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The recent American Express bust is the latest example of the kind of protections consumers wouldn’t get if Republicans had their way with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and federal regulations that empower the agency to watchdog-protect consumers from the kind of financial abuse that helped instigate the Great Recession and continue today.
It’s also a testament to the CFPB’s resolve to enforce regulations it was charged administer.
The CFPB and other federal agencies recently ordered American Express to compensate 250,000 card-carrying members $85 million for illegal practices and American Express has agreed to the order.
“Over the course of a long, multi-agency investigation, we found that at every stage of the consumer experience − from advertising to enrollment to payment to collection – these American Express subsidiaries had violated various consumer financial laws,” said Richard Cordray, CFPB director.
CFPB investigations found that when consumers were shopping for credit cards, one American Express company sent potential customers misleading credit card offerings in the mail.
When consumers applied for cards, the same company engaged in practices that unlawfully discriminated on the basis of age. In connection with consumers paying their bills, American Express companies violated consumer financial laws, including charging excessive late fees.
CFPB also found that all three American Express subsidiaries − American Express Centurion Bank and American Express Bank, FSB, along with their parent company and affiliate, American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. – misled people into paying off old debt by telling them that it would be reported to the credit bureaus and their credit scores would improve.
What really happened was the debt was not reported to the credit bureaus and was so old that it may not have appeared in credit reports anyway.
That’s pretty slimy.
CFPB said American Express will return the money directly into the accounts of the affected consumers. If the consumer no longer holds the American Express card, American Express will mail a check or credit any outstanding balance.
- Customers who were promised $300 for signing up for a Blue Sky Credit Card will get the $300.
- Consumers who paid an illegal late fee will be reimbursed, with interest.
- Consumers who paid old debt in response to deceptive promises to report payment to credit bureaus will be reimbursed the money they paid plus interest.
- Consumers who were promised their debt would be forgiven but were denied new American Express cards because the debt was not really forgiven, will receive $100 and a pre-approved offer for a new card with terms we and the FDIC find acceptable. If the consumer already paid the waived or forgiven amount in order to get a new card, they will be refunded that amount plus interest.
Consumers are not required to take any action to receive their credit or check, CFPB says.
If you are one of the consumers affected by the order, American Express will notify you directly, says CFPB. American Express is responsible for notifying any affected consumers – any other entity that offers to help reclaim your money is likely just as much a scam.
Either way, don’t be fooled.
Don’t be fooled by scam artists, including financial institutions that say they will correct wrongs.
History proves, even billions of dollars in restititutions is only a small cost of doing business for major financial institutions.
To them it’s just chump change.
And we are the chumps.
Also see: “Consumers expect, and deserve, that companies follow the rules” by Richard Cordray, director, CFPB. | <urn:uuid:182bffbd-dbf3-4e4e-8a18-99d3c87eae7c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.deadlinenews.com/2012/10/03/american-express-busted-feds-order-85-million-in-compensations-to-250000/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961423 | 750 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Israel's cabinet declared Tuesday that the prime minister was 'permanently incapacitated.'
Israel's cabinet declared Tuesday that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was "permanently incapacitated" by a stroke that effectively ended his lifetime in the public eye - one that historians are likely to find hard to categorize.
The tail end of his tenure earned Mr. Sharon the sort of domestic and international respect he had not enjoyed for decades, first by pulling Israel out of Gaza in August after a 38-year occupation, and then by setting up his own party when the rightist Likud Party didn't want to go along with his vision for disengagement. But many who take a longer view remember a resume of warmaking, with Sharon's controversial moves often blurring the lines between defense and aggression.
Since he joined a military youth movement more than 60 years ago, Sharon has alternatively been described as brave and brutal, charming and aloof, cunning and clever, inspiring and intimidating. After a lifetime of waging war and then seeking some level of peace, there is one thing that Sharon's fans and foes can agree on: the man's nearly unstoppable determination to do whatever he deemed best for the sake of Israel's security.
His career, marked with controversy and contradictions - and most recently, congratulations for his decision to lead Israel through a historic withdrawal from the Gaza Strip - came to a sudden halt after his stroke.
Sharon's is a history replete with quick, dramatic moves that inflicted heavy losses on his enemies. Born and raised as Ariel "Arik" Scheinerman in a pre-state agricultural community, Sharon never let critics get in the way of his drive to build an Israel that would survive amid hostile Arab neighbors. Scheinerman became Sharon upon the suggestion of David Ben Gurion, Israel's founding prime minister, who helped groom Sharon from a fearless and feisty young platoon commander in the 1948 war into a major military leader.
Sharon, wounded during a famous battle in Latroun, was quickly promoted.
Page 1 of 7 | <urn:uuid:e5ded74d-8973-414c-a35c-7e0a144db36d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://m.csmonitor.com/2006/0412/p10s01-wome.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977008 | 416 | 1.820313 | 2 |
MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin says Russia can work with Mitt Romney if he's elected U.S. president, even though he has called Russia the United States' "No. 1 geopolitical foe."
In an interview broadcast Thursday by the Kremlin-funded Russia Today TV channel, Putin said: "We'll work with whichever president is elected by the American people. But our effort will be only as efficient as our partners will want it to be."
Putin expressed concern about how a Romney presidency would affect the long-running dispute over U.S.-led NATO plans to place elements of a missile-defense system in Europe. Russia contends the system could undermine its own defenses.
Putin said if Romney is elected "the missile defense system will definitely be directed against Russia." | <urn:uuid:8cf50f94-d56f-42dd-93d4-507da69b88b2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.twincities.com/politics-national/?third_party=putin-says-russia-can-work-with-romney-if-elected-despite-calling-russia-the-usas-top-foe | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973175 | 160 | 1.507813 | 2 |
The Divine can only be found in deep rest (meditation).
Do you know what the obstacles to deep rest are? It is the cravings and aversions in the mind. If the mind is filled with cravings and aversions, rest is not possible. And if there is no rest, the goal of Sadhana (spiritual practices) cannot be achieved. That is why we need to be free from the cravings and aversions in our mind.
So, how do we do that?
'I don’t need anything from anyone', this is what we need to keep in our mind. When we don’t need anything from anyone, we will not have cravings towards anybody. When there is no craving for anybody, there will be no aversion to anybody. Let’s look at our aversions. Who are we averse to? Only those whom we think to be bad, isn’t it?
Don’t think of anyone as a bad person. There is no bad person in the world. If people do something bad, it is because of their ignorance or lack of awareness, or because their mind has been hurt. So, don’t have negative opinions about anybody.
If others have a negative opinion about you, it is their problem, not yours. From your side, do not consider anyone as bad. By doing this, your mind will be clear and pleasant and your intellect will be sharp.
Share your thoughts as comments below: How did this post help you? | <urn:uuid:fa6d9f5d-2015-4170-8949-74dd400be725> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.artofliving.org/us-en/the-path-to-the-divine | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963414 | 316 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Wen Jiabao warns China's growth is under pressure
China's Premier Wen Jiabao has warned that the country's economy is under pressure and that it is facing problems that may last for some time.
However, he said that Beijing will be able to meet its growth target, despite those issues.
He said that easing inflation had given more room to policymakers to introduce measures to spur growth.
China has been hurt by slowing global demand for its exports and lacklustre growth in domestic consumption.
"We have the conditions and capabilities, and will be sure to fulfil this year's economic and social development targets," Premier Wen was quoted as saying by the Xinhua news agency.
Premier Wen's comments comes amid worries of a sharp slowdown in China's economy, the world's second-largest.
End Quote Dariusz Kowalczyk Credit Agricole CIB
We continue to believe that a reserve ratio requirement cut is more likely than a rate cut”
Its gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of 7.6% during the April-to-June period.
While that may be healthy compared to many developed Western economies, it was the slowest pace of expansion for China in three years.
Data released earlier this month showed a sharp decline in export and import growth during July, indicating that both external and internal demand were slowing.
The economic conditions in the eurozone and the US, two of China's biggest markets, continue to remain weak, adding to fears that China's growth may slow further in the near term.
That has triggered calls for easing of monetary policy.
China's central bank, the People's Bank of China, has already cut its key interest rates twice since the start of June.
It has also cut the reserve ratio requirement, the amount of money the country's banks must keep in reserve, three times in past few months, in a bid to boost lending.
Analysts said Mr Wen's comments indicated that Beijing was likely to ease policies further to sustain growth.
"We continue to believe that a reserve ratio requirement cut is more likely than a rate cut and expect a move soon," said Dariusz Kowalczyk, a senior economist & strategist, at Credit Agricole CIB in Hong Kong. | <urn:uuid:28adbaef-e8c8-4cb9-9c6c-32c6bfbb47e4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19279126 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975572 | 463 | 1.601563 | 2 |
English and Writing Program
Even the greatest writers and scholars need help every once in a while. We hope this page will assist you in getting started on writing an expository essay, researching unfamiliar subject areas, choosing a graduate school, and finding post-graduation employment. If you believe we are missing an important website or resource, please e-mail the webmaster at: [email protected]
Academic Support Programs Stevenson Union 134
The ACCESS Center provides the resources and support for student learning in and out of the classroom. They offer academic advising and support, career and disability services, Math placement, personal counseling, tutoring for Mathematics and University Seminar classes, and veteran services.
Printing and Copy Services Stevenson Union 119
For those times when you absolutely need 50 copies, Duplicating Services makes its facilities available to all SOU departments, faculty, and students — provided the work is University related. They offer two self-service copiers at $.08 per copy and one full-color copier at the base rate of $1.00 per 8.5 x 11 copy, more for larger sizes.
SOU Hannon Library
With the completion of the Library Enhancement Project, the Southern Oregon University Library regained status as a highly visible center of learning and information access for the University as a whole and the community at large. It is a place where students, faculty, and community members choose to come and learn in an inclusive, comfortable, and easy-to-use environment.
A first floor coffee shop entices users into the building, which offers a number of group study rooms, inviting seating, light-filled reading areas, many pine carrels, and three fireside lounges featuring new books and periodicals. The technologically sophisticated building carries library services forward for the next 20 to 30 years. The building offers both wired and wireless access to the campus network and the Web; seminar, study, and meeting rooms equipped for electronic information access; and laptops students can check out.
Oregon Writing Project at SOU Central Hall 257
The Oregon Writing Project is dedicated to improving the writing abilities of students by strengthening the teaching and learning of writing, providing professional development programs for classroom teachers, and expanding the professional roles of teachers. SOU is one of five campus sites in Oregon, and serves the southwest area of the state. For more than twenty years, the National Writing Project has promoted and developed teacher-presenters, teacher-consultants, and teacher-leaders all across the United States.
American Society of Journalists and Authors
Founded in 1948, the American Society of Journalists and Authors is the nation's leading organization of independent nonfiction writers. ASJA acts as a primary voice in representing freelancers' rights to control and profit from their work in both the traditional paper and new digital realms.
Arts & Letters Daily
The Arts & Letters Daily provides links to countless articles, as well as online news and magazine publications. If someone's words appear in text form, you will likely find them on this site. With new material added to the site six days a week, and the staff continually testing links for reliablity, there is little chance your search for background information on a subject will come up short. Their motto? Veritas odit moras; Truth hates delay.
Designed as an interactive Web tool to "assist teachers and students in producing reference citations," this web site makes creating a valid MLA or APA citation as easy as three clicks.
The Electric Eclectic
When just one dictionary won't do, visit this web site. Built as a reference to thousands of dictionaries now serving people around the world online, you will find there isn't a subject without its own dictionary.
Internet Public Library
Built and maintained as the "first public library of and for the Internet community," this web site has quickly moved from an experiment to an amazing index of informative websites on a variety of subjects.
The Jassin Office
Lloyd J. Jassin provides counseling on a variety of subjects ranging from book publishing to privacy matters, but it is this website's voluminous backlog of articles on copyright laws that proves most useful to writers entering the publishing world.
Envisioned as an online writers' resource center, Patchword seeks member contributions of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and essays pertaining to all aspects of writing. They also work in association with Tantamount Publishing to offer "full editorial and publishing services." Both the novice and experienced writer will find something to pique their interests at Patchword.
This web site was started by a man who created "his own mini-slang language." Finding little help from other online dictionaries, he decided to make his own dedicated to made-up slang words. This site doesn't just offer a compelling listing of various venacular words and phrases; it allows readers to add their own. When was the last time Oxford let you add a word to its dictionary?
Produced by Lexico Publishing Group, this web site offers help to those looking for a late night bit of information in a subject that perhaps they might not already understand. The site contains an almanac, encyclopedia, business, legal, and medical resources, and much more. Make use of this virtual library assistant when working on a troubling paper.
Whenever writer's block hits, visit this site loaded with tools for writers, gamers, and artists. They provide randomly assembled names, concepts, and more for when you need inspiration or just a bit of amusement. So, if you need a name for a character or a concept for a short story hit the site, and remember anything you generate is yours to keep.
Voice of the Shuttle
Started late in 1994, VoS served as an introduction to the Internet for Humanists at the University of California. From its humble beginnings, the site grew to over 70 pages of links to Humanities and Humanities-related online resources. Today, they continue to provide a "structured and briefly annotated guide to online resources." A new focus on digital media has made the site more helpful to English and Writing students.
Filled with articles on various forms of writing, this website is a great place to start on your path to getting published. Not only do they offer useful articles, but they also offer specific online courses ranging from how to write speculative fiction to breaking into the magazine market.
SOU Career Services: Employer Links
If you cannot imagine leaving Ashland, Oregon, after obtaining your English and Writing degree from SOU, start looking on this site for job leads. They list local, regional, and state employers who often hire SOU graduates.
SOU Career Services: Gradschool Links
If you are considering graduate school, visit SOU Career Services' Grad School page. They provide links to scores of grad school databases and information on choosing the best fitting program.
Careers in Technical Writing: Advising English Majors
Filled with information about growing fields and potential career paths, this article is a good place to start if you have dreams of heading into a field a little more technical than a pen and printing press.
U.S. Department of Labor Statistics: Writers & Editors
The government spends millions of dollars every year keeping track of job trends, including the field of writing. Did you know "most jobs in this occupation require a college degree in communications, journalism, or English"?
The Write Jobs
Part of Writers Write, Inc.'s network of resources for creative professionals, which includes Writenews.com and Writerswrite.com, this website is a specialty job board and career resource for journalism, media, publishing, and writing professionals. | <urn:uuid:779e9285-b15f-4516-8a3d-5d3e819733c6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sou.edu/english/resources.html | 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 | 0.930595 | 1,561 | 1.71875 | 2 |
NEW YORK, NY.-
The Art Museum Partnership recently announced a Partner Pledge to support Museum Advocacy Day on February 28, 2012. In addition to financial support, representatives from The Art Museum Partnership will be in Washington DC to speak to Congressional leaders about the important role of museums as educational institutions. The event is organized by the American Association of Museums.
Museum Advocacy Day brings together over 300 museum leaders from across the country to take part in a day of advocacy training on urgent issues, followed by a day of visits with our Congressional delegation and their staffs. A compelling case will be made for federal support of Americas museums, based on solid research chronicling museums contributions to our communities and their role as economic engines and integral elements in our educational infrastructure.
Executive Director, John Nichols said The Art Museum Partnership wants to communicate that a museum is many things. They are centers for lifelong learning, a economic engine for the local community, a civic forum where ideas and democracy itself become reality. Todays museums are, above all, educational institutions, essential pillars of Americas educational infrastructure, critical to our future economic competitiveness and maintaining American leadership in technology, innovation and culture.
Museum professionals, educators, business leaders and the general public can help in this effort. All it takes is just a few minutes and a few clicks by visiting the American Association of Museums advocacy website, at www.speakupformuseums.org
. The site offers a range of tools to help send customized letters to Congressional representatives on a range of critical issues facing museums and the country.
The goal of the Art Museum Partnership is to provide the leaders of nonprofit art museums with networking opportunities that facilitate the sharing of information, resources, and collections. The Partnership was primary established to benefit the leaders of the small to mid-sized institutions that comprise the largest segment in the field, but are not currently represented by the Association of Art Museum Directors. However, since everyone can benefit from the knowledge of their piers, the directors of larger museums are also encouraged to participate and lend their support. | <urn:uuid:9c21eb2a-d042-45fc-ad1e-490e43821b90> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=53297&int_modo=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959552 | 417 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Los Angeles-area charter schools have won a $60-million grant to develop a teacher-evaluation system based at least partly on student test scores. The grant, part of $335 million in related awards announced Thursday by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, represents the largest private funding for an initiative of this sort.
"Teachers matter more to student achievement, more than any other factor inside our school building," Melinda Gates said. "This is something we know absolutely for certain at this point."
The local winners are five charter management organizations that specialize in serving low-income minority communities. They are Alliance for College-Ready Public Schools, Green Dot Public Schools, ICEF Public Schools, PUC Schools and Aspire Public Schools.
Charter schools are independently operated, exempt from some rules that govern traditional schools, including adherence to a school district's union contracts.
The other recipients are Hillsborough County Public Schools in Florida, $100 million; Memphis City Schools in Tennessee, $90 million; and Pittsburgh Public Schools in Pennsylvania, $40 million. An additional $45 million will be used to gather data from 3,700 teachers across the country.
The L.A.-area charters together serve more than 28,000 students, more than the Pittsburgh school system.
Teacher unions have opposed linking test scores to teacher evaluations, given all the variables that affect a student's performance. But the Obama administration, which was elected with teacher-union support, has pushed for objective measures of teacher effectiveness, and some union leaders have gradually shifted positions. The Gates foundation news release includes commendations from national union leaders.
United Teachers Los Angeles President A.J. Duffy said he has no objections to research, provided that there was no pre-ordained agenda. However, he opposes current legislation aimed at improving the state's eligibility for up to $700 million in the federal Race to the Top competitive grants.
Duffy said it exacerbates an over-reliance on test scores and creates mandates without providing lasting resources. The bill also removes limits on the number of charters that Duffy would prefer to keep in place.
In contrast, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger urged the Assembly to act more quickly in approving reform legislation at a Thursday appearance with education, civil rights and business leaders in the library of Sixth Avenue Elementary in Los Angeles.
"The fate of hundreds of millions of dollars for California schools rests in the hands of the state Assembly," he said.
In line with federal goals, the governor has signed legislation abolishing a "firewall" between student data and teacher evaluation.
L.A. schools Supt. Ramon C. Cortines urged unions not to use their clout to block change.
The Gates money, for example, will test extending the time before a teacher earns tenure and linking tenure and pay raises to achievement.
"We want research that helps the field better understand what makes a great teacher," said Gates spokesman Christopher Williams.
The Alliance charters have experimented with school-wide bonuses for student attendance and test scores.
The grant will further efforts to reward successful teachers, said Chief Executive Judy Burton. She said a student's progress over a year might count toward 40% of an evaluation.
"We'll work with our teachers to design what we mean by teacher effectiveness and how we'll measure it," Burton said. | <urn:uuid:cfce81b4-6e8d-40f1-81b3-b9d78c65518a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://articles.latimes.com/2009/nov/20/local/la-me-gates20-2009nov20 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951852 | 681 | 1.664063 | 2 |
2nd July 2010 11:44
Link to Post #1
Get that gold fringe off my flag!
The flags displayed in State courts and courts of the United States have gold or yellow fringes. That is your WARNING that you are entering into a foreign enclave, the same as if you are stepping into a foreign embassy and you will be under the jurisdiction of that flag. The flag with the gold or yellow fringe has no constitution, no laws, and no rules of court, and is not recognized by any nation on the earth, and is foreign to you and the United States of America.
THE LAW OF THE FLAG
The Law of the Flag, an International Law, which is recognized by every nation of the planet, is defined as:
"... a rule to the effect that a vessel is a part of the territory of the nation whose flag she flies. The term is used to designate the RIGHTS under which a ship owner, who sends his vessel into a foreign port, gives notice by his flag to all who enter into contracts with the ship master that he intends the Law of that Flag to regulate those contracts, and that they must either submit to its operation or not contract with him or his agent at all." Ref.: Ruhstrat v. People, 57 N.E. 41
By the doctrine of "four cornering" the flag establishes the law of the country that it represents. For example, the embassies of foreign countries, in Washington D.C., are "four cornered" by walls or fencing, creating an "enclave." Within the boundaries of the "enclave" of the foreign embassy, the flag of that foreign country establishes the jurisdiction and law of that foreign country, which will be enforced by the Law of the Flag and international treaty. If you enter an embassy, you will be subject to the laws of that country, just as if you board a ship flying a foreign flag, you will be subject to the laws of that flag, enforceable by the "master of the ship," (Captain), by the law of the flag.
When you enter a courtroom displaying a gold or yellow fringed flag, you have just entered into a foreign country, and you better have your passport with you, because you may not be coming back to the land of the free for a long time. The judge sitting under a gold or yellow fringe flag becomes the "captain" or "master" of that ship or enclave and he has absolute power to make the rules as he goes. The gold or yellow fringe flag is your warning that you are leaving your Constitutionally secured RIGHTS on the floor outside the door to that courtroom.
This is exactly why so many judges are appointed, and not elected by the people. The Federal judges are appointed by the President, the national military commander in chief. The State judges are appointed by the Governors, the state military commanders. The judges are appointed because the courts are military courts and civilians do not "elect" military officers.
Under martial law, you are presumed guilty until proven innocent.
JOHN J. DOE......your name in all capital letters....What does it mean? Law about Nom De Guerre ( War Name ) is in the Public Laws of the Seventy Third Congress Of The United States ... 1933...........
More about your Name go to "Your Name"
"Read more here"
Last edited by Grizzom; 5th July 2010 at 02:45.
"If you wanna get laid, go to college"
"If you want a education, go to a library"
24th July 2010 22:05
Link to Post #2
Re: Get that gold fringe off my flag!
Grizzom This is not just surprising it is shocking ! I didn't know any of this. I have the video of Eddie Izzard he's brilliant. His flag bit is priceless. I like your avatar of "Iron Eyes Cody" his don't polute tv public service announcement that ran for years in the 1960's and 1970's of him in Native American costume setting in a canoe changed my life. The camera starts out with a tight shot of his face and he's crying-- a single tear. and as the camera zooms out the entire scene is revealed. He's setting in a canoe on a small lake in the woods with massive amounts of trash and tires etc in the water and on the shoreline around him. I don't remember now what the male voiceover said but it was heart wrenching. I looked around the living room at all my brothers and sisters and my mom and dad. Dead silence ,we all had tears in our eyes we were all watching walt Disney on NBC. The next day NBC stations nation wide were inundated with parents phonecalls of "how dare you run that commercial during Disney and upset my kids" any now I will watch out for the gold fringe and who knew about the Ecclesiastical Laws ? Thanks Grizzom
Last edited by Ethereal Blue Being; 24th July 2010 at 22:15.
25th July 2010 00:36
Link to Post #3 | <urn:uuid:6f9148f1-1736-4a41-a890-4549bad261cd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?3543-Get-that-gold-fringe-off-my-flag-&p=31501&viewfull=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966888 | 1,042 | 1.617188 | 2 |
white asparagus as large as logs and lighting your fire:
roasted white asparagus with browned butter
(asperges blanches rôti au beurre noisette)
Greetings from Paris where it is raining off and on but quiet as the tourists have not yet arrived and the children are still in school. The calm before the storm. It is business as usual and joyfully I am left to pick up where I left off and nothing here – the daily urban Paris life that I so love – has changed except for the market displays. Every market, from the neighborhood and open air markets to the Casinos (grocery stores), is prominently displaying end of the season white asparagus. They cannot be ignored. It is a combination of these hand-picked treasures and a cover of a Door’s song which inspired this week’s (very) simple pleasure: roasted white asparagus with browned butter (asperges blanches rôti au beurre noisette).
Like a moth to a flame, who is not drawn to white asparagus that resembles a log in terms of size? It is enough to make a girl blush and I believe I did when I asked my grocer to give me a dozen (the look on his face was certainly priceless but maybe I was just being sensitive).
White asparagus, often referred to as “white gold,” is more tender and less bitter than green asparagus. They are low in calories and high in vitamins. The reason these white asparagus are so large is because the harvest of this spring crop is delayed to the very end of the season before summer (when it will be too hot and the vegetables will decline). Generally speaking the larger a vegetable grows the less taste it has (zucchini is a good example it is watery and flavorless the bigger it gets). However, that is not true with white asparagus; it remains tender and flavorful.
White asparagus is more expensive than green asparagus and in the classification of what I call a “high maintenance” vegetable due to the special attention it requires. White asparagus must be covered while growing (the absence of light keeps them white otherwise they would produce chlorophyll and become green). This is typically done by piling the dirt up the sides of the asparagus to hide it from light. To harvest, white asparagus must be cut at its base, one by one, with a long asparagus knife that allows you to cut it at the base of the stalk. Labor intensive, yes; however, a little high maintenance can be so worth it.
I must confess I went slightly crazy puréeing, slicing, macerating, blanching, steaming, dicing the white gold that was now everywhere in my kitchen. It was then that a cover of the Door’s song “Come on Baby Light my Fire” came over the radio and that pointed out the obvious: these log sized vegetables should simply be put over a lit flame and roasted because they need nothing more.
If you are fortunate to find the large stalks in your market, slice them in half before you put them in the oven (or they would take forever to cook and at 400 degrees, the outsides would brown too much before the interiors properly cook). Although white asparagus is most commonly served with hollandaise sauce, I find that a little nutty-smelling browned butter with a dash of fresh orange juice and Italian parsley goes well with the tender stalks (and it is easier for you to duplicate at home as well). White asparagus pairs well with most white fish, scallops, beef, and poultry. It is also wonderful and satisfying on its own and you really need nothing more (except maybe a fire extinguisher in the case things get too hot in your kitchen).
The recipe is in the companion post.
Je vous souhaite un bon appétit ! | <urn:uuid:a63c858b-4fad-4a05-888b-68e452b84fc2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.chefmorgan.com/white-asparagus-as-large-as-logs-and-lighting-your-fire-roasted-white-asparagus-with-browned-butter | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960436 | 831 | 1.75 | 2 |
A few notes I have observed about how Roots loads CSS. It loads the files in this order:
- css/bootstrap-responsive.css (optionally, if BOOTSTRAP_RESPONSIVE is set to true in inc/roots-config.php)
These are my preliminary observations, but it's clear that you want to edit the CSS files in Roots in a nicely structured way.
css/style.css I think this is mostly the HTML5 Boilerplate stuff, maybe some other setup stuff? You probably wouldn't want to touch this.
css/bootstrap.css, and css/bootstrap-responsive.css Note here, that these files come from Twitter Bootstrap, and are compiled by pointing a LESS compiler at css/less/bootstrap.less and css/less/bootstrap-responsive.less. You might never need to change these files. If you did, it would be far nicer to study up a bit on LESS, make changes in the .less files, and recompile them. There are mostly just a handful of @variables that you would want to change, and if you do it this way, according to the way Bootstrap is set up to work, you will have a very nice, organized process. The main things you'd change here are layout options and color settings. (There are a number of free LESS apps you can download to recompile the files.)
css/app.css This is a very nicely structured standard CSS file, with sections for Base, Header, Content, etc. Here, you'd just want to try to keep your CSS nicely organized into the sections provided.
I am finding that if I approach it in an orderly way, and understand how Roots is structuring things, it is really a very nice system. | <urn:uuid:1128a471-7c54-493a-87bc-599c87afdd74> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wordpress.stackexchange.com/questions/48826/how-to-know-which-order-wordpress-places-css-files/48840 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94195 | 378 | 1.585938 | 2 |
A sunset tour to one of Bali´s most exotic tourist objects. Some attractions are offered, including proving the 11th century temple, seeing monkeys with their cunning actions, seeing a spectacular view of white cliffs dropping precipitously into the clear blue sea and if you want to spare extra 80.000 IDR see Kecak Fire dance performed beautifully on an open stage.
The most important of all is its spectacular sunset. Uluwatu as its name suggests means stone on the corner.
This temple was built by an influential priest, Mpu Kuturan, and is associated with Nirartha, the Javanese priest credited with introducing many elements of the hindu religion to Bali. The tour lasts about 3 hours and takes the route of Bukit Peninsula. | <urn:uuid:5cded28b-e499-450d-b862-3185389c11fe> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://peramatour.com/30-Bali-Sunset-Uluwatu.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946964 | 158 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Japanese Crisis Prompts Crude Oil Price Fall
Oil prices fell sharply today (March 15) on deepening fears about Japan’s economy after its nuclear crisis worsened following a devastating earthquake and tsunami, the Associated Press reported.
Potentially dangerous levels of radiation have been reported leaking from a crippled nuclear complex in the disaster area. More than 10,000 people are thought to have died after the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan on Friday.
Investors worried about diminished demand for oil and other products in Japan, the world’s third-largest oil importer. However, Wall Street analysts expect that Japan will eventually increase imports of oil, coal and natural gas.
Royal Dutch Shell PLC said Tuesday that it will send liquefied natural gas and fuel oil to Japan to help meet power shortages. Japan produces about 28 percent of its energy from coal-fired power plants, but can also run some generators on LNG and even crude oil. Fifty-four nuclear reactors provide about 25 percent of the country’s power. Four of those reactors are in the nuclear plant that leaked radiation.
Benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude for April delivery dropped $2.73, or 2.7%, to $98.46 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange after dipping below $97 a barrel earlier in the day.
Brent crude fell $3.17, or 2.8%, to $110.50 per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.
The uncertainty over how long it could take Japan to recover triggered a sell-off in other commodities as well, as stocks markets fell around the world. Many investors bought assets considered to be safer to hold during uncertain economic times, such as the dollar.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost nearly 300 points before regaining ground. It was down 189 points in afternoon trading. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index and the Nasdaq composite index also were lower.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Dollar Index, which tracks the greenback versus other major currencies, rose nearly 1%.
Investors likely were buying the dollar because of its relative safety until there is more clarity about Japan’s future, said Tom Kloza, publisher and chief oil analyst at Oil Price Information Service.
Oil, which is priced in dollars, tends to fall as the dollar rises and makes crude barrels more expensive for anyone holding foreign currency.
After a rise in oil prices like the world saw this month “we were due for a sinkhole day like this,” Kloza said.
Oil prices are still higher than they were in mid-February when uprisings in Libya shut down that country’s oil production and sent benchmark crude from about $85 a barrel to more than $105 a barrel last week, its highest level since September 2008. Libya produced only about 2 percent of the world’s crude. Prices rose however on concerns that unrest would spread to bigger producers like Saudi Arabia. Troops from Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations are in neighboring Bahrain to help keep order as anti-government protests continue there.
Kloza and Tom Bentz, director of BNP Paribas Commodity Futures Inc., think oil prices will fall further because of ongoing concerns about Japan.
Bentz speculated prices could fall as low as $95 a barrel in coming weeks. “It’s going to be a while before Japan is able to recover from this and the market is starting to price that in,” he said.
Gasoline pump prices across the U.S. fell slightly Tuesday for the first time in nearly a month to a national average of $3.556 per gallon. Prices are still higher than ever for this time of year. A gallon of regular is 42.8 cents more expensive than a month ago and 76.6 cents higher than last year. | <urn:uuid:4505d319-5a9b-4f6b-95a1-928f928f6643> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rvbusiness.com/2011/03/japanese-crisis-prompts-crude-oil-price-fall/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96281 | 790 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Parents of infants born with congenital clubfeet should be informed that the majority of clubfeet can be corrected in about four to six weeks with the proper gentle manipulations and plaster casts.
Following the removal of the last cast and in order to prevent relapses, shoes or a molded orthotic attached to the ends of a metal splint are worn for two to three months and thereafter at night and during naps for an additional two to four years.
Babies treated without surgery will have normal-looking feet, with good mobility and good function throughout life.
The manipulations and casting for the initial treatment of clubfeet used by many orthopaedic surgeons is faulty if, after some months, soft tissue release surgery is required to correct the deformity.
A surgical approach to the treatment of the clubfoot deformity is not a reasonable alternative to the non-surgical treatment except for the rare cases where extreme fibrosis exists. Patients treated surgically develop stiffness, pain, and often have disabilities after adolescence.
The long-term functional outcomes of our technique have by far exceeded those of any other treatment for congenital clubfeet. Most importantly, our technique is safe, there is no damage to the ligaments and in a matter of two to three months the clubfeet are corrected. Our manipulation, casting and splinting procedure has never resulted in any disability for the patient.
A list of patients treated by us for clubfeet, and a list of doctors with expertise in our technique is provided.
You are invited to join other parents of children with clubfeet in an online support group.
Previous Page | Title Page | <urn:uuid:a9fed7de-7974-4207-b2d5-3437f09b4a1e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.uihealthcare.com/topics/medicaldepartments/orthopaedics/clubfeet/support.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950346 | 331 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Carrier: Natural refrigerants viable for all transport refrigeration applications by 2025
24 October 2011
In 2010, they presented a case study based on Carrier’s installment of approximately 150 stores with CO2OLtec TM transcritical systems in operation. These stores accumulated 18.5 MW of medium temperature refrigeration capacity. It was stated that the energy performance of these systems was mainly attractive at average annual temperatures of up to +15 °C. One month later, Carrier presented a study during the Chillventa 2010 Congress, maintaining that up to 19°C, CO2 refrigeration systems would outperform other refrigerants. The same study concluded that CO2 systems would perform slightly better than other refrigerants between 20°C and 26°C.
In October 2011, Carrier installed more than 300 stores with CO2OLtec TM direct expansion (DX) systems with 33 MW medium temperature refrigeration capacity and with estimated emissions savings of 77,600 tons of CO2 equivalent emissions or 49 percent as compared to conventional systems. Carrier is now working on overcoming the commonly referred to “CO2 equator,” which goes through Southern Europe along the northern shore of the Mediterranean, defining the efficiency limit CO2 systems compared to traditional HFC systems when assessed on a yearly average ambient temperature basis of maximum 15°C.
“We have today more than 500 installations running in Europe using Carrier CO2 transcritical mechanical systems, which is the only refrigerant for food retail refrigeration that reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent. In 2012, close to 20 percent of our European Commercial Refrigeration sales will be based on transcritical CO2 systems,” said Philippe Delpech, president, UTC Climate, Controls & Security Systems - Europe, Middle East and Africa. He also underlined that this was achieved “without any major regulatory support [but] thanks to best-in-class technology available and retail customers concerned about their environmental impact.”
Next Generation Transcritical Systems to Move CO2 Equator South
With the next generation of transcritical CO2OLtec TM DX systems, Carrier wants to prove that CO2 systems have at least the same energy efficiency than highly efficient HFC systems under every European climate condition - in warm and hot climates - and will start the field testing of these systems next year.
At ATMOsphere 2010, Christoph Brouwers answered to the question “Why to move to CO2 as refrigerant?” saying, “Carbon dioxide as a refrigerant has the most attractive minimal global warming potential and a better - or at least equal - energy efficiency in cold and mild climates up to average annual ambient temperatures of 15°C, which leads to the best total equivalent warming impact (TEWI) compared to any other alternative available today.”
Carrier will have the right refrigerant solution for every application, while not every application may have the same refrigerant solution.
One year later he confirms: “The industry is ready to move. We are really looking for some supporting regulations from the policy makers to gear up this CO2 initiative.”
At the European level, climate regulations with increasing refrigerant prices, energy costs and disposal expenses will increase the cost of ownership of traditional HFC refrigeration systems. This in turn makes the return on investment for CO2 systems more attractive. Also, sustainability has become a business objective of leading European retail chains, which has led some to revise their investment strategy in regards to natural refrigerants and to introduce CO2 refrigeration systems as their new standard refrigeration technology. | <urn:uuid:e2d800fc-90cf-45f5-9f3f-4e5cfc2d841d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://beta.r744.com/news/view/1544 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940691 | 729 | 1.742188 | 2 |
We all love a good party, but unfortunately, parties are often where our social lives take a nosedive. If you embarrass yourself in a big way at a party, the experience can follow you for years. By that same token, if you put yourself in an unsafe situation, I donít need to tell you how dangerous that can be Ė even among people you think you can trust.
There are certain codes and behavior that are expected at parties these days, and they usually arenít something mom and dad are going to sit you down and talk to you about. Most of the time, they have no idea about this stuff anyway. The social lives of teens today are light years away from twenty or thirty years ago. Here are a few things to think about before making your next big party debut:
Parties are a chance to showcase your high fashion skills, especially outfits that you canít wear to school. Keeping that in mind, find something flirty and fun, but be careful not to cross over into sleazy. Yes, skin is in, but somebodyís living room is not the same as the beach. Jeans and a cute top or an adorable mini with a matching sweater are great choices, but if you go for the skirt, please remember to sit correctly so that all the boys donít get a cheap thrill Ė that is SO not the reputation you want. Look around here on The Doll Palace for ideas about what to wear and how to look better than all the other girls there Ė except your friends, of course.
Eating and Drinking
Parties mean food, and by all means enjoy it. Just remember that other people may be watching you, and if you immediately spill punch on your t-shirt, and talk with your mouth full, they will definitely notice. You might consider saving the chowing down with abandon for your next sleepover, and be a bit more demure while at co-ed functions. On another note, if you are attending coed parties, especially in high school, never take your eyes off your drink. If you leave it sitting around, anyone can drop something in it Ė including pills.
I assume that you are attending parties with friends, and this is definitely the best way to go. Always use the buddy system to be sure nobody gets left behind or tries to sneak off with a boy you KNOW she wouldnít really want to be sneaking off with. Drinking happens at parties, and of course, if youíre underage you wouldnít dare join in, but your friends might. Be the responsible one, and take care of your friends while everybody is having a good time.
Flirt with the boys, laugh, tell jokes, and gossip, but stick together. Parties are notorious for causing contention among friends, so be sure you donít leave anyone out or abandon your friends for a guy. Guys come and go, but friends will always stick by you.
Ah, enemies. We all have someone we donít really get along with, and for whatever reason they show up when weíre trying to relax and have a good time. Try not to let your least-favorite person spoil your evening, and by no means let all the people around you goad you into fighting with her. If she wants to be a big drama queen and start things, just be the bigger person and ignore it. People that know you arenít going to listen to her anyway, and sheíll just look like an idiot.
Finally, be very, very wary of situations where you might be one-on-one with boys. Some of the most popular party activities these days involve hooking up with your boyfriend or even a boy you donít know very well. A kiss is one thing, but full-blown making out or even more is something else entirely.
Stay away from empty rooms or dark corners. If you want to flirt and visit with a boy, do it in full view of your friends to prevent any misunderstanding about your intentions or what really went on. Plenty of girls never did more than kiss a guy, but they did it behind closed doors so everyone thinks they did way more than kiss. Going too far with a guy, especially at parties where everyone knows, is the number one way to ruin your reputation. You might also make sure you keep an eye on your friends to prevent them from making the same mistake. | <urn:uuid:3d1e9e22-4d31-4e9d-8795-a43ed41388d9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thedollpalace.com/dollnews/Party-Etiquette-aid3627.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964137 | 903 | 1.601563 | 2 |
I read an earlier posting about moles and I was wondering how to get rid of grubs. I live in the Pacific NW and forgive me for my ignorance, but what is the "local extension agent"? What should we use to kill the grubs off? Thankyou!!!
Hi MrsD, you need to use a diazanon spray which you should be able to find at your local garden center. This normally is applied in late year (i.e., Sept/Oct), but you may have "some" luck if you apply prior to your grass greening. The reason that it is normally applied late in the year is that grub worms (larvae) are young June bugs (beetles) and toward the end of their adult life (late summer) they lay their eggs in your yard. So applying the diazanon after they have layed their eggs will kill them when they hatch in the spring, so if you can soak the yard prior to the eggs hatching you should have some luck. Hope this helps, and good luck! | <urn:uuid:8f488fda-b56f-458d-a244-ef32a124e784> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bobvila.com/posts/701-how-do-i-get-rid-of-grubs | 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 | 0.963795 | 218 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Pictures from the Past Possibly Ramsey or Stone Family
The Photography studio for the above young ladies picture was C.R. & A. H. Blunt located in Danville, Va. I have been searching for a date for the picture. I already found where the photographer A. H. Blunt committed suicide on June 13, 1912. They also said that he was a photographer in Danville, Va. I found that in the Magazine Bulletin of Photography Volume 11.
About a month ago my brother gave me these pictures. His mother in law gave them to him. I don't know the exact particulars, but they supposedly are people that have a relation to the Ramseys or the Bennetts of Pittsylvania County, Virginia. Above are the first four photos. As before, if anyone has any idea about the relationship of these people, please write. There was a Clack Stone in the ancestry.com that had a brother named Jimmy. They served in the Civil War and someone used this Stone to apply to be in the SAR. | <urn:uuid:36e638e0-bbe3-40ca-920a-66fb5e220f98> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://astoundingpast.blogspot.com/2012/06/pictures-from-past-possibly-ramsey-or.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984145 | 218 | 1.726563 | 2 |
I have known him for years as a singer/songwriter, and more recently as an author, but more than ever this book shows how learned he is in the Scriptures.
Luke: The Gospel of Amazement
Author: Michael Card
Publisher: IVP Books
In Luke: The Gospel of Amazement Michael Card is a scholar. I have known him for years as a singer/songwriter, and more recently as an author, but more than ever this book shows how learned he is in the Scriptures.
Luke continually writes that people were amazed and in awe of Jesus. Card amazes by making the text come alive. Thanks in part goes to his late mentor, William Lane, who told him, “I am going to teach you how I read Scripture.” Lane’s approach is to read with “informed imagination.” It’s engaging the Bible with both heart and mind. It’s asking the right questions to find out what the text means.
Card starts with an astute introduction to Luke the person, which I immediately recognized as Card’s most insightful analysis and best writing. He moves on to major themes before making each chapter of Luke a chapter in the book.
Card describes one of Luke’s themes as “when those who should don’t, and those who shouldn’t do.” The least expected get the message while those who should understand reject it.
Reversal is a key concept in Luke. The blind see. The lame walk. The poor become rich through the gospel. The first are last, and the last first.
Card’s love affair with words, namely untranslatable ones like hesed, becomes apparent. It’s a word that God uses to describe himself. The best translation Card has found takes an entire line: “When the person from whom I have a right to expect nothing gives me everything.” The New Testament equivalent is normally translated “grace” or “mercy.” Card continually draws the reader’s attention to examples of its use.
Luke’s interest and eye for detail enables us to see more of the prayer life of Jesus. I also love how Luke shows Jesus’ concern and care for the marginalized, particularly his tender treatment and elevation of women, some of whom were his closest followers.
That is something this commentary is geared toward producing: faithful followers. Card is excellent at providing a clear, concise sense of the meaning of a passage, which is essential for personal application. He gives us a highly readable, imaginative and informed account of the life and ministry of Jesus. Even though the commentary is brief, the depth of it becomes even more apparent when he gives his reasons for occasionally departing from conventional wisdom. Plus, he does an excellent job in showing how the other gospel accounts differ and harmonize with Luke.
Aesthetically, the book is pleasing to the eye from the cover to the layout on each page. It clearly surpasses the ordinary fonts and styles found in most commentaries. The entire text of Luke is included and italicized to distinguish it from the commentary. Imaginative but simple outlines precede each chapter.
Aside from exceptions, the Scripture text is from the Holman Christian Standard Bible.
The chapters are short enough to be read in 15-20 minutes. Reading a chapter a day from Luke while following along in the commentary makes for a great devotional exercise.
This is the first of four books (one a year beginning this year) from Card that will cover each of the four gospels. A collection of songs based on each gospel will be released with the publication of each book and available separately (see Luke CD review).
If you are a fan of Michael Card’s music, Luke: A World Turned Upside Down is what you would expect: thoughtful reflections from Luke with acoustic guitar and piano led music. His special guests include Matthew Ward (2nd Chapter of Acts).
I enjoyed this book even more than some of his others that I have read. The scholarship is impressive, the meaning is clear, and it is well-written. It does not go into as much depth as more traditional commentaries, but it makes a great supplement to that kind of volume.
Many people rightly think of a commentary as a reference book to be used as a resource. This is meant to be read from cover to cover. It’s not written for the academic, which makes the content accessible to anyone who wants to know more about the life of Christ as seen through the gospel of Luke.
March 19, 2011 | <urn:uuid:c9167e2a-cfc8-4158-b70c-09979dc2708f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.phantomtollbooth.org/index.php/past-issues/past-book-reviews/27-card-michael-the-gospel-of-amazement | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967507 | 956 | 1.679688 | 2 |
While the manager of Southeast Texas Regional Airport is off in sunny Sacramento looking to drum up an airline (ANY AIRLINE!) to take on passengers at our little runway, we have a marketing suggestion for her: Eco-Tourism!
In conjunction with this west coast trip, the county has applied for a $200,000 federal grant to market the airport. Too bad they didn’t consult us first, we have the perfect angle. AGAIN: Eco-Tourism!
We saw the light (or, rather, the cloud of smoke) after reading Visit Sunny Chernobyl, a new book by writer and filmaker Andrew Blackwell. Most folks want to spend their hard-earned vacation money on trips to the beach or world landmarks (BO-ring!), but Blackwell finds beauty in the toxic. In the new book, he visits some of the most polluted places on the globe: The strip mines of Canada, the Chinese city of Linfen, the polluted waters of Kanpur, India, Chernobyl and…PORT ARTHUR! That’s HEADY company! (You can explore the destinations, watch a video and see more about the project HERE).
And it’s not what you think. While exploring the complicated interaction between people, industry and environmental degradation, Blackwell manages to make traveling the world’s nastiest locales sound fun (he called it a “love letter to polluted places” in this week’s NY Times and there is some poignancy to his tale when he talks to the residents of these places).
Hear that, Airport People? Get this guy as a marketing consultant!
Since we have to do everyone’s job for ‘em, we chatted with Blackwell about Southeast Texas, eco-tourism and what he saw on his many trips here to get a little outsider’s perspective on the Triangle.
* * * * *
GATOR: For the book, you traveled to some of the most polluted places on Earth. I’m sure you frequently get asked about how you chose these locales, but I’m obviously interested in why you selected Southeast Texas/Port Arthur? And how did it compare to the other places; did it live up to the “hype?”
Blackwell: I wanted to make sure to choose some places close to home, to send the message that “polluted” doesn’t always mean “developing world.” So I visited one location in Canada (the oil sand mines) and one in the USA (Port Arthur). I first heard about Port Arthur when a friend wrote an article for the New York Times about the fight over plans to burn imported PCBs at the Veolia incinerator on the outskirts of town (Ed. note: A story, ahem, broken by one of Beaumont’s finest). Port Arthur sounded like a place that had gotten saddled with a lot of things other towns didn’t want in their backyard, and I thought that was interesting. The history of oil in the area also fascinated me, from the Spindletop discovery onwards.
As for whether it lived up to the hype, I’d say that polluted places are almost never as spectacularly gross as they are hyped up to be. Downtown Port Arthur definitely is every bit as poor and physically run-down as I’d been told. But I still found things to enjoy, and met plenty of friendly people. And in addition to all the refineries, there’s a lot of natural beauty nearby.
GATOR: Hilton Kelley is a polarizing figure around here. Some feel he’s an opportunist exploiting the cause for economic and personal gain, while others consider him a lone voice for change. What did you glean about the man from your tour of Port Arthur with Kelley?
Blackwell: Well, I don’t think he would deny that he’s not just an activist but an entrepreneur. He seems to have a million projects going on, and he’s tireless in promoting them. But I don’t see any contradiction there. The causes of enviromental health and economic revitalization can go together. And I found his message to be a pretty invigorating one. When I interviewed him he didn’t just blame everything on the refineries. He demanded that people in the community step up to improve their own lives and community.
GATOR: Southeast Texans are proud of their hometown industry. Do you believe that places like Port Arthur are a “necessary evil?” After all, all Americans to some extent depend on their existence.
Blackwell: Well, as long as we’re running our economy on oil, refinery towns are definitely a necessity. The problem for Port Arthur, I think, is that the benefits and drawbacks of those refineries aren’t spread very evenly. I think it’s fine to be proud of the hometown industry, espeically of its incredible local history. But the question is whether the hometown industry is really taking care of the hometown.
GATOR: You mentioned Port Arthur’s horrific slogan, “Where Oil and Water do mix…Beautifully.” Do you think there is a way Port Arthur can capture more adventurous ecotourists like yourself?
Blackwell: Everyone in Southeast Texas knows that their area has amazing offerings for people interested in the outdoors, whether its boating or hunting or birdwatching. And in a way, I think that slogan is pretty good, because it reflects how those things live alongside all the industry. The problem is just that, with so many tankers around, that motto is inevitably going to sound like a bad joke. I mean, during the cleanup of the 2010 oil spill, even the Coast Guard guys were laughing about it.
I don’t know if Port Arthur will ever become an attractive destination for out-of-staters, because people are just too averse to the idea of having so much industry around, when they’re trying to enjoy the outdoors. I think the key, though, is not to deny that there’s industry around, and that it smells. I like to think that if Port Arthur started small, and didn’t take itself too seriously, an anti-ecotourism industry could thrive there.
GATOR: Any observations about Port Arthur/SETX that you didn’t include in your book? Any anecdotes that you kept for yourself?
Blackwell: I really enjoyed Mardis Gras in Port Arthur, for one thing. The carnival atmosphere, the food, the booze, the music, the small-time professional wrestling. And that’s not even counting the parades. I just wish a little bit of that energy could sustain itself downtown when it wasn’t Mardis Gras.
GATOR: Did you ever eat that “oily” fish you caught? (Note: Blackwell went fishing in Port Arthur with a local and caught a fish he described as ‘smelling like oil.’ He stored it in a freezer and never mentioned it again, so we did. )
Blackwell: I sure did! It tasted great.
GATOR: If a friend told you they had a job opportunity in Beaumont, what advice would you give them?
Blackwell: I’d suggest that they think about moving to downtown Beaumont, or even downtown Port Arthur. Buy an old house or building all for yourself, and fix it up! It seems that everyone wants to move up-county, where the houses are nicer, and you don’t see the refineries, and there isn’t as much poverty. But it seems to me that the downtowns are really ripe for revitalization, and it would be exciting to be a part of that community. Maybe it’s just because I live in New York, so I’m real estate obsessed. I met two guys living on Procter Street when I was visiting Port Arthur, and although they were in no way wealthy, they owned the entire three-story building they lived in. That’s almost enough to drive someone living in Brooklyn crazy.
GATOR: Of all of the polluted places you visited, which one was the most beautiful; the one that made you forget it was compromised?
Blackwell: It’s hard to go wrong with Chernobyl. Although the site of the reactor building itself is ugly and even a bit scary, the rest of the zone is being so thoroughly reclaimed by wildlife that it is easily as beautiful as any national park. But you know, I also rode with the Sabine pilots on an oil tanker coming up the Sabine-Neches waterway, and the southern end of that channel is truly beautiful. There are oil platforms parked here and there, but it’s a beautiful stretch of water, nevertheless.
GATOR: True story: Years ago, I was in New York City and saw what I thought was a homeless man wandering around lower Manhattan. He was decked out in dirty sweatpants and sporting a three-day beard growth; turns out it was native Texan Dan Rather. You worked as a producer on his HDNet show, Dan Rather Presents. Did Dan give you any advice before your trips down here?
Blackwell: The man knows how to dress down! I didn’t get a chance to seek his advice before I headed down for Texas, but as soon as he heard I’d been hanging around in Port Arthur and Beaumont, he sat down and compared notes with me. I was surprised how well he knew the local history and geography. I’d been living it for several weeks, but he knew it as well as I did.
* * * * *
Port Arthur: “It Smells.”
Nah, we can do better. If you have some time, pick up a copy and enjoy the chapter on our little neck of the toxic woods. It ain’t all unicorns and moonbeams, but oddly enough, it’ll probably make you feel strangely proud of what Southeast Texas has to offer.
It did for us.
TRAVEL TO THESE
- This bug you?
- New report says we need to adapt.
- Texas is the future.
- The zombies are getting closer.
- Hey MJ, don’t you dare bite the hand that feeds you.
- Local broadcaster snags $10,000 FCC fine. | <urn:uuid:430beaef-acba-4d9e-84f9-32c0c70dc2f5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.beaumontenterprise.com/bayou/2012/06/07/andrew-blackwell-author-toxic-tourist-and-port-arthur-fan/?gta=commentlistpos | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964839 | 2,198 | 1.601563 | 2 |
If you're like most people these days, you've probably got a lot of music on your computer — whether from your own CD library, or downloaded from Amazon, iTunes, or (ahem) elsewhere. But if the only thing you're doing with your music collection is listening to it, you're missing out. There are a large number of web applications devoted to helping you get more from the music you already have.
With the five web sites and applications below, you can learn more about your music playing habits, clean up your collection, see your favorite artists live, and have more fun with your music. What other web sites or applications do you use to get the most out of the music you own? Let us know in the comments.
Last.fm is one of the most popular music social networks on the web. The site has on-demand listening, social networking features, and a great iPhone app. But where Last.fm really shines is their tried and true Scrobbler software that pays attention to what you've been playing in iTunes, Windows Media Player, Winamp, or on your iPod and adds the music you've played to your profile. From there you can see which artists, albums, and tracks you play the most, and get recommendations for similar music you might like based on the songs you're listening to.
An amazingly useful new Adobe AIR app that just launched in July, TidySongs automatically scans your iTunes library for duplicates, missing cover art, and poorly formatted, misspelled, or otherwise wrong track and artist information. The application can automatically fix song info, or can just point out errors so you can fix them manually.
TidySongs works really well and was able to identify and fix with surprising accuracy a large number of the songs in my music library that weren't properly labeled. In addition to fixing song details, TidySongs can organize genres, fix duplicates, and find missing or incorrect album art.
Another option to help clean up your library metadata is TuneUp.
Once you've uploaded your iTunes library to Livekick, the site automatically populates a calendar of upcoming concerts in your area from the artists you listen to. The site can also import music from Last.fm, Rhapsody, Pandora, iLike, Zune.net, imeem, MySpace, and Blip.fm. Once you've imported your music, Livekick can deliver concert updates by email or RSS. The site also offers a downloadable desktop widget that keeps track of the music you listen to in Windows Media Player, Winamp, or iTunes and suggests concerts you might be interested in based on your listening habits.
Lyrics site TuneWiki offers a unique, free iPhone app (iTunes) that allows you to automatically augment the music you play on your iPhone or iPod Touch with song lyrics while listening. The app displays lyrics synced to the song you're listening to, karaoke style, translated into over 40 different languages. It also has a nice "music maps" feature that shows you what music other people in your geographic area are listening to.
JamLegend is a Guitar Hero-like game built for the web. Instead of using a guitar-shaped controller to keep in time with the beat, however, you instead press keys on the keyboard that correspond to falling notes as the song plays. But what really sets JamLegend apart is that you can upload your own songs. You get 5 free MP3 uploads, after which you'll have to pay for the privilege of rocking out to your favorite music from your own collection.
Still, the fact that you can go beyond the site's 500 or so built-in songs by using your own music collection is a great feature. The game is somehow a lot more fun when you can use music from your own MP3 library that you're guaranteed to like. | <urn:uuid:d4a63a71-73d4-405b-a3a8-b6b723d90769> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mashable.com/2009/08/04/music-apps/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936654 | 788 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Ranging from architecture, to interiors, to fabrication, all of the designers are based in the San Francisco Bay Area and have been featured in Dwell magazine. I had the opportunity to chat with a few of them about their work that is shaping the world of residential design. Here's a taste of what was shared:
1. Min | Day: The firm's cutting edge designs were displayed through reworking of basic materials, including backlit CNC-milled panels. Taking the idea of an art wall to the next level, they have used this method to incorporate intricate patterns in walls and casework for many of their projects. The stools are composed of stacked layers of plywood that are adhered together, which exemplifies how an ordinary material can be used to create an extraordinary product.
2. Barbara Scavullo Design: The Paradise ceiling lamp hung over the Scavullo installation creates an intimate sense of serenity in the space. Made of unprocessed silk cocoons, the sculpture is woven together with a hand soldered wire matrix. It's organic form and materiality results in a stunning fixture, with a soft warm glow.
3. The Urban Lab: These designers are modern inventors in the realm of metal working. They have created a multitude of custom fabricated items that include stairs, entry gates and other custom pieces. The Urban Lab combines the disciplines of architecture and industrial design to push the limits of design and fabrication. They are known for using basic materials in an innovative way creating functional and one-of-a kind elements.
4. Sands Studio: The Alcyone light fixtures, designed and manufactured in-house for the exhibition, are a glimpse of the refined work this studio produces. The fixtures were created by combining industrial materials, including borosilicate fabricated glass, machined aluminum mechanical components and stainless steel cable. Sands Studio is a collaboration between architects, industrial designers, machinists and artisans, that combines aesthetics, function and attention to detail in all their work.
5. Martine Paquin: Embedding sustainability into design is a key component of the process at Martine Paquin. Their interior designs embody the spirit of sustainability by utilizing and implementing unique materials and products. The featured elements of their installation were true to this ethos. The Molo Cloud Softlight pictured is made with recycled material and lit with LED's.
Image Credit: Moanalani Jeffrey | <urn:uuid:efaf7b77-51fc-45c9-93d9-5cff520b3745> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/dwell-design-lab-159976?img_idx=0 | 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 | 0.94342 | 494 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Iconic Dubai architecture
Dubai is one of only a few locations worldwide where iconic architecture is not only encouraged, but actively pursued. As long as it is eye-catching, it seems that anything goes, from the sublime to the outrageous, and sometimes a combination of the two.
What is interesting is Dubai’s extraordinarily short building cycle. At less than 50 years old, Dubai is remaking its own image faster than any other city in the world. Nearly a quarter of all the world’s construction cranes are hard at work here, leaving the beholder with plenty of iconic architecture for sightseeing.
The world's tallest building, 828m high: its cladding provides an interesting contrast with the traditional Dubai architecture around it. Well worth seeing as the sun rises and strikes the reflective surface.
A favourite with Dubai architecture enthusiasts; observe the way the towers’ relationship changes constantly according to the angle from which you look at them.
World Trade Centre
Very forward thinking for its time, both in terms of its ground-breaking scale and its structural and environmental sensitivity. It now stands as a reminder of Dubai’s growth, a contrast to the flashier buildings around it.
National Bank of Dubai
While practically speaking this design perhaps doesn't make the most efficient use of space, yet as a project designed to make a statement this building is a roaring success. Its convex glass front captures and reflects the comings and goings of life along the Creek and it has become one of the most recognisable structures in Dubai.
Especially beautiful at night, but well worth a visit in Friday afternoons, with the Marina Market selling all manner of clothes, gifts and jewellery. There is an impressive array of waterfront restaurants too.
Mall of the Emirates
An overnight success, popular with residents and visitors alike. Home to an enormous variety of high street and designer shops, cinemas and many fine restaurants. It also contains the incredible Ski Dubai.
The world’s only ‘seven star’ hotel, standing 320 metres tall on its own artificial island just off Dubai’s coastline. An extraordinary sail-shaped exterior, with dancing fountains, vast aquaria and a startling blue atrium on the inside. | <urn:uuid:7b34a682-31bd-42ee-9741-f0f7c6c2213b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.emirates.com/kr/english/destinations_offers/discoverdubai/sightseeingindubai/iconicdubaiarchitecture.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 | 0.94786 | 462 | 1.539063 | 2 |
|Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York|
Welcoming Consensus on Guinea Run-off Election, Secretary-General Warns
against Incitement, Divisive Statements or Actions
The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:
The Secretary-General welcomes the consensus reached among Guinean stakeholders that paves the way for the holding of the run-off presidential election on 7 November. He urges all actors in the electoral process to ensure that the date is respected and that the necessary conditions are put in place for the smooth conduct of the poll. The Secretary-General calls upon the presidential candidates to uphold their commitment to conduct a peaceful campaign and to respect the outcome of the election. He encourages all Guineans to participate in the poll.
The Secretary-General remains concerned over recent episodes of violence and reported intimidation that led to the displacement of people in parts of Guinea. He calls on national and local leaders, as well as on the population as a whole, to refrain from any act or statement that may incite violence or human rights abuses. The Secretary-General further warns against exploiting ethnicity, religion or any other divisive factor for political ends, and reiterates that those responsible for fomenting violence or violating human rights must be held accountable. The Transitional Government of Guinea has a responsibility to protect and ensure the safety of all Guineans, regardless of their ethnicity, religion or political affiliation.
The Secretary-General reaffirms the readiness of the United Nations system to support Guinea throughout this historic electoral process, as well as after the vote, to help consolidate peace and development in the country.
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Georgetown, S.C., is accustomed to changing with the times. As one of the oldest cities in North America, Georgetown has seen industries grow and die over the years. But even during the down economy, the city has its sights on what's next.
ABC's Sharyn Alfonsi calls South Carolina home. She spent much of her childhood there, and she recently returned to Georgetown to report for the "Going Home" series on "World News."
While covering local green technology businesses, Alfonsi stopped by Pat Doyle's house for a front porch conversation. Doyle is Georgetown's resident historian, a wealth of information on the town's rich history.
"Georgetown County produced more rice than anybody in the whole world," Doyle told Alfonsi, describing the city's major industry before the Civil War.
Doyle has witnessed businesses rise and fall, including the recent closure of the steel mill and shift cuts at the local paper mill. With an unemployment rate of almost 11 percent, Georgetown now looks to reinvent itself again.
"I'm sure every small town in a way has had to do that," Doyle said.
We hope you'll watch today's Conversation to learn more about beautiful and resilient Georgetown. | <urn:uuid:7c972329-91aa-4eb8-a3f3-7ef4a461c791> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://abcnews.go.com/WN/home-georgetown-south-carolina-times-world-news-conversation/story?id=11775166 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966369 | 249 | 1.710938 | 2 |
THE Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) has been derailing the entire educational system.
That was the view of Acting Chief Educational Officer Harrilal Seecharan during an interview with the Express on Monday at the Ministry of Education, St Clair.
Seecharan was commenting on the benefits of the Continuous Assessment Component (CAC) that will replace the SEA's current three- subject final exam format, which has been to the detriment of the children.
"When we have only 40 per cent of the students getting five and six subjects, including Maths, that tells you that something is wrong.
"The current approach where we've been focusing only on two areas has in fact derailed our entire education system. We are talking about 21st century skills," Seecharan said.
He said the CAC will widen the skill set of the children and better prepare them to face the workload at the secondary school level.
He added that, with the current system, "we are not doing as well as we should" and the CAC is 25 years too late.
Seecharan said the implementation may appear as though the Ministry of Education was rushing it but that is due to the slow pace at which other programmes have been launched in the past.
He added that the 12 days of training for the teachers will be conducted by curriculum and former curriculum teachers who are qualified to teach their subject areas.
The subject areas that will fall under the CAC are: Character Education and Citizenship, Visual and Performing Arts, Physical Education, Agri-Science, Science, Maths and Language Arts.
Seecharan said the biggest concern so far is the need for greater stakeholder engagement and responses in schools.
He added that the necessary funds are available to equip the schools with both the physical and human resources needed to teach the subjects.
He said the aim is to assist children who are struggling and bring them up to par with their excelling classmates while maintaining the high standard the exceeding pupils face.
"The CAC is part of a wider strategy that the Ministry of Education has which stems from two years ago following an assessment of the curriculum. The CAC is one of the priority areas that have been identified," said Seecharan, adding that ideas such as universal early childhood education, SEA date change and regular teacher training are some other initiatives to improve the system.
He said the aim is to make learning fun and the CAC will provide avenues for both parent and child to be kept abreast of the child's progress.
"To ensure that the grading is reliable, a very rigorous monitoring system is put in place to ensure that the marks are fair, valid and reliable," Seecharan said.
He added that the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) has been contacted to have the final say regarding the children's grade.
Both the Ministry of Education and the schools themselves have the power to review the children's results, but only CXC can adjust their grades. | <urn:uuid:63f83404-ec07-492d-9828-6c4631e68d3d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Education_Ministry_official_knocks_SEA-159667635.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974184 | 609 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Do you know what you want?
I mean what you REALLY want? You have to WANT something or want to DO something or your life will be pretty boring.
But you say, “I just want to be HAPPY.” You’ve got to be more specific than that. What does happiness mean to you? Define happy. What makes you happy? Be clear on what you want?
You might say, “I want to buy a house.” Will the house make you happy? Or is it what the house makes you feel that makes you happy? Security, sense of accomplishment? Did your family lose your home in foreclosure as a kid? Or did you have to move from rental to rental? What does home ownership really represent for you? You need to clarify.
How about, “I want a new car.” Is that car going to make you happy? What happens when it gets old? Is that a good story, you finally getting that new Tahoe?
Or would it be a better story…
…if you bought a used Tahoe…
…because you needed a larger vehicle…
…to fit your family…
…and be able to pull a camper…
…across country for six weeks during the summer?
That would be an awesome story.
No More Stuff
I’ve come to realize that I don’t want THINGS anymore. I want EXPERIENCES.
I bought a mountain bike. I wanted a mountain bike. Or did I? What I really wanted was what riding a mountain bike would give me. The experience. Riding down a technical trail a little faster than I’m confortable with. Riding on the edge. All of my senses heightened, anticipating (and fearful) of a fall.
Then there is the memory of taking water break on the trail while over looking an awesome mountain view with a lake below. Those experiences are what I wanted, not a mountain bike.
You might say, “I want to travel.” But where and why? It’s the same for me. I enjoy traveling but not for the sake of traveling. Who likes layovers or sitting in a hot airplane on the tarmac during a delay?
I want the experiences that travel brings. I am currently planning a vacation to the Arizona / Utah area because of the incredible photography opportunities in that region. I am also researching volunteer vacations for 2013. That’s where you spend 1-3 weeks helping in conservation work, teaching English, or helping with scientific research. Think about your last vacation…What was the most memorable experience?
I want to be healthy. Most of us do, but why? For a small few, it’s because they want to compete in bodybuilding or physique competitions. [Believe it or not, I actually did that in my mid-20’s. I enjoyed the experience of winning. It was thrilling to push your body beyond perceived limits and physically change the way you looked. And then get a rush from the competition.]
But for most, they want to feel healthy to be able to DO things. For some, health is a priority because they are rehabbing from an illness or injury. Some want (or need) to lose 100 pounds for health reasons and they simply want to be able to play with their kids.
For me, I want to be healthy enough to run a half-marathon in October of this year. Then I want o climb Mt. Rainier next year.
But break down your WANTS even further.
I want to be healthy. Why?
To run a half-marathon. Why?
To be fit enough to climb Mt. Rainier? Why?
To see if I can really push myself and actually do it. Why?
To feel an incredible sense of accomplishment? Why?
To feel good about being part of small percentage that have done it? Why?
To help me believe that anything is possible. Why?
To know I’m using my lifetime to live it to the fullest? Why?
To have good stories to tell? Why?
Why not? What’s the alternative?
Try that exercise. You can go on and on and on. It can be very therapeutic.
But what to YOU want? Really want?
Read more keys: | <urn:uuid:ca52c2fc-4cbb-4d86-8681-9a11eb75fff1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.davidamoore.com/2012/03/15/the-second-key-to-living-a-great-life-be-clear-on-what-you-want/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969747 | 913 | 1.765625 | 2 |
May 10, 2004
Managing a Portfolio of Risks
The goal of investing is to construct a portfolio of acceptable risks that are reasonably expected to achieve desirable returns. The only way to achieve that objective is a) to be willing to take risk (which means recognizing that risk is, in fact, risk, and will occasionally demonstrate that fact), and b) to evaluate each risk in relation to the amount of return and diversification benefit that can be expected from it.
To some investors, all of that may seem obvious, but it is dramatically different from the following investment strategies, all of which are either impractical or demonstrably ineffective:
Trying to pick the next Microsoft, Cisco, etc;
Trying to buy the bottoms and sell the tops;
Buying into clear advances and selling into clear declines;
Disposing of risk because it has not recently been rewarded;
Taking on risk because the market has been heavily rewarding it;
Assuming that all risks are worth taking regardless of their price;
Investing based on the “obviously correct” consensus of other investors.
The risks that drive returns
If you think about the return on any security, it breaks down something like this:
Return = Independent factors + Market factors + Random factors
For us, that breakdown implies an entire investment approach. First, we focus on security selection – identifying stocks and other securities that appear to have favorable valuation, market action that conveys sponsorship from other investors and a willingness of investors to take risk in those securities, favorable industry characteristics, products, management, balance sheet factors, and so forth.
There is, of course, risk in these independent factors. The independent factors might change, disappoint, or otherwise prove unrewarding, regardless of what happens to the overall market. So our first objective is to select particular securities whose risks appear most likely to be associated with favorable returns. This is a lot of work, and for every good investor I know, is where most of the time gets allocated.
The next problem, independent of security selection, is to evaluate the market factors. Every security has some amount of sensitivity to overall market fluctuations. The question is whether to accept that impact, or to hedge it away. This is what our “Market Climate” approach is about. In general, our exposure to market risk is generally proportional to the return/risk profile of the market in each Climate we identify. The stronger that profile, the greater our willingness to accept the impact of market fluctuations in that Climate.
When overall market valuations and market action are sufficiently favorable, our returns are driven both by the particular characteristics of our holdings (the independent factors) and by the influence of the overall market. In contrast, if market conditions warrant a fully hedged position (as I believe is true in the stock market now), we try to shut down the impact of the market factors. As long as the securities we hold do not exactly replicate the indices we use to hedge, we continue to have residual “active risk” (independent factors) that will be responsible for our gains or losses, regardless of overall market movements. Virtually all of the performance of the Strategic Growth Fund from July 2000 through March 2003 was driven by active risk, since the Fund was generally fully hedged against market fluctuations during that period.
Finally, we have random factors. These represent what we view as “pure” volatility, unrelated either to the independent factors that we try to actively select, or to overall market fluctuations that we choose to accept. For any security, these random factors can be substantially positive or negative, but have an expected or “average” value of zero (which is unfortunately a useless fact over short periods of time, or for poorly diversified portfolios).
There are two ways we approach this randomness. The first is diversification. We try to construct portfolios sufficiently diversified that these “epsilons” are relatively uncorrelated, so that a negative shock to one security tends to be balanced out by flat or positive shocks in other portfolio holdings. There's no way to shut this risk down entirely unless we literally construct a portfolio that replicates some market index and then fully hedge the market risk using that same index (in this case, the expected return on the perfectly hedged portfolio, not surprisingly, would be the riskless Treasury bill yield).
The second way we approach randomness is to use it opportunistically. One of our daily disciplines is to try to buy higher ranked candidates on short-term weakness and to sell lower ranked holdings on short-term strength. Unlike the many stop-loss techniques we've tested (some of which reduce risk but none which usefully increase long-term returns), this opportunistic approach to portfolio management is an excellent way to provide liquidity to other investors, which tends both to reduce the market impact of our trading (since we tend to be buyers of securities other investors are presently selling and vice versa) and to improve return/risk performance.
In short, our job is to manage a portfolio of risks. For some investors, the objective of risk management is something separate from, even opposed to, the pursuit of returns. For us, those tasks are one in the same.
As of last week, the Market Climate for stocks continued to reflect unusually unfavorable valuations and unfavorable market action. The Strategic Growth Fund remains fully hedged against the impact of market fluctuations. One of the hallmarks of recent market action has been the somewhat ominous dispersion and internal turbulence of the market, which is not evident if you only watch the major indices.
For example, new highs and new lows have been simultaneously high in recent weeks (though recently new lows have flipped and are now dominant). This sort of broad internal divergence has historically been quite bad for the market, and there are a number of interesting technical indicators (including one pleasantly called the “Hindenburg”) that have been built on that fact.
Friday displayed a 12-to-1 lead of declines over advances, which was the worst single day for market breadth since October 1997, when the Dow dropped over 500 points. To have such a day on a much more modest decline in the major indices is again somewhat ominous.
That said, longer-term shareholders will recognize this Climate, and should also understand that oversold conditions have a tendency to be cleared unpredictably by fast, furious rallies that are prone to failure. Despite extensive historical research, I've found no useful way of capturing these advances or defining any “sub-climate” of conditions that does not require falling interest rates. In other words, it is dangerous to “buy the dips” in this Climate, particularly when interest rates are behaving badly.
Which brings us to the Market Climate for bonds, which remains characterized by modestly favorable valuations but unfavorable market action. In the Strategic Total Return Fund, we continue to hold a fairly short duration of 3.25 years in bonds, all representing Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (a 100 basis point move in interest rates would be expected to impact the Fund by about 3.25% in this position).
Given what I view as a fairly defensive position, the Strategic Total Return Fund has experienced what I view as an uncharacteristically deep pullback of about 7% since early April. Much of this pullback has been driven by our holdings in precious metals shares, and to a lesser extent, utility shares. While I require the Hussman Funds to be aligned with the Market Climates we observe, and the Market Climate for gold remains quite favorable, I do allow a limited amount of discretion in the specific percentage exposures and choice of securities I use to achieve those objectives. We're currently holding a smaller exposure to gold shares than is warranted by a purely quantitative view of present conditions. I have been somewhat conservative largely because the “theme trading” of investors has induced a spurious link between the U.S. dollar and U.S. bonds, which has made a portfolio including gold and bonds far more volatile than it would typically be.
As I noted last week, the result of that tight bond-dollar linkage was one of the deeper monthly pullbacks we've seen in historical tests of our fixed income approach in four decades of data. I realize that some investment managers might not consider a single-digit pullback worthy of discussion, but I believe that the better our shareholders understand our approach, risk management, and factors that influence our returns, the more likely they are to adhere to a disciplined saving and investing program, which is part of our mission.
In any event, I strongly believe that the thesis of the bond market is entirely wrong here. I'm not willing to stand in front of a train, of course, so our exposures are limited. But I still think the thesis is wrong. Evidently, investors believe that the economy is coming on strong, so the dollar has rallied, while bonds have declined substantially and gold (which moves inversely to the dollar) has plunged. Moreover, the bulk of the move in interest rates has represented a rise in real interest rates, suggesting that this is a “fast growth” thesis, not an “inflationary growth” one.
In my view, the fundamentals for the U.S. economy and prospects for the U.S. dollar are far weaker than investors recognize. The growth that we've seen is almost entirely the artifact of a one-time tax stimulus (third quarter of 2003) that hit the economy hand-in-hand with the peak of the refinancing boom. We fully anticipated that this would have a residual effect on GDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2003 through the first couple of quarters of 2004. At this point, however, the remaining impact is likely to be fairly small. We'll probably see some continued inventory rebuilding and capital expenditure, but at the expense of housing investment, with the end result that gross domestic investment will appear fairly stagnant from here. If China capitulates to rising pressures to revalue the yuan, the reduction in foreign capital inflows could be much more destabilizing to both the U.S. dollar and the U.S. economy than seems widely recognized. It seems clear that the short-end of the yield curve will do poorly in any event, though the effect on long-term nominal yields is unclear (economic weakness would provide downward pressure while inflation and capital flow effects would provide upward pressure). In contrast, foreign currencies, gold and securities providing default-free real yield (i.e. TIPS) would probably be among the primary beneficiaries. Warren Buffett isn't actively buying foreign currencies for nothing.
I recognize that many investors, particularly in precious metals shares, have a knee-jerk tendency to sell on declines. When faced with that impulse, I suggest the following acid test: if you didn't own the security, would you use that same weakness as an opportunity to buy it instead? If so, the urge to sell is based on the fact that you already have a position, not on the characteristics of the investment. At present, I am quite comfortable with our roughly 10% exposure to precious metals shares in the Total Return Fund here.
As a final note, it's no secret that apart from a small amount in money market funds, I have no investments outside of the Hussman Funds. It's probably worth mentioning that I deviated from my typical allocation and made a larger than usual investment in the Strategic Total Return Fund last week. That should in no way be construed as investment advice, is certainly not a forecast, and may not be appropriate for investors in different circumstances – but if other bond fund managers can tell their shareholders they've sold their personal holdings in the portfolios they manage, I feel fairly comfortable telling my shareholders that I've added to mine.
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Site design by 1WebsiteDesigners. | <urn:uuid:5956b26b-30f6-4587-b8cc-cf85a062f4c0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://hussmanfunds.com/wmc/wmc040510.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958662 | 2,521 | 1.734375 | 2 |
For the four months between Nov. 5 and April 5, the Hope Rescue Mission in Reading has gone into Code Blue mode, transforming its gym into a makeshift dormitory of mattresses, pillows and sleeping bags.
There are 40 of the makeshift beds available, each one meant to expand the North Sixth Street shelter's capacity when the city's homeless men need it most.
But on the especially cold nights, nights like those Kerry Moore expects this weekend, no one is turned away.
"We don't want anyone (outdoors) in this kind of weather," said Moore, front desk manager at the rescue mission's shelter. "Very few things would make us turn anyone out on nights like these."
With winds gusting between 12 and 25 mph, below-freezing temperatures forecast for today will feel more like subzero, leaving the most vulnerable members of society most susceptible to hypothermia or frostbite.
To help the homeless brace for the bitter cold, shelters in Reading are opening their doors especially wide.
Normally, Moore said the Hope Rescue Mission asks sheltered men to leave by 6:35 a.m., giving staff time to clean. But not in these conditions.
"We're going to keep admission running for 24 hours straight," he said.
At the Opportunity House, where the Code Blue program goes into effect with the first below-freezing day of the year, the staff moves tables after dinner to make way for a sea of people sleeping on the floor.
During Code Blue, the Second Street shelter opens its doors to as many as 125 people daily for a hot meal and shower and a warm place to rest their head.
Delia F. McLendon, vice president of shelter services and housing, said the shelter expects to house about 100 people in coming days, about 25 more than the day-to-day crowd during warmer weeks. In meeting their needs, it will have the help of volunteers more than willing to serve hot meals and donate warm clothes and blankets.
"We have to get people in because we don't want people to freeze to death," McLendon said. "We don't want anyone out at night in the single digits. We don't want anyone out sleeping in the snow."
Contact C. Ryan Barber: 610-371-5081 or [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:9d4d2ed0-9155-4826-a9f6-aa23c0ce4647> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=446085 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961812 | 479 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Mountain 2 Mountain was founded on mountain sport and culture. Literally the organization was founded with the idea of creating a trail race in the mountains of Breckenridge as a fundraiser three years ago. Overnight that idea blossomed into a full blown non profit working in the mountains of Central Asia. Yet the idea of mountain sport and culture remains as a way to tap into the energy mountain folk have and use that energy to fundraise. Specifically harness the energy of climbers, bikers, runners, and skiers to help support our projects in Afghanistan.
This year alone, Mountain 2 Mountain started a mountain biking team, Team M2M, in which members raised money for projects and rode in the team jersey at races to spread awareness. We hosted the 2nd annual Race for the Mountains trail race here in Breckenridge, raising enough money to sponsor a computer lab. Mountain 2 Mountain was also recipient of both the Breck 100 bike race, and the 2nd annual Climb for Literacy. Thane Wright, director of the Breck 100 generously donated $1000 by pledging a percentage of race entries to our cause. Ellen Miller and Larry Moore of Vail, Colorado co-created the Climb for Literacy last year to support literacy and education non profits like ours through the energy of competitive climbers. Climbers got sponsors to pledge a certain amount per vertical foot and then climbed their butts off on the Vail Athletic Club’s indoor climbing wall in a series of sponsored days of climbing with the Vail climbing coaches and supporters cheering them on, raising serious cash for great causes in education like ours. We hope to take their model and apply it in other climbing communities!
Word spreads beyond the mountains, and its not just mountain lovers that now support our efforts. Road bikers in New Jersey are sponsoring a ride to support education in Afghanistan. After discovering that the Taliban had banned all sports, including kiteflying, when they were in power, two girls in North Dakota decide to rally their elementary school to build their own Afghan kites. They are using the project to help fundraise for building a school with us. Word spread to another school in New York City and a 4th grade class is set to do the same thing in an effort to sponsor a computer lab.
Photography has also been part of our cultural exchange and ethos from the beginning. We started with using photography as a backdrop as an author event with Greg Mortenson with photographer, Beth Wald who had travelled with Greg in Afghanistan. That evolved into our first collaborative photography exhibit, Views of the Himalaya, that stood on its own as a gallery exhibit. This past year we created an entirely new exhibit with Dreams of Kabul, a photography exhibit based soley on the work of Tony Di Zinno who travelled with founder, Shannon Galpin, on her first visit to Afghanistan. This exhibit combines the experience of an art show with the purpose of a fundraiser. Combining culture and outreach in the form of storytelling to connect our communities across the world.
While much of our fundraising comes the old fashioned way with fundraisers, grants, and the generosity of the public at large….its fun and exciting to see individuals and communities do what they love in an effort to support our projects. So to those of you using your creativity and your muscle power to find unique ways to raise money and awareness for our efforts – we thank you!! | <urn:uuid:9df1fbc5-2513-4596-ac7c-f2279e527de1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mountain2mountain.wordpress.com/tag/fundraising/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966719 | 689 | 1.5625 | 2 |
From an article by Judy Newman in The Capital Times:
W Solar Group, a privately owned company with technology for manufacturing solar panels, said it will move to Wisconsin and set up its corporate headquarters and a separate research and development center in Dane County. No specific locations were given in the announcement Thursday by Gov. Jim Doyle’s office.
The state Department of Commerce will provide up to $28 million in enterprise zone tax credits for the Chatsworth, Calif., company, which says it plans to invest more than $300 million in facilities in Wisconsin and create more than 600 jobs by 2015.
“W Solar Group was attracted to Wisconsin early in our search for a project location,” said Chris Hamrin, president and chief executive officer. “We are impressed with the high-quality work force, extensive supply chain and the commitment to producing world-class products.”
Established in 2009, W Solar has fewer than 20 employees, and all are involved in research and development, company spokesman Evan Zeppos said.
Plans call for opening the headquarters and research and development operations in the first half of 2011 and starting manufacturing in 2012.
Hamrin said the company is still considering sites for the headquarters, research and development center and manufacturing plant. A search online produced a location for the company in Wausau. Zeppos said Wausau is “one of several possibilities for manufacturing.” He said the bulk of the company’s jobs will be in production. | <urn:uuid:9f8eb7da-0c2d-46f9-bfce-103246fa3211> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://centralwirenewables.blogspot.com/2011/01/solar-panel-company-to-bring-600-jobs.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961903 | 308 | 1.53125 | 2 |
The big day has arrived. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Be on time.
- Be respectful. This person is sharing an important time in his or her life. Honor that.
- Go through your list of questions.
- If you've brought a tape recorder, make sure it's on.
- Give the person time to respond to each question. Be patient.
- Write down what you think is most interesting. Write down answers to your questions. Use quotation marks to show the interviewee's exact words.
- Be a good listener. Sometimes the best questions are prompted by an answer to another question. Don't be afraid to veer from your list to ask about something your interviewee just said.
- Thank the person for talking with you and sharing memories.
- Tell the person you will share a copy of your final report. | <urn:uuid:4fd57347-f106-4084-9e11-5319cf23710f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/writing/conduct.asp?topic= | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945686 | 181 | 1.71875 | 2 |
In Search Of...Captain Ike
Paddle Wheel Captain is Mississippi King
LA CROSSE, Wis. -- Every day, thousands of boats travel up and down the historic waters of the Mighty Mississippi. But I challenge you to find a captain quite as colorful as 87 year old Ike Hastings.
Ike is the very definition of a free spirit. "All my life I've been on the water and I like that."
He hails from Freeport, Illinois, at least he owns a home there - but the majority of his days are spent, barefoot here on the water traveling the Mississippi and beyond. "I used to lose wives that way because I'd be gone four months and I'd come back and no wife. Which was alright with me. But this one won't go. She's about 25-30 years younger than I am and she's decided she's going to stick it out. How many wives have you had? We're not going to go into that. Let's get back to the water. "
With his silver hair pulled back and gold earring dangling, Ike mans the wheel of his latest hand built boat the Pickett Hastings, named after his great grandfather. "This is boat number 47 that I built. I built the first one 80 years ago when I was 7. If I can live 'til it rusts I've got it made."
Ike is a true vagabond at heart, never dropping anchor in one place too long. "Be where you want to be....do what you want to do. Nobody's bothering me here. It's a beautiful place to be and I can do what the hell...heck I want."
This retired art teacher and world war two veteran is literally a man of many traits. Master boat builder, woodworker, he's even built and can fly an experimental plane. "This is big enough if I get rid of all the junk, I can put my airplane up here."
The life of a boat captain can sometimes be lonely ....but not so for Ike. He is in the constant company of his two best companions. This is my labradoodle, Belle. Sit Belle. And this is Harry. Can you say something, Harry? Can't you say something nice? Give me a kiss. He's 65 or 66 years old and he'll go over 100. So he's going to outlive me. I'm going to have to put him in my will!"
He's truly one of the rivers greatest characters as if out of a Mark Twain novel. "I wouldn't trade my life for anybody. I feel like I've got a lot of life left. Lots of plans. I'm not looking for the end. I'm looking for more things I want to do. Another 20 years. I figure about 107 I'll be ready to hang it up."
Which means you still have time to meet one of life's true gems. So if you find yourself on a river shore and you happen upon the Pickett Hastings, do yourself a favor and say hello to Captain Ike.
Copyright 2011 by WKBT News8000. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | <urn:uuid:2b0f8f32-176f-4433-bb35-977b824080a9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.news8000.com/lifestyle/in-search-of/In-Search-Of-Captain-Ike/-/87186/1606624/-/format/rsss_2.0/view/print/-/kr70drz/-/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973469 | 656 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Copyright 2013 Bloomberg.
Jan. 18 (Bloomberg) -- German dairy farmers are contending with a "huge gap" between production costs and the prices they receive, the European Milk Board said.
Production costs in October were 43.06 euro cents ($0.57) a kilogram (2.2 pounds) in northern regions and 51.03 euro cents a kilogram in the south, the Hamm, Germany-based producer lobby said in a report dated yesterday, citing a study it commissioned with the MEG Milch Board. The average price farmers received last year was 31.50 cents a kilogram, according to the report. A farm-gate price of 50 euro cents a kilogram is "essential," the EMB said.
"The study shows clearly the huge gap between production costs incurred and the prices producers are paid," the group said. "These figures are key findings on the way to achieving cost-covering milk prices. For the EMB it is essential that policy-makers use these figures and set up an EU-wide monitoring agency." | <urn:uuid:9b8f12e4-a8d1-49af-abde-093ee4e6a20f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.agweb.com/article/german_milk_farmer_prices_fall_below_costs_european_board_says/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956587 | 216 | 1.742188 | 2 |
And it’s likely to differ depending on which console they receive.
Data released recently by the Nielsen market research firm showed some interesting differences in usage patterns among the three major consoles: Microsoft’s Xbox 360, Nintendo’s Wii and Sony’s PlayStation 3.
Here’s a Nielsen chart breaking down the data.
The survey was based on a sample of 3,000 people in the United States. A few observations from the numbers …
- Even with the rise in on-demand and streaming video, those uses remain a relatively small portion of time spent on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 (15% and 14%, respectively) suggesting that there’s still plenty of room for growth in video streaming on those consoles. (Microsoft is aiming to boost video and television viewing with its recent Xbox Live dashboard overhaul.)
- Online gaming, as a percentage of overall usage, actually dropped on the PS3 and Wii from 2010 to 2011, according to the Nielsen data. In the case of the PlayStation, the extended outage of the PlayStation Network this year would seem a likely culprit. The numbers suggest that Nintendo and Sony have some work to do to make their online platforms worth user time.
- Nintendo, which added Netflix in 2010, saw a big increase in video streaming on the Wii this past year, rising to 33 percent of time spent, from 20 percent the year before.
- Games are, in fact, still the primary way we use our game consoles, with watching shows through various methods No. 2. Other types of uses, such as listening to music and browsing the Internet, fell noticeably on each console between 2010 and 2011. | <urn:uuid:05fcdf57-09eb-4b8c-88fb-5e89267721fa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.geekwire.com/2011/game-consoles/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94131 | 338 | 1.835938 | 2 |
No matter if we’re talking about cereal, cough syrup or batteries, products featuring nationally recognized name brands tend to cost more than their generic store-brand counterparts. But the assumption that higher price means higher quality is fading.
The Great Recession brought with it new opportunities for supermarkets and drugstores to reach out to consumers who grew increasingly eager to save on everyday purchases. One of the simplest strategies to trim bills has been to switch to cheaper brands — or rather, generic “no-name” brands sold only at specific chains.
These products, also categorized as store brands or private-label goods, include Archer Farms, available only at Target, Whole Foods’ 365 Everyday Value line and eponymous labels at CVS and Publix, among other stores. By late 2010, surveys indicated that 93% of consumers had changed their grocery-shopping habits because of the economic downturn, and many of them did so by trying out more store-branded goods, sampling everything from generic shampoo to generic frozen pizza.
For the most part, consumers have been impressed by the no-name brands, with many of them scoring well in blind taste tests. (The taste tests referenced were for things like orange juice and soup, not shampoo — though it’d be really impressive if any shampoo scored well in a taste-off.) Consumers have also gotten clued in to the fact that many “generic” store-brand foods are actually made by the same companies that produce the higher-priced name-brand stuff. The foods have been known to come out of the same factories, with the same ingredients inside and everything, with the only difference being the label. The result is that often, switching to a store brand is an easy way to save 30% or so, without sacrificing quality.
Because store-brand sales are often more profitable than those of national brands, major chains have been putting more effort into bringing generics to the marketplace. It’s been reported that the growth of store-brand sales at Safeway has been outpacing national brands by a ratio of 3 to 1, while nearly one-third of the new items introduced at Kroger stores are house-brand products.
As store brands inched up in popularity, private-label prices rose as well. Even so, it’s still common for store brands to cost 25% to 30% less than their name-brand equivalents at full retail prices.
What’s the latest on store brands? A new “Private Label” report from the Integer Group offers some insights. Here are some highlights from the study:
Women are especially likely to check out store brands. Most shoppers scope out both private-label and name-brand products before making purchases: 77% of all consumers report doing so. But women are far more likely to compare store and name brands — 9 in 10 are known to look at both options before making selections.
Guys are cool with generic health-and-beauty products. Unsurprisingly, women care more than men when it comes to products that go on their skin and in their hair. While 74% of women report a preference for name-brand health-and-beauty merchandise, just 56% of men say they like name brands better.
Brands make a big difference with laundry detergent. Of the eight product categories covered in the study (including batteries, ice cream, milk, cereal, and cookies and snacks), consumers think brand names are most important when it comes to laundry detergent: 69% prefer name brands in the category.
But not so much with medicine and milk. Only 26% of consumers report a preference for name-brand over house-brand milk. As for aspirin, cough syrup and other over-the-counter medicines, 68% of shoppers say they actually prefer the generic store-brand versions — presumably because they know the ingredients are virtually identical to pricier name brands.
Race plays a role in name-brand preference. African Americans are more likely to report a preference for name-brand detergent (76%), cereal (72%), cookies (68%) and ice cream (62%), compared with whites (68%, 61%, 56% and 50%, respectively). More whites, on the other hand, go for name-brand batteries — 65%, compared with 57% for African Americans.
Coupons and sales help boost name brands. Many of the shoppers refuse to switch to private-label products because of their impression that, with a little timing and strategy, generics aren’t much cheaper. Of those who stick with name brands, 45% say they do so at least partly because they can find coupons for their brands (up from 35% in 2010), and 41% say their brand is often on sale (up from 36% two years ago).
Fewer people assume a brand name means top quality. This is truly the biggest takeaway — and a cause for concern among manufacturers who think they can be successful simply because they have a nationally known brand. In 2010, 57% of consumers agreed with the statement “Brand names are not better quality.” More recently, the figure inched up to 64%.
And if brand names do not represent better quality, why would it be worth paying more for them? | <urn:uuid:da10aded-5e21-4113-91db-ee7ff85cf187> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://business.time.com/2012/11/01/brand-names-just-dont-mean-as-much-anymore/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954235 | 1,075 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Swallow tattoos may not seem like a popular tattoo or a tattoo that has been available for decades. The tattoos are available in a myriad of designs which can be customized by each person wanting the tattoo to represent different aspects of the meaning. Through the tattoos that are available, you can easily find one whether you are seeking a tattoo with color, or without to suit the design that you had in mind.
Using the internet to find various pictures, positions and placements on the body for the swallow tattoo is one of the most effective ways as well as one of the most popular to find inspiration. Through the internet, multiple pictures can easily be found which can make it simple to make the decision about which tattoo is going to be chosen for the work of art.
What is the original meaning of the swallow tattoos? The original meaning of the swallow tattoo lies in the trust between sailors in the Navy. Through the tattoos, which represent the trust between sailors that have been in the Navy in the past to ensure loyalty and the fact that the sailor will always return home after being away at sea? Through this loyalty, to those at home, to one another, the swallow has been a popular design for those seeking something to represent the loyalty within one another, as well as those wanting to represent the loyalty to coming home while working at a job at the sea.
Having a swallow tattoo is a creative way of expressing yourself. If you are going to get one, you may want to understand what it means first. The symbolism of the swallow tattoo is cause for controversy and confusion.
Possessing a swallow tattoo symbol used to be a sign of status among sailors. The meaning behind it was that swallows, supposedly, protected the sailors from harm on their journeys. However, a similar version of the story is that, if the sailors did die at sea, the swallow would protect their soul and carry them to heaven. Either way, the meaning is similar. It was a great comfort, as well as a status symbol, to sailors out at sea.
According to legend, after sailing for at least five thousand miles, a sailor could get a swallow tattoo symbol put on his chest, to mark the occasion. This gave him a great sense of honor and achievement. A longer version of the legend is that, when he had traveled over ten thousand miles, he was entitled to get a second swallow tattoo on the other side of his chest.
Getting a second tattoo gave sailors an enormous sense of pride and accomplishment. It also served as a sort of pictorial resume. Since traveling by ship was very dangerous during that time. Thus, it was a sign of an experienced sailor who could be counted on in a crisis. Sailors with two swallow tattoo symbols on their chests, instead of one, were especially sought after. It meant that they had weathered many storms and gotten through many challenges. Therefore, any captain looking for new crew members was always happy to see a sailor with two swallow tattoos on his chest.
Swallow Tattoo Meaning:
Swallows tattoos are known for their rich history and great meanings. They are mostly associated with the sailor group, because of their significance in navigation. Appearance of any bird while navigating in the sea is a sign of presence of land nearby. Thus a swallow tattoo symbolizes safe trip home of a sailor. Swallow tattoos were more like a status symbol for sailors in olden days.
One more story that dictates the history of swallow tattoos, goes like this. There was a ship called The Swallow and the sailors on this ship had a swallow tattoo on them for identifying each other. The traditional meaning of a swallow tattoo is, if a sailors drowns, then the swallow from the tattoo lifts the sailor’s soul to heaven. Some more meanings of swallow tattoo are given below: | <urn:uuid:57a0aa61-1c93-4b28-8fa3-4605fd617cb9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.yusrablog.com/tattoos/the-symbolism-and-meaning-of-swallow-tattoos/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977143 | 770 | 1.828125 | 2 |
NEW YORK (AP) - Authorities say a visitor at the Bronx Zoo leaped from an elevated monorail train and plummeted into an exhibit, where he was mauled by a tiger.
New York City police say the man suffered puncture wounds to his back from the mauling. They say he also has a broken ankle and a broken arm.
Police initially had said the man lost a leg.
Zoo director Jim Breheny says the mauling happened Friday afternoon in the Wild Asia exhibit, where a train takes visitors over a tiger enclosure. He says the man leaped from the train and cleared a perimeter fence.
Workers used a fire extinguisher to back the tiger off. The man then rolled under a wire to safety.
Police say the 25-year-old man has been hospitalized in critical condition. | <urn:uuid:3202ae14-31a3-4a93-b710-679f49cc5e99> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wtsp.com/news/watercooler/article/274813/58/Man-mauled-by-tiger-at-Bronx-Zoo-loses-leg | 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 | 0.961015 | 171 | 1.617188 | 2 |
The White House announced earlier this month it was suspending public tours through September 30 as a consequence of the forced spending cuts-known as the "sequester."
The move quickly sparked controversy, with some Republicans arguing the Obama administration was using the canceled tours as a political ploy to draw up negative reaction from the American public over the cuts.
The U.S. Secret Service told CNN that the plan will help the agency save $74,000 per week - or $2 million over the next seven months, which is the scheduled length of the ongoing forced budget cuts. That total covers the cost of paying 37 uniformed officers $50 an hour for 40 hours a week to secure the tour's route through the East Wing.
But that's just a fraction of the $84 million the Secret Service needs to cut from its $1.6 billion budget, according to the Office of Management and Budget. The officers normally assigned to the tours will be reassigned to other duties at the White House. | <urn:uuid:ead2d5b6-bca2-4e3a-9ba7-0fc0ae0e8c43> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wlky.com/news/politics/White-House-warns-Easter-Egg-Roll-could-be-canceled/-/9365900/19374378/-/item/1/-/uob93yz/-/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96079 | 200 | 1.546875 | 2 |
One of the best superconductor demos I’ve ever seen! It’s showing off a “quantum trapping” technique that allows the superconductor to lock into a position.
The editing and music make me laugh—especially as @hrldcpr pointed out to me that the super conductor looks like a steam engine with nitrogen gases shooting out of it.
Does language determine what and how we think? if someone speaks a fundamentally different language like Chinese, does that mean they think differently? Pinker is unbelievably alert to things we barely think about but help make us who we are socially, personally, and culturally. | <urn:uuid:fcae9de2-b57b-4308-b030-6f420ddc72b4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://hunch.com/jslavendar/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933527 | 131 | 1.617188 | 2 |
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is honoring a diverse group of political and cultural icons, including former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, astronaut John Glenn and rock legend Bob Dylan, with the Medal of Freedom at the White House.
The president noted that the awards ceremony Tuesday led to a "packed house, which is testament to how cool this group is." Obama said the honorees have moved Americans with their words and inspired them with their actions.
Other honorees include Tennessee basketball coach Pat Summitt, former Supreme Court justice John Paul Stevens and author Toni Morrison.
The Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian honor. It's presented to individuals who have made meritorious contributions to the national interests of the United States, to world peace or to other significant endeavors. | <urn:uuid:6e6c5438-85e6-4110-ba88-6d66db38965e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wwltv.com/news/politics/national/155249155.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956762 | 163 | 1.726563 | 2 |
As the immigration debate rages on, we need to make sure we agree on the importance of assimilation (as opposed to developing boatloads more “progressive” voters who are able to keep the tax and spend crowd in power). While some immigrants will fully embrace their new country with unbridled enthusiasm, others will live here, disaffected and unproductive for years. A permanently alienated population of millions is nothing but trouble.
Lavish welfare payments aren’t the answer. (Whenever something is given away as a hand out, not a hand up, there is no gratitude, and no assigned value. In fact, there is not only a quick dependence but a demand for more and more government largesse.) Learning the language is essential, of course, but there is still something else.
In fact, the only thing that really encourages immigrants to assimilate, to become productive citizens with a sense of belonging, is opportunity. Opportunity to put their God-given gifts and talents to work, opportunity to create their own businesses, opportunity to earn, save, build and create – to assimilate fully into everything society has to offer those who work hard and play by the rules.
Stockholm, in the notoriously welfare-happy country of Sweden, is, literally, on fire. Unhappy (and ungrateful) immigrants are sending a message. Are we here in the U.S. ready to listen and learn?
I am committed to fighting for an economy which embraces opportunity.
What are you committed to? Go and make it happen! | <urn:uuid:072eff32-d609-4f3d-891e-2975feeb2c5b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.susandench.com/tag/bringing-up-bebe/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957692 | 318 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Brand name: Emtriva
Generic name: emtricitabine, or FTC
Class: Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (nucleoside, NRTI, or nuke)
Manufacturer: Gilead Sciences, Inc., www.gilead.com, (800) GILEAD-5 (445-3235)
AWP: $504.37/month for 200 mg capsules; $110.38 for 170 mL solution (10 mg/mL)
Standard Dose: One 200 mg capsule once a day, with or without food, with no dietary restrictions. The dosing needs to be adjusted for children and people who have decreased kidney function. It is also available as an oral solution for children three months and older and adults who are not able to swallow the capsules. Take missed dose as soon as possible, unless it is closer to the time of your next dose. Do not double up on your next dose.
Potential side effects and toxicity: Very tolerable. Side effects (rarely seen) may include headache, diarrhea, nausea, and rash. Flare-up of HBV (hepatitis B) in people co-infected with HBV has occurred when Emtriva was discontinued because it also treats HBV (see "More information"). Skin discoloration (darkening of the skin on the palms and the soles of the feet) can occur, but is generally mild and otherwise harmlesss. See chart for potential drug class side effects.
Potential drug interactions: No significant drug interactions. Do not take Emtriva with Atripla, Combivir, Complera, Epivir, Epivir-HBV, Epzicom, Trizivir, or Truvada, since they contain Emtriva or medication equivalent to Emtriva.
More information: Emtriva is similar to Epivir; both treat HBV and have the same resistance profile for HIV and HBV. However, unlike Epivir, Emtriva remains in blood cells for a longer interval. Emtriva is known to be very effective against chronic hepatitis B (although the manufacturer has not applied for FDA approval for this treatment). If you have HIV and HBV and your hep B needs treatment but your HIV doesn't, you should be treated for both. You should never be treated only for HBV without treatment for HIV. Emtriva and Viread both work against HBV and HIV and can be used together as the NRTI backbone to increase activity and avoid HBV resistance, but there are other HBV treatments available that can be combined with HIV meds. If you are co-infected with HIV and HBV and you stop Emtriva, your HBV may reactivate and you may experience signs and symptoms of acute HBV. You should be closely monitored by your physician. If your HIV develops resistance to Epivir or Emtriva, it does not mean that your HBV is also resistant to them. Emtriva is available as a combination tablet with Viread (tenofovir), which is called Truvada. Truvada is the only NRTI combination on the preferred list of the U.S. HIV treatment guidelines for the NRTI component of first-time therapy. Drug resistance that the virus develops against Emtriva, the M184V mutation, makes the virus less fit to replicate. It also slightly improves the antiviral activity of Retrovir (zidovudine) and Viread, and for that reason, some doctors keep Emtriva onboard in combination with those drugs after M184V resistance develops. In 2006, Emtriva was combined with Sustiva (efavirenz) and Viread (tenofovir) in one pill, which is known as Atripla. Emtriva oral solution should be kept in the refrigerator. If kept at room temperature, the oral solution should be used within three months. See package insert for more complete information on potential side effects and interactions.
Few people take Emtriva itself; it's almost always combined with tenofovir in the form of Truvada, with tenofovir and efavirenz in the form of Atripla, or with tenofovir and rilpivirine in the form of Complera (with more co-formulations on the way). The characteristics of FTC are similar to those of 3TC (Epivir): it has the same resistance profile and is also safe and extremely well tolerated. The main difference between the two drugs is that FTC tends to be combined with tenofovir, while 3TC is usually taken in combination with AZT (Retrovir), abacavir (Ziagen), or both. Aside from the convenience of the co-formulations, there may be other reasons why these combinations make sense. Both tenofovir and FTC have similar half-lives, which are longer than those of other nucleoside analogs. This means they hang around longer in the blood and in CD4 cells. Combining two drugs with similar half-lives may help to prevent resistance if doses are missed or treatment is interrupted. Indeed, we seem to see less tenofovir resistance when tenofovir is combined with FTC than when it's combined with 3TC, a consideration that may become relevant now that 3TC is going generic.
-- Joel Gallant, M.D., M.P.H.
The "Quiet Giant" of the ARV world, the "son of 3TC" is much better than its dad. This beauty (FTC) is a great tool. It makes the virus "less fit," meaning less able to multiply and produce lots of harmless mutations, so it isn't as harmful as wild types. From personal experience, I have never heard anyone complaining about side effects from Emtriva, though it's hard to tell, as it is usually blended in with other drugs in compounds like Truvada, or once-daily single tablet regimens like Atripla or Complera. Long half life means it stays in the system longer. Because of its activity against hepatitis B virus, people should check with their doctors before using this drug to prevent HBV cross resistance or "flare-ups" when stopping the medication.
-- Joey Wynn
Got a comment on this article? Write to us at [email protected].
This article was provided by Test Positive Aware Network. It is a part of the publication Positively Aware. Visit TPAN's website to find out more about their activities, publications and services. | <urn:uuid:f1601faf-f1f3-4895-ac5e-bf429fb60ee7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thebody.com/content/art1315.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942367 | 1,383 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Early elective deliveries – performing elective inductions or cesarean procedures prior to 39 completed weeks gestation without medical necessity – have been decreasing since 2010 when the Leapfrog Group became the first to publically report hospital rates. This year, 46% of the 773 reporting hospitals met Leapfrog’s early elective deliveries target rate of less than 5%, an increase from 39% in 2011. Data from the Leapfrog Hospital Survey is the only national source of this data by hospital.“Since The Leapfrog Group started drawing attention to the issue, we have seen encouraging improvements in hospital performance,” said Leah Binder, President and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “Our data shows that 75 percent of hospitals improved this year, and the national average dropped from 14.0% to 11.2%, evidence to the commitment many hospitals are making to put babies and mothers first. Still, much more work is needed.”
Early elective deliveries can be dangerous, resulting in NICU admissions, increased length of stay, and higher costs to patients and payors. Though Leapfrog remains the only organization reporting rates by hospitals, others are working to educate women, providers, and hospitals about the importance of reducing these high-risk births. Groups including Childbirth Connection, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, March of Dimes, Catalyst for Payment Reform, the Joint Commission, Partnership for Patients, and CMS as part of its Strong Start Initiative, have brought national and regional attention to the pressing healthcare issue.Despite the nationwide decline in early elective deliveries, widespread variation still exists with some hospitals reporting rates higher than 40%. Noting that several states are now reporting average rates of less than 10%, Binder said the most dramatic improvements are coming from states like South Carolina and Illinois where there has been pressure from local or regional stakeholders to decrease these high risk deliveries. In Illinois, the rate has almost been cut in half (from 13.7% in 2011 to 7.2% in 2012) through efforts by organizations such as the Midwest Business Group on Health.
Added Binder: “It’s encouraging to see such swift progress as communities and stakeholders rally together, but our fight is far from finished.”Rates of early elective deliveries by hospital, as well as statewide averages, are publicly available on www.LeapfrogGroup.org/TooEarlyDeliveries.
About The Leapfrog Group
The Leapfrog Group (www.leapfroggroup.org) is a national nonprofit organization using the collective leverage of large purchasers of health care to initiate breakthrough improvements in the safety, quality, and affordability of health care for Americans. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey allows purchasers to structure their contracts and purchasing to reward the highest performing hospitals. The Leapfrog Group was founded in November 2000 with support from the Business Roundtable and national funders, and is now independently operated with support from its purchaser and other members. | <urn:uuid:0054dfa4-78a0-414f-a407-bf8b3d0172b0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.leapfroggroup.org/policy_leadership/leapfrog_news/4976192 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961485 | 601 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Earth Hour 2013 | Working Together to Help Save our Planet
Colliers International is pleased to be at the forefront of this powerful event and we are encouraging tenants in our managed residential buildings to also take part in this worldwide initiative. Earth Hour will take place on March 23, 2013 at 8:30pm, at which time people around the world will shut off their lights for one hour – and we hope that you will also join the movement!
An hour in the dark is a great opportunity for you and your family to reconnect and spend some quality time together. Here are a couple of suggestions of fun activities you and your family members can take part in:
- Play board games by candle light
- Eat a candlelit dinner
- Put on a shadow puppets show
- Read a book with a flashlight or candle
- Camp out in your living room - build a fort or tell stories in front of the fire place
- Play hide and go seek with flashlights
So join us on March 23, 2103 at 8:30 pm and turn off the lights!
For more information on Earth Hour 2013 visit www.earthhour.org | <urn:uuid:cb51e580-d0cb-4ce7-b2a0-be8a25e4c9e3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.collierscanada.com/en/News/2013/Earth%20Hour%202013 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941433 | 232 | 1.6875 | 2 |
ELLSWORTH, Maine — Bangor Hydro-Electric Company has completed a project it says will vastly improve service in eastern Hancock County and western Washington County.
Moreover, the five-year, $61 million ‘Downeast Reliability’ project has been completed on time and under budget, company officials said Monday at a news conference.
A small group of people gathered Monday at a new substation on Route 179 in Ellsworth to commemorate completion of the project. Representatives of the company said completion of the project, marked on the approximate 15th anniversary of the 1998 Ice Storm, would prevent a similar long-term outage if another such catastrophe were to occur today.
The 1998 Ice Storm, which coated structures, tree and towers with inches of ice, brought power lines to the ground across much of Maine and left tens of thousands of people without electricity for weeks in the middle of winter.
“This project is a real game-changer,” Kim Wadleigh, Bangor Hydro’s vice president of transmission and distribution operations, said at the gathering. “If the Ice Storm happened again today, the impact on customers from out transmission system would be much different.”
Bangor Hydro Project Manager Steve Sloan said that the project included the installation of a second, looped primary 115-kilovolt line stretching 43 miles from Ellsworth to Columbia. The redundancy will reduce the effects of power outages in the region by rerouting power to the other line if one of them goes out. Either line, company officials said, can carry the entire load to the region.
The completion of the project also will make it easier and less inconvenient for the company to maintain and repair the service, he added.
“We are able to run a much stronger system,” he said.
The project is a once-in-50-years investment in the energy infrastructure of coastal Down East Maine, according to company officials. It injected tens of millions of dollars in the region’s economy and “will strengthen the economic vitality of the region for the long-term,” they said.
Follow BDN reporter Bill Trotter on Twitter at @billtrotter. | <urn:uuid:c5204467-0578-41f0-bbc5-9f50405ed828> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bangordailynews.com/2013/01/07/news/down-east/61-million-down-east-power-project-completed/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940409 | 454 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Stung by revelations about his ex-budget minister's Swiss bank account, French President Francois Hollande pushed legislation aimed at making elected officials disclose their wealth.» Read More
Limiting tax deductions as part of a "Fiscal Cliff" deal would force the wealthy to bear the brunt of the cost, with million-dollar earners getting hit the hardest.
Fearing an increase in capital gains and dividend taxes, many of the rich are unloading stocks, businesses and homes before the end of the year.
Before the election, David Siegel sent his employees a memo telling them to consider, “Whose policies will endanger your job?”
Millionaires candidates who used their own money to run were roundly rejected by voters last night, and the majority were targeted during the campaign for their wealth.
While not a record for self-financed campaigns, the $90 million former pro wrestling executive Linda McMahon spent on her two failed Senate bids could have bought her plenty of luxury.
The long-favorable tax policies for the wealthy are rapidly falling one by one. Now it may be India's turn.
Wealthy candidates are hoping they don't see a repeat of 2010, when millionaire office-seekers were roundly defeated.
The United States added more than 1,000 millionaires a day under the Obama administration.
Companies have given millions to the Sandy cause. But so far, big charity checks from the rich remain scarce.
The owner of a private bridge in Michigan is spending millions to block a new government-funded bridge nearby. When do the wealthy have too much political influence?
The wealthier the Californian, a study of tax data says, the less likely he or she is to move to avoid taxes aimed at the rich.
One57, a luxury apartment building in Manhattan that has grabbed headlines for its use of controversial tax breaks, is now being closely watched by emergency teams, as a crane, apparently knocked loose by Hurricane Sandy, dangled from its topmost floor.
Rumors were that plans for the former Apple CEO's boat had been shelved during Jobs's illness. But the yacht has just had its posthumous launch in the Netherlands.
A new study finds that affluent voters will spend more, invest more and put more money into their businesses if Romney wins in November.
A study from American Express Publishing and Harrison Group shows that holiday spending will grow 33.5 percent among the top one percent of earners this Christmas, to $3.4 billion.
The 75 percent tax on millionaires in France has caused more of the rich to put their homes up for sale. But don't expect bargains in Paris, where prices remains high.
A new study shows that the choice of President doesn't matter much for the course of income inequality in America.
Election experts and lawyers say law specifically prevents employers from telling workers they could lose their jobs if they vote for a certain candidate.
The latest polls shows that Gov. Brown's Nov. 6 ballot measure, known as Proposition 30, is on the ropes, thanks in part to more than $50 million one family has spent to defeat it.
New York's Department of Buildings is asking for more information on the luxury tower that's seeking tax breaks aimed at low-income housing. | <urn:uuid:d3484c59-127f-4295-abae-b0fd71f4ec2e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cnbc.com/id/46784901/page/2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977631 | 666 | 1.539063 | 2 |
One-fourth of meat is filled with multi-drug-resistant staph! »
Yum! When your friends and family chow down on that burger, they’re not just eating fat, cholesterol, and rotting flesh, they’re also consuming antibiotics the animals are shot up with to keep them alive. Tasty! There are a million five-year-olds ordering Chicken McNuggets as I type this, and they have no clue their meals are served with a side of C-cup boobs before they’re seven and an early menstrual cycle! And that’s just the boys! Ugh, the whole piece in Wired is super interesting and definitely something to pass on to the meat-eaters in your life.
I think the best/worst parts are (because everyone wants my opinion!):
“We know already that most food-borne illness occurs not because of undercooked food” in which pathogens survived, Price said. “It’s from mishandling in the kitchen and cross-contamination. I think there is a risk of these strains contaminating a local environment. We don’t know what that risk is, because it has never been evaluated—but anyone who dismisses that risk is doing so without any data.”
All those people you know who are like, “Fuck it! I cook the shit out of my meat and I’ll live forever!” Let them know it doesn’t matter.
Shelley Hearne, managing director of the Pew Health Group, told me: “The bottom line is, the more we use antibiotics in injudicious ways, the more we are compromising our ability to save human lives in the future.”
No fucking doy, but it’s nice to hear it from someone who doesn’t respond to information like this by saying, “No fucking doy.” You know? Sometimes science is our friend! | <urn:uuid:8122018c-e4ee-450c-80cc-68168acdfad6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://vegansaurus.com/post/4640823029/multi-drug-resistant-staph-yum | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957244 | 409 | 1.734375 | 2 |
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
In the US, the real estate industry sees cut-throat competition. In fact, this competition is fierce enough where Realtor codes of conduct as well as various laws and regulations ensure that real estate brokers and their agents are not being unethically cut-throat in their competition.
The MLS cooperative is not a public utility. It did not require government money and is not financially supported by government. It is a model of free enterprise and market efficiency. Instead of stifling competition, the MLS works to ensure that small businesses (independent brokers and salespersons) are able to compete nondiscriminantly with large brokerage firms. It enables innovation, diverse business models, and freedom for property owners to control how they go about selling their home. The MLS encourages competition, helps small business creation, and facilitates market price clearing.
Just because an option may be abused does not mean it should be banned. I use Claritin-D for my allergies which happens to be useful for meth production, and I drive on roads in my neighborhood that drug-dealers openly use at night. Just because medicine, roads, or the "opt-out" option can be abused does not mean we should eliminate these things. Real estate brokers and their agents function to protect customer interests in highly complex and important transactions. "Opt-out" allows consumers added security by working to reduce the number of people who have access to key information about their home to those who have a legitimate business need to know (internet-based firms lack inherent security measures).
One of the key issues with internet technology is its tendency to create monopolies and monoposonies. To sell something via auction, the only economical choice is e-bay. Pay e-bay's price and use e-bay's business model, or sell it at a discount. In real estate, there are thousands of brokerages to choose from. DOJ is wasting taxpayer resources in going after a clearly competitive market. The worst part is that DOJ has far more significant concerns than destroying the consumer choice that opt-out creates. It is a violation of a licensed real estate agent's fiduciary duties to "opt-out" if the customer does not wish. Perhaps part of the reason so many American customers "opt-out" is because they recognize the stifling of competition that internet-based firms have a seemingly natural propensity for (e.g. e-bay or Monster). This would eliminate the market price clearing benefit of the MLS and ultimately create upward price pressures for services in the real estate market. Who is the DOJ to question legal and moral American consumer decisions?
There are plenty of well-known monopolies, oligopolies, oligopsonies,
and monoposonies for the DOJ to pursue, so stop wasting time and resources
on the NAR. A few suggestions I would include are: | <urn:uuid:70ec6abb-fe37-4df7-8adf-a06903dcf885> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.justice.gov/atr/public/workshops/rewcom/212853.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950455 | 605 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Spirit of Revival
by Mariano Di Gangi
[Reformation Today (Montreal, Canada), 2.5 (March 1953): 10.]
From the warnings and exhortations of Holy Scripture, we learn that the Church is in peril of falling asleep. From what we see of the visible Church, we may conclude that the Church has actually fallen asleep. That is why the Church needs revival–re-awakening. The revival of the Church is most necessary, because unless the Church is revived the gospel cannot be preached. And unless the gospel is preached, Christ will be robbed of His glory in the salvation of sinners.
A Church that does not evangelize stands in need of revival. Christians who are not “fishers of men” ought to consider seriously if they are following Christ aright. If we are not witnessing to Christ, we cannot claim to be faithful disciples of the Lord.
But how shall the Church be revived? Shall it be by the use of “consecrated vaudeville”? Shall it be by the application of the pressure of the preacher? Shall it be by the introduction of music more appropriate for the dance-hall than the meeting place of God’s people? Shall it be by the abandonment of our glorious heritage as sons of the Reformation? The Word of God is clear : “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit saith the Lord of hosts . . . Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine upon thee. (Zech. 4:6; Eph. 5:14).
When the Church hears what the Spirit has to say, when the Church hears the Word of God, when the message of God’s judgment on sin and God’s mercy to sinners gets through to the Church, we shall see revival. It will be a revival marked by a sincere love for the reading and the teaching and the preaching of the Word of God. It will be a revival marked by renewed consecration to Jesus Christ for the doing of His sovereign will. It will be marked by renewed dedication to the Lord of the covenant of grace.
Unto the Church, God has given the gift of the Holy Spirit. Unto the Church has God committed the ministry of the Word and the work of reconciliation. Only as the Church is revived shall the gospel be proclaimed and sinners be reclaimed. As we are in living fellowship with our Saviour, we shall seek to persuade others and win them for the family of God. As we are in real obedience to Christ, we shall strive to bring others into captivity to the Lord. Constrained by the love of Christ, concerned for the salvation of sinners in a lost world, zealous for the glory of Christ, let us go forth as His witnesses.
M. di G. | <urn:uuid:a3ec4c72-49e8-4813-8a4a-44f13d997ec3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://continuing.wordpress.com/2011/06/page/2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947976 | 586 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Maybe Google isn’t perfect
The dangers of out of control technology
Silence is golden
Skip this one
It’s another guy who knows one tenth as much as you do trying to be philosophical about the web. I mean When Marshall McCluhan said the medium is the message he didn’t mean that people use the medium to write and write and write messages about the medium.
I have spent most of the past few days on the web searching for new information on the USA-Iraq crisis. I mean most of my web time not most of my total time (5th amendment on the ratio web/total). This means I read the same thing 10 times looking for a tiny twist in say inspections or security council deliberations in spite of the fact that I am pretty sure that neither has any importance because Bush is determined to invade no matter what happens on either of those fronts (not to mention whether or not US soldiers will have to fly to the Northern front).
However last night I decided to do something completely different.I surfed for information on golden rice. First I should say I am a fanatical enthusiast for genetically modified foods and golden rice in particular. Golden rice is rice modified to make beta carotene ( a precursor to vitamin A so named because there is a lot of it in carrots). Developing golder rice was a monumental effort of two small university based groups. I for one would not have guessed that any project so complicated would be completed for decades. They chose to make rice make beta carotene not vitamin A directly because vitamin A is toxic in large quantities (this is why you should never ever ever eat polar bear liver which is definitely an unsafe food). They did it with rice because rice contains very little vitamin A and poor people who eat mainly rice often suffer from vitamin A deficiency.
The reason I was surfing is I have encountered two different claims about a simple question – how much golden rice do you have to eat to get enough Beta Carotene to produce the RDA of vitamin A. I have read a wide range of numbers 11 kilos, 9 kilos or 200 grams. Well I read the 200 grams in an interview of one of the inventors of golden rice who would be biased. As far as I can tell based on half an hour of surfing, it seems one would have to eat absurd amounts to get the RDA. As you will notice from the disclaimer above I found this disappointing. I also found the very good point that people with vitamin A deficiency are not getting 0 vitamin A in their diet but maybe 80% of the minimum healthy amount (which is less than the RDA). That is a supplement that gives less than the RDA can still push a lot of people up over the line and into better health. Also it might be possible to increase Beta Carotene production with something like conventional plant breeding. My guess is that the issue between the 9 kilos and the 200 grams might be partly disagreement over the RDA but is mainly related to the difference between beta carotene in the rice and beta carotene absorbed by the intestine of the person who eats the rice.
My current main concern is the strange experience of surfing. Well this will be familiar to any of the few people who reach this obscure site. Thus what follows must be pointless as I bet any of the maybe 2 or 3people who read it have read it hundreds of times and written it at least once or twice.
I am not a very adventurous surfer and mainly just go for the news of the day. There the alarming point is that it is the same in all US sites and the same in all Italian sites but different in the US and in Italy. The AP/ANSA difference is not a difference in ideological slant (see AP exam above). With a google search for golden rice the weird thing was the opposite. As any surfer knows there are contradictory claims of points of fact which are on the public record. With the news the weird point is that the sameness. With a google search the weird thing is the differences. The news I check all manages to appear neutral and unbiased – the topic search web pages are mainly wildly ideological.
I didn’t do anything like a careful search By now I’ve spent more time writing than reading (wait is that just my problem or are there other people like me spewing ignorant nonsense on the web).
The first few pages on the list were from GMfoodphobes. There was no attempt to let biobucks companies have their say. There was no attempt to let university based researchers in the field have their say.
Then I got to something totally different. A libertarian. Still totally idealogical but totally opposed to all regulation on principal. Here there was an odd claim of fact which I have no intention of checking. The claim was that all golden rice seeds are locked up under guard in Germany to protect them from eco terrorists. Huh ? Another search (of
http://www.nature.org Nature a world leading general science journal and sister pub Nature Biotechnology (repeat add) came up with a story Feb 2001 about how golden rice seeds had been shipped to the International Rice Research Institute. Well I’m not going to bother checking anything but it seems to me that a clearly false claim has been posted on the web (wow what a shock) . I could rewrite that to make sure it’s true -- a false claim whose falsehood can be proven with a little searching has been posted on the web. There now I’m safe. Maybe the false claim in question is the sentence before last, but there sure is one.
Now wait. Maybe there is something a tiny bit wrong with Google. It ranks pages by how many links into them there are then by sum of rank of pages that link in and iterates. Now that they are HUGE they have to work very hard to keep people from tricking them. Clearly their counter strategies are secret. But there is a problem with the Google approach. It favours mutual appreciation societies. Now it is clear that GMfoodPhobes are very numerous and feel strongly about the issue, and it is also clear that libertarians are strangely attracted to the web (note the obvious ironies of technophobes on the web and libertarians attracted to something which was mainly developed by the US defense department with important contributions from CERN). Still I think the Web promotes mutual ideological reinforcement. It enables people to get in contact with other people all over the world (with a strong bias for rich countries and for rich people within countries). It could be used to dialog with people with fundamentally different world views. Many people prefer to use it to dialog with people with as close as possible to exactly the same world view. Freedom is freedom to participate in the debate but it is also freedom to run away from it to talk without listening etc etc. It seems to me that the Google approach favours groups of like minded people. It rewards opinions which get the reaction “yes yes exactly I can save time by making a link to this site and not writing the same thing myself” not ones which get the reaction “what is this guy getting at. He isn’t one of us. He isn’t one of them. He’s sometimes like one of us sometimes like one of them sometimes like one of THEM (ugh) and sometimes incomprehensible (anyway he sure is self indulgent but isn’t dumb enough to hope that anyone hasn’t guessed that I like to see myself as “this guy” above). Hmmmm
OK I think I’ve already posted something about the web and the policy debate. I think the web has only rarely had an effect on the policy debate. I think this might be temporary. Most people in positions of power are a little too old to be web surfers. Also they have aides and stuff find and digest and present information to them. I wildly guess that the web debate is still pretty marginal. It might affect a few votes in elections, it might help relatively rich people have an even slightly greater advantage in making their views know to their elected representatives. But might the world change when powerful people start surfing on their own ? There is one case of a powerful person who referred to what he personally found on the web when discussing policy. The person was Thabo Mbeki and the information was that AZT had side effects. This was the first step I remember that President Mbeki took down the path to concluding that AIDS is not caused by HIV (or might very well not be) that AIDS drugs are worse than worthless and that the South African government is not going to have anything to do with them. Not necessarily the very worst policy decision in recent memory but a very surprising horrible decision with an unclear connection to ideology, self interest, interest groups, sectarian fanaticism, or any of the usual suspects. Except for this Mbeki seems to be rather a good president and definitely one of the best in Africa (ok the competition isn’t stellar). What went wrong and did it go wrong when he was surfing ? Maybe Thabo Mbeki is the first politician of the cyber age. Uh oh. | <urn:uuid:206608bd-79b1-4c3e-afd2-a8a3d3ed55fd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://rjwaldmann.blogspot.com/2003/03/maybe-google-isnt-perfect-or-dangers.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97043 | 1,877 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
The area of acceptable focus is thin and flat, and unfortunately most of the critters I photograph are curved. The "trick" is to look for a way to lay a thin flat surface over a curve so that as much of it is covered as possible. The fly in the photo I've included with this post has a head that's almost triangle shaped and it should be pretty obvious that you can't shoot it head on. Placing a flat surface against the point of a triangle won't cover much, so there are some angles that just won't work for a single frame no matter how much depth you can get. Even though there are a lot of curves there are still some relatively flat areas that will allow you to make the most of what little depth you have at high magnification. It takes a little experience, but eventually you'll learn to recognize a good angle from a bad one.
The really cool aspect to magic angles is that I have yet to find one that does not work from a compositional standpoint. If I can find a magic angle I'll end up with a well composed photo that has a lot of apparent depth. Since I'm more concerned about composition than getting maximum detail I haven't gotten into focus stacking -just haven't needed to do it yet.
Now for the technique part: For this shot I moved the lens in until the left front edge of the fly was in focus. Then, with the lower left hand corner of the frame locked in place, I moved the upper right corner in until the ridge between the fly's eye and "face" came into focus. I also turned that lower left corner on its axis, kind of spinning the frame so that the upper left corner went deeper into the scene. It's a very minor tilt / twist that makes a huge difference in the amount of the subject that I can cover with the area of acceptable focus.
The result is an image that has a lot of depth simply because I'm not wasting any of it... | <urn:uuid:3c84833f-9348-497b-90e6-5206ba57f116> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nocroppingzone.blogspot.com/2009/11/magic-angles.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979397 | 410 | 1.828125 | 2 |
"Whatever words I say, I will always love you."
When President Obama came out of the closet as a supporter of gay marriage last week it was little surprise that PolitiFact weighed in with a "Full-Flop" rating. Considering the widespread attention Obama's announcement received, coupled with his vacillation, the rating appears to be a no-brainer:
|Image from PolitiFact.com|
Obama's many different positions on gay marriage are common knowledge. We joked on Twitter that PolitiFact would be unveiling the Evolv-O-Meter, but how could PolitiFact have given any rating other than "Full-Flop"? The problem is that, according to PolitiFact, Obama's flip-flop is actually an example of how constant his views have been:
While the president has consistently supported civil rights for gay couples-Wait, what? Could you repeat that?
Obama, a consistent supporter of civil rights for gay couples..."You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
Only PolitiFact could manage to shower praise on Obama for consistency, twice, in an article that describes his current position as a Full-Flop. This also raises an interesting question: Has PolitiFact determined that gay marriage is not a civil rights issue? That's a rating I missed. PolitiFact has minimized Obama's changing view of gay marriage and presented it as a minor nuisance in the statutory minutiae of the debate. Heck, Obama has always been pro-gay rights! Just not that right. Obama's positions cannot be simultaneously consistent and evolving. If Obama has always been a consistent supporter of civil rights for gay couples, and Obama's stance on gay marriage has changed, then it follows that gay marriage is not a civil right. Considering the controversial nature of the gay marriage issue, you'd think PolitiFact would let us know when they determined the status of such a key sticking point in the debate. It also puts PolitiFact at odds with Andrew Sullivan. Check out his over-the-top article in which he describes Obama's announcement as leaving him teary-eyed and speechless. Sullivan notes the contradiction in Obama's evolving positions:
"[Obama] said he was for equality, but not marriage. Five years later, he sees - as we all see - that you cannot have one without the other."Sorry, Mr. Sullivan, but according to Pulitzer Prize-winning PolitiFact you can.
Another question Obama's comments raise is just what is he supporting? A recent state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in North Carolina was overwhelmingly passed after only a nominal effort from Obama (robocalls) opposing it. Notice too, that despite PolitiFact referring to the announcement as a "historic shift", Obama's support is personal, not policy.
At a certain point, I've just concluded that-- for me personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that-- I think same-sex couples should be able to get married...And I continue to believe that this is an issue that is gonna be worked out at the local level, because historically, this has not been a federal issue...
This is starting to sound more like a Truth-O-Meter item: Is it true that Obama supports gay marriage? While it's unlikely Obama will "introduce legislation making gay marriage legal in all 50 states" as Megan McCain suggested, one wonders if it's true that an evolution in personal feelings while simultaneously rejecting political involvement actually qualifies as "support." Unfortunately, PolitiFact declined to sort out the truth of these questions.
To repeatedly commend Obama for his consistency in an article highlighting his contradictions is puzzling. It gives the impression PolitiFact wants to present his new, contradictory position as a minor adjustment rather than the Full-Flop they put on the meter. This type of sugarcoating is more consistent with an editorial piece than an objective review of the facts.
The bottom line is no matter what Obama says, PolitiFact will be there to put it in the best light. As the election approaches, readers should remember that PolitiFact is not a dispassionate witness to the political process. They are cheerleaders pulling for the home team, adept at turning every setback into a positive rally. Their motivations are expressed in gratuitous commentary best reserved for the opinion pages.
Don't believe the hype. | <urn:uuid:e3893845-30ae-4e5f-a7e3-bacf90b59375> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.politifactbias.com/2012/05/flip-flopping-your-way-to-consistency.html | 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 | 0.963307 | 901 | 1.570313 | 2 |
His Grace Sava (Vukovic), Bishop of Sumadija, Departed This Life
June 17, 2001 — Today, after a short and serious illness, His Grace Sava Th.D., Bishop of Sumadija, (secular name Svetozar Vukovic), passed away.
He was born in Senta on April 13, 1930. He completed primary school and junior secondary school in Senta, St. Sava’s Seminary in the Monastery of Rakovica in 1950, and the Theological Faculty in Belgrade in 1954. In 1957/58 he attended postgraduate studies at the Old-Catholic Theological Faculty of the University in Bern, working at the same time on his doctoral thesis Tipikon of Archbishop Nikodim. His thesis advisor was Professor Dr Lazar Mirkovic. Having returned from Switzerland, he was appointed teacher in the St. Sava’s Seminary in Belgrade. He won doctor’s degree at the Theological Faculty in Belgrade on May 15, 1961.
Serbian Patriarch German ordained him to the monastic order in the Monastery of the Entrance of the Most Holy Mother of God into the Temple on November 3, 1959, and on December 4 he ordained him hierodeacon. Hierodeacon Sava was afterwards appointed the auxiliary bishop of Moravice on May 20, 1961. Patriarch German ordained him protosyncellos on June 3 of the same year. Metropolitan of Zagreb Damaskin ordained him archimandrite on June 24. Serbian Patriarch German, Backa Bishop Nikanor and Banat Bishop Visarion ordained him Bishop of Moravice in the Belgrade Cathedral on July 23, 1961. While he was auxiliary bishop he taught at the Faculty of Theology in Belgrade in the period 1961-1967, the subject being Liturgics with the History of Art.
He was appointed Bishop of East America and Canada on June 1, 1967 and remained in this position till September 13, 1977. On May 21, 1977 he was appointed Bishop of Sumadija and has been still performing this function.
Bishop Sava represented the Serbian Orthodox Church in the commission for the preparation of the Great and Holy Assembly of the Orthodox Church in Geneva (1979-1991) in the dialogue with the Roman-Catholic Church (1980-1991).
Based on the decisions of the Holy Assembly of Bishops or of the Holy Synod of Bishops he administered the following dioceses: of Eastern America and Canada (1977-1978), of Zica (1978), of Banat (1980-1985), of Timisoara (1980-1996), of Central and Western America (1986-1988), of Western America (1986-1988) and of Backa (1988-1990). Bishop Dr Sava started his scientific work while being the candidate for the faculty degree. The topic which interested him was the history of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and with the aim to conduct his research he used the files of the State Archive in Belgrade, and later on the Patriarchate documents in Sremski Karlovci and Belgrade, the files of the Serbian Orthodox Church in USA (Libertyville) and the files of the Russian Metropolitanate in New York. He published his papers in our and foreign magazines.
His book The History of the Orthodox Church in America and Canada from 1891-1941 was written on the basis of domestic and foreign archives. The other book Serbian Hierarchs from VIII to XX Centuries was written based on all available sources of information. He also published the book Patriarch Georgije Brankovic’s Letters adding his own comments.
While he performed the duty of Bishop of Moravice, he was the initiator of the publishing of a magazine (published both in Serbian and English) Serbian Orthodox Church – Its Past and Present (Srpska pravoslavna crkva – njena proslost i sadasnjost) and of the official newspaper Orthodoxy (Pravoslavlje), whose editor-in-chief and the executive editor he was from the first to the seventh issue, namely till he took his new duty in USA. From June 1966 to July 1967 Bishop Sava was also the editor-in-chief of Herald (Glasnik), the official paper of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Upon his arrival in America on January 1, 1968, he started a magazine of the Diocese of East America and Canada Path of Orthodoxy (Staza pravoslavlja) which later on became the official institution of the whole Serbian Orthodox Church in USA and Canada. It is published today as newspaper.
One the occasion of marking 750th anniversary of the independence of the Serbian Orthodox Church (1219-1969) he prepared a memorial edition Seven and a Half Centuries of the Serbian Church (Sedam i po stoleca Srpske crkve) in Serbian and English (Cleveland, Ohio). Two years later he prepared the Calendar of the Serbian Orthodox Church in America and Canada for 1971.
Upon his arrival into the Diocese of Sumadija, he started a diocese newspaper Kalenic (1978) which is published six times a year. He also established a publishing house of the diocese having the same name, which has published over 100 books for the past 19 years and among them 12 menaions, for the first time published in our region.
Being an administrator of the Dioceses of Banat and Backa, he renewed the diocese newspapers: Banatski vesnik (1981 in Vrsac, after a pause of 50 years) and Beseda (1989 in Novi Sad, after a pause of 90 years).
He was the editor-in-chief of the Calendar “Church” for years and he also prepared a memorial edition dedicated to Patriarch Arsenije III Carnojevic and to the great movement of the Serbian people in 1690. He was also appointed editor of another memorial edition published in memory of the anniversary of incineration of St. Sava’s relics. Besides, he is the president of the organisational board of the scientific meeting “Life and Deeds of Metropolitan Mihailo” organised under the auspices of the Serbian Academy of Arts and Sciences.
In 1999 he was elected the corresponding member of the Serbian Academy of Arts and Sciences. That same year the book Tombs of the Serbian Hierarchs was published. The Holy Synod of Bishops elected him president of the Editorial Board in charge of the Encyclopedia of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the references of which are written by the most eminent theologians, scientists etc.
The Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, decided at its regular this year’s session to bestow the St. Sava’s Medal of the First Order on His Grace Sava, Bishop of Sumadija, as a token of recognition of his forty-year long self-sacrificing and successful serving as hierarch to our Orthodox Church which follows the principles of Saint Sava.
Considering the results of his work, Bishop Sava Vukovic of the blessed memory is one of the most fruitful hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the last two decades. He always underlined that he performed his tasks in Lord’s glory.
The date of the burial will be subsequently stated.
Information Service of the Serbian Orthodox Church | <urn:uuid:48c356de-b51a-48b8-b574-73bd28858c7b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/hierarchs/serbia/obituaries/obit_sava_vukovic_departed.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968782 | 1,533 | 1.6875 | 2 |
New York City Firefighter, Now Guard Soldier in Kuwait, Remembers 9-11
By Master Sgt. Bob Haskell
Special to American Forces Press Service
CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT, Sept. 11, 2003 A New York Army National Guard soldier, who is also a New York City firefighter, helped American soldiers engaged in Operation Iraqi Freedom observe the second anniversary of the terrorist attacks against America during a memorial service here today.
Capt. Josef Pruden gave a moving account of how his faith in God sustained him through that terrible day in 2001, forever branded as 9-11, during a "Service of Remembrance and Healing" at this camp south of Kuwait City.
Speakers forged a direct link between the terrorist attacks and the global war against terrorism still going on two years later.
The memorial service marked a rededication of the soldiers' resolve to carry on that war in Iraq so that Americans can live without fear of other such attacks, and so the Iraqi people can enjoy the fruits of freedom.
"I felt God had been preparing me for something," said Pruden, who was on duty at his firehouse in South Jamaica, Queens, when terrorists killed thousands of people by flying three hijacked jetliners into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and when a fourth hijacked plane was crashed into a field in western Pennsylvania.
"By midnight that night, I had left my firehouse to join my [National Guard] unit, while establishing perimeter security around Ground Zero," said Pruden, who commanded the headquarters battery for the 1st Battalion, 258th Field Artillery at that time.
That day and the grim weeks that followed intensified his relationship with God and with other people, said Pruden. "Now I take every moment with my family and my friends very seriously," he said.
Pruden is now among 29,000 members of the National Guard on duty in Iraq and Kuwait. They are serving with other U.S. service members and with troops from other coalition countries determined to stamp out terrorism.
Other Guard soldiers in Kuwait said they are taking their part in that war just as seriously, even if it means they may have to remain in the country for 12 months, which is longer than they had originally expected.
"If we've got to stay here, it's our responsibility, because we signed that contract," said Alabama Army Guard Spc. Stephen Davis after singing "America" solo, backed up by a gospel choir, during the service.
"I believe it's important to give people over here the freedom that we have in the states, and to help straighten out a country that was in a bad situation," added Davis, a member of the 226th Area Support Group from Mobile, Ala.
The Army recently announced that tours of duty for National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers serving in the Persian Gulf will be extended to one full year "on the ground."
"We are where we are today because of what took place two years ago," said Brig. Gen. Michael Diamond, commanding general of the 377th Theater Support Command (Forward) and one of the principle speakers during the service.
"Freedom-loving people do not wish to live in a society filled with terror and destruction," Diamond added. "We are (taking) and we must take the fight to the enemy. If not, we will find them invading our country, our families and our loved ones back home."
Coalition forces have lost 259 people during operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and in the Philippines, Diamond pointed out.
"Remember and rededicate yourself to our service, our duty here, so that evil will not triumph, so that a few desperate men will not subvert the peace for millions of citizens who live on this planet," Chaplain (Col.) Matthew Horne encouraged the gathering.
"We fight not just for America and for Americans," added Horne, the 377th's command chaplain. "We fight for these rights for all people, including the people of Iraq."
"Each and every one of you is making a difference by your presence in this theater," said Diamond in praise of his listeners. "We are where we are because we do not want to encounter another incident like 9-11."
(Master Sgt. Bob Haskell is assigned to the National Guard Bureau.) | <urn:uuid:5dce0db7-4477-4fb7-aa62-6dc3f8e19b21> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.defense.gov/News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=28490 | 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 | 0.972324 | 884 | 1.625 | 2 |
KARACHI: When asked why he chose this unpleasant line of work, Inayat Masih, a retired mortuary attendant, cited two benefits. “Firstly, there is this sense of responsibility and achievement in providing justice to the dead, especially to someone who has been murdered. Secondly, you get money.”
According to his somewhat less philosophical son, Saleem, “it’s like any other job which one does to provide food and shelter to your family.”
When asked to recall the worst period of violence he has witnessed in the city, Inayat said, “I’ve seen a lot of bad times over the decades.” From the violence unleashed by General Ayub’s son in 1964 to the ethnic and sectarian violence that unfolded in the post-General Zia era, he remembers all the bad times.
Inayat said that during the ’60s and ’70s, rarely were there cases of gunshot victims. “Mostly we dealt with accident cases and the occasional ‘chakoo’ (knifed) victims,” he said. However, it was during General Zia’s time when gunshot cases became frequent. “This was also the time when heavily-armed men began standing outside our mortuary to threaten us and doctors if we didn’t come up with findings according to their expectations.”
Saleem said that with the current frequent waves of target killings, it has become routine for them to receive threats from, and sometimes get beaten up by, the victim’s sympathisers. “I ask what is our fault. We just do our duty,” he said.
Inayat said it was during General Naseerullah Babar’s operation in Karachi when trussed up bodies of victims started to turn up in gunny bags and eventually onto his mortuary table. Saleem says the trend continues to this day.
When asked about their worst case, the father and son were at a loss to explain which case could be considered worse than the other. Was it the “worms and insects-laden” foul-smelling bodies which they first have to clean with their hands before dissection? Was it the child whose limbs were severed in the bomb blast? Or that body of a young man that had been pumped with a hundred bullets? Or perhaps the exhumation of a 50-day-old body? They debated this among themselves without arriving at a conclusion. Each was the worst in its own way.
But when asked of any well-known personalities they operated on, Saleem immediately said he had conducted the post-mortem on the notorious dacoit, Rehman Baloch, who was killed in an alleged shootout with the police.
Inayat, however, had a regretful expression. “The ‘chocolate hero’ Waheed Murad was supposed to land on my table at Civil Hospital when he died [in 1983],” he said. Although Murad had died in Karachi, his body was taken to Lahore without a post-mortem. “Bach gaya woh meray haath say (he slipped right through my hands),” he joked.
Police surgeon Hamid Parhyar said there was no doubt that attendants such as Inayat and Saleem were the backbones of a mortuary. “Simply put, without them a mortuary is incomplete.” There are at least eight such attendants at government hospitals in the city, with four each in Jinnah hospital and Civil hospital.
Parhyar said he would not contest that most MLOs do not carry out post-mortems themselves. However, he said doctors and attendants face great danger of violence at the mortuary, especially in target killing cases. “Some doctors have stopped going to the mortuary altogether and leave everything to these attendants,” he said.
He agreed that the government should take measures to give better wages and equipment to mortuary attendants. “Apart from physical violence, they are exposed to the extreme health hazards of HIV and hepatitis since many of them work without proper protective gear such as thick gloves or a mask,” Parhyar said.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 30th, 2012.
You can read part 1 of this report here.
More in PakistanDefiant as ever: No PPP premier will write Swiss letter, says PM | <urn:uuid:52110bc6-97dc-4b3f-a98b-c2b9fcb61392> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tribune.com.pk/story/371979/mortuary-attendants-part-22-recalling-a-history-of-violence/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984463 | 927 | 1.648438 | 2 |
As a college student about to graduate, I hear it all too often during my talks with other students looking for their first career: “I just don’t feel like I’m going to be helping anyone.”
The fact is, today’s workers – namely Millennials – want jobs where they can make a difference. People my age want to know they’re not just another cog in the capitalist machine – they want to know they’re making an impact, that what they do actually matters in the grand scheme of society.
They want jobs that will make their place in the social hierarchy worth it and hopefully, will have a positive impact on the world around them. This post on Forbes tells us how the Occupy Wall Street movement – which was largely rooted in a damaged trust in business and capitalist enterprises – has affected Millennial’s perception of what it means to be a good worker, and a good person.
I don’t blame my generation for wanting to make a positive impact in their work; I have these thoughts all the time. At Come Recommended, I love that I get to help others decide the best career path for them, and I love that I get to give advice to people who may be struggling to find employment.
I think that everyone deserves to feel like they’re making a positive impact at work. That’s why I decided to put together a list of four paths that make the world a better place. Are any of these careers right for you? Read on to find out:
1. Nonprofit Work
There are over 1.5 million nonprofit organizations in the U.S., big and small, covering a wide variety of social, political, and economic justice issues. Within each organization, there’s bound to be tons of opportunities for professionals with any kind of background, whether you’re a communications guy, a finance woman, or an outreach whiz.
So what are you waiting for? To see where a nonprofit actually puts their money – and how credible they are – check out websites like charitynavigator.org, which can help you to determine if the nonprofit you’ve got your eye on has sound practices.
2. Freelance Work
While freelancing can be intimidating (living paycheck to paycheck isn’t for everyone!) this is a great way to focus on your own personal projects, and can even be done in conjunction with a full-time job (what else are you going to do every day after your 9-to-5?) or part-time side gig.
Set up your own website, and start branding and networking to get your work out there. Freelancing works well for independent creative projects, designers, writers, artists, you name it. Sites like Etsy.com can help you to easily set up your own online store.
Got a big idea? Don’t be afraid to jump in and attempt to create your own valuable business or organization. Sites like Kickstarter can help you crowdfund your creative projects–basically, if someone sees your idea on the site and likes it, they may decide to throw you some change to help out.
Check out Come Recommended’s Entrepreneur Guide for more details on how you can get started.
4. Volunteer Work
Okay, so this doesn’t constitute as a paying job, but hear me out. There are plenty of reasons that volunteer work can add a valuable element to your life. Even if you find yourself in a job you’re not immediately passionate about–maybe you just needed something to pay the bills for the next few years–volunteer work can be a great way (albeit unpaid) to add value to your everyday life. Check out what types of philanthropic or community organizations there are in your area, and get involved! Not only will you feel like you’re making a difference, but you’ll be able to meet like-minded people who want to make an impact just like you.
Growing up in the ever-connected Internet age–and an age that’s been impacted by movements like Occupy–has made Millennials socially conscious individuals… and this can only be a good thing. I encourage anyone who wants to make the world a better place to get out there and do it in any way that best suits their interests and lifestyle. Good luck!
Does your job make a positive impact? Are you struggling to find value in your work? Would you consider any of these options? I’d love to hear your thoughts in a comment below!
For this post, YouTern thanks our friends at ComeRecommended!
About the Author: Julie Mastrine is a senior at Penn State, majoring in public relations and minoring in Spanish. She has gained experience across a range of settings, including print journalism, public relations, nonprofits, blogging, social media and promotions. | <urn:uuid:5023fe29-26d9-4ca5-a066-55a9d04b5608> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.youtern.com/thesavvyintern/index.php/2013/02/06/jobs-for-gen-y-that-make-the-world-a-better-place/ | 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 | 0.946375 | 1,008 | 1.71875 | 2 |
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Rise in Giving Signals Economic Rebound
By Annie Gowen, Monday, June 20, 12:11 AM
An annual report released Monday shows that charitable giving in the United States grew nearly 4 percent last year after two years of steep declines, which some experts say is a sign the economy is slowly rebounding.
Individuals and corporations donated an estimated $290 billion last year, an increase of $10 billion from the previous year, according to the Giving USA Foundation, which has tracked charitable giving in the country since 1956.
Donations to education, health institutions, and arts and humanities organizations were up, while overall corporate donations rose nearly 11 percent, the study found. Amid other more glum economic news in recent days, such as slowing job growth, many found the upward trend encouraging.
“Giving’s back,” said Eric Kessler, managing director of Arabella Philanthropic Investment Advisors, which oversees about half a billion dollars in charitable giving. “Philanthropists are feeling more comfortable with the economy.”
Read the rest of the story at WashingtonPost.com | <urn:uuid:944f3961-f7b0-4172-ab28-7fcaf9780176> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.charities.org/news/rise-giving-signals-economic-rebound | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948353 | 254 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Lucknow, Apr 7: With gender biasing still rampant issue in India, it looks like the country will not let go of baby Falak. She will continue to live in thousands of children who face the wrath of their parents and family members just for being girls.
In another shocking incident, a newborn baby has been found abandoned near railway tracks of Sandila Railway Station in Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh. The girl was taken to a community health centre in Sandila and doctors informed that the baby is doing well now.
The new baby girl was found lying near the railway track on Thursday, Apr 5. Two more babies were also found on the roadside in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh within last seven days.
It seems that India does not care for baby girls like Falak who are being victimised over their gender. The country has not yet overcome from its old bias towards gender.
Baby Falak was in an extremely critical condition after she was brought to AIIMS completely battered. She had grievous head injuries and human bite marks all over her frail body. She had a broken arm and her cheeks were brandished with an iron rod. Many more shocking and shameful stories followed the trail which ultimately showed the cruel realities of the nation.
However, Falak lost in the fight for life after for almost two months. She suffered a deadly cardiac arrest that was totally unexpected according to the doctors at AIIMS. | <urn:uuid:3128b463-ef3e-43e7-b366-af9894152caf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.oneindia.in/2012/04/07/falak-still-alive-another-baby-girl-left-abandoned-up.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984427 | 288 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Photo Essay: Namaz Jomeh
by GABRIELA MAJ in Tehran
25 Jun 2010 18:32
Twenty-first anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini.
The women-only car on the Tehran subway was completely full, but at every station more black chador-clad bodies found a way to push in. It was ten in the morning on June 4, 2010. We rode like this for a long time, longer then I had expected. Every stop a white-knuckled, sweat-slicked battle. It was only when the train was beyond the city limits and the waiting crowds on the platforms thinned that the fight for space and comfort eased, everyone shaking and leaning with the motion of the car in unison, waiting with resigned patience for our stop, waiting for Haram-e Motahar Station.
Pressed up against each other like black sardines, we neared our destination. The women spontaneously broke out in chant, several phrases about the love of Allah. A single voice began the chant from somewhere deep within the chador thicket. The words picked up force as they made their way from mouth to mouth, a forest fire in Farsi. It reminded me of sports fans on their way to a game, the only other situation in which I have heard people singing together on the subway. Only on this occasion the tone was more solemn, the cadence slow and heavy, the pitch one of exaltation. A requiem fit for an ayatollah.
When the doors finally opened at the last station, the women poured out while crowds emptied simultaneously from the men-only cars. Chaos on the platform, sweat-drenched screaming children, more pushing and pulling, everyone trying to make phone calls, desperately searching for their family members. Bodies moved as if caught in a river after a storm. The seething crowd made its way out from under the surface of the earth through a bottlenecked passageway. A straining human chain of men braced itself against the deluge dividing the genders so that women ascended via the escalators on the left while the men walked up the stairs alongside them to the right.
At the gates of the station, fierce sunlight temporarily blinded the anxious crowd. There was more shouting, more searching. Women cloaked in black wearing white visors and gloves waited for their husbands, children held posters of Khomeini, black flags flew in the electric blue sky, and neon orange popsicles dripped down bare hands and chins, the midday heat an unbeatable enemy.
People had arrived in droves by bus, by car, by train, and on foot from across the entire country. For every person from Tehran there seemed to be a hundred rom somewhere else -- a small town, from another city, from where the satellite television channels had been successfully blocked that week. In Tehran, though I had heard people complaining of headaches supposedly caused by satellite-blocking signals, the BBC and CNN were on every private television I encountered. In cities such as Shiraz or Esfahan, however, there were only the seven government-regulated channels in recent days, airing documentaries about Khomeini's achievements and the martyrs of the Iran-Iraq War. The sanctioned newscasts announced that the crowd I stood among was two million people strong. Indeed, the masses stretched out as far as the eye could see, but they were too loosely knit to be confident that the enormous figure was accurate.
The sun was unleashing a 40°C assault. There was dust and chaos at the water trucks. Green-uniformed Basijis with rifles and nightsticks wove their way through the crowd while military helicopters chopped through the air. Ayatollah Khamenei's voice boomed over the stadium loudspeakers. He shouted about murder on the flotilla and about the blind eye the world had turned to the crimes of Israel against Palestine. He spoke for a long time, and I had many translators that afternoon as I made my way toward the interior of the shrine. Some of the people spoke about Khomeini and the liberation of Iran from beneath the oppression of the British. Some spoke of the courage of Hamas. One woman bought me a lemon ice cream; another gave me a handful of sour green plums. "He says Iran will not be controlled by America. Iran will not be forced to purchase their uranium. He says Iran will not be robbed like it was when the Shah was in our country." There was a roar from the crowd, many fists raised in the air with anger and conviction.
When the Supreme Leader finished his address, the masses rose to their feet, everyone facing in the same direction. The crowd fell silent and still. Even the children froze in place. It was time to pray. Allah-o Akbar. Khamenei's words whispered their way through the air. The ancient invocations amplified over the loudspeakers cast a spell. The people began to whisper in response, reaching their hands toward the sky, palms facing upward, mouths moving in unison to a rhythm known by heart, then bodies kneeled and foreheads pressed to tiny disks of dried earth from holy Karbala. As the people prayed, the Basijis stood guard, guns loaded, nightsticks glistening, beads of sweat trickling down their cheeks and darkening their green collars.
With the main building filled to capacity, crowds had assembled outside on the small lawns and vast expanses of concrete. They stood on prayer mats and newspapers in socks or bare feet. Some tried to shield themselves from the sun with straw hats or blankets, but ultimately there was no refuge. The heat rose from the ground like water, shimmering and distorting the battalions of women around me. Small frenzies erupted around those who fainted, momentary tears in the densely woven carpet of praying people. The heat poured down from the sky, an insistent, blistering onslaught. At moments, through the sweat in my eyes, it seemed to me as if there was one single piece of black chiffon, draped and billowing, a thousand meters long.
Photos and text by Gabriela Maj.
Copyright © 2010 Gabriela Maj, Tehran Bureau | <urn:uuid:aeb3567b-a62b-4d82-9098-ded9d64668d6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2010/06/requiem-for-an-imam.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972112 | 1,276 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Michelle Asci dreamed of capturing life through her camera lens. Asci had her sights set on being a photographer as she graduated with a bachelor of fine arts degree from Georgia State University in December.
But the 23-year-old is not working as a photographer. She's at a concession stand, selling popcorn or ushering people into their respective theaters before the midnight screening. Asci's been working part-time at the same Atlanta movie theater since 2005.
"It's going on to be eight years of this," she said. But working part-time at a movie theater was not what she saw herself doing with her degree, and she is not alone.
Last month's surprising drop in U.S. unemployment rates from 8.2% to 7.8% gave many hopes that the economy is improving, and the lower rates even beat the expectations of some economists. But a breakdown of the latest jobs report shows that more than half of the jobs added this month are part-time.
This leaves people like Asci wondering: Is the new American job part-time?
From law dreams to data-entry
Every day, Dolores Casillas holds her breath as she walks into the Chicago bank where she works part-time doing data entry. It's a temporary position, and she's heard her boss say time and time again that there might not be a job for her one of these days.
"There was someone at my job who was working for only three weeks, and she came in one day and didn't have a job. It's nerve-wracking," she said.
The insecurity of her part-time job is one reason behind the mounting stress facing the 27-year-old, who graduated from Northeastern Illinois University in 2010 with a degree in political science. Casillas, like many adults her age, has student loans along with a laundry list of other bills she needs to pay.
She lives with her mom to offset her expenses and started working as a film and television extra on the side to supplement the part-time pay she makes at the bank. This month, she is going to be an extra on a Chicago-based television show, acting as a housekeeper.
It's quite a departure from her dreams of becoming a lawyer. But she says those dreams are not realistic anymore when she thinks about the average cost of higher education.
"Law school's like, what, $75,000? I can't afford that. I tried looking for a paralegal job, but I couldn't find anything," she said.
"I feel like we are the confused generation," Casillas said. "My mom was 24 when she got her own house and had my sister. Both my parents had jobs then, here in America. When I think about that, I think to myself, 'Wow, I don't have any of that.' "
It frustrates Casillas to compare herself with her mother, who for the past 26 years has worked at a Chicago factory to support their family. "I thought I would get a better job than her because I have a degree. I never thought I would make less than my mom," she said.
Still, she is grateful about her situation when she thinks about friends who are unemployed.
She's persistent in applying for jobs and is willing to work random part-time jobs to help pay off her bills and loans. "If you want to keep yourself from being homeless, don't be picky with jobs," she advised.
From corporate suit to story reader
When Cynthia Foust saw the "hatchet man" at her corporate job at a North Carolina mobile company one morning in 2008, she knew that someone was getting the ax. Little did she know that it would fall on her and her entire quality service department.
She was shocked and mainly hurt to see her co-workers break down in tears when they got the news of their termination. Unlike them, she was financially stable even with the loss of her job, relying on her husband with a full-time job and the money she'd saved when she was working.
But after using up her severance package, she decided she needed to do more. So when she came across an ad in her local paper for a job as a story reader, she considered the idea.
"I thought it was really interesting," she said. "I have a son, and when I read to him, I would do the voices and make each character sound different and use an inflection in my voice, so I thought to myself, 'I can do this.' "
Now, she works part-time reading to young children who attend at-risk schools and other learning programs. Foust spends her mornings using creative methods to tell stories to children. "We are trying to teach kids to love reading and love books," she said.
Foust says she finds deeper fulfillment now with her part-time job as a story reader, but she remains realistic about its ability to sustain her financially. "This job would not be enough support my family solely," she said.
Losing her corporate job helped her realize she wanted to spend her time differently. "I am happy in the way my life is going right now. My son is in grad school, and my husband's job is pretty secure," she said.
But she knows that if she did not have her savings and her husband's income to fall back on, she would have problems. "The quality of my life improved because I have more time for my family. But the drawbacks to a part-time job are no benefits and no insurance," she said. | <urn:uuid:e4d9cf5e-08d0-45f5-88eb-b30df6d8e4b0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.clickorlando.com/news/The-new-American-job-part-time/-/1637132/16902474/-/8im5dl/-/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.991793 | 1,153 | 1.664063 | 2 |
BYOD and Your New Job
1. You want to BYOD ? Are you sure?
“Device” is anything that connects to the company servers or network. What is the presumption of privacy in these situations? Congratulations, you have a new job and the company allows you to use your own device. In today’s tight job market many people are thrilled to have a position and are further pleased when told that they can use their own device at work. In many cases ..
2. GRAPPLING WITH GADGETS: Schools trying to integrate tablets, cellphones …
School districts are grappling with embracing technology in the classroom. Many districts have adopted “bring your own device” ( BYOD) policies, which encourage students to use personal smartphones and tablet computers for educational purposes in the classroom. However, there is no uniformity amongst Connecticut schools …
3. Cisco Brings Secure BYOD Solutions to a City – Blogs – Cisco
Employees are starting to understand and work with our dependence on personal devices.Can you imagine life without your iPhone? Your Android? Your tablet? I get uncomfortable just thinking about having to use a phonebook to look up a number,
4. How to Avoid the Five Biggest BYOD Mistakes
There is an upsurge in momentum in BYOD because of the popularity of the iPAD; there are safe ways for employers to develop a program…Bring Your Own Device is getting increasing focus as the variety of platforms and devices consumers choose for their personal computing tasks explodes, and they expect to be able to use those same devices and platforms in the workplace.
5. Citrix Podio for iPad debuts with BYOD in mind
this app “completes our vision of empowering people to work from anywhere, with anyone, or any device, using a tool that perfectly fits the way they want to work…”Citrix is continuing to update itself for the social and mobile enterprise set with the debut of the new Citrix Podio for iPad app. Touted to be “completely reimagined” for the iOS-based tablet, the app is intended to enhance typical business processes … | <urn:uuid:b6e5ca35-b368-4304-a62f-3321c10cc5d7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://enterprise-in-motion.com/2012/09/08/ambivalent-about-byod/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945186 | 447 | 1.554688 | 2 |
To hear this broadcast, click HERE. To listen to any or all of the Mom of Many Hats Radio broadcasts, click HERE , or click PODCAST GAL or the Podcast Gal on the sidebar to download FREE from ITunes!
Tired of living with the stress of too
Discover how wonderful it feels to free up your mind to focus on the creative and important decisions instead of worrying about juggling clutter! ~ Discover Organizing Inc.
Jill Yesko of Discover Organizing joined Mom of Many Hats Radio to talk about the benefits of organization. Jill shared tips on where to start when it seems too big of a task to tackle, how we can take small steps to reach our organizational goals, and how organizing can help open up creativity.
Organization can help to combat the chaos in our everyday lives. By organizing, we can recapture calm and clarity in homes and businesses. Clearing out, cleaning up, and creating a place for the things that we feel we need in our spaces brings order and structure in day to day functioning. Organization creates a structure and routine that frees our environment and our minds to concentrate on and nurture things other than our “stuff.”
But, organizing is sometimes a challenge - especially when the task seems so big.
Jill shared some great tips for starting the organization process. Among those tips were:
- Start in a place of your own sanctuary – ie. the master bedroom
- Set and state small reachable goals – not a general broad stated goal
- Use a four box system – Keep, Toss, Sell, Donate
- Use clear boxes for storing and organizing
Jill is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers. The goal of her company, Discover Organizing is to make lives better through sharing and teaching organization skills and pracitices both in the home and in the workplace!
To hear more about Jill and Discover Organizing, follow the listening links above. There are great tips and information waiting for you to help you get started on organizing your space, and simplifying your life! | <urn:uuid:92e0b279-d5d9-44c0-9265-45ce532f6111> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://momofmanyhatsradio.com/2012/02/27/discover-organizing-with-jill-yesko-22412/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932129 | 425 | 1.78125 | 2 |
About this series
"Behind the Lens" is a weekly look at photography, written by Journal-World staff photographers. Have an idea for the column? Contact Thad Allender, photo director, at 832-6359 or [email protected].
Earlier this week, Nikon announced their much-anticipated D700 camera body, sending waves of excitement through the photo industry. As much as I want that silly $3,000 camera body, I will never buy it. Neither should you. Now let me explain why.
Since 2000, Nikon has released no fewer than 20 prosumer and professional DSLR camera bodies. Canon, its biggest competitor, has released just a few more.
Today's new and shiny camera is tomorrow's paperweight. Worse than new cars, digital cameras depreciate in value so quickly, in fact, that it's oftentimes tough after the first year to recoup less than half of what you paid for the camera. Talk about a bad investment.
My advice for prospective photographers, students, hobbyists and professionals is simple: If you want to become a better photographer, invest in yourself, not in equipment. Here are three things you can do this summer to become a better photographer:
1. Treat yourself to a photo workshop. There is no better way to learn about photography than a hands-on workshop surrounded by photographers who have more experience than you do.
2. Build your "visual vocabulary." The more pictures that you've seen, the more ideas you bring to the table next time around. I like to reverse-engineer my favorite photographs, paying close attention to lens choice, aperture, shutter, composition and light.
3. Join Flickr, an online photo sharing service with millions of passionate participants. On Flickr, users can ask for critiques, comment on photos, explain techniques and create groups composed of members with shared interests. It is a great way to engage other photo creatives.
Here are some photo workshop resources:
¢ Spring in the Flint Hills by Edward C. Robison - www.edwardcrobisoniii.com/workshops.html.
¢ Santa Fe Photographic Workshops - www.santafeworkshops.com.
¢ Jim Richardson Photography Workshops - www.jimrichardsonphotography.com.
Here are some other online photography resources:
¢ Flickr - www.flickr.com.
¢ Sports Shooter - www.sportsshooter.com.
¢ Photo.net - www.photo.net. | <urn:uuid:43734afc-cc3c-4006-8283-ab14d17e7233> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/jul/06/behind_lens_invest_yourself_not_your_camera/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93397 | 521 | 1.609375 | 2 |
NEW YORK, NY.- Parsons School of Art, Media and Technology
will launch its Intermedia Initiative with a symposium on October 3, 2009, entitled Human Rights and Human Wrongs: Performance and Politics in Guatemala. The symposium brings together visual artists, cultural theorists and investigative journalists to explore how contemporary art engages with the struggle over official public memory of civil strife in Central America.
This symposium will feature Regina Galindo, Anibal Lopez and David Perez, three contemporary artists from the Guatemalan capital whose works explore the residual effects of state violence on public memory everyday life. Combing body art, street actions, video and photography, they draw attention to recent histories of political unrest, genocide and urban lawlessness. In addition to presenting their work at the symposium, the artists will be performing and lecturing at various New York venues between September 29th and October 3rd.
Regina Galindo, recipient of a Golden Lion award at the 2005 Venice Biennale, creates powerful visual metaphors by subjecting her body to various forms of aggression. Her first solo exhibition in New York will open on October 2nd at Exit Art, where she will also perform. She will also lecture at NYU's Hemispheric Institute on September 29th.
David Perez 's collective performances comment on global power relations through the careful positioning of participating bodies. Supported by a commission from the Franklin Furnace Fund for Performance Art, he will create a new piece involving ten performers entitled Túmulos that will premiere at Exit Art on October 3rd.
Anibal Lopez, otherwise known as A-1 53167, creates street interventions that combine the rationalist detachment of Conceptual art with the political bravado of Latin American guerrilla fighters. He will stage a new work in the Wall Street area of Manhattan on October 1st.
The artists will be joined by art historian Johanna Burton (Whitney Independent Study Program), Performance Studies scholar Jill Lane (NYU), cultural theorist Silvia Vega-Llona (The New School) and National Security Archive Senior Analyst Kate Doyle, who will be discuss the artists work and the social context in which they are immersed.
Guatemala endured more than three decades of brutal armed conflicts from the 1960s through the 1990s in which more than 200,000 people were killed. Although a peace agreement was finally reached in 1996, the past thirteen years have been marked by the rule of impunity, social inequality and violent crime. Assaults, death threats and killings continue. None of the political officials who presided over massacres have been brought to trial. Although political activist efforts continue to be thwarted by forces of repression, in recent years, many artists in the capital city have devised creative means of addressing the political turmoil that continues to shape the lives of all Guatemalans.
Human Rights and Human Wrongs: Performance and Politics in Guatemala is organized by Professor Coco Fusco for the Intermedia Initiative at Parsons School of Art, Media and Technology. | <urn:uuid:71279ac5-79b5-43e5-9f85-6f122b9d9912> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=33455&int_modo=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946126 | 603 | 1.554688 | 2 |
The apostle answers several questions about marriage. (1-9) Married Christians should not seek to part from their unbelieving consorts. (10-16) Persons, in any fixed station, should usually abide in that. (17-24) It was most desirable, on account of the then perilous days, for people to sit loose to this world. (25-35) Great prudence be used in marriage; it should be only in the Lord. (36-40)
Verses 1-9 The apostle tells the Corinthians that it was good, in that juncture of time, for Christians to keep themselves single. Yet he says that marriage, and the comforts of that state, are settled by Divine wisdom. Though none may break the law of God, yet that perfect rule leaves men at liberty to serve him in the way most suited to their powers and circumstances, of which others often are very unfit judges. All must determine for themselves, seeking counsel from God how they ought to act.
Verses 10-16 Man and wife must not separate for any other cause than what Christ allows. Divorce, at that time, was very common among both Jews and Gentiles, on very slight pretexts. Marriage is a Divine institution; and is an engagement for life, by God's appointment. We are bound, as much as in us lies, to live peaceably with all men, ( Romans 12:18 ) , therefore to promote the peace and comfort of our nearest relatives, though unbelievers. It should be the labour and study of those who are married, to make each other as easy and happy as possible. Should a Christian desert a husband or wife, when there is opportunity to give the greatest proof of love? Stay, and labour heartily for the conversion of thy relative. In every state and relation the Lord has called us to peace; and every thing should be done to promote harmony, as far as truth and holiness will permit.
Verses 17-24 The rules of Christianity reach every condition; and in every state a man may live so as to be a credit to it. It is the duty of every Christian to be content with his lot, and to conduct himself in his rank and place as becomes a Christian. Our comfort and happiness depend on what we are to Christ, not what we are in the world. No man should think to make his faith or religion, an argument to break through any natural or civil obligations. He should quietly and contentedly abide in the condition in which he is placed by Divine Providence.
Verses 25-35 Considering the distress of those times, the unmarried state was best. Notwithstanding, the apostle does not condemn marriage. How opposite are those to the apostle Paul who forbid many to marry, and entangle them with vows to remain single, whether they ought to do so or not! He exhorts all Christians to holy indifference toward the world. As to relations; they must not set their hearts on the comforts of the state. As to afflictions; they must not indulge the sorrow of the world: even in sorrow the heart may be joyful. As to worldly enjoyments; here is not their rest. As to worldly employment; those that prosper in trade, and increase in wealth, should hold their possessions as though they held them not. As to all worldly concerns; they must keep the world out of their hearts, that they may not abuse it when they have it in their hands. All worldly things are show; nothing solid. All will be quickly gone. Wise concern about worldly interests is a duty; but to be full of care, to have anxious and perplexing care, is a sin. By this maxim the apostle solves the case whether it were advisable to marry. That condition of life is best for every man, which is best for his soul, and keeps him most clear of the cares and snares of the world. Let us reflect on the advantages and snares of our own condition in life; that we may improve the one, and escape as far as possible all injury from the other. And whatever cares press upon the mind, let time still be kept for the things of the Lord.
Verses 36-40 The apostle is thought to give advice here about the disposal of children in marriage. In this view, the general meaning is plain. Children should seek and follow the directions of their parents as to marriage. And parents should consult their children's wishes; and not reckon they have power to do with them, and dictate just as they please, without reason. The whole is closed with advice to widows. Second marriages are not unlawful, so that it is kept in mind, to marry in the Lord. In our choice of relations, and change of conditions, we should always be guided by the fear of God, and the laws of God, and act in dependence on the providence of God. Change of condition ought only to be made after careful consideration, and on probable grounds, that it will be to advantage in our spiritual concerns.
1 Corinthians 7:1-40 . REPLY TO THEIR INQUIRIES AS TO MARRIAGE; THE GENERAL PRINCIPLE IN OTHER THINGS IS, ABIDE IN YOUR STATION, FOR THE TIME IS SHORT.
1. The Corinthians in their letter had probably asked questions which tended to disparage marriage, and had implied that it was better to break it off when contracted with an unbeliever.
good--that is, "expedient," because of "the present distress"; that is, the unsettled state of the world, and the likelihood of persecutions tearing rudely asunder those bound by marriage ties. Hebrews 13:4 , in opposition to ascetic and Romish notions of superior sanctity in celibacy, declares, "Marriage is HONORABLE IN ALL." Another reason why in some cases celibacy may be a matter of Christian expediency is stated in 1 Corinthians 7:34 1 Corinthians 7:35 , "that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction." But these are exceptional cases, and in exceptional times, such as those of Paul.
2. Here the general rule is given
to avoid fornication--More literally, "on account of fornications," to which as being very prevalent at Corinth, and not even counted sins among the heathen, unmarried persons might be tempted. The plural, "fornications," marks irregular lusts, as contrasted with the unity of the marriage relation [BENGEL].
let every man have--a positive command to all who have not the gift of continency, in fact to the great majority of the world ( 1 Corinthians 7:5 ). The dignity of marriage is set forth by Paul ( Ephesians 5:25-32 ), in the fact that it signifies the mystical union between Christ and the Church.
3, 4. The duty of cohabitation on the part of the married.
due benevolence--The oldest manuscripts read simply, "her due"; that is, the conjugal cohabitation due by the marriage contract (compare 1 Corinthians 7:4 ).
4. A paradox. She hath not power over her body, and yet it is her own. The oneness of body in which marriage places husband and wife explains this. The one complements the other. Neither without the other realizes the perfect ideal of man.
5. Defraud . . . not--namely, of the conjugal duty "due" ( 1 Corinthians 7:3 ; compare the Septuagint, Exodus 21:10 ).
except it be--"unless perchance" [ALFORD].
give yourselves to--literally, "be at leisure for"; be free from interruptions for; namely, on some special "season," as the Greek for "time" means (compare Exodus 19:15 , Joel 2:16 , Zechariah 7:3 ).
fasting and prayer--The oldest manuscripts omit "fasting and"; an interpolation, evidently, of ascetics.
come together--The oldest manuscripts read, "be together," namely, in the regular state of the married.
Satan--who often thrusts in his temptations to unholy thoughts amidst the holiest exercises.
for your incontinency--because of your inability to "contain" ( 1 Corinthians 7:9 ) your natural propensities, which Satan would take advantage of.
6. by permission . . . not of commandment--not by God's permission to me to say it: but, "by way of permission to you, not as a commandment." "This" refers to the directions, 1 Corinthians 7:2-5 .
7. even as I--having tile gift of continence ( Matthew 19:11 Matthew 19:12 ). This wish does not hold good absolutely, else the extension of mankind and of the Church would cease; but relatively to "the present distress" ( 1 Corinthians 7:26 ).
8. to the unmarried--in general, of both sexes ( 1 Corinthians 7:10 1 Corinthians 7:11 ).
and widows--in particular.
even as I--unmarried ( 1 Corinthians 9:5 ).
9. if they cannot contain--that is, "have not continency."
burn--with the secret flame of lust, which lays waste the whole inner man. (Compare AUGUSTINE [Holy Virginity]). The dew of God's grace is needed to stifle the flame, which otherwise would thrust men at last into hell-fire.
10. not I, but the Lord--(Compare 1 Corinthians 7:12 1 Corinthians 7:25 1 Corinthians 7:40 ). In ordinary cases he writes on inspired apostolic authority ( 1 Corinthians 14:37 ); but here on the direct authority of the Lord Himself ( mark 10:11 mark 10:12 ). In both cases alike the things written are inspired by the Spirit of God "but not all for all time, nor all on the primary truths of the faith" [ALFORD].
Let not the wife depart--literally, "be separated from." Probably the separation on either side, whether owing to the husband or to the wife, is forbidden.
11. But and if she depart--or "be separated." If the sin of separation has been committed, that of a new marriage is not to be added ( Matthew 5:32 ).
be reconciled--by appeasing her husband's displeasure, and recovering his good will.
let not . . . husband put away . . . wife--In Matthew 5:32 the only exception allowed is, "saving for the cause of fornication."
12. to the rest--the other classes (besides "the married," 1 Corinthians 7:10 , where both husband and wife are believers) about whom the Corinthians had inquired, namely, those involved in mixed marriages with unbelievers.
not the Lord--by any direct command spoken by Him.
she be pleased--Greek, "consents": implying his wish in the first instance, with which hers concurs.
13. the woman--a believer.
let her not leave him--"her husband," instead of "him," is the reading of the oldest manuscripts The Greek for "leave" is the same as in 1 Corinthians 7:12 , "put away"; translate, "Let her not put away [that is, part with] her husband." The wife had the power of effecting a divorce by Greek and Roman law.
14. sanctified--Those inseparably connected with the people of God are hallowed thereby, so that the latter may retain the connection without impairing their own sanctity (compare 1 Timothy 4:5 ); nay, rather imparting to the former externally some degree of their own hallowed character, and so preparing the way for the unbeliever becoming at last sanctified inwardly by faith.
by . . . by--rather, "in . . . in"; that is, in virtue of the marriage tie between them.
by the husband--The oldest manuscripts read, "by the brother." It is the fact of the husband being a "brother," that is, a Christian, though the wife is not so, that sanctifies or hallows the union.
else . . . children unclean--that is, beyond the hallowed pale of God's people: in contrast to "holy," that is, all that is within the consecrated limits [CONYBEARE and HOWSON]. The phraseology accords with that of the Jews, who regarded the heathen as "unclean," and all of the elect nation as "holy," that is, partakers of the holy covenant. Children were included in the covenant, as God made it not only with Abraham, but with his "seed after" him ( Genesis 17:7 ). So the faith of one Christian parent gives to the children a near relationship to the Church, just as if both parents were Christians (compare Romans 11:16 ). Timothy, the bearer of this Epistle, is an instance in point ( Acts 16:1 ). Paul appeals to the Corinthians as recognizing the principle, that the infants of heathen parents would not be admissible to Christian baptism, because there is no faith on the part of the parents; but where one parent is a believer, the children are regarded as not aliens from, but admissible even in infancy as sharers in, the Christian covenant: for the Church presumes that the believing parent will rear the child in the Christian faith. Infant baptism tacitly superseded infant circumcision, just as the Christian Lord's day gradually superseded the Jewish sabbath, without our having any express command for, or record of, transference. The setting aside of circumcision and of sabbaths in the case of the Gentiles was indeed expressly commanded by the apostles and Paul, but the substitution of infant baptism and of the Lord's day were tacitly adopted, not expressly enacted. No explicit mention of it occurs till IRENÆUS in the third century; but no society of Christians that we read of disputed its propriety till fifteen hundred years after Christ. Anabaptists would have us defer baptism till maturity as the child cannot understand the nature of it. But a child may be made heir of an estate: it is his, though incapable at the time of using or comprehending its advantage; he is not hereafter to acquire the title and claim to it. he will hereafter understand his claim, and be capable of employing his wealth: he will then, moreover, become responsible for the use he makes of it [ARCHBISHOP WHATELY].
15. if . . . depart--that is, wishes for separation. Translate, "separateth himself": offended with her Christianity, and refusing to live with her unless she renounce it.
brother or a sister is not under bondage--is not bound to renounce the faith for the sake of retaining her unbelieving husband [HAMMOND]. So Deuteronomy 13:6 Matthew 10:35-37 Luke 14:26 . The believer does not lie under the same obligation in the case of a union with an unbeliever, as in the case of one with a believer. In the former case he is not bound not to separate, if the unbeliever separate or "depart," in the latter nothing but "fornication" justifies separation [PHOTIUS in Æcumenius].
but God hath called us to peace--Our Christian calling is one that tends to "peace" ( Romans 12:18 ), not quarrelling; therefore the believer should not ordinarily depart from the unbelieving consort ( 1 Corinthians 7:12-14 ), on the one hand; and on the other, in the exceptional case of the unbeliever desiring to depart, the believer is not bound to force the other party to stay in a state of continual discord ( Matthew 5:32 ). Better still it would be not to enter into such unequal alliances at all ( 1 Corinthians 7:40 , 2 Corinthians 6:14 ).
16. What knowest thou but that by staying with thy unbelieving partner thou mayest save him or her? Enforcing the precept to stay with the unbelieving consort ( 1 Corinthians 7:12-14 ). So Ruth the Moabitess became a convert to her husband's faith: and Joseph and Moses probably gained over their wives. So conversely the unbelieving husband may be won by the believing wife ( 1 Peter 3:1 ) [CALVIN]. Or else ( 1 Corinthians 7:15 ), if thy unbelieving consort wishes to depart, let him go, so that thou mayest live "in peace": for thou canst not be sure of converting him, so as to make it obligatory on thee at all costs to stay with him against his will [MENOCHIUS and ALFORD].
save--be the instrument of salvation to ( James 5:20 ).
17. But--Greek, "If not." "Only." Caution that believers should not make this direction ( 1 Corinthians 7:16 ; as ALFORD explains it) a ground for separating "of themselves" ( 1 Corinthians 7:12-14 ). Or, But if there be no hope of gaining over the unbeliever, still let the general principle be maintained, "As the Lord hath allotted to each, as God hath called each, so let him walk" (so the Greek in the oldest reading); let him walk in the path allotted to him and wherein he was called. The heavenly calling does not set aside our earthly callings.
so ordain I in all churches--Ye also therefore should obey.
18. not become uncircumcised--by surgical operation (1 Maccabees 1:15; JOSEPHUS [Antiquities, 12.5.1]). Some Christians in excess of anti-Jewish feeling might be tempted to this.
let him not be circumcised--as the Judaizing Christians would have him ( Acts 15:1 Acts 15:5 Acts 15:24 , Galatians 5:2 ).
19. Circumcision . . . nothing, but . . . keeping of . . . commandments of God--namely, is all in all. In Galatians 5:6 this "keeping of the commandments of God" is defined to be "faith which worketh by love"; and in Galatians 6:15 , "a new creature." Circumcision was a commandment of God: but not for ever, as "love."
20. the same calling--that is, the condition from which he is called a Jew, a Greek, a slave, or a freeman.
21. care not for it--Let it not be a trouble to thee that thou art a servant or slave.
use it rather--Continue rather in thy state as a servant ( 1 Corinthians 7:20 , Galatians 3:28 , 1 Timothy 6:2 ). The Greek, "But if even thou mayest be made free, use it," and the context ( 1 Corinthians 7:20 1 Corinthians 7:22 ) favors this view [CHRYSOSTOM, BENGEL, and ALFORD]. This advice (if this translation be right) is not absolute, as the spirit of the Gospel is against slavery. What is advised here is, contentment under one's existing condition ( 1 Corinthians 7:24 ), though an undesirable one, since in our union with Christ all outward disparities of condition are compensated ( 1 Corinthians 7:22 ). Be not unduly impatient to cast off "even" thy condition as a servant by unlawful means ( 1 Peter 2:13-18 ); as, for example, Onesimus did by fleeing ( Philemon 1:10-18 ). The precept ( 1 Corinthians 7:23 ), "Become not (so the Greek) the servants of men," implies plainly that slavery is abnormal (compare Leviticus 25:42 ). "Men stealers," or slave dealers, are classed in 1 Timothy 1:10 , with "murderers" and "perjurers." NEANDER, GROTIUS, &c., explain, "If called, being a slave, to Christianity, be content--but yet, if also thou canst be free (as a still additional good, which if thou canst not attain, be satisfied without it; but which, if offered to thee, is not to be despised), make use of the opportunity of becoming free, rather than by neglecting it to remain a slave." I prefer this latter view, as more according to the tenor of the Gospel, and fully justified by the Greek.
22. the Lord's freeman--( Philemon 1:16 )--rather, "freedman." Though a slave externally, spiritually made free by the Lord: from sin, John 8:36 ; from the law, Romans 8:2 ; from "circumcision," 1 Corinthians 7:19 , Galatians 5:1 .
Christ's servant--( 1 Corinthians 9:21 ). Love makes Christ's service perfect freedom ( Matthew 11:29 Matthew 11:30 , Galatians 5:13 , 1 Peter 2:16 ).
23. be not ye--Greek, "become not ye." Paul here changes from "thou" ( 1 Corinthians 7:21 ) to "ye." YE ALL are "bought" with the blood of Christ, whatever be your earthly state ( 1 Corinthians 6:20 ). "Become not servants to men," either externally, or spiritually; the former sense applying to the free alone: the latter to Christian freemen and slaves alike, that they should not be servile adherents to their party leaders at Corinth ( 1 Corinthians 3:21 1 Corinthians 3:22 , Matthew 23:8-10 , 2 Corinthians 11:20 ); nor indeed slaves to men generally, so far as their condition admits. The external and internal conditions, so far as is attainable, should correspond, and the former be subservient to the latter (compare 1 Corinthians 7:21 1 Corinthians 7:32-35 ).
24. abide with God--being chiefly careful of the footing on which he stands towards God rather than that towards men. This clause, "with God," limits the similar precept in 1 Corinthians 7:20 . A man may cease to "abide in the calling wherein he was called," and yet not violate the precept here. If a man's calling be not favorable to his "abiding with God" (retaining holy fellowship with Him), he may use lawful means to change from it (compare Note,
25. no commandment of the Lord: yet . . . my judgment--I have no express revelation from the Lord commanding it, but I give my judgment (opinion); namely, under the ordinary inspiration which accompanied the apostles in all their canonical writings (compare 1 Corinthians 7:40 , 1 Corinthians 14:37 , 1 Thessalonians 4:15 ). The Lord inspires me in this case to give you only a recommendation, which you are free to adopt or reject--not a positive command. In the second case ( 1 Corinthians 7:10 1 Corinthians 7:11 ) it was a positive command; for the Lord had already made known His will ( Malachi 2:14 Malachi 2:15 , Matthew 5:31 Matthew 5:32 ). In the third case ( 1 Corinthians 7:12 ), the Old Testament commandment of God to put away strange wives ( Ezra 10:3 ), Paul by the Spirit revokes.
mercy of the Lord--( 1 Timothy 1:13 ). He attributes his apostleship and the gifts accompanying it (including inspiration) to God's grace alone.
faithful--in dispensing to you the inspired directions received by me from the Lord.
26. I suppose--"I consider."
this--namely, "for a man so to be," that is, in the same state in which he is ( 1 Corinthians 7:27 ).
for--by reason of.
the present distress--the distresses to which believers were then beginning to be subjected, making the married state less desirable than the single; and which would prevail throughout the world before the destruction of Jerusalem, according to Christ's prophecy ( Matthew 24:8-21 ; compare Acts 11:28 ).
27. Illustrating the meaning of "so to be," 1 Corinthians 7:26 . Neither the married (those "bound to a wife") nor the unmarried (those "loosed from a wife") are to "seek" a change of state (compare 1 Corinthians 7:20 1 Corinthians 7:24 ).
28. trouble in the flesh--Those who marry, he says, shall incur "trouble in the flesh" (that is, in their outward state, by reason of the present distress), not sin, which is the trouble of the spirit.
but I spare you--The emphasis in the Greek is on "I." My motive in advising you so is, to "spare you" such trouble in the flesh. So ALFORD after CALVIN, BENGEL, and others. ESTIUS from AUGUSTINE explains it, "I spare you further details of the inconveniences of matrimony, lest even the incontinent may at the peril of lust be deterred from matrimony: thus I have regard for your infirmity." The antithesis in the Greek of "I . . . you" and "such" favors the former.
29. this I say--A summing up of the whole, wherein he draws the practical inference from what precedes ( 1 Corinthians 15:50 ).
the time--the season (so the Greek) of this present dispensation up to the coming of the Lord ( Romans 13:11 ). He uses the Greek expression which the Lord used in Luke 21:8 , 13:33 .
it remaineth--The oldest manuscripts read, "The time (season) is shortened as to what remains, in order that both they," &c.; that is, the effect which the shortening of the time ought to have is, "that for the remaining time (henceforth), both they," &c. The clause, "as to what remains," though in construction belonging to the previous clause, in sense belongs to the following. However, CYPRIAN and Vulgate support English Version.
as though they had none--We ought to consider nothing as our own in real or permanent possession.
30. they that weep . . . wept not--(Compare 2 Corinthians 6:10 ).
they that buy . . . possessed not--(Compare Isaiah 24:1 Isaiah 24:2 ). Christ specifies as the condemning sin of the men of Sodom not merely their open profligacy, but that "they bought, they sold," &c., as men whose all was in this world ( Luke 17:28 ). "Possessed" in the Greek implies a holding fast of a possession; this the Christian will not do, for his "enduring substance" is elsewhere ( Hebrews 10:34 ).
31. not abusing it--not abusing it by an overmuch using of it. The meaning of "abusing" here is, not so much perverting, as using it to the full [BENGEL]. We are to use it, "not to take our fill" of its pursuits as our chief aim (compare Luke 10:40-42 ). As the planets while turning on their own axis, yet revolve round the sun; so while we do our part in our own worldly sphere, God is to be the center of all our desires.
fashion--the present fleeting form. Compare Psalms 39:6 , "vain show"; Psalms 73:20 , "a dream"; James 4:14 , "a vapor."
passeth away--not merely shall pass away, but is now actually passing away. The image is drawn from a shifting scene in a play represented on the stage ( 1 John 2:17 ). Paul inculcates not so much the outward denial of earthly things, as the inward spirit whereby the married and the rich, as well as the unmarried and the poor, would be ready to sacrifice all for Christ's sake.
32. without carefulness--I would have you to be not merely "without trouble," but "without distracting cares" (so the Greek).
careth--if he uses aright the advantages of his condition.
34. difference also--Not merely the unmarried and the married man differ in their respective duties, but also the wife and the virgin. Indeed a woman undergoes a greater change of condition than a man in contracting marriage.
35. for your own profit--not to display my apostolic authority.
not . . . cast a snare upon you--image from throwing a noose over an animal in hunting. Not that by hard injunctions I may entangle you with the fear of committing sin where there is no sin.
comely--befitting under present circumstances.
attend upon--literally, "assiduously wait on"; sitting down to the duty. Compare Luke 10:39 , Mary; Luke 2:37 , "Anna . . . a widow, who departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day" ( 1 Timothy 5:5 ).
distraction--the same Greek as "cumbered" ( Luke 10:40 , Martha).
36. behaveth . . . uncomely--is not treating his daughter well in leaving her unmarried beyond the flower of her age, and thus debarring her from the lawful gratification of her natural feeling as a marriageable woman.
need so require--if the exigencies of the case require it; namely, regard to the feelings and welfare of his daughter. Opposed to "having no necessity" ( 1 Corinthians 7:37 ).
let them marry--the daughter and her suitor.
37. steadfast--not to be turned from his purpose by the obloquy of the world.
having no necessity--arising from the natural inclinations of the daughter.
power over his . . . will--when, owing to his daughter's will not opposing his will, he has power to carry into effect his will or wish.
38. her--The oldest manuscripts have "his own virgin daughter."
but--The oldest manuscripts have "and."
39. bound by the law--The oldest manuscripts omit "by the law."
only in the Lord--Let her marry only a Christian ( 2 Corinthians 6:14 ).
40. happier--( 1 Corinthians 7:1 1 Corinthians 7:28 1 Corinthians 7:34 1 Corinthians 7:35 ).
I think also--"I also think"; just as you Corinthians and your teachers think much of your opinions, so I also give my opinion by inspiration; so in 1 Corinthians 7:25 , "my judgment" or opinion. Think does not imply doubt, but often a matter of well-grounded assurance ( John 5:39 ). | <urn:uuid:406d1bc1-1642-4114-9d91-18d57c4f5659> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.biblestudytools.com/1-corinthians/7-20-compare.html | 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 | 0.947256 | 6,428 | 1.789063 | 2 |
The ethereal smoke and haze lingering over Durango will not affect race conditions for the upcoming USA Pro Cycling Challenge, event organizers and public health experts say.
Festivities started Thursday night, and Stage 1 of the professional race will kick off at 10 a.m. Monday on Main Avenue in downtown Durango.
The normally clear Colorado air has been clouded in recent days by smoke rising from forest fires elsewhere in the West.
As of Thursday afternoon, there were 49 fires actively burning to the north and west of Colorado, mostly in Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and California, the National Interagency Fire Center reported.
Because the blazes are hundreds of miles away, however, the smoke is mostly diffused by the time it reaches Durango airspace, said Christopher Dann, a spokesman for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Thus, the haze seen locally is more a visual inconvenience than a legitimate health risk.
While much of the state was under smoke advisory warnings in June during the height of this summer’s fire season, Dann said, that isn’t the case now.
“If smoke density rises to the point we think it’s a public health concern, we’d issue an advisory. But we haven’t done so during (August) anywhere in Colorado,” he said.
Dennis Phillips, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction, said the haze’s longevity is because of a front of high atmospheric pressure that is pushing smoky air in a clockwise direction from the Pacific Northwest toward Colorado.
“In all likelihood, it’ll still be hazy (Monday) – no bluebird skies,” he said. “It may take awhile for the smoke to flush out.”
Race officials said the less-than-ideal visibility hasn’t impeded preparations and won’t be a problem for cyclists’ lungs or for NBC television crews covering the event.
“Air quality is fine for the riders. We’ll still get great pictures of the race,” said Mary Monroe, co-chairman of Durango’s Local Organizing Committee. “But it’d be nice to get some rain Saturday or Sunday to clear the air.”
Two Durango physicians participating in the Physiology in the Park event Thursday evening at Rotary Park, a series of health demonstrations, agreed that air quality would not be an issue for the pro cyclists.
“World champions probably won’t be affected unless they have an underlying problem such as asthma,” said Dr. Ed Razma, a pulmonologist with Four Corners Sleep Disorders Center at Mercy Regional Medical Center.
“It’s a question of how much (smoke) they breathe versus how much is in the atmosphere,” said Dr. Bruce Andrea, a cardiologist with Cardiology Performance in Durango. “(The smoke) may be so high that we see it but it won’t impact us.”
Monroe praised the dedication of volunteers for making a spectacle of this magnitude possible.
“We’re firing on all cylinders. People have been working so hard for the last nine months, and all their efforts are going to show (this weekend),” she said.
Mother Nature has not been cooperative during either of Durango’s major cycling extravaganzas this year. In May, riders in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic were buffeted by gusty winds as they pedaled to Silverton.
[email protected] Herald Staff Writer Dale Robebaugh contributed to this report. | <urn:uuid:6b1d16b0-cfc9-46d5-8ef9-63242a18e4e2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.durangoherald.com/article/20120817/NEWS01/708179919/0/20111020/Forecast:-%E2%80%98bluebird-skies%E2%80%99-out-for-race | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938848 | 772 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Explore and expand your network as you gather information on specific schools and programs.
While students, alumni, faculty, campus recruiters, and admissions officers are valuable sources of information about specific schools and programs – and earning a graduate business degree – human resources professionals and colleagues at your current job can also be helpful to talk to.
Human Resources Staff
Corporate human resources (HR) staff knows what business schools and programs have helped make their top managers and executives successful. Most HR people are willing to offer advice on schools, programs, and courses and share what types of MBAs they tend to hire – all highly useful information to have. Additionally, the HR staff you do talk to will become valuable contacts in your network when you begin your MBA internship search.
Seek out the opinions of colleagues you trust and respect. If you work with MBAs, ask about their experiences, what they see as your personal strengths at work, and how they think an MBA could help you further your personal and professional development.
Members of Professional Associations
Outside of work, network with people in professional organizations that represent the industry you want to work in. Ask what school they attended and why, along with their opinions about various types of programs and specific schools. Discuss your prospects of getting a degree and your expectations once you graduate – the insight you gain could be invaluable for your career. | <urn:uuid:4d3478f7-def3-446d-b473-d30cf5f9e577> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mba.com/schools-and-programs/evaluating-schools/non-school-contacts.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964263 | 276 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Building an E-Mail House File for DM SuccessE-mail is one of the most effective direct marketing tools for nonprofits. Yet, a key challenge limiting an organization's success or willingness to use it actively is the lack of valid e-mail addresses.
Many nonprofit organizations, including household-name charities, have e-mail addresses for less than 1 percent of their house files. An organization that has valid e-mail addresses for 10 percent of its house file is advanced. But the group still cannot reach 90 percent of its known supporters via the online channel. As more people move online, the 10-to-90 ratio becomes more upside down every day and should not be acceptable.
Planned Parenthood Federation of America (www.plannedparenthood.org) exemplifies the importance of e-mail marketing for nonprofits. In October, the nation's 12th-largest nonprofit organization had 680,000 constituents in its house file but had valid e-mail addresses for fewer than 5,000. By proactively building its e-mail house file, Planned Parenthood today has e-mail addresses for 50,000 supporters. Through e-mail marketing campaigns, the group is raising hundreds of thousands of dollars, activating constituents to communicate with lawmakers and strengthening its supporter base.
A nonprofit can use e-mail to communicate directly with constituents to provide updates on issues, organizational developments, events and other information. A nonprofit also should use e-mail to drive constituents to its Web site to get more involved with the organization by learning about its issues. Creating and updating a Web site alone will not drive traffic to it, but e-mail marketing, in conjunction with other tactics, will.
Use every constituent interaction to gather e-mail addresses.
• Use direct mail response forms, activities at events and telemarketing campaigns to collect e-mail addresses.
• Create an online response mechanism for every campaign or solicitation. Give constituents the option to give, buy tickets, complete a survey and take action online. Provide reasons or incentives to respond online.
Encourage online registration.
• Make it easy for constituents to register online. Provide ways for people to initially give limited information quickly, e.g., their names and e-mail addresses, and offer the option for them to provide more information useful to the nonprofit.
• Create incentives for registration. Extend benefits to registered constituents such as e-mail newsletters and personalized Web content that speaks to their interests. Appeal to them and let them know that communicating via e-mail helps save the organization time and money, making their donor dollars go further toward mission fulfillment.
Using a mix of these tactics, in nine months the Austin Children's Museum increased its house e-mail file by 2,800 percent (www.austinkids.org). Half the people registering online were new contacts for the museum -- e-mail marketing helped the organization broaden its supporter base. Public radio station KUT-FM (www.kut.org) doubled its house file in two weeks, in part by collecting e-mail addresses during a spring membership drive. Two-and-a-half months later, the file had grown nearly 300 percent.
Use newer tactics to help build an e-mail house file.
• Pre-load the entire house file on the Web site and ask constituents to confirm their temporary online registration. A nonprofit can pre-load its file onto its site, then send direct mail to file members asking them to: 1) go to the Web site; 2) sign in using a temporary ID and password provided in the direct mailer; and 3) register online by supplying their e-mail addresses as well as information about themselves, including preferences regarding communications.
• Enlist active supporters to draft more constituents. Friend-to-friend, or viral, marketing also can help expand an e-mail house file. A nonprofit can send an e-mail to its house e-mail file -- with a call-to-action or an update -- and ask recipients to forward the e-mail to friends and family. The e-mail can contain links to the nonprofit's Web site where these new contacts can easily register.
Planned Parenthood's 2000 Presidents Day campaign encouraged people to forward a campaign message to friends to urge them to contribute or register at the site. The campaign yielded about 11,000 online donations totaling $321,000. The donations let Planned Parenthood grow the number of e-mail addresses in its file. The group has since used that base of constituents and e-mail addresses to recruit more donors and capture more e-mail addresses from existing donors.
Constituents must feel comfortable registering and providing private information over the Internet. Though constituents typically have an emotional involvement with the nonprofits they support and welcome communications, it cannot be assumed that they want to be bombarded or that it is OK to share or sell their information to third parties. While gathering e-mail addresses, a nonprofit should find out from each constituent how he wants the organization to communicate with him.
Though constituent permission is not required to compile a direct mail list, in some states, sending a prospecting e-mail without a constituent's permission may constitute spamming and can be a punishable offense -- in Washington state, the fine is $500 per message.
Secure permission for e-mail marketing from constituents.
• Give constituents a choice to opt in. Ask constituents to check a box stating that they agree to receive further communications. The copy can state that the nonprofit's partners may send communications, too. This is the minimum amount of permission required.
• Ask constituents to say no and opt out. Ask constituents to uncheck a box, which states that they agree to receive additional communications. Though this is considered legal, many Web sites do not use this approach because it is easier for visitors to overlook than the opt-in method.
• Confirm constituents' opt-in selection. The nonprofit sends a confirmation e-mail to constituents after they opt in. Usually the e-mail will include a link that will allow constituents to unsubscribe if they choose. No reply is necessary to remain on the list.
• Double-confirm the opt-in. The nonprofit sends a confirmation e-mail to constituents after they opt in. If constituents do not reply, they are not added to the house file. The flaw is that some users may assume they know what the message is about so they never open the confirmation and they do not reply.
• Always give constituents an "out" In every message they send, nonprofits should give constituents the ability to opt out. Include an unsubscribe link in the template for all constituent e-mail messages.
Develop a privacy statement to win constituents' confidence.
Nonprofits must earn constituents' trust and credibility to obtain their e-mail addresses and other personal information collected during the registration process:
• Link the privacy statement within the Web site navigation and promote it on the site where personal information is being requested. Though many organizations include a privacy statement on their sites, they fail to promote it in a prominent area. Privacy statements should be obvious on all Web pages asking end-users to register and submit personal information. | <urn:uuid:ea7e4a5f-0516-4fae-9f7b-740cf09a1831> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dmnews.com/building-an-e-mail-house-file-for-dm-success/article/74165/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930485 | 1,458 | 1.515625 | 2 |
September 3, 2011
The Charlottesville Women's 4 Miler took place Saturday morning, showing the area's united effort in the fight against breast cancer.
The race got underway at the hand of UVa. President Teresa Sullivan, who waved the starting flag.
"The energy here is unbelievable," Sullivan said. "All these people here, all here for a good cause, all of them excited."
Thousands of women either ran or walked the four-mile course along Garth Road in Albemarle County, all supporting each other in the fight against breast cancer. All the money raised goes to the UVa. Breast Care program.
"I know that this race saves lives," UVa. radiologist Dr. Jennifer Harvey said.
No one knows that better than a cancer survivor, like Syd Dorsey. She had breast cancer four years ago and said it was inspiring to see "the sea of women all running for the same cause."
With more than 3,500 runners in the race, every step they take helps battle breast cancer in the Charlottesville area.
"Not only is it a huge event, as it obviously raises awareness about breast cancer, but it raises quite a substantial bit of money," said Dr. David Brenin, co-director of the UVa. Breast Center.
Twenty percent of the money goes toward breast cancer research while the rest goes to patient care. An example of that is providing mammograms and other tests to women who can't afford them.
"It gives me chills because what this is, it's the women in our community and the husbands, the friends, helping other women in our community," Harvey said.
From the sidelines, friends and family show their support in a united effort that doesn't end with the race.
"There are people that have touched everybody out here. Our hope is to continue the research and the studies," Dorsey said.
So even as the women cross the finish line, the race for a cure doesn't end.
This marks the 19th year the race benefits the UVa. Breast Center. The goal is to raise $400,000, and organizers still need help to reach it. Learn more at the 4 Miler website.
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By Robert Hughes
Now that the election has passed, policymakers from both sides of the aisle must get past the politics of the health care reform law and begin to have serious discussions regarding the changes needed to truly preserve access to care for our patients in the future.
One of these critically needed changes is protecting our seniors’ continued access to timely needed care by preventing staggering cuts in Medicare payments to the physicians who are providing this care. This is one of the most important issues to be addressed as Congress and President Obama negotiate to prevent the “fiscal cliff.”
Unless action is taken by Congress, once again physicians face a draconian 27 percent cut in their Medicare payments on Jan. 1, just a few weeks away. They face even further cuts as a result of the mandatory sequestration provisions contained within the Budget Control Act of 2011.
These cuts are driven by a flawed formula called the Sustainable Growth Rate, which penalizes physicians by lowering their payments when growth in the use of medical care exceeds that of the gross domestic product. This is done despite the fact that service use is driven by factors outside physician control, such as patient health needs, emerging technology and public policy changes.
While Congress has repeatedly passed measures over the last decade to prevent the imposition of these cuts, the short-term fixes – in some cases, for just a few months at a time – and recent tendency of Congress to retroactively fix the cuts have left many physicians concerned and doubtful whether their offices can sustain continued participation in the Medicare program.
Physician offices are just like any other small business. Cuts of this nature can cripple their ability to function. We have heard from many physicians who had to take out loans just to continue to pay their office staff when similar past cuts were temporarily imposed.
With so many administrative expenses in running a practice, physicians cannot take this uncertainty anymore. Physician practices are being squeezed between rising overhead costs, led by the exorbitant cost of medical liability insurance, and decreasing payments from health insurers. Failure to address these cuts may impact all patients.
Obama was re-elected, in part, because of his commitment to preserving traditional Medicare. Yet the cuts that are threatened by the new formula now, and seemingly every year, actually undermine this goal and exacerbate already emerging access to care problems for our seniors.
That’s why efforts to prevent the cuts and replace the flawed formula are supported by AARP.
Congress and the president must work together to prevent a health care access crisis that may very well occur if we fail to prevent these cuts.
Robert Hughes, M.D., is president of the Medical Society of the state of New York. | <urn:uuid:7a8ff778-73d4-43e5-a7e0-281ea835dc36> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121206/OPINION/121209468/1032 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968219 | 541 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Most Active Stories
Thu September 29, 2011
New York Unions Vow To Support Wall Street Protesters
The group of young people who have set up camp in lower Manhattan in order to protest what they say is the corruption of Wall Street have been dismissed by some as being a disorganized movement with no real focus.
New York Magazine reports that next week, the professionals have vowed to help "Occupy Wall Street" put some people on the street:
Next week, the site will welcome members of New York's organized labor coalitions including the United Federation of Teachers, 32BJ SEIU, 1199 SEIU, Workers United, and Transport Workers Union Local 100, which voted unanimously last night to support the occupation. Other groups standing in solidarity include the Working Families party, the Coalition for the Homeless, and MoveOn.org.
If you don't remember, the protesters in New York have taken inspiration from the protests in North Africa and the Middle East that make up the Arab Spring. They're camping out at Zucotti Park and, again in the spirit of the Arab Spring, "renamed it" Liberty Plaza.
Crain's New York Business has some analysis of what support from labor means:
Despite the common cause, the city's established left did not initially embrace the protest, which began Sept. 17 and has been made up mostly of young people angry about the widening income chasm in the country, the growing influence of money on politics and police brutality, among other issues.
But as the action nears the start of its third week, unions and community groups are eager to jump on board. They are motivated perhaps by a sense of solidarity and a desire to tap into its growing success, but undoubtedly by something else too—embarrassment that a group of young people using Twitter and Facebook have been able to draw attention to progressive causes in a way they haven't been able to in years.
The protestors have transformed the park into a village of sorts, complete with a community kitchen, a library, a concert stage, an arts and crafts center and a media hub. All of that has enabled them not just to sustain the action but to build momentum. And as celebrities like Michael Moore, Susan Sarandon, Russell Simmons and Cornel West have joined in, the city's traditional activists have been forced to jump into the fray. "It's become too big to ignore," said one political consultant.
That's also what the Village Voice heard from a TWU spokesman, who said the board voted unanimously to support the movement.
"Well, actually, the protesters, it's pretty courageous what they're doing," Jim Gannon told the alternatively weekly. "And it's brought a new public focus in a different way to what we've been saying along. While Wall Street and the banks and the corporations are the ones that caused the mess that's flowed down into the states and cities, it seems there's no shared sacrifice. It's the workers having to sacrifice while the wealthy get away scot-free. It's kind of a natural alliance with the young people and the students — they're voicing our message, why not join them?" | <urn:uuid:d013eed4-1c67-4c42-a746-bba210ae05cb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://kenw.org/post/new-york-unions-vow-support-wall-street-protesters | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969427 | 641 | 1.5 | 2 |
Archive for the ‘WordPress Themes’ Category
In an age where everyone is trying to save some cash, many WordPress bloggers will for go the expense of paying for a premium theme and instead opt for the cheapest price available (hint: free).
While there are plenty of free themes available for WordPress users (thanks in part to generous designers), unless one is running a personal blog WordPress fans should always choose a premium theme over a free one (provided you have the funds of course).
Since some users will balk at the idea of paying for a theme in an age where quality software is available for free, here are 3 reasons why you need to choose premium themes over free handouts. Read More
Are you running WordPress 3.0 yet? If so, you might have come across a nifty little addition called Menus. You’ll find it on your admin Dashboard in the Appearances section, and here’s a little screenshot of how it looks:
As you can see, I’ve set up a new menu named “Lorraine Menu†here, and added various things to it by selecting from the elements on the left side of the page: a link to Devlounge, links to some pages, and so forth.
Also of note is the message beneath Theme Locations that states:
The current theme does not natively support menus, but you can use the “Custom Menu†widget to add any menus you create here to the theme’s sidebar. Read More
I’ve been working a lot with WordPress Theme Frameworks lately, most notably Genesis, Thematic and Hybrid, when developing themes. Well, child themes really. There are many reasons why working with child themes is a good way to start developing, but there are also some drawbacks. For me the good weighs out the bad in general, but there are situations where the old straight forward theme development method is just plain faster.
Building with child themes has a lot of powerful advantages. My favorite are:
- Development Speed: Having an already working theme as a parent theme, a theme that already has been looked at from a lot of different angels as to what it should be able to do, and already some basic styling in place makes it a lot easier to quickly make some changes via the child theme style sheet.
WordPress is gearing up to release a new version, WordPress 3.0, which will house a lot of new cool features and the merging of WordPress MU with WordPress stand alone version. Alongside with this release WordPress will also be shipped with a brand new interpretation of what a default theme should be. For years the default theme has been Kubrick, but that’s all going to change.
I’ve never been a fan of either Kubrick’s look or code, but I must say Twenty Ten is genuinely a great base theme to use for all your WordPress projects, especially when working with Child Themes. Sure it’s not as advanced as say Thematic, but it does produce powerful semantic html and is in general very well SEO optimized. No surprise there because Ian Stewart, the creator of Thematic, was also the one who inspired Twenty Ten with his theme called Kirby, and recently joined Automattic as a Theme Wrangler. Read More
It does not happen often, but occasionally you find a free theme for WordPress that is completely *droolworthy*. I have to disclose upfront that I am a big fan of both grid-based designs, especially when they follow a strict and mathematically correct grid, whitespace and Khoi Vinh.
One of the things I expect from a theme is that it doesn’t get in the way and highlights content and especially with grid based design this is something which can easily be screwed up. But the grid-masters know how to display both content and a strict grid correctly. One of the most popular grid designs for WordPress is without any doubt Grid Focus by Derek Punsalan.
There’s a new contender in WP-town for grid-based design lovers!
Introducing Pico by Hafiz ‘WPLover’ Rahman
WPLover is a well-known WordPress news-site edited by Hafiz Rahman, who is also a great WordPress news link curator, and the design of WPLover doesn’t hide it: Hafiz loves the grid.
Previously he already treated the WordPress community with several Thematic child themes, all showcasing mainly the content, while using whitespace as a perfect tool, weapon almost, in his designs.
Pico is Hafiz’ first ‘non-child theme’ released for WordPress and how better to introduce a grid-based theme than with a gorgeous grid-based Pico introduction page? Read More
When the WordPress Core Team met after WordCamp Orlando, canonical plugins weren’t the only big announcement for 2010. The other announcement was that WordPress would receive a new default theme in 2010, thus retiring Kubrick by Michael Heilemann.
Jane Wells announced the concept and immediately hinted at what the Core Team was thinking off:
The default theme doesn’t need to be a full-featured framework, it just needs to work well, look awesome, have good code and be a good starting point for beginning themers. We were thinking of a fairly minimalist design that would make it easy to customize.
Basically a ’2010 Kubrick’, a slim and slick theme with modern look and ‘cutting edge code’. Enter Ian Stewart of Themeshaper and Thematic fame. Immediately after the announcement Ian had tweeted that he would make a concept and release what he thinks could be a candidate for the WordPress 2010 Default Theme. Some weeks later his theme, Kirby, was released in the theme directory.
In an introduction post to Kirby, Ian explains the thinking behind his Kirby theme and why it should not be a framework: Read More
Jeff appears to have a great article up regarding StudioPress, and it helps answer some common questions about the company, its goals, and direction. If you are interested in knowing what Brian Gardner thinks of his critics, outsiders views on his goals, and his design style, you need to check out this post entitled An Inside Glance At StudioPress.
Who creates the graphical side of StudioPress designs?
95% of the graphic/design elements of StudioPress themes were created by me – while I’m not a trained graphic designer, I’ve been able to learn Photoshop and put together most of our work. We are now beginning to branch out and contract out upcoming theme designs for a few reasons. One, I’m so busy doing other things (like running StudioPress and overseeing all that goes on) and just don’t have the time to design, code, support, and provide tutorials for all of our themes. The other reason, and more significantly important reason, is that we want to offer a variety of designs to our users.
I think that more WordPress theme companies should open up their schedules to talk about what they are doing, who is involved and what they think of the WordPress community. There has long been flack given to Premium theme companies, and I think while that flack has lessened in recent months, a fair number of people still don’t totally understand what makes these companies worthwhile.
Looking for a new Premium Theme company to buy your products off of, then you’ll be happy to know Nathan Rice has created a new company called ModThemes.
As you know, I live and breathe WordPress code (pretty much). I’ve written countless tutorials, built themes, written plugins, even submitted a patch or two to the WordPress core. Let’s just say that when it comes to WordPress, I know my stuff, some of which has recently been added as new functionality to the themes at StudioPress.
So it should go without saying that if I’m going to be helping run my own WordPress business, it’s going to be top-notch quality with some solid code. You can count on it.
Looks like it could be a smart move for Nathan and team, if he can crack the ever increasing competition in the market these days.
Recently, I was given the ability to go crazy and get Blogging Pro redesigned. It was a task that I didn’t take lightly, but I knew which designer I wanted to use, as he had worked on my site, Branding David. James McDonald is an amazing designer, but he doesn’t do slicing and coding and he definitely doesn’t do WordPress theme coding, and so I had a choice to make: let him use one of the people he knows, or find one of my own.
I chose to find my own, and after asking around, I went with PSDtoWP, a company that recently went through a name change to comply with the WordPress trademark. They had done work on a few sites, and I knew the business owner, and so I handed over the PSD created by James, and let them get to work.
I have had notoriously bad experiences with having others change my PSD’s into WordPress themes before, as not all coders are good coders, and the design had some more “advanced” features than the typical theme. I wasn’t sure they’d be able to hangle my request, and do so with decent code.
3. What is involved in getting my design transformed into a WordPress Theme?
You upload the files, fill out the form and let us know what you would like to have done. After receiving 50% upfront, we can get started. Once we have coded your theme, we upload it to a demo server and allow you to have a look at what the finished product will be like. We make any necessary changes and send you the theme ready to upload to the destination server.
Much to my surprise, the code produced was clean and easy to use. The theme was ready to drop into the WordPress themes folder, and activate. There wasn’t much that needed to be done. They did miss two little design elements, but after mentioning this, they were quick to not only fix the error, but give me a list of changed files, so that I could upload only the changed files, thus keeping the changes I had already made after the fact (I never leave things the way people give them to me). They wrote the code for the features box, and implemented the box in the content area with the listing of the most commented posts.
I didn’t have the ability to use their recently coded Task Administration panel, but I hear that will help keep the person requesting the job more in the loop regarding the status. I just had to e-mail them, and I quickly received a response on how much longer it would be.
I was impressed with the professionalism, the speed, and while the cost is more than you’d pay on Digital Point Forums, the quality matches the price. I was very happy with my purchase, and would probably purchase from them again.
If you are looking to get a premium quality theme coded for a reasonable price, I’d suggest checking out PSDtoWP. If you would like $20 off your purchase, feel free to mention BLOGGINGPRO20 during the check-out. Prices start at $330 USD.
Note: I could have sliced and coded the theme myself, but the time it would have taken me to do it was more valuable to me spent elsewhere than the price I paid to have it coded. Also the code is much more organized than it would have been, had I done it all myself.
A great friend of mine, Elena of DesignDisease has released another free WordPress theme called Evidens. It comes in both a white version and a striking black version.
Evidens is a new 3 column, full width theme from Design Disease. Featuring both White and Dark variations, this modern/industrial theme is both elegant and edgy at the same time. The three column layout is perfect for adsense and text link integration. The design features ample space for your blog content, making sure you have room for the latest widescreen web video, as well as bright, beautiful images. Advanced options like Flickr Photostream and Twitter integration allow you to keep up with the latest social networking trends, and update your site’s content anywhere, anytime.
The modern/industrial look of the theme gives it almost infinite versatility, making it a perfect fit for blog topics ranging from technology, men’s interests, and even fashion design. Also be sure to check out PremiumThemes.com, a new project from Design Disease.
Released in the middle of last month, the Evidens theme already has many fans using it, and it is easy to see why. As the designer of many amazing blogs, including this one, Elena has a style that is very recognizable, and modern. Check out the Evidens theme today. | <urn:uuid:a5747643-1376-4c48-93e1-b91d2e3cc7c4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bloggingpro.com/archives/category/wordpress-themes/page/2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962604 | 2,720 | 1.507813 | 2 |
No one is going to know your business exists unless YOU tell them about it, render the type of service and quality to get others talking about it or pay someone else to get the word out for you. And the quickest way to do that is to invest - yes, invest - in advertising. But where should you advertise and how much of it should you do? How much should you spend? How often should you advertise? What form should it take?
Lots of questions. Let's look at some of the answers. And please note: Every advertising plan is unique, so these answers are just possibilities - suggestions - and should not be construed as YOUR plan. You will need to investigate the possibilities for your product and your target market and come up with your own plan before you begin.
Where you advertise depends on your type of business and the area you want to cover. You might choose local magazines and newspapers, or publications that are distributed free at local supermarkets and other retail and private outlets. You might also consider radio spots or press releases to augment print ads.
However, if your business or idea could be of interest to people nationwide, you might consider purchasing ads in vehicles that reach a wider market; sending press releases to newspapers and other publications throughout the US; or developing an Internet website or blog to reach clients who are hundreds, or even thousands, of miles away.
How much advertising you do depends on your budget. We've already established that advertising is essential to identify you as a player in your market. You must decide how much you can afford to get your name out. Since advertising is an investment, you will need to put a pencil to your finances to determine how much you can spend. Once you've established an advertising budget, begin by contacting potential advertising outlets. Ask what they charge for various ad sizes. Ask about circulation numbers and deadlines for placement. Print ads will be priced by ad size, circulation numbers and, sometimes, the location of the ad within the publication. Keep in mind that ads may cost more if they run in color.
Radio ads are generally sold as packages - a certain number of ads of a certain length played in certain or various time slots - for a package amount. Because their advertising rates are audience driven, radio stations charge more for what is called "drive time" - the hours in the morning and afternoon when a lot of people are commuting to and from work.
Before you commit to a radio package, be sure to ask each station how many listeners they report for various times of day. Also, smaller stations charge less than larger ones because they generally have smaller audiences. Research the size of the stations and the audiences they tend to attract. For example, if your product is aimed at people between the ages of 15 and 24, you will want to choose stations with programming that attracts that age group.
You can also consider television advertising. However, television advertising is more expensive and requires you to produce a commercial. This production will add to your upfront cost. Like radio, television advertising is priced by ad length and the time of day the ads are played. In addition, it is vitally important that any ad you produce looks very professional. It is tempting to think you can reach a large audience through TV, but if you produce an unprofessional ad, the audience will know and the result will be negative rather than positive for you.
In all cases we've talked about, you will have to supply words that describe your product, business or offer. Of course you won't need art for radio, but you will need top-notch professional art and/or video for print or television advertising. You will incur an additional cost to produce that art - either through the publication/TV station or another source.
The bottom line is getting other people to say your name in as many ways as possible to make your "Brand" stick and bring more business to your door! | <urn:uuid:57a44412-c166-4bd9-ae52-d14f598afc74> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://myideas1.podbean.com/2008/05/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968342 | 791 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Return to Adversity
The author returns to East-Central Europe amidst concerns that its governments are showing signs of greater authoritarianism.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the nascent civil society movements in East-Central Europe leveraged their marginal position in society into a form of social power. Because they were largely disconnected from an unjust power structure – and suffered considerably from the repression of that power structure – they commanded what Vaclav Havel famously called “the power of the powerless.” The eventually successful campaigns of Poland’s Solidarity, Czechoslovakia’s Charter 77, and East Germany’s New Forum proved the “uses of adversity,” in the phrase that Timothy Garton Ash borrowed from Shakespeare to title his 1989 collection of essays. Repression produced rebirth.
The collapse, when it came, was rapid, spectacular, and relatively bloodless. The Warsaw Pact monolith, which was never quite as monolithic as Moscow would have preferred, fell apart in 1989, and the region experienced what Joseph Rothschild described as a “return to diversity.”
As I prepare to retrace my 1990 journey through East-Central Europe, as I attempt in other words to step into the same region twice, I suspect that time and hardship have fused the phrases of Rothschild and Ash. The region is now experiencing a return to adversity.
Governments in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and elsewhere are showing signs of greater authoritarianism. Right-wing populists populate the parliaments, and their brothers-in-arms patrol the streets. Has liberalism reached its high-water mark in East-Central Europe? Or, to use a different metaphor, is this return to adversity a short detour or a more involved journey to an unknown location?
On March 17, 1990, I set off from Brussels for East Berlin to begin what would be seven months of wandering around the region. It was wandering with a purpose – to help the Quaker organization, the American Friends Service Committee, to establish an office in this newly tumultuous part of the world. Now, thanks to the Open Society Foundations, I am returning to track down the people I interviewed back then to see how their lives, their families, and their countries have changed.
Of course, I too have changed. I’m no longer a footloose 26-year-old looking for a life-changing experience of my own. Back then, I carried a week’s change of clothes in my college backpack, along with an early version of a laptop, one of the first portable printers, a shortwave radio, a tape recorder, and a copy of Terra Nostra by Mexican novelist Carlos Fuentes (the nearly 800-page paperback accompanied me all the way through Slovakia where I finally finished it).
Back in 1990, I had a handful of names and contact numbers, but not many. As soon as I hit the ground in a new country, I quickly scrambled to locate interesting people to interview. There was no Internet, no Facebook, no cell phones. The first thing I did in a new place was to determine what coins the public telephone took. I came to dread these cold calls. I had no idea whether the person on the other end spoke English (or Russian or Polish, the other two languages I could use). They didn’t know who I was, and I had to very quickly describe my project. Most people were sufficiently intrigued not to hang up. In some cases, just being an American was enough to open doors, for this was before the rush of American backpackers to Prague and Budapest. Where I lacked contacts, I would visit the places that housed the new civil society organizations – Haus fur Demokratie in East Berlin, for instance – and marvel at how quickly the new world was taking shape.
Every week, I wrote up a report of my conversations, including many transcribed interviews. I printed them out on the portable printer. And I sent the hard copies back to the AFSC office. It’s difficult to remember a time when news was not instantaneous.
Today, I travel very differently. I have my Mac Air, and WiFi will never be very far away. I’m taking a video camera this time to record my interviews. And I’ll be writing periodic blog posts (available at johnfeffer.com). I can now carry a library in my pocket. My smart phone carries several audio books, the film The Hurt Locker, and a number of books on Kindle, including a novel by Dubravka Ugresic, several early memoirs of travel in Serbia, Chuck Sudetic’s book on Carla Del Ponte, and Tony Judt’s massive history of postwar Europe. After 15 years of studying East Asian affairs, I have a lot of reading to catch up on.
I’m no longer footloose. My wife remains at home, where we have lived now for a decade. I’m no longer looking to transform my life. I can concentrate instead on how historic events have transformed the lives of others.
I will begin my travels this time in Belgrade. I’ll continue to Bulgaria, where I expect to visit Varna and Plovdiv as well as Sofia. I’ll return to Serbia and then on to Croatia and Slovenia. In 1990, I concentrated on the issue of ethnic minorities in Bulgaria and the disintegration of the central state in Yugoslavia, and these were the topics of the chapters on these countries in my 1992 book, Shock Waves: Eastern Europe after the Revolutions. I’ll revisit these issues in 2012.
Almost everyone that I interviewed in 1990 has responded to my emails. They generally don’t remember me – and why should they? – but they are willing to sit down and talk just as they did 22 years ago. Some people have died; some have moved to distant countries. To augment my original list and avoid the trap of talking only to a narrow demographic slice of society, I’ll be reaching out to a lot of people for the first time: young people, artists, representatives of new social organizations.
I’m not exactly sure what will come of all this. But then, I had no idea in 1990 either. I am open to possibilities, just as the region was in 1990. But, as I did 22 years ago, I feel a certain urgency. In 1990, East-Central Europe was on the verge of economic austerity, resurgent nationalism, and, in the case of Yugoslavia, outright war. Today, the region has largely survived these traumas, but they have left their mark. And although much of the region has joined the European Union, or is currently negotiating accession, a return to adversity threatens. What worked in East-Central Europe and what did not work: I am eager to hear what the people of the region have to say. | <urn:uuid:6c126012-7932-427a-abcc-e7b80c66ccca> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fpif.org/blog/return_to_adversity?q=Tag%3ACommunism | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967638 | 1,423 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Now, on to this week's features...
Mom is the Only Girl shared this fun, educational, child-led Dinosaur Terrarium! Check it out here!
Handprint and Footprint Art shared this memorable keepsake card idea for Father's Day! Check it out here!
Adventures in Homeschooling shared their experiments with homemade Sidewalk Chalk Paint! Check it out here!
Homeschool Mo shared their experiments with different salts and watercolor painting! Check it out here!
Many thanks to these awesome ladies for sharing their great activities with us! If you missed them last week, but sure to check them out!
Now, onto this week's Teach Me Tuesday linky party!
The guidelines are simple:
1- Link to your post, not your whole blog. By linking up you are giving me permission to share a picture and link to your post.
2- Your post must be family-friendly.
3- Your post must somehow relate to education (this includes crafts, games, experiments, printables, recipes, essays, and anything else related to education!).
4- After you link up, visit some of the other links and let them know what you think! Everybody likes to get feedback and know their post is appreciated!
5- This is optional, but I'd sure be grateful if you spread the word by posting the Teach Me Tuesday button (above) on your blog or post! The party only gets better with more bloggers!
**Please make sure you picked up the button from Preschool Powol Packets, and not my old blog!**
That's it! I can't wait to get to know you and see what you're up to! Also, you're always welcome to follow me on GFC, Facebook, Google + or subscribe to my monthly newsletter (links are in the sidebar)!
I may share at any of these parties! | <urn:uuid:e5a6be7c-2621-43bb-b2a1-6bc499601fc6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://preschoolpowolpackets.blogspot.com/2012/06/teach-me-tuesday-6-12-12.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939431 | 390 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Thanks to some curious emails and a couple of dormant Google Alerts, it's come to my attention that the Travel Time Tube Map I made a few years ago has had a sudden resurgence of internet fame. My original blog post informs me that it's over 5 years old. Wow!
I'm not sure who rediscovered it first, but thanks to everyone who's linked to it so far including Fast Co. Design, Creativity Online, Wired UK, PSFK, Roomthily, Inteloquent, OpenStreetMap and numerous Twitter and Facebook users.
The map has been picked up by a few books and exhibitions over the years, including the wonderful Form + Code by Casey Reas and Chandler McWilliams. If you're interested in how this kind of work gets made then the book is essential.
If you're interested in a more thorough theoretical exploration of isochrones I can recommend Nicholas Street's Time Contours paper on the subject. If you find yourself yearning for an even deeper treatment of transit data, look around for people like Mike Frumin who take research far more seriously than I do!
If you want to play around with this code for yourself, it should be relatively easy to fix up for current versions of Processing (probably just the fonts will need updating, please leave a comment if there's anything else) and you can get the data here.
I've had a few requests to update the map with current data, including the East London Line and Heathrow Terminal 5, as well as suggestions to include the overground in south London and elsewhere. Sadly I haven't found a coherent and consistent data source that I could drop-in as a replacement for my hand-edited original. The official Transport for London data sources on data.gov.uk look promising, and I've had a couple of under-the-table offers from people with access to time-table data, but these all require more time and effort than I have for the map at the moment. In future I'd like to move the map to a more 201x format like Canvas or SVG, perhaps porting to Processing JS. Perhaps an app? One day... | <urn:uuid:6fbc7162-342d-483e-824a-39cb129d119c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tom-carden.co.uk/2011/03/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961434 | 438 | 1.507813 | 2 |
January 29, 2013
People gather Monday to honor the victims of a fatal fire at Kiss nightclub in a plaza on the surroundings of the club in Santa Maria, Brazil. A blaze raced through the crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, killing more than 230 people as the air filled with deadly smoke and panicked party-goers stampeded toward the exits, police and witnesses said.
Stories this photo appears in:
Penny-pinching by a band known for its onstage pyrotechnic displays may have cost more than 230 people their lives at a nightclub in southern Brazil, according to a state police inspector leading the investigation into this weekend’s deadly blaze. | <urn:uuid:569cec2a-a9ac-4dff-84f5-09be2ce33543> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newstribune.com/photos/2013/jan/29/24985/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957659 | 136 | 1.546875 | 2 |
JERUSALEM -- A new U.N. report suggests that the Nov. 14 killing of an 11-month-old Gaza baby and two adult relatives during the eight-day clash between Israel and the militant group Hamas was likely caused by an errant Palestinian rocket and not an Israeli airstrike as widely reported.
Photos of distraught father Jehad Misharawi holding the body of his son, Omar, became one of the symbols of the conflict’s toll on civilians.
A March 6 report from the U.N. Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights said the three were killed “by what appeared to be a Palestinian rocket that fell short of Israel.”
It offered no details about how it reached the conclusion. Hamas officials and family members had previously dismissed the possibility that a Palestinian rocket had misfired.
The report also mistakenly identified one of the victims as the baby’s mother. She was not harmed in the incident.
The U.N. agency criticized both Israel and Hamas for their attacks on civilians.
It said 168 Palestinians were killed by Israeli military action during the conflict. Of the 101 civilians who died, 33 were children and 13 were women.
Six Israelis, including four civilians, were killed by Palestinian rocket attacks into southern Israel. | <urn:uuid:f07b1659-c409-4c92-abb9-a782208aaba2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-un-report-gaza-infant-20130311,0,5476266.story | 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 | 0.987456 | 261 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Israeli government officials Saturday night dismissed as “unrealistic” and a
“mirage” Palestinian threats to get the US or the UN Security Council to
recognize an independent Palestinian state within the pre-1967 lines if the
peace talks collapse.
The Palestinian Authority announced over the
weekend – following the Arab League meeting in Libya that gave the US a 30-day
grace period to get Israel to agree to another settlement construction
moratorium – that it was considering “alternatives” in case the peace talks
collapsed, including seeking US or UN recognition of an independent Palestinian
state.RELATED:Arab League gives US a month to keep direct talks alive
In Libya on Saturday, PA President Mahmoud Abbas asked Arab
leaders to consider alternatives to the negotiations, said Saeb Erekat, a top
aide to the Palestinian president.
Erekat said Abbas asked Arab leaders
“to press the American administration to recognize an independent Palestinian
state within the borders of 1967.”
If the Americans reject the request,
the Palestinians might take up the issue with the Security Council nonetheless,
Abbas told the summit that he did not expect Israel to budge
on the settlement issue, and that in the meantime opposition to continuing the
talks is building among the Palestinian people, according to two Arab
“We have exhausted all our alternatives,” the diplomats quoted
Abbas as saying. They spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss
information from the closed session.
A PA official in Ramallah said the
Arab League supported the idea of seeking US or UN recognition of a Palestinian
“The Palestinian leadership will give the US administration
another chance to solve the crisis,” he said. “If their efforts fail in the next
30 days, we will go to the Americans and the United Nations.”
officials took the threat in stride.
“There is no substitute for direct
negotiations and a historic agreement,” one official said. “Everything else is a
The official, who said these types of threats were part of the
PA’s diplomacy, added that such proposals have not proven serious when raised
many times in the past, and that the PA understood that only a negotiated
solution could bring peace.
He added that over the past year the
Palestinians have alternated threats to go to the UN Security Council searching
for recognition of Palestinian statehood, with the threat of abandoning the
two-state idea and instead pursuing a “one-state solution.”
official refused to speculate on how the US would react if the PA did carry out
its threat to get international recognition for statehood, similar proposals in
the past have not been embraced by Washington, which consistently has said it
wanted to see a negotiated – rather than imposed – settlement.
also considerable doubt as to whether a US president could back such a far-reaching proposal that
would certainly face huge opposition in both houses of Congress and among large
swaths of the American public.
A call in July 2009 by Javier Solana, the
previous EU foreign policy chief, for the Security Council to recognize a
Palestinian state by a certain deadline if the sides could not reach an
agreement on their own, did not gain serious traction in Washington or, for that
matter, in many other capitals around the world.
At that time the Foreign
Ministry issued a statement rejecting Solana’s proposal, saying that UN Security
Council Resolutions 242 and 338, as well as the road map peace plan and previous
Israeli-Palestinian agreements established that the solution to the conflict
could only be reached through negotiations by the sides.
Toameh and AP contributed to this report. | <urn:uuid:167c5e44-a6fd-43f9-a986-04ce8ca3da0a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?ID=190782&R=R1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94635 | 788 | 1.742188 | 2 |
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Survivors of multiple earthquakes in southwestern China waited for shelter and other supplies on Monday amid forecasts of heavy rains that are likely to hinder ongoing search efforts.
The earthquakes on Friday in a mountainous area toppled thousands of homes and sent boulders tumbling down slopes, killing 81 people and injuring more than 800.
They struck a region of small farms and mines near the border between Guizhou and Yunnan provinces, where some of China's poorest people live.
About 60 000 residents from Jiaokui town in Yiliang county, about 3 kilometres from the epicentre of one of the earthquakes, had been evacuated to open spaces, an official surnamed Guo said by telephone from the township government office.
Guo said only the older survivors had tents, and that food, water, cotton quilts, clothes and medicine were also needed.
The official Xinhua News Agency cited local authorities as saying mobile phone services in the quake-hit areas had been basically restored.
The region was expected to be hit by medium to heavy rains on Monday and Tuesday, bringing the threat of rain-triggered landslides that could cause more casualties and complicate search efforts, Xinhua cited rescuers as saying.
Footage from China Central Television showed rescuers and sniffer dogs running past steep slopes because of the risk of fist-sized stones tumbling down. It also showed an ambulance stuck in stones and debris.
A resident of Luozehe town, close to where the quakes struck, said he and others were evacuated to a more central area of the county. “It's quite hot here. There isn't enough drinking water or tents,” said Wu Xuehong, who described seeing dead livestock after farm buildings collapsed.
More than 11 000 tents, 10 500 quilts, 6 000 coats and other supplies including bottled water and rice have been delivered to Yiliang and more are on the way, Xinhua said, citing the rescue headquarters.
The first magnitude-5.6 quake struck just before 11.30am on Friday and was followed by an equally strong quake shortly after noon. Though of moderate strength, the quakes were shallow. Such quakes often cause more damage than deeper ones.
As of noon on Sunday, there had been 279 aftershocks, said Zhang Junwei, spokesman of Yunnan's seismological bureau.
Xinhua quoted Zhou Guangfu, deputy chief of the county's education bureau, as saying that three students were among those who died. He said more than 300 high schools and primary schools were damaged and the education bureau would inspect schools before allowing classes to continue.
In 2008, a massive 7.9-magnitude quake in Sichuan province, just north of Yunnan, left 90 000 dead or missing, including thousands of students whose schools collapsed.
State media reported Saturday that the army and police had mobilised more than 3 200 personnel to help rescue efforts, along with 4 000 militiamen and reserve forces. That means 11 000 rescuers are attempting to clear roads, evacuate people and search for the missing. - Sapa-AP | <urn:uuid:f68c5abf-9e41-43aa-98b4-221c19bb649e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.iol.co.za/news/world/china-quake-survivors-await-shelter-1.1379233 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972915 | 647 | 1.65625 | 2 |
At 10am, April 14, 2012, the first mass-produced Volvo ÖV4 will be driven through the company gates in Göteborg, reenacting the birth of a famous marque
At 10am, April 14, 1927, the first mass-produced Volvo ÖV4 was driven off the production line and through the company gates in Göteborg.
85 years later - to the minute - happy birthday to the company that focussed on automotive safety long before it became fashionable
Selling the seat-belt, 1959-style.
The first car with a thre-point safety belt - the the Volvo P544
Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin invented the 3-Point safety belt
Patented in 1958 by Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin, the 3-Point safety belt has become the most important automotive restraint system worldwide, saving an estimated one million lives so far
Swedish automotive icon Volvo is celebrating its 85th birthday and will reenact driving the first mass-produced Volvo ÖV4 off the production line and through the company gates in Göteborg. Volvo heroically focused on the safety of the occupants of its cars long before other manufacturers decided it was fashionable, pioneering many of the features (such as the three-point seat belt) we find in the cars of today.
« Back to Happy birthday to Volvo - 85 years old
Other Images from this Gallery | <urn:uuid:5bbd58e4-ce10-44bc-83ee-a3b6558ecb24> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gizmag.com/volvo-85-85th-birthday-anniversary/22156/pictures | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947489 | 287 | 1.828125 | 2 |
The Myrtle Corey is a fine example of a late 1800's river towboat. Typical of the day, these boats were site built, without plans, with lots of substitutions and jury rigged construction. Once commonplace along the waters of the Mississippi and Arkansas rivers, the Dumas model of the Myrtle Corey is designed to bring that amazing era back to life. This kit features vacuum formed hull and roofs. The substructure is made from diecut expanded pvc and there is a load of stripwood to provide the boat with it's characteristic planked deck and cabin sides. Everything in this kit is designed for detail and realism. We include: castings, wood turnings, laser cut parts and so much more. Even the paddlewheel and rudder hardware is included. Add a Dumas #2029 motor and your electronics and you're ready to go. So if you have been thinking about trying your hand at something a little different, take a look at the Myrtle Corey. | <urn:uuid:00bd0993-3e77-499f-854d-7c590123a109> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.horizonhobby.com/products/the-myrtle-corey-tow-boat-DUM1253 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969184 | 199 | 1.648438 | 2 |
WORK IN LITHUANIA
There is still a high dependence on agriculture in Lithuania, with arable, cereal and cotton production predominating. Significant industries include metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television sets, refrigerators and freezers. Other industries to be found in Lithuania are: petroleum refining; shipbuilding (small ships); furniture making; textiles; food processing; fertilizers; warehousing; agricultural machinery; leather goods; optical equipment; electronic components; computers; and amber. Light, rather than heavy industry now predominates.
Advantage Lithuania - the Lithuanian Development Agency (LDA) is keen to develop foreign investment as well as business start-ups and seven technology parks have been set up in the last two years. Knowledge-based industries are growing fast, notably information technology and telecommunications, laser technology (particularly in scientific research) and biotechnology. LDA lists Siemens, Telia, Philips, Motorola, Mars/Masterfoods, Sonera, Kraft Food International, Festo, Lancaster Steel, Partec, Kemira, Danisco, SEB, Carlsberg and Marzotto as multinational companies who now produce in Lithuania. The British Chamber of Commerce in Lithuania (BCC) has details of companies with trading links to the UK.
This expansion has seen a recent boom in the construction of both commercial and private accommodation during 2004. Lithuania is also striving to develop a tourist industry based around heritage attractions, rural tourism and health spas. Cultural (especially theatrical) activities are also prominent, with 13 professional theatres and numerous orchestras.
There are considerable labour shortages across a range of professions in construction, electrical and electronic engineering, information technology, finance, banking, business and management, although language barriers and low wages may prove a disincentive. Starting your own business offers potential opportunities.
There has been a substantial demand for teachers of English as a foreign language and, in the past, the Ministry of Science and Education, Lithuania has assisted applicants to find placements in Lithuanian schools. More recently, there has been a focus on training Lithuanian born teachers of English, with support from the British Council Lithuania. | <urn:uuid:cea03d41-fed6-44b8-8743-2c139d6a33f0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.alloexpat.com/lithuania_expat_forum/work-in-lithuania-lithuania-employment-guide-t476.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936035 | 439 | 1.578125 | 2 |
You can use the clues we have provided below or come up with your own.
Starting at the cake table, work backwards, leaving clues at the locations described by previous clues.
Hide the cake somewhere near the cake table.
At the Party:
Have someone appear with the first clue and tell the children that the Evil King (or the Evil Stepmother, the Wicked Queen, etc.) has stolen the birthday cake, and that it's up to them to follow the clues and recover the cake!
Read the first clue out loud, and then let the children follow the trail of clues to the cake table.
When the children are one or two clues away from the end, remove the cake from its hiding place, and put it on the cake table (i.e. the final destination).
The cake is missing! It's hidden from view. If you want your dessert, then here's what you do: Follow the clues; they'll lead you to more. To find your next clue, look by the front door.
It's a clue that you want, a clue you expect, so look by the steps that lead to the deck.
You'll have a clue to keep and to hold, if you go to the place where you keep food cold.
Now quick as a wink, look by the sink!
As fast as you can, there's no time to slouch, you'll find your next clue by the living room couch.
In the front yard, you'll find an oak tree. If you look all around, it's a clue you will see.
It's a clue that you want, a clue that you seek... Go to the grill and take a close peek.
Seek and search, peek and snoop, look very carefully by the basketball hoop.
The next clue is simple; it's not hard at all. Look near the closet in the front hall.
A clue, a clue, now where could it be? I think there might be one by the TV.
The next clue is easy; the cat's in the bag. Just take a step back, and look at the flag.
Looking for clues? You move like a snail! Hurry it up, and go check the mail.
This isn't a trick, and it isn't a trap. What do you use to give cold food a zap? | <urn:uuid:78a04780-f51b-4990-af3f-cf5616c4bd78> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.birthdayinabox.com/activity-guides/unicorn-party-game-enchanted-cake-hunt.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965896 | 490 | 1.835938 | 2 |
Singer and entertainer Wayne Newton is a registered Republican.
Rapper 50 Cent once said, “I actually like Bush. In some ways, I’m the George W. Bush of hip hop – nobody likes me, but I’m still gonna run it for the next four years.”
Actor Adam Sandler, a Republican, performed at the 2004 Republican National Convention, and has contributed money to Rudy Giuliani’s 2008 Presidential campaign.
Rock star Alice Cooper said, “When I read the list of people who are supporting Kerry, if I wasn’t already a Bush supporter, I would have immediately switched.”
Actor Andy Garcia is a supporter of the Republican party.
Bodybuilder, actor, businessman, and Republican, Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected governor of California in 2003.
Actor Ben Stein was a speechwriter and lawyer for President Richard Nixon, and later for President Gerald Ford.
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is a registered Republican.
Model and actress Bo Derek is a conservative Republican who supported George H.W. Bush in 1988 and 1992 and campaigned for his son, George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004, and she appeared at both Republican conventions.
In 2007, actor Bruce Willis declared he maintains some Republican ideologies but is currently an independent. He has endorsed every Republican presidential candidate except Bob Dole in 1996.
The late actor and one-time NRA president Charlton Heston campaigned for Republicans and Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush.
Singer, author, and actress Cheryl Ladd is a registered Republican.
Former World No. 1 professional tennis player Chris Evert was romantically linked with several conservative men, including Republican president Gerald Ford’s son John Gardner Ford.
Actor Dean Cain is a registered Republican.
Dennis Franz & Rick Schroeder
Actors Dennis Franz (L) and Rick Schroeder are registered Republicans.
Stand-up comedian Dennis Miller supported Rudy Giuliani for president in 2008. After Giuliani’s departure from the race, he then expressed his support for John McCain.
The late actress Dixie Carter was a registered Republican who described her political views as libertarian. She was interviewed by Bill O’Reilly at the 2000 Republican National Convention. Carter once described herself as “the only Republican in show business.”
Don King has consistently supported Republican presidential candidates over the years.
Comedian Drew Carey/AP
Dr. Phil is a registered Republican.
“The View” co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck is a registered Republican and outspoken conservative on the show.
Singer Gloria Estefan is a registered Republican.
Actress Heather Locklear is a registered Republican.
Award-winning actor and comedian Jackie Mason endorsed Jennifer Horn, the Republican candidate for Congress from Nashua, NH.
Professional golfer Jack Nicklaus is a registered Republican.
James Earl Jones
Actor James Earl Jones is a registered Republican.
Academy-award nominated actor James Woods is a Republican, and he was a vocal supporter of U.S. President George W. Bush and former Mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani.
Former M*A*S*H star Jamie Farr has frequently donated to the Republican National Committee.
Actress Janine Turner is a frequent contributor to Republican-party candidates and organizations.
Singer Jessica Simpson is a registered Republican.
Former NBA star Karl Malone is a registered Republican.
Model Kathy Ireland is a registered Republican.
Musician Kid Rock is a registered Republican.
Model Kim Alexis is a registered Republican.
Actor Kirk Cameron is a registered Republican.
Country music singer LeAnn Rimes sang for the GOP faithful at the party aptly called “Red, Rhythm & Rimes.”
LL Cool J
Rapper LL Cool J attended the 2004 Republican National Convention.
Country music singer, songwriter Loretta Lynn is a registered Republican.
Country-pop music singer-songwriter Martina McBride is a registered Republican.
Mary Lou Retton
Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton delivered the Pledge of Allegiance on the second night of the 2004 Republican National Convention.
Singer Meat Loaf is a registered Republican.
Former NFL player and coach Mike Ditka is a self-described “ultra-ultra-ultra conservative.” He reportedly considered running against Democrat Barack Obama for an open seat in the U.S. Senate for Illinois in the 2004 Senate election.
Singer Nick Lachey is a registered Republican.
Actress Patricia Heaton is a registered Republican.
Wheel Of Fortune host Pat Sajak was a major donor to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and often posts political commentary on his official website. According to public records, Sajak has donated over $17,000 to Republican candidates.
Model and actress Rachel Hunter is a registered Republican.
Actor and director Robert Conrad is a registered Republican.
Actor Robert Davi narrated several film montages that aired during the 2008 Republican National Convention.
Actor Robert Duvall was personally invited to Republican President George W. Bush’s inauguration in 2001. According to MSNBC, Duvall narrated most of the videos for the 2008 Republican Convention.
Irish tenor Ronan Tynan performed at the prayer service marking George W. Bush ‘s second inauguration.
The late actor, director, and producer Ron Silver was an outspoken supporter for President George W. Bush, citing the September 11, 2001 attacks. He spoke at the United States 2004 Republican National Convention.
Former Van Halen member Sammy Hagar is a republican, and contributed thousands of dollars to George W. Bush’s re-election campaign.
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar is a registered Republican.
Actor Scott Baio was a member of Young Americans for Freedom, a conservative youth organization.
Singer and actress Shirley Jones is a registered Republican who appeared at the 1988 Republican Convention and sang the National Anthem. She also sang at the 2003 lighting of the National Christmas Tree at President George W. Bush’s request.
Since 2001, actor Stephen Baldwin has become an outspoken Christian conservative, with a Christian ministry and book to his name.
Emmy Award winning actress Susan Lucci is an outspoken conservative Republican, and has planned fundraising events for former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani, with the help of his ex-wife, Donna Hanover.
Actor Sylvester Stallone is a registered Republican.
Hard rock guitarist Ted Nugent serves on the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association, and was rumored to be under consideration by the Illinois Republican Party as its candidate in that state’s 2004 Senate race.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
In 2000, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson delivered a speech at the Republican National Convention.
Actor Tom Selleck is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association. He has endorsed Sen. John McCain for President.
Actor Tony Danza is a registered Republican.
Country music singer Trace Adkins sang the National Anthem at the 2008 Republican National Convention.
Actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, Vincent Gallo claims to be a supporter of the Republican Party, and has claimed that his fantasy is “becoming more like the stereotype of the Republican Party.”
Actor, filmmaker Clint Eastwood has been registered as a Republican since 1951 and supported Richard Nixon’s 1968 presidential campaign, he describes himself as a libertarian.
In 2002, singer Britney Spears said, “Honestly, I think we should just trust our president in every decision that he makes, and we should just support that, you know, and be faithful in what happens.”
Actor Kelsey Grammer is a member of the Republican Party. In 2008, he endorsed Rudy Giuliani for president; but, once Giuliani had pulled out of the race, Grammer then campaigned for John McCain.
Action star Chuck Norris is a Republican. He has donated more than $32,000 to Republican candidates and organizations since 1988. Norris once filled in for Sean Hannity as a co-host on the popular Fox News Channel debate program Hannity & Colmes.
Actress Angie Harmon is a Republican. She and her husband delivered a speech at the 2004 Republican National Convention. She supports John McCain for President.
The late actor Dennis Hopper was a registered Republican.
Author Tom Clancy has generally been regarded as a political conservative, and has donated over US$256,000 to Republican Party political candidates. Some of his books bear dedications to Republican political figures, most notably Ronald Reagan.
Country music singer, songwriter and activist Naomi Judd has been a registered Republican for many years and was a supporter of the George W Bush administration.
During an interview with Sean Hannity, actor Danny Aiello pointed out that he is a conservative.
Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway has contributed to a number of Republican Party candidates in recent elections. He considered running for the U.S. Senate as a Republican.
Country music singer Sara Evans performed at the 2004 Republican National Convention.
Country singer Lee Ann Womack sang at the Republican National Convention in 2004.
Founding member of the punk rock group The Ramones, Johnny Ramone was registered as a Republican.
Actress Shannon Doherty is a registered Republican.
NASCAR driver Richard Petty was the Republican nominee for North Carolina Secretary of State in 1996.
Country music singer Marie Osmond is a registered Republican.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a registered Republican.
Actor Mel Gibson has been widely perceived as a conservative Republican, even though he has never identified himself as such. Many of Gibson’s positions are in accordance with traditional Catholicism. He released a statement in March 2005 condemning the euthanasia of Terri Schiavo, and has criticized stem cell research. | <urn:uuid:54599bf4-acc8-4a1f-a9c2-df3cc74229f1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/photo-galleries/2010/09/16/conservative-celebrities/photo-1223/ | 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 | 0.933394 | 2,049 | 1.5 | 2 |
‘Honky Tonk for Horses’ will help pay for 35 animals now at Ranch Hand Rescue, another 22 horses now in rehab after being rescued
DAVID TAFFET | Staff Writer [email protected]
Bob Williams is passionate about rescuing abused and neglected farm animals — so passionate that he and his partner, Marty Polasko, opened a sanctuary for them.
Next Thursday, Dec. 16, Williams hopes to raise $10,000 for his organization, Ranch Hand Rescue, at Honky Tonk for Horses, a silent auction being held at The Mule Barn, a sports bar in Justin, just north of Fort Worth.
Ranch Hand Rescue provides sanctuary and medical care for abused farm animals from around North Texas. Founded in April 2009, the rescue has already saved 85 farm animals — mostly horses but also donkeys, mules, llamas, pigs, a turtle and rabbits.
“We work with law enforcement on animal abuse,” Williams said. “When the owner’s arrested, we’re called in.”
Currently, Ranch Hand Rescue has 35 animals adopted into their sanctuary and 22 horses in rehab. They’re involved in four current investigations.
Williams has no sympathy for anyone abusing animals.
“When we’re involved in these cases, we work to see the owner is prosecuted,” he said.
He said he is working with legislators to fix current state animal abuse laws. Beating an animal to death is a felony in Texas, but starving an animal to death is just a misdemeanor. Williams wants that fixed.
Williams said that Ranch Hand Rescue has four components.
“Our baby is the sanctuary,” he said.
That’s where they care for animals that have lived through abuse and neglect.
Rescue is the second piece of their mission. They have put together a network of foster families throughout Texas who help them nurse animals back to health. Starvation is the biggest problem.
“We have to jump-start their digestive systems,” Williams said. That involves giving the animals medication, special feed in small amounts and eight meals a day.
And a lot of love, Williams said.
Third, Ranch Hand Rescue is involved in working with legislators to change animal cruelty laws. But Williams stresses his organization gets no financial help from the state or local governments.
Finally, Williams said, “Because we have a sanctuary, we have groups come in — kids with AIDS, autistic children, disabled kids.”
On Saturday, Dec. 11, a group from Cumberland Presbyterian Children’s Home, an orphanage and transitional home for abused children in Denton, will spend the day at the sanctuary. Williams said that they’ll tell the children the story of the animals and let them interact. Then Santa will arrive on a fire truck with presents.
The money raised at Honky Tonk for Horses will go directly toward care of the animals. Williams described the extent of injuries he’s currently dealing with.
“Most horses come in with worms,” he said. “One was beaten so badly her withers are broken. We want her in a home where she’ll be loved and cared for.”
A horse named Midnight came in without a hoof. Williams is making a prosthetic leg and hoping some of the veterinary cost of replacing it will be donated.
The sanctuary can accommodate about 55 sick animals that are penned, but when they become healthy and need more space, some have to be moved out.
They already have some land in McKinney and are hoping to finalize a deal on more property in Gainesville this week, Williams said.
American Pet Spa & Resort in Argyle has been Ranch Hand Rescue’s major sponsor. Polasko owns the boarding and grooming company where pets take pampered vacations while their owners are away.
Williams said a large number of customers drive out from Oak Lawn because of the extraordinary care Polasko gives their pets.
But the cost of caring for the farm animals begins with about $500 to transport an animal and several hundred dollars in veterinary bills for each animal before treatment begins. Feed and on-going care runs about $125 per animal per month.
Much of the funding has comes from the LGBT community, but as the organization expands, the need for additional funds grows.
Honky Tonk for Horses is expected to be the largest fundraiser for the organization so far. The silent auction features DVD players, race packages including hotel stays and tickets, autographed sports and Hollywood memorabilia, Rangers tickets, restaurant gift certificates and more.
Entertainment will be provided by a number of local bands.
Everybody Love Raymond actress Doris Roberts is a supporter of Ranch Hand Rescue and plans to come to Fort Worth in the spring for a fundraising event. Billy Bob’s Texas has offered to participate.
In addition, Williams said that they’ve recently hired a fundraising director and a grant writer.
Although Pet Smart doesn’t do horses as part of their retail business, through their foundation, they’ve provided volunteers and other assistance.
How successful has Ranch Hand Rescue been in saving animals from neglect and abuse? Has an animal’s suffering ever been so great that they decided to put it down?
“As long as they don’t suffer, we’ll do whatever it takes,” Williams said. “We never lost one yet.”
Honky Tonk for Horses, The Mule Barn, 218 Highway 156, Justin. Dec. 16 from 5 p.m. to closing. No cover charge.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition December 10, 2010. | <urn:uuid:4ab6e382-00be-474a-987c-6a8a0d4ef5d9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dallasvoice.com/tag/rabbits | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953173 | 1,197 | 1.5 | 2 |
Rice yields higher than last yearPublished 12:54am Monday, August 29, 2011
VIDALIA — Even after two straight years of dry and unreasonably hot weather, Concordia Parish rice farmers are doing better than they expected.
With the rice harvest in full swing, LSU AgCenter Concordia Parish County Agent Nan Huff said farmers are looking at yields approximately 40 bushels an acre higher than in 2010.
Huff said 11,543 acres of rice were planted in Concordia Parish in 2011, with yields averaging anywhere from 140 bushels an acre to 180. The average yield in 2010 was 136 bushels per acre.
“Things have been better throughout the parish,” she said. “(Rice) was able to come out in very good shape.”
Natchez resident and rice farmer Walter Davis said he started harvesting his rice crops Aug. 11, and the first two weeks of the harvest have been outstanding.
“Things are looking great,” he said. “We are looking much better than last year.”
Davis said the 920 acres of rice planted in Clayton were approximately the same amount of rice he planted last year.
“Even though it was just as hot and dry last summer, we did pretty well,” he said. “So we knew we could do it again this year.”
Davis said due to the high heat, he, like most farmers who saw positive results this summer, irrigated his fields.
“If we wouldn’t have done it, we might as well have not planted,” he said. “But we did, and the irrigation really paid off.”
Davis said even with the two summers of dry weather, he didn’t have to use as much water as he was expecting.
Huff said rice wasn’t affected as much by the drought because of the way it is planted.
“The rice seed is grown in water, so the lack of rain played a very minor role,” she said. “(Rice) farmers did experience higher irrigation costs, but nothing too ridiculous.”
Huff said the summer’s high heat had the greatest effect on the crops.
“The heat just affected the rice during pollination,” she said. “But it wasn’t too much of a problem, especially with yields like this.”
Davis said the high price of rice, $546 per metric ton, is going to be a huge asset to rice farmers looking to make money.
With the harvest almost complete, Davis said the last thing left to do on his land is prepare the ground for duck hunting.
“We do this every year,” he said. “It is always something we love to do.”
The U.S. Rice Federation designates every September as rice month to coincide with the harvest, and Concordia Parish rice farmers will know just how well they did by the end of next month. | <urn:uuid:4960b15a-224d-45d7-914a-349b2dab567f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2011/08/29/rice-yields-higher-than-last-year/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985007 | 637 | 1.679688 | 2 |
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Article published Oct 18, 2012
American signals help wanted
NEW YORK Wanted: A few good recruits to serve coffee and help combat terrorism at 30,000 feet.
American Airlines said Wednesday that it will post job openings for 1,500 flight attendants next month. It will start hiring in December and put the new staff in training beginning in January.
That may seem like a strange move for a company trying to cut labor costs under bankruptcy protection. But the airline needs to replace some of the 2,205 flight attendants who accepted a $40,000 buyout to leave the company — the equivalent of about a year’s salary. It’s the first time the company has hired flight attendants in 11 years.
The departing flight attendants all started working before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Since then, they’ve seen their company lose more than $10 billion.
The airline has about 16,000 flight attendants. The buyouts were part of a concessionary contract approved by flight attendants in August and were aimed at reducing the number of layoffs. The contract would impose tougher scheduling rules, but give the attendants a 3 percent stake in American’s parent, AMR Corp., after it emerges from bankruptcy protection.
AMR reported Wednesday that it lost $238 million in the third quarter on employee severance payouts and other costs related to its bankruptcy. The quarterly loss works out to 71 cents per share. A year ago, AMR lost $162 million, or 48 cents per share.
U.S. flight attendants made an average of $37,740 a year as of 2010, according to the most recent data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. American says its flight attendants make about $45,000 a year on average, not including a supplement for meals and other travel expenses.
American’s flight attendants stay in the job for an average of 21 years — longer than any other work group. The average American flight attendant is now more than 50 years old, according to the Association of Professional Flight Attendants.
Order the Telegram & Gazette, delivered daily to your home or office! www.telegram.com/homedelivery
Copyright Worcester Telegram & Gazette Corp. | <urn:uuid:302713b3-167a-4a87-a25d-4b6568c9e890> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.telegram.com/article/20121018/NEWS/110189917/0/business16&Template=printart | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940585 | 472 | 1.546875 | 2 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 7, 2009
Governor Jindal Signs Bill Increasing Louisiana's In-State Emergency Shelter Capacity
- Today, Governor Bobby Jindal signed a bill into law that will increase Louisiana's in-state emergency shelter capacity. The new law - Senate Bill 279 by Senator Mike Walsworth - will allow facilities owned or leased by the state or local governments to be used as shelters during emergency evacuations.
Governor Jindal said, "This new law will work to indentify and ready in-state facilities for use as emergency shelters so that we can ensure that our people have a safe location to evacuate to in the event of a disaster. This legislation will reduce our need for out of state shelter capacity, and will help our state to better prepare for future storms."
DSS Secretary Kristy Nichols said, "This new law will allow us to utilize the resources in our state so we may adequately shelter our own in a time of disaster."
The new law works to increase shelter space by allowing public facilities owned or leased by the state or local governments, such as schools and postsecondary education facilities, which are suitable for use as public evacuation shelters to be made available at the request of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness during an emergency.
In addition, $7.5 million in surplus funds was included in House Bill 2 to support eligible state buildings that need retrofitting and renovations to allow for their use as emergency shelter space under this new law. | <urn:uuid:7c55c38f-15c4-444b-97d3-01a7b504aa4a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dss.state.la.us/index.cfm?md=emaillist&tmp=viewcampaign&nowrap=1&msgid=241&uid=h%3Ehxnhh%7B | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954514 | 303 | 1.5625 | 2 |
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Doctors, scientists, therapists, politicians—what do they all have in common? The answer doesn’t have anything to do with the kind of work they do. It has to do with the personalities of the professionals themselves. All of the men and women working in these jobs have earned a college degree. Doctors, scientists, therapists and politicians aren’t the only ones that have to go to college—so do journalists, nurses, professors, criminal investigators, graphic designers, computer experts, and engineers. Let’s face it, in order to work in any profession that will fulfill your childhood dreams, you’ll need a college degree. Spending a minimum of 2 to 4 four years completing your education can make a huge difference in the rest of your life. And guess what? The entire education process has been extended into the digital world. Online colleges are now just as valuable as a traditional, campus-based college for most career paths.
The True Value of Online Colleges
Want to know how the world views online colleges? In a study released by Pew Research in August 2011, they found that 51 percent of college presidents (from campus-based schools) said that online colleges offer the same value of education as traditional higher education institutions. And what’s more, online courses are going to become critical to education for all grade levels—from preschool to a doctorate degree. These same college presidents also said that right now about 15 percent of their students participate in online courses. This number is expected to grow drastically over the next few years.
If college presidents are predicting that online universities and courses will be vital to education, you can bet that the world of education is about to see some big changes. Even though most students are still leery of online schools, many of the people running institutions of higher education are confident that the quality of online education is equivalent to on-campus education. This is especially true now that most online colleges have received accreditation from governmental agencies to ensure quality.
Advantages of Online Schools and Universities
Before you decide whether online schools are for you or not, take a look at some of these advantages that are only available through online degree programs:
- Global. Online schools are available to individuals around the world. Whether you live it home, or have moved halfway across the world, you will be able to take online courses. All you need is an Internet connection and a computer.
- Flexible. Online courses give you the flexibility to work on your schoolwork any time of the day or night. If you work full-time, you’ll be able to fit in your reading and homework assignments during your lunch breaks or before and after work. Setting your own daily schedule is completely up to you. While most online colleges have an overall deadline for a course, you will be able to do the work within that larger time frame at any pace you wish.
- Lower costs. While online colleges do require a tuition fee like all other schools, they help you cut costs by not requiring you to commute, pay for housing, or waste precious time commuting to and from class when you could be studying. Less time travelling also means more time for working and earning money to pay for school. So not only do you have to pay less in living expenses when you take online courses, but you have more time to earn money by being able to set a more flexible schedule.
- Financial Aid. Just like traditional, campus-based schools, online schools can offer financial aid to any students who need it. This means that loans, grants, and scholarships will all still be applicable in the same manner for online schools as they are for traditional schools.
- Military. Going right along with financial aid benefits, military personnel will be able to use the GI Bill to help them pay for online schools as well as campus-based schools. Online colleges are just as supportive and willing to help those in the military as any other institution of higher education.
- Time with family. Last, and most important, is the fact that completing an education through an online institution will allow you to budget your time better. For those people who have a family, this can make it possible to adjust your schedule to meet the needs of family members. If you need to spend time with children, for example, you will be able to work your education around the more important process of raising a family. When you aren’t busy taking care of family, you’ll be able to snag a few minutes to work on your degree. And once you complete your college education, the quality of life for not only you, but everyone important to you, will improve.
Levels of Online College Degrees
Whether you want to be certified in a technical field, earn an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree, or aspire to carry the title of “doctor”, online colleges can make it happen. My Colleges and Careers provides online tools that help students connect with the schools that can best help them complete their educational and career goals. It’s amazing how far even the smallest increase in education can take you. Don’t wait a day more to get started on your college degree! | <urn:uuid:8c14d8b3-2a97-4c38-a9c4-d59ba47e51f9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mycollegesandcareers.com/online-college/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958375 | 1,154 | 1.71875 | 2 |
New York City’s unemployment rate jumped to 7.2 percent last month from 6.2 percent in November as some employers cut back on hiring for the holiday season and others continued laying off workers, the State Department of Labor reported on Thursday.
The city’s unemployment rate is now at its highest level since July 2004 and equal to the national rate of unemployment, according to the report. In December 2007, the city’s unemployment rate was 5.2 percent; a year before that, it was at a historically low level of 4.3 percent.
The recent rise reflects a steepening slump in the city, where the job market had been stronger than the nation’s for a couple of years.
“We have a job market that has markedly deteriorated,” said James Brown, who analyzes employment trends in the city for the Labor Department. “Employers are nervous enough about the situation that they are pulling back from normal patterns of hiring. And that’s beyond the industries, like brokerage firms, that we know are downsizing.”
The city ended the year with 3.21 million jobs, almost 50,000 fewer than it had at the end of 2007, Mr. Brown said. The biggest contributor to that decline was financial services, which shed 18,800 jobs during the year.
In December, the city’s private-sector job count declined by 8,500, compared with a normal increase of almost 20,000 jobs as retailers, restaurants and other businesses added workers to handle the surge of holiday spending.
There were about 282,000 unemployed people in the city last month, the highest number in about five years, according to the Labor Department’s figures. That number is expected to rise as companies continue adjusting to the sharp downturn in the economy, economists said.
“The historical perspective is that declines of this magnitude take a while to replace,” Mr. Brown said. “We haven’t had any of these sharp downturns and then, six months later, you have strong job growth.” He said he expected that “we’d be well into 2010 before you’d expect any noticeable over-the-year job growth.” | <urn:uuid:c1b3794f-a201-4fb9-9ab3-cc462109fcb7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/city-unemployment-rate-jumps-to-72-percent/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970003 | 464 | 1.773438 | 2 |
EL DORADO RESERVOIR — It’s a sailing crisis aboard the Blind Obsession, when mechanical failure suddenly puts the 26-footer adrift and headed toward the shallows.
But Bill Clark quickly hustles down his boat’s narrow side and makes the necessary adjustments to get a sail in operation.
All is well because he knows the workings of his boat like the back of his hand, after having learned them with only with the front of his hands.
Clark, 72, has been blind since 1969.
“When I get a boat, I spend an entire day or two just crawling over it, feeling everything,” Clark said.
The Blind Obsession is one of three sailboats he owns. The name seems perfect for someone who has refused to let blindness keep him from his obsession with sailing and other things before an industrial accident when he was 29.
Clark said a desire to share his love of the water with his family helped after the accident.
“When it first happened, I thought all this was over,” Clark said as he sailed with his friend, Gary Mackey, on Tuesday afternoon. “But a couple of years after the accident, when my boys were about 7 and 8, we bought an old boat that needed some help.”
Seeing the boat through his fingers and the descriptions of his children, the Clarks remodeled the old boat and eventually launched it on Cheney Reservoir.
Clark trusted his young sons’ abilities to watch for obstacles and handle the tiller. They moored the boat away from others to be safe.
“They got to be pretty good sailors,” Clark said. “It was a great family sport. We had a lot of fun.”
Teenage distractions eventually pulled the boys from sailing, but Clark never left. He’s a regular at the Walnut Valley Sailing Club, participating in races in his boat or helping on another.
“About all I need is a helmsman,” he said. “I can’t see where we’re going, but other than that I’m pretty good. I can read the wind and feel things happening. I usually know what’s going on.”
He has traveled to Florida and other places for sailing, and has been hired as a crewman on some larger ships. He also fixes up sailboats and estimates he’s bought 20 sailboats to be fixed and sold since the accident.
Once he’s figured out the workings of a boat, Clark seldom gets it confused with others. He learns them internally as well as externally.
Sitting by the helm, he tossed something down into the Blind Obsession’s cabin, then described to within inches of where it landed so he could quickly find it again.
Clark does nearly all of the work when it comes to repairing or remodeling his boats. He recently purchased a heavy-duty sewing machine so he can help repair sails.
His willingness to share his knowledge and skills has made Clark a popular member at the club.
“People go to him with questions and he’ll tell them everything he knows, and help any way he can,” Mackey said.
He described how a member recently went to Clark and described a problem with his boat’s keel. Clark went with him, jumped in, swam under the boat and diagnosed what was wrong with his hands before helping with the repair.
“Technically he sees with hands, so it doesn’t matter if he’s under the water or above,” Mackey said.
Clark has quit water skiing but still dances.
“Women just love him at places like The Candle Club because he’s such a great dancer,” Mackey said. “He just makes the rounds, and seems to keep dancing all night.”
Clark said he’s equally happy spending his nights on the Blind Obsession, which is moored in a slip that gives him easiest access to the sleep-aboard boat and club facilities.
“I like it at night, when it’s real quiet and I can get a lot of work done,” Clark said after a sail with Mackey. “It’s cooler after dark, and I have the advantage that I don’t need lights to see what I’m doing.” | <urn:uuid:8b85c722-81b2-4b44-9ef2-ad8f258578dc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kansas.com/2012/07/01/2393813/blind-sailor-continues-his-obsession.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982254 | 934 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Professor Anthony Hollander
As scientists, we're sometimes viewed as another species. I'm on a bit of a mission to break down that stereotype by showing that I'm a human being.
From sport to music, to much, much more...
Did you know that many University facilities are open to the public? You could catch a play or lunchtime concert, join a sports class, explore the seasons at the Botanic Garden or even use our conference facilities.
The Botanic Garden offers a wide range of activities for the public, from courses and tours, science picnics and public talks, to concerts, festivals and performances. Alternatively, you can just explore it at your own leisure.
Whether you are looking to improve your health, train for an event or just have fun, there are plenty of sporty choices on offer at the Centre for Sport, Exercise and Health.
The University has a number of conference facilities available for hire. With the latest audio-visual equipment available, on-site catering, and a wide variety of rooms, using our space and resources will make sure your event is a success.
Members of the public can use the libraries, but this access is limited and advance approval is required. There are, however, a number of specialist collections which are open to the public on an appointment basis, such as the Theatre Collection. The University also houses the Special Collections - unique archives which are open to the public by appointment.
The Department of Music holds regular lunchtime and evening concerts in the beautiful Victoria Rooms. The building is also the venue for a number of research seminars, lectures, exhibitions and conferences. To find out about hiring the Victoria Rooms for your event, see the Conference Office website.
Home to student and professional performances, Wickham Theatre is an exciting place to enjoy dramatic art. It is also used extensively for research projects in a range of forms and media. | <urn:uuid:9fc229dc-08cb-4b65-9843-c50850ee8366> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bris.ac.uk/public-engagement/uni-facilities/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954007 | 385 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Madrid, Spain (CNN)- An Iranian woman living in Spain is welcoming a Tehran court ruling that awards her eye-for-an-eye justice against a suitor who blinded her.
In a Spanish radio interview, she says her aim isn't revenge -- it's to make sure her suffering isn't repeated.
Ameneh Bahrami was blinded and disfigured in 2004 when a man she had spurned threw acid on her. Late last year, an Iranian court reportedly ruled that Islamic justice calls for the attacker to be blinded with acid, too.
But the victim says she is entitled to blind Majid Movahedi in only one eye, because under Iranian law "each man is worth two women."
She also says he would be blinded by having several drops of acid put into one eye, whereas she had acid splashed all over her face and other parts of her body.
She says she's waiting for a letter from the court telling her to go back to Iran for the punishment to be carried out.
Bahrami tells CNN she first crossed paths with her attacker Movahedi in 2002, when they attended the same university. She was a 24-year-old electronics student. He was 19. She never noticed him until they shared a class. He sat next to her one day and brushed up against her. Bahrami says she knew it wasn't an accident.
"I moved away from him," she said, "but he brushed up against me again." When Bahrami stood up in class and screamed for him to stop, Movahedi just looked at her in stunned silence. Bahrami said that over the next two years, Movahedi kept harassing her and making threats, even as he asked her to marry him.
Then one day she was leaving work and he snuck up behind her. When she turned around he threw acid on her face. | <urn:uuid:c668f9fa-e382-4fe5-93a7-b8fecf744a01> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=71177&provider=top | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.990877 | 392 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Last year Evo Terra and I sat down to riff on social media topics, and we’ve been working to get some videos out with the goofy output. This time up, the topic is Twitter – why it is so popular, how it evolved, and how it can make money:
These were fun sessions, and worked well because Evo and I both are nauseatingly familiar with this topic, and because we actively employed Yes, And. There is always an element of creation to improv, but if you don’t know the topic you’re improving about you’re going to get tangential comments at best. By always agreeing and accepting what the other players say and building on it, you find yourself going in new directions that neither of you would have explored individually.
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- How Do You Use Twitter? (momblognetwork.com) | <urn:uuid:af4780ff-fd40-4371-9cb3-3509944425fd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://improvmedia.com/tag/life/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947093 | 228 | 1.640625 | 2 |
COLUMBUS — One of the themes of Ohio’s U.S. senate campaign is that incumbent Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, is so liberal that he is sometimes ranked to the left of Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a socialist.
After reading Brown’s 2004 book, “Myths of Free Trade,” I say forget Sanders. You can peg Brown to the left of Leon Trotsky, on one question, at least.
I know. The American Right spent so many years denouncing liberals as “commies” and “Marxists” that the words seem meaningless.
Nevertheless, there’s no mistaking the source of Brown’s politics – it’s Karl Marx.
I surely do not mean that Brown is part of any revolutionary plot. But his view of economics is fundamentally Marxian — not “liberal” — and his ideas about wealth and jobs are noxious to the creation of both.
Until I began reading “Myths of Free Trade” a few days ago, I had Brown figured as just another anti-China demagogue making his living off Rust Belt resentment. Now I’m convinced of his sincerity, but his reason for hating free trade has little to do with economic costs and benefits. He just thinks big business is evil, more so if not restrained by U.S. law.
In a campaign that’s all about jobs, that sort of hostility struck me as a liability, so I read the rest. Now I think that his anti-capitalist hostility goes a lot deeper than campaign trail rabble-rousing: Brown really believes in the worldwide struggle of the proletariat against the bourgeoisie. So says Sanders, at least.
“I’ve known him for many years,” Sanders says. “What’s very clear is that Sherrod Brown knows which side of the struggle he is on.”
Here’s what I learned from Brown’s book:
Brown has no idea how money gets made or how business ever benefits the working man.
Brown sees employment as exploitative. The worker and the boss aren’t just on opposite side of the table; they’re enemies, separate classes struggling with one another. Any good Marxist will tell you that class struggle isn’t just inevitable, but good: it’s the engine of historical progress.
Companies do not share their wealth with valued workers, but governments and unions sometimes succeed in coercing more from them. This is one of two big reasons Brown is so hostile to companies going abroad – they’re out of reach.
The other reason Brown hates imports and trade is that he thinks a nation’s real wealth is in its industrial base. Basic Marxist theory is that the “means of production” form the base of a society; the rest — including law, religion and art — is just “superstructure.” The thousands of maquiladora factories just across the Texas border in Juarez represent the destruction of America’s wealth by the pirates who temporarily own them.
Combine those two notions and you have Brown’s basic view of the economy. It’s never explicitly laid out; the book is more of a long complaint than a policy prescription, but there is a shape to the complaint.
The basic idea is that busy factories make money (off the sweat and ingenuity of workers, of course), but some of that money does get to the middle class through unions and government redistribution; then the middle class can afford to buy the things they make at work. If that system isn’t hermetically sealed from cheap foreign goods and labor, it will all fall apart.
Throughout the book, Brown talks up “good-paying jobs” in manufacturing. He cites a 19th Century advocate of central planning named Friedrich List on its importance:
‘The forces of production are the tree on which wealth grows…. The tree which bears the fruit is of itself of greater value than the fruit itself,’ List wrote in his seminal work, The National System of Political Economy, in 1841. A nation is not measured by its wealth and its purchasing power, but ‘in the proportion in which it has more developed its powers of production.’
Let’s leave aside the irony of Brown citing List (List thought nobody could compete in trade with the dominant power; Brown thinks the dominant power can’t compete with anybody).
There’s a reason List’s idea is collecting dust. In a globalized economy, manufacturing simply isn’t as important as it once was, no matter what Marx wrote.
Take the iPad, which by itself counted for about $4 billion worth of the U.S.-China trade gap in 2011, according to the Economist. Chinese labor costs for assembling the iPad (about $150 million) represent just 2 percent of the product’s retail value. On the other hand, 30 percent of the revenue goes to the shareholders as profits, while American workers in design, development, marketing, distribution, and retail get about 20 percent of the revenues.
The money just isn’t in manufacturing any more. And Apple’s success isn’t dependent on its subcontractors at Foxconn buying iPads.
Yet Brown writes, “As long as wages stay low in developing countries, workers will never be able to buy what they make, and global supply will continue to outrun global demand. As long as workers in developing countries are paid less than the value they add to a product, worldwide demand will continue to stagnate.”
This passage is a dead giveaway. It is pure labor theory of value, which underlies Marxian economics.
According to the theory, which made some sense in a time of handicrafts, it’s the worker who creates value by turning $1 of raw materials into a finished product that can be sold for $2. The capitalist exploits the worker by paying him a dime for labor worth a dollar. That leaves the capitalist a profit of 90 cents – or 90 cents of surplus value, as Marx called it.
Brown’s Marxian idea, that workers must not be “paid less than the value they add to a product,” is an explicit rejection of both corporate business and profit-making. If the retail price is $2, the raw materials cost $1, and it’s wrong to pay the worker anything less than $1, then there’s no profit and no business.
Brown doesn’t have the political power to outlaw profits, but he sure can rage against the companies that make them, can’t he?
As a practical matter, Brown believes government’s role is to redistribute enough of those profits to the middle class that they can afford to buy things. The “challenge (that) faces U.S. policy makers,” Brown writes, is that in “industry after industry there is a surplus of capacity and a lack of demand. The only solution is to create new markets — the crisis of overproduction, what Marx called one of the “internal contradictions” of capitalism.
Marx’s idea was that capitalism produces an ever-expanding supply of goods and services that an impoverished proletariat can’t afford, leading to surplus capacity and the periodic economic crises that we call recessions. It ties back to the labor theory of value – if a worker is paid just a fraction of the final price of the goods he produces, then in the aggregate, workers have just a fraction of the money they would need to buy all of the aggregate goods. Hence, oversupply, a problem that exists only in the minds of Marxists.
These sorts of overproduction crises don’t exist in real life, because businesses just don’t operate that way. Every now and then, they guess wrong and make a bunch of Pontiac Azteks or JarJar Binks merchandise, but a modern corporation gauges the market and controls its inventory. They start with what customers want. Marx hated that approach, heaping scorn on the “brutal, capitalistic form, where the laborer exists for the process of production, and not the process of production for the laborer.”
If you start with the laborer’s needs and build businesses around them, then you might end up with Brown’s “industry after industry” that nobody wants to buy from.
To the degree that this can be called economics, it’s well outside the mainstream, whether Keynesian or free market, to say the least.
In real life, wealth is created by improvements in productivity and efficiency, by moving assets toward more profitable use, and by inventing new uses. For most of us, that means learning a valuable new skill can lead to a raise or a better-paying job. Just getting good at your job means a lot, at least if your company is any good. But the idea has broad application.
Mainstream economists also recognize that a booming economy helps us all, albeit unequally, but you don’t need an economist to tell you what you know from experience. Low unemployment means more competition for labor, which means better pay, even for unskilled workers.
Brown acknowledges this at one point, writing, “Private industry is the dynamic engine of job growth in our society.” That sentence stands out because it’s the only one of its kind in the book. Nowhere else does he credit business for anything; instead, business is always the bad guy in his story, exploiting workers in every place.
In Brown’s view, U.S. history is the triumph of the people over big business. That’s pretty much straight out of Marx and his writing partner Friedrich Engels’ “Communist Manifesto”: To Marx and Engels, “The history of all hitherto existing societies is the history of class struggle.” Socialism was seen as a transitional stage in which a capitalist society moved toward true communism; it was marked by the triumph of the proletariat over the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie. In other words, the people finally overcome the rich businessmen who really run the country.
Here’s Brown’s reading of the last century:
It has been a one-hundred-year battle between the privileged and the rest of us. We took on oil and chemical companies to enact clean air and safe drinking water laws. We overcame industry opposition to pass auto safety rules. We beat back insurance and medical interests to establish Medicare and Medicaid for senior citizens and poor children. We fought off Wall Street bankers to create Social Security. We battled entrenched business interests to enact women’s and civil rights, protections for the disabled, and prohibitions on child labor. We fought for all of it.
Every bit of progress made in the struggle for economic and social justice came over the opposition of society’s most privileged and most powerful. Remarkably, it was ordinary working families who won so many of these battles against the most entrenched, well-heeled interests.
Brown believes that corporations were heartened by the slaughter of protestors at Tiananmen Square: “Since June 4, 1989, when hundreds – perhaps thousands – of Chinese civilians were murdered by the People’s Liberation Army on Tiananmen Square in Beijing, the U.S. government and America’s largest corporations have seen China as an opportunity, an untapped economic resource.”
You see, they really like hiring Chinese people, who are “as obsequious and obedient as cogs in a 3,000-year-old totalitarian machine must surely be.”
Not only do businesses love dictatorships, they actively undermine democracy around the world, Brown writes.
“As developing nations make progress toward democracy, as they increase worker rights and create regulations to protect the environment, the American business community punishes them by pulling its trade and investment in favor of more totalitarian governments.”
Brown should have found one example to support such a vicious accusation.
Lately, of course, Brown has been trying to pass himself off as a friend of a big business called General Motors, but he hadn’t started that charade when he wrote his book. Twice, he accuses GM of exploiting its workers.
“General Motors, Mexico’s largest private employer, pays its workers about fifty dollars a week. Who will buy the cars?” Later, he says GM tries to evade a Mexican profit-sharing law by claiming “it has no profits from any of its Mexico plants, which are operated as ‘cost centers’ and not ‘profit centers.’” He cites a GM employee who “told us how General Motors, the company union, and the government are all arrayed against him.”
To Brown, even extreme communist expropriation is defensible. Here’s his view of the “land reforms” of Jacobo Arbenz of Guatemala (italics mine):
“In the early 1950s, Arbenz took office and pushed through the legislature a bold land reform program that redistributed unused land from large landowners to Indian peasants. Although many of Arbenz’s advisers were communists (none were connected to the Soviet Union, however), his land reform was fundamentally capitalistic. Land was redistributed into small plots for individual families, not into state-owned collectives. Landowners were compensated in government bonds.”
Clearly, he sees the fundamentals of capitalism rather differently than the rest of us.
Brown doesn’t just hate capitalists; he blames them for the Nazis and World War II. In making the point that free markets do not inevitably lead to democracy (which is true enough), he writes: “World history tells us something very different. The rise of twentieth-century Germany and Japan, fueled by industrial capitalism, led to fascism, not democracy.”
Leaving aside the fact that “industrial capitalism” is a Marxist term, this idea isn’t serious. Weimar Germany and Imperial Japan were mercantile states only emerging out of feudalism, seething with resentments, roiled by economic crises and militarism — the opposite of free-market paradises.
A search for “industrial capitalism” and “Hirohito” gets four hits, so I’m not sure where Brown got the idea. I’d guess it’s been rattling around in his head since his days in Russian Studies at Yale. I did find an article published by the Trotskyist International Communist League making a similar argument about Japan.
As for the Nazis, there’s a whole subgenre of Marxist theory making Brown’s argument, much of it drawing from Franz Leopold Neumann’s book, “Behemoth: The Structure and Practice of National Socialism.”
The theorists have filled their volumes with Marxist dialectics because there’s not much factual support for the idea that big business sponsored Hitler’s rise.
There were a couple of industrialists who may have given some money – Fritz Thyssen, Ernst von Borsig, and Emil Kirdorf. And Hitler did speak to the Dusseldorf Industry Club in 1932, which apparently got him a couple bucks at the door. But there’s not much more on which to base the theory.
That’s because the National Socialist German Workers Party was explicitly anti-capitalist, calling for nationalization of industry, profit sharing, and wide-scale land redistribution.
In 1933, Leon Trotsky himself assessed Hitler’s rise, and whether it owed to industrial capitalists or to the middle class:
While the Nazis acted as a party and not as a state power, they did not quite find an approach to the working class. On the other side, the big bourgeoisie, even those who supported Hitler with money, did not consider his party theirs. The national ‘renaissance’ leaned wholly upon the middle classes….
Not even he thought capitalists were to blame for the Nazis. It’s not easy to find yourself left of Leon Trotsky on any issue, but to be more hostile to big business than the greatest communist theorist of the last century? That’s an accomplishment.
Or maybe Trotsky just wasn’t quite so blinded by ideology. | <urn:uuid:631d8fd7-0d3a-4955-bece-c4ccd1313695> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://watchdog.org/60765/left-of-trotsky-sherrod-brown-blames-wwii-on-capitalism/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957753 | 3,431 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Although Mary Elizabeth Lockey was the only child of Robert Lockey and Minnie Horler, both parents had children from previous marriages as is shown in her obituary published by the Johnson Funeral Home, Lake Wales on Saturday, March 20, 2004.
This description of Farleigh Hungerford, Somerset, England was written and drawn by a Miss Palmer and published by the Ilam anastatic drawing society in 1862
The Book of Beaminster tells the story of the town through words and a remarkable collection of photographs showcasing the locale through the ages. The book was put together by Beaminster Museum, where the authors are all volunteers.
Read the full story by Nicola Rayner in the Dorset Echo
The History and Description of the Public Charities in the town of Frome published in 1833 is based on the report of the report of the Commissioners appointed to enquire into the Charities of England which was published on January 15, 1820, together with other material. This account of the finances of the Free Grammar School was published as an appendix.
The Sandbanks area of Poole has been described as ‘One of the most valuable locations on Earth’, with even quite modest houses selling for over £1M. One hundred years ago the picture was quite different as this description published in 1905 by Charles Harper in his book ‘The Dorset Coast’ shows.
Anglican clergyman, publisher and convert to Roman Catholicism, Charles Kegan Paul (1828-1902) was born on March 8, 1828, at White Lackington, near Ilminster, Somerset the son of Charles Paul, curate of the parish and his wife Frances Kegan Horne. In 1899 he published his autobiography and it is from this that these memories of his early life in Writhlington are derived.
This account of the foundation of Christ Church, Frome Somerset has been extracted from The History and Description of the Public Charities in the town of Frome published in 1833, based on the report of the report of the Commissioners appointed to enquire into the Charities of England which was published on January 15, 1820, together with other material.
This description of Norton St Philip, Somerset, England was published in 1929 by George Woosung Wade & Joseph Henry Wade in their book, Somerset. The drawing of the George Inn is by Sydney R. Jones and originally published in 1912.
February 11, 2008 at 4:00 am (Genealogy, Location)
Tags: Bower, Bromley, Coombs, Dargai, Gordon, Judge, Kempster, Lockhart, Macbean, Mathias, McIntyre, Norie, Pennell, Robinson, Tillard, Travers, Tyrah, Vickery
As a young man, my Great-grandfather, George Coombs was a soldier in the 1st Batallion of the Dorsetshire Regiment and served during the Tyrah Campaign. This brief account of that action is taken from, Our Soldiers, Gallant Deeds of the British Army during Victoria’s Reign by W.H.G. Kingston.
A New exhibition is opening at a Dorset museum about the role of women in the country’s war effort.
The Royal Signals Museum at Blandford scooped £50,000 of Heritage Lottery Fund towards the cost of the showcase. Work is nearing completion on the Women at War exhibitions and curators hope it will be open in time for half-term.
It will focus on such organisations as the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, Special Operations Executive and Auxiliary Territorial Service
For more information visit the Royal Signals Museum Web Site | <urn:uuid:3fc9589b-c885-47c2-925d-b5b7accd13e4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://myancestors.wordpress.com/2008/02/page/2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969886 | 756 | 1.734375 | 2 |
TIRR Memorial Hermann is one of the premier traumatic brain injury rehabilitation facilities in the world. TIRR's Brain Injury and Stroke Program has been awarded Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Model System designation, a highly competitive recognition with funding from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) of the Department of Education. The TBI Model System grant is lead by neuropsychologist Dr. Mark Sherer, Director of Research for TIRR. The Brain Injury Research Center at TIRR is funded by multiple grants from NIDRR and is designated as a Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Community Integration of Persons with Traumatic Brain Injury.
TIRR's Brain Injury and Stroke Program maximizes each patient's outcome by providing specialized medical management, nursing and therapy services in a hospital setting. Comprehensive interdisciplinary care provides reinforcement of treatment goals throughout the day for patients at all levels of functioning. Individual therapy, group treatment and community outings address the patient's functional abilities outside of the hospital.
If you would like to learn more about participating in a research study or clinical trial, you may find our list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) helpful. If you have a question not addressed on our FAQ list, you may email us at [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:6b4df2eb-7caa-4270-88fd-09d0fef0b68c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tirr.memorialhermann.org/research/traumatic-brain-injury-trials/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932354 | 267 | 1.640625 | 2 |
When did everyone get drunk on nonsense, fall and hit their head? It’s as if people are walking around with mild concussions, unable to hear one thing without completely misunderstaning what they’ve been told.
Christopher Dorner — the man believed responsible for killing the daughter of a retired Los Angeles police captain and her fiancé (and two other law enforcement officers), engaging in a wilderness shootout with sheriffs and park rangers, bounding a husband and wife in their cabin and carjacking a Big Bear resident at gunpoint — was a man that, if guilty, deserved to be punished.
Some will have read the above and agree that Dorner got what was coming to him Tuesday when he was possibly shot to death and burned inside a remote cabin.
Others will undoubtedly read the following as the defense of a man who was a martyr for a greater good:
Dorner — the military veteran and former Los Angeles police officer — prompted much needed if uncomfortable introspection not only by LAPD but all police agencies when he alleged racism and unchecked institutional brutality. The fact that he garnered support and sympathy from a wide spectrum of people suggests his screed tapped into feelings that have been harbored by many.
Neither interpretation is accurate. But people will hear, and read, what they want to hear. It’s easier, it seems, to cling to what we feel rather than what we might reason.
Dorner is not the first person to claim racism, unfair treatement and brutality by the Los Angeles police. He will not be the last to make such claims against any department in the United States. Yet those allegations do not give him or others the right to take innocent lives.
At the same time law enforcement agencies do not have the right to dispense their own brand of justice or suspend civil liberties and due process when one of their own has been threatetend or killed.
Throughout the almost two-week manhunt for Dorner the public learned of officers shooting at people in vehicles that reportedly (and mistakenly) matched the description of what the fugitive was driving.
In San Diego a man was surrounded by police because they believed he was Dorner and hiding in a Point Loma hotel. Authorities would later say the innocent man was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
People joked it was a bad time to be a black man driving a truck in California, while some black men were questioned simply because police wanted to make sure they weren’t the suspect.
While it may have been a bad time to be a black man, a pickup driver, a hotel guest or the victims in two police shootings, it’s been an even worse time for reason. | <urn:uuid:6372ba08-b92f-4228-b25d-b6061cf88e41> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thestarnews.com/from-the-editor/listen-to-what-we-want-to-hear/ | 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 | 0.975279 | 553 | 1.5 | 2 |
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