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SAN FRANCISCO -- Among injection drug users, the type of needle used and the temperature it's stored at can substantially affect the risk of transmitting hepatitis C virus (HCV), researchers found.
Syringes with detachable needles appeared by far the most likely to transmit the virus, Elijah Paintsil, MD, of Yale, and colleagues showed in a laboratory study.
And lower temperatures kept HCV viable for up to 63 days in the syringes with a high void volume, they reported here at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections.
The bottom line is that sharing needles is a bad idea no matter what the conditions, although there may be implications for prevention, Paintsil said at a press conference.
Needle sharing programs typically offer users whatever kind they want, noted co-author Robert Heimer, PhD, also of Yale.
But changing that to offer only types less associated with transmission may help cut down on what has become an epidemic among injection drug users, he said.
These kind of programs aimed at harm reduction have been much more effective in reducing incidence of HIV, which is 10-fold less transmissible than HCV.
By comparison, HCV is a hardy virus -- a grenade to HIV's firecracker of transmissibility, said David Thomas, MD, of Johns Hopkins, moderator of the press conference at which the results were presented.
The researchers investigated why by loading a variety of syringes with HCV-spiked blood and then storing them at different temperatures.
After a delay of up to 63 days, they recovered the virus and tested its infectivity in cell cultures.
At room temperature (22°C, or 72°F), HCV dropped off sharply in activity over the first few hours but then decayed slowly over the next three days.
Whereas the low, 2-μL volume syringe of the sort usually used for insulin administration maintained viable HVC out to three days at room temperature, it extended to seven days at 4ºC (39°F).
For a high, 32-μL volume syringe with detachable needle, some degree of viability was maintained at all temperatures out to 63 days, although again low temperatures maintained greater viability.
Most needles used by injection drug users stay in circulation up to 23 days, a period during which the virus remained at high viral titers, Paintsil said.
The researchers cautioned that this simulation in the laboratory under carefully controlled conditions might not accurately replicate what would happen among intravenous drug users.
It's also possible that other genotypes or strains of the virus would have different survival characteristics.
While these findings suggest increased transmissibility, effects on population level transmission now need to be determined by epidemiologic studies, Paintsil said.
"This is just the first step," but one that may help inform prevention efforts, Thomas concluded at the press conference.
Primary source: Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections
Paintsil E, et al "Survival of HCV in syringes: Implication for HCV transmission among injection drug users" CROI 2010; Abstract 168. | <urn:uuid:d238e659-d422-4db4-8670-6f5172ba35e8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/CROI/18591 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932389 | 652 | 2.609375 | 3 |
Burma's authorities have revised downward the death toll from this week's ethnic violence in the country's west after warning that the strife risks harming the country's reputation as it seeks to shift to democratic rule.
State television reported that 67 people had died, 95 were injured and 2,818 houses burned down from Sunday through to yesterday in seven townships of Rakhine state.
Rakhine state spokesman Win Myaing told reporters shortly before the broadcast that the previous count he had given of 112 dead in violence involving the Buddhist Rakhine and the Muslim Rohingya communities was based on a mistaken tally of figures received by his office. His revised figures of 64 dead and 68 wounded was slightly lower than that given by state television.
"Many of those who were killed as a result of clashes between the two sides, and at least two died of gunshot injuries," Mr Win Myaing said.
There has been no breakdown by ethnic group of the casualties. Some Rakhine residents in affected areas have told The Associated Press they were shot at by government soldiers trying to keep order.
The mob violence has seen entire villages torched and has drawn calls worldwide for government intervention. In June, ethnic violence in the state left at least 90 people dead and destroyed more than 3,000 homes. About 75,000 have been living in refugee camps ever since.
Curfews have been in place in some areas since June, and been extended to others due to the recent violence. Tensions still simmer in part because the government has failed to find any long-term solution to the crisis other than segregating the two communities in some areas.
Thein Sein's government has described the problem as an obstacle to development on other fronts. He took office as an elected president last year, and has instituted economic and political liberalisation after almost half a century of repressive military rule.
"As the international community is closely watching Myanmar's democratic transition, such unrest could tarnish the image of the country," said a statement from the office of President Thein Sein published today in the state-run Myanma Ahlin newspaper.
The long-brewing conflict is rooted in a dispute over the Muslim residents' origin. Although many Rohingya have lived in Myanmar for generations, they are widely denigrated as intruders who came from neighbouring Bangladesh to steal scarce land. | <urn:uuid:a59a574f-27f3-488d-ba45-b389842e1eeb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/burma-death-toll-revised-down-to-67-28878703.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 | 0.986965 | 478 | 1.734375 | 2 |
It’s the same old story. We have seen it before in the privatization of the National Power Corp. (Napocor) where consumers are now being forced to pay more to shoulder stranded costs arising from sweetheart deals with private power generators. We have seen it in the privatization of the MRT where government has been insisting to hike fares to pay for financial obligations arising from guaranteed profits and debt payments. Both punish the public with exorbitant fees and drain the already scant resources of government.
The same fate awaits the Filipino people if the P60-billion privatization and line extension of LRT 1, the largest public-private partnership (PPP) project of President Benigno Aquino III to date, will not be stopped.
Those who are interested to look into the details of the LRT 1 privatization may download a copy of the draft 32-year concession agreement here. Scrutinizing the draft contract, we will see that despite the repeated denial by its officials, the Aquino administration will continue the usual practice of providing state guarantees to peddle its privatization program. And as you might expect, such guarantees will come at the great expense of the public.
If the private operators of the MRT were granted with a guaranteed 15% return on investment (ROI) annually, the winning bidder for the LRT 1 privatization will enjoy a so-called top-up subsidy. The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), the agency in charge of LRT 1 privatization, explained that the top-up provision will entail the government to shoulder the difference between the pre-approved fares contained in the concession deal and the actual fares that authorities will be able to actually implement.
This is essentially a profit guarantee for the private operator and can be found in Section 20 (on Concessionaire Revenues) of the draft concession agreement for LRT 1 privatization. Under the draft contract, the concessionaire will be entitled to a notional fare (Section 20.3.a) that shall be agreed upon by the government and the winning bidder to ensure the commercial profitability of the system. The notional fare would be periodically adjusted (read: increased) during the entire 32-year concession period. Section 20.4.a of the draft contract, meanwhile, states that: “In any period, where the Approved Fare is lower than the Notional Fare, the Grantors shall pay to the Concessionaire a Deficit Payment (“DP”), to reflect the difference between the Notional Fare (NF) and the Approved Fare (AF).” The Grantors refer to the DOTC and the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA).
Concretely, this means that if the DOTC or LRTA could not implement a certain fare level for LRT 1 as committed in the concession agreement due to strong public opposition and/or regulatory, legislative or judicial intervention, government is obliged to pay the private operator its expected revenues from such fare level. Government, of course, will be using public money. In other words, the public will not escape the greed of the private operator – whether as LRT 1 commuters (who will shoulder the fare hike) or as taxpayers (who will bear the top-up subsidy). Needless to say, prospective LRT 1 operators that include San Miguel Corp. Infra Resources, Inc.; Light Rail Manila Consortium of Manny V. Pangilinan and the Ayala group; DMCI Holdings, Inc. of the Consunji group; and the foreign consortium MTD-Samsung of Malaysia and South Korea are pleased with the deal that they will be competing to secure from the Aquino administration.
Regulatory risk guarantee
The top-up subsidy in LRT 1 privatization is a form of regulatory risk guarantee that the administration’s economic managers first disclosed in September 2010. The announcement was made ahead of the President’s working visit to the US where he promoted his PPP program to American investors. Two months later, Aquino officially declared the scheme as policy during the PPP Summit, which the government organized to jumpstart its privatization initiatives. In his speech, the Chief Executive said:
“The government will provide investors with protection against regulatory risk. Infrastructure can only be paid for from user fees or taxes. When government commits to allow investors to earn their return from user fees, it is important that that commitment be reliable and enforceable. And if private investors are impeded from collecting contractually agreed fees – by regulators, courts, or the legislature – then our government will use its own resources to ensure that they are kept whole.”
While providing profit guarantees is standard practice in privatization, the regulatory risk guarantee is unique to the Aquino administration. His economic managers designed the scheme so as to avoid criticisms that he is repeating the same disadvantageous perks given to PPP investors in the past that caused the financial bleeding of government such as in the case of Napocor and MRT. But the top-up subsidy or regulatory risk guarantee is essentially the same as the take-or-pay provisions in previous PPP deals. Government and the end-users will still assume all the risks associated with operating the infrastructure while the profits of the private operator are secured.
More public debts
Where will government get the funds for the LRT 1’s top-up subsidy? To be sure, it will not come from disposable funds or public savings as the national budget deficit is still huge at P127.3 billion while the national government remains heavily indebted with more than P5.38 trillion in outstanding debt as of November 2012.
Like his predecessors, Aquino will borrow more to finance his PPP program including the profit guarantee for participating private corporations. The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) had earlier announced that government will tap multilateral institutions to provide for the guarantees so that when PPP investors face risk, they can still “be paid fast and immediately”. One of the multilateral lenders that made a pledge to fund the government guarantees on PPP projects was the World Bank which issued the commitment during the 2010 PPP Summit. Incidentally, the World Bank through its investment arm International Finance Corp. (IFC) is the transaction advisor of the DOTC and LRTA in the LRT 1 privatization.
Undermining check and balance
Aside from the direct financial burden that will hit the people, the regulatory risk guarantee will also further undermine the already weak system of supposed check and balance through the use of regulatory authorities, courts or Congress as a venue to protect public interest. For example, to prevent the implementation of an LRT fare hike, the people may seek relief from the Supreme Court (SC) through a temporary restraining order (TRO). The DOTC and LRTA would then be prevented from implementing the fare increase. However, the private LRT 1 operator could still collect the revenues from the fare hike through government-guaranteed Deficit Payments thus effectively negating the intervention of the High Court.
The regulatory risk guarantee was designed precisely to protect the commercial interests of the private business undertaking PPP projects from such outside intervention. Economic managers behind the regulatory risk guarantee have cited the case of the South Luzon Tollway Corp. (SLTC), the private operator of the South Luzon Expressway (Slex), which the SC stopped in August 2010 from implementing a more than 250% toll hike already approved by the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB). Bayan Muna party-list congressman Teddy Casiño also filed a House resolution seeking for a suspension of the toll increase pending a legislative inquiry.
In reality, while DOTC officials try to differentiate the LRT 1 privatization’s top-up subsidy from the controversial guaranteed ROI present in earlier PPP projects, it appears that the former is even more favorable to the private concessionaire (and therefore more disadvantageous to the public) than the latter. The 250% Slex toll hike, for instance, arose from the guaranteed 17% ROI for SLTC contained in its 2006 Supplemental Toll Operation Agreement (STOA) with the TRB. But such guaranteed ROI became meaningless when the SC issued its TRO (although eventually lifted after more than two months). With the top-up subsidy, such risk of fewer profits due to an SC TRO or any outside intervention is eliminated.
More profits through commercial development
On top of its revenues and profits from fares and guaranteed periodic fare hikes, the winning LRT 1 bidder will also enjoy additional cash flows from project land and commercial development as contained in the draft agreement’s Section 11.4. In Section 20.7.a on Commercial Revenue, the deal further stipulates that “The Concessionaire shall be entitled to make arrangements for and charge for and collect the Commercial Revenue generated from the Project subject to Relevant Rules and Procedures.”
The development and lease of commercial spaces on LRT 1 stations and depot as well as revenues from advertising could be a potential source of income for government that could be maximized instead of resorting to steep fare hikes and/or privatization. The country’s LRT and MRT system has very low non-rail revenues which include earnings from commercial development and advertising. According to a 2007 study by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) cited by Senator Francis Escudero, the non-rail revenues of the LRT is equivalent to a paltry 2.6% of total revenues while neighboring countries get more than 20% from advertising and commercial leases. Clearly, there is much room to generate more revenues from commercial development for government if it will retain the LRT 1. Unfortunately, such potential source of income will also be transferred to a private business under privatization.
No need for privatization
The Philippines is among the first Third World countries to implement massive privatization of infrastructure development and operation. Early efforts were set off by conditionalities attached to loans from the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the 1980s and 1990s. Among the big-ticket items already privatized are the Napocor assets, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), the MRT, super highways like Slex, etc. Through the years, the people have been subjected to soaring and exorbitant user fees charged by the private concessionaires. Meanwhile government debt and deficit continued to balloon ironically due to, among others, privatization deals that were pursued supposedly to ease the fiscal pressure on public coffers.
Unfortunately, the Aquino administration’s PPP program will continue the long discredited and proven flawed policy of privatization such as its ongoing efforts to privatize LRT 1. Government could not even find a compelling justification to push for LRT 1 privatization. Unlike the heavily indebted Napocor and MWSS, for example, the LRTA – government operator of the LRT system – is at least generating enough revenues to finance its operation and maintenance (O&M) requirements. In 2012, the LRT 1’s gross revenues even increased by almost 10% while its farebox ratio – the proportion of fare revenues to total O&M expenses – improved from 1.10 in 2011 to 1.31 last year. A farebox ratio of 1.0 means that fare revenues can cover 100% of O&M costs. Certainly, improving, modernizing and extending the system to Bacoor, Cavite would require additional investments and this is where the national government should step in by generating the needed funds.
Aquino could not argue that the government does not have the finances to make such investment thus the need for privatization. But if government is willing to incur more debts and guarantee the profits of whoever will win the LRT 1 project, why can’t it make the necessary investments such as through bilateral loans under concessional terms? When Malacañang was insisting on increasing the fares for LRT and MRT, its core argument was that government could no longer supposedly subsidize the system. Yet it is willing to subsidize the profits of the LRT 1 operator?
LRT 1 as a mode of mass transportation is a public investment imbued with public interest. It was never designed and intended to squeeze profits from commuters but to provide a reliable, efficient and affordable system of transportation for workers and employees, students, the self-employed, etc. Its true measure of viability is the social gains it creates for the people and the economy and not the private profits for the Ayalas and the Pangilinans, the Angs and the Cojuangcos, and their foreign partners. There’s no need to privatize it. (End) | <urn:uuid:fee7177b-009d-4031-b7d0-983905fb1e8d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://arnoldpadilla.wordpress.com/tag/ppp/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954657 | 2,588 | 1.703125 | 2 |
The unusual patented design of the Parduba "Double-Cup" mouthpiece enables a great ease of playing in the high register. This is noticeable the very first time that one tries this mouthpiece. After adapting to this design, it is possible to attain excellent control, and a beautiful tone is often realized when using the larger sizes such as the Numbers 5, 6, and 7.
Although the cup appears to be very shallow, the lower half of the cup gives great length to the overall shape of this Double-Cup design which in turn produces a very brilliant yet rich melodic tone. One must be very careful not to over blow this mouthpiece since it takes much less effort to execute on than other types of cups.
Size run from the Number 1 to the Number 8, the higher the numbers indicates the larger sizes. A Number 7 has a cup diameter of a Bach Number 1, Number 6 the same as a Bach 7, a Number 5 is the same as a Bach 10 1/2, and the Number 4 is the same as a bach 12. | <urn:uuid:46b359c0-a0f0-4c31-9c41-02f5cb12fb3b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mouthpieceexpress.com/catalog/index2.php?cPath=197_213_1186 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951276 | 219 | 2.109375 | 2 |
By Farvartish Rezvaniyeh,
During the past few months, the activities of Iran's Cyber Army have been noted
by the Iranian and even the international media. The theory that these hacker
groups are connected to the Iranian government was strengthened when, after
several sites were hacked, they issued warnings to the Green Movement. The scope
of the measures taken by the Cyber Army discredits the theory that a group of
Ahmandinejad's admirers spontaneously carried out such acts. These messages and
the nature of the sites chosen for attack indicate that there are hidden hands
which support the Cyber Army.
A review of the political messages published by this group in recent months and
the official statements of a government administrator of Iran's aviation
industry in defense of the Cyber Army provide a reason for a closer examination
of Iran's Cyber Army, research about which had heretofore claimed was composed
of Russian hackers whose base was outside of Iran. But what is the Iranian Cyber
Army and where is it based? Before considering these details, a few
preliminaries are necessary.
Attack on Twitter
On the morning of Friday, 28 Azar 1388 [December 19, 2009], connections with the
website Twitter was cut in some parts of the world and those who tried to access
it were transferred to a message in English which read:
U.S.A. Think They Controlling and Managing Internet By Their Access, But They
Don't, We Control And Manage Internet By Our Power, So Do Not Try To Stimulation
Iranian Peoples To....
NOW WHICH COUNTRY IN EMBARGO LIST? IRAN? USA?
WE PUSH THEM IN EMBARGO LIST
Attack on Baidu
On the morning of Tuesday, 22 Dey 1388 [January 12, 2010], the website Baidu,
the largest Chinese search engine, was hacked. In a message on it, it was
written: "The Iranian Cyber army has been launched in protest against
intervention by foreign and Zionist sites in our country's domestic affairs and
the spreading of lying and divisive news."
These measures concluded in a cyber war between Iran and China and groups of
Chinese hackers, called the Honker Union for China, hacked official internet
bases of the Iranian government, including the president's official website and
that of the Leader.
Attack on Radio Zamaneh
On 10 Bahman 1388 [January 30, 2010], The Iranian Cyber Army hacked the website
of Radio Zamaneh, changing its front page to a picture of the Islamic Republic
of Iran's flag and the slogans "Ya Hosein (aleihum salam)" and "Persian Gulf",
under which it was written,
If the Leader commands, we attack
If he asks, we sacrifice ourselves
If he wants us to be patient and steadfast
We will sit down and take it in stride.
On 23 Bahman 1388 [February 12, 2010], those who tried to access the site of
Jaras News, which publishes news of the Green Movement, were faced with this
message from the Iranian Cyber Army on its front page:
Out of respect for the referendum which was held on 22 Bahman [February 11,
2010] and the people who voted and out of respect for the great nation and
country named Iran ... do not be a tool of those who live safe and sound in
America and are using you as a tool.
A Prank on the Iranian Cyber Army
On 16 Bahman 1388 [February 5, 2010], the website
Khodnevis, which is
administered by Nikahang Kosar, wrote in the satirical column "False News":
In an amazing and unprecedented step, the Iranian Cyber Army hacked the Mehrabad
Airport portal so that those who try to access this site, namely airport
workers, are directed to the Raja Rail Company when they type in its URL. It is
said that the attack occurred in the early hours of the night and continued into
Saturday, facing the airport with a serious crisis. The sudden occurrence of
dozens of air accidents in the skies over Tehran as a result of the tower's air
traffic control communications systems' failure was considered the most
important danger which followed this attack, threatening the capital of Iran.
Although experts believe that this attack was done by mistake and the technical
difficulties were fixed an hour later, the Iranian Cyber Army, after hacking the
Mehrabad portal, placed a flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran with a blue color
[instead of the green color, which is the at the top of the tricolored flag],
along with a message reading, "The Iranian Cyber Army warns all mercenaries who
would sell-out their country that they will not be safe even in the skies."
This satire, which was based on an altered version of part of the real message
of the Iranian Cyber Army when it hacked Radio Zamaneh, was quickly reflected on
Iranian news sites. A few hours later, the rumor spread of a mistaken attack by
the Iranian Cyber Army on a government website became a means of ridiculing this
group. Although a few hours later, these sites wiped this news from the various
sites on which it had appeared, the rumor continued to spread, to the point that
some large companies immediately signed multi-year contracts with internet
security groups to strengthen the firewalls of their websites.
The Reaction of a Government Administrator
On 18 Bahman 1388 [February 7, 2010], only two days after this rumor spread,
Morteza Dehqan, the acting manager of Tehran's Mehrabad Airport, in the process
of denying the attack on this airport's site in the course of a discussion with
a group of journalists, called it news blackmail, saying
When foreign agents failed to achieve their filthy ends after the elections,
they tried to concoct a conspiracy based on an attack on Tehran's international
airport in order to disrupt the country's security atmosphere, while no such
attack occurred on the airport's website's portal and this news is a pure lie
from start to finish. It is clear that the counter-revolutionary media has
discovered the Iranian Cyber Army's power and, out of fear of its power, wishes
to launch accusations through which it can divert public opinion.
Nikahang Kawsar, who had already stated on his site Khodnevis that this news was
a rumor, now, after the publication of the interview with the acting
administrator of Mehrabad Airport, wrote in part of his report about this event,
" ... When Mehrabad Airport's acting administrator denied the report about the
attack on that airport's website, he defended the Cyber Army's record, and we
realized that our fake news had done its job. An official officer of the Islamic
Republic defended the Cyber Army in such a way that it seems that this group is
led by the [Islamic Republican] system."
On Iranian Hacker Groups
During the past eight years, many groups of hackers were formed in Iran of which
the most famous are Ashianeh, Shabgard, and Simorgh. These groups freely
attacked various websites by taking advantage of the lack of implementing the
laws of punishment current in Iran, in order to win fame as well as out of
rivalry with other groups.
Following the rise in reports about unpermitted infiltrations into Iranian
government websites and the spread of news in this regard, intelligence agencies
became interested in the power of hacking tools and began their widespread
efforts to control and guide such attacks.
Security and intelligence organizations, inviting infiltration groups'
cooperation, got them to identify and counteract opponents in the internet and
form intelligence groups to control the flow of their information. Some time
later, these people also taught hacking techniques to military technicians.
The Formation of the Iranian Cyber Army
The group Ashiyaneh was one of the first to join the circle of government
infiltrators and set about wrecking the sites of the Islamic Republic's
opponents with the cooperation of the best hackers. Reports of this group's
activities were published in government media, such as Voice and Vision, Keyhan,
and IRNA and were noticed very soon.
Teaching the Military to Hack
Alongside the hacker group activities, supposedly private companies were
organized as well whose primary duty was to recruit infiltrating forces,
instruct military forces in cyber attacks, and prepare the necessary resources
for such attacks. These companies were charged with training infiltrators and
carrying out hacking projects for the Iranian Cyber Army. In the meantime, these
companies would import technology needed by Iran's security forces from Dubai.
Among the managers of these companies is the son of one of the senior security
officers who, utilizing his father's connections, has been busy for years
working with the military and security forces. After the formation of a company
through the military budget, he has been busy recruiting expert Iranian
infiltrators and, having formed a professional and firm group, has begun to
accept cyber control projects in Iran and infiltrators for the government.
How Group Members Are Chosen
The plan for the formation of an Iranian Cyber Army was raised in 1384 in
the Revolutionary Guards, but with the increase in propaganda against the ninth
government, its execution was sped up. A while later, a very broad group was
formed, the number of whose members reached more greater than a few. The Cyber
Army's unit for recruiting human resources works as follows: After recognizing a
professional hacker, it contacts him and threatens him that if he does not
cooperate, he will be sent off to prison.
Relationships and information of individuals are so controlled that even most of
the group members are not yet aware of their collaboration with the Cyber Army.
Considering the use of geniuses, the scientific level of the Cyber Army is very
high, and considering the high record of activities of the infiltrators in Iran
the power of this army in achieving its goal is comparable to similar groups
which operate in the American and Israeli intelligence agencies. It is worth
saying that the Center for Struggle with Organized Cyber Crime (the Sepah's
cyber troops) is composed of the same people.
In Ordibehesht 1388 [May 2009], Fars news service reported that the foundation
Defense Tech, which is an American military and security agency, called Iran one
of the five countries with the most powerful cyber forces, based on figures
received from the CIA. This foundation declared that the Iranian Cyber Army's
budget is 76 million dollars, emphasizing that it is monitored by a group from
the Revolutionary Guard's cyber supervision team.
A Short Time to Execute Instructions
Iran's Cyber Army has so far not been able to breach the servers of the websites
it is after, but has contented itself with simply stealing their domains. This
method indicates the temporal limitations of the group for executing its
infiltration operations. In the past few months, they have carried out orders
transmitted by their chief using methods which require less time. In their
attack on Twitter, they hacked the computer of one of the members of this
company with a Trojan horse and were able, by utilizing his email, to reset the
domain of his control panel. This was similar to the attack of 1383 tried by one
of the Iranian hacker groups on one of the NASA websites. In attacking Jaras and
other websites, the Cyber Army uses the technique of DNS Cache Spoofing which
changed the domain.
... Payvand News - 02/22/10 ... -- | <urn:uuid:4b65e9a3-ae3c-437a-b591-03194bce1e48> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.payvand.com/news/10/feb/1216.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963339 | 2,451 | 1.84375 | 2 |
It was 2002 when Daimler manager Hans-Joachim Schöpf said that from 2010 onward, the fuel-cell electric vehicle would be a viable alternative to conventionally powered cars. That date has long passed, and so have other targets announced by various automakers. It certainly needs to be taken with a grain of salt when Daimler, Renault-Nissan, and Ford now announce a plan to make fuel-cell vehicles for the mass market by 2017. But the target seems more realistic than ever, thanks to a new alliance entered by the four manufacturers to significantly cut cost and accelerate introductions to the market.
All three companies—or four, depending on how you count the Renault-Nissan alliance—bring considerable expertise to the table. Nissan’s competence in the area is undisputed; Daimler and Ford, on the other hand, probably can claim industry leadership with their Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation (AFCC). The Burnaby, British Columbia–based technology house, which employs more than 200 people, will be a 50.1/49.9 percent joint venture between Daimler and Ford as of February 1, 2013, when Ford takes over the 19.9 percent share from fuel-cell pioneer Ballard Systems. The AFCC will remain an independent operation, but it will play a significant role in the joint project with Renault-Nissan.
As reality is setting in on the real-world capabilities and shortcomings of battery-electric vehicles—limited range, high weight, and charge times—the fuel-cell electric vehicle is beginning to look like a more viable alternative to conventionally powered cars. Their range is far superior to battery-electric vehicles, and they can be refueled within minutes. Cost has come down significantly and is expected to be further lowered.
- Feature: What the H? Everything You Need to Know About a Hydrogen-Fueled Future
- Instrumented Test: 2012 Mercedes-Benz F-Cell
- Instrumented Test: 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas
So far, customer demand has been lackluster at best. Honda has managed to unload just 72 units of its FCX fuel-cell car. European-market users of fuel-cell vehicles complain that the few filling stations are not consistently in service. But now activities are picking up. Toyota has said that a fuel-cell vehicle could come to market by 2015 at retail prices around €100,000 (roughly $135,000 at current exchange rates); a jointly developed mass-market car by Toyota and BMW is expected for 2020.
The new Daimler/Ford/Renault-Nissan alliance will move more quickly. The model announced for 2017 will be affordable to mass-market consumers and will likely make use of a common platform. Things are suddenly looking a lot brighter for a hydrogen-powered future. | <urn:uuid:1fee5664-eba8-493b-a94e-11a1884e254c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.caranddriver.com/daimler-ford-and-renault-nissan-aim-to-bring-fuel-cell-vehicles-to-market-by-2017/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954389 | 576 | 2.46875 | 2 |
Author: Kobako Totan | Artist: Kobako Totan
Chapters: 111 | Updated: Apr 18 2013 | Status:
Summary: Sketchbook revolves around a group of high school students who are members of the art club at their school. The plot follows a slice of life style via the students' experiences at school through the club. The main character is a young shy, and quiet girl named Sora Kajiwara who goes through life at her own pace. She tends to look at the little things in life, and is often at awe of the more simpler things. Sora knows several stray cats around her town and has given them names. | <urn:uuid:98de6f00-586a-4a6f-8cdb-5c851e836e31> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ourmanga.com/Sketchbook/30 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971357 | 132 | 2.0625 | 2 |
| Global Times | 2012-10-8 23:05:03
By Tang Zhao
"You are Japanese?" a street vendor in Kandy, Sri Lanka's second largest city and also one of its ancient capitals, asked me. I replied "no" instantly, as I know it's very common for non-East Asians to be unable to differentiate Chinese from neighbors, like the Japanese and Koreans.
"Chinese?" He then asked me again and I responded affirmatively. Later, not surprisingly, he started to say some complimentary words about China, angling for a sale.
But I found that many Sri Lankans I met didn't really know about China. Nor is the country a popular tourist destination for Chinese. Before I left for the island, many of my friends in China were a little bit surprised. Some even don't know where it is on the map, or think it's part of India.
After spending five days in four cities there, I hardly saw any Chinese-looking people, especially in the inland towns. It is completely different from Southeast Asian nations like Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia, where you often witness a swarm of Chinese tour groups.
Wonderful though the country is, the Sri Lankan government has a long way to go before the country is better equipped for a large influx of Chinese visitors.
Although the Sri Lankan government has poured more resources into tourist promotions specifically targeting people in China, such as inviting some Chinese media professionals to experience the country, many more efforts still need to be made if they want to get a finger in the tourism pie.
Language is one of the significant issues. In Southeast Asia, I met fluent Chinese-speakers in some tourist spots like Grand Palace in Thailand's Bangkok and Angkor Wat in Cambodia, who were obviously local people.
But in Sri Lanka, I only saw a few Chinese characters in a tiny display in Colombo International Airport, not to mention those tourist spots. For non-English speakers like most of my parents' contemporaries, it will be a struggle if they don't know where to go.
I think some Chinese-language brochures are very helpful at the airport or the tourist attractions. If a vendor wants to make money from customers, knowing and speaking the customers' language is also important. One local English-speaking tour guide told me that he was once serving a Chinese tour group but regretfully he was unable to speak Putonghua. So, all of his words in English had to be translated by the Chinese guide.
He thought it would be better if he could have the opportunity to communicate with his guests. I also believe bilingual local guides will be more capable of introducing the country's magnificent sceneries and history to Chinese visitors.
Meanwhile, Chinese bankcard and credit card transactions should be made easier here. I found that though it's not difficult to find ATMs and some merchants or hotels accepting cards with Visa or MasterCard logos, the majority of Chinese cardholders use China UnionPay, a homegrown Chinese card.
Many overseas merchants are now promoting this as a special feature in their advertisements, in a bid to lure Chinese tourists to spend more money.
Well, this certainly works. I once encountered some salespeople in Bangkok airport spontaneously asking me in Chinese if I prefer to use UnionPay after I showed my Chinese passport. And I did buy more from them than I expected.
Before I left Sri Lanka, one of my local guides told me I was his fourth Chinese guest but the first he ever met from the Chinese mainland. And it was my turn to feel a little bit surprised. I didn't expect the number of Chinese visitors here to be so small.
Chinese tourists who like to spend money overseas have helped to boost local economies worldwide. The recent China-ASEAN Expo is also a good example, showing that China has become an important market for ASEAN members' inbound tourism industry.
I believe that Sri Lanka will witness a same trend, where Chinese holidaymakers gradually choose the country as a destination after it becomes more Chinese tourist-friendly. And with more interactions between Sri Lankans and Chinese, there will be far less miscomprehensions.
The author is an interactive media editor with the Global Times. [email protected]
By leaving a comment, you agree to abide by all terms and conditions (See the Comment section). | <urn:uuid:b24ebdbc-7162-49a1-bdf0-165adf09936b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/737022.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965598 | 895 | 1.945313 | 2 |
Color phots Cytaea (?) sp from Australia
TYPE SPECIES [ alburna ]
[armillata][ argentosa ] [barbatissima][ carolinensis ] [ clarovittata ] [ dispalans] [ expectans] [ frontaligera ] [ guentheri] [ koronivia ] [ laticeps ] [ lepida ] [levi][ mitellata ] [ nausori ] [ nimbata ] [ oreophila] [ piscula ] [ ponapensis ] [ rai ] [ sinuata ] [ vitiensis ] [ xanthopus] [ Cytaea sp Samokat ]
Diagnoses of genera of South East Asia: Light or colourful, sometimes iridescent salticids. Shrubs, plants, especially broad leaved. General remarks: In the field, plants with large green leaves, such as ginger, are often favoured by salticids, particularly colourful species. Some are clothed with dense, coloured, iridescent hairs which makes them particularly attractive and conspicuous. They are often to be seen wandering about or sunning themselves on top of the leaves and sometimes to be found resting or in a cell under a leaf. Salticids often build a retreat between and attached to two closely overlapping leaves. With care and a suitably placed sweep net, one can often collect the owner. Genus: Cytaea . By tropical rain forest standards, these are dull-coloured salticids. The cephalothorax is fairly high, more or less flat on top with the back and sides almost vertical. In plan it is U-shaped, rather longer than broad and somewhat truncated at the rear. The abdomen is oval and slightly square-shouldered. The legs are fairly long and very spiny. For C. oreophila the carapace is dirty yellow in colour with a lighter patch near the fovea and a broad light marginal band. The abdomen is light brown to brown with a broad light median band that runs the length of the abdomen. The legs are yellowish. Distribution: Cytaea occurs in the tropics from the Andaman Islands through to Australia and some Pacific islands. The main centre appears to be the Papua New Guinea to Australia region. Murphy & Murphy 2000: 348. By courtesy of the Authors' and the Malaysian Nature Society.
Copyright © for the page by J. Proszynski, 1999. | <urn:uuid:1573b9c7-bcc7-4099-9f65-aa2e3dd8f7d6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://salticidae.org/salticid/DIAGNOST/cytaea/cytaea.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927777 | 509 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Northcliffe visitor centre pedalling hard to survive
In a classic interdependency, the Northcliffe Visitor Centre wouldn't exist without the Karri Cup and the Cup wouldn't happen without the centre.
The mountain bike race is contested each long weekend in March and its prime focus is to raise funds to keep the Visitor Centre open, says board president Trevor Holcup.
"It's become a matter of survival for the visitor's centre."
Run entirely by volunteers, the event attracts around 500 riders and contributes some 40 per cent of the visitor centre budget,
The race means more to the town than merely money however.
The cup contributes to recognition for Northcliffe, says Trevor. "There's a sense of cutting it on a bigger stage than just this tiny little town on the bottom end of Western Australia."
The first race 15 years ago attracted about 70 entrants. Then with the help of the WA Mountain Bike Association, recalls Trevor, "we cranked it up many notches".
"At the end of that, it made them (the town) feel proud that our little community could put on something as professional as this. That's still the feeling that it generates."
Revenue dried up
Once upon a time, visitor centres were tourist bureaux and government funded them, explains Trevor. Next came the idea that they would become self supporting with the source of their income commissions from accommodation bookings.
"The internet has had a huge impact on visitor centre liability." Add to the centre woes the global economic crisis and the high dollar, says Trevor. Australian travellers go overseas and international tourists stay away. Meanwhile, grey nomad incomes are shrinking.
The Karri Cup has a long term local sponsor but sponsorship money also is drying up in these tougher times, Trevor notes.
Do the visitor centres matter? That's the question Trevor would like the state government to answer.
"We're just bleeding slowly to death and I would like the government to articulate what role it sees for visitor centres. If it doesn't see a role for visitor centres, well that's fine and we can all pack up and save ourselves a lot of anxiety."
"We need first of all for government to decide that they want us."
Visitor centres are encouraged to undertake accreditation to national standards, says Trevor. "But there's no reward through that apart from knowing that you're doing the job properly."
The requirements are stringent and centres must employ paid staff in order to accreditation, but in return, reap "nothing that helps to keep us open".
"I would like to see recurrent funding to the equivalent of one full time staff member for visitor centres that meet proper standards."
Paid staff makes a big difference, says Trevor, in that those staff can be expected to meet the national standards of service. "Volunteers have done us proud, but you can't have those sorts of expectations of volunteers.
"The crux of it is for the government to reward us for the service we provide."
Visitor centres are closing
"Events like the Karri Cup will die," states Trevor. A commercial sponsor might step in, he allows, but at a far greater cost and without the attending social benefits.
The event costs around $200,000 to stage, he estimates. "It runs entirely on volunteer labour."
Visitor centres receive positive response from those who use the service, says Trevor. "We get feedback that says that we are important.
"Obviously, we're not as important as we used to be because a lot of information is available on the internet.
"But web pages go out of date and it's not often easy to find out how up to date they are.
"In our case, a lot of our attractions are to do with what's happening in bush: what flowers are flowering, where to find them, what the sea conditions are like and where the fish are running.
"You don't find that on the net on a daily basis."
Visitors may like the service but they don't want to pay for it, says Trevor wryly. "To quote a fellow centre manager, 'Nobody goes into a visitor centre expecting to spend money.'"
If the Northcliffe Visitor Centre folded, feeling in the town would be split 50/50, Trevor thinks.
But that would change when March came round and there was no Karri Cup, he says. "That central, once a year focus, that put Northcliffe on the map, would cease to exist."
Trevor's confident that without the centre, the Cup wouldn't run: that it wouldn't be commercially viable and that there wouldn't be other groups in town to take it over.
"Maybe some other community organisation would step up and run it but I can't imagine who. Maybe I've got my blinkers on," he jokes.
"I do want a direction from the government. If the visitor centre were to close, it wouldn't have any impact on my business and it would free up a lot more of my time. I don't have vested interest in keeping the visitor centre open."
In some ways, it could be relief if the centre were to fold, says Trevor. "There's an enormous amount of volunteering in this community to keep things going."
The Karri Cup is a challenge for both riders and the community, he says. "It's a challenge and those who take on the full thing are riding 100km on dirt tracks.
"They say that one kilometre on dirt tracks equals two on the road. It's a very testing event."
Riders love the scenery of the race route, says Trevor. "That presents a challenge for the organisers.
"Karri forest is a very dirty forest in the sense that it's always dropping leaves and bark," he laughs. "You've got to work to keep the track clear so riders aren't getting sticks through their spokes."
The Karri Cup trophy is crafted locally from karri, a very hard wood, notes Trevor. "It's a labour of love."
Terry Redman, local member and the Minister for Agriculture, has announced that the National Party will commit funds to visitor centres.
In a media release, Mr Redman said, "The Nationals WA, should they win the balance of power at the upcoming election, will inject more than $1 million from Royalties for Regions into Regional Visitor Centres to help them service tourists and local tourism businesses.
"The $1.05 million commitment will be for contestable funding and based on current figures around 35 accredited Regional Visitor Centres would be able to apply."
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Latest stories from ABC Perth. Including audio, photo, video, recipes and reviews across the region. | <urn:uuid:881d6bf3-051d-4ae1-96a5-9e1ff4060a35> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2013/02/28/3700778.htm?site=perth | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959754 | 1,479 | 1.570313 | 2 |
When making a Will the person involved (the Testator) must be of sound mind, as without this a Will would not be valid. With the population increasingly living into old age, it is becoming more common for people to start disputing Wills based on what they believe was the Testator’s lack of mental capacity. It is estimated that up to 2 million people in the UK suffer from a form of brain injury or dementia.
Mental Capacity Act 2005 and recent case law developments in this area have led to new guidelines being drawn up by the Law Society and the British Medical Association. These are designed to assist doctors and lawyers in their assessment of a person’s mental capacity. These guidelines can also be useful to anyone who is caring for someone whose mental capacity is in doubt.
A copy of these guidelines can be purchased from a number of online booksellers or from the Law Society. The cost is £39.95, so you may want to wait until your local reference library has a copy in stock, or alternatively some free information in available at the Department of Health website. | <urn:uuid:32a39ca7-eb77-4e46-ab8c-a78c5f1a77b4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.darlingtons.com/site/library/trust/assessing_mental_capacity_guidance.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967286 | 223 | 2.34375 | 2 |
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (commonly referred to as the "Buckley Amendment" or "FERPA") is a federal law enacted in 1974 which affords students certain rights with respect to their education records.
Specifically, it affords students the right to:
inspect and review their education records,
request the amendment of inaccurate or misleading records,
consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in their education record,
file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by MC to comply with this law.
Midland College strives to fully comply with this law by protecting the privacy of student records and judiciously evaluating requests for release of information from those records. | <urn:uuid:03f169c3-8318-400b-a0cb-40817a41e5dc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.midland.edu/about_mc/geninfo.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959043 | 148 | 2.421875 | 2 |
2 entries found for anger
To select an entry, click on it.
Main Entry: 1an·ger
a strong feeling of displeasure and usually of opposition toward someone or somethingsynonyms ANGER
mean an intense emotional state caused by displeasure. ANGER
is a broad term that applies to various levels of emotion that may or may not be shown <kept her anger
inside herself>. RAGE
suggests loss of self-control from great anger <screaming with rage
suggests destructive rage that comes close to madness <in their fury
they smashed all the dishes>. WRATH
suggests a desire to gain revenge or to punish <in his wrath
the king ordered the rebels to be banished>.
Browse words next to "anger | <urn:uuid:a6d32e51-2044-4f83-a519-bb153fae413e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wordcentral.com/apps/apache/docs/wordcentral.com/cgi-bin/student_clean?book=Student&va=anger | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.90306 | 157 | 2.96875 | 3 |
Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2011.03.82
Catherine Johns, The Hoxne Late Roman Treasure: Gold Jewellery and Silver Plate. London: British Museum Press, 2009. Pp. x, 278. ISBN 9780714118178. £60.00.
Reviewed by Kirsten Ataoguz, Indiana University Purdue University, Fort Wayne ([email protected])
In the early fifth century, Romano-Britons of unknown identity buried a large quantity of coins, gold jewelry, silver spoons, and other precious objects in an oak chest measuring roughly 24 x 18 x 12 inches. Almost 1,600 years later, in 1992, Eric Lawes discovered the treasure with a metal detector while looking for a lost hammer on a farm in the county of Suffolk. Lawes refrained from removing the valuables on his own and notified the authorities, thereby making possible a proper archaeological excavation of the treasure. Peter Guest published the coins in 2005 in The Late Roman Gold and Silver Coins from the Hoxne Treasure, and in 2009, Catherine Johns published the remaining items in The Hoxne Late Roman Treasure: Gold Jewellery and Silver Plate. Johns authored most of the text of this second volume, but incorporated essays by others, as detailed in the contents listed at the end of this review.
In addition to the 15,234 coins published by Guest, the treasure includes: twenty-nine pieces of gold jewelry – a body chain, six necklaces, three rings, nineteen bracelets; twelve silver vessels – most notable among them, a tigress-shaped handle and four piperatoria (pepper pots) in the shapes of a female bust, an ibex, Hercules wrestling the giant Antaeus, and a hound attacking a hare; and, ninety-eight silver spoons, four silver strainers, nine cosmetic utensils, and four fragments from an ivory pyxis. The objects bear fifty-three inscriptions, including twenty-one monogram crosses and twenty-seven personal names. The “Equivalent Gold Weight” of the Hoxne Treasure has been calculated as the fifth largest in the world, ahead of both the Sevso and Mildenhall Treasures.1 The inclusion of the “Empress” Pepper Pot (No. 33) in the History of the World in 100 Objects by the BBC and the British Museum argues well for both the general interest and scholarly relevance of this hoard.
Johns analyzes the objects by type in a sequence of six essays. Her thoroughness often preempts the contributions of her collaborators, and the catalogue merely summarizes her observations. A more integrative organization would have better presented the material. Furthermore, within her typologically organized analyses, Johns’s discussions range far beyond the immediate study of the objects in the hoard. The more interpretative material would have been better suited to separate essays on specific themes. In particular, Johns’s insights about dining customs (130-131) and the nature of jewelry collecting (59) merit more extensive and dedicated discussion with reproduced comparanda.
The absence of topical essays also leaves problems incompletely explored and intriguing connections unmade. For example, the potency of an old coin mounted onto the clasp of the body chain(No. 1)2 and a gem setting evoking early medieval metalwork on its front render the question of how a woman would have worn the body chain far more intriguing (27). If she wore it underneath her clothing, then the coin and even perhaps the gems would have certainly functioned as amulets. If she wore it outside her clothing, then the apotropaic function of the coin and the gems could have been at least as important as the display of “wealth and taste” (26). The incorporation of a monogram cross through the subtle rounding of one end of a cross to form the rho in the clasp of necklace no. 4 (32) can then be interpreted as another manifestation in the hoard of late antique superstition.
Johns holds some of the most stimulating material in the volume until her “Summaries and Speculations.” When she notes the lack of art historical interest in the systematic analysis of the “decorative styles, methods and motifs of Late Roman silver” (208), she repeats an observation that she made twenty years ago.3 Johns acknowledges her use of art historical judgment throughout the catalogue and also challenges archaeologists who view art history as old-fashioned and elitist. Johns may be best positioned to undertake such an endeavor, and thematic essays dedicated to these topics would have greatly enriched the volume.
Her use and defense of art history make unfortunate her own infelicitous use of its methods. Most notably, in a discussion of bracelet no. 23, Johns describes the style of its animals as “naïve to an astonishing degree” (44). She can only attribute its “totally primitive manner” (45) to one of two possibilities – either a child goldsmith or a doting parent or grandparent seeking to preserve a child’s drawings on a gold bracelet (46). Johns acknowledges the inappropriate projection of such a modern-seeming “parental besottedness;” nevertheless, she cannot imagine a third or fourth possibility, even when she herself observes that “paradoxically,” the drawing gives “a clear impression of craft skill and strong personal style” (45) and that “it is actually easier to identify the animals” (44). In fact, greater art historical sensibilities would have also informed discussion of the “Empress” Pepper Pot, where Johns agonizes over the height of the earrings on the face or the intricacies of the figure’s coiffure even while acknowledging that the silversmith likely never saw it being created in real life (85).
Any shortcomings, however, may be easily forgiven in light of Johns’s intellectual generosity. She gives her blessing to “new intellectual approaches and new methods” and expresses humility as she offers her theories as “tentative, based on my personal impressions and closer familiarity” (201). Johns concludes the volume with an apologetic for inquiry into the past and an assertion of the value of the subjective response of the modern viewer to the tactile and visual qualities of an object: “Imaginative interpretations based on a feeling that our ancestors would often have responded to events rather as we do ourselves are often viewed askance because they cannot be proved: this does not mean that they have to be wrong.” (209) She cautions against intellectual detachment; unfortunately, her own imaginative interpretations demonstrate the risk of insufficient distance between scholar and object.
High quality black-and-white photographs supplemented by line drawings that clarify details and materials amply illustrate the volume; nevertheless, color reproductions between the covers would have greatly favored the objects’ precious metals. To conclude, one wonders how the use of tools like Flickr to enable the near immediate sharing of high quality color images of found objects (such as, most recently, with the Staffordshire Hoard) and the resulting collaborative analysis by lay and professionals on blogs and email lists, will change this genre of publication and the thoughtful and sustained, but relatively isolated, deliberation that precedes it.
Contents (unless otherwise noted, author is Catherine Johns): Preface; Acknowledgements; 1 Introduction; Judith Plouviez, Discovery and archaeological investigation of the site; The gold jewellery; Silver vessels; Silver spoons and strainers; Silver toilet utensils, box fittings and miscellaneous items; Objects of ivory, bone and wood; Iron objects; R.S.O. Tomlin, The inscriptions; MR. Cowell and D.R. Hook, The analysis of the metal artefacts; Susan La Niece, Roman gold- and silversmithing and the Hoxne treasure; Caroline Cartwright, Wood and other organic remains; Simon Dove, Conservation of the Hoxne hoard, 1992-7; P.S.W. Guest, Summary of the coins; Summaries and speculations; Catalogue; Judith Plouviez, Appendix 1 Notes on the site in its Roman and post-Roman contexts; Appendix 2 Weights of gold jewellery and silver objects; Summary list of inscriptions; Concordance A Catalogue numbers to contexts; Concordance B Contexts to catalogue numbers; Bibliography; Index.
1. Richard Hobbs, “Mine’s bigger than yours; comparing values of Late Roman hoards,” in Roman Finds: Context and Theory, ed. Richard Hingley and Steven Willis (Oxford: Oxbow , 2007), 84.
2. Henry Maguire, “Magic and Money in the Early Middle Ages,” Speculum 72, no. 4 (1997): 1037-1054.
3. Catherine Johns, “Research on Roman Silver Plate,” Journal of Roman Archaeology 3 (1990): 41. | <urn:uuid:f41541d2-d36a-4267-a086-c94b91b15461> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2011/2011-03-82.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911576 | 1,873 | 2.25 | 2 |
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Initially, Teddy Roosevelt and J. P. Morgan backed the ambitious project. But ...
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Initially, Teddy Roosevelt and J. P. Morgan backed the ambitious project. But as the work stretched over years, Curtis found himself alone with his vision, struggling to finance himself and his crews. The 20-volume North American Indians, finally completed in 1930, cost Curtis his marriage, his friendships, his home, and his health. By the time he died in 1952, he and his monumental work had lapsed into obscurity.
In this richly designed book, Anne Makepeace, creator of an award-winning documentary on Curtis's life, reexamines the lasting impact of his work. Curtis's photographs, once ignored, now serve as a link between the romantic past and contemporary Native American communities, who have used his images to reclaim and resurrect their traditions. | <urn:uuid:8bfe3fa0-6a69-49e2-aa9f-ce1f1bbc4b26> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/edward-s-curtis-anne-makepeace/1111418158?ean=9780792241614 | 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 | 0.980607 | 199 | 1.773438 | 2 |
A Christmas Carol, "Stave Three: TheSecond of the Three Spirits." in Dickens's Christmas Stories, 10 x 13.4 framed, p. 28. [Click on the image to enlarge it.]by E. A. Abbey. American Household Edition (1876), fifth illustration for
- Bob Cratchit (John Dickens) raises the toast
- Mrs. Cratchit (Elizabeth Dickens) reluctantly does likewise
- Peter Cratchit (young Charles Dickens) in over-sized collar
- Belinda Cratchit and Martha Cratchit (Letitia and Fanny Dickens)
- Timothy Cratchit and the youngest Cratchit daughter (Alfred and Harriet Dickens)
Illustrating Dickens' story for an early-Victorian audience, John Leech had not cast Bob and Tim in central roles. His illustrations focused on Scrooge and the soirits. He did not even depict the Cratchit Christmas feast. Bob Cratchit appears in only one of his pictures (fig. 38 ["Scrooge and Bob Cratchit"]), a black-and-white tailpiece showing him sharing the bowl of smoking bishop with Scrooge. But later Victorian illustrators devoted themselves to the Cratchits. Three of the six illustrations E. A. Abbey produced for the American Household edition of 1876, for example, depicted the Cratchits, including a picture of the family circle dominated by Bob and his two sons as they toast "the Founder of the Feast". [Davis, The Lives and Times of Ebenezer Scrooge, 83]
As Davis, notes, Dickens's denying Mrs. Cratchit even a Christian name does tend to relegate to the status of supporting character at best; certainly, she does not appear at all in Leech's original sequence or in Barnard's five woodcuts for the British Household edition, and is overshadowed by her outgoing, bustling husband in those series in which she does make an appearance: Abbey's (in which she sits well to the right-hand margin, presiding over the distaff side of the familial hearth) and Eytinge's (in which she welcomes home her husband, her back towards the viewer in "Bob Cratchit at Home" and is seen only in profile as she serves "The Wonderful Christmas Pudding". Even in the deathbed scene "Poor Tiny Tim!" she is curiously absent, as if even Tim's imagined death is gender-restricted as yet a final opportunity for male bonding.
If Mrs. Cratchit is somewhat marginalized in Abbey's illustration, occupying the right-hand register with her adolescent daughter Martha, the two smaller Cratchits (a boy and a girl), and Beinda, in the accompanying text Dickens lets her speak her mind (even though she is the proverbial homemaker) about the parsimonious skinflint whom the kindly Bob has just charitably dubbed "The Founder of the feast":
At last the dinner was all done, the cloth was cleared, the hearth swept, and the fire made up. The compound in the jug being tasted, and considered perfect, apples and oranges were put upon the table, and a shovel-full of chestnuts on the fire. Then all the Cratchit family drew round the hearth, in what Bob Cratchit called a circle, meaning half a one; and at Bob Cratchit's elbow stood the family display of glass. Two tumblers, and a custard-cup without a handle.
These held the hot stuff from the jug, however, as well as golden goblets would have done; and Bob served it out with beaming looks, while the chestnuts on the fire sputtered and cracked noisily. Then Bob proposed:
"A Merry Christmas to us all, my dears. God bless us."
Which all the family re-echoed.
"God bless us every one!" said Tiny Tim, the last of all.
He sat very close to his father's side upon his little stool. Bob held his withered little hand in his, as if he loved the child, and wished to keep him by his side, and dreaded that he might be taken from him.
"Spirit," said Scrooge, with an interest he had never felt before, "tell me if Tiny Tim will live."
"I see a vacant seat," replied the Ghost, "in the poor chimney-corner, and a crutch without an owner, carefully preserved. If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the child will die."
"No, no," said Scrooge. "Oh, no, kind Spirit. Say he will be spared."
"If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, none other of my race," returned the Ghost, "will find him here. What then? If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population."
Scrooge hung his head to hear his own words quoted by the Spirit, and was overcome with penitence and grief.
"Man," said the Ghost, "if man you be in heart, not adamant, forbear that wicked cant until you have discovered What the surplus is, and Where it is. Will you decide what men shall live, what men shall die? It may be, that in the sight of Heaven, you are more worthless and less fit to live than millions like this poor man's child. Oh God! To hear the Insect on the leaf pronouncing on the too much life among his hungry brothers in the dust."
Scrooge bent before the Ghost's rebuke, and trembling cast his eyes upon the ground. But he raised them speedily, on hearing his own name.
"Mr. Scrooge!" said Bob; "I'll give you Mr. Scrooge, the Founder of the Feast!"
"The Founder of the Feast indeed!" cried Mrs Cratchit, reddening. "I wish I had him here. I'd give him a piece of my mind to feast upon, and I hope he'd have a good appetite for it."
"My dear," said Bob, "the children. Christmas Day."
"It should be Christmas Day, I am sure," said she, "on which one drinks the health of such an odious, stingy, hard, unfeeling man as Mr. Scrooge. You know he is, Robert. Nobody knows it better than you do, poor fellow."
"My dear," was Bob's mild answer, "Christmas Day."
"I'll drink his health for your sake and the Day's," said Mrs. Cratchit, "not for his. Long life to him. A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! He'll be very merry and very happy, I have no doubt!"
The children drank the toast after her. It was the first of their proceedings which had no heartiness. [Stave Three, "The Second of the Three Spirits," p. 27-28]
In fact, although this dialogue spills over onto the twenty-eighth page, Abbey has attempted to convey the perfect harmony and good will that prevades the Cratchit hearth prior to Bob's raising his tumbler. Mrs. Cratchit looks demurely at her her husband as he pronounces the toast, and does not remonstrate with her charitable spouse.
Possibly aided by John Forster's The Life of Charles Dickens (1872, volume 1), Abbey has constructed a family gathering in the front parlour of the four-roomed house in Camden Town (shared by the real-life family of John Dickens, at 16 Bayham Street, and the fictional family of the Micawbers in David Copperfield) which parallels the Dickens family in the early 1820s:
There were six Dickens children then who correspond to the six Cratchits: Fanny is the eldest Cratchit, Martha; Charles is Peter; Letitia is Belinda; Frederick and Harriet are the unnamed Cratchits, also a boy an girl; and the youngest, Alfred, is Tiny Tim. [Hearn, 119]
With this identification, one can see in Abbey's illustration that the illustrator has placed Peter immediately to the right of the father, and Tim, under Bob's protective hand, to the father's left. The little girl, sitting immediately before the fire, her back towards the viewer,would be the equivalent of Harriet Dickens. In the female-dominated right-hand register, Mrs. Cratchit (Dickens) is at the top of a parenthesis, and immediately below her are Belinda Cratchit, Martha Cratchit, and the unnamed Cratchit son who corresponds to Fred Dickens. The faces of the three Cratchit females bear a striking similarity in profile. The wreath above the fireplace is an interpolation implying a halo for this blessed family. Although we cognize Bob's checkered trousers from his initial appearance in Abbey's series, his double-breated jacket seems to grown longer and more stately than the short suit jacket he wears in the Cornhill sliding scene. Even though the text is explicit about the entire family's drinking the toast ("The children drank the toast after her" 28), in order to avoid any suggestion that the Cratchit children are imbibing an alcoholic beverage, Abbey does not provide any of them with a tumbler: the youngest boy (right, on Belinda's lap) appears to be eating a small apple, and only the two adults have tumblers — presumably filled with the jug of steaming punch from the hearth, immediately above Tiny Tim's head.
Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham. Formatting, color correction, and linking by George P. Landow. [You may use these images without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the person who scanned the image and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]
Guiliano, Edward, and Philip Collins, eds. A Christmas Carol. The Annotated Dickens. Vol. 1. New York: Clarkson N. Potter, 1986.
Davis, Paul. Charles Dickens A to Z: The Essential Reference to His Life and Work. New York: Facts On File, 1998.
---. The Lives and Times of Ebenezer Scrooge. New Haven and London: Yale U. P., 1990.
Dickens, Charles. Christmas Books. Il. Fred Barnard. The Household Edition. London: Chapman and Hall, 1878.
---. Christmas Stories. Il. E. A. Abbey. The Household Edition. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1876.
Guida, Fred. "A Christmas Carol" and Its Adaptations. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2000.
Hearn, Michael Patrick. The Annotated Christmas Carol, il. John Leech. New York: Avenel, 1976.
Parker, David. Christmas and Charles Dickens. New York: AMS Press, 2005.
Last modified 20 November 2012 | <urn:uuid:108d4ae9-246c-4cc8-a0f2-026695c40db4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.victorianweb.org/art/illustration/abbey/5.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957893 | 2,309 | 2.015625 | 2 |
Not too long ago, a designer asked me if there were a class that would teach her how to turn custom letters into a perfect typeface. Well, this summer, Sara Soskolne, a senior designer at Hoefler-Frere Jones (H&FJ) will teach an exciting, week-long workshop, “Turning Letters into Type,” at the School of Visual Arts from July 12 to 16.
Soskolne (Sos-kol-nee) will introduce the tools and principles of digital typeface design through one-on-one, no-holds-barred engagement with an individual project of each student’s own choosing. “Be it systematizing your own lettering, imagining a complete alphabet from a found fragment,” she says, “articulating that ideal set of forms in your mind, or reviving a non-digital typeface you love,” letters will come alive as type. The workshop will further foster a more critical eye for letterforms, a deeper understanding of how they work, and a whole new set of creative skills that can only make you a better designer. PREREQUISITE: Experience with bezier drawing, lettering or typography. Register here or here (and scroll to bottom). | <urn:uuid:e0628a11-091d-409d-9b69-d9734c7c8b8a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.printmag.com/article/making-type-the-new-fashioned-way/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.915924 | 272 | 2.109375 | 2 |
What can my child do to help prevent Osgood-Schlatter from happening again?
Your doctor may prescribe some exercises for your child to do at home or with a physical therapist to strengthen the quadriceps and hamstrings. While your child is recovering, he or she should apply ice to the affected area after exercising to prevent pain and swelling.
In most people, Osgood-Schlatter disease goes away on its own with a little rest and time. If your child ignores or plays through the pain, the disease may get worse and may be more difficult to treat.
Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff | <urn:uuid:f4d3e1ac-49a1-40da-911d-a1580cd6b3e1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/diseases-conditions/osgood-schlatter-disease/prevention.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00075-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936257 | 127 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Reproductive Justice Training
REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE TRAINING PROGRAM
OVERVIEW – 2011
SisterSong offers comprehensive and in-depth Reproductive Justice trainings for organizations and individual activists who want to 1) Understand the Reproductive Justice framework; 2) Apply the Reproductive Justice framework; and 3) Expand the Reproductive Justice framework. The differences between the three types of trainings are detailed below.
The subjects under each learning objective are separate modules. When planning a training offered by SisterSong, you may select the level of training most appropriate for your audience. RJ 101 Level 1 training is an introductory prerequisite for subsequent 102 and 103 levels. If this is your first SisterSong training, an RJ 101 Level 1 training is required to build basic familiarity with the foundational concepts of RJ, before requesting an RJ 102 or 103 training. Please keep in mind that most RJ trainings are intense, day-long seminars, but shorter sessions may be arranged.
After an RJ 101 training, participants are then prepared for RJ 102 and RJ 103 Levels. For these training levels, participants are encouraged to select which modules are most appropriate for their work. Please select no more than 3 from each level. SisterSong may advise you on which and how many modules are possible within the local time, resources and personnel constraints. RJ 102 and RJ 103 modules can only be offered to participants who have already received RJ 101 training. If the desire is for multi-level trainings (i.e, RJ 101 + RJ 102), then 2- or 3-day trainings must be planned and pre-approved by SisterSong.
Level 1: RJ 101 -- Understanding Reproductive Justice
Learning Objectives: Participants should be able to articulate their understanding of RJ both in SisterSong’s words and in their own way. This level of training will affirm familiarity with the core concepts of RJ including:
- 3 Core Principles of RJ
- Reproductive Oppression
- Human Rights
- Reproductive Health, Reproductive Rights, Reproductive Justice
Level 2: RJ 102 -- Applying Reproductive Justice
Learning Objectives: Participants should be able to work to persuade others about the value of embracing the RJ framework by learning advanced techniques of RJ 101 trainings, self-help, conflict resolution, and organizational integration. They should also feel capable of providing RJ 101 trainings to others. Primary topics can include:
- RJ 101 Training Techniques (required)
- Issue Inclusiveness
- Developing Values & Mission Statements with RJ
- Achieving Stakeholder Buy-in
- Building Unity through Self-Help
- Conflict Resolution through RJ
- Coalition Building through RJ
- Dealing with Mainstream Organizations
- Empowerment of Women of Color
- Problematizing RJ – Dealing with Naysayers, Skeptics and Critics
- Freedom vs. Responsibilities and Human Rights
- Standards for Evaluating RJ
Level 3: RJ 103 -- Expanding RJ
Learning Objectives: Participants should be able to develop additional RJ training tools, modules and models for working with communities that do not primarily focus on RJ issues in their work. This section also entails expanding to other sectors such as public officials, the media, funders, etc. Central components for this can include:
- Culturally-specific RJ Modules (Native American, Middle Eastern/North African, etc.)
- Sector/Issue-specific RJ Modules (i.e., Environmental Justice, Immigration, etc.)
- Disability Rights & RJ
- Youth & Older Modules
- LGBTQ Modules
- Creating Intersectional Modules
- Public Policy Development & RJ
- Media Strategies, Communications & RJ
- Policy Advocacy and RJ
- Funding and Development Strategies using RJ
- Using Advanced Technology for RJ Trainings
Audience Size & Facilities
The ideal audience for RJ trainings is 10-20 participants, but accommodations can be made to include more participants if additional SisterSong trainers are available, upon approval by SisterSong. The audience does not have to be limited to women of color; allies and men are welcome, unless the local host organization desires otherwise. All training facilities should be comfortable, accessible for people with disabilities, and relatively uninterrupted. A “hollow square” table arrangement or “u-shaped” table arrangement is preferred. The host organization is responsible for childcare, food, and local transportation for the participants. Pre-registration is required to estimate the audience size and facilities needed. SisterSong will provide sign-in sheets will be provided and share them with the local host organization.
Each training includes PowerPoint presentations, participatory activities, small group exercises, and lectures. Depending on the module(s) selected, you may be required to provide computer equipment, screen, internet access, flip charts and pens, and post-it notepads. SisterSong does have our own computer and PowerPoint projector we can bring, upon request, if the host organization provides the screen. SisterSong will provide an electronic copy of all PowerPoint presentations so that the local group may make copies for the participants. SisterSong will also provide additional handouts, such as folders, newsletters and membership applications. Please advise us how many to provide and this information will be shipped before the training so that additional local information and copies of PowerPoint presentation can be included in the folders.
Trainings are usually a minimum of 3 hours, but 9-5 schedules are preferred. SisterSong can also provide longer or shorter presentations on any module to fit into a conference or meeting schedule. By definition, presentations are lectures that do not provide the same quality or depth provided in a full-length training. Each training can include pre- and post-training assessments as well as participant evaluations.
|Length||# of Trainers||Fees|
|1 Day||1||$2000 + travel|
|1 Day||2||$3000 + travel|
|2 Days||1||$3000 + travel|
|2 Days||2||$4000 + travel|
|3 Days||1||$4000 + travel|
|3 Days||2||$5000 + travel|
All travel is coach-class and travel policies are available from SisterSong upon request. Presentation fees are negotiable, but start at $2000 + travel. Workshops at conferences are $2000 + travel. Multiple workshops and/or presentations are permitted for additional fees. SisterSong member organizations may request reduced fees that are negotiated upon request. Member organizations must be in good standing before requesting reduced fees. To join SisterSong, visit our website at www.sistersong.net.
SisterSong has a wide variety of excellent trainers available to meet your needs. Our principal trainer is Loretta Ross, National Coordinator. Our training team also includes Laura Jimenez, Deputy Coordinator (available for trainings in Spanish); Heidi Williamson, Advocacy and Membership Coordinator (specializing in trainings for Youth, Religious and Labor organizations); and Serena Garcia (specializing in Communications and Organizational Development). We also have available many other SisterSong members who may be available from your geographical area, issue area, age group, or based on identity needs (gender identity, disability, older women, scholars, etc.). The number of trainers required depends on the size of the audience, the content of the training, and the primary language of the training. For a Spanish-language training, please plan on at least two SisterSong trainers.
- Assess your capacity to sponsor a training by filling out a Pre-Training Survey SisterSong will provide.
- Recruit training participants.
- Arrange travel, logistics, and audio-visual needs.
- Have fun! | <urn:uuid:9c6b4e53-181e-41e0-82d4-e3265caac161> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sistersong.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=43&Itemid=50 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.906772 | 1,571 | 1.890625 | 2 |
Most people have heard about and understand the basic law associated with Megan's Law. The law refers to a type of federal or state statute passed after the death of Megan Kanka, a seven year old girl from Hamilton, New Jersey who was sexually assaulted and later killed by a neighbor in 1994. Megan's Law, in the State of New Jersey, applies to those individuals who have been convicted of certain enumerated sex crimes.
New Jersey first enacted this legislation in response to Megan Kanka's death and thereafter the United States and most other states adopted similar legislation. Megan's Law essentially requires, in addition to any sentence imposed by the court, that individuals convicted of Megan's Law offenses register with local police. In addition, such individuals must also notify law enforcement authorities whenever they move to a new location. These statutes establish a notification process to provide information about individuals found guilty of such crimes to law enforcement agencies and in certain situations to the public. The scope and extent of notification in New Jersey is based upon a risk assessment. In New Jersey individuals convicted of Megan's Law offenses are "tiered" as a Tier 1, Tier 2 or Tier 3 offender. Tier 1 requires the least amount of notification and Tier 3 the most amount of notification.
One aspect of a Megan's Law sentence in New Jersey that is not generally known or fully understood is "Parole Supervision for Life." In New Jersey, in addition to the penalties referenced above and in addition to the significant stigmas associated with a conviction for a sex crime, individuals convicted of the following crimes must also be sentenced to Parole Supervision for Life ("PSL"):
- aggravated sexual assault;
- sexual assault;
- aggravated criminal sexual contact;
- certain kidnapping crimes where the victim is less than 16;
- certain offenses involving endangering the welfare of a child;
- luring; and
- attempts to commit any of the above- referenced crimes.
PSL means exactly what it sounds like - being on parole and abiding by the terms and conditions of parole and a parole officer for the rest of one's life. If such an individual violates the terms of his parole, incarceration above and beyond the original sentence may occur. While such individuals may petition the court after fifteen (15) years for release from parole supervision, the decision lies exclusively with the court.
Unlike the normal terms and conditions of parole (which can be difficult and onerous) an individual sentenced to PSL may have his or her access to the internet monitored and/or curtailed. More particularly, such individuals can be prohibited from accessing or using a computer or any other device with internet access; can be required to submit to periodic unannounced examinations of their computers or internet devices by a parole officer, law enforcement officer or assigned technology specialist including the retrieval and copying of all data from the computer or device; can be required to submit to the installation on the person's computer, at the person's expense, one or more hardware or software systems to monitor internet use; and can be required to submit to any other appropriate restrictions concerning the person's use or access to a computer or to a device with internet capability.
Parole Supervision for Life can significantly affect one's life - for the rest of one's life. While it is only one aspect of a Megan's Law sentence, it can be the most enduring and difficult part of such a sentence simply because it can last forever.
To learn more about this topic, and to talk to one of our experience attorneys, call Brickfield & Donahue today at (201) 488-7707
|Related Articles:||Related Practice Areas:|
|The Diversion Choice In New Jersey|
"Keep in mind that nothing contained in this article should be considered legal advice. The law can and often does change. If you have a specific legal issue or problem, consult an attorney." | <urn:uuid:aa1ef8b7-5e43-4d96-8c84-0d0f26a412ee> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.brickdonlaw.com/Articles/Parole-Supervision-For-Life.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934917 | 790 | 1.726563 | 2 |
4. Columbus, Ohio
This Ohio city was named the best place in the nation to raise a family by Businessweek in 2009 and it’s not hard to see why. The state capitol has a cost of living that’s 8 percent below the national average, and it’s also about 14 percent below the average for housing (two-bedroom apartments go for about $650-850, according to Rent.com). Full-time civilian wages in the Columbus-Marion-Chillicothe area come out at $22.31/hour, just under the national mean. | <urn:uuid:25ba3a98-a4ad-47b5-a491-963924750e4e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Media/Slideshow/2012/06/26/7-US-Cities-with-the-Biggest-Bang-for-Your-Buck.aspx?index=4 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93616 | 123 | 1.5 | 2 |
No matter whether you're taking the SAT, ACT, PSAT, or another exam, there are certain things you can do in the days before to ensure a successful experience. It makes sense to review what you've learned, but eating well, sleeping, and taking time to relax go a long way, too.
Test prep involves taking care of yourself
In order for your brain to function at its best on test day, there are things you can do to help your body get the test preparation it needs.
It is important to be well rested. Make sure to get a good night's sleep in the few days before the test.
If you don't sleep well the night before the test, don't worry about it! It is more important to sleep well two and three nights before. You should still have the energy you need to perform at your best.
Don't change your diet right before the test. Now's not the time to try new foods, even if they are healthier. You don't want to find out on test morning that yesterday's energy bar didn't go down well.
In the few weeks before the test, try to work a light, healthy breakfast into your daily routine. If you already eat breakfast, good for you — don't change a thing.
Stress can negatively affect test prep
Being too stressed about the exam can negatively impact your performance. Part of your test preparation should include getting mentally and emotionally ready.
Be aware of whatever anxiety you're feeling
The first thing to remember is that this is a natural phenomenon; your body is conditioned to raise the alarm whenever something important is about to happen. However, because you are aware of what your body and mind are doing, you can compensate for it.
Spend some time each day relaxing. Try to let go of all the pressures that build up during your average day.
Visualize a successful experience
You already know what to expect on test day: when you'll get each test section, how many questions there are, how much time you'll have, etc. You also know where you are strong and where you are weak. Picture yourself confidently answering questions correctly, and smoothly moving past trouble spots - you can come back to those questions later.
Talk about it
Find a family member or trusted friend with whom you can talk about the things that stress you out about the test. When this person tells you that everything is going to be OK, believe it!
Test prep for test content
You'll also need to be prepared for the types of content you'll see on the exam. This often includes familiarizing yourself with question types, reviewing subjects, and answering practice questions.
Verbal or reading comprehension questions appear on many exams, including the SAT, ACT, and PSAT.
For passage-based questions, first work on detail questions that you can easily locate the answer to. Then move on to inference questions, questions that ask what the author intended, and main idea questions.
If a question involves a tough vocabulary word, use the surrounding clues in the text to determine what it means.
Not all exams contain an essay question, but there are many that do. Remember that a few spelling or grammar mistakes are tolerable, but you want to try to eliminate as many of those as you can. Try to vary your sentence length and word choice.
Before you begin to write, spend a few minutes brainstorming ideas and outlining the argument you want to make. Planning will help you to write a well-organized and cohesive essay.
Practice and review
Whatever you do, don't cram for the test! It is a bad test preparation strategy because you aren't going to remember most of what you "learn" while cramming, and the odds are slim that the few things it will help you to remember will happen to be on the test. Save the energy you would have used to cram for test day.
In the few days before the test, do a review of the skills and concepts in which you are strong. Be confident as you review everything that you know — and remember that confident feeling as you take the test. | <urn:uuid:839d5a95-17e1-495c-980b-12dc7950add1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.petersons.com/college-search/~/link.aspx?_id=D2B8A6C0FABC44988531FA4F549A0DAF&_z=z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962068 | 842 | 2.546875 | 3 |
As you may know both Erika and I work extensively in architectural photography (her as a studio manager and I as a shooter), so it was particularly interesting when on a recent flight I watched the documentary Visual Acoustics. The film, directed by Eric Bricker, looks at the life of Julius Shulman – “the world’s greatest architectural photography”. Shulman was responsible for documenting the architectural modernism movement in California starting in the 1930s. He photographed the buildings of architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Frank Gehry.
The film is a must watch for anyone that does or wants to work in architectural photography as well as those interested in architecture and design. The breadth of topics covered leave a lot to take away for anyone who does creative work. From urban planning to repurposing work to a fine art context, the film is a fascinating look at a lifelong career and the various ups and downs that go along with it.
See the trailer below and visit the film’s website for more info. | <urn:uuid:a612a5d2-b835-4727-9ac0-40624e81b65a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.knocktwiceblog.com/2012/07/30/spotlight-visual-acoustics/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00059-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978111 | 212 | 1.90625 | 2 |
Political parties and social organisations have condemned the attack on senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan on Wednesday and called for stringent action against the culprits and measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
Terming the attack “barbaric,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said those behind it should be arrested and the organisation they were associated with should be identified. “The issue needed to be dealt with strictly to avoid recurrence of any such incident… No right thinking person will support such kind of action.”
Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram noted none had the right to take the law into his hands and said he had directed Delhi Police Commissioner B.K. Gupta to take appropriate action against the assailants.
Describing it as “reprehensible,” Ram Madhav of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh urged that those behind the attack be brought to book.
Prakash Javadekar of the Bharatiya Janata Party alleged that the Congress was behind the attack. He demanded an inquiry.
Calling it a “cowardly act,” the former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) president, H.D. Deve Gowda, said it was a sad day for democracy as a handful of anti-social elements dared to assault a champion of constitutional rights on the premises of the country's highest court.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat and CPI national secretary D. Raja said it was an attack on the freedom of expression and speech.
The National Alliance of People's Movements and the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan said the attack was another example of increasing levels of intolerance and contempt for the democratic right to express views. | <urn:uuid:b69b4a26-0501-41d5-b691-c9506632019c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/parties-organisations-seek-stringent-action-against-culprits/article2532315.ece | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966493 | 371 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Need an extra reason to stop studying? A Brown Med School professor posted Monday about a recent metastudy of over 12,000 6-18 year-olds that found “a significant positive relationship between physical activity and academic performance.” Although specific
GPA increases numbers weren’t included, the researchers point to “increased oxygen flow” and endorphins as possible factors for this correlation (among many other things that also release endorphins).
At the same time, Brown researchers at Butler Hospital have discovered that adults who had high levels of anxiety during childhood have genetically-modified stress responses. Although their DNA isn’t changed, the way their genes are expressed is (epigenetics FTW), and as a result, they have “greater stress sensitivity and fear in stressful situations,” according to Audrey Tryka MD, PhD.
All this to say that no matter how much work you can get done sitting in the Ratty for four hours straight, “you should probably get off your butt and go get some fresh air.” [Thanks for the quote, Mom.] So, snow football tomorrow anyone? | <urn:uuid:e550a3ba-7b70-410a-b555-f92e85d369c2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogdailyherald.com/tag/workout/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958247 | 237 | 2.109375 | 2 |
Colorado State University Extension's mission is to help people meet the challenge of change through education leading to enhancing people's knowledge, skills, and coping strategies. CSU researchers have been conducting limited irrigation studies for several years. Their research can be adapted by farmers to optimize profits through dry and water-short times.
I regularly write about and offer education programs that offer cropping system alternatives that can help farm producers meet drought and other challenges. Some alternatives require farmers to make major shifts in how they manage crops and fields and their whole farm operation. For example, many dryland farmers in eastern Colorado have shifted from wheat-fallow to rotations including one or more summer crops before or after the wheat crop. These farmers use no-till system or a much-reduced tillage to reduce their costs and enhance their soil moisture capture. This very widespread change was initiated by research findings and the experience of a handful of innovative farmers. Although some farmers continue the traditional wheat-fallow system, the dryland farmers who are growing their operations are those who have succeeded in making the transition to these no-till multi-crop rotational systems. Dryland farmers make these new systems work. They also educate other farmers on the practical farming techniques through organizations such as the Colorado Conservation Tillage Association.
I feel that it is my role to challenge the status quo farming practices with new agricultural ideas and techniques. Not all fit every farm and some do not fit any. It's my conviction that if a farm manager is going to remain profitable, transition changes effectively and grow their business they will need to keep abreast of the alternatives and try out a few of the most promising techniques and farming systems.
The same principle applies to each Extension agent. We also need to keep up with new and alternative research-based agricultural ideas and techniques. I encourage you challenge me with your crop or crop system questions or ways I can improve my service to farmers.
Please contact me, Bruce Bosley, about this or other cropping systems or natural resource topics by my cell phone, (970) 980-4001, or via email, [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:2912b086-e572-4ea0-a180-2fec0206b8ee> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.journal-advocate.com/sterling-agriculture/ci_22331904 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00049-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949403 | 440 | 2.125 | 2 |
Posted: March 15, 2013
UnityPoint Health - Des Moines
Luckily, you don't have to be Irish to enjoy the nutritional benefits of the St. Patrick's Day favorite meal - corned beef and cabbage!
Check out these facts from eatright.org about the nutritious foods we can eat all year round!
- One cup of raw chopped cabbage offers a mere 22 calories and provides 2.2 grams of fiber. It is an excellent source of vitamin C and provides folate, vitamin B6, phytonutrients, lutein and zeaxanthin.
- Carrots are also low in calories and packed with nutritional benefits: ½ cup of grated carrot has 23 calories, provides 1.5 grams of fiber, is an excellent source of vitamin A in the form of beta carotene, and also contains phytonutrients associated with eye health, such as lutein and zeaxanthin.
- Red potatoes are fat-free, cholesterol-free, sodium-free, and an excellent source of vitamin C. Make sure to eat the skins! Potato skins are fiber-rich, about 2 grams per ounce and also contain B vitamins, vitamin C, iron, calcium, potassium and other nutrients.
- Corned beef is high in sodium, so fill your plate with vegetables and enjoy the corned beef in moderation. When shopping for corned beef, choose the one with the least amount of fat and lowest sodium and trim all visible fat before cooking. | <urn:uuid:a091d32e-ac54-4c8c-bcc0-0235f52526d1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.iowahealth.org/iowa-health-wellness-news.aspx?id=1113&What+Luck! | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921323 | 304 | 2.140625 | 2 |
Researchers Have Spotted Sugar Floating Around A Sun-Like Star In Deep Space
ESO/L. Calçada & NASA/JPL-Caltech/WISE Team
The young star, called IRAS 16293-2422, is part of a binary (or two-star) system. It has a similar mass to the sun and is located about 400 light-years away in the constellation of Ophiuchus. The sugar molecules, known as glycolaldehyde, have previously been detected in interstellar space, but according to the researchers, this is the first time they have been spotted so close to a sun-like star.
In fact, the molecules are about the same distance away from the star as the planet Uranus is from our sun.
"In the disk of gas and dust surrounding this newly formed star, we found glycolaldehyde, which is a simple form of sugar, not much different to the sugar we put in coffee," study lead author Jes Jørgensen, of the Niels Bohr Institute in Denmark, said in a statement. "This molecule is one of the ingredients in the formation of RNA, which — like DNA, to which it is related — is one of the building blocks of life."
Glycolaldehyde can react with a substance called propenal to form ribose, which is a major component of RNA, or ribonucleic acid. RNA is similar to DNA, which is considered one of the primary molecules in the origin of life.
Astronomers found the sugar molecules using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) radio telescope in Chile. Using ALMA, the astronomers monitored the sugar molecules and found that they are falling toward one of the stars in the binary system, explained study researcher Cécile Favre, of Aarhus University in Denmark. [7 Theories on the Origin of Life]
"The sugar molecules are not only in the right place to find their way onto a planet, but they are also going in the right direction," Favre said in a statement.
When new stars are formed, the clouds of dust and gas from which they are born are extremely cold. Much of the gas turns into ice on the dust particles, bonding together and becoming complex molecules, the researchers said.
As the newborn star develops, it heats up the inner parts of the rotating cloud of gas and dust, warming it to about room temperature, the scientists explained. This heating process evaporates the chemically complex molecules and forms gases that emit radiation that can be picked up by sensitive radio telescopes.
"A big question is: how complex can these molecules become before they are incorporated into new planets?" Jørgensen said. "This could tell us something about how life might arise elsewhere, and ALMA observations are going to be vital to unravel this mystery."
Since IRAS 16293-2422 is located relatively close to Earth, scientists will be able to study the molecular and chemical makeup of the gas and dust around the young star. Powerful instruments, including ALMA, will also help researchers see the interactions of these molecules as new alien planets form.
The detailed results of the study will be published in an upcoming issue of the Astrophysical Journal Letters.
Get Science Emails & Alerts | <urn:uuid:2f39c21d-0666-4c09-834e-26791f52329d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.businessinsider.com/sugar-around-a-sun-like-star-2012-8 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938714 | 675 | 3.484375 | 3 |
“Among the most difficult challenges facing the Air Force is the need to modernize,” writes Michael Donley, the Secretary of the Air Force.
Despite major engagements in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, and Libya since the end of the Cold War, the Air Force currently operates the oldest fleet it has ever had. Sadly, sequestration threatens the future of modernization plans, drives up operations and maintenance costs, and prevents the United States from building the Air Force that the country needs in the future.
The Air Force fleet is often described as “geriatric” or “decrepit.” It is becoming inadequate to support U.S. national security interests, too. Since 2001, the number of Air Force fighters has fallen by about 25 percent. The Air Force has 372 fewer F-16s, 263 fewer F-15s, and 52 fewer F-117s than were in the inventory in 2001, and no modern strategic bombers. The bulk of the bomber fleet comprises B-52s, which recently celebrated its 60th anniversary since it was first commissioned.
In The Heritage Foundation’s “America at Risk” video (above), General Dave Deptula mentions that the average age of the F-15 C & D models is approaching 30 years. In 2007, an F-15 broke in half during a training mission in St. Louis, Missouri. As a result of this incident, the whole F-15 program was grounded for months. One can hardly imagine what the consequences would be of such an incident during war.
The Air Force, however, does not operate only planes. It oversees and is responsible for modernizing U.S. satellite constellations (including the launch infrastructure), providing everything from early missile warning to navigation and intelligence. Just like other military services, the Air Force needs to maintain secure and resilient command and control infrastructure. The nation depends on these critical capabilities and on preserving their viability in the future.
According to Secretary Donley, the Air Force will have to shed $54 billion from its budget over the next five years under the Budget Control Act. Sequestration would likely increase this amount further. The Heritage Foundation identified $150 billion in annualized savings that would replace the sequestration cuts. Stopping sequestration should now be the first priority of Congress in order to preserve the nation’s capacity to keep the peace and sustain its commitment to allies around the world. | <urn:uuid:f94fe280-944d-463f-a52b-39d82bd770de> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.heritage.org/2013/01/11/will-the-air-force-of-the-future-be-capable-of-flying/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957395 | 497 | 2.734375 | 3 |
One of the major controversies about the trend of education in our society is on the feeling that those with a final say on the sector are apparently not worried about standards.
In other words those who call the shots in this area are accused of being contented with standards of education provided by our schools which critics contend have been declining as time passes, contrary to expectations of parents and other interested parties.
Of course, there has always been no consensus on this question, as those determined to defend the status quo vehemently question the notion of “standards”, arguing that the so-called standards are relative and that, after all, a given society has a right to set its own benchmarks for evaluating the kind of education relevant to its environment.
The above argument raises more questions than answers, and sounds a bit academic. Findings of the latest research conducted by TWAWEZA organization on primary school education in some East African countries however, discredits this kind of argument by revealing that we have semi-literate primary school leavers in our society, thanks to the education system which leaves much to be desired.
Then there is this classic example which demonstrates that some of the decision makers in the education sector are allergic to quality standards. It is all about the decision by the Ministry of Education to reintroduce a requirement for Form Two students to pass a special examination in order to proceed with further studies.
According to the new directive, those failing to make it will be given an opportunity to repeat a year, and be shown the door on squandering the second chance.
For most of the post-colonial years, this was part and parcel of the education system, but was later abolished without giving the key stakeholders in the education sector convincing reasons behind the change.
If my memory serves me well, the game of abandoning and re-introducing Form Two examinations has been on and off - sometimes depending on the thinking of the Minister in-charge of the education portfolio.
Some of us who went through the system now being reintroduced know that it has one important benefit which ought not be lost for the sake of cost cutting and any other questionable excuses. Form Two special examination helps to keep students busy for the entire period of their four-year secondary school education.
A form one student soon realizes that there is a hurdle to be cleared at the end of his/her second year at the new school, and is conditioned to study hard for academic survival. On entering Form Three, our student sets his/her mind to the final Form Four examinations and can’t afford to fool around.
Now that the Form Two special examination is back, we may sigh with relief and say so far so good. But we are told the pass mark will be 30 per cent. Why such a low pass mark?
What sort of standards are we setting? What kind of mentality are we inculcating in the minds of our children by encouraging them to aim low in life? In other places the opposite is the case, for youths are tuned to aim high and made to believe that the sky is the limit.
Surely, those behind the not so motivating pass mark have got their own reasons although, as usual, are not in a hurry to come out and argue their case convincingly. In the first place, key stakeholders in the education sector are supposed to have been consulted to get their views on such an important decision and endorse it.
The fact that this has not been done is not news as we are somehow used to this kind of situation, much as it is unacceptable and uncalled for. The question is: When and how will this attitude be got rid of?
While no one cares to explain the rationale behind the 30 percent pass mark, yet those conversant with the poor academic performance in most of our schools can hazard a guess that fear of mass failure is behind it all.
In short, it is realized that sticking to an acceptable pass mark in Form Two examinations would mean the end of the education road for many students in most of the secondary schools now serving citizens in the low income bracket.
Again one key question continues to haunt us .Is the lowering of standards a solution to the myriad problems and challenges currently crippling our education system?
Henry Muhanika is a media consultant. [email protected] | <urn:uuid:0fa93dea-cf97-4be0-8600-eddf7e131dc0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=48133 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967414 | 880 | 1.921875 | 2 |
We have discussed how playing with a brain injury can be dangerous; more immediately dangerous for the younger athlete. However, continually disturbing the brain while it is recovering only prolongs the issue and is a detriment to long-term brain health. This is the part of sports that gives credence to the awareness and education initiative.
Apparently the NFL, specifically the Pittsburgh Steelers, does not fully grasp everything involved with and around concussions. I would think that of all the teams that should be well versed in the history of concussions and health risks it would be the former employer of Mike Webster. Along with Webster, the Steelers have been on the cutting edge of research, perhaps not the team – rather those that are associated with them: UPMC (developers of ImPACT) and Dr. Maroon (prominent author and “trend setter” for NFL concussions prior to 2008). The once proud franchise in the sports medicine realm has increasingly shown poor management of concussions; using such terms as “concussion-like symptoms” to avoid players having to leave the field of play (see Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu).
The most recent case of Polamalu is yet another example of what we are dealing with, the stigma of concussions. After another head injury this past Sunday (could be as many as his seventh), Polamalu is going to play this week;
Troy Polamalu is fine and will play vs. Bengals. He was clear and lucid by halftime but kept out because of league rules.
WHAT ARE WE DOING OUT HERE? Yes I am a bit frustrated. What message are we sending the youth and their parents about concussions? I fully grasp the fact that they are professional athletes, adults and can make informed consent decisions about knowingly creating brain damage. The layman, kids and their over-competitive parents DO NOT!!!
The mixed messages are one of the primary reasons the stigma of concussions continue. It is not going to ruin the sporting world to sit out a few games. Someone, anyone tell me how this is a good thing. And while you are at it get me a meeting with the NFL; you want to whip this issue, put it on be back burner and get people off your ass, I believe I can help. | <urn:uuid:5e0c5e6f-0c39-4328-97d4-014b927177d6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://theconcussionblog.com/2011/11/29/playing-with-fire/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971558 | 475 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Several key witnesses in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin by Neighborhood Watch captain George Zimmerman have changed their original stories since first being interviewed by law enforcement, according to news reports about recently released evidence in the case. Some analysts cited in the media speculated that three of those revised accounts might hurt the shooter’s claims of self-defense as the second-degree murder prosecution goes through the Florida court system.
Experts in the field, however, have noted that later recollections — which could be impacted by external factors such as publicity, for example — are thought to be less reliable than earlier memories. And the addition of post-event information into the memory reconstruction process, normally unbeknownst to the person, is one reason why psychologists believe that eyewitness testimony can often be unreliable.
“To fill in gaps in memory, the eyewitness relies upon his or her expectation, attitudes, prejudices, bias, and prior knowledge,” explained University of North Dakota forensic psychologist Richard Wise. “Furthermore, information supplied to an eyewitness after a crime ... by the police, prosecutor, other eyewitnesses, media, etc., can alter an eyewitness's memory of the crime."
Once that happens, Wise told the site Life's Little Mysteries, those witnesses generally do not even realize that their memories of the event have been changed. Not only do they feel confident that they are remembering the incident accurately, it also becomes very hard or even impossible to restore their original memories about it, he explained.
Thus far, according to legal experts, much of the information released publicly — photos, witness accounts, medical reports, and more — has largely tended to support Zimmerman’s version of events. Essentially, he claimed to have fired his gun in self-defense after Martin attacked him, bashed his head on the ground, and broke his nose. Authorities originally declined to arrest him or press charges, at least until a national frenzy of misleading media reports and race-hate agitators sparked an outcry.
But since the mass coverage of the incident began — much of it, such as an NBC report carefully edited to make Zimmerman appear racist, demonstrably deceitful — at least four of the witnesses have altered their accounts in ways that could impact the prosecution. According to a report in the Orlando Sentinel, which first picked up the story, one woman abandoned her initial story completely, while three others’ recollections changed in “ways that may damage Zimmerman.”
One young woman who lives in the gated community where the shooting happened, known publicly only as “Witness 2,” originally told law enforcement that she had seen two men running. The pair eventually got into a fist fight, she said, but because she had just removed her contact lenses prior to witnessing the scene, she did not know who was hitting whom. The woman told similar versions of that story in at least three official interviews with local and state authorities.
But during follow-up questioning in late March by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement — after the shooting had garnered explosive national attention — she only remembered one person running. And she had no idea who it was. "I couldn't tell you if it was a man, a woman, a kid, black or white. I couldn't tell you because it was dark and because I didn't have my contacts on or glasses,” the woman was quoted as saying. “I just know I saw a person out there."
Another woman, known as “Witness 12,” first told investigators in late March that she saw two people on the ground after the fatal shot was fired, but did not know who had been on top. Other witnesses who spoke to the press about the incident said they were sure Martin had been on top. And the well-documented grass stains on the back of Zimmerman’s sweater, as well as the wounds on the back of his head, would tend to support that, according to analysts.
About a week after her first interview, however, “Witness 12” told prosecutors that she was sure Zimmerman had been on top. "I know after seeing the TV of what's happening, comparing their sizes, I think Zimmerman was definitely on top because of his size," she was quoted as saying in a recorded interview.
A man who reportedly lives just a few feet from where Martin was shot, “Witness 6,” largely corroborated Zimmerman’s story. He told police on the night of the incident that a black man was on top of Zimmerman "just throwing down blows on the guy, MMA[Mixed Martial Arts]-style," and that the man being pummeled — Zimmerman — had been calling for help.
Three weeks later, however, the same man told investigators that while Martin was definitely on top, he was no longer sure whether the black teenager was actually punching Zimmerman or not. "I truly can't tell who, after thinking about it, was yelling for help just because it was so dark out on that sidewalk," the man added in his later interview.
The fourth man to have changed his original story, “Witness 13,” spoke with Zimmerman right after the shooting. At the time, the man told police that a bloodied Zimmerman had asked him to call Zimmerman’s wife and explain that he had been forced to shoot Martin because the 17-year-old football player had been beating him up. About a month later, the witness told investigators that Zimmerman had acted like the shooting “was nothing.”
According to analysts, much of the eyewitness testimony is contradictory. Some people, for example, claimed to have heard a second gun shot — in reality, Zimmerman fired only one shot. Other witnesses said they saw shirts that nobody was wearing, the Miami Herald reported. And taken together, the inaccurate accounts show how unreliable witness statements can be — especially in situations like this.
“Memory does not function like a videotape that records everything and can be replayed at will,” Innocence Project eyewitness identification litigation fellow Karen Newirth told the Herald. “People remember pieces of events, and then fill in the blanks with what makes sense.”
Other experts have noted that the earliest accounts are probably also the most reliable. "All other things equal, earlier recountings are more likely to be accurate than later ones,” Stanford University psychology Professor Barbara Tversky was quoted as saying by the Scientific American. “The longer the delay, the more likely that subsequent information will get confused with the target memory."
The defense and the prosecution are both seeking to keep evidence under wraps for now, according to news reports. Zimmerman is currently out on bail and maintains that he is innocent. The next court date is scheduled for August.
Some legal experts such as Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz have blasted prosecutors and called for the murder charges to be dropped, but others say that there is presumably still some evidence that has not yet been released. Race profiteers who have staked their reputations on the case, political opportunists, and Martin supporters, however, are all insisting that Zimmerman is a murderer and should be convicted.
Medical Report Shows Martin Attacked Zimmerman
Dershowitz: Prosecutor Should Drop Charges Against Zimmerman
Democrat Anti-Self-Defense “Trayvon Amendment” on Hold, For Now
"Stand Your Ground" and Self Defense
Florida “Stand Your Ground” Task Force Meets, Democrat Wants Changes
Anti-Gun Zealots Exploit Florida Tragedy
UN "Human Rights" Boss Questions Fla. Law, Demands Justice for Trayvon
Photo: George Zimmerman, center, is directed by a Seminole County Deputy and his attorney Mark O'Mara during a court hearing on April 12, 2012, in Sanford, Fla.: AP Images | <urn:uuid:01fee65e-5c45-4edd-a76a-cf9227a7bfbd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/crime/item/11524-experts-weigh-in-after-four-witnesses-in-trayvon-martin-case-change-story | 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 | 0.982916 | 1,594 | 2.109375 | 2 |
For many people, geography is what you see on a map. It’s true that maps are one of the primary tools of geographers, but there’s more to geography than representations of a region’s features. Geography is the study of the world we inhabit, its landscapes, people, places and environments.
The study of geography begins in childhood, in our homes and neighborhoods and expands into our communities, states, regions, and beyond as we gain experience. Geography connects us to the world and helps us understand the place we live, the people around us and the events that shape history. These are some of the ways that geography plays an important role in the education of elementary and middle school. But as school budgets have been cut, resources increasingly allocated to instruction in mathematics, writing, reading and testing focused in those areas, children are spending less time learning about geography and social sciences in general.
Oregon has geography standards at every grade level, but does not require a stand-alone course in geography; instead, the state requires the topic of “Oregon” be taught to children in several grade levels. While the lack of a course requirement in geography is unfortunate, it provides teachers from across the spectrum of educational disciplines the opportunity to incorporate Oregon geography into their lesson plans. With the Student Atlas of Oregon elementary and middle school teachers state-wide have a tool to help students connect the lessons they learn in the classroom to places they’ve been and experiences they’ve had.
The Student Atlas of Oregon was authored by Portland State University Professor of Geography, Dr. Teresa Bulman and Western Oregon University Professor of Education Gwenda Rice, Co-Coordinators of the Oregon Geographic Alliance (OGA). The content of the atlas was developed by a group of teachers well versed in Oregon’s geography education standards, in collaboration with PSU students and faculty from the Center for Spatial Analysis and Research. The atlas was made possible by a grant from the John D. Gray and Elizabeth N. Gray Endowment Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation. The hard copy of the atlas, which is printed in both English and Spanish, contains 48 pages of maps intended to help teachers increase their student’s geographic literacy while enriching other course material. The online versions of both atlases contain an additional 40 maps each.
“We realized some time ago,” Dr. Bulman said, “that the best way to get geography into the curriculum under the current circumstances where geography is not a required course is to get it into other courses: history courses, economics courses, civics courses, earth science courses, literature courses. The teacher in the classroom trying to teach basic geographic concepts and geographic ways of thinking will have the most impact for the students if the teacher is able to provide examples that the student is aware of and has some familiarity with.”
The Student Atlas of Oregon is both a tool to increase students’ geographic literacy and a repository of information about Oregon’s climate, topography, population, forests and vegetation, rivers, dams and watersheds, the Oregon Trail, Lewis & Clark Expedition and much more. With its Spanish language edition and a separate glossary of geographic terminology in 11 languages, the Student Atlas of Oregon is also an excellent tool for teachers with diverse student populations. And in order to help teachers incorporate the study of Oregon’s geography into their lesson plans and make the best use of the Student Atlas of Oregon, the OGA at PSU offers resources for teachers that include free atlas workshops on using the English or Spanish edition of the Student Atlas of Oregon as well as model lessons for use in the classroom.
“We’ve reached thousands of teachers with our conferences and free atlas workshops,” Dr. Bulman said, “and the model lessons allow teachers to draw plans by content or grade level. So if a teacher wants to teach a lesson on climate change in Oregon, forests in Oregon, or an event happening in the community, they can come to the website and find a model lesson.”
For the office of Innovation & Intellectual Property (IIP) the relationship between Dr. Bulman, OGA, and the Student Atlas of Oregon is unique. Working with Dr. Bulman, IIP established a license for the educational use of the atlas that provides for some of the project’s funding.
“We set up the license specifically to support the dissemination of the atlas,” Joe Janda, Director of IIP, said. “And because of the way its set up, the project receives all of the revenue generated by each license.”
As an educational tool to help students connect the lessons they learn in the classroom to the state, their communities, and their homes, the Student Atlas of Oregon is unique in its form. Unlike many atlases designed for children, the Student Atlas of Oregon takes into account the perspectives elementary and middle school children bring to learning. It focuses on local and regional information pertinent to a wide range of subjects and disciplines and provides information in a clear and concise way. To date, well over two thousand copies of the Student Atlas of Oregon have found their way into classrooms and libraries across Oregon. Educators can order a copy of the atlas in English and Spanish and a copy of the 11 language glossary of geographic terminology at OGA’s website: www.pdx.edu/geography-education/maps-atlases where educators can also access the online versions of the atlases and glossary for free. | <urn:uuid:f6d5ad55-cc20-4ed0-90ec-ee99af3beb26> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pdx.edu/profile/bringing-geography-oregon-classroom | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947396 | 1,146 | 3.796875 | 4 |
NVDAILY.COM | Opinion
Posted October 22, 2012 | Leave a comment
Letter to the Editor: BSA policy is not a form of bullying
I am perplexed by the use of "bully" in the Connie Schultz column, "End Boy Scout bullying." According to Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, the word "bully" can be used as a noun, verb or adjective. The column utilizes bully as a verb, meaning "to treat abusively; to affect by means of force or coercion; to use browbeating language or behavior" (1994:151).
According to this description of "bullying," I ask: who's bullying whom? The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) claim on its website, Scouting.org, to be, "a voluntary, private organization that sets policies that are best for the organization. The BSA welcomes all who share its beliefs, but does not criticize or condemn those who wish to follow a different path" ("The Boy Scouts of America Clarifies Membership Policy," 2012). As such, BSA is not bullying; it's upholding its convictions. They are not even publicly denouncing the gay and lesbian lifestyle. The same source cited above also claims, "Scouting believes same-sex attraction should be introduced and discussed outside of its program with parents, caregivers, or spiritual advisers, at the appropriate time and in the right setting. The vast majority of parents we serve value this right and do not sign their children up for Scouting for it to introduce or discuss, in any way, these topics."
This topic is personal, too, for many Americans. Parents are concerned about close-contact activities - such as showering and sleeping in tents - for their sons, while fostering the 12 points of the Scout law. They want their sons to cultivate compassionate hearts, too. In considering the dynamics of teenage-dom, would we want the same arrangements for a daughter among boys?
The truth of the matter is that the BSA policy itself is not a form of bullying. From an outside perspective (one that does not claim to have an answer), bullying would be the coercive decision to pull funding, to verbally berate the organization for its convictions, to browbeat BSA to change its principles. If BSA is a private organization, then it has the right to set its own guidelines, even when we disagree.
Sarah Kohrs, Mt. Jackson
Copyright © The Northern Virginia Daily | nvdaily.com | 152 N. Holliday St., Strasburg, Va. 22657 | (800) 296-5137 | <urn:uuid:2ec06c85-54e5-4797-81a1-0dee56c5b9d5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nvdaily.com/opinion/2012/10/letter_to_the_editor_bsa_policy_is_not_a_form_of_bullying-print.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00062-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948667 | 530 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Want to turn your body's fat-burning potential up a notch? Check out these five ways to wake up and up the calorie burn.
- Exercise: That dawn workout doesn't just put a pep in your step; exercising in the morning also helps boost your metabolism, more than exercising at other times of the day. Studies have shown that people who exercised in the morning burn more calories than those who exercise at other times of the day, so lace up your sneaks and greet the sun for an added calorie burn.
- Add intensity: Good news for the time-strapped: a recent study found that a simple intense 2.5-minute burst of exercise can lead to an increased afterburn all day — up to 200 calories worth, in fact. Need ideas on how to add intensity to your workouts? Here are five short exercises that will help you burn extra calories fast.
Three more ideas after the break! | <urn:uuid:cd837365-e854-47d9-a2ed-6ee316dc6557> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fitsugar.com/New-Year | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927741 | 188 | 1.75 | 2 |
Matching Your Skills with Job Requirements in Interviews
Matching your skills with job requirements is essential during job interviews. A targeted job interview demonstrates that you have the qualifications that the job requires. These days, employers have an intense interest in effecting a fast start for new hires, with little to no break-in period.
While skills that match the job are critical, they aren’t all it takes to get hired. Personal chemistry (motivation, personality, style, energy, attitude, and so forth) and fit in the workplace’s culture are important decision factors as well.
Keep in mind the following when matching your skills with a job's requirements in an interview:
Try to make it easy for the interviewer to believe that you have all (or nearly all) of the skills and attributes that the interviewer is trying to recruit for the position. Emphasize that you meet the specs — point for point.
Interviews for professional and managerial jobs typically stretch over two or more meetings. Your qualifications for an open job generally are vetted in the first, or screening interview, which likely is conducted by an HR representative. This interviewer can screen you out of the candidate pool, or if you’re a qualified candidate, pass you up to the selection interviewer.
The selection interviewer, usually the manager to whom you would report, may assume you’re qualified or you wouldn’t have been passed on to a decision maker. The hiring manager tends to be more interested in how you would fit in with the others on the manager’s team.
Sometimes, especially with technical candidates, the hiring manager wants to make sure your qualifications are right on target. Perhaps the hiring process stretched out over weeks, even months, and the hiring manager has to an extent, forgotten what you offer, failed to read your file from HR, or just needs reassurance that you can do the job.
Be alert for signs in a selection interview that you need to shore up the hiring manager’s appreciation of your matching skills and experience. You can do it with a simple question technique: “I noticed that one of the requirements you’re after is experience in construction project management in foreign countries. Would you like to hear about my office park experience in France?” | <urn:uuid:19cbc7b5-1481-4ea3-a2d8-fbf5c1ba667b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/matching-your-skills-with-job-requirements-in-inte.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952546 | 468 | 1.726563 | 2 |
We are on the front lines of the healthcare revolution along side our patients and our colleagues in technology. We have firsthand experience of the shortcomings in the healthcare industry, and we know that it’s going to take a concerted effort to upend the system. Those of us who are able to adapt and apply new technology solutions to existing problems will undoubtedly make positive changes.
Barriers to entry into entrepreneurship are falling as tools for innovation are becoming ubiquitously accessible. The next phase in healthcare disruption is taking place as smart doctors with good insights and creative developers/designers/engineers get together to create well-rounded problem solving teams.
Like any battle for change, good communication between all parties makes for a higher chance of success. Good communication starts with an understanding of the languages spoken between industries and herein lies the reason for this article:
Doctors suck at explaining their health IT ideas to the people who can help make them a reality.
It does not have to be this way. If one doctor is able to clearly communicate a complex case to another doctor of a completely different specialty, they can also learn to tell a compelling story about their idea to an engineer, developer, designer, etc.
Think of a technology solution as a patient we are trying to refer to another doctor. In order to give a successful consultation, we must follow specific rules that allow a structured approach to telling the story in a way that makes sense to the other party. We start with a case history to provide context and background, we give specific findings about our patient’s current condition, and we sometimes provide insights and recommendations for future care. This same structure can be applied to a conversation with a technology expert. In technology, we might call this consult structure a framework for presenting a solution. The case history becomes the story, the findings represent the data, recommendations represent insights that reveal the opportunity or solution to be built, and the admission onto the ward represents the successful development of a beta product or service to be tested in a live environment.
Of course, there are some rules of etiquette that should always be followed when giving a consult outside one’s own field. It is important to remain respectful of others’ expertise, but to present the idea clearly, and without jargon. Just because someone majored in computer science at MIT doesn’t mean they’ll understand the inner workings of the central nervous system, for example. There is a delicate balance between speaking over a colleague’s head and speaking down to them. Here’s how we approach it in our space:
1. Case history: the story
When speaking to our developers and engineers, the first conversation starts simply. The goal is to define the product or service in as few sentences as possible. If we accomplish a mutual understanding of the fundamental idea, we’ll have established a framework for moving forward.
Example: I want to create a mobile app that uses a sensor attached to an iPhone to measure saturated oxygen levels in my patients. I then want to take the collected data and create useful insights to give to my patients about their stress levels, in real-time.
This type of a statement should serve to stir up some questions from the tech expert (e.g. what kind of sensor? How is saturated oxygen related to stress?) which help us refine the story and judge their grasp of what we’re trying to accomplish. We use these questions to dig deeper into the experience we’re trying to create for the patient. This is extremely important when the discussion turns towards constructing the product so be sure to give user experience some thought ahead of time. Giving case examples is always a good idea, and having a clear opinion about what you want (as opposed to being vague) is also helpful.
Example: There is a sensor that measures saturated oxygen through infrared light. I’d like to reformat it to fit over the corner of an iPhone (like the Olloclip camera lens). If I can measure saturated oxygen in a person’s fingers, it will tell me a lot about that person’s sympathetic nervous system, and their stress levels. Imagine if we could track saturated oxygen levels at different times of the day, in patients who are dealing with chronic stress. We could use the data to give users insights and tips as to how to control their stress appropriately.
2. Significant findings: the data
Before any actual building of the product takes place, there is one conversation that must happen. The doctor and tech expert (probably the developer in this instance) should discuss in detail how the data is to be collected, presented, and used. This is the single biggest mistake that we see in cross-disciplinary teams and it is easily avoidable. There are a number of translations of data that take place when it is recorded, so planning for the best uses of the data can save time, money, and make for much more useful products.
While it’s not imperative to know the programming language that would work best, it is important to understand that lists and records are preferable. In most cases, we’re used to this type of information gathering because it applies to questions and answers that typically take place in a doctor’s office. Yes or no questions, multiple choice and scales all apply under lists and records. Here’s a little more about the native coding languages that work best for these types of partnerships:
- At our lab the engineers and developers prefer to use modern languages that are highly versatile, like JSON (multi-agent systems development platform, not person) that allow easy customization of the data.
- Think through the various types of data to be collected and how it will be used. In the example of the saturated oxygen iPhone device, we could capture the raw number, or we could place the raw number on a scale of normal ranges, or we could do both. The way we do this matters because it will determine how we can use the data to create insights and tips for the user.
3. Recommendations: the insights
In the delivery of healthcare, treatments are evidence-based, tested rigorously and scrutinized by multiple governing bodies before they are adapted into the mainstream. Healthcare technology does not follow this trend. The market moves too quickly for delays. Prototypes are created, tested and implemented in days or weeks in most cases, and doctors need to be ready to accept that their original assumption about the use of the product might change based on how it is adopted (or not) by users.
In the clinical setting, a consultation to a speciality service often leads to narrowing possible differential diagnoses. The attending doctor must then return to the available clinical data and reformulate a clinical strategy (e.g. order more labs and imaging or test out a treatment strategy). Similarly in tech ventures, doctors must be able to take feedback from both their developer team and end users and adapt or pivot their original idea incorporating the expertise of the team with whom they are working.
4. Admission on to the ward: launching a beta product
Getting a patient admitted to a specialty ward is only the beginning of the treatment plan. Similarly, launching a beta product is just the start of the development process. Doctors need to work even closer with their developer team and learn to iterate various parameters rapidly. The process resembles the decision making in managaing a critical patient. While the responsibility for making rapid product adjustments rest with the developer team, the doctor must be able to interpret the vital signs of usability and product relevance after its launch, leading the team to the correct interventions.
A translational skill
While there is no one secret to a successful team in any entrepreneurial ventures, they generally work best when the members of the team complement each others skills and strengths. In healthcare tech, clinical experience by itself will not suffice in bringing solutions to market. Rather, it is the effective communication of that clinical experience to the technical talent for implementation.
Doctors already round on a ward of patients every day. They break down complex patient histories into succinct presentations and form action plans from numerous specialities and allied health services. If we consider the process of creating and launching a product, the same skills are necessary. Ask questions, find trends, create opportunities, build a team of experts, launch a product, test your assumptions, relaunch, etc. It’s the same process. If we keep that in mind when working with our technical counterparts, rewarding health IT projects will result.
Sean O’Grady is co-founder of Syntropy. Jeeshan Chowdhury is co-founder of Hacking Health.
Submit a guest post and be heard on social media’s leading physician voice. | <urn:uuid:84858146-bf1c-4a87-9500-80deec58662e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2012/02/health-doctors-framework-successful-partnerships.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940865 | 1,776 | 2.203125 | 2 |
A researcher has claimed to have created exploit code to crack the cryptography on a chip used in travel smartcards, including in London's Oyster card.
The exploit code can supposedly be used to undermine the cryptography on smartcards which use NXP's Mifare Classic chip, such as the Oyster card and the Dutch OV-Chipkaart.
The researcher, known as 'Bla', is developing the open-source software on the Google Code platform. The exploit code, entitled 'Crapto-1', attempts to exploit NXP's proprietary Crypto1 algorithm. The exploit code builds on work by Dutch researchers from Radboud University in Nijmegen, who published a mathematical explanation of the algorithm and possible attack methods earlier this month.
"This project provides an implementation of the Crypto1 cipher, as well as an implementation of the attack specified by the folks in Nijmegen," wrote Bla on the Crapto1 landing page. "I'm not aware of any other public implementations at this time, I decided to write my own."
The researcher claimed that the code implements the cryptography needed to decrypt captured communications between Crypto1-based RFID tags and card readers. Bla claimed the code can "even recover the shared secret" used to verify the cryptographic process. The researcher also claimed that the code does not interfere with the hardware layer of the card readers.
A spokesperson from Radboud University said that the university was aware of the exploit code, but declined to comment further until Wednesday, when there would be "an update".
Dutch freelance security journalist Brenno de Winter, who broke the story for Webwereld in the Netherlands on Monday, told ZDNet UK that he had "verified the code".
"The code does work; I verified it by reading the source," said de Winter.
Attack code against Mifare Classic chips was published earlier this month by German researcher Henryk Plötz, in his doctoral thesis.
On Tuesday, Transport for London (TfL) said that TranSys, the contractor that runs the Oyster system, had carried out a full assessment of the system and set up additional safeguards. TfL said it is confident that the Oyster system remains secure.
"There is no evidence of the widespread cloning of Oyster cards," TfL said. "The system has not been hacked and there is no risk to cardholders' personal data, as none is stored on the card. Recent problems with the Oyster system are completely unrelated to this and have nothing to do with hacking".
TfL added that it expects to block any fraudulent card within 24 hours. | <urn:uuid:d1c58f6e-b5cc-4f33-8b31-74756044a27f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.zdnet.com/oyster-cracked-in-public-researcher-claims-3039532428/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958472 | 544 | 2.28125 | 2 |
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new genome-wide association study published today in Nature Genetics begins to uncover the basis of genetic variations in eight blood measurements and the impact those variants can have on common human diseases. Blood measurements, including the number and volume of cells in the blood, are routinely used to diagnose a wide range of disorders, including anaemia, infection and blood cell cancers.
An international team of scientists measured haemoglobin concentration, the count and volume of red and white cells and the sticky cells that prevent bleeding - platelets, in over 14,000 individuals from the UK and Germany. They uncovered 22 regions of the human genome implicated in the development of these blood cells. Of the 22 regions, 15 had not previously been identified.
The study represents the first genome-wide association of blood measurements to be completed in cohorts with large sample sizes.
"This study has been made possible by a great collaboration of scientists from the UK and Germany, and the contribution of clinical colleagues working in the field of heart disease, diabetes and coeliac disease in the UK, Germany and the United States," explains Dr Nicole Soranzo, group leader at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and co-lead of the HaemGen consortium. "This unique collaboration has allowed us to discover novel genetic determinants of blood cell parameters, providing important insights into novel biological mechanisms underlying the formation of blood cells by the blood stem cells and their role in disease.
"This study highlights the importance of studying large collections of samples from healthy individuals where many different traits are measured."
The team compared regions of the human genome implicated in blood cell development with regions associated with risk of heart disease. By looking at the genetic data of 10,000 people with disease with that of 10,000 apparently healthy people, they found that one of the genetic variants associated with platelet counts also causes an increased risk of heart disease. The new variant was found in a region of the genome already known to influence the risk of hypertension, coeliac disease and diabetes in children and young adults, or so-called type 1 diabetes.
Further analysis showed that these genetic risk factors are uniquely found in individuals of European origin. By comparing human data with genetic data from chimpanzees, the team were able to conclude that the genetic variant was the result of a selection event favouring variants that increase the risk of heart disease, coeliac disease and type 1 diabetes in European populations 3,400 years ago. The authors suggest that the risk factors were positively selected for because they gave carriers an increased protection against infection.
"The study of blood traits is challenging because of the difficulty of teasing apart biological processes underlying the origin of blood cells," explains Dr Christian Gieger, Head of the Genetic Epidemiology research unit at the Helmholtz Zentrum and co-lead of the HaemGen consortium. "Until now, few genome-wide association studies have looked beyond single traits. But, through a systematic analysis of correlated traits we can begin to discover such shared genetic variants, forming the basis for understanding how these processes interact to influence health and disease.
"Using these techniques, we can now begin to understand the complex genetic basis of a whole variety of human diseases."
Scientists at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, UK and the Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, Germany initiated the European HaemGen consortium, which encompasses groups from the UK (TwinsUK-KCL, NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), University of Cambridge and University of Leicester) and Germany (Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) in Greifswald, the KORA study in the region of Augsburg and GerMIFS (University of Lübeck and Regensburg)). The HaemGen consortium aims to identify genetic loci contributing to variation in blood measurements and uncovers the potential correlation of these loci with disease phenotypes.
"We have uncovered a novel variant linking platelet counts with heart attacks," explains Nicole Soranzo. "Further characterisation of the regions uncovered in this study has the potential to improve our understanding of how blood cell development is linked with human diseases, including blood cell cancers."
Publication Details: Soranzo NS, Spector TD, Mangino M et al. (2009) A genome-wide meta-analysis identifies 22 loci associated with eight hematological parameters in the HaemGen consortium. Nature Genetics. Published online before print as doi: 10.1038/ng.467
Additional Research: Dr Soranzo has an honorary appointment at the Dept of Twin Research, Kings College London and is also joint lead author on a second study into haematological parameters, published at the same time: Ganesh SK, Zakai NA, van Rooij FJA , Soranzo N et al. Multiple loci influence erythrocyte phenotypes in the CHARGE Consortium. Nature Genetics Published online before print as doi: 10.1038/ng.466
Source: Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (news : web)
Explore further: The secret of DNA methylation | <urn:uuid:f370a05e-13ed-421d-96a4-e977c25d1290> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://phys.org/news174489658.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.919956 | 1,041 | 3 | 3 |
Code-converting options modernize internal structure
The inherent problem is that the applications are written in older architecture. But is it important to change them now? The Hippocratic Oath states, "First do no harm," and we should follow the same code of conduct. This is because most of us aren't trying to drum up work; we're trying to make sure the applications survive the next few years.
Working on really old code can be more problematic. A quick remedy might be to use conversion software to jump from older RPG to the latest version. Using the latest version gives you a quick technology boost, but do so only if you've adopted strict standards that outline where your code should be. Another useful method is always to run programs through the conversion process before modifying a program. Further, always run from RPG X to RPG IV first. This way, modernizing your applications won't upset the apple cart too much.
Right now, the code-converting options include third-party tools, such as Linoma's RPG Toolbox for RPG III to RPG IV or ILE RPG. But you can also use Convert RPG Source, or CVTRPGSRC, which is built into the system, for a lot of basic conversion tasks.
Does your system need modern RPG?
Play with the conversion software settings to get the right mix in your environment. Remember, the more complex RPG II software may not automatically become 100% modern without additional programming, because there were no subfiles prior to RPG III. You won't need the older compilers that may not be supported on your system.
Do you need the more modern RPG? For more advanced programming that requires using the embedded C API routines, IBM also has support for even more modern programming with the free-form version of RPG. It's worth restating that you shouldn't convert for the sake of converting to prevent causing more harm in the process.
Screen scraping tools modernize the user experience
So now we cleaned up our insides for company, how do users perceive your applications? There are many paths you can follow. But let's start with the quickest, slightly less flexible and work our ways toward full-client/server, which may be browser based. After all, no one has used DOS in 20 years. Man cannot live by keyboard alone. As much as the speed for "entry" is faster in green screen, the training speed for PCs wins hands down, because users are more familiar with this technology.
First, let's analyze if it's possible to use "screen scraping" in your environment. Screen scraping is where a server component runs and simulates the accessing of your software through standard 5250 emulation using whatever method content is delivered to your screen via client, such as a browser. The functionality is exactly the same no matter how you use the modern, more accepted point and click.
These systems allow you to combine several back-end screens using compilers and a macro-language to place an F4 selection list into, say, a pull-down menu on a browser screen. You're not re-doing your business rules but simply putting lipstick on a pig. But these kinds of changes give you the quickest bang for the buck in terms of productivity, because you're translating existing application into an easier-to-swallow interface.
In many cases, you may use an application "client." But many of these systems use browsers to access the back end, including IBM's WebSphere Host On-Demand. You can get a flavor of this using Client Access for Web (see my prior article on how to set this up on your system).
Web-based options: A kick on the back end
Screen scraping is only the first flavor. You should also consider creating a Web-based software package for back-end systems to access. I like browsers as a client, because they are now standardized to a degree that you can test the more popular versions and ensure that all the software works.
You can also develop using Microsoft .NET. IBM supplies wizards inside i5 Access software to connect your i5 systems to the .NET or VB environment quite easily. This means that anything .NET can do, i5 can do as well. Want a website using ASPX (.NET asp)? That's available too. This is very fast. Years ago, IBM nicknamed this "Project Lightning," which, to use a technical explanation, is "smokin' fast!"
Some neat things are built into i5, such as the ability to run a partition as AIX or Linux. Using these partitions may seem like putting your eggs into one basket, but you may need the speed that same-system data access can give you.
More i5 modernization tools
You can also use the i5 for Client Server for Web applications. There are many ways to access data and applications on your system. I'll list them here in ascending order of expense:
- Net.Data (still supported by IBM). This free technology supplied with all i5/OS systems is a quick Web development environment in which to create Web-based applications quickly.
- CGIDEV2. This is the RPG development environment. These tools were developed by G.B. Perotti using the standard APIs supplied by IBM.
- Apache Tomcat (built in). This can run JSP or JavaServer Pages. All systems with Apache contain this technology. If it runs on Tomcat elsewhere, it'll run i5.
- PHP for i5/OS (Zend Core is free). This is one of the most popular programming languages on the Internet. With PHP, you can produce fantastic results, and the execution speed is exceptional.
- WebSphere. This is the first technology with a price tag on developer seats and on server licenses. With WebSphere, consider your steps toward modernization wisely; it may still be more time efficient to develop your own approach.
Remember, i5 can do quite a bit. The first step should be to decide whether you need to modernize. If you do, properly calculate the return on your investment. There are many factors that make more worthwhile than waiting.
Second, get management on board by appealing to reason and logic. Let management know that its return on modernization technology investment is the speed that users become familiar with the new, easier-to-use software. Making the case helps management to support the effort and add to the rewards. Since the user environment is so enhanced, it makes users' lives are easier -- as well as your own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Andrew Borts is webmaster at United Auto Insurance Group in North Miami, Fla. He is a frequent speaker at COMMON and is past president of The Southern National Users Group, an iSeries-AS/400 user group based in Deerfield Beach, Fla.
This was first published in February 2008 | <urn:uuid:919626c1-4156-4fd8-adab-2121bcac30c0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://search400.techtarget.com/tip/RPG-application-modernization-for-i5 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934266 | 1,398 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu died last November, three weeks after his 78th birthday. He returns to mother earth on Saturday, March 3, after month-long obsequies. In death, Ojukwu remains as controversial as ever, for his name conjures up different images to different people. Since he caught national attention as leader of the Igbo during the Nigerian civil war, Ojukwu was one man that could not be ignored. You either love him or hate him. While many vilify him for leading the Igbo secession bid in 1967 that led to a 30-month civil war, others praise him for doing the bidding of his people. The latter argue that if he had refused, somebody else would have stepped into his shoes. Many agree, however, that the essence of the Ojukwu persona was his fight for justice, be it for the Igbo man or any other Nigerian. The irony of these times though is that the justice he wanted for his people from the Nigerian state over 40 years ago remains illusory. And the Igbo are not the only ones clamouring for justice now. Thus the issue of the national question remains unresolved. In the wake of his death last year, the cover story of the magazine’s December 12, 2011 edition was on what legacy Ojukwu left behind for Nigeria. This week the Editorial Board decided to look at the shoes Ojukwu left behind as Igbo leader and who will likely succeed him, especially with the declaration by Ralph Uwazurike that Ojukwu was the Jesus of his people. That is the cover story in this edition. A team led by Tony Manuaka, associate editor, handled the story.
You will equally find Manuaka at work in the BROAD STREET Journal section of the magazine. The lead story of that section is an interview he had with Mohammed Yunusa, managing director of Dunlop. Since the company shut down its manufacturing plants in 2008, it has become a trading outfit, importing tyres from South Africa. While thousands of Nigerians lost their jobs as a result of the closure, the Nigerian economy has created hundreds of jobs in the same sector not only in South Africa but also in many other countries from where tyres are imported into the country. More than three years after shutting down, however, there is good news. Dunlop is on its way back. Find out in the interview the behind-the-scene moves and who is making them. | <urn:uuid:89335a65-a145-4bd0-883a-8ceacc7d5ae7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tellng.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1101:from-the-editor-9&videoid=eOVfvGbPVT8 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00044-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985187 | 517 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Q. I just discovered I cooked the turkey with the package of giblets still inside the cavity. Are the turkey and giblets safe to eat?
A. If giblets were left in the cavity during roasting, even though this is not recommended, the turkey and giblets are probably safe to use. However, if the package containing the giblets has changed shape or melted in any way during cooking, do not use the giblets or the turkey because harmful chemicals from the packaging may have penetrated the surrounding meat.
Q. This morning, I discovered the pork roast was left out all night. I took it out of the freezer to thaw for awhile last night and forgot to put it back in the fridge before I went to bed. The roast is completely thawed and warm to the touch. If I cook it, will it be safe?
A. Unfortunately, this roast should not be eaten. It has been out of refrigeration too long. At room temperature, bacteria that may be present multiply very rapidly and some types of bacteria will produce toxins that are not destroyed by cooking, and can possibly cause illness.
Never thaw frozen food on the kitchen counter. Refrigerator thawing is much safer. You may also thaw foods in cold running water or in the microwave. These foods must be cooked immediately to a safe minimum internal temperature before refrigerating.
A. Poultry and hams are smoked for flavor, not preservation. The only exceptions are country hams and dry sausages, which are safe at room temperature because of their high salt content and dryness.
If a product is labeled "keep refrigerated," that's a warning that it must be kept cold to be safe. Don't eat the product.
If perishable food arrives warm - above 40 degrees, as measured with a food thermometer - notify the company. It's the shipper's responsibility to deliver the product on time, properly packaged and handled safely; the customer's responsibility is to have someone at home to receive it and refrigerate it immediately.
Q. What should I do? I put a 20-pound turkey in a 200-degree oven before I went to bed last night, and the pop-up timer says it's already done at 7:30 this morning. We won't be eating until 3 p.m.
A. You have two problems here. First, overnight cooking of meat at a low temperature isn't a safe method, so we don't recommend eating this turkey. It's not safe to cook any meat or poultry in an oven set lower than 325 degrees. At 200 degrees, meat remains in the "danger zone" (between 41 and 135 degrees internally) for too long a time, so bacteria multiply rapidly and can form toxins.
Secondly, holding a safely cooked turkey at a safe internal temperature of 140 degrees or above for this amount of time can dry it out and affect the quality. If a safely cooked turkey must be held from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., for optimal safety and quality it should be carved and refrigerated in covered shallow containers and served cold or reheated to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature.
Q. I baked some pumpkin pies over the weekend to serve tomorrow on Thanksgiving. They've just been sitting on the counter. Should I have refrigerated them?
A. Yes. Food made with eggs and milk - such as pumpkin pie, custard pie and cheesecake - must first be safely baked to a safe minimum internal temperature of 160 degrees. Then, they must be refrigerated after baking.
Eggs and milk have high protein and moisture content and when these baked products are left at room temperature, conditions are ripe for bacteria to multiply. It's not necessary to refrigerate most other cakes, cookies or bread unless they have a perishable filling or frosting.
I hope this information will help keep you and your family safe so you can truly enjoy the holidays.
For more information, podcasts, videos, recipes, activities for children, etc., go to http://holidayfoodsafety.org.
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Marcia Weber is York County's Penn State Cooperative Extension family and consumer sciences educator and certified food safety instructor. | <urn:uuid:63dc9d39-2542-4e2a-8e66-3e419661aeaa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.publicopiniononline.com/living/ci_21990670/penn-state-extension-how-safe-is-your-holiday | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957117 | 879 | 1.875 | 2 |
Earlier this month, I visited my parents and took my mom cemetery hopping to find the graves of our ancestors. We visited 3 cemeteries in 2 days.
First we visited Mount Moriah Cemetery in Union township, Clermont county, Ohio. We visited on Monday, July 5 which meant that the office was closed for the 4th of July holiday. My mom said that she remembered her grandparents' gravestone being by a road and faced the highway. So we drove around a little bit and eventually found it.
Anne Elizabeth Stull was born 20 May 1898 in Niagara, Lincoln county, Ontario, Canada. She died 16 Feb 1858 in Cincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio when my mom was just 5 years old. My mom remembers visiting her grave on the way to visit her grandfather.
After visiting Mount Moriah Cemetery, we traveled to Mount Washington Cemetery to look for the Washburns. | <urn:uuid:d7d548ab-684b-4586-b887-aaccd8d89e5e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.genwishlist.blogspot.com/2010/07/grave-hopping-with-my-mom-part-one.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986983 | 184 | 1.742188 | 2 |
Book Description: Digital technologies have transformed cultural perceptions of learning and what it means to be literate, expanding the importance of experience alongside interpretation and reflection. Learning the Virtual Life offers ways to consider the local and global effects of digital media on educational environments, as well as the cultural transformations of how we now define learning and literacy. While some have welcomed the educational challenges of digital culture and emphasized its possibilities for individual emancipation and social transformation in the new information age, others accuse digital culture of absorbing its recipients in an all-pervasive virtual world. Unlike most accounts of the educational and cultural consequences of digital culture, Learning the Virtual Life presents a neutral, advanced introduction to the key issues involved with the integration of digital culture and education. This edited collection presents international perspectives on a wide range of issues, and each chapter combines upper-level theory with "real-world" practice, making this essential reading for all those interested in digital media and education. | <urn:uuid:fa54945b-8618-4be2-bb5a-3241a87395b1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.campusbooks.com/books/computers-internet/business-culture/culture/9780415892049_Peter-Pericles-Trifonas_Learning-the-Virtual-Life-Public-Pedago.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.902458 | 188 | 2.9375 | 3 |
The total value of trade between Indonesia and China is expected to reach $80 billion in 2015.
“In 2011 the value of trade between Indonesia and China was recorded at around $60 billion and it is expected to reach $80 billion in 2015,” Chinese consul Lie Chuen said at the opening of “Hong Kong-Guangdong Lifestyle Expo” here on Thursday.
He said the expo on lifestyle products was very important because it involved three cities, namely Jakarta, Hong Kong and Guangdong whose population`s lifestyles are similar.
Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Businesses Syarifuddin Hasan meanwhile said Indonesia, China and India are three Asian countries that have recorded positive growth while the world is facing a financial crisis.
The Council spokesman Joe Kainz said the event was aimed at bridging bilateral trade between Hong Kong and Indonesia. “We hold this expo to help Hong Kong companies seek a new market and meet them with new buyers,” he said.
Lifestyle Expo has earlier been held in China, Budapest in Hungary, Mumbai in India and Warsaw in Poland.
Guangdong ready to intensify cooperation with Indonesia
Southern China`s Guangdong Province is eager to expand cooperation with Indonesia especially in the trade and economic fields, a Chinese official said.
“We are ready to intensify cooperation in the trade and economic fields with Indonesia,” Li Jian, the Deputy Director General of the Guangdong Provincial Administration`s Foreign Affairs Office, told several Indonesian journalists here, Monday. Two-way trade between Guangdong and Indonesia reached $12.4 billion last year. Guangdong`s imports from Indonesia include oil palm.
He invited Indonesian businessmen to participate in a number of trade and economic exhibitions in Guangdong, which regularly organizes among other things China Import and Export Fair, also known as Canton Fair.
The 111th Canton Fair will take place this year from April 15 to 19 and again from May 1 to 5, in Guangzhou. Last year, around 530 companies from 49 countries took part in the exhibition.
He said quite many Guangdong tourists visited Indonesia because geographically the Chinese province is not far from Indonesia. Historically, quite many Guangdong people had moved to Indonesia in the past.
The Guangdong provincial government also offers cooperation in the agricultural sector with Indonesia, especially in seed and fruit cultivation. Guangdong, which has total population of around 100 million, has established sister city ties with North Sumatra Province, and once forged close cooperation with West Kalimantan. Its capital city, Guangzhou, has sister city cooperation with Surabaya, East Java. | <urn:uuid:5e59337e-2119-458e-9338-943da05424c6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thepresidentpost.com/?p=16727 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958327 | 554 | 1.65625 | 2 |
“If feminism is the radical idea that women are people, then trans-feminism is the radical idea that women come in different containers”
I mentioned in my links yesterday a somewhat disposable exchange that occurred on the Ms. Magazine blog regarding the “conundrum” of how trans-feminism is to fit into the future of feminism. While in and of itself, this exchange isn’t particularly interesting, and is rather just yet another iteration of the increasingly tired (in a “oh come on are we really still asking this? This should not be any kind of deal” kind of way) validation of feminism’s cis-supremacist fringe, I find that there’s one little beautiful and highly radical question hiding in there beneath the vapidity. One that is likely just an accident on the original author’s part but that nonetheless coalesces several threads of thought that have been tangled up in my brain these past couple months. Coalesces into something rather important to ask:
Perhaps the future of feminism is trans-feminism?
Since its inception, one of the principle driving concepts underlying feminism has been that biology is not destiny, that the gender roles associated with women (and men) are not indispensable, “natural” or inherent, and that we cannot (must not) create prescriptive social structures on the basis of those arbitrarily defined roles and their association with certain biologies. That we must not prescribe what a life is to entail on the basis of the gender that life happens to inhabit. It’s the inevitable, and necessary, progression of these concepts that the genders themselves must not be prescribed. If biology really isn’t destiny, we mustn’t limit that question of destiny to roles and social positions, but extend it to biology itself. Biology isn’t social destiny, but biology isn’t biological destiny either. If we’re to truly confront and destabilize gender’s capacity to operate as a determinant, prescriptive force, we need to embrace those who refuse to allow gender to determine or prescribe gender. We need to embrace the possibilities of gender fluidity, transience, transgression, variance and rejection, else we’ve mired ourselves in hypocritical half-measures. Else we’re posing the image of claiming our gender-assignment does not define us, but still unwilling to take the plunge into full self-determination.
Insofar as feminism is to be able to progress forward at all, it must be able to address things like differing morphologies, differing narratives, differing paths to womanhood (or from it), differing socializations, differing axes of gender-based oppression, etc. Third-Wave Feminism has generally been doing a good job of moving forward with this, through confronting intersectionality along lines of race, poverty, sexual orientation, disability, body type, neurotypicality, and other qualifying aspects of experience and identity (as defined by existing hierarchies), obvious or otherwise. But despite the pressingly obvious manner in which transgenderism intersects with gender-based oppression, and embodies many desperately important questions (and goals!) of feminism, there is repeated reluctance, controversy, push-back, anger, exclusion, erasure, pathologization, ridicule and all other means of forcing silence when it’s posed as a similar qualifier. It remains a “conundrum” even after decades of trans people fighting side by side with feminists and queer rights activists. As much as we’ve fought for them, and our own demands and actions have so often prefigured their victories, we continue to sit in the waiting room, perpetually hoping for them to “get around” to trans rights, to “figure out” what we mean to them (never, of course, being asked what we mean to us). We’re still an unsettled, and unsettling, question.
I have my own conundrum:
It seems to me that the reason this particular issue of intersection, of corresponding and mitigating oppression, remains something feminism is reluctant to address is because it ends up challenging some of the ideological foundations on which much of feminism has been built. While acknowledging other intersectionalities demands that one not continue framing feminism through the needs and perspectives of middle-class, white, heterosexual women, it does not threaten the fundamental cis-privileged perspective that drove so much of the movement: that we live in a world defined by a binary male/female Hegelian dialectic, with a “master” oppressor (men) and a ‘slave” victim (women). A conflict that, like that supposed between the proletariat and the bourgeois, must someday be resolved.
Just as the Marxist tendency to frame all social dynamics and “ills” as stemming from a singular binary conflict was, in retrospect, a blatant oversimplification that of course led to disaster when used as the theoretical basis for a utopian social engineering project, this boys vs. girls idea of how the social dynamics of gender, sex and sexuality operate is similarly myopic, and similarly (to inevitable disaster) seeks to ignore all the variables that complicate and threaten the assumption on which it is based. Just like Stalin began projects of “Marxist science”, science based on good Marxist principles, unlike the nasty actual science being conducted under his government that suggested ways the world operates in ways more complicated than the black/white ideology he was certain would lead to a wondrous future, many branches of feminism have arrived at the point where they’d rather reject those facts and new ideas that threaten their ideological principles even if it comes at the expense of being a movement that has any claim to the term “progressive”, or any claim of speaking to the realities of gender and gender-based oppression. Transgender and intersex human beings are a fact that cannot (and will not) be theorized away. In walling us and our implications out of your movement, you’re really only walling yourselves into irrelevance. Your Marxist genetics won’t yield better crops.
But in as much as feminism has had a right to describe itself as progressive, that progress was always ultimately in the name of self-annihilation. The most reasonable and also the most powerfully radical ambition of feminism was to eventually bring about the circumstances that would undo its own necessity… or at least create the circumstances where a new movement, a new revolution, a new turning of the wheel, would be necessitated instead. When feminists begin to selfishly cling to and reinforce the concepts that made feminism a necessary response, they have become quintessentially anti-feminist: a force for gender’s status quo. Maintenance of old ideas, old hierarchies, old conflicts, old oppressions. And this does NOT merely harm the principle “threats” to those ideas and the status quo that necessitates them, like trans people. It harms everyone who is currently holding the short end of the gender stick …which is almost all of us.
Frankly, the trans-exclusionist, anti-sex-worker, so-called radical feminists are precisely the opposite of radical. They are stodgily clinging to a dying era …and more so one that very much needs to die.
To recap the word salad: positively addressing trans-feminism is essential to feminism continuing to move forward. If feminism ceases to move forward, it starts becoming part of the problem instead of part of the solution.
If existing branches of feminism will not move forward with us, it is time to accept we need to leave them behind. If feminism itself, as it currently exists, also continues to look backwards, continues to fail to move past the “conundrum” of trans-feminism, continues to treat it as a “controversy” rather than a natural, inevitable extension of the ideas that biology is not destiny and we can be more than the social expectations coercively placed upon us in accordance with our gender assignment, then it is time to move forward without it too.
I’m tired of waiting for the rest of feminism to catch up.
This is not the first time a fundamental break was needed within feminism. First wave addressed the basic principle of women being directly politically disenfranchised, and made the initial declaration that women are also citizens, human beings, deserving of basic rights, but it generally failed to examine what exactly being a woman meant, or what was expected of women, or the numerous and more subtle ways in which women’s access to power and social participation was limited. Second wave pushed forward, and began to ask the harder questions that first wave did not. It began to examine how basic human rights and citizenship were not sufficient, but we also needed to address the cultural understanding of gender and how women are colonized by patriarchy to such an extent that their vote may ultimately not even be their own vote, or only a vote for which man would continue to ignore the needs, desires and ambitions of women. But second wave was still hobbled by its failure to look beyond the needs, desires and ambitions of those women who were positioned with no accompanying social disadvantages, and failed to fully consider patriarchy and misogyny in relation to other forms of oppression and discrimination. Despite the best efforts of numerous women of colour and queer women active within feminism during the time (just as there are active trans-feminists now), the movement as a whole was largely limited in scope to the plight of the middle-class white housewife. It also engaged in numerous forms of gender essentialism that simply enabled new means of keeping women, and men, in “their place”… like how the “women’s intuition” concept was tacitly suggesting women lacked the full capacity for reason that men had. Third wave began to much more directly address intersectionality, and also began to expand the concept of patriarchy from direct, deliberate disenfranchisement of women but instead to an emergent system based on largely unconscious assumptions and biases about gender. Furthermore, it made the crucial step of examining gender-binarism and essentialism, and the ways that these assumptions and biases about gender cut both ways, and harm men as well as women.
In each instance, the breaks were defined by an essential and necessary step forward that previous generations of feminists had been reluctant to take. We are now again presented with exactly that kind of necessary step.
I have no illusions that the suggestion of trans-feminism stepping forward as the inevitable 4th wave of feminism is going to make a lot of people very angry, and many more very uncomfortable. I can already hear the assertions that this would be wholesale “appropriation” of feminism by “men” who are no longer content to merely “invade”; or for those less overtly transphobic feminists, “people who identify or were socialized as male”. But the idea that this would in any way be an “appropriation”, or that feminism somehow exclusively belongs to cisgender women, belies exactly the problematic, archaic assumptions about gender, gender-based oppression and feminism that most need to be questioned and challenged. This will piss a lot of people off, and raise a lot of hard questions, but those are the people who most need to be pissed off (with the hope that they’ll get around to asking themselves why they’re angry), and the hard questions that most need to be asked.
Addressing these kinds of difficult, complex, uncomfortable questions is hard. But becoming obsolete is worse.
I’m a big fan of the quote with which I began this post. But there’s a subtle, important change I’d like to make that I feel gets to one of the finer points of what trans-feminism can, and perhaps should, be:
If feminism is the radical idea that women are people, trans-feminism is the radical idea that people come in different containers. | <urn:uuid:eb6b1b0c-ae2e-4042-bd9b-332cd4c88f6b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://freethoughtblogs.com/nataliereed/2012/04/23/fourth-wave-part-one/?ak_action=force_mobile | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963237 | 2,465 | 1.609375 | 2 |
(CBS News) Elderly people in the South use more antibiotics than the rest of their peers in the U.S., leading researchers to believe that doctors in the region may be overprescribing the drugs.
About 21 percent of people 65 and older in the South used an antibiotic on average each quarter of the year, compared to 17 percent of people in the West and 19 percent of people in the Midwest. There was no discernible difference in disease prevalence in any of the regions.
"Patients and providers should know that there is this problem in the South and take some efforts to reduce antibiotic overuse," study author Dr. Yuting Zhang, an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh, told HealthDay.
Researchers were able to determine the rates using Medicare data from January 1, 2007 though December 31, 2009. They also discovered that antibiotic use was highest during the first quarter of the year - January through March - at a rate of 20.9 percent of the population. It was lowest in the third quarter - July through September - with only 16.9 percent of people taking the antibiotics.
In addition, the South had the highest use of every type of antibiotic, especially "broad spectrum" antibiotics that are effective against a wide variety of bacteria. Zhang told Reuters this is especially worrisome because overuse can lead to antibiotic resistance.
"Once you get resistance to those broad spectrum antibiotics, next time you have anything where you really need that, it's not going to be as effective," Zhang said to Reuters.
The World Health Organization's director-general, Dr. Margaret Chan, spoke about the fear that overuse of antibiotics could lead to super bugs during a conference in Copenhagen earlier this year. She mentioned that if rates continue as they do "things as common as strep throat or a child's scratched knee could once again kill" due to drug-resistant bacteria.
"We are losing our first-line antimicrobials. Replacement treatments are more costly, more toxic, need much longer durations of treatment, and may require treatment in intensive care units," she said.
The researchers concluded that areas that may be overusing antibiotics should take a closer look at what they are prescribing medication for.
"Areas with high rates of antibiotic use may benefit from targeted programs to reduce unnecessary prescription," the authors wrote. "Quality improvement programs can set attainable targets using the low-prescribing areas as a reference, particularly targeting older adults."
The study was published online during September 2012 in the Archives of Internal Medicine. | <urn:uuid:41db6c10-4fa5-4510-852a-dfe34602af44> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wibw.com/home/nationalnews/headlines/Elderly-People-In-The-South-Use-More-Antibiotics-Compared-To-Other-Regions-In-The-US-171404361.html?site=full | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975967 | 516 | 2.625 | 3 |
Reading the Bible and writing poetry in a quiet house. Life is good today.
Thank you for your words for my sestina. The poem I wrote is below. If you’ve written one, I’d love to see it! You can send it to me via the “Contact” page–and let me know if I am allowed to post it.
Of Fish and Fear and Resurrection: A Sestina
The tomb stands there, smelling of flesh,
but the entrance—or exit, I guess, since something obviously left–
is no longer blocked by the stone.
It is clear something fishy
is going on—especially when the glowing men appear
and insist: “Do not be afraid.”
Which is a sure sign that fear
is justified. Goosebumps prickle the women’s flesh,
sweat pours from their palms, and they try to appear
calm as they turn and leave
the graveyard to find the fishermen,
the tax collector, and the rest of the guys to tell them about the stone.
The one supposed to be sealing the tomb. That stone.
The guys are curious and confused and mostly afraid.
Peter and Andrew were really hoping they could get back to fishing
since it turned out Jesus was just flesh
and blood after all; since Jesus was dead now the authorities could leave
them all alone. But apparently
things were not back to normal yet—with the appearance
of these hysterical women and their story of the stone.
Why couldn’t people just leave
well enough alone? Now rumors swirl and the fear
returns. The disciples gather and flesh
out a plan—basically they will lock all the doors and eat their fish
in peace. It works for a few hours, everyone blithely chewing fish
and checking the locks. Then, despite their precautions, Jesus appears
and shows them where the nails ripped into the flesh
of his palms. Jesus is there. They are all stone
cold sober. A new kind of fear
settles in—a nagging sense that won’t leave
them alone. A realization that they must believe.
Only they don’t know what to believe. So they go out to fish.
That’s not going so well and they’re afraid
supper will be meager until a stranger appears
on the shore, just a stone’s
throw away. His friendly greeting makes their flesh
crawl. But they do what he says and fish suddenly appear,
leaving little doubt about who the stranger is as they haul in the net, heavier than the stone.
Jesus says, “Do not be afraid.” Yet there he stands—in the flesh. | <urn:uuid:42d9f0d6-2218-4e1f-a109-8c689638edd3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://spaciousfaith.com/2012/04/18/post-easter-sestina/ | 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 | 0.965049 | 581 | 1.945313 | 2 |
If you're familiar with "Little Shop of Horrors,"
the successful Broadway Show and rock musical, then you remember how the nerdy florist tended to Audrey II, his demanding plant with a ravenous appetite. The refrain "Feed Me" that became more and more pronounced as the plot progressed might give one a little insight as to how our lives might change if our plants could Twitter?
Are you are all thumbs, and none of them green? Do you spend the majority of your time twittering, leaving no time to address your botanical responsibilities? Well all that is about to change, because the Twitterverse just went "green!" And we're talking literally. If you currently are not following @pothos
, you're not one of the 3000+ followers this plant has been able to attract in its short life span.That's right, we're talking about a plant that is able to grow and tweet at the same time!
Like Audrey II, when this plant communicates on Twitter, it surely gets what it wants. Granted, while
most of his 140 characters are demands for "water," @pothos
will also tell you his current moisture level.The ingenious device that triggers @pothos'
tweets was invented by Botanicalls
. The mechanism is made of soil moisture sensors that transmits information through a circuit board to a micro-controller, which in turn interprets and tweets announcements in accordance with the plant's needs.
According to the instructions, once the $99 Botanicalls kit
assembled, a connection to the Internet and leads buried in the plant’s soil will get you up and running in no time. Once operational, you then subscribe to Twitter for the plant's personal registration. Don’t worry, it’s not that difficult to assemble, and the satisfaction you will get from building your own "shop of twitterers" is immense.
Differing from Audrey II, however, @pothos
doesn't have a mean stem in his leaves! In fact, he will send you prompt and courteous "thank yous" when you show it the love it deserves! | <urn:uuid:a05a2d7a-fce2-4e38-b3e1-1b570e11bfe5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://inventorspot.com/articles/little_shop_twitterers_25812 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959106 | 444 | 1.804688 | 2 |
SERDP is DoD’s environmental science and technology program, planned and executed in partnership with DOE and EPA, with participation by numerous other federal and non-federal organizations. SERDP invests across a broad spectrum of basic and applied research, as well as advanced development.
SERDP focuses on cross-Service requirements and pursues solutions to the Department’s environmental challenges. The development and application of innovative environmental technologies will reduce the costs, environmental risks, and time required to resolve environmental problems while, at the same time, enhancing and sustaining military readiness.
SERDP issues an annual solicitation for proposals from the Federal government, academia, and industry and employs a competitive selection process to ensure that SERDP funds the highest quality research.
Congress established SERDP in 1990 to address DoD environmental issues. The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) share management authority and responsibility with DoD. A truly integrated program, SERDP involves all three agencies in the development of its research agenda and management of resulting projects. Designed to address issues common across all of the Armed Services and DOE, the Program is a catalyst for cooperation and collaboration.
SERDP is funded by DoD with oversight and policy guidance from the SERDP Council, which is composed of members from the DoD, DOE, and EPA. The SERDP Executive Director, Deputy Director, and Program Managers lead the day-to-day Program activities. A Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) provides advice and recommendations to the SERDP Council on the technical quality of proposals and projects. The SERDP Council and Executive Director established the organizational structure shown below to execute the Program.
- SERDP Council and Executive Working Group
- Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)
- SERDP Technical Committees
- SERDP Directors and Staff
- SERDP Program Areas – SERDP projects are managed within five Program Areas. +Click to expand or close-Click to expand or close
- Energy and Water
- Environmental Restoration
- Munitions Response
- Resource Conservation and Climate Change
- Weapons Systems and Platforms | <urn:uuid:6f751ae4-369a-43bb-85f6-29f818bde381> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://serdp.org/About-SERDP-and-ESTCP/About-SERDP | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929374 | 425 | 2.5625 | 3 |
A stubborn high-pressure ridge over the western United States will keep triple-digit temperatures firmly in place the remainder of this week and weekend.
The National Weather Service predicts the following high temperatures in Sonora from today through Friday: 106, 104, 103, 103, 101.
Overnight temperatures in the low- to mid-60s will provide a modicum of relief.
Those living or visiting higher elevations may also see some relief in the way of clouds and possible midday rain and thunderstorms, as summer monsoon conditions take hold in the afternoons through Friday.
Highs in Twain Harte will range from 74 today to 77 by Friday. The chance of thunderstorms is about 30 percent each day.
The 100-plus temperatures at foothill locations are carrying over from the weekend. High temperatures hit 104 on Friday and 105 on Saturday and Sunday in Sonora.
The record highs for Aug. 11 and Aug. 12 in 1996 were at 109 and 108 degrees.
The hot temperatures drove hundreds of people to area lakes.
Sonora, Twain Harte and Tuolumne public pools closed over the weekend and won’t reopen until next summer, according to Sarah Garcia, activity coordinator for Tuolumne County Recreation Department.
Garcia said county pools normally close to the public this time of year because the high school and college students who staff them return to school.
The recreation department is required under its contract with Sonora High to close the Sonora pool before classes start.
The Columbia Elementary School pool never opened this summer because of a staff shortage, she said.
The Bret Harte Aquatic Center in Calaveras County will remain open to the public through Oct. 31 but will discontinue its summer hours on Aug. 20.
To assist the public during the heat wave, the Columbia Volunteer Fire Department set up its first cooling station Thursday night.
The cooling station is a 35-foot by 35-foot room equipped with air conditioning, bathrooms, couches, televisions and cooking facilities. Water will also be available for the visitors.
“We’re looking forward to helping the people out,” Fire Chief Jim Helms said. “That’s what we’re here for. If it’s a success, we’ll do it again.”
Helms set up the 24-hour cooling station with elderly residents in mind.
According to Dr. Todd Stolp, Tuolumne County public health officer, the elderly are especially sensitive to heat, and high temperatures can worsen underlying conditions such as lung disease and circulatory problems.
Colleen Tracy, the health services agency director for the Calaveras County Public Health Department, recommends checking on neighbors or family members who are elderly or have chronic medical conditions.
Elderly individuals can also visit the Tuolumne County Senior Center, a county-designated cooling facility on Greenley Road in Sonora. The center serves lunch Monday through Friday and hosts activities such as bingo and card games.
The Sonora branch of the Tuolumne County Library is also on the county’s list of cooling spots. The library offer computers, wireless Internet, play areas for kids, early literacy learning stations and various activities.
“There are always lots of things to do here,” said county librarian Maggie Durgin. “There are nice cozy places to sit and read … it’s the perfect place to spend a hot summer day.”
Stolp said Mother Lode hospitals see an increase in emergency visits during the summer, resulting from heat and an influx of tourists.
Symptoms of heat exhaustion include dizziness, headaches, cramps, flushed skin and nausea. Heat stroke occurs when a person exposed to extreme heat can no longer regulate body temperature, sometimes resulting in unconsciousness or death.
An individual who shows symptoms should be given a cool bath or cloths, and 911 should be notified immediately, Tracy said.
Animals can also suffer from heat exhaustion, according to Raub Fogel, spokeswoman for the Calaveras Humane Society.
Fogel said pet owners should frequently provide their animals with cool water, ensure that outdoor animals have access to shade and allow pets inside during the hottest part of the day.
Symptoms of heat exhaustion in a dog include severe panting dizziness, a rapid heart beat, a dazed appearance, restlessness, dark red or purple gums and vomiting.
Animals who show signs of heat exhaustion should be submerged in cool water or rubbed down with a damp cloth, and then taken to a veterinarian.
Fogel said that owners should not walk their dogs on surfaces that are too hot for humans to touch.
Neither children nor animals should not be left in a car, even when the windows are down.
To prevent heat exhaustion, Tracy recommends using air conditioning, limiting outdoor activity during the hottest part of the day, avoiding direct sunlight and wearing loose-fitted and light-colored clothing. | <urn:uuid:a49b94b4-554b-40c0-99f5-b0ed48af2148> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.uniondemocrat.com/News/Local-News/Hot-days-persist | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.925873 | 1,036 | 1.695313 | 2 |
(Remarks as prepared for delivery)
I have looked forward to this day for a long, long time. Today marks a turning point for the Environmental Protection Agency and the White House Council on Environmental Quality. These two agencies have a moral responsibility to protect our families and our communities from environmental threats. They have a duty to ensure the health and safety of the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the planet we all share.
Today, this Committee has the honor and privilege of conducting the nomination hearing for the leadership of two agencies that are critically important to the health and welfare of the American people.
I want to welcome Lisa Jackson, who has been nominated to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
As Senator Lautenberg has told us in his warm introduction, Lisa Jackson has a strong science background. Lisa has worked on all aspects of environmental protection, including leading one of the largest and most complex state agencies in the country – the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
I also want to welcome Nancy Sutley, who has been nominated to be Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
Nancy has a long history as a leader in environmental protection in my home state of California. She most recently served as Deputy Mayor for Energy and Environment for the City of Los Angeles. She was a board member of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and served on the California State Water Resources Control Board. She was a deputy at the California Environmental Protection Agency.
The State of California has benefited from Nancy’s passion for environmental protection, and I am so pleased that she has the opportunity to bring that high level of commitment to the White House.
I would first like to talk about the mission of the Environmental Protection Agency.
The mission of the Environmental Protection Agency is very clear: “To protect human health and the environment.” This is EPA’s central purpose. Unfortunately, we have seen the agency move in a direction diametrically opposed to the mission it was established to achieve.
EPA has a responsibility to protect public health, not to ignore toxic pollution.
EPA must rely on scientific experts, not special interests.
EPA must listen to its professional staff and independent experts, not industry lobbyists.
EPA must ensure that our environmental laws protect our children first and foremost, not ignore the dangerous threats children face from pollution. When we protect our children, we protect everyone.
EPA works for the American people, and in my view we have seen it hurt the American people these past eight years.
At this hearing, I intend to ask the nominee for EPA a series of questions. In each case, what I am looking for is a renewed commitment to EPA’s mission.
Like EPA, the White House Council on Environmental Quality has veered off course. Its fundamental mission is to “promote the improvement of environmental quality.” The White House Council on Environmental Quality needs to reassert itself as a key advisor to the President on environmental matters. The Chairman of the CEQ needs to bring together all the voices in the Administration for a strong, coordinated environmental policy. I will ask the nominee for Chair of the CEQ to make a similar commitment to a new direction at this important White House agency.
The priorities of the leadership in these two agencies must include ensuring our drinking water quality, strong clean air safeguards, protective chemical policies, scientific integrity, transparency, cleaning up dangerous toxic waste sites, protecting the natural environment, and addressing the urgent threat of global warming.
All of us celebrate our grandchildren, and some of us read to them. As I reflect on the last eight years at EPA, I am reminded of the story of Sleeping Beauty.
We have an agency and a set of laws that are already in place to do what we must be done. But that agency as it was conceived of by President Nixon needs to be awakened from a deep and nightmarish sleep.
With new leadership, I am confident that we can wake up the EPA and the CEQ to their critical mission -- to protect human health and the environment. | <urn:uuid:40fc3542-f911-4873-b7af-42e6d90853a5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Statement&Statement_ID=a750daa6-51b9-487a-b2c2-eb7d1c2d8a2c | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95625 | 830 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Hive numbers are not commonly employed by hobby beekeepers
that may only have a few hives that are not moved around much.
Numbering of Bee Hives
for Inventory and Records
However once you get above a dozen hives and nucs or several
different sites, numbering makes life easier and offsets the minor
cost and tedium of doing the numbering.
The benefits of numbering are greater still when combined
with a record keeping system that allows beekeepers to keep track of
equipment and breeding lines, such numbering also assists disease
traceability should you be unfortunate enough to be struck.
I have seen brass house numbers used for hives, but there
are several inexpensive sets of plastic numbers available to
beekeepers via the appliance trade. The one illustrated below is made
by Nicot in France and is available from
E.H. Thorne. in UK.
These numbers are about 42 mm tall and are made of a soft
plastic that is readily cut with a chisel or a craft knife. They are
easily applied using gimp pins.
As with most aspects of beekeeping I personally go the
'extra mile'... I number all boxes and any special items (hence the
number 500 on my hive barrow). As a result I need many numbers and a
few extra symbols. I use "L" for "Left"
"R" for "Right" and I have some items that run in
pairs which have "A" and "B" appended to their
inventory number. I make most of the numbers and all of the letters
myself. I find many sources of material in the form of spare honey
tub lids, which I have accumulated, these do not seem to fit any of
the tubs that I have spare. The templates for the "A",
"B", "L" and "R" were made by tracing
around alphabetic 'fridge magnets' and just happen to be the same size
as the Nicot numerals.
I trace around the Nicot numbers using a fine felt tip pen
and then cut them out using a stout pair of scissors. The holes in 6s,
8s and 9s are cut using wad punches and a hammer 0s need wad punch and
chisel and the triangular cut out in the figure 4 is done with a
chisel. To avoid shattering or splitting when nailing, I drill fixing
holes 1.00 mm in diameter using a
hand held printed circuit drill.
I keep my spare numbers in a compartmented plastic storage
box, similar to that used by fishermen for their tackle.
There are white plastic numbers, similar to my homemade ones,
that are made in the Czech Republic by
Antonin Sima (Simaco). (link dud at the moment!)
Some items are too small for the above types of number to
be applied... In this case, I put the number on with a bullet pointed
felt tip marker and then using a 5 mm diameter ball headed burr,
again fitted into the printed circuit drill, and chase around my
number producing a shallow depression in the wooden surface.
The high speed cutting of the burr leaves a feathery edge to the
shallow curved channel, which I scrape off with a piece of hacksaw
blade that has a curved end ground on it, then I re-apply the marker
pen to the freshly cut groove using excess pressure so that a large
amount of dye is transferred, which soaks into the freshly exposed
The hacksaw blade can be ground to the curved shape with a
sharp edge or a square edge. The one that I use was made when I was an
apprentice in 1964 and has a square edge that has not needed to be
re-sharpened in all of those years.
If the item is to be treated with linseed oil I leave the
ink to dry for 24 hours otherwise it bleeds into the surrounding
surface when the oil is applied.
Written... 12 March 2002, Revised... 30 Sept 2002 | <urn:uuid:d4e662ff-05fc-4961-9ad4-f18d8e7fe5f5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman/hivenumbering.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940787 | 851 | 2.046875 | 2 |
If you suspect that an older family member's driving skills have seriously deteriorated, take a ride with him. Note whether he has trouble judging gaps in traffic, following traffic signals and road signs, maneuvering or parking the car, or remembering the route. If there's a problem, "address it head-on," says Jake Nelson, director of traffic safety advocacy and research at AAA. "Most people wait until after a crash and it's too late," he says.
Before you have the conversation, investigate transportation options in your area and their cost. Calculate how much money your family member would save by driving less or not at all, and point out that the savings could be used for other ways of getting around.
When an aging parent resists giving up driving, some families resort to disabling the car or hiding the keys. But it's better to let the state department of motor vehicles make the decision. Often, the best way to make that happen is to take your case to your parent's doctor.
Rules governing physicians, however, vary from state to state. In some, including New York, doctors can't contact the DMV regarding a patient without the patient's permission. (To see the laws in your state and more information about elder driving safety, go to SeniorDriving.AAA.com.)
A report to the DMV may trigger a review of your parent's driving record or an order to retest the driver. It could also lead to a health evaluation. Depending on where you live, the report may be anonymous. If all else fails, you may have to obtain guardianship over your parent and get a court order to prevent him from driving, says Shirley Whitenack, a lawyer in New Jersey who specializes in elder-care law.
(Jessica Anderson is an associate editor at Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. Send your questions and comments to [email protected]. And for more on this and similar money topics, visit http://www.Kiplinger.com.) | <urn:uuid:ecf2e537-0481-4f08-8123-83d8045d38c3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/automotive/used/sns-201211081630--tms--kplngmpctnkm-a20121123-20121123,0,2917936.story | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959581 | 408 | 1.851563 | 2 |
Hi: Me and 2 friends started building the 50$ robot separately, I got it to work and they could not. Now, when I was checking their board against mine I noticed that they had the AVcc pin connected to the VCC pin on the board which according to the pdf schematic is correct. I had not connected this pin and my board was working correctly(controlling servos, receiving input from sensors and led), my friend's boards were not being recognized by the programmer, so I told them to eliminate that connection and it worked for both of them.
Why is that? The schematic says that you are suppose to connect those pins and when I tried just to see what would happened to mine, the controller got really hot as well as the regulator.
Is the schematic wrong? I have the atmega168. Like I said everything works fine without that connection. | <urn:uuid:6dc32a04-46af-4455-9e56-88486d013420> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=11309.msg85628 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.992391 | 177 | 2.015625 | 2 |
Trumpet vine/trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans) is a fantastic vine plant that is excellent at attracting hummingbirds and some other pollinators. In fact, it is sometimes called a ‘hummingbird vine’ because it is so attractive to hummers. And their many large flowers brighten any garden.
The long tubular reddish flowers of the trumper creeper are a perfect fit for the long beak that is extended by the hummers’ proboscis that is used like a straw to sip the nectar from inside the flowers. And trumpet creeper is native to many states in the U.S. as well as Ontario in Canada (see map of native areas)
Long tongued bees like the bumblebee in this photo also pollinate trumpet creeper. With all the loss of the non-native honeybees, it is even more important to provide these nectar producing flowers for bumblebees and other native bees. They will reward you by not only pollinating these trumpet creepers but other plants in your yard (they have done a great job pollinating my tomato and pepper plants).
Bumblebees can be said to ‘really get into their work’ as shown in the bottom photo–yes, these bumblebees go right inside of the trumper creeper flower to get to it’s nectar!
Another benefit of trumper creeper vines is that they are larval hosts to Trumpet Vine Sphinx Moth (Paratraea plebeja): ” Caterpillars hide on the underside of stems during the day, and emerge to feed at night. Fully-grown caterpillars pupate in chambers in soft soil. Caterpillars of the second brood pupate and overwinter in their chambers.”
I bet a lot of readers already have trumper creeper vines in their yards. Do you see hummers and bees pollinating your trumper creeper flowers? Have you seen any Trumpet Vine Spinx Moths that may have used the flowers as a larval host?
IMPORTANT POST NOTE: Everyone I know that have this plant have not had any problems with them but after reading the first comment below and some on the Birds and Blooms facebook site, I did more research. Trumpet creeper vine CAN CAUSE SKIN IRRITATION AND ITCH, SOMETIMES SEVERE. Though many may not have a problem, please be cautious and consider wearing gloves when working with it.
I knew it was rambunctious but I have found many vines are so. But some people just have really bad problems with it so it is important that you consider carefully where you plants it–be cautious about planting near buildings or foundations as it can cause damage. I will do more research and provide more detailed info on this later this evening.
More Info: Hilton Pond that is a major source of info on Ruby-throated Hummingbirds says the following: “…it is absolutely an amazing attractant for hummingbirds. Here at Hilton Pond Center we maintain a monstrous monoculture of Trumpet Creeper that serves as centerpiece for our hummingbird trapping area“.
More tips (linked to source) for controlling this rambunctious vine:
- “To keep it in check, plant it near concrete or an area that you can mow; mowing down the suckers will discourage them.“
- “Flowers on new growth. Head back stems in late winter to early spring to control growth and encourage branching. Remove suckers and root-prune to discourage underground runners. Cut stems to ten inches to renew.“
- Louis the Plant Geek has a lengthy ‘How to handle it’ section on managing it | <urn:uuid:83a5ce69-7919-4f6f-84b2-13571ec16656> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://birdsandbloomsblog.com/2012/09/06/attract-hummers-and-other-pollinators-with-trumper-vine/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952196 | 789 | 2.9375 | 3 |
How To Make An Outdoor Skating Rink
Today’s feature tip is a project from My Family Loves It with DIY Backyard Ice Rink. You’ll just need some lumber, liner or tarp and hardware for this project.
Making it level is the trickiest part but with a careful eye and some measuring, you can level it with filler. He suggests using hay, leaves or straw to stuff under the boards if there are any gaps underneath them so the liner won’t push out and tear. Most of the supplies you need can be reused next year.
Lots of fun for the kids and if you have any aspiring figure skaters or hockey players in the family, chances are you won’t have any problem keeping them active out in the fresh air this winter with a backyard rink in place.
Edit: John’s updated the site with more tips, you don’t want to miss them, find the details on this page. I also couldn’t resist adding a picture of a future NHL hockey player . | <urn:uuid:da4b1546-12a7-4832-b565-d2b2648c4430> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-an-outdoor-skating-rink/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.91612 | 219 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Yale University announced this week that it is making the digital images of millions of objects in its museum, library and archive collections--paintings, sculpture, rare artifacts and historical documents--freely available to the public online. Not only can anyone explore the digital images of these treasures from a new online collective catalog (currently holding over 250,000 images), but scholars, artists, and educators will have no concerns about licensing fees and restrictions on their use. The images are freely available, as the Yale announcement states, "for study, publication, teaching or inspiration." For an inspiring study break, spend a few minutes with this slide show highlighting some samples from the Yale collections.
Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Above the Law - A Legal Tabloid - News, Gossip, and Colorful Commentary on Law Firms and the Legal Profession | <urn:uuid:7e189537-2cbc-47be-919d-a770b9002488> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://deanelawlibrary.blogspot.com/2011_05_08_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00060-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.910505 | 173 | 1.90625 | 2 |
DR. SEUSS' SAFE-SEX-GUIDE!
By Dr. Seuss
Hello there! My name is Seuss.
I am a very silly goose.
But I’m here to set the story straight.
It’s okay if you want to wait.
One fine day, you might have heard,
Although the footage was quite blurred,
“Lorax” star Efron dropped a thing.
The rubber you put on your ding-ding.
Zac has got the right idea.
You don’t want to get gonorrhea.
It will make you itch and itch.
Itch and itch and itch and itch
Itch and itch. It will make your life a bitch.
Although, if you wait TOO long
People will think something’s wrong.
You know what? They may be right.
I recommend you get some tonight.
Rubbers work and they are safe.
Be warned, they too can make you chafe.
Careful! If your rubber breaks,
You’ll soon be buying birthday cakes.
Cakes and cakes and other cakes.
One for each baby you makes.
It all adds up, for goodness sakes.
But if you forget, it’s not a crime.
You can just wear two next time.
Ladies, forgot a pill or two?
An aspirin fixes that boo-boo.
Aspirin! Aspirin! Take it, please!
Look! It fits between the knees.
Sigh. The truth about the contraceptive?
It really is just all perspective.
You will hear this nowhere else.
A conspiracy to stock store shelves.
Birth control is just suggested.
It rarely works. That’s science-tested.
You can forget it! In fact, you should!
Holding your breath is just as good!
You might ask, what’s a dental dam?
I really don’t know, Sam-I-Am.
But I couldn’t really give a damn.
Because I’m a sir. I’m not a ma’am.
Everything is much more fun
When your body’s gone all numb.
I prefer Jamaican rum.
Don’t be shy! You must drink some!
Here’s a tip from good old Seuss-y!
You can’t get pregnant in a Jacuzzi!
Fast and loose and asks no questions.
That’s my Seussian-ian suggestion.
That’s all, that’s it, this story’s done.
Get out there and have some fun!
Up next: The Seuss-Shank Redemption
- Dude come on a Dr. Seuss writing with no illustrations?! How shameful. I couldn't even bring myself to finish reading it.
- ._. no, it is not more fun if you can't feel anything. The sensations of touch and smell and taste and the sounds and sights are all important, all part of the enjoyment of the experience. Fuck you and your limp fish dead nerve sex. Also, birth control DOES WORK, what the fuck are you trying to do here, cause more "unwanted" pregnancies by convincing stupid girls that the pill doesn't work anyway so they might as well not take it? Do I need to tell you the fucking science of every detail of how it works, exactly? You clearly have never EVER studied medicine or biology or even so much as taken a junior high sex ed class. | <urn:uuid:e2fe3ef8-2116-4c4f-97a1-6b710f825b93> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.funnyordie.com/articles/d84a462f6c/dr-seuss-safe-sex-guide?playlist=336843 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.913314 | 766 | 1.648438 | 2 |
In Recognition of Women
By Khaled Abou El Fadl
When Imam Zuhri, a famous scholar of sunna (Prophet Muhammad’s traditions), indicated to Qasim ibn Muhammad, a scholar of the Quran, a desire to seek knowledge, Qasim advised him to join the assembly of a well-known woman jurist of the day, Amra bint Al-Rahman. Imam Zuhri attended her assembly and later described her as a boundless ocean of knowledge. In fact, Amra instructed scholars of fame, such as, Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Hazm, and Yahya ibn Said.
Amra was not an anomaly in Islamic history which is abundant with famous woman narrators or jurists starting with Aisha, the Prophet’s wife. For example, Al-Rubaiyi bint Muawidh advised many men on legal matters including Abdullah ibn Abbas and Abdullah ibn Umar. Aisha, daughter of Sad ibn Waggas, taught famous jurists such as Imam Mallik, and Sayyidah Nafeesa, granddaughter of Hassan, instructed Imam alShafii. A conservative count would reveal at least 2,500 woman jurists, narrators of hadith and poets throughout history.
That was then, but now we cannot even recall an Islamic woman jurist. Women are absent from Islamic public and intellectual life. There are remarkable woman activists in many mosques and there are a few impressive writers such as Zaynab al-Ghazali. But these are exceptions.
One will rarely find a woman lecturing to a mixed audience about a gender neutral topic such as riba (usury), for example. While it is common to encounter professional Muslim women in every walk of life, it is very rare to find Muslim women on the boards of Islamic centers or in the leadership positions. There are several reasons for this alarming phenomenon. One particularly disturbing reason is the derogatory attitude that seems to have infested many Muslim men.
Very few are willing to be instructed or taught by a woman. Muslim men, even in the United States, seem to have developed a woman-phobia that consistently aspires to exclude woman from conferences, meetings, gatherings or even mosques.
It is not uncommon to find women in a mosque sheltered or imprisoned by a curtain not to be seen, heard or even thought of. Any man will quite insolently insist on instructing women on everything from how to raise their children to what garments to wear. But the thought of a woman telling a man that he is inflicted with a mania summarized into hyper antifeminism is an unspeakable act of blasphemy.
May God bless Fatimah bint Qais who tenaciously argued with Umar and Aisha over a legal point, and remained unconvinced and refused to change her opinion, and on Um Yaqab who once heard Abdullah ibn Masud explain a legal point then confidently told him, “I have read the entire Quran but have not found your explanation anywhere in it.”
The fact is that Islam neither limited woman to a private sphere nor gave men supremacy over the public and private spheres. One notices that the Greek and Roman civilizations that preceded the Islamic civilization did not produce a single woman philosopher or jurist.
Likewise, up to the 18th Century, Europe failed to produce a single female social, political or legal theorist. Islam did exactly the opposite in every respect so much so that Omar ibn al-Khattab used to entrust Shaffa bint Abdullah, a woman, as an inspector over the market in Medina. Moreover, Islamic history is replete with examples of female professors who tutored famous male jurists.
The famous Hanbali jurist ibn Qudamah, for instance, was educated by Shahada bint Ibri, a woman. particularly in the 6th century hijra, there were numerous occasions where woman professors issued licenses (ijaza) to men. For instance, the Chinese born Fatima bint Saad licensed, no one less than, al-Hafiz al-Munziri himself.
Yet, the sad legacy of our times is that we have taken woman to the pre-Islamic era by excluding them from public exposure or involvement. A modern scholar Muhammad al-Ghazali once described this phenomenon as the “ascendancy of bedouin fiqh (jurisprudence).” What he meant by this term is that much of the contemporary attitudes toward woman are influenced by cultural values originating in bedouin cultures; cultures in which the world revolves around men and everything is channeled to their service.
F or example, the sunnah of the Prophet reveals that he used to assist his wives in duties of the household. But most modern scholars did not have the probity to suggest that it is recommended, and even required in certain circumstances, that men lend a helping hand in the home. Most men are content to ignore this sunna as they selectively emphasize whatever they find self-serving in the sunna.
It is well-known that women like Aisha, Um Salamah, Laila bint Qasim, Asma bint Abu Baker, Kaula bint Um Darda and many others were trusted with preserving and teaching at least one fourth of our religion. Isn’t it time we trust women to contribute to our public and intellectual lives? May the Muslim community in the United States be the first to produce the first Muslim woman jurist in the last two hundred years. It is long overdue.
Originally published in the July/August 1991 issue ofThe Minaret, and the July-August Summer 1992 print edition of The American Muslim | <urn:uuid:b4ac3265-3359-4f43-8acc-9a727f02a0f0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/in_recognition_of_women1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954419 | 1,173 | 2.6875 | 3 |
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14 Table 3. (Continued). Category Field Level 1 Field Level 2 Incorrect Flight Planning Communication/Coordination Visual Illusion Human Errors Fatigue Pressonitis Other Wet Contaminated - Standing water Contaminated - Rubber Contaminated - Oil Contaminated - Ice Runway Surface Contaminated - Slush Conditions Contaminated - Snow Contaminated - Paint Contaminated - Other Construction Down Slope Wildlife Hazards Unstabilized - Low Approach Unstabilized - Low Speed Approach/Takeoff Long Touchdown Procedures Unstabilized - High Speed High Above Threshold Takeoff Rejected Other Aircraft Body Type Wide or Narrow Aircraft Cost 2007 dollar value Cost Human Cost 2007 dollar value Total Event Cost 2007 dollar value and world occurrences was utilized to develop the location develop risk models. However, operation conditions and models. levels of risk are different at different airports. In addition, Incorporating risk exposure information into the accident only raw distances between the final wreckage location and frequency model enhances its predictive power and provides the runway end have been used to develop current FAA RSA the basis for formulating more risk-sensitive and responsive recommendations. RSA policies. Accident frequency models need no longer rely To mitigate this difficulty, information available for differ- on simple crash rates based on just aircraft, engine, or opera- ent airports was compared by using a normalization procedure, tion type. As discussed below, factors previously ignored by to transform existing data to a standard nominal airport (Kirk- airport risk assessments and RSA regulations are accounted land et al., 2003). To normalize aircraft accident data, the "nor- for using the models developed in this study. Moreover, this mal" airport is an airport situated at the International Standard normal operations database can be used for future studies. Atmosphere (ISA) conditions, with level surrounding terrain The detailed source and sampling strategy of the NOD or obstacles and an infinitely long, hard runway. database is described in Appendix G. In addition, a small sam- Normalization was conducted for the effects of terrain on ple of the NOD being utilized in this study is included in that wreckage location using the models developed by Kirkland et al. section. A list of sampled airports is shown in Appendix H and (2003) and the effects of the local atmospheric conditions on the stratified sampling strata is presented in Appendix I. the aircraft's performance, based on standard corrections for To derive the weights to be applied to each stratum, it was aircraft distance required. Major factors that affect the runway necessary to identify the relevant traffic from Terminal Area distance required for the operation and used in the flight man- Forecasts (TAFs). Details on the calculation of TAF are pre- ual calculations are runway slope, runway elevation, and the air sented in Appendix J. temperature; however, a correction was not applied to the slope in the RSA due to missing information for the majority of the events. The RSA slope is indeed an important factor on the Normalization of Data wreckage distance and this information should be collected and The small pool of relevant data available is a fundamental made available in incident and accident investigation reports. problem to risk assessment in aviation (Caves and Gosling, Normalization procedures used in this study are presented in 1999). Most studies have used data from different airports to Appendix K. | <urn:uuid:0d12d101-cfc7-4563-b384-09889bde7f58> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=14137&page=14 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.910768 | 799 | 2.40625 | 2 |
The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, or COMAC showcased its C919 aircraft at the Farnborough International Airshow 2012 -ongoing in Hampshire, UK. The plane is China’s first homegrown single-aisle passenger jet.
It brings with it a lot less… less weight, less air resistance and lower emissions. According to its designers, it will also produce up to 30 fewer decibels of noise, 50 percent less pollution and use 13 percent less fuel compared with its competitors. But it also brings more… The C919 will be the largest commercial airliner built in China.
Jian Min, Chief Accountant of Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China, said, “It is more user-friendly. The space between the seats is widened. Doors for luggage compartments open downward, which makes it more convenient for passengers to stow their luggage. The windows on the plane are bigger to provide a better view of the scenery outside.”
The C919 is a medium/short-range commercial airliner with a designed economic life of 90,000 flight hours or 30 calendar years. So far, COMAC has received more than 280 orders for its C919. It hopes to launch a maiden flight in 2014 and deliver the first C919 in 2016. What’s more, the International Airlines Group signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation with COMAC on Monday.
Willie Walsh, Chief Executive of International Aairlines Group, said, “More and more I’m hearing the senior leaders of Boeing and Airbus talk about COMAC as a new competitor to what it is they are doing. So for an airline, this is great, because competition drives greater efficiency in the aircraft, and hopefully competition will drive more attractive prices for airlines.”
The biennial Farnborough International Airshow, held during July 9 to 15, has drawn 1,506 exhibitors from 39 countries and some 250,000 aviation experts and visitors. | <urn:uuid:63f617e8-3ce5-4981-934d-592ede432ef3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://insidechina.onehotspots.com/chinas-c919-draws-attention-at-farnborough-intl-airshow/55552/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942165 | 402 | 2.0625 | 2 |
A common complaint from my librarian friends: too often users fail to appreciate that the resources they use online are only available to them because the library has purchased them. This is aggravated by confusion about what an academic library is. Researchers actively using library resources online may not think of themselves as using the library because they have not recently visited the building.
Libraries need to overcome such confusion to ensure that the contributions they make to the university are fully appreciated. Demonstrating value is key if libraries are to be able to continue to claim their share of institutional funding.
Drawing on research from the UK, the US and Scandinavia, the LISU study shows a world in which libraries are actively engaged in gathering evidence to demonstrate their value – but challenges remain. Though a good deal of evidence is collected, much of it is evidence of activity rather than evidence of value and impact. The kind of evidence provided by the 2009 CIBER global library study, demonstrating that per capita expenditure and use of e-journals is strongly correlated to research performance, is more challenging for individual institutions to develop.
Evidence is critical not only because administrators are increasingly required to justify expenditure, but also because librarians cannot take faculty support for granted. Though librarians do get a lot of positive feedback from faculty, the LISU study shows many librarians believe that researchers do not really know how to use all the library's resources. There is also a strong sense that teaching staff are often surprised by the sorts of support on offer.
Library buildings are increasingly geared towards meeting the needs of students, with cafés and social space provided alongside information resources. At the University of Utah, a recent survey showed that many teaching and research staff regarded the library as a large undergraduate study hall. With material available online and document delivery being made directly to offices, many faculty never visited the library building.
This creates an increased risk that faculty support for libraries will erode if faculty no longer perceive themselves as actively supported by the library. Disconnects of this kind are widely perceived. One librarian said: " ... most faculty really do ignore us or take [the library] for granted, while most librarians think that we are a central part of the faculty's mission".
The LISU study highlights a number of areas where libraries are actively engaging with faculty and students, providing evidence of value more effectively. The biggest trend is in collaborative working between librarians and faculty to support research and teaching roles. Library teaching embedded in departmental courses has become an important role for libraries, contributing to enhancing students' skills in information literacy and other areas.
Some universities, particularly in the US, have moved further in developing co-teaching courses. At others, there is librarian involvement in curriculum design with a view to ensuring that information skills are embedded in the course from the start. This kind of close working between faculty and librarians can also apply in research partnerships. An example cited is the involvement of subject librarians at the University of Nottingham in systematic reviews: their time is costed and documented as part of the research project in recognition that library skills are key to the successful delivery of the project, and librarians contributing to systematic reviews are cited as co-authors on the publications.
While there are gains to be made, library contributions to teaching and research can also pose significant challenges - notably that of time management. Providing embedded information training is a time-consuming support service for the library. Librarians are also aware of the limitations on faculty time in any partnerships.
For librarians to understand the perceptions of faculty and students and know how to reach and influence them, requires effective marketing - but this isn't just a question of promotion. The research found that in delivering shared services, Purdue University emphasises the importance of framing services from a faculty rather than from a librarian perspective. Librarians engaged in research support need to "present themselves as someone who can solve a problem research staff are having directly". A similar concern came across in the issue of using appropriate language – at the University of Sussex, sessions on electronic resources are presented as 'awareness raising' rather than 'training' to avoid generating unnecessary resistance.
Asked about the biggest impediment to promoting library services, one librarian summarised the issue as: "lack of time: for library staff to have time to promote resources to individuals; for academic staff to read and digest emails or other communications". This challenge was expressed in all three regions surveyed. Given the reality of time challenges on both sides, libraries need to be smart in identifying ways of building relationships and communicating value which are effective and scaleable.
There are also recommendations for senior university managers – the full report can be downloaded here. We undertook this project as a chance to better understand how libraries can support teaching and research staff. What LISU has reported on are just a small number of examples of best practice from case studies internationally: we'd welcome further input from you and your experiences here or on the Library Value blog.
Professor Stephen Barr is president of SAGE International | <urn:uuid:60dc2179-1b09-4f77-8930-7173f913e5c6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.guardian.co.uk/higher-education-network/blog/2012/aug/20/academic-libraries-value-research-teaching | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958047 | 1,034 | 2.15625 | 2 |
Google and antitrust
Over to you, and hurry
The European Commission puts the ball into Google’s court
JOAQUÍN ALMUNIA has been in no rush. It is more than two years since Google's competitors started complaining to him about the giant online-search company. Eighteen months ago Mr Almunia, the European Union's competition commissioner, began a formal investigation. Several times a decision has seemed imminent. On May 21st Mr Almunia said he wanted to get a move on. “I believe”, he said, “that these fast-moving markets would particularly benefit from a quick resolution.”
Mr Almunia did not present a formal case (a “statement of objections” in Eurospeak), but offered Google a chance to settle. He has four main areas of concern, and wants the company to propose remedies to each “in a matter of weeks”. If he is not satisfied, the formalities will resume. Then he will impose his own answers and maybe a fine, too.
Google is Europe's biggest search engine, scooping about 85% of queries. In America, its home country, it scores a paltry two-thirds (see chart). Mr Almunia suspects that Google abuses its dominant position.
His first concern is that Google favours its own specialised searches—for restaurants or flights, or comparing the prices of consumer goods—ahead of others. Second, he worries about its use of content such as restaurant or hotel reviews from competing specialists. Google “may”, he says, be copying without permission. Google thinks this has been resolved; its competitors (and the commission) are not so sure.
Third, Mr Almunia is vexed by exclusive agreements between Google and other website-owners, such as magazine publishers or broadcasters. When users type entries into the sites' search boxes, Google serves up the advertisements that appear alongside the results; rival suppliers do not get a look in. Fourth, the commissioner is concerned that advertisers cannot easily transfer campaigns from Google's AdWords platform to rival systems. He thinks the terms of Google's contracts with software developers may be to blame.
Mr Almunia's job is to protect consumers, not Google's rivals. To complicate matters, people do not pay for search; their clicks trigger payments by advertisers to Google and its rivals. Google's critics say that the unwitting clicker is losing out. If Google pushes its rivals down its displays or snaffles their reviews, so that users stay with its own services, consumers may not get the best deals or information.
Google replies that its software simply provides the most useful searches. If its own services come top, so be it. Even so, it has been saying for a while that it is willing to talk: a long fight after two years of skirmishing suits neither it nor the commission. Now, without paying too high a regulatory price, it has to placate Mr Almunia.
Not only him. America's Federal Trade Commission is also looking at claims that Google unfairly favours its own services. The FTC means business: last month it appointed Beth Wilkinson, a lawyer who prosecuted Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber, to its Google team.
Regulators are not always beastly to Google. On May 19th the firm said that China had followed America and the EU and approved its takeover of Motorola Mobility, a maker of mobile phones whose main attraction is its 17,000 patents. The deal, worth $12.5 billion, was completed on May 22nd. Still, on both sides of the Atlantic, Google is in for a busy summer. | <urn:uuid:058a31b9-2419-4e9f-a1a1-aa4caf6b3272> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.economist.com/node/21555910 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966118 | 752 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Hurricanes by Other Names
Hurricanes are called by different names in other parts of the world. These storms are labeled depending on where they occur. When they happen over the North Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, or the Northeast Pacific Ocean, they are called Hurricanes. Storms that happen over the Northwest Pacific Ocean and west of the International Date Line are called typhoons. Hurricanes near Australia and in the Indian Ocean are called tropical cyclones. Sometimes people of Australia call them Willy-Willies.
Click here to learn more about what causes hurricanes.
Title Page/ Storms/ Hurricanes by Other Names/Famous Storms/ Predicting Storms/Staying Safe/ Fun Stuff/ Our Stories/ Bibliography/Guest Book | <urn:uuid:8ea23160-6eb9-4b02-bd71-ef70dd67edbd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://library.thinkquest.org/J0112125/hurricanes_by_other_names.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935284 | 154 | 3.25 | 3 |
Investors and a group of large businesses have urged the EU to revive its flagging emissions trading scheme (ETS), ahead of a key vote in the European parliament next week.
Shell, General Electric, Kingfisher, Unilever and EDF were among more than 30 large companies signing up to call for reforms that would raise carbon prices
and restore confidence in the scheme, which is meant to cut the EU
's carbon output. The Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change
(IIGCC), which represents investors and asset managers worth €7.5 trillion, also joined the call for reform.
But the suggested way of improving the scheme – a short-term fix of holding back some carbon permits from sale – is complex and it is uncertain whether MEPs will pass the proposal when it comes before the environment committee next Tuesday.
The emissions trading scheme has been on life support for months, as prices of carbon permits have plummeted, to trade at barely €5, down from average prices topping €30 in recent years. Under the scheme, heavy industries and power generators need permits to cover each tonne of carbon dioxide they produce. At such low prices, the permits provide little or no incentive to companies to cut their emissions or invest in cleaner technologies.
The price plunge was the result of an over-allocation of free permits to industries, the recession which depressed production in the sectors involved, and the ability to import even cheaper carbon credits from abroad to substitute for EU permits.
As a short-term fix, the European Commission has suggested "backloading" some of the allocations of permits by member states to their industries. At present, auctions of permits take place on a regular basis, in which companies bid for any they need above the free allocation that some receive. But as the market is already swamped, thanks in part to companies carrying over unused permits from previous years, if the auctions were to take place as usual the price could fall even further. Under the Commission's proposal, some of those auctions will be postponed until later in the current phase of the scheme, which runs to 2020.
In a Twitter
chat with the Guardian
, the EU Commissioner, Connie Hedegaard, said: "No plan B – to stop overflooding an already overflooded market cannot be THAT difficult."
Rob Elsworth, policy
officer at the campaign group Sandbag, said many MEPs did not seem to understand the proposal, which did not bode well for its passage. One of the leading members of the Environment Committee, the 'shadow rapporteur' Eija-Riitta Korhola of Finland, is a climate sceptic.
Stephanie Pfeifer, executive director of the IIGCC, urged MEPs to back the reform. "The collapse of the carbon price and the direction of EU energy policy are creating uncertainty amongst investors concerned by climate change and weakening the case for investment in Europe's low carbon sector. A yes vote would send a positive signal about the European parliament's commitment to its flagship emissions reduction scheme and begin to restore investor confidence in the EU's energy policy."
In a letter to MEPs, the group of more than 30 companies wrote: "The effectiveness of the EU ETS has been undermined by a surplus of allowances. The current carbon price will not stimulate low carbon investments or innovation. Without agreement on the backloading proposal the price will fall further thus threatening the long term survival of the ETS. A failure of the EU ETS would distort the internal market with the emergence of a patchwork of 27 different energy and climate measures ranging from regulations to taxation."
Last year, an influential committee assembled by the United Nations warned that carbon trading
around the world was "close to collapse" and that urgent steps were needed to revive it, as one of the few means of stimulating emissions cuts on the scale needed to avoid dangerous levels of climate change.
Like this story? Please subscribe to our free weekly e-newsletter at the top of the page for more content like this. | <urn:uuid:7c643e5b-080a-49bb-aefc-20af6aa91267> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.greenwisebusiness.co.uk/news/big-firms-sign-up-to-call-to-revive-flagging-eu-emissions-trading-scheme-3802.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953505 | 821 | 1.851563 | 2 |
May 15, 2011 (Sunday) – 2:00 PM–3:30 PM
Inspired by J. C. Raulston and Kim Tripp's book The Year in Trees, we will look at outstanding trees and shrubs, and perhaps the occasional perennial, over the course of a year at the JC Raulston Arboretum. This will permit us to see a wide variety of plants at the times of the year when they are looking their best. We will emphasize plants that are readily available to the average gardener, and information will be provided on both their care and uses in garden design. May's topic is late spring blooms and vibrant foliage.
This course is designed for the average home gardener who is interested in broadening his or her knowledge of plants that do well in the North Carolina Piedmont. It will be especially useful to those who are either new to gardening or new to this area. Although emphasis will be on plants that should be readily available to home gardeners, we also will give a nod to some of the Arboretum's more exotic—and esoteric—plants when we see them. And by offering the course on weekends, we hope that those who work during the week will be able to attend.
Each month we will look at plants that are particularly showy at that moment. Given the vagaries of the weather and resultant bloom times, we can't reliably predict exactly which plants we will focus on during each session. However, we will also look at characteristics such as foliage and bark that provide a longer period of interest than flowers.
January 16 – Broadleaf Evergreens for Foliage and Flowers
February 20 – (Very) Early Bloomers, Plus More Broadleaf Evergreens
March 20 – Early Bloomers: Bravely Daring Freezing Nights, Blustery Winds, and Other Calamities
April 17 – Spring Explodes: Now Everyone Wants to Garden
May 15 – Late Spring Blooms and Vibrant Foliage
June 18 – The Long Hot Summer Looms, while Tropicals Kick Into High Gear (Please note this session meets on Saturday morning.)
Classes meet on January 16, February 20, March 20, April 17, May 15, June 18, August 20, September 18, October 15, November 20, and December 11. Classes begin at 2:00 PM, except in June, August, and October when we'll meet at 9:00 AM to escape some of the heat and to avoid the State Fair traffic. Class does not meet in July.
Charlie Kidder has been a volunteer at the JC Raulston Arboretum for seven years and is currently serving on the Arboretum's Board of Advisors. He is the garden leader in the Arboretum's Xeric Garden and Scree Garden, conducts Arboretum tours, and also serves on the JCRA speaker's bureau. He authors a newspaper gardening column and also contributes to the Triangle Gardener. At home, Charlie gardens on a half-acre in Cary.
Cost: Each session is $12 for Friends of the JC Raulston Arboretum members, all others $15.00. Students may enroll for as many sessions as they wish. The eleven sessions are $120 for members and $150 nonmembers).
Registration: Contact Chris Glenn at (919) 513-7005 or [email protected] to register for this class. Registration is limited to 20 people and is considered complete when payment is received. Cancellations can be made through May 6, 2011 (Friday).
Location: Ruby C. McSwain Education Center, JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University, 4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Directions: Need directions? Click here.
Parking: Free parking is available at the JC Raulston Arboretum and along Beryl Road.
Questions: Please call (919) 513-7005 for more information about this lecture. | <urn:uuid:89d712ac-15cb-4f05-a0ad-fb88deeef1e0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ncsu.edu/jcraulstonarboretum/calendar/event_details.php?ID=355 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960119 | 837 | 2 | 2 |
Homeowners may be encouraged to switch energy companies as major supplier E.On has announced new customers will be billed monthly rather than quarterly.
More homeowners may have the opportunity to switch energy to a cleaner source as new figures suggest renewable generation has risen by 104 per cent.
Homeowners looking to compare energy prices may be interested to hear the UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC) has called for new environmental measures.
People looking to switch energy to cleaner sources may be encouraged by a new £22 million fund that has been established by the government.
The Women's Institute (WI) has joined the Guardian 10:10 campaign, which could help lower prices from energy suppliers by reducing consumption.
There is a need for more choice over who supplies domestic energy in order to ensure cheap energy deals are available, it has been claimed.
A programme designed to harness tidal power from the Mersey Estuary something which could help to provide a sustainable source of cheap energy to the region has reached a key milestone, it has been claimed.
Energy suppliers in the UK need to "catch up" with other nations when it comes to going green, it has been claimed. | <urn:uuid:c9ce8fe4-64b1-4a75-8fa4-465c392f7ba4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.energyhelpline.com/askjeff_website/fri/domesticenergy/news/2009/9/4 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973969 | 236 | 2.015625 | 2 |
If you want a career in musical theater, you better embrace your inner Harold Hill. Because to make it in the business, we all have to be salesmen (sales people?) peddling our wares. If you aren’t willing to make the pitch, as Harold Hill would say, “Ya Got Trouble.”
This came up recently because I was talking to a writer friend who said, “I’m so tired of constantly pitching producers. You producers have it lucky.” I stopped him right there… just as writers are pitching to get their work produced, producers are constantly pitching investors and theater companies, not to mention ticket buyers!
Up and down the musical theater food chain, we are all pitching – and being pitched to – all the time. Actors, directors, writers, designers, producers. You can’t avoid it, and you can’t grow out of it. There’s a common myth floating around that if you “get a producer,” “land that big gig,” or “make it to Broadway,” that suddenly you get a free pass to never have to sell yourself or your work again. Wrong!
The reality is that if you want to stay in the game and succeed in this business, you had better embrace the pitch.
The good news is, there are a few things that can make the exhausting (and sometimes discouraging) pitching process a little more manageable:
Remember that you love what you do.
And if you read that sentence and disagree then quit now. Musical theater people work tirelessly, gamble big, pitch hard, and put themselves out there day after day because they are passionate about theater. Expect a bad day or even a bad year, but if you truly love this business, stick with it and remember that things will turn around.
Recognize that pitching is a huge part of your job description.
I learned this trick from my actor friends: They are auditioning (aka pitching) all day every day and the ones who have the best attitude think of the audition process as an equal part of their work as the performing jobs for which they get hired. The rest of us would be smart to borrow their perspective.
Set reasonable benchmarks.
If you limit yourself to only one lofty goal like “be on Broadway” nothing you do leading up to that will feel like a win. Instead, I recommend setting intermediate goals. For example, say to yourself this week my goal is to meet three new producers or send out five demos or get so-and-so to record my song, etc. It’s helpful and satisfying to feel like you are meeting your goals. Not to mention, that it’s only through these kinds of incremental steps (and successes) that you can achieve your ultimate goals.
Remember that we’re all in the same boat.
If you are sick of pitching your show as a writer, becoming a producer isn’t going to help. If you’re tired of auditioning, becoming a director isn’t going to get you hired any more often. Focus on what you do best and surround yourself with supportive people who can give you pep talks when you get discouraged.
So, stop wasting time trying to avoid the pitch. If you hate it that much, this business isn’t for you. But if you can find a way to make it palatable or even fun, then there’s no business like show business. | <urn:uuid:947c4a5c-cc49-47f0-8bde-ce4a9a1788e0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://makemusicals.com/2013/02/lifes-a-pitch/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9651 | 728 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Recently, I found out a weird contamination in my cell culture. On high magnification it had a round, black shapes that move either by fidgeting or crawling on the plate base or on my cell.
The most frightening is that I found out that this black dot could attached to my bacteria, and somehow destroy the cell membrane, enters the cell then come out through the other ends of the cell.
So, my question is did any of you experts had encounter the same situation? And how should I deal with this? Finally, can you suggest which are the possible sources of this contamination.
Have a nice day ^^
Cell culture contamination (do not know what it was)
1 reply to this topic
Posted 03 May 2009 - 05:08 PM
Is it really contamination? Cellular debris and other aggregates can form and appear similar to contamination as they move around by Brownian motion. If it is contamination you should be able to isolate and grow it and then return it to the original culture to see the same effect as you see now (see Koch's postulates). | <urn:uuid:c626e895-572a-4a2b-a3d0-70c94ef0a165> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.protocol-online.org/forums/topic/7827-cell-culture-contamination-do-not-know-what-it-was/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954857 | 220 | 1.859375 | 2 |
Dog trainer Laura Garber helped TODAY’s Natalie Morales train her adopted dog Zara, and now she's offering a virtual training class for you and your canine companion. In this two-part lesson, Garber gives tips on how to use tricks to help your dog.
When I was first starting out as a dog trainer, I had no respect for dog tricks. As far as I was concerned, tricks training was just fluff, mankind’s way of manipulating dogs to be even more adorable than they already were — as if that were necessary!
These days, I include tricks as part of any training protocol I suggest to clients. For starters, for large-breed dogs, and particularly for “scary” breeds like pits and Rots and sheps, tricks are a great way to make people more comfortable in their presence. Who can be scared of a dog who waves goodbye or plays dead on command? Even just a few tricks in your dog’s repertoire can help put people at ease.
Further, tricks can affect an emotional shift in a dog through physical means. Should your dog get anxious or upset by something, a trick can be the perfect way to get his mind off it and onto something much more fun!
Perhaps most importantly, from the behavior modification standpoint, some tricks are a wonderful way of affecting change in problematic behavior. Also, as if you needed more convincing, they can be a great source of exercise, both mentally and physically for your dog.
In this first installment — part one of a two part series — I'll touch on tricks you might employ for behavior modification; the second will sketch out a fitness routine.
For starters, let's discuss hand targeting. Hand targeting is one of the most important behaviors you can teach your dog. It helps him gain ease with human hands around the head/face, it is a fun behavior from the dog’s perspective which makes it a good default behavior in times of stress/distraction and, most importantly, it makes for a very powerful recall!
- “Touch”: Start by putting your flat hand (palm forward) casually to the side of your dog's nose. Mark the very moment that he touches his nose to your hand with a “yes!” and give him a treat. Gradually you will notice him touching your hand purposefully. Then start holding it farther from him, making him move to the hand. Make this a fun game! When he’s consistently touching his nose when he sees the flat hand, say the verbal command “touch” first, then hold out your hand.Story: Do you have questions about dog training?
“Touch” means that he should come and touch your hand. From afar, this will become "Fido, touch!" "Fido" is to get his attention, "touch" tells him what to do, and he'll look for your flat hand to touch. Then you've got your recall. Keep this exercise exuberant in nature.
Other than "touch," the following two variations of hand targeting are the most useful in affecting a more playful state of mind in an upset dog:
- “Jump”: Hold your leg out in front of you (at a height appropriate for your dog) and hold your open palm above your leg. As he moves toward it, arc your hand over your leg and away from him. This will lead him spatially over your leg. If you’d like, you can precede the hand prompt with the verbal cue “jump!” once the behavior is coming fairly fluently. At some point, the sight of your leg will become your pup’s cue for jumping and you will no longer need to lead with the hand signal.
- “Tippy toes” or “Shamu”: Hold your open palm steadily above your pooch’s head, at a height that he can touch by standing on his hind legs. If you’d like, you can precede the hand prompt with the verbal cue “tippy toes!” once the behavior starts to occur fluently.
It also seems to be the flavor of the month in some training circles to force a dog down on his side and hold him there when he’s committed an offense. Not only is it a great way for the handler to get bitten (from a defensive or an aggressive dog) but it’s also a sure-fire way to damage the relationship between dog and handler. What if you could cue your dog to go down on his side (sounds like play dead, doesn’t it?) so that he can calm down and regain his composure? And, yes, it’s also a pretty cute trick!
- “Bang!”: Once in a “down” position, notice which hip your dog is leaning on. Lure his nose around the opposite shoulder so that he’s lying flat. Mark with a “yes!” Once he’s doing this fairly easily, hold your hand like a gun and point to the floor until his head is resting on the floor, marking with a “yes” when it touches. When this happens with frequency, make your pup keep his head resting on the floor by continuing to cue his head down and saying a calm “good” as a reward marker with him in this position, but withholding the treat until you give the release word “ok,” which indicates that his head can come up and receive the treat. Introduce the verbal command when you’re getting fairly reliable behavior of the head hitting the ground. Also, as your dog gains fluency, start him from a standing position.
Just a note: Don’t ever ask your dog to do this when there’s impending danger, like in a dog run where another dog can jump on top of him, or he’ll lose his trust in you.Story: Practice with your pooch: Shape companion behaviors
- “Shake”: Shake is more than just a trick. It helps your pooch get more comfortable with people touching his paws. With him in a sit, have a treat in your hand just in front of his nose, either in your closed fist or pinched in your fingers so that your dog can’t get to it. The hope is that, in his frustration, he will bat at the treat hand. If this happens, mark it with a happy “yes,” grab the paw with the other hand, and open the treat hand to reveal the treat. If the frustration method isn’t working, try holding the pinched treat above your dog’s head and off to one side. By rocking him to the side, often he will pick up the opposite paw to reach. Mark it with a happy “yes,” grab the paw with your other hand, and open the treat hand to reveal the treat. After he is consistently offering a paw, say the verbal command “shake” or “give paw” in front of it.
An additional note: By using the rocking method, you can train a “left paw” and “right paw” behavior.
More on pets
- “High 5”: Just change the position of your hand so that it’s ready to receive a “high 5” when your dog does the “shake” behavior.
- “Wave”: Give the cue for “shake” but instead of keeping your hand stationary to receive the pooch's paw, move it horizontally in front of him. This will cause him to lift his paw a little longer and perhaps even make another swipe to meet your hand. Especially reinforce the extra jabs in the air.
Fun and games
Beyond being a terrific game for scent-driven dogs, “go find it!” can be a fun rainy day activity to burn a little mental energy. It’s also a great way of distracting your dog past something or someone that might otherwise scare him, simply by giving the cue and then tossing a little path of treats each step past the scary thing.
- “Go find it!”: This is a game of sniffing out a fragrant piece of food. To install the command, we want “go find it!” to indicate that there is food somewhere out there for the hunting. Start easy by saying “go find it!” and tossing a piece of kibble. Make it easy to find. When this is comfortable, take a fragrant piece of food, put your dog in a sit- or down-stay in one room (or have someone hold him) and plant the food somewhere in plain sight. Release him and instruct him to start hunting by saying “ok, go find it!”
As he gains fluency, make the treat increasingly well hidden — under furniture, in his crate, inside a toy on the floor, and wherever else, just be creative! You can hide a couple of treats at one time; when your pup’s found the first, repeat the command “go find it” to indicate that there’s still another out there somewhere.Story: Train your dog to stop barking out the window during drives
Just a note: Don’t hide the tidbits in places where you don’t want him hunting, like on a table top, which would encourage counter surfing. Also, if your pooch breaks the stay, put him back in it. What he’ll learn is that breaking the stay delays the game.
There’s one last, unspoken benefit to tricks training. It’s fun for your dog! It’s time you and he spend together training, but while we humans tend to get pretty serious when it comes to a dog’s sitting when told, we just don’t have the same rigor when Fido blows off a “wave” or “shamu”! All one can do is giggle and make some lame excuse to an amused audience — and practice a little more back home.
So get tricky! Have some fun with it and check back for a second installment on some tricks that have both cuteness factor and fitness benefits next Friday!
© 2013 NBCNews.com Reprints | <urn:uuid:7ba2cb63-8729-4963-999e-f3b26059b41d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.today.com/id/48726706/ns/today-today_pets_and_animals/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962793 | 2,171 | 2.21875 | 2 |
The Tao Teh King: A Short Study in Comparative Religion, by C. Spurgeon Medhurst, , at sacred-texts.com
Supreme is the Tao! All pervasive; it can be on the left hand and on the right.
All things depend on it for life, and it denies none.
Its purposes accomplished, it claims no credit.
It clothes and fosters 1 all things, but claims no lordship.
Ever desireless, it may be named 'The Indivisible.'
All things revert to it, but it claims no lordship. It may be named 'The Supreme.'
Because to the end it does not seek supremacy; it is able to accomplish great things. 2
And says a modern theologian: * "The universe is God living his life, and living it by limitation. But beyond and behind are the infinite resources of his being."
60:1 There is an alternative reading—"lovingly nourishes."
60:2 In many editions this sentence refers to the Sage, and not to the Tao. Commenting on the conclusion of the chapter Su Cheh says, "Who makes himself great is small." See Matt. xx. 26, 28.
60:* R. J. Campbell, B. A. | <urn:uuid:790c66e5-527c-4ee6-882a-9bfb176d787b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sacred-texts.com/tao/mt/mt37.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924748 | 264 | 1.953125 | 2 |
After mastering a musical instrument, what comes next?
It takes time to learn playing a musical instrument. In the process you will always have something to play from someone.
But the problem is after like 15 or 20 years, how do you keep playing? The books are finished. Should we improvise or compose? I think we are somehow trapped inside our minds. How do we get out of it to find new ideas to play? | <urn:uuid:7bfd7894-e4a7-4468-982d-1d7a90875f23> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ted.com/conversations/11113/after_mastering_a_musical_inst.html?c=455838 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963394 | 88 | 1.546875 | 2 |
According to the bible, God created Adam and Eve about 6000 years ago...Lets think about some maths:
Two people multiplying to 6.5 billion in 6000 years. Ignoring the whole flood thing, how many children would eve had needed to give birth to to allow for both the genetic variation and the current population of the planet?
Has anyone ever thought about this before? I might attempt the math myself sometime if no one has.
This would only be a math problem if you believed that the earth is 6000 years old.
The human population did indeed bottleneck several thousand years ago, according to our genetic diversity, exactly. Not to two individuals obviously, but nonetheless. Trying to mathematicise genetics is not very useful as mutations leading to divergent evolution do not obey any mathematical imperatives. Some periods of history have more frequent mutations, other periods less frequent mutations. Some resultant mutations experience less isolation, some more. Genetics, nothwithstanding Dawkins, is not a mathematical endeavour :) | <urn:uuid:7221db36-3d65-42f7-8a12-1de9676fa917> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thinkatheist.com/forum/topics/interesting-math-problem-for-christians-and-atheists-alike?id=1982180%3ATopic%3A853292&page=5 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93541 | 199 | 2.453125 | 2 |
Deterrence and Nuclear Targeting in the 21st Century
The Obama Administration is considering further reductions of U.S. nuclear forces based on the misguided notion that the world is safer when America adopts a weak nuclear policy.
Billions in Spending Cuts to Offset Sequestration
The Budget Control Act created an automatic enforcement regime that would cut federal spending by $1.2 trillion, including a devastating $55 billion per year reduction in national defense. Having failed to act all year, Congress now faces the first thrust of this “sequestration,” scheduled to start January 2. | <urn:uuid:e8ba4c8c-5e20-4f3a-8944-13f4bb95a61f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.heritage.org/initiatives/protect-america | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938845 | 123 | 1.671875 | 2 |
With 4 million New Year's resolution vows to get fit, here is the perfect chance to put your plan into action by winning Free Classes to 'Group Fitness' at Fernwood Women's Health Club.
Start the New Year healthy. So dust off your sneakers. It's a New Year with a new goal... Let's Get Fit for Life!
Follow Fernwood Womens Health Clubs top summer tips to help motivate you to get into shape, and keep you feeling healthy all year round.
1. Set your goals: Whether youre walking for weight loss, increased fitness or relaxation, the process of choosing exercise goals helps you develop a focus for results. Write down your goals and post them somewhere youll see them every day.
2. Get a fitness program: Have a qualified personal trainer assess your fitness and design a program that you can comfortably follow for your level of fitness.
3. Eat small regular meals: To help increase your metabolism and avoid hunger.
4. Drink plenty of water: Every part of your body needs water to work properly, but water is particularly important for keeping the kidneys healthy. Dehydration (lack of water) is one of the reasons why people develop kidney stones.
5. Take time to chill-out: To avoid the everyday stresses, make time to sit quietly, read a book and enjoy your own company.
6. Eat healthy snacks: Take fresh and dried fruit and nuts to work. These foods will provide you with energy in-between meals, helping you to maintain concentration and alertness throughout the day.
7. Dont overdo it when youre sick: When the immune system is fighting a cold its better to exercise at a controlled intensity, listen to your own body, as exhaustive exercise depletes the bodys ability to fight bacteria and viruses for up to 72 hours after.
8. Plot your progress: Seeing positive gains on a chart or record form and provide hard evidence that youre making progress.
9. Mix-up routine: Reduce the risk of boredom by changing your exercise routine. You can also change the intensity of your program by choosing to go faster or slower on alternate days.
10. Reward yourself: Offer yourself an enticing reward for keeping active. A months effort could earn you a refreshing facial, massage or a new pair of shoes!
Passes are redeemable at any state (and club). Readers can log on to www.fernwoodfitness.com.au
to locate their closest club. The vouchers do not have an expiry date.
This competition is now closed | <urn:uuid:a981e4b3-ee85-4cb8-ab2c-4084330a5e8d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.femail.com.au/comp-fernwood-fitness-pilates.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937832 | 527 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Born in Indiana in 1941, Bruce Nauman studied mathematics and art at the University of Wisconsin between 1960 and 1964, and received his MA from the University of California in 1966. Nauman’s practice encompasses an extremely varied range of media and his prints form an important part of a creative cycle that ranges from drawing to sculpture and from performance to video work. His first set of prints were published by Leo Castelli Gallery in 1969. Between 1972 and 1973 he worked at Gemini GEL on a series of seven prints which explore the functionality of language through the depiction of words.
An example of this can be seen in the work Vision, in which the word ‘vision’ is rendered barely visible in thin black lettering against a stark white ground. The viewer must move close to the work for the word to become clear. In this way Nauman makes a pun on the concept of double vision, forcing the viewer to experience the word as both a signifier and a material object.
Last updated May 2013 | <urn:uuid:c99397bb-860e-4021-9162-46d2e5a0a8c5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nga.gov.au/InternationalPrints/Tyler/Default.cfm?MnuID=3&ArtistIRN=13093&List=True&CREIRN=13093&ORDER_SELECT=13&VIEW_SELECT=5&GrpNam=12&TNOTES=TRUE | 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 | 0.962345 | 204 | 1.953125 | 2 |
The history of San Joaquin county is familiar to Henry Mohr because he has been a resident of this part of the state for forty-six years, and for more than a half of a century he has lived in California. He has watched with interest the progress of events which have shaped the annals of the county, has supported many measures for the general good and has actively co-operated in measures that have had for their object the welfare and substantial upbuilding of this portion of the state. He has now passed the Psalmist's span of threescore years and ten, and can look back over a life well spent, in which his duties have been capably performed, while his obligations have been honorably met.
Mr. Mohr was born in Holstein, Germany, on the 12th of March, 1829, and was a son of Peter and Margaret (Wolf) Mohr, who were also natives of Holstein. He lost his parents when a lad of only nine years, and was then reared in a neighbor's family until fifteen years of age, when he went to sea on a German merchant ship, spending several years as a sailor on vessels engaged in the merchant marine trade. On these sea voyages he visited at different times the East Indies, the West Indies and other islands and countries of the globe, and has sailed around both Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope.
Mr. Mohr retired from a seafaring life in 1851, at which time he was at the port of San Francisco. He determined to continue his residence in the Golden state and went to Alameda county, where he spent several years within its borders. He at first made his home on Union Island and was there engaged in farming and the raising of cattle until the winter of 1861-2. In that winter a big flood inundated Union Island and the adjacent territory and involved Mr. Mohr in a great financial loss. With brave spirit and strong determination, however, he set to work to retrieve his lost possessions, and engaged in the lumber business and also in operating a freighting boat on the San Joaquin river as a common carrier for several years. In 1868 he located upon his present farm near Bethany, and has since engaged in agricultural pursuits and stock-raising. In ths he has been quite successful and is now again in very comfortable financial circumstances. He has seen this section of the state developed from primitive conditions, the wild land transformed into splendidly improved farms. One hundred and sixty acres of the ranch which Mr. Mohr now owns and occupies he pre-empted from the government, and in consequence it came into his possession entirely unimproved. With characteristic energy he began its development now has an excellent farm property. From a business standpoint he has been successful, and at all times he has been straightforward and honorable in his relations with his fellow men.
Mr. Mohr was united in marriage to Miss Dorothea Lindeman, who was born in Holstein, Germany, and they have become the parents of four children: William, Dorothea, George and Mary.
Mr. Mohr exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Republican party, and in matters of citizenship he has never been found lacking, but on the other hand is a supporter of modern methods of progress and measures for the general good. Whatever he has undertaken he has carried forward to successful completion and in his business career he has displayed laudable ambition and unfaltering determination.
Source: History of the New California Its Resources and People, Volume II
The Lewis Publishing Company - 1905
Edited by Leigh H. Irvine
Return to California AHGP home page
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service recommends eating three to five servings of vegetables each day. For those who aren’t familiar with many vegetables, or who have dismissed some from previous bad experiences, that’s a lot of boredom on a plate.
“I think with the industrialization of food, all those local vegetables got pushed off to the side. I think a lot of stuff got lost and a lot of the way people prepared food got lost,” said Blackwell Smith, chef at Blacksmith’s Bistro & Bar on St. Elmo Avenue. “If you don’t know how to cook something, you might not end up with a good result.”
We asked local chefs to weigh in on a few underused vegetables you should be eating.
High in antioxidants and flavonoids, “kale is a colorful leafy green vegetable that may be one of the healthiest foods you are not eating,” said Brian Jones, registered dietitian at Memorial Hospital. One serving of kale supplies 100 percent of the daily value of vitamins A and K.
Smith likes to sauté bacon and onions, add black pepper and wilt kale in some water to soften, then sprinkle cider vinegar on top.
“It’s kind of a traditional way to do it,” he said, “but you’re not overcooking it. You’ve got a fresher flavor than more traditional greens that are just simmered for hours.”
Kale chips, an alternative to potato chips, are easily made by sprinkling kale leaves (remove the stalks) with olive oil, salt and pepper, and cooking in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Erik Niel, executive chef at Easy Bistro on Broad Street, believes fennel “is one of the kings of the underappreciated vegetables of this world. Its flavor is unique. It has this anise sweetness.”
Fennel, he said, pairs particularly well with fresh seafood, as well as citrus.
The white bulb can be sliced thin and added to salads raw, or the bulb can be cut and roasted, sautéed or grilled. The green fronds can be used to flavor stocks and sauces or sprinkled over dishes, similar to how one might use dill.
Niel uses leftover trimmings from the fennel bulb in stocks so as not to waste any of the vegetable.
“It adds this sort of ethereal, perfume-y quality to food that I think is kind of recognizable to people but is still a little bit unknown.”
Look for small white bulbs with bright green, feathery fronds. Cut out the center core. Prepare as desired.
What vegetable has a worse reputation than Brussels sprouts?
Often served overboiled, Brussels sprouts can take on an almost sulphur-like quality. But when prepared correctly, foodies insist, the dreaded mini-cabbages have a lot to offer.
Susan Moses, executive chef at 212 Market on Market Street, compared Brussels sprouts to pasta. “It’s the same ingredients, but depending on how you shape it, it tastes different with different sauces and different applications.”
In a similar vein, she prefers to shave the sprouts, rather than serve them whole.
“I think when you shave the Brussels sprouts, it changes it. You can do a quick sauté on it, or even eat it raw in a salad with toasted walnuts and some sherry vinaigrette, and if you’re not vegetarian, some crumbled bacon on top,” she said. “These things make the vegetable more appealing for people who think they hate Brussels sprouts.”
Brussels sprouts should retain their green color. If they start turning yellow or brown, they’ll lose their flavor.
A sweet, root vegetable, jicama is indigenous to Mexico and South America. Cooked or served raw, jicama is often paired with chili powder and lime. It can be used in Chinese cooking as an alternative to water chestnuts. With a crunchy, sweet taste, peeled and sliced jicama is a simple grab-and-go snack, similar to carrot sticks.
“Jicama’s great,” said Smith. “It can be sautéed or served in slaws.”
Raw jicama can be mixed into a salsa or slaw, or cut thin and mixed into a salad. “You can do carrots and jicama with red bell peppers and snow peas,” he said, “with an Asian-inspired vinaigrette with ginger, sesame oil and a little bit of sugar.”
Any vegetable, he said, that tastes good raw can be turned into salads. “Salads are a great way to incorporate vegetables and just be creative. Then you don’t have to worry about ‘oh, am I cooking it right?’ ”
Broccoli florets are a popular vegetable, but the stems are often discarded.
“It’s totally unknown that you can peel the broccoli stalk, slice it, eat it, and it’s delicious,” said Niel.
Pairing the sliced or shaved stalk with other raw vegetables, such as carrots, cucumber, fennel and jicama, and marinating in rice vinegar and sesame oil provides a fresh salad with ingredients that retain all their nutrients.
“I love the broccoli stalk,” said Smith. “There’s an under-used part of the broccoli. It’s good. It’s got a little more flavor. It tastes like broccoli, but it’s almost like a chip. It’s crunchy, and it’s got a little bit of a bite. I love that stuff.”
Beets have long been a staple among the epicurean crowd — “People who like food have always loved beets,” said Niel. But for many, an exposure only to canned or pickled beets has left them soured to the earthy root vegetable.
But beets have been making a comeback.
At Blacksmith’s, beets are steamed until they can be punctured with a butter knife, peeled, diced and marinated in honey, grapefruit juice, vinegar, salt, pepper, tarragon and diced shallot. After sitting to let the flavors marry, the beets are added to a salad with goat cheese and walnuts.
“It’s simple. It doesn’t need to be complicated. You lose the flavor of the ingredients by doing a bunch of stuff, and you’re not gaining anything,” Smith said.
Turnips and turnip greens
In August 2011, Consumer Reports cited turnips as one of the most overlooked vegetables in America.
Ill-cooked turnips can be bitter and unappealing, but when prepared properly, said Niel, they act as a delicious side dish.
Roasted until caramelized is an ideal way to cook turnips, he said, but they can also make a wonderful substitute for mashed potatoes.
Combining two parts potato and one part turnip, boil until soft, then work into what Niel called a “nice, fluffy mash.”
At the Nitty Gritty Cafe on Dayton Pike in Soddy-Daisy, chef and owner Lorraine Knox uses turnip greens as a side dish. “Not a lot of people request [the bulb],” she said. “They only want the greens.”
To prepare the turnip greens, she boils them down until they’re soft and seasons them with a house blend of spices. The greens are best the same day, she said.
Kale and Mango Salad
1 bunch kale (stalks removed and discarded, leaves thinly sliced)
Juice of 1 lemon, divided
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 teaspoons honey
Freshly ground black pepper
1 mango, diced small (1 cup)
2 large tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
In large bowl, add the kale, 1⁄2 of lemon juice, a drizzle of oil and a little kosher salt. Massage until the kale starts to soften and wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside while you make the dressing.
In a small bowl, whisk remaining lemon juice with the honey and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Add in the 1⁄4 cup of oil, whisking until the dressing forms. Can alter to taste.
Pour the dressing over the kale, and add the mango and pepitas. Toss and serve.
— Brian Jones
1/2 cup cloves garlic, whole
1/2 cup fresh ginger, peeled, cut into 1⁄2-inch slices
1/4 cup canola oil
Combine garlic, ginger and canola oil in a mini-food processor, and process until it forms a semi-smooth paste. There will still be tiny little pieces, but overall it should resemble a paste.
— The Food Network
2 fennel bulbs (thick base of stalk), stalks cut off, bulbs halved lengthwise, then cut lengthwise in 1-inch-thick pieces
Heat oven to 400 F.
Rub fennel with just enough olive oil to coat. Sprinkle on some balsamic vinegar, also to coat. Line baking dish with a silicone pad or aluminum foil. Lay out the pieces of fennel and roast for 30-40 minutes or until the fennel is cooked through and beginning to caramelize.
Beet and Jicama Salad on Endive with Garlic Yogurt Dressing
32 ounces whole-milk plain yogurt
2 to 3 teaspoons minced garlic
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
Salt, to taste
2 pounds trimmed beets
2 1/2 pounds jicamas (about 11⁄2)
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons crushed fennel seeds
Salt, to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
8 Belgian endives
To make dressing: Drain yogurt in a large sieve lined with double thickness of cheesecloth at least 8 hours, chilled. Stir drained yogurt with garlic, mint and salt.
To make salad: Heat oven to 425 F.
Wrap beets in foil, and roast in middle of oven 11⁄4 hours or until tender when pierced with a knife. Cool beets. Peel beets and jícamas, and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Toss with sugar, orange zest, orange juice, vinegar, oil, fennel and salt.
Stir lemon juice into a large bowl of cold water. Cut ends from endives, and separate into leaves. Soak in lemon water 10 minutes to keep endive from discoloring. Drain and spin dry.
Spread some dressing on each leaf, and spoon beet salad over it.
Note: Dressing may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Beets may be roasted, and beets and jicama diced, 1 day ahead. But keep separate, chilled, in sealable plastic bags.
Holly Leber is a reporter and columnist for the Life section. She has worked at the Times Free Press since March 2008. Holly covers “everything but the kitchen sink" when it comes to features: the arts, young adults, classical music, art, fitness, home, gardening and food. She writes the popular and sometimes-controversial column Love and Other Indoor Sports. Holly calls both New York City and Saratoga Springs, NY home. She earned a bachelor of arts ... | <urn:uuid:8b07e134-0dee-4977-8915-a0c118b0f110> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://timesfreepress.com/news/2012/feb/08/chefs-offer-tips-techniques-enjoying-underapprecia/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918534 | 2,540 | 2.1875 | 2 |
People don’t usually connect the words cool and codices, but go see the painted manuscripts in Children of the Plumed Serpent and you just might change your vocabulary. A codex is a series of deerhide “pages” sewn together and folded like an accordion. The pages are then covered in gesso and painted with figures in bright colors. The three codices in the exhibition—the Codex Zouche-Nuttall, the Codex Selden, and the Codex Becker II—tell histories of particular Mixtec communities in Mexico.
Part of what makes these codices so special is that the corpus of extant pre-Columbian painted manuscripts numbers only twelve, of which the Codex Zouche-Nuttall is one. Many of the codices were destroyed in the first decades following the arrival of Hernán Cortés. Spanish conquistadors and Christian missionaries considered these painted works “diabolical” because of their images of idolatry, human sacrifice, and divination. The Codex Zouche-Nuttall’s survival is remarkable and may be due to its unusual history. It’s very likely that it first left Mexico as part of a shipment from Cortés to the king of Spain, Carlos V. This is the first time it has returned to the Americas in almost five hundred years.
Even after the conquest, native artists continued to produce painted codices. The codices Selden and Becker are among those from the colonial period, but most scholars consider them to be continuations of an indigenous tradition.
The Codex Zouche-Nuttall presents genealogical histories of the Mixtec dynasties of Tilantongo, Teozacoalco, and Cuilapan. Its pages are painted on both sides in bold blues, reds, and gold. The side on view illustrates the life of Lord 8 Deer, the founder of the Mixtec people, his family history, his travels, conquests, and eventual ascent to power.
The codex includes scenes leading up to and of 8 Deer’s grand nose-piercing ceremony. The nose ornament he wears is an important symbol of his new status as tecuhtli, or dynastic head, and legitimates his right to the Tilantongo throne.
Also impressive are scenes of Lord 8 Deer’s journey to meet the sun god, from whom he receives precious gifts to present at the sacred ball court. If you look closely at the pages on display, you’ll see the I-shaped court, where Lord 8 Deer offers a gold and feather object.
Unlike other Mixtec codices, the Codex Selden is laid out vertically: it reads from bottom to top in a boustrophedon, or winding pattern. In an earthy palette of brown, gold, red, and orange, beautifully detailed illustrations outline native dynastic genealogies of the town of Jaltepec.
The pages on view in Gallery 4 show the life of the female ruler, Lady 6 Monkey, a rival of Lord 8 Deer (from the Codex Zouche-Nuttall). They illustrate, among other important events, 6 Monkey’s marriage to 11 Wind and the costumes and rituals associated with betrothal. In the case just in front of the codex in the exhibition, you’ll see examples of jewels and ritual regalia worn or gifted during marriage ceremonies.
Lady 6 Monkey and Lord 8 Deer vied for power in Tilantongo. It’s worth knowing that 8 Deer appears in the Selden and 6 Monkey in the Zouche-Nuttall. For example, in this scene from the Zouche-Nuttall, the rivals are in the top center, identified by their name glyphs.
This cross-referencing of important figures in the different codices highlights the geographical, historical, and mythological connections shared by the Mixtec communities of Oaxaca.
At some point after 1556, three-quarters of the Codex Selden was “erased” and painted over. What we see today is a revised version of the earlier story. Some scholars believe that the codex was repainted for use in a legal dispute between the towns Jaltepec and Yanhuitlán over possession of a third town, Zahuatlán. Unique features of the codex—its orientation, its narrow focus on one particular town, and its detailed genealogies—suggest it was made for an audience of outsiders, possibly the courts, rather than native nobility.
Codex Becker II:
As in the codices Zouche-Nuttall and Selden, connecting the stories told in the manuscripts with specific towns and places in Oaxaca has made them easier to read. The Codex Becker II cannot be linked to a distinct town or community and the people represented have not yet been identified, putting into question the purpose for its creation. What’s more, there is no narrative to the codex, but we can see that the artist wanted to show dynastic genealogies, beginning with the first ancestral couple emerging from a mythical place of origin and continuing through several generations of historical rulers.
The codices on view are impressive examples of ways that the ancient Mexicans recorded and thought about history. Reunited with other contemporary material objects in the exhibition, they help to present a fuller picture of Mexico’s past.
To explore more pages of these fascinating codices, visit the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc. database:
Curatorial Research Assistant, Latin American Art | <urn:uuid:1ee37c2e-f02c-499f-94b9-20b25b1336ba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lacma.wordpress.com/2012/05/15/the-art-of-codices-in-children-of-the-plumed-serpent/?like=1&source=post_flair&_wpnonce=3fdfac1636 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932823 | 1,162 | 3.5 | 4 |
Steam Room & Sauna
Steam bathing whether it be dry (sauna) or wet (steam) has been considered as one of the simplest ways to rid the body of toxins. As the pores in the skin open up millions of sweat glands start to excrete, the body rids itself of metabolic and other waste products. Another benefit of steam bathing is that it has a stimulating effect on the cardiovascular system.
The pulse rate increases from 75 beats per minute (average) to between 100 — 150 beats per minute during a 15 — 20 minute session. This increases blood circulation but not blood pressure, since the heat causes the tiny blood vessels in the skin to expand, accommodating the increased blood flow.
Each facility offers members the opportunity to relax in a clean and pleasant environment.
Both the Steam and Sauna are restricted to adults only (16+ years). | <urn:uuid:3367d9b2-5466-4c84-b9d8-02eab2cdd4d1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.riversidesports.co.uk/sauna.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.908183 | 174 | 1.960938 | 2 |
A business begins with a great idea that will provide a product or a service to a community. Although every great idea deserves to be explored, not everyone has the same opportunity to develop his or her business ventures. Even though minorities currently make up 33 percent of our population, minorities own only 18 percent of the 23 million U.S. firms. In an effort to balance these figures, some lending institutions and loan programs have special programs in place to provide grants and loans to minority-owned businesses.
Loans for Minorities
Accion USA: Accion is a microfinance organization specializing in small business loans that serve minority populations. Loans range in amount from $500 to $50,000, have terms up to 60 months, and offer fixed annual interest rates from 8 to 15 percent.
Basic 7(a) loan program: The Small Business Administration (SBA) backs this loan program for existing and start-up small businesses to provide an avenue to receive financing when others are not available. 7(a) loans are the most flexible and most commonly used type of small business loan. Because the loans are provided by a lender, but guaranteed in part by the SBA, borrowers must meet the requirements of both the lender and the SBA.
The Microloan Program: This program provides short-term loans to small businesses through intermediary lenders, typically nonprofit community-based organizations. Six years is the maximum term for these loans, and $35,000 is the maximum amount. Interest rates depend on the lender, but are generally 8 to 13 percent.
CDC/504 loan program: This program is designed to provide funding for "brick and mortar" projects, purchasing land, buying existing buildings, modernizing, and purchasing machinery equipment. A Certified Development Company (CDC), a private, nonprofit corporation, works with the SBA and private lenders to provide financing.
Grants for Minorities
Grants are not provided by federal agencies for small businesses; however, some states offer small business grants to encourage small businesses in the local area. Check with your state's economic development agency, and your local non-profit organizations to see if there is anything available in your area.
Additional resources are available to open doors for minority owned businesses. Minority Business Development Centers (MBDC) offer training, one-on-one help, and other links to services and information that aid minority businesses. There are currently five regional offices. To find more information, visit their website at www.mbda.gov.
The Small Business Administration, along with many lenders, are encouraging minority owned businesses to apply for financing and increase their presence in the business world. Discussing your options with a financial advisor is a good idea to help you determine which programs may benefit you.
Comments and questions are welcome, but because of the volume of email, personal responses are not always possible. | <urn:uuid:66f94cb0-992d-4cdd-b432-a87a4af428b3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://washingtoninformer.com/index.php/financial-literacy/item/11280-financial-opportunities-for-minority-owned-businesses | 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 | 0.950348 | 581 | 1.804688 | 2 |
Assessing the Needs of Service Members and Their Families
A New Approach
Since the advent of the all-volunteer force in the 1970s, military personnel support programs have grown and continue to grow. A 1988 Department of Defense (DoD) directive requires such programs to be responsive to the needs of service members and their families. Unfortunately, DoD does not have a systematic way to determine what those needs are. Traditional program evaluation focuses on the use of specific programs rather than the needs of DoD families. This shortfall is remedied in a new survey design framework developed by the RAND National Defense Research Institute (NDRI) and sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Framing an Approach for Understanding Military Family Needs
The approach taken by RAND puts the assessments of service members and their families at the center of the analysis. It connects their perceptions of their greatest problems and needs to available resources and to how well the resources they contacted meet their needs (see the figure). Linked questions in the survey framework are as follows:
- What is the context (e.g., demographic measures, deployment history)?
- What did respondents experience as problems across several domains (e.g., health, finances, child well-being, spouse employment)?
- What types of assistance (e.g., information, counseling, education) did respondents believe they needed to address their most significant problems?
- What resources (military and nonmilitary) did personnel or their spouses contact to try to meet their needs?
- What factors made these resources easier or more difficult to access?
- Did the resources help the respondents meet their needs?
- Is there a connection between needs met and service member and family satisfaction, readiness, and retention?
|Framework for Assessing the Needs of Military Personnel and Their Families|
Designing a Survey to Help the Military Support Its Members and Their Families
Using the design framework, the NDRI project team developed a sample survey instrument to assess the needs of active-component single and married service members and spouses. To develop the survey content, the team synthesized information from a variety of sources: focus groups with Army and Marine Corps service members, spouses, and support providers; meetings with subject matter experts and military leadership; and a review of previous research and existing DoD survey instruments pertaining to military quality of life and family issues. The types of problems addressed in the survey — child care, mental health, relocations, etc. — are not new. What is new is the framework.
Following this framework, the new survey asks first about problems, then about help needed to address those specific problems, then about resources that might have been used to address those specific needs, and so forth. Because the various combinations of specific problems, needs, and resources could grow unwieldy, the survey asks respondents to choose their two most important problems, and for each problem, their two most important needs. Then it delves further into those four problem/need combinations. The survey was tested at two military bases to learn about securing participation and to gain new insights regarding content and respondent burden. The average survey response time was 18 minutes.
Managing Obstacles to Implementation
To benefit from the cohesive design of the proposed survey, the assessment should be implemented on a large scale (e.g., battalion, base, major command) and administered via the Internet. Smaller-scale implementation could provide some useful information in each of the categories of problems, needs, and resources. However, the value of linking the sections of the survey to each other would then be lost because too few data about each problem/need combination would be available to permit meaningful statistical analyses by demographic characteristics or types of resources used.
Because of the dynamic branching of the survey instrument to account for respondent-provided problem and need priorities, administration by paper is not feasible. For those without home Internet access, the military could provide respondents on-base access or information about nearby locations that provide free access.
The greatest implementation challenges lie in recruiting participants. Unit and installation commanders could promote participation in the survey by verifying its legitimacy, endorsing the effort, permitting service members to participate during the workday, providing the survey team with access to contact information for service members, and helping to solicit accurate spousal contact information.
Making Use of the Results
The new survey could provide information whose utility ranges well beyond a snapshot of service member and family quality of life and well-being. For instance, the survey's attention to both military and nonmilitary resources will give base commanders a sense of the leverage they can gain from civilian services. Also, the survey can inform program managers about unmet needs in their military community and reasons personnel and family members do or do not use their services. Such information could help those managers fine-tune their services — or find referrals for some of their prospective clients to other resources, where appropriate to the problem and need.
Other Applications of the Framework
The RAND framework is flexible and adaptable. Questionnaire items can be modified to reflect evolving needs and concerns and to capture changes in resources available to help personnel or their families. The framework could easily be applied to other populations, such as veterans and their families, guard and reserve personnel and their families, or wounded service members — or for other purposes entirely, such as an assessment of the operational challenges, needs, and resources of military personnel serving in war zones.
Further specifics of the survey design process of potential interest to survey researchers can be found in the project documentation cited below.
This research brief describes work done for the RAND National Defense Research Institute, documented in A New Approach for Assessing the Needs of Service Members and Their Families, by Laura L. Miller, Bernard D. Rostker, Rachel M. Burns, Dionne Barnes-Proby, Sandraluz Lara-Cinisomo, and Terry R. West, MG-1124-OSD, 2011, 158 pp., ISBN: 978-0-8330-5874-4 (Full Document).
This research brief was written by James Chiesa.
This product is part of the RAND Corporation research brief series. RAND research briefs present policy-oriented summaries of individual published, peer-reviewed documents or of a body of published work.
The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit research organization providing objective analysis and effective solutions that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors around the world. RAND's publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors.
Copyright © 2011 RAND Corporation | <urn:uuid:ec3493c4-6e79-47ca-a2f6-fdd668f48088> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9604/index1.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937568 | 1,324 | 2.3125 | 2 |
The international Religious Left equates Big Government with God’s Kingdom and angrily rejects any limits on government growth as supposed attacks on the vulnerable.
But former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey dissents from Religious Left orthodoxy, recently pronouncing of his own Britain’s precarious public finances: “The sheer scale of our public debt, which hit £1trillion yesterday, is the greatest moral scandal facing Britain today.”
Senior prelates in America are not so discerning. Infamously, Jim Wallis of Sojourners helped form a “Circle of Protection” around the welfare and entitlement state during last July’s federal debt ceiling crisis. Sadly, his coalition recruited the U.S. Catholic Conference, the National Council of Churches, the National Association of Evangelicals and the Salvation Army. Meeting with President Obama, they effectively sided with President Obama against congressional Republicans more seriously trying to limit government growth in the face of gargantuan debt.
Similarly in Britain, Church of England bishops, with supine faith in the Welfare State, recently voted in the House of Lords to oppose their government’s proposed cap on welfare benefits to £26,000, or about $40,000.
But their former senior bishop, Lord Carey, who was Archbishop from 1991 to 2002, has criticized his colleagues’ fiscal and moral blindness. Noting the bishops were insisting that families on welfare qualify for up £50,000 in benefits, or over $78,000, Carey expressed restrained Anglican incredulity.
“They must have known the popular opinion was against them, including that of many hard-working, hard-pressed churchgoers,” Carey laconically observed. “They also knew that the case for welfare reform had been persuasively made, even if they didn’t agree with it.” Carey pronounced that these bishops, in their unquestioning defense of an engorged welfare state, “cannot lay claim to the moral high-ground.”
Carey, writing in a British newspaper op-ed, observed the obvious: “If we can’t get the deficit under control and begin paying back this debt, we will be mortgaging the futures of our children and grandchildren.” Surely fiscal responsibility is a moral cause that “mainstream” church leaders should support but too often don’t. And fiscal health, for Britain, America, and most of the Welfare State addicted West, means some restraints on spending. “We desperately need to reform our welfare system,” Carey concluded, saying what is simultaneously so clear yet so difficult to admit for some. “Opportunities to do so in times of prosperity have been squandered and now we are forced to do so at a time of high unemployment, under the guise of cutting expenditure.”
Admirably, Lord Carey specified that welfare reform is necessary not just for fiscal sanity but also moral health. He faulted the Welfare State for fueling the “very vices” it attempted to cure and “impoverishing us all,” while trapping its victims into “dependency” and rewarding “fecklessness and irresponsibility.” Such critiques do not usually fall from the mouths of bishops, in Britain or America. Carey also noted the Welfare State stokes “social division” by creating resentment by the “squeezed” middle class against the “hand-outs” ladled to the entitlement class.
In typical fashion, the befuddled, indignant Church of England bishops opposing welfare reform claimed they are defending children and cited the Bible as their political manifesto. Lord Carey countered: “I can’t possibly believe prolonging our culture of welfare dependency is in the best interests of our children.”
Pages: 1 2 | <urn:uuid:94364a02-0816-43be-80a1-8c7c49504b0c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://frontpagemag.com/2012/mark-d-tooley/religiously-disputing-big-government/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966674 | 799 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Loyola University Maryland has a commitment to protect the confidentiality of student records. The University makes every effort to release information only to those individuals who have established a legitimate educational need for the information. Documents submitted to the University by the student or other authorized person or agency for the purpose of admission to the University become the property of Loyola University Maryland and cannot be released (originals or copies) to another party by request.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:
The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the University receives a written request for access.
Students should submit to the registrar, dean, academic department chair, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The University official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the University official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the student believes is inaccurate.
Students may ask the University to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate. They should write the University official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate. If the University decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the University will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.
A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Loyola University Maryland to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and office that administrates FERPA is:
Family Compliance Policy Office
US Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave, SW
Washington DC, 20202-4605
FERPA requires that Loyola University Maryland, with certain exceptions, obtain the student's written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the student's education records. However, the University may disclose appropriately designated "directory information" without written consent, unless the student has advised the University to the contrary in accordance with University procedures. The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the University to include this type of information from the student's education records in certain institutional publications. Examples include the annual yearbook, Dean's List or other recognition lists, graduation programs; and directory information. Directory information is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, can also be disclosed to outside organizations without a student's prior written consent. Outside organizations include, but are not limited to, companies that manufacture class rings or publish yearbooks.
Loyola University Maryland considers the following information to be directory information which can be released without the written consent of the student: name; photo; home, dorm, local, and e-mail address; home, dorm, local phone number; voice mailbox; class year; enrollment status; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; and weight and height of members of athletic teams. Every student has the right to file a written request with the University (Records Office) to restrict the listing of directory information in the electronic address directory. If a student does not want the University to disclose directory information from the student's education records without the student's prior written consent, the student must notify the University annually, in writing, within the first week of classes: Records Office, 4501 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21210-2699.
The University may disclose educational records to the parents of a dependent student, as defined in Title 26 USCSS 152 of the Internal Revenue Code. Proof of dependency must be on record with the University or provided to the office responsible for maintaining records prior to disclosure of the records. Students may also sign an Authorization to Disclose Education Records to Parents. | <urn:uuid:24a5d930-4439-484c-98a8-649ba9c2710d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://loyola.edu/department/records/about/ferpa.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943617 | 1,020 | 1.75 | 2 |
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Bureau of Forestry has issued the following advisories for state parks and forests in the area:
Firewood advisory - Invasive beetles found in firewood are threatening forests.
Firewood may contain non-native insects and plant diseases. Bringing firewood into a park from other areas accidentally may spread pest insects and diseases that threaten park resources and the health of forests.
The Asian long horned beetle and emerald ash borer are two insects that can be easily spread in firewood. Although the adult beetle may not be present, the firewood may be infested with the immature stage of these insects.
Movement of any/all firewood from infested and/or quarantine areas is prohibited in accordance with the Pennsylvania Plant Pest Act of 1992.
All regulated firewood will be confiscated and destroyed.
First-time offenders will be issued a warning letter by state Department of Agriculture, with repeat offenders subject to prosecution.
Even if you are not within a quarantine area, using local firewood is best. Do not take wood home with you and do not leave firewood - burn it!
The Astronomy Observation Field will not be available for use from midnight Aug. 2 through 6 p.m. Aug. 5 due to the Cherry Springs Woodsmen Show.
While a final construction schedule has not been developed; it is anticipated that the Little Pine shooting range will be closed around mid-June for a rehabilitation project. The archery range will remain open. It is expected that the shooting range will re-open sometime in late spring or early summer 2013.
Loyalsock State Forest
Bodine Mountain Road: Heavy gas activity is expected. Traffic control will be established at Grays Run Road intersection. Expect 10-15 minute delays during periods of heavy truck traffic.
Brown Road: Heavy gas activity is expected. Traffic control will be established at Hagerman Run and Long Run Road intersections. Traffic is one way from Hagerman Run Road to Long Run Road. Outgoing truck traffic may be heavy.
Grays Run Road: Heavy gas activity is expected. Two-way traffic. Drive with caution.
Hagerman Run Road: Heavy gas activity is expected. Hagerman Run Road is one way from Route 14 to Newman Fields and the intersection with Browns Road. Parking on Hagerman Run Road is extremely limited.
Long Run Road: Heavy gas activity is expected. Long Run Road is open to public travel and must be used to exit the area. Traffic is one way from Browns to Grays Run roads. Parking along Long Run is limited.
Loyalsock State Forest has sustained severe damage to its road system due to flooding from Tropical Storm Lee. All roads except Pleasant Stream Road, lower Shanerburg Road and Walker Road now are passable, but visitors must travel with caution. Visitors should contact the Resource Management Center for updates before traveling at 946-4049 or email at [email protected].
Sproul State Forest
Beech Creek and Shoemaker Roads: Increased traffic due to gas development is to be expected.
Ritchie Road: Will be impacted due to a natural gas pipeline under construction from Hyner Mountain Road to Old View Road. Expect heavy truck traffic.
Pats Ridge Road: Will have a guard station for natural gas activity just beyond the power line corridor. The last quarter mile of this road is closed to public travel.
Benson Road: Will be impacted by the construction of a new entrance from Route 44. Expect heavy gas truck traffic.
Dry Run Road: Will be impacted by gas development. Expect heavy truck traffic.
Carrier Road: Will be impacted by gas development from Haneyville to Ponderosa. Expect heavy gas truck traffic.
Route 144: From State Game Lands 100 to Allen Dam Road heavy gas truck traffic should be expected.
Susquehannock State Forest
Card Creek Road: Open to public travel but be aware of ongoing natural gas activity. Expect heavy trucks and other gas-related traffic. Several pulloffs have been installed along the road to aid in passing oncoming vehicles.
Big Fill Haul Road: This gated road is being impacted by natural gas activity. The road still can be used for walk-in access for hunters and other recreational users as it has traditionally. Parking is available in the area between Route 6 and the gate. Be alert for heavy truck and other gas-related traffic.
Tiadaghton State Forest
The following roads are affected by expected heavy gas traffic; drive with caution: Narrow Gauge, Francis Camp, Lebo Vista, Browns Run, Sinking Springs, Bull Run, Big Springs, Limbaugh, Parker, Ramsey and Okome.
Armstrong Road on Bald Eagle Mountain east of South Williamsport and Route 15 has been closed due to storm damage that has rendered the roadway impassable.
Tioga State Forest
Visitors should use caution when using the Old Arnot Drivable Trail Road (also known as the Walnut Street Extension), which is north of Arnot (Bloss Township), due to heavy truck traffic associated with natural gas development. Users should expect a traffic control point stop and controlled one-way traffic flow with short-time delays.
Armenia Mountain area drivers should use caution on River Road, Fellows Creek Road, Hemlock Road and Ridge Road due to heavy truck traffic associated with natural gas development. | <urn:uuid:e71c8c48-4a48-4e99-9022-1ba2fa6b224f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/580237/DCNR-issues-state-forest--park-advisories.html?nav=5013 | 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 | 0.929099 | 1,110 | 1.78125 | 2 |
DRAMATIC ART 470H-001
Survey of Costume History
Fall Semester 2010
Supplemental Vocabulary List
rev. August 14, 2010
Definitions, illustrations and compare/contrast.
Each of these terms needs a definition (cited, of course) and illustration of the original usage. Then it needs an updated definition (if applicable) and contemporary illustration(s) to explain the transition from the past to the present and specific to generic use (or perhaps generic to specific). Finally, find a modern garment/accessory/decoration that illustrates the occurrence of each of these historical elements in the modern world as an homage or point of reference. Be sure to keep the various elements in each category as discreet from one another as possible.
Please submt in an organized way, by category.
Etc.* means that you need to add one additional term to each list which comports with it. | <urn:uuid:cd1b96b7-301e-40fc-af95-ed6021811a66> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.unc.edu/home/owenbob/DRAM470/vocabHonors.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937763 | 190 | 3.171875 | 3 |
Vincent Canby, senior film critic at The New York Times from 1969 to 1993, was born on this day (July 27) in 1924 (d. 2000).
On being a film critic, Canby said: “The basic difference between the critic and the member of the public who attends movies on a more or less casual basis, is that after a certain length of time spent watching movies, the critic can no longer be entertained by simply sitting back and allowing the movie to roll over him like a tank made of feathers. He wants to assume an active role, that’s his entertainment.”
Barbra’s test photos for Doris’ “Cycle Sluts” movie in The Owl And The Pussycat never fail to compel the eye.
There’s Barbra porn like The Prince Of Tides. And then there’s Barbra porn like this: | <urn:uuid:6c691336-f42e-41b7-bf14-8d01fd511808> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.outrate.net.au/tagged/the-owl-and-the-pussycat | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952655 | 189 | 1.5625 | 2 |
A Theory of Sleep
yan king yin (no spam please)
y.k.y at lycos.com
Wed Aug 15 00:06:31 EST 2001
> Some collateral ideas on a theory of mind are on-line at
> http://sourceforge.net/projects/mind/ in the Docs area.
I noticed your AI programs since a long time ago. They dont seem to
be based on biological neurons, which Im more interested in. Maybe
you will find some books on genetic algorithms interesting.
The number of neurons that conventional computers can simulate is
still orders of magnitude below those of the CNS of animals. I think
some supercomputers are on a par with insects. I guess thats because
most computers are still very procedural.
What exactly are you trying to accomplish with your programs?
More information about the Neur-sci | <urn:uuid:e5669161-c566-4146-86d2-0aae6fa26858> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bio.net/bionet/mm/neur-sci/2001-August/046589.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.903341 | 182 | 1.882813 | 2 |
by Arthur Poletti
If you read the front page story of the SF Chronicle, you would have read about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines.
She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, a line tugging in her mouth.
A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farralone Islands (outside the Golden Gate) and radioed an environmental group for help.
Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her a very dangerous proposition. One slap of the tail could kill a rescuer.
They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her. When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous moves.
She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed gently around-she thanked them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives.
The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth says her eye was following him the whole time, and he will never be the same.
May you, and all those you love, be so blessed and fortunate to be surrounded by people who will help you get untangled from the things that are binding you.
And may you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude.
David, there are many animals in the world that need to be emancipated. Our cause is necessary and worthy.
For the sake of all animals.
A kindness done in the hour of need may itself be small, but in worth it exceeds the whole world.
Arthur Poletti is the author of God Does Not Eat Meat | <urn:uuid:2d8d393d-63b2-4458-a70a-614d7a644e92> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.all-creatures.org/stories/a-thewhale.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00076-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978353 | 387 | 1.820313 | 2 |
If international relations are driven by perceptions of relative strengths and weaknesses, then power projection matters the most. Power, as understood in modern statecraft, is contingent on a country’s willingness to project its capacity if not its intent. China’s initial testing of its stealth aircraft J20 in January 2011 and the recent showcasing of its aircraft carrier – formerly the Varyag and now Shi Lang – signify its growing military capability. In late 2008, Chinese officials had stated that aircraft carriers reflected a nation's comprehensive power. Thus, China’s intentions in developing this vital strategic asset are amply clear. For some time now, China has been working towards developing a blue water navy with the strategic vision of “safeguarding territory, development of national economy and overseas interests.”1 Recent developments testify to the fact that China sees the need to project and protect its interest beyond its coastal Exclusive Economic Zone. The first aircraft carrier will be a treated as a learning curve; China will induct indigenous carriers into the PLA navy (PLAN) between 2015 and 2020.
The first part of this commentary focuses on the present status of China’s first carrier and the phases of carrier introduction into the PLA navy. The second part identifies the drivers behind the PLAN’s carrier programme and the influence that a carrier force can provide in various maritime areas.
At 3.16 pm on November 14, 1910, Eugene Ely took off in a 50 HP Curtiss pusher biplane from a temporary flight deck built on the US light cruiser Birmingham and added a new dimension to naval operations. China’s first carrier launch will, similarly, introduce a new dimension to the Chinese navy’s prowess and signal a paradigm change in the strategic philosophy of the Asia Pacific region. The world is focussed on the aircraft carrier Varyag procured by China from the Ukraine and undergoing refurbishment since 2002 at Dalian. The carrier is expected to be named Shi Lang after the Qing dynasty admiral who conquered present day Taiwan in 1681. This renaming is perhaps clear evidence of China’s intent and its ambition to extend its reach and capabilities in the maritime domain. Reports indicate that the installation of phased array radars and weapon fit would make this carrier a more independent platform compared to its US counterparts which rely on AEGIS-type guided missile ships for protection.
In November 2008 the director of the ministry of national defence, foreign affairs office, Major General Qian Lihua, had stated that: “the question is not whether you have an aircraft carrier, but what you do with your aircraft carrier.” The second part of the statement makes the intent amply clear. The answer to the first part is still under a cloud as the exact status of the Shi Lang’s refurbishment and the state of training of the crew are unknown. An aircraft carrier is introduced into a navy in three phases. First, is the procurement and/or construction. Carriers can be constructed or refurbished in a planned time frame provided that the funds and equipment are readily available. Second, is the creation of the expertise required to operate a carrier. This training takes time, money and may be lives, especially when a nation with no prior experience attempts it on its own. Third, is the change in the operating tactics and doctrines. This takes time as the tactics have to be rehearsed and assessed as part of computer-simulated war games before being exercised in the maritime environment and promulgated as a doctrine. The first part is in progress and reports indicate that sea trials are likely to commence this year. The second phase, most probably ground training, is also likely to have commenced given that a concrete mock up of the carrier has been constructed at the Wuhan Naval Research Facilities complete with ski ramp, deck markings, island superstructure and a few aircraft. This can be counted as the first part of the second phase. The latter part of the second phase could commence with flight trials at sea. It is possible that the third phase may begin during the final stages of the second phase.
A successful accomplishment of the laid down time lines will enable China to meet its deadline of inducting indigenous carriers by 2020 and thus achieve a multidimensional maritime capability by including airspace in its operating sphere.
It is worthwhile to explore the intentions behind the Chinese desire - bordering on desperation - for a blue water capability and specifically aircraft carriers. When Admiral Li Yin spoke of China’s maritime strategy as comprising of three components: "ocean security, ocean development interests, and how to deal with the problems of disputes in peripheral oceans,”2 he was more than clear about the role of PLAN in achieving China’s security objectives.
Taiwan: Beyond doubt, preventing Taiwan from moving towards formal independence remains China’s top priority. Given that the US fully supports Taiwan and has a disproportionate technological advantage, China is unlikely to attack first in case of a Taiwanese move towards formal independence. China meanwhile will continue to maintain its capability to deter Taiwan from taking any such step. Perception and projection remain keys in this situation. A recently released White Paper on defence stated that the armed forces are: “tasked to oppose and contain the separatist forces for ‘Taiwan independence’.” In that sense, induction and deployment of the carrier would help expand China’s air defence capabilities, which, in turn, would enhance the outreach of its amphibious warfare capacity and thus push US forces outwards in case of a stand-off. Through such steps, China is likely to shape the situation in its favour.3
East and South China Sea Disputes: An aircraft carrier is likely to enhance China’s ability to exert pressure on the neighbourhood. A carrier-centric Chinese fleet would certainly force the US to reassess its strategy in a conflict or high tension scenario. This would be another area where the projection effect of the carrier would matter more than its actual capacity.
Sea Lanes of Communication: China’s ‘Malacca Dilemma’ makes a strong navy imperative for protecting the vital sea lanes of communication so critical for energy and trade transit. Although the blocking of sea lanes will be difficult and will have limited impact in any case, even so China would want to avoid such a possibility. Therefore, to that extent, the PLAN would play a major role in safeguarding China’s maritime rights and interests.
Beyond the Malacca Straits: A carrier force operating in the open sea areas beyond the Malacca Straits will add punch to the Chinese Navy’s attributes of reach, sustenance, versatility and the ability to influence events both at sea and ashore. These maritime increments could pave the way for a possible expeditionary force capability and also accord China the ability to engage nations whose navies operate in the IOR either on an equal footing or from levels a few notches higher than hitherto.
Until the first Chinese ‘Eugene Ely’ takes off from the deck of the Shi Lang, the world, especially the Asia Pacific region, can only wait and watch how the Chinese game plan unfolds. | <urn:uuid:6e48c9a7-a597-412f-8348-89b2938511de> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.idsa.in/idsacomments/ChinasAircraftCarrierSomeObservations_agodbole_210411 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94941 | 1,449 | 2.71875 | 3 |
As a 24 hour telephone answering service, Office Response deal with their fair share of abusive, hoax and prank calls.
Although I work within the Customer Services department, each month I spend a few hours in our contact centre taking calls – it keeps me in touch with the expectations of our customers and their callers. This has meant that, along with handling a variety of normal calls, I’ve dealt with a few challenging calls myself. I wonder, though, if these hoax callers ever stop to consider their actions.
One person who will be is Mr Barry Doherty from York who was recently jailed for making 50 silent calls to the emergency services in the space of an hour. To reflect the severity of his crime, and in the hope of deterring future incidences, Doherty is now subject to an antisocial behaviour order which forbids him from making false 999 calls or from contacting the emergency services unless it is a genuine emergency. Controversially, the ASBO also forbids him from possessing a mobile phone or SIM card for the next five years.
At Office Response, our call handling agents are trained to deal with hoax, abusive and prank calls as standard. Every call is different and so the process requires a certain amount of sensitivity. If the caller is abusive or rude, our agents are trained to follow a three step system:
- They let the caller know, politely, that their behaviour is inappropriate and that, if they continue, the agent will terminate the call. For example, “Please do not swear at me like that or I will be required to terminate the call.”
- If the caller continues, the agent will reiterate that the caller is acting inappropriately in a firm but civil manner, ie. “If you continue to speak to me in that way, Sir/Madam, I will terminate the call.”
- If the caller persists, the agent will explain that they cannot continue with the call.
Just as every call is different, some hoax calls are easier to shake off than others. They are a nuisance to agents and can easily make the difference between a good and a bad day. Luckily, there’s a certain amount of camaraderie in our Contact Centre and our supervisors are always on hand to offer advice when you need it. The majority of hoax calls are made by children but, alarmingly, we do also receive problem calls from adults.
Please remember that there are consequences to these types of calls so if you are aware of someone that makes them you might want to advise them about of Mr Barry Doherty.
By Sarah Krekorian
Customer Services Representative | <urn:uuid:6b75030a-0527-4ef4-a45b-07c2ae305f19> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.office-response.co.uk/tag/24-hour-telephone-answering-service/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968143 | 536 | 1.523438 | 2 |
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history of tactics
...three days, and one week-long series of engagements became known as the Seven Days’ Battles. Since modern weapons permitted fighting at longer ranges, gradually a situation was created where the rear areas of armies could be brought under fire just as well as their fronts. Battles, in brief, ceased to be distinct events that could be well defined in time and place and easily identified by...
What made you want to look up "rear"? Please share what surprised you most... | <urn:uuid:d39b48fc-71d2-42cc-b750-ef60cfbf9f1f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/493190/rear | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974953 | 137 | 3.515625 | 4 |
Sports can unite people, cities or even an entire country
Published: Friday, February 13, 2004
Updated: Tuesday, January 18, 2011 15:01
After watching the new movie "Miracle" last week, I got a new appreciation for the power of sports.
The 1980 Olympic hockey game between the United States and the Soviet Union was more than a game; it was a political and social battle in the midst of the Cold War. As I sat in a comfy movie seat and thought about the 20 college kids who defied the odds and lifted our country onto a pedestal during one of its toughest times, I tried to imagine the importance of what had occurred some 24 years ago in Lake Placid, N.Y. It was the epitome of David versus Goliath. Good versus evil, us against them. As I thought about the ways in which one game affected our country, I re-evaluated the importance of sports to our society.
Sports are a very important part of my life, but I have definitely realized that there are many more important things in the world. That being said, I have had some days completely ruined because my favorite team had lost, and I have also let sports news overshadow other important news.
Even though it is slightly twisted that I sometimes struggle to keep sports in perspective with everything else, I find it strange that some people believe sports are an insignificant part of life. They view sports as merely games, hobbies and recreation with little regional, national or global importance.
I beg to differ. Sports have an extremely important role and place in society.
They provide people with entertainment and something to get excited about and they are topics for conversation. They provide a common bond for complete strangers and a common "team" to cheer for. As is the case with the 1980 Olympic hockey team, sports are capable of uniting a large group of people and boosting the morale of an entire country. They have the ability to transcend being "just a game."
I've listened to the stories that my parents told me about the night of the "Miracle on Ice" and I wish more than anything that I were alive in 1980 to experience what had happened.
A nation of people on full alert. A nation of people that stopped whatever it was that they were doing to find the nearest television set, because the impossible was occurring right before their eyes. People calling up all of their friends to make sure that they were watching too. And when the horn sounded at the end of the final period, I can imagine the picture of Anytown, USA in my head: people dancing in the streets and singing songs, waving their American flags more proudly than ever. Writer E.M. Swift of Sports Illustrated summed up the evening perfectly, "It made you want to pick up your television set and take it to bed with you. It really made you feel good."
I wish I had been alive to witness this madness firsthand, but instead I can only dream, imagine and hope that something similar happens again in my lifetime.
I would love to see our country come together again in 2006 if the United States shocks the globe and wins the World Cup soccer tournament. I would love to see the city of Boston in chaos as they embrace a World Series winning team. Or, on a much more personal level, people partying in Bellomy Street because the Santa Clara basketball team won the conference tourney and are going to the dance. I would love for a sporting event to unite complete strangers in the shared moment of victory.
Sports may not be the most important thing in life, but often times, they have the wonderful ability of being able to bring people together. As the "Miracle on Ice" of 1980 proved, sports can take on extra significance, rally a group of people and create a positive impact on society. That is what makes them special.
» Contact Blake Twisselman at (408) 554-4852 or [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:21f4b572-0c18-4ecc-9bd4-a973b88d5aa2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thesantaclara.com/2.14533/sports-can-unite-people-cities-or-even-an-entire-country-1.1872771 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977043 | 815 | 2.03125 | 2 |
Many everyday things can trigger (cause) a migraine headache. Depending on your sensitivity, it might be red wine, caffeine withdrawal, emotional stress, or skipped meals.
To take control of migraines, you must understand your migraine pattern. The first step is tracking your migraines by using a headache diary. Make notes of activities before -- or when -- a migraine occurred. What were you eating? What were you doing? How much sleep did you get the night before? Did anything stressful or important happen that day?
The first step to preventing migraines is to avoid triggers. These often include:
High blood pressure
Hormonal birth control pills
Low blood sugar
Although dietary triggers – such as caffeine, alcohol, and artificial sweeteners -- can cause other types of migraines; they seem less likely to trigger ocular migraines.
Medications can also prevent ocular migraines. Calcium-channel blockers,...
Tyramine, a substance found naturally in aged cheeses, and also found in red wine, alcoholic drinks, and some processed meats.
Food additives/preservatives such as nitrates and nitrites found in hot dogs, ham, sausage and other processed or cured meats, salads in salad bars.
Monosodium glutamate (MSG).
Alcohol -- specifically the impurities in alcohol or by-products your body produces as it metabolizes alcohol.
Other Common Food or Beverage Migraine Triggers:
Some specific foods and drinks are migraine triggers for some people. They include:
Aged cheeses: blue cheese, mozzarella, feta, cheddar, parmesan
Alcohol: red wine, beer, whiskey, champagne
Caffeine: coffee, chocolate, tea, colas, sodas
Pepperoni, hot dogs, luncheon meats
Bread and other baked goods
Smoked or dried fish
Pizza, peanuts, chicken livers, and other specific foods
To Avoid Your Migraine Triggers
For people susceptible to migraine triggers, the best way to prevent a headache is to avoid the triggers. Follow these tips:
Watch what you eat and drink. If you get a headache, write down any food or drink you had before getting it. If you see a pattern over time, eliminate that item!
Eat regularly. Skipping meals can trigger migraines in some people.
Curb the caffeine. Excess caffeine (in any food or drink) can cause migraines. But be careful: Cutting back abruptly may also cause migraines.
Be careful with exercise. Although doctors advise getting regular exercise to stay healthy, exercise can trigger headaches. You may need to take an anti-inflammatory drug to prevent exercise migraines.
Get regular sleep. Changes in your normal sleep habits can cause migraines. Being overly tired can also trigger migraines.
Learn to cope with stress. Emotional upsets and stressful events are common migraine triggers. Anxiety, worry, fatigue, and excitement can intensify a migraine's severity. Learn to cope with stress better -- through counseling, biofeedback, relaxation training, and possibly taking an antidepressant.
If you have questions about these migraine triggers, talk to your doctor. By taking steps to avoid your triggers, you can take control of your headaches -- and your life.
SOURCES: WebMD Medical Reference provided in collaboration with The Cleveland Clinic: "Migraines." WebMD Medical Reference provided in collaboration with The Cleveland Clinic: "Migraine Headache Diary." WebMD Medical Reference provided in collaboration with The Cleveland Clinic: "Migraines: Specific Foods." WebMD Medical Reference provided in collaboration with The Cleveland Clinic: "Migraines: Exercise." WebMD Medical Reference provided in collaboration with The Cleveland Clinic: "Migraines: Stress." Medicinenet.com: "Migraine Headache." | <urn:uuid:11cbd7fd-089a-4b1d-b847-b2ea6d22da6a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/avoiding-migraine-triggers | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.900627 | 803 | 2.671875 | 3 |
The Conservative Supreme Court is trying to turn our country into a permanent plutocracy. The ruling invalidates part of the 2002 McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform law that sought to limit corporate influence.
The Supreme Court campaign finance ruling on Thursday means corporations can spend freely on political ads leading up to elections. The Thursday decision invalidates a part of 2002 McCain-Feingold campaign-finance reform law that sought to limit corporate influence.
This is why the stolen election of 2000 mattered. Had the “People’s Choice” Al Gore been able to serve as President, we wouldn’t have the current configuration of Supreme Court Justices and we wouldn’t have had this conservative judicial activism. Decisions like this is why some of us will NEVER get over the stolen election of 2000. | <urn:uuid:c610c8ce-0f6b-4ab4-a987-6d7d19effc1c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pinkpanthersblog.com/?p=113 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933517 | 167 | 1.898438 | 2 |
Equipment Reliability Assessment
Equipment reliability assessment establishes baseline and blueprint for lubrication reliability program
An equipment reliability assessment is an important first step for any organization wanting to institute a lubrication reliability program. The assessment will help you understand your current lubrication practices and challenges, and determine what improvements can be made to improve your operational efficiency. The goal of the equipment reliability assessment is to establish a baseline, and the output will be a blueprint for implementing your lubrication reliability program. LE's certified and trained lubrication experts can perform assessments onsite for you.
The main benefits derived from the assessment are maximization of lubricant and equipment life, increased operational capacity, reduced unplanned downtime, and consolidation of lubricant inventory.
LE's equipment reliability assessment consists of a professional onsite evaluation of all equipment requiring lubrication and includes reviews and recommendations of the following:
- Lubrication storage and handling practices to ensure oil cleanliness
- Elimination of particulates or moisture ingression in equipment to keep oil clean and dry
- Filtration or contamination removal methods to maximize lubricant life
- Oil analysis test methods and expert interpretation of reports to monitor oil condition and equipment wear
Easy opportunities for improvement and cost savings
It is not uncommon in most organization that rely and depend on heavy equipment to find opportunities for improvement in maintenance lubrication practices. By tackling these opportunities, organizations can reduce costs and enhance profits. This can be done with very little additional capital, using the manpower already existing in the operation. Some of the simplest opportunities are often overlooked or ignored. Following are some opportunities that you can address to have immediate impact on your operation.
Lubricant storage, transfer and handling
Is your lubricant storage facility open to the environment? Are drums open or stuffed with dirty rags? Is lubricant transferred to the equipment using old coffee cans or open containers? Improving your lubricant storage, transfer and handling practices can help stop contamination at is source. You can protect the lubricant from water and particulates before they can make their way to the equipment.
Do you use a variety of lubricants in the operation? Have you evaluated to make sure you have the right lubricant for each application? A thorough investigation of the equipment often reveals opportunities to consolidate lubricants as well as to replace incorrect lubricants with the correct ones for the applications.
Do you understand what is happening inside your equipment? An oil analysis program could be the answer to preventing costly repairs and unplanned downtime. Oil analysis can also help safely extend the life of the lubricant by ensuring that it is still doing its job. Oil analysis is simple and cost-effective.
Dirt, rust, varnish, water, missing or broken reservoir caps, open hatch covers, damaged seals, gaskets, and leaks provide clues about what is happening with the equipment and the oil. Visual inspections often uncover opportunities for improvement.
LE offers full-service support for lubricant reliability programs
In addition to our equipment reliability assessment, onsite consultation and service, LE provides the following customization and value-added options:
- Design, implementation & support of lubrication reliability program
- Onsite support throughout the life of the program
- Lubricant and reliability product recommendations
- Training & education for personnel
LE is happy to offer industrial lubricant and reliability recommendations for a variety industries and applications, and to provide product-specific data on all of our items to help you make the right decision. To learn more about our enhanced lubricants and lubricant reliability products and services, please contact LE today.
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- Purchasing Gear Lubricants: Be Careful When Playing the Numbers Game | <urn:uuid:48fda283-fd3c-4ef3-b9b5-53a9c64c4740> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lelubricants.com/equipment-reliability-assessment.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923972 | 806 | 1.640625 | 2 |
TITLE 77: PUBLIC HEALTH
CHAPTER I: DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
SUBCHAPTER h: LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS
PART 600 CERTIFIED LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT CODE
SECTION 600.400 PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE STANDARDS
Section 600.400 Public Health Practice Standards
a) Assess the health needs of the community by establishing a systematic needs assessment process that periodically provides information on the health status and health needs of the community.
1) A community health needs assessment that systematically describes the prevailing health status and health needs of the population within the local health department's jurisdiction shall be conducted at least once every five years.
A) The assessment shall be conducted through completion of IPLAN or an equivalent to IPLAN that meets the requirements set forth in Section 600.410.
B) The assessment shall, at a minimum, include an analysis of data contained in the IPLAN Data System provided by the Department for assessment purposes.
C) The assessment shall include community participation in the health needs assessment process in order to facilitate the identification of community health problems and the setting of priorities from among those health problems.
D) Community health needs shall be identified during the community health needs assessment process based on the analysis of data describing the health of the population and on the judgment of the community participants concerning the seriousness of the health problems and needs. Prioritization shall result in the establishment of at least three priority health needs.
2) A community health needs assessment shall contain:
A) A statement of purpose of the community health needs assessment that includes a description of how the assessment will be used to improve health in the community.
B) A description of the community participation process, a list of community groups involved in the process, and method for establishing priorities.
C) A description of the health status and health problems most meaningful for the community in the data groupings designated by the Department in the IPLAN Data System.
D) A description of the process and outcomes of setting priorities.
b) Investigate the occurrence of adverse health effects and health hazards in the community by conducting timely investigations that identify the magnitude of health problems, duration, trends, location and populations at risk.
c) Advocate for public health, build constituencies and identify resources in the community by generating supportive and collaborative relationships with public and private agencies and constituent groups for the effective planning, implementation and management of public health activities. The local health department shall develop and strengthen communication with units of government, health-related organizations, health providers, citizens, and news media;
1) The local health department shall meet at least annually with representatives of health-related organizations within its jurisdiction to define inter-organizational roles and responsibilities.
2) The local health department shall disseminate health reports that have been developed by the local health department to the board of health, county board or other legislative bodies within its jurisdiction, the media, and the public.
d) Develop plans and policies to address priority health needs by establishing goals and objectives to be achieved through a systematic course of action that focuses on local community needs and equitable distribution of resources, and involves the participation of constituents and other related governmental agencies. Develop a community health plan that addresses at least three priority health needs, identified pursuant to Section 600.400, during each certification period;
1) The local health department shall include in its community health plan an analysis to establish risk factors and contributing factors for each priority health need, to determine the adequacy of existing resources, and to identify population groups at risk of poor health status within the local health department's jurisdiction.
2) The community health plan shall present measurable objectives and strategies for intervention for each priority health need.
3) The local health department shall utilize community participation to assist in the development of the community health plan.
4) In jurisdictions where a board of health exists pursuant to Section 5-25012 of the Counties Code (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1991, ch. 34, par. 5-25012) [55 ILCS 5/5-25012]; Division 16 or 17 of the Illinois Municipal Code (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1991, ch. 24, par. 11-16-1 and par. 11-17-1 through 11-17-12) [65 ILCS 5/11-16-1 and 5/11-17]; or the Public Health District Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1991, ch. 111½, par. 0.01 et seq.) [70 ILCS 905], the local health department shall present the community health plan to the board of health for its review. A community health plan shall be adopted by the board of health.
5) The local health department shall submit the community health plan to the Department. The plan shall contain:
A) A statement of purpose of the community health plan that includes how the plan will be used to improve the health of the community;
B) A description of the process used to develop the community health plan;
C) A description of each priority including the importance of the priority health need, summarized data and information on which the priority is based, the relationship of the priority to Health People 2000 National Health Objectives and subsequent revisions and factors influencing the level of the problem (e.g., risk factors, contributing and indirect contributing factors);
D) At least one measurable outcome objective covering a five-year time frame related to each priority health need;
E) At least one measurable impact objective related to each outcome objective; and
F) At least one proven intervention strategy to address each impact objective. The description should include a discussion of: community resources that will contribute to implementation; estimated funding needed for implementation; and anticipated sources of funding.
e) Manage resources and develop organizational structure through the acquisition, allocation and control of human, physical and fiscal resources; and maximizing the operational functions of the local public health systems through coordination of community agencies' efforts and avoidance of duplication of services.
1) The local health department shall, at least once every five years, perform an organizational capacity self-assessment that meets the requirements set forth in Section 600.410. The local health department shall provide the Department with a statement signed by an authorized representative indicating that the organizational capacity self-assessment was completed by the local health department and reviewed by the board of health.
2) The local health department shall maintain a current organizational chart which includes all functional elements of the organization and their relationship to each other.
3) The local health department shall maintain current written job descriptions, minimum qualifications for each position, and written plans or policies regarding staff recruitment, selection, development, and retention.
f) Implement programs and other arrangements assuring or providing direct services for priority health needs identified in the community health plan by taking actions which translate plans and policies into services.
g) Evaluate programs and provide quality assurance in accordance with applicable professional and regulatory standards to ensure that programs are consistent with plans and policies, and provide feedback on inadequacies and changes needed to redirect programs and resources.
1) The local health department shall conduct periodic reviews of programs, services, and personnel to demonstrate compliance with applicable professional and regulatory standards.
2) The local health department shall conduct monitoring of programs to assess achievement of mandated programs and progress towards meeting community health objectives as stated in the community health plan.
h) Inform and educate the public on public health issues of concern in the community, promoting an awareness about public health services availability, and health education initiatives which contribute to individual and collective changes in health knowledge, attitudes and practices towards a healthier community.
i) Documentation of each activity conducted pursuant to Subpart D of this Part shall be available for review by the Department upon request. | <urn:uuid:28771ae3-e30f-4e8c-8c90-d70d3633c9de> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/077/077006000D04000R.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928304 | 1,580 | 1.882813 | 2 |
Eighth Year Report 2009
Carbon Policy & Integration: Future Plans
Synthesis and outreach
Rob Socolow will continue to work to inform national energy policy through participation in committees and conferences. He will be a participant in three sessions of the Aspen Institute this spring and summer. One of these is a "Solutions Summit" – with the modest goal of creating "the optimal actionable comprehensive Global GreenPrint for the new administration." He expects also to give considerable time to the National Academies' Committee on America's Climate Choices, which lists the following as its organizing questions:
- What short-term actions can be taken to respond effectively to climate change?
- What promising long-term strategies, investments, and opportunities could be pursued to respond to climate change?
- What are the major scientific and technological advances needed to better understand and respond effectively to climate change?
- What are the major impediments to responding effectively to climate change, and what can be done to overcome these impediments?
Socolow will also be a speaker at the opening public event of this new study, a "summit" in late March 2009.
In response to the continued popularity of the wedges, Roberta Hotinski will continue to work with groups outside Princeton to facilitate workshops and help develop wedge-based materials for new audiences. In particular, she will continue to work with the NEED Project to revise and update the new climate curriculum in response to teacher input.
Pacala and Socolow will continue to collaborate with Chakravarty and Massimo Tavoni to develop simplified tools relevant to the assignment of responsibility for carbon mitigation in the post-Kyoto (post-2012) era, with the goal of helping break the "north-south" impasse in international climate policy. A particular focus will be on high-emitter consumption profiles, for example the link between income and future increases in aviation emissions.
Direct Air Capture
The American Physical Society study of direct capture of CO2 from air will be conducted throughout 2009. Socolow, as its co-chair, has arranged for its key fact-finding meeting to be held on March 23-25, 2009, at Princeton, in order to provide cross-fertilization with Princeton researchers. The study will focus specifically on physical/chemical direct-capture technologies, excluding both biological methods for direct capture and issues of CO2 storage after capture (both of which are widely studied elsewhere). Since direct physical/chemical capture of very dilute atmospheric CO2 ( about 400 ppm) shares some similarities with the capture of moderately dilute CO2 (about 100,000 ppm) from the exhaust exiting coal and natural gas power plants and industrial facilities, this study will also include the evaluation of emerging "post-combustion capture" technologies. As such post-combustion capture technologies are currently under intense industrial development, their evaluation will provide valuable insight into potential technological barriers and cross-fertilization opportunities for direct capture. The study will also examine the moral hazard raised by direct capture, as even knowing that direct air capture might work could reduce the level of effort on other alternatives.
Environmental Investment in China
The focus on China's capacity to initiate its own climate change initiatives will continue. Yuan XU will complete his thesis on sulfur dioxide scrubbers and present his work in China at select audiences. Jie LI will also complete her thesis, which is an exploration of alternative rules for targets at the province level that would enable the achievement of a national carbon mitigation target – an allocation question analogous to that asked about countries meeting a global target in other CMI work. Indeed, income disparities across the provinces of China resemble those across the nations of the world. Both Xu and Li are graduate students in the Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy (STEP) Program of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, directed by Oppenheimer.
Lessons from Scientific Assessments
Keynyn Brysse has already made contact with several potential interview subjects and is in the process of arranging interviews with key scientists in the spring of 2009. This first round of interviews will form the basis for a paper on negative learning as exemplified by the initial treatment of heterogeneous reactions in ozone depletion science, and also lay the groundwork for further exploration of this rich history. | <urn:uuid:d05fa09c-3630-4061-9c2d-817111f56b53> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cmi.princeton.edu/annual_reports/2009/carbon_integration/future_plans.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936714 | 878 | 1.8125 | 2 |
The gun Adam Lanza used to kill 26 people Friday, including 20 children at Sandy Hook Elementary School, was a Bushmaster .223 rifle, a weapon favored by hunters and the military, published reports say, and apparently not a weapon intended for self defense. The gun, along with two other assault weapons that Lanza used, were registered to Lanza’s mother, the Hartford Courant reports.
That a 20-year-old had access to those guns, and used them with such lethal consequences, is again spurring a debate on gun control, with some saying the Newtown shootings could provide the tipping point to the U.S adopting tougher gun controls.
And while pundits, media outlets and the general public worldwide are starting to weigh-in on the touchy subject of U.S. gun control in the wake of the shootings, lawmakers and gun lobbyists are not.
Officials for Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal today did not return a request for comment on the issue of whether the shootings in Newtown should renew debate on gun control.
On a Facebook posting Blumenthal offered his condolences to the victims’ families. Several of those responding to the posting urged him to push for stricter gun controls as well.
“Senator … what the vast majority of CT and US citizens want to see from you is ACTION. You should introduce strict, comprehensive, national gun control legislation and drive it in the new year,” one commenter said.
A spokesman for Fifth District Congressman and Senator-elect Chris Murphy, whose district includes Newtown, also did not return a request for comment on the mounting calls for gun control.
“With families & first responders again in Newtown today. There just aren't words to convey the grief felt here. Newtown is in our thoughts,” Murphy wrote yesterday on his Facebook page. The posting, and an earlier one from Murphy, saw an overwhelming response from commenters calling for gun control.
“Senator Elect Murphy: Enough is enough!!! We will be looking to you to play an active, leadership role in the Senate to begin to bring some sanity back to Gun Control laws in our Country,” one commenter posted.
The National Rifle Association’s website on Sunday afternoon remained silent on Friday’s rampage. The NRA’s Facebook page, in addition, was removed sometime after the tragedy, the Daily News reports. However, before it was taken down hundreds had already posted to it including one who said: “…Beautiful little children gunned down because of the NRA fighting against every single sensible gun control and gun safety law. The NRA has blood on its hands.”
Besides the now unimaginable reputation as being the site of one of the worst school killings in our country’s history, Newtown is also home to the National Shooting Sports Foundation. The organization, located at 11 Mile Hill Road, posted a statement on its website Friday saying it doesn’t want to comment on the shootings that happened less than three miles away.
“Our hearts go out to the families of the victims of this horrible tragedy in our community,” the statement says. “Out of respect for the families, the community and the ongoing police investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment or participate in media requests at this time.” The group’s Facebook page is silent on the tragedy.
Elizabeth Esty, who takes office next month as the representative from the Fifth Congressional District, also posted a note of condolence on her Facebook page, a posting that also gave rise to a comments debate on gun control.
“We will be there to support our grieving neighbors then we will campaign for national gun control,” said one person who responded to Esty posting.
According to published reports, besides the Bushmaster rifle, Lanza also carried with him into the school two handguns, a Glock 9mm pistol and a SIG sauer handgun, weapons also favored by police and the military. All were registered to his mother, the Hartford Courant reports. | <urn:uuid:1dad6814-c570-4a84-8203-e464b05c2b4c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://orange.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/lawmakers-silent-on-gun-control-in-wake-of-newtown-sh9f5bfb2287 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962261 | 816 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Subsets and Splits