from the military dictatorship of the 70s. Under pressure from the indigenous people backed by the singer Sting in collaboration with chief Raoni, it was shelved in 1989. Now, with the advance license issued on February 1st, the project of the dictatorship can return triumphantly, presented by the Government as the greatest work of the PAC. This project is all megalomania: flooding of 51,600 ha. of jungle, with a water surface of 516 km2, diversion of the river with the construction of two channels 500 m wide and 30 km long, leaving 100 km of dry riverbed, submerging the most beautiful part of the Xingu, Volta Grande and a third of Altamira, at a cost of 17 to 30 billion reales, displacing about 20 thousand people, and attracting about 80 thousand workers, to produce 11,233 MW of power in times of flooding (4 months) and only 4,000 MW the rest of the year, and finally, transporting it up to 5 thousand km away ... This colossus, typical of technocratic minds, borders on insanity, since, given the planetary environmental crisis, all recommend smaller works, evaluating alternative energy matrices based on water, wind, sun and biomass. In Brazil we have all that in abundance. Considering the opinions of experts, we can say the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant is technically unadvisable, overly expensive, environmentally disastrous, socially perverse, disturbing to the Amazon forest, and a serious assault on the Earth system. This project is characterized by a lack of respect of the the dozens of indigenous groups that have lived there for thousands of years and have never even been listened to; the lack of respect for the Amazon forest, whose vocation is not to produce electricity, but natural goods and services of high economic value; lack of respect for ecological awareness that, because of threats that weigh upon the system of life, calls for extreme caution in the forests; lack of respect for the Common Good of the Earth and Humanity, the new center point of global policies. Were there a World Tribunal on Crimes Against the Earth - like the one being proposed by a highly qualified group that is studying the reinvention of the UN under the leadership of Miguel D'Escoto, president of the Assembly (2008-2009) - surely the promoters the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant would be in the sights of that tribunal. There is still time to halt the construction of this monstrosity, because there are better alternatives. We do not want the words of Bishop Dom Erwin Kräutler, defender of the indigenous and an opponent of Belo Monte to come true: "Lula will go down in history as the great depredator of the Amazon and the burier of the indigenous and coastal peoples of the Xingu."
warc	201713	Trade in Services Binds, Climate Not So Much Also sponsored by Earth Pendant at PeacefulJewelry Climate Deception: Non-binding “Targets” for Climate, but Binding Rules on Trade in Services December 4, 2015, by Deborah James, Our World Is Not for Sale (OWINFS) network [reproduced as a guest blog, in its entirety - William P. Meyers] The whole world is watching as world leaders from nearly every country across the globe meet in Paris this week to set carbon emission reductions targets to address global climate change. Unfortunately representatives of 50 of the same governments are also meeting this week in Geneva to negotiate binding rules that will seriously constrain countries’ ability to meet those targets. The 15th round of talks to create a “Trade in Services Agreement,” or TiSA, are occurring once again in Geneva. Members of the TiSA currently include Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Mauritius, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, the U.S., and the 28 member states of the European Union. How come everyone knows about the Paris talks, but not those in Geneva? Because the Geneva talks are convened in secret – precisely because the negotiators don’t want the public to know what they’re up to. The TiSA is modeled on the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) of the WTO, which Naomi Klein has documented in her book, Fortunately, Wikileaks has come again to the rescue. Today they are publishing analysis and secret, leaked proposals that would create far-reaching rules that give corporations rights to access markets and limit public oversight of environmental and energy services and road transportation in TiSA member countries. The analysis of a proposal for an “Energy Related Services (ERS)” annex of the TiSA would give “rights” to foreign energy corporations in domestic markets. Far from mandating reductions in carbon emissions or promoting access for poor countries to clean technologies, the proposed TiSA annex would actually limit the ability of governments (on national, regional, or local levels) to set policies that differentiate between polluting and carbon-based energy sources, such as oil and coal, from clean and renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. This is according to the “principle of technological neutrality,” revealed in the analysis of the proposed chapter by Victor Menotti published by the Public Services International (PSI) global union federation today. Since reducing the dependence on fossil fuels is the basis of much of today’s climate policy, it is hard to imagine how governments could achieve the reductions in fossil fuel usage required by the targets if they are not able to differentiate among energy sources. Developing countries have demanded that principles of common but differentiated responsibility become enshrined in any new climate deal; the TiSA would instead sidesteps developing country concerns raised at the WTO, and fails to include the (weak) flexibilities for developing countries included in the WTO’s GATS. In fact, a main point of the TiSA seems to be to “shift political power over energy and climate policies from people using their governments for shaping fair and sustainable economies to global corporations using TiSA for restricting governments from regulating energy markets, companies, and industry infrastructure,” according to Menotti. This includes ensuring domestic economic benefits from natural resource extraction, a key strategy for poverty reduction in many developing countries. But it’s not just energy policy that is at stake. In his analysis In his analysis, Waren also details how the “exception to protect governments’ right to regulate the supply of environmental services is largely toothless.” Further, the “market access” rules of the TiSA limit public regulation of the number of services suppliers; the total value of the services supplied; the legal form of the services corporation; and other regulatory aspects, and would affect not only the energy and environmental services covered by the specific annexes but approximately 160 services sectors, many of which greatly impact the environment, including: real estate; retail; construction, air, road, and maritime passenger and freight transport; electricity, gas, and water distribution; services for agriculture, hunting, forestry, fishing, mining, utilities; and others. The draft annex on road transport reveals similar problems to the annexes on maritime and air transport previously released. While citizens and elected officials have public environmental and job creation goals around the construction of infrastructure including bridges and roads, and environmentalists and labor activists have a huge stake in taxing and regulating maritime and air transport in order to fund climate adaptation and mitigation and reduce carbon emissions from the transport industries, the TiSA proposes to impose a corporate model that would favor the transnational corporations’ “rights” to operate, and limit regulation. In its analysis of the draft chapter, the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) notes that the “combined impact of the leaked TISA documents’ provisions would constitute serious barriers for any state wanting to invest in, manage and operate its national infrastructure, to plan development or to defend social and safety standards across the transport industry itself.” These newly-released proposed chapters would also interlink with other TiSA chapters such as on domestic regulation; transparency; government procurement; and other cross-cutting issues. The similarities to the proposed TransPacific Partnership (TPP) and its negative potential impacts, as described in detail in an analysis published December 2 by the Sierra Club, A Dirty Deal: How the Trans-Pacific Partnership Threatens our Climate [PDF] are glaring. Both would empower fossil fuel companies to attack environmental policies, in the proposed TiSA based on more than 20 grounds provided in the chapter on Domestic Regulation. This chapter restrains government regulation of technical standards, professional qualifications, and licensing standards and procedures, in order to proscribe policies including domestic energy and environmental legislation to policies which are not, among other requirements, “more burdensome than necessary,” “objective,” and “reasonable.” But what do these words mean? Is the requirement for an environmental assessment before the license for an oil pipeline can be granted, “more burdensome than necessary”? Is the requirement for a specified percentage of electricity to be derived from renewable sources “objective”? Would a local law mandating improved technical standards to reduce pollution by power plants that are proximate to the residential neighborhoods of low-income communities of color, as demanded by environmental justice activists, “reasonable?” The question is, why would our governments give foreign corporations the right to decide these issues, when they are clearly in the realm of local communities and citizens, elected officials, regulators, consumers, workers, and the public at large? These attacks on domestic environmental and energy policy could actually occur even during the deliberation phases, through the proposed TiSA chapter on “Transparency” which would mandate that governments provide foreign corporations a mechanism by which Both the TPP and the proposed TiSA would restrict governments’ ability to use public procurement to promote “green purchasing,” through the chapter disciplining government procurement, which in the TiSA is cross-referenced to environmental and energy services chapters. According to the analysis by the Third World Network, government purchasing “provides a major source of demand for domestic service suppliers and reserving that for domestic companies (or otherwise preferring them) can facilitate social and economic development, provide employment and business opportunities for marginalized or disadvantaged individuals and communities and act as a ‘wealth redistribution’ tool.” The leaked chapter on government procurement in the TiSA would open up government purchases that are subject to public tender, by all government agencies, in any amount. Thus like the TPP, the TiSA constrains the ability of governments to set policies that favor environmental job creation policies advocated for by Trade Unions for Energy Democracy and the call for a Just Transition developed by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and endorsed by We Mean Business, The B Team and seven major civil society networks including CIDSE (the international alliance of Catholic development agencies), Friends of the Earth International, ActionAid International, Greenpeace International, Christian Aid, WWF and Oxfam International. Beyond the specific provisions of the agreements there is the problem of the general model of corporate globalization that is made international law in agreements like the proposed TiSA. Klein’s book highlights how little has been written about “how market fundamentalism has, from the very first moments, systematically sabotaged our collective response to climate change.” In an excerpt published by the Guardian from her book, she notes that: “The core problem was that the stranglehold that market logic secured over public life in this period made the most direct and obvious climate responses seem politically heretical. How, for instance, could societies invest massively in zero-carbon public services and infrastructure at a time when the public sphere was being systematically dismantled and auctioned off? How could governments heavily regulate, tax, and penalise fossil fuel companies when all such measures were being dismissed as relics of “command and control” communism? And how could the renewable energy sector receive the supports and protections it needed to replace fossil fuels when “protectionism” had been made a dirty word?” The scaling-up of investments in zero-carbon public services and infrastructure demanded by the Sustainable Development Goals recently agreed to by governments at the United Nations will be hampered by the deregulation and privatization of services, including environmental services, embodied by the TiSA model. They are also unlikely to be helped by the so-called Environmental Goods Agreement (EGA) being negotiated under the auspices of the WTO, which the WTO’s Director General, Roberto Azevêdo, alleged will contribute to climate solutions, but still include a raft of products that have no environmental basis, according to the NGO Transport & Environment. The proposed EGA would not only increase trade in those products but also reduce to zero the taxes paid by corporations for the privilege of profiting from that trade. After members agree on the list of products to include in the EGA, which they intend to finalize in time for the upcoming Ministerial meeting of the WTO in Nairobi, Kenya, December 15-18, 2015, they also will discuss adding in environmental services to the deal. The protections and supports for renewable energy that are being called for by countries across the globe are nowhere to be found in the leaked chapters of the proposed TiSA. Thus far, the restrictions on subsidies for renewable energy, such as India’s supports for solar power that have been successfully challenged by the United States in the WTO, remain in place, along with a lack of disciplines on similar subsidies that are forked over by publics coffers to the fossil fuel (oil, coal, and gas) industries in the hundreds of billions [PDF], according to Oil Change International. The TiSA also shares similarities with another agreement being negotiated in contrast to environmental goals, according to environmental analysis: the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The new rights for investors and corporations proposed in the TiSA and the TTIP, like the TPP, would become legally binding and enforceable, while any “environmental” provisions would not. This situation is reflected in the Paris talks for a new United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) agreement, where the U.S. has led the call for environmental targets to be only voluntary and has refused any provisions that would be binding under international law. A United Nations Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, Alfred de Zayas, recently published a major report to the UN addressing the adverse human rights impacts of international investment and trade agreements on the international order, and calling for human rights, health and environmental impact assessments of these agreements. Isn’t it time we stopped corporations from pushing our governments to expand agreements that harm the environment, while constraining governments from implementing the solutions necessary to combat climate change and save life on the planet as we know it? In order to implement climate solutions, let us stop the TiSA, along with the TPP, and the TTIP. Deborah James, djames@cepr.net, facilitates the global campaign against the TISA for the global Our World Is Not for Sale (OWINFS) network, together with PSI. OWINFS is a global network of NGOs and social movements working for a sustainable, socially just, and democratic multilateral trading system. http://ourworldisnotforsale.org/en/themes/3085 Agree? Disagree? You can III Blog list of articles
warc	201713	Assalam oalaikum, In today’s world some people do not think twice before hiring black magicians, tantriks, witches, voodoo magic practitioners etc for serving their own selfish interests. In one of my earlier blogs remove voodoo dolls - I have highlighted the primary reasons why people hire such evil people. This is a well-known fact that sorcery is totally forbidden in Islam but unfortunately, we find many people around us who hire witchcraft practitioners for casting spells on their opponents. Due to their bloated ego, such people cannot bear to see anyone around them happy and prosperous. So if they see that anyone has superseded their success, they try to hide their own discomfiture by having the spell of destruction cast on that person. In many cases, people become so blinded by envy, jealousy and hatred that they end up sawing off the very branch on which they sit. For example, envy may drive A to destroy the success of his brother B. However, this strategy can spell disaster as it lacks farsightedness. If in the near future A falls on bad times then his brother B who could have easily helped him to tide over the crisis- will not be in a position to save him at all. Instead of forgiving those who have wronged us the egoistic people prefer to hold a grudge against them throughout their lives. Even if someone has victimized us and we find it difficult to bring ourselves to forgive such a person- in this case too- seeking revenge through black magic or otherwise is not a lawful thing to do. Our suffering at the hands of an enemy may be a trial for us from Allah (swt) and the more steadfast and patient that we remain throughout the ordeal- the more blessings and rewards we can expect from Allah (swt). Allah (says in the Holy Quran: “And certainly We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sabirin (the patient ones.)” (TMQ- 2:155) Despite this many people spent exorbitant sums of money to witchcraft practitioners due to vices such as greed, envy, vindictiveness etc. They feel that a single witchcraft attack by such practitioners will help then to bring their enemies to book. They look upon such evil magic practitioners as an oasis in a desert or a rudder which can help them steer their life’s ship smoothly. They are usually awed by the magician’s spiritual powers through which they can stealthily overcome their enemies. The magicians are also clever enough to fool their clients by using witchcraft jargon before them. Soon enough, the clients develop a blind faith on the witches, tantriks etc. However, even though a witchcraft practitioner may seem to be a Good Samaritan for such evil-minded people yet the truth remains that those who cast spells, do so only to make money- lots of money to be precise. The more that they are able to influence and impress their clients the more easily can they extract money from them on some pretext or other. In a nutshell, it should be remembered that the people who cast witchcraft spells for destruction, disease, death or other such evil purposes are not saviors. They do so only for filling their own coffers. They do not show any reluctance even if the client expects them to kill someone innocent through a witchcraft spell. This shows that they basically have an evil nature and hence are not completely untrustworthy. Keep Me In Your Prayers, Amel Soname Amel_soname@yahoo.com
warc	201713	I don't know in other areas, but here in our suburb it has been raining quite frequently and it's raining quite hard almost always. I was wondering if the rainy season would come early this year, but according to the weather reports it is due to the intertropical convergence zone. I find it really odd that there is downpour in the middle of summer, but I also like it because it was really, really hot these days. In preparation for what is inevitably coming, we had to call in early our reliable roofer to check on our roof. Every end of the summer, we have our roof cleaned and checked for holes or for minor repairs to avoid leak. According to the Houston Roofing, neglecting a roof for too long can cause serious damage to one's home and leaving it unrepaired can create a big hole in your pocket with regard to cost of repair. Contacting a qualified roofer could actually save you money in preventing further damage as the level of experience of the roofer can actually determine if they have the ability to do the job. It may sound so simple, but when it comes to your home and your roofing project, make certain that you hire the best one for the job. With the number of typhoons that we had to endure every rainy season, a steady roof under our heads is much needed. Here comes the rain again and it is never too early to be prepared.
warc	201713	I don't know why I feel the urge to write this post. I guess it's only been a matter of time, but it's just taken me a while to compose my thoughts. I finally found the inspiration to write down what I have to say on the concept of feminism after reading this great article at Feministing. At the risk of alienating a few readers, there is no denying that I am a feminist. Why the word conjures up such a negative image is unfortunate, but I would be arrogant to say that my personal opinion on the topic will change your mind. Regardless, I have made some statements recently that may be construed as anti-feminist. I don't consider my course in life to be anything but a personal choice, which is a main tenant of feminism, right? I'm not writing this to justify my actions. I'm writing this just as much for myself as for anybody reading this. I can make choices and blanket statements all I want, but they don't mean anything to anybody {least of all myself} unless there are valid and true reasons behind those choices and statements. So here it goes. Remember yesterday, when I made that disclaimer about not being shallow about liking shoes? Well, I know that some may have found it to be entertaining {and not entirely necessary}, but I felt the need to write it only because liking shoes {and clothes and pretty things} can seem superficial. It's materialistic, but I would argue that there is a fine line between being too materialistic and just liking the way you look. If you happened to read that article at Feministing, you would have read this last line: "...getting in touch with your own personal style and presenting it to the world as an extension of yourself seems like a righteous form of self-love, and therefore perhaps a feminist act of the highest value." That is exactly what I've been thinking for these past few weeks, I just didn't know how to put it down in words. I asked my husband yesterday if I was fat {he, of course, answered no}. It's not the first time that I've asked the cliche question, nor will it be the last. But this time, I wasn't asking out of insecurity. When my husband asked why I asked it, I responded like this: For the first time in a long time, maybe in my life, I feel good about myself and my body. I just wanted to make sure that this newfound confidence isn't unfounded. What a strange concept. I actually like who I am. And I think a lot of that has to do with my personal mission to develop who I am in every aspect, including my personal style. Though it may not be like this for all women, I feel better about myself when I look nice and feel beautiful. But I also feel good about myself when I successfully complete a project at work, answer Final Jeopardy correctly, and have meaningful conversations with friends. I feel good about myself when I cry because I'm passionate about something. I feel good about myself when I can make someone else smile or when I write something that I love. These things are no different. And I shouldn't feel guilty because I love myself. Because, in all honesty, I don't know that I've ever loved myself before. Anyway, I know that this post is getting rather long, but I do have one other topic that I feel the need to write about {but I understand if you're bored already and want to leave}. A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about how my career doesn't need to define who I am. In that post I made a, perhaps naive, claim that the most important role for me in life is to be a wife and a mother. It's taken me some time to flush through what I really meant by this, but I think I've finally realized it. For most of us, our youth is spent daydreaming about the ideal. We dream of growing up to save the world, whether by ending world hunger or discrimination or global warming. But there comes a time in life when reality hits us. It's not that these things are any less important to us {believe me, I would love to have an impact on these things}, but that we understand that we all have a role to play. I once thought that my role was to go to law school and fight for the civil rights of others, something which I would still love to do someday. But it's not realistic for me, in so many ways. What I can do, however, is raise children to be socially conscious and active. I can show the world what a loving relationship looks like. I can write to inspire others. I can vote. I can educate myself so that I can educate future generations. There is a lot that I can do for the world that doesn't require giving up the person that I am for an abstract idea. And those are my thoughts for today. But I would like to leave you with this, and I hope that you can all agree, because love is the most important thing in the world, right? When I said that I want to be a wife, first and foremost, I wasn't saying that my goal in life is to be a domestic queen, spending my days doing laundry and cooking and raising children. Perhaps saying that I want to be a wife was the wrong way to put it. Because for me, the only thing that I want to be is a wife to my husband. I want to be his partner in life. His equal. His best friend. I just know that I don't want to live this life on my own. So don't make me feel guilty about that either. Much love,
warc	201713	So people definitely tend to overestimate the percentage of the poor who are black (there's little information on perceptions of Hispanics). But they also estimate the percentage of the whole population that is black. Several Gallup polls have asked what percentage of the American population is black, and the median is about 35%. If you take the figures at face value and do the calculations, it turns out that people generally underestimatethe association between race and poverty. I wouldn't take the exact numbers that seriously, but I think it is fair to say that, on the average, people have a pretty accurate view of the relationship: they realize that the poverty rate is higher among blacks, but don't imagine that poverty is just a black problem. The natural follow-up question is whether it matters: from the context, it's clear that Etzioni is suggesting that whites who think that more of the poor are black are less likely to support anti-poverty programs. My next post will look at whether that is the case. [Data from the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research]
warc	201713	For people to be able to consciously use auto-suggestion to good effect, they should be taught it as they are taught to read and write. Emile Coue Female Logic that Men Share - Troubles with the subconscious - The successes and failures of self-prediction - A paradoxical state of mind: the curse of the century - The Sphere of Absolute Faith The Unwilling Automaton Imagine a millionaire with a chain of supermarkets. There are plenty of managers to run everything and all the boss has to do is sit back and enjoy life: everything ticks over smoothly. If something happens to upset the balance then considerable disruption could ensue. If you can picture this then you will have some idea of where we stand in relation to our bodies. Our body biochemistry keeps us alive and allows us to be conscious of the fact. Trillions of body cells digest, excrete and metabolise without our even noticing. Our kidneys, liver and spleen function, our bone marrow silently renews our blood and our heart beats automatically. Every cell has its own particular role quite independent from our will. Just imagine what it would entail if we had to control the function of our sweat glands, lungs, liver, all our internal organs. It would be intolerable as anyone who is ill knows only too well. The fact that our bodies function involunarily is indeed a great blessing and it is impressive that, apart from when we are ill or in extreme conditions, all this generally takes place so inconspiciously. But what about our mental processes? They are made up of an incalculable number of impressions (of the people we meet, things we see, conversations, ideas) which produce the thoughts, judgements, decisions and actions we think of as our own. It is even questionable whether there is anything exclusively ours since we are constantly recombining our previous experience. This does not seem so bad if we remember that even the most original book is made up of words and phrases that have been used countless times before. The important thing to remember, however, is that once an automaton has become aware of itself it ceases to be an automaton. Self-awareness gives us the opportunity to recreate ouselves: a new and invaluable freedom in stark opposition to our automatic physiological programming. Although our bodies may resist change they can easily be brought into line and can even support such change. Life keeps forcing us to replace automatic self-regulation with a conscious control which will inevitably become automatic in turn, thereby adding to our independence. The Stranger We Know ‘I’m just about home now. I’ve keyed in the code for the flats, have gone up in the lift and am on the landing. Suddenly I realise I’ve got my key in my hand although I don’t recall taking it out of my pocket: it happened of its own accord and I only became consciously aware of it when I observed the accomplished fact. If I’m really engrossed I can quite easily open the door, go into the hall, put on the light and take off my coat without noticing what I’m doing. I light up a cigarette and come to with a start, remembering that I gave up smoking several months ago.’ For some reason or other she decided to check. Quite right, the key was missing. She felt around gingerly in the grass, and, with a triumphant, «Here it is!», held up the key. It must have slipped out of her pocket without her noticing it. Her friend said he vaguely remembered that, about an hour ago, he’d heard something clink but hadn’t paid any attention to it then. She’d obviously heard it, too, but had been too preoccupied at the time to give it a second thought. Since then her brain had been trying to work out what it could have been and had finally come up with the correct answer, perhaps not too directly, but on cue. N insulted his friend, M, quite out of the blue and apparently without provocation. N told himself he just could not take any more of M’s intolerable arrogance although, in fact, M had behaved perfectly reasonably all day. The truth of the matter was simply that N had been dogged by ill-luck and, quite unconsciously, had been envious of M’s success for some years and jealous because his own wife always spoke so approvingly of M. He had sought an excuse for a quarrel without realising it himself and had found one. A friend asks for your help in dealing with a personal problem. You give your assent readily enough but, as is often the case, you keep postponing giving the matter serious thought, almost as if you had forgotten about it. Some time later, the problem suddenly springs to mind of its own accord along with a perfect solution. You have managed to keep your word without appearing to try since your subconscious mind had been working for you the whole time. You are probably quite familiar with incidents of this kind and have examples of your own subconscious working in similar ways. I would, however, be quite sceptical if you said that you can actually understand how your subconscious works. Our Screen of Awareness The twentieth century has already been called a lot of things: the age of the subconscious is, I think, a definition that can justifiably be added to the list. After Freud, the conscious has become rather unfashionable: what can it achieve, after all, outside the sphere of the rational? The subconscious is quite another matter: the power-house of the libido, for example, and the part of us that, among other things, enables us to leap around in time to music. Most people are aware of its existence, even if they deny having one themselves. One well-informed lad told me that he was different from everyone else because he did not have a subconscious. When I asked what had happened to it he answered proudly, with just a hint of regret, that he had never had one: he had always been fully conscious of what he was doing. «Even when you’re asleep?» I asked. «Especially when I’m asleep», he replied. «That’s the whole trouble: I’m a wunderkind». (He was indeed an extremely gifted lad with a sleep-walking and bed-wetting problem; hypnosis helped him considerably). People had begun to suspect the existence of the huge and nebulous sphere of the subconscious long before Freud. With the appearance of psychoanalysis, it dominated the scene for those of a philosophical turn of mind and was a profitable commodity for some. This boom to some extent overshadowed the very valuable discoveries made by Freud and the school of psychoanalysis he inspired. (Their contribution is indisputable, even though most of the «discoveries» were simply a rephrasing of what writers of the calibre of Dostoevsky had described years earlier). However, even after sophisticated psychological research and sensational popularisation, for most people the subconscious probably still remains mysterious and intangible, not something you can actually come to grips with. A fairly typical attitude might be that «Everyone else has a subconscious and if it ever looks as though I’m going to get one too, then it is high time to think about going to the doctor». So let us try to establish what exactly the subconscious does. : Without our being aware of it our spleen, liver, other internal organs, bone marrow, white blood corpuscles and most of our brain cells carry out their particular functions. : Unconsciously we turn over in our sleep, cry out in pain, rub our arm or leg when we hurt them, imitate others, seek connection with other people, strive to reproduce and fight for our share of pleasure and pain. : Subconsciously we experience as yet apparently unfounded apprehensions about the future, sense temptation, strive to show ourselves in the best light possible, even when it is not necessary and are perfectly aware of the truth; we notice a mass of things, feel suspicious, dream up both impossible and perfectly reasonable plans, are often envious and sometimes solve problems and compose. : Consciously we open a savings account, book a plane ticket, pay someone a compliment, dress warmly when it is cold, take medicine, give up smoking, and also imitate others, feel suspicious and compose... This is an approximate categorisation of our actions ranging from absolute unconsciousness to full consciousness. Even if you are new to these ideas it is easy to see how indistinct the dividing lines are: there is a constant overlapping between the top levels of unconscious actions and the deep levels of conscious ones, and it is sometimes impossible to say whether actions are conscious or subconscious. On the underground in the morning you often see commuters totally engrossed in their book or paper. Their eyes fixed on the print, they nevertheless manage to manoeuvre themselves out of the carriage with a fairly assured step and nimbly thread through the crowds still reading, determined to finish the article. Evidently they are still aware of something out of the corner of their eyes. There are countless semi-conscious or semi-subconscious actions of the kind. A goalkeeper’s save can be both calculated or purely instinctive. However alert and aware a driver at the wheel may be, he or she nevertheless reacts automatically to avert an accident. A young man is standing outside a cinema. He had consciously decided to join the queue even though it looked fairly long. The decision to take his girlfriend to the pictures in the first place was calculated to make her like him, to impress her and show her that he wanted her to enjoy herself. But why he had fallen in love in the first place clearly belongs to the sphere of the unconscious. Later on, when he has already stopped loving her, he may be able to examine his emotions. Sometimes, like the mathematician Poincare, we may feel that we can perceive our own subconscious. This happens at moments of inspiration and in some psychiatric disorders. However, the sensation of seeing into our subconscious mind is deceptive: once we perceive something consciously it has become part of our conscious and has therefore ceased to be in our subconscious, and vice versa. Hoping to catch your subconscious in action is a bit like trying to grab hold of yourself from behind if you are chasing round the flowerbed. Nevertheless, indirectly and retrospectively it is possible to learn a great deal about our subconscious: we can deduce what must have been there and can also predict to some extent what is likely to appear in the future. Some observers are inclined to think that our conscious mind is only «the tip of the iceberg» of the subconscious. However, it is possible for everything in our subconscious to find conscious expression sooner or later, whilst anything from our conscious mind can at any time slip into the subconscious. Thus everything on the screen of our awareness is mobile in either direction. If there exists an inner reality outside of this screen then it is something which is in any case impossible to formulate verbally. The Cocooned Universe Although I said that the subconscious can become conscious and vice versa I did not say it was easy: it can happen potentially. A lifetime is too short for us to get to know the limits of our own personality. Dreams, like meteors entering our conscious mind from worlds which die with us, provide little information about the fantastic depths of our subconscious. We have no idea how many feelings, conjectures and ideas are born, slumber and fade away, cocooned there. Although it is not difficult to ascertain the lifespan of impressions and thoughts in our conscious mind, it is quite a different matter once we turn to the undefined sphere of the subconscious. Here echoes of the past and vague projections of the future ebb and flow independently so we that can never be completely sure what exactly is there. Freud suggested the subconscious is filled, above all, with repressed sexual desires and fantasies, and aggressive and self-destructive impulses. He was correct in part, his observations being most true for the majority of his patients, that is, predominantly genteel ladies from the European middle-class at the beginning of the twentieth century. As it has been subsequently shown, however, the domain of the subconscious is far wider and can embrace the whole universe. As Freud discovered, the first things which slip off into the subconscious are naturally those which are uncomfortable, painful or terrifying to live with (forbidden desires, envy, self-hatred and the fear of death, for example). There is, however, a lot there which could improve life (altruism, love of truth) but which for some reason or other is not put to practical use. Today, with liberal attitudes and pornography widely available in the West, it is scarcely necessary for sex to hide away in the subconscious; aggressive tendencies are a different matter: they, on the whole, are still taboo, although many, from terrorists to hooligans, scarcely seem worried by this. In our subconscious there are fears, hopes, truth, falsehood, and good and bad intentions; there are dark animal instincts and noble impulses which rarely find expression. Social trends and referent group ties, which hold people in emotional interdependence, work mainly at a subconscious level. Hidden information about ourselves and others which, as a rule, is rarely expressed openly sometimes appears as a form of clairvoyance or telepathy. It is amazing how little most of us know about ourselves. We would, I suspect, be much more balanced and happy if, over the centuries, we had learnt to be less frightened of who we really are. The Sphere of the Absolute This is not going to be anything new; it is simply a straightforward diagram which is useful for taking a look at a few things we are all familiar with. Our brain categorises information in approximately the following way: at the centre is the region we shall arbitrarily call the Sphere without Doubts, or the Sphere of Absolute Faith. Encircling this are the Spheres of the Trustworthy, the Doubtful, the Scarcely Likely and the Improbable. The Sphere of Absolute Faith is tremendously powerful, containing, for example, miraculous cures, hypnosis, great works of art, and scenes of mass hysteria. It is everything we believe at an emotional as well as at a rational level, and sometimes at an exclusively emotional level; it includes all the impressions, thoughts and ideas which we understand, with which we can identify fully and which become our physical state. Diagram 1. The Sphere of the Absolute Psychologists call this sphere «the nucleus of personality», the focal point of the principles which govern our life, our most important inner values (this will be discussed later) and the major motives for our behaviour. The sphere is protected by a number of barriers and filters, the outer rings (see Diagram 1). It possesses a very powerful defence mechanism which rejects anything alien that could pose a threat to its structure, selectively admitting only that which will support and protect it. It is the «brain of the soul» and can be compared with the government in a totalitarian state. In an average adult, the Sphere of the Absolute is dark and cramped and both the exit and the entrance are obscured. It is not, however, closed entirely: if it were, it would be impossible to influence other people and develop our own personality in any way at all. The Sphere is more receptive to influence in childhood (hence education is possible) and also, potentially at least, in people responsive to deep hypnosis. The suggestions in hypnosis are addressed directly to this sphere. It is the target for all forms of communication in which one party is trying to influence another: for example, in propaganda, advertising, sermons and art. (This book could, of course, be added to the list, perhaps the one difference being that it explains just what it is aiming at). The Sphere of the Absolute is as mobile as anything else on the screen of our awareness: some inner absolutes are recognised consciously, others only partly so, and some not at all. Everything here can, of course, change its position, although less readily than elements in the outer spheres. There is, however, a tendency for absolutes to slip into the subconscious mind and to act in secret there to greater effect. (See the conflict between value and significance in the next chapter). This is the shady abode of egoism, love and religious belief. As might be expected, there are bound to be struggles for domination, and particularly bitter ones, in the brain of the soul. At the very heart of the Sphere of Absolute Faith there seems to be a mysterious link with the Absolute of Existence; but this is another topic entirely. For us it is important to realise that this Sphere is the main target for Auto-Suggestion and Auto-Training: «According to your faith be it unto you». The Yes-No Mechanism Suppose you are at a friend’s for dinner and you are offered some apple pie. You can either accept it with thanks or refuse politely. You are not too sure whether you want any or not and while you are making up your mind your face assumes an expression of concentration: your brain, meanwhile, is carrying out a calculation which makes a computer look simple. It could go something like this: 1. Do I really want anything else to eat? (yes, I’m starving; I’d certainly not say no; might as well, I suppose, I’d really better not have any more; I’d be sick if I ate another morsel. Underline as appropriate.) 2. I’d like something else but do I want apple pie? (I’m not fussy, anything; everything looks so nice but that’s probably the nicest; I don’t really like anything else that’s there; that’ll do nicely; I’d prefer something else but it doesn’t look as if there is anything else, so I’d better say yes; why have people this mania for making apple pies, if there’s one thing I can’t stand... Delete as appropriate). All this is resolved in the conscious mind by a single signal «Yes please», or «No, I’m all right thank you». But that is not all. Before you state your decision you often need to qualify your purely digestive considerations a little: for example, although you may still be hungry, etiquette or your health may make it impossible for you to accept, or, on the contrary, good manners may force you to eat more than you really want or something you do not like. It has taken me approximately ten minutes to describe only very superficially what takes place in the brain in a fraction of a second. We do not after all, usually hesitate for long when offered something to eat or drink and I purposely chose this exchange for its simplicity. The fact is that the mechanism which decides «yes» or «no», «to be» or «not to be», etc. , functions in basically the same way whatever the question: if we are wondering whether to take another piece of cake, to jump over a ditch, or to write an article. It is the work of our subconscious mind to constantly consider possible alternatives and to predict the future. However, as we shall now see, efficient though this mechanism is, it is still very far from perfect. A Paradoxical State Suppose that, lying on the ground in front of you, there is a fairly wide beam and that you have to walk across it. You do so without any qualms and even walk up and down a few extra times for good measure. If the beam is then raised so it is about five feet off the ground you still walk across, but with noticeably less confidence, swaying a little here and there. If the beam is raised again, this time by ten feet, you refuse point blank to even attempt walking across. When it was still on the ground just a few minutes ago you walked across it without any hesitation whatsoever, but it is frightening when it is high up. It is no narrower, of course, and you know perfectly well that you could make it to the end, but knowing is not enough. You do not believe any more that you can do it. You have stopped believing that you can do it. You do not believe because you are afraid; and you are afraid because you do not believe. If you did make an attempt in this state of mind you would most probably fall. In this case you’ would probably put it down to the fact that your head started spinning or that you suddenly lost your footing. Physiologically it can be explained by the involuntary contraction of your muscles which caused you to lose your balance. But why, you may wonder, did not the same thing happen when the beam was on the ground? This is explained by the fact that the subconscious mind has its own logic, which is not subject to our control, for dealing with how we perceive and react to things. In the given case, the reasoning could have been something like this: 1. « The beam’s wide enough for me to walk across and it is on the ground anyway, so if I did fall I wouldn’t hurt myself. I couldn’t really do any harm. It doesn’t matter in the least if I fall... I needn’t even think about it and can just go ahead and walk across». 2. « The beam’s just as wide but there’s a big drop now. So it is not just the beam, but the beam and the height. It could be serious if I fell this time. I mustn’t fall. I mustn’t fall. I must be extra careful... I mustn’t fall!... But I could quite easily....» Your muscles will immediately tense to help you hold on better and your inner ear will be put on the alert, almost as if you had already slipped. By expecting to fall and by being frightened of doing so you anticipate and even induce the event: you are the victim of an involuntary flood of super-caution. The position is a paradoxical one: the very fact that you «must not fall» increases the likelihood of your falling! A subjective fear can have very objective results! Your conscious mind urges you that, «You won’t fall because you shouldn’t», to which the subconscious replies, «you shouldn’t fall, therefore you might». It is an interesting quirk of the subconscious mind that it increases or decreases the subjective likelihood of an event depending on its relative significance. The opposite also happens as part of a defence mechanism every time a particular piece of knowledge is dismissed from the mind: in some incomprehensible way you can totally ignore something unpleasant you know about and cannot avoid. By now you will not be surprised to learn that people often stutter because they are trying too hard not to; that insomniacs cannot sleep because it is too important that they drop off immediately; and that men can be temporarily impotent for the simple reason that they are too worried about being on top form. Lots of the paralysing attacks of nerves suffered by athletes, actors and students can be explained by this little «I mustn’t»... Why is it always so difficult not to let out a secret which must be kept? Why do we invariably knock over a whole glass of wine if we are told we must try to keep the tablecloth clean? Why does a learner cyclist ride straight for a lamppost or a brick wall? The harder he or she tries, the stronger the attraction: it is like a powerful magnet. This is all thanks to the subconscious mind’s own logic, the logic which, inversed, makes forbidden fruit taste so sweet. Some people, however, can walk across the beam even when it is high up. A trained acrobat, for example, has no trouble in doing so and walks across juggling the whole time. This in fact helps him or her. Tight-rope walkers maintain that you are okay as long as you manage to think about anything other than the height. If people are hypnotised to believe either that the beam is not very high up or else that they are experienced and fearless acrobats, then they, too, will make it across the beam. (On one occasion I hypnotised a teenager into believing he was a tight-rope walker and he had no difficulty in walking along the crossbar of a football goal). People will walk (or even run) across a beam however high up if it is a question of saving their lives. There have even been cases when, to save themselves or someone else, people have taken tremendous risks at great heights, since the fear of falling has then been the lesser of two evils. Someone who has a good grounding in Auto-Training will also be able to walk across the high beam. You are very fortunate indeed if you have never experienced any «beams» at an incredible height from the ground. Anyone can find themselves in a paradoxical state of mind and it is all the more likely to happen the more importance we attach to whatever it is, be it a particular time, a piece of work, a person, and so on. We shall now consider some techniques which make it possible to control ourselves at times like this, if not completely, then at least in part (enough to make all the difference); techniques for controlling the Sphere of Absolute Faith, our belief in ourselves. Illustrations and good advice alone are not enough. The important thing is to understand what is really happening and to have an open mind. Chapter III
warc	201713	I welcome you to my new blog. The purpose of the blog is to help parents of children with puzzling behavioral, social, and learning challenges. Much of the blog's content will follow the steps presented in my book, Understanding Your Child's Puzzling Behavior: A Guide for Parents of Children with Behavioral, Social, and Learning Challenges.This book is very appropriate for parents of children with ADHD, Asperger's, high functioning autism, ODD, anxiety, depression, and other disorders. The book is also appropriate for parents of children who are experiencing normal challenges of childhood. The thrust of the book is to help parents better understand the needs of their children, how to make a strength-based plan of action, and to know to whom to turn for help. It is a short book and for less than $15, you can save thousands of dollars to uneeded trips to professionals. Your interventions will also be positive and more effective. Many parents who are concerned about their children go on a "quest for help" that takes them through a myriad of care professionals. Sometimes this journey helps, but other times parents become even more confused. If you are one of these parents, I want to help you. If you have not, please purchase a copy of the book and let me know what you think. You may purchase the book at your local bookstore, http://www.amazon.com/, or at http://www.lifespanpress.com/. Try your best to follow the step-by-step procedures. If you get stuck, email me at: scurtis@lifespanps.com. I am happy to help you brainstorm a bit. In the coming days, weeks, and months, I will be posting additional information, advice, and links that are not included in the book. I hope you find this valuable. I am so excited to offer my help in this manner. As a disclaimer, by participating in this blog, there is not an official patient-doctor relationship. This is purely informal. If you would like to make an appointment with me, please call our administrative assistant at: 206-780-7782. If you wish to know more about our practice, please visit: http://www.lifespanps.com/. I do both in town and out of town assessments. If you are from a long distance, let us know and we will complete an evaluation in one day if at all possible. Ok let's get started..
warc	201713	Opening tomorrow, The Princess and the Frog is the entirely animated story of an African-American princess living in 1920s New Orleans—the first Disney animated film to feature a Black lead. While media scholars have stopped asking the question of how "positive" or "negative" Hollywood representations of African-Americans are, it persists in popular culture. Such questions are often too historically and culturally-contingent to be of much use as generalizable categories, but general audiences often hold on to these ideals as they do Oscars--there needs to be a (completely arbitrary) narrative of achievement to stabilize a personal set of beliefs. After working ginglerly, at times even inaccurately, through the history of Disney's problematic conception of non-white identities, Gabler ends with the following utopic pronouncement: But when "The Princess and the Frog" opens in Los Angeles and New York on Nov. 25 and the rest of the country on Dec. 11, it may turn out not to be a contradiction of Walt Disney's racial vision; it may be a fulfillment of it. And Walt will be resting quite comfortably in his grave. Gabler's a smart guy, who's done the research on Disney (he's one of the few to have access to the archives), but he's trying too hard to put a good spin on something that just cannot be idealized for historical and cultural reasons. It is what it is. It's not a "good" thing that Disney is finally telling a story with an African-American heroine--its at best an ambivalent mitigation of a problematic past that cannot be erased, or overcome. And no, Douglas Brode's revisionist, quasi-academic book does not present a convincing argument about Walt Disney's early commitment to multiculturalism. When it comes to gender, race and class, Disney has been, and still is, always behind the curve. The film's release, as Gabler's article shows, coexists with Disney's unflattering history--the fact that it took 70-plus years to finally center a film on this type of protagonist is always already as insulting and demoralizing as it is uplifting. And many audiences know this: “Why won't they release Song of the South?,” asks an anonymous poster sarcastically on the popular film website, Ain’t It Cool News, “you know the one where the black lead wasn't allowed to attend the premiere? ZIP A DEE DOO DAA!.” In March of 2007, Emil Thomas wrote in the Sun Reporter, an Oakland paper geared to an African-American audience, about the forthcoming film. “Over the last 70 years, Disney has created a pantheon of eight princesses . . . ,” he wrote, “None are African-American.” As with most discussions of the new film, Thomas sees Princess and the Frog’s racially utopic potential as co-existing with Disney’s problematic legacy. He added that: Not only has Disney neglected black females in their Hollywood dream factory, they have created some of the most offensive stereotypes of African-Americans. If you don’t believe me, check out Uncle Remus in Song of the South or the crows in Dumbo next time you get a chance. Far from being benign, such images damage the self-esteem of black children, while planting racist ideas in the minds of white kids. However, Thomas at least was cautiously optimistic about the newest film, recognizing that it was an attempt to atone for past sins and that the new film could still have a positive effect on black and white children now, who might grow up to create a better future. “One small part of the remedy [to past discrimination],” wrote Thomas, “may be in the dreams we allow our children to dream.” However, not everyone was as optimistic. That same month, Comedy Central’s The Daily Show was much more skeptical about the forthcoming film. “Senior Black Correspondent” Larry Wilmore discussed the film in relation to Disney’s history of representing (or not) African-Americans: The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c Frog Princess He too noted the many numerous Disney princesses, including a half-human princess in The Little Mermaid (1989), that preceded an African-American one. Having a black princess in New Orleans invoked from him an implicit Katrina reference (“I saw blacks on TV there once, on roofs”). Wilmore too mentioned Song of the South as a rare Disney representation of African-Americans, along with the crows in Dumbo. He then noted that there were no blacks in The Lion King, despite being set in Africa, and (satirically) that they edited out the sole African-American Dwarf, named “Angry.” Why? Because “Brothers don’t whistle while they work,” he told the show’s host, Jon Stewart. A few days later, Wilmore was interviewed by the New York Times about the piece, developing further the general critique of Disney’s decidedly white vision. Regardless of how the film ultimately works textually, The Princess and the Frog could never be a purely "positive" representation of African-Americans, in no small part because of its studio legacy, and will raise the same issues of ambivalence that Disney’s other films, such as Song of the South, have for decades. However positively or negatively one may read those other films and, in particular, its representations of African-Americans, it is a difficult historical fact to get around that the studio took over seventy years before it finally centered a major theatrical production around a character who was black, and such a decision will raise as many questions as it may answer. While potentially progressive as far as the limited scope of textual representation goes, the delayed timing of The Princess and the Frog still hurts as much as it helps. But of course centering an animated story on a Black character still offers future progressive possibility—perhaps the hope that such stories can take the privileged white perspective at the core of Hollywood storytelling and (momentarily) disrupt it. But the film's utopic potential (and I emphasize only potential) lies in the future--how it might affect, even empower, a young child today--and not in past, which must never be forgotten, or distorted, now.
warc	201713	By Don Luis de la Cosa (Guest Blogger) From “ Mission First”: Once inside, there was a hurried, heady flurry of information suddenly streaming in from all sides, making my head spin more than it already was. Absorption rates, temperature readings, transcription and duplication, stability, and ‘hydrophobia’. That was going to require some explaining. Shyla was, in fact, the research doctor in charge of managing this entire affair, and I was only partly able to keep up as she pointed to jars of liquids that seemed to agitate themselves, colors and shadows mixing almost at will while other scientists observed, pipettes suctioned liquids and redistributed them, microscopes projected images on encased oversized plasma screens and analyses were made. At each work station, every pair of eagerly energetic hands, as well as their owner’s body, was encased in a uniform the same as ours. Had I not been an already recognizable visitor, I could have easily been lost in the buzzing hive of activity. One of the drones scurried over to the doctor and handed her a plastic clip board written on in wax pen. “ When did you get these results, Ashton?” “ An hour ago, ma’am.” “ But, these can’t be accurate, it’s way too high!” “ I ran it three times, because I knew you would say that. All three samples had the same levels.” “ Impossible…” Shyla put her hand to her head and realized there was no way she’d be able to feel her fingernails against her skull through so much rubber, and then went back to looking at the board. “ Might I inquire as to the nature of the issue?” “ I wish I knew. This is a side project being developed for military application – better soldiers, faster reaction times, muscle regrowth, tissue regeneration, etc. We’ve been using the skin cell to stem cell production technique so we don’t have to wait on new lines to show up, and then injecting damaged areas with an admixture of pharmaceuticals: a few pain killers, some growth accelerants, binders, nothing extraordinary. Our test subjects are volunteers from the huge numbers of wounded that so recently got pulled out. Their regeneration and stabilization rates are generally in a recognizable sequence, and usually at a predictable rate that we’ve documented hundreds of times over. But we have one volunteer that is showing extremely abnormal rates of regeneration and even hypertrophy in some regions.” “ Hypertrophy?” “ Growth and increase in mass in areas otherwise unexpected.” “ Then he would have an enormous schwanstucker!” “ Hmmm?” “ Nevermind.” Not a Mel Brooks fan. Oh well. That whole scene erupted from an article I read about ‘hydrophobia’ in amino acids that describes its consequences, and what hydrophobic cells tell scientists. It just happened to show up on the Google front page one day when I opened up the browser. Of course, shortly after that entrance, both the reporter and the lead scientist descend into decidedly debaucherous derelictions of duty (or not, depending on how you look at it };)) but the importance of the entrance remains: there is an actual scientific concept and its attendant attitudes hidden in the suspense laden description. I’ve read gods know how many texts that work phenomenally well as completely unbridled flights of fancy, but the actual scientific concepts wouldn’t even fly inside of a Marvel Comics mag. So, what is it that makes William Gibson, Phillip K. Dick, Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, and yours truly (naturally) stand out from the crowd? It’s putting the science back in science fiction. Consider, for a second, Bladerunner, the quintessential sci-fi film – androids, flying cars, extra-planetary, travel, synthetic creatures, language mixing… Now consider our current reality: the only one of those things we haven’t managed to make real progress on is the synthetic creatures bit, but only because cloning protocols have, up to now, produced individuals with respiratory systems so compromised that they don’t survive very long. Flying cars haven’t made it into mass production because, well, just imagine if the Big 3 produced them, and then found themselves again in such financial dire straits that they actually went out of business. Or the vehicles magically ended up with Toyota-like sudden acceleration syndrome. There are no anti-hyperactivity drugs for that. As one of my old roommates used to say: “that is not the way to happiness.” However, that doesn’t mean that people aren’t hard at work on the concept. After that, with Virgin Galactic’s first commercial extra-planetary aircraft, Richard Branson is set to start taking in incredible sums for the privilege of going for a spin. Speaking of exo-planets, in a recent press release by cosmologists, it came to light that the number of stars catalogued could have been underestimated by as much as 90%. Meaning, up until just a few weeks ago, we believed there were only 10% of the stars in the universe than actually exist. Sort of eliminates the possibility of us being out here alone by sheer force of statistics, doesn’t it? Now, picture, if you will, the very first encounter between Europeans and indigenous folks on this side of the pond. Next, replace those indigenous populations with us, and the Europeans with some extra-galactic intelligence that just happens to pop in for a visit. And as a nation we can’t even agree on health care… Speaking of health care, it used to be that the following was only conceivable within the construct of a Star Trek episode, but there are recent developments in machinery aiming at just this sort of thing in “ Battery Drain”: Back in my subterranean dungeon of drearitude, I ended up actually cracking their security server and found, after some topical searching, specs, inventory lists, combat applications, and deployments of their drones. I stored all that info and shut down my deck, rubbing my eyes from sheer force of habit until I realized, my eyes didn’t really hurt. Tomorrow, I’ll have to ask Doc for a list of my specs. Almost on cue, one of the nurses who I’d recognized for her taste in black brocade and satin knocked and infiltrated my space. A bit shorter and with more dangerous curves than Morgan, her loose auburn curls fell to the center of her back to complement the olive tones of her skin. Her name was Heathyr, and she rolled a tray full of items dedicated to doing analysis on each of the modifications, data grabbers, signal strength testers, and multi-scanners, right up next to my table. “ I’ll start at the top. Doc wants to find out just how well everything went today.” She wore a jasmine and citrus mix perfume that tickled my brain, no doubt also dreamt up by those at the helm, and stood painfully close to my mostly naked skin, circling my head with something that clicked and beeped and shone lights against my skull. Strange symbols popped up on the mini screen as she pushed buttons on its side before she reached for something else the size of Doc’s palmtop. A purple beam shot out from a lens at the top and stretched the width of my body as she dragged the line from my shoulders along my torso to waist level. Her palmtop’s screen showed internal mappings of all the implants and everything to which they were attached, with notes in symbols I could neither read, nor understand upside down. More beeps and clicks. A great many people ask why I write science fiction. To me it has always come naturally, perhaps because of my upbringing in a medical family, and my natural curiosity in all things. Though the current crop of scientists, researchers, and developers is making my job infinitely more difficult, because at the very point I invent something for a story, it’s generally already become reality within some wild schemer’s laboratory. Even the autonomous drones I used in the later pages of the book are already in current development and limited deployment with the Army, and that’s at once frightening and not at all unexpected. So, how does one acquire all this information? Start by reading. Go purposefully into realms in which you’re uncomfortable, and discover interesting details about far away concepts that can help enrich the life of your mind. Then, follow the yellow brick road, from one concept, start to branch out into others, make connections, draw idea webs, add two plus four, debate the spiritual significance of a Fibonacci worm, scare yourself with how much you uncover, and then travel somewhere completely unfamiliar and discover some more. Challenge your beliefs, and above all, have fun! Lastly, if you’re looking for jumping off points, you could always start with my books… Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/donluisdelacosa Join my Facebook Fan page: http://is.gd/b7FtM Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002QPCC9E
warc	201713	“He hath erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance..”–The Declaration of Independence. “A Republic, if you can keep it.” Those were the words of the late great Benjamin Franklin on the steps of Independence Hall in Philadelphia when asked “Well Doctor, what have ye wrought, a Republic or a monarchy?” Oh how freedom could last another few generations had we not had one generation that was so self absorbed to realize that yes, tyranny can happen here. For far too many, tyranny has happened here, and yet we still believe that the United States is somehow infallible to the very human nature to trend towards despotism. How long could freedom have lasted had we simply passed on the knowledge of our Constitution and the protection of our liberty that it provided? How valuable is freedom to the one who won’t take the time to learn the United States Constitution? One of those simple protections to the Rights of the people to have power over the government was laid out in Article one § 6 of the U.S. Constitution. “No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the United States which shall have been created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have been increased during such time; and no Person holding any Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either House during his Continuance in Office.” Now to shorten this up, No Senator that was serving during the entire term of President George Bush can be appointed to a newly erected office, or to one which the Emoluments have been increased. The key here is Emoluments, or rather, as defined by the dictionary “the returns arising from office or employment usually in the form of compensation or perquisites.” Unfortunately for the citizens of the United States, this is the third time that President Elect Obama has proposed violating the Constitution since his election. That’s not a good sign especially when you consider that he wishes to appoint justices to the Supreme Court that will grow the constitution to be more desirable to the wishes of the President. “In this Country, by this system, no new office can be taken by a member of the government, and if he takes an old one, he loses his seat. If the emoluments of any existing office be increased, he cannot take it.”–James Madison. In this case it’s the latter half of his comment that applies here… if the emoluments of any existing office be increased, he can not take it, meaning, since the compensation for the Secretary of State was increased during Senator Clinton’s term, she is ineligible for the seat. But let’s take a look at why the Founding Fathers put that into the Constitution, according to James Madison. To avoid the Seduction of Patronage “The Members of the congress are rendered ineligible to any civil offices that may be created, or of which the emoluments may be increased, during the term of their election. No offices therefore can be dealt out to the existing members but such as may become vacant by ordinary casualties.”–James Madison The idea was that congress would abuse their powers, intentionally voting for a pay increase on a job or creating an unnecessary position in government that they intended to take, or to take the most prestigious jobs that they had recently increased the pay raise. It is, however, allowable for a Senator to resign from the Senate to take an appointed job, as long as the position is not a newly created position such as being appointed to the Department of Homeland Security, or in a position that the compensation is increased such as Secretary of State. One could argue that it was not Hillary Clinton’s intentions to become Secretary of State when she voted for the pay increase, but even if it were the case, should we set this precedence that the Representatives and Senators could take newly created offices and/or offices in which compensation was increased, won’t we then be opening the door to future abuses by our legislative body? Our constitution is filled with checks and balances, but when we ignore one, we lose them all. Soon enough, because so many are willing to look past one little violation, our Constitution will be rendered useless, and that one generation will have made the decision of posterity, for posterity.
warc	201713	Home Testing The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first over-the-counter home-use rapid HIV test on July 3. The OraQuick In-Home HIV Test is designed to allow individuals to collect an oral fluid sample and obtain test results within 20 to 40 minutes. A positive result with this test does not mean that an individual is definitely infected with HIV, but rather that additional testing should be done in a medical setting to confirm the test result. Similarly, a negative test result does not mean that an individual is definitely not infected with HIV, particularly when exposure may have been within the previous three months. The test has the potential to identify large numbers of previously undiagnosed HIV infections especially if used by those unlikely to use standard screening methods. Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis On July 16, FDA approved Truvada (a fixed dose combination of two antiretrovirals used to treat HIV) to reduce the risk of HIV infection in uninfected individuals who are at high risk of HIV infection and who may engage in sexual activity with HIV-infected partners. Truvada is to be used for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in combination with safer sex practices to prevent sexually-acquired HIV infection in adults at high risk. Truvada is the first drug approved for this indication. Truvada for PrEP is meant to be used as part of a comprehensive HIV prevention plan that includes risk reduction counseling consistent and correct condom use, regular HIV testing, and screening for and treatment of other sexually-transmitted infections. Truvada is not a substitute for safer sex practices. As part of PrEP, HIV-uninfected individuals who are at high risk will need to take Truvada daily to lower their chances of becoming infected with HIV should they be exposed to the virus. For more information about PrEP, visit http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/prep/ Prevention with Positives Earlier this week, US CDC launched the first ever Prevention with Positives website to help address the prevention needs of people living with HIV/AIDS. Trends in HIV-related Risk Behaviors Among High School Students An early release MMWR article “Trends in HIV-Related Risk Behaviors Among High School Students — United States, 1991–2011” describes the analysis of data from the biennial national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) with results that suggest that progress in reducing some HIV-related risk behaviors among high school students overall and in certain populations stalled in the past decade. The article suggests that renewed educational efforts and other risk reduction interventions are warranted to reduce the number of young persons who become infected with HIV. Maine Reports Maine's May 2012 HIV/STD update and 2011 HIV/STD Surveillance Report are now both posted on the Maine CDC website.
warc	201713	Scientific research has shown that regular physical activity not only promotes health and well-being, it also reduces the risk of developing many chronic diseases and of becoming overweight or obese. Walking routes offer a safe and fun way to get health-promoting physical activity. Walking requires little or no equipment and can be enjoyed by most individuals, regardless of their abilities. Many routes are also wheelchair accessible. Healthy Maine Walks is the most comprehensive listing of walking routes in the state. A Healthy Maine Walk is an accessible indoor or outdoor walking route that most people can walk in one hour or less at a brisk pace. Walking routes may be a local high school track, a downtown "museum in the streets" trail, or a portion of a larger trail system. This website is designed specifically to provide users with information about where to find a place to walk near where they live, work or play to help them lead an active healthy lifestyle. This online resource has just undergone its first major overhaul since being launched more than ten years ago. The new site is more user friendly and provides more information about the walking routes listed. Most of all it enables people across the State who manage and maintain walking routes to upload their route information directly by becoming a HMW “Walk Liaison”. To learn how you can become a Walk Liaison, or to find a walk near you, go to www.healthymainewalks.com, or contact Doug Beck (doug.beck@maine.gov) Physical Activity Coordinator in the Maine CDC Division of Population Health for more information.
warc	201713	The charity Human Rights at Sea has published the first voluntary guidance for NGOs working to rescue migrants in the Mediterranean. The guidance A Voluntary Code of Conduct for Search and Rescue Operations undertaken by civil society Non-Governmental Organisations in the Mediterranean Sea is based on established humanitarian principles, existing search and rescue convention, applicable international law and guidance from the International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF). It sets out how to increase joint co-ordination and co-operation and has been developed in close co-ordination with established rescue coordination centers, including the IMRF, Sea Watch and other state and non-state actors. The first edition of the document is intended to act as the basis for rapid iterative development with as many stakeholders as possible, including European institutions, agencies, shipping and fishing associations and military forces. As such, it puts down a marker and provides a starting point for a more comprehensive approach between NGOs in rescuing migrants and refugees at sea, says CEO and founder of Human Rights at Sea, David Hammond. It also seeks to provide increased transparency for understanding the actions of civil society NGOs by other actors, he said. “The publication encourages the sharing and development of joint standard operating procedures. Further, it develops the concept of agreed pre-operation on-scene coordination.” Hammond, says: “With the unprecedented mass movement of people towards Europe, co-ordination at every level is critical to acting effectively and also to protecting fundamental rights using a comprehensive approach to tackle this generational issue. This new voluntary guidance is aimed at getting people around the table, stopping unhelpful distractions by attacks towards civil society NGOs and promoting effective co-operation between all state and non-state actors.” “There is very much a place in the Global SAR Plan promoted by the IMO and the IMRF for NGO involvement,” says Bruce Reid, Chief Executive of IMRF. “It is clearly the case that provision of additional SAR resource should also be strategically coordinated wherever possible, in preparation for life-threatening emergencies. While this may not be achievable with ships that just happen to be passing by, it can and should be when it comes to NGO involvement. “NGos offering SAR services should declare their capabilities to the relevant regional SAR authorities and should work collaboratively amongst themselves with the aim of efficiently and safely distributing their response capability. We have seen, in other contexts, the effects of uncoordinated responses, which can compromise safety, can leave gaps (and people die in those gaps) and can lead to unhelpful competition – and at the IMFR we say that our only competitor is the sea,” says Reid. “So we very much welcome this code of conduct as a useful aid to better strategic coordination.” The guidance is available here.
warc	201713	Courtesy of Pam Martens. There is growing unease in stock and bond markets around the world that the current Chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen, has retrieved former Fed Chair Alan Greenspan’s blinders out of the mothballs in some musty old closet at the Fed, thus setting the U.S. economy up for more epic convulsions. Yesterday, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) released its policy statement and rattled markets here and abroad overnight. The statement contained a number of economic absurdities. The first sentence argued that “economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace” while a few sentences later we are told “inflation has declined further below the Committee’s longer-run objective.” A solid expansion simply does not correlate with declining inflation in the U.S. and mushrooming deflation among our trading partners. Later in the statement the Fed tells us that inflation will be heading back toward the goal of 2 percent once “the transitory effects of lower energy prices and other factors dissipate.” There is no evidentiary basis offered to support the idea that the historic collapse in oil prices will be “transitory.” The “other factors” remain vague because to enumerate the other factors – slack demand around the globe creating a monster surplus of supply – would destroy the argument that the oil price collapse will be transitory. (And remember, it’s not just energy prices that are swooning, it’s a broad range of industrial commodities which the Fed conveniently fails to mention.) Bond markets around the world, including the U.S. Treasury market, think Yellen is full of it. Shortly after the FOMC statement was released, the 30-year Treasury hit an historic record low yield of 2.295 percent. The yield on our longest dated Treasury bond reflects two elements: the long-range outlook for inflation and a perceived safe-haven to weather a looming economic upheaval. Yesterday, the yield on the 30-year Treasury also represented one more thing: a no confidence vote that the U.S. Fed knows how to read the global tea leaves. …
warc	201713	Respecting premises located in a residential zoning district of a city and used for many years as a store and later by a lessee for sale and storage of equipment, evidence that after the lessee vacated the premises they remained vacant until the owner secured a prospective new tenant for business about two years and nine months later, during which period the owner made some efforts to rent the premises for business through an agent, advertising, and signs and made no effort to convert them to residential use, did not support a finding that the nonconforming business use of the premises had been "discontinued" within a provision of the city's zoning ordinance prohibiting reestablishment of a nonconforming use "discontinued" for two years. [686-687] A proposed use of premises in a residential zoning district of a city for a beauty shop could not properly be found to be "not . . . substantially different in character" from previous nonconforming uses of the premises for a grocery store and for sale and storage of equipment within a provision of the city's zoning ordinance allowing any nonconforming use to be changed to another nonconforming use on permit from the board of appeals, "such new use . . . not to be substantially different in character or more detrimental or objectionable to the neighborhood," and a decision by the board of appeals granting a permit for the beauty shop must be annulled even if the beauty shop would not be "more detrimental or objectionable." [687-688] BILL IN EQUITY, filed in the Superior Court on April 9, 1958. Page 685 The suit was heard by O'Brien, J. The case was argued in September, 1959, before Wilkins, C.J., Williams, Counihan, Whittemore, & Cutter, JJ., and afterwards was submitted on briefs to all the Justices. William H. Welch, for the defendants Evelyn Elinsky and another. Salvatore A. Polito, for the plaintiffs. WHITTEMORE, J. This is an appeal from a decree of the Superior Court which annulled a decision of the zoning ordinance board of appeals of Northampton. See G. L. c. 40A, Section 21. The decision of the board of appeals in March, 1958, granted the application of Evelyn and Caroline F. Elinsky, the appellants, owners of property at 95 Massasoit Street, in a residence B district, for a permit to use the premises for a beauty shop. The ground of the decision was that the proposed use was "a less objectionable nonconforming use within the provisions of" Section 16 of the ordinance which provides in clause (c): "Any non-conforming use may be changed to another non-conforming use or any non-conforming building may be rebuilt or repaired on permit from the board of appeals, such new use or reconstructed building not to be substantially different in character or more detrimental or objectionable to the neighborhood." The appellees, the plaintiffs, are the owners of adjoining premises. The judge, in a "Report of material facts and order for decree," found that a nonconforming use of the premises had been made until March 15, 1954, "when the nonconforming use was discontinued"; that that use "had been voluntarily discontinued by the owners of the real estate for a continuous period of four years prior to the board's decision"; and that the ordinance, in effect for at least four years prior to 1958, provided (Section 16 [e]), "When any non-conforming use has been discontinued for a period of two (2) years it shall not be re-established, and future use shall be in conformity with this ordinance." The relevant evidence, including the ordinances, has been designated. G. L. c. 214, Section 24. Rule 2 (B), (C), of the Rules Page 686 for the Regulation of Practice before the Full Court (1952), 328 Mass. 693 -694. There appears no dispute as to the facts: The zoning ordinance was adopted February 17, 1949. The premises had been used as a grocery store from 1922 to 1949 or 1950. One Newhall held the premises under a written lease, and paid rent therefor, from May 12, 1950, to May 15, 1955. He used the premises to store and sell farm equipment until May, 1954, when he moved to a new location. He continued to use the building for storage until May, 1955, and went to the building once in every two or three months. When the building became vacant the owners listed it with a real estate agent who suggested that the owners advertise it, spoke to several prospects, and secured his last interested prospect one and a half or two years prior to the court hearing in June, 1958. Since then he had done nothing to rent the premises except that on one occasion "he spoke to somebody in regard to putting a sales office there." The owners put two "for rent" signs in the window of the building two days after Newhall vacated it. One sign remained in place from May, 1955, to June 29, 1958. The other remained in the window until a year prior to the date of hearing. One of the owners placed an advertisement in the local paper on May 19 and 21, 1955, and "also inserted two or three small ads in the newspaper after the big ads which appeared in May, 1955," but was uncertain whether these appeared after the end of 1955. The prospective tenant, in order to adapt the premises for beauty parlor use, intended to install two booths. She would work alone and there would be no odor or noise. 1. In the opinion of a majority of the court, the decree cannot be sustained on the ground stated by the judge. We have indicated that for a finding of discontinuance there must be evidence of abandonment, that is, of intent to abandon and of voluntary conduct carrying that implication. Pioneer Insulation & Modernizing Corp. v. Lynn, 331 Mass. 560 , 564-565. We think that the evidence of abandonment is insufficient. We assume that evidence of things done or not done which carries the implication of Page 687 abandonment will support a finding of intent, whatever the avowed state of mind of the owner, so that the second of the two factors mentioned in the Pioneer case may, in appropriate circumstances, be controlling evidentially. But so far as an intent is shown in the owners' conduct in allowing the premises to be without a tenant for two years and nine months, making some effort to rent for business use, making no effort to convert to residential use, it is an intent to continue the business use. The negotiations for the beauty shop rental speak of a continuing intent. Failure to make any use of premises for an extended time might, we assume, evidence an intent to abandon any profitable use so that the nonconforming privilege would be lost, but we do not think the lapse of time here is such as to permit that conclusion. We see no basis for concluding that such rental efforts as were made were in bad faith. The lapse of time was not so great that those efforts, and the absence of an attempt for residential use, lose all significance. We see no basis for concluding that intent to abandon existed for two years or more. The ordinance does not intend a loss of a nonconforming use merely from nonoccupancy. In the Pioneer case we said (p. 565), "Thus nonoccupancy of the premises and suspension or cessation of business due to causes over which the owner has no control do not of themselves constitute a discontinuance; and lapse of time is not the controlling factor, although it is evidential, especially in connection with facts showing an intent to discontinue the use." However, an owner can by his diligent efforts have some control over a period of vacancy, and if he allows an extended time to elapse with only desultory and equivocal action in the meantime, he runs the risk of a sustainable finding of abandonment and discontinuance. 2. The decree is supported by the provision of the ordinance which bars a permit for new use which is "substantially different in character." That the new use may not be more detrimental or objectionable is immaterial for the wording is such that both requirements must be met. Public Bldgs. Commr. of Newton v. Star Mkt. Co. 324 Mass. 75 , 79. Page 688 Adamsky v. Mendes, 326 Mass. 603 , 605. The absence of a finding of difference of character of use does not prevent our sustaining the decree on this ground. The ordinance, with the other controlling evidence, is before us, and we rule that a finding that these uses are not "substantially different in character" would be erroneous in law. Everpure Ice Mfg. Co. Inc. v. Board of Appeals of Lawrence, 324 Mass. 433 , 437, and cases cited. See Mioduszewski v. Saugus, 337 Mass. 140 , 145. The difference in character intended by the ordinance is a difference which has significance for zoning purposes. See Marblehead v. Rosenthal, 316 Mass. 124 , 128; Seekonk v. Anthony, ante, 49, 53-54. The business of a beauty parlor is personal service and not the sale of merchandise. While both types of business are often conducted in the same business areas, they are, nevertheless, sufficiently differentiated to support different zoning classifications. One and not the other may be excluded from certain residence areas; a permit from the board of appeals may be required for one and not the other. We assume that in a particular case, and, indeed, in this case, it could be found that the effect upon the neighborhood, applying all zoning purpose tests, would be similar. See Marblehead v. Rosenthal, 316 Mass. 124 , 128. But the requirement of the ordinance goes beyond that. It excludes substantially different uses regardless of the effect, even those uses which in the circumstances could be found to be more in accord with the zoning purpose indicated for the community. For cases where the limitation in the enlarging ordinance or by-law was only in respect of more detrimental use see LaMontagne v. Kenney, 288 Mass. 363 , 366-368; Donovan Drug Corp. v. Board of Appeals of Hingham, 336 Mass. 1 , 4-5. Decree affirmed.
warc	201713	Thursday, November 03, 2011 But I just learned that during that short time span, 17 seconds, someone in the USA is diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes is not to be taken lightly, it is the seventh leading cause of death in the USA and also a major factor in heart deceases and strokes. The Centers for Decease Control, CDC says that since the number of Diabetes cases has more than tripled since 1980. There are estimated 25.4 million diabetes cases in the country and closer to 7 million of these people are unaware that they have the decease. There are many resources to help people with getting tested for Diabetes and or hypertension. One great place to start is the stop diabetes initiative. We have always covered Stop diabetes events. CDC has an Educational portal on diabetes Stop Diabetes at MSN
warc	201713	There is none of our impulses which the Moral Law may not sometimes tell us to suppress, and none which it may not sometimes tell us to encourage. It is a mistake to think that some of our impulses—say mother love or patriotism—are good, and others, like sex or the fighting instinct, are bad. All we mean is that the occasions on which the fighting instinct or the sexual desire need to be restrained are rather more frequent than those for restraining mother love or patriotism. But there are situations in which it is the duty of a married man to encourage his sexual impulse and of a soldier to encourage the fighting instinct. There are also occasions on which a mother’s love for her own children or a man’s love for his own country have to be suppressed or they will lead to unfairness towards other people’s children or countries. Strictly speaking, there are no such things as good and bad impulses. Think once again of a piano. It has not got two kinds of notes on it, the ‘right’ notes and the ‘wrong’ ones. Every single note is right at one time and wrong at another. The Moral Law is not any one instinct or set of instincts: it is something which makes a kind of tune (the tune we call goodness or right conduct) by directing the instincts. Quotes from Mere Christianity, Part 7 C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (1952, this edition: 2001) 11.
warc	201713	News Free Tax Services Available to Military Members, Families By Lisa Ferdinando DoD News, Defense Media Activity WASHINGTON, Jan. 17, 2016 — With the holidays now over, service members and their families might start looking toward another annual event, albeit one that generally garners far less excitement: filing taxes. The Defense Department wants service members and their families to know they can get free tax consultations and tax-filing software through Military OneSource, according to Erika Slaton, program analyst for Military OneSource. "The financial environment in which we live is very complex," Slaton said. "When you combine that with the realities of military life that includes frequent moves and deployments, it can present some special challenges for service members and their families." The Defense Department, through Military OneSource, has teamed up, as it has in previous years, with H&R Block to offer the free tax services. The services could save members and families hundreds of dollars, Slaton said. She encourages all those who are eligible to consider using the services. "It's extremely important because of those challenges [including] frequent moves and deployments, and because tax laws change every year," she said. Military OneSource tax consultants are available January through April 15, seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. eastern time at 1-800-342-9647. After April 15, the consultants can be reached Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. eastern time. While Military OneSource tax experts are available only via the phone, Slaton points out that other tax experts are available in person at military installations with a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA, location. The Military OneSource free tax software, which can be found at www.militaryonesource.mil, is available at VITA locations as well. File Electronically The software is self-paced and walks users through a series of questions to help them to prepare their return. It allows individuals to electronically file a federal return and up to three state tax returns. "If at any time during the course of completing their return, the user has any questions about their own tax situation, they can call Military OneSource," Slaton said. Those eligible for the Military OneSource tax services include National Guard members, and active duty and reserve members of the Army, Air Force, Marines and Navy. Immediate family members of those eligible and non-remarried survivors from any era can also use the services. Military members who retired or were discharged honorably are eligible up to 180 days after leaving the service. Other groups are eligible, Slaton explained. She encourages people to check the website for further information or call Military OneSource to find out about eligibility. Available Through June The free tax preparation and filing software is available through the end of June. The Military OneSource tax software is secure, as the vendor uses industry-recognized security safeguards, she said. The vendor stands by the filer in the event of an audit or mistake. Military OneSource, which is a confidential DoD-funded program, offers many other resources, Slaton said, including counseling and services related to family and relationships, finances, health and wellness, education and employment. "We encourage service members and their families to call Military OneSource and just explore everything that Military OneSource has to offer," she said. "They can call, click and connect with Military OneSource today." Related Videos Free Tax Services for Military Members [ http://www.defense.gov/Video/videoid/446193?source=GovDelivery ] Free Tax Services for Military Members [ http://www.defense.gov/Video/videoid/446193?source=GovDelivery ] Military OneSource offers free tax preparation and filing software to all military members. Related Stories Military OneSource [ http://www.militaryonesource.mil/?source=GovDelivery ]
warc	201713	A man in their 70s comes to emerg yesturday with a vague complaint of slight weakness. Hasn't felt well lately. No chest pain, no diaphoresis, no SOB, no.. anything, except a bit of leg weakness. Also doesn't have a family doctor, and hasn't been to one in over 15 years. First thing I think of is that this guy could be a ticking time bomb. Weakness could be anything from cardiovascular, to endocrine, to neuro, to ... well... anything! Especially if he hasn't been routinely checked for CAD, pulmonary, diabetes, cholesterol, etc. Well his vitals weren't bad P 105, R-18, BP 150/100, SpO2 98 T 36. I could see that perhaps he had longstanding hypertension with his pulse being tachy and his pressure being what it was. The guy wasn't on beta-blockers or any form of hypertension meds... something he would most likely need. Well we did a bunch of tests, including an ECG and things were ok. Then we repeated his ecg. Ooops! ecg changes? Shit. We hook him up to the monitor and things get wacked out from there. I'm wondering if he had a primary care physician, would he be in this same situation? Perhaps, but probably not. He has most likely sustained a high BP for a while, which increased his risk for cardiovascular compromise. Canadians have a good thing going with their coverage, but definately they are lacking in primary care. Even I don't have a family doc right now. Mine left primary care to do work claim forms and direct consumer billing for minor plastic surgery.
warc	201713	Hess and Wu. ACIE 2015, 54, 8693. Angewandte Chemie, Johnson elegantly summarizes the synthetic strategy: “Certain polyenic substances having transolefinic bonds in a 1,5 relationship can be induced to undergo stereospecific, non-enzymic, cationic cyclization to give polycyclic products with all- trans(“natural”) configuration. These transformations appear to mimic in principle the biogenetic conversion of squalene into polycyclic triterpenoids…” A highlight from Johnson’s impressive body of research is a remarkably short synthesis of racemic progesterone, starting from the cyclopentenol shown below. Cyclization under Brønsted acidic conditions produces a crystalline tetracyclic product in 71% yield. Subsequent zonolysis followed by intramolecular aldol condensation then furnishes synthetic progesterone. A related process (lower panel below) was also conceived by Johnson to generate a valuable 11a-substituted intermediate that intersects with a known commercial route for the production of hydrocortisone acetate. More recently, ‘biomimetic’ polyolefin carbocyclization has been elegantly applied by E. J. Corey’s laboratory to the chemical synthesis of complex limonoid steroidal systems (highlighted here).
warc	201713	How can you tell if that is MOLD? Sometimes it's difficult to tell if that funny looking substance is, in fact, mold. There are a few telltale signs that should help you to figure out if it IS mold: Color- Mold has a distinctive look and color. Mold will often cause discoloration - and mold can be many different colors such as purple, black, red, orange or yellow. Odor- Some molds can't be seen, but there is a telltale musty smell that will alert you to a mold infestation. Areas where there has been moisture or leaks are prime areas for mold, even if you can't see or smell any YET.
warc	201713	If your baby is having breastmilk only (no formula, solids or water) and is having six to eight really wet cloth nappies or five heavily wet disposables in 24 hours, and soft bowel motions; then you know plenty of milk is going in the other end. It can be that you are expecting your baby to ask for feeds every four hours. This is an unlikely frequency for newborns and many older babies. Most newborns want to breastfeed between eight and twelve times in 24 hours; many will feed even more often. Breastmilk is food and drink and comfort to babies. Your baby doesn't know that she's hungry or thirsty, she just knows she needs you. As adults we help ourselves to a drink or snack many times a day, and can quite happily manage a cup of coffee or tea straight after we've eaten. Your little baby has a tiny stomach which needs refilling very often. If she's hungry, give her more breastfeeds and see our article on increasing your milk supply.
warc	201713	Diet Is A Four Letter Word!!! by: D.S. Epperson Good health is decided largely by personal habits and lifestyles. Choices that influence health negatively can be the use of tobacco products, alcohol, illicit drug use and the stress of a high paced life. The most important factor in establishing and maintaining good health is good nutrition. The 1988 Surgeon General's Report on Nutrition and health states: ?For the two out of three adult Americans who do not smoke and do not drink excessively, one personal choice seems to influence longterm health prospects more than any other: What we eat.? This was confirmed in the 1989 National Research counsel Report ?Diet and health? and in the 1990 International Life Sciences Institute ? Nutrition Foundation Book, ?Present Knowledge in Nutrition.? Establishing what is an acceptable diet is highly unsettled in today's debate between the extreme and the conservative. On one side of the argument there are those that only accept the natural or organic as allowable foods. Animal tissue and products are completely unacceptable in the diet, and any food that has been processed at all is less than desirable. Some call this a ?Caveman? diet or ?Grazing?, a menu that keeps the individual as close to nature as possible. Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins and other supplements are often taken to boost the nutritional needs of the individual for optimal health, so long as they are easily assimilated in the system and come from food sources. For those who are recovering from chronic or acute illnesses, these diets can be most challenging but are most times the only choice for correcting bad health. The more conservative groups say that eating correctly from the USDA Eating Right Pyramid will give you everything that the body needs for proper nutrition and health. The latter claim does not however, take in to consideration, the depletion of natural vitamins and minerals from the soil due to modern farming methods, depletion due to storage and the depletion of nutrients when foods are processed to keep them from spoiling. Moderation and sensibility seem to be the best approach to good health. Eat healthy foods in a satisfying amount. Avoid foods that have been processed, for example, white flour, white sugar (Including artificial substitutes), white salt and white rice. Substitute those with things that are palatable like FlourBlend, which is all natural, whole grain and enriched with a blend of herbs and supplements designed to increase the health of the human body, SugarBlend, which is an all natural blend of sugars, herbs and fiber to increase immunity and decrease blood sugar spikes, sea salt, brown rice and the natural sweetness in fruits. Try to keep the consumption of stockyard meats to about 3-12 ounces per week. Substitute fresh fish, organic turkey and lamb in the diet when more protein is wanted. When the desire for sweets overcomes the soul and fruit doesn't cut it...make it a real treat, not a habit. Then savor it, let it melt in the mouth, don't devour it so fast that you lose the ability to taste what it was that you were craving in the first place. Try to eat out of a garden, be it container or the back 40 acres. It can be satisfying to raise you own food, and relaxing at the same time. Remember that supplementation is important in these modern times since diets, conservative or extreme, lack the nutrition that our bodies need today to fight disease. Be sensible, if you've got good health, then adjust your diet a little at a time, try new vegetables and fruits in new recipes, but consume better foods and then learn how to use them with a partner. Pay attention to what it is that you are eating; make sure that you can taste what you are putting into your mouth. Listen to your body, it will usually tell you that it wants. Drink good water, drink good water, drink good water! You'll need to consume 100ounces per day to take the toxins out of your body successfully. Exercise is also very important. You don't need to spend a lot of money on health spa's or equipment. Gallon milk jugs filled with water is a good weight to start lifting, dancing with your partner or kids is good aerobics, just as long as your muscles get a good work out three times a week for 45 minutes, dancing for 20 minutes a day and doing flexibility or stretching for 10 minutes a day. you can play with your kids, lifting, pushing, pulling for 45 minutes, dance with them for 20 and let them help stretch you out of 10, then sit down to a healthy variety of foods that the family has prepared together. You will accomplish a better relationship with your family, establish a lifetime pattern for family interaction, and improve your health and the health of your loved ones in a short period of time during your busy day. About The Author D.S. Epperson is the top formulator for Home Blend Gourmet / South Pacific Health, a leader in the functional food industry in the U.S.. With 20 years of experience in Nutritional Biochemistry, she has written reference books on botanicals and manufacturing of medicines from botanicals, and published articles on health, fitness and foods. She has formulated over 240 formulas and inventions for health, the environment and agricultural uses, and continues to research and study microbial advantages in nutraceuticals and functional foods. For more information or to view the articles that she has written: http://www.sugarblend.com. This article was posted on November 15, 2004 Monoket Our price: $0.35 Monoket (Isosorbide-5-Mononitrate) is used for preventing symptoms of angina(chest pain). More info
warc	201713	I was doing a bit of running 'research' this morning, ok I was wasting time reading about running on the internet because the wind chill is once again in the @#$%ing miserable level and I'm supposed to be starting a workout. Anyway I came across a quote from Rob De Castella in an interview back in 1983 talking about how to that point in his running career he had only missed 10 total days of running due to injury. Deek said, "You've got two levels- skeletal strength and physiological fitness. If the latter surpasses the former it means you can push the body further than it is really able to sustain. I think that's when you get injured." * This is something I have thought about through my long injury history and never been able to sum up nearly so concisely but it really drives home a simple point that I believe is largely missing from our current conversation about training. It is no secret I have had a long and extensive injury history. I think that some of this can be simply attributed to my habit of always wanting to push harder and not listening to my body. Still I think there is more to it than that. Separately I have long felt that my limiting factors in performance had become muscular more than aerobic. This is part of why I felt I didn't have success in my short stint at altitude. In fact I had the opposite. I think most americans, most first world runners, are undertrained aerobically and go to altitude where the stress on the aerobic system is inherently increased greatly and they see a jump in performance as a result of this redistribution of effort. Where as I went up there and put even more stress on the aerobic system and even less on the muscular system and saw a loss of fitness. Now this isn't to say I or someone else like me couldn't find great success training at altitude just that it would take a well thought out plan to address this balance but that is for another blog. I think that most of your good training schedules have a good balance between muscular and aerobic development but I don't think that most coaches put enough specific thought and focus into creating this balance. Most often I think the balance that is being thought about is aerobic and anaerobic work. Further more I think too often we think of muscular and anaerobic work as the same thing. I know when I started out I did. The problem with hard intervals lead to severe fatigue and under fatigue our form falls apart so instead of taxing our muscular system in a nice balanced way and teaching good strong muscular pathway our form falls apart and we build bad habits and imbalances. Anaerobic workouts can be great muscular sessions but only for a very developed athlete who has spent years building great muscular strength so their form doesn't break down under stress. For the rest of us the solution is to do work that is specifically targeting fast dynamic motion while maintaining relaxed control so that we are teaching good form and balanced muscular development. From the beginning of our running we should be doing daily work to build our muscular skeletal system to excel at the specific demands of running and running fast. How? Mostly with fast relaxed running. This can be in the form of strides or short hills. It can be fast relaxed tempo running. This can be repeats at all sorts of distances AS LONG AS THE EFFORT IS CONTROLLED! This is what is always missed. Also you can do running specific drills, skipping, lunge walking and other dynamic running and core exercises to build a muscular skeletal system that can stay healthy and deliver on all the aerobic power you can build. I honestly believe that my biggest failure as an athlete was a failure to develop a strong dynamic muscular skeletal system from the beginning. I believe if I had done more aerobic work sooner I could have been more successful at a younger age but that it would not have improved my overall development. However if I had started out doing strides daily, controlling my effort in 99% of my workouts to maintain form and doing dynamic general strength work, like the type of stuff you see from John Cook or Jay Johnson, I honestly believe I would never have had the injury problems I had in college nor do I think I would have developed my coordination problem. I honestly believe my failure to do this work from the beginning of my running cost me a career as a at least high level national class marathoner. I do much more now to try and develop the muscular strength. I do the yoga for general strength and when I'm not banged up I do strides daily or close to it. I have also developed a lot of strength over the last couple decades so my workouts are now a means of building strength as well. Still if there is one area that I need to do more for it is specific muscular strength and endurance. So often in my training I am strong. I can run miles on top of miles and feel fine I can run quickly, say 5:20 per mile or even faster and have it feel like walking but as soon as I need to get just a little bit more muscular sub 5:00 at time, sub 4:40 per mile most of the time, I struggle, sometimes to hold these paces for even a few hundred meters. It may sound crazy but it is not uncommon for me to find myself in a place where I can run for an hour or more feeling relaxed at 5:20 per mile but I struggle to run even a kilometer at 4:40 mile pace. In the stretches where I have been able to do all the muscular work I start to see huge improvements in my middle distance racing. So often I find myself very fit but racing fairly slowly. Where as if I was maintaining my muscular training better I could be running much much faster, if not quite national class certainly much closer. Specifically I should often be running in the 23's for 8k instead of 24's and 29's for 10k instead of 30's. sub 14:40 for road 5k instead of sub 15:10. Now you can sharpen up and run faster with anaerobic work but that isn't what I'm talking about in this instance. I have run sub 30 for 10, sub 24 for 8k and sub 14:40 for a road 5k without doing much if any real anaerobic work. I can run those times off good balanced aerobic and muscular training. Too often I fail to do the muscular work to make running relaxed enough at those paces to hold them without good anaerobic fitness. This slowed my overall development and means I have a lot of decent races in my history but few very good ones. I cannot encourage you enough to plan for muscular development as specifically as you do aerobic development. These two things are the foundations of all running success. You can always do race specific and anaerobic work later but if you don't build a great foundation of muscular strength and aerobic endurance all the race work in the world won't be worth a bucket of piss. * P.S. a bit of an aside but the article the quote comes from is in the August of 1983 Runners World. It is mind blowing to me that they would run an article like this complete with discussion of his racing career, a sample training week and intelligent conversation about his thoughts on his current training and where he would like to take it in the future. I just can't imagine coming across the same type of article with one of the Geoff Mutia's in this August's Runners World. link to article http://www.juanjosemartinez.com.mx/files/deek_training_log.pdf

Subsets and Splits

No community queries yet

The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.