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CNN’s Susan Roesgen reported that the Wisconsin Attorney General is fighting to have voters registrations purged from the rolls if their registration information does not match with other government databases. Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen’s case was dismissed last week but he plans to file an appeal.
Attorney for Wisconsin election board Lester Pines said, “The possibility of massive vote fraud in Wisconsin is the same likelihood as alien abduction.” A judge agreed with Pines that the current voter registration checks in Wisconsin are sufficient under the law.
Some say that the Attorney General is playing party politics to favor Republicans. Van Hollen concedes that GOP officials may have asked attorney’s in his office to file the lawsuit to require checks which would could lead to a purge of voters.
This video is from CNN.com, broadcast October 26, 2008. | <urn:uuid:b30f61e6-b129-4204-8b8f-5971d4c1b589> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2008/10/27/attorney-voter-fraud-as-likely-as-alien-abduction/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972055 | 177 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Aardvarks are really good at one thing: eating bugs — sometimes 50,000 in one night! No other creature on the planet can match their appetites. Star performers in their own corner of the
jungle, when they tuck a napkin under their aardvark chins, they produce impressive results, just like your hardworking employees can in their jobs.
Too often, however, in an attempt to do the aardvark and the organization a favor, a decision maker will insist the aardvark fly like an eagle. There are no flying aardvarks. You can certainly
throw an aardvark out of an airplane midair, but you won’t end up with a flying aardvark. Being destroyed doesn’t motivate your employees, not the one who just failed or those who witnessed the crash.
So how do you know the difference between an aardvark and an eagle? How can you recognize those who can and will engage in the critical but difficult work of creating strategy? Whether making a hiring or promotion decision, based on the individual’s proven record of success, ask yourself the following:
- Does this person understand how to separate strategy from tactics, the “what” from the “how”?
- Can this person keep a global perspective? Or does she or he become mired in the details and tactics?
- Do obstacles stop this person?
- Can he or she create order during chaos?
- Does this person have the ability to see patterns, make logical connections, resolve contradictions and anticipate consequences?
- What success has this person had with multitasking?
- Can this person think on his or her feet?
- Can this person prioritize seemingly conflicting goals — to zero in on the critical few and put aside the trivial many when allocating time and resources?
- When facing a complicated or unfamiliar problem, can this individual get to the core of the issue and immediately begin to formulate possible solutions?
- Is this person future-oriented and able to paint credible pictures of possibilities and likelihoods?
- How do unexpected and unpleasant changes affect this person’s performance?
- When in a position of leadership, does this person serve as a source of advice and wisdom?
The core competencies that drive a particular organization may differ, but the ability to think analytically and dispassionately remains constant. The overarching question is this: “When
acting in a strategic role, has this person typically performed as needed?” If the answer is “yes,” the person probably has the innate talent to be a strategic thinker and will just need to improve requisite skills to support the talent. If the answer is “no,” don’t gamble by putting this person in a more demanding position. As valuable as the aardvarks of the organization can be, virtually all organizations need more eagles, strong critical thinkers who can learn from mistakes and make bold decisions. | <urn:uuid:43c3463f-a01c-464a-8151-8fd63f5f3e25> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://anamcgary.wordpress.com/2011/08/29/how-to-spot-an-eagle/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949557 | 623 | 1.835938 | 2 |
Get flash to fully experience Pearltrees
, or MoodI, as it is fondly called, is the annual cultural festival of IIT Bombay. Held towards the end of December every year, it attracts a whopping 80,000 students from more than 600 colleges all over the country. Started in 1971 by a bunch of enthusiastic IITians, Mood Indigo has now snowballed to become the largest festival of its kind in Asia. The colour chosen to be representative of the Mood was Indigo - a fusion of Red and Blue. Red for the warmth and passion of an artistic adventure, blue for the originality of the rational mind, giving Indigo - the symbol of creativity and intellectualism. | <urn:uuid:b7be4208-d78d-4dc0-a184-1c2aafad7848> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pearltrees.com/nitinsingh/pronites/id5257200 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942419 | 138 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Now isn’t the time to say much about “Treme.” If HBO decides to move forward with David Simon’s new drama series, it won’t be ready for the public until 2010.
But being that Simon and co-creator Eric Overmyer spoke about “Treme” at a recent literary conference in New Orleans, and being that they threw my name in the mix (read this news report), I feel entitled to share a thought or two about the art of writing for television.
Eric had me saying that “Treme” is about “the triumph of the human spirit,” which sounds like such horseshit. I actually didn’t phrase it that way.
I said the show is about the human impulse to rise after being knocked down. Which I don’t characterize as “triumphant” (or any more “triumphant” than a cat trapping a mouse or a monkey climbing a tree). It simply describes what is.
Bigger question: Does it matter if a TV series has a theme?
Many successful dramas don’t have an overarching theme. “ER” didn’t have a theme. (Or, if it did, nobody told me what it was.) I don’t believe “Homicide: Life on the Street” had a theme.
But “NYPD Blue” definitely did. In that show, David Milch’s theme was how we, the public, want the police to break the rules in order to keep us safe... even as we harshly punish those cops who get caught breaking the rules. Call it the dilemma of modern urban policing.
Milch put his heroic detectives – Sipowicz especially – right on that tightrope. And he got America to root for a cop who smacks suspects around. (A cop with racist impulses to boot.)
That was an amazing feat for network television.
Theme operates at a submerged level in storytelling. You don’t need to be aware of David Milch’s thematic intent to be entertained or moved by an episode of “NYPD Blue.” But it’s in there. And the experience of the story, I believe, is richer for that.
Milch also had a theme in “Deadwood”: the evolution of law, or how human society moves from chaos to order. (He originally wanted to explore this theme in a show about ancient Rome, but HBO already had “Rome” in development, so he did it as a Western.)
David Simon had a theme in “The Wire”: the inevitable defeat of the individual by the institutions which he serves. Again, you didn’t have to perceive this theme in order to enjoy the crime stories. But I’m sure the theme grounded Simon throughout his story-making process.
Even “Kingpin” had a theme. That show was nowhere near as serious-minded as “The Wire” or “Deadwood.” But it was important for me to have a handle on what the story was about... at the deeper levels.
It was about the dual nature of man. Which sounds like such horseshit. But nothing is more interesting about human beings than our capacity, at any given moral crossroads, to do wrong or right. It’s always a coin flip.
My drug kingpin, Miguel Cadena, was a man who decided to do evil... without accepting the definition of himself as evil. His soul was ruined and he didn’t even know it. If Miguel ever reconciled his deeds with his ideation of self, he probably would’ve commited suicide.
Nothing profound about that. Just explaining my mental process in telling a story.
I found my own personal handle on the theme of “Treme” during a location scout of a still-wrecked neighborhood in New Orleans... a location suitable for a second-line parade scripted by Simon and Eric. The juxtaposition of a joyful brass band and that devastated landscape... that was it, that’s the thing. This show is about the human impulse to do that.
Further, it’s about the impulse to get together in groups and do that. Even if the nuclear bombs drop, there will still be in us a need to gather... to find comfort and meaning in collective traditions that supersede the individual.
That plus fucking. Plenty o’ fucking. Hey, it’s HBO. | <urn:uuid:6078b0e5-d263-4e63-9200-562ffff16996> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://undercoverblackman.blogspot.com/2009/04/thoughts-on-theme.html?showComment=1239227940000 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96467 | 957 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Teachers and teacher advocacy groups have staged protests at early screenings of Won’t Back Down, a new film about the widely assumed decrepitude of American public education that posits the only way forward is for parents to “take back” their schools. That’s not a critique; it’s what the filmmakers themselves say, and appealing to moms and dads in so visceral a manner is always a smart sell.
But like many sells, it could be a disingenuous one. Education experts contend that the film is really an advertisement for what’s known as the “parent trigger,” an increasingly utilized policy mechanism enabling 51 percent of parents in any public school to close it or hand it over to private management. That’s why knowledgeable educators are protesting. Dianne Ravitch calls the trigger an “inherently terrible idea”—a public school, built with public funds, belongs to the public, she says, not to 51 percent of the parents who have children enrolled in it. Would a simple majority of people using public transit have the right to privatize that?
Maybe they wouldn’t have the right, but if they were as flush with financial support as trigger advocacy groups, they might have the ability. The Gates, Broad, and Walton foundations are among the backers of trigger initiatives, along with test-development and test-prep companies, for-profit charter companies, educational diploma mills, educational consultants, and other businesses that stand to gain from the privatization of public schools. Right-wing organizations like the Heartland Institute and the American Legislative Council (ALEC) have helped craft trigger legislation in 17 states, with, in the case of ALEC, millions in funding from the billionaire Koch brothers, according to the Center for Media and Democracy. The center’s PR Watch notes that ALEC also receives funding from Walden Media, the head of which owns the conservative Weekly Standard magazine and is a producer of both Won’t Back Down and the notorious pro-charter documentary Waiting for Superman.
Support for the trigger and for charter schools isn’t limited to the right, as the administrations of Barack Obama, Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel, and New York mayor Michael Bloomberg have demonstrated. They may not preach the gospel of “market solutions” with matching fervor. But in their enthusiasm for “reform,” and for tying student and teacher performance to high-stakes testing, they have inevitably found themselves allied with interests seeking profit opportunities in public education.
In other words, “parental empowerment” and “reform” may not be the real goals. If they were, as Ravitch notes, then the money would be going to community-based parent groups like those in New York City and Chicago that have actively opposed the closing of their neighborhood public schools—not sought to take them private. Or to Catholic schools, which according to Ravitch are being killed off by the “marketplace of options” in spite of noted successes.
Michael B. Fabricant, professor of social welfare at Hunter College and co-author of Charter Schools and the Corporate Makeover of Public Education, says in an interview that for-profit interests are exploiting anxiety over the public education “crisis” to advance their market-based agenda (.pdf; the interview begins on page 17 and is worth reading in full).
The language of crisis is really manufactured, and manufactured crises can open the door to various kinds of shock policies—policies we wouldn’t consider were it not for the threatened crisis. I’d say [those policies] are the doctrine of school choice and the proliferation of charter schools. … This freedom [of choice] is market-defined, for policy makers simply assume that market-driven reform, when applied to a public good, will produce efficient and productive results. … They are, in effect, allowing ideology to drive social policy. And what they put forth as the primary solution to what ails public education is an exit strategy, a way to move children out of the public schools.
And the strategy, in terms of meeting its ostensible educational goals, isn’t even working. Fabricant cites a study from Stanford’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes showing that only 17 percent of charters have proven more successful than public schools, while 37 percent are less effective and 46 percent about the same. “So,” Fabricant sums up, “ten to fifteen years into the experiment, public schools continue to outperform charters.”
The real issue, according to Fabricant, is the impact of class and race on achievement, and addressing this requires innovation, union flexibility, and smarter investment to fix a system that isn’t working for the poor and people of color. North Carolina, Connecticut, and New Jersey are among the states that have followed this path, focusing on class size, teacher training and workplace support, and leadership development for principals. All three states have seen substantial improvements. “We know what works,” Fabricant says. “There is no magic to this.”
No magic, and no profit, but dividends in terms of achievement. Which the trigger-happy backers of privatization, and Won’t Back Down, may not want to hear. | <urn:uuid:aad8f828-22ca-44a1-9cfb-9b01766269ff> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.commonwealmagazine.org/blog/?p=20957 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956917 | 1,094 | 1.632813 | 2 |
(?)Used - Good
Books sold at blink are either brand new or pre-owned books. Here are the definitions of each category:
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This is a #1 bestseller for Filipino Entrepreneurs! Its designed for local laws and practices. This new edition contains secrets on how to register a business & not pay taxes the legal way! Excellent for Filipinos wanting to start his/her own business.
Comments and Reviews | <urn:uuid:2bef590e-51c1-4eac-a990-6e3e3df40628> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.blink.com.ph/a-smart-and-practical-guide-for-new-entrepreneurs.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940081 | 252 | 1.75 | 2 |
"Operation Serval" -- the rapid French advance through Mali -- is in some ways reminiscent of the early days of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. "Mission accomplished" in short order, cities secured, no great resistance.
But although the scale of the French operation is far smaller than that in Iraq, there may be less welcome parallels in the weeks to come. The first suicide bomber has struck; jihadists have melted away.
Putting Mali back together again will be an altogether tougher job. The second phase of the French campaign -- restoring the territorial integrity of Mali -- is far more challenging than bombing Islamist hideouts, and involves complex political, social and economic dynamics.
In short order these include a Malian military with little credibility and discipline, political institutions that have atrophied, Tuareg separatism, continuing tensions between north and south (including allegations of human rights atrocities), vast uninhabited areas that could be bolt-holes for militants, and a refugee crisis.
Fighting broke out in the capital, Bamako, Friday between soldiers loyal to the president deposed last year and troops who supported the coup against him.
In addition, as the French look to scale back their presence, the African security force due to replace them is far from fully-fledged -- an uncomfortable mix of English and French-speaking contingents with different military cultures and levels of experience. A Nigerian general is in charge; his deputy is from Niger.
Of some 5,000 troops due to arrive, about 2,500 are so far on the ground -- among them Chadian, Nigerian, Burkinabe and Nigerien soldiers. But the force has no airlift capability of its own. Nor does most of it have the mobility to root out scattered pockets of resistance, although the Chadians have experience in desert warfare.
And on a broader canvas the fundamental regional problems remain as deep-seated as ever. As a senior national security official in the Obama Administration put it recently: "What we're seeing across North Africa and parts of the Middle East is an extremist threat that is fueled by the reality of porous borders, ungoverned territory, too readily available weapons, increasing collaboration among some of these groups, and, in many cases, a new government that lacks the capacity and sometimes the will to deal with the problem."
In Mali's case, tick every one of those boxes.
The Vanishing Enemy | <urn:uuid:e4361491-69ff-436c-9c88-6886a4d5acfe> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kcci.com/news/national/Mali-The-long-troubled-desert-road-ahead/-/9357144/18468484/-/item/0/-/mbe9boz/-/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955572 | 487 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Earl Scruggs died yesterday at age 88. Scruggs was a fabulous banjo player who was half of Flatt and Scruggs, the legendary musical duo with the even more legendary name.
Most Americans know of Earl Scruggs’ music through his performance on the theme from The Beverly Hillbillies. Many people beyond a certain age feel pangs of guilt about the fact that they love that rousing ballad about Jed and his discovery of black gold, which is one of the most memorable TV theme songs ever. Scruggs’ unique three-finger picking style helped to make that song iconic, and also introduced a generation of musically curious people to bluegrass music and the joys of songs like Foggy Mountain Breakdown. If you liked the sound track of the movie Bonnie and Clyde, you liked the music of Earl Scruggs.
Bluegrass music has a bad reputation among some people — mostly self-consciously highbrow people who are only dimly aware of it in the context of corn pone shows like Hee Haw and who have never really listened to the music itself. It’s as much American “roots” music as blues or jazz or ragtime; born in the hills and dales of the American countryside and first played using fiddles, banjos, and other instruments that the folks of the village made themselves or had already available in their households. It was Saturday night music, designed to get people dancing and moving after a week of work. The structure of good bluegrass music is pretty sophisticated, but mostly it’s fun to listen to and guaranteed to get your toes tapping. Check out Earl Scruggs’ performance of Foggy Mountain Breakdown (with Steve Martin) below if you don’t believe me.
Rest in peace, Earl Scruggs. You helped to open the door to an entire musical genre for many of us. | <urn:uuid:b72681ed-3eb9-4af6-b11d-06cc58906998> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://webnerhouse.com/2012/03/29/a-sad-note-in-the-bluegrass-world/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974227 | 403 | 1.710938 | 2 |
American companies can’t get enough of the bond market.
Those companies have been selling piles of new bonds for several years now — more than $1 trillion worth annually since 2009, according to data compiled by Bloomberg News.
And this year is going to be busier still. American companies are on track to sell about $1.5 trillion in new bonds to eager investors. A bit of perspective: That’s roughly three times what companies issued a dozen years ago.
Surging demand for those bonds — from mutual fund investors and institutions — has driven interest rates to historic lows. Companies would be crazy to pass up the opportunity to borrow at such low rates.
“The big dynamic underlying all this is that debt is cheap,” says Erik Weisman of MFS Investment Management in Boston. “It has become cheaper and cheaper month after month for the last three years, and companies are taking advantage of that.”
But despite what the borrowings suggest, companies aren’t really piling on the debt. Weisman says about half of new corporate bonds sold this year were used to refinance more expensive old debt, just as a homeowner might do to lower monthly mortgage payments.
As any homeowner knows, a dollar saved thanks to lower borrowing costs is just as valuable as a dollar earned. In the corporate world, that means bond refinancing can give a powerful boost to the bottom line for years to come.
One important difference between corporate borrowers and homeowners: Companies across the entire credit spectrum — from investment grade risks to junk bond issuers — enjoy easy access to borrowed money. Good luck refinancing your mortgage with dicey credit.
“If you’re a chief financial officer of a corporation, you have unfettered access to the markets,” says Diane Vazza, head of global fixed income research at Standard & Poor’s. “What you’re seeing is a huge, voracious appetite for the debt that these companies are issuing.”
Highly rated companies now sell bonds that yield about 3.6 percent to investors. In more typical bond markets, those businesses would have paid about 6 percent to borrow the same money.
For companies with junk-debt ratings, new bond issues might pay investors about 6.8 percent today. Those borrowers enjoy both lower rates and easy access to credit. They might pay 8 percent in more typical times — if they could convince investors to buy their bonds at all.
The corporate bond boom won’t last forever. Rates will go up eventually. Companies don’t have an unlimited amount of debt that needs refinancing.
“I’m not going to call the bottom with rates,” says Vazza. “But clearly what we’re seeing is opportunistic. That window continues to be open.”
And so far companies are still lining up to squeeze through.
Dorchester bank in tiny IPO
And now for something completely different: Meetinghouse Bancorp Inc. of Dorchester.
Meetinghouse had no interest in contributing to the corporate bond boom. The one-branch banking company went public last week in what was surely one of the nation’s smallest IPOs of the year.
Meetinghouse, which boasts total assets of $74 million, raised $6.6 million when it completed its stock offering. In fact, the stock was never offered to the public in the conventional sense. Depositors, bank insiders, and an employee stock plan purchased all the shares.
Combing through US stock offering data for the year, I could find only two smaller IPOs that actually made it to the public market with an underwriter. As a public stock, Meetinghouse is smaller than small. It’s a stretch to even call the 98-year-old bank a microcap.
I phoned Anthony Paciulli, the chief executive of Meetinghouse, and asked him a basic question: What exactly was the point of that?
Paciulli had a simple answer. He said the bank had grown in recent years, avoiding lending pitfalls that hurt some other banks, and could not get much bigger without adding capital.
I politely suggested that bankers have a habit of going public and then selling the business when they near retirement age in a few years. Paciulli, 63, was having none of it.
“We want to survive,” he told me. “The idea here is to grow.”
Now he has shareholders rooting for him, too. | <urn:uuid:325b16ad-447f-41e2-afe0-48bea9d38d33> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2012/11/27/companies-keep-piling-into-bond-market/C4cRVeLzIxr0hRuUxqtL3H/story.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96953 | 945 | 1.75 | 2 |
Small and midsize biodiesel producers are struggling to sell renewable fuel credits in the wake of recent fraud allegations, which have made buyers skeptical of working with lesser-known firms.
A federal jury found a Maryland man guilty last month of selling $9 million worth of fraudulent renewable fuel credits to brokers and oil companies, which have since had to pay fines and purchase new credits.
The credits, known as Renewable Identification Numbers, or RINs, are used to track oil companies’ compliance with the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, which calls for using 36 billion gallons of biofuels by 2022.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reiterated in a Congressional hearing this week that it’s up to refiners and others to perform their own due diligence on credits they buy.
The response from industry, however, has simply been to avoid buying from all but the biggest and most well-known biodiesel producers, shutting many smaller players out of the market.
‘They just don’t want to deal with the little guys’
Since the fraud issue emerged last winter, Dave Walsh has had to go above and beyond to sell the credits from biodiesel his company produces in Mauston, Wisconsin, northwest of Madison.
Walsh BioFuels, which makes just over 1 million gallons a year from corn oil, hired a third-party auditor in April to review its operations and certify that its credits are legitimate. Even so, some refiners won’t buy them, and others demand a discount.
“I made the fuel. I sold the fuel. My RINs are just as good as ADM’s or Cargill’s, but [oil companies] won’t buy them,” Walsh said. “They just don’t want to deal with the little guys.”
Walsh estimates auditing services will cost the company between $20,000 and $30,000 per year. Meanwhile, he gets about 15 cents less per gallon from his credits than larger producers, he said.
Jeff Hove, vice president of the RIN Alliance, a Des Moines company that markets credits on behalf of 130 renewable fuel blenders, said buyers want quality assurance and the financial ability to stand behind credits. That’s why it’s much easier selling RINs from larger producers.
“If something were to go wrong, whoever gets stuck with that RIN knows that if they go over and knock on Cargill’s door, they’re going to resolve the issue quickly,” Hove said.
In short, they want to know there’s money to be had if someone needs to be sued.
The RIN Alliance hired a Des Moines engineering firm, EcoEngineers, to audit many of the smaller biodiesel producers in its network. Any producer that declines to give access is blacklisted from its system.
EcoEngineers, which specializes in helping biofuel producers comply with various federal and international regulations, has seen demand for its services grow alongside the fraud concerns. Managing Partner Shashi Menon said they’ve added two employees and now work with about 20 biofuel producers.
The first step is making sure a company has a facility fit for producing biofuel — something that didn’t exist in the Maryland fraud case. Next, they analyze the plant’s mass and energy balance.
“We track and monitor that continuously to understand what’s going in and what’s coming out, and through those efforts we can speak with confidence whether a client deserves a renewable fuel credit or not,” Menon said.
Other companies are developing similar quality assurance systems that might have prevented the recent fraud from throwing the RIN market into turmoil.
Every gallon of biofuel produced in the country gets a unique, 38-digit serial number called a RIN, which companies can buy, sell or file to comply with the Renewable Fuel Standard.
The credits were created to help oil refiners in parts of the country where biofuel production isn’t as common. Instead of shipping fuel to the East Coast, for example, companies there can buy excess credits from the Midwest.
The fraud has affected biodiesel more than ethanol because that’s where the money is. An ethanol RIN trades for about 2 cents, while biodiesel RINs can sell for more than $1.50.
“If you want to go out and be a crook, you want to get the most bang for your buck before you go to prison, I guess,” Hove said.
‘Show me the gallons’
Maryland-based Clean Green Fuels was accused of making up 21 million gallons worth of RINs and selling them to brokers and oil companies. Its founder, Rodney Hailey, was convicted last month of wire fraud, money laundering and 42 counts of violations of the Clean Air Act.
The EPA issued fines against 24 oil companies that had the fraudulent credits on their books, and the agency gave them 14 days to replace them with valid ones.
At a U.S. House hearing on Wednesday, Charles Drevna, president of American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, criticized the EPA for allowing producers to “game the system.”
“Absent a tip, EPA does not enforce its requirements and instead sits back and relies upon a ‘buyer beware’ enforcement scheme that actually penalizes the victims of fraud,” Drevna testified.
EPA officials said more RIN fraud investigations are in progress, including two cases in Texas, but they also reiterated that oil companies are ultimately responsible for knowing what they’re buying.
“It’s just created an enormous amount of animosity and uncertainty [in the market,]” Hove said.
Third-party audits inject some transparency, but Hove said what’s really needed is for the EPA to give immunity to refiners that follow certain quality-assurance steps but still get duped by fraudulent RINs.
If it were up to Walsh, he would do away with the credit system altogether and force everyone to meet the mandate by buying actual fuel instead of trading paper slips.
“Don’t tell me you can’t get [biofuel]. I know guys shipping it up to Canada on rail cars,” Walsh said. “Get rid of the RINs and show me the gallons.” | <urn:uuid:7b2fdd63-b235-474f-bbf4-058ba1c73d91> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.midwestenergynews.com/2012/07/13/small-producers-hit-with-fallout-from-biodiesel-fraud/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964568 | 1,351 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Boats, BMX give best bang for nation’s sporting bucksPUBLISHED: 13 Aug 2012 00:06:00 | UPDATED: 13 Aug 2012 07:42:05PUBLISHED: 13 Aug 2012 PRINT EDITION: 13 Aug 2012
Traditional road and track cyclists may not like BMX as an Olympic category, but Aussies competing in this event offer one of the best returns on the nation’s sports investment. Photo: AFP
- Explore the data | Australian Sports Commission Olympic Team Funding
- Download | Compete ASC funding data
- Download | ASC FOI document
BMX racing and sailing are separated by land and sea but they have one thing in common – they have both provided the best investment returns of the London Games.
Based on Australian Sports Commission funding figures, the 13-member Olympic sailing team delivered the most cost-effective gold of the Games, at $6.5 million each, while the five-member BMX team delivered a minor medal at a cost of $1.9 million.
The end of the 2012 Summer Olympics has brought to a head a national debate about how to assess the value of the nation’s significant investment in elite sports. But working out the total taxpayer spend on our Olympics team is a difficult task.
Sports researcher James Connor of the University of NSW estimates the federal government spends about $588 million over four years on the Olympics team, a figure he says would be two to three times higher once state funding is taken into account.
The most detailed figures of direct spending can be found in a 2011 Australian Sports Commission briefing note released under freedom of information laws.
The note shows $327 million in funding over four years on elite-level Olympic sports programs. Removing funding for participation and business development from the data and (after consultation with the commission) leaves a direct funding figure of $283 million. This means the average cost of each gold was $40.4 million, while the average cost of every medal was $8 million.
The deputy general manager of sports development at the Australian Sports Commission, Andrew Collins, said using such calculations was “simplistic” and “did not represent the true story” of the athletes’ performance.
“Our investment isn’t only about Olympic success, it is also about achieving at world championships, Commonwealth Games and other significant international events,” he said.
But focusing on medals as a measure of return of investment is not unreasonable given the commission uses international success as a performance indicator and the Australian Olympic Committee itself used a prediction of 15 gold medals and a top-five medal haul to partly justify its federal funding.
The commission’s figures, based on its categorisation of sports, show the teams favoured with largesse did not necessarily produce the best results. The 47-member swimming team received the most funding, $34.4 million over four years, but produced only one gold from the Games.
Taking into account their total medal haul brings the average medal cost down to $3.4 million.
The well-funded rowing and hockey teams, which collectively cost the commission more than $50 million, return with only minor medals.
The commission’s funding goes to the 410-strong Olympic team (the fourth largest in the world) as well as about 3100 “pathway” athletes, Mr Collins said.
Move on from the medal tally and you are left with dividends that are ephemeral, such as national pride and glory, or hard to prove, such as a link between Olympic success and sports participation.
“What we know is that having inspirational heroes is a driver of participation,” he said. “There are also other drivers such as the quality of facilities, the quality of coaching and how well the sport is run.”
He said the commission spends about $100 million a year on participation programs, including about $40 million on an after-school program that almost 200,000 children take part in each semester.
Experts are sceptical about the wider community benefits of elite funding. Steve Georgakis, from the University of Sydney and the author of Youth Sport in Australia, said the funding model was flawed.
“The idea you can have the second most obese group of youth in the world and also be in the top five nations at the Olympic Games is quite silly,” Dr Georgakis said.
Dr Connor added: “The bigger problem is bang for your buck – do you want a few elites doing the running and jumping or do you want hundreds of thousands of children out there getting exercise?”
The Australian Financial Review | <urn:uuid:cac6c3db-159f-4d6b-9f44-7f1c63fb58d2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.afr.com/p/national/boats_bmx_give_best_bang_for_nation_mRNdot5QXuBnxsiSOBlt2J | 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 | 0.948726 | 958 | 1.554688 | 2 |
News: Ash Flat Marine bridges gap for Afghan women, coalition forces
PATROL BASE EREDVI, Afghanistan – Sgt. Julie Nicholson grew up on a farm and had never left her home state of Arkansas, but when she heard that her friend’s family would not be able to make it to his Marine Corps recruit training graduation, she knew she had to be there for him.
“I was working at Wal-Mart and didn’t have a lot of money so I sold one of my cows and bought a plane ticket to San Diego,” said Nicholson. “I was there at his graduation and decided it was something I wanted to do. So I joined the Marine Corps.”
Working as a supply administration Marine, Nicholson first deployed to Afghanistan in 2010.
“I was attached to 1st Medical Battalion so I spent a lot of time at the hospital ordering supplies and sending them out to the [Forward Operating Bases] that put in their requests,” said Nicholson.
The following year, an opportunity came up for another deployment to Afghanistan.
“They were looking for a volunteer to be on a FET,” said Nicholson. “I had tried to deploy for a team before but it didn’t work out so when the chance came up, I went for it.”
Now on her second deployment to Afghanistan, Nicholson’s team works with U.S. infantry units and other coalition forces, by searching Afghan women for contraband and communicating with them throughout Helmand Province.
“We’ve searched more than a thousand Afghan women,” said Nicholson. “When a unit goes out to gather intelligence, there are times where women and children are secluded to a compound and we are the only ones who can go in and question them about what is going on in their area.”
A female interpreter is currently attached to the FET to translate, but before her arrival the team had to improvise to get their information.
“It was a lot harder before [our interpreter] arrived,” said Nicholson. “We had to use charades and a lot of body language to communicate with the Afghan women. Having a linguist has made the job a lot easier and much more productive.”
Nicholson is in her final month of this deployment and looks forward to continuing her career in the Marine Corps.
“I put in my package to be a drill instructor,” said Nicholson. “I can only hope to share the experiences I have had during my time and help to influence the future generation of our Corps. I have so much love for the Marines I can’t even put it into words.”
As the only member of her family serving in the military, Nicholson said she is happy to be the one in a combat zone if it means someone else can sleep soundly.
“I have a tattoo that says ‘For those I love, I will sacrifice,’” said Nicholson. “Volunteering to serve is a choice but someone has to do it. I would rather it be me fighting here in Afghanistan than any of my loved ones. I’m just grateful to know my family is safe back home.”
Date Posted:07.12.2012 08:02
- CLC gets creative, uses ingenuity in Afghanistan: Part 5
- SECNAV visits troops in Helmand
- Generation at War
- Training the trainer: ANCOP policemen take steps to teach their own | <urn:uuid:3719da4d-e125-4cb5-859c-5aea93cc2c5c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dvidshub.net/news/91415/ash-flat-marine-bridges-gap-afghan-women-coalition-forces | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979904 | 738 | 1.5625 | 2 |
I've been meaning to do a search "shootout" for a long time, pitting Ancestry's old, exact search against Ancestry's new search experience. Mind you, I'm talking the whole ball of wax here, including Ancestry's tree-based search experience. Well, last night I found the "perfect storm," the optimum combination of elements to create a contest worthy of pitting the two titans against one another.
Anne? Are you listening? I've thrown down your gauntlet.
Any of you, all of you, can participate. The more the better. Do you feel like Ancestry.com's new search is a step backwards?
The rules of the contest are simple.
- Log in and set the search to old or new before you begin. Set or clear exact. Jot down your choices.
- Start from the home page. Record the time. GO!
- Start searching (or tree building), writing down a list of each keystroke and mouse click along the way.
- Score 100 points for each instance you find where the target individual is referenced by name in the U.S. Federal Census. Record the time, the number of keystrokes and mouse clicks, the census year and location. Then start a new count of keystrokes and mouse clicks.
OK. Maybe the rules need to be a little more explicit.
- For this shootout, each click of the mouse and tap of the keyboard counts one point. Don't forget to count scrolling, Back button and Forward button. Shift keys are free. Don't use your mouse's scroll wheel, since that neutralizes some differences between the formats of old and new search results. If you hover over a result link to see the pop-up information, count that as a click.
- Plan your strategy carefully in advance and record your experience the first time through. No fair going back and starting over using what you've learned. Be honest and include the clicks and taps from everything you try on your first time through, even activity that got you nowhere. See the last rule in this list for information about submitting subsequent or amended attempts.
- Be sure to include any clicks and taps after the last successful search up to the time that you stop searching. I know; it will be tempting to leave some of this off, deciding belatedly that you really stopped seriously looking several minutes earlier. "To thine own self be true..."
- If you plan to use Ancestry's tree-based searching, before you begin create a new tree with just yourself to preclude any pre-loaded, relevant information.
- Do not make any name corrections on Ancestry.com's records; that would alter the contest search experience for those that follow you. (Yes, you can read a hint into this rule.)
- Do not consult any information other than what is returned by Ancestry.com (other than the death certificate, as directed below).
- Do not look at the comments attached to this message.
- When you have results, post them as comments to this message. Your entry should include a list like this:
12:45, Start, Old search, Not exact, Tree-based
1:08, keys=452, clicks=72, 1900, California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, p. 4
1:08, keys=0, clicks=0, 1920, California, Orange, Anaheim, p. 7
1:09, keys=0, clicks=1, 1910, California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, p. 8
1:12, keys=138, clicks=15, 1880, Illinois, Cook, Chicago, p. 26
2:00, keys=351, clicks=186, stop
- The deadline for the contest is the end of day
Tuesday, 6 January 2009NEW: Friday, 9 January 2009. Because of the holidays, it is unlikely that Ancestry will change their website code during that time. That hopefully keeps all contestants on an equal footing.
- If you wish to post your results on a blog of your own, may I ask that you post a comment here with a link to your results.
- Now the final rule. If you want to submit a subsequent or amended attempt, go ahead iff (that's short for "if and only if") you have first submitted an honest first attempt. Identify the submission as a later attempt and explain why other readers should consider it instead of or in addition to your first attempt. ("I misunderstood the instructions..." "This is the theoretical best for this search type..." "The sun was in my eyes..." "I don't know why I didn't follow my usual method..." "I wanted to try the other search...")
Have fun! And may the best search win!
Family tradition says that you are cousins to the famous Ewings of Dallas, Texas! On her deathbed, your grand-aunt gives you an old photograph of your Ewing ancestor's headstone with a cemetery name penciled on the front. Click on the photograph, above, to see a full-sized copy. Then use FamilySearch Record Search pilot to find the death certificate. The John Ewing of the headstone and death certificate is the target of your Ancestry.com search. Everybody play fair. And don't forget to come back and post your results in a comment.
On your mark; get set; GO! | <urn:uuid:d89157c2-d202-405a-ad71-1f7a8ec0d555> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ancestryinsider.blogspot.com/2008/12/perfect-storm.html?showComment=1230603540000 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935664 | 1,117 | 1.734375 | 2 |
New Crowned Miss India World Was Almost Killed 23 Years Ago
This is the cruel fact in India, I guess.
WHEN Pooja Chopra was 20 days old, her mother Neera was forced to make a choice – kill her child or forfeit her marriage.
Neera decided to keep her daughter, defying the wishes of a bullying husband who wanted the baby destroyed. She knew she would be thrown out of the family home.
Twenty-three years later, Pooja’s survival is being celebrated throughout India. Now a vivacious young woman, last month she won a beauty contest to become Miss India World. She has also become a symbol for the campaign against a tradition that values boys above girls; it is said this has led to an imbalance in the ratio of Indian men to women and to social problems.
“When my mum walked out on my dad, she said to him, ‘One day this girl will make me proud’. All my life I’ve wanted my mum to be proud of the decision that she chose me,” Pooja said last week. | <urn:uuid:b55b0fb9-594c-4e26-b6c9-22b6fa19385f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jialat.com/2009/05/05/new-crowned-miss-india-world-was-almost-killed-23-years-ago/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973821 | 229 | 1.570313 | 2 |
In this paper, we report the explanatory power of noise signal and fundamentals on flipping activities of share trading. Flipping is defined as the percentage of opening day trading volume divided by the number of shares offered on the first trading day (Miller and Reily, 1987, and Aggarwal, 2003) in an offer for sale. It is affected by investors’ opinion about, for example, the new issue’s future prospect on the first listing day. The initial premium which is defined as the difference between the opening price and the offer price divided by the offer price is used as a proxy for noise signal. Using initial public offers listed on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia during the period of 1991 to 2003, we find support for the relationship between noise signal and flipping activity in the immediate aftermarket as evident in several models tested as well as the bullish and bearish market models. Among the fundamental factors included in this study, bigger size of offer was found to discourage flipping activities.
Nee, Chong Fen; Ali, Ruhani; and Ahmad, Zamri
"Does noise signal affect flipping activities,"
International Journal of Banking and Finance:
2, Article 6.
Available at: http://epublications.bond.edu.au/ijbf/vol6/iss2/6 | <urn:uuid:8c37f04a-3a2a-4e72-b107-bc4620acbbae> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://epublications.bond.edu.au/ijbf/vol6/iss2/6/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947834 | 268 | 1.734375 | 2 |
Now publishing a book is easier than ever. Credit
the growth of vanity and e-book publishers. 764,000
"nontraditional" titles were produced in 2009, compared with
288,355 traditional titles that year. Though selling 10,000 books
is good for traditional authors, self-published authors typically
move fewer than 100 copies, says Jim Milliot of Publishers
Weekly. "The barriers to self-publishing are lower, and it's a
crowded marketplace," he says. But older authors are often
motivated more by self-fulfillment than sales. "It's empowering," explains Michael Jackson Smith, 64, who
released The Road to Fort Worth, about his recovery from
alcoholism. If you want to self-publish in print,
companies like Lulu or Author Solutions can help. Or you can sell
e-books via Publit or CreateSpace. As more people try new
technology, Milliot believes, the market will grow. The key?
"Keep your expectations realistic," he says. | <urn:uuid:3063ab48-4d68-4914-8154-a69e73dda2ee> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://roadtofortworth.com/aarp.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960385 | 223 | 1.601563 | 2 |
At 72, Paul Nagorski likes to own stocks that come with their own payday. Dividend checks add to his income.
The Missouri resident soon may be sharing more of his investing income with Uncle Sam. Like other investors, he's heading for a tax cliff on Jan. 1.
"I'll pay more," Nagorski said. "I can afford to do it. I don't like to do it."
Now that the election is over, attention has turned to how President Barack Obama and Congress intend to deal with the automatic tax increases and spending changes set to kick in on New Year's Day. Lawmakers had set up this so-called fiscal cliff to force themselves to negotiate a long-term reduction in the federal deficit.
Failure to reach a deal would mean a sudden drop in federal spending, an end to the Bush-era tax cuts, and other tax changes on Jan. 1.
Dividends, stock gains, estates and even ordinary income would be taxed at higher rates with the impact being felt broadly in the investing world.
Even investors inside tax-deferred accounts such as 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts could feel the lingering changes wrought by the tax side of the fiscal cliff. This automatic rewriting of tax rules stands to make many investment choices less attractive, and a few more valuable.
The traditional year-end advice from tax experts has turned topsy-turvy. The standard advice, to sell losers to offset profits and reduce taxes, is morphing into recommendations of selling winners to take advantage of lower capital gains rates that are set to rise in 2013.
Some companies flush with cash are cutting special dividend checks to shareholders before the year ends. Those dividend benefits may be harder to come by next year if tax rates climb and companies decide to pay out smaller rewards.
If bracing for the tax cliff seems complicated, January's changes are only half of it. Washington may call off all, part or none of the scheduled tax changes.
"It's all up in the air," said Rich Romey, president of ETF Portfolio Partners Inc. in Leawood, Kan.
Lawmakers are under great pressure to stop the fiscal cliff from happening.
Economists warn that the combination of $400 billion in higher tax bills including the end of the payroll tax cut and extension of the Alternative Minimum Tax to 30 million Americans and $200 billion in federal spending cuts could send the slowly recovering economy back into a recession.
And a recession won't help anyone's investments.
Investors may not know it, but they've been enjoying a decade-long tax break.
Thanks to Bush-era tax changes, most investors pay a 15 percent tax rate on stock dividends and capital gains.
But the breaks expire in seven weeks and older, higher rates kick in, barring 11th-hour compromises. Investors with larger incomes also would see a new tax on their dividends and higher capital gains rates starting Jan. 1.
Expect stock prices to suffer.
"The tax side of the fiscal cliff is onerous to all stocks," said Mark Eveans, chief investment officer at Meritage Portfolio Management Inc. in Overland Park, Kan.
One simple reason is that higher taxes mean investors will keep less of the rewards. If owning a stock is less rewarding, investors won't be willing to pay as much.
The tax on capital gains would climb to 20 percent after the fiscal cliff.
Stock dividends would be hit even harder in the 2013 tax world.
Instead of owing 15 percent, investors who collect dividend checks would be taxed at their regular individual income tax rates. And those rates would go up Jan. 1 as other parts of the Bush-era tax deal expire.
For many investors, Uncle Sam's dividend bite would jump to 28 percent or higher as some tax brackets disappear and the higher tax brackets begin to apply at lower income levels.
For example, the 15 percent income tax bracket currently extends to $70,700 of income for a couple filing jointly, according to H&R Block. Come Jan. 1, it applies up to only $58,200 in income. And the 25 percent bracket disappears, setting 28 percent as the next bracket, according to Block.
The highest tax bracket climbs from 35 percent to 39.6 percent in the New Year.
But the tax cliff doesn't stop there. Individuals with incomes of $200,000 or more, or couples earning $250,000 or more, would start to pay a 3.8 percent additional Medicare surtax on their investment income, including dividends.
Combined, it means higher-income investors would see their dividend tax rate jump from the current 15 percent rate to 43.4 percent.
Investors inside tax-deferred IRAs and 401(k) accounts shouldn't feel immune to the tax cliff.
Dividend stocks have become increasingly popular as interest rates on bonds have plunged to historic lows. The lower tax rate on dividends has added to their investor appeal, as interest income doesn't qualify for the special 15 percent tax rate.
The upshot is that many investors may decide highly taxed dividends aren't for them and sell those stocks, which could hurt the stocks' prices. More may prefer municipal bonds that don't trigger a federal tax bill.
"Even if you do nothing because of this, other investors will do things," Romey said.
Corporate dividend plans already are shifting to accommodate the approaching tax cliff.
Commerce Bancshares Inc., which operates in five states, last week announced a $1.50 a share special dividend to be paid Dec. 17. It means Commerce's stockholders can still claim the 15 percent dividend tax rate that is set to be wiped out by the tax cliff. | <urn:uuid:615d160f-962e-4ba7-bacf-b6084903891c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/55287314-79/tax-cliff-investors-percent.html.csp?page=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967402 | 1,176 | 1.5 | 2 |
|Newly diagnsed with low CD4 - what should I watch out for?
Sep 12, 2012
Hello -- my partner was recently diagnosed with HIV and just found out that his CD4 count is only 58. The earliest we could get him an appointment with a specialist is at the end of this month, and he's concerned about his health between now and then. Are there any special precautions he should be taking between now and the time he starts on meds to make sure he stays healthy? We just don't want him compounding the HIV with any other infections. Thanks for your help!
| Response from Mr. Vergel
At that CD4 cell level, PCP pneumonia can happen. But it is impossible to predict. Bactrim can prevent it.
Just watch out for symptoms: PCP Pneumonia
Also, after he starts HIV medications, he should watch out for immune reconstitution syndrome: IRIS: Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome
Luckily, most people do well and do not have IRIS.
Watch this video with him:
It is good that he has you and that you are so concerned for him. Let me know how it goes.
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Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible for editing and fact-checking their material. Neither TheBody.com nor any advertiser is the publisher or speaker of posted visitors' questions or the experts' material. | <urn:uuid:c1a6558c-a317-4097-be3f-e308feeedb27> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thebody.com/Forums/AIDS/Aging/Q224742.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954175 | 366 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Discovering family history
On a bright, warm early October Saturday afternoon, outside the tiny town of Mulhall, Okla., I met my great-grandfather, William H. Smith. No, of course not in person, we found his final resting place in Roselawn Cemetery.
I couldn’t help but have a feeling of joy mixed with sadness because I didn’t have the chance to know him. Yes, this solved one of the many mysteries of my family history, but on the other hand, finding his grave only opened up a new line of questions. Buried next to him was a John Smith and Lily Smith and I have no idea of how these individuals fit into my family puzzle. According to cemetery records one of his sons, Pinkston (Pink) Smith was buried at the site, but there was no marker.
According to what I learned in a conversation with a Roselawn Cemetery official, possibly the reason was that the cemetery site for Pink was never paid for. As an aside, I doubt that Pink was buried there since he retired as a bank guard in California. But, again that is just another question in my murky family history.
My great-grandfather has always interested and, yes, confused me. In our family keepsakes, we have a number of Grand Army of the Republic memorabilia, so I always thought that he was a Union Army veteran. The GAR was roughly equivalent to the VFW or American Legion and was an organization of Union veterans.
Unfortunately, that was not the case because I found a newspaper clipping celebrating his 25th wedding anniversary and he was a Confederate Army veteran, serving three years in the army. According to the story he was a “proud old rebel” and let his union neighbors know about it. I remember looking up his family when we were in Salt Lake City and found in census records that they weren’t slave owners. So, I have never figured out why he was a Confederate other than he was born and raised in Clay County, Mo.
He married Susan Hulburd of Clay County, Mo., although no wedding date was listed. After he died my great-grandmother remarried and her second husband was a Union veteran. She moved to Garnett and is buried in the cemetery there.
At the time of his 25th wedding anniversary, they were living in Nebraska where he was a farmer. The couple also lived in Coffey County, Kansas. Certainly he lived an exciting life. According to a news article, he crossed the Rocky Mountain six times. Obviously that was what he did for a living since a round trip over the mountains would take nearly a year.
So, how did he get to Mulhall, Okla.? Really, there is no doubt about that, he took part in the land rush. The government opened up land in Oklahoma and they literally raced to claim it. We found among the family treasurers a deed to William H. Smith and filed on November 3, 1895, at 3 p.m. for land in Oklahoma Territory, now Logan County. The deed has a proxy signature of President Grover Cleveland by a secretary M. McKeran. We had the location of his property, but after driving around a bit, we weren’t sure we found it.
Actually, the deed was the first time that I knew my great-grandfather’s first name. Everything else we had, including his obituary, listed him as “W. H. Smith.” I can only assume that he didn’t like the name “William.” I don’t know what the “H” was for, but I would guess “Herbert.” My grandparents had a child who died and he was named “William Herbert.”
Apparently, he did well in Oklahoma. According to his obituary, he made many friends while living in the area and he “had been feeble” for some time and he died at the “advanced age of 65.” The service was performed by a Methodist lay minister, Mr. Harrington.
Let me point out that my wife, Jean, did the research, utilizing the Inter-net and making calls to Oklahoma. Sadly, in 1999 a tornado leveled most of Mulhall and the nearly all the trees and some tombstones were damaged. For his Eagle project a Boy Scout compiled the list of those buried in Roselawn Cemetery and replaced trees. There are approximately 1500 graves in the cemetery. Mulhall is located a short distance west of Stillwater, Okla.
W. H. was born on March 22, 1836, and died on Aug. 15, 1903. Yes, I’m glad that I have found his final resting place and a few notes about his life. I only wish that I had more information. But rest assured, the search is far from over. Who know? I may even have some relatives named Smith. Only time will tell.
I might add that it would be beneficial to future generations if all of us kept notes about our lives. I know, it might not be interesting now, but in a future century it will help family members know the family stories of those who have gone before. | <urn:uuid:0fe9ea3d-e7e1-47f9-afee-d278d4057460> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bonnersprings.com/news/2012/oct/17/discovering-family-history/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.990272 | 1,088 | 1.835938 | 2 |
In Ethiopia, Swedish journalists handed prison terms
|Publisher||Committee to Protect Journalists|
|Publication Date||27 December 2011|
|Cite as||Committee to Protect Journalists, In Ethiopia, Swedish journalists handed prison terms, 27 December 2011, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/4f0ffe3d22.html [accessed 22 May 2013]|
|Disclaimer||This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.|
New York, December 27, 2011 – In a highly politicized trial, two Swedish journalists have been sentenced in an Ethiopian court to 11-year jail terms after being convicted of supporting terrorism and entering the country illegally, according to news reports.
An Ethiopian court has sentenced Swedish journalists Johan Persson (left) and Martin Schibbye to 11 years in prison. (AFP)
Judge Shemsu Sirgaga ruled today that Swedish journalists Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye should serve "rigorous imprisonment," and said the verdict "should satisfy the goal of peace and security," Agence France-Presse reported. Last week, the journalists were convicted of illegally entering the eastern Somali-speaking Ogaden region, where government forces are battling separatists with the Ogaden National Liberation Front, according to news reports. The Ethiopian government classified the ONLF as a terrorist organization early this year and has restricted journalists from independently accessing the region.
Prosecutors had asked the judge for a jail term of 18 and a half years for Persson and Schibbye, who were tried under the country's far-reaching anti-terrorism law, news reports said. Human rights groups have said the law, which has been criticized by human rights monitors in the United Nations, is being used by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to crack down on dissent.
CPJ research found that fundamental principles of due process were violated during the journalists' trial, including the presumption of innocence, which is enshrined in Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Ethiopia is a signatory. In addition, numerous accusatory public statements by state media and top government officials, including Zenawi, appeared to predetermine the outcome of the trial.
"The harsh sentences against Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye are an affront to justice and press freedom," said CPJ Africa Advocacy Coordinator Mohamed Keita. "With this politicized case, authorities showed they are intent on quashing coverage of important events in the Ogaden region. The Ethiopian government should unconditionally release Persson and Schibbye, and allow independent access to the Ogaden region."
Ethiopian officials have denied using the trial as politically motivated reprisal. "How can there be a political motive when prosecutors provided evidence throughout the trial and the defendants themselves admitted to entering the country illegally with rebels?" Justice Ministry Spokesman Desalegn Deressa told Reuters. Ethiopian government spokesman Bereket Simon accused international human rights groups of being "interested only in regime change," he told AFP. "We feel these people do not understand the concept of rule of law," Simon said.
The journalists' defense lawyers have not yet said whether they will appeal the sentences, news reports said.
In a statement today, European Union High Representative Spokesperson Catherine Ashton expressed "serious concern" about the judgment and the verdict, and said that "the sentencing on terrorism-related charges raises concerns about the freedom of media and expression in Ethiopia."
With seven journalists behind bars, including Persson and Schibbye, Ethiopia trails only Eritrea among Africa's worst jailers of journalists, according to CPJ research. Ethiopia's repression of the media has driven the world's largest number of journalists into exile over the last decade. | <urn:uuid:df6d84c2-70e3-401e-a100-2e69c0ee4f12> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rwmain?page=category&category=COI&publisher=&type=COUNTRYNEWS&coi=SWE&docid=4f0ffe3d22&skip=0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951155 | 806 | 1.703125 | 2 |
OPA News Release: [05/10/2012]
Contact Name: Michael Volpe or Elizabeth Todd
Phone Number: (202) 693-4667 or (972) 850-4710
Release Number: 12-0927-NAT
Texas Job Corps students create unique awards designed to honor work and accomplishments of US Department of Labor employees nationwide
WASHINGTON Unique, handcrafted awards honoring the service and dedication of U.S. Department of Labor employees nationwide have been created by students from the Gary Job Corps Center in San Marcos, Texas, with the first presentation of the awards made today by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis during a ceremony at the department's headquarters in Washington.
The secretary of labor's Honor Awards are the highest level of recognition for employees whose work and accomplishments achieve an outstanding level and demonstrate excellence in promoting the department's mission in all of the goals set by the secretary.
As a tribute to the exceptional efforts of the secretary's honorees, the Gary Job Corps students made medallions out of bare bronze metal, which is prized in metalworking for its performance strength and durability. Display boxes for the medallions were made out of hard pecan and walnut lumber. Each award was completed with a patriotic red, white and blue ribbon. The awards, which were made at no cost to taxpayers, were made as part of a training project and crafted from available materials in workshops. In the case of the display boxes, recycled wood was used, in keeping with the department's "green" environmental initiatives.
The secretary has long been a champion of the department's Job Corps program as an educational and training opportunity for disadvantaged youth, and has turned to its students in the past to produce important departmental awards. These include hand-made mementos produced by Job Corps students in Cleveland, Ohio, that were given by the secretary to foreign finance ministers who attended the 2010 G20 Summit meetings. Students from the Westover Job Corps Center in Massachusetts used coal-like materials in honor of the miners who were killed by the explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia to recognize the department's first responders and rescue teams. A Guthrie, Okla., Job Corps student created a unique picture award depicting the beauty of the Gulf Coast, which was given to employees in recognition of their outstanding efforts and service to help those in the Gulf Region impacted by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.
"Young people have been hit the hardest in unemployment and that is why the Job Corps program is so vital," Secretary Solis said, adding, "Job Corps is the nation's largest career technical training and education program for young people, and offers hands-on training in more than 100 career technical areas including some of the fastest growing job sectors, such as health care, information technology and renewable energy. Job Corps is a sound investment in preparing our young people to become a well-skilled, productive workforce."
During today's ceremony, Solis presented the awards to dozens of the department's employees in recognition of their outstanding displays of professionalism, teamwork and dedication on various issues ranging from recovering workers' compensation funds and ensuring mine emergency systems compliance to developing a user-friendly Unemployment Insurance portal and implementing jobs clubs for unemployed workers.
The department honored employees from a number of its agencies including the Office of the Solicitor, Mine Safety and Health Administration, Bureau of International Labor Affairs, Office of Administrative Law Judges, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Employment and Training Administration, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management, Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor-Management Standards and Office of Public Affairs. In future regional ceremonies, employees from the following agencies also will receive medallions: the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Wage and Hour Division, Bureau of Labor Statistics and Veterans' Employment and Training Service.
"These awards are a daily reminder that the Department of Labor's employees have dedicated themselves to improving the lives of all Americans through work that is hard, urgent and at times thankless," Secretary Solis said. "Whether it is protecting our workplaces, safeguarding our pensions, or offering educational and training opportunities, the Department of Labor touches the lives of every single American every single day," she said.
About the Gary Job Corps Center and the Secretary of Labor Award Design
Job Corps, administered by the Labor Department's Employment and Training Administration, serves approximately 60,000 young people ages 16 through 24 each year at 125 centers in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Students from Gary's machining, carpentry, and arts and crafts programs came together as a team to design and craft what the award should look like, be composed of and symbolize.
Under the direction of machining instructors Saysamone Manyseng a 1984 Gary graduate and Bob Costa, machining students used a power saw to cut a 6-foot-long bare bronze metal bar stock into 50 pieces. Each piece was individually "faced" using both a manual mill and lathe. A computer numerical control, or CNC, milling machine was used to profile and engrave the awards. The slot for the ribbon was cut with a 1/8-inch bit. Each piece was polished to a high-shine finish.
Carpentry students, under the direction of instructors Joe Nazarene and Nelson Beard, created two-piece display boxes for each award, using pecan and walnut lumber that was cut on table and miter saws. After the boxes were sanded to a smooth surface, arts and crafts program students helped line the boxes with felt and attached patriotic red, white and blue ribbons to each. A special video about the making of the awards is available at http://www.dol.gov/dol/media/webcast/20120509-medallion.
Biographies of Gary Job Corps Center Secretary of Labor Award Machining Students
Brittney Manciaz, 20, dropped out of school to work at a fast food restaurant to help support herself and three siblings. She chose Gary's machining program because she likes working with her hands. "Gary has helped me be a stronger person and I'm more comfortable socially than I was before I came," she said. Brittney has earned her General Educational Development certificate and is interviewing for a machinist position at a Houston company.
Yonas Hailu, 24, is a refugee from Asmara, Eritrea, where he said he had no chance for an education. He was an optical technician in his native country so machining was a natural fit for him, and he has excelled at it. He came to America speaking no English and has worked hard to master the language. Yonas is fluent in both Tigrinya and Amharic, and tutors Ethiopian and Eritrean students in English. "I learned everything here at Gary," he said. "I've learned to read and write English, and have a chance for a great career."
Stefan Storck, 22, is a graduate of the North Texas Job Corps Center. He came to Gary to learn the machining trade and is proud of his role on the design team: "This was a great project and I'm glad to have had the opportunity to get selected to work on these." Stefan has been accepted at Texas State Technical College in Waco to advance his machining skills.
Christopher Aguilar, 22, from Houston, has worked for several years as an auto mechanic but was out of work for three months before turning to Gary for a new direction. Chris arrived with his high school diploma so he went into trade training full-time and is almost finished. "You've just got to keep your mind focused and do what you need to do," said Chris. He wants to pursue a career in machining.
Amer Abdullah, 20, came to America after fleeing a refugee camp in the Sudan that was attacked during that country's civil war. In his 15 months at Gary, he has learned English and earned his high school diploma. Amer plans to stay in the machining industry.
Armando Diaz, 21, from Houston, had worked in packaging and shipping at an oil drilling company before deciding to enroll in Job Corps. He wanted to learn machining because he had taken high school courses in CAD and manual drafting and felt this was a perfect extension of his interests. "I learned to wake up early and work a full day," he said. Armando plans to work as a machinist while earning a college degree in mathematics, his other passion.
Biographies of Gary Job Corps Center Secretary of Labor Award Carpentry Students
Jeremy Johnson, 23, previously worked odd construction jobs in Austin. "I heard about Job Corps for years, but never really thought it was an option for me until I got close to graduation," he said. He now feels he made the right decision and wants to go to college to study the business side of the construction industry.
Patrick Kist, 18, from Washington state, said, "I always loved building stuff and realized this would get me further along my life path." He is nearing completion of his carpentry training and is interested in joining the military upon graduation.
LeMichael Wooten, 19, earned her diploma in Houston before coming to Gary. She said, "I love carpentry and I've learned all the fundamentals. This is a great place to go to achieve something in life."
Tammycia Anderson, 17, said is working to complete her high school diploma. "I came to Gary to better myself," she said, adding, "I also like the idea of helping people, so this is my dream."
Abraham Espinoza, 19, worked low-wage jobs at a hotel in Houston before deciding to take the leap into his future by joining Gary. "I always wanted to learn to build homes and Gary has helped me improve my leadership as well as my carpentry skills." Abraham plans to pursue a college degree in architecture while working as a carpenter.
Biographies of Gary Job Corps Center Secretary of Labor Award Arts and Crafts Students
Ashley Macias, 19, is in the medical office administration program, and earned a GED certificate within her first month of enrolling at Gary. "I'm doing great," she said. "I'm 50 percent complete with my trade and will be going to college after graduation."
Suzana Torrez, 19, is in the Office Administration trade program at Gary. "I've accomplished more by being here than if I had chosen not to attend. I appreciate everything," she said. Suzana, who has earned her GED certificate, also excels in math. | <urn:uuid:684c7171-f009-43e7-a51e-2915ca7e6996> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20120927.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976638 | 2,203 | 1.523438 | 2 |
News Article of Senator Crapo
THE METH MONSTER
Guest opinion submitted by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo
Contact: Susan Wheeler
She was sixteen--the age when many teenage girls are involved sports, music, school, church, close friendships and first dates. This would have been her... Was it just a year ago, maybe 18 months? How things had changed--standing in the county jail, eyes sunken, hair patchy, skin covered in open sores, rail thin, waiting for her brand-new baby to be taken for medical care for methamphetamine addiction and then foster care. What had she done? It was just a little hit less than two years ago…
This is a true story--an Idaho story and, tragically, not an isolated occurrence. Law enforcement tells of inmates in jails who, in meth-induced paranoias, stay awake for days, savagely banging on the bars and screaming. The result for some is brain damage, requiring constant treatment for the remainder of their debilitated lives.
Meth is incredibly dangerous. Addictive after the first experience, the high is never as strong as the first time, requiring progressively more to achieve the same feeling. Furthermore, as we learn more about this terrifying drug, we are discovering that traditional drug rehabilitation is ineffective; meth requires much longer treatment—years, in fact.
Law enforcement, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, and state, county and local agencies are working around the clock to fight this monster of a drug. In the past five years, many home labs have been seized--good news for communities and for innocent children contaminated by meth, either from second hand smoke or through residue on furniture and rugs. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare operates treatment programs around the state. Concerned individuals and organizations are forming local citizen task forces to meet the specific needs of their community.
Unfortunately, high seizure rates have sparked an increase in imported, concentrated meth from “superlabs,” predominantly in Mexico. It reaches larger cities and is distributed to smaller communities around the state.
This must be dealt with at all levels: federal, state and local. This month, the federal government took additional steps to combat meth. Provisions in the newly-reauthorized Patriot Act include: -Major non-prescription drugs containing chemicals used in making meth must be kept behind the counter or in a locked cabinet. -There are new restrictions on mail order, Internet and flea market sales of these products. -Major meth precursor exporters and importers must report transactions and are held accountable for efforts to prevent diversion to meth production. -Funding has been authorized for cooperative efforts with Mexico to stop meth production there. -Federal penalties against meth traffickers and smugglers and those who who cook or deal meth in the presence of children have been strengthened. -The drug courts program is enhanced to ensure greater accountability, and new funding has been authorized. -Meth “hot spots” grant program, providing assistance to state and local agencies has been authorized. -Grants to help states assist drug-endangered children and addicted women with children have been authorized.
The key is early intervention and strong penalties for breaking the law. Over their lifetime, a meth user will likely incur long-term mental and physical health costs, incarceration and rehabilitation costs that will be borne by society. It only makes sense to be proactive in this fight.
The outlook isn’t completely bleak. The young woman in the beginning has been clean for a few months now. Strong intervention and prevention mechanisms, can bring her back to life. With the help of all levels of government, concerned parents and friends, we can rid our communities of this deadly drug. To get more information, contact your local government officials or any of my offices.
Word Count: 596 | <urn:uuid:a1659f2a-613e-4bba-83b8-431bfbd9d44a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/release_full.cfm?id=252324 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955582 | 778 | 1.53125 | 2 |
If anyone wants to understand why New Jersey's pension fund is in such poor shape, consider Susan Bass Levin to be Exhibit A as to exactly why. Levin retired on the very first day she was able to collect her full pension of $5,312.11 per month. She is fifty-eight.
Ms. Levin is perfectly within her rights to do this. I want it to be clear that I'm not accusing her of any wrong-doing. I'm accusing the system of wrong-doing. Because the average life-expectancy in this country for a white female is something just over eighty years. That means New Jersey's pension system is on the hook for paying her a bit more than sixty thousand bucks a year for the next twenty-two years - a total of more than $1.3 million.
That's just insane. And if you think the math is stacked against Social Security...well, solving that problem is really just a problem of political will. New Jersey's pension problems are actual mathematical problems. Sort of like Social Security will be in thirty years if no reforms are made in the interim.
Paul Mulshine points out financial analyst Josh Rauh's work that predicts the bankruptcy of New Jersey's pension fund in 2018. It's actually worse than that. Mr. Rauh is assuming an eight percent growth in gross fund value in each of the years between now and then. If you think that sounds optimistic, consider that he also assumes that the state will fully fund its pension obligations in each year going forward as well. In reality, neither assumption is likely anywhere close to reality, and so the demise of the pension fund is probably much closer than Mr. Rauh predicts.
New Jersey should simply adopt the federal Social Security guidelines for retirement. You can get reduced benefits at age sixty-two, full benefits at age 66 (or 67 if you were born after 1960). Plus, to get Social Security, you must have paid into it for ten calendar-quarters. In New Jersey, anyone in the system prior to 2008 can retire at age sixty, regardless of how few years they have paid into the system. Or they can take an early retirement before they turn sixty but they are not penalized for early benefits if they are over fifty-five, with twenty-five years of service.
That's not just insane, it's irresponsible. And, in interest of full disclosure, I have to say that I actually made it into the retirement system (as an adjunct professor at public universities in New Jersey, I pay into the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund) just before it was changed. But I'd rather lose a few years worth of retirement on the front-side of my old-age than to see it dry up entirely while I'm in the midst of it. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that I'd be willing to see the retirement age edged up to seventy just to make sure the system remains solvent.
But New Jersey does not have the benefit of time. We cannot change a few details at the margin and wait for the passing years to average out our losses. Anyone who is within a few years of retiring must understand that their choice is to work until at least the federal retirement age or risk losing everything. I don't have the data to estimate how much New Jersey would save by moving early retirement to age sixty-two and full retirement to sixty-six or -seven - but given the numbers, it would be huge. Perhaps it would be long enough for us to find a realistic long-term solution (like moving towards a matching-contribution plan, like the 401(k) plans many private companies now use). | <urn:uuid:f4b9d901-7a8a-4d78-a2d0-ec518f73099b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.nj.com/njv_thurman_hart/2010/11/time_to_enter_the_21st_century.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97587 | 750 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Bloomberg, FEMA, FCC Detail NYC Emergency Notification System
- 4:39 PM
- New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly discussing the Personal Localized Alert Network (PLAN), with the new One World Trade Center rising in the background.
- New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announcing the Personal Localized Alerting Network (PLAN) with FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski (third from left), public safety officials, and members of New York's congressional delegation, on May 10, 2011.
- FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski.
- AT&T CEO Randall L. Stephenson.
- The site where 1 World Trade Center, also known as the North Tower, once stood, will be one of two memorial pools with the largest man made waterfalls in the country.
- New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Office of Emergency Management Commissioner Joseph F. Bruno with members of the New York City Community Response Team (CERT), a volunteer organization that helps prepare communities for different types of emergencies.
New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly discussing the Personal Localized Alert Network (PLAN), with the new One World Trade Center rising in the background.
New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announcing the Personal Localized Alerting Network (PLAN) with FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski (third from left), public safety officials, and members of New York's congressional delegation, on May 10, 2011.
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski.
AT&T CEO Randall L. Stephenson.
The site where 1 World Trade Center, also known as the North Tower, once stood, will be one of two memorial pools with the largest man made waterfalls in the country.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Office of Emergency Management Commissioner Joseph F. Bruno with members of the New York City Community Response Team (CERT), a volunteer organization that helps prepare communities for different types of emergencies.
NEW YORK — Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg unveiled the nation’s first comprehensive, geographically targeted emergency notification system for cellphones on Tuesday, declaring the launch to be a “quantum leap forward in using technology to help keep people safe.”
Flanked by federal officials, members of New York’s congressional delegation, the city’s top law-enforcement officials, and top executives from the nation’s largest wireless companies, Bloomberg detailed the Personal Localized Alerting Network (PLAN) at a press conference overlooking ground zero of the 9/11 attacks nearly a decade ago.
PLAN is a free service that will send geographically-targeted, emergency text alerts to enabled mobile devices, alerting citizens of “imminent threats to safety” in their area. The service will be rolled out in New York City by the end of 2011 — at least two quarters, the Mayor emphasized, before the rest of the nation.
The new service represents one of the most ambitious public-safety initiatives since 9/11 and is the product of a joint public-private partnership between New York, FEMA, the FCC and the nation’s wireless companies. With four months to go before the 10-year anniversary of 9/11, federal, state and local officials are working to implement next-generation emergency communications services, as well as to build the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and the World Trade Center Memorial.
Bloomberg announced PLAN on a brilliantly clear day in Manhattan, standing in front of One World Trade Center, which construction crews are working to build.
“In both the public and private sectors, I’ve always believed in the need to harness technology in new ways, including ways that its designers hadn’t anticipated,” Bloomberg said. “The City’s opt-in Notify NYC system is a great example of that: It alerts people to dangers and delays via e-mail, text and phone, and it has become a national model of emergency communication.”
“But given the kinds of threats made against New York City at the World Trade Center, Times Square and other places popular with visitors and tourists, we’ll be even safer when authorities can broadcast warnings to everyone in a geographic area regardless of where they came from or bought their phone,” Bloomberg said.
PLAN runs on existing wireless networks but only a handful of the newest mobile phones are currently compatible, Bloomberg said, and they require a software download. The assembled wireless-company executives, including AT&T CEO Randall L. Stephenson and Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg, pledged their support for the system and said new devices will be equipped with a PLAN chip.
Once operational, citizens will receive three types of alerts from the system: alerts issued by the President of the United States, alerts involving “imminent threats to safety of life,” and Amber Alerts, which are designed to help find missing children. About 90 percent of New Yorkers who have a PLAN-capable mobile device will be able to receive alerts from the system, also known as the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS), by the end of 2011.
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, a native of Great Neck, New York, praised Bloomberg and thanked the wireless executives for their participation. AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint will all support the service.
“Communications technology — and in particular mobile broadband — has the potential to revolutionize emergency response,” Genachowski said. “Our communications networks need to be reliable and resilient in times of emergency. The FCC is working with carriers to ensure that they are.”
Genachowski said the PLAN system will have the ability to override existing network traffic in times of emergency to ensure that critical alerts reach citizens. “Think of it like an HOV lane on the highway for emergency alerts,” he said, adding that a list of compatible phones would be posted soon on the FCC’s website.
Officials didn’t go into detail about the technical specifications of the new network. But there are hardware and software requirements needed in order to facilitate a secure, virtual “fast lane” during a real emergency.
FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate pointed to the recent catastrophic tornadoes in the Southeast as events where the system could have played a key role in alerting citizens of the imminent danger.
“This new technology could become a lifeline for millions of Americans and is another tool that will strengthen our nation’s resilience against all hazards,” Fugate said.
New York City faces unique threats. Al-Qaida, and copycats, have repeatedly attempted to attack New York City and were successful in two cases: the World Trade Center bombing of 1993 and the 9/11 attacks. In the decade since 9/11 the authorities have foiled over a dozen other plots, including attempts to blow up subway tunnels and Times Square, arguably the most heavily visited tourist attraction in the world.
New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said his department prefers to stop threats before they happen, but said the new system will play a key role in alerting citizens to emergencies in progress.
“When a catastrophe is the product of terrorism or other man-made evil, the NYPD’s goal is to stop it before it happens,” Kelly said. “We prefer to be emergency preventers than emergency responders. But, obviously, we must be prepared to do both. This new alert system is a welcome addition to our arsenal of readiness.”
Because PLAN can target emergency alerts to specific geographical areas, the system will be useful in alerting citizens to stay out of a particular area in the event of an emergency, so that first responders can work as quickly and efficiently as possible, said New York City Fire Commissioner Salvatore J. Cassano.
“If we have a major hazmat incident or other large-scale situation, this tool will help us make sure that people in the immediate vicinity of the incident have the information they need to stay safe and stay away from the area,” Cassano said. “In many cases, it’s just as important for the public to know what not to do, as it is to know what to do. These PLAN alerts will keep the public informed, and keep our members focused on the task at hand.”
During the press conference, Bloomberg was asked whether the city would be offering any incentives for people to use the PLAN service.
“Yes, to save your life,” the Mayor replied. “That’s the incentive. You have to take some responsibility. We’re not going to pay you to save your own life. It’s just something you should do.”
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Genetech is running ads in the NY Times
, The New Yorker
, and on their Web site
that feature patients offering testimonials framed in social progress terms. The campaign is similar to the Bristol Myers Squib TV ads I described here.
In a smart strategic move, the ad campaign "re-frames" the issue of biotech drugs away from the public accountability
arguments centered on access and affordability, back towards an emphasis on a "hope for cures." Here is how the San Francisco Business Times
details the ad campaign:
Debbie Reynolds went public on her incontinence for Pharmacia. Bob Dole talked about erectile dysfunction for Pfizer. Genentech's got Joel Golub. Golub, a chief information officer for New Jersey Transit, is one of six patients who has allowed the South San Francisco biotechnology giant to use edited versions of thank-you letters they sent the company to express gratitude for its life-saving drugs. Now those letters underpin a pioneering advertising campaign. "For the last seven years, I've been healthy because of your company's efforts," he wrote. "Your discovery has given me a chance to get remarried, have a family, go to a dance recital for my beautiful daughter, see my son play baseball, and generally squeeze every drop I can out of life." The ads feature a black and white photograph of the patient set over a handwritten letter on a blue sheet of lined paper. The campaign is running in publications such as the New York Times and the New Yorker, as well as on radio in major cities, through December. It is believed to be the first major brand-building campaign aimed at the general public in the company's 30-year history. Though the ads do not seek to sell any Genentech drug -- drug names and cancer types have been edited out of the letters -- it reflects an effort by the company to create a positive association with its name as it finds itself increasingly criticized for the high cost of its life-saving and life-prolonging drugs. | <urn:uuid:1562f3fd-da91-4cf8-a69d-91181a6bf370> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bigthink.com/age-of-engagement/remember-me-cancer-genetech-turns-to-patients-to-promote-the-social-progress-interpretation | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93979 | 418 | 1.5625 | 2 |
75 percent: Americans who “blame President Bush’s economic policies for making the country worse off during the last eight years, according to a Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll.”
“The number of Americans who would condone torture, at least when used on terrorists in order to save lives, has risen in the past two years to 44 percent, according to a poll.” Still, a majority of Americans think all torture should be banned.
On Tuesday, the House Appropriations Committee approved an amendment denying money for President Bush’s new “program to expand domestic use of Pentagon spy satellites,” citing concerns about possible civil-liberties abuses. Congress will block the program’s funds until the GAO “completes a report examining civil-liberties and privacy issues related to the domestic use of picture-taking spy satellites.”
U.S. forces in Iraq are facing a “spike in deadly violence.” Yesterday, a roadside bomb killed four soldiers, pushing “to at least nine the number of Americans who have died” in Iraq this week. A car bomb in Mosul also killed 18 people today, wounding 60.
The United States “will lift key trade sanctions against North Korea and remove it from the U.S. terrorism blacklist,” President Bush announced this morning. The move, which is “a remarkable turnaround in policy,” came after North Korea “handed over a long-awaited accounting of its nuclear work to Chinese officials.” “This is the first step. This isn’t the end of the process,” said Bush in a Rose Garden press conference.
On the trail today: Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) will visit Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University “for an event that his campaign is billing as a summit to help America create jobs, improve education and compete in the global economy.” Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) will kick off a two-day swing through Ohio “with a noon town hall meeting at Xavier University in Cincinnati with undecided voters.”
McCain recently “held a personal meeting with the head of the national gay Republicans organization, the Log Cabin Republicans.” He recently said that he opposed gay marriage; in the past, he has also opposed civil unions.
McCain’s top presidential campaign adviser, Rick Davis, has worked for McCain for nearly eight years and “his relationship with the senator has been a lucrative commodity.” “He and his lobbying firm…have earned handsome fees representing clients who need McCain’s help in the Senate.” He also made money by housing “McCain-related entities” at his firm’s “upscale riverfront office space.”
CQ writes that the Senate may not vote on FISA reform until after the July Fourth recess. “There are two things we have to do before we go home for July Fourth: housing and Medicare,” Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) said Tuesday. “We do not have to do, if the Republicans don’t want to do it, we don’t have to do FISA and we don’t have to do the supplemental” spending measure for the wars.
California will introduce a detailed plan today “to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels in 12 years by requiring more energy-efficient appliances and buildings, lowering vehicle emissions and generating 33 percent of its energy from renewable sources.” The plan, which “is the most comprehensive effort in the country,” would also include a cap-and-trade system.
And finally: Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA) “held court” at the Cafe Japone karaoke bar in Washington, DC, on Tuesday night. With “a pink lei around his neck,” Honda “raised his arm and hooted in support of a young staffer as she struggled through Fergie’s ‘Fergalicious.’” Honda, however, choose to sing “Moon River” in honor of his wedding anniversary. Politico reports that Honda first tried karaoke in 2001, “in an effort to overcome his fear of public speaking during his first days as a congressman.” | <urn:uuid:45e0c3a8-bfdb-4d32-99b7-b79d0652b7b6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2008/06/26/25276/thinkfast-june-26-2008/?mobile=nc | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960603 | 906 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Lettiere, announces creation of
Congestion Buster Implementation Team
(Camden) - Transportation Commissioner Jack Lettiere today announced the creation of the Congestion Buster Implementation Team that will ultimately advance recommendations made last year by the original Congestion Buster Task Force.
"In a state as heavily traveled and densely populated as New Jersey, the most workable transportation infrastructure policies must address the quality of life that motorists experience on the road. Many commuters spend two hours or more each day getting to their jobs. Anyone traveling New Jersey's highways knows that the slightest disruption to the flow of traffic can cause endless delays, especially if they occur at peak hours, keeping us from our jobs, homes and families. Congestion wastes time, money and is outright frustrating. With so many motorists on the road, state government must step up its congestion relief efforts," Lettiere said.
"That was what the Legislature envisioned when it created the Congestion Buster Task force in 2000. Last fall, the Task Force concluded its efforts and we now have a set of findings that serve as the basis for achieving results that will greatly improve the time that we spend on our roads by significantly reducing congestion, Lettiere continued.
"Reducing congestion and improving safety on all the State's roads is one of the major transportation priorities of the McGreevey Administration. For state government to accomplish this in a way that meaningfully addresses the causes of congestion, improves driving conditions and continues to enhance economic well-being for our residents, the Department of Transportation must build on the work the task force started and I am confident that we can achieve real results," he added.
Lettiere, who made the announcement during a speaking engagement at the Committee for a Smart New Jersey 2003 Symposium in Princeton, said he would convene the Implementation Team later this month.
Lettiere said the Department has begun categorizing the Task Force's recommendations by preliminarily identifying short, medium and long-term fixes. The NJDOT has also moved forward with some of the recommendations already, including the increased use of Emergency Service patrols, developing a comprehensive freight plan and expanding park and ride facilities.
The Congestion Buster Task Force is an advisory group that was created by the Legislature at the last renewal of the state's Transportation Trust Fund in 2000.
The Task Force was charged with studying traffic congestion in New Jersey and making recommendations on how best to manage traffic congestion. Those recommendations were delivered in October 2002. Task Force members included representatives from citizens groups, business groups, mass transit and highway operators, Transportation Management Associations, academic institutions, and other interested parties.
The Task Force's final report and other detailed information about its work can be found on the NJDOT website located at http://www.state.nj.us/dot/cbtf/index.html | <urn:uuid:6d860d45-c309-4526-9059-47fbb00b0daa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nj.gov/transportation/about/press/2003/050103a.shtm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956306 | 579 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Election time brings it out, I suppose: the deafening clash of certitudes. However vainly, I find myself wishing to hear a candidate ask a question without a foregone conclusion, actually engaging us in discovering new answers. But no matter how clueless they may feel inside, politicians act like they know it all. And no matter how uncertain we may be as to how to fix things (the road to hell being well-littered with bright ideas that succumbed to the law of unintended consequences), we tend to cast our vote with the one who utters our favorite certainties with convincing verisimilitude.
I’ve had so many conversations lately about certainty that when I hear the opening words of a confident assertion about the character or fate of our species, my mind rebels. When a sentence starts, “Most people…,” I find it hard to hear what follows. It can be comforting to believe that we know what things mean, and that those meanings stay put—so comforting that, for many people, even the existence of equal and opposite convictions doesn’t disrupt their rocklike certainty. Yet even the most Rushmorelike fixtures of history acquire new meanings when people begin to chip away with questions. It’s hard to think of a figure whose meaning is more overdetermined than Hitler’s, no? Well, read on.
Increasingly, questions interest me far more than answers. I know I’ve quoted it here before, but no one could say this better than James Baldwin: “The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions which have been hidden by the answers.” And perhaps the purpose of life as well. Like yours, my life requires a constant stream of decisions, based on preferences, hunches, or calculated choices. I’m happy to speculate about their meanings or consequences, but I draw the line at pretending to know conclusively what those might be. More and more, I’m turned off by the habit of mind that plugs the hole created by a question with an attractive answer, then wipes its hands, closing the subject.
Certainties tend to be categorical: people often make general statements about topics like religion, or technology, or sex. But when we view the world without the need to impose verdicts, we see that sometimes each of these things is an instrument of liberation, and sometimes, tyranny; and the same is true of their opposites: secularism, Luddism, celibacy. Even the purest ideas—maternal love, charity—can be distorted into harm; and even the most menacing—murder, for instance—can spring from altruism. If you’re really paying attention, meanings don’t stay put.
There’s only one thing I’m willing to say with absolute certainty. If any answer seems particularly satisfying, stick around: it will change.
Two stories keep cycling through my mind.
Earlier this month, I blogged profusely from the annual Grantmakers in the Arts conference (here’s the first of six successive essays). But it’s a story I didn’t write that keeps resurfacing. At the final panel of the Support for Individual Artists Preconference, John Corbett, a musician and cultural entrepreneur associated with free jazz and other improvised music, recounted having attended TEDx Midwest, one of the independent events loosely affiliated with the big-ticket TED extravaganza, showcasing groundbreaking speakers.
Corbett was still trying to process what he’d experienced the previous day, which he described as a “marketplace of ideas,” founded on the assertion that “entrepreneurship can solve all problems.” One (unnamed) speaker’s response to Mideast conflict was to “turn terrorism into tourism,” a formulation that to Corbett sounded either absurd or callous or both.
But then I got to thinking about a project I encountered in Barcelona a few years ago, “Tactical Tourism,” described this way by its creators:
Since year 2001 group of artists Tactical Tourism has been realising interventions in the public realm using tourism as a media.
These interventions have been carried out in diverse cities and in different formats –such as the tour on foot or by bus– combining in them audiovisual media, radio broadcasting, publications and performance. Tactical Tourism has also designed wireless technology projects for the intervention of the air space….
Our tours consist of a route through the city or the rural public space. During the journey, places would be visited that are related to the narrated events. Tracks and remainders would be sought: graffiti, monuments, buildings, walls, squares, streets, venues, etc. The visited space could also have been previously “intervened” by us according to the designed route through the use of graffiti, mise en scène, performances, participative actions, etc.
A just-published academic paper on Tactical Tourism explores multiple layers of meaning exposed by the project, explaining that “Tactical Tourism turns to tourism not simply to explore the identity of the city but to transform it, by rescuing ghostly presences of its political past and developing new ways of ‘looking around’ the city.” (If you have access to academic journals, here’s the citation: Obrador, P. & Carter, S., 2010. “Art Politics, memory: Tactical Tourism and the route of Anarchism in Barcelona.” Cultural Geographies, 17(4), pp.525-531.) In other words, even tourism can be the container for deep questioning of historical meanings, for peeling back the layers of accreted convention adhering to a particular site, for raising the questions that have been silenced by certainty.
The definition of “terrorism” is always contested, of course, but in my lexicon, the Franco regime’s relentless commitment to depriving the people of Catalonia of liberty—including the liberty to speak their own language—easily qualifies. The Statute of Autonomy, officially restoring to Catalonia the rights Franco had abolished in the years after taking power in 1936, wasn’t passed until 1979, a year after Franco’s death. Meanings morph at light-speed: terrorism to tourism in the scope of a generation.
The second story turns on YouTube parodies of a scene from the 2004 film Downfall/Der Untergang, portraying the final days of the Third Reich. In the original, Hitler’s trusted comrades begin jumping ship, driving him into extreme fear and despair, played with scenery-chewing conviction by the great Bruno Ganz. Many, many people have substituted their own subtitles for the originals, with the result that successive iterations of the clip portray increasingly trivial disappointments: Hitler is banned from Xbox, he responds to Hannah Montana’s new album, he has problems with Windows Vista, etc. A YouTube search for “Hitler rants” turned up nearly 4,000 hits.
I was at least as horrified to hear about this as John Corbett was to encounter “terrorism into tourism” for the first time. But 29 seconds into the clip that portrays a June, 2009, strategy session at Republican Party headquarters I was helpless with laughter as Hitler says, “Governor Palin will protect us. She can see Russia from her house.”
Among the hundreds—perhaps thousands—of videos (multiplying every day), there are meta-parodies, in which Hitler finds out about the YouTube videos and protests the violation of his copyright. “I’m not a funny man,” Hitler says. “Yet somehow they have made me funny.”
It is the sheer volume of parody that seals the joke. When anyone possessing a computer can reduce one of the greatest monsters of human history to the scale of an ant having a tantrum, we understand an essential truth of human resilience: that all of us possess the power to alter meanings, weakening the certainties that limit our sense of possibility. How much might history have been changed if the same impulse to miniaturize a mammoth bully had been enacted on a comparable scale 75 years ago?
The most-quoted bit in Karl Marx’s pamphlet on the latter stages of the French Revolution, The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis-Napoléon, is this: “Hegel remarks somewhere that all great world-historic facts and personages appear, so to speak, twice. He forgot to add: the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce.”
Marx wasn’t thinking of Hitler on YouTube, of course, and by no stretch could he or anyone else of his time have predicted either Hitler or YouTube. He wrote the pamphlet with an agenda, to analyze the coup staged in 1851 by France’s elected President Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, viewing it through the lens of class struggle. Louis-Napoléon issued proclamations ending the Republic and restoring the Empire, installing himself as Emperor Napoleon III. He presided over countless military ventures, exiling political opponents to Devil’s Island. Marx portrayed Louis-Napoléon as a farceur, a buffoon who’d been projected onto history’s stage by events rather than being cast there by his own character or gifts.
But by restricting the point to two repetitions, Marx greatly understated it. Long after they first occur, all word-historic facts and personages continue to unfold through time, morphing from tragedy through farce to meanings as yet undiscovered. The challenge is to go on noticing as things change, to avoid succumbing to the certainty that signals the death of awareness. How would this look, I like to ask myself, if I let go of whatever I’d previously decided to believe about it?
Soundtrack? What else could it be but Bob Dylan’s 1964 “My Back Pages,” sung by the Byrds? Dylan knew even then that certainty was a young person’s pitfall. It’s a habit we tend to pick it up early on, but it’s never too late to put it down.
Half-wracked prejudice leaped forth
“Rip down all hate,” I screamed
Lies that life is black and white
Spoke from my skull. I dreamed
Romantic facts of musketeers
Foundationed deep, somehow
Ah, but I was so much older then
I’m younger than that now | <urn:uuid:6be6e01e-8d8b-480d-a820-e7f0eeeafd68> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://arlenegoldbard.com/2010/11/01/terrorism-to-tourism-things-change/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950927 | 2,206 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Masaya (population 90,000) sprawls over a tropical plain nestled against the slopes of the volcano by the same name; at its western edge, paths carved by the Chorotegas trace the steep hillside down to the Laguna de Masaya. Twenty indigenous villages of Darianes used to cluster at the water’s edge.
Masaya was officially founded as a city in 1819 and has grown ever since. Several centuries of rebellion and uprising—first against the Spaniards in 1529 and later against William Walker’s forces in 1856, the U.S. Marines in 1912, and in a number of ferocious battles against the National Guard during the revolution, earned the Masayans a reputation as fierce fighters.
Travelers find Masaya less picturesque than Granada and it’s true the streets and building facades in Masaya are less cared for. But the Masayans are a creative people with many traditions found nowhere else in Nicaragua, such as their solemn, mysterious funeral processions.
Perhaps Masayan creative energy goes into its delightful arts and crafts instead of the architecture. Your best introduction to these delights is Masaya’s Mercado Viejo (Old Market), which is so pleasant and compelling that many visitors choose not to stray beyond its stately stone walls. But it’s well worth the money to charter a horse-drawn carriage to carry you to the breezy malecón , to see the crater lake 100 meters below.
Nearly every southbound bus leaving Managua from Roberto Huembes passes Masaya, which is right on the highway, only 27 kilometers from Managua. Faster still are the Masaya- or Granada-bound expresos from the UCA leaving regularly 7 a.m.–9:30 p.m., arriving in Masaya’s Parque San Miguel; from there, they depart for Managua 6 a.m.–8 p.m. The ride costs under $1.
Less recommended is the expreso service between Masaya’s Plaza de Monimbó and Mercado Oriental in Managua, first leaving Masaya at 3 a.m. and running through 7 p.m. Ordinary bus service leaves and arrives at the main terminal in the parking lot of the Mercado Nuevo. | <urn:uuid:e62ad3ab-396f-4676-8221-c84e9bb751b6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://moon.com/print/38785 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936371 | 487 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Back in the States, the mainline religious community and even elements of American evangelicalism has rallied around the Occupy movement, even as the movement sees itself as mainly a secular phenomenon.
Mark Tooley notes the involvement of various denominations and religious groups and on the whole is unhappy about it.
Praising the Occupation is a gamble for liberal evangelicals, who have tried so hard to appear centrist in recent years, anxious to softly persuade suburban churchgoers to abandon their conservative voting habits. Oldline Protestant elites, along with left-wing Catholic activists, of course welcome the Occupation as a long overdue 1960s revival.
The Executive Council of the once prestigious Episcopal Church publicly declared recently "that the growing movement of peaceful protests in public spaces in the United States and throughout the world in resistance to the exploitation of people for profit or power bears faithful witness in the tradition of Jesus to the sinful inequities in society."
There was a time, not too long ago, when Wall Street and the Episcopal Church were viewed, not unfairly, as almost interchangeable. J. Pierpoint Morgan once famously carried his denomination's bishops on his private train to the Episcopal Church General Convention. It's doubtful that Episcopal Diocese of Long Island Bishop Lawrence Provenzano, who personally paid homage to the Wall Street Occupation, will be getting any train rides from prominent financiers. After his pilgrimage, the bishop met at nearby historic Trinity Episcopal Church, Wall Street, with interfaith leaders to discuss how religions can back the Occupation's goals, whatever they are.
Michael Landesburg at the LA Times says that for the hallmarks of religious revival, the Occupy movement is largely a secular affair.
On a bright and raucous afternoon outside Los Angeles City Hall, Cornel West was revving up a crowd at Occupy L.A. As he often does, the prominent philosopher and activist peppered his speech with religious phrases, at one point calling for recognition of "our prophetic Mormon brothers and sisters," as well as Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and "black Baptists like myself."
The crowd gamely applauded. But the biggest roars came when West called out "the progressive agnostic and atheistic brothers and sisters" — a response that seemed to illuminate the largely secular underpinnings of the Occupy Wall Street movement and a challenge now facing the religious left.
There have been flashes of religious activism, even deeply religious moments, in the protest movement that has spread across the country this past month. Some have suggested that the Occupy camps themselves have some hallmarks of a religious movement, with their all-embracing idealism, daily rituals, focus on something larger than the self.
But as the recent incident involving West suggests, the movement also has served to point out not just the gulf between haves and have-nots in modern America, but between the religious right and not-so-religious left. | <urn:uuid:5ff9e246-3dd4-43c8-9879-a57fb3de24cb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/faith_and_politics/religion_and_occupy_wall_stree.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96304 | 588 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Fall is coming to a close. Winter is close behind. Welcome to the “Eating Season”! Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah, New Year’s Eve- not to mention the countless open houses, office parties and other invitations to food indiscretion. Seems like there’s been a lot of interest here in our Holistic Health Blog community not simply on nutrition, but around the whole complex set of behaviors, associations and attitudes we develop around food and eating – the emotional calories as it were.
And while it’s always a good time to do a little check-in around those, now with Turkey (or tofu) Day right around the corner seems especially appropriate.
Don’t misunderstand me here – I enjoy food – a lot. Special meals with special people are something to look forward to, something to enjoy. I like being on both the giving and receiving ends of wonderful home cooking. Occasional overindulgence can be pretty harmless. Moderation in all things – including moderation.
Sharing a meal can equate with friendship, love, caring, nurturing, abundance. We take out our best recipes, most expensive ingredients, and present with a flourish on our nicest china to our guests. Viewed this way, it’s easy to add an element of guilt if we reject the labor-intensive efforts of those who want to feed us. Chances are you never saw a Hallmark card portraying anything less than plates filled to overflowing with holiday fare. Truth be told, I’ve probably been just as responsible for inciting dietary excess in others as the next person who loves to cook.
What I am suggesting is a shift in perspective, one that has nothing to do with counting carbs or calories. One that honors food for what it is – nothing less, but also, nothing more. Like other aspects of a lifestyle that seeks to make us awake, aware, and really in touch with “what really is”, Conscious Eating is a practice. As such, it is a tool, something to experiment with, play with and learn from. What it isn’t is some standard of perfection, some measure of spiritual enlightenment by which we deem ourselves successes or failures.
In my meditation classes I like to include an exercise in Conscious Eating. For the experience, students are verbally led, step by step, as they focus full attention on consuming a single raisin. It’s an eye-opener for most folks. In contrast to distracted, multi-tasking way we eat most of the time, that tiny piece of fruit can become a feast!
By applying elements of that exercise, it is possible to become more aware of what we bring “to the table” at mealtime so we can come away with more of what we really need, and not simply extra calories. In the yogic sense, this practice wasn’t designed for weight loss. In real life, most folks who try it find that they eat less – and – more importantly- enjoy what they do eat more.
- Eat only when you’re truly hungry – Learning to differentiate between true hunger, vs. “mouth” hunger ( wanting a particular food because you like it) or emotional hunger can take some practice. Sometimes the body confuses thirst with hunger.Try drinking a glass of water first, and then wait to see if you still feel hungry.
- Check in with your stress level before eating – Even low levels of stress can affect how we perceive hunger causing us to over or under-eat. Stress releases cortisol into the blood stream causing us to store more of what we eat as fat – particularly around the mid-section. Yes, stress can make you fat! Perhaps your body and energy would be better served by a short walk, or a chat with a friend, rather than a big meal. Pause for a grace or meal blessing if that is your tradition – this can be an opportunity to slow down and refocus.
- Eat to the point of energy, rather than the point of fullness – A very Kripalu concept this one. Just think of it as the antithesis of the post-Thanksgiving stupor that settles over the room once that last piece of pie is consumed. The Japanese have a similar concept. They call it “Hara Hachi Bu” – or – eat till you are 3/4 full.
- Think about what it is that you want to eat – If you eat something cold when you’re wanting something hot – or something soft when you want something crunchy it won’t be as satisfying. When we’re not satisfied we tend to eat more.
- Eat slowly – With the schedules that most folks keep these days – this can be challenging. However, it is a very important to the practice. It takes 20 minutes from the first bite for blood glucose levels to quiet the hunger centers in the brain. If you’re eating too fast, that second plate of food may seem like a great idea. Eating slowly lets us truly taste our meal. Chewing slowly is essential to good digestion. Try putting your utensil down every few bites. Try eating with chopsticks!
- Try a silent meal – Although meals can have an important social element, the distraction can can cause us to eat too fast, too much, or something we really don’t want. Try an occasional silent meal – turn off the TV and Radio, put down the newspaper, focus your full awareness on what you are taking into your body.
- Pause at the end of your meal – Take a minute to check in with how you’re feeling after eating. Notice all the sensations. Pay attention to what they teach you. Be grateful for what you’ve just taken in.
So, there you have it. A practice based in the yogic tradition to try if you like. Something to chew on……. some new ideas perhaps to bring to the table along with the stuffing and cranberries.
May your holiday table be filled with friends, peace, and abundant good health!
Peace – Judi England, RN, LMT, Kripalu Yoga Instructor – [email protected] – 11/19/2012 | <urn:uuid:fa34c354-703c-4868-8334-3f0c5265edd9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.timesunion.com/holistichealth/author/judiengland/page/5/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953267 | 1,293 | 1.59375 | 2 |
May 25, 2011
President Obama is visiting the Queen of England, and gifted Her Majesty with a jar of honey collected from White House beehives. At the same time, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that the winter of 2010-2011 resulted in the destruction of 30 percent of all beehives nationwide.
Eleven years ago, after having completely abstained from cheese, ice cream and pizza for 24 months, I made the decision, to discontinue eating meat, chicken, and fish. I continued to consume honey.
In my own mind, I became a vegan, although I admit to not being a "strict" vegan. I innocently ate cookies or bagels and muffins made with eggs, or enjoyed a slice of toast in a diner that might have been baked with traces of milk powder. I probably also ate some products containing milk chocolate, never asking the server whether the icing or filling was of the dairy variety. Today, I carefully read labels. I educate myself about product ingredients. I do not eat the muffins that I know contain eggs. I do not eat the halvah that I know to contain honey.
Is honey vegan? I am often asked this question, and respond by first stating that I do not eat honey. I then offer a brief explanation about how bees are abused during the collection of their honey. Finally, I offer an alternative. I have found that maple syrup is a great substitute. I use maple syrup in my tea with lemon. I'm drinking a cup as I write this now, long before I leave for the gym...long before the sun comes up. Many years ago, I heard an author and activist lecture about the vegetarian diet. Her name is Joanne Stepaniak. Joanne is the author of The Uncheese Cookbook, Raising Vegan Children, The Vegan Sourcebook, and many other wonderful texts. Recently, I came upon her response to that same question about honey. I have yet to read or hear a better elucidation of this topic. In Joanne's words:
"Regardless of how careful we are, it is impossible to live a totally harm-free life. All animate sentient beings inflict some form of injury or death to others simply by their existence. Humans displace or destroy large and small life forms whenever we erect buildings, plant seeds, dig crops, burn wood, fly airplanes, drive cars, operate factories, walk on grass, or bat our eyes. This is simply an aspect of being alive.
The difference between vegans and nonvegans, however, is the element of intent. Vegans consciously strive to do no harm to any sentient life, including insects. This does not mean that vegans do not hurt others inadvertently, but that it is never their aim to do so.
Honey is made from sucrose-rich flower nectar that is collected by honeybees and then regurgitated back and forth among them until it is partially digested. After the final regurgitation, the bees fan the substance with their wings until it is cool and thick. This mixture, which we call honey (which is essentially bee vomit), is then stored in the cells of the bees' hive and used as their sole source of nutrition in cold weather and other times when alternative food sources are not available.
During the collection of flower nectar, the bees also pollinate plants. This is part of the natural process of life and is necessary and unavoidable. Even though humans inadvertently benefit, the bees do not pollinate plants in order to serve human needs; it is simply a secondary aspect of their nectar collecting. The honey that bees produce is stored in their hives for their own purposes. When humans remove honey from the hive, they take something that is not rightfully theirs.
To collect honey, beekeepers must temporarily remove a number of the bees from their home. During the course of bee management and honey collection, even the most careful beekeeper cannot avoid inadvertently injuring, squashing, or otherwise killing some of the bees. Other commodities may be taken from the hive as well, including beeswax, honeycomb, pollen, propolis, and royal jelly.
Bees are not harmed by the process of pollination -- it is something they would do whether or not humans were involved or reaped any profit. If one were to stretch the point, using honey could, in a broad sense, be considered analogous to dairying. Furthermore, there is no reason to take honey from bees other than to sell it. Utilizing bees to pollinate crops in no way necessitates ravaging their hive. Although the issue of honey is not deemed the most pressing concern of many vegans, honey is nevertheless considered an animal product. Because there are numerous alternatives to honey, from a vegan perspective there is no justifiable rationale for using it. Furthermore, the vegan position on honey is definitive. Honey was prohibited for use by vegans according to the 1944 manifesto of the British Vegan Society (veganism's founding organization), a position consistent with the requirement for full (vegan) membership in the American Vegan Society since its inception in 1960.
Sweeteners are not necessary for human health. There are virtually no essential nutrients (in fact, there are hardly any nutrients at all) in sweeteners, so our use of them is purely for personal pleasure. Although the labor force is typically exploited on sugar plantations, even humans with minimal choices have far more options than the honeybees. Humans can live quite well without sugar or honey. As a rule, extensive use of sweeteners is found only in affluent societies. If vegans want to indulge in sweets, there are many substitutes available: organic, unbleached cane sugar (somewhat kinder to the environment, but not necessarily better for the workers); beet sugar; maple sugar; maple syrup; concentrated fruit syrups; rice syrup; barley malt; and sorghum syrup, among others. We do not need to choose between exploiting humans or bees in order to satisfy our sweet tooth. Concerned vegans can avoid harming either by eliminating sweets from their diet or by choosing compassionate alternatives." | <urn:uuid:1de63a62-5823-4344-97b0-2c89006b6ae0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://animalliberationfront.com/Practical/Health/DoVegansEatHoney-Cohen.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954388 | 1,253 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Wayne Law to host March 6 movie screening focused on the practices of femicide and sex-selective abortion in China and India
March 04, 2013
Wayne Law Career Services and a coalition of student organizations have joined forces to bring the “It’s a Girl” international film tour to Detroit. The screening, free and open to the public, begins at 6 p.m., March 6 at the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights.
The event was inspired by students Eric Shovein and Kristin York, recipients of the Wayne Law 2012 International Public Law Fellowship. Shovein and York spent their placements working for human rights organizations in India. The film will focus on India and China, where millions of babies are killed, abandoned or selectively aborted because they are girls. The result of longstanding traditions and governmental policies, this devaluation of females has led to increasing violence against women and a growing female “gendercide.”
The screening and a brief discussion to follow is co-sponsored by student organizations: ACLU, International Law Students Association, Law Students for Reproductive Justice, Outlaws and the Women’s Law Caucus.
RSVP to [email protected] is available for $6 in Structure 1 on Palmer Avenue across from the Law School. | <urn:uuid:58e4652b-bbc6-49f4-930f-894e37a4d528> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://law.wayne.edu/news_archive.php?id=11157&date=2013-03 | 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 | 0.938003 | 271 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Pakistan is considering appointing Salman Bashir, the nation’s current foreign secretary, as its chief envoy in India, a transfer which could help nudge nascent peace talks along.
The News, a Pakistan newspaper, reported that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had approved Mr. Bashir’s appointment and the government will make a formal announcement later this week.
A Pakistan official with knowledge of the issue said Mr. Bashir, a seasoned career diplomat, had been pushing to become Pakistan’s top diplomat in either India or the U.S.
When estimating the chances for successful peace talks between India and Pakistan, consider this.
On Monday, the U.S. launched a unilateral attack deep inside Pakistan, killing Osama bin Laden and further unhinging the two nations’ shaky alliance.
By mid-week, India had managed to insert itself into the row, with army chief General V. K. Singh telling reporters that the country had the capability to carry out a similar strike on Pakistan.
One of the reasons that U.S. officials decided not to release photographs of a dead Osama bin Laden was because they believed that the most ardent disbelievers wouldn’t be swayed even by compelling evidence.
“Conspiracy theorists around the world will just claim the photos are doctored,” Congressman Mike Rogers, Republican chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives intelligence committee, told the WSJ.
In a different but related context, Pakistan faces a similar problem in the aftermath of Monday’s killing of America’s Most Wanted Man.
More talks between India and Pakistan got underway in Islamabad today. The elephant in the room remains what Pakistan is going to do about Islamist militants whom New Delhi wants to see rounded up for their alleged involvement in terrorism attacks on India.
India says it has evidence that Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, a firebrand Muslim cleric, was a “mastermind” of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed over 160 people. But Pakistan has demurred on arresting Mr. Saeed after the Supreme Court last month ruled he must remain free due to lack of evidence.
Pakistan has put seven members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a proscribed Pakistan-based terrorist group, on trial for their alleged involvement in the Mumbai attacks.
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India Real Time offers analysis and insights into the broad range of developments in business, markets, the economy, politics, culture, sports, and entertainment that take place every single day in the world’s largest democracy. Regular posts from Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires reporters around the country provide a unique take on the main stories in the news, shed light on what else mattered and why, and give global readers a snapshot of what Indians have been talking about all week. You can contact the editors at [email protected].
Check out the main contributors to the blog and their bios here. | <urn:uuid:ea838793-06b2-4ae7-ade8-f55550146dd4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/tag/salman-bashir/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945005 | 651 | 1.679688 | 2 |
The Bracken Environmental Fund was created in September of 1997. Before her death, Rosemary Bracken endowed the fund with a $500,000 gift to enhance Ball State's academic environmental programs. The money is to be used to bring visiting scholars to campus, provide faculty research grants and help students work on environmental projects with faculty members.
Rosemary Bracken was the daughter of Frank C. Ball, one of the five brothers who founded Ball Corp. in Muncie and donated the land and buildings for Ball State University in 1918.
Her husband, the late Alexander M. Bracken, was president of Ball State's Board of Trustees for 22 years and was a chairman of Ball Corp. Their son Frank Bracken, currently serves on the Board of Trustees and was U.S. Undersecretary of the Interior under President George H. Bush.
The fund is managed by the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Bracken Lectures have included:
J. Carl Ganter
Renowned multimedia journalist J. Carl Ganter whose expertise on the economy and natural resources has put him at the forefront of international solutions to the global freshwater crisis, will deliver this year's Bracken Environmental Lecture at Ball State University. Ganter, co-founder and director of Circle of Blue, will describe the environmental dimensions and economic consequences of a global water crisis that is simultaneously producing record levels of flooding and drought-influenced scarcity. Ganter's lecture on March 22, "Our Water Future: Meeting the Challenge of the Century," starts at 7:30 p.m. in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center, Cardinal Hall. It is free, and the public is invited to attend.
Click here for full press release.
New York Times foreign affairs columnist Tom Friedman will share his outlook on the crises of destabilizing climate change and rising competition for energy from his new book Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution—and How It Can Renew America (September 2008), a number one New York Times bestseller.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Speaker. Bracken Environmental Lecture Series. 'Our Environmental Destiny'. One of Time magazine's 'Heroes for the Planet,' Mr. Kennedy will discuss the role that natural resources play in our work, our health, and our identity as Americans. A passionate environmental speaker, he reminds us that we have a responsibility to protect and preserve our planet for future generations. Mr. Kennedy is chief prosecuting attorney for the Hudson Riverkeepers, senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the former president and now chair of the Waterkeeper Alliance. He is considered the first among a new breed of environmentalists. Mr. Kennedy has worked on environmental issues across the Americas, and has assisted several indigenous tribes in Latin America and Canada in successfully negotiating treaties protecting traditional homelands. The New York City watershed agreement, which he negotiated on behalf of environmentalists and New York City watershed consumers, is regarded as an international model in stakeholder consensus negotiations and sustainable development. He also helped lead the fight to turn back the anti-environmental legislation during the 104th Congress.
In the Inaugural Bracken Environmental Series Lecture, Paul Hawken discusses ""Natural Capitalism: The Coming Efficiency Revolution" a book co-authored with Amory and Hunter Lovins. Hawken is a respected businessman, environmentalist and author whose books include the best sellers "Growing a Business" and "The Ecology of Commerce," plus "Seven Tomorrows" and "The Next Economy." His books have been published in more than 50 countries and 27 languages. Hawken chairs The Natural Step, U.S., and co-chairs The Natural Step, International. He has served on the boards of the Point Foundation, which publishes the "Whole Earth Catalog"; Center for Plant Conservation; Friends of the Earth; Trust for Public Land; Ecology Action; and National Audubon Society. He also co-founded Smith & Hawken, a mail-order gardening supply company known for its environmental initiatives. Hawken has received the Environmental Stewardship Award from the Council on Economic Priorities, the Creative Visionary Award from the International Society of Industrial Design, and the Design in Business Award for environmental responsibility from the American Center for Design. He also was the Small Business Administration's Entrepreneur of the Year in 1990. Other honors include the Utne Reader 100 ("100 Visionaries Who Could Change Our Lives"), Esquire Magazine's "Best of a Generation," Inc. Magazine's Dream Team ("12 Best Entrepreneurs of the 1980s") and the Metropolitan Home 100 (100 best people, products and ideas that shape our lives).
Copyright © 2013 Ball State University 2000 W. University Ave. Muncie, IN 47306
800-382-8540 and 765-289-1241 | <urn:uuid:7008473f-699b-44dd-8f78-0c61c209569d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cms.bsu.edu/academics/centersandinstitutes/cote/sustainability/bracken | 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 | 0.938743 | 1,003 | 1.820313 | 2 |
A number of innovative internet security companies recently began marketing suites of products designed to protect social media users. The phenomenon of social media is here to stay: from the growth in social advertising to social gaming, more and more users are continually engulfed in the online social experience. But with increased usage comes the necessity for greater security, especially for the enterprise.
Many corporate social media policies rely on simply blocking social media use altogether. This is quickly becoming a less viable option, however, as a growing number of companies and organizations rely on social media in their daily business tasks. For this reason, security vendors are stepping up and offering something more substantial solutions.
Investors are taking notice of the need for social media security: just this week social media compliance software provider SocialWare raised $7 million in venture funding led by Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital, bringing its total to $12 million for the year. Other firms, including Wedge Networks and Websense, are bulking up their offerings and marketing them specifically as security solutions for social media users. In June, Wedge announced it was expanding its “deep content inspection” network gateway approach to monitor real-time traffic for malicious threats, such as something that appears to be from a trusted Facebook friend. Websense similarly offers two social media products: Defensio, which secures against threats that target a user’s own social media pages (such as on Facebook or a blog), and its TRITON solutions, which protect against incoming threats from social sites a user may visit.
Government entities are also increasingly at risk of social media attacks. A recent report [PDF] by the Government Accountability Office found that nearly all major federal agencies are now using Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to provide information about agency activities and to interact with the public. In that vein, Cyveillance announced in June that government agencies can now utilize its Social Engineering Protection Appliance (SEPA), which uses Email Intent Analysis, real-time URL and link analysis, as well as high value target, protection to help keep users from falling victim to attacks.
Social media is expected to become a much bigger part of enterprise operations, according to Gartner, with social networking services acting as the primary means of interpersonal communications in 20% of businesses by 2014. As social media continues to grow, more attention will fall on these security threats. Smaller security providers focused on social media will be prime targets for future acquirers. These could include established security vendors looking to differentiate and remain current, as well as social networks looking to gain points with users concerned with safety. | <urn:uuid:eea11851-dcc6-4c95-9f42-2f485869faec> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.signalhill.com/tag/cyveillance/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96012 | 520 | 1.6875 | 2 |
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today passed by voice vote, H.R. 4347 and sent it to the full House for a vote. This legislation introduced by Congressman Don Young would name the courtroom inside the Juneau Federal Building after the late Judge Robert Boochever. Senator Murkowski and Senator Begich have introduced companion legislation in the Senate, S.2251.
"Judge Boochever's commitment to Alaska was second to none," said Rep. Young. "I am pleased that my colleagues on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee recognized his service to not only Alaska, but the nation as a whole. I look forward to passing this bill out of the House and working with my two Senators to see it reach the President's desk."
Judge Boochever moved to and began his service to Alaska in 1946 first as an assistant U.S. attorney and later as the fourth Chief Justice of the Alaska Supreme Court. In 1980, Judge Boochever became the first Alaskan to serve on the Federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, where he served for 30 years. | <urn:uuid:b0f84bfc-4876-4aa8-8010-b8dedad33242> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://votesmart.org/public-statement/701866/house-committee-passes-bill-naming-juneau-courthouse | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965992 | 217 | 1.835938 | 2 |
Senate Passes Record Defense Budget, but Are We Safer?
Listen to/Watch entire show:
If Congress does nothing else between now and election day, it will pass another record defense spending bill--even though the Pentagon says it can't keep track of the money. Will more than $500 billion make America safer? Do the House and the Senate care more about oversight or pet projects? Also, an update on today's suicide bombing in Kabul and a conversation about ABC's The Path to 9/11. Is it a docudrama or political propaganda?
Bomb Attack in Afghan Capital Day after NATO Troop Request ()
In Kabul, Afghanistan, today, a suicide bomber killed at least 18 Afghans and two American Soldiers. Many more were wounded. The attack, which struck downtown near the several diplomatic missions, comes as NATO commanders are asking for 2000 more troops to fight the resurgent Taliban.
- Carlotta Gall: Correspondent, New York Times
Senate Passes Record Defense Budget, but Are We Safer? ()
After hours of impassioned debate about terrorism, Secretary Rumsfeld and the war in Iraq, the Senate passed the defense-spending bill yesterday by a vote of 98-to-nothing. Congress is about to do the same. The legislation's $500 billion provides for more military spending than the rest of the world combined. In a post-9/11 election year--with wars going on in Iraq and Afghanistan--no politician in either party wants to be labeled "anti-defense." The Pentagon has admitted it can't keep track of all of that money. So who knows if bigger spending really means greater protection? Are threats to America changing faster than the military can get ready to meet them? Does Congress focus on oversight or pet projects?
Democrats Decry ABC Miniseries, 'The Path to 9/11' ()
Democrats, including former President Clinton, are up in arms over The Path to 9/11, scheduled to run Sunday and Monday nights on ABC. The network calls criticism "premature and irresponsible," because final editing is incomplete. Republican Thomas Kean, co-chair of the 9/11 Commission and a co-executive producer of the 6-hour docudrama, says changes are being made, at his suggestion, and that the miniseries is being made by "people of integrity." Two Democrats who were on the Commission say some scenes contradict its findings.
- Scott Collins: Writer, Los Angeles Times
Transcripts of To the Point are available from The Transcription Company, (818) 848-6500, or www.transcripts.net. A CD copy is available by calling 1.888.600.5279
Engage & Discuss
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a rugged mountain guide, alone, setting out to tackle the challenges of the harsh Canadian mountains in deepest winter… by hunching over his laptop computer.
But for 37-year CMH veteran Jon “Colani” Bezzola, a computer and an Internet connection have become the most important items in his toolbox. It’s an unlikely fate for a guy who earned his guide stripes the old-fashioned way in the Engadine region of Switzerland, back when learning to read snow by eye and feel—not to mention learning to speak five languages—was the closest thing you would get to database management. As CMH’s Mountain Safety Manager, however, Bezzola spends most of the winter flitting across the 15,000 square kilometre expanse of tenures surrounding CMH’s 11 lodges—and his trusty laptop is never far from hand.
“CMH first started compiling snow-related data electronically about 20 years back,” Bezzola recalls. “At first it was a very primitive old MS-DOS system, but by 1994 we hooked up with a young guide from Alta, Utah, Roger Atkins, who had been working on a computerized method of tracking snow conditions over time.” Hans Gmoser managed to talk Atkins into coming to CMH to guide, and together with Bezzola and others, they refined a proprietary system called SnowBase that, much evolved, is still in place.
At its core, SnowBase consists of daily snowfall, weather and condition reports from manual recordings at survey plots in all 11 areas, as well as random field tests. CMH’s own reporting is further augmented by a region-wide information-sharing program of the Canadian Avalanche Association called InfoEx, in which other professionals such as B.C. Highways, backcountry lodges and cat-skiing operations render their own condition reports. From this mass of information, Bezzola and his fellow guides face the ongoing task of digesting its meaning in regards to choosing safe places to ski.
Raw numerical data is only a small part. Human assessment and decision-making remain an essential component. One of the most important enhancements of SnowBase, says Bezzola, is a slope-by-slope photographic record of every named run in the CMH universe, frequently updated in the field using digital cameras. During conference calls just before dinner, and then at the morning guides’ meetings, Bezzola and the guides review the day’s proposed skiing targets specifically in light of the historic and prevailing conditions. “We ask questions like, What type of terrain has been skied over the last two or three days, and was there anything unusual? Did you see any avalanches? What about sluffing? All of these things are noted directly on the photographs, with particular attention to areas of concern.” Another key feature of the process is that at each area, one guide is designated as the daily snow safety evaluator. Rather than guide guests, his or her job is to roam the tenure, make and record stability tests, and ensure that whatever calls were made by Bezzola and the other guides, on-site observation must be able to back them up. And even then, there’s one more vital protocol. “Say we give the go-ahead in the morning; it doesn’t mean things are green and totally without risk. If just one of five guides says ‘I don’t think we should be here,’ it’s off. Everyone has a veto.”
Meanwhile, ordinary skiers usually have just one question for the laptop guru. Have snowfall amounts changed much in your 37 years? “I don’t think so,” he says, “apart from minor year-to-year differences. Sure, maybe temperatures themselves are more prone to fluctuation than they were 20 years back. But as for raw snowfall? Not so much. I never saw it deeper at my place in the Columbia Valley than we had last winter.” | <urn:uuid:3f66b1f6-9b42-49d9-adac-69ffd02bad93> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cmhjournal.com/article/snowtech | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965327 | 850 | 1.773438 | 2 |
This work is comprised of five photographic triptychs portraying toy robots from the 1970s that were stored in the basement of my house for many years but never forgotten. This work can be read at different levels :
The first level is a re-discovery of a beloved object. An attempt to give dignity, value and importance to something that was the most valuable thing to me for many years and in due course lost it’s original significance. Through the process of re-developing affection towards it, the material connotation of the artifact dissolves and becomes a symbol; virtually assuming a “transparency” of the spoken word and the significance of a relic.
A second level of interpretation is cultural, linking history to these robots. Toys that are the plastic incarnation of Japanese cartoon heroes produced between the 1940s and the 1970s. As Japan attempted to leave World War II behind them, they questioned the actual value of the honor, the use of technology and Western power and influence in their culture. The robots were conceived as powerful, gigantic body-forms enhanced by armor. They are partially inspired by the animal world and partially by the imagination of a futuristic world featuring ancient warriors. The relationship between the two inspirations is complementary, jointly embodying the “hero”. The Robots enveloped an almost “motherly” machine, and from its bowels, human beings regained control over a post-atomic world populated by machines.
The awareness of these two levels sent me on a quest in search of the humanity in the photographed subject. The portrait, in this case, acts as a probe as well as a “magnet,” a catalyst, pushing the human features of the structure towards the surface of the mechanical body. Searching for these traces of humanity also enables the viewer to look at the Robots with different eyes: those of the child who played with them. | <urn:uuid:75c8a2a6-d307-4f10-83ef-8280988f41d5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.labrena.it/category/projects | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96522 | 387 | 1.632813 | 2 |
SARANAC LAKE - The creation of artwork is often thought of as a solitary, contemplative effort that takes place over time. In Saranac Lake, from Thursday to Sunday, it will be just the opposite. Nearly 50 artists will be participating in the Adirondack Plein Air Festival.
"Plein air" is a french term that means painting outdoors, in the open air.
Event artists will often paint with each other, rendering their shared view with quick brushstrokes and individual style. Painting outdoors requires less contemplation and more action as paintings are often brought to a finished state in one sitting. Successful plein air painters have taken their painting skills to a unique level - they produce work of comparative quality to studio artists, but with an economy of paint and technique. It's a challenge that takes special skills in observation and brushwork. Artists will be working with oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels and drawing media.
The Plein Air Festival is sponsored by Saranac Lake ArtWorks and spectators are welcome to come watch and talk with the artists. Most are quite comfortable working away, "in the zone", while people walk by and watch.
On Thursday, all the artists will be "painting the town" in the village of Saranac Lake from approximately 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.. Historic buildings, boats on the lake, gardens, the Riverwalk, street scenes, people - all could become subject matter for the plein air painters. Each artist will be donating one 5-inch-by-7-inch painting, created on this day, for a silent auction whose proceeds will benefit Pendragon Theatre. The auction will be set up in the Adirondack Artists Guild Gallery, 52 Main St., by 4 p.m.
The Paul Smith's College VIC will become the subject matter for painters on Friday Aug. 17. With bogs, woods, lakes, forest trails, and babbling brooks to choose from, it should keep artists entertained all day long. In addition, there will be an exhibit opening from 5 to 7 p.m. of plein air paintings, produced at the VIC previously, by Saranac Lake artist Sandra Hildreth and Tupper Lake artist, Nancy Brossard. A CD release party for Celia Evans will follow.
Saturday, the artists will be free to choose their own painting locations. Watch for cars pulled off the road at scenic spots, or check in at event headquarters, the Adirondack Artists Guild in Saranac Lake for maps and directions to suggested painting locations.
A Show and Sale will be held in the Harrietstown Town Hall, on Main Street at the major intersection in Saranac Lake at noon on Sunday. Each artist will be invited to exhibit three framed paintings created at the festival. Ann Larsen, a nationally known plein air painter, will be the juror of awards and those awards will be presented at 1 p.m. There is no admission charge and most works will be for sale. The Plein Air Festival is a perfect opportunity to take home a one-of-a-kind work of art that was created "on the spot".
For more information, visit the Adirondack Artists' Guild, 52 Main St., Saranac Lake, call them at 518-891-2615 or visit saranaclakeartworks.com/pleinair. | <urn:uuid:fe060262-198b-460a-ab02-98ff09cbe5de> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/532364/Adirondack-Plein-Air-Festival-Thursday-to-Sunday.html?nav=5050 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95552 | 711 | 1.5 | 2 |
The Politics & Marketing of Year-Round School
Provides a brief summary of evidence that counters claims of the year-round calendar's academic, financial and other benefits.
Visits the year-round school experience in California, which has housed the lion’s share of the nation's year-round schools for decades.
Provides an overview of the history of the year-round school movement and circumstances leading to its revival in early 1970.
Contrasts the rhetoric and reality of year-round school experiments and other information cited in federal, state and other reports produced over the last 30 years.
A brief review of the political constituency that supports or profits from a reconfigured school year is discussed in the concluding remarks.
Posted here is the first part of Billee Bussard's extensive analysis of Year-Round schooling. For the rest of the story go to her website
By Billee A. Bussard
(November 18, 2009 - AUTHOR'S NOTE: This paper was presented to the Florida Political Science Association in March 2003 as then Florida Gov. Jeb Bush was threatening to place Florida schools on a year-round calendar. The author has decided to make this research public because of the misguided efforts by President Obama's Education Secretary to use calendar change as a means to improve education outcomes. As this paper documents, 100 years of experimenting shows using a year-round school calendar provides no significant educational or economic benefit. Paragraphs highlighted in red provide particularly insightful information that should be helpful to school officials who will be pressured to consider school calendar change and media looking at this issue. The author is aware that some of the links to references may no longer be available on the Internet, but be assured they were available at the time this paper was written as part of an independent study under the guidance of Dr. Henry Thomas, then Political Science Department chair at the University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL. An updated version of this paper is in progress will be produced sometime in 2010.)
This paper is copyrighted, and may not be reproduced or distributed without permission of the author. The paper and its contents may, however, be cited. Some of the research in this paper will be published in a future book. Send inquiries to [email protected] or call (904) 249-2468.
Public school financial problems will be exacerbated and education quality will be compromised if Florida policymakers use a year-round calendar, as Gov. Jeb Bush has proposed, to respond to voter mandates passed November 2002 for class size reduction and expanded preschool. Ample evidence for this conclusion is found in academic research, media accounts, and lawsuits now working their way through the courts.
School calendar reconfiguration has been marketed to policymakers for 100 years as the most cost-efficient means of using and expanding school building space. Year-round school is also pitched as an academic remedy. But these claims run counter to experiences across the nation--especially during the last 30 years--and especially with the multi-track year-round school calendar.
The multi-track year-round calendar expands school building capacity by placing children in the same school on different schedules and rotating a segment of the student body out of classrooms to make room for a segment returning from vacation. The 10- to 12-week summer break of the typical 180-day traditional school year is replaced with shorter, more frequent breaks throughout the year and a short summer vacation. School capacity can be extended up to 50 percent, depending on the calendar used. With some calendar plans, such as the Concept 6, a third of the students get no summer vacation break. Children in the same families are sometimes assigned different vacation schedules. Some version of a year-round calendar is also used when school districts extend the traditional school year by two weeks or more.
Post-election, Gov. Bush floated the multi-track year-round calendar as a possible response to the class size reduction amendment he strongly opposed, then made it part of his final plan to address voter wishes. Rather than find money to build new classrooms, the governor made the year-round calendar one of the required options for districts that do not meet the two-per-year reduction in average class size beginning next year.
Meeting the mandates without funds to build new classrooms is expected to plunge many Florida school districts into a facilities crisis they have been teetering on for years due to decades of rapid population growth and school reform edicts that gobbled up classrooms. Just incorporating technology into the classroom, as commanded in 1983 in A Nation At Risk, is estimated to consume as much as 25 percent of school facility space. “The size of the standard classroom needs to increase another 25 percent to incorporate new technology into everyday instruction,” Education Week reported in 1996, citing a U.S. Government Accounting Office study.
While this paper focuses on the multi-track calendar proposed by Gov. Bush, it also makes note of detriments common to both multi-track and single-track year-round calendars.
Single-track year-round school keeps all students on the same vacation schedule but shortens the summer break and places children in classrooms in the hottest months of the year. Implementation of a single-track calendar often precedes an incremental implementation of a multi-track calendar in many school districts faced with rapid growth and fund shortages. Single-track calendars are marketed under a dozen various labels, among them: modified calendar, balanced calendar, flexible calendar, and continuous learning calendar.
A consistent complaint in media, school district and research reports from around the country is that a year-round calendar--both the multi-track and single-track versions--narrows the window of opportunity for busy, modern-day families to schedule vacations together.
Thomas Payne, as director of year-round education for the California Department of Education, said the year-round calendar "has the potential to break the family apart."
This paper examines the politics and marketing of the year-round calendar that swayed so many business and political leaders in the 20th century, including Florida's policymakers, that school calendar reconfiguration was prudent public policy. In doing so, this paper:
This research with its retrospective look at the year-round school movement should give policymakers in the 21st century pause about adopting a school facilities and education reform whose origins date back to horse-and-buggy days.
1.1 - Mounting Evidence Against Year-Round School Calendar
Some of the most recent and most dramatic evidence of the failure of the multi-track year-round calendar as a public policy can be found in the closely watched Williams v. California education inequity lawsuit still working its way through California courts in 2003. Testimony filed in that case documents how the multi-track year-round calendar compounds school education delivery and other public policy problems, and serves to further segregate public schools.
Florida already has a serious school segregation problem. The state is identified as the 9th most segregated state for Hispanic and the 20th most segregated for black students in a report by The Civil Rights Project at Harvard University that examined racial mix of U.S. schools in 2000. The state has gone backward. Segregation in Florida schools today mirrors conditions 30 years ago.
Even academics who are advocates of year-round school warn that "implementing a [multi-track year-round calendar] may result in . . . ghettoization of specific student [or teacher] groups on separate tracks."
NOTE: This is only the introduction of a full examination of Year-Round Schooling. For the rest of the story, go to Summer Matters.
INDEX OF RESEARCH THAT COUNTS | <urn:uuid:e8c8b7e0-9601-4741-98ef-eb15a6263044> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.susanohanian.org/show_research.php?id=316 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949614 | 1,561 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Amine el-Khalifi is a Moroccan young man who came to the United States 14 years ago at the age of 16 on a tourist visa. He eventually overstayed his visa as thousands of others do each year and has resided illegally in the United States ever since.
On Friday morning el-Khalifi was arrested on terrorism charges as part of an FBI sting. He was headed for the U.S. Capitol’s visitor entrance wearing a bomb vest and holding a Mac 10 machine gun. His intent was to kill as many people as possible in his suicide mission. El-Khalifi was engaged in what he thought was a suicide mission for al-Qaeda.
Thankfully, the FBI had been investigating el-Khalifi for about a year and their undercover operation ensured that whatever equipment had been given to el-Khalifi was inoperable.
According to press reports, el-Khalifi had been preparing for this event for some time, even testing home made explosives in a quarry in West Virginia. What is most disconcerting is the fact that until his plans for terrorism came to the attention of federal authorities, el-Khalifi would have been eligible for the Obama Administration’s new policy of administrative amnesty, or potentially given U.S. citizenship through the DREAM Act. As someone whose only crime, in the eyes of the Administration, was that he was here illegally, he would have had a good chance of avoiding deportation proceedings.
While we applaud the efforts of our federal enforcement agencies in protecting this country, how long before another el-Khalifi tries and succeeds in carrying out a terrorist act? Of the 19 terrorists that carried out the 9-11 attacks against New York and Washington, at least 15 had overstayed their visitor visas and were in the country illegally. Terrorists only need to get it ‘right’ once and it can come at a devastating expense to innocent lives. | <urn:uuid:5e178fb2-71bf-4b4e-99f7-ec95ab9175fa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://immigrationreform.com/2012/02/21/yet-another-reason-to-oppose-obama%E2%80%99s-policy-of-administrative-amnesty/comment-page-1/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.98468 | 397 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Women are pension winners
WOMEN and carers were said to be the big winners from the pensions shake-up - but there was no assistance for the five million women who are already claiming a pension or are nearing retirement age.
Millions of women who stay at home or take time out to bring up children or care for a sick or elderly relative will eventually benefit from the plans to slash the number of years of National Insurance contributions a woman needs to accrue so she can receive a full basic state pension from 39 to 30.
Many women currently miss out because they do not gain enough credits to earn a full pension.
Ministers said that when the change kicks in after 2010, seven out of ten women reaching pensionable age will be entitled to a full basic State Pension, compared with just 30% now.
People who care for sick or disabled relatives will also benefit from plans to let them build up their entitlement to a state pension. From 2010, they will be treated as if they are in full-time work and making National Insurance contributions when pension entitlements are calculated.
Many carers miss out because they fail to chalk up enough contributions to qualify for a full state pension. Carers will also have their contributions to the state second pension calculated on a weekly rather than a yearly basis to allow those who work or care part-time to accrue their contributions a bit at a time.
Around a third of Britain's 6.6 million carers spend more than 20 hours a week caring for sick or disabled relatives. Some 400,000 are not building enough entitlements to qualify for the full basic state pension.
Campaigners reacted with dismay to the fact that the proposals do little for those women who have been shortchanged by the current rules.
More than 3.8 million who are already retired will continue to suffer because they have not made enough National Insurance contributions. And 1.1 million women currently between 56 and 60 will not benefit at all from the proposals because they will have retired before the new rules on National Insurance contributions have kicked in.
Pensioners who look after a 'dependent' relative will also find that the Government is giving with one hand and taking away with the other. Ministers have decided to abolish handouts which boost their state pension if they are caring for a spouse or children.
The so-called Audit Dependency Increases are currently worth 60% of the recipient's basic pension - currently £50.50 a week where the pensioner is receiving a full basic state pension.
The extra payments will no longer be offered to new pensioners after 2010 but those already receiving the benefits will keep their entitlement until 2020.
The Department of Work and Pensions says that the money saved from axing the payments, which are largely of benefit to women, will be ploughed back into paying for the reduction in the number of years necessary to claim a full pension.
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A spokesman said: 'Any suggestion that this is anything other than good news for carers and women is rubbish. One of the key aspects of our plans is to directly benefit these two groups.'
Imelda Redmond, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said: 'Today's White Paper recognises the vital role carers play in our society, and takes a bold step forward in offering them better pension rights and a more secure financial future.'
Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Philip Hammond said: 'We welcome the package of measures that will address the unfairness suffered by women under the present system.' | <urn:uuid:4be9a4d9-8863-4c53-8040-ede57d95b8b9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/pensions/article-1599082/Women-are-pension-winners.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960348 | 780 | 1.59375 | 2 |
The latest addition to corporate programs through CommExpress is the emphasis on Emotions in the Workplace.
Emotional juice is what fuels our efforts - or stalls them.
What makes the difference? Why does one person react to a situation so differently from another? What causes one person to feel "support" or "exciting challenge," and another to feel "left out" and "dismissed" under the same circumstances.
Emotional reactions are with us all the time . yet the skills of how to unravel the emotional experience from the physical experience are often poorly exercised.Our presentations and training begin with the fundamentals on emotions - how to:
We see that emotional intelligence is more than "coping with" or "managing emotions." It's about using them - appropriately -- as a gateway to awareness and greater success.Contact us about our programs on: | <urn:uuid:b815dcde-9b8b-447e-b589-6f1b7334435c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://commexpress.com/emotionsintheworkplace/main.html | 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 | 0.952313 | 176 | 1.632813 | 2 |
PC.66 Elaine Badgley Arnoux
Adopt This Piece
She was born in Omaha, Nebraska and moved to Southern California when she was 11. She was granted a scholarship to Chouinard Art Institute. Elaine Badgley Arnoux moved to San Luis Obispo, works as a watercolorist depicting landscapes and buildings of the area. Helped found San Luis Obispo Art Association in1952, was its first president. Painter, portraitist, teacher, activist and illustrator, Arnoux's works are featured in the collections of numerous museums, including the San Francisco Fine Arts Museums, the National Women's Museum in Washington, D.C., the Triton Museum of Art, the de Saisset Museum and the Berkeley Art Museum. Some of Arnoux's San Franciscans portraits are featured in the book, The People of San Francisco: Lives of Accomplishment. | <urn:uuid:f3132d03-9e2d-4342-9158-c790544d5a0e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sloma.org/permanent-collection/museum-collection-archive.php?id=62 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958143 | 185 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Rory Browne wrote:
>>and even have a comparable page in the wiki where people can propose
>>updates to that page (perhaps auto-updating if a change has survived X
>>days a la debian testing).
>>>>>I like the idea of a Debian-testing like system. Anyone know what wiki
>software supports such a feature? Perhaps this would suggest the use
>of SCM software instead of a Wiki though.
>>I would not have thought this would be a major job .... either by using
the internals of the chosen wiki somehow, or by simply wgeting the wiki
(or equivalent) and comparing the diffs to the static site with the
diffs to the static site from the wiki version N timeunits ago, if the
diffs are the same on a file it updates, otherwise it doesn't. Then
admins/moderators/webmasters can "hand copy" across pages moving too
fast whenever they are in a good state (or you could check which parts
of the old diff have not been changed in the new diff and just apply
those) or pages which are now ready to go static (at first just the
homepage changes would migrate). This would probably just mean they
create a map of wiki words to paths/pages. I'd be willing to hack up
something if required. We would probably want to do a little munging
on the pages to remove unneccessary wiki markup, rewrite links to other
static data and externalise links to wiki only data. Note that my aim
is to have the content as plain html so I would favour an approach like
this over using a duplicate locked down wiki as the "static" site.
Maintained by the ILUG website team. The aim of Linux.ie is to
support and help commercial and private users of Linux in Ireland. You can
display ILUG news in your own webpages, read backend
information to find out how. Networking services kindly provided by HEAnet, server kindly donated by
Dell. Linux is a trademark of Linus Torvalds,
used with permission. No penguins were harmed in the production or maintenance
of this highly praised website. Looking for the
Indian Linux Users' Group? Try here. If you've read all this and aren't a lawyer: you should be! | <urn:uuid:a761dff6-54b4-49de-9013-f8dee1e0ecc3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.linux.ie/lists/pipermail/ilug/2005-May/079568.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948346 | 495 | 1.5 | 2 |
Perhaps lost amidst the excitement over new cameras at CES 2012 earlier this month was the SD Association’s unveiling of a new Wi-Fi data transfer standard. This new specification should make it easier for other memory card manufacturers to jump into the Wi-Fi-capable memory card game — an arena currently dominated by Eye-Fi (and more recently Toshiba).
Eye-Fi is, predictably, not happy with this latest development. The company is itself part of the SD Association, but has chosen not to back the standard. In a blog post published last week, CEO Yuval Koren argues that any company implementing the new standard would violate Eye-Fi’s patents for technology that took “tens of millions of dollars and several years” to create.
Curious about where people like to take pictures in your part of the world? Sightsmap is a simple Google Map app that takes geo data from the photos uploaded to Panoramio (now a Google service) and uses it to generate a heatmap.
The Girl With 7 Horses is a creative project by photographer Ulrika Kestere that shows a girl traveling to various landscapes in search of her “invisible horses”:
Once upon a time there was a girl who had 7 invisible horses. People thought she was crazy and that she in fact had 7 imaginative horses, but this was not the case. When autumn came the girl spent a whole day washing all her clothes. She hung them on a string in her garden to let the gentle autumn sun dry them. Out of nowhere, a terrible storm came and its fierce winds grabbed a hold of all her clothes and all seven horses (authors note: since they are invisible they obviously didn’t weigh much). The girl was devastated and spent all autumn looking for each horse spread around the country, wrapped in her clothes.
Photographer Lee Jeffries worked as a sports photographer before having a chance encounter one day with a young homeless girl on a London street. After stealthily photographing the girl huddled in her sleeping bag, Jeffries decided to approach and talk with her rather than disappear with the photograph. That day changed his perception about the homeless, and he then decided to make them the subject of his photography. Jeffries makes portraits of homeless people he meets in Europe and in the US, and makes it a point to get to know them before asking to create the portraits. His photographs are gritty, honest, and haunting. Read more…
Bloomberg writes that Kodak’s bankruptcy announcement yesterday was simply another step in CEO Antonio Perez’s grand plan to sell off the company’s photography divisions and patents in order to focus on selling digital printers and ink. At the same time, the company has been quick to reaffirm its dedication to producing film. Kodak marketing director Audrey Jonckheer was quoted by BJP today as saying,
Film (still and cinema) remains a profitable business for Kodak, and we have the broadest and most respected portfolio of films in both segments. We have taken steps to sustain the business as it has declined, and we know that there are hundreds of passionate fans of film for the artistic and quality reasons they cite. We remain committed to make film as long as there is profitable demand for it. And as I noted, it is still profitable.
That’s definitely good news for film photography lovers. Want film to survive? Just keep buying it, and hope other shooters do the same!
Here’s the first photo showing a portion of the upcoming Olympus OM-D (it appears to be the shutter release, two dials, and buttons on the upper right hand corner of the camera). The high-end enthusiast camera will reportedly cost around $1,100 when it starts shipping in March. What are your observations based on this glimpse?
Star Wars Uncut is a remake of the original Star Wars movie created with the power of crowdsourcing. The project started back in 2009 after creator Casey Pugh sliced the original movie into 15 second segments and asked volunteers to use their creativity to recreate the scenes at home. The best clips were combined into a feature length film, which went on to win an Emmy Award in 2010 for “Outstanding Creative Achievement In Interactive Media”. Above is the recently-released director’s cut of the film.
San Diego-based photographer Tim Mantoani has an awesome project and book titled “Behind Photographs” that consists of 20×24-inch Polaroid portraits of famous photographers posing with their most iconic photographs. The film costs $200 per shot, and Mantoani has created over 150 of the portraits already since starting the project five years ago. Read more…
A UK photographer who goes by the moniker Hamstify was documenting his town Scunthorpe late last year when he was confronted by security personel outside a Golden Wonder plant and ordered to stop photographing. He was shooting from a public location, so he decided to stand up for his rights and film the argument that transpired. On VisitScunthorpe.com, he writes,
What also aggrieves me is that someone in a uniform representing a company in an apparent position of authority can try and intimidate members of the public by making up laws that don’t exist. This seemed to be an attempt to subjugate a member of the public into accepting what was being told was to be true. Further more hurling offensive insults and puerile slander, like seen at the end of the video, surely isn’t something that someone in that position should resort to.
In general, for UK residents, photography from public places is perfectly legal. There are some exceptions (e.g. buildings critical to national security), but the general rule of thumb is that if you’re shooting from public property police and security guards don’t have the power to stop you. | <urn:uuid:c3c94a6a-df73-4400-b1bc-1c624201bb8a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://petapixel.com/2012/01/page/6/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966792 | 1,210 | 1.5625 | 2 |
January is a time of renewal. It also happens to be when appliance makers show off their visions of what is to come. The event is CES 2013 and this year, according to those that make kitchen gadgets and appliances, everything is going to be very, very smart. While we have been promised automated kitchens in one form or another since the time of the Jetsons, there is one important factor in the modern world that may see the smart kitchen finally grow up: mobility.
BERLIN--Fast forward 10 years and we'll all own fridges like the one shown above. Fast forward another 10 years and we'll all be working for the fridge shown above, slaving away in the ice mines to appease our chilly overlord.
Haier's semi-transparent concept fridge is one of the more exotic things on show at the IFA tech trade show here in Berlin. I've been hands-on with the "Minority Report"-esque technology, so read on for everything you need to know.
The first thing you'll notice is that front of the fridge has a large, dark screen through which you can -- if you squint -- make out your food. That's because this fridge has a semi-transparent display, meaning you can both see what's onscreen, and make out objects behind it. … Read more
Haier appears to have developed a truly wireless large-screen TV. Despite its rather uninspired "completely wireless TV" moniker, the huge 55-inch prototype is a sight to behold in use without any cables dangling behind the panel.
To ditch the wires, the Chinese brand is employing Wireless Home Digital Interface (WHDI) technology to stream content, and magnetic resonance to power the TV. Sony demonstrated a similar concept way back in 2009, albeit with a much smaller 22-incher.
There are drawbacks to using magnetic resonance technology, which provides limited power output and requires a dedicated receiver and transmitter. These components are not only bulky, it's also unclear if they need power cords of their own, which would defeat the whole purpose of using this wireless tech.
This week, Donald and Eric discuss the future of mind-controlled televisions, and an iPad joystick that looks like Atari's vision of the future from the '80s. The horror of the MIDI accordion is revealed for what it is. And in Geek News, Donald and Eric sum up the unforgivable digital vandalism George Lucas has wrought on his masterpiece.
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China-based Haier is showcasing an interesting mind control technology for TVs at the ongoing IFA trade show in Berlin. The Brain Wave resembles a headset, with an extension placed peculiarly on the user's forehead to control a TV's volume and change channels with thoughts alone. The firm demonstrated its prototype with a game that involves blowing up barrels with your mind. Even if Haier gets the system to market for TVs, we're betting it won't be easy to convince most consumers to don the bulky headset in its present form.
Having said that, we would love to see the Brain Wave miniaturized and made more comfortable, or possibly integrated into regular 3D glasses. Until then, there are other, less intrusive alternatives to remote controls ranging from voice recognition to hand gestures.
Though wine is ancient, wine accessories and appliances are often quite modern. However, as popular as shiny metal and a sophisticated black satin finish may be, there are other options when it comes to wine decor--like bamboo.
Underneath all the bamboo of the Haier HVTS16AMB 16-Bottle Bamboo Cabinet Wine Cellar there is still a modern wine refrigerator, complete with a double-pane insulated glass door and three full-width chrome storage racks (with wood facings) that can store up to 16 bottles. The electronic controls are front-mounted and feature a decidedly modern blue LED panel for displaying temperature information. A soft interior … Read more
A sink full of dirty dishes is a good way to ruin an appetite. Faced with the need to do a chore before eating, the result is all too often not eating. Or, rather than skipping a meal, a quick run to the local fast food establishment could be the answer to avoidance of the dreaded dirty dishes. Neither option is particularly appealing. If dirty dishes got you down, the only way to deal with them is to (eventually) clean them up. If kitchen size is the source of your procrastination, a compact dishwasher could be the solution.
If you hope to survive against the reigning king of MP3 players, otherwise known as the Apple iPod Nano, you better have some jaw-dropping feature that makes you stand out. Unfortunately, while Haier America's latest offering, the HEC Video MP3 Player, puts a good foot forward with its solid sound quality and a very palatable price tag, its quirky navigation isn't going to do much to tempt prospective iPod buyers. However, if you've been hunting for a music device that actually has a decent shuffle algorithm, the HEC is worth a look.
This week, Donald and Jasmine discuss the firmware fix to the Zune HD, which can now count itself a feature short of one-upping the iPod Touch, thanks to a new Gigaware remote that adds HD radio to the omnipresent king of MP3 players. We also get to spend a little one-on-one time with the slick-but-confusing Cowon E2 and the boring-but-shuffletastic Haier America Video MP3 Player. Plus, we direct you to a couple of how-tos you may find worth your while, and we address some listener questions about earphones, podcast management, and iPod speaker docks. | <urn:uuid:c17c312a-a361-4cba-b25b-5de727d0aafd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cnettv.cnet.com/8300-5_53-0.html?keyword=haier | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945095 | 1,177 | 1.757813 | 2 |
As children, we’re often given guidance from our parents, teachers and mentors on how to act, how to live and how to succeed. This insight ultimately leads to the choices we make, how we treat others and how we see ourselves. One of the more common pieces of advice? Be yourself, and don’t worry about what others think of you. While this may be reasonable for preteens who are struggling with their identity, it’s actually a pretty poor choice for both job seekers and employers alike.
Workplace and Relationship Perceptions
Not that you shouldn’t be yourself (that authenticity piece is the key to developing relationships), but ignoring the workplace and relationship perceptions of others can put a serious damper on your personal brand or employer brand. This lack of awareness creates a divide between you and your target audience that may lead to irreversible consequences down the road because the fact remains that perception really is your brand.
Perception May Be Your Employer Brand, but Technology Can Help
Like it or not, you will never have total control of your employer brand, but that’s not to say you can’t steer it in the right direction. In order to do this, though, you must disregard that advice you received when you were young and become actively involved with the conversation surrounding your company.
Luckily for us, we live in a digital world and have countless tools at our disposal. Not only do we have the huge social networks like Facebook and Twitter, which are conducive to open conversation, we also have online communities like Glassdoor that make it possible for applicants and current/former employees to share their experiences and sentiment toward a company’s employer brand publicly. Additionally, the implementation of social listening tools like Radian6, Social Mention and countless others make it possible to monitor social media, blogs, comments and more for references to your company.
Take the Reins, Employment Engagement.
While making the decision to use one or more of these tools as part of your employer brand and recruitment strategy is a step in the right direction, the real issue is knowing what to do with the information you collect. I call this employment engagement. It’s simply not enough to know what people are saying about your company (whether good or bad); you have to be committed to changing the perception of others to match the perception you and your employees have of yourself internally.
The first and big step is engaging these users, but don’t forget that other piece of advice you received when you were young: actions speak louder than words. No one will care if you simply say you have a great culture or tell your community that your company should be their employer of choice. You have to show them by quickly responding to questions, correcting issues, providing a great candidate experience and showcasing your organization through recruitment video, employee brand advocates and more.
Hiring the Right People in War for Talent
If you want to have a competitive advantage in hiring the right people the so-called ‘war for talent,’ now is the time to take the reins and start guiding others’ perceptions of your company. Remember, your employer brand isn’t what you say it is – it’s what others say it is.
Autumn McReynolds is the Content Strategist and Lead Blogger for TalentMinded, an online publication focused on talent attraction and engagement in the digital age. After landing in the recruitment space in 2009, she has spent the past three years in the job board industry as both a recruiter and project manager, consulting with clients about job advertisements, employment brand and SEO strategies for attracting new candidates via job postings. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter. | <urn:uuid:3081007a-5d89-46ee-a45a-40dc8dcbc14c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.blogging4jobs.com/hr/perception-employer-brand/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955846 | 765 | 1.796875 | 2 |
In honor of National Library Week, Lori at Smoky Mountain Family History has challenged genea-blogers as well as others to post one tribute to libraries.
As a child, I loved to read and this came about at a very early age - I believe I was not yet three years old. I do remember being able to spell long words like xylophone at age three. But this ability did not come about by itself - my mother read to me all the time and encouraged me to read on my own.
My early school years, grades 1 through 3, were at Saint Peter's Catholic School in Liberty, New York where I grew up. We really didn't have a library per se; rather it was a large closet that had been converted into a "book room." To me it wasn't very welcoming and I never really remember going there.
I first discovered the library at school while I was in the 5th grade. To me, it was a fascinating place where I could spend all day if I were able. The librarians were women who were kind but firm. They enforced all the rules but also had time to help you find a book for a book report.
As I grew older, I spent more time at the public library in our small village. It was a fairly modern building that really stuck out among all the much older houses and stores on North Main Street. The Jacob and Edith Beck Memorial Library was a two story wonderland to me. For a boy from a small town, they seemed to have everything. When my mother would go in to pick up the latest "good read" that was on the bestseller's list, I'd beg her to leave me there while she went grocery shopping. By time I was 11 years old, I knew where all the different sections were and what they contained. And it seemed that I was always checking out books to read at home which was important since we really could not afford to buy them on our own.
The Jacob and Edit Beck Memorial Library, Liberty, New York
When I went off to college in 1980, I encountered my first really big library: the Gelman Library at The George Washington University. With seven floors and over 1 million volumes, I had everything I needed not only for academic research but for pleasure reading as well. Within six-months of arriving on campus, I had already snagged a work-study part-time job in the Acquisitions department. My main job was to process incoming books so that the Catalog department could enter them into the system. I enjoyed working there with a great group of people.
The Gelman Library, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
As if that weren't enough, as I started my graduate studies, I realized that I was in a city where I could take advantage of the ultimate library: The Library of Congress.
Large and imposing, I was determined to make it work for me - and I did. Beginning in my senior year of undergraduate studies, I was able to secure a "study shelf." This meant, rather than having to fill out a call slip and wait an hour for delivery of the book every time I went there, I could place books on a shelf labeled with my name. This made it much easier to go and perform research there but it did take the books out of circulation for other researchers. Luckily, the staff knew where the books were and sometimes I would go to my shelf a notice was left stating that the book had been removed and who was using it. There were times when this happened and it was fun to meet someone else also researching your same or similar topic.
The Main Reading Room, Library of Congress, Washington, DC
These days I don't get out much to the library but when I do, it is usually at the Harold Washington Public Library here in Chicago. This place is a wonder even from the outside! Although it looks like a large older building in the stlye of Louis Sullivan, it is in fact very modern. Plus who can resist the huge gargoyles posted at each corner of the roof!
Harold Washington Public Library, Chicago, Illinois | <urn:uuid:619edfa4-b6b9-4cdc-9e8b-b3f1cc639b78> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://destinationaustinfamily.blogspot.com/2008/04/my-library-my-refuge.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.98998 | 843 | 1.703125 | 2 |
How To Fix Photoshop 'Scratch Disk Full' Errors
In Photoshop, scratch disk full errors can pop up unexpectedly. The message could mean that one or a number of things have gone wrong.
Step 1 - Check your scratch disk
You will first need to find out what hard drive is set up as your Photoshop scratch disk. You can pull up this information by looking in your Photoshop Preferences. Now, open that hard drive in your desktop. In all likelihood, this hard drive is now extremely full, which is not only bad for Photoshop, but also for your personal storage. Try to clear some space for yourself.
Step 2 - Delete temp files
If you cannot bring yourself to delete any of your files, there may be some Photoshop files that you can erase. Look for any Photoshop temp files that start with "pst" followed by some numbers and then the file extension ".tmp". These are expendable as long as your work is saved.
Step 3 - Assign a new scratch disk
You can also change which hard drive you want set as your scratch disk. Make sure that your new choice has free space then go back to your Photoshop preferences and make the assignment. You can also use multiple hard drives.
When your scratch disk is full it is only a matter of data management to fix it. A little reorganizing should get you back on track.Popular Cameras for High Quality Photos: | <urn:uuid:a8079db5-736a-4655-9848-72f633bf7bb4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.steves-digicams.com/knowledge-center/how-tos/troubleshooting-repair/how-to-fix-photoshop-scratch-disk-full-errors.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940628 | 287 | 1.570313 | 2 |
The retail sector plays a vital role in the fur industry. Along with other elements of the industry – fur "production" (fur farms, trapping), the trade in pelts, fur processing – it is above all fur sales which decide how lucrative the business of fur is. ESCADA is involved in several stages of this process: designing its own collections, producing them in its own factories, and selling them exclusively in its own shops, or in shop-in-shops and concessions in department stores. The fashion house ESCADA therefore bears a share of the responsibility for the continued imprisonment and killing of "fur animals". ESCADA’s withdrawal from the fur trade could (...) act as a signal to the luxury industry as a whole; a signal that fur clothing has nothing elegant, nothing glamorous about it because violence can never be aesthetic and never be beautiful.
Please contact the ESCADA group to protest against the sale of fur.
Phone: +49 89-99440
Fax: +49 89-99441111
There are many possibilities to protest against ESCADA due to its global extension and its legal status (it is a joint stock company - click here for more information about ESCADA.
Show the ESCADA group that you will not support violence against animals. Don´t buy any products from Escada until they stop selling fur and announce a fur-free policy. Don´t buy any products made from real fur or fur trim.
Please support the work of the Global Network Against the Fur Trade by getting actively involved in protests or by providing information or resources. | <urn:uuid:e2111777-22ae-463d-8484-1f970b77b836> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://antifur-campaign.org/escada_why.php?lang=en | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942952 | 320 | 1.710938 | 2 |
IOWA CITY – A draft report of a study of a controversial levee proposed for Taft Speedway Street in Iowa City has been released.
Click here to view the 400-page report.
The City Council last year hired HDR Engineering Inc. for $84,550 to study the effects of a levee, initially proposed at up to 10 feet high, on Taft Speedway along the Iowa River.
The intent is to protect the area to the north, including a 92-unit condominium complex, from future flooding.
But the nine homes left on Taft Speedway since the 2008 flood would be between the levee and the river. Those residents and some from the flood-prone Parkview Terrace neighborhood, just upstream of Taft Speedway, have opposed the levee.
Property owners in the Idyllwild have been just as vocal in their support of the project.
The levee has been a priority for city officials, but last year the government order further study of how the structure would affect the homes on Taft Speedway and in Parkview Terrace.
The Gazette and at least one resident requested copies of the report last month under Iowa’s open-records law. The city denied those, saying that the unfinished document was not a public record and the city did not release draft reports.
State lawmakers earlier this year added a provision to the law allowing draft documents to be kept secret, but that does not take effect until July 1, 2013.
The resident, Mary Murphy, who lives in Parkview Terrace and is a critic of the levee, then reminded city officials that its consultant promised at a June forum that the draft report would be released and the public would be able to comment on it.
The final report is expected later this month. | <urn:uuid:bdc5b6a3-2a20-4b43-a650-ef7063ec72b3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://thegazette.com/notes/government/20121003/iowa-city-releases-draft-report-of-controversial-levee/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963688 | 364 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Students receive real-world experience while pursuing a degree!
For parents, one of the biggest financial decisions they have to make is which college is the best investment for their child's future. Some see college as a place for young adults to learn to live on their own and become generally educated. That sounds pleasant enough, but is it the best way to prepare students for the real world, and is it the best use of your money? At Kettering, we don't think so.
The Kettering Co-op program is designed to create a return on your educational investment right now. Kettering Co-op matches students with the industry that they are interested in, and closely monitors their progress, while providing them a world class technical education.
Students receive real-world work experience at the same time that they pursue a degree, reaping the benefits of getting in on the ground floor of an industry, and having an open door waiting when they graduate. That's an investment you can feel good about. | <urn:uuid:39dcd474-4781-4de1-9fff-a2ef5ca7908e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://kettering.edu/co-op/co-op-parents/what-co-op | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973957 | 203 | 1.835938 | 2 |
Beating the street
ANY fool can make money in a bull market. It is in less straight-upward markets that true investing skill is revealed. One such rare talent is Leon Levy, a guiding force behind two hugely successful Wall Street firms—Oppenheimer and Odyssey Partners—whose memoir of 50-plus years in the market is a timely reminder of what it takes to prosper when, as now, asset prices fall at least as often as they rise.
Mr Levy, who began investing at 13 with a $200 bar mitzvah gift, hangs his story on a broader theme: the interplay of markets and psychology. The “simple rhythm of markets is as predictable as human avarice”, he contends. “Good times breed laxity, laxity breeds unreliable numbers and ultimately unreliable numbers bring about bad times.” A long-time student of investment landmarks such as tulip mania, the South Sea Company and the 1929 crash, in the late 1990s he “knew my bubble had finally come”. Despite the past two miserable years in the market, he fears there is worse to come: “We are in but the third act of a five-act Shakespearean drama that portends a bad ending.” Neither consumers nor investors have yet realised the “perils of the suffocating pall of debt hanging over the financial world”.
The writing is less florid when Mr Levy gets down to details. He is especially candid about the “grating personality traits that often accompany success in the market”—though his own persona is that of an engaging absent-minded professor. A colleague at Oppenheimer once dubbed him the “partner in charge of interplanetary affairs”. But there is plenty of guile behind the façade; in investing, absent-mindedness saved him from being caught up in the passing fancies of the crowd, allowing him to concentrate on finding real bargains.
As he observes, in the top financial ranks there are disproportionate numbers of contrarians, and “these successful contrarians often have a world view of which finance and the markets are but a small part.” His own interests include psychology and history, especially archaeology, of which he is a generous benefactor. Like many of his Wall Street peers, he regards philanthropy as an integral part of the same psychological package that brought his investment success—though he also credits America's tax breaks for charity for encouraging his philanthropic instincts, which first showed themselves in financial help he gave to academics who found themselves the targets of witch hunts in the McCarthy era. He now funds the Levy Economics Institute—named after his father, run by his brother and nephew—archaeological digs and much else.
His investing is built around finding unfashionable companies, especially distressed ones, which the market has undervalued. He also keeps a close watch on the activities of other informed investors, often free-riding on their strategies. Early in his career, he saw that Paul Getty was quietly buying up shares in undervalued oil firms with a long-term goal of taking control—so Mr Levy also bought the shares. Mr Levy, like most other successful investors, is also obsessed with the opportunities and threats generated by the tax code.
And he knows that on Wall Street sharks outnumber bulls and bears—even, or perhaps above all, in the most respected firms. When Oppenheimer hired Lazard to sell its pioneering mutual-fund business, Lazard quickly found out who the star fund managers were and began to poach them. Felix Rohatyn, Lazard's Machiavellian senior partner, tried to play down Oppenheimer's complaints by saying, “All of us have been through a divorce, right? Well, this is like any divorce where you have different sides”, producing the retort that “It's like a divorce in which your lawyer is sleeping with your wife.”
Later, Mr Levy tried to persuade the managers of Trans World Corporation to break up the undervalued firm. Goldman Sachs advised its wealthy clients to buy the firm's shares because its parts were worth more apart than together—and also advised the firm's managers on how to reject Mr Levy's plan to break up the firm. Notes Mr Levy, this “doublespeak” was a precursor to the 1990s “when events revealed with brilliant clarity whom investment bankers really represent”.
Now Mr Levy is bullish on the euro and shorting the dollar. He is excited by the possibilities in Russia. But he would be the first to admit that he might be wrong, and that a golden rule of successful investing is not to put all your horses in one derby. Even the best can come a cropper. Mr Levy confesses that he once invested in a partnership designed to smooth the profits of a well-known company, after being introduced to “one of the more engaging and articulate young men I had met in a long time”. Who exactly? Andrew Fastow, then chief financial officer of Enron. | <urn:uuid:bb3523f2-dcb2-4c75-b14c-df02555b05ea> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.economist.com/node/1511857 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974697 | 1,047 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Radiant heating: Pros and cons of heating your bathroom floor
Radiant flooring adds a cozy feature to this already stunning bathroom. (Photo courtesy of Angie’s List member Bob K. of Flemington, N.J.)
Radiant heating, also known as radiant floor heating (RFH), has been used since the days of ancient Rome to heat spaces effectively with minimal energy loss. In many parts of Europe, this is the preferred method of room heating, and in the United States RFH is quickly becoming a popular home remodeling option. Here are the top pros and cons of installing a radiant floor system in your bathroom.
Pro: Smooth heat
A radiant heat system uses a series of hot water tubes or wires under the floor to produce a smooth, even heat. Unlike a forced air furnace, which quickly pushes hot air up through vents toward the ceiling, an in-floor system heats slowly over its entire surface. This prevents the problem of a "cold 70," a term coined by heating expert Richard Trethewey of This Old House, which describes the phenomenon of furnace air quickly ramping up a room to 70 degrees and then shutting off, leaving comfortable air near the ceiling but cold air at your feet. By radiating heat over an entire floor, heat not only spreads evenly but objects in a room also heat up slowly, releasing more warmth.
This type of heat is a good choice for a bathroom because it works well with linoleum, laminate or tile flooring. Expect approximately an hour for your floor and the surrounding air to heat up when using an RFH system. In addition to consistent, comfortable heat and cost savings over time, RFH installations in your bathroom also cut down on noise. With no furnace to cut in, there are no ducts to rattle or loose vents to shake or squeak. In addition, these systems can last up to 40 years before needing replacement, instead of the typical 10 or 15 offered by a traditional furnace.
Con: Some assembly required
Laying an electric RFH system requires tearing up the existing floor, laying down wire mats and then replacing the floor. Experienced home handymen may be able to tackle this job themselves, but it can be time consuming. A hydronic system, meanwhile, requires not only a significant time investment, but an experienced contractor. Because hydronic systems work best when they have a thermal mass, a pad of concrete is often placed underneath them, or a thin layer of concrete is placed between the heating tubes and the floor. Properly pouring this concrete, especially in a main level or second-floor bathroom, is a difficult undertaking.
Pro: Different heating types
You can install either of two types of RFH: hydronic systems and electric radiant floors. Hydronic systems use polyethylene tubing buried beneath the floor, which carries hot water pumped through it to create heat. Although more expensive than a forced air furnace initially, this type of heating can significantly reduce energy costs over time. This type of heating is suitable for anywhere in a home, including a bathroom. Electric radiant floors also work well in a bathroom but are typically too expensive for all floors in a house. This type of RFH uses heat-conducting plastic mats, which contain copper or nichrome resistance wires.
Con: Potential floor damage
Both types of RHF pose the risk of damage to your floor, either through a ruptured water tube or fire due to a faulty resistance wire. Both are unlikely circumstances: Polyethylene tubes (unlike traditional copper) are resistant to corrosion, and electrical systems use a slow and low method to heat your floor, rather than quick, high-powered bursts. You can make minor repairs on electrical systems yourself, but troubleshooting a hydronic system requires a professional contractor. Improper installation could lead to excessive heat and, in turn, significant damage or risk, especially around tubs, toilets or shower enclosures.
Although more expensive upfront than a forced air furnace — at least $2,000 for an electric system in a bathroom and $15,000 for a hydronic boiler — the cost savings over time combined with slow, even heating make RFH choices a solid investment for any bathroom. Significant installation requirements and the possibility of a in-floor damage, however, are also important to consider before making a switch. | <urn:uuid:53a5a291-6c90-4ff7-9722-ff0b9ceef0bd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.angieslist.com/articles/radiant-heating-pros-and-cons-heating-your-bathroom-floor.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942245 | 883 | 1.648438 | 2 |
North Korea Recruits New Yorkers to Revive Resort Where Troops Shot Guest
Cash-starved North Korea has hired an American company to help it revive a shuttered luxury resort and attract tourists, a plan that has raised objections from Seoul.
Korea Pyongyang Trading USA, a New York-based liquor importer, is working on a plan to attract travelers to Mount Geumgang on the east coast of North Korea, a country the U.S. State Department permits Americans to visit while warning it has a history of arbitrarily arresting foreigners.
The “Diamond Mountain” resort, opened in 1998 by the two Koreas as a symbol of hope for reunification, has been closed to South Koreans since 2008, when the late Kim Jong Il’s troops shot and killed a guest walking on a restricted beach.
Simon T. Bai, 67, director of marketing and planning for Korea Pyongyang, said the company wants Americans to visit North Korea to give the nation exposure to freedom and democracy. The company was hired in July to study opening a casino at Geumgang, according to documents it submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice in December under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
“We’re doing this with hopes that resuming tours to Geumgang could help open North Korea up, and thereby help unite the two Koreas again,” Bai said in a telephone interview from his home in Queens, New York, which serves as the company’s headquarters. “Isn’t this the kind of business that’s really worth doing?”
Unit of Hyundai
The South Korean government sees it differently. It says the plans infringe upon the rights of Hyundai Asan Corp (HYASCZ)., a Seoul-based company that was the resort’s operator until South Koreans were banned. Hyundai Asan is a unit of Hyundai Group, the holding company best known in the U.S. for having once owned Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea’s largest automaker. Hyundai Asan spent $487 million building the resort.
“Hyundai Asan exclusively holds the license to operate tours at Mount Geumgang, and it is unfair to give business to others,” Park Soo Jin, the deputy spokeswoman of South Korea’s Unification Ministry, the government agency charged with working toward recombining the two Koreas, said in a telephone interview. “This is what we have clearly specified and it is a wrongful violation of the agreements to act otherwise.”
Hyundai Asan hasn’t officially received any information from the North about its agreement with Korea Pyongyang, the company said in an e-mail responding to a Bloomberg query last week.
Bai declined to comment on Hyundai Asan. North Korea and the U.S. don’t have diplomatic or consular relations, and North Korea’s mission at the United Nations in New York said it didn’t have any information on plans for the resort.
The project around Mount Geumgang spans 37 miles (60 kilometers) near the demilitarized zone, capped by mountain peaks rising more than 5,000 feet (1,524 meters). The resort, which features an 18-hole golf course, karaoke bars and hot springs, was one of several projects aimed at building relations between the two Koreas, which remain technically at war since the 1950-53 conflict ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty.
It drew more than 1.9 million South Korean tourists from its opening in 1998 until the suspension of the trips in 2008, according to the south’s Unification Ministry. The resort’s opening set the stage for a summit in Pyongyang between the North and South in June 2000 -- the first since the peninsula was divided.
Mount Geumgang is Korea Pyongyang’s first foray into tourism. The company’s previous business consisted of importing North Korean beer and soju, a vodka-like beverage distilled from rice. Those shipments ended in 2008 when customers stopped buying North Korean liquor as inter-Korean relations began to deteriorate over the shooting of the South Korean tourist and after the North conducted a nuclear test, Bai said.
Its agreement with North Korea calls for the government and Korea Pyongyang to jointly operate Geumgang. North Korea chose the company because its chief executive officer, Steve Park, has “extensive” connections within the upper echelons of the North Korean regime and a history of doing business with them, Bai said.
In August, Park visited the North Korean capital of Pyongyang and extended the deal through 2016, according to the Justice Department filings.
Bai declined to disclose the company’s revenue. Bai was the only company employee besides Park listed in the Justice filings.
Steve Park, also known as Park Il Woo, is a South Korean citizen who holds permanent residency in the U.S. He pleaded guilty in 2007 to lying to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation about his contacts with officials from South Korea and served 18 months of probation, according to court documents. Park didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Bai said his company is focused mainly on attracting Korean Americans who left the peninsula and are still nostalgic for their homeland.
The North Korean regime is strapped for cash after the UN and the U.S. tightened economic sanctions in 2009 and 2010. North Korea’s economy is less than 3 percent the size of South Korea’s and has relied on economic handouts since the 1990s, when it experienced a famine.
U.S. trade sanctions imposed to pressure North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program prohibit most investment by Americans. Transactions that facilitate travel are permitted.
Bai said the company is checking with U.S. authorities at each step to make sure it remains in compliance with relevant laws, policies and sanctions.
People in the U.S. don’t need government permission to travel to North Korea, according to the U.S. State Department. The agency warns visitors that the North Korean regime confiscates tourists’ cell phones, monitors their hotel rooms and phone calls and considers unauthorized attempts to speak with its citizens as acts of espionage. Visitors are subject to arbitrary arrest and imprisonment without protection against inhumane treatment, the agency says.
Walter Keats, the founder of Wilmette, Illinois-based Asia Pacific Travel Ltd., estimates that about 300 to 500 North Americans visit North Korea each year through a variety of tour operators, including many in Europe.
Keats has been to North Korea 28 times and led groups of tourists to sites there, including Geumgang when Hyundai Asan was operating it.
“This is not for the Holiday Inn crowd,” said Keats in an interview.
North Korea may be focused on attracting visitors this year because April 15 marks the 100th birthday of Kim Il Sung, the grandfather of the leader Kim Jong Un, who founded the nation in 1948 and ruled until his death in 1994.
“This is not a vacation,” Keats said. “You need to be there because you’re interested in learning about the history and the culture.”
Bloomberg moderates all comments. Comments that are abusive or off-topic will not be posted to the site. Excessively long comments may be moderated as well. Bloomberg cannot facilitate requests to remove comments or explain individual moderation decisions. | <urn:uuid:28c80ae8-cfc2-4ac9-a0be-4d5828400278> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-09/north-korea-recruits-new-yorkers-to-revive-resort-where-troops-shot-guest.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954777 | 1,531 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Healthcare in the Arab world
From stronger IT support and higher quality management to a TV channel dedicated to healthcare, the Arab Health Exhibition is bringing some of the region’s healthcare issues to light.
January 25, 2011 4:51 by Eva Fernandes
Kipp doesn’t write about developments in the fascinating world of healthcare in the Emirates very often. Well that probably has something to do with just about how fascinating it really is, to be honest. Anyway, what with the Arab Health Exhibition we thought the time is ripe for a much needed wrap up of the latest in the realm of “Arab Health.”
To start with, did you know that the UAE spent a whopping AED 1 billion on improving healthcare last year? Just on improving it, that doesn’t even include general spending. Speaking at the opening of the exhibition, Dr. Hanif Hassan Ali, is quoted in The National as saying the UAE government spent Dh1.3 billion constructing and improving hospitals in Umm al Qaiwain and Ras al Khaimah.
But while the government is generously shelling out a limb and a half on establishing and improving infrastructure, it seem quality management is still a major issue for the healthcare sector. At the opening talks, The National reports that Dr Samer Ellaham, chief quality officer and senior consultant at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City’s Cleveland Clinic in Abu Dhabi, said: “There are significant gaps in quality management practices throughout the Middle East. We need to raise the importance of quality management to improve the quality of healthcare.”
Having had to wait more than an hour and a half in a crowded germ infested waiting room (despite having an appointment to see our doctor) Kipp couldn’t agree more.
Aside from quality management issues there have been several suggestions across the board on ways to improving the healthcare scene in the UAE, ranging from improving IT support to increasing efforts to spread awareness.
To begin with, at the conference, doctors and healthcare experts have suggested the creation of a ”national IT backbone”, which will enable “a secure and reliable exchange of health related information.” The advantages of establishing something of this sort are numerous and quite obvious, but we are going to hand it over to the Group Chairman of Wellogic Dr.Ajit Nagpal for his special brand of medical-speak: “It [a national IT backbone] will also help capture crucial statistical information and trends to determine the epidemiological and economic burden of disease for prospective initiatives in public policy.” Of course, so obvious now.
Pages: 1 2 | <urn:uuid:77f013a7-f842-4d0e-9545-63fe2c23bc39> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kippreport.com/fcs/healthcare-in-the-arab-world/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953914 | 538 | 1.554688 | 2 |
View Full Version : Converting a mill to CNC
02-01-2004, 03:23 PM
Carey, you mentioned you had converted your BP to CNC in a different topic. Can you elablorate on what is required and approximate cost. I've been thinking about CNC since I making lots of similar items and it would be best if all my ajusters, mounting plates etc were EXACTLY the same. I try to follow my prints but I'm not sure how interchangable things actually are.
Or better yet, I'll trade you an ewheel if you convert my BP... :lol:
02-01-2004, 03:40 PM
Look at www.ajaxcnc.com
They have the conversions. I know a guy, one of our members who uses their wares.
02-01-2004, 06:41 PM
I would not bother with a bridgeport conversion. The hassle factor plus the semi-automatic nature of the conversion lacks what the powerful features of CNC machinery.
Keep your bridgeport for second operation work and buy a mid to late 1980's small CNC machining center. Good Matsuura MC-500 and 510 can be had at auction and from machinery dealers for less than 10k. These machines have the features that really make CNC powerful. Tool changers, spindle speed, and flood coolant.
A good CNC will make your part making operation move in a parallel fashion instead of series. That is you can be working on another part or the second operation while the CNC chews out another part UNATTENDED. Its pretty cool to sit and eat your lunch while the machine is pounding away making you parts or $$.
The bridgeport conversions are good for a couple of things. They can produce geometry that is impossible manually. They also take up less space in a small shop.
I don't know what the current cost of a three axis conversion is but if you factor in your labor even at a very pathetic rate the cost ratio benefit is just not there. Also switching back to do a quick little part manually is less than optimal.
The older CNC machines are not as fast as the new ones but for our usages they don't have to have the latest and greatest controls and speed. The Matsuura I mentioned can cut with feedrates faster than the bridgeport conversion would rapid traverse. If your cutting steel or stainless its a mute point. You can only push cutting tools so hard regardless of the machine.
I can't tell you how many times I have had the mill running a part, the lathe turning something else and me welding the two pieces together. One guy, three operations simultaneously.
All I can say is if your even remotely serious think about a full blown automatic machine.
02-01-2004, 07:36 PM
I would guess that the cnc utility use would depend a lot on what you need out of it.
I hear Liptons comments loud and clear. A bridgeport mill is simply not rigid enough to hold tolerance at production cnc feed rates (or so I am told). that said, a slower version could still be more consistent than my attempts.
One of these days. . . . .
Here is another company that has been making controls for quite a while.
02-01-2004, 07:59 PM
about ten years ago I worked as a machinist. At one of the small shops I worked at we had an early Bridgeport brand NC machine. It was essentially a modified manual bridgeport with a large NC head on it around, and in front of the quill. There were several nice things about it, and many more bad. One, the mess it made was unbelievable! Since there were virtually no guards, the coolant and chip spray was incredible.
Otherwise it took output from our CAM programs, you could easily do offsets at the machine, and it had much faster travel than a standard bridgeport power feed.
I think in an NC machine the control set or interface is the main thing. If you don't have something pretty common, and in a decent language (M code? g code?) then you're going to have a hard time figuring it out. If you have a Fanuc control, or something similar, you will be very happy! ;)
This is coming from someone out of the industry for five plus years, so it's just my $.02...
Kerry: Converting a bridgeport to CNC involves several aspects. You mount stepper or servo motors to each axis. Generally using timing belts. I have mounted stepper motors on each axis without altering the machine in any way. My motor mounts use only existing bolt holes. It is best to replace the leadscrews with ballscrews to eliminate backlash. Actually the best way is to buy a CNC Bridgeport with burned out controller. Those can often be found a lot cheaper than manual Bridgeports. They will already have ballscrews and motors. Just put some step/direction drives on and it is ready to go. Servo motors are faster but a bit more complicated to set up and tune. But they can get away from you if you lose a encoder signal. Steppers are a lot simpler. All of the early Bridgeport Boss CNC machines had stepper motors.
You need drives for each motor. Most of the conversions use step/direction drives and the most affordable software is step direction from the parallel port of a PC. You need a power supply for the motor drive unless provided in the drive.
You need controller software to take your cad/cam generated g-code and convert it to step/direction pulses that the drives need to power the motors.
Then you need cad/cam software to draw the part and convert it to g-code.
I have spent hours doing research on the internet and quite a few bucks on ebay to convert my mill and my Hardinge lathe to CNC and learn how to make parts. I had a bunch of roll forming rollers to make and did the conversion of the lathe to do the job. I spent a lot of time clearing hundreds of pounds of chips. I did the lathe conversion in a day or two.
There is a learning curve to deal with,but you are a sharp guy so that should not be a large concern. I have to say that is amazing to watch. The rollers that I did had to match and all of them had fillets and a lot of them had curves that had to match with a .040" gap for the stock. That was a couple of years ago. My client got his patent while I was at the FormFest at George King's shop in 2002.
He had gotten bids to convert his existing roll form machine at 1.4 million bucks. I wish that I had seen a bit of that.
If you are serious about doing a conversion, I would be happy to help you. I bough everything on ebay or contacts from ebay purchases. It was a lot of fun to do.
02-01-2004, 08:40 PM
I have a friend with an Excell CNC. This is an older machine with Nixie tube displays. The display will come on and then go out like whatever passes for the CPU is dying..
He wants 4K for it as it is. Don't really know anything about it but I SUSPECT the displays and cpu could be replaced by an obsolete PC with monitor (I have several).
vBulletin® v3.8.6, Copyright ©2000-2013, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd. | <urn:uuid:d86982c0-a56f-4b9f-b3e2-9a27e6c04233> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-631.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965573 | 1,586 | 1.6875 | 2 |
The KB0P repeater, 443.500 (+) (100 Hz) is located in the penthouse
of the "C" Shaft building of the Cliff Shaft Mine. The Cliff Shaft Mine was an underground iron
ore mine located in downtown Ishpeming and it operated from 1867 to 1967. Today, the stone and
concrete buildings remain standing and they are prominent historical landmarks in the middle
of town. The "C" Shaft was the newest built structure, which was constructed in the 1950's. This
building towers over the town at 175 feet and my repeater is located at the very top.
This is a photo of me standing next to the repeater.
The 443.500 repeater is a GE Mstr II, UHF repeater, which was built for me by my Duluth, MN friend, Pat (KC0QYC), who engineered
and owns a majority of the LSAC repeater system in Northern Minnesota and Northern Wisconsin. The GE Mstr II supplies 100 Watts to
the local amateur community and offers the only IRLP in Marquette County (we are 1 of only 2 IRLP nodes located in the U.P.).
The IRLP stream is provided from my home, which is located about 6 miles south of the repeater site. The IRLP system consists of
a mini-ITX computer operating Linux, a Motorola Maxtrac UHF transceiver, and a beam mounted in a fixed direction.
On the left, this is the 4-bay antenna that is mounted on the roof of the shaft building, just above the repeater.
The length of the coax from the repeater to the antenna is about 15 feet (not more than 20 feet for certain).
The antenna actually belongs to my friend Brandon (N8PUM), since it still remains when we swapped his Yaesu repeater
out for my GE Mstr II repeater (see the news page). Since the elevation of Ishpeming is only about 1320 feet or so,
and the out lying area is 1400 feet (plus), this repeater only has an effective coverage area of about 10 miles (radius).
Recently (2011), this repeater is becoming a hub to a growing 2-meter link system.
To the left is a picture of Ishpeming, which was taken from the roof of the Shaft during the summer of 2011.
This is looking in the northeast direction. The lake you see in the photo is Lake Bancroft, which is located downtown Ishpeming.
Ishpeming is an old mining town, which got its start in the 1840's, after iron ore was discovered. We are still mining iron ore, today,
which is our number one industry in this area.
As a matter of fact, the shaft building that houses the 443.500 repeater is the remains of a 100 year old underground mine, which closed in 1967. There is a lot of rich mining history in this area of Michigan. | <urn:uuid:b41ba3a8-604d-4a20-b82f-6f50ae0036af> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.qsl.net/kb0p/uhfrepeater.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972121 | 625 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Rape is a form of crucifixion
Todd David Whitmore
The Common Good
My last column indicated that in this installment I was going to continue the discussion of the living wage, but two events have intervened. The first is a date rape, reported in The Observer, and the ensuing discussion in the letters to the editor. The second is Good Friday, which is tomorrow.
What is the connection between the two events? A letter to the editor from one woman who was date raped provides a clue: "To me, rape is like murder. My body was not killed, but my soul was. My energetic spirit and love for life were gone. I wanted my life to be over because I could not bear the pain of losing something that I had held sacred."
One claim found in much of Christian theology is that Christ is in all people and that the task of the Christian is to develop the vision to see this fact and act accordingly. However, when a man rapes a woman — and this is the shape of the vast majority of rapes — he crucifies the Christ within her. "My body was not killed, but my soul was." Her life often becomes one long string of Good Fridays. "My energetic spirit and love for life were gone."
There are disanalogies, of course. For instance, while it may have been his calling to go to the cross, the Gospels describe Jesus as clearly having a choice in the matter. No woman is called to be raped and none genuinely choose it. Efforts might be made to imply they do: "Why did she choose to dress provocatively, to drink and to go up to his room after hours if she did not want to have sex with him?" But this logic fails miserably; it is as if to argue that anyone with an expensive car wants it stolen.
The function such an argument plays becomes clear if we grant that while in no way do women choose rape, it may be the case that it is unwise to, for instance, go up to a man's room after hours. In other words, in certain conditions it is unwise to be with Notre Dame men. Notre Dame men cannot be trusted (and it is not wise to view a particular man as an exception). In short, if we keep ourselves from collapsing, for instance, unwise decisions to drink under certain circumstances into viewing these decisions as choices to be raped, then it becomes clear that the logic that blames women for rape is really an indictment of men.
Collapsing the unwise decision to drink into the view that the woman chose or deserved to be raped allows a person to turn the indictment on its head and accuse the woman: given other things that the woman did, either she really wanted it or the man could not help himself. The view is that university or legal defense of the man (itself important) requires yet another crucifixion of the woman.
This leads to another disanalogy between Jesus' crucifixion and rape's murder of the Christ in women: While Jesus' trial was before his murder, women who are raped describe their trial as coming afterwards. Again, the letter to the editor articulates a repeatedly occurring theme in women's writings on rape. "The months that followed were excruciatingly painful ... I had a disciplinary hearing where I was forced to sit less than 10 feet away from my attacker, only to be dismissed, disregarded and having my integrity ripped apart by a University I was raised to love ... I still question whether or not I should have made that phone call at all.
Maybe in the long term, I will be proud of the courage I displayed in standing up for myself, but while I'm still in the short term, I have my regrets."
The woman's reference to the long and the short term brings up a third disanalogy: While Christ's resurrection occurred in three days and was "once and for all," a raped woman's resurrection (the resurrection of Christ within her) — if it occurs at all — is a much longer and uneven affair. A year later, thanks are to "God, who continually showers my life with blessings," but there are still any number of daily encounters "which all serve as constant reminders of that night." All indications are that the dark nights of the soul will continue. "I live faced with the reality of having to tell my future husband that sex to me is not beautiful or an expression of love, but ugly, forced and painful."
One of the exchanges of letters following the Observer report concerned whether men's silence condoned the rape. Behind this exchange is the broader question of what can individual men do beyond themselves not raping women. There are any number of things that they can do, but tomorrow provides us with one possibility. Good Friday is a day for fasting.
The practice of fasting has a variety of purposes, and three are worth mentioning here. The first is fasting as an expression of sorrow. We need to mourn the souls killed and pray for their resurrection.
The second purpose is fasting as a form of protest. We need to protest the men who rape and the attitudes that facilitate rape (for instance, the view that men under certain conditions are not expected to control themselves). We need to protest at one and the same time the assumption that Notre Dame men cannot be trusted and the practices of Notre Dame men that give credence to that assumption. We need to protest any logic that turns the violent action of men into an indictment of women.
I understand that Notre Dame students are, in general, not given to protest (it is not my first inclination either). But if Notre Dame men are incapable of protesting any suggestion that they are incapable of moral direction and self-control, then maybe those who foster such a suggestion are right.
Whether silence condones an action of another person depends in large part on whether the action is an isolated incident or part of a pattern. There have been enough reports of date rape (a notoriously under-reported crime) that the "isolated episode" explanation is suspect. It is important for men to speak.
To speak well, however, requires discernment, and this leads to the third purpose of fasting: it provides the occasion for self-examination. What kind of environment am I living in? What are the patterns of speech and action? Do I reinforce patterns that subtly or not-so-subtly contribute to an environment where date rape occurs on a regular basis? Do I laugh at certain jokes? Do I let certain comments about women slide rather than risk confrontation with one of my dormmates? I am sure that you can think of more questions for discernment yourselves.
Men of Notre Dame, I am fasting tomorrow, and I will do so not only remembering Christ on the cross 2,000 years ago, but also Christ on the cross in the women at Saint Mary's and Notre Dame who have been raped. I know that many of you are going home for the Easter triduum. Still, this is something — just a start, but something — that you, too, can do regardless of where you are. Men of Notre Dame, will you join me?
Todd David Whitmore is an assistant professor of theology. He may be reached at [email protected].
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
All Viewpoint Stories for Thursday, April 20, 2000 | <urn:uuid:2c626127-4fd1-40f7-99d7-c56b7d6cb56f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www3.nd.edu/~observer/04202000/Viewpoint/0.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971084 | 1,514 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Defining Confusing Audio Terms
In any industry, you'll run into specific lexicons. These are words that may mean completely different things in a different setting. Go into a theater and tell an actor to "break a leg" and they'll thank you. Walk into an MMA match and you'll receive a completely different reaction. We run across a number of terms that have different meanings depending on who you talk to. We've taken some and listed them below along with, when possible, the meanings to the different groups. While this is not an exhaustive list, it certainly is a good start. Feel free to make suggestions in the forums.
- General user - a little more than 5. Also has something to do with home theater but I don't understand it.
- Audioholic - five speakers and one sub. Basically 2.1 less than I need/want. Perhaps 2.3. And if I ever get a receiver with a fully functional Audyssey DSX, 6.1 less than I MUST HAVE!
- Audiophile - 3.1 more than I want or need.
- General user - what we do on a trampoline.
- Audioholic - a reason to spend an extra $100 on a receiver.
- Audiophile - how rocks transform the sound in my listening room.
- General user - used with guitars and bass
- Audioholic - the single best father's day present ever. And, unlike ties, we don't mind getting one year after year.
- Audiophile -
required me to add six inches to my slab, reinforce the joists, and/or hire a
forklift to move it in. Best placed on a huge granite slab sitting on wooden blocks on the floor.
- General user - how I watch movies.
- Audioholic - how I watch movies, stream content, and enjoy lossless, 7.1
- Audiophile - pretty sure it's just another CD player.
- General user - speakers that you put in
- Audioholic - a smaller speaker that must be put on a stand and
paired with a subwoofer.
- Audiophile - a smaller speaker that may be full range depending on the driver/cable/amp/processor combination.
- General user - something that came in the box with
the speakers and receiver. Connects stuff to stuff.
- Audioholic - something we
buy online because we can save hundreds if not thousands of dollars.
- Audiophile - the single greatest, most satisfying expenditure I've made including when I bought my home.
- General user - a name of a character on Deep Space 9?
- Audioholic - contained in many pieces of audio gear. Converts digital signals
to analogue. Important.
- Audiophile - a separate box. Should be upgraded monthly.
Double Blind Testing
- General user - something we heard
about on House.
- Audioholic - in a forum argument: the reason why you don't know
what the heck you are talking about and why I'm right; In marketing: our wife
said she thought it sounded good.
- Audiophile - a waste of time because we could totally tell every time so we're not going to do it. Ever.
- General user - what I am when I get behind the
wheel of my car. Also, the name of a video game and movie.
- Audioholic - the part of the speaker that makes the noise.
- Audiophile - a magical device that can tonally flavor a sound based on its material. So aluminum drivers sound metallic, paper drivers sound pulpy, and diamond drivers sound hard and sharp.
Extends well below 20Hz
- General user - sounds impressive.
- Audiohlic - in expensive subwoofers: 18Hz or so; in budget subwoofers: 5Hz
but only when shoved in a coffin, measured at 1", and at 20dB.
- Audiophile - my bookshelf speakers.
- General user - a type of jacket.
- Audioholic - one of
the only acceptable compression techniques.
- Audiophile - a type of jacket.
- General user - speaker I put on the
floor. Can be any size.
- Audioholic - a large speaker featuring multiple drivers that extends
well below 80Hz and is as much a piece of furniture and work of art as it is a high-end piece
of audio equipment.
- Audiophile - we just call these "speakers".
- General user - a graph that means
- Audioholic - one of many measures that will inform on the performance
of a speaker.
- Audiophile - something to be actively scorned and ignored. Because, you know, my ears are better than any microphone.
Full Range Driver
- General user - what most of our speakers
- Audioholic - a single two inch, five cent, paper cone, Chinese made
driver in a small plastic enclosure. Mostly associated with HTiB's, TVs, and
- Audiophile - a completely reasonable design for a floorstanding speaker.
High-end - (descriptor)
- General user - stuff I can't afford.
- Audioholic - code for expensive. Unless it is used in marketing in which it
means, "most expensive/lowest performing product we can use with which to
compare our product. Used so that we can say, "Better than systems costing
5x's as much!"
- Audiophile - my gear.
- General user - my living room.
- Audioholic - where my kid used to sleep.
- Audiophile - my living room. Unless you mean "listening room" then it is the specifically designed room that I added on to my house that is acoustically horrible but I spent more on it than you spent on your last three cars combined.
HTiB (Home Theater in a Box)
- General user - a home theater
- Audioholic - what your friends mean when they ask you to put together a
"high-end audio system for their new 60 inch LCD".
- Audiophile - a high-end audio store. It's like the time I walked in and said, "I'll take one of everything."
i - (prefix)
- General user - works with my iDevice. Probably
- Audioholic - may or may not work with an iDevice, but it certainly
will be white, plastic, and have the same design aesthetic. Conveys an intense
focus on design and a complete lack of caring about actual performance.
- Audiophile - things my kids buy.
- General user - the price point of my car.
- Audioholic - a type of driver. Handles the range between the tweeter and the woofer.
- Audiophile - what I think a $25,000 speaker is.
- General user - why I can get 10,000 songs on my phone.
- Audioholic - the worst thing that has happened to audio since the accordion.
- Audiophile - can be fixed with the right cable/DAC combination.
- General user - a document providing consumers all
the information they need to understand and get excited about a new product.
- Audioholic- how marketing companies stay busy. Follow this formula - Title, Date, tell everyone how this company is the best in the world/industry, brief overview of product, quote from designer/engineer, more product information (or not), about manufacturer, about PR company, contact info. Note - actual useful product information is optional and can be substituted with pseudo-science, marketing speak, history of company, more engineer/designer quotes, and complete gibberish.
- Audiophile - the same as the Audioholic except replace "pseudo-science", "marketing speak", and "gibberish", with "gospel truth". Also, three times as long.
- General user - something in my computer.
- Audioholic - part of a receiver. We might get an external amp and use our receiver as a processor.
- Audiophile - a device that needs to have as few features, buttons, and knobs as possible. Should weigh at least 100 pounds.
- General user - came with my speakers. In the box.
- Audioholic - the single most important piece of gear in the system other than
- Audiophile - something I'll never own.
Reference - (descriptor)
- General user - a dictionary or
- Audioholic - when used in a review, refers to the equipment the
reviewer owns. Within a product line, usually indicates their most expensive
- Audiophile - vinyl.
- General user - what our wife does to our
speakers when we are out of the room. We move them back when we want to watch a
- Audioholic - one of the more important features in our receiver.
- Audiophile - can be achieved by rocks, raising cables off the ground, and wooden volume knobs.
- General user - something that goes over
- Audioholic - usually constructed out of fiberglass insulation or foam, absorbs sound to make our theater sound better. Also, the reason for the single largest fight we've had with
our wife since we told them that their friend was "smoking hot".
- Audiophile - audio old wives' tale. Used by people that don't have good power cords.
Single Blind Testing
- General user - umm…trying out taking a blind person on a date?
- Audioholic - a
completely acceptable form of listening test when bias is well controlled.
- Audiophile - listening with a pirate patch over one eye.
- General user - that box that we shoved behind
- Audioholic - the single most important speaker in my system. Sometimes
used as a coffee table. More is better.
- Audiophile - a totally optional speaker
that is rarely necessary.
- General user - a little yellow bird on TV often chased by a white and black cat.
- Audioholic - handles the high end of the frequency range. Where it crosses over into the midrange driver can be a problem area and needs to be evaluated carefully when purchasing speakers.
- Audiophile - optional equipment often placed on top of a speaker playing sounds out of the range of human hearing. Well, not MY hearing because I'm an audiophile but I'm sure you can't hear it with your tin-ears.
Ultra - (descriptor)
- General user - the best.
- Audioholic -
no relation to performance. Could mean anything.
- Audiophile - how fast my cables are.
- General user - something my Dad used to listen to
along with cassettes and 8-tracks.
- Audioholic - a format that just WON'T
- Audiophile - still the best. Always the best. The scratchiness just makes it better.
- General user - requires no wires.
- Audioholic - a
wire that you would normally have to connect is no longer needed. All other
wires (especially power cords) are still needed. Also, a reason to double the
price of a device.
- Audiophile - but what do I do with my $15,000 MIT cables?
- General user - placed in the trunk of cars by those guys on TV for rappers and b-ball players. Also, a dog's mouth.
- Audioholic - a type of driver handing the lowest frequencies.
- Audiophile - sometimes included on speakers. Usually no more than one is needed.
X - (prefix)
- General user - if something starts with 'X', it
is meant to be the "Extreme" version. Something better than the
- Audioholic - yeah, right. You know, like how
the XFL was better than the NFL.
- Audiophile - only applies to cables, Superman's vision, and Xylophones.
In addition to being the snarky Associate Editor of Audioholics, Tom has expanded his writing to include two new ebooks -and a sequel . Download them and check them out. You won't regret it. For more information on Tom, visit .
General User: Thats offensive
Audioholic: Ok to wear one as long as it matches your shoes and a fellow audioholic isn't wearing the same one to the next GTG.
Audiophile: How much are they on Audiogon?
Well everyone except one. But he's a two faced asshat.
I'm not in either camp here with the analogue VS. digital nonsense. I have indeed heard stellar playback of music on various mediums.
I've also been to countless live performances occasionally as a performer.
The one thing I've never heard anywhere except on vinyl is hiss and pop(When gains were set properly). Period.
Your need to convince people of your viewpoint is what I was and still am laughing about.
Nothing else to add from me.
In fact, the only real negative thing I can say about some CDs, though this isn't really about the digital format itself, is that they are not the same song I enjoyed on the original album, it's a remix.
I also find high bitrate compressed formats MP2/MP3 to be more than suitable for enjoyable listening and honestly, depending on the genre and song, I can't hear any difference and I bet most people can't either.
Fans of analogue will accept that the copy of the master recording may not be 100% perfect but the copy will in essence sound much like the original. The fans of digital will know that each digital copy of an original recording will be identical to each other and that each digital copy can capture much of the details of the master recording but must accept it's still just a digital representation. Sliced up as samples and restitched to make the sound wave our ears and brain perceive. It too can sound pleasurable but also will not be perfect.
We agree on the neither is perfect part, but this "sliced up" stuff just isn't the case, and pixels aren't a good analogy. Sampling a waveform doesn't slice things up, it completely recreates the waveform. The loudness level, as represented by the word length of each sample, is an approximation, but a very accurate one. Approximating 96db of dynamic range with over 65,000 levels is pretty fine-grained stuff. Which would you guess is more accurate? 65,535 levels of loudness, or that stylus on the end of the tone arm trying to follow a groove?
I can only speak for myself, but I think it's perfectly fine that you like vinyl better. That's preference, and anyone that tries to impose theirs on others is out of bounds, IMHO. The problem I have is when people start making up stories about why they prefer vinyl, and that's because it's somehow "better" in some technical way. Isn't it enough that you like it better? | <urn:uuid:f1216378-d462-4310-8a20-6665b9e78e2d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.audioholics.com/news/editorials/defining-confusing-audio-terms | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936208 | 3,168 | 1.742188 | 2 |
(BPT) - Getting older means being a little more susceptible to a variety of health problems while traveling. However, with a little planning and some caution, baby boomers and seniors can have a safe, healthy and enjoyable trip. Here are some pre-planning tips to help get you started:
* Mention your planned travels with your physician. Discuss any medications you’re currently taking, and if you’ll need refills prior to departure.
* Carry a copy of all your prescriptions with you when you travel. When going abroad, you may also want to know the generic name of your drug in case your prescribed version isn’t available locally. Losing a pill bottle or accidentally breaking a vial of insulin – for example - can very easily happen on a vacation, and if you are touring around a foreign country, you may have difficulty obtaining a refill if you don’t have this information handy or if your drug is unavailable or sold under a different name.
* Sign up for travel assistance. Nobody plans to get sick or injured while traveling, but it can happen. And sometimes an injury or illness is severe enough to force the traveler to cut the trip short and seek medical attention. Baby boomers and seniors have trusted doctors at home, and often want to return home immediately for medical care. This is where On Call International’s medical evacuation and travel assistance memberships come in handy. The annual membership and mature membership offer medical evacuations to the hospital of the member’s choice, regardless of whether they can receive appropriate care locally. Visit www.oncallinternational.com/travel-assistance/individuals to learn more about travel assistance.
* Visit a travel medicine specialist. You may be required to get new vaccinations when traveling to specific foreign countries. Ask your doctor to recommend a travel medicine specialist who can educate you about the immunizations that are required or recommended for your destination, as well as any other health concerns specific to your destination.
* Pack over-the-counter supplies. A vacation means getting out and doing new or different activities. This change of pace may result in sore and achy muscles. A vacation also means you might be exposed to new and different germs, which could develop into a traveler’s cold or the flu. Pack some over-the-counter medications to help treat potential symptoms, so you don’t have to take time out of your vacation to search for a pharmacy or drug store. Hopefully you won’t need any of the supplies, but it’s always a good idea to have them handy.
With a little pre-planning, you’ll be able to have the relaxing vacation you deserve, while also reducing your chances of encountering common health pitfalls that could put a damper on your trip. | <urn:uuid:9f2e51c0-3e25-4932-a5c9-2926ea402a2c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.romenews-tribune.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Boomers+and+travel-+Plan+ahead+and+protect+your+health%20&id=20557644 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940089 | 576 | 1.835938 | 2 |
An Inconvenient Truth
A front row seat at the world’s most
famous multimedia presentation.
By Carl Duivenvoorden, DTM
Caption: The author with Nobel Peace Price winner Al Gore (left).
Just about everyone has seen or heard of former U.S. Vice President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore’s Oscar-winning movie, An Inconvenient Truth. But imagine having a front row seat at a live version of that presentation, presented by Mr. Gore himself.
I was lucky enough to have had just that opportunity when I attended a training session in Nashville, Tennessee, last April.
It all started when I read An Inconvenient Truth not long after the book was published. I was immediately captivated by how it presented an issue as complex as climate change in clear, easy-to-understand ways. It was like Global Warming 101 – and it incorporated a lot of the communication techniques we strive to learn through Toastmasters.
Soon after, I found out that Mr. Gore would be training 1000 people to be “climate change messengers,” giving live presentations of An Inconvenient Truth in their own communities. So I submitted an application – headlined, of course, by my Toastmasters experience! I was fortunate to have been selected for Class 6, the final group to be trained. I credit my “Toastmasters resume” for helping me stand out among the thousands of highly qualified people who applied.
The three-day program was led by Mr. Gore and a team of scientists and environmental educators. It was filled with highlights from start to finish, but three parts were especially noteworthy. The first involved seeing Mr. Gore present the Inconvenient Truth multimedia show in person at the opening session. (I made sure to arrive early for a front-row seat.) The second highlight was spending a full day with Mr. Gore as he trained our group and explained every slide meticulously: the science, the visual, the key message and even the transitions. The third part was a workshop presented by author Andy Goodman on techniques for effective speaking. The Toastmasters evaluator in me couldn’t help but make a few notes on what I saw and heard during those three days.
The Speaker’s Budgets
Mr. Gore described the three “budgets” presenters have when they speak: time, complexity and hope.
- The time budget refers to the importance of always respecting the audience and finishing at the appointed time. (I couldn’t help thinking that our Toastmasters timing signals would be helpful here.)
- The complexity budget refers to presenting information in a way that the audience can grasp and retain. In presenting a topic as complicated as our global climate, it’s easy to cause eyes to glaze over – but Mr. Gore pointed out how even the most complicated elements could be made understandable to most audiences if they were broken down to basic concepts, and then presented with the right words and visuals.
- The hope budget, more specific to this topic, refers to the need to ensure that the audience leaves not with a sense of despair, but with a feeling of hope and empowerment. I believe that the motivational speaking techniques I have learned through Toastmasters will help me respect this budget.
Perhaps the one element that has made An Inconvenient Truth stand out from other books or documentaries is its use of clear and dramatic visuals to engage and persuade the audience. From the awe-inspiring “Earth Rise” photograph to the jagged red line of data showing rising CO2 levels, the visuals speak to the point. Messages are presented with powerful tables and charts, and reinforced with vivid photographs or video clips. A single slide with animated global ocean currents provides a nice dramatization of a complicated system.
Schematic diagrams follow the viewer’s natural gaze across the screen: either flowing from top left to bottom right, or flowing horizontally from left to right. In some horizontally flowing slides, barriers are shown as obstacles to be vaulted over to rise to a higher level. In all visuals, text is used sparingly, allowing the audience’s focus to remain on the visual as it is explained verbally.
An Inconvenient Truth actually contains several “chapters” – What is global warming? What are the signs? How will it affect us? What can we do about it? But they flow together seamlessly, thanks to smooth transitions. Navigation from slide to slide is effortless, with special transitions strategically inserted to focus attention. As an example, Mr. Gore pointed to a slide where the map of Greenland dramatically drops in beside Antarctica, and another where a garden shovel is abruptly replaced by a massive excavator. There is even a transition where a vertical line of data swirls 90 degrees and becomes horizontal, to emphasize that it is the same data and prevent a ‘disconnect’ in the eye of the viewer.
Speaking to the Heart
Beyond facts and figures, a speaker must use conviction and passion to convince an audience. Mr. Gore used vocal variety masterfully, from softly spoken messages of hope to powerful calls for action. He referenced great American triumphs such as the Constitution, civil rights laws and the Apollo moon landings as proof of a society’s ability to meet a challenge as formidable as climate change. And he motivated his audience to action by linking the acceptance of a “truth” with a moral obligation to act upon it.
Both Al Gore and Andy Goodman touched upon many of the techniques emphasized within Toastmasters, such as:
- The use of pauses, to allow the audience to process complicated or high-impact visuals.
- The use of humor, including self-deprecating humor, to build rapport with the audience and get their permission to go where you are going to go.
- The use of the “Tell them what you’re going to say – tell them – tell them what you said” trio. This technique was applied to the entire presentation, and especially to complicated ideas. For example, one of the more complex slides in the presentation was introduced and explained with the following sequence:
1. Transitioning to the slide: He said, “On the next slide, you’re going to see three trends…”
with a brief explanation)
2. While viewing the slide: He said, “This graph demonstrates those three trends,”
(with a more detailed explanation)
3. Transitioning from the slide: He said, “Now that you’ve seen how these trends are clear...
(with a quick recap of the key message before moving on)
- The use of rhetorical questions to help bridge transitions and lead the audience from one point to the next. For example, “So why should the average citizen care about this trend? Well, for starters...”
- The use of examples, analogies and similes an audience could relate to, such as comparing the annual layers in a core of ancient ice to the growth rings of a tree.
For three days last April, I had the privilege of a front row seat at the world’s most famous multimedia show. It was a wonderful opportunity to watch a skilled presenter face-to-face, to absorb a mass of information and to study some of the techniques that helped make An Inconvenient Truth a worldwide hit. And it reaffirmed many of the skills and methods I’ve learned through Toastmasters.
Now it’s up to me to continue sharing this information with audiences all across North America!
Past District 45 Governor Carl Duivenvoorden, DTM, lives in Upper Kingsclear, New Brunswick, Canada. Since April, he has presented “An Inconvenient Truth” to more than 60 public and school audiences. To find out more, visit www.changeyourcorner.com. | <urn:uuid:a76ae2e1-b326-4643-bf08-6d06bc106248> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.toastmasters.org/ToastmastersMagazine/ToastmasterArchive/2007/December/Articles/AnInconvenientTruth.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948417 | 1,633 | 1.734375 | 2 |
President Chen Shui-bian (
To raise awareness of domestic violence and encourage men to participate in joining their efforts to end the problem, the Garden of Hope Foundation invited Chen to meet with the women.
During the gathering with the women and their children, Chen was presented with a bracelet made at the foundation's employment project in Taitung. He listened carefully as the women shared their stories.
"I am a foreign spouse from China who was abused by my husband from the time we were married. I am glad that I received help from the foundation, and I hope I will be the last victim of domestic violence," one woman said, reading from a card she had prepared to present to the president. She wished not to be named.
Chien Rong (簡蓉), a 53-year-old woman who endured her husband's violence for 25 years before divorcing him four years ago, suggested that the government should educate the police about the seriousness of domestic violence and teach them how to deal with the problem when receiving calls from victims, instead of treating it as merely a family matter.
"Besides, the government should allocate more money to establish more shelters and sponsor employment projects for the victims, so that those women can support themselves both mentally and financially," she suggested.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, there were over 30,000 cases of domestic violence last year, with an average of more than 130 incidents reported every day.
Chien said that most abused women she knew, including herself, suffered from depression because of the abuse and also because of concerns over an uncertain future if they left their husbands.
"It is very important to equip abused women with professional skills. With a steady job and financial support, I believe more women would be able to empower themselves and rebuild their lives," she said.
Responding to the women's concerns, Chen promised to put more effort toward ending domestic abuse.
With more help now available, women who suffer from domestic violence should bravely seek assistance, Chen said. In addition to the assistance from many social welfare institutes, the government will join with civic groups to end such violence, he said.
"As the husband of a disabled woman -- who manages to be an excellent wife and mother -- I've witnessed the strength of women. I admire you all for being brave in fighting against violence, and encourage more women who suffer from the same situation to walk out of the darkness," Chen said.
Statistics from the foundation show that almost 90 percent of the victims of domestic violence are women, with the majority beingbetween 31 and 40 years old.
According to a Web survey conducted by the foundation this month and last month, more than 80 percent of the men who took the survey think that domestic violence is an important issue, with 70 percent approving of the establishment of laws and involving social welfare institutes to solve the problem. | <urn:uuid:84af529c-399f-492f-8570-31825a041a51> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2005/06/11/2003258825 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977741 | 588 | 1.742188 | 2 |
TB test boosts shares
Proteome Systems has won the backing of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in a deal that could speed up the development of its diagnostic test for active tuberculosis.
The company will team up with the Geneva-based Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics - funded by the Gates' foundation - to develop its unique biomarker into a rapid test to detect the disease.
The foundation will provide technical support throughout clinical trials and registration and, in return, will receive exclusive, royalty-free distribution rights for the public health sector in developing countries.
Proteome Systems will retain the distribution rights for developed markets, such as the US, Europe and Australia.
Shares in the biotechnology company more than doubled early yesterday, and closed trading at a year-high of 40¢, up 24¢.
The partnership, announced in Philadelphia at the BIO 2005 convention this week, is welcome news for a company that has lost significant market value since its public listing at $1.20 last year. It is the most significant development since chief executive Stephen Porges took over two months ago.
Mr Porges said the partnership was validation of the company's platform technology, of which TB was just one possible application, and would lessen the financial burden of developing the test in-house.
He said the test should be on the market in developed countries in two years. Clients could include military organisations and prisons.
Proteome Systems identified the biomarker in January and has already received a $2 million government grant to support the project.
The test aims to detect TB antigens that indicate the disease is active, and monitor disease progression and response to treatment in patients. It will cut diagnosis time from 24 hours to three minutes.
TB is still the world's most prevalent disease. According to the US National Institute of Health, 8 million people - mostly in poorer countries where HIV is prevalent - develop active TB each year and 3 million die. The chronic bacterial infection spreads through the air and usually infects the lungs. | <urn:uuid:afe015be-9dd2-4ca0-bd3b-9de272aaf8f5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/tb-test-boosts-shares/2005/06/21/1119321731754.html?from=moreStories | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959921 | 415 | 1.75 | 2 |
Didn’t mean to abandon those of you joining me in the Lies Women Believe* book study! Sorry! I usually post a chapter review every other Tuesday, but this week has been a bit tiring for some reason. I think my thought capacity and internet time have been consumed by the situation in Japan and by the problems we are having with Cora’s teeth (post coming soon). I did post a helpful blurb related to the chapter on Tuesday though, so check it out if you missed it! On to the rest:
Chapter 3: Lies Women Believe… About Themselves
The previous chapter talked about how our perception of God’s character affects our character and our actions. The next few lies Nancy Leigh DeMoss covers are examples of how, ” if we believe things about Him that are not true – invariably, we will have a distorted view of ourselves.”
Lie 7: I’m Not Worth Anything
If this is a lie that you believe about yourself, whether because someone else has told you that it is true in some way or because you just don’t see that you have value, please take the time to read these Scriptures:
1 Peter 2:4
In our discussion at Bible study this week, we talked about the criteria that we and others (wrongly) use to determine the value of a person. Things like economic status, gender, race, education/accomplishments, physical beauty, and our roles in our homes (wife, mother). These are not the criteria God uses.
Think on this: We are so precious to God that even while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!
Lie 8: I Need to Learn to Love Myself
The problem with this mindset is that it leads to self-centeredness. We already love ourselves, or we wouldn’t take care to clothe, feed, and even pamper ourselves. If we didn’t love ourselves, the command to love our neighbor as ourselves wouldn’t make sense.
Furthermore, if we are focused on finding things to love about ourselves, we are likely to overlook our “un-lovable” parts – our sin. And if we do stop to recognize our sin while in this mindset, we may buy into lie #7 and feel that we are unlovable and unloved.
Lie 9: I Can’t Change the Way I Am
I have struggled, for as long as I can remember, with what some would call a “victim mentality.” This has not only meant that I often view my character struggles, habits, etc. as a result of what I have or haven’t had in my past, it also makes me prone to blame current problems on others. I snapped at my husband because the kids made me tired. I snapped at my kids because my husband didn’t keep them from annoying me while I worked. I have a tendency to covet because there were times in my childhood when I faced real need. Almost anything can be blamed on someone or something else.
If we believe that we “are” something or another or that our actions are an automatic result of outside forces and circumstances, then we have bought into this lie. The truth is that we have been made NEW and are not simply the combined result of our past experiences! We also have a God who can change us!
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Lie 10: I Have My Rights
The Declaration of Independence declares that we have “certain unalienable rights.” These rights are “endowed” to us by our Creator. This philosophy isn’t new, nor did it originate with our (American) founding fathers. But is it Biblical? If you’re interested in a little history, the wikipedia article on natural and legal rights is a fun read.
One of the ways the serpant deceived Eve in the garden was by convincing her that she somehow had an “unalienable right” to the knowledge of good & evil. Obviously that was a lie as God has expressly said the opposite. So what “rights” do we really have?
When we use the term “right” loosely, as in “I have the right to a few minutes of peace & quiet after a long day with the kids,” we really mean to say that we have earned that right. We know that we are not deserving of anything, but rather everything we have is a gift (not earned – by definition).
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights” James 1:17
Praise God, he gives us MANY gifts! He also calls us to give many gifts to others, loving them as we love ourselves. In our sinfulness, we want to claim rights as if we deserve them, rather than view them properly as His grace. Is it any wonder that we have a hard time giving up the things we perceive as rights? We don’t want to give them up because we think that they are hard earned!
Jesus actually had inherent, unalienable rights as God incarnate, and yet he yielded them for us!
“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:12-13
Lie 11: Physical Beauty Matters More Than Inner Beauty
Even if we say we believe the truth that” it’s what’s inside that counts,” our actions and attitudes sometimes betray the fact that we place too much value on our outward appearance. Notice, I did not say that we shouldn’t place ANY value on it – we are created in His image and physical beauty is part of His gift to us. We can see His majesty reflected in the beauty of His creation. Beauty isn’t purely physical though. Most of us could use these verses taped to our mirror:
“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”
“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. 4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”
1 Peter 3:3-4
Lie 12: I Should Not Have to Live With Unfulfilled Longings
Can I tell you that this lie snuck up on me? I sometimes wonder in frustration at the fact that I always want more. Sometimes it’s not even that I am greedy or want more for myself, just that every time I “arrive” at a new destination, with new knowledge or another blessing (like a new child, new friend, etc.), I see that there’s still more that I want. In some ways this inspired hope – life can always get better and more exciting – but sometimes I’m frustrated for not feeling contented with what I have.
The corresponding truth is liberating! The truth is that in addition to the face that every earthly thing (and person) has the potential to disappoint me, not even the most wonderful blessing will ever fulfill me because I long for Heaven!
“Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.” Romans 8:23
I will always have unfulfilled longings. Wow. Rather than being discouraging, recognizing this truth has helped me to re-examine the real objects of my desire, and take comfort in the promise of eternity. I highly recommend John Piper’s Future Grace* for more on this. I need to read it again!!
How are you doing? Which of these lies have you found yourself buying into most? Have any of them been particularly challenging?
The next post in this series will hopefully be up on time. I’ve already read through the next chapter, just need to put my thoughts down. I’ll be honest, this has been quite a task! I’m committed to continuing now though, I think it will be a good resource and I *know* it’s good for my thought organization!
*Amazon affiliate link | <urn:uuid:faf81e34-efba-45ea-8dd9-d12106404f7d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.raisingthebarrs.com/2011/03/lies-women-believe-chapter-3-part-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964897 | 1,804 | 1.515625 | 2 |
FCC Classifies DSL as Information Service
August 5, 2005. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted, but did not release, an item titled "Report and Order and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking" that classifies wireline broadband internet access services as information services. This brings these services, including DSL service, out from under the Title II regulatory regime. This determination was sought by the incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs), such as Verizon and BellSouth, that provide DSL service.
Back in 2002 the FCC issued a declaratory ruling (DR) that cable modem service is an information service, and that there is no separate offering as a telecommunications service.
On June 27, 2005, the Supreme Court issued its opinion [59 pages in PDF] in NCTA v. Brand X upholding this DR. The Court's analysis made clear that the Court would likewise uphold a classification of other wireline broadband services as information services. See, story titled "Supreme Court Rules in Brand X Case" in TLJ Daily E-Mail Alert No. 1,163, June 28, 2005.
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin (at left) wrote a statement. He stated that this actions places "all broadband internet access providers on a level playing field". Commissioner Kathleen Abernathy wrote in her statement that broadband technologies should "not be crushed by the weight of 1930s-era regulations".
Proponents of this determination, both in and outside of the FCC, have praised this as a reduction of regulatory burdens. However, there is another trend. As the FCC classifies services as Title I information services, not subject to Title II regulation, it is also assigning, piece by piece, under "ancillary" jurisdiction, regulatory burdens to Title I information services.
The FCC issued a short release that contains a superficial summary of the contents to this item. Some other details of the contents of this item are disclosed in the separate statement of FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, and in the separate statement of FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein.
Tom Navin, Chief of the FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB), stated at a news conference on Friday, August 5, that this item will be released "hopefully later this month".
Summary of the Report and Order. The FCC release states that the FCC "determined that wireline broadband Internet access services are defined as information services functionally integrated with a telecommunications component. In the past, the Commission required facilities-based providers to offer that wireline broadband transmission component separately from their Internet service as a stand-alone service on a common-carrier basis, and thus classified that component as a telecommunications service. Today, the Commission eliminated this transmission component sharing requirement, created over the past three decades under very different technological and market conditions, finding it caused vendors to delay development and deployment of innovations to consumers."
The order also provides for a one year transition. The FCC release states that "the Order requires that facilities-based wireline broadband Internet access service providers continue to provide existing wireline broadband Internet access transmission offerings, on a grandfathered basis, to unaffiliated ISPs for one year."
The order also extends universal service taxation to facilities based service providers. The FCC release states that the "Order also requires facilities-based providers to contribute to existing universal service mechanisms based on their current levels of reported revenues for the DSL transmission for a 270-day period after the effective date of the Order or until the Commission adopts new contribution rules, whichever occurs earlier. If the Commission is unable to complete new contribution rules within the 270-day period, the Commission will take whatever action is necessary to preserve existing funding levels, including extending the 270-day period or expanding the contribution base."
The FCC release also states that "The Order also allows wireline providers the flexibility to offer the transmission component of the wireline broadband Internet access service to affiliated or unaffiliated ISPs on a common-carrier basis, a non-common carrier basis, or some combination of both. Some rural incumbent local exchange carriers, or LECs, have indicated their members may choose to offer broadband Internet access transmission on a common carrier basis."
Commissioner Copps wrote a statement, which he read at the FCC's event on August 5, that enumerates other items that may be in the order. These other requirements include "access to facilities", "interconnection", and "accessible technologies" for persons with disabilities.
He states that "We ensure access to facilities and interconnection so that small and medium businesses can continue to enjoy the lower prices and increased choices that competition brings."
Commissioner Adelstein also enumerates requirements that are not mentioned in the FCC release. For exammple, he elaborates on disabilities access. He wrote that "I am also pleased that changes were made to this Order that affirm our authority under Title I to ensure access for those with disabilities. Through sections 225 and 255 of the Act, Congress codified important principles that have ensured access to functionally-equivalent services for persons with disabilities."
Abernathy elaborated in her statement that "We also lift the so-called “Computer Inquiry” requirements, which were crafted to prevent companies that exercised substantial market power in the provision of telecommunications from leveraging that dominance into the provision of enhanced services. Requirements such as these were never meant to apply in a competitive, multi-platform communications market such as the market for high-speed Internet access services."
Summary of the NPRM. The FCC's release states only that this item also includes an NPRM, and that FCC "seeks comment on whether it should develop a framework for consumer protection in the broadband age -- a framework that ensures that consumer protection needs are met by all providers of broadband Internet access service, regardless of the underlying technology."
Commissioner Adelstein elaborates on some of the content of the NPRM. He stated that it addresses privacy, truth in billing, rate averaging, and rate regulation. He wrote that "I'm also glad that we’ve added an important Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that seeks comment on how we can ensure that we continue to meet our consumer protection obligations in the Act. On some issues, like consumer privacy, it would have been far wiser to act now. I’m troubled by the prospect that we might even temporarily roll back consumer privacy obligations in this Order, particularly during this age in which consumers’ personal data is under greater attack than ever. The Commission must move immediately to address these privacy obligations. We should also act quickly to assess the effect on our Truth-in-Billing rules and the rate averaging requirements of the Act, which ensure that charges for consumers in rural areas are not higher than those for consumers in urban areas. This Notice sets the foundation for our consumer protection efforts across all broadband technology platforms and I look forward to working with my colleagues as we move forward promptly to address these issues."
FCC Proceedings. This item is FCC 05-150. Commissioner Copps' statement references the proceedings as CC Docket Nos. 02-33, 01-337, 95-20, 98-10, and WC Docket No. 04-242.
No. 04-242 is the FCC's proceeding on Verizon's June 28, 2004 petition for a declaratory ruling that broadband internet access service via fiber to the premises (FTTP) is an information service.
No. 01-337 is the FCC's dominant non-dominant NPRM. No. 02-33 is the FCC wireline broadband NRPM. See also, story titled "So, Just What Are All of These FCC Broadband Proceedings About Anyway?" in TLJ Daily E-Mail Alert No. 567, December 13, 2002.
Nos. 95-20 and 98-10 are ancient proceedings. No. 95-20 is the
FCC's long running further remand proceeding regarding Computer III and Bell
Operating Companies' (BOC) provision of enhanced services. No. 98-10 is a
companion proceeding regarding the same subject. | <urn:uuid:6980173f-78ea-4714-850a-9680ed537358> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.techlawjournal.com/topstories/2005/20050805a.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946084 | 1,635 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Remarks of Senator Barack Obama as prepared for delivery
Forging a New Future for America
Tuesday, May 20th, 2008
Des Moines, Iowa
You know, there is a spirit that brought us here tonight – a spirit of change, and hope, and possibility. And there are few people in this country who embody that spirit more than our friend and our champion, Senator Edward Kennedy. He has spent his life in service to this country not for the sake of glory or recognition, but because he cares – deeply, in his gut – about the causes of justice, and equality, and opportunity. So many of us here have benefited in some way or another because of the battles he’s waged, and some of us are here because of them.
We know he is not well right now, but we also know that he’s a fighter. And as he takes on this fight, let us lift his spirits tonight by letting Ted Kennedy know that we are thinking of him, that we are praying for him, that we are standing with him, and that we will be fighting with him every step of the way.
Fifteen months ago, in the depths of winter, it was in this great state where we took the first steps of an unlikely journey to change America.
The skeptics predicted we wouldn’t get very far. The cynics dismissed us as a lot of hype and a little too much hope. And by the fall, the pundits in Washington had all but counted us out.
But the people of Iowa had a different idea.
From the very beginning, you knew that this journey wasn’t about me or any of the other candidates in this race. It’s about whether this country – at this defining moment – will continue down the same road that has failed us for so long, or whether we will seize this opportunity to take a different path – to forge a different future for the country we love.
That is the question that sent thousands upon thousands of you to high school gyms and VFW halls; to backyards and front porches; to steak fries and JJ dinners, where you spoke about what that future would look like.
You spoke of an America where working families don’t have to file for bankruptcy just because a child gets sick; where they don’t lose their home because some predatory lender tricks them out of it; where they don’t have to sit on the sidelines of the global economy because they couldn’t afford the cost of a college education. You spoke of an America where our parents and grandparents don’t spend their retirement in poverty because some CEO dumped their pension – an America where we don’t just value wealth, but the work and the workers who create it.
You spoke of an America where we don’t send our sons and daughters on tour after tour of duty to a war that has cost us thousands of lives and billions of dollars but has not made us safer. You spoke of an America where we match the might of our military with the strength of our diplomacy and the power of our ideals – a nation that is still the beacon of all that is good and all that is possible for humankind.
You spoke of a future where the politics we have in Washington finally reflect the values we hold as Americans – the values you live by here in Iowa: common sense and honesty; generosity and compassion; decency and responsibility. These values don’t belong to one class or one region or even one party – they are the values that bind us together as one country.
That is the country I saw in the faces of crowds that would stretch far into the horizon of our heartland – faces of every color, of every age – faces I see here tonight. You are Democrats who are tired of being divided; Republicans who no longer recognize the party that runs Washington; Independents who are hungry for change. You are the young people who’ve been inspired for the very first time and those not-so-young folks who’ve been inspired for the first time in a long time. You are veterans and church-goers; sportsmen and students; farmers and factory workers; teachers and business owners who have varied backgrounds and different traditions, but the same simple dreams for your children’s future.
Many of you have been disappointed by politics and politicians more times than you can count. You’ve seen promises broken and good ideas drown in the sea of influence, and point-scoring, and petty bickering that has consumed Washington. And you’ve been told over and over and over again to be cynical, and doubtful, and even fearful about the possibility that things can ever be different.
And yet, in spite of all the doubt and disappointment – or perhaps because of it – you came out on a cold winter’s night in numbers that this country has never seen, and you stood for change. And because you did, a few more stood up. And then a few thousand stood up. And then a few million stood up. And tonight, in the fullness of spring, with the help of those who stood up from Portland to Louisville, we have returned to Iowa with a majority of delegates elected by the American people, and you have put us within reach of the Democratic nomination for President of the United States.
The road here has been long, and that is partly because we’ve traveled it with one of the most formidable candidates to ever run for this office. In her thirty-five years of public service, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has never given up on her fight for the American people, and tonight I congratulate her on her victory in Kentucky. We have had our disagreements during this campaign, but we all admire her courage, her commitment and her perseverance. No matter how this primary ends, Senator Clinton has shattered myths and broken barriers and changed the America in which my daughters and yours will come of age.
Some may see the millions upon millions of votes cast for each of us as evidence that our party is divided, but I see it as proof that we have never been more energized and united in our desire to take this country in a new direction. More than anything, we need this unity and this energy in the months to come, because while our primary has been long and hard-fought, the hardest and most important part of our journey still lies ahead.
We face an opponent, John McCain, who arrived in Washington nearly three decades ago as a Vietnam War hero, and earned an admirable reputation for straight talk and occasional independence from his party.
But this year’s Republican primary was a contest to see which candidate could out-Bush the other, and that is the contest John McCain won. The Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of Americans that once bothered Senator McCain’s conscience are now his only economic policy. The Bush health care plan that only helps those who are already healthy and wealthy is now John McCain’s answer to the 47 million Americans without insurance and the millions more who can’t pay their medical bills. The Bush Iraq policy that asks everything of our troops and nothing of Iraqi politicians is John McCain’s policy too, and so is the fear of tough and aggressive diplomacy that has left this country more isolated and less secure than at any time in recent history. The lobbyists who ruled George Bush’s Washington are now running John McCain’s campaign, and they actually had the nerve to say that the American people won’t care about this. Talk about out of touch!
I will leave it up to Senator McCain to explain to the American people whether his policies and positions represent long-held convictions or Washington calculations, but the one thing they don’t represent is change.
Change is a tax code that rewards work instead of wealth by cutting taxes for middle-class families, and senior citizens, and struggling homeowners; a tax code that rewards businesses that create good jobs here in America instead of the corporations that ship them overseas. That’s what change is.
Change is a health care plan that guarantees insurance to every American who wants; that brings down premiums for every family who needs it; that stops insurance companies from discriminating and denying coverage to those who need it most.
Change is an energy policy that doesn’t rely on buddying up to the Saudi Royal Family and then begging them for oil – an energy policy that puts a price on pollution and makes the oil companies invest their record profits in clean, renewable sources of energy that will create five million new jobs and leave our children a safer planet. That’s what change is.
Change is giving every child a world-class education by recruiting an army of new teachers with better pay and more support; by promising four years of tuition to any American willing to serve their community and their country; by realizing that the best education starts with parents who turn off the TV, and take away the video games, and read to our children once in awhile.
Change is ending a war that we never should’ve started and finishing a war against Al Qaeda in Afghanistan that we never should’ve ignored. Change is facing the threats of the twenty-first century not with bluster, or fear-mongering, or tough talk, but with tough diplomacy, and strong alliances, and confidence in the ideals that have made this nation the last, best hope of Earth. That is the legacy of Roosevelt, and Truman, and Kennedy.
That is what change is.
That is the choice in this election.
The same question that first led us to Iowa fifteen months ago is the one that has brought us back here tonight; it is the one we will debate from Washington to Florida, from New Hampshire to New Mexico – the question of whether this country, at this moment, will keep doing what we’ve been doing for four more years, or whether we will take that different path. It is more of the same versus change. It is the past versus the future. It has been asked and answered by generations before us, and now it is our turn to choose.
We will face our share of difficult and uncertain days in the journey ahead. The other side knows they have embraced yesterday’s policies and so they will also embrace yesterday’s tactics to try and change the subject. They will play on our fears and our doubts and our divisions to distract us from what matters to you and your future.
Well they can take the low road if they want, but it will not lead this country to a better place. And it will not work in this election. It won’t work because you won’t let it. Not this time. Not this year.
My faith in the decency, and honesty, and generosity of the American people is not based on false hope or blind optimism, but on what I have lived and what I have seen in this very state.
For in the darkest days of this campaign, when we were dismissed by all the polls and all the pundits, I would come to Iowa and see that there was something happening here that the world did not yet understand.
It’s what led high school and college students to give up their vacations to stuff envelopes and knock on doors, and why grandparents have spent all their afternoons making phone calls to perfect strangers. It’s what led men and women who can barely pay the bills to dig into their savings and write five dollar checks and ten dollar checks, and why young people from all over this country have left their friends and their families for a job that offers little pay and less sleep.
Change is coming to America.
It’s the spirit that sent the first patriots to Lexington and Concord and led the defenders of freedom to light the way north on an Underground Railroad. It’s what sent my grandfather’s generation to beachheads in Normandy, and women to Seneca Falls, and workers to picket lines and factory fences. It’s what led all those young men and women who saw beatings and billy clubs on their television screens to leave their homes, and get on buses, and march through the streets of Selma and Montgomery – black and white, rich and poor.
Change is coming to America.
It’s what I saw all those years ago on the streets of Chicago when I worked as an organizer – that in the face of joblessness, and hopelessness, and despair, a better day is still possible if there are people willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it. That’s what I’ve seen here in Iowa. That’s what is happening in America – our journey may be long, our work will be great, but we know in our hearts we are ready for change, we are ready to come together, and in this election, we are ready to believe again. Thank you Iowa, and may God Bless America. | <urn:uuid:45a36f02-816e-4c44-85cc-1c990e862d76> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/05/obama_des_moines_within_reach.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968305 | 2,664 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Aurora is located in Texas and has a population that is around 1,383 people and is expected to grow over the years. It’s located in Wise County and is located near Sabine Lake as well as Taylor Bayou. Port Arthur has occupied this site since 1895, and that is around the tie that Aurora became known as a ghost town. This town got its recognition by a UFO incident that happened in the small town in 1897. There are rumors that the pilot of this UFO is buried in the cemetery located in the t…
This city has become ideal for many families looking to raise a family. This city is located near the Metroplex making commuting rather simple and not too far from things. This city is about 15 minutes from the Alliance Corridor and is home to an average of 50 companies. This city is also located about 18 minutes from Fossil Creek which is in the northerner part of Fort Worth and 35 minutes from Dallas/Fort Worth airport. This area has become popular among many looking for a small town to become a part of.
Users may not reproduce or redistribute the data found on this site. The data is for viewing purposes only. Data is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed accurate by the MLS or NTREIS.
Listing information last updated on May 22nd, 2013 at 9:00am CDT. | <urn:uuid:81bfbe4a-13f3-4df9-8d7c-04cce1f41001> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nuhomesource.com/homes-for-sale-in-aurora-texas.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.991851 | 276 | 1.671875 | 2 |
July 29, 2010
Korean manufacturer KAI aims to make the KC-100 South Korea's first FAA-certified aircraft, and offer it as direct competition to top-end Cirrus and Cessna Corvalis turbocharged piston models, by 2013. What the KC-100 brings to the party is nearly full carbon-fiber construction, a cabin that adds one or two inches in width over Cirrus and Corvalis designs, an Avidyne Entegra II panel, plus standard TKS ice protection, air conditioning and oxygen. As that package suggests, the KC-100 intends to provide for a good life in the fast lane at high altitude. Powered by a FADEC-controlled TCM TSIOF-550-K turbocharged engine, KAI plans to deliver cruise speeds of about 190 knots, a maximum range of 1,200 nautical miles, and a useful load of at least 1,100 pounds. The manufacturer did not bring a prototype to AirVenture (it's due for completion in early 2011), but they did have a presence, and expect a first flight by late summer next year.
The KC-100's current design includes twin gull-wing doors and outer-span wing cuffs along with cowl and windscreen lines that invoke thoughts of a Cirrus. However, the company maintains that the aircraft's planform is still subject to change as modifications are made to best meet target specifications. Pricing hasn't been set but the company is currently hoping to come in near $600,000, with a full-plane parachute offered as an option. As prototyping progresses, KAI has begun seeking partners to act as support centers in the U.S. | <urn:uuid:4c84b81a-f3c1-4ab4-8dde-bbe810033b5e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.avweb.com/news/airventure/EAAAirVenture2010_corvalis_cirrus_kc100_korean_faa_certified_203008-1.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955676 | 348 | 1.632813 | 2 |
‘This is unacceptable and irresponsible energy policy,’ he said. "It will cost American jobs, hurt our economy and increase our dependence on foreign oil.’"
September 18, 2009
Salazar says he may wait on offshore drilling plan
Matthew Daly, AP
September 17, 2009
WASHINGTON — Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Thursday he's in no hurry to make a decision on whether to allow offshore drilling in federal waters off Alaska and other states, a remark that disappointed advocates of offshore drilling for oil and gas.
Salazar, who met with Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell on Thursday, told reporters he's uncertain whether the Interior Department will seek to put a new five-year drilling plan in place before the existing leasing program runs out in 2012.
The Interior Department is taking comment until Sept. 21 on a Bush administration proposal to open vast waters off the Pacific and Atlantic coasts to oil and gas drilling.
The proposed five-year plan, which would open up areas where drilling has been banned for a quarter-century, includes newly identified areas for drilling in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas off Alaska's northern coast.
While the Interior Department is considered unlikely to adopt the Bush-era proposal wholesale, it remains unclear whether the Obama administration will allow any expansion of Outer Continental Shelf drilling.
The current plan is in place until 2012, so legally the department has until 2012 to redo a plan on the Outer Continental Shelf, Salazar said.
"Whether we take that long or not is something we'll decide based on the information we collected and the analysis that's been done during this period," he said. "I haven't yet reached a decision yet on what the next steps are going to be."
Salazar's comments should not be over-interpreted, spokeswoman Kendra Barkoff said. The comments were first reported by Greenwire.
"We want to ensure that we are 100 percent comfortable with where we are," Barkoff said. "We're not going to rush into something."
Still, Salazar's remarks enraged some Republicans, who accused the secretary of imposing a backdoor moratorium on drilling through inaction.
Waiting until 2012 means that a six-month public comment period will soon become a three-year ban on offshore drilling, said Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., senior Republican on the House Natural Resources Committee.
"This is unacceptable and irresponsible energy policy," he said. "It will cost American jobs, hurt our economy and increase our dependence on foreign oil."
Shortly after taking office, Salazar ordered a review of offshore oil and gas development, scrapping a sweeping blueprint for expanded offshore drilling proposed in the Bush administration's final days.
Salazar didn't rule out expanded offshore drilling, but criticized "the enormous sweep" of the Bush proposal, which envisioned energy development from New England to Alaska, including lease sales in areas off California and in the North Atlantic that have been off-limits for a quarter century.
Salazar set a Sept. 21 deadline for public comment on the drilling plan and attended four regional hearings, including sessions in Anchorage and San Francisco, to gather information.
Parnell and other Alaska officials have pushed for drilling, saying a responsible offshore drilling plan is vitally important to Alaska and the nation. Parnell, who took office in July after former Gov. Sarah Palin stepped down, said Alaska's portion of the Outer Continental Shelf contains an estimated 27 billion barrels of oil and 130 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
Citing a University of Alaska study, Parnell said shelf production in Alaska could provide an annual average of 35,000 jobs for 50 years, and $72 billion in new payroll.
"We have a rich reserve of oil and gas and we have a nation that needs it," Parnell said Thursday. "Alaskan jobs and the nation's energy security are at stake. Any delay would be harmful."
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said Alaska's three members of Congress agree on the need to open up the Outer Continental Shelf to more oil and gas development.
"It's irresponsible to gripe about volatility in the international markets and rely on imports from dangerous and unreliable regimes while our country has tremendous oil and gas resources we are unwilling to tap," she said.
Meanwhile, more than 400 scientists from the United States and 20 other countries signed a strongly worded letter urging the Obama administration to defer offshore oil and gas development in the Arctic Ocean until research can adequately assess potential risks to fragile marine ecosystems.
The scientists said the Bush-era proposal was made without sufficient understanding of the environmental consequences for the Chukchi and Beaufort seas and lacked full consultation with Alaska resident and native groups.
# # #
Print version of this document | <urn:uuid:1e573797-316e-4b52-9afc-50bd9737e9d3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://naturalresources.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=145577 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953657 | 979 | 1.789063 | 2 |
“I’m stuck… I do a great job but I’m invisible to others. I’ve been told to ‘get out there more’ and promote myself – become more visible. I’m frightened of what others might think if I start talking about how good I am. Being visible feels false and fills me with fear!”
Extract from an email – Jenny, A frightened coaching client
There’s no shortage of people waiting to tell you how to fit in. They are happy to explain: ‘how we do things ’round here,’ show you what you’re doing wrong, criticize you, correct you, and offer advice.
Fitting in is the social norm. Keeping your head down and not rocking the boat creates an easier life.
This advice can be overwhelming. We are really good at creating and maintaining the status quo (especially in the UK!).
Over time, fitting in becomes the norm and standing out is perceived as arrogant, egotistical, fool hardy or career limiting. Especially in this current climate! (Yes! This excuse fits perfectly.)
So standing out is certainly a much riskier strategy… isn’t it?
Have you noticed… there’s no one pushing you to stand out? Where are these people? Often you are on your own (especially in corporate!)…
I see fitting in and standing out like two people sat on a see saw. Our minds often struggle up and down with this:
- Fit in too much and you’ll blend into the background. Nothing much happens. You become invisible and limit success by hiding in the shadows. Occasionally someone may get a glimpse of your true value.
- Standing out requires you to step into the spotlight, sharing your ideas and making an emotional connection with others. As you receive exposure and attention your Lizard Brain equates this to danger (our ancestors didn’t want attention – this could mean death…). No wonder you feel resistance – all the alarm bells are going off in your amygdala!
This is what had happened to Jenny. She’s an expert in her field and does a great job (often taken for granted). She was hiding her value and only those close to her knew about it. This limited her potential and her career stagnated.
Most of us don’t have anyone to push us forward. Many of us are happy just to fit in for an easier life.
Jenny was frustrated and unhappy. She was working hard and not being recognized and the same time she was scared of being in the spotlight. Her seesaw was working overtime!
Being successful means that you sometimes have to stand out from the shadows and allow your light to shine. In Jenny’s case, she was tired of not getting the recognition she deserved. By increasing her visibility she was able to build her marketability and leverage in the business and share her value with more people.
Here’s how to stand out:
1. Know your Biology. Understanding how your Lizard Brain tries to protect you from threat enables you to deal with any resistance. You are able to change how you think and move beyond it (I regularly coach clients through this).
2. Create your own map. Stop being an order taker waiting for instructions from the Status Quo Committee. Create your own status quo! If you take orders you can’t create your own value and share it with others. Do it your way… chart your own path and create your own value. Be YOU.
3. Know where you’re going. Have clarity about what you want to achieve and WHY it’s important to you.
- What does it look like, sound like or feel like?
- Create your own direction and plan your first step. Planning may take time but it’s time well spent.
4. Make a deliberate choice. Your value is created by what you choose to do. Most of us know what we should do but we don’t do it. Thinking is not voluntary! Choice is about thinking and feeling, not just as a reaction in the moment when you are a victim of your thoughts. Generate possibilities and choose intentionally. Decide to overcome any anxiety or fear associated with your decision to stand out.
5. Put the work in. Be prepared to put in whatever is necessary to get from where you are now to where you want to be. Others may criticize you – know that this is a natural part of the process. Practice, practice, practice – be imperfectly perfect you’ll make a few mistakes along the way.
6. It’s ALL about connection. Learn how to authentically talk about what you do and the value it gives. It’s a gift to be able to serve others and help them to achieve their goals. You don’t work in a vacuum – you are doing a dis-service if you don’t share what you do with those who might need your help.
7. Learn how to be happy. Does your work match your passion for it? Or does your passion match your work? You can’t just BE happy, but you can learn to do things in a happy way. Pay ATTENTION to enjoying the process of what you are doing. Make things enjoyable even when talking to others about what you do and how it might help them.
We’re waiting for you to walk into your spotlight and Stand out! | <urn:uuid:a800ccf6-8a32-4841-a237-e7ded9026c78> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.elainebaileyinternational.com/wordpress/category/ego/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958875 | 1,136 | 1.632813 | 2 |
My significant other and I have a-wedding-a-month until November (and two in June), so I took this calm before the storm and ventured out to Yew Dell Botanical Gardens seeking solace from everyone else’s wedding bells – only to be slapped in the face by nature.
It could have been the castle fit for Narnia or the 61 acres of picturesque landscape, but upon arriving, I felt as though I had stepped into “The Princess Bride.”
Beginning with one tree in 1941, commercial nurseryman Theodore Klein and wife, Martha Lee Klein, spent the next 50-plus years developing their private estate into what we now know as Yew Dell.
Yew Dell has a wide range of garden styles and more than 60 unique propagated plant varieties, and the Kleins also collected more than a thousand unusual specimen trees and shrubs now displayed in the arboretum. One of the more beautiful landscape structures has got to be Holly Alley. Klein trained two rows of American hollies into an evergreen tunnel, which leads back to his Secret Garden and just screams bridal aisle!
Originally created to grace the entrance drive to the property, the Serpentine Gardens house a collection of evergreens tied together by taxus – or in layman’s terms, yew, which is where we find the property’s namesake.
Klein’s extensive horticulture knowledge went hand-in-hand with his self-taught craftsmanship and is responsible for the structures scattered throughout the property. From the castle Klein built as a pool house for his family to his personal home, the land is rich in soil and history, which only adds to the appeal.
Since Klein’s death in 1998, constant efforts have been made to preserve the history of the land and to create a growing interest in this public garden. After experiencing the spectacular array of foliage first-hand, I see why. Once you uncover something as amazing as Yew Dell, you simply want the world to know – or at least the greater Louisville area to know.
As part of the Garden Conservancy, a national, nonprofit organization, Yew Dell has transformed this once private garden into an oasis for anyone to enjoy. From formal topiary to traditional English walled gardens, there is plenty of inspiration at Yew Dell.
As captivating as the history of Yew Dell is, I wondered what happens after the picnic?
Not much for sitting in the grass all day? No worries. Yew Dell has you – and your kids – covered.
Starting April 21, they will begin a series of concerts in the Peyton Samuel Head Trust Pavilion, featuring the Harry Pickens Trio, Whiskey Bent Valley Boys, Bourbon Baroque and more. There’s nothing like experiencing bluegrass music right in the heart of the bluegrass.
For your children, or the child at heart, Yew Dell recently launched a new educational program titled Children in the Dell. Every Saturday morning (with the exception of May 7) until Oct. 22, the gardens will open up from 10:30 a.m. to noon for children 5 and up to join educators on adventures. Activities include nature hikes, flower planting and scavenger hunts.
In need of some hand-picked gardening goods? On April 30, Yew Dell will host its annual plant sale and garden market. Knowledgeable staff and volunteers will be on-hand to serve as a source for your landscaping needs. Anyone can enjoy a variety of vendors, children’s activities and food.
With Yew Dell membership packages ranging from $35 to $1,000, you can find something to cure your green thumb craving or simply a go-to picnic spot.
Yew Dell is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
To schedule a tour, call 502.241.4788 or visit www.yewdellgardens.org.
Castle Terrace, the site of the original built-in pool, came complete with windows that allowed Klein’s children to swim underwater and waive to the cows in the fields below. Long since filled in, the terrace now provides an excellent view to the Overlook Garden, Meadow and Woodland with a mile of hiking trails.
Contact writer Lauren DePaso at [email protected] or 502.498.2051.
Category: Out & About
About the Author (Author Profile)
Voice-Tribune Staff Writer Lauren DePaso enjoys being a tourist in her own city, exploring the nightlife and cheering on the Cards. A Louisville native, she currently resides in St. Matthews. | <urn:uuid:518c98a0-a632-401e-8328-b469863a10b3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.voice-tribune.com/columns/out-and-about/yew-dell-botanical-gardens/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947582 | 987 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Gov. Perdue, Cherokee Reach New Compact
Agreement Will Mean Funds for Classrooms and Hundreds of Jobs
Gov. Bev Perdue and leaders of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians have reached an agreement that will inject additional funding directly into classrooms, and create 400 new jobs in western North Carolina, by expanding the Cherokee’s gaming enterprises.
“My top priorities are strengthening our schools and creating jobs, and this agreement does both,” Gov. Perdue said. “This will mean additional dollars going directly to school districts, and it will provide an economic boost for western North Carolina. I urge the General Assembly to act so that we can quickly start receiving the benefits of this expansion.”
“Today represents the culmination of months of hard work by the Governor’s office and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians,” said Principal Chief Michell Hicks. “This agreement will provide substantial economic benefit to tribal members and throughout western North Carolina. This agreement further demonstrates the Cherokees’ commitment to educating our young people through the education funding initiative. We value our partnership with the state and are grateful to the Governor for her help and to the leadership in the General Assembly for their continued support.”
Administration officials urged the General Assembly to pass the needed conforming technical modifications as soon as possible.
The 30-year compact will allow the Cherokee to offer live table gaming, and it will provide for the state to receive a share of revenue generated from these new games. The compact calls for the state’s share of the revenue to be channeled directly to school districts. The school districts will be required to spend the funds on educating students in the classroom.
The North Carolina School Board Association (NCSBA) applauded efforts to direct more funding to help strengthen our schools. “On behalf of the more than 1.4 million students that are served through our education system, school boards are grateful for the additional resources these funds will provide to strengthen the opportunities our students will receive in the classroom,” said Chuck Francis, President of NCSBA.
Kit Cramer, the President and CEO of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, also praised the agreement, saying that it “adds 400 jobs without paying incentives and creates good synergy for travel and tourism in the Asheville area.”
Perdue administration officials and Cherokee leaders spent months negotiating the compact and worked out a variety of complicated issues. Among the more important components of the agreement, the state will grant the Cherokee exclusive live table gaming rights west of Interstate 26. In exchange, the Cherokee will pay the state:
4 percent of gross receipts from live table gaming during the first five years;
5 percent the next five years;
6 percent the next five years;
7 percent the next five years; and
8 percent during the next ten years.
Gov. Perdue and Chief Hicks executed the agreement Monday morning. Once the General Assembly acts, the agreement will be sent to the U.S. Department of the Interior for approval.Read the full article | <urn:uuid:b418fd14-9add-46bd-8b02-272f458a38f6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mountainx.com/article/37885/N.C.-governor-and-Cherokee-sign-compact-to-allow-live-gaming-and-share-revenue-with-WNC-schools | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940869 | 626 | 1.5 | 2 |
Finnish scent marketing firm Ideair used ten restaurants and bars to conduct an interesting test of the effect of scent on product sales. As reported by Reuters, five locations used only visual ads for a specific liquor brands while the other five used the same ads but added scent diffusers. The aroma being broadcast were that of the advertised liquor.
Ideair describes the test results:
To know how well the campaign works, we had a student from Laurea University of Applied Sciences, to do his final thesis about this case. In order to know what the impact of scent is, we made the same visual ad, without scent, and put them in five restaurants. The results were convincing, bars with scent-visual ad resulted in 79% growth in sales, while places with only the visual ad, sold 11% more than during normal periods.
While I’m sure this wasn’t the most scientifically controlled experiment, the results appear to show that a product scent at the point of sale can boost sales far more than signage alone. (Note that the video sound track describes a 7.9% boost instead of 79%, an apparent error.) Although the effects on branding aren’t noted, having a brand-specific aroma wafting through an environment would seem to be a good way to make a stronger, more memorable brand impression. | <urn:uuid:634b95dd-4593-45fa-8553-5ceab1027968> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.neurosciencemarketing.com/blog/articles/scent-nearly-doubles-sales.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950055 | 273 | 1.570313 | 2 |
|Hip Replacement Caused by
Sep 24, 2008
Hip Replacement Caused by-- two of my friends who have been poz for less than 8 years are having hip replacements, very scary for me, but i looked it up and the CoFactors are smoking, Meth, Steroids, and HIV meds and HIV. Can you talk in detail about what causes this grusome side effect, what is the common cofactors you see in the clinic (that you know about). Is it common? or less than 1% get this? i talked to a friend whose negative uncle just smoked cigarettes a pack a day for entire life and he has to get it at 53 yrs old so just smoking can cause it.
| Response from Dr. Henry
There are numeorus causes of hip problems seen in the general population including aseptic necrosis. HIV+ persons appear to be at modestly increased risk with use of steroids (esp corticosteroids), high lipid levels, and many other conditions. There has not been a clear link to any of the currently commonly used HIV meds (in USA 2008). The rate is low among HIV + persons on treatment (< 1%)but with an aging population that may increase over time. Bone health in general is a major issue in HIV+ persons with increased rates of osteopenia/osteoporosis being found in HIV+ persons meriting attention and study. KH
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Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible for editing and fact-checking their material. Neither TheBody.com nor any advertiser is the publisher or speaker of posted visitors' questions or the experts' material. | <urn:uuid:302fea87-6018-4c21-8463-0f8d98ee90b7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thebody.com/Forums/AIDS/SideEffects/Q196130.html?ic=4003 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937575 | 415 | 1.820313 | 2 |
What is Line Stacking Strategy in Silverlight TextBlock control? - by Kunal Chowdhury (@kunal2383)
Do you aware of the Line Stacking Strategy of Silverlight TextBlock control? If not, this post will help you to understand it and after that you will be able to use it whenever require.
So, what is this strategy? Was it available in earlier version of Silverlight or a new feature implemented in Silverlight 5? Let us discuss it in depth.
Read More from: Original Source
Post Contributed by: Kunal Chowdhury
Kunal is the Site Admin and Contributor of Silverlight-Zone. He is a Software Engineer, Microsoft Silverlight MVP, Code Project Mentor and a Code Project MVP. He is also an active Author in SilverlightShow.net and a speaker in various community events. He works on Microsoft Platform and very passionate about Silverlight technology. He started his career in 2007 and achieved various awards during his professional life.
He shares his findings in his personal blog: http://www.kunal-chowdhury.com and he also tweets at: @kunal2383. | <urn:uuid:a6d245a0-ab74-473d-88cc-18af91e21fb7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.silverlight-zone.com/2011/05/what-is-line-stacking-strategy-in.html | 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 | 0.942585 | 239 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Recently Michael Shermer has pointed to an anti-science attitude that exists on the left, mirroring the anti-science right, just with different issues. This week Chris Mooney writes to disagree.
Steven Novella posted to describe moves currently being made by alternative medicine quacks to try to get themselves named as Primary Care Doctors.
An analysis shows that 1 in 7 Fortune 500 companies are responsible for funding the homophobic Boy Scouts of America.
A new paper taking a close look at Mother Teresa calls her reputation a myth, says that she housed the sick in shoddy conditions and engaged in shady financial practices.
A memory freeze put Curiosity into safe mode. All is well though. The rover is back in action.
2 liters of water from the English Channel contains half the world's ocean microbes, and perhaps all of them.
The first wireless, implantable brain-computer interface will help us move things with our minds.
New poll shows that even Catholics don't agree with Catholicism.
Scientists have reconstructed the final moments of the meteor that grenaded over Russia recently.
Penal Substitutionary Theory is the dominant theory of the theology of the resurrection. It sounds fancy but it should be familiar to most everyone: Jesus stood in to be punished for our sins. John Danaher takes a look a new paper examining PST's coherence and logic.
New evidence suggests that Europa's oceans, usually below a thick crust of ice, may be found on the surface, and it may be similar in composition to Earth's oceans.
A new report highlights ongoing problems with church/state separation in the military.
Return of the Neanderthals? Should scientists seek to clone our ancient hominid cousins?
The Sun, though predicted to go through its typical rise in activity along its 22 year cycle, is in a slump.
Our brains, they're not as simple as stories about recent neuroscience research would make you think.
What does it mean to win an argument? (Knowing will help you argue more effectively.)
How authoritarianism created the crisis engulfing the Catholic Church.
Do you live in the Northern Hemisphere? There should be some good for viewing of comet Pan-STARRS this week. Click through to find out when.
Researchers shed light on the origin of life.
How (not) to argue with "skeptics" and denialists, indications from the history of science.
Rumors of results from CERN point to an entirely boring Higgs boson.
Physicist Sean Carroll follows Richard Carrier in jumping into the ongoing discussion between Michael Shermer and Massimo Pigliucci on the science and philosophy of morality.
New analysis of global temperatures shows that Earth's temperature is rising faster than at any time in the last 11,300 years. Meanwhile, the rise in CO2 in 2012 was the 2nd highest in the modern record.
Russian scientists say they've found new bacterial life in Antarctica's Lake Vostok.
Millions in assets and hundreds of lawyers, the Christian Right is waging war on the separation of church/state.
Human brain cells transplanted into mice boost mouse memory.
Philosopher Colin McGinn recently reviewed futurist Ray Kurzweil's new book on the mind and consciousness. McGinn finds he's unable to be kind to Kurzweil's ideas.
What's so special about the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum? How come no organisms have evolved to be able to use, say, radio waves, or x-rays, the way that light is used?
Depending on the moral outlook of a person, good deeds can lead some to more good deeds but others to moral backsliding.
Majority opposition to same-sex marriage now limited to the old, white, uneducated, and evangelicals. Surprise, surprise. | <urn:uuid:c51fccee-dfb0-4065-b669-e1f6eada1b67> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thinkatheist.com/profiles/blog/show?id=1982180%3ABlogPost%3A1271228&commentId=1982180%3AComment%3A1271511&xg_source=activity | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937122 | 781 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Health Insurance Top Benefit for Employees
CREDIT: Healthcare image via Shutterstock
When it comes to how they approach their careers, Americans say money can’t buy their love. However, health insurance can. In a new survey, 77 percent of workers say health insurance is the benefit that they most desire in a job.
Overall, 95 percent of Americans take health insurance benefits into consideration when deciding whether to stay at a job or take a new one, according to the research conducted by Ask.com.
Workers desire health insurance so much that 60 percent say they would rather spend a night in jail than lose their health coverage.
Asked what they want from their employers, 69 percent of workers also cited retirement benefits and 401(k) matching contributions. Life insurance, stock options and tuition assistance were other benefits that employees named.
Work-life balance is another important benefit for workers, the researchers found. More than one-third of workers said unlimited paid time off and telecommuting flexibility were offers that would sway them toward a job.
Many workers sounded excited about nontraditional benefits as well. Such benefits include a nap room, free dry cleaning and a personal shopper. Other, more lavish benefits that workers say would sway their decision to stick with a job or take a new one include masseuses, a clothing allowance and on-site gyms and child care centers.
"Silicon Valley companies are known for offering unusual perks like onsite haircuts and laundry service, which are nice-to-haves," said Lisa Ross, vice president of human resources at Ask.com. "But at the end of the day, what American workers value most are employers committed to their health and well-being and those who are actively invested in their overall quality of life."
The research was based on the responses of 2,094 adults polled by Harris Interactive. Ask.com is incorporating the results in its "2012 State of the Workplace: Benefits and Perks" report. | <urn:uuid:55ed32d8-c399-418e-981b-e0ad80c3a921> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/3434-top-benefits-employees.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977304 | 404 | 1.757813 | 2 |
I'm often encouraging kids to work large with drawing and painting, but sometimes small is wonderful, too. Especially when the small involves the top of a cupcake!
I asked Maia what she wanted to do yesterday and when she said, "Make cupcakes!" I made the big mistake of sitting down with her on my lap in front of Martha Stewart's site to look at all her cupcake recipes.
What was I thinking?! Maia, of course, wanted to make every fantastic cupcake on there, from the monster cupcake to the monkey cupcake to the ladybug cupcake. I wasn't about to painstakingly fashion each individual blade of grass from frosting and talked her into this simple glazed lemon cupcake instead since we had all the ingredients on hand.
Since decorating the cupcakes is half the fun, we put violets pansies on some of them (I double checked to make sure they were on this edible flower list) and then I got out our food coloring for the others. We applied the coloring like paints, using q-tips for our brushes. We used Wilton gel food colors but I imagine regular food coloring would work as well.
Knowing how much I value art, I imagine Maia may start lobbying for cupcakes more often now that we've used them as canvases!
Oh, and the cupcakes were easy, delicious and very lemony! | <urn:uuid:ccbe4ce3-2609-4a29-a7ea-0cdbc7e616c0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://artfulparent.typepad.com/artfulparent/2010/03/cupcakes-as-canvas.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979942 | 288 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Based on Doris Kearns Goodwin’s biography, “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln,” the film’s major throughline follows Lincoln’s fight to get the 13th Amendment to the Constitution passed, which would effectively end slavery. (Spoilers: He succeeds.) The stakes are set high, with rampant opposition to the amendment coming even from Lincoln’s cabinet as they fear abolishment of slavery would only further incite the Southern secessionists even as they near certain defeat in the Civil War. “It is either this amendment or the Confederate peace, you cannot have both,” warns William Seward (David Strathairn), Lincoln’s secretary of state.
Lincoln may be the driving force for the amendment, but Spielberg doesn’t paint him as the lone “hero.” He emphasizes that this could only have happened were it not for the “team” assembled to push it through, including Rep. Thaddeus Stevens (Tommy Lee Jones) and the trio of W.N. Bilbo (James Spader), Robert Latham (John Hawkes) and Richard Schell (Tim Blake Nelson), who were tasked with, ah, “persuading” the democratic representatives needed for passage.
The political machinations provide plenty of dramatic tension and turmoil, but what gives the film its texture is how Spielberg layers these threads with more personal moments as Abe and his wife, Mary (Sally Field) deal with the lingering sadness and survivor’s guilt regarding the death of their third son, William, as well as Abe’s interactions with his oldest and youngest sons, Robert (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Tad (Gulliver McGrath).
This is a portrait of Lincoln’s character and moral fortitude that is illuminated rather than a platform for delivering hard historical fact, something that makes the film far more enriching. I’m no historian and it’s been decades since I last cracked open a history book so I’m not in much of a position to comment on the historical accuracy of the events or Lincoln’s actions, but what I can say is that Spielberg crafts a film that expertly communicates the gravitas of this exceptional man.
Of course, he is able to do that in large part because of Daniel Day-Lewis’ captivating and definitive performance as Lincoln. The man has made his career over immersing himself in his roles. There are few cinematic chameleons as skilled as Lewis at disappearing into their roles, a feat he previously exercised to the fullest in “There Will Be Blood.” I’m not sure I’m ready to say his turn as Abraham Lincoln surpasses his work as Daniel Plainview, but it is, at minimum, equal, which is no small amount of praise. Lewis inhabits this role so fully that although we have no recorded footage to compare it to, it’s likely the closest we’ll come to seeing an accurate representation of the man.
This is one of our greatest actors delivering one of his greatest performances, and for that alone the film is worthy of high praise.
“Lincoln” has so much more to offer, though, thankfully, beginning especially with the magnificent supporting cast. Strathairn, Field, Spader, Nelson, Hawkes, Levitt, Jones, Jackie Earl Haley, Bruce McGill, Walton Goggins, Lee Pace and Hal Holbrook. I’m not sure it’s possible to have a better supporting cast than that. All of them are fantastic (as you’d expect), with many providing an unexpected amount of levity to their scenes as the film is often surprisingly quite funny (Spader, Nelson and Hawkes in particular help in this regard).
Additionally, this is one of Spielberg’s most visually unique films as he and longtime collaborator, cinematographer Janusz Kaminski, create a visual palette that is unlike anything I’ve seen in a Spielberg film, making it appear as though most scenes were filmed using only natural light. This results in a look that is often steeped in shadows, but it’s never dreary or overly moody.
“Lincoln” is, simply put, one of the finest films of the year and one of the finest films of Spielberg’s career. This is an enriching, illuminating look at a unique figure, the likes of which we are truly fortunate to have had leading our country. | <urn:uuid:71cccc01-752b-4440-b397-55e93af26ff4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tylerpaper.com/article/20121116/FEATURES07/121119809/-1/features | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965254 | 947 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Woman claims breeder sold her sick puppy
NOBLE, Okla. – A Noble resident wants to warn others about a puppy problem that could happen to any animal lover; health problems that arise soon after buying a dog from a breeder.
Rachel Taylor always wanted a Yorkshire Terrier of her own because of the companionship they offer.
“This was my dream dog,” she said.
She bought one earlier this month for $500 from Puppy Love Farms in Noble.
The contract she signed states it covers life-threatening problems that a vet may find soon after the purchase.
Within eight days of the purchase, Taylor said the puppy had to be euthanized.
She said her veterinarian diagnosed the dog with liver problems.
“Her liver was failing,” Taylor said. “She only had a 25 percent chance of living with an I.V. drip.”
She called the owner of Puppy Love Farms, Karen Cox, and told her the news.
She said she was disappointed to hear Cox say she would have to have the puppy checked out by her vet in Wewoka, 60 miles away.
“Which is an hour and a half away, which the puppy wouldn’t have made it overnight,” Taylor said.
Cox had a different story.
“I would pay for the vet inspection,” she said. “Then if the dog was truly ill, I would have kept the dog and I would have given her back her money. She refused to do that, so it was out of my hands.”
The Puppy Love Farms contract states Cox “reserves the right to have (the) puppy diagnosed by her vet at the owner’s expense.”
Cox said she offered to drive the puppy to Wewoka herself.
“…and (Taylor) said, ‘You will break the dog’s neck. You will kill the dog and destroy the evidence,’” Cox said. “So she would not give me the dog to have it looked at.”
Puppy Love Farms is licensed by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture.
Cox said her vet gave the puppy a clean bill of health just days before it was sold.
Teena Gunter, General Counsel for the Department of Agriculture, said breeders who knowingly sell sick animals are violating state law.
But she said Cox was within her rights to demand her vet do an inspection.
“The law does require that if you do identify that there’s an illness with the puppy, the breeder does have an opportunity to have their own vet check out the animal,” Gunter said.
The Agriculture Department can fine a pet breeder up to $10,000 a day for violating the relatively new pet breeder laws.
Anyone can file a complaint with them if they feel a contract was not honored.
Taylor said that’s what she plans to do. | <urn:uuid:16d188df-475f-4217-946c-6cc4aafd54f7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://kfor.com/2013/01/17/woman-claims-breeder-sold-her-sick-puppy/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979978 | 627 | 1.5 | 2 |
There seems to always be a new surprise as we find out what's in this law. Is it really manadatory?
The Michael Cannon quote referred to above:
Can you opt out of Obamacare? Two weeks ago, I pointed out Section 1555, one of the major chinks in PPACA's armor according to an attorney at the Goldwater Institute. Section 1555 is in the law under "Subtitle G - Miscellaneous Provisions." Since bringing this up, I've heard from some who believe that this section is limited solely to those who sell ("issue") health insurance.
Here again is Section 1555: "No individual, company, business, nonprofit entity, or health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage shall be required to participate in any Federal health insurance program created under this Act (or any amendments made by this Act), or in any Federal health insurance program expanded by this Act (or any such amendment), and there shall be no penalty or fine imposed upon any such issuer for choosing not to participate in such programs."
I've contacted Goldwater Institute's attorney, Nick Dranius, and other attorneys for more information and opinions. I've also transcribed Mr. Dranius's webinar comments so you can read them for yourself. See "News to Know" below.
Here is a summary of what I've heard so far:
1) Because of the rush to passage, no Congressional history exists that would describe the meaning or explain the purpose of this section, thus no one is sure why it's in the law, who put it there, or what it means.
2) The language is ambiguous. There are two possible interpretations of the language:
Interpretation #1: The placement of the comma before the word "or" means that the words preceding it ("individual, company, business, nonprofit entity") are not modified by the words,"issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage."
Interpretation #2: If you disregard the placement of the comma, or otherwise disagree with the above interpretation, the entire opt-out section applies only to entities "offering group or individual health insurance coverage" -- including individuals, companies, etc.
3) Final interpretation may be left to judges if Section 1555 is used in a legal challenge.
4) Given all the mandates in the rest of the law (the totality of the law), some judges may dismiss this section, but others may not.
5) For states with health care freedom acts that challenge Obamacare in court, Section 1555's ambiguity may have to be considered and a legal interpretation made.
But regardless of the interpretation of this section, the fact remains that states, employers and individuals can opt-out of compliance -- and in some cases may even be able to avoid the penalties for doing so (read Michael Cannon in Quotes below).
Individuals and employers still have power. As Justice Roberts ruled, no one can be forced to buy insurance. Likewise, no one has to sell insurance and no one is required to provide insurance. There are penalties for refusing to buy or provide insurance, but they are significantly less than the cost of buying or providing insurance. As the price of insurance skyrockets under Obamacare, expect more and more individuals and businesses to choose penalties rather than insurance.
States can refuse in two ways. States can refuse to expand Medicaid, as the U.S. Supreme Court ruled. And states can refuse to establish the federally-controlled state-based exchanges. The law doesn't require it.
Refusing to cooperate -- which starves Obamacare of the dollars, machinery, and manpower needed for implementation -- may be our best protection until the law is repealed.
"[D]efaulting to a federal exchange exempts a state's employers from the employer mandate - a tax of $2,000 per worker per year (the tax applies to companies with more than 50 employees, but for such companies that tax applies after the 30th employee, not the 50th). If all states did so, that would also exempt 18 million Americans from the individual mandate's tax of $2,085 per family of four. Avoiding those taxes improves a state's prospects for job creation, and protects the conscience rights of employers and individuals ... -- Michael Cannon (Cato Institute),
Just in case anyone debates that rationing will be part of the result of this law. They always knew it would be:
Nick Dranius, a constitutional attorney at the Goldwater Institute said the following during a webinar: "The bottom line is this. The federal health care law is very poorly drafted. Surprise. Surprise. And one of the things that remains a mysterious inkblot into which you can read anything you want is this curious provision that says, 'No individual, company, business, nonprofit entity, or health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage shall be required to participate in any Federal health insurance program created under this Act.' It goes on to repeatedly emphasize essentially that nothing is mandatory in Obamacare, depending on how you understand what is meant by the term 'federal health insurance program.'
"And the reason why this is important is it's an obvious ambiguity. It, in one sense clearly cuts against most of the mandates that are in Obamacare, and it can be leveraged under current case law to vindicate state sovereignty under Health Care Freedom Acts such as Tennessee's and the 14 other states that have versions either at the constitutional or statute level....
"This provision, because it is so ambiguous, undercuts any claim that the -- a federally established exchange would preempt [Tennessee's] health care freedom act. Because this language clearly says that no one's required to participate in any federal health insurance program and as [Cato Institute's] Michael Cannon pointed out, a key aspect of any exchange is to do just that, to facilitate and effectuate various mandates to ensure that everybody's participating in a federal health insurance program, namely PPACA's.
...So do not lose faith just yet in the various challenges to PPACA..."
"We need death panels. Well, maybe not death panels, exactly, but unless we start allocating health care resources more prudently - rationing, by its proper name - the exploding cost of Medicare will swamp the federal budget. ...Many countries whose health care systems are regularly extolled - including Canada, Australia and New Zealand - have systems for rationing care...At the least, the Independent Payment Advisory Board should be allowed to offer changes in services and costs. We may shrink from such stomach-wrenching choices, but they are inescapable." - Steven Rattner (Obama's "Car Czar"), The New York Times, September 16, 2012. | <urn:uuid:16367b6f-3a2f-41af-8233-452e3280900e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.retrievertraining.net/forums/printthread.php?t=91497&pp=10&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 | 0.946266 | 1,372 | 1.539063 | 2 |
We are finally seeing the entry of women in board-level positions at leading multinational companies. However, the numbers are not stacking up as anticipated – many businesses continue to have a less-than-balanced equation in terms of gender diversity in leadership roles.
Without doubt, it is still an uphill climb for women achievers who have set their sights at the top. After the deconstruction of the women’s liberation mind-set of the late ’70s, there seems to be a lack of both purpose and opportunities. Women realized that Mother Nature never meant to be men, and that their essential femininity is in fact their greatest strength. However, they also discovered that it takes more than strength to break into certain time-enabled silos.
The corporate world – especially in developing countries – still seems to be more geared more towards male domination at the top. Women who deem themselves of suitable caliber to breach these vaults need a clear strategy. Here are some tips for aspiring women achievers:
Chart Out A Clear Course Of Action
Take a dispassionate look at where you are today, and decide on where exactly you hope to land up within a certain time frame. Without a clear goal, all your efforts will be futile. Don’t set your goals without considering your existing or future family responsibilities. The pursuit of your career goals should not entail giving up on other important aspects of life.
Discuss Your Goals With Your Manager Or A Trusted HR Representative
Every company has different nuances wired into its employee growth equation, and you may not be privy to these. It is wise to discuss the way forward with someone who can advise you on your company’s policies and corporate culture. This will clarify your thinking and give you more objectivity.
Evaluate The Challenges
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Who else is in line for the promotion you are seeking? What are their abilities and weaknesses?
- Who are their connections and how did they build them?
- How can you leverage someone else’s abilities to manage your limitations?
- What can you do to have your candidature noticed even in the presence of these contenders?
Build A Personal Network Of Influential Men And Women Within The Company System
Construct and grow your network and then leverage your contacts tactfully. While many would view such a course of action as office politics, there is really no substitute for strategic thinking. Arrange to meet these people in formal and informal settings, and offer innovative ideas that will get you noticed. Also establish what their business objectives are, and how you may be helpful in fulfilling them.
Begin To Dress Like A Winner
Women have a much harder time dressing for success than men, and there are fine lines that must not be crossed. If your dress code is rather casual now, you need to gradually adopt a more formal look. The key concept is ‘gradual’, since a sudden change of dress code may proclaim your aspirations and goals too loudly. You do not want to invite antagonism from other aspirants to the higher echelons of company leadership.
Ensure That Your Achievements Are Noticed By The Right People At The RIght Time
This does not mean shouting them from the roof-tops – again, you do not want to antagonize the competition. You can do this more subtle and focused ways:
- Copy your manager on a mail thanking a client for awarding you a contract
- Schedule a meeting with your business head – ask him or her what would be the best way to build on a recent success
- Ask about what achievement awards you may be entitled to, and make sure you send in your candidature
- Keep a track of your achievements in your diary and use it for your mid-year or year-end review.
Do not allow yourself any feelings of entitlement. Nothing succeeds like success – it is your triumphs that will get you to the top, not the fact that you are a woman. Above all, beware of token positions that many companies create merely because of political correctness. These are dead-ends from where there is no upward trajectory at all. | <urn:uuid:3e9e6ead-157b-48b0-a4c3-7628b9a830fb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.humanresourcesblog.in/category/workplace/gender-diversity/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954046 | 844 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Apart from violent crime, high prices and less-tasty-than-Ipoh/Penang/KL food, there is another thing that Johor is infamous for: Literally everyone who comes to Johor Bahru notices immediately the very poor state of the roads. They’re super bumpy, even the main roads!
Why is this so when road renovations seem to be carried out all the time? Are the materials used to repave the roads of inferior quality to that used elsewhere in the country? Are the people in charge extremely inept to use such poor materials year after year?
Or is it simply because of rampant corruption? Each time the road is fixed, a large lump of the money goes to some VIP or contractor’s pockets. There is then less money for the fixing of the roads, leading to the condition of the roads deteriorating much faster.
But that’s a GOOD thing for the corrupt! Because that means the road will need to be re-fixed sooner, meaning more money for their fat pockets!
Meanwhile, road users suffer discomfort, vehicles need more repairs… And someone dies from the effects of corruption.
They execute the heads responsible for non-lethal food and toys contamination in China. Should the same be carried out for the selfish, greedy neglect that led to an actual death in Johor?
From The Star 24 Aug 2007:
Pothole that cost a life
JOHOR: It cost a life to get a pothole patched up.
Tan Cheng Ming, 20, was riding pillion on a motorcycle last Friday at 4am when the machine hit a pothole that was about as wide as a manhole and 5cm deep.
The impact caused Cheng Ming to be thrown off the motorcycle, and he sustained head injuries upon landing. He was rushed to the Sultan Ismail Hospital but died there.
His friend, Tam Tok Wei, 20, who was driving, escaped with minor injuries while the motorcycle was barely damaged except for some scratches and a bent front wheel.
Cheng Ming’s father, Robin Tan, said the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) patched up the pothole in Jalan Daya, Taman Daya, about two days after the accident.
“When there is a loss of life, only then will they act. We have to bring this up to the authorities, because we don’t want others to lose their loved ones, too.
“The street lights along that road are also not so bright as they are shaded by trees, so the rider might not have seen the pothole at night,” Tan told The Star.
The 53-year-old taxi driver said that with the exception of highways, many roads in Johor Baru are riddled with potholes.
Tan said they had started planning for Cheng Ming’s 21st birthday celebration next month when the accident occurred.
“Twenty years of love, and just like that, because of other people’s mistake, my son paid with his life,” he said. | <urn:uuid:82ddafd2-c92f-4b6d-87d9-f5d52e6ce4c1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://scottthong.wordpress.com/2007/08/26/johors-terrible-road-conditions-kill-man/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963342 | 641 | 1.65625 | 2 |
It's Friday and that means we've got another Poll Position topic for you to consider.
Our question this week was inspired by a recent HuffPost Gay Voices blog entitled "Does Asexuality Fall Under the Queer Umbrella?" by Allison Hope.
Although asexuality denotes the absence of sexuality, potentially differentiating it from the more visible sexual minorities (at least in terms of society's commonly held beliefs about them), in recent years the queer umbrella has extended to include not just sexual orientations but gender identities, as well, and could very well embrace another enclave. If you look at the religious root of homophobia, the belief that what cannot procreate is evil, and consider that asexuals by definition are not in the business of making babies, then you might agree that in that respect alone they could easily hop on the queer bandwagon.
And asexuals aren't the only group that some believe should also exist under the queer umbrella right alongside lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. Others have argued for the inclusion of the polyamorous (those who are interested in relationships of one type or another with more than one partner), those with sexual interests that are often seen as taboo by the general population (BDSM/submission/leather/latex/etc), and others, even if they consider themselves heterosexual.
But some are uncomfortable with including these groups and worry that if they are considered "queer" as well, it will distract or misdirect attention away from securing rights and recognition for more traditionally defined queer people.
So, we want to know what you think. Vote below and then sound off in the comments section. | <urn:uuid:c8cd72a4-5bac-4aad-b97c-0737d6c54214> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://6.hidemyass.com/ip-1/encoded/Oi8vd3d3Lmh1ZmZpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS8yMDEyLzA1LzE4L2dyb3Vwcy11bmRlci1xdWVlci11bWJyZWxsYV9uXzE1Mjc5ODMuaHRtbD9yZWY9bGdidA%3D%3D | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965771 | 336 | 1.671875 | 2 |
The focus of Up and Coming is to examine the statistical records of young players, to extract the meaning we can find there. Junior, minor pro and major league stats will be examined for players up to the age of 22.
While I have spent a great deal of time examining player statistics in this manner on an informal basis over many years, I haven't developed any formal methods yet. Over time through Up and Coming, I intend to develop such methods. I'll be looking at things such as the effect of a player's age on his numbers, and the relative value of the various junior and collegiate leagues. As well, I'll be looking at historical information to inform the present.
Special attention will be paid to the Entry Draft, especially how to use a player's numbers to determine if and when he should be drafted. In my opinion, NHL teams as a whole do not do a very good job drafting players. At the very least, draft results could be improved by paying more attention to the statistics and less attention to the player's height. Now, some NHL teams do very well drafting players and may not benefit from more emphasis on the stats. But you only need to look at the travesty that was the 1998 Entry Draft to see that stats are often ignored in favour of a player being really, really big.
Lessons From the Q
To begin with, let's have a look at the single-season scoring records from the QMJHL. It's interesting just to examine the list, but there are several important lessons that can be learned as well. Here are the top 25 scoring seasons from the Quebec major junior league:
Rank Player Club Year Age GP G A P
1 Lemieux, Mario Laval 1983-84 17 70 133 149 282
2 Larouche, Pierre Sorel 1973-74 17 67 94 157 251
3 LaFontaine, Pat Verdun 1982-83 17 70 104 130 234
4 Deziel, Michel Sorel 1973-74 19 69 92 135 227
5 Cloutier, Real Quebec 1973-74 17 69 93 123 216
6 Cossette, Jacques Sorel 1973-74 19 68 97 117 214
7 Lafleur, Guy Quebec 1970-71 18 62 130 79 209
8 Locas, Jacques Quebec 1973-74 19 63 99 107 206
9 Fortier, Marc Chicoutimi 1986-87 20 65 66 135 201
10 Lefebvre, Patrice Shawinigan 1987-88 20 70 64 136 200
11 Nantais, Richard Quebec 1973-74 18 67 64 130 194
12 Rouleau, Guy Longueuil 1985-86 20 62 91 100 191
13 Robitaille, Luc Hull 1985-86 19 63 68 123 191
14 Lebeau, Stephan Shawinigan 1987-88 19 67 94 94 188
15 Verret, Claude Trois-Rivieres 1982-83 19 68 73 115 188
16 Sauve, Jean-Francois Trois-Rivieres 1979-80 19 72 63 124 187
17 Morin, Stephane Chicoutimi 1988-89 19 70 77 109 186
18 Richards, Brad Rimouski 1999-00 19 63 71 115 186
19 Perreault, Yanic Trois-Rivieres 1990-91 19 67 87 98 185
20 Lemieux, Mario Laval 1982-83 16 66 84 100 184
21 Gamache, Simon Val d'Or 2000-01 19 72 74 110 184
22 Hawerchuk, Dale Cornwall 1980-81 17 72 81 102 183
23 Carbonneau, Guy Chicoutimi 1979-80 19 72 72 110 182
24 Savard, Denis Montreal 1979-80 18 72 63 118 181
25 Aubin, Normand Verdun/Sherbrooke1979-80 19 63 91 89 180
(Note that age is calculated based on the modern rules for Entry Draft eligibility. If the player is first eligible for the draft after the year in question, he is assigned an age of 17 for that year. Other ages are calculated in the same manner.)
First of all, you might notice that six of the top 11 spots on the chart come from the 1973-74 season. Part of this is explained by the very high goals-per-game rate in the Q that year; the average was 5.41 goals per team-game. This is an extremely important point when examining junior records: what is the goal-scoring environment like? Is it a high-offense league, or are goals hard to come by? If no adjustment is made for this, players from a high-scoring league will be overrated, while players from a tight defensive league will be underrated.
While 5.41 is a very high GPG, it's not uniquely high. The 1982-83 GPG in the QMJHL was 5.40, and there are three player-seasons from this year on the list as well. So by itself, the GPG doesn't explain why half the top spots on the list are from a single season.
If we look again, we notice that all six players on the list from this season come from only two teams: the Sorel Black Hawks and the Quebec Remparts. Sorel's Larouche-Deziel-Cossette line are #2, 4 and 6 on the list, while Quebec's Cloutier-Locas-Nantais line are #5, 8 and 11. So part of the explanation is also the concentration of talent in the league that year, or to put it another way, the lack of competitive balance. Sorel scored 620 goals in 70 games, and incredible 8.86 GPG. Quebec scored 531 goals, or 7.59 GPG. At the bottom of the league we have the Hull Festivals, who scored a mere 226 goals, or 3.23 GPG.
It's a perfect storm: a high-scoring league with a very uneven distribution of talent leading to a pair of very high-scoring lines. We'll come back to that incredible Sorel line in a moment.
Another lesson from the list is the importance of age. There are five players on the list in their first year of draft eligibility: Lemieux, Larouche, LaFontaine, Cloutier, and Hawerchuk. All of these players had significant major-league careers (Cloutier's included the WHA), and all averaged over a point per game in their careers:
Lemieux 1,723 points in 915 games
Larouche 822 points in 812 games
LaFontaine 1,013 points in 865 games
Cloutier 910 points in 686 games
Hawerchuk 1,409 points in 1,188 games
Even making the list at 18 may be a good indicator of future success, though this is less useful information in the present, because generally the good players have already been drafted at that age. Lafleur and Savard both had long NHL and successful careers, while Nantais is the exception. Of course, Nantais' season was 1973-74, so that probably had something to do with his high ranking as well. The age-19 seasons on the list are very much hit-and-miss in terms of lengthy and successful NHL careers.
Let's go back to that Sorel line for a moment and look at their ages. Larouche was 17 while Deziel and Cossette were both 19. We know Larouche had a good NHL career. Deziel had a few decent AHL seasons, and did play in one NHL playoff game with Buffalo. He finished with 152 points in 227 career AHL and IHL games, hardly what many would have expected from his Q stats. Cossette had a bit more of a career: 14 points in 64 NHL games with Pittsburgh, and 252 points in 327 AHL games. Contrasting these careers with Larouche's underscores the importance that a player's age has on his numbers, especially at a young age. Players are still maturing rapidly at this young age, and a single year makes a huge difference. Being a dominant scorer in the QMJHL at age 19 is not an impressive feat since you are playing against many younger players. On the other hand, being a dominant scorer at age 17 the opposite and very, very impressive.
While interesting, the list has its limitations. It is heavy with players who played in high-scoring eras for the Quebec league and as such leaves off any (relatively) impressive scoring seasons from low-scoring seasons. We can make a very simple adjustment to make the list more 'fair', by converting everyone to what we might call the 'Lemieux standard'. That is, the scoring environment in which the #1 player, Mario Lemieux in 1983-84, played in: 70 games and 5.01 GPG average. This gives Lemieux a score of 282 points, which is what he actually scored. Applying the Lemieux standard to the list above rearranges the player-seasons. This is the new top 10:
1. Mario Lemieux (age 17) 282 points
2. Brad Richards (age 19) 265 points
3. Guy Lafleur (age 18) 258 points
4. Yanic Perreault (age 19) 250 points
5. Pierre Larouche (age 17) 243 points
6. Simon Gamache (age 19) 233 points
7. Pat LaFontaine (age 17) 217 points
8. Guy Rouleau (age 20) 216 points
9. Michel Deziel (age 19) 213 points
10. Luc Robitaille (age 19) 212 points
That's a good start, but of course it still combines players of all ages, and it's also limited to those players who made the unadjusted list. So just as a preview for the next column, here are the top age-17 seasons of all time from the Quebec league, calculated as above.
1. Sidney Crosby (2004-05) 298 points
2. Mario Lemieux (1983-84) 282 points
3. Pierre Larouche (1973-74) 243 points
4. Guy Lafleur (1969-70) 220 points
5. Pat LaFontaine (1982-83) 217 points
6. Alexandre Daigle (1992-93) 206 points
7. Real Cloutier (1973-74) 203 points
8. Dale Hawerchuk (1980-81) 190 points
9. Derrick Brassard (2005-06) 189 points
10. Vincent Lecavalier (1997-98) 187 points
At least one of the players is not like the others (and one's too early to tell), and that player can be an important lesson in that stats aren't the only thing you should be looking at when drafting a player. | <urn:uuid:7849e666-7954-4da3-b72e-46a9d0e420d7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.puckprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=19 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933137 | 2,268 | 1.5625 | 2 |
PLANK NOVEMBER 8, 2012
Maryland’s 3rd congressional district, the most gerrymandered in the nation, is a Rorschach test in the most literal sense. The Washington Post called it a “crazy quilt.” A local politician compared it to “blood spatter from a crime scene.” A federal judge said it reminded him of a “broken-winged pterodactyl, lying prostrate across the center of the state.” DCist suggested we ditch metaphor altogether and change the word “gerrymander” to “Marymander.”
It would be an apt name. Though both parties carve up states in partisan self-interest, the Democrats dominating Maryland’s assembly are particularly aggressive -- and creative -- when it comes to the electoral map. In 2002, they shifted thousands of black voters from Al Wynn’s majority-minority District 4 into District 8, just to oust longtime Republican Representative Connie Morella. In 2012, they knocked out 86-year old incumbent Roscoe Bartlett by chopping his district in half and gluing it to a wealthy Democratic suburb near D.C. Bartlett lost by 20 points. Democrats now control seven of eight House seats.
Miffed, the GOP put the new borders to a vote with a referendum question on Tuesday’s ballot. Many Democrats shared the feeling that the gerrymandering had gone too far, but Question 5 was always something of a long shot. Nobody gets that passionate about redistricting. Despite Washington Post and Baltimore Sun editorials begging voters to undo the gerrymander, Marylanders upheld the law by the same margin that they voted for Obama.
Since the ballot lacked pictures, voters did not get to see the most persuasive bit of evidence: the twisted 3rd District belonging to John Sarbanes, which touches upon the metro areas of D.C., Baltimore, and Annapolis. Comedy Central’s election blog Indecision recently called it the ugliest district in the nation. A geospatial analysis firm named it the least compact district in the nation on two of four measures. The firm also ranks Maryland as the most gerrymandered state.
Though Sarbanes was never in danger of losing his race, the latest changes gave him wealthy Democratic voters from Montgomery County—potential donors for a future Senate campaign. Many Democrats were angered by this move, which came at the expense of black congresswoman Donna Edwards. Residents were “treated as pawns,” County Councilman Phil Andrews fumed on the Washington Post editorial page.
I spent Election Day driving from tendril to tendril of District 3, trying to find what its voters, fused together by partisan politics, had in common.
I began at at Cashell Elementary in Olney, a mostly-white D.C. suburb with grand colonial houses and a 200-acre country club. Money magazine once ranked it 17th on its list of best places to live, with average households making over $120,000. On Election Day, the school’s parking lot was crowded with luxury cars.
Here, where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2:1, I found apologetic liberals who opposed the gerrymandering on principle. “I have nothing against partisan line-drawing,” said Art Brodsky, a public relations consultant. “But when they start making fun of us on the Daily Show, that’s when it gets ridiculous.”
To sway votes, Brodsky was passing out flyers showing the new borders. “It’s a visual argument,” he said. But most people either hadn’t heard of it, or just shrugged.
“It is what it is,” said Edith Kirk, a tax accountant who has lived in the area for 30 years and three district changes. “I don’t like it but I’m going to vote for it.”
Twenty minutes away in White Oak, another D.C. suburb, there are five times as many Democrats as there are Republicans. The community is less affluent and also more ethnically diverse: 50 percent of residents are black and 9 percent are Asian. A fifth identify as Latino.
Robert Bates, a former civil servant, said he supported the redistricting because it was tit for tat. “In Texas, they’re switching the districts around to get more Republicans in,” he said. “You can’t just let them do it and not do it in this state.”
But retired teacher Tom Helfand’s conscience got the better of him. “I’m glad that Roscoe Bartlett is going to lose, but this was a dirty way to do it,” he said.
White Oak and Olney anchor a stretch of solidly Democratic Maryland that was moved into District 3 to shore up Sarbanes’s incumbency. Votes here balance out the influence of the more conservative neighborhoods near Annapolis, the state capital an hour away. There, at Germantown Elementary just outside downtown, I met many independent voters who voted for Romney. All were outraged about what they correctly pegged as a liberal conspiracy.
“They were clearly drawn to dilute the representation,” said Mark German, a realtor who voted for Romney (he said does not trust Obama).
Annapolis is ringed by these neighborhoods of prim white houses. The small towns carpet the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, where on maps the peninsulas look like chicken strips. District 3 takes a bite out of the tip of each strip, leaving those parts cut off from the rest of the district. “Ferrymandering” is the term that Brodsky used to describe it.
A bridge away, Cape St. Clare is a white middle-class town of 8,000 that overlooks the Bay. The town is becoming more affluent. In the past ten years, the median income rose from $70,000 to $90,000. Now, a new development of McMansions abuts a neighborhood of low-slung bungalows with rusty trucks parked in the driveways.
Republicans outnumber Democrats here, and the precinct I visited broke 53-43 for Romney. Residents tend to bristle at reporters.
“You’re a brave guy,” said Margaret Wein, a Republican who said she voted against the new districts. “When the party that’s already been in power for over 40 years has to redistrict to keep that power, in a way that I feel is unconstitutional, that’s a sad state of affairs,” she said. “I’d feel the same way if I saw the Republicans doing it.”
An hour to the north, the 3rd District wraps around Baltimore and hits a neighborhood that is also on a peninsula, but which has long since gentrified. Federal Hill, on a spit of land in Baltimore Harbor, is a distinctly posh cluster of rowhouses, where a pet grooming store shares a street with American Apparel. Girl Scouts selling cookies had set up across from the polling places, calling out that they took credit cards. The city overall went 87-11 for Obama, but this neighborhood is slightly more conservative. On the turnout sheet at Holy Cross church, Democrats edged out Republicans about 2:1.
Several voters were misled by the description of the law on the ballot, which reads: “Establishes the boundaries for the State’s eight United States Congressional Districts based on recent census figures, as required by the United States Constitution.”
Nothing on the ballot indicates how certain districts had been tweaked to ensure victory, nor why anyone would have petitioned to challenge the new boundaries.
“It sounded like it was following the census,” said Courteney, a data analyst and Democrat who declined to give her last name. “It sounded reasonable.” She admitted she did not know what the borders looked like.
Just a couple miles away is the east side of Baltimore, where the crumbling houses and drug corners once served as backdrops for The Wire. District 3 gives this area a wide berth, swinging around to the northeast through Belair-Edison, a low-to-middle income neighborhood that is 87 percent black and has a median income of $43,000. Unemployment is at 14%.
The corner store here has bars on its windows and bulletproof glass guarding the cashier, who hands you your cigarettes through a slot. A woman who pointed me to the polling place said she was voting for “Mitt.”
“No you’re not,” cackled her friend.
“No I’m not,” she said.
At Brehms Lane elementary, a man in line laughed at me. “We’re all voting for Obama!” he said. Turning to the crowd, he added: “And if you’re not voting for Obama, get out of line!”
Democratic gerrymanders often slice up communities of color like prized morsels to shore up the vote in other districts. Residents of Belair-Edison have been split into three districts—District 7 to the west and District 2 to the east, separated by the tiniest strand of District 3, which goes on to the rich Baltimore suburb of Towson. In two minutes, it is possible to walk across three constituencies. But none of the people I talked to knew about this, and when I tried to explain it, no one cared.
It was a reaction I had gotten used to. | <urn:uuid:9f2541ab-2fef-48eb-a4c9-fdf32a84bd15> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newrepublic.com/blog/plank/109938/welcome-americas-most-gerrymandered-district | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963925 | 2,027 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Some years ago, when my wife and I were living in Israel, we bought our apartment from a fellow who (at the risk of severe understatement) was anti-religious. Given this background, a passing comment he made at our deal's closing seemed rather odd. He assured us that all the Mezuzot in the house were completely kosher. Noting my quizzical look, he then told my wife and I the following story:
Many years prior, his daughter had been born with a serious heart defect. After being told at the hospital that she didn't have long to live, he wandered the streets of Jerusalem in a daze. Finally, he came across an old Yemenite man and poured out his heart to him. The Yemenite advised him to buy Mezuzot and put them on his doorposts immediately.
Desperate for anything that could help his daughter, he ran to a religious neighborhood, asked where the nearest scribe lived, and bought several Mezuzot. After putting them up, he returned to the hospital where he was greeted with great news. Lo and behold, a miracle had occurred: His daughter's heart defect had disappeared!
When he finished telling us his story, the man then made a comment I will never forget. "You see" he said, "the Mezuzot are kosher. And if my daughter should ever decide to become religious, I can't stand in her way - because she belongs to God. But if my son ever tries to become religious ... I'll kill him!"
The Yemenite man's advice to put up Mezuzot, as strange as it may sound, is actually in line with Jewish tradition. In this week's Parsha, the verse dealing with the Mezuzah is juxtaposed with a verse promising long life to one's children (see Deut. 11:20-21). Both these verses are written on the parchment of the Mezuzah, and many commentators therefore explain that Mezuzot help to protect children's health.
But it is not children alone who benefit from the Mezuzah's presence. Written on the outside of each parchment is the name of God, "Sha-dai." Among other things, this divine appellation is an abbreviation for the words "Shomer D'latei Yisrael" - "Guardian of the Gates of Israel." The Mezuzah, so to speak, guards the doors of a Jewish home.
Other sources see a different meaning to the Mezuzah. The Alshich notes that the Mezuzah is placed even upon the doors of rooms inside the house. Oftentimes, how a person appears in public is a far cry from how he acts in private. The Mezuzah therefore reminds us of the sanctity of the Jewish home.
Maimonides presents what is perhaps the most widely accepted understanding of Mezuzah. He explains that oftentimes people get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of making a living, that they lose their "God consciousness." The Mezuzah, however, provides a wonderful solution to this problem.
The Mezuzah contains a declaration of our Love of God and our commitment to observe His mitzvot. As we pass through the door and kiss the Mezuzah, we focus on God's inspirational "instructions for living," posted on the wall.
Says Maimonides: The Mezuzah is a constant reminder "that nothing endures forever; nothing is eternal but knowledge of the Almighty. Upon reminding himself of this fact, a person will return to a proper consciousness and walk in a proper path." | <urn:uuid:5f493256-6473-4167-a6a4-72c9239aa078> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aish.com/tp/b/app/48961061.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975821 | 758 | 1.71875 | 2 |
The U.S. Small Business Administration on Tuesday announced proposed measures to simplify the application process for its loan programs, including eliminating the maximum for collateral and revising rules related to affiliations with other companies.
“The changes are the latest steps to reduce paperwork burden, with our eye on the larger goal of expanding access to capital and giving entrepreneurs and small-business owners the financial resources to grow and create jobs,” SBA Administrator Karen Mills said in a statement.
Among the proposed changes is the elimination of the personal resource test in which borrowers are required to obtain a maximum level of personal finance resources for a 7(a) or 504 loan.
Another proposal revises rules that disqualify some companies as small businesses because of their affiliation with other companies. It also would streamline 504 applications and reduce paperwork for 7(a) and 504 applications, SBA officials said.
A third change would eliminate a restriction that businesses only include 504 project expenses for nine months prior to submitting a loan application.
A fourth would increase the accountability of certified development companies’ boards of directors on 504 projects.
The SBA came up with the proposals after consulting with lenders and borrowers, officials said.
“Specifically, these proposed regulations will provide greater access to capital through our two largest loan programs, while also reducing risk to taxpayer dollars,” Mills said.
(c) 2012 Rochester Business Journal. To obtain permission to reprint this article, call 585-546-8303 or email [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:a194966f-be96-4339-b307-f5c194720a45> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rbj.net/article.asp?size=2&aID=194144 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945489 | 311 | 1.515625 | 2 |
When I was a small child, I was always told by my grandmother to “Eat your fish — it gives brains”. My imagination would run riot as I visualised small pieces of fish somehow forcing themselves into my head. As I grew older, I still tried to heed her advice, but with an air of teenage scepticism. Now with grandchildren of my own and a nutrition qualification under my belt, I am able re-examine that old wives’ tale.
The height of summer has to be the time for drinking the best white wines you can get you hands on.
Trying to find a fine white wine — one that would fit a formal and elegant setting — is much more difficult than finding a comparable red.
In the kosher market, where inferior whites abound, the search can be wearying. Part of the reason is that many of the better whites made in Israel are produced in relatively small quantities and are rarely exported to the UK.
Falafel can be controversial — there is dispute over where it came from, whether it should be made from chickpeas or in the Egyptian way with broad beans, and there is even a simmering argument between Israelis and Palestinians over its ownership — both claim it as their national dish.
She may be the only Jew in the village. But that hasn’t stopped Elizabeth Weisberg creating a voracious appetite for challah, bagels and hamantaschen in the very English rural hinterland of East Sussex.
Many merely buy the ethnic goodies made at the Lighthouse Bakery from local food shops in Lewes, Winchelsea and Rye, but others shlep to the tucked-away hamlet of Bodiam to bake the bread themselves. Hundreds of gentiles, as well as Jews, it seems, have been driven to discover why you need to boil a bagel to get the authentic shine and chew, and how to plait a Shabbat loaf.
Diced cucumber, tomatoes and peppers — the ingredients that conjure up the classic Israeli salad. And if anywhere is known for its love of munching on raw vegetables, it is Israel. Tel Aviv’s cafes serve up huge bowls of lettuce accompanied by cheese, fish or pulses, and the kibbutzim across the country have always provided a fully stocked salad bar in their dining rooms.
And while the rest of the world may enjoy cereals and toast in the morning, Israelis opt for a melange of raw vegetables for breakfast — with the obligatory cottage cheese.
There can be few more depressing aspects of the great British summer than that moment when you settle down to a meagre picnic of sardine sandwiches and warm Diet Coke only to be confronted by a family tucking into their luxury Fortnum & Mason hamper, complete with fine china, Champagne flutes and linen napkins.
It is at that moment you realise that eating al fresco is not simply a way to curb hunger pangs after a bracing stroll in the sun. Indeed, it is an undertaking to be taken seriously.
Think of custard. To many, it symbolises perfect comfort food, fragrant with childhood memories. Yet the history of the vanilla pod is far from comfortable. Vanilla began to surface in Europe at a time when Jews and Jewish merchants were being persecuted. But it was Jews who brought it to our shores.
There is nothing like a summer weekend spent relaxing in the garden with a barbecue. Follow my tips below and you will be surprised how easy it is. It’s a wonderfully informal way of eating and you can enjoy tasty morsels spread across the afternoon as different dishes are cooked.
If you are cooking a large amount of food, you will need a good depth of coals in your barbecue to keep the heat going long enough.
Farmers around the world all claim that their strawberries are the best. In Wepion, Belgium, for instance, proud growers have built a museum dedicated to the berries whose Latin name, frugaria, means fragrance. In America competing farms have declared themselves to be situated in the strawberry capital of the world, while in Israel, the halachic implications of eating strawberries were recently the subject of a rabbinical rumpus. | <urn:uuid:be2877eb-8d93-4a56-9e8e-5f8846b60bd1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thejc.com/lifestyle/food?page=24 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957204 | 872 | 1.640625 | 2 |
When it comes to musical instruments, My favorite is the guitar because it is very easy to use and very pleasing to ears. I know how to play guiatr but not that good just basic chords and stuff. If you wish to buy good guitar you should buy Yamaha Guitars because they have been in the business for almost several years.
I have a friend who really loves to play drums. He has a band called “Bring The Solo” which has 5 members, he is the drummer but he told me that he wants to buy Gretsch Drums before their next gig because the drums that he’s using are already broken. I wish I can buy him a new set of drums.
Antioxidants are very important in our daily living, Drinking this will help to maintain a good and fit body. Here are some simple steps for you to make your own antioxidant smoothie.
- 1/2 cup of spinach
- 1 banana
- 1 tsp of flax seed
- 1 cup of berries
- 3 kale leaves chooped
Add all ingredients in the blender, add 1 cup of water with ice and serve. | <urn:uuid:e28c334b-77ff-4ae5-bd4e-efede7032df3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sweet-bun.info/?m=201205 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981498 | 234 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Treatments consisted of two different free choice mineral supplements (Table 1). The control mineral supplied all trace elements in inorganic form. The organic mineral supplement supplied two-thirds of the zinc, copper, manganese and cobalt as zinc methio nine, copper lysine, manganese methionine and cobalt glucoheptonate (4-Plex-C®) respectively. There were three replicate groups of cattle per treatment.
Steers were rotated among the six pastures weekly to correct for differences that may have existed among pastures. Two consecutive body weights were ob tained at the beginning and termination of the 112-day study. Interim weights were taken at 28-day intervals. Plasma samples were collected on days 0, 56 and 112 for zinc and copper analyses.
Steer gains, mineral intake and an economic analysis are shown in Table 2. For the entire 112-day study, steers receiving the organic mineral tended to gain 4.6% faster than controls, but the difference between treatments was not statistically significant.
Mineral consumption for steers fed the control supplement was 3.8 oz/day. Mineral consumption by steers offered the organic mineral resulted in an average intake of 2.83 oz per day. Of this, 0.226 oz per day was of the concentrated trace mineral source (4-Plex-C®), which is close to the targeted consump tion of .25 ounces per day. Intake of zinc, copper, manganese and cobalt from organic sources averaged 318, 89, 180 and 25 mg per day, respectively.
Assuming that the difference observed among treatments is repeatable, and was due to the different mineral supplements, the cattle on the organic trace mineral supplement returned $2.14/head more than those on the control supplement. Based on this, we could have paid $11.70 more per 50 lb bag of the organic trace mineral supplement than we paid for the inorganic one and still have broken even. Because the differences observed were not statistically significant, however, additional studies need to be conducted before a clear recommendation can be made. | <urn:uuid:a3d5b040-76c3-4752-8f68-b7d6e0792929> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/animal/nutr/bcall25.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961393 | 432 | 1.796875 | 2 |
And when I beheld, see, the sinews and the flesh came up on them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.
Treasury of Scripture
No references listed for this verse.
ContextThe Valley of Dry Bones
1The hand of the LORD was on me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the middle of the valley which was full of bones, 2And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, see, they were very dry. 3And he said to me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, you know. 4Again he said to me, Prophesy on these bones, and say to them, O you dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5Thus said the Lord GOD to these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live: 6And I will lay sinews on you, and will bring up flesh on you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the LORD. 7So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. 8And when I beheld, see, the sinews and the flesh came up on them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. 9Then said he to me, Prophesy to the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus said the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live. 10So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up on their feet, an exceeding great army.
Parallel VersesAmerican Standard Version
And I beheld, and, lo, there were sinews upon them, and flesh came up, and skin covered them above; but there was no breath in them.
And I saw, and behold the sinews, and the flesh came up upon them: and the skin was stretched out over them, but there was no spirit in them.
Darby Bible Translation
And I looked, and behold, sinews and flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.
King James Bible
And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.
Young's Literal Translation
And I beheld, and lo, on them are sinews, and flesh hath come up, and cover them doth skin over above -- and spirit there is none in them. | <urn:uuid:200c2724-163b-45c4-88d9-aedd2bd88f98> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://biblebrowser.com/ezekiel/37-8.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975866 | 613 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Sometime between his 75th and 80th birthdays, his birthday - September 14 - had developed into a big annual celebration at his home (near Ellijay Creek) in Higdonville, Macon County NC. Many people attended, and I have been told that, on some occasions, the local school did not have classes on September 14 in order that all the children and their teacher could attend.
In a Macon County NC newspaper published in September 1899, there was a write-up about
Major William H. Higdon's 83rd birthday. W. A. Curtis, the newspaper editor, wrote:
"On the 14th instant, the 83rd year of Major Higdon was celebrated at his home on Ellijay by
relatives and friends. The Major, who is a handsome, hale old gentleman, would pass for
less than 65. A part of his children and grandchildren were absent, yet there were
60 descendents present to join with the 50 invited guests in expressing good will
and wishing him many more years of life."
The birthday celebrations continued, and he celebrated his 86th birthday on 14 September 1902. He died 5 May 1903.
After Major Higdon's death, the homeplace passed to his son Sam, and the Higdon family continued to hold a family reunion at the homeplace every September. After Sam died in 1916, Sam's widow Harriet and children continued to have the reunion at the old family homeplace. After Harriet died, the annual Higdon Family Reunion was held at a nearby church or school for several years. Later, E. G. Crawford (Sam and Harriet Higdon's grandson) inherited the property, and again the homesite became the place where the annual Higdon Family Reunion was held. There may have been a few times (if it rained) that it was held in a nearby church or school, but most reunions in recent years have been held at the location where the old home once stood.
Note: Is it Hoffman or Huffman?
The middle name of William H. Higdon sometimes is listed as Hoffman and sometimes as Huffman. The reason for this is that his mother's German family line originally was spelled "Hoffman", but because it was pronounced "Huffman" many of the records found in NC for this family used "Huffman". The father of William H. Higdon's wife Eve was Samuel (Sammy) Hoffman/Huffman? of Burke County NC, and most records refer to him as Samuel Huffman. Thus, there has been some confusion about this name. When I first began my research on the Higdons, I was told that the name was "Hoffman" but then I began to find the name "Huffman". If anyone has more information about this name, perhaps it could be shared with the readers of the website.
Jo Ann Smith | <urn:uuid:6b7afd17-e964-4fe0-991d-ec953e71b337> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.higdonfamily.org/articles/higdonville.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.990424 | 596 | 1.695313 | 2 |
A perennial discussion among baseball fans (especially Jays fans, it seems!) is the value of a draft pick / prospect.
Some impressive research was performed by Sky Andrechek of baseballanalysts.com in 2009 on the value of a draft pick. He analyzed all draft picks in the history of the mlb draft, and calculated the WAR they generated in the first 6 years (i.e. the years of team control) of their mlb careers.
The formula he derived is is: Expected WAR in first 6 years = (10.9 – (5.1 if pitcher) + (3.1 if college)) * pick ^ (-0.52)
So if the first overall pick in a particular year was a high school SS, the projected value would be (10.9 – 0 + 0) * (1^(-.52)) = 10.9. Similarly, an 8th overall pick who was a college pitcher would have an expected WAR of (10.9 – 5.1 + 3.1) * 8^(-0.52) = 3.0.
Some interesting observations from his research:
When you look at his data, there is good correlation in the later rounds (that is, most of the data fits the curve). But from picks 10-50, the correlation is much lower. For example, the average WAR of picks from 20-30 ranges from about 2 to almost 10.
Dropoff of projected WAR
Putting the above point aside for the moment (!), Sky's formula predicts a faster dropoff than many people would expect. For example, assuming a high-school, non-pitcher, the predicted WAR values would be
First overall pick 10.9
Tenth overall pick 3.3
Twentieth overall 2.2
Fiftieth overall 1.4
Hundredth overall 1.0
Putting these figures in context: according to baseballreference.com, an average MLB starter should generate a WAR of about 2.0 per year, or 12.0 over a 6-year period.
Pitchers are high-risk picks
And finally – the expected WAR of a pitcher, taken at any position, is only 53% of the value of a position player taken at the same position. This demonstrates how much harder it is to project pitchers.
Impact of new CBA
It will be interesting to see how the new CBA affects these relationships. I suspect that the increased importance of signability will increase the incidence of the "Appel Factor", where top-rated players drop significantly for financial reasons. This will further blur the already muddy relationship for picks between 10-50.
** ** ** ** ** **
I wonder if this same analysis can be applied to prospect lists? Seems probable that the top 10 or so rated prospects would have a much higher incidence of success (and thus a much higher projected value) than prospects rated in the teens or lower. If this were true, it would have very interesting implications on trade strategies – the “Travis d’Arnaud as part of a Felix Hernandez deal” discussion would take on a very different tone! | <urn:uuid:85622e3d-47d8-44ef-8e9b-9b3b83881256> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2012/7/8/3145036/more-fun-with-stats-the-value-of-a-draft-pick | 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 | 0.956917 | 648 | 1.617188 | 2 |
This transcript is automatically generated
And I'm here with that congressman Kevin McCarthy the GOP whip and that Italian maybe -- be very practical.
He's right in the presence said tonight that you're seeing -- -- -- that's not gonna happen.
Well there's quite a few things because -- put these big lofty goals and he's done this before remember in past speeches where he said he -- cut the deficit in half in his first term.
He gives these lofty goals but never gives the details of the accountability here.
To get -- -- -- mean tax reform that we wanted to tax reform.
But it's almost when you listen to what he says it's his way or no way.
When he talks about about the Fed is talk tonight about racing and let's say for example the minimum.
Minimum wage to nine dollars an hour second -- and I don't think this program.
I don't think guys that yet but we have an economy this week.
And everything he talked about was taking a little more out of the economy when you take more out of -- you provide less for those to actually get to the middle class in the middle class to get higher up.
It's better that people able to keep more in their pocket and actually create more jobs.
Small business is at its lowest point in seventeen years of starting new jobs if he raises a threshold even hired to start a small business that -- nine dollars an hour.
We even going further down and they create more jobs than anybody else in America and that's the challenge that we have.
Senator John McCain is there between these disappointed he didn't speak about -- tonight that's of particular interest of his.
He didn't spend a lot of time on international.
Issues this necessity want.
-- and I'll tell you know what are what are what I really wanted to hear.
I wanna hear how we're both gonna work together and what I wanted was kind of -- first priority the first priority of where we currently are today with a sixteen trillion dollar deficit.
Say a pox on both houses if you don't pass a budget.
I want to see a budget passed I wanna see something that balances.
Balances a decade but balances.
And you've got -- senate where how ironic he's got the CEO of apple sitting up with the First Lady.
And the last time the -- Democrats in the senate passed the budget.
The iPad wasn't even introduced it now that on what their -- vision -- -- -- even.
And you can't do everything that he wanted to get done without even first laying -- plan.
-- -- -- -- In the American people heard the president -- -- -- sponsors and Marco Rubio the Tea Party response which we put on Greta -- dot com by senator Rand Paul.
But we have the written copy on people go to Greta -- to hear the speech he says the president does a big woe is me or the one point two trillion sequestered that he -- signed into law.
Some Republicans are joining him.
Few people understand that the -- does he would cut any spending it just slows the rate of growth so you would sequester.
Government will grow over seven trillion over the next decade he -- Rand Paul right.
-- polish which -- really asking is three cents on the dollar to be cut.
And this is what the president has remember when we went to the debt ceiling.
And he couldn't get anywhere this was the one thing he asked when he didn't want to do anything about it come in the future he wanted to ignore it member and his presidential campaign -- second base -- this would never happen.
He's never done any action to find cuts somewhere else even though the house the Republicans led last term and pass the bill twice -- just died in the senate assistant and take action.
Now that it's coming to the deadline he wants to -- -- that's just kicking the can down the road you can't do that.
We spend more than we bring in -- look.
In the first two months of this new fiscal year our revenue increased by 10% extra thirty billion.
But are spending increased 6716%.
More than 87 billion that -- same subject he said they just loved it thought yup I got to do that want.
I felt when he talked about the men and women in our military making sure that there able to do and be the very best yet we all agree.
I thought when he talked about.
Looking for the future in investing in research I'd like to invest in research -- I know that pays off.
But you can't make investments if he can't plan where -- money's going and if you don't have -- budget he can't do anything.
-- -- -- -- -- | <urn:uuid:b53fc7c9-7515-4e4a-a292-19b94c2b9050> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://video.foxnews.com/v/2160966295001/obamas-gauntlet-versus-rubios-gop/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+foxnews%2Fvideo+%28Internal+-+Video+-+Latest%29 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972055 | 977 | 1.546875 | 2 |
The media coverage associated with former President Bill Clinton's trip to Pyongyang has been impressive. In North Korea, the president reportedly is working toward finalizing the release of two American journalists, who have convicted by the North Korean government of spying.
Whatever political niceties the North Koreans were looking for appear to have been delivered -- both the U.S. government and the families of the journalists have admitted remorse for what took place, although there remains no substantive evidence that the women actually did anything wrong. (Oops, I forgot -- stepping foot into North Korea is a crime worthy of being thrown in the slammer.)
Mr. Clinton's visit is sure to generate substantial media coverage, for at least three reasons:
1. There is a lull in the national media focus on Congress, health care, the deficit and other such issues because of the Congressional recess in August
2. High-profile visits such as this one are rare by former presidents, and as a result they are newsworthy
3. There is an expectation that Mr. Clinton will succeed.
Continue to examine the images that come from this visit; it is apparent that the North Koreans are looking to score international points. You can see this through the various video that is allowed to be disseminated around the world. | <urn:uuid:de9b0da5-37be-4c52-8dab-533e140a98a1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ajmbroadcasteducator.blogspot.com/2009/08/bill-clinton-visits-pyongyang.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978214 | 258 | 1.703125 | 2 |
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