text
stringlengths 211
22.9k
| id
stringlengths 47
47
| dump
stringclasses 1
value | url
stringlengths 14
371
| file_path
stringlengths 138
138
| language
stringclasses 1
value | language_score
float64 0.93
1
| token_count
int64 54
4.1k
| score
float64 1.5
1.84
| int_score
int64 2
2
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Russia’s state-owned natural gas giant Gazprom (OGZPY, quote) will take over natural gas trading and storage businesses it jointly owns with the world’s largest chemical company, Germany’s BASF (BASFY, quote), as part of an asset swap meant to avoid further winter supply disruptions to Europe that have occurred in recent years.
The companies Gazprom is acquiring generated $10.93 billion in sales in total last year.
No cash will change hands in the deal.
BASF will receive about 25% of two blocks in the Urengoy gasfield in western Siberia, with an option to increase its stake to 50%. The blocks have an expected production capacity of 8 billion cubic meters of natural gas and production is expected to start in 2016.
The Financial Times highlights analyst Andrew Benson at Citi Research, who says the deal might help BASF, a big energy consumer, to renegotiate gas supply contracts.
“The European gas market is evolving,” he told clients. “The trend in Europe is towards spot prices . . . Gazprom appears to be playing a long-term game of accepting lower gas prices now but agreeing asset swaps for increasing its engagement and influence in European gas markets for its long-term benefit.”
For Gazprom, the most valuable part of the deal is storage, which should help it meet its peak demand in Europe.
Gazprom supplies more than a quarter of Europe’s gas needs, and is also under pressure thanks to the U.S. shale gas boom, which has freed up gas supplies for European consumers.
The company has been forced to renegotiate long-term, oil-linked gas contracts in Europe as spot-market gas prices have fallen below the price of those contracts, reports Bloomberg.
“Gazprom appears to be playing a long-term game of accepting lower gas prices now but agreeing asset swaps for increasing its engagement and influence in European gas markets,” Citigroup said in a research note. “BASF may be taking the view that selling Wingas is a price worth paying to help facilitate lower gas and energy costs now.”
Gazprom will take 100% ownership of the gas trading and storage joint venture in Germany and Austria it has operated with BASF unit Wintershall since 1993. Gazprom will also receive a 50% stake in North Sea gas and oil exploration and production company Wintershall Noordzee BV.
The deal isn’t done yet. It’s subject to approval by German authorities, who will have plenty of concerns to bring up given previous fights between Gazprom and Ukraine in 2006 and 2009 which severely disrupted European gas supplies.
The European Commission has also launched a recent probe into whether Gazprom abused its dominant position in the gas market to thwart competitors and push up prices in central and eastern Europe.
The Wall Street Journal reports that full control of the trading and storage venture will give Gazprom more flexibility in maintaining supplies into Western Europe by adjusting to spikes in demand that can occur in sudden cold spells, analysts said.
“Increasing our stake in gas trading and storage enterprises will allow us to continue our successful efforts to ensure a reliable supply of gas to Europe,” said Gazprom Chief Executive Alexei Miller.
Sberbank Investment Research’s Valery Nesterov says the deal will “make the market more stable.”
Subject to approval, the deal will be completed by the end of next year and financially retroactive to April 1, 2013. If it goes through it will definitely help Gazprom’s operations, but regardless, you have to be worried about the effects of North America’s burgeoning shale gas deposits pressuring natural prices over the long term. | <urn:uuid:d591f544-7654-4237-9db7-0a43bfd3be2b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://emergingmoney.com/russia/gazprom-ogzpy-basfy/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949185 | 782 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Federal Work Study
Federal Work-Study is a federally funded program allowing student participants to earn a portion of their educational expenses. Students are responsible for finding their own employment on campus. Students are accountable to their work supervisors for hours and performance. Wages are based on the Oregon State minimum wage of $8.80/hour (January 1, 2012).
Campus employment is a Linfield funded program similar to the Federal Work-Study program. Job opportunities are similar and wages are the same. | <urn:uuid:e257e983-1f27-406b-b2df-eeeb48860844> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.linfield.edu/financial-aid/employment.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956901 | 100 | 1.828125 | 2 |
President Obama’s top anti-terrorism chief will deliver an address in Dublin this week on security cooperation between the US and Europe.
Irish American John Brennan, whose grandparents hailed from Co. Roscommon, was appointed as Obama's chief counterterrorism advisor in May 2009.
In one of the most iconic American images of recent years, Brennan was snapped alongside the President in the White House Situation Room, while the security team watched the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden.
“We're not going to rest until al Qaeda the organization is destroyed and is eliminated from areas in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Africa, and other areas. We're determined to do that,” Brennan told ABC’s This Week in April.
Read More; John Brennan, the Irish American who keeps America safe
One of Obama’s top aides, Brennan will be in Dublin this coming Friday to give a talk at the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA), in the north side of the city.
According to IIEA, Brennan will deliver an address titled “U.S. and Europe: Security Cooperation and Shared Challenges,” in which he will share his unique perspective from the Obama White House on transnational security challenges facing the United States and Europe and the international cooperation required to deal with them.
IIEA is an Irish based think tank on European and International affairs and is an independent not-for-profit organisation.
A New Jersey native, Brennan followed the well-worn Irish Catholic path, graduating from Fordham University in 1977, a period which included a study abroad program in Cairo. He went on to earn an MA from the University of Texas before he joined the CIA as an intelligence director in 1980. | <urn:uuid:4d704801-22f7-4772-8486-266fa365d78d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.irishcentral.com/news/John-Brennan-Obamas-chief-counterterrorism-advisor-in-Dublin-for-security-briefing---VIDEO-175768341.html?mob-ua=mobile | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957247 | 350 | 1.617188 | 2 |
August 25, 2012
What Type of Genealogist Are You?
Hubs however dislikes research. He finds it tedious and a lot of work. He loves finding an ancestor, or better yet, having someone else find that ancestor for him. He's passionate about his ancestry, but avoids the actual research whenever possible. Family lore is enough for him, he has no need to find sources to verify it. If it's important enough to him, he'll force himself to push through the research but he'd rather I did it for him. As he says, if he were rich, he'd hire someone to do all the research for him.
I'd hate that, and in fact I often feel bad that I'm doing so much that I'm not leaving my grandchildren the fun of the hunt!
It seems to me that there are several types of genealogists -
The Hunter or Detective: This genealogists loves the research. While they want to find their own ancestors, they'll research anyone's ancestry just for the thrill of the hunt. They are easily sidetracked from their own ancestral research by the challenge of solving a stranger's brick wall
The Gatherer or Ancestor Collector: This genealogist loves to know about their ancestors but doesn't really enjoy the hunt. Is happy to have their family tree handed to them
The Ancestor Finder: This genealogist loves it all - doing the actual research and finding that elusive ancestor but they only enjoy researching their own family tree, not the ancestry of strangers.
The Hoarder: This genealogist does lots of research, finds new things about their ancestors but refuses to share any of the information
The Junkyard Collector: This genealogist gets excited over online Family Trees and merges them with his/her own. He/she never verifies anything or checks their facts. Before long they have a mess of unsourced information, conflicting data and facts that don't make sense. They'll have female ancestors having children at the age of 100, or men born 50 years after their spouse or children born before their parents.
The Scholar: This genealogist lives and breathes source citations. Accuracy is everything to this research. You'll often find this person submitting articles to scholarly journals as the NYGBR. Page after page of red edit marks don't intimidate them, they'll plow through their article drafts, refining and revising and making each more accurate than the last.
The Analyzer: This genealogist finds a new fact, then studies it and analyzes it carefully before moving on to the next bit of research. They use each fact as a stepping stone to more research. They verify every piece of information they find and they view it critically, thinking about what it actually means and what other clues might be gleaned from it.
The Planner: This genealogist is a faithful keeper of research logs. He/she creates research plans and follows them. They are extremely organized in their research and meticulous about planning before they go on a research trip
I'm not judging any specific type as the best or the worst except the junkyard collectors who make me shudder and shake my head in bewilderment.
Some of us may fit more than one category. I am definitely a Hunter-Detective but I'm also a little bit of a Scholar. I don't live and breathe source citations but I have submitted articles to scholarly journals and I've faced the red editing pen with determination. I'm also an Analyzer. Hubs on the other hand is a Gatherer. He doesn't seem to fit any other categories.
Where do you fit in?
Image credit: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net | <urn:uuid:b49d32a2-fc8d-4e60-91ac-756e1acfeec5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/08/what-type-of-genealogist-are-you.html?showComment=1345906856377 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973786 | 763 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Applications for TIGER III grants totaled $14.1 billion, far exceeding the $527 million set aside for the program. The U.S. Department of Transportation received 828 applications from all 50 states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.
"The tremendous demand for TIGER grants clearly shows that communities across the country cannot wait any longer for crucial upgrades to the roads, bridges, rail lines and bus routes they rely on every day," said Secretary LaHood. "It's important to make these vital investments in transportation so we can put Americans back to work rebuilding our nation's crumbling transportation systems."
Earlier this month, President Obama directed DOT to expedite application review and award the TIGER III grants by the end of 2011, months ahead of schedule. This is the third round of TIGER grants that will be competitively awarded to the most deserving projects across the country. In 2009 and 2010, the department received a total of 2,400 applications requesting $76 billion, greatly exceeding the $2.1 billion available in TIGER I and TIGER II grants. In the previous two rounds, the TIGER program awarded construction and planning grants to 126 freight, highway, transit, port and bicycle/pedestrian projects in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. | <urn:uuid:1d4819e5-cb27-43ca-bc58-4b37e039fed8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rtands.com/index.php/track-maintenance/off-track-maintenance/usdot-tiger-grants-in-high-demand.html?channel=TEST | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935449 | 270 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Great Olympic moments on YouTube AUG 20 2008
One of the best ways to watch the Olympics is to chase down all the references made by NBC's commentators on YouTube and watch them in addition to (or instead of) the regular telecast. Here are some of the ones I've found.
From the 1976 Olympics, the first perfect 10 in Olympic gymnastics history by Nadia Comaneci on the uneven parallel bars. This more impressive routine also earned a 10, as did this balance beam routine.
Olga Korbut's uneven parallel bars routine from the 1972 Olympics (above). Love that dismount! The skills done on the bars today are so much more athletic but Korbut's routine was a magical flowing performance. At the rate the women today are going, the uneven parallel bars will soon be replaced by the high bar used in the men's competitions...they barely use the bottom bar anymore.
My recollection of the men's 4x100m relay at the 1984 Olympics involves the US team trailing after three legs when Carl Lewis (still my favorite Olympian) seizes the baton from Calvin Smith and thunders down the last 100 meters, singlehandedly winning the race and smashing the world record. The reality was somewhat different. The American team was way ahead when Lewis got the baton but it still is amazing to watch him pull away from the rest of the field like that. Bolt-like, innit?
A similar pulling away occurred in 1996 by Michael Johnson in the 200 meters. No one even came close to threatening his world record for 12 years until the emergence of Usain Bolt.
In 1988, Greg Louganis hit his head on the board on his third-to-last dive in the preliminaries of the men's springboard. He returned to qualify for the next round and eventually won the gold medal in the event.
Bob Beamon smashed the world record in the long jump by almost two feet at the 1968 Olympics. His record stood for almost 23 years until Mike Powell broke it in 1991.
Also at the '68 Games, Dick Fosbury unveiled his unique high jumping technique, the Fosbury Flop, which became the preferred technique in this event. For comparison, here are a couple of videos showing the other techniques that were in use at the time.
Jesse Owens' 100 meter win at the 1936 Games in Berlin.
After his hamstring popped in the semifinals of the 400 meters at the 1992 Olympics, Derek Redmond, aided by his father, finished the race to roars from the crowd. Just thinking about this makes me cry.
Speaking of tear-inducing performances, Kerri Strug hobbled up to the vault runway on a bum ankle and hit a 9.712 on her final vault in the team competition at the 1996 Games, landing more or less perfectly on one foot, clinching a victory for the US team. Or so the story goes. As with all mythology, the truth is present but not entirely adhered to. As it turned out, the US team had enough of a lead on the Russian team that Strug's last vault was unnecessary. But it hardly dimishes the moment for Strug. At the time, she thought she had to do the vault for the medal and she went out there and stuck it.
And finally, Svetlana Khorkina on the uneven parallel bars at the 1996 Games. For reasons I don't fully understand, Khorkina is probably my favorite female Olympian ever.
Update: From the 1964 Games, here's a video of Billy Mills coming from behind in the 10,000 meters. I have no idea how he sprints that fast after running more than six miles. (thx, nivan) | <urn:uuid:8160ced4-2a7f-4fc1-9e4f-569b2f22d8e8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kottke.org/08/08/great-olympic-moments-on-youtube | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961143 | 762 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Robert E. Lee - Signed Hard Cover
Iconic Virginian, brilliant general, and complex human being-it is this last facet of Robert E. Lee that is rarely seen. But now Roy Blount, Jr. combines acute character insight with lively storytelling and a full-hearted Southern directness to craft this unique, personal portrait.
Fascinated by what made Lee into such a great, though reluctant, leader, Blount delves into his family history and his personality. He illustrates how, descended from two illustrious families, Lee embodied the best of all their traits and became Lincoln's first choice to lead the Union troops in 1861. But Lee's Virginia roots drew him, instead, to the Confederate command. Blount vividly conveys not only his ambition and courage but also his humility and humor, and his sorrowful sense of responsibility for his outnumbered, outgunned, half-starved army. Robert E. Lee, the first succinct biography of this American legend, will appeal to history and military buffs, proud Southerners, and every reader curious to dis-cover the man behind the military leader.
1ST EDITION HARD COVER SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR
LIMITED COPIES AVAILABLE | <urn:uuid:8a35cadc-3d2b-42e7-bf0b-55eaf5df9409> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thebookloft.com/product/lee-signed | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95022 | 248 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Do you remember how in the movie Shrek, the title character compares ogres to onions, saying that ogres have layers too? (If you don’t get the reference, go watch Shrek again!)
Well, like onions (and ogres), content also has layers. There is the first layer, the layer you see without engaging with the content at all, and then there’s a second layer which is what people see when they investigate. This could be clicking on the tweeted link, playing the banner ad video, going to the originating Facebook page, or anything else that expands the message of that content. And there could be more layers beyond that, depending on your consumer journey.
The holy grail of content marketing right now seems to be making content into bite-size bits that we can engage with and pass on, supposedly furthering the ends of the content creator. Many brands are trying to piggy-back off of popular web memes, like Wonderful Pistachios and their Psy/Gagnam Style Superbowl Ad.
But this misses out on that second layer of interaction. People see things and pass them on, frequently without reading or investigating them first. Just think of all the fun or interesting images you’ve seen on Facebook in the past week that you’ve then reposted, liked or commented on. How often did you read the full description of the image and click on through to the originating Facebook page? If you’re like me, and many other folk, probably not too often. After all, what you’re sharing is that image, not the page, right? This type of behavior is encouraged, too – One click sharing is common on all social networks.
People also can add layers to the content, adapting it to their own purposes. When I re-share images on Facebook, I often add my own message. But am I furthering the purposes of those brands? On a certain level, yes. I am literally forwarding the link on to my friends. But will my friends click through to those pages, or just admire the image and my witty comment?
So on one side, people often add layers to content already in existence and otherwise engage with it by sharing and liking, but on the other, they are not investigating. The danger with this is that their knowledge and understanding of your brand has not been expanded. In order for that to happen, they must investigate your content, click through and explore the second layer, and possibly other layers beneath that. But at the same time, sharing is probably the best way to increase your brand profile.
So how do you create content that will help your brand transform engagement into investigation? Here are 4 tips for the marketing content creator:
- Make every layer self-sufficient. If your image has your main message, then it’s okay if people don’t click through to see your Facebook Page, or even read the descriptions you’ve attached to it. It’s right there in the image. This can be tough though as you are forced to perhaps hit people over the head with your brand, limiting the content’s shareability. This is the tactic that Wonderful Pistachios has taken. You just watch the fun videos and you know what their message is.
- Make content that people want to investigate, not just engage with. I like Kraft Foods as an example of this. Their Pinterest Page is full of lovely images of yummy foods – as a foodie and cook it’s hard to resist sharing these images. At the same time, they are clearly labelled as recipes – and are just a click away from the recipes themselves on the Kraft website. So not only do they encourage engagement (sharing) but also investigation (clicking through).
- Piggy-backing off of point 2, use the data and tools you have at your disposal to make content more personally relevant for people. For instance, you can use real time data such as weather and time of day to present people the type of ads they are going to be more interested in. If it’s rainy, show me sunny vacation destinations. Or a rain coat. Technology is becoming a third part of the classic Art and Copy creative team. Take advantage of it.
- Don’t be limited by your industry. Yes, some industries seem more prone creating content people should investigate rather than share, such as the real estate market. But, Zillow has managed to make real estate and home maintenance fun, with a top layer of Eye Candy and Tips and Advice columns that combine information with pretty pictures. Their articles are fun reads and easy to share, getting their message through quickly and clearly: Zillow is a fun place to talk about real estate (and they’ll also help you find or sell a house, too). | <urn:uuid:4da3b9e4-a6be-4111-b5e5-5529552f5c66> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.facegroup.com/page/5?cat=4 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947538 | 995 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Senate adds cameras, upgrades technology
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - People interested in peeking in on the Oklahoma Senate will have an easier time doing so with a series of planned technological upgrades.
Senate officials announced Thursday they will add high-resolution cameras to the chamber, install a new vote board and archive audio for Senate legislative sessions that can be accessed online.
The floor sessions will be streamed live on the Internet, and the camera angles will change to show the member who is speaking.
Senate President Pro Tem Brian Bingman says the changes are part of an effort to make it ``easier and simpler for people to see the work that's being done by their senators.''
Other upgrades include streaming audio and video from all committees and putting real-time committee votes online.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press | <urn:uuid:78019517-755c-4f9f-a7d8-1cbbb6d24731> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.1170kfaq.com/news/local/178155231.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937888 | 166 | 1.523438 | 2 |
The notion of privacy died with, well, the invention of society. We have this illusion that somehow we are protected by inalienable rights that prevent people from finding out information about our little worlds. I recently had someone write a check using my name and address, both freely available on the Internet and in a phone book or two (not to mention the hundreds of forms I’ve filled out in my life). I’m not out any money (so far), but it proves a point. Privacy, unless you live in a cave, is a difficult thing to maintain.
That said, I don’t think people should be rooting around digging up information on people. Nor do I think that the government should be routinely scanning my search records in the hope that they might glean some bit of information to protect “national security” (not that there’s anything to find).
But what really annoys me are the people who stand there and say privacy is unimportant and then get upset when their privacy is invaded. Justice Scalia is a stanch anti-privacy judge who said “Every single datum about my life is private? That’s silly.”
Of course, he didn’t realize how much of his (and most pubic figures) life was available on the Internet. A law professor assigned his class project to create a dossier on Scalia. And they did so with a gusto, gathering up information like his movie habits, food favorites, his home address, and other bits of information. Let’s just say that Scalia was unhappy. Suddenly his privacy had been invaded. He issued a rather pissy statement saying “Professor Reidenberg’s exercise is an example of perfectly legal, abominably poor judgment. Since he was not teaching a course in judgment, I presume he felt no responsibility to display any”. So as long as his privacy is respected, everything is okay, but when you invade his it’s poor judgment.
Then there’s the case of the Portland Oregon Willamette Weekly article on police rifling through peoples garbage. Mark McDonnell (Portland Prosecutor), Police Chief Mark Kroeker, and (then) Mayor Vera Katz all believed that , al least until their garbarge was ransacked. Then Kroeker and Katz became upset and felt it was an invasion of their privacy. So when the government does it, it’s legal, but when a private organization does it, it’s not. I wonder if that applies to the individual as well. Could I, as a constituent rummage through my representatives garbage? Maybe not.
But the point of this is two fold. One, there is no privacy for most of us. Someone can look up my information in public records. I’m sure my social security number is written on a public document somewhere or published on the Internet. Two, politicians can’t expect special treatment because they are “in power”. They are as vulnerable as any of us, they just need to accept that.
Now I’m going to go google my neighbors name before I rummage through the trash. Where did I put my gloves? | <urn:uuid:a12fc7f9-4a4b-47e0-b2d8-e858cef9d073> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.samuraipanda.com/wordpress/?m=2009 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969182 | 661 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi will travel outside the country next week for the first time in more than two decades to attend an economic forum in Thailand.
A spokesperson for the Nobel laureate's National League for Democracy said Thursday that Aung San Suu Kyi will deliver a speech in Bangkok at the World Economic Forum on East Asia, being held from May 30 to June 1.
The long-time democracy activist spent most of the past two decades under house arrest before being released in 2010. Her trip will mark the first time she has left the country in 24 years.
The newly elected parliamentarian also plans to travel to Europe next month.
She will kick off her European travels with a speech to the International Labor Organization conference in Geneva on June 14.
Her trip also includes a visit to Norway, where she will formally receive the Nobel Peace Prize that she won nearly 21 years ago but was unable to accept in person because of her detention.
She later plans to address both houses of parliament in Britain, where she lived for years with her husband, who is now deceased.
The 66-year-old has not traveled outside Burma since returning to her homeland in 1988, fearing the military junta that held on to power until 2011 would not permit her to return.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters. | <urn:uuid:0f549641-8d54-4b88-91ba-cbf27081d6e6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.voanews.com/content/burma_opposition_leader_to_address_economic_forum_in_thailand/940378.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976174 | 278 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Posted Wednesday, July 25, 2012 --- 7:00 a.m.
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The family business is the Lord's business for three brothers from Wisconsin who have all been called to the priesthood.
The Strand brothers are 26, 29 and 31 years old. While it's not unheard of for members of the same family to commit to Roman Catholic religious life, it's very rare at a time when fewer men are choosing the clergy.
As of last year, the total number of priests in the U.S. had decreased 14 percent since 2000.
The brothers say they independently felt the call and that the pressure didn't come from their parents, who wanted grandchildren.
The youngest brother, Jacob, says he resisted the call to duty at first, because he thought his brothers had it covered. He says he knows now that it was a gift.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press. | <urn:uuid:f638613f-24fc-4ac0-b567-b51bc9bd4544> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nbc15.com/news/state/headlines/Three-Brothers-From-1-Wisconsin-Family-To-Become-Priests-163676116.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984381 | 189 | 1.53125 | 2 |
HOULTON, Maine — The Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians will once again use grant money to help the community repair one of its roadways.
Don Levasseur, who oversees road projects for the tribe, said Wednesday that the Maliseets had secured a $1.1 million grant to reconstruct a 1.1 mile section of the Currier Road in Houlton. The funding was part of a $5 million award given to the Maine Department of Transportation for statewide infrastructure improvements from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Levasseur said the section of the gravel road that will be repaired is currently in such a state of disrepair that it must be closed to through traffic during spring thaw.
As part of the reconstruction work, crews will make drainage and subgrade improvements, safety and sight distance enhancements, install guardrails and more. Survey, design, right-of-way, and environmental clearance work were previously completed with funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and tribal funds.
The reconstruction project will begin next spring. Once the work is finished, the town’s Public Works Department will maintain the section of road.
Levasseur noted that the tribe has an “excellent relationship” with the town. The tribe has used previous funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to reconstruct several town and tribal roads in recent years.
During a meeting earlier this week, the Town Council authorized the town manager to waive a $38,000 payment in lieu of taxes from the Maliseets because of the money the tribe has contributed to repair local roads and to fund an environmental project. The tribe owns tax exempt property in Houlton that is held in federal trust for the tribe and as such cannot be taxed, but provisions are made in federal law for the tribe to make payments in lieu of taxes. The tribe has made such payments in the past, as they benefit from municipal services such as road maintenance, education and fire protection. | <urn:uuid:98fe9e28-31e6-4b35-8949-2823a2eadd61> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bangordailynews.com/2011/10/13/news/aroostook/maliseets-to-partner-with-houlton-on-additional-road-work/?ref=relatedBox | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962466 | 404 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Parent shocked by 'adult' stock choices in class
Mother says site gave seventh-graders access to racy content
The mother of a seventh-grader reprimanded for buying stock in Playboy and other adult businesses in an economics simulation is looking for an apology from his school.
Kim Clifford, of Center Barnstead, said her son made the simulated stock buys on a website his teacher had the class using for an economics assignment. She said her son was reprimanded for the purchases, but she believes other parents should be aware of some of the more adult content the students had access to through the site.
"I got a call from the vice principal at the school letting me know my child had picked an inappropriate stock -- Playboy," Clifford said.
In November, her son's seventh-grade class did a unit on the stock market and used the website as a real-time simulation.
The offerings seem tame at first. But clicking on a link for Private Media Group brings up a description for a business advertising adult services.
"Whether you call it erotica or pornography, you know it when you see it," Clifford said.
One more click takes the user to images of strippers at a bachelor party. The school superintendent said that wouldn't happen on the school computers because they have filters that would block it. The trading site was blocked as soon as the school was made aware of the adult stock offerings, but Clifford said she thinks administrators should do more.
"The whole class could have scrolled and seen all this stuff," she said. "They need to send a letter out to all these parents to let them know what their children may or may not have seen so they can discuss it at home with them."
The superintendent told News 9 that the parents of five of the students believed to have been exposed to the content were contacted, but the parents of the remaining 15 students were not informed. Clifford said her son was not punished for buying Playboy stock.
"He was talked to about the issue and told that he made a bad choice," she said. "He needs to make better choices."
The 12-year-old could have a future in the market. His stock portfolio did very well, and he was one of a couple of students to earn a "Future Economist" certificate.
Copyright 2013 by WMUR.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | <urn:uuid:bf13d70b-4f00-4b51-a45e-411ddaf18f9e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wlky.com/news/Parent-shocked-by-adult-stock-choices-in-class/-/9366352/18417824/-/format/rsss_2.0/view/print/-/ce8kms/-/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986575 | 496 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Herman Cain played the “race” card recently to deflect some of the ever-increasing scrutiny about allegations of sexual harassment from at least three different women; which happened over twelve years ago. He was quoted earlier as saying, “I don’t believe racism in this country holds anybody back in a big way.” Now Herman Cain has used the line made famous by Supreme Court Clarence Justice at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judicial Committee, “This is nothing more than high-tech ‘lynching’. . .” And there you have it, using “White Guilt” for political points and using the liberal media as slave master to put in check another ‘uppity’ Negro who has forgotten or doesn’t know his place in the society. President Obama used the ‘race’ card continually throughout his campaign through playing up the part about his white mother from Kansas as well as her parents [his grandparents]. He even made the comparison to not looking like one of the faces [White] on the dollar bill. Heck, it wasn’t until he was practically elected President that he introduced his Indonesian step-sister.
There have been other elected offices throughout the country where one of the candidates, namely a white person, had injected the issue of “race” time and time again to gain victory. Even the redistricting and gentrification of certain neighborhoods and regions in various cities or urban areas across America have more to do with race than social class or creating economic empowerment zones. To be sure, Herman Cain’s problems are those of his own making but it will be interesting to gauge the fallout when one of the victims to whom he has alleged to have engaged in “conduct unbecoming” happens to be a White female? If such turns out to be true, his supporters will disappear faster than rats fleeing out of a burning barn.
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
November 5, 2011
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be! TRUST JESUS NOW
Read more articles by Robert Randle or search for articles on the same topic or others. | <urn:uuid:7fbc7401-fb31-4142-ac40-b4e7cb37bed6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=139139 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973323 | 462 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Like much of Coney Island, the famous Coney Island pizzeria, Totonno’s (1524 Neptune Avenue), was hit hard by Superstorm Sandy. As we reported on our sister site, Sheepshead Bites, Totonno’s owners Cookie Cimineri and Antoinette Balzano face a steep financial climb back to reopening its doors. Well, thanks to the generosity of famed chef and author Daniel Patterson, Totonno’s is $5,000 closer to its goal of firing up its magical brick oven, according to a report by Zagat.
Patterson, best known for his fancy San Francisco restaurant Coi, originally held a benefit for Governor, a Brooklyn based fine-dining establishment that was also destroyed by Sandy. When word got back to Patterson that Governor was closing its doors for good, he decided to funnel the proceeds he raised from the Governor benefit to Totonno’s, based on a plea from Totonno’s lover Allison Robicelli, who grabbed Patterson’s ear. Patterson expressed modesty in the face of his generous donation:
“My staff came and worked on their day off—I should not be getting credit! Seriously, no big deal. We’re all happy to help. That’s what people do for each other, right? Totonno’s is amazing. I just wish I could do more. Relying on fine dining restaurants to fill in the gaps left by the government in times of crisis is kind of a joke, but we did our best.”
Hopefully, Patterson’s contribution will go a long way in helping Totonno’s get back on its feet. | <urn:uuid:c145bd61-ea8c-4b00-b539-02f1890d4dbb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bensonhurstbean.com/2013/02/daniel-patterson-donates-five-grand-to-totonnos/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965202 | 359 | 1.609375 | 2 |
The second half of Karl Rove’s memoir, “Courage and Consequences,” you’ve already read if you have followed the intricate and specific defenses the Bush administration put forth to parry Democratic attacks.
But … the first half you’ve never seen before. Here we meet a vulnerable, human, sensitive man struggling to rise above a plebian background and make his way in the world. The transition from the honesty and appealing openness of the first half and the institutionalized, politically correct defenses of the second perhaps illustrates the changes that power brings to us all.
Yet it is to Rove’s credit that he can reach back to the days when he was still a regular person and bring that young man back to life in the pages of his memoir.
You meet his troubled mother who ended her own life, his father’s pursuit of his dreams and the sense of abandonment of a young man facing college costs with no help … and then of a grown man in the full flush of his career success, meekly and humbly going back to school to get his B.A. We follow Karl’s rise through the ranks of professional young Republicans, his relationships with the likes of Lee Atwater (the universal mentor of young talent) and his early encounters with the Bush family.
The Rove account of the 2000 election and its aftermath is a page-turner that will rank with any Robert Ludlum novel — gripping, inside and compelling.
His rendition of the early Bush campaigns keeps the flavor of the innocent young operative feeling his way through rough-and-tumble politics.
Karl not only takes us inside his mind, he brings us into his body, as well. He is forever somatizing his political troubles. He gets sick to his stomach when bad news breaks. He feels dizzy when he learns of the machinations of the 2000 recount. He gets a sickening feeling when he reads a bad column.
Beautifully written throughout and easily readable, Karl’s memoir is an important contribution to the literature of the Bush presidency and, more importantly, a riveting account of a young man on the way up the ladder of America’s political consulting industry.
You won’t know Karl Rove until you read this book. And he is well worth getting to know. | <urn:uuid:b3fb08fd-44e1-4c67-b9d6-962acf883180> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://frontpagemag.com/2010/dick-morris/the-importance-of-being-karl/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965978 | 481 | 1.546875 | 2 |
The Magnolia Volunteer Fire Department (MVFD) has received a federal grant to purchase top of the line smoke detectors for area residents.
The department will receive more than $70,000 from the federal government to purchase the detectors, through a FEMA fire prevention safety grant. The grant, which is funded 75 percent by FEMA and 25 percent by the MVFD, means that the total amount will add up to more than $88,000.
"Since it is a share grant we have to kick in 25 percent, which will be a little less than $18,000," said MVFD assistant chief Rusty Griffith.
The grant will allow the department to purchase 2,000 units with 10-year lithium batteries, plus an additional 500 batteries.
According to Griffith, 20 percent of homes with smoke detectors have units that do not work, while four percent of homes do not have a smoke detector at all. He said the risk of a fire related death or injury greatly decreases in homes with working detectors.
"Our goal is to have at least one working unit in each home in the district," he said. "It greatly improves the chance of survival."
He said he hopes to have the process completed by the end of the year, so that by the beginning of 2013 they will be ready to hand out the units. Once MVFD receives the final go ahead from FEMA they will request bids to purchase the detectors. He estimated that within 12-18 months the department will have handed out the units and completed the program.
Griffith said the department was thrilled to receive the grant, because it is a competitive process.
"You don't always expect to get a competitive grant," he said.
The district, which covers 165 square miles and serves nearly 70,000 people, runs strictly off paid part-time staffing and volunteers. Last year they answered almost 4,000 calls. With a limited staff and budget constraints, fire prevention is key to the department.
"We will target areas where our fire deaths occur first," Griffith said, adding that the department will come and install the units for free.
To secure one of the free 10-year smoke detectors, Griffith said be on the lookout for an announcement on the departments web page at magnoliafire.org. For more information call 281-356-3288. | <urn:uuid:49004e08-d091-4ffc-993f-0e204b1a0010> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tribunenews.com/index.php/k2/edition-categories/around-texas/itemlist/tag/FEMA | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966796 | 474 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Tim Panaccio spoke to a Western Conference scout who’s convinced the glass used behind the goals is causing injuries.
The scout told Panaccio the puck bounces off of the glass too hard and too fast, forcing goalies and defensemen to constantly swivel to follow the puck as it shoots over the net toward the stands and then back toward center ice.
The scout says the NHL should go back to mesh behind the nets.
Panaccio chimes in to remind us that the boards used to give a lot more, too, which is fairly obvious to anyone watching an old game on TV. Guys are checked and the ice expands about a foot. In the 1970s, if you had the right guys checking at the right moment, you could probably convert an NHL-size sheet into an Olympic sheet — at least for a few seconds.
You hear a fair number of these kinds of observations every year. Which makes me wonder how the NHL is tracking injuries. Does it have some kind of data-driven method to see if a fair number of injuries are coming off of shots off of the goal glass? Is the NHL talking to scouts and trainers and then investigating their theories? And is there any reason not to share this information?
Because it’s easy to condemn the league for sticking with glass that’s causing injuries. But for all we know, the league looked into this, and it just isn’t the case. But without the NHL reporting its findings, people continue to blame things like glass and boards.
While I see the scout’s point about the goalie glass, I’m not sure players were any safer chasing a puck behind the net, either. But if the NHL knows which way is safer for players, the league isn’t sharing it with fans, many of whom play the game and might actually want to know how best to set up their own rinks.
The NHL takes a lot of guff for its handling (or mishandling) of player safety, but we really don’t have many ways to quantitatively know if these accusations are accurate. If the NHL is tracking injuries in a data-driven way, it would be great if they shared their findings with everyone. And if they’re not tracking injuries, even in an anecdotal manner, maybe it’s time to start.
Player safety shouldn’t hinge on the right scout reporting the right observation to the right sportswriter. | <urn:uuid:d4c23b91-d457-488b-8f1e-ea3c803ca6cb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.puckupdate.com/2010/02/16/nhl-needs-to-make-safety-a-public-issue/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957498 | 509 | 1.523438 | 2 |
|Persian Food from The Non-Persian Bride|
by Reyna Simnegar
Many believe our path through life is destined – there are no chance encounters – everything happens for a purpose. The vivacious author of our featured cookbook, Persian Food from the Non-persian Bride , has traveled a very interesting path to arrive at her current destination.
Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Reyna Simnegar was raised Catholic and attended Catholic schools. Her life changed at age 12 when she discovered her father's family were Marrano Jews. After seeing the movie Schindler's List at age 15, she was drawn to her Jewish neshama, began to understand certain customs she saw practiced by her father and his family, and decided to convert to Judaism. Being underage, she did not start the process until several years later. Along the way, she moved to the United States to learn English, attended UCLA in California and met her future husband (a Persian Jew) at a restaurant. Concerned that she did not know how to cook the Persian delights that her future husband, Sammy, loved, she learned to cook "real" Persian food from her future mother-in-law.
Fast forward several years: While married to Sammy and living a fulfilling Jewish life as the mother of five little boys, Reyna decided to create a book of these treasured Persian recipes for her five future daughters-in law. She told a friend about her project and was encouraged to create a publishable version. Her friend helped her find the right professionals to formulate and "birth" the cookbook. On a trip to Morocco, she met a relative of the publishing firm, the Feldheim family, who eventually published her book. A very interesting, and destined, traveled road!
It took Reyna almost two years to complete the cookbook. Her love of cooking, and especially Persian food, was evident in our conversation with her. "Food is satisfying for the body and soul. If there was a scent to "infatuation", that is what Persian food would smell like." She also treasures her South American heritage and the foods she grew up loving. Several of the recipes in the cookbook are a marriage of these two cultures – like Reyna and Sammy.
Persian Food from The Non-Persian Bride is a beautiful and fascinating introduction to Kosher Persian cooking. It features both traditional and contemporary recipes, with easy–to–follow directions. The recipes are presented in a clear and concise manner and several contain additional Tricks of The Trade tips from Reyna. The short introduction antidotes that accompany each recipe are delightful, informative and fun to read. The book contains 100 recipes that are accompanied by beautiful, full–color photographs by Marina Karassellos.
A detailed description of the spices, seeds and herbs used in Persian cooking is included and will help the reader better understand this ancient cuisine that is defined by its blending and use of herbs and spices. Food has always been an important element in the Persian way of life and after reading this book, we can understand why.
Rice is a major part of the Persian meal and Reyna presents seventeen wonderful recipes for this Persian staple, plus step–by–step directions for making Tadig. This is the prized crispy rice taken from the bottom of the pot and traditionally served to guests at a meal.
We look forward to using this cookbook to make fabulous, enticing Persian meals for our family and friends. We place this cookbook on our "gift yourself, gift others" list. Treat yourself – it will become a welcome friend on your shelf.
Watch Reyna demonstrate how to prepare Persian Steamed Rice (Chelo) with Potato Tadig.
Read more of our Chat With Reyna Simnegar and enjoy the following recipes from her fabulous new cookbook.
March 13, 2011 | <urn:uuid:fd58072d-2979-4150-bbb5-f6442f6d9785> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://koshereye.comwww.koshereye.com/koshereye-features/cookbooks/863-persian-food-from-the-non-persian-bride.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967473 | 788 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Displays of Weakness
Isn't the implication of the president's position on the Koran burning event in Gainsville on September 11 that Americans should curb their free expression because Islam is so dangerous? Is there another religion that would be feared under such circumstances?
"You could have serious violence in places like Pakistan or Afghanistan. This could increase the recruitment of individuals who would be willing to blow themselves up in American cities or European cities," said Obama, who called the protest a stunt.
I've been pretty agnostic on this until I listened to the Obama position layed out. If Islam is as much of a threat as the president, General Patraeus, and others believe, well, that's got me thinking the sooner we confront the danger the better.
"I hope he listens to those better angels and understands that this is a destructive act that he's engaging in," Obama said on ABC.
The other question is this: who is the audience for this sort of this presidential cowering? Is it domestic minorities, the voters who the Democrats are investing all of their future in (after organized labor, of course)? Or is it the Obama base - European socialists? Maybe it's the Islamic world, whose reaction he really does seem to fear.
The administration stepped up its campaign to prevent the burning, but it was unclear what could be done.
"There are discussions inside the government about the possibility of doing that. I don't know that a final decision has been reached on doing that," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters Thursday. Gibbs called the burning a hateful act but shied away from calling it a hate crime, which carries legal connotations.
Free speech - a hate crime?
Meanwhile, the State Department warned overseas travelers to be careful. "The potential for further protests and demonstrations, some of which may turn violent, remains high," it said.
The dispute comes at a difficult time for the Obama administration, significantly down in polls that predict sizable GOP wins in the midterm elections. The dispute also comes at an especially sensitive time for Obama, who has repeatedly tried to repair U.S. relations with the Muslim world.
Displays of weakness on the part of the president would seem to heighten the danger over the long term. | <urn:uuid:47d2f17f-b57d-4c0e-953a-a1219f283b49> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wrko.com/blog/todd/displays-weakness | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974322 | 461 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Big cars were goneburger - or so we thought. We've just seen the covers come off the next Holden Commodore - still big, possibly more efficient, but the under-lid details are still top secret. Now Ford has kicked off its FPV programme after it collapsed.
The first Ford GT assembled at the company's Aussie Broadmeadows plant in nearly four decades has rolled off the production line. The collapse of the Ford Performance Vehicles joint venture between Ford Australia and Prodrive led to the high-output versions of the Falcon being produced in-house. It has now created a dedicated production line at Broadmeadows. The company's Geelong engine plant is also set to start building the "Miami" V8 - the supercharged quad-cam 335kW engine fitted to GT, GT-E and GT-P models - as well as the 310kW six cylinder from the stroppy F6. But is Ford wasting its time bringing the saloon colossus back into the fold?
There has been much debate on the future of the Falcon, as larger cars drop off buyers' radar to be replaced by smaller machines with more advanced, lower displacement engines. Ford's own Focus ST, featuring a tweaked version of the two-litre EcoBoost engine that's also fitted to the Falcon, is a perfect example of where the next generation of performance vehicle is heading. Small and light don't really sum up V8 Falcons, and the likelihood of it continuing much past 2016 is slim.
The front-drive Taurus and its global platform are odds-on to replace the icon Aussie sedan.
So whether this move to Broadmeadows is going to see FPV experience a sudden growth spurt remains to be seen, but doesn't take a genius to figure it out. Ford has been loathe to reveal future plans for the go-fast marque - will it keep popping out 335kW V8s or move towards smaller machines. The Focus ST was pretty well received, and for good reason. The upcoming Fiesta ST will be in the same boat.
Are these clever little modern engines, combined with lightweight construction going to be the way of the future, or do big V8s fitted to big cars still have their place?By Matt Greenop Email Matt | <urn:uuid:cdafb47d-f256-41ad-92aa-749f74addaf3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/automotive-industry/news/article.cfm?c_id=500847&objectid=10867014 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960927 | 465 | 1.515625 | 2 |
The new year could be one of government reform.
Minnesota legislative Republicans and Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton agree reforming is a top priority, but they may differ on just what that means and how to get there.
A year ago, the two sides said the same thing, but a big money debate got in the way. By necessity, legislators and Dayton had to concentrate on plugging a $5 billion hole in the state budget.
With a slight budget surplus heading into the 2012 legislative session, which begins Jan. 24, state leaders hope they can find ways to make government more efficient.
“We can actually reform for the sake of reform and not reform for the sake of balancing the budget,” House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, said.
An outside observer thinks it can happen. “I think are more likely to than they did last year,” Professor Paula O’Loughlin of the University of Minnesota Morris said.
Dayton fears that Republicans define government reform only as “cutting state spending,” so appears somewhat reserved in his optimism.
It is not clear what reforms could come forward, but both sides like to point to a couple of agreements early last year: speeding environmental permits and making it easier for mid-career professionals to get teacher licenses.
If tax reform is to be part of the mix, Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, said it is so complex that work needs to begin now.
“If they are at all interested in doing anything on tax reform … I don’t believe you can wait until Jan. 24 to have your first hearing,” Bakk said. “There are quite a few things that have to be done.”
He said a Vikings football stadium hearing took a month to organize, and changing tax laws would be even more complex.
“There is only so much you can do in a 10-week session,” Bakk said. | <urn:uuid:2247ac31-86a8-4051-8224-4d64354d74a1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://capitolchat.areavoices.com/2012/01/02/leaders-want-to-make-2012-the-year-of-reform/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96777 | 412 | 1.515625 | 2 |
In the wake of the capture and detention of one of the suspected Boston Marathon bombers, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev many questions are flying around the internet regarding asking why this suspect has not been issued Miranda Warnings. At this point he is in federal custody in the hospital being treated for injuries. It appears he has not been questioned yet so first, Miranda warnings only have to be issued when someone is questioned. Second, there is an exception to Miranda that allows for officers to forego those warnings in the interest of immediate public safety, known as the “public safety exception”. This would be in cases where law enforcement wants to know “are there other explosives set to go off….are there accomplices in the process of planning or committing other attacks etc.”
A quick refresher for those of you who haven’t seen a cop show in a while….Miranda warnings are where the law enforcement official must tell a suspect that they have 1. The right to remain silent. 2. That anything they say can and will be used against them in a court of law. 3. They have a right to an attorney and have the attorney present during questioning and 4. If they cannot afford an attorney one will be appointed for them free of charge.
So the argument of civil libertarians on this issue is that if we are not concerned about protecting the rights of this person, it can lead to cutting corners on the rights of others.
It seems to be little known but it is true…private security officers are allowed to make traffic stops and issue traffic citations on roads owned by the homeowner associations for which they work. This decision came down from the Illinois Supreme Court in Poris v. Lake Holiday Property Owner’s Association. In this case, the association’s board of directors enacted rules protecting the safety and welfare of the residents and retaining private security to do so. The Supreme Court of Illinois determined that if a private homeowners association constructs sand maintains private roadways it makes no sense to not allow them to enforce the traffic laws on those roadways.
This creates a long list of potential problems. What if the private officer tries to stop a driver and the driver flees? Can the officer pursue them or do they call the “real” police? What if the driver stops and has drugs in plain sight in the car? What if the driver is wanted by the police…will the private security have access to that information? This decision creates more questions than it does answers.
Back in December, a federal appeals court in Illinois declared the Illinois ban on concealed carry of firearms when not in the home unconstitutional. Yet no state court trial judges have acquitted anyone on possession of firearms under those circumstances. Most judges seem to be continuing these matters until June, waiting for the legislature to enact legislation that will control. There is a great deal of political and public pressure on judges because although the law has been declared unconstitutional, people are being killed by guns every day and sitting judges do not want to release defendants who may add to that.
Evidence is inconclusive as to whether public gun possession increases violence in society any more than it increases legitimate self-defense. That being said, releasing defendants on gun charges is risky and so far area judges are waiting it out.
The use of a drug-sniffing dog by police outside of a home where they suspected drugs were being grown constitutes a search under the Fourth Amendment, the Supreme Court said in a decision handed down Tuesday. Police can no longer use canine sniffs to bypass what is necessary to search (typically a warrant based on probable cause).
The case behind this decision, Florida v. Jardines, dealt with whether police could use trained canines to investigate the immediate surroundings of a home for drugs they suspected were being grown inside, but could not see.
Officers from the Miami-Dade Police Department approached Joelis Jardines’ home with a drug dog in 2006 after receiving a tip that marijuana was being grown in the house. The animal alerted officers to the presence of marijuana in the house, after which officers obtained a search warrant and discovered the plants.
The justices affirmed the Supreme Court of Florida’s decision to suppress the evidence by a 5-4 vote. Justice Antonin Scalia delivered the court’s opinion.
“To find a visitor knocking on the door is routine (even if sometimes unwelcome); to spot that same visitor exploring the front path with a metal detector, or marching his bloodhound into the garden before saying hello and asking permission, would inspire most of us to – well, call the police,” Scalia wrote.
This is the second of two police dog cases the court has delivered opinions on this term, both originating in Florida. In a February decision in the other , Florida v. Harris, the court ruled that an alert by a trained police dog gave police officers probable cause to further search a vehicle.
The use of canine officers has been controversial for a while now and arrests made using dogs are certainly going to have some room for argument after these opinions.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Threats on Twitter represent the continued victimization of a girl who was raped by two high school football players, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said Tuesday as he demanded an end to such postings.
Two girls, 15 and 16, were accused of posting the tweets Sunday following the conviction and sentencing of two boys for raping the 16-year-old West Virginia girl after an alcohol-fueled party. Both girls have been charged Tuesday with intimidation of a victim, telecommunications harassment and aggravated menacing. They were being held in the Jefferson County juvenile detention center without bond, as is customary with juveniles, said Jefferson County assistant prosecutor Sam Pate.
They would face up to seven years in prison if convicted as adults, but it’s likely they would be treated as juveniles. That means they could be detained up until their 21st birthdays, if convicted.
The older girl was charged with aggravated menacing for a tweet that threatened homicide and said “you ripped my family apart,” according to the attorney general’s office. The girl is a cousin of defendant Ma’Lik Richmond, attorney general spokesman Dan Tierney said Tuesday.
A Twitter message from the younger girl threatened the accuser with bodily harm, leading to a menacing charge, DeWine’s office said. One of the messages was later reposted on Facebook.
The girl, who had been drinking heavily, has no memory of the attack. One of the ways she learned that something had happened to her was by viewing parts of a 12-minute YouTube video filmed the night of the attack in which students made crude jokes about her. This video was introduced as evidence at the trial.
This raises increased questions into how our legal system and social media interact. Crimes are being charged and proven based on evidence obtained through social media and those who think they can hide beyond the anonymity of these outlets are in for some very brutal awakenings.
A woman who had obtained an order of protection against her former boyfriend was killed by that boyfriend on Saturday after which he took his own life. Diane Kephart, 61, was attacked in the driveway of her parents’ Antioch Township home, police said. She recently had moved there from Vernon Hills. Kephhart obtained a two-year order of protection against Paul Neff, age 57 on Tuesday, about one month after Neff held a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her, Lake County court records show. Neff was arrested Feb. 17 and charged with aggravated domestic battery with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm with a revoked ID card and domestic battery, records show. Police reports indicate Neff held a large kitchen knife to Kephart’s throat and threatened to kill her and himself at his home. Neff was released from custody after posting 10 percent of a $50,000 bond, reports indicate. Kephart obtained an emergency order of protection against Neff and then got the extended order, authorities said.
What this means is that those who obtain an order of protection need to be constantly aware that the order is really just a piece of paper and only as enforceable as the person who obeys it.
This likely means also that Judges are possibly going to increase utilization of the Bischof GPS monitoring device which as part of a defendant’s bond can include their being fitted with the device to track their movements and alert law enforcement if they get within a certain proximity of the victim. This monitoring is part of “Cindy’s Law” named for Cindy Bischof, an area woman who was killed by a former boyfriend in 2008 while protected by an Order of Protection.
The U.S. House voted 286-138 to pass a Senate version of a bill renewing the Violence Against Women Act. The measure now heads to President Obama, who is expected to sign it.
Eighty-seven Republicans joined all 199 Democrats to pass the bill in the House.
Earlier, House Republicans failed to pass their own version of the bill, struggling again with an issue important to women and minority groups.
The Act provides $1.6 billion toward investigation and prosecution of violent crimes against women, imposes automatic and mandatory restitution on those convicted, and allows civil redress in cases prosecutors chose to leave unprosecuted. The Act also establishes the Office on Violence Against Women within the Department of Justice. Male victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking may also be covered. This act is more important than ever with the growing problems of human trafficking.
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s request for a rehearing has been rejected by the Federal Court of Appeals on the case where the state has been ordered to allow citizens to carry guns in public.
Madigan made the request following the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals decision in December that gave Illinois 180 days to put together a law that would allow concealed weapons in Illinois.
At this point Madigan can decide to pursue her appeal up to the U.S. Supreme Court or obviously let the ruling stand. As of now there has been no indication either way but it would be surprising if Illinois does not continue to fight the concealed carry.
Drew Peterson may be sentenced today for Murder while his defense team is making a last attempt to keep that from happening. Lawyers for Peterson will argue today for a new trial and hinging that argument on the alleged trial misconduct and errors of his former attorney, Joel Brodsky. It is widely known that since the guilty verdict Brodsky and Steve Greenberg have been at odds over how the trial was conducted.
The witness lineup for today will be widespread, where besides the prospect of Brodsky being questioned by his defense team nemesis Greenberg, the hearing is expected to include testimony from a retired judge, Brodsky’s former law partner, a Peterson murder trial observer, a law professor and perhaps even Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow.
Prosecutors have filed a motion seeking to bar defense lawyers from calling Glasgow, saying Peterson’s lawyers have not specified why his testimony is necessary.
Peterson’s defense team is alleging that Brodsky’s legal leadership — including calling a witness whose testimony several jurors said convinced them Peterson was guilty — amounted to ineffective assistance of counsel, which can be grounds for a new trial.
Interestingly enough if for some reason Drew Peterson is called by his defense team to testify, the door to his attorney client privilege with Brodsky could be opened and Brodsky able to discuss parts of conversations he had with Peterson during his representation of him. While it is extremely unlikely this would happen, nothing in this trial has ceased to surprise those following it.
Attorney client privilege exists between the client and attorney but should any outside person be permitted within that privilege or if the client waives the privilege by discussing otherwise privileged conversations, it gives the attorney room to discuss those as well.
Judge Edward Burmila has indicated that if he denies the motion for a new trial, he will immediately move into the sentencing hearing. This is the most likely outcome as new trial motions are rarely granted. Peterson is facing between 20 and 60 years not including any extended term sentencing. | <urn:uuid:e9911c41-0acc-4903-b816-b480177c8b2d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.criminallawyerrollingmeadows.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974678 | 2,510 | 1.828125 | 2 |
|FREE CLINIC READY FOR NEW PATIENTS|
|Written by Susan Weinberg|
|Tuesday, 29 June 2010 07:23|
Boone’s Community Care Clinic is ready to accept new patients, announced Marian Peters, Clinic Director. The Clinic, which provides free medical care to low-income, uninsured members of the community, will be open on a longer weekly schedule of day and evening hours.
“It’s amazing that we’ve gone from being open 3 hours per week to 28 hours per week in less than a year. So many people in the community have made that possible—from the nurses and doctors who donate their time, to the volunteers who remodeled offices and exam rooms—there’s been a huge range of effort to make this expansion a reality.”
The expansion of services also has been made possible by a recent grant from the N.C. Office of Rural Health and Community Care, as well as by individual contributions.
In addition to primary care, the Clinic offers health education classes and consultation, as well as chiropractic care off-site and periodic specialty clinics for current patients in gynecology, cardiology, and neurology. A number of local medical and dental practices generously accept referrals of one or more Clinic patients each month.
The Community Care Clinic shares a building with the Hunger Coalition and is located on Health Center Drive (former Health Department location) near the intersection of Bamboo Road and Brookhollow Road. It is the last stop on the Appalcart’s Green Route.
New patients who are uninsured are welcome to call the Appointment Line at 828-265-8591.
|Share This Article:| | <urn:uuid:d6d27f22-30bd-41ed-af9c-3d457e911d1c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.goblueridge.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9930&catid=42&Itemid=173 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955654 | 355 | 1.53125 | 2 |
President Barack Obama arrives in Cambodia on Monday having just won four more years in office, but that is nothing compared to his host, Hun Sen. The 60-year-old Cambodian prime minister has held power since Ronald Reagan was in the White House, and says he’s not stepping down until he is 90.
Hun Sen is known as one of Asia’s most Machiavellian politicians, with a knack for making sure his rivals end up in jail or in exile. A laudatory biography is subtitled “Strongman of Cambodia,” and some would say that’s putting it mildly.
Yet, through his country’s civil wars, a U.N. peace process and several elections, the one-time communist cadre has always managed to come out on top. Over the last decade, he has also overseen modest economic growth and stability in a country plagued by desperate poverty and nearly destroyed under the Khmer Rouge “killing fields” regime.
Obama is making the first visit ever by a U.S. president to Cambodia because it is hosting the annual East Asia Summit. But White House aides say the president will also raise human rights concerns in his meeting with Hun Sen. …
The Associated Press
An appeals court Wednesday ordered the release of 13 women who were jailed for protesting being evicted from their homes without adequate compensation, in a case that had critics had highlighted as an example of injustice.
The women cheered in the courtroom, their supporters applauded and observers from foreign embassies, including the United States, smiled in the audience after the judge’s ruling.
“Finally, justice has been done for us,” defendant Heng Mom said tearfully, before being driven away again in a prison van. …
Security forces fatally shot a teenage girl Wednesday during a clash with villagers armed with axes and crossbows in eastern Cambodia, in the latest of several violent evictions aimed at clearing land for development.
Cambodia’s system of commercial land concessions, decried by activists as opaque and corrupt, has become a volatile issue nationwide and prompted a U.N. inquiry. Last month, a high-profile activist was slain after investigating illegal logging in a forest concession.
On Wednesday, about 400 police and soldiers raided a settlement in Kratie province after community leaders rejected demands to vacate their farmland for several months, provincial Gov. Sar Chamrong said. The security forces clashed with about 200 villagers armed with axes, crossbows and sticks.
He said a 15-year-old girl was critically wounded in the confrontation and later died at a hospital.
Government forces secured the area and were hunting for five accused ringleaders who escaped into the jungle, Sar Chamrong said. He alleged that the protesters were trying to set up a self-governing zone outside of the law.
Authorities say the land is owned by the government, but the activists say the previously state-owned land already has been awarded to a Russian company to be developed as a plantation.
Accused protest ringleader Bun Ratha said about 500 villagers have been farming the land for years and have nowhere else to go. …
KOH KONG, Cambodia (AP) — Round a bend in Cambodia’s Tatai River and the virtual silence of a tropical idyll turns suddenly into an industrial nightmare.
Lush jungle hills give way to a flotilla of dredgers operating 24 hours a day, scooping up sand and piling it onto ocean-bound barges. The churned-up waters and fuel discharges, villagers say, have decimated the fish so vital to their livelihoods. Riverbanks are beginning to collapse, and the din and pollution are killing a promising ecotourism industry. Read more | <urn:uuid:b79874af-1eb4-42d0-9358-6c099ee47f1d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.opendevelopmentcambodia.net/category/news-source/associated-press/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959012 | 773 | 1.789063 | 2 |
Reduce crime by 15%. Get public-schoolchildren's math scores on par with the rest of the state. Create a larger, more dynamic private-sector work-force after a crippling recession.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg made these pledges in 2009 as he outlined a vision for the New York City of 2013, part of an ambitious pitch for a third term that he said would extend his accomplishments from the previous eight years.
But it is now 2013, and the city's major felony crime rate was up more than 4% in 2012 compared with 2009. Test scores at the city's public schools still lag behind those elsewhere in New York. And while the city has regained far more jobs than it lost during the downturn, unemployment remained stubbornly high at 8.8% in December, higher than the national and state rates.
As Mr. Bloomberg prepares to deliver his final state of the city address Thursday, a debate continues over whether his successful push to overturn the city's term-limit laws and seek another four years in office served to burnish and cement his record of accomplishments, or whether it diminished the legacy he hopes to leave.
Close observers of the city, some of whom have supported the mayor, said his third term has paled in comparison to the energy and vision of the first two. In the past three years, federal prosecutors have taken steps to recoup hundreds of millions of dollars lost in a payroll-system scandal that's been described as the worst corruption in city history, the mayor endured withering criticism for his administration's response to a 2010 blizzard and his unconventional choice for schools chancellor, Cathleen Black, proved to be a public-relations disaster.
These days, Mr. Bloomberg appears most impassioned when championing causes on the national stage, such as gun control and immigration reform.
The third term "tarnished his reputation," said correction officers' union President Norman Seabrook, who endorsed the mayor for his first two terms but didn't for his 2009 re-election bid. "Looking at it now, I have to say this is something he should have avoided and went out at the top of his game."
Mr. Bloomberg's aides have vigorously pushed back against the notion that the third term has lacked either vigor or significant achievements. On Wednesday, Howard Wolfson, a deputy mayor, sent an email with some two dozen statistics showing "record" progress in education, parks, public safety and other areas. "The state of our city has never been stronger," he wrote.
Mr. Bloomberg's press secretary, Marc LaVorgna, said the mayor's overall third-term record was "extremely impressive" and the city is a better place "in every area you can measure." "The mayor could have very easily kicked up his feet and relaxed for the rest of his life," he said. "He made a decision that he wanted to continue to serve the city that he loves, and the city is a better place for it."
He added: "When you are willing to take on any issue and willing to make major decisions nearly every day, are you going to bat a thousand? Of course not."
In his final year in office, Mr. Bloomberg isn't finished making proposals. He is set to use his state of the city address Thursday to call on the City Council to amend the building code so that 10,000 new public parking spots would be fitted for charging electric vehicles over the next seven years, according to excerpts released by City Hall on Wednesday. The mayor is also planning to unveil a number of recycling initiatives, most notably he will call on the council to ban Styrofoam food packaging from stores and restaurants.
Just before his re-election in November 2009, Mr. Bloomberg had bolder goals for his third term. In a campaign speech, he asked listeners to "fast-forward four years," according to the prepared remarks.
With New York still smarting from a global financial meltdown, Mr. Bloomberg promised the "most ambitious economic development and job-creation program of any city in the country." A billionaire who made his fortune on Wall Street, Mr. Bloomberg touted his fiscal acumen as uniquely necessary.
Since his re-election, the city has gained back more than two jobs for every one that was lost during the national recession, while the U.S. overall has only gained back 52% of the jobs lost. The city has more private-sector jobs, 3.9 million, than at any point since 1969, officials said.
At the same time, the disparity between the city's rich and poor continued to grow, and the poverty rate reached its highest point in more than a decade during Mr. Bloomberg's third term, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The number of people on food stamps grew from 1.5 million in 2009 to 1.8 million in 2012, and the number of Medicaid recipients rose from 2.7 million to 3 million.
Further, the Bloomberg administration has struggled with one of the city's most visible social ills, homelessness. The homeless-shelter population surged to record levels, nearly 50,000, in 2012. Aides have acknowledged the mayor hasn't met the goals he set but blame Albany for forcing the cancellation of a crucial program that helped people pay for homes.
The city's economy has shown both positive and negative indicators under Mr. Bloomberg, said Doug Turetsky, a spokesman for the Independent Budget Office, a publicly funded agency that provides nonpartisan budget information.
"On one level the city has done better than the country as a whole—jobs have returned and actually exceeded what we lost at the worst point of the recession," Mr. Turetsky said. "But on the other hand, we clearly have a high poverty rate, high income inequality and a continued high unemployment rate."
Mr. Bloomberg has made lowering crime a signature issue, and by many measures, he has succeeded. Shootings and homicides reached historic lows in 2012, city officials said, and neighborhoods once ridden with crime have been transformed.
In the 2009 speech, Mr. Bloomberg said he had cut overall crime by 35% and set a goal of cutting it another 15%, so that by the time he left office, the rate would have been reduced by half over 12 years. "I believe it can be possible," he said, according to prepared remarks.
Instead, overall crime rose more than 4% in 2012, compared to 2011, countering a 20-plus-year trend of year-over-year falling crime rates.
Mr. LaVorgna said the mayor sets "ambitious goals" and if the city hits every goal they aren't high enough. Overall crime, comparing 2001 with 2012, dropped a little less than a third.
During his first two terms, Mr. Bloomberg had been credited with improving relations between the New York Police Department and the city's minority communities. But during the mayor's third term, the NYPD's so-called stop-and-frisk tactic has become a source of intense criticism and litigation in the courts.
On education, the Bloomberg administration was among the nation's forerunners in changing the culture of public schools and testing new ideas to raise test scores and student achievement in the mayor's first two terms with then-Chancellor Joel Klein. When he seized control of the school system in 2002, the mayor embraced charter schools and widened options for parents who didn't want to send their children to failing neighborhood schools. Mr. LaVorgna said the city reduced the number of teachers receiving tenure on their first try to 55% in 2012, down from 97% in 2007.
In 2009, Mr. Bloomberg said the city would go further and close the gap between its public-school students and the rest of the state on math scores. But by 2012, city children in third and fourth-grades had narrowed the test-score gap on math with their peers throughout the state but fell a few points short of pulling even. City fifth-graders did score the same as the rest of New York.
The Bloomberg legacy may be about to take a beating, as Democratic candidates to succeed him pick apart his record. Bill de Blasio, the city's public advocate who is running for mayor, made a common observation: Mr. Bloomberg should take responsibility for both "things that went well and the things that didn't."
"But that's not going to happen—let's be serious!" Mr. de Blasio said with a chuckle. "The resources will be focused on burnishing his legacy."
Other city leaders said the mayor's accomplishments far outweighed his mistakes, even if his third term didn't meet expectations. In the past three years, Mr. Bloomberg changed the landscape of the city through zoning, helped create a new technology-focused university on Roosevelt Island, and continued his public-health initiatives, pushing through a partial ban on large-size sugary drinks.
In an interview before his death, Ed Koch, the last three-term mayor, described Mr. Bloomberg's accomplishments as "monumental." Mr. Koch said many of Mr. Bloomberg's final-term initiatives are "worthwhile," in particular the Roosevelt Island campus. "People will realize after he's gone how much he meant to this city and they will cry," Mr. Koch said.
For his part, Mr. Bloomberg clearly spelled out how he hoped history would remember him during a December 2010 interview on NBC's "Meet the Press."
"I want to go out being, having a reputation as a very good, maybe the greatest mayor ever," he said.—Lisa Fleisher and Ted Mann contributed to this article.
Write to Michael Howard Saul at [email protected]
A version of this article appeared February 14, 2013, on page A21 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: Reputation on the Line. | <urn:uuid:cd08e5d1-7b4e-429e-bb64-e5ce34901530> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324162304578302291792155814.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_newyork | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978974 | 2,020 | 1.539063 | 2 |
I love stuff like this. Years ago, your government and mine sent Duke Ellington, Thelonius Monk, Louis Armstrong and others overseas as ambassadors for the USA, like jazz was something we were proud of and wanted to share with the world. Well, we don't do that anymore, but now the NEA is honoring eight jazz musicians as jazz masters, including ceremonies at Jazz At Lincoln Center, $25,000 awards (a lot of money in the jazz world), etc. The honorees are Annie Ross, Bobbie Hutcherson, Cedar Walton, Yusef Lateef, Kenny Baron, Bill Homan, George Avakian and Muhal Richard Abrams.
Howard Mandell has a great write-up on this, and an explanation of why these people are important. My kids grew up learning the lyrics to Annie Ross's Twisted (they also had to learn all the lyrics to Thunder Road, but that ain't jazz, and it's a story for another time). Here's Annie, and that's Bill "Count" Basie on piano: | <urn:uuid:61697a83-08c8-45b8-b29c-2e05a223ec40> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.calbizlitafterhours.com/2009/05/nea-jazz-masters-nominees.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965457 | 219 | 1.578125 | 2 |
At Highlands Christian Academy, we believe God has uniquely gifted each child with individual skills, abilities, and interests. That’s why we desire to educate the total person—mind, body, and spirit—with a broad-spectrum education.
Our educational philosophy is based on the view that all truth is God’s truth, and the Bible is the inspired, infallible, authoritative Word of God that contains this truth.
HCA strongly believes Christian education starts with the family. A child’s foremost need is to have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, and the family “classroom” has an incomparable influence on children. That’s why HCA is dedicated to assisting parents and caretakers in the biblical training and Christian education of their children. We desire to closely collaborate with parents in every phase of their students’ spiritual formation and mental development.
At Highlands, teachers incorporate and communicate scriptural truths not just during designated Bible classes but into all areas of the curriculum—including the intellectual, social, emotional, and physical aspects.
Intellectual—We believe that loving God begins with the process of knowing Him through the unique human gift of intellect. Our minds lead us to a heart relationship with our Savior and Creator as our minds are transformed by the Word of God. Since God has revealed Himself to us not only in His Word but also in creation, a focused study of our world reveals to us His glory, His power, and other aspects of His righteous character. At HCA, students diligently study God’s creation and pursue high academic standards as a means of equipping themselves to become credible, effective Christian leaders in every sphere of influence for which God has called them.
Social—God has created us to live in community settings and to function as salt and light in our world. Therefore, HCA provides students with opportunities for appropriate interaction with their peers, with faculty and staff, as well as interaction in our community. We emphasize relationships that are characterized by respect, compassion, truthfulness, forgiveness, and purity.
Emotional—HCA strives to provide an atmosphere that is genuine, safe, and uplifting. We believe that emotions are a gift from God, and that part of a student’s education is learning to handle his or her emotions properly—in ways that are pleasing to Jesus. Our students are encouraged to positively express their creativity and emotions through the Arts as well as in their everyday interactions with others. As educators and role models, we believe it is our job to pour courage into children so they can be and do all God has for them.
Physical—Because the Bible says we are fearfully and wonderfully made, HCA believes physical education is important for each student. Physical education includes participating in athletics, learning about health and nutrition, and receiving age-appropriate instruction about purity. Our goal is to ensure each student learns good stewardship of his or her body. | <urn:uuid:6d4d2905-e963-4fd4-8e89-229d6eed8ba9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://highlandschristian.org/content.php?pid=55 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96811 | 597 | 1.554688 | 2 |
The Apple tablet rumors/predictions have ratcheted up in recent weeks, with the consensus being that the world will finally meet this mysterious (and as yet officially unconfirmed) device this fall or early 2010, and possibly at the iPod event next month. But what, exactly, does it all mean?
For Apple Inc., launching a tablet—likely with a 10-inch screen—will let it play in the lucrative (and growing) sub-notebook computing space without embracing the “netbook” designation. Steve Jobs himself has been publically very anti-netbook, saying they’re not ready for prime time. The idea, he said, is that anyone wanting a pocket-sized computing device need look no further than the iPhone. Going with a tablet form factor allows Apple to get out of that corner and take on the rash of mini-PCs, which have been flooding the market thanks to mobile operators bundling, subsidizing and selling them like smartphones.
Whether a netbook or a tablet, there’s money to be made in the mini-Mac concept. Piper Jaffray's Apple analyst Gene Munster said last week that Apple should be able to sell two million tablets in 2010, at $600 a pop, translating to $1.2 billion and boosting company revenue by about 3 percent. Whether he is correct is anyone’s guess, but the buzz level on the tablet would indicate consumers are interested in the idea. Very interested.
A rundown of the current rumors:
• Various reports peg the launch date for later this year or early next, with it possibly being revealed at the iPod event in September.
• It will come with new features for Apple, like "Cocktail," which is a music album sales application.
• There is also a report that an entertainment-focused “pad” (music, photos, video) from Apple is coming to Verizon Wireless. No 3G, just Wi-Fi.
• The iPhone OS specs now include something called an iProd. No one has any idea what it is for sure, but rumors abound that it’s a tablet, an iPhone nano, or maybe a personal training device.
• Apple engineers are working on making the tablet chip faster than the 800MHz ARM chip that powers the iPhone 3G S.
The blog sourced below goes into the current batch of rumors in much more depth. | <urn:uuid:c712fd2d-2857-4412-ba57-3826db5c2dc1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.channelpartnersonline.com/news/2009/08/apple-tablet-coming-soon-1-2b-in-revenue.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947076 | 496 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Peabody Energy dumps retirees in to company "created to fail," then cuts their pensions and benifits
Peabody Energy, the largest coal company in the US and one of the largest in the world, is once again embroiled in controversy over shady treatment of employees. In 2007, Peabody Energy created Patriot Coal, a spin-off company comprised of Peabody’s eastern US mines. According to lawsuits involving the United Mine Workers (UMW), Patriot was formed as a place to stash union mines in West Virginia and the Midwest, along with the significant pension and health-care obligations that these eastern mines held. +
Dubious LNG exports study was conducted in secret by contractor with ties to coal and oil industries
The Heartland Institute
One South Wacker Drive #2740
Chicago, Illinois 60606
Founded in 1984 in Chicago, the Heartland Institute is a libertarian "think tank" that bills itself as "a national nonprofit research organization dedicated to finding and promoting ideas that empower people." +
The Heartland Institute and Climate Science Denial
The New York Times has called Heartland “The primary American organization pushing climate change skepticism.” Heartland pushes climate denial by attacking legitimate climate scientists, paying professional shills, and publishing misleading psuedo-scientific materials. Fighting climate legislation has become a central priority for their organization over the last decade, according to fundraising documents.
Attacks on Climate Science and Scientists
Heartland routinely attacks climate science and scientists, especially after “climategate,” when the emails of prominent climate scientists were hacked and stolen from East Anglia University. Heartland used various lines from the emails, taken out of context, to promote the idea that a conspiracy of international science bodies are hiding the truth about the global climate.
The Heartland Institute has recieved harsh criticism for its billboard campaign that equated climate change advocacy with mass murder and terrorism. The billboards featured pictures of Ted Kaczynski, Charles Manson, and Fidel Castro, next to the text “I still believe in Global Warming. Do You?”
Heartland also funds the Non-governmental Intenational Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC), which is expressly dedicated to attacking the UN’s International Panel on Climate Change reports. The NIPCC produces a report called "Climate Change Reconsidered"
Funding Climate Denial Meetings
A key part of Heartland’s assault on the scientific evidence of climate change is the climate denial meetings Heartland funds and organizes. Heartland has put on six conferences on climate denial in the past 5 years, and has recently announced a seventh to take place May 21-23 in Chicago. The “International Climate Conferences” as Heartland calls them, provide a platform and meeting space for the small cadre of professional climate science deniers that have derailed meaningful solutions to the threats of global warming in the U.S.
Paying Climate Science Deniers
Heartland has long been associated with the small core of professional climate change science deniers. Internal budget and fundraising documents obtained in February of 2012 revealed that Heartland was paying significant sums of money to 13 of the most notorious climate change denialists - including Craig Idso, who is set to receive $11,600 per month in 2012, specifically to attack the International Panel on Climate Change reports.
Craig Idso is one of the principle drivers of the myth that “CO2 is good for you,” and increased levels on carbon in the atmosphere will cause a “greening of planet Earth.” He currently runs the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change, a contrarian Arizona-based group funded in part by ExxonMobil. He is the son of its president, Sherwood B. Idso, and the brother of its vice president, Keith E. Idso.
Fred Singer, a true ‘scientist for hire’ who has also claimed that second hand tobacco smoke is not harmful, acid rain is not caused by pollution, DDT poses no threat to environment, and CFC’s are not affecting the ozone. Fred Singer is set to recieve $5,000 a month from the Heartland Institute.
Heartland’s payroll also included university professors in the U.S. and Canada and a senior advisor at the U.S. Department of the Interior. Several professors and the DOI advisor are currently under investigation by their employers over their failure to disclose the funding they received from Heartland to attack climate science.
"The Greening of Planet Earth" featuring Craig Idso
Pushing Climate Denial in Schools
According to its 2012 fundraising document, Heartland is paying $100,000 US Department of Energy (DOE) official named David Wojick to create a "Global Warming Curriculum" for grades K-12. The curriculum, for which Heartland plans to pay a total $200,000, asserts that "whether humans are changing the climate is a major scientific controversy."
Well known climate scientist Micheal Mann called the curriculum “so amoral its difficult to put in to words”
Collaboration with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)
American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), which has peddled laws written by corporate lobbyists through state legislatures that make it easy for its dirty energy members, such as Exxon, Koch Industries and Peabody coal, to influence how climate science is presented to students. The so-called "Environmental Literacy Improvement Act," which has been introduced in seven states and became law in at least three, would establish a state-level council to oversee all scientific material presented to students, allowing companies to smother classroom science with K street politics. This council would notably exclude anyone with environmental science credentials, instead composing itself in the following proportions:
ALEC and Heartland have shared numerous staff and "experts" over the years, including Sandy Liddy Bourne, who was ALEC's Director of the Energy, Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Task Force for the from 1999-2004, before being promoted to Director of Legislation and Policy, where she oversaw all of ALEC's task forces and helped boost state enactment of ALEC's corporate bills from 11 percent to 20 percent. In Bourne's time directing ALEC's environmental task force, the "Environmental Literacy Improvement Act" was created and approved by ALEC's board in June, 2000.
Leaked Internal Documents 2012
In February of 2012, internal strategy and funding documents detailing the Heartland Institute's campaign of global warming denial were released to DeSmogBlog. The documents included strategies for raising funds from Koch brothers foundations, as well as a plan to create school curriculums that cast doubt on global warming science. See Polluterwatch's ongoing investigation for more details.
Though Heartland has claimed that one of the documents was a "fake", independent analysis has cleared Peter Gleick, the climate scientist who obtained the documents, of all accusations of forgery.
Corporate Sponsors Drop Funding
Media attention on Heartland’s extreme climate stance, and questionable tactics has caused major corporations to distance themselves from Heartland. In 2007 ExxonMobil, a major funder of climate science attacks, stopped funding the Institute, saying they could no longer support groups that “serve as a distraction” to the climate issue. However, major corporations like Nucor and Pfizer still fund Heartland’s activities. A full list of donors is available on Polluterwatch. A breakdown of corporate funding to the Heartland Institute is also available from Forcast the Facts.
Seventh International Conference on Climate Change ExxonSecrets map:
101 Constitution Ave. NW
Suite 500 East
Washington, D.C. 20001
The National Mining Association (NMA) is the national trade organization of the U.S. mining industry.
Formed in 1995 and comprised of over 300 corporate members, it is the largest and most powerful lobbying group representing the mining industry. NMA does not disclose who its members are. According to its website, the goal of the NMA is to “represent the interests of mining before Congress, the Administration, federal agencies, the judiciary and the media.” +
NMA recently began an astroturf campaign in support of exporting coal mined in the US overseas. NMA’s members include Peabody Energy, one of the largest potential beneficiaries from exporting US coal.
NMA spent $4.8 million on lobbying in 2012. One of the lobbying firms contracted by NMA is the influential Podesta Group.
From 1997 to the 2012 election cycle, NMA had spent over $40 million on lobbying, primarily on bills related to clean energy and green jobs, the regulation of greenhouse gases, coal mine reclamation, and carbon capture and storage.
Gregory H. Boyce, the current CEO of Peabody Energy, served as Chairman of the National Mining Assocaition.
NMA, with input from Peabody Energy, authored the talking points used by republicans against the Waxman Markey climate change bill that failed in 2010. The National Mining Association was listed as the ninth-largest association contributor to the anti-climate change effort, spending $4.2 million, primarily on the Waxman-Markey Climate Bill (HR 2454) to delay EPA GHG reductions
The Natinal Mining Assocaition runs COALPAC and MINEPAC, political action commitees that supports pro-mining candidates.
In 2010 NMA, the American Petroleum Institute, and other groups represeting the fossil fuel industry met with key Republican politicians including James Inhofe and Fred Upton to discuss President Obama's energy policy. The goal of the meeting was to "to lay the groundwork for a sweeping Republican-led effort to undercut Obama's climate agenda."
In 2011 Scholastic, the childrens books publisher, was caught distributing propaganda created by the National Mining Association to schools around the country. 66,000 fourth grade teachers received tralking points written by NMA to build into lesson plans.
Check out the latest cartoon by Mark Fiore, a spoof on the real-life habit of oil and gas companies to employ military specialists trained in psycological operations to convince U.S. landowners to sell their land for hydraulic fracturing. + | <urn:uuid:b2bdaf46-bf2b-4ca2-b11a-a13e6f2e864e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.polluterwatch.com/node | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946866 | 2,119 | 1.828125 | 2 |
S 510 Food Safety bill is still alive and may unleash a new army of FDA agents
Thursday, December 09, 2010
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
Editor of NaturalNews.com (See all articles...)
(NaturalNews) The U.S. government wants to know where your greenhouse is. Under Senate Bill 510 -- which is now back in the hands of the U.S. Senate after the House hid an amendment in an appropriations bill and passed it last night -- American food producers would be required to register their facilities with the U.S. government. The feds, it seems, want a database of food growers so they know who to target for surprise inspections (show me your papers!).
As stated in the bill itself: (http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi...)
SEC. 102. REGISTRATION OF FOOD FACILITIES. 18 (a) UPDATING OF FOOD CATEGORY REGULATIONS; BIENNIAL REGISTRATION RENEWAL. Section 415(a) (2120 U.S.C. 350d(a))
"The registration shall contain an assurance that the Secretary will be permitted to inspect such facility at the times and in the manner permitted by this Act."
What this language shows is that the point of registration is so that government agents can conduct surprise inspections of food facilities. At least 4,000 new FDA agents will need to be hired if this bill becomes law, greatly expanding the FDA's agent presence in much the same way the TSA expanded over the last few years.
Kangaroo courts for violators
Once an FDA inspection occurs, if the government believes the food grower is producing anything that might pose a risk to the public (and note carefully that "belief" is the only thing required, not actual scientific evidence of harm), that food grower is then "suspended" from producing food.
After that, they get dragged into a kangaroo FDA court where a panel of FDA officials then decides their fate. This takes place with no due process, no attorney, no Constitutional protections and no rights whatsoever. This is, in every sense, a "King's court" where the King can simply decide that you're guilty and put you out of business.
Here's the language in the S.510 legislation:
"(2) HEARING ON SUSPENSION. - The Secretary shall provide the registrant subject to an order under paragraph (1) with an opportunity for an informal hearing, to be held as soon as possible but not later than 2 business days after the issuance of the order or such other time period, as agreed upon by the Secretary and the registrant, on the actions required for reinstatement of registration and why the registration that is subject to suspension should be reinstated. The Secretary shall reinstate a registration if the Secretary determines, based on evidence presented, that adequate grounds do not exist to continue the suspension of the registration."
Did you read this carefully? It means the Secretary (a bureaucrat) gets to decide who can grow food and who can't. This is the FDA's kangaroo court, much like the FTC's kangaroo court that's currently being used to destroy companies offering nutritional supplements and natural cancer cures.
Remember, too, the bill abandoned actual science and now relies entirely on the FDA's "belief" to determine which foods to recall:
SEC. 208. ADMINISTRATIVE DETENTION OF FOOD.
23 (a) IN GENERAL. - Section 304(h)(1)(A) (21 U.S.C.24 334(h)(1)(A)) is amended by
(1) striking ''credible evidence or information indicating'' and inserting ''reason to believe'';
FDA tyranny is on the rise
So essentially what we have here is a food tyranny bill that would hand a group of un-elected bureaucrats who answer to no one the power to control virtually the entire U.S. food supply. This is an agency, by the way, that is already responsible for the deaths of millions of Americans (http://www.naturalnews.com/030461_S...).
This is an agency that has participated in armed raids against natural product companies (http://www.naturalnews.com/021791.html).
To all those who say "S. 510 is no big deal, the FDA won't abuse its power, this is just about safety" -- I say you have no grasp of the history of tyranny. The FDA has virtually never taken action to protect the People. Its actions have consistently been shaped to maximize the profits of the powerful corporations even at the expense of human lives.
Just read the history of Vioxx if you need a refresher on that point (http://www.naturalnews.com/009693.html).
That the U.S. Congress would now seek to hand over control of our food supply to this dangerous, rogue government agency is an obscene betrayal of the American people. This is precisely why we must stand up and fight S.510 once again to defeat it in the Senate where it is now schedule for yet another vote. (Like a bad case of herpes, this bill just won't die, it seems...)
Sign the petition at: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/...
Once again, CALL your representatives in the House and the Senate. You can reach the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for your representatives by name.
By the way, just for the record, I am appalled at the lack of action on this item by some so-called "health freedom" organizations which appear to be doing absolutely nothing to rally opposition to this bill. A few groups are fighting hard to oppose it (NaturalNews, ANH-USA.com, Natural Solutions Foundation, etc.) but there are several which appear to be sitting on the sidelines, doing nothing. I'm not sure why. This is precisely the kind of issue that should have the entire health freedom community up in arms to protect our food freedoms.
Robert Scott Bell gets it, by the way. So do the Vitamin Lawyer (Ralph Fucetola) and health freedom attorneys like James Turner and Jonathan Emord. All the freedom-oriented people seem to understand how crucial this is to maintain our food freedoms and keep the FDA out of our farms as much as possible. If you think the FDA is bad now, just wait until they are granted yet more powers (and funding) to unleash an army of thousands of new agents who sweep across America, raiding small family farms (no, they're not all exempted from this bill) and imprisoning raw milk producers.
The FDA is about to become the SS of food fascism. This is not an exaggeration. Who would have thought, five years ago, that the TSA would be reaching down your pants and feeling your genitals? Just imagine now what the FDA will do with similar powers over your food and farms. Crudely put, the TSA may be feeling your junk, but the FDA will have us all by the balls.
Take action now to protect your food freedoms (or you will forever lose them).
Articles Related to This Article:
• Senate Bill 510 Food Safety? The FDA has killed far more people than contaminated eggs or lettuce
• Top ten lies about Senate Bill 510
• (Part I) The FDA is a clearing house for the Food and Drug Corruption
• (Part II) The FDA is a clearing house for Food and Drug Corruption
• Feds reject complaints of FDA misconduct in medical device approvals
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/030672_Food_Safety_bill_FDA.html#ixzz17dIZW1l5 | <urn:uuid:b0e3197b-74be-4b02-af8f-510a267df66d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://newresearchfindingstwo.blogspot.com/2010/12/s-510-food-safety-bill-is-still-alive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934097 | 1,605 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Yes, I’m quite mad… but looking beyond that for a sec… I’m also a developer. The problem is, I don’t fully understand what that means. ”Well,” you might think, “that’s your problem.” And since, in all likelihood, I’m talking to no one here but myself, here, your probably right. I’ll have you know that I’m perfectly content to talk to nothingness, nothingness being a much better at listening than most people.
But just suppose, for a second, that rather than nothingness, you are a sentient entity…moreover…a developer as well. I’d venture that you and most other developers find your identity equally nebulous. Perhaps you fancy yourself a java developer, a perl developer, a front-end developer, a software engineer, a web developer, or an architect? These are some of the many different hats a developer may wear, and the distinctions between them are not always abundantly clear. The only constant through-out seems to be “developer” or “engineer” which is almost as ill defined as claiming you are a “creator” or a “wizard.”
I find that, with this lack of definition, it is not always clear how to improve. Furthermore, development can be a way of being, much as an artist will not claim he or she “does” art, but rather, is an artist. And so it is not even alway clear how a developer is to exist in the ill-defined/imbalanced world of ours.
So, like millions of other before me, I am starting a blog so that I can submit my thoughts and ideas for the world to ignore. This is, among other things:
- an attempt to chronicle a developer’s journey through a world that lacks the order and precision.
- an attempt to lend order to the chaos of social, corporate, academic dynamics.
- an attempt to discover how to become a better developer
But above all else, this is an attempt to find out how to use semi-colons properly. And so it is with way, WAY too much dramatic flair, that I say: | <urn:uuid:42fc50cf-34df-47e8-b426-591fba9dcc0a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.themaddeveloper.com/hello-world-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947741 | 476 | 1.734375 | 2 |
The Obama Administration has announced that it is relaxing deportation policies for young Latinos who are illegally residing in the United States, giving a sigh of relief and hope to the children of illegal immigrants, but garnering criticism from rivals who accuse that the president is bypassing Congress in making major national decisions.
Although, the decision taken by Obama was praised by many sections of the society, yet the president came under fire for not taking more actions to tackle the overall illegal immigration issue.
Critics allege that majority of the social issues; crimes and related problems are on the rise as a result of the 10 million illegal immigrants living in the U.S. Besides, the announcement came as a pain across the Olympic Peninsula, where the Border Patrol has drawn national awareness for expanding its existence in the past several years.
Although no mistake of their own, an age band of children of illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. in their youth have continued living in the shade of American life. These young people, according to Obama Administration’s decision, will receive a 2-year official pardon from likely deportation. Moreover, beneficiaries of the offer who get endorsed can subsequently ask for official work permits.
According to a report in the Washington Post, “The reprieve is aimed at those who might be described as most likely to succeed: an estimated 800,000 people, under 30 years old, in school or having graduated or served in the armed forces, without a significant criminal record, who pose no threat to national security or public safety. In many cases they are strivers who have known only America as home. Deporting them to countries they left as children makes no sense.”
According to the Los Angeles Times, the Obama Administration’s decision was the result of more than ten years of continuous political efforts by Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, and her associate immigrant rights activists.
"We organized. We pushed really really hard," Salas said, according to the LA Times. "It's great to know our hard work is paying off. But there is so much more to do."
Even though Obama’s decision gives a provisional reprieve to the young immigrants, however after the revels, one more fret comes out. Whereas no more endangered with banishment, the young immigrants could discover themselves still in a dusky precinct, an under-class with no map to a complete part in American society. | <urn:uuid:fa4110f6-040f-44db-93b9-6861d1bfb960> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/12398467-obamas-new-immigration-policy-comforts-young-latinos-irks-rivals | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974919 | 500 | 1.84375 | 2 |
I will do my best to separate out our interactions under the categories he set out, and add two others of my own.
DISCUSSION 1: Objective morality.
What about "the degree to which systems of behaviour mutually satisfy all adult participants"? Wouldn't that rule out the "bad" behaviours you list, and rule in the good ones?
1) This would mean that kiddie porn rings are perfectly acceptable.
2) How in the world would this work in the real world for most anything (except kiddie porn rings)? When are ALL adult participants "satisfied" in this fallen, messed-up world? Aren't there always dissenters? By what standard and authority do you simply write them off and arbitrarily exclude them? You didn't tell us, which tells us --AGAIN-- that you have a different moral standard than the one you're expressing explicitly. And it seems to be nothing more or less than "That which is moral is what is in accord with my personal preferences".
3) Why SHOULD anyone else accept this moral standard? Where is your Pope of Morality badge to foist this moral standard on the rest of us?
4) Why not choose "the degree to which systems of behaviour mutually DISsatisfy all adult participants"? Why did you choose that which is more comfortable to you? Again you're letting your real motivations slip through the cracks. There's no a priori reason to accept satisfaction over dissatisfaction, pleasure over pain, survival over death, other than your personal preferences.
5) In fact, I bet there are situations about which you'd agree it's better not to achieve wide acceptance from other people, such as heroically standing up against a prevailing attitude of injustice. This causes dissatisfaction among the majority of people, and can lead to pain among everyone involved. One example would be opposing S African apartheid, or the American civil rights movement of the 1960s with Martin Luther King.
6) You say "the 'bad' behaviours" I listed. how do you know they are bad? Isn't that the very question at hand? Which you're, here, begging?
7) You put "bad" in quotes. May I take that to mean that you don't in actuality think that torturing children, creating a fascistic state, and killing all intellectuals and freethinkers are not really bad, but just "bad"? What does this even mean? And why don't you live like that?
it was made clear to me that being a dick wasn't the way to go, for anybody.
This begs the question that "the way to go" = what people wanted you to do.
In essence, you caved to peer pressure. Why should that be an example for anyone else to follow?
How do you know that what you heard was right? To what did you compare it to make a correct judgment? It sounds like societal approval was, here, the very standard itself.
How do you know that following the path of less resistance in this case was the right move?
Why did you follow society's definition of "being a dick"? Are we supposed to accept this as some sort of well-thought-out move on your part, which others should emulate because of your deep and profound reflections about it?
Unless I wanted to be a hunted maniac cackling in the deep woods while the FBI dogs searched for me, I'd have to "get along".
Notice that this is merely an argument from unsavory consequences.
You didn't want to be persecuted, so you acceded to others' demands. There is no principle here.
It's simply never occurred to me to wonder why genocide is "wrong"
I know, and that's probably one big reason you're a "possibilian" - you haven't ever thought deeply about these issues and realised your position's utter absurdity.
Now's your chance. I encourage you not to let the opportunity pass you by. Stop feeding yourself, and the rest of us, this pablum and actually deal with my questions, the ones I am asking, not the ones you wish I were asking.
I looked through a few of the archived discussions on your blog, and see that a few other people have expressed similar reactions - they get a few posts in before they realise that what seemed like a Socratic method is more like a five year old emptily repeating "why".
Oh yes, like the amazingly profound and thoughtful tracieh from the Atheist Experience, LOL.
Notice that the passage you quoted from her was nothing more than dismissive drivel. Where did she actually deal with my questions?
I'm starting to know how she feels
Imagine how stimulating our conversation would be if you actually started dealing with my questions the first time around, instead of requiring that I keep digging at you to get you to deal with the real issue!
You seem to think of morality as a top down set of rules held together by the authority of their author (etymology pun?), whereas Damion and I think of it as a system for "getting along" held together by its internal consistency.
Morality is defined as "what one OUGHT TO do", basically. How else to explain that besides an authority, a source of normativity?
You're assuming that "getting along" is an ought. I keep asking you to PROVE IT. Here's another chance.
>That's the naturalistic fallacy.
I admit I've never heard of that before. So I looked it up. I don't find it compelling.
Oh, do tell. How precisely do you take an IS and turn it into an OUGHT?
As Darwinians like to say (in their naked appeals to authority) - how about you take your thoughts, write them up, and submit them to a philosophical journal? I'm sure the philosophical community would love to see Hume's Guillotine solved! You could be famous overnight!
If it is, in fact, "good" to torture, rape, kill, and exterminate each other, suffer for no reason, etc - so what?
If that was what god wanted, would you do it?
This "if that was what God wanted, would you do it?" may sound sophisticated and trenchant, but it's actually 100% irrelevant. God's morality and laws exist above any obedience from His creation. Even if nobody ever obeyed His law at any time in any way, His law would be no more or less righteous and just than it is now.
At the risk of overwhelming you with proper theological reasoning, see here if you're really interested in the answer.
The term "good", in that sense, just seems empty and uninteresting to me. It's like asking how we know breathing is "fantabulous" - I don't care. What's "fantabulous"? Why is it "fantabulous" that I should care what "fantabulous" is? It's just a fatuous term that refers to nothing.
Then why did you frame your initial comments to me using those terms?
You don't really believe this. You're just backtracking to it now that your bluff has been called.
So is this what you meant?here's my problem, and maybe what I should have said in the first place - "the important thing" about his atonement here is still that it is *scapegoat human sacrifice*.Any person that did that would be reprehensible - but somehow it's good when god does it.
I can only assume that this is the only consistent way to take your initial comments to me.here's my problem, and maybe what I should have said in the first place - "the BLAH" about his atonement here is still that it is *scapegoat human sacrifice*.Any person that did that would be BLAH - but somehow it's BLAH when god does it.
Here's another one, ripe for filling in the blanks with what you really meant:
The overall vision of the world you seemed to paint for me *was*, in fact, simply nihilism - with the concomitant lack of reasons for "good" and "bad": the only addition you had made to nihilism, as far as I could see, was the far-more-horrifying introduction of the possibility of an infinity of suffering if we guess wrong about the nature of our situation, and an infinitely powerful, infinitely free agent (I said "entity" because the way you described said agent didn't sound like any god I've ever heard of) roaming through the universe, plucking living souls out of life and burning them forever as it felt like it.
What's so very funny/sad about this is it only took about 7 comments for you to fulfill precisely what I was saying, and which you had originally decried.
"Lack of reasons for 'good' and 'bad'" - you've just now demonstrated that this is exactly what you believe.
And given that, your complaints about the "infinitely powerful...entity...burning them forever as it felt like it" are meaningless, aren't they? So what? Is this a bad thing? Isn't "bad" the opposite of "good"? And as you said, in your view, the term "good", in that sense, just seems empty and uninteresting to you. It's like asking how we know breathing is "fantabulous" - you don't care. What's "fantabulous"? Why is it "fantabulous" that you should care what "fantabulous" is? It's just a fatuous term that refers to nothing.
So this stuff about God being mean for casting people into Hell... it's fatuous. So what? What's "bad"? Why is it "Bad" that you should (or shouldn't) care what "bad" is?
You're lost in a sea of autonomous cluelessness. Such is the fate of all those who reject the God Who created the universe in which you live.
I don't see why an invalid if invalidates ifs. "If" we want to catch a cold, we "ought" to lick doorknobs. Does that invalidate hygiene?
That's a far too simplistic restatement. It's not "invalidating 'if's". It's showing you that they're useless.
People have all sorts of desires. The whole "if" thing you've set up doesn't differentiate between "if"s - that's the problem. You have no way to know whether my "if"s are better than yours, even if my "if"s are based around (to take approximately the worst thing I can imagine) how I can achieve power over the maximum number of girls so as to rape and kill them whenever the mood strikes) and your "if"s are about feeding and clothing starving children and elderly.
why would I want to do brutal things?
B/c of personal preference, and nothing more.
My question was designed to reveal that you don't have a reason beyond your preferences and peer pressures and "upbringing".
See, that's not how *I* answer moral questions, thank God. I have an ultimate standard to which I can appeal, no matter what zilch cluelessly says.
DISCUSSION 2: Radical solipsism.
you're of course free to disagree, but I invite any third party readers to contemplate their own feelings of ambivalence regarding the relative worth of fortune cookie based decisions vs evidence.
Of course, this is no answer to my challenge. You're acting like an insecure bully who, after your ritual posturing of dominance didn't work, now appeals to his buddies for courage. This isn't a fight, of course, but you're turning around to your audience and asking "Right? Right?" and feeding off their imagined chuckles and snickers.
This doesn't assist you in actually answering the question, however. That's the main problem. How about you just answer it?
It's like saying a glass of water and the ocean are both "water", so how can you decide which one you'd rather drink without referring to supernatural authority?
I don't see how this analogy applies. I'd appreciate clarification.
There comes a point when "our spade is turned". My question to you would simply be: why is your spade-turn moment more valid than mine? You claim that, because god has such-and-such attributes, you know logic works - but how do you know he has those attributes?
Mine is more valid because it is internally consistent, while yours is internally INconsistent.
Mine answers the fundamental questions, and yours merely assumes them.
I have a coherent First Principle - God lives and speaks - and you don't.
I have every reason, given my First Principle, to think that I have access to truth using my cognitive faculties. You don't have any reason to think that.
I know He has those attributes b/c He spoke and revealed them.
And dear god, don't quote the bible at me
Tell you what - I won't quote the Bible as soon as you stop quoting YOUR Bible at ME. Stop aiming the utterances of your cognitive faculties and personal preferences at me until you justify them.
Oh wait, that's impossible.
It's impossible for me to reason apart from God, b/c He is the source and author of reason itself. He is the necessary precondition for all reasoning and rational thought.
You're doing the same thing as you think I'm doing, but you don't realise it.
If you disagree, give me some evidence that your cognitive faculties are reliably aimed at producing true beliefs, given your position's tenets and implications. Do us all a favor and make sure to analyse your answer in advance and ask yourself "Did I just make another set of blind-faith statements and naked assertions, or did I actually answer Rhology's questions?"
How do you know the bible didn't just randomly form out of nothing in the last few seconds, along with your false memories of it?
Here you go.
You have a far bigger problem with that question than I do.
MAX 2: "when confronted with multiple spade-turn moments, we pick the option requiring the least faith".
1) How do you know that is right and true?
2) How do you measure "least" vs "most" faith? What is your standard?
Can't you see how, as you continue to explore your rebellious and autonomous 'reasoning', you keep raising more crippling questions than you're answering?
(My own addendum)
DISCUSSION 3: Defining the Christian position
I invite you to post "only a religion of scapegoat human sacrifice can provide a standard of morality" on your blog header.
1) I'd be happy to do so, if it were true.
Christianity is far, far more than what you said, for one thing.
Also, it's not just "a" religion. It's THE TRUE religion, the one God revealed. Christianity has no value unless it comes from God.
2) The statement's content is not actually true. ANYone can provide "a standard of morality". The challenge I've been making to you is to provide one that is beyond:
a. Your own personal preferences (ie, show me your Pope of Morality badge)
b. Fallacious appeals to IS to get OUGHT
c. Counting noses (ie, appeal to societal approval, as you imagine it) (which is, of course, a mere argumentum ad populum)
The question here is, once you give your your standard, whether your standard is correct and has any value.
By that virtue, Christianity's standard is of infinite value and truth, since it is based in an infinitely knowledgeable and good Creator.
>>God is always justified in putting anyone to death whenever He wants. You and other humans are not so justified.
The idiom "above the law" means "exempt from the laws that apply to everyone else."
The condition you've described for god is *exactly* "above the law".
You didn't say how He is above the law, so there's nothing to do here.
To explain what I think you're saying: Since God is justified in putting anyone to death at any time, He obeys His law perfectly, since the law is "Don't unjustifiably kill".
Such is not true of humans. We're not God.
In what sense is he the definition of goodness if he does things that aren't "good" (scapegoat human sacrifice)?
On Christianity, the sacrifice of Jesus was the good-est thing that was ever done - the ultimate expression of God's love for His rebellious and evil people.
I'm not sure what this question is meant to express.
(My own addendum)
MINI-DISCUSSION 4 - Odds and ends
If the wars of the twentieth century had killed the same proportion of the population that die in the wars of a typical tribal society, there would have been two billion deaths, not 100 million. "
1) Even if that were true, it still requires much more effort to kill 100 million than to kill 100.
2) You forget that y'all education-idolaters like to claim that, with education, anything is possible and massive advances are just over the horizon. Has the entire world ever been at war before?
3) More than just "war" occurred during the 20th century. Remember the massive genocidal projects, beyond the scope of anything attempted before. Done in the name of "scientific progress"? | <urn:uuid:6cbe767a-0fed-4c60-9937-42ba5e110e46> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://rhoblogy.blogspot.com/2011/08/still-no-idea-2.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970445 | 3,693 | 1.609375 | 2 |
When we think of Target, we usually visualize a middle market company that executes a low cost, high volume product strategy. To be sure, the chain does maintain a stylistically distinctive brand image, but it offers a very basic value proposition: to provide a modestly comfortable shopping experience while maintaining low sales prices.
Recently, though, Target announced a pair of highly unusual business initiatives that will dramatically differentiate it from the competition. First, it announced that it is collaborating with a major consumer electronics firm to form a joint venture; then, it reached out to its suppliers in an aggressive attempt to respond to a challenge from Amazon.
It remains to be seen, of course, which approach will prove to be the more effective one. Interestingly, though, each of Target’s initiatives appears to be based on a different assumption about its primary core competency.
The War On Showrooming
Last week, Target reached out to its suppliers and asked for help in combating the practice of showrooming. It’s an activity that has blossomed with the emergence of internet-based shopping; it refers to consumers who “scope out” products in a bricks-and-mortar store and then use the internet to purchase them from discount web sites like Amazon.
Because web-based retailers do not incur the costs of maintaining store networks, they can undercut the sales prices of chains like Target. And in many states, web-based retailers can avoid collecting sales taxes from customers as well.
Frustrated by the practice of showrooming, Target’s executives asked their suppliers to consider designing special edition products that would be exclusively sold through their stores. The executives also implied that they would welcome discount pricing arrangements with their suppliers, and would (presumably) pass along the lower costs to their customers.
By making such requests, Target’s executives signaled that they intend to continue battling Amazon and other online retailers. At the same time, though, Target is also taking a drastically different approach to managing the competition.
If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em
Two weeks ago, Target and Apple jointly announced an innovative new venture. Apparently, Apple will soon begin to utilize Target’s floor space to create “store within a store” boutiques for its products and services.
Apple boutiques within Target stores? That might become a very uncomfortable arrangement! After all, the two firms compete directly with each other to sell computers, mobile phones, and other electronics merchandise.
Furthermore, with Apple dramatically expanding its own global retail store network, the two firms are probably heading for more intense competition in the future. And yet Target has decided to turn over a significant amount of its floor space to the world’s most admired company.
The Core Competency
How can we make sense of this dramatic divergence in competitive strategies? One approach, perhaps, is to understand the two different perspectives by which Target may be defining its primary core competency.
If a retailer focuses its efforts on the creation of an attractive shopping environment, then it wouldn’t necessarily be alarmed by the prospect of more intense product competition. Starbucks, for instance, comfortably sold Top Pot doughnuts in its stores for many years because it has always defined its primary competency as the creation of a social “third place” between home and work. It has never simply defined itself as a vendor of coffee and doughnuts.
On the other hand, if a retailer focuses on the maximization of sales volume, then it would always be concerned about more intense product competition. Automobile companies, for instance, often prohibit their dealers from affiliating with rival manufacturers because they define their primary core competencies as “selling cars” and not “creating an attractive environment for automobile buyers.”
If we apply these concepts to Target, it’s easy to categorize the retailer as a sales focused organization in order to understand their Amazon initiative. But is it reasonable to simultaneously define them as a “social environment” organization in order to understand their Apple initiative?
Welcome To Magnolia!
You may be struggling to envision an Apple boutique within a Target store, one that provides a typical Apple store environment to its customers. But other low cost, high volume retailers are successfully executing this strategy; Best Buy, for instance, has been hosting hundreds of similar Apple boutiques for several years.
In addition, Best Buy has been partnering with Magnolia Design Centers to host hundreds of high end electronics boutiques within their stores. The partnership continues to be a successful one; it may well have served as a model for Best Buy’s (and now Target’s) expanding joint venture with Apple.
In other words, although many may believe that Target would be better served by focusing on a single core competency of low cost, high volume sales, Best Buy has actually been doing so and simultaneously pursuing a successful boutique business strategy for several years. Apparently, Target shoppers will soon learn whether the retailer can manage to focus on two core competencies at once. | <urn:uuid:92ad4330-59d5-4e31-8312-7829ef8bfd25> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://aqpq.org/2012/01/30/target-vs-best-buy-clashing-strategies/?shared=email&msg=fail | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960569 | 1,038 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Photo by Anupam Pal (Kanpur, India)
Photographed December 2007, Chakdaha, India
It's interesting to me that there are people who claim to be Christians who also will claim, sometimes in the same breath, that there are some miracles of the Bible that they think could not possibly have really happened. So, God is powerful enough to make the earth--just by speaking--but then He struggles with parting the Red Sea or sending a great fish to swallow Jonah or walking on water? This seems inconsistent to me. Frankly, I can't see how anyone who believes in God--especially the God of the Bible--can deny that He has control over all of nature. (Just read Job 38-41 if you have any doubts as to the kind of power ascribed to Him.) But, it's deeper than that. It's much more than God having "control over" nature. God doesn't just control nature. Nature is a piece of God in the same way a painting is a piece of the artist. God is in nature. (But, to be clear, God is not 'in the tree' or contained by His creation like a sprite or a 'force'. See: I Kings 19:11-13) He works through it, but He is also glorified by it--in its beauty and in its power. But let us not forget that creation was designed for a purpose and with us in mind. Creation is for us--designed to perfectly fit our physical needs, but also perfectly designed to complement our spiritual needs by being a reflection of our Creator.
But, I digress...
One thing that kind-of bothers me is that some theologians like to split up miracles into categories. There are miracles that work with nature--like the first 9 plagues of Egypt or the calming of the storm. And then there are miracles that work above/against nature--like the 10th plague of Egypt or Jesus turning water into wine or the axe-head floating. They seem to suggest this shows how God is powerful in different ways, but really, I just think it shows more about us. The only real difference between a miracle that works within nature (as we understand it) or against nature (as we understand it) is our understanding or lack there of. We act as if one is harder for God than the other, which is absolutely ridiculous.
Think historically for a moment. If I was to go back only a mere couple hundred years with my ipod, I bet I could convince some folks I was capable of performing a miracle. That's because they simply wouldn't understand how I did it. Now, I'm not saying God doesn't really perform miracles. I'm saying everything God does is a miracle. It doesn't matter if it seems simple to us--like photosynthesis or rain or seeing a sunset. But think for a moment about each of those things. They are extremely common, but also extremely complicated, when you think about it. We don't think of them as miraculous because we experience them often and because we think we know how they work. (Most of us really don't, when pressed.) So, the only real difference between what we think of as a common, everyday occurrence and a miracle is our perspective (not God's). Frankly, we could no more imagine or create the process of photosynthesis any more than we could walk on water. Only God can do either.
So, it's a little comical when we have the audacity to claim God can create the sun, imagine a sunset into being, give us the power of sight so we can enjoy it, and then start listing all the things God "can't" do. As if we, in our infinite wisdom, knowledge and cosmic understanding, can decide which things would be harder for God to do. (That last clause doesn't even make sense to me!)
So, here are some questions for you:
Is God really pitted against "science"? What does that even mean? (Science, by the way, is a process, not a thing. So, keep that in mind when you answer.)
For those of you who believe in God, do you also believe in miracles? What about the miracles of the Bible--all of them? Why or why not?
If some miracles are harder for God than others, what does that say about God's character? And, what source do you trust for describing God's character? | <urn:uuid:d22f7c2e-8811-4d91-9fe6-bb138cedfff6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thewritejourney.blogspot.com/ | 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 | 0.976299 | 913 | 1.742188 | 2 |
1. Théodore Géricault (1791-1824)
Alfred and Elisabeth Dedreux, c. 1818
Oil on canvas - 99.2 x 79.4 cm
Ancient Yves Saint-Laurent and
Pierre Bergé collection
Sold 9 025 000 €
Photo : Christie’s Paris
8/4/09 – Museum – Louvre Abou Dhabi – France-Muséums has just started acquiring works for the Abou Dhabi museum and there are already signs of a conflict of interest with French museums, ultimately settled to the detriment of the latter. Thus, it has not taken long for our direst predictions to come true.
Abou Dhabi received one of the three Piet Mondrian paintings auctioned at the Bergé sale. Yet, there is no Mondrian from this date (around 1920) at Beaubourg and many people thought that the Musée National d’Art Moderne would try to pre-empt one. Withdrawing one of these canvases from the market makes it even more improbable for Beaubourg to acquire a painting from this date in the future. We must admit however that these three works had been acquired less than thirty years ago on the international market and that the export ban could not be applied in their case. As Beaubourg was interested in the Chirico painting, it did not have the means to bid for the Mondrian.
The real problem, though, is the Géricault painting, the Double Portrait of the Dedreux Children, about which we wrote extensively on this site explaining that this was a major loss for French heritage (see news item of 24/2/09).
We were surprised that the Louvre had not put it up for listing as a national treasure. The reason for this is very simple : there is already a long list of national treasures waiting to be acquired. The total value represents a significant sum and the Louvre does not have enough funds to purchase them all. This is understandable, although the pertinence of certain choices or the price of some objects might be questionable but, even so, we regret that the manna from Abou Dhabi cannot be applied towards these acquisitions. Furthermore, the Louvre is not the only museum in France. Rouen, and especially Lyon were also interested in acquiring it. Although they did not have the means to make such a purchase now, the 30 months’ delay accorded in the case of a national treasure could have been respected in the hopes of raising the funds .
France-Muséums did indeed inform the Louvre that it was interested in the Géricault painting and would step aside if the Louvre intended to pre-empt it. The museum confirmed that it would not try to do so, for lack of money. And France-Muséums then went ahead and made its bid at the auction ! The canvas went finally to Alain Tarica, an art dealer acting for a private collector, only because the French agency had not foreseen how high the price would go.
As long as the work is in private hands, there is always the hope that it will one day join a French collection. But Henri Loyrette, president of the Louvre, decided to allow Henri Loyrette, president of France-Muséums, to attempt the acquisition. The situation is far from being a clear one. Let us point out that France-Muséums did not wish to, or in fact was not able to, confirm or not the purchase of the Mondrian and its interest in the Géricault, no doubt due to the confidentiality clause which, it seems, it signed recently with Abou Dhabi… | <urn:uuid:50c6e2f5-8a28-4bee-bac9-aa155bb02a1a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thearttribune.com/First-signs-of-conflict-of.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968753 | 768 | 1.820313 | 2 |
26 November 2012
Dead Sea, Jordan
UNRWA Commissioner-General Filippo Grandi called on the international community and the parties to the Israel-Palestine conflict to "seize the opportunity" provided by the Gaza ceasefire. He called last week’s conflict a "tragic escalation" and urged all to "address the real problems underlying the crisis." Speaking to UNRWA’s Advisory Commission, Grandi called for "the illegal Israeli blockade to be lifted in all its aspects – crossings, fishing zones, imports, exports – with proper guarantees given to and by all parties in respect of the security of all civilians."
Read the full statement.
Grandi recognised that to address root causes, "difficult political work would have to be carried out, including promoting and supporting lasting Palestinian unity. But failing to act now will have dire consequences. The greatest danger is to return to the status quo ante, and restore the prison-like conditions of Gaza. If this happened, it would be only a matter of time till violence resumed."
He added that the crisis in Gaza was "about the unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a broader sense, with all its elements, including the situation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem."
Grandi also briefed Advisory Commission members on the crisis in Syria, where he said "concerns about the welfare of the half-million Palestine refugees there have grown as they are increasingly affected by the conflict. The vast majority of Palestinians in Syria maintain the shield of neutrality, aware that their protection depends on it. However", Grandi warned "we do observe explicit efforts to draw them into the conflict. It is therefore not difficult to imagine that they become, increasingly, targets of attacks – in the midst of a situation in which the killing and kidnapping of civilians, the destruction of their homes, and widespread fear have become so common that they don’t make the headlines any longer."
"UNRWA’s strategy in Syria, as in Gaza", he said, "is to be there, to maintain services, and to address the growing emergency needs as much as possible." UNRWA, he said, "possesses proven operational abilities, through its existing staff capacity and infrastructure, and will continue to build Palestinian resilience by continuing education, health and relief services, meeting emergency needs for food and supplies – particularly during winter – and assisting with shelter repair."
On the question of his own tenure as Commissioner-General, Grandi has informed staff that the Secretary General has decided to extend his term for one more year, until 20 January 2014. This will ensure the stability of UNRWA’s leadership during a time of difficult political challenges, unrest and volatility in the region.
UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is mandated to provide assistance and protection to a population of some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full potential in human development, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWA’s services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance and emergency assistance.
Financial support to UNRWA has not kept pace with an increased demand for services caused by growing numbers of registered refugees, expanding need, and deepening poverty. As a result, the Agency's General Fund, supporting UNRWA’s core activities and 97 per cent reliant on voluntary contributions, has begun each year with a large projected deficit. Currently the budget deficit stands at USD 21 million.
For more information, please contact:
Mobile: +972 (0)54 240 2659
Office: +972 (0)2 589 0267
UNRWA Arabic Spokesperson
Mobile: +972 (0)54 216 8295
Office: +972 (0)2 589 0724 | <urn:uuid:5dfb5ddc-ab50-46eb-9be2-e6c484f3ad1b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.unrwa.org/etemplate.php?id=1527 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951074 | 808 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Star tenor Luciano Pavarotti shares his favourite opera songs and his love of classical music in an interview with John Brunning
Luciano Pavarotti Biography
Luciano Pavarotti (1935-2007) is recognised as one of the most popular classical artists in the history of the recording industry.
Life and Music
- Born in Modena, Italy in 1935, Luciano's first musical experience was as a singer in his city's chorus alongside his father. A trip to Wales with the Gioachino Rossini chorus for The Llangollen International Singing Competition, where they won first prize, spurred on his ambition to become a tenor.
- After briefly training to become a teacher, the lure of opera was too great and after winning the prestigious Concorse Internazionale in 1961 he made his operatic debut as Rodolfo in La Boheme.
- In 1990 he became inextricably linked with football when he performed 'Nessun Dorma' at the opening of the World Cup as part of the Three Tenors alongside Plácido Domingo and José Carreras. Shortly afterwards, his album, The Essential Pavarotti, became the first classical album to reach No. 1 in the UK pop charts.
- In September 2007, after years of ill health and a series of cancelled tours, Pavarotti died at the age of 71.
- His most famous music includes a recording of The Verdi Requiem and the Rossini Stabat Mater, as well as many best-selling solo discs of recitals, aria collections, Neapolitan and Italian songs.
Did you know?
Dedicated to developing the careers of young singers, Pavarotti established the Pavarotti International Singing Competition, which launched the careers of many singers today including Roberto Alagna. His annual charity concert Pavarotti & Friends brought together artists from a diverse range of musical backgrounds.
Luciano Pavarotti - 15 facts you never knew
Incredible Pavarotti facts - have a look at our gallery of highlights, including videos of his best performances
It’s one thing having a hero; it’s quite another meeting them in the flesh. Did Luciano Pavarotti live up to Anne-Marie Minhall's expectations?
The tenor voice is a rare and precious phenomenon, requiring tremendous reserves of strength and agility to tackle spectacular high notes. It can put great pressure on the singer and this whiff of danger adds to the romance. But who are the best?
Top Luciano Pavarotti Pieces
La traviata: Libiamo ne'lieti calici (Brindisi)
'O sole mio
Powered by Facebook | <urn:uuid:02553609-8e6a-4a0a-ba98-160f9b7442c2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.classicfm.com/artists/luciano-pavarotti/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950285 | 566 | 1.703125 | 2 |
DRA Round-Up: March 2012
Bringing Jobs back to America
February Jobs Report announcement shows continued trend of economic growth
MISSISSIPPI DELTA - This past week President Obama and the Department of Labor announced that the private sector had created 233,000 jobs in February, while the unemployment rate held steady at 8.3 percent. Furthermore, the announcement highlighted a six-month total of 1.3 million jobs created since September 2011. This is the highest figure for six-month job creation in almost six years.
recently, the Labor Department has announced that jobless claims
through last week have dropped by 5,000 to 348,000, the lowest level
since February of 2008. These figures are evidence of a steady increase over the past two years in job growth with a total of 3.9 million new jobs created during that period. The economy has shown to be moving in the right direction with continued job growth and private investment in American communities.
“March's announcement about February employment is good news for American small businesses and good news for Delta workers. These growing - and hiring - small businesses are creating the good-paying jobs that are turning our economy around. We need to continue this growth - investing in entrepreneurs and helping them access the capital they need to turn ideas into businesses. That is key to economic growth for the Delta Region and the United States."
In recent months, numerous programs have been implemented to create jobs, encourage entrepreneurship, support American small businesses, and increase economic development in our communities. More information on these initiatives can be found here.
Idea Village encourages entrepreneurs to thrive in New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Last week,New Orleans entrepreneurs and business experts from around the world gathered to advance the local economy and gain skills in taking the business community to the next level. Now in its fourth year, New Orleans Entrepreneur Week held events, trainings and networking opportunities for the city’s growing community of entrepreneurs. Idea Village says they developed the event “to celebrate and support the network of talent that has enabled New Orleans to become a hub of entrepreneurship and innovation.”
The week-long event allows blossoming entrepreneurs to enhance their skills through trainings that cover accounting and business management, fundraising, and advertising, among others. There are opportunities for networking with some of the world’s business leaders and top innovators as well as special challenges giving emerging ideas a forum for recognition and support in their respective industry.
The week culminates with the 1st Annual Big Idea challenge featuring 19 entrepreneurs and their innovative businesses, vying for $100,000 in funding and important publicity. The winning business was SOLarchitect Studio, which created a free, web-based tool that provides American homeowners information on how much solar energy their home could produce, how much solar panels would cost them, and how long to expect to see a return on their investment. Congratulations to SOLarchitect, which is set to launch this summer!
The Delta Regional Authority is a proud partner of Idea Village and the 2012 New Orleans Entrepreneur Week. Founded in 2000 by a group of local entrepreneurs interested in changing the direction of New Orleans’ long-declining economic environment, Idea Village has helped the city cultivate a local focus on innovation and atmosphere of success. The organization and city leadership is proud to point out that New Orleans has recently been named the “#1 Brain Magnet in the Country” by Forbes, the “#2 Best City for Jobs” and the “Coolest Startup City in America.”
Idea Village invested over $1 million this past week in resources to the participating entrepreneurs and over its decade of support has assisted in the creation of over 1,006 jobs and contributed $83 million in annual revenue for New Orleans companies.
For more information about Idea Village and last week’s New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, visit Idea Village's website.
Kentucky: Judge Executive emphasizes economic development for Carlisle County
Considered a champion of economic development for his community, Judge Greg Terry has contributed leadership and enthusiasm to the rural communities of Carlisle County, Kentucky. Terry is an active leader in the community in which he was born and raised, serving as secretary of the Purchase Area Development District. He was appointed as County Judge Executive four years ago before which he served Carlisle County for ten years as Road Supervisor. In 2009 he graduated from the Delta Leadership Institute, becoming a part of an important network of leaders through the Delta region. Local news reporter, Michael Toon, recognized that “the county has made great strides in actively pursuing grants for tourism, improvement in 911 communication, and [the county’s] infrastructure” since Judge Terry assumed his position as Judge Executive.
Last year Judge Terry helped lead the opening of the new Carlisle County Judicial Center. The former courthouse was leveled in a fire in 2007 and in less than four years community leaders banded together and opened a new 40,000 square foot courthouse. The Judicial Center currently is home to county administration and judicial functions.
Judge Terry has also been influential in raising money for the renovation of the KentuckyCare health clinic in Bardwell, Kentucky, which provides services to people regardless of whether they have insurance. With the help of a $150,000 grant from the Delta Regional Authority, Judge Terry was a key supporter of the health clinic’s first-ever renovation project. Judge Terry explained that “bringing a clinic [such as KYCare] to our hometown is great for a small town [like Bardwell]. The people should be proud of not just my work but the work that the community has been able to do.” The health clinic was reopened in January and is now able to provide medical services and health education programs to more than 4,000 patients in Carlisle and six other counties in western Kentucky.
“During these tough economic times, it’s hard to find spare funding for big projects,” said Terry. However, Judge Terry hopes to further develop Carlisle County through partnerships with the Great River Road Commission, the Ken-Tenn Organizations, and Kentucky Care. The county is currently planning to build a trail system for horse riding enthusiasts with the hope of expanding county tourism. There are also plans for an extension and ambulance services building.
A Delta Built to Last: Community Leaders from Delta Region Visit Washington, White House
A special White House Blog Post from Chairman Chris Masingill
WASHINGTON -- On March 1, leaders from across the Delta Region met with White House officials for a morning of conversations on issues facing the Delta Region including creating good-paying jobs, small business and entrepreneurship and supporting a Delta built to last. Hosted by the Delta Regional Authority and the White House Office of Public Engagement, our leadership group was in DC for the fourth session in their year-long Executive Academy.
The group engaged with White House leadership including Jon Carson (Office of Public Engagement), Doug McKalip (Rural Affairs) and Ari Matusiak (White House Business Council). Thursday’s conversation is the final word of a week-long summit that included visits with Deputy Undersecretary Doug O’Brien (USDA Rural Development) and Assistant Secretary John Fernandez (Economic Development Administration) in his last official event before leaving his post as Assistant Secretary. Academy participants also met with their respective Congressional Delegations.
To read the full White House blog post, click here.
States’ Economic Development Advancement Program Project Highlight
Illinois: New equipment allows medical specialists to serve rural communities
ROSICLARE, IL - Hardin County General Hospital (HCGH) has recently expanded its tech capacity to include an Electrocardiogram (EKG) machine, MARS Holter monitor system, and Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) with the support of a Delta Regional Authority SEDAP grant. This new equipment will be used to evaluate cardiac patients and provide reports to the hospital’s cardiology team for prompt diagnosis. HCGH does not have a full-time cardiologist; however, the MARS Holter monitor system allows the hospital’s cardiologist to review patient EKG reports, diagnose and prescribe treatment for patients despite being in another county or state.
The PACS system will streamline diagnostic testing results for the hospital staff of two general practitioners, a nurse practitioner, and physician assistant. MARS and PACS are a necessary step for Hardin County to keep pace with the growing trend towards electronic health monitoring and record-keeping. Hardin County General Hospital is a 25-bed critical access facility in Rosiclare, Illinois, and is the only hospital serving Hardin and Pope counties. “[We] are excited that this project was funded and this vital equipment can be put into service for our small rural counties,” said Alene Carr, Economic Development Coordinator for the Southeastern Illinois Regional Planning and Development Commission. The Authority provided 90% of the necessary funds for purchasing the new equipment.
Delta Regional Authority signs MOU with the Association of Small Business Development Centers
WASHINGTON -- The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) and the Association of Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC) announced yesterday a new partnership aimed at establishing a framework for cooperation by and between the DRA and ASBDC. Officials with the two groups met yesterday to sign the MOU during ASBDC’s annual conference.
“We recognize that small businesses play a critical role in rural communities,” Chairman Masingill said. “The success of small businesses often relies on development centers and access to resources and training. This is an important partnership that will benefit small businesses across the region.”
To read the full article, click here.
Delta Regional Authority Announces Two New Staff Members in Clarksdale
| || |
Chief Administrative Officer
|Sheila Winters |
The Delta Regional Authority is proud to announce that they have recently filled two positions in the Clarksdale office with outstanding people. After several months of searching and interviewing many qualified applicants, Terri Hollingsworth, of Arkansas, accepted the position of Chief Administrative Officer with the Delta Regional Authority. Terri and her son will be relocating from Little Rock and she will work in the Clarksdale office. As a member of the Delta Regional Authority’s senior management team, the CAO is fully accountable for all aspects of the DRA’s day-to-day operations. Terri comes to the Authority with several years of leadership experience and a background in economic development and business. We also recently brought on Ms. Sheila Winters, a native of Coahoma County, to serve as the DRA’s Finance Administrator. In this capacity, Ms. Winters will assist the Chief Administrative Officer with managing accounting operations to include budgets, financial reporting and maintaining systems and procedures for payments of DRA grants and administrative expenses.
Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge
WASHINGTON – The Obama Administration has announced a $15 million multi-agency Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator challenge to spur job creation and economic growth in distressed rural communities. This competition, which is being funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Delta Regional Authority (DRA), and the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), was designed by the Taskforce for the Advancement of Regional Innovation Clusters and the White House Rural Council.
Click Here to Read the Full Story
For program related questions about the Rural Jobs Accelerator Challenge, please e-mail Kemp Morgan at [email protected]. The deadline for applications is May 9, 2012 and guidelines for submissions are accessible at www.DRA.gov
USDA Announces Assistance to Rural Communities and Residents Affected by Recent Tornadoes
WASHINGTON — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced comprehensive outreach efforts are underway to assess damage and assist rural Midwest and Southern communities in the wake of recent deadly storms.
"These storms struck the very heart of rural America," said Vilsack. "USDA regional and local staff members are on the front lines, have worked each day since the storms hit, and for many it's personal: they live and work alongside the victims. I've directed our expertise and resources be put to the fullest possible use."
To read full story, click here.
Small Business Spotlight
Missouri: Operation JumpStart graduate uses program to launch medical reporting software
In early 2010, Philip Goggin found himself without a full-time job but determined to make something work. That something came to him at the East Missouri Action Agency where he saw a flyer for the state’s Operation JumpStart program.
Ready to learn how to take his venture with NarrativePRO, a streamline reporting program for EMS providers, to the next level, he registered for Operation JumpStart. Goggin completed the two months of trainings and in June 2010 received a fully funded grant of $5,000 to launch his business.
To read full story, click here.
King Biscuit, Highway 61 Blues Festivals Unveil Back-to-Back 2012 Schedule
September 29-30 Leland, Mississippi • October 4-6 Helena, Arkansas
WEST MEMPHIS, AR — An unprecedented partnership between the King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, Arkansas, and the Highway 61 Blues Festival in Leland, Mississippi, offers an opportunity for blues enthusiasts worldwide to plan September 29-October 6 for a pilgrimage to the birthplace of the Delta Blues.
Announced at the Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Tourism, this pairing will enrich the experience for the thousands of blues fans expected to attend the festivals this fall. The King Biscuit Blues Festival, held on Columbus Day weekend for 27 years, is named for Helena’s renowned live blues radio program, “King Biscuit Time.” It celebrates the heritage of the town where blues greats like Sonny Boy Williamson and Pinetop Perkins once played every night of the week.
The Highway 61 Blues Festival will kick off the two-state celebration Saturday, September 29, in Leland, at the historic musicians’ corner beside the legendary blues highway for which the festival is named. Like Helena, Leland was once an entertainment hotbed, frequented by musicians who included guitarists Eugene Powell (Sonny Boy Nelson) and Charlie Booker.
To read full release and more details, click here
March 27, 2012
Health Mapping and Research Announcement
State's Economic Development Assistance Program funding availability announcement
May 3-4, 2012
Delta Grassroots Caucus - Clinton Presidential Center Little Rock, AR
Like the DRA on Facebook!
We enjoy keeping up with many of you on Facebook, and hope you will keep up with us on our Facebook page. We will share our progress, insights and interests. Most of all, we want to hear from you!
Board of Governors
Governor Jay Nixon - Missouri
Mr. Bill Randall - Designee
Dr. Jon Hagler - Alternate
State of Alabama
Governor Robert Bentley
Mr. Jim Byard - Designee
Mrs. Bea Forniss - Alternate
State of Arkansas
Governor Mike Beebe
Mr. Steve Jones - Designee & Alternate
State of Illinois
Governor Pat Quinn
Mr. Larry Woolard - Designee & Alternate
Commonwealth of Kentucky
Governor Steve Beshear
Ms. Stacia Peyton - Designee & Alternate
State of Louisiana
Governor Bobby Jindal
Vacant - Designee
Mr. Doyle Robinson - Alternate
State of Mississippi
Governor Phil Bryant
Mr. Chris Champion - Designee & Alternate
State of Tennessee
Governor Bill Haslam
Mr. Paul Fassbender - Designee & Alternate | <urn:uuid:c0f6d35e-b423-4c29-bbde-ba6510a66108> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dra.gov/newsroom/press-releases/enewsdetail.aspx?mid=18829 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939763 | 3,247 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Marks & Spencer will be the first retailer to sell the world’s first seedless pepper - perfect for faddy eaters or to encourage kids to up their intake of colourful salad vegetables. The sweet seedless Angello pepper is also perfect for snacking, as it can be either cooked or eaten raw.
The Angello was developed through a 15-year natural breeding programme. The project was a collaboration between M&S, Melrow salads and Syngenta the seed house and the peppers are grown in Southern Spain, Israel and the Netherlands.
Peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C and just one pepper contains the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin C. Angello has a 25% higher level of brix than ordinary peppers, a scale used to measure the level of sweetness in fruit and vegetables.
Zeina Orfali, M&S Peppers expert, said: “We know that seeds in peppers can be a real pain for our customers who want to enjoy them straight from the pack or cook speedy-suppers with them, so we decided to develop the first seedless pepper so our customers can enjoy this delicious vegetable on the go – no need to de-seed!”
M&S seedless Angello peppers are on sale now, £1.79 per pack (100g). | <urn:uuid:4148c50a-115a-4a78-9203-a3e86be2c26f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.foodnotes.co.uk/eat-happy/2011/12/06/marks-spencer-sells-world-s-first-seedless-pepper | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931043 | 274 | 1.59375 | 2 |
This article deals only with one aspect of the search-engine-friendly title. This article deals with picking a title to appeal to the search-engine’s-indexing algorithm. It does not cover other important aspects such as how the title looks when it is nestled within a search engine results page, amongst other things.
There are many aspects to a good title. This article just covers some of the search engine only aspects which people often get wrong.
The unheard keyword
You must put at least one keyword in the title. Ideally the keyword will be one that is in your meta-keywords for the article/blog post. You can try to put more than one in there, but make sure it does not confuse the meaning or look/read silly or poorly.
Do not stuff your title full of keywords. It will look dumb and the search engine will view it more as white noise. Worse still, the search engine may consider the page/post as being over optimized and penalize the page/post.
No nonsense geese feet
Make sure that whatever keyword you put in your title makes sense. Don’t just throw any old keyword in there. It must make perfect sense and fit it there perfectly–both grammatically and as part of a well-constructed title.
There is an old rule about keyword prominence. This is all about putting keywords in a place where they are more prominent in order to show their significance. The rule for a title is that the keyword should be near the beginning of the title. This is an old rule and we cannot be sure of how useful it still is. Nevertheless, it cannot hurt to put your keyword near the front.
So wrong that is feels almost right
Make sure that whatever you have as your title–has something to do with your article/blog post. Stupid people will look up the most commonly searched-for search-terms and will make a title based on that because it will get more clicks. This tactic may fool the Google algorithm temporarily, but it will not fool the admins. Your entire domain could be red-flagged (even your IP address). Google has come down hard on the jerks that mislead people with their titles (and rightly so).
The world is full of characters. Some people are jolly, others are fun, and others are sexy. The worst types of characters are ones who will tell you that a meta-title and a title should have a character limit. These people are so dumb that it gives smart people a nosebleed. There is not character limit for a title. You can make it 2000 characters if you like. A search engine can index a title of thousands of characters. However if you are looking for a comfortable guide, which a search engine prefers, then aim at around 70 characters. The only reason that search engines like this is because the title will fit on one uninterrupted line on a search engines results page (on the settings most people set their web browser to). In other words it means that some of your title is not chopped off on the search engine results.
Foggier than a Swedish sauna
Do not be too vague with your title. It should be intriguing for sure, but not too vague otherwise a Google admin may mistake it for misleading–and punish you accordingly. If you want to be intriguing, try posing the article/post as a question such as, “how many times must I tell my daughter to stop bullying her sister?” You could even risk, “how many times must I tell my daughter to stop?” but we are entering the realm of vague there a little bit.
Spelling it rong
Search engines are sensitive to spelling. The only time it works in your favor is when the user misspells something in the search box. So unless you are doing an article/blog post on swollen fingers, it is best to spell check your work.
Author’s bio: Sonia Jackson represents the UK web-site royal-essays.com. We’ll help you to solve all problems with writing different essays and research papers according to the rules in the UK. | <urn:uuid:32d29844-f554-45d7-8184-4d26c144eac0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.seoandy.com/guest/8-awesome-tips-for-writing-a-search-engine-friendly-page-title/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943393 | 849 | 1.710938 | 2 |
we beat the enemy signally and drove him from the field, we should certainly have given him a more crushing blow if General Heitzelman had been three with his corps.
I inclose the reports of the subordinate officers, and I fully confirm all they say in commendation of their commands. No troops could have behaved better.
Immediately after the action closed I received orders from the commanding general to fall back and cross the White Oak Swamp, which was accomplished during the night.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
E. W. SUMNER,
Brigadier-General, U. A. Army, Commanding.
General S. WILLIAMS,
HEADQUARTERS SECOND CORPS D'ARMEE, Camp near James River, July 4, 1862.
SIR: I have the honor to report that on the morning of the 30th ultimo I received an order from the commanding to advance with my command to Glendale and halt there till further orders. At 12 o'clock m. I received a pressing application from General Franklin for re-enforcements at the bridge at White Oak Swamp. I sent off at once two brigades, leaving but one of my own brigades and two batteries on the field. General Hooker was in the woods on my left with his division and Kirby's battery was placed near my left. About 3 o'clock p.m. the action commenced by a determined assault of the enemy on McCall's division, which was some distance on my right and in front. The battle drew near. Many of McCall's division came flying into my lines, closely followed by the enemy. Just at this time I got back the two brigades which I had previously detached and they went into the battle splendidly, and after a furious contest, lasting till after dark, the enemy was routed at all points and driven from the field, and thus ended the battle of Glendale.
During the contest the enemy would change his point of attack. Sometimes he would be in front of General Hooker and then again in front of General Sedgwick's division.
Lieutenant Kirby again distinguished himself by the able manner in which he handled his battery. To General Hooker, Sedgwick, Burns, Dana, and Meagher, and Lieutenant Kirby the country is indebted for very important services in this action. General Richardson's division was engaged at the bridge, and will, of course, be embraced in General Franklin's report.
The battle of Glendale was the most severe action since the battle of Fair Oaks, and it gives me great pleasure to state that the troops engaged in it, with the exception of McCall's division, behaved most nobly. I cannot too strongly confirm every word the subordinate officers have said in praise of their officers and men.
At 9 o'clock p.m. I received intelligence that General Franklin had retreated and that General Heintzelman was going to do it. This, of course, compelled me to retire at once, which I certainly should not have done without orders from the commanding general if these generals | <urn:uuid:35f3fabd-35e2-4d68-957d-0dc39d861229> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ehistory.osu.edu/osu/sources/recordView.cfm?Content=013/0051 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980878 | 638 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Mandi Schwartz Heads to Seattle to Begin Next Phase of Battle with Cancer
Bulldog Hockey Player's Treatment will now be Overseen by Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Yale women's hockey player Mandi Schwartz is taking the next big step in her battle with cancer: a 1,000-mile journey by motor home with her family from Saskatchewan to Seattle. After more than two months of chemotherapy back home at the Pasqua Hospital in Canada, the next phase of her treatment will be overseen by the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.
Mandi has kept up her strength and spirit even while undergoing multiple rounds of chemotherapy. She had a stationary bike brought into her room in the hospital so she could continue exercising. After she was discharged from Pasqua on Sunday, July 11, she immediately put on her skates to play some "shinny" hockey with her brothers, Jaden and Rylan, and friends at the rink of her high school, Notre Dame.
"She was smiling from ear to ear," said Mandi's mother, Carol.
Mandi began her trip to Seattle on Monday, July 12. She is traveling with her parents and her fiancée, Kaylem Prefontaine, in a motor home donated by Traveland RV in Regina. They are making stops along the way for sightseeing, including hiking in Waterton National Park.
"We are very happy to have this trip to enjoy some family time together, and we are very appreciative of the tremendous love and support of so many," said Carol Schwartz.
"I want to thank everyone for their support and prayers, and I will see everyone again soon after a successful transplant," said Mandi.
Mandi is battling acute myeloid leukemia, a cancer that starts inside the bone marrow and grows from cells that would normally turn into white blood cells -- cells of the immune system. She was first diagnosed in December of 2008, and after multiple rounds of chemotherapy was declared to be in remission in the spring of 2009. She returned to Yale in January of 2010 and resumed practicing with the Yale women's hockey team, but she was re-diagnosed in April and had to return home for chemotherapy.
At that point it was determined that Mandi would need a stem cell transplant to survive, and the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance was chosen to oversee the transplant. The Seattle Cancer Care Alliance is a world-class treatment center that provides advanced therapies and clinical studies for cancers and other related diseases. It includes doctors from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, University of Washington Medicine and Seattle Children's Hospital.
The chemotherapy that Mandi received back home in Saskatchewan has put her in remission, and she needs to be in remission in order to receive the stem cell transplant. Once she meets with the doctors in Seattle, a timeline for her transplant will be finalized.
The search for life-saving donors for the stem cell transplant Mandi needs to survive remains open. Her heritage -- a mixture of German, Russian and Ukrainian -- has made it challenging to find donors that are genetic matches. There are 16,000 leukemia patients diagnosed each year who cannot find a matching bone marrow donor. Partially-matched donors that can be used for Mandi's transplant have been identified, but the search remains open in hopes of finding better matches.
The world-wide campaign to educate people about the importance of bone marrow donation and umbilical cord blood donation continues. Mandi is one of 1,000s of patients with life-threatening illnesses worldwide who stand to benefit from the addition of new donors to the existing registries. For example, the bone marrow donor drive that Yale held in Mandi's honor in 2009 wound up locating a Yale employee who donated life-saving stem cells to a patient with cancer in another country.
The Yale community is continuing to do its part to help. Mandi's Yale women's hockey teammates have been contacting obstetricians and gynecologists, along with expectant mothers, to encourage umbilical cord blood donations. They have focused on areas of the country with heavy German, Russian or Ukrainian populations. Cryobanks International, a cord blood banking company, has been working directly with them to facilitate cord blood donations.
Additionally, on July 6 and 7 former Yale men's hockey player Brennan Turner '09 -- a family friend of the Schwartzes -- organized a 3-on-3 charity hockey tournament named "Match4Mandi" in Winnipeg to raise funds and awareness. Turner has also organized a series of bone marrow donor testing drives throughout Canada as part of CBC's "PlayOn!" street hockey tournaments that have added 1,000s of potential donors to the registry.
These donors, both cord blood and adult bone marrow volunteers, are important in helping to save the lives of patients like Mandi who need a transplant.
Those interested in helping are strongly encouraged to read more about Mandi on yalebulldogs.com
Mandi is due to arrive in Seattle on Monday, July 19. Further updates will be available on yalebulldogs.com.
Report by Sam Rubin '95 ([email protected]), Yale Sports Publicity | <urn:uuid:3cf5a9dc-c6b8-4a8c-b8d2-8f6f03a37dd7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.yalebulldogs.com/sports/w-hockey/2010-11/releases/2010071711jhos | 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 | 0.965994 | 1,051 | 1.53125 | 2 |
There’s an awful lot of cruelty toward animals in the news lately, and Jim Henley wants to know whether there’s a “libertarian case for animal cruelty laws.” But I actually don’t think the question can really be answered as framed. Libertarianism is a family of doctrines defined by a set of views about the rights people enjoy and their political entailments, not by any shared understanding of what traits make for rights-having. Animal cruelty, like abortion, implicates a boundary question. Insofar as the answer to that question lies outside libertarian theory proper, different answers to it could yield very different policy prescriptions from the same libertarian principles, with neither being more or less libertarian.
But it’s also not just a boundary question. Just as with abortion, if you stipulate an answer to the boundary question, you can try to tease out what follows from libertarian principles. Supposing that animals don’t have strong moral claims of their own, for instance, libertarians would have to look skeptically on justifications that turned instead on the value of signaling social disapproval of cruelty more generally, or on protecting the sensibilities of animal lovers. And if animals are supposed to have some moral claims, but not rising to the level of rights, the libertarian presumption, at least, would seem to be against embedding those claims in law.
Since that’s roughly my view, my reluctant and tentative thought is that I probably have to come down against such laws, though I want to give it a bit more thought before anyone holds me to that. Probably “animal cruelty” is too broad a category to deal with in a uniform way in any event. We’re all supporters of animal rights when the animal is homo sapiens, after all. I won’t bore people with a long disquisition here, but the discussion at the end of this post is at least a decent rough sketch of my view on the boundary question. What figures centrally there in the move from welfare-claims to strong rights is the capacity to represent reasons. That probably makes at least some of our primate cousins charter members of the moral community’s security council.
I will note of existing animal cruelty laws that most contain specific exemptions for agriculture and various other industries, in ways that seem hard to justify. At any rate, I’m having trouble coming up with some coherent view on which “Tender meat is tasty” counts as a justification for the appalling way we treat veal calves but “I like watching violent bloodsports” is no excuse for how Michael Vick treated dogs. If abuse with no better rationale than mild enjoyment is “gratuitous,” then factory farming is gratuitously cruel. (Lest it sound like I’m on a high horse here, I should note that, by my own lights, I really ought to either be a vegan or at least consume only dairy of known, humane provenance.) Our inconsistency here suggests that animal cruelty laws are less a function of high principle than of the fact that we like both burgers and cute doggies.
Update: I’m going to retract my tentative conclusion until I have a chance to think about this a bit further. (You’d think, as a vegetarian of some 15 years, I’d have thought about it plenty, but since there’s not a huge constituency for repealing animal cruelty laws, and I wasn’t about to start a club, I suppose it didn’t come up.) The argument I make in the old post linked above works (if it works) as an account of why reason-representing creatures should be bearers of “rights” in the sense of “side-constraints or trumps not subject to being outweighed by some marginally greater benefit to third parties.” Whereas the relevant sense of a “right” here is “moral claim that may be enforced coercively.” I just sort of fuzzily conflated the two senses. I don’t think that they’re just unrelated, or that features relevant to one property are likely to be irrelevant to the other, but the move above was too quick. | <urn:uuid:fb4dfca7-0c4d-41c8-8dd2-5ab54c28ecf6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.juliansanchez.com/2007/08/22/are-animals-people-too/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957104 | 876 | 1.5625 | 2 |
- Special Sections
- Public Notices
Hardin County residents are locked and loaded.
Sales throughout the county show a dramatic increase in the number of firearms sold by sporting goods stores, pawn shops and gun stores.
Ron Timmer, manager of Kwick-Kash Pawn Shop on North Dixie Boulevard in Radcliff, said he has seen the national trend of a spike in firearms and ammunition sales reach Hardin County.
“You wouldn’t believe it, that’s how much it’s increased,” he said.
There was an increase in sales at Timmer’s store and other firearm providers after the re-election of President Barack Obama, but most of the sales came after the Dec. 14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., that left 26 dead, including 20 children.
Talk of a possible ban on assault weapons during the presidential debate and especially after the Newtown shootings has some buyers worried such weapons and ammunition won’t be available for sale much longer, Timmer said.
“They’re afraid they are going to go away,” he said. “They’re afraid we’re going to lose our Second Amendment rights.”
Timmer is licensed to sell all firearms except those that are fully automatic. He has sold more of all types of guns, including those not considered assault weapons.
He thinks only a fully automatic firearm should be considered an assault weapon, leaving full access to other types that people might use to defend themselves.
The former soldier of 20 years considers himself a last line of defense for keeping guns out of the hands of people who might use them to hurt others.
He said the people to whom he sells firearms seem likely to be careful with them, and he has refused to sell guns to would-be buyers he did not think should own them.
“You can normally pick them out,” he said.
J.J. Akins, president of Sporter Express on Sycamore Street in Elizabethtown, said he has never been in a position where he has denied someone a firearm, but would do so if he thought that buyer might hurt someone.
He has seen such an increase in sales of firearms, magazines, ammunition, reloading supplies and other related items the supply of products is beginning to disappear.
Either supplies will continue to dwindle and prices will shoot up, or demand will level off and the cost will stay the same, Akins said.
Residents are worried about what might be included in legislation that could restrict the sale of some firearms and ammunition. A bill such as one recently proposed by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D.-Calif., to ban the manufacture and sale of at least 120 guns would be very restrictive, he said.
“It’s tragic events that have brought this to the forefront, but the answer is not to take away our freedoms,” he said.
Akins is concerned about what a ban might mean for his business and for the country.
He thinks residents should read about proposed laws related to firearms and contact their representatives to tell them their opinions on the issue.
Donna Kirchhofer, manager at E-Town Pawn & Gun on North Dixie Avenue in Elizabethtown, said the store where she works is smaller than some other local places that offer firearms, and her supply of assault weapons has always been limited.
Still, she has seen a slight increase in sales of all types of firearms. She also has fielded many calls from area residents interested in buying assault weapons because they fear they might not be able to later.
“Any time Americans are afraid of losing their right to hold a weapon, you will see an increase,” she said.
Such an increase is not uncommon near Christmas, but a major reason seems to be talk of a ban on assault weapons, Kirchhofer said.
Being in the pawn business for 20 years has taught her that it often gets more difficult to find guns and ammunition after there is talk from lawmakers about banning some types or aspects of firearms because demand spikes.
“I personally never thought I would see extreme gun control in my lifetime, but now I think I will when I’m 50,” she said.
Bob Moore, chairman of the Hardin County Democratic Executive Committee, thinks it’s unlikely there will be any attempt by the federal government to take any types of firearms away from current owners because there are so many throughout the nation.
“You can’t close the barn door after all the animals have gotten out and expect to have any success with that,” he said.
Moore also said he doesn’t think Obama or Congress could ever fully block access to weapons.
The gun owner and Second Amendment proponent said it’s too early to tell what any assault weapon ban might look like, but he doesn’t know if consumers need assault weapons and ammunition clips.
He said the firearm sales spike might be premature, considering that a task force chaired by Vice President Joe Biden hasn’t made any recommendations for combating gun violence.
The panel was tasked Dec. 19 by the president to return a recommendation within several weeks.
Amber Coulter can be reached at (270) 505-1746 or acoulter@thenews enterprise.com. | <urn:uuid:28eb9202-4a26-4379-9d41-803e8701d785> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content/local-gun-sales-spike | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971937 | 1,108 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Throughout the morning kids kept trickling in, arriving by bike or walking with a little sibling strapped to their back. By noon about thirty had found us. Generally the kids were fairly quiet and reserved, though more than a few were outwardly enthusiastic: the two little boys in my group of ten huddled together and whispered quietly to each other, looking around at everyone else and only vaguely trying to complete the word-find at hand; the girl at my side tapped my shoulder and proudly announced every word she found, and raced to finish first.
After word games and foam cutouts were mostly completed Blanca and I retrieved the books from the trunk, spread them out on a blanket, and invited the kids to each pick one to read. At first they approached the blanket shyly in twos and threes; after a few minutes nearly all of the kids ages eight and over clutched a book or were crouched over the pile, shuffling around for a suitable story to read. Rachel (a volunteer from the US), Ivo (Mano a Mano Apoyo Aereo pilot) and I sat with them, listened to them, and helped them read aloud. I read with Ronald, a 12-year-old boy wearing a red sweater and homemade slingshot slung over his shoulder. He read hesitantly, following the words with his index finger, carefully sounding out each sound and neglecting the spaces in between the words. Although I'm sure he knew most of the words he was reading, I doubt he understood them as he occupied himself with differentiating the sounds of b versus d and putting syllables together. His earnest attempts at what was obviously a difficult task were immediately interrupted if anyone, particularly a girl, looked over or walked by us: his eyes would nervously glance up at her and his voice would get suddenly soft. | <urn:uuid:3ccc928e-e761-4ca3-aac5-ed4344301824> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://manoamanointl.blogspot.com/2011_08_01_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.989214 | 375 | 1.84375 | 2 |
2 Japan Ministries Warned of Poor Infrastructure MaintenanceTo the above the Nihon Keizai Shimbun adds that at 7 of the airports, 80 different areas in need of maintenance remained untouched and at 19 water treatment facilities, 6 were not carrying out regular inspections. (J - but beware of rapid link rot)
Tokyo, Feb. 3 --Japan's infrastructure and health ministries have failed to carry out sufficient maintenance of public infrastructure, the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry said Friday.
The Internal Affairs Ministry urged the two ministries to improve the management of infrastructure under their supervision, including ports, airports, water and sewage systems, and rivers.
Many of such facilities in Japan were built during the nation's postwar economic boom, and adequate maintenance is now required to help prolong the lives of the aging facilities.
The Internal Affairs Ministry conducted a survey on the conditions of part of such infrastructure facilities between fiscal 2006 and fiscal 2010.
During the five years, no regular maintenance work was conducted at 13 of 18 ports managed by local governments and five of nine state-managed airports, the survey showed.
This was always on the horizon: how would it ever be possible to maintain original facilities built in the high growth era when the countryside was slathered with new but basically unneeded facilities in the slow growth era. Sure the latter tweaked the GDP figures and perpetuated the cycling of cash between the construction companies and the Liberal Democratic Party. However, the bill would eventually come due, when the country's debts and deficits would limit the amount of money that could be spent maintaining the nation-spanning concrete, asphalt, steel and glass jungle. | <urn:uuid:8c4a931e-512e-4dac-9f67-715e7324eb51> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://shisaku.blogspot.com/2012/02/construction-state-crumbling.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958922 | 330 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Drolma wrote:Do you think the karmic fruit can appear in the form of being in a position to accrue further bad karma?
I'm watching a program on Hitler Youth, thinking about how their young, vulnerable minds were put into a terrible position. And I'm speculating that their actions probably caused them to contribute to their cycle of suffering.
The last thing I want to do is defend Hitler youth, but even for them, wouldn't "intention" play a major role? If their intent was to save their families, their homes, their younger siblings, wouldn't that have put them in a position to generate more positive karma than many of us could ever achieve?
Peter wrote:Not quite. Cause is not the same as condition. Karma can never be vipaka.
Peter wrote:I still think you are conflating 'cause' and 'condition'.
Drolma wrote:I was just thinking that being born into a position to basically be forced to create negative karma and cause harm really sucks. It's a human birth, which is good, but it seems like some negative karmic fruit coming to pass too. I was thinking about the cyclic nature of all of this.
SeerObserver wrote:Being born into such a position is definitely a negative karmic fruit. It is derived from having forced others to do akusala kamma. It is a natural retribution for this in two ways.
The first way is that you are being forced to do something which will surely generate negative fruit as a result of you putting someone in that situation. The second is that you "wasted another's time", so to speak. By putting them into that situation, you have deprived them of time they could have spent on the path. As a result, even though you are a human (which is one of the most conducive states for practice), you will be deprived of the opportunity to take full advantage of that conduciveness and "waste" some of that away as well.
retrofuturist wrote:Greetings SeerObserver,
Is there any evidence in the suttas that supports your exposition of kamma?
Particularly this bit "Being born into such a position is definitely a negative karmic fruit."
How can this be explained without recourse to an invisible omniscient hand (i.e. directing people to certain locations by ) foreseeing (i.e. knowing in advance what Germany was going to become in 10-20 years time) and directing the affairs of the universe (i.e. so that fruit poetically bears for those who have been naughty in previous lives)?
Bhikkhu Bodhi wrote:They show us that our present living conditions, our dispositions and aptitudes, our virtues and faults, result from our actions in previous lives. When we realize that our present conditions reflect our kammic past, we will also realize that our present actions are the legacy that we will transmit to our kammic descendants, that is, to ourselves in future lives.
Bhikkhu Bodhi wrote:The teaching of rebirth, taken in conjunction with the doctrine of kamma, implies that we live in a morally ordered universe, one in which our morally determinate actions bring forth fruits that in some way correspond to their own ethical quality.
Bhikkhu Bodhi wrote:The sentient universe is regulated by different orders of causation layered in such a way that higher orders of causation can exercise dominion over lower ones. Thus the order of kamma, which governs the process of rebirth, dominates the lower orders of physical and biological causation, bending their energies toward the fulfillment of its own potential. The Buddha does not posit a divine judge who rules over the workings of kamma, rewarding and punishing us for our deeds. The kammic process functions autonomously, without a supervisor or director, entirely through the intrinsic power of volitional action.
Bhikkhu Bodhi wrote:It is mental activity, in the form of volition, that constitutes kamma, and it is our stock of kamma that steers the stream of consciousness from the past life into a new body. Thus the Buddha says: "This body, O monks, is old kamma, to be seen as generated and fashioned by volition, as something to be felt" (SN XI.37). It is not only the body, as a composite whole, that is the product of past kamma, but the sense faculties too (see SN XXV.146). The eye, ear, nose, tongue, body-sense, and mind-base are also fashioned by our past kamma, and thus kamma to some degree shapes and influences all our sensory experience. Since kamma is ultimately explained as volition (cetana), this means that the particular body with which we are endowed, with all its distinguishing features and faculties of sense, is rooted in our volitional activities in earlier lives.
Bhikkhu Bodhi wrote:The ultimate implication of the Buddha's teaching on kamma and rebirth is that human beings are the final masters of their own destiny. Through our unwholesome deeds, rooted in greed, hatred, and delusion, we create unwholesome kamma, the generative cause of bad rebirths, of future misery and bondage. Through our wholesome deeds, rooted in generosity, kindness, and wisdom, we beautify our minds and thereby create kamma productive of a happy rebirth.
1. Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts suffering follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.
2. Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts happiness follows him like his never-departing shadow.
'karma-result', is any karmically (morally) neutral mental phenomenon (e.g. bodily agreeable or painful feeling, sense-consciousness, etc. ), which is the result of wholesome or unwholesome volitional action (karma, q.v.) through body, speech or mind, done either in this or some previous life.
Registered users: Alex123, Awarewolf, Billymac29, Bing [Bot], binocular, Coyote, dharmagoat, Dmytro, Feathers, Google [Bot], greggorious, Helyron, Hickersonia, JohnWB, kmath, Mindstar, Mr Man, onaquest, robertk, Sam Vara | <urn:uuid:1beb1340-7f4c-4d73-97a8-75a01ac0db3b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?p=13306 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960986 | 1,387 | 1.515625 | 2 |
The Liberals released their PSE platform
today and, since I think this is an important and often overshadowed policy area, I figured I should critique it. As luck would have it, an expert in the field sent me in his (rather lengthy) synopsis of it which I will repost rather than giving my own 2 cents because:
A. He knows more about the issues than I do
B. That saves me the time of typing something up myself
From a student perspective it's close to a 9 [out of 10]. The feds can't lower tuition, but short of 100% grants for everyone, this provides a lot of support. Students (and a lot of the public) hate that the interest rates on student loans are so high.
From a policy perspective it's a mixed bag. The endowment is a serious investment and the grants will be helpful (although the conservatives already have their own grant plan). Turning back-end tax credits into cheques-in-the-mail is also great. It's a lot of spending though. I don't understand the need for BOTH a lower interest rate and a 2-year interest (and payment) holiday - that's alot of money. So, closer to a 7 on policy.An upfront Education Grant payable to each student every three months at the same time as the GST rebate is paid to most students. This grant, when combined with the GST rebate received by most students, will be worth about $1,000 cash per student per year.It is my understanding that this is replacing the education (and maybe the tuition?) tax credits.
: Excellent idea. The current tax credits are quite regressive. You can only get nonrefundable tax credits if you are making enough income to pay taxes. Which for students usually means they either transfer them to their parents or wait until they are graduated and making good income. As a very much non-low-income earner once said to me “My son just bought a couch with his tax credits. Is that the best use of government money
?” This will give money to students when they need it most. I haven’t done the math but hopefully this is budget-neutral. If it is, it seems like a great move.Cons
: Parents that currently get their kids’ tax credits might not be so happy. Hopefully these new grants won’t play havoc with the complicated needs-assessment system that is student financial assistance in Canada – will students have to claim this as income? This money could have been targeted better – either needs-based or aimed at specific students. But it’s good politics to have some universal assistance, and sometimes simple is better.Creation of The Canada Education Endowment (instead of the Conervatives’ Canada Student Grant Program) in the sum of $25 billion, set up for 20 years. Quebec will have the option to not join the endowment. The Endowment will fund:
b) $200,000 distributed annually in needs based grants (up to $3,500 each)
c) $100,000 distributed annually in access grants (up to $4,000 each) to provide financial assistance to help individuals who are members of groups such as Aboriginal Canadians and persons with disabilities that are traditionally under-represented in post-secondary education.Pros
: This is their way of saying “We will renew the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation.
” A clear nod to CASA and the other groups that supported renewal. There are a lot of reasons why an endowment is a great idea. It is more stable and allows for a more flexible approach with the provinces. 20 years is a long time, though, and 25 billion is a huge amount of money! (I may have these numbers wrong, I will have to double check) Millennium was originally created with $2.5 billion for ten years and did some amazing things with that money.
It’s great to see research in there, as the current government has not indicated that it will do anything to replace the CMSF’s research capacity. Targeted access grants are great, so it’s good to see them keeping that aspect of the CSGP. Special status for Quebec will probably make Charest happy. And oh yeah, this will freak the CFS out.Cons
: While I think there are clear policy advantages to an endowment, I can’t say how it will play politically. I’ve been in the PSE bubble for far to long to be able to figure that out, but I’m interested to see the debate, especially how the provinces respond. A $25 billion, 20 year endowment is a huge spending pledge – will it garner that many votes? They are borrowing the money to create the endowment, I’m not sure how that will play out.
The government is already moving forward on the CSGP, so this would involve scrapping that work. That’s democracy though. I don’t like the 2:1 needs-based to targeted ratio, but it probably is a lot easier to sell than putting all the money towards low-income, students, etc.
Special status for Quebec will probably make everyone else unhappy.Lowering the Student Loan interest rate to prime + 0.5%
: About freaking time. While students aren’t directly affected by interest rates until they graduate, they are worrisome. High interest rates cause a lot of stress for recent (and not so recent) graduates.
Trust me, this is the number one issue people in general have with student loans. This will be popular for good reason.Cons
: Most people in PSE policy circles actually don’t like the idea of lowering the interest rate. Despite the common perception that rates are really high and that the government makes money from student loans, this isn’t true. When you factor in the interest subsidy (4+ years interest-free for university students) and the interest rate tax credit, ‘real’ student loan interest isn’t that high. This will be a huge cost for the government. There is a strong argument to be made that you could do a lot better with that kind of money.
I understand but disagree with that analysis. Despite the fact that ‘real’ interest isn’t high, that doesn’t change the fact that a student could graduate and (if they can get approved) pay off their
government loan with a private low-interest loan. That isn’t good for anyone. Politics and policy are sometimes about appearances and an apparently-high interest rate can be just as bad as a real one.Re-instating the Student Loan ‘grace period’ to be interest-free (it used to be, but is no longer for federal loans) and extending it to 2 years.Pros
: You really shouldn’t call it a grace period any more if it’s not interest-free. The interest-free status just makes sense, as most students assume it is interest-free anyway. 2 years is a long time, this will play extremely well with students. It’s not clear if they are extending the time you wait to repay your loan to 2 years, but if they are that will make students, graduates (and probably parents) very, very happy.Cons
: Wow. Extending interest-free status to 2 years will be very, very expensive (see previous comment re: math). And if they extend the period you wait to repay your loan to 2 years, that will be incredibly expensive. Would there really be enough benefit from this to justify the cost? I seriously doubt it, there are surely better things that could be done with such a huge sum of money. This doesn’t seem to make sense if you are also lowering the interest rate. This will play well with students, obviously, but does the public really think university students should get a 6+ year interest-free loan?Make all students eligible for guaranteed student loans of $5,000, regardless of parental income.
I’m assuming you’d still have to qualify for the loan, but most students will.Pros
: Well, I campaigned for the elimination of expected parental contribution for most of my time in student politics, so I should love this. This acknowledges that (most) students are adult learners, as the new language goes. This is a big issue for students and their parents. It addresses the belief/fact that middle-income families get screwed by the financial aid system. This will be popular and a big vote-getter.Cons
: I’m a bit torn on this one. I’ve always believed students should be treated like adults, and while grant funding should be targeted at low-income students, almost anyone should be able to borrow to finance their education. These are subsidized loans though, and they do cost the government quite a bit. There is the risk that people who no not really need the loans, or who get money from their parents, taking advantage of them. The last thing you want to hear about is the BComm student who takes out a $5000 taxpayer-subsidized interest-free loan every year to buy GICs.Increasing support for the Indirect Costs Program to $500 million a year which will represent an increase of over 60 per cent above current levels.Pros
: Universities will love this. It is a good policy, which lowers university overhead.Cons
: Students won’t see a dollar of this, directly or indirectly. Does the public care about the specifics of research funding accounting?Increase the annual funding levels of CIHR and NSERC to $1.275 billion from their current levels of $960 million. Increase the annual funding level of SSHRC to $450 million from the current level of $320 million.Create a new Interdisciplinary Sustainability Fund of $100 million. This fund will be available to scientists, researchers and graduate students for projects that reach beyond the barriers of their discipline.
Make the Science, Research & Experimental Development (SR&ED) Tax credit 25 per cent refundable through the Green Shift.Pros
: Research is good - especially when you are trying to stimulate the economy and improve productivity. Interdisciplinary research is also good. Universities, and probably industry, will love this (no talk of commercialization for industry though).Cons
: I’ve never believed research is much of a vote-getter. SSHRC who?Extend the time period that individuals have to repay their student loans.
Design new student loan programs that will increase access for under- represented groups such as Aboriginal Canadians.No real details on these two points.
Overall this is an impressive platform. A lot of significant policy proposals that will improve the PSE system. Students should be pretty supportive of this, and CASA will be very happy, I wager. It’s expensive though, and not all the money is well-spent. I’m interested to see how this plays out. Although issues haven’t’ really been playing-out in the campaign thus far, so it probably won’t matter…
Labels: Liberal Policy, post-secondary education, research, university funding | <urn:uuid:6b8260b7-1a79-4983-b6f1-9954e8feeec6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://calgarygrit.blogspot.jp/2008_09_01_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962817 | 2,325 | 1.570313 | 2 |
WACA 2012 EEO Public File Report
For each vacancy, the recruitment sources utilized:
- N/A. No hires during the previous year.
List and brief description of initiatives undertaken pursuant to paragraph (c)(2) of this section during the preceding year:
- 2011- 2012 Internship Program
The Station partnered with Howard County Public School System, under the program of the "Gifted and Talented Intern/Mentor Program". The program is a college-level course in which students design an original research study or creative production in a self-selected area of interest. Student research or creative production focuses on contributing new knowledge to the field of study. The G/T Resource Teacher facilitates internship experiences at a Job site, focusing on advanced-level research methodologies, college-level writing, and oral presentation skills. At the mentor site, students apply the knowledge and skills they have learned in an authentic, professional environment.
The employment unit provided intern with hand-on experience in her field of interest for her future Journalism career. The duties included on-the job training that included in general media and broadcast exposure such as production, board operation, sound editing, announcing, on-air appearance, public affairs, creative writing, receptionist and clerical work.
The Station's staff provided a supportive learning environment for the student to enhance the capacity for further learning in the media field.
The employment unit provided internship training for one (1) high school student during the Fall period of September to December 2011and the winter period January to April 2012. | <urn:uuid:0dba87e6-ae88-4731-bd2c-7182bcb69a3e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.radioamerica.net/component/content/article/2/11792-waca-2012-eeo-public-file-report.html?fontstyle=f-larger | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939168 | 316 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Mr. Chairman, I thank you for holding this hearing on the state of the international financial system. The Treasury Secretary has neglected to appear to testify on this topic for several years, so I hope the committee will treat this topic with the importance it deserves during this Congress. It is especially important because of the work the G20 has undertaken on global currency reform since 2008. What role US representatives have played in these negotiations is unknown to Congress, nor do we know what global currency reform initiatives are being discussed. I fear that the G20 negotiations will result in a fait accompli that will be forced upon the American people with no opportunity for input or debate.
Ever since the closing of the gold window by President Nixon in 1971, the unbacked US dollar has served as the world’s reserve currency. No longer constrained by being required to exchange dollars for gold, the US government has been able to fund its fiscal profligacy with trillions of dollars of new money created out of thin air. The only constraint on government spending is the willingness of investors to continue to purchase the Treasury debt issued to fund the government’s massive fiscal deficits.
The federal government’s fiscal profligacy has caused the national debt to skyrocket to well over $15 trillion. Even with nearly a trillion dollars of daylight under the current debt ceiling, it is highly likely that the federal government will reach this limit before the November elections. Foreign nations, especially our major creditors such as China, are watching keenly to see if Congress is serious about getting spending under control. Foreign creditors hold $5 trillion of Treasury debt, debt which is becoming increasingly devalued as the federal government runs trillion-dollar deficits and the Federal Reserve continues its trillion-dollar quantitative easing programs. Another increase in the debt ceiling would signal that Congress is not serious about reining in spending and would foreshadow a further decrease in the value of the dollar. | <urn:uuid:a3c71adc-cbc5-476b-8c04-27ffdfc3185c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sugashane.tumblr.com/tagged/Tim-Geithner | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957756 | 385 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Program of Study
The department of Political Science offers the bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees. The department's academic offerings cover the full range of essential subjects in the discipline of political science: political philosophy, constitutional law, American government and politics, comparative politics and international relations, and diplomacy and statecraft. Students interested in political science for the purpose of becoming secondary school teachers should consult the catalog section on the Social Sciences divisional major.
Pre-law political science has long been the traditional major of choice for students who plan to attend law school. While law schools do not require any particular undergraduate major, the study of politics, including courses that make use of legal materials and legal reasoning and that illumine the political context of court decisions, is arguably the most logical and appropriate academic area for those intending a career in law. Whatever their major, pre-law students should consult with Professor Evans (the pre-law advisor), or with other members of the department, on which particular courses in political science and in other departments would most suitably prepare them and on matters having to do with applying to law school.
Course Requirements and Offerings
Rockford College's Political Science department offers students the opportunity to either major or minor in political science. | <urn:uuid:df883184-a8f5-42e2-9fcf-3983fe4c39e5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rockford.edu/?page=PoliSciProgramCourse | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961597 | 250 | 1.710938 | 2 |
PM4DEV E-books. These are free resources that contain practical advice and insight on the practice of modern project management in the development field. These e-books present the best current thinking and span the entire range of contemporary business practice. Each e-book gives you the key concepts behind the subject and the techniques to implement the ideas effectively.
PM4DEV articles are a source of continuing education for project managers and other project management professionals. Feel free to browse our selection and download any topic you're interested. Whether you're new or seasoned project manager, we are sure you will find project management articles of interest here
PM4DEV Connect Journal is our quarterly distributed publication about project management that has generated a great interest to our subscribers. Our Journals are delivered electronically via email to all of our subscriber worldwide. Please feel free to browse our archive for previous editions and you can download any of our Journals using the link at the bottom of each issue.
PM4DEV training courses and workshops designed to develop the skills, knowledge and practice needed to build the competence required to manage projects successfully. Training programs are customized for project teams or large groups
PM4DEV services range from planing to assessments, all designed to improve the way in which projects are managed and results are delivered,. Our project management consulting, training and coaching services provide you with the appropriate processes, tools, and a flexible methodology so you can improve your project success rates with a focus on quality and reliability.
PM4DEV's Newsletter is our method to stay in touch with our community of members and visitors and keep you updated with the latest developments at PM4DEV. We hope that these regular communications provide you with the information you need to increase your knowledge.
PM4DEV's books are filled with practical advice and insight on the practice of modern project management in the development field. These low priced books are available in printed or electronic format. Some books are also available in Spanish. | <urn:uuid:98ade721-8697-4929-b3b6-6785eed2cd72> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pm4dev.com/resources/edocs.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932153 | 390 | 1.53125 | 2 |
The problem blends with the transit of migrants who cross the region in search of the American drea...
LA PAZ, Bolivia – Bolivia has succeeded in relieving only part of the tensions affecting diplomatic relations with its neighbours after it cleared up the controversial arrest of a Paraguayan citizen by Bolivian police. Relations with Peru, however, are still strained after statements from President Alan García accusing Bolivian President Evo Morales of meddling in his country's internal affairs.
The difficulties between Paraguay and Bolivia were partly solved with the repatriation on 18 June of Roberto Sosa, a Paraguayan man accused of robbery and arrested during an unlawful operation by armed Bolivian police on Paraguayan soil. According to Última Hora, Sosa is now in “military custody”.
Paraguayan Foreign Minister Héctor Lacognata had demanded the immediate return of Sosa and threatened to withdraw diplomats from La Paz if the Bolivian government failed to comply, reported EFE. The order for the suspect's release came directly from Bolivian Defence Minister Walter San Miguel.
Paraguayan authorities said they were satisfied with Bolivia's apology; however, on 13 June another conflict arose between Morales and the Paraguayan parliament. The controversy began when Morales accompanied Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo to a ceremony celebrating the anniversary of the end of the Chaco War (1932-35) between the two countries.
In his speech, the Bolivian president said “the best parliament is the people”. According to El Deber, the Paraguayan parliament, already in conflict with Lugo, approved a resolution demanding an apology from Morales. There has been no response from La Paz.
The situation with Peru is much more delicate after Lima's Correo published accusations by Peruvian Foreign Minister Antonio García Belaúnde that Morales was the “instigator” of indigenous protests in Peru at the beginning of June which left 34 people dead.
García Belaúnde quoted a letter sent by Morales to a summit of indigenous leaders which called for a “revolution”. On 16 June, according to AFP, Peru sent its 11th diplomatic note of complaint to Bolivia and withdrew its ambassador from La Paz. Meanwhile, Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca acknowledged that relations between the two countries were going through a bad patch, but did not intend to recall Bolivia's ambassador from Lima. | <urn:uuid:1705239a-2e91-4743-936d-776bf31ef3cd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://infosurhoy.com/cocoon/saii/xhtml/en_GB/features/saii/features/2009/06/19/feature-04 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967121 | 504 | 1.835938 | 2 |
"If you wanted to cheat, this guy, working out of a little post office in Alabama, was the guy. Tony Fitton was doctor and pharmacist."
Posted: Tuesday March 11, 2008 12:07PM; Updated: Tuesday March 11, 2008 3:47PM
Once upon a time, elite athletes who took extreme doses of anabolic steroids were sure that the drugs helped them jump higher, run faster, grow stronger. But these notions had never been verified in a lab. So in 1975 a British physiology professor at the University of Leeds, G. Romaine Hervey, set up an experiment to determine whether high doses of steroids truly boosted athletic performance or just gave users a psychological edge. "We knew young men who lifted weights felt that anabolic steroids helped them lift more, but we really didn't know [if they did]," says Hervey, now 83. "And since steroids did seem to make them bigger, we wanted to see whether that was normal muscle or water or something else."
It was a worthy inquiry, but Hervey was undone by one monumental oversight: He allowed 25-year-old Tony Fitton to observe the study. An industrial chemist and a top British powerlifter, Fitton watched with delight as the 11 subjects, gathered in a hotel room near campus, received boxes of the anabolic steroid Dianabol -- a drug he had been regularly using for three years. The instant Hervey left the room, Fitton took over. "Lads, the dosages are a bit high," he said of Hervey's regimen of 20 five-milligram tablets a day for six weeks. "If you feel more inclined to taking just two tablets a day, I'll buy [the rest] off you." As Fitton recalls, almost everyone in the room accepted his offer. Naturally, the subjects did not show appreciable strength gains at the end of the study. Fitton, meanwhile, had procured a cache of Dbol that he could deal or dole out to his lifting buddies.
Unaware that his experiment had been sabotaged, Hervey wrote in the influential medical journal The Lancet, "The results did not support the belief that anabolic steroids increase strength and performance." Although some lower-dosage studies showed contradictory results, Hervey's high-dosage trial held sway in the British and American sports medicine communities. In 1976 a former president of the American College of Sports Medicine, Dr. Allan J. Ryan, called steroids "fool's gold." A year later, another former ACSM president, Dr. David Lamb, wrote that the "administration of anabolic-androgenic steroids . . . does not of itself bring about any significant improvements in strength, aerobic endurance, lean body mass, or body weight." The Food and Drug Administration and the American Medical Association echoed that skepticism for a decade. As recently as 2006 the entry for Anadrol-50 in the Physicians' Desk Reference, the bible for pharmaceuticals, had this warning: "Anabolic steroids have not been shown to enhance athletic ability."
But the runners and lifters ingesting the drugs knew better. Dianabol, the first oral anabolic steroid, hit the pharmacies in the 1950s and, along with other anabolics, quickly found favor among some high-level athletes. "They would pin those warnings to their wall and laugh at them," recalls Charles Yesalis, a professor emeritus at Penn State and one of the country's foremost experts on steroids. "They had been seeking counsel and hearing silliness. Denying that these drugs worked is still to some extent damaging [the medical community's] credibility today."
Hervey's botched study had another far-reaching repercussion: It launched Fitton's two-decade career as a steroid entrepreneur. "I was off to a life of crime," he says now, a smile stealing across his face. By the early 1980s he had moved to the U.S. and was serving thousands of athletes: Olympians, top NFL draft picks, professional wrestlers, cops he'd met through lifting competitions and garden-variety gym rats. As one federal prosecutor said of Fitton in '85, "He may have been the biggest [steroid] dealer in the world."
Now a genial, paunchy 58-year-old raconteur who lives off his savings in Rochdale, England, Fitton remains unapologetic. "Life isn't fair," he says flatly, "so why should sports be fair?"
The saga of the steroid godfather begins in Rochdale, a working-class town in the moors outside Manchester. A silo-shaped teenager with a thatch of red hair, Fitton grew devoted to weightlifting, his gym an abandoned mill with broken windows that granted entry to pigeons as well as a blanket of fog so thick it often shrouded the barbells. In the late 1960s and early '70s, British schoolchildren were given unlimited free milk. By staying in high school, Fitton realized, he could rack up 10 pints of milk a day (free!) and add all that protein mass. Only after turning 20 did he finally graduate. | <urn:uuid:b665bbd7-334b-42d8-b85b-d0c92d28fb58> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/magazine/03/11/steroids.godfather/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979205 | 1,064 | 1.734375 | 2 |
Even though Obama ran in 2008 on a promise to make the world love us again, this time around he’s taking a page from Bush by ignoring the world and trying to run on a national security record. His multiple failures in global diplomacy don’t give him the option of running on his record empowering Islamists, but his national security record is just as bad.
On his campaign website, Obama’s boasts are ambiguous and dishonest at the same time. Fact checking them is child’s play.
When President Obama took office, the U.S. was engaged in two wars and faced terrorist threats at home and abroad.
This ambiguous statements implies that this is not the case today. And it isn’t. Now the US has lost both wars. The terrorist threats have not gone away and were mainly faced by passengers on planes and the maligned NYPD.
President Obama is committed to strengthening America’s leadership by maintaining a strong military and staying true to our values and ideals.
President Obama fulfilled his promise to responsibly and safely bring our troops home from Iraq, and is making sure returning servicemembers have the support they need.
Iraq is in the throes of a civil war and Al Qaeda bombings are taking a heavy toll. Obama’s proposed cuts to Tricare would also devastate health care for returning servicemembers.
On May 1st, President Obama signed a historic Strategic Partnership Agreement between the United States and Afghanistan that will help us to complete our mission and end the war in the Afghanistan as fast as we safely and responsibly can. By 2014, America’s combat mission in Afghanistan will end.
If the mission is defeating the Taliban, then the mission has indisputably failed. If the mission was signing a meaningless agreement, then it succeeded. But we could have signed the agreement without losing over a thousand soldiers in Afghanistan. The Taliban have not been defeated and no one contends that they have been. | <urn:uuid:d0abbd78-7117-4e38-80a4-2867e39c8a39> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://frontpagemag.com/2012/dgreenfield/fact-check-obamas-national-security-claims/comment-page-1/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974166 | 402 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Yes (sigh) on Prop B. And vote hell yes to deny corporations personhood -- that'd be Prop G
The scathing accreditation report by the Western Association of Schools talks about governance problems at the San Francisco Community College District — a legitimate matter of concern. But most of what threatens the future of City College is a lack of money.
Check out the accreditation letter; it's on the City College website. Much of what it says is that the school is trying to do too much with limited resources. There aren't enough administrators; that's because, facing 20 percent cuts to its operating budget, the college board decided to save front-line teaching jobs. Student support services are lacking; that's because the district can barely afford to keep enough classes going to meet the needs of some 90,000 students. On the bigger picture, WASC and the state want City College to close campuses and concentrate on a core mission of offering two-year degrees and preparing students to transfer to four-year institutions. That's because the state has refused to fund education at an adequate level, and there's not enough money to both function as a traditional junior college and serve as the training center for San Francisco's tech, hospitality and health-care industry, provide English as a second language classes to immigrants and offer new job skills and rehabilitation to the workforce of the future.
It's fair to say that WASC would have found some problems at City College no matter what the financial situation (and we've found more — the nepotism and corruption under past boards has been atrocious). But the only way out of this mess is either to radically scale back the school's mission — or to increase its resources. We support the latter alternative.
Prop. A is a modest parcel tax — $79 dollars a year on each property lot in the city. Parcel taxes are inherently unfair — a small house in Hunters Point pays as much as a mansion in Pacific Heights or a $500 million downtown office building. But that's the result of Prop. 13, which leaves the city very few ways to raise taxes on real property. In the hierarchy of progressive tax options, parcel taxes are better than sales taxes. And the vast majority of San Francisco homeowners and commercial property owners get a huge benefit from Prop. 13; a $6 a month additional levy is hardly a killer.
The $16 million this tax would raise annually for the district isn't enough to make up for the $25 million a year in state budget cuts. But at least the district would be able to make reasonable decisions about preserving most of its mission. This is one of the most important measures on the ballot; vote yes.
There are two questions facing the voters: Does the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department need money to fix up badly decrepit, sometimes unsafe facilities, and build out new park areas, particularly in underserved neighborhoods? Has the current administration of the department so badly mismanaged Rec-Park, so radically undermined the basic concept of public access to public space, so utterly alienated neighborhoods and communities all over the city, that it shouldn't be trusted with another penny?
And if your answer to both is yes, how the hell do you vote on Prop. B?
It's a tough one for us. The Guardian has never, in 46 years, opposed a general obligation bond for anything except jail or prisons. Investing in public infrastructure is a good thing; if anything, the cautious folks at City Hall, who refuse to put new bonds on the ballot until old ones are paid off, are too cautious about it. Spending public money (paid by increased property taxes in a city where at least 90 percent of real estate is way under taxed thanks to Prop. 13) creates jobs. It's an economic stimulus. It adds to the value of the city's resources. In this case, it fixes up parks. All of that is good; it's hard to find a credible case against it.
Except that for the past few years, under the administrations of Mayors Gavin Newsom and Ed Lee and the trusteeship of Rec-Park Directors Jared Blumenfeld and Phil Ginsburg, the city has gone 100 percent the wrong way. Parks are supposed to be public resources, open to all; instead, the department has begun charging fees for what used to be free, has been turning public facilities over to private interests (at times kicking the public out), and has generally looked at the commons as a source of revenue. It's a horrible precedent. It makes us sick.
Ginsburg told us that he's had no choice — deep budget cuts have forced him to look for money wherever he can find it, even if that means privatizing the parks. But Ginsburg also admitted to us that, even as chief of staff under Newsom, he never once came forward to push for higher taxes on the wealthy, never once suggested that progressive revenue sources might be an option. Nor did any of the hacks on the Rec-Park Commission. Instead, they've been busy spending tens of thousands of dollars on an insane legal battle to evict the Haight Ashbury Neighborhood Council's recycling center — entirely because rich people in the Haight don't want poor people coming through their elite neighborhood to cash in bottles and cans for a little money.
So now we're supposed to cough up another $195 million to enable more of this?
Well, yes. We're not happy to be endorsing Prop. B, but the bottom line is simple: The bond money will go for things that need to be done. There are, quite literally, parks in the city where kids are playing in unsafe and toxic conditions. There are rec centers that are pretty close to falling apart. Those improvements will last 50 years, well beyond the tenure of this mayor of Rec-Park director. For the long-term future of the park system, Prop. B makes sense.
If the measure fails, it may send Lee and Ginsburg a message. The fact that so many neighborhood leaders are opposing it has already been a signal — one that so far Ginsburg has ignored. We're going Yes on B, with all due reservations. But this commission has to go, and the sooner the supervisors can craft a charter amendment to give the board a majority of the appointments to the panel the better.+
This measure is about who gets to live in San Francisco and what kind of city this will be in 20 years. If we leave it up to market forces and the desires of developers, about 85 percent of the housing built in San Francisco will be affordable only by the rich, meaning the working class will be forced to live outside the city, clogging regional roadways and transit systems and draining San Francisco of its cultural diversity and vibrancy. And that process has been accelerated in recent years by the latest tech bubble, which city leaders have decided to subsidize with tax breaks, causing rents and home prices to skyrocket.
Mayor Ed Lee deserves credit for proposing this Housing Trust Fund to help offset some of that impact, even if it falls way short of the need identified in the city's Housing Element, which calls for 60 percent of new housing construction to be affordable to prevent gentrification. We're also not thrilled that Prop. C actually reduces the percentage of housing that developers must offer below market rates and prevents that 12 percent level from later being increased, that it devotes too much money to home ownership assistance at the expense of the renters who comprise the vast majority of city residents, and that it depends on the passage of Prop.E and would take $15 million from the increased business taxes from that measure, rather than restoring years of cuts to General Fund programs.
But Prop. C was a hard-won compromise, with the affordable housing folks at the table, and they got most of what they wanted. (Even the 12 percent has a long list of exceptions and thus won't apply to a lot of new market-rate housing.) And it has more chance of actually passing than previous efforts that were opposed by the business community and Mayor's Office. This measure would commit the city to spending $1.5 billion on affordable housing projects over the next 30 years, with an initial $20 million annual contribution steadily growing to more than $50 million annually by 2024, authorizing and funding the construction of 30,000 new rental units throughout the city. With the loss of redevelopment funds that were devoted to affordable housing, San Francisco is a city at risk, and passage of Prop. C is vital to ensuring that we all have a chance of remaining here. Vote yes.
There's a lot of odd stuff in the San Francisco City Charter, and one of the twists is that two offices — the city attorney and the treasurer — are elected in an off-year when there's nothing else on the ballot. There's a quaint kind of charm to that, and some limited value — the city attorney is one of the most powerful officials in local government, and that race could get lost in an election where the mayor, sheriff, and district attorney are all on the ballot.
But seriously: The off-year elections have lower turnout, and cost the city money, and it's pretty ridiculous that San Francisco still does it this way. The entire Board of Supervisors supports Prop. D. So do we. Vote yes.
Over the past five years, Board of Supervisors President David Chiu estimates, San Francisco has cut about $1.5 billion from General Fund programs. It's been bloody, nasty, awful. The budget reductions have thrown severely ill psych patients out of General Hospital and onto the streets. They've forced the Recreation and Parks Department to charge money for the use of public space. They've undermined everything from community policing to Muni maintenance.
And now, as the economy starts to stabilize a bit, the mayor wants to change the way businesses are taxed — and bring an additional $28.5 million into city coffers.
That's right — we've cut $1.5 billion, and we're raising taxes by $28.5 million. That's less than 2 percent. It's insane, it's inexcusable, it's utterly the wrong way to run a city in 2012. It might as well be Mitt Romney making the decision — 98 percent cuts, 2 percent tax hikes.
Nevertheless, that's where we are today — and it's sad to say this is an improvement from where the tax discussion started. At first, Mayor Lee didn't want any tax increase at all; progressive leaders had to struggle to convince him to allow even a pittance in additional revenue.
The basic issue on the table is how San Francisco taxes businesses. Until the late 1990s, the city had a relatively rational system — businesses paid about 1.5 percent of their payroll or gross receipts, whichever was higher. Then 52 big corporations, including PG&E, Chevron, Bechtel, and the Gap, sued, arguing that the gross receipts part of the program was unfair. The supervisors caved in to the legal threat and repeal that part of the tax system — costing the city about $30 million a year. Oh, but then tech companies — which have high payrolls but often, at least at first, low gross receipts — didn't want the payroll tax. The same players who opposed the other tax now called for its return, arguing that taxing payroll hurts job growth (which is untrue and unfounded, but this kind of dogma doesn't get challenged in the press). So, after much discussion and debate, and legitimate community input, the supervisors unanimously approved Prop. E — which raises a little more money, but not even as much as the corporate lawsuit in the 1990s set the city back. It's not a bad tax, better than the one we have now — it brings thousands of companies the previously paid no tax at all into the mix (sadly, some of them small businesses). It's somewhat progressive — companies with higher receipts pay a higher rate. We can't argue against it — the city will be better off under Prop. E than it is today. But we have to look around our battered, broke-ass city, shake our poor bewildered heads and say: Is this really the best San Francisco can do? Sure, vote yes on E. And ask yourself why one of the most liberal cities in America still lets Republican economic theory drive its tax policy.
WATER AND ENVIRONMENT PLAN
NO, NO, NO
Reasonable people can disagree about whether San Francisco should have ever dammed the Tuolumne River in 1923, flooding the Hetch Hetchy Valley and creating an engineering marvel that has provided the city with a reliable source of renewable electricity and some of the best urban drinking water in the world ever since. The project broke the heart of famed naturalist John Muir and has caused generations since then to pine for the restoration of a valley that Muir saw as a twin to his beloved nearby Yosemite Valley.
But at a time when this country can't find the resources to seriously address global warming (which will likely dry up the Sierra Nevada watershed at some point in the future), our deteriorating infrastructure, and myriad other pressing problems, it seems insane to even consider spending billions of dollars to drain this reservoir, restore the valley, and find replacement sources of clean water and power.
You can't argue with the basic facts: There is no way San Francisco could replace all the water that comes in from Hetch Hetchy without relying on the already-fragile Delta. The dam also provides 1.7 billion kilowatt hours a year of electric power, enough to meet the needs of more than 400,000 homes. That power now runs everything from the lights at City Hall to Muni, at a cost of near zero. The city would lose 42 percent of its energy generation if the dam went away.
Besides, the dam was, and is, the lynchpin of what's supposed to be a municipal power system in the city. As San Francisco, with Clean Power SF, moves ever close to public power, it's insane to take away this critical element of any future system.
On its face, the measure merely requires the city to do an $8 million study of the proposal and then hold a binding vote in 2016 that would commit the city to a project estimated by the Controller's Office to cost somewhere between $3 billion and $10 billion. Yet to even entertain that possibility would be a huge waste of time and money.
Prop. F is being pushed by a combination of wishful (although largely well-meaning) sentimentalists and disingenuous conservatives like Dan Lungren who simply want to fuck with San Francisco, but it's being opposed by just about every public official in the city. Vote this down and let's focus our attention on dealing with real environmental and social problems.
If San Francisco voters pass Prop. G, it won't put any law into effect. It's simply a policy statement that sends a message: Corporations are not people, and it's time for the federal government to tackle the overwhelming and deeply troubling control that wealthy corporations have over American politics.
Prop. G declares that money is not speech and that limits on political spending improve democratic processes. It urges a reversal of the notorious Citizens United vs. Federal Elections Commission Supreme Court decision.
A constitutional amendment, and any legal messing with free speech, has serious potential problems. If corporations are limited from spending money on politics, could the same apply to unions or nonprofits? Could such an amendment be used to stop a community organization from spending money to print flyers with political opinions?
But it's a discussion that the nation needs to have, and Prop. G is a modest start. Vote yes. | <urn:uuid:2aaa0607-b2ac-4444-8fea-a5207e433889> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sfbg.com/print/2012/10/03/endorsements-2012-san-francisco-propositions?page=1%2C0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965871 | 3,205 | 1.523438 | 2 |
The morning was just beginning to lighten in the overcast skies at Kerville-Schreiner Park. It had been dark by time we had arrived in Kerrville the night before, but even in the dim morning light, I was amazed at the jagged hills and greenery. The Hill Country, or Edwards Plateau, was a different Texas that I had seen before.
The dawn chorus began. The unmistakable what-cheer, what-cheer song of the Northern Cardinal stood out above the other emerging songs and chatter. Sue and Barb recognized the rich, rollicking song of a Carolina Chickadee – such a strong voice from such a little bird.
As it got lighter, the grass next to the parking area was buzzing with the activity of sparrows: White-crowned, Clay-colored, Chipping, and Vesper. There was a sparrow we didn’t immediately recognize. After studying our field guide, we were delighted to discover that it was a Grasshopper Sparrow.
Our target bird was the Black-crested Titmouse. We saw a small bird flitting in the foliage; however, it was only a chickadee.
“Read the location of the titmouse again, Barb,” I suggested.
“It says that the best place to find it is above the camping area,” she read.
We could see what appeared to be a camping area below, so we began systematically checking out the trees – with no luck. Finally the office opened. The attendant didn’t know anything about birds; however, when we repeated the guide book’s suggestion, she said, “Oh, that is across the highway.”
We paid our fee, got our gate code, and headed up to the top of the camping area, just as it started to drizzle.
“Be prepared to get your life bird,” Sue told Barb. “ I’m going into the rest room,”.No sooner had Sue disappeared inside than the titmouse popped up on top of a moss-covered snag. Fortunately, it was still there when she emerged. It was a life bird for all of us.
After taking in some old favorites, e.g. Western Scrub Jay, Chipping Sparrow, Lesser Goldfinch, and Northern Cardinal, we left the park to head to the Kerr Wildlife Management Area, about half an hour west of Kerrville. The road wound through canyons cut through multi-layered limestone and lined with shin-oak, and then opened into green pasture land and horse farms.
Just past Mo Ranch, we turned into the wildlife management area. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife, the Edwards Plateau is the “crown jewel of Texas, and the Kerr Wildlife Management area teaches landowners how to keep it polished.”When we arrived at the park office, there was no one there; however, a Barn Swallow was perched on its reserved parking space.
“The ranger told us that Painted Buntings have been coming to the feeder,” a birding couple relayed. We didn’t have to wait long before a pair flew in, grabbed seed, and then were off. Even though they are relatively small, the male, with its lime green, red and royal blue plumage, was even more spectacular than I had imagined.
We headed to the Doe Pasture area which was designated as a prime area for sightings of the endangered Black-capped Vireo. There was a couple from Bellingham, WA already stalking the vireo.
“Someone who was here before us said they had seen one here,” they told us. “We have seen some fast fly-bys, but haven’t gotten a good look.”
The only sound was a plaintive whistle. “A Field Sparrow,” Sue told us. It is a year-round resident in the mid-Atlantic where she has done most of her birding. Pretty soon one flew into view and we could see its rusty cap and pink bill.
There were periodic bursts of activity as mixed flocks would fly into a nearby bush, engage in a furtive, feeding-frenzy and then were off. It was hard to focus on individual birds, most of which stayed deeply buried in the bushes.
It drizzled off and on, and when it would stop, there was a stiff breeze.
“I saw a Golden-cheeked Warbler,” Barb said excitedly. We hadn’t expected to see them in this location.
An occasional Mourning Warbler was identified in these mixed flocks. Sue saw a Black-throated Green Warblers.
Finally, we all got good looks of both the male and female Black-capped Vireo, a bird that can primarily be seen on the Edwards Plateau.
Satisfied, we moved on in pursuit of the Golden-cheeked Warbler, which is also endangered. It meant parking our car on the side of the road, figuring out how to unhook the chain across the gate closing, and then walking a ways up a trail to an area with dense oak trees.
As we approached the trees, there was a buzz of activity, and Sue caught a good look at the warbler. It was then quiet. We tried phishing to stir one up for me, to no avail. I was hopeful that I would see them the next day.
The following day, we headed south to Lost Maples State Park. Our guide book stated that “Los Maples has one of the largest populations of Golden-cheeked Warblers on publicly accessible lands.” However, when we arrived the park staff told us that the birds had started nesting and were much harder to spot.We took a few minutes to watch the birds at the feeders outside the Visitor’s Center, where Black-chinned Hummingbirds were buzzing in and out from the nectar feeder and Indigo and Painted Buntings made quick trips to the seed feeder.
We parked near blind and an array of feeders and set off on one of the trails, stopping to scan the tops of each oak tree. It rained off and on. When we got to a fork in the trail, we met another visiting birder, who advised us to keep to the right, where he had heard a Golden-cheeked Warbler singing.
The cascading song of a Canyon Wren echoed off the limestone walls of the canyon. We spotted a White-eyed Vireo, and then a Summer Tanager. A Black-and-White Warbler was busy in some low bushes along the stream.
All of a sudden, I noticed a bird dart across the trail, land in an oak tree, and then heard the distinctive five note and buzz song of the Golden-Cheeked Warbler coming from the dense foliage. It sang for awhile, but didn’t show its face, and then it was off again across the trail like a flash.
We crossed the stream and then walked further up the trail. “I see a Louisiana Waterthrush,” Sue said.
“I saw it too,” Barb said. I missed it while I was scanning the tops of the trees for the warbler.
As we headed back, a kettle of Black and Turkey Vultures circled overhead. We checked to make sure a Zone-tailed Hawk wasn’t hiding in their midst, but there wasn’t.Back at the parking area, we found a picnic table under a tree with dry seats and sat to watch the birds at the feeders. Almost 20 different species visited the various feeders. Our favorites were the Painted Buntings. We passed through the Hill Country again on our return to Albuquerque. The sides and medians of the freeway were blanketed with wild flowers in various shades of yellow.
“You must go back sometime when the Blue Bonnets are in bloom,” a friend said.
While I didn’t see the Golden-cheeked Warbler, except in a flash, it was delightful birding in the Edwards Plateau hilly terrain. I guess I’ll just have to go back sometime. | <urn:uuid:61fe4696-3b9f-4b62-ac83-88ddb122a300> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wingandsong.wordpress.com/2009/05/01/spring-birding-in-the-texas-hill-country/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977808 | 1,738 | 1.617188 | 2 |
May 20, 2003
You and whose army?
By Stephen Gowans
Anyone who says the sun will rise tomorrow runs the risk of being wrong, (not that anyone will be around the next day to rub his or her nose in it.) Which is to say that when it comes to matters of prediction, only time can tell for sure. So, with the American and British occupying armies having had more than ample opportunity to uncover the nasty weapons Tony Blair and Colin Powell assured us Saddam Hussein had waiting on the shelf, ready to be deployed faster than you can say "Emmanuel Goldstein," it now appears that time has told. There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, at least none that anyone can find -- not UN inspectors, and now, not the US or British militaries.
Of course, you wouldn't know that people have been hoodwinked. No one really talks about it all that much, the attack on Iraq now regarded as water under the bridge, like previous attacks on so many other countries. What little discussion does go on in connection with Iraq, follows three streams: (1) it's not true that Washington lied about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction, (2) there was a misunderstanding, but it doesn't really matter, and (3) who cares?
U.S. national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, who seems to follow H.L. Menken's observation that no one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of Americans, can be found at the center of the "it's not true that we lied" discussion. Says Rice of the Pentagon's failure to stumble over any of Saddam's banned weapons: "It was a sophisticated deception effort, and it will take some time to untangle that," this presumably referring to a "sophisticated deception effort" on the part of the Baathist regime, not a "sophisticated deception effort "on the part of the Bush regime to conjure up a pretext for war.
All our allegations were tripled sourced, says Rice's cabinet colleague, Powell, suggesting the WMD claim must have been true. And, it follows, from this unassailable premise, that if the weapons aren't there now they (a) must have been destroyed before the invasion, or (b) have been cleverly hidden. Both assertions, it may be recalled, were invoked to explain away the failure to find the 100,000 corpses that Washington insisted were strewn across Kosovo, the ostensible reason for another Washington-initiated war, which makes you wonder whether maybe, just maybe, Washington makes all this stuff up, knowing that when the truth is finally uncovered, it will be too late for anyone to do anything about it. And by then, who really cares?
This doesn't take away from the fact that in the latest instance (as in the Kosovo case) the assertions are plainly absurd. To the first, it might be said that it would indeed be a new development in military tactics to destroy one's best weapons on the eve of an invasion by a hostile force. To the second, it might be asked that if, when it mattered most to Iraq to conceal weapons, the US was able to produce "definitive" evidence of their existence, how is that when it no longer matters whether the weapons are discovered--and US inspectors are scouring the country--the US can no longer produce definitive evidence? Surely, this is entirely improbable, and the alternative explanation, that there never were any banned weapons to begin with, is by far the more likely. But then one suspects that were Rice to change her career to astronomy from plotting the take-over of the world on behalf of corporate titans based in the US, she would undertake a vigorous effort to resurrect the unduly complicated Ptolemic model of the solar system, while banishing the Copernican view...that is, if there was something in it for her, like getting the name of the Mount Palomar observatory changed to the Condeeleeza Rice observatory.
If these questions are troubling to Americans who need to believe in their president, there's relief. For there is now a developing view that if the invasion was launched on the understanding that the Iraqi regime was violating UN resolutions by possessing banned weapons, and that understanding was wrong, it was entirely Saddam Hussein's fault. He deliberately occasioned "ambiguity," and failed to prove that he didn't have banned weapons. The problem with this, however, is that when Blair was trumpeting his dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction -- parts of which were plagiarized, complete with grammar errors, from a dated report available on the Internet authored by a graduate student -- there was no ambiguity at all. It was abundantly evident, said Blair, that Saddam had banned weapons. And later, Powell praised the unambiguous dossier.
Add to this the question of whether a negative can be proved. If we were to follow the view that the accused must prove themselves innocent, rather than the accuser proving the accused guilty, the police could round up anyone at will, and moreover, the prosecution could be guaranteed convictions. In this case, however, the sequence of events goes like this: Accuser says accused is guilty and produces evidence, now shown to be fabricated. When accuser is accused of lying, he says, I didn't lie, I was misled by the accused, who should have proved to me that my accusations were false.
Which brings us to a third stream of discussion, a not very involved or detailed one, for it reduces to two words: Who cares? This is not to say that people don't care, only that life moves on, and that (1) there's not a lot that anyone can do within the comforts of their everyday life, (2) there's not a lot that anyone can think of doing, and (3) there's not a lot that anyone is prepared to do. Which is why, when someone jumps up and down about Washington predicating its attack on Iraq on bullshit, most people say, "It's too bad, but look, it hasn't hurt me, and in the end the people of Iraq will probably be better off anyway. So, you know, it's not something I'm going to get agitated about."
Pointing this out seems depressingly pessimistic, the surface manifestation perhaps of a hidden agenda to discourage activism against the Bush administration, but it's not that at all. It's only an attempt to understand something rather startling: The United States, backed by a British toady, has attacked another country, in defiance of international law and world opinion, on what, were they true, would have been dubious grounds at best, but which are now known with almost complete certainty to have been false, and the unfavorable reaction in the US, such as it is, is mild, outweighed by flag waving. Which means that the United States can continue to jackboot about the globe without a lot of bother and opposition at home, and, moreover, notwithstanding any of the wishful thinking that public opinion has become a second superpower.
But then, there's nothing really new in this, for the United States has, on other occasions, attacked other countries, in defiance of international law, contemptuous of global public opinion, and on entirely contrived grounds, and got away with it. And it gets away with it for its leaders can utter, now, more than ever, and without any hubris at all, that playground challenge: You and whose army are going to stop me? It can also rely on its adventures not stirring up too much discomfort among its own population, if any, or of demanding any clearly apprehended sacrifice on the part of Americans. Americans' penchant for obedience and deference to authority, doesn't hurt either in keeping the population largely quiescent, a proclivity which has led a Canadian pollster to marvel that despite Americans' cherished belief that they are rebel individualists, the description is now more aptly applied to their northern neighbors, who, if the received wisdom were to be believed, are supposed to be the more inclined to politely submit to authority.
"American deference to patriarchal and hierarchical authority...has led to much rallying around the flag," says pollster Michael Adams. "Even half of Democrats feel it is unpatriotic to question their president." But in Canada, notes Adams, "[n]ot questioning the prime minister is seen as a failure if not of democratic verve, then of intelligence."
"Who is the leader of the opposition in the United States," Adams asks. "Michael Moore?"
Which isn't to say that Canada is a hotbed of anarchism, only that when compared to Americans' knee-jerk flag waving, it's not hard to come off looking like the true rebel individualists. ("Neighbours growing apart," The Globe and Mail, May 20, 2003.)
Indeed, there are disturbing parallels between Nazi Germany and the US, parallels in the value placed on deference to authority, as well as parallels between the two in strong militarism, and in robust nationalism (called patriotism in the US), the latter of which leaders are able to tap into to set immense evil into motion. Hitler, who is widely decried for his wickedness, was able to manipulate what was perhaps the greater evil -- German nationalism and unquestioning obedience. And yet, nationalism, and unquestioning obedience, are unlikely to get a television series made about them. Instead, following in the tradition of the great man theory of history, we get "Hitler: The Rise of Evil." But, when last I checked, Hitler wasn't the sole denizen of Germany in the 30's and '40's. But like all those fluff pieces that business writers like to pen for Business Week about hard-driving, risking taking corporate CEOs, we're to believe that the world, and major businesses, are run by a few, well-paid, powerful, individuals. The rest of us apparently just exist, doing nothing more than spectating.
Of course, this is all wrong. A better television series, by which I mean closer to the truth, would be called: "German Nationalism and Unquestioning Obedience: Wellspring of Great Evil", which could be followed by, "Zionist Nationalism: The Rise of Evil" and "American Patriotism: How Washington Gets Away With Mass Murder."
To deny that Bush, and presidents before him, have played the patriotism card, relying on a heavily indoctrinated populations' readiness to click its heels and fall in behind its "commander in chief," is to deny what's staring everyone in the face, and would be noticed, if critics weren't too busy dreaming up new ways to ridicule Bush and pin the blame on him alone and "patriots" weren't too busy rooting out all references to France in the national vocabulary. The common practice of referring to the military's commander in chief as being the commander in chief of all Americans is an egregious example of US militarism and also a glimpse into America's sympathy for dictatorship, an institution that is all right, it seems, just so long as the dictator is replaced at least once every eight years by a carbon copy of the last. To Americans, the charge that the country is largely fascist is considered too loony to be worth considering, but then, the guy who eats three bowls of roasted garlic soup hardly ever notices his own stink.
Meanwhile, those Americans not so inclined to share in the heel-clicking deference to the uniquely American version of a dictator, are mostly engaged in letting their attention roam the world in search of human rights violators, while allowing their own government to get on with the business of outraging the sovereignty of other countries, while perpetrating outrageous human rights violations both at home and abroad. So it is that there can be a high-profile campaign of denouncing Cuba for executing three hijackers and jailing scores of people who were working with Washington to return capitalism to Cuba, while nothing with quite the same profile has greeted the imprisonment under deplorable conditions of hundreds of people from dozens of countries in a concentration camp at Gautanamo Bay, well out of reach of US law; nor has much been said about Washington joining Tel Aviv in the practice of extrajudicial assassination.
For all that it matters, my own view is that capital punishment is wrong, no matter who does it, or what the context (context becoming a nice word for "apologetics,") but on the other hand, a good deal of the repression, human rights violations and killing that goes on in official US target countries happens as a defensive manoeuvre against US depredations (which doesn't make them any less wrong, but does make them less likely to happen if Washington backs off.) Westerners who are truly concerned about repression and killing would be better served by mustering the courage to keep pressure on their own governments to stop pressuring small countries, while taking their own governments to task for their own repression and killing. Better still would be getting on with the business of replacing Western capitalist democracy with something better, something that isn't driven to outrage the sovereignty of other countries in an inexorable quest for new markets, new resources and new sources of cheap labor. Unfortunately, it is much easier to criticize foreign governments, and especially those that are objects of ritualistic abuse, than it is to criticize one's own government, especially in the US where political opposition on foreign policy is considered almost tantamount to treason, and where critics are either ignored, or ridiculed and traduced when they can't be ignored, just as much by fellow activists as by the establishment. It is also much easier to talk about helping people in other countries throw off tyranny and build better societies, than to get around to the far more difficult task of building a better society at home.
While it might be pessimistic, it is not unrealistic to predict that the sovereignty of other nations will soon be outraged, yet again, on grounds as dubious and false as those on which Iraq's sovereignty was outraged. Once it becomes clear that Washington's new outrages were, as all others, based on deception, the likely response will be a resigned, ho-hum...yet again. As to the activist corps, it will take time from its accustomed practice of slamming each other, to organize a few demonstrations, before returning to hurling accusations of Stalinism or left infantilism or whatever particular slight is favored in whatever particular clique the accuser resides. As to any kind of real political opposition in the US, that will be left, as ever, to Michael Moore.
You may re-post this article, providing the text remains unchanged.
Join our e-mail list. Send an e-mail to [email protected] and write "subscribe" in the subject line. | <urn:uuid:b309f881-07e4-4d60-b42d-3fd0748cd167> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www3.sympatico.ca/sr.gowans/army.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974778 | 3,031 | 1.5 | 2 |
Five Spirits: Alchemical Acupuncture for Psychological and Spiritual Healing
Lorie Eve Dechar
Although modern acupuncture practice is strongly influenced by the linear logic of Confucianism and modern scientific thought, acupuncture’s seminal theories and practices—especially those pertaining to psychological healing and psychospiritual transformation—arise from mythical consciousness. In order for us, as modern Westerners, to come to an authentic understanding of these ancient theories and to use them most efficiently, we must move beyond the limitations of linear logic and directed thought and rediscover the mythical world within us.
From the point of view of modern linear logic, it is impossible for human beings of the present time to ever really know how the ancient Chinese experienced the world around them. Our modern intellect cannot begin to grasp the atmosphere and wisdom of this distant era. Yet, when we open ourselves to aspects of awareness that are often ignored by rational Western consciousness, we enter a dimension of embodied emotional awareness that transcends linguistic, cultural and historical contexts. This level of awareness lives in us alongside the logic of our modern mind. It lives in our dreams, bodies, instincts, symbols, archetypes, mythologies and fantasies as well as in many of our most irritating, peculiar, chronic somatic and psychological symptoms. And it is this level of knowing that leads us not only to the mysteries of acupuncture and Chinese medicine but back to our own bodies and our own souls.
In this book, I am not proposing a regressive return to earlier ways of being and organizing the world. I do not believe that this kind of sentimental turning backward will help us heal the complex psychological and psychosomatic problems that afflict us today. Rather, I am suggesting a conscious illumination of the past, a turning backward that is simultaneously a moving forward to the future. Earlier forms of consciousness remain active even if we are not consciously aware of them. By shining the light of our awareness onto these “deeper” levels, we can intentionally make use of the insights and capabilities that are waiting there in a dormant state.
An Awareness of Tao
In my practice, I try to remain open to all possibilities. Body, mind, soul or spirit? On what level does a patient’s problem need to be addressed? Is a pain in the shoulder due to a repetitive sports injury or a chronic muscle tightness that shields a wounded heart? Is elbow pain simply elbow pain or is it a symbolic message from the body that is calling out to be interpreted? Although it sometimes takes time to know which way to go, I trust the qi to lead me in the right direction.
In the background of every treatment, I hold an awareness of Tao, that sacred presence that cannot be spoken or rationally understood. I try to remember that on the other side of the needle is the breathing of the infinite. Acupuncture is, at its Taoist core, a transformational form of healing. From its origins in the shamanic rituals of aboriginal Chinese tribes along the Yellow River, acupuncture’s primary function was the realigning of the cosmos. Chinese medicine’s original concern was facilitating the unfolding of the Tao in our lives here on earth. Unfortunately, it has lost much of its power in the necessary but limited service of pain relief for a slew of modern ailments. Yet these very symptoms are actually the expression of the deep distress of the modern Western soul and are indicative of how far we have strayed from our alignment with the Tao, our connection to the wisdom of nature and our own bodies.
It is not easy to allow ourselves to be touched and changed by the world of Chinese medicine. It takes time and patience as well as a willingness to be temporarily disoriented and confused. Chinese medicine, when practiced from an alchemical orientation, dares us to explore maligned and forgotten parts of ourselves in order to rediscover our own wholeness. It dares us to let go of old, outmoded ways of being and to open to new, more authentic possibilities. This kind of healing takes courage, insight, trust, sweat and tears. But only in this way can we fully benefit from the wisdom of the ancient Chinese. And only in this way can we discover the doorway to a lost part of our own selves, a part that I believe is vital to our personal and collective healing as well as to the future of our planet.
During the thousands of years of Chinese medicine’s evolution, language, symbols, visions, dreams and intuitions have combined with unrelenting empirical observations of nature to form a healing system that has the unity and perfection of poetic genius. This ancient, intricately woven tapestry of healing may at first seem impossible for the modern Western mind to penetrate. Yet in the following pages we will discover a path to the heart of traditional Chinese medicine, a path that leads us back to a distant past and at the same time guides us forward to the future. By pulling gently yet persistently on the thread of our own experience, by following the thread of our own insights and understanding, we discover an opening, no bigger than the point of a needle, through which we can enter the vast majesty of the world of Tao—the world of Chinese medicine that lies not only in the ancient past but here and now, in the world outside as well as within us.
Back to Five Spirits | <urn:uuid:2a2cf823-42d8-4eb2-9fb1-a07d6bd4fb0d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lanternbooks.com/excerpt.html?cat=3&id=1590560922&expid=431 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937502 | 1,087 | 1.8125 | 2 |
(Women more stressed about…)
An Australian survey has found that women were more stressed out than men to keep their Facebook status updates interesting.
Sixty nine per cent women of the 420 Australians interviewed said they felt the pressure to keep their status updated, as opposed to only 39 per cent of men, reports News .
The Cenovis Chill Pill survey, conducted by Galaxy research, has suggested that the pressures associated with social media are a large contributor to high stress levels among its users.
While 63 per cent believed social media was contributing to the stress levels, over one third (37 per cent) felt under pressure to be in constant contact and 35 per cent said there was an expectation to respond quickly to messages.
Over 13 per cent felt stressed while trying to be witty in writing status updates on Facebook .
La Trobe University law student Nikkita Venville said she could relate to the survey's findings.
"There's a bit of pressure to have a unique status that people will laugh at and press the 'like' button," said the 24-year-old from Melbourne.
Venville said she felt 'out of loop' if she did not check or respond to messges on Facebook regularly.
She said that she was spending so much time on Facebook that she asked her sister to change her password so she could study for her exams. | <urn:uuid:4974336a-d33c-471b-a9a8-896781d58eaa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-06-30/man-woman/29717714_1_stress-levels-updates-social-media | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975488 | 277 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Sebastian Area Historical Museum
1235 Main Street
in the Sebastian City Hall Complex
Sebastian, FL 32958
The Sebastian Area Historical Museum is located in the 1927 Historic Sebastian Public School.
The new Sebastian Area Historical Museum has exhibits on the Ais Indians, Pelican Island, Clothing, Family Life, Quilts, Fishing, Agriculture, Military, Transportation, Early Shops and Trades, book shop and research facilities.
The Sebastian Area Historical Society, Inc. is dedicated to preserving the history of the Sebastian area through research and publications; to protecting historical materials, buildings and sites for the enjoyment of present and future generations; and to presenting local history to the community and visitors through a museum, educational programs and exhibits.
Membership Sebastian Area Historical Society membership dues are: Annual Individual -$15; Annual Business/Professional -$25.
The Society publishes local histories. Included are "Tales of Sebastian," $20; "More Tales of Sebastian," $20; "Even More Tales of Sebastian, $20; "A Guide to Historic Sebastian and Roseland," $4; plus postcards and notecards.
The Society's newsletter is a membership benefit. It is published quarterly.
Officers George O'Neill, President; Kathy McDonald, Vice President; Ellen Stanley, Secretary; Shirley Kilkelly, Treasurer.
2013-2014 Programs: TBA
October 16, 2013 - 7:30 p.m.
November 20, 2013 - 7:30 p.m.
January 15, 2014 - 7:30 p.m.
February 19, 2014 - 7:30 p.m.
March 19, 2014 - 7:30 p.m.
The Sebastian Area Historical Society, Inc. provides thought-provoking and educational programs at the North County Library, at 7:30 p.m., October, November, January, February and March, on the third Wednesday of the month each year.
Events are free and open to the public. Refreshments are provided.
The North Indian River County Library is located at 1001 Sebastian Blvd. (CR512) at Roseland Rd.
For additional information, call (772)581-1380 or email: [email protected].
"EVEN MORE Tales of Sebastian" Now Available
At Historical Museum, North County Library and Sebastian Chamber of Commerce.
"It's not often a book comes along which appeals to all ages, a book that is both entertaining and educational, a book full of adventure and discovery which highlights what came before us, a book which relives history and helps us identify ourselves in the colorful history of Florida."
That's what Valerie Van Haltern, educator and Friends For Seniors coordinator, recently said about "Even More Tales of Sebastian," the new book being published in November by the Sebastian Area Historical Society.
"This book is for children, parents, grandparents, history buffs and educators. Share these revived words and experiences with everyone. Enjoy the stories full of real Florida life and adventure. Relive the days of exploration and discovery together!" she added.
Beth Mitchell, Executive Director of the Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce, was just as enthusiastic.
"I was surprised by how up-front many of those interviewed by Phil Bova were with their comments. It takes a special skill to draw out decades-old feelings and details about growing up in Sebastian."
Another reader, Sally Maio, City Clerk of Sebastian, realized while reading the stories people told in the book how much she had been a part of what is now considered history.
"Although I didn't spend my childhood in Sebastian, I have lived here for 27 years. When I came here, you could drive down CR512 -- then it was called Fellsmere Road -- go to FoodTown and not see another car on the road."
"I went to work at City Hall in 1986 in the former old Sebastian Elementary School in the same area that now houses the Historical Society. My old office now displays Military, Farming and Fishing exhibits. So much has changed. This book brings back all those memories."
What's in "EVEN MORE TALES OF SEBASTIAN"?
The first part of the 148-page book has interviews with 25 local and former residents who went to school or worked in Sebastian, Some interviews were by later generations of pioneer families.
Minimal editing preserves the "down-to-earth" conversational appeal of the taped interviews by Sebastian Area Historical Society board member Phil Bova.
Photographs and stories told in the Society's first two books, "Tales of Sebastian" and "More Tales of Sebastian" are not repeated.
George Keyes, who selected photographs for the first two "Tales" books, was again asked to illustrate the articles, using his own and the Society's rich photographic collections. He also contributed several chapters, including one on the beginnings of the Sebastian Area Historical Society.
Doris Jorgensen served as a senior editor, wrote several chapters and also described early Historical Society programs.
Phil Bova interviewed the majority of those whose stories are told. Wilma Bertling served as Chair of the Committee, transcribed the interviews and did the computer production of the book.
Official FEC Historian Seth H. Bramson volunteered a chapter on the Fellsmere Railroad that once ran between Sebastian and Fellsmere.
Kathy McDonald, Anne D. Michael and Valerie Van Haltern were key members of the Book Committee; they were assisted by community readers and other contributors in getting the book ready for publication.
Andrea Frank at Sebastian River High School and Pamela Sommers at Sebastian Middle School submitted student art to illustrate the local interviews. John Sahlman's painting of a Cracker House, aerial views by Jerry Peterman and John Boncek, photographs by Judith Keyes Knapp, Bill Ocker and Dot Judah are other highlights of the book.
Of special interest are interviews by Phil Bova with Douglas Kroegel, Deanie and Buddy Taylor, Betty Taylor Walther, Robert Hardee Chesser and Meta Chesser Keen, all from pioneer Sebastian families.
Also, fishermen (and one woman) --- Archie Joe Warren, Jeff Green, Alfred Conniff, Carl Boberg, Tom Stewart and Pat Davis.
Other interviews are by I. J. Anderson and James Hume who were Sebastian Volunteer Firemen in the 1950s, Daisy Knowles, long-time associate of Dr. Kip Kelso, founder of Sebastian River Medical Center; and Peter D. Wimbrow, whose father, mother and sister edited the North County newspaper, "Indian River News," Wimbrow's sister, SallyDale, was also a General Development Corporation (GDC) sales representative while the Sebastian Highlands was under contruction by the Mackle Brothers.
Lee Skinner lived in the Quay Depot after it was moved to Roseland. Laurent Smith was Principal of the old Sebastian Elementary School when it closed, and Richard Thomas lived in Sebastian and was Principal at other Indian River County Schools. Connie Lawrence Willis was in the last graduating class at the old Sebastian Elementary School.
Kip Kelso, Jr. , supervises the Sebastian Cemetery where you can learn a lot about Sebastian history. Cindy Bowman saw the beginnings of the population explosion when the Sebastian Highlands development changed Sebastian forever. Airport Manager John Van Antwerp provided the impetus that successfully built the Sebastian Golf Course.
Special histories begin with the official FEC Historian Seth H. Bramson's article about the small Fellsmere-to-Sebastian, railroad, titled " A Round Trip to Fellsmere, Please," and Fellsmere Sugar Mill photos from Clarence F. Korker and Richard B. Votapka.
Others are "The Silent Movies," with four pages in color of glass slides used to advertise local businesses during intermissions at the local movie house in Sebastian, "Civil War Soldiers," and "The Early Days of the Sebastian Area Historical Society," all by Doris Jorgensen.
There is also "Indian River Chronology" and "The Historical Society's Beginnings" by George Keyes, "The Sebastian Highlands," compiled by Wilma Bertling, and "How Sebastian Got Its Name," by Daniel Clark.
Readers will find the story of "The Six Ole Grouches" and many different "Welcome to Sebastian" signs of great interest. Indexes are provided for this book and the two previous "Tales of Sebastian" books.
SPONSORS OF THE BOOK
The Sebastian River Medical Center provided the initial funds for this book, following the opening of its new Medical Wing in November, 2010. With that seed money the Society established a Book Fund to cover the printing costs. It received individual contributions that ranged from $15 to $1,000.
All proceeds from book sales benefit the Society's community programs.
Sponsors of the book are: Sebastian River Medical Center; Mrs. Don S (Alice) Vickers; Michelle Napier (Dill & Evans, Attorneys); Gabor Insurance Services, Inc.; Rene G. VanDeVoorde; Doris R. Jorgensen; Mrs. Joe Michael; Capt. Hiram's Restaurant; George B. Keyes; Sebastian River Art Club; Ruth M. Stanbridge; Alice C. Vickers; Don Wright Real Estate, L.L.C.; Squidly's Book Store; Roger Meeker; Norman I. Meyer, DDS; Karen and Bud O'Neill; Gil and Rhoda Swiger; Patricia Thompson; Ken and Diane Chapin; Laura B. Conner; Mary F. McGlaughlin; Frances Salerno; Andrea and Bernard Snarski; Dorothy and Richard O. Thomas, Jr.; G. Trefor Thomas.
Sebastian Historians Have Major 2011 Goal.
Three historians, one 96, one 89 and one a mere 81 have teamed up to start a year-long project to publish a third history of Sebastian.
If they meet their goal, "Tales of Sebastian," published in 1990, and "MORE Tales of Sebastian," published in 1992, will be joined by a third volume, "EVEN MORE Tales of Sebastian" later this year.
George Keyes has been the official photographer of the Sebastian Area Historical Society since its founding in 1985. His photographs provide the basis for the Society's rich photographic collections.
In his working years George was a professional photographer. When he moved to Sebastian in the early '80s, he began photographing old houses in the area. At the same time, a volunteer in the small Sebastian Library was interviewing long-time residents, and soon there was talk about starting a local historical society to collect and preserve these materials.
George put together a slide show for a local meeting, and asked for information about the houses from the people who attended. This was the auspicious beginning.
Those endeavors resulted in the first "Tales of Sebastian," as a fundraiser to support the group's activities and the eventual opening of a historical museum.
Doris Jorgensen, a newly-arrived resident from Connecticut, was one of those who volunteered right away to help gather stories from old-time residents, sketch historical scenes, and assemble materials for the first book. While living in New England, she collected antiques and memorabilia and frequented its many historic sites.
After the first "Tales" was published, there was sufficient new material to warrant the publication of a second book two years later. The success of the first book made a reprint necessary to satisfy he demand. Both Doris and George continued their involvement with the books, newsletters, community lectures, collection and preservation of historical artifacts, and worked to open the two Sebastian museum sites. Both continue to be Historical Society Board members.
The Society observed its 25th anniversary in 2009-10 after moving the original museum to the historic Sebastian Elementary School. A newcomer to the Board, Wilma Bertling suggested taped interviews be arranged with former students of the school which closed in 1981.
Board member Phil Bova, a former Long Is,land, NY, school teacher and mortgage banker, put in many hours interviewing dozens of former students and others. By 2010, all his interviews made possible "EVEN MORE Tales of Sebastian." Wilma volunteered to chair a book committee. She had eperience as a university editor, a graphic arts coordinator, and a museum administrator in Buffalo, NY.
A donation to partially underwrite the book project came from the Sebastian River Medical Center shortly after it opened its new medical wing in 2010. Additional funds are now being raised from community businesses, civic groups and individuals.
The new "Tales" format will match that of the first two books. In addition to the memories now on tape, it will include background on the old Sebastian Elementary Sschool, many City departments, and local commercial fishing and citrus growing.
Also, records of Confederate and Union Civil War veterans in the Ssebastian Cemetery, Quay Depot, the Indian River Lagoon, and the St. Sebastian River, silent movies in Sebastian, the Sebastian Highlands, the "Indian River News," the Fellsmere Sugar Mill, and much more.
Art students from Sebastian schools will provide drawings for some of teh stories.
Seth H. Bramson, official Florida East Coast Railway historian, has volunteered to author a section on Sebastian's two railroads. Sebastian was the junction of the FEC for the Trans Florida Central railroad to Fellsmere. Fish, fruit, tomatoes and sugar were sent to northern markets from the freight station in Sebastian.
As the project continues, additional volunteers are needed to research, edit, draw, proofread and index. To volunteer, call (772) 589-1673 or (772) 581-1380.
History of the Sebastian Area Historical Society
The Sebastian Area Historical Society was formed when a few residents wanted to save the old FEC Raiload Station from destruction in 1984. Before this could be completed part of the station was burned by vandals.
Measures were then taken to form a local historical group to protect buildings and important public and private papers and photographs. The Society received its incorporation on May 31,1985, as the Sebastian River Area Historical Society. "River" was removed in 1993 to reflect its larger community.
Many fundraisers were held. Volunteers interviewed old-timers and gathered historical materials, published two books, offered free historical lectures, and in 1998, created a museum that, unfortunately, was severely damaged by hurricanes "Frances" and "Jeanne" in 2004.
A museum opened in 2007 at 1235 Main Street, Sebastian, FL, in the newly-renovated 1927 Historic Sebastian School. It has a wide range of local history exhibits and a reference library open by appointment.
For additional information, call 772-581-1380, or write to Sebastian Area Historical Society, PO Box 781348, Sebastian, FL 32978. [email protected] | <urn:uuid:01c34637-f714-4c4f-ae7d-dfda1fbaf94d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.verobeach.com/sebastianareahistoricalmuseum/ | 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 | 0.947903 | 3,080 | 1.664063 | 2 |
When the Patek Philippe Nautilus originally debuted in 1976, collectors were scandalized at the high retail price for a stainless steel watch. The price was almost the same as similar 18k gold watches. Neither Patek nor its customers back then could have foreseen the success the Nautilus would achieve. Gerald Genta achieved fame when he designed this watch - and his star has been shining ever since in the watch world.
Case is stainless steel with dimensions of 40.6mm wide by 44.5mm long by 8mm thick. Sapphire crystal. Patek introduced the Nautilus as a sports watch to fill a void in their model line. The case is water resistant to 120 meters (but please think twice before bringing such an important vintage watch into the water...).
Both the bracelet and case are very clean and in mint condition.
Bracelet is integral to the case, has a flip lock safety clasp, and will fit up to an 8.25 inch wrist.
Dial is untouched and original, black in color with horizontal channeling, applied hour markers with luminous, and the date at 3 o'clock.
Movement is the automatic winding Patek Philippe Caliber 28 255C with 36 jewels, adjusted to 5 positions and heat/cold, and stamped with the Geneva Seal. The movement features a free-sprung balance and an 18k rotor segment for increased winding efficiency.
This is an important vintage Patek Philippe with excellent investment potential at this price. | <urn:uuid:c32d78ae-abd4-49e5-a226-a741739dd81b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://robertmaron.com/product.php?productid=18649&cat=0&page=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947567 | 309 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Run buses on bank holidays
2:54pm Tuesday 4th September 2012 in Letters
Why is it that on bank holidays buses can run through individual towns, but outlying estates are left busless?
If bank holidays fall on the weekend, there are no buses for three and four days. Pensioners and families with children, if they have no transport, are left housebound for days. Shops lose trade as well and if you wish to travel, you have to walk to the nearest town to get a bus. Surely a bus could be run on a Sunday service basis, although we don’t have a Sunday service? If you want to get anywhere, you have to walk a mile to get a bus. I worked on buses many years ago and we always ran at holiday time. They say we should use public transport, but it seems on weekdays only and not Sundays and bank holidays.
George Evans, Newman Road, Pontypool | <urn:uuid:301b258c-9b58-49a2-8329-213d13572eee> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/letters/9909530.Run_buses_on_bank_holidays/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973552 | 194 | 1.796875 | 2 |
The University of Kentucky's 800-plus acre campus is located just south of downtown Lexington, Kentucky. Major routes into town are marked with UK logo signs leading to campus. The main entrance to the campus is Administration Drive off of South Limestone. The Visitor Center is located in the Main Building on Administration Drive. If you are driving to campus be certain to check our visitor parking information.
Information about accessibility features of campus buildings, the best routes between buildings, and accessible parking locations is available from the Access Map pages.
Information about severe weather shelters on campus is available from the Storm Ready pages.
Campus is divided roughly into three parts. North campus contains primarily residence halls. Central campus is home to classrooms and offices, the W. T. Young Library, the Lucille Little Fine Arts Library, and the King Library. South campus contains additional residence halls, athletic and recreational facilities, the Chandler Medical Center, and the College of Agriculture.
The campus has designated bicycle lanes, paths, and parking areas. See the Bicycle Information for more information.
The University of Kentucky was established in 1865.
(A PDF version of this map, suitable for printing, is also available.)
Also available is a list of campus buildings (with speed sort codes/building numbers) keyed to the campus maps.
Page updated 2013-03-11. Send comments and corrections for this page to [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:6b21a906-c873-47e3-bd0c-58c5e4e5a23b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.uky.edu/CampusGuide/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939293 | 293 | 1.710938 | 2 |
We invite you to view a slice of ordinary/extraordinary life in Israel in this video.
Be'er Sheva is an ancient/modern desert city that most people visit, if they ever go there, because of its first-rate university (Ben Gurion) and its hospital, one of the busiest in Israel. But like many forgotten places in various parts of the world, it's also home for a certain number of people, nearly 200,000 of them.
Now that Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and practically every other Israeli community in the southern half of Israel have experienced the blood-chilling sound of air-raid sirens in the past three days (and in some places, many repeats of the experience), it may be interesting for people living far from here to see and hear what it feels like from the ground.
We don't know the exact number, but the residents of Be'er Sheva have experienced dozens of incoming missile warnings since Wednesday night. The one captured in this video involves multiple rockets flying in from Gaza. Through the magic of videography, they appear here as floating fairy lights in an ink-black sea of heavens above the ground-level festivities of an ordinary shopping center.
Then one after another in rapid succession they are extinguished. The reality of what is happening is much less poetic, but astonishing when you pause to think about it: an anti-missile technology that did not exist anywhere in the world is now knocking these terrorist flying bombs out of the sky as the ordinary folk who are the actual targets of an attempt to kill them in quantities watch from below and quietly applaud.
It's larger than life. But it's life. Our life, for now. | <urn:uuid:c6c0a4c2-9ee2-4b01-87f8-c827bf41e477> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thisongoingwar.blogspot.com/2012/11/18-nov-12-mesmerizing-youtube-video.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958514 | 345 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Your Answer To Mother Nature Has Arrived
New Product Can Reduce Those Wet Spots in Your Sand Ring
This spring has been particularly wet. Rain every 2 days it seems. And while we're wondering where the sun is, we are also wondering when we get to stop riding in the slop in the sand ring. Sure many sand rings are well drained, but there is almost always one or two areas that get saturated with water and take longer than others to dry.
As luck has it, there is a product out there that could help this situation and dry up those wet spots. It's called Diamond Ab-Zorb.400 .
Diamond Ab-Zorb.400 has just been released in the United States as a super baseball field-drying agent. This innovative product retains up to an amazing 400 times its weight in water and is available at about half of the price of most other field drying products. It will last for 5-10 wet dry cycles simply by raking the granules into the surface.
The product is made from all natural ingredients, is non-toxic, non-hazardous and bio-degradable as well as being easy to apply. The patented technology behind the product uses natural cornstarch as the main component in producing a suber-absorbent polymer granule. Diamond Ab-Zorb.400 is one of the most highly active super-absorbents available. 1 lb of Diamond Ab-Zorb.400 can absorb up to 40 gallons of water. | <urn:uuid:ec8791e9-c1fb-410b-a2a5-7e85883c8092> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.equineniagaranews.com/is_abzorb400.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961969 | 309 | 1.835938 | 2 |
Digital radio means more stations have the ability to broadcast extra information alongside the audio. But some experts are looking at providing some pretty controversial extra radio content - pictures.
Radio 1 is among the stations experimenting with visual radio
It has been said that radio is superior to television because the pictures are better. Not everyone agrees.
"Young audiences do expect different things from audiences that have grown up with that sharp divide between television and radio," explained Andy Parfitt, controller of BBC Radio 1.
"If you get hold of any of these hi-tech converged devices they all have a small, very high quality, colour screen.
"That means that audiences come to expect to see as well as hear their favourite audio and radio brands to the extent that if you're using the device and there's nothing on the screen, it can feel and look like it's broken."
The 'right' pictures
As a station for the UK's fashion conscious, up-to-the-minute, MySpace-ing youth, Radio 1 is already trying to fulfil its audience's visual expectations by providing pictures for the digital TV screen, even filming the concerts they broadcast.
A DJ at work. Not the most interesting visual experience
They and other broadcasters are trying find the right pictures to accompany the sound, anything from comedian Russell Brand's rants to a YouTube camera during his radio show to information like the station logo and track data.
For commercial broadcasters they now have the opportunity to show adverts on the screen with click-throughs to the advertisers' websites.
But can this exclude people who do not have screens?
"Glanceability is the phrase the tech-heads use. In other words it can't be content that you must look at in order to get the picture," said Mr Parfitt.
"The content we're looking at streaming alongside the radio broadcast are these glanceable nuggets of visual information that enhance your enjoyment of the radio station and give you information that is perhaps too inefficient to be delivered by the radio station, like the 10 tracks that are on the album. You couldn't do that easily, it would be boring for most listeners.
"So you can give away more information and make it a richer experience."
It is certainly not just a case of putting a camera up in the studio so you can see what the presenter is up to, which, at many music stations, might not be very much.
Some mobile phones can receive enhanced radio stations
"Essentially radio is quite boring," said Iain Meadows, presenter at Original 106 FM. "All you're doing is just pressing buttons, fiddling with bits of paper, maybe occasionally surfing the net to see what's going on in the world.
"Aside from that there's really not much going on. If you had a camera looking at you all the time I think inevitably you would be self conscious, you wouldn't be able to perform.
"It's like walking around your home naked; you need to think you're safe in that environment and you can do what you've got to do"
But some factual content may well be enhanced by images. Imagine listening to a news story and being able to see the key pics.
The BBC Sport website already supplements its radio commentary with extra info - live score cards and match stats to glance at whenever you want. Something easily extended to a radio screen.
But interviewers beware - sometimes the presence of a camera can change the way your guests behave.
"If you put a camera in it changes the dynamic of those interviews," explained Roger Mosey, director of BBC Sport.
"Politicians give different interviews when a camera's there because they know that their visual appearance matters on television sometimes more than the words they're saying.
"Radio's the other way around. On radio the meaning of what you say, the actual words, count for 100%."
This sort of "visual radio" is still pretty much at the experimental stage, and so right now anything is possible. But it may be that the smaller ideas that win out.
Nokia has its own mobile-led project called Visual Radio, which offers an enhanced service for radio stations delivered over a cell network. Only a limited number of stations have signed up for it so far.
Many experts agree that something as simple as an electronic programme guide would really enhance the radio experience. Being able to see what is on now and what is coming up.
And lets not forget that if it's pictures we want, there are already plenty of places to get them.
"Sometimes when people are talking about what they might do, they are in danger of inventing television," said Mr Mosey.
"Radio still needs to concentrate on what its core values are, but it can add to them, make them bigger and more exciting and more expansive." | <urn:uuid:a90aba49-7d41-4a8d-87f9-c04ae3f77dcb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/7132171.stm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967074 | 993 | 1.78125 | 2 |
AmeriCorps is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service that engages Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service to help meet critical community needs. AmeriCorps members serve through thousands of nonprofit groups, public agencies and faith-based organizations across the country. They address areas of education, health, the environment, disaster services, veterans and economic opportunity. Since 2008, the Office of Civic Engagement has partnered with the Maryland - D.C. Campus Compact to engage Towson University students, faculty and staff in service to the community through AmeriCorps programs.
AmeriCorps VISTA is a branch of AmeriCorps dedicated to creating and expanding programs that bring individuals and communities out of poverty. Each year, the Office of Civic Engagement hosts a VISTA member who supports Towson University outreach programs that provide services and resources to the community. Towson University AmeriCorps VISTA members have served in the Cherry Hill Learning Zone and helped to develop service-learning programs that offer students opportunities to gain real-world experience and make a difference. Learn more about service-learning and find out how to get involved in Cherry Hill.
Students of Service is a part-time AmeriCorps program that provides scholarships and professional development opportunities to university students who commit to serving their community. Towson University students participating in this program help to increase academic achievement and community engagement among K-12 students by serving as mentors for one year. Learn more about this program. | <urn:uuid:3e4adf02-c818-409b-b25c-5d3497036cb9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www2.towson.edu/studentaffairs/civicengagement/americorps.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955095 | 303 | 1.820313 | 2 |
So it’s now pretty much common knowledge that the Intel development build of OS X has been leaked. In fact there’s even a wiki documenting the progress made in getting it running on any old Intel box. It’s also been spreading around like wildfire that this build includes kernel support for Intel’s DRM, and people are automatically up in arms about how Apple is in bed with the MPAA and RIAA and has become an evil controlling corporate entity much along the lines of what is often said about Microsoft.
I’d just like to point out that this is not necessarily the case. Yes, there is DRM built into the kernel. But I could have told you that before the developer build was leaked (without breaking any NDAs even). Through friends at Apple I already knew that my planned attempts to install OS X on my ThinkPad would be difficult, if not impossible. For one, OSx86 (as people seem to like calling it) requires SSE3. In addition, it performs hardware checks to make sure it’s running on Apple’s own dev boxes. My guess is that this is the purpose of the DRM code in the kernel. In fact I’d say it’s about 95% certain that this is the case.
Apple, as they always have, want to make sure that the Mac OS runs only on their hardware. Hence, they need some sort of hardware authentication. Intel chips provide exactly the sort of hardware authentication Apple needs in the form of TPM. So why would Apple do anything other than use the already existing functions of the hardware that do exactly what they want to be done? They wouldn’t.
DRM has been on Mac hardware for a very long time. If it weren’t Mac clones other than the very few that Apple authorized a couple years back would be all over the place. People would be using home-build PPC machines to run the Mac OS right now because they’d be able to, as they can with Windows and Linux, run their OS of choice on whatever cheap hardware they wanted with all the driver and compatibility issues that entails. Apple, as they always have, want to avoid this. And as they always have they are using DRM to do this. The only difference is that now DRM is considered to be unequivocally a bad thing because of the uses the content creators want to put it to.
I’ve seen a number of people say that if OS X still contains the TPM code when it ships they’ll abandon the Mac platform. This, as with the similar statements about the move to x86 altogether, strikes me as rather hasty. We don’t know if Apple is going to use DRM to do anything more sinister than what they’ve always used it for. We don’t really know anything about the release version of OSx86 at this point. What we do know is that Apple does and always has used DRM in one form or another and so it’s premature to assume that this new incarnation of that technology will be used any differently than the previous ones were.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment. | <urn:uuid:52595f01-be97-4241-a09b-825f6ba15679> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.macnn.com/blogs/2005/08/01/os-x-intel-and-drm.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966457 | 662 | 1.710938 | 2 |
What’s the future of cookbooks in our shelves and kitchens when that essential recipe is just a mouse click away? We talk to a long-time publisher and a self-confessed ‘foodie tech head’ about what sells on paper and what doesn’t anymore. Is there room for peaceful co-existence between the digital world and that dog-eared, food-stained tome we hold in our hands, or is the cookbook relegated to being a gift that no longer gives?
Tagged with “apps” (7)
Mobile apps are on a clear trajectory for failure. It’s just not possible to have an app for every device in my house, every product I own and every store I enter. Much like Yahoos original hierarchy gave way to Google’s search. Applications have to give away to a ‘just in time’ approach to applications.
This talk will explain how applications must give way to a more universal approach to application distribution, one based on the mobile web and cloud services. The problem of course, is that the mobile web has both hands tied behind its back. Any mobile app today is locked away behind a browser ghetto: in effect, a sub OS inside a larger mobile OS.
This isn’t just an arbitrary technology debate, a just-in-time approach to application functionality can unleash entirely new sets of application, ones which are impossible with native apps.
This talk will layout how this problem can be fixed, and what changes need to take place, outside of just HTML5, for it to happen.
Scott Jenson, Creative Dir, frog design
As frog’s Creative Director, Scott Jenson was the first member of the User Interface group at Apple in the late 80s, working on System 7, the Apple Human Interface guidelines and the Newton. After that, he was a freelance design consultant for many years, then director of product design for Symbian, and finally managed the mobile UX group at Google. You can follow frog Creative Director Scott Jenson on Twitter @scottjenson.
Brian X. Chen explains how the iPhone is opening the door to what he calls the "always-on" future, where we are all constantly connected to a global Internet via flexible, incredibly capable gadgets that allow us to do anything, anytime, from anywhere. In Always On: How the iPhone Unlocked the Anything-Anytime-Anywhere Future—and Locked Us In, he explains the far-reaching implications of this future—both positive and negative—throughout all areas of our lives.
This week Louis Simoneau talks with John Allsopp about the use of web technologies in applications on many platforms, the phrase ‘Hybrid Apps’ and the future that gives for those with web development skills.
The rise of smart devices like the iPhone and iPad has led to an application goldrush, with companies racing to stake their claim. In the early days we saw a few lucky pioneers strike gold, but like most gold rushes, the obvious targets were quickly depleted. Digital prospectors lured by the promise of gold are now arriving to find a very different market—one rife with competition and few obvious deposits to mine.
Recent studies have shown that we tend to limit our usage to a few core applications and the bulk of apps never even get opened. So despite newspapers and magazines hailing the iPad as the saviour of the publishing industry, does it really make business sense to jump on the application bandwagon? If not, what are the alternatives?
In this keynote, Andy Budd will look at the current state of the mobile web, how we got here and where we go next. He will explore the new opportunities that have opened up for the field of user experience design, but will caution that not every mobile experience needs to start with an app.
If there’s one kind of book that you’d think might be safe from the digital revolution it’s the cookbook.
It’s hard to imagine how the Web could replicate a cookbook’s well-organized recipes or enticing illustrations — and, of course, a book doesn’t freeze or short out after a cooking accident. And cookbooks make the perfect gift for the foodie on anyone’s list, which is why they’re a mainstay of publishing at this time of year.
But though the traditional cookbook is alive and well, a number of tech-savvy cooks believe that e-books and iPad apps are a boon for the industry — and could provide cooks with more creative and convenient ways to find the right recipes.
A presentation given at at Web Directions User Experience, Melbourne Town Hall, May 16 2008, and Web Direction Government, Old Parliament House, Canberra, May 19 2008.
Most great web applications have a few key things in common. But can you name them? Better yet — can you achieve them consistently in your own projects?
In this closing keynote, Robert Hoekman, Jr., author of the Amazon bestseller Designing the Obvious (New Riders) describes the seven qualities of great web-based software and how to achieve each and every one of them by learning to communicate through design. See why it’s important to build only what’s absolutely essential, apply instructive design, create error-proof interactions, surface commonly-used features, and more in this informative session that will change the way you work and enable your users to walk away from your software feeling productive, respected, and smart | <urn:uuid:49daa355-db4b-4027-81c9-5572555812df> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://huffduffer.com/susanjrobertson/collective/tags/apps | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938262 | 1,136 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Tonight, I am sad. I’m sad because these past few days I have seen an enormous amount of sexism in the cycling world lately. I know that sexism exists all over society, but I don’t think I’ve ever confronted it as much as I have in the cycling world. I’m not saying that cycling is more sexist than other areas of my life that I participate in, but nothing else I’m passionate about has aroused this much ire in me. And lately this ire is turning to sadness. A sadness that so many people don’t recognize the sexism that exists in our society. Oh sure, women can vote, advance far up the career ladder, be a mom and a career woman, stay single as long as they like, etc. So what am I complaining about, you wonder? Clearly women are totally equal to men- they have all the same opportunities! Oh but it’s not about the opportunities. It’s about the deeper issues. Sure, on the surface women seem to be equal to men. And maybe with regards to opportunities, the sexes are equal. But what is not equal is how the sexes are perceived at a deeper level. Whether you realize it or not, sexism is so ingrained in our society, most people do not recognize it. Stereotypes are actually sexism disguised. Emotions, child rearing, home life, fragility= female. Strength, stoicism, the workforce, breadwinner= male. Words like “pussy,” “girly,” “sissy” are used to illustrate weakness. Expressions like “grow a pair,” “balls to the wall,” “man up” are used to illustrate strength. Notice a trend? Whether we want to admit or not, the male lists are given more weight and prestige in our society.
If you really looked into how society views men and women, can you honestly say that society sees men as exactly equal as men? Not just on the opportunities level, but on a perception level? I do my bit to counter sexism by trying to educate those I come in contact with on how they might be unintentionally sexist. And I feel I do a pretty good job. But when the Amgen Tour of California pulls stunts like making a women’s TT payouts conditional on how they preform against the men and when pro cyclists Caleb Fairly cannot see how this might be offensive or demeaning towards female cyclists, I despair at such blatant disrespect for the female sex. If ideas like this are seen as a good idea, ideas so clearly discriminatory against women, how can we even begin to tackle the ingrained sexism of our society? It’s hard work convincing someone that their knee jerk reactions and accepted truths are actually sexist stereotypes. It’s even harder to accomplish this over Twitter. It’s too easy to fall back onto sarcastic, hurtful statements, when well thought out, reasoned arguments require so much more than 140 character soundbites. In addition, because some have so many followers, they can become inundated with negative comments and become supremely defensive. This makes it impossible to have a civilized discussion.
It’s not just the ToC story that has me worked up. It’s been little things like the use of the word “girled,” the Sea Otter Classic getting sued for having a female only day, someone using the phrase “boys will be boys.” All of these things made me mad, then I got sad. I know what I do to help people understand how sexism is rooted in our society. But I don’t know what else to do. Is that enough? Maybe. I’ll do what I can and hope it’s enough.
(I’ve written about sexism in cycling before, here) | <urn:uuid:e21754dc-ab93-4e28-afdc-9b5f01ef4088> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://masteringtheuphillshift.wordpress.com/2011/04/05/cyclings-battle-of-the-sexes/?like=1&_wpnonce=28e8071d88 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96065 | 805 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Boys Will Be...
...pleased by this garden of earthly delights.
Jun 25, 2007, Vol. 12, No. 39 • By ROGER KIMBALL
The Dangerous Book for Boys
I wouldn't be at all surprised if The Dangerous Book for Boys were banned by zealous school groups, social workers, and other moral busybodies. I first encountered this admirable work when it was published in London last year. I liked its retro look--the lettering and typography of the cover recalls an earlier, more swashbuckling era--and I thought at first it must be a reprint. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that a book containing instructions on how to make catapults, how to hunt and cook a rabbit, how to play poker, how to make a waterbomb, was published today, the high noon of nannydom.
The first chapter, "Essential Gear" ("Essential Kit" in the English edition), lists a Swiss Army knife, for God's sake, not to mention matches and a magnifying glass, "For general interest. Can also be used to start fires." Probably, the book would have to be checked with the rest of your luggage at the airport: If you can't bring a bottle of water on the airplane, how do you suppose a book advocating knives and incendiary devices is going to go over? Why, even the title is a provocation. The tort lawyers must be salivating over the word "dangerous," and I can only assume that the horrible grinding noise you hear is from Title IX fanatics congregating to protest the appearance of a book designed for the exclusive enjoyment of boys.
And speaking of "boys," have you noticed how unprogressive the word sounds in today's English? It is almost as retrograde as "girls," a word that I knew was on the way out when an academic couple I know proudly announced that they had just presented the world with a "baby woman."
No, I did not make that up, and even after due allowances are made for the fact that the couple were, after all, academics and therefore peculiarly susceptible to such p.c. deformations, it's clear that something fundamental is happening in our society. Some speak about the "feminization" of America and Europe. Scholars like Christina Hoff Sommers have reported on the "war against boys." A public school near where I live gets high marks for "academic excellence," but I note that they allow only 15 minutes of recess a day for kindergarteners and first graders. Result: By 2 P.M. the boys are ready to explode. That turns out to be a solvable problem, though, because a little Ritalin with the (whole grain) cornflakes does wonders to keep Johnny from acting up.
In a recent interview, Conn Iggulden, speaking about his collaboration with his brother in writing The Dangerous Book for Boys, dilated on this campaign against the boy-like side of boyhood. "They need to fall off things occasionally," Iggulden said, "or . . . they'll take worse risks on their own. If we do away with challenging playgrounds and cancel school trips for fear of being sued, we don't end up with safer boys--we end up with them walking on train tracks." Quite right. The Dangerous Book for Boys is alive with such salubrious challenges. Its epigraph, a 1903 letter from an army surgeon to the young Prince of Wales, advises, "The best motto for a long march is 'Don't grumble. Plug on.'" How antique that stiff-upper-lippery sounds to our ears!
The book includes instructions on making "The Greatest Paper Plane in the World." Did you know that many schools have outlawed paper airplanes? Might strike a child in the eye, don't you know. And of course, that's only the beginning of what many schools outlaw. The game of tag is verboten almost everywhere, a fact I learned this winter when our eight-year-old son fell and broke his elbow while playing the game. The final indignity came when, being down, he was tagged by the chap who was "it." Even that had its compensations, though, since James is looking forward to suspending his allegiance to the principles of the Sermon on the Mount and getting the fellow back when he fully recovers. Besides, although it hurts to break your arm, it is quite nifty to have your arm in a cast, especially if one of your heroes is Lord Nelson, to whom (or so one's parents assure one) you bear a strong resemblance when sporting a sling. Of course, I am sorry that James broke his arm, but I prefer his school's (unofficial) motto--"Better a broken bone than a broken spirit"--to the pusillanimous alternative.
Into the swamp-like miasma of contemporary life The Dangerous Book for Boys blows like a healing zephyr. Mark Twain once included a note about "the weather in this book," explaining that there wasn't any. There is a lot of weather in The Dangerous Book for Boys, and I do not just mean the sections devoted to cloud formations and such questions as Why is the Sky blue? What causes the wind? and Why is it hotter at the Equator? True, this book includes lots of indoor activities. You'll find out how to make a simple battery out of a bunch of quarters, aluminum foil, vinegar, and salt, for example, as well as how to make secret inks, fireproof cloth, and marbled paper. There's a section on timers and tripwires--"very simple to make--and deeply satisfying," the authors explain. Let's say you want a light bulb to turn on in 20 minutes "to win a bet perhaps, or frighten your little sister with the thought that a mad axe murderer is upstairs." Look no further: It's all here.
There's a section of useful quotations from Shakespeare, "Latin Phrases Every Boy Should Know," and "Books Every Boy Should Read" (this is one of them, though it's not on the list). There are several engaging sections on words and grammar. There are also two sections devoted to famous battles, from Thermopylae and Cannae up through Waterloo, Gettysburg, and the Somme. If you want a quick timeline of U.S. history, it's here. So is information about "the golden age of piracy," spies, codes, and ciphers, as well as coin tricks, dog tricks, and first aid. There's also--uh-oh: p.c. alert!--a chapter on the history of artillery.
Still, this is essentially an outdoor book. Not that it deals chiefly with outdoor subjects, though it has splendid advice about building treehouses, fishing, and growing sunflowers (and I suppose artillery is, usually, a subject best pursued outside). Rather, it understands that boys and the outdoors go together like a hammer and nails. It is sympathetic to dirt and looks kindly upon rocks, bugs, snakes, and woodpiles. It is a book, in other words, that approves of derring-do and the testosterone that fires it. This is clear in the informative chapter devoted to the mysterious subject of Girls who, many feminists will be surprised to discover, are "quite different" from boys. By this, the authors explain:
In fact, the chapter on girls is full of good advice. Here are two bits: 1. "Play a sport of some kind," they advise. "It doesn't matter what it is, as long as it replaces the corpse-like pallor of the computer programmer with a ruddy glow." 2. "If you see a girl in need of help--unable to lift something, for example--do not taunt her. Approach the object and greet her with a cheerful smile, whilst surreptitiously testing the weight of the object. If you find you can lift it, go ahead. If you can't, try sitting on it and engaging her in conversation." Ovid couldn't have put it any better. (His advice about girls is to be found in a book for older boys called Ars Amatoria.)
The Dangerous Book for Boys is a book that implicitly endorses Aristotle's observation that courage is the most important virtue because, without courage, it is impossible to practice the other virtues. "In this age of video games and mobile phones," the authors write, "there must still be a place for knots, treehouses and stories of incredible courage." Indeed, physical courage looms large in The Dangerous Book for Boys. One of its best features is a series of "extraordinary stories." Remember the bracing story of Robert Scott, the intrepid English explorer who suffered untold hardships in his race to be the first to reach the South Pole? In the event, the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen beat him, just barely. Scott and his team arrived there on January 17, 1912, only to find Amundsen's empty tent and a note announcing their presence on December 14, 1911. Scott made it back to within 11 miles of his last camp before he and the rest of his team froze to death. In his last hours, he managed to write a few letters, including one to his wife which mentioned their only son:
The Igguldens also include the story of Douglas Bader, an RAF pilot who crashed in 1931 when showing off doing rolls too close to the ground. He lost his right leg above the knee, his left below the knee. His flying log for the day reads: "X-country Reading. Crashed slow rolling near ground. Bad show." Fitted with metal legs, Bader was told he would never walk without sticks. "On the contrary," he replied, "I will never bloody walk with them." When World War II broke out, Bader was allowed to reenlist and even to fly, metal legs and all. He had 22-and-a-half air-to-air victories (he and a fellow RAF pilot both shot up one German plane, so they agreed to split the victory). In 1941, Bader collided with a German Me 109 over France.
Well, relative safety. He was scooped up by the Germans and put in prison. He asked his captors if a message might be sent to England to retrieve his spare right leg. Mirabile dictu, the Germans agreed. The British dropped it off during a normal bombing run. Bader put on the leg and casually walked out of the hospital in an effort to escape. He was promptly rounded up again, but tried to escape early and often. Exasperated, the Germans took away his metal legs, but the outcry from other prisoners was so great they shamefacedly returned them.
These are stories, the Igguldens note, "that must be told and retold, or the memories slowly die." The fact that The Dangerous Book for Boys was a runaway bestseller in England gives one hope. And speaking of England, my chief recommendation is not just that you buy the book, but that you buy it twice. Connoisseurs will want the English as well as the American edition. There are numerous differences. There are little things like prices being expressed in dollars, not pounds, and a chapter on baseball instead of one on cricket. American history has been substituted for the story of the British Empire. I note that instead of a chapter called "Astronomy," the American edition offers us "Astronomy--the Study of the Heavens," which I suppose tells us something about how the publisher views its American readership.
All of that is minor--though I miss the list of kings and queens of England, especially the mnemonic to keep the fate of Henry VIII's wives straight: "Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived." But having mentioned Admiral Nelson already, I have to say I was sorry to see that the Wright brothers appear in his place in the American edition. I hasten to add that there are no flies on Wilbur and Orville--theirs is an exhilarating tale, eminently worthy of inclusion in this book--but the story of Horatio Nelson is essential, Master James Kimball requires me to state, absolutely essential.
I was also sorry to see that the chapter on catapults was dropped from the American edition. Ditto the chapter on conkers. Not that American boys play much with horse chestnuts attached to a bit of string, but the book's advice about how to make the hole in the chestnut is worth savoring. You can use a nail or spike, but "better to get your dad to use a drill on them." Don't try it yourself, by the way, because "the conkers spin round at high speed or crack when you put them in a vise. Much better to ask an adult to do it, but give them your worst conkers to start with until they have learned the knack."
Why not make do with the English edition, then? Well, for one thing, the American edition includes the Navajo Code Talkers' Dictionary. The U.S. Marines would have been lost without it in World War II. 'Nuff said.
Roger Kimball, editor of the New Criterion, is most recently the coeditor of Counterpoints: 25 Years of The New Criterion on Culture and the Arts. | <urn:uuid:e4ef131b-d012-433e-884a-c62d11dd8449> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/771jntpw.asp?nopager=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969388 | 2,775 | 1.523438 | 2 |
On a sweeping bend of the river, 12 kilometers north of Tena Tena, lies Nsefu. Nsefu was the first photographic safari camp in Zambia and dates back to the early fifties. The Nsefu Sector was recognised then as a phenomenal area and it still is. We re-opened the camp in 1999, in keeping with the original style, and so operate the only two camps in the Nsefu Sector of the park.
The view of the river is superb and includes a terraced area where game grazes during the day. The bar, tucked in beside a huge extinct termite mound, overlooks a waterhole that is very productive for game, especially leopard at night. The original rondavels have been extended, with a spacious bathroom added. Each room has a clear view of the river, through large windows and from the new wooden verandah. The camp lies in the heart of the undeveloped Nsefu sector and so offers charm and total comfort in remoteness and seclusion.
- 12 guests
- en suite bathrooms
- open late May - October
- walking, drives, night drives | <urn:uuid:d758ead8-3cc4-4861-a1d8-f7ce740c1634> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.africa-discovery.com/zambia_safaris/south_luangwa/nsefu.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952351 | 240 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Earlier this month, Subway Restaurants and the American Heart Association teamed up on a two-year pilot program to see if the AHA’s Heart-Check certification mark, a label indicating that packaged goods meet the association’s nutrition requirements, could also work in restaurants.
Subway submitted several of its sandwiches to the AHA for nutritional analysis, and the Fresh Fit line of six-inch subs, served with apple slices and water, met its standards for number of calories and levels of sodium, cholesterol, saturated fat and trans fats in a meal. Now customers will see a new Heart-Check Meal Certification logo by those items on Subway’s menu boards.
During the test period, the AHA will perform spot checks, analyzing items with their logo.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for people to get the healthiest food they can consume,” said AHA spokeswoman Alice Lichtenstein, who is also a professor at Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. “We have very strict criteria that Subway was able to meet because they’re so standardized,” she added.
Nation’s Restaurant News recently spoke with Subway chief marketing officer Tony Pace to discuss the new certification and the 37,000-unit chain’s summer plans.
How did this program with the AHA come about?
We’ve worked with the AHA on a number of programs for about 12 years now. We’ve been having discussions with them about this kind of possibility for a number of years. We’ve done research online to see if consumers would notice the Heart-Check symbol and if it would have meaning for them.
We submitted several of our sandwiches, and you can see the ones that passed muster and got the Heart-Check certification on the menu.
It makes things simpler when it comes to ordering healthy menu options, which we think in the long term is a good thing.
Is it too early to tell how the logo has affected sales?
I would surmise that the real help there is not the initial news that you have the Heart-Check logo, but that seeing it over and over again might increase awareness, and the frequency at which [health-conscious customers] come to Subway.
We’re a pretty simple place — a pretty simple way of letting people eat better — and the Heart-Check just brings that to the fore.
Are many of your customers particularly health-conscious?
It can go back and forth a little bit. We have a very broad offering of healthy products. It’s roughly half of our business.
What’s really grown is the stuff that is on the healthy side, but not on the lowest level of calories — like a veggie melt, which is just melted cheese and vegetables. It’s a darn good sandwich and the nutrition profile is pretty darn good. It’s not going to get the health check, but it’s something that people are going to enjoy eating.
Our customers might put a flourish on something to give it some taste, but it’s still close to the lower sodium/cholesterol/fat numbers [of a Heart-Check item], and in the grand scheme of things it’s pretty darn good [health wise]. The notion that we constantly have to push back against is that if it tastes good it has to be bad for you.
What’s on Subway’s horizon?
On July 1 we’re launching a new Heart-Check sandwich. It’s a spinach,and avocado sandwich. A six-inch [version of the] sandwich without cheese has seven grams of fat. After that, we’re doing an ultimate veggie, which is going to have avocado. | <urn:uuid:948b2473-9e80-4f75-8b38-96d2041f1488> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nrn.com/latest-headlines/subway-exec-details-new-heart-check-pilot | 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 | 0.94893 | 789 | 1.8125 | 2 |
As a child care provider I found this to be quite common in both the two's classroom and the threes classroom so the information that it "usually ends around two" is not accurate in the reality of my experience.
What I would suggest is two fold:
Your child does need reassurances from you in your words and behavior. Are you having a hard time with the separation too? Your child can pick up on this if you are. He or she does need reassurances from you in your words and behavior. This may sound harsh, but the upset - fit throwing kids that maintained this behavior for longer periods tended to be kids whose parents did one of two things: slip away, or respond pleadingly or with bribes (who often seemed really upset themselves).
Resist the temptation to "slip away". I don't know your situation, but if you've "snuck out" or slipped away while the child was distracted, it made it easier for you and momentarily easier for the child care provider, but not for your child. It is a form of dishonesty and does not reassure your child of trusting in your return even when you do return day after day, after day, after day.
Avoiding pleading and begging for your child to calm down. This is attention that is negative but it is delaying your leaving. Therefore it is working for your child.
Instead, develop a "leaving routine". Put stuff in the cubby, snuggle your child for a couple of minutes while you go over the schedule (never rush this, but don't let it take longer than 5-10 minutes either). What is going on at the daycare that he/she can be excited about today? What is for lunch? and finally, when will you return so he or she has an activity "marker" for when to expect you. Something like, "You'll _ (fill in the blank with something super fun for your kid), have lunch, take your nap and then after you've played a little more I'll be here and I'm looking forward to seeing you then and hearing about your day". With Alice we then finished up with a "nuzzle" (resting our foreheads together), a "monster kiss" (rubbing of noses), a hug and then a regular kiss. Peal them off you, pass them over to their teacher/childcare provider, blow a kiss and walk away with a happy confident demeanor. A good care provider will then distract your child with something fun and after a few weeks your child will begin to trust in the routine. | <urn:uuid:cee5389b-c589-403d-a01d-27fa9a707750> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://parenting.stackexchange.com/questions/5401/3-year-old-has-a-fit-when-arriving-at-daycare/5405 | 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 | 0.969365 | 525 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Star Wars versus AliensJanuary 3, 2013 at 12:10 pm | Posted in Art, Star Wars | 4 Comments
Tags: robert shane
Every now and then a piece of artwork catches your eye. These pieces from Robert Shane do just that. By combining two successful sci-fi franchises, he’s taken things to an interesting level. Who would win in a battle between George Lucas and Ridley Scott? Well, you can be the judge.
“Now that George Lucas has (sadly) decided to retire from movie directing, I’m expecting him to call me up to ask me to take over on the next Star Wars movie/tv series. My first pitch will be this… Darth Maul fighting Aliens! I thought it would be a very cool contest – and I also wanted to draw Darth Maul because of the interest in the 3D release of The Phantom Menace. The idea is that this was an initiation test that Darth Sidious set for Maul during his training. This took a lot of hard work – but I’m really, really pleased with how it turned out and I think it’s my best work yet! It’s an entirely original depiction of George Lucas’s and HR Giger’s characters and was drawn first in pencil, then scanned and coloured in Photoshop using a Wacom pad.” -Robert Shane
“I’m not the first to think up the idea of mashing Star Wars and Aliens together – but the two go together so well I had to draw another crossover. For this one – I thought up the idea of Darth Vader going to check out some unusual liferform readings in his Star Destroyer’s cargo hold… and finding an Alien queen.
The title for this has a double meaning. First because I think the two characters would be fairly evenly matched in a fight. Second – because of the parallels between the character design – both are shiny black evil monsters. So I’ve emphasised this in the composition and lighting. I also picked up on a few helpful comments about the ‘gritty’ feel of my last piece – so I kept a limited colour palette for this one too.
I’ve drawn Darth Vader attempting to use his ‘force choke’ on the Alien queen (would that work?). I did this intentionally because it’s an ambiguous pose. I wanted him to look like he might even be reaching out to the Alien – perhaps sensing a kindred spirit. I thought that added something to this as a piece of ‘art’ that would be lost if this was just another battle scene.
This is an original depiction of George Lucas’s and HR Giger’s characters. My initial sketch for this was drawn on a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 using the bundled Photoshop Touch. I was pleasantly surprised at how good the digitizer pen is – and the fact that you can export PSD files to complete your work is great too. I finished the piece in Photoshop using a Wacom pad. I used Google Sketchup to build a 3D wireframe for the background which I then imported to Photoshop to colour.
I’m really, really pleased with this. Hope you like it too!” -Robert Shane
“This took me a really long time to draw… I thought I’d never get it done! This is a ‘companion’ piece to my drawing of Darth Vader meeting an Alien queen. Perhaps this battle is what happened on board Vader’s Star Destroyer immediately before he turned up to restore order!? I wanted this piece to look claustrophobic and chaotic – to give a sense of the mayhem that’s taking place – without resorting to drawing blood and guts everywhere! So I only depicted the characters in the picture… no background… no scenery. I didn’t want this to be one of those pieces where the center of the page is full detail while the edges are blurry or lacking in detail. There’s nothing wrong with that approach – in fact it’s the ‘right’ way to compose a piece that directs the viewer’s eye. But for this one – I just wanted the page to be full – so that wherever you look – there’s something happening. My other Star Wars / Alien mash-up featured Darth Maul – so now I have a trilogy! I think that after all the time and effort this one took – it will probably be my last! (At least for a while.)” -Robert Shane
You can check out more of Robert Shane’s artwork on his DeviantArt page. | <urn:uuid:86b7e5e2-780d-4d78-8591-16b18dfd7a61> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://roqoodepot.com/2013/01/03/star-wars-versus-aliens/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957247 | 966 | 1.5 | 2 |
A Cornucopia of Books
If you look back to those long summer afternoons of reading during your childhood with longing, this book is for you. Three years after losing her beautiful and talented older sister, Anne-Marie, to cancer, Nina Sankovitch decided to do something she had long dreamed of doing, making books central to her life again. Of course as the mother of three teens and one preteen—all boys—she didn’t have much free time. But from Oct. 28, 2008 to the same date in 2009—Nina read and read and read some more.
In the intervening years after her sister’s death, Nina had kept fiendishly busy, driving, cooking, cleaning, heading committees, and organizing literary projects--all the myriad duties of raising a family and being involved in her Connecticut community. But each day she felt guilty to be alive because her sister had died. This lovely book is both a tribute to a sister, and a memoir of their relationship. It’s also a narrative about how concentrating on reading finally healed Nina, so that she was eager to go forward again.
Nina resurrected (reupholstered) the big purple chair that one of their cats had made its own by spraying on it. Here in this regal chair for two, three, even four hours a day, Nina both lost and found herself through books.
Besides telling Anne-Marie’s story, Tolstoy and the Purple Chair also relates the story of her father, Anatole, who lost three aunts and uncles in a shooting during WW 2. All were shot in his family’s kitchen in Poland while their terrified mother lay upstairs in her sick bed. Anatole also suffered from TB after WW II and spent over two years in a sanatorium in the mountains recovering after the war. Nina compares her year of reading to those years of rest and recuperation that her father experienced there.
Sundays, she set aside for mysteries, but otherwise Nina tackled some hard books, many in translation: from Balzac to Nu Nu Yi to Chimanda Ngozi Adichie, as well as books by Chris Cleave, Anne Tyler, and Junot Diaz. She also found herself discussing books with friends, acquaintances and ever strangers (on her website) because talking about books allowed her to speak about everything: death, family, fidelity, war, travels, etc.
For anyone at a loss for what to read next, Nina included a list of the 365 special books that grounded her in the world again.
Another book that describes the pleasures of a year’s reading is So Many Books, So Little Time by Sara Nelson.
For a completely different take on a year’s reading challenge, try A. J. Jacobs’ The Year of Reading Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible. | <urn:uuid:60a254b8-4ec8-4738-889a-dd4c8805fbad> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.monroe.lib.in.us/blogs/love-reading/cornucopia-books?page=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975531 | 603 | 1.664063 | 2 |
It has to be obtained as Gnana donation and start doing mediation(Davam).
One has to obtain Gnana donation(Deekshai) read all Gnana books. He/she has to
get clarity by Yukthi, do mediation get experience of self and god.
How to do meditation(Davam)? Doing Davam is not chanting mantras! Mediation
is not doing any Pooja or sacrifice. It's not doing Pranayama or Vaasi Yogam or any
other forms of Yoga.
One should not hurt or make his body feel worry.
receive Gnana donation from him. Feel what was given by guru and 'Do Nothing'.
One has to try this!
To know where god is and what are the seven screens, what is the meaning of Sathya Gnana Sabai
one has to read the book <a href='http://www.vallalyaar.com/?p=975'>Deathless education</a>
After getting Deekshai in eyes from Guru, there will be feeling in the eyes. One has to
think that, feel that resilience and be in that feeling and do nothing. After that tears
in the eye will fall like a water fall and drench whole body.
If one do Davam like this, he will get lots of experiences. As told by Ramalinga Vallal peruman
We can get ecstasy/bliss.
This is Davam/meditation. Gnana should be attained in this way. Gnana is self realization.
To do Davam one need not go to forest! Need not runaway from the family life.
Need not wear saffron color dress. Need not grow beard and wear Rudrakshara and roam
around the world. We should not hurt our body and make suffering in the body.
Don't show hatred on food and make leaves as food. Don't chant mantras with
difficulty. To summarize one should DO NOTHING(SUMMA IRU). Need not do anything.
Marriage is not a barrier for Gnana! In the current state of your living,
what ever work you do, one has to do the Davam(after getting Deekshai from guru) for 30
minutes or 60 minutes a day.
Justice, Discipline and honesty will enhance your Davam! Do not disguise yourself.
Get rid of all bad habits.(Eating animal food, smoking, drinking alcohol)
God is within you, don't seek god in temple(worship places), pond and mountain.
(Bible says Kingdom of god is within)
People doing Davam should eat only vegetarian food.
The who tries for self realization should not be hunger. He/she
atleast has to eat veryless.
Davam should get improved and one should merge with god, self realization is the first
step. One has to be hunger(being deterministic) for self realization.
People lost confident on Davam, after seeing the saints doing Davam/mediation is the
Puraana stories. People started thinking we can't do Davam like this. People thought
that they have to take another birth to attain that. Lost their confident.
People of this world, don't loose confidence! There are many saints who lived for
welfare of the people. There are many Gnana books. Don't worry. Due to the bad time
Gnanm was hidden for many years! Swindle done by selfish people.
Gnana light Thiru Arut Prakasha vallalar took birth in this world. To clear the ignorance,
Vallalar has showered the compassion!! People started knowing Gnana. Started
Vallalar came to this world! Taught about Gnana! Did work for Gnana! Won his goal!
Obtained light body!!!
He with great compassion, taught the deathless education to all human being!
Now he is teaching that eduction via this humble being(Gnana Sarguru Sivaselvaraj).
Path of Gnana is simple and easy.
Do Gnana donation, Due to that one will get good virtues. After that Davam will enhance
and attain self&God realization. Live in escatsy. Donation of Gnana and doing Davam are the way to attain Gnanam!
Gnana Donation and Gnana Davam will help to reach god. | <urn:uuid:8a6fe8c3-21c1-42f4-9edd-d88f73fafbd2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://deathlesseducation.blogspot.in/2012/05/meditationdavam-do-nothing.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94985 | 929 | 1.539063 | 2 |
BANGOR, Maine — Maine regulators are adopting tougher scenic standards for a proposed 39-turbine wind farm in Highland Plantation.
The Morning Sentinel newspaper says the Land Use Regulation Commission’s ruling Wednesday was the first in which it included facilities other than the windmills themselves under tougher scenic standards.
The commission ruled after three hours of debate that Highland Wind LLC will have to show its buildings, generator lead lines and miles of access roads fit harmoniously into the landscape and have “no adverse impact” on the scenic character of the area.
Independence Wind, whose principals include former Gov. Angus King and former Maine Public Broadcasting Corp. president Rob Gardiner, is parent company of Highland Wind LLC. Hearings on the Somerset County project could get under way in late June.
Information from: Morning Sentinel, http://www.onlinesentinel.com/ | <urn:uuid:67986ad9-52a2-4a3d-8ff1-ee4275635757> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bangordailynews.com/2011/04/07/news/state/tougher-standards-embraced-for-proposed-highland-plantation-wind-farm/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946988 | 181 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Well, the results are posted. Rhode Island is the second worst-run state being bested only by the State of California.
So says 24/7 Wall Street, a blog which each year conducts an extensive survey of all 50 states. In case you are wondering if this somewhat innocuous source might not be seen by too many readers, the results were published front and center in the Wall Street Journal.
I always hope that maybe the surveyors made mistakes in their analysis about Rhode Island so we can tell them that they’re wrong about something. Well, here’s what they said.
Rhode Island owes the third-highest debt per capita, a whopping $9,018 for every man, woman and child. Didn’t we also just add to that by passing every statewide bond referenda? I guess that not only don’t the leaders “get it” but also obviously the citizens love to binge on spending.
Rhode Island has the 28th highest budget deficit.
With unemployment rate of 11.3 percent, the state is the third highest in the nation. At first I thought this might be something to correct. However, the data is collected and analyzed without seasonal workers or part-time employees’ adjustments across the board for every state. Even if the number is wrong, the placement is not.
The comparison went on to state that Rhode Island’s finances were a mess in fiscal 2010. The state had $9.5 billion in unpaid debts which came out to 107.2 percent of that year’s revenues. The state funded less than half of the pension obligations. Aha! This part of the analysis must have been done prior to the legislative reform, although it hasn’t been implemented much yet.
That’s only a short breather, however, as Little Rhody went on to a scathing review of fiscal mismanagement for the 38 Studios guarantee of $75 million for the flopped company. The “review” ended with a notation that the state has one of the slowest growth rates and the conclusion that the economy here performed poorly overall.
Can’t you see businesses flocking to the door to relocate here now that the owners have read this survey?
So, I looked at the “best-run” state — North Dakota — to see what could be learned. First, it had a well-managed budget and was recognized by credit-ranking agencies with a perfect or near-perfect credit rating. North Dakota also had the lowest unemployment with just 3.6 percent of the employable population. No budget shortfall pockmarked the fiscal year. To be sure, the oil boom has transformed its economy with North Dakota being the second-largest oil producer in this country.
So, what can we correct about the “facts” ‘in the analysis? Other than the pension issue, can we really fight about anything else that may have been misrepresented about the state en route to another black eye?
In comparison to the best-managed state, what do we have in common? Dare we say, “Nothing?”
The problem with this state is that the leaders have little vision to be sure. However, the rest of the taxpayers don’t hold anybody accountable. Just check the election results a month ago. The public returned the politicians as usual to do the business as usual. How can anything really change?Add to favorites | <urn:uuid:0d40e756-6321-41eb-bde4-f38f4a08fe19> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.eastbayri.com/opinion/columns/violet-r-i-is-second-worst-run-state/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970157 | 710 | 1.546875 | 2 |
My oldest son has a birthday coming up and I was thinking about the day when he goes off into the world on his own. I know the best way to prepare him is by providing a good example and to tell/show him what he needs to know. However, what I was thinking about is which books would be most useful to give to a young man that he could reference whenever he needed to. I started a list but I want to see what the other men on here would suggest. My idea is to slowly give these books to my son on birthdays and on Christmas so he has a good collection when he moves out.
Here's my list, some are just a category of book that I would give him.
Auto repair (Chilton / Haynes manual for first car)
Wilderness Survival - "98.6 degrees" by Cody Lundin
Urban Survival/Preparedness - "When all hell break loose" by Cody Lundin
Clothing / Style
Dangerous book for boys
Original Boy Scout handbook
Manvotionals by Brett
What books would be on your list? What books would you recommend for the categories where I don't have a specific book picked out.
In terms of relationships and seduction I highly recommend 'The 5 Love Languages' by Gary Chapman, to really help understand not just a partner, but people around him.
In terms of Finances I do enjoy reading 'Think and Grow Rich' by Napoleon Hill & 'Secrets to the Millionaire Mind' by T. Harv Ecker as ones that have had significant impacts on my life, financially.
I see that you are missing something around mindsetting or even just personal development. For a young man I feel that we have to conquer a lot of fears and learn to grow courage to overcome them. I learnt a lot about this through Susan Jeffers book titled 'Feel the fear and do it anyway'.
I hope this helps Rob.
Richard from Romantic Missions
Books for preparation of life.
Nathan Lowell – Solar Clipper Series, Book one is Quarter Share.
The series is sci-fi future focused on people. The setting is the backdrop to an 18 year old joining up on a merchant cargo hauler trans-solar ship as the lowest rating. It is a great series because we see him growing up and learning about life and women and such. He has great people handling skills and shows how to appreciate women as equals and romantic partners. It is really a good series. I got an autographed first printing for my son. I’m waiting to present it to him. If your friend likes podcasts you can find the whole series on podcast. The Author wrote it, could not publish it, podcasted it (great voice)and after a million plus downloads is finally publishing it in print.
Terry Pratchet Disk world books are very good and have a lot of simple truths about life sewn throughout them.
Alan Flusser - "Dressing the Man" and "Clothes and the Man".
It is all about suits and how to make you look your best in them. The only problem is that they are about suits exclusively.
The Editors of Esquire Magazine - Esquire The Handbook of Style: A Man's Guide to Looking Good
This covers more about life an adult male then Flusser does. What to pack, how to put out fits together etc, how to store things for best life of them.
Mark Bittman – “How to Cook Everything The Basics: All You Need to Make Great Food” &
“How to Cook Everything, Completely Revised 10th Anniversary Edition....” When you are away from home and want that meal it is nice to have a reference to look up how to do it. I find it really handy.
What I don’t have but wish I had for recommendation would be a good book on personal finance. The goal being that the reader can learn and understand how to calculate interest, payments, etc. The goal is to make sure that given a payment plan they can see how much extra they are going to pay for the payment plan vs saving up and paying cash. Also to help them think about when to use debt to get to better places in life rather than using debt to pay for simple pleasures.
A video series that is good is Jame’s Burke’s Connections. It was made in the late 1970s but it’s themes and questions and history are still relevant today.
Dave Ramsey's "Total Money Makeover". Simple, but effective. Wish I had a copy 15-years-ago.
Very good basic guide to personal finances.
Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People.
I would add these books to your list.
The 5000 Year Leap by W. Cleon Skousen
Thoughts For Young Men by J.C. Ryle
George Washington's Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation.
The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith
any book by Theodore Roosevelt and Winston Churchill.
How to Win Friends and Influence People is a very good book and well worth adding.
You seem interested in survival so the ultimate tome is Mors Kochanski's "Bush Craft".
You need some history and fiction. Fiction is more open to taste apart from The Old Man and The Sea. History must include Anabasis.
I wouldn't give a young man many books specifically for that time of life; that is, I'd give him what he'd enjoy, however old he was. Exception: books that are really tools. Easy basics of cooking. How to fix things around the house.
But I can recommend some from your categories.
Etiquette: Miss Manners, esp. her Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior IIRC.
Relationships: No More Mr. Nice Guy if it's the same book I'm thinking of; Letters to Philip
Finances: Motley Fool's investment guide. They've got several; might have to figure which one's apropos.
And maybe one or two specifically for that age: Iron John; King, Warrior, Magician, Lover.
Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse
Moby-Dick, by Herman Melville
Basically only books by guys named Herman.
Here are a few books that I read as a young man that were helpful:
- How to Win Friends and Influence People
- Rich Dad Poor Dad
- The Power of Positive Thinking
- The Alchemist
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
My first thought was The 7 Habits.
-20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to inspire
-Peter Pan to remind to play
-A Patriots History of the United States to educate
-A binder filled with recipes he/she grew up with to comfort
Along with A Patriot's History, also Zinn's People's History of the United States.
Instead of the books, spend time with him on those subjects.
It is going to be difficult to get a young man to read, let alone to read non-fiction, self-help type books. Looking back 20+ years ago(stupid HS reunion is fast approaching), not a single thing from those books would have set in, because they would have sat around.
What I would have really liked was to have worked on that car with my dad. We did a couple projects together, but not a lot. TO talk with other men, to really have them get blunt on money. Not a book, but real interaction.
Style/clothing. Show him, take him out and show him how those succesful and those getting the women, and those with power are dressing. Let him see those who dress like slobs are really looking like idiots, how they won't succeed as well.
Now, as far as reading, I would try hard just to get him reading. The mere act of reading opens the mind. They will learn more about the world as they share experiences with others, rather than get told what to do. That is a huge thing for a teenage boy, they don't want to get told, they know everything. Lee Child and the Jack Reacher series will some "Don't take shit" attitudes that a young man will enjoy, while also teaching things like honor and respect. The Jim Butcher series for a sci-fi loving boy will push ideals of working your ass off, never giving up, friendship, family, love.
If you were to get any of the above books, I would lean towards Brett's as he is the one that brought us here. | <urn:uuid:08071f81-7a29-4a96-86c6-b55dc3e4280e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://community.artofmanliness.com/forum/topics/books-to-give-a-young-man-about-to-head-into-the-world?commentId=2357106%3AComment%3A1390134&xg_source=activity | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970075 | 1,786 | 1.601563 | 2 |
The inherent mission statement of all corporations is to increase profits at all costs. The bottom line is… the bottom line and everything else is subservient to that. The same is true whether you’re a giant chemical company or a giant “natural” foods company. Proof of this came in a statement from Whole Foods, a company that has consistently turned its back on its founding principals, undoubtedly for sake of catering to shareholders:
“The policy set for GE alfalfa will most likely guide policies for other GE crops as well. True coexistence is a must.” - Whole Foods Market, Jan. 21, 2011
In the wake of a 12-year battle to keep Monsanto’s Genetically Engineered (GE) crops from contaminating the nation’s 25,000 organic farms and ranches, America’s organic consumers and producers are facing betrayal. A self-appointed cabal of the Organic Elite, spearheaded by Whole Foods Market, Organic Valley, and Stonyfield Farm, has decided it’s time to surrender to Monsanto. Top executives from these companies have publicly admitted that they no longer oppose the mass commercialization of GE crops, such as Monsanto’s controversial Roundup Ready alfalfa, and are prepared to sit down and cut a deal for “coexistence” with Monsanto and USDA biotech cheerleader Tom Vilsack.
Genetically engineered crops are a scourge upon this planet. They are impossible to contain, leaping from farm to farm like a virus in the plant kingdom. If plants could scream they would sound like humans being chased by zombies, succumbing to a plaque that could eventually transform all food sources on this planet. Heaven help us.
Read the rest of the post. | <urn:uuid:b2035571-02c0-435f-b4b5-c4c2d64b600a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.olyfarms.org/i-supposed-it-eventually-had-to-happen/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943632 | 359 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Published in Medical Letter on the CDC and FDA, August 18th, 2002
The ICDs were previously approved for patients who had survived cardiac arrests and for patients who had undergone invasive electrical testing (done through a catheter from the groin to the heart) to determine if they were suitable candidates for an ICD. With the approval of this new indication, some patients may not be required to...
Want to see the full article?
Welcome to NewsRx!
Learn more about a six-week, no-risk free trial of Medical Letter on the CDC and FDA | <urn:uuid:f6f9e6cf-6976-4217-bbe1-517d8b1b3d0a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newsrx.com/newsletters/Medical-Letter-on-the-CDC-and-FDA/2002-08-18/200208183333DC.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963331 | 117 | 1.5 | 2 |
You’re smart. You’re liberal. You’re well informed. You think conservatives are narrow-minded. You can’t understand why working-class Americans vote Republican. You figure they’re being duped. You’re wrong.
This isn’t an accusation from the right. It’s a friendly warning from Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist at the University of Virginia who, until 2009, considered himself a partisan liberal. In “The Righteous Mind,” Haidt seeks to enrich liberalism, and political discourse generally, with a deeper awareness of human nature. Like other psychologists who have ventured into political coaching, such as George Lakoff and Drew Westen, Haidt argues that people are fundamentally intuitive, not rational. If you want to persuade others, you have to appeal to their sentiments. But Haidt is looking for more than victory. He’s looking for wisdom. That’s what makes “The Righteous Mind” well worth reading. Politics isn’t just about manipulating people who disagree with you. It’s about learning from them.
Haidt seems to delight in mischief. Drawing on ethnography, evolutionary theory and experimental psychology, he sets out to trash the modern faith in reason. In Haidt’s retelling, all the fools, foils and villains of intellectual history are recast as heroes. David Hume, the Scottish philosopher who notoriously said reason was fit only to be “the slave of the passions,” was largely correct. E. O. Wilson, the ecologist who was branded a fascist for stressing the biological origins of human behavior, has been vindicated by the study of moral emotions. Even Glaucon, the cynic in Plato’s “Republic” who told Socrates that people would behave ethically only if they thought they were being watched, was “the guy who got it right.”
To the question many people ask about politics — Why doesn’t the other side listen to reason? — Haidt replies: We were never designed to listen to reason. When you ask people moral questions, time their responses and scan their brains, their answers and brain activation patterns indicate that they reach conclusions quickly and produce reasons later only to justify what they’ve decided. The funniest and most painful illustrations are Haidt’s transcripts of interviews about bizarre scenarios. Is it wrong to have sex with a dead chicken? How about with your sister? Is it O.K. to defecate in a urinal? If your dog dies, why not eat it? Under interrogation, most subjects in psychology experiments agree these things are wrong. But none can explain why.
The problem isn’t that people don’t reason. They do reason. But their arguments aim to support their conclusions, not yours. Reason doesn’t work like a judge or teacher, impartially weighing evidence or guiding us to wisdom. It works more like a lawyer or press secretary, justifying our acts and judgments to others. Haidt shows, for example, how subjects relentlessly marshal arguments for the incest taboo, no matter how thoroughly an interrogator demolishes these arguments.
To explain this persistence, Haidt invokes an evolutionary hypothesis: We compete for social status, and the key advantage in this struggle is the ability to influence others. Reason, in this view, evolved to help us spin, not to help us learn. So if you want to change people’s minds, Haidt concludes, don’t appeal to their reason. Appeal to reason’s boss: the underlying moral intuitions whose conclusions reason defends.
Haidt’s account of reason is a bit too simple — his whole book, after all, is a deployment of reason to advance learning — and his advice sounds cynical. But set aside those objections for now, and go with him. If you follow Haidt through the tunnel of cynicism, you’ll find that what he’s really after is enlightenment. He wants to open your mind to the moral intuitions of other people.
In the West, we think morality is all about harm, rights, fairness and consent. Does the guy own the chicken? Is the dog already dead? Is the sister of legal age? But step outside your neighborhood or your country, and you’ll discover that your perspective is highly anomalous. Haidt has read ethnographies, traveled the world and surveyed tens of thousands of people online. He and his colleagues have compiled a catalog of six fundamental ideas that commonly undergird moral systems: care, fairness, liberty, loyalty, authority and sanctity. Alongside these principles, he has found related themes that carry moral weight: divinity, community, hierarchy, tradition, sin and degradation.
The worldviews Haidt discusses may differ from yours. They don’t start with the individual. They start with the group or the cosmic order. They exalt families, armies and communities. They assume that people should be treated differently according to social role or status — elders should be honored, subordinates should be protected. They suppress forms of self-expression that might weaken the social fabric. They assume interdependence, not autonomy. They prize order, not equality.
These moral systems aren’t ignorant or backward. Haidt argues that they’re common in history and across the globe because they fit human nature. He compares them to cuisines. We acquire morality the same way we acquire food preferences: we start with what we’re given. If it tastes good, we stick with it. If it doesn’t, we reject it. People accept God, authority and karma because these ideas suit their moral taste buds. Haidt points to research showing that people punish cheaters, accept many hierarchies and don’t support equal distribution of benefits when contributions are unequal.
You don’t have to go abroad to see these ideas. You can find them in the Republican Party. Social conservatives see welfare and feminism as threats to responsibility and family stability. The Tea Party hates redistribution because it interferes with letting people reap what they earn. Faith, patriotism, valor, chastity, law and order — these Republican themes touch all six moral foundations, whereas Democrats, in Haidt’s analysis, focus almost entirely on care and fighting oppression. This is Haidt’s startling message to the left: When it comes to morality, conservatives are more broad-minded than liberals. They serve a more varied diet.
This is where Haidt diverges from other psychologists who have analyzed the left’s electoral failures. The usual argument of these psycho-pundits is that conservative politicians manipulate voters’ neural roots — playing on our craving for authority, for example — to trick people into voting against their interests. But Haidt treats electoral success as a kind of evolutionary fitness test. He figures that if voters like Republican messages, there’s something in Republican messages worth liking. He chides psychologists who try to “explain away” conservatism, treating it as a pathology. Conservatism thrives because it fits how people think, and that’s what validates it. Workers who vote Republican aren’t fools. In Haidt’s words, they’re “voting for their moral interests.”
One of these interests is moral capital — norms, practices and institutions, like religion and family values, that facilitate cooperation by constraining individualism. Toward this end, Haidt applauds the left for regulating corporate greed. But he worries that in other ways, liberals dissolve moral capital too recklessly. Welfare programs that substitute public aid for spousal and parental support undermine the ecology of the family. Education policies that let students sue teachers erode classroom authority. Multicultural education weakens the cultural glue of assimilation. Haidt agrees that old ways must sometimes be re-examined and changed. He just wants liberals to proceed with caution and protect the social pillars sustained by tradition.
Another aspect of human nature that conservatives understand better than liberals, according to Haidt, is parochial altruism, the inclination to care more about members of your group — particularly those who have made sacrifices for it —than about outsiders. Saving Darfur, submitting to the United Nations and paying taxes to educate children in another state may be noble, but they aren’t natural. What’s natural is giving to your church, helping your P.T.A. and rallying together as Americans against a foreign threat.
How far should liberals go toward incorporating these principles? Haidt says the shift has to be more than symbolic, but he doesn’t lay out a specific policy agenda. Instead, he highlights broad areas of culture and politics — family and assimilation, for example — on which liberals should consider compromise. He urges conservatives to entertain liberal ideas in the same way. The purpose of such compromises isn’t just to win elections. It’s to make society and government fit human nature.
The hardest part, Haidt finds, is getting liberals to open their minds. Anecdotally, he reports that when he talks about authority, loyalty and sanctity, many people in the audience spurn these ideas as the seeds of racism, sexism and homophobia. And in a survey of 2,000 Americans, Haidt found that self-described liberals, especially those who called themselves “very liberal,” were worse at predicting the moral judgments of moderates and conservatives than moderates and conservatives were at predicting the moral judgments of liberals. Liberals don’t understand conservative values. And they can’t recognize this failing, because they’re so convinced of their rationality, open-mindedness and enlightenment.
Haidt isn’t just scolding liberals, however. He sees the left and right as yin and yang, each contributing insights to which the other should listen. In his view, for instance, liberals can teach conservatives to recognize and constrain predation by entrenched interests. Haidt believes in the power of reason, but the reasoning has to be interactive. It has to be other people’s reason engaging yours. We’re lousy at challenging our own beliefs, but we’re good at challenging each other’s. Haidt compares us to neurons in a giant brain, capable of “producing good reasoning as an emergent property of the social system.”
Our task, then, is to organize society so that reason and intuition interact in healthy ways. Haidt’s research suggests several broad guidelines. First, we need to help citizens develop sympathetic relationships so that they seek to understand one another instead of using reason to parry opposing views. Second, we need to create time for contemplation. Research shows that two minutes of reflection on a good argument can change a person’s mind. Third, we need to break up our ideological segregation. From 1976 to 2008, the proportion of Americans living in highly partisan counties increased from 27 percent to 48 percent. The Internet exacerbates this problem by helping each user find evidence that supports his views.
How can we achieve these goals? Haidt offers a Web site, civilpolitics.org, on which he and his colleagues have listed steps that might help. One is holding open primaries so that people outside each party’s base can vote to nominate moderate candidates. Another is instant runoffs, so that candidates will benefit from broadening their appeal. A third idea is to alter redistricting so that parties are less able to gerrymander partisan congressional districts. Haidt also wants members of Congress to go back to the old practice of moving their families to Washington, so that they socialize with one another and build a friendly basis on which to cooperate.
Many of Haidt’s proposals are vague, insufficient or hard to implement. And that’s O.K. He just wants to start a conversation about integrating a better understanding of human nature — our sentiments, sociality and morality — into the ways we debate and govern ourselves. At this, he succeeds. It’s a landmark contribution to humanity’s understanding of itself.
But to whom is Haidt directing his advice? If intuitions are unreflective, and if reason is self-serving, then what part of us does he expect to regulate and orchestrate these faculties? This is the unspoken tension in Haidt’s book. As a scientist, he takes a passive, empirical view of human nature. He describes us as we have been, expecting no more. Based on evolution, he argues, universal love is implausible: “Parochial love . . . amplified by similarity” and a “sense of shared fate . . . may be the most we can accomplish.” But as an author and advocate, Haidt speaks to us rationally and universally, as though we’re capable of something greater. He seems unable to help himself, as though it’s in his nature to call on our capacity for reason and our sense of common humanity — and in our nature to understand it.
You don’t have to believe in God to see this higher capacity as part of our nature. You just have to believe in evolution. Evolution itself has evolved: as humans became increasingly social, the struggle for survival, mating and progeny depended less on physical abilities and more on social abilities. In this way, a faculty produced by evolution — sociality — became the new engine of evolution. Why can’t reason do the same thing? Why can’t it emerge from its evolutionary origins as a spin doctor to become the new medium in which humans compete, cooperate and advance the fitness of their communities? Isn’t that what we see all around us? Look at the global spread of media, debate and democracy.
Haidt is part of this process. He thinks he’s just articulating evolution. But in effect, he’s also trying to fix it. Traits we evolved in a dispersed world, like tribalism and righteousness, have become dangerously maladaptive in an era of rapid globalization. A pure scientist would let us purge these traits from the gene pool by fighting and killing one another. But Haidt wants to spare us this fate. He seeks a world in which “fewer people believe that righteous ends justify violent means.” To achieve this goal, he asks us to understand and overcome our instincts. He appeals to a power capable of circumspection, reflection and reform.
If we can harness that power — wisdom — our substantive project will be to reconcile our national and international differences. Is income inequality immoral? Should government favor religion? Can we tolerate cultures of female subjugation? And how far should we trust our instincts? Should people who find homosexuality repugnant overcome that reaction?
Haidt’s faith in moral taste receptors may not survive this scrutiny. Our taste for sanctity or authority, like our taste for sugar, could turn out to be a dangerous relic. But Haidt is right that we must learn what we have been, even if our nature is to transcend it.
Read more at: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/25/books/review/the-righteous-mind-by-jonathan-haidt.html | <urn:uuid:a8e0e76e-6843-4fd9-bc00-f419123a811f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.uts.edu/read-more-trends-in-faith-and-culture/387-the-righteous-mind-why-good-people-are-divided-by-politics-and-religion.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946108 | 3,218 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Written by MO.com Subject Matter Resource, Joel Goldstein
A professional brand can also be described as a professional identification. To showcase your brand, you must first identify who you are as a professional. Once this is established, the developmental process can begin.
Get Published. Use the publishing world as a way to spread your knowledge and expertise. Write good, solid articles that are full of information that will provide value and memorable takeaway points to your readers.
Focus on what you are most comfortable and most knowledgeable about, but keep it professional. Don’t use your platform to promote yourself shamelessly. If you produce good content, your brand will speak for itself.
You have options when it comes to the forum for your articles. Some choose to add a blog to their professional portfolio or website, which is an easy and popular choice. Others may contribute their articles to a separate publication or website. It is up to your preference because good content is useful, no matter what the forum.
Join In. Making your professional presence known and respected is key. Join professional organizations so you can interact with professionals in your field. This will also allow you to attend networking events and develop new contacts.
Virtually, you can comment on others’ blogs and articles. If you are able to provide your own professional insight, it will most likely lead to the same reciprocation on your blogs and articles.
Be True to Yourself. Phonies and fakes are usually as transparent as a freshly washed sliding glass door and can hurt your professional image just as much as walking into one. Be genuine and truthful in your areas of expertise, so you don’t steer your audience in the wrong direction.
Try sharing your own anecdotes and experiences in your writing to add that bit of personalization that your audience can relate to.
Look back at your online presence and profiles. What do they say about you as a professional? If you don’t like your answer, consider these tools as a way to change that. Now is the time to use the prevalence of the Internet to your advantage and share the best side of your professional self with the world. | <urn:uuid:8de1a9e2-0b15-4961-9671-add3eb672522> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mo.com/how-to-develop-professional-brand | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951582 | 436 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Tell Ambassador Oren: Stop the demolition of sustainable energy sources in the West Bank.
As a pro-Israel, pro-peace American, I am deeply troubled to learn of the demolition orders recently served on the solar panels and wind turbines built by COMET-ME, an Israeli NGO working to bring sustainable energy to villages in Area C of the West Bank that are unable to access the electrical grid.
These systems provide the basic necessities of life for the villages that depend on them, and provide much needed electricity to areas not served by the IDF Civil Administration. Women who previously churned butter for hours by hand can now devote their days to other endeavors. Villagers that had little ability to contact others in the case of emergency can now charge their cell phones. And the process by which these systems are built -- with Israelis and Palestinians working arm in arm -- provide much needed opportunities for mutual recognition and collaboration.
In addition, these solar panels and windmills allow villagers to stay on land they have lived on for generations, land that will eventually be part of a Palestinian state when a two-state solution is finally reached. Without electricity, many villagers may leave their homes, and in so doing alter the demographic reality of the region in ways that make achieving peace all the more difficult.
Electricity should be provided to these villages, not denied. I am writing to ask that you work with Ehud Barak, the Minister of Defense responsible for Area C of the West Bank, to ensure that these systems remain and that basic access to electricity is extended to all those that live in Israel and the West Bank. | <urn:uuid:cc967b05-8a84-4b55-8b2b-d1a9329c827b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://act.jstreet.org/sign/jstu_cometme/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960148 | 324 | 1.765625 | 2 |
I heard a famous school reform advocate–the kind of guy who says things like “Last time I checked there are no jobs for people who have a mean macaroni art game,” and “Failed schools must be closed and the children provided with vouchers so they can attend good schools”–tell a crowd once how proud he was that at his inner city school 100% of the graduates go on to four-year colleges. He then went on to note that his school “isn’t a charter school–it’s a public school.” He emphasized the word “public” to make sure his audience didn’t think he enjoyed any advantages in student selection that contributed to his success.
Truth is, he does enjoy advantages. His public school also happens to be a magnet school–you might be surprised that he neglected to disclose as much in his presentation. It is what teachers at traditional city schools sometimes derisively call a “lifeboat” school, a happy oasis to which the poorest children may apply; and, depending on the quality of their applications and the willingness and ability of their parents to abide by stringent demands for academically rigorous parenting, they MAY get in.
For this gentleman’s Herculean efforts at keeping out the riff-raff, he has been richly rewarded. He’s featured on television as an education expert; he writes books in which he lambasts teachers as the source of our society’s ills; and he gets people like Bill Cosby and Soledad O’Brien to sing his praises and imply that he has discovered the mythical fountain of achievement, the answer to our education problems.
I guess Bill and Soledad are able to overlook the sinister implications when he says, “I’ve seen the right students and the wrong students come to Capital Prep.”
I’ve seen the wrong students come to my school, too. The only difference is, at my school the policy is:
“The Board or its designee shall admit into the public schools of the District free of tuition all persons who are over five and younger than 21 years of age on September 1 of any school year in which admission is sought…if any of the following conditions exist:
1. The person and either parent reside in the District.
2. The person does not reside in the District, but one of the parents resides in the District…
3. The person and his or her guardian or other person having lawful control under an order of a court reside in the District.
4. The person is under the age of 18 and has established a separate residence in the District apart from his or her parent, guardian, or other person having lawful control…”
The only way I keep someone out of my school is if they are over 21, they don’t live in the district, or they get expelled for one of a handful of heinous acts.
One critic notes this about the miracle reformer’s public school: “In one recent year forty-three percent of the enrolled students left before graduation.”
If this is true, it appears that the good reformer is a push-out artist. As Bill Cosby might say, “Push ‘em out, shove ‘em out, way out.” (Perhaps this technique is what led the gentleman in question to entitle one of his books Push Has Come to Shove.)
He hides it well. Here, he said that “The only thing required to get into our school is a pulse. And the only thing stopping us from taking more kids is lack of space.”
If this is true, I’m not sure what to make of the link on the school’s website that says, “How to apply.” Perhaps the application only has one question: “Does your child have a pulse?”
See, the thing about a magnet is it’s picky. It only picks up things containing metal. And a magnet school that obligates parents to purchase uniforms and agree to certain stringent requirements will only pick up students and parents who possess a certain amount of mettle.
I don’t begrudge this reformer his mission: offering an exclusive, college-preparatory education for students who have been unconscionably and persistently denied opportunities. This is an admirable, valuable, positive contribution to our society. More power to him; I support and applaud his efforts.
Where I diverge with this gentleman is in the thicket of his dishonesty. He does not truthfully allow every student with a pulse to remain in his school. The reformer says as much only to bolster his fabricated case that traditional schools do not get the same results as his school because of ineffectual teachers who are protected by adult-centric unions; in arguing this, the reformer chooses to ignore the occupational benefit provided to his teachers and staff by the leverage inherent in exclusivity.
Simply put, he can send a kid who refuses to do his homework out the door, and the kids and parents know it; I can only send that kid to in-school suspension. And don’t think the kids don’t know it.
Sometimes I’m mad because many school reform proponents so flippantly tell half-truths. Other times I’m just jealous because I too want to run a school that is heralded as a destination school for future Ivy Leaguers. I’m torn between two ideals, each of which I airbrush in my mind at different times: the reformer’s exclusive yet effective elitism, or my own democratic yet imperfect open arms. “We take ‘em all,” I like to say. I’m proud of that. I get peeved when “‘em all” won’t do their homework, or when a parent makes excuses or writes fraudulent notes for 30 absences a year. I get mad because in the end, the test scores don’t reflect on the parent or on democracy: they reflect on me. Democracy doesn’t fail in the newspapers, the educator does.
The selfish part of me wants to exclude. The hurting part of me. But the rest of me is glad I include. If I had worked at the reformer’s school, I never would’ve gotten to know a kid like Charlie*, a nonverbal 18-year-old with severe cognitive difficulties who was learning the most basic of life skills. I likely would’ve missed meeting a student like Amanda*, a Special Olympics medalist who greeted me with a smile and a story every time she saw me. I probably wouldn’t have gotten to see persistent freshman misbehavior, Joe* turn it around in time to graduate with his class; instead, I might have shown him the door and wished him the best of luck elsewhere. Honestly, that would have been more tragic to me than whatever horrible label Arne Duncan can come up with.
I wish I could get results like that reformer, I really do. But not if the trade off is for my school to become a bunker against the reality of my community’s context. Context ignorance may be bliss, but I’m not sold on the idea that America must attain excellence through exclusion. Such a philosophy emboldens those who argue against excellence through expenditure, who say we already spend too much on poor city children, who urge us to default on the staggering debt run up by historic thefts. Our nation stole opportunity from selected groups for generations and the bill has come due today, as we nobly struggle to fold their proud descendants into our national promise. Rather than pay up, the reformer would have us provide these kids with pockets of wonderfulness and let them fight to get in. This reformer quotes Dr. King, but he marches with Scott Walker.
They say we spend too much in DC, that we spend too much in Chicago. But when you are putting out a fire you don’t watch the water meter, you watch the flames. We will know that we have spent enough in our inner cities when life blooms a garden there. Those who posit that squalor is inevitable among city dwellers lack not only imagination, but humanity.
I think this reformer truly believes that shutting down all the low-performing public schools in his city and replacing them with new schools like his will fix things. I don’t question his motives. And his approach will certainly improve the outcomes for the kids who will adhere to his school’s rules and meet their performance targets. Like the man throwing starfish into the ocean, he will save this one, and this one, and this one.
But I wonder if he ever thinks about the others. I wonder, in his ideal world where there are no “bad schools” left, where will all the “wrong students” go? They will still need an education, because they will still grow up and be part of our society. If all schools have the right-of-refusal, where will they go? There isn’t a job market for macaroni artists, but is there one for kids whom no school will take?
It must be a happy life when kids clear a high hurdle to enter your school and you convince the world you taught them to jump. If you can sell books with that gospel, more power to you. But while you make your way in the edubiz, please don’t trash long suffering teachers who have no choice but to wrestle daily with the context your school has walled off.
*Names changed to protect privacy. | <urn:uuid:2fdf0cc6-d3f9-494e-b743-dafbabe39141> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://theeducatorsroom.com/2012/10/the-bliss-of-context-ignorance-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974026 | 2,021 | 1.53125 | 2 |
You can save cash with a little DIY while increasing the value of your home
In the current economy, many people — worried about layoffs, dropping home values and diminishing investments — have hoarded money. Foregoing this year’s vacation is one common approach — the awful word ‘staycation’ (staying at home, rather than traveling during time off) was added to the dictionary.
But there are other ways to economize at home without giving everything up — and that can actually add to the value of your home if you want (or need) to sell.
You don’t need to forego your flower garden this year just because money is tight, but save by starting your plants from seeds. Begin now germinating them indoors in pots. After any chance of freeze, transplant them into your garden once they’ve begun developing a healthy root system and grown a few inches.
Plants that have been growing inside should be gradually introduced to direct sunlight, wind and temperature extremes. For a few days, set them out mornings where they’ll get a few hours of direct sun before transplanting them into your garden.
Rather than annuals, think about planting bulbs that multiply and come back year after year. Or make productive use of your garden by planting vegetables. A few tomato plants should grow more than you’ll need and some varieties will continue producing through fall. Squash, zucchini, cucumbers and peppers also grow well in Dallas. You’ll not only have the freshest vegetables and save some money on your trips to the supermarket, but also help the environment with the ultimate contribution to the "buy local" movement — and make your yard look both green and "green" for potential buyers.
Decide where spending some money on your home might be a wise investment. Insulation begins paying off immediately. Adding a layer of fiberglass batting in the attic is inexpensive, an easy do-it-yourself project and will lower the cost of air conditioning in summer and heating in winter. Caulk around windows and add weather-stripping around doors to make your house more airtight.
As your light bulbs burn out, replace them with compact fluorescents lights or CFLs. Although they are more expensive, they last longer and cost 75 percent less to operate. (Only one of mine burned out in less than a month, but that was because of a bad socket; I haven’t replaced any others since I began using them a year ago.) The equivalent of a 60-watt incandescent bulb burns at about 17 watts.
If you are replacing any of your appliances, look for the Energy Star label for the most efficient models. Current standards for refrigerators came into effect in 2001 so if yours is older than that, it’s an electricity guzzler. A side-by-side refrigerator uses more energy than one with the freezer on top or bottom.
Front-loading washers use less water and spin clothes drier than top loaders. The drier things come out of the washer, the less energy is needed in the dryer. If you can hold out on the washer, new efficiency standards come into effect in 2011. For dishwashers, look for stricter standards in 2010.
Doing it yourself might save you some money, but a plumbing job gone wrong could cost twice as much when you figure in the additional damage. Do what you’re comfortable doing but before trying something completely new, think about enrolling in a Home Depot In-Store Clinic or a Lowe’s In-Store Educational Workshop. Check with your local store or online for dates and topics, which regularly include a variety of plumbing, tiling and carpentry tasks.
Still not comfortable that you’ll do the job right? Check the business listings section of the Dallas Voice or the Dallas Voice Yellow Pages for experts. Sometimes hiring an expert really is cheaper than doing it yourself. Think of it as doing your part to stimulate the economy!
DALLAS HOUSING MARKET STANDS STRONG — SORT OF
Home prices in Dallas fell for the 12 months ending Nov. 1, 2008, by 3.3 percent. That may sound like bad news, but actually it makes Dallas the strongest housing market in the country among the 20 largest metropolitan areas.
For the fourth quarter of 2008, the median price of a home in Oak Lawn was $206,620 or $194 per square foot, reflecting a 34 percent decrease in price for the area and a 32 percent decrease in sales.
Oak Cliff fared better and remains one of the biggest bargains in the Metroplex. The number of homes sold decreased by just 8 percent and the median price of $67,500 reflected a 17 percent decline.
Homes in East Dallas retained their value at a median $219,000 but 18 percent fewer sales were recorded for the quarter.
The best investment in the Metroplex for homeowners was Sunnyvale, a small community between Mesquite and Lake Ray Hubbard. Home sales increased by 23 percent and prices increased 10 percent to a median $328,990. While that price is higher than the average Oak Lawn home, the price per square foot in Sunnyvale is just $97, almost $100 less than in Oak Lawn.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice Defining Homes magazine March 6, 2009.
Powered by Facebook Comments | <urn:uuid:cb4608f4-508e-464e-88e8-a4576487f280> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dallasvoice.com/saving-money-1018920.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94392 | 1,112 | 1.828125 | 2 |
[Minor edits below.]
Yesterday evening I had a late visit to Bob Glück’s Writers on Writing class at SFSU, to read from and talk about Diwata. It was an interesting class. There is one student’s question that I’ve been thinking about since last night: How did I make the decision to use very culturally specific references, language, etc, and did I fear alienating readers from the work.
This is a very valid question. The funny thing is that lately, I haven’t really felt this kind of fear, at least about non-Filipinos turning away from the work because they can’t relate to it. I told the students I’ve had a lot of time to work this out, to think about the risk of alienating folks culturally dissimilar to me. Certainly, my readership has grown, due in very major part to the relative “success” of Poeta en San Francisco, which some years ago, I really believed no one outside of my political poetic cadre would read, precisely because I believed it was very specific.
I remember the kinds of issues educators in different parts of the country would tell me about, while teaching Poeta en SF. The absence of translation would lead to defensiveness about encountering a language not understood or recognizable. But astute educators can tell you this is a way in, right there. This is a conversation to be had about what the poet has chosen to do, what the importance of that unfamiliar language (especially the baybayin) is to the poet and his/her project. In other words, there’s a sound reason why the author has decided to include these, and decided not to translate. The author has thought about the reader, his/her ability or inability to undertsand, the power dynamics that play themselves out as a result. (Why am I talking about myself in third person here?)
Educators would also tell me about really heated arguments their students would have in the (physical and e-) classroom, vehemently disagreeing with one another about the politics of the work, the hardline stance of Poeta’s poetic speaker, the apparent “white man bashing,” the profaning of prayer. Again, all opportunities for conversation about point of view/position, power dynamics, and purpose.
I’ve been thinking about Andrew Zornoza’s essay, “Visualizing Words and Worlds,” at the Poetry Foundation. One thing I’ve been thinking is this: if we are going to pay such acute, close attention to each and every “little” thing in a poem, then everything about the poem and its creation should be deliberate, and be able to stand up to such scrutiny. In one grad seminar I ended up dropping, I remember talking about my dilemma with language and multilingualism. I hadn’t quite figured out how to do it, successfully execute multilingualism in my poems. I did know that multilingualism has always been important to me, my life, my history, and hence, to my poetry. I remember some white hipster colleague of mine telling me in this derisive tone, ”You shouldn’t just use foreign language just because you can. There has to be a reason for it.” And while I agreed with his advice, I didn’t appreciate that tone, i.e. of course I know there has to be a reason, a very good reason, for it, and for anything you do in/with/to a poem — each line break, for example, or the decision to use one form over another. What I was seeking was concrete advice on how to execute multilingualism.
So back to the student’s question last night. I responded by saying that how Poeta was received really surprised me. Where I thought I was writing something very culturally specific, others outside of my community were able to read the work through their own experiences and ways of understanding our current, ongoing state of war, or others’ (or their own, or their parents’ or grandparents’) struggles with being an English language learner, or with multilingualism, or being an immigrant/expatriate/migrant, or gender inequality, or gender violence, or religious devotion, or hypocritical Christian moralizing, or gentrification, or urban way of life.
In other words, readers of all stripes can always find a way into your work, unless they just don’t want to. So with Diwata, I had little apprehension about it being alienating; it was a non-issue. I told them there’s always a community of people who want to read our work, folks for whom the poetry is mutually resonant, and it’s just a matter of finding them. And I am glad to have reached this point, where I can hold a good amount of faith in readers being able to find their own way around the text. That my poems can simply do what they mean to do, that I can just write a poem, a body of poems, and worry about the poems themselves, instead of all the stuff that I think should be peripheral to the poem.
Bottom line is this: I believe that if we are clear with what we want the poem to do or be, and if we learn craft-wise, or mechanics-wise, how to do these things, how to be attentive as writers of poems, then we can let the poem be the poem, “direct but prismatic” (No really! Single input, multiple possible outcomes).
What I did not tell the class, but what does bother me is this: If anything, my ongoing work has alienated other Pinays. But this is just the opposite of Pinayism operating here. | <urn:uuid:41e80066-c3a2-4753-99e6-f2d2aaa492ce> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.barbarajanereyes.com/2011/04/26/writing-culture-in-diwata-y-poeta/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969233 | 1,213 | 1.523438 | 2 |
e in new yorker un reportaj genial despre cum armata americana a facut, prin 1950, experimente cu LSD pe soldati ca sa vada cum se comporta in situatii de interogatorii extreme.
dincolo de subiect care atrage imediat atentia, va spun despre acest articol ca sa va uitati la cum este scris si sa faceti un exercitiu: incercati sa identificati cam cite surse a avut semnatarul RAFFI KHATCHADOURIAN pentru articolul lui: sunt zeci, daca nu chiar peste 100.
iata citeva fragmente din text:
Dr. Van Murray Sim, the founder of Edgewood Arsenal’s program of clinical research on psychochemicals, was a man of deep contradictions. He was a Navy veteran, but he worked at the Army post as a civilian. For the doctors who worked with him, he was like Dr. Strangelove; he was a leader; he was the “Mengele of Edgewood”; he was a good old soul. Sim could be manipulative and vengeful, ethically shortsighted, incoherently rambling, rashly slipshod in his methods, but he was also fearless and ambitious and devoted to chemical-warfare research. He was gargantuan—his body exuded forcefulness, like an oversized rook on a chessboard—but he was willing to allow himself to be rendered helpless. In 1959, he was the first person to be given VX, a highly lethal nerve agent. As the drug began to take effect, Sim became irrational and started to thrash around. “I was having difficulty with vision, seeing—a distortion of vision, sweating, tremors, nausea, vomiting,” he later recalled. His face grew pale. He eventually stopped talking and descended into a world of his own imaginings.
By the time he met with Malitz in New York, the Army was interested primarily in LSD—known as EA 1729. Malitz agreed to test LSD and similar drugs on volunteers or “selected patients,” in order to determine how people would react during phony interrogations. He offered to use hypnosis to plant secrets in subjects’ minds. Then, he said, “one of the hallucinogens will be administered and an attempt made to see if the patient will reveal the information.”
Sim indicated that he would consider the offer. Three months later, he obtained permission to test psychochemicals at the arsenal itself. LSD’s effects were still little understood; as Sim acknowledged, it was possible to become “smothered by the preponderance of conflicting reports.”
Occasionally, the C.I.A. or senior military intelligence officers would send operatives to the arsenal to be given LSD and then questioned. Some of the tests were intended to see how soldiers would perform; some were designed to prepare them in the event that a Soviet operative secretly dosed them. In one experiment, intelligence specialists were blindfolded and placed in an isolation chamber. The men—some of whom had been told nothing about the drug’s effects—became tense and anxious, and quickly became unable to bear the isolation. When they emerged, they were subjected to hostile questioning. All agreed that the threat of return to isolation would constitute a very effective form of duress.
restul cititi aici, e un exemplu de jurnalism impecabil. si da, mi-ar placea sa faca si la noi cineva un asemenea reportaj care – atentie!- nu e facut intr-o saptamina, ci in luni de documentare, nu e scris intr-o zi, ci in saptamini. dar ce bijuterie este. | <urn:uuid:7cfada85-58ac-4721-ba87-034a3060aa6f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bazavan.ro/2012/12/reportaj-genial-lsd-in-the-cold-war/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95494 | 828 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Tresham College of Further and Higher Education was recently announced as the first further education college in Northamptonshire to become a Peter Jones Enterprise Academy Provider.
The academy offers BTEC Level 3 in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship in partnership with Edexcel; the first qualifications of their kind for 16-19 year olds in the UK.
The Enterprise Academies offer a unique approach, focusing on learning by doing and supporting and encouraging students to realise their ambitions and to turn their own business dreams into reality.
The course is business-led and will benefit from partnerships between the Academy and a range of companies and local entrepreneurs who will provide leadership and hands-on business experience.
Local and national business representatives will visit students on a regular basis to provide an experts knowledge in master classes, workshops, challenges and as members of the famous Dragon's Den style pitching panels.
The Enterprise Academy benefits from the backing and full support of the government who share the ambition of unlocking the talent of young people across the UK, giving them the skills and confidence they need to succeed in the modern business world.
The Peter Jones Enterprise Academy has a mission to train and motivate young people, unleash entrepreneurial talent and create opportunities for young people to realise their potential.
Peter Jones said:
"With record levels of youth unemployment, I believe it is vital to inspire more young people across Britain to consider a different career path - an entrepreneurial one .The Peter Jones Enterprise Academy aims to unleash entrepreneurial talent in young people and equip them with the skills they need to make it in Britain."
"It is fantastic to have Tresham College of Further and Higher Education on board as part of our nationwide college network. Our students represent a new and exciting generation that have been rewired with the skills, confidence, the self-belief and the ambition to pursue their dreams."
Stuart Wesselby, Principal at Tresham said:
"We are delighted to have been announced as a Peter Jones Enterprise Academy provider as we are committed to ensuring our students leave college with the right skills for work. Whether they plan to expand their own company, progress to university or gain employment, this innovative course encourages young people to develop the vital skills needed to survive in this ever increasingly competitive market for new businesses."
Students will be selected for their initiative and resourcefulness and will benefit from the contacts and knowledge of tutors at Tresham to build flourishing businesses.
The Peter Jones Enterprise Academy is supported by Everything Everywhere, Alfa Romeo and Grant Thornton.
Applications are being accepted for this course by clicking here. | <urn:uuid:08315764-e0f2-4524-ab02-4ca049ae544b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tresham.ac.uk/peter_jones_enterprise_academy | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953282 | 522 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Pier 25 is unmistakeable on the Hudson side of lower Manhattan. I posted fotos of Lilac moving to Pier 25 aka “historic ships pier” back a year and some months ago. On some of those fotos, you can see bowsprite catching lines from the Miller’s Launch crew assisting Lilac’s arrival. Bowsprite also goes by the name “Christina Sun,” who is half of the art show proclaimed on the dockside sign below.
Here she was hanging the show last weekend. If you’ve looked at her site much, you’d have seen her rendering of RB 45614 (below) on her artblog here.
The other half of the art show (up til the end of August!!) is Frank Hanavan. I’ve painted with Frank, like here on this bowsprit at least six years ago, and posted on this blog here back in 2007. This foto and the next by Maggie Flanagan.
But besides painting in places that require a harness, Frank also paints
en plein air with an easel. In fact, this piece, part of his show, he did ON Pier 25 back in May when Picton Castle docked there for a few days. Click on that link (scroll through) and you’ll
see what message was printed on the square sail on the foremast. Frank’s art is all contained in one room on Lilac, but
bowsprite’s 38 prints are spread through Lilac, leading the observer on a treasure hunt . . . even through the engine room!
But I can’t look at a piece like this and NOT remember the delightful story on her blog about excavator dredge J. P. Boisseau with remembering the whale that appeared in Lower NY Bay, no doubt coming to check who was scratching the harbor’s bottom . . . and why.
Lilac is a unique vessel open to the public Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Hours are here. In fact, this Saturday evening, besides art, you can also see the world premiere of a documentary about MV Liemba, the nearly century old steam ferry (I believe very recently dieselized but still running) on Lake Tangayika. For a press release about the film from Lilac Museum director, Mary Habstritt, click here.
Historic ships, art, film, music, drinks, warm summer evening on the Hudson in Lower Manhattan . . . . . . see you there!! Bring some $$ too and take home some beautiful marine art for your walls.
Unrelated: Here’s a 13-minute interview I did with John Doswell of Working Harbor Committee (WHC) back in 2010. I’d never heard it until today. And remember . . . here’s info on the WHC-sponsored 20th annual tugboat race coming up in NYC’s sixth boro in less than three weeks!! | <urn:uuid:87d455de-bc31-4d30-8532-e7599eafc686> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tugster.wordpress.com/2012/08/15/pier-25-marine-art-show/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932756 | 628 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Election Day 2010 Post-Mortems
Wednesday - November 10, 2010
So why did what happened happen on Hawaii’s General Election Day 2010? The answers go well beyond my quota of MidWeek words, but let us begin:
Incumbency triumphed, as it almost always does. Hawaii Republicans fielded their most complete set of candidates in recent years. But 45 of the 51 members of the state House were incumbent Democrats; nine of the 13 members of the Senate up for re-election enjoyed the same status. In three of the four contests for open Senate seats, Democrats had two well-known County Council members and a state representative on the ballot. All faced relatively - or totally - unknown opponents.
But incumbency means more than name recognition. It means money: money for signs, money for mailers, money for cookbooks, money for “walking pieces” of campaign literature, money to buy bentos for your sign-waving crews and - in some Senate districts - even money for radio spots. The money, of course, comes from all those fine folks who hang on the railings of the State Capitol building during legislative sessions.
Barack Obama helped Hawaii Democrats. With a 61 percent approval rating in the land of his birth, Obama’s endorsement of Neil Abercrombie and Colleen Hanabusa lifted them in the final weeks of the campaign. Congressional Democrats from Ohio to Minnesota to Arkansas may have been running away from him, but Hawaii’s Democrats kept the faith. Every time U.S. Rep. Charles Djou criticized one of Obama’s programs, he racked up another vote for Democrat Colleen Hanabusa. And Abercrombie built his successful gubernatorial campaign on a script stolen from Obama: “Hope and change,” he said. “And this campaign is not about me.”
Too much religion hurt the GOP. From U.S. Senate candidate Cam Cavasso to the gubernatorial ticket of Duke Aiona and Lynn Finnegan to state party chairman Jonah Ka’auwai to the majority of their legislative candidates, Republicans wore their religion on their sleeves. They defined themselves as the party of values - conservative Christian values - which included red-shirted opposition to civil unions.
Such an approach may provide a base for the Republican Party and a supply of candidates, but it smacks of theocracy to mainline Christian voters, Buddhists, Muslims and those dreaded secular human-ists: all of whom feel they are people with values as well. And religion-on-the-sleeve politics in culturally diverse Hawaii runs counter to the Islands’ most important value: tolerance.
The Hawaii Democratic Party’s “coordinated campaign” also contributed to the Republicans’ undoing. It’s a fearsome thing, and it proved a crushing force in the final weeks of the general election campaign.
In the 10 days following the Sept. 18 primary election, both the Aiona and Djou campaigns seemed to have the momentum. Abercrombie’s ads had gone off the air. Aiona and Djou signs appeared everywhere.
Then the Democrats’ coordinated campaign began. Party activists, women’s groups, union members, and primary election winners and losers coordinated their rallies, their canvassing, their money and their sign-waving. Defeated congressional candidate Ed Case went door-to-door for Abercrombie and waved with Hanabusa. Vanquished gubernatorial candidate Mufi Hannemann sang at coordinated Filipino rallies and made a television ad for vanquisher Abercrombie. On election day, 30,000 unreliable Democratic voters were contacted and offered a ride to the polls.
One other element contributed to the Hawaii Democrats’ victory. The Republicans had the misfortune of owning the governor-ship when the nation’s economy tanked. The economic collapse of 2008 resulted in Obama’s victory and Democratic majorities in both houses of the United States Congress. The economic recession in which the country now wallows resulted in a Republican landslide of historic proportions across the continent Nov. 2.
In Hawaii, Republican Linda Lingle presided over the layoffs, budget cuts and furlough Fridays of our now two-year-old recession. Was she to blame for it? No, but in Hawaii she was in office and she, her LG and the GOP - like Obama and the Democrats on the Mainland - paid the price.
E-mail this story | Print this page | Comments (0) | Archive | RSS Comments (0) |
Most Recent Comment(s): | <urn:uuid:bf467e47-ae88-4803-8b85-df2a4b927ee1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://archives.midweek.com/content/columns/mostlypolitics_article/election_day_2010_post-mortems/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947029 | 950 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Company Vehicles: Lease vs. Buy
If you need to purchase a company vehicle, you have two basic choices: Buy or lease. Which option makes better sense for your business depends on how long you plan to keep the vehicle and how many miles it will typically be driven.
When you buy a vehicle you pay the entire cost of the vehicle. You make a down payment, pay sales taxes, and make payments (if you financed the purchase). You can later decide to sell or trade in the vehicle.
When you lease you only pay a portion of the vehicle's cost. You may or may not have to make an up-front payment, pay sales tax only on monthly payments (at least in most states), and pay a monthly fee to lease the vehicle. At the end of the lease you can return the vehicle or purchase it outright.
So what matters most to you and your company? Getting a new vehicle every two to three years with no risk of major repair costs or long-term savings by owning the vehicle for a number of years? Would you prefer to pay off a vehicle and enjoy a period with no monthly payments? Would you prefer to pay more per month but have no long-term ownership and responsibility for the vehicle?
Advantages of leasing a vehicle
In general terms, leasing is usually the better option. Businesses enjoy a significant tax advantage by leasing rather than buying company vehicles. If the vehicle will be solely used for business purposes, you can also deduct the full cost of all monthly payments as well as all operating costs. Initial costs are typically much lower as well. Also:
- Leasing offers tax advantages. Monthly payments are deductible; purchased vehicles must be depreciated over a number of years.
- Most leases cover maintenance and repairs. The cost of maintenance and repairs for purchased vehicles excluding items covered under warranty is covered by the business.
- Vehicles do not have to be sold at the end of their service life. Turning in a leased vehicle eliminates the need to sell older vehicles in your fleet.
Advantages of purchasing a vehicle:
The primary reason to purchase a vehicle instead of leasing is if you plan to keep it for at least five years; after five years (a standard rule of thumb) the financial advantages of leasing decrease. Also:
- Customization. If the vehicle must be customized like, for instance, a service vehicle buying could make more sense.
- Extreme usage. Most leases allow 12,000 to 15,000 miles per year; if the vehicle will be driven more extensively, the lease will charge a per-mile fee for that use.
- Tax advantages for eco-friendly vehicles. Not all hybrids qualify, and programs can change or be phased out, so stay up to date on current requirements and tax breaks.
How can you decide whether to lease or buy?
The key is to determine which factors are most important.
Lease if you want a new vehicle every two to three years, are interested in lower monthly payments, want a vehicle that is always under warranty, drive a fairly low number of miles, do not need to customize the vehicle, and do not want to build asset value through long-term ownership.
Buy if you are willing to keep the vehicle for more than five years, are willing to make slightly higher monthly payments with the idea that down the road you will have paid off the vehicle, are willing to face the risk of non-warranty repairs, need to customize the vehicle, and need to drive higher than average miles per year.
If you decide to lease a vehicle, here are some common terms you should know:
Capitalized cost: The price of the vehicle at the beginning of the lease.
Capitalized reduction: Down payment made at lease origination; creates a lower monthly payment, but requires cash out, minimizing one of the biggest advantages of leasing holding on to your company's cash.
Closed-end lease: Vehicle is returned at the end of the lease without owing residual value (also called appraised/resale value), which is a fixed amount stated in the contract. If you need new vehicles every two to three years, you can roll over the lease to the latest model each time.
Depreciation: The dollar amount difference between a vehicle's value at the beginning of the lease and at the end.
Early termination: Returning the vehicle to the leasing company before the term of the lease agreement is ended. Most leases stipulate an early termination penalty or fee.
Excess wear and tear: If a leased vehicle sustains excessive damage through careless driving habits or lack of routine maintenance, you will be charged for repairs.
Gap protection: Waives the difference between what the vehicle insurance policy covers if it is stolen or totaled and the amount still owed on the vehicle.
Mileage allowance: Standard mileage limits are 12,000 to 15,000 miles per year. Any number over the limit typically costs an average of 15 cents a mile. Higher mileage limits can be negotiated.
Open-end lease: The option to buy the vehicle at its fixed residual value; if the vehicle is worth less than that amount at the end of the lease, you must pay the difference. Leases, whether closed or open, typically do not include insurance, but may include license and title fees. Some leases require the first and last month's payments, or a refundable security deposit, at signing.
Residual value: The appraised value of the car at the end of the lease after depreciation, used to set a sales price if the lessee wishes to purchase the car. In general terms, the higher the residual value the lower the monthly payments.
Here's a compilation of manufacturer websites to help you find the business vehicles you need.
Automotive info & financing | <urn:uuid:53db0fc0-0e4c-4a65-bbff-8b2a8e0a331a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.onbbank.com/brc/SBR_template.cfm?DocNumber=PL10_0130.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943389 | 1,184 | 1.828125 | 2 |
In another step against outsourcing from the US which could affect India, Democratic Senator Christopher Dodd has introduced a legislation to ban the use of federal funds to buy goods and services produced by overseas workers.
The bill would bar the Federal Government from buying goods or services that are produced directly by overseas workers or by domestic companies using foreign subcontractors.
Federal privatisation efforts and state programmes using federal funding would also be limited.
Dodd said yesterday that the legislation aimed to "protect American jobs". "Workers in Connecticut and across the nation are first-rate. It simply doesn't make sense to export their jobs and futures halfway around the world to save a few pennies.
"This legislation is a step toward stopping the needless export of American workplaces," Dodd said. Several legislations against outsourcing have already been introduced in the US Senate and states. | <urn:uuid:bee8c5e5-7ca1-460e-8244-c9c591a4f1ac> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2004-02-19/news/27387677_1_efforts-and-state-programmes-privatisation-efforts-and-state-overseas-workers | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97541 | 170 | 1.640625 | 2 |
1. What is the difference between an Eau de Toilette and an Eau de Parfum?
The difference is the strength of the fragrance, or more specifically, how much alcohol and/or water has been added to the fragrance oils. Parfum (generally the most concentrated form) has 15-25% perfume oil dissolved in alcohol. Any mixture with a lower proportion of oil to alcohol is said to be an eau.
Eau Fraiche (Usually 3% or less perfume oil) Eau de Cologne (2 – 5% perfume oil) Eau de Toilette (4 – 10% perfume oil) Eau de Parfum (8 – 15% perfume oil) Soie de Parfum (15 – 18% perfume oil) Parfum or Perfume (15 – 25% perfume oil) Perfume oil (15-30% perfume oil in an oil rather than alcohol base)
2. How can I make my perfume last longer on my skin?
The best way to make your fragrance last longer is to use a relatively heavy body lotion or cream, due to the fact that perfumes evaporate more rapidly from dry skin. Some people like to buy the “matching” cream for their fragrance, but you can also use an unscented cream. You might also try a light mist to your hair, which is said to hold scent longer than skin.
3. What are top, heart and base notes?
Top notes provide the first scent impression of a fragrance once it has been applied to the skin. They are usually lighter, more volatile aromas that evaporate readily. Their scent usually lingers for between 5 and 30 minutes. Middle notes, sometimes referred to as “heart notes”, make up the body of the blend. They may be evident from the start, but will usually take 10-30 minutes to fully develop on the skin. These notes classify the fragrance family. Base Notes last the longest and help slow down the evaporation rates of the lighter notes, giving the fragrance holding power. Common base notes include patchouli, woods, musk and vanilla.
4. What are the “fragrance families” and why should we care?
At the simplest level, fragrance families are classification systems that assign individual fragrances into olfactory groups based on their predominant characteristics. You’ve probably heard of some of the basic families: citrus, oriental, chypre, wood, etc. The way in which fragrances get assigned to their
respective category is simple: someone who understands fragrance families smells the perfume, and makes a decision.
The most common use of the classifications is to help people find fragrances they might like without wasting time smelling things that aren’t to their taste. Each fragrance family has a unique personality and, instinctively, you will prefer fragrances from some and dislike ones from others.
5. What is the best approach at testing fragrances at the perfumery?
Before shopping for fragances one should not use any other perfume in order to avoid a constraint of the scent. If you like to try a new fragrance you should start by using light odors and then patiently moving forward to the heavier ones, since those tend to set your nose insensitive. But be careful, take a break after you have tested four fragrances. The best point in time to buy a new fragrance is in the
morning and on afternoons. That is when the scent is most unaffacted.
Another hint: Give yourself the time you need for the perfect selection! It takes at least an hour till the odor unfolds it´s typical aroma. It could even help taking a sample back home to smell it in a different environment.
6. How come that one and the same fragrance smells different on the skin of different people?
Each and every person has a different body chemistry and even factors like nutrition or age have an influence on the aroma imprint. As each perfume is composed of many single aromas they react different to peoples different skin types. Some of those substances get absorbed faster than others.
7. How to find the right perfume?
Fragrances can have a positive or a negative influence on our mood. Alan Hirsch is a scientist for scent and taste. He suggests not to speak of love at first sight but of love at first scent. Take your time and choose the perfume adequate for the occasion. Choose a fresh, dynamic scent for the job, a light scent for spare time and a enticing sensuous scent for the evening.
8. How do I apply a perfume properly?
A fragrance should be worn like a petticoat on the naked skin. You should always spray from below upwards, because molecules of perfume rise upwards. Dab your perfume to ankles, wrists, neck, low neckline or behind the ears. When using a perfume spray, I would recommend to hold 30 cm of distance to your skin.
But bear in mind, that less is more. Your perfume should underline your personal charisma. Nobody should smell your scent further afar than an arm’s length.
9. I used to much perfume. What can I do?
There helps only cold water. Clean the perfumed skin parts immediately - the perfume may not have dried yet.
10. What about perfume on hair and clothes? Do or Don’t?
Everything in life has a scent. Even fabrics have their own individual scents. Therefore, I would not recommend to wear perfume on clothes. Furthermore it can lead to spots on your clothes. I rather prefer to spray a light mist to my hair. It is said to hold scent longer than skin.
11. Rub or let dry?
Perfume folk wisdom says not to rub your wrists together when you apply perfume because you’ll crush its molecules. I’m not a physicist and I don’t know what it takes to crush a molecule. I always let my perfume dry without rubbing my wrists together because I like how it smells when it is sprayed rather than dabbed, and to me rubbing it on skin is too much like dabbing it.
12. When to reapply?
As much as I love a perfume, I’m happy when it fades because I can apply a different perfume. But if you want to boost your scent, for the truest fragrance make sure that the first application has disappeared from your skin. Perfume won’t show its true character if it is layered — even if it’s layered over itself. A scent is designed to unfurl on naked skin from its top notes through the final whisper of
its drydown. If you interrupt and complicate this progress by reapplying scent, you won’t smell the full story of the perfume.
13. Do scents influence our partner choice?
Every woman uses instinctively a certain kind of perfume to attract a certain type of man. Romantic women rather prefer flowery-fresh smells to impress strong men. However, self-confident women choose fine-harsh scents while "little devils" favour fruity-fresh fragrances. This type of woman itself is mostly uncomplicated and amusing, this is why a fruity-fresh fragrance also works enticing on men to
whom fun is important.
14. Are there any scents that have an enticing effect?
Of course, for example the sensuous scents of white blossoms like jasmine, lily and orange blossom or also essences of roses. If these notes blend with vanilla, ambergris or oriental ingredients as sandalwood or musk, your date will definitely become successful. Targeted dabs of perfume on your body can have a very enticing effect too. Dab your favorite scent everywhere where the blood pulsates, e.g. in the crook of your arm, on your wrist, in the back of your knee, in the nape or on your low neckline.
15. How do I keep my perfume properly?
Perfume bottles are often placed with pleasure as a decoration article in the bathroom. However, if you want to do it right, a flacon should be stored at a cool, dark place. In a dark closet, in a covered box or even in the fridge.
16. How long can I keep my perfume before it “turns”?
Some industry experts say that perfume should be replaced every year, but properly stored, perfumes should last much longer. Most perfumes will keep several years, some will keep many more years than that. | <urn:uuid:9bc287a9-9b93-4dae-aa82-40865bceaae3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.laurabiagiotti.it/en/pag_profumi/faqs_laura_rose.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936252 | 1,782 | 1.679688 | 2 |
FAIR answers questions from LDS critics
There are many levels of faith and testimony within members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some are lifelong members that have been recently exposed to anti-Mormon literature or have discovered an Ex-Mormon website. Others are new members that have been asked questions by their friends from their former faith.
FAIR, the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research can provide answers to some of those disturbing questions that are not always answered on the official LDS websites. It is an all volunteer organization of researchers and writers who have dealt with these age-old questions over the years in various formats and from multiple sources.
When I started blogging last year, I almost immediately began to get objecting comments from readers about some of my essay topics that they found difficult to accept. For example, I wrote about a discussion in a marriage group that Carol and I enjoyed as presented by our friends from the Church of the Nazarene in our neighborhood.
The question of marriage in heaven
The subject was marriage in heaven, which came up in one of the concluding lessons of the wonderful seminar from Emerson Eggerichs entitled Love and Respect. As I did then, I still heartily endorse it as one of the best marriage enrichment experiences of my life. Learning about pink and blue communication methods has changed so much for me.
In my essay I described the LDS view of marriage, especially how it relates to our marriage relationship in the eternities. Emerson had pointed out the scripture in Matthew 22:30 and said that we are not married in heaven but are angels to God. Of course we believe that we are married in heaven and I gave some scriptural justification for it.
An anonymous commenter decided to take exception to my explanation and began to berate me for believing in a false prophet and belonging to a church that taught false doctrines. It seems that every time I have brought up the subject of marriage in my blog I get someone objecting to some aspect of our beliefs. Why is it such a difficult subject?
How I answered the challenge
Although I was familiar with FAIR, I decided to answer my commenter from my own experience, using a technique from my missionary days. I am convinced that almost all objections to our doctrine can be answered by one simple question. Does the Book of Mormon contain revelation from God? If so, then Joseph Smith was indeed a prophet.
Of course if Joseph was a prophet then the church he established is the kingdom of God on the earth in the last days. To me, that always leads to the importance of authority to act in the name of God and therefore, keys of the priesthood. With these keys, families can be sealed together for eternity. Hence we are assured that there is marriage in heaven.
There is a wealth of material on this subject on the FAIR site that I could have added to the dialog that perhaps would have helped my anonymous friend. There are answers there to difficult questions and beliefs of the restored gospel unique to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Eternal marriage is a difficult one for many people.
How FAIR can help with these challenges
For example, this one-page response from Marc A. Schindler says it so much better than I can. This challenge comes up so often in blogging that every LDS blogger should be familiar with the contents. It would almost seem to me that some who like to question our faith cruise the LDS blogs just looking for this subject so they can quote Matt 22:30.
The FAIR website is easy to use. Besides providing material that is original to FAIR, they are also kind enough to point to other outside sources that have additional helps. In this case, a link to an Ensign article from Feb 1986 and a link to an entry on Light Planet by W. John Walsh are both extremely helpful. This particular objection is very common.
When you refer your friends or readers to these essays on FAIR, you are engaging in what is called Apologetics. If you are not familiar with the term, it might be helpful to read this essay by Gary Bowler. No, we are not apologizing for what we believe. We are defending our faith. We strengthen our own knowledge and testimonies at the same time.
Additional resources available on FAIR
I have been engaging in email dialogs and frequenting online message boards that deal with the topic of religion for many years. FAIR began as a group of individuals like me, who love to discuss religion, got together to create a central repository for their resources and shared articles that they had written. FAIR has been around now for about ten years.
The site has grown over the years and become more and more useful. Besides the topical guide, they recently created a Wiki, that is easy to navigate and fairly comprehensive. If you are not familiar with a wiki, think Wikipedia, one of the most popular sites on the Internet. The real advantage of a wiki is the community contributions with hyperlinks.
The FAIR journal is a monthly email newsletter that contains news of changes to the FAIR websites and lists of new material that has been published in the last month. I highly recommend this free service. You can join FAIR as a member on several different levels. Content providers are welcome as the wiki is constantly in need of additions.
Summary and conclusion
Perhaps you have no intention of engaging in apologetics. I feel the same way. I like to present uplifting and faith-promoting essays on my blog. Most of the subjects I deal with include some aspect of LDS doctrine that is not common to my readers who do not share my faith. Because of this, I often find myself defending my viewpoints in the comments.
I love blogging about the church and the restored gospel. It has blessed my life so much and in so many ways. I am completely convinced that living the restored gospel of Jesus Christ can solve all the problems of the world. I have often said that we have so much more to offer than other churches. Of course, we don’t say this arrogantly, but it is true.
FAIR can help explain and defend the parts of our religion that are not familiar to people. Of course, our own personal explanations and witness are the best. But we may not always be familiar with all the scriptures and quotes from prophets and apostles that can back up our claims. That’s where FAIR can help. It is an easy to use online resource. | <urn:uuid:759f120a-bbec-41fc-abcf-1c8fbc6e72a0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://latterdaycommentary.com/2008/08/12/fair-answers-questions-from-lds-critics/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973291 | 1,326 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.