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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18, 2010
MAYOR BLOOMBERG DISCUSSES TWO NEW WAYS NEW YORK CITY IS REFORMING INEFFICIENT SYSTEMS TO IMPROVE SCHOOLS AND PARKS IN WEEKLY RADIO ADDRESS
The following is the text of Mayor Bloomberg's weekly radio address as prepared for delivery on 1010 WINS News Radio for Sunday, April 18, 2010
"Good Morning. This is Mayor Mike Bloomberg.
"One of the biggest complaints citizens have about government is inefficiency. And too often, they're right. Governments - much more so than private sector businesses - tend to get stuck in old ways of doing things. As a result, many governing structures and systems long outlive their usefulness. In New York City, we're looking at the way we do things with fresh eyes, and last week, we succeeded in reforming two inefficient systems that were causing delays, draining tax dollars, and keeping two of our city's greatest assets - our schools and our parks - from being as great as they really can be.
"The first key reform involves our public schools. On Thursday, we reached an agreement with the teachers union that resolves what has long been one of the most divisive issues plaguing our school system: how to fix the disciplinary process for teachers who have been accused of wrongdoing. Right now, when teachers are removed from the classroom for multiple poor reviews, or allegedly breaking the law, they wait for their cases to be resolved in what's called a 'Rubber Room.' There are some suspended teachers who have been sitting around in these rooms for as long as seven years. And during that time, they've been able to collect their salaries and watch their pensions grow.
"These ineffective holding areas keep good teachers, who were wrongly removed, from re-entering the classroom. And they keep bad teachers, who are guilty of misconduct, on the public payroll. This outrageous practice is costing taxpayers some $30 million a year. It's an absurd waste, particularly at a time when steep budget cuts might force us to lay off some of our hard-working teachers. I'm pleased to say that by the end of this year, we plan to make Rubber Rooms a thing of the past. Our agreement with the teachers union will allow us to speed up the arbitration process for teachers accused of wrongdoing. And suspended teachers will no longer be sitting around and collecting a paycheck for nothing. Instead, we'll put them to work in administrative offices.
"The second major reform we achieved last week involves Governors Island, a 172-acre island that's been described as the 'sleeping beauty' of New York Harbor. Over the years, the City and State have together invested over $150 million in Governors Island. And those investments are making the island more attractive to visitors. In 2005, only about 8,000 people visited the island; last year, Governors Island received more than 275,000 visitors.
"There's so much more we want to do to make Governors Island the destination that it should be, but progress has been held up by a dysfunctional governing structure. Now, thanks to a new agreement with New York State, we can finally begin to realize the island's full potential. Last Sunday, the State agreed to transfer control of the island to the City. That will allow us to move ahead quickly with our plan to create 87 acres of new parks on Governors Island - a key link in the necklace of parks we're creating around New York Harbor.
"Over the past eight years, we've worked hard to instill greater accountability in our public schools, and reclaim our waterfront for all New Yorkers to enjoy - and last week's reforms will help keep that progress going. And here's something else we can feel good about as we head into a new week: After 22 months of job losses, the number of employed New Yorkers grew by 20,100 during February and March. New York City's job market is starting to come back, and our future is looking very bright."
"This is Mayor Mike Bloomberg. Thanks for listening."
Stu Loeser (212) 788-2958
Listen to the radio address | <urn:uuid:3796f112-9ef8-4f4c-ac47-41dd2b1d402b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/html/2010a/pr163-10.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969966 | 853 | 1.601563 | 2 |
DOUGLAS CHRISTIE – CANADA’S FREEDOM OF SPEECH LAWYER
Notes for Doug Christie’s Speech
University of Ottawa, April 8, 2010
I’m here to talk about free speech. I’m not here to practice it.
Unlike Ann Coulter, I don’t need a warning from the provost. I am a Canadian, trained by law in the way of silence, sullen silence, and code language. I have been trained by the Supreme Court not to engage in hate speech, even though no one can define it in advance, so I can avoid it.
There are general taboo topics which I must avoid or tread lightly around, like race, religion, ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability or mental status. Then there are peripheral taboo topics like multiculturalism, immigration, affirmative action programs and a host of other ill-defined topics.
I have been trained to remain very sensitive to the broad political implications of these topics lest I face a very expensive lesson from the Human Rights Tribunal.
What the Supreme Court taught me when I appeared in Taylor and Zundel and Keegstra was that free speech has its limits in “hate” which means “extreme dislike.” So presumably I must like all races, religions, ethnic origins, etc. equally or at least dislike them only moderately. Or at least pretend to, which is more Canadian. I cannot denounce any one as evil.
The Law Society, through its decision of Harvey Strosberg taught me that if I speak in public, “law students” may tape some but not all of my words, and the Chairman of the Discipline Committee can issue a statement to the media condemning me as “identifying with a lunatic fringe,” even in the very act where he decides not to give me the benefit of a hearing where I could answer the allegation with evidence where both sides could be heard.
I learned in McAleer and Malcolm Ross, both of which went to the Supreme Court of Canada, that expressing your religious beliefs on your own time, is no defence and placing the messages in the United States where it is legal, is no defence if you mention where you can get the message to someone in Canada.
I learned that our parliamentarians of all parties love free speech so much that they banned someone from the precincts of Parliament who wanted to rent the parliamentary press gallery, a place anyone can rent for a press conference.
What was the press conference about? That the Human Rights Tribunal had ruled in Zundel’s case that “Truth was no defence,” and the truth of the statement could not be proven by any evidence. I know because that someone was me, the only lawyer in Canadian history to be banned by all party agreement from the precincts of parliament. Because in Canada truth is no defence. Orwell was right about double speak. Randy White a so-called Reform MP said he did not want me in his work place. Orwell was right about a lot of things.
I have learned and been carefully taught to avoid the taboo topics, to measure every word lest a tape recorder in the audience be taken to the Human Rights Commission, the police, the Law Society, or someone likes to complain to the Human Rights Commission.
I have learned to talk about free speech but never practice it. Never say anything like Ann Coulter would say, coming from a free society. And being in a university setting is all the more reason to be very careful about how you choose your words. The left-wing political giants who run most universities are able to let loose the mob with a wink and the students know their success with many professors depends on how successfully they can entrap a political foe.
Universities are the most dangerous place to practice free speech. Even topics like abortion which you would not normally think involve a taboo topic can quickly be spun into forbidden territory and sexism can result in expulsion or criminal charges. The civility of universities is accorded to those who can mobilize the largest screaming mob. No one listens.
I have to even be careful how I speak about Freedom of Speech.
So let me just speak about freedom of speech. I have come here to praise freedom of speech, not to bury it. I do not want to be cynical or bitter. But since 1984 when I took up the cause of freedom, I have become aware of the price to be paid for this precious legacy of freedom.
My office has been vandalized, repeatedly; my name has been defamed in the press; I have been the target of spurious complaints to law societies, I have been banned from the precincts of parliament. The very press who today became the target of complaints themselves because they post on the internet, who have come late to the battle, because of their money and power, are turning the tide. They were not long ago in the forefront of the mob, vilifying my clients and myself, since it was not their ox that was gored. Irony, thy name is Canada.
1984, the year Orwell entitled his most famous work was actually the year I got involved in the defence of James Keegstra. From that moment on, the lawyer who had defended successfully all manner of criminal cases from drugs to rape to murder and with no ill effects to his reputation other than professional jealousy became in the eyes of many, through the window of the media, a hated nazi-lawyer. This title, I have worn to this day, at first reluctantly and gradually resigned myself to it, knowing as “Human Rights” law tells us, “Truth is no defence.”
I would never be elected anywhere to anything. Any party would expel me, the right of left for fear of the media. I was warned this would happen. “Better alone than in the company of hypocrites,” I reasoned. There is one hope and that is that truth cannot be buried forever, and people will tell it come what may, even about race, religion, or ethnicity. There are some truths to be told on that score. They are the building blocks of culture and even the government of Quebec is recognizing this, even though they wrap it in convoluted language. Oops! I almost practiced free speech!
The best indication of what is the true value of free speech is provided by what happens when it is taken away. The thinking people become “bush league.” The first reaction to a controversial idea is not to hear the person about whom you heard, but to adopt the mob-mind view.
Left-wing, multicultural, tolerant, good. Right wing, xenophobic, intolerant, bad. A few code words and the mob takes the argument to the streets. The psychological guillotine cuts off debate and civility like the real guillotine cut off heads in Paris in the revolution till there were no heads to cut off. Everybody was at the same low level of passive, intellectual obedience to the omnipotent state. Then a forceful tyrant like Napoleon can impose his will with very little difficulty. Do we really have to go through these cycles of oppression, revolution, depression? Have we no intellect to listen for ourselves, evaluate for ourselves, accept or reject an idea with a civil attitude of tolerance? Do we need to have a hysterical violent reaction to every idea of a different perspective?
The Roman maxim: “Audi Alteram Partem” was over the door of the law library at McGill University where I once spoke. I entered through that doorway to face a hostile screaming mob, much like Ann Coulter faced. They had never met me. They could never hear me. Why did they reject me before hearing me? Why not hear both sides? Sometimes all sides need to be heard. Until they are, how can you really form an intelligent and informed opinion?
I believe the truth is that the idea of tolerance has been used as an Orwellian doublespeak smoke screen for intolerance and is really about narrowing the scope of debate before the debate begins. This is consistent with Marxism, but it is not consistent with liberalism or of constitutional principles of free speech. Certain topics cannot be discussed.
We don’t absolutely make it illegal to talk about certain subjects, we just make it so dangerous, with so many obscure and complex rules that no one dares to go there. Somewhat like gun laws. We don’t overtly ban all fire arms. No, we would find too much resistance and rational criticism. The hypocritical Canadian way is simply to regulate them out of existence, gradually, just like controversial speech. Hate laws mean whatever we say they mean. We will only tell you after you say something if you have offended. This is the process of gradual Marxism. The state gradually disarms the citizen of their weapons and their free speech by slow degrees so that absolute control both physical and mental will be with the state.
The other side of this equation is the enforcers, state agents, professional complainers, the enablers of state power. The people who go from politicians to judge or from politician to president of a University. They create a network of willing and compliant officials who can be counted on to cleverly manipulate and manage the progress from freedom, which they call “anarchy,” to the tyranny they call a “benevolent oligarchy.”
Thus they acquire through a system of servants and paid enforcers, through Human Rights Commissions and police forces the only persons authorized by law to break into your house, seize your computer, examine your files, your books, your speeches, your appearances and even your surreptitiously recorded comments as in the case of David Ahenakew.
They can ruin you. They can prosecute you. They can and will vilify you in the press. As was done to David Ahenakew and then even if you win, you still lose. You go through court for four years of stress and when you are finally acquitted, no one says “sorry” or pays your costs. On the contrary, they repeat in the media around the world the words of the judge condemning you in the very act of acquitting you.
And the state has all the guns, police, sheriffs, jails, probation officers, all paid by the state which you support with your taxes. If you want to be a paid bully, there’s a job for you. If you want to shoot people, just don’t say so, join the RCMP. If you want to taser people like Dziekanski, if you want to shoot teenagers like Ian Bush, or misfits like Jess Hughes, and never be charges, join the RCMP.
Just be sure you don’t admit what you did and the establishment will protect you. You are after all, protecting them. We are paying for our own enslavement. Only a few really know where we are going. The rest are following along for the ride, and the free lunch.
(Oops! Too much free speech!)
So if you want to carry on down the road to tyranny, just shout me down. If you want to go quietly into the night of tyranny, just ignore what I have said. Put it out of your mind and never think of it again. The legitimate function of the state is to preserve and maximize the freedom of the conscience, belief and opinion of the individual. It is not to enforce a social model of artificial cultural stew, enforced by law. We have inherent rights to survive as a free people only to the extent we articulate, manifest with rigorous debate and listen to all criticism with an enlightened and critical mind. Let us not presume we are possessed of all knowledge before the discussion starts, and set a limited agenda for social and acceptable speech.
Where once sex was a taboo topic, it has now become an obsession. Speech about race, if suppressed, becomes an obsession and if further suppressed, leads to violence. Let’s get debate out of the closet on all matters. Let’s use it, or we’ll lose it.
I have not said anything. More than anything, I have been allowed to speak here without interruption on the belief I would be ineffectual and secondly I would make the administration look better than the last speaker who was cancelled. I realized this at the beginning, but it is an opportunity to make the point that the redemption of an individual like me, or a society like your university, or of a country like Canada, is only possible if we listen to each other and talk openly about all of our serious and sensitive issues. Unless this really happens, Canada isn’t worth saving and neither is this university.
I will leave here knowing more than anyone in this room about the battles for free speech that have gone on in this country in the last thirty years. I see only minor changes occurring. This is your chance to ask what you need to know to make a difference. | <urn:uuid:e74ab7a8-8ac3-40cc-9926-ba981484188c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://axiomatica.org/culture/other/827-doug-christie-speaks-about-free-speech-in-canada | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970529 | 2,668 | 1.601563 | 2 |
[UPDATE: 2/18/08] Welcome new readers! If this is your first time here, Study Hacks is a blog that focuses on hacks to help you do better at college (and in life) while spending less time. If you like this article, you might also like related productivity posts on: accomplishing more by doing less, using a productivity-free day, implementing a Sunday ritual, and calculating your churn rate. If you like what you see, consider subscribing to the blog’s RSS feed.
The Pain of Writing
Students hate paper writing. It’s not the writing itself that’s horrible, but instead, being forced to write when you don’t want to. Is there any worse feeling than staring at a half-completed term paper at 2 AM?
The solution is simple. Schedule your writing better. But the specifics can be tricky. What’s the best way to schedule writing? Clear out a full day? Do it a little bit at a time? Work at night once you’ve finished all of your other work? I could give you some answers that sound right, but (for now) forget about me. Let’s see what the pros have to say…
How Professional Writers Write
Professional writers spend most days of their adult lives writing. For those among them who specialize on long form non-fiction, their writing is not that different from the types of research papers that plague college students. Assuming that these writers do not want to spend most of the days of their adult lives hating what they are doing, it stands to reason that, over time, they have figured the least painful possible way to schedule a large amount of writing.
With this in mind, I dug up interviews with the following masters of long form non-fiction:
- Ted Conover
- Richard Ben Cramer,
- Jonathan Harr
- Jon Krakauer
- Michael Lewis
- Susan Orlean
- Richard Preston
- Eric Schlosser
- Gay Talese
- Calvin Trillin.
I went through each interview extracting any discussions about the writer’s habits. I’ve aggregated and analyzed this data to provide you with a snapshot of how professional writers schedule their writing. At the end of this post I will discuss how to apply these observations to your own student writing assignments. Notice this advice is applicable beyond just students. Anyone who has to regularly churn out writing — be it a blogger or a part-time freelancer — can benefit from the habits of the pros.
When During the Day Do Professional Writers Write?
Nine out of ten writers discussed when during the day they write. All nine worked in the morning. Four also worked during the afternoon. Three worked during night. Only one worked in all three times. Several writers described the afternoon as a mental dead time useful only for exercising and, maybe, editing.
At What Time Do Professional Writers Start Writing?
Five out of the ten writers provided a specific start time. The latest was 8:30 am. Four other writers who didn’t give a specific time said, in so many words, “in the morning.” No writer described starting their work in the afternoon or evening. Several did mention that they might also be efficient working very late at night (and sleeping through the day), but that this seems incompatible with being a productive member of society.
Where Do Professional Writers Write?
Six out of the ten writers answered this question. All six described a silent, isolated location, free of distractions. Specifically, they provided the following answers:
- Office in the garage with no window
- An old tenant farmer’s house
- A 9×9 cubicle in the basement
- A small redwood cabin, 100 yards from the main house
- A bare office
- A home office with no phone or Internet
It should be noted, however, that the magazine writers among our sample admitted to being able to write in almost any environment — a trait learned from crashing deadlines on the road. Jon Krakauer also mentioned that his dream was to write in the morning in an isolated cabin, and then spend the afternoon’s climbing. He is yet to realize this dream.
The most striking observations from this study:
- The writers work in the morning. They often start very early in the morning.
- Five out of ten of the writers described a little ritual before starting their morning writing. A surprising number of these rituals focused on The New York Times.
- The writers drink coffee. Lots of coffee.
- The writers write in isolation. If they didn’t have families they would push this even farther. Many discussed having no e-mail or phone in their workspace. One purposefully used a “shitty old laptop” to avoid temptations like solitaire. Gay Talese rigged his home office so it could only be entered through a separate outside door.
How to Apply this Advice
If you are a student — or an amateur writer or blogger — here are some simple rules for emulating the habits of the professionals:
- Spread out work on an assignment over several days. Coming at it fresh increases its quality.
- During these days, get up early. Probably earlier than you are used to. Say, around 7 or 8 am. (This means these days will be weekdays, probably early in the week so you can avoid temptations to party the night before).
- Have a mini-ritual to jump start the day. It should probably involve coffee. Breakfast. Maybe the morning paper. Don’t take too long.
- Go to the most isolated place possible.
- To get your mind ready to think, review the last pages you wrote.
- Work for two or three hours. Then stop.
- Follow this habit regularly. Don’t write during other times. Don’t write in public places. Don’t start writing the day before.
Interestingly, without knowing it, I stumbled across many of these same scheduling habits during the fall of my senior year at Dartmouth. At the time, I was balancing my normal student responsibilities with the writing of the manuscript for my first book. The method I used: I got at 8 AM, every weekday morning, brewed a cup of coffee and wrote for 1.5 hours at my desk — all without leaving my room. After I was done, my real day could begin. It worked beautifully.
What writing habits work for you? What habits do you need to abandon?
- How to Build a Paper Research Database
- Beyond Wikipedia: 15,731,298 Resources You Can’t Do Without
- Downgrade the Importance of Writing in Paper Writing | <urn:uuid:60b273ad-8f2d-445f-ae84-18c584b29404> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://calnewport.com/blog/2007/10/15/monday-master-class-how-to-schedule-your-writing-like-a-professional-writer/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953264 | 1,390 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Archive for the ‘Press Complaints Commission’ tag
The latest allegations in the News Group phone tapping scandal highlight the chronic lack of accountability in the press.
This is a guest post by Matthew Cain, who is leading the second stage of the Media Standards Trust’s review of self-regulation of the press.
Not accountable to editors
The editors in the case were keen to assert that they knew nothing of the activities of the individuals involved in phone tapping. Paul Dacre, the editor of the Daily Mail (which submitted 952 transactions from 58 journalists through Operation Motorman) told the select committee: “I will be very honest with you, I had not been aware they had been that extensive”.
He went on to say that the practice of paying for data of this sort had stopped and both newspapers and the PCC had ensured proper training so that journalists complied with the law. “I cannot think of more rigorous things we could have done to ensure that all abuses were completely [stopped]”.
The current system of press self-regulation is built on the premise that editors are responsible for the activities of their newspaper. As Peter Hill told the select committee ‘I reprimanded myself because I was responsible’ (for the coverage of the McCann case). However, as Paul Dacre told the committee, “I read the features and the commentary and a lot of the news stories” and “I read more words of my paper than most editors” but it is not possible to read all of the coverage produced by a newspaper.
Not accountable to the PCC
The Press Complaints Commission is not constituted to undertake investigations of this kind. Its constitution establishes it only as a body to resolve and adjudicate on complaints about the code:
“The primary function of the Commission shall be to consider, and adjudicate, conciliate and resolve or settle by reference to the Press Code of Practice . . . complaints from the
public of unjust or unfair treatment by newspapers . . .
“It shall also be the function of Commission to consider and pronounce on issues relating to the Code of Practice which the Commission, in its absolute discretion considers to be in the public interests.”
It has a small staff, with no special powers to do this sort of investigation, a small budget (£1.8m) and its purpose is to resolve and adjudicate on complaints against newspapers regarding possible breaches of the code. The PCC was simply unable to investigate this affair with the same rigour as other regulators, even though its investigation was more comprehensive than most of its activities.
Should not be accountable to government
It would be too great a limitation on freedom of expression if government were to regulate the press. The thought of a government regulator being able to fine and jail journalists for investigative reporting is undemocratic. Yet the failings identified in this case give ammunition to those who support more government regulation.
Limited accountability to the law
Everyone is accountable to the law but it is preferable that journalists have as much freedom as possible. The Data Protection Act makes it an offence to gain unauthorised access to confidential databases but carries a public interest defence. However, the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (which relates to phone tapping) carries no such defence.
Newspapers are already fearful of the growth of media lawyers and the emerging case law around privacy. Any judicial oversight or investigations of newspaper practices could be deeply damaging to fundamental freedoms. The investigation by the Metropolitan Police may be necessary as the law takes its course. However, it is not appropriate for the police to get involved in the business of how newspapers are produced and self-regulation ought to act as a barrier to this sort of action.
As the Media Standards Trust has warned:
“Given the success of recent cases, the legal challenges and precedents will increase, unless the system of regulation is improved to give complainants more effective remedy against invasions of privacy.”
Not accountable to readers
Only two newspapers have independent readers ombudsman, the Guardian and the Observer. No other national newspaper thinks it necessary to appoint someone to represent the interests of the reader to the newspaper. A YouGov poll commissioned by the Media Standards Trust at the end of last year found that 70% of the public believe there are “far too many instances of people’s privacy being invaded by newspaper journalists”. The same poll revealed that 75% of the public now believe ‘newspapers frequently publish stories they know are inaccurate”. Fewer people are buying newspapers each year and few people trust journalists. That would not appear to be sufficient incentive for newspapers to change their behaviour.
Accountable to the profession?
Cases like these are a compelling reason for self-regulation. The difficult balances between privacy and the public interest can be discussed internally, amongst experts and independent representatives. Those in the industry who want to ensure high standards can ensure that all adhere to a clear code of practice. And those that break the rules can be embarrassed in front of their peers. Yet it hasn’t happened in this case. The failure of the industry to hold a newspaper to account weakens the position of supporters of self-regulation.
The importance of reform
The press can continue on the current path of low trust in newspapers with the widespread opinion that journalists do not seek to tell the truth, declining readership, economic crisis and growing intervention from the courts.
Alternatively they can use the opportunity to demonstrate why journalism matters; why the skills of journalism make it more valuable than a opinionated blog; why it’s vital to democracy and why high standards in journalism are essential to being able to entertain, inform and investigate on behalf of their readers.
Self-regulation remains preferable for the press. But it must be made to work or else it will be by-passed by those whose interests are better served by the courts and those who would gladly see a less free press.
If a newspaper or magazine publishes something inaccurate, misrepresentative, or unfairly intrusive about you, then there ought to be someone independent and effective that you can go to for redress.
Today we (the Media Standards Trust) are publishing a report – A More Accountable Press – that assesses the current system of press self-regulation, as led by the Press Complaints Commission. It concludes that, as it stands, this system is neither independent nor effective.
The current system is paid for by the newspaper industry, its rules are written by working newspaper editors, and almost half the Commission itself is made up of newspaper and magazine editors.
You would be forgiven, as a member of the public, for thinking that the system was geared more towards protecting the interests of the press than the public.
And, were you to look into it further, you’d become even more convinced of its partiality. Right now, if you make a complaint, you have about a 250:1 chance of getting an adjudication in your favour (based on the 16 successful adjudications out of 4,340 in 2007, Annual Report). Those are pretty terrible odds. Not surprising then that many people are now choosing to go to court instead.
The failure of the current system to offer the public fair redress is not only bad for the public, it’s bad for journalists. It undermines people’s trust in journalism. A couple of weeks ago an international poll found the UK media was amongst the least trusted in the world (Edelman poll, results publishing in PR Week).
A national survey commissioned by the Media Standards Trust in December, and conducted by YouGov, was similarly depressing. It found that 75% of the public think newspapers publish stories they know to be inaccurate. 70% of people believe there are far too many instances in which newspapers invade people’s privacy (full results can be found at the back of the report).
Nor does a poor system of self-regulation provide journalists with an adequate defence from the State, from the law (in the case of public interest journalism) – or even from their own proprietors.
This report – ‘A More Accountable Press’ – analyses what’s wrong with the current system. Now we plan to think about how to make it better.
From today we’ll be asking news organisations, regulators, journalists and the public how to address the problems we’ve identified. If you have any thoughts as to how things can be improved, please get in touch.
Causing barely a ripple in August’s becalmed news, the Press Complaints Commission has just taken a bold new step into the unknown. It has made its first ruling on audio-visual content on the web.
It has upheld the complaint of Mrs Laura Gaddis, president of the PTA at John Ogilvie High School, about a mobile phone video taken of a disruptive maths class.
One of the students in the class, who wanted to show her parents how chaotic they had become, filmed it on her phone. When her parents saw the video they were so appalled they sent it to the Hamilton Advertiser, which then published the footage on its website.
But despite being a bold step away from regulating print, this PCC ruling was reasonably straightforward. Clause 6 of the Code says that ‘Young people should be free to complete their time at school without unnecessary intrusion’ and that ‘Pupils must not be approached or photographed at school without the permission of the school authorities’. So it would have been strange if the Commission had ruled otherwise.
But it’s not hard to imagine a more complex situation. Increase the age of the students slightly – make them, say, university level, and the same ruling does not apply. A group of 18 year olds filmed causing trouble at college can presumably be published without compunction. But can it? Do the students or the teacher have any protection? Does the public interest test apply even though the person collecting the content is not a ‘journalist’?
Who has right to the content and whose permission should be sought before it is used? I know of a number of examples where newspapers have taken pictures from Facebook and Flickr without any attempt to gain permission from the photographer or the person photographed. Equally newspapers have been known to copy content from blogs and use it without contacting the blogger (I know because one did with this blog).
Of course if you want to see disruptive classes, or much more disturbing content (children fighting, bullying etc.) it is not hard to find online (e.g. at LiveLeak). The recent Panorama by Raphael Rowe showed how much of this footage is already available.
The PCC must be pleased with the ease with which it could make its first ruling. Subsequent ones are unlikely to be as straightforward. | <urn:uuid:622b1faa-ebd3-4aae-a011-0ffe99dc5920> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://martinjemoore.com/tag/press-complaints-commission/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967819 | 2,220 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Top O' the Morn
July 3, 2008 · Updated 12:41 PM
"Deception Pass Bridge - that great connection between Fidalgo and Whidbey Islands over the rushing waters of the sound - is justification of the certain knowledge that dreams do come true, even though they may be a long time in the making. Capt. George Morse, one of Oak Harbor's first sea captains who settled here, shared his dream with his daughter Sadie, who told about sailing with her father on his sloop through the pass and hearing him say, One of these days there will be a bridge across this water. He already had in mind the building of a bridge that was to become one of the tourist attractions of the great Northwest, stretching from Goose Rock to the little island in the center of the pass and on to Fidalgo. The little four-car ferry would be needed no more.Capt. Morse went to the the state Legislature in its early days and there was promise of the sum of $20,000 for building a bridge at Deception Pass. But, alas, there was no money forthcoming. Capt. Morse had to be content with a promise.But the dream did not die. When our family came to Whidbey Island in 1920 we were ferried across from Fidalgo to the northern tip of Cornet Bay. It was our first ferry ride, but not our last. To get from Oak Harbor to Anacortes, or Mount Vernon, or Bellingham, the ferry was the route, running on the hour. Special late-at-night ferries could be obtained by telephoning. From Olson's Landing (today's Strawberry Point) another ferry took travelers to Camano Island and the highway to Everett and Seattle.It took more than 50 years of visionary bridge building to bring the structure about. The community of North Whidbey united yearly in a Cranberry Lake picnic as publicity for the bridge building. Deception Pass State Park was in its infancy, with camping facilities, a beach on the east side of the lake, restrooms and picnic tables. The Cranberry Lake picnic was something Islanders looked forward to. Bands played, politicians took advantage of the speaker's stand, there were prizes for races, and even for the largest family.At the height of the Great Depression, Deception Pass Bridge was built and opened, and became one of the Northwest's most prized monuments.At the center of the view from bridge, to the northwest, Mount Baker, a smoldering volcanic snow-covered mountain, sits atop the foothills of the Cascade Range. To the far west, Vancouver Island's lights twinkle in the evening after the sun goes down. Small islands dot the east and western views, and the waters rush through as the tides change.We had a call from Milton Anderson, an old timer, who told us of being on a fishing boat off West Beach while the bridge was being built. As his boat was negotiating the pass, a big bundle of timber being lifted to the top of the span broke loose, and the result was a tide full of new lumber floating downstream. Anderson said they picked up a boatload of new lumber.Earlier a prison camp was built on the south wall of Fidalgo Island, where prisoners cut rock into gravel which was loaded down to barges below, to be taken to Seattle for construction. The remains of the camp may still be seen. It was closed to adventurers following the death of a person who got too close to the edge.In earlier days when opium and Chinese laborers were being smuggled into the Northwest, the pass was a favorite passage to the mainland. It is told that an Indian woman sat on the little island inside the pass with a bonfire which alerted smugglers that all was clear. No bonfire, hold everything.We have had phone calls from people who would like to know how the name Goose Rock came to be. The closest we can get is the possibility that geese nested atop the rock, when John Cornet came to make his home on his bay.Dorothy Neil has gathered and recorded Whidbey Island history for more than 50 years. She is the author of 10 books, including By Canoe and Sailing Ship They Came, which chronicle Whidbey life and times." | <urn:uuid:5e35e1b2-c147-47b0-9452-ac71380550f7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.whidbeynewstimes.com/news/22068089.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981369 | 871 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Tim Gardam reports for the BBC on Christians in China.
Chairman Mao once described religion as “poison”, and the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s and 70s attempted to eradicate it. Driven underground, Christianity not only survived, but with its own Chinese martyrs, it grew in strength.
More people go to church on Sunday in China than in the whole of Europe.
It is impossible to say how many Christians there are in China today, but no-one denies the numbers are exploding.
The government says 25 million, 18 million Protestants and six million Catholics. Independent estimates all agree this is a vast underestimate. A conservative figure is 60 million. There are already more Chinese at church on a Sunday than in the whole of Europe.
The new converts can be found from peasants in the remote rural villages to the sophisticated young middle class in the booming cities.
Chinese Christianity is exploding: China will soon become the largest Christian country on earth. On Easter morning, in downtown Beijing, I watched five services, each packed with over 1,500 worshippers. Sunday school was spilling on to the street.
However, these numbers are dwarfed by the unofficial “house churches”, spreading across the country, at odds with the official Church which fears the house churches’ fervour may provoke a backlash. | <urn:uuid:44335071-04dc-47da-b66c-994083bdae6f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.movements.net/2011/10/03/china-soon-to-be-the-largest-christian-country-on-earth.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953921 | 273 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Kodak Canada Inc. announced that it is shutting down its Toronto, Canada manufacturing plant in 2005, eliminating 360 jobs.
Kodak said the closure is part of a 3-year global restructuring by parent Eastman Kodak Co. to pare between 12,000 to 15,000 jobs and reduce a third of its operating space. The announced cuts will leave about 550 people at the Canadian subsidiary's headquarters, mainly in sales, marketing, service, and customer support.
The transition from analogue to digital photography has forced Kodak to slash its payroll. In January, when it employed nearly 64,000 people, the company announced plans to cut up to 15,000 jobs by 2007.
In its most recent quarter, Kodak reported sharply higher third quarter profits, helped by the sale of a remote sensing business and gains in digital photography. The company earned U.S. $479 million, or $1.67 a share, in the July to September period, up from $122 million, or $0.42 a share, in 2003.
Sales of film, one-time-use cameras, and other traditional products dropped 20 percent in the quarter, more steeply than expected, and Kodak said film industry volumes could decline as much as 20 percent in all of 2005. Sales of all digital products in the third quarter increased 39 percent while revenue from the traditional photo market fell 13 percent. Worldwide sales of consumer digital cameras and accessories rose 41 percent, matched by a 41 percent surge in revenues from photo kiosks and related products.
Earlier this fall, Kodak told investors it remained on course to increase revenues from $13.3 billion last year to $16 billion in 2006. Now, the company said it expects digital sales to increase 36 percent a year between 2003 and 2007, compared with an earlier projection of 26 percent annual growth. (Canadian Press)
Back to Breaking News | <urn:uuid:67d0b5d8-1084-46d1-bfad-8bc5ab48d26f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.appliancemagazine.com/news_print.php?article=7833&zone=0&first=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968078 | 385 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Founded in 1948 by Fr. Louis J. Twomey S.J., the Blueprint for Social Justice continues to be a "serious examination of those conscious and unconscious assumptions of contemporary American civilization that tend to perpetuate inequities and institutional injustices."
The Blueprint has maintained its original focus by offering reflections on local, national, and global issues of peace, social, and environmental justice and its subscribers now include members of the laity.
Blueprint for Social Justice is distributed free of charge to readers in the US plus 51 other countries, from Australia to Zimbabwe. One of our strengths is our brevity, focusing on only one social justice topic each month, with a maximum length of 7 pages of text coming from a wide variety of authors. Contact us if you are interested in contributing to Loyola’s Blueprint for Social Justice. »
Vachel Miller, professor of Leadership and Educational Studies at Appalachian State University, lived and worked in East Africa to eliminate child labor. Download the article » | <urn:uuid:240fbfbb-1ef7-4eb5-841c-4ed874d85c32> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.loyno.edu/twomey/blueprint-social-justice/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930533 | 202 | 1.671875 | 2 |
from the insanity-made-clear dept
Of course, as we've also pointed out time and time again copying is not theft, and the two are exceptionally different:
Under the “theft” conception of copyright law, what, exactly, is the deprivation when someone makes illegal copies? It really boils down to just one thing: money. Copyright infringement – renamed copyright theft — deprives the copyright holder of some of his or her expected profit from exploiting the copyright.Okay, so if we grant them their premise, and then compare it to similar cases where people don't pay the requested fee, but still get the "benefit," then what is the punishment in those other cases? Bridges notices that there appears to be one... um... outlier in the group:
What are other, similar kinds of “theft” by depriving someone of expected money? Failure of a tenant to pay the agreed rent to a landlord is one. Parking in a parking space without putting money in the meter is another. Jumping the turnstile to ride on a subway without paying the fare is a third. (And, of course, failure of a studio or record label to pay artists or actors the promised contractual royalties for their work on a record or film is a fourth. But something tells me the studios and labels sponsoring the current bills won’t go near that topic. The bills don’t include rogue studios and labels in their scope.)
How do the civil damages or penalties for the different types of such “theft” compare? Failure to pay expected money under a contract doesn’t trigger a penalty: contract law usually says that a party can recover the money she expected but not punitive damages or attorneys fees (unless parties have specifically bargained to pay attorneys fees for a breach). Failure to pay rent usually requires payment of rent to cure the default. Failure to put money in the parking meter prompts a ticket for $60. In New York City, failure to pay the $2.50 subway fare results in a maximum fine of $100.What if we work backwards, and see how the law might punish those other, similar, infractions with a damages system similar to copyright:
Copyright “theft” is a very different story. Copyright infringement statutory damages in civil litigation can be as high as $150,000 for infringement of a single work. Yes, a single work such as a single song with an iTunes download value of $1. A copyright holder can claim such statutory damages without needing to prove a single penny of damage or loss. Think such sky-high damages aren’t realistic? Think again. In the RIAA’s case against single mother Jammie Thomas, a jury awarded $1,500,000 for the download of 24 songs, with no proof that she had transmitted songs to others. The federal judge thought that was ridiculous and reduced the total award to $54,000 – and the RIAA and MPAA are now arguing strenuously on appeal that the jury verdict should return to the original figure, $62,500 per downloaded song.
If we take copyright law’s maximum-penalty-to-price ratio as applied to an illegal download, and apply that same penalty-to-price ratio to the New York subway, the maximum penalty for jumping that turnstile and avoiding the $2.50 fare would be $375,000 instead of $100. Copyright industries are on to a really good thing under current law. One could say it’s a steal.And yet the industry claims that copyright laws are too weak currently? That seems difficult to square with reality. | <urn:uuid:757c445b-3f04-46f4-bf57-02ad2046a303> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.techdirt.com/blog/?tag=crimes | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954789 | 752 | 1.710938 | 2 |
R oyal Woodbury Barnard (1843-1922) first established the Barnard Funeral Home in approximately 1887 a short distance south on right hand side of Route 7 from it's present location in a room on the backside of the family homestead.
Often he was paid in goods e.g.(stawberries,eggs,livestock and lumber)for his services and augmenting his income as a roofer,painting signs and carriages between funerals. He used a candle light lantern horse drawn hearse that was kept in service until the day he died.
He graduated from the Massachusetts College of Embalming in 1900.
He served as town representative in 1919 and was known by many for the generous help he gave to others in need. | <urn:uuid:e2e79a77-24e2-42c8-9436-272ef7a8bb4c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.barnardfuneralhome.com/fh/aboutus/history.cfm?fh_id=13272 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986664 | 161 | 1.585938 | 2 |
I am constantly seeing & hearing people brag about how drunk they’ve got or how much they’ve drunk like it’s something to be proud of, well I have news for you Abusing Alcohol is nothing to be proud of. Then you get the people that encourage this behaviour in others, when, maybe we as their friends, brothers and sisters should be doing everything we can to help them with this problem & actually be telling them to pull their heads in. Being a drunk is no better than being a drug addict. As White Nationalists who supposedly strive to be better than others, this behaviour should not be tolerated, and I personally find it appalling that not only is it happening but it is being encouraged. Those that have been involved in the movement for a long time and who are looked up to, should be acting as an example to the youngsters/new comers.
Abusing any drug including Alcohol will not only harm the body but also that person’s spirit. While drinking may be a part of our heritage/culture, Alcoholism is a cultural disease. There is nothing wrong with using alcohol but please try not to abuse it, drinking yourself into a stupor is not something that should ever be a regular habit. The easiest target is one that’s hammered. Remember self-discipline is a mark of higher man. To be continued in HomeFront issue Number 14 – Due out Late 2011 | <urn:uuid:c96a73cf-5f8a-4c8e-b4ec-2f1b59c3d5ef> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://homefrontmagazine.org/wau14/?page_id=84 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963967 | 292 | 1.601563 | 2 |
To Succeed in College and the Workforce, Hawai'i's Students Need to Prepare in High School.
Step Up, an initiative of Hawai‘i P-20 Partnerships for Education, is a statewide campaign that promotes college and career readiness for Hawai‘i’s high school students.
To succeed in today’s information age and to prepare for a dynamic and ever-changing future, Hawai‘i’s high school students are encouraged to earn the Hawai‘i State Board of Education’s (BOE) "Step Up" Recognition Diploma. This diploma, available for the graduating classes of 2013-2015, is different from the regular high school diploma. It includes more challenging classes in math, science and writing, and it also includes the completion of a senior project.
Upon graduation, students who earn the BOE "Step Up" Recognition Diploma are eligible for incentives for stepping up to this challenge such as special consideration for scholarships, admission into Hawai‘i colleges, and job application advancement with various employers. Plus, they are better prepared to succeed after high school, whether they choose to attend college or choose a career.
There are over 14,200 students statewide from the Classes of 2013, 2014, and 2015 that signed a Step Up pledge form, along with their parents, to signify their commitment to earn the BOE “Step Up” Diploma and become Step Up Scholars. Step Up Scholars will receive a number of benefits including information on college preparation and financial aid and invitations to college prep events throughout their years in high school.
For more information on the Step Up Campaign, please contact 808-956-3879 or [email protected].
About Hawai‘i P-20
Hawai‘i P-20 Partnerships for Education is a statewide partnership led by the Early Learning Council, the Hawai‘i State Department of Education and the University of Hawai‘i System that is working to strengthen the education pipeline from early childhood through higher education so that all students achieve college and career success. Hawai‘i P-20’s partners share a sense of urgency about the need to improve Hawai‘i’s educational outcomes in an increasingly global economy, and have established a goal of 55% of Hawai‘i’s working age adults having a 2- or 4-year college degree by 2025. For more information, visit our website at www.p20hawaii.org. | <urn:uuid:075264a0-60d8-4564-8772-1a3b7c02c8e4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.stepuphawaii.org/about-us | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943482 | 515 | 1.828125 | 2 |
While I was checking the Internet for ideas for this blog, I cam across a simple “Do & Don’ts list for bike commuting so I thought I would share it with you. With gas prices rising—the states will probably never see it below three dollars a gallon again—it’s time to get creative. Let me introduce you to the triathletes’ and cyclists’ secret weapon: the bike.
The fact is, bikes are a lot cheaper to buy, and maintain, than cars. Plus riding bikes is good for your health.
Before you wheel your way to the office, however, take a look at these basic dos and do nots of commuting by bike.
DO NOT wear your aero helmet. It doesn’t mesh with the hipster images bike commuters are after. Save it for the races where time really matters.
DO wear a helmet. Safety first!
DO NOT assume your spouse will pick the kids on “your day” just because you left the house on your bike. Communicate schedules and expectations so no one gets left on the curb.
DO check with your significant other to make sure adding extra time to your commute will fit with the home front.
DO NOT be afraid to call for a ride if you are trying to get home and storms are brewing. You’re better safe than sorry.
DO check the weather forecast. It’s not always accurate, but it gives you a good idea whether or not you need to drive or bring rain gear.
DO bring ID. Even if it’s a sticky note stuffed in your bike shorts. Include your name and an emergency contact number.
DO NOT use an out of date ID.
DO pack the appropriate gear—clothes for the work day, nutrition and fluids (whether it be Gatorade, Hammer Nutrition, GU products or PUSH Endurance, work keys. What about your laptop? Plan ahead and leave it at work the day before if you ride in the morning. Last thing you will want to do is turn around and ride home to get what you forgot, and then drive back to work because, well, now you’re late.
DO NOT pack the wrong gear. Black and tan work socks? Jeans instead of dockers? Forgot your work shoes and have to wear tennis shoes to the office? Been there, done that. Plan ahead.
DO pick a safe bike route away from busy roads.
DO NOT ride the highway shoulder.
DO make sure you have someplace to clean up. Hopefully someplace with a shower, if you are lucky.
DO NOT change in your cube and wash your hair in the office sink.
DO treat this like a training ride. Make sure you have your lights, nutrition and spare tubes with you.
DO NOT think that because you are “just” riding to work it’s no big deal. Riding on the roads with cars is always dangerous. You still have to keep your head on a swivel. Two miles or 50, safety is just as important when you’re riding 2 miles as when you’re riding 50. | <urn:uuid:8c44c919-5d37-4e20-b999-2cbae7ee63fa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.timesunion.com/bike/date/2011/09/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942427 | 654 | 1.757813 | 2 |
March 11, 2013 3 Comments
In my original post, Scaling up Virtual Machines in vSphere to meet performance requirements, I described a unique need for the Software Development Team to have a lot of horsepower to improve the speed of their already virtualized code compiling systems. My plan of attack was simple. Address the CPU bound systems with more powerful blades, and scale up the VMs accordingly. Budget constraints axed the storage array included in my proposal, and also kept this effort limited to keeping the same number of vSphere hosts for the task.
The four new Dell M620 blades arrived and were quickly built up with vSphere 5.0 U2 (Enterprise Plus Licensing) with the EqualLogic MEM installed. A separate cluster was created to insure all build systems were kept separate, and so that I didn’t have to mask any CPU features to make them work with previous generation blades. Next up was to make sure each build VM was running VM hardware level 8. Prior to vSphere 5, the guest VM was unaware of the NUMA architecture behind it. Without the guest OS understanding memory locality, one could introduce problems into otherwise efficient processes. While I could find no evidence that the compilers for either OS are NUMA aware, I knew the Operating Systems understood NUMA.
Each build VM has a separate vmdk for its compiling activities. Their D:\ drive (or /home for Linux) is where the local sandboxes live. I typically have this second drive on a “Virtual Device Node” changed to something other than 0:x. This has proven beneficial in previous performance optimization efforts.
I figured the testing would be somewhat trivial, and would be wrapped up in a few days. After all, the blades were purchased to quickly deliver CPU power for a production environment, and I didn’t want to hold that up. But the data the tests returned had some interesting surprises. It is not every day that you get to test 16vCPU VMs for a production environment that can actually use the power. My home lab certainly doesn’t allow me to do this, so I wanted to make this count.
The baseline tests would be to run code compiling on two of the production build systems (one Linux, and the other Windows) on an old blade, then the same set with the same source code on the new blades. This would help in better understanding if there were speed improvements from the newer generation chips. Most of the existing build VMs are similar in their configuration. The two test VMs will start out with 4vCPUs and 4GB of RAM. Once the baselines were established, the virtual resources of each VM would be dialed up to see how they respond. The systems will be compiling the very same source code.
For the tests, I isolated each blade so they were not serving up other needs. The test VMs resided in an isolated datastore, but lived on a group of EqualLogic arrays that were part of the production environment. Tests were run at all times during the day and night to simulate real world scenarios, as well as demonstrate any variability in SAN performance.
Build times would be officially recorded in the Developers Build Dashboard. All resources would be observed in vSphere in real time, with screen captures made of things like CPU, disk and memory, and dumped into my favorite brain-dump application; Microsoft OneNote. I decided to do this on a whim when I began testing, but it immediately proved incredibly valuable later on as I found myself looking at dozens of screen captures constantly.
The one thing I didn’t have time to test was the nearly limitless possible scenarios in which multiple monster VMs were contending for CPUs at the same time. But the primary interest for now was to see how the build systems scaled. I would then make my sizing judgments off of the results, and off of previous experience with smaller build VMs on smaller hosts.
The [n/n] title of each test result column indicates the number of vCPUs followed by the amount of vRAM associated. Stacked bar graphs show a lighter color at the top of each bar. This indicates the difference in time between the best result and the worst result. The biggest factor of course would be the SAN.
Bottleneck cat and mouse
Performance testing is a great exercise for anyone, because it helps challenge your own assumptions on where the bottleneck really is. No resource lives as an island, and this project showcased that perfectly. Improving the performance of these CPU bound systems may very well shift the contention elsewhere. However, it may expose other bottlenecks that you were not aware of, as resources are just one element of bottleneck chasing. Applications and the Operating Systems they run on are not perfect, nor are the scripts that kick them off. Keep this in mind when looking at the results.
Test Results – Windows
The following are test results are with Windows 7, running the Visual Studio Compiler. Showing three generations of blades. The Dell M600 (HarperTown), M610, (Nehalem), and M620 (SandyBridge).
Comparing a Windows code compile across blades without any virtual resource modifications.
Yes, that is right. The old M600 blades were that terrible when it came to running VMs that were compiling. This would explain the inconsistent build time results we had seen in the past. While there was improvement in the M620 over the M610s, the real power of the M620s is that they have double the number of physical cores (16) than the previous generations. Also noteworthy is the significant impact the SAN (up to 50%) was affecting the end result.
Comparing a Windows code compile on new blade, but scaling up virtual resources
Several interesting observations about this image (above).
- When the SAN can’t keep up, it can easily give back the improvements made in raw compute power.
- Performance degraded when compiling with more than 8vCPUs. It was so bad that I quit running tests when it became clear they weren’t compiling efficiently (which is why you do not see SAN variability when I started getting negative returns)
- Doubling the vCPUs from 4 to 8, and the vRAM from 4 to 8 only improved the build time by about 30%, even though the compile showed nearly perfect multithreading (shown below) and 100% CPU usage. Why the degradation? Keep reading!
- On a different note, it was becoming quite clear already I needed to take a little corrective action in my testing. The SAN was being overworked at all times of the day, and it was impacting my ability to get accurate test results in raw compute power. The more samples I ran the more consistent the inconsistency was. Each of the M620’s had a 100GB SSD, so I decided to run the D:\ drive (where the build sandbox lives) on there to see a lack of storage contention impacted times. The purple line indicates the build times of the given configuration, but with the D:\ drive of the VM living on the local SSD drive.
The difference between a slow run on the SAN and a run with faster storage was spreading.
Test Results – Linux
The following are test results are with Linux, running the GCC compiler. Showing three generations of blades. The Dell M600 (HarperTown), M610, (Nehalem), and M620 (SandyBridge).
Comparing a Linux code compile across blades without any virtual resource modifications.
The Linux compiler showed a a much more linear improvement, along with being faster than it’s Windows counterpart. Noticeable improvements across the newer generations of blades, with no modifications in virtual resources. However, the margin of variability from the SAN is a concern.
Comparing a Linux code compile on new blade, but scaling up virtual resources
At first glance it looks as if the Linux GCC compiler scales up well, but not in a linear way. But take a look at the next graph, where similar to the experiment with the Windows VM, I changed the location of the vmdk file used for the /home drive (where the build sandbox lives) over to the local SSD drive.
This shows very linear scalability with Linux and a GCC compiler. A 4vCPU with 4GB RAM was able to compile 2.2x faster with 8vCPUs and 8GB of RAM. Total build time was just 12 minutes. Triple the virtual resources to 12/12, and it is an almost linear 2.9x faster than the original configuration. Bump it up to 16vCPUs, and diminishing returns begin to show up, where it is 3.4x faster than the original configuration. I suspect crossing NUMA nodes and the architecture of the code itself was impacting this a bit. Although, don’t lose sight of the fact that a build that could take up to 45 minutes on the old configuration took only 7 minutes with 16vCPUs.
The big takeaways from these results are the differences in scalability in compilers, and how overtaxed the storage is. Lets take a look at each one of these.
Internally it had long been known that Linux compiled the same code faster than Windows. Way faster. But for various reasons it had been difficult to pinpoint why. The data returned made it obvious. It was the compiler.
While it was clear that the real separation in multithreaded compiling occurred after 8vCPUs, the real problem with the Windows Visual Studio compiler begins after 4vCPUs. This surprised me a bit because when monitoring the vCPU usage (in stacked graph format) in vCenter, it was using every CPU cycle given to it, and multithreading quite evenly. The testing used Visual Studio 2008, but I also tested newer versions of Visual Studio, with nearly the same results.
The original proposal included storage to support the additional compute horsepower. The existing set of arrays had served our needs very well, but were really targeted at general purpose I/O needs with a focus of capacity in mind. During the budget review process, I had received many questions as to why we needed a storage array. Boiling it down to even the simplest of terms didn’t allow for that line item to survive the last round of cuts. Sure, there was a price to pay for the array, but the results show there is a price to pay for not buying the array.
I knew storage was going to be an issue, but when contention occurs, its hard to determine how much of an impact it will have. Think of a busy freeway, where throughput is pretty easy to predict up to a certain threshold. Hit critical mass, and predicting commute times becomes very difficult. Same thing with storage. But how did I know storage was going to be an issue? The free tool provided to all Dell EqualLogic customers; SAN HQ. This tool has been a trusted resource for me in the past, and removes ALL speculation when it comes to historical usage of the arrays, and other valuable statistics. IOPS, read/write ratios, latency etc. You name it.
Historical data of Estimated Workload over the period of 1 month
Historical data of Estimated Workload over the period of 12 months
Both images show that with the exception of weekends, the SAN arrays are maxed out to 100% of their estimated workload. The overtaxing shows up on the lower part of each screen capture the read and writes surpassing the brown line indicating the estimated maximum IOPS of the array. The 12 month history showed that our storage performance needs were trending upward.
Storage contention and how it relates to used CPU cycles is also worth noting. Look at how inadequate storage I/O influences compute. The image below shows the CPU utilization for one of the Linux builds using 8vCPUs and 8GB RAM when the /home drive was using fast storage (the local SSD on the vSphere host)
Now look at the same build when running against a busy SAN array. It completely changes the CPU usage profile, and thus took 46% longer to complete.
General Observations and lessons
- If you are running any hosts using pre-Nehalem architectures, now is a good time to question why. They may not be worth wasting vSphere licensing on. The core count and architectural improvements on the newer chips put the nails in the coffin on these older chips.
- Storage Storage Storage. If you have CPU intensive operations, deal with the CPU, but don’t neglect storage. The test results above demonstrate how one can easily give back the entire amount of performance gains in CPU by not having storage performance to support it.
- Giving a Windows code compiling VM a lot of CPU, but not increasing the RAM seemed to make the compiler trip on it’s own toes. This makes sense, as more CPUs need more memory addresses to work with.
- The testing showcased another element of virtualization that I love. It often helps you understand problems that you might otherwise be blind to. After establishing baseline testing, I noticed some of the Linux build systems were not multithreading the way they should. Turns out it was some scripting errors by our Developers. Easily corrected.
The new Dell M620 blades provided an immediate performance return. All of the build VMs have been scaled up to 8vCPUs and 8GB of RAM to get the best return while providing good scalability of the cluster. Even with that modest doubling of virtual resources, we now have nearly 30 build VMs that when storage performance is no longer an issue, will run between 4 and 4.3 times faster than the same VMs on the old M600 blades. The primary objective moving forward is to target storage that will adequately support these build VMs, as well as looking into ways to improve multithreaded code compiling in Windows.
Kitware blog post on multithreaded code compiling options | <urn:uuid:bf7b8570-ba2c-4af8-86e9-1893c70a02a9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://vmpete.com/tag/vsphere/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954158 | 2,866 | 1.679688 | 2 |
How to Get Rid of Burn Scars
A burn often leaves behind a mark if it is not treated properly in the first instance. The best way of preventing a burn mark is to treat the burnt area with a mixture of cold water and turmeric immediately after the injury. While the cold water soothes the burnt skin, the turmeric acts as a natural antiseptic as well as prevents the appearance of a scar. You may also dab the area with some cotton wool soaked in cold milk. Start massaging the area with vitamin E oil and aloe vera gel once the skin starts healing, as both of these help in the quick regeneration of new skin cells and give the skin a uniform tone and texture. They also help fade the scar if it has already appeared.
Besides these preventive measures, you may also follow a few tips at home in order to lighten burn scars. Gently massage the area with almond oil twice every day in order to gradually lighten the scar. You could also soak some fenugreek seeds in water overnight and grind them to a paste the next morning. Apply this paste on the burn scars and leave it on till it dries; then wash it away with water.
Home Remedies for Burn Scars
For another remedy, extract the juice of a few margosa leaves by crushing them to a pulp and massage the affected area with this. Wash the skin with water after the juice dries. A very popular remedy for treating burn marks is to apply the fresh juice of a lemon on the skin. The acidic properties of lime juice help lighten scars naturally over a period of time. Another effective way of getting rid of burn marks is to massage the skin with the pulp of a tomato twice a day. Tomato acts as a natural bleaching agent and helps remove burn marks.
Another useful remedy for burn scars is to make a paste by mixing some fuller’s earth with a little water and apply this paste on the skin. Wash the area with water after the paste dries. In addition, you could also make a paste by mixing sandalwood powder in a little rose water and massage the affected area with it. Daily application of honey on the scars is also known to help. Before going to bed every night, you may also apply a little olive oil or coconut oil on the scars. This will lighten them gradually. | <urn:uuid:65ec9c9b-4707-4bd0-becb-56bc78a5675b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://skin-care-at-home.com/blog/natural-cures-to-remove-burn-scars.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958755 | 482 | 1.789063 | 2 |
- Date your friends. (You won’t have to divorce a stranger down the road.)
- Don’t burn your bridges. (It makes them awfully hot when you have to cross them later.)
- One day you won’t even remember his/her name. (You’ll just remember he/she was a jerk.)
- What goes around, comes around. (Sadly, this may take a while.)
- Wear sunscreen. (You will one day discover that you are not immortal.)
- A woman should dress her age. (Only two-year-olds are as young and cute as they think they are.)
- Be nice to old people. (With luck, you’ll get there soon enough.)
- Treat others as you would like to be treated. (Or you’ll likely get just what you deserve.)
- Think before you speak. (Saves lots of groveling later.)
- Chocolate never hurt anyone. (Recent big-money studies back this up.)
- Thank-you notes are important. (Every note you don’t write will be remembered.)
- Life isn’t fair. (And it’s a crying shame.)
Have you ever had a week where every appliance in your house breaks down, gets struck by lightning, or just seems to inexplicably and suddenly become contrary?
I’m having one of those weeks. The appliance bodies are piling up for the landfill. It’s like there’s something viral being passed along the electrical circuits in my house, just waiting to fry every appliance we own. Now that I think about it, I don’t ever remember a time when only ONE appliance died. It’s ALWAYS more than one, as if something as contagious as the plague is lurking in our vents just looking for a way to cause trouble and force me to write big checks. This time, so many appliances have died that it feels like Monopoly money I’m doling out.
To start the week, an obnoxious, ill-mannered man creamed one of our cars, while it was parked in the Target parking lot. I was shopping and didn’t discover the damage until I came out to find an off-duty cop leaning against my car with his arms crossed, clearly determined to prevent Mr. Bad Manners from scampering away. God bless that cop.
The next morning, I awoke to the sound of my middle child screaming, “It’s raining over my bed AGAIN, Mom!” as if this was somehow my fault and something I had chosen to happen as a way to screw with his day. Just for the record, we re-roofed two years ago. This shouldn’t be possible. We’re aware there’s a leak. We’ve called the man. He’ll come when he can. In the meantime, I scrambled to find my gumbo pot to position it in the best spot to catch the deluge. Classy.
Next, I jumped into my husband’s car because it was parked behind mine (We live in an old house. No garage. The driveway was built for one small motorcar at the turn of the century—not a 14-year-old Suburban and three other old cars) and backed down our steep driveway to take my daughter to school for an early-morning practice. That’s when a bucket of water rained down on her from the leaky sunroof. She got soaked. This ruined her carefully straightened hair. She would have preferred to face the day with a broken leg. She was not a happy camper, and she was vocal about it.
“Why is everything we own so old and broken?” she demanded.
“Easy answer, sweetie: Three kids, college, sports, cheerleading, show choir, summer camp, braces, 4 cars, groceries, insurance, medical bills . . . but what it comes down to is—choices. We’ve made choices about our family budget. We’re trying to be good stewards of limited recourses,” I said.
I have to admit it: I feel her pain. I’m sick of the old cars, too. The turn signal in my old Suburban has been making that annoying blinking sound off-and-on for seven years. The locks don’t work. Before I climb in after shopping, I check to make sure no one is hiding in the car. No kidding. Everything we own is a little bit special. It’s tiresome.
“Well, I think we need new cars,” she retorted.
“Me, too,” I responded.
After dropping her off, I came home and opened my freezer to dig out a roast for dinner. That’s when I discovered it wasn’t working. Thus began a massive freezer clean out in order to salvage as much as possible. I began frantically cooking what I could and packing the rest into coolers. By 6:30 am, I had baked a ham, a roast, and made homemade Chex mix. I marinated chicken breasts; I defrosted an assortment of sweet rolls and breads on the counter, and I briefly considered throwing a pizza party for the neighborhood kids for dinner to get rid of a stack of soggy pizzas. I can’t bear waste.
I shoved the melting ice cream into blenders, made milk shakes, and thrust them into the hands of my teenager and his friends as they headed to school. Honestly, my son looked fairly pleased with how the freezer demise worked out for him.
My kitchen looked like we were packing for a hurricane evacuation. It wasn’t even 7 am, and I was already tired and teary.
Since I was already filthy from mopping up the car and cleaning out the freezer, I decided to hit the treadmill. After the first mile, I heard, over the “Hallelujah Chorus” blaring in my ear buds as a little pick-me-up, the unmistakable crunching sounds of the treadmill shredding important metal parts. Then I smelled the burning motor. Pulling the emergency stop cord, I abandoned that sucker like it was a sign from God not to exercise.
Going along with my I’m-already-dirty theme, I decided to mow the small patch of yard we have in back. I’m not a yard work kind of gal, as I talk about in my books, so this was a sign of how desperate I was for distraction.
You know what happened, right? Yep. Broken lawnmower. I left it parked next to the grill that broke last month.
I wondered, briefly, if I would be considered an alcoholic if I poured a mimosa just for myself before 10 am. Fearing that I would drink the entire bottle of champagne if I opened it to make one drink—to avoid waste—it was a tough call. Then I pulled up a bar stool and dialed my husband’s cell phone. I felt the need to spread the joy around.
“Do want the good news or the bad news?” I asked him.
“Good. Definitely the good,” he answered quickly, recognizing my tone and proceeding with caution, “Have you been drinking?”
“Yes, I have. Don’t worry about it. Good news is: You won’t have to mow the lawn for a while,” I said, taking a big swig of mimosa and laughing hysterically.
The wind was really gusting when I pulled off the interstate at a gas station to fill up my tank on my way to an out-of-state speaking event recently. I was dressed in my usual comfy leggings and a long tunic, which, unfortunately, acted like a huge mainsail and inflated almost instantly the moment I exited the car, literally sweeping me off my feet.
I grabbed the hem of my tunic in a panic to avoid flashing innocent bystanders. My hair flew around my head like the snaky locks of Medusa caught in a windstorm created by a ticked off Mighty Thor. (I swear to you that not a week goes by without someone comparing my curly locks to Medusa’s coif. This is not exactly a compliment. Do you remember her story? That wench was scary.) Mythology metaphors aside, the wind was epic.
While I tried to keep my clothes on without spilling gas, the credit card I’d just scanned flew out of my hand and started rolling, skipping, and cavorting its bad boy self away from me at a startling rate. I gave chase. This was a highly entertaining sight judging by the ear-to-ear grin on the face of the man filling up his tank in the wind tunnel next to me. I lost a few precious seconds giving him the evil eye, but he wasn’t fazed. He just shook his head, laughed out loud, and went right on with his business—nary an offer to help retrieve my plastic.
Every time I got close to my fleeing card, reached down to snag it with my fingertips or stomp it flat with my adorable new Kate Spade flats, another big gust whipped by, and the card danced further and further away from me. I swear I could hear it laughing in the wind.
I turned back to my gas tank in disgust, sealed the sucker up, and returned to the great credit card pursuit. Unfortunately, my credit card was no longer visible on the horizon. It was gone. Outa here. Nowhere to be found. I made eye contact with the hero still filling up his ridiculous, oversized Hummer (no big surprise there, right?) to see if he’d seen anything. He shrugged. Yes, indeed. That man was some woman’s grand prize.
I began walking the parking lot methodically, searching in earnest. I no longer felt the least bit playful. Fifteen minutes later, I was ready to scream and take out my frustration on a giant bag of peanut M&Ms. A quick glance at the station revealed three heads peering out at me in fascination. Clearly, I’d been entertaining the afternoon shift for quite a while with my credit card drama. Marching to the storefront, I tugged hard on the door, felt it catch and fall open dramatically in the wind, and I headed in with a full head of steam.
“I need some help finding my credit card, please,” I announced in no uncertain terms.
“Did you check the card slot?” one helpful worker asked, “People leave them in there all the time.”
“I watched it blow away,” I explained.
“Why’d you do that?” she asked, baffled.
“No telling where it is by now,” another employee muttered.
“Didja check your purse?” the next bright bulb asked.
“Here,” I said, slapping my bag on the counter. “I already looked. You double-check me while I look outside again.”
“You want me to go through your purse, lady?” the attendant asked, clearly scandalized.
“Yes. You look honest, and I’m in a hurry,” I replied.
Another worker busy stacking decided on some personal initiative:
“I’ll help you look outside,” she volunteered.
So that’s what we did. Step by step, we searched the tall weeds in the vacant lot next to the gas station. We looked like people frantically searching for Easter eggs or CSI bodies.
Eventually, the employee-with-a-little-something-on-the-ball held up a small plastic rectangle and shouted downwind:
“Are you Mrs. Thompson?” she asked.
“Yes, indeed! Thank you so much!” I replied.
A few seconds passed as she mulled over my identity confirmation. Then a light bulb went off over her head. I watched it happen.
“Do you write funny books?”
“I’ve read two of your books!”
“Can you wait here for a few minutes while I go home and get my books? You can autograph ‘em for me,” she asked.
“Well . . . I’m already a little behind schedule, but . . . ”
We did a deal. I gave her signed cards for her books. I keep a supply of those in my purse. She was happy. I was more than ready to hit the highway.
Life lesson: Book fans are everywhere! Hallelujah!
Don’t let 22 pounds of blubber fool you. This cat isn’t sweet.
Yesterday, I was booked on a live radio show from 4-5 pm. This is not my first book promotion rodeo. I was ready to rock. I taped a note to the front door warning all comers not to knock or ring the bell. I cooked dinner early for the ungrateful wretches I gave birth to, and it was in the oven ready to be plated. I stuck post-it notes on my teenagers’ doors with dire warnings about homework, the state of their rooms, and miscellaneous bossy instructions to get them through two hours without my direct supervision. I had the usual spread across the floor: speaking calendar with dates and times for events in different cities, reading glasses, my social media addresses ready to recite on the air, and copies of my books with pages marked to read for different time constraints. (You can’t believe how often interviewers ask about specific pages or quotations in books I’ve written—as if I have all 4 books memorized or something. Who does that?) I was ready for drive time callers.
As soon as I started speaking, my adopted, born-under-an-abandoned-house, his-daddy-was-his-brother-was-his cousin, Hemingway-pawed ball of contrariness attacked. Full-on frontal. When I shoved him away and refused to focus my attention on him with the adoration he expects from the humans who share his space, he went nuts. By the time he came at me from my flank, my arms looked like I’d been juggling knives.
I couldn’t lock in him in another room because past experiences have taught me that he will raise the roof, bang on the door with his giant mitten-paws, knock over anything valuable that will crash with a big noise, and generally continue his feline tantrum until he gets what he wants. MEANWHILE, I was forced to continue chatting with an interviewer several states away and entertain callers as if nothing in the world was going on. Someone commented later that I had a “breathy” quality to my voice that was appealing. Yeah. I was breathy all right. I was totally out of breath. All out war will do that to a girl.
- Hold her hand voluntarily in public without looking embarrassed about it.
- If you really want to go for broke, turn her hand over and press a kiss on her palm. She’ll swoon in your arms. I guarantee it.
- Ask her if she’d like you to beat up somebody for her. Don’t worry. She won’t actually ask you to do it. It would just be nice if someone would occasionally offer.
- Just once, instead of the usual perfunctory peck on the lips before you leave town for a few days, grab that woman by the waist, pull her up against you, and plant a kiss on her lips she’ll remember to her dying day.
- Start the car one cold morning so that it is unexpectedly toasty when she climbs in for the first foray of the day. Leave a note on the windshield—not a Post-it reminding her to buy milk—a LOVE letter. It doesn’t have to be a Shakespearean sonnet. A hand-drawn heart and your initials can reduce even the meanest matron to a weepy puddle of sloppy sentiment.
- While she finishes cleaning up the kitchen, run a bubble bath for her. Light candles. Put a magazine or a trashy book by the tub for her to read. Lead her there with her eyes closed before the water cools. Smile at her. Kiss her on the lips. Then leave her alone to enjoy it.
- Bring her a guilty pleasure for no reason at all: a banana split, cheese straws, milk chocolate, or whatever you know really pots her plant. If she doesn’t like those things, bring them to me. I do.
- Take her on a date. PRETEND. The date cannot involve work clients, church functions, children’s activities, or any other mundane life events. CHOOSE to spend time with her. Woo her. You’re older now. You should be better at it. She might surprise you and woo you right back.
- Before she falls asleep one night, tell her about your favorite memory of her—extra points for details. Caution: make sure you get the details right. If your favorite memory of her turns out to actually involve a former wife/girlfriend, things could get ugly.
- 10. Make a sacrifice for her—of time, money, patience, or real blood. Women are biologically programmed to fall for strong providers and protectors. Use basic biology to your advantage. Real men are willing to take a bullet for the women they love, and nothing is more attractive to a woman than a wounded warrior.
* Want more? This list is an excerpt from my 3rd book, I Love You–Now Hush. My co-author for that book, Morgan Murphy, has a hilarious accompanying list, “How to Romance a Southern Man.” It’s my favorite thing in the book!
I know what you’re thinking.
- You’ve never seen me wear a t-shirt. True enough. I don’t often wear them because it’s not a good look for me. The truth is that I need a few layers between me and the rest of the world to be happily attired.
- I don’t seem like a woman who would wear a preachy t-shirt. Also true.
- You’re betting I won’t wear this t-shirt because it has a grammar error on it. I do not play when it comes to grammar.
Of course, I see the mistake. I’m not blind. This t-shirt should read, “God is much bigger than I.” I admit it bothers me. I’m a big enough person to confess that. Because I love the coach who gave it to me, we’re going to say that this error is by design. I’m going to declare it a charming colloquialism, an attempt to convey a message informally for maximum effect.
Just so you know, we’re going with that excuse today ONLY. Only Coach Steve Sills could give me a shirt with a grammar error on it and expect me to wear it while running on the treadmill. I wouldn’t do that for anyone else in the world. It may actually hurt. We’ll see.
Coach Sills and I are unlikely friends. He’s young enough to be my son. That’s irritating enough. He’s a coach. I say unflattering things about coaches all the time. He’s a former athlete. I wash athletic uniforms, work concessions, and feed the team. He’s male, a dad to two adorable little girls. I’m a mom to three teenagers, and I can barely remember when my kids were that little. He’s black. I’m white. He calls me Ma Thompson. I boss him around without compunction. When I found out he had not finished the work for his teaching certificate, for example, I hounded him mercilessly to finish that up.
I love him fiercely, and so does everyone else who knows him. He’s something of a community celebrity where I live. He’s hip, cool, and a good role model. He is eternally optimistic. I’m known on the home front as Negative Nancy. Kids follow him around like he’s handing out free homework passes. If I worked in a public school, kids would run from me like Medusa with the snake-locks. Coach Sills is deep into philanthropic projects. I’m just trying to raise my three kids without bouncing a mortgage check. He’s deeply religious, completely comfortable with public demonstrations of faith. I’m Episcopalian, and I’m not even comfortable with the word “evangelism.”
Bottom line: I’ll wear the t-shirt with the grammar error, which is positively self-sacrificing, as far as I’m concerned, because Coach Sills is the kind of man I hope my boys grow up to be. That’s what I wrote when I autographed a copy of my last book for him. His response is now my favorite prayer: “May God bless everything you lay your hands to.”
Today’s life lesson: On rare occasions, when you give someone a little grammar leeway, you get pure poetry.
I’m not making this story up. It’s important to state that for the record, I think. I haven’t changed the names in this essay to protect anyone’s anonymity either. I quit doing that a long time ago. What does it matter? I write G-rated humor, which is always at my expense, so even when I look like the world’s biggest idiot, everyone else looks like Albert Einstein or the Dalai Lama.
A couple of weeks before Christmas, I opened a two-for-one insert in my December issue of Real Simple magazine, my favorite monthly publication on the planet. I savor every page. Each issue is useful, interesting, and can be counted on for good writing, thrifty tips, and quirky lists. What’s not to like? I’ve been a long-time subscriber and a Real Simple groupie for years. I’ve even submitted work to them.
Usually, I order everything possible online—lipstick, vitamins, even Chinese food. Since Christmas was right around the corner, however, I decided to order the old-fashioned way, with a telephone call. I located my landline underneath a stack of recycled wrapping paper, blew the dust off, and dialed a 1-800 number which was answered half the world away in India.
How do I know an operator in India answered it, you ask? I asked, of course. The accent was a dead giveaway, honestly. I enjoy a bit of colorful cultural interaction in my day. It’s fun. It never ceases to amaze me what a small world we share. Here in Alabama I can talk to someone in India about my magazine subscription. Wow!
Initially, the call was answered electronically, with a thank-you-for-calling-and-holding-you-are-the-most-important-subscriber-in-the-world message, or something close to that. I idly updated my fan page while waiting to talk to the next available Indian operator who was, no doubt, thrilled beyond imagining to help a suburban American woman with her magazine gift subscriptions. (I imagined myself calling in to the station on NBC’s Outsourced television show, which is hilarious, if you’ve never seen it.)
Go ahead and imagine the accent. It will add local color to this essay.
Then I answered sixty-seven questions confirming my email address, my snail mail address, my full name, my parents’ names, the names of my children, my blood type, my credit history, who I think will win at The Oscars, and other bits of personal trivia that might be helpful for someone attempting to steal my identity from half the globe away.
Finally, it was time for business.
“Can I renew my own subscription and send a gift subscription to a friend using the two-for-one offer from my December magazine?” I asked.
“Yes, indeed, Mrs. Thompson. It will be my pleasure to help you with that today,” the operator answered.
We went over the particulars several times. My operator repeated, quite precisely, my order. We indulged in a moment of final pleasantries, and I went happily about my day, satisfied that I’d purchased a magazine my Aunt Joan would enjoy for the year and renewed hours of bubble bath reading material for myself.
You know what’s coming next, don’t you?
About a week ago, I receive a text from a friend thanking me for renewing her subscription to Real Simple magazine.
“So glad you like it!” I responded, baffled. I had, indeed, given my friend, Vera Britton, a gift subscription to Real Simple—last year, for her birthday. I had NOT renewed it in my recent international summit, darn it all.
How embarrassing! With a long-suffering sigh, I jotted down “call India” on my to-do list for the next day.
Of course, I got a different operator in my second intercontinental adventure. It became apparent immediately that I was living a real live Cool Hand Luke moment—what we had was a “failure to communicate.” The operator had excellent English-speaking skills. (I can say that because I used to teach ESL students. I know what I’m talking about.) That wasn’t the problem.
I don’t speak Hindi or any of the other twenty official languages of India—not counting about 400 regional dialects. His speech patterns were British upper crust tea-and-toast-points. In fact, what he understood from my softened, slurred Southern consonants may have been the real issue, but, regardless of the root of the problem, we achieved no customer satisfaction and no meeting of the minds in our conversation.
“What is the nature of your problem today, Mrs. Thompson?” he began.
“I have an error with a gift subscription I ordered on December 11,” I replied, still hopeful that the problem could be quickly resolved. “I renewed my own subscription and sent one as a gift to my aunt, Joan Peavy. In addition, a gift notification was sent from me to my friend, Vera Britton, in error.”
“Ah, thank you, Mrs. Thompson. I see here on my computer that you sent a wonderful gift magazine subscription to Mrs. Joan Peavy and also to Mrs. Vera Britton.”
“No, I did not send a renewal to Vera Britton,” I clarified. “ That’s the problem. I can see why this is confusing. I did send her a subscription last year for her birthday, but I did not renew it this year.”
“I am looking on the computer, Mrs. Thompson, and I see that you did, indeed, send one to Mrs. Britton on December 11th,” he argued.
“Yes, I see it here on my computer.”
“Well, then, Mrs. Britton called and renewed her subscription, and she has billed the gift to you. I can see that here on my computer screen now.”
“Do you no longer wish to give your friend this gift subscription? You are no longer friends with Mrs. Vera Britton? Is that, perhaps, the crux of the problem?”
“Ah . . . what?! No! Listen: you and I are not communicating well. May I speak to your supervisor or someone else?” I asked.
“Mrs. Thompson, there is no one else who can take your call at this time. I am here to help you. Do you wish to order more gift subscriptions for other individuals that you are still friends with today?”
“Please call again when I may be of further assistance to you.”
I felt like I was in the middle of a Saturday Night Live skit.
I suspect that my Indian operator was oblivious in Hindi as well as English. He also needs to work on his listening skills. In addition, I’m a little worried that he used his lunch break to sell my credit card number and personal information to the highest black market bidder.
I imagine: “Take this credit card number. Use it as you will. It belongs to a difficult American woman who reneges on gifts she has given to her friends. Make sure she never receives her Real Simple magazine again. Better still, send her pornographic magazines—many, many pornographic magazines that will trouble her no end.” | <urn:uuid:1b40b0ae-280f-4f60-b091-61f24cba7b5d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://melindaraineythompson.wordpress.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964128 | 6,192 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Stretching north from Freeport, Illinois, to the Wisconsin state line, the Jane Addams Trail is a natural wonder. Expect to see birds and wild animals-from exotic aerial hunters, such as owls and hawks, to run-of-the-mill squirrels and deer. The trail is closed every fall during deer-hunting season, and snowmobiling is allowed when there are at least 4 inches of snow on the trail. (Winter users are encouraged to wear bright-colored clothing so they are visible to snowmobilers.) The trail is named for the renowned humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize winner who grew up in Cedarville, less than 2 miles from the trail. You can visit her childhood home and gravesite in Cedarville.
Starting in Freeport, the crushed-limestone trail enters a heavily wooded area that supports a wide variety of trees and birds, and likely some school groups as well. The natural attractions make for popular educational field trips.
A separate paved section of the trail is also available in Freeport about a third of a mile east of the trail's main route. It parallels N. Riverside Drive for most of its 1.7-mile route through rural countryside. Eventually, this segment will stretch further east to reach the 18-mile Pecatonica Prairie Path
As you travel from Freeport north to Orangeville, you will be able to enjoy many nice views of some jutting rock sides and local creeks. These vistas are peppered among the other wooded areas and more common fields of agriculture that predominate the landscape.
In Orangeville, the Richland Creek trailhead provides a quiet and convenient place to end your trip. The location features a covered shelter and nearby gas station with refreshments. If you brought your camera, be sure to get a photo near the Orangeville sign to commemorate your Jane Addams Trail trip. The official end of the trail is at the Illinois-Wisconsin state line, but it is easy to miss, so pay close attention if you need to turn around at the border. From there, you can continue north along Wisconsin's Badger State Trail
all the way to Madison. The state line is very close to a quiet rural road leading to a quaint family farm on the left.
To access the Wes Block Trailhead (the southern trailhead in Freeport) take State Route 26 just south of its intersection with US 20 to Riverside Drive. Follow Riverside past the Baymont Inn and Suites, then right on Heine Road to the trailhead. The previous access off Fairview Road north of U.S. Highway 20 is now closed.
To access the Richland Creek trailhead in Orangeville from State Route 26, turn right on Orangeville Road/E. 2nd Street. The trailhead is on the left at the large white shelter.
This is the best trail I have seen in Northern Illinois. Well maintained, mostly tree covered, and rather remote. Only services are in Orangeville unless you go into monroe WI.
I've ridden this trail twice this summer and we've enjoyed both rides. We started at the trailhead north of Freeport (and as one of the other reviewers mentions access is now off of 26) and rode to Monroe, WI. Monroe is nice little town with several places ...
I was on this trail in June of 2012. The trail is tree lined and covered with crushed limestone, which makes a pretty fast surface, although it can sometimes be bumpy and uneven. The trail crosses roads, but rarely runs alongside them, so that you are ... | <urn:uuid:35ae8dc3-5f97-4bb9-92a9-0ee9fe8b069d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.traillink.com/trail/jane-addams-trail-.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950746 | 735 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Embrace the calms before and after a big storm by taking the time to secure and repair your home from Mother Nature’s forces. It’s never fun to consider the worst case scenarios, but it’s better to be prepared for things that you can take on yourself (i.e. know what you might need to do to repair shingles, and sleep better knowing that your gutters are clear).
In this week’s post on DIY Network, you’ll see an array of tips and to-do’s that will help you clean up from Hurricane Sandy, and guide you in preparing your home for the next storm. Go ahead and add to the list over in the comments on The Pegboard – the list of things that you can do is really quite infinite. | <urn:uuid:add5e919-b72f-4945-ab8c-b274f91c397d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.merrypad.com/2012/11/01/diy-network-making-the-most-after-the-storm/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936408 | 167 | 1.523438 | 2 |
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- The Pentagon said Wednesday it is ready to resume a trial at Guantanamo Bay for the acknowledged mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks and four other men, more than two years after President Barack Obama halted the case in an ultimately failed effort to prosecute them in a civilian court.
A Department of Defense legal official known as the convening authority has approved trying the five together on capital charges that include terrorism and murder, making them eligible for the death penalty if convicted. They are expected to be arraigned in May before a military judge at the U.S. base in Cuba.
Prosecutors had filed the charges last May and there was little doubt that the convening authority would refer the case to a military tribunal for trial. But lawyers had hoped that two of the men would be tried separately on non-capital charges because they are accused of relatively minor roles in the plot.
The five being charged include Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who admitted during a military hearing to being the "mastermind" of the terrorist attacks that sent hijacked commercial airliners slamming into New York's World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania, killing nearly 3,000 people in 2001.
Mohammed had said at the start of his first trial that he intended to plead guilty and his four co-defendants indicated they would abandon their defense as well. But after a series of pretrial hearings the case was put on hold when the administration decided it wanted to try them in civilian court in the United States.
Congress fought the administration's effort to transfer Guantanamo prisoners to the U.S., forcing Obama to reverse course on trying prisoners in civilian courts and preventing him from closing the prison.
The president and Congress have amended the tribunals, known as military commissions, but defense lawyers and human rights groups still say the system favors the prosecution, with a hand-picked jury and judge who are all military officers, and including rules that prevent a public airing of the harsh treatment endured by prisoners such as Mohammed, who was subjected to water-boarding and other forms of interrogation while held by the CIA.
"The Obama Administration is making a terrible mistake by prosecuting the most important terrorism trials of our time in a second-tier system of justice," said Anthony Romero, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union. "The military commissions were set up to achieve easy convictions and hide the reality of torture, not to provide a fair trial."
The other four prisoners are Waleed bin Attash, who allegedly ran an al-Qaida training camp in Afghanistan and researched flight simulators and timetables; Ramzi Binalshibh, who allegedly helped find flight schools for the hijackers; Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali, who is accused of helping nine of the hijackers travel to the United States and sending them $120,000 for expenses and flight training; and Mustafa Ahmad al-Hawsawi, who is accused of helping the hijackers get money, Western clothing, traveler's checks and credit cards.
James Connell, a lawyer for Aziz Ali, who is also known as Ammar al-Baluchi and is a nephew of Mohammed, said he believed that his client and al-Hawsawi should be tried separately on non-capital charges because they helped with the logistics of the attacks but had no direct role in planning or carrying them out. He said people accused of such crimes would not typically face the death penalty in a U.S. civilian court.
"This attempt to expand the reach of the death penalty to people who neither killed nor planned to kill is another example of the second class justice of the military commissions," Connell said. | <urn:uuid:65725ef1-34f1-459b-a79f-9b44f5f4ef67> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/04/guantanamo-sept-11-trial_n_1403437.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978642 | 743 | 1.539063 | 2 |
With this general fiat currency devaluation, you would think that gold would be much-much higher than it is now.
But gold isn’t higher—it’s drifting. Consider this chart of gold, over the last decade:
|Click to enlarge.|
Individuals might have decided to buy gold for different reasons—a hedge against volatile equities markets, worries about a run on sovereign debt instruments, etc.—but collectively the market participants all acted the same way: They bought gold as a hedge. (In fact, gold has no value except as a hedge.)
Thus the steady climb in the price of gold from $750 to $1900 in a little less than three years.
So far, so good.
But then starting in September of 2011, gold prices zoned out between $1,900 and $1,600. Instead of continuing on to $2,000 an ounce, $3,000, Infinity and Beyond, gold just drifted like a lobotomized patient spending some quiet time in a rubber room.
Gold has not outperformed anything since September 2011.
The conspiracy-minded claim it’s a conspiracy, natch. The Rothschilds, the CIA, and the little green men from Mars are all conspiring to down-price gold, to the detriment of the gold-buggers.
But I’m not one for conspiracies, not since I learned in grade school that a secret between two people is never a secret for long, and a secret between three or more people is no secret at all—just ask Lance Armstrong. If there’s a conspiracy, someone’s bound to talk. Since no one’s talking, my guess is, no one in any position of power has any more clue as to this drifting in the price of gold than any arm-chair conspiracy weenie.
So if we’re discounting conspiracies, that leaves us with the numbers—and the markets.
And an idea I have: What if the price of gold is drifting not because the markets don’t trust the world’s reserve currencies to continue to devalue, but because the market doesn’t trust gold?
Which reminds me of credit default swaps.
(Yes, I know: My brain seems fairly odd in its associations. Bear with me as I untangle the mess in my head.)
Remember CDS’s? They were essentially insurance contracts taken out to hedge against a particular bond defaulting. In the run-up to the Global Financial Crisis of 2008, credit default swaps rose in value—sometimes exponentially—as investors concluded that a lot of the triple-A rated bonds were actually junk, and would soon default like junk.
Credit default swaps were the insurance—the hedge—against exactly what happened in 2008: Bonds threatened to default, during the Global Financial Crisis. So the CDS’s insuring those bonds rose in value like a mofo—
—until suddenly, they didn’t: CDS’s stopped rising in value just when the markets collectively realized that the counterparties to those CDS contracts might not be able to pay up.
Because remember, an insurance policy is only as good as the counterparty’s ability to pay it off.
When all those mortgage backed bonds started to default in 2008, all those credit default swaps started to rise in value and/or needed to be paid off. This huge exposure to credit default swaps sent insurance giant AIG to bankruptcy, and credibly threatened to wipe out the entire global financial system in September of ’08.
When that point came, credit default swaps no longer were rising in price. Rather, they were jagging up and down, like the monitor readings of a heart-attack patient—which made perfect sense: Some market participants expected the CDS’s they were holding to be paid in full, while others weren’t sure that AIG or whatever other counterparty they were working with would be able to honor the CDS’s once the bonds they were insuring went bust.
So price discovery of the CDS’s was impossible while the crisis was raging. The prices of credit default swaps ran up relentlessly, as it became obvious that what they were hedging again—bonds defaulting—was going to happen. But then CDS prices went jagged immediately before and during the crisis itself, when no one was sure if the contracts would be honored.
In its shape, it’s identical to what’s been happening with gold: A relentless climb in price during the run-up period to the crisis—then jagged drifting right before the crisis.
We all know and understand what’s going on with the global economies and the fiat currency system: The global overindebtedness is forcing central banks around the world to devalue their currencies, so as to make the debt burden less onerous.
Many people—and I happen to be one of them—believe that this policy will lead to an inflationary crisis, which will spiral into an uncontrollable hyperinflation event. The key assumption in this scenario is that the only cure for runaway inflation—raising interest rates higher, and hard, like Paul Volcker did in ’79—will never be implemented by the world’s central banks, because they believe (with some justification) that higher rates will shove the global economies into a deflationary death spiral.
Thus a spike in inflation will bleed into hyperinflation, and by the time the central banks wake up and raise interest rates to stop it, it’ll be too late.
In such a case, gold would be the perfect hedge against inflation and eventual hyperinflation. In fact, even better than a hedge, gold would be the perfect investment, an investment that would outpace all other asset classes, because market participants would anticipate this inflation scenario, and thus pile into gold so fast and in such numbers that gold prices would spike parabolically, far outpacing the fiat currency devaluation.
Since everyone with any sense realizes that this is the endgame of the current race to the bottom, gold ought to be rising dramatically.
But that is not happening. Gold rose steady and strong from 2000 through September 2011—but since then it’s been drifting jaggedly.
So why would gold—which is an actual, physical commodity—be acting like credit default swaps did right before the 2008 crisis?
For the same reason: Gold buyers don’t trust the counterparties selling gold.
Because after all, most gold markets are paper markets, not bullion markets.
The various gold ETF’s, gold certificates, etc.—they are all based on the trustworthiness of the counterparty issuing the paper. The gold bullion is stored in vaults, and paper receipts against it are being issued.
But as more than one precious metals commentator has pointed out, there is more paper issuance of gold than actual gold bullion.
What does this mean? It means that the global precious metals markets are essentially a game of musical chairs, with far fewer seats than players—far less gold than gold holders.
And market participants collectively know this. Which is why they don’t trust their counterparties. Which is why gold isn’t rising like a shot.
There is only one market in gold, not two. There is no way to segregate gold bullion holders from gold certificate holders, and thus create two markets, one for the real thing, one for the paper thing.
Thus the current spot price of gold is reflecting market uncertainty as to who has actual gold, and who has worthless paper certificates of gold.
Do recall: The prices of credit default swaps quickly reached their market prices after the 2008 crisis had passed. They reached those actual market prices once the insolvent counterparties, like AIG, had been identified and isolated.
But before and during the crisis? When it wasn’ clear which credit default swap would be honored and which wouldn’t? CDS prices were jagged—like gold’s is today.
In the long run, assuming that central banks don’t manage to raise rates in time to prevent high- or hyperinflation, gold prices will go parabolic. But between now and then, gold prices will continue to drift, because the markets don’t really know whose gold is real, and whose is worthless paper.
I discuss in greater detail what will happen when hyperinflation hits the world’s economies at my Strategic Planning Group. If you are interested, please check out the preview page. | <urn:uuid:b3f18540-5b14-4834-9793-0568a0c5618d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://gonzalolira.blogspot.com/2013/01/why-isnt-gold-higher.html?showComment=1358989775916 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955235 | 1,788 | 1.71875 | 2 |
DTS Doctrinal Statement
While our faculty and board annually affirm their agreement with the full doctrinal statement (below), students need only agree with these seven essentials:
- the Trinity
- the full deity and humanity of Christ
- the spiritual lostness of the human race
- the substitutionary atonement and bodily resurrection of Christ
- salvation by faith alone in Christ alone
- the physical return of Christ
- the authority and inerrancy of Scripture.
Full Doctrinal Statement
Article I—The Scriptures
We believe that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God,” by which we understand the whole Bible is inspired in the sense that holy men of God “were moved by the Holy Spirit” to write the very words of Scripture. We believe that this divine inspiration extends equally and fully to all parts of the writings—historical, poetical, doctrinal, and prophetical—as appeared in the original manuscripts. We believe that the whole Bible in the originals is therefore without error. We believe that all the Scriptures center about the Lord Jesus Christ in His person and work in His first and second coming, and hence that no portion, even of the Old Testament, is properly read, or understood, until it leads to Him. We also believe that all the Scriptures were designed for our practical instruction (Mark 12:26, 36; 13:11; Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39; Acts 1:16; 17:2–3; 18:28; 26:22–23; 28:23; Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 2:13; 10:11; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21).
Article II—The Godhead
We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—and that these three are one God, having precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfections, and worthy of precisely the same homage, confidence, and obedience (Matt. 28:18–19; Mark 12:29; John 1:14; Acts 5:3–4; 2 Cor. 13:14; Heb. 1:1–3; Rev. 1:4–6).
Article III—Angels, Fallen and Unfallen
We believe that God created an innumerable company of sinless, spiritual beings, known as angels; that one, “Lucifer, son of the morning”—the highest in rank—sinned through pride, thereby becoming Satan; that a great company of the angels followed him in his moral fall, some of whom became demons and are active as his agents and associates in the prosecution of his unholy purposes, while others who fell are “reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day” (Isa. 14:12–17; Ezek. 28:11–19; 1 Tim. 3:6; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6).
We believe that Satan is the originator of sin, and that, under the permission of God, he, through subtlety, led our first parents into transgression, thereby accomplishing their moral fall and subjecting them and their posterity to his own power; that he is the enemy of God and the people of God, opposing and exalting himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped; and that he who in the beginning said, “I will be like the most High,” in his warfare appears as an angel of light, even counterfeiting the works of God by fostering religious movements and systems of doctrine, which systems in every case are characterized by a denial of the efficacy of the blood of Christ and of salvation by grace alone (Gen. 3:1–19; Rom. 5:12–14; 2 Cor. 4:3–4; 11:13–15; Eph. 6:10–12; 2 Thess. 2:4; 1 Tim. 4:1–3). We believe that Satan was judged at the Cross, though not then executed, and that he, a usurper, now rules as the “god of this world”; that, at the second coming of Christ, Satan will be bound and cast into the abyss for a thousand years, and after the thousand years he will be loosed for a little season and then “cast into the lake of fire and brimstone,” where he “shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Col. 2:15; Rev. 20:1–3, 10). We believe that a great company of angels kept their holy estate and are before the throne of God, from whence they are sent forth as ministering spirits to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation (Luke 15:10; Eph. 1:21; Heb. 1:14; Rev. 7:12). We believe that man was made lower than the angels; and that, in His incarnation, Christ took for a little time this lower place that He might lift the believer to His own sphere above the angels (Heb. 2:6–10).
Article IV—Man, Created and Fallen
We believe that man was originally created in the image and after the likeness of God, and that he fell through sin, and, as a consequence of his sin, lost his spiritual life, becoming dead in trespasses and sins, and that he became subject to the power of the devil. We also believe that this spiritual death, or total depravity of human nature, has been transmitted to the entire human race of man, the Man Christ Jesus alone being excepted; and hence that every child of Adam is born into the world with a nature which not only possesses no spark of divine life, but is essentially and unchangeably bad apart from divine grace (Gen. 1:26; 2:17; 6:5; Pss. 14:1–3; 51:5; Jer. 17:9; John 3:6; 5:40; 6:35; Rom. 3:10–19; 8:6–7; Eph. 2:1–3; 1 Tim. 5:6; 1 John 3:8).
Article V—The Dispensations
We believe that the dispensations are stewardships by which God administers His purpose on the earth through man under varying responsibilities. We believe that the changes in the dispensational dealings of God with man depend on changed conditions or situations in which man is successively found with relation to God, and that these changes are the result of the failures of man and the judgments of God. We believe that different administrative responsibilities of this character are manifest in the biblical record, that they span the entire history of mankind, and that each ends in the failure of man under the respective test and in an ensuing judgment from God. We believe that three of these dispensations or rules of life are the subject of extended revelation in the Scriptures, viz., the dispensation of the Mosaic Law, the present dispensation of grace, and the future dispensation of the millennial kingdom. We believe that these are distinct and are not to be intermingled or confused, as they are chronologically successive.
We believe that the dispensations are not ways of salvation nor different methods of administering the so-called Covenant of Grace. They are not in themselves dependent on covenant relationships but are ways of life and responsibility to God which test the submission of man to His revealed will during a particular time. We believe that if man does trust in his own efforts to gain the favor of God or salvation under any dispensational test, because of inherent sin his failure to satisfy fully the just requirements of God is inevitable and his condemnation sure.
We believe that according to the “eternal purpose” of God (Eph. 3:11) salvation in the divine reckoning is always “by grace through faith,” and rests upon the basis of the shed blood of Christ. We believe that God has always been gracious, regardless of the ruling dispensation, but that man has not at all times been under an administration or stewardship of grace as is true in the present dispensation (1 Cor. 9:17; Eph. 3:2; 3:9, asv; Col. 1:25; 1 Tim. 1:4, asv).
We believe that it has always been true that “without faith it is impossible to please” God (Heb. 11:6), and that the principle of faith was prevalent in the lives of all the Old Testament saints. However, we believe that it was historically impossible that they should have had as the conscious object of their faith the incarnate, crucified Son, the Lamb of God (John 1:29), and that it is evident that they did not comprehend as we do that the sacrifices depicted the person and work of Christ. We believe also that they did not understand the redemptive significance of the prophecies or types concerning the sufferings of Christ (1 Pet. 1:10–12); therefore, we believe that their faith toward God was manifested in other ways as is shown by the long record in Hebrews 11:1–40. We believe further that their faith thus manifested was counted unto them for righteousness (cf. Rom. 4:3 with Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:5–8; Heb. 11:7).
Article VI—The First Advent
We believe that, as provided and purposed by God and as preannounced in the prophecies of the Scriptures, the eternal Son of God came into this world that He might manifest God to men, fulfill prophecy, and become the Redeemer of a lost world. To this end He was born of the virgin, and received a human body and a sinless human nature (Luke 1:30–35; John 1:18; 3:16; Heb. 4:15).
We believe that, on the human side, He became and remained a perfect man, but sinless throughout His life; yet He retained His absolute deity, being at the same time very God and very man, and that His earth-life sometimes functioned within the sphere of that which was human and sometimes within the sphere of that which was divine (Luke 2:40; John 1:1–2; Phil. 2:5–8).
We believe that in fulfillment of prophecy He came first to Israel as her Messiah-King, and that, being rejected of that nation, He, according to the eternal counsels of God, gave His life as a ransom for all (John 1:11; Acts 2:22–24; 1 Tim. 2:6).
We believe that, in infinite love for the lost, He voluntarily accepted His Father’s will and became the divinely provided sacrificial Lamb and took away the sin of the world, bearing the holy judgments against sin which the righteousness of God must impose. His death was therefore substitutionary in the most absolute sense—the just for the unjust—and by His death He became the Savior of the lost (John 1:29; Rom. 3:25–26; 2 Cor. 5:14; Heb. 10:5–14; 1 Pet. 3:18).
We believe that, according to the Scriptures, He arose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He had lived and died, and that His resurrection body is the pattern of that body which ultimately will be given to all believers (John 20:20; Phil. 3:20–21).
We believe that, on departing from the earth, He was accepted of His Father and that His acceptance is a final assurance to us that His redeeming work was perfectly accomplished (Heb. 1:3).
We believe that He became Head over all things to the church which is His body, and in this ministry He ceases not to intercede and advocate for the saved (Eph. 1:22–23; Heb. 7:25; 1 John 2:1).
Article VII—Salvation Only Through Christ
We believe that, owing to universal death through sin, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless born again; and that no degree of reformation however great, no attainments in morality however high, no culture however attractive, no baptism or other ordinance however administered, can help the sinner to take even one step toward heaven; but a new nature imparted from above, a new life implanted by the Holy Spirit through the Word, is absolutely essential to salvation, and only those thus saved are sons of God. We believe, also, that our redemption has been accomplished solely by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was made to be sin and was made a curse for us, dying in our room and stead; and that no repentance, no feeling, no faith, no good resolutions, no sincere efforts, no submission to the rules and regulations of any church, nor all the churches that have existed since the days of the Apostles can add in the very least degree to the value of the blood, or to the merit of the finished work wrought for us by Him who united in His person true and proper deity with perfect and sinless humanity (Lev. 17:11; Isa. 64:6; Matt. 26:28; John 3:7–18; Rom. 5:6–9; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; 6:15; Eph. 1:7; Phil. 3:4–9; Titus 3:5; James 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:18–19, 23).
We believe that the new birth of the believer comes only through faith in Christ and that repentance is a vital part of believing, and is in no way, in itself, a separate and independent condition of salvation; nor are any other acts, such as confession, baptism, prayer, or faithful service, to be added to believing as a condition of salvation (John 1:12; 3:16, 18, 36; 5:24; 6:29; Acts 13:39; 16:31; Rom. 1:16–17; 3:22, 26; 4:5; 10:4; Gal. 3:22).
Article VIII—The Extent of Salvation
We believe that when an unregenerate person exercises that faith in Christ which is illustrated and described as such in the New Testament, he passes immediately out of spiritual death into spiritual life, and from the old creation into the new; being justified from all things, accepted before the Father according as Christ His Son is accepted, loved as Christ is loved, having his place and portion as linked to Him and one with Him forever. Though the saved one may have occasion to grow in the realization of his blessings and to know a fuller measure of divine power through the yielding of his life more fully to God, he is, as soon as he is saved, in possession of every spiritual blessing and absolutely complete in Christ, and is therefore in no way required by God to seek a so-called “second blessing,” or a “second work of grace” (John 5:24; 17:23; Acts 13:39; Rom. 5:1; 1 Cor. 3:21–23; Eph. 1:3; Col. 2:10; 1 John 4:17; 5:11–12).
We believe that sanctification, which is a setting-apart unto God, is threefold: It is already complete for every saved person because his position toward God is the same as Christ’s position. Since the believer is in Christ, he is set apart unto God in the measure in which Christ is set apart unto God. We believe, however, that he retains his sin nature, which cannot be eradicated in this life. Therefore, while the standing of the Christian in Christ is perfect, his present state is no more perfect than his experience in daily life. There is, therefore, a progressive sanctification wherein the Christian is to “grow in grace,” and to “be changed” by the unhindered power of the Spirit. We believe also that the child of God will yet be fully sanctified in his state as he is now sanctified in his standing in Christ when he shall see his Lord and shall be “like Him” (John 17:17; 2 Cor. 3:18; 7:1; Eph. 4:24; 5:25–27; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 10:10, 14; 12:10).
Article X—Eternal Security
We believe that, because of the eternal purpose of God toward the objects of His love, because of His freedom to exercise grace toward the meritless on the ground of the propitiatory blood of Christ, because of the very nature of the divine gift of eternal life, because of the present and unending intercession and advocacy of Christ in heaven, because of the immutability of the unchangeable covenants of God, because of the regenerating, abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of all who are saved, we and all true believers everywhere, once saved shall be kept saved forever. We believe, however, that God is a holy and righteous Father and that, since He cannot overlook the sin of His children, He will, when they persistently sin, chasten them and correct them in infinite love; but having undertaken to save them and keep them forever, apart from all human merit, He, who cannot fail, will in the end present every one of them faultless before the presence of His glory and conformed to the image of His Son (John 5:24; 10:28; 13:1; 14:16–17; 17:11; Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 6:19; Heb. 7:25; 1 John 2:1–2; 5:13; Jude 24).
We believe it is the privilege, not only of some, but of all who are born again by the Spirit through faith in Christ as revealed in the Scriptures, to be assured of their salvation from the very day they take Him to be their Savior and that this assurance is not founded upon any fancied discovery of their own worthiness or fitness, but wholly upon the testimony of God in His written Word, exciting within His children filial love, gratitude, and obedience (Luke 10:20; 22:32; 2 Cor. 5:1, 6–8; 2 Tim. 1:12; Heb. 10:22; 1 John 5:13).
Article XII—The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the blessed Trinity, though omnipresent from all eternity, took up His abode in the world in a special sense on the day of Pentecost according to the divine promise, dwells in every believer, and by His baptism unites all to Christ in one body, and that He, as the Indwelling One, is the source of all power and all acceptable worship and service. We believe that He never takes His departure from the church, nor from the feeblest of the saints, but is ever present to testify of Christ; seeking to occupy believers with Him and not with themselves nor with their experiences. We believe that His abode in the world in this special sense will cease when Christ comes to receive His own at the completion of the church (John 14:16–17; 16:7–15; 1 Cor. 6:19; Eph. 2:22; 2 Thess. 2:7).
We believe that, in this age, certain well-defined ministries are committed to the Holy Spirit, and that it is the duty of every Christian to understand them and to be adjusted to them in his own life and experience. These ministries are the restraining of evil in the world to the measure of the divine will; the convicting of the world respecting sin, righteousness, and judgment; the regenerating of all believers; the indwelling and anointing of all who are saved, thereby sealing them unto the day of redemption; the baptizing into the one body of Christ of all who are saved; and the continued filling for power, teaching, and service of those among the saved who are yielded to Him and who are subject to His will (John 3:6; 16:7–11; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 4:30; 5:18; 2 Thess. 2:7; 1 John 2:20–27).
We believe that some gifts of the Holy Spirit such as speaking in tongues and miraculous healings were temporary. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism nor of the filling of the Spirit, and that the deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection (Acts 4:8, 31; Rom. 8:23; 1 Cor. 13:8).
Article XIII—The Church, A Unity of Believers
We believe that all who are united to the risen and ascended Son of God are members of the church which is the body and bride of Christ, which began at Pentecost and is completely distinct from Israel. Its members are constituted as such regardless of membership or nonmembership in the organized churches of earth. We believe that by the same Spirit all believers in this age are baptized into, and thus become, one body that is Christ’s, whether Jews or Gentiles, and having become members one of another, are under solemn duty to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, rising above all sectarian differences, and loving one another with a pure heart fervently (Matt. 16:16–18; Acts 2:42–47; Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:12–27; Eph. 1:20–23; 4:3–10; Col. 3:14–15).
Article XIV—The Sacrament or Ordinances
We believe that water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the only sacraments and ordinances of the church and that they are a scriptural means of testimony for the church in this age (Matt. 28:19; Luke 22:19–20; Acts 10:47–48; 16:32–33; 18:7–8; 1 Cor. 11:26).
Article XV—The Christian Walk
We believe that we are called with a holy calling, to walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, and so to live in the power of the indwelling Spirit that we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. But the flesh with its fallen, Adamic nature, which in this life is never eradicated, being with us to the end of our earthly pilgrimage, needs to be kept by the Spirit constantly in subjection to Christ, or it will surely manifest its presence in our lives to the dishonor of our Lord (Rom. 6:11–13; 8:2, 4, 12–13; Gal. 5:16–23; Eph. 4:22–24; Col. 2:1–10; 1 Pet. 1:14–16; 1 John 1:4–7; 3:5–9).
Article XVI—The Christian's Service
We believe that divine, enabling gifts for service are bestowed by the Spirit upon all who are saved. While there is a diversity of gifts, each believer is energized by the same Spirit, and each is called to his own divinely appointed service as the Spirit may will. In the apostolic church there were certain gifted men—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers—who were appointed by God for the perfecting of the saints unto their work of the ministry. We believe also that today some men are especially called of God to be evangelists, pastors and teachers, and that it is to the fulfilling of His will and to His eternal glory that these shall be sustained and encouraged in their service for God (Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:4–11; Eph. 4:11).
We believe that, wholly apart from salvation benefits which are bestowed equally upon all who believe, rewards are promised according to the faithfulness of each believer in his service for his Lord, and that these rewards will be bestowed at the judgment seat of Christ after He comes to receive His own to Himself (1 Cor. 3:9–15; 9:18–27; 2 Cor. 5:10).
Article XVII—The Great Commission
We believe that it is the explicit message of our Lord Jesus Christ to those whom He has saved that they are sent forth by Him into the world even as He was sent forth of His Father into the world. We believe that, after they are saved, they are divinely reckoned to be related to this world as strangers and pilgrims, ambassadors and witnesses, and that their primary purpose in life should be to make Christ known to the whole world (Matt. 28:18–19; Mark 16:15; John 17:18; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:18–20; 1 Pet. 1:17; 2:11).
Article XVIII—The Blessed Hope
We believe that, according to the Word of God, the next great event in the fulfillment of prophecy will be the coming of the Lord in the air to receive to Himself into heaven both His own who are alive and remain unto His coming, and also all who have fallen asleep in Jesus, and that this event is the blessed hope set before us in the Scripture, and for this we should be constantly looking (John 14:1–3; 1 Cor. 15:51–52; Phil. 3:20; 1 Thess. 4:13–18; Titus 2:11–14).
Article XIX—The Tribulation
We believe that the translation of the church will be followed by the fulfillment of Israel’s seventieth week (Dan. 9:27; Rev. 6:1–19:21) during which the church, the body of Christ, will be in heaven. The whole period of Israel’s seventieth week will be a time of judgment on the whole earth, at the end of which the times of the Gentiles will be brought to a close. The latter half of this period will be the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jer. 30:7), which our Lord called the great tribulation (Matt. 24:15–21). We believe that universal righteousness will not be realized previous to the second coming of Christ, but that the world is day by day ripening for judgment and that the age will end with a fearful apostasy.
Article XX—The Second Coming of Christ
We believe that the period of great tribulation in the earth will be climaxed by the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth as He went, in person on the clouds of heaven, and with power and great glory to introduce the millennial age, to bind Satan and place him in the abyss, to lift the curse which now rests upon the whole creation, to restore Israel to her own land and to give her the realization of God’s covenant promises, and to bring the whole world to the knowledge of God (Deut. 30:1–10; Isa. 11:9; Ezek. 37:21–28; Matt. 24:15–25:46; Acts 15:16–17; Rom. 8:19–23; 11:25–27; 1 Tim. 4:1–3; 2 Tim. 3:1–5; Rev. 20:1–3).
Article XXI—The Eternal State
We believe that at death the spirits and souls of those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation pass immediately into His presence and there remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the glorified body when Christ comes for His own, whereupon soul and body reunited shall be associated with Him forever in glory; but the spirits and souls of the unbelieving remain after death conscious of condemnation and in misery until the final judgment of the great white throne at the close of the millennium, when soul and body reunited shall be cast into the lake of fire, not to be annihilated, but to be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power (Luke 16:19–26; 23:42; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 2 Thess. 1:7–9; Jude 6–7; Rev. 20:11–15). | <urn:uuid:5ebc16fd-894e-4814-a9a7-e212e52bf6d5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dts.edu/about/campuses/chinese/doctrinalstatement/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960788 | 5,951 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Pizzo, Honored with Howland Medal, Discusses the Future of Medical Education
Philip Pizzo, M.D., dean of the Stanford School of Medicine and a Class of 1970 graduate of the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, discussed the future of medical education during a January visit to Rochester.
Pizzo, who is a member of the University of Rochester board of trustees, lectured in the Class of ’62 Auditorium at the Medical Center and later at a panel discussion. To listen to the discussions, go to:
Pizzo is the 2012 recipient of the John Howland Medal, the highest honor bestowed by the American Pediatric Society and considered the most coveted award in pediatric academic medicine.
He is the fourth person with Rochester connections to receive the Howland award. The other recipients are:
- Gilbert B Forbes, M.D., a Class of 1940 graduate of the School of Medicine and Dentistry and a longtime Rochester faculty member, who received the award in 1992. He died in 2003.
- Robert J Haggerty, M.D., former chair of the Department of Pediatrics in the school of Medicine and Dentistry, received the award in 1998.
- Russell Chesney, M.D., who graduated from the School of Medicine and Dentistry in 1968 and is the former chair of Pediatrics at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, received the award in 2011.
The medal honors Pizzo for a lifetime of achievement, spanning his four decades in research and care for children with cancer, AIDS and other infectious diseases, as well as his leadership and advocacy in pediatrics and academic medicine.
“The committee believed that Dr. Pizzo was the perfect candidate because of his long-standing leadership in research and in HIV clinical trials, as well as his general leadership in both research and advocacy for pediatrics,” said Bruder Stapleton, M.D., president of the society and chair of pediatrics at the University of Washington.
“The committee also felt that Dr. Pizzo was such an outstanding, visible role model that it would inspire the membership,” Stapleton said. “His recognition would be very positive for the whole field of pediatrics.”
The son of Italian immigrants, Pizzo, 67, was the first member of his family to go to college. He attended Fordham University, graduating cum laude with studies in philosophy and biology. After receiving his M.D. degree with honors and distinction in research, he went to the National Cancer Institute, where he spent the next 23 years as head of the infectious disease section, chief of the pediatric department and acting scientific director of the Division of Clinical Sciences. He has contributed findings in oncology and infectious disease to more than 500 scientific articles and 16 books and monographs.
Pizzo became dean at Stanford 2001 after serving as physician-in-chief of Children’s Hospital in Boston and as chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School from 1996 to 2001.
He will receive the Howland Medal in Boston April 29 at the American Pediatric Society annual meeting.
Click here to download the print version of Rochester Medicine | <urn:uuid:09de5bca-57fa-445e-a8fd-35591cb62e58> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/publications/rochester-medicine/winter-2012/online-specials/philip-pizzo.cfm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975467 | 660 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Sept. 20, 2010
Stephen Carter, Yale law professor and author of seven acclaimed works of nonfiction and four bestselling novels, will be the featured speaker for the 2010 Waitt Lecture at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 19, in Eppley Auditorium, 3625 Garretson Avenue, on the Morningside College campus. The lecture is free and open to the public.
Carter’s lecture is titled “Civility and Democracy” and is based on his 1998 book “Civility: Manners, Morals and the Etiquette of Democracy.” In the book, Carter made the case that manners really do matter to the future of America and wrote about the importance of generosity and trust, respecting diversity and dissent, and resolving conflict through dialogue rather than mandate.
Carter is the William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Law at Yale, where he has taught for nearly 30 years. Carter, who has been described as one of America’s leading public intellectuals, teaches courses at Yale on law and religion, intellectual property, contracts, professional responsibility, and the ethics of warfare.
Throughout his career, Carter has helped to shape the national debate on issues ranging from the role of religion in politics and culture to the role of integrity and civility in the daily lives of Americans. He has published dozens of articles in law reviews and many op-ed columns in the nation’s leading newspapers.
Nonfiction books Carter has authored include “The Culture of Disbelief: How American Law and Politics Trivialize Religious Devotion” (1993); “Integrity’ (1997) and “God’s Name in Vain: The Wrongs and Rights of Religion in Politics” (2000). His next nonfiction book, “The Violence of Peace: America's Wars in the Age of Obama,” will be published in January of 2011. His first novel, “The Emperor of Ocean Park” (2002) was on the New York Times best-seller list for 11 weeks. Carter’s next novel deals with a hypothetical impeachment trial of Abraham Lincoln and will be published in 2011.
Carter received his bachelor’s degree in history from Stanford in 1976 and his law degree from Yale in 1979. After law school, he served as a clerk for Judge Spottswood W. Robinson III of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and then to Justice Thurgood Marshall of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Norman Waitt Jr., a 1986 Morningside graduate and a former member of the Morningside College Board of Directors, established the Waitt Lecture Series at Morningside College in 1997. Recent speakers in the series have included economist and humorist Ben Stein (2009) and filmmaker Ken Burns (2008). The Waitt Lecture Series is endowed by The Kind World Foundation. | <urn:uuid:a895c5d9-6f11-45f2-9895-3c00e6adeac5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.morningside.edu/morningside/news/Sept10/stephencarter.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960828 | 603 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Filed under: Sports
Dolce & Gabbana has teamed up with "Il Giro d'Italia" (the Tour of Italy), also known as The Giro, to celebrate its 100th anniversary!
The Giro, for the uninitiated, is a world famous bicycle race which goes from Venice to Rome. This year's race has already begun, and will finish on May 31st.
So what does Dolce & Gabbana have to do with this? For this very exciting and historic year, they have redesigned The Giro's most important symbol: the maglia rosa ("pink jersey"). The maglia rosa (above on Italy's Danilo Di Luca, taken May 15th) is a pink shirt worn each day by the cyclist who had the fastest time the previous day. It's like what the maillot jaune (yellow jersey) is to the Tour de France. And who's that he's patting on the back? None other than Lance Armstrong! Sorry, Lance! We hope we'll see you in pink this week!
On Saturday, May 9th, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana were present in Venice to personally hand the new maglia rosa to the first winner. You can see them with the jersey in Milan in our gallery below.
To read more about The Giro, check out this article from Monday's New York Times about the legendary Coppi-Bartali rivalry, and see our gallery below for more photos. | <urn:uuid:af664233-fab1-4cbb-a3ac-782bcabc2f81> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.luxist.com/tag/the+giro/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965997 | 316 | 1.703125 | 2 |
100 Copies of Bob Dylan Outtakes Record Released to Circumvent Copyright Laws
A set of 86 Bob Dylan outtakes from 1962 was discovered on shelves in European record stores last year. But while albums of unreleased Dylan are nothing new — 1969′s ‘The Great White Wonder’ is considered to be the start of the bootleg industry — this is actually an official release, albeit in a limited edition, rare for an artist of Dylan’s stature.
The four-CD ’50th Anniversary Collection’ is an attempt by Sony, Dylan’s label, to comply with European copyright law. As a Sony employee told Rolling Stone, “The copyright law in Europe was recently extended from 50 to 70 years for everything recorded in 1963 and beyond. With everything before that, there’s a new ‘Use It or Lose It’ provision. It basically said, ‘If you haven’t used the recordings in the first 50 years, you aren’t going to get any more.’”
In layman’s terms, Dylan’s unreleased works were about to become public domain, so Sony quietly pressed up about 100 copies and distributed them to various stores in France, Germany, Sweden and the U.K. They could also be downloaded from his website by people in France and Germany, but they have since been taken down. As is the case these days, copies have already found their way onto eBay, where they are selling for more than $1,000.
In 2011, the Council of the European Union passed the law that extended the copyright in response to pressure from record companies, who were worried that in 2013, the seminal recordings of the ’60s — such as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones — would become public domain. Now, barring another extension, that will not happen until 2033. | <urn:uuid:cb25665b-b280-4fd2-8ad4-2dfc4c0ed765> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ultimateclassicrock.com/bob-dylan-outtakes-record/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965269 | 389 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Janice Celeste, mom of model Sessilee Lopez, has written book for parents of models.
The self-proclaimed super momager says she penned her tell all, Making A Supermodel, "to help other parents help their daughters become high fashion models".
Of course, as we all know, the modeling world isn't always about catwalks and couture.
In the chapter "Dying To Be A Model: Health, Body Image, & Suicide — A Word On Body Image" Janice reveals how far some models will go to stay slim.
"I've seen some life-threatening measures models have gone through to lose weight. Luckily my daughter has never had a weight problem that kick-boxing couldn't solve. I personally know of one model who dipped cotton balls in orange juice and consumed it to feel full. Later it came out that she had anorexia."
Wow. Talk about taking it to the extreme.
On a more positive note, Janice also includes advice and lessons she's learned along the way.
[Image via Andres Otero/WENN.] | <urn:uuid:304a6850-6e10-4184-a1b5-632f0eba2cfd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://perezhilton.com/cocoperez/2011-03-24-janice-celeste-writes-parent-guide-to-modeling | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961611 | 227 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Associated Press file photo
From the ramparts of the 600-year-old Wawel Cathedral in Krakow, Poland, Karol Wojtyla greeted crowds in July 1967 after being elevated to cardinal.
The telegram was breathless in tone: "Meet me for the greatest event in Polish history!"
C.J. "Pat" Paderewski could hardly refuse.
Paderewski, who had just retired from a heralded career as an architect in San Diego, had been stunned along with the rest of the world when Cardinal Karol Wojtyla of Poland became the first non-Italian pope in 455 years.
Now he was in for another surprise. His cousin Emilia Chrosczka had been a close friend of the new pope since childhood, and she was leaving Poland immediately for Rome and was inviting him to join her.
So it was that Paderewski became the only San Diegan to attend the elevation of Pope John Paul II, according to published reports.
At 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 22, 1978, Paderewski was staking out a good vantage near the obelisk in St. Peter's Square from where he could witness the unbelievable sight of a Pole ascending to the papacy.
Reflecting on Pope John Paul II's legacy at the distance of more than two decades, Paderewski said that for Poles and Catholics everywhere, there will never be another pope like him.
"This pope extended himself to all the people of the world," Paderewski said at his home overlooking the Balboa Park golf course.
"I believe he was the most intelligent pope of them all – he knew more languages, traveled far more extensively and gave more of himself than any other pope in my lifetime."
Pope John Paul II had a special relationship with the Polish people, said the Rev. Stanislaw Kowalski, former pastor of St. Maximilian Kolbe Polish Roman Catholic Mission in Pacific Beach, who now lives in Detroit.
The priest, who entered the seminary in Poland in 1980, said the passing of John Paul is especially poignant for him, "because he is the only pope I have known in my adult life."
Associated Press file photo
During his nine-day visit to his homeland in 1979, the pope reached down to shake the hand of a young child held above the crowd in Czestochowa.
"He had a great understanding of the problems of common people," Kowalski said. "And he had the ability to tie the message and great ideas of the gospel to present times."
Echoing that sentiment was Janusz Supernak, chairman of the civil and environmental engineering department at San Diego State University, and a Polish Catholic.
"Part of the reason Pope John Paul was such an important figure to Polish Catholics was his uniqueness," said Supernak.
"He had character, conviction, high principles and moral standards, but he had so much more – astonishing linguistic skills and experience as an actor in his younger days which helped enormously on the world stage."
The pope also benefited, Supernak said, from having many Jewish friends as a child and coming from a working-class background.
"He was able to extend the ideals of Christianity, of tolerance and humanity, across barriers to people of all faiths.
"And he experienced the tyranny of communism in Poland that helped form his attitudes toward totalitarian systems and led him to work to change them.
"He will be remembered not as the Polish pope or as one of the few non-Italian popes," Supernak said, "but as a unique pope, period."
Kowalski and Supernak, who each saw the pope during various appearances in the United States and in Europe, said John Paul set a precedent for accessibility.
Poles identify with John Paul "as someone they knew personally," said Supernak, "because we all know someone who had either met him, been blessed by him personally, or gotten a letter or some other personal thing from him. Polish Catholics could say they knew this man in a way they could never know another pope."
"There is not a good chance," Kowalski said wistfully, "that another pope will speak my native tongue in my lifetime and that is sad in a way.
"We will have a new pope and the ideas of the church live on," the priest added. "But it will be different."
C.J. Paderewski said seeing the inauguration of Pope John Paul II is among the most cherished moments of his life.
"By 9 a.m., the great square in front of St. Peter's was packed with hundreds of thousands of people," said Paderewski, who was born and raised in Cleveland. "The steps to the basilica began to fill, first with nuns, then monks and priests; choirs began to sing, and finally the cardinals filed in.
"About 10 a.m., the pope-to-be appeared and sat in a throne in the center. He gave greetings in 28 languages and when he mentioned our country, Poland, hundreds and hundreds of small Polish flags began to wave in the crowd and there was wild cheering.
"The pope conducted a high Mass and then gave his sermon in both Italian and Polish. It was a spectacular October day; I will remember every moment of it until the day I die."
The following day, Paderewski said, his cousin arranged an invitation for him to be present at the Church of the Holy Cross in Rome where the new pope was to make an appearance.
"We were caught in the middle of a stampede getting in, there must have been 7,000 people. About an hour into this informal presentation, the pope walked in – he walked right next to where I was sitting – and the air was absolutely electrified.
"Anyone who was ever near John Paul could feel his presence. This pope was a very special man." | <urn:uuid:2d7c3dee-5a57-4721-a9f5-11be39e92eab> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.utsandiego.com/uniontrib/20050403/news_lz1x2sonofpol.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986438 | 1,249 | 1.65625 | 2 |
They understand there’s been an active, conscious, successful class war against them in the United States over the past several decades. As they say repeatedly, they are sick and tired of struggling to make ends meet while 1 per cent of the American population has 40 per cent of the nation’s wealth. Whilst it is not as clear here in Canada there is little doubt that such divisions not only exist but are indeed widening and that many folks are indeed 'struggling to make ends meet'. That the few are getting richer whilst the many are increasingly paying more to multinationals who control much of the basic necessity’s of modern life seems to be the theme that is emerging from the Occupy movement.
What has not emerged, at least not in any meaningful way, is the disproportionate influence that both the rich and the corporate world has upon our democracy. It is this influence that in no small way may well be the reason for the ever widening gap between the rich and the less affluent. After all does government 'consult' with the average Joe on the street or the independent business owner in small town Canada, do large political contributions come from the guy making minimum wage, or the fat cat to whom a large contribution to the party coffers will be but a miniscule percentage of their income.
It is my contention that the very rich be they individuals or corporations have a greater chance of effecting government policy and election results than the rest of us by their choice of party support and thus the funds available for blanket brainwashing via television advertising, and by greater access to those in power than most. The removal of the per vote 'subsidy' is, in my view, a deliberate move to further disenfranchise the lower income voter and enhance the support of those in the upper income brackets.
Given that, according to statscan (2009 figures), only around 5% of individuals make over $100,000 and around 50% of us make under $30,000 is it any wonder that so many folks are not happy with the influence that the upper crust has upon our daily lives.
One of the things that gets
many some folk upset is the lack of reliable
information on our economy, corporate profits and rising cost of
goods. Statscan has many charts and numbers available however many
long term records are only available on a pay for use basis (and its
NOT a nominal fee but a considerable amount per download, in the
hundreds of dollars for any amount of data), once again the average
Joe is locked out due to income considerations.
Assuming you get the data it is then open to interpretation, let us take the available data on the consumer price index for instance, as it is on such things that the Occupy movement is in part focusing on.. According to statscan 2009 had a CPI of 116.5% over the past 7 years (2002 being the base year), we all know that the cost of living has gone up more than that over that period just by looking at our bills. From the same chart we see the following , food 123%, shelter 123%, transportation 118% (do you believe that last one, I dont), the point being that the figures that are spouted by those telling us how rosy it is are AVERAGES. A further look at the break down of food prices and we see poultry & dairy 130%, bread & cereal 138%, fats & oils 140%! The point being if you buy a lot of the items whose prices have risen dramatically or comprise a large part of your budget (gas, heating oil and insurance come to mind) and little of those whose prices have remained stable then such figures are meaningless and yet these are what we are told is how our economy is doing or what the AVERAGE wage is or what the cost of living is. Its all a shell game and without open data EASILY and FREELY available we cannot refute the political spin.
That may not be most folks view of a commentary on democracy but to me knowledge is the key to unlocking the door to change.
(For an eye opening series of charts on the U.S. Employment / Compensation / Income gap over the last several years do check out 'Here's What The Wall Street Protesters Are So Angry About...”) , similar comparisons for the Canadian economy could not be found! | <urn:uuid:7f864405-9f83-4472-8a77-abb81f43e2a5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://democracyunderfire.blogspot.jp/2011/10/occupy-democracy.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958029 | 882 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Prison and confinement were the topics of the bill regarding sex offenders and treatment in Monday's Plain Dealer. I found myself torn as I read the article "Bill decried that confines sex offenders indefinitely."
From a layperson's viewpoint, I understand the necessity of ensuring that citizens feel safe when sexual offenders are reintegrated into society. However, we should consider how the bill would impede the rights of the group in question.
The bill, if passed, would allow for sexual offenders to be committed for treatment after they have served their sentences. The article focused mainly on the financial aspect of creating and maintaining these inpatient treatment centers instead of exploring alternative options.
Having worked with vulnerable populations, I agree with the conclusion that committing offenders who have served their time to a strict mental health facility is similar to keeping them in prison. Understanding that sexual offenses are severe crimes and offenders have significant mental health issues, the government should focus on improving mental health services in prison and look into creating less-restrictive treatment while these offenders are there and making a safe environment to continue their management once their sentences are over.
Instead of secluding and reinstitutionalizing offenders, maybe new policies should focus on preventative treatment.Mary Kruszka, Cleveland | <urn:uuid:8948511a-5a34-4942-990b-7393652c78bd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.cleveland.com/letters/2013/03/better_treatment_while_in_pris.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963698 | 252 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Employed at the University of Idaho since 1983, Dr. Reese became department head of the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources in 2004. As an avian ecologist, his research interests focus on native game birds, especially those species with declining populations. Research projects on Greater Sage-grouse, Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse, Blue Grouse, Caucasian Black Grouse, Mountain Quail, Chukars, Wild Turkeys, Trumpeter Swans, Spotted Owls and other species have taken him to field sites in Idaho, Utah, California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Colorado and the country of Georgia. He has worked with sage-grouse for over 25 years, advised 19 completed graduate students on grouse research projects and currently advises five (three doctorate and two master's of science) graduate students working on sage-grouse. He has published 27 refereed papers on grouse and over 20 other papers on grouse. Dr. Reese has served as an invited member of the 34-person Sage Grouse Forum, United States Institute of Environmental Conflict Resolution (2005-2006), invited member of a six-person expert panel to assess risks of extinction for Greater Sage-grouse in Idaho (2005), invited member of seven-person science panel to assess risks of extinction for Greater Sage-grouse, USFWS (2004), member of the Grouse Habitat Restoration Fund, North American Grouse Partnership (2004-2006), reviewed Sage Grouse Plan for Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (2003) and is a member of the Grouse Specialist Group of IUCN/Species Survival Commission (2002-present). | <urn:uuid:faa67f0c-6700-4d1d-8e8c-d98bbef1f8bd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.uidaho.edu/cnr/fishwild/kerryreese | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952593 | 333 | 1.578125 | 2 |
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- Oct 28 2012 11:32 AM
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Posted 22 Oct 2012I'm trying to run two batches of greenware, one weeks dry the other one week dry, and wonder if I can somehow dry them both a little more before 1-firing them? I've heard, only in passing, about "candling" which I assume means a slow low heat cooking of the greenware to dry it out. Is that what candling is? And, is that a good way to insure my greenware is sufficiently dry? Is there a way to 'know' the clay is dry enough for cone 05?
Posted 17 Oct 2012My last post, Hairline Cracks..., has generated a good deal of interest in fixing cracked kiln bottoms, and for GOOD REASON. So I hope to further this discussion, because there are unanswered questions, and a lot of dangerous kilns. Here's the last post @ my last post:
If it's not impolite, I'll jump on this thread with a similar question. I am a self-taught potter that has never fired. I recently moved from Oregon back home to Costa Rica, and took an electric kiln with me (it was tested before I shipped it, and passed with plying colors). During the move the metal legs buckled and folded, resulting in some decent cracks in the bottom of the kiln. more than hairline, see the attached pictures.
someone recommended using a kiln-repair paste on those bottom cracks, so I had a friend bring some down, but haven't had a chance to use it or test the kiln yet.
My question to you guys, is for tips for a Newbie, on how to baby my kiln to compensate for those cracks. Being in Costa Rica, I can't easily order specialized items, and I can't easily replace that kiln, I need it to last me many years.
I will need to come up with a different base since the metal one is busted. I had never considered that the base needed to be perfectly level. what other things should I consider for the base support? I'll need to MacGyver it, and I had originally thought that I could sit the kiln directly on some cement blocks. bad idea?
thankfully I brought some extra kiln shelves with me, so I have both full and half shelves. should I just plop one on the bottom of the kiln? should I sit one under the kiln to help distribute the load?
thank you all for the amazing resource, this is incredible support.
Since this is such an important safety issue, Can we get a definitive answer? Just asking . . .
Posted 12 Oct 2012Got hairline crack. Is this catastrophic?
Posted 10 Oct 2012My 1st firing has produced a strange effect: the clear glaze on the edges of my pieces are smooth, but in the center they are bumpy, seem not totally fixed to the substrate, covered with a sort of orange peel. The glaze is still clear, not all pieces are like this, and I think I may have laid on way too much glaze in my zeal to make very shinny objects.
Posted 8 Oct 2012P4230002.JPG (65.4K)
Number of downloads: 19I am firing an old Skutt 231-18 for the first time I just bought. I am accordingly paranoid. I'm 5 hours in, going for 05, and Suddenly I can see around the entire lid about 1/16 of an inch gap between the lid and the body of the kiln. (see picture attached) It's glowing. The other points of contact, the bottom and the two rings are sealed just fine, cant' see any glow between them. IS THIS NORMAL?
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Speech by The Rt Hon Sir Edward George, Governor, at The University of Zurich.
A week ago I returned from the annual Spring Meeting of the IMF in Washington, and I thought that I might discuss with you this evening where we are in our collective international efforts to improve the functioning of the global economy. In particular I will touch upon two broad areas: first, the approach to overall economic management; secondly, the approach to strengthening the international financial system.
But I should like to begin with a few words about the process of international monetary and financial co-operation. Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, as well as their Deputies, spend a good deal of time at meetings in various different international fora. I am often asked after one or other of these meetings "what exactly did you decide?" And more often than not, the answer is that we did not actually take any specific decisions. We exchanged opinions, and often agreed that we needed to do more work on this or that issue which we could review and debate at a subsequent meeting. You could be forgiven for thinking that the process of reaching international agreement on anything moves at a snail's pace. To a degree that is true.
But even a snail can make considerable progress provided it keeps going. I am told that the world record for a snail is about 16 cms a minute, or roughly one kilometre in 4 days. On that basis a snail could leave here this evening and be in the BIS in Basel in under a year. It necessarily takes time to build an international consensus to move forward on any significant issue, and you need a broad consensus if whatever it is you agree is to have any meaningful effect. And if you look back over ten, or even five, years, rather than just at the outcome of any particular meeting, then the amount of progress really has been very considerable.
Overall economic management
Let me illustrate this first in relation to the broad consensus that now exists - within the developing, emerging, and transition economies as well as within the industrial world - on the general approach to overall economic management. That consensus can perhaps be summed up essentially as "macro-economic stability and supply-side flexibility", though that characterisation needs elaboration.
On the macro-economic side we have learned - and it has taken some countries longer than others -that you cannot achieve what we are all trying to achieve - sustained growth, high levels of employment and rising living standards - simply by pumping up demand in our economies through expansionary monetary and fiscal policies without proper regard to the underlying supply-side capacity of our economies to meet that demand. Short-term demand management through monetary policy too often led instead to accelerating inflation, and increasing external deficits, which had eventually to be brought under control through recession - an absolute recipe for short-termism in both financial and business behaviour. Equally, excessive public expenditure - which had ultimately to be financed through higher taxation - imposed burdens on the private sector which weakened its capacity to generate employment and income and wealth.
So the emphasis now, more or less everywhere, is on effective price stability as the immediate objective of macro-economic policy - not simply as an end in itself but as a measure of the balance between aggregate demand and underlying supply in the economy as a whole. In effect the aim of monetary policy in particular is to moderate, rather than aggravate, the economic cycle, and so to provide the basis for sustainable growth at around the underlying rate of growth of productive, supply-side, potential. And the emphasis now - again more or less everywhere - in relation to fiscal policy is to limit public sector borrowing, and the outstanding level of public sector debt, to levels that can be sustained into the medium and longer term without the need for increasing tax burdens or the imposition of rising real interest rates on the private sector.
These objectives of macro-economic policy - monetary and overall fiscal policy - will certainly be familiar to you in this country; they are at the heart of the policies being pursued right across Europe; and they are the policies endorsed, too, by all the members of the IMF in the Madrid Declaration adopted at the IMF Annual Meeting in 1994 and expanded and updated two years later. Of course on occasion the flesh proves to be weaker than the spirit - and achieving these macro-economic objectives is not easy in practice even as a technical matter. But the intention - the international commitment to macro-economic stability - is clear.
Acceptance of the aim of macro-economic stability served to bring into sharper focus the structural, supply side, of the economy - that is the whole raft of influences that can affect the underlying growth rate of capacity and thus the growth rate of aggregate demand that can be sustained.
And here, too, there has been a strengthening international presumption in favour of open markets and free competition - both domestically and internationally - with a continuing strong presumption against predatory trade or exchange rate manipulation. The justification is that undistorted competition contributes to potential global economic growth through increased efficiency and the more effective allocation of productive resources. Faster growth in turn provides a more favourable context for addressing social concerns, including the issue of poverty.
The international presumption in favour of free markets in itself is somewhat remarkable, given that, at the micro-economic level, increased competition invariably constitutes a threat to established producers - and their employees - who might well be tempted to urge protection in one form or another on their national governments. Consumers, who benefit from such competition, tend to be less vocal or well organised. The threat of protectionism is never, therefore, far away. But in fact the presumption in favour of competition has proved encouragingly robust. And that is not just in relation to international trade. There is a parallel presumption in favour of freedom of capital movements, and much greater openness around the world to foreign investment.
Among other things on the supply-side, there is a shared emphasis on the need to direct public spending to developing human resources through education and training, to effective health care, and affordable social safety nets. There has been a global trend to privatisation through which governments have increasingly returned essentially commercial activities, in which they have no necessary comparative advantage, to market disciplines. And there is a common recognition of the need for reforms in labour and product markets designed to reduce distortions which impede the efficient allocation of resources.
Now I do not pretend to you, Mr Chairman, that the international policy consensus in favour of macro-economic stability and supply-side reform is fully articulated, particularly on the supply side; nor do I claim that it is subscribed to in its detail equally in every IMF member country. But it does represent a substantial evolution in our collective thinking over the past decade or so towards a much more common approach to economic management, which serves as a valuable framework within which countries' performance can be assessed. The snail may have moved slowly but it has in fact travelled a considerable distance!
But broad agreement on the principles, does not make them any easier to apply in practice. This is evident from the imbalances which have built up within and between the major industrial countries in recent years. It is uncertainty as to how those imbalances are likely to be corrected that underlies much of the current concern about the prospects for the global economy.
The major uncertainty relates to the situation in the United States which has experienced a period of exceptionally strong economic growth with relatively low inflation until quite recently. Briefly - and no doubt oversimply - this very strong performance is widely seen as driven largely by exceptional productivity gains, as the application of new information and communications technologies spread through the economy. This development promised a higher sustainable rate of growth in the US economy and higher corporate earnings growth. That expectation contributed to a rapid rise in equity prices, especially in the "high tech" sectors, which in turn helped stimulate both business investment in the US and consumer demand causing the private sector to move into financial deficit. It also attracted massive direct and portfolio investment inflows from abroad which over-financed an increasing current account deficit in the US and caused the dollar to strengthen against other currencies. By the first half of last year the US economy was expanding at a rate of over 5%, which even on the most optimistic view of underlying productivity growth was clearly unsustainable. The pace of demand growth in the US needed to slowdown - as of course it has.
The big questions now are about the extent of the slowdown and how long it will last. And the reality is that no one can be confident that they know the answers.
What we do know is that the US data on the whole have not so far been as weak as many commentators predicted. Consumer spending in particular has held up reasonably well, though there has been a fall-off in investment growth, as well as a sharp downwards stocks adjustment and an associated decline in US imports. On an optimistic view, if consumption continues to hold up, and assuming that the recent underlying productivity gains can be maintained, investment spending will recover as the spread of ICT through the economy resumes, and the downward stock adjustment will come to an end. On this view we can look forward to a pick up in US activity as we move, say, into next year. But the pessimist is inclined to point to the weakness of private sector saving, which could induce more cautious consumer behaviour especially if unemployment continues to rise; he points to a possible overhang of past investment excesses; and he points to the US external deficit which will at some point need to be corrected. These adjustments might take place gradually over time, in which case the US might face a more protracted period of relatively slow growth; or, if you are really pessimistic, the adjustments might be more abrupt implying a possible period of negative growth and global financial instability. The recent somewhat erratic recovery of US stock markets from their earlier gloom suggests that they are beginning to side with the optimists; some of the survey evidence of consumer and business confidence on the other hand still supports a rather more pessimistic view. For what it is worth, and given the strong policy response in the US, I am modestly optimistic, but I recognise the downside risks. The outcome is obviously the major uncertainty surrounding the global economic prospect, and policymakers elsewhere can only monitor, continuously and very closely, the emerging evidence and react to that in the light of its likely impact on their own situation.
The US slowdown comes at a particularly bad time for Japan which is already suffering from a combination of weak domestic demand - particularly consumer demand - and supply-side constraints reflecting pressures on the banking system, heavily burdened with non-performing loans, and an acknowledged need for restructuring parts of the non-financial sector. Japan has pretty well exhausted the scope for macro-economic stimulus. Successive fiscal packages focussed on public works, and a sustained period of attempted monetary expansion, at near-zero interest rates in the face of deflation, have failed to overcome a high rate of precautionary saving by an ageing population facing an uncertain economic future. The policy emphasis of the new Japanese administration appears to be shifting towards firmer action to bring about supply-side reform in the belief that this will help to engender greater confidence. The danger is that, to the extent that more aggressive restructuring results in bankruptcies and higher unemployment in the short term, that in itself might tend to weaken consumer demand for a time before the benefits of the restructuring come through.
Closer to home, the Euro area economy is a good deal better placed to withstand the US slowdown although we are all bound to be affected to some degree. For most of last year the Euro area economy performed relatively strongly, with overall output growth well above trend, and unemployment in the area as a whole continuing to fall from its earlier chronically high level.
A problem, of course, was the persistent weakness of the Euro in foreign exchange markets, despite strong "fundamentals" in terms of conventional analysis. This was largely the result of an outflow of capital, much of it drawn into the US by the magnetic attraction of prospective corporate earnings growth - and apparently continuing despite the US slowdown.
The euro's weakness gave rise to widespread - but in my view unjustified - criticism of the ECB. The task of a central bank operating an independent monetary policy is necessarily a limited task, not least because it effectively has only one instrument - its control over short-term interest rates. Its role - as I said earlier - is essentially, to use that instrument to influence aggregate demand in the economy, with the aim of keeping demand broadly in line with the supply-side capacity of the economy. The measure of its success is consistently low inflation. Against that criterion the ECB has been relatively successful. The Euro area economy has grown, above trend, with core inflation nevertheless remaining within the tolerance range of 0-2%, even though on the headline measure, influenced by rising oil prices and the weaker exchange rate, inflation has for the time being moved above the top of that range. The ECB would have put that internal stability of the Euro area as a whole at risk if it had attempted at the same time to use monetary policy to target the euro's exchange rate.
The more recent criticism has been that the ECB has been slow to respond to the weakening of the US economy. Implicit in that criticism is no doubt a judgement about the extent and duration of the US slowdown and its likely impact on the euro area. As I have said there is a great deal of uncertainty about that. But the ECB has to take account, too, of domestic demand pressures in the euro area, and of the fact that even on the core measure Euro area inflation has been moving up gradually towards the top of the ECB's 0-2% range. Frankly I don't see how anyone can be confident whether the ECB has it precisely right or wrong - it is perfectly normal for even the best-informed people to disagree on these judgements, as anyone who reads our own Monetary Policy Committee meeting minutes will tell you. But I am wholly confident that the ECB is sensitive to the issues surrounding those judgements, including the downside risks in the US.
So, too, are we in the United Kingdom. In our case, we again enjoyed relatively steady overall economic growth last year combined with a further fall in unemployment to its lowest rate for 25 years. Inflation meanwhile continued to run somewhat below the Government's 2½% target, partly at least as a result of the dampening effect of sterling's surprisingly persistent strength against the euro. The problem that has been with us for some time now is the sectoral (and associated regional) imbalance within our overall economy. The domestically - oriented sectors have, for the most part, been doing relatively well, whereas those sectors that are exposed to competition within or from the Euro area have been under considerable pressure.
Domestic demand growth has remained relatively robust into this year, but we too are affected by the US slowdown and by the associated weakening of equity prices. And we have had a new problem of our own in the form of Foot and Mouth Disease, the effects of which have gone a good deal wider than just the agricultural sector. These new developments were likely to have a dampening effect on demand pressure within the overall economy, both through their direct impact and through possible damaging effects on confidence. Given the fact that we started from a position in which inflation was below target (and expected to remain so for some period ahead); and given only modest upward pressure - at least so far - on wages and earnings growth, despite the continuing tightness in the labour market; we judged that we needed to reduce interest rates - by ½% - earlier this year in order to meet the inflation target further ahead. And we have made it clear that we will continue to monitor the downside risks very closely, in the context of course of all the other developments affecting our economy.
Mr Chairman, I have discussed the current international conjuncture at some length to illustrate that even though we all have broadly common economic objectives, that does not make them easy to achieve. We all face our own domestic uncertainties and are exposed to the international repercussions of developments elsewhere.
One of the greatest difficulties we face is the problem of how to cope with movements in financial asset prices, including exchange rates. That problem has become an increasing preoccupation with increasing financial wealth in our economies and with global financial integration.
In the context of macro-economic stabilisation we can, and of course do, take account of asset prices as best we can in both our projections and our policy decisions. The strength and subsequent weakening of stock markets in all our economies, for example, will have been one of the factors influencing both investment and consumer demand to varying degrees for all of us; and the behaviour of exchange rates is clearly a factor influencing inflationary pressures in our respective economies, both through its direct effect on prices and indirectly through its impact on net external demand. But while we can try to make allowance for these effects we cannot predict future asset price movements and we certainly cannot seek to control them. They remain a major source of uncertainty.
They also, of course, represent a major potential threat to financial stability which is a necessary concomitant to monetary stability. In the rest of my remarks I should like to comment briefly on the evolving international consensus on the approach to maintaining financial stability.
The 1994 Madrid Declaration, to which I referred earlier, had already welcomed "the growing trend towards currency convertibility and encouraged IMF member countries to remove impediments to the free flow of capital." One might have supposed that the subsequent eruption of the Asian financial crisis - which was certainly aggravated, if not provoked, by volatile international capital flows - might have resulted in something of a reaction to further evolution in that direction. In fact, in the midst of the turmoil, in September 1997, the IMF's Interim Committee confirmed the consensus view that: "Private capital flows have become much more important to the international monetary system, and an increasingly open and liberal system has proved to be highly beneficial to the world economy. By facilitating the flow of savings to their most productive uses, capital movements increase investment, growth, and prosperity." In other words, while markets may not be perfect, they are in general the best means we have of allocating financial resources efficiently. The impact of the crisis was instead to give fresh impetus to defining and establishing the conditions that are necessary for financial markets to function more efficiently, and that would help to reduce the risks of and limit the damage from, volatile shifts in market sentiment, with their potentially disruptive effect on both economic and financial stability.
It goes without saying that macro-economic stability is our first line of defence. But, beyond that, a huge amount of work has been undertaken in a variety of international fora to develop codes and standards of best practice in a whole range of more specific areas relevant to improving the functioning of the international financial system. The IMF has produced codes of good practice on data dissemination, on transparency of monetary, financial and fiscal policies, and guidelines for public debt and reserves management. The main Basel Committee has put forward proposals for revising its capital accord designed to align regulatory capital requirements more closely with economic capital and has drawn up core principles for effective banking supervision. The Basel Committee on Payments and Settlement Systems has developed core principles for systemically important payments systems. The International Organisation of Securities Commissions has developed objectives and principles for securities regulation; the International Association of Insurance Supervisors have developed insurance core principles; and the OECD a set of principles on corporate governance. The International Accounting Standards Committee has developed international accounting standards; and the International Federation of Accountants international standards on auditing and audit practice and so the list goes on.
The emphasis now has to be on implementation by national authorities with the help where necessary of the international community. And there needs to be increasing emphasis, too, on transparency and validation of progress towards implementation in individual countries in the context of IMF surveillance.
The Financial Stability Forum has recommended that in seeking to strengthen their financial systems countries give priority to implementing standards and codes in twelve particular areas, and the IMF and World Bank have developed a framework for assessing the progress countries are making in implementing these key standards and codes. Standards that are particularly relevant to the development of sound financial systems are evaluated under the Financial Sector Assessment Programme (FSAP), while Reports on the Observance of Standards and Codes (ROSC) provide summary assessments of a country's progress in observing standards across a range of areas. Taken together all these initiatives should contribute to greater stability at the national level. But they should also help lenders and investors better to assess the risks of lending to or investing in one country as against another, dampening potential volatility and, at the same time, giving the countries themselves stronger incentives to move toward best practice. As far as crisis prevention goes our snail has come a long way in the past few years, though of course it needs to keep moving forwards.
But while we can hope to reduce the risk of crises we cannot realistically hope that they will not continue to occur. So a great deal of attention has also been paid to improving our capacity for crisis management.
A major step forward was the agreement - at the G7 Summit some two years ago - on a set of principles and tools that could be applied in managing a crisis.
Broadly, having emphasised the importance of not undermining contractual obligations, the principles stress that all private creditors should accept responsibility for their lending and investment decisions - without expecting to be underwritten by the official sector. They encourage co-operative solutions between the debtor country and its creditors, building on effective dialogues established in advance. The tools link official support to efforts by the debtor country to obtain private financing - or maintain existing exposures - on a voluntary basis, and provide for comparability of treatment within the Paris Club, of all categories of creditors other than international financial institutions. They include mechanisms that can be used to limit the use of official financing to fund external deficits or domestic capital outflows or to repay private sector debt. And they provide ultimately for capital controls, as part of payments standstills, in conjunction with IMF programmes.
So we have the principles and we have the tools. What we still need to develop is a better framework of understanding as to how they might normally be applied. I agree of course that we should not adopt hard and fast rules, because to a degree each case is different. But we do need to develop some kind of presumption about the limits within which IMF support might be made available to member countries in different situations, and the conditions, relating both to adjustment action and to private sector financing that would normally be applied. We need to develop a clearer presumptive framework of this kind - no doubt with provision for exceptions where they could be properly justified - before the next crisis hits us, because what debtor countries and their private sector creditors believe they can expect will influence their behaviour in the meantime.
What we all have to recognise is that the exceptional amounts of official funding committed during the Asian crisis are far less likely to be forthcoming in future. And to the extent that official funding is forthcoming, conditions may well be attached to ensure that it is not used simply to re-finance payments of short-term debt to private sector creditors or to fund a resident capital outlflow. Several of the tools which the G7 communiqué identified are designed to have precisely this effect.
The last thing that the official international community wants is to get dragged into the micro-management of relations between debtor countries and their creditors. We would all agree on the desirability of voluntary solutions, which might be easier to achieve if borrowing countries and their major creditors - above all the short-term lenders - were to establish, during the good times but on an on-going basis, arrangements for regular dialogue. Nor would anyone want to insist upon the imposition of constraints on capital outflows.
But where, in more extreme situations, an agreed solution in relation to external debt is not immediately achievable there may be a logical case for the orderly suspension of payments until a better alternative can be put in place. This could have advantages for committed private sector creditors as well as for the debtor country and the official international community if it prevented free riders running for the exit, or seeking to attach assets, and provided time for orderly negotiations on the provision of new finance or for equitable debt rescheduling. Similarly, in some situations, there may be an equivalent case for restraining domestic capital outflows.
I am under no illusion that this area is an extremely sensitive and complex one. There are no simple solutions. But we do need to continue to explore the available options or we will remain in the position of making things up as we go along. The snail in this area certainly still has a long way to go!
Mr Chairman, I hope that I may have been able to persuade you this evening that the continuous round of meetings on international monetary and financial question do indeed serve a useful purpose, even though the outcome from one meeting to another may not be immediately apparent. It may just reflect the increasing patience that comes with advancing years, but I believe we have in fact made very real progress towards defining common objectives, and agreeing upon tangible steps that will help us towards achieving those objectives, in relation both to monetary, and broader macro-economic, stability and to creating a more effective and more robust financial system. It is of course an endless journey, and no doubt we will from time to time run into rough waters. But I'm convinced that our snail will keep moving forwards - and that it will even learn to swim! | <urn:uuid:ea6cee60-4143-4bba-85e5-cd3fcd122c43> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/Pages/speeches/2001/speech126.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960041 | 5,174 | 1.796875 | 2 |
We need gun laws appropriate for our times
With Obama's re-election, the Far Right has doubled down on its lies about the president, still claiming that he will confiscate our guns, put dissenters in concentration camps and establish an Islamic state under Sharia Law. These insane views account for the mass surge in gun sales, eagerly promoted by an NRA in league with the gun industry. In its formative days, the NRA emphasized gun safety and gun control, and even now the great majority of NRA members support reasonable restrictions. But, led by Wayne La Pierre, the NRA is now owned by the gun industry, not the membership. The United States has 5 percent of the world's population but 50 percent of the world's guns. Eighty-four percent of murders worldwide are committed in the United States. Yet La Pierre's response to the horrific slaughter of little children in their Connecticut school is to arm school personnel. He will not consider banning assault weapons designed for military use, or even limiting clips to 10 rounds.
The opening restrictive clause of the Second Amendment reflects the founders' concern for how vulnerable our nation, in its weak infancy, was to the continuing colonial ambitions of the European powers. the War of 1812 with England, that we nearly lost, confirmed the founders' fears. The Army of the Revolution had even mostly disbanded and sent home. Thus, the urgent need for a militia in reserve readiness until an adequate military force could be established to secure the safety of our fledgling country.
"A well regulated militia" indicates that the militia was intended as an arm of the federal government. This provision is reaffirmed in Article I (15, 16 of Section 8) defining the powers of Congress: "To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions," and "to provide for organizing, arming and disciplining the militia ...."
Our regulated National Guard has replaced the regulated militia. The founders always intended that gun ownership by individuals be subject to regulations, as a privilege, not an absolute right. We need national gun laws, appropriate to our times, that transcend the widely varied state laws. Let's do it. | <urn:uuid:0edba5ac-94c7-447e-bf35-f329a3c338ae> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cortezjournal.com/article/20130109/columnists03/130109836/0/20120521 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963328 | 443 | 1.789063 | 2 |
Android vs IOS mobile
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With nearly 7 million new Android phones and iPhones activated on Christmas Day, an app-downloading frenzy was a foregone conclusion. App research firm Flurry estimates that a combined total of 1.2 billion apps were downloaded during the holiday week between December 25-31. That compares to an average of 750,000 mobile apps downloaded per week earlier in December, or a 60 percent jump.
It was a very Android and iOS Christmas. Mobile apps research form Flurry released estimates on how many Android and iOS devices were activated on Christmas day, as well as how many apps were downloaded. On a combined basis, 6.8 million devices were activated, up 353 percent from the 1.5 million average activations a day over the first 20 days of December. And that number from 2.8 million combined activations on Christmas, 2010, the previous record.
Apple this morning announced that there are now over half a million applications available in the mobile applications-specific App Store, and that over 100 million of apps have been downloaded from the desktop software marketplace Mac App Store in less than a year after its debut. When the Mac App Store opened for business on January 6, 2011, there were only 1,000 software applications available from the store. The company did not specify how many are available today, but says there are now “thousands” on the store’s landing page. Ouriel Ohayon from Appsfire estimates there are currently about 10,000 live applications on the Mac App Store, to give you an idea of its current size. How many of the 100 million downloads to date were paid vs. free apps remains anyone’s guess. As for the App Store , Apple says more than 500,000 apps available, and that customers are ‘continuing’ to download more than 1 billion apps per month.
Google’s Android Market has exceeded 10 billion application downloads, with users now downloading at a rate of one billion apps per month, the company announced Tuesday. The download growth rate is rather incredible. Android Market experienced its first billion downloads in July 2010, and reached three billion downloads by March of this year. By July 2011, Android Market had surpassed six billion downloads.
In 2010 the total iPads sold totaled over 14 million world-wide, the total tablet market rose to 19.7 million same year. David Zeiler said that the “research firm IHS iSuppli expects sales of media tablets”, which are mainly iPads, go from “17.4 million units world-wide in 2010 to 202 million in 2015″. The overall market, which include tablets and pc-tablets, will go from the 19.7 million in 2010 to 242.3 million in 2015. The forecast for 2011 of iPads sold rise to over 20 million units.
Apple's CEO Tim Cook at yesterday's "Let's talk about iPhone" event in Cupertino, Calif. dropped some big news: the company has sold 250 million iOS devices.However, the biggest segment of this comes from the iPod, which commands a 78% percent market share in the personal media player business. Cook said some 300 million iPods have... Apple's CEO Tim Cook at yesterday's "Let's talk about iPhone" event in Cupertino, Calif. dropped some big news: the company has sold 250 million iOS devices. However, the biggest segment of this comes from the iPod, which commands a 78% percent market share in the personal media player business. Cook said some 300 million iPods have been sold around the world, and 45 million of them were sold in the year that ended in June. This is followed by the iPad, which has a 74% market share of the mobile tablet market.
Mockups of iPad 3/HD which surfaced earlier today. During Apple’s Q3, 2011 conference call , in which the company announced record revenue of $28.57 Billion for the quarter just closed, alongside confirming tomorrow’s release of Mac OS X Lion , CFO, Peter Oppenheimer , opened the call by stating the company had sold a staggering 220 Million iOS-based devices thus far. If that figure blows your mind, we should remind you that, during Apple’s Q1, 2011 conference call the company unveiled that it was selling 366,666 iOS devices per day at the time. The most interesting part of the call, however, was the line:
Out of all mobile app downloads in the third quarter of 2011, 44 percent were Android apps, making Android the market share leader over iOS’ 31 percent, according to data from ABI Research . The research firm attributed the large shipment of phones running Google’s Android operating system as the reason for the high market share. The total number of Android devices activated worldwide has now reached 190 million (or an estimated 600,000 per day), according to Google. By comparison, growth in iPhone shipments fell for the second straight quarter — from 15 percent in the first quarter 2011 to nine percent in the second.
" Console wars ", also known as " System wars " is a term used to refer to periods of intense competition for market share between video game console manufacturers. The winners of these "wars" may be debated based on different standards: market penetration and financial success, or the fierce loyalty and numbers of the fans of the system's games. The term itself does not strictly denote a clear winner in each case, though. The outcome of a console war may however determine whether or not a manufacturer remains a part of the video games industry.
1. 530gemini posted on 16 Nov 2011, 18:19 3 18 Now let's divide this by 20+ android oem's. Oh...Apple still dominates as an individual oem :) 2. EclipseGSX posted on 16 Nov 2011, 18:21 17 0 congrats wanna cookie? or perhaps an ice cream sammich :)
By the end of the year, there will be an estimated 34 million tablet computer users in the U.S., according to new numbers out today from eMarketer . Of those, 28 million (or 83 percent) will be using an iPad. The iPad still rules the tablet world, jumping nearly 160 percent from an estimated 13 million users last year. By 2014, there will be an estimated 61 million iPad users in the U.S.
By Tiernan Ray Dear reader, I apologize: I seemed to have missed a brief but interesting note yesterday from Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster , who has done an analysis of the respective applications sales for mobile devices by Apple ( AAPL ) and Google ( GOOG ), and crowned Apple the winner in terms of dollars of sales. “Google’s Android Market has generated ~7% of the gross revenue that Apple’s App Store has since inception,” writes Munster, drawing on data from something called “ Androlib ,” which is a Web site that serves as a catalog to Android apps and also compiles statistics on how much they’ve been download. “In other words, it appears that Apple has roughly 85-90% market share in dollars spent on mobile applications.” Google’s Android Market has made $342 million in gross sales since inception through November 17th, with 1% of the total 6.75 billion downloads having been paid for, estimates Munster, based on Androlib data.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET) Editors' note: This story was first published in July 2010, and has been extensively updated, most recently on December 17, 2012.
Yellow Thunder Media
At the Slush 2011 event held today in Finland, Rovio’s Peter Vesterbacka revealed a huge milestone for the company’s hit game, Angry Birds—500 million downloads over the past two years. Vesterbacka claims that’s the fastest growing game and most downloads of any game ever. It’s no secret that the game has been growing fast without any marketing dollars being spent. It looks like Angry Birds has added 100 million downloads in the past two weeks alone. At the Web 2.0 conference in mid-October, Rovio’s North American General Manager Andrew Stalbow said the game had seen 400 million downloads across platforms.
Hello there! So glad to find your post, I think that I may have something to interest you. I'm currently helping to promote a book called: "Slabscape: Reset". | <urn:uuid:def55d46-a277-4451-a79b-74288896f572> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pearltrees.com/pmckenna/android-vs-ios-mobile/id3463179 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962456 | 1,754 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Friday, February 10, 2012
When taking care of an ill family member, there are adjustments made. The hospitals for their care include adjustments, too. I don’t know the date of the original post card used for the above graphic. I do know that Texas Health’s Harris Hospital does not resemble that photo. Definitely not the 1930’s as it began, nor the 461-bed described above, Harris is now a multi-block complex, 726-bed.
My Beloved Husband is occupying one of those beds as I write, and I know he is getting very good care. Undoubtedly better than we can provide at home, though we’ve made adjustments here, too.
For the ill, we place needed items nearby, knowing that things will return to ‘normal’ in a short while. For the long-term invalid, much more adjustments are made, for things may not return to ‘normal.’
Why don’t we make some adjustments for Christians at different points on the path? We know we’re not to be walking in the same group all along the way. We may stray off a bit, or reach out to help someone who has. Why would we expect to be in lockstep from profession of faith to the pearly gates? The problem comes when those adjustments become the ‘normal.’
It might help to think of the ‘Be Attitudes’ as steps along that way. Get to know them, recognize them in ourselves as well as others – and share those steps with others.
Matthew 5:2-11 KJV
(2) And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
(3) Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(4) Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
(5) Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
(6) Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
(7) Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
(8) Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
(9) Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
(10) Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(11) Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Ooops, did you want to miss out on that last one? The others sound pretty good, but those last two just don’t fit into your picture of Christianity? Did you forget that just months after this He was persecuted and reviled? That He died?
Yep. As Christians, we will find ourselves acquainted with those two verses. When we arrive there, we’d better be well schooled in the first ones! Then, we can make the adjustment. | <urn:uuid:6587d78b-2316-48b4-8b44-615014432ac1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blicktx.blogspot.com/2012/02/adjustments.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967578 | 640 | 1.75 | 2 |
Jindal Appeals Vouchers Case to State Supreme Court
Lawyers defending Louisiana’s vouchers will appeal their case to the state Supreme Court after a district judge ruled the program unconstitutional because of how the state funds it.
“The clear intent of the [state] constitution is that we fund children and not bricks,” Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) said in public comments after the event. Teachers unions suing to stop the program prefer “that all students fail together than parents take the money that is supposed to go to public education and try to get their kids educated,” he charged.
District Judge Tim Kelley ruled it unconstitutional for state or local education taxes to go to private schools. The program amounts to 0.11 percent of the state's annual $8 billion K-12 spending.
Kids’ Futures Uncertain
Kelley’s ruling leaves the education of 5,000 voucher students uncertain. John Lacey is a single father of two voucher students, aged 7 and 9. He thinks it’s unjust for the court to take his kids from schools where they thrive and put them back in public schools that failed them.
“As a taxpayer, I should have the right to put my child in a non-failing school,” he said. “You’re going to tell me I have to leave my child in a failing school system? That’s ridiculous.”
Lacey’s children fell behind academically when they attended public schools, he said, but teachers refused to give them individual attention. He sought a school that matched his family values and offered smaller classrooms, but couldn’t afford to pay the tuition on his own.
“I’m not going to send my child to school knowing you’re not going to teach him what he needs to learn,” he said emphatically. Lacey said he will keep his children in their choice school until the Supreme Court decides the case.
Approximately 380,000 students became eligible for the program when it passed in spring 2012. It gave vouchers averaging $5,300 to students slated to attend public schools the state rated C, D, or F. Louisiana has one of the worst public school systems in the nation, as measured by high school dropout rates and basic math and reading test scores. In fall 2012, five times as many students applied to the program as state officials expected, and twice as many applied as were accepted for the program’s first year.
"Louisiana’s teachers union would rather focus on [the funding mechanism] than focus on the hundreds of schools in the state that are failing," said Institute for Justice attorney Arif Panju, who is assisting the case’s defense. "They view it as a threat that parents will see better options for their children through this school choice program."
Bipartisan Support for Program
In a speech accepting a school choice award for Louisiana from the liberal-leaning Brookings Institution, Jindal emphasized the bipartisan support for school vouchers in general and Louisiana’s program in particular. Half of Louisiana’s House Democrats and a quarter of its Senate Democrats supported Jindal’s education reform laws, which included the vouchers.
“This was a bipartisan effort that led to parents picking their children’s schools this year,” Jindal said. The program has a 95 percent parent satisfaction rate and saves taxpayers an average of $3,000 per student “while providing a better education,” Jindal said. “To me, this is a win-win-win.”
A March 2012 poll showed 60 percent of Louisiana voters favored a statewide voucher system, while 30 percent opposed it.
Emphasis on Legalism
Kelley judged the case largely on legal questions rather than testimony about how the program affects families, Panju said.
“How sad that bureaucratic funding formulas and public employee unions take precedence over parents wanting to give their children the best education possible,” said Robert Enlow, president of the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice.
Kelley had earlier refused to grant a preliminary injunction to stop the voucher program as the lawsuit moved forward.
"We view this as strong grounds for appeal because the state of Louisiana has a host of educational options for parents that aren't their city or parish public school," Panjou said.
Image by ProgressOhio. | <urn:uuid:8aabba66-8b3c-428b-ab7b-b1d1e3d4236a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.heartland.org/newspaper-article/2013/01/07/jindal-appeals-vouchers-case-state-supreme-court | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972612 | 909 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Iran-born writer “kills” ayatollah in novel
GIJON, Spain – Nairi Nahapetian gets her own back on the Iranian regime which forced her into exile by writing a novel about the murder of a powerful religious leader.
Nahapetian returned to Iran as a journalist in 2005 but says that she had to turn to fiction to fully describe the complexities of the homeland she fled when she was nine.
“Thanks to fiction I can, for example, kill an ayatollah, which is something you cannot do in real life,” Nahapetian said at the “Semana Negra” crime-writing festival, attended by a million people every year in Gijon, northern Spain.
In “Qui a tue l’Ayatollah Kanuni” (Who killed Ayatollah Kanuni), Narek, an exiled journalist who returns to Iran, is in the wrong place at the wrong time when a religious leader is found dead.
Reuters photo credit Raheb Homavandi | <urn:uuid:4aad7b95-0e5f-4fd8-9062-b983b41a7768> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2011/07/25/iran-born-writer-kills-ayatollah-in-novel/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973293 | 224 | 1.53125 | 2 |
By Eric Jayne
Homelessness is a tragic reality. It exists in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, and just about every city, suburb, and community throughout Minnesota. With rising rent, low apartment vacancy rates, foreclosures, and scarce housing resources, low-income families have faced extraordinary devastation. Perhaps even more devastating is that children and youth account for nearly half of homeless people in Minnesota (Wilder Research – May 2010).
In Ramsey County, the first point of contact for all homeless families is the Family Place which is a secular nonprofit in downtown St. Paul. They provide youth enrichment, employment counseling, housing advocacy, and they directly arrange shelter for homeless families.
On Saturday, September 15th fourteen atheists gathered at the Family Place to cook and serve dinner to about 40 guests, half of which were children. Minnesota Atheists member Jill Carlson was our kitchen leader and developed the menu that featured chili, garden salad, corn bread, fresh fruit salad, chocolate chip cookies, milk, and lemonade. A couple members brought fresh veggies from their own personal gardens to contribute to the salad.
After a couple of hours in the kitchen the 14 of us brought the food out to the dining area. We then had the unique experience of sitting with the families and dining with them family style. After dinner we cleaned up the dining area and kitchen. Then about half of our group followed up with a couple of tasty cocktails at the Bulldog Restaurant a couple blocks away in Lowertown St. Paul.
We will be doing more cooking and dining at the Family Place in the future so be sure to check out our Meetup site to RSVP. | <urn:uuid:b0dff943-65a4-46f9-8a99-063e384ab7d0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.minnesotaatheists.org/news-and-media/news/8-local-news/792-atheists-cook-dinner-for-homeless-families | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955189 | 336 | 1.523438 | 2 |
A dull buzzing stirred the sleepy Vagabond;
His reactions were mechanical: he slapped
The clock and struggled out of bed, reached for
The window. . . . There he stopped; there was no blast
Of cold. . . . He raised the blankets on his mind
And classed a shadow promise of a thought;
"Then it is realty spring!" . . . A strange sound--birds.
And a different smelling air. He braced his elbows
On the window sill and looked about: the snow,
Deserting, left the grass a yellow green;
The Charles had almost healed itself of all
That winter tissue which was dull and dead,
And all the birds he hadn't seen before
Were singing in counterpoint their undeveloped
Themes which paralleled the lack of order
In the Vagabond's free flow of thought,
"Too late for breakfast, and I guess the beard
Can grow another day. . . . Which course was it? . . .
All students must attend the final class
Before a holiday. . . . The paper's dull
This morning. . . . Oh, yes, English; that was it. . . ."
The Vagabond reached for the usual coat,
But it was warm today. . . . He heard the bell
Din in the hour just as he reached the Yard.
He saw the smoking lawns where snow had been--
And how he wished to roll on them, but they
Were wet and spongy from the thaw.
But Spring was here!
He dreamt how he would lie beside that brook
Down on the farm. How he would hear the hollow
Gurgle of the water as it only
Gurgled in the spring, and smell the air,
That musty smell, the smell of earth again.
And how the breeze would whisper, "Vag, it's spring;
Vag in love; Vag in love; it's spring. . . . Wake up!"
Something hit his face and made him see
The open window by his head. "Oh, well,
I still can ski; the snow is deeper now." | <urn:uuid:47c6a2dc-a0e5-4b3a-a67f-a22e61127b77> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thecrimson.com/article/1939/2/23/the-vagabond-pa-dull-buzzing-stirred/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971866 | 462 | 1.679688 | 2 |
By Jean Wong
Northwest Asian Weekly
“My father (Chinese-born in the Philippines) says he never had a preference on what gender his kids would be, but I heard my mother, [who passed away when I was a year old], really wanted to have a son,” said Johanna Martinez, a Filipino-Chinese American student of International Studies at the University of Washington.
“She thought it would please my dad. She was in her mid- to late-30s when she got pregnant again, a few months after I was born. She was told by the doctor that it would be risky for her to get pregnant again, due to her weight problems and diabetes. However, everybody says she really wanted to give my dad a son, since they already had two daughters. Seven months into her pregnancy, she had health problems and neither [she] nor my younger brother [were] saved.”
According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the male to female birth ratio is astronomically on the rise, particularly in East Asian countries, such as India and China, where the numbers are 112:100 and 121:100, respectively (the normal ratio is about 105:100).
Since the advent of ultrasound technology, parents in Asia have been rejoicing that they can now see whether they’ll be having a son, thereby saving money and having the family name carried on. Though revealing the sex of the fetus is illegal in both of these countries, this has not impeded the abortion of babies based on sex. Often, a small bribe to the ultrasound technician solves the problem.
“My family later moved to the States, where my father remarried hoping that we would have a chance at having a mother,” continued Martinez. “[My stepmom said she couldn’t have kids, but lo and behold, she got pregnant and had a son. My father loved all of us, but my stepmom (Filipino-born Chinese, but identifies as Chinese) believed otherwise. She believed that because she had a son, my father would leave his daughters and they could have a ‘perfect’ family. That did not happen. It gets more complicated than that. It was obvious my brother received better treatment — he got more gifts, toys, and was spoiled rotten by his mother. I heard it was because he was a boy. In my brother’s teen years, the difference in treatment became more obvious. He got more freedom, was allowed to date, barely got any punishment and a car was given to him at 15 years of age. I paid for my car and worked as soon as I was 16. He didn’t work. Nobody asked him where he went or what he was doing ... when I asked why, they said it was because it’s different being a boy."
"My older sister right now has two daughters," added Martinez. "She also really wants a son. She might have stopped trying with two if she had a son after the first one. Even though kids can be a financial burden and add to stress … I don’t think she will stop. I just hope her fate won’t be the same as my mom’s."
The right to choose?
Mara Hvistendahl’s controversial book, "Unnatural Selection: Choosing Boys Over Girls and the Consequences of a World Full of Men," addresses the issue of sex-selection head on. She notes that contrary to her expectations that preference for boys was a rural and antiquated concept in the East, she found sex-selective abortions started with the wealthy urbanites that had the means and most access to the newest technology.
In his review of Hvistendahl’s book, Jonathan V. Last for the WSJ examines the issue of when a woman’s right to choose and the morality of choosing to abort a baby based on sex collide.
Last’s one critique of the author is the conflict inherent in being pro-choice but also being against the abuse of choice. He writes, "Aborting a baby because she is a girl is no different from aborting a baby because she has Down syndrome or because the mother’s ‘mental health’ requires it. Choice is choice. … There are only two alternatives: Restrict abortion or accept the slaughter of millions of baby girls and the calamities that are likely to come with it."
In China, after the one-child policy was instated in 1980, there was yet another reason why parents would choose not to have a child until they got a son. Because of a deeply-rooted cultural preference for boys, there is pressure for a woman to produce sons.
This has resulted in what Gu Baochang, a leading Chinese expert on family planning, described as "the largest, the highest, and the longest" gender imbalance in the world, according to msnbc.com.
U.N. Multimedia explains a recent report by U.N. agencies, saying that "sex selection favouring boys can lead to violence, abandonment, divorce, or even death among women who give birth to girls."
Both Last and Hvistendahl explain that there are far reaching consequences to tampering with the natural male to female birth ratio, some of which are already happening.
"High sex ratios mean that a society is going to have ‘surplus men’ — that is, men with no hope of marrying because there are not enough women," writes Last. "Such men accumulate in the lower classes, where risks of violence are already elevated. And unmarried men with limited incomes tend to make trouble. In Chinese provinces, where the sex ratio has spiked, a crime wave has followed. Today in India, the best predictor of violence and crime for any given area is not income, but sex ratio."
In China, there is widespread prostitution and sex-trafficking, as well as the purchasing of brides from poorer countries in Southeast Asia, such as Vietnam.
An imbalance in America
Asian Americans also grapple with the gender imbalance, albeit on a smaller scale. Often, when grandparents or parents pass away, assets are distributed among their offspring, with the eldest grandson or son receiving the lion’s share.
Parents and grandparents may also treat male family members better than female members, even if the female puts in more time caring for the family.
In Chinese culture, some have the perspective that once the daughter gets married, she is lost to her birth family, absorbed by her new one. Her children will carry her husband’s name, and it will be as if she never existed. It is the son’s responsibility to take care of his parents and ensure that the family’s legacy continues.
Though the local Asian Americans interviewed did not think that their parents would opt for sex-selective abortion, some expressed that they either experienced in their own family or observed in others, preferential treatment for boys.
Alexander Joo, a Korean American Seattle resident, said, "I suppose my parents happened to have three sons, but I don’t believe this was planned for … when I was growing up in Korea, in middle school, we had a 1.5:1 ratio of males [to] females. It sucked. Here in the U.S., I can’t imagine that actually being desired.”
An Indian American brother and sister, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, shared their thoughts on preferential treatment within their family. They have differing views.
The brother said, “[There is] no preferential treatment for us, but our family is educated and fairly Westernized.”
The sister doesn’t think their parents play favorites on purpose, but perhaps on a subconscious level, she is treated differently. “I think my mother, although she doesn’t do this intentionally, babies him a bit more. And my parents are definitely more cautious with him because they are worried about hurting his feelings. I have seen it in other Asian families, that there is pressure for boys to follow a more traditional job path. My friend decided to be a fashion journalist and her parents accepted it, but when her brother decided to go into teaching, it was like a two to three month battle with his parents. They were worried that he would not be financially able to support himself.”
On a recent trip with her mother to visit her brother in Seattle, the sister noted, “My mother has been cooking for him nonstop. She never does that for me.”
Diane Vinh, a Vietnamese American Mukilteo resident, said that she never noticed any preferential treatment for boys in her immediate or extended family. She concedes that girls may be treated differently, but not because they are valued less.
“I think a lot of girls think that parents give preferential treatment to boys because they’re much looser with rules on them, but I believe it’s more of a cultural phenomena. No parent wants their daughters to be harmed or hurt, so they restrict the daughter’s freedoms more. They’re more OK with their sons having sex and dating than their daughters because the thought of them ‘losing their little girl’ is repulsive and gives them more of a sense of loss, and understandably so. … Asian parents want to protect their daughters, and this is the only way they know how to do it. But seeing as how [Southeast] Asians tend to be of the patriarchal order, this shouldn’t be a surprise to a lot of people. … Men are the breadwinners. Women are submissive and stay at home — [they say] if you can’t be a doctor, marry one — these are the gender norms for [Asian] cultures. But when it comes to preferential treatment for males, it looks like that view is a dying idea, at least from what I’ve observed in Vietnamese American society.”
Julia Do, a Vietnamese student at Shoreline Community College who is studying business and accounting and the only child in her family, said that though she never experienced sexism in her family, her parents certainly did. “The oldest son is the one [to] pass on the family name and takes care of things, so my grandmother always favored my uncle out of all her children.”
Do, who moved to Shoreline five years ago, relays a story of her neighbor in Vietnam. “[He] wanted to have a son. After three tries, they ended up with three girls, and the wife was [finally] pregnant with a boy when she was 43. This is pretty old for a woman to give birth.” (end)
Jean Wong can be reached at [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:dcfaf4ac-c7b0-43d2-a18f-7b7c1af53b6b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nwasianweekly.com/2011/09/does-preference-for-asian-boys-exist-in-the-u-s/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984168 | 2,246 | 1.75 | 2 |
Known as MirrorLink, the standard ensures that users will be able to link their phones to the dashboard in all of their vehicles, so they don't need to buy separate handsets for separate vehicles. MirrorLink will also help deliver infotainment to entry-level vehicles in the United States, as well as to low-cost cars in China, India, Russia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America.
For developers, MirrorLink is a powerful step forward. Now they need only create their app once, instead of writing different strains of software for different manufacturers. Moreover, they needn't worry that certified apps will create a driving hazard.
An in-car router enables multiple users to connect to the Internet from as far as 150 feet away from the vehicle.
"There's a mechanism that allows the automaker to control the content that's seen on the [center stack] screen," says Alfred Tom, investment analyst for General Motors Ventures. "The developer needs to create an interface that's different than the one that is seen on the phone."
"Certain responsibilities belong to the players," says Floris van de Klashorst, head of Nokia's automotive mobile solutions. "The OEM gets to filter out the applications that aren't certified."
In essence, MirrorLink enables the car's head unit to mirror what's seen on the smartphone display. That means that a smartphone's car navigation software gets channeled into the vehicle's head unit. It also means that a wealth of Internet-based information -- such as restaurant sites, movie data, or even newspaper articles -- could find their way on to the car's center console stack if the phone app is tested and certified. (CCC members say a MirrorLink Google app hasn't been built or certified.)
"The idea is to use the driver's smartphone as an affordable way to connect to the cloud while a person is in the car," Tom says.
The Internet-in-the-car phenomenon doesn't end with smartphones. Autonet Mobile has taken the concept a step further, enabling vehicles to incorporate Internet protocol-based routers. The routers provide an opportunity for nearby users to log on, whether they're sitting in a passenger seat, a nearby office, or even a local café.
In August, Chevy announced that it would offer the router as an option in its Silverado truck. The device, which slides into a mounting bracket under the dashboard, enables kids in the back seat to connect to YouTube or Facebook. More importantly, it plays an important role for contractors and others who need an Internet connection at job sites.
"If you're a contractor, and you want to write an estimate, you can pull into a driveway, take out your laptop, and check on parts availability and prices," says Dan Tigges, fullsize truck product manager for Chevy. "Anything you can do on the Internet can now be done on the road with this system." Also, multiple workers can link up to the unit from as far away as 150 feet. | <urn:uuid:58773cc4-2d85-46c6-9127-3ee8e7bb5e99> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1366&doc_id=235176&page_number=2&piddl_msgpage=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949764 | 608 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Wanted: The next generation of organic leaders
By Natalie Reitman-White, Organically Grown Company
Natalie Reitman-White is the director of sustainability at Organically Grown Company.
With the daily barrage of reports on how diet affects America’s healthcare crisis, reports on national food recalls and the loss of American family farms, more of us are paying attention to what we eat and where it comes from.
An emerging “food movement” of shoppers seeking organic, regional, artisan and authentic food choices is spawning new businesses and shifts in old models.
As the organic foods movement continues to grow, there are many new questions and challenges that have emerged. One of the most important topics to consider involves the next generation of organic leaders.
What does our community need to do to help educate and guide the younger generation of forward thinkers? It is imperative that we transfer historical knowledge to preserve a united vision of organic agriculture. The world we live in today has a very different landscape, but many of the ideals and principles remain the same.
Next month, Portland will host a national discussion on our sustainable food future. The table will be set for lively debate and exploration of pressing topics such as how to market beyond the choir, protecting the integrity of organic products, nurturing the next generation of leadership, the rise of eco-labels, financing innovation, sustainable business practices and engaging institutions in purchasing sustainable regional foods.
This discussion will draw participation from the food business, including retailers, distributors, processors, chefs and farmers, as well as those interested in the connection between food and other issues such as educators, policymakers, environmentalists and health advocates.
This conference — see details here — is a must for anyone with an interest in what is next for food and agriculture.
If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below. | <urn:uuid:f7e6c574-376d-4602-9895-8f8041f9c712> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/columns/2013/01/wanted-the-next-generation-of-organic.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932594 | 416 | 1.71875 | 2 |
In an about-face, Tracy Doonan took his conventional Illinois grain farm off of chemicals and fertilizers and now grows organic wheat for a local distillery.
Nearly a decade ago, Tracy Doonan of Reynolds, Ill., was faced with a tough decision. Without a successor to take over the family farm, Doonan resolved not to buy more land to compete and risk incurring more debt. Instead, he began converting his conventional grain farm into an organic one in the hopes of higher returns.
"We were already doing a rotation program with oats, hay and then cow pasture that would qualify for organic, and I liked the concept of organic," Doonan says.
He did some research and got in touch with Midwest Organic Services Association Inc. (MOSA), an organic certifying agency. It took about three years without using any chemicals to certify his ground as organic. Doonan started enrolling his fields the following year, and by 2010 had turned his entire crop operation organic.
Once he had certified crops to sell, he had to find a market.
"It’s not like conventional crops," he says. "You just can’t throw it in the truck and take it to the local elevator. It creates a different cash flow situation."
Doonan says currently his returns per acre are about the same as with conventional farming. He’s getting a higher price for the commodities and not paying for any other inputs.
The cash flow challenge came from having to find markets to sell to on his own, but he has found several. He started selling straw to Amish farmers in Iowa, and later organic hay. Doonan then learned of a new neutral grain spirits distillery about 25 miles from his farm that wanted to buy local crops. His grain is now being used in the distillery’s vodka and its upcoming bourbon. Doonan is able to sell everything he produces within 120 miles of where he lives.
Expert Help. MOSA representatives helped Doonan make the switch to organic, but he also got advice from another organic producer with whom he could share ideas. "First you have to know what’s involved," says Bonnie Wideman, MOSA executive director.
Both Doonan and Wideman say the transitional period can be difficult because the crop is being raised as organic but sold as conventional.
"Organic production takes more management time, and there is a learning curve to do things right," says Harriet Behar, organic specialist with Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service.
Behar says once practices are in place, an organic farmer can make $150 to $200 per acre whereas a conventional farmer would make $20. She attributes the higher payment to the time and products put in the field.
Doonan says his father dedicated his life to making the family farm more productive, and organic farming suits the legacy he left behind.
"It was slow building and slow management, but seeing how hard he worked, along with his two sons, to restore this land had quite an impact on me," Doonan says. "I think it had a lot to do with my decision to farm organically."
- February 2011 | <urn:uuid:4873f68b-9e45-4dfb-a19f-35219c97b65a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.agweb.com/farmjournal/article/a_chance_on_organic/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.98401 | 660 | 1.789063 | 2 |
3D TV: Will 2012 be the year to trash the glasses?
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After the rush to upgrade to HDTV, 3D was supposed to be the next big thing. Propelled by the enthusiasm for a few well-crafted media properties like the blockbuster movie Avatar, initial expectations were set very high. But cost, a lack of compelling content, potential health issues, and the need for annoying and expensive glasses have kept 3D TV from getting very far. Now, several firms are trying to break through by getting rid of those pesky glasses, offering glasses-free 3D experiences, while others are upping the ante by providing a premium experience with inexpensive polarized glasses or even new version of expensive, but now wireless, active glasses.
CES 2011 was billed as the year of 3D, but this year’s show also had dozens of offerings, many of which sound quite similar on paper. Here, ExtremeTech checks out the most exciting prospects for no-glasses 3D in 2012 and beyond.
StreamTV’s Ultra-D: Wide-viewing-angle 3D without glasses
Until now, the most common way to achieve 3D viewing without glasses has been with specially designed displays using what is called a “parallax barrier” — where any viewer to the left of the display’s center sees the image recorded by the left camera (and meant for the left eye) and any viewer to the right sees the right-side image (meant for the right eye). As you can imagine, this only works if the person viewing the screen sits exactly where the parallax barrier is set up to divide the image. As a result, it works well for personal display screens like the one on the Fujifilm and Panasonic 3D cameras, and the LG Thrill and HTC Evo 3D smartphones, which allow capturing and viewing 3D. But a parallax barrier doesn’t work well when you have more than one person in the audience, or if you want to move around at all while watching the media — since it only performs properly if the viewer is directly in front of the direction for which the barrier is tuned.
Several companies are using this year’s CES to launch new solutions for multi-viewer 3D without glasses. StreamTV, best known for the Elocity tablet, rolled out an impressive platform called Ultra-D, which allows not just autostereoscopic (without glasses) viewing of existing 3D content, but realtime conversion of conventional 2D images and video into its 3D format. On paper Ultra-D slices through the two major bottlenecks hampering 3D very nicely. By having displays that are autostereoscopic no glasses are required, and by allowing realtime conversion to 3D, suddenly a near infinite amount of content is available.
The Ultra-D system requires quite a bit of heavy lifting on the hardware and software side. Existing LCD, LED and OLED panels can be used, but an additional microlens layer is required for the displays, as well as new firmware and software. StreamTV is aggressively licensing its platform to makers of TVs, tablets, and smartphones, with the promise of 42-inch and 55-inch LED TVs available in retail by this summer. The Ultra-D TVs will be bundled with StreamTV’s SeeCube, which enables the realtime conversion of 2D to 3D and of traditional 3D content — designed for use with glasses — into autostereoscopic content for display on an Ultra-D device. Tablets and digital picture frames are also on tap, although details haven’t been disclosed.
StreamTV is fairly tight-lipped about how the system actually works, but from watching a variety of their prototypes and talking to some of their researchers, it turns out that instead of the traditional glasses-free solution of having two images — one for the left eye and one for the right — then showing one to each eye — Ultra-D creates 9 different images, each with a unique angle on the scene. The specially built display has an array of microlenses in front of the conventional LCD that project each image out in a series of overlapping cones. As a result each eye sees a combination of as many as 4 different images — all with a slightly different perspective — and is responsible for integrating the total into a coherent picture. Since your eyes are a few inches apart, at most viewing positions your left eye sees a different set of 4 images than your right eye (in essence your right eye is moved over by one, so if your left eye sees image 2, 3, 4, 5, for example, your right eye might see images 3, 4, 5, and 6). This clever approach means that as you move around the viewing area, the image you see actually changes.
The downside of this technique is an apparently less-sharp image, and a tendency for ghosting to occur. While StreamTV downplayed both issues, refusing to discuss resolution by saying there wasn’t a 3D standard for it, and blaming any ghosting on the prototype nature of the monitors, both issues are likely to dog them through its launch later this year, at least until it can show it has solved them adequately for the marketplace. In our testing, some source material, like the Superbowl filmed in 3D, was stunning, with the experience rivaling that of a 3D TV with glasses. Other material, like conventional 2D football coverage converted to 3D, was a little disorienting and the 3D effect detracted from the viewing experience. StreamTV provides two controls, found on the TV remote, to allow for tuning or turning off the effect. One changes the apparent depth of the action in the scene, and the other controls the apparent distance of the scene from the viewer. So you can have action “pop” right in your face, or have scenes with plenty of apparent depth, off in the distance.
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The University of Michigan is proud of a long history of involvement in Asian studies. Since the 1870s, scholars from the University have been engaged in research, education, service, and politics relating to South and Southeast Asia. The Center for South Asian Studies emerged in the fall of 1999 from the former Center for South and Southeast Asian Studies, which was established in 1961. Formally constituted five decades ago, the Center for South and Southeast Asian Studies soon became a national center for language training and area-related studies in a wide range of disciplines.
Over the past forty-eight years, the center has fulfilled an important role in the United States by educating outstanding South Asia experts. On average, there are 40 MA and PhD students in residence each year. The center's MA program is a Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies program.
Since 1993, the center has been administratively affiliated with the University's International Institute. The Institute is responsible for the coordination of research and training in international, comparative, and area studies with the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA), as well as between LSA and schools and colleges across the University. This affiliation increases significantly the center's ability to draw on new funding and programmatic resources for its own activities. | <urn:uuid:0a9e67a1-0193-42d4-9b31-87d42fb84e10> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ii.umich.edu/csas/aboutus/history_ci | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9637 | 257 | 1.539063 | 2 |
It's Friday again and time for another Phaidon Muse Music. This week we tracked down one of our favourite artists, George Condo, and asked him to put together a playlist of the music that's inspired his art over the years.
Painter and sculptor George applies the techniques of the old masters to the grinning, shrunken-headed characters that inhabit his canvasses. He takes inspiration from American caricature, old European portraits and Greek Mythology. In the early 90s he began referring to his subjects as 'pod people' after the antipodal beings in Aldous Huxley's Doors Of Perception. Their pyschological cubist forms are scary, surreal yet, in their own way, rather beautiful. Ralph Rugoff, curator of Mental States Condo's current UK show at the Hayward Gallery says he has an incredible sense of humour.
"He's always coming up with funny ideas. His brain is always percolating. A very creative thinker. The conceptual side of George is sometimes him playing with what the status of what a work of art is. Whether it's by making a fake of an old master or simulated antiquity like the fake gold heads in the Haywary show. It's like a delinquent version of classical Greece!"
We've put George's playlist on Spotify but before you listen to it take a read of what he says about how they inspire him in his work.
"Music is such a huge part of my life, without it I don’t know if I'd ever have painted anything. There are so many great pieces of music that have inspired me to paint that it’s quite difficult to narrow it down to just 10. My favourite thing is to put on a record in the studio and to still be painting without noticing the fact that the music has stopped playing for hours and is just running through my head. Here is a selection of masterpieces which in my opinion should inspire any artist to want to make art."
Miles Davis Round Midnight - Miles' rendition of Monk's classic ‘Round Midnight has one of the most breathtaking harmonic arrangements I've ever heard using only two instruments. Just before the break leading into Coltrane’s solo they capture the sound of a 40-piece big band. That shows you the kind of dynamics you can achieve with just two colours when they're the right ones.
Miles Davis Blue And Green - Bill Evans is one of my all time favourite pianists. His sublime impressionistic harmonies compliment Miles' trumpet so beautifully. Listen closely to the drums throughout the song, which sound like rain falling. That's the kind of effect I'm after when painting the backgrounds of many of my portraits.
Jimi Hendrix Hear My Train A Comin’ - Basically everything he ever did is worth hearing 10 times. I highly recommend the live performances with extended solo improvisations, such as Hear My Train, originally released on the Rainbow Bridge album. Throughout my entire career I've aspired to be as good a painter as he was a guitar player.
Kanye West POWER - This is without a doubt my favourite piece of music written in the last 10 years. It propelled me into a schizophrenic, abstract mode of thinking which fit nicely with the kind of paintings I was working on.
Alfred Deller I Saw My Lady Weep (John Dowland) - One of the most beautiful and melancholic songs ever written. I’ve listened to it so many times, I can’t even remember how many. And I’ve strived to paint that expression on every female face in each of my portraits.
Hopkinson Smith Piéces de Luth du Vieux Gaultier, Suite En D.LA. Re Mineur: Tombeau De Mezangeau - Hopkinson Smith's recording of this French 18th century lute music provides endless sources of light and shadow. There is a kind of fragmented ornamentation which unfolds that inspires me and I’ve listened to it over and over again while I paint.
Pablo Casals Johann Sebastian Bach Cello Suite No. 2 in D Minor: Sarabande - Whenever I hear this piece I think of Rembrandt's Philosopher in Meditation that hangs in the Louvre, a portrait of a man with his head glowing in sunlight under a spiral staircase leading to infinity. The profound sadness that is evoked in the chordal harmony has always been an inspiration.
Budapest String Quartet Claude Debussy String Quartet in D Minor, Opus 10: 3rd Movement - A particularly beautiful dialogue happens between all four of the instruments. I have painted many paintings involving multiple characters and think of those conversations between the instruments in the same way that I think of the potential conversations between the characters in my paintings.
John Lennon Isolation - I work alone on my paintings without assistants and this song captures the inner dialogue often running through my mind as I'm flipping in and out of emotional turmoil.
David Bowie Space Oddity - I have always related to Major Tom, floating in his tin can. Especially when it’s full of turpentine and varnish!
Listen to George Condo's Muse Music on Spotify.
You can also listen to these creatives' Phaidon playlists:
Michele Howarth Rashman
Edmund de Waal
Sign up to the Phaidon newsletter to get future updates.
Sign up to receive Phaidon stories via email | <urn:uuid:864c00b2-8d9a-4813-9de9-8889b34ae238> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ca.phaidon.com/agenda/art/articles/2011/december/08/george-condos-muse-music/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947825 | 1,123 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Making sense of lithium and other mood stabilisers
Did you know - you can read and print this booklet for free?
This booklet is aimed at people who are taking mood stabilizing drugs, and anyone interested in learning more about them. It explains what the drugs are, their drawbacks and benefits, and how they can best be used safely and effectively for the treatment of bipolar disorder (Manic depression), recurrent depression, and similar mood disorders. It also looks at ways to withdraw from them successfully.
- Dr Katherine Darton | <urn:uuid:882d5607-fad9-4b66-a753-91a368a812ba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mind.org.uk/shop/booklets/382 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932392 | 106 | 1.8125 | 2 |
If spring has sprung, the University of Illinois Springfield has also opened its telescope apertures on the heavens for those in Springfield with a hankering to look closer at the stars and planets. The popular Friday Night Star Parties begins the last week in March and runs every Friday through April during clement weather. Host John Martin, assistant professor of astronomy/physics, says that during this season Jupiter and Venus are bright in the west around sunset and Mars and Saturn rise later in the evening in the east. The entrance to the rooftop observatory is at the southeast corner of UIS Brookens Library. Guests receive a presentation as they ascend the four flights of stairs, followed by viewing of various celestial objects, when they may also ask questions. Visitors are welcome to arrive and leave any time between 8 and 10 p.m. Cloudy weather may cancel a Star Party. Questions as to if the weather is suitable for star gazing should be made at 7 p.m. the evening of the party. For those unable to climb stairs or a short five-foot ladder up to the main telescope dome, Sunday Night Star Parties are held for people with disabilities. More info is at uis.edu/astronomy/about/starparties.
Friday Night Star Parties
Friday, Mar. 23, 30, Apr. 6, 13, 20, 27, 8-10pm | <urn:uuid:cf2315c2-12c6-45be-ac04-f4e0fe8f5a82> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://illinoistimes.com/Springfield/article-9804-star-power.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956383 | 279 | 1.679688 | 2 |
In his annual report on the state of the federal judiciary, Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. today said the third branch of government is doing more than its share to reduce expenditures at a time of fiscal crisis. He also called on both the executive and legislative branches to "act diligently in nominating and confirming highly qualified candidates" to fill long-lingering judicial vacancies in the lower courts.
As he boasted about the judiciary's thriftiness, Roberts took note of the fiscal cliff negotiations consuming the nation's capital, and the "longer term problem of a truly extravagant and burgeoning national debt. No one seriously doubts that the country's fiscal ledger has gone awry." Roberts hastened to add that "the public properly looks to its elected officials to craft a solution. We in the judiciary stand outside the political arena, but we can continue to do our part to address the financial challenges within our sphere."
The Supreme Court itself continues to trim its budget, requesting ever-lower levels of appropriation. For fiscal year 2014, Roberts said, the court will submit a $74.89 million budget request -- a 3.7 percent decrease from the fiscal 2011 level, with cuts coming "primarily in the areas of financial and human resources management."
Overall in 2012, Roberts said the entire judiciary received a total of $6.97 billion in appropriations, which works out to two-tenths of a percent of the total federal budget of $3.7 trillion. "Yes, for each citizen's tax dollar, only two-tenths of one penny go toward funding the entire third branch of government!" Roberts exclaimed, "Those fractions of a penny are what Americans pay for a judiciary that is second to none."
Roberts paid tribute to the "loyal and selfless service" of judges and other employees of the judicial branch. He singled out U.S. District Judge Mark Kravitz of the District of Connecticut, who died September 30 of Lou Gehrig's disease. "We in the judiciary remember Mark not only as a superlative trial judge, but as an extraordinary teacher, scholar, husband, father and friend." Kravitz chaired a key Judicial Conference committee on federal rules of procedure, and carried a full caseload until the final days of his life. Said Roberts, "We shall miss Mark, but his inspiring example remains with us as a model of patriotism and public service."
As he often does, Roberts began his annual report with a historical reference, this time recalling the role of the frigate the USS Constitution in the War of 1812, 200 years ago. "Through two centuries, she has remained a symbol of American courage, skill and tenacity," wrote Roberts. | <urn:uuid:b5722f9c-e0f6-48d3-9733-1fccbebcfbf4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.law.com/jsp/nj/PubArticleNJ.jsp?id=1202582967821 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965404 | 546 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Video Diaries: A Method for Understanding New Usage Patterns
Published: January 23, 2012
In my new column, UX Strategy, I’ll explore the growing field of user experience strategy, which combines business strategy with user experience design to build a rationale and a road map for guiding an organization’s UX efforts. This column will address methods and practices that UX Strategists can use to collect data, formulate personas and interaction models, document UX strategies, and create UX road maps.
These are exciting times. The business of user experience is evolving rapidly. In a very short period of time, the complexity of user-interface considerations has multiplied. New product and service introductions occur so fast that trying to keep up with last month’s announcements is like drinking out of a fire hose. Consumers have so many options at their fingertips that the vast majority of them have barely begun to exploit the resources that are only a tap or a download away.
UX teams are feeling the pressure from all sides to integrate and innovate as they design user interfaces that must span multiple channels such as the Web—on multiple browsers—smartphones, tablets, game consoles, and kiosks. Airport kiosks, iPods, ATMs, and video game consoles have convinced consumers that every digital experience should be simple, self-contained, and let them achieve their desired goals with just a few taps or clicks. Layer onto all of this the need for integration with social networks and the ability to factor in location, and the number of moving parts increases dramatically. It’s like going from playing chess on a two-dimensional board to playing in three dimensions.
In response to all of the complexity that change has thrust upon us over the last few years, the clients and UX teams for whom I consult are often tempted to zoom out to get a bird’s eye view of the overall landscape. A common solution is to introduce a uniform set of standards and patterns that work across all platforms. This is an understandable attempt to reduce complexity and keep up with the demand for UX design work. It also fits in well with the dominant agile ethos.
But there is a problem. Satisfying this demand is not simply a question of thinking about and producing solutions for more of the same types of UX issues. We need to think about these for sure, but we also face an entirely new set of UX issues. We don’t simply need to design more user interfaces. The existence of similar user experiences on various devices and in different channels influences the patterns that designers employ when designing a particular user interface. We need to design user interfaces that take into account the existence of similar interactions and information on other devices, with the goal of meeting related, but different needs. The theory of relativity is making its way into UX strategy!
As consumers become comfortable with emerging technologies, they are trying new combinations of interactions that help them to optimize the usefulness of these technologies. For example, a woman shopping in a store might scan a dress tag using her iPhone’s camera, view the dress on a virtual model of herself, and post the image to her social network for advice. While waiting for a response, she could save the dress to a shopping list she’s creating on the retailer’s Web site, then check other sources for a similar dress while browsing on her iPad. Later, while watching TV, she could pull up the dress she found earlier. She might find a similar dress elsewhere at a lower price.
Then, she might even tap an Accessories link to see images of coordinated accessories superimposed on the dress her virtual model is wearing. She could then look for various sources of the products making up the whole outfit, balancing price with the reputations of retailers. This isn’t really a far-out scenario; nor is it just more of the same old ecommerce user experience. It’s both more and different.
The most common user research methods—usability testing, A/B testing, and online surveys—are not adequate for fleshing out usage scenarios in the coming multichannel world. In-depth interviews that take place within a user’s context—known as in-context interviews or contextual inquiry—are not sufficient either. They offer a deep, but narrow slice of reality, are too brief, and occur in only one setting. It takes a holistic immersion in the consumers’ world, with all of its devices and complexity of options, by people who understand design, user research, and consumer decision making. This is not research to enable the incremental change of existing user interfaces. It’s about designing an overall user experience that spans multiple, complementary, yet different user interfaces.
One research method I’ve used extensively in the past couple of years to gain a deep, inside look at consumers’ rapidly evolving interactive behaviors is the video diary. Instead of my team of user researchers’ querying consumers about their usage patterns, we empower consumers to produce their own stories, over a period of time, as they use various resources and devices to complete real-life tasks. Using readily accessible digital tools, participants self-document their behavior in the context of activities we are studying.
The Video Diary Protocol
The video diary protocol is different from most user research protocols, because participants lead themselves through it rather than a researcher’s guiding them. To be successful, the protocol—or guide as it’s sometimes called—must be simple to understand, yet very thorough, giving clear instructions for every step. It’s also necessary to formulate the guide to get people to talk about issues that can help you solve the design problems that your client commissioned a research program to address.
We structure our video diary protocols similarly to a printed diary. It’s divided into days, with a large heading at the top of each page for DAY 1, DAY 2, and so on. Below each heading are the questions corresponding to that day. Although, in reality, participants usually complete the diary when it’s most convenient for them to do so, without much regard to the actual days in the diary. Nevertheless, the diary structure helps participants pace themselves and also gives them a clear expectation of how much content they need to produce over the course of the project. Each day in the diary covers two or three related topics and requires between 10 and 20 minutes to fill in.
We begin the diary with easy identification questions—such as asking participants to tell us about themselves and show us their phones or their homes or their clothes closet. Throughout the study, we progress through the days by bringing participants into deeper and deeper reflection on their own behaviors. We continually ask participants to both show us and explain rather than just explain. A talking head can be a very convincing way for design teams and executives to come face to face with the people they are trying to reach—particularly as they discuss real-life activities and their associated barriers and opportunities. However, an hour of just a talking head is more than monotonous; it is a story without context. We want to see how people behave in situations that are as real as we can make them.
Once we have written a protocol that we think will get people to talk about the subject matter we are studying—such as shopping behaviors across multiple devices—we pilot test it with a few people who will not take part in the actual study. We do this for several reasons. First, we want to see how long it will take participants to go through each day’s activities. Second, we want to find any parts of the text that don’t make sense to them. Because we’re so close to the topics and the research goals, our initial drafts tend to be stilted or convoluted in places. Finally, we want to see whether the questions we’re asking really encourage people to give us the types of answers we are looking for—or instead just lead to lots of blah blah blah without any real substance.
Writing a good video diary protocol is tricky. It’s very important to build in flexibility, while at the same time ensuring that participants encounter key questions at a pace that encourages them to be as thorough as possible.
After printing out the video diary guides in full color, we give them to participants as part of a packet of materials. The packet also includes a video camera, a charger, instructions on how to use the camera, a self-addressed box with sufficient postage to return everything to us, and lots of bubble wrap and packing tape.
Selecting Video Technology
Video continues to improve in quality, while the cost and size of video recording equipment decreases. This is a great boon to user researchers. I started out my research career with a three-chip camera, a professional tripod, multiple microphones, and video editing equipment. Now you can do all of this with a simple pocket camcorder or Webcam and free or inexpensive video editing software. The tripod I use now weighs a pound or two and folds up into a compact bundle the size of a large pencil case.
The type of camera you decide to use for consumer video diaries has multiple consequences at different stages of a project. It’s simplest to have people use Webcams that are built into their computer—unless, of course, they don’t own a computer with a Webcam. Selecting participants on the basis of the technology they own and know how to use might skew your sample in a direction that could help or harm your study, depending on whether the resulting sample reflects your target audience. If you’re designing tools for the general public, technologically savvy study participants could give you results that are not representative of the people you are trying to reach.
In my earlier video diary studies, I tended to use Webcams exclusively. In more recent studies, I have been using Kodak Playsport cameras in VGA mode, because the resolution of the resulting videos is high enough to clearly see what’s going on, while at the same time being viewable on my iPad, which I tend to have with me everywhere. Pocket video cameras with SD cards are very easy to set up for participants, are easy for them to handle in a variety of situations, and participants can mail them back to you using readily available packing materials. I give participants a charger with the camera, just in case the batteries go dead when they’re in the middle of making their masterpiece.
I've read about studies in which a research team distributed smartphones with cameras to participants. They used the phone to probe, calling or texting participants at particular times and asking them to take pictures or shoot video of the context they were in at that moment. This is an interesting approach, but doesn't really fit the multichannel shopping studies my team and I typically conduct.
Analyzing Video Data
Analyzing video data is a time-intensive process, no matter how you do it. We usually watch the videos completely through once, identifying clips that give us the greatest insights into the design problem we are studying. We write down the time code for each clip and a quick summary of the reason why we thought the clip was meaningful. Then, we go through video notes or transcripts and tag individual statements and paragraphs with descriptive words. This process is called coding the videos. There are sophisticated software programs for this process, but I don’t use them because I want the team to focus intensely on what they’re seeing and hearing and process it internally rather than focusing on getting the software to do their bidding.
We typically use an open coding scheme for the first pass or the first set of videos that we code, so we don’t restrict what tags or codes the team can use during the initial coding process. But once two or three different researchers have coded several videos, and we have a widely applicable set of tags to work with, we analyze the tags and eliminate duplicate and similar terms, so only one tag represents each unique concept.
We then create a table comprising all of our notes for each segment of a video, with participant numbers in the leftmost column, followed by a sentence or paragraph that we’ve transcribed from the videos, then the tag describing that video segment. We do this for all of the video notes or transcripts. We then sort the table by the tags, bringing together sections of the videos dealing with the same topic in the table, regardless of whose video we took them from. As we read through these similar comments, concepts and themes begin to emerge that directly address the research questions that led us to conduct the study. We refine these themes and concepts, then look for the video clips that illustrate them most succinctly. The themes translate directly into our findings.
While creating the findings, we identify direct, verbatim quotations that we’ll later call out in the study deliverable. We also create video clips that highlight, support, and clarify our findings. Video is still a medium that people pay close attention to—albeit for a very brief time—as they evaluate whether you’ve got the goods. I have often been in meetings where everybody was staring at their own screens—on some kind of device—during our verbal presentation, but put down their devices for the first five minutes of customer videos, paying rapt attention to them. Don’t lose the moment by showing lots of mildly interesting clips that make stakeholders wonder when they will end. Instead, make sure the clips punch hard and get to the point you want to make quickly.
We do much of our video editing in Final Cut Pro, but QuickTime Pro is a very handy tool for creating highlight clips. You can trim a large clip down to a single meaningful segment, then save the segment as a new video file in a matter of seconds. Final Cut Pro requires rendering and exporting, which you must do in real time, which is very time consuming.
Once we have a set of compelling findings, we ask the question every client will inevitably ask when we present our results: So what? This is where experienced user researchers who have a design background can provide perspectives that others cannot. Research findings, by themselves, are interesting, but relatively worthless in the context of a UX strategy and design research program. What matters is what you recommend as a result of the findings.
Writing meaningful recommendations from video diaries requires you to dig deep into the data, but also to have a general understanding of current trends and UX design patterns. Written recommendations may be enough, particularly if that is the expectation of your project sponsor. However, you may need to supplement your written recommendations with concept wireframes illustrating your recommendations. As a UX Strategy consulting agency, one of our key deliverables is a UX road map for a program that extends one to three years into the future.
The participant sample for video diaries is relatively small in comparison to a product’s target audience. It is impossible to take data from a small sample of people, then infer any percentages that are representative of the larger population. Therefore, it is important to follow up your video diary study by proposing an approach to quantifying your findings. For example, if you have recommended a strategy that is based on a specific set of interactions across devices, you might propose an analytics measurement schema that tracks the current traffic for functionality that supports that type of interaction pattern.
Video diaries give both UX teams and executives an up-close and personal view of the people and activities they are designing systems to support. It is a particularly useful method for gaining an in-depth understanding of the rapidly evolving ways that consumers use multiple, related technologies to achieve their goals. Multichannel UX strategy is a moving target that will continue to accelerate, but video diaries provide a rich set of data that we can use to guide complex design programs. | <urn:uuid:e345a2fc-be46-4a16-9db9-797b4174dc42> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2012/01/video-diaries-a-method-for-understanding-new-usage-patterns.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945033 | 3,225 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Slice of the City: To the heart of American independence in Boston
Chris Coplans sets off with a canine companion to explore one of the oldest cities in the US
I've always aspired to have a girl in every port. In Boston my sweetheart is Catie Copley, a girl with a thing for licking people. But hold on … Catie is a dog and a dog with a job – she's the Canine Ambassador of the historic Fairmont Copley Plaza, which recently celebrated its centenary.
Catie is an 11-year-old Rubenesque black labrador who was trained as a guide dog but now lives at the hotel. She has become something of a Boston celebrity, with two books under her collar. When not greeting guests in the Fairmont's opulent lobby, she accompanies them for walks.
So what better way to see the city that promotes itself as "America's Walking City" than with Catie? Boston is awash with historic sites, most of which are located in a relatively compact area of often-cobbled streets – lined with gorgeous colonial-era architecture – that are a delight to walk.
We set off from the Fairmont, located in the Back Bay neighbourhood and designed by Henry Hardenberg, who masterminded some of New York's most iconic hotels, including the Plaza and the Waldorf Astoria. It sits on the corner of Copley Square, an architectural treat whose centrepiece is the majestic Trinity Church, a flamboyant French-Romanesque masterpiece built in 1877. Opposite is the renaissance-style Boston Library and towering above Trinity Church is the shimmering 1,127ft-tall John Hancock Tower.
We walked one block and turned right on to Newbury Street, lined with exclusive stores and fashionable restaurants such as Joe's American Bar & Grill at No 181. We turned left and then right on to Commonwealth Avenue, a majestic boulevard, shaded by elm trees and which Winston Churchill described as one of the world's finest streets.
We sauntered through the charming Boston Public Garden, passing the imposing bronze statue of George Washington, then crossed Charles Street on to the magnificent 50-acre Boston Common. Established in 1634, and America's oldest public park, the common is drenched in colonial and revolutionary history. It is the starting point of the Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile walking tour through some of Boston's oldest neighbourhoods. Marked by double rows of red sidewalk bricks or a painted red line, it includes 16 historic sites linked to the American Revolution. At the Visitor Center at 168 Tremont Street, on the edge of the Common, you can pick up a Freedom Trail brochure or audio tour for a self-guided tour.
We followed the red-brick road across the Common to the New State House – which was, in fact, completed in 1798. From here, we took a quick detour to see Boston's most picturesque and affluent neighbourhood, Beacon Hill, which borders the common. Walking down Mount Vernon Street, we passed elegant 19th-century townhouses, antiquated gaslights, and courtyards, taking a peek down tiny, cobbled Acorn Street and Louisburg Square.
Doubling back on Mount Vernon, we turned down Walnut Street to rejoin Beacon Street, and pick up the Freedom Trail again on Park Street. We passed the exquisite 1809 Park Street Church – the site of the old town granary – and continued to bustling School Street and the Parker House Hotel.
It was here that the deliciously decadent Boston cream pie – a cake filled with custard or cream and topped with chocolate icing – and the Parker House roll, a rich buttery puffy bread roll, were invented. The hotel is steeped in history: Charles Dickens stayed there while rehearsing A Christmas Carol; Ho Chi Minh, who trained under Escoffier in Paris, was a pastry chef here, before he returned to wrestle Vietnam from the French and Americans; and Malcolm X, cut from a very different type of revolutionary cloth, did a stint as a busboy. In the restaurant, I sampled the cream pie – OK, the Parker House roll as well – at the same table (No 40) where JFK proposed to Jackie.
We continued on the Freedom Trail to Court Street, where we are dwarfed by gleaming skyscrapers, and arrive at the Old State House. The elegant brick building was built in 1713 and it was from the small balcony that the Declaration of Independence was first read to Bostonians in 1776.
Directly in front of the building, encircled by cobblestones, is the spot where the Boston massacre took place in 1770. British troops opened fire on an angry mob of protesters, killing five people. At this point, we left the Freedom Trail and ambled down State Street, ending up on the bustling waterfront at the mouth of the Charles River. Here, in 1773, is where the infamous Boston Tea Party took place, when a group of tax-avoiding colonists, disguised as Mohawk Indians, committed treason by dumping 342 chests of tea into the harbour.
We returned to the Fairmont on Boston's excellent subway, known locally as the "T". As I made my way to the elevator, I glanced back at Catie, now relaxing in her basket in the opulent lobby and being pampered by passing guests. It's a dog's life at the Copley Plaza.
The Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum (001 617 338 1773; bostonteapartyship.com) reopened last summer, having doubled in size. The space offers exhibits, video presentations and living history programmes, all of which tell the story of the Boston Tea Party.
Two additional tall ships, the Dartmouth and the Eleanor, have been added to the Beaver. These replicas represent the full complement of ships that took part in the original Boston Tea Party.
Getting and staying there
Chris Coplans travelled with Virgin Holidays (0844 557 3859; virginholidays.co.uk), which offers three nights' room only at the Fairmont Copley Plaza (001 617 267 5300; fairmont.com/copleyplaza) from £739, with Virgin Atlantic flights from Heathrow.
Other airlines serving Boston from Heathrow include British Airways, Delta and American Airlines.
Joe's American Bar & Grill (001 617 536 4200; joesamerican.com).
Parker House Hotel (001 617 227 8600; omnihotels.com).
Freedom Trail (thefreedomtrail.org). There are up to 12 guided tours every day, starting at $13 (£8) per person. You can also download an audio tour from the website ($15/£9.40) and there are a number of free apps.
A walk with Catie the labrador can be booked free of charge for Fairmont guests only. Email [email protected]
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Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page. | <urn:uuid:5905d4b4-ba28-4bc7-a218-0c2c209ee849> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/americas/slice-of-the-city-to-the-heart-of-american-independence-in-boston-8478285.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935931 | 1,630 | 1.578125 | 2 |
The Fargo School District could save $8,000 this year in a deal to fuel its cars, vans and other vehicles at the city of Fargo's central garage.
In the agreement, expected to begin Sunday or soon thereafter, about 45 School District vehicles will fuel up at the garage at 402 23rd St. N., said Jim Frueh, director of maintenance and operations for the School District.
Frueh said even with a small surcharge on the fuel, the district will save cash over what it pays for fuel at two service stations.
"It's taxpayers' money and we're trying to do the best we can with it," he said.
Frueh said there are other advantages, too. The fuel service is available 24 hours a day, important when plowing school parking lots after snowfalls, and the city has software that records mileage on vehicles, useful for tracking a vehicle's gas mileage and keeping it on a maintenance schedule.
Frueh said it will also be difficult for an employee to commit fraud by improperly charging gas, though "that hasn't been a problem."
Harold Pederson, fleet services manager for Fargo, said fuel charges will vary, depending on what the city pays. He said, the district will initially pay $1.80.5 for unleaded gasoline, $2.15.4 for regular diesel and $1.95.8 for off-road diesel (used for equipment such as payloaders and graders).
Pederson said Fargo has 400 licensed vehicles (not including heavy equipment), so the School District's vehicles will have little effect on operations.
Pederson and Frueh said the agreement could extend to vehicle maintenance if both sides agreed to it.
The School District's buses are not included in the agreement because bus service is contracted with a local firm, Frueh said.
The City Commission approved the agreement unanimously Monday as part of its consent agenda. | <urn:uuid:86561ada-63ce-416c-90f6-fc04eeeb416b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.morrissuntribune.com/content/fargo-school-district-could-save-8000-year-deal-fuel-its-cars-vans-and-other-vehicles-city | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967954 | 395 | 1.5 | 2 |
This week's instalment of From Our Friends is all about lists. Go by the numbers to find out how you can fall in love with working out, avoid feeding bad things to your kids, get healthy on a strict time schedule, and what you can buy if you had a month's worth of war funding. Enjoy our weekly roundup, folks, and have a wonderful weekend!
1. Not wild about working out? Maybe you just haven’t found the right activities for you. Here’s a list on how to start falling in love with physical activity from Experience Life.
2. MightyNest has a really informative list for parents of five foods you should stop feeding your children, now!
3. Whatever your opinion on war is, you will likely be as fascinated as we were reading this list from EcoSalon of eleven things we could buy with one month of war funding.
4. If you live in California, you may have started to hear about a campaign underway that would give Californians the right to know if they’re eating genetically modified foods. Read all about the Label GMO Campaign over at The Organic Whey blog (if you haven't already read about it here!).
5. Do you have trouble finding time to stay healthy? Check out Blisstree's five essential healthy habits when you have time for nothing else!
image: Top Ten Of Interest
You can follow Spencer on Twitter @SpencerKent | <urn:uuid:3b96b3d5-00aa-4522-a32c-ec319e604910> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.organicauthority.com/from-our-friends/from-our-friends-march-2-2011.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950906 | 298 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Would you like to go into your next job interview feeling confident and relaxed? The secret is to prepare well.
There are lots of tips and techniques that work. They enable you to talk with ease and authority on a subject in which you are the expert…….yourself!
So often I hear people say that they do not know what they are going to be asked in a job interview so they have no idea of how they might prepare. If we stop and think about it, we do have a basic idea what the interview panel are going to ask us about – ourselves and the job! So that means they will want to discuss our experience, skills, knowledge, achievements and qualifications.
It also gives us an indication of how we might approach aspects of the job they are wanting to fill. So suddenly, we can contain and focus our preparation to those areas.
If people on selection panels can develop questions to ask about those things, why can’t we? We have knowledge about our skills, abilities and achievements. WE have an understanding of the job we are applying for. So we can develop questions that relate to the requirements or key attributes of the role and practice how we might answer them.
This practice in answering questions that we might be asked on a job interview is the first step to solid preparation!
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For the Night of 5 January 2011
North Korea-South Korea: North Korea published a peace offer of sorts today in a joint statement by the party, government and armed forces. The main points of the text follow.
"In the joint statement, they ( the organs of the North Korean state, military and Party) set forth the following important proposal to the south Korean authorities, political parties and organizations, prompted by their patriotic decision to usher in a new era of independent reunification, peace and prosperity, reflecting the unanimous will of all Koreans for peace and reunification:
1. We courteously (emphasis added) propose having wide-ranging dialogue and negotiations with the political parties and organizations of south Korea including its authorities.
It is the review of the past three years that the issue of inter-Korean relations can never be solved by confrontation but it only sparks off an armed clash and war. In order to mend the north-south relations now at the lowest ebb we will conduct positive dialogue and negotiations with the political parties and organizations of south Korea including its authorities, be they authorities or civilians, ruling parties or opposition parties, progressives or conservatives.
We call for an unconditional and early opening of talks between the authorities having real power and responsibility, in particular.
2. We are ready to meet anyone anytime and anywhere, letting bygones be bygones, if he or she is willing to go hands in hands with us.
For the great cause of the nation present is more important than yesterday and tomorrow is dearer than present. The danger of war will be defused and the day of peace, reunification and prosperity be brought earlier when all Koreans assert in concert and pool their wisdom and efforts.
3. We will discuss and solve all the issues related to the important matters of the nation including detente, peace, reconciliation, unity and cooperation at dialogue, negotiations and contacts. The north and the south are called upon to sincerely approach the discussion on the issues related to the important issues of the nation irrespective of partisan interests and strategy and isms and make positive efforts to seek agreed points to the maximum.
4. As an immediate offer, we propose discontinuing to heap slanders and calumnies on each other and refraining from any act of provoking each other in order to create an atmosphere of improving the inter-Korean relations.
Dialogue and negotiations cannot be properly conducted nor can they make smooth progress even if the north and south sit at the negotiating table when mud-slinging and provocative acts against each other are allowed.
We call on the north and the south to refrain from now from the smear campaign and provocative act of deepening misunderstanding and distrust and inciting confrontation and hostility. Consistent is our stand to improve the inter-Korean relations, promote national reconciliation and unity and open a landmark phase of peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and negotiations.
The government, political parties and organizations of the DPRK express expectation that the authorities, political parties and organizations of south Korea will positively respond to their sincere proposal and appeal for weathering the crisis on the peninsula and between the north and the south.
They also call on all the Koreans at home and abroad, all governments, political parties and organizations in the world, international organizations and progressive people that love justice, truth and peace to extend warm support and solidarity to them."
Comment: The joint statement is an extraordinary document in that it waives every political obstacle to talks with the South. Something has changed in the North. The document shows the thinking and perhaps translation skill of Vice Premier Kang Sok-ju and his team at the Foreign Ministry. It bears his style.
On the other hand, it does not mention nuclear weapons, missiles or alliances. It is an appeal to ethnic identity.
It appears to be a device for stealing the reunification narrative from South Korean President Lee. Backlit by recent events, the joint statement implies the North wants or needs a source of leverage against expanded Chinese influence and has reached out again to South Korea.
In reaching out, the North all but appeals for help. "Courteously"? "No more calumnies"? "Let bygones be bygones"? The North seems desperate for South Korean help, probably because progress to prosperity in 2012 is behind schedule. Even so, such a document is no warrant against additional provocations, although it contains an admission that provocations are pointless and a commitment to stop them.
The South would be well advised to call the North's bluff by responding favorably.
One scenario is that the South's response to the recent North Korean provocations exceeded the North's expectations. Security incidents, such as the ship sinking and the shelling -- intended to strengthen the leadership pretensions of the heir-apparent and to impress the Army leaders and the North Korean public -- appear to have gotten out of hand. They made the threat of war more palpable than a propaganda gimmick and a reality that the North cannot win.
It is not time to stand down, but is time to be magnanimous from a position of superior strength, emphasis on strength. The North just blinked again.
Pakistan: Update. On 5 January, Pakistani media reported more details about the assassination of Governor Taseer.
The assassin said everyone in the governor's protective detail knew of his intentions. The weird thing is no background investigation would find adverse information about a devout Muslim, not in Pakistan.
The guard who assassinated Punjab Governor Salman Taseer on 4 January told other police officers of his planned attack but was still assigned to Taseer's security detail, the Wall Street Journal reported 5 January. The assassin, Qadri, previously was removed from a counterterrorism police branch because of concerns about his Islamist leanings. He personally had requested to guard Taseer, according to a senior police official.
A dozen people have been detained, including six policemen who were on guard duty and are suspected of aiding the assassination. Investigators are looking into Qadri's ties to radical Islamist group Dawat-e-Islami.
Pakistani religious scholars warned on 5 January that anyone who grieves the assassination of the Punjab Province Governor could face the same fate, Reuters reported.
More than 500 scholars of the Jamaat-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat from the Barelvi sect of Sunnis praised the assassin's "courage" and religious zeal, saying his deed made Muslims worldwide proud. They warned against expressions of grief or sympathy for Taseer's death. The Jamaat-e-Islami party also called Taseer's assassination justified, saying there would have been no need for someone to kill him if the government had removed him from his post.
Comment: The extent of the security breakdown is astonishing, curious and ominous. Qadri's intention to commit murder was apparently barracks gossip. The curious part is that none of his fellow officers alerted security.
No police supervisors apparently voiced concern about the conditions for Qadri's reassignment. They had to know about his intentions, or they are incompetent. Every other cop in the team knew. Either way, the whole group needs to be dismissed and charged with aiding and abetting murder.
The ominous part is that no background investigation or other safeguards can be effective when all the people in a node of a security system support murderous behavior.
Now apply the above analysis to the guards and technicians who control nuclear weapons in Pakistan. How can Pakistan Army Generals trust any results of the personnel security system, if the personnel vetting system fails to filter extremists? For that matter, can the civilian government trust the generals?
Old hands counted and tracked the colonels and generals with beards because they were the men openly sympathetic to fundamentalist Islam, unless they were Sikhs.
The Pakistani security system might catch an Indian spy, but it will not even search for an Islamist extremist who might try to steal fissile material so as to use it against blasphemers, heretics or infidels. The greatest threat to internal stability is from true believers already inside the Pakistani security forces, not from the Pakistani Taliban.
Finally, the statements of approval of murder and the encomiums for the assassin arise from an alien culture and spotlight the distance between western and Islamic ideas of life and its worth. The Muslim scholars never read John Donne's "Meditation #XVII". Or, having read it, rejected it.
Afghanistan: "I think the influence of the Taliban is diminishing, definitely,"German Major General Hans-Werner Fritz, Commander, Regional Command North, told Pentagon reporters.
"They are leaving the area. If they don't leave, they were killed. They were handing themselves over to us by the reintegration program. So they are simply giving up," he argued. Only low and medium level Talibans are present in his region, he said.
"These people are really are giving up; they're coming with their soldiers, or with members of their troops. It might be 10. It might be 15 or more, sometimes. And they are obviously giving up," Fritz said.
"My impression is that also these people, they are war tired on the one hand, and on the other hand, they really get a feeling that they're on loser street," the German Commander said, but could not give any figures to the surrendered Taliban.
Comment: The Germans, who command the northern regional command with 11,000 German, Swedish, Norwegian, Hungarian and Turkish soldiers, have had their hands full in Konduz and the other provinces of the north. They have been trying since 2007 to rid the north of the Taliban fighters and sympathizers with little success until recently.
With a lot of help from US Special Forces, the German-led command appears to have made some headway at last. Unclassified sources indicate that in November 2010, more Taliban fighters surrendered to the government than in any prior month of the insurgency. Almost all of the surrenders were in northern provinces as follows:
Province Surrenders in November 2011
Takhar ` 11
(Note: data gathering for December 2011 is in progress.)
Today's report by the Pahjwok News Service states that surrenders in Konduz Province also are increasing. German Major General Fritz said 64 fighters recently surrendered in Imam Sahib District, one of seven districts in Konduz Province. Konduz Province contains a hardcore Pashtun population in Chahar Darra District that has been the base of northern expansion and nearly impossible to suppress. There are no surrenders from Chahar Darra.
Past Afghan governments -- always led by Pashtuns -- resettled tens of thousands of Pashtuns from southern Afghanistan to various districts in the north among the Uzbeks and Tajiks. They implemented transmigration in order to have a loyal base in the event the government had to deploy forces against the northern tribes.
The Pashtun enclaves in the north that served as secure bases when Pashtun kings and sultans ruled in Kabul have become safe havens and support bases for the Taliban in the past four years. The Germans have struggled to control them to little avail, until recently.
War weariness appears to be a major factor in the sudden increase in surrenders. The November offensive appears to have backfired in these provinces. Fighters attacked with limited support and concluded it is not worth the effort. The remote provinces of the north, such as Takhar, are difficult for the Taliban and other anti-government organizations to support because they are far from any main roads.
There is no way to assess the permanence of the surrenders, but more than 361 anti-government fighters surrendered in November which is an all time monthly high. Most were in areas the Taliban were attempting to develop as expansion areas, but failed. That is good news.
Iraq: Update. Muqtada al-Sadr has returned permanently to his al Hanana neighborhood home in Najaf, Iraq, Agence France-Presse reported 5 January. Al-Sadr was accompanied by senior aides Mustafa al Yaqubi, Muhammad al Saeidi and Haidar al Jabri.
Comment: Now all the players are assembled for the next act in the Iraqi political drama. Sadr's return is not good news for US interests. Does anyone know whether he achieved the status of an ayatollah, after two years of study in Qom?
End of NightWatch for 5 January .
NightWatch is brought to you by Kforce Government Solutions, Inc. (KGS), a leader in government problem-solving, Data Confidence® and intelligence. Views and opinions expressed in NightWatch are solely those of the author, and do not necessarily represent those of KGS, its management, or affiliates.
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Private alternatives (otherwise known as commercial) loans are offered by many private banks or lenders and are borrowed for education expenses not covered by other sources of financial aid. Students are strongly encouraged to utilize all of their federal student loan eligibility before seeking an alternative student loan.
- Annual alternative loan amounts are limited to a student's total cost of attendance less other financial aid received.
- Students must be enrolled at least half-time and be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident or provide a U.S. cosigner.
- Alternative loans are unsubsidized and may carry a variable interest rate or a fixed interest rate. Interest rates are determined by the lending institution and may change as often as every 30 days and may have no interest rate cap.
- Alternative loan approval is based upon the student's credit history. Credit history may also affect the interest rate.
- Each alternative loan lender has their own credit criteria, application process and maximum lifetime borrowing limits.
- Alternative loans may not be consolidated with any federal loans and must be repaid separately.
Private alternative loans are available to those law students who feel they will need more than the $20,500 maximum available from the Federal Direct Stafford Loan program, and who are either ineligible or do not want a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan. Most private alternative loans will allow a student to borrow up to the cost of attendance minus any other aid. Private alternative loans generally require school certification of enrollment and eligibility information. In most cases the lender forwards this request to the school after your completion of the initial application, the disclosures, and the self-certification form. Please be sure that the loan program for which you applied has received all required information, and has GW’s contact information on record. Each private alternative loan product has specific enrollment level requirements and prior balance coverage standards. When applying, make sure the products enrollment requirements and other standards meet your specific needs. Also be aware the final approval and disbursement decision rests with the lender. School certification of the eligible amount is not a guarantee of fund delivery.
We will certify any private alternative loan application submitted to the Law Office of Student Financial Assistance accompanied by the required Law Financial Aid Request Form. It is wise to shop around different lenders and products to find the loan option that best suits your needs. An internet search for “Private alternative student loans” provides a valuable starting point for both learning about the terms of the loans and reviewing the products available from various lending institutions.
The Application Process for Alternative Loans and the Process for Hold Lifts
The federal regulations for the processing of Alternative Loans that went into effect on February 14, 2010 added several steps to the processing of alternative loans and you must be aware of the following that will slow down the process considerably.
Those students who intend to apply for an alternative loan to have a Student Accounts Hold lifted for advance registration must now start the application process at least four weeks prior to the date on which they are scheduled to register for the upcoming semester. Several steps will have to be completed before the lender will provide the Office of Student Financial Assistance with a certification form. Until we have received the funds from the lender, there will be no action that the aid office can take requesting that the ‘hold’ be lifted.
One of the requirements is the ‘Private Education Loan Applicant Self-Certification Form’ which is completed by the student and submitted to the lender. Your lender will make this form available to you. It is also available on the Forms page of our website. The information necessary to complete the form is available on our website at https://banweb.gwu.edu/. Since this is your personal award information, you will need to log in using your USER ID and PIN. You will be able to access both your award and Cost of Education information. If you prefer, you can visit Colonial Central (located on the ground floor of the Marvin Center) for assistance.
When you apply for an alternative loan, please be sure to follow the instructions from your lender carefully. These instructions will guide you step by step through the process. Please note that due to recent changes in federal regulations, the Law Financial Aid Office is not allowed to offer recommendations on any lending program. Please see our Code of Conduct. However, we recognize that students need resources for private loans, especially students who are not eligible for Federal Direct Loans. If you have a question about the terms of a private loan or you do not understand what your lender is asking on an application please contact the Law Office of Financial aid. We are happy to assist you in understanding this information.
In addition to the extra steps outlined above, there will be a delay of up to at least ten business days before the loan funds will be disbursed to the University to be credited to your account. | <urn:uuid:f63963e8-ccd6-44ef-9216-d3a78e1c5583> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.law.gwu.edu/ADMISSIONS/FINANCIAL_AID/TYPES/Pages/commercial.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952564 | 980 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Microsoft has fixed a bug in a critical security patch that may have been causing problems for some Windows Server 2003 users.
The bug is in the critical MS06-040 Windows Server services update, released earlier this month. It affects programs that use up very large chunks of memory on some versions of Windows. According to Microsoft, programs such as Microsoft Navision 3.7, which require allocations of more than 1GB of memory, can crash after the update is installed.
Most Windows systems do not experience the bug, but Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and the 64bit version of Windows XP Professional Edition are affected. Microsoft's hotfix for the problem can be found here.
The majority of widely used applications allocate memory in chunks that are smaller than the 1GB threshold blamed for the bug, so there have not been widespread reports of problems with this patch, according to Johannes Ullrich, chief research officer for the Sans Institute.
More troublesome has been the MS06-042 update for Internet Explorer, which has caused browser crashes while using web-based applications such as PeopleSoft, Siebel and Unicenter. Microsoft issued a hotfix for this update last week and is promising to reissue the buggy update tomorrow.
Sans is tracking the status of Microsoft's updates here1.
Microsoft issued a total of 12 updates this month, fixing 23 vulnerabilities. But it's had the most problems with the more serious of these fixes.
"MS06-040 and MS06-042 were probably the most critical issues," he said. "It's unfortunate that they've had problems with both of them." | <urn:uuid:c79931be-a116-4d81-8b04-fc672410038a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/security/6873/memory-glitch-in-microsoft-patch-fixed/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944743 | 325 | 1.664063 | 2 |
The trio are trustee Bill Thurston, who will be recognized posthumously; trustee Rosemary Thurston; and Ella Tolliver.
They will be honored at the free event from 4 to 6 p.m. in Solano College Theater, 4000 Suisun Valley Road.
Bill Thurston taught at SCC beginning in 1972, teaching political science and history for 20 years. After retiring, he served on the school's governing board for 12 years until his death.
Rosemary Thurston retired as a professor in the business division at the college after a 28-year career.
Tolliver, who earned a doctoral degree, worked as a counselor and professor at SCC for more than 25 years. In 2000, she became the first black woman to serve as dean of counseling and disability services.
Simeon Wright, author of "Simeon's Story: An Eyewitness Account of the Kidnapping of Emmett Till," will be the keynote speaker.
He is widely regarded as a foremost authority of what many call the most significant civil rights case in U.S. history. In his memoir, he details the experience of witnessing his cousin being kidnapped, brutalized and murdered, describing how these events affected his view of society as a teenager.
Despite his horrifying experience, Wright also tells how he was fortunate to experience kindness from whites when his family relocated to
Wright seeks to share the truth of racism's evils by educating the public. He remains a guardian of the legacy left by Till's mother, Mamie, and others who have used Emmett's name and story to remind Americans of the need for social change. | <urn:uuid:b908647e-3f50-4151-828c-0257556d4677> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thereporter.com/news/ci_22383722/solano-community-college-host-martin-luther-king-jr | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973838 | 338 | 1.625 | 2 |
Fracture capitellum in left upper limb of a 34 years male was operated using Herbert Screws[Headless Screws]. Associated fracture of medial epicondyle was fixed with a cancellous screw.
Here are the postoperative xrays.
First the AP view
The lateral view given below was taken at different interval, probably in immediate postoperative period as you can see the plaster as well.
As you can very well appreciate, the fractures have been well reduced.
The patient showed good clinical improved and regained almost full movement of the elbow joint after the bony union. | <urn:uuid:b870ee77-bcec-4242-8087-4ae0c97cd634> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://boneandspine.com/musculoskeletal-radiology/ap-and-lateral-xrays-of-fracture-capitellum-and-medial-epicondyle-humerus-fixed-with-screws/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96254 | 121 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Tunis is home to one the best museums in North Africa, The Bardo, which is housed in a beautiful palace filled with the treasures found at numerous ancient sites dotted around Tunisia. It's easy to get to, just jump on tram number 4. The local tourist offices have maps and are helpful, their employees speak fluent French and decent English.
While there are many hotels in Tunis, a light rail system makes it very easy to stay in the gorgeous, picturesque village of Sidi Bou Said on the coast, just 20 minutes away. En route are the ancient ruins of Carthage.
Getting around Tunis is easy by foot, light rail or taxis. Just make sure the taxis use their meters.
More about travel in Tunisia. | <urn:uuid:31fbea72-22cd-47a4-aa95-3c5620fac42e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://goafrica.about.com/od/africatraveltips/ig/Africa-s-Capital-Cities/Tunis--Tunisia-s-capital-city-.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955783 | 151 | 1.570313 | 2 |
How do you use Ubuntu in your daily life?
I thought of capturing a few moments of how I use Ubuntu and putting it to some music. Simple right? Except if your me, then you’ll inevitably make things a bit more complicated.
For starters, somehow I thought it would be a good idea to do a clean install of Precise Pangolin Alpha 2 and create the video in that environment (ignoring all warnings of course). I wasn’t totally wrong, but my usual video editor, Cinelerra, didn’t have complete dependencies yet. However, kdenlive, which previously gave me problems, decided to work flawlessly on Precise Alpha 2!
The second hurdle was recording the desktop. The only decent recorder I have found is gtk-recordmydesktop. It works very well for the task but it only seems to output OGV format. This is a problem because most video editors don’t seem to process the output files very well and the result is black patchy things all over your video. The second problem is that whatever you record will likely be in a strange aspect ratio. I solved this buy loading the OGVs into PiTiVi (which doesn’t make black patches) and exporting as MP4 in 640×480 (should have gone larger). Then it was a matter of setting up the point-and-shoot camera to film the silly bits.
Part three was creating the music. Normally it’s a simple LMMS jingle, but to complicate things further, I decided to add lyrics (clearly I borrowed some). The problem is that I don’t sing very well and no one was around to lend a voice. But, a couple Audacity tweaks later and I came up with something that I could bear.
I had been planning to do this video like this since August of 2011. I didn’t get around to it until now. The idea seemed a lot better in my head, but some parts turned out better than expected. Who says that you can’t use an alpha release for a production machine? (Still not recommended). With the 12.04 LTS just around the corner, we can only expect things to get better.
How do you use Ubuntu? One thing that I use Ubuntu for is making videos, and now that the process has been explained a bit, here is the result:
audacity, kdenlive, zoneminder, thunderbird, firefox, pidgin, lmms, mixxx, ubuntu tv
Ubuntu Precise Pangolin Alpha 2 | <urn:uuid:4ce58042-f16b-44db-aecd-c4338849a5b8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.sighworld.com/2012/02/13/a-day-in-the-life-of-ubuntu/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953926 | 537 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Last post on Apr 30, 2010 at 11:00 AM
You are in the Chrysler Town & Country/Dodge Grand Caravan
What is this discussion about?
Chrysler Town and Country, Wheels, Van
#11 of 12 Re: T & C "99 16 inch wheel to 17 [timbodey]
Apr 30, 2010 (4:12 am)
Going up in rim diameter, and making the proportional changes so that the load carrying capacity and overall diameter are the same - a process commonly called "Plus Sizing" - makes for a wider, heavier tire and rim assembly.
The loss in fuel economy is partially due to the extra weight that has to be accelerated (and slowed down) and partially because of the larger amount of tread rubber being deflected.
BTW, it is NOT the friction with the road surface that causes rolling resistance in a tire. It's a property called hysteresis. Another way to look at it is the internal friction of the rubber - and since most of the tire - particularly the part the is most involved with deflection - is the tread rubber, this dominates the rolling resistance picture. So more would be worse - meaning wider, deeper, etc.
But the single most dominant factor in rolling resistance is the rubber itself. You can get HUGE differences between tires that are otherwise identical just by changing the tread rubber. Unfortunately, this comes at the sacrifice of treadwear and/or traction.
Plus upsizing tends to put you into lower profiles - and this direction tends to go for traction by sacrificng treadwear (and RR).
So your best bet is to stick with the current size and search out tires that have the best combination of the properties you want.
#12 of 12 Re: T & C "99 16 inch wheel to 17 [timbodey]
Apr 30, 2010 (11:00 am)
But how is it that a larger rim size, with fewer rotations of the wheel does not improve gas mileage.?
After capriceracer's fantastic post, this is likely a moot point, but keep in mind that it is not the rim size that determines the number of rotations, it is the final diameter of the assembly, which is primarily determined by the tire size. For example, I can have a 17" rim and a 16" rim, with 225/55 tires on the first and 225/60 tires on the second, and the rotations per mile are nearly identical (754 versus 757). With a difference of 0.006%, do you really expect noticeable change in fuel economy if all other factors are equal? If I wanted to change the diameter significantly, I could simply put 225/75 tires on the 16" rims and I would have nine percent fewer rotations per mile (689 vs 757); the rim size remains the same - it is the tires that change the overall diameter. | <urn:uuid:631cb8f0-8fd6-4f8a-8867-c0ea86443c4c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f1f671b/11 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937844 | 595 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Source: The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
Title: SA: Address by Andries Nel, Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, during the second report of South Africa at the Palais de Nations, Geneva Switzerland
At the outset I would like to convey on behalf of the Government and the people of South Africa our heartfelt condolences to the Government and the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria following a plane crash on Sunday night, 3 June 2012, which is reported to have claimed the lives of more than 150 people.
In the words of President Zuma, “We join the government and the people of Nigeria in mourning this tragic loss of life. To the families and friends that lost loved ones, ‘Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time of mourning and sadness.’’
I am deeply honoured once again to address this 13th Session of the Working Group of the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Universal Periodic Review.
Chief Albert Luthuli, former President-General of the African National Congress and Nobel Peace Laureate for 1960, said in an address to the South African Congress of Democrats in 1958 – shortly before he was served with banning orders by the Apartheid regime, that, “a man really has only one speech to make. He may clothe it in different words, but in essence it is the same speech. Those of us who are in the freedom struggle in this country have really only one gospel. We may possibly shade it in different ways, but it is a gospel of democracy and freedom.”
We are pleased, therefore, to use these different words and continue propagating the gospel of democracy and freedom as we respond on behalf of the Government of the Republic of South Africa, and thank the President and the Deputy President of this Council, the many states that participated constructively in the Working Group for our UPR as well as the Troika – Cameroon, Maldives and the Czech Republic, and the Secretariat staff.
We also thank the South African Human Rights Commission and other institutions supporting constitutional democracy in our country as well as civil society organisations for their invaluable contributions in the preparatory process to our Review.
We appreciate the many observations and comments made regarding our efforts towards the realisation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms enshrined in the United Nations Bill of Rights. We believe that South Africa’s long walk to freedom can only be fulfilled when we can truly say that indeed we have healed the divisions of the past, freed the potential of all South Africans, and realised the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all our people.
We have listened very carefully to the questions posed as well as the recommendations made and have found the UPR process to be very useful in assisting states to improve their human rights programmes.
Regarding the recommendations, some of which we have already responded to during the interactive dialogue, we wish to assure you that we will carefully evaluate and analyse all of them and provide a detailed response thereto to the 21st Session of the Human Rights Council.
However, it gives me great pleasure, at this stage already, to announce to the Working Group that, on Friday, 1 June 2012 the Minster of Justice and Constitutional Development introduced in the National Assembly the Prevention and Combatting of Torture of Persons Bill to give effect to South Africa’s obligations in terms of the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, to provide for the offence of torture of persons and other offences associated with the torture of persons, and to prevent and combat the torture of persons within or across the borders of the Republic, and to provide for matters connected therewith.
We are confident that this bill will receive serious and expeditious attention by Parliament.
We thank you for your assistance and cooperation. | <urn:uuid:27034a30-8a58-4460-99bd-b22d30fdb1a1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.polity.org.za/article/sa-address-by-andries-nel-deputy-minister-of-justice-and-constitutional-development-during-the-second-report-of-south-africa-at-the-palais-de-nations-geneva-switzerland-04062012-2012-06-06 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951744 | 776 | 1.625 | 2 |
On his 100th day in office, President Barack Obama started campaigning for re-election in 2012. He went to a small town in Missouri, a red state he didn't carry last year, and boasted that "we've begun the work of remaking America."
Indeed, he has begun to do exactly that with trillions of dollars turned over to the executive branch of government by the legislative branch. A few days later, the announced resignation of Supreme Court Justice David Souter gave Obama the additional power to use the judicial branch to remake America into Obama-nation.
When asked what sort of a justice he will be looking for to fill Souter's seat, Obama replied that his major criteria will be the candidate's "empathy" for the poor, the gays and other minorities. This embellished Obama's previously proclaimed view of the judiciary's mission: to engage in socio-economic redistribution rather than to enforce the U.S. Constitution as written.
Obama revealed his long-term goals for the judiciary in a radio interview on Chicago's WBEZ-FM in 2001, when he complained that the very activist Earl Warren court had limited itself to changing some of our laws but had failed to order "redistributive change" of our economic system by breaking "free from the essential constraints that were placed by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution." Students of the judiciary know that it was the Earl Warren court that started the long lines of activist decisions in many areas, including religion, elections, property rights, immigration and criminal law.
David Souter, who was President George H.W. Bush's mistake, flipped from presumed conservative to liberal as soon as the media began ridiculing him for tardiness in completing opinions. The same month that Souter voted for the only time with conservatives on the abortion issue, in Rust v. Sullivan (1991), Linda Greenhouse of The New York Times declared, "Lawyers who watch the Court closely have taken to referring to Justice Souter's chambers as a black hole, from which nothing emerges."
Then, in rapid-fire attack, ABC World News Tonight and even Souter's close-to-home Boston Globe wrote scathing criticisms of Souter. They were angry that he voted against abortion, but their criticisms humiliated him for his slow writing abilities.
Souter got the message and rarely voted again with conservatives in high-profile cases. The liberal media, in gratitude, never criticized him again.
Phyllis Schlafly is a national leader of the pro-family movement, a nationally syndicated columnist and author of Feminist Fantasies.
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BREAKING: Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Gang of Eight Immigration Reform Bill | Daniel Doherty
Whoa: US Hasn't Detained Five Benghazi Terrorists Due to Trial-Related Evidentiary Concerns | Guy Benson
Baucus & Hatch Grill IRS Commissioners Who Don't Know Anything: "That's A Lie By Omission" | Greg Hengler | <urn:uuid:52cae4ab-e2e2-401d-908f-0f6916d2fd59> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://townhall.com/columnists/phyllisschlafly/2009/05/05/david_souters_departure | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966465 | 642 | 1.789063 | 2 |
On a trip on the Tokyo subway last year, almost everyone ignored the young man talking on one wireless phone, messaging with another and juggling a third.
Such cell phone overload would almost certainly get noticed in the US, which lags the rest of the developed world in wireless use.
An estimated 57 percent of the US population chats on wireless phones -- not much greater than the percentage of wireless phone users in much poorer Jamaica, where 54 percent of the people have mobile phones, according to the International Telecommunications Union.
By comparison, in Hong Kong there are 105.75 mobile subscribers for every 100 inhabitants. In Taiwan, there are 110.
Sprint Corp's US$35 billion deal this week to buy Nextel Communications Inc is likely to spark another round of price wars and handset giveaways in the US, but it will take more than industry consolidation and aggressive marketing to increase use.
Why? The reasons range from credit checks to network quality to coverage areas.
Wireless networks elsewhere are simply better than those in the US, said Albert Lin, an analyst at American Technology Research.
"For a long time, the US had way too many networks being supported by not enough investment," he said. "The quality of US networks is only now coming close to the quality you would see in major European and Asian markets."
Not that the European model was perfect: Companies there paid US$125 billion for licenses to operate "third-generation" mobile networks that enable European users to zap videos and data by phone. The result: Mountains of debt, but a chance to sell phones packed with features James Bond would love. That hasn't been the case in the US.
Wireless companies were the No. 2 sector for complaints to Better Business Bureaus last year, trailing only car dealers. They were the second-lowest ranked industry in the University of Michigan's customer satisfaction index, second only to the hated cable companies.
One reason US consumers are miffed is what Forrester Research analyst Lisa Pierce calls "big holes in rural coverage." In the Tampa, Florida, area where she lives, her wireless calls start breaking up one mile south of her home. Her husband uses a different carrier; his calls break up one mile north.
Another reason for lower cell phone use in the US is how service is sold. The largest carriers sell phones by subscription, requiring a credit check and a commitment of at least one year.
"We have tapped out the prime-credit segment in the US," said Roger Entner, a Yankee Group analyst. "Everyone who wants to have a wireless phone and can pass a credit check has one. Everyone who can pass a credit check and doesn't have one -- after ten years of a continuous barrage [of advertising], they're not going to cave."
If the industry wants more users, it will have to change its business model to embrace people with iffy credit who are willing to buy prepaid phones, he said.
Companies are hesitant to do that because it doesn't help them with Wall Street analysts, who score wireless companies' stock by the number of subscribers added to their networks, the average revenue per user and the rate customers drop their service, a figure known in the industry as "churn."
Prepaid customers won't help average revenue per user, so the largest mobile companies aren't interested, Entner said. | <urn:uuid:137ddb25-3be0-4944-a144-86c3fa32e35e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2004/12/19/2003215819 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96357 | 685 | 1.84375 | 2 |
Jewish World Review July 5, 2000 /2 Tamuz, 5760
The reaction to Hollywood's latest blockbuster suggests that America's love affair with the gun is still going strong
http://www.jewishworldreview.com -- EVERY SUMMER crop of Hollywood films reveals something about America, and this year turns out to be no exception. Consider The Patriot, the new blockbuster about that most American of events, the War of Independence.
Observers in the media have been saying for a year now that the Columbine High School killings marked a turning point in America's gun culture - that new concerns about children and guns were driving the nation away from its old gun-loving past. Some of this revisionism could also be expected to show up in Hollywood films, where American culture is manufactured. Particularly when it comes to a topic so close to the national identity as the Revolution.
But The Patriot undermines that thesis. It features a blood-streaked, hatchet-wielding plantation owner, played by Mel Gibson, who shoots, chops and maims his way to victory against Lord Cornwallis's redcoats. And it is not only the adults who are out for blood in The Patriot. Four of the main character's sons, including a twelve- and a thirteen-year old, also do their share of sharpshooting. "Aim small, miss small," the thirteen-year-old mutters to himself before firing into an unwitting crowd of British regulars.
In fact, the flying heads and gushing limbs featured in The Patriot seemed to sit just fine with American viewers, who plunked down $21m over the last weekend to see the film. Reviewers were upset neither by the movie's anti-British angle - the subject of so much discussion in the UK - nor by its gunfire. They commented that the film was ideal fare for the Fourth of July holiday.
The papers also reported that 5,000 US soldiers posted in Bosnia are viewing the film, which features a special intro from star Mel Gibson just for them: "Hi Fellas, how are things in Bosnia? I'm glad you're there. I hope you enjoy this film because I enjoyed making it. It deals with personal freedom, which some people take for granted - enjoy!"
President Clinton, who spent the spring advocating raising the age of legal gun sales to 21 from 18, plans to take in The Patriot on Friday.
Just about the only relevant party to miss out on the Patriot discussion seemed to be the National Rifle Association, whose offices were shut for the holiday. But maybe that's because the NRA folks were out shooting themselves: the voice mail machine at the NRA Virginia office informed callers on Monday that while the lobby was closed, its shooting range remained open for business.
Some of the polling on the matter suggests why the press were wrong in their estimation of concern over firearms. While voter support for European-style gun controls spiked after Columbine, the numbers have receded since then. A Gallup poll that found 61 per cent of citizens supporting "strict gun control" in 2000 also showed that number dropping over the course of the decade - it is down from 71 per cent in 1993.
Or maybe Americans just aren't taking policy very seriously these days.
Another Gallup poll, conducted for the July holiday, found that most Americans are generally satisfied with the state of affairs in the country. Which would explain the fact that the box office success of The Patriot this week is being dwarfed by that of the summer's number one movie, The Perfect Storm. The film, about a fishing expedition that falls casualty to an Atlantic hurricane, is also perfectly
JWR contributor Amity Shlaes is a columnist for Financial Times
. Her latest book is
The Greedy Hand: How Taxes Drive Americans Crazy and What to Do About It. Send your comments by clicking here.
06/30/00: Candidates beware: New Washington consensus on robust growth stands the old wisdom on its head | <urn:uuid:905073f5-d617-4e27-9819-0757e39f6e79> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/shlaes070500.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966304 | 810 | 1.601563 | 2 |
From the Editor
What a story! A cache of papyrus manuscripts at a remote outpost on the upper Nile, initially of interest only to a handful of scholars, captures the imagination of a public increasingly suspicious of authority and ready to believe just about any conspiracy theory. Pure fiction spun from a fertile imagination succeeds in convincing a surprising number of people that Jesus was married, that the Bible is not trustworthy, and that the church pursues power not truth.
You are surely aware of some of the fine resources produced by reputable Bible scholars rebutting the fantasies of The Da Vinci Code. But that book, along with popular presentations of the Gnostic “gospels” and the National Geographic’s sensationalizing of the publication of Gospel of Judas, raise deeper questions that trouble many devout Christians.
In this issue of Sundoulos, two of our New Testament faculty begin a series which will touch on these deeper issues. Mike Wilkins surveys the Gnostic “gospels” and asks whether they have any real historical value. Clint Arnold questions whether Gnosticism is even relevant for NT studies.
In coming issues we will look into such issues as the recent proposals that there were a number of competing “orthodoxies” in the early church, the formation of the canon, and the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture. We believe these issues will prove to be a resource you can use in your ministry.
We are your fellow-servants in Christ,
Sundoulos is published by the Talbot Alumni Association for the purpose of ministering to and communicating with alumni and friends of Talbot. All rights reserved. No material can be reproduced without the permission of the Sundoulos editorial staff.
The Talbot journal, Sundoulos (soon'-doo-los), is designed to serve those who have graduated from Talbot and are in full-time ministry. Sundoulos grew out of an influx of requests for some kind of continued support for alumni as they finished their coursework at Talbot. In 1993, it joined with the Alumni newsletter and received a new format. Dr. Bob Saucy was instrumental in the creation of the journal and describes it as “a way we could bring the fruit of the faculty to alumni.” | <urn:uuid:9eea4858-e85b-46ed-b7a1-f295d1ba4145> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.talbot.edu/sundoulos/fall-2006/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946326 | 461 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Gloriana - Elisabeth I is a historical game that takes place between 1550 and 1588. You start off as a poor merchant with little money and a small ship. You strive to become on of the richest merchants in London. Your main source of income is trading goods. These will be found in the homes of different merchants located across Europe. The prices differ in each city, so you will need to figure out, what to buy cheap and sell for profit. Another source of income is by investing in the merchant’s guild, which is located in London.
Once in the guild, you can invest money on ships that are sailing out of the harbor. Investments are limited to 1,000 pounds, but they can bring you over 10,000 pounds.
Throughout the game, you will meet characters that will send you on side missions. You can perform missions for Queen Elizabeth I, merchants and political characters can earn you extra money and a higher reputation.
Each city contains a merchant, inn, shipyard and church. The inn is where you can hire or fire sailors and servants. It is also where you can search for a captain for you ship. You can find men in the inn that are looking for someone to carry out a certain task in order for you to make
a few extra pounds. You can also find a master craftsman in the inn. You can hire him to make certain commodities for you to sell.
If you're feeling a little rebellious, you can always become a pirate. You can do this by clicking on the chest in your ship's cabin. Becoming a pirate means you will have to fight naval battles and laying siege to cities. I advise the player to practice the naval battles by clicking on this option at the opening menu.
Gloriana - Elisabeth I is very reminiscent of Sid Meier's Pirates! And it would be enjoyed by all fans of the game. The graphics will remind you of a cartoon, but that is not a problem. The music is a soft, medieval tune that is somewhat soothing and sets the mood of the game.
This game will test your skills as a 16th Century merchant. Between 1550 and 1588, you will encounter many adventures that will earn you wealth and respect. In the end, your main goal is to be a councilor to Queen Elizabeth I and this must be accomplished by 1588, when the Spanish Armada attacks.
Gloriana - Elisabeth I is very enjoyable and is a must play for anyone that enjoys medieval games. | <urn:uuid:8ef41a8c-9a6c-4bc3-ab7a-edfc2f283b81> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.classic-pc-games.com/pc/strategy/gloriana_-_elisabeth_i.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969046 | 518 | 1.578125 | 2 |
How the Lemonade Diet Works
The Lemonade Diet is a weight-loss fast in which you only drink a special lemonade drink for about 10 days and also flush the body with a salt water mixture. Some people also take herbal laxative teas during the Lemonade Diet as well. As simple as the Lemonade Diet is, there are still some steps you will need to follow to make sure you are fasting safely. Here are the three phases of the Lemonade Diet.
Before you start the Lemonade Diet, you should prepare your body for the fast. Many people choose to skip this phase but it will be easier on your body if you do some simple preparation first. In particular, you won’t feel as hungry during the actual Lemonade Diet fasting phase.
The pre-fasting phase should last at least 2 days but can be stretched out to longer periods of time. During the first day/s of the pre-fast phase, you should eat only uncooked, vegan (no animal products) foods. Try to have some fun with the diet by eating delicious fruits like mangos and vegetables with interesting textures, like tomatoes. However, make sure that you are getting more vegetables than fruits because fruits have high levels of sugar.
During the second day/s of the pre-fasting phase of the Lemonade Diet, you should consume only liquid foods. While this may seem limiting at first, there are a lot of great liquid foods you can make, like smoothies, fresh juices, soups and broth. Some people add a third step to the pre-fasting phase of the lemonade diet during which they only consume orange juice with a bit of maple syrup.
The Lemonade Diet Phase
During the Lemonade Diet phase, you will only consume a lemonade drink, an herbal laxative and (optional) a salt water flush.
You can start the Lemonade Diet with the salt water flush (SWF). The salt water flush should be one liter of pure warm water (distilled water is best) combined with 1-2 teaspoons of salt. The salt should be organic sea salt without iodine added to it. The purpose of the SWF is to cleanse out your bowels and detoxify yourself. Your body cannot absorb the salt water so it will almost immediately be expelled through your bowels. When it is expelled, it will take with it any buildup in your bowels. A word of caution: you should have a bathroom nearby when you do the SWF! The SWF should always be done on an empty stomach right when you wake up. You can drink it all at once or take your time, just don’t drink the lemonade until you have finished the flush and had a bowel movement.
After the SWF, you can start drinking the lemonade mixture. It should consist of 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of organic maple syrup grade B, 1/10teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and 10 ounces of pure (filtered or distilled) water. Freshness is key to the Lemonade Diet! Don’t make too much of the lemonade drink ahead of time because the active enzymes in the concoction will die if it sits around. You should drink a minimum of 6 servings of the lemonade drink. However, you can drink much more. The more you consume, the easier it will be to combat hunger. You can also drink pure water throughout the day.
While the salt water flush is not required as part of the Lemonade Diet, using a nightly laxative is a must. All of the detoxification and weight loss with the Lemonade Diet occurs through bowel movements so you can expect to visit the bathroom frequently. At night, just take an herbal laxative. It can be a tea or pills depending on your preference. Some people have the bowel movement at night whereas others have it in the morning when they wake up.
After 4-12 days of the Lemonade Diet, you will be ready to ease out of the fast. You cannot just start eating normally though or your body will go into shock. Instead, you need to ease yourself back into solid foods. The post-fasting phase is basically the reverse of the pre-fasting phase. On the first day, you will want to drink orange juice with some maple syrup. By the second day, you can start consuming some liquid foods like juices, smoothies, and soups. On the third day, you can eat live foods like vegetables and fruits. | <urn:uuid:31d2855e-7ae2-4fe5-a4c6-78b9ca6e0b80> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://getlemonadediet.net/how-the-lemonade-diet-works.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945365 | 926 | 1.5625 | 2 |
12 March 2011
1986 Ford RS200 Evolution
Sold for $159,500
- Chassis no. SFACXXBJ2CGL00087
- One of only 24 RS200 Evolutions built
- Designed to compete in the ultra-competitive Group B rally series
- Held the Guinness record for “fastest accelerating car in the world” for 12 years
With the advent of Group B rally racing, Ford set out to develop a rear-wheel drive, turbo-charged variant of their MK III Escort, dubbed the Escort RS 1700T. However, after development problems, Ford was forced to abandon the project. Not wanting to simply write off the cost of the failed 1700T, Ford executives decided to make use of the lessons learned to build an all-new, purpose-built rally car. In order to compete with the likes of the Lancia Delta S4 and the Audi Quattro S1, they decided the new vehicle should also feature four-wheel drive.
In 1984 the RS200 was a unique design, featuring a composite/fiberglass body styled by Filippo Sapino at the Ghia Design Studio. Formula One designer Tony Southgate designed the chassis along with help from former F1 engineer John Wheeler. With a mid-mounted 1.8-liter Cosworth “BDT” engine and its transmission in the front, the RS200 was often considered to have the most balanced platform of its contemporary competitors.
FIA homologation rules dictated that at least 200 of these monsters be built. Of those 200, only 24 were set aside and converted into sacred “Evolution” models. The Ford RS200 Evolution received uprated suspension, brakes and a larger 2.1-liter version of the Cosworth powerplant. At full boost, the RS200 can tear up the tarmac with nearly 600 bhp and hit 60 mph in just over 3 seconds.
This particular white RS200 is in very good condition with only 5,557 kms showing. Some minor stone pitting on the front end is the only sign of wear. The one thing separating this RS200 from a Group B rally car is the interior, which has been comfortably trimmed by Tickford. The interior has been fitted with grey carpeting, door inserts, red Sparco seats and a matching red leather XR3i steering wheel. Bidder beware – zero-to-sixty sprints in three seconds are not for the faint of heart!
AddendumPlease note that since going to print, RM has learned that this RS200 Evo was originally sold to Page Stevens/George Stauffer around November 1988, before being sold to a southern California collector. We are informed that it has never been raced. Its excellent condition and low mileage certainly support this.
Also note, this vehicle may not meet all states emissions and safety requirements.
Please contact our exclusive automotive transportation partner, Reliable Carriers, for a shipping quote or any other information on the transport of this vehicle. | <urn:uuid:81c1902b-35a1-4372-ba52-6e579976d6f5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rmauctions.com/lots/lot.cfm?SaleCode=AM11&CarID=r191&fc=0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947103 | 619 | 1.578125 | 2 |
February 15, 2012
Military rulers spread fear throughout Egyptian media
Ruling council’s heavy-handed tactics is stifling press freedoms
The ousting of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak one year ago was supposed to be the harbinger of an era of democracy, freedom, justice and, ultimately, freedom of press. But only a few days removed from the anniversary of Mubarak’s “departure,” journalists – foreign media and locals alike – are facing the heavy hand of the Egypt’s governing military council as they seek, day-by-day, to do their jobs.
On Saturday, the military again showed its face by detaining Australian journalist Austin Mackell, Egyptian translator Aliya Alwi and American graduate student Derek Ludovici in the Nile Delta town of Mahalla. The three were then transported hundreds of kilometers over two days, charged with “incitement of violence” and “bribing” local residents to demonstrate. All three deny the charges.
The incident triggered new widespread outrage, with activists and professional media colleagues demanding that the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) release the trio immediately while calling for an end to the near constant crackdown on journalists in the country.
For the Australian, the detention has affected his entire life. Locals from his neighborhood ransacked his flat, increasing his fear for his personal safety while in Egypt. Mackell told The Media Line, “I don’t feel safe. This is not just affecting my work; it’s my entire life.”
Late Tuesday evening, Mackell, Alwi and Ludovici were barred from leaving Egypt while an investigation is ongoing.
The situation of Mackell and the others was the latest in a string of attacks against media in the country. In December, this Media Line reporter was beaten and detained for 13 hours in downtown Cairo while attempting to photograph the barbed wire fence that had been erected near the Cabinet building. Like Mackell – who described citizens being tortured and beaten in the cell nearby – the military at that time also appeared unfazed by a foreign presence; attacking, assaulting and eventually killing one protester in plain sight.
But the crackdown on media in Egypt goes farther than the detention of foreign journalists. Human Rights Watch (HRW) recently published an extensive report in which it documented at least fifty cases of intimidation, arrests, summons and attempts to silence what many believed last March were indicators of nascent freedoms.
According to Egyptian journalists, the message the SCAF is sending through the systematic arrests and detentions during the past 12 months is “don’t criticize the military.”
The beginning of what many media professionals are calling the “full-on assault” in conversations with The Media Line came last May when activist Hossam Al-Hamalawy, who blogs at arabawy.org, and two journalists were summoned by the army after they were critical of the military’s actions during two separate broadcasts carried by popular independent television station OnTV.
Program host Reem Maged and reporter Nabil Sharafeddine, along with Hamalawy, were questioned personally by Adel Morsi, the head of the Military Justice Authority.
Maged, whose program is called “Baladna Bil Masry,” told reporters that the army claimed she was not being investigated, but that it need to “clarify” statements made on the talk show. On the program, Hamalawy had accused the military police of rights abuses, claiming he had proof of violations committed by officials he named. He said after his interrogation that the military demanded that he provide all documents pertaining to the alleged violations. The quizzing of Sharafeddine was related to his comments regarding the military that were made on the same program.
Although the three were not detained, they insist the message was made clear by the military: criticism will not be tolerated. Weeks before, the military council had issued a formal communiqué stating that media could face fines and possible jail time for criticizing the military’s actions – a policy that continues to this day.
In April, an Egyptian military court sentenced Internet activist and blogger Maikel Nabil to three years in prison for criticizing the armed forces. He was arrested on March 28 after posting on his blog comments that were critical of the army’s role during the massive protests throughout the country that resulted in the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak.
Nabil, 26, was a prominent secular activist who gained notoriety for his movement on Facbeook called “No for the compulsory conscription.” He was the first blogger to be jailed following the fall of the Mubarak regime; his case in retrospect a sign of things to come. Nabil was released in January, ahead of the one-year anniversary of the uprising.
One leading editor speaking to The Media Line under the condition of anonymity because of fear for his safety said bluntly that, “it’s not the civil prosecution to be worried about, it’s the military.”
The editor asserted that currently, “things are touchy. More people are facing military interrogations over insulting the military and most of [what they said] isn’t even that bad.”
But for media professionals, the military’s long reach has led to censorship, with even the most outspoken independent newspapers seemingly acquiescing under the military’s might. Late last year, Al-Masry Al-Youm – the leading non-government run publication – refrained from publishing an interview with U.K. journalist Robert Fisk and an editorial in its English language sister publication for fear it would stir the wrath of the military junta.
Both incidents, coupled with dozens of incidents in which reporters were attacked while covering protests – at least five photographers have lost sight in at least one eye – and the fear of being arrested or summoned because of what he or she writes, has led to an outpouring of anger.
Ahmed Aggour, a leading protester, argues adamantly that the problem facing Egypt and its media was state television.
“Look at what they are showing,” he began. “The state tells the people lies about what is going on, talks of foreigners’ involvement, and this hurts the country.”
This coercion of media has been seen following every violent outbreak in the country over the past 6 months, with the military detailing how protesters “used excessive force;” “were being directed by invisible hands;” followed by the assertion that “the military does not use force or kill its citizens,” despite evidence to the contrary. If a reporter speaks up, or a publication writes negatively about the military, they face charges of “insulting the military.”
For the mainstream Arabic press, reporting and discussing military initiatives or actions, is fraught with self-censorship. Adel Hammouda, a leading editor with Al-Fagr newspaper – who has experienced being summoned by the military – told The Media Line in a recent interview that now when media cover the military’s actions, they have begun to remove anything that is critical of its performance.
“There’s too much fear going around right now,” Hammouda said. “Nobody wants to have their names revealed when dealing with the army, so it is frustrating. And now we are already censoring our work because we don’t want to have our reporters get detained or face charges for anything that they write.” | <urn:uuid:3dce0cfd-8bb0-48ac-99b1-16e6065fd714> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jewishjournal.com/world/article/military_rulers_spread_fear_throughout_egyptian_media_20120215 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976188 | 1,571 | 1.5625 | 2 |
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AN IMAGINARY FAMILY
By Elsa Wilson Beebe
"Eighteen years married and never
a cross word," vaunted Wm. Dexter.
"A model wife and a model home."
It was his birthday and an old-time
friend was congratulating him over
the fact. He slapped him on the
shoulder and told him he considered
him the happiest man in the world.
William sighed as his friend went
on his way. The boastful smile faded
from his honest, sympathetic face. In
act, he looked rather doleful and he
shook his head sorrowfully.
"But no children!" he spoke to
himself, and that was the secret bur
den of his existence.
It was a glory in life to realize what
a wonderful wife his gentle, patient
Mllly was. The home was a neat nest
of comfort and cleanliness. Milly
was intelligent and interesting and
the evenings never palled. Neither
ever referred to the lack of childish
voices, but when alone Milly often
cried and William planned how, a few
hundred dollars more ahead, he
would make a wholesale raid on some
orphan asylum and fill the quiet home
with boyish laughter and girlish glee.
"I am going to mother's for two
weeks, William," said Milly, one day.
"Don't you think you had better put
up at the hotel while I am gone and
"Not I," protested William definite
ly. "Why, I'd be so homesick away
from the haven of luxury your busy
hands have made of the old home
stead that I'd be down to mother's
after you inside of two days."
It was pretty hard to miss her dear
presence and William was terribly
lonesome the first night The next he
sat lulling himself into delightful
dreamland, building a gladsome air
castle that was his constant ideal.
"Yes," he mused, "there's Rodney,
the first born. I always fancied that
name. He's 16 and just out of school, ,
and going to work with me in the
office next week. There he sits at that
desk yonder, studying bookkeeping.
"That's Leila at the piano, only two
years younger, and see what a tall
slip of a girl she is. Helps mother
with half the work now.
"Mary is ten. Crocheting a Christ
mas present for mother on the sly.
"And baby" Willie, named after me.
He's the flower of the flock and the
pet of the household. What is it, my
"Pack Up! I Adopt You!"
boy? Want me to help you build
blockhouses' All right" And Wil
liam, so vivid and real seemed his
picture dream, actually half rose to
join his imaginary family.
The action brought him back to
the realities of life. He sighed as he
drove away the vision influence.
Then he smiled whimsically.
"Dear old world, I love everybody!"
he aspirated. "It can never be true,
but they are my shadow children, just | <urn:uuid:155b243e-6d95-4e57-b8a1-0f346dfa1516> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045487/1915-08-16/ed-1/seq-18/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947934 | 830 | 1.75 | 2 |
“Pirate Bay have achieved their aim. After all, their aim wasn’t to make a fortune from copyright infringement, no matter what IFPI and the BPI claim. Their aim was to make the copyright industries look ridiculous, outmoded and to place these companies into direct conflict with music and film fans. The Pirate Bay’s point has been to try to demonstrate that copyright itself is past its sell by date and can only be sustained through creating a dystopia of control, censorship and surveillance.”—We don’t have to choose between freedom and copyright - Jim Killock, Open Rights Group, 3 May 2012.
Open Rights Group's Petition: Don't Let The Government Spy On Your Online Activities
Yesterday the Government unveiled the ‘Communications Data Bill’. It’s a proposal for more powers to intercept and collect information about who you talk to online. Your communications via Google, Facebook or Skype would be open to what may be a large number of government officials.
You can do something to stop this stupid bill from passing by writing to your local MP.
BoingBoing.net’s Cory Doctorow, who is on the advisory board of The Open Rights Group wrote:
If you’re as outraged as I am that the UK Coalition government is planning on spending £1.8B to spy on every click, IM, email and Facebook update, without a warrant, then please consider visiting the Open Rights Group’s petition page where we’re gathering signatures to present to MPs. The Coalition is deeply divided on this issue, and there’s a very good chance we’ll be able to put paid to this proposal just as we did with Labour’s national ID scheme, but not without your help.
Don’t forget that ORG is running nationwide workshops to help you meet effectively with your MP to lobby them on this issue and on Internet censorship.
What the fuck!?
they gonna censor the internets, that shits not cool | <urn:uuid:4fa4cccc-de7a-4119-8425-0372fe47d4b7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/open%20rights%20group | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938842 | 421 | 1.601563 | 2 |
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May 19, 2010 – 12:41 PM
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Posted Wednesday, May 19, 2010 — 12:41 PM
The behavior or modern presidents is shaped both by individual choices of president’s themselves and predictable challenges and opportunities encountered by all presidents. How does President Obama stack up against other modern presidents at this point in his tenure? What can we expect moving forward based upon the actions of past presidents and the choices Obama has made this far?
John G. Geer is Distinguished Professor of Political Science. Geer earned his doctorate in 1986 from Princeton University, and his bachelor of arts from Franklin and Marshall College with Phi Beta Kappa honors in 1980. Geer has published 5 books and over 25 articles on presidential politics and elections, and recently served as editor of The Journal of Politics . His most recent book is In Defense of Negativity: Attacks Ads in Presidential Campaigns published by the University of Chicago Press, which won the Goldsmith Book prize from Harvard University in 2008. He has provided extensive commentary in the news media on politics, including live nationwide interviews for FOX, CNN, NBC, CBS, MSNBC, ABC and NPR. Geer has also written op-ed pieces for Politico, The Washington Post, LA Times, USA Today , and Chicago Tribune . His lecturing has earned him a number of awards at Vanderbilt, including the “Squirrel Award,” the 2004 Birkby Prize, the 2005 Jeffrey Nordhaus Award and the 2009 Ellen Greg Ingalls Award for teaching excellence.
David Lewis , professor of political science and law studies the presidency, executive branch politics and public administration. He is the author of Presidents and the Politics of Agency Design (Stanford University Press, 2003) and numerous articles on American politics, public administration and management. His most recent book, The Politics of Presidential Appointments: Political Control and Bureaucratic Performance (Princeton University Press, 2008), analyzes the causes and consequences of presidential politicization of the executive branch. The book received the Herbert A. Simon Best Book Award from the American Political Science Association’s Public Administration Section and the Richard E. Neustadt Best Book Award from the American Political Science Association’s Presidency Research Section. His current projects explore the political views of government agencies and their employees, the politics of presidential appointments and various aspects of public sector management performance. Before joining Vanderbilt’s Department of Political Science in fall 2008, he was assistant professor of politics and public affairs at Princeton University, where he was affiliated with the Center for the Study of Democratic Politics, from 2002 to 2008. He began his academic career at the College of William and Mary, where he was an assistant professor in the Department of Government from 2000 to 2002.
Contact: Princine Lewis (615) 322-NEWS | <urn:uuid:1c5a6d0a-7d54-4d3c-8b4c-dfdadc178eef> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.vanderbilt.edu/2010/05/watch-obama-after-16-months-116015/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945791 | 579 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Here’s an odd PR move making the blog rounds today: Bob Lutz, the General Motors Vice Chairman who’s driving the charge to build the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid, was recently quoted in D Magazine calling global warming a “crock of s**t.” (Actually, the writer for D heard these comments in a “closed door session with several journalists,” which makes me wonder whether this whole thing was supposed to be off the record.)
Anyhow, this doesn’t mean that GM isn’t serious about building the Volt, of course—just that global warming isn’t the reason. And that’s fine. GM doesn’t have to have noble intentions as long as it delivers the fuel-efficient cars it’s been promising. According to D, Lutz says he’s excited about the Volt because “it’s the last thing anybody expected from GM.” But you have to wonder how statements like this affect public perception of the Volt project. Because right now, if you ask a car geek about the Chevy Volt you’ll get one of two responses. The most predictable: “Total vaporware, it’ll never happen.” A cautiously optimistic few, however, will admit that General Motors really does seem serious about building the Volt. After all, they’ve staked the reputation of the company (which lost $38.7 billion dollars last year) on their ability to start producing this extended-range electric car by the end of 2010.
And again: It doesn’t matter why GM wants to build the Volt as long as they actually build the thing. But it would be a shame for GM if Lutz’s comment sent some of the optimists back to the Volt-is-vaporware camp.
Five amazing, clean technologies that will set us free, in this month's energy-focused issue. Also: how to build a better bomb detector, the robotic toys that are raising your children, a human catapult, the world's smallest arcade, and much more. | <urn:uuid:3dc31fb5-1c82-42b2-b4a6-1c09c7e7e868> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.popsci.com/cars/article/2008-02/gm-vice-chairman-calls-global-warming-total-crock-st | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941031 | 440 | 1.5 | 2 |
Lindsay Wilcox, NBC 5 News
A North Texas teen who weighed nearly 400 pounds dropped 180 pounds with the help of his love for basketball.
A North Texas teenager who weighed nearly 400 pounds as a high school junior dropped 180 pounds with the help of his love for basketball.
Kevin Madison's journey first started with another sport. He went to Parkland's Oak West Health Clinic in Dallas to get clearance to try out for his high school football team after coaches expressed interest in him.
But pediatrician Dr. Jules Greif took one look at Madison and said absolutely not.
"Kevin was morbidly obese and having breathing problems and, at that time, there was no way that I was going to offer him that clearance to play football," Greif said.
The experience was a wake-up call for Madison, who had been putting on weight since middle school.
"It felt bad, it really felt bad, knowing that you have friends always ask you to join a game and they get tired of the same answer -- 'no,'" he said.
A nutritionist helped Madison learn portion control and healthy eating. But the exercise plan really changed things for him.
"We were just making, you know, small changes as far as walking -- maybe every other day for 30 minutes and then in a few months, add other activities that he liked to do," registered dietitian Sharon Cox said.
After a few months of dieting and exercise, Madison hit the basketball court. And his family noticed a difference.
"We used to go to the court every time, and they noticed a change," he said. "I was more active and more running, and I was able to handle a whole entire game without stopping or quitting, and it made me feel really good."
After a year and countless games, he had dropped 180 pounds. Madison, who was at his goal weight, visited Greif.
"I couldn't believe it," Greif said. "I was in total amazement."
Madison is still playing basketball two and a half years later. He is starting his adult life at a healthy weight and hopes his love of basketball will help him keep it off for good.
"It's incredible," he said. "You know, I actually found something that I enjoy doing without me even knowing that I'm losing weight."
NBC 5's Lindsay Wilcox contributed to this report. | <urn:uuid:414658bb-14c6-4fe4-9ec7-83431235e9ba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/health/Basketball-Helps-400-Pound-Teen-Slim-Down-195193811.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.991093 | 493 | 1.835938 | 2 |
Rebeca Hwang, Co-Founder & CEO, YouNoodle: Meritocracy Should Rule The World of Startups
Rebeca Hwang is a Co-founder and CEO of the San Francisco-based startup, YouNoodle, which focuses on helping companies and governments engage with communities of entrepreneurs and innovators for open innovation and co-creation processes.
Currently, YouNoodle’s technology platform, Podium, helps power entrepreneurship initiatives by the governments of Chile, Malaysia and Korea as well as by NASA and 7 out of the top 10 universities in the world. YouNoodle is also working with companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Intel, and IBM to facilitate their engagement with entrepreneurs and to help strengthen their communities.
Rebeca has had an impressive background in entrepreneurship, science, and social initiatives. Born in Korea, and raised in Argentina; Rebeca was educated in the US, receiving both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in chemical and civil & environmental engineering from MIT.
Like many entrepreneurs Rebeca is a natural inventor. Her early projects, mostly focused on clean water initiatives, received three U.S. patents with seven pending and numerous accolades, including the MIT Ideas Prize, the Lemelson award and recognition as a finalist in MIT 100K. She went on to pursue a PhD on Social Network Theory at Stanford University, where she continued her work in the entrepreneurship competition space—co-founding Cleantech Open (CTO), now the largest cleantech competition in the world and organizing Stanford’s BASES Social E-Challenge Competition for four years. Rebeca eventually took a leave of absence from her PhD program to co-found YouNoodle
Recently listed by Forbes as one of their 20 inspiring young female founders to follow on Twitter, Rebeca is an international speaker, giving lectures on “High Tech Entrepreneurship” at Stanford University, at speaking engagements all over the world and annually at the MIT Global Startup Workshop.
We spoke to Rebeca about the advantages of gender diversity in a start-up; how her leadership style has evolved over the years; and the one thing about entrepreneurship she'd change if she could.
TNW: What makes your company different from your competitors?
RH: Our company is not only focused on financial drivers, but in creating positive impact in the world. Our value system is based on the strong belief that happy employees make happy clients, and therefore, our business model is based on valuing relationships, instead of just transactions.
Our platform, Podium, enables the best talent to stand out through a fair and transparent process. Not surprisingly, we recruit our team members from anywhere in the world. Our team represents 8 different nationalities and an equal ratio of women and men, a rare quality in tech startups in Silicon Valley.
This diverse environment where meritocracy rules, where integrity and our values are esteemed highly, is very conducive to innovation, creativity and high performance. These factors distinguish us from many other companies out there.
TNW: When you built your team, what are the key qualities you looked for to ensure the success of your business?
RH: The first step was to find a perfectly complementary co-founder.
I found a partner who shared the same values, but had a skillset that was the complete opposite to mine. Once we secured a strong founding team, we prioritized competency and culture fit.
TNW: What is next for your company?
RH: We have just launched an early version of a Facebook Application that will change the way young entrepreneurs connect with relevant partners and resources on campus. We are also excited to promote our new version of our Podium platform (www.podium.younoodle.com).
TNW: What are the advantages of gender diversity in a startup? Are there any disadvantages?
RH: We have a very gender balanced team.
It was not an explicit goal to hire as many women as men, but it turns out that when you look for superstars, you find them in both genders.
The diversity in our team creates the perfect environment for creativity and innovation and it strengthens the spirit of tolerance and openness that makes our team feel like a close-knit family.
I can’t think of any disadvantages of a gender diverse team.
TNW: Do you have any tips or any advice for women who are thinking about becoming entrepreneurs?
I would suggest that they leverage the advantages instead of focusing on any possible disadvantages of being a female entrepreneur.
Also, it is very important to have a strong support system that understands the difficulty associated with being a successful career woman.
TNW: Do you lie awake at night sometimes thinking about the company? What aspects of it specifically keep you awake?
RH: I wish I could say no, but unfortunately, it is an unavoidable part of being a startup founder. As the CEO of the company, I run through my mind everything that could possibly go wrong. I read in Ricard Wiseman’s The Luck Factor that most successful people have an inherent pessimism. This means that you dream big as an optimist would do, but you plan as a pessimist, by foreseeing any problems down the road and by designing potential solutions to each one of these obstacles. This way, when you face these problems in reality, you can act quickly and effectively, since you already know what you have to do.
TNW: Do you think that attitudes towards female entrepreneurs are changing?
RH: I certainly hope so. Studies have shown that having a diverse team, including female entrepreneurs, is likely to increase the chance of success for a startup. However, the attitude towards female entrepreneurs varies a lot based on geographic location and in some regions, there are still many barriers for us.
TNW: How has your leadership style changed over the years, and why?
My belief is that the best leaders evolve constantly. I have shifted from being very tactical to focusing more on the strategic side of things.
Today, my priority is to refine the culture and vision of the company in order to make our employee and customer loyalty a differentiating factor for our company.
TNW: Do you believe it is better to find customers then funding or vice versa?
RH: Steve Blank likes to say that companies don’t fail because of the lack of a product, but because of the lack of customers. Without customers, your chances of succeeding as a startup are very low. Only when you identify customers who are willing to pay (and many of them!) can you seek funding. Even if you haven’t reached profitability, you have to have a clear idea of who your clients are.
TNW: If you could get on a soap box and get something off your chest about the world of entrepreneurship, something you’d like to change, what would it be?
I would love to see meritocracy rule the world of startups.
We want the brightest innovators and entrepreneurs out there to be identified and to be placed on a podium where they can showcase their talent and access the resources that they need to create disruptive startups.
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You get a Letter from the CEO :-), the chance to catch up with the best of our recent articles - and some extra things we throw in once in a while. | <urn:uuid:ec368b2d-fbf9-4b8a-aae2-e5db704a9f14> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thenextwomen.com/2012/04/02/rebeca-hwang-co-founder-ceo-younoodle-meritocracy-should-rule-world-startups | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964672 | 1,521 | 1.578125 | 2 |
We just aired a segment about backyard beekeeping and whatyaknow, my family keeps bees! So, I thought I'd show you what our setup is like.
No self respecting hip and modern, self aware urban garden loving household could exist without bees. So, my family got on that train and put two hives in our backyard.
It's fun having bees. Guests love to see the boxes, they (the bees, not the guests) pollinate our fruits and vegetables and eventually, if we're lucky, we'll be able to harvest some honey.
Oh, and we have an excuse to dress up in bee suits.
Jacob Margolis (L) and Mark Margolis (R)
Here's what we have going on:
Two boxes to give the bees more room.
A panel from inside a hive. There's honeycomb + honey + drone cells.
Getting ready to smoke the bees. Smoking the hive causes the bees to eat honey, become lethargic and swarm less.
If you're thinking about getting some bees of your own... you should. The group Backwards Beekeepers has some great resources.
If you do get your own bees can make your own candles, eat some honey, barter at the farmers market, and look as cool as us.
Let us know if you keep your own bees. Send us some pictures. We'd love to see. | <urn:uuid:5ce1d2e8-3769-47e3-8fb5-4cb3a667797a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.scpr.org/blogs/brand-new-day-madeleine-brand/2011/06/17/3072/im-bee-liever/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94748 | 289 | 1.585938 | 2 |
WASHINGTON -- The White House says the U.S. will not change its strategy or objectives in Afghanistan following the shooting of 16 Afghan civilians, allegedly by a U.S. soldier.
Spokesman Jay Carney says the U.S. and its NATO allies are still on course to hand over security control to the Afghans at the end of 2014. Carney says the pace of withdrawal will depend on a variety of factors, but he would not say whether the weekend incident was among those that would be considered.
Carney says the U.S. presence in Afghanistan is helping to dismantle al-Qaida. But he acknowledged that the shooting does not make achieving that and other objectives any earlier.
Carney would not say whether President Barack Obama believes the shooting increases security risks for Americans in Afghanistan. | <urn:uuid:32c285a2-9fd2-41e3-979e-bcc4246a2e51> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wilx.com/news/nationalnews/headlines/US_Policy_Will_Not_Change_142345565.html?site=mobile | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959202 | 160 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Step aside, American property owners, and make way for Chinese and Brazilian real estate.
Even though the latest data on U.S. housing now reflects an improved real estate market here in the States, countries such as Brazil and China are easily dwarfing that fledgling growth due to the economic and demographic realities of the emerging markets, analysts with real estate fund management firm Cohen & Steers reported Tuesday at a press briefing in New York.
For example, said Jason Yablon, a portfolio manager for the Cohen & Steers Emerging Markets Real Estate Fund (A Shares: APFAX), growth in China is being driven by rapid urbanization as rural populations migrate to cities in search of work and pressure the government to invest in infrastructure-related sectors such as housing.
Total returns for emerging markets real estate were 42.1% in 2012, according to the FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Emerging Real Estate Index, versus 18.1% in the United States, according to the FTSE NAREIT Equity REIT Index.
“The consumer element is driving the emerging markets story,” Yablon said. “As China rebounds, large parts of Asia will benefit, and it’s helping the entire region."
Further, Yablon pointed to an emerging-market trend toward securitization of real estate, which helped produce strong returns in 2012.
“Emerging markets not only make up a larger percentage of global GDP than just a few years ago, but they have grown faster than developed markets,” Yablon wrote in a real estate securities note. “This is a trend that we expect to continue into the future, partially because they are less leveraged than developed markets. They also tend to have stronger balance sheets marked by lower debt/GDP ratios.”
Meanwhile, housing data so far in 2013 signals that the U.S. real estate market also is looking up. On Tuesday, an S&P/Case-Shiller home price index release showed that U.S. home prices rose in December, up 0.2% in 20 cities, while the Commerce Department reported that U.S. new home sales jumped nearly 16% in January, to their highest level since July 2008, “a sign that the housing recovery is accelerating,” The Associated Press reported. On Wednesday, the National Association of Realtors said that its pending home sales index rose 4.5% to 195.9, its highest level since April 2010.
“The single-family market is beginning to have an impact on the U.S. real estate market,” Yablon said Tuesday.
He pointed to both positives and negatives, but overall, he said Cohen & Steers believed in the U.S. real estate market’s fundamental recovery. The big winners are the industrial and self-storage subsectors, which are benefiting from economic and jobs growth, while the losers are health care, defense and generic office in Washington, D.C., as the federal government struggles with budget woes.
Three-year total returns are 12.11% as of Tuesday for APFAX, which is one of the only emerging markets real estate funds in the United States. Total assets for the six-year-old fund are $44.8 million, expense ratio is 1.80% and load is 4.50. That compares with three-year total returns of 17.56% for Cohen & Steers Realty Shares (CSRSX), the firm’s 21-year-old flagship fund that focuses solely on U.S. real estate. Total assets are $4.9 billion, expense ratio is 0.96% and there is no load.
Read REITs Outperform S&P 500 for Fourth Straight Year at AdvisorOne. | <urn:uuid:b43abb1d-2e09-4673-b20e-cc77cb283988> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.advisorone.com/2013/02/27/us-real-estate-looking-up-but-emerging-markets-ris?t=careersteconomy-markets | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960725 | 788 | 1.570313 | 2 |
It’s 1:45 p.m. on a Wednesday in February and a Toyota Camry is driving west on the 91 Express Lanes, for free, for the 470th time.
The electronic transponder on the dashboard – used to bill tollway users – is inactive. The Camry’s owners, airport traffic officer Rudolph Duplessis and his wife, Loretta, have never had a toll road account, officials say.
They’ve never received a violation notice in the mail, either. Their car is registered as part of a state program which hides their home address on Department of Motor Vehicles records. The agency that operates the tollway does not have legal access to their address.
Their Toyota is one of 996,716 vehicles registered to motorists who are affiliated with 1,800 state and local agencies and who are allowed to shield their addresses under the Confidential Records Program.
An Orange County Register investigation has found that the program, designed 30 years ago to protect police from criminals, has been expanded to cover hundreds of thousands of public employees — from police dispatchers to museum guards — who face little threat from the public. Their spouses and children can get the plates, too.
This has happened despite warnings from state officials that the safeguard is no longer needed because updated laws have made all DMV information confidential to the public.
The Register found that the confidential plate program shields these motorists in ways most of us can only dream about:
Vehicles with protected license plates can run through dozens of intersections controlled by red light cameras and breeze along the 91 toll lanes with impunity.
Parking citations issued to vehicles with protected plates are often dismissed because the process necessary to pierce the shield is too cumbersome.
Some patrol officers let drivers with protected plates off with a warning because the plates signal that the drivers areone of their ownor related to someone who is.
Exactly how many people are taking advantage of their protected plates is impossible to calculate. Like the Orange County Transportation Authority, which operates the tollway, many agencies have automated processes and have never focused on what happens to confidential plate holders. Sometimes police take note of the plate and don’t write a ticket at all.
I would highly doubt that anybody is registering their vehicles on a confidential basis to do anything but protect themselves,Garden Grove Police Capt. Mike Handfield said.I just don’t think people are thinking they’re getting away with anything…. Is the value of having a confidential plate and protecting the law enforcement community from people who might hurt them, is that worth that risk? I believe it is.
The Register asked the DMV for a list of the number of motorists participating in the program and the agencies they claim as an employer. But the DMV refused to provide those records unless The Register paid $8,442, which officials said was the cost of extracting the list from its database.
Some police officers confess that when they pull over someone with a confidential license plate they’re more likely to let them off with a warning. In most cases, one said, if an officer realizes a motorist has a confidential plate, the car won’t be pulled over at all.
It’s an unwritten rule that we would extend professional courtesy,said Ron Smith, a retired Los Angeles Police Department officer who worked patrol for 23 years.Nine out of 10 times I would.
California Highway Patrol officer Jennifer Hink put it a little differently.It’s officer discretion … (But) just because you have confidential plates doesn’t mean you’re going to get out of a citation.
Many police departments that run red light camera programs systematically dismiss citations issued to confidential plates.
It’s a courtesy, law enforcement to law enforcement,San Francisco Police Sgt. Tom Lee said.We let it go.
professional courtesy comes from the traditions of medicine: many doctors will not charge money when they treat another doctor’s immediate family. When doctors talk about
professional courtesy they are talking about a very old system of mutual aid in which one doctor agrees to do a favor for another, at her own expense, for the sake of collegiality, out of concern for professional ethics (to offer doctors an alternative to having their own family as patients), and because she can count on getting similar services in return should she ever need them.
But when the Gangsters in Blue start talking about
professional courtesy, they’re talking about something quite different: a
favor done for a fellow gang member at no personal expense, with the bill sent to unwilling taxpayers who must pick up the tab for the roads and parking; and a
favor done in order insulate the gangsters and their immediate family from any kind of ethical accountability to the unwilling victims that they sanctimoniously insist on
serving and protecting.
Professional courtesy in medicine means reciprocity in co-operative mutual aid in healing sick people;
professional courtesy in government policing means reciprocity in a conspiracy to make sure that any cop can do just about anything she wants by way of free-riding, disruptive, dangerous or criminal treatment of innocent third parties, with complete impunity, and the rest of us will get the bill for it and a
fuck you, civilian if we don’t like it.
To be sure, letting a traffic ticket slide is, in the grand scheme of things, a pretty small thing. But it’s a small thing that is intimately connected with bigger things—with a pervasive, institutionalized system with consequences that are as terrible as they are inevitable and predictable. | <urn:uuid:efd44e2a-19d7-44a8-802c-0a44d77183f6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://radgeek.com/tag/orange_county_register/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96044 | 1,149 | 1.507813 | 2 |
10-year change in attendance:
-25.18% (the biggest decline in NFL) W-L record 10 years:
39-121 (the worst in NFL) Operating income (2010):
-$8 million Year founded:
1929 (moved to Detroit in 1934) Value:
$844 million (seventh least valuable in NFL)
While Detroit has certainly experienced increasing financial troubles, the team may be in the midst of turning its fortunes around. The Lions are currently 6-2, and the team is tied with several others for the third-best record in the NFL. If they continue to win, they could become a profitable NFL franchise again. However, stepping back from this year for a moment paints a less rosy picture. In the previous 10 seasons, the Lions have won just 39 out of 160 games, easily the worst record in the NFL. This includes the 2008 season, when the team became the only franchise ever to fail to win a game in the 16-game schedule. The team moved from the Silverdome in 2002 to Ford Field, hoping to save money, but even in the smaller stadium the team usually averages well below the 65,000 person capacity. While the franchise was profitable for the first half of the decade, the Lions lost money in four of the past five seasons, including the $8 million lost last year.
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya) More From 24/7 Wall Street: The States That Pay The Most (And Least) In Taxes America’s Most Overpaid CEOs America’s Disappearing Restaurant Chains The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. | <urn:uuid:1f4c5fff-d120-44a3-954c-44cb7e6497e5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://xfinity.comcast.net/slideshow/sports-proteamscollapse/3/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953454 | 346 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Student Profile: Gwendolyn Greer
Between bad luck and broken bones, the time that Gwendolyn Greer spent in the emergency room while growing up has proved to be inspiring.
“In middle school, I broke my arm, and I also had a lot of knee problems,” she says. “I was really curious to learn about what was wrong with me and what situations brought other people to the hospital as well. I’ve wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon ever since.”
Equally inspiring are the Novi senior’s professors at Alma College. Though all of her science professors are great, Greer, a biology major, says Eric Calhoun, assistant professor of biology, really makes the grade.
“He’s always there when you need help,” she says. “When you go up to his office, he will explain the concepts to you and really take his time until you understand them.”
Greer spent a recent Spring Term in the lab with Calhoun working on molecular techniques. Maintaining cell cultures is just one of the many opportunities she has had at Alma to try new things.
“From hands-on experiments in the lab to swing dance, cheerleading, band and swimming and diving, I have had the opportunity to get involved in a lot of things that I never thought I’d try, and it’s all thanks to Alma,” she says. | <urn:uuid:ff930523-d8ca-4549-950a-f2f765784b78> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.alma.edu/academics/departments/natural_sciences/biology/profiles/Gwendolyn_Greer | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983965 | 307 | 1.578125 | 2 |
The downward spiral of commercialism that we live in and deal with everyday has dire consequences most of us aren’t even aware of in the ecosystem. If you stop to think about it, though, you realize that deep down you know something is wrong. Everyone seems to have a sense of this, but there is such a strong desire to ignore those nagging thoughts and put them to rest. The desire to not acknowledge these issues is a very dangerous reality that we’re going to have to deal with if anything is to be done about the current situation.
This is where the real problem resides. The economic and ecological issues are all there, but the biggest issue of them all is the reluctance for us to acknowledge these issues and do something to change them. If this problem could be solved, we could be on our way to finding a solution. Until then, however, we may be stuck here with the wool over our eyes. Wool placed there by our own two hands. | <urn:uuid:9bd82781-4c10-4cae-b1a7-8318cc559b3e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://jamesknight19.wordpress.com/category/intro/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976198 | 199 | 1.703125 | 2 |
The Common Industry Format (CIF) provides an industry standard for the reporting of usability test results. The ongoing success of the CIF will in part be determined by the support of future IT professionals. The work reported in this paper describes our experience in adapting and using the CIF in an introductory Human-Computer Interaction course at an Australian University. It also examined subsequent student perceptions about the usefulness and ease of use of a CIF-style template, and the degree to which students were able to generate CIF-compliant reports. It was found that few modifications to the template were required to meet the educational objectives of the course. Overall, students were neutral as to whether the CIF was a useful or easy to use device, but were able to generate moderately compliant reports. Comments from students indicated that more formal training in the CIF might be useful. | <urn:uuid:c4b211d0-b5af-44a4-ae27-755b856ce296> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://researchbank.swinburne.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/swin:3694?f0=type%3A%22Conference+paper%22&f1=subject%3A%22280000+Information%2C+Computing+and+Communication+Sciences%22 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977323 | 173 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Myanmar prepares to join UN anti-corruption framework
Nay Pyi Taw (Myanmar), 29 October 2012 - Myanmar recently began an important step in its push to achieve full compliance with the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). Parliament began work on a long-awaited Draft Anti-Corruption Law with support from UNODC and UNDP. The review is the culmination of a long process to ensure Myanmar's full compliance with UNCAC.
Myanmar signed UNCAC in 2005 but is the only country in ASEAN which has not yet ratified it. The Draft Anti-Corruption Law is a significant milestone in bringing Myanmar's legislation in compliance with international anti-corruption standards.
The process received a boost in the sidelines of a recently-convened global anti-corruption meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where UNODC organized a consultation on Myanmar's Draft Anti-Corruption Law. The Kuala Lumpur side-meeting involved members of Legal Commissions of Amyotha Hluttaw and Pyithu Hluttaw (the Upper and Lower Houses of the Parliament of Myanmar), the Deputy Attorney General of the Union, the Director-General of the Bureau of Special Investigations and their staff, regional UNODC and UNDP anti-corruption experts.
"The Myanmar delegates repeatedly stressed Myanmar's commitment to ratify and implement UNCAC in the near future" said Mr. Shervin Majlessi, UNODC Regional Anti-Corruption Adviser for East Asia and the Pacific.
Following the Kuala Lumpur meetings, UNODC and UNDP provided written comments to their Myanmar counterparts for Parliament's Draft Anti-Corruption Law, held on 18 October 2012.
The Kuala Lumpur consultation came about after a pre-ratification workshop held late September in the Myanmar capital, Nay Pyi Taw. At that workshop, senior Government of Myanmar officials expressed commitment to ratify the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). They invited UNODC and UNDP to provide legal assistance to review the Draft Anti-Corruption Law to ensure full compliance with UNCAC.
In addition to this legal support the UN partners facilitated sharing of experiences by Thailand and Bhutan counterparts during meetings in Nay Pyi Taw and Kuala Lumpur. Professor Pakdee Pothiseri, Commissioner of the National Anti-Corruption of Thailand and Dasho Neten Zangmo, Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption Commission of Bhutan made presentations of their experiences in fighting corruption to Myanmar officials.
In the workshop U Aung Saw Win, Director-General of the Bureau of Special Investigation (BSI), highlighted the benefits for Myanmar of ratifying and implementing UNCAC, and pointed out that Myanmar was in the process of adopting an Anti-Corruption Law.
Director-General of the Union Attorney General Office U Kyaw San further emphasised a "strong political will to combat corruption" in Myanmar.
After Myanmar's Parliament met recently to review the country's Draft Anti-Corruption Law, Jason Eligh, UNODC Myanmar Country Manager, said there were strong indications that Myanmar has firmly committed to taking concrete and speedy steps to combat corruption.
"The current Government of Myanmar has the vision to recognize that clean, effective, trustworthy governance institutions are as critical to the sustainable development of peace and security in Myanmar as they are in any country," said Ms. Candice Welsch, Chief of the Implementation Support Section of UNODC's Corruption and Economic Crimes Branch in Vienna, who joined the Myanmar officials .
This view was echoed by Mr. Eligh. "Without an investment in rule of law institutions, the economic and social development which Myanmar citizens so desperately crave can not easily be achieved. Myanmar has signed the UN Convention on Corruption (UNCAC). It now needs to be ratified and its provisions implemented. The Government has indicated its willingness to move in the right direction on all these areas. UNODC will be there to support it." | <urn:uuid:f2f72327-46e9-4b2e-8fb1-6f2aa33f7b35> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.unodc.org/southeastasiaandpacific/en/myanmar/2012/10/uncac/story.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93589 | 805 | 1.59375 | 2 |
|D>Elektro |2.1| |> Material|
||> History/ies + Sounds|
|of modern electronic / experimental music in Germany |<|
D>Elektro 1.3 - |> Protagonists [Chronology]
It has been over 25 years and a whopping 80 albums since Dieter Moebius and Hans-Joachim Roedelius first joined forces to create some of the most compelling and strikingly original work in electronic music.
The origin of the group can be traced back to the activities of Conrad Schnitzler, one of the first students of German conceptual artist Joseph Beuys at the Duesseldorf Fine Arts Academy. Schnitzler, affectionately known as the Madman of Berlin, was a key figure in the Berlin undergraound art scene of the late 60s.
In 1968, Schnitzler formed the Zodiak Free Arts Lab in Berlin with, among others, Roedelius, who had previously worked with Schnitzler in the avant-garde groups Plus/Minus and Noises. The Lab was known for its emphasis on experimentation and blending of different disciplines to create new forms of artistic expression. While the Lab quickly became a focal point for the Berlin underground, it was only one of many related activities.
In 1969, Schnitzler happened upon Moebius, a student of Akademie Grafik in Berlin, who was cooking in a restaurant. Upon this unlikely first meeting, Schnitzler immediately enlisted Moebius to join him and Roedelius as the third member of Ensemble Kluster.
Kluster's approach to music owed much to the Zodiak's free-wheeling attitude. Such "instruments" as alarm clocks and kitchen utensils were used in lengthy improvisational performances. The trio performed widely throughout Germany.
The group's first two albums, Klopfzeichen and zwei: Osterie, came about when Schnitzler noticed a newspaper item about a church organist interested in new music. The recording sessions were sponsored and arranged by agreement with the church.
During the recording of these albums, Kluster met producer/engineer Conny Plank, who had begun his career as a soundman for Marlene Dietrich. The relationship with Plank would quickly grow into a strong personal and creative bond that would last until his death in December 1987.
After a third similarly dark album, Kluster und Eruption (1971), Schnitzler, described by one associate as "born to go solo," left to pursue a solo career. Moebius and Roedelius continued, with a slight name modification, as Cluster.
Their first two releases as a duo, Cluster (1971) and Cluster II (1972), continued the commitment to improvisation but developed a focus on sound structure as introduced by Plank, who produced and composed the tracks with Cluster. Cluster also continued to tour extensively throughout Europe and North Africa. One memorable performance included non-stop overnight festival set "opening" for Jimi Hendrix.
In 1973, the pair left the industrial environs of Berlin and Hamburg to live in the rural German village of Forst and establish a private studio. They were joined by guitarist Michael Rother of the German avant-pop group NEU!. Cluster's next release, Zuckerzeit (1974), (recorded with instruments "borrowed" from Rother while he was away) clearly reflected the change of locale.
Moebius and Roedelius also collaborated with Rother as Harmonia on two albums, Muzik von Harmonia (1974) and Harmonia de luxe (1975) blending Cluster's avant-garde tendencies with NEU!'s pop sound. Both Zuckerzeit and especially Muzik von Harmonia, made a great impression on recent Roxy Music departee Brian Eno who contacted the group and played a live date with them at the legendary Fabrik in Hamburg.
Sowiesoso marked the beginning of a nearly exclusive relationship with Hamburg's Sky Records that would last eight years. Though it was recorded in just two days, the album introduced a fully realized marriage of electronic sounds with a pastoral warmth.
It was during this period that Roedelius began to record solo material. Though the first solo album to be released was 1978's Durch die Wuste, he actually began experimenting with solo material in 1973. Segments of these early works spanning 1973-78 were eventually released beginning in 1980 with his Selbstportrait series, of which six installments have been issued to date.
As a duo, Cluster reunited with Eno for two albums, Cluster and Eno (1977) and After the Heat (1979) that briefly brought them international attention. Eno apparently enjoyed the sessions so much that he lost track of time as he had to be summoned from Forst by David Bowie to begin work on the Low sessions.
In 1990 Cluster surprised everyone (including themselves) by reuniting for the appropriately titled Apropos Cluster. This work documented not so much a "comeback" as a continuation of their musical dialogue. Curiously enough, this release was their first to be issued in the States.
Moebius continued a string of truly brilliant collaborations during the 1980s most notably with Conny Plank. He experimented with aggressive proto-techno electronics on hist first solo album, Tonspuren (1983), and raw electro-noise on two albums with Gerd Beerbohm, Strange Music (1982) and Double Cut (1983).
In collaboration with Plank, Moebius' harsher tendencies were whittled, twisted and mutated into sheer strangeness producing three truly odd masterpieces of sound experimentation, Rastakraut Pasta (1979), Material (1981), and Zero Set (1984).
Roedelius, the more prolific of the two, has released numerous solo albums and works in a variety of collaborative formats, most recently as a member of the group Aquarello. Has has also composed extensively for theater and dance. Notable among his recent solo albums are Theatreworks (1994), Sinfonia Contempora (1995) and Selbstportrait VI (1995).
The current wave of interest focusing on electronic music along with Cluster's reinvigorated output sees 1996 as perhaps the duo's highest profile period a full twenty-seven years after Schnitzler first saw Moebius baking a Strudel.
And finally, the Erste Begegnung (First Encounter) Tour brings Moebius and Roedelius to the U.S. for the first time ever despite having been a touring entity for over a quarter of a century. In addition to the tour, 1996/97 will see the continued release of new and old, live and studio work (including some surprises) related to Cluster and a continued higher profile.
At a time when many of their peers have either left the music business or are producing pale imitations of their previous work, Cluster's music remains as odd and as interestiing, as bizarre and as friendly as ever.
Roedelius recently described their continued ability to produce interesting work, "we are like two old chaps who communicate better through sounds than words. We did what we did and we do what we do. It was never a problem for us because the name, the category, didn't interest us."
© - Russ Curry | 5/96 | | <urn:uuid:8e3f2ad4-3ba5-4e22-b807-ae001f675dc5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thing.de/delektro/www-eng/cluhist.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964576 | 1,539 | 1.625 | 2 |
Protesters carried a Mexican flag stained with fake blood in the country's capital this week -- a symbol, they said, of President Felipe Calderon's six-year term.
Just a few hours later, Mexican television broadcast video of the outgoing president brushing his hand across a pristine flag as triumphant music played in the background.
The images showed two drastically different interpretations of Calderon's legacy: a fed-up public that has grown weary of a brutal drug war; and a president who maintains that his fight against organized crime was necessary and, by some measures, successful.
"I leave having accomplished my duty and responsibility to serve Mexico," said Calderon, whose term ends this week. "I have worked to leave a stronger, healthier country, with a better justice system and a solid economy."
But activists offered a much harsher assessment, staging a protest in Mexico City dubbed "A Recounting of the Damage: A Six-Year Term of Death."
"Felipe Calderon leaves as a traitor to the country, as the president of devastation and contempt," the Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity said in a statement, slamming Calderon's "clumsy attempt to reduce crime."
Calderon: We had to make 'difficult decisions'
In his farewell address, broadcast Wednesday night, the president thanked the country's public officials, military and police for "defending Mexican families."
Calderon noted that his government had passed universal health care and kept Mexico's economy stable in the face of the global financial crisis.
But he did not explicitly mention the controversial six-year crackdown on drug cartels that began in 2006, when he deployed federal troops to fight organized crime. | <urn:uuid:cc3318ce-aa1b-4a79-8653-908947576506> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wmtw.com/news/national/Mexico-s-president-defends-legacy/-/8792078/17588952/-/11kklv8z/-/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973492 | 345 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Muskingum College student teaches abroad and broadens horizons
By Kimi Heskett '05, Public Relations intern
MARCH 24, 2004 - Muskingum College student Kurenn Sisler '04 is spending time this semester in New Zealand to complete her student teaching obligations as an education major. The Lucasville, Ohio native is in Porirua, New Zealand and has been since early January, working with Aotea College (which is actually a high school). She will return late in April.
Her teaching assignments have proved to be challenging, yet rewarding. "My lessons are going particularly well. I enjoy myself immensely, especially when I see my students lean in towards me, their eyes glowing with interest," she said in emails back to Muskingum.
Sisler said the school focuses on respect and responsibility. The high school emphasizes to the students that they should make the best of their high school years by becoming involved in as much as possible.
Not only does Sisler feel it is her duty to teach her students, but to entertain them. "The poor kids have to sit and listen the entire school day. During the times I instruct, I want to keep things as interesting as I can," she said.
Aotea College consists of about 900 students aging from 12 to 18. Unlike the U.S., high schools in New Zealand are referred to as colleges. Similar to the U.S., New Zealand has a classification system which describes the school according to its size and general socioeconomic status of the area which the school is located. A D10 school, for example, is in the highest on the socioeconomic status spectrum. Aotea College is classified as D2, so the school is situated in an area of low socioeconomic status.
A world away from U.S. schools in its methods, Aotea doesn't use any textbooks. Each student brings their own notebook for each subject. Handwriting is taught with a college-rule notebook and math is done with graph paper. Also, the alphabet is not displayed. Perhaps most strangely, the students are not allowed to have erasers. "I like the idea of not having erasers, because I've found that when kids do have erasers, they spend the entire time erasing," Sisler said.
Sisler has learned a great deal both in and out of school, including the local favorite dish, pumpkin soup. "Can you believe they have pumpkin soup here? Do we have that in the U.S.? It has to be so nasty," she said in email correspondence back to Muskingum. Sisler's host, Anne, frequently makes it and Sisler knows that she will probably be having it soon.," she said.
Far outside of the classroom, Tongario National Park in Tuapo and its three active volcanoes are some of the sights Sisler has enjoyed on the weekends. "When I was atop the mountain, there were times when I felt as if I were on a different planet. I've never seen anything like it," she said.
Not only did Sisler just enjoy the sights, she also bungee-jumped off of a 260-foot bridge. "Whenever I reached the jump-off point, I was shaking violently. In the past I could never imagine myself strapping a cord to my feet and diving headfirst to the ground. But I did it, and, oh, what an experience," she said, along with the fact that she was quite proud of herself.
As amazing as Sisler's experience is proving to be, she said she is actually very homesick. "I've learned a few valuable things about dealing with my homesickness. I've learned that it is definitely true that one can be in the most amazing and beautiful place in the world and doing truly wonderful things but still feel a sense of loneliness and loss because they aren't spending it with someone they love. Experiences aren't places or adventures, they're about people, and the people you experience them with," she said.
Sisler is glad she came but is always aware of how many days are left until she comes home. "Tell those Muskies to never take the familiarity of those hills and all the familiar faces for granted," she said.
Also teaching and traveling in New Zealand are senior educations majors Sarah Wooding of Austinburg, Ohio and Amanda Harrington of Orrville, Ohio. | <urn:uuid:2514ab43-f81e-41b4-a660-376b5d123c21> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://muskingum.edu/news/archives/040324.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.987009 | 912 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Die Lunæ, Maii 19, 1645.
THE humble Petition of the Inhabitants of the Town
of Fenn-Drayton, in the County of Cambridge, was
this Day read. And
It is Ordered, That it be in especial Manner referred and
recommended unto the Consideration of the Committee of
the Lords and Commons for Sequestrations, to make a fit
and competent Addition of Means to the Minister of the
said Parish, one Mr. Gryffyth, a learned, orthodox, and
pious Divine, out of some such sequestred Estate, as they
shall think most sit and convenient.
The humble Petition of Sir David Watkins was this Day
It is Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of
Examinations, to be speedily taken into Consideration as
to the Matter of Fact: And that, in the mean time, all
Process out of the said Court against Sir David Watkins
shall be staid; and no Proceedings had thereupon. And
It is further Ordered, That the Master of the Court of
Wards do give Order, That full, legal, and usual Discharges may be given to all such Persons, as have or shall
pay in any Monies upon any Ordinance of Parliament.
Mr. Ellys reported from the Committee, the Business
concerning the raising and maintaining Five hundred Horse
by the Eastern Association, for the strengthening the Garison of Grantham, in the County of Lincolne.
Resolved, &c. That Five hundred Horse shall be provided and paid by the Seven Associated Counties for Four
Months, if there shall be Occasion so long to continue
them; to lie at Grantham, or thereabouts, for the Defence
of the Association. This to be secured and charged upon
the Credit of the Excise; to be repaid in its Course, after
the Assignments, already set upon the Excise, shall be
It is Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of
the Association to meet this Afternoon, to consider of the
present Raising and Maintaining of these Horse upon their
own particular Credits; to be repaid, together with the
Consideration of Eight Pounds per Cent. for the Forbearance, out of the Excise, after the Assignments already set
upon those Receipts.
A Letter from Pembroke, of Maii 9 1645, from Colonel Langherne, was this Day read. And
It is Ordered, That it be in especial Manner recommended to the Committee of both Kingdoms, to take this
Business into their speedy Care, as being important, and
much concerning the Safety of the Kingdom.
Ordered, That Colonel Herbert's Propositions be referred to the Committee of both Kingdoms.
Resolved, &c. That this House doth approve of Colonel
William Herbert to be Governor of Mountgomery-Castle, in
the place of Sir John Price.
The Lords Concurrence to be desired herein.
A Message from the Lords, by Doctor Aylett and
That the Lords have sent a Petition of Sir Theodore
Mayherne's to the House of Commons: And that the Lords
have expressed their Desires, in a Paper delivered by them,
concerning the promoting his Petition.
The Question being put, Whether this House will concurr with the Lords in their Desire, expressed in their Paper, concerning Sir Theodore Mayherne;
The House was divided.
The Yeas went forth.
||Tellers for the Yea:
|Sir Jo. Clottworthy,
||With the Yea,
Sir Edw. Aiscough,
||Tellers for the Noe:
|Sir Hen. Mildmay,
||With the Noe,
So that the Question passed in the Affirmative.
The Paper of the Lords Desire concerning Sir Theodore
Mayherne was this Day read; and assented unto; and was
in hæc verba; viz.
"The Lords, having formerly, out of their Respect
unto Sir Theodore Mayherne, declared their Wishes, that he
might continue (as he hath done for many Years) free from
all Taxes and Sessments; do now desire, That a Man so
eminent in his Profession, and so useful to very many Persons in this Kingdom, may receive all Encouragements to
reside still here amongst us: He being contented to pay the
Moiety assessed upon him; the Remainder which is required can be of no great Advantage unto the Parliament:
Nor will those Sessments, which may, for the future, be
expected from him, assist much towards the Carrying on
of the War; yet is he willing, that his Land should continue liable to all Taxes, as hitherto it hath done."
"The Lords Desire is, That the House of Commons
would join with them, in expressing their Esteem of a
Man, whose extraordinary Abilities would make him welcome in any Part of Christendom: And as he is singular
for his Knowledge in his Profession, so he may be singular
in being, by the Favour of the House, exempted from
all Payments, which others are subject unto; it being but
a Continuation of that Favour, which he hath here enjoyed
for above Thirty Years, without Interruption."
Ordered, That Mr. Nicoll do, To-morrow Morning,
the first Business, make the Report concerning the Earl of
Essex: And that no other Business intervene, after Mr.
Speaker come to the Chair.
Ordered, That the Petition of Major Oconnelly be read
on Wednesday Morning next, peremptorily.
Answer returned by the same Messengers; That this
House has considered their Lordships Message; and does
agree with them in their Desires expressed in their Paper,
concerning Sir Theodore Mayherne.
WHereas, by Order of both Houses of Parliament, Wm.
Colemore Esquire is appointed Sheriff of the County
of Warr'; who cannot, with Safety and Conveniency,
reside in any Place within the Country, but in the City of
Coventry: It is therefore Ordered, by the Lords and Commons, in Parliament assembled, That the said Wm. Colemore, during the Time he shall continue Sheriff of the said
Country of Warr', shall have Leave, and may dwell and
reside within the Country of the City of Coventry, without
incurring any Penalty, or Danger.
Ordered, That the Committee of the Army shall have
Power to issue their Warrants to the Mustermaster of Sir
Wm. Waller's Army, to certify the State of the Accompts
of the Officers of that Army, that are now laid aside.
Ordered, That the Committee of the Army shall give
Warrant to the Treasurers at Wars to pay Two hundred
Pounds a Week, for Six Months next ensuing, unto the
Commissioners that reside in the Army; to be by them disbursed for the Buying of Horses to recruit the Army.
It is further Ordered, That the Horses so bought shall
be disposed, by Order of Sir Thomas Fairfax, to such Soldiers, as the Commissioners, upon Examination How the
Soldier came to lose his Horses, shall think fit to be supplied.
Ordered, That the Committee of the Army do consider,
Where they may, with the best Conveniency, depasture
any Horses to be bought, or provided, for the Service of
the Parliament, in any Lands of any Persons that are
sequestred: And they are herein to advise with the Committee of the West.
Ordered, That the Committee of the Army do provide One hundred Dragoon-Horses for the Service of Sir
Thomas Fairfax his Army.
Ordered, That the Instructions passed both Houses, to
the Commissioners appointed to reside in the Army, shall
be forthwith printed.
Upon a Report of a Case, by Mr. Lisle, from the Committee at Haberdashers-Hall, concerning certain Conveyances made by Mr. Wm. Murray, upon Trust, for the
Benefit of Mrs. Murray, and their Children;
It is Resolved, That this House is of Opinion, That the
Estate, mentioned in those Conveyances, is, upon the whole | <urn:uuid:4e96ccfc-ff68-4c86-9cd7-7dc6297a6940> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=23399 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936316 | 1,802 | 1.578125 | 2 |
U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday proposed $1.3 billion in military aid for Egypt in fiscal 2013, asking Congress to maintain the annual aid level of recent years despite the ongoing crisis triggered by an Egyptian probe of American democracy activists.
Obama made the proposal in his budget plan for fiscal 2013 which begins on Oct. 1, the State Department said. The amounts must be approved by Congress, where some lawmakers have called for cutting off all aid to Egypt if it does not drop accusations against the American activists and lift the travel ban on them, according to Reuters.
Nineteen Americans were among 43 foreign and local activists banned from travel and referred to criminal court on accusations of working for organizations operating in Egypt without proper licenses and which had received foreign funds illegally.
Washington asked Egypt to lift the travel ban on the U.S. citizens, some of whom have taken refuge at the U.S. embassy. Both the White House and Congress have warned that the crackdown could threaten Cairo's $1.3 billion in annual U.S. military aid.
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the warning for 2012 remained in place, noting that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had to certify first whether Egypt is making progress toward democracy.
But she added: “Let’s hope we’re still not in this situation in 2013.”
“We do have concerns that if we can't resolve this situation it could have implications for the whole relationship with Egypt, including what we would like to do together and how we would like to support them.”
Cairo prosecutors backed by police in December stormed the offices of the U.S.-funded International Republican Institute, the National Democratic Institute and Freedom House as part of a probe into the NGO’s alleged illegal foreign funding.
They were among 17 offices of local and international NGOs raided.
The crackdown was part of a wider campaign by Egypt’s military rulers to silence dissent after months of criticism of its human rights record, analysts said.
Obama, meanwhile, on Monday proposed a fund of $770 million to boost political and other reforms in Arab countries undergoing pro-democracy revolutions, according to AFP.
The new fund is part of $51.6 billion set aside for the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development in 2013, which accounts for just one percent of the entire government’s budget, the State Department said.
The department highlighted “$770 million for a new Middle East and North Africa Incentive Fund to respond strategically to historic changes taking place across the region.”
“The fund will incentivize long-term economic, political and trade reforms — key pillars of stability — by supporting governments that demonstrate a commitment to undergo meaningful change and empower their people,” it said.
It did not identify countries which will receive the funds, but the United States last year gave tens of millions of dollars to Egypt and Tunisia after their leaders were overthrown in pro-democracy revolutions. | <urn:uuid:42457f15-3e85-4cca-aa00-e7680450742c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/02/14/194501.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966585 | 619 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Most Americans undoubtedly agree that the federal government cannot continue on its current spending and borrowing binge without wreaking economic havoc. But how must the binge be brought under control? One idea that has just gotten traction in the state of North Dakota is for the states to call for a constitutional convention for the purpose of proposing a National Debt Relief Amendment (NDRA) to the U.S. Constitution. On April 7, the North Dakota House of Representatives passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 4007 by a vote of 68 to 24, completing legislative action on the resolution and making their state the first in the nation to call for a constitutional convention to propose the NDRA.
The WikiLeaks release of secret U.S. State Department cables provides evidence that U.S. officials believed Russia is using Iran and Venezuela to provide sophisticated weapons, including MANPAD missiles, to the aid of international terrorist groups.
There is good reason to assume that Hizb ut-Tahrir al Islami (the Islamic Party, or HT), which recently called for The Fall of Capitalism, the Rise of Islam at its Chicago conference, has been co-opted at least in Central Asia by the Russian security service the FSB and SVR (successors of the renamed KGB) or was created outright to provide controlled opposition.
Americans have been conditioned to fear Islamic terrorism, but most Americans have been told little about how much of the international terror web was created by the former Soviet Union.
In what sounded like a news headline taken from the height of the Cold War in the 1950s, on June 28, 2010 the U.S. Department of Justice announced that the FBI had rounded up and arrested 10 individuals charged for espionage and conspiracy on behalf of the Russian government.
Senator Joseph McCarthy's accusations of Communist penetration in the State Department are proven to still be the case as the U.S. District Court Judge sentences former State Department employee Walter Kendall Myers and, his wife, Gwendolyn Meyers to life in prison after nearly 30 years of being Communist spies on behalf of Cuba's intelligence agency - the CuSI (formerly known as the DGI).
Incompatible with the concept of private property rights and the U.S. Constitution, the Copenhagen Treaty - if ratified and implemented - would result in nothing less than international communism, according to Lord Christopher Monckton of the U.K..
During a presentation at Bethel University, St. Paul, Minnesota on October 14, 2009, Lord Christopher Monckton warned Americans that President Obama would be signing the global warming treaty at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in early December, and that this treaty would impose a communist world government on the world.
Although the Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST) would threaten American sovereignty by giving the UN control of the oceans, ratification of the treaty is still a top priority of the Obama administration. | <urn:uuid:3326e4bf-e7b5-40ac-8ad3-370cdff6486d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jbs.org/commentary/author/christian-gomez?limitstart=0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953682 | 580 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Texas Wine Shipping Prohibition Is Morally Indefensible (and Bad for Business)
"Where'd You Get That Wine?" asked Wine Spectator editor Mitch Frank in a blog post last week.
Photo by Jeremy Parzen. I bought this Vin de Savoie from a San Francisco-based online retailer last year. It's delicious but illegal in Texas simply because no Texas-based distributor carries the wine.
It's easy for him to say. He lives in Louisiana, where out-of-state retailers are allowed to ship wine. Here in neighboring Texas, it's illegal for out-of-state retailers to ship wine to our state's residents (although it is technically legal, by virtue of a 2005 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, for U.S. wineries to ship directly to consumers).
We've written about the absurdity of our state's out-of-state shipping restrictions before.
The bottom line: If a wine is not distributed by a Texas distributor, there's no way to get it to Texas. That means that the wonderful "old vine" Vin de Savoie that I bought from a San Francisco-based online retailer is illegal in our state.
As Frank notes in his post, some retailers simply ignore the out-of-state shipping prohibition.
In my experience, small retailers are generally unafraid to ship to Texas residents, while large, high-profile shops in New York and Los Angeles, for example, are unwilling to ship wines here.
According to Frank, "36 states [including Texas] still don't permit direct shipping from out-of-state retailers. Their laws mandate that wine must go through a state-licensed wholesaler and a local retailer before you can buy it." (According to what I could find on the internets, our neighbor Louisiana made it legal for out-of-state retailers to ship there in 2011.)
Frank doesn't "begrudge" wholesalers for "trying to protect the three-tier system that mandated that wines travel from producer to wholesaler to retailer since Prohibition was repealed. If you had a guaranteed spot in the supply chain, wouldn't you lobby to keep it?"
But he also opines that these Prohibition-era restrictions acutely limit our palates:
[T]he wine world is so much bigger than it was when Prohibition was repealed. Tens of thousands of bottlings are available in the United States. However, the average wine consumer doesn't see the majority of them in their local market. Wholesalers don't carry them all. For good reason: It's not profitable to carry a small winery's product that only a few people want.
When I travel to California and New York, I see hundreds of labels that are not available to us here in Texas, including the small-production Vin de Savoie above. They're available to my wine-geek and wine-professional counterparts but not to us.
Is it really a crime to want to drink these wines in Texas? The wholesaler lobby has made it so.
Is the repression of a new generation of Texas wine lovers' palates and the censorship of a "small winery's product" an ethically indefensible act? In my view, there's no question that it is.
And it's also bad for business. As wine connoisseurship continues to expand beyond our borders, the new generation of wine professionals will not be able to keep up with current trends in the trade.
If loving a small-production Vin de Savoie is wrong in our state, than I don't want to be right...
Follow Eating Our Words on Facebook and on Twitter @EatingOurWords | <urn:uuid:ea71791b-c229-4829-a960-6a08107a854f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2012/10/wine_shipping_illegal_texas.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964292 | 758 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Quick! What colour is the ceiling in your dining room? Don’t know?
Join the club. Many of us pay a lot of attention to our floors and walls, but we don’t even know what most of the ceilings in our home look like, let alone what we could do to improve them.
As the trio of designing women at cky design group (ckydesigngroup.ca) says: The “humble” ceiling is “quite possibly the most overlooked surface of all time.” But they and their fellow designers know all too well that ceilings need not be humble.
“I do like to shape ceilings,” says Friedemann Weinhardt of Design First Interiors (designfirstinteriors.com). “You could say that it’s the opposite of the floor. They’re earth and sky, below and above. We pay a lot of attention to what we put on the floor, but you can create really interesting things on a ceiling by simply giving some sculpture to it.”
Adds Kelly Maiorino of Unique Spaces (uniquespaces.ca): “You can use ceilings to create a sense of style, add architectural detail and define and illuminate spaces.”
A look at some of the three design firms’ work shows just how much attention they pay to ceilings. Some are coffered; some have dropped portions to define spaces; others create impact with lines of lighting. Still others show you can simply use a coat of paint to highlight a ceiling.
In a recent blog post, cky had a few tips on how to make design statements with your ceilings, so we sat down with Carrie Colton and Karyn Watson, two of the firm’s three designers (Yvonne Potter was out of town) to talk about the possibilities. It’s clear they think of ceilings as a whole new playground for design.
“Bulkheads are more than functional,” says Watson. “They should be used even when they’re not necessary.” She says they help you define spaces, for example a bedroom or bathroom in a loft.
Painting a ceiling, adding an interesting light fixture or combining the two ideas is another way of adding interest without much cost (assuming the light fixture is more interesting than expensive). When it comes to paint, Watson and Colton also suggest bucking convention and going with lighter walls and a darker ceiling to add a fun new dimension to a room.
While Weinhardt does more structural work — ceilings that include architectural features — he agrees that paint can be interesting.
“I think you can create a lot of interest with paint in a very inexpensive way,” Weinhardt says. “You could paint rings onto the ceiling, you could create a tile pattern with paint. You can do all kinds of things like that.”
Along the same lines, cky’s designers say papered ceilings are a hot new trend.
“It’s nice to add texture to the ceiling,” Colton says. “As soon as we get the right project, we’re going to wallpaper some ceilings.”
Watson’s own Westboro home, which she’s designing and building with her husband, Victor Elliott, will feature a flashy ceiling done with metallic-coloured grasscloth by Vycon. The ceiling will be set off by two antique gold fixtures. cky also has wallpapers with a cowhide leather-type texture.
Another trick they’ve used in a current condo project is a dropped canopy ceiling, with three elegant pendant lights, over a kitchen island to define the space. It’s a visual cue that the island is the work space while the space next to it is for dining.
“It’s like you’re in another room but there’s no walls,” Colton says. “If you have open spaces, which a lot of people do, it’s a nice way to define the space without putting up walls. Bulkheads, drop ceilings, coved ceilings all work that way.”
Colton and Watson are also fans of leaving some found elements in the ceiling. In their studio space, for example, they decided against covering exposed pipes.
“Even though we have nice Italian light fixtures, (leaving the pipes) is a contrast between rough and polished,” Colton says.
And what if you’re not building new or don’t have an endless budget to build in coves and coffers and architectural details that are purely cosmetic? Even if you have an ugly stucco ceiling, there’s hope. You can file it down with sandpaper and a palm sander. If you’re especially ambitious and creative, Watson says you can also leave some texture and take away some, creating borders and patterns with your sanding tool.
But before you get too excited about the sanding project, have a careful look at the ceiling. As Maiorino points out, the stucco look is often used to hide imperfections. Smoothing the surface could well expose those blemishes anew. And the sanding process is a messy job.
The ceiling is an easy wall to ignore, but it’s also one that can add a lot of style oomph to a room. Before you get carried away, however, spend some time thinking about which rooms you want to tackle.
“I don’t think you have to pay attention to every ceiling,” says Maiorino, who does a lot of design work for Tartan Homes, Mattino Developments and Princiotta’s custom-built homes.
She suggests starting with the dining room, where she and business partner Laurie Jarvis like to introduce both coffered ceilings and tray ceilings, sometimes with painted accents.
Above all, be creative and have fun. | <urn:uuid:52a76280-ed06-4bff-af1f-eeaa0f5c8e3d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.househunting.ca/langleyadvance/Homes-and-Gardens/fifth+wall/6592353/story.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945675 | 1,248 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Posted: Oct 13, 2009 1:05 PM by Mike Steele
Updated: Oct 13, 2009 10:54 PM
A report to a state commission indicates Louisiana has 12,700 public vehicles worth about $200 million. Members of a streamlining state government commission say that's too many vehicles.
The vehicles range from passenger sedans and vans to heavy equipment used for construction. The commission wants to eliminate 1,200 from the state's fleet. That would put the count back to pre-Katrina levels.
Commissioners also want an additional 20 percent reduction in the fleet long term. | <urn:uuid:f58a1623-a0bd-4326-b0f0-cb17023b8606> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wbrz.com/news/surplus-of-state-vehicles/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948436 | 120 | 1.59375 | 2 |
- Case Studies
Technical Laboratory Systems, Inc., Tech-Labs, was founded by Tim and Dede Brown in 1977 in order to meet the growing need for technical and vocational training in Texas and Oklahoma. Over the last 33 years Tech-Labs has developed into a full service educational equipment and instructional software provider. Tech-Labs works with market leaders in instructional software for science and health careers and technical training systems. Tech-Labs is one of North America’s leading suppliers of industrial training in advanced manufacturing, mechatronics, wind energy, solar energy and engineering equipment and curriculum. Tech-Labs is also one of North Americas largest engineering apparatus distribution companies.
Tech-Labs specializes in many different specialty markets in order to better serve our customers. It is Tech-Labs's goal to help educators prepare their students for the world of tomorrow by delivering equipment, curriculum, and software that will challenge students and help teach the competencies and skills students and industry need to face and overcome the challenges of the 21st Century.
Eight years ago Tech-Labs saw a need for instructional science solutions in Texas. Over the last eight years Tech-Labs has become a market leader in TEK’s based science solutions. Offering K-12 differentiated instruction for science that is either teacher centered or student centered. Tech-Labs science products and solutions are proven to increase student knowledge in science and subsequently raise TAK’s scores. With over 500 science labs in Texas, Tech-Labs has both the understanding and capability to provide customized science solutions for any school. | <urn:uuid:8bf06b25-8e50-452a-a076-f20f5fe6b288> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tech-labs.com/about-tech-labs | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944214 | 324 | 1.679688 | 2 |
National Income Life Agents: Have You Examined Your Goals Lately?
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a sales agent working at National Income Life or not, everyone wants to be more successful. Ask yourself these questions and write down your answers. Then evaluate your goals and set new ones, if necessary.
1. What goals have I reached, and which ones remain on the back burner?
2. What progress have I made in my career at National Income Life?
3. How are my finances now compared to last year at this time?
4. Did I develop good relationships with my customers?
5. How well do I service my customers?
6. Where do I want to be this time next year?
7. Is there one change I can make to increase my productivity?
To effectively execute your goals, get organized! Drive and ambition are great, but without a game plan, unorganized goals remain just goals. Consider the following tips:
- Write down each goal and decide its priority. Then note what you need to do to reach each goal.
- When you accomplish a goal, cross it off your list. This helps you take pride in your progress and motivates you to achieve what remains.
- Check on yourself periodically during the year to see how you’re progressing.
You should also create a list of daily activities to help you accomplish your annual goals:
- Organize your desk at the end of every day so you can start working immediately the next morning.
- Plan your day the night before to make the most of your time.
- Bite-size your tasks. If you procrastinated completing a task, break it into manageable pieces. This removes the overwhelmed feeling and gets the job done.
What goals have you set for 2012 for a successful career path at National Income Life? Comment below and share your knowledge. | <urn:uuid:cf5e966e-4393-44c7-bfe4-5a6ca92f9236> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mylifeatnilico.com/2012/04/11/national-income-life-agents-have-you-examined-your-goals-lately/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935367 | 389 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Father Mark Garrow, MIC, 1955-2007
By: Dan Valenti
Father Mark Garrow, MIC, in 2005, at the Marian Helpers Center.
On April 2, 1955, Jesus smiled on a just-born infant to greet his first breath of life, taken in Wilbraham, Mass. On Oct. 19, 2007, at 9:30 a.m. on Eden Hill, Stockbridge, Mass., after Mother Mary washed every Rosary with her tears, Jesus smiled again when He took that life back, reborn, this time, into eternal life. The infant had grown into a man. And the man had done well.
At the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy, flags flew at half-mast. The steeple bell tolled soberly and continuously. Shrine Receptionist Wendy Flynn struggled to keep up with the phone calls flooding the lines — calls from people who knew the man, who went to school with him, men crying. They were crying for themselves.
Her 'maternal solitude'
When Fr. Mark Garrow, MIC, assumed leadership of the newly named Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy Province, he wrote a letter to his Marian brothers, dated Nov. 15, 2006. His first words were, "Salve Regina, Mater Misericordiae."
In using the words of the ancient antiphon, Fr. Mark, who died Oct. 19 at the age of 52 following a long illness, highlighted the significance of Mary and Jesus to the Congregation of Marians. No, he wasn't stating the obvious. He was stating the necessary by setting the tone required for a radical response to Jesus' summation of the law: Love God above all things, and love your neighbor as yourself.
In the letter, Fr. Mark didn't preach to the choir. He went to the heart and soul, the very core, of the Marians' mission: to do all — every thought, desire, word, action, and omission — only with the help of Mary's prayers and her "maternal solitude."
Father Mark emphasized the Blessed Mother's role as "a model for our consecrated life" and urged his brothers "to imitate her in opening ourselves completely to the gift of God's Mercy in Christ." He then invited them "to follow her example in doing all that we can to bring that Mercy to others."
'The honor of a lifetime'
Father Mark lived delivering God's mercy, and he died surrendering to that same mercy, the Ego sum Vita ("I am the Life") that we will only see as He really is when we die.
Father Mark's surrender involved taking up a ferocious cross without complaint and with great humility. He met the staggering suffering caused by tongue cancer straight on, and every caregiver who looked after him in the final months remarked on this great witness.
"It was the honor of a lifetime to take care of Fr. Mark," said Judy Ryan, one of his nurses.
On the outside, Fr. Mark Garrow shouldered his cross as a cooperative motion of his body. On the inside, he lived as a heavenly man who radiated the presence of God as naturally as a flower welcomes the sun: "Pear seeds grow into pear trees, nut seeds into nut trees, and God seeds into God" — Meister Johannes Eckhart.
Someone once said that one of the greatest of our illusions is to imagine that, when we suffer, we suffer badly. Only a heroic person of biblical proportion could be reasonably free from this illusion.
After having heard from many of the good people who nursed Fr. Mark, we can believe he had no such misconception at all. Though suffering greatly, he knew he was suffering well. In isolation, suffering is hideous. United with Jesus, however, suffering becomes a way to "enlarge our capacity for divine life," as a Carthusian friend once put it.
That was Fr. Mark Garrow: using his disease to serve as one last lesson, perhaps the greatest he ever taught.
Divine Mercy, Natural and Easy
Father Mark served mankind as a bearer of mercy not because he found it difficult. He did it because he found it natural and easy. Just as in his pubic ministry he tended to the spiritual needs of countless people, in his Marian ministry he also answered the call, for example, when his superiors wanted to put his intelligence and judgment to administrative use. Father Mark served the Marians as novice master, local Superior, General Councilor, Superior General, Prefect of Formation, and, for this past year, Provincial Superior.
What kind of guy was Fr. Mark? A favorite story concerns his decision after his term had expired as Marian Superior General, an office he held with great distinction from July 2, 1999 to March 5, 2005.
Here was the Marian Top Dog, the Head Honcho (his great sense of humor would have laughed at these "titles"), with a great say about what his next assignment would be. What did he select? He chose the role of Prefect of Formation at the Marian Seminary in Washington, D.C. In short, he wanted to help young Marians. He wanted a piece of the Congregation's future.
When it came time to move into the Scholasticate, despite his enormous personal library of books, he took the seminary's smallest, least pretentious room. To hear it told, this was a room where you'd expect to find the greenest novice, not the erstwhile Superior General.
A Spiritual Dad
Talk to any of the young men Fr. Mark guided as formation director, and they will speak of a "Father" not as the title of a priest but in the role of a dad — a spiritual dad.
Brother Ken Dos Santos, MIC, wrote the following tribute last week, and, he says, "through the grace of God, I was able to read it to Fr. Mark."
How do you say goodbye to someone who has given so selflessly and lovingly of himself to those whom the Father has given him? Does a father forget his son or a son his father? No, a father cannot forget his son, nor can a son his father because there exists between them a loving bond. Perhaps the greatest gift you have given us and continue to give us is this: You have shown us by your example how to be loving fathers to those to whom the Father has entrusted us.
Jesus gave us the model to follow in John 13: "Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me 'teacher' and 'master,' and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do."
You have lived out this model, and we are grateful for your example. You have also shown us how to be a loving son of the Father. ... If we are to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, we must heed his words in Matthew 10: "You have received without cost, give without cost."
As the father in the parable of the prodigal son embraces his child in all forgiveness and love, may we embrace those whom the Father has entrusted to us, as you Fr. Mark have continually and consistently done for us. And may we all one day, as sons of the Father know, His loving and forgiving embrace when we enter into His presence in heaven.
May Our Lady, Queen and Mother, receive you tenderly, Fr. Mark, and all of us as she received through her fiat the Word, Our Savior and Lord, and may she lead us as she always does to the loving embrace of the Father. May the Immaculate Conception be our health and our protection.
A Vocation Found in a Dump Truck
How did Fr. Mark envision his own role as a priest? The April-June 1985 issue of the then-titled Marian Helpers Bulletin, now the Marian Helper magazine, contains an article titled "Ordination" by Vincent J. Flynn. The article takes the reader to Dec. 29, 1984, the day of ordination for Mark Garrow and Walter Dziordz at St. Joseph's Church in Pittsfield, Mass.
The newly minted Fr. Mark recalled that his priestly vocation came early:
When I was very young, Mom and Dad used to pray with us at bedtime, and I can remember a couple of times coming into their bedroom unannounced and finding my father praying. So I would quietly retrace my steps. He never talked about it, but I knew it was important to him, and Mom, too, and that made a big impression on me.
When in high school, Mark became interested in history, an enthusiasm that continued throughout his life. Part of his reading list included historical narratives of the lives of missionary saints. These books planted a seed, and he started thinking about what he wanted to do with the rest of his life.
"[Reading about the saints] fired me up," he said. "I started to pray more, and there was a feeling that I wanted to go out and do the same kind of things. I wanted to do something for God."
The story of how he became a Marian illustrates the role providence plays in life, especially as one shows an awareness of spirituality. After he started thinking of the priesthood, Mark began casually looking at different congregations. He had never heard of the Marians. He wrote to different religious communities, requesting more information. Then one fateful day, the Boy Scouts decided to conduct a paper drive. He found his vocation in the back of a dump truck:
I was loading a stack of papers into the back of a big tractor-trailer. As I lifted it, the bottom half fell out, and the Marian Helpers Bulletin was on the top part of it, with the back page showing. And the back page was a vocation ad. So I grabbed it and wrote to them. The thing that hit me most was that the Marians were the first ones that responded quickly and the first ones to respond with a personal letter.
A Tireless Commitment to Serve Others
One constant in Fr. Mark Garrow's priesthood, as in most priests, was his tireless commitment to serve others. To the day he took his last breath, he served in witness as a witness. At the dawning of his priestly life, service was much on his mind:
In my ministering to other people, I am going to be, for better or worse, one of their contact points for God. So whatever I do or don't do is going to affect their relationship to God in some way. It's a humbling experience, and it scares me. But I remember something Bishop [Leo] O'Neil said to us before we were ordained. He said, "Are you weak enough to be a priest?" That sort of floored me at first. But then I realized what he meant. I have to recognize my weaknesses and realize that I can't be a superpriest. I can't [fix] every problem that comes in. But despite my weakness, despite my inability sometimes to help people, if I just place myself, the best I can, at God's disposal, fruitfulness will come from God, and my weakness serves that purpose. I'm not the source of whatever is going on in the ministry. Even weakness can point to God."
His classmates at the Minor Seminary called him "Guru," a play on Fr. Mark Garrow's last name.
"If I just place myself, the best I can, at God's disposal, fruitfulness will come from God, and my weakness serves that purpose. ... Even weakness can point to God."
When you read these words, spoken after he had been a priest for only the briefest time, and you apply them not just to his ministerial life but especially to the way he humbly embraced suffering in death, you can feel ... something.
Death feels like defeat. We cry. The bereaved, in their inconsolability, make us feel as if the battle has been lost. The gloom is infectious. We begin to ruminate and brood. Death wins out in the end, and our life, that "morning flower" is "cut down an withered in an hour." That is what death is like without God.
Faith, however, transforms the experience and reality of death. It doesn't do this through magic or wishful thinking. All the outward religious practices in the world can't give death a battle. Only faith can, if we see faith as an interior assumption of love and nothing more, really, than the capacity to experience our lives (would it be redundant to say, "our spiritual lives"?) as they are and not as we wish them to be.
With love, the crushing attachment of grief combines with the limitless detachment of faith. We can then let go and even rejoice, as we do now in memory and honor of Fr. Mark Garrow, who, truly, has gone to his Eternal Reward.
This was Fr. Mark's concept of the priesthood: an exercise in humble service, achieved mainly through the acceptance and utilization of his weakness.
'I have nothing that I can really claim as my own'
What makes the loss of Fr. Mark so visceral to the entire Marian family is how much he was a part of the lives with whom he lived and the places he took residence. For instance, he once talked about his early days on Eden Hill, and what they meant to his formation:
I interned here at the Marian Helpers Center. I used to answer mission letters and some of the counseling mail, and I came to realize that I owe a lot of people I may never know face to face, the people who are part of the Association of Marian Helpers.
You can't help but be touched when somebody sends in a letter, let's say, Mrs. Jane Doe, who's in her 70s and can't afford a donation, but sends you [one] anyway and says, "This is for the education of a future priest." You suddenly realize you owe them an awful lot: a big debt of gratitude for the sacrifices they have been willing to make so that you can be a priest! Everything I have, every opportunity I ever had for education, has come through our [Marian Helpers]. ... In a very real way, they become a part of whatever I accomplish, because it was through their sacrifices, their prayers, their donations that I was able to become a priest and am now able to continue as a priest.
It brings back a quote I heard once from a monk: "There are no property owners in the household of God." And what he meant by that was that God has shown us charity and given us everything, and we never merited it, so we, in turn, have to share that with others. In that sense, I see myself as a steward. I have nothing that I can really claim as my own because everything came from others. So they have a claim on everything I own — not only what I own materially, but my ministry and my time as well. ...[T]hey [even] have a claim on my priesthood, and whenever I go to the Eucharist, I bring them with me."
The Eucharist was a favorite topic of Fr. Mark:
When I'm trying to help someone, I can bring them to the Eucharist. I can bring all my other involvement to the salvation of the Eucharist. Somehow it can all become a part of that, given to God in a way I couldn't do. I can always rest assured, knowing that in the Eucharist I have brought whatever I've dealt with, whomever I've shared with. I can bring them all into the Eucharist and know that in some way, God is working in their lives. I may not be able to touch base with somebody, but I know that just being able to celebrate the Eucharist and bring them into it, that I can do that for them. So everything ... gets its real meaning for me in the Eucharist.
In the wake of Fr. Mark's passing, all who knew and loved him can take solace in the fact that he has, again, gone to the Eucharist, this time in the most actual way imaginable, and — again — he has taken us with him. Father Mark is not only in Eternity on this day, but so are we. You can be sure that even (and especially) in death, he took us along for the ride.
'Total surrender to God's will'
Father Mark touched countless lives with his goodness. Father Kazimierz Chwalek, MIC, Marian Director of Evangelization and Development, knew Fr. Mark as well as anybody.
He was a gentle heart, very insightful and possessing a deep understanding of human relations. He cared for people with a genuine love. People in formation especially had a deep respect and love for him. He was also a conscientious and faithful priest, often a source of consolation and encouragement for both members of the community and the laity.
Father Kaz noted Fr. Mark's "deep love for the Church. He understood its history. He was an avid reader. He was always well informed about world situations as well as any news that would come from Rome." He was also an indefatigable worker, Fr. Kaz said:
He worked tirelessly for the good of the community, congregation wide, with a genuine love for different cultures and languages. For example, although he missed the United States when he was elected Superior General and lived in Rome, he quickly adjusted to the new environment, appreciating its unique charm.
He had a special love for Mary, the Immaculate Conception. While still in the womb, he received extraordinary grace, as he was in danger of dying. Mary placed a special role in his life. He also had a great devotion to the Eucharist.
Being a student during the turbulent years of our Church, when seminaries underwent various experimentations, he held close to the heart of the Church and remained faithful, not wishing to follow the path of experimentation in theology or liturgy.
'He noticed the comical elements of life'
Father Mark was a wonderful storyteller, Fr. Kaz said, and his yarns often produced heartfelt laughter, "since he noticed the comical elements of life."
"Above all," Fr. Kaz noted, "he led a quiet prayer life. He would pray through music, which he loved. He stayed close to his friends, and they could rely on him. Anyone who asked for his assistance, he would not count the costs. He would accomplish it."
Moreover, he was approachable. "People could come to him, no matter what the problem," Fr. Kaz remembered. "He would encourage them and offer solutions, and toward the end of his life he bore his sufferings with patience and openness to God's will. He was very peaceful, and that's how his life ended, with total surrender to God's will.
"He would not complain, even though the pain at times was substantial. He would quietly ask for assistance. Doctors have called [the Marians] expressing deep love and condolences. He touched their hearts. He was able to touch the hearts that he met with a gentleness of spirit, attentive presence, and true care for others. While he himself was sick, he would ask 'How are you? How is your family?', showing that selfless offer of himself. He was a true witness, a true brother, and a great and faithful priest."
'I guess you don't forget anyone who saves your life'
Father Mark not only proved a spiritual lifesaver but a actual one as well. In the early 1980s, a group of Marians made their annual trip to the beach.
Brother Ken Galisa, MIC, who served as Fr. Mark's personal secretary, picks up the tale from there: "I got caught in the undertow. I was drowning. I felt like I had half the Atlantic in my lungs. [Father] Mark and [Brother] Fred [Wells] could see I was going under. They swam out and saved me just as I was losing consciousness. I was sitting with Fr. Mark on Wednesday [Oct. 17] and I asked him if he remembered that. I said, 'Isn't it ironic that you saved my life and I cannot save yours.' He held my hand until he fell asleep."
"He was always looking out for everybody," Br. Ken continued. "I never heard him say an unkind word about anyone. The first thing out of his mouth always was 'How are you doing?' " He loved books. His room looked like the New York Public Library."
Brother Ken then reflected on the end of Fr. Mark's life: "We saw that he was in great pain. He bore the cross incredibly. It was so humbling. He would take it in stride. I can see him in all the young seminarians. They are very serious about their formation. They are very serious about their studies. I think Fr. Mark had a lot to do with developing those qualities in them. He was a good friend to me, and he was always a gentleman. I guess you don't forget anyone who saves your life. He'll always be in our hearts."
'Guru' and 'Gads'
Arthur Dutil, director of maintenance and facilities at Eden Hill, is a former Marian Brother. As Br. Arthur, he served as Director of the Minor Seminary when Fr. Mark enrolled as a student the age of 14. Arthur met Fr. Mark when Fr. Mark was in eighth grade. His parents took him to Eden Hill as a possible candidate for the Minor Seminary.
"He was accepted as a freshman and spent all four years here," Arthur said, "attending school at the nearby Sacred Heart Fathers Minor Seminary. From the beginning, it was obvious his parents formed him into a devout young man, devoted to Christ and Our Lady. He had leadership qualities. He was spiritual and wholesome. He was also a very studious person. He loved to study and read books, so much so that there were times on some weekends that I would have to tell him that he wasn't allowed to read books," Arthur said with a laugh.
Arthur followed Fr. Mark's progress throughout his life.
"It didn't surprise me when he was elected Superior General. The same qualities he brought here as a freshman he carried with him throughout his life." Those leadership qualities led to Mark's nickname in high school, Arthur said. He was called "Guru" — a play on "Garrow" but also, in Eastern spirituality, a revered teacher, especially one who conveys wisdom and insight.
Doctor Kevin Kulik, a classmate in the Minor Seminary with Mark, recalled another nickname: "Gads." The moniker was based on the fact that Fr. Mark would never say, "Oh, God," like the other young men. He would say, "Oh, Gads."
'There was never a doubt for him'
Father Mark's older brother, Bruce Garrow from Vermont, said that they were the only siblings in the family descended from a bloodline of French-Italian and Irish.
Of Fr. Mark's vocation, Bruce said, "There was never a doubt for him. He felt he had a calling. He was a very gentle, kind guy, but he also had a brilliant mind, which helped him to be a good leader." In the past few months, Bruce said, "Mark handled his illness with total grace and courageousness. The disease took him one piece at a time, but he always handled it with graciousness. He was in a great deal of pain, but in talking to him, you would never know it."
Smallest Room, Biggest Heart
Like many Marians, Br. Ron McBride, MIC, expressed a sense of peace at knowing Fr. Mark is at peace. Brother Ron, along with Br. Jason Lewis and Br. Andy Davy, formed Fr. Mark's first novitiate class.
"He was a very warm, unassuming, and humble man," Br. Ron recalled before bringing up the "smallest room" story.
"After serving as Superior General," Br. Ron said, "Fr. Mark chose to serve in the Washington, D.C. house as Novice Master and House Superior, and he insisted on taking the smallest room in the house. He had us convert the big room that was for him into a chapel for the novices. We really understood: Here was a humble man. And he would do the dishes with us, do everything with us.
"We would all come to him with any problems we had," Br. Ron said, "and he would never let you leave the conversation without making you feel better. You always had the impression that he cared more about you than he did about himself. When he would ask how you were doing, he really wanted to know. To the very end, you could see in his eyes his care and love for you. If he felt the need to caution you about your thinking, he could gently guide you onto the right path."
Brother Ron observed that Fr. Mark loved movies. He also was a history buff — world history, American history, Marian history, and scriptural history. He added that Fr. Mark had a reputation as a "great homilist, able to make you understand the Gospel in a way that it became pertinent to your life."
The young Mark Garrow arrived on Eden Hill a studious and devout young man.
'Fr. Mark offered himself up as an oblation to God'
Father Michael Callea, MIC, mentioned the significance of Oct. 19 in Church history, something that would not have been lost on the history buff that Fr. Mark was. "It's not insignificant that he died on the Feast of the North American Martyrs, which is such an important date for the Church in the New World.
"Father Mark was the first Provincial of our newly united provinces [the former St. Stanislaus Kosta and St. Casimir provinces, which were combined to form the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy Province based in Stockbridge at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy]. We recognized that he was a man of extraordinary talents and virtue.
"Just as God the Father consecrated the first beginnings of faith in North America by the martyrdom of Saints John de Brebeuf and Isaac Jogues," Fr. Michael said, "there is a way of seeing that as we begin a new chapter in Marian history, these beginnings are consecrated by the white martyrdom of Fr. Mark Garrow, an act of oblation in the sense that Fr. Mark offered himself up as an oblation to God."
'For Christians, death is not a sad moment'
"If you look at the writings of John de Brebeuf in today's liturgy, he talks of his desire to be a martyr for God and to live for his glory," Fr. Michael said. "Father Mark, at the very beginning of his illness, said he accepted this. He made it clear that he believed that God had brought this illness about for his own good and the good of the Congregation. The faith with which Fr. Mark accepted his own purpose in God's plan is an inspiration to the rest of us. It also points the way each of us is called, as in Christian baptism, to die with Christ in order to live with Him.
"Father Mark did not resist the Providence of God in his life. He accepted it with faith, hope and charity. He bore it heroically and with tremendous courage and fortitude, and in so doing, he set forth a pattern for each of us, no matter how we're called ultimately to give ourselves to God in this world and at the end of our lives."
As for the finality of death, Fr. Michael noted that for Christians, "death is not a sad moment. It is a moment of fulfillment and completion, and therefore, a victory in union with Christ's victory. Yes, we have sorrow, because we will miss Fr. Mark and the beautiful example he gave to us in all that he was as a person. But by drawing near to Christ, he draws ever nearer to us who live in Christ. And we look forward with sure hope for the reunion we will all enjoy not only with Fr. Mark, but with all who have been called to the glory of Christ, which is everybody."
Asked what he thought gave Fr. Mark the most reward and fulfillment in his many roles in the Congregation, Fr. Michael said, "Of all the tasks he did for the Marians throughout his religious life, he was the happiest working with the novices and training men for the priesthood."
The Very Rev. Jan M. Rokosz, MIC, succeeded Fr. Mark as Superior General. On July 7 of this year, with Fr. Mark in the midst of his lethal bout with cancer, Fr. Jan sent him the following letter:
Dear Fr. Mark:
Greetings in Christ! Numerous Marians throughout the world have been asking that I convey to you on their behalf, our great affection for you and our spiritual closeness to you during this difficult time of trial for you. I willingly do this from the heart, since I think of you and pray for you everyday. Many of our confreres remember you because you have touched their lives, especially in your capacity as Superior General from 1999-2005. Please know that your witness, throughout your religious life but especially now during your time of suffering, is cherished and appreciated. The difficult path that the Lord has set out for you is one that you must walk alone. However, know that we are united in spirit with you, and with all the Marians and associates who are assisting you on this path. You are not forgotten; rather, we feel especially close to you now.
I will always treasure the opportunity we had recently to pray together at the Shrine in Lourdes. We were united in spirit with our Immaculate Mother and with our soon-to-be beatified Founder, Bl. Stanislaus Papczyński, along with all the Marians who have gone before us. Thank you, Fr. Mark, for your great witness, and for the love you have shown. We continue to pray for your complete healing and recovery. Your gift of self is bearing great fruit for the Congregation. Please be assured of our prayers and love for you always.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Very Rev. Jan M. Rokosz, MIC
'The Rosary is an important prayer for me.'
The many efforts Fr. Mark helped spearhead during his term as Superior General include helping the Marian Congregation stabilize its presence in Cameroon and increase its presence in Rwanda, Brazil, and Ukraine. He also further fostered the collaboration between the Marians and the laity — particularly through the growth of the Association of Marian Helpers in the United States, Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, England, Portugal, Brazil, and Latvia.
"I was really impressed by how the lay people who are working with us are continuing to grow in their own professional abilities and their spiritual sensibilities, and how devoted they are to working with our community in its many ministries," Fr. Mark said in an interview two years ago.
His six years in Rome not only served to inspire Marians worldwide, it also further deepened Fr. Mark's own faith in God and his own fervor to spread the Marian message of hope through The Divine Mercy and Mary Immaculate.
"It's a torn world, and I think we Marians offer an antidote," Fr. Mark said. "We are called to point to the wonderful destiny that God holds out and invites all people to be a part of."
In that interview, Fr. Mark noted that when he was a baby in the womb, his mother dedicated him to the Immaculate Conception. Now, as a member of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception, Fr. Mark said how it was vital to his spiritual wellbeing to have a daily encounter, through prayer, with Our Lady.
How did he pray? He shared his experiences:
The Rosary is an important prayer for me. I pray it every day. I also enjoy very much when the liturgical life of the Church has feasts and commemorations for Our Lady. Those are important moments for me to take extra time to venerate Our Lady as well as to meditate on her life and to see her assistance in living the life of the Gospel.
I think mostly that my private prayer is done spontaneously throughout the day. Usually they are brief prayers. I speak naturally to My Lady and just ask her to pray with me and for me. They are prayers that come from the heart. They usually reflect my needs, my struggles, or my concerns or joys at any particular moment during my day.
A lot of times, too, I like to take the Gospel and reflect on those passages where Our Lady is present — like at the Annunciation or like at the visitation of the Gospel of Luke. I like to read those passages slowly. I take a great deal of nourishment, spiritually, from praying on those quietly and saying over, with My Lady, her response at the Magnificat.
'Little us — fragile, imperfect us'
To eulogize any man asks of any man the impossible, for how does one capture the fullness of someone else's life? For a writer, it's impossible. For God, though, all things are possible, and it is Our Lady and her Son, The Divine Mercy, who alone can properly acclaim the sum total of a person's life. They do it through us, little us — fragile, imperfect us — who, in conscious fidelity, serve as their arms and legs, their human heart and soul. They, and not I, write these words.
God does not leave us alone at a time of bereavement. He walks with us, as He always does. It's just that our sense of loss opens the heart and heightens our awareness. God is no closer than ever. We, however, are closer to him.
For God does not give gifts, nor did he ever give one, so that man might keep it arid and take satisfaction in it; but all were given — all He ever gave on earth or in heaven — that he might give this one more: Himself. ...
Therefore, I say we must learn to look through every gift and every event to God, and never be content with the thing itself. There is no stopping place in this life — no, nor was there ever one for any man, no matter how far along his way he had gone. This above all, then: Be ready for the gifts of God and always for [His] new ones. — Meister Eckhart
And so we, the Marian family, "look through" this event to see God. We will not be content with death itself. We give humble thanks that we were, however imperfectly, "ready" for the gift of Fr. Mark Garrow. We try, as best we can, to be ready for God's new one ...
... just like Fr. Mark.
Felix Carroll contributed many of the personal reflections from Marians of the Immaculate Conception found in this article. The author expresses his deepest thanks.
If you would like to make a special donation in honor of Fr. Mark, please make the donation for our Marian Seminarians. | <urn:uuid:adcf41c1-95c7-4832-a378-ab8a6a1dea6f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.padrimariani.org/en/resources/article.php?NID=2880 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986687 | 7,435 | 1.554688 | 2 |
As you know, the U.S. Congress has adopted some measures to help avoid the much-feared "fiscal cliff." At this point, important spending decisions have been put off, but new tax laws are in place - and, as an investor, you'll want to know just how this legislation will affect you.
Let's look at the impact of the tax laws on three different income levels:
• Up to $200,000/$250,000 - If you earn less than $200,000 (if you're single) or $250,000 (if you're married and file jointly), your income tax bracket will not change, nor will the tax rates assessed on dividends you receive from stocks or long-term capital gains you receive from selling investments that have appreciated in value. However, a 3.8 percent Medicare tax will apply to the lesser of your net investment income or your modified adjusted gross income in excess of the $200,000 or $250,000 levels, respectively.
• $250,000-$400,000 - If your adjusted gross income is at or more than $250,000 (for single filers) or $300,000 (for married couples), your itemized deductions will begin to phase out, as will your personal exemption deductions, possibly resulting in higher effective tax rates. And the 3.8 percent Medicare tax will apply to part, or all, of your investment income. But your tax bracket stays the same, as do the tax rates on dividends and capital gains.
• $400,000/$450,000 - If you earn at least $400,000 (if you're single) or $450,000 (if you're married), you will be subject to the phase-out of deductions described above. More importantly, however, your marginal tax rate will rise from 35 to 39.6 percent. Plus, taxes on qualified dividends and long-term capital gains will rise from 15 to 20 percent - or, actually, 23.8 percent, when the 3.8 percent Medicare tax is added in. Consequently, you may have some decisions to make; at a minimum, you'll need to know how the new rates might - or might not - affect your investment choices. For example, if you rely on bonds to provide a source of income, be aware that your interest payments - taxed at your marginal tax rate - will now be taxed more heavily. As for capital gains, the slightly higher rates now give you even more incentive to be a "buy-and-hold" investor, which is usually a good strategy for most people. And the increase in dividend taxes doesn't detract from the key benefit of dividends - namely the ability to provide a potential source of rising income that can help keep you ahead of inflation. Keep in mind that dividends can be increased, decreased or eliminated at anytime without notice.
Overall, the changes in investment-related taxes are probably less substantial than many people had anticipated. And in any case, taxes are but a single component of investment decisions - and usually not the most important one. Rather than let taxes drive your investment choices, focus instead on whether a particular investment is appropriate for your individual situation, and if it fits your risk tolerance, and if it helps you diversify your portfolio. Diversification can help you reduce the effects of market volatility, though it can't guarantee profits or protect against loss.
Still, the new tax legislation is significant, so you should consult with your financial advisor and tax professional to determine what moves, if any, you may want to make. It's always wise to be up-to-date on what's happening in Washington - especially when lawmakers' decisions can affect your ability to achieve your important financial goals.
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones financial adviser. Edward Jones and its associates and financial advisers do not provide tax or legal advice. Tina DeWitt, Charlie Wick and Kevin Brubeck are financial advisers with Edward Jones Investments. They can be reached in Edwards at 970-926-1728 or in Eagle at 970-328-4959 or 970-328-0361. | <urn:uuid:309f6244-39e5-46e7-8345-5e4391da1ab0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20130214/BIZ/130219908 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958591 | 844 | 1.726563 | 2 |
The last time I wrote about CrossFit, I received numerous emails and was the subject of countless blogs decrying my categorization of this popular workout as a fad. Three years later, it shows no signs of petering out. In fact, CrossFit has gained in popularity, with studios popping up all over the city.
"CrossFit has evolved so much," said Adonna Greaves, a Montreal CrossFit trainer who owns her own studio. "It’s not the same as it was even three years ago."
In its early days, CrossFit made its name by bringing exercisers to their knees, which is okay if you’re fit, healthy and accustomed to being pushed. But there were plenty of injuries, some of them serious, that were the result of ill-prepared exercisers being pushed too hard, too fast.
The brainchild of a former gymnast, CrossFit boasts that its workouts are designed to build athletes. The exercises come from track, gymnastics and Olympic-style weightlifting and include callisthenics and plyometrics, all of which are designed to improve balance, agility, speed and power. They don’t follow a specific pattern, but rather are combined into "workouts of the day" that mix all these elements into short, intense workouts.
But it’s not just the intensity of CrossFit that makes it so challenging. Many of the movements and exercises demand a high degree of skill. And many are done at a speed that can compromise technique in all but the most fit and accomplished.
Poor skills combined with too much speed or too much weight is a recipe for pain and injury. Add multiple repetitions and a dose of fatigue to that recipe and the odds of feeling the pain are even greater.
Performed with the right technique and with an appropriate base level of fitness, however, CrossFit has the potential to deliver not just great fitness results, but a sense of accomplishment that keeps you coming back for more.
"It’s addictive," said Greaves. "Especially for people who have been involved in competitive sports. CrossFit encourages friendly competition, not just against your peers but with CrossFitters all over the world."
But as appealing as the combination of competition, intensity and complexity is for athletes and veteran exercisers, it’s not the best formula for novices. And while CrossFitters talk a lot about "universal scalability," which means adjusting load and intensity based on individual skills and fitness levels, it takes weeks of instruction and supervision and lots of quality repetition to get all the exercises right.
"It comes down to coaching," said Julie Beaumont, a CrossFit coach and co-owner of CrossFit de l’Ouest, when asked about whether CrossFit is suitable for new exercisers.
Agreed. Yet, despite making considerable strides in the last few years, there’s still plenty of work to be done to ensure that CrossFit coaches are qualified to lead such intense, technical workouts. Currently, all it takes is a two-day workshop to go from a CrossFit enthusiast to a CrossFit coach. And while someone like Greaves, who has more than 30 years experience in the fitness industry and multiple certifications from various fitness organizations, may be able to get by with such a short training session, less experienced individuals, especially those with no previous fitness training, need more knowledge and practice before coaching others.
So even though additional workshops in some of the specialty areas tackled in CrossFit, such as power lifting, gymnastics, strongman and football, have been added in recent years, it’s still possible for an under-qualified coach to hang a CrossFit shingle and call themselves certified.
That need for coaches to have an extensive and varied knowledge base coupled with sufficient hands-on experience is particularly crucial when dealing with novice exercisers who have little or no athletic background.
Beaumont and Greaves are well aware that novice exercisers take longer than former athletes and gym rats to learn the skills and develop the baseline level of strength, speed, flexibility and agility CrossFit requires. Both CrossFit de l’Ouest and CrossFit Adonnics offer several weeks of introductory classes designed to teach the basic movement patterns necessary to complete the daily workouts safely and efficiently.
But it’s not just novice exercisers who need the help of a quality trainer. Exercisers, even seasoned exercisers, with chronic injuries need advice on how to modify exercises to accommodate individual weaknesses, strength imbalances and reduced joint range of motion.
Yet, despite this caution for novices, those with chronic injuries and anyone who’s been out of the gym for a while can gain from CrossFit. First, it’s built a wonderful community of exercisers who not only like to compete against each other but are the first to cheer when a newbie finally lifts a weighted bar overhead.
Second, it’s a dynamic workout that changes constantly, which beats away boredom. And it uses a lot of equipment not found in the average gym including sandbags, oversized tires, slam balls (a weighted ball similar to a medicine ball) and weighted sleds and vests, which add variety and challenge.
Finally, it works every part of your body and then some, making you well prepared physically for whatever life throws your way.
So if you’ve always believed that a workout isn’t a workout unless it hurts and are energized when competing against the guy beside you, then CrossFit is probably a good fit.
But if you’re new to exercise, have chronic sore knees, shoulders or back, hate to sweat and only tolerate exercise because you know it’s good for you, you may want to give CrossFit a miss. | <urn:uuid:115f5ec5-2c3e-4f65-80e4-c2d7a66b2099> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.edmontonjournal.com/health/fitness/muscle+left+behind+crossfit/6644532/story.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96368 | 1,200 | 1.679688 | 2 |
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