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Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
Torrey's Topical Textbook—AKJV
Hatred Without Cause
... worship before him, on account of the wondrous deeds he did ... that let a man be ever
so good, if he ... Many persons seem to have envy excited in them against those ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/hatred without cause.htm
That Evil Comes of Sloth, and virtue from Diligence, and that ...
... Does he live in jealousy and envy? ... the loss of children so many and so good, and
in such ... in itself, consider what a tumult their simultaneous approach excited. ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/homily iii that evil comes.htm
Of the Discipline and Advantage of Chastity.
... to the blood, the destruction of a good conscience, the ... his innocence, on account
of the envy excited by his ... a place high up, and fitted for deeds of wickedness ...
/.../of the discipline and advantage.htm
Treatise on the Priesthood. Book iii.
... root and mother, so to say"namely, envy; but this ... scatter his poison through the
medium even of good deeds. ... to an empty charge, is speedily excited to wrath ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/treatise on the priesthood book 3.htm
1 Thessalonians i. 10-Aug
... the case of such there is frequently envy, but the ... Unless somewhat of things future
had excited us, unless we had been persuaded that there is a good hope, we ...
/.../homily ii 1 thessalonians i.htm
Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews.
... Envy, no one envies himself, 456; Hebrews obnoxious ... good things, 456;
nought good which is ... Olympic games, interest excited by, 437; herald's ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homilies on the epistle to.htm
The Resurrection of Lazarus
... with the rest of the company, seems to have lost that good frame which ... It was so
far from convincing them, that it only excited their envy, stirred up ...
/.../selected sermons of george whitefield/the resurrection of lazarus.htm
Man's Passions and God's Purpose
... and so the violent rage which it excited was not ... by, that these same powerful motives
of envy and of ... His motive had been altogether good; he wished to save life ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/mans passions and gods purpose.htm
... to distinguish and discuss separately the different passions excited on the ... You know,
good sirs, that ... accused may naturally excite the judge's envy, the infamy ...
/.../kleiser/the training of a public speaker/the peroration.htm
The 'education Question' in Trinidad
... the little island was somewhat excited about changes ... be upholding the honour of the
good old Church ... of humility, not the consecration of envy"first appeared ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter xiv the education question.htm | <urn:uuid:3d2d03f3-66d3-4471-b948-3df64a88230c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://topicalbible.org/ttt/e/envy--excited_by_good_deeds_of_others.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932522 | 743 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Increasingly it is common knowledge on how to do best practice search engine optimisation. That doesn't make it easy, but it does mean you'll need to start thinking more creatively to keep a competitive edge.
So outside your standard SEO best practice, what more creative tactics might you use?
According to an article in today's MediaGuardian by Kim Fletcher, as of tomorrow (Tue 12 June), the Guardian will publish stories first to the web, "ending the primacy of the printed newspaper".
The newspaper industry seems to be agonising over such decisions and this is no doubt a 'ground-breaking' innovation for them. But isn't this as obvious as was the need for a format of newspaper you could actually read on the train (Berliner format blah blah)...?
In the past people have commented that their ROI from clicks from Google's Adsense content network didn't match performance from Google search-referred clicks.
Smart Pricing, a click-discounting system for AdSense, was meant to help address this - so how's it working out? | <urn:uuid:8af7b0f7-5548-44ab-b2ec-d212988f61f1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://econsultancy.com/uk/blog/authors/ashley-friedlein?page=6 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967569 | 221 | 1.625 | 2 |
- Apr 26, 2012 8:00 AM EST
The House of Representatives is expected to begin debate on a controversial piece of cyber-security legislation today. The White House has weighed in, promising to veto the bill in its current form, but there are plenty who doubt that will happen.
Introduced by Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) and Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.) in November, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) defines a new framework that would allow companies and governments to share information collected online … Read More » | <urn:uuid:179c8c7a-3596-46ed-96aa-dc9b49ba6f2f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://securitywatch.pcmag.com/tag/38995-eff | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942669 | 116 | 1.523438 | 2 |
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TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s armed forces will make its enemies regret any act of aggression against the Islamic Republic, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned on Tuesday as Iranians marked National Army Day with a military parade near the capital Tehran.
Although Ahmadinejad did not specify any countries, such language used by Iranian officials is a common reference to the West, especially the United States and Israel.
The harsh tone was typical of speeches for military events but it contrasted sharply with a sense of cautious progress after the direct talks with world powers last week on Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. The remarks could leave Western officials confused by the mixed signals.
“Our armed forces will make the enemy face a heavy and shameful regret if they commit any aggression and violate Iran’s interests,” Ahmadinejad said in a speech broadcast live on state TV.
Both the U.S. and Israel have not ruled out a military option against Iran’s nuclear facilities, which the West suspects are geared toward making nuclear arms — a charge Tehran denies, insisting its program is for peaceful purposes only. Iran’s refusal to halt the uranium enrichment program has been its main point of contention with the West.
“The foreign interference will bear nothing but destruction, rifts and insecurity” in the region, Ahmadinejad said.
The comments are typical of rhetoric that has been coming out of Tehran, belligerent one day, conciliatory the next.
Iran has hinted at more flexibility after Tehran and the world powers agreed to hold more talks on its controversial nuclear program following their Saturday discussions in Istanbul, which both sides praised as positive. A second round is planned for next month in Baghdad.
Prior to the talks in Istanbul with the five permanent U.N. Security Council members plus Germany, Tehran offered to scale back uranium enrichment but not abandon the ability to make nuclear fuel. At the same time, however, it ignored another Western concern — Iran’s existing stockpile. The West wants Iran’s current reserves of 20 percent-enriched uranium to be transferred out of the country.
After Istanbul, Iranian officials urged the West to start taking steps to lift sanctions imposed by the U.S. and the EU over Iran’s nuclear activities.
During the parade on Tuesday, Iran displayed an array of its homemade short-range missiles, tanks, drones and air defense system as well as some of its jet fighters, warplanes and military helicopters. Iran has tried to build a self-sufficient military program since 1992.
On the sidelines of the parade, Iran’s army chief Gen. Ataollah Salehi told the state IRNA news agency that U.S. warships in the Gulf are “sweet targets” for Iranian armed forces.
Salehi, who is known for anti-U.S. rhetoric and had threatened U.S. ships in the Gulf before, did not elaborate.
In January, he warned an American warship not to return to the Gulf shortly after the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis and another vessel left the region. Another carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, entered the Gulf without incident later in January.
Iran has also in the past threatened to shut the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway in the Gulf through which a fifth of the world’s oil passes, a move that could send oil prices soaring.
Among the weaponry on display Tuesday was “Qadr,” or a Sacred Night mentioned in the Quran, a 2,000 pound guided bomb. Iran has earlier suggested it could counter the U.S. naval presence in the Gulf. | <urn:uuid:27caacac-04f0-4dda-ba5b-8e1876881156> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dailytribune.com/article/20120417/NEWS05/120419819/1004/entertainment/ahmadinejad-warns-against-aggression-on-iran | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944751 | 758 | 1.515625 | 2 |
313 W. Eighth Street,
14 people favorited this theater
In 1927, the Bard’s Eighth Street Theatre opened on the north side of Eighth Street between South Broadway and Hill Street, opposite the huge May Company department store. Architect Lewis A. Smith remodeled a restaurant into this last theatre added to shownman Lou Bard’s theatre chain. The interior featured vaguely Chinese decor and had 600 seats.
The opening feature was the premiere showing of Universal’s farce comedy “Oh Baby”, starring Madge Kennedy and with Creighton Hale in the leading male role.
In 1932 the theatre was renamed Olympic Theatre to commemorate Los Angeles hosting the Olympic Games that year. The theatre was remodeled in 1942 by architect Charles O. Matcham.
During the later years Metropolitan Theatres ran this theatre as a Spanish language house. The theatre itself appears in movies including “The Omega Man”(1971) starring Charlton Heston.
The Olympic Theatre was closed in the summer of 1986 by Metropolitan Theatres to enable wall stengthening to withstand earthquake shocks, but it never reopened. By 2004, the facade and marquee had been repaired and by then, the interior was used for storage and had been stripped back to its four walls and painted white, with the floor leveled. The ceiling retained a large oval area and the organ screens were still intact. Two stairways leading to the auditorium from the lobby were cemented to make ramps.
In 2007, the building was reopened as a shop for chandeliers and French rococo furniture, with much of the remaining original interior repainted in white and gold.
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater | <urn:uuid:1e51d472-8597-4366-aea1-3012fdeebd45> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/4272 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976574 | 348 | 1.648438 | 2 |
AZMARIN, Syria – In Hacipasa, Turkey, citizens fear repercussions as their country gets drawn ever closer into Syria’s conflict which rages across the border just a few kilometers away. But on the Syrian side of the border, survival is the only thing on the minds of most Syrian families.
Houses and government buildings in the town of Azmarin still smoldered Saturday morning from a four-day battle between government and opposition forces. Bodies still lay in the streets. A prisoner, hands tied behind his back, was led through the street by a group of opposition fighters. One man threw water in his face as the terrified captive marched forward.
For three days, rebels had surrounded the town before launching a full-scale attack on Friday. Remaining government soldiers fled during the night, some across the Turkish border and into Turkish custody.
By Saturday afternoon, the families of rebel fighters that had fled to neighboring villages began trickling back to see what remained of their homes.
“This was Captain Shardi, a three star commander in Assad’s army,” said the town's rebel commander Dr. Hassan Ghnnam as he pointed to the body of a hefty man in a blood-stained army uniform that lay in a side street. “He burned many houses in this town. The people were so afraid of him.”
Dr. Ghnnam worked as a urologist in Azmarin before taking command of rebel forces in the town.
The nearby city of Darkush was in a similar state. The area has no power or running water. Supplies are running low and the cities' few remaining residents are in constant fear of attack by government aircraft since rebels took the city on Thursday.
Pharmacist Yazan Labwi said he and three companions were forced to abandon their vehicle when a helicopter opened fire on them Thursday afternoon.
“We were bringing bread to people here in Darkush. You can see we are unarmed and we wear civilian clothes,” he said pointing to his dirt-stained clothes when he reached Darkush shortly after the attack. “We hid under the olive trees. We could hear the bullets hitting the ground next to us, then a large explosion on our right. We ran for about 1 kilometer under the cover of trees. I really believed I was about to die.”
Several months ago, the town was vibrant and full of life as residents dined by the riverside and children swam in the turquoise waters. As war reached this historical town, most of the residents have fled to neighboring villages or across the border.
The remaining residents blame the government forces for the destruction. Fathia Isadeen was at home with her son and grandchildren when she says government soldiers set fire to their home.
“They bombed all the houses first and then they came through and burned everything,” she said as the blackened house still smoldered around her generating a suffocating. “There were many, many soldiers. We ran upstairs and hid so they set the fire underneath us.”
Next door, Yazan Labwi reentered his home for the first time in weeks. The house was heavily looted, the door-locks blown in by gunfire. A safe lay open on the floor, also opened by gunfire. The family’s possessions lay strewn across the floor.
“At least the TV is safe,” he said with a dry laugh as he entered his ransacked living room. Photos of his two daughters, aged 2 and 4, still hung on the wall above the mess.
Outside, the streets erupted in a panic as a call came in that government soldiers were returning. The long queue for bread that stretched several blocks dispersed. A young boy collapsed and was brought inside to Labwi.
“He has not eaten in several days,” said the pharmacist after reviving the boy with water and handing him a piece of bread.
Back in Azmarin, Dr. Ghnnam spoke with pride and optimism over the recent victory.
“These cities were a barrier, but now we have liberated all the area except Sarlkeen and Hareem. Now we have a plan to restore the city and bring the civilians back before we move on to free another area,” he said.
For the past three days, bombs and tank blasts could be seen and heard hitting the hilltop city from rebel positions, but Dr. Ghnnam insisted the damage that could be seen throughout the city, including damage to government buildings, was only inflicted by government forces. He added that no prisoner had been taken in the battle but all government forces where permitted to escape unharmed after their withdrawal.
Across the river on the Turkish side, opposition forces confirmed they had captured 25 prisoners from the battle. Ten had been handed to Turkish authorities and 15 were being held on the Syrian side. A further 20 were rumored to have been captured by Turkish authorities on Sunday, but this could not be confirmed. | <urn:uuid:760dd8e1-8841-4e4e-b3d4-c64fe4b90b7b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/syria/121014/syria-rebel-fighters-capture-historical-town-azmarin | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.98485 | 1,042 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Experience Authentic Scotland
Scotland’s inventions are familiar to the whole world– who hasn’t heard of the bike, the telephone and (jumping a few centuries here) that most trusted of drivers’ guides, the highway cat’s eye? But Scotland’s many revolutionary trickeries don’t stop with gadgets. It’s actually the nation’s stunning wealth of culture that makes it such an exciting place to be – and where better to start than Edinburgh?
Auld Lang Syne, one of the most regularly sung songs in the English-speaking world (eclipsed only by Happy Birthday and For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow), is indelibly linked with the beginning of a new year. A traditional Scottish ballad, the words of its modern form are the work of Robert Burns, one of Scotland’s literary heroes whose birthday is still celebrated every year. Where more appropriate to experience it than hand in hand with your friends, singing along with thousands of others at the Princes Street Hogmanay party? If Burns was alive no doubt he would be one of the festivals’ ambassadors: bohemian,talented and passionate in equal measure. There is something magical about a nation who chooses to gather around the table and the dance floor, every January, to celebrate the life and work of an eighteenth-century poet. Thousands of Scots – friends, families, work colleagues – prepare the Burns supper celebration every year, a night-long event packed with humorous speeches written in Burn’s style, songs, copious amounts of food (including the very local Haggis), toasts to the Lassies and Laddies and of course the Address to a Haggis, the ‘great chieftain o’ the puddin-race!’ are all to be found, and invariably add up to a fantastic evening.
Scots have a bit of a reputation for extreme foods of the fried variety, unfairly so (fried pizza, anyone?). Modern Scotland is an exciting place to eat and buy fresh produce – many of Britain’s up-and-coming chefs are currently working in the country. Edinburgh alone currently hosts five Michelin-starred restaurants, a phenomenal ratio for a city of only half a million inhabitants. Edinburgh comes second only to London in the number of cafes and restaurants per capita. So remember to bring a healthy dose of appetite. And if you really want to tap into those world-legendary tales of exotic Scottish fare, make sure you sample the local haggis, an ingenious and creative concoction of sheeps innards, onion, oatmeal and spices all wrapped up neatly in a sheep’s stomach. Trust us: nothing can make you happier on a cold winter’s day. And if the locals try to pull your leg with tall tales of wild haggis beasts roaming through the Highlands, just smile and try to play along. View restuarants in the Old Town here.
Few visitors come to Scotland without having a wee dram o’ whisky. This is the place where the stuff was invented after all (if you stand on top of a hill with a brisk wind blowing on your face you begin to understand why...). There are fantastic places in Edinburgh to savour the best malts: the Scottish Malt Whisky Society is the equivalent of an encyclopedia of whisky, stocking the best varieties that come from all sorts of weird and wonderful independent distilleries all over the country. Regarded by many as the best in the world, there is no shortage of places in Edinburgh to experience some good quality Scotch. Scotland’s national drink plays a central part in the Hogmanay tradition of first-footing. The first person of the year to set foot in another’s dwelling brings the homeowner a gift, which more often than not is whisky. It’s difficult to find a more unmistakably Scottish practice, or indeed a more agreeable one. When in Scotland for New Year, be prepared. Remember to carry a bottle on you!
Of all Scottish musical practices, it is the bagpipes that have been most lovingly adopted by the world at large. Like flowers in spring, pipers find their way to the busiest thoroughfares of Edinburgh during the sunnier months. You can’t miss the drama and entertainment contained in the large-scale performances put together by the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, with hundreds of pipers coming together in celebration of military musical traditions. Every night the show comes to a close with a moving solo performance by the Lone Piper. Simply unmissable. And last but not the least comes the Ceilidh, traditional Scottish dances which are very much alive and well and continue to be embraced by all. Scots like nothing more than dressing up in kilts (well, the men that is!) and it’s a true testimony to the country’s exciting passion for their own roots that people of all generations get together for an evening of song and dance. Standard piecessuch as the Gay Gordons and the Dashing White Sergeant are always on the menu, but don’t let a lack of knowledge put you off - most good organisers happily take you through the steps first! If you don’t fancy such an exhausting experience, there are also a number of pubs in the city where you can relax and listen to local musicians playing traditional folk melodies. This community tradition is still just as warming today as it was centuries ago. | <urn:uuid:d2fb0910-b3f5-48d8-b544-8948bf9e8643> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.edinburghfestivals.co.uk/experience-authentic-scotland | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933437 | 1,133 | 1.554688 | 2 |
I’ve been reading John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress to grandma at the nursing home. The rewards are many!
(Amazing how much I still cherish that great little book! And grandma of course!)
Equipped with her bible for references, grandma Dot listened intently.
I saw a man clothed with rags, standing in a certain place, with his face from his own house, a book in his hand, and a great burden upon his back. I looked and saw him open the book, and read therein; and as he read, he wept and trembled; and not being able longer to contain, he brake out with a lamentable cry, saying, “What shall I do?”
Christian became aware of his great burden and the real danger he was in and thus placed his hope in something other than himself. Christian did not understand it all at first, but not doubting what the book said, he could not help but warn others!
That is how it should be with all true believers, whether they understand it all or not. God’s truth should press all Christians with such urgency that they can’t help but share it.
However, as we shall see, this is not always easy. Christian’s own family and neighbors find his words to be a foolishness–the ramblings of a madman.
In this plight, therefore, he went home, and restrained himself as long as he could… but he could not be silent long, because that his trouble increased. Wherefore at length he brake his mind to his wife and children…
At this his relations were sore amazed; not for that they believed that what he had said to them was true, but because they thought that some frenzy distemper had got into his head.
God had already prepared Christian’s heart through the reading of His Word, but Christian still needed someone to encourage him and to point him in the right direction! Sometimes that is all God asks of us–to show the way and to encourage others! (Even grandma can do this, even from the confines of her room or bed.)
Now I saw, upon a time, when he was walking in the fields, that he was (as he was wont) reading in his book, and greatly distressed in his mind; and as he read, he burst out, as he had done before, crying, “What shall I do to be saved?”
I looked then, and saw a man named Evangelist coming to him, and he asked, “Wherefore dost thou cry?”
He answered, “Sir, I perceive, by the book in my hand, that I am condemned to die, and after that to come to judgment, and I find that I am not willing to do the first, nor able to do the second.”
Evangelist gave Christian a parchment roll which read, “Fly from the wrath to come,” and pointed him to the light that would direct him to the narrow gate.
“Keep that light in your eye, and go up directly thereto, so shalt thou see the gate; at which, when thou knockest, it shall be told thee what thou shalt do.”
As ready and prepared as a heart may be, will it ever be prepared for the opposition and resistance of those it loves most? Grandma Dot would tell you, “No, not ever!” and most readily share her box of tissues!
So I saw in my dream that the man began to run. Now he had not run far from his own door when his wife and children, perceiving it, began to cry after him to return; but the man put his fingers in his ears, and ran on crying, “Life! life! eternal life!’”
A prepared heart will heed the call of God and run, but not without opposition! We must pray that those who run would not grow weary, that they would stay the course like Christian, who was not swayed, but shared his hope with everyone. (1 Peter 3:15)!
[Christian]: “Neighbors, wherefore are you come?” They said, “To persuade you to go back with us.” But he said, “That can by no means be: you dwell… in the city of Destruction… and dying there, sooner or later, you will sink lower than the grave, into a place that burns with fire and brimstone: be content, good neighbors, and go along with me.”
Obstinate: “What,” said Obstinate, “and leave our friends and our comforts behind us!”
Christian: “Yes,” said Christian… “because that all which you forsake is not worthy to be compared with a little of that I am seeking to enjoy.”
Obstinate: “What are the things you seek, since you leave all the world to find them?”
Christian: “I seek an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away… Read it so, if you will, in my book.”
Obstinate: “Tush,” said Obstinate, “away with your book; will you go back with us or no?”
Christian: “No, not I,” said the other, “because I have laid my hand to the plough.”
Obstinate: “Come then, neighbor Pliable, let us turn again, and go home without him: there is a company of these crazy-headed coxcombs… wiser in their own eyes than seven men that can render a reason.”
Obstinate stubbornly adhered to his own attitude and found Christian’s words to be quite foolish (1 Corinthians 1:18). Have we not felt the stone-hard stares and words of many an obstinate person? Grandma Dot sure has. However, Pliable ‘liked’ what he heard!
Pliable: Then said Pliable, “Don’t revile; if what the good Christian says is true, the things he looks after are better than ours: my heart inclines to go with my neighbor.”
Obstinate: “What, more fools still! Be ruled by me, and go back; who knows whither such a brain-sick fellow will lead you? Go back, go back, and be wise.”
Christian: “Nay, but do thou come with thy neighbor Pliable; there are such things to be had which I spoke of, and many more glories besides. If you believe not me, read here in this book, and for the truth of what is expressed therein, behold, all is confirmed by the blood of Him that made it.” Heb. 9: 17-21.
Pliable: “Well, neighbor Obstinate,” said Pliable, “I begin to come to a point; I intend to go along with this good man, and to cast in my lot with him.”
Christian was thrilled to have Pliable come along at last. Pliable wanted to know more of the promises and was more than ready to listen to Christian’s words. (And so was Dot!)
Pliable: “Come, neighbor Christian, since there are none but us two here, tell me now farther, what the things are, and how to be enjoyed, whither we are going.”
Christian:” I can better conceive of them with my mind, than speak of them with my tongue: but yet, since you are desirous to know, I will read of them in my book.”
Pliable: “And do you think that the words of your book are certainly true?”
Isn’t it amazing how so many pliable seekers are ever so ready to believe someone’s words at face value, but need proof that God’s Word is infallible?
Christian: “Yes, verily; for it was made by Him that cannot lie.” Tit. 1:2.
How ready Pliable was to hear more and more of the wonderful things! There are indeed may who long for the wonderful things of God! As nice as it is to have some pliable follow us at last, we must be ever so careful that we stay faithful to the Truth!
Pliable: “Well said; what things are they?”
Christian: “There is an endless kingdom to be inhabited, and everlasting life to be given us, that we may inhabit that kingdom for ever.”
So Pliable continues to ask Christian, what else and what else he might receive, what company he would keep, and how he might enjoy it all. And Christian, glad to have Pliable follow, tells him of all the glories of heaven quite to the ravishing of Pliable’s heart.
Pliable: “Well, my good companion, glad am I to hear of these things: come on, let us mend our pace.”
Something seemed very lacking with Pliable! Something very important seems to be lacking with many pliable seekers who run after God’s treasures. They seem merely swayed by His promises, while Christians carefully weigh all the costs!
Christian: “I cannot go as fast as I would, by reason of this burden that is on my back.”
Now I saw in my dream, that just as they had ended this talk, they drew nigh to a very miry slough that was in the midst of the plain: and they being heedless, did both fall suddenly into the bog. The name of the slough was Despond. Here, therefore, they wallowed for a time, being grievously bedaubed with the dirt; and Christian, because of the burden that was on his back, began to sink in the mire.
Many pliable seekers will accept The Good News but not its great cost. The first real difficulty will bid them to abandon the Truth for more comfortable lies.
What are we to do when this happens? We are to press on! Our pliable seekers will soon find others who will fill their itchy ears with more pleasant ways to obtain the treasures they covet. 2 Timothy 4:3
Evangelizing is dangerous business if we leave out the costs! We cannot and dare not convince pliable seekers of their salvation based only on what makes them feel good. We can’t expect a little prayer to be the fix-all. We can’t let family, friendship, pity, comfort or pride get in the way of God’s truth! We must include the cross, the burden of sin, the death of the flesh and all that is most dear, whatever the cost!
Pliable: Then said Pliable, “Ah, neighbor Christian, where are you now?”
Christian: “Truly,” said Christian, “I do not know.”
At this Pliable began to be offended, and angrily said to his fellow, “Is this the happiness you have told me all this while of? If we have such ill speed at our first setting out, what may we expect between this and our journey’s end? May I get out again with my life, you shall possess the brave country alone for me.”
The man who loves his life will lose it! John 12:25
And with that he gave a desperate struggle or two, and got out of the mire on that side of the slough which was next to his own house: so away he went, and Christian saw him no more.
Wherefore Christian was left to tumble in the Slough of Despond alone…
Thank God that Christian was not left alone for long, and neither are we ever left alone, even if at first it seems as though we are!!
And grandma Dot knows this as she half dozes off and half smiles back at me!
Thanks for reading,
Petra and grandma Dot
Source: John Bunyan ~ The Pilgrim’s Progress (selected excerpts of stage 1)
Other posts you might like:
The Burden That Brought Christian to the Cross!
Christian Loses His Burden! | <urn:uuid:876f6c82-bcf3-42f0-b684-ce343f5e7442> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pennedpebbles.wordpress.com/2010/08/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982414 | 2,608 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Juvenile Justice and Performance Incentive Funding
The idea that our tax dollars should be directed toward programs that deliver positive outcomes to the community is neither novel nor radical—but there are some interesting and innovative “pay for success” strategies for achieving this. Social impact bonds, which are being piloted in the United Kingdom, New York City, and Massachusetts, are perhaps among the best known of these. In the field of criminal justice, performance incentive funding (PIF) is another promising approach being tried in the United States.
PIF programs encourage local jurisdictions to supervise more offenders in the community and achieve better outcomes, namely lower recidivism and fewer prison commitments. They are premised on the idea that if the supervision agency or locality succeeds in sending fewer low-level offenders to prison—thereby causing the state to incur fewer costs—some portion of the state savings should be shared with the agency or locality. By delivering fewer prison commitments, agencies or localities receive a financial reward, which is reinvested into evidence-based supervision programs.
A new report from Vera’s Center on Sentencing and Corrections—Performance Incentive Funding: Aligning Fiscal and Operational Responsibility to Produce More Safety at Less Cost—details how PIF programs can lead to better offender outcomes while reducing overall corrections costs. It presents the findings of a summit held in September 2011, which was convened by Vera, the Pew Center on the States, and Metropolis Strategies, to discuss the key challenges and tasks that states must address to develop and implement a PIF program.
Achieving positive outcomes, such as reduced recidivism and revocations and safer and stronger communities, is a goal that tax payers, policymakers, and criminal justice professionals can all agree on. By emphasizing the use of evidence-based practices, reporting on outcomes, and paying for success, PIF programs can help states reduce their corrections costs, strengthen their community supervision programs, and build safer neighborhoods.
Alison Shames is the Associate Director of Vera's Center on Sentencing and Corrections, where she manages staff, oversees budgets, develops grant proposals, and directs projects. Her recent work has included helping Illinois pass and implement its Crime Reduction Act of 2009, which legislated the use of evidence-based practices throughout the criminal justice system; facilitating county and state steering committees in Alabama to improve community-based supervision practices and address prison overcrowding; drafting and editing Vera reports on the fiscal crisis and sentencing trends; convening a national conference on performance incentive funding programs; and managing the Justice Reinvestment Initiative for Vera. Previously, Alison worked in Sydney, Australia, where she served as executive officer to the Committee of Criminal Justice CEOs in the Attorney General’s Department of New South Wales. Before that, Alison was the state copyright manager for the state of New South Wales and corporate counsel for Fairfax Media, one of Australia’s largest media companies. Immediately following law school, Alison clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Vance in New Orleans. Alison has a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and a JD from New York University School of Law. | <urn:uuid:196913e8-cd1a-466d-9b0e-4ba1450e4650> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.reclaimingfutures.org/blog/performance-incentive-funding | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950929 | 636 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Seasonal music intrigued Ronald Clancy so much, it provided the impetus to begin a collection.
Though it was more than a half century ago, Ronald Clancy remembers one Christmas Eve as if it were yesterday – being put to bed soon after dinner by the nuns and then being awakened hours later to go to midnight mass. "The entire orphanage went," he says. "There was a big crèche on the altar. Balsam trees – the scent was fantastic."
What most amazed him, Mr. Clancy says, was the music. The soaring, melodic carols that washed over him as a 6-year-old boy at St. John's Orphanage Asylum in Philadelphia filled him with joy and hope, and – though he didn't know it at the time – cued the soundtrack for what would become his life's passion. For him Christmas music remains like Proust's madeleine, still able to trigger a flood of evocative memories.
"Music is what makes Christmas for me," says Clancy, for whom hearing the first carol of the season "is like opening up the curtain on a great play."
In the early 1980s, eager to broaden his exposure to Christmas music, he scoured the Philadelphia newspapers to see which churches had Christmas concerts. Attending as many as possible, he was rewarded with ancient, sacred carols rarely sung other than in church.
Clancy collected everything he could get his hands on: baroque concertos; classical works by composers such as Bach, Mendelssohn, and Schubert; and, of course, popular carols such as "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "I'll Be Home for Christmas," "Frosty the Snowman," "Here Comes Santa Claus," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," and "The Christmas Song" (also known as "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire"), all of which first became hits during his childhood. | <urn:uuid:286935cd-5f6a-4242-9b44-f901a743c97d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://m.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Arts/2011/1222/Songs-that-sparked-a-passion | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.989317 | 405 | 1.648438 | 2 |
What grave business is the House of Representatives undertaking today? It is voting to do away with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act—or, as the name of the bill puts it, on the Repeal of Obamacare Act. The title has a certain appealing conciseness, relative to what some of the other partial or entire repeal bills have been called, like the Religious Freedom Tax Repeal Act or the Repealing the Job-Killing Health-Care Law Act—Eric Cantor introduced that one, which stands as a true classic of the bill-title genre. (Reuters has a list of more.)
The names have been the bill-sponsors’ only real accomplishment, even though repeals have passed the House again and again—some thirty times, in various forms, since the G.O.P. got its majority, in 2010. Sometimes it’s been been brazen and loud (the NObamacare Act of 2012—isn’t there a ban on legislative names that rely on capitalization tricks?). And sometimes there’s an amendment that comes to Congress, as the saying goes, on little cat feet, attached to a big bill. All the significant ones have died, though, as everyone knew they would, and as today’s will as well, before getting anywhere near Senate passage, let alone the President’s desk. (If he signed it “NObama,” would that count as a veto?) The Republicans have some legislative options—reconciliation, debt-ceiling-collapsing blackmail—but not good ones. So why do they bother?
One answer that has been presented is that this is a symbolic vote. Symbols aren’t all bad. One of the purposes of a legislature is as a place where hopeless bills can be heard and argued over and stands can be taken. There can be a moment, as with the civil-rights bills that for decades died in the Senate, when the lonely cause becomes law. (Robert Caro tells that story brilliantly in the third volume of his biography of Lyndon B. Johnson.) But even if it doesn’t, Congress is an appropriate place for shouting (as long as other speakers aren’t shouted down). However one feels about the A.C.A., it is strange to criticize members of Congress for politicized debates, when their business is politics. Showiness, to the extent that it turns our legislature into a locus of debates over the direction of the country, is not out of place.
When it comes to health care, Congress is certainly a better place for that than the Supreme Court was. As Jeffrey Toobin noted in his Comment in the current issue of the magazine, it is a little bizarre that the law came as close as it did to being overturned, given that, in the light of precedent, its constitutionality always looked sound. (This is also why the sections of John Roberts’s opinion dealing with the Commerce Clause are strikingly radical.) If the Republican Party wants to present a picture of the country as it would look under a President Romney with a compliant legislature, let them give it a try. It’s the Democrats’ job to argue back, and to explain their own vision. (It’s the one that involves millions more Americans having health insurance.)
There are some qualifications there. If one is going to introduce endless bills, it is helpful to actually want to do something. The repeal effort has more in common with simple obstructionism than it does with any sort of drive forward; it is, in effect, an un-crusade. There is also an odd dynamic at work when the House becomes the site of flights of fancy for which there is no accountability or cost—pass anything!—precisely because the Senate has become the chamber of the filibuster, the place where nothing ever happens. (George Packer has written about the sorry state of the Senate.) You need sixty votes to even give a bill a chance in the Senate; in the House, it seems, all you need is a shamelessly polemical name for it.
But that is not the real problem with the repeal efforts. For years and endless roll calls, there was an impression that another set of no-votes was also symbolic: the ones against raising the debt ceiling so that the United States could meet its obligations. And then, suddenly, it wasn’t symbolic any more, and we came close to a self-induced international financial fiasco. Congress, despite how it sometimes looks, is not a playhouse, but a place where laws that change and can improve or devastate lives either pass or fail. The Republicans need to ask themselves if repeal is really what they want (as the Times reports, some, not particularly wanting to campaign for excluding people with preëxisting conditions, aren’t sure). Given the pre-New Deal ideology that has taken hold of the G.O.P., that may indeed be the party’s goal. If so, then the rest of us need to hold them accountable for their lack of an alternative: fifty million Americans do not have health insurance, and that is unsustainable for a country anything like the one we’ve dreamed for generations of being. Congress is a fine place to argue. The voting booth is the best place to make a decision.
Photograph by Alex Wong/Getty Images. | <urn:uuid:2782acd6-dd1a-49cb-8dcf-d6f97451a13b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2012/07/house-votes-on-the-repeal-of-obamacare-act.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966702 | 1,108 | 1.84375 | 2 |
If there's one constant in the world, it's that people do not want to see bad things happen to children. It makes sense, children have not been alive for very long, are often unable to control their own destiny and are the more vulnerable members of society. This is a good instinct, but it's an instinct which can be easily exploited by those who want to deflect criticism. Since anything bad happening to kids is a negative, it becomes more difficult to attack proposals which are pitched as helping kids in some way. The cries of "think of the children" are positioned to drown out any protests.
I bring this up because of the way a new piece of legislation is being handled. The new legislation would require telecommunications and internet providers to give subscriber data to police, national security agencies and the Competition Bureau without a warrant, including names, phone numbers and IP addresses. The part about being able to access that information without a warrant bothers privacy advocates, but Public Safety Minister Vic Toews says this is all necessary to protect against child pornography, and if one disagrees with the bill they are effectively on side with those who would want to exploit children. It's a heavy handed way to avoid real debate.
By making a forceful reference to the exploitation of children Toews has made it impossible to discuss this bill rationally and openly, since he's tied it to an issue which people are uniformly against. No matter what issues one might have with the wording of the bill, or its implications, the reaction from proponents of the legislation will bring up that one thing everyone can't argue against.
Instead of being a debate about how the legislation affects the basic rights of Canadians, it becomes about something entirely different, and it deflects attention away from any criticism people might have. While being able to gain information without a warrant worries some, it is an issue that is being effectively ignored.
The problem with a bill like this is it needs a mature, reasonable debate in order to reach a solution that can satisfy privacy advocates while simultaneously giving police more tools to deal with online crime. Since due process is a vital component of the justice system, any talk of giving expanded powers without a warrant is going to raise the ire of privacy advocates, but given the new and largely uncharted areas of online policing it's also going to be difficult to figure out just how to balance privacy and the need for law enforcement. Unfortunately, Toews has dashed any hopes of mature, reasonable debate by taking the largely immature step of tying anyone who disagrees with him to the lowest of the low. It's not a way to get people on board, and in some ways it feels as though he is attempting to hide some very real flaws.
At this point, it's clear that there is no longer any hope of a mature, reasonable debate, instead we're getting a party trying to hide behind an issue that is very emotional, banking on the fact that it's something nobody wants to argue against. It ignores the fact that this has much larger implications than that one crime, and that keeping things reasonable is the only way to get effective legislation. It's a move made through cowardice, rather than genuine concern. | <urn:uuid:872c7c3e-8e8e-4105-97d0-4c01ee3a929a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.yorktonnews.com/article/20120216/YORKTONNEWS0302/302169986/0/yorktonnews | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97632 | 640 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Is "yea" the right spelling? Answers: yea is the right spelling...i also do yay! just to sort it clear that i'm saying yay and not yeah, since some ppl who cant spell spell yeah similar to yea.i sure hope that made sense:)Yeah!
I always spell it as yay...if you want it to rhyme near hooray or away or get out of my track...yay
yay!hooray as in yay?
"Hooray I obtain candy!"
"Yay I get candy!"
in attendance you go :)I would agree near that. Yea..!
yea is the correct spelling. Lots of people read that as "yeah" but its not like. Well, kind of impossible to tell apart (both mean yes) but they're pronounced differently:) | <urn:uuid:8f211c51-c831-44ce-ba47-b88a9870696f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.educationask.com/words-wordplay/946-2-words-2.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977556 | 179 | 1.703125 | 2 |
It is vital to maintain a healthy heart. The Herbalife Healthy Heart range of products has been designed with your future in mind. Put the power of heart health in your hands, prepare for tomorrow today!
The Healthy Heart programme looks at what you can do each day, as well as using Niteworks powder each night, to keep your heart healthy Herbalife also recommends:
Reducing cholesterol and reduding your intake of fatty foods
Increasing your fibre intake by eating plenty of fruit & veg
Drinking eight glasses of water a day
Taking regular exercise and living an active life
Eating good fats such as fish oils or using a supplement such as Herbalifeline
Limiting your salt intake
If you smoke, then quit or at least cut down
Make some time each week to relax and try to avoid stress
Sarah - 35 lbs
"I've lost 35 lbs* and dropped 3 dress sizes, I take all of the Herbalife products on a daily basis, I feel like I did when I was in my 20’s and for me to wake up in the morning feeling great is the best start to the day.
*All weight loss claims refer to the Herbalife Weight Management Programme which includes, amongst other things, a balanced diet, regular exercise, an adequate daily fluid intake and appropriate rest. The Herbalife products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
These materials were prepared by and are the responsibility of independent Herbalife distributors:
B.I.G. Entrepreneurs UK Ltd, 44 Dover Rd, Walmer, Deal, Kent, CT14 7JW. E-mail: [email protected] | <urn:uuid:55e795c1-9a07-46e0-817d-cfac46be5d81> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thewellnessstore.co.uk/targeted_nutrition_healthyheart.asp?DistId=11435&returnpage=energy_fitness_sport_supplements.asp&returnpage=weightmanagement_weightmaintenance.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941564 | 354 | 1.515625 | 2 |
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SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 26, 2005 - Intel Corporation today recognized the 40 finalists who will vie for more than $530,000 in scholarships in the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search (Intel STS), America's oldest pre-college science competition for high school seniors.
"These finalists reflect the best accomplishments of solid, project-based, curiosity-driven education," said Intel CEO Craig Barrett. "What's most encouraging is that these young people are just beginning their scientific journeys. Like many STS finalists before them, this group will be responsible for future discoveries that address critical needs while helping to keep America at the center of innovation."
The Intel STS represents six decades of excellence. Alumni of this program hold more than 100 of the world's most coveted science and math honors, including six Nobel Prizes, three National Medals of Science, 10 MacArthur Foundation Fellowships and two Fields Medals.
This year's annual STS alumni distinguished speaker is a 2004 recipient of the Nobel Prize in physics, Dr. Frank Wilczek. "The Science Talent Search opened up a whole new world for me," Wilczek said. "It was there I first realized working as a scientist could be a reality for me."
About the Finalists
The finalists will meet in Washington, D.C. March 10-15 to attend the Science Talent Institute, interact with top scientists and participate in rigorous judging sessions. Selected from among 300 semifinalists announced earlier this month, the finalists range in age from 16 to 18. They hail from 15 states, with New York having the most finalists (13) followed by California, Florida, Illinois and Maryland with four each. Research projects include studies on engineering new tissue to heal wounds, improving cancer treatments, developing new energy conversion technology and using ancient textiles to date archaeological sites. In addition to a pursuit of scientific excellence, 80 percent of this year's finalists play a musical instrument, 50 percent volunteer in their community, 47 percent are fluent in a language other than English and 25 percent have perfect SAT scores. This year's diverse group of finalists includes an award-winning poet, a competitive ballroom dancer, a table tennis gold medalist in the U.S. Junior Olympics and a student who founded a nonprofit focusing on social justice.
The top prize in the Intel STS is a $100,000 college scholarship. The second-place finalist receives a $75,000 scholarship and the third-place finalist receives a $50,000 scholarship. Fourth- through sixth-place finalists are each awarded $25,000 scholarships, and seventh- through 10th-place winners receive a $20,000 scholarship. The remaining 30 finalists each receive a $5,000 scholarship award. In addition to the all-expense-paid trip to Washington, all students attending the competition receive an Intel® CentrinoTM mobile technology-based notebook computer. Winners will be announced at a black-tie banquet on March 15.
Society for Science & the Public, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance the understanding and appreciation of science among people of all ages through publications and educational programs, has administered the program since its inception in 1942. For more information on Society for Science & the Public, visit www.societyforscience.org.
Intel's sponsorship of the STS is part of the Intel® Innovation in Education initiative, a sustained commitment - in collaboration with educators and government leaders worldwide - to help today's students develop the higher-level thinking skills they need to participate and succeed in a knowledge-based economy. For more information, visit www.intel.com/education.
Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom.
-- 30 --
Intel and Centrino are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. *Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
Copyright � 2005 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
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CONNECT WITH SSP | <urn:uuid:85e3145c-df00-409b-adc5-af235e9b3480> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.societyforscience.org/page.aspx?pid=402 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932483 | 891 | 1.617188 | 2 |
PA Workforce Development Association Industry Partnership Portal
Pennsylvania's Industry Partnerships
Many local areas and regions have developed sector or industry strategies to address workforce shortages, respond to economic problems and opportunities, and align workforce investments with identified workforce needs.
An industry partnership is a multi-employer collaborative effort that brings together management and labor around the common purpose of improving the competitiveness of a cluster of companies or organizations producing similar products or services and sharing similar supply chains, critical human resource needs, infrastructure requirements, business services, and/or retention/recruitment challenges.
Fast Facts about Industry Partnerships in Pennsylvania:
- There are more than 6,300 businesses involved in nearly 76 Industry Partnerships across Pennsylvania.
- More than 70,000 workers have been trained since the inception of this initiative in 2005.
- Workers who received training through Industry Partnerships saw their wages rise by an average of 6.62 percent within the first year after receiving training.
- 88 percent of businesses in Industry Partnerships reported being very satisfied or satisfied with the program.
- 84 percent of businesses reported Industry Partnerships and training have helped them to significantly increase their productivity.
- Industry leaders have contributed more than $9 million in private funds and more than $30 million in-kind contributions to support training and other initiatives identified through these Industry Partnerships.
(Figures as of January 2009)
Industry Partnerships — PA Department of Labor & Industry, Workforce Development (see this site for links to PA Industry Clusters, grant guidelines and grant recipients)
2011 Industry Partnerships Summit
One million voters don't have ID to vote, professor testifies in Harrisburg. Keywords: justice, politics.
This capitolwire.com news item links to an external article. The URL is: | <urn:uuid:ff8e1c8d-3f0a-4d22-a8fb-300409ea59bf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pawork.org/industry-partnerships | 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 | 0.935542 | 364 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Yesterday’s announcement of a $306 billion toxic asset safety net for Citigroup (C) was warmly received in the equity markets and has the potential for helping triggering the first three day rally in stocks since what seems like the Eisenhower administration.
Perhaps even better than the news in the equity markets is the impact that the Citigroup rescue has had in the pricing of credit default swaps (CDS) of financial institutions. Yesterday, for instance, the cost of credit default insurance at Citigroup was essentially cut in half, which is not surprising, given the nature of the agreement. The domino effect at other troubled financial institutions was notable, with CDS prices improving as follows:
- Goldman Sachs (GS): 68 basis points (18%)
- Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A): 86 basis points (19%)
- Morgan Stanley (MS): 74 basis points (14%)
- Hartford Insurance Group (HIG): 214 basis points (10%)
For those not versed in the details of credit default swap pricing, each basis point translates into $1000 per year for 5 years to insure $10 million worth of debt, so a 5 year $10 million CDS for Goldman Sachs became $68,000 cheaper in the wake of the Citigroup deal.
The market likes the deal. I think the approach makes sense. Better yet, the Citigroup rescue may provide a workable template for how to best deal with troubled financial institutions in a manner than the government, firm, and market all find acceptable. | <urn:uuid:b1c456e4-91cd-4903-8773-b5fd7091f401> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://vixandmore.blogspot.com/2008/11/citigroup-rescue-triggers-improvement.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943778 | 310 | 1.5625 | 2 |
|Injured rebels were taken for treatment by Ecuadorian forces following the attack [Reuters]|
Ecuador has denied Colombian accusations that its government has strengthened its links with the Farc group, after a Colombian raid on a rebel base in Ecuador threatened to spark a regional crisis.
Ecuador and Venezuela both sent forces to their borders with Colombia following the raid, in which Raul Reyes, a Farc leader, was killed.
Francisco Suescum, the Ecuadorian ambassador withdrawn from Bogota, said: "This is a lie. Neither the government of Ecuador or President Correa has ever had such an attitude.
Correas said there was "no justification" for the raid, seeming to reject a Colombian apology for the incursion.
The US, however, said it backed Colombia's efforts to respond to the "threat and challenge" from the Farc movement.
Tom Casey, a US state department deputy spokesman, said: "We consider the Farc - the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - to be a terrorist organisation. We support the government of Colombia in its efforts to respond to that threat and challenge."
Regional governments said they would help to resolve the standoff with Brazil cautioning that the tensions were destabilising regional ties.
France, which has worked to free rebel-held hostages, also called for restraint on all sides.
The Colombian government had accused Rafael Correa, the Ecuadorian president, of having ties with Farc, the largest Colombian rebel group.
A spokesman for Alvaro Uribe, the Colombian president, said documents found in the wake of the attack on the camp inside Ecuador yielded information "that ... Correa has a relationship and commitments with Farc".
Colombian police said the documents were apparently written by Reyes.
Correa had expelled Colombia's ambassador and withdrawn his own envoy from Bogota on Sunday in protest against what he said was an intentional violation of his nation's sovereignty.
|Chavez warned that Colombia's actions could |
start a war in South America [AFP]
Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan leader, had its embassy in Colombia to be shut and diplomatic staff withdrawn, warning that Colombia's actions could spark a war in South America.
"We do not want war but we are not going to let them ... come and divide and weaken us," Chavez said on his weekly TV show.
The Venezuelan leader said he was ordering 10 battalions - about 6,000 troops - to the border with Colombia.
Chavez called Uribe a "criminal", saying: "Not only is he a liar, a mafia boss, a paramilitary who leads a narco-government and leads a government that is a lackey of the United States ... he leads a band of criminals from his palace."
On Saturday, Colombia's military announced its troops had killed Reyes, during an attack on a jungle camp in Ecuador, a blow to the group behind Latin America's oldest uprising.
Juan Manuel Santos, the Colombian defence minister, said commandos, tracking Reyes through an informant, first bombed a camp on the Colombian side of the Ecuadorean border.
He said the troops came under fire from across the border and encountered Reyes' body when they overran that camp.
"It was a massacre,'' said Correa, who accused Colombia of lying and said some rebels were shot in the back.
Uribe has complained before that Farc fighters take refuge in frontier areas, though neighbours say his troops are not doing enough to prevent the conflict spilling across the borders. | <urn:uuid:9900e8d1-8fff-41c7-8f89-51d89d194b00> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2008/03/2008525125240186711.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973468 | 721 | 1.515625 | 2 |
HAMBURG, NY - Trade unions in WNY spend two days teaching kids at a career fair in the town of Hamburg.
The goal was to expose high school students to careers that will help them grow.
Not just high school students were impacted. For the second year, the Apprentice Coordinators also took time to reach out to veterans looking to start a new career.
Click the Video Player above to watch more from Career Day | <urn:uuid:91314940-9476-4cf5-b139-fc86f86c8bff> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wgrz.com/(S(gae21n45twlwgi2xf2ouxx45))/news/article/184465/13/Construction-Careers-on-Display-in-WNY | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983999 | 88 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Economists' outlook darkens: See 30% chance of recession
The chances of the economy slipping into another recession have risen significantly, and forecasts for economic growth and job gains over the next year have been substantially downsized, according to USA TODAY's quarterly survey of top economists.
The 39 economists polled Aug. 3-11 put the chance of another downturn at 30% — twice as high as three months ago, according to their median estimates. That means another shock to the fragile economy — such as more stock market declines or a worsening of the European debt crisis — could push the nation over the edge.
Yet even if the USA avoids a recession, as economists still expect, they see economic growth muddling along at about 2.5% the next year, down from 3.1% in April's survey. The economy must grow well above 3% to significantly cut unemployment.
As a result, the economists predict the jobless rate will fall painfully slowly, dipping to 8.8% in 12 months, not much below today's 9.1%. In April, they estimated unemployment would be 8.2% by mid-2012.
"We'll continue on a path of pretty slow and disappointing growth, but probably there's not a decline into recession," says Robert Mellman, senior economist for JPMorgan Chase.
The gloomier forecast is a stunning reversal. Just weeks ago, economists were calling for a strong rebound in the second half of the year, based on falling gasoline prices giving consumers more to spend on other things and car sales taking off as auto supply disruptions after Japan's earthquake faded. In fact, July retail sales showed their best gain in four months.
But that was before European debt woes spread, the government cut its growth estimates for the first half of 2011 to less than 1%, and Standard & Poor's lowered the USA's credit rating after the showdown over the debt ceiling.
U.S. consumer confidence in early August sank to its lowest since 1980, according to the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan survey released Friday.
Mellman says the biggest threat to the recovery is the stock market moving lower or sideways the next few months, weakening already-sluggish consumer spending. Paul Kasriel, chief economist of Northern Trust, worries more about falling U.S. exports — one of the economy's few bright spots — as growth in China slows.
Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Analytics, is more sanguine. The fundamentals of the U.S economy are strong, he says, noting that companies, consumers and banks have all improved their balance sheets and that corporations are sitting on record cash reserves. The main problem, he says, is "a crisis of confidence."
To solve it, Zandi expects the Federal Reserve to buy more Treasury bonds to lower interest rates and drive investments to stocks. Almost a third of the economists surveyed expect the Fed to begin another stimulus in the next six months. | <urn:uuid:5de72267-04fc-4278-9357-52edb95802ae> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/economy/2011-08-14-economists-survey_n.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959815 | 597 | 1.664063 | 2 |
6 CFR Part 27
Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards
The Department of Homeland Security has issued a Federal Register regarding chemical facilities and their network security vulnerabilities.
According to 6 CFR 27.205-215, facilities are required to perform regular Security Vulnerability Assessments and submit them to the Department of Homeland Security in an effort to increase the awareness concerning network security threats.
Honeywell’s Industrial Security & Compliance Group has developed an easy solution to help you with these assessments to ensure their timely and accurate submission.
Click here to learn more | <urn:uuid:d65ad662-e00b-4168-9a50-efa241e9dc6c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.matrikon.com/regulatory-compliance/cfr-part-27.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940317 | 114 | 1.507813 | 2 |
HARRISBURG - A Republican plan to phase out Pennsylvania's 600 state-operated liquor stores and raise millions in revenue by selling licenses to private businesses passed the House easily Thursday and was sent to the Senate.
The 105-90 vote after about seven hours of debate was a victory for members of the majority Republican caucus and their ally, GOP Gov. Tom Corbett. Five Republicans and no Democrats crossed party lines.
The bill would give existing beer distributors the priority in purchasing 1,200 wine and spirits licenses. It also would allow grocery stores to sell wine and enshrine their current ability - won through court rulings - to sell takeout beer.
Corbett said the vote put the state a step closer to getting out of a business it should never have entered.
"We're actually telling our citizens that we know you're adults and you should have the ability to choose, and you should have convenience," he said
Democrats warned that it would put thousands of state store employees out of work, cost more and generate less revenue than supporters predict and that it would make alcohol more widely available, bringing with it a range of social problems.
"This is not a business-friendly bill," said Rep. Margo Davidson, D-Delaware. "This measure has the potential to destroy small businesses and ravage communities."
Supporters said the state should not be selling alcohol and said private businesses would improve customer service, create jobs and put an end to a Depression-era system of state control that was almost unheard of across the country. They said sales would increase in part by recapturing customers from Pennsylvania who purchase wine and liquor from other states, particularly New Jersey.
"We are moving in the right direction," Majority Leader Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, said during the floor debate. "There are going to be thousands of new private-sector jobs, not only in retail but in wholesale."
After the vote, Turzai called the bill "an A-plus product and I think Pennsylvanians, should it be enacted into law as it is, will be saying, 'Why didn't we do this 40 years ago?'"
Both sides said the proposal was likely to see changes in the state Senate, where the Republican leader said discussions would soon begin regarding how that chamber will respond.
Corbett, who supports privatization, said the fees from the licenses - at least hundreds of millions, perhaps as much as $1.1 billion - should go to improving public education.
But the bill does not dictate how the money is spent, only that it should be deposited in a special account. Legislative officials said the spending would be determined in separate, future legislation.
Democrats were skeptical of the revenue projections.
"To get to that $1.1 billion, you'd almost have to have a perfect storm," said Rep. Joe Markosek, the ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Committee. "Something far lower is far more likely to occur."
Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Allegheny, was one of several members who expressed concern that some communities would be flooded with new retail booze outlets.
"When this thing is fully instituted, and we see an increase of alcoholism, or we see an increase of destruction that happens in our neighborhoods because of accessibility to a drug, then we have a responsibility to pay for that," Wheatley said. | <urn:uuid:068ad627-577e-4b54-921b-f8e122e71a22> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/569936/Phaseout-of-state-liquor-stores-passes-House.html?nav=742 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974407 | 687 | 1.539063 | 2 |
The following two examples are from Waterhouse's own copies of Shelley's and Tennyson's poems. The signatures are dated between 1878-1887:
This example is from a letter Waterhouse wrote to Miss Mary Lloyd. The signature is dated between 1887-1900:
This example comes from a study of a girl's head:
Coming soon - examples of how Waterhouse signed his paintings. | <urn:uuid:aeb399ac-4c3f-4ad0-8be9-7794eea064ba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.johnwilliamwaterhouse.com/articles/signature-examples/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957484 | 82 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Week in Review (September 29 – October 5)
Chicago-based trans activist KOKUMO talks about the challenges and triumphs of trans women of color: My name is KOKUMO (pronounced “koh-koo-mah”). I gave myself that name, because KOKUMO is Yoruba, a West African Dialect, for “This woman will not die.” The reason I named myself that is because, unfortunately, that’s what typically happens to women like myself.
Continue reading at the Huffington Post.
Where is the Black ‘New Normal’ in Primetime?
Where are [black Americans who are gay and raising families] in primetime? “The public has to push the media to do the right thing,” Sharon Lettman-Hicks, the Executive Director and CEO of the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), told theGrio. As the head of a civil rights organization that fights to promote the rights of black LGBT families, Lettman-Hicks recognizes the importance of positive media stereotypes, but she’s not holding her breath waiting for Hollywood to lead the way. “I give a lot of credit to some of the black media for doing responsible coverage of our community, but [Hollywood needs] to catch up,” she says.
More on theGrio.
Poet Jade Foster Discusses THE REVIVAL, a Poetry Tour Showcasing Queer Women of Color
Jade Foster, producer of THE REVIVAL, and an art student based in Washington, DC is very committed to getting women together and empowering women’s voices. GLAAD had the opportunity to speak with Foster, who gave us some insight into the significance and purpose behind the tour.
Check out the interview on GLAAD’s blog.
Voting While Trans: Watch the Public Service Announcements
Turns out that gender identity matters at the polls. The National Center for Transgender Equality has released a series of public service announcements to call attention to the specific challenges transgender folks face while trying to vote. The challenges facing transgender folks are especially unique.
Get informed over at Colorlines.
Bryant Steele, Indianapolis Man Killed In House Fire, May Have Been Targeted For Being Gay
Sources say that a mysterious Indianapolis house fire that left one man dead may have been an anti-gay hate crime. WBIW cites family members who say 27-year-old Bryant Steele, who was found dead in a home that caught fire during the early hours of Sept. 30, may have been targeted by arsonists because he was openly gay.
More at Huffington Post.
LGBT History Month Icon Of The Day: Kye Allums
Kye Allums made news when he came out as the first transgender man to play on a NCAA Division 1 women’s basketball team in November 2010. At the time, Allums was a George Washington University junior majoring in interior design. When he disclosed his gender identity to his teammates and coach, he was greeted with open arms.
Continue reading on the Huffington Post. | <urn:uuid:fc5b3868-6a82-41fb-8560-864a74f03cfc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://elixher.com/week-in-review-september-29-october-5/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957027 | 651 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Occasionally this blog tells the story of the great personalities who comprise the fabric of the city, the ones who you won’t necessarily read about in the daily newspapers. One of those people died this week, Charlie Doyle of Brighton.
If I were forced to reduce Doyle’s life to headlines, which is always difficult, I’d describe him as the leader — the innovator really — of a vibrantly progressive ward committee in Brighton, Ward 21, a long-time city politico, having run the City of Boston’s Cable Office under a number of city mayors, a political visionary and a Bostonian’s Bostonian.
But I can’t really boil Doyle down to that, because he was much, much more. His story begins amid the simmering liberalism of the late 1950s and early 1960s — before it turned into the cauldron of the latter part of that decade. He graduated from the now-defunct St. Columbkille High School of Brighton and travelled down Commonwealth Avenue to attend Boston University. There he electrified fellow students with his encyclopedic knowledge of politics and history. Then he went even farther afield for a graduate program at Columbia University in New York City. New York, at that time, was a place of swirling intellectual and political foment. Charlie and I talked about that period in his life when I visited with him at the Cable Office in the mid-1990s. It helped power a intellectual engine, but he came back to Brighton to make a difference.
When he came back, Charlie put into practice his knowledge of the burgeoning field of political science. At a time when most ward committee work was limited to distributing political signs, Doyle was turning it into a science. He gathered detailed voter data, compiled demographic information, and kept the best data bases in the city.
My grandparents lived in Brighton for much of my life, and I thought I knew the neighborhood. That was until I called Doyle for a story. In painstaking — and delicious — detail, he broke down the differences between the liberal, but sometimes transient, Ward 21, and the more socially-conservative, Ward 22.
He was a skilled photographer. His work, which was on display at his wake, could serve as a pictorial history of Boston with vintage photos of Kevin White, Larry Bird and others. He was ahead of the curve on a trend that has become very popular today, bicycle riding. I remember on him tooling around his bike at Nantasket Beach in Hull. He remained a political junkie until the end, relishing WGBH’s Friday night line up of political shows, beginning with Greater Boston.
But, most of all, Doyle was the quiet creator of a political dynasty in Brighton. He took the two basketball-loving sons of his sister Mary under his wing and imparted to them everything he ever knew about politics. It was his gift. He bestowed it on the dogged and lovable Kevin Honan, who has become as reliable and earnest a representative as that neighborhood has ever had. And he delivered it to the charismatic, witty and talented Brian Honan, who served Brighton as a city councillor and then was running a rigorous campaign for district attorney, when he died suddenly and tragically at the age of 39 in 2002.
I can’t say that Charlie was the same after that. But who would be.
There was something awful about seeing many of the same faces at the funeral home on Chestnut Hill Avenue yesterday. Amidst the pain, people were talking about one of Charlie’s great final achievements. Back in 2005 and 2006 a former Clinton Administration official, little known in the Boston area, started making the rounds trying to meet people and build up a grass roots political organization. He was, of course, Deval Patrick. Most insiders met Patrick with indifference at best.
Doyle was different. He welcomed Patrick to a ward committee meeting. There he grilled the would-be governor. Why was he any different than any of the other great progressive candidates, whose candidacies failed after great fanfare? Patrick convinced many in the ward that he was different. He took 14/18 delegates at the caucuses that year.
With Doyle’s departure, like the death of Boston-chronicler Alan Lupo a couple weeks ago, the city is a poorer place, one more in danger of losing its character and characters. | <urn:uuid:2aeb9062-c69c-4ba0-878b-e47e64922ef4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://gitell.wordpress.com/category/massachusetts-politics/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982769 | 906 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Google+, the search giant’s latest shot at a social network, has been available in beta form via invitation for almost two weeks. It has generated an impressive amount of buzz among those who’ve been able to secure access. Most of that buzz has been positive.
But it should also be noted that many of the people currently on Google+ are early adopters and techies, the types who jump in feetfirst and embrace the joy of being on the cutting edge. But not everyone who signs in thinks it’s so wonderful. Take, for example, science writer Kayt Sukel, who also blogs on chron.com as a City Bright. She grabbed an early invitation and, after a few days of use, seemed mystified, posting this to Twitter:
As nicely executed as Google+ is, Sukel’s comment shows it faces a real problem if its goal is to become the dominant social network. It must give users a compelling reason to abandon the investment they’ve made in existing social networks. A clean interface and cute animations may not be enough to lure users away from communities where they’ve already laid down solid roots.
In other words: If Twitter or Facebook works for you and your friends, why should you shift your attention from there to Google+?
Google+’s inability to answer this “why” question is also one reason I’ve not yet written a full review of the service. I don’t feel like I’ve got a handle yet on what Google+ is trying to be. Maybe it’s because Google+ is a work in progress – company executives say there’s a lot more to come, and all the pieces may not be in place.
That said, here are a few thoughts on Google+’s pros and cons.
• Circles – Google+ lets you sort your contacts into groups it calls Circles. You can create new Circles to hold friends you want to put in specific categories. Essentially, these are nothing more than lists, but the process of adding friends to a Circle is kind of fun, which makes the whole scenario seem like something new and different. You find people who have a Gmail account or a Google Profile, then drag and drop them into an assigned Circle.
You can create new Circles, as well as use a Circle to block users. When you go to share information on Google+, you can assign it to specific Circles. For example, if you only want your family to see something, you can limit an item’s visibility to that particular circle.
• Hangouts. So far, this is the most interesting part of Google+, and what may be its “killer app”. Hangouts lets you do a group videochat with up to 10 people. You can see and talk to each other, as well as share a YouTube video with the group. I’ve done this a few times and it’s a lot of fun.
Of course, it requires that you have a webcam available and a decent amount of bandwidth. I’ve been on relatively high-speed connections each time I’ve participated, and the experience has been quite good. I’m curious what it might be like on a slower connection.
• Stream. Here’s the center of Google+, analogous to Facebook’s Wall or Newsfeed. This is where you’ll see what your friends are sharing or saying. It suffers from the same problem that bedevils Facebook – you see a lot of things shared by your friends that may not interest you, as they share items shared by their other contacts.
You’ll also see comments made by people who aren’t in your Circles, as they comment on items posted by your friends. In the image above, you can see an item posted by my buddy Ed Bott, followed by comments from people I don’t know. While those comments are just fine, that’s not always the case.
At the moment, Google+ lacks the ability to mute users from appearing in your stream. You can block a user, but that’s a nuclear option, walling them off from you completely. Google+ needs a way to “prune” the stream that’s a little more gentle.
• Profiles. Google has offered its Profiles feature for some time, but it’s become a crucial part of Google+. Your profile must be public before you can participate in Google+, and at the end of this month, Google will delete all private profiles. disable the ability to make a profile private (My profile was private until I decided to participate in Google+.) This makes a certain amount of sense, but it feels Draconian. It will be interesting to see if there’s a backlash when privatized profiles are suddenly revealed. My guess: There won’t be.
I plan on doing a full review of Google+ in an upcoming Always On column. In the meantime, I’d like to hear from those who have gained access: What do you think of Google+? If you’re on Facebook or Twitter, do you prefer it to either of those services? Or are you struggling to justify why it should become a part of your social networking world? | <urn:uuid:34f0bb18-9c84-4319-870e-ba0ad537f9c7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.seattlepi.com/techblog/2011/07/11/the-problem-with-google-it-doesn%E2%80%99t-answer-the-%E2%80%98why%E2%80%99-question/ | 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 | 0.951549 | 1,106 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Secular Buddhism seems like an oxymoron, especially when we simply take the words themselves at face value without any deeper understanding of what we mean. Military Buddhists might be another phrase that elicits a similar response.
There are many service men and women in our armed forces that would describe themselves as Buddhist. And, even some who do not may have an inclination to Buddhist inspired practices. They come to this tradition sometimes as part of their personal family heritage, and sometimes as an adopted religion. That may have occurred early in their lives, or after already being in the military. However these men and women have found themselves as Buddhists in the armed forces, the simple fact remains: both are a part of their daily existence, and how those aspects contrast, blend, and work together is a challenge those of us on the outside can only guess at understanding.
Mike Nam was in the Marines from 2000 to 2004, and from 2005 to the present is a Medic in the California Army National Guard. Mike has been on three combat deployments, is currently in his fourth year at South Baylo University, and is the creator of the U.S. Military Buddhists page on FaceBook.
So, sit back, relax, and have a nice mulled wine, heavy on the cinnamon and light on the cloves. Merry Christmas, Clarence.
Music for This Episode Courtesy of Rodrigo Rodriguez
The music heard in the middle of the podcast is from Rodrigo Rodriguez. The track used in this episode is “Cross of Light” from his CD, Shakuhachi Meditations.
Category: The Secular Buddhist Podcast | <urn:uuid:b1e8404a-0c9c-4e44-8fc4-352116c93e38> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://secularbuddhism.org/2012/12/21/episode-148-mike-nam-u-s-military-buddhists/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971034 | 326 | 1.523438 | 2 |
A cobbler is a tradesman who mends or makes footwear. The occupation of sandal maker shares many of the same trade skills.
The Tal Shiar files on Garak mistakenly believed that he was a cobbler. When an operative was contacted in 2371 by Benjamin Sisko, he corrected the operative and told her that Garak was a tailor, she told Sisko, "I'll correct our records. That is, if he's still alive." (DS9: "Improbable Cause")
In 2373, a Takarian sandal maker approached the Great Sages to request financial assistance. Describing himself as "a sandal maker from the poorest quarter of the city", he proceeded to tell the Sages that his "sandal shop is failing," and that he "can no longer feed [his] family." When the Great Sages, who were actually two Ferengi that were exploiting the Takarans, discovered that the sandal maker was not exploiting his family as free labor in his shop, they offered him a copy of the Rules of Acquisition, rather than the food and medicine that he requested. (VOY: "False Profits") | <urn:uuid:f22d5af4-cc90-48bf-aa39-11e6c638f972> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Sandal_maker | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.987649 | 244 | 1.84375 | 2 |
If the latest wave of now-what commentary is any indication, it's going to be a long electoral hangover for Republicans. Gripped with dismay over the allegedly excessive influence of "preachers" and "plutocrats," a growing number of observers seem to be pushing Republicans to reconsider their Whig roots. This could be odd advice, insofar as Whiggery, organized around broad-based national projects for prosperity (infrastructure, eduction, etc.), happened to collapse in suspicious tandem with the rise of the GOP in the first place. On the other hand, a return to Whiggery basically implies that the historical conditions which created the GOP's commerce-and-abolition coalition are going the way of the buffalo.
To reclaim its Lincolnesque transformation, the GOP needs to fundamentally pivot on the role of government. Laissez-faire ideology has its merits, but cannot compete successfully with a population weaned on the welfare state, whose members are keenly attuned to their vulnerability in our volatile era.
By admitting that government is sometimes a necessary partner in nurturing and sometimes financing infrastructure critical for economic expansion, Republicans can offer their own vision of what growth-inducing services such as new roads—as opposed to the increased regulation and transfer payments and pension bloat peddled by Democrats—government can and should provide. This could appeal to Hispanics, Asians, and younger people who would be the prime beneficiaries of tangible investments.
I have a lot of love for Kotkin, but this strikes me as tenuous ground for a Republican reboot. It makes a certain kind of sense that the current crop of reform-minded conservative wonks who want to go more populist look to Whig modes of framing national progress. But as Obama painfully revealed to Republicans forced to endure his protracted reelection-year appeal to winning the future with a new, nation-building brand of economic patriotism, the left has a pretty influential claim to the idea that anything a Whig can do, they can do better (or, you know, with more feeling).
To get out of the resultant position of weakness, Republicans could consider renovating a strangely neglected strain of thought on the right of center, a kind of libertarianism with foundations in political theory, not economics. As I try to develop over at Forbes, this political libertarianism
recognizes that corruption, corporatism, and the maximum security state are all political problems first, not economic ones. That’s important because it helps Americans understand the context of freedom even if they aren’t exactly hungering for more economic freedom from government. And it’s powerful because the context it reveals indicates where Americans can claw back freedom that doesn’t reduce to the exercise of mere personal choices, however important to their life plans. Political liberty is best understood as the precondition of that choice-making[.]
The surprise here to many, I think, will be that this kind of standpoint is far less apologetic toward "plutocracy" than many critics, on both sides of the aisle, currently suppose libertarianism necessarily to be. That alone ought to earn it a serious look on the right. | <urn:uuid:fdfba8af-5288-455c-b140-5402a1fb5968> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ricochet.com/main-feed/The-Retreat-To-Whiggery/(comment)/543204 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950793 | 641 | 1.546875 | 2 |
I beg your pardon?
A true "Yowie" in Indigenous mythology is a 6 foot tall Ant like creature with large red eye4s on the side of it's head that devours people, and only comes out at night. A joker by the name of Rex Gilroy popularised the term in local media in 1972. Closest beast would be the Dooligahl.
Tenzing Norgay, Sir Edmond Hillary's Sherpa changed his stance on the Yeti, and came to publicly say that he felt it was not more than a story.
I live in what Aussie Cryptzoologists call a Yowie Hotspot. Never heard anything so ridiculous.
Edited by psyche101, 12 February 2013 - 06:22 AM. | <urn:uuid:7602d91d-9e64-4c13-b600-b97ef0b52775> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/forum/index.php?s=551103d62eaecd3a3473d6d66fe4dfad&showtopic=240197&st=165&p=4662293 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957148 | 158 | 1.835938 | 2 |
I would like to watch a movie about mathematics/mathematicians (english/french language is OK, italian would be the best! Both real and invented stories are OK, maybe I would prefer something based on a real story). Well, I know maybe just the most famous ones:
A beatiful mind (who doesn't know it?!)
The proof (by the way, do you know whether or not it is based on a real story?)
"Morte di un matematico napoletano" (I am sorry, I don't know the english name. It's the story of the Italian mathematician Renato Caccioppoli)
Are there any other? Any suggestion?
Thanks in advance | <urn:uuid:dec6834c-d515-45bf-9477-9ca3e0e06432> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mathoverflow.net/questions/77279?sort=oldest | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961745 | 152 | 1.5625 | 2 |
11/15/2012 8:45 PM ET|
How to cut your food budget in half
Lowering your grocery bills and becoming healthier can go hand in hand if you follow these 8 steps for food shopping and meal planning.
We all lead busy lives. And it's too easy to throw money at "quick" food solutions because we're too tired to figure out a better way to function. But the food budget is the single easiest way to reduce expenses and derive more satisfaction out of everything you eat.
I don't particularly like to cook. But I have seen the results both in my health and finances by making an effort in this budget area. Here are the eight easiest ways I have found to cut your food budget in half:
Become vegetarian. There are a lot of reasons to eat a plant-based diet, and I like Leo Babauta's post "A Guide to Eating a Plant-Based Diet" for laying out the reasons. Meat is expensive, and although I like a good pot roast every now and then, I am equally happy eating rice and beans and other vegetarian options as the main staples of my weekly routine. You need only four to five recipes to alternate.
Limit alcohol. I dated an alcoholic for a few years and after that time quit drinking almost completely. I rarely keep any alcohol in my home unless I am having friends over or planning a special occasion. No one "needs" alcohol in the home all of the time, and if you do, you might have bigger problems than budgeting.
Quit buying ready-made solutions. I have a friend who is maintaining a gluten-free household, so I know how expensive a gluten-free loaf of bread can be. But if she makes it herself, it costs only a fraction of the retail price. This is true for almost anything you can buy premade (although you won't catch me baking my own bread anytime soon). If you use a lot of something, try to figure out how you can make it yourself in volume. It's cheaper for me to buy bulk steel-cut oats and cook a pot of it for the week than to buy instant oats.
Plan menus two weeks out before grocery shopping. Carve out time in your schedule (about 30 minutes) to plan your breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks for the next 10 to 14 days. Start by checking your kitchen cabinets for what you already have on hand, and build your menu to use up cans of soup and other staples. Consider keeping a folder of recipes you want to try. Once you have a completed menu, build your grocery list. Remember to check on toothpaste and other sundries so you don't come back and suddenly notice that one thing you absolutely need.
Grocery-shop three times a month, and stick to your list. People who eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables always hate this tip. I eat lots of vegetables and fruits too, and I have found that if I bring them home, prep them immediately and keep them in airtight containers, most stuff easily lasts 10 days.
Designate a "meal prep" day. Every 10 days or so, I spend three to four hours cooking big batches of stuff -- rice and beans, morning gruel, root vegetables, a casserole to freeze, etc. I know that if it takes me longer than 45 minutes to prepare a weekday meal, I'll go rogue and order takeout. So I precook lots of stuff to throw into salads or stir-fry, or just so I have something I can pull from the freezer the day before.
Keep a list of what's in the freezer. I might have something really delicious in my freezer but totally forget I have it. So I keep a list on the fridge that I update every 10 to 14 days when I am planning my next round of meals.
Keep comfort food ready to go. There are times when I just don't want to eat as healthfully as I usually do. When I am driving home after a long day, nothing sounds better than takeout. So I keep fixings on hand for things that sound better to me than takeout, like a grilled cheese sandwich or Beecher's Mac & Cheese.
How to make this work for you
To implement lasting change, I recommend keeping the following in mind:
- Don't go 100% on anything at first. You can't just flip a switch and make all of these changes instantly; I see many people make huge strides forward, then fall off the wagon because they tried to take on too much change at once. Strive for small steps at first, then build on those initial victories.
- Focus on health, not dollars. It's actually more motivating for me to maintain these practices as a foundation for healthy eating than to think of it as cutting back. So I don't focus on the specifics of the money I am saving; I just know that I am.
- Reduce the frequency of an expense instead of dollar amount. Instead of saying that you'll cut takeout from $200 a month to $100 a month, commit to getting food to go less often. If you usually get takeout four times a week, cut back to two to three times a week. If you go out to restaurants three times a week, cut back to one to two times a week. When you’re trying to change, it's easier to focus on the behavior than the dollars.
- Shoot for compliance nine out of 12 months a year. I give myself permission to cut loose and enjoy myself more during the summer months and at the end of the year. These times tend to be more social, so if I get off track, I don't beat myself up for it. There will always be times of expansion in your budget; just set a date with yourself to get back on track.
For me, the key to maintaining these practices has been celebrating incremental improvement, being consistent and avoiding self-criticism if I get off track. With even a few of these tactics, you can see a large reduction in your monthly food bill and a significant increase in your health.
More from Forbes.com:
MORE ON MSN MONEY
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Any article that tells you to nix the alcohol is worthless to me. And yeah, thanks for telling me that I have problems just because I enjoy alcohol with my meals. Stupid, sheesh.
I'm a former social drinker or about five times a week for 1-2 drinks per event. I stopped about five years ago (not sure exactly how long ago) for financial reasons and survived enough to live to tell about it. I have alcohol in the house now (leftover from Holiday cooking) that's in opened bottles.
I haven't touched them since I last added them to the fruitcakes. I've two bottles of sherry now
(both sealed) because I plan to make some fish or chicken dishes which come to life with a
splash of wine. The cognac I planned to give someone five years ago remains in the gift bag,
unpresented and of course, unopened. I wouldn't consider the fact that there's alcohol on my
premises a cause for alarm.
I voluntarily stopped drinking; I never required a friend to assist me to overcome the problem
nor enrolled in a retreat to help me get the urge under control. I've saved quite a bit not buying
liquor, developed new interests where once I dropped around in a post-contented Euphoric
state. I did however find that dining (or eating) had lost its glow, pleasure and great tasting
cuisine and became much less inclined to cook or experiment, i.e. the fun of cuisine
had disappeared. But I have this perfect, uninterrupted record of abstinence, and I like it.
you don't need worried about how to cut your food bodget in half.
Save money by becoming a vegetarian? Really? That's as far as I had to read to know this is a worthless article. For anyone wanting real information about cutting their food budget without cutting out the nutrient dense foods needed by your body to function optimally, check out the soon to be released (Feb 26, 2013) "Rich Food, Poor Food" by Jayson & Mira Calton.
This assumes a few things... first that meat is something you are willing to cut out of your budget on a whim and second that you have a huge freezer. I happen to agree that having a huge freezer is one way to save BIG on groceries in the long run. Buying during a GOOD sale on things can save 30-40% off even good price groceries to begin with. But I have lower grocery bills than almost anyone I have ever compared with and the BIG savings is on meat and not buying processed, quick to make box and bag food, as I call it.
I buy 95% of my meats direct from the farmer. To do this, you have to buy a half cow or pig and multiple chickens (ordered in advance) at a time. You need to put $20 a week into an envelope for at least 6 months in order to be ready for this, but then watch your MEAT COSTS GET CUT BY HALF. i AVERAGE about $3-3.25 a pound for beef. Yep, roasts and steaks too... at the cost of good hamburger. Grass fed, drug free small herd cow. Same for pork, because the processing is higher to have any of it smoked, or the sausage seasoned, cured, etc. Chicken costs about the same unless you order an entire freezer full at once. they run about $7-8 a bird, but they are at least twice the size as the one's in the store and again, this is a major consideration - DRUG FREE, full grown, free range chicken. The major producers of chickens mix antibiotics into EVERY feeding of the birds... and that effects our health. FDA is not protecting us there... they have to do it to keep them in the conditions that they do without having 1000's of birds dying on a regular basis with coop sickness... watch FOOD, INC. if you need to get your head around this one.
Finally, bags of potatoes and veggies, as large as you can get... cost pennies on the collar. Frozen bags of veggies are also very cost saving. We eat meat, veggies and a starch for a dinner meal almost every day - sometimes in the form of separate items and sometimes as a 'dish' from the crock-pot, or a casserole in the oven this time of year... the added benefit of oven heat in the kitchen in MN. To find farmers to buy from, search Google for "locally grown" listings or visit your states commerce website and there is more than likely a link. Once you start finding sources for local, whole foods you will be eating healthier and saving A TON of money on food.
Copyright © 2013 Microsoft. All rights reserved.
Quotes are real-time for NASDAQ, NYSE and AMEX. See delay times for other exchanges. | <urn:uuid:54619f23-e37e-4bbb-9c53-b1fea39ce52e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://money.msn.com/shopping-deals/c_article.aspx?cp-documentid=250281833&_p=b82a80a0-c62e-4199-8d14-e49a13b305dd | 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 | 0.966084 | 2,292 | 1.742188 | 2 |
Gwinnett Parent Among Recipients of Georgia Parent Leadership Award
From the Georgia Department of Education:
The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) and the Georgia Parent Teacher Association (GA PTA) are recognizing six parents from across the state with the 2013 Georgia Parent Leadership Award.
The award was created by GaDOE and GA PTA to recognize parents for their outstanding leadership in creating a foundation of support for student achievement and success. Research shows parents make a difference in student achievement - no matter the age of their child.
“We know that parent engagement helps create a better learning environment for our students,” said State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge. “I commend these parents for their leadership and involvement in the education and overall well-being of all the students in their child's school and school district.”
The parents will receive the honor during a ceremony tomorrow at the GaDOE.
The winners are:
- Tilwana Anderson, Partee Elementary School, Gwinnett County Schools
- Electria Barnes, Sanders Elementary School, Cobb County Schools
- Debra Mainor, Hillcrest Elementary School, Dublin City Schools
- Kellie Martin, Elcan-King Elementary School, Decatur County Schools
- Capucine Pansy, Eastside Elementary School, Douglas County Schools
- States Wing, Sharon Elementary School, Forsyth County Schools
Parent leaders are nominated each November during Georgia’s Parent Engagement Month by public school personnel. Any caregiver who assumes the responsibility for nurturing and caring for a student’s entire well-being consisting of educational, emotional, spiritual, and physical health is eligible for the honor.
Parent Leadership Awards are given each year to six parents representing both Title I schools and Non-Title I schools. While all six state winners for 2013 are from elementary schools, parents from all school levels can be nominated.
Winners of the Georgia Parent Leadership Award have opportunities throughout the year to share their story by promoting and assisting parent engagement activities at the state level. | <urn:uuid:97a3a256-833d-491b-bb3c-f312f1e2517c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lilburn.patch.com/announcements/gwinnett-parent-among-recipients-of-georgia-parent-leadership-award | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955466 | 421 | 1.5 | 2 |
The Inter Faith Service has traditionally been an integral part of the
Little Neck-Douglaston Memorial Day Parade observations. It represents
an opportunity for the community to come together in houses of worship
to honor those who fought for the freedom of our country, and to offer
thanks to the supreme being for the freedoms we now enjoy.
This year's service is the Thirtieth Annual Memorial Day Interfaith
Service sponsored by: American Legion Post #103, Veterans of Foreign
Wars Post #1808, Jewish War Veterans Bell Oak Post #648, and the Little
Neck-Douglaston Parade Organization. The service is rotated annually
among various religious houses of worship within Little Neck and Douglaston.
The host is responsible for coordinating the service in terms of selecting
readings and songs, as well as providing a homily, and printing an agenda
with the help of a Parade Committee member. This years host is the Zion
Episcopal Church. Representatives of the other places of worship from
our community participate with readings or psalms. Members of the community,
as well as the various veterans organizations, attend. The
program brochure is available by clicking here.
honoring those veterans from the community who have died during the
year will be read. It is always a moving and sentimental event. Rabbi
Morton Pomerantz is the organization's religious representative and
serves as advisor to Jack Harrison, the coordinator of this event.
Following the Inter Faith Service will be the Wreath Laying Ceremony
at the Veterans Monument and Flagpole, Alameda Avenue and Northern Boulevard.
Monsignor George Ryan offers words of wisdom and a prayer for those
men and women who gave their lives for our country. The Grand Marshal
will place the wreath. As we remember those who have served their country
to preserve our freedom, may we also reaffirm our faith in God through
whom freedom is possible. | <urn:uuid:8e5d889d-b5ab-41c1-a70f-6e8071e676d1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lndmemorialdayparade.com/html/interfaith.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942035 | 403 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Get a Grant
For commercial farmers who want to test a new idea using a field trial, on-farm demonstration, marketing initiative, or other technique. Applications are submitted on line in late November or early December for awards the following spring.
For agricultural service providers--extension staff, consultants, nonprofits, state departments of agriculture, and other advisors in the farm community--who want to conduct on-farm demonstrations, research, or marketing projects with farmers as cooperators. The deadline for 2014 awards is November 13, 2013 for awards in the spring.
For community organizations making direct connections between community revitalization and farming. Submit applications on line in November for awards in the spring.
For students enrolled in a graduate program at an accredited college, university, or veterinary school who want to research key topics in sustainable agriculture. Proposals are submitted in the spring for awards in August.
For educators delivering outcome-based training in sustainable techniques to Cooperative Extension staff and other service providers. Preproposals submitted on line in August; full proposals from approved applicants submitted in November for awards the following spring.
For researchers and educators offering outcome-based projects that benefit farmers and explore new sustainable farm practices. Preproposals are normally due in August, with approved full proposals due in November for awards the following spring.
For long-term research that explores the ecological interactions that are the basis of sustainable agriculture. We are currently supporting two long-term projects and won't be offering this award in the coming grant round.
Request a grant workshop or other presentation about Northeast SARE. | <urn:uuid:4eef4bc7-d554-43b0-b3c0-4d77aa611500> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nesare.org/Grants/Get-a-Grant | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93909 | 319 | 1.6875 | 2 |
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Mon January 21, 2013
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Honored in Albany
Hundreds of people gathered in Albany today at the Empire State Plaza for the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Observance.
Dr. King would have been 84 years old today - the Albany observance in his honor took place in a time of hope and change far removed from the bittersweet days of America's non-violent civil rights movement. New York's Deputy Secretary for Civil Rights, Alphonso David, read from Governor Cuomo's official proclamation marking the holiday.
The Convention Center ceremony included dramatic readings and musical performances - NY OGS Commissioner Ro Ann Destito presented Tuskeegee Airman Herbert Thorpe with a humanitarian award. The Keynote Speech at the event was given by Reverend Cordelia Wallace of Brooklyn.
The crowd was thinner than in previous years - Albany Community Advocate Marlon Anderson notes that several people left early so they could get home to see President Obama sworn in for a second term.
After the indoor event, a smaller crowd set out on the "Beloved Community March" in the cold from the plaza to nearby Lincoln Park... Along the way, everyone cheered when a bullhorn crackled with the news that President Obama had just been sworn in for his second term. - Radio DJ Sir Walford has been a fixture in the Capital Region for 38 years - the Trinidad native believes the road to change begins with children – he says there's still room for improvement.
Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings agrees - he stresses the need for better initiatives involving education.
Albany Council Member Anton Konev, a native of Russia, explains the hope generated by Dr. King's vision touches Eastern Europeans like himself.
When the wreath was laid at the King Memorial, someone remarked that Dr. King's dream has come a long way toward becoming reality | <urn:uuid:083683c8-351a-4510-919f-ea6a3e8d2ee9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wamc.org/post/dr-martin-luther-king-jr-honored-albany | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936283 | 469 | 1.640625 | 2 |
The Photographer Hangs Out of a Helicopter for Aerial Views of East London’s Olympic Park
The striking geometry of the London 2012 Olympic Stadium, featuring exposed hockey pitches and tennis courts and Anish Kapoor’s Orbit tower mid-build, are revealed in Giles Price’s awe-inspiring photographs of the ambitious site in Stratford. A former Royal Marine Commando, Price hung out of the side of a twin-engine helicopter to take the arresting aerial images. Depicting areas of the Olympic Park under construction during the past two years, Price’s approach provides unique views dotted with moments of serendipitous, abstract beauty. “At first I started taking pictures around the fencing of the Olympic site, but quickly realized the only way you could really see what is going on is from the air,” he says. “I found that they hadn’t restricted the air space, so anyone could fly over it.” Currently displayed in his E20 12: Under Construction exhibition at the Granary Building in King’s Cross, London, the series includes a sneak peek at the grounds for Danny Boyle’s opening ceremony; the Olympic Village, which will house approximately 16,000 athletes during the two week event; and profiles of some construction workers. Price wanted to recognize the labor that had gone into the gargantuan undertaking of building one of the largest urban parks in Europe constructed over the past 150 years. “I thought it was important to get the workers in there,” explains the photographer. “Boris Johnson [the Mayor of London] and the athletes have been shot a million times.”
STATS FROM ON SET
Number of helicopter flights
Time in the air
Total number of aerial shots
60 to 70.
Total number of Olympic site workers shot by Price
Number of buildings demolished to accommodate the Olympic Park
Number of construction industry workers involved in building the venues
Number of Iron Age skeletons excavated from the site
Capacity of Olympic Stadium
80,000 people (to be reduced to 25,000 after the Games).
Capacity of all venues combined
Approximately 200,000 people.
Number of times London has hosted the Olympic Games
Giles Price's E20 12: Under Construction exhibition is at London's King Cross Granary Building until the end of the July. | <urn:uuid:1fb370ed-938b-40d1-92e6-836a0c2c9ce3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nowness.com/day/2012/7/7/2243/giles-price-e20-12 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950742 | 486 | 1.632813 | 2 |
In the lab
Frequency response (at 2 meters)
24 to 101 Hz ±2.5 dB
Bass limits (lowest frequency and maximum SPL with limit of 10% distortion at 2 meters in a large room)
16 Hz at 80 dB SPL
108 dB average SPL from 25 to 62 Hz
114 dB maximum SPL at 62 Hz
bandwidth uniformity 94%
I measured the JL Audio Fathom f112 subwoofer's bass limits with it set to maximum bandwidth and full gain and placed in the optimal corner of a 7,500-cubic-foot room. In a smaller room, users can expect 2 to 3 Hz deeper extension and as much as 3 dB greater sound-pressure level (SPL).
The f112 has fairly high output (109 dB or greater at every frequency from 32 Hz upward) and good uniformity of output across its operating range. The subwoofer comfortably handled 16- to 20-Hz signals without exceeding our 10% maximum distortion limit, with its low-end limit measuring 16 Hz, where it produced 80 dB SPL. Maximum SPL (114 dB) was achieved at 62 Hz.
Although the crossover control is marked from 30 to 130 Hz, the true acoustic operating range was 60 to 92 Hz when the LP Filter was employed. Crossover slope was 18 dB/octave when the control was set to either Off or 12 dB; the slope measured 12 dB/octave when the setting was 24 dB. The ELF (extra low frequency) trim feature added 1.9 dB of SPL below 70 Hz when set to +3 dB. When the ELF trim was set to -12 dB, level began decreasing at 100 Hz and reached a maximum cut of 12 dB at the lowest frequencies. The ARO (Automatic Room Optimization) routine would not always fully complete when the microphone was more than 3 meters from the subwoofer and did not always make the optimal adjustments, as verified with MLSSA measurements. Users should listen with and without A.R.O. to confirm their results.
Copyright © 2013 Bonnier Corp. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. | <urn:uuid:b85e9e9d-d126-45f9-95b6-e3c165a3b442> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/article/test-bench-jl-audio-fathom-f112-subwoofer | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950531 | 447 | 1.804688 | 2 |
"We were all excited, but we didn't make a hasty decision," Hines said.
Hines completed the transplant in February, and after extensive testing,
her doctor has determined her to be cancer-free.
"I can't believe this all happened," she said. "I stuck to my principles
without compromising, and that made me very happy."
The hospital maintains about 15 to 20 patients in the bloodless medicine
program. Twenty percent of the bloodless medicine patients are not
Jehovah's Witnesses. Other patients opt for bloodless medicine techniques
to avoid blood tainted with HIV and hepatitis C.
Breakthroughs are ongoing in the bloodless medicine program at the
Fountain Valley hospital. Last year, the program expanded into areas that
other medical centers have not entered, such as pediatric and obstetrical
care. Doctors are now improving synthetic hormones that stimulate blood
production and are testing artificial blood. Both may be in use over the
next few years.
Other countries are also starting to catch on to the new program. A
Russian delegation came to visit local hospitals last week to gather
information on the program. In an effort to inform its own community on
what bloodless alternatives are available, Fountain Valley hospital
officials have recently approved an advertising campaign at movie | <urn:uuid:4e7e8418-b57e-4ef5-8394-29ab37ef2d42> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://articles.hbindependent.com/1999-12-30/news/export13034_1_medicine-and-surgery-program-blood-cells-bloodless-medicine/2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949477 | 269 | 1.632813 | 2 |
US 4369148 A
An supplantary reservoir supplants the original integral reservoir of an evaporative cooler eliminating the necessity for accumulating water in said original integral reservoir. The water circulating pump and float controlled valve of the original, conventional cooler may be transferred physically and functionally to the supplantary reservoir. Communication of water from the conventional cooler to and from the supplantary reservoir is by means of the drain opening in the base of the original integral reservoir. The supplantary reservoir is readily accessible providing easy maintenance thereof and inexpensive replacement if necessary.
1. In an evaporative cooler having means for passing air past and through evaporative cooling pads which pads are maintained saturated with water drawn by water circulating means from a reservoir forming part of the base of said cooler said water being maintained within said reservoir by a float controlled valve coupling a source of water to said reservoir said reservoir being further provided with means for draining water from the base of said reservoir when desired to do so, the improvement comprising:
a supplantary water retention vessel external to said evaporative cooler supplanting said reservoir and coupled thereto by said means for draining water from the base of said reservoir to preclude the accumulation and storage of water within said reservoir.
2. The improvement of claim 1 further comprising means for coupling said supplantary water retention vessel to a source of water.
3. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said means for coupling said supplantary water retention vessel to a source of water comprises a float controlled valve.
4. The improvement of claim 3 wherein said float controlled valve comprises that float controlled valve originally used to maintain water within said reservoir.
5. The improvement of claim 4 further comprising water circulating means for drawing water from said supplantary water retention vessel and coupling same to said evaporative cooling pads to maintain said pads saturated with water.
6. The improvement of claim 5 wherein said water circulating means comprises that water circulating means originally used to draw water from said reservoir to saturate said pads.
7. The improvement of claim 1 further comprising means for supporting said supplantary water retention vessel external to said cooler.
8. The improvement of claim 7 wherein said evaporative cooler further comprises means for mounting said cooler above a stable base and said means for supporting said supplantary water retention vessel external to said cooler comprises vessel support means coupled to said cooler mounting means.
9. The improvement of claim 8 wherein said means for mounting said cooler above a stable base comprises means for mounting said cooler above a sloping roof and said vessel support means comprises a support shelf coupled interior of said means for mounting said cooler above a sloping roof.
10. The improvement of claim 9 further comprising exterior access means to said vessel when said vessel is supported on said shelf interior of said means for mounting said cooler above a sloping roof.
A conventional evaporative cooler 10 is illustrated in a partial sectional perspective view in FIG. 1. The conventional cooler 10 comprises a fan housing 11 which houses a fan employed to draw air through evaporative cooling pads 12. Evaporative cooling pads 12 are maintained saturated with water drawn from a reservoir 13 which is integral with the base of cooler 10. The water level within reservoir 13 is maintained by float control valve 14 which couples the reservoir to a source of water, not shown. A water circulating pump 15 draws water from reservoir 13 and passes it through hose 16 to the top of evaporative cooler pads 12 in conventional manner well known to those skilled in the art.
As is typical, an overflow pipe 17 fitted to a threaded drain 171 in the base of reservoir 13 is provided to draw off excess water from reservoir 13 should float controlled valve 14 malfunction.
In the embodiment of FIG. 1, cooler 10 is shown mounted to support 19 which provides a horizontal mounting platform 191 for supporting cooler 10 above the stable base provided by sloping roof 18. While those skilled in the art will be familiar with mounting bases configured such as that of base 19 illustrated in FIG. 1, base 19 is here modified by providing an opening 20 in vertical face 192 of base 19. Opening 20 provides access to a horizontal shelf 21 coupled interior of base 19.
Shelf 21 provides support for an auxiliary water retention vessel 22 which, in accordance with the teachings herein, will supplant reservoir 13 of conventional cooler 10. Further modification in support base 19 is made by the provision of access openings 141 and 173 whose purpose will be disclosed in the discussion which follows.
In practicing the invention, it is desired to supplant the reservoir 13 of conventional cooler 10 with an auxiliary reservoir provided by water retention vessel 22. In this manner water will no longer accumulate within reservoir 13. Salt deposit buildups within reservoir 13 will thus be minimized. Water retention vessel 22 in an inexpensive, easily replaced auxiliary reservoir which is employed as follows.
Water circulating pump is removed from conventional cooler 10 and emplaced within the auxiliary reservoir 22. Hose 16, utilized for circulating water to the top of evaporative cooler pads 12 for purposes of saturating said pads is fed through drain hole 171 after overflow pipe 17 is removed.
In a similar fashion float controlled valve 14 is removed from cooler 10 and installed in auxiliary reservoir 22 as illustrated in FIG. 1. Drain hole 172 is provided to draw off water from auxiliary reservoir 22 should float control valve 14 malfunction. In practice, drain opening 172 would be provided with a hose coupling to permit the overflow water to be directed outward from vessel 22 to a proper drain site. Access openings 141 and 173 in the side wall of base mount 19 provide access to float control valve 14 and overflow opening 172 respectively.
When auxiliary water retention vessel 22 is placed on support shelf 21 with water circulating pump 15 and float control valve 14 emplaced as indicated in FIG. 1, water will be circulated upwards through hose 16 which, as already noted, passes through drain 171 in the base of reservoir 13 and conveys circulating water to the top of evaporative cooling pads 12 to maintain them in a saturated condition. Water returning to the base of pads 12 flows across the base of reservoir 13 and enters drain hole 171 from whence it passes into auxiliary water retention vessel 22.
Water circulating pump 15 maintains the water in auxiliary reservoir 22 in circulation while float control valve 14 maintains the water level within auxiliary reservoir 22.
To remove auxiliary reservoir from support base 19, the couplings between the water source and float control valve 14 are disconnected and, similarly, the hose connections between the drainage hose, not shown, and overflow drain 172 are uncoupled. Auxiliary reservoir 22 may then be readily drawn from the interior of base 19 where it had been supported upon shelf 21. A first partial withdrawing of auxiliary reservoir 22 will permit circulating pump 15 to be lifted from the auxiliary reservoir. Auxiliary reservoir 22 may then be removed for cleaning or total replacement if necessary. Cleaning of the auxiliary reservoir 22 is accomplished in an easier manner than would be required if necessary to gain access to reservoir 13 of cooler 10. Should auxiliary reservoir 22 suffer damaging effects from corrosion it may readily and inexpensively be replaced.
While auxiliary reservoir 22 is in position beneath cooler 10 and supported on shelf 21 within base 19, access to the auxiliary reservoir 22 is denied by cover plate 23 which is fastened to face 192 of mounting base 19 in any convenient, well known manner.
Frequently an enclosed base 24 of FIG. 2 will be provided for supporting cooler 10 above a horizontal stable base such as a flat roof or a concrete pad at ground level. Again such mounting bases as that of 24 are well known to those skilled in the art and they provide a horizontal platform 191 for the support of cooler 10. In practicing the invention, base 24 would be modified in a similar fashion as was base 19. A horizontal shelf 21 is provided interior to base 24. Access to shelf 21 is provided through opening 20 with such access being denied when desired by the emplacement of cover plate 23 over opening 20. Auxiliary reservoir 22 is mounted to shelf 21 of base 24 in the manner already described with respect to base 19.
Occasionally, instead of a mounting base 24, four legs 25 are provided at each corner of cooler 10. Each of legs 25 provide a horizontal support surface 191 to support cooler 10. For use of the invention, an enclosure 27 is emplaced within the confines of legs 25 so as to be located exterior to and beneath cooler 10. An opening 26 aligns with drain 171 in the base of reservoir 13 of cooler 10 and permits the flow of water through drain 171 to pass into auxiliary reservoir 22 which will be supported within enclosure 27. As already set forth in the other embodiments access to the auxiliary reservoir 22 within enclosure 27 will be through access opening 20. Again such access will be denied by emplacement of cover plate 23 over access opening 20. As would be expected, hose 16 is passed through opening 26 and thence through drain 171 in passing from circulating pump 15 to cooler 10 when the auxiliary reservoir is emplaced within enclosure 27 of FIG. 3.
What has been disclosed is a supplantary reservoir for use with a conventional evaporative cooler. The supplantary reservoir supplants the reservoir which is integral with the conventional cooler and provides a readily accessible, easily maintained, and inexpensively replaced water retention vessel which supplants the reservoir within the conventional cooler and eliminates the necessity for the accumulation of water within said conventional, integral reservoir. The supplantary reservoir is coupled to the conventional cooler by means of the drain in the base of the reservoir of the cooler. The original circulating pump and float control valve of the conventional cooler may be removed therefrom and employed within the supplantary reservoir. The hose used for saturating the evaporative cooling pads is passed from the circulating pump within the supplantary reservoir through the drain in the base of the original integral reservoir of cooler 10.
While those skilled in the art will conceive of other embodiments of the invention drawn from the teachings herein it is intended that all such embodiments so drawn shall fall within the ambit of protection of the appended claims.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the invention in an embodiment associated with a conventional evaporative cooler which is mounted on a sloping roof.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mounting base employed with a conventional evaporative cooler showing the modifications to be made to that base to permit it to support the auxiliary supplantary water retention vessel of the invention.
FIG. 3 illustrates four legs used to support a conventional evaporative cooler above a stable base and indicates the means whereby an auxiliary supplantary water retention vessel may be supported beneath, and exterior to, a conventional evaporative cooler.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to improvements in the field of evaporative coolers.
The invention particularly relates to the field of reduction of hard water deposits and their corrosive effects in the reservoir of a conventional evaporative cooler.
The invention specifically relates to the use of an auxiliary reservoir to supplant the existing reservoir of a conventional evaporative cooler.
2. Prior Art
Evaporative coolers are an important means of cooling residences and other buildings in the arid southwestern portion of the country. This region, extending from the deserts of California to those of Texas, is a region of high temperature and low relative humidity. It is the low relative humidity which makes it feasible to cool buildings by the use of evaporative coolers. Air is forced past and through a water saturated pad. In its passage it causes the evaporation of water from this pad which reduces the temperature of the air. This cooled, moisture laden air is then passed to the interior of the building to both cool the building and raise the relative humidity therein.
In maintaining the evaporative cooling pads saturated with water, the usual procedure is to provide a water reservoir in the base of the cooler and to pump water from the reservoir to the top of the evaporative pads. The water is distributed to the top of the pad and is dispersed downward therethrough under the influence of gravity. Excess water exiting from the base of the pad returns to the reservoir.
Because water is constantly being evaporated as air is forced past and through the evaporative cooler pads, a replenishment water supply is required. This is generally achieved by connecting a float control valve to a water supply. The float control valve monitors the level of water within the reservoir. When the water level is lowered due to the evaporative action of the cooler, the float valve is operative to permit water from the water supply to enter into the reservoir thereby replenishing the water and once more raising the float valve to the level at which the valve inhibits entry of additional water.
With the constant evaporation required for proper cooling effect, the water reservoir soon becomes saturated with salts dissolved within the incoming water. These residues soon appear and form a slime at the base of the reservoir. The reservoir and other parts of the cooler require regular cleaning if the implacable progress which this slime makes in advancing up the walls and to the outside of the cooler surfaces is to be prevented. Those skilled in the prior art have attempted to ease the burden on the person performing the maintenance on the evaporative coolers. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,290,020 issued to Findley Dec. 6, 1966, luggage-type latches are employed to permit the ready disassembly of the evaporative cooler enclosure to permit ready access to the interior of the cooler and the reservoir therein. This somewhat relieves the burden of cleaning and painting this interior.
Mackay et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,526 issued Nov. 18, 1980 also employs a quick-release latching mechanism in an evaporative cooler having a one-piece, frameless shell secured to a bottom pan and a top cover. The top cover was readily opened to permit easy access to the components of the evaporative cooler housed within the frame.
While inventions such as these noted above permit a ready access into the evaporative cooler enclosure, the task still remains of removing the water salts from the base of the reservoir. Lack of care on at least an annual basis can result in the corrosive failure of the reservoir in four to five cooling seasons.
It is an objective of the present invention to reduce the buildup of corrosive salts within the reservoir of a conventional evaporative cooler device.
It is a further object of the invention to simply and readily modify existing conventional coolers such that the base of these conventional coolers no longer serve as a reservoir of water to be used for circulating to the evaporative cooling pads.
It is a specific objective of the invention to provide a readily removable, easily replaceable auxiliary reservoir which supplants the original reservoir provided with the conventional evaporative cooler device.
The invention is an improvement to a conventional evaporative cooler. The conventional evaporative cooler provides means for passing air past and through evaporative cooling pads which pads are maintained saturated with water drawn by water circulating means from a reservoir which forms part of the base of said cooler. The water within the reservoir is maintained by a float controlled valve which couples a source of water to the reservoir. Means are also provided to the reservoir for draining water therefrom when it is desired to do so. The improvement of the invention comprises an auxiliary water retention vessel external to the evaporative cooler supplanting the reservoir and coupled thereto by the means for draining water from said reservoir.
The improvement further comprises means for supporting the auxiliary supplantary water retention vessel external to said cooler.
As is usual, the conventional evaporative cooler further comprises means for mounting the cooler above a stable base. In the improvement of the invention the means for supporting the auxiliary supplantary water retention vessel external to the cooler comprises vessel support means which are coupled to said cooler mounting means. Frequently the cooler mounting means for the conventional evaporative cooler is configured to mount the cooler above the sloping roof of a residence or other building. In such instance the vessel support means comprises a support shelf which is coupled interior to the means for mounting the cooler above the sloping shelf. So too, where means are provided for mounting the cooler above a level surface, similar means are provided for supporting the vessel therein.
With the improvement of the auxiliary supplantary water retention vessel, means for coupling said vessel to a source of water are also provided. In the embodiment disclosed this coupling means comprises a float controlled valve. Ideally, that float control valve comprises the same float control valve originally used to maintain water within the reservoir of the conventional evaporative cooler.
Water circulating means for drawing water from the auxiliary supplantary water retention vessel and coupling that water to the evaporative cooling pads to maintain the pads saturated with water are also provided. In the embodiment preferred this water circulating means comprises the same water circulating means originally used to draw water from the reservoir of the original conventional evaporative cooler to saturate the evaporative pads therein.
Citas de patentes | <urn:uuid:baca48b8-e89d-46e3-b518-fbaa374f06f9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.google.es/patents/US4369148?dq=flatulence | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938231 | 3,431 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Previously, I talked about a couple of ways to improve the message passing performance in Rust. The obvious bottleneck was that sending and receiving both involved taking a lock that was shared between all tasks. In order to remove this lock, I set out to write a new port/channel system that relied much less on the runtime library.
In order to do this, we first needed a variant of the atomic reference counter that allows us to share mutable data. We accomplish this by adding a mutex and condition variable. The mutex is your standard pthread mutex, while we’ve implemented our own condition variable that the Rust scheduler is aware of. Because we’re using a standard pthread mutex, using this exclusive access is unsafe and should be used with care; if you’re not careful, you could deadlock Rust. Fortunately, the API for Rust’s low-level locks and condition variables makes it harder to accidentally hold a lock for unbounded amounts of time.
Once we have this, ports and channels simply become a locked atomically reference-counted queue. There’s no more global lock, and things are far simpler because we only need the Rust runtime support for providing mutual exclusion and condition variable signalling. This part didn’t take long to implement, and I was eager to try it out. I spent a little while writing up a new benchmark that would really show the benefit of avoiding the global lock, and when I went to run it, things crashed.
It turns out, I had discovered a bug whereby vector addition could copy things that weren’t copyable. I saw two approaches to fixing this: fixing trans (the Rust to LLVM translation pass), or moving vector addition out of trans and into the library. The idea behind the second option is that if we did this, vector addition would be going through the existing and well-tested function call path, rather than a special vector addition codegen path. This seemed like the best option overall, since the first option felt more like a band aid for the root cause that we have too much functionality that is duplicated in subtly different ways.
Thus, I set out to move vector addition to libcore. This exposed some subtle semantics issues around const vectors, but these were mostly not too painful to work out. My firsts working versions were too slow to finish building the compiler in a reasonable amount of time. I was thinking we’d end up taking a 20% to 2x performance hit by doing this change, but thanks to some heroic optimization help from Niko, we got the performance to the point where in some cases the new code even performs ever so slightly better than the old code. In the course of doing these changes, I also discovered another bug, that led to us leaking memory, and in the course of fixing that, I discovered a way to make Rust segfault. Ah, the life of a compiler writer.
At any rate, we have fixes to all of these bugs in the works, and things are working well enough to run a benchmark. This test creates a ring of tasks, who each send a message to their neighbor on one side and receive from the other side. Here are the numbers for the old messaging system.
Sent 1000000 messages in 3.88114 seconds 257656 messages / second 3.88114 μs / message
And here are the numbers for the new system.
Sent 1000000 messages in 1.87881 seconds 532253 messages / second 1.87881 μs / message
As you can see, we’re about 1.9x faster than we were before.
This new system doesn’t yet have the exact same features as the old system, and it needs some help with ergonomics. My next task will be to work on adding these missing things and hopefully be able to incrementally replace the old code with the new, faster version.
The code for this post isn’t yet in the main Rust tree, but it should be landing soon as we squash the bugs we found in the process of doing this new message passing system. | <urn:uuid:a55f6ba1-d1f2-48ca-b70f-6a1d86714ceb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://theincredibleholk.wordpress.com/2012/06/15/progress-on-message-passing-performance/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950202 | 852 | 1.703125 | 2 |
By Krystal Spring/Havre Daily [email protected]
Don Smith carefully inspected the rooms on the first floor of the Heritage Center on Thursday.
"So this was the main distribution center here," he said, looking at the post office boxes and entryway to the H. Earl Clack Museum.
Smith, a retired postal worker from Kerney, Neb., is traveling throughout the West, following the Lewis and Clark Trail. He stopped at the Heritage Center to view the county museum's artifacts and check out the old post office.
"I love looking at these older buildings," he said. "And the old post office boxes are still here, wow."
Emily Mayer Lossing, the museum manager, chatted with Smith about the history of Havre and the Heritage Center building. The mail boxes Smith admired symbolize a part of the town's rich history, Mayer Lossing said.
Eight years ago Mayer Lossing scraped together $25 to rent a post office box at the Heritage Center - she rented No. 201, the box her family had used for generations. The money raised from the rentals was used to support the Heritage Center.
"I was the first person to reserve and pay for a post office box," Mayer Lossing, a Havre City Council member and proponent of historical preservation, said Thursday. "Twenty-five dollars was a lot of money to me but I wanted to help the Heritage Center and preserve some of my family's history."
Mayer Lossing said she's done her part over the years to help support the city-owned building, including opening her home for historical home tours that benefited the center, serving on the H. Earl Clack Foundation board - which managed the building for years - and pitching in financially by giving the campaign money left over in her last City Council race to the foundation to be used for the center.
Now, with the future of the downtown landmark uncertain, Mayer Lossing said it's time for the Havre community to come together to show its support for the center. She's planned a public meeting for Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Heritage Center to discuss the center's fate.
"To me, this building is a public treasure," she said. "I'd like to see the center stay in public hands, so we can all enjoy it."
The future of the historic building has been up in the air since June, when the Clack Foundation - which had leased the building since 1996 when the city purchased the former post office and federal courthouse from the U.S. Postal Service - announced it was relinquishing management of the building, effective July 1. The City Council voted June 21 to consider selling the building to a private purchaser. The center houses the county's H. Earl Clack Museum and some business offices.
The council's Finance Committee began reviewing bids from private entities to buy the building in July. But plans to sell the center have since been put on hold, while the city awaits word from federal and state officials on the consequences it faces if it sells the building it purchased with money from the Montana Department of Transportation's Community Transportation Enhancement Program.
Earlier this week Mick Johnson, administrator of MDT's district office in Great Falls, said the city will have to repay the money it used to buy the building if it is sold.
Mayer Lossing has proposed placing an initiative on the municipal ballot in November 2005, requesting that all property owners in the city pay a flat fee of $24 to support the building. She said it will take a strong grass-roots effort to get the issue on the ballot.
"If we can't come together as a community to support something as important as the Heritage Center, then that's a sad day for Havre," Mayer Lossing said.
If she doesn't see a big showing of support at Wednesday's meeting, Mayer Lossing said she won't pursue the ballot initiative.
"I can't do this by myself," she added. "I'm not going to get my heart broken over this building. I just really hope people realize how valuable this building is to our community."
Council member Pam Hillery told museum board members on Monday that she doesn't want to see the building sold in haste. She said she has discussed the center with two other City Council members who would be interested in reconsidering their vote to sell the building. Hillery said she's concerned that the offers the city has received to purchase the building don't value the monetary or historical value of the building.
"The windows alone are probably worth more than $20,000," she said Monday.
Council members' opinions on whether the city should continue to own the Heritage Center are mixed. Allen "Woody" Woodwick said today he recognizes the importance of the Heritage Center to the community and he would like to see it remain opened to the public in downtown Havre.
"I think it's a shame that we can't afford to come up with some funds to keep the building," he said. "I would support Emily's proposal to put the issue on the ballot, and I would even support some limited funding from the city for the building."
City Council member Tom Farnham said today he's hopeful that MDT will respond in a way that will allow the city to move forward with its initial plans to sell the building.
"I've talked to more people in the community that would like us to sell the building than keep it. I'd like to see us go forth and sell it to a private individual," he said. "I'd also like to work up an agreement that would allow the museum to stay in the center for at least another 10 to 15 years; it would be a shame to have to move the museum."
At a City Council meeting on Sept. 7, Havre Mayor Bob Rice said if the city can't sell the center, its only option is to close it. He said the city cannot afford to manage and operate the building, especially during the winter, when utility bills for the building will skyrocket.
Mayer Lossing said boarding up the windows and closing the building down may not be as easy as it sounds.
The U.S. Postal Service had the building placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. When the city purchased the building it signed covenants "on behalf of itself, its heirs and successors" to work with the state historic preservation officer to "preserve and maintain the former Havre Main Post Office" in accordance with the Secretary of Interior's standards for the rehabilitation and treatment of historic properties. If the building is sold, the covenants will be transferred to the purchaser.
Mark Baumler, the state historic preservation officer, said today that the building's covenants require the city to consult with his office before making any changes in the center.
"We want to ensure that anything that's done in that building is done in a way that protects its historic significance," he added.
Baumler said if the city chooses to close the center, his office will be involved, with guidance from the federal standards.
"There really aren't any rules that are cast in stone, but there are methods of mothballing buildings that are vacant until a new occupant can be found. If the city chooses to go that route, we would be talking to them about how do that in a way that would best protect the building," he said.
The Finance Committee has received written offers from two prospective buyers. Jim Treperinas offered the city $1 for the building. He said he would make necessary roof repairs and other building improvements, so the building's office space would be more attractive to prospective renters.
Tom and Jamie Lambrecht have presented two options for the building, one involving a $5,000 payment to the city and another with a $20,000 cash purchase.
Neither offer would fit within the three options MDT outlined for selling the building in a letter dated Aug. 18 to Rice. The first option said the property could be sold at "fair market value" through a public sale, with 87 percent of the proceeds returned to CTEP - which would match the initial percentage of CTEP money used to buy the building in 1996. The building was appraised by Hill County in 2003 for $320,000.
The second alternative, an outright sale at less than fair market value, outlined an option to transfer the building to the hands of a private owner, with an agreement that a part of the building - like the museum - be maintained for public use or benefit for a period of time.
The third option outlined a plan in which the city could seek another leaseholder to manage the property and remain the building's owner. | <urn:uuid:2fcc339f-4dda-494f-b208-1ce1bdc192bf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.havredailynews.com/cms/news/story-117544.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978314 | 1,788 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Most Active Stories
Wed October 19, 2011
Fight Over Nuclear Plant Draws N.Y. Political Heavies
New York's political titans are clashing over the future of a controversial nuclear plant north of New York City.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants to close the aging Indian Point nuclear plant because of safety concerns. But the plant, which wants to extend its original licenses for another 20 years, has some powerful allies of its own.
In Westchester County, about 35 miles up the Hudson River from Manhattan, a handful of anti-nuclear activists holds a weekly protest against Indian Point. They stand by the side of a busy, two-lane road waving signs and calling for the plant to close.
Protester Marilyn Elie said a successful evacuation in the event of an accident is basically impossible because 20 million people live within 50 miles of the plant.
"We can't do rush hour twice a day. Not easily and not well," Elie said. "Let alone what would happen with an evacuation. Everyone else would want to get the hell out of dodge, and who could blame them."
Occasionally, drivers honk in support while others make gestures that are definitely not friendly. But most just keep driving. Protests against Indian Point have been part of the landscape for decades. Though lately, the issue has taken on a new urgency, for two reasons.
One is the disaster halfway around the world at Fukushima in Japan. The other is Cuomo, a first-term Democrat with a track record of getting what he wants. What Cuomo wants is to close the plant's two reactors when their licenses expire by 2015.
"As attorney general, I did a lot of work on Indian Point. I understand the power and the benefit," Cuomo said. "I also understand the risk, and this plant, in this proximity to New York City, was never a good risk."
But Cuomo isn't the only high-profile player in this drama. Entergy — the company that bought Indian Point just over a decade ago — is bringing out the big guns. It brought in former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani to act as a paid celebrity spokesman.
"Like you, I want to do everything needed to keep New York safe and strong. The people at Indian Point do, too," Giuliani says in a TV commercial that started airing last week.
Entergy won't say how much it's paying Giuliani, but spokesman Jerry Nappi acknowledges the company has a big investment to protect.
"Entergy ... has spent a billion dollars on safety and equipment enhancements at [Indian Point]," he said. "That's a large amount of money at this site to make sure equipment can operate safely for another 20 years."
Entergy has other high-powered friends as well. The plant accounts for roughly a quarter of the electricity consumed in New York City and Westchester. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg says he thinks that power would be difficult to replace.
"If you closed Indian Point down today, we'd have enormous blackouts," Bloomberg said. "There is no alternative to the energy that we get from Indian Point. Four or five years from now, that probably is not going to be true."
The Bloomberg administration commissioned a study that found that retiring Indian Point would likely lead to more pollution from fossil fuels and higher energy prices. Even after the Fukushima disaster in Japan, a poll showed that 49 percent of New Yorkers want to keep the Indian Point plant running; 40 percent want it closed.
But in Westchester, though activists Dale Saltzman and Elie might not have many resources, they say they'll keep up the fight against Indian Point, no matter how much money the plant's owners spend to sway public opinion. As long as Cuomo is in office, Indian Point's opponents have one powerful ally in Albany. | <urn:uuid:5e939982-c11f-4e7a-bcc4-d6b4a10de6d4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://whqr.org/post/fight-over-nuclear-plant-draws-ny-political-heavies | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971921 | 779 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Arabs finally know “Berlin time.” Their wall of fear is collapsing. The Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions are fragile. Libya can tip into chaos. But, one might ask, who cares? The long-awaited time of freedom has come. The Arab world is entering a new phase of the end of the post-colonial period, a crucial one in which the regimes can no longer control their populations with an iron fist. Algeria cannot remain impervious to the huge expectations.
What do we want for Algeria? The country has always taken the worst route in the delicate moments of its history. A few days after the riots of October 1988, when police arrested and tortured the youth, a senior government official made these remarks in my presence: "The next time it will be a hundred thousand deaths." Stunned, I asked him why he showed such pessimism. "The regime does not understand that it should change dramatically,” he replied. Indeed, the 1990s were terrible: 150,000 dead and $20 billion in destruction. The civil war officially ended and the country's coffers are full. The hoard, however, does not serve to reduce unemployment or to diversify the economy or otherwise give Algerians a better life.
Today, the contagion is there and the expectations are huge. Tomorrow, in a few weeks or months, Algerians will also try to take their destiny. It's an inevitable development that would be dangerous and criminal to ignore and, more importantly, to deny. The question is what kind of revolution should we expect in the country. Several scenarios are possible, but not all are desirable.
There is the way of a total revolution, where the people commit to a showdown with the system. That may be the option most anticipated, most brutal and most romantic. Sure, it will satisfy those who can no longer live with the hogra, the regime’s contempt for the people, and misery. This is the path where the street’s anger does not calm unless it gets justice and the representatives of the regime are imprisoned. Yet, it is a course where a vacuum appears and leads to new abuses. A clean sweep of the past is satisfying but it's not how you build a nation. Algerians need to remember that violence can comes from the manipulations of hidden hands.
The current political crisis will worsen if it leads to further violence. Yet, it seems that the country is moving in that direction, like in a Hollywood western, where you can guess from the beginning that a bloody duel is inevitable. The question is whether our leaders are willing to accept the idea of a system change and prepare–smartly–their own exit.
That is what Algerians want. Let’s face the reality: it is regime change that Algeria needs, along with the emergence of a new republic that respects the rights of human persons and the rules of political change. Algerians need a country where freedom of expression is guaranteed.
Algeria’s leaders and policy makers, the masters of this pyramid that represents Le Pouvoir, understand that the status quo is untenable. They must accept that it is time for them to pass the baton. They can be stubborn, but that would only lead to their own demise and that of the country as well. Conversely, they can also organize the handover of the most peaceful way possible. Algeria and the Algerians, long known worldwide for their propensity to settle disputes in a violent manner, would re-write history.
Algerian society is tired after the civil war of the 1990s, and reluctant to engage in a new showdown with the government. Every Saturday, part of opposition attempts to organize a protest march, but the population remains reluctant to follow. Some opposition leaders including Hocine Ait Ahmed advocate a peaceful transition. So thus far, little has changed in Algeria since the start of the Arab revolutions in Tunisa last December. While Tunisia and Egypt launched their revolution and Libya has been set ablaze, Le Pouvoir has not budged. President Abdelaziz Bouteflika promised political reforms and decided to lift state of emergency. That won’t be enough.
Akram Belkaïd is a columnist for Le Quotidien d'Oran and also writes for Le Monde Diplomatique and Slate. | <urn:uuid:76a44ba4-88fc-4307-828c-93ec13fb2147> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aucegypt.edu/gapp/cairoreview/pages/articleDetails.aspx?aid=38 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959737 | 888 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Lebanese Flower is one of the Restaruants in Whitney Pier it Just Opened during the Fall of 2011 and it used to be the King of Pizza is one of the Pizza Shops has Been Closed Down in January 2011 and that place was empty until the Lebanese Flower has Opened During the Fall 2011 and they sell Lebanese Food and it was a good food there. It is in the Same Building as the Corner Store and the Laundromat the U haul is No Longer there since During the Year 2011.
This Grass Field in Whitney Pier it used to be the Tennis Court Few Decades ago and People used to play Tennis there and it is now abandoned. A lot of Four Wheeler's Drive there now and it is Now the Swamp Land and Couple Trucks had Been Stuck in the Mud during the Winter Time it is Covered With Snow when the Snow Melts it is Really Muddy during the Summer Months lots of Wasps and Bugs and Black Fly's out there.
During the 1900s The Holy Redeemer Church caught on Fire and it was Rebuilt during the Late 1940s and The Church is on Victoria Road and Up by the Church it was the Holy Redeemer Boys and Holy Redeemer Girls School and now it is Torn Down few Decades ago.
One Time it was 2 Baseball Fields during the 1960s in Whitney Pier it had a Little League Baseball Tournament and Today the Baseball Field and the Soccer Field is Still in Operation and It has the Tim bits Soccer Game during the Summer Months in Neville Park they also have lots of Baseball Games at the Whitney Pier Ball Field too and it has Outdoor Skating during the Winter Months. During the Month of February they make a Outdoor Rink at the Ball Field so the Kids to go Outdoor Skating when the Weather is Really Cold and kids playing in the Snow at the Neville Park during the Winter Time.
The Train Tracks Used to Head to the Steel Plant and the Steel Plant is now Shut Down and The Track to the Coal Pier is still in Operation they Pick up Coal from the Coal Pier and take the Coal to the Lingan Power Plant to Produce Power and the Coal comes from Other Countries by the Boat. The Coal Comes from the Boat then it Goes on the Train then the Train takes the Coal to the Lingan Power Plant.
The Coke Ovens used to be there and A lot of People worked there until the 1980s then the Coke Ovens has Shut Down during the 1980s. The Coke Ovens used to Be Part of the Sydney Steel Plant and Most of the Coke Ovens has Closed Down during the 1960s then the Steel Planet Got Smaller in the 1970s and 1980s during the 1990s the Steel Plant had Few Buildings Left to go and in the Year 2000 the Sydney Steel Plant has Closed its Doors.
Here is What is Left of the Sydney Steel Plant and Most of the Buildings were Torn Down and They Took all the Equipment Out of there and it is Now the Harborside Industrial Park and Ferry Street Connects into Sydney Port Access Road and that Road is Opened in the Year 2007 and the SPAR road was Opened to the Public in the Year 2005. During the 1980s A lot of People worked at the Coke Ovens back then.
Here is Whats Left of the Sydney Steel Plant and There are Rail Tracks Left Over for the Steel Plant Workers it had a Fire Station and the Hospital there Long Ago nobody is there now and it is now the Industrial Park.
Sydney Shopping Center Mall is now a Plaza and In June 2010 One Half of the Sydney Shopping Center was Torn Down and During the Late January 2011 the Other Half of the Sydney Shopping center was Torn Down and the Old Heather Bowling Lanes is Now the New Shoppers Drug Mart and People used to go Bowling there and the Bowling Teams bowled there Until June 2010 when the Heather Bowling Lanes Closed its Doors. It was a Great Bowling Lanes until It Closed its Doors during the Late June 2010.
Charlotte Street Heading Northbound heading for the Former Holy Angels High School which it Closed its Doors in June 2011 and lots of Business on Charlotte Street and Offices too and it is a Very Busy Street a lot of People Head there to do Shopping. Prince Street Leaving Downtown Sydney and Heading For Welton Street.
Another View of Charlotte Street and it is Heading down to Townsend Street and During the early 1900s it had Cable Cars with the Tracks on the Middle of the Street and Street is Made out of the Bricks back then that is long before the Transit Buses are on the Street and People used to Ride their Horses on Charlotte Street in the 1900s and Today Charlotte Street has a lot of Business and Offices so is the Fast Food Restaurants and Charlotte Street had a lot of Changes from the Year 1900s until Now and Vogue Theatre was Torn Down in the April of the Year 2008 it played lots of Movies there.
The Big Fiddle is the Most Popular Spot in Sydney Nova Scotia and lots of Tourists go down there to See the Big Fiddle Especially the Cruise Ships comes there during the Summer Months when the Weather is Really Warm so the Cruise Ships comes there for the Day and it Leaves during the Evening. The Big Fiddle is a Very Nice Place to Be to Look Around when the Tourists come from away during the Summer Months.
The Yacht Club is Empty During the Winter time and it will have lots of Boats again once the Summer Comes then the People will have their Boats at their Docks again when the Weather gets warmer during the Spring Time it is at the Sydney Boardwalk.
There is quite a Few Boats over at Westmount at the Wharf and a lot of Boats are at the Wharf during the Summer Months and in the Fall of the Year People put their Boats away for the Winter once the Spring Arrives people take out their Boats when the Storm Reaches Sydney then the People have to Tie Their Boats at the Wharf Especially the Tale end of the Hurricane.
The Ground is Empty for a While Now and it was a Steep Plant there and most of the Buildings were Torn Down during the year 2000s and There are Building the Industrial Park and It will Look Nice after While once it is Finished and A lot of Hills is Still there since the Steel Plant has Closed its Doors in the year 2000. | <urn:uuid:2616eae4-e875-475b-a328-ea1c168f758f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.anotherdayinsydney.blogspot.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97292 | 1,302 | 1.625 | 2 |
It’s hard to always keep up with what Deerfield High School graduates are doing. But DHS alum, Elizabeth Chambers, was easier. The 2009 grad was photographed for this Iowa State brochure promoting its program for women in science and
engineering. Chambers, a junior in college, is currently studying industrial engineering.
“Industrial engineering looks over the operations and processes of a business or
manufacturing company,” she explained and is studying ways to improve that process while managing costs.
Science teachers in District 113 believe that rigorous science classes, beginning with the freshman year of high school, foster students’ interest in continuing their
education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. These classes are
also known as STEM courses.
“I really enjoyed the math program at Deerfield,” Chambers recalled. “I had some
really good teachers that kept me motivated to stay in a science related major,” she added about her decision to apply to college engineering programs.
Chambers was accepted into Iowa State’s Woman in Science and Engineering Program. The program reaches out to female K-12 students and encourages them to get involved in STEM careers. She’s also a George Washington Carver Scholar. The University offers 100 tuition scholarships to incoming minority freshmen who meet specific academic requirements.
“It’s not very diverse,” Chambers commented about Iowa State, which is why it was helpful to meet other Carver Scholars during a special seminar her freshman
year. “It was nice to have a group that I could sort of go to.”
Now in her third year at Iowa, Chambers feels adjusted.
“Your first couple of years of school, classes are going to test how much you really
want to be there. It was tough for me in the beginning,” Chambers remembered,
but added that now she gets to take classes she’s interested in and sees the
benefit of. “I can apply it [studies] to things that I encounter in the real world.”
Chambers encouraged students to take advantage of STEM courses offered at Deerfield High School, noting that they better prepared her for life after DHS.
“It wasn’t as much as a shock for me as it was for some of my other classmates,”
she said about her transition to Iowa and is happy she stuck with the rigorous program.
“I’m glad that I didn’t let it intimidate me into doing something else that I might
not have wanted to do as much.”
Chambers hopes to develop her management skills by working at a hospital after college. She could also see herself at a financial institution or large corporation. | <urn:uuid:04465ad4-615b-44a3-8640-9639a85e6219> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://deerfield.patch.com/blog_posts/where-are-they-now-dhs-grad-excels-at-engineering-in-college | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973877 | 567 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Welcome to Dillon County!
Whether you are a newcomer who is interested in our rich heritage and what the county has to offer its citizens or a long-time resident, Dillon County has something for you.
Recreation, Tourism and Community Involvement:
In Dillon County you will find a variety of activities from outdoor recreation to civic involvement. Dillon County offers 9 parks and playgrounds, 20 ball fields and 20 tennis courts located throughout the county. If golf is your game, Twin Lakes Country Club in Dillon features an 18 hole golf course, swimming pool and clubhouse. Fishing is at its best in the Little Pee Dee River. The Little Pee Dee State Park offers fishing, camping and picnicking. Dillon County is also home to South of the Border, a resort and major tourist attraction located on I-95 at the NC state line.
Cultural and community activities are available throughout the year. The Dillon House Museum, artist series, Spring Fest, Celebrate Main Street and Christmas on the Blvd offer residents many opportunities for festivals, theatre, music and art.
Churches and Religion
All major faiths are represented throughout the county and more than 50 civic organizations work to foster a progressive community agenda and community pride in Dillon County.
Health care is provided through McLeod Medical Center - Dillon, a part of the Dillon community since 1943. As a locally owned, not-for-profit institution, McLeod Medical Center meets the health care needs of Dillon County and continues to work to improve the health care in the area.
A recent expansion to the medical center includes four new state-of-the-art operating rooms with pre- and post-operative patient care areas. The project also included expansion of the physicians' office building. The McLeod Medical Center Professional Building provides space for four medical practices, the Wellness Center, Cardiac Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy.
Dillon County's public school system is divided into three districts among the communities of Dillon, Lake View and Latta. The private Dillon Christian School also offers grades K-12 and the Dillon County technology Center offers specialized instruction in several different fields.
Northeastern Technical College also has a satellite campus located in Dillon County for evening classes for higher education.
The latitude of Dillon is 34.416N. The longitude is -79.371W. | <urn:uuid:452b86d3-a74c-480d-9653-400439dffc5f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://dilloncounty.sc.gov/Pages/default.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952366 | 474 | 1.507813 | 2 |
May 25th, 2013 African Liberation Day May 26th, 2013 Trinity Sunday May 27th, 2013 Memorial Day May 27th, 2013 Jefferson Davis Birthday May 29th, 2013 International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers May 30th, 2013 Corpus Christi May 31st, 2013 World No Tobacco Day June 1st, 2013 Statehood Day June 3rd, 2013 Jefferson Davis Birthday June 4th, 2013 World Day for Child Victims of Aggression June 5th, 2013 World Environment Day June 6th, 2013 Isra and Mi'raj June 8th, 2013 World Oceans Day June 11th, 2013 Kamehameha Day June 12th, 2013 World Day Against Child Labour June 14th, 2013 World Blood Donor Day June 14th, 2013 Flag Day June 16th, 2013 Father's Day June 17th, 2013 Bunker Hill Day June 17th, 2013 World Day to Combat Desertification June 19th, 2013 Juneteenth June 20th, 2013 World Refugee Day June 20th, 2013 West Virginia Day June 21st, 2013 June Solstice June 23rd, 2013 Public Service Day June 23rd, 2013 International Widows' Day
Hummel Goebel Figurine Little Fiddler 4 Tmk 2 Big Bee 5 1/2" Mint For Sale
We are listing today for your consideration a lovely Hummel Goebel Porcelain Figurine Little Fiddler #4 with TMK 2. This figurine is in Mint Condition with no chips, cracks, and or repairs. There is no crazing. The piece measures 5 1/2" tall x 2 1/2" at the base and weighs 141 grams. The base is marked with the impressed 4, Germany in black stamp, and the stamped blue Big Bee Mark or TMK2. The back of the base is marked with the script M.J. Hummel impressed. A great older example of the Little Fiddler that would make a wonderful addition to anyone's collection. If you have any questions please email. We will ship via USPS and will insure. Best of luck and thanks.
This item has been shown 161 times.
Hummel Goebel Figurine Little Fiddler 4 Tmk 2 Big Bee 5 1/2" Mint: $39 | <urn:uuid:ee76f600-c8d4-4244-bb2c-5112e64f05fc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.holidays.net/store/Hummel-Goebel-Figurine-Little-Fiddler-4-TMK-2-Big-Bee-5-12-Mint_320955290110.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936135 | 459 | 1.734375 | 2 |
On Monday I blogged about the demonic in C. Peter Wagner’s writing and speaking. Today it is the politically timely topic of dominionism that I will take up. I will again use excerpts from Wagner’s 2008 book with Chosen/Baker publishers on the subject, appropriately titled Dominion!: How Kingdom Action Can Change the World because that is the clearest source for his views on dominionism. As I said in a recent blog, I thought Wagner was refreshingly candid in his interview with Terry Gross about his views of the demonic and apostolic governance of the church. I do not believe that was the case with how he spoke about the controversial subject of dominion thought and action. For instance, when Gross asked Wagner about dominion he said:
"In terms of taking dominion, we don't - we wouldn't want to - we use the word dominion, but we wouldn't want to say that we have dominion as if we're the owners or we're the rulers of, let's say, the arts and entertainment mountain."
As Rachel Tabachnick pointed out, this answer to a national radio audience is in sharp contrast to his words at a 2008 NAR event where he said:
Dominion has to do with control. Dominion has to do with rulership. Dominion has to do with authority and subduing and it relates to society. In other words, what the values are in Heaven need to be made manifest here on earth. Dominion means being the head and not the tail. Dominion means ruling as kings. It says in Revelation Chapter 1:6 that He has made us kings and priests - and check the rest of that verse; it says for dominion. So we are kings for dominion.
I want to be clear, if it were only this one speech where we can see Wagner giving a different kind of answer then I might be willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and attempt to parce the possible consistency between what he said in the interview and what he said in his speech; but that is not the case at all. In Wagner’s book Dominion! he gives ample reason to believe that in his interview with Gross he was altering his views in lieu of the potential controversy they might cause (Wagner is hardly alone in this—significant attempts to whitewash NAR views of dominionism are taking place in light of the media scrutiny post-Perry’s Response). This book not only distinguishes his views on dominionism from what he said in his interview, but more importantly it shows how Wagner sees himself advancing the ideas of Rousas John Rushdoony in a fresh way. Whether or not Wagner’s dominion theology is less problematic for evangelicals and for all concerned about the common good than Rushdoony’s original type I leave to you to decide, but that he sees himself as an heir of Rushdoony is without dispute. In fact, as Wagner says below, he intentionally chose to identify himself with Rushdoony’s Dominion Theology in spite of specific counsel by friends not to. In a section titled “Dominion Theology”, Wagner explains his reasoning:
The practical theology that best builds a foundation under social transformation is dominion theology, sometimes called “Kingdom now.” Its history can be traced through R.J. Rushdoony and Abraham Kuyper to John Calvin. Some of the notable pioneering attempts to apply it in our day have been made by Bob Weiner, Rice Broocks, Dennis Peacocke and others. Unfortunately, the term dominion theology has had to navigate some rough waters in the recent past. A number of my friends, in fact, attempted to dissuade me from using dominion in the title of this book, fearing that some might reject the whole book just because of the title.
Wagner goes onto explain what he takes to be the three main reasons for objecting to using the term and none of those reasons even remotely have to do with not wanting to be associated with Rushdoony’s dominion theology. He thinks the only reasons why someone would object to Rushdoony dominion theology and his novel appropriation of it are if a Christian either 1) Believes in “the primacy of the evangelistic mandate over the cultural mandate," 2) Holds a “’pre-trib, pre-mil’ view of the end-times” (he chastens John Stott by name for refusing to “step outside strict traditional doctrinal boundaries” on eschatology) or 3) Has heard “serious accusations of moral turpitude” against “advocates of dominion theology”. Given his apparent limited understanding of the serious criticisms of dominion theology, it is no wonder he declares that “the best way we can proceed is to affirm and redeem the term dominion theology, not to discard it.” Now in saying this, I do not mean to imply that I think there is a clear correspondence between Rushdoony’s dominion theology and Wagner’s dominion theology—I am not enough of an expert on either of those topics to judge. What I am saying is that those critics who want to deny the ongoing relevance of dominion theology, or try to imply without evidence that Wagner’s dominion theology is nothing to be feared like Rushdoony’s was, have to overcome the fact that Wagner has chosen to call his views dominion theology not in spite of major objections to Rushdoony but because of what he sees as his faithful application of Rushdoony’s dominion theology. With respect to Wagner it can hardly be said that associating him with Rushdoony and dominion theology is unfair. | <urn:uuid:278e42e1-1010-410a-a9bb-10d5de249a6e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://debatingobama.blogspot.com/2011/10/wagner-and-rushdoony-what-wagner-says.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968097 | 1,163 | 1.601563 | 2 |
|© UNICEF Nepal/2012|
|UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake poses with youth from children’s clubs in Methinkot Village, Nepal.|
By Robin Giri
KATHMANDU, Nepal, 13 January 2012 – On his first visit to Nepal, UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake lauded the role played by Nepalese women and children in trying to better their lives.
During his two-day visit, Mr. Lake met with senior government ministers, heads of other UN agencies, staff members of UNICEF Nepal, and travelled to the field to see how UNICEF’s support has helped Nepalese children and women to find their voices and realize their rights.
Reaching out-of-school children
On a field trip to Kavre District, west of the capital Kathmandu, Mr. Lake met with children from Urban Out-of-School Programmes (UOSP), children’s clubs, members of women’s Community Improvement Forums, Village Paralegal Committees and Female Community Health Volunteers, and saw first-hand how active participation by children and women was enabling them to make huge changes in their lives.
“I am so proud of what you are doing and especially more proud that UNICEF is a part of this,” said Mr. Lake to 13-year-old Udhab Khadka, an orphan enrolled at an UOSP in Banepa town, who works odd jobs to support himself, including picking scrap off the street.
|© UNICEF Nepal/2012|
|UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake greets children at a UNICEF-supported Urban Out-Of-School Education Programme in the town of Banepa, in Nepal, where children can continue formal schooling.|
UNICEF-supported learning centres like these focus on out-of-school children and provide them with a 10-month bridging course so that they can continue formal schooling. A visibly impressed Mr. Lake also met with teenagers who had graduated from this learning centre and had now completed formal high school.
Making a difference
Travelling to Methinkot village, Mr. Lake then met with women from UNICEF-supported Paralegal Committees and health volunteers and learned about the differences they have been making in their lives and of those in their community.
One after the other, Mr. Lake heard testimonies from women, some from historically discriminated against groups, who stood up and spoke for themselves and about the work that they have been doing.
“The Paralegal Committee has boosted our confidence, and now we are able to settle domestic disputes, matters relating to property rights, discrimination – but most of all, it has helped us gain the understanding and love of our husbands, who appreciate what we do,” said Nanda Kumari, a Paralegal Committee member.
|© UNICEF Nepal/2012|
|UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake and Hanaa Singer, UNICEF Representative in Nepal, are welcomed by a children's club member in Methinkot Village, Nepal.|
UNICEF initially created the community-based Village Paralegal Committee Programme in 1999 as an anti-trafficking effort. Now, these women’s committees address all forms of violence and exploitation against women.
Mr. Lake couldn’t help breaking into applause repeatedly, while noting the work done by these ordinary mothers and women.
“I just want to tell you that strong women are changing the world today, and I do not mean the women on stage and in the public arena – but women like you,” said Mr. Lake to the Female Community Health Volunteers, after learning about how they can treat pneumonia, diarrhoea and whooping cough and help reduce child mortality.
They also told Mr. Lake about how they convince pregnant women to seek antenatal care, convince mothers to immunize their children, promote hand-washing with soap at critical times and, with partial UNICEF support, have also set up an emergency fund to deal with crises.
“This is the silent miracle. This is what happens when women can realize their rights and their potential – they can help themselves and others,” said Hanaa Singer, UNICEF Representative in Nepal, who accompanied Mr. Lake on the field trip.
Initiatives like these have helped Nepal combat child and maternal mortality and make steady progress toward realizing some of the related Millennium Development Goals.
Wrapping up the visit and speaking to the media who accompanied Mr. Lake, he said, “This participation of women that we just saw is equity at work. This change has been brought about because this process is inclusive – it includes all community members and not just leaders, and I love to see this on the ground.” | <urn:uuid:8e6c3037-f646-475b-85a1-d32f16a46554> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.unicef.org/education/nepal_61301.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965123 | 998 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Join us at 11 a.m. CT (12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT) on Thursday, July 7, for an hour-long chat about new and coming consumer uses of medical records. The chat will be moderated by Chicago Tribune health care reporter Bruce Japsen and feature panelists Jim Anfield and Bill Flamm.
The topic of consumer medical records is on the verge of taking on perhaps its greatest importance in the next two years as the nation's health care industry moves from paper files to computerized records. The momentum is picking up this year as federal stimulus money to help with the transition is starting to arrive at doctor offices and hospitals across the U.S.
In addition, medical care providers are also moving slowly toward a new model of health care delivery known as accountable care organizations, encouraged under the health overhaul law, that create a new type of payment system by tying medical-care provider reimbursements to the quality of medical care and outcomes.
Chat topics addressed will include information on how doctors, hospitals and insurance companies will be using digital information. Other topics will include how consumers might be able to save money and help in the effort to make doctors and hospitals more accountable.
Jim Anfield is the senior director, health information technology for Health Care Service Corp., parent of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (a subsidiary of the nation's fourth-largest health insurance company) as well as Blues plans in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. Anfield's role includes work on several of the insurer's health information exchange efforts.
Bill Flamm is the director of finance, information systems and operations forChicago area medical group Pronger Smith MedicalCare, a group of 60 physicians with multi-specialties that has patients largely onChicago’s South Side and south and southwestern suburbs.
If you are unable to make the chat and would like to send your question in advance, e-mail Bruce Japsen at [email protected].
Welcome to today's chat on digital medical records and accountable care. My guests today are Jim Anfield of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Illinois largest health plan, and Bill Flamm of Pronger Smith Medical Care.
So, how will coming digital records improve patient care and what are Blue Cross and Pronger doing in this regard?
Thursday July 7, 2011 10:59 Bruce Japsen
The development of the pilot Health Information Exchange (HIE) has been a collaboration by many organizations (Hospitals, Medical Practices, and Insurance Companies) over the past 7 years. The concept is to securely penetrate the walls between organizations and their individual medical information systems. The objectives are to share important medical information among medical organizations when that information is needed most, i.e. emergency room visits, and with patients by providing them their updated medical information from non-affiliated medical organization from one website. Once this project is up and running, we will study the pilot to understand the true benefits and impacts to patient outcomes and provider/payor effectiveness.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:00 Bill Flamm
So what are the basics of this program so consumers, patients and doctors know what to expect?
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:02 Bruce Japsen
From a Pronger Smith perspective, it's making medications, allergies and selective labs available to participating emergency rooms and our patients via the web through our portal.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:05 Bill Flamm
[Comment From GuestGuest: ]
When will the HIE be up and running inChicago? Will all providers be in this exchange?
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:05 Guest
We expect our pilot to be fully operational later this summer. Pronger Smith is now live on the system. Given the pilot nature of the project, we have initially limited this to a few key providers as we go live.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:08 Jim Anfield
From Pronger's persective, we are live but are only letting our employees view for two weeks to test. Then we will open it up to the first 100 patients to sign up. Then we will open it up to 100 patients at a time for quality control purposes.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:08 Bill Flamm
[Comment From DougDoug: ]
I am associated with a new practice that purchased an EMR system, partly because of the sums promised by the government if I met the tests established. However, nobody seems to have an answer to the question of how I can get the reimbursements advertised. Is there any place I can go to get such information?
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:09 Doug
Doug - You should probably contact the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for a federal reimbursement issue. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also has a regional office. That number is 312-886-2896
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:11 Bruce Japsen
[Comment From emagon4523emagon4523: ]
i'm interested in how these records are being watermarked to verify they have not been altered.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:11 emagon4523
Security of all medical records is regulated by the Federal government with the HIPAA act.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:11 Jim Anfield
[Comment From Jeffrey Buckman MDJeffrey Buckman MD: ]
How can electronic health care records show that quality of care has improved? rather than just improve "charge capture" Also, are there meta analysis studies out that show that both medical errors, quality of life, and morbidity statistics are improved after implementation of an EHR?
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:11 Jeffrey Buckman MD
Pronger Smith's experience: we worked with Blue Cross Blue Shield to create a medical home pilot program at our practice. We used a combination of data generated by Pronger Smith and Blue Cross to identify gaps in care, create outreach programs (both automated and manual) and instituted "supervisits." The disease states that we targeted were diabetes, COPD, CHF and asthma. At the end of the first year we saw a 30% decrease in emergency room visits. We also saw a significant reduction in hospital days. When we looked at the 10 patients with the biggest gaps in care, in a year over year comparison we saw their hospital admits drop from 14 with 84 days spent in the hospital to 6 admits with only 25 days spent in the hospital. This affects not only the quality of life for our patients, but also had a significant favorable financial impact.
We recognize that a patient in a trauma situation may not be able to clearly communicate all their important medical information. One of our surgeons, Dr. Roman, had a great example. He was called at home by the emergency room to consult on a patient's treatment. The patient had failed to list a significant medication, which Dr. Roman found when he reviewed the patient’s electronic chart. In the absence of this information, the outcome for this patient would have been critical if not fatal. Our Cardiologist, Dr. Tejpal, states that he has found many medical information discrepancies and will always check Pronger¿s electronic health record when called by an emergency room. As more E HRs are implemented these non-events will become statistically relevant, unless you were one of these patients or one of their family members, then I would guess that you would think E HRs are significantly already.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:13 Bill Flamm
[Comment From Mr. DwyerMr. Dwyer: ]
How will the complexity of migrating from ICD-9 to ICD-10 be addressed? (eg: ICD-9 code = 806.4 with its 6 ICD-10 scenarios)
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:14 Mr. Dwyer
ICD-10 is mainly viewed as a billing issue but will become a huge part of the EHRs. The level of detail that is going to be needed to bill is going to take extensive work on an EHR's part to build careguides and coding guidance.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:16 Bill Flamm
[Comment From GuestGuest: ]
Do payers (health plans and insurance companies) get access to the records
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:17 Guest
For this pilot HIE, Blue Cross will not be receiving clinical information from the providers. In the future, this may change as we move to the medical home and ACO models of care as we partner with providers to provide more quality health care to patients.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:18 Jim Anfield
Medical care providers with questions in the Chicago area can also contact the Chicago Health Information Regional Extension Center www.chitrec.org and the state of Illinois also has a site
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:18 Bruce Japsen
[Comment From Dr. BDr. B: ]
When will all EMR's communicate with each other and be able to exchange information with other EMR and proprietary software from hospitals, insurance companies? It seems there are a glut of companies trying to sell physicians EMRs but no standardization.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:19 Dr. B
We believe the pilot HIE is a big first step in cross-communication between EHR systems. We also believe EHRs are really in their infancy and will vastly improve communication in the coming years.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:20 Bill Flamm
[Comment From AmyAmy: ]
Are you aware of EHR systems which interface or include pharmacy operations?
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:20 Amy
Our HIE will include pharmacy data from both the payor and providers for each patient. From Blue Cross, this pharma data will come from Prime Therapeutics, our in-house PBM. Also, e-prescribe applications are also available in the market.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:24 Jim Anfield
[Comment From AngieAngie: ]
Response to Amy's question - the VA's EHR connects all VA medical centers with each other and captures data from pharmacy, lab, imaging, notes, etc. A patient can go from on VA to another and the record follows him.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:24 Angie
Some patients with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois and Pronger are already using electronic medical records. Here is an example of a patient's lab history. This is not a real patient, but a sample of what a patient would see.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:26 Bruce Japsen
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:27
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:27
Please click the above to see a larger version
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:27 Bruce Japsen
[Comment From HerschHersch: ]
What is your experience with the device needed to capture the information electronically at the point of patient contact (tablet, net book,desktop)and how has live clinical data capture of patient information impacted communication between the provider and the patient?
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:27 Hersch
Yes - we are currently evaluating this type of technology and thinking through the integration of this technology with other information flows.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:27 Jim Anfield
[Comment From GuestGuest: ]
How will digital medical record affect current business models? Will it be flexible? In addition, how will it merge or affect current systems?
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:28 Guest
EHRs have a significant impact on a medical practice's business model. It changes functions for physicians, nurses, medical records and other staff. Also, information systems will require ongoing investments in dollars, physicians and staff time to keep the medical workflow accurate and efficient.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:31 Bill Flamm
Medical records through HIE are extremely important as we move to the medical home and ACO world. Care coordinators working as part of patient centered medical homes need to have the most accurate and up to date information in order to make the best decisions for care of their patients. This will help improve quality and also reduce the cost of care.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:31 Jim Anfield
[Comment From JohnJohn: ]
I see that Google just stopped their medical record site. Does this give you concern as to the public reaction to E records. I think this is a great system and needs to be going forward ASAP
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:31 John
Yes - we read about Google's shutdown of their health offerings. This is more of a business issue than a medical records issue. We serve our members and providers serve their patients and we both have a vested interest in the healthcare of our customers. Google makes money by selling advertising to users of its many services.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:36 Jim Anfield
[Comment From JonathanJonathan: ]
You mentioned that you are about to do live testing on 100 patients. What does the mid-term role out plan look like?
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:36 Jonathan
Since this is a pilot, we are taking the rollout step by step, 100 patients at a time to ensure quality customer service.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:36 Bill Flamm
[Comment From emagon4523emagon4523: ]
other than NAILBA - no one has any standards set-up and security is non-existant. are you comfortable knowing your sensitive mediacal records are out there floating around on the internet in someones inbox in unsecured format?
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:37 emagon4523
These electronic records are secure and are subject to HIPAA. Don't forget that paper records are already in place and may also sit on a unsecured fax machine for long periods of time.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:39 Jim Anfield
With more health care systems moving toward electronic medical records, how do you feel about this movement? Electronic health records are a welcome change and long overdue
( 86% )
Electronic health records scare me and I do not welcome these changes
( 0% )
Electronic communication with my doctor (ex. e-mail) is fine but not confidential medical records
( 7% )
I have no feeling one way or another whether my records are digitized
( 7% )
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:39
Many doctors are hearing and slowly moving toward medical homes and Accountable Care Organizations. How does the Health Information Exchange work with ACOs and patient-centered medical homes?
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:41 Bruce Japsen
We believe that ACOs and Medical Homes are very similar to the current Blue Cross HMO structure which rewards attaining quality goals centered on preventative health care while managing serious medical conditions to improve a patient¿s quality of life, and to prevent and reduce hospital stays. Accomplishing these goals requires coordinating care and sharing medical information. So let¿s start with the basics; physician practices need to implement an Electronic Health record (EHR); you can¿t share what you don¿t have. Physicians who reference their E HR when talking to emergency rooms and other providers will save more lives. Next step is for us to have a functioning HIE in place for these physicians and organizations to share their data securely. Which brings us back to the reason for this project.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:42 Bill Flamm
Yes - Blue Cross feels very strongly about the ACO and medical home models and we are investing heavily in building out functionality to help facilitate these care models.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:44 Jim Anfield
For more information on Accountable Care Organizations, here is a recent story in the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times and Tribune Newspapers on ACOs and ways they are already working in the private sector.
[Comment From Robert William KearnsRobert William Kearns: ]
Will the EHR/EMR be CCHIT certified?
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:44 Robert William Kearns
Understand that this is a federated data model. The HIE draws information from the participating provider's individual systems. If the providers plan on meeting meaningful use criteria, their systems need to be certified.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:46 Bill Flamm
[Comment From JohnJohn: ]
Just a comment as to being secure: In my opinion records are not secure now. One goes into an office and gives SS #'s etc. to someone you don't even know
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:47 John
The use of the Social Security number is inconsistent across all medical care provider groups. Not all doctors and hospitals use that as an I.D. for patients. Increasingly, they don't according to industry observers I have talked to.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:49 Bruce Japsen
In the HIE world, there are two basic data models - central and federated. For the central model, all providers send their clinical data to a centralized data center. For the federated model, all data reside at the providers until required at the point of query. Centralized repository has fallen out of favor due to high costs and liability issues. Almost all HIEs now use the federated model.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:52 Jim Anfield
[Comment From DanDan: ]
How have you overcome communication errors between different EHR systems to maintain a consistent and accurate HIE?
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:52 Dan
They key to communication between providers on disparate systems is to use a standard called a CCD - Continuity Care Document. This is the standard record layout for clinical data and this allows us to bridge different record layouts.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:54 Jim Anfield
[Comment From AlexAlex: ]
With EMR's being a major start-up cost for ACOs and medical homes, do you have any sort of estimate as to how much this would cost a provider?
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:54 Alex
The cost will vary based on your current system's capabilities or lack thereof.
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:55 Bill Flamm
Within the next week, we will have further information about the HIE posted to the Pronger Smith website at www.prongersmith.com
Thursday July 7, 2011 11:58 Bill Flamm
Thanks so much to Jim Anfield of Health Care Service Corp.'s Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois and Bill Flamm of Pronger Smith MedicalCare for joining us today for our chat on digital health records, accountable care and other talks related to the coming world of electronic health information.
Please join us Tuesday at noon Central when the Chicago Tribune's Trine Tsouderos chats about how parents can protect their children from environmental chemical and toxin dangers. | <urn:uuid:2efa1a18-c6db-4cc7-8a21-4f6f4b85e0ef> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tidewaterreview.com/features/health/ct-health-chat-digital-medical-records,0,1648074,print.htmlstory | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935084 | 3,911 | 1.5 | 2 |
10 Free and Low-Cost Mobile Wireless Tools, March 06, 2013 There's no replacing meaty, licensed tools for wireless network support. But a growing number of free and low-cost apps are available when all you have is a smartphone or tablet at hand. Most of the gems live in the Android space, so you iOS developers need to get to work.
OpenSignal for Android
Publisher: OpenSignal, Inc.
OpenSignal is a wonderful tool for characterizing both Wi-Fi and mobile signals. It integrates with Google Maps to give you good detail on the cell you're connected to and those nearby, along with very effective WLAN reporting and test utilities. I'm floored that this one is free. | <urn:uuid:a8a53e6d-17e8-42b8-9fb4-a4ffe80b7be1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.networkcomputing.com/wireless/10-free-and-low-cost-mobile-wireless-too/240150092?pgno=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939206 | 149 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Within a period of six years, Ted Hughes faced the sudden deaths of four people dear to him. In February 1963 his estranged wife, Sylvia Plath, gassed herself in her kitchen following his affair with another woman, Assia Wevill. He was just 32 when he found himself in sole charge of their children, Frieda, who was three, and Nicholas, barely one year old.
Six years later, in March 1969, Wevill killed herself and Shura, their four-year-old daughter. At that time, his mother Edith appeared to be getting on well after an operation on her knee, but Hughes was afraid that the news might affect her recovery. In the following weeks he shunned his parents, and did not visit, phone or write to them. When his father asked Olwyn, Hughes's sister, what the matter was, she told him but made him vow to keep it a secret. But he could not keep silent and told his wife. Edith suffered a thrombosis, lapsed into a coma and died three days later. Ted was certain that Wevill's suicide was the final blow.
In a letter to his close friend Lucas Myers, Hughes reflected on his part in the deaths of his wife and lover, confessing that with Plath it was his "insane decisions", while in Wevill's case it was his "insane indecisions". When he granted us a rare interview in London in October 1996, Hughes said Plath's death "was complicated and inevitable, she had been on that track most of her life. But Wevill's was avoidable." Perhaps this was why he tried to erase her from his life.
The press refrained, for some mysterious reason, from reporting the tragedy. The crime columns of the London newspapers that week in March 1969 ran items about the strangling of a wife in her home and the death of a girl who set fire to herself in Paris, but there was no word of the deaths of Assia and Shura Wevill in Clapham Common. Only one local paper, the South London Press, violated what amounted to a hush-up. Even there, the story was at the bottom of page 13, and omitted any hint of an intimate connection between the poet and the deceased.
Throughout his life, Hughes warded off biographers and journalists and asked his friends to refrain from mentioning him in interviews or in their memoirs. When his archive at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, was made available to the public in 2000, it was devoid of Wevill's presence in his life: none of the numerous letters they exchanged, the notes, drawings or photos, were there.
In the rare instances where he agreed to provide biographical details, Assia and Shura were never mentioned. He claimed that after Plath's suicide and until his marriage to Carol Orchard in 1970, he raised his children assisted only by members of his family or a local woman who helped with the daily chores - that for all those years, he was looking for a permanent feminine figure but "the right woman failed to materialise". In fact, Wevill lived with him in what she called Plath's "ghost house", 23 Fitzroy Road, London, and then in Ireland and Devon, and mothered his children.
In May 1962, Assia and her third husband, the Canadian poet David Wevill, were invited to spend a weekend with Plath and Hughes, who were then living in the village of North Tawton in Devon. It was on that weekend, as Hughes later wrote in a poem, that "The dreamer in me fell in love with her". Six weeks passed before he and Wevill met alone for the first time, when he came to London for a meeting at the BBC.
But Plath was quick to discover the budding affair. She ordered him out, and he was happy to comply. The following day he knocked on the Wevill's door carrying four bottles of champagne. Wevill made no secret of Hughes' ferocious lovemaking among her office friends. Equally repelled and fascinated, she told Edward Lucie-Smith, "You know, in bed he smells like a butcher." In the next two months he shuttled between the two women.
In mid-September he and Plath took a holiday in Ireland. On the fourth day he disappeared. His whereabouts have remained a mystery not only to Plath but to subsequent biographers and scholars. However, in our research we discovered that when Hughes embarked on the Irish trip, he already had a ticket to another destination. Ditching Plath in Ireland, he hurried to London to meet Wevill, and the two of them headed south for a 10-day fiesta in Spain. He and Plath had spent their honeymoon there, and she hated the country. For him and Wevill, the trip was a delight, providing them with a creative boost: a film script that they had started writing together.
When he returned home, Hughes had a terrible row with Plath; he refused to give up his mistress and left for London permanently. Two months later, Plath moved to London as well. Hughes and Wevill were no longer making a secret of their affair. They were seen everywhere, so much so that many people mistakenly thought that they were actually living together.
On February 11 1963, Plath ended her life. Two days later, Myers came for a condolence visit and found Wevill resting in Plath's bed. A month later Hughes and Wevill decided to abort the child that Wevill was carrying.
Wevill and her husband, David, agreed to a six-month trial separation, and he went to Spain, while she moved in with Hughes and his children. They spent the summer vacation with Hughes's parents in Yorkshire. In her diary, Wevill described a family dinner: as she was leaning over the table to give Frieda her food, she and Hughes collided in a kiss.
In September 1963 Hughes returned with his children to Devon, leaving Wevill on her own in the death-flat: he wanted some time to himself and she had serious doubts about his commitment to her. When David returned from Spain, he joined Wevill in Plath's flat.
The affair continued, but they lowered its profile and invented a secret code for their correspondence. Hughes dispatched daily love letters to Wevill's home, addressed to F Wall Esq. It was a private joke between the lovers, that Hughes was the fly on the wall at the Wevills'. It is puzzling as to why they went to all this trouble when they could have used Wevill's office address, as they had done before: was it for the thrill, and the romantic intrigue? Alexandra Tatiana Elise (nicknamed Shura) was born on 3 March 1965. Ten months later, Wevill left David and moved with Ted to Ireland. It was a time of bliss, and Hughes was delighted and relieved that his children had taken to their half-sister.
Hughes was exploding with ideas. He even found the strength to probe into the suicide of his wife and began writing Crow, handing Wevill the drafts to comment on. Later, he dedicated the book to her and Shura. Wevill's diaries, still in private hands, give a unique account of Hughes at work, "like a great beast, looking over an enormous feast, dazzled and confused by the variety".
Wevill was a perfect partner: artistically inclined, she wrote some poetry and was a rather skilful painter, but she was not ambitious and had no artistic ego herself. "He's almost incapable of performing one word wrong," she wrote admiringly. She said she felt reverence in the company of "one of God's best creations".
Together, they were working on a book of Hughes's poems and her drawings. The theme was A Full House, a pack of cards in which the kings, queens and knaves were biblical, mythological and historical figures.
The poet and translator Michael Hamburger, Hughes' good friend, remembers another project of Wevill and Hughes: Wevill showed him "miniature paintings in brilliant colours with many animals and plants". Neither project materialised, and though some of the poems survived none of Wevill's drawings has.
Originally, they planned to stay in Ireland for five years, but after a few months they had to return to Devon, to tend to Hughes's ailing mother. His parents were dismayed by their son's scandalous relationship with the haughty, thrice-married woman: they feared it had ruined his reputation. Hughes's father determinedly ignored Wevill's presence. He never spoke to her, refused to sit at the same table and averted his eyes when she put a plate of food in front of him. And in any disagreement between Wevill and his parents, Ted invariably sided with them.
Edith Hughes was moving from one bout of illness to another, and eventually Hughes realised that she would never get better as long as she and Wevill lived under the same roof. He initiated a disengagement plan: Wevill and Shura would return to London and wait there until his mother was strong enough to return to her home in Yorkshire. On odd weekends Wevill and Shura came down to Devon, and he visited them in his trips to London. They continued looking for a house of their own, but Hughes found fault with them all. It dawned on Wevill that being at his side at the time of Plath's suicide had contaminated her for ever, and that he would never marry her. "I have lived on the dream of living with Ted - and this has gone kaput," she wrote in her suicide note to her father. "There could never be another man. Never."
Shura had become the core of Wevill's existence, and she was quite certain that if left motherless, the four-year-old, pampered child would be a second-class citizen in the Hughes household. She was afraid that Shura was too old to be adopted, and did not wish her to grow up alone as a foster child, an orphan. Her murderous act was thus the outcome of a distorted over-responsibility: "Execute yourself and your little self efficiently," Wevill had written in her diary three days before.
Soon after her death, Hughes wrote a poem in which he tormented himself about having been destructive towards his nearest and dearest "who were my life". He never published it. Was it because it contrasted with the account that he wished to leave for posterity? In 1990, he published a volume of 20 poems, Capriccio, which revolved around Wevill. In it, he blamed her for consciously burning herself on Plath's funeral pyre.
· A Lover of Unreason: The Biography of Assia Wevill by Yehuda Koren and Eilat Negev. Published by Robson Books, price £20.00. To order a copy for £18.00 with free UK p&p go to guardian.co.uk/bookshop or call 0870 836 0875 | <urn:uuid:960a3439-c00a-4bf3-a941-9a9b8ccd8515> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2006/oct/19/biography.tedhughes | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.991121 | 2,291 | 1.703125 | 2 |
"I have come to the conclusion that the Creator does not want us to
fight wars or to leave our brothers to die in hunger or disease. We have been
given the things we need to provide all men on the planet with what they need
to get by in this world. Why should I not help another human being that needs
what I can help them with? I have ignored that for far too long. I have turned
my head when the homeless person asks for a little help. I have taken advantage
of others when I should have been offering a hand up. I have done things in
my life that I am not proud of. I have not lived a perfect life, so I will not
tell anyone else how to live theirs. I have learned that I have done things
that are not to the benefit of mankind, and to continue in that vein would be
detrimental to my growth as a human being.
"I ask myself, 'Why should I continue with what I see as self-destructive
"Why should I continue a way of life that does nothing to alleviate
problems that have plagued humanity for far too long?
"If a drug addict learns that the drugs are killing him, he is expected
to stop using drugs.
"That leads me to ask, 'If what I am doing is killing me spiritually,
why should I continue?'
"We have become so ingrained to the face of war that we can no longer
see that it solves nothing. I will no longer participate."
– Sgt. Kevin Benderman, conscientious objector
People who haven't experienced war and all of
its trappings firsthand will never know just how deep the dehumanizing effects
go (dehumanizing only if they succeed in barring people from their hearts and
from acting on their consciences). For some, the effects do anything but dehumanize.
For some, they galvanize against the robotic trend, and make us live from this
point on, feeling everything, pain and good, knowing just how important every
feeling is, for it means we are alive, we are safe and we are human after
War affects us all. We just don't know it until it is sometimes too late to
change what it has done. Mothers cry; Cindy Sheehan is crying, and there are
mothers all over the world crying with her. This is beyond political. As Kevin
said, we cannot tell others how to live their lives or what to believe in. We
can, however, let others see our humanity, and hopefully others will come to
face theirs as well, by asking questions of themselves, as we have, and demanding
that they answer honestly, unafraid to feel in their responses.
It was midnight the night that Kevin's unit deployed. The barracks room was
eerily quiet, surreal, as if we were in a cocoon living out this last bit of
time; separate from everything else that was going on. All of his movements
cast shadows on the blank wall as the lamp on his nightstand kept us from darkness.
Watching him put on body armor, a Kevlar helmet, 100 pounds of equipment and
supplies, sneaking last-minute little notes into all the pockets of his uniform
and armor so that he could find them in his downtime, was a difficult memory
to keep. As he packed the charcoal chemical suit, the antidotes for chemical
attacks, the gas mask… so many thoughts surfaced and it all seemed to be slow
motion… there was little more to say – there really aren't any words. We drove
at 1 a.m., in the dark, to the arms room to draw his weapon. Waiting… more briefings,
more waiting in the dark. Knowing that time was running out… knowing everything
the government had said about the horrors those soldiers were about to face…
knowing that he was so thoughtful about the idea of going to war and that we
had to find the strength for what we had committed to… knowing that there were
many who would not respect what the soldiers were about to do… and then – 3
a.m. I had to let him go and watch while the units formed and marched past us
into the gym. The only sound to be heard was the shuffled cadence of their boots.
Something impacted me that wasn't expected. Standing in the doorway watching,
Kevin came through not a foot from me, and another soldier handed him a plastic
chock to put behind the pin of his M-16 to keep it from firing on the plane.
It was added safety… but for me it was the realization that we were going to
Almost three weeks ago, in a courtroom that was eerily quiet even with people
surrounding me, strangely surreal, as if we were in a cocoon living out this
last bit of time, my husband was sentenced to 15 months confinement for not
wanting to participate in war. As visitors left the courtroom, prosecutors tried
not to smile but didn't quite succeed, government witnesses shook hands as if
they had accomplished their mission, and friends were not quite sure what to
say or do. It all seemed to separate from where we stood. We wanted to remember
every second of the short time in the waiting room, quick hugs and assurances
– we have been through this before. Together we will get through this again.
Watching while the MPs came to lead him away, the only sound to be heard was
the sound of the handcuffs and leg irons that his supervisor refused to allow
the MPs to use, telling them that Sgt. Benderman would walk on his own to the
van. As I stood in the doorway, Kevin came through not a foot from me with his
head held high – the power of his confident strength was added comfort… and
for me it was the realization that we were heading toward peace.
Cindy Sheehan and Kevin Benderman are no different, just using a different
story to help others see how much we need to reach for a better way. War should
be obsolete; it must be, if we are to regain our humanity. We should not have
to watch our soldiers load their weapons and prepare to fight others. Sadly,
no one can truly understand who has not seen or felt the entire experience.
We hope the day will come when no one ever will feel it again. For those of
us who have, we look at the sunshine a little longer and dare to walk in the
rain. We see our children as gifts, not nuisances. We wake in the morning and
do our best to defend good things and brush off the little ones that don't really
matter. We accept what we have as the gifts we must use. We do not take for
granted that by being here, speaking out to no longer participate in war, to
find a better way, we are fighting for freedom and the right to live, as we
believe. We remember that we are not fighting for the right to destroy others
or ourselves for the sake of power and control. We do not forget what good is
– all the natural gifts we have to share that have nothing to do with money
or power or instant gratification. We do not forget the honor in being able
to defend life over the taking of life to solve our problems.
For us, this is about our home, and the fact that it no longer seems to have
real meaning for so many people who dare to speak against what Kevin has chosen:
"I will study war no more." We join people like Cindy Sheehan, and
so many others who are offering their stories with feeling, in the hope that
it will help others to learn to feel as human beings again as well. It takes
a strong person to have the kind of heart that is willing to reach out and help
defend their home, especially when so many in that home are not ready to understand
what they are being offered. Kevin, Cindy, those who stand with us, know that
there is a better way. We will do everything we can to help others see the value
of peace, because we have lived through the destructive force of war.
Glory comes from a life well lived. | <urn:uuid:a63d2473-1901-41b9-8e62-3527c3b4d3d3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.antiwar.com/orig/benderman2.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980697 | 1,725 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Franck's Pharmacy said it is recalling all sterile human and veterinary prescriptions distributed by it from November 21, 2011 to May 21, 2012.
According to the company, the recall is being initiated after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration informed that environmental sampling of its clean room revealed the presence of microorganisms and fungal growth.
The company has advised consumers who may be in possession of the aforesaid prescriptions to destroy them. It also said physicians should be advised to review and evaluate patient records to determine if any adverse events may have resulted from use of the recalled products.
by RTT Staff Writer
For comments and feedback: [email protected] | <urn:uuid:c0063441-e9bd-42a7-be85-fe1fe75aa8b9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rttnews.com/1893830/frank-s-pharmacy-recalls-sterile-human-veterinary-prescriptions.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957457 | 137 | 1.625 | 2 |
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMANPOUR (voice-over): Good morning. I'm Christiane Amanpour, and at the top of the news this week, from the crisis in the classroom...
OBAMA: Education is the economic issue.
AMANPOUR: ... to the junk in the cafeteria. How American schools are failing children. Will your child survive in the global economy?
(UNKNOWN): The stakes have never been higher.
AMANPOUR: This morning, reforming how children learn, an exclusive debate with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Randi Weingarten, head of the American Federation of Teachers, and Michelle Rhee, chancellor of Washington, D.C.'s, public schools.
Plus, reforming what fuels children in the classroom, one man's fight for good food and healthy test scores.
OLIVER: The epidemic of obesity is killing people.
AMANPOUR: An exclusive interview with Emmy Award-winning celebrity chef and activist Jamie Oliver.
Then, Katrina, politics and the economy, analysis on our roundtable with George Will, Democratic strategist Donna Brazile, Susie Gharib of "The Nightly Business Report," and Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations.
And the Sunday funnies.
LETTERMAN: And a big controversy in the Miss Universe contest. Miss Iran, yes, disqualified for enriching uranium.
ANNOUNCER: From all across our world to the heart of our nation's capital, ABC's "This Week" with Christiane Amanpour starts now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AMANPOUR: Hello again, everyone. And consider this: Students returning to class this week are less likely to finish high school than their parents, and they're falling behind students in other countries, scoring lower in science than their peers in 28 nations and ranking 35th in math, behind countries like Estonia and Azerbaijan.
The Obama administration is attempting the most ambitious school reform in a generation, but it's also sparked battles with teachers unions over accountability and merit pay.
The secretary of education says that those countries that out-educate America today will out-compete America tomorrow.
DUNCAN: I'm Arne. How are you doing?
AMANPOUR (voice-over): With $100 billion in federal stimulus money and a close personal friendship with the president, Arne Duncan has an unprecedented opportunity to reform education in America.
DUNCAN: Education is the civil rights issue of our generation.
AMANPOUR: Duncan, former CEO of the Chicago school system, learned the importance of education early on. His mother ran an after-school tutoring program.
DUNCAN: What I was lucky enough to have ingrained in me was that poverty (inaudible) that with opportunities, with support, and (inaudible) every single child can be successful.
AMANPOUR: A former professional basketball player, Duncan is playing with a local basketball team in Louisiana. He's on an eight-state back-to-school bus tour, and he's got business to do, smoothing ruffled feathers amongst the teachers.
DUNCAN: What are we not doing and what should we be doing differently?
(UNKNOWN): And welcome to the classroom. I'm (inaudible)
DUNCAN: Thanks for all the hard work. I appreciate it.
AMANPOUR: The administration's teacher reform plan is controversial. Duncan is calling for schools to use data on student achievement to evaluate teachers, a measure long opposed by teachers unions, but aimed to make sure that children get the best in class. | <urn:uuid:6f68fdfd-d825-4828-a348-99d7f67b5be5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/week-transcript-crisis-classroom/story?id=11506701&page=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935192 | 761 | 1.546875 | 2 |
GETTING out and about in our neighbourhood is something most of us take for granted.
For disabled people, getting out and joining in social activities can be an uphill battle, not to mention the possibility of isolation and remoteness.
Sharon Browne of Villa Maria, a not-for-profit support organisation for the elderly and people with a disability, said for many clients community access was difficult.
Villa Maria, which has care centres in Mount Waverley and Wantirna, has launched a new fund-raising appeal and it is hoped Monash residents will get behind the cause.
Ms Browne said transport was a huge issue given the complexities of various disabilities.
"Some people may not live close to a transport route and are entirely reliant on others for support."
She said in most instances, regular buses was not fitted out with gear to transport someone in a wheelchair.
The cost of modifying a bus can be up to $9000 and a new bus may cost $100,000.
"We want to modify some vehicles so they can better accommodate people with special needs," Ms Browne said.
"Something like $20 goes a long way.
"It's important for people with disabilities to be able to take part in a number of community-based activities."
Villa Maria instructor Maureen O'Toole said that bus modifications would have a big impact on the lives of disabled people living in the area.
"Increased access to transport will open up the world for a lot of these people," Ms O'Toole said.
Money raised will go towards petrol for bus outings, bus modifications such as wheelchair hoists and to cover the hire costs of additional buses. | <urn:uuid:42150c2d-e8ed-4ca2-8bdb-784ba8c3c1fd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.monashweekly.com.au/story/410381/get-on-board-the-bus-campaign/?cs=1481 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967037 | 346 | 1.773438 | 2 |
January 6th, 2011 at 19:01 UTC by Richard Clayton
How much spam you get depends on three main things, how many spammers know (or guess) your email address, how good your spam filtering is, and of course, how active the spammers are.
A couple of years back I investigated how spam volumes varied depending on the first letter of your email address (comparing [email protected] with [email protected]), with the variations almost certainly coming down to “guessability” (an email address of john@ is easier to guess than yvette@).
As to the impact of filtering, I investigated spam levels in the aftermath of the disabling of McColo — asking whether it was the easy-to-block spam that disappeared? The impact of that closure will have been different for different people, depending on the type (and relative effectiveness) of their spam filtering solution.
Just at the moment, as reported upon in some detail by Brian Krebs, we’re seeing a major reduction in activity. In particular, the closure of an affiliate system for pharmacy spam in September reduced global spam levels considerably, and since Christmas a number of major systems have practically disappeared.
I’ve had a look at spam data going back to January 2010 from my own email server, which handles email for a handful of domains, and that shows a different story!
It shows that spam was up in October … so the reduction didn’t affect how many of the spam emails came to me, just how many “me’s” there were worldwide. Levels have been below the yearly average for much of December, but I am seeing most (but not all of) the dropoff since Christmas Day.
Click on the graph for an bigger version… and yes, the vertical axis is correct, I really do get up to 60,000 spam emails a day, and of course none at all on the days when the server breaks altogether. | <urn:uuid:64a5e365-3e87-4510-ba96-425bc24d3076> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2011/01/06/everyones-spam-is-unique/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963669 | 410 | 1.789063 | 2 |
Prove that if a_n is a sequence that contains no convergent subsequences, the lim abs(a_n) = infinity
But any bounded monotone sequence converges.
So if you prove the first then you have solved this problem.
Here is a start. Define
Two cases: is infinite or is finite.
Case one gives a increasing subsequence.
Case two gives a decreasing subsequence.
What if some were infinite?
Would we have a convergent subsequence? WHY?
One real problems with help-sites such as this is simply that helpers have no idea what theorems the poster knows and therefore can use.
ooo, nice, so using your setup, if we had an set Sj that were infinite, then that infinite set would be bounded and would therefor have an accumulation point, and thus we could find subsequence that was convergent. Since there are no convergent subsequences, there cannot exist a j that bounds any set, and therefore the sequence must diverge to inifity or negative infinity.
is that where you were going? | <urn:uuid:207438fe-8082-4c89-b86e-74396f56be0a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mathhelpforum.com/differential-geometry/112220-a_n-has-no-convergent-subsequences-lima_n-infinity.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965609 | 229 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Answers to Mystery Questions 1, 3 and 4
Last Friday, we posed 6 mystery questions (4 plus 2 easy bonus questions). We only promised to answer #1 today, but Port Tack Start and Sonarman did so well in their attempt, we are going to answer all but the really tough #2. Why is #2 so tough? Perhaps you can tell all of us.
1- What was the name of the last built U.S. warship to have teakwood decking when first commissioned?
ANSWER: USS Long Beach (CGN 9) - formerly CGN 160, formerly CLGN 160. USS Long Beach was commissioned September 9, 1961.
2- When was the last submarine fitted with teakwood topside decks commissioned and what was its hull number?
She was the first American cruiser since the end of World War II to built entirely new from the keel up, and, when completed, boasted the highest bridge in the world. She was also the last warship to be fitted with teakwood decks. Accordingly, of warships built subsequently by the U.S. none had teakwood topside or bridge decking.
ANSWER: As of 2 Oct 2008, this question has been redefined to specify teakwood topside decking, fore and/or aft. (this item is intentionally blank -, no one has yet determined a correct answer, but we are closing in slowly). But see UPDATE below for a very interesting wrinkle from Sonarman ...
UPDATE: 2 Oct 2008: Have received independent confirmation from SonarMan that the sub with the record for the longest service lifetime of any nuclear submarine (USS Kamehameha) — nearly 37 years - also had a small teakwood deck within a "doghouse" structure in its sail for OODs and lookouts. Since the USS Kamehameha (SSBN/SSN-642) was commissioned in December 1965, it seems destined to be the last submarine with any type of teakwood decking. Great find, Sonarman!
3- What was the name of the ship in the upper photo? BONUS: and what was its hull number?
ANSWER: The mystery sub is the USS Triton (SSRN/SSN-586), commissioned: 10 November 1959. Obviously from the photo, it did not have a teakwood, topside deck. (notes: USS Bonefish and USS Blueback were commissioned 1958 and 1959, respectively. No photographic evidence or sepcor has been forthcoming to indicate these rounded hull boats had wooden topside decking. Ditto USS Kamehameha not commissioned until 1965, about 4 years after the USS Long Beach).
4- What was the name of the ship in the lower photo? BONUS: and what is its hull number?
ANSWER: The mystery sub in the second photo is the ex-USS NAUTILUS (SSN-571), which was commissioned 30 September 1954. The photo is of the museum exhibit.
BONUS QUESTION ANSWERS: Hull numbers of Triton and Nautilus are SSRN/SSN-586 and SSN-571, respectively.
Submarines are always silent and strange. | <urn:uuid:d4606924-3b0e-4bc1-9926-5cdd91133318> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://aquilinefocus.blogspot.com/2008_09_01_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963496 | 678 | 1.828125 | 2 |
November 30, 2010 § 2 Comments
E-commerce has undergone dramatic change in the last two years. Zynga has cracked social gaming and virtual goods wide open, producing enormous transaction volume. Groupon has crushed local service group buying and created a multi-billion dollar cash machine. Gilt has pioneered invite-only branded high end flash sales. All three of these companies have pioneered new e-commerce models in a matter of months, have been locked in the tech news spotlight, and have spawned hordes of fast-followers trying to get in on the action.
However outside of the consumer spotlight, there are several companies that have been revolutionizing web based e-commerce tools available for businesses. Shopify, AvantLink, Shopatron, AdRoll, and FeeFighters are each dedicated to helping their customers sell more and sell better online. They don’t receive the public fanfare of their consumer facing brethren like Zynga, Groupon and Gilt, but all have offerings that create unique value and some are growing at a similarly furious pace. « Read the rest of this entry » | <urn:uuid:bd0f44af-ca8f-43e6-9f73-0cd25e69a4d1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://robwebb2k.wordpress.com/category/e-commerce/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949569 | 224 | 1.546875 | 2 |
by Jonathan Levitt
VINALHAVEN, Maine – Thor Emory pilots his Presto 30, the Thorfinn, out of Rockland and across Penobscot Bay to the Vinalhaven archipelago on the edge of the Gulf of Maine. The 30-foot backcountry sailboat is designed to poke around the wildest places. It has a retractable centerboard, a flat Kevlar reinforced bottom, and two carbon fiber masts with wishbone booms. It is light and fast on the water and can sail through storms and into knee-deep shoals to land almost anywhere.
Emory, a veteran Outward Bound instructor, now leads expeditions by sailboat and stand-up paddleboard all over the East Coast and down to the Florida Keys. On this sunny August afternoon he is heading out for a charter cruise with three grown brothers and their dad – a family of adventurers and musicians who feel like being blown around the bay for a couple of days.
I’m tagging along with the Thorfinn for the afternoon, hoping to get a long, slow, and close look at the western shore of Vinalhaven and some of the smaller islands around Hurricane Sound. Later I will head over to the big island for a couple of days to explore on my own by foot, and to meet up with a couple of specialists on island ecology – Philip Conkling for a ramble along the seashore, and ornithologist John Drury for a trip to the outer islands.
Just past the Rockland breakwater, the sails of the Thorfinn catch a southwest sea breeze. We glide past the lighthouse at Owls Head, past the Muscle Ridge Channel, and into the bay. An hour later we are surrounded by granite islands, dark spruce trees, and infinite lobster buoys, each connected to a trap, and each trap probably packed with lobsters.
We tie up at the dock on Hurricane Island. In the late 1870s this was a thriving community with a post office, bank, pool hall, bowling green, bandstand, ice pond, ball field, boarding houses, and dozens of cottages. Quarrying was big business at the time and Hurricane was known for having the finest polished granite. The fine-grained, gray-white granite from the islands was shipped down the coast and used to build the grandest buildings of the time: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, the Lincoln Memorial, and many others. Around the turn of the century, concrete replaced granite. The quarries closed by 1915.
We spend the afternoon and early evening wandering around the mossy woods and overgrown fields, the old churchyards, abandoned quarries, and shoreline of bubbly granite.
The sun is setting. Emory pushes off the dock, sails across Hurricane Sound, and drops me at a friend’s wharf on the western shore of Vinalhaven. The tide is way out, exposing deep mounds of mussel shells and granite boulders covered in a quivering mop of rockweed, barnacles, whelks, and periwinkles. I climb the ladder, up and out of the tidal world and onto the granite dome that is Vinalhaven.
The next morning I wake up with the sun. My friend has gone to the mainland for her son’s baby shower. She has picked me a small bowl of wild blackberries and offered up the beer in the fridge and the use of her bike, a very small and very old beach cruiser.
I drink fancy coffee and eat an egg sandwich on a homemade buttermilk biscuit at the ARCAFE, a cafe and market run by island teenagers. I wander around the harbor. For lunch I eat a perfect fried fish sandwich with havarti cheese and tartar sauce at the Harbor Gawker in the center of town.
Just after noon, Drury pulls into Carvers Harbor, dragging a small skiff behind his 34-foot wooden lobster boat. It’s for his wife, who will be returning to Vinalhaven after a trip to the mainland and will need it to cross over to their home on Greens Island just offshore.
Drury is heading to the deepest reaches of the bay, to Seal Island, to count great cormorants and other seabirds. The boat is littered with bird bones and cans of ginger ale. We steam away from shore, past Brimstone Island with its beaches of shiny black stones, past harbor seals and grey seals, and little storm petrels that run across the water before they spread their wings and fly.
The egg harvesters and plume harvesters are long gone from the islands, but bald eagles are back in a big way and have figured out that young great cormorants, which are rare in Maine, are good to eat. “The cormorants should be fattening up and growing feathers instead of dodging eagles,’’ says Drury.
Seal Island is 21 miles from the mainland. It is 65 acres of arctic plants and nesting seabirds: jaegers, puffins, cormorants, herring gulls, black guillemots, eider ducks, harlequin ducks, and shearwaters. Grey seals hunt the shorelines and haul out on the smooth ledges. Drury circles the island, dodging rocks and whirlpools, spying birds with binoculars and tallying their numbers in a waterproof journal. This is bird-watching as an extreme sport.
Back on shore, I walk north out of town on Sands Road and Dogtown Road for an evening swim in Lawson’s Quarry, one of the abandoned granite quarries now filled with cold clear water from underground springs.
In the morning I walk back into town. Lane’s Island, a 10-minute walk from the center of town, is on the southeast side of the harbor, connected to Vinalhaven by a causeway and surrounded by Indian Creek. From 4000 BC to Colonial times the island was home to seasonal Native American villages. It is named for Captain Timothy Lane, one of the island’s most successful sea captains.
Conkling and I stand on the shore looking out in the distance to Robert’s, Hay, and Otter islands. Just to our east is a meandering mound of bleached shells, broken arrowheads, bones, and other ancient detritus – a centuries-old midden exposed by the sea.
“In the springtime the Indians traveled down the rivers and set up seasonal camps on the islands,’’ says Conkling. “This is the Indian Creek Encampment, a seasonal village.’’
According to Conkling, the women stayed in the camp, tending to the children and gathering shellfish to dry for winter. The men went offshore in their birch bark canoes to hunt and fish. They used harpoons with barbed tips of sharpened bone to spear porpoises, seals, and swordfish. Nesting islands were an abundant source of food – bird eggs and fledgling young.
The shore of Lane’s Island is like a kitchen garden of edible plants. There are beach peas, sea celery, glasswort, sea rocket, sea blight, berries, and a grand hedge of rosa rugosa alive with goldfinches, Savannah sparrows, pollen-heavy bees, and hummingbirds.
Under the rockweed, Conkling finds soft-shell crabs, which he pops in his mouth whole. I do the same. They are delicious, as sweet and briny as a sea urchin. He gathers periwinkles from the rocks and ledges. He holds them close to his lips whistling to coax them from their shells.
We wander for hours. Conkling has a story for every plant, flower, bird, and vista. He talks about how the Indians may have discovered the islands by following birds, and about how most of the island trees are spruce – “the old saying goes that three foggy nights will kill a fir tree.’’
Later, back at the quarry, I take one more swim. The sun goes down and the fog rolls in.Jonathan Levitt can be reached at jonathanlevitt.com. | <urn:uuid:992f2379-3d70-4cd1-91c9-7b073d031ffc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thorfinnexpeditions.com/blog/category/environmental/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945174 | 1,739 | 1.78125 | 2 |
What is the number one reason why people join social networks?
Go ahead and think about that for a second. Now say your answer out loud.
What was your answer? Networking, sharing, for a sense of belonging, to learn? Guess what, those are all good reasons but they are not the number one reason.
If you said community or relationships, you are partially right.
Top Three Reasons We Join social Networking Sites
The number one reason why people join a social network is identity says Shama Hyder Kabani, author of The Zen Of Social Media Marketing. It’s to showcase who they are. We join a social network because it says something about us.
And Kabani should know, she did research and her graduate thesis on why people join social networking sites.
The number two reason why people join social networking sites is to connect with others. We want to build relationships.
The number three reason why people join social networking sites is community.
For nonprofits and organizations, it’s important to remember that people join social networking sites to showcase their identity first, build relationships second and then belong to the community. They don’t join a social networking site because of community. We often get that backwards.
When people like a page on Facebook, answer something on Quora, recommend someone on LinkedIn or tweet something on Twitter, they do those things not because of community but because of their identity.
“I love ____________ (insert brand name here),” says something about us. It establishes our identity. We say we love something because it ultimately says something about our self. We don’t do it just to say something about the company. It is about us.
In other words, social networking really is all about me, me, me!
If business and organizations really understood this progression, they would approach their use of social media differently. They would ask, “How can our brand, our organization, fit into people’s view of themselves.” They would build their marketing messages around personal identity.
That means asking, “How can our brand or organization be seen as cool? What incentive can we give people to make our brand or organization part of their identity?”
This is critical for organizations to understand. Traditional marketing strategies do not fit into social media platforms with success. Remember people join a social network because it is about establishing their identity, not to consume your marketing messages.
“Traditional marketing rules cannot be applied to social media because social media is not a marketer’s platform,” says Kabani.
The Paradox About Our True Identity
Here’s the troubling paradox about our identity. Most organizations and institutions usually banish employees from showcasing their personal identity. The organization wants employees to showcase the institutional identity. Our bosses often want us to keep our real, true identity under a psychosomatic lock-and-key.
At work, we put our institutional self forward. Inside organizations, we repress our social self as a matter of bureaucratic survival. The spontaneous expression of our true identity is considered inappropriate in formal situations.
This creates an ongoing tension between social networks and institutional organizations. And it highlights why social networks have been so popular. They are dynamic, heterarchical, horizontal, informal and spontaneous. Social networks challenge core assumptions about corporate management, democratic governance and organizational behavior. Basically, they showcase our humanness.
For organizations to be successful, they have to shift from institutional identity to allowing employees to showcase their personal identity. People are attracted to and want to build relationships with other people.
The Power Shift To Networks
The power has shifted. It has shifted from institutions to networks. And the power is given back to people who showcase their humanness, their identity.
What are some ways organizations can align their brand or services with a person’s identity in social networks? Why is it so difficult for organizational leadership to allow employees to show their true selves? | <urn:uuid:2cbe5e12-ff57-422b-90d3-8c4a9d456ac1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://jeffhurtblog.com/2011/01/05/why-people-join-social-networking-sites/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948998 | 819 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Good news!: Unilever stops animal testing for tea! »
Peta has been fighting against Unilever and their cruel animals tests for Lipton tea and PG Tips for many years and finally, Unilever has promised to end testing animals for tea effective immediately! Huzzah! This is super good news considering Lipton is “the best-selling branded tea in the world.”
From Unilever’s site:
Unilever remains committed to its ambition of eliminating animal testing by investing in alternative methods.
Where legal or regulatory requirements call for testing on animals to demonstrate the safety of Unilever’s tea-based beverages or ingredients, Unilever seeks to minimise the testing required and the number of animals involved, and the testing is provided by third parties.
Unilever has made a substantial investment in new non-animal approaches to research and testing including, since 2004, an annual investment of €3m on non-animal approaches for assuring consumer safety. Our research has made good progress in developing new approaches and we work continually with international research and policy groups to share our experience.
Yay for good news! Of course, according to Peta, Unilever has many other companies that do test on animals, and don’t miss the magic words “the testing is provided by third parties,” but this is progress. The tests they were doing for Lipton were all about like eating a ton of sugar and fat and seeing if tea helps you not die. First of all, it’s pretty easy to find some people who already eat a ton of fat and sugar and test the tea on them; second, torturing animals so that we humans can sit around eating poison and not die is ridiculous. Eff that! | <urn:uuid:7488cd6e-5915-4e11-be0e-d6e41ce3926a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://vegansaurus.com/tagged/lipton | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95425 | 368 | 1.5625 | 2 |
When we prepare rib eye steaks we are always trimming and shaping the end result. For a long time we rendered the large hunk of fat and meat, which runs on the top of a rib eye along the bone, to make fat for cooking and cracklings for sauce. The other day when we were cleaning up a half a rib eye primal, we noticed that this hunk of fat looked remarkably like Mangalista pork belly in its marbling and meat blend. We decided to cut the meat off in one chunk, season it and slow cook for 24 hours at 70°C, the way we cook our beef cheeks. The result was a piece of beef fat which could then be sliced and sauteed like pork belly or foie gras. The fat caramelizes the same way it does on the outside of a roast and the interior is tender and bursting with flavor in your mouth. My first portion was about 60 grams in size when I started cooking and it rendered some fat in the cooking process.
I really enjoyed the flavors of the fat, but consuming it straight from the pan after lunch left me feeling a bit off. Five years ago I could easily have ingested a hunk of roasted fat with no repercussions. Times have changed and so have I. So, is this a useful preparation? Yes. We just need to do some fine tuning and figure out how much is the perfect portion for a specific need. One avenue we are looking at is dicing the fat and frying it like bacon lardons. Or slicing it like bacon to recreate that crusty skin on the top of the roast. Imagine that in a sandwich. Time and tasting will decided where we take this. (and don't think our smoker won't see some action in these tests) | <urn:uuid:fee24cbe-a778-47d5-9d0a-9b1955cdf7dd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.ideasinfood.com/ideas_in_food/2010/07/braised-beef-fat.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961836 | 359 | 1.578125 | 2 |
The Failed Attorney General
Published: March 11, 2007
During the hearing on his nomination as attorney general, Alberto Gonzales said he understood the difference between the job he held -- President Bush's in-house lawyer -- and the job he wanted, which was to represent all Americans as their chief law enforcement officer and a key defender of the Constitution. Two years later, it is obvious Mr. Gonzales does not have a clue about the difference.
He has never stopped being consigliere to Mr. Bush's imperial presidency. If anyone, outside Mr. Bush's rapidly shrinking circle of enablers, still had doubts about that, the events of last week should have erased them.
First, there was Mr. Gonzales's lame op-ed article in USA Today trying to defend the obviously politically motivated firing of eight United States attorneys, which he dismissed as an ''overblown personnel matter.'' Then his inspector general exposed the way the Federal Bureau of Investigation has been abusing yet another unnecessary new power that Mr. Gonzales helped wring out of the Republican-dominated Congress in the name of fighting terrorism.
The F.B.I. has been using powers it obtained under the Patriot Act to get financial, business and telephone records of Americans by issuing tens of thousands of ''national security letters,'' a euphemism for warrants that are issued without any judicial review or avenue of appeal. The administration said that, as with many powers it has arrogated since the 9/11 attacks, this radical change was essential to fast and nimble antiterrorism efforts, and it promised to police the use of the letters carefully.
But like so many of the administration's promises, this one evaporated before the ink on those letters could dry. The F.B.I. director, Robert Mueller, admitted Friday that his agency had used the new powers improperly.
Mr. Gonzales does not directly run the F.B.I., but it is part of his department and has clearly gotten the message that promises (and civil rights) are meant to be broken.
It was Mr. Gonzales, after all, who repeatedly defended Mr. Bush's decision to authorize warrantless eavesdropping on Americans' international calls and e-mail. He was an eager public champion of the absurd notion that as commander in chief during a time of war, Mr. Bush can ignore laws that he thinks get in his way. Mr. Gonzales was disdainful of any attempt by Congress to examine the spying program, let alone control it.
The attorney general helped formulate and later defended the policies that repudiated the Geneva Conventions in the war against terror, and that sanctioned the use of kidnapping, secret detentions, abuse and torture. He has been central to the administration's assault on the courts, which he recently said had no right to judge national security policies, and on the constitutional separation of powers.
His Justice Department has abandoned its duties as guardian of election integrity and voting rights. It approved a Georgia photo-ID law that a federal judge later likened to a poll tax, a case in which Mr. Gonzales's political team overrode the objections of the department's professional staff.
The Justice Department has been shamefully indifferent to complaints of voter suppression aimed at minority voters. But it has managed to find the time to sue a group of black political leaders in Mississippi for discriminating against white voters.
We opposed Mr. Gonzales's nomination as attorney general. His r?m?as weak, centered around producing legal briefs for Mr. Bush that assured him that the law said what he wanted it to say. More than anyone in the administration, except perhaps Vice President Dick Cheney, Mr. Gonzales symbolizes Mr. Bush's disdain for the separation of powers, civil liberties and the rule of law.
On Thursday, Senator Arlen Specter, the senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, hinted very obliquely that perhaps Mr. Gonzales's time was up. We're not going to be oblique. Mr. Bush should dismiss Mr. Gonzales and finally appoint an attorney general who will use the job to enforce the law and defend the Constitution. | <urn:uuid:0efaa09c-a894-4859-b822-b0fed31a0c12> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=F30611FB38550C728DDDAA0894DF404482 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975607 | 844 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Pundits often lament that in recent years we've become an “entertainment culture” obsessed with celebrity. It seems to be an obsession without limit. As John Prizer writes in his review of Air Force One (see page 7), we have even begun to measure our presidents by their pop celebrity appeal as well as by their ability to lead. And, as Prizer notes quite rightly, despite some worthy predecessors, our current chief exec-utive—he of the hipster shades and sax appeal—is a true master at the game.
There's nothing inherently wrong in recognizing and playing to the obsession as Bill Clinton so masterfully has done, first as a presidential candidate and since 1992 as president. Why not show a sense of humor and try to win over the younger generation by waxing hip on MTVand blowing the sax on late night TV? Some observers found his overtures to the younger generation endearing and even a little daring.
The problem is that popular appeal in our celebrity culture is more about image and perception than about reality or truth. And Clinton's image consultants have mostly succeeded in getting the public to see him in a positive light. But as hip, or as concerned for the common man, or as moderate on abortion (pro-lifers know the truth about that) as the general public might think him, Clinton still can't seem to shake the wide-spread perception that he is too ready to bend with the winds of popular opinion. Even many of his supporters don't think him a man of any real mettle. Apparently the image consultants can't fool the public all the time.
In sharp contrast stands Pope John Paul II. Like Clinton or any leader, the Pontiff has his supporters and his detractors. (Most detractors think him too full of mettle.) But John Paul, who is recognized, even by critics, as telegenic and as an effective communicator, has proven he has plenty of staying power in the fickle celebrity culture. This despite declining to tender his message to garner popular support.
And a simple question underscores his appeal to youth: How many world leaders could draw nearly half a million young people from all over the world, as John Paul II is expected to do for World Youth Day next week in Paris?
The Pope doesn't accommodate his message based on polls or pundits because he isn't concerned about protecting his image—only about furthering the profound truths proclaimed by Christ 2000 years ago. People, especially young people, sense that and are drawn to it. In Crossing the Threshold of Hope John Paul II makes the same point: “(When the young seek me out) in truth it is not the Pope who is being sought out at all. The one being sought out is Christ…”
That even our president seems a product of the celebrity culture is disconcerting. But not all the world's youth have bought into the narcissistic gospel that image is everything and that we should all aspire to our 15 minutes of fame on the daytime TVtalk shows. Though almost everyone gathering from around the world in Paris next week came of age in the midst of our celebrity culture, their presence at World Youth Day presumably means they haven't fallen for the culture's prevailing siren song.
In Paris, the Pope will hold up two persons whose lives offer a bold alternative to the celebration and pursuit of celebrity. The two: Frederic Ozanam, who at 20 co-founded the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the charitable group that's now combating poverty in more than 130 countries; and St. Theresa of Lisieux, who though she entered the cloister at 15 and died just nine years later, has had an immeasurable impact on the faith of many with her “little way” of spiritual devotion. Both Ozanam and Theresa lived and died last century, but how they chose to live offers a relevant counter-cultural example for our times.
The pull to devote oneself to cultivating an image is strong and persistent in our culture. But, more often than not, what lies behind the pose is emptiness and nihilism, and none of the richness that must have filled Frederic Ozanam or Theresa. Both were young and restless and searching for something deeper—just as are many youth today. When half a million of them gather together in Paris, they'll be reminded they aren't alone. | <urn:uuid:499befc3-7f04-4da5-a848-31016d5b189b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ncregister.com/site/article/turn_off_the_image | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977926 | 892 | 1.570313 | 2 |
ROCKVILLE. Md. (WUSA) -- Maryland Lt. Governor Anthony Brown along with other Montgomery County executives including Ike Legget held a town hall meeting in Rockville to discuss the proposed legislation further restricting gun ownership in Maryland.
Lt. Governor Anthony Brown, and Governor Martin O'Malley are trying to push what they call "Common Sense Gun Laws."
Although, people spoke on both sides of the issue more sounded off against the proposal rather than for it.
The O'Malley-Brown plan calls for school security improvements to the tune of 25 million dollars, an improvement in current mental health initiatives and programs, and perhaps the biggest contention, new laws to current owners that include:
1. Ban on assault rifles;
2. Magazine capacity limit to 10 rounds;
3. Tougher Background checks.
Despite the opposition to the plan Lt. Governor Anthony Brown said , "I do believe we will pass the lion share of what we proposed." | <urn:uuid:00b8d747-a627-4f37-884a-79ba62ae93ac> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wusa9.com/news/maryland/article/242048/189/Md-Gun-Law-Debate-Hits-Montgomery-County | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954461 | 197 | 1.640625 | 2 |
By Ed Lowe • Post-Crescent staff writer
August 16, 2009
New York state troopers were "big and mean," as part of the job
requirement back on Aug. 15, 1969.
Tom Truesdell, then 17, knew that as he neared the two burly officers
studying the swelling river of youth washing past the highway
crossing at Hurd Road in the town of Bethel early that Friday
afternoon. The march was friendly but determined as it progressed to
Max Yasgur's 600-acre dairy farm.
The huge outdoor concert there was yet to begin.
Truesdell and five friends all "country boys" from little Walton,
about 40 miles north hiked some six miles to this point, taking
turns carrying cases of their favored Genessee 12 Horse Ale against
their chests. The two daily passes to the Woodstock Music and Art
Fair in jeans pocket warned no alcohol would be tolerated on the grounds.
It wasn't their only concern.
"Back then, a New York state trooper kind of struck fear into guys
our age," recalled Truesdell, now 57, of Appleton. "Also, this was a
period of pretty wide-scale paranoia."
The officers wore grim gray uniforms with thick black stripes down
their woolen pants legs. Yet, when the soon-to-be high school senior
got close enough, he saw the troopers each sported a single daisy
tucked in the bands of their wide-brim campaign hats. The officers
didn't smile, but seemed mildly amused at their view of the colorful parade.
"I think that's when we knew it was going to be a different type of
weekend," Truesdell said.
Unlike most of the thousands of young people walking along the sides
of the highway, Truesdell's hair was cut small-town short. He was set
to start football workouts the following Monday morning.
"It might have been first time I saw people from the counterculture,"
he said. "I found it kind of intriguing, actually."
Americans later watching the news from Woodstock, a logistical
disaster that somehow emerged as the celebrated high point of the
Sixties' counter-culture era, would be amazed at what they saw.
And also by what they didn't see.
The Associated Press estimated more than 450,000 people, most of them
wearing long hair and the bohemian garb of that socially rebellious
era, would make it to the festival. There's no telling how many
others tried to get there, but never arrived. Fewer than half of
those in attendance had tickets for the event.
Most that did, like Truesdell, wouldn't need them.
The fences blocking entry were removed before the first band struck a
note. Concert organizers declared it a free concert, but it was
essentially a declaration of surrender to the massive turnout, for
which they were wholly unprepared. Remnants of hired security
vanished as the crowd poured over the grounds like a steadily
expanding quilt of humanity.
"Whatever structure there was in place was totally overwhelmed,"
Virtually nothing at Woodstock came off as planned, and, despite the
lack of security, sanitation facilities, shelter, food and water, the
event would prove that the peace-love-and-harmony mantra just might
be enough order to carry a long weekend through what seemed to be mayhem.
Truesdell and his friends took a spot about 100 yards from the stage
before the opening act, folksinger Richie Havens, took the stage.
The crowd was mostly young, mostly white, mostly hippies. Yet there
were no limits on attendance that Truesdell could see. All races were
represented in the mix. The Hell's Angels were there, but they didn't
raise hell. The Hog Farm commune set up feeding stations for the
hungry, which no doubt would include members of biker gangs.
It was hot and humid, to start out, but thunderstorms arrived,
melting the fields into mud.
"The physical conditions were pretty unpleasant, but I think the
music helped," said Truesdell.
"And this will sound corny 40 years later, but people were really
nice to each other. They shared what they had. If you had a bottle of
soda, you'd share it with someone you didn't know because people were
"I didn't see a fist fight. I didn't hear angry words. That's just
what I observed, and I couldn't believe it. It was crowded, it was
hot, you were thirsty, and you had to walk a mile to go to the
bathroom. You'd think people's tempers would be short. But I think
the music helped. That's what you would focus on so you didn't feel
"I'd say that was really the life-changing part of the experience for me."
He went to the concert because it was close to home, and because he
was a big fan of Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful
Dead. He was introduced to the music of Santana at Woodstock, and
became a fan that day. He arrived with plans on taking the entrance
exam for West Point after graduation, but Woodstock altered his course.
Now he's an adjunct professor at Ripon College and Marian University.
He teaches a course on the Sixties.
Woodstock is on the syllabus.
Not everyone sees Woodstock as a cultural triumph.
Stephen Leahy, 45, a senior lecturer of history at the University of
Wisconsin-Fox Valley in Menasha, argues that the event was sanitized
by history, and overrated in its impact. Its music was outstanding,
he said, but the event was as flawed as the counterculture movement aims.
Leahy noted Woodstock attendees torched a hamburger stand, for
example, because it opposed its operator's intent to make a profit at
"I don't see it as a societal shift," Leahy said of Woodstock. "You
hear these stories of people throwing open their houses and this was
the only way of preventing the violence.
"Certainly, in that respect, it was a success. But the idea that this
was somehow some type of triumph and a vision for the future is,
quite frankly, ridiculous."
Rather, Leahy argues, "It's Baby Boomers doing what they have always
done, and that's take credit for everything good that's happened on
this planet. I wish there was a broader cultural understanding of
this event and we stop romanticizing it."
Jerald Podair, an associate professor of history and American studies
at Lawrence University in Appleton, was 15 and living in New York
City 85 miles south of the concert site when Woodstock took
place. His wife's best friend from high school set out to attend but
never made it. She and countless thousands other would-be Woodstock
attendees ran into a miles-long roadblock of cars either stalled or
abandoned on the New York State Thruway. All were forced to turn back.
"If you want to look for a moment when the counterculture of 1960s
America started to become the mainstream culture, it was probably at
Woodstock," Podair said. "I always tell my students, the
counterculture of the 1960s eventually became the mainstream culture
of the 21st century."
Woodstock's acclaim as a victory by the youth-led social revolution
of the Sixties is largely justified, Podair argued, even if most of
those in attendance "sold out" most of their youthful ideals long ago.
"Until Woodstock, the counterculture was very scary to mainstream
America," Podair said. "It was sinister. It had overtones of violence
and illegality. That's not to say there wasn't illegality at
Woodstock, because obviously there were people doing a lot of drugs.
But after 1969, the music stopped being viewed as a political
statement. It started being music that you listen to because you like it.
"To the people on the stage, and the people in the crowd, (it was a)
battle over American culture. They won that battle, and we can see
that today. Wearing your hair long in 1969 was a major political
statement, just like listening to rock music. My students are young,
so they don't know a time when those things were actual issues."
In retrospect, the event could have been far worse, and it seemed to
make the statement its organizers intended to make.
"It ended up being an affirmation of the values of the
counterculture: peacefulness, pacifism, if you will, mutuality,
communality, sharing," Podair said. "It ended up being a situation
where people had to work together, people had to cooperate, people
had to help each other, and that's really what the counterculture of
the 1960s said it was all about."
The naked truth
Truesdell said the magic of Woodstock was the simple accumulation of
countless helpful acts. There was just enough goodwill to carry the
masses through a long weekend.
"I never did find that pond where everyone was skinny dipping,"
Truesdell admitted. "I didn't even knew it was there (until) I saw
the movie a couple years later.
"It wasn't like there was there was people running around without
clothes on, but you didn't wear very much because it was 85 degrees.
There were people around being very friendly with each other, but
there were so many people there and it was so crowded there was a
consensus to just live and let live."
The drugs flowed freely. But, strangely, the inevitable carnage never occurred.
Two people died during the three-day event. One overdosed. The other
was crushed by a tractor while asleep in an adjacent farmer's field.
Two babies were born at Woodstock, so the population didn't change.
Not in number, anyway.
Ed Lowe: 920-993-1000, ext. 293, or [email protected] | <urn:uuid:6283f9ae-1099-4eca-a1b9-1522b20594de> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sixties-l.blogspot.com/2009/09/eyes-opened-at-woodstock.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981643 | 2,179 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Iraq invaded Kuwait on Aug. 2, 1990; hard to believe there were any good days in the two decades since. How could there be? I have told my war stories both as an embedded journalist and an Army veteran of Desert Storm. When I say “Iraq,” it is only violence that is remembered.
Robert Frost could have written his poem, “Acquainted with the Night” about these conflicts, and the recent veteran’s experience. “I have walked out in rain — and back in rain/ I have looked down the saddest city lane,” Frost wrote. “I have passed by the watchmen on his beat/ And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.”
Maybe not unwilling, but it is difficult for these new veterans’ complete memories to compete against ever-righteous narratives of established expectation and assumptions.
Like Chad SeBour, 26, said about his 2006-07 deployment to Bayji, Iraq, with the 82nd Airborne, “I only talk about civilian stuff with my friends; they have their own picture of how it’s like over there. They’re only going to look at Iraq as a bad thing.”
Kris Vasquez, another 26-year-old veteran of two deployments who is a college student now, tries to shrug off negative stereotypes.
“Society likes to put labels,” Mr. Vazquez said. “I don’t have a vendetta of trying to prove people wrong, I just move forward and try to look positively at life. That’s my ambition.”
But why should an audience of home-front civilians expect anything but damage and bad memories? Iraq’s horror and tragedy was not melodrama — it was real life. It is what happened.
So it is difficult, to try and remind a reader that for many recent veterans these wars cover much more ground than post-traumatic stress or traumatic brain injury. It can be hard to tease out a few fonder moments.
In June 2009, I talked with Sgt. Vasquez in a Combat Outpost Cahill guard tower. In both 2007 and 2009, I embedded with his unit: Charlie Company, 1st/505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division.
We chatted about food — how the mess hall’s morning eggs were always lumpy and undercooked, the dinner’s ‘steak’ burned to a hard hockey puck. Snacks were more dependable. I preferred Pop-Tarts; Kris hoped for Gatorade shakes, but other soldiers snatched them up, taking more than their fair share.
That selfishness was not new. During the 2007 deployment, Kris remembered grabbing a half-dozen sticky-sweet Honey Buns at a time, stuffing them into his assault pack for long days in a Humvee. Charlie Company’s men earned their share of legitimate bad memories that year — three men killed over 15 months, others injured, their Bayji Joint Security Station attacked by a suicide truck bomb that killed two dozen Iraqi policemen.
In 2009’s quiet, Sgt. Vasquez happily reminisced about hoarded snacks.
“I look at Honey Buns now,” he laughed in the guard tower, “and I don’t touch them. They’re dead to me.”
Out of the Army since 2011, Mr. Vasquez currently studies criminal justice at Palomar Community College in San Marcos, Calif., not far from his hometown, El Centro. He has about two semesters left there before a planned transfer to California State University, San Marcos, with a long-term career goal of federal law enforcement. With its proximity to Marine bases, plenty of veterans attend Palomar, Mr. Vasquez said, and his own past comes up.
“All the great stories I have are from the Army,” he said. “In class introductions, they ask what interesting things you’ve done — I’ve jumped out of an airplane. That’s pretty interesting.”
Years later, Mr. Vazquez still remembers the Honey Buns and still has not eaten another.
“They’re not a bad memory, but now they remind me of a time when Honey Buns were all I ate,” he said. “That time was long enough.”
Myself, I still enjoy pecan pie – but I think of Iraq with every bite, of meals at the huge Forward Operating Base dining facilities that were a gift at the end of my reporting trips. Pecan pie is not sugar and nuts – pecan pie is relief.
In mom-and-pop convenience stores around Palomar’s campus, Mr. Vasquez sometimes sees cans of the high-sugar, high-caffeine Rip-It energy drink for sale, cheaper than Red Bull or Monster.
“I tell people I drank them in Iraq, and they say ‘Weren’t you worried about dehydration?’ like energy drinks were bad for us,” Mr. Vasquez said; but that misses the point, like telling me pecan pie will rot my teeth.
“Rip-Its were kind of a symbolic beer before a mission,” he said. “Everybody’s nervous, but we weren’t in any great danger or bad circumstances. We’d drink a few and laugh and talk a little bit.
“They remind me of that camaraderie, the people that I knew, the experience we went through.”
In Baltimore, Mr. SeBour now works as an investigator for Commercial Index Bureau; he sits for hours in a car, looking for proof of cheating spouses, or phony disability claims. His experience as a mortar crewman taught him patience; in Bayji, he would sit by the mortar emplacement on the Joint Security Station’s roof, spending shifts that lasted hours waiting for something to happen.
“Readjustment’s not that easy. I probably think about Iraq every 20 minutes. Like it was yesterday. Like it was 10 seconds ago,” he said. Post-traumatic stress is no joke; whether it is night sweats, or loud noises, he said there is plenty to keep him on edge. But, “even the bad stuff, it was bad, but it wasn’t that bad,” he said. “I kind of miss it, as long as nobody was getting hurt.”
Thanks to Mr. SeBour’s post-deployment brawling, drinking and fighting, he left the Army in 2008 the way he came in — honorably, but still a stripe-less private. “I’m not proud of that at all,” he says. Still, you cannot look back in bitterness. “I’m very glad I joined. Wouldn’t get rid of it for anything.”
Private SeBour and I were both on the Joint Security Station roof on July 29, 2007, a strange day — lots and lots of gunfire, but no violence. The Iraqi national soccer team won the Asian Cup championship, 1-0 over Saudi Arabia. It seemed everyone in the city fired celebratory gunshots into the air.
The sports connection’s stuck with Mr. SeBour — back home, watching a Steelers-Ravens football game with his parents, his father started in about the Steelers’ rabid fan base — Mr. SeBour responded, “You should see Iraqi soccer fans.” His father laughed, but “it was sort of an awkward laugh,” he said.
Anyway, the soccer game’s not the important memory, or the Rip-Its, or the Honey Buns.
“Everybody was kind of quiet,” while the Iraqis shot off thousands of rounds; Mr. SeBour paid attention for security’s sake, but paid equal attention to a bigger moment he was witnessing. “It was one of those times, you see something awesome,” he said. “Who else gets to be part of that?”
Even with Iraq still full of violence, I like to imagine men in Bayji today. I hope they sit around tables of chai tea and remember that 2007 soccer victory; remember in the way that “Johnny,” a Tikrit-born interpreter, had told me back then, excited in a roomful of unimpressed Americans watching the televised celebration — “I wished for us to win, to show the world what Iraq can do.”
Like America’s veterans, those Iraqis might — sometimes, definitely not always — be like the Vietnamese that Michael Herr wrote about in “Dispatches,” an answer of sorts to Robert Frost’s bleak silence:
“I knew that somewhere that night and every night there’d be people sitting together over there talking about the bad old days of jubilee and that one of them would remember and say, Yes, never mind, there were some nice ones, too.”
Nathan S. Webster, an Army veteran of Desert Storm, is an adjunct instructor of first-year writing and creative nonfiction at the University of New Hampshire. His photography is part of the “Conflict Zone” exhibition, and his book “Can’t Give This War Away: Three Iraqi Summers of Change and Conflict” is available from Blurb and as an e-book on Amazon. Follow his blog at “Can’t Give This War Away” and on Twitter at @nwembed. | <urn:uuid:f85bca9c-e9d0-4b3d-96ff-a011fc5ac32a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/02/in-war-moments-worth-remembering/?ref=asia | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969068 | 2,048 | 1.507813 | 2 |
A New Jersey teacher in his school's computer lab accidentally knocked the mouse of the vacant computer next to him, and an email thread labelled "Wayne Update" appeared on the screen. He opened the email, and printed out two emails about him by a fellow teacher, including this:
I guess he chooses not to listen. I will not respond to him. He is sooooo fake. And sooooo with the Dark Side. I will never tell him "The Truth", not because he can't handle it but because he's too dumb to understand it. See you later.
Turns out, Rogers was the head of the local teacher's union and he publicly confronted the author of the message at a subsequent union meeting. She and other participants in the email thread sued him. A key issue in the case was whether Rogers act ran afoul of a state statute that prohibits "knowingly accessing without authorization a facility through which an electronic communication service is provided or exceeds an authorization to access that facility." A jury acquitted Rogers, and an appellate court has affirmed:
The judge in this case submitted questions to the jurors that were carefully crafted to ascertain whether Wayne knew he lacked authorization or knew he exceeded his authorization. Their answers demonstrate that they found he did not know. All seven of the deliberating jurors found that he "knowingly accessed" the facility providing the service and that he obtained an electronic communication in electronic storage, but six of the seven found that he had not "exceeded an authorization to access that facility," and seven found that Wayne had "tacit authorization" to do so.
Ars Technica says the moral of the story is -- log off. | <urn:uuid:57361a23-35c4-4b6d-9ee1-6a8a8cdba5b9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sbmblog.typepad.com/sbm-blog/2012/07/when-in-new-jersey-log-off.html | 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 | 0.981007 | 339 | 1.5 | 2 |
PUEBLO, Colo. (AP) -- The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for snow in Colorado, with up to 10 inches expected in the western mountains.
Forecasters say a storm could bring locally heavy snow to the eastern Sawatch mountains and western Mosquito Range above 11,000 feet on Wednesday.
Forecasters say hikers, climbers and other visitors to the High Country should be prepared for winter conditions above tree line.
In other parts of the state, the precipitation has been falling as rain and temperatures were expected to be about 20 degrees cooler than in recent days.
It's a welcome change after the hottest summer on record in Colorado and a busy wildfire season.
However, too much rain could cause flooding in the area burned by the Waldo Canyon fire, which destroyed 346 homes and killed two people. There's also a flood watch for a large portion of western Colorado.
Designed by Gray Digital Media | <urn:uuid:ed2e99d3-2764-4560-8f8c-f870e8bb7644> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nbc11news.com/weather/headlines/10-inches-of-snow-expected-across-Colo-169514396.html?site=mobile | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961257 | 192 | 1.5 | 2 |
When I was at school, one of my favourite books that I read over and over was Gerald Durrell’s My Family and Other Animals. I remember being fascinated by his stories of childhood, a childhood so completely different to mine as to be unimagineable. Bizarrely, the thing that stuck with me most is that he talked about wild cyclamens – plants that in South Africa only seemed to grow in indoors pots on coffee tables. The idea that these flowers could grow wild on some island in Greece seemed impossibly exotic to me and I longed one day to visit this magical place. It took a few decades, but last week I finally got my wish: a week on the island of Corfu.
If you arrive in Corfu expecting it to look like Mykonos, all whitewashed flat-roofed houses clustered on a hill, prepare to be surprised. Take a look at the map and you’ll see that Corfu is geographically quite far from the rest of the Greek islands (it is a lot closer to Albania than to Athens!). It has also been colonised by a multitude of civilisations and nations over the years, each leaving their unique mark: the Corinthians in the 8th century BC who founded Corfu Town (Kerkyra); the Romans in 229BC (who preferred to build further north in Kassiopi); the Byzantine empire in the 4th century AD; the Venetians for 400 years starting in 1386; and the French (Napoleon in particular) in 1797. In 1824 the island became a British protectorate, and it was not until 1864 that Corfu and the Ionian islands became part of Greece.
Kerkyra in particular looks to me more like a Spanish or southern Italian town than what I imagined Greece to look like, and it’s a lovely place to spend a weekend, like we did. Wander through the town, down to the old port and mingle with the tourists that regularly come ashore form cruise ships. Take some time to explore both the old and the new forts; wander through the maze of tiny streets crammed with shops selling clothes, shoes, bags, local specialities like kumquat liqueur; and end up the Liston, a colonnade of arches reminiscent of the Rue de Rivoli in Paris, where you can choose from a number of chic restaurants or bars and sit and watch the world go by while sipping on a frappé.
While the girls were doing this, the boys were off on rented scooters, exploring the southwestern bit of the island. Tolis Motor were great: they picked the boys up from the hotel to take them to the showroom and also fetched the bikes from the hotel at the end of the day, all for €35 per bike. A word of warning though: the roads in Corfu are narrow and winding, and people seem to drift to the middle of the road constantly. If you are going to rent a scooter, wear a helmet and be constantly on the alert for other traffic (including other tourists who hop on scooters with no previous experience and weave all over the road!). On our flight out there were two young girls, one with a broken leg and the other with a heavily bandaged arm that had been in a scooter accident – not a fun way to spend your holiday. Also keep a lookout for the classic Corfu driving style: arm so far out of the driver’s window, your knuckles scrape the tarmac
To explore Kerkyra, we stayed two nights at the Sunset Hotel which seemed at first to be a little way out of town on the way to Dassia, but there is a bus stop right outside the hotel and to get into the centre of town only takes ten minutes at €1,10. It’s a small family-run hotel (we discovered on day 2 that the charming chap serving us drinks at the pool bar was in fact the owner) and nothing was too much trouble for the staff, who were never without a smile on their faces. The rooms, although not luxurious, are a good size, very clean, come with a bar fridge and balcony, and have excellent air-conditioning (very important when the temperatures remain stubbornly in the upper 20s all night long!). There is also free wifi throughout the hotel. Sadly there were no pool view rooms left when we arrived and there is quite a bit of road noise if you stay at the front or sides of the hotel, so do request a pool view room if you can. The pool was another big drawcard – large enough to swim proper laps and sparkling clean. The pool bar is only a few metres from the pool, making it easy to grab a cocktail to beat the heat. Also make sure you walk down to the sea at sunset (there is an access road a couple of properties down from the hotel) – the view across the bay is gorgeous.
Sunset Hotel, Alykes Potamou, 49100, Corfu
Tel: +30 26610 – 31203 E-mail: [email protected]
Tolis Motor (branches in Kerkyra & Nissaki)
Tel: +30 26610 4505 E-mail: [email protected]
After two happy days at the Sunset, we moved into our rented villa in Nissaki. We collected our cars from the airport and the drive took us through some of the coastal towns around the bay north of Kerkyra: Kontokali with its 5-star Kontokali Bay Resort and spa; nearby Gouvia with its pretty bay, marina and Venetian ruins; and Ipsos with its beachfront bars, nightclubs and restaurants. After Ipsos, the beaches become more rustic for a while: Barbati is a long curve of shingle beach set some distance away (and down a steep hill!) from Barbati Village, and Nissaki has a tiny but very pretty, sheltered beach with three tavernas, a dive shop, a gift shop and a boat hire company. We rented our villa (Sofia) through Agni Travel and I have to say that they are absolutely outstanding. They responded rapidly to any queries, offered loads of good advice before we arrived and sent text messages during our stay to check that all was OK. And oh boy, was everything OK… Have a look at our villa and you’ll see what I mean. The house is set up the hillside in a little valley, surrounded by groves of ancient olive trees, with a sparkling pool overlooking the ocean, and I can’t think of any way it could be improved.
When we weren’t lounging by our sparkling pool, taking in the view, we explored the north-eastern corner of this island, both by car and by boat. If you have a car, it is definitely worth driving inland to see how little rural Corfu has changed over the past few decades. Most of the development has taken place on the coast, but inland, it is still an island of farmers. The two main crops of Corfu seem to be olives and kumquats – although the tree you are most likely to see while driving around is the olive tree. There are over 3 million olive trees on Corfu, some over 400 years old and planted during the Venetian occupation of Corfu when the Venetians offered a subsidy to people who replaced vineyards with olive trees. The big difference between the Corfiot olive trees and other Greek olive trees is that olive trees on Corfu are not kept short by pruning, but are rather left to grow to their full, majestic height and width. This creates olive trees with gnarled and holey trunks (rather like the Ents in Lord of the Rings) and olive groves where even at noon it is cool and shady under the high olive canopy. Another worthwhile drive is up to the top of Mount Pantokrator, the highest point on the island at 906m. At the top is a monastery and a huge radio mast (and a taverna, of course!), and from there you can enjoy breathtaking views across to nearby Albania as well as over Corfu itself. It is also possible to walk up Mt Pantokrator, usually starting from the village of Old Perithia, but in 33C+ heat, this was not an appetising prospect! If you can, choose the route back down that takes you through Spartilas, a village perched 400m up the slopes of Mt Pantokrator with tiny streets and breathtaking views over the bay. The road down to the coast from there is one of the most spectacular collection of hairpin bends I have ever seen, reminiscent of a Greek version of San Francisco’s famous Lombard Strteet.
In the Nissaki area, I would recomend the two beaches we visited: Nissaki Beach and Kalami Beach. Nissaki Beach is tiny but very beautiful, set in a little horseshoe-shaped bay with a white pebble and shingle beach and aquamarine water. There are are three tavernas, (including one jutting out into the water); Nissaki Dive Centre offering PADI scuba instruction courses and dives; a watersports jetty offering water-skiing wakeboarding, ringo and banana rides; and a lovely gift/beachwear shop called The Loom. Also in Nissaki we found Nissaki Boat Rental where we rented a boat for the day on two occasions and explored the coves on the north-east corner pof the island that are inacessible by car (more on that later). Kalami Beach is another small but very pretty white pebble beach, made famous by the literary Durrell family (Lawrence and Gerald) who lived there in the 1930s. It has a few more amenities than Nissaki, including a couple of small supermarkets, shops selling beachwear (including the essential beach shoes to protect you from the sharp stones), and a number of tavernas including The White House – the former Durrell residence. There are beach loungers and umbrellas available but apparently these run out in high season so get there early. It’s a great place to people-watch, swim, snorkel and while away a lazy day.
To get away from it all though, do what we did and drive up to the north coast, passing though Kassiopi with its ruined Roman/Byzantine castle and pretty marina, on to Archiravi. Archiravi, although not particularly quaint or pretty, is one of the larger towns we passed through outside Kerkyra and is great for a morning’s shopping – lots of stores selling shoes and clothes, as well as the usual olive wood products and beachwear. You can also see some Roman ruins there – a bathhouse and a temple. We investigated Archiravi Beach, a 3km stretch of sandy beach accessed from the many side streets off the main road. Although sandy, we found it not to be as pretty as the beaches closer to Nissaki, but it is well-supplied with loungers and a pretty constant stream of tavernas along its length for refreshment. We much preferred Astrakeri Beach a little further west – a wide stretch of sandy beach that is mostly frequented by locals and nearly deserted on both occasions that we visited. The beach is backed by cliff and ends in a rather spectacular headland, and there is ample nearby parking. Loungers and umbrellas are available to rent and there are a couple of tavernas along the shore, offering lovely sea views. The only downside is that it is no good for snorkelling as the sand makes the water cloudy – but it is a treat to be able to go swimming without beach shoes!
The other activity that I cannot recommend highly enough is renting a boat to explore the secluded coves of the island. As I mentioned, we rented a boat for two days through Nissaki Boat Rental – no license or prior boating experience is required and the owner will give you a quick tutorial on how to steer, anchor and moor the boat when you collect it. (He also wagged a finger at us and said “no daytrips to Albania in my boat, OK?”!) There are varying sizes of boats available and our 8-seater cost us €65 per day excluding fuel. On both occasions we went north from Nissaki, travelling as far as Kassiopi and then turning back to find a quiet cove to moor in. As the main coastal road turns away from the shore at the north-eastern corner of the island, it is possible to find uninhabited coves where you can moor and spend the day splashing about in relative privacy. We did learn an important lesson on day 1 though. We had spotted a long pebble beach just south of Kassiopi with only one yacht already moored there, so we moored at the other end of the deserted beach. There were two plastic tables on the beach but we thought nothing of it as we enjoyed our private stretch of beach. Within ten minutes, two huge boats had moored alongside us and disgorged a boatload of daytrippers who stared at us as if we were some sort of exotic wildlife. The tables were where they served lunch. Lesson learned: avoid beaches containing plastic tables! We eventually left and made our way to Agios Stefanos for lunch, before anchoring in another cove on the way home to spend the afternoon snorkelling and swimming. On our second day out, we found a far smaller but very pretty pebble beach cove just round the corner from Kassiopi where we anchored in complete privacy all day, swimming, snorkelling and using our lilo as a bar counter in the shallows! Lunch that day was at Agni (all the tavernas have jetties and often a helpful waiter to assist you with mooring your boat – mooring is free all around the island) – but more about our taverna lunches in another post.
I have to say that it took me a while to get around to visiting Greece but I am now officially hooked. Seldom have I encountered friendlier people, a better late-summer climate, prettier beaches, or better food all in one place. If it is a seriously relaxing beach holiday you are after, I cannot recommend Corfu highly enough.
UK Office Tel: +44 207 1836468; Greek Office Tel: +30 26630 91609
Nissaki Boat Rental, Nissaki Beach
Tel +30 6998505651 E-mail: [email protected]
The other thing we did rather a lot of in Greece was eating. I plan to do a couple of posts on the restaurants and tavernas where we ate, but that’s just half the story. Every night at home we cooked up a feast, using the abundant local ingredients. A stop at a roadside fruit and vegetable stand was a sensory treat; a visit to the local supermarket (Aphrodite’s) always yielded fresh local fish. I was in heaven. Every night, Nick and Jos would light the fire and the girls would do the necesssary kitchen prep, while music, drinks and banter flowed freely through the open kitchen window. One night, Aphrodite provided fresh sea bass which we cooked simply over the coals.
For many people, whole fish represents some sort of culinary final frontier. Some people refuse to buy or order it “because of the eyes” (!). Others find it hard to take home a meal that resembles almost exactly the beast it used to be in life. And yet others are just plain nervous about how they are going to cook it. Happily, I don’t fall into any of these categories. Cooking a whole fish is so childishly simple and yet bringing it to the table always elicits compliments – a high impact to effort ratio, you might say. There’s no rocket science to barbecuing a whole fish – just season the fish inside and out, and make sure there is enough butter or oil applied to the skin so that it does not stick to the barbecue grill too much. The result is sweet, succulent fish that still tastes of the sea – what better way to end your day? Kalí óreksi!
SEA BASS GRILLED WHOLE ON THE BARBECUE (serves 4)
4 whole sea bass, scaled and gutted (the freshest you can lay your hands on)
2 small lemons, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
salt and pepper
butter or oilve oil for the BBQ grill
You will also need a double BBQ grill that is secured at the handle so that the fish can be “sandwiched” in the grill and turned over en masse.
Wash the fish and pat dry. Make two slashes in the skin on each side of the fish. Season the body cavity of each fish with salt, pepper and oregano, then add a couple of lemon slices, a few onion rings and a little crushed garlic to each. Repeat until all the fish are prepared.
Rub each fish all over with olive oil and a little coarse salt. Also brush a bit of olive oil or rub a little butter onto the barbecue grill so that the fish won’t stick. Place the fish on the lower grill, the close the top grill over them and secure the two grills so that the fish are firmly clamped.
When your fire is ready (glowing coals rather than flames!), place the fish over the coals – 15-20cm above is fine – and allow to cook. Turn over once the first side starts to brown. Total cooking time should be between 20 and 30 minutes, depending on how hot your fire is and how high the fish are off the coals.
Serve immediately with a Greek salad and some crusty bread.
I am submitting this as my entry into Braai the Beloved Country, my annual event celebrating summery outdoor cooking and the best of the barbecue, co-inciding with South Africa’s National Braai Day. Please note: I have extended the deadline to Sunday 25 September to allow you to do your braaing this weekend – click here to read the submission guidelines! | <urn:uuid:57914efd-dce8-4121-9e23-d7232467ac15> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cooksister.com/2011/09/love-you-corfu-and-whole-seabass-on-the-barbecue.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958297 | 3,843 | 1.71875 | 2 |
[Arcana] A nice macro technique.
kfogel at red-bean.com
Tue Jun 30 14:12:37 CDT 2009
No doubt all of you thought of this long ago, but I'm slow, and I
think I just started doing it. (I dunno, maybe I did it years ago and
just forgot about it, you know, like with most of my .emacs.)
Anyway, just in case anyone else hasn't tried this, here's a
delightful little macro technique my father brought with him from the
old country, smuggled in a trumpet case, or so the story goes.
I often find myself iterating down a list of files, performing a macro
on each one. You know the routine:
1. Switch to '*shell*' buffer,
2. Run some 'find' command to produce a list of files, one per line.
3. Put your cursor at the beginning of the first line, and open up a
macro with 'C-x ('...
4. Find the file, edit it, save the buffer (*), kill the buffer, make
sure you're back in the shell buffer, 'C-n' to next file, 'C-x )'.
5. Lather, rinse, repeat.
The problem with this is, you can never be sure your edits did quite
what you wanted. Depending on the variability of the file contents,
your keystrokes may or may not have had the desired effect in every
file. But since redisplay doesn't happen until the macro is done
playing, you can't easily check.
Solution: Duff's device, as applied to editing macros.
Start the macro at the "(*)" in Step 4 above, and end it in the same
place next time around. That's the point where the buffer is saved,
and point is right where you just finished the edits. Assuming the
relevant text all fits in the window (which is the common case), you
can inspect it. Then you just run the macro and inspect the next one.
Lather, rinse, repeat, at whatever speed you want. All your fingers
have to do is type 'e' (usually) or 'C-x e' (for those cases where you
have to stop and clean up an edit).
Go on, laugh. Next week: I just learned about this great feature
where you can type part of a filename and hit TAB, and Emacs will
*figure out* the rest of the filename if it can...
More information about the Arcana | <urn:uuid:4cd48768-7d67-4a93-8961-721a7b972805> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.red-bean.com/pipermail/arcana/2009-June/000128.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93144 | 548 | 1.554688 | 2 |
WALK views our volunteers as one of our most important assets. The enhancement of the quality of lives that can be provided for people who use our services by people who volunteer with our services has always been highly regarded.
Who can volunteer at WALK?
Volunteer drivers must hold a full, clean drivers licence and must be prepared to undergo a driving assessment if they intend to drive a company vehicle.
WALK does not restrict employees from volunteering their own time to its services.
Anyone who is 18 years or over can apply to volunteer at WALK.
Which part of the service would I work in if I applied to Volunteer?
The volunteer can work in any of the services of WALK. If you have a preference for the service you would like to work in you can discuss this with Paul Flanagan, the Volunteer Coordinator.
How much time would be expected of me if I was to volunteer with WALK?
Our Volunteers come from all walks of life. The roles of our Volunteers are as varied and diverse as the needs of the people who use our services. Volunteers can perform a wide variety of roles, e.g. one-to-one buddies, drivers, sports enthusiasts, artists, musicians, board members, gardeners, teachers etc. There is a wide range of possibilities open to Volunteers and we welcome suggestions from our Volunteers about the types of activities they may like to participate in. WALK endeavours to be as flexible as possible to facilitate Volunteers who may not be in a position to give commitment to volunteer in a consistent manner (e.g. every Monday).
Would I receive appropriate support from fully trained staff if I was a volunteer?
No volunteer will be left in a position that they are unclear of the role that they play. All volunteers are fully supported by the staff team in the service.
Why do people volunteer in WALK?
People volunteer in WALK for a number of different reasons. Some people are completely new to the services that are provided for people with learning disabilities and would like to gain some experience in the field. Some people are in college studying social care work or psychology and have an interest in the area that they would like to explore. Some people are retired and now have more time that they want to spend enhancing services in their local community. Some people have specialised skills that they know they can put to good use outside of their working hours. There are many, many different reasons why people want to volunteer at WALK. The important thing is knowing what type of experience you as a volunteer would like to get and how that can be matched to meet the needs of the people who use our services.
I have decided I would like to Volunteer at WALK. What should I do now?
You should contact Paul Flanagan at 01 - 465 0388 or alternatively go to our contacts page and complete an enquiry form. Paul Flanagan or another staff member will call you back within one week of recieving your request.
Volunteer at WALK
Call Paul Flanagan on 01-4650388 to find out more | <urn:uuid:3389fa2d-f8a5-418c-aa95-7d41167ebce3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.walk.ie/faq | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976361 | 628 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Thursday, April 29, 2010
How to find a job/internship in a tough economy?
The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that 80% of all jobs are filled through personal contacts. Attending Career Expo helps you build those contacts by meeting employers and agency representatives while you learn more about your career options. On 4/20/2010, SU Career Services Center hosted its annual Career Expo. Over 20 employers from Puget Sound and some government agencies came to school and talked to current students and alumni about the current job market and their companies. A couple of my classmates and I were there to make personal contact with employers.
I had the opportunity to talk with the representatives from Paccar and Expeditors. The good news was both of them said that the job market would be getting better by the end of this year. I think this is very encouraging. For example, Mellisa said Expeditors had 10 summer intern openings and half of them were already filled. She also mentioned that in Expeditors, an internship can lead to a full time position upon graduation if the interns are fully committed to their work.
In summary, events such as the Career Expo give you unparalleled opportunities to talk to representatives from organizations across a wide range of sectors in one day. With the graduation approaching, we will see more new graduates looking for jobs. In my opinion, the person who goes to different career fairs and networks consistently will be the first one who gets a job.
Writen by Derek Zhao, [email protected] | <urn:uuid:34529879-e14b-4171-aa4e-0efe12159da0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.seattleu.edu/albers/blog.aspx?id=58873&blogid=8402 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981532 | 317 | 1.640625 | 2 |
If the thought of parsnips, beets, and kale makes you turn up your nose, think again. Cooking Light just came out with 25 fantastic recipes that utilize winter veggies.
Several of my clients tell me that they just don’t enjoy eating cold vegetable salads during the winter. Who can blame them when it’s freezing outside? The beauty of these vegetable recipes is that they’re hot, nourishing, comforting, delicious - and really easy to prepare. They’re all perfect for leftovers, which helps make healthy eating much easier for busy families.
My personal favorites? Lentil soup and roasted vegetables. Try out some of these recipes or share your personal favorites.
After walking around Washington DC on a cold and windy day recently, my husband and I stopped to enjoy some hot chocolate. The menu board not only listed the sizes (small, medium, large) and cost of the hot chocolate options - it also listed the calories. A small hot chocolate has 350 calories, and the large has 600 calories - I bet you can guess which one I chose!
What size beverage do you typically choose? If you’re drinking something with calories, go for the smaller size. If you’re drinking water - opt for the large, or even supersize. Save calories throughout the day, and they add up. Plus those calories in beverages come from added sugar or added fat, and we can certainly do without either of them.
“Hey Mom, let’s make stew together for dinner!”
These words from our younger son warm my heart, just as the soup will warm all of our bellies come dinner time. Nate loves to cook, and living in an apartment at college this year, he’s developed some new skills. While he was home recently, we made beef stew together, using this awesome recipe from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln extension program.
Things we love about stew:
- you can include a bunch of veggies
- we finish it in the slow-cooker, which makes meal prep a snap
- the leftovers taste even better the second day!
- it fits a college student’s grocery budget
- it’s filling, delicious, and healthy!
Making - and eating - soup together is a wonderful family activity. If you haven’t tried it lately, dust off your favorite family soup recipes or use these seven simple soup recipes Make sure you sit together and enjoy the finished product. You’re not only creating a healthy meal, you’re creating lasting memories. | <urn:uuid:940339d7-7777-4abf-91c7-9b86f2411003> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lynngrieger.com/2011/01/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937901 | 535 | 1.773438 | 2 |
BOULDER – Grocery shoppers in Boulder will have to pay a 10-cent fee on paper and plastic bags starting in July under an ordinance approved by the Boulder City Council.
The Daily Camera reported the City Council voted 7-0 to approve the measure on a fourth reading Thursday.
The fee will apply to paper and plastic bags at food retailers, including grocery stores, convenience stores and Target. Gas station stores will be exempt if food sales are less than 2 percent of their business.
Retailers will keep 4 cents of the fee to cover their costs of administering the program. The city plans to use the rest of the money to pay for outreach about reusable bags and to distribute free reusable bags to low-income residents. | <urn:uuid:71def8ae-eebc-4903-8486-14ecaf4d834f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.durangoherald.com/article/20121115/NEWS02/121119689/1001/USA-Pro-Challenge-/Boulder-to-charge-bag-fee | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956797 | 148 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Originally posted by danteuk:
If Windows didn't have it's crappy registry system it would be much easier and quicker, currently you have to reinstall about 90% of your software after a re-install of Windows, even if all the software was a separate partition - just because of the registry.
The registry is a design decision. It's probably a bit outdated now that hardware is so fast, but back when it was created, it was certainly an OK tradeoff. The tradeoff being a bunch of small ini files thrown all over the disk for one large binary blob with a consistent format, that could be accessed quickly and independently of the user that was currently logged in (fixed a hell of a lot of frustrations with old apps on new systems, BTW).
I'm more of a fan of OS X's bundling design myself, or of app developers being smart enough to write their apps such that they don't depend on hardcoded absolute values written to the registry by their install program, but that's more of a complaint against shitty programmers, not against the registry. And I hate to say it, if your apps are dependent on registry keys, you need to bitch at their developers or find new apps. Very few of the apps that I use on a regular basis have a dependency on registry keys.
On my Linux machine I don't have this problem at all.
1) I've never NEEDED to reinstall the OS!! - only done it because I wanted to update to a newer version/distribution.
2) All my data and application are on a separate partition, along with my home directory ( with all their 'registry like' data )
Really? Putting /etc on another partition and dragging it along between OS installs is no different than simply backing up the registry hive and copying it to a fresh Windows install. Both are dangerous as hell if you don't know what you're doing, or are changing hardware, software versions, etc.
I've hosed a couple linux machines to the extent of having to boot them off a liveCD to fix them by copying udev rules between distro upgrades, and /etc/fstab can get very entertaining if you move your drives to different controllers or say the kernel decides to start seeing drives on different device nodes (2.6.18 decided my ATA drive should be called sda, which was previously my SCSI boot drive).
Or how about xorg.confs? Those are just shit-heaps of fun. Or gdm/kdm/xdm for that matter.
Every OS is vulnerable to misconfiguration. It's not a frequent problem on any OS if you know what you're doing. It's also quite possible to do exactly what you did to Linux to Windows, it's just a bit more work because of poor tooling for the registry. I keep my apps, documents, and systems on different partitions in both Linux and Windows. It's just a simple way to make sure that the OS blowing up in your face doesn't take your data with you. Though I seem to blow away more Linux installs lately, due to writing kernel code for classes.
BTW NTFS is crap - it fragments like crazy even on systems with 80% free space, it still fragments files!! - just looked at a new dell machine 5% disk used and lots of red bars in defrag program - maybe that's why MS have dumbed down defrag in Vista - now it doesn't show you how bad the disk is - it just says this may take some time, then when it's finished it says done. That's it!! anyone thats ever ran defrag on a nearly full disk knows you need to run it a couple of times at least and you get a report that tells you what files are fragments and into how many pieces. This is very useful because I have virtual driver that are about 8gb so if one is in more that 50 pieces I back it up to another machine, remove it, defrag the driver and copy it back - that helps a lot. Vista doesn't give you a report so you have no idea. That 'MS Progress(r)'
Do you have a single idea what you're talking about, or did you just feel like spouting off? Every filesystem fragments. Some (FAT32) are worse than others (xfs), but they all do it. It's only a problem when the fragments are tiny, which means you really need more disk space to begin with. But fragmentation is going to happen eventually, no matter how smart the filesystem algorithms are. It's simply a biproduct of how filesystems work. Even xfs has defragmentation tools, and it was claimed to not need them.
NTFS is not a bad FS. Its performance is pretty good, and it beats Linux filesystems like ext3 (but hell, even the fuse ntfs-3g driver under Linux can beat ext3). It has quite a few nice features that a lot of other filesystems lack, like multiple streams (a'la resource forks in HFS/HFS+), sparse files, etc. And it had journaling 13 years ago, before any
Unix-like OS had it (first was XFS on IRIX in 1994). Same with access control lists.
Look, Windows has enough shit wrong with it to complain about. There's no need to bitch about the few things that aren't wrong with it, like its filesystem. You make all of us who do use Linux and OSS for real work look bad when you bitch about things simply because MS wrote them. It makes us look like we're only using OSS out of hate for MS. | <urn:uuid:d1d6431a-a3b4-4672-a26f-d056c3918a24> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=21862 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968458 | 1,173 | 1.523438 | 2 |
The London Olympics seem to have converted even the most hardened cynic into embracing its ideals, making us smile and proud to be British. What a difference a year makes eh? Riots last summer, but now it seems that GB is at one with itself.
We have many reasons to hold our heads up high, as a lovely Greek lady I met at the Acropolis last week told me as we chatted in some welcome shade in the very hot midday sun. She was an unapologetic Anglophile and started to mention the many things we have given the world – a sense of fair play being high on her list.
However, her daughter is studying law in London and this Greek mother often finds herself passing by the British Museum whenever she goes to visit. She has never been in to see the infamous Elgin Marbles that are on display – those stunning marble sculptures acquired in dubious means by the then ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Thomas Bruce the seventh Earl of Elgin – and this, in fact, is the only thing about our nation that makes her lose her own marbles.
She feels that the Greeks are more than capable of looking after these marbles themselves and that the argument given by us that we’re just “looking after them for them” is a thin one. I am tempted to agree with her. If they were in their right and proper place, they might provide a much-needed boost for the Greek tourist industry. The banks were open by the way and the food was fine, as was the public transport, and the sun shone and the waters were crystal clear.
Our stance of “we know what’s best for you” and doing well at the Olympics is a reminder of the good old days when we were top dogs. Bradley Wiggins has also brought Dickensian/rock ‘n’ roll sideburns back into fashion, and according to the British press that might be his lasting legacy more than his cycling triumphs.
The Olympics dominate, but the empty seats syndrome leaves a bad taste and gives a bad impression, but do the privileged care? The post-Olympic world will see the continuation of a medieval-type trial in Moscow and a year after the riots, the police have yet to explain why they felt the need to shoot Mark Duggan on that fatal day in Tottenham, while Murdoch, the Dirty Digger is still not off the hook.
Just like old times eh? Oh, did I mention that’s the title of our next production? | <urn:uuid:3dc69d89-ae62-495b-a4c1-2873867c8b1a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cphpost.dk/commentary/opinion/actor%25E2%2580%2599s-life-just-old-times | 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 | 0.981247 | 517 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Yes, I’m here to tell you about (*deep breath*)… physics. No! Please don’t go! Hear me out!
Firstly, I am well aware you guys aren’t going to want to sit here and read about SUVAT equations and quite frankly, I can’t be bothered to write about them. Physics has a bad rep, I know, and sweaty teachers and scary equations really don’t help. But I’m begging you, get past that! There is a whole world (or even universe!) of physics out there beyond the confines of your cramped, smelly classroom and dog-eared textbooks if you give it a chance. I’ll try and keep it short, just promise me you’ll read to the end and I’ll leave you alone and give you some smarties* (*one of these may not be true). Deal? Deal!
Did you know that women earn only around a fifth of bachelor degrees and PhDs in physics? I don’t know about you, but I think that’s pretty shocking. That means that only a fifth of people exploring space, or sorting out the energy crisis, or discovering the origins of the universe are women! But why should we leave all that to the men? It’s not all pi and circuits, you know!
Physics is all around us. It’s in the cars we drive, it’s in the pens we write with, it’s in the keyboard I’m typing on and this is before exploring its relevance in popular culture and the cool ideas that are generated by it- real physicists are attempting to answer those brilliant questions like ‘Could a DeLorean travel through time?’ ‘What are these supermassive black holes Muse are going on about?’ and ‘Will the world really end this year?’ (Actually, that last one is a joke. It won’t. Unless some other catastrophic event the Mayans STILL COULD NEVER HAVE PREDICTED takes place). In ten years, you could quite possibly be discussing how a TARDIS could theoretically work with other like-minded people – I will not shy away from a cliché and yes, the possibilities are endless!
What sparked my interest in the subject was a combination of happening to pick up a book called The Science of Doctor Who and having two awesome physics teachers (one of whom, incidentally, almost accidentally killed Stephen Hawking). I may not be able to compensate for a lack of the latter, but I really hope that, just maybe, I could provide that first spark of inspiration to one person reading this that ‘The Science of Doctor Who’ was for me.
Thank you for your time,
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AWADmail Issue 332Nov 9, 2008
A Weekly Compendium of Feedback on the Words in A.Word.A.Day and Other Interesting Tidbits about Words and Languages
From: Lynda Hester (lyndareb alltel.net)
My sixth grade teacher made us all memorize 'the 53' prepositions. It was a mark of distinction to repeat the list more quickly than any other student. Forty-six years later, I can still repeat the full list (as can numerous students to whom I ended up teaching English). Needless to say, 'pace' wasn't included on that list.
From: Robert Kerber (robert.kerber stonybrook.edu)
Local real estate agents, who once contented themselves with describing old houses by their approximate date of construction as "circa 1740", for example, have now shortened and nominalized the usage, so that an old house is now a "circa". How's that for "a ridiculous"?
From: Carolyn Jones Silver (carsilver juno.com)
In Charlottesville, Virginia, there is a used-furniture and antiques store called Circa. How apt!
From: Jock Elliott (lightkpr nycap.rr.com)
Reminds me of my favorite bad pun.
For years I've been threatening to open a French Revolutionary restaurant, called, of course, "Chez Guevara".
From: Dave Siktberg (dsiktberg post.harvard.edu)
I believe Calvin Trillin once quipped that a favorite restaurant of his was La Casa de la Maison House.
From: Causse Jean-Pierre (causse.jean-pierre wanadoo.fr)
We sometimes use "chez" in France to translate @ on email addresses.
For example, my address in France can be pronounced
From: John Turnbull (john theglobalgame.com)
An enduring memory from junior high is the song we were required to sing for classmates, with my seventh-grade English teacher at the piano. It is sung to the tune of "Yankee Doodle": "About above across after against among around / Before beside between during except for from into near of / Off on over to through toward / Under up on by / Within without at in below / Are prepositions we all know."
From: Grant Agnew (gtwa homemail.com.au)
Re: your comment about split infinitives and prepositions: right on! As one of my English teachers used to say, a preposition is a dreadful thing to end a sentence with.
There's a well-known joke about a chatty young Southern blonde on a plane who turns to the woman next to her and asks, "So where y'all fra-ahm?" The other woman answers coldly, "I am from a place in which one does not end a sentence with a preposition." To which the blonde says, "Raaaaht. So where y'all fra-a-a-a-ahm, bee-yutch?"
I think this joke is a neat equal to Winston Churchill's comment that not ending sentences with prepositions was nonsense up with which he would not put.
From: Carolyn Silver (carsilver juno.com)
Of course you know the sentence that ends with five prepositions. Little kid to dad who has promised to read him a story if he'd get into bed and wait: "What did you bring that book I didn't want to be read to out of up for?"
From: Duncan Hawthorne (duncanhawthorne yahoo.co.uk)
So the next time people fault you for ending a sentence with a preposition, ask them: "What are you talking about?"
No, much better to ask "On about what are you going?" I don't know if this would mean much outside of the UK, but here we would be more likely to ask, "What are you going on about?" Very elegantly finishing with two consecutive prepositions.
From: Roxane Stewart (priuspride verizon.net)
This week's theme brings to mind a sentence I once read in the Guinness Book of World Records. It's supposed to be the sentence that ends in the most prepositions, and is the complaint of a child whose mother has come upstairs to read him a bedtime story about Australia. He asks, "Mom, what did you bring that book which I don't want to be read to out of from about Down Under up for?"
See this page about the world record for most prepositions.
From: Katie Largent (katiekt verizon.net)
In 1955, my parents moved to India to work with the Indian government on improving factory conditions, and my brother and I went along. Soon after we arrived in Delhi, my mom bought me a paperback book called something like International Self-Taught Hindi, and I began studying Hindi. In Hindi they have "post-positions", rather than prepositions; thus they say "me with" and "Judy for" and "them to", which took just a little bit of time for a teenager from Ohio who had never even heard a foreign language to get the knack of.
Thus began my life-long love affair with languages, including English, and I have studied French, Spanish, German, Italian, Russian, and bits and pieces of other languages over the years.
From: H. Gordon Havens (gordonhavens hotmail.com)
Concerning your shrewd comments about ending sentences with a preposition: Right on!
From: Gil Rognstad (gil.rognstad tema.toyota.com)
Pace to you, Anu, but I have to politely disagree, at least in part, with your note about prepositions ending sentences. I can agree that it's okay in some situations, but I have to draw the line and correct the person is when the preposition clearly repeats the function of another word in the sentence. An example of this would be "Where is he at?", which would be perfectly fine without the 'at'. It also strikes me as wrong when the preposition is being lazily thrown onto a poorly-formed pile of words, and a more sensible set of words would be obviously more appropriate. "What's he going there for?" would be better expressed as "Why is he going there?", for example.
I'll never get some people to agree with me ... "Ah, but a man's reach must
exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?"
From: Anthony Gilbert (anthonygilbrt yahoo.com.au)
Some time ago a friend of mine was lamenting the state of the English language and how common it was to end sentences with prepositions and how deplorable the practice was. Her summary was "The rot has set in."
From: Peter Basquin (pbasquin earthlink.net)
There's a poem that begins "I lately lost a preposition" and concludes "What should I come up out from under for?"
From: Nancy Cross (ncross madonna.edu)
I have to tell you my favorite story about English prepositions.
Hamtramck is an "enclave" in Detroit. It is an independent city with its own mayor, city council, police force, and so on, right in the middle of Detroit. Many years ago it was heavily populated with immigrants from Poland, who created a good place for immigrants to move to, so today we have many, many "new faces" from Bangladesh, Yemen, Bosnia, and Serbia, among others.
Some years ago the Hamtramck newspaper published a story from one of our Bosnian immigrants about how he got here. He was living in a refugee camp in Sarajevo when an American immigration officer told him "It's all set -- your family can be settled in Hamtramck in Michigan." He must have known something about Michigan because he asked "Is Hamtramck near or far from Detroit?"
When the immigration officer responded, "Hamtramck is IN Detroit" the man thought there was something he had misunderstood in his study of English prepositions.
From: Timothy Green (green.timothy gmail.com)
I remember being in college studying chemistry and trying to work out an abbreviated English for taking notes. Many verbs could be dropped. Adjectives, of course, can be simplified or done away with. And some nouns and pronouns were found to be unnecessary. But messing with the prepositions merely rendered the output unintelligible. Those little things are absolutely essential!
If you know only one language, you're a prisoner, stuck in the tyranny of that one language. -Andrew Cohen, professor of linguistics (b. 1944)
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© 2013 Wordsmith | <urn:uuid:ae97a8c3-6c7d-41fe-ac59-c3773240d0aa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wordsmith.org/awad/awadmail332.html | 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 | 0.959788 | 1,898 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Investor Protection in Crowdfunding – Why for 5 Years There Has Been No Fraud
When discussing the current crowdfunding taking place, the question is raised: “why are people doing this?” If only 43% of projects on Kickstarter succeed, why aren’t people crying foul but instead pledging more than ever before? ($9M in December, 2011 on Kickstarter compared to $4m in January, 2011). The answer is simple. They want to help someone they know. They want to support an idea. They want to be part of a community and they want some recognition for it. People are drawn to crowdfunding because they are capitalists. They admire entrepreneurs, and they know that sooner or later they may be entrepreneurs as well.
What are they basing it on? It comes down to trust and transparency. AirBnB is one of the nation’s fastest growing crowd sourcing startups focuses on renting other people’s floors, rooms, homes, yachts – even igloos. It is growing at a staggering 45% per year because people trust the system, vet the offerings and rate them as well. On the Internet, when your “wares are out there,” it is on the line for everyone to see. By being transparent, you build trust. Users check out the reviews, read what other people are writing and make careful and informed decisions. All of this is recorded and becomes part of a larger “self-policing community” of profiles for both parties and a greater community rating system. These reputations today are carrying across the web from eBay to Tripadvisor to Rate-a‐VC.
Other companies like TrustCloud aim to become a portable reputation system where their algorithm collects your online “data exhaust” – the trail you leave as you engage with others on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, commentary-‐filled sites like TripAdvisor and beyond – and calculate your reliability, consistency and responsiveness. The result is a contextual badge you carry to any website, a trust rating similar to the credit rating you have in the offline world. These are tools that can and will be incorporated into any online crowdfunding platform to help foster transparency and accountability.
We think any of you would find it hard to disagree with this statement, “the internet today has made the world a more transparent place. Your actions are followed and the opinions flow freely.”
According to the Sustainable Economies Law Center, “The success of crowdfunding sites demonstrates the desire of the public to support projects that they believe in. Enabling the additional motivation of possible financial return would only reinforce this economically healthy impulse.”
But crowdfunding goes beyond money, experience or trust. Michael Shuman, author of The Small Mart Revolution: How Local Businesses Are Beating the Global Competition, states “Crowdfunding has the potential to deliver the jobs Americans have been longing for. We know that small businesses, especially locally owned ones, are key for expanding the nation’s employment, and these businesses comprise (by output and jobs) more than half the private economy. And yet almost none of the $30 trillion we have in our long-term investments (stocks, bonds, pension funds, mutual funds, insurance funds) touches these businesses. This is a colossal market failure, driven by obsolete securities laws. Moving even a few percentage points of our capital into local, small business could effect a stimulus home run.”
So let’s address all the naysayers. What if we carve out an exemption and it all comes tumbling down? What if we open the doors to defrauding thousands of people out of $80? Are these protectionists right? Will crowdfunding bring down the entire economy? To them we say, recall what happened in the Ireland Banking crisis of the late 70’s when the bankers went on strike and warned the public that the economy would collapse without a banking system. What happened instead was a peer-to-peer banking system where the local pubs became de facto banks, lending money to their customers. It worked so well that some people even joked that there is no better judge of character than a bartender.
Opening the doors to a limited exemption will not cause the fraud that Worldcom and Enron did to their employees and investors, or that Wall Street and Bernie Madoff perpetrated on the American people. It will create a peer-to-peer system where communities become the de facto seed and early stage funders to entrepreneurs. And if you think about it, there is no better judge of character in the United States than your neighbor, friends, and family.
But there are more reasons to trust the crowd. First, they are massively diverse. Fundamentally the collective IQ of the crowd works like this. Every time a new member joins who has one or more superior facets of IQ, the collective IQ is raised by those unique facets. Second, the values that VC’s claim to provide will be disrupted by the crowd. A VC’s Rolodex is easily replaced by social networks (i.e.: LinkedIn). And the Rolodex of a few thousand crowd investors is much stronger than that of a few VCs. Third, expertise – it is disputable that the people who manage money bring more operational experience to the table than an interconnected crowd of people, many of whom are investing in you because they understand your business. And finally, valuation sophistication – the crowd has been putting their value on things since the beginning of time. Price anything too high and no one will buy it.
These naysayers act as if crowdfund investing were made legal, then every American will dump their savings into this. So either that makes us think they REALLY think we have the solution to kick starting our economy and are afraid of money not being invested traditionally OR they think that everyone for some reason will see crowdfund investing as lower risk than any other choice they make in their daily lives when in fact we all know this isn’t true.
Crowdfund investing is more than just money – it is facilitation, diligence, team building, and valuation. Most importantly, it is jobs.
That being said, we shouldn’t assume that “everyone” will bring expertise. Some will be a marketing engine for the entrepreneur and others will just bring a few dollars. Collectively, they will gather behind entrepreneurs they believe in, they will fund only those they are willing to risk their investment in and they will invest only if they think what they are being offered is fair. Trying to circumvent the crowd to bilk them out of a lot of little dollars isn’t going to be worth the time or energy of a shyster.
There seems to be a general understanding in Washington that government spending stimulates the economy, but that when it comes to letting the average American decide how he or she wants to spend and/or invest his or her own money, then we need government oversight.
We stand at a moment in time when we can use crowdfund investing to start an education process. Where the average American who wants to be part of the process (mind you there’s no forcing here) can be taught to think like an investor and ask questions of entrepreneurs like, “How does your idea generate cash? Do you offer a product or service I would buy? What skills/experience do you have to be accountable with my money and why should I trust you?”
In doing so, Entrepreneurs will learn how to communicate, be accountable and transparent, and investors will provide critical seed and early stage capital. Jobs will be created, innovation will be spurred and our economy will continue to grow.
We do not believe it is the role of government to limit how we can spend our money. Nonetheless, we appreciate their desire to protect our savings and so let’s have the discussion, “if you believe that $10,000 is too much for an American to risk, what is the smallest amount you believe I should be able to invest in my entrepreneurial friend without SEC scrutiny? If you are fine with $1, at what point are you uncomfortable?” That is the point whereby we should set the limit. I wouldn’t be surprised though, if we put it to a vote, the crowd would tell you “I’m an adult, I can make my own financial decisions.”
If the dollar amount isn’t what concerns you but the potential for fraud, even at $1, then we need to have a frank discussion about that.
As Kevin Lawton, author of The Crowdfunding Revolution says, “Fraud isn’t really the issue, ‘Failure’ occurs much more frequently in startups.” According to a Kauffman Foundation survey, approximately half the time you will lose all or some of your investment. Just as you diversify in the publics markets to reduce exposure, having a portfolio of varied investments solves failure in the crowd funding space. As we have seen from over $500 million donated to projects and ideas through crowdfunding already, while people are concerned about losing their money, they are more interested in helping someone bridge the gap, bring an idea to fruition, succeed, and in the end being able to tell their friends and family they had a part in the creative and entrepreneurial essence of what it is to be American. It’s like paying for a brick in a new park or baseball stadium to be engraved with your name.
“Fraud is just some noisy component of failure,” As Lawton says, “and at that, it’s going to be pretty hard to get away with much of it when there are millions of eyeballs worth of visibility and mechanisms which social networking enables to further vet entrepreneurs.”
And thus, the biggest problem we need to solve is education. Running a portfolio and understanding the risk-vs.-reward dynamics of investing in early phase companies is essentially an education problem. One way to solve the problem of unaccredited investors making investments, if you think of it as a “problem,” could be to make people ‘educationally accredited’. This can be done with a simple document, which explains the basics of the risk-vs.-reward curve of risk startups and the basic principles of a portfolio. It can be done in a few pages and can be sent out in paper form, transmitted via email as a pdf, or done online in a more scalable way via a platform. Before being allowed to invest, people would have to answer a series of questions that test their comprehension of the document.
Instead of pushing people down with a relentless assault on their intelligence, perhaps we should contemplate that people are adults and will make their own decisions. Our job should be to educate: education helps to create prosperity.
Education will teach the participants about analyzing and understanding risk. Nearly every company has a level of opacity. Even a brick-and-mortar restaurant business probably doesn’t give you their recipes. Tech startups don’t give you their ‘IP’, often not even to VCs. That’s how it is. Lack of complete transparency creates a level of risk, which is why we have varied portfolios. And within an open market, if an investor has access to two similar deals, one of which is more transparent, which do you think he’ll invest in? Concerns should be focused on the basics of investing, such as disclosures of the principal people in the company, details of the business model, use of funds and the securities offered. | <urn:uuid:7502c338-33b5-435f-abd0-961c02e90a59> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.startupexemption.com/archives/214 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963167 | 2,382 | 1.84375 | 2 |
Dr. John Rudley, President of Texas Southern University, is in Beijing China signing an agreement with the Chinese government to establish an international Confucius Institute at Texas Southern University. By establishing the only Confucius Institute in the greater Houston area, TSU will have the opportunity to develop academic and cultural programs related to Chinese language and cultures.
The Confucius Institute is a partnership between Texas Southern University and Beijing Jiaotong University, the premiere technology university in China. TSU’s Confucius Institute is one only of 226 centers worldwide and one of 42 in the United States authorized through Hanban, the Chinese Language and Cultural Institute.
“Texas Southern students will be able to access and engage in many unique opportunities and activities provided by the Confucius Institute, and students will be able to access the international experience opportunities of its partner institution in China,” President Rudley explained.
Already one of the most diverse universities in the nation, TSU is proactively expanding efforts in Asian studies in a number of areas. “We are seeing an increased Asian enrollment at the university, and more importantly, there is an increased interest in all of our students for more academic opportunities in international programs,” the president expressed.
According to Dr. Rudley, TSU has created new partnerships with Chinese universities, including Bejing Jiaotong University, and has been working to expand relationships across China. Rudley further stressed, “This partnership is just one component of this multi-faceted endeavor, allowing us to build our Chinese Language Program and an Asian Cultural Study Center.”
The partnership between the Confucius Institute and Texas Southern has the full support of TSU’s Board of Regents; Dr. Danille Taylor, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences; who along with Wendy Adair, Vice President for University Advancement, traveled to China last summer to discuss the particulars of the Institute and partnership and the benefits of locating the Institute at TSU; as well as the support of Dr. Sunny E. Ohia, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research.
TSU offers many options for the study of Chinese culture in its College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences (COLABS), which houses the study of Chinese language and culture. The primary tasks for COLABS, in which the new Chinese program and Asian Studies are housed, is to equip TSU with multicultural and transnational experiences for students locally and abroad, thereby strengthening its language and culture programs.
TSU’s COLABS has been developing the following courses or course studies related to Chinese study: Asian/Chinese History, Chinese Literature in Translation, Study of Houstonian International Communities, The Chinese Community in Texas, and Chinese Language.
Dr. Taylor explains, “At the base of Chinese language study, are plans to establish courses on Chinese Civilization, to organize summer camps for local schools with Chinese themes, and allow students the opportunity to participate in local multi-cultural activities before visiting China.”
Taylor adds that,”the plan also calls for the promotion of short-term overseas study and student scholarship programs to provide better opportunities for our students to learn Chinese language and culture. Simultaneously, we will work in cooperation with the other colleges at TSU, such as the College of Science and Technology and the Jesse H. Jones School of Business. Both TSU schools have ongoing communication with programs and universities in China, Taylor stated”.
With the cooperation of departments and colleges of both TSU and BJTU, the Confucius Institute will greatly enhance Asian studies and enrich the humanities curriculum at TSU, thereby fostering a broader global perspective. Ultimately, the Confucius Institute will strengthen academic cooperation on a global level.
Through the Confucius Institute, COLABS will also conduct outreach activities into the global spectrum of the Houston communities in an effort to bolster and enhance the liberal arts in the entire university. By becoming a resource-rich cultural center for the Houston community, COLABS will further facilitate cooperation between Texas Southern University and Houston’s Asian community. Ultimately, the Confucius Institute will provide a broad array of educational opportunities for elementary through college-age students as well as language and cultural continuing education courses, business preparation studies and general cultural awareness programs.
The Confucius Institute will be located in the Martin Luther King Jr., Center of Humanities, on its 3rd floor. The building is fully equipped with computer labs, language labs, multi-functional auditoriums, and classrooms that support teaching with new technologies in fields of liberal arts and communication.
For more information, contact Wendy Adair at (713) 313-7455 or via email at [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:5ed0a4bc-0e9d-4223-adb7-8ddf1e38efb4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.txhejournal.com/tsu-and-chinese-government-establishes-an-international-confucius-institute/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935179 | 979 | 1.757813 | 2 |
|More on Katrina's fallout
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -
As evacuation efforts continue in New Orleans and surrounding areas, Wall Street is looking at how Hurricane Katrina will affect business, the markets and the economy.
Here's the latest news on how they are responding, and what market watchers should look for in the coming weeks.
New estimates are that Katrina could cost $100 billion, making it the costliest hurricane to ever hit the United States. (Full story)
There's a growing sense that the economy could take a much bigger hit than originally expected, meaning the Fed may have to pause from its interest rate hikes. (Full story on the Fed). Plus: (Full story on the economy).
The devastation of Hurricane Katrina will also take a big bite out of job creation for months to come, analysts said, as companies spending more on energy spend less on hiring. (Full story)
Gasoline prices spiked as high as $5 a gallon in some areas Thursday as consumers fearing a gas shortage raced to the pumps. (Full story)
President Bush warned Thursday against price-gouging of gasoline in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and said looters should be treated with zero tolerance. (Full story). In the meantime, the President met with Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan to discuss the economic fallout from the hurricane damage.
According to a new poll, consumers ranked taming gas prices as nearly as important a political priority as the Iraq war. (Full story)
The White House says half of the refineries hit by Katrina could be operational in two weeks. (Full story)
Prices eased slightly off their highs on Friday as the U.S. tapped emergency oil reserves. (Full story)
European nations have made a commitment to contribute oil to the United States, with a goal of two millions barrels per day. (Full story)
The jump in oil prices was a boon for hedge-funds betting that the price of oil would rise. (Full story)
Analysts expect Katrina to take a big bite out of corporate earnings, except in the energy and construction sectors, as high energy prices hit consumer spending and corporate budgets. (Full story)
Despite the extraordinary devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina, corporations will not be able to exclude costs related to the hurricane when reporting their financial results, a news report said. (Full story)
Corporations are contributing millions of dollars in relief aid to cope with the destruction left by Hurricane Katrina. See the list.
Hurricane Katrina is expected to be one of the costliest U.S. storms for insurers, but risk forecasters are deeply split about the extent of the damage. Insured losses may total as much as $25 billion, but insurers' stocks have held up well, with the S&P insurance index falling less than 1 percent this week. (Full story)
Reinsurers may pay a bigger share of claims than in the 2004 hurricanes, analysts said. This is because Katrina is a single event, so insurers will pay only one deductible before reinsurance starts. That could prove costly for hedge funds with large investments in reinsurance. (Full story)
Northwest Airlines, hurt by soaring fuel costs, predicted a quarterly loss of up to $400 million and said it may be forced to file for bankruptcy. (Full story)
Air travelers across the nation can expect to feel the effects of Hurricane Katrina, according to a report published Tuesday. (Full story)
S&P said reduced air travel to the region could push Delta Air Lines into bankruptcy and that lower demand and higher fuel prices will weigh on airlines generally. (Full Story) | <urn:uuid:808efa7e-c282-4360-995d-c4bacd10ac46> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://money.cnn.com/2005/08/31/news/katrina_aftereffects/index.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957292 | 743 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Australian citizenship test "gains ground"
24 October 2006
For concise and recent immigration information watch our news.• Watch This Video
Speaking after a citizenship ceremony in Melbourne recently, Parliamentary Secretary to the Immigration Minister Andrew Robb said that he was encouraged by the responses he's received.
A discussion paper on the concept has so far received more than 600 submissions since September 17, he said.
"There is a lot of support for it as I move around the community for consultations," he said.
"Some people do not agree but a lot of people do. I think we saw recently a poll where 77 per cent of the population thought the proposal was common sense.
"We are getting lots of responses. We want people to participate and give lots of ideas. The responses I am getting anecdotally as I move around the country have been very encouraging, but I don't want to pre-empt."
Forty-three people who came to Australia as refugees became citizens in yesterday's ceremony, which coincided with the beginning of national Refugee Week.
Among the citizens was Clement Laila, 33, from Sudan who said that he backed the notion of a citizenship test.
"Australia may bring someone who stays here for 10 years and they still can't speak English," Mr Laila said.
"It is ridiculous. I support an English test. Not a history test though, maybe general knowledge ... many people don't even know the Prime Minister of this country."Examples of other westernized countries with citizenship tests are Canada, Britain, the United States and the Netherlands.
Public submissions on the discussion paper will end on November 17.
Related:• Australian citizen test characterized as a threat to society
• Skilled Australian immigrants represent significant "brain gain"
• Australian immigration required for economy and population shortfall
• Ageing Australian population fears immigration less
• Australian law exempts overseas income from taxes for visa holders
• Australia photo ID card for benefits due by 2010
• New Zealand fourth most popular refuge for restless Brits | <urn:uuid:7b34aa65-fe95-41a5-ac03-1d23b58ccce4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.workpermit.com/news/2006_10_24/australia/australian_citizenship_test_more.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975995 | 412 | 1.71875 | 2 |
The Man Who Created His Own Language
There’s a recent article in the New Yorker that describes how one man created a language called Ithkuil.
“I worked on this in fits and starts,” he said, looking at the mass of documents. “It was very much dependent on whether I was dating anyone at the time. This isn’t exactly something you discuss on a first or second date.”
His language caught the interest of a Ukrainian university, which invited him to talk about it…
“I was surrounded by all these people hanging on my every word. It was intoxicating—especially for a loner like me,” Quijada said.
We were picked up at the airport by Alla Vishneva, an attractive brunette with streaks of bleached blond in her hair, with whom Quijada had been exchanging e-mails and phone calls intermittently for the past several months. Vishneva, a former professor of Ukrainian at Rivne State Humanitarian University and a student of psychonetics, was the founder of an Ithkuil study group in Kiev.
Quijada, who had been wearing a pair of Coke-bottle glasses and toting a cane to compensate for a leg injury, sized up her metallic silver boots and figure-hugging bluejeans and seemed taken aback. “What is a beautiful woman like you doing teaching Ithkuil?” he asked.
Vishneva chuckled and returned the compliment in stilted English: “Ithkuil is beautiful. It’s a very pure and logically constructed language.”
Quijada turned to me in the back seat of the car, visibly giddy. “It’s one thing for another conlanger to call your work beautiful, but for someone halfway around the world with a million better things to do to say that—you’ve got to pinch yourself. It makes it seem like thirty years of slaving away might have been worth it.”
A man who spent decades creating a language finally thinks it’s worth only when it gets the attention of a beautiful woman. He was actually so enamored by Alla that he dedicated a future book to her.
In America he couldn’t even mention his invented language on a date for fear of being seen as a kook, but in Ukraine it helps garner the attention of a girl he’s smitten by. Only if he knew how to stuff his mouth full of hot dogs would he have gotten sexual recognition for his work back home. There’s a sociological lesson in this, somewhere.
Unfortunately, things take a weird turn for our hero when it turns out that the Ukrainian interest in his language comes from right wing nationalists who want to use his language to create a superhuman race. But hey, at least Alla warmed his heart.
From the article it’s clear that language creation is not as rare as you might think. The most famous invented language is Esperanto, created in 1887. It was seen as so subversive that people were executed in the Soviet Union for speaking it. While reading the language’s history, I came across this interesting fact:
Some more focused reform projects, affecting only a particular feature of the language, have gained a few adherents. One of these is “riism”, which modifies the language to incorporate non-sexist language and gender-neutral pronouns.
I see you, feminists! Esperanto, which sounds a bit like Italian, is interesting in that it has native speakers, including famous investor George Soros. Creating a language that people speak from birth… I’m sure the Esperanto creator would have had his own Ukrainian groupies as well.Tweet Follow @returnofkings | <urn:uuid:3f7708f9-3aed-4059-8bf4-cd02a3005da7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.returnofkings.com/1839/the-man-who-created-his-own-language | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978164 | 796 | 1.804688 | 2 |
The International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center was founded in 1963 by Swami Vishnu-Devananda to spread the teachings of classical Yoga and Vedanta to the maximum number of people. Here Yoga is not a matter of theory but rather a living experience of immersion in a Yogic environment, which is very beneficial for one’s spiritual progress. The integral Yoga teaching is offered through the practice of Swami Vishnu-Devananda’s 5 principles for Health and Peace of Mind, as well as through the 4 classical paths of Yoga
He summarized his mission in these words: “Health is Wealth, Peace of Mind is Happiness, Yoga Shows the Way."
You are encouraged to take part in the theoretical courses offered (Positive Thinking, Karma Yoga, Meditation, Bhakti Yoga, Vedanta, Hatha Yoga, scripture etc.) to enhance your practice and knowledge. All courses and classes are included in the residential donation (with the exception of those taught by guest teachers).
Karma Yoga is selfless service, as well as a duty and a spiritual practice. It is an integral part of the spiritual discipline. It helps to open the heart and teaches how to live in a cooperative living environment. The student-resident is expected to perform his/her Karma Yoga chores (approximately 1 hour/day) in the right spirit, trying to give and to contribute as much as possible.
|6:00 - 7:15 a.m.||Satsang (meditation, chanting, reading)|
|Breakfast (self service)|
|12:00 p.m.||Lunch (communal) and dishes|
|6 p.m.||Satsang (Sunday only)|
|7 p.m.||Dinner (Mon - Fri)|
|9:30 p.m.||Arati - light waving ceremony (optional)|
|10:30 p.m.||Lights out|
Students must attend all satsangs, both morning (Mon-Sat) and Sunday evening. Permission to miss Satsang is granted only in the case of a specific emergency, weather or health considerations, as approved by the director. Meditation is the heart of spiritual life, and the spiritual core of the Center.
Students must attend at least 4 asana classes per week. These strengthen both body and mind, and lead to stillness for meditation.
Absolutely forbidden substances: all smoking materials, alcoholic beverages, drugs, and non-vegetarian food (including, without limitation: meat, fowl, fish, eggs, onions, garlic and mushrooms). These are not allowed on Sivananda Center property and are not to be consumed by students during the period of residency. One of the primary tenets of Yoga is ahimsa (non-violence) and student-residents represent the Center. Therefore they are expected to honor and maintain a vegetarian status both inside the Center as well as outside of it.
If a student or his/her guest breaks any rule, or in any other way breaches the spiritual foundations of this community, he/she must immediately leave the Sivananda Center without notice or refund if so ordered by the director. The student-resident is considered to be a member of the Yoga Center and thus a representative of the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers in general. As such, if the director determines that the behavior of a student-resident is harming the Center’s ability to function in the best interests of its mission, he/she will be asked to leave without delay.
No weapons of any kind are allowed on the premises.
No rock music or any loud music is permitted in the Center. Chanting of classical bhajans (spiritual songs) is encouraged.
Dress in public areas must be simple and modest.
Guests of student-residents are not allowed to stay overnight without having some interest and participation in the Center's spiritual disciplines.
Thus, gossiping or backbiting about other residents, staff or students is totally unacceptable and degrading to everyone concerned. Likewise, conversations held at meals and in front of guests should be of a positive or spiritual nature, remembering that student-residents are seen as representing the Center.
If a resident-student becomes disconcerted with living within the spiritual disciplines of the Center, he/she shall refrain from making negative comments to other students, staff or guests, and shall consider finding a more suitable environment to his/her taste.
None of the Center facilities, whether food, paper, telephone, office equipment, etc., is to be used without the specific permission of the director. The laundry machines (dryer and washer) are primarily for the Center’s use but are available for student-residents during off hours.
No key to the building is entrusted to the student except in special circumstances.
The lights-out time and door-locking is 10:30 pm. The student must be in at this time unless pre-arranged with the director.
The student-resident is responsible for his/her personal belongings and cannot hold the Center liable for damage or loss to them. The student-resident must be responsible for his/her own health insurance and pledges to report any restrictive or contagious disease to the Ashram’s director, who can decide if the student is eligible to stay.
Cleanliness: The student-resident is expected to treat the Center as his/her own home. He/she has the responsibility to clean and maintain a clean, sattvic atmosphere and to participate in the maintenance of the atmosphere in his/her personal space and in the common spaces such as kitchen, bathrooms, hallways, asana rooms, and meditation room.
If any disagreement arises about the interpretation or enforcement of these rules, the director’s understanding shall be ruled as authoritative.
Upon acceptance, the student-resident becomes a licensee at the Center. This license to use the Center facility may be terminated at any time, without notice, at the discretion of the director. Student-residents are advised that acceptance does not give the student-resident exclusive use of any portion of the Center. The student-resident is not a tenant, and a legal landlord-tenant relationship is not intended by this agreement. The Center is a center for spiritual practice, as well as a center of higher education, and is exempt from the San Francisco tuition Stabilization and Arbitration Ordinance. See 37 S.F. Admin. Code, Section 37.2(p)(3).
Again, the Center is a center for spiritual practice, as well as a center of higher education. The enquiring applicant needs to understand that the Center is not a boarding house. The applicant should have the attitude of a yoga student, meaning a sincere desire for self-improvement and self-knowledge and willingness to follow the discipline of Yoga and meditation. A general prior understanding of Yoga is helpful. Please refer to the “Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga” or “Meditation and Mantras” by Swami Vishnu-devananda, or “The Sivananda Companion to Yoga” or any books written by Swami Sivananda.
Please complete the attached application, making sure to include all requested information. Make sure to specify the duration of time you wish to stay and the exact dates of your proposed arrival. Call and schedule an interview with the director. Please have at least attended a Yoga class and Satsang (see schedule).
Upon acceptance by the director, the student-resident is required to give a DEPOSIT EQUAL TO 1/2 MONTH'S tuition, guaranteeing his/her good intention to honor the rules of the Ashram. DEPOSITS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE. This donation can be given back upon request at the end of the student-resident’s term of stay, provided that he/she is in good standing and that he/she has given at least ONE MONTH'S written notice of departure. Monthly tuition is $910-$1200 for a single room or $725 for a shared room.
The student-resident agrees to honor the requirements for his/her immersion course. Residents are required to have a day job, be students at an educational institution, or be involved in charitable work.
After an initial one month stay, with acceptance of director and community, one can continue living here on a month-to-month basis. We ask that in the first month two weeks' notice is given.
All tuitions are prepaid on the first day of the term and are NON-REFUNDABLE. There will be no refund if the student-resident decides to quit before the intended period of stay.
The undersigned has read all the rules and agreements herein and further agrees to be a student-resident in a Yoga immersion program of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center and Ashram.
Immersion course from ……………………. To ………………………….
Signature of Student: ………………………………………………………………
Signature of Director: ……………………………………………………………..
Witnessed by: …………………………………………………………………….. | <urn:uuid:3ec7e64d-d631-4dd6-9bc1-3bb5fcdd4126> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sfyoga.com/pages/residency_agreement.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935442 | 1,878 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Mobile device in 2012
Technical shift from HSPA to LTE
HSPA networks are increasing all over the world.
HSPA-compatible devices have increased to 805 items
Ericsson’s HSPA module for embedded use
Ericsson AB of Sweden revealed its efforts in the mobile broadband market at a press conference Nov 6, 2008.
In the area of mobile communications, innovative technologies such as “HSPA evolution,” which is the successor to HSPA, and “LTE (long term evolution),” which features high-speed communications of more than 100Mbps, are drawing interest. For both [...] | <urn:uuid:c4bab03e-f20e-4655-92b1-fb7724700fbd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.moiz.co.uk/tag/jonas-lundstedt | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940139 | 129 | 1.5 | 2 |
There are three things that are bothering me this month as I contemplate this editorial and the beginning of a new year. The first is, I am getting older. OK, I can’t do anything about that.
The next is that I am spending more time in specialty offices than I care to—another thing I can’t seem to do much about.
The third thing that’s bothering me is being both a clinician and a patient. For many clinicians, their role as healer precludes thoughts of ever getting sick themselves. When they do, it initiates a profound shift, not only in their sense of self, which is invariably bound up with the invincible role of clinician, but also in the way that they view their patients and the clinician-patient relationship.
We have all heard that “doctors make difficult patients.” I suspect that is true for most clinicians, and I am no different. Perhaps it is because the role reversal is so profound, or perhaps it is a perceived loss of control or … dare I say it? … trust.1
While a number of books have been written from a first-person perspective by clinicians who get sick (eg, Oliver Sacks), and even though TV shows like House and a number of great movies (like The Doctor with William Hurt) touch on the topic, it never really means anything until it happens to you. So I am taking this bully pulpit and selfishly giving advice to those clinicians who take care of me—or any of us. Here goes.
1. Please do not come in, sit down, and start filling out the electronic health record (EHR) without introducing yourself. In fact, do not spend more time filling out the EHR than you do talking to (or looking at) me. Actually, forget the EHR! Do the history and physical, then leave the room and fill out the EHR. (OK, I realize I may have just stepped over the line.)
2. When you see me as a patient, please ask me what I do for a living. It is important to me to know that you care about what I do and it should be important to you, if only as part of an occupational history, to know what I do. Bernardino Ramazzini, who is considered the father of occupational medicine, aptly emphasized the importance of knowing your patient’s work environment.2
3. Do not assume anything. Please don’t assume I know what’s wrong with me. If you’re explaining something to me about an illness, a disease process, or a test, don’t assume I understand it all just because you know what I do professionally. Do not assume that I understand all the reasoning of your subspecialty. I might, but please make sure I have as much information from you as you would give patients without my medical background. Like all patients, I would like you to treat me as you would if I were your family member.
4. Having said that, I would ask you to gear your communication to a higher level of knowledge. Respect my fund of knowledge, but give me as much information as you would any other patient. I am there because I want to be a patient. I am there to get your advice. If you know I’m a clinician, either because you asked or I told you (to avoid being talked to like a fifth-grader), continuing to assume that I don’t know anything can be a patronizing approach. On the other hand, don’t assume that I know everything, as my condition may be outside the areas that I know much about. This could leave me clueless, unless I ask for clarification. Either way, if you ask me how much I know about a particular disorder and its treatment, and then tailor the talk to my knowledge level, the conversation will proceed much better.
5. Make it easy for me to have full access to my medical records.
6. After taking a history, ask me if there is any other relevant information that has not been covered. Always ask me what I think and what my preferences would be. Engage me in shared decision making.
7. Please don’t assume I know what you’re thinking. Do not avoid the “hard” behavioral questions.
8. If I have a serious diagnosis, it does not matter if I am a clinician; it is still a devastating diagnosis. Don’t treat me like a clinician at that point; treat me like a human being who just got bad news. Most likely I can start to formulate nasty scenarios faster than a nonclinician patient, so be prepared to be honest and realistic, but supportive and caring. Yes, caring!
Lastly, I am of the opinion that clinicians need to take great care to be objective and even a little detached in spite of their nature. There is always the tendency to give patients what they want instead of what they need. Please don’t confuse compassion with medical servitude or with a desire to be liked.
These cautions aside, the clinician who is compassionate will be much more therapeutically effective, to my mind, and more thoughtful in patient care than those who are not, and will be highly regarded among patients and colleagues alike. I highly recommend it!
I’d love to hear about your experiences as a patient and/or your advice to clinicians who are seeing you (send an email to [email protected]). Thanks for listening!
1. The art of patient care: compassion in patient care (2011). www.art-of-patient-care.com/compassion.html?&lang=en_us&output=json. Accessed December 17, 2012.
2. Bernardino Ramazzini (2004). Encyclopedia of World Biography. www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3404707887.html. Accessed December 17, 2012. | <urn:uuid:217b8d31-2835-4de1-a2ba-9ecbcd9ba875> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.clinicianreviews.com/Article.aspx?ArticleId=x63J1QAC0f8=&FullText=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960312 | 1,242 | 1.53125 | 2 |
It all started in the spring of 2008 with a knock on the door of an old farmhouse in northwest Kansas.
Rob Robinson, a firefighter from Starkville, Miss., had traveled almost 1,000 miles to hunt turkeys in Kansas. Not just any turkeys — the Rio Grande turkeys that roamed western Kansas.
Robinson was on a mission to complete turkey hunting’s Grand Slam, shooting each of the country’s four sub-species of wild gobblers. And the birds in western Kansas were on his checklist.
So he held his breath when Gillan Alexander, who farms 1,400 acres near Nicodemus, a town settled by African-Americans following the Civil War, came to the door. A portion of Alexander’s farmland has been in his family for four generations.
Alexander, 55, listened as Robinson politely asked for permission to hunt.
“As long as you respect my land,” Alexander said, “you can go out there.”
Robinson was directed to a patch of land owned by one of Alexander’s friends, and the results were memorable.
“Within 15 minutes, I had my bird,” Robinson said. “It was unbelievable.”
And so began a special friendship.
Fast forward to late November. Robinson and Alexander were sitting in a hospital room at the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Robinson dressed in his camouflage pajamas. They are recovering from an operation Monday in which Robinson gave Alexander the ultimate gift — one of his kidneys.
“Rob is my hero,” Alexander said, getting choked up. “He’s my living angel.
“I never asked him to do this. He heard about the troubles I was having and he just did it on his own, getting tested to make sure his kidney was compatible and everything.
“I’m calling my new kidney Mississippi in honor of him.”
Robinson laughed and then got serious.
“I didn’t even hesitate in getting tested when I heard what bad shape he was in,” said Robinson, 43. “We had become real good friends. We would text each other every day.
“When the doctors told him that he needed a kidney transplant, all I could think about was helping him.”
Alexander had been diagnosed with a kidney disease almost 20 years ago. His condition had deteriorated to the point that he needed dialysis six days a week.
“He had reached the point where a transplant was about the only option,” said Timothy Schmitt, the surgeon who operated on Alexander. “And the sooner, the better.
“In this area, you can wait 2 1/2 years to get a kidney once you go on the list. But things worked out for the best in this case.
“He (Alexander) got a living kidney, which always works better and lasts longer. Things look good at this point.”
Robinson downplayed his gift, saying he didn’t think twice.
“Gillan has been so good to me,” he said. “One year I was staying in a tent and it was cold. He invited me to stay in his house.
“I’ve taken him out hunting and we’ve always had a great time. He’s one of the most down-to-earth guys I know.”
Before he met Alexander, Robinson had developed an affection for Kansas. He had hunted pheasants there several times over the years, then turned to deer hunting.
When he was bird hunting, he noticed the abundance of wild turkeys roaming the fields and wooded areas, and he decided to try his luck at that sport. In 2007, he shot a huge Eastern species turkey that turned out to be a Kansas record.
That started a passion that led Robinson to several states in pursuit of sub-species of wild turkeys. He shot birds at various locations and had his sights set on a Rio Grande bird.
When he saw Alexander’s land, he knew it was prime turkey-hunting property.
“Out there, there aren’t a lot of trees,” he said. “When you see a patch of woods, you know there’s a good chance it’s going to hold birds.”
But showing gratitude for gaining permission to hunt had little to do with his decision to give Alexander one of his kidneys, Robinson said.
“I did this out of friendship,” he said.
Sean Kumer, who operated on Robinson, was impressed with the story of how the two men ended up at the University of Kansas Hospital.
“It’s always heartwarming when you hear stories about how unusual circumstances bring two people together like this,” he said. “To think, a friendship that developed through hunting turned out to have a big effect on someone’s life. That’s impressive.”
Alexander summed it up by uttering a few short words from a Bible verse.
“Hebrews 13:2,” he said. “ Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so, some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” | <urn:uuid:2447e9a2-6a17-4279-bd1d-a23b88813c5d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kansas.com/2012/12/09/2597547/feathered-friendship.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983711 | 1,122 | 1.695313 | 2 |
'Please help the Athens Olympics'
Wednesday, 14 April, 2004, 11:56 GMT 12:56 UK
A request for help in allocating funds to blood test the athletes at the summer Olympics
A message purporting to be from representatives of the Olympic Organizing Committee asking for help in disbursing funds for medical facilities at the Athens Games. Too much money has been allocated, it says, and as a trustworthy person, you've been selected to nominate an account to transfer the remaining $19m into. Please do not go public with this, it says, so as not to jeopardise the hospitals' chance of receiving the funding. For your trouble, you will receive 20%.
"My initial reaction was to laugh, to be honest," says BBC News Online user Ian Pearse. "We get so many of these at work, all written in over-friendly English with bad spelling, supposedly having been given our names as honest people."
If this ploy seems familiar, it is - it's a variation of the advanced fee fraud most commonly associated with requests for help in transferring government funds out of Nigeria (or the Philippines, or Eastern Europe...).
Those who respond will be asked for their - or their company's - bank account details, identification such as a photocopy of a passport or driver's licence, and an administration fee which may run to thousands of pounds.
Previous scammers have asked for funds to cover the cost of wiring money out of the country, or to pay for a security firm to transfer such a hefty wedge to the bank.
It should come as no surprise to learn that if a proposition seems to good to be true - that your name has been chosen out of all the people online in the world, that millions can be yours for such a seemingly simple task - then it is.
These scams hope to appeal to people's greed or their wish to help others. Following efforts to crack down on the now notorious Nigeria 419 scam, the fraudsters have changed their tactics.
Millions of unsolicited e-mails are sent out each year, purportedly from officials - in this case a doctor charged with testing athletes' blood - a banker, a distraught relative, who wants your help in the deal of a lifetime.
To gain trust, many impersonate real people or claim to represent genuine organisations such as the Olympic Organizing Committee. Some set up elaborate websites to help convince the victim that the deal is genuine.
Those who have been drawn in by such a scam should report it to the National Criminal Intelligence Service or contact their local police force. | <urn:uuid:2cc57635-e31f-4d49-96ce-c091003070d0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fraudwatchers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=37 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957793 | 525 | 1.65625 | 2 |
In a move that may well portend this summer (or winter) reveal of the iPhone 5, Apple has had a patent revealed which shows an iPhone connecting to a Desktop computer for the sharing of Siri. Since Siri became wildly popular and was picked up by Apple for the iPhone 4S, forums across the web have been filled with the same question: when will this functionality come to the Mac desktop? If what we’re seeing today turns out to come to fruition, Siri may never come directly to the Mac, but will be able to control your Mac via your iPhone.
This “Voice Control System” patent discovered by Apple Insider this week has not only the iPhone 4S connecting wirelessly to your notebook/laptop, it has a connection then to 3rd party devices as well. You, the iPhone user, may well be using Siri to tell your digital camera attached to a tripod when to snap – remotely! Sounds wild and next-level entertaining: hopefully we’ll see this all happen this summer.
Apple may bell use this system with the iPhone 5, but judging by the patent image discovered above, they could bring it to the iPhone 4S before the next level iPhone is released later this year. This type of generational jump in functionality is generally reserved for new device releases, so perhaps it’s going to come with the next version of the Mac computer instead. Perhaps look to the MacBook Air-thin MacBook Pros of this mid-2012 instead.
[via Apple Insider] | <urn:uuid:ca828d6a-e656-4308-9c91-0f61b4103e5d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.slashgear.com/siri-pairs-with-macbook-pro-this-summer-30220774/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954844 | 306 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Of Light and Lines
Richard Meier’s Take On The Traditional Beach House
Many Southern California beach houses, despite the glamorous connotations, are limited in size by their sliver lots, and their roots trace back to intimate wood-frame cottages charming for their modesty. Native Angelenos, if they are seasoned enough, recall from their barefoot childhoods small bungalows and even shacks where residents lived principally on the sandy front porch, facing the crashing Pacific and those blood-orange sunsets on their way to Japan.
Some of these fragile houses still exist, hanging on for dear life because of unsettling land values, and many have been upgraded and enlarged. The tradition of these informal houses—a few built without foundations, just surfing the sand—seems diametrically opposed to the magnificent white structures by Richard Meier, as spanking crisp as starched dress shirts. The architect, who has offices in Los Angeles as well as in New York, belongs to the tradition of modernist architecture that derives from the sculptural buildings of Le Corbusier, who said that architecture is the magnificent play of volume in light.
Two expectations, intimate and grand, informal and formal, intersected in the design of a beach house for an art collector, one with an architectural avocation: He has long been active on the boards that have selected museum architects, including The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and, most recently, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
In a time-honored Southern California custom as old as the automobile, the client and his wife wanted an intown weekend house, just a short drive away from their main house but at the beach. They asked Meier, fresh from building the Getty Center, who had no hesitation about building a house. “I’ve always done houses and always plan to do them,” he says. The owner adds, “I’ve loved Richard’s architecture, especially the small-scale work and especially the buildings on the ocean.” Meier would have distinguished company: Over the last decade Southern California beaches have seen a new tide of architect-designed houses come in, turning beachfronts into showcases of modernism (Meier himself completed a Malibu beach house several years ago; see Architectural Digest, February 1995).
Meier’s client bought one property and the adjacent tear-down house but declined a third when it, too, coincidentally came on the market: Three merged lots would have encouraged overbuilding, but one extra lot eased the 4,280-square-foot house, allowing for a real yard rather than a pair of sideyards each the width of a bowling alley. “I didn’t want to brag about the size of our house,” says the client. “Four bedrooms is more than enough. We’ve used every square inch of the site intelligently.”
To maximize outdoor space and sun exposure, Meier placed the house along the eastern edge of the yard and counterbalanced the volume with a small guest apartment over a garage on the west side. That left room for a lawn, which he closed off with a high white wall that turns the yard into an outdoor room. “The garden allows us to hold outdoor events for 100 or 200 people,” the client says. “It’s a perfect place to entertain.” Meier, like his spiritual mentor Le Corbusier, believes in the promenade architecturale, the formal procession through the house that in Meier’s buildings is almost ceremonial. He often leads his visitors into the house through a densely packed set of bed bedrooms and service rooms with low ceilings and releases them into a tall space that opens onto a view, but the tight dimensions of the lot blocked the prospect of a long promenade. Working with partner Michael Palladino, Meier determined that the best place for the bedrooms was along the east edge, not across the beachfront. As a result, he changed the spatial details of his approach while keeping the principles.
Like a storyteller capturing his audience from the initial words, Meier takes hold of visitors from the first step across the property line. At the street he indents a gridded glass wall to create an alcove that envelops the guest in white. The entrance really inaugurates the promenade, which starts with a tease: The door opens to another door at the end of a short walkway. The visitor starts again, with another front door that opens to a straight shot to the ocean. As in many traditional center hall houses, a corridor bisects the house and allows views to the garden out back, only in this case, the garden is blue and expansive, and it moves and shines.
Meier multiplies the shadow lines on the façade with a trellised sunscreen; the curvilinear form of the balcony plays against the strict orthogonal structure.
First-time visitors, entranced by the view, almost sleepwalk past the kitchen on the right and the staircase on the left into a two-story living area, whose two glass walls look out onto the lawn and a long deck facing the ocean. A circa 1945 Calder turns in the double-height space, an airy piece that rotates slowly in the breeze. The house delivers intense color fields: pure green, pure blue, pure white.
The dramatic formal moment is reserved for the study on the second floor over the kitchen and dining area, where a curvilinear wall wraps the room like a ribbon and pierces the edge of the house to form an outdoor balcony. Meier has composed a highly porous structure built of equal parts solid and void. With Palladino, he achieves an almost Shaker-like simplicity. “We wanted to keep it open and free, with nothing extraneous,” Meier says. Generous volumes of space and white surfaces incandescing in the sun are the only luxuries. Interior designer Rose Tarlow, in her first collaboration with Meier, complemented the sumptuous austerity with straight, simple sofas and club chairs with early-modernist pedigrees.
Outside, the abundant California sun sculpts every member in shadow. Meier multiplies the shadow lines on the façade with a trellised sunscreen; the curvilinear form of the balcony plays against the strict orthogonal structure. Unlike many overinflated houses that have disregarded the example of older California beach houses, the dimensions are sensible and almost delicate; the house is confident but not overbearing.
In this context, Meier is a geometric Romantic, playing the rational, manmade order against the natural one. The rigid line, a corollary of the distant horizon, measures the ocean’s movement like a straight edge. As in the great Neoclassical French structures, the house doesn’t try to be grand by being big. Meier succeeds both in being himself and in carrying on the nearly forgotten California tradition of reticence at the beach. | <urn:uuid:7d348060-5bf9-4bc0-a48f-70be88529cad> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.architecturaldigest.com/AD100/2010/rose_tarlow/tarlow_article_122002 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949686 | 1,454 | 1.75 | 2 |
Ruth Lister - When greed tramples on human dignity
I recently visited Hong Kong as the guest of the social work department at Hong Kong Baptist University – a great bunch of radical academics/activists. I was there to give the 2nd Peter Townsend Memorial Lecture in honour of the late Peter Townsend who was a towering figure in the struggle against poverty and injustice. The title of my lecture was 'Affirming human dignity: poverty and human rights'. What I saw while I was in Hong Kong was a shocking example of how the dignity of people living in poverty can be trampled by human greed and a state that doesn't seem to care.
I knew that Hong Kong shared with the UK the dubious distinction of being one of the most unequal societies in the rich world and that it now has the widest gap between rich and poor of any developed Asian economy. I had also read how this was epitomised by the gulf between an elderly low paid worker living in a so-called 'coffin home', interviewed by CNN and the view from his sole window of the glitz and glamour of Hong Kong. But nothing had prepared me for the reality of such homes.
Community organisers from the Alliance for Children Development Rights and Concerning CSSA and Low Income Alliance introduced me to two tenants of rooms in 'sub-divided housing', the more anodyne description of such dwellings. They lived on a floor sub-divided into 14 units. Each unit had room for a single bed and not much more, with belongings piled up around the bed. One of the two I saw had no windows (to look out at the glitz of Hong Kong). One was in the ceiling, reached by a step ladder, with only air vents for ventilation. I didn't see it but was told that it was impossible to stand up once up there. The residents shared one cold water shower and one toilet. The 'kitchen' had been turned into another unit so there were no cooking facilities.
One of the tenants I met was an unemployed man, aged 54, who looked considerably older. He had lived there for three years. Because he was single and below pension age he had no priority on the extremely long waiting list for public housing yet employers considered him too old to employ. Not surprisingly he had been in and out of hospital with health problems. Physical and mental health problems are common among residents of such dwellings. In total about 10,000 people are living in such accommodation. The community organisers who took me round told me that they had not shown me the worst examples of sub-divided accommodation, where units are piled on top of each other, as they were afraid I'd find them too shocking.
While Hong Kong might be many miles from the UK, the housing conditions I saw exemplify the pernicious impact of inequality. Private landlords will be making huge profits on the backs of living conditions that blight the lives of thousands of human beings. The state is failing in its responsibility to protect their human rights. The residents I met hang on to their human dignity in the most appalling circumstances but it is a crime that, for years at a time, they are forced to endure conditions not fit for human beings.
Ruth Lister is a Labour peer, Emeritus Professor of Social Policy at Loughborough University and Chair of the Compass Management Committee
Want to write an article like this? If you’re a Compass member you can submit your own articles and start your own debates on the Compass debates member’s section, an autonomous space for our members to initiate debate and discuss ideas.
To keep updated on the latest Compass news, please join our mailing list. | <urn:uuid:0b2899c2-2939-4a2c-99f5-e715734b99e2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.compassonline.org.uk/news/item.asp?n=16503 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978843 | 746 | 1.523438 | 2 |
The Associated Press
Justice Stephen Breyer: "This isn't a question of rewriting the statute. This is a question of renewing a statute that by and large has worked. if you have a statute that sunsets, you might say: 'I don't want it to sunset if it's worked, as long as the problem is still there to some degree.' That's the question of rationality. Isn't that what happened?"
Shelby County, Ala., lawyer Bert W. Rein: "If you base it on the findings of 1965. ... We had a huge problem at the first passage of the Voting Rights Act, and the court was tolerant of Congress' decision that it had not yet been cured. There were vestiges of discrimination. So when I look at those statistics today and look at what Alabama has in terms of black registration and turnout, there's no resemblance."
Justice Antonin Scalia, on extension of the Voting Rights Act: "Congress must have found that the situation was even clearer and the violations even more evident than originally, because originally the vote in the Senate, for example, was something like 79 to 18, and in the 2006 extension, it was 98 to nothing. It must have been even clearer in 2006 that these states were violating the Constitution. Do you think that's true?"
Justice Elena Kagan: "Well, that sounds like a good argument to me, Justice Scalia. It was clear to 98 senators, including every senator from a covered state, who decided that there was a continuing need for this piece of legislation."
Scalia: "Or decided that perhaps they'd better not vote against it, that there's nothing, that there's no -- none of their interests in voting against it."
Breyer: "I don't know what they're thinking exactly, but it seems to me one might reasonably think this: It's an old disease, it's gotten a lot better, a lot better, but it's still there. So if you had a remedy that really helped it work, but it wasn't totally over, wouldn't you keep that remedy?"
Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli Jr.: "Everyone agrees that the significant progress that we've made is principally because of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. And it has always been true that only a tiny fraction of submissions result in objections."
Scalia: "You could always say, Oh, there has been improvement, but the only reason there has been improvement are these extraordinary procedures that deny the states sovereign powers which the Constitution preserves to them. So, since the only reason it's improved is because of these procedures, we must continue those procedures in perpetuity."
Justice Samuel Alito: "There is no question that the Voting Rights Act has done enormous good. It's one of the most successful statutes that Congress passed in the 20th century, and one could probably go farther than that. But when Congress decided to reauthorize it in 2006, why wasn't it incumbent on Congress under the congruence and proportionality standard to make a new determination of coverage? Maybe the whole country should be covered. Or maybe certain parts of the country should be covered based on a formula that is grounded in up-to-date statistics."
Justice Anthony Kennedy "If Congress is going to single out separate states by name, it should do it by name. If not, it should use criteria that are relevant ... and Congress just didn't have the time or the energy to do this; it just re-enacted it."
Verrilli: "I think the formula was rational and effective in 1965. The court upheld it then, it upheld it three more times after that."
Kennedy: "Well, the Marshall Plan was very good, too, the Morrill Act, the Northwest Ordinance, but times change."
Verrilli: "But the question is whether times had changed enough and whether the differential between the covered jurisdictions and the rest of the country had changed enough that Congress could confidently make the judgment that this was no longer needed."
Chief Justice John Roberts: "Is it the government's submission that the citizens in the South are more racist than citizens in the North?"
Verrilli: "It is not, and I do not know the answer to that, your honor."
Roberts: "Well, once you said it is not, and you don't know the answer to it."
Verrilli: "It's not our submission. As an objective matter, I don't know the answer to that question. But what I do know is that Congress had before it evidence that there was a continuing need based on Section 5 objections, based on the purpose-based character of those objections, based on the disparate Section 2 rate, based on the persistence of polarized voting, and based on a gigantic wealth of jurisdiction-specific and anecdotal evidence, that there was a continuing need."
Weinstein showcases Kelly and Mandela films at Cannes.
An NFL player relieves himself of his feelings toward the IRS.
Want to understand a partner? Get to know their brain.
How much did a painting of a topless "Golden Girl" fetch? | <urn:uuid:382b1838-5bac-4772-ab2d-e1ec97d57bec> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wtop.com/319/3235566/Quotes-from-Supreme-Courts-voting-rights-argument?nid=1229 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984325 | 1,057 | 1.53125 | 2 |
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|Home > Life in Japan > Food|
Friday, July 4, 2003
Little Myanmar in big Tokyo
By BRYAN HARRELL
Special to The Japan Times
The ongoing ethnic food boom in Tokyo has somehow bypassed some of the most interesting, savory and satisfying food in all of Southeast Asia -- the cuisine of Myanmar (formerly known as Burma before the accession of the current military government in 1989).
The reasons why some nationals still refer to the country as "Burma" while others happily use "Myanmar" are as complex as the ethnic makeup of the country itself, which has some 135 ethnic groups. This immense diversity -- compounded by influences from Myanmar's neighbors -- explains the fascinating variety in the cooking. The impression one gets when sitting down to a Myanmar meal is that it is like eating Indian, Chinese, Thai and Malaysian food -- all at the same time.
Masala-spiced curries served with paratha bread are set alongside spicy seafood noodle dishes, a kind of tofu made from yellow lentils, miso-flavored stir fries, long-grain rice and salads created with a myriad of exotic ingredients. Not all food is hot and spicy, so there is something for everyone.
A glance at a map helps one make sense of all this. Myanmar borders India, Bangladesh, Laos, China and Thailand -- and less than 500 km of Thailand separates Myanmar from Malaysia. The country is at the crossroads of Southeast Asia, and nothing reflects this more clearly than its cuisine.
Surprisingly, finding authentic Myanmar food in Tokyo is a fair sight easier than locating similarly authentic food from other Asian nations. While it's not unusual for Chinese, Indian and Thai restaurants in Tokyo to adjust dishes and flavors to suit Japanese tastes, in Myanmar restaurants this is the exception rather than the rule.
The main reason is that the majority of customers at these restaurants are from Myanmar themselves. In fact, there is a cohesive -- and growing -- community of people from Myanmar living in Tokyo, with many of their businesses clustered around Takadanobaba Station. Ma Hay Mar of the Japan Myanmar Culture Center estimates there are at least 30 Myanmar-owned businesses in the area; in addition to her center, these include restaurants, karaoke bars, general stores, computer schools, a travel agency and beauty salons. One reason many Myanmar pubs and eateries stay open late is to cater for Myanmar customers dropping by after finishing often low-paid jobs in the restaurant trade
Ma Hay Mar estimates that nearly half of the estimated 20,000 Myanmar nationals in Japan live in the general area of Takadanobaba and its adjoining stations. Reflecting the eight major ethnic categories into which the people of Myanmar are classified, this expatriate community is itself diverse. Among the many Japan-based organizations for Myanmar nationals, there are two major cultural groups, three political organizations, two Buddhist associations and a dance troupe. Not surprisingly, there are also three monthly and two weekly Myanmar-language publications printed in Japan.
In the restaurants, too, Myanmar is the operative language -- which makes ordering food as much of an adventure as eating it. English is not widely spoken, and though Japanese can be used with varying degrees of success, be warned that in a few places (usually drinking establishments) almost no Japanese is spoken.
Where there is a Japanese-language menu, it usually has only brief descriptions. (Comprehensive menus in Japanese can only be found in a few restaurants, such as Nagani, which also has a limited menu in English.) Not to worry, however, because ordering a drink presents few problems and it's generally easy to order a little food, too.
One good tactic is simply to explain that you want some real Myanmar home cooking, so "bring it on!" This approach has invariably produced an excellent spread of food -- often at a startlingly low price.
So what is likely to be set before you? Despite the country's culinary diversity, there are a few dishes characteristic of Myanmar. The best known of these is lape-toh, a salad made of fermented tea leaves, nuts, sesame seeds, garlic, dried fish, lettuce and other ingredients. Another is mohinga, a highly savory stew with a fermented fish gravy the consistency of pea soup, and containing chicken, vegetables and fine wheat-flour noodles virtually identical to Japanese somen. Tofu-joh is fried squares of yellow-lentil tofu, served with a hot and sweet dipping sauce.
A hint when ordering is to pay attention to the last syllable of the dishes. Those ending in -toh are some kind of salad (the word means "mixture"). Dishes ending in -joh are fried, and those ending in -hin are stews, usually spiced with masala.
Beer seems to be the most popular beverage among Myanmar customers, and it is also the best match for the food. In most places, draft beer by the mug is surprisingly cheap; Cafe Rendezvous charges just 280 yen. For non-beer drinkers, almost all places offer various types of cocktails, usually shochu-based and also invariably inexpensive. Nagani Burmese Kitchen offers some unique drink experiences, including their delicious Tamarind Fizz and several other cocktails made with Southeast Asian ingredients.
Nong Inlay, which specializes in the heavily Chinese-influenced cuisine of the Shan region (which borders Sichuan and Yunnan provinces in China), offers the most exotic drink experience in the form of shan-iye, an interesting liquor made with grain spirits which have been infused with a mixture of herbs. The appearance is like whiskey but the flavor is akin to Chinese herbal medicine. Unfortunately, I have yet to find a place that serves htan ye, a rural favorite made from the fermented juice of the toddy palm.
Apart from the numerous Myanmar eating and drinking possibilities within Takadanobaba's relatively small area, there are also a number of stores where Myanmar locals shop. These are mostly general stores stocking foodstuffs, magazines and newspapers, rental videos, tobacco products and even sundries like toothpaste, cosmetics and patent medicines all the way from Myanmar. The Irrawaddy store, underneath the Seibu Shinjuku Line tracks, sometimes offers fresh durian fruit, which are notorious for their pungent smell but prized by enthusiasts for their sublime taste.
Most of the ingredients to make typical Myanmar dishes are readily available at these stores. A typical shopping basket of essentials would include masala spice mixtures, turmeric, ngan-pya-ye (a thin sauce made from fermented fish or shrimp), ngapi (a salty paste made from fermented fish or shrimp, and used in practically everything), packages of fermented tea leaves and other ingredients to make lape-toh salad, long-grain rice from Thailand, canned coconut milk, sesame oil, peanut oil (for frying), and various gauges of rice noodles. Though certain types of vegetables and fish are unavailable, there are many acceptable Japanese substitutes. For example, mitsuba, a Japanese leafy vegetable, can be used in place of min kwa yue, a leafy vegetable shaped like a horse's hoof.
A visit to one of the general stores will reveal an array of ingredients bewildering to the uninitiated, but for starters there are also ingredients familiar to Westerners, including beans of nearly every description, Chinese-style noodles and even bags of fried pork rinds (also called cracklings or chicharrones). With these in your basket, why not branch out into the unknown with a bottle of fermented-fish seasoning or a stinky durian?
And to clean up after a Myanmar feast, whether eaten out to karaoke accompaniment, or whipped up in your own kitchen, perhaps you'll want to take home a tin of Myanmar tooth powder. | <urn:uuid:6b505d67-94cd-4656-a3ef-90e04cd0dd68> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://info.japantimes.co.jp/text/fg20030704a1.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947462 | 1,667 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Chairman of the Saudi Minerals Company ‘Maaden’ Dr. Abdullah Al-Dabbagh has explained how the planned north-south rail extension will boost investment in the mining sector, and result in new mineral projects worth SR22 billion [U.S. $ 5.87 billion]. Last week, Saudi Arabia signed a $ 10 million deal with an international consortium of consulting firms for the design of a 1,000-mile railroad linking northern sites of mineral deposits with the Arabian Gulf port of Jubail. The contract involves Canarail of Canada, Systra of France, and the Saudi Consolidated Engineering Company. For the actual construction of the railroad, which is expected to cost around $1.2 billion, the Kingdom will launch an international tender once the consultants have completed their studies.
Maaden plans to use the new railway line to transport bauxite and phosphates to the eastern industrial city of Jubail. The line will be state-owned and a specialized body will operate it. The railway will run southward from close to Saudi Arabia's borders with Jordan and Iraq to the capital Riyadh and then swing east to Jubail.
Also planned is the construction of an industrial complex for ore refining and the processing of phosphates. Estimating the Kingdom's phosphate reserves at 3.1 billion tons, Dr. Al-Dabbagh said their exploitation will lead to new industrial projects such as a factory for phosphoric acid with an annual capacity of 1.3 million tons, as well as plants for sulfuric acid and ammonia. These three projects, he said, would require SR4.5 billion [$1.2 billion] in investment. The aluminum refinery plant would involve investment of SR12 billion [$3.2 billion]. It would have the capability of processing 3.4 million tons of bauxite annually to produce 1,400 million tons of aluminum, but he gave assurances that the bauxite supply from the northern sites can meet the refinery's requirements for 25 years. He added that the railway line would also lead to the establishment of an estimated SR 5.5 billion [$1.5 billion] worth of other mineral projects such as manganese, iron, nickel, titanium, silica and calcium carbonate. | <urn:uuid:286e831a-e7a2-4d0a-a07f-afc022658cb4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.saudiembassy.net/archive/2004/news/page659.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948968 | 457 | 1.84375 | 2 |
Here is the next chapter in laundromat lore.
For about four years, a devoted group of women have been trekking to local laundromats lugging not detergent bottles and boxes of softener, but baskets of books.
Members of the local Delta Nu Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, the women handpick children's book titles from all interests and reading levels, leave them at the laundromats and later return to clean the books and replenish the selections.
"It's our goal to make reading a part of the everyday experience of all children and we hope that our Laundromat Literacy program helps local families enjoy time together with books while their clothes spin clean," said Mary Ellen Carhill of San Dimas.
The project involves volunteers from Delta Kappa Gamma, a group that promotes professional and personal growth among women educators and excellence in education.
The local chapter has 48 members who live and work all over the San Gabriel Valley.
The ladies collect baby board books to middle school chapter books and places book baskets in three or more laundromats in Glendora and Azusa every two weeks, according to Susan Hamilton, a retired Glendora teacher and committee chairwoman.
This project is one of many homegrown programs supported by the DKG Chi State LIFE (Learning Is For Everyone) Foundation which supports special projects related to learning and literacy within California.
"Children who come to the laundromat with their parents are there for two hours or more," said member Carol Harmon. "We hope they will spend their time with some of our books to develop a love of reading. The ideal is that the parents will read to them if they cannot read themselves. However, children also like to look at the pictures, find words they know, or pretend to read by telling about the pictures. Hopefully it also keeps some overly active children a little calmer."
The women would like to expand to more laundromats, although they have had to give up on ones where their baskets and books regularly go missing.
"We're `secretly' delighted when we come up a few books short each delivery, because we know someone has loved a book so much they had to take it home to read again," Hamilton said.
Some of the book titles in their baskets today include Curious George, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Babysitting Club series, bug books, baseball books, and seasonal books such as snowmen stories.
The happiest ending, of course, is keeping the books at the laundromat, and seeing children and caregivers bond while sudsing their clothes.
"Reading for enjoyment encourages more reading," Hamilton said. "All that waiting time can be a special one-on-one time for parents and children to read together."
Hamilton, who herself confesses to being an inveterate reader since childhood, said it's never a wash to combine reading with free time.
"I often got into trouble for reading my Nancy Drew mystery books under the covers after bedtime or when I was supposed to be helping set the table," she said.
So, with a bow to the ladies of Delta Nu, here's to the lucky ones in local laundromats who find themselves gifted with a literary bounty when all they came in for was clean clothes.
Columnist Anissa V. Rivera can be reached at the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper Group, 1210 N. Azusa Canyon Road, West Covina, CA 91790. 626-301-1461 | <urn:uuid:cb34c204-8453-48cf-b7b6-5cba7fe879f5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_16840716 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965243 | 716 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Last week the Senate and House demonstrated again why their approval ratings are so low. The 154 page “fiscal cliff” bill was made available to Senators just three minutes before the vote was taken on the legislation. No one can read 154 pages in three minutes, so it is safe to assume that the legislation was passed without being read.
Then the House brought the lengthy and complicated bill to a vote just 22 hours after the text had been available, meaning a full reading of the legislation was not likely possible. This was a clear violation of the “three day rule” adopted by the 112th Congress, which in the name of transparency ordered the House to make legislation available to the public a full three days before a Floor vote.
Perhaps this race to a vote, amid cries of the end of the world without a solution to the manufactured crisis, explains why an even greater than usual amount of special-interest carve-outs made it into the bill.
Article 1, Section 7 of the US Constitution clearly states that “All bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives,” but as has been done many times, the Senate simply attached its bill to an existing House bill and claimed that this Constitutional requirement had been satisfied.
If the process was dishonest and unconstitutional, the content of the bill was even worse.
The “rescue” legislation was packed full of special tax deals for well-connected corporations with the money to hire high-profile lobbyists – usually those who have spent a good deal of time as legislators themselves.
The principle of tax cuts and breaks themselves are not the problem, however. It is incorrect to view any return of tax money to its rightful owner as money taken from the government. Wealth belongs to those who generate it not to government. However, while well-connected special interests like Hollywood and rum manufacturers were being granted targeted tax assistance, the vast majority of Americans were being hit with a significant tax increase in the form of higher payroll taxes. Rather than cut a dime from federal spending, this bill granted breaks to the corporate elites and paid for the “lost revenue” by passing the costs on to the rest of us.
The “fiscal cliff” bill also rescued other corporate interests. Included in the text was a nine-month extension of the 2008 Farm Bill. This is corporate welfare at its worst, spending billions to enrich big corporate farms with direct subsidies at the expense of small farmers — and the taxpayer.
Last week’s last minute deal was the worst of both worlds: higher taxes on nearly all Americans now and a promise to begin thinking about modest cuts in spending growth two months down the road. While there was much hand-wringing over the “draconian” cuts that would have been imposed by sequestration, in fact sequestration would not have cut spending at all. Under the sequestration plan, government spending would increase by $1.6 trillion over the next eight years. Congress calls this a cut because without sequestration spending would increase by $1.7 trillion over the same time frame. Either way it is an increase in spending, however.
I have little hope that a majority of Congress and the President will change their ways and support real spending reductions. Fortunately, increasing numbers of Americans are awakening to the dangers posed by the growth of the welfare-warfare state. Hopefully this movement will continue to grow and force the politicians to reverse course before government spending, taxing, and inflation destroys our economy entirely. | <urn:uuid:6cc11489-e1a4-40f3-b8f9-26a582cf91b7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://libertycrier.com/politics/ron-paul-fiscal-cliff-vote-shows-how-washington-really-works/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976765 | 716 | 1.695313 | 2 |
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