text
stringlengths 211
22.9k
| id
stringlengths 47
47
| dump
stringclasses 1
value | url
stringlengths 14
371
| file_path
stringlengths 138
138
| language
stringclasses 1
value | language_score
float64 0.93
1
| token_count
int64 54
4.1k
| score
float64 1.5
1.84
| int_score
int64 2
2
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Contempt for politics is the new orthodoxy: Armando Ianucci's "The Thick of It"
Nothing Armando Iannucci has written has been as funny as his acceptance of the Order of the British Empire. Iannucci had seemed so radical when he showed our politicians as sleazy, unprincipled cowards, so concerned with protecting their valueless careers they allowed a foul-mouthed spin-doctor to control them. His language in The Thick of It was violent; his caricatures merciless. Now this fearless debunker, this Swift of our age, has embraced the establishment he derided. And for what? For the most laughable bauble the Conservative-led coalition could dangle in front of him: the Order of a British Empire that no longer exists. As so often, the joke is not that men sell out but how little it costs to buy them.
Loud rang the mockery, but today's criticism of Iannucci misses the point as wildly as yesterday's praise. Whatever his comic talents, Iannucci displayed no originality in The Thick of It. Contempt for British politics is modern television's orthodoxy, as Steven Fielding of Nottingham University will discuss in his forthcoming study of how dramatists showed politics from Oscar Wilde on. (I am indebted to Professor Fielding for allowing me to quote from his unpublished manuscript.) Man is a storytelling mammal, Fielding argues. If you want to understand why the British despise politics, you must look at the stories the British hear. They are invariably scornful. Fielding surveyed political TV drama made in the New Labour years. Spin and the abuse of power dominated nearly every one. Far from being daring, Iannucci was merely mooing with the herd.
Suspicion of politicians is hardly a modern phenomenon. Democracy is a system of organised suspicion, after all. But in today's political drama there is no Trollope to balance Dickens. Politicians are always spineless, untrustworthy and mendacious. Such is the broadcasters' creed. I am just about old enough to remember when British television had more than one act in the repertoire. Like the makers of Borgen or The West Wing in our time, the writers of The Challengers, The Nearly Man, Bill Brand and other dramas from the 1970s showed politicians trying in however flawed a manner to put their ideas into practice. This is not always the soft or flattering option. If you want to understand why a government policy infuriates you, "following the money" is often the stupidest course to follow. An examination of a politician's sincerely held ideology is more likely to provide you with an explanation than corruption. Only one recent British drama — the BBC's Party Animals — came close, however, to presenting a realistic picture of why men and women go into politics. The Corporation cancelled it as quickly as it could.
The scornful strain in British television appears left-wing. Certainly, many television dramatists speak as if they are men of the Left. Peter Flannery, the author of Our Friends in the North, said he believed "we live in an ongoing culture of corruption. Friends in the North is the story of people who tried to do something about it, and failed." Michael Wearing, his producer, said he wanted the series to convey "disillusionment with politics and everything politicians say they can offer". Leigh Jackson, who wrote The Project, an account of the Blair/Brown conflict, declared that he was consumed by "the growing realisation that after 18 years we might have voted in another ‘Tory' government, only this one was more efficient and twice as ruthless". Paul Abbott, the writer of State of Play, suggested the oil industry had a tight grip on New Labour policymaking, and added that he wanted to "capitalise on the audience's natural paranoia". Alistair Beaton said his TV dramas, such as The Trial of Tony Blair, aimed to show New Labour as "an authoritarian and right-wing administration". | <urn:uuid:61140e33-5e27-4add-8535-0840ab9aa78a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://standpointmag.co.uk/television-september-12-the-jokes-on-iannucci-obe-nick-cohen-the-thick-of-it-our-friends-in-the-north-the-trial-of-tony-blair | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97418 | 816 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Subprime Mortgage Crisis
The nation’s largest banks, facing a torrent of lawsuits over shoddy mortgage securities, are pushing to overturn a series of tough rulings in a high-stakes case filed by the Federal Housing Finance Agency in 2011.
The American International Group’s former chief executive is moving ahead with a lawsuit against the federal government over its $182 billion rescue of the insurer — even without the backing of the company itself.
The settlement was reached amid heightened concerns that a foreclosure review process was generating billions of dollars in fees for consultants, but providing little relief for borrowers.
Thomas J. Curry, the comptroller of the currency, shed light on the recent decision to scuttle an independent review of bank foreclosures, portraying the flawed process as a boon to outside consultants and a barren maze for homeowners.
E-mails and employee interviews filed as part of a lawsuit show that JPMorgan Chase flouted quality controls as it bundled mortgages into complex financial instruments.
At a three-day conference, the Rev. Jesse Jackson discussed a proposal to use pension money to make loans in low-income communities.
The charges against Jesse Litvak, a former securities trader at Jefferies & Company, serve as a warning to Wall Street that misleading customers – including sophisticated ones – can result in criminal action, even for a broker who does not owe a fiduciary duty to clients.
Documents released as part of a lawsuit against Morgan Stanley shed new light on what bankers knew at the height of the housing bubble and what they did with that secret knowledge.
Mandatory reading at the World Economic Forum should be two reminders from JPMorgan Chase and the Federal Reserve that we are far from understanding or preventing financial crises, the Deal Professor writes.
Most banks have recovered from the recent financial collapse, but the two companies reported continuing effects on earnings.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau lays out standards for mortgage servicers.
The board of the American International Group has declined to join a lawsuit against the federal government over its $182 billion taxpayer-financed bailout, the company said on Wednesday.
The same critics that assailed the government’s role in the boom and bust in the housing market are attacking the Federal Housing Administration for its lending standards. | <urn:uuid:d0700c96-1d6c-4a89-8c50-5614e352585f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://dealbook.nytimes.com/tag/subprime-mortgage-crisis/page/2/ | 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 | 0.957741 | 456 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Admit it, technology doesn't always make life easier. Even though tech helps people to do their jobs and the tasks that they need to accomplish, maintaining your tech can involve lots of little chores you probably hate doing. Here's a list of our least favorite tech chores, and steps we've taken so that they don't bother us too much anymore.
1. Computer Virus Scan: If you've got a computer, you need to run virus scans. Depending on how many hard drives you have, and how thoroughly you scan them, this process can take hours to complete.
-Run your scan late at night, when you're not using your computer.
-Run it while you're at work — start it off before you leave and it might be completed by the time you get back.
2. Charging Your Phone: It doesn't matter what kind of phone you have, eventually you'll have to charge it. The process makes using your phone less convenient, especially if you need to use it while it's charging.
-Buy a cheap battery pack, either a case or an external battery, and charge up your phone when it needs juice. I've been doing this for the last couple of months when I'm gone for the whole day. The cheap case means that I don't have to carry around a phone charger.
3. Defragment Your Hard Drive: If you haven't automated this task on your PCs, odds are that the next time you run a defrag, it will take days to complete.
-The only way to avoid it is to schedule it regularly when you're not using your computer, preferably late at night. Check out this post on how to do this.
4. Upload Photos to the Cloud: If you take a lot of photos, it's probably certain that you either back them up to your computer and/or back them up to the cloud. With cloud storage services getting cheaper and cheaper, it's just common sense to have a backup in case a hard drive falters.
-If you take a lot of photos, this process can take time. It's best to do it every couple of days and get it over with, when you're busy doing something else. The good thing is that once the photos are queued up, you can unplug your device from your computer.
5. Managing Media on Mobile Devices: There's nothing more annoying that having to delete media from your phone or tablet when you've hit the limit. Lucky for me, I ensure that this rarely happens on my mobile devices. At home, it's another matter.
-The way to avoid this is to be good at managing your mobile device's storage or to buy the versions of devices with the most storage. With 64GB on both my phone and tablet, I've never had to delete much media. However, I do manage my photos/videos and delete things that I no longer need or duplicate pics.
MORE TECH CHORES POSTS ON APARTMENT THERAPY:
• Automated Diagnostics You Should Run On Your PC
(Images: 1. Flickr member Philip Kalantzis-Cope licensed under Creative Commons, 2. Flickr member Chrisaut licensed for use under Creative Commons, 3. Range Govindan, 4. Flickr member ilamont licensed for use under Creative Commons) | <urn:uuid:73834202-b6d0-484a-9051-7757812c11b5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/your-least-favorite-tech-chores-ways-to-avoid-them-178981 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956844 | 683 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Some friends of mine recently bumped into a member of the Canadian Secret Service. He said he spent most of his time gardening because Canada doesn't really have enemies.
Perhaps the northern sister of the U.S. has decided to give its security forces a little more to do, as Ottawa airport will now be graced with bugging microphones.
No, these aren't necessarily being strategically placed where suspicious people might gather -- wherever that might be. And yes, they will be capable of recording conversations between any travelers (or airport employees) who happen to fall within their range.
The Ottawa Citizen reports that the Canadian Border Services Agency quite happily admits that the audio technology is already in place.
Its representative told the Ottawa Citizen: "It is important to note that even though audio technology is installed, no audio is recorded at this time. It will become functional at a later date."
I am sure that travelers to Canada's capital will feel reassured, especially as the CBSA will reportedly post notices warning people that they might be listening in to their chats about, say, future secret plans for BlackBerry or past torrid nights with a very nice boy called Pierre.
Imagine that you might accidentally hold a very interesting dialogue -- perhaps even with yourself, which certainly happens to me when a flight is delayed -- and you don't notice until afterward that there's a notice perched behind you warning you that bugs are operating here.
More Technically Incorrect
- Half of relationships contain Netflix adulterers
- Qantas: Forget the Kindle, read a book we just wrote for you
- Annoyed theatergoer ejected after grabbing cell phone and tossing it
- 'Star Wars' and 'Doctor Who' fans in altercation at sci-fi convention
- Charges dropped against teen in science experiment 'bomb'
Please don't be afraid. For there will reportedly be a helpline that will explain how the recordings will be used, stored, and, gosh, retained.
The CBSA also revealed that the bugs are already operating at other, as yet undisclosed, airports and border points of entry.
This, sadly, may well be the crux of the matter. It may well be that in many countries of the world, you're already being bugged in all sorts of places you might not imagine -- or even Rupert Murdoch might not imagine.
If you happen to find out, perhaps they'll tell you they're only looking for the bad guys. If they tell you anything at all.
And yet, with just one overheard, misunderstood conversation, perhaps you could turn out to be one of the bad guys in the eyes of the listeners.
Many were saddened and appalled on watching the movie "The Lives Of Others," which showed just how intimately the Stasi monitored people.
Yet here it does seem as if the recording could well be extensive and entirely random. That's the odd thing about powerful organizations -- whether corporate or governmental -- who happen to possess powerful technological means: we're told to trust them. Because what else are we going to do?
There's a joyous by-product, though, to all this apparent snooping. Just imagine a silent airport. No one speaks, because no one dares. Mightn't that present something of a soothing atmosphere to counter traveling's many pains?
Yes, imagine if every airport were like a Trappist monastery. Weird, but maybe very spiritual. | <urn:uuid:33dade8e-469a-48ab-9ca8-17dadb8242a9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-57454545-71/canadian-airport-to-bug-travelers-conversations/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96931 | 696 | 1.5 | 2 |
Your Opinion: Response to Smith on war
Monday, January 30, 2012
Tony Smith said in his Jan. 25 letter, “The atrocity of war itself would never be justified by Christ.” Really! From the KJV Bible John 1: 1 states “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” This Word is “Jesus Christ.” It was God that directed the children of Israel, via their leader Joshua, to march around the city of Jericho once per day for six days and then seven times on the seventh day, blow their trumpets, and the walls came tumbling down, which allowed the Israelites to then kill and burn everything that was inside the walls.
You sir, are so wrong in your pronouncement that “Christ would never justify the atrocity of war itself.” Your analogy of abortion and war is flawed in that abortion kills a totally innocent unborn child while war is designed to kill those despots and their soldiers who desire to take with power what they can’t get any other way.
The USA went to war after Dec. 7, 1941, as a result of an unwarranted attack on our homeland, by Japan. We also declared war on Germany and Italy as they were raging war in Europe. If those that think your way would have their way we would have lost WWII. As a matter of fact there would not have been any desire to have left Europe in the first place to form this great nation.
Just like any other occupation, there are a few bad apples. That doesn’t mean that all the apples are bad. Except in the case of Marxist Leninists, which are all bad. | <urn:uuid:94432b16-bb53-4d6e-bea1-7fbf946c3a1d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newstribune.com/news/2012/jan/30/your-opinion-response-smith-war/ | 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 | 0.985323 | 356 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Best Known For
Chaz Bono is an Emmy-nominated media figure who, born the daughter of performers Sonny and Cher, has undergone gender reassignment
Think you know about Biography?
Answer questions and see how you rank against other players.Play Now
Chaz Bono was born Chastity Bono on March 4, 1969, in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of famed music and TV performers Sonny and Cher. He appeared on their variety show as a child. Bono began gender reassignment procedures in 2009, writing about the experience and appearing in the Emmy-nominated documentary Becoming Chaz. Bono has also competed in Dancing With the Stars.
"When you've lived your whole life in a body and having everybody relate to you as something you don't feel. When that finally gets righted, it's just amazing. I finally get to live my life the way I've always wanted to."
Originally born Chastity Sun Bono, in Los Angeles, California, Chaz Bono grew up in the spotlight as the only child of singers Sonny Bono and Cher. Making his television debut as a toddler, he often appeared on his parents' show The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour. Bono, born female, later said he felt uncomfortable in all the dresses he wore on the show. He remembered wanting to be more like his father instead of his glamorous mother.
After his parents divorced in 1975, Bono split his time between his father's and mother's homes. He went to New York City as a teenager to attend the High School for Performing Arts. Actress Jennifer Anniston was among his classmates.
Bono gave college a try at New York University, but he dropped out to pursue his interest in music. Forming a band called Ceremony with friend Chance (Heidi Shink), Bono sang lead vocals and played guitar and percussion. He and his bandmates landed a contract with Geffen Records, a deal some that he got because of his famous parents.
In 1993, Ceremony released its one and only album. Hang out Your Poetry had a pop sound heavily influenced by '60s rock. Bono counted the Grateful Dead among his favorite influences, and Jerry Garcia even performed on the album. While the album attracted some media attention, it failed to catch on with music fans.
In 1990, Star magazine published an article saying that Bono was a lesbian. He came out five years later in The Advocate, and soon became a writer for the gay publication. In 1996, Bono worked for the Human Rights Campaign and then became the media entertainment director for Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).
Bono left GLAAD in 1998 after making some controversial comments regarding Ellen DeGeneres' sitcom, Ellen. He has insisted that the quotes were taken out of context. That same year, he published Family Outing, which explored Bono's transgender issues and the experience of telling his family about his sexual orientation. His mother, Cher, was also interviewed for the book, and she discussed her struggle to accept Bono's sexuality.
In 2002, Bono published a memoir entitled The End of Innocence. The book provides an inside look at his time in the music business, and his relationship with an older woman.
For years, Bono battled a substance abuse problem. He had become dependent on painkillers while suffering from endometriosis, and finally reached sobriety in 2004. The addiction had fueled a substantial weight gain, and he appeared on the reality show Celebrity Fit Club in 2006 in an effort to address his body issues.
profile name: Chaz Bono profile occupation:
Sign in with Facebook to see how you and your friends are connected to famous icons.
Your Friends' Connections
Included In These Groups
The famous dance-competition show Dancing with the Stars has seen more than a dozen seasons and a gamut of stars, including Apolo Anton Ohno, Kirstie Alley, Joey Fatone, Jennifer Grey, David Hasselhoff, Buzz Aldrin, Brandy, Wynonna Judd, Dorothy Hamill, D.L. Hughley and Aly Raisman. Learn more about the show's contestants, who, for a period, swapped their skills as athletes, actors, musicians, comedians, TV personalities and politicians for a chance to show off their footwork on national TV.
Cast of Dancing with the Stars 92 people in this group
Famous Pisceans 523 people in this group
Famous Activists 483 people in this group | <urn:uuid:35559ae0-0b1e-4fc9-811d-ce56be1a1ec6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.biography.com/people/chaz-bono-16730252?page=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978635 | 934 | 1.671875 | 2 |
We are living in what may be termed one of the most important periods in the history of the world. This is the dispensation of the fulness of times, a time when the keys of all former dispensations have been given to the prophets of the restoration; a time when God has spoken from the heavens, angels have appeared to man; a time when men and women have the Holy Ghost conferred upon them. Moroni has said that by the power of the Holy Ghost we may know the truth of all things. There is need for this great power in the earth today—this steering power. It is our duty and responsibility to live worthy of the blessings that we enjoy. Where much is given, much is required. We are required to live exemplary lives, to keep the commandments of the Lord, and it is also our responsibility to carry the true gospel message to all mankind.
A prophet of the Book of Mormon said: “… men are, that they might have joy.” (2 Ne. 2:25.) Pleasure is not necessarily joy. Lehi was undoubtedly not speaking of temporary pleasure, but of eternal joy. In referring to man he was not limiting his existence to mortality. He was speaking of eternal man. Man can have joy in accomplishment, particularly eternal accomplishment. If he fails to live in such a way as to receive the blessing of eternal life in the kingdom of his Father, he will reap misery and disappointment.
The Lord showed unto Abraham the intelligences that were organized before the world was. And God saw these souls, that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said unto those who were with him (there were many noble and great ones):
“We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;
“And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;
“And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.” (Abr. 3:24–26.)
There were many there who did not keep their first estate, their spiritual existence, who were disobedient, and as a result they were not added upon; they did not have the privilege of passing through this second estate. They had their free agency, and they chose the course for which Lucifer contended.
And there are many in this second estate who will not keep this estate and therefore cannot expect to have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever, because they have not kept the commandments which the Lord their God has given them.
These commandments are given for our welfare and blessing here as well as hereafter.
We must pay a price for everything we get, whether of a temporal or spiritual nature, and we generally get about what we pay for. If, for instance, I should purchase a suit of clothes, in order to get the best material, the best style, and the proper fit, I must pay a higher price than if I am satisfied with a suit made of shoddy material and poor workmanship. Likewise if I desire to purchase a home, an automobile, or whatever it may be. If I seek intellectual values, I must pay the price by study, research, by devoted effort and ofttimes sacrifice.
The same is true of spiritual values. One cannot expect to inherit eternal life if he is not willing to pay the price and to do the things required for such salvation and exaltation. We are told that “there is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.” (D&C 130:20–21.) Our goal is salvation in the celestial kingdom of our Heavenly Father and to receive the glory that awaits the faithful there.
The Savior of the world unselfishly and willingly paid the utmost price, even that of his own blood, in order that mankind might be redeemed from the grave. Death before that time was a matter of serious concern. The grave seemingly had won a victory. There was indeed the sting of death. His offering made it possible for us to come forth from the grave, to break the bondage of the tomb. He bought us with a price, the price being his own blood. He has also set the price which we must pay in order to obtain salvation in his presence and that of our Heavenly Father, and that price is the keeping of his commandments. Those commandments are God’s laws—nature’s laws too—and the breaking of them brings penalties; observance brings the promised blessings.
The Lord has told us, “… my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:30.) This does not mean that one can receive exaltation in the kingdom of our Heavenly Father at bargain prices. There are those who offer such bargains, but one gets merely what he pays for. If we are to attain eternal life in our Father’s kingdom, it is not sufficient that we have mere passive belief in our Lord and Savior and his great redeeming sacrifice. Surely one cannot expect to receive the greatest blessings that the Father has in store for his faithful children by paying bargain prices.
There are those who seem to take the attitude that inasmuch as they have been baptized by immersion and by one having proper authority, and have had hands laid upon their heads for the reception of the Holy Ghost, their salvation is assured. Others seem to think that if they have had the priesthood conferred upon them, there is nothing further required at their hands. Aren’t we as badly mistaken when we fail to live the life of a Latter-day Saint, after we come into the Church, as are those who think that mere belief in the Lord is sufficient? Where much is given, much is required, and if after the light of Christ comes into our souls we allow that light to become dimmed, we are under greater condemnation than those who have not had the light. Of what good is the priesthood to one if he does not honor it and live worthy of that great power?
The gospel is the power of God unto salvation unto everyone that believes and obeys it.
The injunction to those who accept the gospel is that they “add to [their] faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
“And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
“And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
Just as in this enlightened age the inventive mind and the creative hand have added greatly to man’s obligations, so has the fact that the Spirit of the Lord has borne testimony to our souls of the truth of this work added greatly to our responsibilities.
In his Sermon on the Mount the Lord said:
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
“And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
“And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
“And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” (Matt. 7:21, 24–27.)
The Lord has given us in this dispensation a life-giving, life-shaping purpose when he gave us the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel is given for the benefit of man. We too must have the necessities of life. We are living in the time of a great civilization. It is only natural and proper that we should desire the things that make life wholesome and pleasurable; but with all our struggle for the necessities and luxuries of life, we must not overlook the great purpose of life, which is eternal salvation and exaltation of the souls of men. Like Israel of old, we are a peculiar people. We are peculiar in the sense that we believe in constant revelation from God and that he is revealing to us his truth. The ultimate goal of life is to assist in the fulfillment of God’s plan for his children, the salvation of human souls, and that, of course, pertains to our own souls also. It is our responsibility to bring a knowledge of these things to our Father’s children wherever they may be, to bring to them a living knowledge of the truth. It is also important that we go into the temples of the Lord and do vicarious work for those who have passed to the great beyond so that they too may have the blessings that we enjoy if they accept the message when it is brought to them in the spirit world.
Life is largely worthless unless it is held together, given shape and form by some great purpose, and there is no greater purpose than that of helping our fellowmen as well as ourselves to attain the glorious salvation which our Lord has promised to his obedient children.
The possibility of salvation applies to all of God’s children, both the living and those who have passed to the existence beyond. The conditions upon which salvation in our Heavenly Father’s kingdom may be attained are incorporated in the plan that was formulated in the heavens before we came here, and there is no possibility of such salvation without obedience to that plan. We must accept Jesus Christ as the author of our salvation. The salvation that I am thinking of, the salvation that Latter-day Saints seek, is eternal life in the presence of our Heavenly Father and his divine Son, not only eternal existence but eternal growth and activity. This is the joy of which Lehi spoke.
Truly, “the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” (Matt. 13:45–46.) May the Lord bless and inspire us in our efforts to attain this goal.
I testify that Jesus is the Christ and that he is the author of the restored gospel, the plan of life and salvation, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. | <urn:uuid:136ccf9a-8568-47c7-9113-02e464657299> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1971/04/eternal-joy-is-eternal-growth?lang=eng&media=audio | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977482 | 2,268 | 1.734375 | 2 |
Ending same day registration same as Voter ID.
The purpose of the various proposals to regulate how citizens may vote is so transparent you’d think elected officials would be embarrassed to keep trotting them out. They are not. Republican lawmakers in particular are so intent on making it difficult for traditionally Democratic voters to get to the polls that they keep trying to throw up obstacles despite the absence of one shred of evidence of any need.
Claims of voter fraud as a rationale for voter ID have been debunked. And now it looks like the majority of Wisconsin’s municipal clerks dispute Governor Walker’s claim that ending same-day registration at the polls would make the voting process smoother. Quite the opposite say the clerks – it would create a logistical nightmare.
This nonsense is meant to suppress the vote, simple as that. And there is growing evidence that besides being wrong, it doesn’t work. So why keep insulting our intelligence?
Copyright 2012 by Channel 3000. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | <urn:uuid:091c1342-d567-4a38-95b6-ac2ec17432d2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.channel3000.com/news/opinion/Vote-Control/-/4028/17669710/-/view/print/-/eyjgwkz/-/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95848 | 217 | 1.734375 | 2 |
No new deadline for plan to replace St. Croix bridgeby Dan Olson, Minnesota Public Radio
Stillwater, MN — Minnesota transportation officials say there is no deadline for finalizing funding plans for a new St. Croix bridge near Stillwater.
Gov. Mark Dayton this summer set a Sept. 30 deadline to having a plan in place. But a Minnesota Department of Transportation spokesman issued an email statement that read "The Sept. 30 date is no longer valid. MnDOT is working with the Minnesota delegation as it pushes the legislation for the St. Croix River Crossing through the Congressional process."
The statement adds that the agency has not yet established a new deadline.
A replacement bridge is necessary because age and the elements are taking a heavy toll on the existing 80-year-old lift bridge in Stillwater.
According to an inspection report, four locations on the existing bridge showed signs of advanced corrosion and deterioration that were inadequate for the posted load of 40 tons for large trucks.
Repairs are scheduled for next year, but will only buy more time for the aging span. Officials say the bridge will have to be replaced.
The department has previously described plans for a four-lane, freeway-style span about a mile down the river from Stillwater that could carry more traffic and relieve congestion.
When Dayton first set the deadline, MnDOT officials said it was necessary because after Sept. 30, allocated money that went unused would go to other state transportation projects.
Two bills in Congress with bipartisan support would bypass federal wild and scenic river protection regulations. Federal officials cited regulations saying the proposed four lane freeway style bridge violates them. | <urn:uuid:4b3a170c-9c1c-4e6b-a213-3a456632ab6b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/09/28/nodeadline-replace-st-croix-bridge | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951679 | 333 | 1.5 | 2 |
::: home made trowels
When we were both at Ringwood Uniting Preschool we noticed that the children were playing in the sandpit, smoothing out the sand with some fabulous trowels made by a lovely parent.
We thought that we would have a shot of making our own too. Coincidently we had a couple of boxes of dressed pine off cuts we had already picked up from Resource Rescue for another project and felt that they would be perfect for the job.
We bought some $1 handles from Bunnings, then got out the trusty drill, a pencil for marking the spots and a screwdriver – too easy!
We marked where the holes need to be drilled by measuring the handle then drilled holes all the way through.
Next we screwed in the screws through the back …
… and screwed on the handles to the other side.
Now they are all ready to go when the children arrive. We can’t wait to see them play with them! | <urn:uuid:017e1912-fc91-4c41-915d-aa5f2216af12> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.playbasedlearning.com.au/2012/03/home-made-trowels/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980927 | 204 | 1.742188 | 2 |
A vision for large-scale retail is slowly emerging in Gresham that calls for smaller, better-looking, pedestrian-friendly stores near downtown to replace their hulking, hard-to-reach predecessors.
The new stores are years away. But for now, Gresham planners, architects, builders, citizens and others are crafting a plan.
A yearlong project begun in January, called Retail Design and Development Standards, intends to create a set of city development codes by December to guide the next wave of large-store retail development.
"I think it's going to facilitate a much more pedestrian, community-friendly commercial approach," said Dan Goodrich, a longtime local architect who's worked in Gresham. He's part of a community group that's giving input to Gresham planning staffers.
The project focuses on four topics -- location, size, economic impact and vacancy.
The most important stores will likely move closer to existing shopping hubs -- downtown Gresham, the Civic Neighborhood and Rockwood's core, said Mike Abbate, director of urban design and planning.
"There's already easy access to the MAX and other transportation," Abbate said, "and retail in those centers is more likely to spawn other development."
Pending more input from community members and officials, the code would direct the highest-traffic stores from major arterial streets to the three main retail areas.
As retailers apply for permits in the coming years, city officials not only want to understand the best places to develop but how big new stores should be.
There's no size limit on new stores in Gresham's largest commercial development zones, along the corridor routes like Burnside Street and Powell Boulevard. But area residents asked Abbate to consider a size cap.
The staff determined 120,000-square-foot buildings -- about the size of a Wal-Mart -- were too big. So, they recommended limits of 100,000 square feet in Gresham' s largest commercial zones and 80,000 square feet in smaller-scale zones.
Economic impacts are the third focus of the retail standards project.
Abbate said people have asked him whether the city would reject a permit for a grocery store if it moved right across from another.
"It's not the role of government to decide who competes," Abbate said.
City government could, however, require an economic impact analysis, but his office is not recommending one.
It's up to City Council whether the analysis will be part of the final code changes.
Avoiding long-term storefront vacancy is the project's final focus.
The metro area already has a low vacancy rate, Abbate said -- about 7.4 percent versus 12.6 percent nationally at the end of 2009.
Gresham has four empty retail spaces larger than 20,000 square feet.
For permit approval, some communities require a vacancy-avoidance plan that increases the likelihood of leasing a building if the tenant moves or goes out of business, among other requirements. But Abbate's office's decided against recommending such a plan.
The City Council will take a final vote on city code amendments relating to retail development after a series of meetings from late August through December.
Should new code language pass at the Dec. 21 City Council meeting, a retailer moving to Gresham in February 2011 would have to follow the new rules.
"We're sticking to the original timeline, but we have a ways to go," Abbate said. "We're still interested in feedback, and finding solutions that work for everyone involved." | <urn:uuid:8902ad1d-1128-47d8-921d-3bd8db5dc6a6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.oregonlive.com/gresham/index.ssf/2010/08/gresham_plans_next_generation.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949568 | 740 | 1.515625 | 2 |
The White House and the Pentagon remain reluctant to get involved in Syria’s civil strife, but senior defense officials revealed Wednesday they are mulling military strike plans.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the Obama administration will continue its policy of invoking “diplomatic and political approaches rather than a military intervention.” Panetta announced Washington is ready to provide $10 million in humanitarian aid to the Syrian people.
Still, the defense chief revealed for the first time that U.S. officials are “reviewing all possible additional steps...including potential military options.”
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Martin Dempsey is detailing potential options. It turns out there are lots of things we can do: “One option is a no-fly zone over Syria, Dempsey said. Another is an operation designed to get humanitarian supplies to besieged civilians. The Joint Chiefs chairman also said officials have examined a mission featuring ‘limited air strikes’ against regime targets, as well as a ‘maritime interdiction’ — presumably to intercept ships carrying weapons and other supplies meant for Assad’s forces.”
If this sounds familiar, it is. The White House, whether on Guantanamo or military trials for enemy combatants, crippling Iran sanctions or Libya, has brushed off conservative critics and resisted calls for more robust U.S. action against our foes. It as taken the pseudo-moral high-ground, dubbing its critics constitutional ignoramuses or warmongers. But then, after months of delay and sometimes thousands of lost lives, it has often meandered back to a position that isn’t all that different from the stance its political opponents have been arguing about for months (e.g. Gitmo is open; the administration is making use of military tribunals; President Obama used military force in Libya; and the president, kicking and screaming, signed onto the Menendez-Kirk Iran sanctions amendment).
On Syria, the administration dismissed Sen. John McCain’s call for military force just a few days ago. At the time, Jamie Fly of the Foreign Policy Initiative e-mailed me: “As the death toll mounts and the Assad regime shows no sign of giving up power, the humanitarian case for intervention grows. The Obama administration appears intent on outsourcing our Syria policy to others, but only American leadership, including on the question of military intervention, will ensure that additional bloodshed is kept to a minimum and that our interest in seeing a democratic post-Assad regime emerge is fulfilled.” Now maybe there’s something to the use of military force after all.
But, of course, conservatives have been railing against Obama’s inaction for a very long time. Just a couple of days ago Mark Palmer and Paul Wolfowitz were urging we arm the Syrian opposition.
In February, a distinguished list of conservative foreign policy experts including Liz Cheney, Cliff May and Max Boot wrote to Obama, warning: “Unless the United States takes the lead and acts, either individually or in concert with like-minded nations, thousands of additional Syrian civilians will likely die, and the emerging civil war in Syria will likely ignite wider instability in the Middle East. Given American interests in the Middle East, as well as the implications for those seeking freedom in other repressive societies, it is imperative that the United States and its allies not remove any option from consideration, including military intervention.”
In November, Rachel Abrams, co-founder of the Emergency Committee for Israel, was warning:“If the Arab League’s sanctions have the sharpest sting—and the greatest shock value — for Assad, they nevertheless share one thing with censures by the U.S., Europe, and the UN — they’re gestures only; they do no more than demand an end to his barbarity.” She, too, advised that military action was the only appropriate response.
In September, Reuel Marc Gerecht and Mark Dubowitz wrote in The Post: “The arguments for supporting Syrian protesters are easily as strong as those mustered to save the people of Benghazi. After months facing the regime snipers’ machine guns, tanks and torture, demonstrators are openly calling for foreign intervention. And the regime’s strategic sins against the United States are far greater than those committed by the Libyan Nero. Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah — the two terrorist powerhouses of the Middle East — are Damascus’s closest friends. Almost every Arab terrorist group, spawned in the hothouses of Islamic militancy and Arab nationalism, has had a presence in Damascus.”
So how long — and how many dead Syrians will it take — before Obama adopts the McCain-Palmer-Wolfowitz-Cheney-May-Boot-Abrams-Gerecht-Dubowitz position on Syria? The longer he delays, the more suffering will occur and the more certain the mullahs in Iran will become that this president wants to avoid conflict at all costs. | <urn:uuid:e9775ee4-cf8c-46de-9e5c-f630cf24e499> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/post/conservatives-lead-from-the-front-but-will-obama-follow/2012/03/08/gIQAn4P20R_blog.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947217 | 1,016 | 1.648438 | 2 |
This Scorecard ranks the quality of disclosure of the Performance and Accountability Reports of the 24 agencies covered by the Chief Financial Officers Act. Our research team looks at criteria in three areas.
Bahamians and non-Bahamians have widely divergent impressions of Bay Street. With reference to the ‘sense of place’ and place attachment literature, this paper traces the transformation of Bay Street and attempts to tease out the most obvious tensions between the Bay Street that Bahamians experience and Bay Street as a port of call.
The article is both a contribution to the intellectual history of the field and a reminder that future studies have always been concerned not only with the epistemics and the cognitive procedures regarding the future but also with the impact of ideas on the very unfolding of the future.
The unprecedented impacts of Hurricane Katrina provide an interesting study in how organizations innovate and improvise in the face of the unexpected. Two of the stand-out responders were Wal-Mart and the United States Coast Guard —one private-sector firm, the other a part of the federal government.
The nation's economy at mid-year is operating like a three-lane expressway with one lane closed. GDP growth is breaking 2.0% when it should be 3.0%. But worse than that, the cars moving in the two open lanes are running on borrowed fuel that will someday have to be paid back. | <urn:uuid:250868a7-ac31-44ae-bbd8-afc513285bb4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mercatus.org/all-publications/published-research?page=20 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949308 | 283 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Australian Bureau of Statistics
1367.5 - Western Australian Statistical Indicators, Sep 2007
Previous ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 03/10/2007
|Page tools: Print Page Print All RSS Search this Product|
Western Australia has the highest overseas born population along with some of the fastest growing incomes in Australia, according to an analysis released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
According to the 2006 Census, Western Australia has a diverse population, with:
Wage and salary earners
Employment opportunities in Western Australia have seen an influx of workers, which has brought significant change to where people live. Figures analysed by the ABS from the Australian Tax Office show that the average wage in WA was $38,284 in 2003/04.
Peppermint Grove and Cottesloe have seen the biggest increases in average wages ($10,209 and $10,135 respectively), but areas with fast income growth were Chapman Valley and Mingenew (average wage up 24% since 2001/02), Victoria Plains (up 23%) and Mount Marshall (up 21%).
The largest influx of wage earners has been in Rockingham, which grew by 3,131 people since 2001/02, along with Gosnells (3,032) and Swan (2,746), while the fastest growing areas were Perth - Inner, with a 45% increase, along with Greenough - Part B (42%), Chapman Valley (41%) and Capel - Part A (40%).
Further information is available in Western Australian Statistical Indicators (cat. no. 1367.5), available free from the ABS web site <http://www.abs.gov.au>.
These documents will be presented in a new window.
This page last updated 15 January 2008 | <urn:uuid:4f8b5a59-2351-42c8-adb4-52b2318be178> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/[email protected]/Previousproducts/1367.5Media%20Release1Sep%202007?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=1367.5&issue=Sep%202007&num=&view= | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934772 | 369 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Yahoo, which was recently ranked No. 483 on the 2012 Fortune 500 list, is reeling from a false claim on the resume of its former CEO, Scott Thompson, who left the company yesterday. Thompson's resume stated he held undergraduate degrees in accounting and computer science from Stonehill College, but it was revealed that he only had the accounting degree.
Thompson's decision to pad his resume raises questions about how senior executives view their educational background. Higher education is often viewed as a credential for aspiring executives, but it's certainly not a prerequisite for a management role.
According to a U.S. News analysis of the Fortune 500 CEOs list--the magazine's annual ranking of American corporations based on gross revenue, which was released on May 7--some chief executives don't hold college degrees. And many of the CEOs who do hold academic degrees choose not to mention them among their achievements in their corporate biographies.
[Learn why one school revoked Mylan executive Heather Bresch's E.M.B.A.]
The 500 executives collectively earned about 465 college degrees, which means about 35 executives didn't graduate from college. Both Ralph Lauren and Sheldon Adelson (Las Vegas Sands Corp.) are among the CEOs who dropped out of college. But the Fortune 500 executives who completed both college and graduate school collectively earned about 200 M.B.A.'s and about 140 other graduate degrees.
Harvard University topped the list of Fortune 500 CEO degree granters with 65 total degrees. The next closest school was Stanford University, which doled out 27 undergraduate and graduate degrees. University of Pennsylvania awarded a total of 24 degrees to Fortune 500 CEOs, while the executives on the Fortune list earned 18 degrees from Columbia University.
Harvard, Penn, and Stanford also count the most Fortune 500 M.B.A.'s among their ranks (40, 13, and 10, respectively), with the business schools at University of Chicago (7), Northwestern University (6), and Indiana University--Bloomington (6) trailing behind. Massachusetts Institute of Technology didn't award any M.B.A.'s to Fortune 500 CEOs, but it was third on the list of institutions that awarded the most other graduate degrees to the executives, after Harvard and Columbia.
[Check out 10 business schools that lead to jobs.]
Among the most highly educated CEOs are Roger Ferguson, Jr., of the retirement services provider TIAA-CREF, who holds a B.A., J.D., and Ph.D. from Harvard; Charles Haldeman, Jr., of mortgage firm Freddie Mac, who earned an undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College (which awarded 12 degrees to Fortune 500 CEOs) and an M.B.A. and J.D. from Harvard; and Ralph Izzo, of the power company Public Service Enterprise Group, who holds a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. from Columbia, as well as an M.B.A. from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey--New Brunswick and Newark.
Below is a table highlighting the 13 schools that awarded at least 10 degrees to Fortune 500 CEOs. The ranks of their undergraduate program and graduate business school are also included. The table is sorted by total number of degrees awarded per institution:
|Institution||Total degrees||Undergraduate degrees||M.B.A.'s||Other graduate degrees||U.S. News undergraduate rank||U.S. News business school rank|
|University of Pennsylvania||24||7||13||4||5||3|
|University of Michigan--Ann Arbor||14||6||5||3||28||13|
|University of Notre Dame||14||10||1||3||19||25|
|University of Virginia||14||4||4||6||25||13|
|Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey--New Brunswick||11||5||3||3||68||63|
|Massachusetts Institute of Technology||10||3||0||7||5||4|
Sources: Company websites, Fortune, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, college and university websites.
More From US News & World Report | <urn:uuid:5ea5a796-dc92-4316-af9e-0e692afb233b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://finance.yahoo.com/news/where-fortune-500-ceos-went-150027394.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93544 | 853 | 1.5625 | 2 |
About Vegan Outreach
“VO’s approach, simultaneously pragmatic and forward-thinking, focuses on engaging those who are deemed most open to lifestyle changes: namely, the young, and, in particular, college students. Perhaps more importantly, its philosophy extends well beyond mere ‘vegan’ outreach as a practical recognition of how vital it is to meet people where they are, not where animal advocates want them to be.”
“The Road to Vegetopia”
Ninety-nine percent of the animals killed in the United States each year are slaughtered for human consumption.
Vegan Outreach is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to expose and end cruelty to animals through the widespread distribution of our illustrated booklets (click titles to view PDFs): Why Vegan?, Even If You Like Meat, and Compassionate Choices, along with our follow-up Guide to Cruelty-Free Eating.
As a member of Vegan Outreach, anyone, anywhere, in any situation can be the best possible spokesperson for the animals.
Our booklets have been distributed by many individuals and groups, from middle school students to animal advocacy organizations (e.g., Compassion Over Killing, FARM, Farm Sanctuary, The Humane League, Mercy For Animals, etc.).
Why Vegan?, Even If You Like Meat, Compassionate Choices, and earlier booklets have been distributed in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, 10 Canadian territories and provinces, Mexico, and numerous other countries (including Australia, Austria, Brazil, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and Taiwan).
“[A] single dollar donated to Vegan Outreach is expected to prevent between 100 days and 51 years of suffering on a factory farm.”
Our booklets have gone to a diversity of interested individuals, many of whom had no idea about the consequences of their consumption habits, and who possibly would never have otherwise received such compelling information.
Your donation will put booklets into more people’s hands.
In August of 2003, VO launched our Adopt a College program, which – as of March 31, 2013 – has resulted in volunteers handing booklets directly to over 9.1 million students on more than 2,300 college campuses. Total AAC distribution is over 13.3 million, and growing!
An extensive presence on the Internet has reached many more around the world. Different language versions of Why Vegan?, Even If You Like Meat, and other information are also available online.
“The Vegan Outreach team serve as a vital cog in the rapidly expanding vegan movement. Smart, smiling, happy, healthy and fit people on university campuses handing out a colorful booklet carefully designed to inform but not offend – it’s a winning formula. The sky’s the limit. Their ultimate success will come when there will no longer be any demand for their booklets, because everyone has already read it and changed their lives.”
author of The Exultant Ark
For more about Vegan Outreach, please see
- our list of frequently asked questions,
- this history of Vegan Outreach for more background,
- and A Meaningful Life for our underlying philosophy.
You can also
- order copies of our booklets,
- donate to Vegan Outreach,
- sign up for our email newsletter and blog,
- or request a free Guide to Cruelty-Free Eating!
We hope you enjoy the rest of the site and find it useful. Feel free to contact us to get involved! | <urn:uuid:efd465a6-8f10-4dfd-b08a-78975529bf31> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.veganoutreach.org/about/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937798 | 758 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Steering Committee Progress Report - Sea Level Rise Task Force
Prepared by Robin Schlaff
The NYS Legislature charged the Sea Level Rise Task Force with "assessing the anticipated impacts of sea level rise, as well as providing recommendations related to actions the State may take to protect areas at risk of damage, adaptive measures and regulatory and/or statutory changes."
Staff from the DEC Climate Change office assisted in drafting the Framework for Implementing the Work of the New York State Sea Level Rise Task Force to guide the task force and steering committee in achieving this goal. A copy was emailed to all members of the steering committee and task force and has been posted on the task force website. A listserv has also been created for the task force and those interested may subscribe using GovDelivery.
The steering committee has organized into four workgroups (ecosystems, infrastructure, legal, and public outreach). The workgroups have solicited members from a broad array of state and local government, stakeholder groups, and private industry, making sure that representatives from vulnerable communities are included in every step of the process.
The ecosystems and infrastructure workgroups have started the work of identifying "at risk" natural habitats and infrastructure. The legal and public participation workgroups have framed out their respective game plans for the next year. We have made substantial progress in the last two months through the valuable contributions of members who have added this work to their already full plates. They are a very impressive group.
As chair of the steering committee I have assumed several tasks - one is to connect with the various agencies and NGO's working on this issue by attending as many of their meetings as possible and including the appropriate technical steering committee members in communication. We do not have the time or resources to start from scratch and there is no need to. There is already a wealth of information that has been collected by agencies like ACOE, environmental groups like The Nature Conservancy, and state agencies like SEMO and others. At today's meetings you will hear from three groups who will be issuing reports on similar issues: Adam Freed, chair of the NYC Climate Change Task Force, Kristin Marcell, who is on the steering committee for the Rising Waters project in the Hudson Valley, and Amanda Stevens who is managing the state climate change assessment project for NYSERDA.
As chairs of the workgroups we are committed to collaborating to make sure that we present a comprehensive and consistent message to the public on the amount and potential effects of sea level rise and the development of recommendations to respond.
We will continue to work together using the best available science to guide our assessment along with a clear vision to outline the most efficient and effective ways to respond to sea level rise along our coastlines in New York State. | <urn:uuid:06f710bd-5428-4535-b514-2a82d0a35c55> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/49907.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949084 | 555 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Facing the loss of their life savings and very possibly their jobs, employees at investment bank Bear Stearns are turning to trained professionals -- not for financial advice but for psychological counseling.
The company, which collapsed suddenly last week when real estate clients withdrew $17 billion in two days, will provide psychological counselors, called employee assistance professionals, to help workers handle the news that their plans and perhaps their dreams have abruptly and dramatically changed.
"Employee assistance professionals are behavioral experts in the workplace. Anything that effects human behavior or emotions at work are the areas where we focus. We're not looking at the financial realities of a situation, but the emotional impact of that situation," said John Maynard, CEO of the Employee Assistance Professionals Association, the largest such organization in the country with 4,000 members.
Spokespeople for the bank would not comment on how many counselors would be hired to meet with the company's 14,000 employees, but said both internal and outside help would be used.
Many of the company's employees could lose their jobs and all of them have seen the value of their stock holdings and options evaporate overnight.
An average Bear Stearns employee who had $200,000 in a retirement fund last week now has just $2,000.
Employee assistance professionals, who compare their work to grief counseling, told ABC News that the sudden shock of learning that you have lost your life savings or job is akin to the emotional jolt felt when learning you have a terminal disease.
Symptoms of dealing with the trauma can include anxiety, depression, irritability, withdrawal, loss of appetite and sleeplessness.
"I have participated in mergers in [the] past and I've witnessed a reaction very similar to that found in people grieving the loss of a loved one," said Dan Hughes, a psychologist and director of the employee assistance program at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.
"People move though a series of emotions much like in the grieving process. They go from shock, 'how can this be happening,' to anger, 'after all my work at the company, you're doing this.' From a counseling perspective, we have to keep people mobilized and action oriented," he said.
Fearing a cash shortage, real estate clients caused essentially a run on the bank last week. Facing the prospect of bankruptcy, Bear CEO Alan Schwartz sold the company to JPMorgan Chase for $240 million, a song compared with its value of $20 billion just three months ago.
Overnight, the stock tumbled and was valued at $2 a piece Monday, the value of JPMorgan's offer, though it has since moved a bit higher.
About 30 percent of the company, from secretaries to executives, are long-term owners of the shares, leaving people who had recently bought homes or who were looking forward to retirement to radically change their plans.
"These were secretaries. They don't even live in Manhattan. They [are] commuting from New Jersey and Long Island and leading relatively modest lives and suddenly they've had major nest eggs wiped out," James Stewart, editor at large at Smart Money, told ABC News.
It is the support staff, at the bottom of the pecking order, who will most be affected not only financially but also psychologically, employee assistance professionals said. | <urn:uuid:0d5a4706-c269-40db-af9d-26573c63c7a6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=4476286&page=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977313 | 675 | 1.6875 | 2 |
THE Zimbabwean political situation remains touch-and-go with no clues of what is likely to happen in the short-to-medium term, especially given the current turmoil within the ruling Zanu PF and the opposition MDC ranks.
The political crisis, characterised by erosion of the democratic culture and institutional collapse, is worsened by the economic malaise which is rapidly widening and deepening. This has left the country in an undeclared state of emergency.
The unannounced banning of democratic protests by opposition and civil society movements -- except those staged by Zanu PF supporters -- provides the clearest sign yet of a tacit state of emergency.
There are several untested suppositions about what is likely to happen after the departure of President Robert Mugabe by natural causes or otherwise.
The International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think-tank run by retired statesmen, last week issued a report on Zimbabwe warning of possible political instability and violence in the country.
It said Zimbabwe was almost irretrievably hurtling towards being a failed state plagued by insecurity and chaos. It said the risk of anarchy was high because of the current political turmoil, economic emergency, heightened repression and deepening public anger.
The group noted Mugabe's regime is increasingly becoming "desperate and dangerous" due to its growing paranoia caused by rising opposition to its policies and international isolation.
While chances of Zimbabwe becoming stateless are very slim, there are conditions on the ground which provide a hotbed for political turbulence.
The country is fractured on many fronts. Divisions within Zanu PF and the MDC are now as profound as the differences between them. The two parties are reeling from vicious power struggles.
The Zanu PF situation is more scary because of the scamble to succeed Mugabe. It is not clear what is likely to happen after Mugabe but there are fears Zanu PF will split into at least two factions along regional and ethnic fault lines. If that were to happen, it would create a breeding ground for instability and violence.
Zanu PF appears fragile because of its regional and tribal anatomy. In the past the party showed signs of volatility and strain, especially in a state of political flux where shifts and changes in dynamics were difficult to manage.
Zanu PF camps are already wound up for a fight. The Tsholotsho episode cast the die. The internal wrangling could yield a powerful group which may sort out the situation. The defeated group might fall in line, scatter into a toothless rabble or wreak political havoc unless contained.
In the process, it is possible a new leader would emerge to unite the factions. A realignment of forces might take place and resolve the situation.
It is however also possible the army might intervene claiming to be trying to restore order. The danger of military intervention now looms large given the ongoing militarisation of state institutions.
Napoleonic military leaders invariably emerge in conditions of instability, claiming to be re-establishing order. The crumbling economy has created conditions for army involvement in civilian affairs.
As a result, the army and other state security agencies have of late been gaining influence in civilian institutions.
The military's heavy involvement in the state machinery and government policy formulation has left it well-placed to seize power if push comes to shove. Because of a power vacuum developing in Zanu PF, the army generals are said to be waiting in the wings to outflank politicians in the ultimate scramble for power likely to break out when Mugabe leaves, in particular if his departure is sudden.
But it is also important to look at the structure and internal dynamics in the army to assess possibilities of military intervention. The top brass in the army -- but not everybody -- appears involved in Zanu PF politics and as a result would want the incumbent regime to survive. They are also part of the political elite and have their interests at stake if the status quo changes.
However, the middle and lower ranks have not benefited as much. In fact, lower ranks have been protesting poor salaries and working conditions, meaning their interests are not well served by the system.
In the event generals want unqualified support to claim political power, junior soldiers might baulk at supporting a project designed to preserve a system that has impoverished them.
Besides, the military culture in Zimbabwe, shaped by British traditions, and not the Russians and Chinese who supported the anti-colonial struggle, preclude an easy manipulation of the structures to blatantly support a political cause. There is also the problem of regional and international factors. Southern Africa does not have a history of military coups and appears determined to keep that clean sheet. The international community, including the African Union, is unlikely to tolerate military rule in Zimbabwe.
In the MDC, it appears the current divide will continue until the Zanu PF crisis develops enough to shape the direction of national politics, and by implication the economy. An inter-party realignment of forces could then occur and a clearer picture of the parameters of party politics would emerge from the current jungle.
While it is not known for certain what will happen after Mugabe, what is clear is that the situation in Zimbabwe remains up in the air. A storm could be brewing on the horizon before the weather clears! | <urn:uuid:abf062bc-a139-4ed4-a40b-668397543686> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://allafrica.com/stories/200606160105.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963282 | 1,067 | 1.820313 | 2 |
- FrontPage Magazine - http://frontpagemag.com -
Remembering a Dissident
Posted By Jamie Glazov On March 11, 2010 @ 12:04 am In FrontPage | 34 Comments
One day, when I was nine years old, my father and I were on our way to Church. As we neared the entrance, I spat on the ground. Reflexively, my dad’s arm shot out across my chest like a railway barrier, blocking my motion forward. We stood there, frozen in time, for some three seconds until my father uttered, in a very serious but patient way: “It is ok to spit outside of KGB headquarters, but never in front of a place such as this.” I registered the message and indicated my understanding — and we proceeded on our way.
That was my dad’s moral clarity and sharp, quick-witted way with words; and the sacred values that spawned those words made a profound impression on me from the moment of my birth. I was born into a family of Russian dissidents — a father and a mother, Yuri and Marina Glazov, who put their clenched fists up and went toe-to-toe with the Evil Empire.
Throughout my youth, my dad shared many stories with me, which included how he had always been aware, even in his youth, that he existed in a slave camp masquerading as a country and that he perpetually dreamed of escaping it. He spent his young years studying maps, trying to decipher which body of water he could swim across to escape the communist paradise he languished in. But his life ended up going a different way: he confronted the slave masters, rather than escaping the prison they had built.
My father was a scholar at the Soviet Academy of Sciences and a professor at Moscow State University. His main field of study concerned Oriental languages and cultures, with a specialty in the Chinese, Sanskrit and Tamil areas. Despite his rewarding career, my dad put everything on the line and began to attend human rights demonstrations in Moscow on behalf of political prisoners. He also started to sign letters of protest against the political repressions that were heightening in the country in the 1960s, connected as they were to the re-Stalinization of the Soviet Union after the Khrushchev thaw. The activities my dad engaged in could land a Soviet citizen in the gulag or a psychiatric hospital for decades.
On February 24, 1968, my father signed the Letter of Twelve, a letter written and signed by twelve Soviet dissidents to the Supreme Congress of Communist Parties in Budapest denouncing Soviet human rights abuses. He was immediately fired from his work for being “unprofessional” in his scholarly studies (even though he previously had received high praise for his academic studies).
The picture of my dad, shown above, was taken by a friend who had come to visit him the evening of the day he was expelled from the Academy. My father had been at a meeting at the closed section of the Supreme Soviet of Scholars. Before the committee announced his expulsion, he had delivered a strong speech about political repressions in the country and finished by talking about his hope that the days of freedom would one day come to his beloved Russia.
After his expulsion, my father received a labor card with a special secret code that meant that he was blacklisted and could not receive employment anywhere in the country. He even tried to get a job cleaning streets, but was refused once an employer saw the poisoned markings. In a Soviet Catch-22, because of his “unemployment,” the KGB began to persecute my father for “parasitism” — a law in the Soviet Union that criminalized unemployed people and subsequently shipped them off to labor camps in Siberia.
Under these circumstances, my dad’s health broke down. He became very sick and was hospitalized. The Communist Party was as cold and unforgiving as the Siberian winter, and the KGB sharks waited for him to arrive home from his sickbed. But my dad’s sickness and several other developments threw the unfolding narrative down a different path:
During this time, a friend of our family’s told my dad that, under vicious harassment by the KGB (they had discovered an affair she was having and threatened to tell her husband), she had agreed to be a witness for them in a trial against my father that would charge (and convict) him of selling foreign currency and drugs on the black market (which she would place in our apartment). Upon hearing this, my dad knew the KGB was going for the jugular and that he only had one hand left to play. He immediately sent a letter to the Department for Exit Visas in which he said: give me a job or let me out of the country. Shortly afterwards, in April 1972, before Nixon’s visit to Moscow — and perhaps because of that visit — my father received the Exit Visa to emigrate from the Soviet Union. In escaping the Soviet hell, he was able to bring his family (my mom, my sister Elena, my brother Grisha and me) to the West.
[My family, after my father was expelled from the Academy. My mom is on the left and my older sister, Elena, is on the right. I''m the youngest, with my older brother Grisha behind me.]
My father never stopped fighting the Soviet system and the murderous, anti-human ideology that spawned it. He never fell into silence about the genocide and monstrous oppression communism engendered everywhere it set foot. He was always outspoken on behalf of political prisoners that languished in communist gulags around the world. I grew up in this spirit that my dad (and mom) nurtured in our family, and my heart and mind, from a young age, were preoccupied with the fate and sufferings of heroes like Russia’s Vladimir Bukovsky and Cuba’s Armando Valladares.
I am eternally grateful to my father, and to my mother, for having instilled in me one of the highest values in life, which we find in Hebrews 13:3: Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. And that is precisely that value that explains why I am at Frontpage Magazine today, fighting on the front lines alongside a noble warrior like David Horowitz on behalf of freedom fighters everywhere, and in particular the brave Muslim dissidents, Christians, Jews, Muslim women, and all other minorities and peoples, who are being viciously persecuted under Islamist tyranny.
When my dad arrived in the U.S. via Italy, he first taught at Boston College as Professor of Russian Studies. He then moved to Canada in 1975 to teach at the Department of Russian Studies at Dalhousie University. He loved to teach Fyodor Dostoevsky and the history of Russian ideas.
In 1992, the Soviet Academy of Sciences apologized to my father for persecuting him earlier, and now invited him to re-establish scholarly contacts. In the mid-1990s, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, my father received a document from the Sakharov Archives located in Boston. Dated February 19, 1971, it was a top secret letter written by Yuri Andropov, leader of the KGB at the time, to the Central Committee of the Communist Party. Filled with obscene lies and clear self-induced lies, it accused my dad of terrorism and espionage, indicating the kind of trial the KGB was preparing for my dad in those horrifying years. This document proves how much the KGB hated dissidents and spread the most vicious lies about them (being CIA agents etc.).
Bugging the regular conversations of my father with Sakharov, mostly in Sakharov’s apartment, the KGB deliberately distorted the discussions, parts of which dealt with the history of terrorism in Russia. The so-called “espionage” of my father was based on his correspondence with international scholars in his field, which my father dared to conduct in those dangerous years. Naturally, his letters were perlustrated and listed in the KGB files.
My father published numerous books and articles in both Russian and English. The two books that became best known were, The Russian Mind Since Stalin’s Death and To Be or Not to Be in the Party: Communist Party Membership in the USSR.
My dad died of cancer on March 15, 1998. It was before the Vladimir Putin period, but my father already gauged, with great disappointment, what was happening in his beloved homeland. He understood the disaster and tragedy concerning the future moral health of his country when Nuremberg-style trials did not follow the collapse of the Soviet Union. The crimes and atrocities of Soviet communism – and the ideology that engendered the mass murder of 60 million people – were all supposed to be revealed and condemned. The secret KGB archives were supposed to be opened. The exposure and punishment of high ranking KGB officers and communist officials were supposed to take place in front of the whole world. Instead, these criminals and mafia figures remained in power — just in new clothing and using new language.
New school textbooks were supposed to be introduced – like those in post-war Germany that dealt honestly with the crimes of the Nazi era. It is impossible to imagine Hitler being praised in today’s German school texts or his glorified portrait being hung high in the streets of Germany. But in Russia, the mirror image of that horror happened and still continues today.
So, today, with Putin and his KGB thugs and murderers in power, we are now witnessing the preparation for the 65th anniversary celebration of the Soviet victory in WWII; it will be marked with portraits of Joseph Stalin as the country’s victorious war-time leader. This is no surprise, of course, since Putin has overseen a strong pining for Stalin in Russia, which now manifests itself in a beverage plant in Volgograd releasing a series of soft drinks picturing the dictator on its labels and a new textbook in schools speaking of the mass murderer as, among other things, an “effective manager.”
What would my father have thought of all of these developments if he were alive today? So many dissidents sacrificed their lives fighting for freedom in the Soviet Union. For what? Russia was given the window of opportunity to choose freedom in the early 1990s, but it chose to turn its back on this historic opportunity. My father shared the same fate as many of his friends and other dissidents: if you avoided being murdered, you passed away early from cancer or other illnesses. One can only imagine what terrible stress these freedom fighters endured for the sake of bringing liberty to their nation. Was it all in vain?
I don’t think it was. What my father and the other courageous warriors did was meaningful in its own right. Moreover, the struggle my father’s life valiantly represented lives on. And today, each of us can help keep the flame alive.
My father’s career at Dalhousie lasted twenty years – until his retirement in 1995. To honor his memory, a memorial award was established in his name. But funding for this award has been scarce and now the possibility has emerged that it will be shut down. This memorial fund is really the only marker in existence that publicly keeps alive who my dad was, what he did, and what he represented. It symbolizes the struggle of all dissidents for truth and for freedom. If some funds begin to materialize, the memorial award for my father can remain in existence. I would like to put a request to all of you who care and who can help, to kindly click on this site at Dalhousie to read about the Yuri Glazov Memorial Award and to contribute in any way you can – and even the smallest contribution will count a lot.
Thank you, I am most grateful to all of you who will help to make sure that my dad’s battle – and the battle of so many freedom fighters and martyrs who rose and fell fighting Soviet communism – will not be forgotten.
To read about the Yuri Glazov Memorial Award, click here.
Article printed from FrontPage Magazine: http://frontpagemag.com
URL to article: http://frontpagemag.com/2010/jamie-glazov/remembering-a-dissident/
Copyright © 2009 FrontPage Magazine. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:95781605-c33e-4b46-9964-45d43c846f87> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://frontpagemag.com/2010/jamie-glazov/remembering-a-dissident/print/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982518 | 2,553 | 1.804688 | 2 |
2010-11 Academic Achievement
North Texas student-athletes continued their academic success in the classroom during the 2010-11 school year.
North Texas diver Delia Covo was honored by the Sun Belt Conference as the 2011 winner of the league's Female Sporting Behavior Award. The Sun Belt gives its Sporting Behavior Award to the athlete who most typifies outstanding leadership and achievement in the classroom, on the field of play and in the community. The Mean Green's Brittani Youman received the award last year.
Covo is one of the Mean Green's leading competitors in the pool, becoming one of the three divers who qualified for the NCAA Zone Diving Meet, a competition no North Texas diver had qualified for since 2003. Covo holds the school record in the three-meter diving contest and finished third in the Sun Belt Conference in that event.
Out of the pool, Covo has served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee since 2008, has helped tutor other student athletes and served as a TA for a freshman lecture, all while remaining an honor roll student with a Pre-Med major. She has volunteered for the Salvation Army, CANstruction Food Drive and Competition, and WFAA Santa's Helpers Toy Drive, among other activities.
Two North Texas teams earned perfect multiyear scores - a first in Mean Green history - and seven sports recorded their highest-ever marks on the APR report. The cross country and tennis squads earned Public Recognition Awards from the NCAA for ranking among the top 10 percent of their sports.
Of the 21 NCAA Division I schools in the state of Texas, North Texas is one of just four schools to have multiple sports with perfect 1,000 multiyear scores (Rice, Texas and TCU). Middle Tennessee is the only other Sun Belt school to have multiple sports post a 1,000.
North Texas Academic Honors
North Texas honored 205 student-athletes for their academic achievements during the 2010 spring and fall semesters at halftime of one of the basketball games.
Students with GPA's of 3.00-3.49 were placed on the Athletic Director's Honor Roll, students with G.P.A's of 3.50-3.99 were on the Dean's List and students with a 4.00 G.P.A made the President's List. A student-athlete had to earn at least a G.P.A of 3.0 in one of the two semesters to make the honor roll.
The Mean Green swimming and diving team held the highest cumulative team G.P.A during the 2010-11 school year (3.32) with 35 student-athletes earning at least a 3.0 GPA during one semester. Eight swimmers posted a 4.0 in at least one of the two semesters.
The tennis, volleyball, women's golf, soccer, softball and women's track and field teams all posted above a 3.0 grade point average during the past year. Twenty-three members of the soccer team were recognized, including seven student-athletes who posted a perfect 4.0 G.P.A. in either the fall or spring semesters.
Angela Dworschack and Craig Robertson were named the Male and Female Varsity Athlete of the Year at this year's University of North Honors Day.
Women's golf student-athletes Jacey Chun and Chaslyn Chrismer were honored by the National Golf Coaches Association by being named to the 2010-11 All-American Scholar Team. It's the first time that the two student-athletes have made the list. The Mean Green golf team posted the fourth-highest GPA out of all the sports teams at North Texas for the 2010-11 school year.
North Texas volleyball was named one of 91 Division I teams to receive the AVCA Team Academic Award for its efforts during the 2010-11 school year. This is the first time Mean Green volleyball has received the award in school history.
The award, which was initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that displayed excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale.
Only three other Sun Belt teams, Arkansas State, UALR and Western Kentucky, received the award.
Softball student-athlete Mallory Cantler was named to the CoSIDA/Capital One Second Team All-District team for the third straight year. Cantler received her bachelor's degree in three years and is working towards her MBA.
North Texas women's soccer team was recognized for its off-field accomplishments by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America as one of the recipients for the 2010 NSCAA Team Academic Award. The Mean Green, who posted a 3.30 team GPA this past spring have now earned at least a 3.0 team GPA three years in a row. Additionally, the women's soccer team's APR (Academic Progress Report) has been ranked in the top 10 percent nationally three out of the last four years.
North Texas Goalkeeper Mandy Hall was named to the CoSIDA/Capital One All-District Team. Hall has a 3.78 GPA as a history major. She has been named to the Sun Belt Commissioner's List three times for her academic performance while at North Texas. Hall also received Rose received the Gayle and Virgil Strange Award, which honors the North Texas senior with the highest grade point average among all teams.
North Texas held the fifth annual Mean Green Student-Athlete Scholars Banquet this past May. Thirty-nine student athletes, not including freshman, were invited to attend.
Each of the student-athletes fell into one of three categories based on their current grade point average- Platinum, Gold and Silver. Athletes with the highest cumulative grade point average for their team were given the Green Eagle Award.
The Mean Green swimming team led the way with 10 representatives, including Kelly Gordon, who posted a 4.0 GPA. | <urn:uuid:915f2a35-c62a-4657-9273-a84b35bebe6c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.meangreensports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=1800&ATCLID=205679506 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972851 | 1,233 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Sellers of gold have remarked that woman involve themselves with precious metal investing far less than men. However, when woman start to look into making the investment, they do a far better job than men do.
The male ego blushes at this claiming woman are too emotional. This could be true as much as men may not be emotional enough. It simply doesn’t matter in precious metal investing. Women tend to be much more cautious when starting the investment inquiry. During the process they demonstrate a higher awareness of personal shortcomings, and, they make decisions only after they feel they have addressed this deficit. Men often decide on the information they have, acting like they should know everything once they believe what they are doing is what they should be doing. This may work well in many situations. In gold and silver investing this leaves out much of the right kind of information.
Gold brokers anonymously admit that woman investors are often difficult to sell at first. Women tend to proceed with caution and act with the following characteristics that make them smart precious metals investors. Maybe brokers don’t like hard start, even though women are more balanced buyers in the long run. Here are a few reasons women are better investors when it comes to silver and gold.
Five reasons women excel in precious metal investing
Women are patient with investing. Patience in gold and silver investing is a key to success. Woman will wait for a level of comfort before pursuing the investment. If the comfort zone isn’t there, the broker might as well start over as a female investor will usually not buy when out of a comfort zone.
Knowledge before Buy
Women are typically aware of what they don’t know, and what they in general want to learn what they don’t know before proceeding. Many might say investing in commodities of silver and gold is largely a man’s world. Ask a broker and many will say it most certainly is a man’s world and there are very few women who excel in it. A few women excel doing very well for themselves.
Women build a relationship in their gold and silver business dealings. Sales people observe men willing to start a short term anything if it is something they believe they want. Women seek trust building face time and business contact. If this is rushed, a woman more than a man will simply move on to another sales person willing to provide the relationship.
Checked the Ego
From a broker’s perspective, women seem to have their egos in check. A salesperson is less likely to succeed in selling gold and silver by pushing a reason associated with the ego. Ideas based on ego such as keeping up with others, survivor instinct of us against them, or even vanity carry little weight with the woman investor seeking gold and silver.
Many men admit that women have better instincts. When women trust their instincts they do better than men in the investment selection process. Sales people have to learn to trust their instincts to develop and succeed in placing investments that work for customers. Instincts have a two-fold aspect that is part of the makeup women have and the societal factors forming their instinctual behavior.
This last aspect, instinct is what most women need to work on to develop as successful investors. Women who trust and leverage their instincts find this to make the most difference in their success in silver and gold investing.
Tips for Women Investors
Discuss ideas with trusted, credible, knowledgeable and neutral sources before stepping into the buying arena with a salesperson or broker. Find knowledgeable insiders to speak with and research while developing a comfort zone about the topic and a relationship. This way the actual buying is not dependent on the quality and comfort of the relationship discussed in the above five reasons. Gold and Silver brokers, specifically men, will work against the desire for relationship and comfort zones. Obtain the same information the broker might allude to, in detail from a trusted insider whose only interest is you as the client.
Men will fight to be in on the deal. More often they pull the trigger on impulse, before they have all the facts. Because men tend to want information from people who do the deal, the people who do the deal have an upper hand all the way. Salespeople perceive doing business with men as better because of the upper hand. Women who perceive the salesperson’s need to control the deal can move on or find ways to work around the directives imposed by seller with relevant questions.
Women break down the buying process into small segments and spread the decisions farther apart. Most gold brokers will work hard to prevent this thinking. It is part and parcel of the survival of the gold and silver brokerage business. Women make better gold and silver buyers as they approach the purchase with full consideration and due diligence. | <urn:uuid:a8058f59-d213-41f3-9445-ab7092bababc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://preciousmetalcentral.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966922 | 966 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Common Ground is seeking experienced, energetic, creative camp teachers for summer 2011! Now hiring staff who would love to spend their summer working with kids on an organic farm and going hiking in the woods! Qualified staff must have prior experience creating and leading activities for children. Unpaid camp internships are available for applicants who seek to gain more experience in this field. We work with kids ages 4 – 13, and staff can apply to work with their preferred age group.
Seeking staff who can specialize in creating and leading activities in one or more of the following areas:
Domestic and wild animals
Science and nature knowledge
Ecology and sustainability
Cooking from the garden
Garden based activities
Group games (fun and cooperative – not sports)
Hiking and outdoor skills
Natural and recycled arts
Music and drama
Specialized positions of note:
We have camps for kids as young as 4 years old, so we seek a few great teachers who would love to design and lead a farm and nature based camp curriculum for our youngest campers! Significant experience designing activities for and working with ages 4 – 6 is needed for our Sprouts and Eco-Explorers Camps.
An assistant teacher with experience teaching culinary skills to children is sought for the Farm to Feast Cooking Camp – work with foods from the farm to teach kids how to make delicious snacks and meals!
Love domestic and/or wild animals and have experience teaching others about their care and conservation? We seek some great teachers to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with campers in Ecology Camp and Animal Adventures Camp!
Like to hike? West Rock Rangers is just for older kids (ages 11 – 13) who want to hike in West Rock Park and learn outdoor skills. Can you teach kids to start a campfire, pitch a tent, read a map, and enjoy a full day of fun on the trail?
Are you a broadly based science and nature enthusiast? You can identify some trees, love to go for a hike, know a bit a about gardening, and love to cook with seasonal foods? If you also have experience sharing those interests with kids, you might be a great fit for our camp that does a little bit of everything – Ecology Camp!
A detailed job description and online application are available at: www.commongroundct.org/join_us.php
To apply: please download the detailed job description from the link above to read more about the camps and the job requirements. If you decide to apply, complete the online application found at the link AND email a resume to the contact given in the link above.
Compensation: $14 - $16.50/hr, 40 – 45 hrs per week for 8 weeks (with a possibility of continuing with part-time academic year work for interested staff) | <urn:uuid:11f3fe33-4ad1-4feb-9f7d-c91e0d9bad1b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.farmbasededucation.org/forum/topics/camp-teachers-for-a-farm-and?xg_source=activity | 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 | 0.95108 | 568 | 1.84375 | 2 |
Graphic Journos: The State of the Graphic Journalism Art
Annie Graham is a sophomore at Stanford University who may or may not declare herself an English major this year. She is from Phoenix, Arizona, and is interested in education reform, farming, and, most recently, graphic novels.
A picture is worth a thousand words. By this math, the artists I just interviewed are creating more words than their peers in journalism. Indeed they are artists, but their brand of art has not exactly developed to the degree of a cohesive label. Each one documents real-world events through the combination of words and illustrations. I first became interested in their work when Dan Archer, comics journalist, visited our Nonfiction Graphic Novel class at Stanford. “Nonfiction graphic novels?” you may scoff, “I knew the universities were up to some funny business with that tuition money!” Let me reassure you that this funny business is going to change the way the world sees news, and Dan Archer is part of that. He visited our class one day—abounding with a cool British accent and infectious energy—to show us his work.
Archer draws the news. No, no. Archer draws the news with perfect lines of ink, expert shading, and tremendous attention to the human form. One page of comic panels can take hours of work, which wouldn’t be perfectly evident as he eagerly laid out the draft of his newest project, Alcatraz—putting it within our potentially-smudging reach. Almost simultaneously he presented a PowerPoint presentation about his other work in comics journalism. The man is a multimedia machine. Then again, he is a multitasker by trade. A person who illustrates the news must be a journalist and an artist. This one happens to tell the nonfiction stories, past and present, in the form of comics.
As I researched Archer on his website, I was led to questions about the form of illustrated documentary. Who else is doing it and what other forms does it take? Within a few curious clicks, I was on the website of Graphic Journos, a collective of artists united in spreading “the good word of graphic-based narrative.” Within a few more clicks, I had the contact information of collective members Archer, Jen Sorenson, and Wendy MacNaugton. Each was willing to share the story of how they came to the work and the future they see for it.
Each member also mentioned Susie Cagle, who brought the collective together. Cagle is a journalist and illustrator, sick of people emphasizing the latter in exclusion of the former. Can an illustrator be a serious journalist? She is dedicated enough to reporting that she was recently arrested in Occupy Oakland protests, while sporting her bright orange press pass, for failure to leave the scene of a riot. She was unable for interview when I began the project due to a 15-hour stint in county jail. If not a “serious” journalist, then surely a badass dedicated journalist. Cagle formed the collective Graphic Journos to bring together other artistically inclined storytellers and prove that this form is compelling and important.
All three storytellers I interviewed began illustrating at early ages, but the jump to graphic-based narrative was later in life. In fact, Sorenson is still delving into the art of nonfiction graphic narrative. Her practiced art form is the political cartoon, a sometimes fictional and humorous lens to look at real events. She draws the comic Slowpoke weekly, illustrates for various publications, and has illustrated a small biography of Cynthia Heimel as well as a trip through Whitefish, Montana. Sorenson never expected to be doing this type of work, essentially meaning she never thought she could make a living with her drawing skills. Even with an anthropology degree from the University of Virginia and the belief that comics could not be a career, Sorenson ultimately made it work.
MacNaughton hadn’t planned on a career of creating graphic-based narrative either. Today she illustrates real life in many forms. One of her current projects is “Meanwhile,” a series published on TheRumpus.net where she visits and illustrates different sites in San Francisco. The most recent installment is a depiction of 6th and Mission—a collection of pictures and short descriptions that feels personal, as if you’re talking to the portraits yourself. MacNaughton was trained as a social worker at Columbia University, and she has a knack for bringing stories out of people. Even during my phone interview with her, the first question came from the interested MacNaughton, “How did you get interested in this?” The degree in social work came after graduation from the Art Center College of Design and writing copy for an ad firm.
“Art school kicks the drawing out of you,” MacNaughton says of her years there, where the curriculum was focused more on conceptual art than illustration. Immediately after graduating from art school, MacNaughton became a copywriter for an advertising firm. Though she reflects on the stint as a “dream job” to land right out of school, she hated it. Soon she was presented with the opportunity to illustrate promotions for democratic elections in Rwanda. Her reaction at the dream job: “I’m outta here.” Such is the impulse of all three of these storytellers: to illustrate and inform the stories that might otherwise go untold. MacNaughton can go to a place such as 6th and Mission and find people to tell their stories. Then she can bring them to life with illustration.
If this article had bigger pictures you might keep reading. As of now, I can’t be sure. Are you still reading? An audience tends to pay attention to pictures, and click on the articles with pictures on the Internet. It’s the same impulse that may cause us to turn to the comics page of the newspaper first, or look through photographs until our eye is caught by a special image. The news is often easier to digest in the form of pictures. The work of MacNaughton, Sorenson, Archer, and other graphic journalists shows it’s possible to create informative and important pictures by hand. The Graphic Journos website states, “Readers are bombarded with more information than ever before, but art has a unique power to make those readers stop instead of flipping the page or clicking away.” In my interview with Sorenson, she firmly echoed this statement. Her piece about Whitefish, Montana, in which she put her travels into comic form, received tons of positive feedback. Sorenson sensed a very eager audience for more of this type of work. Like any worthwhile vocation, though, graphic narrative has its difficulties.
As conventional forms of journalism may be reduced to a heap of ill-funded reportage, the niche of comics and graphic journalism experiences much of the same. There is less space for comics to be printed, and some editors are less willing to take risks on new material, or pay more for the work of a person who draws the news. Thankfully for the artists, illustrated narratives also stretch beyond the genre of journalism and into their own nameless genre that even this article has failed to determine. But how do they get paid after all? MacNaughtion’s work is published online, and she illustrates for magazines and other small jobs. Archer has worked the academic angle of his work as a Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford and is currently working on a commissioned project called Alcatraz. His work is also published online by different media outlets and consistently on his website. Sorenson draws syndicated weeklies for alternative newspapers plus illustrations for magazine and a great deal of work online. Archer has even created full-length stories, shorter than Joe Sacco’s but still sizable, though it takes a great deal of time. Sorenson says she would think about dedicating herself to one longer work, but the time it takes to illustrate such a thing is a deterrent. All three artists agree that the Internet is an extremely important and quality vehicle to spread their work. On one hand, the Internet always pays in exposure, but on the other, it’s hard to pay the rent with exposure. Many different outlets accept the work of these three artists, but some are less willing to pay for the time and effort it takes.
All three of these artists seem satisfied with their line of work—that was the vibe I got from talking with them. They have found a way to do what they love and tell the stories of others. Though you can see clear differences in the style of each, all three are dedicated to this particular form of documenting life. I asked all three for advice for young comics artists or any people who may consider getting into this semi-undefined field. Archer welcomes everyone (“The more the merrier!”) while admitting you must have the skill to draw and write up a story pretty quickly. I asked MacNaughton about getting into her line of work, and even at the end of the interview, it was hard to rest upon a term for her particular form of graphic documentation. We decided on “the field.” Her advice was perhaps the opposite of every child-lecturing parent in the world: “Don’t be shy. Talk to strangers a lot. Draw everything.” Sorenson is more involved in political cartooning; she admits it’s hard to get your foot in the newspaper door now—one that’s been quietly closing with the arrival of online journalism and other forms of news. However, going to comic conventions is a good start to meet editors. As she says, “Something always seems to come of going to these things,” and you shouldn’t be shy to pitch ideas to editors or at least talk to them—the more people you know, the easier it will become.
Although it can be hard to get involved in, the verdict from these three artists is that the work of graphic documentation is satisfying. They are following the news and the lives of other people, and drawing. As we face a deluge, an onslaught, a superlative of information from the news sources everyday, graphic journalism provides an eye-catching way to direct people to certain stories. The institution of journalism is rapidly changing and welcoming new ways of communicating with people. Artists such as Sorenson, Archer, and MacNaugton are adding a new perspective to the news that could make more people care and understand. | <urn:uuid:b866427a-7803-47b3-b065-b6475c80fa35> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.graphicnovelreporter.com/content/graphic-journos-state-graphic-journalism-art-op-ed | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972381 | 2,181 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna kept quiet last week after voters overwhelmingly rejected the three education laws known as Students Come First.
When the superintendent did at last take questions yesterday, his tone was conciliatory. He stressed the importance of all sides finding agreement.
“I think it’s critical that we work together and identify parts of the legislation that have support amongst all stakeholders,” Luna said.
That message isn’t wholly different from the one expressed by those who campaigned against the laws.
“If we want to talk about real education reform in a serious way, all of the stakeholders need to be involved from the get-go,” said “Vote No” spokesman Brian Cronin on election night as favorable returns trickled in. “The top-down mandate approach simply doesn’t work.”
Despite that similar rhetoric, whether Superintendent Luna and those who opposed his package of education reforms will, in fact, find common ground remains an open question.
Luna plainly expressed yesterday his goal that parts of the laws be resurrected and brought before the Legislature in the session that begins in January.
Mike Lanza, co-founder of Idaho Parents and Teachers Together, which marshaled opposition to the Students Come First laws, flatly denounced that proposal.
“Tom Luna should not try to take pieces of his plan and push them through the legislature in the upcoming session,” he said.
Then there’s the idea that’s anathema to Superintendent Luna: that the impasse ought to be resolved via an impartial, investigative panel. That, Luna said, would not constitute good leadership.
“Lacking leadership, then you appoint a blue-ribbon committee or you appoint an interim committee to kick the can down the road,” Luna said. “The kids have to have an education system, our students have to have an education system, that is moving forward to meet their needs.”
Lanza, on the other hand, believes an independent task force is exactly what’s needed. “In order to gain public faith, we think it best to de-politicize it by starting with education leaders, parents, educators and business leaders,” he said. “I would encourage our political leadership to allow us to carry this process through.”
Luna pledged that future education policy meetings will be open to the public and streamed live online. To hear a related audio story, click on the player below. | <urn:uuid:f224ffdb-4a47-4b76-9bd6-44ed24d0cfb3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://stateimpact.npr.org/idaho/2012/11/13/luna-and-opponents-search-for-scant-common-ground-after-props-1-2-3-fail/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964411 | 522 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Asus creates new GPU future with upgradeable graphics cards
View Single Post
May 17, 2008, 10:09 AM
Join Date: Jan 2008
I would see hole new mother board configuration and communications system. There would be a dedicated socket for a processor designed to be used in massively parrallel calculations (wich could be multi core), such as graphics, physics, foldings, etc... There also be expansion slots for GDDR memory. This would make for a verry customizable, scalable, evolutive, optimized and cost effective set-up. We all know that this will never happen, but I think it would be a nice thing to have. The end user would ultimatly be the winner here, being abble to choose an optimised set-up according to his specidic budget and usage. I don't think that Nvidia and ATI would use the same sockets, this would lead to problems leaving the end user brand dependant.
Wow that was a heck of a brain bubble!!
My System Specs
View Public Profile
Send a private message to Para_Franck
Find all posts by Para_Franck | <urn:uuid:ce68d50a-7a63-43ee-a52f-726dc3d34a82> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/58134-post8.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941923 | 237 | 1.632813 | 2 |
I have noted in previous posts how many of our long-haul bus routes duplicate the rail network, leading to needlessly wasted money on subsidising buses and trains that compete with each other for passengers. Running all those Howick and Eastern buses right past Panmure station, Ellerslie Station, Greenlane Station, Remuera Station, Newmarket Station, Grafton Station to terminate right next to Britomart station seems a rather pointless exercise in my opinion.
The bus network itself has a large number of inefficiencies – generally resulting from its “branching” structure. A good example of this is to look at buses that pass through Newmarket – fed from a number of parts of Auckland: red being south (4xx routes generally), blue being the southeast (5xx routes for NZ Bus and all Howick & Eastern services), green from Manukau Road (3xx services) and orange from Remuera Road (6xx routes): The overlapping of routes over one another means extremely high frequencies – although often not in a way that’s aligned at all. So you might have no buses for 15 minutes then have seven come along one after the other. It seems that the main cause of this ‘branched’ network is the design of Auckland’s street network , which funnels one road after the next into bottlenecks like Newmarket (or the Harbour Bridge), rather than providing a series of parallel streets on a grid, where routes could be distributed more evenly. You sort of see more of a grid in the western part of the isthmus, but even those parallel roads (Manukau, Mt Eden, Dominion, Sandringham, New North & Great North) come together in bottlenecks of their own – like the top end of Symonds Street.
To get an idea about the number of routes and services that converge along this section of Great South Road and Broadway, I had a dig through MAXX timetable information to come up with the following: I’m not really sure whether Great South Road between Greenlane and Manukau Road generates demand in and of itself to justify a bus every 2 minutes at peak times, or that Khyber Pass generates demand to justify a bus every 40 seconds. I also think the fact that more than 50 different routes pass through these points in a given day is likely to mean there’s little co-ordination between timetables to avoid the vast platooning of buses. And remember, this is in a part of Auckland that’s pretty well served by rail too. Perhaps it’s no surprise that Remuera and Greenlane are two of the least used stations on the network.
In short, the branched route system leads to vast over-provision of services in inner areas, because of the overlapping of so many routes. Now this is great if you’re travelling between town and the hospital for example, but is it really the wisest spend of our transport dollar to be providing such an extremely high number of buses (most of which aren’t express services, and parts of the route have poor priority measures like through Newmarket, so this is no Northern Busway) here? Would we prefer to see that money spent on a high-frequency cross-town services? Cheaper fares? A higher farebox recovery rate so less reliance on subsidy? The low seat utilisation of buses crossing Grafton Bridge seems to reinforce my thinking on this matter.
Of course the main reason why we have so many buses travelling along the inner part of the routes shown above is for capacity (notwithstanding the low seat utilisation). A pretty large chunk of Auckland is served by these routes, which means a lot of people rely on them. But at such high levels of demand, one would think that shifting more people onto trains starts to be a more logical thing to do – especially if the train trip can be much faster for the traveller. For Howick and Eastern passengers headed for the city, transfering to the train at Panmure is going to cut a massive chunk off their travel time, even if they need to wait 5-10 minutes for the train and even if they then need to walk 5-10 minutes from Britomart to their destination. If we can make better use of the capacity that the rail network has (especially post electrification), then we shouldn’t need to run anywhere near this many buses between Greenlane and Grafton Bridge.
So how might we do things differently? As a basic structure, I’ve often thought about the following being a useful start:
- Cut every route south of Manukau City at Manukau, turning them into feeders to the new railway station and a “400″ route b.line between Manukau and midtown (not Britomart as the train goes there). Frequency could be something like once every 10 or 15 minutes during the day, perhaps a bit more at peak and a bit less in the evenings and at weekends. This would be a reduction from the “bus every 5 minutes” service level we have now along Great South Road south of Greenlane, but would still offer a nice level of frequency along Great South Road all the time (for trips to and from places not easily served by rail), with excess demand in the south being soaked up by rail services from Manukau.
- Cut every route south of Onehunga (from Mangere) at Onehunga, turning them into feeders to Onehunga station and a new “300″ route b.line service along Manukau Road between Onehunga and midtown (once again, not Britomart as the train goes there). Frequency could probably be every 10 minutes most of the time, perhaps every 5 minutes during peak as the Manukau Road corridor doesn’t duplicate the rail network (unlike Great South Road). This would be a reduction from the 37 buses in the AM peak, with Onehunga rail services probably needing to go to every 15 minutes (so therefore post City Rail Link for full implementation) to soak up extra demand. It would be interesting to do an ‘origin-destination’ study for trips from Mangere, as I’ve heard that only a tiny fraction are to the CBD.
- Cut all Howick and Eastern services at either Panmure or Ellerslie station, turning them into feeders. I need to have a bit more of a think about whether it’s best to cut these at Panmure then run a “500″ b.line between Panmure and midtown along Ellerslie-Panmure Highway or whether to continue all Howick and Eastern buses to Ellerslie, allowing transfers to the southern line and Great South Road buses. Any Panmure to midtown b.line route would probably have similar frequencies to the 400 Great South Road b.line, as it would only be the Ellerlise-Panmure Highway section that didn’t either duplicate the rail network (and the 400 route) or was relieved by transfers to rail at Panmure.
- Remuera Road buses need a drastic simplification – probably combining a great number of routes into a simple ’600′ b.line service. This would be a good route to run through the city to Wynyard Quarter or even to the North Shore, as it “joins” our system too late for transfers to be attractive.
I’m pretty sure by implementing this plan we would save money (nowhere near as many duplicating services in our inner sections), give faster travel times (thanks to rail being much quicker than buses from Panmure, Manukau and Onehunga stations), provide a more easily understood bus network (based around the 300, 400, 500 and 600 b.line routes compared to the 61 routes that current serve the area) and a bus network that offers more regular services during weekends and off-peak (money saved on cutting back duplicative peak time services could be reinvested in better frequencies at other times).
Downsides are obviously a much greater reliance on transfers – both bus to train and bus to bus. We would need integrated ticketing and zone-based fares for this to truly work. We would also need good timetable alignment and excellent infrastructure at key transfer nodes like Manukau, Onehunga and Panmure. I’m guessing that many people would choose to take advantage of the faster travel speeds offered by rail, meaning that increased pressure would be placed on the rail network. Perhaps for this reason more than any other, a shift to this type of bus network would need to be implemented incrementally – particularly built around the introduction of our electric trains (and later the City Rail Link, particularly to allow more trains to serve Onehunga).
I think overall the positives significantly outweigh the negative though. | <urn:uuid:3270ca22-ffdc-4bf6-b0b4-236335ce76b2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://transportblog.co.nz/2011/12/29/improving-bus-efficiency/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964367 | 1,842 | 1.6875 | 2 |
A Pragmatic Approach
One approach, which I call SDLC 3.0, provides a pragmatic, experience-based approach for integrating the fragmented methodology landscape by using practices that are methodology agnostic. It focuses on yielding a useful, context-specific set of standard work advice for real product development.
It also integrates the software development part of IT with the broader enterprise and functions such as enterprise architecture, IT service management, and project and portfolio management. Using lean as the overarching set of principles, SDLC 3.0 starts with the customer and ends with the accrual of value within IT operations. This focus makes sure that small groups don't try to optimize only their piece of the process, based only on what they know about their roles. Rather, a coherent big-picture view enables traditionally siloed communities to constructively participate rather than get bogged down in in-fighting.
Some will argue that organizational culture is a likely reason for the failure of a new development methodology. This is has been studied most recently in surveys on agile adoption. But there's not just one single corporate culture. Each practice and pattern of success grew out of various enclaves of corporate experience over the past 40 years, such as a corporate delivery environment, or work within communities or groups that tend to aggregate fragmented experience into bodies of knowledge. Each organization manifests unique environments and cultures, and "the way we do things around here" becomes embedded with the IT corporate subcultures. In other words, these approaches became "adopted" and eventually became the standards. How then to choose new practices that suit the organization?
Figure 1 shows a cultural analysis of the major practices in today's methodologies that have been harvested from the three primary groups of methodologies. The agile, lean, and unified approaches are placed on a grid that scales vertically from stability to flexibility and horizontally from an internal focus to an external focus. Each quadrant is identified by the kind of organization that its blend of values create, its orientation, and the theory of its effectiveness.
Start by examining what kind of IT organization you have, what you value, and what needs the company has. By considering that against the widely accepted universe of practices, it's possible to choose the practices from the diagram that fit your needs and incrementally change the organization in an intelligent manner. This avoids culture clashes that result from imposing new methodologies.
Think about where your company falls in the four culture quadrants in the diagram. These include:
- Clan/Family Culture: Here you have a culture that emphasizes collaboration. Your leaders tend to be facilitators and team builders, who value commitment and communication. They think effectiveness is driven by developing people and spurring participation.
- Adhocracy Culture: Your company emphasizes creativity and has leaders who are entrepreneurial innovators, who value transformation and agility, and have a high level of risk tolerance. They think that innovation and vision are the best paths to effectiveness.
- Market Culture: Here the orientation is competition. Your leaders are hard-driving competitors, who emphasize goal achievement, market share, and profitability. Customer focus and aggressive competition lead to effectiveness.
- Hierarchy/Bureaucracy Culture: Your company tends to focus on control, with leaders who coordinate, monitor, and organize. Efficiency, timeliness, consistency, and risk aversion are the watchwords. Control and efficiency are seen as the best path to effectiveness.
In reality, improving an IT organization's software delivery capability isn't about building the perfect "method mousetrap." There isn't one perfect methodology. It has more to do with successfully changing "the way things are done around here." Properly done, this avoids the branding, competitive differentiation, cultural division, and iterative wars for a particular development approach — with all their attendant costs. Instead, it focuses on what has and always will be the overriding truth: that software development is about people and what their organizations value.
— Mark Kennaley is president and principal consultant at Fourth Medium Consulting, a Canadian IT management consultancy. His book, SDLC 3.0: Beyond A Tacit Understanding Of Agile, won a Dr. Dobb's 2010 Jolt Productivity Award. | <urn:uuid:903939f6-ec32-4f54-b371-7aad2ee7b4e6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.drdobbs.com/tools/pragmatic-development/229401451?pgno=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95315 | 853 | 1.640625 | 2 |
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A state district judge has issued a temporary restraining order telling Texas not to kick Planned Parenthood out of the Medicaid Women's Health Program, if they continue to accept federal funds.
In response, state officials said they will launch a new program on Nov. 1 using only state funds and exclude the group.
Planned Parenthood has been fighting a new rule that bans groups affiliated with abortion providers from taking part in a taxpayer-funded program that provides preventive health care and contraception to poor women. State law prohibits taxpayer-funded abortions, but lawmakers also ordered officials to withhold funding from groups what work with abortion providers.
Federal officials declared the new rule illegal and withdrew Medicaid funding saying the new rule interferes with a woman's right to choose their doctor. | <urn:uuid:804f99c9-e5e2-477e-bd41-fea229d46740> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wfaa.com/news/health/Planned-Parenthood-sues-Womens-Health-Program-176045711.html?ref=prev | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946016 | 159 | 1.523438 | 2 |
10 Sex Facts
A recent visit to Manhattan's legendary Museum of Sex yielded more than a mob of 18-year-old girls giggling in the foyer – it provided an entertaining and educated look into the history of sex.
Here are some little-known sex facts that may surprise you – or at least give you ammunition for a fascinating dinner conversation!
1. The best medicine...
According to the Museum of Sex, the vibrator was originally used as a medicinal treatment for female "hysteria" during the 19th century. The vibrator-induced orgasms helped doctors dissipate hysteria's anxiety-related symptoms
2. Say cheese!
Semen contains zinc and calcium, both of which are proven to prevent tooth decay.
3. Hop to it
The iconic "Rabbit" is renowned for two things: excellent orgasm results and an odd smiley face on its tip. Women's Health tells us the smiley face was actually a result of conservative Japanese customs. Apparently, Japanese consumers frown upon "the production of sex toys that too closely resemble phalluses," so the smiley face was added.
4. Does he measure up?
The average size of an erect penis is five inches, and the average flaccid penis measures about 3 inches
5. The sad truth
While this sex fact is neither entertaining nor humorous, it's shocking to note that homosexuality remained on the American Psychiatric Association's list of mental illnesses until 1973
6. Protect our troops
Today the government issues "Support our Troops" paraphernalia; however government-issued brochures and videos featured a slightly different slogan during the WWII era – "Don't forget – Put it on before you put it in." During World War II, many soldiers returned home with venereal diseases, costing the government millions of dollars in medical expenses
7. Work it
Hate the gym? You burn about 200 calories during 30 minutes of active sex
8. What a tease!
Burlesque costumes are the epitome of sexy – think Dita Von Teese and lingerie; however, a few centuries ago, the outfits had a slightly different purpose. According to the Museum of Sex, merkins (the bottom half of burlesque costumes) were originally created as "pubic wigs" for 15th century prostitutes. The designs helped hide pubic lice and syphilis symptoms. Make sure to share this information with your boyfriend the next time he heads to Vegas with the boys.
9. Justice is served
In Hong Kong, adulterous husbands get more than a steep monthly alimony payment – a betrayed wife is legally allowed to kill her husband if he cheats on her – but she may only do so with her bare hands.
10. What ever happened to Southern comfort?
The sale of sex toys and vibrators is banned in Alabama and Mississippi. | <urn:uuid:a16c7808-a73b-4ca2-9a03-339e7df5a6e7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gotgist.com/article/10-sex-facts | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950801 | 587 | 1.640625 | 2 |
AfriGeneas Genealogy and History Forum Archive
New Orleans Death Index 1804-1949
While browsing Ancestry.com I ran across this Death Index for New Orleans (1804-1949) and not having any particular name to search I just entered a "c" in the keyword block and got 'thousands' of hits for people of color. Information given was name, age at death, color. page & volume number.
Also while 'surfing' Heritage Quest I put in a just a surname and searched Census records for that name in ALL Census years for ALL States. Very interesting, I was able to note and follow what seemed to be a migration pattern for that surname by year, state & county. This search even reflected FPOC's who were unkown to me in my particular areas of research in KY & OH. To my surprise and that of a friend I'm doing some research for an ancestor of her's popped up in Brown County, Ohio living within a few doors of John Parker of UGRR fame in the 1860 Census.
So, when you hit a brick wall just play around with some of those on-line databases and you may uncover information that may be helpful at | <urn:uuid:198a0337-1329-4af4-afa4-a5c9024dabab> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.afrigeneas.com/forumbarchive/index.cgi/md/read/id/40403/sbj/new-orleans-death-index-1804-1949/ | 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 | 0.943591 | 248 | 1.726563 | 2 |
For birders, the great prothonotary show has apparently ended.
It played outside the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue for seven days after Matthew Rymkiewicz, the manager of development information at the library and a bird watcher, went out at lunchtime on Oct. 21. Along the wall past Patience, the lion at the south edge of the steps leading to the main entrance, he saw “two sparrows scratching about and right next to them, this brilliant blue and gold bird.”
“My first thought was, ‘Oh, my God,’” he recalled. “My second thought was, I need a witness because no one’s going to believe this.”
He ran inside and found a co-worker, Libbie Hayward. “She’s a birder, too,” he said, “and I dragged her along, and the bird did not appear. I thought, ‘Oh, no.’ Then it came out. I said, ‘Bye, Libbie,’ and dashed in to post a message.”
On eBirdsnyc, a listserv for reporting bird sightings around the city, he wrote: “Prothonotary warbler 40th and 5th!!!” He was so excited, he said, “It was like I was typing with oven mitts.”
It was, he said, “an unmistakable bird.”
“You couldn’t mistake it for any other warbler,” he said.
And then it was gone.
“It was not there on Friday, and it was not there on Saturday,” he said on Sunday morning. “The hopeful consensus is he has gotten a hang on this migration thing, and flown south.”
Ah, the migration thing: That is what birders had worried about, even as they watched and ooohed and ahhhed. Prothonotary warblers (pronounced proh-THON-uh-ter-ee) are rare migratory birds that are usually just passing through on the way to winter in warm places like West Indies. They are bright yellow with grayish wings that feed on insects. And yes, history buffs, a prothonotary warbler figured in the tangle of memories and claims in the Alger Hiss case.
“They’re a special bird to see whenever you see them because they’re so bright and they’re so elusive,” said Marie Winn, a writer and birder who mentioned its arrival on her blog a week ago. “They don’t come in large numbers like the yellow warbler or the black-throated blue warbler. There’s a special buzz when a prothonotary is spotted. Everybody takes advantage of a sighting, and everybody goes and sees it.”
Mr. Rymkiewicz said it had apparently been around for a while before he saw it. “The guards had been feeding it for two-plus weeks before that,” he said. “They didn’t tell me, and they know I’m a birder. They thought it might have been someone’s escaped canary.”
The speculation about how long it would stay at the library began almost as soon as his message went out, and before long, birders were converging on the library, just as they once converged across from the Fifth Avenue co-op where the red-tailed hawks Pale Male and Lola had a nest that the co-op board took away in 2004 but later replaced.
“I can see that this bird is already a bit of a New Yorker—it has some attitude,” another birder, Tom Fiore, wrote the New York Birding List. “I’ve seen it ‘elbow’ away some larger and far more (usually aggressive) house sparrows in going after a choice tidbit.”
By last Thursday, some bird-watchers were complaining about paparazzi and their tricks. “I was very annoyed to witness a photographer feeding the bird pieces of bread to tease it out from behind the bushes,” Shari Zirlin of Brooklyn wrote on the birding list on Monday. “When I confronted the photographer, he said to me, ‘Everyone is doing it.’ Whether everyone was doing it or not, it is wrong.”
Some were worried that it was almost November.
“Winter is coming,” Ms. Winn said on Thursday. “It’s not the cold that would bother it—people think it’s going to freeze, but it’s wearing its down jacket. It’s usually the lack of food. The insects freeze and warblers had better be south. But here, with its coterie of admirers, it might survive if someone provided mealworms everyday, like Meals on Wheels.”
Mealworms-on-Wheels, she said. Why not? | <urn:uuid:637a4cb9-8c89-4322-a577-1d613d81a0f7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/library-warbler-barron/?scp=1&sq=prothonotary+warbler&st=cse&apage=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983009 | 1,088 | 1.710938 | 2 |
It is easy to break the cool of Scottish drivers but motorists from Northern Ireland are least likely to let the stresses of the road affect them, a survey has found.
The poll by sat nav maker Navigon showed that 47% of Scottish drivers become angry if stuck in a traffic jam and 87% admitted to have sworn at another driver.
A passenger talking to them in the car would annoy around 10% of the Scots.
Northern Irish drivers are the most chilled out, with half of them rarely getting angry and over a third enjoying a CD on their journeys, the survey showed.
Yorkshire motorists are the most confident, with more than 40% saying they never lose their way on road trips.
The survey also found that 60% of Londoners wished the traffic on the roads would decrease.
Navigon's UK manager Peter Blampied said: "Driving any distance, particularly in bad weather, can be challenging.
"We hope this research will make drivers be more aware of other people's attitudes when taking to the road, especially in bad conditions."
© Press Association 2010 | <urn:uuid:ae6c4fa5-0a2e-4e1b-94a6-7a2d9e297ee7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.autonetinsurance.co.uk/news/insurance-news/2010/01/18/scots-'most-hot-headed-drivers'/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96585 | 222 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Training, one of IFP Energies nouvelles' mission, is achieved in three ways:
- graduate programs for engineers offered by IFP School,
- research or research-based training as part of the preparation of doctoral theses,
- continuing professional training offered by IFP Training.
The IFP School, an integral part of IFPEN, meets industry's need by offering complementary graduate training programs to young engineers. The quality of its teaching, combined with the extent and diversity of its partnerships with universities and industry, make it a prominent international force. Each year, over 600 students from across the globe graduate, equipped to meet tomorrow's energy challenges.
> Further information on IFP School
Doctoral theses are conducted within the IFP Energies nouvelles research divisions as part of the IFP School doctoral college. The preparation of doctoral theses meets four priorities:
- training of research engineers with resource potential for the industries concerned (energy, chemical, automotive) and for IFPEN,
- conducting exploratory research,
- establishing closer relations between research centers and external laboratories,
- contributing, in the field of future transport energies, to France's international reputation for scientific and technical research.
> Further information on doctoral theses at IFP Energies nouvelles (IFP School website)
IFP Training is an international training organization formed by IFPEN and the IFP School to meet the training needs of managerial, engineering and technical staff from the oil, gas, petrochemical, chemical and automotive industries.
> Further information on IFP Training | <urn:uuid:d9491d82-de2f-4990-832f-3d4aa9dfdd8e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ifpenergiesnouvelles.com/index.php/layout/set/print/formation/mission-formation | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94397 | 332 | 1.609375 | 2 |
President-elect Barack Obama, who's on the market for a First Dog, has narrowed his choice to two breeds: Labradoodle and Portuguese water dog.
As America waits for Obama's decision, Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan is recommending the Portuguese water dog.
Callahan is the proud owner of a five-year-old Portuguese water dog named Scout.
"He won't be disappointed," Callahan said. The mayor said the breed needs a lot of attention, though: "You definitely need to exercise them. They will get mischievous if you don't. They are a high-energy dog."
The drawback if Obama chooses a Portuguese water dog? Scout won't be nearly as unique, Callahan said.
"She likes being the top Portuguese water dog," the mayor said.
The First Dog choice is constrained by daughter Malia Obama's allergies. Callahan's children also have allergies, which is why his family chose the breed.
Callahan doubts the Obamas would be able to find the breed at a shelter. When he got Scout, he had to buy her from a breeder.
"I will tell you, the likelihood of finding a Portuguese water dog as a rescue dog is not likely," Callahan said. "They've been becoming a more popular breed over the past few years. ...You really have to get in line and wait for a litter and reserve a dog." | <urn:uuid:ea2f12a0-13eb-41c1-9994-b58560d34846> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/jessica-coomes/index.ssf/2009/01/bethlehem_mayor_to_obama_portu.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983886 | 288 | 1.703125 | 2 |
The world has changed and Kitchener Coun. John Gazzola knows it.
Our grim economy combined with taxes and public sector costs that just keep soaring have prompted the veteran politician to recommend what would have been condemned as heresy not long ago. Kitchener should consider contracting out all or some of its fire department operations to a private company.
The world has changed, but Mark McKinnon, head of the Ontario Professional Fire Fighter’s Association doesn’t know it. Responding to Gazzola’s intriguing proposition, McKinnon dismissed it as a threat to intimidate firefighters, and an idle threat at that because such privatization is doomed to fail. American cities that experiment with privatized fire services inevitably bring them back into the municipal fold, he says.
McKinnon’s caution is worth hearing. Gazzola’s plea for the city to investigate alternative ways of providing fire department services is worth acting on.
The fire department is the most expensive of the City of Kitchener’s operations. In 2013 the department will spend $28.6 million. In the past five years, its budget has increased by $5.5 million — an incredible 22 per cent jump that is far above the inflation rate. One of the main drivers of this spending surge is the labour costs of each firefighter.
Fully aware of the pressures firefighters accept, and knowing they can be called on to risk their lives to save lives, fair-minded people will agree these emergency workers should be well paid. Yet the knowledge that the planned cut through attrition of just four firefighters’ positions this year will save Kitchener $480,000 will also cause many citizens to wonder if the city is spending more than it needs to or can afford.
Mayor Carl Zehr correctly argues that firefighting costs, which include annual bonuses for longer-serving firefighters, are becoming “totally unsustainable” and that the city can’t afford to keep increasing their compensation the way it has. Their pay hikes are higher than those going to other city workers and growing faster than the economy.
Without decisive action, Zehr predicts either “excessive tax increases, further cuts to the fire budget and thereby reduced services” or rising fire budgets that force the city to “cut other services.” But what can he do when Ontario’s arbitration system makes it impossible for leaders like him to rein in firefighters’ compensation?
Enter Coun. Gazzola and his audacious proposal. Let’s explore it. Let’s investigate what’s happening in municipalities in the United States that have privatized parts or all of their fire departments.
Who is doing this? What have they experienced? Can a private corporation deliver the same level of protection as a municipally-run fire department but for less money? Are there examples of U.S. cities that have privatized, then switched back? Are there other potential pitfalls? What would a city do, for instance, if the private company providing its fire services went bankrupt?
Tough questions, yes. Let’s answer them. Precedent suggests municipal services in Waterloo Region can successfully be contracted out. Local municipalities once paid their own staff to collect the public’s garbage. Now the region pays a private company to do the job. The same government has for a long time paid an outside group, the Ontario Clean Water Agency, to treat its sewage in a way that meets expectations for the health of the public and environment.
This doesn’t mean Kitchener should start drawing up a contract for someone else to run its fire department. But why not check out the options? Public sector union leaders like Mark McKinnon have good reason to protect the current system — after all, it works for them and the union members who pay them. But since the terrible recession of 2008-09, the status quo has worked far less successfully for a growing number of ordinary taxpayers. The world has, indeed, been transformed. For the sake of the public we should at least consider further changes.
Commenting is closed. | <urn:uuid:208078a4-3b61-44aa-914d-b99f1ec5166d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.therecord.com/opinion/editorial/article/873995--today-s-editorial-explore-options-for-fire-services | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959246 | 837 | 1.695313 | 2 |
In some ways we have the Coca-Cola Company to thank for the madness that is extreme couponing. In 1888, the cola giant began offering the first modern-day coupon. This unique marketing strategy seems to have worked well for Coke, helping it expand into millions of homes, becoming the international mega-brand we all know today. Fast-forward to 2012 and the once-novel advertising device, the coupon, is more popular than ever (view printable coupons here).
Coupons are a multi-billion dollar industry in the U.S. alone. In 2011, Americans saved approximately $4.6 billion by redeeming coupons (NCH Marketing Services). This is not surprising considering several of the largest coupon websites can reach millions of people each day via their sites and affiliate programs. Additionally, group coupon deal websites (like Groupon and Living Social) have expanded from fewer than a million members in select cities, to near-complete market saturation in many of the largest U.S. regions, with Groupon offering local deals in over 48 countries. | <urn:uuid:4ee9cdca-f4e5-49be-8da8-69a59bcfba5f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.creditq.com/social/online-coupons/list/alpha/a | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944866 | 216 | 1.59375 | 2 |
A successful reentry program that helps parolees transition back into their communities held a celebration Wednesday honoring slain East Palo Alto activist Dave Lewis.
A crowd of around 200 law enforcement officers, parolees, volunteers and residents from East Palo Alto and San Mateo County gathered at The David Lewis Community Reentry Program's headquarters Wednesday afternoon for a special lunch celebrating the activist's legacy.
Lewis, who was fatally shot at Hillsdale Shopping Center on June 9, 2010, was a tireless advocate for improving services for former inmates and prisoners who are trying to find jobs, reintigrate into society and turn their lives around.
County Supervisor Rose Jacobs Gibson, an East Palo Alto native, said naming the city's thriving reentry program after Lewis was a fitting tribute to the activist who successfully transitioned from parolee to community leader.
"It warms my heart to know the center is being named after David Lewis," she said. "It was the right thing to do."
In the first four years of a state-funded pilot reentry program that started in 2006, East Palo Alto's recidivism rate dropped to 14 percent, far below a statewide average of 60 percent.
When state funding for the program dried up in 2010, East Palo Alto city council members and Police Chief Ron Davis worked together to find the necessary funds in the city's budget to keep the program going, and it was successfully reinstated in October 2010.
The police chief credited Dave Lewis with helping the community embrace "the core values of forgiveness" and commit the necessary resources to bolster reentry efforts over repeated incarceration.
Davis said the Community Reentry Program has helped improve the community's relationship with its police force and made the city safer.
"Safer suggests we've made advancements," Davis said. "There is still work to be done."
Jose Cabrera, one of the program's caseworkers who participated as a parolee when he got out of prison in 2008, spoke to former inmates in the audience as he hailed the success of reentry efforts in East Palo Alto.
"You will get a second chance," Cabrera said. "If I can do it, anybody can do it."
-- Bay City News
Stay informed on the latest local news:
- Twitter: @SanMateoPatch
- "Like" San Mateo Patch on Facebook
- Twitter: @FosterCityPatch
- "Like "Foster City Patch on Facebook
Write for us: | <urn:uuid:2bad492a-53cb-403f-b515-18ee1310b7ac> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sanmateo.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/community-celebrates-activist-s-legacy-at-prisoner-re47cd3e5dcd | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949105 | 500 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Third-quarter sales recently came in for the big three in the fast-food world, and things aren't looking too good for any of them. Last week Burger King announced a dramatic drop in net income of 83 percent compared to the same quarter last year; McDonald's admitted this week that a key sales figure (global revenue at restaurants open at least thirteen months) had dropped for the first time in a decade; and Wendy's, which deposed Burger King for the first time this year to take the No. 2 burger spot in the nation, is operating at a widening loss, though their revenues seem to be on the rise. So why is all this happening to the fast-food giants? Allow us to posit a few major reasons.
1. Competition: The fast-food sphere isn't just burgers and fries anymore. Subway has more U.S. locations than any of the big three burger chains, and chains like Taco Bell, Chipotle, Panera Bread, and yes, Chick-fil-A, are only growing. And in related news, sit-down chains like Denny's and Marie Callender's have been struggling all over.
2. People Are Slowly Learning How Not to Be Fat: While everyone may still eat a McRib or a Big Mac as a guilty pleasure, more of America may finally be catching on, via The Biggest Loser or Dr. Oz or what have you, that eating fast food four times a week is not good for you. Of course, IHOP has already figured out that no one orders off the healthy section of their menu anyway.
3. The Global Economy: A primary reason cited for McDonald's recent losses is the weak dollar, as well as the "pervasive challenges of today's global marketplace." They may be everywhere, but they're essentially operating entirely different models, based on different tastes and economic situations, in different countries.
4. Pink Slime: The same PR nightmare that affected industrial beef producers and beef consumption in general had to have impacted these chains this year. Wendy's was quick to claim they'd never used pink slime, but everyone's pretty sure, and pretty grossed out, that we've all consumed mountains of the stuff in our lives, and now we know. It kind of turns us off of craving a burger we didn't make ourselves, or didn't pay $15 for, right?
5. Food Inc., Morgan Spurlock, etc.: Super Size Me came out in 2004, and Food Inc. came out in 2008, but maybe, just maybe, the ripple affect of these films on consumer thinking is finally having an impact. In addition to this year's pink slime crisis, you've got McDonald's and their egg supplier Sparboe getting exposed for disgusting acts of animal cruelty a year ago, and subsequently the chain dropped Sparboe and furthermore promised to pressure their pork suppliers to be more humane. Then you have Burger King following suit two months later, making their own promises to institute more humane practices over the next five years. Don't think that all this has been lost on at least the more educated segment of their consumers, which has to translate to some lost revenue. All the apple slices and salads in the world don't wipe away those pictures.
McDonald's Sales Drop For First Time Since 2003 [HuffPo]
Burger King earnings drop a whopping 83 percent in 3rd quarter [AP]
Earlier: Which Restaurant Chain Will Go Bankrupt Next?
Burger King Will Go Humane ... In Half a Decade | <urn:uuid:87c05787-7c8a-4be7-8a3f-506b0fcd7b98> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sanfrancisco.grubstreet.com/2012/11/mcdonalds-burger-king-wendys-sales-drop-fast-food.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963678 | 721 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Forty years ago, the telephone used to be something that hung on the wall, and you ran to pick it up when it rang, today it is playing Youtube videos in the hands of your 8 year old on the back seat while driving home.
Last weekend they were playing some video full of beeps (most youtube videos the kids find have beeps), they think it's hilarious, and the telling thing is, they know how to use google.
A good example is to type in "star wars" on Youtube, optionally add the words "stormtrooper dance", now an 8 year-old will not know what this fellow is doing, but the action is funny because it is repetitive. And if as a parent you react badly, and take away their access, or reprimand strongly, you are not being a good parent at all.
So here is where we start, if you scan the Family Safety web page, it is included free in the Windows Live Essentials pack, this used to be called MSN Essentials or Messenger Pack, and still includes a whole bundle of useless things. Before you download, remember, you only want the Family Safety application, so when you run it, and the installer asks a question, ignore and turn off all the other options and only install the Family Safety, you do not need to install any toolbars or other things at all.
At this point you will have more instructions, you need to create an account for each computer user, now unless you are not a "typical home-user", this is really quite easy as you will see shortly. If you know what a domain controller is, and how to manage one, stop reading this now!
Even if each child does not need their own account, I suggest you create an account for everyone, even if they are only 5 years old. Now an account is nothing more than an identity, and is really a extension of your email identity. See my other posts for a quick start to safer surfing
The Why vs. the What, and Minimally Viable Products
3 months ago | <urn:uuid:efa343f1-5d98-4191-aa3a-e3faa6b0f84d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.softcircuitry.blogspot.com/2010/10/safer-family-surfing.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944691 | 426 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Cameron says pope is wrong on the Falklands
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - David Cameron said on Friday that Pope Francis had been wrong to say last year that Britain had "usurped" the Falkland Islands from Argentina, saying he respectfully disagreed with the new Pontiff.
Argentine media quoted Jorge Bergoglio saying at a mass last year to mark the 30th anniversary of the war over the islands between Britain and Argentina that the territory had been "usurped". In 2010 he was quoted as saying it was "ours".
When asked whether he agreed with the former archbishop of Buenos Aires on the issue, Cameron said on Friday:
"I disagree with him, respectfully," adding that residents of the South Atlantic islands had made it clear in a referendum held earlier this week that they wanted to remain under British rule.
"There was a pretty extraordinarily clear referendum in the Falkland Islands," Cameron told a news conference in Brussels, where he was attending a European Union summit.
"That is a message to everyone in the world that the people of these islands have chosen very clearly the future they want. That choice should be respected by everyone."
Argentina, 300 miles (500 km) to the west of the Falklands, has claimed the South Atlantic archipelago for almost 200 years and in 1982 invaded the islands only to be repelled in a 74-day war with Britain.
Diplomatic rows between London and Buenos Aires have escalated in recent months, with Britain resisting calls by Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez to renegotiate the sovereignty of the islands.
"The white smoke over the Falklands was pretty clear," Cameron said, jokingly referring to the signal over the Sistine Chapel that announces the successful election of a new pope.
(Reporting by Peter Griffiths; Additional reporting by Rosalba O'Brien; Editing by Andrew Osborn and Robin Pomeroy)
- Tweet this
- Share this
- Digg this | <urn:uuid:3d6aae5e-6aa5-42dc-89d1-bbda17e0e190> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/03/15/uk-pope-britain-falklands-idUKBRE92E0MX20130315?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969311 | 404 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Honda has been in the ATV game since the beginning. It gave birth to the industry with its three-wheeled creations of the ‘70s and early ‘80s, debuting its first four-wheeled ATV in 1984. The Foreman sport-utility quad came around not long after, in 1987. The popular model has survived 25 years and five design cycles, with the 2012 Foreman the latest incarnation. This new Honda
is notable as the first-ever complete redesign overseen by the Japanese giant’s Ohio-based R&D department. The American ATV connection runs deeper, as the new model is manufactured in Honda’s Timmonsville, South Carolina plant.
So what’s new on the American-made Foreman? Honda invited MotoUSA out to the ATV wonderland known as Carolina Adventure World to see for ourselves.
Work and play mix with Honda's Foreman ATV, a sport-utility quad build for farms and trails.
Changes begin on the visual level, with this Foreman sporting more aggressive lines than its predecessor, shrugging at the utilitarian nature of its sport-utility calling. That’s not to say Honda has forgotten the practical requirements of its ATV design. Owners purchase Foremans as fuel efficient farm hands, patrolling fence lines for repairs, running across fields during irrigation chores, or assisting in any of the various and sundry duties called upon ranchers, dirt farmers and other fine folks in the practical trades. When the day is done, however, work and play can mix as the Foreman is more than capable on the trails.
A revised 475cc longitudinal Single powers the Foreman. This engine wasn’t just ferried across the Pacific and assembled in South Carolina, we saw the molten aluminum poured into the castings to make the engine cases on the assembly line (watch for a future article on the Foreman production process). Engineers bumped up compression on the liquid-cooled oversquare powerplant from 8.5 to 9.5:1, netting a claimed 10% increase in rear wheel horsepower and 6% more torque. Power from the Single, while not overwhelming, proved bullish enough to get the claimed 644 pounds (curb weight) of our test unit around the Carolina Adventure World trails with some gusto (non-power steering version 628-pound curb weight). We heard murmurs from a couple fellow journos about top-end high-speed performance, but the Foreman isn’t made for WFO bombing and we found the power more than adequate.
The 2012 Honda Foreman represents the first complete model redesign by the Japanese company's Ohio-based R&D department - the Foreman designed and built in the U.S.
New for this year is the fuel injection system, which utilizes a 36mm throttle body. Fueling is immediate, yet smooth. We were particularly fond of the gentle throttle application, with our right thumb not fatigued after a long day in the saddle.
Torque output from the single axle rear comes via shaft drive. Switching from standard 2WD to 4WD on the Foreman can be done on the fly via left-side mechanical lever. While the Foreman lacks a front differential lock, traction was impressive and exceeds its intended sport-utility use.
Where other ATV makers have moved toward fully automatic transmissions in this utility class, Honda deliberately retained a manual shift because of customer feedback. We tested the electric shift (ES) version of the Foreman five-speed transmission, plus reverse. The automatic clutch doesn’t require any lever pull, just bang through the gears via thumb on the left switchgear shifter. We were happy to clunk the Foreman ES into third gear and ride it like a full auto, which it did without trouble. First gear wasn’t applicable at all to our trail-riding use, even second was rarely utilized, but those lower gears would be perfect for creeping along trails while hunting, or tugging a heavy trailer on the job.
Power from the Foreman's 475cc liquid-cooled Single was more than capable of handling the trails at Carolina Adventure World.
The reverse gear is much appreciated, particularly when in a jam. Yet the engagement felt convoluted, requiring the operator to press down a small “R” button on top the left brake lever. While depressing the button, riders must then pull in the lever completely before downshifting from Neutral into Reverse. The backwards button work great once engaged, it just seems there could be an easier way to toss the Foreman into R.
That left side lever also houses the parking brake, with riders squeezing the lever and sliding the brake stop in. Up front a pair of hydraulic stoppers has been beefed up to 196mm discs, from 180mm on the predecessor. Combined with the mechanical rear drum, still 180mm, the brakes scrub off speed well and we felt confident on the steep downhill sections.
In terms of handling, Honda has retuned the suspension for comfort on the 2012 model, softening up the five-way preload adjustable front shocks. The single-axle rear end is completely refreshed this year, with a wider swingarm and a single shock replacing the dual-unit on the previous model. Again, while many sport-utility competitors have opted to go for independent rear suspensions, Honda sticks with the traditional single axle based on customer demands. The single axle makes for a better towing mule, catering to the Foreman’s agricultural demographic, and the Foreman is rated up to 850 pounds from the standard drop pin trailer hitch. While it may have been tuned for utility comfort, the Foreman chassis held up to trail abuse without complaint. The 7.6 inches of ground clearance and suspension travel (6.7 inches front, 6.9 inches rear) allowed the Foreman to attack some grin-inducing terrain challenges.
Retuned for working comfort, the Foreman's rolling chassis, including a new single shock/single axle rear, proved worthy of getting the Foreman in and out of some fun jams.
Part of the handling credit goes to new Maxxis tires
(25 x 8-12 front / 25 x 10-12 rear), which delivered plenty of traction and minimal side roll. The Maxxis rubber was purpose-built for the Foreman and replaces last year’s Dunlop ATV tires
. Our biggest handling praise, however, we’ll reserve for Honda’s electric power steering system. Smacking into rocks and rolling into ruts at speed didn’t result in harsh bar yanks and tiring corrections, instead riders enjoy manageable feedback through the bars. Sampling accompanying test ATVs without the EPS on the Carolina Adventure World trails illustrate that the system is more than worth the extra $600 asking price.
The riding position on the Foreman proved amenable to long stints in the saddle. With a cush seat, wide footpegs and floorboards, standing up and moving around on the quad is both easy and comfortable. As for splash protection, we mashed our way through every mud hole we could find, unleashing our inner five-year-old. The worst we could manage was an occasional spattering up through the left side of the engine onto our boot and pant leg. Even sustained water contact mobbing through creek beds our feet remained dry – and we were wearing our Thor 50/50 half boot.
The Foreman comes with a standard one-year warranty, as do the official Honda Genuine Accessories, including the Warn Winch (above) - an handy gadget for the trail.
Sit behind the controls and fit and finish is typical Honda solid. The LCD display is easy to read at speed, with a useful gear position indicator on the left, digital speedometer front and center and a fuel gauge on the right (the Foreman sporting a 4-gallon tank). A waterproof 12V accessory socket is located below the steering column on the front left-side of the rider interface. Nearby a small storage compartment is water resistant and can hold a modest amount of gear. The storage capacity is supplemented by cargo racks front and rear, rated for a respective 66 and 133 pounds. The official Honda Genuine Accessories line also includes spacious front and rear cargo boxes.
Honda is quite keen on expanding its accessory lineup. The company notes quality accessories are more important than ever, providing additional revenue but also fostering brand loyalty. Our favorite extra bit from the Honda catalog was the winch, manufactured by Warn but designed to install seamlessly with the stock Foreman. The Warn winch proved particularly useful retrieving a waterlogged ATV during one a deep creek crossing – the guy with the winch will never want for friends on the gnarly trails! The Honda Genuine Accessories line come with a one-year warranty from the date of purchase, with Honda offering a standard one-year factory warranty on the Foreman itself (extended coverage available with Honda Protection Plan).
The 2012 Foreman comes in four different versions, depending on electric shift and power steering configurations ranging in price from $6899 to $7699. All told it’s another versatile workhorse from Honda, built to perform on the job and play hard off the clock. | <urn:uuid:d7bd3b25-08be-4b11-9b2d-0bfc75497ca2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/129/9821/Motorcycle-Article/2012-Honda-Foreman-ATV-First-Ride.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933916 | 1,911 | 1.617188 | 2 |
A recent study by Hitwise, the search industry’s leading source of search behaviour data, reported that whilst the usage of one and two-word searches has declined, the use of three, four and five word searches has increased.
In fact, these ‘longtail’ searches of three and above words account for the majority of searches made so far during 2009. The actual figures for searches are: 20.4%, 23.6% and 45% for one, two and three and above words respectively. The one-word search figure represents a reduction of 4.1% from 2007 statistics.
The results of this study make a great deal of sense. Internet users are more savvy now than they were even two or three years ago – and are well-rehearsed in searching online for information or products they require. People know that when they use one word search queries, the results they get back are going to include everything under the sun relating to that keyword. In this world where time is of the essence, searchers know that in order to find the specific information or product they are looking for, they have to search smarter.
The implications of such knowledge are far reaching for both pay per click and SEO.
For pay per click, this is great news because as a general rule, long term keywords are less competitive, and therefore cheaper to bid on. So by restructuring your campaigns to use less one and two-word keywords, and adding more longer tail three and four-word keyword phrases, it could be possible to reduce your monthly Adwords spend.
And when it comes to SEO, this is also great news for the client. Longer tail keyword phrases are again less competitive – so it is possible to achieve more first page listings.
And at I-COM, we always say that the keywords of two, three and four-words are much more likely to convert into sales – as people know what they want, and are therefore closer to the point of purchase. | <urn:uuid:b493dd60-d149-4b40-93ba-d7eb64697b38> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.seomanchester.com/blog/searching-smarter-the-tail-of-search-engine-marketing-gets-longe/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960701 | 406 | 1.78125 | 2 |
The central banks are distorting markets and maintaining artificially high asset prices. Apparently this is for our own good. Heaven forbid the prudent amongst us should purchase assets from the imprudent at prices which enable us to service any loans required for the purchase, while making a profit:
Dear EBA, the central banks and emerging markets have got this: The extension of central bank liquidity eased the pace of asset-shedding observed in late 2011, but did not turn the underlying trend. If the banks in the EBA sample, for instance, failed to roll over their senior unsecured debt maturing over a two-year horizon, which amounts to more than €1,100 billion (€600 billion among banks with a capital shortfall), they would have to shed funded assets in equal measure. By covering these funding needs, the LTROs and dollar swap lines helped avert an accelerated deleveraging process. But many banks continued to divest assets in anticipation of the eventual expiration of these facilities. Banks are also mindful that a sustained increase in their capitalisation would facilitate both regulatory compliance and future access to the senior unsecured debt market. The BIS paper available here.
Any surprise the banks are not lending money? There is a shortage of demand from those they believe will be able to repay it. The shortage will remain until such time as asset prices fall to a level reflective of their value or their profit generating capacity rises to better reflect their price. Central bank and other government measures stopping defaults and declining asset values are stopping this from happening.
The economics literature is stuffed full of material on the detrimental effects of sticky prices. For example, how inflexible labour markets slow an economy and increase unemployment. Exactly the same phenomena is observed with sticky inflexible asset prices. They slow an economy and result in unemployed assets and hence labour. It beggars belief that a bunch of central bankers so in thrall to the nostrums of mainstream economics are not across this possibility. At least it would be if we did not have documented evidence of how out of touch they are.
Timing can make all the difference in life. Maintaining real wages with job security can initially seem to mitigate any downturn. Those employed continue to earn a good income, they maintain demand and asset prices. Over time the rigid economy develops an insider/outsider phenomena and may come to resemble the British economy prior to Thatcher. It becomes sclerotic and does not engender much growth or increase in living standards.The rigidities and distortions caused by government interventions “for the good of the people” cause ever more crises. The government in turn intervenes to mitigate these effects – a nationalization here, a price control there, a regulatory barrier somewhere else. Before you know it there are zombies everywhere. High unemployment and low or negative income growth are the norm.
Meanwhile the economy with a more flexible labour market may initially plunge faster and further. But eventually assets become bargains, then they become better than bargains. They get snapped up and put to work, growing the economy and wages from a firm less leveraged foundation. Before too long the country with the more flexible economy is outperforming the one rife with sticky prices and government interventions. People are employed and their real incomes rising.
The problems in the economy subject to central bank and other government initiatives to induce price rigidity are inevitable. Also inevitable is the pain and suffering inflicted on many of the least able in society as described here. While penalizing many of those in most need, central bank measures also penalizes those holding the cultural values most amenable to wealth generating capitalism. The bourgeois middle class. If ever there were grounds for abolishing the Fed and other central banks, it is their susceptibility to these sorts of policies. If they keep it up much longer, it may not just be their jobs at stake. | <urn:uuid:8fe557ec-122a-48f9-92e9-8abc2b8f0931> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lovefreedomtruth.com/tag/zombies/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950457 | 781 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Flooding insurance ‘risk’
Millions of householders face the prospect of being unable to insure their homes against flooding without continued investment in flood risk management, council leaders have warned.
An agreement between the government and the insurance industry currently allows homes and businesses in flood risk areas to purchase cover so long as the government is doing its part to mitigate the risks. The agreement runs out in 2013 and the LGA fears that the insurance industry may refuse to offer affordable cover if it does not have confidence that sufficient resources are being invested in flood defences.
Householders, businesses and local and central government would be left to pick up the bill for repairing the damage caused by any future floods. One in six properties in England and Wales is currently at risk of flooding.
The Environment Agency says spending on flood risk management will need to double to £1bn per year by 2035 just to maintain the number of properties currently protected from flooding. From April 2011, councils will incur new costs as they take on new responsibilities under the Flood and Water Management Act. Cllr Gary Porter, chairman of the LGA environment board, said:
“The government has made it clear there are going to be deep cuts in public spending. But there is a real danger that if sufficient resources are not put into managing the risk of flooding, millions of households could find themselves in the awful position of being unable to insure their property against the risk of floods. “There are huge opportunities to save money by giving power to the people who know their areas best and who can direct funding where it is needed most.
” The LGA is calling for a programme of change to strip out the plethora of funding streams, accountability regimes, ring-fenced budgets, quangos and funding bodies in the public sector, to release savings of up to £20bn a year (see right). It believes public services can be made cheaper, simpler, more effective and more transparent by making locally-elected people responsible for decisions about local services.
There are 5.5 million properties at risk of flooding in England and Wales.
- Action needed now on flooding Councils should not wait for new legislation to take action on flood management, the government has said. An LGA conference on the Pitt review of last year’s floods heard that town halls can and should be working to improve flood prevention and management now.
Local Government House
London SW1P 3HZ
Tel: 020 7664 3000 | <urn:uuid:97421160-aedc-4ff0-9e31-43bc900f0de0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jubileeriver.co.uk/Jubilee%20River%20story%20-%200552.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963128 | 506 | 1.71875 | 2 |
It’s good to ensure that your organization deploys the Six Sigma method. However, the easiest part is the decision-making process with the actual deployment becoming a huge commitment. For instance, if an organization needs to ensure that the Six Sigma method is followed to a ‘T’, it may have to make a few sacrifices.
The company may have to foot the bill to train its own people as Black Belts and Green Belts by releasing them from their current duties. An alternative is to hire Black Belts from different organizations and have them lead projects.
Both options have their advantages and disadvantages and it is important that company leaders weigh all these pros and cons before taking the final decision. When you decide to get your own employees trained for the purpose, the investment is huge – both in terms of money and productive hours lost. However, the return on that investment in terms of moral and culture change may be even larger.
Another benefit of promoting your own employees is that it improves the employee-employer relationship. Those you’ve short listed for the Six Sigma training know they are trusted by the company and will want to live up to this trust.
Now, let us take a look at the other side of the coin. When you get in an external Black Belt who’s already completed Six Sigma training, you save on huge initial investments. However, you do have to pay for hiring costs to bring in external Black Belts. And you cannot get the Black Belt to work from the word go. They need time and resources to become familiar with your company’s processes. One other disadvantage with hiring Black Belts is that their need to learn more about processes to initiate Six Sigma projects, can lengthen project times and delay results. | <urn:uuid:8d155b6e-025b-4985-bbf3-09a13cd3af90> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sixsigmablog.org/2007/02/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969225 | 360 | 1.742188 | 2 |
We are proud to offer the largest Aquatic Complex (The Oasis) in the area. Our state-of-the-art, themed water park style pool has a 10-foot waterfall, water-activated palm trees, a ship with a slide and a sea serpent obstacle course. The Oasis is truly an experience the whole family will enjoy.
For the adult swimmers, our olympic size pool is 25 yards with 6 lanes and a 10-foot deep end. With the combination of our kiddy pool and olympic size pool, we are able to accommodate any age or skill level in the water.
- Adult Swim Lessons
- Private Swim Lessons
- Water Safety Classes
- Water Safety Instructor Classes
- Lifeguard Training
- Guard Start Lifeguarding Tomorrow
- CPR for professional rescuer class
- First Aid Class
- Mom and Me Classes
- Swim Team
Red Cross Swim Lessons
- Level 1 – Introduction to water skills
- Level 2 – Fundamental Aquatics skills
- Level 3 – Stroke Development
- Level 4 – Stroke Improvement
- Level 5 – Stroke Refinement
- Level 6 – Personal Water Safety, Lifeguard Readiness, Fitness Swimmer Parent and Child Aquatics
Child Swim Lessons
When Should My Child Learn to Swim?
Like many decisions you make for your child, there is no textbook answer. You know your child best, and you must decide when your child is mature enough to learn to swim. As general guidelines, the American Red Cross recommends starting your child in swim classes somewhere between the ages of four and six.
However, while your child is developing his or her likes and dislikes, make sure that you expose your child to water in a safe, fun manner. Parent and child classes include registrants as young as six months. These classes are not designed to teach your child how to swim or even to survive in the water on their own. They do give you information and techniques to help lay the foundation for future swimming lessons, though. Just as importantly, they are an enjoyable time for you and your child to bond while in the safe constraints of Minton’s Sportsplex. Remember that, while your child is still learning to swim, you must be within arm’s reach of him or her at all times.
Adult Swim Lessons
Red Cross and Adult Swim Lessons
Minton’s Sportsplex is offering six sessions of Red Cross Certified Swimming lessons. The classes meet daily, Monday – Friday, weather permitting. Red Cross certificates will be issued by the instructor to all swimmers at the completion of the course. Each class consists of no less than four and no more than seven swimmers.
Where can adults learn to swim?
While some adults feel sheepish in admitting that they never learned to swim, there is no reason to feel embarrassed. It is never too late to start. Sign up for adult-only swimming classes at Minton’s Sportsplex. Learning to swim is vital. Drowning most often occurs when the victim is not planning on swimming or being in the water. Knowing how to swim well is an important tool, especially if the adult in question is ever to be supervising children at a pool, beach or waterfront.
Photos – missing these large images
Where we are improving Texarkana's health and quality of life
one person, one family, one business at a time...
(903) 838 - 4697 | <urn:uuid:d1a1045d-10e9-4746-a58a-a901a886b58d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mintonssportsplex.com/aquatics-swimming-pools/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941837 | 711 | 1.59375 | 2 |
The Fine Print in the Military Tribunals Bill
The House passed the Bush administration's military tribunals legislation yesterday, which clarifies the rules for how terrorism suspects can be interrogated and tried, and the Senate is expected to vote on the bill today. The bill, which was rushed through Congress as the legislative session comes to a close, includes a host of troubling provisions. Among them, the bill, for the first time, defines the meaning of "illegal enemy combatant" and it does so in a very broad way. As The New York Times notes in an editorial: "...The bill could subject legal residents of the United States, as well as foreign citizens living in their own countries, to summary arrest and indefinite detention with no hope of appeal. The president could give the power to apply this label to anyone he wanted."
As The Baltimore Sun reports, this under-the-radar provision would also "for the first time legally endorse the fight against terrorism as equivalent to war," which would "give the fight against terrorism the legal status of an armed conflict." "Does it allow the president to basically define the war on terrorism as broadly or as narrowly as he wants?" Rep. Adam B. Schiff, the California Democrat, told the Sun. "The answer is yes."
Another provision, dealing with the rights (or, in this case, lack of them) of detainees to challenge their imprisonment in federal court, would effectively "strip green-card holders and other legal residents of the right to challenge their detention in court if they are accused of being 'enemy combatants,'" according to the Boston Globe.
The part of the bill that worries advocates for immigrants most is the one stating that "no court, justice, or judge shall have jurisdiction to hear or consider an application for a writ of habeas corpus filed by or on behalf of an alien detained by the United States who has been determined by the United States to have been properly detained as an enemy combatant or is awaiting such determination."...
In the original bill, the section banning "habeas corpus" petitions applied only to detainees being held "outside the United States," referring to the roughly 450 prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay. But in recent days, the phrase "outside the United States" was removed.
Yet another provision makes "coerced evidence" admissible in court proceedings "if a judge considered it reliable already a contradiction in terms and relevant," according to the Times. Further, "coercion is defined in a way that exempts anything done before the passage of the 2005 Detainee Treatment Act, and anything else Mr. Bush chooses."
And that's just for starters. | <urn:uuid:50269aeb-3de1-4b1c-903f-444e25c7a32c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2006/09/fine-print-military-tribunals-bill | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964984 | 539 | 1.679688 | 2 |
On June 19, 2011, and on Father’s Day no less, David Laffer, a man who was not even halfway through his life at the age of 33, walked into a pharmacy in Medford, New York and opened fire. Wearing a fake beard, sunglasses and a hat, Laffer ended up shooting and killing four people, with the youngest victim being a mere 16-years-old, in an attempt to feed his prescription pill addiction. Ultimately sentenced to five consecutive life terms for the death of each of the innocent lives lost, this case was referred to by prosecutors as “the most cold-blooded robbery homicides in Suffolk Country history.”
Serving as an escape from real life, pills are being abused by countless people on a daily basis. And to get these drugs, they aren’t going to a bad part of town to meet up with a sketchy dealer in some back alley. Instead, they are simply driving to their nearest doctor and making up some reason behind their need for the medication, and after five minutes in most cases are walking away with a prescription in hand. According to findings from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), nearly 2.5 million Americans used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons for the first time within the past year. This number when broken down equates to approximately 6,600 misuses of the drug in only one day. Pretty astounding, huh?
What makes this drug abuse possible is that doctors all over the country are giving out scripts at record rates, some to make some quick cash and others as a way to just move on to the next appointment. To rectify this, we have turned to technology. CURES is a system that was developed with the goal of enabling physicians and pharmacists to check to see whether patients were obtaining drugs from multiple providers. It can also be leveraged by law enforcement to quickly see if a doctor is prescribing more prescription bills than average, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Image via Google
Just yesterday, January 15, The Daily News reported that OxyContin "bait bottles," which are actually containing GPS tracking devices, are being sent to New York city pharmacies as a way to assist police quickly uncover who is stealing them.
"In the event of a robbery or theft, we'll be able to track the bottle, which may lead us to stash locations across the city,'' said Ray Kelly, Police Commissioner. Kelly will be revealing related information a speech slated to take place at the 2013 Clinton Health Matters Conference in La Quinta, Calif. “We're also asking industry researchers to explore the possibility of applying nanotechnology in such a way that individual 'bait' tablets could be tracked by GPS."
The GPS-enabled bottles are only part of the project to combat the increasing abuse of pills that is currently being seen especially within the young adult age group. It also includes creating a database of almost 6,000 licensed pharmacists in and around New York City, which will enable police to help these stores improve their security in ways that include upgrading their alarm systems, keeping narcotics locked in a safe at all times, and even ensuring the store is lit as brightly as possible.
Eric Romano, supervising pharmacist at Nate’s Pharmacy in Brooklyn, NY, told TechZone360 in an exclusive interview, “Any little bit is going to help in this fight against crimes related to pills. If someone is going to steal something and they know the GPS is on it, they might eventually try and take the pills out of the bottle but it will certainly serve as a deterrent for now at least.
While those who abuse prescription pills and quickly become addicted to them probably won’t just wake up and realize they need to stop cold turkey one day, technology-based innovations are certainly helping to curtail this epidemic as much as possible. Yet, doctors must and I repeat must take the first step in realizing what constitutes as a valid reason for being medicated in this fashion to stop this overuse before it is too late.
Edited by Rachel Ramsey | <urn:uuid:a9974716-00ce-44f7-b19a-9de9091fc074> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.techzone360.com/topics/techzone/articles/2013/01/16/323162-pill-heads-technology-intertwine.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971555 | 833 | 1.804688 | 2 |
Yes, it is possible to actually screw up the job-quitting process. Done poorly, quitting a job cannot only damage your professional reputation, it can create more problems than it’s worth. A good analogy for quitting a job is having that dreaded “break-up” conversation. After all, it really is the same thing – you’re ending a relationship. And we all know that break-ups can be done well or end up in disaster. Here are my top 5 worst ways to quit a job (in no particular order):
1. Don’t bother coming in – In this case, the quitter just decides not to show up – thus quitting by default. At first people in the office worry. Soon that worry quickly turns to anger. This is the equivalent of “he/she never called me back after our last date. I thought everything was fine. What happened?” This not only damages one’s professional reputation, it ruins the possibility of ever returning to that employer again. No one wants to deal with that level of immaturity.
2. Making a scene – While tempting, I would never ever recommend this approach to quitting. Essentially, this is the equivalent of having one last, big knock-down, drag out fight before it’s all over. It usually entails a loud argument with one’s boss complete with name calling. Similar to number one, this approach also damages one’s professional reputation and almost certainly guarantees that a return to the office as an employee is unlikely. Organizations aren’t into unstable employees.
3. Not giving any notice – Then there are those cases when the individual has the proper professional conversation with their manager (check) and tells their manager that they are leaving (check) only to end the conversation with “this is my last day”(fail). Not good. Whenever you quit a job, you’ve just created a fire for your boss (and maybe others). Professional courtesy is to offer notice of some kind. While two weeks is the standard, the key is to work that out with your boss. Leaving your boss upset with you when you leave because you didn’t offer to provide some transitional help can absolutely be a reputation breaker.
4. Trying to take others down with you – This can be a common trap for many people quitting a job. Most employers offer some type of exit interview - an opportunity to supply your rationale for leaving. Be careful here. Your intentions are what matter. Where I see people cross the line from helpful to destructive is when they use this opportunity to blast their boss, their co-workers, senior leadership, essentially everything and everyone that they believed made their lives miserable. Don’t do it. It’s not about venting or being right. It’s about leaving the organization in a better place than you found it. Naturally, if you believe something unprofessional is going on, you absolutely should share that with H.R. (or others in authority). However, if your goal is to get as many people fired as you can post departure, you are nothing more than saboteur. Think of this as the break-up conversation that brings up the past and every awful action the other person ever said or did (even though the break-up has already happened). Hurtful, yes. Productive, no.
5. Not actually leaving – “Wait” you say. How can you quit and not leave? Easy. You can continue to go out to lunch with co-workers from your old job and complain about the organization – the organization that you are no longer a part of. You can send notes to H.R. detailing events that happened while you were there months after your exit. You can continue to plot the overthrow of your boss and your boss’ boss years after you leave. This is like that “ex” that continues to follow you around, say negative things about you and generally stays in your circle even though the relationship has been over for months or years. Don’t be that “ex.”
There you have it. Some of the worst ways I’ve seen people leave jobs. Granted one could argue there are worse ways to leave a job, ways that involve breaking the law (stealing equipment, giving sensitive information to competitors, etc…), but no need to go there. If you are unclear on those lines, you’ve got bigger problems.
Next up: Your prescription for quitting a job the right way. It works every time.
In the meantime, here’s another example of how not to quit a job. This one comes from the movie “The Incredibles” and falls under the category of “making a scene.” No matter how bad they are, bosses shouldn’t be thrown through walls. Not good… | <urn:uuid:f84525a7-5402-44c9-9fcf-0cf500d33239> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gpb.org/blogs/working-and-career/2012/05/30/top-5-worst-ways-to-quit-a-job | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965682 | 1,012 | 1.59375 | 2 |
A lover of the epiphyte shares her blooming secrets
Yes, you can have a life and grow orchids too.
The simple beauty of orchids is deceiving. Sure, their delicate features make them appear difficult to take care of, but other than weekly watering, orchids actually thrive on neglect.
That's why orchids are Juanita Howard's signature flower. Howard, who lives in a downtown waterfront condo tastefully appointed with orchids, says, 'Most people don't realize just how easy they are.'
Because the plants are so unique, people mistakenly believe they are expensive. They're not. You can buy them for eight bucks at Trader Joe's stores.
Now you also can 'recycle' orchids inexpensively and have one blooming all year. This is a new concept that appeals to those of us who want orchids but fear the commitment.
The Orchid Exchange on Northwest 12th Avenue in the Pearl District sells plants for $20 and up. But here's the beauty of it: You can bring the orchid back when it's done blooming and get 25 percent off the next one.
'All our customers wanted us to re-bloom the orchids for them,' business owner Pawel Wojtanowicz says. Thus, the Orchid Exchange was born.
Wojtanowicz's business partner Gary Brown explains, 'Instead of buying a flower arrangement that lasts a week, for the same cost you can have an orchid that blooms for months.' Then, you just take it back and get another.
Jean Burch of Northeast Portland trades in her orchids about once a month. 'Yeah, I've kept them, and they bloom again,' she says. 'But I just don't have the room.' So for her, orchid recycling is the best of both worlds.
For me, it takes some of the fun out of it. I have to tell you, there is nothing more rewarding than getting your orchid to bloom again. You feel like a hero and can't wait to show it off. Nobody knows all you did was water the darn thing.
Take a shortcut to success by choosing the easiest orchids. Dancing Doll and lady-slipper varieties are popular, but the moth orchid is easiest of all to make flower again. Just cut off the old flower spike at the joint or notch below the lowest flower on the stem and the plant will send up another flourish.
All three of these orchids thrive in the same temperature and light conditions most of us like, too. So you see, we're a perfect family.
In the summer I throw the lot of them outside and tell them to get some fresh air in the shade. When they stop blooming I simply store them downstairs on a workbench under a fluorescent shop light (plugged into a timer that remains on 12 hours a day) and then water and fertilize the little epiphytes weekly.
That's it. (Oh, and I also think it helps to remind them they have to bloom to get out of the cellar again.) I'll tell you, when the November gray sets in, I'm a blooming idiot over orchids.
'Gardening With Anne Jaeger' airs at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday on KOIN (6).
Easy, easy orchids
• Moth orchid: Phalaenopsis (ask for: fella-NOP-sis)
• Lady-slipper: Paphiopedilum (ask for: pa-fee-oh-PEDDLE-um)
• Dancing Doll, Star Wars: Oncidium (ask for: on-SID-e-um)
The MO on orchid care
• Water weekly. Use warm water.
• Never allow plants to sit in water.
• Fertilize weekly, half-strength.
• Use orchid fertilizer.
• Keep away from air vents, hot or cold.
• No direct sun. Bright, indirect light is best. | <urn:uuid:b052fc5e-726f-43d0-ae82-a6c5ba0dd303> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://portlandtribune.com/component/content/article?id=118000 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943067 | 852 | 1.804688 | 2 |
Year 2006: Current Website
Our current website design focuses on LED educational material in an effort to educate the public on various aspects of advancing LED technology. The user-friendly page layout allows the visitor to navigate between numerous pages of the website with continuous access to links of related pages as well as previously visited pages. Page coding consists of HTML 4 strict, which relies entirely on cascading style sheets (CSS) for layout and presentation.
Professional LED Lighting Services
Our newest website outlines the various professional LED lighting services we offer, including project development and manufacturing.
More about the 2006: Current Website
The orange menu bar located on the top of each page provides links to the eight primary pages. A detailed description of each page is located below. This menu bar was originally yellow but changed to orange so that the orange context headings would match our color theme. The search engine located in the top right corner of each page provides public search capabilities, and links directly to our server side database. Our online database contains a directory of website pages, but does not include access to our optoelectronics component database. The three links located just below the search engine offer links to our website map, terms and conditions, and general help, respectively.
- Home page features some of our most popular LED solutions and projects as well as links to access the most popular pages found on our website.
- Products page contains a general overview of our sample LED products. We generally suggest these LED products for evaluation purposes during the early prototype stage of a new project.
- Design page contains a series of general descriptions to describe our general design capabilities. The link within each description provides access to a complete description of that particular service.
- Applications page provides a short description of four main design categories associated with LED lighting. This page also contains links to numerous LED applications designed and manufactured by our company.
- Technology page offers a glimpse into several of the popular technologies we can incorporate into any LED design by special request.
- Educational page links to a series of detailed LED publications that we offer for educational purposes. The articles contain many of the basic concepts associated with LED lighting technology.
- Getting-started page goes into the details associated with the initiation process for a client who has decided to proceed with a custom LED design.
- Company page contains an array of background information about our company, Lunar Accents Design Corporation.
Updated LED Product Line
- LED light bars are highly customizable and suitable for an unlimited number of LED lighting solutions.
- LED circuit boards offer the building blocks necessary to complete specialized lighting projects on demand.
- LED taillight clusters promote vehicle safety and integrate multiple features into a single zero-maintenance low profile package.
- The LED indicator is a cost efficient solution where only a single LED emitter is required.
- Pre-approved discrete LEDs and power supplies are also available for custom product integration.
- Blue headlights can illuminate automotive headlights to offer a unique and stunning ornamental lighting effect. | <urn:uuid:472bc352-140b-4973-bb2b-230aef739da8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lunaraccents.com/website-2006.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930965 | 607 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Haroun Bouazzi on the role of social media in Tunisian political change
Tunisian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi says he is assuming power after the president of the North African country stepped down following weeks of riots.
At least 23 people have been killed in the riots, according to the government, but opposition members put the death toll at more than three times that.
The situation is contstantly evolving, and many people are using the Web, Twitter and Facebook to get updates and communicate with friends and family abroad.
Haroun Bouazzi is with the group Collectif De Solidarité Au Canada Avec Les Luttes Sociales En Tunisie.
He talked to Homerun Web journalist Tanya Birkbeck about the role the Web and social media have had in this time of great political change in Tunisia.
Listen to Sue's conversation with Haroun Bouazzi and another Tunisian Montrealer, Amina. Amina asked that we not use her last name on air because she fears for her family in Tunis. | <urn:uuid:124bd759-0434-4907-b7bc-c784938e4130> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cbc.ca/homerun/2011/01/14/haroun-bouazzi-on-the-role-of-social-media-in-tunisian-political-change/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934736 | 216 | 1.578125 | 2 |
A health care reform bill emerged from the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions last Wednesday. But there was particularly vigorous opposition, both inside and outside the committee, to one of its provisions: the public option, a government-run insurance program meant to offer a competitive alternative to private insurers; critics condemned it as a nearly unprecedented intrusion into the private sector. This assertion was dubious enough to raise the question “Is some political debate so suspect as to be unethical?”
Public discourse necessarily and legitimately involves the clash of interests and opinions: that’s what politics is. But that clash, rough as it may be, must still be conducted with intellectual integrity, not as the oratorical equivalent of Ultimate Fighting. This is a matter of honesty and thus of ethics. When an argument is disingenuous and thwarts meaningful discussion (and induces migraine in the spectators in the Capitol gallery), it should be ruled out of bounds by the Debate Umpire, an official who, as I read our Constitution, seems not to exist (a lapse I blame on Jefferson). Other institutions have such a referee. In a courtroom, for example, the judge can disallow certain affronts to ratiocination, pseudo-thinking that subverts effective inquiry. Respect for logic is essential in pursuing justice; it is equally necessary in making law.
I do not know if the public option is a wise law — health policy is beyond my purview — but I do know what it is not: unusual in its general approach. Public and private institutions have long undertaken similar tasks and without dire consequences. Private schools survive public education: Brearley and Bronx Science peacefully coexist. FedEx tolerates the U.S. Postal Service. Six Flags is facing bankruptcy, but no one proposes that we close down Yosemite or Yellowstone to protect it.
In his critique of the public option, Representative Paul Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin, invoked the inability of his 7-year-old daughter’s lemonade stand to compete with McDonald’s. (You’d think she’d thrive, incidentally, what with lemonade not being on the McDonald’s menu.) “It’s impossible to have a level playing field with a public plan,” Ryan said, asserting that private insurers could be driven out of business by the unfair competitive advantages enjoyed by a government-sponsored insurer (presumably much as the University of Massachusetts turned Harvard into a ghost town, or the New York Public Library system drove Barnes & Noble into the ground). Again, this is not to challenge Ryan’s conclusions about the public option: that’s politics. It is to demand veracity in his arguments: that’s ethics.
Here’s another sort of dodgy reasoning deployed on this issue. In an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal, Karl Rove concluded: “If Democrats enact a public-option health-insurance program, America is on the way to becoming a European-style welfare state.” This is a slippery-slope argument, the sort of thing that should set off warning bells. If we impose a 65 miles-per-hour speed limit, we’re on the way to a 55 m.p.h. limit, then down to 5 m.p.h., and ultimately to mandatory driving in reverse. If Rove was exaggerating for rhetorical effect, he was acceptably — delightfully — bombastic; if he meant that remark literally, he was deceptive and hence unethical.
In his great essay, “Politics and the English Language,” George Orwell writes, “In our time it is broadly true that political writing is bad writing.” Make it not political writing but political reasoning, and it is broadly true in our own time as well, as is this observation from the same essay: “Political language [i.e., political reasoning] — and with variations this is true of all political parties, from Conservatives to Anarchists — is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.”
Intellectual integrity is not only an abstract virtue; it is a tool for constructing sensible public policy. If we damage that elegant and essential apparatus, no such happy outcome is possible. I do not refer to the occasional exaggeration or elastic fact or massaged statistic; such misdemeanors are common to nearly all parties in nearly every debate, an unattractive but endurable feature of democracy. I refer only to rhetoric that defies reason, oratory that the proponent knows or should know to be untrue. We call such things falsehoods, and most ethical systems, secular and religious, discourage them.
Alas, the prevaricator who sincerely believes his lie transforms it, at least to himself and his confreres, from deceit to ideology. They think he is telling the truth. Dr. Johnson put it this way in The Idler, No. 10: “Of all kinds of credulity, the most obstinate and wonderful is that of political zealots; of men, who, being numbered, they know not how nor why, in any of the parties that divide a state, resign the use of their own eyes and ears, and resolve to believe nothing that does not favor those whom they profess to follow.”
Lacking a Debate Umpire, our best recourse is aggressive skepticism. Each adversary must be alert to the frauds and follies of the other; each ordinary citizen must be vigilant for the deceptions of both. | <urn:uuid:879f1605-76b4-44e7-bb83-72237ad8f588> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ethicist.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/20/how-not-to-talk-about-health-care/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952204 | 1,141 | 1.664063 | 2 |
If you are thinking about purchasing an Airsoft gun, you better take a good look at the laws where you live because it's not always clear when buying an Airsoft gun is legal.
Airsoft guns are considered by many to be a toy, and they are becoming increasingly popular among children and teens. However, as these guns have the ability to fire projectiles at a high speed, they can be a safety concern.
Federal, state, and local governments have all passed laws affecting Airsoft guns.
Generally, federal laws provide that someone must be 18 years of age or older to purchase an Airsoft gun. However, as these guns are not classified as firearms, a person of any age can use them. So an adult can purchase an Airsoft gun for a six-year-old, and the child would legally be allowed to use it.
Given the obvious dangers of a child with such a gun, many municipalities and states have passed their own regulations that do limit who can use them. For example, New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, San Francisco, and parts of Michigan outlaw Airsoft guns entirely.
In addition, federal laws also require that Airsoft guns have a barrel with a minimum 6mm wide blaze orange tip. The orange tip is critical for safety reasons as Airsoft guns can look very similar to a real gun. There have been instances where someone was shot by law enforcement officers on the mistaken belief that a toy gun was in fact a real gun. It is illegal to remove the orange tip.
Some states like California also make it illegal brandish any look-alike gun in public. This may be true regardless of the orange tip.
Consumers should look into their local and state laws to see if it is legal to own an Airsoft gun. Knowledgeable and reputable local dealers of the guns will provide this information. But even after legally purchasing the gun, users must exercise caution with the weapon and be careful in situations where the gun may be mistaken for a real firearm. | <urn:uuid:761c3014-25bc-43d4-972c-cd61bdc6cd78> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.findlaw.com/blotter/2012/08/is-it-legal-to-buy-airsoft-guns.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965393 | 412 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Most companies are not confident about (or possibly afraid of) quantifying the potential financial impact of a security breach, according to McAfee's State of Security report published this week.
McAfee's latest research is intended to demonstrate how IT managers and decision-makers view the present challenges of securing sensitive information in a highly regulated and increasingly complex global business environment.
The alarming problem appears to be that there are still too many businesses that would rather not worry about security breaches until they happen, leaving them quite vulnerable to many kinds of attacks.
Researchers found that approximately one-third of the organizations surveyed have either not purchased or not yet implemented many of the next-generation security technologies designed to address current-day threats.
Yet, more than 80 percent of these businesses identified malware, spyware and viruses as major security threats.
So obviously they know the threats are out there, but either they are in some state of denial or can't afford security upgrades -- or some combination of the two.
McAfee outlined four levels of "maturity" when it comes to IT security, ranging from "reactive" (event-driven policies and actions) to "optimized" (strict policies already in place).
Curiously, only 9 percent of the companies surveyed were placed in the reactive category. Most of them fell into the "proactive," third-tier stage, which was defined as "follows standardized policies, has centralized governance, and has a degree of integration across some security solutions."
So the takeaway here would be then that many of these businesses have some sort of strategy, but they need to build upon these protocols to truly handle evolving threats.
For reference, the State of Security report is based on 495 interviews with IT decision-makers at companies with 1,000 or more employees worldwide.
- Most IT professionals wouldn't bet on security of own networks: report
- Tony Blair: Social media 'tremendous instrument' for protests
- Most smartphone, tablet owners not concerned with locking devices: report
- Verizon offers glimpse of its 2011 security investigations
- McAfee CTO: Security on embedded devices must be a priority | <urn:uuid:f627128d-3f34-46bf-a2c4-74170b7fe3fd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/mcafee-most-businesses-in-denial-about-security-threats/70949 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966707 | 437 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Mexico’s drug war
Storm clouds with silver linings
A series of choreographed horrors belies an overall drop in killings
MURDER has become so common in parts of Mexico that gangsters craving attention must go to ever more appalling lengths. The 49 or so mutilated bodies dumped on May 13th on a roadside close to Monterrey, a wealthy city near the Texan border, were enough to make the front pages. The massacre was the worst since last August, when 52 people were killed in an arson attack on a casino in the same city. The latest outrage may be even deadlier: investigators are still not sure how many victims the body parts add up to.
The horror diverted attention from a rare drop in Mexico's overall murder rate. The opening quarter of 2012 saw the first year-on-year fall in killings since the government's assault on the gangs got going in 2007. The 5,037 murders (which include ordinary killings as well as mafia hits) represented a 7% drop compared with the same period last year, and a 17% decline compared with the worst three months of last summer. The government no longer breaks out mafia-linked murders, but Reforma, a newspaper, reckons that so far this year these are 10% down on last year.
Most of the drop is in Ciudad Juárez, formerly the most violent place in Mexico, where the Sinaloa “cartel” is thought finally to have beaten its local rivals into near-submission. Chihuahua, the state in which Juárez lies, recorded a third fewer murders between January and March than in the same period in 2011. As the Monterrey massacre made headlines around the country, Juárez registered its third murder-free day in less than a week, a rarity.
Elsewhere the news is bad. The Monterrey massacre was the latest atrocity in a war between the Sinaloa mob and the Zetas, which between them dominate Mexico's criminal map. On May 4th nine bodies were found hanging from a bridge, and 14 decapitated, in Nuevo Laredo, a Zeta stronghold in Tamaulipas. A few days later 15 bodies were dumped near Guadalajara, part of the turf of Sinaloa allies. Attacks such as these serve to calentar la plaza, or heat up the territory of a rival, to provoke a crackdown. Often the tactic works; the government should wise up and retaliate against those who commission such attacks instead, argues Alejandro Hope of IMCO, a Mexico City think-tank.
Attacks on journalists are causing a growing news blackout. On May 11th the offices of El Mañana, a Nuevo Laredo newspaper, were sprayed with bullets, prompting it to announce two days later that it would no longer cover the drug war. On May 3rd—“UN world press-freedom day”—three journalists were found dead in plastic bags in the state of Veracruz, a Zeta stronghold that Sinaloa is trying to crack. A few days earlier a journalist from Proceso, a national investigative magazine, was strangled in the same state.
Nerves are frayed because on July 1st Mexico will elect a new president. Recent state elections have seen threats from the narcos against candidates and voters, and many mayors have been murdered. A message signed by Joaquín Guzmán, leader of the Sinaloa mafia, warned the mayor of Nuevo Laredo this month to stop telling “sweetened” stories about how the city was free of his lieutenants. Fourteen severed heads were arranged underneath the banner, which depicted the mayor as Willy Wonka.
Yet the latest attacks have apparently contained no messages for the presidential candidates. “It suits the cartels if security is not an issue [in the election],” says Alejandro Orozco of FTI Consulting, a risk analysis firm. “The violence in Mexico does not have political objectives. A cartel is safer while it is unseen,” he says.
All the presidential hopefuls propose to continue or intensify the war against the gangsters. Even the most doveish of them, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, of the left-wing Party of the Democratic Revolution, says the army should stay in the streets until further notice. The unpopular war against the cartels may well cost President Felipe Calderón's party the election, but it looks unlikely to end. | <urn:uuid:0b809fd3-6985-474e-a4a7-a94753d954ea> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.economist.com/node/21555593 | 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 | 0.967147 | 939 | 1.523438 | 2 |
ALBANY -- Talks are under way between Albany and Dougherty County officials to determine the viability of creating an authority that would help get property seized through demolition back onto the tax rolls.
During discussion of blighted property at Tuesday's Albany City Commission meeting, City Manager Alfred Lott told commissioners that he has had discussions with officials with the Dougherty County Commission about the possibility of creating a land bank authority that would essentially allow local governments to offload parcels of land that were previously home to blighted property.
Over the last 18 months, the city alone has demolished hundreds of vacant houses, blighted properties and condemned parcels.
But rather than go through the eminent domain process to seize the properties -- which limits what purpose the properties can then be used for -- the city has opted to go through the condemnation process and place liens on the property owners.
That in itself is problematic since property owners aren't forced to pay the lien off until they sell or attempt to rebuild on the property, which often leads to lots sitting vacant for extended periods.
An authority, however, doesn't have the same constraints as other government entities, officials say, and would be able to foreclose on the liens, acquire the properties and then sell them for fair market value.
That option gets the properties back on the tax rolls and repays the government for the expense of demolition, Lott said.
"What we want to do is dispose of the properties and get them back on the rolls and offer them at fair market value to entice redevelopment opportunities," Lott told commissioners.
The idea of a land bank is hardly a new concept and was one of many ideas suggested by Mayor Pro Tem Christopher Pike during his campaign for the Ward 3 Commission seat.
In Macon and Bibb County, a land bank authority has helped to reclaim areas of slum and blight and fostered pockets of redevelopment that has boosted property values of neighborhoods.
Pike asked the commission Tuesday to begin a dialogue that would ultimately help discern between abandoned property that has potential for easy rehabilitation and blighted property that is unlikely to be fixed. | <urn:uuid:f20fd7c9-9685-48df-83bd-222211cb8b50> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.albanyherald.com/news/2010/mar/16/officials-consider-creation-of-land-bank-authority/?business | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965123 | 427 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Bats invade South Florida apartments
TAMPA, Fla. (NBC) -- It's not Halloween, but residents of an apartment complex near the University of South Florida are living a nightmare.
Cinnamon Cove Apartments in Tampa is infested with bats.
Michael Green says he first started noticing the bats this weekend.
"I ran in there and I let him flew out the door, then we went to a party Saturday night and came home late, and then two more bats came in the apartment," Green said.
He would eventually find more.
"And I haven't been able to sleep. I stayed up all night Sunday night and then Sunday night. When I woke up Monday morning, it was two of them of them in the window," he said.
Carrie Covington also has bats in her apartment.
"We got bats, flying all over in here. I don't know where they're coming from...You can hear them, just squeaking, making all kind of noise," Covington said.
The residents say they told apartment managers about the problem, but the managers told them they couldn't do anything.
That quickly changed when news cameras arrived.
The owner called in Kenny Coffey of Wildlife Solutions.
"We have to go in and find out where they're coming in and out of, where the active hole is, find out where that is and then come back and watch them come out at night, trap them and get them off the premises," Coffey said. "Otherwise if we don't get them out, they're just going to come back again."
By Florida law, the bats can't be killed, so Wildlife Solutions will have to seal the bats' entry points and relocate them. | <urn:uuid:c94cd854-ccec-4e6c-aaaf-23b615443edb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/national/southern-us/12008638634668/bats-invade-south-florida-apartments/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980276 | 359 | 1.789063 | 2 |
Having been a die-hard Shrinky Dink fan growing up in the ’80s, there’s one particular variety of cable management product that I never seem to get tired of: heat shrink tubing. What’s not to love? It’s easy (and dare I say fun?) to use, comes in lots of bright colors, and, like my old pals the Shrinky Dinks, transforms before your eyes with the simple application of heat. Come to think of it, said heat application doesn’t seem to release the same burning plastic fumes that my little hand-colored charms did while they baked, so maybe heat shrink tubing is even better than the Dinks (but I digress). And the concepts of “heat” and “shrink” just make sense together; if you don’t believe me, try accidentally throwing a “hand wash cold only, line dry” item of clothing into a warm wash cycle and then the dryer. Ouch.
So you can imagine my confusion when I began hearing talk of a little product called “cold shrink tubing.” What? How is that possible? And now I finally know, and can in fact introduce you to some extremely handy cold shrink tubing.
The reason why cold shrink can be shrunken into place cold is because it’s made of stretchy, highly-conforming rubber, unlike traditional heat shrink tubing, which is made of cross-linked plastic that requires relatively high temperatures to go into shape-shifting mode. Heat shrink is basically pre-expanded, irradiated plastic tubing that “remembers” its smaller original diameter when heat is applied. In the case of cold shrink, a length of rubber tubing is stretched over a hollow, larger-diameter plastic inner core, which is slid over a cable or splice until it’s right where you need it, at which point the inner core is removed, and the cold shrink tubing basically snaps back down to its original smaller diameter, creating a snug, weatherproof seal over the wire connection point.
I don’t know about you, but now that I know the complete story behind cold shrink, I’m a little embarrassed that the mere thought of it used to puzzle me. That said, here are a few fast facts and benefits, lest you’re wondering about actual practical applications. First off, it’s only suitable for low voltage applications (like A/V, voice & data, and coax), is UV-resistant (so it’s great outdoors), and obviously, eliminates the risk of burns and overall charring (to components and people alike) due to misuse, or overuse, of heat guns and torches. And since there are no heat tools in the picture, it’s great for using in the field, and tends to free up quite a bit of real estate in your tool kit, which is never a bad thing.
Filed under: Cable Ties, Clips and Grommets, Heat Shrink Tubing
Happy Friday! It’s time again for our Weekly Video Rewind. I know that a lot of you are probably itching to bust out of the office and head to the movies to catch The Dictator or Battleship, but before you do that, here are a couple of our more recent video demos that show you how to do useful stuff with cool products. So stop fidgeting through your Friday afternoon and check these out, okay? You never know – you may learn something that could make your life (and job) easier come Monday. Roll ‘em!
PRT Wraparound Heat Shrink Tubing: Tiffani, our New Product Expert Extraordinaire, is back in this video, this time to show us a very interesting concept in heat shrink: wraparound tubing. If you’ve never used standard heat shrink tubing before, the whole idea is that you slide the tube-shaped sleeve over the end of a cable, and basically slip the tubing along the length of the cable until it reaches the exact location where it’s needed. This means weaseling heat shrink over the initial obstacle of a plug or connector, and that can be tricky and sometimes completely impractical, especially if there’s such a large size discrepancy between cable and connector that by time you find something that will fit over the plug, it’s too big (even when shrunk) to fully conform to the cable. Sigh. Enter Zippertubing and their PRT wraparound shrink tubing, which is slit all the way along its length so it can be wrapped around cables from the side. Add peel-and stick adhesive edging to the already genius design, and you have a product that turns out a very respectable finished product with nowhere near the hassle of regular heat shrink.
HellermannTyton EVO 7 Cable Tie Gun: When you watch this video, you’ll see that Tiffani’s back again, this time demonstrating a tool that’s a lifesaver for cables and fingers alike: the EVO 7 Cable Tie Gun from HellermannTyton. If you’ve ever installed more than 10 or 20 cable ties in one sitting, you probably know that they have a habit of leaving the fingers a little raw – and then there’s that pesky universal cable tie probelm of overtightening, which can impede signals and damage insulation by essentially strangling your cables. Tiffani shows how to use a cable tie gun to quicky and correctly tension and trim cable ties, all while keeping your hands comfortable.
Heat shrink tubing: it’s such a simple and inexpensive product, but there aren’t many other materials out there that are as useful or versatile. Sure, most people use it for insulating cables or protecting wire splices, but there are a million other ways to put heat shrink to work. We hear from customers all the time who have invented uses for heat shrink that would put even MacGyver to shame. There’s the guy who repaired his glasses, a young lady who reassembled a broken curling iron, and a fitness enthusiast who needed to improve the grip on his home pull-up bar. It’s true that necessity is the mother of invention, but it seems that that whole “invention” thing is a lot easier when one has some heat shrink laying around.
While the most die-hard heat shrink users (network technicians, electricians, custom car hobbyists and case modders) tend to keep multiple feet or even spools worth of the stuff around, buying heat shrink in quantity may not make sense to others who just want to use it for odd repairs around the house. In cases like these, a heat shrink tubing kit is the way to go. These kits include a variety of heat shrink in different sizes and colors, which has been pre-cut into usable lengths so you just have to choose a piece that suits your project, and shrink away. You’ll find that heat shrink is perfect for protecting soldered joints or spliced wires, for holding mlutiple cables together, and even for providing some much-needed strain relief to older cords that have a tendency to hang heavily from their connectors when plugged in. But like I said before, those are just a few standard uses – we think you’ll cook up some far more inventive ways to use heat shrink when the need for a quick fix arises.
To read more about our customers’ and employees’ heat shrink improv, check out “The Handyman’s Guide to Improvisation: 7 New Ways to Use Heat Shrink Tubing” in the CableOrganizer.com Learning Center.
Whether you’re a hobbyist who’s into case modding or automotive customization, or you just want to lend some extra strength and insulation to cables and hoses, heat shrink tubing is an easy and affordable way to get the job done. If you’re not familiar with heat shrink, it’s a flexible plastic tubing that fits over wires, cables, splices, hoses — anything generally cylindrical in shape — and shrinks snugly to the object it’s covering when heat is applied. This happens because the plastic used in heat shrink tubing is “crosslinked” (exposed to radiation) so that it’s physical properties change and it shrinks propotionately when exposed to heat.
As I mentioned briefly at the beginning of the post, heat shrink tubing is a great way to add extra support and insulation to cables, wire splices and hoses without adding extra bulk. Even though it only forms a thin skin over things, that “skin” greatly increases resistance to chemicals and fluids, provides strain relief for cable connectors, and just plain looks good. That’s right — many people use heat shrink for no reason other than the fact that it gives cables a custom, cosmetically-enhanced look. Heat shrink is also terrific for color-coding cables that need to be easily identifiable.
Our heat shrink tubing comes in a 2:1 shrink ratio, which means that its original, unshrunk state is twice the diameter of the smallest shrunken diameter it can achieve. Shrink ratio and diameter measurements are very important to keep in mind when you order heat shrink, so know the diameter of the object you want to cover, as well as how snugly you need the heat shrink to fit. For example, if you need 2:1 heat shrink to fit tightly around a cord with a ⅛” diameter, you wouldn’t want to use tubing that has a diameter more than ¼”. | <urn:uuid:f2f50335-5556-4e55-91fe-cab4d04194fa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cableorganizer.com/product-showcase/tag/heat-shrink-tubing/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935402 | 2,025 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Edgewood_Dirk writes "In response to the recent White House petition, the FCC will be investigating the viability and possible harm of the ban on cell-phone unlocking. Gregory Ferenstein met with FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski at a TechCrunch CrunchGov event Wednesday, where the Chairman said the 'ban raises competition concerns; it raises innovation concerns.'" This line from the end of the article fails to inspire confidence: "Genachowski isn’t sure what authority he has, but if he finds any, given the tone of the conversation, it’s likely he will exert his influence to reverse the decision."
Slashdot stories can be listened to in audio form via an RSS feed, as read by our own robotic overlord.
TrueSatan writes "In an utterly craven move, the Canadian government has launched a bill to bring Canada into full compliance with the discredited, U.S.-led ACTA agreement — an agreement to which most of the world does not agree. To further pressure the acceptance of this awful bill, the U.S., on the same day, released their Trade Policy and Agenda Annual Report (PDF), which calls on Canada to comply with ACTA obligations. For ACTA to take effect, it would require six signatures from the major economic blocks. Tt appears to have no remaining possibility of getting them, yet the U.S., and now Canada, continue to push it forward. The Canadian bill features claims based on spurious health and safety concerns that have been thoroughly debunked by a U.S. report. Despite these claims being so dubious, they remain a cornerstone of the Canadian bill. Similarly, the claimed losses due to counterfeiting ($30 billion USD) stated in the bill have also been debunked. The Canadian bill seeks to give border guards an unprecedented level of control, without the possibility of judicial oversight. Despite a lack of evidence to suggest that Canada is a major source of counterfeit product, the bill puts at risk the fully-legal parallel import of generic items — pharmaceuticals, for instance. The bill would also change copyright infringement from a civil dispute to a breach of criminal law. Pity Canada if this bill is enacted!"
New submitter charlesj68 writes with news that U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh has cut Apple's $1.05 billion patent infringement award from Samsung down by $450.5 million. She also said Samsung deserves a new trial over claims related to some of its smartphones. "Koh rejected Apple’s request to enhance the jury’s award, saying the amount Samsung owed was heavily disputed and the jury wasn’t bound to accept either side’s damages estimate. 'It is not the proper role of the court to second-guess the jury’s factual determination as to the proper amount of compensation,' Koh said in her ruling. Apple is entitled to additional damages for sales of infringing products that weren’t considered by the jury, Koh ruled, saying she intends to calculate the amount beginning on Aug. 25, the day after the jury reached its verdict. As the case has been appealed, Koh said she would delay considering evidence of actual post-verdict sales and pre-judgment interest until the appeals are completed."
Later today, the U.S. government will enter the sequestration process, a series of across-the-board budget cuts put into place automatically because U.S. politicians are bad at agreeing on things. "At that moment, somewhere in the bowels of the Treasury Department, officials will take offline the computers that process payments for school construction and clean energy bonds to reprogram them for reduced rates. Payments will be delayed while they are made manually for the next six weeks." The cuts will directly affect science- and tech-related spending throughout the country. Tom Levenson writes, '[s]equester cuts will strike bluntly across the scientific community. The illustrious can move a bit of money around, but even in large labs, a predictable result will be a reduction in the number of graduate student and post – doc slots available — and as those junior and early-stage researchers do a whole lot of the at-the-bench level research, such cuts will have an immediate effect on research productivity. The longer term risk is obvious too: fewer students and post-docs mean on an ongoing drop from baseline in the amount of work to be done year over year.' The former director of the National Institute of Health says it will set back medical science for a generation. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden has laid out how the cuts will affect the U.S. space program. He said, "The Congress wasn’t able to do what they were supposed to do, so we’re going to suffer." The sequester will also prevent billions of dollars from flowing into the tech industry. This comes at a time when there's a pressing need in the tech sector for professionals versed in the use of Linux, and salaries for those workers are on the rise.
Dr Max sends this excerpt from an AP report: "U.S. prosecutors won a New Zealand court victory Friday in their battle to extradite Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom and three colleagues accused of facilitating massive copyright fraud through the now-defunct online file-sharing site. The appeals court overturned an earlier ruling that would have allowed Dotcom and the others broad access to evidence in the case against them at the time of their extradition hearing, which is scheduled for August. The appeals court ruled that extensive disclosure would bog down the process and that a summary of the U.S. case would suffice. Dotcom says he's innocent and can't be held responsible for those who chose to use the site to illegally download songs or movies." | <urn:uuid:d1b5023b-a27c-475a-b66b-2bf92e1e8260> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://yro.slashdot.org/index2.pl?fhfilter=yro&startdate=20130223&issue=20130301&index=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956868 | 1,169 | 1.601563 | 2 |
On Oct. 18 in NEPA
On this date in NEPA
75 years ago, work was completed on the two runways at the Scranton Airport at Schultsville. Inspections would take place by officials from the aeronautical division of the Commerce Department before the runaways could be used. The project cost $187,000.
50 years ago, a debate was held at the Hotel Casey between the candidates for the 10th Congressional District, Joe McDade and William Gombar. Some 300 people attended the event, which touched on topics such as Medicare and foreign policy.
25 years ago, Sister M. Coleman Nee, president of Marywood College, announced she would retire June 30, 1988. Sister Coleman Nee had been president of the college since 1970.
10 years ago, the state auditor general's office announced it started an investigation into expenditures on the $5 million Carbondale elementary school. The office was looking into several issues, including board members' trip to a convention in San Diego related to the construction. Today is Thursday, Oct. 18, the 292nd day of 2012. There are 74 days left in the year.
In 1867, the United States took formal possession of Alaska from Russia.
In 1892, the first long-distance telephone line between New York and Chicago was officially opened. It could only handle one call at a time.
In 1962, James D. Watson, Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins were honored with the Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology for determining the double-helix molecular structure of DNA.
In 1969, the federal government banned artificial sweeteners known as cyclamates because of evidence they caused cancer in laboratory rats.
In 1971, the Knapp Commission began public hearings into allegations of corruption in the New York City police department (the witnesses included Frank Serpico).
In 1972, Congress passed the Clean Water Act, overriding President Richard M. Nixon's veto.
In 1977, West German commandos stormed a hijacked Lufthansa jetliner on the ground in Mogadishu, Somalia, freeing all 86 hostages and killing three of the four hijackers.
In 1982, former first lady Bess Truman died at her home in Independence, Mo., at age 97.
In 2001, CBS News announced that an employee in anchorman Dan Rather's office had tested positive for skin anthrax. Four disciples of Osama bin Laden were sentenced in New York to life without parole for their roles in the deadly 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa.
Ten years ago: The Vatican demanded that America's Roman Catholic bishops revise their hard-line crackdown policy on sexually abusive priests, saying that elements conflicted with universal church law. (In 2005, the U.S. bishops voted overwhelmingly to stick with the main points of the discipline plan.)
Five years ago: Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan, ending eight years of self-imposed exile; a suicide bombing in a crowd welcoming her killed more than 140 people, but Bhutto escaped unhurt. (However, she was slain in December 2007.) Former Joint Chiefs chairman William Crowe (krow) died in Bethesda, Md., at age 82. Manager Joe Torre, rejecting a pay cut, left the New York Yankees.
One year ago: Fifty wild animals were released by the owner of an eastern Ohio farm, Terry Thompson, who then committed suicide; authorities killed 48 of the creatures, while the remaining two were presumed eaten by other animals. The Republican presidential candidates laced into each other in their latest debate, held in Las Vegas; Mitt Romney emerged as still the person to beat, even as he was called out on the issues of illegal immigration, health care and jobs. Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit (gee-LAHD' shah-LEET') emerged from five years in captivity as Hamas militants hand him over to Egyptian mediators in an exchange for 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Today's Birthdays: Rock-and-roll performer Chuck Berry is 86. Sportscaster Keith Jackson is 84. Actress Dawn Wells is 74. College and Pro Football Hall-of-Famer Mike Ditka is 73. Singer-musician Russ Giguere is 69. Actor Joe Morton is 65. Actress Pam Dawber is 62. Author Terry McMillan is 61. Writer-producer Chuck Lorre is 60. Gospel singer Vickie Winans is 59. International Tennis Hall of Famer Martina Navratilova is 56. Boxer Thomas Hearns is 54. Actor Jean-Claude Van Damme is 52. Actress Erin Moran is 52. Jazz musician Wynton Marsalis is 51. Actor Vincent Spano is 50. Rock musician Tim Cross is 46. Tennis player Michael Stich (shteek) is 44. Singer Nonchalant is 39. Actress Joy Bryant is 38. Rock musician Peter Svenson (The Cardigans) is 38. Actor Wesley Jonathan is 34. Rhythm-and-blues singer-actor Ne-Yo is 33. Country singer Josh Gracin is 32. Country musician Jesse Littleton (Marshall Dyllon) is 31. Jazz singer-musician Esperanza Spalding is 28. Actress-model Freida Pinto is 28. Actor Zac Efron is 25. Actress Joy Lauren is 23. Actor Tyler Posey is 21. | <urn:uuid:67420542-09ab-4d9d-a5d7-746534061a26> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/on-oct-18-in-nepa-1.1390008 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952651 | 1,101 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Geologist Colin Summerhayes shares a laugh with a guest on our first morning in the Drake Passage.
Ornithologist Patricia Silva explains the finer points of sea birds as a guest attempts to capture with her camera!
Passengers check out their digital photos in the stylish lobby of the Le Boreal as others head out on deck.
Guests enjoy a mid afternoon snack in the main lounge for Tea Time.
Captain Jean Phillippe Lemaire greets guests as they arrive at the Welcome Cocktail party.
Captain Lemaire introduces his officers to the passengers.
At Sea, En Route to Antarctica
We awoke to a new world, one defined by an ocean view in all directions, with the South American continent now far out of sight behind us. During the night, Le Boreal left the shelter of the Beagle Channel and by the time we got out of bed this morning, the ship's motion was quite evident. We put on our sea legs and carefully made our way upstairs for a hearty breakfast.
With a hot cup of coffee in hand, we bundled up and went out on deck to watch the entourage of petrels and albatrosses escorting us south. Chocolate-colored southern giant-petrels swirled around behind the ship, their substantial pale beaks glowing in the intermittent morning sunshine. We also saw our first albatrosses of the trip, including the wandering albatross, with its spectacular 11-foot wingspan!
We then had the opportunity to exchange our parkas for better-fitting ones before joining Ornithologist Patricia Silva for her lecture "Seabirds of the Southern Ocean". Patricia highlighted some of the species we would see out in the open ocean and told stories of their amazing long distance travel abilities, including the fact that some species regularly circumnavigate the entire globe between nesting seasons! Patricia presented beautiful photos that made us all want to spend every waking moment out on deck, in the hope of catching a glimpse of some of these striking birds.
After a break for a cup of bouillon, Historian Bob Burton gathered everyone back in The Theater for an entertaining lecture entitled "My favorite heroes of Antarctic exploration", during which he told some amazing stories from the Heroic Age of Exploration in Antarctica. From Apsley Cherry-Garrard's quote of thinking of "death as a friend" to the unthinkable dinner ration of 1.5 mugs of penguin and seal hooch, a biscuit and thin cocoa, Bob provided us with some insight into the mindset of the men who went out into some of the harshest physical conditions on the planet with the goal of discovery.
Following lunch, Photo Enrichment Coach Richard Harker gathered beginner and professional photographers alike into The Theater for his talk: "Photography in Antarctica – What to expect and how to prepare". He covered everything from protecting our camera equipment from unpredictable weather, to understanding how to best deal with the challenging lighting situations that are the norm in Antarctica. We left feeling both empowered and excited to go out and capture that perfect shot.
We had the opportunity to practice our photography out on deck, where the Expedition Staff were gathered to point out the seabirds following the ship. We then headed in for the final enrichment lecture of the day, "The ecological impacts of climate change on the Antarctic Peninsula", presented by Marine Biologist Jim McClintock. This part of the world has experienced one of the greatest shifts in climate on the planet, and the effects of this include a 40% reduction in the extent of winter sea ice around the continent over the past 25 years, the arrival of large crabs from the sub-Antarctic waters to the north of Antarctica, and the weakening of the shells of Antarctic mollusks due to ocean acidification.
We then all donned our Sunday best and met Captain Jean-Phillipe Lemaire and many other members of the ship's staff in The Theater for the Welcome Aboard Cocktail Party, carefully swaying back and forth with the ship as we mingled over champagne. The Captain explained the Iceberg Spotting Competition to us, and then introduced several core members of his staff. It became clear that, just like those of us traveling as passengers, the crew has quite the international flare. We all had a very enjoyable evening that was rounded off by a superb gala dinner. | <urn:uuid:c490941c-4bee-4b61-a54a-8045fbf85620> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.abercrombiekent.com/travel_logs/antarctica/classic-antarctica/12-7-2010/Day2.cfm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951276 | 890 | 1.71875 | 2 |
George Will may have put it indelicately, but polls back up his contention that the issue of same-sex marriage provokes very different responses by generation.
“There is something like an emerging consensus,” the conservative commentator said Dec. 8 on ABC News This Week. “Quite literally, the opposition to gay marriage is dying. It’s old people.”
Three states recently approved gay marriage by popular vote. And now the Supreme Court (there’s an older demographic) announced it will take up two cases on the topic. The court will consider whether same-sex marriage is a right and whether state and federal laws opposing it can hold up under the Constitution.
Over recent years, the opposition to same-sex marriage has steadily declined. But still, the older the person, the more likely that person is to be against it.
The millennial generation — born in 1981 and later— is all for same-sex marriage, according to a November poll by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. Nearly two-thirds favor it — twice the support from those born before 1946. About 41 percent of boomers approve and 51 percent of Generation X.
One trend shared by all four generations: support for same-sex marriage is increasing. And not all the increased support in the older generations results from the opposition dying.
Over the years many boomers and seniors have simply changed their minds, says Pew pollster Andrew Kohut. “Since 2004, support for gay marriage has increased from 30 percent to 40 percent among baby boomers, and even among seniors [from 18 percent to 32 percent],” he wrote in a New York Times piece.
Many polls show other demographic divides on same-sex marriage. Catholics are more likely to support it than Protestants, whites more than blacks, women more than men.
And any of them can change their mind.
Photo: Fibonacci Blue via Flickr | <urn:uuid:2df0bb5a-19ed-45d7-b342-b17621ac6066> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.aarp.org/2012/12/10/gay-marriage-parsing-changed-attitudes/print/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95339 | 397 | 1.804688 | 2 |
Blackwing 602 pencil
The Blackwing 602 was not a commercial success – despite praise from novelist John Steinbeck and mentions in Henry Petroski’s The Pencil, Sanford discontinued the pencil in 1997 due to lack of sales.
The story of the pencil’s demise is in a 2004 article at The Pencil Pages. The eraser clasp machine broke, and supply ran out. Why not fix the machine? At sales of just over a thousand boxes a year, the Blackwing had become a marginal brand, and was allowed to lapse.
It’s hard to get a fix on current supply and demand. They seem be regularly for sale on eBay, year after year. A modern pencil, out of production for only a decade, the Blackwing has become highly collectable – selling for $20 to $50 (or even more) per pencil.
A gentleman (and pencil user) from Missouri kindly sent me a Blackwing for inspection this past week. My thanks to him.
The pencil has an unusual ferrule. Up to the 1940s, pencils had more variety in ferrules/erasers (many examples at Brand Name Pencils), but modern production techniques have standardized these interesting varieties. The Blackwing’s ferrule has a gold colour, and presents a rectangular wedge. A family member who paints immediately thought it was a paintbrush clasp.
The wedge allows the insertion of a small block eraser. I won’t test the original (and now dry) decade old pink eraser, but the format does allow one to slice replacement pieces from a regular block eraser – an idea I like.
As charming as the novel ferrule/eraser looks, it seems a terrible idea. First, it distorts the pencil’s natural dimensions. Standard pencils, from the 19th throught the 21st centuries, are about 175mm. The Blackwing is about 200mm including the eraser.
Possibly even worse – the Blackwing’s balance point is quite wrong for a pencil. A standard quality pencil’s point of balance is at the halfway point. But for the Blackwing, it is about 70% up the pencil’s length. As the pencil is sharpened, that proportion will become more extreme.
The reason is that the pencil weighs 5.3 grams – with the eraser/clasp weighing 1.1g. 20% of the pencil’s unsharpened weight is at the cap – and increasing as a percentage as the pencil gets sharpened.
Unless the Blackwing is your only pencil – it is too different from standard pencils to make an easy adjustment to the odd balance.
The pencil is a smoky grey. I like it, and see why others agree.
The obverse is labelled:
As well , “DB” is impressed into the wood. Any idea what this code refers to?
The reverse has the great slogan:
I sharpened the pencil in the Carl Decade DE-100. As much as I love pencils, I don’t love most pencil sharpeners, and Carl’s products are great exceptions.
The Blackwing sharpens very nicely, as expected.
On paper, I tried the pencil on a Rhodia pad.
I’ll admit my first surprise – the blogosphere’s perspective on pencils is that that dark rich lines are the best – and the Blackwing seemed quite middling in the category. Okay, mabye not middling – much better than the vast majority of pencils – yet as a pencil that some claim should rest on a throne – it seemed to leave a lighter mark than other top pencils.
The smoothness category may be the key to understanding the Blackwing – the pencil is not smooth – it is more like slippery – floating on paper without tension, but not creating an appreciably dark line. The wax content in the pencil is a main feature.
I also tried erasure – with a Staedtler Mars, it seems to outperform other pencils, erasing very cleanly.
Some darker pencils like to draw outside the lines – emitting crumbles and residue – but the Blackwing excels in staying put!
The Pencil Pages article mentions the Blackwing’s putative successors, and I thought I would try them out as well.
A distinction to be noted – we are told that the Blackwing is a 4B grade lead – but quality pencils ranges today vary the lead diameter with the lead grade – softer lead grades having wider diameters – so these other pencils may have an advantage.
The Turqouise 4B is good, but it doesn’t strike me as being of the same calibre in any sense.
The Blackwing’s lead apparently carried on in the Microtomic (another lapsed label/brand). There are various ‘Microtomic’ pencils – some principally labelled as Microtomic, and some from another principle brand, with “Microtomic” used as an adjective. Some research on the name is here.
I have a few laying around – they typically have have attractive packaging, and I have variants in 2B, 5B, and 6B – but not 4B.
This test left me wondering why I hadn’t previously sharpened them. The Microtomics lay down a superb pencil line. The 2B is exceptionally smooth, and capable of reaching extremely deep shades. The Microtomic line seems perhaps less smooth and waxy than the Blackwing, yet is still an equally worthy pencil.
Another line of enquiry that of course occured was – how does the Blackwing compare with modern pencils?
Modern pencilmaking’s best efforts seem to occur in Japan, and I selected the Mitsubishi Hi-Uni 4B as the main comparison pencil.
Tests were also conducted with the Tombow Mono Special 6B, Craft Design item 17 HB, Tombow Mono 4B, and Kitaboshi Hit 4B.
The Blackwing is in the middle at darkness, it excels at erasability and crumbling resistance, and is also in the middle at smoothness. It isn’t really a peer of the top modern pencils.
This test may be like comparing the automobiles of 1968 to those of 2010 – the past achievements are acknowledged and celebrated, but decades of engineering advancements just can’t be overcome.
The Blackwing 602 was great in the climate of it’s time, but died through lack of support. With Sanford’s pencil production leaving the US this year, the Blackwing is definitely not returning. If you love quality woodcase pencils, now is the time to support today’s Blackwings – the top products from Kitaboshi, Pentel, Tombow, and Mitsubishi.
42 comments to Blackwing 602 pencil
Copyright © 2005-2012 pencil talk | pencil reviews and discussion - All Rights Reserved | <urn:uuid:094da966-deb1-46cc-92f7-515905a1f4af> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.penciltalk.org/2009/07/blackwing-602-pencil | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941142 | 1,461 | 1.703125 | 2 |
A decrease in diet quality occurs during pregnancy in overweight and obese women which is maintained post-partum
International Journal of Obesity, 08/08/2012
Moran LJ et al. – The authors report for the first time that dietary quality decreases across pregnancy and is maintained at this reduced level in the early post–partum period in overweight and obese women. Dietary interventions aimed at improving diet quality should be targeted to early pregnancy and post–partum. | <urn:uuid:6e8d0080-b124-4fa7-875b-99f143555987> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mdlinx.com/endocrinology/news-article.cfm/4167554/0/overweight/next/14?source=scroller | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93435 | 93 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Workers’ confidence in the economy fell to 51.1, marking its third consecutive dip in overall confidence levels, according to Randstad's latest Employee Confidence Index.
Specifically, concerns about the strength of the economy and job availability grew. Although the overall June Index fell by 2.1 points, it continues to be three points higher than this time last year, and employee perspectives regarding job availability of jobs and their employers’ futures is mostly unchanged or slightly higher than in January. In fact, employee confidence in the ability to find a new job is up four points from January.
"These first six months of the year have certainly been different than what analysts and economists expected, with less job creation posted in the second quarter," says Joanie Ruge, senior vice president and chief employment analyst for Randstad Holding. "While the economy has unquestionably added jobs at a very modest pace, it is certainly interesting to see that workers remain confident about the stability of their current jobs, employers and ability to find employment.
"It is clear, however, that the economy and job market are continuing to weigh heavily on the minds of U.S. workers. This sentiment will also likely remain for employers as they look towards the second half of what has proven to be a year of caution. In fact, many expect this mindset to remain as we head closer to the November U.S. presidential election. That said, we continue to see demand in industries like information technology and engineering as unemployment rates remain low and the demand for skilled workers high. With the more than eight million jobs lost since the start of the financial crisis, roughly 3.8 million have been added back. Job creation will continue to be a top priority as we reach the final few quarters of 2012."
The survey also finds that 24 percent of respondents in June say the economy is improving, which is down from a year high in March of 32 percent. Forty-nine percent of respondents say fewer jobs were available during the first half of the year while 19 percent of respondents say more jobs were available. | <urn:uuid:099a64a5-55e7-445e-b992-6a0463b767b6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.benefitspro.com/2012/07/03/workers-economic-confidence-dips | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980336 | 418 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Beethovenfest devotes a night of events to celebrate John Cage's centenary
Chalk and cheese, so to speak, so imagine my surprise when this year’s Beethovenfest, now in its 13th year, decided to dedicate a whole day to the American maverick, who would have celebrated his one hundredth birthday on September 5 this year. Dubbed ‘In the Bird Cage’, eight events took place on September 15 along the museum mile in Bonn (the birthplace of Beethoven), featuring around 50 performers and culminating in a performance of the composer’s paean to simultaneity, Musicircus (1967). Films and videos of Cage’s work with dancer Merce Cunningham and artist Robert Rauschenberg were also shown.
The Musicircus event epitomised the openness and inclusivity that lies at the heart of Cage’s philosophy. Everyone, from festival director Ilona Schmiel to a number of school and student groups, plus a circus-band troupe and members of the audience, all took part in this joyful musical jamboree. It could so easily have descended into chaos and banality, but the performance actually exuded a real sense of collective purpose. Here was a fitting ‘Ode to Joy’ for the 21st century. Surely Beethoven himself would have approved.
The Musicircus event took place in the main foyer of the city’s Art and Exhibition Hall and was just one example of the way in which Cage’s music has been used to develop alternative ways of experiencing this year’s festival. Very few performances were held in standard concert spaces but, of those that were, an absolute gem of a concert featured pianists Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Tamara Stefanovich. Boulez’s early piano music never sounded so compelling.
Less convincing were the events held at the gallery space of the Art and Exhibition Hall. Anselm Kiefere’s dark, sombre paintings – powerful enough in their own, disquieting way – rather took away from the humour that we normally associate with Cage’s happenings, which were performed on this occasion by Ensemble Spinario and the Mitglieder des Freyer Ensembles.
The festival’s principal theme this year has been ‘Art has a mind of its own’, and it’s certainly one that suggests comparisons between Beethoven and Cage. They both altered the course of Western Music through the force and originality of their ideas despite being misunderstood during their lifetimes. They both drew inspiration from nature and both turned weaknesses into strengths: Beethoven’s deafness led to bold harmonic innovations, and Cage’s lack of feeling for harmony forced him to explore rhythm and timbre instead. Festival director Ilona Schmiel points out that ‘Cage and Beethoven always did what they wanted to do’, and hopes that audiences at the festival might start to listen to Beethoven through their experiences of Cage rather than the other way round. As painter and friend of Cage, Willem de Kooning, once said, ‘The past does not influence me; I influence it …’.
Gramophone reviewer Pwyll ap Siôn is senior lecturer in music at Bangor University. His monograph on The Music of Michael Nyman was published by Ashgate Press in 2007. Other books include The Ashgate Research Companion to Minimalist and Postminimalist Music and an edited volume of Michael Nyman's Collected Writings (both due out in 2013). | <urn:uuid:daaf05f5-5b62-4b89-a798-680e41791658> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gramophone.co.uk/blog/concerts-and-events/in-the-bird-cage-cage-night-at-beethovenfest-bonn-september-15-2012 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963454 | 758 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Although President Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney have duked it out in three televised debates and are running opposing ads in the waning days before the election, a nastier fight to intimidate Black voters is taking place away from the limelight.
“It has taken many disguises,” says Chanelle Hardy, senior vice president of policy at the National Urban League’s Policy Institute. “Robo calls, telling people the date has changed, telling people that there are criminal penalties for showing up without an ID or that if you haven’t paid your child support, you’ll be arrested are some of them.”
Last week, anonymous billboards popped up across Black and Latino neighborhoods in Ohio and Wisconsin, two battleground states. “Voter Fraud is a Felony! Up to 3 ½ years in jail and a $10,000 fine,” read the signs.
Although the nearly 200 signs have been taken down, Debbie Hines, an attorney and the blogger behind LegalSpeaks.com, says the efforts to intimidate are just pieces of a larger scheme to keep Democratic voters from the polls.
“It’s as if they said, ‘If the voter ID laws don’t work that well, let's make telephone calls, let’s follow them around, let’s put up billboards to intimidate them,’” says Hines.
Since 2010, some state legislatures have been passing laws that make it more difficult to vote, such as requiring government-issued photo IDs and cutting back on the number of days citizens can vote.
But the latest efforts go far beyond that.
A Tea Party organization, True the Vote, and its Ohio affiliate, the Voter Integrity Project, have been urging conservatives to become poll watchers to make voting feel like “driving and seeing the police following you.”
They have also sought to remove 2,100 names from polling rosters in Ohio, many in counties President Obama won in 2008, according to the Los Angeles Times.
In fact, a number of instances have come to light recently, as reported by The Nation magazine’s Voting Rights Watch 2012, that prove there have been a number of efforts to blatantly discourage voters from getting to the polls, aside from the billboards in Ohio.
In Virginia, another battleground state, a contract employee of the Republican Party of Virginia was arrested recently for dumping voter registration cards. Voter information fliers in Arizona were printed in Spanish with the wrong election date.
Hardy of the National Urban League said such actions are part of a larger effort to keep people of color from helping to re-elect President Obama.
“In ‘08 we saw what we were able to accomplish – the Black vote was outstanding and similar to the White vote for once in our history,” Hardy says. “It’s clear from the timing of when the ID action were introduced that there were bad actors in our society who sought to keep that from happening again.”
Although supporters of the tougher voter requirements say it is an effort to reduce fraud, others said it is a solution in search of a problem.
“There’s been no data that shows that in person voter fraud exists,” says Hines, the attorney who is fighting increased voter restrictions. “It happens but you have a greater chance of being stricken by lightning than there being a person involved in voter fraud.”
According to a study by a Knight Foundation funded project called News21, there were a total of 2,068 alleged election-fraud cases since 2000, only 10 of which involved voter impersonation—the very issue that led states across the country to enact strict voter identification laws.
“The intention of the suppressors is to shave off a small percentage of the Black vote to help Gov. Romney secure the win,” says Rashad Robinson, executive director of ColorofChange.org, that organization that led the campaign to remove the intimidating billboards in Ohio. “But Black folks are used to feeling this kind of oppression and we aren’t afraid to fight back. And we know that it could have an opposite effect and end up getting people more mobilized.”
In an effort to prevent these voter suppression and intimidation practices from being successful, organizations from National Council of La Raza to the NAACP and even members of Congress are fighting back to make sure every American’s voice is heard on Election Day. | <urn:uuid:998a96a4-cc47-4efd-bfde-c13d8b5f2f13> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://afro.com/sections/news/national/story.htm?storyid=76575 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967827 | 925 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Keeping 70,000 Kuwait-bound sheep in two Portland feedlots while authorities investigate claims of contamination is costing more than $50,000 a day.
The export of the sheep has been stalled by the alleged contamination of their feed by Animal Liberation activists, who said their members were trying to make the sheep unacceptable to halal-conscious Muslims.
The sheep were due to be loaded on the al-Shuwaikh last Thursday for the 14-day voyage to Kuwait, but Australian Quarantine Inspection Service officers refused to issue an export licence.
Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson said yesterday that the shipment should not proceed without Kuwait guaranteeing to accept them.
"(But) we need to be, I think, confident that those who have purchased the sheep are going to take delivery of them at the other end," Mr Anderson said.
Kobo Feedlot owner Phillip King, looking after 30,000 of the sheep, said that the importer and his company were facing costs of $18,000 to $19,000 a day to feed and care for the sheep. David Peddie, who has 40,000 sheep at his feedlot, said it was costing about $35,000 a day, including feed, running costs, staff and extra security.
|Print this article Email to a friend||Top|
|text | handheld (how to)||
Copyright © 2003. The Age Company Ltd
|advertise | contact us| | <urn:uuid:fe0bd5dc-bbec-4b1d-865c-ae5aec18697d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/11/25/1069522605809.html?from=storyrhs | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967186 | 296 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Scotland, Wales and Ireland support very significant components of the avifauna of the British Isles and the BTO has always worked to make sure its monitoring projects cover the whole area and offer maximum engagement and satisfaction to birdwatchers anywhere in our islands, however remote from Thetford.
Offices were opened for BTO Scotland in 2000 and there is now a staff of ten at our Stirling headquarters. In 2009, with support from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, we were able to appoint our first salaried Northern Ireland Officer and we now have a BTO Wales office in Bangor. Meanwhile, we are fortunate that John Lloyd continues to take the role of the Honorary Wales Officer.
Across the whole of the UK and within the Isle of Man and the Channel Isles, we have a Regional Network of volunteers who organise survey work at county and sub-county levels. | <urn:uuid:04487f54-7c0a-4d7f-8282-4d60ffe0c777> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bto.org/national-offices | 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 | 0.965871 | 178 | 1.53125 | 2 |
High Pitched Ringing
Hello, this is my first time on this board. Last night while watching T.V. all of the sudden I got this very high pitched sqeal in my left ear. I was almost as if someone put something right next to my ear and turned it on full blast. It only lasted a few seconds, but afterwards my ear felt stuffy. This morning I had almost forgotten about it when I felt a little dizzy and thought I could hear a slight ringing. Then I went to my aerobics class and have been fine since. Does anyone have any idea what this might have been? I have never had a problem with wax buildup, and have always had excellent hearing. I am 33 years old. Thanks in advance for any replys! Janet
Well, I wish I could tell you what it is. I have had a simalar problem except mine happens when I go to bed. Almost every time I go to bed my right ear rings. It rings until I fall asleep. I don't understand it myself. Even when I woke up this morning it was still ringing and I am only twenty years old and I have clean ears. I wish I knew what was going on. I just thought you might like to know my experience. ;)
Thanks for your reply. Actually, my ear does this when I go to bed, also. I wonder why this is? Maybe we are so busy during the day, with so much noise around us, that when we go to bed it is "too" quiet! Thanks again, Janet
Hi 4isenuf. I can relate to your situation. When you have noises in your ear it is called Tinnitus. The American Tinnitus Society can help you to learn more about this or if you are Canadian (I am) then contact the Canadian Hearing Society. As well, look in your library for more information. I have had Tinnitus for 2 years now, with moderate hearing loss in both ears. I am 40 now. It can be frustrating until you realize and recognize what it is. Go for it girl. check it out
Hi wildflower, and fellow Canadian!
Do you know what is causing your tinnitus, and hearing loss? I'm 38, and suffer from tinnitus in both ears, as well as hearing loss. My ear specialist figures it's caused by an autoimmune disorder of the inner ear.
Hi Lizzie and fellow Canadian as well. I was told by my specialist that sometimes with hearing loss, tinnitus does occur. Why, they do not know. As for an autoimmune disorder, my specialist said that to test for that you have to have the kit sent over from Boston. He tried to get the kit to find out if it is an autoimmune but O.H.I.P. wouldn't pay for it and it costs around $160.00 U.S. I was tested for everything, as to why I lost some hearing but to no avail. Frustrating isn't it!!! I wouldn't worry though Lizzie. My specialist said that it is rare to have an autoimmune disorder and hearing loss. Do you have a family and are they supportive and understanding? Since you are from Canada, call this number 810-547-4177. This excellent company, Personal Growth Technologies has this CD sampler for tinnitus sufferers and it is free. This sampler will help you to decide what CD is best for you and then you can order it (Tinnitus Relief System). It is fantastic. I listen to it everynight in bed and it really helps. I sometimes figure that with the tinnitus, it sometimes helps to give it a name, something special to just you. I call it my friend and then it is easier to accept. I don't know if that will be acceptable to you. It never hurts to try. Do you wear hearing aids and if so, do you find it helps? Well, fellow Canadian, I must log off for now and hope to hear from you again. Take good care and relax as much as possible. I do know for sure that stress aggravates tinnitus. By the way, did you get a major snow storm. We most definately did.
Hi to all. It's me again. I am writing today to wish all of you a good day. Today try and make sure that you do something nice for yourself and that you can cope with all you have. And if you can't, that is okay too. Just go with the flow and let it be. Talk to you later. Peace
Yes we did get a snowstorm (Lower Mainland), but the snow is all gone now!
Interesting information on the tinnitus. Thank you very much.
Getting back to my ears again. I was diagnosed with Meniere's disease 10 years ago. My left ear was the only one affected, with hearing loss, and tinnitus, until just a few months ago. My right ear started to buzz, and I have hearing loss in that one as well. I am currently on medication of Pred/MTX to help stablize my flucuating hearing loss. In the past few months my hearing has been very muffled, with strong tinnitus. It's very frustrating! There's no talk of hearing aids, until we see how the medication is working. So far, it has improved my hearing quite a bit.
Thanks 4 getting back. Poor you. It must be so maddening for you. I find that if you try and sit down and just say to yourself that this is ******* me off but that is okay. I think i will sit here and just go with the flow because at this time I am unable to do anything else. Also, have you ever had a second opinion about your ears? I have been to a lot of corny doctors who have diagnosed the wrong things. eek!!! My ear, nose, and throat specialist is excellent and I really trusted him. He came highly recommended. I don't know though about yours. He could be the best. If you doubt him of any sort, please get a second opinion. I am so glad for you that the medicine is helping. Did they say how long you have to be on the meds and what happens when you stop? It sounds as though you are quite positive about it all. I imagine it can get feeling helpless. I have been there so many times. Well, take good care. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow. Till we meet again.
[This message has been edited by wildflower (edited 02-13-2001).]
Hey there. It is late at night and I am sure that you shall read the message tomorrow. I was just wondering if you have any troubles sleeping because of your tinnitus? If so, what do you do about it? Luckily, I do not have trouble sleeping but sometimes I lay in bed, my hearing aids out and all I can hear is my tinnitus. My tinnitus is like a vacuum cleaner turned on sound. It never goes away. eek!!!! What does your tinnitus sound like? What joy we have eh! (spoken like a Canadian). Well, let me know Liz okay. Today I wish for you to have joy and peace in your discomfort. Peace, till later.
[This message has been edited by wildflower (edited 02-13-2001).]
Thought I'd share my experience with you. I am 37, my ears have been ringing for at least 5 years. In my 20's i listened to loud music and was highly strung. My ears still ring with intermittent big 'squeals'. I have had my ears checked with some hearing loss being detected but I have resolved myself to having Tinitus. In my studies I have heard this condition is linked to the nervous system which is worth investigation. I now practise yoga and meditation, this helps a lot. I have learned to not react to the ringing, the hearing specialist agreed this as a good action, teach the mind to accept. I hear it is very common for people in their 30's and up to have tinitus. When my ears ring really loud, I take it as a sign I am stressing, which is a great reminder and indicator to take proper action (ie let go, sleep, exercise, eat good foods, give up stimulants ie coffee and take better care of myself). I have done Vipassana meditation and recommend it strongly. Details are available online. I hope this is of help.
I have had problems with tinnitis and hearing loss in my ears since May 2000. My ENT was thinking I had an autoimmune disorder. I recovered all my hearing and the tinnitis went away when I was given 60 mg of prednisone a day. As soon as I tapered down from the medication the tinnitis came back, even stronger than before. I have not been back to the ENT lately. I have been trying other alternative medicine things. I am curious about the medication Pred/MTX because you said it helped you. Maybe it would help me. Do you know what kind of drug it is or what is in it?
|All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:41 PM.| | <urn:uuid:a340e5b9-d64f-4b1b-b2ab-e8a1ad60d59b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.healthboards.com/boards/hearing-disorders/57768-high-pitched-ringing-print.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981141 | 1,919 | 1.507813 | 2 |
April 18, 2011
KNOXVILLE – Would you feel safe if your professor brought a gun to the classroom or laboratory?
What if you brought your family to a football game at an emotionally-charged Neyland Stadium full of 100,000 people, and the UT employee sitting next to you brought his gun?
Would you be worried if your infant attended daycare or child took a field trip on campus where faculty and staff carried guns?
These scenarios could become reality at public institutions of higher education in Tennessee.
The University of Tennessee, including all of its campuses and institutes statewide, is taking a stand against a proposed bill currently before the state House Judiciary Committee that would allow more people to carry guns on campus, creating an unsafe environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors.
HB 2016 is scheduled to come before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, April 19. The bill would allow UT faculty and staff with handgun carry permits to bring their guns to campus. Current law prohibits anyone, even handgun carry permit holders, other than law enforcement to bring weapons to campus.
The University of Tennessee joins campus and local police forces and the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police in opposition to this proposal. Faculty and student government organizations on UT’s campuses also have passed resolutions opposing the bill. The board of the UT Knoxville Alumni Association passed a similar resolution this weekend.
“The University of Tennessee has stated its opposition to allowing anyone other than law enforcement officers to carry guns while on campus,” UT President Joe DiPietro said. “The current law works. There is no need to change it.”
“A primary priority of the university is the safety and security of our students, faculty and staff. This responsibility is taken seriously, and campuses work with law enforcement to take measures to create the safest environments possible. We agree with law enforcement that campuses will not become safer with more guns,” he said.
Campus police officers, campus officials, students and faculty members plan to attend the committee meeting on Tuesday.
“A college campus is a unique place. In addition to freshmen away from home for the first time and faculty and staff, the University every day hosts schoolchildren on field trips, babies in our Early Learning Center, sports fans, parents and high school students on campus tours and citizens attending music and art events,” said UT Knoxville Chief of Police Gloria Graham.
“We oppose the proposal because it will inhibit our ability to provide security to people on campus and reduce our effectiveness if confronted with a violent situation. Our department and departments around the state urge legislators to defeat this proposal immediately,” she said.
The UT Health Science Center in Memphis is holding a news conference at 10 a.m. CDT with campus and Memphis police, and officers from other institutions such as the University of Memphis and Southwest Tennessee Community College.
Student leaders at UT Knoxville are holding a news conference at 11 a.m. EDT today on campus.
Don Green, executive director of the UT Institute for Public Service’s Law Enforcement Innovation Center, is available for interviews discuss how an increase in guns on campus could complicate police response to shooting incidents. Green is a former deputy chief of police, and he served as a SWAT team leader. To schedule an interview, please contact Susan Robertson at [email protected] or 865-974-6621.
The University of Tennessee is the state’s comprehensive land-grant institution with campuses in Knoxville, Chattanooga and Martin; the Health Science Center based in Memphis; the statewide Institutes of Agriculture and for Public Service, and the Space Institute in Tullahoma, which is managed by UT Knoxville. | <urn:uuid:05a6b29e-8f6f-4045-ad26-93555de386cf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tennessee.edu/media/releases/041811_guns.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960391 | 767 | 1.664063 | 2 |
The race to create the gold standard of measurement for social media influence continues. The last we heard from Klout was that it was now tracking around 60 million profiles. But today it would appear PeerIndex is in its rear view mirror with 45 million profiles and counting.
PeerIndex, which identifies experts who use social media like Twitter to expound on their chosen topics, is effectively building an opinion former marketing service which lets marketers and brands access these highly influential individuals.
While Klout gives us an overall score for an individuals’ influence, PeerIndex goes after the actual subjects people are expert in and ranks them accordingly with a proprietary algorithm. They say that avoids brands using social media to target the wrong people. This is all part of the brave new world knownn as “opinion former marketing” – something I slightly shudder to even repeat, but it does appear to be a growing sector.
Azeem Azhar, CEO of PeerIndex, says “With 45 million users we are covering pretty much every twitter user with influence within a certain field. Whilst there are something like 175 million users in total the vast majority of these are either inactive or are just followers rather than tweeters.”
This also suggests that Twitter may have a much lower number of active users, as others have suggested.
Peer Index pivoted from its previous incarnation as ViewsFlow last year.
The startup is privately backed by leading European angels and executives including Sherry Coutu, Stefan Glaenzer (formerly of Last.fm), Bill Emmott (former Editor in Chief of The Economist), Ab Banerjee (former CEO of Raw Communications), Simon Gibson, Anthemis and Nauiokas Park.
Update: It’s worth mentioning Traackr is also a competitor to Klout and PeerIndex. | <urn:uuid:396c7569-d00e-45a7-acc1-86ad212ffbc5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://techcrunch.com/2011/06/22/pearindex-hits-45-million-profiles-aims-out-out-clout-klout/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956881 | 372 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Go to Admin » Appearance » Widgets » and move Gabfire Widget: Social into that MastheadOverlay zone
Michele Bachmann Tells Supporters of Trayvon Martin They’re Imagining Things
Michele Bachmann tried to defend Newt Gingrich’s comments about the shooting of Trayvon Martin by accusing people of imagining what happened.
Here is the video from ABC News:
Transcript from This Week:
STEPHANOPOULOS: Good morning. Well, let’s first get a response to what David Plouffe there had to say about Speaker Gingrich’s comments on the Trayvon Martin case. What did you make of that?
BACHMANN: Well, I think what Newt Gingrich said is that race shouldn’t be a factor. All human life is valuable. And it’s interesting the second part of David Plouffe’s answer, he said the same thing. All human life is valuable.
That should be the bottom line. I’m a mother, a mother of five biological children, but also a mother of 23 great foster children. And when you’re a mother, of course, when something tragic like this happens, you want to know what the truth is, what’s the result. That’s why an investigation is so important. We have to get to the truth about what really happened, not imagine what happened, but actually get to the truth.
Bachmann was trying to defend these statements by Newt Gingrich, “What the president said, in a sense, is disgraceful. It’s not a question of who that young man looked like. Any young American of any ethnic background should be safe, period. We should all be horrified, no matter what the ethnic background. Is the president suggesting that, if it had been a white who’d been shot, that would be OK, because it wouldn’t look like him? That’s just nonsense.”
The game the right is now playing is to pretend that there are no facts in the Trayvon Martin case. They want the American people to believe that the facts are unknown, and anyone who believes that an innocent young man was gunned down in cold blood is imagining things. I guess people are imagining the 911 tape. They also must be imagining the fact that an armed George Zimmerman chased down an unarmed 17 year old. It must also be a figment of the imagination that the man who authored Florida’s Stand Your Ground law has stated that it does not apply to Zimmerman.
Bachmann is correct that George Zimmerman is innocent until proven guilty in a court law, but the problem in this case is the refusal of local enforcement to involve the judicial system in the case. The people who believe that Trayvon Martin was murdered do not hold that belief due to an imaginary construct. When an armed adult chases down an unarmed teenager and shoots him to death, and there is a 9-1-1 call to prove it, imagination isn’t needed to understand the likely chain of events.
It is the height of absurdity for Bachmann to suggest that Gingrich’s comments did not have a basis in race. Newt Gingrich was insinuating that President Obama is a racist for saying that if he had a son Trayvon Martin would look like him. Would Michele Bachmann claim that people were imagining things if the roles were reversed? What if Trayvon Martin was white/Hispanic unarmed teenager and George Zimmerman was an African-American? Would Bachmann still claim that those who are calling for an investigation or an arrest are imagining things?
First, they tried to blame the victim for wearing a hoodie. Now they are claiming that it is all just your imagination. The right doesn’t care about George Zimmerman, but they certainly don’t want the American people asking questions about stand your ground laws, ALEC, and the NRA, so they are looking for any excuse to bury the reality that a teenager was gunned and nobody wants to be held responsible. | <urn:uuid:c721be06-c0a2-47d2-88e7-79f5da4f3968> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.politicususa.com/bachmann-trayvon-martin-2.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961662 | 830 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Well, here’s to science tracing sibling bickering all the way back to the womb. A “cinematic MRI” has given us quite the window into the early squabbles of twins — and let’s just say space is kind of an issue.
But footage of this kind isn’t solely to entertain Internet dwellers like ourselves. The Huffington Post reports that MRIs of this nature have quite the function for the health of some twins in utero:
 …it has an important application on a diagnostic level: Doctors use it to diagnose how fetuses are affected by twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) — a dangerous condition in which one identical twin siphons blood away from the other, the doctor said.
Apparently, TTTS, which can happen at any stage during a twin pregnancy, can put too much strain on the heart of twin doling out all the nutrients. Run of the mill ultrasounds can reportedly pick up TTTS. But it’s advances in technology like this that provide a better view as to what all is going on in there.
Lots of kicking and fussing from the looks of these two. And with such little leg room to go around. Those look like mighty little leg kicks, I tell you. Can we get a side-by-side with the mother’s facial expression please? | <urn:uuid:939636d0-b3ac-46b7-a8f4-a691d98c0f2b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mommyish.com/2012/12/03/twins-ultrasound/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938685 | 287 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Gilbert’s new paint recycling program has some residents seeing brown.
Since beginning its hazardous waste disposal program in July, the town has accepted about 1,050 gallons of unwanted latex paint from more than 200 people. The paint is blended together to make various shades of brown available free to residents.
“We’re saving the cost of disposing it, and residents get free paint,” town spokesman Greg Svelund said.
The town pays a private contractor to dispose of paint, motor oil, antifreeze, pesticides and other household chemicals.
Gilbert officials say they’ve saved at least $1,000 in disposal fees by recycling the paint. And they have given away about 125 gallons so far.
The town also has various household chemicals available, though not on a consistent basis. “But the paint is more consistently available,” Svelund said. Residents are allowed up to 25 gallons of paint at a time.
Where: Gilbert Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility, 2224 E. Queen Creek Road.
What: Residents may get up to 25 gallons of paint in various shades of brown. First come, first served.
When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. | <urn:uuid:e169d6b3-b52e-40df-962b-5298b75c2b7f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/local/article_b3dc2b38-e30a-5597-bf3a-a9ecf579f6ce.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933431 | 276 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Very nice and completely routable maps based on OSM data by Lambertus
This map is based on data from the OpenStreetMap Project. Lambertus offers probably the easiest and most convenient way to download OSM data for your Garmin GPS. You can download individual tiles or select a number of tiles you want to download through a nice map/online viewer. The maps are routable and also come with a Mapsource AND a RoadTrip installer. However as the capacities are limited there sometimes (depending on the time of day) is quite a wait until your request is processed and your individual mapset is build.
OpenStreetMap works that way, that everybody can upload their GPS tracks from which maps from all over the world are being created. This means that the quality of the map depends on the tracks uploaded by the users (you're welcome to contribute to the project by uploading your tracks as well) and therefore the quality differs greatly from country to country, region to region and city to city. As there are continuously new tracks being contributed the maps are getting better and better every day, so if a map of a region is not as detailed as you had expected either join the community and help by contributing and/or come back in a few weeks or months and you will most likely find a better map with more data and information than there was before. | <urn:uuid:ea2c670f-6b06-443a-95f4-29ee1d3438ff> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mapsntrails.com/en/Philippines/maps-vector/item-592 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976211 | 273 | 1.53125 | 2 |
nytimes.com — If I were a close adviser of President Obama’s, I would say to him, “Mr. President, you have two urgent and overwhelming tasks in front of you: to put Americans trapped in this terrible employment crisis back to work and to put the brakes on your potentially disastrous plan to escalate the war in Afghanistan.”
blog.aflcio.org — While we take the time to honor the courage and sacrifice shown by our veterans, we should also rededicate ourselves to making sure vets have a secure and stable life after they finish their service. The U.S. Labor Department reports the unemployment rate among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is 11.3 percent, significantly above the overall rate of 10.2 percent for the nation as a whole. Some 185,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are out of work.
thenation.com — While most of official Washington was all hot and bothered about health care reform last week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was paying attention to a far more serious concern. The unemployment rate had spiked, moving into double digits for the first time in more than a quarter century. Reid's response was the right one.
This week, Barack Obama trips to China as part of an eight-day trip to Asia. The White House paints a full agenda: Afghanistan, human rights, North Korean nukes, climate change, trade relations, and the economy. But it's really just the economy, stupid.
In clean energy, countries get what they pay for. If the United States won't invest in cleaner manufacturing, other countries will, and their workers will benefit from being able to supply their markets and others. more »
inthesetimes.com — To confront the growing poverty and social misery that is engulfing the poorest 40 percent of Americans, the United States will require a national jobs program based on significant public investment in the economy.
blogs.wsj.com — With the unemployment rate in double-digit territory, the Obama administration is turning to trade policy as a potential balm for the ailing labor market.
By increasing exports to rapidly growing countries like China and India, the U.S. could put a dent in joblessness and foster long-term economic growth without stressing the federal budget. But overhauling export policy is part of a White House approach that is in the early stages of execution.
Obama officials want to change outdated U.S. export controls, make it easier for foreign executives to travel to the U.S. and strengthen protections of intellectual property. One difficulty they face is making it easier for companies shipping products overseas to obtain necessary financing and credit from banks. And firms still face intellectual property rights and foreign-exchange issues.
Some, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, complain that as long as a trio of stalled free trade agreements remain unratified, the administration is shunning the most direct way to quickly lift exports. Its stance on trade agreements with Colombia, South Korea and Panama is still unclear. | <urn:uuid:94c132e9-893a-4ecd-8ee2-4f4dca5f6ddf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ourfuture.org/Making+It+In+America/relatedlinks?page=240 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949182 | 614 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Residents protest proposed road project
DAVIS COUNTY, Utah — A large group of people braved the snow to protest against the proposed West Davis corridor, which is a road project they fear will ruin their quiet community.
There are two options for the proposed freeway—an interchange will be built to the east at Shepard Lane or to the west at Glovers lane. Both Kaysville and Farmington residents don’t want the interchange near their homes.
Residents said they have already given up the wetlands along Legacy Parkway, and they don’t want the state to take control of any more. Residents said the area is a refuge for birds, and it’s also an area much used by joggers, bikers, birdwatchers, hunters and photographers. Resident Jenny DeSpain said people like the area the way it is.
“I think all of us moved out here because it feels rural,” she said. “I know that so many people come out here every morning for their runs and bike rides. It gives people sanity to have places like this, and you can’t take them back.”
People from a variety of interest groups gathered at the potential road site, and they asked the Utah Department of Transportation to completely reconsider the proposal. Their concerns range from increased pollution to negative impacts on property values in the area.
UDOT is currently conducting an environmental impact study to see how a roadway would affect the surrounding area. The results of the study are expected to be released this spring. UDOT spokesperson John Gleason said they appreciate hearing people’s opinion on the matter.
“We have to go through this process in order to provide the best answers and come to the best decision,” he said. “We value the input from all of the community members as well as the environmentalists. Through their input it’s going to help us come to the best decision.”
A final route decision is expected to come in 2014, but a proposal will be made to the Federal Highway Administration sometime in the next few months.
- Mom gives bullying daughter a unique punishment
- Oklahoma tornado survivor finds dog buried alive under rubble [VIDEO]
- Thrift shop clothes punishment for bullying tween gets mixed reviews
- Teen named person of interest in brothers' deaths
- Teen featured in viral video dies-- leaves incredible message behind | <urn:uuid:60b8a39f-3e74-4420-baad-d44360e7bbe2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://fox13now.com/2013/02/23/residents-protest-proposed-road-project/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961604 | 489 | 1.84375 | 2 |
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 (Bernama) — A reduction in the tax rate in the 2012 Budget can spur Malaysia’s growth and competitiveness, says UHY.
UHY is a network of independent accounting and consulting firms with offices in nearly 240 major business centres in 78 countries.
Research has revealed that Malaysia has one of the world’s most competitive and business friendly tax systems in the world today, given the global state of affairs, with a debt crisis in the US and the European Union.
“In line with our national aspiration to become a high income nation, competitiveness of the nation’s tax regime is critical,” Alvin Tee of UHY Malaysia said in a statement, today.
He said a further reduction in tax would put Malaysia on the map as a haven for investors and international businesses.
“Even marginal reductions can make Malaysia suddenly, visibly more attractive.
“It would make sense to do this as it would beautifully complement the government’s drive to raise foreign direct investment, attract new talent and encourage consumer and business spending and investment domestically,” he added.
Source : Bernama | <urn:uuid:a7c2f1f5-1f37-49ab-bc9c-b723ddbe8e7d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.1malaysia.com.my/news_archive/tax-reduction-may-spur-growth-of-malaysia/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940659 | 238 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Grievances And Governance
the frequency with which Sri Lanka's leaders have turned a new leaf and
made a fresh beginning, their book of life must be a weighty tome
indeed. Last Tuesday, addressing the nation on its 55th independence
anniversary, the President pledged to turn yet another new leaf and
urged the government to do likewise (making two leaves in all).
turn we new leaves ever so briskly, we risk drowning in our own mixed
metaphors and rhetoric. Even as the government explores all avenues and
leaves no stone unturned in its quest for peace, everyone knows that its
actions, which surely speak louder than words, indicate the contrary.
When it comes to statesmanship, it is not the public verbiage that
brings home the bacon: it is the deals made in the drawing rooms of the
rich and powerful over a whisky-and-splash.
Presidential platitudes aside, we need to look long and hard at the
ever-narrowing options available to the UNF government even as the
opportunity of peace slips inexorably from its grasp. For even if we do
not, the LTTE will: of that we can be sure.
the recent storm in a teacup over the import of broadcast equipment by
the LTTE shows, there is a formidable element among the body politic and
civil society alike, that is willing enthusiastically to throw spanners
in the works. Led by President Kumaratunga, the Sinhala right wing is
irked that the equipment was imported legally, and a broadcast license
fact that it was imported duty-free in the Norwegian diplomatic bag, as
it were, has annoyed many. No doubt it would have pleased these seekers
of righteousness no end if the Tigers had smuggled the equipment in, as
they have for the past 20 years and continued to broadcast illegally (as
also they have, for the past 20 years). What is more, Kumaratunga would
have it that the LTTE should have paid several million rupees in customs
duty: not a pleasant thought for the peasants of the north and east from
whom the LTTE would have extorted that money, to pay into the
it or not, we have only the LTTE to deal with in negotiating a deal on
peace. Everyone knows the Tigers are a bunch of bloodthirsty murderers,
albeit murderers masquerading behind a cause. Inasmuch as that is our
perception of them, that happens also to be their perception of us (take
for example the cold-blooded murder of Kumar Ponnambalam, the trail of
blood from which led right up to the doormat of President's House;
nevertheless, there has been no delivery of justice). The fact is that
following the international ban on the LTTE, the Tigers are starved for
funds. Where then, will they find the money to buy bread, sew cloth and
pay the rent (to say nothing of radio license fees and customs duty)?
From the peasants, of course.
has been a great hue and cry about the illegal taxes levied by the LTTE.
Despicable! But what alternative revenue stream is available to the
Tigers? None. Neither can the government legitimately fund the Tigers
(e.g., as administrators of the north and east) until and unless the
organisation is legitimised, not only in Sri Lanka, but across the
world. Until such time as that happens, and we are months (if not years)
away from that, the Tigers have no option but to raise dirty money.
the political bickering and wavering now in progress about every aspect
of the peace process, the message we are sending to the LTTE is clearly
that it is most unlikely that the Sinhalese (to say nothing of the
Muslims) will come close to the much hoped-for 'southern consensus.'
This being so, the Tigers would be foolish not to arm, train and be in
is the hidden message in Kumaratunga's independence day speech. She
urged the government (read Ranil Wickremesinghe) to disclose its agenda.
"All the stakeholders in government and parliament, as much as all
our peoples, must be kept informed of the policy framework the
government wishes to employ to achieve peace."
nice as this sounds, it is only a device to distance herself from the
government, reserving the right to throw brickbats at the "policy
framework the government wishes to employ" no sooner it is
announced. Instead, what Kumaratunga might have done well to offer, was
to engage fully with the government to develop a joint agenda for peace.
That she has signally failed to do.
since independence, successive governments have convincingly blotched
their copy books, and in style. 'Sinhala Only,' the 'Sri' number plate,
poya holidays, labour liberties, land reform... and the list goes on, of
the sins of omission and commission. Each one of these blunders has
turned the clock back on progress, both social and economic. Each has in
turn led to worse government and increased public discontent. The net
effect has been two youth uprisings and one separatist insurgency.
casus belli of the Tamils is not just about grievances relating to
racial intolerance; it is about an aspiration to good government. It is
far from likely that the LTTE will deliver a government that is any
better than the one in Colombo, but that is not to say that the Tamils
must be content with the Colombo government any more than that JVP was.
cut poor figures in this country, and have been, almost to a man (and
woman) responsible for looting the people's wealth ever since
independence. Ranil Wickremesinghe's pathetic acquiescence last
fortnight to the Rs. 7 million handout to the Ashraff family is one
example of the looting of which we speak; so was Chandrika Kumaratunga's
expenditure of upwards of a billion rupees on luxury vehicles for
crisis that led to the Tamil separatist movement transcends mere
discriminatory grievances: it is at least as much to do with the
frustration of being governed by a bunch of self-serving gluttons at the
centre. No connection with central government would make sense to the
Tamils unless that government could be trusted not to exploit the people
and enrich itself. After all, isn't that what everyone's so upset about
the Tigers are doing to their own people right now, through illegal
duties and taxes?
Kumaratunga has exhorted Ranil Wickremesinghe to discuss core issues.
Well, what could be closer to the core than the crisis of confidence
there is in the governance she and Wickremesinghe offer, whether jointly | <urn:uuid:31c1acf4-5910-44ed-a91c-d9034a9bf83a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thesundayleader.lk/archive/20030209/editorial.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946818 | 1,463 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Jeremiah Chapter 12
Viewing the Standard King James Version (Pure Cambridge). Click to switch to 1611 King James Version of Jeremiah Chapter 12
1 Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?
4 How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.
5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?
6 For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.
14 Thus saith the LORD against all mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit; Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among them.
16 And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, The LORD liveth; as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the midst of my people.
|<< Jeremiah Chapter 11||
Share Jeremiah Chapter 12:
Matthew Henry's Jeremiah Chapter 12 Bible commentary...
Jeremiah complains of the prosperity of the wicked. (1-6) The heavy judgments to come upon the nation. (7-13) Divine mercy to them, and even to the nations around. (14-17)1-6 When we are most in the dark concerning God's dispensations, we must keep up right thoughts of God, believing that he never did the least wrong to any of his creatures. When we find it hard to understand any of his dealings with us, or others, we must look to general truths as our first principles, and abide by them: the Lord is righteous. The God with whom we have to do, knows how our hearts are toward him. He knows both the guile of the hypocrite and the sincerity of the upright. Divine judgments would pull the wicked out of their pasture as sheep for the slaughter. This fruitful land was turned into barrenness for the wickedness of those that dwelt therein. The Lord reproved the prophet. The opposition of the men of Anathoth was not so formidable as what he must expect from the rulers of Judah. Our grief that there should be so much evil is often mixed with peevishness on account of the trials it occasions us. And in this our favoured day, and under our trifling difficulties, let us consider how we should behave, if called to sufferings like those of saints in former ages.
7-13 God's people had been the dearly-beloved of his soul, precious in his sight, but they acted so, that he gave them up to their enemies. Many professing churches become like speckled birds, presenting a mixture of religion and the world, with its vain fashions, pursuits, and pollutions. God's people are as men wondered at, as a speckled bird; but this people had by their own folly made themselves so; and the beasts and birds are called to prey upon them. The whole land would be made desolate. But until the judgments were actually inflicted, none of the people would lay the warning to heart. When God's hand is lifted up, and men will not see, they shall be made to feel. Silver and gold shall not profit in the day of the Lord's anger. And the efforts of sinners to escape misery, without repentance and works answerable thereto, will end in confusion.
14-17 The Lord would plead the cause of his people against their evil neighbours. Yet he would afterwards show mercy to those nations, when they should learn true religion. This seems to look forward to the times when the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in. Those who would have their lot with God's people, and a last end like theirs, must learn their ways, and walk in them.
Rebecca's Jeremiah Chapter 12 comment about verse 5 on 4/10/2013, 2:41pm...
I think this is to encourage all Pilgrims not to give up in the face of small problems or what will we do when bigger problems show up in our journey...
What Do You Think of Jeremiah 12?
Share your own thoughts or commentary here...
Test Your Knowledge of Jeremiah Chapter 12
|<< Jeremiah Chapter 11| | <urn:uuid:e9ae5d71-f071-4fdc-a8a8-fbc8248b4ab0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Jeremiah-Chapter-12/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9706 | 1,011 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Raise the Red Lantern
It was by the light of the full moon and thousands of silk lanterns that I first saw Hoi An, one of the oldest towns in South East Asia. To celebrate and venerate the ancient town's history, as on every full moon, the residents forget they have electricity and swing lanterns of every shape, style and colour from ancient beams, rickety balconies, gnarled branches, knotted door frames, mouldy eaves and twisted wires, glittering the town alive in a colourful wake.
The streets, snaking like dried yellow river beds at the feet of crumbling wooden houses, were quiet. There were no cars, motorbikes or bicycles. No bells, no horns, no animals. Only the occasional wail of Chinese opera spilling down steps worn smooth by half a millenium of wear, interjected by the delighted shrieks of awe-struck, slack-jawed children learning their history from behind grotesque masks and cobwebbed costumes. The shouts from a martial arts competition in a distant courtyard. The chorus of enthusiastic spectators as a Chinese chequer player, balancing his game on a wobbly table, made a wise move. The deep, introspective silence of the old barber, sitting in his pyjamas on a plastic stool, waiting for someone to come in for a shave. The soft whirring of an old Singer sewing machine, pedalled by the tie maker in his shop that's also a laundry and a bicycle hire.
It reminded me of old Oriental films, slices of an exotic, mysterious life where opium dens, silk fans, inscrutable ladies of the night, fried scorpions and bloody duels with long knives are all in a day's work. Perhaps this was a scene out of Raise the Red Lantern, where all that was missing was someone in a peaked cap turned backwards to shout "CUT! It's a wrap!" and the extras would pull off their silk pyjamas and go and have a milkshake.
But it wasn't. Hoi An, 30km from Danang, Vietnam, established in the 16th century, became one of the most important trans-shipment centres in South East Asia. It was known to the Europeans as Faifo, and merchants from China, Portugal, Japan, Holland and France came to deal in valuable products - silk, fabrics, ivory, jewellery, porcelain, pepper and cinnamon. The Japanese and Chinese traders who inhabited Hoi An left their cultural legacy, which was then transformed by Vietnamese architects into the distinctive, elaborate Hoi An style of decorated roofs and sculptured pillars.
Very little has changed since then, and very little is likely to change since UNESCO's recent declaration of the town's world heritage status because it is "an outstanding material manifestation of the fusion of cultures over time in an international commercial port", and "an exceptionally well preserved example of a traditional Asian trading port".
In the 17th century, Hoi An was virtually abandoned after the long-standing power struggles between the rival kings of Vietnam had severely restricted trade, and as a result the natural harbour had silted up. Danang became the leading port, and Hoi An was left to its own devices.
In a world frozen in time, the people of Hoi An still travel by foot or bicycle. Above shops selling paintings and lanterns for the few tourists who do drop in, up stairs grooved from five hundred years of being trampled, they still unravel silk cocoons by hand, spin the silk on antiquated looms, and cut and stitch the garments without the aid of technology. They still catch their fish, and gossip in the marketplace.
There are numerous temples, assembly halls, shrines, clan houses, private residences and business premises. The old town is divided into five districts on the model of Chinese clans, and each district has its own pagoda. The most well known construction is the red Japanese Covered Bridge, called Lai Vien Kieu in Vietnamese, that has it's own temple and guardian statues. Begun in the year of the monkey (1593) and completed in the Year of the Dog (1595), the bridge has sculptures of dogs at the western end and monkeys at the eastern end. It is built over a tributary and connects two historic districts - the old Japanese and the old Chinese quarters. It's survived floods, wars, and renovations and is still a favourite meeting place for locals, as well as a place where they can shelter from the sun or the rain.
It's a shame that the 1719 name change to "Bridge for Passers-By from Afar" didn't catch on. Although Hoi An has been visited by foreigners for five hundred years, it's not plagued by tourists, ATM machines and touts. In spite of tourism moves to the contrary, I hope it never is. Those few tourists who find their way there like the idea that they have a little treasure to themselves. They hang about in the street of restaurants along the Thu Bon River, writing their journals and gazing out on the water, watching the activities on the water across which a soft wind shuffles, like silk trailing down polished steps. For a few dollars they can also catch a ride with fishermen to neighbouring islands.
To my chagrin, I didn't take my camera with me that night. So I returned the next day, even though it meant a 100km round trip from the hotel - a grand, elegant monument built to lure tourists, in complete contrast to the village I'd yearned to see in daylight. But it was raining, a solid, grey, teeming tropical rain that should have washed away all the romance of the night. It didn't. The lanterns were certainly bedraggled, the opera was silent, the children were at school, and my imaginary ladies of the night were obviously sleeping. But the houses, in their old, peeling, mossy, faded glory were just as beautiful. So were the boats, unloading their fish, and the residents in sodden plastic ponchos, struggling along on their bicycles.
Now it was a group of women fruit sellers who were playing Chinese chequers. Above the artist's shop, they were still spinning silk. The barber was still waiting for someone to come in for a shave. I bought a silk tie for two dollars from the bicycle renter. Later, back home, I saw a photo of twenty rickshaws filled with snapping tourists, taken in Hoi An at another, sunnier, time. I'm glad I wasn't there then.
* * * * *
Published on 11/14/01 | <urn:uuid:7c196a18-5dbb-433c-bd72-4422dc4428a5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thingsasian.com/stories-photos/1756/56363944/0/itm0_art | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974574 | 1,372 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Where are they located?
The Dorze village, which is about 35 kilometerss from Arbaminch, is situated high up in the misty Guge Mountains.
What are their lives like?
The Omotic Dorze people are famous for their beehive shaped huts which are constructed with vertical hardwood poles and woven bamboo. According to the inhabitants this towering, re-locatable, structure can go as high as 12 meters and last from 60-80 years. Traditionally the bamboos that are used as frames for the huts are cut during moonlight. For insulating the roof of the hut a thatch of false banana (Enset), grass and cover of the bamboo stem are used. Through time when termites destroy the basement of the huts, after having avoided the rotten part of the basement, the whole structure can be lifted and relocated in a different place of the same compound. This practice explains why the hut is first built so high. The older the house the shorter the height. | <urn:uuid:d2cc7d23-71f5-48de-abb8-b830313c0a10> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.joshuaproject.net/print.php?rog3=ET&peo3=11614 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965917 | 209 | 1.828125 | 2 |
In this centennial anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic there has been much comment about its lack of lifeboats. In fact the real question is why it had any lifeboats at all. The contract the majority of passengers had with the White Star Line was to get across the Atlantic as cheaply as possible. If, at the design stage, prospective passengers had been able to influence the designer, Thomas Andrews, they would probably have urged him to remove all the lifeboats in return for more berths and lower fares.
After all, the ship represented the peak of Edwardian technology. It had steam power, electric lights and wireless. Only a few decades before westbound passengers faced weeks of sailing into headwinds on a sailing ship heeled over with precious few creature comforts and no prospect of being able to radio for help.
This might seem far removed from the world of investing, but there are parallels. These days the mantra is to reduce the cost of a fund to the lowest possible level. The annual management charge, (AMC), the total expense ratio (TER) and the total cost of ownership (TCO) are pushed down by ferocious competition between product providers who use ever more sophisticated technology to reduce costs. It is routine now to use derivatives, synthetics, swaps and options to create something that looks and behaves like an index fund. Yet under the wrappers of some ETFs the contents are a long way from what it says on the tin.
All is fine of course in smooth waters. With no waves or icebergs these products happily sail on delivering the returns of the index they purport to represent. But this lulls the investor into the Titanic Effect, which is:
ďOne of a number of self-fulfilling behavioural biases where your expectations bias your behaviour and make it more likely that youíll fall foul of the very problems you think youíve overcomeĒ
In other words you drive faster if your car has airbags which may increase the risk of an accident.
Modern, low cost ETF index funds use all sorts of techniques to reduce cost. But these techniques increase the risk of a mighty disaster if they hit a financial iceberg. Little regard is paid to the risk the counterparties in the transactions might fail and leave investors out of pocket. Of course if they donít collide with a large object they have achieved the financial equivalent of crossing the Atlantic at great speed and at low cost and the lack of lifeboats made their trip cheaper. However, if the synthetic fund hits a monetary crisis the consequences could be dire. Will investors question what level of safety they require and, even more important, will they pay the extra?
Modern ships and aircraft donít give you a choice. Cruise liners have enough lifeboats, even if the crew of the Costa Concordia didnít know how to use them. Aeroplanes have more devices than you can imagine that prevent pilots doing stupid things. Though even these did not stop the co-pilot of Air France flight 447 putting the A330 into a stall at 38,000 feet and ignoring all warnings until it crashed into the Atlantic.
The world of investing is different though. Safety devices are not mandatory and, even worse, investors are not told they are optional extras, missing or not wanted on the voyage. These oversights are compounded by labelling that is positively unhelpful. Who would suspect that something labelled as a FTSE 100 ETF only has one UK share in it? The rest of the portfolio consists of Asian shares and sundry financial instruments. It is as if the Trades Description Act, so protective of pork pies, sundry cheeses and European dried meats, has no relevance to financial products whatsoever. If the things it owns are not stocks in the FTSE100 who knows what the real risks are? They are certainly not the same as a fund that holds the shares it says it does and has not lent them out.
It is not just increased risk that is being miss-sold. There are other knock-on effects of this disconnection between labels and contents. Complex financial products reduce the ability of asset managers to exercise their rights of corporate governance. How can they vote on takeovers and pay packages of companies that are ostensibly in their index if they donít own the underlying stock?
Maybe passengers would still have boarded the Titanic if it had no lifeboats on the basis that the fare was low enough to take the gamble. But how many investors in low cost funds fully understand the hazards they run and would they like to be told? Do they want their funds to have so much risk with no safety net and do they have any appreciation of the counterparty risks they are incurring?
It took the loss of 1500 lives and a Board of Inquiry before it was mandatory for ships to sacrifice economics for safety and carry enough lifeboats. What kind of accident will it take before the FSA requires funds to do what they say on the label?
(The S & W Munro UK Fund is a physical long-only smart-beta fund that invests in the FTSE 350 Index and complies with The Stewardship Code.) | <urn:uuid:c5a6b1a1-9966-4a15-9637-ae8d8e522165> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://themunrofund.com/081205_the_munro_blog_may_2012.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969952 | 1,050 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Can You Optimise A Mobile Website?
Mobile phones are becoming a more and more popular way for users to access the internet on the go. When considering whether to create a mobile version of your website, it is worth thinking about the great pace at which mobile technology is changing. It is now possible to have an almost full computer internet experience on your mobile phone, with purpose built internet browsers, easy to use navigation etc. Some phones have a fully functioning integrated keyboard which can help to maximise the user experience. So where does this leave Search Engine Optimisation and can it really make a difference in this medium?
Although the technology and capabilities of mobile phones to deliver a great internet experience for their user is improving all of the time, there is much to be said for having a mobile version of your website available as even the most up to date phones find these easier to deal with, faster to load and are a great way for users to find the information they need when on the move. The major search engines have mobile versions and therefore Search Engine Optimisation is a way to tap into this traffic by optimising your mobile website in order to help it rise through the results listings. A good SEO company can analyse your current website and develop a strategy to improve your mobile website Search Engine Optimisation.
Making sure that your mobile site uses valid XHTML code is vital as mobiles search engines do not deal well with invalid code and can find it much easier to find and read your website if it validates. Making your site easy for search engines to index and understand is the key to mobile SEO, as it is with all other forms of Search Engine Optimisation. Another way in which this is done is to make sure that your website meets all the usual W3C accessibility guidelines and best practices.
Having an image-heavy mobile website is a bad idea generally, although a few small images can help with the design and therefore improve the user experience. Any graphics that you do use must be corrected tagged in order to help search engines to read and recognise them.
Just as with any other Search Engine Optimisation, keyword choice is an important part of the process. Ensuring that you choose relevant but not over-competitive keywords to target can make a big difference to the traffic that you attract. It is also worth noting that typing is usually significantly more difficult on mobile phones than computers, so some long-tail keywords which may be great in terms of SEO for a nornal website, may be counter productive as users won’t usually have the patience to type them when searching on their mobile.
Submitting your mobile website to search engines is a good way to start getting them noticed and directory submissions can also play a big part as long as they are appropriate and good quality directories. A good SEO company has the experience and knowledge necessary to help your mobile website achieve its potential and provide a good return on your investment.
This blog was written over 6 months ago and Internet Marketing and SEO is an always changing industry which means the information within this blog may be out of date. Use caution when using any methods or suggestions within it. | <urn:uuid:850483ed-7d9c-447a-b172-5c0b19b8dc9f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.seoconsult.com/seoblog/browser-software-and-search-engine-optimisation/can-you-optimise-a-mobile-website.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945857 | 631 | 1.75 | 2 |
We’ve all seen the story on Gizmodo, TechCrunch or some other blog: developer creates iPhone app, makes $300,000 in six weeks, and quits his day job. These stories are the ones that have driven many developers into the modern day gold rush: iPhone app development. With so many apps competing for the attention of the platforms users, developers are now creating apps and crossing their fingers. Their goal? To make it into the Top 100, where millions of users will see their app for free, and they can soon ride the waves of cash that will surely come in.
So the question is this: how do you get your application into the top 100?
Is it being featured by Apple?
Maybe a blog post on TechCrunch or Gizmodo?
Perhaps it could be having your app in an iPhone commercial?
For most apps in the top 100, it’s likely a combination of developing a high quality product and blind luck (there is always the occasional flatulence app). Statistically, becoming a wealthy iPhone developer is unlikely. If you’re going to pour your time into creating something of value with the hope of making a substantial profit, you simply cannot rely on luck.
Let’s look at the iPhone Lottery for what it really is: a chance to leave the “rat race” and become your own boss or, at the very least, a way for you to add enough passive income so that you can enjoy life a little more. Using iPhone development as a tool to leave the “rat race” is possible, but what is more likely is that you can increase your income by $15,000 to $30,000 a year.
The key to making money with this platform can be seen by doing some simple math.
A $1.99 application will yield $1.39 after Apple’s 30%.
One application at the price of $1.99 with 30 downloads per day equals $1,251 per month or $15,012 a year.
Now, three applications at the price of $1.99 with 30 downloads per day each equals $3,753 per month or $45,036 a year.
I won’t even venture into the income range you would make if you were doing 60, 100, or even 200 downloads a day per application. These download numbers are substantial, but they are far below what is necessary to get into the coveted Top 100. The point is that by creating multiple high quality apps, you can make money on this platform. It may not be $300,000 in six weeks, but it very well could be enough to positively impact your life.
There is an added benefit to creating and marketing multiple applications.
Each app is a free marketing resource that you can use for cross-promoting your applications. Cross-promotion is a huge asset in marketing your apps, and it is free! A simple useful app with a great UI could easily reach twenty downloads a day with a good marketing effort. If you have multiple applications and cross-promote within them, you’ll see that your applications will begin to drive sales for you.
If your goal is to supplement your income or potentially quit your job, the aforementioned plan is not only logical but easily implementable.
My advice to you is simple: become a realist as soon as possible, work on changing your perception of what success is in the App Store, and get out of the “Get Rich Quick” mentality that drives lotto ticket sales. Master the platform, find an awesome UI designer, and have fun building great apps! | <urn:uuid:c775940f-bc68-4ce7-a712-b6e6ebf5a242> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mobile.tutsplus.com/articles/marketing/app-marketing-quick-tip-beating-the-odds-and-winning-the-iphone-lottery/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952043 | 752 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Dragonsbane is a deluding fluid used by Susa to weaken the Serpent at Gaia Rock in Golden Sun: The Lost Age. At first, it doesn't seem to help much against the vile creature because even after feeding vast quantities of the liquid to the Serpent, he still cannot kill it with the Cloud Brand. However, after Felix's battle with the beast proves successful (but only after further weakening it with beams of sunlight), they claim to Uzume in Izumo that the Dragonsbane did in fact cause the Serpent to be less powerful during their fight.
In the Japanese version of The Lost Age, the fluid is simply named Sake, a Japanese alcoholic beverage. This gives it consistency with the legend of Susanoo, who feeds the dragon with loads of Sake to put it in a drunken stupor so that he may slay it. The alcoholic reference was removed for censorship reasons and thus was given the name Dragonsbane for the English release. | <urn:uuid:0685cd6f-a7c9-4e6e-85dd-8f9606edbea9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://goldensunwiki.net/Dragonsbane | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962719 | 193 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Even Bono is worried about the fiscal cliff.
The lead singer of Irish band U2 says spending cuts that hit in January would devastate programs to help the world’s poor, leading to more than 60,000 deaths.
“There’s real jeopardy,” Bono said Wednesday at a discussion at the World Bank with bank President Jim Yong Kim. “I’m still terrified of people wrestling the wheel of this mad lorry that they’re driving off the cliff.”
Sequestration — a package of automatic spending cuts set in motion last year — would slash funding for U.S. programs grouped in the federal budget as “international affairs” by 8.2%, or $4.7 billion, in the current fiscal year. Bono said that includes about $2 billion from anti-poverty programs, such as treatment for HIV/AIDS, on which he focuses at his anti-poverty advocacy group, ONE.
“We know there’s going to be cuts,” he said. “We understand that. But not cuts that cost lives.”
Real Time Economics offers exclusive news, analysis and commentary on the economy, Federal Reserve policy and economics. The Wall Street Journal’s Phil Izzo is the lead editor, with contributions from other Journal reporters and editors. Send news items, comments and questions to [email protected].
Read more Economics coverage. | <urn:uuid:56a438a7-b7a9-464e-abf6-d1f2dedbfc7a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/tag/bono/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9499 | 306 | 1.578125 | 2 |
O'DONNELL CLAN OF DONEGAL
An Account of the Clan from Contemporary Sources
I don't pretend to be an expert on the O'Donnell Clan, but I do have an interest in it, especially as I am
descended from a Donegal O'Donnell. A few years ago I was right into researching EVERYTHING I could lay my hands on about them and the result was a HUGE file full of really
interesting stuff - well, interesting if you're interested in the Clan that is!
So rather than let it gather dust on my bookshelf, I've decided to post what I had. Looking at it now, it
seems that I must have had very little else to do - one part of this information comes from me sitting down with the complete set of the Annals of the Four Masters and picking out
ALL the entries which mention the O'Donnells ......don't ask me why!
I won't be going into the whole story of the Clan either - the person to do that has to be Vincent O'Donnell
in Inver - I bow to him when it comes to knowledge of all things O'Donnell! His website is HERE
and it has links to some excellent sites, including the official O'Donnell Clan
One person who has been of enormous help is John McLaughlin, who has allowed me to mirror some of the pages at
So, on to the documents:
Still More to Come - this is only the beginning!
Census Records | Vital Records | Family Trees & Communities | Immigration Records | Military Records Directories & Member Lists | Family & Local Histories | Newspapers & Periodicals | Court, Land & Probate | Finding Aids | <urn:uuid:64d4737f-5a36-4d5d-977e-5d958c5c8b26> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~donegal/clandalagh.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957442 | 352 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Photography, camera collecting and restoring antique cameras are passions of mine that span more than 50 years. After training and working as a Radiographer, I taught Radiological Imaging at Dawson College in Montreal and was an associate instructor at the NB Community College. An additional 40 years was spent in the Medical Imaging field as an Account Manager for GE Healthcare. My camera collecting reached its zenith with an Exhibition entitled Photography - A 100 Year Retrospective, Box Camera to Digital Camera that was on display at the New Brunswick Museum in Saint John, N.B. from September to December 2000. An important aspect of my collection was to understand the engineering of old cameras and how they evolved. Featured are important cameras from the 20th Century that not only ushered in technological breakthroughs but also played a prominent role in capturing historical events.
COPYRIGHT POLICY Images and text used on this site are copyrighted by David K. Hoyt (unless otherwise noted). You may use my website content for personal use only. You cannot copy or publish this material in any way whatsoever, including any re-use and posting of my materials on any other internet site or media without express consent from David Hoyt. You may refer to matreial on the this site using a URL stating "more information is available at David Photographic Website". | <urn:uuid:6d9dad3f-e080-40da-becb-f7ec4e9f98fd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.clickondavid.com/index-7.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951444 | 267 | 1.609375 | 2 |
In his remarks following the resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak last week, President Obama echoed the pro-democracy protestors in Cairo’s Tahrir Square. When he said, “something in our souls … cries out for freedom,” he sounded a lot like George W. Bush. The Wall Street Journal quipped: "We are all neocons now."
Well, maybe not all. In Lebanon, Hezbollah is snuffing out the Cedar Revolution – a body blow to American and European strategic interests, not to mention what this means for the people of Lebanon.
Gazans went to the polls five years ago, when President Bush was vigorously promoting his Freedom Agenda. But elections in an un-free environment produced only a parody of democracy: one man, one vote, one time. The leaders of Hamas, a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood and a terrorist militia pretending also to be a political party, were happy to have voters hand them power. They do not plan to let voters to take that power away again anytime soon.
Turkey’s 80-year-old experiment with secularism appears to be over. Statues of Kemal Atatürk, modern Turkey’s founding father, still stand but the AKP, an Islamist party that has held power since 2003, is strangling Kemalism and the Turkish military no longer has the strength to break its grip. In recent days, more than 150 serving and retired military officers have been arrested. Meanwhile, it’s been reported that the Turkish army will start training the army of Syria, a client of Iran. Yet Turkey remains a member of NATO.
Iran’s rulers believe – not without justification – that they are spearheading a global revolution against the Great Satan, the Little Satan and all the Satans in between. They believe nuclear weapons will assist this effort – also not without justification. They treat domestic dissidents more brutally than Mubarak ever dreamed. Nevertheless, this week tens of thousands of Iranians took to the streets chanting "Death to the dictator!” Members of the Iranian Parliament called for the two most prominent opposition leaders to be sentenced to death for stirring unrest. The regime prohibited coverage by major media. Submissively, major media gave the demonstrations short shrift. Obama, on this occasion, offered a few words of praise for the protestors’ “courage.”
In Pakistan, portraits of the nation’s founding father, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, hang in thousands of offices and classrooms. But those who remain committed to his vision of a homeland for Muslims that also is free and tolerant toward non-Muslims are an increasingly endangered species.
And in Arabia, the long-ruling al-Saud family fights terrorism with one hand and funds it with the other.
Obama, last week, waxed optimistic. He said that in Egypt, “the moral force of nonviolence … bent the arc of history toward justice once more.” The examples above, however, suggest that an immoral force of violence is bending a competing arc of history toward Islamist totalitarianism.
No national security challenge looms larger. Yet key advisors to Obama seem clueless. Testifying before Congress last week, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper was asked about the Muslim Brotherhood – an organization that is to Islamism akin to what the Comintern was to Communism. He called the Brotherhood, “a very heterogeneous group, largely secular, which has eschewed violence.” A spokesman was later sent out from the Director’s office to “clarify” that ludicrous statement. Your tax dollars at work.
Your money also has been invested in Egypt’s military. Over the past three decades, American officers should have taught Egyptian officers, by word and example, what it means to be a professional soldier: The U.S. military is stronger, not weaker, because it doesn’t aspire to run the government, because it keeps politics and politicians at arm’s length.
The mission of Egypt’s military at this juncture ought to be straightforward: clear a space in which a democratic culture can develop – and then protect that space from anti-democratic forces. Egypt’s ruling officers should guarantee freedom of speech, the press and worship -- not least for Egypt’s persecuted Christian minority. They should make it possible for new political parties to organize and put forward ideas, principles, policies and candidates in safety.
If Egypt’s military is not up to this task, America’s investment has been wasted. It’s nice, I suppose, that there are Egyptian pilots who can fly F16s but, really, how does that benefit the average Egyptian or American?
And no, I don’t buy the argument that we equipped and trained the Egyptian military in exchange for a promise not to use that equipment and training against Israel. Egypt’s military leaders are not stupid. They know it would not be their interest, or Egypt’s, to fight another war against the Jewish state. They know that even with guns and skills made in America they likely would lose were they to attack people whose back is against the wall – almost literally. Another Egyptian defeat would bring humiliation and other inconveniences.
Of course, Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood take a different view. Sacrificing a generation of two of Egyptians in exchange for the annihilation of the Zionist entity would, in their calculation, represent a bargain – not for the Egyptian nation but for the Nation of Islam.
How can American power be used to support those in Egypt and elsewhere who share our commitment to human rights? How can American power be used to weaken the enemies of freedom, those who want to destroy us, our allies and the entire democratic experiment?
The answer to those questions is the foundation upon which coherent, effective policies can be constructed and implemented. But that requires not just talking like an Egyptian. It also means walking the walk. And, yes, those who do that will look a lot like neocons. | <urn:uuid:88db529a-1674-46d3-b49b-8681f05c8557> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://townhall.com/columnists/cliffmay/2011/02/17/talk_like_an_egyptian/print | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959723 | 1,232 | 1.835938 | 2 |
Pakistani lawyer Shahzad Akbar has been invited to speak at an International Drone Summit in Washington on April 28, however, the US authorities have not provided him with a visa, said a press release by Center for Constitutional Rights.
Akbar was invited to speak at the summit as he had been providing legal aid to the victims of drone strikes in Pakistan and was the first one to file a case on behalf of the family members of civilian victims of drone strikes. He is also the co-founder of a human rights organisation called Foundation for Fundamental Rights.
According to the press release, Akbar has travelled to the US several times in the past, but has not been allowed to visit the country since he started speaking against the US drone strikes.
“Denying a visa to people like me is denying Americans their right to know what the US government and its intelligence community are doing to children, women and other civilians in this part of the world,” Akbar said.
The organisers of the event CODEPINK, have also expressed displeasure over the US government’s decision to not allow Akbar to speak at the forum terming it as “outrageous”.
Earlier, a report found out that at least 194 people were killed in the 10 of the deadliest drone strikes in tribal areas. Of these, at least 70 per cent, 138 deaths, were of militants. The rest, 56 deaths, were of either civilians or tribal police.
More in WorldSiachen tragedy: US rescue team not deployed yet | <urn:uuid:178843c2-db73-4ac6-90ec-dc078b940a27> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tribune.com.pk/story/362070/speaking-against-drone-strikes-pakistani-lawyer-denied-us-visa/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983222 | 315 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Walmart took part in bribes, then lobbied to weaken anti-bribery laws (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act). The Washington Post does a great expose. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, “We are unequivocally opposed to weakening the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act,” Clinton said. “We don’t need to lower our standards. We need to work with other countries to raise theirs. I actually think a race to the bottom would probably disadvantage us.”
Meanwhile the Justice Department is now launching an investigation into Walmart's systematic bribing of public officials. Here is the letter the House Committee on Oversight sent to Michael Duke.
Time magazine quoted UFCW Joe Hansen and picks up on NYC Council Speaker and Mayoral Candidate Christine Quinn's quote:
“The corporation’s tactics of bribery, scheming and corruption are the latest in a litany of despicable business practices including discrimination, worker mistreatment and predatory pricing,” Quinn said. “This is precisely the type of business we do not want in our communities and I remain committed to fighting against Wal-Mart’s corporate poison from entering the five boroughs.”Check out other quotes from NY Politicians here.
Time Magazine has yet another in depth great piece, How big a Deal is Walmart's Bribery Scandal?
@samgustin on #Walmart: Bribery scandal is just the latest headache for a company that has become a symbol for a certain breed of American capitalism: outsize, relentless, global and expansionary
Richard Tumka, President of the AFL-CIO guest commentary in the Huffington Post: Is Walmart too Big, Powerful, Influential to Obey the Law?
President Joe Hansen has released a statement calling for new leadership at Walmart, and Walmart workers have started a petition on change.org asking to end the corruption at Walmart.
Capital NewYork takes an in depth look at Walmart's 'wooing of New Yorkers', their campaign to change New York's mind about em.
Looks like we need a new excuse, a new study suggests Food Deserts are not primarily linked to obesity.
Great read & editorial: Without Unions, Workers left without a voice.
Find out what's going on with other UFCW Locals throughout the country by checking out UFCW's OnPoint. | <urn:uuid:d62e1c9f-5d69-4ae7-9541-60e2bf95a0e2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ufcwblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/more-walmart-updates.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93085 | 479 | 1.679688 | 2 |
The burden of standards and regulations is the most significant issue facing small and medium-size accounting practices (SMPs) worldwide, an International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) survey suggests.
Forty-one percent of the 2,441 SMP respondents in the IFAC SMP Quick Poll for the fourth quarter of 2011 said keeping up with new regulations and standards was the most important issue their practice faced. That outpaced the second-biggest issue: attracting and retaining clients. Twenty-five percent of respondents said that was their top priority.
The majority of respondents in the poll came from Europe (62%); 16% were from Africa or the Middle East; 10% were from North America; 9% were from Central or South America or the Caribbean; and 3% were from Asia. Released earlier this week, the poll was conducted in seven languages, and 77% of respondents were either sole practitioners or members of staffs with five or fewer professionals.
Among North American respondents, 48% listed keeping up with new regulations and standards as their practice’s most important issue.
Forty-five percent of sole practitioners said keeping up with new regulations and standards was their most important issue, while just 26% of those at firms with professional staffs of 21 or more were most concerned with new regulations and standards.
In each of the three previous quarterly polls in the survey, which was started in the first quarter of 2011, keeping up with new regulations and standards was rated as SMPs’ most important issue.
Poll results also show that the burden of regulation ranked first among the biggest challenges faced by practitioners’ small and medium-size entity (SME) clients, named by 29% of respondents. Economic uncertainty ranked second, named by 28% as the biggest challenge clients faced.
The poll indicated that there wasn’t much change overall in business in 2011 compared with 2010. Forty-eight percent indicated business in 2011 was about the same as in 2010. Twenty-nine percent said business in 2011 was better than in the previous year; 23% said business was worse in 2011.
Looking ahead, accountants expect more of the same in 2012. Forty-four percent of respondents predicted that business would be about the same in 2012 as in 2011; 31% expected business to improve in 2012; and 25% predicted a decline in business this year.
—Ken Tysiac ([email protected]) is a JofA senior editor.
More from the JofA:
Find us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | View JofA videos | <urn:uuid:9987ccbf-c098-4f44-ac37-d8ddbb30a04b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/Web/20125095.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978713 | 532 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Ginsberg Artist-in-Residence 2013 keynote lecture by Aunrico "Rico" Gatson
From site: News & Events
Date: Wednesday, February 20th, 2013
Time: 8:00 pm
Location: Richardson Auditorium, Morse-Ingersoll Hall
Sponsored by: Art and Art History/ Contact: Cheryl Mikulecky 608-363-2396
Aunrico "Rico" Gatson, the 2013 Ginsberg Family Artist-in-Residence, will give a public lecture about his sculptures, videos, and paintings that are politically and racially charged with commentary on the American landscape.
The Ginsberg Family Artist-in-Residence program was established with a gift of Stuart Ginsberg'82 and his wife, Lisa, to bring distinguished individuals or groups to campus to teach, conduct workshops, and perform or exhibit works.
This event is free and open to the campus and community.
Aunrico Gatson , the 2013 Ginsberg Family Artist-in-Residence, received a master of fine arts degree from the Yale School of Art and a bachelor degree from Bethel College in St. Paul, Minn. Gatson has participated in numerous exhibitions at venues including Momenta Art in Brooklyn, N.Y., the Brooklyn Museum of Art, and Ronald Feldman Fine Arts in New York City. He was an Artist-in-Residence at Franconia Sculpture Park in St. Paul, Minn. | <urn:uuid:ece6d699-9f1c-41da-8f83-077bbd292d1d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.beloit.edu/campus/events/?view=yearly&start_date=2012-12-01&event_id=353007&date=2013-02-20 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931406 | 305 | 1.671875 | 2 |
The Miracle League concept was developed in Conyers, GA in 2000 to help children with special needs play the game of baseball. Most Miracle Leagues play on custom-designed fields that feature cushioned, rubberized surfaces to help prevent injuries, accessible dugouts and completely flat surfaces (no raised bases or pitching mounds) to eliminate any barriers to wheel-chair bound or visually impaired players.
The game itself is played in a unique way. Each player bats once each inning; all batters are "safe" and score a run before the inning is over. Games are two innings long and each team and each player always wins.
Over the past three years, Pirates Charities has identified the support of Miracle League programs in our community as one of its signature projects. Currently, Pirates Charities is working with five individual Miracle League programs that will all provide children and young adults with special needs the opportunity to participate in the great game of baseball. Four of these programs are located in the greater Pittsburgh region, and the fifth is in the Pirates Spring Training Home of Bradenton, Florida.
There are currently more than 240 Miracle League organizations across the world, including Puerto Rico, Canada and Australia. More than 200,000 special needs children and young adults participate in these programs.
On October 3, 2011, Easter Seals, Pirates Charities, and other Wheeling-based partners including the J.B. Chambers Foundation, the City of Wheeling, Ogden Newspapers and the Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley, broke ground on the Miracle League Field of the Ohio Valley in Wheeling, West Virginia. Located in the J.B. Chambers Complex, the Miracle League Field will bring a completely new dynamic to not only the Wheeling community, but also the 15 surrounding counties in West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania that will also participate in the Miracle League of The Ohio Valley.
On May 18, 2013, Pirates Charities along with the Miracle League of the Ohio Valley officially opened the JB Chambers Miracle League Field. Bob Nutting, Pirates and Pirates Charities Chairman, was joined at the event by Pirates President Frank Coonelly and other Pirates representatives. Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown emceed the event and nationally known recording artist B.E. Taylor performed the National Anthem. Immediately following the event was the inaugural game on the J.B. Chambers field.
Pirates Charities partners with Wheeling-based organizations to help bring first field to area - 1/27/10 »
Easter Seals, Pirates Charities and Wheeling-based partners break ground on Miracle League Field - 10/3/11 »
Pirates Charities partners to open the JB Chambers Miracle League Field - 5/18/13 »
On June 9, 2011, former MLB and Pirates alum Sean Casey and his wife Mandi, along with Pirates Chairman Bob Nutting, participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Pirates Charities Miracle League Field of the South Hills, located adjacent to the Community & Recreation Center at Boyce Mayview Park in Upper St. Clair. The field was completed in the spring of 2012 with the Opening Ceremonies taking place on Saturday, May 26. For more information, please visit www.caseysclubhouse.org.
Casey's charity breaks ground on Pirates Charities Miracle League Field - 6/9/11 »
Groundbreaking Photo Gallery - 6/9/11
Opening Ceremonies Video - 5/26/12
Opening Ceremonies Photo Gallery - 5/26/12
Casey's Clubhouse and Pirates Charities celebrate Opening Day - 5/26/12 »
Bucs proud to open Miracle League Field - 5/26/12 »
In 2009, Pirates Charities partnered with the Miracle League of Southwestern Pennsylvania in Cranberry Township to build the first Miracle League field in our region - the Pirates Charities Miracle League Field at Dick's Sportsplex at Graham Park. For more information about MLSWPA, please visit www.miracleleagueofsouthwesternpa.org.
Pirates and Miracle League to build field - 7/9/08 »
Pirates Charities partners with Miracle League of SWPA to open first field in Pittsburgh - 5/16/09 »
Miracle League Field Grand Opening Video - 5/16/09
Miracle League Field Grand Opening Photo Gallery - 5/16/09
2009 Pirates Charities Miracle League Holiday Party Video
Pirates Charities, along with the Rotary Club of Murrysville-Export and the Municipality of Murrysville, officially opened the Rotary Miracle Sports Complex of Murrysville during a ceremony on Saturday, September 15 at the Murrysville Community Park in Murrysville. The centerpiece of the Murrysville Complex is the Bill Mazeroski Miracle Field, named after Pirates' Hall of Famer and Westmoreland County resident Bill Mazeroski, and is the home of the new Miracle League of Western Pennsylvania. Bob Nutting, Pirates and Pirates Charities Chairman, was joined at the event by Mazeroski, Pirates President Frank Coonelly, Pirates broadcaster Steve Blass, former Pirates pitcher Kent Tekulve, along with local officials, including Murrysville Mayor Bob Brooks. The Bill Mazeroski Miracle Field, which is the fourth in the greater Pittsburgh region in which Pirates Charities has played a vital role in constructing, allows children and adults with special needs to realize their dream of playing baseball, many of them for the very first time. The new field is made of a synthetic surface making it possible for children and adults in wheelchairs, walkers and with other special needs to safely move about the field. For more information and to find out how you can get involved, please visit www.miracleleaguewpa.org.
"Manasota" is a combination of Manatee and Sarasota Counties in Florida. The Miracle League of Manasota, presented by the Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates, opened in the spring of 2012. This special field serves children and adults with special needs in both of these counties. The first game took place on March 17th, 2012, in Longwood Park, just off University Parkway in Sarasota. Pirates Charities has provided funding support to this project. For more information, please visit www.miracleleaguemanasota.org. | <urn:uuid:7edace01-f8d5-4b80-a7ca-0e4c9492dcd9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/pit/community/miracle_league.jsp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934427 | 1,293 | 1.6875 | 2 |
When women light shabbat candles I often see them making hand gestures. These look like two or perhaps three circles around in the air. What is the source for this practice? Is it a law or custom? Is the candle lighting kosher without the gestures?
The principles are:
1) Tradition has it that women accept Shabbos when they say the blessing on the candles.
2) Blessings on mitzvos should be done before the mitzvo is performed.
Because of (1), once the woman has said the blessing, it becomes Shabbos and she can no longer light the candles.
So what the women do is
This has always been my understanding.
But see the Chabad.org article procedure where the hand movements "usher in a special guest, the Shabbat Queen." After the third hand movement, the woman covers her eyes with her hands and recites the blessing.
I would like to know if there is any support for my first understanding. | <urn:uuid:3a49d9f8-ecec-4a5e-865f-9b496b00c5c0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/16660/hand-movements-when-lighting-shabbat-candles?answertab=votes | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933484 | 205 | 1.640625 | 2 |
President Obama this week delivered a split-level State of the Union address.
On one level, he sought to frame the legislative competition with the GOP for the next year. On the other, he sought to reframe the electoral competition with Republicans for the next decade and beyond. That’s the front on which the speech is likely to leave an enduring mark.
This speech didn’t—and no single speech could—position the president to shatter the GOP resistance (particularly in the House) that could block many of the initiatives he unveiled. The lasting significance came in how the speech deepened the identification of Obama and his party with the preferences and priorities of his emerging “coalition of the ascendant,” especially the giant millennial generation at its core. “It does look like he is willing to say, ‘It’s a new era, a new Democratic Party, and it’s a new coalition that comprises the party,’” says Morley Winograd, a fellow at the Democratic advocacy group NDN, and the coauthor, with Michael Hais, of two books on the 95 million-strong millennials.
The most striking aspect of Obama’s remarks was how unreservedly he articulated the views of the coalition that reelected him, and how little need he felt to qualify those views for fear of alienating voters beyond it. There was a confidence bordering on swagger in his call for action on immigration reform, climate change, and gun control—issues that he almost entirely sublimated through his first term—and his unwavering defense of collective action through government.
That edge reflects the Obama team’s assessment of the political landscape after he survived the headwind of 7.8 percent unemployment to become only the third Democrat ever to win a majority of the popular vote twice. Obama crossed that threshold despite historically weak numbers among the older and blue-collar whites who traditionally anchored the conservative end of the Democratic coalition. He did so with strong support from the growing groups at the center of the Democrats’ new national coalition: minorities; socially liberal, college-educated whites (especially women); and the millennials.
Whatever its impact on the immediate policy debate, Obama’s speech marked a milestone in his effort to anneal the Democratic Party to that coalition’s priorities. Especially striking was how much of it seemed targeted directly at the massive and diverse millennial generation, born between 1981 and 2002. Obama addressed them repeatedly: by insisting that entitlement spending on the old must face some limits to prevent it from crowding out investment in the young; by framing climate change as a generational challenge; by pledging to provide young people with more training and to confront rising college costs; and by closing with a paean to citizenship that reflected their civic impulses. “They are the leading edge of where the country is headed ideologically as well as demographically,” one senior White House aide said.
The speech marked a capstone to a progression that began after the breakdown of Obama’s negotiations with House Speaker John Boehner during the debt-ceiling crisis in summer 2011. In those talks, Obama followed a Bill Clinton-type strategy of attempting to rebuild majority support following the GOP’s 2010 landslide by finding compromises with Republicans. But after that effort collapsed, Obama turned to the track that carried him to reelection and the well of Congress this week: seeking primarily to mobilize his coalition of the ascendant by articulating its priorities on social issues and the role of government, even at the price of provoking further resistance from right-leaning whites.
That course presents unmistakable risks. Obama’s social and environmental agendas could threaten Democrats running in red-leaning states and House districts, especially in the 2014 midterm election, when turnout among young people and minorities could drop. As Obama imprints this image on his party, Democrats are unlikely to hold majorities on Capitol Hill unless they can benefit more at the congressional level from the same demographic trends of growing diversity and rising education levels that are boosting their presidential position. And if economic growth doesn’t accelerate, young people and minorities could drift from the party.
But the direction Obama reaffirmed Tuesday will also challenge the GOP’s presidential prospects, no matter how Congress treats his proposals. As Hais and Winograd note, millennials represented under one-fourth of eligible voters in 2012 but will reach 30 percent by 2016 and 36 percent by 2020. Obama won three-fifths of them in 2012, and his coming collisions with Republicans on guns, climate, deficit reduction, and other issues will further identify the GOP with positions that polls show most millennials oppose.
Republicans excited about the opportunities that resisting Obama’s agenda could provide next year to recapture Senate seats in, say, Alaska or South Dakota may regret taking their eye from that larger prize. “Electoral realignments don’t occur because people change their mind about their partisan affiliation,” Hais said. “They occur because a new generation comes in with sufficient unity and number to tip the balance between two otherwise closely competing points of view. And that’s what we think is under way.”
This article appears in the Feb. 16, 2013, edition of National Journal as A Millennial Moment. | <urn:uuid:f9b3a35f-816e-4ff5-b248-aaeaf397c203> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nationaljournal.com/columns/political-connections/courting-the-twenty-somethings-20130214?mrefid=skybox | 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 | 0.961172 | 1,081 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.