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Sandy could have heavy effect on Virginia politics
RICHMOND, VA (WTVR) — The Commonwealth of Virginia may have been sparred the worst of Hurricane’s Sandy’s impact, but questions remain over the affect it has had on the state’s political scene.
“It interrupted the early in person absentee voting period,” Don Palmer, Secretary of the Virginia’s Board of Elections, told CBS 6.
Palmer said at least thirty voting centers and election offices were closed at one time as a result of the storm.
Campaign events also were affected. President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney cancelled a combined total of four events in the state, Governor McDonnell cancelled seven, and President Bill Clinton cancelled one.
“Most candidates would prefer to be in a situation where all hands could be on deck,” Dr. Bob Holsworth, CBS 6′s Political Analyst, said.
Holsworth says the superstorm particularly affected the Romney campaign because two of the campaigns top surrogates, Chris Christie and Bob McDonnell, were occupied.
“Because of what’s happened with Sandy the tone is likely to change,” Holsworth said. | <urn:uuid:193ea98d-cc6f-4d7c-bb90-73fdda592941> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wtvr.com/2012/10/31/sandys-impact-on-virginia-politics/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969889 | 248 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Kiss Bupkis Goodbye
According to the New York Daily News, Representative Anthony Weiner has been reprimanded for using Yiddish in Congress. The infraction arose when Wiener was discussing the current health care reform proposals and said "We're not going to take hundreds of billions of dollars a year and give it to insurance companies who give us bupkis." Chairman Henry Waxman pounded his gavel and responded "The gentleman will speak English." Waxman was obviously referring to Weiner's use of the word "billion" which comes from old French and was coined by Jehan Adam in 1475 as by-million. Or perhaps it was Weiner's use of the word "company" which comes from the Old French compagnie. Or maybe, just maybe, he was referring to Weiner's use of the word "bupkis" which comes from the Yiddish word which technically means "goat droppings." It's certainly possible and makes sense in the context of the sentence. After all, why would the U.S. Government pay hundreds of billions of dollars per year to insurance companies in exchange for goat droppings? Doesn't seem like a fair trade to us.
Why would the U.S. pay hundreds of billions per year to insurance companies in exchange for goat droppings?
If you build the Pyramid, they will come
The New York Post is reporting that fees charged by the law firm Baker and Hostetler to oversee the bankruptcy and liquidation of Bernie Madoff's phony investment firm could total $250 million. Victims groups are understandably outraged by the sum which they feel should go to those who were swindled out of their life savings, not a Manhattan law firm that is effectively charging a million dollars per week. Baker and Hostetler spokesman Irving Picard says the victims have nothing to worry about as the firm has come up with an investment vehicle to raise the requisite funds to pay their fees. Investors join on with a $10,000 minimum payment and are guaranteed a 10% return. This return is funded by new investors and their initiation fees. Says Picard, "This investment method – a ‘pyramid' as I like to call it – will leave its mark on the financial industry for years to come."
Cash for Kugel?!
Columnist John Crudele points out that since the Obama administration has found success for their "Cash for Clunkers" program why not bail everyone out? How about a Cash for Comics program to help comedians get their own sit-coms. How about a Cash for Losers program to help revive Las Vegas. Or closer to home how about a Cash for Kugel program to force synagogues to make some new kugel for those Shabbat luncheons as opposed to recycling the same three pieces of kugel that go uneaten each week. Now that's change we can believe in.
The Authentically Israeli Experience
25 Republican congressmen took part in the largest ever Republican mission to the State of Israel. The lawmakers of course met with Israeli politicians such Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres, but also wanted to engage in authentically Israeli experiences. As a result, their Israeli hosts had them eat falafel at an establishment with questionable hygiene standards, illegally exchange currency at the "Kent" cigarette stand in Jerusalem, and go to the bank to cash travelers checks for the approximately 15 minutes the bank is open each day. 10 of the Congressmen were able to cash their checks before the bank closed. For the duration of the trip, the other 15 were forced to ask strangers on the bus for spare change if they wanted to buy a popsicle.
These Muslims are Angry
A terror plot to bomb an army base in Australia has just been uncovered. The terrorists are connected with the extremist Somali Muslim group al-Shabaab which has close links to al-Qaida. Can we speak the truth and say that this is the official turning point for Muslim terrorism – that they've gone from being ideologically motivated to being just plain angry? Seriously, what could they possibly have against the Australians? Are they are too friendly? Too tanned? Are their accents too darn cute? Maybe all these al-Shabaab terrorists need is a little anger management therapy. Think about it – instead of trying to defeat terrorist in the "War on Terror," we could offer al-Qaida members shiatsu massages and acupuncture accompanied by some aromatherapy. The Israelis could even provide some Dead Sea mud masks for Bin Laden and his friends. Maybe all we need is a little cross cultural coddling. Then again...maybe not. | <urn:uuid:83bcbd29-1d2f-4f3e-88b5-071e455e3977> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aish.com/j/fs/52507937.html?s=rab | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974648 | 946 | 1.734375 | 2 |
This is one of those stories where it helps to take a deep breath, and remember that because of the lies surrounding abortion, many people simply don’t realize what they are defending. They are on a sort of moral crusade as well, one which they would say is about defending women’s rights.
That being said, however, sometimes the gap between “good intentions” and actions is harder to understand. Such is the case when artists set out to tell “a more human” story about abortion, and end up leaving out crucial information that any journalist would naturally find important. This is pretty much the definition of propaganda.
Premiering today at the Sundance Film Festival as part of the U.S. documentary competition, “After Tiller” is an intimate and heartfelt look at the four doctors performing third-trimester abortions in the United States, doing so even after the 2009 assassination of such a physician, Dr. George Tiller.
Not mentioned in the absolutely uncritical “news” article on this documentary is whether the filmmakers take an “intimate and heartfelt look at” women who have had their third trimester child - translated “viable, living human being” – aborted. Say, if they follow them through their next, wanted, pregnancy and capture their reaction to the ultrasound of their child at the point where their last one was aborted. Now that would be courageous storytelling.
… the film brings an emotional clarity to an issue in which every nuanced turn of phrase has been made politically complicated
“Anyone who has proclaimed violence his method inexorably must choose lying as his principle,” is the way Alexander Solzhenitsyn – a man of some emotional clarity – referred to the “nuanced turn of phrase” to hide the slaughter of innocents. Yes, killing human beings en masse does result in, among other things, political complications.
Click "like" if you are PRO-LIFE!
The author of the Times article describes how the event’s organizers made sure that “visible security measures were in place, including police and armed sheriffs in green jumpsuits.” Because as everyone knows, you can’t be too careful: one of those little old ladies with their rosaries might show up, and, well… things can get out of hand quickly. Or, given the framing of the entire story as being “After Tiller,” is this part of the stagecraft of the film, as promoters are wont to do at Sundance and other such festivals.
“I feel like our generation has been really alienated from the abortion debate,” added Wilson. (Both filmmakers are 29.) “It’s just become a shouting match. We wanted to make something that would show the complexity and the gray area. The gray area over this issue is where real women are making real decisions about their lives.”
Actually, somewhere just below a third of your generation has been permanently alienated from the abortion debate because they’re dead. They were killed in abortions. And is the debate back on now? Because the pro-abortion left keeps telling us that the debate over abortion, including the abortion of fully viable human beings, is over. If the debate is back on, this is a positive development: maybe we can get young filmmakers to make a documentary about last-trimester abortion, have them actually show the procedure, and start a conversation about whether this sort of thing should be legal. Unfortunately, I don’t think these filmmakers consider this a relevant part of the conversation.
Put another way, would those affected by sex slavery benefit from an attempt to get past the moral judgments involved, and look at the traffickers and buyers as being more human, with complicated reasons for engaging in the kidnapping, sale and purchase of young children for sex? I think a good argument could be made that such a documentary would not help those harmed in sex trafficking, and people would wonder about the real motivations of the filmmakers. Back to the article.
Even in the face of threats and the killing of [murdered late term abortionist George] Tiller, the doctors see their work as important and worth continuing. As to whether the protests against what he does ever gave him doubts regarding his work, Dr. LeRoy Carhart said, “I never even give it a second thought.”
Here again we see the “frame” alluded to in the title. Since these four doctors pursue their non-lifesaving work even “After [the murder of George] Tiller,” they must be courageous and selfless heroes. This framing is extremely offensive, and is not nearly as objective as the filmmakers and the writer of this article would have us believe.
Still, even in such bias there are insights to be gleaned. For Carhart, the protests don’t elicit a second thought. How about admonishments from the Maryland board of physicians? Or the horrifying ordeal and death of 19-year-old Christin Gilbert in 2005?
We are requesting a copy of the film, to see if these and several other narrative-complicating issues are treated in it. If they are not, then one is forced to conclude that this movie is not so much about “starting a conversation” (which is what EVERY SINGLE documentary filmmaker says is the goal of her project) as it is about covering over the fact that late term abortion is the violent destruction of a human beings – little babies who are often healthy and capable of living outside the womb.
Doctors do not avoid this particularly gruesome practice for fear of being killed, they avoid it because they have consciences and do not want to kill innocent, viable children. Yes, let’s have a conversation about late term abortion, but let’s look at the whole story. | <urn:uuid:4ac49310-1a45-4165-836b-264831a4ad19> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lifesitenews.com/blog/after-tiller-a-deluge-of-propaganda | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974474 | 1,215 | 1.5 | 2 |
(CNN) - Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain called the name of a hunting camp used by rival candidate Rick Perry "very insensitive."
The Washington Post reported Sunday that the word “N*****head” was painted across a rock at the gated entrance of the property, which was leased and frequented by the Texas governor.
"My reaction is that is very insensitive," the former Godfather's Pizza CEO said on ABC's "This Week." "Since Governor Perry has been going there for years to hunt, I think that it shows a lack of sensitivity for a long time of not taking that word off of that rock and renaming the place. It's just basically a case of insensitivity."
Perry's communications director, Ray Sullivan, said the governor’s father painted over the offensive language in the early 1980s. Perry’s father first leased the property in 1983 according to the Post.
"A number of claims made in the story are incorrect, inconsistent, and anonymous, including the implication that Rick Perry brought groups to the lease when the word on the rock was still visible," Sullivan said in a statement. "The one consistent fact in the story is that the word on the rock was painted over and obscured many years ago."
Sullivan later responded directly to Cain, who made similar comments on “Fox News Sunday,” saying he is "wrong about the Perry family's quick action to eliminate the word on the rock, but is right the word written by others long ago is insensitive and offensive. That is why the Perrys took quick action to cover and obscure it."
– CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report. | <urn:uuid:af3aeda5-6c7b-4935-9acd-f019bd309be6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/02/cain-calls-name-of-perry-hunting-camp-very-insensitive/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979383 | 342 | 1.523438 | 2 |
From what I understand, the highpower delta fans are not to be connected to the motherboard as they will pull too much power and fry it. The solution is a 3 to 4 pin connector. However, my motherboard monitors heat and adjusts fan speed accordingly, a feature that i wont be able to use if the fan is directly connected to the power supply. Is there a way to connect the fan to both the power supply and mobo? Also, the enermax power supply i bought EG365P-VE(FC), for some odd reason has a three pin connector that seems to be used to connect the second fan of the power supply to the motherboard. Is the power supply fan actually drawing power from the mobo or is it just used to monitor the fan speed? Should I also worry about this drawing to much power for my mobo?
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by jedge78 on 04/22/02 06:26 PM.</EM></FONT></P>
Usualy the yellow wire is the RPM lead. you can attach just that wire to the mobo so that it will read as if the fan is connected to the mobo. you can connect the power leads to a molex connector from your power supply.
thanx...but is there anyway for the motherboard to actually control the speed of the fan while the psu powers it...i have an asus board with some special feature that controls the cpu fan but it cant supply the power that some of the delta fans pull
dunno about the motherboard controlling the speed, but a couple of options exist...
with my 80mm delta atop my mcx-462, its got the 4pin connect to the PSU, as well as the singe 3 pine line to the motherboard, but ive also got the power line going thru a rheostat, so i can dial back the fan rpm from 5000 to 4000.
ive cut a small hole in the back of my case, so the fan speed can be controlled easily. or you can get a front plate to do the same.
another option is to find a fan with a thermal sensor... i believe thermaltake make them, and the volcano 7 Heatsink has one. the hotter it gets the faster it runs.
My tech advice here is not free. Email your credit card detials to [email protected] :smile: :wink: | <urn:uuid:c099d198-1e65-44d5-9783-0f658fd1e2b1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/70828-28-heatsink-help | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935488 | 505 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Kenya's presidential election has been won by deputy prime minister Uhuru Kenyatta by the slimmest of margins, the election commission has said.
It posted complete results showing that he prevailed with 50.03% of the vote.
That result is likely to bring controversy in Kenya and an almost certain legal challenge from prime minister Raila Odinga.
His supporters took to the streets after the 2007 election after he said he had been cheated. In Kibera, Nairobi's largest slum and a bastion of Odinga support, many believe this year's results have been rigged as well, with the results showing him at 43.3%.
Mr Kenyatta needed to break the 50% barrier to avoid a run-off with Mr Odinga, but he did so by only 4,099 votes out of more than 12.3 million cast.
Monday's presidential vote was the first since the 2007 election sparked two months of tribal violence after a disputed election win was claimed by president Mwai Kibaki. More than 1,000 people were killed in attacks that included machetes, bows and arrows and police firearms.
A win by Mr Kenyatta could affect Kenya's relations with the West, as he faces charges at the International Criminal Court for his alleged role in directing some of the 2007 post-election violence. His running mate, William Ruto, faces similar charges. The US has warned of "consequences" if Mr Kenyatta, the son of Kenya's founding father, wins, as have several European countries. Britain, which ruled Kenya up until the early 1960s, has said they would have only essential contact with the Kenyan government if Mr Kenyatta is president.
Mr Odinga's camp has indicated legal challenges could be filed. Monday's presidential vote proceeded mostly peacefully, but the counting process has been marred by a series of break-downs and errors.
In order to win outright, Mr Kenyatta must not only get more than 50% of the vote but also at least 25% of the vote in 24 out of Kenya's 47 provinces. Because of the way the election commission announced results, it was difficult to immediately determine if Mr Kenyatta achieved that target.
Mr Kenyatta's ICC trial is set to begin in July and could take years, meaning that if he wins he may have to rule Kenya from The Hague for much of his five-year term. Another option is, as president, to decide not to attend the trial, but that would trigger an international arrest warrant and spark even more damaging effects for Kenya's standing with the West. Mr Kenyatta has promised to report to The Hague, even if he wins the presidency. The ICC yesterday delayed the trial of Mr Ruto until late May. | <urn:uuid:3a89097e-a15a-4c1c-b2da-bcd8877c94e1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ictamworth.icnetwork.co.uk/news/natnews/tm_headline=kenyatta-in-slim-election-victory&method=full&objectid=32954150&siteid=86764-name_page.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986533 | 574 | 1.578125 | 2 |
EAST EUROPEAN CRIMINALS are willing to pay thousands for a clapped out Nokia with a software problem, according to a fraud investigator in the Netherlands.
Frank Engelsman said that cyber-gangs are paying 25,000 Euro for a Nokia 1100 phone which was once Nokia's all-time best-selling models in 2003.
Engelsman said the only ones that were worth anything were made in a factory in Bochum, Germany and contain software from 2002 that is vulnerable to tampering.
Apparently, the handsets can be used to intercept one-time passwords needed to complete an online banking transaction.
All the crims need to do is reprogramme the phone to use someone else's phone number, intercept the TAN code and enable an illegal money transfer into their own account. µ
It's becoming more prevalent in car research and development
Software has the ability to automatically edit videos over the cloud via iOS
Sign up for INQbot – a weekly roundup of the best from the INQ | <urn:uuid:73ae6410-7206-4460-8511-ea11734c8bbf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1051854/criminals-looking-discontinued-nokia | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94974 | 209 | 1.5 | 2 |
Last the week the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) aimed at discovering the content of all electronic correspondence between Google and the National Security Agency (NSA).
The source of the controversy was a "highly sophisticated and targeted” cyber attack targeting Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists in 2010.
To counter the Chinese government’s hacking of its customers’ accounts, Google changed Gmail’s privacy settings to automatically encrypt all traffic to and from its servers.
In the days following the attacks, Google’s chief legal officer, David Drummond, warned that attacks prompted the Internet behemoth to "review the feasibility of our business operations in China." Google, continued Drummond, was "no longer willing to continue censoring our results on Google.cn, and so over the next few weeks we will be discussing with the Chinese government the basis on which we could operate an unfiltered search engine within the law, if at all."
In a blog post, Drummond also wrote that other companies might have been targeted and that he was “working with the relevant U.S. authorities.” It’s the identity of these American “authorities” and the extent of their involvement in the Google attacks that prompted EPIC’s filing of an FOIA petition.
Click here to read the entire article. | <urn:uuid:c1c43346-6e5d-4c6e-abd8-73227da477f4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jbs.org/privacy/is-the-nsa-using-google-to-spy-on-account-holders | 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 | 0.946038 | 302 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Lacey Mason, wtop.com
WASHINGTON - As space lovers everywhere watched the live feed of NASA's Curiosity landing, another star was born -- but this one wasn't in the sky. He was in the NASA control room.
A man with a black and red mohawk was shown on the screen, working closely with his peers as the team prepared for Curiosity's (ultimately flawless) landing on Mars.
Twitter quickly began to blow up with comments about the mysterious "Mohawk Guy."
+50 points to the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab employee with the mohawk.— Justin Pickard (@justinpickard) August 6, 2012
Superannuated Hippy, Pompadour, and Captain Mohawk are my favorite NASA heroes.— Glenn Fleishman (@GlennF) August 6, 2012
The world I enjoy living in is where a guy at NASA can have a multicolor mohawk. ow.ly/cKZnF— Sidian M.S. Jones (@SidianMSJones) August 6, 2012
As many scoured the Internet, it wasn't long before "Mohawk Guy's" identity was revealed. Well, at least his Twitter identity.
According to his Twitter account, which identifies him as "Bobak F.," the mysterious man with the mohawk is a flight director for the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity mission.
He also likes exercise and is a "mediocre shortstop."
After the safe landing, many continued to tweet their praises of the flight director.
i don't know much about science but I'm pretty sure we couldn't have done it without Mohawk Guy— Danny Baranowsky (@dannyBstyle) August 6, 2012
But others found the attention being paid to him annoying.
So, while the jury may still be out on what "Mohawk Guy" thinks of his newfound fame, one thing is for sure: Curiosity wasn't alone in making an impact Monday morning.
(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)
This fox plays like a cat when he gets his paws on a golf ball. (Video)
Germany seizes the pet after the Biebs fails to get it from customs.
Can you guess why this pigeon is the world's most expensive?
Something unusual: Acupuncture for ailing sea turtles. (Photos) | <urn:uuid:97a12db7-aa51-4b67-b614-f188ec4c07c4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wtop.com/681/2979711/NASAs-Other-Curiosity | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958776 | 483 | 1.578125 | 2 |
West Hollywood has been a haven for the LGBT community since its incorporation in 1984. Though it has always been identified as a pro-LGBT city and area of Los Angeles County (what I like to call the Castro of LA), it has never enjoyed an official designation. On August 18th, the West Hollywood News (aka: WeHo News) reported that the West Hollywood City Council voted to direct staff to begin looking for ways the city can begin to officially identify Santa Monica Blvd. between Doheney Dr. and La Cienega Blvd. as “Historic Boystown”.
The desire to name the strip as “Historic Boystown” has not been without controversy. First, the Lakeview neighborhood in the City of Chicago has long been known as “Boystown” before West Hollywood was even a city. The decision to identify a part of West Hollywood has spurred a debate between cities over who is the “real” boystown. But now the West Hollywood Mayor, John Duran, has added himself with a gaff to the WeHo News. | <urn:uuid:087ce4b6-ad96-4088-afd8-3c425070c349> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://playingwithpolitics.wordpress.com/tag/john-duran/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977683 | 222 | 1.5 | 2 |
A provincial head of the Iranian Red Crescent said yesterday that 320 people were killed and 460 injured when rail freight wagons derailed and exploded in northeastern Iran.
The previous toll given by officials stood at 295 dead and 450 injured.
"It is possible that there are more bodies under the wreckage," said the head of the Iranian Red Crescent in Khorassan province, Seyed Ali Hosseini.
Firemen yesterday put out the last blazes on the runaway freight train loaded with fuel and chemicals that blew up in eastern Iran, allowing rescue workers to start digging for more victims.
The blast occurred after the train carrying sulphur, petrol and fertiliser - which can be used as ingredients for explosives - was derailed and caught fire near the city of Neyshabur, in the province of Khorasan.
The explosion was heard 75 kilometres away and was recorded by Tehran University's seismological department at 3.6 on the Richter scale.
Many of those who died in Wednesday's disaster were firefighters and local villagers who had come to watch them battle the blaze.
A number of senior officials, including the governor of Neyshabur, were also killed and neighbouring houses flattened or set ablaze.
Fearing another blast, police cordoned off a three-kilometre radius around the site of the still-blazing train and helicopters were called in to help evacuate hundreds of injured and the bodies of the dead. Rescue workers reported bodies had been hurled many metres by the force of the blast.
"The magnitude of the explosion means that identifying the bodies will be a very slow process," Neyshabur's chief coroner Mehran Bakili told Agence France Presse.
"It's a large-scale disaster, much worse than we initially thought," said the head of Khorasan province's disasters unit, Vahid Barakchi.
The explosion follows last December's earthquake in Bam, south-eastern Iran, which is believed to have killed 45,000.
Although the train explosion is not thought to be the work of terrorists or saboteurs, questions are being asked about why such a potentially lethal combination of chemicals was shipped on the same train.
Authorities decreed a day of mourning as the dead - many of them firemen, security forces and local officials - were to be buried in Neyshabur.
Mr Barakchi told Reuters the death toll stood at 295 with 450 people injured, and more bodies might be found beneath the ruins of a devastated village.
Many of the bodies were charred beyond recognition.
Engineers began lifting the mangled wreckage of 51 wagons, which broke loose and hurtled downhill until the train came off the rails and caught fire, from the main Tehran-Mashad rail line.
Roads and Transport Minister Ahmad Khorram told the local Khorasan newspaper the cause of disaster had not been determined.
- with agencies
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Copyright © 2004. The Age Company Ltd
|advertise | contact us| | <urn:uuid:d6191e85-6cfb-4685-91d3-f1ace72d4478> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/02/19/1077072778090.html?from=storyrhs | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968503 | 648 | 1.664063 | 2 |
I imagine it could have something to do with its intended use by mounted (cavalry) troops. In very early manuals for the 1911/1911A1 pistols, the slide locking function of the manual thumb safety (called the "safety lock") is specifically mentioned, so it seems to me that folks of that era considered it a feature, not a bug. An early copy of a 1911 military users manual from the Ordnance Department can be seen here:
Description of the automatic pistol ... - Google Books
Check pages 10, 13 and 14 to see the references I mentioned above concerning the safety lock "positively locking the slide" closed. | <urn:uuid:68be0ea6-07df-4d47-b804-a36d4898a36f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.handgunforum.net/general-1911-area/25244-thumb-safety-slide-lock.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935677 | 131 | 1.640625 | 2 |
I am constantly amazed by the diversity of our amazing country and how far we have come in our relatively short history. I love learning about the stories and the places that our history has unfolded and I love visiting those places which we have preserved as national monuments. I wonder sometimes though, what is a national monument? Is it a small area or building that preserves one small part of our national heritage, like the George Washington Birthplace National Monument? Or is it a large portion of land that showcases a particular kind of geology or biology like the 60+ million acre Mariana Trench Marine National Monument? What if it could be both?
Las Cruces' newly restored downtown will be the venue for the biggest music festival the community has ever hosted. The Las Cruces Country Music Festival, hosted by the Las Cruces Convention and Visitor's Bureau and produced by Helping Hands Event Planning, will be held on Main Street Downtown — with multiple country music-themed events occurring at other local spots — Friday through Sunday. The event kicks off Friday with a VIP reception that will be followed by a multi-band Main Street concert at 6 p.m. The main stage music continues Saturday, starting at 6 p.m. The performers are: | <urn:uuid:35bf60d7-1193-4afb-a8a1-118f789c32b9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lcsun-news.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946497 | 249 | 1.5625 | 2 |
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Friday, May 22, 2009
Screening in aid of AUW 'magic-making'
On Jan. 11, 2009, Jeff Kingston penned an illuminating and inspirational feature for the cover page of Sunday's Timeout. Headlined "Asia University for Women: Magic in the making," it told the story of this venture, now up and running in Bangladesh, that has gained widespread international support aimed at nurturing women leaders from the region — women of high ability and potential who otherwise would not have access to a university education.
"The premise is simple," as the article stated: "Money spent on educating women in poor countries is the best possible investment in development."
Of course money is always a problem, but thanks to generous corporate and individual donations, AUW is able to provide virtually full funding for its students, including travel expenses.
Among the driving forces of AUW are Kathy Matsui, managing director of Goldman Sachs in Tokyo, and Kathleen Pike, Associate Professor, Dept. of Psychiatry, Columbia Univ., New York; Visiting Professor, Temple Univ., Japan Campus, Tokyo. It is in no small part due to their efforts that AUW will be hosting a screening of "Lifting the Veil," an award-winning documentary about women in Afghanistan, at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 28 at Sogetsu Hall in Akasaka, Tokyo.
Admission (including a light dinner) is ¥5,000, or ¥1,000 for students, with all proceeds being chaneled into AUW scholarships. For more details, contact [email protected] | <urn:uuid:c1d27152-dacc-4f88-8ae5-9eb18d933198> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://info.japantimes.co.jp/text/fq20090522a3.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937838 | 394 | 1.640625 | 2 |
The final figures for the throughput in the port of Rotterdam in 2011 come out at 434.6 million tonnes, which is a 1.0% increase compared with the year 2010. These figures are slightly higher than the provisional figures (433.4 million tonnes and 0.8% growth) as published on 29 December 2011.
The figures according to cargo type in tonnes and containers in TEU (see appendices) show small to extremely small absolute differences with the provisional figures. However, the difference as a percentage can add up significantly in relative terms.
Throughput year 2011
Containers by trade of classes of length | <urn:uuid:6e5663f1-1a99-4dfe-8277-5a12ae8370a2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.portofrotterdam.com/en/News/pressreleases-news/Pages/final-throughput-figures-2011-rotterdam.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937533 | 128 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Sept. 30 - The soil nail wall under the east side of the NE 124th bridge - crews are placing steel grids on the front of the wall and will pour concrete to form a face on the wall that will cover the protruding ends of the soil anchors. See the photo of this wall earlier this month further down the page.
Sept. 29 - In the foreground is the northbound I-405 on-ramp from westbound NE 124th. This ramp was closed for seven weeks to realign and lower the ramp and build retaining walls in this area. The photo above was taken the day before we reopened the ramp to traffic. If you view this July photo you can see a dramatic difference in the height of the ramp.
Sept. 22 - Excavating for the second NE 128th bridge support, on the west side of I-405.
Sept. 19 - Workers grapple with huge steel cages. These will reinforce columns that will support additional width of I-405 over NE 132nd.
Sept. 16 - Construction is coming along on the NE 128th bridge support on the east side of I-405.
Sept. 16 - Crews placed fabric mats to prevent erosion on this slope near where we're building the east support for the new NE 128th bridge. Seeding the area will also help control erosion.
Sept. 16 - Yet another type of wall: for this one, we place fabric in the excavation, then we place wire baskets (see upper right of this photo) and fill them with large rock on the outside and small rock in the inside. This will allow water to flow through the wall instead of washing it out.
Sept. 15 - The new retaining wall which will run along the re-aligned northbound on-ramp from westbound NE 124th.
Sept. 15 - This photo shows the same location as the photo directly below (Sept. 9), but now we've poured concrete over the steel. Crews cover the wet concrete with plastic to help it set properly.
Sept. 9 - Steel installed at the NE 124th bridge over the northbound exit to Totem Lake Blvd. We're widening this portion of the bridge to realign the northbound on-ramp from westbound NE 124th.
Sept. 9 - The soil nail wall under the NE 124th bridge. We build this type of wall from top to bottom (excavating, inserting anchors, placing concrete, and excavating some more). This will make room to widen I-405 under the bridge.
Sept. 1 - (looking northeast) Setting falsework (temporary construction supports) to widen the NE 124th bridge (above the northbound exit to Totem Lake Blvd.). See nighttime work at this location on August 31. | <urn:uuid:8155c8d2-d031-4322-a44c-2f025bd2a0da> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I405/TotemLake/Photos/sep05.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936935 | 563 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Feb 9, 2013 No Comments ›› littlebytes
Excerpted from LBN:
I haven’t written much on the Sandy Hook tragedy since the funerals of each of the victims and the burial of Adam Lanza and his mother in December. I have written about the overreaction to Sandy Hook by the media, some parents and politicians who want to enforce stricter gun control laws as a result. However, I came across some new information today, which reveals local news reports on the police investigation.
I thought this was rather surprising to hear, especially since I had dismissed any thoughts of a conspiracy behind the shootings, but I never dismissed the thought that others may have witnessed the shootings or were involved, especially because police were seen in local news video by WABC chasing a suspect or witness into the woods near the school:
Watch Video Below:
In addition, I recall news reports reporting on the day of the shooting that police were searching for a suspect or suspects in a maroon/purple van [as revealed in the police audio/video below].
The below Newtown police scanner audio/video was originally broadcast on December 14, 2012 and then posted on December 23, 2012 to Intel Web, and re-posted Jan 9, 2013 after the original was scrubbed from YouTube.
Here is the information from Intel Hub:
At 1:34:19 into the video, “Two occupants with possible ski masks”.At 1:35:07 into the video, “One may be wearing a nun outfit, headed toward Danbury and Stoney Hill, purple van”.
New information has now been brought forth by Connecticut State Attorney Stephen Sedensky, suggesting that records pertaining to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting have been sealed to possibly hide the identity of witnesses from multiple shooter suspects and that they should not be unsealed anytime soon.
Officials fear the safety of witnesses.
The motion to extend the seal on the records for 90 days was granted by Superior Court Judge John Blawie, who wrote in his decision that:
“The court finds that due to the nature and circumstances of this case and the ongoing investigation, the state’s interest in continuing nondisclosure substantially outweighs any right to public disclosure at this time.”
The warrants were for searches, on different dates, of the Lanza home, and of Adam Lanza’s mother’s two cars. One of the cars, a 2010 black Honda Civic, was the vehicle which Lanza allegedly drove to the crime scene. The other, a 2009 silver BMW, was parked in the garage attached to the Lanza home. The court motion seals the affidavits stating what was found upon execution of the warrants for another 90 days, until late March.
The judges decision is also based on the belief that:
Connecticut State’s Attorney Stephen Sedensky has argued that unsealing warrants in the Sandy Hook case might “seriously jeopardize” the investigation by disclosing information known only to other “potential suspects.”
Sedensky said that unsealing the warrants would also:
The statement by the CT prosecutor’s office is the first indication from state authorities that Adam Lanza may have not acted alone.
“identify persons cooperating with the investigation, thus possibly jeopardizing their personal safety and well-being.” | <urn:uuid:bd60b95d-63d8-451a-96ba-96c4ec98771f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://patdollard.com/2013/02/nearly-two-months-after-sandy-hook-reportsstate-atty-admitspossibility-of-multiple-shooters/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970226 | 696 | 1.523438 | 2 |
WASHINGTON -- A medical device company that appealed the FDA's decision not to approve its personalized sedation device will get a hearing before a dispute resolution panel in December.
The company, Ethicon Endo-Surgery, a unit of Johnson & Johnson, makes Sedasys, a computer-assisted sedation system that allows doctors or nurses to provide minimal to moderate sedation with propofol during colonoscopy and endoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal tract in healthy adults.
Propofol is a sedative hypnotic drug approved for use only by healthcare providers who are trained to administer general anesthesia -- usually anesthesiologists. Sedasys would allow gastroenterologists and their nurses to use the system without an anesthesiologist present. The company has outlined a training program to teach non-anesthesiologists to use the device.
Propofol is one of the drugs that caused the overdose death of pop legend Michael Jackson. Conrad Murray, MD, the physician attending Michael Jackson at the time of his death in June 2009, was found guilty earlier this month of involuntary manslaughter. Murray was charged with dosing Jackson, 50, with propofol as a sleep aid, and then failing to monitor him properly.
In 2009, the FDA's Anesthesiology and Respiratory Therapy Devices Advisory Committee voted 8-2 in favor of the FDA approving the device, but it was rejected by the agency in 2010.
Ethicon Endo-Surgery filed an appeal with FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, MD, and the agency granted a hearing before the dispute resolution committee. It's that hearing that will take place next month.
In its "not approvable" letter from 2009, the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) told the company it had not proven that there was a reasonable assurance Sedasys was safe, writing that "the Sedasys System is associated with an increased incidence of deeper-than-intended sedation."
CDRH highlighted the cases of five Sedasys patients in the company's clinical trial who drifted in and out of consciousness during their GI procedure (compared with just one patient in the control group). The device is supposed to deliver just mild to moderate anesthesia, but not put the patient under general anesthesia.
In order to prevent deeper-than-intended sedation, the device should be restricted to use by persons trained in the administration of general anesthesia, according to CDRH.
The company countered by saying that five patients in the pivotal clinical trial who were considered to have received deeper-than-intended sedation shouldn't be considered a safety concern because none experienced apnea or oxygen desaturation. The device has a built-in safety feature to avoid apnea and loss of oxygen, the company added.
CDRH also took issue with the comparison arm of the company's clinical trial. Ethicon Endo-Surgery's 1,000-patient study was a non-blinded comparison study of the administration of propofol via Sedasys with the administration of benzodiazepine/opioid, both by a gastroenterology team.
CDRH said a more apt comparison would have involved an arm in which a gastroenterology team used Sedasys to administer the propofol and an arm in which clinicians trained to administer general anesthesia administered propofol without the Sedasys device.
The company maintains that because a benzodiazepine/opioid combo is the "current standard of care," it made for a realistic comparison in the clinical trial.
That's one of the questions the committee will consider next month -- whether a new trial should compare propofol with propofol. The dispute resolution panel also will consider whether the incidents of general anesthesia are of concern; whether the training program proposed by the company is good enough to make sure that gastroenterologists and their nurses are adequately trained to administer propofol; and whether the benefits of the device outweigh its risks.
In the previous advisory committee hearing, the panel voted 9-1 that gastroenterologists and their nurses can safely use the Sedasys system without being trained in administering general anesthesia.
The Medical Devices Dispute Resolution Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee will meet on Dec. 14 to review the company's data.
The device is approved in Australia and Canada for use during colonoscopy.
According to FDA records, the last time the committee met to review a dispute was in 2007. That meeting concerned a micro-catheter ablation system made by California-based Cardima Inc. The panel voted 5-0 that the FDA commissioner should find the device not approvable. It was never approved.
In 2010, Cardima declared bankruptcy; it was purchased by a Chinese medical equipment company earlier this year. | <urn:uuid:57875db0-5116-41f7-a9d8-9806becd17e1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.medpagetoday.com/Anesthesiology/Anesthesiology/29863 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956182 | 977 | 1.65625 | 2 |
A federal court has approved the $1.5 million settlement agreement the Southern Poverty Law Center reached on behalf of more than 1,500 guestworkers owed back wages by an Arkansas agricultural company. The settlement is one of the largest agreements ever reached against a single employer of foreign guestworkers.
The U.S. Department of Justice has advised the Southern Poverty Law Center that it will investigate discrimination against students with disabilities in the Georgia public school system. The decision by the department’s Civil Rights Division follows an SPLC complaint filed with the Department of Justice in November.
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) today condemned efforts by House Republicans to prevent a decorated 12-year U.S. Army veteran and other married gay and lesbian veterans from receiving the same disability benefits provided to their married heterosexual counterparts.
The Southern Poverty Law Center filed a federal lawsuit against Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin N. Gusman today, charging the Louisiana sheriff’s indifference has created brutal and inhumane conditions at the Orleans Parish Prison where prisoners endure rampant violence, multiple sexual assaults and neglect.
The American radical right grew explosively in 2011, a third consecutive year of extraordinary growth that has swelled the ranks of extremist groups to record levels, according to a report issued today by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). The rise was led by a stunning expansion of the antigovernment “Patriot” movement.
Latinos in Alabama have experienced harassment, hardship and discrimination, regardless of their immigration status, as a result of the state’s anti-immigrant law, HB 56, and the xenophobic climate it has created, according to a report released today by the SPLC.
Tracey Cooper-Harris served for 12 years in the U.S. Army and received multiple commendations. But because she’s in a marriage with a person of the same sex, the government refuses to grant her the same disability benefits as heterosexual veterans.
A new study released today urges the closure of the Alabama Department of Youth Services’ Chalkville facility and the DYS-contracted Working on Womanhood program. The study determined that girls held at these juvenile facilities, many of whom are the victims of abuse, would fare much better in their own communities, where they would receive better rehabilitative services.
A federal district court today temporarily blocked major parts of South Carolina’s anti-immigrant law as a result of a lawsuit filed by the Southern Poverty Law Center and its allies challenging the law as unconstitutional.
A federal judge set a historic legal precedent by granting class action status to a human trafficking lawsuit involving more than 350 Filipino teachers – a decision likely to benefit countless other human trafficking victims in the future. | <urn:uuid:aaec58a5-7210-4ae4-aa6d-da1911f61560> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.splcenter.org/category/news/press-release?page=9 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9577 | 550 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Citing 'Possible Sequester,' Administration Releases Illegal Aliens from Detention
(CNSNews.com) – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has released "several hundred" illegal aliens from detention centers across the country citing concern over the "possible sequestration" of some federal spending that, under the Budget Control Act that President Obama signed in 2011, could take effect this Friday.
"As fiscal uncertainty remains over the continuing resolution and possible sequestration, ICE has reviewed its detained population to ensure detention levels stay within ICE’s current budget,” ICE spokeswoman Gillian Christensen said in a statement released on Tuesday. “Over the last week, ICE has reviewed several hundred cases and placed these individuals on methods of supervision less costly than detention.” (See email from Gillian Christensen, ICE Statement.pdf)
“All of these individuals remain in removal proceedings,” Christensen said. “Priority for detention remains on serious criminal offenders and other individuals who pose a significant threat to public safety.”
“We’re getting reports from multiple detention centers in Texas, Florida and New Orleans where detainees who are low priority are being released in mass without bond,” Domenic Powell, a spokesman for the National Immigrant Youth Alliance, an immigration advocacy group, was quoted as saying in a McClatchy Newspapers report on Monday.
On Monday, during a press briefing at the White House, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the sequester is a threat to national security.
“Threats from terrorism and the need to respond and recover from natural disasters do not diminish because of budget cuts," Napolitano said. "Even in the current fiscal climate, we do not have the luxury of making significant reductions to our capabilities without significant impacts." | <urn:uuid:f62c7f6b-490f-43a0-bdaa-1132a81c768d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cnsnews.com/news/article/citing-possible-sequester-administration-releases-illegal-aliens-detention | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941622 | 373 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Is my anti-depressant causing my constipation?
Treatment for constipation includes changing some behaviors, eating foods high in fiber, and using laxatives or enemas if needed. You can try these treatments at home, before seeing a healthcare provider. However, if you do not have a bowel movement within a few days, you should call your healthcare provider for further assistance.
A variety of laxatives are available for treating constipation. The choice between them is based upon how they work, how safe the treatment is, and your healthcare provider's preferences. Bulk forming laxatives include natural fiber and commercial fiber preparations such as Psyllium or Metamucil. You should increase the dose of fiber supplements slowly to prevent gas and cramping, and you should always take the supplement with plenty of fluid ...more | <urn:uuid:47d856a7-e040-4bae-a297-a3e7e669c0da> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://qna.rediff.com/questions-and-answers/what-are-the-benefits-of-triphala/20365727/answers/19725144 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94414 | 167 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Tulsa Unitarian ‘Church’ Hosts Sunday Services for Atheists
The leader of a Unitarian establishment in Tulsa, Oklahoma recently began hosting Sunday services for atheists.
Markin Lavanhar of All Souls Unitarian ‘Church’ told Tulsa World that he sees approximately 100-200 people attend his special Sunday services, which feature no prayers, no praise and worship and no mention of God.
“Just the word ‘God’ turns a lot of people off,” he said.
Therefore, he opens each meeting with generalized references, such as “This is a day not of our own making.”
Lavanhar stated that while he believes in God, he does not agree that Jesus was God in the flesh — a common belief of Unitarians. He told reporter Bill Sherman, however, that he will not argue with those that acknowledge the deity of Christ.
Three services are hosted each Sunday: the first focusing on humanism and how each person is the ruler of their own life and destiny, the next on transcendentalism and how Unitarians look to other sources than the Bible for revelation from God, and the third being the traditional Unitarian service.
“By trying to bring together such a wide diversity of people, we’re really trying to bring harmony and unity and peace to the world, and to be an example and a model of that for the world,” Lavanhar explained.
According to an article entitled Do Any Atheists Go to Church? Why Would Atheists Attend Church Services? by Austin Cline, some atheists do attend services hosted by Unitarians because they do not require a belief in God.
“In the United States, there are several groups which count themselves as religious, but either don’t require belief in any gods or actually discourage belief in the traditional God of orthodox Christianity,” Cline explained. “These groups include Ethical Culture, the Unitarian-Universalist Church, and a variety of religious humanist organizations. Many, many atheists are members of these groups and regularly attend meetings or services on Sunday mornings (or at some other time during the week).”
He said that some also attend just for the music or to be with their families.
While most Christians would assert that Unitarian gatherings are not Christian services to begin with, they would also agree that a number of those that attend Bible-believing assemblies are not necessarily true followers of Christ.
“[Y]ou might not realize it, but not everyone in church is a Christian,” said Jim Duke of Trinity Worship Center in Albany, New York. “You see, Christians are not defined as those who acknowledge Jesus Christ. If that were the case, Satan would be Christian, and so would his demons, as Satan believes Jesus exists. He just doesn’t give Him any reverence. And neither do those in your circles who say they know God, tell you they believe in Jesus, but give more reverence to their favorite baseball team.”
“Many Christian churches … are filled with people. But, are they filled with Christians?” he concluded. “Jesus said you will know them by their fruit.” | <urn:uuid:c257071a-8c8e-4384-93de-bd6b0a88793f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://christiannews.net/2012/11/13/tulsa-unitarian-church-hosts-humanist-services-for-atheists/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973928 | 671 | 1.507813 | 2 |
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Indiana’s NewsCenter) - While gas prices may be curtailing traffic on roadways, a Fort Wayne airfield is celebrating a boom in business.
What a difference a few years makes for Smith Field.
Folks who've been around the city for more than a decade probably remember how the small North side airport was on the endangered species list.
Thursday, officials snipped a ribbon, marking the opening of a new airport hangar that has space for 12 planes.
The good news, every one of the units has already been leased.
Another new multi-unit hangar is planned for construction in the next two to three years.
The local airport authority was ready to shut down the smaller, landlocked airfield in 2003, before pilots and other aviation supporters mounted a campaign to rescue the facility from the scrap heap.
Now, an aviation mechanic school is thriving on the property and a new runway is envisioned ten years down the road.
Short-term, there's a different focus.
Scott Hinderman/Airport Authority Director: " Right now, our immediate need is a little bit more aircraft storage facilities, or T-hangars, so we have to start working on that, and get that to where we've got our arms around it. And we're accommodating all of our users and stakeholders, and then we'll start working towards the other runway."
David DeWald/Pilot: " To fight to see it stay open, and then to see it go beyond your dreams, is pretty amazing."
Smith Field is an uncontrolled airport, so there is no system set up to track planes taking off and landing, but the airfield does keep track of fuel sales.
Hinderman says that business is making a comeback after some lean years during the recession.
This year, the airport authority says fuel sales are up five percent, one more indication that the future is looking brighter for a facility that once appeared doomed.
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© Copyright 2013 A Granite Broadcasting Station. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | <urn:uuid:3c947a42-3335-4b60-8a5d-986b16890e08> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/home/Pilots-Rejoice-as-Smith-Field-Opens-Newest-Hanger-144943505.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949921 | 454 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Two recent bipartisan reports make the case that US capital markets may be dangerously over regulated.
The Committee report
The first report of the blue ribbon Committee on Capital Markets Regulation, issued on 30 November 2006, documented several types of evidence that the competitiveness of US capital markets appears to be eroding and made 32 recommendations to enhance that competitiveness. This committee of private experts is headed by Hal Scott, a professor at the Harvard Law School; Glenn Hubbard, the dean of the graduate business school at Columbia University; and John Thornton, the chairman of the Brookings Institution. Over the next two years, the Committee also expects to issue reports on the competitiveness of mutual funds and derivative markets. The major findings of this first report are the following:
- In 2000, 50 percent of the value of world-wide initial public offerings was raised in the US, falling to five percent in 2005.
- The US share of total equity capital raised in the world’s top 10 markets was 41 percent in 1995, falling to about 28 percent in 2006.
- The listing premiums on US stock exchanges have declined substantially.
- Private equity firms, almost non-existent in 1980, sponsored more than $200 billion of capital commitments in 2005.
- Since 2003, private equity fundraising in the US has exceeded net flows into mutual funds, and going private transactions have accounted for more than a quarter of publicly announced takeovers.
Some of the decline in the US share of world equity markets is probably due to the increased efficiency of major foreign markets. The dramatic increase in the use of private US markets, however, is important evidence that regulation and litigation are contributing to the flight of many companies from the public markets.
Although the findings of this report are quite dramatic, the Committee’s recommendations are surprisingly tepid. The Committee proposed several increases in shareholder rights based on little more than a wistful hope that this would reduce litigation. The financial regulatory organisations are encouraged “to move to a more riskbased regulatory process, emphasising the costs and benefits of new rules” and to periodically test existing rules by the same standard. And, of course, “There should be more effective communication and cooperation among federal regulators.” The most substantive proposals would limit the authority of the federal enforcement authorities and the liability of outside board members and the audit firms. The report concludes that only “If the SEC finds that, even after the general reforms outlined above are implemented, the revised Section 404 is still too burdensome for small companies, it should recommend that Congress exempt small firms from auditor attestation.” The report offers surprisingly little analysis and evidence that their recommendations would enhance the competitiveness of US capital markets, and it makes no proposals to change the major federal regulatory laws.
The Schumer-Bloomberg Report
A second report, issued on 22 January 2007, “warned that New York financial markets, stifled by stringent regulations and high litigation risks, are in danger of losing businesses and high-skilled workers to overseas competitors,” estimating that US financial service revenues would fall between $15 billion and $30 billion a year without a major change in the public policies affecting US capital markets. This report was commissioned by US Senator Charles Schumer and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, prepared by McKinsey and Company, and informed by interviews with more than 50 financial service specialists. Somewhat of a surprise, this report was endorsed at its release by Eliot Spitzer, the newly elected governor of New York, who was critical of the prior report by the Committee on Capital Markets Regulation. The Schumer-Bloomberg report recognised “that while many of the causes (of the erosion of the competitiveness of US capital markets) are due to improved markets abroad and sophisticated technology that has virtually eliminated barriers to the flow of capital, a significant number of the causes … are selfimposed,” focusing on the effects of stringent US regulations, higher litigation risk, and restrictive immigration policy.
To my surprise, the Schumer-Bloomberg report recommends a substantially different set of policy changes than does the prior report by the Committee. The major policy recommendations that are quite different include the following:
- Implement securities litigation reform with particular shortterm emphasis on leveraging the SEC’s existing authority.
- Ease immigration restrictions facing skilled non - US professional workers.
- Protect US competitiveness in implementing the Basle II Capital Accord.
- Modernise financial services charters and holding company structures.
Potential Congressional action
The fact that two reports that addressed much the same issue led to such different policy recommendations will make it more difficult for Congress to resolve what to do about this problem of increasing concern. Nevertheless, both Barney Frank and Christopher Dodd, the new chairmen, respectively, of the House and Senate banking committees, are expected to hold hearings on the issues raised and the policy recommendations by these two reports. And the SEC has already made some minor changes to the implementation of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act to respond to these concerns. The new Democratic Congress seems willing to address these issues primarily because of the substantive findings of these two reports, the bipartisan endorsement of these reports, and the concentration of the financial industry in the northeastern states that are now represented primarily by Democrats.
Major remaining problems
My primary disappointment with both reports is that they do not address the major conditions that limit the rate of return on US equity markets.
- Very few corporate boards now include a member with sufficient voting shares to be a credible threat to the incumbent management. The origin of this problem is the federal Williams Act of 1968, which substantially increased the cost of successful tender offers and completely eliminated the potential for surprise. Over the next several decades, corporations chartered in almost every state were authorised to implement one or more takeover defenses, and most did so. An important 2003 study by Paul Gompers and colleagues, however, found that the rate of return on the equity of individual corporations has been a strong negative function of the number of takeover defenses in that firm. This issue has not been subject to a public discussion and nothing has been done to correct this problem.
- The Sarbanes-Oxley Act substantially increased the role of the independent auditing firms and created an expensive and arguably unconstitutional board to regulate these firms. This Act, however did not correct the major potential conflict of interest between corporations and their independent auditors, in that the audit firms are still paid by the corporations that they audit.
- The primary public rationale for the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was to restore investor confidence by improving the quality of reported earnings, and the Committee report asserted that this has been the effect. The best test of this effect is whether investors are now willing to pay a higher price for a stock per dollar of reported earnings. The price-earnings ratio on the S&P 500-stock index, however, has declined continuously since the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was being drafted in the spring of 2002. Five years later, there is still no objective evidence that this Act has restored investor confidence in the equity values of the stocks listed on US exchanges and thereby subject to the regulations required by the Act.
- The largest long-term cost of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, however, may be more risk-averse behavior by corporate managers and board members. Most CEOs, for example, are not accountants, and the requirement that they personally attest to the accuracy of the audits at the risk of a jail sentence is likely to divert the CEOs from more productive activities and lead to more riskaverse decisions. Individual shareholders can reduce the risk of their portfolio more efficiently by investing in a broad-based mutual fund rather than by counting on individual corporations to reduce the risk of individual stocks. Legislation designed to reduce the probability of “another Enron” may reduce US economic growth.
My major disappointment about this whole episode is the recognition that so many intelligent and informed adults do not acknowledge that Congress has probably made a mistake that should be reversed rather than be considered a new pillar of American securities law. Michael Oxley, recently retired from Congress, was asked whether he would have done anything differently if he knew then what now is known about the effects of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. “Absolutely,” Oxley answered. “Frankly, I would have written it differently, and he would have written it differently,” he added, referring to Sarbanes. “But it was not normal times.” Now is the time to revise or repeal the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. | <urn:uuid:321c4359-2a2d-41b0-b33f-e1774032fedc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/us-capital-markets-may-be-dangerously-overregulated | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961882 | 1,738 | 1.6875 | 2 |
(This is Neil) The editor of New Blackfriars has generously made a number of articles about Thomas Aquinas freely available. One of them is Yves Congar’s “Saint Thomas Aquinas and the Spirit of Ecumenism,” originally published in 1974 (see here [PDF]). Cardinal (then-Père) Congar’s article would seem to be especially relevant as the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity just concluded a few days ago.
It must be said, the title of Congar’s article might at first seem counterintuitive, even opportunistic, for two main reasons. First, we do not generally consider the medieval period as a time marked by the respect for the other “as other” that is necessary for ecumenism. And didn’t Thomas Aquinas – perhaps a man of his time after all – write a Contra errores Graecorum? But, regarding Aquinas, he didn’t title his work himself, criticized only the rejection of the papal primary and the Filioque (which he understood as “per Filium”), and had a great deal of respect for the Greek Fathers. He never actually took part in actual discussions with Eastern Christians, and, if he had, he would have noted that the Greek and Latin Fathers, despite any disagreement, had managed to live in communion with one another.
Second, Congar notes, we often consider the “temper” of Aquinas’ “sensibility” to be quite different than the “existential point of view” of Lutheran and much later Protestant theology. There is some truth to this (see my posts here and here). But Congar tells us that Aquinas’ analyses and distinctions are means (“particular angles”) to approach reality. They are not meant to be “reified.” Furthermore, Aquinas is not interested in constructing a cold and impersonal system. He is actually very interested in human liberty. For instance, Congar writes that, in the IIa pars of the Summa, “man is not treated as a ‘nature’ in the current sense of the word, but as the creator of that which he is called to be, by his virtuous acts and the habitus: He creates himself.” Congar also notes that many Protestant theologians have appreciated Aquinas.
So, perhaps we may conclude that Aquinas is not anti-ecumenical, but can he provide constructive aid in the contemporary practice of ecumenism? Congar answers positively. Of course, Aquinas never participated in ecumenical dialogues, but his way of writing “formally” (“from a precisely determined point of view”) means that the essence of his thought can endure even in different historical contexts – “rather as gold abides under the fluctuations of currencies.” Thus, we might expect that Aquinas would provide a description of the new heaven and new earth that would presently be outdated, given his adherence to Aristotelian physics. But Aquinas merely “confines himself” to a formal principle: that the human body will be “entirely subject to the soul, God’s power so disposing, not in being only but in all actions, experiences, motions and bodily qualities” (Contra Gentiles IV.86) – namely, that the glorious liberty of the children of God will be fully realized. This principle can be accepted even in a time of quantum physics. Also, we can say that Aquinas carefully distinguishes between what it is necessary to maintain and what is merely opinion – between the certain and the hypothetical. Finally, unlike many of our coreligionists, Aquinas is very careful before using such terms as haereticum and erroneum.
Besides his method, which has ensured that his thought will endure, Aquinas has positions that are useful to recall in ecumenical discussions (here I will just mention three):
1. While it might be imagined that Catholics emphasize the permanence and finality of the church and its “official” theology, Aquinas always keeps in mind the eschatological reference of all things – thus, the church for Aquinas is always between the synagogue and the kingdom, not an end in itself.
2. Aquinas maintains that the virtues have God as ground, rule, and object, so to “believe” is not a human “work,” but merely to become receptive to the witness that God gives of himself.
3. Aquinas writes that the “Holy Church is the same as the assembly of the faithful,” and is primarily the house of God, where the faithful are washed in the blood of Christ, receive anointing, are made holy, and are sanctified (Expos. in Symbol. A 9).
In Aquinas, there is no confusion of the eschaton with the present, and no confusion of the spiritual with the temporal. There is no attraction to theocracy of any sort detectable in Aquinas.
Finally, Aquinas should inspire us with the sheer intensity of his search for the truth, no matter where he found it. The quaestio (“the discussion of the pro and contra, the determination of the doctrine to be held, the response to the objections) that is familiar to anyone who has even glanced at the Summa is an attempt to rescue the truth, even when it is surrounded by error. Aquinas follows the general principle of Aristotle:
And since in choosing or rejecting opinions … a person should not be influenced either by a liking or dislike for the one introducing the opinion, but rather by the certainty of truth, he therefore says that we must respect both parties, namely, those whose opinion we follow, and those whose opinion we reject. For both have diligently sought the truth and have aided us in this matter (Comm. in Metaph. XII, 9).
Thus, after obtaining even proscribed texts, Aquinas always begins by looking for the intentio auctoris – the intention of the author. This is not always an easy task – a formula might have been misused, or another passage might have to be referenced to make sense of the meaning of the original passage, or one might even need to have recourse to the “general aim” or “global intention” of a work. Aquinas, at one point, demonstrates that an argument from Augustine is unsound. But then he says, “Sed tamen ut profundius intentionem Augustini scrutemur …” (“However, if we examine more deeply the intention of Augustine”). Congar asks, “What results would have been yielded by a study which, after pointing out the questionable or even unacceptable meaning of a text by Luther, would have continued: ‘Sed tamen ut profundius intentionem Lutheri scrutemur’?” It is, I should say, very difficult to imagine Aquinas “fisking” anybody at all.
Aquinas, as it is well known, died on the way to the Second Council of Lyons in 1274. Congar asks one more question: What would Aquinas have said if he had lived to go there to speak about the procession of the Holy Spirit? In his De Potentia, Aquinas gives us the two principles he would have applied to the controversial question of the Filioque: first, the principle of development, and, second, the principle of the difference between the concepts and the terms with which the issue had been discussed in East and West. The Greeks had come to use the term “cause” to speak of the Father in his relationship with the Son and the Spirit, while the Latins thought that the use of this term would lead to serious problems. Aquinas claims “if we take careful note of the statements of the Greeks we shall find that they differ from us in words rather than in thought” (De Potentia 10.5.c). Conceivably, if Aquinas had lived to attend the council, the claim that was made two centuries later in Florence might have been made at Lyons: “That which the holy doctors and the Fathers declare, that is to say, that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father by the Son, is intended to signify that the Son, as well as the Father, is the cause – according to the Greeks – the principle – according to the Latins – of the subsistence of the Holy Spirit” (Laetentur coeli ). (Obviously, I am not claiming here that East and West could have been fully reunited so easily.)
Aquinas, then, might have looked forward, however distantly, to the principle of “equivalence” found in the Second Vatican Council’s Unitatis Redintegratio: that we might preserve unity in what is necessary, and diversity in “the various forms of spiritual life and discipline, or in the variety of liturgical rites, or even in the theological elaboration of revealed truth …” (my emphasis).
So, thus, Aquinas might be a resource for ecumenism in terms of his methods, positions, and, especially, the sheer intensity of his search for the truth.
What do you think? | <urn:uuid:491b2028-6c8e-4308-bde7-fa5db859c227> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://catholicsensibility.wordpress.com/2010/01/29/thomas-aquinas-and-ecumenism/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966672 | 1,944 | 1.75 | 2 |
The Great Tablet Experiment
Yesterday I posted that I was Done Waiting. I refuse to just talk the talk, so I'm going to start walking the walk.
In a perfect world, next year would find me teaching 2 sections of Honors American Literature in the morning and working as a tech integration specialist the second half of the day. I'm still hoping my district will follow through and post that position.
With two classes in the morning, I would love to get my hands on 65-70 tablets for those students. These tablets would be used by the students all year in all of their classes. I want to help them integrate the tablet into their school work and their lives. Most of all, I want to show my district, and other districts, the value of mobile devices in education.
Where to start? Well, I'm going to need a way to fund these tablets. I will either need a generous donation from a company that makes tablets, generous donation from a company that can afford to donate the tablets, or multiple donors working together to bring the tablets to my classroom.
I've never taken on a task like this before and I'm kind o excited to start reaching out to groups and companies to show them what is possible when you have a vision to improve education.
If you have any suggestions as to where I should start, please drop me a line. If you are a company that would be interested in helping bring tablets to my classroom, please send me an email at [email protected]
I'm very excited to start sharing this new project with all of you. | <urn:uuid:88a60d19-0502-4c48-b396-72464353f15a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thenerdyteacher.com/2011/06/great-tablet-experiment.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970319 | 329 | 1.835938 | 2 |
But polls show that around 20 percent of Americans identify with the Tea Party movement -- even if only a much smaller percentage have actually attended a Tea Party rally or meeting. It has become as much a state of mind as a movement; people who have never been to a meeting or a rally now complain about out-of-control spending and government being too much in our lives.
This is not just true in off-the-grid Idaho or the Deep South; it's in supposedly liberal havens like New Jersey and Massachusetts. And most Tea Party supporters -- and their candidates -- do not spend a lot of time crusading against masturbation or dressing up as Joseph Goebbels.
But nor is the Tea Party as simple as the explanation offered to reporters by Mark Skoda, the barrel-chested, radio-voiced technology entrepreneur who served as the spokesman for the National Tea Party Convention in Nashville in February. "It's a way in which people are organizing, channeling their frustration about how the government's not listening," Skoda told a phalanx of foreign journalists who had arrived to cover the convention. "Elsewhere, people can't agitate for change. We're doing it peacefully, without bullets, without insults. We are taking our government back."
The foreign press took this largely at face value; Fabienne Sintes, a journalist with Radio-France, told me that while previously, she had trouble selling her editors on stories that described U.S. opposition to Obama, by the time the Tea Party convention gathered, the conventional wisdom had shifted.
"Before I had to adjust them, saying he is not walking on water," she told me. "Now I have to say, well, he's not dead yet."
It is true that the Tea Party movement started with frustration -- among conservatives who were out of power, and among people concerned about the growing national debt, the cratering of the economy, and the government's intervention to try to save it.
Liberals have appropriately asked why it did not start with President Bush, who turned the surplus into a deficit, not least by starting two wars. But the Tea Party supporters are mostly Republicans, and conservative ones, at that. When a president goes to war, they are inclined to support him. There is a libertarian core to the Tea Party that agrees with Ron Paul, the quirky congressman from Texas, about the need to reduce the United States' military presence around the world. But for the most part, this is a Support Our Troops crowd. They cheer Ron Paul when he talks about auditing the Federal Reserve and cutting spending, but he was booed at a Tax Day rally on April 15 when he began talking about the need to get our troops out of Korea and Japan.
Tea Partiers say they want to focus on economic conservatism, meaning that they don't spend a lot of time talking about other topics -- foreign policy, or social issues like gay marriage and abortion. But they do tend to define themselves as social conservatives, so it has been hard to completely ignore talk of faith or social issues. And while some Tea Party groups do not want to talk about immigration -- believing it too divisive -- for others it is a defining issue.
Still, the Tea Party is not as consumed with moral issues as France's Front National. Nor is its unifying mission the rabid Islamophobia of the English Defense League, as a recent BBC report suggested. And the Tea Party certainly does not resemble the current mass protests in France -- the Tea Partiers would align themselves with Sarkozy and David Cameron on cutting spending (if they bothered to think about policy beyond America's shores), just as they are with Chris Christie, the governor of New Jersey, as he takes on the teachers' unions. That said, Christie and Sarkozy, stylistically, have about as much in common as Marshmallow Fluff and aioli.
For as the United States has moved closer to a European model on health insurance, "Europe" has become a dirty word. ("Next thing you know they'll force us all to drive little European cars," one man in Grand Rapids, Michigan, told me, and you can bet he was thinking Yugo, not Porsche.) At rallies against health care, Tea Partiers held up the example of Greece to illustrate how a European welfare system would bankrupt the United States.
As the Tea Party looks likely to establish a sizeable presence in Congress, it will apply more pressure to cut spending -- including on Social Security and Medicare -- and to act on Republican promises to try to repeal the health-care legislation passed earlier this year.
None of this translates into Obama's downfall -- at least not yet. If anything, having an opposition to blame might help his campaign for re-election two years hence. Nor does the Tea Party movement necessarily signal the ascendancy of Sarah Palin -- another object of foreign fascination. Polls and focus groups show that many Tea Partiers are just like other Americans in this regard: They do not think her qualified to be president.
What the foreign press needs to understand is that the Tea Party movement is best understood as a conservative insurgency in a country that produces them in regular cycles. There are echoes of the Tea Party in the anti-tax protests of the 1970s and 80s, and in the Goldwater movement of the early 1960s. But that does not mean anyone -- foreign or otherwise -- can ignore it. The Tea Party may not have the numbers to take over the country, but it is not going away anytime soon. | <urn:uuid:1ad005af-e14b-4723-92cc-7cf079d53cdd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/10/26/the_tea_party_exported?page=0,1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974226 | 1,123 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Reflections on PSHA, Part 1
Last time, I blogged about being a member of a state speech-language-hearing association. In that blog
I mentioned my state association's upcoming annual convention. Today's post is about some of my experiences at the PSHA Convention
. I'll write about the other presentations I attended in my next post.
My time at the convention was split among the usual convention-type activities: attending short courses and seminars, going to poster sessions, consuming food and clapping for recipients at the awards luncheon, and visiting exhibitor booths. (Who doesn't love the freebies?) I feel very fortunate that I was able to attend the convention (as I know professional leave often is limited in these times of school budget cuts) and listen to excellent presentations and speakers.
As school-based SLPs, we have diverse interests in the field and diverse caseloads. I tried to choose topics based on my areas of interest and areas in which I felt I needed to learn more. Between my two days at the convention, I attended a total of five different presentations. The three mentioned in this post all relate to technology. I've included the title, the presenter and a brief reflection of each.
M. Jeanne Wilcox, PhD, presented "Assistive Technology for Young Children with Communication and Language Needs." Although designed for SLPs working in early intervention (toddlers, preschoolers), I attended this presentation because of my high interest in assistive technology for communication and because, although my students are older, I thought some of the information presented would apply to my early language learners. It really made me think about thinking outside of the box more when making adaptations for my students. It also made me realize how much more AT my students with moderate-severe disabilities should be using. Dr. Wilcox also shared her excellent Tots N Tech website. I highly suggest checking out the wealth of information on this website if you work with students who use or could benefit from AT.
"Apps and the SLP: Assessment and Intervention" was presented by Beth Holland, MA, CCC-SLP. Although I still haven't received my iPad from my district, I look forward to the day that I'll be getting mine! It's amazing the number of apps that are out there! I can't wait to try out some of the ones we were shown at this seminar.
Stephanie Craven, MA, and Carrie Leonhart, MS, presented on "Don't Be Scared - Learning (and Teaching) About High-Tech Communication Supports." They discussed a summer program for young transitioning adults who use high-tech communication devices. One of the program attendees even helped give the presentation. Although I don't work with this age group, I love AAC and work with students who use high-tech devices who someday will become young, transitioning adults.
I'm thrilled that I was able to attend PSHA. I'm already excited for next year's convention - it's being held in a city that's a short drive for me! Did any of you attend PSHA? If so, did you attend any of the same presentations as I did? What were your thoughts? For non-PSHA attendees, if any of these topics spark your interest, feel free to let me know, and I'll gladly blog more in-depth about any one of these presentations. Comment below or on the ADVANCE Facebook page! | <urn:uuid:8feed050-eefe-4ab0-a30d-cacc420a2448> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://community.advanceweb.com/blogs/sp_2/archive/2012/04/11/reflections-on-psha-part-1.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973061 | 705 | 1.570313 | 2 |
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Monsanto Company, Windfall Soybean Production: Located on 40 acres in Tipton County, Monsanto’s Windfall Soybean Production facility employs 25 employees. In 2009, Monsanto brought a group of manufacturing businesses within the county together to discuss occupational safety and health concerns. While relatively small in size, the “Tipton Business Safety Exchange” is a group of five manufacturers that work together to tackle worker safety and health concerns as well as discuss ideas and best practices. Worker safety and health initiatives discussed in these meetings have included motor vehicle safety, confined space entry, lockout/tagout and fall protection. Meetings are held in different employer locations, and typically involve a safety audit. This presents an opportunity for participants to develop their hazard recognition skills and offers the hosting site a “fresh set of eyes” for the identification and correction of workplace safety and health hazards. Participation in the “Tipton Business Safety Exchange” also provides an opportunity for smaller companies to be mentored by larger organizations. Monsanto Windfall Soybean Production was also a 2009 repeat winner of this award for their “Buckle Up or Eat Glass” and “Farm Safety 4 Just Kids” campaigns.
Education & Outreach Internal
Small Company – USALCO Michigan City Plant is a manufacturer of alumina-based chemicals for municipal water treatment plants as well as industrial customers. Employing ten workers, the Michigan City, Indiana facility is a division of its parent company, USALCO, LLC. In 2010, the site achieved certification in the Indiana Department of Labor’s INSHARP program. Recently, the site implemented a safety tracking system to maintain all safety improvements to the site. In just over a year, this safety tracking system identified approximately 140 potential hazards and to date has closed 120 of them. This particular site has gone more than nine years without a lost time incident. Quarterly, company management participates in meetings addressing worker safety and health. The site has developed best practices that continue to serve as examples for other USALCO sites.
Medium Company – Peerless Pump: Operating since 1923, the last 60 of those years in Indianapolis, Peerless Pump Company designs, develops, engineers and manufactures pumps and packaged systems. Peerless recently implemented a Safety and Health Management System which was integrated with the ISO 14001 environmental management system to create an Environmental Health and Safety Management System. Both supervisors and employees conduct audits to ensure worker safety and health. This system has increased employee awareness of and participation in occupational safety and health-related functions. As a result of the heightened awareness, Peerless Pump’s 2010 Total Recordable Case (TRC) rate is more than 70% below the national average for their respective industry. The company also reduced recordable injuries and illnesses from a seven-year high of 14 in 2004, to four in 2010. Peerless Pump’s Days Away Restricted and Transferred (DART) rate was also reduced by more than 85% from 2004 to 2010.
Large Company – Raytheon Technical Services: With worker injury and illness rates more than 80% below the national average for their industry, Raytheon Technical Services Company continues to make occupational safety and health a top priority. Raytheon Technical Services Company, located in Indianapolis, employs more than 1,100 workers. These employees design, rebuild, modify and assemble equipment for the United States military as well as other customers. As a visual indicator of safety performance, the company utilizes flags, which are posted outside of the facility at parking lot entrances. A green flag indicates that no recordable incidents were experienced in the last 48 hours. A yellow flag indicates that a recordable injury occurred. Finally, a red flag indicates that lost work time incident occurred in the last 48 hours. To engage employees in occupational safety and health-related activities, the site produces a monthly EHS poster. The company also uses a safety token program to provide incentive and on-the-spot recognition to employees that perform unsolicited actions. This includes using proper lifting techniques, appropriately using PPE and reporting a safety issue. Employees benefit from these activities as the activities encourage involvement and help build the company’s safety culture. In 2008, the site celebrated 18 million hours without a lost time incident.
Small Company – Univertical Corporation: Founded in Detroit, Michigan more than 70 years ago, Univertical Corporation moved its operations to Angola, Indiana in 1997. Univertical Corporation is a copper foundry and chemical manufacturer that makes products for use in the plating industry. Currently, the company has gone more than 850 days without a loss time incident. Most recently, the site revamped its training program, including maintaining a database to house this training. The importance of this major re-work and undertaking was the addition of ten new employees and two new manufacturing processes. Safety-related training programs for lockout/tagout and confined space were completely revised to include more hands-on training, along with detailed classroom-oriented training. In addition to this change, the company’s six employee safety committee recently rewrote several written safety and health programs.
Medium Company – Acument Global Technologies is a manufacturer of threaded fasteners for the automotive, electronic as well as other manufacturing industries. The company’s site in Rochester, Indiana employs more than 100 workers. Employees at all levels of the organization are involved and engaged in the company’s workplace safety and health program. Employees serve on the EH&S Team and discuss work-related incidents and other topics such as machine guarding issues, Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs), ergonomics as well as employee safety and health suggestions and concerns. To increase employee participation in worker safety and health activities, an employee suggestion program was implemented, and all employees are encouraged to participate. Suggestions are entered into the EH&S database and are posted for employee review. Employees that submit safety related suggestions are awarded points. Those suggestions that are approved and implemented by the EH&S team are awarded more points. Points are reviewed monthly and prizes are given based upon these safety suggestions. Recently, the Rochester site surpassed 1.5 million man-hours (6 years) without a loss time injury. Since 2007, the Rochester site has reduced recordable injuries by nearly 65%.
Large Company – Union Hospital, Inc.: Comprised of Union Hospital, and a network of other practice locations in Terre Haute and Clinton, Indiana, Union Hospital, Inc. is the largest medical center in the area. The network employs more than 2,300 employees. Safety Ambassadors have been established for each department and the safety and health committee. Through the efforts of the safety ambassadors and the safety committee, many safety areas have been addressed. Key areas addressed by the ambassadors and safety committee included Union Hospital’s patient handling program and workplace violence. The safe patient handling program included the installation of overhead ceiling lifts to decrease worker injuries associated with lifting patients as well as to improve patient satisfaction and quality of care. Additionally, trained and competent security officers were added to the emergency department to thwart assaults and acts of violence. Monthly, employees receive education on safety topics specific to the healthcare industry. Union Hospital has developed a culture of safety awareness and empowerment of the employees to address occupational safety and health issues.
Overall Safety for Construction
Gribbins Insulation Company, Inc.: Founded in 1985, Gribbins Insulation Company, Inc. is a commercial and industrial mechanical insulation contractor. The company installs insulation and metal jacketing on piping, duct work, equipment and tanks for commercial, industrial, process and power generating facilities. Newly implemented policies and procedures reduced the number of first aid injuries from 23 in 2009 to 16 in 2010. Gribbins Insulation Company, Inc. did not experience an OSHA recordable injury in 2010. To measure effectiveness of Gribbins’ occupational safety and health program, the company uses leading indicators such as behavior-based safety observations, jobsite audits and root cause analysis. Each month, a report indicating behavior-based safety observations is conducted by employees. In addition, the report summarizes all at-risk behaviors and the motivators leading to those behaviors that employees observe in the field. The company cites a 30% reduction in the amount of violations identified in their jobsite audits.
Education & Outreach in Construction
William D. Mott: With more than 40 years dedicated to worker safety and health, Mr. William D. Mott is the recipient of the 2011 Governor’s Workplace Safety Award for education and outreach in the construction industry. Mr. Mott joined Huber, Hunt and Nichols, today known as Hunt Construction Group, and was nominated by his coworker, Kevin Turner, as a result of the significant impact he has made, not just at Hunt Construction but within the construction industry in the elevation of safety as a core mission.
Bill Mott has worked with many industry associations and proactively worked with the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration (IOSHA) on two site-specific partnerships. These partnerships lead to raising the worker safety and health bar on these and other projects. Bill Mott was an early adopter of tracking injuries on jobsites, and using that historical data to be translated to effectively work with those contractors performing traditionally high-risk work.
As a mentor, teacher and advocate, Bill has left a legacy not just at Hunt Construction, but to many in the construction industry. A friend of many people in this room, and well known to many others, it is my privilege to present the Governor’s education and outreach award in construction to William D. Mott.
All employees on-site have received the OSHA Construction Safety 30-hour training course. In the more than 40 years of construction safety, Mr. Mott has mentored many regional and site safety personnel as well. | <urn:uuid:ef53d24f-27e3-4158-8868-45057836d7f5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.in.gov/dol/2753.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955377 | 2,044 | 1.75 | 2 |
Why do I have split ends? And how do I get rid of them?
Split ends are a result of wear and tear on the hair and of overdrying and coloring, says NYC hairstylist DJ of the DJ Rubin Salon. Certain hair types, fine for example, are also particularly prone to splitting.
You cannot mend split ends; the only way to get rid of them is to have them snipped off above the split. For women who are wary of cutting their hair short, DJ recommends getting tiny trims every four weeks, and following with deep-conditioning treatments (to keep strands supple and flexible). This type of maintenance routine should ensure that splits don't crop up at all. | <urn:uuid:f014cd46-3214-4044-8ea0-a03b69ece091> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.realbeauty.com/hair/care/get-rid-of-your-split-ends | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960911 | 143 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Desiging a product is hard work - the result of training, experience and the creative process. You also must be a smart businessperson exploring creative alternatives to keep your cost to market low.
After you take so much time bringing your idea to life, it is vexing beyond belief when you discover your arts/crafts design or promotional copy is stolen. In the arts and crafts world, imitation is not the most sincere form of flattery; it’s a potential drain on your gross income and your ability to support yourself.
Want to fight back? To follow are legal ways to protect your intellectual property.
The most relevant aspect of copyrights for arts/crafts businesses is that they protect the written word. We sell to customers that have the alternative of purchasing mass produced items at any discount department store. A good part of our appeal is the story that goes behind each of our products. Sometimes it takes me a few hours to be completely happy with a description for a new product.
Your arts/crafts ideas and designs aren't protected by the copyright law, although the way in which they are expressed may be - thus the importance of protecting your written word. The written word is automatically copyrighted for the life of the author plus seventy years. However to perfect your copyright, it must be registered.
A trademark is a unique symbol, word, or phrase that identifies your product. Two symbols designate a trademark. One is ™ and the other is an R inside a circle ®. Of the two, only the ® indicates that a formal registration with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has been completed.
One arts and crafts business example is Tiffany & Company designer Elsa Peretti®. She trademarks both the name of her designs such as Diamonds by the Yard® and her actual name. There are a few criteria for a phrase being eligible for trademark protection. One is that it must be unique. For example, the term facial tissue is not unique but Kleenex® is.
One day you get a thrilling telephone call – a manufacturer wants to license one of your arts/crafts products and mass-produce it under their company name. This is a great way to make money but there are many different issues you need to address when licensing your design. For example, will you receive artist credit? How are you to do paid – a flat fee for the design or royalties based upon sales? What about any non-compete clauses?Due care must be taken to weigh all aspects of the contract to make sure you’re not actually losing money by licensing your product.
Patent protection has been available to artisans since the late 1800s to protect both the ornamental or surface design of the product and also how the product works. In order to receive a design patent you must have invented an arts/crafts design that has a ‘new, original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture’.
The patent approval process usually take quite a while (ergo the phrase “patent pending”). Most arts/crafts businesses will be better served by copyrighting their work. However, this is a complex subject that is best discussed with your attorney should you think you may benefit from seeking a design patent. | <urn:uuid:d64d66f2-08ba-458d-81a1-fb3193921a46> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://artsandcrafts.about.com/od/legalissues/tp/protectingcraftideas.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94875 | 673 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Who could imagine the resignation of Gen. David Petraeus over a sexual relationship with a woman other than his wife could have implications for same-sex marriage?
Columbia Law School Professor Katherine Franke, writing in the school's Gender & Sexuality Law Blog Nov. 10, saw right away the parallel between Petraeus' resignation and the experience of many gay and lesbian civil servants in the past.
"Gay men and lesbians were vulnerable to this kind of take down from public service until recently on the theory that illegal and shameful behavior such as being gay or having an extra marital affair could render you susceptible to blackmail, thus jeopardizing national security," wrote Franke.
A week later, John Prados, a senior fellow at the National Security Archive, pointed it out in a Washington Post piece. Until 1998, when President Bill Clinton issued an executive order to stop the practice, he said, CIA intelligence officers "found to be gay" automatically "lost their clearances or even their jobs."
"The ostensible concern about the Petraeus affair was the potential for blackmail," wrote Prados. "Yet it is far-fetched today to think that a foreign government would contrive an operation to ensnare a CIA employee through an affair, a foreign-spy spouse or an allegation of homosexuality. Our enemies are unlikely to bother with such complicated schemes. Instead, they buy informationthe method that has remained tried and trueor attempt to hack it from the data-rich computer networks that the government is spending billions to defend."
It was a computer issue that fingered Petraeus. An investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, aimed at determining whether the CIA director's computer security had been breached, uncovered emails indicating he was having an extramarital affair. The FBI had also found classified documents on the computer of Petraeus' mistress, Paula Broadwell.
Petraeus submitted his resignation to the president Nov. 8. In a separate letter to his colleagues, Petraeus cited "personal reasons," but was candid.
"After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair," said the letter. "Such behavior is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an organization such as ours. This afternoon, the President graciously accepted my resignation."
During a press conference Nov. 14, President Obama said that he has seen "no evidence at this point" indicating the Petraeus affair compromised classified information or threatened national security. An investigation is ongoing and has cast suspicion of adultery on the current commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Gen. John Allen. It may imperil Allen's appointment to become NATO's Supreme Allied Commander.
The high-profile scandalous nature of the news surrounding two of the country's best known and most popular military figures has prompted many essays and talk show discussions about adultery and its significance in national security matters and the military specifically, and in society generally.
Less than a week after Petraeus resigned, the New York Times and its sister paper the Boston Globe ran a story about laws against adultery. Times' national legal affairs correspondent Ethan Bronner pointed out that, in Virginia, where Petraeus lives, and in 22 other states, adultery is "a criminal act." Those states include New York, Illinois, Florida, Georgia, Arizona, Massachusetts and Michigan, but not California, Ohio or Texas.
In most of the 23 states where adultery is still a crime, it's a misdemeanor, reported Bronner. But in Massachusetts, Michigan, Wisconsin, Idaho and Oklahoma, it's a felony. Moreover, it's rarely enforced or punished.
The discussions were reminiscent of talk about laws concerning same-sex sexual relations many years agohalf the states had laws against it on the books, most were misdemeanors, but a few were felonies. They were rarely enforced or punished. A key difference, however, is that laws banning same-sex sexual relations (so-called sodomy laws) were frequently cited to prevent gays from various jobs, including the military. It may interest LGBT readers to know that Petraeus, during the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," said he had no issues working with military colleagues he knew to be gay.
As Bronner noted, "Most states have purged their codes of laws regulating cohabitation, homosexual sodomy and fornicationsex between unmarried adultsespecially after the 2003 Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas…."
That decision, he noted, struck down laws prohibiting consensual sexual activity in private between unmarried adults.
"But the question of how that ruling affects adultery," he wrote, "remains unanswered because others may be harmed by adulterya spouse and children."
One expert Bronner consulted, a law professor at the University of California-Berkeley, said she thinks "it is an open question whether adultery continues to be as viable as criminal law even though it remains on the books" because "most courts in light of Lawrence are going to give adultery a wide berth."
One could almost hear U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia calling out, "I told you so."
In his scathing dissent against the Lawrence decision, Scalia warned that "State laws against bigamy, same-sex marriage, adult incest, prostitution, masturbation, adultery, fornication, bestiality, and obscenity are likewise sustainable only in light of Bowers' validation of laws based on moral choices." Bowers v. Hardwick was the 1986 Supreme Court decision that upheld laws against same-sex partners having sex.
"Every single one of these laws is called into question" by the majority ruling in Lawrence, said Scalia.
Famed Harvard law professor Laurence Tribe argued against sodomy laws in the Hardwick case and wrote a pivotal brief in support of overturning Lawrence. He agrees that "Most courts after Lawrence would, indeed, give adultery a wide berth, but when it amounts to cheating on one's spouse and endangering others, rather than just violating an antiquated moral code, it raises issues that Lawrence v. Texas didn't address or even contemplate, so I wouldn't be too quick to assume that the law has evolved to the point where infidelityespecially by someone against whom it might be used as a source of blackmailis no longer a source of constitutionally legitimate public concern."
"Certainly the far-fetched, but entirely predictable, argument that Lawrence put the country on a slippery slope that might endanger legitimate interests unrelated to purely moralistic intrusion into the consensual choices of responsible adults can draw no support from whatever berth adultery might have gained from the Court's Lawrence decision."
LGBT law expert Nancy Polikoff at American University's Washington College of Law, pointed to a paragraph in the majority decision of Lawrence that made clear it was directed at "two adults who, with full and mutual consent from each other, engaged in sexual practices common to a homosexual lifestyle [emphasis added]."
But, added Polikoff, the decision "does protect private, adult, consensual sex … so it's arguable that adultery is protected."
William Eskridge Jr., a professor at Yale Law School and author of Dishonorable Passions: Sodomy Laws in America, 1861-2003, said he doesn't think state laws that criminalize adultery would be much weakened by Lawrence when it comes to "state penalties that are designed to protect the innocent spouse."
And Gary Buseck, legal director for Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, said he doesn't think Lawrence weakened laws against adultery much either.
"Pre-Lawrence, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court upheld our state adultery law against a constitutional challenge. I wouldn't bet on Lawrence changing that result although I am sure arguments could be made that it should."
"Most courts," said Buseck, "have read Lawrence really quite narrowly and disappointingly even to questions where it seems wholly relevant."
Interestingly, this glance at laws against adultery comes at a time Scalia and other Supreme Court justices are discussing privately among themselves whether to take up one or more cases related to the legal right of same-sex couples to be married and enjoy the benefits of marriage. Presumably, Scalia will re-read his Lawrence dissent snap that, "If moral disapprobation of homosexual conduct is 'no legitimate state interest' for purposes of proscribing that conduct … what justification could there possibly be for denying the benefits of marriage to homosexual couples exercising '[t]he liberty protected by the Constitution'?" Laws against same-sex marriage, he said, with Justice Clarence Thomas signed on, were sustainable "only in light of Bowers' validation of laws based on moral choices."
"What a moment this is," noted Katherine Franke in her comment regarding the Petraeus affair, "that on the heels of having won enormous victories in electing openly gay candidates such as Tammy Baldwin and securing marriage rights for same-sex couples in four more states, marriage remains an institution whose mores, morals, and social standing can bring down someone as powerful as David Petraeus when he violates them. It seems that we live in a time when it's safer to be gay than to be an adulterer."
©2012 by Keen News Service. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:99a40ca8-7dc5-498f-9ef1-70c0d6c58e37> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Petraeus-scandal-conjures-recent-LGBT-legal-skirmishes/40505.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968198 | 1,864 | 1.796875 | 2 |
|The author, who we may see as Paul, writes to Hebrew Christians who are getting discouraged and perhaps have never given up some of the practices that pointed forward to Christ. He says Christ is better than angels, than Moses, and than Aaron (as High Priest). The new covenant is better, the sacrifice is better, and so on.|
¶ God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past
unto the fathers by the prophets,
.2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
.3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
1 - God ... appointed The first three verses connect Christ with the Father.
3 - Brightness Here we may know the Father. We dare not go beyond what we are told in Scripture. Also see re0321.
- Worlds From aiones. The Son was an active agent
in the creation of this world jn0103,
Here we see Him in the creation of other places in the universe where life
exists. Compare jn0939.
Our planet may be considered as the lost sheep in contrast to the ninety-nine
in the fold although the parable also describes lost individuals mt1812.
In the preadvent judgment as described in Dan.
7:9, 10 many are witnesses as the books are opened and Jesus presents
the records of those He has chosen to save. Our world is infected by the
plague of sin and it is only just that the saving power of Christ be seen
in those whom He chooses to bring out of it. Perhaps the "ten thousand
times ten thousand" are representatives of unfallen worlds.
3 - Purged our sins On the cross, Christ, took our place and atoned for our sins. The sacrifice was made once for all and is complete. Does this mean His work for our salvation has been completed? No, as we will see by the time we get to chapter 8.
¶ Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance
obtained a more excellent name than they.
.5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
.7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
.8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
- Better than angels There is a good reason why angels do
not normally appear to us. We would tend to bow to them or expect that
they would reveal some great secret. We would be worshipping them re2208.
Also, Satan can pretend to be a good angel 2co1114. His fallen angel friends can impersonate deceased loved ones. ec0905. We would be tempted to listen to these sources claiming to have changed the plain requirements of God da0725. Devils can do real miracles re1603.
5 - You are my Son From through verse 13, are quotations from the OT (Old Testament) showing that Christ is better.
7 - Angels Compare with v14 below and with the source, ps10404.
9 - God An important concept.
Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even
thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
.10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
.13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
.14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
| 9 -
righteousness We can do righteous acts without loving righteousness.
We may be convinced by the logic of truth. As we come closer to Christ,
we begin to love righteousness ps04008
as He does jos2205,
Evil is intensely repulsive to Him.
9 - Anointed Jesus Christ was commissioned to be our Saviour. See de2840, ps02305, ps09210.
10-12 One of many quotations from the Septuagint (LXX) establishing the deity of Jesus. See ps10225.
14 - Ministering spirits This is a fundamental definition of angels. Compare is0606.
Do righteous people go to heaven at death and become angels? No and no. However, we will be like angels mr1225. | <urn:uuid:fe06ee18-6d96-4fc5-81f3-67cf4267540d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bibleexplained.com/epistles-o/hebr/he01.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950501 | 1,142 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Scouting is a tradition for the Jones family. Pictured from left Scottie Jones, Baylee Jones, Lonnie Jones and Chad Jones. Baylee recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout. By JAMIE PATTERSON
Scouting is more than just a tradition in the Jones family.
It is a way of life that has helped shape three generations.
“It is about service and placing good qualities in a young man that will help him succeed in life,” said Lonnie Jones, who has been involved with Boy Scouts since the early 1960s. “It can put you on the right course and change your life.”
The family has also joined forces with others in the community to spread the word about the importance of scouting among local youth.
But for the Jones family, it all began when Lonnie joined a troop in Prentiss. Leader Jerry Wilson gave his time and effort to the cause, and he helped Lonnie during his journey into the program.
Lonnie said he enjoyed his time in scouting when he was younger. From summer camps to outdoor adventures, he dove right into the organization.
-------for the rest of the story see The Yazoo Herald printed edition or subscribe to the Digital Edition.---------- | <urn:uuid:8a0808ab-50c4-401c-922f-6fc0378928cd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.yazooherald.net/index.php?limitstart=175&el_mcal_month=3&el_mcal_year=2013 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977536 | 257 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Austinite snags record for kayaking Amazon River
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Austinite West Hansen set out to accomplish what only seven other human beings have done before him—travel the entire length of the Amazon River, in a kayak.
In fact, more people have walked on the moon than traveled the length of the world’s longest river.
"I was dealing with a different demon every few hundred miles," Hansen said.
West Hansen also set a record by completing the adventure in 111 days. Previous records covered the same distance in 140 plus days. He estimates he traveled a little over 4,100 miles.
Ninety of his 111 days were spent riding the wild water.
"Less than four days ago I was out in the ocean, battling 30 foot waves in the Atlantic at the mouth of the Amazon, at three in the morning," he said.
The 50-year-old Austinite is no river novice. He is a seasoned ultra-marathon kayak racer with records and titles under his belt.
"I am still in the mindset of paddling in the morning,” Hansen said. “At night when I wake up in the mode of getting up and in an hour we got to be on the water."
At times, navigating Class 5 rapids seemed easy compared to other dangers.
"We finally get down to the flat water area where there are no real water hazards, but then we get held up by gunmen. Five times,” Hansen said.
Luckily, no one was hurt after being held at gun point, but one of their cameras was stolen during the final confrontation.
Hansen's teenage daughter Isabella was also part of his 22-member support team dubbed the “Amazon Express.”
She is an eighth-grade student at the Anne Richards School for Young Women Leaders. The elder Hansen asked the 14-year-old to assist in research as part of the expedition.
"I've rarely missed any of his races, ever," she said. "He also asked me to head up the bio-diversity project that he signed on to do with the Pacific Bio-Diversity Institute."
In the end, the team survived the record-setting task, and like a true champion, his trophy is found in humility.
"It doesn't take anybody special,” he said. “It just takes someone to put one foot in front of the other and keep going."
Hansen's adventure was funded in part by a National Geographic grant. A NatGeo television show and a documentary is also in the works.
In the meantime, Hansen is catching up on some much needed rest. | <urn:uuid:bc7bca11-e432-4290-99be-cd8b4935018a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://austin.ynn.com/content/headlines/289571/austinite-snags-record-for-kayaking-amazon-river | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976488 | 576 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Future Physicians Experience Exhilarating Rite of Passage
As if medical school isn’t challenging enough.
Students study hard for years working toward a degree. They log long hours in clinics, labs, and classrooms. Then, just before graduation, they surrender their future to an algorithm.
This is the tradition of Match Day, when medical students across the country are matched to the residency program by a computer program, determining not only where they will work, but also the type of doctor they will become.
UCSF School of Medicine 2012 graduates were matched to residencies in 19 states. Residencies positions will begin later this spring.
“Every doctor remembers their Match Day,” said Maxine Papadakis, MD, assistant dean of students at UCSF School of Medicine. “It’s a moment when students know what their future will bring after medical school.”
On Friday, 158 UCSF medical students crowded into Millberry Union and were handed their match results in a sealed envelope. At precisely 9 a.m. — after a suspenseful countdown — they and more than 38,000 other U.S. medical school students opened the letters and learned their fates.
“A residency sets the stage for your career,” said Tyrone Chan, fourth-year medical student at UCSF. “You spend years there and it’s where you build your first professional network.”
The experience has been compared to opening SAT scores or a college acceptance letter in front of a large audience. It’s a situation that most of us would prefer to avoid and medical students are no exception.
UCSF medical students, from left, Cathra Halabi, matched to neurology at UCSF, Ty Chan, matched to pediatrics at Stanford Hospital, and Eugene Kim matched to radiology at Barnes-Jewish Hospital at Washington University.
“It was definitely nerve-wracking,” Chan said. “It all comes down to this one moment and you just hope you get what you wanted.”
The hand-wringing process for Match Day primarily exists out of fairness. The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), a private, not-for-profit corporation established in 1952 to provide the same date for appointments to residency positions, feeds all student performance data, scoring, and residency preferences into a database. After the numbers are crunched, every student across the country learns of their assignment at the same time. Gathering together to read the results comes out of a collegial tradition of support.
“Only your fellow classmates will understand the joy or heartbreak you feel after tearing open that envelope,” Papadakis said.
Chan was assigned a pediatric residency at Stanford University. “It was my first choice,” he said. “I’m very happy.”
Match Day 2012 saw the highest match rate nationally for medical schools in 30 years. More than 95 percent of seniors matched residency positions and 57 percent were matched to their first choice, according to data released by the NRMP. The number of total applicants this year rose by 642 for a total of 38,377 participants. These individuals applied for 26,772 positions, an increase of 614 over 2011. Internal medicine, anesthesiology, and emergency medicine saw the largest increases.
While the total number of applicants increased, the event also highlights the shortage of primary care doctors. According to the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC), 32 million Americans are set to enter the health care system in 2014 while a growing and aging population will live longer and need more medical care. While recent efforts on the part of medical schools have resulted in more residency positions across the country, the increases are insufficient to meet the nation’s future health care needs. The AAMC continues to work with medical schools to increase enrollment and residency opportunities.
Slideshow photos by Cindy Chew
Follow Kevin Eisenmann on Twitter: @kevineisenmann | <urn:uuid:75963acc-ca59-4bce-8f4a-54f025acb819> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2012/03/11715/medical-students-mark-match-day-ucsf | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950356 | 826 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Salvador Rodriguez July 04, 2012
Sleek ... a prototype of Google's Project Glass.
Apple may be taking a page out of Google's book.
The US Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday awarded the Cupertino tech giant a patent for a wearable display device that certainly sounds, at the very least, similar to Google's Project Glass.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin has been touting the company's computer glasses, going as far as putting together a huge spectacle last week, complete with bikers and skydivers, to announce that participants in the company's Google I/O conference could purchase a prototype of the project that will arrive early next year for US$1,500.
But now, the new patent indicates Apple may at the very least be entertaining the idea of waging war with Google in yet another market.
The actual patent describes a "peripheral treatment for head-mounted displays" that isn't intended to be as mobile as Google's Project Glass but rather a more static experience, according to The Next Web.
The device immerses the users with two displays and techniques for filling their peripheral vision with the image being shown, according to various reports.
The device, which could be for a helmet, pair of glasses or even a visor, would have applications useful to surgeons, military personnel, firefighters, police officers, scientists and engineers, according to Wired.
If you want to check out the patent yourself, you can read it here, but keep in mind that just because there is a patent, it does not mean Apple will for sure build this Project Glass rival.
Even if Apple jumped in, that wouldn't be Google's only competition. Oakley, the glasses company, is also reportedly testing out its own glasses device, according to an April report by Bloomberg. Could this mean the next major platform after mobile will be headgear?
Los Angeles Times | <urn:uuid:6a1ba359-71ce-4c7c-a1fe-00bdcea84bb0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://m.canberratimes.com.au/digital-life/computers/apple-may-challenge-google-with-wearable-device-20120704-21gc5.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951257 | 390 | 1.671875 | 2 |
© All Rights Reserved Lingering
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania and with around 50,000 is a relatively small city, the ninth in the state.
If you have a membership to a Science Museum you can use it for free or discounted admission to the Whitaker Science Center, also in Strawberry Square.
Average highs range from around 3-4 °C in January to around 30 °C in July. Lows average between -5 °C and 19 °C respectively. The average annual amount of precipitation is about 1,100 mm with summers being slightly wetter due to heavy downpours. Snow is common from December till early March.
Harrisburg International Airport (IATA: MDT, ICAO: KMDT) receives a number of domestic flights.
The following trains operated by Amtrak travel to and from Harrisburg:
Many international rental companies have a wide selection of rental cars and these include Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Thrifty, Enterprise, Budget and Alamo/National. Most companies will require you are at least 25 years of age, although younger people might be able to rent cars at slightly higher rates and with some insurance differences as well. A national driver's license is usually enough, but an additional international one is recommended. Also note that it usually costs more to include lots of other extra things. For example extra drivers, GPS, the first full tank, SLI (Supplemental Liability Insurance), PAI (Personal Accident Insurance, usually covered already at home), road assistance/service plan, and drop-off costs for one-way rentals.
If you want to book a car, it is recommended that you book your car before arriving in the USA. This is almost always (much) cheaper compared to just showing up. Also, try and book with a so-called 'broker', which usually works together with a few or many car rental companies and can offer the best deal. Some examples include Holidayautos, Holidaycars and Sunny Cars. Some of the cheapest deals to book from Europe, includes Drive-USA, which also has a German version.
For more information and tips about renting cars and campers, additional costs, insurance, traffic rules, scenic routes and getting maps and fuel it is advised to check the USA Getting Around section.
If you are in downtown Harrisburg, 2nd street is lined with good places to eat or drink and has a lively nightlife. Families will enjoy Strawberry Square and children will love the giant Chockablock clock.
See also International Telephone Calls
The US Postal Service is very good and well priced mail system. There are post offices in every small and large town for sending packages internationally or domestically. If wanting to send a letter or postcard it is best just to leave it in a blue mail box with the proper postage. There are also private postal services like FedEx, UPS and DHL.
as well as Peter (3%)
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Except where otherwise noted, content of this article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License | <urn:uuid:190432df-6d17-467c-a503-e87e855c5c50> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.travellerspoint.com/guide/Harrisburg/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958935 | 649 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Several herbal remedies to consider here. For your overall well-being and to knock out those colds before they start, consider the product IMMUNICITY which is an Andrographis and Eleuthero based supplement. The combination of andrographis and eleuthero have been shown in many clinical trials to support immunity. Taking them either daily or when you feel a cold coming will reduce the time you are faced with a cold. Next, for the toothaches, I'd start using a good oral Probiotic product. Life Extension supplies an ORAL HEALTH PROBIOTIC which dissolves slowly under the tongue and which is filled with a special type of microbe that keeps the bad bugs at bay in your mouth. It's worked well for me. IMMUNICITY is a new product, I've tried samples, and it will be available the first week of November. But the oral probiotic should be available right now.
Sounds like your immune system is really run down!
When assessing why a client isn't well, we look at two major areas with their diet: Whether what they're eating is adequate to maintain their health; and also, whether they're absorbing the nutrients they're eating.
An accredited nutritionist or naturopath can help you assess why your immune system keeps falling over, and what you can do to get it healthy again. Professional help will get you the answers faster.
NOTICE: The information provided on this site is not a substitute for professional medical advice,
diagnosis, or treatment. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your
physician or other qualified health provider because of something you have read on Wellsphere.
If you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. | <urn:uuid:d85bda39-724b-4b4a-a473-fdd29cd2cada> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wellsphere.com/complementary-alternative-medicine-article/every-time-i-get-a-cold-it-becomes-a-chest-infection-my-toothaches-become-abcesses-i-get-at-least-two-infections-a-year-any/844165 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958423 | 360 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Choosing the right materials is always a key ingredient when it comes to designing your dream home and silestone countertops enjoy the reputation of being the 'dream home' industry standard. Silestone countertops are made from quartz which combines the strength as well as beauty of quartz to produce a superior surface that is ideally suited for the home or office.
Silestone is a type of natural durable quartz which is the world's leading quartz surface that is ideally suited for a myriad of interior surfacing usages.
Silestone countertops can be used in the kitchen and due to the fact that quartz is extremely hard and is found in great quantities in nature it has great strength which makes it scratch resistant and so can be easily used as a countertop. Silestone countertops could be the smartest choice for homeowners because of its extra durability as well as strength.
The Silestone countertop is more consistent than granite and so it is much easier to pick colors from samples without any need of visiting the stone yard, and Silestone countertops are also maintenance free. They are ideally suited for kitchens, island tops, backsplashes as well as other places and one can even purchase knobs, switch plates as well as handles made from silestone to match the kitchen surface. One can also add beauty and practicality to a bathroom using silestone varieties.
The beauty and sophisticated elegance of silestone countertops provide the user with timeless beauty as the natural quartz provides depth, clarity, radiance as well as a cool, unyielding feel that can only be found in natural stone. Silestone countertops are also extremely scratch resistant, stain resistant, heat resistant, mold/mildew resistant, as well as burn resistant.
Remember when choosing from silestone countertops, one is able to select from any of the 45 different colors and most Silestone colors are available in polished finish.
Listed below are just a few of the colors that Silestone offers. | <urn:uuid:53095103-2a53-472e-8c12-e819eaf6779c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sandwkitchens.com/silestone/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965381 | 395 | 1.53125 | 2 |
|FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY|
|» June 8, 1976: The Houston Astros, picking first in the baseball draft, select Arizona State P Floyd Bannister, TSN's College Player of the Year. Bannister is one of 12 eventual major leaguers from the ASU team, which finished 3rd in the College World Series. The Tigers take P Pat Underwood with the 2nd pick. OF Rickey Henderson lasts until the 4th round. |
» November 22, 1978: The Ford Motor Credit Company purchases holdings of the General Electric Credit Company, thereby acquiring 100 percent interest in the Houston Astros.
» July 18, 1994: The Houston Astros spot the visiting St. Louis Cardinals an 11-run lead after three innings, but rally to win 15–12. The Astros score 11 runs in the 6th on the way to matching the largest comeback in National League history.
» February 23, 1998: A series of killer tornadoes sweeps through Florida, narrowly missing the Houston Astros clubhouse, and the homes of several players, in Kissimmee. A campground behind Osceola County Stadium, the Astros training base, is destroyed, and seven people are killed by one of the twisters.
» May 6, 1998: In one of the finest pitching efforts ever, Chicago Cub rookie righthander Kerry Wood fans 20 Houston Astros in a 2–0, one-hit victory to tie the major league mark for strikeouts in a 9-inning game. Making only his 5th big league start, the 20-year-old ties the record held by Roger Clemens, who performed the feat twice. Wood does not walk a batter in his masterpiece, allowing only an infield single to Ricky Gutierrez in the 3rd inning, that likely would have been an error had it occurred late in the game. The 20-year-old Wood became the 2nd pitcher in baseball history whose strikeout total matched his age (Bob Feller struck out 17 when he was 17-years-old). Wood struck out the first five batters of the game and struck out seven in a row between the 7th and 9th innings, a streak that ties Jamie Moyer's Cubs record.
» May 19, 1998: The Montreal Expos defeat the Houston Astros, 4–2, in the first outdoor game played in Montreal's Olympic Stadium since 1991. The retractable roof, which has been prone to tearing in high winds, was removed on May 10. A new permanent roof will be installed after the season.
» September 4, 2000: In the Red Sox win over the Mariners, 5-1, Carl Everett of the Sox became only the sixth major-league switch-hitter to drive in 100 runs in both leagues when he knocked in his 100th ribbie of the year. Everett drove in 108 runs for the Houston Astros last season. The other five 100-100 switches were Ted Simmons, Ken Singleton, Eddie Murray, Bobby Bonilla and J.T. Snow. Pedro Martinez is the big star, striking out 11 in eight innings to go 7–0 over the M's. Jamie Moyer loses his 6th in a row, though not his fault as a routine fly ball by Jose Offerman to Mike Cameron becomes a 3-run triple when the center fielder stumbles. Prior to the game, Boston retires Hall of Fame C Carlton Fisk's uniform No. 27.
» July 28, 2001: In a day-night DH, Vinny Castilla of the Houston Astros became the 13th player this season to hit three home runs in a game when he does it against the Pittsburgh, but the Pirates still edge the Astros, 9–8, with an amazing comeback. Pittsburgh becomes only the 2nd team in NL history to win a game by scoring seven runs with two outs and nobody on base in the 9th inning. Brian Giles caps the scoring with a walk-off grand slam off Astros ace Billy Wagner to win it. The Cubs did it, against the Reds, in the first game of a doubleheader on June 29, 1952. | <urn:uuid:59b25029-36c8-48cb-a61e-c886e87b5350> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/chronology/includes/H/Houston_Astros.chr.stm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964241 | 835 | 1.539063 | 2 |
The dire situation for
journalists in Sri Lanka who have fallen out of favor with the government
has not gone unnoticed at the U.S. State Department. On March 23, Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton sent a letter to Senator Robert Casey, who chaired the Senate
Foreign Affairs subcommittee
hearing on Sri Lanka on February 24. Seven
senators had written to her about their concerns in
"I share your concerns about the need to protect Sri Lankan journalists and freedom of speech and the State Department has taken steps to assist those who have been threatened. Our latest Country report on Human Rights documents a broad decline in fundamental human rights and the failure of the government to prosecute abusers. However, because it is based on the 2008 calendar year, the report does not document the targeting of journalists since January 2009. Our embassy in
Colombocontinues to raise publicly and privately--with the government of --the need for media freedom and the end to human rights abuses." Sri Lanka
The U.S. Embassy and many other diplomatic missions have been leaning on the government about the treatment of journalists, but the effect is hard to measure. There have been no more hit motorcycle-mounted hit squads attacking journalists in their cars, and no other bomb attacks on broadcasters, so maybe the message has been heard. But the government hasn't backed off from its anti-media strategy.On April 2, the magistrate hearing evidence in the pre-trial hearing for Lasantha Wickramatunga's murder on January 8 continued the case until April 16. There has been little movement, despite the government's claims that it's moving ahead with due diligence.
The suspect said to have stolen Wickramatunga's phone was
remanded into custody until April 16. A friend messaged me from
And, for the record, there has been no movement in the investigation into the January 23 attack on Upali Tennakoon either. Police have said they are at a dead end.
Meanwhile, Sri Lankan journalists who have come under attack
or faced harsh criticism have stepped back for fear of their lives. We know of
about nine Sri Lankan journalists who have withdrawn from public life and their
careers. Some have fled
Sonali Samarasinghe Wickramatunga, Lasantha Wickramatunga's wife, who has been keeping a very low profile, told me earlier this week after I asked her why she wasn't playing a more public role these days:
"On the morning of Feb 13, our neighbor alerted my sister that two persons on a motorbike very like that which had followed Lasantha on the day of the murder was seen watching our house for quite some time. The neighbors also revealed that, on the morning of the murder, they had seen a black motorbike and two persons leaving our premises one wearing a black bandana on his head, 'as worn by the army security personnel guarding VIPs.' They said it was only later that they connected that with the murder. Of course Lasantha and I also saw a black motorbike with two persons in black wearing black helmets whiz past our car as we stopped in the driveway [on the morning Lasantha was killed]."
And my friend in
"[T]he government offensive against journalists seems to be continuing. It has appointed a Parliamentary Select Committee to probe the writings and the contributions of pro-LTTE Sri Lankan journalists who have been contributing articles to foreign non-governmental organizations, which might be deemed detrimental to the interests of
." Sri Lanka | <urn:uuid:92f27508-7657-41ac-9824-f6878f9286d9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cpj.org/blog/2009/04/sri-lanka-on-state-departments-radar.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974358 | 719 | 1.601563 | 2 |
A Penny for Your Thoughts: Sizing Up Manipulative EPS Rounding
For as long as public companies have been required to report earnings per share (EPS), there probably have been misguided managers who try to nudge it higher.
We’ve written this article to unveil a method of manipulating EPS that, near as we can tell, hasn’t yet been described in print. Because any attempt to manipulate EPS creates uncertainty and uncomfortable risk for investors—which, in turn, could create capital market inefficiencies and produce discounted stock prices—we want to expose this inappropriate and unproductive gamesmanship and then help eliminate it.
Our specific concern is that a troubling number of managers, and perhaps their auditors, have grown comfortable with manipulating EPS despite the questionable ethics of this practice. The most obvious method massages reported net income, the numerator of EPS. More subtle, but equally objectionable, is buying back stock to decrease the denominator.
Our focus falls on the even more stealthy manipulation of the quotient through biased rounding of EPS to the higher penny. Even if it had been suspected, no one until now has assessed its prevalence and proposed policies to stop it.
In the coming pages, we prove that abusive rounding is indeed going on and show when it’s most likely to happen. We then explain how anyone can determine whether a specific company’s management has decided to commit it over and over again. We also show that management’s choice of auditors makes these manipulations less (or more) likely. As a practical contribution, we recommend a very simple rule change that will totally eliminate the temptation to pick up a penny through rounding.We then tackle the much bigger issue of how to make income statements and EPS more useful.
Miller, Paul A.; Martin, Greg; and Bahnson, Paul R.. (2012). "A Penny for Your Thoughts: Sizing Up Manipulative EPS Rounding". Strategic Finance, 94(1), 35-39.
This document is currently not available here. | <urn:uuid:bb675594-6449-4a04-a657-15fd906c9c5e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/account_facpubs/8/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939529 | 417 | 1.570313 | 2 |
A perfect storm roils the horizon of higher education. Three towering and swiftly moving storms -- affordability, student loan debt, and seismically shifting demographics -- are about to collide. The power of their convergence and the resulting collateral damage will challenge the very survival of colleges that refuse to evolve. The perfect storm will shake our industry to the core if we are not equally swift to throw off an outdated paradigm. A new generation of college presidents must step up to confront the turbulent landscape that will be the "new normal."
Former President John F. Kennedy once said, "It is time for a new generation of leadership... For there is a new world to be won." These new visionary leaders can be the young top guns, but this challenge is not the sole purview of the young. Next generation leaders may emerge also from the ranks of the "industry veterans," but will include only those who are willing to embrace change, adapt through complexity, and re-examine, re-invent, and re-engineer themselves -- and higher education itself -- to meet the needs of the new age. Those who do not act boldly will remain among the old guard, which will not prove a safe haven. The new leaders must espouse a paradigm shift to steer the way through the perfect storm. Failure to do so will result in some institutions going out of business or withering in a marginalized existence.
Consider this: analysis of College Board and U.S. Census data projects that the net price of a private college education will consume 38 percent of the median household income of an American family. Since the year 2000, the price of a college education has increased 33 percent and 25 percent respectively for private and public colleges (College Board) while the median household income in 2010 (constant dollars for that same period) has decreased by 6 percent (U.S. Census). Furthermore, Postsecondary Education Opportunity data points out that students from families in the bottom 20 percent of household income had about an 8 percent bachelor's degree attainment rate in 1989. In 2009, that rate remained virtually unchanged. At the same time, the same data shows the bachelor's degree attainment rate of students from families in the top 20 percent of household income grew from 55 percent in 1989 to 82 percent in 2009.
Essentially, we have an environment in which the college attainment rate for the "haves" has grown significantly while that of the "have nots" has remained low and unchanged for two decades. Moreover, the amount of debt students incur to earn a college degree is disproportionately burdensome to lower-income families who can least afford to borrow and who have a lower probability of attaining a degree. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, student loan debt exceeds credit card debt.
Demographics are also changing. Analysis of U.S Department of Education Data suggests that, by 2030, the majority of college students will be nonwhite. In other words, we will have a majority minority college student population in America. Yet, it is people of color who are at the bottom the economic ladder in the United States and most likely not to attain a college degree. This paradox of those least likely to afford and to complete college being the very ones burdened with debt, makes this a truly unsustainable economic model.
If college leaders do not heed these trends, anticipate the future, and decisively face this perfect storm, then colleges are destined for turbulent years and another lost decade. Companies like IBM and GE have evolved multiple times over the last 50 years as the corporate landscape has changed. Yet higher education stubbornly refuses to evolve in the 21st century global economy. We must change our industry to meet the challenges of educating young people to successfully engage in a fluid, global society.
The new generation of leaders must step forward from their institutional confines and transform the industry using new tools and approaches, such as disruptive innovation and selective experimentation, to ensure we cost-effectively graduate students prepared to compete in a global society. Colleges cannot teach students as if we are in an agrarian economy -- we must embrace new technologies, online learning, and other modalities to contain costs, build access, and create economies of scale.
New guard leadership cannot cling to relics of the past. It must step up, shift the paradigm in higher education, and revolutionize the industry. If the old guard does not want to make way for change, then in the words of Malcolm X, we must bring change "by any means necessary." As the late civil rights leader said, "... real power, comes from our conviction which produces action, uncompromising action." Entrepreneurs and families, the underemployed and the unemployed, global corporations and populations around the globe are calling out with the power of conviction. How will American higher education answer?
Follow Robert E. Johnson on Twitter: www.twitter.com/BeckerPrez | <urn:uuid:211f0296-0c55-4936-b920-1fc500042e08> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-e-johnson/storm-warning-why-higher-_b_1651126.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943353 | 987 | 1.703125 | 2 |
IF YOU GO
What: Southern Railway Depot grand reopening and open house
When: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. today
Where: 175 Edwards St.; parking at the Museum Center at Five Points on Inman Street.
CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- More than a century after it opened as a Southern Railway Depot, the old depot building here is reopening today as the home Cleveland's public bus service.
An 11 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony is set to mark the event at the intersection of Edwards and Inman streets under the management of the Southeast Tennessee Human Resource Agency.
SETHRA's local Cleveland Urban Area Transit System now is headquartered in the building.
The depot was built in 1908 at a cost of $17,400, said Mayor Tom Rowland. There was a change order in 1910, he said, to add more space and heating.
"I doubt that was HVAC," Rowland joked. "More likely a potbellied stove."
The bottom line for the depot's current renovation is more than $604,000. Renovating the depot, which was placed on the National and Tennessee Registers of Historic Places in 2008, is part of the Five Points redevelopment.
Tracy O'Connell, gift store manager at the Museum Center at Five Points, said the museum was designed to resemble the depot.
Randall Higgins covers news in Cleveland, Tenn., for the Times Free Press. He started work with the Chattanooga Times in 1977 and joined the staff of the Chattanooga Times Free Press when the Free Press and Times merged in 1999. Randall has covered Southeast Tennessee, Northwest Georgia and Alabama. He now covers Cleveland and Bradley County and the neighboring region. Randall is a Cleveland native. He has bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Technological University. His awards ...
related articles »
CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- The century-old railroad depot here became the hub of the city's bus service Thursday.
Myra Inman's original diaries are stored at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Officials expect Cleveland's century-old railway depot will reopen in June to begin a new life as hub ...
On Tuesday, Cleveland will celebrate Tom Rowland's 20th anniversary as mayor. Rowland already was a well-known regional broadcaster when he ... | <urn:uuid:86013750-f080-47ff-b2b4-61b942848c66> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/jun/28/tennessee-depot-to-serve-cleveland-again/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953912 | 483 | 1.625 | 2 |
Dear Dr. Kate,
I was just wondering if all vaginas smell the same. It sounds really weird but I am so insecure about the smell/taste of mine. My boyfriend does not seem to mind going down there, so I figure it must not be bad, but I can't help but think mine smells wrong or different from other women's. I can smell mine after I wipe and on my dirty underwear... I'm just not sure if that is normal or not. I have been tested for STD's and everything, so why does mine have such a distinct scent/taste? Can other people smell it too?
No, all vaginas don't smell, or taste, the same...but they do all smell. Every woman has a different musky scent, and we tend to be very attuned to our own smell, even when no one else is aware of it. No one smells you through your clothes; I will occasionally notice a patient's scent when she's undressed (and I'm doing her pap smear), but never when she's dressed. Odor tends to come from sweat - the vulva and vagina have sweat glands, like elsewhere on your body. And the scent may change as our menstrual cycle progresses, in response to hormones, or at the end of the day. Noticing vaginal odor, if it's your normal one, does not mean you don't have good hygiene or (god forbid) should start douching. No need to buy those scented sprays, either - the chemicals may give you a bad reaction, or lead to copious amounts of discharge. Your vagina should smell like...a vagina.
Yes, sometimes odor can signify bad things - vaginosis, a lost tampon or condom (don't laugh, it happens), or a bit of urine leakage. But if you've been checked out by your gyno, then rest assured that your scent is healthy. And as your guy's enthusiasm for oral shows you, you're all the sexier for it.
Are any of you concerned about your vaginal odor?
You can read more about sexual and gyno health at Gynotalk.
[photo credit: Getty Images]
Dear Dr. Kate, | <urn:uuid:f9fc632c-ee79-481d-89ee-42c0a8d38164> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/the-air-down-there-504746.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955182 | 455 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Plagued by division, political infighting, and corruption
Uses card-check to bully companies
Supports progressive candidates and causes
On July 9, 2004, the Union of Needletrades, Industrial, and Textile Employees (UNITE) merged with the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees (HERE) to form the politically progressive UNITE HERE! (UH). The new union grew out of a successful 2003 campaign against Yale University, in which UNITE had given financial assistance and manpower to HERE. Bruce Raynor, the President of UNITE from 2001-2004, was elected General President of UH, and John W. Wilhelm, President of HERE from 1998-2004, was also elected President but without ultimate authority. Wilhelm eventually assumed Raynor’s position when he was elected President of UH on June 30, 2009, at the union’s first constitutional convention.
UH’s history has been plagued by political infighting, bitter division, scandal, and corruption. In 2005, UH challenged John Sweeney’s leadership and withdrew from the AFL-CIO union federation to join the Andrew Stern-founded and Anna Burger-run Change to Win (CTW) coalition. Just four years later, in March of 2009, UH’s board voted to split with CTW and to rejoin the AFL-CIO. UH accused the SEIU, one of the member unions of CTW, of interfering with its membership.
The split, however, underscored a division within UH itself. Bruce Raynor and John Wilhelm sued one another and vied for control of key financial resources, particularly the Amalgamated Bank, with its $4 billion of assets and prime Manhattan real estate which UNITE had originally brought to the merger. The internal battle also threw the local union chapters of UH into confusion and violent confrontation. In early 2009, Raynor broke away from UH with 150,000 members to form a new SEIU-aligned union called Workers United, although the dispute between the two sides was expected to continue for years to come.
Prior to the merger, HERE had been beset by legal problems and charges of corruption for decades. In 1986, the President's Commission on Organized Crime stated that criminal infiltration of HERE had been going on for dozens of years. In 1995 the commission filed corruption charges and installed a federal monitor to oversee the union. Even when federal oversight ended in 2001, a National Institute for Labor Relations Research report alleged continuing corruption:
In January 2001 New Jersey State Police announced they had charged five people with embezzling at least $71,000 from the union severance fund.
In March 2002 a local union President in northern New Jersey was discovered to have paid $542,000 in severance to a former union official following the latter's expulsion from the union for associating with mobsters.
In August 2003 a New York City union official was charged with stealing $170,000 from the local union, money he used to persuade a female clerk from going public with the fact that the official had used union funds to pay for his own sexual trysts with prostitutes.
There is also evidence to suggest that UH President John Wilhelm once rigged an election at the union’s Local 1 in Chicago.
In 2003 and 2004, UNITE likewise engaged in illegal activity and was eventually found guilty of unlawfully accessing confidential personal information. In 2006, U.S. District Judge Stewart Dalzel ordered the union, now a part of UH, to pay compensation to the employees of the Cintas Corporation.
Charges of corruption and shady union practices would continue after the merger in 2004. In July 2006, a jury in North California found that UH had libeled the Sutter Health hospital chain and was guilty of having acted with “fraud, malice, and oppression.” Later that month, UH was ordered to pay $17.3 million in compensatory damages for that conviction, money which would come directly from union member dues.
UH has also drawn criticism for its use of "card-check," the Employee Free Choice Act's controversial provision to ban secret union ballots. When Raynor was president of UH he stated unequivocally that “there’s no reason to subject the workers to an election.” UH has used the card-check policy as a weapon with which to bully companies into becoming unionized. According to Raynor, these tactics are highly successful because employers “think we are out of our minds and the result is we win … because we’re willing to do what’s necessary. We’re not businessmen, and at the end of the day, they are. If we’re willing to cost them enough, they’ll give in.”
According to a number of UH members, their union officials have pressed them to reveal highly personal information (about such tragedies as their past encounters with sexual abuse or alcoholism), and have subsequently forced them to recount these tales repeatedly to workers whom UH was trying to unionize; the UH officials believed that such stories would make an emotional impact on potential recruits and thus would make them more likely to join the union. This particular practice is commonly known as "pink-sheeting," after the color of the paper on which the private details are recorded.
UH has given millions of dollars in “hard” and “soft” money contributions to political candidates; the vast majority of these funds have gone to Democrats. In 2008 UH supported Barack Obama during the Democratic presidential primaries, runningattack ads against Hillary Clinton that injected racial politics into the election.
UH is also a part of the pro-amnesty lobby on immigration reform and helped to organize major "immigrant-rights" rallies in 2006 and 2010.
Since Feb 14, 2005 --Hits: 61,630,061 --Visitors: 7,024,052 | <urn:uuid:00d536ad-d2d1-404d-8eba-5e85d1447eca> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.discoverthenetworks.com/groupProfile.asp?grpid=7510 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974299 | 1,221 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Investors sold foreign stocks but should have bought them
Published: Monday, August 20, 2012 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, August 18, 2012 at 5:01 p.m.
Research suggests that investors unwisely base too many of their investment decisions on recent securities behavior. In other words, they either consciously or subconsciously project recent securities returns into the future.
This was amply demonstrated in 2011 with the behavior of investors toward international stocks. These securities performed poorly in 2011; broad measures of international developed markets (outside the U.S. and Canada) fell about 15 percent, while broad measures of emerging markets did even worse, falling about 19 percent. Recall that the U.S. market was ahead about 2 percent.
Almost predictably, U.S. investors began heavy selling of international stocks, selling about $9 billion in foreign stock mutual funds just in December and many times that overall in 2011. Also, again almost predictably, foreign stocks are doing better in 2012. While recently still trailing U.S. stocks, their broad-based market indexes are solidly positive.
This better performance was predictable because of a phenomenon called "reversion to the mean." This essentially means that when performance varies an unusual amount from what's typical, it will eventually return closer to what's typical.
What's typical is for U.S. and foreign stocks to alternate portfolio leadership.
One of the key continuing messages of this column has been how important diversification is to investors' portfolios delivering more consistent long-term returns. One corollary of this is that investors maintain a target allocation to non-U.S. stocks and regularly rebalance their portfolios to maintain that target. Since non-U.S. stocks fell last year, investors should have purchased more -- not sold.
Even ignoring the 2012 behavior of foreign stocks, there is good reason to have a target for them in an investor's portfolio. For one thing, about 60 percent of potential stock investments are outside the U.S. This includes most of the large automobile manufacturers, miners and telecommunications companies.
Additionally, as mentioned earlier, one of the constants of investing over several decades has been the reversal in relative performance between the U.S. and the rest of the world. Looking back over the last 21 years, U.S. stocks have outperformed foreign stocks about half the time. One measure of developed market performance is the Morgan Stanley International Europe, Australia and Far East Index (MSCI EAFE). In the 41 years it has existed, both it and the U.S. market have delivered average annual returns of about 10 percent.
Let's divide the world into the U.S. market, foreign developed markets and emerging markets like China and Brazil. Then, with the S&P 500 representing the U.S. market, it only outperformed both the Morgan Stanley indexes measuring the performance of the developed markets and the emerging markets eight times in the last 23 years. That means that about 65 percent of the time an investor would have had superior results by investing part of his portfolio in one of those indexes rather than keeping it all in the S&P 500.
Of course, no one could predict which those years would be. That's why it makes sense to maintain a portfolio with foreign stocks from both developed and emerging markets. This strategy should deliver a portfolio with less volatility.
Let's see how a simple strategy like this has worked in the past.
Many advisers recommend an investor have at least a 20 percent exposure in an equity portfolio to foreign stocks. Using this as our baseline, the data show that over rolling 10-year periods from 1986 (1986-1995, 1987-1996, etc.), the S&P 500 portfolio almost never had less volatility than a portfolio invested 80 percent in the S&P 500 and 20 percent in the MSCI EAFE. Over rolling five-year periods starting in 1996, the 80-20 portfolio had less volatility about two-thirds of the time and better returns more than 50 percent of the time.
One easy way to invest in international stocks is with low-cost index mutual funds or exchange-traded funds. Investors will probably want one that specializes in developed markets, one in emerging markets and perhaps one that specializes in smaller capitalization foreign stocks. This way they can more precisely control their foreign stock allocations.
Send comments and questions to Robert Stepleman, Business News, Herald-Tribune, 1741 Main St., Sarasota, FL 34236, or [email protected].
This story appeared in print on page D12
All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged. | <urn:uuid:fa784ad4-d5f8-4939-8d83-0a43bf79f1de> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20120820/COLUMNIST/308209985/2318/BUSINESS?Title=Investors-sold-foreign-stocks-but-should-have-bought-them | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956583 | 969 | 1.789063 | 2 |
Facebook Privacy Failure: Latest in Long Line of Blunders
Facebook's latest privacy blunder is just the latest in a long line of SNAFUs for the world's largest social network. Here are some of the social network's greatest privacy faux pas.
In the latest episode of the gang that couldn't get privacy straight, it was revealed by the Wall Street Journal that many of Facebook's popular applications were unintentionally transmitting the names of the social network's members and, in some cases, their friends' names to dozens of advertising and Internet tracking companies.
While acknowledging concern over the issue, Facebook maintained that the significance of the problem is being exaggerated by the press. "Knowledge of a UID [User ID] does not enable anyone to access private user information without explicit user consent," Facebook platform engineering lead Mike Vernal wrote in a blog.
Nevertheless, Facebook was concerned enough about the issue to block last week the playing of games made by LOLApps on the social network. After Facebook discovered the the information leak was browser-related and not intentional by the game maker, LOL's Facebook privileges were restored.
The app leak comes on the heels of criticism of the network's revamped group feature rolled out earlier this month. It allows members to create groups and invite friends to join the group. From a privacy point of view, however, the feature leaves much to be desired. While members can control who they invite to the group, they can't control who their friends invite to join the group. That means there's no way to really keep the group private. It also makes a group vulnerable to spammers. In fact, one blogger called Facebook Groups "the worst spam loophole in the world."
Another Facebook feature, Places, set privacy advocates buzzing as soon as it was announced in August. Once again, integration with third-party websites was cited as a flaw. "Your friends' apps may be able to access information about your most recent check-in by default as soon as you start using Places," the American Civil Liberties Union warned Facebook members. "Even if you've already gone through your settings to limit the info that apps can access, you should do it again--you may find that you've been defaulted into sharing your location info with apps."
Instant Personalization Flap
In April, Facebook was rapped for its new "Instant Personalization" feature. It allowed websites who partnered with the socnet to peek at members' personal information when they arrive at a site. Using that info, the site could then display a personalized page for the member. So if you stumbled across a restaurant site that cut a deal with Facebook, for example, eateries recommended by your friends could be splashed on the web page you landed on. "While going to a brand-new website that instantly knows who you are might ultimately be useful, the first time it happens you're going to freak out," observed Liz Gannes at GigaOm.
Other changes introduced in April, led to a complaint being filed with the Federal Trade Commission in May. At that time, the Electronic Privacy Information Center maintained that the changes revealed more information to third parties about Facebook members that it did before the changes were made. The Center asserted: "These changes violate user expectations, diminish user privacy, and contradict Facebook's own representations. These business practices are Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices."
We Own Your World
Even the simplest changes at the social networking site can spur mountains of privacy protests, as it found out in February when it tinkered with language in its terms of usage agreement. It removed a clause in the pact that barred Facebook from using a member's information if the member removed it from the service. Under the rescinded change, members complained that Facebook would have control over their information forever.
Lowering Privacy Controls Mess
At the end of last year, Facebook, in an attempt to stimulate sharing, lowered the default controls on its members' accounts allowing more personal information to be displayed on their home pages. What the network stimulated was howls of protest. "Things get downright ugly when it comes to controlling who gets to see personal information such as your list of friends," groused an attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation. "Under the new regime, Facebook treats that information along with your name, profile picture, current city, gender, networks and the pages that you are a ‘fan' of--as ‘publicly available information' or ‘PAI.' Before, users were allowed to restrict access to much of that information." | <urn:uuid:879ec0d7-ee62-439c-b2f4-7a0d39e782a6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pcworld.com/article/208096/Facebook_Privacy_SNAFU_Latest_in_Long_Line_of_Blunders.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959503 | 920 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Davos, Switzerland (CNN) -- Prime Minister David Cameron acknowledged Thursday there had been no movement on renegotiating Britain's inclusion in a treaty thrashed out by European leaders last month in a bid to stave off a debt crisis.
Britain was alone among the 27 European Union nations in refusing point-blank to sign the European deal, intended to ensure the closer integration of the national budgets of the 17 eurozone countries that use the euro as a currency.
The so-called "fiscal compact" would usher in a new legal framework and greater fiscal scrutiny, as well as measures to strengthen mechanisms that guarantee short-term stability for euro economies in trouble.
Britain's refusal to sign the treaty means the countries that back the compact must go ahead with the deal outside the European Union.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Cameron told CNN that he could not see that scenario changing.
"I haven't seen that movement because the conditions we set out are the conditions we set out -- and they haven't been moved towards," he said.
Cameron's comments come ahead of a European summit meeting in Brussels on Monday.
Some had thought that a deal would be reached between Britain's European partners that would allow Cameron to reverse his potential veto. But, Cameron said, "I don't see that development."
And he said Britain would not be disadvantaged by putting itself outside the discussions on the treaty.
"The reason we didn't join the treaty is the same reason we are not joining it today," he said.
"We asked for safeguards, we asked for conditions particularly around the single market and financial services... we haven't got those safeguards, so they can't have a treaty inside the European Union."
But Britain would still be at the heart of the debate on "what really matters" in Brussels, he said -- the single market, competitiveness and helping Europe's economies grow.
In December, Cameron said he had effectively vetoed an original deal, forcing German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy to forge ahead with a treaty that will be subservient to EU regulations.
The new treaty is due to be finalized until March 2012, after which it will have to be ratified by all participating countries. Hungary, Sweden and the Czech Republic also expressed reservations about treaty change -- but left the door open, pending parliamentary debate.
Cameron said it was in Britain's interest as well as that of its European neighbors that the current debt crisis was resolved, but acknowledged that it wouldn't be easy.
If the single currency is to work, the prime minister said, some short-term measures have to be taken and longer-term issues grappled with.
"Short term, to ease the current crisis you have got to resolve the Greek situation, you've got to strengthen the banks, and the firewall's got to be big enough to deal with any contagion in the system," he said.
And in an apparent sign of frustration at the lack of progress, he added: "You could almost set it to music because politicians have been saying it for so long -- but we've got to deliver it in the beginning of this year, and that's only the start."
Cameron also rejected suggestions he should ease the austerity measures his government has imposed in Britain, even as the eurozone heads into recession.
Britain has to show the world it is paying down its debt in order to ensure its recovery and keep interest rates as low as they are, he said.
"If you took your foot off the pedal and you eased up and spent some more money... you could lose all the benefit of that, by those interest rates going up." | <urn:uuid:a3f069a5-8500-4ed9-9fcc-9295ea776e89> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://edition.cnn.com/2012/01/26/world/europe/switzerland-uk-cameron/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979676 | 747 | 1.648438 | 2 |
‘Why did my guinea pigs have to die?’
5:20pm Friday 4th January 2013 in Local
A VETERINARY practice has launched an investigation into how two animals died after being treated there.
Katie-Louise Allen took both her guinea pigs, George and Henry, to Companion Care vets, based at the Middlebrook Retail Park in Horwich, after George cut his eye on some straw.
The 21-year-old law student says the two 18-month-old guinea pigs were both “perfectly healthy” but after the vet administered an injection for “itchy skin” they changed and stopped eating — losing “half their body weight in a few days”.
Ms Allen said it was the first time she had visited the surgery and chose it because of its flexible opening hours.
She took Henry along to keep George company and, while at the surgery, the vet did a routine check on them both before giving them a jab.
A week later, she took the animals back for their second dose and told the vet they had been acting strangely but says she was told it was normal.
Ms Allen said: “Almost immediately my guinea pigs started to deteriorate. They were not eating and rapidly losing weight.
“I booked another emergency appointment for them and saw a different vet.
“She stated they had lost more than half of their body weight in a few days and prescribed a food substitute I had to administer through syringes as they were no longer strong enough to eat themselves.”
Ms Allen spent £300 on treatment for the guinea pigs and says she could not afford the £400 it would cost for a postmortem to find out what had caused her pets’ deaths.
She added: “I have kept guinea pigs for 18 years and have never known anything like what I have witnessed in the last month.
“I accept my guinea pigs are now gone forever before living even half of their expected life plan.”
Companion Care Vets customer services manager Sarah Hibbert said the case was being investigated.
She added: "We recognise the distress of losing a pet and offer our sincere condolences to Miss Allen.
“We are currently investigating the circumstances of this case and until our internal investigations are complete we are unable to make any further comment." | <urn:uuid:209d7223-a38b-4931-b7ec-95b3d66d8969> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/local/10140881.___Why_did_my_guinea_pigs_have_to_die____/?ref=nt | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.990009 | 495 | 1.8125 | 2 |
You don't have to know a lot of things for your life to make a lasting difference in the world. But you do have to know the few great things that matter, and then be willing to live for them and die for them. The people that make a durable difference in the world are not the people who have mastered many things, but who have been mastered by a few great things. If you want your life to count, if you want the ripple effect of the pebbles you drop to become waves that reach the ends of the earch and roll on for centuries and into eternity, you don't have to have a high IQ or EQ; you don't have to have good looks or riches; you don't have to come from a fine family or a fine school. You have to know a few great, majestic, unchanging, obvious, simple, glorious things, and be set on fire by them.
Never forget that you are one of a kind. Never forget that if there weren't any need for you in all your uniqueness to be on this earth, you wouldn't be here in the first place. And never forget, no matter how overwhelming life's challenges and problems seem to be, that one person can make a difference in the world. In fact, it is always because of one person that all the changes that matter in the world come about. So be that one person.
When I was younger, my ambition was to be one of the people who made a difference in this world. My hope still is to leave the world a little bit better for my having been here. It's a wonderful life and I love it. | <urn:uuid:2a5662b8-1b6b-4c3c-abf4-246e1c838a47> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.gaiam.com/quotes/topics/difference?page=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984775 | 335 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Mozilla is already working on a version of Firefox for Windows 8 Metro that will be focused on touch interaction. It hopes to have a proof-of-concept version available in the second quarter of this year. The big question is "will Microsoft level the playing field and allow Firefox the same privileges that IE has"?
Microsoft has built itself a nice little monopoly that could act as a big boost for its own browser.
WinRT/Metro is the new and exciting part of Windows 8 and. while in theory you can write either a Metro or a Desktop application for Windows 8. you don't get that choice if the target platform is an ARM machine. In the case of Windows 8 On ARM - WOA - we can all write a Metro app, but only Microsoft can write a desktop style app.
One of apps that Microsoft plans to include as a Metro/Desktop or "MetroTop" application is Internet Explorer. What this means is that other browser makers are at a serious disadvantage. They can choose to continue to develop their desktop browsers or create a Metro version but they can't create a MetroTop app.
This is the problem that Mozilla is now confronting and it seems to be lacking a lot of information. One thing that is apparent is that Microsoft isn't helping much.
Mozilla has published its Firefox 2012 Strategy & Roadmap outlining plans for delivering a proof-of concept version of Firefox for Windows 8 Metro desktop in Quarter 2 with Alpha and Beta version in the second half of the year.
Windows 8 contains two application environments, "Classic" and "Metro". Classic is very similar to the Windows 7 environment at this time, it requires a simple evolution of the current Firefox Windows product. Metro is an entirely new environment and requires a new Firefox front end and system integration points.
The feature goal here is a new Gecko based browser built for and integrated with the Metro environment.
Firefox on Metro, like all other Metro apps will be full screen, focused on touch interactions, and connected to the rest of the Metro environment through Windows 8 contracts.
At this stage of the project there are a lot of questions, including whether the Firefox front end on Metro should be built in XUL, C/C++ or HTML/CSS/JS. Given that XUL is essentially HTML you might well think that this would make it easier to move to Metro but the new environment is far from a standard HTML5 container.
Many other programmers will be faced with the sort of design decisions that confront Mozilla in contemplating Windows 8. Staying with a desktop app has the advantage of simplicity, as virtually no change is required, but moving to Metro means that you can no longer support overlapping windows and you don't have access to the Win32 API. This is like starting from scratch. However, if you want your app to be on all Windows 8 platforms you need to support Metro. Currently only Microsoft will be able to offer a browser in a desktop mode on ARM hardware. Firefox has no choice but to move to Metro if it wants to be available on WOA.
However, even as a Metro app, the new version of Firefox would be fighting with one hand tied behind its back against the MetroTop version of IE.
"On Windows 8, IE10 is both a metro app and a regular desktop application. When run as a metro app it does things that are known to be off-limits for metro applications."
So Mozilla is looking to Microsoft to provide it with the same privileges as Internet Explorer has. Put another way, Firefox needs to run as a Medium level integrity process with full use of the Win32 API.
"In general, browser vendors would prefer access to the system similar to that of Internet Explorer 10. From all outward appearances IE is currently able to bypass security restrictions of the Metro sandbox by running as a medium integrity process, effectively running as a standard Windows desktop application with additional extensions which allow it to latch into the Metro interface.
Vendors feel changes should be made to the current restrictions which will facilitate the ability of 3rd parties to compete with Microsoft's products in this new environment."
Of course this is not just a problem for Mozilla - both Google and Opera are going to want equal treatment, as are the makers of any other type of app that Microsoft decided to include as a MetroTop app. | <urn:uuid:fb79bb53-f9e9-4ee2-b3aa-cdba47b1bb5b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.i-programmer.info/news/86-browsers/3780-mozilla-plans-metro-firefox-for-windows-8.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94979 | 880 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Our Community Based Service programs have achieved an international reputation for clinical effectiveness and cost control for individuals with complex mental health and substance abuse problems. These programs are person-centered, recovery-focused and based on culturally competent service delivery.
Yahara House offers adults with mental illness a path to recovery through relationships and work. It is built on the clubhouse model that guarantees a place to belong, meaningful relationships, meaningful work and a place to return.
Kajsiab house is a place in which Hmong elders and their families can be safe, express and experience culture, increase their understanding and the ability to live successfully within an American cultural context and receive help and treatment for mental health issues.
Southeast Asian Services offer mental health and psychiatry services to Southeast Asian individuals living in Dane County.
The HUD Service Coordinator engages the Triangle public housing residents by providing assessment, supportive psychotherapy, crisis intervention/stabilization, and case management when such services are not available in the general community.
Mobile Outreach to Seniors provides a range of accessible mental health services to address the highly complex and changeable needs of seniors and their caregivers/supports.
Community Support Programs
Gateway & Fordem Connections are two of Journey Mental Health Center’s three state certified CSPs. They are comprehensive support programs serving Dane County residents who have severe mental illness and may also have substance abuse issues.
The Conditional Release (CR) Program provides comprehensive treatment and case management services to clients who have been found “not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect” (NGI) and whom the Court deems appropriate for conditional release (i.e. – community-based services).
Community Treatment Alternatives (CTA) works with clients/consumers involved in the criminal justice system. In addition to meeting the standard Community Support Program admission guidelines, clients/consumers must be either diverted from the Dane County Jail or be conditionally released after being found “not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect” (NGI). | <urn:uuid:b1a14643-7c00-40c7-a61c-5fbe810418c7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.journeymhc.org/services/community | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940435 | 414 | 1.632813 | 2 |
If I may beg the moderator's indulgence to make a final point.
So far this debate has been conducted in terms of "racism". Let me
offer another perspective.
Foreigners in Japan are surrounded by, and saturated in, "katakana
English" (Katakana is a Japanese syllabery for rendering foreign
words, among other things.)
When I use an English word as part of a Japanese conversation -
"Lord" for example - I often "katakana-ize" it - to increase
comprehensibility for my listener. In this case it would involve
exchanging the first "L" for an "r".
That isn't condescension, it is simply what you have to do to loan
words to make them "Japanese". I do it a 1000 times a day - it is
part of speaking the language. It is, in addition, good manners to
create the best communication environment one can with one's
I frequently drop Katakana English into English conversations with
both Japanese and Foreigners, and they with me. It has become almost
a second language.
I am sorry that my posting has caused all this fuss, but will
continue occasionally to drop into katakana English.
On 17 Oct 2005, at 05:55, Mika Tuupola wrote:
> I hope they will be the last. Thank you.
Received on Mon Oct 17 06:28:41 2005 | <urn:uuid:a61aa482-e7fb-4f53-871a-2fe5cb485305> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.appelsiini.net/keitai-l/archives/2005-10/0075.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940548 | 306 | 1.78125 | 2 |
İstanbul Advice often given to a foreigner new to Turkey often includes Don't rush in to the heart of the matter and Don't try to get your business done in 10 minutes flat and then rush on to the next appointment.
You need to drink a cup of tea first. You need to ask about how things are going. You need to find out what the other person is thinking. These simple pleasantries are more than just a formality that wastes time before we can get to the real business at hand; they are the real business. For in Turkey the relationship is more important than the task.
Developing, protecting and preserving a good relationship matter more than achieving a list of goals or reaching milestones in a project. How you think and feel about a period of your life relates more to the friends and relationships you had then, rather than the aims accomplished.
Success is measured in part by worldly advancement, but also by an advancement in making good relationships with more successful and more important people.
In Britain, obituaries focus on the main achievement of a person's life. In Turkey, the emphasis is more on their family, their educational background and their friends. The quality of the relationships defines the quality of the man -- rather than what they have done with their time.
Time is a commodity that can be spent. There will be more of it tomorrow, if God wills it. But people are precious and cannot be replaced. Understanding how they think, how they feel and their values is key to Turkish life.
Time is fascinating. It is the one thing whose quantity we cannot control: None of us can add more hours to the day. Nor can we add more days, or weeks, or years to our lifespan. Time "marches on." Time "flies."
We "don't have it," but we can "make it." We can have "all the time in the world" or we think we "can't spare" it. What to one person seems to be "wasting" time is to another "spending it" wisely.
Reading a collection of Turkish short stories published by Çitlembik this week, I was confronted by the different viewpoints of my British background and my Turkish assimilation. I enjoy the short story genre, perhaps because it is possible to squeeze the whole experience of reading a story into a few short minutes' reading snatched guilty out of a busy day. A novel requires hours spent -- hours that probably should be being devoted to meeting some pressing need, or doing something more constructive than curling up in a corner with a good book.
But no one, not even your guilty conscience programmed to use every minute to the full, can begrudge you 10 or 15 minutes with a short story.
Faced with 43 stories from some 30 writers, the difference between the traditional short story of English literature and that of these modern Turkish authors is inescapable. In a short story penned by Somerset Maugham, or Roald Dahl, or Maeve Binchy, the author uses a few pages and several thousand words to create a complete world of action. A scene is set, the characters move on it decidedly and purposefully, the conclusion is achieved and the story ends, with the reader able to reflect on what has happened and to come to a conclusion about a theme, an issue or an emotion.
For the majority of these Turkish authors, though, the story is less about what happens as about what was felt. A scene is set, the characters express their thoughts, their hopes, their feelings, which are brought together into one conclusion of emotion, leaving the reader face-to-face with the human heart.
In its introduction the collection says it has been "launched to better familiarize the English speaking world with contemporary Turkish fiction." Volume 1 focuses on writers of the 1960s to 1980s. Volume 2 brings us more up-to-date with writers of the last two decades. We come face-to-face with the innermost thoughts of both established authors and new faces.
I had always felt that the perspective of a Turkish story was different from those I grew up reading. Our English teachers always insisted that a story should have "a beginning, a middle and an end." Many Turkish novels seem to have none of the above, or, perhaps more accurately, to have a beginning, a middle and an end all in the wrong order. Perhaps the genius that has brought international success to authors such as Orhan Pamuk and Elif Şafak is that they move effortlessly backwards and forwards between a beginning, a middle and an end, and in doing so, challenge the English-speaking reader to look at life differently.
This collection, with so many short stories in close company, underlines the difference in Turkish literature. In many of the stories, nothing -- to the Western eye -- happens. But so much of the human heart and emotions is exposed. In order to maximize this effect, many of the authors use the first person voice. We are more used to the third person voice in Western literature, as our stories focus on what he or she did, rather than how they felt or what they thought.
"His arrival was like always. It was as ordinary as it was unusual. I could see," writes Feyza Hepçilingirler. She tackles the question of does love ever wear out by exploring the emotions of a woman when her husband comes home one evening. Her conclusion is: only if the heart has shriveled and slackened.
This strength of being able to focus on the heart and feelings enables Turkish authors to easily put themselves directly into the shoes of another. Karin Karakaşlı masterfully becomes a goddess from Zeugma: "I am a mosaic who has seen her day." Using her imagination she brings not the body of a past-age to life, but the soul to life.
But my favorite gem is Murathan Mungan's retelling of Snow White, where he focuses on the futility of always hoping that life will turn out like a fairy tale. He demonstrates in just three short pages how those who wait for the perfection of their dreams miss out on living life to the full, and the dangers of getting bitter when our dreams are not fulfilled.
Which brings us back to the question of what is living life to the full? Packing it full of deeds and actions, or full of relationships? This collection could challenge you to change your perspective. After all, isn't that what great literature is all about?
"Contemporary Turkish Short Fiction: A Selection," edited by Suat Karantay, published by Çitlembik (2010), TL 18 in paperback ISBN: 978-994442454- MARION JAMES - CIHAN | <urn:uuid:f2b2a28c-33cd-4197-bae3-450e990c8b97> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://english.sabah.com.tr/Arts/2010/10/29/looking_at_life_through_a_different_lens | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972141 | 1,383 | 1.664063 | 2 |
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SOURCE: Church of Scientology International
Church of Scientology Community Center commemorates its November 5 one-year anniversary with renewed commitment to create a Drug-Free South L.A.
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) November 22, 2012
Once known as South Central, and made famous by the lyrics of gangsta rap, South Los Angeles has risen from the ashes of the 1992 riots, determined, stronger, and committed to positive change. But, there remains a factor that cuts across the accomplishment of the dream shared by all who wants a safe and prosperous neighborhood—drug abuse and drug-related crime that continues to plague the community.
“The best time to counter drug abuse is before it starts,” says June Middleton, Director of the Church of Scientology Community Center of South Los Angeles. “From talking to former addicts, one point comes home time after time—if they had known what they were letting themselves in for they would never have started using drugs.”
Located at 8039 South Vermont Avenue in South Los Angeles, the Church of Scientology Community Center is committed to drug education and prevention. The Center makes available free of charge all Truth About Drugs materials: 13 booklets on commonly abused drugs, “They Said, They Lied” public service announcements and The Truth About Drugs: Real People, Real Stories documentary featuring former users who survived addiction.
Religious leaders, clubs and parent groups host their own drug prevention activities at the Center’s L. Ron Hubbard Community Auditorium, where the Church also provides free drug prevention specialist training using the Truth About Drugs curriculum.
Middleton and Community Affairs Director Frizell Clegg reach out to local businesses throughout in the South Vermont Corridor and surrounding Manchester Square to join the campaign to create a drug-free South L.A. by display copies of the Truth About Drugs booklets in English and Spanish for their customers to use and pass along.
“Education is a cure for this epidemic,” says Middleton. “Working together, we can save our children and our community by reaching our kids with the truth before they experiment with drugs.”
About Scientology: How We Help—the Truth About Drugs
The Church of Scientology has published a new brochure, Scientology: How We Help—the Truth About Drugs, Creating a Drug-Free World to meet requests for more information about its drug education and prevention initiative. To read a copy of the brochure or to learn more about the Church of Scientology drug education and prevention initiative, visit the Scientology website.
Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “The planet has hit a barrier which prevents any widespread social progress—drugs and other biochemical substances. These can put people into a condition which not only prohibits and destroys physical health but which can prevent any table advancement in mental or spiritual sell-being.”
The Church of Scientology sponsors one of the world’s largest nongovernmental drug education and prevention campaigns. It has been conclusively proven that when young people are provided with the truth about drugs—factual information on what drugs are and what they do—usage rates drop commensurately.
Press Contact: Bob Adams
Tel: (323) 960-3500
eMail: MediaRelations (At) ChurchofScientology (Dot) net
For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/11/prweb10163461.htm | <urn:uuid:d50b04b2-8fd3-4d6c-ae4c-30f39d3e993e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wfxg.com/story/20166778/bringing-the-truth-about-drugs-to-south-los-angeles | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930252 | 743 | 1.65625 | 2 |
APRIL 18, 2002
The Dilemma of a Faithless Faith
-- James L. Evan
We don't hear much about orthodoxy these days. The notion comes from a time when the church was able to exercise control over the beliefs and practices of its members. The idea of a binding body of religious teaching is simply untenable in the modern world. These days, among Protestants at least, we get together and vote on what we believe.
But that may be changing. In his book, The Clash of Orthodoxies: Law, Religion, and Morality in Crisis, Robert George, a law professor at Princeton University, seems to suggest there is emerging a new kind of Christian orthodoxy. According to Professor George, the new orthodoxy is characterized by a litany of conservative social issues. The list includes abortion, homosexuality, marriage, euthanasia, and expressions of religion in public. These issues are the new orthodoxy, and they are gradually taking the place of traditional Christian beliefs.
It is no longer sufficient to hold to a traditional view of God, to believe in the incarnation, and to affirm the atoning death of Jesus. We may believe all these things, but if our views on abortion, or homosexuals, or prayer in schools, or even which political party we support is at odds with the new orthodoxy, we're considered unfaithful. This new Christian orthodoxy is also changing the face of traditional gospel ministry. Christian activity is now defined as political activism aimed at crafting a social order that fits in with the issues of the new orthodoxy. In short, the new orthodoxy has become the basis for Christian faithfulness. Inclusion within the community of faith depends on believing the right things about these issues, and doing the right things about those beliefs. Failure to follow the official orthodoxy constitutes heresy and may result in expulsion.
For instance, in January of this year, the National Religious Broadcasters elected Wayne Pederson as their new president. In February, he resigned under pressure. Mr. Pederson was not charged with any moral lapse, or of violating the principles of the NRB. No, his sin was expressing his concern that the NRB should make gospel ministry its primary focus. "We get associated with the far Christian right and marginalized," Pederson said in an interview with the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "We do have a political orientation, but that should not be what we're known for."
Apparently, political orientation is exactly what the National Religious Broadcasters want to be known for. After Pederson's remarks were made public, several leaders in the NRB, including "Focus on the Family" founder James Dobson, began expressing concern about Pederson continuing as president. While the word heresy was never used of Mr. Pederson, the scent of the new orthodoxy was heavy in the wind that drove him out.
This is a devastating development. Christian beliefs are being systematically redefined as pure political ideology. Worship is being replaced by political rallies. The Scriptures are being replaced with a conservative political agenda. What we are left with is a faith-less faith, emptied of its theological substance, and consequently of its significance.
A return to the old orthodoxy is clearly not the answer to this dilemma. But there is something to be said for Christian beliefs and practice having at least some connection to "the faith once delivered to the saints." In the new orthodoxy, that connection is hard to find.
-- James L. Evans is pastor of Crosscreek Baptist Church in Pelham, AL. He can be contacted at [email protected] | <urn:uuid:a369210d-65ca-4ceb-a446-c82c60df4b85> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://divinity.uchicago.edu/martycenter/publications/sightings/archive_2002/0418.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964862 | 724 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Seachangers outstaying their welcome
Lifesavers in Maroochy Shire on Queensland's Sunshine Coast are wearing footprints into the sand rescuing "seachangers".
The shire's budget for lifeguards has doubled in the past three years to $1 million, but that figure over-ran by $300,000 last year.
Not only the lifeguards are exhausted - the new arrivals are putting a strain on health care, public transport, and roads and the locals' patience.
"We'll never be able to stop people coming," said the Maroochy Shire Mayor, Joe Natoli. "And we wouldn't want to put up gates to our town. That would be un-Australian. But what will bring an end to it all is the absolute gridlock on the roads. No one will be able to get here."
Bumper house prices in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, have financed thousands of seachangers.
There are now about 4 million people living in coastal areas such as the Maroochy Shire. Another million are expected in the next 15 years.
But the once quiet coastal communities are warning that they have had enough. Soon the lifestyle that attracts all the people will be gone, ruined by over-crowding and under planning. About 80 councils from Rockingham in Western Australia, Kingborough in Tasmania, and Port Douglas in Queensland have formed the National Seachange Taskforce to lobby for help with planning and amenities funding.
"We need to be able to talk to the state and federal governments and get them to realise there is enormous pressure on the coastal strip," said Fergus Thomson, mayor of Eurobodalla Shire, about four hours south of Sydney.
Cr Thomson is concerned that the area will not be able cope with supplying an increased population with water and other amenities such as education and power.
Maroochy's Cr Natoli, also the chairman of the Seachange Taskforce, said no one wanted to take in the welcome mat, but the population boom threatened to wreck the towns.
The taskforce has commissioned the University of Sydney to research the seachange phenomenon.
"We need to know more about the seachangers and what exactly is driving them to coastal communities," said Cr Natoli.
"We need to know who they are so we have some idea of the things we need to do to ensure the lifestyle we have here is protected." | <urn:uuid:1fa44c82-bf35-48be-ab84-fb281cce67c9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/10/10/1097406428164.html?from=storylhs&oneclick=true | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966256 | 499 | 1.820313 | 2 |
The drug companies insist they're doing nothing wrong. They're merely settling some patent infringement suits.
Many others assert, however, that there's something fishy about these settlements between the brand name companies that own patents on blockbuster drugs and the generic drug makers that allegedly infringed those patents. Instead of the alleged wrongdoers paying hefty sums to settle the allegations against them (as is typical in any settlement), the money goes the other way. The defendants receive hundreds of millions of dollars from the patentees.
And the defendants agree to postpone making and selling generic versions of the patented drugs.
The patent-owning drug companies are using these settlements to buy off potential competitors and keep them out of the marketplace, according to many academics, consumer advocates and the FTC--among others. And the critics assert this clearly violates federal antitrust law.
The 2nd, 11th and Federal Circuit Courts of Appeal disagree. These courts have held that so-called "reverse payment" (or "pay-for-delay") settlements are almost completely immune from antitrust scrutiny because they are within the exclusionary zone of the patents involved.
But that may soon change. In one closely watched case, Arkansas Carpenters Health and Welfare Fund v. Bayer AG, a 2nd Circuit panel is re-examining the legality of the reverse payments. The court asked the Justice Department to file an amicus brief on this issue, and the DOJ responded in June with a brief strongly disputing current 2nd Circuit law. "[W]hile not going so far as to advocate a per se unlawful approach, the DOJ went almost that far," Sean Gates, an antitrust litigator with Morrison & Foerster, wrote in an article the firm released.
This case, at the intersection of patent and antitrust law, could have a major effect on both areas of law, on the pharmaceutical industry and on consumers. "This is the most important antitrust issue in the country today," says David Balto, antitrust expert and senior fellow at the think tank Center for American Progress.
The money at stake is huge. Consider just the Bayer case. In 1997, Bayer AG held a patent on the active ingredient in Ciprofloxacin, the blockbuster antibiotic popularly known as Cipro. The company was earning close to $1 billion per year from the product. But Bayer's profits were threatened by four companies that wanted to make generic versions of the drug. Bayer had sued the generic manufacturers for patent infringement, and in January 1997, on the eve of trial, the parties settled. Bayer paid the alleged infringers a total of $398 million, and these defendants agreed not to make or sell any generic version of Cipro for six years--until Bayer's patent expired at the end of 2003.
Such reverse payments are a good deal for the parties involved. The patentee keeps its monopoly on the drug and continues to sell it at far higher price than if there were competition from generics. The alleged infringers receive far more money than they could have earned by selling low-priced generics. Everyone thus earns a great deal more than if there were generic competition. Each day a generic drug is kept off the market can mean millions of dollars in extra profits.
These extra profits, however, come out of the pockets of those who purchase the drugs. Consumers, health insurers, businesses that provide employees with drug coverage and the government are all forced to keep paying monopoly prices for drugs. The FTC has recently estimated that if reverse payments are allowed to continue, these deals will cost consumers and other drug purchasers at least $3.5 billion per year.
Initially, courts took a dim view of reverse payments. The 6th Circuit held in a 2003 decision, In re Cardizem CD Antitrust Litigation, that these settlements were per se violations of antitrust law.
More recent appellate decisions, however, have rejected the 6th Circuit's approach. The 2nd, 11th and Federal circuits have upheld reverse payments, finding that these settlements were within the scope of the legal monopoly given to patent owners.
These later rulings indicate that reverse payments do not violate antitrust law unless the underlying infringement litigation is a sham or the patent at issue was procured by fraud on the patent office. "That's a very, very high threshold," says Carole Handler, a patent litigator at Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon.
The later decisions have come under heavy fire from academia. "There has been a steady drumbeat of criticism by antitrust scholars who argue that when you pay off a rival, you're doing something that clearly violates antitrust law," says C. Scott Hemphill, who teaches intellectual property and antitrust law at Columbia Law School.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), too, takes issue with the recent court rulings. The agency staunchly maintains its position that reverse payments violate antitrust law.
The Justice Department (DOJ) recently entered the fray against reverse payments. Under the Bush administration, the DOJ indicated that these settlements raised serious antitrust concerns, but it rejected the idea that reverse payments were presumptively unlawful. The department has reversed course under President Obama, telling the 2nd Circuit in the Bayer case that reverse payments are resumptively unlawful under Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act. And, according to the DOJ, refuting this presumption is tough whenever a reverse payment is far larger than the patentee's avoided litigation costs.
Because of the DOJ's change of heart, the executive branch has adopted a unified stance against reverse payments. And that, according to some observers, should make drug companies nervous.
"In the past, drug companies took a lot of comfort from the fact that the federal agencies [FTC and DOJ] differed on this," Hemphill says. "They should be worried, because the ground has shifted."
And even though the drug companies have three appellate court rulings on their side, the outcome in the Bayer case is far from certain, according to observers.
"The 2nd Circuit's prior opinion on this issue [In re Tamoxifen (2005), which upheld reverse payments] was well reasoned against the background of other decisions by other courts," says Martha Gifford, a solo practitioner who specializes in antitrust law. "Whether the 2nd Circuit will now take a quite different view is up in the air."
No matter how the 2nd Circuit panel rules on the case, an appeal seems likely. The case could even find its way to the Supreme Court--particularly if the 2nd Circuit rejects the current Tamoxifen standard, thus widening the circuit split over reverse payments. "That might be sufficient for the Supreme Court to finally take one of these [reverse payment] cases," Gifford says. | <urn:uuid:98227d02-fcf2-4fc3-9eb6-b42a6b9c84bf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.insidecounsel.com/2009/10/01/pay-for-delay?t=ip | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966483 | 1,377 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Partnering to protect watersheds
In the US, water is a top priority for MillerCoors because of the impact is has on production and the supply of raw materials.
In 2010, we began working with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to safeguard the watershed and improve habitats in the barley-growing Silver Creek Valley in Idaho. We developed a watershed conservation plan which included projects such as fencing and planting along streams to prevent damage and contamination by livestock and agriculture and coordinating monitoring programmes with landowners. We also worked with farmers to help them improve their water efficiency through retrofitting irrigation pivots. This led to a 20% reduction in overall usage.
Our priorities: Water
Promoting diversity at MillerCoors
At MillerCoors we believe that a more diverse workforce drives better business performance.
We want to increase the number of women in senior roles. Currently women represent 20% of all vice-president and executive-level positions at MillerCoors. We are taking three steps in an effort to increase women advancement in the company:
First, we're seeking to hire more women. We encourage our recruiters to look for talented female candidates and this year 62% of all candidate lists for new hires had at least one woman. During the year 83% of people hired through our Sales Management Development Program were women, creating a strong pipeline of female talent for senior roles in the future.
Secondly, we aim to provide a supportive environment for personal growth. Each of our functions has guidelines and principles for promoting greater flexibility, introducing new ideas such as telecommuting. This year the average number of training hours completed by women increased by almost 50%.
Thirdly, women are encouraged to share their own experiences with others – through group mentoring, for example. The results speak for themselves. Of the 115 women who have participated in group mentoring since 2010, 36 have been promoted and 30 have made lateral moves to develop broader or deeper skills.
Michelle Nettles, Senior Director for Business Diversity and Partnerships, MillerCoors | <urn:uuid:8fe84c3d-88a4-40a6-b7f6-5c6305fbc91f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sabmiller.com/index.asp?pageid=795 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960087 | 412 | 1.671875 | 2 |
There have been reports of Muhammad Ali being near death floating around the webisphere due to his brother Rahman Ali speaking to the press saying, “My brother can’t speak. He doesn’t recognize me. He’s in a bad way. He’s very sick. It could be months, it could be days. I don’t know if he’ll last the summer. He’s in God’s hands. We hope he gently passes away.”
Muhammad Ali’s wife and daughter disputes the reports and wanted everyone to know that the Champ is just fine, in good spirits watching his team The Ravens take home the win.
Ali dressed in all Raven’s apparel must have been in his glory. Last year Ali went to Baltimore for a fundraiser and surprised his team who was in fact flabbergasted to see the Greatest of all time Ali in person. Ali has suffered from Parkinson’s disease since 1984, and with the good care his family provides for him, he hasn’t missed a beat.
Ali celebrated his 71st birthday last month. The greatest rubbed off some of his good fortunes with The Baltimore Ravens. This wasn’t their best season but it goes to show the game is about who’s hot right now, and they were sizzling as the Champ cheered his team The Baltimore Ravens to victory.
Muhammad Ali Awarded The Liberty Medal In Philly at The National Constitution.
Muhammad Ali aka ”The Greatest” traveled to Philly on September 13, 2012, arrived at The National Constitution Center to receive The Liberty Medal. The Liberty Medal is awarded to a person who displays courage and conviction while striving to secure freedom for people around the world.
Muhammad Ali is known for his “Greatness” inside and outside of the ring. Ali is so deserving of this award, due to his longtime role as a heavyweight for humanitarian causes, civil rights and religious freedom. He’s devoted his life to many social causes and international charitable missions during his boxing career and afterwards. In 2005 Ali received the nation’s highest civilian honor, The Presidential Medal Of Freedom.
Laila Ali was right by her dad’s side as she assisted him to a standing position, placed the medal around his neck and Ali looked down at the Medal and then looked out at the crowd and waved…..what a joyous moment. Laila, who followed in her father’s footsteps and carried on his humanitarianism stated “You know, my father loves people and people love my father, and I learned that at a very young age, as people would always come up to him wherever we went,” Laila Ali said. “My father has always lived his life to make this world better for others.”
During the ceremony Dikembe Montumbu and Joe Louis Barrow II, the son of boxer Joe Louis. spoke words that resonated in the air “Knowing you since I was a little boy has given me a ringside seat to history,” an emotional Barrow said. “But it’s your character outside the ring that speaks to the hope of the least and lost among us.”
The National Constitution Center is dedicated to increasing public awareness of the Constitution and the ideas and values it represent.
Mjj says “This was a Great Moment for a Great Man, Muhammad Ali.”
Hours after performing at the funeral of Whitney Houston in New Jersey, Stevie Wonder flew to Las Vegas to sing his “Happy Birthday” song to Muhammad Ali, who celebrated his 70th birthday with a star-studded party at the MGM Grand.
President Barack Obama sent birthday wishes to The Greatest of All Time via video. ”Happy birthday, champ. As a fighter, you were something spectacular,” he said. ”You shocked the world, and you inspired it, too. And even after all the titles and legendary bouts, you’re still doing it.”
Ali’s daughter, Rasheda, had earlier told Reuters that she knew her father would be thrilled to see him perform. “He has a long history with Stevie Wonder. He’s known him his whole life,” she said.
The celebration was Keep Hope Alive’s 16th annual Power of Love Gala. Proceeds from the event will go to the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and the Muhammad Ali Center in Ali’s hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.
The boxing legend has been battling Parkinson’s disease since 1984. | <urn:uuid:7a5aa0bc-d6c1-43dc-b50f-81c98cf82594> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mediajuicejoint.com/category/muhammad-ali-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978352 | 964 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Published: Mar. 11, 2011
Updated: Mar. 11, 2011
By Emily Mitchell
When your family is complete, finding a permanent form of birth control can be a whole new challenge. Traditionally, the limited options have included the tubal ligation for women and the vasectomy for men.
But for those who are nervous about tubal ligation or whose partners squirm at the idea of a vasectomy, Duke offers Essure, a non-invasive, non-hormonal permanent birth control method.
Nicole Kerner, MD, a gynecologist at Duke Women’s Health Associates, performs this procedure and notes that patients have been very pleased with the results.
“The Essure procedure is safer, less-invasive, equally effective, and less painful than tubal ligation, so it’s a great alternative for patients who are done having children,” Kerner said.
During an Essure procedure, two small coils are passed through the vagina and uterus into the fallopian tubes. These coils are made of materials that have been used in medical devices for years, so they are time-tested and safe. The materials are also hormone-free.
In the three months immediately following the procedure, your body and the coils work to form a natural barrier (like scar tissue) to permanently prevent the sperm from reaching the egg.
Insertion of the Essure device can take place at your OB-GYN office and no anesthesia or incisions are necessary.
After the initial three-month period, your doctor will perform a confirmation test where she inserts a safe dye into your vagina and takes an x-ray to ensure that none of the dye can get past the natural blockage created from the Essure procedure.
This easy confirmation test allows your gynecologist to see if the natural barrier has formed and assures that you are adequately protected against future pregnancy.
This simple procedure is ideal for busy moms who have little time for a hospital visit and days of recovery.
The procedure is performed in-office, and, in a few short minutes, the coils can be successfully inserted and patients are free to return home for their short recovery.
“Patients love that they can get back to their normal activities within the same day as this procedure. There is little pain and little down-time to keep them from living their normal, busy lives,” Kerner said.
Essure is relatively new -- it was approved for use in the U.S. in 2002. Kerner has performed this procedure with positive outcomes since 2004.
Her success at offering this innovative method of birth control means you can take worrying about family planning off your to-do list.
To schedule a consultation to discuss if Essure, or another procedure, is right for you, call 888-ASK-DUKE (888-275-3853) toll-free or 919-687-4688 locally. | <urn:uuid:5ed26616-dd94-4827-a124-70b797ff0a0c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dukehealth.org/health_library/health_articles/essure-a-safe-solution-to-family-planning | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948472 | 608 | 1.585938 | 2 |
National Cancer Institute Awards Two Cancer Drug Discovery Contracts to UNC
CHAPEL HILL, NC - As part of a national effort to accelerate the identification and testing of new anti-cancer drugs, SAIC-Frederick, Inc., a prime contractor to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has awarded two contracts totaling $2.4 million to two teams of UNC scientists to initiate the discovery of drugs for the treatment of childhood leukemia and brain tumors.
These contracts, called Task Orders, were awarded in support of the NCI’s Chemical Biology Consortium (CBC) program, and provide funding to one-year and 18-month milestones respectively. Further funding may be awarded depending upon progress.
Stephen Frye, PhD, professor of medicinal chemistry and director of the UNC Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery in the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, is principal investigator. Frye is also a member of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. The two centers are collaborating on both projects.
Frye said, “These studies build on research pioneered at UNC Lineberger and already underway in the Integrative Chemical Biology Center, initially with support from the University Cancer Research Fund. Childhood cancers and brain tumors are challenging to treat, and we hope that our work can lead to improved therapies.”
In the childhood cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a protein called Mer is abnormally expressed, making the cancer resistant to current therapies. Mer was initially discovered at UNC in the lab of Shelley Earp, MD, UNC Lineberger’s director. UNC scientists will develop selective small molecules inhibitors of Mer kinase as drug candidates to treat pediatric ALL. They will also use the molecules as probes to further explore the mechanism whereby Mer activation sustains the survival of lymphoid and other tumors that express Mer, potentially opening doors to new treatments for other cancers. The team will collaborate with Doug Graham, MD, a pediatric oncologist at the University of Colorado who was a student of Earp’s and co-discoverer of Mer kinase.
A second project also targets a specific gene involved in gliomas, the most common type of brain cancer. Glioblastoma multiforme-GBM- is the most aggressive tumor subtype where less than ten percent of patients survive beyond one year. This research will target the protein product of a gene called IDH1 that is frequently mutated in gliomas. The role of IDH1 in this cancer has been defined through the work of Yue Xiong, PhD, Kenan Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics and a UNC Lineberger member. The mutation offers a highly specific target for the discovery and development of anti-GBM drugs.
“We were pleased that UNC was selected as one of NCI’s centers when the program was initiated last year and even more pleased that we have received two awards in this highly-competitive process,” said Robert Blouin, PharmD, dean of the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy.
Other UNC faculty collaborating on the project include: Gary Johnson, PhD, professor and chair of pharmacology; Bill Janzen, BS, research professor of the practice in the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy; Dmitri Kireev, research professor in the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy; and Xiadong Wang, PhD, research assistant professor in the Eshelman School of Pharmacy. Janzen, Kireev and Wang are members of the UNC Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery.
This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal Funds from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, under Contract No. HHSN261200800001E. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the view or policies o the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy contact:
David Etchison or (919) 966-7744 | <urn:uuid:4462099f-a430-40c5-9022-28c8a3e7d582> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nccancerhospital.org/ucrf/news/cancer-drug-discovery-contracts | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941181 | 841 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Logo: BridgestonePosted: March 16, 2011
Bridgestone is a Japanese company set up during the 1930′s as rubber manufacture, well known for its past involvement in Formula 1 and motor racing it has grown to become the largest tyre manufacturer in the world. To mark its 80th anniversary it’s logo has undergone a number of revisions to better reflect and expand on the global corporate philosophy of “Serving Society with Superior Quality” established by the founder Shojiro Ishibashi.
From the Bridgestone website:
The company refined the Bridgestone symbol that consists of Bridgestone Logo, Bridgestone Mark and B Mark in order to respond to diverse customer needs and to reflect changes in the current social environment. This refinement is intended to reflect a sense of “coexistence with people around the world”, “flexible strength” and “a sense of speedin adjusting to change”. This is an evolution from the previous logo which expresses “strength” and “a sense of physical speed.”
The techniques used to reflect the strength and stability aspect of Bridgestone products in the original word-mark meant that it suffered slightly from repetitious, overtly bold and tightly tracked letter forms, while the proportions of the type in relation to the mark looked unusually balanced. In comparison the new logo has more distinguishable characters and increases the space through and around the letters, successfully achieving a sense of flexibility while also enhancing its legibility when reduced down. The radius on the corner of the ‘B’ logo-mark has been revised and make it appear softer and more accessible to a global audience while the new central curve expresses the stability and agility of the brand in a changing world.
The odd proportions between mark and type have been well resolved and deliver a much tighter lock-up with more impact and expression. | <urn:uuid:ea8a0d9b-57e1-408f-825b-6cab06e3de59> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bpando.org/2011/03/16/logo-bridgestone/ | 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 | 0.948784 | 388 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Its simply amazing - excellent for travel enthusiasts. It would be great if travelling with proper mix and match. You can say it travelling mix and match.
- Who and why did Revolution in Russia in 1917?
- Where is Russian Emperor's gold (supposedly stolen ~ 1918 17,815.147 kilograms of gold)?
- What was Jews role BEFORE World War 2?
- many others.
Those shown in the article - they are not even secrets.
Dang! I was thinking this was an article about 'important' secrets like: "Who was Carly Simon referring to when she wrote YOUR SO VAIN?".
I have been to Tassia and it is simply amazing! The people are wonderful, the food unbelievable and the location is serene and peaceful. The daily hikes are exciting and I was able to see a huge variety of wildlife. The guides that work at the lodge are Masaai locals and have a tremendous knowledge of the wilderness. I learned everything from animal track identification to edible and medicinal plants in the area. Highly, highly recommend it!
Westfjords is an adventure worth exploring. Látrabjarg cliff is the largest seabird colony in the northern Atlantic and the most western-point of Europe. Rauðasandur beach is one of the most spectacular sites of Iceland. Check out at visitwestfjords.com
These mountain areas from Nepal to Pakistan called Koh-e-Hamalia one the beautiful wonders of the world.
Nice to see that Nepal is often quoted in international destinations despite of economic & political situations going down each day!
Garden of dreams is certainly a superb place to be in tranquility.
What in God's name is "seafood cappucino" ? Do you mean "cioppino"?, because there's a helluva difference...
Indeed a lot of places will be there where you would love to travel may be that with your soul mate, family, friends or all the way alone as well. Nature has always kept us in the depth of the amazing imagination of love towards it. We have our Wonders of Nepal section where we enlist some wonders of Nepal who you must meet or where you must visit. Here, we share you a special one indeed
@GauravKandel Twitter - @viewyourchoice
When in the Westfjords, during your stay in Iceland, consider visiting the Arctic Fox Center in Súðavík: http://www.arcticfoxcenter.com/
As Cathryn Drake says, the Westfjords landscape has a palpable supernatural spirit, and that's what I try to bring to life in my children's stories set in the Westfjords.
I think Andaman and Nicobar islands of Indian sub continent is also a must visit place if once wants to give a treat to mind and body.
You can get more information here - http://www.knowandamans.com
When I was a kid in Panama we got to go camping in some old spanish ruins. Loved growing up in the air force.
What a great list of places, particularly the pre-Angkorian city in Cambodia to avoid the crowds at Angkor Wat. I'd also suggest visiting Little Petra, the much lesser visited cousin of the well known Petra in Jordan. Here's a story about our visit to it: http://www.changesinlongitude.com/visit-to-jordan-little-petra/ | <urn:uuid:a14a87d1-5a61-49ea-937a-555a8c54b038> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://style.time.com/2013/03/14/a-little-place-i-know-24-of-the-worlds-best-kept-secrets/slide/all/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942365 | 722 | 1.601563 | 2 |
This post went live mid-week last week, on HBR. It is the 3rd installment on a series of why fast / fluid / flexible is crucial for the social era. The headline has caused some interesting discussion / perspectives. (It also got some VERY strong personal attacks going.) I’m curious to see what you think, but keep the “you’re a stupid loser” comments to a minimum.
Imagine that you wanted a new home theater system. But instead of spending hours in Best Buy or on Amazon comparing configurations and assembling the parts you needed, you could signal what you wanted and a company would create it for you. You might simply Pinterest the elements you liked, including information about your space or noise limitations (“One-bedroom apartment on busy street in New York,” or “suburban space that needs stuff protected from little kids”), and then have a retailer give you a personalized, optimal configuration.
Right now, social is largely seen as a way to amplify messages (“Like” us on Facebook!) or to create conversations around customer service (“We’re so sorry you’re having a problem,” the persistent tweet from @ComcastCares). These two key functions — Marketing and Service — are regularly discussed as shaped by social era dynamics.
But the social era can — and will — be more than that. It will help us decide what we make, how much we make, and how we finance that production. While social media doesn’t shift Porter’s model, the social era surely does.
Big Isn’t Enough
This is the 3rd part of a series on what it takes to win in the social era: being fast, fluid, and flexible.
Let’s think about the way that changes our modes of production. Size once gave organizations purchasing power. Being big used to enable high barriers-to-entry, keeping out potential competitors. Big had the dollars to buy the mass-market access to consumers back when mass media was the only way to reach an audience. But when the capital requirements to enter markets have declined, the marginal cost of reaching consumers is effectively zero, and one-off production is not hard to do… being big offers a much smaller advantage than it used to. Being big ain’t enough, anymore.
Most existing big organizations — the 800-pound gorillas — subscribe to Michael Porter’s value chain framework. As I mentioned in the first part of this series, this model optimizes for efficient delivery of a known thing. Organizationally it means Z follows Y, which follows X. It carries with it one fundamental assumption: that customers are tangential to the process.
There is no question that Porter’s work has helped shape (some would say, “invent”) modern-day strategy. I’ve used his ideas for over 20 years of running companies big and small, and I consider myself a fan of his thinking. But, to put it bluntly, Porter’s value chain is antiquated in the light of the social era. It was created at a time when being big and having scale was in itself a key aspect to competitive advantage and profitability.
Generic vs. Distinct
People buy two categories of things: The distinct, and the generic. The distinct items are the things that have a limited quantity, that are artisanal in nature, and that are worth paying a premium for. The generic items are, well, the things you might find on Amazon.
When companies like Best Buy or Target are simply aisles of what you can find online, then it’s easy enough to become a storefront for Amazon. Everything that is undifferentiated is going to be delivered in ever more efficient, low-cost ways. Porter’s value chain is well suited for this mass-market, cost-driven approach, where customers remain at the end of the value chain.
But for organizations wanting to thrive in the social era, being distinct is key to both profitability and winning. While there has always been a market for bespoke, differentiated items, until very recently that market served a tiny fraction of the uber-rich. But today, both macroeconomic forces, and technological advances mean that customized products aren’t just for the one percent. Instead, customized products and experiences can be for everybody, at least some of the time.
How will the smartest, nimblest companies move away from less-profitable generics and into more-profitable distinct goods and services? By using the rules of the social era.
Social Becomes Central to What We Build
During Fashion Week in September 2011, Burberry did a direct campaign with an everyday consumer (not just the editors and fashionistas) to showcase their new line in what they called a #tweetwalk, letting users tweet about what they liked (or didn’t). It created an immediate signal between the company and its broad users.
It was an interesting first step.
Every brand already has the ability to get direct feedback from consumers on what they like; the friction cost of doing this is effectively zero through a social media conversation. But Burberry stopped short of doing what makes the most sense to their bottom line. Imagine if they’d actually created a video of a runway walk that enabled click to order. They could produce only what was ordered, and thus reverse their supply chain to produce only what is already sold. They could even allow customers to request products in particular colors at premium prices. Social gives companies more control to operationally adjust their offers and create zealots by better collecting and amplifying even weak signals.
This puts the customer at the center of the company much more than any lip service about being “customer centric.” Today, we see brands asking consumers to “like” them on Facebook as a way of getting permission to push them information. The brand is still the central part of that communication. Imagine what that dynamic becomes when using the power of pull. Ask yourself, what would it look like to put customers at the center?
Many of you already know of Kickstarter as the largest funding platform for creative projects in the world. Several other platforms exist to allow community to fund expansion. When no one funds you, you know there’s no market for your idea. This changes more than the economic source. When a community invests in an idea, it also co-owns its success. In other words, it’s not just socially funded; it’s socially meaningful.
Now, let’s go back to that imagined home entertainment system. What if you — and everyone else shopping for a similar system — could signal your desired systems and have Best Buy choose one of hundreds each week to showcase (or perhaps choose the most popular per region). You would then have a reason to check out that configuration in a retail store — to see it and feel it — and then order it so they could come set it up at your place. See how that changes the retail experience from generic long aisles of commodity items to customized and community experiences? That is what social allows.
A Cycle of Profitability
When companies figure out how to shape their design, production, and manufacturing cycle from rigid planning and production systems to unique customer-driven experiences, they’ll design a way to respond in smaller bursts of more profitable cycles.
By allowing customers to directly fund an expansion, companies will know exactly what to build, and what is extraneous. By allowing signals to direct production, there’s an opportunity to learn immediately what the market responds to. Organizations can be in a constant conversation to learn what is working and what is not, and adapt on the fly. These nimble organizations consistently try new things, adapt to what works and thus improve the bottom line. What is interesting about this approach is that no company has to get it “right” the first time, as much as know how to learn and discover what works for growth.
The 800-pound gorilla dominated at a time when companies needed and used more capital, when the value chain could be profit maximized through vertical integration. To run this kind of organization, leaders had to be focus on being big enough to enable scale — because that’s where the profits once were. Once an organization got big, it took a lot to displace it. But the social era demands something more of our organizations. Something that is qualitatively different. The social era rewards the gazelles — the ones that are fast, fluid, and flexible.
This post is part of a series on how the social era will reward fast, fluid, flexible organizations. Now that we’ve covered the rules of the social era, the way it affects how we organize, and how companies produce and distribute, we’ll move onto what it means for how we sell and market. (The original post is here: http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/02/why_porters_model_no_longer_wo.html). I’d appreciate you making comments at the original source, over at HBR since that honors the work I do with my editor. | <urn:uuid:a86f99aa-1b5c-44b8-bcf0-2c6dd1c9c46a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nilofermerchant.com/2012/03/06/why-porters-model-no-longer-works/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953071 | 1,908 | 1.59375 | 2 |
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It's All Politics
Wed February 29, 2012
Super Tuesday: Which Candidates Can Win Outside Their 'Comfort Zones'?
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney notched two big wins Tuesday, upping his Republican presidential delegate count and taking modest-plus momentum into the week leading up to Super Tuesday on March 6.
With the Michigan and Arizona primaries in the history books as Romney's fifth and sixth victories, we're looking ahead to Super Tuesday, when presidential contests will be held in 10 states and 413 delegates will be up for grabs.
The star of the show? The hotly contested race in Ohio, where Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney are engaged in a battle royale for its trove of 63 delegates and Midwest bragging rights.
But candidates are also aggressively prospecting for votes and delegates from Idaho to Vermont, from the socially conservative South where Newt Gingrich will attempt to revive his campaign with a win in his home state of Georgia, to caucus states like North Dakota where Ron Paul has staked his presidential future.
But if race predictions hold, Super Tuesday is unlikely to prove determinative, and the four remaining Republican candidates are expected to continue their delegate-by-delegate slog to amass the 1,144 needed to secure the nomination.
"It's been the calling card of this cycle — incremental gains," says Josh Putnam, a political scientist who, with his blog, FrontloadingHQ, has emerged as the election season's guru for all things related to the primaries and delegate counts.
"What I'm looking at is who can win outside their comfort zone next week," Putnam says.
Predicting outcomes and delegate allotment is difficult, he says, given Republican Party rules that in most states award delegates based on how candidates perform in individual congressional districts, as well as statewide, and not simply by a proportion of the overall vote.
That being said, here's our look at the four candidates and their Super Tuesday prospects — at least at the moment, and with the caveat that if past is prologue, the race promises many more twists and turns. Perhaps even before next Tuesday.
The former Pennsylvania senator is currently topping polls in next-door Ohio, with an average lead over Romney of 8.3 percentage points, according to surveys compiled by RealClearPolitics. Ohio, Putnam says, is the "big gem" of next week's contests, "a true battleground and Midwest test."
Romney's Ohio support, at about 26 percent, has barely budged since the beginning of the year, while Gingrich has been up and down. The former House speaker briefly led Ohio state polls late last year, but now, like Paul, is barely registering in double digits.
Santorum also has risen to the top of the polls in Oklahoma, where Gingrich is a distant second, and in Tennessee, where Romney is trailing in second. He also has the potential to do well in the North Dakota and Alaska caucuses.
Romney is expected to gather delegates next week in Massachusetts and Vermont, and in Virginia, where only he and Paul qualified for the ballot. He'll win convincingly with the moderate Northeast Republicans of Massachusetts, says Andrew Smith, director of the University of New Hampshire Survey Center.
A recent poll in Virginia, where Santorum and Gingrich — who lives in Virginia — failed to collect enough names to get on the state's primary ballot, showed Romney the pick of 53 percent of those surveyed. If Romney finishes with more than 50 percent of the vote, he'll be awarded a bonus of sorts: 13 statewide delegates, in addition to the ones he picks up in individual congressional districts.
Romney is also considered a favorite in the caucuses in Idaho, where about a quarter of the adult population is, like him, of the Mormon faith.
"But we're looking at who can win outside their comfort zone," Putnam says. Ohio, where Romney is very competitive, appears to be the only state that might fit that criteria and where the former Massachusetts governor has a chance to win.
During an appearance Tuesday on CNN, Gingrich said he "unequivocally" has to win Georgia, which he once represented in the U.S. House. He is seen as the likely victor there, though his once-stratospheric lead in the polls has dropped to the 33 to 39 percent range.
Polls this month showed Santorum overtaking Romney for second in Georgia, but still trailing Gingrich by about 9 percentage points.
A win outside of his comfort zone of Georgia? Unlikely, but Gingrich could pull some delegates in Oklahoma. He has lost ground, however, in Tennessee, another state that was part of his Super Tuesday strategy.
Though a pro-Gingrich superPAC reportedly has received another big infusion of cash from casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, Gingrich's path post-Super Tuesday remains increasingly difficult.
North Dakota is where Paul's opportunity lies, Putnam says. Paul remains a wild card, able to peel off a few delegates from congressional districts and running his delegate strategy in the caucus states.
Paul continues to poll at or around 10 percent in most Super Tuesday states, with the exception of the noncompetitive Virginia, where a recent Christopher Newport University/Richmond Times-Dispatch poll had Paul favored by 23 percent of those polled. | <urn:uuid:39e45ce0-7403-4603-ab4e-2e921e893ffa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wamc.org/post/super-tuesday-which-candidates-can-win-outside-their-comfort-zones | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963876 | 1,154 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Carter and Hamas
When approaching a conflict, any world statesperson would consider trying to break up the logjam. A Christian leader who has always stood for justice and human rights and who takes the issue of the sancity of life seriously has no choice but to try and see what he or she can do to stop the bloodshed. In a protracted conflict, adding new ideas from a high-profile figure can help shake up the status quo. While it is unlikely for an ex-president to be able to extract major concessions, what President Carter has done in his meetings with Hamas is to show the world that the issues are much more gray than Israeli and U.S. government spin portray them to be. The visit and seven-hour talks that Carter conducted with Hamas leader Khaled Mashal put to rest the attempts to paint them as merely an al Qaeda-like terrorist organistion that one should never consider talking to. In spite of its indiscriminate violence against civilians, this movement was elected in free and fair elections two years ago that Carter and other international monitors observed.
Take Action on This Issue
Carter's visit also showed that while Hamas, like most Palestinians, are bitter about the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands, they are pragmatic enough to accept a two-state solution negotiated by the moderate Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, so long as the Palestinian public gets a chance to approve it in a popular referendum. It is important that the sitting president take this into consideration when deciding U.S. policy. Keeping 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza under permanent siege is illegal and immoral. Israel, and indirectly the U.S.'s, refusal to accept the offer by Hamas of a ceasefire is illogical.
While Carter has certainly not won over enough concessions from the Palestinian movement, he has shown that they are open for talks. Naturally they would be more willing to make concessions in return for recognition by the U.S. and other world powers.
President Carter should be applauded for his efforts. With the words of our Lord Jesus, "Blessed are the peacemakers."
Daoud Kuttab is a Palestinian journalist, professor at Princeton University, and founder of the Arab world's first Internet radio station, Ammannet. His e-mail is [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:3ad1801d-13a3-485f-b08f-0503f0484378> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sojo.net/blogs/2008/04/23/carter-and-hamas?quicktabs_blog_homepage_tabbed_block=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964075 | 466 | 1.78125 | 2 |
(thanks to Steve Chung for his review of Action Comics #399, "Superman, You're Dead... Dead... Dead!", which is quoted liberally below) (Lenny Carlson notes Earth 27 doesn't have jumbo jets and airplanes outside of WWII era... it's possible that they might still exist but travel by blimp is evidently more popular, as portrayed in Animal Man) 1770's - 1780's ==================================== George Washington pens the Emancipation Proclamation, which frees the slaves in the American colonies. An important moral document, it soon results in the ending of slavery throughout the British Commonwealth. [speculation] 1860's ============================ Abraham Lincoln leads the country in the Revolutionary War, achieving independence from Britain. He is elected President for life. [speculation] 1870's ============================ Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer achieves a position of honor among the various native tribes and is elected Chief of the Indian Federation. [speculation] 1940 ============================ The man known as the Unknown Soldier has first case. [Unknown Soldier #249] After his death he is buried in Arlington Cemetary. 1945 - 1946 ============================ At the Nuremburg trials, Adolph Hitler is found guilty of war crimes and is sentenced to death by hanging. 1968 =========================== President Robert Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas by Lee Harvey Oswald. After his death he is buried in Arlington Cemetary. [speculation by Lenny Carlson based on Earth-Prime JFK's assassination] June 1969 ============================ 37 year old Edward Kennedy along with his secretary drowns in Chappaquiddick, Massachusetts during their car accident. 1968 ============================ Clark Kent/Kal-El begins his career as Superman. 1969 ============================ Bruce Wayne begins his career as Batman. 1975 ============================ Buddy Baker has adventures as Animal Man. [Strange Adventures #180] 1977 ============================ Rupert "Ken" Kenboya, a native African, has adventures as B'wana Beast. [Showcase #66] 1981 =========================== American boxer Joe Louis accidently assassinated by Mark Chapman during his first meeting with musician John Lennon. After his death he is buried in Arlington Cemetary. [speculation by Lenny Carlson, who notes that Joe Louis possibly never met Lennon within Earth-Prime continuity] 1980's ============================ Bruise has adventures. [Animal Man #28] Envelope Girl has adventures. [Animal Man #28] Front Page has adventures. [Animal Man #28] The Green Cigarette has adventures. [Animal Man #28] The Human Vegetable has adventures. [Animal Man #28] Notional Man has adventures. [Animal Man #28] Nowhere Man has adventures. [Animal Man #28] Marvin Gaye survives a shooting incident and continues his musical career. [Animal Man #32] 1990 ============================ America is controlled by a corrupt, extremely right-wing government headed by President Eagleton. [Animal Man #27] The Angel Mob kills Animal Man. | <urn:uuid:4ec2665e-e0ba-4edd-b2bc-a0f303056324> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blaklion.best.vwh.net/timeline27.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943913 | 609 | 1.757813 | 2 |
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) - President Barack Obama says the timing on his trip to Israel was right for Turkey and Israel to start restoring normal diplomatic relations.
That process started Friday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and apologized for errors that resulted in deaths of activists aboard a Gaza-bound flotilla in 2010. Obama, who was in Israel, brokered the call. He says Netanyahu agreed it was the right moment.
Obama says he's long felt it was important the two countries restore good relations so they can pursue common interests. He says Turkey and Israel don't have to agree on everything to be able to work together on regional security and other issues.
Obama spoke at a news conference with Jordan's King Abdullah II.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | <urn:uuid:6ed27d22-3424-4872-9c39-2d0e7a50f0eb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.myfoxspokane.com/news/headlines/story/obama-timing-was-right-turkey-israel-restart | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969979 | 181 | 1.671875 | 2 |
10-Mar-2001 -- My brother and I have gone to find confluence areas alone, but we wanted to try
some together. We started out early to try to get two confluence's in middle Tennessee in
We drove to one first that appeared to be near the interstate, and near a main road.
As we approached the confluence, we slowed and came to an area where there were two
houses across the road from each other. My GPS said the position was just behind us.
We got out to walk back to the confluence, and we were greeted by a group of cows
and a dog. The dog barked at us, but just seemed to be protective and not vicious. The
cows were cautiously curious but crept closer as we calculated our confluence. We
walked back across the road a bit and did the confluence dance to get the GPS to
settle and zero out. We placed a stake at the confluence point with the latitude and
longitude and the web address written on it. We took our picture next to the stake we
placed with the road heading South in the background.
The photo of the white house with a large open field behind it is looking to the northeast
from the confluence. The photo of the large field is the view to the southeast. The curious
cows are due west of the confluence point, and the other white house with the dog in the
right front yard is to the northwest. I also have a photo of my GPS with all the zeros. This is
quite a beautiful area, and we both were dreaming of a day when we could move to an area
as nice as this. We packed up, and moved onto our next confluence at | <urn:uuid:f3bcb432-7093-4923-b139-79a5fbee9a25> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.confluence.org/confluence.php?visitid=524 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980928 | 360 | 1.8125 | 2 |
UNITED NATIONS - UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan called Tuesday for the rapid deployment of 300 ceasefire monitors in Syria but a top UN official said it will take at least one month to get the first 100 in place.
UN Security Council powers called on the United Nations to speed up the deployment.
Annan said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has still not fulfilled a promise to end violence and said the situation was "bleak" and "unacceptable".
The special envoy said he was "particularly alarmed" at reports that government forces had entered the city of Hama after a visit by UN monitors and killed "a significant" number of people.
"If confirmed this is totally unacceptable and reprehensible," he told the council.
The Syrian League for Human Rights said nine activists were "summarily executed" by government forces in Hama on Monday, a day after they met UN observers in the city.
Video footage posted online by activists showed a street in Hama's Arbaeen neighborhood with large pools of blood and women weeping.
The council was told there are now 11 UN observers in place and the 30-strong advance party of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) is expected to be in place by the end of the week.
But UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous said it would take a month to get the first 100 of the 300-member full force into Syria.
"All council members underscored the need for more rapid deployment of observers," US ambassador Susan Rice told reporters.
"We simply urged them to maybe look for some unorthodox ways to maybe expedite the process," Russia's UN envoy Vitaly Churkin said.
Damascus is however refusing to accept monitors from the Western and Arab coalition of countries in the so-called Friends of Syria group which has backed the opponents of Assad, Ladsous told the council.
The Syrian government had also blocked at least one observer because of his nationality, the official added.
"He underscored that from the UN's point of view this was entirely unacceptable," Rice said.
The United States, France, Britain, Germany, and Arab nations Saudi Arabia and Qatar are leading members of the Friends group which Damascus has dubbed the "Enemies of Syria" group.
The Security Council voted on Saturday to send the full UNSMIS force, only days after UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for 300 monitors.
"We must ensure that the momentum generated by the council's speedy decision is not lost," Annan said. "The expeditious deployment of UNSMIS," he added, "is crucial."
"We need eyes and ears on the ground, able to move freely and quickly, and to engage all parties - something which must be guaranteed by the Syrian authorities."
"Sustained pressure and engagement from the international community is essential," Annan said.
The Syrian government wrote to Annan on Saturday saying that troops and heavy weapons had been withdrawn from cities in line with promises made to the envoy.
But Annan's spokesman, Ahmad Fawzi, said earlier that satellite imagery had since shown that the government has not yet removed heavy weapons.
Annan brokered a cessation of hostilities which started on April 12, but the killing has continued, strengthening the doubts of Western nations that Assad will halt his crackdown on a 13-month-old uprising. The UN says well over 9,000 people have been killed.
Ladsous said Ban would name the monitoring mission's chief by the end of the week.
Major General Robert Mood of Norway, who negotiated the deployment with the Syrian government, attended the Security Council meeting and is considered the favorite to lead the mission. | <urn:uuid:2534d5d7-55ef-4bff-b41c-c427f2c7751c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/World/Story/A1Story20120425-341876.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973869 | 759 | 1.648438 | 2 |
The March 11th earthquake that devastated parts of northern Japan is the strongest on record for the country. In the days following the 8.9 magnitude quake, a British resident of Abiko, a small city near Tokyo, decided to enlist the Twitter community to create an e-book titled 2:46: Aftershocks: Stories from the Japan Earthquake in order to deliver the proceeds to the Japanese Red Cross. Some of the respondents are celebrities or journalists, while others are just ordinary people who survived an extraordinary natural disaster. The 50-page book was made in about a week, and is accompanied by beautiful artwork and distressing photographs (some are featured below). If you haven’t donated yet, or if you’re just interested in what people on the ground experienced, you might want to pick up a copy.
Yoko Ono writes: “One year, John, my husband, Sean and I, were in a hotel in Tokyo. It was in the morning, and the earthquake suddenly hit three of us. I immediately grabbed Sean, who was still a little boy then. I went into an open closet, holding Sean tightly, and sat in there, kept repeating ‘Namyohorengekyo’… The earthquake John, Sean and I experienced was not at all like the one you just experienced. But still my body is now shaking tonight from the memory of it.”
Mari Kurisato in Colorado writes, “I’m afraid and tired, and I’m worried for my two friends who haven’t made contact. But I set aside my own feelings and translate and repost messages by the thousands, hoping that maybe one message will make a difference to one person… Useless? Naïve? Stupid? Maybe. But I keep doing it, because the only alternative I have is to stop, and fall apart at the horror of it all. がんばります (I’ll do all I can.)”
Yoshiko Ikeda writes about the girl below: “How old is she? 11 or 12? I wept, for the first time after the quake. Then I realized that there’s another person in the photo. Somebody wearing black socks is sitting right next to her. So, the girl is not alone, at least. I prayed, and remembered the place name ‘Nobiru.’ I googled and found it was a famous beach town in Miyagi Prefecture. The girl wore a green top. I shut off my computer.”
Yuki Wantanabe, whose hometown is in Fukushima prefecture, writes: “Please don’t abandon Fukushima. Please see the reality. Please give us accurate and timely information. Please get this nightmare power station under control as soon as possible. And please know that Fukushima is doing its best.”
Michael Gakuran writes: “Misinformation about radiation spread, overshadowing the plight of the people in the stricken areas of northern Japan. Even previously respectable newspapers seemed to be gripped by sensationalism and were not reporting the basic necessary, objective facts.”
Brian Wood in Tokyo writes: “The aftershocks have been a constant at night. For several hours after the first major quake, my building felt like it was in continuous, swaying motion. You get kind of paranoid and feel like you are swaying even when nothing seems to be moving. Looking at something hanging or dangling from the ceiling or walls is a good way to tell if a quake is real or not. While I wait for aftershocks, I keep looking at that hanging ceiling-light.” | <urn:uuid:2567710b-1f8d-4dad-8f79-e7e9301b5198> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://flavorwire.com/171978/quakebook-writing-about-the-japanese-earthquake | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961403 | 757 | 1.6875 | 2 |
The real problem with BC logging industry
Letter to the Times Colonist in response to the Executive Director of the Truck Loggers Association's January 28, 2101 Op-Ed called "Educating urbanites on the forest industry"
Mr. Lewis' argument in favour of raw log exports is another sad example of forest industry thinking that is unwilling to learn from the mistakes of the past. For years we have been selling our publicly owned resource at discount prices. Forest companies pay out province 25 cents for over 40% of the trees logged in BC. That is the reason why the Ministry of Forest and BC Timber sales lose money.
The structure of our current forest tenure system sets up nothing but obstacles to value added production in BC. Mr. Lewis scolds urbanites for failing to understand his industry, but perhaps he needs a remedial education in basic economics. British Columbians wonder how foreign buyers can afford to pay higher prices for BC logs, especially when the have to pay the transport costs for shipping. Maybe it is because foreign mills produce much more valuable products then dimensional lumber which is the priority of the BC industry. If we want to keep jobs for forest workers in BC we have to stop thinking of our forests as a discount warehouse and stop selling low value product.
Executive Director, Dogwood Initiative | <urn:uuid:c815dfaa-db86-4761-bb29-b1c7214440d2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://dogwoodinitiative.org/blog/the-real-problem-with-bc-logging-ndustry | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954964 | 262 | 1.703125 | 2 |
The final debate was held at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. Bob Shieffer of CBS moderated the lively debate which focused on foreign policy. The debate and its moderator were spirited.
The moderator asked about what happened in the terror attack in Libya.
Romney spoke first. He indicated that the Administration's policy is unraveling in the middle east. Romney cited the 3000 people killed in Syria, the recent terrorist attacks in Libya, a growing influence of Al Qaeda in Mali, a de-stabilizing influence of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and the growing nuclear threat which Iran poses.
Romney called for a comprehensive middle east policy to deal with all of these issues. At bottom, these middle eastern countries must forgo terrorism in favor of more cooperative modes. Romney cited Russia as a geopolitical foe but stressed that Iran is the greater threat right now. Romney criticized Obama for telling Putin that there would be more American flexibility after this election.
Romney indicated that 30,000 people were killed in Syria. In addition, Assad is arming the Hezbollah in Lebanon. Romney wants Assad out now. He would like to organize moderates and insurgents in Syria by providing arms to facilitate the process. Romney explained that the Saudis, Turks and Qatar are with us on this goal. At bottom, we need an effective leadership transition in Syria once Assad is out.
Obama answered by indicating that we're out of Iraq. Al Qaeda has been decimated. Ultimately, Afghanistan must be responsible for its own defense. He called for bringing the terrorists in Libya to justice, although he pointed out that thousands march now in favor of the United States presence in Libya. Obama took credit for stopping the massacre in Libya and criticized Romney for warning against mission creep in Libya.
Obama cited the killing of bin Laden and the end of his reign of terror. He cited more emphasis on getting Arab scholars to speak through the UN, more foreign aid, better education in the middle east and gender equity as needed things to stabilize the middle east. Obama cited the end of the Cold War and criticized Romney for wanting to have more troops stay in Iraq.
Obama indicated that the religious populations require protection in the middle east, as well as affirming the rights of women. At bottom, Obama called for nation building at home. Obama addressed Syria by indicating that an international coalition was needed along with Syrian moderates and dissidents to get rid of Assad. He explained that we are coordinating efforts with Israel and Turkey to encourage Assad to leave either forcibly or through diplomatic efforts.
The moderator asked whether or not there were regrets that Mubarak of Egypt is out of power.
Obama indicated that the need to protect religious minorities and the affirmation of treaties with Israel are paramount foreign policy concerns. He indicated that the young people of Egypt need jobs and housing. Obama stressed the need for continuing ongoing conferences with Egypt to rebuild the economy. In fact, we need to rebuild the economy right here in the United States.
Romney agreed that Mubarak should have been deposed. He called for a peaceful planet with a strong economy at home and good management of the debt. He decried a trillion dollars in cuts to our military budget.
The moderator asked about what role the United States should have in the world.
Romney indicated that we should defend freedom, affirm human rights, seek free enterprise development, encourage free elections and end major conflicts. At bottom, America must lead and we can't do so with a weak economy. He wants to strengthen the military and protect Poland with a missile shield. Romney criticized Obama for not supporting the Green Revolution in Iran.
Romney criticized Obama for not meeting the 5.4% unemployment goal set at the commencement of this Administration. He called for energy independence, greater trade with Latin America, schools which put the children first, a balanced budget and more emphasis on small business.
Romney took credit for ranking number 1 in standardized English tests for 4th and 8th graders in Massachusetts. Romney took credit for having great teachers in Massachusetts and being number 1 in the nation. He indicated that the top 25% of the students had scholarships for further study.
Obama took credit for ending the Iraq War and transitioning to peace in Afghanistan. He cited strong alliances in Asia, Europe, and Israel. He called for rebuilding America and cutting imports of energy by 50% by the end of this decade.
Obama criticized Romney for being 48th in the nation in education at the time he was governor. He took credit for reforming education in 46 states. Obama called for hiring more math and science teachers and reducing class size.
The moderator asked where the money will come from to do all these things around the world and at home.
Romney called for cutting discretionary spending by 5% over a decade. He stated that Obamacare is out. Romney would like to have the States run Medicaid where they could manage the money better. He cited Arizona and Rhode Island where there are successful pilot programs.
Romney cited his 25 years business experience and his governorship in Massachusetts where taxes were cut 19 times. He cited that our navy is the smallest since 1917 with only 200 ships and the Air Force is the smallest since 1947. At bottom, he will not cut the military budget by a trillion dollars.
Obama criticized Romney for $5 trillion in planned tax cuts and $2 trillion in military spending that the military isn't even asking for at this time. He worked with the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the budget. Obama pays for programs by closing tax loopholes and reducing the deficit.
Obama explained that his budget keeps nuclear submarines and air craft carriers in tact for modern warfare.
The moderator asked whether or not an attack on Israel would be considered the same as an attack on the United States. Both affirmed the need to support Israel if attacked, as well as the need for Iran to give up its nuclear program. On Iran, Obama would like to keep up the sanctions. Romney stressed that Iran is perilously close to achieving its nuclear program capability.
The moderator asked what happens when 2014 arrives and the United States is scheduled to leave Afghanistan.
Romney indicated that we would be finished by 2014. The generals believe that we are on track to get out. The surge was successful. Romney is more worried about Pakistan with 100 nuclear weapons and the impact of the Taliban on the security of Pakistan. He wants a more stable government in Pakistan and considers it an ally in the war against terror. Romney supports the use of drones in the region.
Obama indicated that the Iraq War was ended. We met our objectives there. Terror was decimated on the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Essentially, America needs to get back to work. He stressed that we stood for democracy in Egypt. In addition, Al Qaeda is weaker generally over the situation 4 years ago.
The moderator asked about the rising threat of China.
Obama indicated that we can be partners with China but they must play by the same trading rules. He indicated that we've won every major trade case brought against them and that steelworkers can now sell to China.
Obama indicated that if we took Romney's advice, we wouldn't have an auto resurgence and that exports to China would not have doubled. China is pivotal as an Asian growth area. He criticized Romney for not wanting to give government assistance to the auto industry.
Obama indicated that two wars have been wound down. Manufacturing is returning to the United States. We have the best education system. There is a need to control our energy supplies. We need a reduced deficit, as well as the rebuilding of infrastructure like roads and bridges. Obama wants less involvement of the United States overseas to concentrate more fully on things which need fixing at home.
Romney indicated that China wants a stable world. In addition, 20 million people are migrating from the farms to the cities. We owe China a trillion dollars. Trade relations with China help us but they must stop manipulating currency. The manipulation has the effect of increasing their trade artificially because prices are down and our consumer demand responds to lower prices of Chinese goods.
Romney stressed that he is a son of Detroit. To get industry on its feet, these companies need to go through a supervised bankruptcy procedure. He said that we would provide loan guarantees. At bottom, we can compete with everyone.
Romney pointed out that personal income is down by $4300 a year over the Bush Presidency. Food stamps went up by 12 million people. Unemployment is now 8% and not the 5.4% promised by Obama. 50% of college students cannot get work. At bottom, we need to get the private sector going again.
Romney is optimistic about the future. He wants real peace and economic prosperity. Romney wants increased take home pay, a balanced budget, 12 million new jobs and fewer people on food stamps. Washington is basically broken. The United States is the hope of the earth. The economy is the core issue. Romney asked for Americans to vote for him.
The moderator closed the debate. Both candidates had strong performances but they differed on many issues. Romney wants a more assertive military posture and a missile defense capability over Poland. Obama does not want to fund the military on programs they are not even asking for. Both affirmed 2014 as a good date for turning over security to Afghanistan.
Romney clearly wants to turn Medicare dollars over to the States who could utilize the money more prudently. Obama affirms the Obamacare program and more available health care coverage. Romney called for tax cuts paid for by a 5% reduction in discretionary spending. Obama fears that the math of the tax cuts just doesn't add up. This is something former President Clinton stated at the Democratic National Convention.
Neither candidate discussed taxing junk food with an excess consumption tax to strengthen Medicaid funding and improve health outcomes for more people. | <urn:uuid:3455c0e1-1bf1-45ed-a445-1b96299cb655> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lunch.com/Reviews/d/The_Third_and_Final_Presidential_Debate-1837921.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973319 | 1,966 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Industry Figures Weigh In On PS3 Hacker Debacle
The hack of the PlayStation 3 shook the gaming world, with the homebrew community buzzing at the opportunity to get under the hood of the console. But the consequences of such a hack could be potentially devastating to the platform, with easy piracy damaging both developers and publishers. Equally, Sony’s lawsuit of George Hotz and several other hackers made civil liberty groups uneasy, with them worried about the threat it presented to free speech. To learn about both the damaging effect of piracy, as well as the dangers of Sony’s attempts to suppress the hack, PlayStation LifeStyle interviewed Corynne McSherry from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and Michael Rawlinson, Director General of UKIE.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation is an international non-profit digital rights advocacy and legal organization that defends our digital rights worldwide. To learn more about the EFF, be sure to visit their website.
PlayStation LifeStyle talked to Corynne McSherry, Intellectual Property Director at the EFF about the ramifications of the Sony lawsuit, the possible precedents it could set on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and the dangers of a lawsuit based upon easy-to-change terms of service.
Hi Corynne, could you start by introducing yourself, and telling us about your work at the Electronic Frontier Foundation?
I’m the Intellectual Property Director at EFF. I focus on copyright, trademark, and free speech litigation.
Sony asked George Hotz et al to remove content from his website that included the tools to ‘jailbreak’ the PS3 – which human rights have been violated?
Any time a lawsuit or other legal threat targets speech, including research, there is a threat in turn to free speech rights.
Free speech advocate Dr David Touretzky* mirrored Hotz’s work in defense of his rights, do you think he was right in doing so?
I think it’s important that the research and gaming communities resist efforts to intimidate them.
How important do you think the court case is to setting a precedent with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act on console hacking?
I think it could be quite important. The DMCA anti-circumventions provisions are still in the early stages of being interpreted by the courts, so cases like this can be quite influential.
As part of their case against Hotz et al, Sony claims that by signing up to the PlayStation Network, they agreed to their Terms of Service, which they can change at any time. Are you worried that a successful suit could have dire consequences?
EFF is very worried about a larger trend, where companies try to use their TOS to transform alleged contract violations into crimes or copyright violations particularly given that most users do not read those terms.
Do you respect Sony’s right to try and limit piracy on the PS3 – and on future consoles – and if so, how should they have acted after the tools were released?
Setting aside the question of whether there is any legal basis for the suit, it will not prevent the information from being available. So it’s difficult to see what Sony intends to accomplish here, other than sending a dangerous message.
Do you support hacking, or just the right to hack?
We support the freedom to tinker.
In an article published by the EFF, that you co-wrote, you called Hotz and failOverflow “security researchers”, but many of them style themselves as hackers, and often don’t have purely honorable intentions – do you worry that by calling them security researchers, you risk tarnishing the name of actual security researchers?
Do you think that Sony will win the court case, or is there little chance of success?
We are still evaluating the legal basis for the claims, so I can’t comment on that yet.
With tools in the jailbreak being supposedly based upon research gathered with the use of the ‘jailbreak dongle’ – a circumvention device containing copyrighted tools from Sony, the jailbreak is thought to differ from the jailbreaks of other devices, such as on the PSP and iPhone, where no copyrighted tools were used. Does this add credence to Sony’s case?
As I mentioned, we are still developing our legal and technical analysis, so I can’t speak to this question at present. Sorry!
PlayStation LifeStyle would like to thank Corynne McSherry for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer the interview questions and Rebecca Jeschke for setting the interview up.
*Free Speech advocate Dr David Touretzky declined to give an interview.
For the full interview with Michael Rawlinson, Director General of UKIE, on the dangers of piracy, and what preventive measures console manufacturers can take, continue reading…
Pages: 1 2 | <urn:uuid:354ffbef-819d-41a0-8c49-03f85a9b46c0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2011/01/31/industry-figures-weigh-in-on-ps3-hacker-debacle/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945558 | 998 | 1.828125 | 2 |
For the third segment in our series of interviews with Digital Media thought leaders, we talked to Ryan Gombeski, the Director of Sales at Altitude Digital Partners, a company that empowers premium and longtail publishers to optimize and monetize their online display and video inventory. Gombeski told us what he thinks about Film Annex's initiatives in Afghanistan and shared his ideas about digital media, technology, and education. Film Annex is currently building Internet classrooms in Afghanistan with the mission to improve the Afghan education system and the economy of Afghanistan.
F.A. What do you think of Film Annex's initiatives in Afghanistan?
R.G. Film Annex is an organization making moves that have a real impact on people’s lives and words can’t describe how important that is. Hopefully their ideas and energy will inspire other people and companies, with the means to help, jump to action. We don’t exist in a vacuum so it’s my firm belief that when you find a cause you believe in, and when you can help, you should.
F.A. Digital and social media have changed the political scenarios of several countries in the last two years. Can they also affect the educational and financial landscape? If yes, how so?
R.G. The world has never been so flat as far as sharing information goes. We live in a time of instant gratification and almost unlimited access to all kinds of information. A video posted to youtube can insight real change. A great example of this is what the world was able to witness with the Arab Spring. This can be good and bad of course, as people try to propagate their own agendas. The internet is rampant with mis-information, falsities, and hate, but it also serves as a platform for people and organizations trying to make a real difference. Digital and Social media can and has absolutely made a difference in the educational and financial landscape. People who have the access to these platforms have so much access to things that can help them better their own situation.
F.A. Is digital media the most efficient source that can educate the Afghan youth?
R.G. Digital Media plays a very important part in educating all people including the Afghan youth, but it’s hard to say it’s the most effective. It might be the most efficient way to get information out there, especially to people in countries that have been somewhat cut off to the rest of the world due to inferior technology or controlling government regime, but we can never underestimate how important the role a community, a mentor, a teacher, or a supportive family is in inspiring and guiding youth.
F.A. Can digital media and advertising sustain financially upcoming countries like Afghanistan and their educational system?
R.G. Yes, I think it’s inevitable that things will move/are moving in this direction. The bigger question is how long will this take.
F.A. How can digital media serve the emancipation of women and provide them with an independent education, connectivity, and financial freedom?
R.G. Knowledge is power and the more they are aware of their own plight and situation, and the more options that are out there to positively affect their destiny, the more chances they have to excel and progress. No doubt it’s a long road, but the journey has begun and digital media and the access to mass information is playing an important role in this.
F.A. What is your opinion on investing in the education of the Afghan youth and women by building schools in Afghanistan?
R.G. This is such an important demographic to connect with. Not only are we educating the youth whom have only known war and pain their whole life, but it also succeeds in bridging the gap between two very different societies. The more tools they have to learn and make decisions for themselves, the stronger that generation will be.
F.A. Our goal is to increase the average yearly income in Afghanistan from $900 to $8000. How long do you think this will take?
R.G. Probably longer than most would anticipate. The most important thing here is that people aren’t living in fear, and truly believe that with hard work, they have the ability to achieve and overcome. It’s important to have lofty goals but it’s the little things that make up big changes.
F.A. Veterans have a prominent role in the Film Annex initiatives in Afghanistan. What is your opinion on (G.I.V.E.) - Global Initiative for Veteran Entrepreneurship and building veteran business opportunities?
R.G. It’s obviously going to be a long slow uphill battle to get this country back on its feet, but it seems more attention is on it now than ever before. Hopefully G.I.V.E. will spark more interest both in business and charity initiatives to really help the citizens and the Veterans who are working on moving on with their lives. A country with this kind of history will always have scars, but it is in people’s inherent nature to heal, progress and even strive given the right opportunities.
More about Ryan Gombeski: A University of Texas graduate, music, rock climbing, and yoga enthusiast, this is the 3rd startup company that Ryan has had the opportunity to be a part of including LivingSocial and Jibbitz. He lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife and their two dogs. | <urn:uuid:58d585c8-5a4c-457d-9fa0-8beeb34976eb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.filmannex.com/webtv/erengulfidan/blog_post/ryan-gombeski-on-film-annexs-afghan-development-project-give/50888 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962739 | 1,116 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Israel's new government excludes ultra-religious
updated 9:02 AM EDT, Thu March 14, 2013
President Shimon Peres (C) sits with Shas Party leaders at the President's residence on January 31, 2013, Jerusalem.
- Ultra-orthodox parties are out after years of being in
- A party that supports West Bank settlements is in the government
- Netanyahu's priorities: fiscal responsibility, cost of living, Iran
- Tzipi Livni will serve again as justice minister
Jerusalem (CNN) -- Israeli politicians have reached an agreement on a new government that excludes ultra-religious parties, which have almost always been a part of the ruling coalition.
The main ultra-orthodox Shas Party will join the Labor Party in the opposition rows of the Knesset, Israel's parliament. It leaves the governing coalition with no party that traditionally trumpets the concerns of the poor.
After weeks of negotiations, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu forged a coalition deal with centrists and ultra-conservatives after his conservative Likud Beitenu Party landed a solid lead in Israel's January 22 national election, Likud spokeswoman Noga Katz said.
The Knesset holds 120 seats, and more than 60 are usually needed to form a coalition government.
But Netanyahu has said he wanted to build a large majority, and he has achieved that goal by signing on enough parties to garner 68 seats, Katz said.
The centrist Yesh Atid party, less than a year old, made an impressive debut in its first election, receiving 19 Knesset seats to become the second largest member of the new government.
The Jewish Home Party, which supports the expansion of Jewish settlements in the Palestinian West Bank territory, also signed on to the coalition. So did "The Movement" of Tzipi Livni, another centrist party.
Livni, a former opposition leader, foreign minister and justice minister, will again serve in the justice minister post. Her party was the first to join Netanyahu's coalition.
As top priorities for the new government, the prime minister named fiscal responsibility, lowering the cost of living in Israel and containing Iran's nuclear ambitions.
CNN's Joe Sterling contributed to this report
Part of complete coverage on
updated 1:59 PM EDT, Wed June 19, 2013
50 years after JFK's "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech, one expert says Barack Obama visits Berlin at a desperately crucial time.
updated 8:31 AM EDT, Wed June 19, 2013
In a country caricatured for its deification of soccer, the World Cup, Confederations Cup and FIFA have become symbols of corruption and waste.
updated 8:59 PM EDT, Tue June 18, 2013
A man who silently stood in Taksim Square and stared at a portrait of the founder of the modern Turkish state, drew hundreds to his vigil.
updated 1:26 PM EDT, Wed June 19, 2013
As Afghan forces formally take over security of the country, what is likely to be on the table when the U.S. and the Taliban meet for talks?
updated 4:54 AM EDT, Wed June 19, 2013
North Korea's recent belligerence has many in China, its lone ally, saying enough is enough. But would Beijing really cut Kim Jong Un off?
updated 6:47 AM EDT, Wed June 19, 2013
Whether you've a vague fear of Big Brother or a desire to keep your bank information private, there are ways of securing your data.
Among the intriguing pieces of history in Chinese coastal province Fujian are the tulou: large, round, rammed-earth buildings dating back centuries.
updated 11:39 AM EDT, Tue June 18, 2013
NYU did a great favor not only for the Chinese dissident but also for both the U.S. and Chinese governments, writes James Millward.
updated 11:14 PM EDT, Mon June 17, 2013
Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden is laying low, but that's becoming increasingly difficult. CNN's Ian Lee reports.
updated 7:11 AM EDT, Wed June 19, 2013
Tired of seeing developed nations take the lion's share of profits from his country's coffee crop, this businessman decided on a new plan.
updated 9:22 AM EDT, Wed June 19, 2013
There's a new menace lurking in the streets of London -- exploding sidewalks, which have injured at least 5 people.
updated 6:40 AM EDT, Thu June 13, 2013
Scenes of violent clashes between protesters and police may make visitors to Istanbul think twice. Is it time to cancel your trip?
updated 5:36 AM EDT, Wed June 19, 2013
Who has been voted the world's best airline by passengers at the annual Skytrax World Airline Awards? | <urn:uuid:10782e10-2875-431f-8666-8edd6bbae8d0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/14/world/meast/israel-new-government/index.html?eref=time_politics | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958628 | 986 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Muscle Hypertrophy Training
Muscle hypertrophy (muscle cell enlargement) is an area of great debate in the fitness industry. Everyone has their opinion on how to overload the muscular system to produce growth and there are new studies coming out every week proving one method is better then another. But how do you resistance train if your goal is to get stronger and leaner while avoiding that overly developed bodybuilding look? Most of my personal training clients want more of that ripped athletic look but also want to be as strong as possible.
There are two basic ways a muscle cell gets bigger. One is called sarcoplasmic hypertrophy and the other is called myofibrillar hypertrophy. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is when there is an increase of fluid and noncontractile connective tissue within the muscle while myofibrillar hypertrophy is an increase in the size of the contractile muscle fiber (actine and myosin).
Traditional body builders do higher volume resistance training while lifting moderately heavy weights for 10 to 12 reps. It is not uncommon for a body builder to spend 30 to 40 minutes just training their chest while a power lifter will lift very heavy weights for only 1,2 or 3 reps.
A typical body builder is more muscular then a power lifter but not as strong; therefore, the higher rep and higher volume of training will contribute more to sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. Now keep in mind that there is always some carry over. Whenever you resistance train you will get both sarcoplasmic hypertrophy and myofibrillar hypertrophy.
The secret to getting strong and lean is using the right combination of sarcoplasmic hypertrophy and myofibrillar hypertrophy. A good friend of mine Rusty Moore did a great video explaining the whole concept below.
Rusty is known for his fitness blog called Fitness Black Book which gets over 300,000 visitors per month. The whole site is devoted to a training approach that will teach you how to get the lean “Hollywood Look”.
Let me know what you think about the video and if you checked out Rusty’s site.
If you enjoyed this post, then make sure you go to my Facebook Fan Page and like it.
Best – Mike Cola
Get My Free "Forever 27" Workout !
Enter your email to get immediate access to "Forever 27" Workout | <urn:uuid:21de6fbd-7262-4961-aba0-c64348d17ef6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fitnesscontrarian.com/muscle-hypertrophy-training/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941465 | 508 | 1.6875 | 2 |
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Thursday planned to urge the Supreme Court to strike down California’s ban on gay marriage, wading into a case that could have broad implications for the right of same-sex couples to wed.
While such friend-of-the-court briefs are not legally binding, the administration’s filing could have some influence on the justices when they consider the constitutionality of the ban in March.
The brief also should offer clarify President Barack Obama’s evolving views on gay marriage. Obama supports same-sex unions but has said marriage should be governed by states.
The administration intended to meet the Thursday filing deadline for all parties not directly involved in the case.
Gay rights advocates hoped the brief would ask the court to strike down California’s Proposition 8 and declare that the Constitution bars any state from banning same-sex unions.
The administration could choose a narrower option, including asking the court to strike down only California’s ban.
Another option: asking to rule that California and other states that allow unions carrying all the benefits of marriage cannot take away this right. Seven other states allow gay couples to join in civil unions with full marriage benefits.
The Proposition 8 ballot initiative was approved by California voters in 2008 in response to a state Supreme Court decision that had allowed gay marriage. Twenty-nine other states have constitutional amendments banning gay marriage; nine states and the District of Columbia recognize same-sex marriage.
In recent days, states, organizations and individuals have filed briefs in the Proposition 8 case.
Thirteen states, including four that do not now permit gay couples to wed, urged the court on Thursday to declare the ban unconstitutional. They said marriage enhances economic security and emotional well-being for the partners, and is better for children.
“All of these interests are furthered by ending the exclusion of same-sex couples from the institution,” said the brief signed by Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley.
It was joined by Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Washington, Delaware, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon and the District of Columbia.
More than 100 prominent Republicans have signed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of gay marriage. Among them are former GOP presidential candidate Jon Huntsman and Florida Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.
Obama, a former constitutional law professor, raised expectations that he would back a broad brief during his inauguration address on Jan. 21. He said the nation’s journey “is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law.”
“For if we are truly created equal, than surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well,” Obama said.
Obama has a complicated history on gay marriage. As a presidential candidate in 2008, he opposed the California ban but didn’t endorse gay marriage. He later said his personal views on gay marriage were “evolving.”
When he ran for re-election last year, Obama announced his personal support for same-sex marriage, but said marriage was an issue that states, not the federal government, should decide.
Public opinion has shifted in support of gay marriage in recent years.
In May 2008, Gallup found that 56 percent of Americans felt same-sex marriages should not be recognized by the law as valid. By last November, 53 percent felt they should be legally recognized.
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the Proposition 8 case on March 26. One day later, the justices will hear arguments on another gay marriage case, this one involving provisions of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
That act defines marriage as between a man and a woman for the purpose of deciding who can receive a range of federal benefits.
The administration abandoned its defense of the act in 2011, but the measure will continue to be federal law unless it is struck down or repealed.
In a brief filed last week, the government said Section 3 of the act “violates the fundamental constitutional guarantee of equal protection” because it denies legally married same-sex couples many federal benefits that are available only to legally married heterosexual couples. | <urn:uuid:d78e2f16-de5c-4907-977b-9860465bbbe0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.greeleytribune.com/news/local/5105554-113/marriage-gay-court-obama?layout=320 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953666 | 863 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Wishaw and District Housing Association believes that every one of our residents has the right to feel safe in their home and to enjoy living there peacefully. Nobody should have to put up with constant noise and disruption and we therefore strive to demonstrate a 'zero tolerance' approach to anti-social behaviour.
We recognise that taking early, effective action is the best way to resolve issues successfully and we seek to do this with the co-operation of everyone involved. Wishaw and District Housing Association work closely with others to find a solution to anti-social problems particularly the Police and North Lanarkshire Council's Anti-Social Behaviour Investigators.
Although we view taking legal action as the absolute last resort, we will go to court seeking an Anti-Social Behaviour Order and/or Decree for Eviction against persistent offenders if necessary.
If you are experiencing any form of anti-social behaviour while in your own home, please let us know. You can either contact your Housing Officer directly or complete and submit the on-line comment form. If it is happening outwith the Association's opening hours we have an arrangement with North Lanarkshire Council to provide our residents with
an out-of-hours service.
More information on reporting Anti-Social Behaviour and what steps the Association can take are available in Wishaw and District Housing Association's Anti-Social Behaviour Policy and Anti-Social Behaviour Leaflet. | <urn:uuid:bd179bd4-110b-4398-864c-84c2e54455eb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wishawdha.org.uk/Anti-Social-Behaviour-Wishaw-and-District-Housing-Association.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933348 | 286 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas waves to the crowd during celebrations for their successful bid to win U.N. statehood recognition Dec. 2, 2012. / Nasser Shiyoukhi, AP
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) - With U.N. recognition of a Palestinian state in his pocket, President Mahmoud Abbas wants official documents to carry a new emblem: "State of Palestine."
But scrapping the old "Palestinian Authority" logo is as far as Abbas is willing to go in provoking Israel. He is not rushing to change passports and ID cards Palestinians need to pass through Israeli crossings.
The very modesty of Abbas' move to change official stationery underscores his limited options so long as Israel remains in charge of territories the world says should one day make up that state.
"At the end of the day, the Palestinian Authority won't cause trouble for its people," Nour Odeh, a spokeswoman for Abbas' self-rule government, said of the need for caution.
Abbas won overwhelming U.N. General Assembly recognition for a state of Palestine in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem in late November, a rare diplomatic victory over a sidelined Israel. The U.N. nod was important to the Palestinians because it affirmed the borders of their future state in lands Israel captured in 1967.
Recognition, however, has not transformed the day-to-day lives of Palestinians, and some argue that it made things worse. In apparent retaliation for the U.N. bid, Israel in December withheld its monthly $100 million transfer of tax rebates it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, further deepening the Abbas government's financial crisis.
Since the U.N. recognition, Abbas has maneuvered between avoiding confrontation with Israel and finding small ways to change the situation on the ground.
Last week, his government press office urged journalists to refer to a state of Palestine, instead of the Palestinian Authority, the autonomy government set up two decades ago as part of interim peace deals with Israel.
Palestinian diplomatic missions around the world have been told to use the new names, including those in countries that did not vote "yes" at the General Assembly, said Omar Awadallah, a Palestinian Foreign Ministry official.
Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev dismissed the name change as pointless but declined comment on whether Israel would retaliate in any way. "Instead of looking for gimmicks, Palestinians should negotiate with Israel to bring about the end of the conflict," he said. "That will lead to a situation of two states for two peoples."
Israel objected to Abbas' U.N. bid, accusing him of trying to bypass negotiations with Israel on the terms of statehood. Such talks have been frozen for more than four years because Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disagree on their parameters. Netanyahu says he is willing to cede land to a Palestinian state but will not withdraw to the 1967 lines or give up any part of east Jerusalem, the Palestinians' desired capital.
Abbas has said negotiations remain his preferred choice, and that U.N. recognition was meant to improve his leverage with a far more powerful Israel once talks resume.
Since the U.N. vote, Abbas has shied away from measures that could close the door to talks by upsetting Israel or the U.S., which also objected to his U.N. bid.
Abbas has not taken practical steps toward seeking membership for Palestine in U.N. agencies, something made possible by the November vote, and his security forces continue to coordinate with Israeli troops in tracking Islamic militants in the West Bank.
In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland expressed U.S. opposition to using the term "State of Palestine."
"You can't create a state by rhetoric and with labels and names," she told reporters. "You can only create a state, in this context, through bilateral negotiations." Nuland called Abbas' decision "provocative, without changing the condition for the Palestinian people."
She said the U.S. peace envoy for the Mideast, David Hale, was headed to the region and would meet the Palestinian leader on Tuesday.
Some countries, such as Brazil, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras, have adopted the new name. Others, like Norway, Sweden and Spain, stick to the Palestinian Authority term even though they supported U.N. recognition.
Analysts said Abbas holds out hope that President Barack Obama will get more involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in his second term and - freed from the restraints of seeking re-election - take a tougher stance toward Israel.
"He still hopes to resume peace talks in line with U.S. efforts," Palestinian analyst Hani al-Masri said of Abbas.
"Therefore, he is making these slight changes because people expect him to make changes after the U.N. recognition."
Still, the gap between the symbolic U.N. nod and the reality on the ground remains wide.
The Palestinian Authority administers some 38 percent of the West Bank, but Israel maintains overall control over the territory. Abbas has no say in east Jerusalem, annexed by Israel in 1967, or in Gaza, seized by his political rival, the Islamic militant group Hamas, in 2007.
The documents and stationery with the new emblem will be ready within two months, said Hassan Alawi, a deputy interior minister in the Palestinian Authority.
Israeli officials declined comment Monday on whether Israel would refuse to deal with documents bearing the "State of Palestine" logo. However, Alawi said his office was informed by Israeli officials after Abbas' decree that "they will not deal with any new form of passport or ID."
Saeb Erekat, a senior Abbas aide, said the new emblem will be used in correspondence with countries that have recognized a state of Palestine.
He suggested that there would be no change in passports or other documents Palestinians need for movement through Israeli crossings.
"As far as the Israelis are concerned, we are not going to overload the wagon of our people by putting state of Palestine on passports," he said. "They (Israelis) will not allow them to travel."
Palestinians must pass through Israeli-run crossings to leave the West Bank and also carry an ID card at all times or risk arrest if stopped at an Israeli military checkpoint inside the territory.
The name change has even less meaning for Palestinians in Hamas-ruled Gaza. Israel withdrew from the coastal strip in 2005 but continues to control access by air, sea and land, with the exception of one Gaza border crossing with Egypt.
"For me, it's just ink on paper," said Sharif Hamda, a 44-year-old pharmacist in Gaza City. "I wished they would save the money they will spend on this and use it for helping needy families."
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Read the original story: State of Palestine name change shows limitations | <urn:uuid:e3f81091-f337-4c65-bd65-14d1d1742527> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/usatoday/article/1816083 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960843 | 1,428 | 1.679688 | 2 |
For our generation, Santa was Christmas. My dad was a Santa expert and would do anything to help Santa keep his Christmas secrets. Christmas was a bit of a letdown in our family once my brother and I grew up.
My husband talks of telling his mother that 'reindeer CAN'T fly!' Oh, but Santa has a helicopter....
When my older kids were little, Christmas was all about Santa. Yet, somehow, it always felt a little off kilter. So, as the younger kids came along, we decided to play it down a little. Santa still comes to visit, leaving a gift for each of them, St. Nick leaves goodies in our shoes on Dec 6th, and Jesus gets a birthday cake on Christmas day.
Trying to focus Christmas on Jesus can become a major undertaking these days. You're considered weird if Jesus is bigger than Santa. And yet, it always feels awkward to think that anyone could be that confused. AND...willing to let their young charges think that way.
Needless to say, we try to put more emphasis on Jesus in our house while still allowing Santa his own special place. Kids are hold-outs, though. They believe. In spite of what they see and hear, they believe.
Now that's the lesson I want them all to really get! Hopefully, the transition of belief will float smoothly from childhood into an eternity.
So, a few days ago, my 3 yr old is pulling the paper off of a handful of stickers he received at the doctor's office for being what, compliant? I sat with him as he showed me the colorful stickers. He turned one over and smiled a smile that would melt butter. His shining eyes shifted from the fat man with the white beard up to my eyes. "Ho Ho Ho," he exclaimed.
How did he know?? | <urn:uuid:aeb4bb4b-447a-48b7-8b81-64e117f83b6a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lisaschaffer.blogspot.com/2008/12/ho-ho-ho.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983203 | 378 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Washington Catholic Bishop Urges Civil Debate, No Tolerance for Hate or Hostility
This weekend, all Catholic parishes in the diocese of Spokane, Washington read a letter from Bishop Blase Cupich about the state’s current debate on Referendum 74, a ballot initiative that would extend marriage rights to same-sex couples in the state.
While Bishop Cupich notes that the Catholic Church’s official position urges voters to reject the initiative, he urges parishioners to view the debate in the broader context of the experiences of their LGBT neighbors.
First, Cupich acknowledges the history of discrimination and oppression that motivates many supporters of the law:
Proponents of the redefinition of marriage are often motivated by compassion for those who have shown courage in refusing to live in the fear of being rejected for their sexual orientation. It is a compassion that is very personal, for those who have suffered and continue to suffer are close and beloved friends and family members. It is also a compassion forged in reaction to tragic national stories of violence against homosexuals, of verbal attacks that demean their human dignity, and of suicides by teens who have struggled with their sexual identity or have been bullied because of it.
Then, urging that the debate be conducted with respect and civility, he issues a stern warning to those who would do otherwise:
I also want to be very clear that in stating our position the Catholic Church has no tolerance for the misuse of this moment to incite hostility towards homosexual persons or promote an agenda that is hateful and disrespectful of their human dignity.
Bishop Cupich demonstrated a similar sensibility earlier this year when he ignored a right-wing campaign to block Archbishop Desmond Tutu from speaking at the commencement ceremonies of Spokane’s Gonzaga University in part because of Tutu’s views on LGBT issues.
It’s a shame that comments such as these are so rare from Catholic bishops. While same-sex marriage is still a hotly contested issue among people of faith, there should be no controversy about Bishop Cupich’s basic acknowledgment that all people deserve respect and dignity and that this issue should not be used to incite bigotry and intolerance. | <urn:uuid:5c8a3909-adbc-42f3-bfba-88e29d2050f1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.faithinpubliclife.org/blog/washington-catholic-bishop-urges-civil-debate-no-tolerance-for-hate-or-hostility/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962755 | 442 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Welcome to the 1st ever Smart Money Debate at ReadyForZero! To see the other side of this debate, read Michelle’s post: Why You Should Buy a Home Instead of Renting. And then let us know which argument was more convincing!
This post was written by Carrie Smith, the writer behind the Careful Cents personal finance blog, a site where she helps people get out of debt and find a career they love. She’s also an accountant and social media lover who enjoys traveling. Follow her on Twitter @applecsmith.
I understand the allure of buying a home. I myself bought a home (and later sold it). But I simply think that right now it makes far more sense to rent instead of buy. Owning a home may still be the great American dream, but with the recent economic problems and foreclosures all across the country, owning a home has become a nightmare for millions.
If you’re thinking of buying a home, I challenge you to take a hard look at the advantages of renting before you decide to buy.
Renting Means No Down Payment
Renters rarely have to put more than the first month’s rent down, as well as a security deposit (which, if all goes well, you may get back anyway). But, more often than not, a down payment on a house will be between 5-20% of the asking price. Depending on the current price of the home you’re looking to buy, this could mean tens of thousands of dollars.
In a perfect world, that down payment would become equity but, as I’ll explain below, that outcome doesn’t always happen. If you want to turn your down payment into an investment, there are many ways to do that besides buying a home. Plus, if you buy a home you’ll also need to have extra money set aside for any unexpected costs that come up during the process of moving in (such as repairs that were not identified prior to the sale of the house).
Renting Means Less Risk
Risk seems to be the most commonly overlooked factor when someone is considering buying a home. It’s something I ignored too when I purchased my first home at 23 years old. The risk that comes with homeownership is high for several reasons:
- If you’re married and base your mortgage payments on two incomes, you’re in lala land if you don’t factor in the possibility of losing one or both of your incomes.
- Homeowners face a good possibility of being foreclosed on, while renters face zero percent chance of foreclosure.
- You’re at the mercy of the housing market. As seen during the recent housing collapse, when you can’t pay cash for a home, you end up running the risk of owing the bank more money than the house is even worth.
Renting Means More Money in Your Pocket
Rent is often a fixed expense. Many people think that the monthly cost of owning a home is similar to the cost of renting, but often that’s not true. For one thing, the cost of renter’s insurance is significantly less than the cost of homeowner’s insurance. Unfortunately, many people don’t accurately calculate the true cost of purchasing real estate. Homeowners need to budget for expenses like property taxes, homeowner association (HOA) fees, repairs, and lawn maintenance just to name a few.
The true cost of owning a home can be surprising, especially for a single person or couple just starting out on their own. There are also the extra expenses that pop up which inexperienced homeowners are not familiar with. All of these extra costs are avoided when you choose to rent instead of buy – which means more money in your pocket.
Renting Means More Flexibility
What if you get a great job offer, get married or have a baby and need to move? If you’re currently renting, then you simply don’t renew your lease – or sublet the place until your lease is up. However, the process of selling a house (getting the house prepped, hiring a Realtor, etc) is much more involved, time consuming, and expensive.
For instance: what if you need to move before your house sells? Or you don’t find a buyer and your house sits on the market for several years? You will be paying both rent in your new location and your mortgage payments on your unsold house. Or perhaps worse, you’ll have to pass on opportunities that you are interested in because you lack the flexibility to take advantage of them.
Renting is Less of a Hassle Than Buying
Buying a home is an investment. It takes work and it’s expensive. You can’t just purchase a home and then forget about it. There’s always something that needs to be fixed or updated. And unless you have money to hire a staff of people to help, you’ll most likely be doing it yourself. If the yard needs to be mowed, you have to bust out the lawn mower. If you want to repaint a room, you’ll have to buy some paint and get busy.
Maintaining and personalizing your home can be very rewarding once you’ve finished, but you’ll find that it’s a job that’s hardly ever complete. You’ll constantly want to update things and make it more your style, which means putting in a lot of sweat equity.
Too many things can go wrong when you own a home, whereas renting can provide a more stress-free and carefree lifestyle, especially for a young adult or young couple. After experiencing too many costly and time consuming projects with my own house, I said goodbye to homeownership and hello to renting. And I haven’t regretted it once.
So… do you agree or disagree?
Update: We’re going to link to blog posts responding to this debate (if you post one, let us know). Today we saw this great one from Greg at Club Thrifty:
Club Thrifty: Buying a House vs. Renting: What’s the Right Call?
Tackling Our Debt: Owning or Renting? Why Renting Is The Right Choice For Us | <urn:uuid:73ed7dcc-2eb0-4a51-b294-72082f60ad32> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.readyforzero.com/why-you-should-rent-instead-of-buying-a-home/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961506 | 1,318 | 1.789063 | 2 |
The state of Florida experienced a dramatic drop in FCAT writing scores this year due to interpretation of scores differing from previous years.
An emergency conference meeting was held by the State Board of Education Tuesday morning to discuss the results of the FCAT student writing proficiency test.
A motion was put forth during the meeting to set the cut score at 3.0 for the FCAT writing portion only for 2012. The board members said they want to essentially hold the schools and districts harmless for this year in regards to writing.
Another point that was made during the emergency meeting was that overnight, students did not all of a sudden become bad writers. So the issue of whether there was a scoring challenge or if the raising of the challenge and rigor affected the results will be looked into.
The board also said the way the scores were interpreted was different than past years. This year there was a greater focus and emphasis on support and convention that last year.
A press conference was also held in the Communications Department of the Lee County School District's office Tuesday afternoon to discuss the scores.
Superintendent Dr. Joseph Burke said the motion of changing the cut scores from a 4.0 to 3.0 will have a significant impact on the overall scores. He said it is a very important effort by the State Board of Education.
With the change in cut scores, Burke said the number of students to receive a 3.0 will approximately be in the 80 percent range. He said for 10th graders that rate would be 84 percent.
In 2012, the percentage of students who received a score of 3.5 or above was 48 percent for 4th graders, 52 percent for 8th graders and 60 percent for 10th graders. The students who received a score of 4.0 or above this year was 27 percent for 4th graders, 33 percent for 8th graders and 38 percent for 10th graders.
In 2011, the percentage of students who received a score of a 4.0 or above was 81 percent in 4th grade, 82 percent for 8th graders and 75 percent for 10th graders.
Burke said the state is attempting to look at the first administration of the test, which he said has happened in the past.
He said although he was in favor of high standards and thinks the state did the right thing in applying those standards, he did not anticipate a dramatic decline to occur in the scores.
"I'm hopeful this will give us impetus to move forward," he said about the motion of changing the cut scores.
Burke believes the state is putting forth an effort to be fair to teachers and students.
"I commend them for that," he said. "We have to do a better job with preparing the students."
Burke said the next time the test is administered the students will perform at a higher level.
"Reality that work needs to be done," Burke said in reference to the writing scores. "The issue is how are we preparing our students to write clearly."
The most important message Burke wanted to get across during the press conference was that the district is not blaming the students or teachers for the drop in writing scores because the change in cut scores happened mid-year. He said teachers had three or four months to work with the students before the instrumentation of the writing test was given at the end of March.
"We are not blaming students, not saying students are performing poorly or are failures," Burke said. "We are not disappointed in the individual performance of students."
Since the dramatic drop occurred state-wide, Burke said that he has to believe there was a missing element.
"There wasn't any specific communication problems," he said, other than the scoring rubric of the test.
Burke said it was unclear on how the rubric would be applied to the scores itself.
"It's not about teachers not teaching and students not learning," he said.
The blame is not going to be placed anywhere, Burke said, because it is about how they look at standards and expectations and what the district needs to do at the 4th, 8th and 10th grade levels.
Burke went on to say that it is extraordinary and really unusual for such a dramatic drop. He said they need to look at results, analyze the rubric applied and make hard decisions about how to ramp up.
"We have a lot of work to do to perform better," Burke said. | <urn:uuid:59604809-7836-474d-aba5-0fc6e246d889> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com/page/content.detail/id/530177/State--school-district-address-drop-in-FCAT-writing-scores.html?nav=5011 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984842 | 912 | 1.523438 | 2 |
OK so what the bloody hell’s going on in Libya? My personal thoughts are that fella Gaddafi has been beaten half to death with the ugly stick – good grief, it’s like he wears two sanitary pads under his eyes and what’s with the facial hair? Did he eat a mud pie then dip his chin in it? But looks aside, further reading suggests he is likely to be beaten to full death by more than a stick given that there’s a good old fashioned bounty on his head – of two million dollars! I’m thinking if I become a successful bounty hunter in Libya I could almost fund my feature film. But all that aside, what on Earth is going on over there and why are people suffering so terribly?
Background Libya has a long history of colonization since it’s indigenous Berber tribes inhabited this chunk of the Sahara Desert on Africa’s North-East coast . It was Italy – in control from 1911 – who united the lands and named the colony Libya. In World War II Libya saw much fighting and when the capital, Tripoli fell, it came under Allied administration. In 1949, the UN voted that Libya should become independent and in 1951 it became the United Kingdom of Libya. In 1958, oil was discovered and the poor downtrodden country was transformed. Then came Gaddafi…
Gaddafi’s Libya (Jamahiriya) In 1969, at the age of 27 he chucked the king out with a military coup and lead a revolution that saw Libya descend into an anti-western, anti-Israeli, Islamic republic with socialist beliefs. Gaddafi abolished the Libyan constitution of 1951, adopted laws based on his own ideals (the ‘Green Book’) and placed his family in control of the economy. He used oil wealth to fund wars, acquire chemical and nuclear weapons and sponsor acts of terror, including the 1986 bombing of a disco in Berlin, for which the US (under Reagan) responded with bombs. Gaddafi went on to implement extensive surveillance to unearth likely dissidents and see them hanged or mutilated. The executions were broadcast on Libyan telly, often with him presiding. His Government took control of the media and deliberately kept the military weak for fear of a coup. He would send hit men abroad to assassinate dissidents who had left the country to cry for freedom. While a large section of the popultaion lives in poverty, Gaddafi and his family live in luxury, invest in Hollywood films and host parties featuring guests such as Beyonce, Usher, Lionel Ritchie and Maria Carey. He has invested almost ten million euros in a giant telescope while many children suffer from malnutrition and anaemia. He wears notoriously lairy and hideous clothes and employs only female body guards. Dirty, dirty old man.
Lockerbie On the 21st December 1988, Pan Am flight 103 from London to New York exploded over the town of Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 259 people on board and 11 on the ground. Investigations revealed that a bomb had been placed in a suitcase and set to explode over the ocean. A flight delay meant the bomb exploded over land, leaving a trail of evidence that eventually lead to two Libyan men being indicted for murder. Gaddafi refused to hand over the men which lead to a series of UN approved sanctions. To have the sanctions lifted, Gaddafi finally gave up the two men in 1999 and in 2003, formally admitted responsibility for the bombing and agreed to compensate the victims’ families to the tune of $2.7 billion. In 2009 the Libyan intelligence officer who was charged and gaoled for the crime in Scotland was released on compassionate grounds when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He returned home to Libya to a hero’s welcome and is now comatose in his home in Tripoli as looters steal his medicines. Oh poor bugger.
Uprising Anyway, Libya’s been headlining the news this year because the people of Libya finally decided they have had enough of Colonel Cockhead. On the 15th of February 2011, a peaceful protest against Gadaffi’s Government and the arrest of a Human Rights lawyer were met with military force in Benghazi. 38 people were injured. This sparked a series of violent protests in which people called for greater freedom and an end to Gaddafi’s regime. They took arms and set fire to police and security buildings. The protests continued over days and a “Day of Rage” was planned across the Libyan state for February the 17th. Government buildings were torched. Libyan security forces fired live ammunition into the protesting masses but for the most part were overwhelmed. They withdrew, and it is alleged that many military and security forces defected to join the protesting rebels.
Organised Rebellion Protesters and rebels (many of whom are teachers, lawyers, oil workers and students) were joined by defecting military personnel and an army of volunteers who united to protect against Government attack, guard oil flow and collect weapons. This has helped form the National Transitional Council (NTC), a political body with the aim to consolidate rebel forces and to give them a political stance. The NTC have renamed the State of Libya the Libyan Republic and are said to be preparing for democratic elections and a new draft of the constitution. They have started up a newspaper and taken control of radio stations. A pizza service has delivered 8,000 pizzas to fighters each day. Lucky they’re getting all that exercise.
Horror Gaddafi saw to it that his supporters responded with vicious retribution to which only the desperate and mentally ill could resort. Writers, reporters and other prominent opposition have – according to Amnesty International – disappeared, possibly tortured and killed. Paramedics were reportedly attacked while helping injured protesters, injured rebels were refused medical treatment and soldiers who refused to open fire on protesters were themselves shot down. Mercenaries were hired to perpetrate the worst of the violence. It is estimated that up to 700 people were killed in February, before the rebels took up arms. Since armed conflict began in earnest, the casualties are countless and the tactics “horrifying”. It is possible that tens of thousands have been imprisoned for their dissidence, in hideous conditions. Other reports state that Gaddafi forces have been given viagra and encouraged to commit rape, including the rape of children.* Gaddafi took every measure to ensure the media portrayed things his way, shut down internet connection and banned international journalists. Reports of events have come largely via mobile phone cameras, social media and you-tube.
International Intervention On 17th March 2011, the UN – lead by the UK, France and Lebanon – saw fit to intervene. With their Security Council Resolution 1973 in hand, they demanded an immediate cease fire, set up a “no-fly zone” over Libya, upped sanctions and vowed to employ any measures – short of occupation – to protect civilians. The UN has not yet armed anti-Gaddafi forces, but it would be legal to do so should it be deemed necessary. Gaddafi’s government agreed to the cease fire, but were clearly telling porky pies as they headed into other regions with guns blazing. So, on the 19th March, France blew the crap out of a few pro-Gaddafi vehicles as they threatened a rebel stronghold. Then the US and Britain said, Rightio then, here’s your no-fly zone arsehole and blew up his airfields. With that, the Libyan civil war became everyone’s business. As a result, Gaddafi and his supporters failed in their attempts to take rebel central Benghazi, and the battle continues.
The Evil Bastard Falls Further help from NATO forces in the form of logistical support and air strikes stopped the advance of Gaddafi troops and allowed the NTC to take almost complete control of Libya. They scored further victories and the rebels advanced into the capital, Tripoli. They moved toward the military barracks that encompassed the Gaddafi residence and in mid-August, the large family was forced to abandon its compound (in armoured mercs if you please) and head for the Algerian border. And with that, 42 years of unbelievably insane dictatorship and repression of the people came to an end, leaving behind a large celebration and a complete shambles. It seems some of the Gaddafi family are now safely in Algeria, though not his Arseholiness himself. So where the bloody hell is he?
The Latest So the search for Gaddafi continues. Rumours abound as to his whereabouts: he is in Tripoli, he is being harboured in South Africa, he is in Italy, Venezuala, the Libyan city of Sirte – the last of his strongholds…and there are other rumours – that his sons are killed, that he too is dead, that he is planning suicide, that he still believes he will return to power, that my mum is a leaping pink star fish and pigs will fly you DICKHEAD. Anyway, whatever happens, if he is found alive in Libya, he – and his family – will be brought to trial by the UN for crimes against humanity and atrocities of war. And the future of Libya? Well there’s the biggest question mark of all. Some say there is no rebel leader that has support across the board and there could still be rebel in-fighting before democracy can begin (sheesh). The good news is that they have their rich oil fields to assist financially with recovery, but with nearly half a century of lunacy, corruption, suppression and inherent fear with the added madness of a vicious six month war, I suspect the emotional fallout will be felt for generations.
Truly Loopy The extent of Gaddafi’s madness will be magnified in weeks and months and years to come, as more and more horror stories and bizarre behaviour reports are forthcoming. Like how he allegedly raped five of his bodyguards and how he accused Al Qaeda of putting hallucinogens in the rebels’ Necafe (oh Nestle are you ever immune?). How he tearfully claimed his 4 year old adopted daughter died in the 1989 US bombing when actually she probably lived, became a doctor and lived in Tripoli; how he planned to abolish Switzerland and how his speeches could go for 7 hours…
Anyway, I’ve had enough of him now. Flush him out, stick him in the docks and let justice be done. And let the Libyan people rise to their challenge, and their potential.
*these reports have not been verified so PLEASE let them be fabricated. And please note that the recent events in Libya are so new, and the censorship on reportage so tight, that much detail is sketchy, potentially biased and unconfirmed. But bloody hell, if those images I saw on SBS news this week are any indication, plenty of this horror is all too real. And my thoughts are it is best to believe, predict and expect the worst because what if there are people to be saved?
Slightly Trashy End Notes
Kim Cattrall (Samantha from Sex and the City) was booked to fly on Pan Am flight 103 but changed flights to finish her gift shopping.
Rap and Hip Hop music played a large role in encouraging dissidents and gee-ing up rebels. Several anti-Gaddafi Hip Hop songs were written and posted on you-tube a few weeks before the uprising.
**Update for Friday 21st October 2011: Muammar Gaddafi has been captured and shot dead in his home town of Sirte, Libya. He was hiding in a drain – a poignant end for a man who once called his countrymen ‘rats’. President Obama says that this event, “marks the end of a long and painful chapter for the people of Libya.” | <urn:uuid:2f3bc56d-f24b-49dc-aadc-aeb793256399> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://megoracle.com/tag/lockerbie/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978368 | 2,379 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Consumers have been warned to be aware of hidden fees and charges when attempting to switch energy providers.
According to a Citywire report, certain deals offered by energy suppliers may seem too good to be true - but that is because there are covert fees in the small print buried underneath the impressive sales patter.
Customers were advised to make sure that if a tariff comes with an introductory discount, they know exactly how much they will be paying for their energy when their bonus comes to an end, because it might even work out cheaper to opt for a more expensive deal to begin with.
Citywire also urged consumers to be aware that when some energy suppliers say they are offering a discount, what they actually mean is cashback, which will be credited to consumers after a 12-month period.
This means that if consumers leave their energy suppliers in the 11th month, they will lose the cashback they have been amassing all year, which means they will ultimately pay more than they expected for their energy.
According to Consumer Focus, customers should always research energy suppliers at independent sources before they switch energy tariffs.
If you want to find out more about your energy options and how you could save up to £378 in minutes, click here. | <urn:uuid:9a5a0f64-406a-4041-b7d1-2395a3eaea37> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.energyhelpline.com/RSPB/fri/Domesticenergy/news/article/19917608 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970837 | 252 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Revista Latinoamericana de Psicología
versão impressa ISSN 0120-0534
CARPENTIER, Franck; M. SMEETS, Paul e BARNES-HOLMES, Dermot. Matching compound samples with unitary comparisons: The interchangeability of stimulus terms. Rev. Latinoam. Psicol. [online]. 2005, vol.37, n.2, pp. 317-331. ISSN 0120-0534.
Previous research has shown that training of match-to-sample tasks with AB compounds as samples and unitary C stimuli as comparisons (AB-C) leads to novel tasks with interchangeable stimulus elements: C-AB, AC-B, and BC-A (e.g., Markham & Dougher, 1993). These performances remained intact when, after subsequent C-D training, the C stimuli were replaced by novel D stimuli (D-AB, AD-B, BD-A). The present study was conducted to investigate if these performances will also be evident if an element of the ABC triad (A) is replaced by another triad element (B) rather than by a fourth stimulus (D). In Experiment 1, adults were trained on multiple AB-C tasks and tested for corresponding C-AB and AC-B performances. At that point, some subjects received A-B training followed by C-BB and BC-B probes. These probes were the same as the C-AB and BC-A probes except that the A element was replaced by an equivalent B element. Other subjects received A-D training followed by C-DB and BC-D probes. These probes were the same as the C-AB and BC-A probes except that the A stimuli were replaced by corresponding D stimuli. The C-BB and BC-B probes (A-B subjects) led to a massive performance breakdown whereas the C-DB and BC-D probes (A-D subjects) did not. The CBB and BC-B performances improved when, in Experiment 2, these probes were preceded by AB-BB probes. Experiment 3 demonstrated that A-B training generated class-consistent responding during AB-BB, C-BB, BC-B probes and subsequent probes with novel X stimuli (AB-XX, C-XX, XC-X ), but only when the AB-BB, C-BB, and BC-B probes were presented first. These findings indicate that elements of previously established sample-comparison configurations not only can be replaced by novel stimuli but also by same-class elements of the same or of different combinations.
Palavras-chave : Compound Stimuli; Derived Relations; Stimulus Interchangeability; Adults. | <urn:uuid:1eb07151-3859-4e3f-910b-2f70170a87ba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pepsic.bvsalud.org/scielo.php?script=sci_abstract&pid=S0120-05342005000200007&lng=pt&nrm=iso | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957116 | 565 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Rick Ross Biography
William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), better known by his stage name Rick Ross, is an American rapper. He derived his stage name from the drug trafficker “Freeway” Ricky Ross. Ross founded the record label Maybach Music Group, on which he released his studio albums Deeper Than Rap and Teflon Don.
William Leonard Roberts II was born in Coahoma County, Mississippi and raised in Carol City, Florida, near Miami After graduating from Carol City Senior High School, he later attended the historically black college Albany State University in Albany, Georgia.
After being signed to Suave House Records, former label for rap duo 8Ball & MJG, he eventually signed a deal with Slip-n-Slide Records, which has been under the Def Jam umbrella since 2006. While signed to Slip-n-Slide, Ross toured with fellow rapper Trick Daddy and made guest performances on other Slip-n-Slide rap albums
His debut album Port of Miami was released in August 2006 and debuted at the top spot on the Billboard 200 album chart, with sales at 187,000 units after its first week
In March 2008, his second album Trilla was released and, as its predecessor Port of Miami had, debuted at the top of the Billboard 200. Its lead single “Speedin’” featuring R. Kelly peaked at #121 on the Billboard Hot 100; the next one, “The Boss” featuring T-Pain peaked at #17 on the Hot 100. The third single “Here I Am” featured Nelly and Avery Storm
Deeper Than Rap is the third studio album by American rapper Rick Ross, released April 21, 2009 on his label Maybach Music Group and Slip-n-Slide Records, with distribution from Def Jam Recordings. The album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 158,000 copies its first week. Singles from the album were: Mafia Music, Maybach Music II, Magnificent, & All I Really Want.
Teflon Don is the fourth studio album by American rapper Rick Ross, released July 20, 2010 on Maybach Music Group and Def Jam Recordings. Production for the album took place during 2009 to 2010 and was handled by several record producers, including Clark Kent, No I.D., The Olympicks, J.u.s.t.i.c.e. League, Lex Luger, Danja, The Inkredibles, The Remedy, and Kanye West
The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 176,300 copies in its first week. It attained some international charting and produced three singles with moderate Billboard chart success. Upon its release, Teflon Don received generally positive reviews from most music critics, earning praise for its cinematic production and Ross’s lyrical persona.
Ross has signed Pill, Meek Mill, & Wale to his label Maybach Music Group. In 2010 Rick Ross made an offer to rapper Wiz Khalifa to sign to Maybach Music Group but he decided to sign with Atlantic instead. May 24th, 2011 Maybach Music Group will release the album “Self Made” which is an album which will feature Rick Ross, Meek Mill, Pill, Wale . Ross is also expected to release his album “God Forgives, I Don’t” in 2011. | <urn:uuid:43449db5-0695-450e-9579-5839775dc91a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sortmusic.com/_r/rick-ross-biography,len.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969729 | 708 | 1.695313 | 2 |
LRT is the Way We Move
February 15, 2011
The number of Edmontonians choosing to ride the LRT continues to grow, as shown by ridership statistics recently released by ETS.
Ridership on the entire system, for both bus and LRT service, in 2010 reached 76.3 million an increase of 7.8 million over that of 2009 (68.5 million).
“We can thank the expansion of the LRT to Century Park in April 2010 for the tremendous growth in public transit,” says Bob Boutilier, General Manager of Transportation. “It’s exciting to see so many people in the Capital Region jumping on board with ETS.”
The number of weekday boardings on the LRT increased significantly in 2010 to 93,600 from 74,400 in 2009.
“We anticipate continued high use on the LRT system,” continued Boutilier. “These numbers makes us confident that our focus on expansion of the LRT will truly transform the way we move.” | <urn:uuid:d0ab2071-fac7-4c12-bf16-6ab559a6672c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://edmonton.ca/city_government/news/lrt-is-the-way-we-move.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948564 | 218 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Unwritten evidence provided orally by mouth. Under common law, the parol evidence rule governs the extent to which evidence of a claimed agreement, understanding, or negotiation prior to or contemporaneous with the written agreement may be introduced in court to explain, supplement, or vary that written agreement.
See, e.g. Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Dept. of Health, 497 U.S. 261 (1990). | <urn:uuid:bb21f0d6-5220-4f94-9025-0738730d707c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/parol_evidence?quicktabs_3=0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947792 | 86 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Every once in a while, the food industry comes face-to-face with one of its most ardent watchdogs and vocal critics. I’m talking about Marion Nestle, the crack NYU professor and author who eagerly accepts any chance to speak directly to food product decision-makers.
The most recent venue was the CIES World Business Summit, held last week at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel here in New York. I am indebted to SN’s retail editor, Mark Hamstra, who attended the event and sat in on Nestle’s speech.
I’ve met Marion, and in fact, she wrote an editorial for the Winter 2006 issue of SN Whole Health. I’ve sat in on several of her speeches, which follow the same basic format — slide after slide of depicting food products marketed as healthy, accompanied by a running commentary on why these products actually fail the healthfulness test. To wit:
“Look at this cereal. It has an endorsement from American Heart Association, even though it has nine types of sugars in the ingredients…”
“Companies get their own endorsements. PepsiCo is good at this; they create their own criteria, and then give themselves all these endorsements…”
“This borders on, if not absolutely, irresponsible marketing…”
Harsh as it sounds, she makes many valid points. In his own blog post on the CIES summit, Mark noted that Justin King, CEO of U.K.-based Sainsbury’s joined Nestle onstage afterwards and conceded the professor had a point.
“We shouldn’t be proud of some of the things we are doing,” he said. “Some of what Marion showed here today is disgraceful.”
But Marion doesn’t just play the blame game. She closed her remarks by reciting a Wish List of what food companies can do to exercise true social responsibility:
• Make it easier to buy and eat smaller portions.
• Tackle the salt issue.
• Make responsible health claims.
• Manufacture kids meals that are healthy by default. If parents want their kids to eat unhealthy foods, they should have to ask for them.
• Operate facilities under a HACCP plan, with 3rd party inspections.
• Lobby Wall Street and convince investors to value long-term investments promoting social welfare.
• Stop paying the Center for Consumer Freedom to do your dirty work for you. | <urn:uuid:62b89ffb-6158-4f49-88c0-95f558ec3348> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://supermarketnews.com/print/blog/marion-offensive?group_id=15782 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958308 | 510 | 1.625 | 2 |
Reston, Virginia based wireless communications company LightSquared filed bankruptcy yesterday claiming $4.48 billion in assets and $2.29 billion in debts as of February 29.
The bankruptcy does not mean that the company doesn't plan to continue developing a plan that would give high-speed wireless to thousands who currently live in areas that don't have access to broadband.
In fact, Marc Montager, Chief Financial Officer of LightSquared said yesterday that the bankruptcy was meant to allow the company to continue research and development and to go through the regulatory process with more "breathing room."
Read the story below to learn more about why several commodity groups are opposed to LightSquared's technology.
Concerns are over disrupting high-precision GPS technologies
By Ben Potter
A baker’s dozen of commodity groups sent a unified response to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) calling to remove the January 2011 conditional waiver granted to LightSquared by the FCC’s International Bureau. They want to modify LightSquared’s current satellite license so that it cannot build a ground-based wireless network, which could disrupt current GPS systems and their many uses.
The letter states: "We urge the FCC to do so because of the overwhelming evidence that LightSquared’s proposed ground-based network would cause severe interference to virtually all uses of GPS. High-precision GPS technology is vitally important to American agriculture, and would be gravely harmed by LightSquared’s plans."
The letter cites a recent economic study that concluded that precision GPS technology has increased farm revenue by approximately $20 billion per year.
The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) also recently filed comments with the FCC. According to the NPSTC, potential disruption moves far beyond farm fields: "GPS is used for wireless 911 location, support of dispatch operations, mapping/response directions to responders, and synchronization of simulcast communications systems across the country. The nation cannot afford to risk interference that could debilitate the reception and/or accuracy of GPS signals used for public safety operations."
These commodity groups conclude that they still strongly support an expansion of broadband access in rural America. But, they add, this expansion shouldn’t come at the expense of lowering access to high-precision GPS.
The groups who submitted the letter include the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, American Sugar Cane League, Association of Equipment Manufacturers, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Barley Growers Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National Potato Council, National Sunflower Association, US Canola Association, USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council and USA Rice Federation.
Read a full transcript of the letter. | <urn:uuid:5b2f5fbf-99bc-466d-8810-28c4a03c52fe> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.agweb.com/legacyproject/article/lightsquared_files_bankruptcy/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943433 | 569 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Do You Hunt or Fish? — Survey of the Day
Thanks to the frontier spirit that helped found this nation, hunting and fishing are pretty ingrained into the American psyche.
But how many folks in the United States still participate in these outdoor activities?
According to a survey from the Secretary of the Interior, 13.7 million people — that’s six percent of the population over 16 — hunted in 2011. Thirty-three million people — 16 percent of the population — fished.
That’s nine percent more hunters than the last time the survey was taken in 2006, and 11 percent more anglers. Previous to these increases, hunting and fishing had both seen decades of decline in the report, which comes out once every five years. | <urn:uuid:48cac586-2317-4a0e-92ae-9d14c7fec43f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://kqvt.com/do-you-hunt-or-fish-survey-of-the-day/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955261 | 152 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Jeff Loria has outmaneuvered foes in two countries and on the baseball diamond. Now he's trying to pull off a clean sweep.When Florida Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria arrived at the team's spring training ballpark, the fans treated him like a conquering hero. They clamored for his autograph and a look at his 120-gram championship ring (240 diamonds, one with a rare teal hue, and 12 rubies) and to thank him for not dismantling their World Series champs as billionaire Wayne Huizenga did a few years ago.
Baseball has never seen an owner quite like Loria. The 63-year-old art dealer has shrewdly turned a relatively small investment into a potential windfall--and made more enemies than George Steinbrenner. Even now Loria is fighting his former partners (who are suing him), grabbing for controversial tax breaks and maneuvering to get all sorts of help from Major League Baseball. But he is always steps ahead of the competition both off the field and on it. "The so-called experts still don't think we can win," says Loria, watching his team play the St. Louis Cardinals from behind home plate. "It's fine for them to dismiss us again."
Baseball and dealmaking are in Loria's blood. His attorney father twice pitched to Lou Gehrig while in high school and regularly took young Loria four subway stops from home to Yankee Stadium. Loria won a city championship in high school, playing second base. He majored in art history at Yale and later hooked up with actor Vincent Price, hired by Sears, Roebuck to hawk art to the masses. In the 1960s Loria was Sears' youngest buyer. While the venture fizzled, he turned the experience into Jeffrey H. Loria & Co., buying and selling works by the likes of Léger and Picasso for an Upper East Side Manhattan clientele.
By the late 1980s Loria had turned his attention to baseball. He bought the Oklahoma City 89ers, the AAA club of the Texas Rangers, for $3.8 million in 1989, won a championship and sold the team for $8 million in 1993. In the 1990s he tried unsuccessfully to buy major league clubs, first in Montreal, then in Baltimore, where he lost a bankruptcy auction for the Orioles to trial lawyer Peter Angelos.
His break came in 1999. The partnership that owned the moneylosing Montreal Expos was without a managing partner, and the 11 Canadian limited partners, including telecommunications giant BCE and the investment bank BMO Nesbitt Burns, were looking for outside investors. They turned to Loria, who wangled a 24% stake for $12 million and became managing partner. Stephen Bronfman, a member of one of Canada's richest families, and Canadian billionaire Jean Coutu hopped on board, too.
Loria says he nearly doubled payroll to $31 million, which led to increasing losses. He then initiated capital calls on the other owners in 2000 and 2001 to fund rising operating expenses. When they chose not to meet those calls, Loria funded them himself with about $18 million. That triggered a clause in the partnership agreement that allowed him to dilute the interests of other owners down to 6%. Loria thus gained 94% of the Expos for roughly $30 million. He would soon sell the team for four times that amount.
And enrage his limited partners. They refused to meet the capital calls, they allege in a federal suit, because Loria "misrepresented important facts in an effort to destroy Major League Baseball in Montreal." They cite his decisions to pull the Expos off local radio and TV (lousy deals, says Loria) and to stop free tickets to sponsors. They also claim he torpedoed plans for a new stadium for which they'd secured real estate, $5 million a year from the Quebec government to cover interest on a planned $67 million bond and $8 million in annual tax relief. Irrelevant, says Loria's lawyer, since there's nothing about the stadium in the contract.
The federal suit additionally claims that Loria conspired with Baseball Commissioner Allan (Bud) Selig, who is also a defendant, to take control of the team and move it to another city. After Selig decided to eliminate the Expos and the Minnesota Twins in 2001 in order to apply pressure on players in labor negotiations, the commissioner agreed to provide another team to Loria, who had threatened to sue Major League Baseball if he lost his team. No evidence of a conspiracy, says Loria's lawyer.
In any event, the Canadian partners will have a tough time winning the case. Loria appears to have operated within the boundaries of his contract with them. Indeed, he has already convinced a federal judge in Miami to stall the suit and have an arbitration panel in New York hear the case this May, per a stipulation in the partnership agreement. The contract also permitted Loria to increase player salaries and contained provisions for the Expos to be sold or relocated. Loria says the Canadian partners were simply unwilling to invest in the Expos.
Loria ended up in south Florida thanks to Selig and John Henry, a hedge fund manager. At the same time the situation in Montreal was deteriorating, the Boston Red Sox were put up for sale. Henry was interested, but he already owned the Marlins (no owner is allowed to control more than one team), so Selig arranged for Loria to swap the Expos for the Marlins. The deal called for baseball's other owners to buy the Expos for $120 million from Loria, who agreed to pay $158 million for the Marlins. The balance would come from a $38 million interest-free loan made to Loria by baseball's owners--a debt that will be reduced by $15 million or so if Loria can't get a new stadium.
Related SectionsHome > Magazines > Forbes Magazine | <urn:uuid:1be71407-1e43-4e97-a2b7-b8f242e0f425> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.forbes.com/free_forbes/2004/0426/066.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975733 | 1,215 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Pope plugs in to iPod Nano
'Computer technology is the future' says 2-gig Pontiff
It's official: computer technology is the future. And, if you've got any doubts about that, ask God's main man on Earth - Pope Benny 16 - cos that's what he said when Vatican staff presented his Pontificateness with a personalised iPod Nano packed with Vatican Radio broadcasts and classical music.
Sadly, God's Rottweiler will evidently not be moshing to Megadeth, nor contemplating things spiritual while enjoying a quick fix of Rush, but rather chilling to Beethoven, Mozart and Chopin, the Catholic News Service reports.
This, as regular readers will remember, puts him rather at odds with the Son of Man who by popular consent would opt for Classic Rock over good, old fashioned Christian material.
No matter. The Pope is apparently well chuffed with his new piece of kit, handed over at his first visit to Vatican Radio's broadcasting HQ. Vatican Radio supremo Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi told Catholic News Service: "We don't have a huge gift to give to the Pope, but we do have small signs of our work."
For the record, Benny's iPod is engraved "To His Holiness, Benedict XVI" in Italian, and also contains "an English-language radio drama on the life of St Thomas A Becket and a 10 minute feature on the creation of Vatican Radio, with original sound clips of the inventor of the radio, Guglielmo Marconi, and Vatican Radio's founder, Pope Pius XI".
Hmmm, we can't help feeling that His Holiness will be looking to grab a quick 10 minutes at a PC with his new toy and his Vatican Platinum executive credit card in search of some more lively material. Might we suggest the soundtrack to The Passion of The Christ for formal occasions and a quick blast of U2 when he wants to kick back and crack a beer? ® | <urn:uuid:56dd23dd-22a7-4ef5-937b-5b8bc872116b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/03/06/pope_ipod/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941 | 403 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Guatemala, Central America's second-biggest coffee grower, may lose a third of its crop because of leaf rust, President Otto Perez Molina said Thursday in Davos, Switzerland. The crop in Costa Rica may be 30 percent to 40 percent smaller because of the fungus, President Laura Chinchilla said in a separate interview in Davos. Coffee exports from Honduras, the region's biggest grower, will be down 767,000 bags due to leaf rust also called roya, the Honduras Coffee Institute, or Ihcafe, said.
Coffee production in Mexico and Central America will be 19.7 million bags in the 2012-13 season that started Oct. 1, the International Coffee Organization estimated in a report on Jan. 9. That is 2.8 percent lower than the previous forecast of 20.3 million bags, data from the London-based group showed. Farmers around the world will harvest 144.1 million bags, the ICO estimates. A bag of coffee weighs 132 pounds.
"The roya situation and the potential that next season's crops may be impacted is certainly a current focus of the market," Keith Flury, an analyst at Rabobank International in London, said by email Thursday. "If the Central American crop is lower this will support coffee prices."
Arabica coffee futures traded on ICE Futures U.S. in New York declined 37 percent last year, the most in
Guatemala's government will help growers cope with losses from the foliage-attacking disease, Perez Molina said. Costa Rica will provide aid to farmers affected, said Chinchilla. The disease will probably spread throughout the region as last year's slump in prices reduced farmers' income, limiting their ability to pay for chemicals to treat crops, said Stefan Uhlenbrock, an analyst at F.O. Licht in Ratzeburg, Germany.
"The minister of agriculture briefed us at the last meeting and told us about the impact, which could be very big," Perez Molina of Guatemala said. "The government will help farmers, especially small-and medium-sized ones."
The damage in Costa Rica may be "very high," Chinchilla said. The Costa Rican Coffee Institute, known as Icafe, cut the nation's production estimate to 1.648 million bags from a previous forecast of 1.714 million bags, it said on Jan. 4.
Mexico and Nicaragua are also battling the disease. | <urn:uuid:411104a3-b36c-4191-9cc2-d70572b3a206> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.chicoer.com/digitalextras/ci_22442773/leaf-rust-threatens-coffee-production-central-america | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944122 | 501 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Re Elect No One
Join Date: 05/10/2012
Health Premiums Up $3,000; Obama Vowed $2,500 Cut
During his first run for president, Barack Obama made one very specific promise to voters: He would cut health insurance premiums for families by $2,500, and do so in his first term.
But it turns out that family premiums have increased by more than $3,000 since Obama's vow, according to the latest annual Kaiser Family Foundation employee health benefits survey.
Premiums for employer-provided family coverage rose $3,065 — 24% — from 2008 to 2012, the Kaiser survey found. Even if you start counting in 2009, premiums have climbed $2,370.
What's more, premiums climbed faster in Obama's four years than they did in the previous four under President Bush, the survey data show.
There's no question about what Obama was promising the country, since he repeated it constantly during his 2008 campaign.
In a debate with Sen. John McCain, for example, Obama said "the only thing we're going to try to do is lower costs so that those cost savings are passed onto you. And we estimate we can cut the average family's premium by about $2,500 per year."
At a campaign stop in Columbus, Ohio, in February 2008, Obama promised that "We are going to work with you to lower your premiums by $2,500. We will not wait 20 years from now to do it, or 10 years from now to do it. We will do it by the end of my first term as president."
2008 Promises, 2012 Reality
To back that up, Obama pointed to a memo drafted by Harvard professors (and unpaid campaign advisers), which claimed that investing in health care IT, cutting administrative bloat, and improving management of chronic diseases would cut health costs by $140 billion a year. That would translate into $2,500 in premium savings for families.
But those projections were wildly optimistic, overestimating potential savings from IT, making big assumptions about disease management, and ignoring the fact that past government interventions have always increased health care administrative costs.
Meanwhile, the health reform law Obama signed in March 2010 has pushed up insurance costs.
In 2011, premiums spiked 9.5%, and many in the industry blame ObamaCare for at least part of it. Premiums climbed another 4.5% in 2012, Kaiser found.
And ObamaCare will continue to fuel health premium inflation.
First, the law piles on new coverage mandates. It requires insurance companies to provide 100% coverage for various types of preventive care, bans lifetime coverage limits, extends parents' coverage to offspring up to 26 years old, and requires plans to meet certain "medical loss ratios." Coming up are rules on "essential standard benefits," limits on deductibles, bans on annual spending caps, and much more.
The experience with state mandates show that they only tend to grow over time, and get more expensive. The Council for Affordable Health Insurance found more than 2,200 state benefit mandates, which add from 10% to 50% to the cost of coverage.
"One of the biggest cost drivers in our health care system is the steady proliferation of federal and state-based coverage mandates," noted CAHI's Victoria Craig Bunce.
Meanwhile, ObamaCare's insurance reforms — guaranteed issue and community rating — will likely raise premiums, too.
States that have tried these reforms — which forbid insurers from denying coverage based on preexisting conditions or charging the sick more — have seen insurance premiums spiral upward as healthy people leave the market, knowing they are guaranteed coverage when they get sick.
"Premium rates tended to increase, sometimes dramatically" in the eight states that tried these reforms, according to a study by Milliman, a health care consulting group.
The law's backers claim the individual mandate will prevent these rate hikes, because it requires everyone to buy insur ance. But experts say millions will still refuse to buy coverage and pay the fine instead.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Gruber — who helped design ObamaCare — found that the law will hike individual market premiums in three states by as much as 30%. The Congressional Budget Office said ObamaCare would push them "about 10% to 13% higher in 2016."
Supporters say people will be getting more generous coverage for those higher prices, and that tax subsidies will offset higher cost for many of these families. But that will be small comfort to those forced to pay more.
Perhaps the best evidence that ObamaCare won't bring costs down is a report published this month in the New England Journal of Medicine and signed by nearly two dozen leading health economists and policy experts — some of whom worked for the Obama administration. The report warns that "health costs remain a major challenge" and calls for a "systematic approach" to get spending under control.
One thing that isn't on their list of proposals: Scrapping Obama-Care and starting over. | <urn:uuid:2732907f-9363-4466-bb60-255eb8e0be1a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://arizona.newszap.com/csp/mediapool/public/dt.main.ce.Home.cls?name=fTopicPage&fTopicPageId=2262&skip=18790 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96742 | 1,009 | 1.679688 | 2 |
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